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Thirsty Hearts #1

Charming You

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Micky Llewellyn has trusted men before - with disastrous results. Now, she’s focused on her career, her friends, and making sure she doesn’t let another charming man lie to her and break her heart.

Nick Halden’s life has unfolded according to plan. He’s on track to a partnership at one of Dallas’ premier law firms, and he’s marrying a woman who has the beauty, smarts, and connections to be the perfect wife. Or he thought he was.

Fate and a dead car battery throw Micky and Nick together, forcing them to question what they want. Nick’s charm makes Micky’s heart pound with desire and her gut twist with mistrust. Micky’s fire awakens a passion in Nick that flips his world upside down. With his personal and professional lives colliding in chaos, Nick has one way to make sure he gets what he wants, but it means betraying the woman he craves.

In their struggle to balance love and ambition, Micky and Nick will have to decide what they want and at what cost before they lose the one thing that matters.

390 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

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About the author

Kris Jayne

34 books519 followers
Kris Jayne is a devoted writer, reader, and traveler who crafts steamy contemporary romances with heat and heart. She spends her days blissfully sweating out the writing process in the Dallas area with her dogs, Otis the Shih Tzu, Rocco the Terrier, and Red the Foxy Mutt.

Her passion for writing is matched only by her passion for the adventures of travel. In 2008, she let a friend talk her into sleeping outside for the first time in her life when she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

P.S. If you're buying her a gift, she has a penchant for single-malt Scotch and scarves.

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5 stars
95 (35%)
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86 (32%)
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67 (25%)
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11 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
Profile Image for Natalie  ~ The Biblioholic.
2,692 reviews1,383 followers
June 12, 2019
Charming You was full of skepticism and suspicion. Micky had been burned by some loser men in the past and let her hurt color everything in her future. When Nick came along like a tall, hot drink of water, she was willing to die of thirst. It was frustrating a lot of the time, but sort of understandable. Who wouldn't be scared to jump back on the horse after being bucked? Nick did have some secrets, ones that could hurt Micky's fragile little heart. However, he was mostly a great guy. Micky was a bit harder to like, only because she was in her mid-thirties and had the thoughts and behavior of someone much younger. And I did skim quite a bit of this story because of it... But overall, this was an okay read. I wish the buildup of the relationship didn't take the entire book to come to fruition, but I'm no author, so what do I know?
Profile Image for Emily.
5,499 reviews526 followers
February 13, 2016
Micky Llewelyn knew when Nick Halden entered her life something was about to change. Nick, claims he is single but he is hiding something, she just isn't sure what. What starts off as a friendship, quickly changes to something more and both Micky and NIck find themselves falling for one another.

Nick though had a plan for his life and it had a certain type of woman with connections that can help further his career, Micky is not that. When he is expected to find out information for the company Micky works for, Nick knows he is playing her a bit and she is not one to give you immediate trust. As Nick delves farther in, he begins to realize his life may take a turn that could lead to happiness. That is if he can prove he is worth it to Micky.

Had a few unexpected twists. I liked this story a bunch. Micky is a hoot, she is blunt and I loved the interaction with Nick. Nick is a man with a dream but you get that he realizes it is not without lacking something in return, I thought the development of his character was fantastic. Look forward to the next story, looks to be equally as good.
979 reviews1 follower
April 13, 2016
Micky Llewellyn has a rotten day topped off by a dead battery. A gorgeous guy comes by and offers to help her. He’s immediately attracted to her and tries to convince her to go out with him. She has had bad experiences with previous boyfriends and is determined to focus on her job, particularly on the project she’s the lead on at the moment. We know where this going, right? But there are a couple of twists. Nick, the up-and-coming lawyer, is sort of engaged to an attractive, wealthy woman whose father has brought his multi-million account to Nick’s law firm to assist him in making an acquisition of the company that Micky works for. So he tells them that he has an in at that company, thinking of the attractive woman whom he just helped jump her battery.

