Title: Denying Mr. Parks (The Parks, #1)
Author: Lilly James
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Synopsis
Evelyn Banks is her own worst enemy…
A recovering alcoholic, the key to Evelyn’s continuing sobriety is to remain focused and controlled. She finally has her life on track with a new job at a law firm, but her world is shaken when she meets the firm’s gorgeous, charming, dominant CEO.
Wade Parks asks for only one thing—to be obeyed…
Wade’s perfect world is one of discipline and obedience. When he encounters his firm’s new employee, he begins a cat-and-mouse game in his pursuit of the feisty and independent Evelyn, determined to break through her cold demeanor and give her the discipline he’s sure she craves.
Evelyn is willing to submit to his dominance, but her emotions are another matter…
Both of Evelyn’s parents were addicts, incapable of giving her the slightest bit of affection, and she’s not equipped to deal with the rush of powerful emotions her relationship with Mr. Parks unleashes. So she turns to the only solace she knows—numbing her feelings with alcohol.
He sees past Evelyn’s flaws, but some secrets hit too close to home…
Just as Evelyn’s heart begins to thaw, Mr. Parks is reminded of his own troubled upbringing and he pulls away, leaving her feeling abandoned.
But another very real danger is lurking, and Evelyn might be very wrong about the source of the threat…
Can she be saved by denying Mr. Parks?
Or is submitting to him the only way to save them both?
Buy The Book
Excerpt
“Did you know he was accepted at Harvard Law School when he was only eighteen years old? I was highly impressed when I read all about it,” Clarke said, pouring hot water into our mugs. I pulled out a teaspoon from the drawer and took the milk out of the small fridge.
“Who? God’s gift to women?” I scoffed, pouring full-fat milk into my tea. The only reason I looked up from the milk carton was because it went quiet. When I turned, just as I dreaded, Parks was standing with arms crossed in the doorway wearing his black suit ensemble and an inward, amused smirk. Clarke cleared an imaginary lump from his throat, picked up his tea cake and mug, then scuttled from the room, leaving me. Shit house.
“Hi.” He smirked. His green eyes were bright and amused as they watched me. I quickly turned my back, placed the carton of milk back in the fridge, and said fuck under my breath for getting caught. “So you think I’m God’s gift to women?”
Oh God, he heard me. I tried to hide my smirk by biting my lip as I turned to face him.
“No. That’s what you think you are.”
“Perhaps you are God’s gift to me?”
I laughed at his ridiculous attempt to sweeten me up. “I am not a gift to you, Parks. And if I was a gift, it sure as hell wouldn’t be from God.”
His eyes narrowed briefly as if he were afflicted. “Evelyn, I notice you have an incredible inferiority complex.”
I blinked at his vocabulary. “Come again?”
He sighed in a way that indicated my obliviousness was adorable to him. “You have low self-esteem.”
“I do not,” I shot back, extremely defensive because that’s what I did. I couldn’t take compliments or criticism. “Why are you even in here?” I glanced around the room. “Don’t you have Jittery Joanna to run around after you?” His green eyes stared at me for a second as though he was trying to figure out who I was referring to. Then he chuckled and pinched the bridge of his nose. It made me laugh, because seeing God’s gift smile was surprisingly refreshing; he completely lit up.
“Jittery Joanna is on her break, and as I watched your fine physique strut in here, I felt obliged to follow.” Proving he liked what he saw, his insatiable gaze lowered down the length of my curvaceous body dressed in a tight-fitted black dress.
“Really? You don’t seem the sheep type to me.”
“Trust me, I am not the sheep, Evelyn, but the wolf. I always take the last bite.”
Oh. “Looks like you’re out of luck. Clarke just had the last tea cake.” I took a long sip of my tea as he watched me thoughtfully. I knew damn well he wasn’t talking about pastries. But I wasn’t going to be subjected to his dirty-minded ways. Even if my body was telling me to get sucked in, my sensible mind was telling me otherwise, and I had learned to listen to my head.
“What about your cake, Evelyn?”
I almost spat out my tea. “My cake it out of the question, Parks. Besides, it’s not even my birthday.” I hid my grin childishly, mentally thanking Rihanna for that line.
