All You Need (The Need You Series)

All You Need by Lorelei James is a marvelous enemies to lovers romance. Although this newest release is the third installment in the fantastic Need You series, it can be read as a standalone (but I HIGHLY recommend the entire series).

Annika Lund is loyal to her family which is why she grudgingly agrees to help hockey bad boy Axl “the Hammer” Hammerquist salvage his image. Annika positively loathes Axl whose list of transgressions is looonnng, so she is rather shocked to realize she is attracted to the hockey hottie. When Axl’s agent suggests the two pretend to be in a relationship, neither is thrilled with the proposal but they both realize the plan has merit. What neither Axl nor Annika expect is for their contentious fake relationship to turn into a real romance. What will happen to their budding romance once Axl no longer needs Annika to save his reputation?

Annika is tough as nails but she loves her family so she will do anything to help them. Axl is nothing like the men she usually dates and she absolutely despises him right from their first introduction. Hiding her unexpected attraction behind scathing comments and a slew of hilarious nicknames, Annika is taken off guard once she gets to know the man behind the hockey mask and wild reputation.

Axl is an incredibly talented hockey player but his out of control antics are a PR nightmare for his new team. No one can bring themselves to look past the bad publicity swirling around him so his agent knows he has to clean up his client’s image sooner rather than later. Axl has his reasons for his over the top behavior, but now that he is with a team that he genuinely likes, he is ready to do whatever it takes to smooth his transition with his new teammates. As he spends time with Annika, he realizes he has misjudged her but will Axl be able convince her he is not as out of control as she believes?

Annika and Axl do not make any effort to hide their disdain for each other when they first meet. Annika is particularly withering during their initial encounters but Axl’s exploits are so incredibly outrageous, he deserves her inventive nicknames and derisive comments. However, once the fake relationship plan goes into action, Annika and Axl finally take the time to get to know one another. After the various misconceptions about each other are cleared up, will Annika and Axl give in to their simmering passion? What will happen to their fledgling relationship in the midst of well meaning interference from family and friends?

All You Need is a sizzling hot romance with a fabulous cast of well-developed characters and dialogue that is brimming with humor. The relationship between Annika and Axl is an absolute joy to watch unfold as their dislike for one another gradually gives way to mutual respect and eventually, love. Old and new fans will fall in love with this latest addition to the Need You series and the intriguing glimpses of Jensen Lund will leave readers eagerly awaiting Lorelei James’ next release, When I Need You.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

From the beginning Annika and Axl have chemistry, I fell in love with both characters right from page one, Annika is ballsy when she needs to be and Axl just has that bad boy image down pact, "...the woman didn’t need to tell me how to start a ***n fight—or how to end one. “Also if any other pansy-*** guys on this boat check you out? I will go off on them. You look seriously sexy in that dress.” There are times when it's the thought that counts, “but I also want to pound you into the mattress until you can’t walk,” he murmured sleepily." I really loved this book, it was entertaining as heck.

All You Need (The Need You Series)
What an awesome book. This book has the sparks of not being able to stand one another in the beginning and then when forced to work with one another, those sparks became passion and what a passion.
This whole series (3 books so far) makes you fall in love with the characters and has you thinking where is my special guy (or gal) so i can have the same kind of love and happiness like these books make you feel.
Lorelei James is an excellent and very talented writer, who know how to draw you in from the beginning of the book and boy, does she keep you hooked throughout that book too. You will never be disappoint in any of her books. She has earned her spot in my top 5 favorite authors.......... WELL DONE LORELEI, keep up the fabulous job that you are doing..........

Another great story in the Need You series by Lorelei James centered around the Lund family. And I loved Annika as I could identify with her a lot.

Annika Lund is a strong independent woman with the nickname Iron Princess. She's successful at her job and knows exactly what she wants and what not. Only when it comes to her Swedish mother can't she say no. A fact that puts her in the situation she finds herself in with Axl Hammerquist, the Swedish ice hockey star.

Axl is the typical ladies man and lives out his fame and lifestyle. Or so his PR team and media reports say. A fact that his agent tries to use to their advantage. But one wrong word recorded by a stranger published on a social media platform, the press taking up on it and he finds himself bound to Annika.

Despite all the not-liking their chemistry is strong from the beginning. Their banter is hilarious and at times so thoughtful it's kinda heartbreaking. It's those times when they reveal more to each other than they ever shared with anyone. It's those times when the connection gets stronger and soon they both have to decide what is real and what is a PR game.

