Ward Sisters
Sometimes, the best things in life come straight from your blind side.
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1. FOCUSED by Karla Sorensen
SYNOPSIS
If you’ve ever seen your teenage crush ten years later, and he turns out to be a complete jerk, then you know how Molly Ward feels. The last time she saw Noah Griffin was the regrettable day that she decided to climb into his bedroom window and turn her unrequited crush into something more. That day was bad enough, but things are about to get worse.
Noah has become one of the best football players in the country, and he’s just landed on Molly’s front step. As a new addition to the Washington Wolves roster, Noah’s presence is the key to Molly’s promotion in the front office.
The problem is, Noah wants nothing to do with Molly, and his surly attitude is making her job very difficult. But he’s got another thing coming if he thinks Molly will be intimidated by one grumpy football player, no matter how much he hates being around her. Once these two go head to head, their mutual dislike explodes into undeniable chemistry. But with what they have at stake, they just might detonate everything else along with it.
BOOK REVIEW
Focused was my very first book by Karla Sorensen, and oh boy, was it that good.
“How had I ever thought I could live a full life, a satisfying life, if I didn’t have this in it? What a fool I’d been.”
Noah Griffin aka ‘the Machine’ was frustratingly boring but in a good way if it makes any sense. He was known for his focus and dedication to his sport, and his idea of downtime was working out some more aside from the normal practice time and watching play footage to figure out how to be even better than he already was. He was such a closed-off main character who refused to see beyond one particular aspect of not-so-one-dimensional human life and struggled against giving in to inner wants and desires.
“You get a reaction out of him that no one else seems to.”
Unlike Noah, Molly Ward was a sparkly bucket full of olives and sunshine. She might not be the most rational person on planet Earth, but her optimistic take-on life opportunities, as well as all-consuming warmth, made her just irresistibly lovable (even for so annoyingly focused Noah).
“If I touched her, I’d lose the tiny, fragile grasp I had on my control. When had she frayed it down to nothing?”
Molly and Noah found themselves in what was bound to be an awkward situation of forced proximity between two people with a certain oh-not-so-pleasant history. The former was still affected by the consequences of her rushed decision under the influence of a teenage crush, while the latter was determined to keep his distance from the girl who always got under his skin for some only-God-knew reason. However, the more time Molly and Noah spent together, the closer they became, blurring the mutually agreed on ‘professional only’ lines and potentially damaging their careers.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to force action.”
He laughed. “You know, my wife was filming a nature documentary a couple of years ago, and a flock of penguins got stuck in a ravine. The crew had to watch, completely helpless, as dozens of birds tried and tried and tried to get out to no avail. And if they did nothing, that entire flock would've died. So they broke their rule about intervening and carved stairs in the ice and snow, and the penguins marched right out of that ravine as soon as they had the chance.”
I shook my head. “Not sure that’s a flattering comparison if you’re me.”
He slapped me on the back. “They were smart enough to climb those stairs, Griffin. All I’m asking you to do is open your eyes. Once you do, your life will never be the same.”
I seriously adored both of them as a couple. The cute little moments they shared together and their sizzling sexual tension with that kind of an emotional ache of loving someone who has the power to destroy your whole world were breath-taking and heart-gripping. I loved the character development and romance in general. I enjoyed the slow-burn and even the whole act of resistance to what was destined to turn into a HEA. The plot and the flow were great. The ending was a bit weak to my liking. But overall, a great read. Definitely check the book out!
2. FAKED by Karla Sorensen
SYNOPSIS
Every action has a consequence, and Claire Ward knows it. And yet, even knowing that her decision to swap places with her identical twin sister, Lia, for a night could be disastrous, she still does it. Why? Because it will give her an evening with the man she’s been crushing on for years, Lia’s best friend, Finn.
Miss Straight A Student has thought through all the angles, and knows the risk is worth it. And everything would have been fine, if Finn had been the one to show up at her door. But it wasn’t.
