Book Spotlight: Breaking Brandon (Fate #2) by Elizabeth Reyes

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Breaking Brandon
Fate #2
By:  Elizabeth Reyes
Released:  Nov. 7, 2013
Sources:
Author-Lindy
Purchased-Ro & Mikki    


GR's Summary:

Fate is a Moreno Brothers spinoff series.

He ruled out attachments years ago. Then one day he crosses paths with a beautiful but pampered daddy's little princess. History has taught him one thing about women like her—steer clear.

She was starting over. She moved back to her home town, took a new job assignment, and left her past behind. For the first time in over eighteen months, she's even intrigued by a man—a sexy but cold and indifferent drill sergeant. Despite feeling drawn to him, she has no time to figure out his inexplicable aversion to her.

Then Fate steps in one night, forcing them together. There's a connection neither can refute, and they both consider giving into the undeniable attraction.

Fate however can also be cruel. Just when they surrender to their heart's desires, past demons resurface in the most unexpected way, threatening the happiness neither realized they so desperately needed.

Fate Series:

Lindy's Thoughts:

Breaking Brandon by Elizabeth Reyes is the second book in the Fate Series, a spinoff of The Moreno Series.  We first met the delicious, BAMF Marine, Brandon in Sweet Sofie.  Brandon and Sofie came from the same neighborhood, and had become close friends their senior year in high school.  Even though Sofie had been in love with Eric, Angel's best friend, for most of her life, she was really attracted to Brandon.  When attraction between Sophie and Brandon sparked, along with Sofie's curiosity, they shared an intense and passionate kiss.  However, Brandon's heart was broken when Sophie admitted that the kiss they shared was a mistake, and she was in love with Eric.

When Breaking Brandon begins, we get a recap of what happened between Brandon, Sophie, and the Moreno brothers through Brandon's point of view.  We quickly learn that Sophie was the only girl that Brandon ever loved.  Afterwards, fate deals Brandon a very tragic and unlucky hand, and he is left all alone in the world, without family, friends, or a woman to love.  These events end up shaping Brandon into a very hard edged, cold, callus, and serious man who learns how to live without emotions influencing his daily life.  Brandon decides to focus on his career as a Marine, and he quickly and successfully moves up the ranks in a short amount of time.  He gets offered a promotion, leaves North Carolina, and returns to San Diego, the place he grew up in and vowed never to return to.  

On his flight to San Diego, he quickly becomes fascinated and annoyed by a beautiful woman talking on the phone with her "daddy."  She has expensive luggage, and as he hears her conversation, he comes to the conclusion that she is a spoiled, rich, brat.  He also notices that she is absolutely beautiful, has a knockout body, and very kissable, pouty lips.  She flashes him a few smiles, but he never returns them. 

Then, Brandon ends up running in to this woman at his new job on the military base.  He learns that her name is Regina, she is an engineer, that many of the men on base flock towards, and they can't do enough for her.  This irritates Brandon even more, and he acts like a total a** towards Regina.  It really bothered me the way Brandon treated Regina at the beginning of the story.  His preconceived ideas about her were completely wrong.  She was sweet, gentle, kind, and friendly to everyone.  Regina had a dark past, and felt very alone in the world.   Her and Brandon had a lot in common, and I could tell right away that if Brandon ever gave her a chance, he would realize what an amazing person she was.  Thankfully, fate intervened, and when circumstances pushed Brandon and Regina together, the story really took off!

Breaking Brandon was an amazing story.  My heart broke numerous times when I watched both Brandon, and Regina deal with tragedy in their lives.  All of Ms. Reyes stories are special because they feel very "real" to me.  They deal with authentic characters, realistic trials and tribulations that we as readers can relate to and connect with, along with sexy and steamy, hot alpha males, that scorch the pages, and make me swoon with their words, as well as their actions.  I was excited to get reunited with some of the amazing characters from previous stories!  My heart was so filled with joy to get to revisit some of my favorite characters of all time, and see how they were doing.  It was like being surrounded by family, and made me realize how much I've missed them.  Breaking Brandon fit perfectly in to everything that I have come to love about Ms. Reyes' stories, and is a perfect example of why she is one of my top favorite authors.    

My Rating:

Breaking Brandon by Elizabeth Reyes was a story that tugged on my heart strings.  Brandon was an unforgettable character.  I felt all of his emotions as he went through them, as if I was experiencing them for myself.  I felt his grief when tragedy struck, the darkness that constantly surrounded him, the numbness as he merely existed, and finally his annoyance, excitement, desire, and love when Regina unexpectedly came into his life.  I loved Regina.  She was very vulnerable, and broken, but tried to be strong and start her life anew. She had a heart filled with such kindness, and love for everyone around her.  She was very special, and she was the only one that could break Brandon out of his cold, numb, shell of existence.  This story was filled with anticipation, excitement, plot twists, and a great surprise!  I give Breaking Brandon, 5 Beautifully-Breathtaking, Emotional, Passionate, and Pounding H-O-T Stars!  Read Breaking Brandon, or anything by Elizabeth Reyes, for a beautiful and passionate escape!

