I adored this book. I think Mason and Kate are a perfect example of book couples that build each other up instead of tear each other down and add insecurities. I really loved Masons motto "Don't let the fear of what could happen stop you from doing something, because you will miss out on a whole lot of good things too." and truly think that this motto helped Kate grow from someone who was very unsure of herself and sort of anxious to more confident in who she was with and without Mason. I overall really enjoyed these characters and this story and think that Julia is just a brilliant writer.

Save me by Julia Crosswood.
Get a diploma. Find the love of her life and marry him. Go for a career and have kids. Twenty-one-year-old Kate knows exactly what she wants, but when she gets shot and almost dies, she discovers that life isn’t a checklist. It’s hard, unpredictable, and dangerous.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Read in one sitting. Great story and characters. 5*.

An enjoyable story, this is the second in a series and the reading the first may have increased my enjoyment of this book. Save me had a bit of everything and while I wan't a fan of the main character at times, the story flowed well. The author does tend to give us lots of pieces of the story and not expand on them right away, whether they were addressed in the first book or plan to be address in the future, I can't say, but it is a little distracting.

Frank, a Mafia Capo, wants Kate and her sister Lauren dead. Not for anything they have done, but because their father is responsible for the death of his nephew. Mason Scott of Scott’s Private Investigation and Security has been assigned to protect her. He is interested in Kate and realizes that she is suffering from PTSD after being shot. When she is targeted again, her father arranges safe houses for both Kate and her sister. All Kate wants is to return to her dancing and lead a normal life. Will the threats ever end? How far is Frank willing to go to achieve his goal? This story was just okay for me. I never felt connected to the characters as the female character needed constant reassurance and the male character seemed too casual, at times, where her security was concerned. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

I loved this book and can’t believe it’s actually only the authors second (I believe)

I loved the storyline, though I’d feel to get the most out of it you should read the first book in the series.

Kate is such a stronger character than you may have thought from the previous book, in fact her journey to find her inner strength is really well written. I thought the storyline of her finding herself again through dance was really good.

I loved seeing mason realise how he felt about Kate and how he worked so hard to bring her back to life, he was so patient yet demanding of her at times it made for lovely reading.

I think the one thing I struggle with a little in this series is that the author drops in nuggets of information and the en fails to really capitalise and expand on them during the book. In both books hints have been dropped about abuse Lauren endured, yet this hasn’t come out in the broader storyline at all, and how Lauren was made to look after Kate because she was weaker, again no real reasoning given for this. This doesn’t make this book any less good but does leave you feeling like there are somewhat unresolved issues somewhere.

A great read and I’m looking forward to a Catherine and Jaden’s story next

Vance Newman killed Frank Calvetti’s nephew and now he is after his twin daughters, Kate and Lauren Miller as revenge. Vance decides to send them to two separate safe houses until he can figure out how to neutralize Frank.
SPISe operative Mason Scott has been assigned to protect a very fragile Kate. He is determined to help her recover both her stamina and confidence after living in a shell for the last year learning different skills starting with self-defense lessons. When he finds out she has a desire to continue training as a dancer, he schedules lessons at the local dance studio where she lands a role in a dance recital. With the SPISe team in place to protect the women at the recital, Frank has found a way to Kate anyway. While everyone is getting into place to save her and keep him from getting to Lauren, does Kate have the confidence to help buy some time for the team eliminate him?

Rating edit: 2.5 stars.

OK, I liked the blurb of the book {didn't like the title and the cover and yet requested mainly because of the blurb}.

The writing style is engaging and the story starts well. Although it seemed a bit abrupt to me, maybe because it's the second book in the series? {It can be read as a standalone}. I liked the characters and their chemistry and the way the male protagonist motivates and cares forthe girl.

But, for me, the problem was that it seemed too repetitive, like there were not enough material to move the love story forward. It was like a plain love story and the crime/thriller part seemed a bit forced and unexciting. I missed the 'what next factor' & exciting twists n turns that this genre requires. The love story part is interesting though.

Overall an OK read. I am bit disappointed.

Synopsis:

Kate just wants a normal life, one she’s dreamed of for years while she moved her way across the dance floor. It all seemed possible until she got a bullet in her shoulder, and a mafia threatening to take her life and her family’s. Kate has everything to lose and she knows it's only a matter of time before she does.

Mason Scott, the man Kate has tried to ignore for months, is prepared to protect Kate from the Mafia who will do anything to take her from him. Not only is Mason the most charming man out there, he’s also not backing down from making Kate his.

There are obstacles to overcome and Kate can’t see herself surviving this ongoing battle. But with Mason and the help of the security team, she starts to hope for the life she wished she could live.

My Review -

Thank you to @netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book! ✨

Mafia books have my heart, and I was quite excited to read Save Me by Julia Crosswood! I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed 🤩

To start off, I loved the concept of the story and how it was executed. The author brought in different aspects of the story, from different views and characters, which added a lot to the book and made it a more immersive read!
The plot was super intriguing and offered a lot of drama and action, but at times I wished there was more depth to it and the backstory of why everything was happening.

Mason Scott, one of the main characters, has my heart! 😍 I mean, how can he not? I loved his character and his personality, although I wished he had more depth as well and had a bit more character development.

I also loved Kate, the other main character in the story! She had a beautiful personality and I liked how you could see the character development throughout the story. Kate’s fears and worries were also represented well and it really created a tense atmosphere in certain situations! 🦋

The relationship between Kate and Mason was great, I really did adore them together. There were times I would laugh out loud at their crazy antics, and other times they warmed my heart with their cuteness! 😂
It was a really heart-warming thing to experience when stressful situations arrived. It kept everything in balance in my opinion!

Save Me was an interesting read, and I can’t stay away from Mafia novels, so I’ll be keeping my eyes out for more books by Julia Crosswood! 😅 I would recommend this to those who love romance, thriller, drama, and obviously, mafia related books!

My rating: 3/5 ✨

(My review will be posted on my instagram account, goodreads, and blog which will all be linked! The review is now published on those sites!)