This is my first read by Lorelei James and it did not disappoint. Great for the fan of contemporary, hockey, and/or second-chance romance. I'm definitely adding the other Lund family books to my TBR list.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Whilst reading the blurb for I Want You Back, I was instantly intrigued, but more so worried than any thing. See, Lorelei James is a new author to me, so I was not sure of her writing style, or if she would write about some major NO GOES of mine, with this certain kind trope. She surprised me in so many ways, especially the way she went about Jax and Lucy's story. James, wrote their story in such a classy way, even though this book features anything but , if that makes sense. Jax and Lucy's story was most definitely not an easy one, there was many hardships. Hardships, that at times were hard to swallow.

This author had an astronomical way of making their story seem, so authentic, so real, that I felt at times, I questioned if this was a work of fiction or not. The banter was absolutely astounding, and one I can very much relate to. I also am usually not a fan of past and present in books, but Lorlei sure knows how to weave the past and present so well together, that it made the story, that much more realistic.

I applaud this author for not following in line with most authors, when it comes to most attributes of the Hero. She hit many points that are most definitely not common in the romance world. That took guts and what sets her apart from other authors.

I am trying to cautious of what I write, because in order for you to understand either Jaxon or Lucy's actions, you have to go back to the past and see why things are the way they are. You will better understand, the need for redemption, even though it may not be deserved. It may even make you look at your own situation a bit differently, like it did me. Sometimes in life, it takes one thing to change the course of the rest of your life, but what you do with that information, is entirely up to you.

*I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK A MILLION TIMES!
*Reviews For Reviews From The Heart

4.5 Stars

I have not read any previous books by this author. This one works fine standing on it's own. It is a second chance romance that involves some forgiveness and wooing but what a wonderful journey the characters take us on.

Jaxson and Lucy have history and a child together. Jaxson retires from the NHL, gets some counseling and then heads back to his family and the family he wants to have. The story gets told in flash backs and alternating POV in the present. I loved that Jaxson not only took responsibility for his actions but also set out to prove he was better than his past.

Meddling family, a precocious young girl, pee wee hockey....all wrapped up in some sweet romance. Great read!

This was a story about rekindling a flame and owning up to your mistakes. Jaxson is a retired NHL star who has made plenty of mistakes, including losing the woman he loves and years with his daughter. Lucy is a strong, independent woman who has raised an amazing little girl virtually on her own. Lorelei James has woven a heart-warming, feel good tale of two people who love each other but have tons of baggage to sift through to be together. If you love sports and romance, this is the perfect novel for you.

A sexy HEA tale with plenty of conflict and chaos! Lucy and Jaxson have history. In fact, they also have an eight year old daughter together. But years of deadbeat dad action, alcoholism, and cheating have erroded Lucy's goodwill towards her ex. As Jaxson continues to show Lucy and their daughter Mimi how he has changed, they will be forced to confront their broiling chemistry...and Lucy has to decide whether their relationship is worth a second chance. This book is definitely steamy, with sex scenes that border on graphic without crossing the line into complete erotica.

I want you back is a contemporary romance with feisty characters. It leaves lots of room for development of other characters in this new series. I enjoyed the story, and it was sexy.

This is the story of Jax Lund, a former NHL star who has finally retired and moved back home. Problem is that he has to decide what he wants, to join the family business or, to get back with Lucy, his old girlfriend and, the mother of his daughter Mimi., Jax fell for Lucy when he first met her. Unfortunately, at that time Jax believed in his own hype. He was the star, the womanizer and, the guy who went out after every game and, got plastered with his friends. Can he change for the woman he has never stopped loving and, the daughter he has never known or, will he regress to the man he used to be?
Lucy is a fierce woman now, who won't put up with any of Jax's misbehavior or mistakes. She is also a mother bear and, won't allow Jax to hurt their daughter!
This story is an in depth description of the hills and valleys of a relationship and, what both people have to do to forgive, forget and, move on to better times.

Wow! This is my first book by the talented Lorelei James and I was blown away! I Want You Back is book one in her new Want You series.