So that is a problem that I had with the book. He comes on to the heroine while he’s sort of engaged to another woman, a woman that he’s mostly interested in marrying because she’s the “right” sort of woman for him and also because his engagement will help him make partner at his law firm. His engagement is problematic because his fiance has broken it off with him, but, for her own reasons wants him to pretend that they’re still a possible match. And he goes along with that.

The reader knows, as Micky and Nick get closer and she starts falling for him, that she will eventually find out all the ways Nick has been deceiving her. Nick shows growth and comes to understand what is really important to him, but he is deceiving and using Micky. Some readers might not enjoy having a romantic hero who starts out being rather despicable. I knew where the novel was going, but enjoyed reading along to see how it got there. Others might not be as forgiving as Micky.

I received a free copy from Reading Deals in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2016
Charming You by Kris Jayne is a love story that is relatable and very well written. The author permits the reader to learn and explore each character, hence allowing the reader to be completely engulfed by these characters. The romance story unfolds with Micky and Nick – Micky, whose trust is limited due to a stream of horrible past relationships and Nick, who is tied up with a family situation that has him tossing over. Kris Jayne truly pulls at your heart strings and evokes all emotions of the love and romance out of the pages. Charming You is an amazing debut novel and I look forward to continuing the Thirsty Hearts Series. Kris Jayne is definitely an author to watch.

ARC received from Fierce & Fab Promotions.
60 reviews
February 23, 2016
Easy read for a book with many grammar errors

I'm giving this book 3 stars only because it was a good story. Based on the spelling and grammar errors it should have received 1 star. If you are going to publish a book, please proof read word for word. A reader will read it word for word.
2 reviews
February 14, 2016
Great read, relatable story, interesting characters! Difficult to put the book down...read in record time, lol! Really nice to read a good romance that isn't over the top. I reviewed an ARC provided by the author.
Profile Image for Danielle .
2,564 reviews77 followers
February 19, 2016
I thought this book was going to be fun. To me it was kind of dull. There was several times I struggled to finish it. I stop and picked it up many times.

I wasn't invested in the characters and the plot was predicable.
Profile Image for Gina Briganti.
Author 11 books860 followers
March 29, 2020
I love this book's cover and title. While I was reading it, I would picture Micky with that beautiful glossy hair.

Charming you had an interesting plot. I really liked the "good" characters and I was convinced that the bad ones were bad.

It's refreshing to read a romance with intelligent characters.

More pluses for me -

Micky's dog was adorable.
The sex was hot.
Nick's family side was swoon-worthy, You know what they say about a guy who gets along with his mom and his sister. He's the uncle every niece dreams of.

I will read the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Itsy Bitsy Book Bits.
699 reviews50 followers
February 15, 2016
CHARMING YOU is the first book in THE THIRSTY HEART SERIES by KRIS JAYNE. This is the first book that I have read by Kris Jayne, but I quickly added her to my list of authors to watch for. Her style of writing is captivating and refreshing.

Micky Llewellyn is an awesome character. Witty, smart, beautiful, but boy does she have bad luck when it comes to men and affairs of the heart. She has decided to make her career in marketing her number one priority and forget about the opposite sex for now.

Her best friend, Taryn, is getting married and planning her fairy tale wedding. Helping Taryn plan her wedding is keeping Micky plenty busy.... maybe.

Nick Halden is an extremely attractive, handsomely hot, lawyer with gorgeous green eyes, that works in the same building where Micky works. He is on the fast track to advance his career in the prestigious Dallas law firm, Winston Stratford. He was engaged to Vivienne Moran, a high society socialite, until she suddenly called off the engagement. She kept the ring, and Nick has high expectations that she will change her mind. Her father, Tom Moran, is a very powerful man who owns a hugely successful equity firm. Since Nick's specialty is mergers and acquisitions,
his engagement to Vivienne seems to be a match made in heaven. Nick is secretly hoping that if Vivienne doesn't change her mind, her father will still do business with him.

