For You (The 'Burg Series Book 1)

Yet, another KA story that had me gripped from the 1st page. I know of no other author that can grip you from the 1st page and never get bored throughout the book. For You introduced some characters that I hope are the story lines for the rest of the books I will read in this series.

I have been in a Kristen Ashley trance and absolutly love all of her books she is a great writer. This book did not dissapoint she mkes you feel evwrything and its as if you are almost there. Absolutly loved it.

At Peace, is my all time KA favorite. There will be moments where you hate Joe, then you love him, yep then you want to kill him again... He is definitely redeemable in this read. Violet goes through tremendous heartache and angst in this story. But, she is a survivor, much like Joe. I've read all her books and Joe/Vi are my fav couple. A definite re-read for me when I need a KA fix...

I love, love, love Kristen Ashley. I've read just about all of her series. Out of the Burg series though, this book was probably my least fav. It wasn't horrible. But it didn't meet my expectations either.

I HATED this book. I've read almost all of her books my favorites being golden dynasty and knight, and yet I couldn't bring myself to like this book, and the reason I hate it sooo much is mainly because it was interesting for about half the book, and I loved to see where the author would take the story, but oh did she do a bad job. I don't want to give anything away but lets just say a very long time was WASTED because the heroine couldn't talk to anybody. Not the man she (supposedly) loved, or her (very supportive) family. Don't get me wrong but if you LOVE LOVE a guy and you feel he did something so bad you have to break off the relationship wouldn't your first thought be to find out WHY he did it. Shouldn't you know him enough to know what he's like? Isn't that what love is all about? Regardless the heroine (who in this story is no hero, god knows she didn't save ANYONE) destroyed countless lives because she is "contained"/reserved whatever that means. Sadly the book could have been saved if the author ran with a specific plot (hint: child), but she tantalized the reader (the only reason I finished the book) and then completely left it behind for a extremely less interesting plot. Another thing I didn't like about this book is I felt that the couple was overindulgent. The heroine destroyed her own life; she could have lived a mostly normal and disaster free life even without her "soulmate", but she decided to flip out and WASTE a ridiculous amount of time, and then completely disregard what the hero said and the questions her family had been asking her for YEARS. UGHH. Kristin Ashley went very wrong with this novel. All her other couples I felt like they deserved to be together, and they had valid reasons for their love, but in this case I felt that the guy was WAY to good for the girl. I hate romance books like this it drives me...Just don't read it. If you like Kristin Ashley choose another of her books.

For You (The 'Burg Series Book 1)

For You by Kristen Ashley
Genres: Adult. Contemporary, Crime, Mystery, Suspense, Romance.
4.5 Stars
Negatives
Kristen Ashley's tendency to ramble is in full force. Overdone descriptions about unnecessary information bogs the story down. For example; Feb, the female mc, is being introduced to the FBI men taking over the case. Instead of paying attention to the FBI & what is being done about the case KA has her thinking about the time she took her niece & nephew on a tour of the town's police station. These thoughts go on & on. Rambling leads to repetition. So you will find yourself skimming. The problem with skimming is you can miss important details.
My other problem is Feb's 'issue' with Colt. Specifically, her not dealing with it for more than 15 years. It is completely unbelievable.
Positives
The story grabs you from the start. There is humor peppered throughout. The suspense, mystery and the investigation is top notch. The main characters, the world build and all supporting characters, including the 'Bad Guy'are superbly developed.
The relationship between Colt & Feb keeps you invested. Sometimes they make you want to scream. Other times they make you smile and even laugh. The intimacy between them is definitely adult and tastefully portrayed. It never feels meaningless. You can feel the emotions through the pages.
Definitely well worth the read. And on that note, I leave you with this quote from the book.
Colt to Feb.
"Just as much a waste of time thinkin' about what life might have brought as it is thinkin' you can turn back the clock and change things."
Don't let the negatives keep you from experiencing this story. It is well worth every minute you spend reading it.
bookshelves: kristen-ashley, 1-dig-lib, romance, contemporary, adult, suspense, mystery, 0-review-share, crime, ztally
Recommended for: Lovers of Adult Romance, Lovers of Intrigue and Suspense, Lovers of Mystery

This one was my first read by Kristen Ashley, and I revisit it often. I love the way she tells a story, and I love that this story is set in my home state....Gotta love the midwest!
Anyway, Alec Colton and February Owens had a heartbreaking story... torn apart by a jealous psycho who'd been crushing on Feb since highschool.... after breaking them up all those years ago, Alec and Feb had lived a lifetime apart, 22 years that felt like forever when you had to watch the person you were supposed to be with, the person you loved with your whole heart, have a life without you. I didn't blame Feb for running, or finding a little bit of peace where she could. Most of them weren't worth it, but....at least one was... and I loved Graham Reece too.

Unfortunately, being that burgs are small here in the midwest, Feb coming back to help her brother run her retired parents bar, means that she had a lot of time to see Colt.... nothing prepared her for the serial murderer that seemed to be centered around her. They figured out who it was fairly quickly, which I was glad about....but tracking him down and finding him before he found them, was trickier.

This book had little angst, but there were no petty exes, well...not too petty.... but nothing but the psycho trying to break them up, which was a nice change of pace from what I've been reading lately... I hate when the exes get involved and act crazy and jealous and spiteful to break people up...and it's everywhere. Iw as glad there wasn't any of that in this one.

So, being that Colt is a cop, he makes it a point to keep Feb safe, because anyone who knows either of them knows that they never stopped loving each other. They never would, even though 22 years and a lifetime kept them apart.
This story is an exciting page turner for me, and no matter how many times I've read it (which is a lot), I'm still as captivated by the thrill of it, and sucked into the love of it.
another 5 star read, obviously!

