Member Reviews
This was the third book in the The Need You series, and it was hot! Lorelei James always writes the best steamy romances, and this one was no different. I loved the chemistry between Axl and Attila, I mean Annika. haha And hockey players are hot! Such a good book. I really enjoyed reading it, and Lorelei James continues to me one of my fave steamy romance writers.
I really wanted to say I liked this book. I loved the blurb and the cover but this title didn't work for me. I just couldn't connect with the hero and heroine-even after trying multiple times. I would absolutely try this author again but something about these two just didn't work for me. I enjoyed the writing style and flow, from the parts that I could read.
I love the Lund series!! I want to move to Minnesota just to be around all the Swedes and Scandivian people up there and I hate snow. I can't wait for more in this fabulous series by Lorelei James.
Annika needed a strong man like Axl to show her how she can still be the ice princess and yet soft and sensitive with him. The character build is so great with watching the layers unravel until we get to the heart of both Annika and Axl, as they learn to trust each other and who they are becoming together.
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Penguin Group
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Part 3 of an ongoing series
My All You Need Review . . .
I LOVE the Lund family and this series, The banter between all the characters is fantastic.
All You Need is part three in an ongoing series but could be read as a standalone. Not only is this written by one of my favorite authors it's also a sports romance which is one of my guilty pleasures when it comes to romance books.
This time the story evolves around Annika Lund aka the 'ice princess' and Swedish hockey star Axl Hammerquis. These two definitely did not have a love at first site meeting. Instead they had a more of hate at first site. However, since PR is Annika's job, plus her ever loyal qualities. She's guilted into helping Axl when he needs better publicity.
"You scare me, Annika Lund."
"Why?"
"Because you're outrageously beautiful, extraordinarily smart, ridiculously clever, utterly devoted to your family and so fucking sexy I fear you might ruin me for all other woman."
These two start out as a PR stunt but turn into more behind closed doors.
"I like you. Yes I still think you're an ass. It's weird."
For Axl he's still getting used to the English language even though he's quite fluent already.
"What is a douche canoe?"
"Worse than an asshat, but not as bad as a twat waffle."
These two were punny and sexy rolled up into one.
"How you got the nickname 'The Hammer.'" She licked my throat. "It's a sturdy bed. I'm a sturdy girl. Give me Hammer-Time."
My favorite part is the banter in this series and especially with the mom and all her change of sayings. It adds an element to the story that makes it more enjoyable. Sometimes sports romance can be yay or nay and this one was a definite yay. I loved Axl and Annika together and I absolutely adore this series and all the characters involved. I can't wait for more from this series and the Lunds.
4 Banter Loving Thumbs up!
I literally stayed up all night reading this! I can't get enough of James' books!
ALL YOU NEED - Lorelei James
Need You, Book 3
Berkley
ISBN: 978-0-451-47757-6
April 2017
Contemporary Romance
Minneapolis - Present Day
In this third novel in the Need You series, Lund sister Annika gets her chance at love - and just in time too. She’s starting to get jealous of her two brothers’ happiness. But she never would have expected that happiness would come from a PR ruse. If Annika pretends to be in a relationship with hunky Swedish hockey player Axel Hammerquist, his agent will introduce her to a man that could bring Lund industries a huge boost in business. But once she gets “The Hammer” alone and away from the media, he’s much sweeter than she would have ever expected.
The first time Axel met Annika, her bossy attitude earned her the nickname “Attila,” but he couldn’t deny she was beautiful. After an altercation was incorrectly played up in the press, a fake relationship with Attila is the only way to get back in the public’s good graces. Their fake relationship becomes more real than either could have expected. But with all the lying - to the press, their friends, their family, and even themselves - how can they trust anything?
Lorelei James has proved time and time again that she can write some unbelievably hot cowboys - but with the Need You series, she shows her talents also lend themselves to equally hot CEO’s, carpenters, and hockey players. ALL YOU NEED is an excellent addition to the series, with a captivating hero, a strong heroine, and a love story readers won’t be able to put down.
