Fabulous set up for the series to come. Loved the opposites attract soty between cowboy Crew Lawton and Parisian perfume heiress Della Deveaux. Normally there is no way Crew would have agreed to be the face of a new men's line of skincare but these aren't normal times for Crew. He's in a world of trouble and needs money. Luckily this crazy contract offers a lot of that. Will the crazy intense chemistry that flares between Della and Crew burn them both?

I need more of these Lawton's and I can't wait for book one in the series. I highly recommend this one to hold you over.

Comme vous le savez, Jay Crownover fait partie de ces auteures que je lis toujours en VO sans attendre la traduction française : là, on change d'univers : fini les bad boy de The Point, on repart auprès des cow-boys puisque l'on se rend au Texas, à Loveless, pour découvrir la famille "Lawton" : une fratrie composée de deux hommes et une femme. Le premier dont nous allons faire la connaissance est Crew, celui du milieu, un champion de rodéo qui est dans les ennuis ras le coup lorsque débute la novella (mais j'y reviendrai) Il a un frère aîné, Case et une soeur qui a visiblement de quoi répondre à ses deux frères, Kody : le premier est le shérif de sa ville et la deuxième possède un bar. Ils ont perdu leur mère des années auparavant tandis que leur père, lui, est bien vivant mais semble être un arnaqueur de première si bien que tous le rejettent plus ou moins violemment. En tout cas, Crew semble penser qu'il est celui qui a hérité le plus de son "mauvais" côté et quand l'histoire commence, l'on se dit qu'il n'a peut-être pas tort... mais vous le savez, chez Jay, les héros ne sont jamais ni tout noirs, ni tout blancs ^^
"Unbroken" est donc une novella introductive à la nouvelle série de Jay Crownover, le tome 0.5 et elle met en scène donc Crew et Della, une jeune femme d'affaires qui est vraiment son opposée puisqu'elle est habillée de tailleurs et talons hauts et surtout, elle évolue dans le monde des affaires de New-York, bien loin des plaines du Texas et des terrains de compétitions de rodéo! Alors comment ces deux-là vont-ils se rencontrer et bien sûr, s'aimer?

J'ai reçu cette novella en ARC via "Insklinger Pr" et "NetGalley"

J'ai beaucoup aimé cette nouvelle qui se lit vite et l'on ne perd pas de temps à rentrer dans cet univers et surtout à s'attacher à cette nouvelle famille. Dès le départ, ils montrent un caractère affirmé et j'avoue que j'ai hâte de les retrouver et de voir interagir avec leur futur(e). Là, donc, nous faisons connaissance du champion de rodéo "Crew", un homme qui est dans de gros ennuis lorsque débute la nouvelle car il doit une grosse somme d'argent à un sale type nommé Vargas et celui-ci ne rigole pas : il est donc passé à tabac jusqu'à ce qu'il accepte le marché de ce dernier : il va devoir "perdre" afin que Vargas, qui parie contre lui, gagne et prélève chaque fois un peu plus pour le rembourser. Crew semble désespéré quand une jeune femme se présente à lui quelques temps après, c'est donc Della : en effet, son père, un brillant homme d'affaires a signé un contrat avec Crew (sans que celui-ci ne le sache, c'est son manager qui a signé pour lui) afin que ce dernier joue les mannequins pour sa boîte de cosmétiques! Autant dire que tout d'abord il n'est pas ravi car c'est à des années lumières de sa vie de champion de rodéo MAIS il va voir là l'opportunité de gagner l''argent qu'il doit encore à Vargas.
Va-t-il toutefois tenir le choc devant les demandes de la jeune femme qui veut le transformer? Ne va-t-il pas une nouvelle fois parier cet argent facilement gagné et le perdre de nouveau? Vargas le laissera-t-il vraiment partir une fois sa dette remboursée ou au contraire, va-t-il trouver un nouveau moyen pour obtenir facilement de l'argent (quitte à menacer la famille de Crew et notamment sa soeur?) et surtout, comment ces deux-là vont-ils se rejoindre? et bien vous le saurez en lisant cette novella, qui je l'espère, sera vite traduite en français.