The characters were written so flawlessly, seeming so real, I struggled to put this book down, needing to devour every word and soak it in. Even when I was forced to put it down to adult, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Jax and Lucy’s story broke my heart then taped it back together. This is a story about love, forgiveness and second chances.

The strength Lucy inspired left me breathless. She was such a selfless woman and having to endure the awfulness of a love gone bad was heartbreaking. She was so strong, a lot sassy and was willing to not let the past dictate her future.

Jax. At first, I didn’t know what to think of this sexy, egotistical man.

“I may not kiss you tonight, but by our third date you will know how perfectly wicked it’ll feel to have my mouth all over you.”

He was young and listened to the wrong person and it changed his life forever. He broke my heart with how he treated the ‘love of his life’ and his child before he confronted his addiction. I was elated for him in his decision to get healthy and in time, get her (them) back. And then left me holding my breath when he bared his soul and all his secrets only to fear losing her again because of them.

Addiction is an ugly beast and I think this author did a great job of showing the struggle isn’t just contained to the person with the addiction, but everyone around them. It was wonderful to see that both Jax and Lucy had a unshakable support system.

I absolutely loved feeling like I was part of Lucy and Jax’s story and I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Jax...I alternately loved and hated him. Hated how he treated his wife, but loved how he was now that she’s his ex. Lucy is a strong heroine who isn’t about to make the same mistakes again. Luckily, loving Jax isn’t a mistake, it’s something beautiful. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions and the perfect start to a new series!

A somewhat typical “bad boy changes his ways” for the woman (and daughter) he loves, but entertaining nonetheless.

I have come to love the Lund family and this book does not disappoint. It's a hard-hitting, bittersweet and compassionate second chance at romance that delves into not often written about issues such as infidelity, addiction, and the consequences of unsafe sex. Very powerful book.

I really enjoy reading series books that have characters from other books that you can find out how they are doing. This book does that while at the same time letting us come to know Lucy and Jax, who we were introduced to in an earlier book and while the chemistry was definitely there, but they would not act on it. Too much history that was not good. Jax has grown up a lot since then, but he has much to prove to Lucy before she will take him seriously about wanting to be a real father to their daughter Mimi. He is determined to prove to both that he is a changed man and that they can depend on him to be there for the long haul .Lorelei James writes characters that you just want to meet and be part of their lives. This is a very good read.

:I like romances and this book was an exceptional one. It dealt with issues I have never seen in a romance before. The male protagonist develops maturity and discovers what is important to him. He starts as a wild famous hockey player who learns from his mistakes and becomes a better person. The child in the story is more realistic than in most stories since she can be a brat at times. I would rank this book with the recent Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward.

Ajax has retired from ice hockey and has returned home, where he hopes to begin a new life with Lucy, the mother of his of daughter. A warm and delightful read.

Jaxon and Lucy used to be in love but Jaxon's many nights away from home playing professional hockey put an end to that. Lucy got pregnant and Jaxon didn't seem interested in being a father. Now years later, Jaxon has cleaned up his act, stopped sleeping around, and drinking. Can he get Lucy, the only woman he ever really loved, to give him a second chance? Can she trust him to be there for their daughter? Enjoyable romance about second chances.

I was captured by the characters in this book and was cheering for them the whole way through! I really liked the way the book flowed. It was an easy read that let me escape for a while.

If you have read the Need You series like I have, you have probably been curious about Jaxson Lund and Lucy Quade's relationship. Well, we are finally getting their book!

I Want You Back is a second chance romance. Jaxson Lund has retired from hockey. He's determined to turn his life around. He is no longer the alcoholic womanizer he used to be. Jaxson has come to recognize what a horrible boyfriend, father, and person he was while he drank. He wants to make that up to the two most important people: his daughter and her mother. Lucy is not sure what to make of the changes in Jaxson. He's trying so hard to be a father to her daughter. She loves what she sees, but she's not sure she can ever trust him enough to let him back in completely.

