I was in the mood for Scarlett Cole so I started to read this then I realized I needed to finish Second Circle Tattoo series to get the full background to this series. Because the background is important for the boys of Preload. All the guys from Preload have had a tough life, but that life is what brought them together as 'brothers' and also as a band. However, the one they all cater to the most is Jordan, as his separation anxiety is rough.

I quite like Scarlett Cole but there is a theme to some of her writing. The good part of the theme is her research on characters and issues is great. The bad part is the heroines ALWAYS giggle which drives me bonkers, as well as often there are a lot of detail errors which jump out more to me because she's so detailed on the other parts. I thought maybe it was because it was an ARC but no this is a running theme in all her books.

After Dred, Jordan is the first to fall in love which shocks all the band members but also gives them hope, because if Jordan can have a sliver of happiness then it could mean there could be some happiness for them all in the future.

"Can you go away no please, Elliot?"
"Not on your life," Elliot said.
"Can I take your coat, Lexi?"

The relationship with all the men is so heartfelt and what really makes this the book and the series as a whole.

Jordan is not a great communicator nor good at relationships, so Lexi gives him a run for his money. I liked the growth of Lexi and Jordan but when we found out Lexi's secret the quick turn around of her health was too quick for me. From someone whom has suffered the same affliction in my past this part didn't feel as real to me. Though her trials and tribulations with her Dad, you felt that to the bone.

Jordan's past, it broke my heart but it's evolution is what makes the story.

The first of the Second Circle Tattoos series, this is Dred's band from The Purest Hook. Jordan's story is beautifully written by Scarlett Cole. Jordan and Lexi have instant chemistry. Based on how Jordan's character was set up in Dred/Pixie's book, I did think it would be darker. As I read the Preload series I realized the characters' horrible pasts is what they're confronting in these books; therefore, it's sad and upsetting but not creating new drama. Overall, I loved how their story developed and Jordan's growth.

I had enjoyed Ms. Cole's original series, Seventh Circle Tattoos, and was looking forward to this one. This book, unfortunately, solidified that I wasn't keen on the angsty melodrama. I kept picking up and putting it down, eventually finishing it because I wanted to review. I happily recommend the original series, but I'm not sure if I'll go on with this one.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this title. Unfortunately in this instance,I didn't connect to the story. As I didn't finish reading, I will not be reviewing this title. Many thanks and I do look forward to picking up another read from this author.

I liked this book a lot. I have never been completely let down by Scarlett Cole, she always packs romance, honesty, and "real life" situations into her plots that make them irresistible.

I absolutely loved this story and found myself hooked to the story from the very first page. I loved the characters and the storyline. The author did an amazing job with writing the emotions of the characters within the story hat made me feel the emotions that the characters were feeling. This is definitely something I recommend everyone to read and I cannot wait to read whats next in this seres

Scarlett Cole has put together the perfect combination of just enough angst and just enough self-destruction to make you cheer for this couple to find their happily ever after just like Dred and Pixie have!

it was a little heart wrenching to hear Jordan’s backstory but it was just as heart wrenching to watch Lexi‘s reality unfold in front of us. But their pasts made them perfect for each other and the future they could build together!

I cannot wait to read Elliott’s story next.

Ms. Cole expertly tackled very serious issues in Reclaiming Jordan. This was a heart-wrenching story of two souls destined to find each other. I can't wait for more of this series.

5 SPELLBINDING STARS!!

SOUL-CRUSHING. RAW. HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL. INSPIRING. SMOLDERINGLY SEXY. UTTERLY BREATHTAKING!!

Those are the thoughts that seeped into my heart and mind while losing myself in the majestic splendor of JORDAN RECLAIMED, the first sensational book in Scarlett Cole’s new Preload series. How is it possible that with each new novel I read by this phenomenal author, I fall even harder in love with it than the one that came before?? JORDAN RECLAIMED not only solidified this writer as a top tier author for me, but is among my TOP READS so far in 2017!

Jordan and the Preload boys first stole my heart in THE PUREST HOOK, and after being given hints into Jordan’s tragic back-story in Dred and Pixie’s story, I knew this novel would put me through the ringer. But OMG I still had no clue how much this book would SLAY me!