J'ai bien aimé ces deux personnages que tout oppose car au final, même s'ils n'évoluent pas dans les mêmes sphères, ils sont tous deux leurs blessures et notamment, des "comptes" à régler avec leurs pères respectifs. Crew est certes un cow-boy rude et sauvage qui ne se soucie pas vraiment de grand chose et surtout pas de lui, en revanche, il cherche l'approbation de son grand frère et protège sa petite soeur et si on les attaque, là, il devient tout autre et est très attachant. Au final, c'est un type bien qui a fait des erreurs mais sait ou saura les reconnaître : arrivera-t-il à les corriger?

C'est finalement cette fragilité qui va toucher la "glaciale" (à première vue) Della : elle est, au départ, assez coincée : elle a des idées toutes faites sur Crew mais là encore, elle va vite ouvrir les yeux et à son contact, s'ouvrir sur elle, sa famille, son travail et le monde en général : ils sont l'évidence même que les contraires s'attirent. Une fois certains de ses problèmes réglés, elle va montrer combien elle aussi est une belle personne et se révéler et à nous, et à Crew.

J'ai déjà hâte de retrouver le froid mais sage et protecteur Case qui semble être très dur envers les autres mais qui devient vite impitoyable si l'on touche aux siens. J'ai adoré ce qu'on a vu et lu de Kodi, leur soeur, une vraie badass comme je les aime et qui sait ce qu'elle veut. Celui qui va vouloir la séduire va devoir s'accrocher et être à la hauteur.

Bref, c'est une entrée en matière réussie et j'ai hâte de lire le tome 1 "Justified" qui met en scène donc Case et qui sortira le 25 juin (pfffffffiou c'est loin ^^ et évidemment, je l'ai déjà demandé en ARC) Je vous mets le lien pour le commander ensuite

I am obsessed with COWBOY romances. But when you take that cowboy and put him at the top of his game in the rodeo circuit, you've just made my day entirely! Unbroken is a novella to the Loveless, Texas series by Jay Crownover. After reading Unbroken, I am so freaking pumped to get more involved in this series. I need all the words NOW!

Unbroken is the story of one rodeo man, Crew, who has found himself in very hot water with his gambling debt. And one city woman, Della, who will do anything and everything to get her father to notice her.

When Della's new product line is ready to launch, she needs to get in touch with the cowboy whom her father has hired to be the face of said product line. She expects more of a fight from Crew, not what she initially gets, complete desperation.

My Thoughts:

I love the opposites attract vibe throughout this whole story. Crew is a country boy and Della is pure city. When I first realized this was the foundation for the novel, I was a bit excited. It's been a long damn time since I fell into a novel with a trope such as this one, a trope that used to be my favorite but slowly took the back burner. She did this trope proud.

Also, did I mention how much I love cowboys! Give that cowboy a job in the rodeo circuit and you've just become my favorite person! I've always been intrigued with the rodeo circuit, even as a kid I used to watch the rodeos on tv with my grams and gramps. Crew used to be one of the top bronc riders in the circuit, until someone told him to stop being number one. Now he has to toss his dreams to the side to protect the ones he holds closest to his heart. This fallen cowboy had me at hello.

The only reason why I rated this a 4 instead of a full 5 star rating, I felt Unbroken was rushed in a few key point moments. I was a little selfish and wasn't ready to let these two go quite yet. I wanted and needed more of Crew and Della!

Ever read a novella and wonder why it's not a full-length novel?! That's exactly how I felt with Unbroken. It has been SOOOOOO long since I've read a Crownover book and once I heard about her new Lawless series (cowboys ... small-town?) count me in! Unbroken was such a solid introduction to her new series and I'm beyond eager to read more about the Lawtons.