As with all good plans, they are subject to change. More bad luck for Micky with a dead car battery, or maybe her luck could be changing. Nick, being the charmer, and all around good guy, offers to help her. He is so handsome, but those are the kind of guys she doesn't trust. Likewise, Nick is also attracted to Micky and asks her out.

Has Micky's luck changed? Has she met someone she can trust and have a happy ending with? Will Nick marry Vivienne or follow his heart with Micky? Will he choose his career or will he choose the one person who he knows can make him happy?
Profile Image for Jen.
1,451 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2016
I thought this book was...charming. It was a good read with a heroine who has been hurt too many times in the past by the men she was dating and a hero who is getting out of a pretty dull relationship, he thinks...

Micky works in the marketing dept of a tech company in the same building as Nick, an M&A attorney. They run into each other one evening when Micky has car issues. There's an instant attraction and they eventually agree to go out for drinks. Micky is hesitant to trust Nick, especially after finding out he may be engaged. Nick's fiance disappeared on him months ago, so he's not really sure what his relationship status is at this point.

I must say that Nick's relationship with his ex-fiance's family is pretty crazy. He was a real pushover and let Vivienne do the same to him. He should have stood his ground much sooner, consequences forgotten. I know he was worried about work, but still, you have to maintain your integrity. I also didn't like how he tried to use Micky at first to get info on her company that was up for sale, but at least he didn't carry through with his initial intentions. I'm glad that in the end, he got his stuff together.

Micky just has terrible luck, but if she was expecting a perfect man, she was an idiot. People lie, it's life, you just have to move on and decide if the trouble is worth it. Her dad did have some good advice at the end of the book though even though he was missing for most of her life.

The ending was great and I hope to read more in the future on where their relationship goes now that they're officially dating and living together.

The story did move really slow for me and that's why I can't give this a higher rating. I didn't think it was ever going to end. The chapters are short, but it seems like the story could have been wrapped up my sooner than it did in order to hold your attention. I did enjoy the supporting characters though and am looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Deb Bishop.
285 reviews7 followers
February 17, 2016
I was given an arc of Charming You in return for a honest review.
This is a good debut book by Kris Jayne.
Charming You was one of those books that took me a little while to get into but once I did I really enjoyed it.
Mickey is concentrating on her career, her friends and family while trying to ensure that she doesn't let another charming, lying man into her heart after a series of disasterous relationships.
Nick had a plan for how his life was going to go and up until now it was going just fine....or so it seemed. He's on course to become a partner in one of Dallas' top law firms, he's engaged to a woman who appears to be everything a perfect wife should be......but things rarely go as they are expected to!
Mickey and Nick meet when her car battery dies, Nick comes to her rescue. Attracted to Nick but reluctant to give him a chance.
Nick's world is turned upside down with Mickey's passion.
The trouble is to get what he wants and keep his life on the course it was on means he has to betray the woman he wants so badly.
Will ambition or love win? Does one mean losing the other?
I liked Mickey, she was strong, funny and at the same time didn't pull any punches.
Nick....he took a bit for me to warm to him but I liked the way his character grew.
I look forward to reading the next in the Thirsty Hearts series.
Congratulations to Kris on a great debut.
Profile Image for J_McA 251.
1,016 reviews12 followers
July 4, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book. To me, a romance should be a light and easy read, with two characters you root for. The romance between Nick and Micky was nice; they were both likeable, and their story was fun to follow. However, the author threw in too many other subplots that completely detracted from the actual progress of the romance. There was corporate espionage, blackmail, an ex-fiancee, an ex-boyfriend…it got very crowded. Some of these were mentioned and then disappeared, and others were brought to semi-conclusions that were not satisfying. A major conflict occurred at literally 96% of the book, and then was quickly written off. The author had so much going on that needed to be wrapped up, and it all ended rather abruptly. The whole book really could have used some streamlining. This is the first in a series, so hopefully the author tightens the storytelling and focuses on the main characters instead of throwing so much extra stuff in. **I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, and I gave an honest review.**
6 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2016
I haven’t read a romance novel since high school, so I’m not too familiar with the genre. However, this one is much better than anything I remember reading. I like it better than a lot of romantic comedy movies as well. The main character of this novel, Micky, is very likeable. From the very beginning of the novel, the reader is clearly on Micky’s side and wants romance to turn around for her. The twists and turns of the story are modern and interesting. The scenes of flirtation and more between Micky and Nick are especially well-crafted---great dialogue and moments of intensity! The writing is professional and the tone is engaging. I’m familiar with Dallas, and this writer nails the setting and some of the characters seen around town. I recommend Kris Jayne’s works, especially for readers who enjoy modern, engaging romance stories. I received a free ebook version in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for that chaotic.
168 reviews13 followers
August 3, 2016
Mickey is having a bad day...a not so great life.
Nick is willing to make whatever sacrifices needed to get to where he wants to be.
Mickey doesn't want to be drawn to Nick.
Nick is fighting his attraction to Mickey until he finds out some truths that are altering his views on who he is and who he wants to be.
How can the two build a relationship in a world of cutthroat business deals and people not being who you think they are?
Will Mickey overcome her past to forgive Nick's transgressions on his way to the top?

