REVIEW: Just Once by Addison Fox

Just Once by Addison Fox: In the midst of an investigation into a robbery at programmer Landon McGee’s software firm, Detective Daphne Rossi falls hard and fast for this broken genius. Taken from his drug addict mom at ten, Landon’s never truly dealt with his past – and when his adoptive mother passed on new information about her life before him, all his anger is brought to the fore.

As Daphne delves into any link she can to find out who stole his information, including interviewing his birth mother, she opens his wounds even more, and Landon struggles with his feelings for Daphne and his ability to trust and forgive.

But no matter how much it hurts Landon, Daphne has always needed to prove herself. First to her four brothers and overbearing Italian family, and next to her superiors as she applies to be a part of a newly created terrorist squad in New York City.

“Tell me more about the naked part?”
The tease was enough to lighten the darkness that had filled her eyes since returning from the phone call. “That was naked ambition, not naked body parts.”
“Sorry. I stopped at naked.”

Just Once has a whole lot of struggle and angst, some of which was definitely a bit much and could be a bit too repetitive. But overall, I highly enjoyed the story. Daphne and Landon were passionate and intense, in their lives and with each other. It definitely drew me in, and I rooted for both their happiness.

They do fall really quickly for one another and it was hard for me to not find that aspect ridiculous. But I do feel they did get to know one another. They were dealing with deep issues and together they struggled through it, learning and growing with the help of one another even if it took time over a matter of weeks.

One part I really loved was the community of people on both sides. There were a lot of people so I would’ve liked a little more development in terms of their stories and how their pasts related to our hero and heroine, but each one was vivid and likable. I definitely plan on following this series, beginning with the first in this series – and no worries, Just Once can be read as a standalone.
 

Book Info:

Publication: February 7, 2017 | Swerve | The Brooklyn Brotherhood #2

Detective Daphne Rossi needs to figure out a way to get her career out from under her family s overbearing shadow, and she may have just found her solution in genius computer whiz Landon McGee . . .

In exchange for looking deeper into a robbery at Landon s software firm, Daphne asks for a deal of her own: she needs him to play her boyfriend. A couple months of hand-holding around her family to get them off her back, and both Daphne and Landon walk away with what they want.

Just as their fake relationship starts heating up for real, a family secret shakes Landon to the core. As Landon struggles to find what is real in his life, and come to terms with the people he thought he knew, can he find solace in the one woman he thought he didn’t know at all?