Are you ready for Crew because I sure wasn't! That cowboy just barreled into the story and I just wanted to reach out and the hug the guy. AND say that everything is going to be ok and your family loves you! I wasn't exactly expecting this story to pack so much emotions. It's definitely a skill for an author to do so in such a little amount of words. From the very beginning, I was #TeamCrew and rooting for him, entirely. He definitely deserved it because he is sooooo loyal to the ones he loves. He saw his flaws and wanted to do something better. For once, he wanted to be the better person and was willing to lose at the sport he loves and excels at.

Della was just the woman that Crew needed. She was the reason for his change and despite her quick judgments about the playboy. I loved that she got to know him on a much deeper level and saw how much alike they really were.

The character development was surprisingly so well done. There was so much growth with each of the main characters. And I was beyond proud of the moment when Della finally stood up to her dad.

I can't wait for the next book and hope I can get my hands on it sooner than later. The family dynamics with the Lawtons is something I'm absolutely curious about.

5 Stars

“For the first time in my adult life, I actually felt some measure of calm and balance.” For Crew Lawton this is a revelation and turning point in his life. The path Crew must travel to arrive at this moment contains both the good and the bad, but once Della enters his life, his heart comes alive in a way that changes his perspective on everything. This is not just a story about how opposites attract but how they fill in those gaps and make each other a better version if themselves.

Cara - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog

Unbroken was my first Jay Crownover, so I had no idea what to expect, or if I would even enjoy it. Being a novella you only have a short amount of time to really know whether you liked it or not. If it could fit enough storyline and character development into the pages alloted, and if the ending was wrapped up in a way that is not rushed but let's you appreciate it. And I try did. It ticked all the boxes! A troubled cowboy with a serious gambling problem is barley hanging on, trying to figure out how to satisfy his debts without endangering the people he loves when in walks a dream come true. A beautiful woman should says he signed a contract and she is here to make sure he fulfills it to her satisfaction. And the best part? He gets paid! It's funny and sweet, with the characters finding themselves drawn to each other, even if it's only for now. Well things never go as planned and dreams have a way of changing and encompassing more than just work. Sets the stage for the next installment and the next Lawnton sibling and I have already pre-ordered it! Well done! Definitely a fun little read that had all the chemistry and heat you could want pact into its too few pages!

Oh, I love Jay Crownover. I wasn't sure what she was going to do next with Loveless, Texas, but I love Crew and Della were perfect. Loved watching both of them growing into who they needed to be. And now I'm so excited for the stories of the rest of Loveless crew!

Loveless Texas #0.5, Prequel novella to the new series by Jay Crownover. A great opposites attract romance and a start to a new series; rodeo cowboy Crew Lawton and high maintenance city girl Della Devereaux find love. Crew has a gambling problem and he is deep in debt to a very bad man and even after throwing his entire season the loan shark says Crew still owes him money. Crew's manager screwed him over and after signing Crew's name to a new sponsor promoting a new line of men's beauty care and then stealing the advance. But it's fortuitous for Crew because when Della shows up out of the blue demanding if he want the money he must do everything she says, with the rest of the payment more than enough to settle his debt Crew is all in. But the loan shark has his claws in deep and won't let go of Crew that easily.

Crew and Della are a good match, they balance each other out; I liked the connection they shared. This is my first Crownover and I liked it I look forward to the rest of the series. The brief introduction to the rest of the Lawton family was a memorable one and intriguing enough to make me want more. The writing style and narration kept me pulled in to the story. As a novella this satisfied me, it was like eating a snack that hit the spot.

So Idk if you know that a pre-order of Rebecca Yarros’ book got you a free copy of Girl in Luv co written by Jay. For me this was such a massive win I was thrilled. Until I got to the end and realised there was a second half Boy in Luv, which I could only get with a pre-order of Justified by Jay. Too easy! I jumped on Amazon and pre-ordered that sucker immediately then realised I have to wait for freaking ever for both books. Obviously this led to some stalking and obsessing and then BOOM there was Unbroken in netgalley. And omg they approved me.