ALL YOU NEED can be read as a standalone, but as Annika’s family is a close one, being familiar with her brothers’ stories just adds to the charm. The series begins with WHAT YOU NEED (JAN 2016), and JUST WHAT I NEEDED (AUG 2016) follows. And be on the lookout for the next book in the series, WHEN I NEED YOU, featuring the youngest brother, coming July 2017!
Amanda Toth
Omg this was a fun and sexy read!Annika & Axl are perfect for each other,I loved this characters so much!The love hate banter makes the story so entertaining!
Their chemistry was off the charts and you could feel it all through the story!Axl is my new book boyfriend, seriously this man has everything I love in a hero and even more!
If you are looking for a sport romance with a hero that you'll make you to melt and swoon for him then this is perfect for you!!
I have a confession to make. When I started this book, I was sure I wasn’t going to like it.
One, the heroine, I felt, has no personality whatsoever. She’s too perfect for my taste. She has no flaws. She’s basically a walking, talking cliche: tall, gorgeous, rich, blonde heiress who has everything. I have nothing against blonde heiresses for heroines but Annika Lund just left me cold.
Image result for boring gif
Two, the book started off slow. Not only that it reads like any other sports romances out there. It’s not bad but the story didn’t stood out either.
Three, the hero was just okay. Again, he’s your typical NA-ish hockey romance hero. I didn’t find anything exciting about him even though I liked him better than the heroine.
Then 53% happened, and the story, the character just took off for me. The jokes that felt off at the beginning started to hit me and I found myself genuinely laughing at the banter between Annika and Axl.
“I’m happy I’m not Santa—the poor guy only comes once a year. And he limits himself to just good girls.”
Also, there’s this chemistry thing. It finally worked. I started rooting for these two characters to figure their shit out and have their HEA.
And oh, did I mention that the secondary characters, specifically Annika’s mom, Selka, was hilariously entertaining and entertaining? No? Well, they are. Selka especially. And the whole Lund clan had their own brand of crazy that I found entertaining. Same goes for Axl’s teammates and neighbors.
Then there’s that “big gesture” scene near the end that had me swooning. I admit, it might have been a bit cheesy but IT WORKED!! Big time. It just did.
So yeah. I ended up really enjoying this book. I’m glad I stuck with it otherwise I would have missed this gem:
“What’s a douchecanoe?”
“Worse than an asshat, but not as bad as a twatwaffle.”
PR agent Annika Lund is the queen of spinning any disaster into something positive. But she will need all her skills to revamp the reputation of notorious Swedish hockey player Axl Hammerquist.
Lorelei James is a familiar voice to many in the erotic and contemporary romance world, having published more than sixty books in the last ten years. While I’d heard of her, I hadn’t actually read any of her books until this one. All You Need is a sports romance with a fairly typical plot idea – a bad boy hockey player needs a reputation makeover and who better to accommodate him than a PR expert? What the blurb doesn’t tell you is that once you read this story you’ll immediately want to read the preceding stories in the series, and possibly everything on Ms. James’ backlist. From the very first chapter until the absolutely delightful ending, every part of this contemporary romance clicked with me.
The Need You series is centered on the Lunds, a wealthy and successful Swedish family who live in Minneapolis. There are four siblings, each of whom will have a standalone romance in the series, and this third installment is about Annika, a public relations agent for her family business, Lund Industries. The first time she meets Axl is at a chic restaurant, welcoming him to Minnesota on behalf of her cousin Jaxon, a former teammate of Axl’s in Chicago before he was acquired by the Minnesota Wild. He doesn’t speak much English so she’s there partly as a translator, though he clearly doesn’t need her language abilities to maneuver their waitress into a compromising position in the coat check room. Axl’s agent, Peter, wants Annika to take Axl on as a client and reform his playboy image, but she isn’t interested and turns him down. But under the steadfast nagging of her mother who wants Peter to be Annika’s brother Jensen’s new agent, she reluctantly agrees. She’ll use her skills to try to turn Axl’s reputation around, and Jensen will get his new agent. Win-Win.