I just reread this story for the second time. This book is one of my favorite from Kristen Ashley and just like the first time, I got very emotional reading this.

February Owens is lost and she has been lost of many years now. Once in her life she wasn’t lost, she had something special with Alexander Colton but then she lost it. And since that moment on, she has been searching for some peace and maybe a little bit of that something special that she once had, but she never found it.

And now after fifteen years of travelling around, February has finally come back home to her family. Her brother needs her help running their family bar and although Colt still lives in their home town and both of them are single at the moment, there’s no chance that they will ever come back together again. There has been too much pain and too many years between then and now.

And so Colt and Feb do both their best to have as less contact with each other as possible but then people around are Feb are getting murdered or hurt and Colt can’t keep his distant anymore, both professional or personal. Being a cop means that he has to investigate the murders and the threat to Feb and the people around her. But it isn’t only the cop in him that wants to protect Feb. No, the man inside him also wants to protect her because although Feb broke his heart as a young man he never got over her. And now that she’s in danger, he will do everything he can to protect. Even if he has to fight the walls around her heart and the past that is painful and heartbroken.

To find the murderer Feb and Colt will have to relive their painful past and share secrets with each other. Can Colt protect her against this crazy murderer and can Feb lower the walls around her heart for Colt? Is their story really ended or will they write a new story together?

Like I said before, this story is one of my favorite ones. It’s a story that I keep thinking about for a long time after finishing it. I really love Colt and Feb together, they’re just perfect for each other and it breaks my heart to read about their pain, their longing for each other. Kristen Ashley knows how to write an emotional story with a strong alpha man and a sassy woman. And what made her books also special are all the people around the couple, their friends and family. They’re crazy but loyal till the end.

I have no doubt in my mind that I will be rereading this story many times more.

I'm a fan of the author and when I got this chance to try one of her books in audio format, I jumped on it. I loved the blend of Anytown USA charm, average joe characters, sensual romance and intense suspense. The book got a bit long at times, but overall, I was into it.

The story opens with a horrific murder discovered at the back of J&J's bar. Detective Alexander 'Colt' Colton is called in to investigate and it is soon obvious that the killer was making a statement to February Owens co-owner of the bar. The butchered body of long-time bar patron and slutty woman is the killer's valentine to Feb. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. Everyone who has ever wronged Feb is now on the killer's list. The case is brutal, but the close contact with his one-time childhood sweetheart that he was ready to marry until she inexplicably broke it off, went wild, married a loser, divorced, and then ran off for a couple of decades before coming home and treating him to more distance, makes it even harder. He was hurt so badly by her actions and now she acts like he's got the plague or the rare times when she acts like he did something to break them up. But, he was adopted into her family and against his own better judgment, he still loves Feb Owens.

Feb lost herself in the years since she broke things off with Colt, but she finally found her way home to run the family bar with her brother, Morrie. It's a small town and its tough knowing that everyone thought she would end up with Colt just like she did and then she earned that wild reputation before stupidly marrying a guy who mistreated her with Colt being her rescuer. She couldn't stand the whispers and looks so she ran. But now, someone watches from the shadows and has a sick fascination with her causing her to have to rely on Colt and his ability to both protect her and figure out who is doing all this. Her stupid heart still wants Colt even after what he did all those years ago. She's held in a lot of hurt and thoughts for so long. Maybe its time to let it all go and start fresh? That is if a cunning killer will let her.

Alright, so this one has a lot going on. It leaps out the gates at the start with the intro of a murder. But then once that story line gets going, it takes a breather to establish the setting, the characters and the connections in the present and the past. Right away it is obvious that there is a BIG (with all caps) misunderstanding between Colt and Feb. She seems to think he did something awful enough back in the day that warranted breaking off their relationship and basically losing herself for a few decades staying silent about it even with her family while on the other hand, Colt never did know what caused her to break things off and start treating him the way she did. The story spends a long time going back and forth progressing both the suspense line and slowly bringing things steadily toward a head with this romance barrier.

This was a tough one for me to have patience because as the reader I was well aware that the way the author described the hero meant the heroine had it all wrong and she broke them both and hurt her family when she pulled the cord and bailed. I really don't like it when someone has a problem and their solution is to cut the lines of communication. In this instance, she holds her grudge for over twenty years. It was utterly ridiculous and I really wanted to smack her good. The author realizes this so when the big reveal happens and the truth comes out, Feb gets to feel it all- the remorse, the guilt, and the pain of what she did to her own relationship, to Colt, to her family, and all the years that were lost. And Colt isn't instantly forgiving and understanding when he realizes her part in his pain when she ditched him without checking things out better.
If that wasn't enough, there was what I thought were unnecessary scenes when Feb's past friends with benefits while she was out playing wanderer were throw up in Colt's face. One, Ham Reese, is actually the hero in one of the Colorado Mountain series books. This really didn't have to be in the book to make it work so I would have been good to have missed it since it really didn't do anything for my already iffy respect for the heroine. The book kept telling me that she's special and I suppose she did have some good qualities, but all this stuff left me not really in the Feb Owens fan club.

So, that being said, this was still a really good romance and I loved these two together once they ironed out the issues. They were playful and hot and really worked.

The circle of friends and family was a big plus. I loved several of the secondary characters particularly Feb's brother. These folks are so down to earth.

The suspense portion was horrific, but also pretty sad and pitiful. I shouldn't feel that way about a villain who does what he does, but this person is sick of mind and not just in his actions. Lots of twists and exciting moments so that knowing who and why was only half the battle.

The narration was decent and I was pretty impressed considering this was a long one with lots of characters. Her voice is on the raspy side, but I thought she did well conveying emotion and personality for each character. Hearing a KA story in audio really brings out her writing style which as those familiar know can get choppy and not full sentences.