So I jumped right on into this novella and devoured it in one sitting and now I am even more obsessed and impatient to get my grabby hands on Justified. Because damn does that blurb and teaser make me convinced this is going to be my kinda story.

But for now I guess I should focus on Unbroken and our introduction to Loveless and the Lawton family. Crew was the perfect kick-off. A damaged rodeo cowboy whose looks are a rival for David Gandy and Scott Eastwood. Ummm yeah I will buy whatever he's selling.

Crew is one of those characters that I didn't really like for a while but once he manned up I loved. Della was awesome. She was a little insecure but only in a way that made her feel real. And once she decided to go for something she didn't get in her own way.

I really enjoyed this novella but it felt like a tease to Case and hopefully Kody's books. And going in already knowing what an amazing writer Jay is I can't wait to see how it all unfolds in Loveless.

3 1/2 Stars

Crew made his fortune riding broncos and lost it (and more) gambling. To pay back his bookie, he takes a job being the face of a new men’s line of hair products. Della just wants her father to proud of her and she hopes that her new line of men’s products will do it. She just has to get the hotter than hell cowboy to agree to a makeover.

This is a quick read as it is the prequel to the Loveless, Texas Series. I did enjoy the opposite attract story, but I just had a hard time believing that Crew was a really bad guy, because in the story, he just has a gambling problem, he’s not really a bad guy. I also thought the story could have been longer ... it just went too quick and there could have been more to Crew and Della’s story.

I received an early copy courtesy of Forever-Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

A nice start to a new series. Unbroken was a fun and sexy novella. Crew and Della had great chemistry.

This is the prequel to the Loveless Texas series. Crew and Della story is an opposite attracks cowboy suspense. It is short but the suspense and hotness is all there. I can't wait for the first book of the series.

Unbroken is a great introduction to the Loveless Texas series. If you like strong, hot, alpha male heroes who happen to be cowboys, you are in the right place.

Crew Lawton is a rodeo rider with a gambling problem. When Della offers him the chance to be the new face of her male grooming line, he says yes simply to pay off his debts. He doesn’t count on his attraction to Della, or his pride in doing a job well. Della is determined to change Crew into her vision of her cosmetics line. But then she realizes that Crew’s appeal is in being exactly who he is, not a version of every other hot guy out there.

The heat between these characters jumps off the page. Not only do they have major chemistry, but they need each other to accomplish their goals. I love the fact that Della is a strong, successful woman and Crew values her strength and smarts. He’s proud of what she’s accomplished, which is not a trait that often comes through in strong romance heroes. It was fun to get a peek at Crew’s family in Texas, too. Crew has strong family ties, and his desire to protect them from his mistakes drives the plot. I can’t wait to read more about the Lawtons!

Unbroken by Jay Crownover was a great start to the new Loveless, Texas Series. I have been a fan of hers since reading the Marked Men series and was excited to see this new one.

Loveless, Texas series starts out with a novella about rodeo star Crew Lawton. Crew rose to the top but quickly lost everything in a bad bet. He takes a new job...becoming the face of an expensive male skincare line. Crew doesn't have much choice in what job he takes as he owes money to dangerous criminals and he'll do anything to keep them away from his family in Loveless, Texas. Della Deveaux has worked very hard on her new line of products for her family's company and she is desperate to prove herself to her father. Crew was definitely not who she had in mind for the face of the new skincare line but her father had already invested in him. They end up spending a lot of time together and realize that sometimes opposites do attract. . Will Della be able to accept Crew's faults and will Crew be able to face his demons?

I loved this novella so much that I wish it was a full length novel just so I could have more time with these characters. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series to learn more about Crew's siblings who were introduced in the novella.