Annika and Axl start out with some clearly antagonistic feelings about each other. Axl refers to Annika as Attila and in return she calls him Ax-hell or Ax-hole. Annika needs Axl to follow some rules to keep a low profile and out of the media spotlight and when she catches him at a club doing the exact opposite, her anger results in a very public scene. The result is a claim that spreads like wildfire on social media that Annika’s behaviour was caused by jealousy because she is Axl’s new girlfriend. Peter thinks it’s the perfect set up. If Annika will keep up the pretense, Axl’s bosses will be convinced that he’s focused on his hockey career and reforming his scandal plagued media image. In return for Annika pretending to be in this fake relationship, Axl will help out with any charity work she is involved in. For the sake of her brother’s career, Annika can’t really refuse. But what really frustrates her is the current of sexual attraction that ripples between her and Axl. He is nothing like the men Annika dates. He’s an uncouth, boorish hockey player who’s too attractive for his own good. Only as they get to know each other, Annika discovers that the old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ might just apply to this man, too. Is it possible that she’s actually found her perfect match?
I love being surprised by an author, and I don’t just mean because of an unexpected plot twist. You think you know how this story will go from the start, that Axl will be converted from player to committed boyfriend by his growing affection for Annika. That’s not the story here. Instead, what you get is a male character who is so much more than the reputation that precedes him, a reputation that while true, has been designed to be a certain way. Appearances are Annika’s game as a PR expert, and even she is fooled at the start. There are layers to Axl that get revealed from chapter to chapter until at the end you’ve got a man who deserves pride of place on your book boyfriend shelf. I don’t want to give away any spoilers because it’s so much fun to discover Axl’s real character the way that Annika does. Telling the story from both points of view is essential to how the plot unfolds and I definitely appreciated it here.
As a sports romance with an emphasis on the game of hockey this definitely scores with me too. The author is familiar with the sport and does an admirable job of including scenes both on and off the ice. The reality of player reputations, contract negotiations, and press interactions are balanced with the physical on-ice play and Axl’s personal challenge to find a place for himself on his new team. I don’t know the author’s future plans, but I’d love to see a spinoff series with some of Axl’s hockey teammates getting stories of their own.
Annika’s family interactions are also an important part of this story, not surprising since the series is based on her and her siblings. The Lund family has connections all over Minneapolis, and with her brother Jensen playing football for the Minnesota Vikings they have a sizable stake in the community. Annika, while being a hardworking businesswoman, is also involved in the charity arm of the company and doesn’t mind getting down to the grassroots level herself to make things happen. She comes across as a passionate woman in everything she does, with a family loyalty that transcends everything else. Suffice it to say, her brothers are not particularly keen on her ‘relationship’ with Axl, knowing his reputation. This creates some tension, because Annika doesn’t like keeping secrets from her siblings but can’t reveal the truth behind their agreement. There are some quite touching and emotional scenes later in the story as some plot twisting events occur that impact the whole family.
The romance between Annika and Axl is simply delightful. The uncovering of Axl’s true personality leads to a bond of trust between them as they share meaningful conversations and truly intimate moments. The sexual tension builds and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, this is a slow burn romance. There is no hopping in the sack from the beginning to ‘take the edge off’ as one might expect. Axl is a hero in pursuit (my favorite kind!), wooing Annika in such a way that it would be impossible not to fall for him. The sex scenes in this story are hot but not super explicit – the dirty talking is kept to a minimum (which I’ll admit is a nice change) and there is a bigger emphasis on the feelings they are developing for each other than on a play by play of their bedroom scenes.
Of course, there has to be some conflict that makes you wonder how this couple can get their happy ending but it happens in an organic way and suits the story well. I can tell you that the ending made me clap my hands over my mouth and laugh in delight, it’s that good. All You Need is exactly the kind of story I want when I read a contemporary romance – laughs, a few tears, strong likable characters, an interesting and well executed plot, sexy scenes and a sweet happy ending. I’m already planning a re-read!