In the end, I enjoyed this one and enjoyed my time in The Burb world. I would definitely listen to more from the series and other books by this narrator. I would recommend the story for Romantic Suspense fans who don't mind a long-developing story.

My thanks to Audible.com for the opportunity to listen to this story in exchange for an honest review.

I should start off by apologizing to Colt and Feb. Prior to reading For You, I'd read every other book in The `Burg series and my misguided assumption was that because I already had the basics of the story, it wasn't worth reading. So very wrong of me. This book was awesome all on its own and I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Even though Feb annoyed me due to the fact she let a misunderstanding keep her away from the man she loved for TWENTY YEARS without ever discussing it with him, her friends or family, I still found myself relating to her. She's slightly less girlie (mostly tees, jeans and some kick a$$ jewelry) than the average Kristen Ashley heroine and I, being a Northern California gal who spends three quarters of her time in flip flops, found this fact endearing. Colt fit the KA profile of alpha hero and was nothing short of scrumptious. His love for Feb, even while they were still separated, was always evident and my heart ached for him when he found out why he was torn apart from the love of his life for so long. The super creepy, psycho "please, Lord, don't let me have someone like this from my past" part of the story worked for me as well. I've read reviews that say that aspect of the story detracts from the love story and I can see that. I enjoy the extra action The `Burg series includes and I felt it worked in this book.

A solid 4 stars and a big "I'm sorry" to Feb and Colt for not getting to your story sooner!

For You is one of Kristen Ashley’s books that always sticks out to me. I have read it three times now and always enjoy it. Sometimes with KA books I’m not always a fan of the main characters, but Feb and Colt are two of my all time faves.

I would say that For You is one KA’s darkest books. There are always some nut job trying to kill people in these books, and that’s why I love them…because they actually have a plot, but For You takes that to the next level. You don’t just have somebody trying to kill people, you have some dude hacking away at people with a hatchet for February. It’s insane, and sometimes hard to read. I’m never able to read this book at night because if I start thinking about when I lay down then I’ll never get to sleep. Super creepy.

Like I said before, Colton and February are two of my favorite KA characters. Yeah, their relationship could have been resolved if they just communicated with each other (which is kinda annoying) but besides that they have the perfect romance. Colt is super dreamy and I don’t know a girl who wouldn’t want a man like him; and Feb is the girl that everybody would want to be friends with. She gives good advice, and is just really mellow. I loved watching the romance and relationship unfold, and it’s also fun seeming glimpses of their life in other books in The Burg series.

While For You isn’t my favorite Kristen Ashley book, it’s pretty high up there. If you like your romances with a dash of suspense then this book, and series, is for you!

You can find more of my reviews at <a href="http://endless-reads.net/" target="_blank">Endless-Reads.Net</a>!

A beautiful and heart-pounding second chance romance. Classic Kristen Ashley. Alpha males. Strong, sassy females. Action. Suspense. Perfection.

For You is the epitome of what I love about Kristen Ashley’s books. It has everything. I was hooked from beginning to end.

[“Since I was three, there’s never been a day when I wasn’t in love with you.”]

It’s always been Feb and Colt. Everyone knows it. They know it. Until one day Feb didn’t know it anymore and she took off. For two decades, she lived her life without Colt, until eventually she was forced back home to do her daughterly duty of helping to run the family bar. She works hard at keeping her distance until someone turns up murdered behind that very bar and none other than Lieutenant Alexander Colton is working the case.

["Romeo and Juliet, say they didn’t die but Juliet got pissed and took off. Everyone would know it was Romeo and Juliet, would always be Romeo and Juliet, even if later Romeo hooked up with Nancy. No one ever heard of Nancy, doesn’t even sound right, Romeo and Nancy. Everyone knows Romeo’s meant to be with Juliet. Even if Romeo loved Nancy, Nancy would always know she was never Juliet."]

When the danger starts to intensify, Feb is forced to spend more and more time with Colt and subsequently forced to also face their past while trying to stay alive and catch a serial killer in their present.

[“The only things precious in life breathe.”]

Kristen Ashley has created yet another masterpiece with this book. The backstory is intricate and heartbreaking, weaving its pain through every aspect of their lives. Their love story is epic in a way that only KA can bring to life. The suspense of a killer on the loose is breathtaking and enrapturing. She really pulls no punches with this one.

[“I remember everything about you and I remember all the reasons why I loved you. Never could forget even when I tried.”]

To read more reviews like this one, check out Obsessive Book Nerd!

Overall, the writing was amazing. The thought put into this book is astonishing. Below is what I liked and didn’t like.

Liked

- Feb and Colt. They were both very fluid and deep. They both had pasta that kept them from truly being happy but we’re very much tangled in each other’s lives for most of their lives.
- Story Line. There was this extremely integral web created around Colt and Feb. The author did a great job of unraveling it throughout the book.
- Location. Loved that this was in my home town. I spent half the time trying to figure out what popular spots showed up in the book, since names were changed.

Didn’t like

- Length. This book went on forever.
- Ending. The ending felt like an afterthought. I wanted a happy ending but it was all written so quickly and it just didn’t feel right.
- They way the characters spoke. Honestly, at times the characters talked like they were hicks from the country. And that’s not Brownsburg. Maybe if I knew what year the book took place in…

Loved this book! Love Colt!

This was so different then other series by Kristen Ashley. I loved the mystery end of things and I also loved the love story that was mixed in.

February is the focus of a serial killer and he's out to kill anyone that ever did her wrong. Figuring out who the killer is was pretty fun! I'm not a mystery genre girl but this book was awesome. I think it has everything to do with the writing style. The focus wasn't really on the killer it was on the amazing love story of Feb and Colt.