I especially liked the line "Remember to experience the city. You are only in Paris for the first time once." However the line that called to me the most was "Beauty," she said. "You can discover beauty where didn't expect it, maybe. But there had to be beauty there to be found."
Profile Image for Teri.
3,918 reviews36 followers
September 5, 2018
This is my first read by this author and I really enjoyed it even tough I am not a big fan of insta love reads this author at least lets their relationship grow before they jump in bed. These two have some real deal crap to deal with between her past with relationships which make her skittish and his need for success. Both of them have some changes and actions that have to be dealt with. Secrets, lies, blackmail, work pressures and more this author most definitely writes a great multilayered read. There were a few spots where the story dragged but never enough to skip pages for fear of missing something.

Like I said first time with this author and I am glad I did. This is most definitely a series I will continue to enjoy.
Profile Image for Linda.
3,290 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2019
I liked this novel, and I know how Mickey felt with always picking the wrong man to date! Upon discovering her last boyfriend was married with a child, she vowed to keep herself under control, until she accidentally met Nick Halden when he jumped started her car. Nick had an effect on her heart, Even though he wasn't married, her BS meter was ring loud and clear and she knew she should stay away from him but, they worked in the same building and parked in the same garage!

At first, I liked Nick for helping Mickey out, until he learned that acquiring her company would be a feather in his cap and make him fly up the charts to make partner in his law firm, Things heat up when his fiancee drops a bomb on him!
Profile Image for Momma Hellmouth.
695 reviews51 followers
February 11, 2016
My Review of Charming You, by Kris Jayne
My Rating 4 Stars
What a fun enjoyable read, this almost felt like reading a old style romance.
There were some comical parts of this story, but one thing for sure the characters were fun and likable. This was a genuinely Charming book. Micky and Nick’s story is worth reading for those that enjoy a hot sexy fun read!
I have never rad this author until now, and I can say the storyline was great, the consistency of the story was spot on. The writing was exceptional.
* Received an ARC from the Author in exchange for an honest review*
*Reviewed for Hellmouth’s Bookblog & Reviews*
Profile Image for lovestoread.
898 reviews9 followers
March 31, 2016
Need to be honest here! I read books two and three before I even found out there was a book one. Having said that I enjoyed the fact that it didn't really make jumping in the midst of a series difficult.

Charming You does just that! Nick is charming beyond measure. He is thoughtful, considerate and hates that he is not being totally honest with Micky.