This review has been posted at All About Romance. An abbreviated review will be posted at sale sites and goodreads.
I have a confession to make. When I started this book, I was sure I wasn't going to like it.
One, the heroine, I felt, has no personality whatsoever. She's too perfect for my taste. She has no flaws. She's basically a walking, talking cliche: tall, gorgeous, rich, blonde heiress who has everything. I have nothing against blonde heiresses for heroines but Annika Lund just left me cold.
Two, the book started off slow. Not only that it reads like any other sports romances out there. It's not bad but the story didn't stood out either.
Three, the hero was just okay. Again, he's your typical NA-ish hockey romance hero. I didn't find anything exciting about him even though I liked him better than the heroine.
Then 53% happened, and the story, the character just took off for me. The jokes that felt off at the beginning started to hit me and I found myself genuinely laughing at the banter between Annika and Axl.
“I’m happy I’m not Santa—the poor guy only comes once a year. And he limits himself to just good girls.”
Also, there's this chemistry thing. It finally worked. I started rooting for these two characters to figure their shit out and have their HEA.
And oh, did I mention that the secondary characters, specifically Annika's mom, Selka, was hilariously entertaining and entertaining? No? Well, they are. Selka especially. And the whole Lund clan had their own brand of crazy that I found entertaining. Same goes for Axl's teammates and neighbors.
Then there's that "big gesture" scene near the end that had me swooning. I admit, it might have been a bit cheesy but IT WORKED!! Big time. It just did.
So yeah. I ended up really enjoying this book. I'm glad I stuck with it otherwise I would have missed this gem:
“What’s a douchecanoe?”
“Worse than an asshat, but not as bad as a twatwaffle.”
Lorelei James is a familiar voice to many in the erotic and contemporary romance world, having published more than sixty books in the last ten years. While I'd heard of her, I hadn't actually read any of her books until this one. All You Need is a sports romance with a fairly typical plot idea – a bad boy hockey player needs a reputation makeover and who better to accommodate him than a PR expert? What the blurb doesn't tell you is that once you read this story you'll immediately want to read the preceding stories in the series, and possibly everything on Ms. James' backlist. From the very first chapter until the absolutely delightful ending, every part of this contemporary romance clicked with me.
The Need You series is centered on the Lunds, a wealthy and successful Swedish family who live in Minneapolis. There are four siblings, each of whom will have a standalone romance in the series, and this third installment is about Annika, a public relations agent for her family business, Lund Industries. The first time she meets Axl is at a chic restaurant, welcoming him to Minnesota on behalf of her cousin Jaxon, a former teammate of Axl’s in Chicago before he was acquired by the Minnesota Wild. He doesn't speak much English so she’s there partly as a translator, though he clearly doesn't need her language abilities to maneuver their waitress into a compromising position in the coat check room. Axl's agent, Peter, wants Annika to take Axl on as a client and reform his playboy image, but she isn’t interested and turns him down. But under the steadfast nagging of her mother who wants Peter to be Annika's brother Jensen's new agent, she reluctantly agrees. She’ll use her skills to try to turn Axl's reputation around, and Jensen will get his new agent. Win-Win.
Annika and Axl start out with some clearly antagonistic feelings about each other. Axl refers to Annika as Attila and in return she calls him Ax-hell or Ax-hole. Annika needs Axl to follow some rules to keep a low profile and out of the media spotlight and when she catches him at a club doing the exact opposite, her anger results in a very public scene. The result is a claim that spreads like wildfire on social media that Annika's behaviour was caused by jealousy because she is Axl's new girlfriend. Peter thinks it’s the perfect set up. If Annika will keep up the pretense, Axl's bosses will be convinced that he's focused on his hockey career and reforming his scandal plagued media image. In return for Annika pretending to be in this fake relationship, Axl will help out with any charity work she is involved in. For the sake of her brother's career, Annika can't really refuse. But what really frustrates her is the current of sexual attraction that ripples between her and Axl. He is nothing like the men Annika dates. He’s an uncouth, boorish hockey player who’s too attractive for his own good. Only as they get to know each other, Annika discovers that the old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ might just apply to this man, too. Is it possible that she’s actually found her perfect match?