I received a copy of this book from #netgalley for an honest review.

A quick easy read about total opposites and how sometimes that just works

Crew a champion bronc rider has pushed his luck a little to far and now he has to recoup his losses and the only way to do that is to sign a lucrative contract for a male skincare. Della runs her families international make up empire with an iron fist Can two people so opposite really work together How will a cowboy used to dirt and horses handle skincare and cameras and how will he handle been bossed by a woman and what will happen when he starts to boss her in the bedroom. When danger from his past closes in will he be able to keep the woman he loves safe.

This was an introduction to a new series, one that seems to be a cross between two of Crownover's other series... and maybe that was the reason I enjoyed it so much!

Crew is a bit of a screw up, but not in a malicious way... he can't seem to make anything work - that is until he meets Della and is turned from rodeos star to model overnight.

We also briefly meet Crew's family... who I figure are going to play a large part in the series... can't work out if I am looking forward to his sheriff brother's or illegal-gambling-den running sister's story more!!

What a fantastic start to a new series!
In this short story we follow Crew. Crew is a Rodeo King in the bronc riding circuit. At least he was, until he started losing on purpose to pay off gambling debts. He loves a thrill, and doesn't know what he is going to do next, because his bill is coming up due, and he is WAY SHORT on cash.
In waltzes Della, who doesn't look like she belongs anywhere near a rodeo with her Luis Vuitton bag, and her Louboutin heels. She shows Crew a contract with his name on it that could save him.
I wish their story were a little longer, but I understand why it isn't at the same time. I look forward to reading more of the books in this series. Crownover's writing is wonderful, and the sex scenes were well done in my opinion.
Both characters have their flaws and insecurities. The way they come together is quick due to the nature of a novella, but more time passes than you would think.
This is also a good introduction to the main male character in the full length novel coming out soon, and I do feel it is important to read this before reading Justified.

***4 Stars***

This was a great intro to a new series. It had just the right balance of humor, heart, drama and smexy and characters I want to get to know better.

Crew and Della were a lot of fun. Crew is a sweetheart, he really is. He may not know when to reign it in, but the man is a good one with more charm and charisma than he knows what to do with. Della is a spitfire. Hardworking and stubborn, she know what she wants and isn’t afraid to do what it takes to make it happen. Though things happen quickly between them, there was enough of that spark, that connection, between them that had me believing that they could have more if they were given the chance. The roadblock in their journey wasn’t unexpected, though what brought them back together was and I have to say I didn’t see that one coming, but I really liked how things turned out for them when everything was said and done.

Things tend to be quick in a novella, and they did here, but I felt like I got everything I needed and wanted out of it in the end. A romance that felt like it could happen, a little drama, a little humor and a couple of characters whose books I’m definitely looking forward to so I can get to know them better, so bring on Case and Kody’s books!

This is a quick and easy read about what can happen when opposites attract. Great chemistry between this unlikely pair of cowboy and city girl. Neither is the typical of either of those though which gives the story more goodness rather than same ole. I really enjoyed this story, in fact I would have loved more than a novella for Crew and Della. This is a great start off for this new series though, giving us some back story to take with us to Book 1. Can't wait for more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I have been a Jay Crownover fan since Rule and can not get enough of her words. For that reason when I heard she was developing a brand new series, I could not jump on it fast enough. Crew and Della were opposites attract gold. I loved their banter more than anything and the fiery back and forth between them. Their chemistry was hot af and the mysterious cartel element was fantastic! I was hooked from the start.

When down on his luck Crew Lawton makes a deal with the devil he has to live with the consequences. But he never expected Della Deveaux to enter his life and turn it upside down. I loved this story! I loved how Della saw through to the real vulnerable and damaged man he was inside. She saw past his public image and he likewise saw the strong, hardworking woman inside who deserved love and affection. This story was an amazing start to the new series! Bring on Case's book!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Forever for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review! Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula