Cold Hearted Bastard

Jennifer Dawson

Jan 2019 · Jennifer Dawson Publishing

About this ebook

Meet Jackson McKay… 

There’s only one thing you need to know about me. I’m a cold hearted bastard that will never love you the way you deserve. And I’m sorry to say, bastard beats nice guy, every time. 

I never lie.  Never deceive. I lay out exactly what will happen. My only promise is that I’m a one-night stand. That thisis will be our first and last time together.  Then I stand back and let them walk. But they never do.  Because they all want to believe they will be the one to change me.   

And, Gwen Johnson, the woman that will be his demise… 

There’s only one thing you need to know about me. What I want, I get.  End of story.  I didn’t come to own one of the best restaurants in the city of Chicago before the age of thirty by taking no for an answer. And what I want is for this cold hearted bastard, and culinary genius, to work for me. I don’t care how difficult he is.   I’m going to figure out what makes him tick, what he needs most, and then I’m going to go in for the kill.  

 

The way I see it, you either own it, or it owns you… 

Ratings and reviews

I got hooked on Jennifer Dawson's book through Crave, and read all of her Undone series quickly followed by Love and Other Disasters. In a genre chock-full of quick, throw-away read-and-forget books that scratch an itch, or let you relax without being mentally taxing, she stands out for writing stories that stay with you. Cold Hearted Bastard continues this trend. I have trouble saying that it's her best book to date, but only because I am so firmly attached to the characters she brought to life in the Undone series. I have no compunction however with calling Cold Hearted Bastard to be smack on the same level. Her heroes and heroines are all strong, complex, and flawed. Most importantly, they resonate with you even if their life circumstances are miles away from your own. First of all, I'm delighted to see Gwen step forward and claim her own story after being in the background of the Undone series. I love seeing the reverse of the friendship between her and Jillian. As for Jackson, he really is a guy you love to hate. He makes you grind your teeth together. And Jennifer manages to perfectly pitch the tension of the novel that you spend a large portion of the book wondering what secret he's hiding without ever tipping over that line of frustration of "oh enough already, just tell us the big damn secret". And when it does come, it really takes your breath away. I had all sorts of theories but I wasn't prepared for what actually happened. The story instantly took on an additional poignant element, breaking new ground that the Undone series didn't touch. One of the strong aspects of character exploration in this story is of course Jackson's character and how it was shaped by his childhood and how that continues to drive his persona and his choices. Anything more than this would be a spoiler but this to me was one of the strongest pillars of the story and has much to do with the big twist. Beyond the big reveal, Jennifer also finds the perfect balance of tension in the relationship between Jackson and Gwen, throwing obstacles and stubborness in their way without becoming absurd. Eventually when Jackson makes his decision to pursue Gwen, she does not capitulate easily and I liked that. I liked that she felt the need to protect herself. It added that extra element of realism to the relationship which faced significant real-life problems that couples often struggle to overcome. Finally, I have to tip my hat to Jennifer for managing to so elegantly write a book where cooking turns into a sexual metaphor. Before Jackson and Gwen give in to their chemistry, they cook for each other, and before they manage to do anything more than make out, you feel like they've exchanged the most intimate parts of themselves through their food. It has the potential to be so corny but Jennifer makes it a delicate and vulnerable act. Almost as any artist sharing their creation with another person whose opinion means more to them than they would like to admit - she makes the Jackson's sandwich for Gwen take on so much more meaning than just a nice gesture. I had very high expectations for this book, and I'm delighted to say they were fully met. I can't wait to read more. The secondary characters are intriguing in their own right and I look forward to hearing their stories. Beau in particular, I believe, deserves his own much-delayed, happy ending. The plot is not over-contrived, and as will all of Jennifer's books, the character development is what drives the story, not sex. Don't get me wrong, the chemistry in the book is scorching and explosive, but it's like... a garnish to a perfectly balanced plate. Not the main feature. Hahaha see what I did there? Culinary puns. Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy of the book from the author, but it was actually after I already pre-ordered my own copy. I swear she didn't insist on a glowing review. In fact, she gave me a copy to cheer me up and let me off the hook from doing a review completely, but after I read the book I couldn't NOT write a review because it's such a fantastic read.

Jackson McKay is a talented chef and sex on legs. There's a mystery surrounding him since he dropped out of sight at the peak of his celebrity. The mystery only deepens when it's discovered that he retreated to small town Louisiana where he works in his uncle's bar. He sleeps around, but never with the same woman twice. He tells them in advance but they rarely listen. They think that makes him a bastard and maybe it does but it also makes him honest. It's not a book about the south without a meddling family. His is great and if my family is any indication, very true to life. They scheme and when nothing else will do, they push the issue. It leads to a lot of fun, but they also hold the key to the mystery. Gwen Johnson is a Chicago chef, restauranteur, and happens to be bored silly. She wants a new challenge, something that causes her to jump out of bed in the morning. Her life is too routine. She decides that she needs a new restaurant. In opening her new venture she has researched ch

I was completely sucked in. The perfect amount of secrecy, lust, sex and romance. I love a strong female character and Gwen definitely fits the bill. Jackson holds his own. He is the perfect bad boy that you just can't help but want to take Gwen's place between the sheets and any other place you can imagine to take the edge off the need to be claimed ... 24/7. But there is so much more to the story! Loved it. Love these long standing characters. Every woman needs girl friends like Gwen and Jillian