Desperate to Touch

Hard to Love, Book 2

By: W. Winters

Narrated by: Joe Arden, Samantha Cook

From USA Today best-selling author Willow Winters comes a heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat, gripping romantic suspense.

I ran from him, even though my heart knew better.
Love was one thing, but survival another.

He chose a life of crime. I never wanted any of it; I only wanted him. I left when the danger bled into my life, taking more than I was willing to sacrifice.

I should have known he'd come for me. Men like him always get what they want.

The temptation in his eyes, the heat of his touch . . . it's all still there, but his gaze is harsher now and his grasp unrelenting.

He's not the boy I fell in love with, although pieces of what we once had are still there. I can feel it. I know what he wants from me, and I know it comes with a steep price. I'll pay it though, if for no other reason than to touch him again. Just once more.

I'll close my eyes and forget about the risks that come with this life and with him. I only hope he doesn't do the same.

Desperate to Touch is book 2 in a series. Hard to Love must be heard first.

©2019 Willow Winters Publishing LLC (P)2019 Willow Winters Publishing LLC

Dark, gritty and oh so good!

Leaving book one left me wanting more and now with book 2, I am mesmerized by the characters. Seth and Laura have changed a lot over the years, life settling in and their separation effecting both. But even them being apart has not stopped their love. The reunion is far from hearts and flowers. Their love is raw and emotionally charged. And they just can't stay away from each other. But is love enough? Seth has embedded himself deeper into his world. He is darker and extremely dominant. Laura is having a tough time figuring out what she wants. She loves this man, but she loves her normal too. And just as passionate as these two are, the secrets keep building! There are a few answers to some questions, but for every one, we have a new question. Winters is the master of suspenseful building in her books, and I am left speechless at the end of this one. It's dark and gritty, unforgivable and impossible not to love. Bring on book 3!

Joe Arden and Samantha Cook continue the narration of the series. These two are amazing together. I am loving Arden as this dark, alpha male. He is gritty and frightening in one breath, but has that undying love coming through. Cook is such a talent, as she gives Laura the voice of indecision. Which what to turn? These two are consummate professionals and they just enhance this story with their interpretations. Loving it and can't wait for the conclusion!

5 Desperate Stars!!

How does Willow Winters do this to me EVERY time??? I can’t help but get sucked right into her books. Again I did not want to put this book down for one second. Like book one, I read and listen to the audiobook at the same time, and it’s a good thing I did. Any chance I had to enjoy it, I did. At work, in the shower, in the car. You name it, and I was probably reading this book while doing it.

Like I said in my review for Hard to Love Seth and Laura are one of my favorite Willow couples ever! And my love for them was put to the forefront even more in this book.

Anything Seth does or says makes me turn into a puddle of mush. He’s so complex, compelling and SO DAMN HOT 🔥🔥 Like sometimes I just can’t take it. I have to stop reading, compose myself and then get back to reading. Willow KNOWS how to right my kind of alpha male. Possessive, relentless, and ready to do anything to keep Laura safe and where she is. Laura is somehow so much stronger and confident in this book. She’s not afraid to tell you how she feels or to stand up for herself. Their relationship is inevitable to me and cannot be denied, no matter how hard Laura tries to not have feelings for Seth. It is just so hard not to love (see what I did there 😏🤣) him. And the chemistry these too have 😱 Woah (or whoa not sure of the spelling here). Just woah.

I can’t believe how creative and well written all of Willow’s book are. This book is such a great addition to the Cross brothers world. This book knocked me on my ass and had me literally gasping every other chapter. It’s intense, exciting, all consuming, heart pounding and keeps you on your toes. I have NO clue where Willow will take this but I know I won’t be disappointed. The twists and turns are by no means over just yet and I’m so ready to dive into book three!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best CliffHanger

OMG Willow gave us one of the best cliffhangers. Seth finally put his heart out to Laura, but than Laura decided that Seth is more important than her. And add Willow Winters touch of action and surprising twists and turns.

I love how Joe Arden and Samantha Cook were able to Seth and Laura to life for me. After listening Desperate To Touch, I really really need Tempted To Kiss like yesterday.

I thoroughly enjoyed Seth and Laura, and can't wait to listen more from them. Thank you so much to Joe Arden, Samantha Cook & Willow Winters for another fabulous story.

My heart is racing

Omg Willow what have you done to me. I’m on the edge screaming.... noooooooooooo.

Wow ... I feel like I just walked out of the infinity war, devastated and utterly broken. This book, this series has grabbed me by my jugular and it hasn’t let me go. My heart is pounding, my skin is full of goosebumps... What an ending!!! I’m just in shock and so damn angry.

All I want is Seth and a Laura to find a minute of peace but that’s not happening for these two. The narrators Joe and Samantha have hooked me on book crack and I can’t stop listening to them telling me this utterly, devastating story of so much loss.

I so need the next book like my next fix.. Willow you have slayed me with your words... I can’t stop, need more ASAP

Oh. My. Gosh!

This series and their cliffhangers are going to kill me! I really love Seth! There is something sexy about his dark and mysterious life. He’s a ruthless killer, but his love for Lara is very poignant.

Joe Arden is perfection! He voices Seth with such passion and authority. One moment he can make Seth sound deadly and the next very compassionate. I wouldn’t want to mess with him.

Samantha Cook is also fantastic as Lara. She even does a good impression of a male voice.

I’m just thankful I don’t have to wait months before the next book. 😬

My Thoughts on Desperate to Touch

I liked that this story picked up right where things left off with book one. No long recap to get back to everything.

Along the way with this story Seth and Laura explore their connection further. They deal with inquisitive friends and co-workers wanting to know about them since they've been apart for so many years. And they also tackle issues from their past.

It felt like there was a lot going on in this story and at the same time, not a whole lot of progression. Big bombshells were dropped, but also huge issues still exist between Seth and Laura that they didn't address.

I'm very happy there is more story to come because there's still so much up in the air. Not to mention this cliffhanger is even bigger than the last one. Even though I'm not the biggest fan of cliffhangers, this storyline has me interested so I'm definitely coming back for more.

Once again a fantastic job by the narrators. In all honesty they are a big part of my enjoyment of this story. Their performances are really keeping things interesting and bringing it to life.

Phenomenal intense Love

Oh my Seth & Laura will pull at your emotions. From the intense love they have to the secrets that keep from each other.
Willow knows how to write a story that keeps you going page to page with a gasp and routing for them both.
This is book 2, can't wait to liaten to these great narrators from the 3rd..

SIGH.. YET ANOTHER FRUSTRATING CLIFFHANGER

These are two very different people when we meet up again with Seth and Laura.. they are both unable to move on, jaded, hurting and yet still very much drawn to each other.. because, despite Laura’s devastating actions that took a sledgehammer to Seth’s heart, underneath his animosity he still love her.. but he wants to punish her too. And the last thing Laura wants is to get pulled back into Seth’s world of crime and violence.. but slowly, through a love/hate push ‘n pull gritty sexual rollercoaster where Seth pleasures and punishes Laura, she again gets too close.. and, in a suspenseful tension-filled wtf of a climatic scene, gets burned.

As expected, their reunion isn’t all hearts and flowers.. it’s gritty and raw with mixed emotions coming off strong from both of them in each riveting chapter. Secondary characters sneak in, clues mount, revelations hit hard, you don’t know who is good or who is bad and you struggle to make the pieces fit as the well-crafted clues and evil misdirections skilfully drop into your lap. And underneath it all is the same seismic chemistry, ravenous lust, deep craving and hot sex that was in book 1.. but now Seth is in deep with a different criminal gang and he’s a whole new breed of alpha who is constantly in an obsessive, possessive, irrational, confused, frustrated, guilt-ridden black mood. And Laura is equally confused, frustrated and drawn between Seth’s world and her normal, relatively stress-free, world.. and, just as her grip is finally slipping from wanting to ‘play it safe’, the once simmering plot explodes in different cataclysmic directions.. including another gasp-inspiring cliffhanger.

Worth a credit? Yes.. the dual POV narration by Joe and Samantha brings Willow’s well-paced, angsty, suspense-filled words and emotions to life, the plot is everything.. and nothing like I was expecting and the flow doesn’t ebb - it relentlessly intensifies. But come on Willow.. I love your books - however for me, the relentless cliffhangers to suspenseful romances (by you and some other authors) diminishes their impact and epicness because, in between each part, I’ve listed to many other stories. So I lose the intricacies, the heat and the hunger.. the nuisances, desires, drive and placement of each character.. the revelations, clues and suspense.. the gleeful nervous excitement and anticipation.. all of it frustratingly fades after each cliffhanger ending which leaves a jagged disruption in its wake.

Willow does it again

Willow once again knocks it out of the park with another great story. This is the second book in the Hard to Love series following Seth & Laura; I didn’t think anything could be better than the first book in this series, but I fell in love all over again with Seth and Laura. This story is beautifully written and narrated as well. This story makes me want more and more, hoping Seth & Laura’s adventure never ends.

really liked it

I couldn't put it down as some parts.. good book, suspense, love story, criminality, prettybgpof