SAFE WITH YOU
Sophie Lira
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Ages: New Adult
Category: NA Contemporary
Olivia’s starting over in the Big Easy. But just under the surface, she’s terrified her abusive ex-boyfriend will find her.
Kyle’s dream of playing pro baseball was shattered when surgery left him with rods in his leg, a rebuilt knee, and no idea who he is without the sport he’d built his life around.
Broken and alone, Olivia and Kyle could be exactly what the other needs.
Just as they begin to trust what they’re feeling, things take a dangerous turn when Olivia’s past catches up to her. Will Olivia run again, or stay and fight for the life she and Kyle deserve?
Review:
I liked Safe with you, I would actually put it in the same broad category with Riveted, Talon and Back to me if I could, though the big difference is that here Kyle our hero is an ex-base ball player and not an ex-military. However, the spirit of protecting the woman they “love” remains untouched; which is why I am grouping them in the same broad family group.
At first we meet Olivia who just recently moved to New Orleans and is very very jumpy. It was made clear from the start that she ran away and was in a previous abusive relationship. We cannot deny that the poor girl is totally traumatised, and Sophie actually never really goes into details as to what exactly happened between Olivia and her ex. Though, it is in my nature to be curious; I was not too bothered by the details and the fact that we did not know everything wasn’t all that detrimental to the story.
Very quickly, Olivia meets Kyle and he is pretty much instantly smitten. He, also has gone through a rough time with an injury that ruined his hopes for a successful base ball career. oddly enough, with their background they have quite a bit in common though it is not so obvious at first.
This was really a romantic and emotional book, I could not remain detached from the characters and even the best friends Cam and Natasha play an important supporting role and are very likeable and relatable as well. Makes me wonder if they will have a book around their potential story?
I read the book in one sitting instead of playing Netflix catch up, it had a nice flow to it even with the changes of PoVs between Olivia and Kyle every chapter. Though there is nothing really “mindblowingly” new in terms of plot, there is nothing wrong with keeping simple and straight forward as it was handled with Safe with You. IMHO, if it isn’t broken don’t mess with it, and keeping it that way, was perfect for me.
It was a really enjoyable book and I am looking forward for others soon from Sophie Lira. I am quite confident you would enjoy it as much as I did. Plus, I should say that I really liked the cover as well, don’t you think it is really lovely?
Excerpt:
“You’re killin’ me, Simon.” I lower the bat and look at the imaginary watch on my wrist. “I don’t have all day.”
She sticks her tongue out at me and pitches a floater. It comes toward me in slow motion with a million arrows begging me to launch it into next year. My mind switches off and instinct takes over. Before I can think, my left heel rises off the sandy dirt and I raise the bat back farther. I crush the ball so hard I almost expect the casing to fly off. The sound of contact reverberates and explodes like a strike of lightning splitting a tree. Olivia’s head arcs with the ball and follows it as it lands about ten feet beyond the right field fence.
“Nice throw!” The swing takes my breath away completely. I almost need to use the bat as a cane for support. A familiar smile flows across my face and the rush comes back as if it never left … the rush of playing and knowing this is what my life was meant for. The hole in my heart starts to close and the missing piece reappears as quickly as it went.
“Kyle!” She runs over to me with the same amount of wide-eyed astonishment I think is all over my face. “That was incredible! Your stance, your follow-through, everything was perfect. For someone who hasn’t played in a few years, you’re pretty awesome.” She sighs and the most beautiful smile stretches across her face.” (Kyle, Chapter Six)
Author Bio:
Sophie Lira grew up smack dab in the middle of New Jersey. As a self-proclaimed sports junkie she can usually be found rooting for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Ravens, and especially her Alma Mater, Rutgers University. She’s also a seasoned beer snob with a preference for crisp pilsners, pumpkin anything, and chocolatey stouts.
Her number one passion outside of writing is her never-ending wanderlust. Sophie is always looking for her next batch of frequent flier miles, passport stamps, and the perfect clouds to post on Instagram. She still resides in Central New Jersey and spends her days at an Industrial Design firm working in HR. Favorite things include: Dunkin’ Donuts coconut iced coffee, the Olympics, all-you-can-eat sushi, and Siberian Huskies.