Jordan Steele's never had the happy childhood to look back on like most, he instead find's memories of himself being taken from his parents home, or lack thereof, and being placed in the Canadian foster care system. Once in the system he bounced from place to place until he arrived on the doorstep of a woman who would not only change the course of his young life, but also give him the sense of family he never knew. Living with Ellen and the other boys in the home turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to him, his brothers, as he calls them now, have formed a band and have the opportunity to travel all over the world doing what they love, and making a lot of money to boot. Which is a far cry from how they all pictured their lives turning out when they were young, and they've never forgotten the tough, but sweet, woman who changed their lives, often visiting her and helping her out. But with all the success, and good fortune to come to his life, Jordan still can't help but feel alone, like there is a part of himself missing, but that is all about to change...

Every facet of Lexi's life has been under complete control from birth, the right dance classes, the right dance teachers, the right food, but never being the "right" thing for her. Her father had plans for her, and she has been prepped and groomed for the future he chose for her, none of it of course being the future she actually wanted for herself. She is tired of worrying about her appearance, living up to her father's expectations, and trying to please him, only to fail every time. She wants the freedom to do what she wants when she wants, but as long as her father is in control that will never happen. She knows it is time to be brave and take the course of her life into her own hands, and the moment she meets Jordan she finally feels like she is strong enough to make that happen...

Being familiar with Ms. Cole's work I thought I knew what to expect going into this read, but I have to say she surprised me with this one, in the best possible way, this is by far her best work yet! The instant my eyes landed onto the page, the words gripped me, had me completely at their mercy, and I knew there was no way I was walking away until I had devoured every last one. I knew a little of Jordan's history from previously reading the Second Circle Tattoo series, but I don't think anything could have prepared me for the breathtakingly beautiful story I found, it took me on an emotional roller coaster, and left an imprint on my heart! I loved these two characters so much, they were two damaged souls in need of saving, and little by little they found a way to mend what was broken in each other and also create something so beautiful in the process. All I can say is that you HAVE to read this story, it is truly one of the best reads I have settled down with yet this year, it is destined to move you beyond words!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this title.

Can you find your own place in the world. Jordan feels like his life is falling apart, his fellow band member is moving in with his future wife and daughter and Jordan is afraid that the others will leave as well. It has taken Jordan a really long time to feel safe, he never wants to go back to his early abusive years and that fear that wanted to take his life.
Jordan knows that he has to accept that change is coming but if he hides his true feelings maybe the guys would just let him be.
Lexi is tired, her father has punished and pushed her enough, all she wants to do is dance for herself, why can't he allow her to be happy? Lexi & Jordan are about to have a chance meeting that will change their futures forever.
The more time they spend together, the more Jordan tells her about his childhood and why he has issues about abandonment, he tries to be honest with Lexi but she is hiding something that could drive them apart.
Lexi has always been told by her father that she was too fat and she started believing that and she is almost eating nothing and she knows that Jordan is worried but all dancers are thin and she just wants to be the best that she can be. Will Jordan be able to help her through this or will it just be too much for their new relationship?
A great story of new beginnings, acceptance and family no matter if you aren't related by blood.

After reading Dred and Pixie's story, I was curious about the other brothers stories. I wondered about Jordan's past and why they needed to live that way. I now know after reading this book. A book about a rock star and a ballet dancer. Both have their issues they need to work through, which the other helps do so, and they eventually find their HEA. The sex scenes were hot. They stumble a few times over bumps in the road, but they figure it out. This was a darker read for me than the last story, but still a compelling read. I had difficulty putting it down.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this story.

Wow, Scarlett Cole has done it again! She takes broken heroes and heroines and together, they find a way to mend their pieces! Jordan and Alex both have experienced trauma and pain in their past and they come together in such a beautiful way.

AMAZING!! I’m not sure where to begin with this so I don’t lose you which in turn would make it so that you missed one totally awesome book. I have read the Second Circle Tattoo series by Ms. Cole where she first introduced us to the guys from the rock band Preload. I knew that after being so taken in by this author and since I was a rock romance fan, the stories on the Preload boys were going to be great but I had no idea the depths that Ms. Cole would take me to yet again. It seems that as most rockers those that have flaws are some of the better rock stars out there and now with Jordan’s story front and center that couldn’t prove to be truer.