Feb and Colt were high school sweethearts and were so meant to be together. Things were awesome in their relationship until one night at a college party where everything went so wrong. February wouldn't talk about it and instead dumped poor Colt. Feb eventually married a real ass. He abused her and when she finally got away from him she was so ashamed that she bolted. She left for many years but did come home when her parents retired and her brother needed help running the family bar.

Fast forward and now we have a killer trying to off every ex from Feb's life so he and her can be together. He is CRAZY!!! Colt steps in. Did I mention he a HOT cop. And she winds up staying with him and man it doesn't take long until the sparks fly.

The things that unfold in this story really had me going crazy. I was constantly changing my mind and making crazy predictions. In the end though you'll just LOVE the ending. I was in tears. I can't wait to start book!!!

This was an audiobook listen, newly released. The narration was fabulous. This was my first of The Burg series and not my last. I love KA; when I read her books, they are like a reliable, fabulous friend. How I left this series for so long, I don't know.

Feb returned to her home town two years ago to help run the family bar. It's the only thing that would have brought her back into the same territory as Colt, they guy she loved and left, hurting them both in their early twenties. They don't really speak and Feb is a shadow of her teenage self. Someone is on a killing spree now and both Feb and Colt are a connected factor. The sexual tension between these two is off the scale but what Feb and Colt once shared was so much more than that. They were best friends from childhood and romantically connected from their teens. The misunderstandings between them now seem just too big to overcome. I would highly recommend this book.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

Book 1 in the Burgs Series which Kristen Ashley refers to as a `crime' series on her website. It is in fact an edgy romantic suspense with a sadistic hatchet wielding homicidal maniac on the prowl with February Owens (our heroine) as his object of desire and will stop at nothing to avenge the wrongs he perceives have been done to her over the years. And we are talking years here - he carves up someone she once had an argument with at high school right at the beginning of the novel.

He leaves this body at the back of the bar Feb works in and part owns with her brother Morrie for her to discover. Enter stage left - Lieutenant Alexander Colton - our hero. He's a cop and is called to the scene. Alec `Colt' and February have a long history which is drip fed to us slowly through the book. They were high school sweethearts and broke up due to a `big misunderstanding' and Feb went off the rails allegedly sleeping with every guy in town. They both married other people - Feb's marriage ending when her husband beat and attempted to rape her. Colt exacted a physical revenge on Feb's bottom -dwelling pond sludge of an ex and Feb left town.

15 lonely years later, Feb returns to town to help run the bar with Morrie now that her parents have retired and studiously avoids the newly-divorced Colt for a couple of years until her world explodes when our killer starts his work and Colt wades in to protect her.

Kristen Ashley really does write suspense well with the killer an ever present threat lurking ominously. He's totally psychotic and sadistic and reminded me very much of a Karen Rose villain although the book is way sexier than a KR novel.

It's also a great romance - you can tell that fate intends for these two to be together. They've been totally unable to find happiness with anyone else but circumstance has intervened to keep them asunder for years. Colt even speculates that they can be happier now because of this....

Then in my ear, he said, "I remember everything about you and I remember all the reasons why I loved you. Never could forget even when I tried." I sucked in breath, unprepared for this stealth attack, while he went on. "Who knows, baby? We had all that time together, I coulda got used to it, learned to take it for granted." His arms gave me a squeeze. "Now, that'll never happen."

Le sigh. Colt is wonderful - he's totally genuine, caring, protective and very, very hot. They really set the pages on fire with this one. February is, at first, very reserved, unwilling to let Colt back in but you know she's always been in love with him and it's just a matter of time and I adored how they loved each other. They've a lot of history together and this is very much a story of a love once lost, refound and rekindled.

Fabulous.

5 stars romantic suspense.

I came to love the characters in this book.
Took a bit to warm up to February and once I got her story and why she'd become so 'hardened' I understood her better. She turns out to be a warm, loving, woman and it took one Alexander Colton (Colt) to unlock what she'd been keeping inside for over 20 years - since their bitter parting. I loved Colt. He's a mans-man, a tough cop, and one who has had it rough since the love of his life dumped him, and left town (that be one February Owens). Their history is heartbreaking. Their reunion becomes heartwarming. It's not an easy reunion either. Colt proves to be one patient man on a mission to get HIS woman back.

There is town of wonderful characters. I love Feb's family, as well. Her friends are hilarious, and loving. February Owens is NOT anyone's pushover and she's slow to come to terms with all that has gone in the past. Once truths are revealed: she blossoms into the woman she was meant to be and into the love of the man she was meant to be with: she blooms once again.

This story sucked me in and kept me enthralled until the last word was read....then I wanted more. It gets no better than this and the length of the book was perfection. I'm moving onto the second book of the 'Burg Series (AT PEACE) because I want more of Colt and Feb. I also want to read about some new characters in their 'Burg neighborhood. I haven't been this entertained with a murder mystery since reading some of Linda Howards books. I thought nothing could be better than the DREAM MAN series and then I read the COLORADO MOUNTAIN series - then I thought that was the best series ('cept nothing is better than MOTORCYCLE MAN). Well.....the 'BURG series has now got my reader's interest and I'm loving yet another Kristen Ashley series. I'm convinced that she is one of the most well rounded romance writers of her time. Her alpha-males are without compare. Her female heroines are always interesting, snarky, and intelligent. I like how Kristen Ashley always manages to match her alpha-man with an equal woman.

This book in now one of my favorites and one I'll read again......and again. Definitely.....a keeper. Thank you dear authoress. I'm a very entertained reader....and a grateful one as well.

