Gypsy Heat

**This book was provided by Rock Star Lit PR, via NetGalley, for my review and enjoyment. As always, HUGE thanks!

You’ll totally fall for this book if: You’ve loved the previous installments of Gypsy Beach, and are ready for the hotness to be turned up 5,000 degrees. :)

THE STORY: Still reeling from an abusive marriage, Nadya Montgomery (niece of Mac and Molly) returns to the comfort and solace of her original home, Gypsy Beach.

Charter boat fisherman Grady Havens is Nadya’s ex BF of her youth. Crashing waves… deep waters… relentless storms… all are perfect metaphors for the unresolved feelings carried between these two souls. This is nothing, however, that a little Gypsy magic can’t handle!

MY THOUGHTS: Gypsy Heat opens with this passage:

“She’s mad, but she’s magic. There’s no lie in her fire.”

This could not have been the more perfect opening to this book, seriously! Our protagonist, Nadya, is a sassy, authentic, fiery little thing full of Gypsy spirit, and nothing will stand in her way! Intense yet playful magic radiates from this girl, and she’s just a pure joy to watch. She’s all truth; full of passion and vibrancy. So yes- this statement was the perfect introduction to what I was delving into.

And now, on to the story itself. One of the reasons I love this series so thoroughly is due to Jillian Neal’s ability to thread a romantic, HOT story, with something much deeper. A very real and raw theme ravels its way through the pages of Gypsy Heat, as our author uses her characters to confront the topic of physical abuse. She presents the subject with a sensitivity and thoughtfulness that is entirely unique, something I truly appreciate. Rather than navigating us readers through a traumatic scene, she instead, shows us the genuine soul behind the character she crafted. This results in an even deeper emotional bond from reader to character, yet also uses this very real ‘person’ as a platform with which to present the issue. An instant fictional connection is made, yet it feels entirely real. Transparency of the soul. A very saddening topic that we watch devastate Nadya, but also beautiful when we watch her prevail. So incredibly special and meaningful.

As you can tell, there’s immediate, multiple emotional pulls happening all at once. Irate and furious at the abuse, curiosity as to what drove Nadya and Grady apart, then impatience to see them finally meet again. As I read on, I then experienced complete and utter angst- fueled anticipation as their fateful reunion nears. So much so, that I considered Facebooking the author and giving her a piece of my mind… I NEEDED to feel them unite. From my tippy toes to the frizzies on top of my head, I LONGED to feel them wrapped in each other’s arms. I couldn’t stand it anymore!! Thank goodness she beat me to it, because I’d be embarrassed, had I followed through :-)

Grady and Nadya spend the rest of the book becoming… *ahem*.. reacquainted. Sigh. It’s a beautiful (and very smokin’) thing. At the heart of the story though, is a fiery spirit that just longs to feel love, acceptance, and peace. Under the magical guidance of the Gypsy moon, two hearts made for each other will always find their destined path.

*Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26052220-gypsy-heat (Will update on the 18th)
*Amazon and B&N on 8-18.

This book by far it's my favorite in this series. Nadya is finally free from her ex-husband and is looking for a fresh start. She heads back to her hometown Gypsy Beach. Then there is Grady, her first love. He sees her back in town and the rekindle their flame. They face some problems and they try to overcome the obstacles. By far my favorite couple from this series. Author Jillian Neal does it again.

ARC was provided by author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the definition of a perfect summer read. I loved how Grady and Nadya overcame their past and never let their love for one another die. They both put the effort in to make their second chance meaningful and they succeeded with much work.

Nadya ran away from Gypsy Beach fourteen years ago and married Peter, an abusive, controlling man. She got tired of being his punching bag and finally left him. She has returned to Gypsy Beach and tries to avoid the one man she's always loved, Grady. In the midst of avoiding him she is being stalked by her ex-husband unknowingly and runs right back into the arms of Grady.

Grady has only ever loved and wanted one woman in his life and that was Nadya. Now that she has returned he tries to give her time to come to him, but can't seem to wait too long. When the chance arrives they draw together and pick up where things left off.

The romance between Nadya and Grady is absolutely perfect. When they were younger they dealt with a pregnancy and miscarriage which scared Nadya for life. Even Grady felt a bit of pain towards it, but it didn't stop them from taking the second chance they were given to make things right. Their love was undeniable. Nadya had no problems admitting her feelings, she was only scared she would continue to lose herself. Grady never backed down from being there for her. They grew together and made up for the fourteen years they were apart.

I definitely enjoyed their story and enjoyed the writing.

This is the story of Grady Havens and Nadya Montgomery. Inseparable as children, then teens and one tragic mistake puts miles between them for 14 years. After an abusive marriage, she's back at Gypsy Beach to recover at her best friend's beachfront bed and breakfast. She won't be able to avoid Grady Havens forever.

The sparks were flying all over this one! The chemistry between Grady and Nadya hasn't diminished at all in the 14 years they've been apart. Nadya is strong but at the same time she's whiny and crying all the time. That's a little irritating. Grady is a rough and unpolished fisherman but good to his love ones. He loves her with a passion that often burns out of control. The prejudice in the story is tragic but also familiar around the world. I love this story and can't wait to read more from this talented author.

Received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed is my own.

Gypsy Heat is book three in the Gypsy Beach series by Jillian Neal. This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I was so glad to be back on Gypsy Beach. In this book we meet the Havens men. Beau, Nate, and the oldest, Grady. Grady and Nadya Montgomery started out as childhood best friends, and as they grew older, became a couple and eventually lovers. They were each other’s past, present and future, until tragedy shook their lives in a way they couldn’t come back from, and Nadya left. In the fourteen years she has been gone, neither of their lives were as it should be. Now, Nadya has come back to Gypsy Beach and Grady will do whatever it takes to get her back. To reclaim the lives that should have been theirs all along.

Nadya’s life was a mess. She came back to the only place she felt she could heal, that felt like home. If she could just stay a few weeks to get herself straightened back out. As soon as she saw Grady, though, she knew that it wasn’t Gypsy Beach she needed, it was Grady. But they can’t just start right back up where they left off fourteen years ago. She was just sixteen years old when she left. They have a lot of talking to do, a lot of rebuilding to do. But yes, oh my yes, the chemistry is still there and these two together are steamy hot.

“After a round of bad luck came good fortune, right?”

The one thing that has gone well for Nadya that she is proud of is that she has been making jewelry and selling it online and her business is doing very well.

“He didn’t have to have Gypsy blood to know that something was coming –and that it wasn’t going to be good.”

At the same time that Nadya and Grady are trying to rebuild their lives together, there has been a string of robberies in the wealthier neighborhoods. And the thieves are leaving gypsy markings at each house to put the blame on the people of gypsy beach. There is so much prejudice against anyone with gypsy heritage and they are more than happy to blame the crimes on them. At the front of the line is the Havens boys. The police won’t help. They have already decided on their guilt. So it is up to Grady and his brothers to find the real thieves and prove their own innocence.

This is such a sweet story of getting a second chance to get it right. Nadya and Grady should never have been apart and once they are reunited, they are both so much stronger. But that strength is most definitely tested as everything around them is strained to the max as the police are constantly trying to find a way to pin the robberies on their family. The book slowly builds to a huge, intense ending that had me on pins and needles. I am so looking forward to Jillian’s next book in this series, due out in about a month, Gypsy Hope.

This latest installment shares a similar trope with the first one in the series, though this does have Nadya as a domestic abuse survivor and both she and Grady have gypsy lineage. It's obvious that Nadya was traumatized by what she went through with her ex-husband, but I do think that it was a bit strange that she was able to become as intimate as she was with Grady so quickly after reconnecting with him. I get that those who have suffered abuse deal with their situations differently, but it was almost as if it wasn't that big of an issue unless she wasn't having sex with Grady or getting all alpha female with the authorities.