The backstory on Jordan is to say the least heartbreaking with the childhood he had to endure only to lead him to the group home where he met the rest of his “brothers”. Ms. Cole had my heart breaking and at the same time filled me with so much anger because it was just unfathomable to me that any child could be treated this way. I don’t think I have come to love a band as much as these guys because of what they have all went through and because of that they are always there for each other no matter how “weird” things may seem to the outsider. Due to Jordan’s issues the band all lived together in one house and everyone knew what Jordan needed from each and every one of them. Sure Jordan had the meaningless sex with groupies but when it came to a real relationship that was something he was sure he would never be worthy of.

Seeing the beautiful and talented ballet dancer one night in a window practicing drew him in to her beauty and the depth that she performed with. Jordan couldn’t help be come back to watch this beauty and he did not go undetected because Lexi also noted that man outside the studio as well. Jordan had even returned to the studio to record some classical music that he thought of when watching Lexi practice so when she noticed him there yet again she performed his musical dance for him only to steel his breath away at how she truly understood Jordan and the music within him.

Their story is one of struggles and triumphs from both of their childhoods until their adulthoods but would they be able to come together and believe that they were really deserving of a love they never thought they deserved. Will Jordan actually be that phoenix rising from the ashes? They definitely had chemistry but it was something much deeper that Ms. Cole gave you. She wasn’t afraid to touch on taboo subjects such as child abuse, suicide and anorexia and did it with grace and understanding. This is one book that I would highly recommend as well as her other books from Second Circle Tattoo series one of which introduces you to another of the Preload guys, Dredd. I think you will fall for them as hard as I have and I can’t wait for the next story on the guys from Preload.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for a freely given honest review.

A new series from Scarlett Cole? YES PLEASE!! As a spin-off of her Second Circle series, we met these characters in The Purest Hook and I'm so excited to get their stories as well as catch up on the lives of Dred, Pixie & Petal. All these characters are so deep and complex I can't wait to get to know each of them. First up is Jordan. He's troubled and dark and so very loveable. When he meets Aleksandra Artemov he knows she touches something deep inside of him. The emotional journey these two go on is beautiful and unforgettable.

This one needs to be on the must read list! I highly recommend it.

A new novel by Scarlett Cole follows the members of a Canadian rock band introduced to her readers in The Second Circle Tattoo series. The band is called Preload, and the members are brothers in all ways except blood. They were all "misfit" boys considered difficult and sent to a group home that ended up saving their lives.

Jordan Steele is one of those boys, perhaps one of the most damaged by his childhood. He is frightened of being alone, and can't even sleep at night unless everyone is home and in bed. They have lived in the same home together since leaving foster care. For Jordan things are starting to change, Dred has a child and found the love of his life, Pixie, and starting a new chapter with them. Petal is Dred's daughter and Jordan loves her with his whole heart. On a late night walk on Christmas night with a fussy Petal, he sees a a dancer in the window of a practice facility. "She is strong and powerful yet fragile." He can't turn away, and the dancer seems to be dancing for him.

Aleksandra (Lexi) Artemov is a dancer for the Canadian Ballet. Her father, also a distinguished dancer, rules her world with an iron first, she is never thin enough, graceful enough or talented enough. After seeing this big beautiful man with tattoo's and crazy hair staring at her through the glass Lexi can't get him out of her mind. When she receives a note from this mystery man, with a link to music he has written for her she is under his spell, and is determined to dance for him. They come from opposite worlds, Jordan can never forget his background nor conceive how he could be worthy of her. Lexi does her best to prove he is all she wants. The love story is beautiful, sexy and filled with complications and Ms. Cole draws us into the story and pulls at our hearts.
This was an excellent read, and preparing this review, I actually read the whole book a second time. I highly recommend this novel and all of Ms. Coles work.

I received this ARC from the publishers and Netgalley for an honest review.
Pat Fordyce

Who would have thought that a principal ballet dancer and a heavy metal rock-star would find true love. In Scarlett Cole's latest offering, Jordan Reclaimed, opposites attract and complete each other in more ways than one. This is the first book in the author's brand new series Preload, and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Lex Artemov loves ballet and after years and years of practice, with additional tortuous rehearsal sessions with her tyrannical father, she is a principal dancer with the Canadian Ballet. Lex supports both herself and her father, since her father drinks a lot and is unable to keep a job. She lives in the basement apartment of their home, while her dad commands the rest. She needs to get out of his daily life, without getting hurt and hurting him in the process.

Jordan Steele's childhood was no picnic. His parents starved him, made him live in the attic, and beat him when he said something they did not agree with. He was a prisoner in his own home. Foster care was just as bad, until he ended up in a group home run by two wonderful women. He was finally in a safe place and had three brothers. The boys formed a heavy metal band and became very successful. Unfortunately, Jordan's past is always a part of his present.

Lex and Jordan are an unlikely pair, but they get along beautifully. Their sexy times are hot and the author creates their intimate moments with lots of caring and lust. Lex is a warm woman that takes the world on her shoulders. With Lex in his life, Jordan realizes how lonely he has been and his outlook changes for the better. They are each other's soulmates.

4.5 Stars!

This is both an emotional and passionate love story. Ms. Cole perfectly combines heat, drama, and brotherly love into this fast-paced romantic read. I immediately connected with both Lex and Jordan, and I cheered them on as they discovered their feelings for one another. I loved how the characters had their own agenda, yet always found time to be with each other. The love between the brothers was tangible. Overall, this is a terrific book with a happy ending that will leave a smile on your face.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Once again, Scarlett Cole has written a winner. I’ve enjoyed watching this author grow from one-to-watch to truly fabulous. Her earlier books kept me eager to see what Scarlett might would write next, but Jordan Reclaimed wowed me.

Jordan is strong, sexy, and sweet. And wounded. My heart ached for what he’d lived through. And Lexi is strong and caring, but hides her own scars. They meet and together, find a way to overcome what happened to them in their past, so they can find a future together. Very empowering.

If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up until early am so you can be with these characters when they find their HEA, this is the book for you.

Thank you SMP, NetGalley, and Scarlett Cole, for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh Jordan, you beautiful broken man how I love you! This book was everything I thought it would be, Scarlett Cole never fails to amaze me! The story of Jordan and Lexi isn't an easy one but it is also not quite as hard as I imagined given Jordans background and I actually enjoyed that. I loved that Jordan didn't resist Lexi for long once he met her. Witnessing him falling hard and wanting to change for her was beautiful. Lexi was perfect for him, she was strong, kind, patient and a beautiful soul, just what he needed. This book was angsty, sexy and a gorgeous love story. Scarlett Cole weaves words in a magical way that make you connect with the characters as if you are there with them. I can't wait for more from this series!! 5 Amazing stars!!!

Jordan is a character that I was immensely curious about when we got out first glimpse of him in The Purest Hook and I've been waiting for his story ever since then. In his own book we get to learn all about what Jordan has gone through and how it has impacted the life he now leads with his band mates. And how one ballerina is about to change his life in a drastic way.

This book had all of my emotions coming out in such an intense way. I just couldn't get enough of these beautifully damaged characters and reading what they both had to go through had my heart breaking. Jordan and Lexi were very well suited for each other and I loved how their broken pieces fit together and made the perfect couple. Where Jordan was dark in his pain, Lexi was bright and open, and showed Jordan that you didn't have to live only in your pain.

What was so amazing about Jordan was how he was when he was around Lexi, and how you strived to be a better man for her. He was almost like a completely different man with her and I loved that when she was around he wasn't so quiet. With her he didn't have to hide his feelings or feel like he was a broken man since she accepted him for him, and no other reason.

Lexi didn't have an easy life either and it made her strive for perfection even when she knew it wasn't achievable. Jordan showed her that the world wasn't perfect and sometimes you just have to be okay with your faults. Her character had a lot of strength and I admired that about her, and it made me like her even more.

Overall, this is a must read story. Jordan and Lexi are characters that will have you sobbing along with them while also rooting on their love. I seriously can't get over how much they were perfect for each other and I know everyone else will feel the same way.

Since discovering The Strongest Steel by Scarlett Cole, I've been hooked on her stories. And this one is no different. Jordan has so many scars and he really had to work to find his way to Lexi. The metal rock star and the professional ballerina - perfect match.

Can't wait for the next Preload story!

Jordan is a member of a band started by him and his best friends, cultivated during their time in foster care. Jordan has attempted all of his life to deal with his horrific upbringing until he was moved to his last foster care home when he was 10. He has major issues, as do all of his band mates. He is walking one evening when he sees an angel dancing in a studio. He is fascinated by Alex and she is with him. They start a relationship that is fraught with obstacles because Alex has also been abused her whole life by her father. This book takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride that you never want to end. Scarlett Cole outdoes herself with this one!

Rocker with horrible childhood meets ballerina with abusive father - this should have been an explosive mix of drama and romance but instead it was surprisingly lackluster. Normally I eat this kind of NA drama up, but the combination of far too much repetitive internal musings and immature characters left me nonplussed.

