seriously romantic: can't walk away by sandy james

when songwriter brad "hitman" maxwell first notices savannah wolf in can't walk away he's so impressed by her talent that he feels compelled to write his first song in years. from the get-go he knows savannah will be a star, even though she's already had one run at stardom and wants nothing to do with the celebrity lifestyle.

working with brad is a dream come true, but she struggles to manage the impact her increased profile has on her, on her family, and on her life. and the more closely she works with brad the harder it is to deny that she is incredibly attracted to him. and knowing that she inspires him to write music is just as heady.

brad and savannah fall into a relationship pretty quickly, even if they take pains not to define it. both of them have been burned by relationships past and have to work hard not to let the lessons they've learned close them off to something real and true.

these two fall hard and fast for each other, but at the same time their relationship really has time to deepen and grow on the page. the timeline isn't super compressed so you really have a chance to know them as a couple before things get complicated. and even then, these two work through their conflicts beautifully and you never doubt their love for one another. which is just the kind of romance i love.

**can't walk away will publish on october 10, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/grand central publishing (forever yours) in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: CAN’T WALK AWAY
Author: Sandy James
Series: Nashville Dreams #1
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Imprint: Forever Yours
Price:  $3.99; eBook
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In Nashville the stars shine a little brighter, songs sound a little sweeter, and love lasts a lifetime.

Young, rich, and better looking than a man has a right to be, successful songwriter Brad “Hitman” Maxwell was once Nashville’s biggest celebrity.  Then a heartbreaking loss and a shocking betrayal caused his light to go out.  Now, instead of pouring his soul into song, he pours beers at Words & Music.  His bar is the perfect escape—a place to forget his past—until the night she takes the stage…

Savannah Wolf used to dream of becoming Nashville’s hottest star.  Now, as a young single mom, she dreams of a steady income and being home to tuck her daughter into bed.  So when Brad Maxwell offers her the gig of a lifetime—playing as the headliner at Words & Music—Savannah discovers the best of both worlds.  And she refuses to ruin this opportunity by falling for her sexy boss.  Except that Brad suddenly starts writing music again…music inspired by her.

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EXCERPT

By the fifth take, Brad was losing his patience.

Had he been wrong in thinking Savannah was something special, something new? He sure as hell didn’t think so.

Then why couldn’t he get her to sing with the passion she’d shown back at Words & Music?

Maybe it was the song. “That Smile” was his first attempt at writing in a long time. Perhaps it wasn’t up to snuff?

No. When Brad had heard Savannah sing it earlier, he’d known he’d written a strong song with a good melody and a catchy beat.

Something was clearly blocking her talent.

“I’m sorry, Brad.” She dropped the headphones from her ears to let them rest around her neck. Then, head bowed, she started shuffling through the sheet music.

He’d never seen her look defeated before, and he didn’t like it. This wasn’t the Savannah who’d been his muse. This wasn’t the woman who brought back his music.

This was…a disaster.

But why?

He watched her closely, trying to find some telltale clue as to what was going on today that had robbed Savannah of the passion and talent he’d counted on. Her hair was braided, the braid an eclectic mixture of blond and blue. A blush tinted her cheeks, and he could hear her nervousness through the quaver in her voice, especially in the last notes of her fifth recording.

Something was definitely wrong, and he was going to have to find a way to fix it. But he couldn’t do that from another room. Even though he could see her, something told him she needed something more personal. Unsure of whether being closer to her would make a difference, he figured it was worth a shot.

Brad started a new recording so he could capture the song if he was able to help her, pushed himself away from the console, and headed to the recording booth with his remote control in his pocket. He pulled the door open and stepped inside.

Savannah glanced up from the music, offering him a wan smile that made his frustration evaporate. She knew something was wrong, too. Maybe if they put their heads together, they could get back the magic.

After pulling a stool beside hers, he sat. Then he gently took off her headphones, plucked the pages from her hands, and placed them back on the music stand. She let her eyes meet his, and he could see her concern.

“We’re going do things a little differently this time,” Brad said, keeping his voice low.

“We are?”

He nodded and scooted closer. Then he wrapped his hand around one of hers. “You’re not going to think about recording.”

“I’m not?”

“Nope. This time you’re just going to sing to me. That’s all.”

Her whole body relaxed, and Brad had to fight the desire to smile.

“Sing to me, Savannah. Just to me. Okay?”

She nodded, and before she could get a chance to think about what he was doing, he pulled a remote from his pocket and began the music playback so that it echoed through the room.

The notes of the intro flowed around them, and he kept her grounded by not allowing her to glance away. When she opened her mouth to sing, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and offered her an encouraging smile.

And sing she did. Each delightful note came from deep inside her, and he found himself caught in some kind of spell, the same type she’d woven around him back at Words & Music. He hung on each rise and fall of that delicious voice until the last note echoed through the booth.

The song might have ended, but not the magic. Brad found himself leaning closer, his eyes fixed on her soft, pink mouth. Desire ripped through him as she mimicked his action, drawing ever so slowly closer until he could feel the sweet heat of her breath against his face.

With a groan of surrender, he captured her mouth with his own, giving her no warning as his tongue swept deep inside.

Savannah nearly knocked over her stool when she rose to thread her arms around his neck. She was such a little bit of a thing that he could stay seated and draw her between his outstretched legs without interrupting the kiss. As she moved closer, Brad wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her hard against him.

The kiss turned ravenous, and he realized that he was done fighting this attraction.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis and is a high school psychology teacher.  She owns a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoys spending time at Hoosier Park racetrack.  She has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller multiple times and has won numerous awards including two HOLT Medallions.

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