I went back and forth on what to rate this book. I enjoyed reading it, but it was a little slow at times. I guess that might not have bugged me if I wasn't expecting a slow burn romance, but I wasn't with the chemistry these two had. I also wasn't a huge fan of the flashbacks of Lucy and Jaxson's prior relationship. I think it was because it was only the good times and none of the bad? I liked getting to know how they fell in love, but I also wanted to know more about how they fell apart. It was also a little jarring to go from present to past and back in this book for some reason. I'm not sure why.

What I did love was the way Jaxson worked to show Lucy that he was back for good and in all the ways that mattered. I loved the way they worked through the hard parts of co-parenting. I loved how Lorelei James dealt with Jaxson's issues with alcoholism, infidelity, and safe sex. That whole mixture really surprised me. I have never read a romance that touched on those topics all together. It made me think it should in more books. I wish more time would have spent on it in this book even though I thought it was well done.

Oh! I can't leave out that I liked that Lucy wasn't perfect either. She may have been wronged by Jaxson, but she had some issues of her own. I loved that Jaxson didn't let those things slide, and that they worked together to both make changes.

Obviously, this book had a couple of ups and downs for me, but over all was a great read.

This novel is an excellent addition to the Need You series! Jay and Lucy share a daughter and for years it hasn't been much else. But now, Jax has retired from pro hockey and he doesn't just want back in Mimi's life...he's out to win back the woman he lost and prove he has grown up. This is my favorite Lorelei James series! She has deep well rounded characters that make you root for them 100%. The only negative is that I have to wait for the next book to come out.

James' latest romance is a bittersweet, sexy, and compassionate second chance romance between a hockey star and the woman he lost. Filled with passion, recriminations, and redemption, James doesn't hold back any punches as she guides this couple towards their HEA while forcing them to take a hard look at the issues that broke them and the part they each played in it. She devolves in-depth into infidelity, drug addiction, and the consequences of unsafe sex. A well-written story that both entertains and informs..

Jaxson Lund is hanging up his hockey skates and he’s ready for the next chapter of his life. Which mean going back home to Minneapolis winning back the one that got away and being a father to the daughter he’s barely paid attention to. It won’t be easy because Jax has done some pretty cruddy things, but he’s determined to prove himself.
Lucy Quade has been raising her eight-year-old daughter on her own and now her ex wants to finally be a part of their daughter’s life. Lucy doesn’t doubt Jax’s love for their daughter but his track record isn’t the best. The last thing she wants is for Mimi to feel the same sting of rejection she felt at Jax’s betrayals. When Jax makes it clear that he not only wants to be in Mimi’s life but hers as well Lucy’s not completely convinced that he’s changed.
Second chance romance and single parents….my favs!!! I seem to have hit the motherload with these storylines this week!
I must say, at the beginning of this book and well into it, I was not a Jaxson Lund fan. This guy was a straight douche; cheater, deadbeat dad. Nope, didn’t like him; but eventually he wore me down. This book was a little different for me. I think it’s one of the few books where the main male character really was an ass. While I was reading I kept telling myself that I should not be rooting for these two to get back together. He wasn’t nice to Lucy, she shouldn’t even give him the time of day; but the truth is…these things happen and it’s not always a bad thing. I think what really made things work in this book was that Jax and Lucy were actually friends; they didn’t just fall into bed with each other, make a baby, breakup, then come back to each other. They formed a friendship, the hit a few rough patches but they eventually worked it out.

I’m not a fan of flashback storylines because sometimes they can be very confusing but this one worked for me. The flashbacks are what helped me change my mind about Jax. The flashbacks gave a picture of him before he let his fame get to his head. It was the flashbacks that gave me a glimpse of his charm and the fact that he really did have a big heart. I was really proud of how he accepted his mistakes, his addiction and how he handled difficult situations and news he had to break to Lucy towards the end of the book.

As much as I didn’t like Jax I the beginning, there was no denying the chemistry he and Lucy had. I loved how they clicked. I like the relationships with the supporting characters. I’m especially intrigued by Jaxson’s brother and Lucy’s sister. I hope they each get their own stories. I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it but I somehow missed books two through four. I’ll definitely be reading them.