I love being surprised by an author, and I don't just mean because of an unexpected plot twist. You think you know how this story will go from the start, that Axl will be converted from player to committed boyfriend by his growing affection for Annika. That's not the story here. Instead, what you get is a male character who is so much more than the reputation that precedes him, a reputation that while true, has been designed to be a certain way. Appearances are Annika's game as a PR expert, and even she is fooled at the start. There are layers to Axl that get revealed from chapter to chapter until at the end you've got a man who deserves pride of place on your book boyfriend shelf. I don't want to give away any spoilers because it's so much fun to discover Axl's real character the way that Annika does. Telling the story from both points of view is essential to how the plot unfolds and I definitely appreciated it here.
As a sports romance with an emphasis on the game of hockey this definitely scores with me too. The author is familiar with the sport and does an admirable job of including scenes both on and off the ice. The reality of player reputations, contract negotiations, and press interactions are balanced with the physical on-ice play and Axl's personal challenge to find a place for himself on his new team. I don't know the author's future plans, but I'd love to see a spinoff series with some of Axl's hockey teammates getting stories of their own.
Annika's family interactions are also an important part of this story, not surprising since the series is based on her and her siblings. The Lund family has connections all over Minneapolis, and with her brother Jensen playing football for the Minnesota Vikings they have a sizable stake in the community. Annika, while being a hardworking businesswoman, is also involved in the charity arm of the company and doesn't mind getting down to the grassroots level herself to make things happen. She comes across as a passionate woman in everything she does, with a family loyalty that transcends everything else. Suffice it to say, her brothers are not particularly keen on her 'relationship' with Axl, knowing his reputation. This creates some tension, because Annika doesn't like keeping secrets from her siblings but can't reveal the truth behind their agreement. There are some quite touching and emotional scenes later in the story as some plot twisting events occur that impact the whole family.
The romance between Annika and Axl is simply delightful. The uncovering of Axl's true personality leads to a bond of trust between them as they share meaningful conversations and truly intimate moments. The sexual tension builds and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, this is a slow burn romance. There is no hopping in the sack from the beginning to 'take the edge off' as one might expect. Axl is a hero in pursuit (my favorite kind!), wooing Annika in such a way that it would be impossible not to fall for him. The sex scenes in this story are hot but not super explicit – the dirty talking is kept to a minimum (which I'll admit is a nice change) and there is a bigger emphasis on the feelings they are developing for each other than on a play by play of their bedroom scenes.
Of course, there has to be some conflict that makes you wonder how this couple can get their happy ending but it happens in an organic way and suits the story well. I can tell you that the ending made me clap my hands over my mouth and laugh in delight, it's that good. All You Need is exactly the kind of story I want when I read a contemporary romance – laughs, a few tears, strong likable characters, an interesting and well executed plot, sexy scenes and a sweet happy ending. I'm already planning a re-read!
I’ve been waiting to get my hands on Annika and Axl’s story ever since Axl got all up in Annika’s space in Just What I Needed. The sparks were flying then, so I knew this was going to be good!
Axl’s reputation as a manwhore and partier has affected his hockey career badly, resulting in a trade to a new team. Axl needs to come off as serious and focused on hockey, so in an attempt to up his appeal Axl has to clean up his act. Part of that plan is pairing up with Annika, his new fake girlfriend. She’s gorgeous, a perfect Swedish beauty, nick-named the Iron Princess for her ruthless reputation, and Annika thinks he’s the scum of the earth.
Annika Lund is head of Lund Industries’ PR division. She didn’t think taking on Axl as a client would include being forced into a fake relationship with him. They get off on the wrong foot, both pretty much despising each other. It’s just cruel that Annika finds herself attracted to Axl, but hey, he is the epitome of a big hot Nordic god, so how can you really blame her?