As with TPH, a true highlight for me was the unbreakable bond of brotherhood between Jordan, Dred, Elliott, Nikan, and Lennon, who are true brothers in every way that matters, and through Jordan’s gutwrenching portrayal, Ms. Cole gives an unflinching glimpse into the darker side of a profoundly broken foster care system and the emotional triggers these poor lost souls must combat on a daily basis. I was also fascinated by her extensive knowledge of classic dance and loved the up close and personal look into the life of a principle ballerina!

I LOVE me a tortured, broody musician and SWOOOON does Jordan fit the bill! He is so heartmeltingly sweet and endearingly awkward and his pain runs so deep my heart BLED for him. At a hulking 6 foot 5 and covered with tats, Jordan rarely smiles and appears to bear the weight of the world on his impossibly broad shoulders. But despite his fierce, sullen persona and his PARALYZING fear of being alone, he possesses such a sensitive soul...such a deep seated yearning for love. And don’t get me started on his achingly tender interactions with Dred’s baby daughter Petal!!! Feeeeels galore!

All this exceptionally gifted and intensely private bass guitarist wants is to escape the UNRELENTING hurt he feels so deep inside. While he’d been in the Canadian foster care system since age ten, unspeakable things happened that left him with debilitating emotional scars, and the boys home he blessedly ended up living at with Dred, Elliott, Lennon and Nikan was the only true home he’d ever known. And even when they aged out of the system, they had forged their own family together and along the way were capitulated to rock star status with their band. Now his only solace is in his music, his rituals, the comfort he derives in keeping his Preload family intact. But Jordan knew in his gut it was only a matter of time before his brothers moved on with their lives and made their own families, and he felt his safe, structured life slowly spiraling out of control.

Until one cold, lonely Christmas night when he takes a stroll and happens by a dance rehearsal studio. Something propels him to look through the window and he is so transfixed by the sight of a tiny ballerina dancing so uninhibitedly she twirls her way into his heart. It was such a moment of pure, dazzling beauty that it felt as if she was dancing just for him. And unbeknownst to him, she WAS. The connection between Lexi and Jordan was MAGNETIC. INSTANTANEOUS. AWE-INSPIRING. And absolutely ELECTRIFYING.

From that moment on, they are irresistibly drawn together. Lexi was the perfect muse for the big, anti-social rock star. She gives him comfort. and brought a whisper of joy to his cold, desolate life, and for the first time ever made him feel as If he was WORTHY. She becomes his ray of sunlight in the suffocating darkness, his true inspiration to make positive changes in his life. He recognizes a haunting sadness in her that mirrors his own, and she alone has the power to strip his agonizingly raw emotions bare and sparks his creativity in incredibly profound ways.

Lexi, an accomplished ballerina, has also had a hard life, growing up in the shadow of her father, the legendary dancer Alexei Artemov who was determined that she would achieve what he’d failed to accomplish in his own career. Her father had dedicated the last decade to her career and to trying to forge her into a dancer worthy of being the first Canadian Prima Ballerina Assoluta, and his harsh, tyrannical, emotionally abusive methods have put her in the untenable position of making self-destructive choices. But then she meets a sweet, sensitive musician who tilts her world on its axes and makes her feel adored and truly revered.

I was as TRANSFIXED by this love story as Jordan and Lexi were by each other!! NOT only is this book breathtakingly romantic and powerfully emotional, it is incredibly sexy too!!! I think it’s incredibly special how music and dance unite this couple together and adored the flirty playfulness between Jordan and “Sexy-Lexi” as much as the heart-tugging moments. And WOWZA who would have thought that Jordan, an introspective, broody loner, could have such a DELICIOUSLY DIRTY MOUTH! But their journey together is far from easy because the dark demons that reside inside of Jordan feel all encompassing at times. His worst fear is of hurting the girl who has become the center of his world, and he does not want to dim her beautiful light by drawing her into his misery.

But no matter how hard Jordan tries to keep his distance, he cannot. The fragile beauty rouses his every protective instinct and he cannot tamp down the burning need to hold her, to look out for her, to shelter her from the pain and sorrow in the world.