Bauer Davis— Finn’s half brother and his exact opposite in just about every definable category is the one waiting for her instead. A professional snowboarder, Bauer is covered in ink, full of attitude, and has a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Olympus. The kind of bad boy that Claire has never been attracted to before.
Now the good girl is with the wrong brother for a night, and when the consequence is that they have to pretend to be together for an event, it’s nothing she could have predicted. But maybe, just maybe, what makes Bauer so bad, is exactly what Claire needs.
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BOOK REVIEW
“You Ward women, you should come with a warning label, princess.”
The Ward sisters returned with this incredible book by Karla Sorensen who doesn’t fail to deliver for my precious girls. I really liked Molly’s (the oldest sister) book, but Claire’s love story was on a whole different level!
Faked was a perfect example of an amazing romance novel one should definitely grab when all the life drama is too much at some point and you just want to have a break and experience the thrill of witnessing two people magically falling in love with each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the nature of the relationship between Claire Ward (the youngest of the Ward sisters) and Bauer Davis. They had an insta-connection, something so deep and honest that I wasn’t bothered by some minor slips in the development here and there at all. And the most important thing (which has been a major concern of mine in recent romances) was that I actually believed in their feelings. They were so effortless and pure that I really thought Claire and Bauer made a perfect match together.
“I wish I’d someone like you on my side when I was younger.”
Claire was a remarkable little woman who took no bullshit and stood up for herself. Determined to succeed, focused on what’s important in her rather complicated understanding of the world, and deeply hurt and vulnerable to feel. She was the quiet and observant one out of the twins, and her non-stop psychoanalysis of her family situation and that of those surrounding her made perfect sense. And so her decision to study and work with child development felt only natural and admirable even. I was fascinated by how Claire drew parallels between her studies and Bauer’s actions and feelings. Her train of thoughts appeared to be logical and easy to follow, and made the book seem more real and relatable.
“His smile was small and sweet, and the way he was watching me made me blush in a different way. It wasn’t sexual. Bauer looked… fascinated. Enamored. Like a man who was falling in love.”
Bauer was 100% boyfriend material behind his numerous tattoos and constantly surly attitude. Determined and hard-working, extremely sweet and caring. Oh and Bauer was one of the biggest flirts in the book world I’ve ever had a pleasure to meet! His painful vulnerability made him endearing, while his outspoken feelings for Claire (his attempts to make her flustered were so good) had me falling in love with him too.
The author created a perfect ‘grumpy but not really’ hero who I’m such a sucker for. Bauer was a deeply hurt and lonely character who never dared to believe that there was a person who could ever love him for who he was with flaws and all. Behind the ultimate bad boy exterior, there was a suffering from unfair rejections and neglect man who was simply scared to let anyone in. I absolutely loved how Bauer stopped being closed-off and became soft and more daring at the same time (don’t mind his passion for crazy-ass snowboarding) with Claire by his side.
Claire and Bauer’s relationship was to die for. The chemistry was sparkling and sizzling hot. Of course, their insecurities and traumatic past experiences caused some more bumps in the already bumpy road, but their love was so addicting and undeniably swoony and sweet. Worthy of your time, for sure!
“Love is always a risk, Claire. Always. Every day, even when you’re together, because the day you stop choosing your partner is the day you risk losing them. That’s the truth in love and relationships and business and life. It translates across every line. We make choices in what matters to us, but not everyone is brave enough to take that step without knowing we have someone ready to take it with us.”
Long story short, I devoured Faked! It was such a flirty light-hearted read that ticked all of my boxes and left me swooning over the main characters and tirelessly wanting more. Claire and Bauer’s touching love story is an absolute must-read!
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3. FLOORED by Karla Sorensen
SYNOPSIS
If you’ve ever had a steamy one-night stand with a British football player and then find yourself pregnant with his baby, you know how Lia Ward feels.
To be fair, Lia didn’t know who Jude McAllister was when they met. Studying abroad for her master’s program, all she knows is that she’s a little lonely and he’s very charming, even as they have an epically sexy argument about which type of football is superior.