My Favorite Quote:

"He may never beg, but spoiling and appeasing his girl he could do.  In fact, he couldn't think of anything that felt better than seeing that beautiful smiling face or, in this case, her crying out in pleasure. Just like the spoiling, he wanted to make something perfectly clear: she didn't need anyone else spoiling her or making her cry out in pleasure ever again."  (Kindle Loc. 2854)

~Brandon

Ro's Take on this Journey:

Let me start by saying, that Eli NEVER disappoints!!!  Breaking Brandon has now hit the top of my list for HER best book to date!  Brandon Billings was introduced in the third segment of the Moreno Brother's Series, in Sweet Sophie.  Brandon grew up down the street from the Moreno's, in an abusive household, with an abusive, alcoholic father, on the wrong side of the street, if you know what I mean.  He wasn't considered good enough for Sophie. Sophie was in love with Eric, but had a secret crush on Brandon.  One day, curiosity almost killed the cat!  These two had become friends, running together daily, even though her brother's disapproved.  Then one day, Sophie goes into his house, and into his room.  Brandon is one sexy guy, with a "Golden Tongue."  (He made her feel things she never felt before.)  Yes Girls, I do mean GOLDEN!  Sophie gets swept away, and then catches her bearings, and realizes she's made a big mistake.  Only trouble is, Brandon thought he loved her.  This sets the tone for the rest of his life.  

Brandon joins the marines, because he is broken hearted. He gets stationed in North Carolina, and moves up in the ranks very quickly.  A double tragedy strikes, and Brandon is left broken, alone, and numb. He locks his heart up and throws away the key.  Brandon transfers to San Diego to become a D.I., and consciously stays clear of his home town of La Jolla, that still to this day, makes him feel the pain of his past and his lost love.

While transferring at the airport to go to his new base in San Diego, he is positioned in line behind an annoyingly, beautiful girl, (you've guessed it) that looks like his lost love, Sophie.  He is intrigued, yet thoroughly bothered, as he sums her up as a rich, snotty, daddy's girl!  This assessment couldn't be farther from the truth.  Though he is put off, he still cannot get her out of his mind, including what she ordered for lunch!

Regina Brady, the girl at the airport, is an Engineer, that has transferred to San Diego, (her home town) to do a job on the marine base.  After her own tragedy, that has consequently left her reeling with enormous pain, (that she has kept from her family) was a broken young woman trying to mend, from a double loss of her own.  Regina was the strength of her family, and refused to show them what she perceived to be her weakness.

To Brandon and Regina's astonishment, they are both working in the same facility. Neither has been able to get the picture of the other out of their minds.  Though Regina tried to flirt at the airport with Brandon, he was stoic and unforgettable, with his serious stare, those beautiful blue eyes with long lashes, but still wouldn't give her the time of day.  Fate intervenes, and these two are thrown together, for a life altering experience, they both need in order to heal.  This story is filled with twists, turns, surprises, secrets, and earthshattering love scenes, you will not soon forget.  These two are on a road filled with tragedy, and all encompassing spiritual growth.  You will laugh, cry, and want to be there for them.  Ms. Reyes knows how to create the most delicious characters, that the reader comes to know  so  intimately, they become a part of them. The reader is brought together with the Moreno family, including Vincent, from Fate, and the surprises keep mounting...

This second segment of the spinoff on the Moreno Brother's Series, Fate #2, Breaking Brandon, was phenomenal, earth shattering, life changing, thoroughly, and intoxicatingly HOTTTTT!!!  You will not get enough!  The love scenes are so titillating, that they are not just panty dropping...he rips them completely off!!!  The way Brandon makes Regina feel, and lose herself completely, will leave you flushed with a fever girls!   You will experience the aphrodisiac of every salivating, succulent, word!

You are in for the ride of your life, in this life changing journey.  You will remember every situation, every titillating nuance, every heartbreakingly, tender moment.  No one can leave you more emotionally distraught, hauntingly mesmerized, totally enthralled, and entirely swept away...like the Empress of Romance, Elizabeth Reyes!

I give Breaking Brandon, by Elizabeth Reyes, 5+++ Beautifully Written, unforgettably Haunting, Tender, Erotic, Toe Curling, romantically-Kissed-Filled Stars!!! 

