Conflicted Tour Stop! ~ Crystal's Many Reviewers

Mia Ryan was on the path to make all her dreams come true. Her life was everything she wanted it to be; until one fateful night changed everything – leaving her broken and without direction. Nearly a year later, she still has little faith in anyone or anything. Desperate to reclaim her life’s ambition, she takes an unexpected offer that promises to solve all her problems. But as Mia moves forward, she’s faced with obstacles she couldn’t have foreseen. The biggest of them lies within the mystery of Ethan Fitzgerald; a man who affects her like no other, but who she should avoid pursuing, at all costs.

On a mission himself, Ethan Fitzgerald didn’t care who he pissed off on his road to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He relied on himself, and was closed off to the world around him – until Mia Ryan walked through his door. Normally one to avoid messy emotions, Ethan’s world is turned upside down by Mia, and he can’t seem to get enough of her.

There are lines you can cross that will change the course of your life forever …

I hadn’t read the first book when I signed up to review Conflicted. I am glad I took the time to do that because I think I would have lost some of the intense story plot and understanding of Mia. It is one thing to say she lost everything she valued in life and felt betrayed; it is a whole new story when you experienced that drama with her.

Conflicted begins with her second chance at a career and life. Lost not due to her own choices, is her college education, a dream career in journalism, the chance at finding true love, when this chance was offered she really couldn’t pass it up. Now we all know in life that nothing comes without strings attached and there were a bunch of strings with this offer. Her goal is to obtain information for her new boss on Ethan Fitzgerald and his company. Once that is done, she will go back to her new boss and take a long term position in his company. Now I wondered why the red flag didn’t start waving when he didn’t need a copy of the signed contract but then I am not sure she would have cared. She had a second chance and nothing was going to get in her way, especially a man or love.

I am sure by now you can assume Ethan is one sexy man who is going to make this not getting involved with the new boss difficult for Mia. At the interview she is worried about presenting herself in a manner to secure a job at Ethan’s company, but wow did his looks distract her for a bit. What is a rich sex God if he doesn’t have mommy baggage? Yes he has issues, promises that he made and the focus in life to ignore everything that gets in his way of keeping that promise, until Mia walked in his office.

So you think you know where this is going right? Well buckle up because the author takes this chance to throw in some suspense, danger and a lot of drama. Just when I thought we were over a rough patch and could see the end coming, she would throw in a new plot twist and it was saddle up for the ride all over again. Mia is still going to have to deal with her roommates and Micah, excuses, truths and through all of the angst of sorting things out, she is going to be conflicted, see perfect title, regarding her fears and feelings for Ethan and the job she set out to do so she could reclaim her life.

I felt the writing was smooth and enticing, it kept my attention and me on my toes for the whole book. Ethan was hot and the sex was passionate and steaming, best part it didn’t take away from the plot, it enhanced the story. Conflicted did end with the expectation of yet another book in this story to come, but I didn’t have that intense anger like I do with cliff hangers that leave me in the middle of a scene. The characters were well developed and I could feel a connection with each of them. I would recommend this series, but will warn you that you won’t get the full experience if you read out of order.

“Sweet Baby Jesus! God's gift to women just walked in,” Bri said hoarsely.

I groaned. “I've known Trey my entire life. Do you really have to refer to him like

that?”

Bri turned me to face the front door. I tossed my rag on the bar and looked around. “I wasn't talking about Trey. I was talking about that fine specimen of a man,” she whispered.

My breath caught as my eyes absorbed Ethan. He was in torn jeans and a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off his tattoos. My pulse quickened when he gave me a crooked smile. He motioned to an area of tables to the right of the bar; silently asking if anywhere was OK to sit. I nodded and indicated I'd be over in five to take his order.

His eyes lingered on me before he settled at a table. The fire that typically burned inside of me whenever he was around was on the move. I swallowed hard with the realization that this really was about to happen. This afternoon was about to wreak even

more havoc for me than our times together at the office. I had gotten lost in his looks, and my inability to fight it today meant that I failed to remember Bri was watching us. She arched a brow. When I remained silent, she forced me to face her.

“That's Ethan,” I said, feigning indifference.

Bri glanced at him and then back at me with cartoon-character-like speed. “That's

Ethan? As in the Ethan you work for now, Ethan?” she asked.

I nodded while lightly chuckling. I could tell Bri wasn't as amused by the hardness in her eyes.

“What you said before was the same thing I thought when I saw him for the first time.”

She giggled. “Who wouldn't react that way around someone as gorgeous as him? I've never seen anyone that beautiful. It's making me reconsider polygamy and open relationships.”

“I can't believe you said that out loud.”

Her lips curled into a twisted grin. “I can't help it. He's fine with a capital ‘F’. It wouldn't matter if I made a pass at him. He seems to have eyes for only one person in here.”

I looked around to see who else was here. When I had looked before, there was no one under the age of fifty. There had to be someone new in here for her to make that comment. A small pit formed in my stomach, wondering who might have caught his eye.

Bri rolled her eyes as she playfully knocked at my head. “I'm talking about you, you idiot. He hasn't stopped staring at you since he figured out that it was you behind the bar.”

“Whatever,” I retorted, throwing my dishrag at her.

“The looks you two were exchanging are enough to make me want to put the fire department on standby. You better go over and take his order before the bar spontaneously combusts,” she remarked.

M. M. Koenig was born and raised in Minnesota. She now lives in the Twin Cities area with her loving dog Marley. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors of Science in Sociology. M. M. Koenig enjoys being active and has a variety of interests that coincide with her passion for life. Always one to try new things, she has acquired a variety of skills. Her sarcastic nature and multitude of experiences tend to find their way into her novels. When she has free time and isn't writing, she spends as much time as she can with friends and family. To fuel her soul, she is constantly looking for new music, movies, and books to keep the writer's block at bay.