In Jude’s mind, shagging the feisty American girl is exactly what he needs. He’s been fighting the clock of his long-standing football career and the younger players primed to take his position. Proving that he can feel like his old self again—something he’s been trying to do with everyone in his life—should be easier after blowing off steam with Lia.
But oh baby, when a plus sign pops up on Lia’s pregnancy test, that ‘one night’ becomes a whole lot more. Now Lia and Jude have to navigate their impossible-to-ignore chemistry, and prepare for the parenting game, something neither of them know how to play.
BOOK REVIEW
The Ward family, which first appeared in the Washington Wolves series, and then continued with Molly’s and Claire’s love stories, has long cemented its small but very special place in my heart. And now, I finally got Lia’s book. Floored was exceptionally heartwarming and sweet. Not as angsty as one might expect from an unexpected pregnancy trope but still highly enjoyable. I was immersed in the relationship development between Lia and Jude, and couldn’t get enough of different family dynamics.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve finding you that night because you were the catalyst, Lia. Whatever hope I’ve found for the rest of my life started with you. I know how closed-off I was, how selfish I’ve been, and reparations begin now. If it takes you a month, a year, two years, for you to trust what we have, I’ll wait.”
Lia Ward was all by herself in a foreign country as part of her master’s program, which was an excellent opportunity career-wise but essentially—a way to temporarily postpone her decision in regards to the future. Excited by the novelty of everything, Lia’s first few weeks in England were partly good but quickly proved to be difficult as she was missing her family so damn much (I’d do too). With the help of twin-power, she was determined to make the most out of her short journey and came up with a brilliant idea to hit a pub (a smart choice for a rainy English evening). The idea turned out to be twice brilliant when a one-night stand with a gorgeous British football player came into view. And ending up pregnant with his baby was just a huge bonus haha.
Jude McAllister was such a charming human species despite the fact that he was basically a big baby outside of the bedroom, angry and hurt because not loved enough (unlike Lia Ward). He was so flirty with and supportive of Lia and her situation though. The man reeked of softness and fluffiness. And I dared to love him… How weird am I?
It actually felt strange how opposite the two were but still worked nonetheless. The only thing I found they shared was that they were scared to become parents because of the negative experiences with their own ones, but still willing to give their everything to their baby.
Well, I lied. Lia and Jude also shared incredible chemistry together. And even though they didn’t want to put a label on their rather rushed and complicated relationship, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. I definitely enjoyed their sexy times but I loved the cute little moments much more.
Okay, I think I’m going to stop here and say that overall, Floored was a beautiful and light-hearted love story. I found the relationship and character development of Lia and Jude very well-written. Unfortunately, they weren’t my most favourite couple, but it’s really hard not to like anybody from the Ward family. Isabel is the last one to go. Keep up!
4. FORBIDDEN by Karla Sorensen
SYNOPSIS
No man has ever been able to rattle Isabel Ward. Until Aiden Hennessy walks in the door of her gym—ownership papers in hand. The former fighter is a lot of things—a devoted single dad, a widower trying to start over, and a watchful presence that knocks her off her very capable feet.
To make matters worse, Isabel had a crush on him for the entirety of her teenage years. Doodles in her diary, and letters declaring her admiration—while never sent—haunt the absolute crap out of her now that she has to face him every single day. She’s not the only one affected.
No woman has tempted Aiden to move on from the memory of his wife—until Isabel. But she’s too young, too feisty, too much of everything he should avoid. Working together makes avoidance impossible, and so is pretending like the blistering chemistry between them doesn’t exist. Now that the unshakeable woman is shaken and the un-temptable man is tempted, Isabel and Aiden have to decide what they’re willing to risk for a taste of the forbidden.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karla Sorensen is a romance author, as well as almost exclusively a romance reader, which means some people will never consider her a literary snob. If she could meet one historical figure, it would be Jane Austen.
Karla received my BA in Public Relations and worked in health care marketing before she had her babies. She claims to hate Twitter (that makes me extremely sad). Also, if you want to get on her good side, bring her some wine and Karla will forever love you (a good little nugget for later).
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