Ro's Favorite Quotes:

"To our fresh start and to forgetting about the past."  (Loc. 376)

~Brandon

"Just the way he'd kissed Regina last night.  Just the thought of sucking and biting down on those delicious lips had him groaning."  (Loc. 1803)

~Brandon

"You're lucky my legs are tied, Brandon Billings!"  she said through her teeth as the yearning between her legs begged to be tended to.  She heard his soft laugh.  "I didn't think you'd like the torture."

~Regina   (Loc, 3570)

Mikki's Review:

OH.MY.GOD

Breaking Brandon was nothing like I expected. It turned out to be soooo much more! I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Reyes for a while. I devour her books the moment they go live and my life is put on hold until I finish reading the very last page. I forget about EVERYTHING!!! We got to meet Brandon in Sweet Sofie, which is the third installment in The Moreno Brother’s Series. If you still did not read that series … I suggest you put it on your TBR list ASAP, because it’s AWESOME! I’m not going to deny that Brandon stayed with me after I finished reading Sweet Sofie. That kiss that they shared … Wow! It was so INTENSE! I caught myself cheering for him. Yup! He made an impact and a big one! After I finished the third book, I was secretly hoping that Elizabeth would write a book about him. And, she did. Elizabeth is AWESOME like that! When she announced that Brandon was getting a book in the Fate Series I was "happy dancing" all day long!

In Breaking Brandon we follow Brandon, who has one of the most heartbreaking stories that I ever read.  Nothing is easy in Brandon’s life. He had to face rejection and suffer the loss of both his parents. He builds up these unbreakable walls around his heart. Until one day, Regina finds the way to break them down. Coming from a past filled with heartbreak and grief, Regina has walls of her own. From the moment they meet they can’t stop thinking about each other. As fate would have it, they end up working in the same building. Brandon is really mean to Regina.  When he sees her, he sees his past. She can’t figure out why Brandon hates her so much. When an unexpected accident brings them together, they can’t deny what they are feeling for one another. Their journey is filled with heartbreak, passion,  love and hope. Brandon and Regina are unique characters. Their love story is intense and emotional. Brandon becomes so in love, that there is nothing he would not do for his Princess.

Sweet God! This story broke my heart! I thought that I ugly cried while reading Abel, (5th Street,#4), but NOOOOOOOOO!!! Those were small tears compared to the ones that came out while reading BB.  The last few chapters of the book drained me completely!!!! I had difficulty breathing, my heart was beating way too fast, and my stomach was in knots. because of how nervous I was. If that’s not enough, we get a major  twist. I was like, ‘’What?!?!?!?! Are you serious?!?!?! OMG!! I never saw that one coming!!!’’ I loved the fact that we got to revisit The Moreno’s at the beginning of the book. It gives us a flash back on what happened in Sweet Sofie.

This book was very different from all the other ones that I read from Eilzabeth Reyes. This book stands on its own into another level of AWESOMENESS! Yes, we still get steamy scenes, unforgettable characters, phenomenal writing, but this story was WOW! I can’t get it out of my mind.  I cried, laughed, screamed. Oh, the emotions!!! I’m telling you, just thinking about that BREAK MY HEART chapter, I have tears in my eyes again … Oufff!!! Regina and Brandon absolutely stole my heart, and are now my favorite E.R. couple after Nellie and Abel.  

I give Breaking Brandon 5 COLOSSAL, PASSIONATE, DEEP, EMOTIONAL, SEXY, PANTY MELTING, PHENOMENAL stars! I can’t get enough of Elizabeth’s writing. Her books always bring me comfort and they leave a big smile on my face. I’m ready for the next one. The question is … Who will it be ? ;)

Casting:

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About Elizabeth Reyes:

About me? Well, I was born and raised and continue to live in sunny southern California. I'm married and have two wonderful teens. My love for writing began when I was just a kid though, I never really had any dreams or aspirations of doing it for a living. Then along came the age of eReaders and I saw an opportunity to get my writing out for the world to read without jumping through hoops and getting past the red tape of trying to get traditionally published. The Moreno Brothers series has literally changed my life. I now wake up to go to work a few yards from my bed. 5th Street is my second series with 2 out Noah and Gio and two more to come. I'm currently taking a break from 5th Street to work on my next series Fate a spinoff of The Moreno Brothers series. The first one in that series Fate (Vince and Rose's story from Making You Mine) is due out this year. 

I love hearing from my readers and try to always try to respond as soon as I can,  but if there is a certain question being asked over and over instead of answering it 20 times I will post on my FAQ page so check there often! End of this year will be crazy for me between keeping up with the response to MYM and getting ready for my blog tour I'll be super busy so please bear with me if I'm not quick on responding to your messages/comments!

Elizabeth Reyes is a USA Today Best Selling Author. 

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Giveaway:

1 Gifted Copy of Breaking Brandon by E. Reyes

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