NOTE: I purchased so many of these ebooks.....more than a year ago and don't know why it took me this long to finally read them. I knew I wanted to read Kristen Ashley's books - knew they were well loved. I think that I was evolving as a reader and just wasn't ready to commit to the whole of Kristen's writings - then. I also got caught-up in the whole 'Mature New Adult' craze and needed to get that out of my system so that I could step-up to what I've always known to be true adult romance, drama, suspense, and life situations. It's all good and just makes me wonder what else I'll discover along the path of my reading entertainment...........

Check out my other book reviews at stayblureads.blogspot.com

I think this one different from the usual Kristen Ashley books as much as Kristin can be different. Kristen tends to follow the same template when she writes her books (at least the ones I've read) Boy meets girl, boy decides girl will be his, girls in danger, boy forces girl to live with him, boy forces her into being with him, girl can't help but fall in love, boy saves girl, boy and girl live happily ever after. I know that sounds like I am putting down her books but let me tell you, I AM NOT! Regardless of the fact that the most of her books are very similar, I absolutely eat them up. I love every single one of them and haven't given them any less then 5 stars. I'm thinking I need to start to grade her on a curve.

But there's something about February and Colts relationship. I really felt like they were partners in this crazy drama. In For You, we meet February Owens, known as Feb to those that love her and Alexander "Colt" Colton. Feb and Colt have known each other their whole lives. Colt is best friends with Feb's brother Morrie since Colt didn't exactly have the best parents, Colt really became a member of the Owen's family. Colt and Feb were together during their younger times, but Feb dumped Colt and then she went a little crazy. Feb feels betrayed by Colt and she gets into drugs, drinking, hooking up before eventually getting married. Colt has no clue why Feb dumped him but when her marriage goes to hell, Colt it right there to get her out of trouble, but Feb takes off and spends the next 15 years roaming town to town, tending bar. But eventually Morrie convinces her to come home and manage their parents bar so their parents can retire. Feb's been home a couple years now, avoiding Colt at all costs, when she finds a dead body hacked up behind her bar. Colt is the police detective assigned and he and Feb are forced together. They quickly learn the killer, killed a girl as a revenge for her being mean to Feb in high school.

We get to watch Colt and Feb try to move past the betrayal they both feel from one another while the entire town, her parents, her brother, are all up in their business, trying to push them back together. All while they try to stop a serial killer who believes he's trying to make the world right for Feb.

For You
Reviewed by Suzanne & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

Why didn't I read this book sooner! Well, I think it was the cover, for some reason it freaks me out...I think it is because when I see the flower I think it is a spoon, and then I think eye gauging...then I feel a bit nauseous: it's pretty much all downhill from there. BUT learn from my mistake, don't avoid it! I promise there is no eye gauging AT ALL in this book! Instead we have a hatchet wielding mad man...

February Owens and Alexander Colton were meant to be together. They were high school sweethearts and everyone agreed they were going to get married, have babies and live happily ever after. Except they didn't. Now 20 years later Feb is back in town after 15 years of having left her small home town and Colt behind. But there is a mad man out there obsessed with February, and he keeps murdering people, and it looks like Colt might be on his list.

I love Kristen Ashley books, not just for her fabulous romances, hot alpha men and plucky women, they are also fantastic value for money! This book was long, and I felt like I really got into the characters lifes. Not just Feb and Colt's but the whole towns, it was great and I was very sad to turn the last page, luckily I have some more to go in this series. Although the length of the story did mean although this was romance suspense, there was a lot more romance then suspense, I wasn't particularly tense about the killer popping up, but been as I am all about the romance, to me it wasn't a downside.

A great start to the series and I have already downloaded (and started reading) the next book! if you are Kristen Ashley fan, you have to read it, if you aren't then don't be put off the cover and read it, you are in for a sweet treat.

Lieutenant Alec Colton and February Owens were once high school sweethearts and every one where sure they would last till the end of time. Until one fateful night when everything changed and Colt and Feb were no more. 15 years later Feb comes back to town to help with the family bar and steering clear of Alec Colton. Until someone starts hacking up people in Feb's life. Colt refuses to let anything harm Feb even though he has no idea why she left him in the first place.

This is Kristen Ashley need I say more! She has done it again created a while world that you just fall right into. It feels as if you are apart of the story and a member of the family. For You keeps you on your toes guessing "who dunn-it" and rooting for Feb and Colt to come to terms with their feelings and finally make it to the other side unscathed! I recommend any and all Kristen Ashley writes to my friends and constantly tell them you will fall in love with her characters.

Ok ---- why I liked it but would have loved it if....

Even though this book was WAY longer than it needed to be, I really did enjoy the story. That's why I gave it 4 stars, because the story was entertaining. The characters of Feb and Colt I really liked and I wanted to see how they ended up. I also liked the supporting characters of their friends and family as well. I also liked the mystery though we find out who the killer is about halfway through the book I felt the story at that point could have started to move a little faster but unfortunately continued to drag at points. The author gets kind of wordy, repeating herself a bit. If the story didn't hook me I would have stopped reading. But it really did get my attention and I was way to curious about the outcome of everyone in The Burg to put it down. I also gave 4 stars instead of 3 because I really liked how the author ended it she gave us a really nice HEA for the hero/heroine. I understand book 2 of the series is better but I need a break from this series and will continue it another time.

This book was loaned to me through Lendle. Thanks to whoever lent it!

In many ways this book was a typical, awesome KA book. But as The Burg series is listed under the subject of "Crime" on KA's website, I think it is understood that one can expect more...um, crime. Having said that, the bad guy in this book is a psychopath and has been on this path of destruction for 22 years. Not that he has necessarily been killing people for 22 years, but destroying lives nonetheless. What the means for the hero and heroine is that they missed 22 years together that should have been some of the best years of their lives. That, more than the killing spree, was hard to read about (not that I am ok with killing spree's!).