“Hm,” he growled, taking a short step towards me, getting intimately close to my body. He gently took the warm mug from my hand and placed it behind me. My breathing was on hold, and my eyes were glued to his green, hooded irises. I could smell the devouring essence of men’s cologne. It was a burst of freshness along with strong masculinity. Desperately I wanted to push him away, but before I could, his face was inches away from mine, his cool breath against my lips. I’m not sure if it was consciously, but I could taste the watermelon juice he always sipped on his lips. I wasn’t fond of watermelon, but right then, I craved the taste. He brushed the tip of his thumb across my jaw and spread his fingers out across my cheek. “Is your cake moist now, Evelyn? Would you prefer it iced?” He spoke in a low, husky voice that tickled my lips. His tone commanded my nerve endings to stand to attention like their sergeant major had arrived. Shit. He was a charming, expert, arrogant arse who could most certainly make my cake moist—and he did. Even so, he wasn’t having a slice of me.
About The Author
British Author Lilly James is a woman with a wild imagination that has to be set free into the arms of a keyboard.
Writing gives Lilly that chance to escape the real world and live in a world of fantasy with her characters.
When she’s not writing you’ll find her singing terribly to music, curled up with her kindle, or doing something boring like everyday chores that unfortunately need attention.
Lilly lives in Wales, is a mother of one beautiful little girl, and loves reading, chocolate and wine. All in that order.
Giveaway
3 Infuriating Stars
Lilly James gives us an infuriating story with deeply flawed characters, that will either make you love them or hate them. But, in the end, sometimes, glass houses are meant to be shattered.
Evelyn Banks is a by-product of her parents drug and alcohol addictions. A young girl, hardened against the world; remaining emotionless and withdrawn from any form of intimacy, as an adult. Living her life by her own rules, without any exceptions and with absolutely no thought for those close to her. Evelyn is a recovering alcoholic, who has been sober for nine months. Living with her best friend and dating his brother, working as an associate secretary in a renowned law firm, Evelyn has made strides to make a better life for herself.
Evelyn has a seriously bad attitude, she comes off as intense, with her brash words, and take no prisoners persona. She definitely isn't liked by her immediate boss and most, if not all of the women, within her working environment. Her entire demeanor gets the attention of the visiting CEO and owner of Parks Law firm, Mr. Wade Parks himself.
Wade Parks only needed to stay a week to ensure the proper operations of the firm, and do a 'meet and greet' with the staff. But, after meeting Evelyn Banks, this flawless beauty, peaked his interest. Something about her, screamed vulnerability. Her intensity brought out Wade's dominant side. And he was more than ready to play.
“When I want something, I always get it. Right now, what I want is you. I knew it as soon as you introduced yourself to me. And I don't necessarily need to know all about someone to understand that I want them and I won't stop until I have it.”
Even though I wanted to file a personal lawsuit against Mr.Parks, on behalf of Evelyn and myself, his character enticed me to the core. The whispered words, his own intensity, all that alpha-male hotness. The man knew what he wanted and had no qualms about going after it. Even though I thought, for a CEO, who was portrayed as the epitome of professional, Wade Parks was anything but that. This made me lose some appeal with the story itself.
Evelyn's demons shin through when Mr.Parks enters her life. Evelyn is a woman who has tried to be strong her entire life. Living with disappointment after disappointment. Yet, as much as she tried, she realized she was the exact opposite of strong. She was weak. Evelyn was a woman that couldn't cope with emotions. Using her drug of choice, alcohol, to hide and numb her pain. Blistful oblivion. She preferred to hide behind a bottle and run from every and anything remotely close to showing or having emotions, rather than facing her problems and dealing with them.
Hiding and running from her own demons and emotions, made up most of the book, while Wade attempted to get closer to Evelyn. He brought out her inner sexual deviant. Making her lust after spankings, unknown to Wade, these were her form of personal, soul searing punishment. Even if they both got pleasure from the act. Added bonus!
"If I tell you my past, I'm scared you won't want my future."
Told from the heroine's POV, this debut novel is a refreshing and unique read. A story about addiction, loss, infatuation, desire, fear, regret, anger, hatred and self-worth. I had a love hate relationship with these characters. What I loved the most in this story was Evelyn's portrayal as an innocent child, forced into emotional and physical turmoil by the persons that was supposed to love her. Evey also infuriated me throughout the novel, with her constant up and down, push and pull attitude. We also see where keys factors in the novel affects Mr. Parks when they are revealed. Clearly, we know their is more depth to Mr.Parks and his very own past. I am looking froward to either a dual POV or Mr. Parks POV in the 2nd book.
Fear of happiness. I was a coward. A liar and deceitful. I felt empty. Lonely. A failure. The only person I had to blame was my very worst enemy. Myself.
*ARC provided by Love Between the Sheets PR on behalf of the author for an honest review* Thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment