Review & Giveaway: Penalty Clause by Lori Ryan

Penalty Clause

Penalty Clause
Sutton Capital Series, Book 2
Lori Ryan

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Cara Shannon

Date of Publication: May 15, 2013

Number of pages: 396

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon

Andrew Weston and Jill Walsh had to be the two most unlikely people to fall in love. When Jill’s first husband’s love for her simply fizzled and died, Jill knew she’d never trust that love could last again. After Andrew’s first love betrayed him in the most brutal way possible, he knew he might fall in love again someday, but there was no way he’d ever make himself vulnerable again by confessing those feelings if he did.

Fate had a different ending in mind for these two, though, and when Andrew discovers his love for Jill, he knows the only way to get her to stay with him forever is to offer her an iron clad penalty clause in a prenuptial agreement. He stays with her forever or he loses everything he owns. The millions he’s worked for, his property, his cars, everything. Now he just needs to hope that’s enough to hold onto Jill forever.

***First Place Winner Romance Category, Lucky Cinda Publishing's Annual Global Writer's Contest, 2013***

Excerpt: 

“Nora asked me what my intentions toward you were. When I told her we were just spending time together, she told me you have a reputation for being – and I swear to you, I’m quoting here – ‘good in the sack.’ It was by far the most uncomfortable conversation I’ve ever had,” Jill said.

Andrew’s fork hung in midair as he stared, open mouthed at Jill, a horrified expression on his face. “She did not. Please tell me she did not say that to you. Of course she did. Who am I kidding? This is Nora we’re talking about.”

Jill just laughed as she watched Andrew try to process her conversation with Nora. “At least you didn’t have to sit there and figure out how to explain our relationship to her,” Jill said.

Andrew grinned at that. “‘Spending time together,’ huh?”

“I couldn’t think of any other way to tell her I was banging her grandson.” Jill blushed furiously as the frank colloquialism left her mouth. She picked up her wine glass and sipped to try to cover her embarrassment, but Andrew leaned in, moved the wineglass out of his way and kissed Jill soundly on the cheek.

“I like banging you, Jillie Walsh.”

Review: 

This is the second book in the Sutton Capital Series by Lori Ryan and focuses on Andrew Weston, CFO of Sutton Capital and best friend to Jack Sutton from Legal Ease.  We really didn't get to know much about Andrew in book 1.  Andrew is a bit more of a complicated character than Jack was, due to his past and he has some real issues to be resolved.  In that regard him and Jill are a good fit, since they both have been hurt romantically in the past and are much more guarded about falling in love.

The book begins with Jill packing to move from the house her and her ex-husband, Jake had shared. Jill is planing on moving down to New Haven to the house her grandparents own until she figures out what she wants to do. Jake shows up, causing Jill all kinds of emotional turmoil.  Although Jake had left Jill for his mistress and married said mistress, Jake keeps coming around and gets upset when Jill asks him to leave. Jake doesn't seem to understand why Jill doesn't want to lean or depend on him. This leave Jill wanting a fresh start somewhere else.

We meet up with Andrew as he is on his way into the office. He is going through his normal morning routing of getting something to eat and flirting with the ladies in the office when his uber-efficient assistant Debbie. Debbie tells him that his grandmother, Nora has fallen on some ice and broke her hip.  Since his grandmother is his only acknowledged family, Andrew rushes for the hospital. Andrew moves into the carriage house at his grandmother's while she is rehabilitating at home.  It is about a week after coming to stay with Nora that he learns that Jill, the girl he had a crush on during childhood, has moved into her grandmother's place next door.

This book was even better than the first one.  The characters had a depth and complexity that was missing from the first book. There wasn't a surprise twist in this one, but there was still plenty of suspense as the author built to the book's climax. I really enjoyed the book and could barely put it down.  I even shed a few tears at a particularly emotional scene involving Rev, Jill's dog. This book earned every one of it's 4 stars on Goodreads.


Giveaway: 

Lori will be awarding a Giana Bernini Handbag to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY)

So follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Book Tour Info: 
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Book Tour:

July 8:
Long and Short Reviews - Review
Whit's Book World Review - Review

July 15:
Books and Other Spells

July 22:
Book 'Em North Carolina
The Bookcast

July 29:
Janna Shay's Fair Play

August 5:
Welcome to My World of Dreams

August 12:
It's Raining Books

August 19:
My Devotional Thoughts

August 26:
A to Z Reviews

September 2:
A Writer's Life

September 9:
Andi's Book Reviews

September 16:
Read Your Writes Book Reviews

September 23:
Tinasbookreviews

September 30:
Musings and Ramblings - Review
Reviews by Crystal

October 7:
Romance on a Budget

October 14:
We Love Kink - Review

October 21:
Dawn's Reading Nook Blog


Author Bio:

Lori has had a number of careers before embarking on her newest adventure of writing novels. After graduating from the University of Connecticut School Of Law, she practiced law for three years, working primarily in the areas of utilities law and intellectual property litigation.

More recently, Lori owned and operated a dog training business in Austin, Texas, where she specialized in aggression and became an expert in the field of dog bite analysis. Lori sold her dog training business in 2013 and is now a full time writer and mother of two.

Lori still lives in Austin with her husband -- who is endlessly supportive of her changing career paths -- and her two children, one cat, and three dogs.

To connect with the author online:

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