The soul-deep connection that flows between this couple is so deeply moving you desperately want them to DEFY ALL ODDS!!! I especially love how, despite her own personal strife, Lexi fights fiercely for the boy who has infiltrated her heart. She is fascinated by the quiet, sensitive musician who makes her heart race, who allows himself to get so cold, and is desperate to unlock his deepest, darkest secrets. She ultimately accepts him for who he is, broken parts and all, and he loves her right back the same way. For she too suffers from debilitating self doubt and stifling insecurities. But Jordan’s unfaltering belief in her instills in her a bravado she never dreamed possible.

In closing, you truly need to experience this MAGNIFICENT book for yourself! There is so much to exalt over but just mark my words you will be so swept up in the splendid dance of two tortured lovers, who majestically fuse together the fragmented parts of one another’s souls and finally emerge whole, that you will NEVER want the final curtain to close!

From the first ‘meeting’ (if you want to call it that) between Lexi and Jordan, I was hooked. It was like a compulsion, I HAD to know what was going to happen with their story. The only way I can think to describe it is like fate, their meeting just felt right. Like magic brought them to the same place that night and they connected without words. Then to bring that a step further and expand the connection to his music and her dance. Notice a theme? Once again, there were no words. They spoke at the beginning through their art. The hopes and dreams, downfalls and fears, past and present. I’ve always believed that artists can feel things differently than those who are more analytical and I think that Jordan was a superb example of that.

“Thunder and lightning always go together. And you told me that you are the dark to my light. You can hear thunder but you can see lightning, as people hear your music but see me dance.”
Jordan absolutely destroyed my heart. Shredded it, crushed it into the ground, ran over it with a semi and then threw it in a landfill. Pretty inconsiderate, if you ask me, jeez. 😉 But in all seriousness, I have never hurt this badly for a character. Ever. His past was tough to get through. His issues and emotional outbursts were agonizing, but just like what the rest of the band saw, you get glimpses of his heart and that’s where he’s vulnerable. With Lexi is where he’s vulnerable. This is part of what made me fall for him. And on top of that, even after everything he had been through, he just wanted to be able to take care of his ballerina. Lexi in turn was the perfect heroine for a guy like Jordan. She was strong and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was the light to his dark and what helped pull him back into the sunshine.

“You’re my everything, Aleksandra,” he said. “Everything I didn’t know I wanted or needed. Everything I didn’t think I could have.”
Weird time to bring this up, but I don’t like Sriracha sauce, it’s too hot for me. I won’t even eat salsa that’s spicier than mild because I’m a bit of a wimp. But where my taste buds lack in the appreciation of heat, my reading choices tend to make up for it and Jordan Reclaimed does not disappoint! Muy caliente, this book is hot and I loved it!

I’m a member of the spoiler police, so I would never intentionally spoil a book. What I’m about to say, I don’t think will effect anyone or spoil anything for those who haven’t yet read this story. However, if you hate any and all details, even tiny ones, LOOK AWAY! Don’t yell at me.
THIS IS YOUR WARNING!
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The heroine, Lexi has a bit of a problem with self image and eating habits. I get it, being a professional dancer and having your body critiqued constantly would be horrible for anyone, let alone a female. So I could see where the eating issue came from, but I wasn’t a huge fan of how big of a deal it became. I just didn’t understand how it connected with who her character was at the beginning or to Jordan at all. Until the end. Oh good lord above. I had tears. I couldn’t possibly fathom what was happening and how awful and excruciating those memories were. I understand the issues of both characters, the connection this caused and why this hurt so badly. I was absolutely crushed. My heart was smashed into smithereens and I just needed to hug everyone. Even Lennon.
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Okay, you’re safe now.

I’m sure a lot of the info (dance) in Jordan Reclaimed was previous knowledge and experience from the author, but you can really feel the amount of effort she put in through research. I can say without a doubt that Scarlett Cole put her heart into every one of these pages. Her love for her craft and her characters is palpable.

I wasn’t expecting you to respond.
That’s what usually happens when you send someone a text.
So I’m meant to respond immediately every time you send a text?
Only if you want to 🙂
Don’t think that’s going to be a problem, Angel.
Something that doesn’t happen too often to me is staying up late to read. I do, but to an extent. I’m not one of those people who can read until the early morning hours, I like my sleep too much! But wow, I had to bargain with myself last night because I couldn’t put this story down. I practically begged myself to stay up and finish it! It was already 1am at this point… 😉

The group dynamic is practically heavenly, too. I can’t wait fir the rest of the series, I just love these guys.