February Owens, known about town as Feb (what a great name) dated Alexander Colton (known about town as Colt). The author painted this relationship as epic. The whole town knew Feb and Colt would be together always. But of course they weren't. This is not a spoiler. (Now if I told you were they weren't together or who the psychopath was then that would be a juicy, juicy secret, but I'll never tell!). Now, I can completely dig this epic love between Colt and Feb, but there were numerous things that happened throughout those 22 years that didn't make it feel very epic to me. So this book, is the story of how Feb and Colt get back together and all the goings-on during that time (***spoilers***which include but are not limited to: aforementioned psychopath, family reunions, ex-wives, hidden cameras, and of course the typical KA heroine-moving-in-with-the-hero)

I haven't yet decided if I will read the next book in this series. I liked the story (as usual), but it was really long and could have used many pages being edited out (as usual). I found myself skimming long sections about descriptions (I never did this before KA and I hate that I do it, but I love the books so much I just can't walk away).

For You begins with Feb Owens going into the bar she part owns to get to work. She thinks it is just an ordinary day until she goes to take out the trash and find's a dead body. Now the person she's been doing her best to avoid, her high school sweetheart, Colt comes to investigate. And what they all start to find puts Feb in a lot of danger, and it also includes Colt. So now these two are forced back together. And sparks start to fly all over again, when they try to put the past behind them and move on.

Also in this book we get to see a beautiful romance that was torn away from two beautiful people, and brought back together. We also get to have lots of laughs, and tons of suspense. I really really enjoyed this book. It probably would have been a five star but I was a bit frustrated with the fact that Feb never once spoke to anyone about what she thought happened between her and Colt. It bugged me. But other than that I really loved this book. And as always with a KA book it was beautifully written as well! Now on to the next book in this awesome series!

More reviews at Shooting Stars Reviews, [...]

This is a perfect book for the genre. It has action, suspense, crime mystery and a hot, sweet, and at times, heartbreaking romance.

Alex "Colt" Colton and February Owens are meant to be together. They have known each other since childhood. An act of machination drives them apart ... for 22 years. Circumstances and the pressure brought on by a serial killer/stalker brings them back together. But this is more than just a reunion, it is a rekindling. This book touched me to the core. Lesson learned - it is a tragedy that Colt and February are kept apart for so many years, but what they have now is a product of that separation. The amazing place they find themselves in today cannot be divorced from the time they spent apart. The people they have become are a direct result of the time they spent in distance - each having the time to mature and develop their own "flavor" so that now that they are together, it is a blending of subtle layers and deep fragrance. It is easy to be wistful for all the time Colt and February lost, but realizing that they are stronger now as a mature couple.

The action and suspense element is not a sidestory to the romance. Colt and February's relationship is right in the middle of the rampage of a serial killer/stalker with February as the center of the obsession. Kristen Ashley expertly weaves the fear and terror in with the more tender moments of the relationship. It is supremely balanced.

The secondary characters: Sully, Jessie, Morrie, Jack and Jackie, are all apart of the cheering squad and give color to the story. Lovely.

I loved this book. Go read it. (less)

February Owens and Alexander (Colt) Colton have history together. Twenty years before they had been highschool sweethearts. Then something happened and Feb dumped Alec, leaving him devastated. Feb then proceeded to go off the rails. Eventually she left the Burg, and was gone for fifteen years. Two years ago she returned to help Morrie her brother run the family's business, J&J's bar.
Since her return she has managed to avoid Alec, that is until she discovers a dead body out back behind the bar one morning. Then avoiding Alec becomes impossible, especially with him being a cop, a detective, no less, in charge of investigating the murder.

This is the first book in the Burg series. It is a long and complex story, and for the most part very well written. The character development is excellent, and not just the two leads. The reader really gets to know all of the characters in depth. The murder mystery part of the story is extremely well done also, it was well thought out and presented. The relationship between Feb and Alec was well portrayed, except when we are privy to their past relationship twenty years before. I thought that the circumstances that caused Feb to break up with Alec, we're reasonable. But I did not think her reaction of not even confronting him about it, we're unrealistic. Even twenty years on when Alec asks Feb why she dumped him, as he has no clue why. She still doesn't say. As a plot devise it was weak IMO. But KA does rescue that somewhat. As the rest of the story draws the reader in, and as usual her writing is addictive.

This was a heart-wrenching bittersweet story. My heart broke for Feb and Colt. It was so sad.

Colt and Feb have been friends since childhood. They dated in high school. Then Feb broke up with Colt. She married someone else. Colt did something for her. Something that could have cost him everything. Instead of bringing Feb closer to Colt, she left. For the next 15 years she roamed the country. Living in small towns, working in bars. Life goes on.

Now Feb is back. People are dying and it's tied to Feb. In order to keep her safe, she moves in with Colt. The sparks fly. Colt and Feb are trying to work things out. Feb has someone stalking her past. Killing her past boyfriends.

The suspense in this book was really good. The story takes place over a VERY short time period. Just a couple of weeks. During that time we go from wondering who the killer is, to finding out who it is but not where he is. So, Feb and Colt stay living on the edge.

The killer's story was sick and twisted and goes much deeper than originally thought. It was heart breaking. It was scary. It was freaky as hell!

I loved the story of Colt and Feb. I'm glad they got their HEA. They definitely deserved it!

A beautiful Romance, and a lot of suspense. Feb and Colt reunite after 22 years, can they stay safe from the crazy man trying to kill all who hurt Feb in the past? Kristen has a way with words so completely different than any other author. Along with the beautiful love story, she somehow imparts little snippets of wisdom. It never fails through all of her books I always learn something. Feb and Colts story is a second chance love story that plays out on the pages beautifully with heartache and humor. Bravo

In this town, EVERYONE knew that February Owens and Alexander Colton were met to be.