Axl and Annika are blond, beautiful and Swedish; they look like the ultimate couple. Behind closed doors, though, they snipe and snarl, exchanging barbs, a hot attraction brewing in spite of all the jabs, and I loved it! They had a great antagonistic relationship to start off, filled with heated exchanges; so much fun! I had to laugh at the names they had for each other: Attila for Annika, but Annika’s names were the best: Ax-Hell, the pucktard, Swedish meathead, Ax-hole, etc, you get the picture.
As they’re forced to spend time together, they get to know each other, and slowly the animosity fades, the ice begins to melt. Reputations are not always as they seem, both for Axl and Annika, and their “fake relationship” turns into more: hot, passionate and delicious! They had oodles of chemistry, just the way I like it!
Love it when an author can make me initially hate a character, and then completely turn things around. I couldn’t stand Axl at the beginning, and then loved him by the end! Annika impressed me from the first page; she was strong, independent, smart with a soft heart underneath it all.
Lorelei James’ scored with her new hockey romance! I just love a well done antagonistic romance with a sweet, sappy HEA!
Annika Lund is in charge of the PR department at Lund Industries. She's known as an Ice Queen. Her mother is Swedish, so Annika also speaks it.
Axl is a hockey player, also known as a playboy and continues to get in trouble. He's from Sweden (see where this is going?) and lets everyone think he speaks no English, so therefore, needs an interpreter. Because of his "playa" tendencies, he was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Minnesota Wild.
Annika's mom and her brother's agent team up together to get Axl on the right road to clean up his reputation. The best way to help him...she'll pretend to be his girlfriend. What neither counted on was the fireworks and major chemistry between them! Will this pretend relationship turn into a real one?
I loved Annika and her names for Axl (pucktard was my favorite)! He's such a jerk, but I did fall in love with him! This was a long story and I glazed over at the hockey parts (I'm not a sports fan) but overall it was an enjoyable book!
4.5 stars
I adore the Lund family and this series so much and I love each book more than the last. Normally, fake relationships are not my favorite BUT it really worked in this book. Axl and Annika were simply incredible together- Axl especially. I loved reading about a man who was completely turned on by a highly intelligent, take no crap woman.
I have a soft spot for the Lund family. Lorelei James always knows how to do connections between characters that feel like real bonds and that’s been my favorite thing about this series, as well as her previous work. In this installment, Annika Lund is tasked with helping to get the reputation of hockey bad boy Axl “The Hammer” back under control. This is her field of work but she’s somewhat manipulated by her mother to do this to help her brother’s career.
I liked Annika character. She’s a successful and independent woman but at the same time she does do “too” much for her family. Sometimes to her own loss. I liked seeing Axl step in as the caregiver in this aspect of her life and push her to do the right thing for her, not only for her family.
Axl is definitely sexy. All that testosterone flying around the ice translates into lots of steam off the rink. The fact that he was able to get everyone to believe he didn’t speak English for such a long time was a bit of a stretch for me to believe, especially considering there must’ve been players from that country in the league before and the fact that studying English was basically mandatory would’ve come out.
Their relationship was fun and playful and I enjoyed that, as well as their banter and ease being around each other. But I think at times it lacked a “spark” to make it stand out for me. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading it and read it in one sitting. There was something sweet and cute about them as a couple, but also about the supporting cast of characters, that kept me turning the pages.
Speaking of family, I’m definitely intrigued about Lucy and is totally wrong of me to want her to end up with Ash instead of Jaxson? What is wrong with me? LOL It would definitely make for some crazy family drama! Regardless, I’ll be awaiting the next in the series so I can be back in the fold of the Lund family and see what awaits Jensen.
The story of a bad boy hockey player and a straight edge PR agent. The two pretend to be a couple in order to save his image. Axl and Annika don’t like each other straight away, but while pretending to be a couple things get hot!
I liked the witty banter between the two, they always had a fun comeback for the other. Lots of hockey puns or curse words turned into hockey jabs, very clever of the author. While this was third in a series it could easily be read as a standalone novel. Just too much of it was focused on the bedroom for me than in the outside world. I like to see more of a development in the relationship than the steam.
