I Want You Back

Lorelei James

Want You Back Series, Book 1

New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James kicks-off her Want You Series with a Lund family cousin hot enough to melt the ice and mend a broken heart.

Former NHL star Jaxson Lund has returned to the Twin Cities, but he’s at loose ends, unsure if he belongs at Lund Industries, or where he stands with Lucy, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Mimi. Despite the signs she’d like to leave him in the penalty box, the attraction burning between them reinforces his determination to prove that he deserves a second chance…

Lucy Quade is in a good place with a steady job, a nice apartment, and a well-adjusted daughter, which is why she’s hesitant when Jax insists on co-parenting. It’s not that Lucy doesn’t trust Jax…she’s just unconvinced he can handle multiple responsibilities when he’s been singularly focused on playing hockey. But when issues arise with Mimi, Lucy’s shocked at how levelheaded and paternal he acts, giving her a glimpse of the Jax she used to know, the sexy, sweet man she fell for years ago.

Once Lucy lets her guard down, Jax goes all in to show her how good they are together, but will their past remain too large an obstacle to ever overcome?

5 Stars

Ms. Lorelei James rocked my reading world hard with I Want You Back. In a world created within written pages,  Ms. James takes a fantasy like situation, enriches it with real life trials, temptations and events giving this reader her first 5 star read of the year.

Jaxson Ludd had everything any man could want. The beautiful woman at his side, the angel of a daughter, a family that loves and supports him and a career that he loves.  Jaxson tossed a good bit of that out the window when his fame and excess became more important than his real life. Jaxson hit rock bottom, paid a price, got help with his addiction and is back. Ready to make amends, right some wrongs and be the man he should have been before.

Lucy Quade’s life has been shaken up once again. Basically easing her daughter as a single parent. Now with the ex back, and to stay, he’s found a way to insert himself into her everyday life. While happy that her daughter has her father in her life on a more regular basis, the emotional turmoil, both good and bad, that man creates within her, makes Lucy crazy. He all but broke her, yet he creates so much for and within her, she can hardly see straight.

There are so many things I loved about I Want You Back. Two people who came together to learn to be good parents for their child.  Jaxson and Lucy are an amazing couple who worked painstaking hard to get themselves where they wanted to be. The baggage these two carry would cost a good portion of Jax’s fortune to fly. The characters are complex with layers that have layers. They grow personality and together throughout the story.  I loved Jaxson stepping up to be a real father, not just the fun dad who gives and gives. While Jax royalty messed things up, Lucy was not without fault and she owned up to it. The way Ms. James places the flashbacks of the story are seamless and comes off like a daydream. While giving wonderful insight to the characters and story. I adore the solid family bonds and connections. Which if you have read Ms. James you will know is one of the pieces of the foundation of her stories.

I Want You Back is an emotional, eye opening and thought provoking read. Jaxson and Lucy will break your heart, put it back together all while dancing a slow dance of attraction and chemistry, remembering the past while trying to have a future. Ms. James gave me everything I needed, wanted and more.

Disclaimer- I’m not a sports fan in any, way, shape or form. Actually hate sports is a description for what I feel about sports. Hockey plays a huge part of I Want You Back and yet not enough to outright over power the story. There was a particular blow off some steam skating session that turned into a very humorous scene that I very much enjoyed.