Elliott grinned and kissed Lexi’s cheek. “I’m already in love with you, Lexi,” he said and turned toward the stairs.
“Me, too,” Nikan added, kissing her too.
“Can I kiss her?” asked Lennon.
“Not if you want to keep all your teeth. Fuck off,” Jordan answered.
“Are you happy?” Elliott sang as he took the stairs two at a time.
“Are you satisfied?”
“How long can you stand the heat?” Nikan added, as Lennon pounded on the handrail after him.
“Are they singing Queen?” Lexi asked, watching the three of them jog up the stairs.
“Yeah,” he answered gruffly. Another one bites the dust.
There are so few books that I come across that are set in Toronto, so when I find one, I practically start jumping for joy. There’s such an amazing feeling that comes along with reading a book set in a city that you’re so familiar with. The detail was superb, the setting was fantastic and it just felt so familiar. I could picture the characters walking down Queen Street, or the street cars, or the intersection at Spadina (I refuse to drive through there, it scares me). All of this, simply from Scarlett’s words on a page. I could see what the characters were seeing. Along the same lines, I loved the acknowledgement to Toronto at the end of the book. It was super cute and made my little heart happy. Though, being completely honest, I think Scarlett’s lying when she said that she misses the traffic in the 401. That highway is what nightmares are made of! You can never get anywhere on time.

I love love love Scarlett’s writing, I just can’t say that enough! It’s captivating and expressive as she weaves compelling complexities and dynamics into not only her plot but her characters too. These pages burn with passion, chemistry and heart. I was transported into the Preload world while reading Jordan Reclaimed and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

“So it’s as simple as that? It’s time for me to become strong?” Maisey put her plate down, reached up to Jordan’s face, and held it. “Oh, Jordan, don’t you see? You’ve always been the strongest one.”


*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book from start to finish. What a haunting but hopeful love affair.

Jordan lives the rock star lifestyle, but there's so many secrets to his past that no one knows. I knew once I read the blurb about rock stars, that I would enjoy this book!

Once he saw/met Lexi, I couldn't read fast enough.

Two different people from two different worlds......can they make it work?

Thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for a copy of this book!

4.5 ★★★★

“Lexi just twirled into my life, and she’s like the light I’ve been living without. But I’m terrified that my darkness will dim her somehow.”

Creo que Scarlett Cole es muy buena escribiendo el primer capítulo en sus novelas. Cuando leí The Strongest Steel lo que más me gustó fue el primer capítulo. Me enamoró. Lo mismo me sucedió con Jordan Reclaimed. Adore el primer capítulo. El encuentro entre Jordan y Lexi fue casi mágico.

Trama: Ágil, interesante y muy tierna. Tiene un equilibrio perfecto entre drama y romance. El conflicto principal es la relación amorosa entre Jordan y Lexi, pero ambos sufren una transformación a lo largo de la novela mientras se enfrentan a su pasado, sus miedos e inseguridades.

“I'm not the guy for you, no matter how badly both of us want me to be.”

Personajes: Jordan y Lexi son los personajes principales. Él es miembro de la banda, Preload, y ella es bailarina de ballet. Ambos son de mundos distintos y llevan vivas diferentes. Sin embargo, cuando se encuentran no pueden dejar de sentir un vínculo que los une irremediablemente.

“How could he have drawn her into his misery when she was filled with such a natural light?”

Por un lado, está Jordan. Él es el personaje más complejo de la historia. Es miembro de la banda, famoso, rico y atractivo. Sin embargo, tiene un pasado que lo atormenta, es huérfano, y sufre traumas debido a esto. Por ello, intenta mantenerse alejado de las personas, a excepción de los amigos en la banda. En público, aparenta una personalidad de chico malo pero, en privado, es un hombre reservado, callado y un poco frío. Hasta que conoce a Lexie y empieza a enamorarse de ella.

“It wasn’t until he disappeared from sight that she realized just how foolish she’d been. She’d just given the performance of her life, and it hadn’t been enough for him.”

Por otro lado, está Lexi. Ella es bailarina de ballet y lucha por convertirse en la mejor. Sin embargo, tiene problemas con su padre porque él intenta controlarla y dirigir su vida. Lexi es un personaje más abierto. Es más honesto con lo que piensa y siente. Es directa, sincera, cariñosa, amable, preocupada. Tiene conflictos con respecto a su peso y con la muerte de su madre, pero intenta sobrellevar sus miedos, tristezas y temores mediante la danza. Su vida es pacífica y aburrida hasta que conoce a Jordan y se enamora de él.