The Delight
Getting to know the only female child in the branch of the Lund family was exciting and fun. A strong female who has worked hard to get where she is at her families company. The hero is a bad boy and so attractive it drew me in to find out if he was more than a pretty face.
-------
The Lund family is a big and tightly bound family living in Minnesota. Three brothers make up the patriarchal part of the family, but we are sticking to the offspring of one brother for the first of this series. The first story, What You Need, is the story of Brady, the eldest son finding love with Lennox. Next up was Walker, the black sheep (or so he thinks) of the family finding love with Trinity in Just What I Needed. Now we have the next Lund, Annika, the only female offspring in this branch and the well protected sister, that really can handle herself.
Annika Lund is known as the "Iron Princess" by her family and friends. She has worked hard to earn her position in the company when most think she got it because of her name. PR is the game and when her mother makes a deal with the top sporting agent to help Annika's younger brother, Jensen, Annika has to play the game. Translating for Axl who only speaks Swedish is supposed to be a temporary gig, but he offends her so much, she lets him have it and the media goes wild. Now she is his girlfriend for PR purposes only, but the lull of Axl's personality makes it more than a publicity stunt.
Axl for his part is holding a few secrets....like he speaks several languages and English is definitely one of them. A bad experience with the Chicago Hockey team has left him in a bad public image situation that morphed into everyone thinking he doesn't know the language. He has continued to allow that to happen for multiple reasons, but now he needs to come clean with everyone and it's going to cause problems.
His image is a playboy, but in reality he is anything but that. While he doesn't feel he can have a committed relationship, he takes the time to learn who Annika is and to love her for all her perfections and faults. Axl also collects people around him. Everyone in his apartment complex has an open door policy and we get to know some amazing people.
There is true depth to Axl that some heroes never find. While most think he is just a dumb jock, he is actually well read, has an engineering degree and knows enough languages to put me to shame. He's strong, doesn't back down from confrontation, but is also the gentle giant who adores Annika at various points in the story.
The family. Oh sweet baby Jesus. The matriarch is Swedish and messes up all the cliches. She made the deal with the agent for her son, but in a way I felt she sacrificed her daughter. I thought it would come back around that it was her plan to get them together, but I don't think it was in the end. Two out of three brothers take a swing at Axl, well, because this is their only sister to protect. We see the family come in and out of the story and I love getting to see how the relationships from the first two books are continuing to grow.
Axl and Annika have a lot to over come as both are being pushed and pulled in different directions without their permission or control. The dynamic to fall in love despite this showed just how strong they were and how strong their love was going to turn out to be. There were lots of road bumps, but I loved meeting these two characters and being a part of their story even for a little while. Yes, I know they aren't real people, just leave me in my lovely world of Lunds.
The Need You series by Lorelei James is the series that gets better and better with each book. All You Need is Book 3 and can be read as a standalone. If you’re at all like me, I like to start at the beginning. You can’t go wrong with this series. I’m in complete love with the Lund family and their love matches!
I was drawn in on page one and did not want to put it down! All You Need is told in alternating POVs which has become one of my favorite ways to read a book. There is something about being directly inside the head of the hero and heroine. I enjoy how much more personal these kinds of stories are to me.
Annika Lund is an intelligent, hardworking, sexy, and sassy businesswoman. The press calls her the “Iron Princess” and she’s anything but ice cold. She is hilarious! Her sense of humor is fantastic. How she deals with life is relatable.
Axl “The Hammer” Hammerquist is a smart, sexy, strong, Swedish hockey player. Did I mention HOT? Axl is a force to be reckoned with on and off the ice…if anyone would take the time to get to know him. He is so much more than what meets the eye.
The Lund family is a tight knit, loving family. Like real people, they have real problems. I love how Miss James makes us feel as though we could be in the story ourselves. Characters dealing with real-life issues in very real ways. Your heart cannot help but be touched.
I highly recommend All You Need. I enjoyed Miss James fresh take on this romance trope. There are some twists I didn’t see coming with an ending fit for a princess!