Had this not been an ARC, I think I would have DNF'd very early on. So much of the book, and especially the beginning, is spent inside Jordan and Lexi's internal thoughts. There is a lot of "don't show, just keep explaining" world-building that was paced so slowly yet repetitively that I found myself very frustrated at the lack of action. It takes pages of Jordan reliving his memories and emotions before he and Lexi even speak for the first time.

For a millionaire rocker and prima ballerina, Jordan and Lexi spend a lot of time feeling sorry for themselves. And while it was with good reason given their truly horrible upbringings, I waited and waited futilely for them to grow up and take control of their lives.

I'm sure this will be a huge hit among those who love emo rock star romances. I too have a weakness for them, but this one was a miss for me.

2.5 stars

I loved this except for one thing. When he Jordan called her Angel for the first time oh boy that gave me feels in all the right places. But then he started calling her sexy Lexi and yuck I really didn't care much for that.

I love a good series you can sink your teeth into and really engage with - the guys from Preload are definitely at the top of my list. Jordan is so damaged, so insecure and ill at ease with himself that you can't help but pull for him... watching him come out of his shell and make an effort for her was beautiful. He didn't know what she needed, or what he was capable of giving, but made such a brave leap for her... sigh. That kind of love is why we read romance novels. Its what we all secretly wish for ourselves.

I thought that nothing could compete with the love I had for “The Strongest Steel” written by this author but I was so wrong! “Jordan Reclaimed” is just as amazing and magical!
This series is about a heavy metal group, Preload, introduced in Second Circle Tattoos and the first book is about Jordan, the bassist player.
Jordan is a boy hidden in a man’s body. His life has been so hard filled with abuse, neglect and loneliness. Every day is a struggle for him full of fear and anxiety. Only his band can relax him and when things start to change, he is ready to panic. When he roams the streets of Toronto feeling the cold in his body and his heart, a girl gives him the show of his life.
Aleksandra or “Lexi” is a ballerina. She lives and breathes the ballet under the strict instructions of her father. She is slowly drowning in her self-doubts and her father’s criticism and abuse. When a huge man watches her rehearsing, she finds herself pouring all her emotions and hurt and they instantly connect.
Jordan is afraid to start a relationship buried under his past and Lexi is fighting her mind’s struggles, but the attraction is so strong! Slowly but steadily, they trust each other unloading their demons and finding a safe haven between them.
I really liked Lexi. She is playful, kind and caring. She is not afraid to express her feelings to Jordan and I truly connected with her problems about her body issues. There is not a woman who has not struggled with her self-worth and it is so easy to feel connected with her.
Jordan is the best element of this story. He stole my heart with his fears about not failing her. He might appear scared, gruff and closed off but in reality he has a gold heart ready to love. He runs away from his troubles many times but I always forgave him as did Lexi, because his struggle is real.
Their relationship is sweet but hot. There is innocence in them as it is the first real relationship they both have and they are so good to each other. There is not much angst and there is honesty and respect. They are both a little broken but together they work. He is the darkness and she is the light but there is this balance between them. She is the salvation his broken soul needs and he is the rock she can depend on.
I loved how much the whole band is there to help them. They are not just band-mates and friends. They are a true family with a great dynamic and full of support.
Scarlett Cole wrote a fantastic book with an adorable but strong heroine and a sensitive male hero! It is a heartwarming and heartbreaking story that will leave you wanting more.

“You’re my everything … Everything I didn’t know I wanted or needed. Everything I didn’t think I could have.”

4.5 stars!

Wow, this book is gorgeous! An emotional, sexy, angst-free love story featuring two broken people overcoming the demons of their past, learning to trust and find strength in each other, and following their hearts. Jordan and Lexi absolutely stole my heart and I loved it.

I love Scarlett Cole’s Second Circle Tattoos series, and from the moment I met the boys of heavy metal band, Preload, while reading The Purest Hook, I knew that I needed more of them, so I was so excited when I discovered that they were getting their own spin-off series – though this can definitely be read as a new series without having to have read the previous books.

The Preload boys are more than a band. They are family. Each of them had a terrible childhood, ending up in a group home where they formed unbreakable bonds and became each other’s whole world. They have overcome adversity to become hugely successful, forming a now-world-famous metal band. But their personal struggles are far from over.

The first book in this series gives us the story of bassist, Jordan Steele. Like the rest of his brothers, Jordan’s childhood was tragic, and he endured horrific abuse and still carries the inner scars to this day. He is the quiet one of the group, the one who has difficulty connecting with anybody outside of his ‘family’, and the one whose circumstances have kept the boys living as close as they do, knowing that he needs their presence and support.