"Romeo and Juliet, say they didn't die but Juliet got pissed and took off. Everyone would know it was Romeo and Juliet, would always be Romeo and Juliet, even if later Romeo hooked up with Nancy. No one ever heard of Nancy, doesn't even sound right, Romeo and Nancy. Everyone knows Romeo's meant to be with Juliet. Even if Romeo loved Nancy, Nancy would always know she was never Juliet."

Alexander Colton and February Owens have been in love with each other their whole lives.

"Since I was three, there's never been a day when I wasn't in love with you."

Outside forces play an evil part in their relationship's demise leaving February and Alec without each other for twenty-two years.

The same evil force that destroyed their relationship returns with a vengeance to rewrite history tossing Alec and February together. They fall back into place with ease.

" I remember everything about you and I remember all the reasons why I loved you. Never could forget even when I tried."

A scary read and a lot of lives lost but true love as in Feb and Alec prevail!

"He's gone now. Now it's just you and me and the life we were meant to have."

The Burg series has been getting a lot of visibility lately with book 6 being released. I definitely get all the hype Kristen Ashely has a gift for storytelling. This book was intense, mystery, suspense, romance, sexy and exciting. I had a few tears reading this book. Colton and February were high school sweethearts until something happened. Fifteen years February was gone but she came back home to run the family bar with her brother Morrie. Feb finds a dead body behind the bar hacked up as a message. Bodies are starting to pile up around February and Colt is working with the FBI to keep her safe. Feb & Colt’s past and the current attraction they have even with lives on the line make for a lot of excitement.

4 ⭐️

Re read

Took a while to get going but I enjoyed this one. I like that Feb and Alec are an older couple (in their 40’s, so technically not old but older than usual MCs)

I found the Denny storyline a little bit weird in places, but at the same time intriguing, so it kept me reading

Onwards to the next one

this story draws you in and made it impossible to put down. the author writes fantastic story lines. this book contains hot characters with a crazy stalker thrown in for good measure. this book has heartbreak and romance which will have you crying one minute and smiling the next. mix this all together and you have a roller coaster of a book. the second chance romance story line works really well in this book, the attention to detail of all the characters makes it so you really become emotionally involved with each one
highly recommended

I love everything Kristen Ashley writes and FOR YOU is no exception. This is the first book in the Burg series and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. It's an exhilarating story about Alec and February, high school sweethearts who broke up years ago, but still love each other. Now, years later, they are thrown together again when a wacko starts murdering people close to February. Alec is a hot, alpha male detective and I fell for him immediately. KA has a way of making her heros masculine, but also vulnerable. February and Alec are two passionate people and when they are together, their relationship is combustible. Another perfect read!

Favorite author. I have read the majority of her books and each book, each series is holds its own. Her unique writing style keeps her at the top of my favorite author list. She weaves such great stories that you fall into them and do not want them to end. Thankfully, there are always several books to each series and each book is lengthy...

This is the first Kristen Ashley book I have read and here's why I couldn't give it five stars. While I found the plot intriguing and characters fun to get to know, the book could have easily have been 40% shorter. I came close to moving on to another book I have waiting for me on my Kindle and not finishing FOR YOU. But I'm glad I didn't give up on this love story/thriller. About half way through, things really took off. I seldom read a pure love story and Ashley did a great job intertwining a touching love story with a chilling thriller. So if you love a thriller and an occasional love story, hang in there with this one. You won't be disappointed.

re-read, I love this book from beginning to end no matter how many times I read this book I get sucked in and love For You as much if not more than the first time. This book is just another example of why I love Kristen Ashley and if I could only pick one author to read for the rest of my life it would be her. February and Colt are such a great couple, I hate all the pain they went through but it only makes their happy ending that much sweeter, and we know with no questions that Feb is it for Colt and vice versa.

This book is sooooo good. I almost cried several times because it was so sad, laughed many times because it was so funny, held my breath a lot because of the suspense, and did all of the above because at times it was everything at once! This book has a very good mystery/suspense element with an evil diabolical villian who gives you chills. The romance is sweet and the chemistry and sex are HOT. I can't imagine not enjoying this book as it has a little bit of everything. It also deserves mention, this book is super long and a great bargain. This author has written a great book once again.

Seriously....Can KA ever go wrong?? This was another amazing read by Kristen Ashley! Lots of murder mystery & mayhem mixed with long lost love & alpha hotties! Her men are so hot I can never get enough!! I loved the history between Colt & Feb, the first true love, finding out what really happened that tore them apart & watching the insanity that has brought them together again. These were very well developed rich characters that i'd love to see more of (as is typical with all KA books!) It was a fantastic story that had me on the edge of my seat. I look forward to more in this series!

...for me there's been not one book I've read by K.A that I didn't love. This is no different. These books are my favourite form of entertainment and escapism and I'm only sorry I seem to be running out of K.A's stories. There is to my knowledge only two if her fantasy stories I chose not to bother reading as its not my genre. But if you like your contemporary romance, laced with well written sex, strong men and fun loving ladies, and a good back story with mystery and thrils then I can safely say for me personally at least, there's none better than K.A's books. I love them and am hating the wait for more of her stories. This book ticked all the boxes for me again!

I have read a lot of Kristen Ashley books because I like the plots, characters and the love making. To be fair there is a lot of similarity in the hero and heroines in her novels but that is not necessarily a bad thing for me. I liked the supporting characters and the villain as well. The length of time February and Colton were apart seemed extreme but all is well that ends well.