Tanto Jordan como Lexi son personajes que sufren un cambio hasta el final de la novela. Poco a poco, mientras su relación avanza y los fortalece, ellos van enfrentando todos sus problemas y luchan hasta que conseguir su final feliz.

También tengo que mencionar a los personajes secundarios. Es imposible no quererlos si ya los conoces. Son un maravilloso apoyo para la historia y siempre es genial saber más de ellos.

Romance: Es adorable. Si bien no es fácil, Jordan y Lexi hacen una pareja con mucha química y tensión. Sus primeros encuentros son hermosos y el desarrollo de su relación no es precipitada. Las dudas e temores en su romance son debido a Jordan, sobre sus traumas y su pasado, pero el amor que desarrolla él por Lexi lo hace querer ser una mejor persona para poder amarla.

“You’re my everything, Aleksandra … Everything I didn’t know I wanted or needed. Everything I didn’t think I could have.”

En conclusión, Jordan Reclaimed es una maravillosa novela de amor con la que iniciar una nueva saga. Además puede ser leída independientemente de la saga Second Circle Tattoos.

I loved everything about this one! What a powerful story! It has great main characters, rock star Jordan Steele and ballerina Aleksandra Artemov. I loved reading as their tender, yet steamy romance developed. The storyline was great, and it was very emotionally intense. What a great start for a new series!

Really a good read!
It was my first book by.... but I can say that it won't be the last!

Jordan made me want to jump in the book and hug him. He suffered so much when he was a child, and still suffers for the consequences. I totally understood his fears, his indecision in entering a relationship with Lexi, a girl he considers too good for him. His past scarred him so much that the back and forth that is present in the book didn't make me crazy (as it usual does), because all his insecurity was justified.

Lexi didn't have a simple life, especially because of her controlling and tyrannic father. I liked her attitude toward Jordan, the fact that she didn't gave up on him even after some bad reactions from his part at the beginning of their relationship. She really was the light to his darkness.

One of my favourite part of the book was Jordan's response to the beginning of their love story: the input to change his habits, to change his life in a positive way. His strength to overcome sone self imposed limits because of Lexi.

So yes, a really nice story with also a good development of characters!

What a great beginning to what promises to be a great series. I loved Jordan he has suffered so much that it is beyond me that he can function at all. It was delightful to see him be rewarded with a sweetheart like Lexi, who has her own issues but they only serve to make her a great match for Jordan. I will be keeping an eye out for more in this series if only to keep an eye on this pair;)

I was a little thrown at first that the chapters were so long and there were only a few of them. But I loved Scarlett Cole's other series and was excited to read her spin-off book. The main characters and storyline were a lot darker than I expected but I still loved it. To be around and a part of that much hatred and torture is horrible, but I love how they find peace with each other.

I voluntarily read this advanced review copy of this book.

I think that Scarlett Cole did a very good job with this book. Hands down my favorite character was Jordan because I very patiently waited for his story to come...and of course he made me fall deeper in love with this character. Now don't get me wrong the raw emotion that Aleksandra Artemov displayed was simply beautiful. I loved that she was not the perfect ballerina... she was like the rest of the world... just struggling to make it.

Overall a good book. I think that Scarlett Cole did a great job and I can't wait to see what else the band has in store!

Jordan Reclaimed was a tough and gritty read, with a horrific childhood, it's a miracle Jordan managed to function at all - and when he met his ballet dancer, he started to be much more than the man who just went through the motions

This story really packs and emotional punch. It was written beautifully with a plot that takes on some series issues and does so with tact and a great deal of talent. Jordan is the suffered hero our hearts bleed for and Aleksandra is the heroine that fits his needs precisely while bringing her own value to the story.

Their connection was organic and so sweet. Their courtship was unique and riveting. The writing wove the tale in such a way that I was fully committed from the start. There is an emotional component underlying everything that is paced perfectly.

It is absolutely a wonderful read with a touch of something that was simply refreshing. Safety: No others for either of them. No rape. Definite yes to abuse.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.