At Any Turn
by Brenna Aubrey
Published by Silver Griffon Associates
Book 2 in the Gaming the System Series
So You Want to Be a Hero?
Millionaire CEO Adam Drake, overcame a tortured past to build his own gaming empire. He’s in complete control of his life. With his new found love for brilliant geek girl blogger, Mia Strong, the last piece of his life is in place. He's at the top of his game.
Your Princess Is in Another Castle.
Until suddenly, she withdraws from him, leaving him in the dark. Something tells him she needs help. But she's too stubborn or scared to ask for it, and the more he tries to take control, the further he pushes her away. He can’t solve this problem by writing a check or a few lines of code.
He’ll have to dig deep and put himself at risk…or risk losing her forever.
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy Romance Emotional
TRIGGER WARNING: Discussions and memories of Addiction.
At Any Turn is the second book in the Gaming the System Series, and this time, centers on Adam. Fresh (well, emotionally, if not physically) from his 30 day long hike, proving to himself that he can put aside his addiction to work, Adam is happy. Mia and him are blissfully in love. Or he thought so, until Mia started pushing him away, leaving him heartbroken, and worried. He knows something is wrong. He feels it in his gut. Is he able to help Mia, and save their relationship?
I will fully admit to enjoying this book more than the first, despite it being incredibly angsty. And boy, do I mean angsty. Depressing. I was happy with its originality, and while there seemed to be a lot of filler in this book, and it could have been cut down a bit, I was hooked. I wish I could say I was surprised by the conclusion of the book, but I am notorious for reading book synopsis', and when I read the synopsis for the third book - well, I got my answer before even starting this book. I would like to think that I would have picked up the subtle hint given away at the first of the book ----------> when Adam and Mia are hooking up in his office, and she flinches when he squeezes her breast, and she seems distracted by that for a moment <-------------, but who knows. If you haven't read this book yet, don't read the synopsis for the third book.
The characters are just as frustrating in this book as the first one in terms of communication. It's something they both know they struggle with, and yet they keep doing it. Knowing what I know, I found myself still incredibly annoyed with Mia. Yes, Adam did things wrong ... but Mia literally distanced herself from him. Pushed him away. Her personality was a total 180. OF COURSE HE WAS WORRIED. I know if my husband started to do that, I would do a lot to figure out what was going on, and try to help him. I know he would do the same. It was just continually frustrating, and by the end, I was thankful that he discovers the problem, just so we can move on to a different fight. Because, while I am rooting for these two, they are both so immature when it comes to relationships, there is going to be another fight.
So why am I continuing with this series, DESPITE the characters driving me mad at times? It's interesting. It's a bit on the darker side, it tackles some tragic truths. It's going in a direction not many romances go in, and I find myself compelled to see how these characters get through this next hurtle. My bets are being placed that the next one is going to be a tearjerker.
Adam tickling Mia with his beard when he kisses her after his 30+ day hike
Love the Han and Leia "I love you" thing
Adam getting teary eyed when she broke up with him
Adam not hooking up with his date, because he loves Mia
Mia taking care of Adam when he has one of his bad migraines
Paintball
Adam holding Mia tight, until she fell asleep, after finding out the truth
Mia: "He's eating like a Neanderthal. Do men usually regress while in the wild?"
Amusement danced in her golden-brown eyes. Just to mess with her, I groaned even louder and shoved the last third of the burger in my mouth all at once.
Kim grinned.
Kim: "Don't worry. I don't think it's permanent. Once he's back in his man-lair, he'll be guzzling beer and watching Darth Vader on Star Trek in no time."
Emilia and I both turned to her, aghast at her blatant error - every nerd's nightmare. Kim held up her hands in surrender.
Kim: "Kidding!"
Mia: "You have food in your beard, Grizzly Adam."
I shoved another handful of fries into my mouth and groaned
Adam: "Damn, that's good."
She wrinkled her nose at me
Mia: "You're gross."
Adam: "Bo Shuda!"
I cackled through my half-eaten food in my best imitation of Jabba the Hutt.
She rolled her eyes
Mia: "Gee, now I want to kiss you ..."
Mia: "I never wanted to be that girl, you know?"
I frowned
Adam: "What girl?"
Mia: "The girl who's screwing the boss."
Adam: "Sounds hot to me."
Mia: "Of course it does."
Adam: "Are we being too geeky for you, Mia? You poor baby."
She rolled her eyes
Mia: "Gawd, you might as well be discussing who could take who in a fight, Captain Kirk or Darth Vader!"
Heath and Adam: "Dark Vader."
Heath: "He's got elite force power, yo. He can choke a dude on the other side of the galaxy through a hologram."
I held up a finger.
Adam: "Yeah, that's not an argument. Now, Darth Vader verses Gandalf, on the other hand ..."
Heath's eyes lit up
Heath: "Ooooh, epic!"
Emilia sighed.
Mia: "Gandalf wins. He's the wizard who killed a Balrog by himself. End of discussion."
Adam: "Why take a previous liaison with you? Why not just pick up someone when you're there - a French model of something?"
He grinned at me, scratching at his goatee.
Jordan: "Because then I don't get to enjoy the perks of the private jet and put another notch in my mile-high-club card."
I rolled my eyes
Adam: "I should have known it was for an important reason that you'd want to take someone with you."
Jordan: "Hey, never turn down an opportunity for in-flight entertainment on a twelve-hour flight."
Then he paused.
Jordan: "You and I could always go together."
I made a face at him.
Adam: "I love you man, but not like that."
Adam: "A codeine and Vicodin cocktail can barely put a dent in a good migraine. I doubt poking me is going to do anything."
Mia: "Can I try?"
Adam: "You're going to make the world's weirdest doctor. Western MD's usually don't go in for the stuff."
Adam: "Why not just used your Jedi powers to heal me?"
She laughed
Mia: "Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a Sith lord.!"
Mia: "I don't suppose I can do anything to help?"
I couldn't resist
Adam: "Kiss them better?"
She picked up her gun
Adam: "Fuck, don't shoot them again. I was just kidding."
This life. Unpredictable. More puzzling than any game could simulate. One minute you're at your highest high, only to be sent screaming to your lowest depths. At any turn, it shifts, it changes. And what once was normal is now forever in the past.
Check out the rest of the Gaming the System Series below
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