RILEY'S REVIEW LOVE WITH EVERY BEAT...BY K.L. SHANDWICK

 "When I first saw you Lily, I couldn't stop staring at you. You didn't see me at all. You walked past me, your cute little face smiling up at the sun, and I knew there and then, I had to have you. I've never had a reaction to anyone like the one I had when I first laid my eyes on you." ~ Alfie Black

You heard Lily's story in K.L. Shandwick's The Everything Series. Now it's Alfie's turn to give you his side of their all consuming relationship.

First of all, I completely fell in love with Alfie Black in The Every Series and now in Love With Every Beat, I love him even more. Of course his physical description is the first thing you're attracted to. Dark hair, fit body, amazing smile, not to mention the man oozes a raw sexuality that had me panting during many of his and Lily's intimate encounters. Lily and Alfie's sexual chemistry sizzles from word one and it just gets hotter and hotter.

Before I say anything else, I will tell you if you haven't read Lily's side of the story in The Everything Series, one click it now. Not that Love With Every Beat can't be read as a stand alone, but it's so much better to know the whole story.

As much as I love Alfie, I have to say, I thought he was a terrible man-whore and some of his actions towards Lily were insanely inconsiderate. After reading Love With Every Beat, I was pretty wrong about Alfie. He's so much more than a stunning, sensual rock god.

So, the story line is the same. Alfie sees Lily her first day at university and finds himself completely drawn to her. Now Alfie is no saint and has been around the block a time or two, but meeting Lily throws his whole world into a frenzy. He finally meets this amazing girl that he wants mind, body and soul, but he keeps telling himself he can't have those things. 

Alfie, has suffered some major losses in his life. He lost his mom and dad one right after the other. His mom to cancer and his dad drank himself to death after his mom passed away. He also lost his best friend Gary. Gary joined the army right out of high school and got killed instantly when he drove over a land mine. And here's where Alfie's life gets hinky. He promised Gary  he would take care of his girl while he was away. Well now that Gary's gone permanently, Alfie takes that promise to heart and continues to take care of Gary's girl Kara and Kara's daughter Poppy. Kara comes with her own set of baggage (read the book).

Kara is not the only obstacle in Alfie's life. His band, Crakt Soundzz is just about to blow up and Alfie feels like he can't have anything holding him back. It all usually comes back to taking care of Kara. 

When Alfie meets Lily, that whole idea of "I can't love anyone", or "I'm not a hearts and flowers guy" goes right out the window. Anyone with eyes can tell Alfie loves Lily from the second he sees her. He pursues her throughout the story even though on several occasions Lily begs Alfie to leave her alone. He just can't do that. But he also can't admit his feelings to Lily or even to himself. He keeps denying the way he feels because of the obligations he has.  

His behavior wrecks Lily and every time she feels like she's moving on, Alfie pops back into the picture. For someone who says they can't love, the emotions that go on in Alfie's brain through the entire story scream that he's madly in love with Lily. He becomes obsessed with Lily and although many of his actions come close to destroying them, I promise you'll be yelling at them to JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY!

When Alfie finally lets himself admit his love for Lily, I nearly lost it. Here's this beautiful man trying desperately to fight off feelings for the woman he clearly loves, finally admitting his feelings to himself and to Lily. When Alfie finally told Lily he loved her, I melted into a puddle.

Unfortunately for Lily and Alfie love may not be strong enough to keep them together. As both of their careers take off you wonder if they have what it takes to be a couple. Yes they love each other desperately. Yes their sex is off the chain hot ( I must say Ms. Shandwick, you can write some majorly steamy love scenes). But, can they make it?  Well guess what? You have to read Love With Every Beat to find out. Unless you've read The Everything Series and know the ending.

Is Alfie's story worth the read? Absolutely. Alfie's character is just so much more than you got to see in Lily's side of the story. Do I think it made Alfie less edgy? Nope. I fell even more in love with him knowing what was going on in his head.

Wow....I had a lot to say (deep breath). Anyway, I'm giving Love With Every Beat a five lip smack review. I'm telling you go one click away. You won't regret it.