Really great read! I adore Feb and Colt together. They have a beautiful backstory that makes their reunion all the more enjoyable. Props to KA for showing that they still had issues even after they reunited - some stemmed from dealing with the past heartbreak and some stem from the fact that both Feb and Cokt have grown up and changed a little with different life experiences. It all comes together in a very satisfying conclusion.

And I might just be a wimp, but I find the mystery/suspense part of the story legit. It still creeps me out even though I've done a fair few re-reads.

I use to read one Kristen Ashley book and then one by someone else. Not any more, I'm going to read everything Ashley wrote, loved the Colorado Mountain man series, loved "Play Safe" but this series is my favorite.....maybe......until I read her next series. I'm totally addicted, I have no life, I just read......I'm going to be 70 years old on my next birthday, never thought this kind of crippling addiction could happen to me. I'm just saying be aware this is guilty pleasure at it's best!

This is my second time reading this totally awesome story by my most favorite author ever, Kristen Ashley. Nobody writes like KA, NOBODY! Her stories touches your heart and soul. Her humor is off the charts funny & her characters become people you wish you knew personally. Her books are substantial in length (thank God, because you never want it to end!), and they are a super bargain for the exceptional quality you get. I'm happily moving on to her next book in the Burg series, AGAIN! Thanks Kristen! ROCK ON!

I've been a fan of Kristen Ashley's work for a while--I can never get enough of her stories! She has a way of weaving all of her characters together and it's like inheriting one big happy in-law family that you actually like! No joke! Her character development is superb and I always finish her novels feeling like I acquired a new best friend!

Colt and Feb's story was hard on me at first because i have a hard time with second chance romances. Especially when they've moved on with other partners and seem to have almost "forgotten" each other if you go by their actions. But really these two had built a wall and that is what kept them apart. I adored this book and am glad I found Kristen Ashley and can't get enough.

Reading a book by Kristin Ashley is like drinking a really good bottle of wine, it's fully bodied smooth and makes you feel damn good. The story is fantastic and Colt is a hot alpha man with a double dose of sweet and loving. The story keeps you on your toes and you can't wait to find out what's going to happen next. Can't wait to read the next book In the series.

I love KA!!! I re-read my rock chick books just becuase I couldnt live without the Fortnum's gang. I decided to start the 'Burg series and glad that I did. I love KA's alpha males and Colt might be one of my new favorites. This was a great story of redemption and had a fun suspense twist to it too. I am begining At Peace as soon as I finish my review and cant wait to meet the new characters but also learn where Colt and Feb are now.

Wow this book was amazing. The book felt like a movie I could picture everything she wrote. Feb has a crazy stalker killing her friends. Colt is a cop also Feb ex boyfriend. He would do anything for her. I can't wait to see what happens next.

I'm not a big fan of suspense, but I can handle some on a lighter scale. This KA series definitely amps up the suspense for me. When I normally devour a KA novel in a couple of days, this one gave me pause a few times and took me a bit longer. I'm kind of a wimp, but I won't stop reading this series. Typical KA writing which I love and keeps me coming back.

This author is freaking awesome. Each and every one of her books totally ROCK!!! Highly recommend anything written by this author. All of her books are sexy, fun, and totally enjoyable. Each series is well worth the read!!!

No one can make a loveable alpha male like KA. This story had all the elements for an enjoyable read. It had strong relatable characters and an intense fast paced plot. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

This was the first book I read by this author and was surprised, it was so much more than I expected it had humour,love crime and betrayal and so much more Kristen has gone on to be one of my favourite authors

Some language was a bit too revealing but it certainly did explain the feelings of the person involved. On the other hand, having the feelings explained made me want to continue reading as quickly as I could.

I am waiting a bit before I get the next book in the series. I am sure it will be as good as this one was.

Wow what a thriller!!!!!! This was a edge of your seat kinda tidbits was my first book by this author I really liked it a lot I loved the suspense and the twisted dark obsession and then . Of course the romance

I wasn't too sure when I started to read this book, but as I kept on reading, I could not put it down I loved the characters, laughed cried and got caught up with the characters and their emotions I hated to see the book come to an end
no matter where I have lived I have never had a neighbor like joe sucks to be me

This was not what I was expecting. It was basically the travails and adventures of people who never read a book after high school. The characters didn't mature much past high school, either. The book was also poorly edited, including lots of little movements that the reader could infer without being told. One example is when Colt picked up the receiver off the phone, put it to his ear and said hello. No! Really? I had no idea that is how a person would answer a telephone. This book sounded as though it were edited by the same people who write the instructions on the backs of Campbell's Soup cans. There are just some things we don't need to be told.

I did feel a deep desire to drag the characters to a museum, the ballet, an art gallery, a book store, a library and the symphony. I've never understood the appeal of speedways and a dinner of nachos or why anyone of any socio-economic level wouldn't avail himself/herself of knowledge and cultural opportunities, and it was boring to listen to the dialogue (internal and external) of these characters. In fact, it was downright painful. I urge the author to read good books for several years (she should try Hemingway for the brevity, Fitzgerald for setting a tone, Poe for emotions, O'Conner for a jarring sense of normal knocking against the irregular and others) before she writes anything else. Good grief.

Being the first in the series it was good, but it made me want to read the other books in the series. Kristen Ashley is an awesome author. I love her books, but I knew she had even better ideas to grow on. Great story, just made me climb the walls a little waiting and waiting for things to happen in the book.

Way too much vulgar language and coming from a 42 year old " lady", what was all the neck grabbing and squeezing about? There was no romance in their love making..they were like deer in rut. If went on and on...the book could've been written with half the amount of pages, honestly it wasn't a bad story but the author should class it up a bit. I thought I ordered a kristen Hannah book..now she can write a novel...