Micky is gun-shy having come out of a relationship where the dick was actually already married and didn't bother to let Micky know this.

Not going to say anything more - you need to read this book! Knowing that there are two more to come...excellent. You'll enjoy the way Kris Jayne pulls you into the lives of these characters!
776 reviews8 followers
July 23, 2016
Charming You, Charmed Me! Once I started reading it was very hard to put down. Mickey Llewellyn has been through some really bad heart breaking relationships and is just now getting her life back together when she meets Nick Halden. He thinks he has everything until he meets Mickey Llewellyn in the parking garage where he helps her with a dead battery. She knows Nick is engaged but Mickey can't deny the attraction. Nick thought he has it all until Mickey! This is my first book by Kris Jayne, loved it and highly recommend.
1,891 reviews17 followers
February 15, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Its funny and pulls you into the story. Micky is guarded and does not easily trust men. Nick who has his life already planned out is taken unexpectedly when he meets Micky. Neither are expecting the strong attraction they have for each other. Will Micky learn to let her guard down and let Nick in? Will Nick change is plans? Some unexpected twists. Kris did a great job. Looking forward to reading more. Received advance copy for honest review
Profile Image for Isha Coleman.
7,889 reviews154 followers
February 20, 2016
While reading this book I kept thinking of a song. Neyo's " The Best Thing I Never Knew I Needed" would have served as the perfect soundtrack to this story. Scared of listening to their hearts and taking a chance almost cost these two something precious. I received an ARC of Charming You in exchange for an honest review. Ms. Jayne's has a wonderful sense of comedic timing that makes for a hilariously entertaining read.
Profile Image for Mel ReadingWithMAC.
623 reviews18 followers
January 19, 2016
ARC review:
I loved this!

While mixed with romance and comedy are my favorite things, this story offers so much to readers. During the popular times of "50 Shades" styled novels, Charming You brings out the classy, heartfelt storyline, while still getting steamy. This is definitely worth reading.
Profile Image for Ginger.
1,154 reviews7 followers
February 15, 2016
Nick an attorney is attractive and in love with Micky who works in the same building problem is he is already engaged to a Socialite with a jerk for a Dad and Nick handles his business dealings which is stealing companies and taking them apart, one that is being checked out happens to be were Micky works! How and what happens to Nick, Micky and fiancé or ex fiancé hmmmmm.








Profile Image for Kim.
928 reviews4 followers
March 11, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Great story line and strong characters. Micky has had it with men and focused on her career and friends. Until she meets Nick. Fate and a dead car battery throw them together. What will be the out come? Will Nick be able to change Micky's mind on men?
Profile Image for Bette Stanek.
1,938 reviews4 followers
April 23, 2016
Entertaining read that's not too over the top. The characters are relatable and while there's plenty of drama, it's not crazy drama. Both Nick and Micky have issues from past relationships they're working through, they don't trust easily. If you're looking for an easy, quick read it's worth checking out.
Profile Image for Laura.
2,557 reviews
August 8, 2016
This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
Profile Image for BP34.
5,975 reviews38 followers
June 18, 2018

This was such a fun read. Very well written with fun characters and a great story line. Micky is a great character who has had bad luck in men until she meets Nick when her stops to help her with her car. He's a big time lawyer who's sorta engaged. The chemistry is immediate and off the charts. No spoiler here, but you will love reading this book.
910 reviews7 followers
May 25, 2019
Excellent book, supperb writing and interesting characters in this very lengthy and yet entertaining book. My only concern is that there were several little threads of the story line that were never tied off. Concidering the characters they involved it seems odd they would be concluded in future books in the series.

Profile Image for Leesa Freeman.
Author 4 books22 followers
February 15, 2016
I'm not generally a romance reader, but this one hooked me. It's a well-written storyline with relatable characters and kept me turning the pages. I will definitely be reading more by Kris Jayne.

I received a free ebook version in exchange for an honest review.
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