Jordan is struggling with the imminent departure of Dred, who is planning on leaving their home to move in with his girlfriend, Pixie, and their little girl who means so much to Jordan. He is wondering how he will cope without his family all under the same roof, and is anxious about the changes that it will bring to his life. Finding solace in long, night-time walks, he finds himself in the city one evening and becomes mesmerised when he walks past the National Ballet and sees a ballerina dancing alone in a studio. He’s never seen anything as beautiful as the graceful dancer, and he feels an immediate sense of calm and peace as he watches her.

Aleksandra Artemov is a Principal dancer with the Canadian Ballet. Beautiful and successful, she seems to have it all, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Lexi is struggling with her own issues – the strain and physical demands of her career, a difficult home life, and the pressure put on her by her controlling father, who is living out his own shattered dreams through his daughter. She loves dance, but she longs to live her own life on her own terms. Dancing desperately on her own one evening, she is pouring her emotions out through dancing when she sees a man watching her from the darkness outside of the studio window and without words the two of them share an intimate connection that rocks them both.

Him…he was transfixed as his eyes followed her. Such intensity should have scared her, but it didn’t. It aroused her.
…
He held her stare, and she licked her lips to soothe their dryness. The connection between them couldn’t have been anymore real had they been touching. It was solid, and heated, and unlike anything Lexi had ever experienced.

Unable to forget about each other after that night, it is Jordan that reaches out to Lexi by writing music for her, and Lexi returns his gesture by dancing to his music for him. Through artistic expression their connection to each other deepens, they find that understand each other in a way that surprises them both, and as they open up to each other and begin to talk and spend time together, a very natural relationship begins to develop.

I love Jordan and Lexi together. He is all sullen and moody and closed off, terrified that he’s not good enough for Lexi and scared of everything that he is beginning to feel for her, and Lexi is like a breath of fresh air in his life – open and honest about her feelings for him, not allowing him to push her away, and instead wearing her heart on her sleeve for him and coaxing him back to life.

“I’m not the guy for you, no matter how badly both of us want me to be.”

“I’m out of my depth. I don’t date. I don’t share. I don’t do small talk and bistros and ballerinas. I don’t do complicated. But you make me want to try, and it’s fucked up.”
… “Try me, please,” she whispered.

There is a beautifully sweet innocence to their relationship, which is absolutely perfect given Jordan’s inexperience with love and all of the new emotions that he is feeling (as opposed to his previous emotionless manwhoring). But their passion for each other is just as strong as all of the other emotions they are feeling, and the sexy time is hot, steamy and intense.

“Let me touch you. But please. Close your eyes.”
“No … Please, let me be with you, Jordan. No rules,” she said, leaning forward to kiss the scar behind his ear. Jordan shivered at her touch. “Don’t make me look away,” she whispered against his skin as she kissed his neck. “I want to see you. To know it’s you I’m with. To know you know it’s me.”

I honestly loved every moment of this relationship. The angst is minimal, and the drama is understandable and adds to the story rather than just being there for the sake of drama. It works to develop the characters and the story, and brings the feels as we watch Jordan and Lexi lean on each other and be there for each other. They have a true partnership that is functional and honest, and I love that they let their hearts and their vulnerabilities show.

“Don’t leave me, Aleksandra, I don’t think I could deal with that.” He stroked her hair off her forehead and stared deeply into the blue eyes that encouraged him to bare his soul.
“I won’t. I promise.”

Jordan and Lexi are wonderful characters, and I love them equally! Usually it’s the hero that steals my heart, and while Jordan definitely did that, Lexi’s story was just as compelling and I adored her as a character. The book is written in dual POV, and I loved that we got to be in both of their heads, seeing every moment of their individual struggles and growth. Their honesty was refreshing and heart-warming, and despite all that they are dealing with, they are both incredibly strong characters and I love seeing that strength come to the front as they fight for each other and for the life that they so badly want.

“It’s taken me all this time to realize I’m not alone. And neither are you. You’ll never have to do any of this on your own because I’m right here. And I am too fucking stubborn to move because I love you.”

I also love that we got to spend so much time with the Preload boys. They are such a great group, and their dynamic is fantastic! They laugh, tease and banter, but they care for each other deeply, and I can’t wait to read more about them.

I really enjoyed this read. It is heartwarming, emotional, dramatic and gorgeously romantic, and I was hooked from start to finish.

I loved it – 4.5 stars.

As always loved "Jordan reclaimed" because it was written by Scarlet Cole one of my favorite authors. Great story full of emotions, heat and love. Both characters were well developed and at the end I really felt like I knew them both. Well done Scarlet!