There were certainly some interesting aspects to the story--trying to find out who was behind all the breaking and entering in the area (and that revelation was quite a surprise) plus whether or not someone was stalking Nadya and Grady--that gave it a tiny bit of a suspense thriller feel. The second chance romance part was okay, though I really would have wanted the two to have worked at it more instead of falling back into each other's arms as easily as they did. Taking everything into consideration, Gypsy Heat wasn't my favorite book in the series but it was still pretty entertaining. I'm giving it 3.5 stars out of five. ♥

Took a couple of chapters to get into the book but once I was hooked I could not put the book down. Nadya was raised in Gypsy Beach and left her soul mate (Grady) and married a very abusive man, Peter, but after one of Peter's beatings Nadya packs what she can and leaves to return to her hometown, Gypsy Beach. Grady tries to avoid Nadya he does not want to cause her any additional pain but their attraction is just too strong and old feelings resurface. This story has tender romance and suspense and was well written. Loved it, looking forward to the next Gypsy Beach book.

I fell in love with this series when I read Gypsy Love and I have to say that after reading Gypsy Heat, it's quickly becoming a favorite of mine! I get excited waiting for the next one to come out or when it's time to read that next one. I don't want Ms. Neal to ever stop writing about these characters. I can't say what it is for sure that makes me so crazy for these Gypsy Beach stories - it must just be that good, old gypsy magic!

Nadya Montgomery left her beloved home and Grady Havens fourteen years ago, but now after escaping a bad situation, she's back. She yearns to be with her Grady again, but after how she left things, she just doesn't think getting him back is possible. It takes one determined alpha, meddling friends and family, and the gypsy magic before Nadya starts to believe in Grady and herself again.

I really liked Nadya, it might not always seem like it, but she is a strong heroine. She's kind and sweet and she seems somewhat on the mellow side, but let me tell you that girl has fire and spirit! She's sassy and passionate and she's courageous. Nadya is really quite incredible - it's true that she's afraid sometimes, but I loved that it didn't hold her back and that she pushed through it instead of letting it defeat her. Nadya is a fighter and I loved her!

Grady, oh Grady. I totally fell in love with him almost right away. It was clear how much he still loved Nadya even after being separated for fourteen years. He's strong, a protector, possessive, and so caring. There's nothing in the world he wants more than to just take care of his Nadya. I swear this man will melt your heart and steal it - he's so wonderful and I loved, loved, LOVED him!

Gypsy Heat is a wonderful, beautiful, and a little heartbreaking story full of mystery, a touch of danger, and heat. It made me laugh, cry a little, and made me grin like a fool. It's about second chances, overcoming yourself, and of course, magic. Gypsy Heat is another great addition to this series and I completely loved it!

Gypsy Heat is a standalone, it's told from multiple points of view and Nadya and Grady do get their HEA!

~ Sonja, 4.5 Stars

Gypsy Heat is the third book in the Gypsy Beach series. I have read all in the series so far and I have to say that this is my least favorite although it is still a good book. The story involves Nadya and Grady. They were childhood friends and teenage lovers until something happens and Nadya leaves their hometown. She ends up marrying the wrong guy and 14 years later, she is back after having escaped an abusive marriage. She plans to regroup and sort out her future in the only place that has ever felt like home. Her biggest obstacle will be avoiding Grady Havens, the man she loved as a boy so long ago. Soon the two soon find themselves back in each others arms...and yes there are plenty of sparks. The issue I think for me was that this occurred way to fast considering what Nadya had been through. People handle things in different ways....but the quickness of it for me just made it a little unbelievable. Grady was my favorite part of this book, he was a down to earth guy who waited 14 years to find his true love. This is a sweet, second chance romance. It wasn't my favorite in the series but it is still a good read. I highly recommend this series and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.