Lorelei James has such a way with words that you're easily wrapped in the story and find yourself liking the characters. All the things happening around them, the other characters interacting and intervening and the development of the story and characters is flawless. I definitely need more in this series. I don't want to leave them alone.

*****ARC received for an honest review*****

James scores again with her third entry in the Need You series. The sex level is higher here than in the other two books in the series, but the relationship is delightful and hearty. Although it is not necessary to read books one and two before reading ALL YOU NEED, it would be a welcome treat. There is a modicum of information about hockey. It’s not a sports book.

The Lund conglomerate is a multi-billion dollar institution where all positions of power are held by family members. Although a member of that illustrious group, Annika Lund is one of the top publicity representatives in the States. Her reputation is known in other countries as well. Her agent has the cockamamie idea to turn Swedish hockey player Axl Hammerquist into her ideal boyfriend. His image is not the best, so his agent, who also represents Annika, wants to boost that image. She is the golden girl of the Lund family having achieved her status on her own. Playing girlfriend to Axl is not her idea of a good time. He’s not keen on the idea either. Until they get up close and personal, that is. After they become involved with each other physically and emotionally, everyone else gets entangled in their affairs. A big blowup causes everyone to make major errors and the publicity is decimating. The couple just wants to be left alone. Axl fears it will destroy the peace of hockey and his relationship with Annika.

I have completley fallen for the Lund family and can't get enough. Annika has had a lot of personality and spunk in the previous 2 family novels and I have laughed out loud at all of her and Axl's interactions. I was very excited for this book to see their fireworks and watch them fall in love. With Mrs. James' amazing ability to write deep well rounded characters you won't want to miss out on this two. I love when characters are real and sometimes have aspects to their personalities you really don't like but can 100% believe. For me this was Axl. I didn't understand his reasons for keeping his secret but it was believable for him. With Annika's feisty personality and Axl's possessive Alpha male personality the fireworks really flew between these two. I really enjoyed this book! My favorite of the series so far

Welcome back Lund family! Annika gets her HEA in the latest book in the Need You series from Lorelei James. Annika Lund is asked to help translate for hockey bad boy Axl Hammerquist and then is manipulated into becoming his fake girlfriend as a PR stunt thanks to her mom and Axl's publicist.

I love all the hilarious nicknames Annika and Axl have for one another. The romance is as good as it always is in any Lorelei James book, but I will say the build up and culmination of the romance is slower and a little more subdued than in her Rough Rider books. We also meet and get to know some awesome secondary characters that I can only hope leads to future books.

Lorelei James never disappoints and I can't wait for her next book!

Many thanks to the author for a review copy.

Axl "The Hammer" Hammerquist is a defensive beast on the ice and a sexy beast with the ladies off the ice. Annika "Iron Princess" Lund paid her dues and earned her place as VP of Public Relations for Lund Industries. Somehow she gets wrangled into cleaning up Axl's "bad boy" media image as a favor to her family.

Axl was not onboard with this plan to begin with so needless to say Annika and Axl had a really rocky start to their relationship.
I loved that Annika and Axl's relationship felt like a partnership of equals. There wasn't a power struggle between them. Just tons of hilarious sexy banter and off the charts chemistry. Mutual respect and genuinely supporting each other were the main characteristics of this couple and they were always straight up with each other. There wasn't any unnecessary drama going on. I loved this story and it's a wonderful addition to this series.

When the Annika AKA the Iron Princess of Lund Industries meets NHL troublemaker Axl Hammerquist, she has plenty to say about his obnoxious party boy ways-none of it positive. Axl needs to clean up his reputation, and Annika is pulled in to pretend to be his girlfriend as a PR move. Everyone knows good girls love a bad boy right? As obnoxious as "The Hammer" is, Annika can't deny she's drawn to the handsome swede. As the 2 begin pretend dating the sparks fly. This "pretend couple" have very real chemistry. It becomes very clear there's more to the hockey player and he falls quickly for the softer vulnerable side of Annika. It becomes clear that there is much more to the hockey player as well as the complex Annika. I love the family dynamic of the Lund family and there is a lot of family fun in this story. Lots of interesting secondary characters and build up to the next installment in the series. I was really looking forward to Annika's story, and Ms James NEVER disappoints! Great fun read, and I can't wait for the next story!

Some authors fizzle as they write more books or expand from their original genre. This novel proves this is not the case with Lorelei James. This may be one of my all time favorite books of hers. Not since we were introduced to Keely in the Rough Rider series have I enjoyed a female character as much as I did Annika. Or her mama because Mama Lund steals the scene whenever she appears. If you're concerned about the turn from Western or Erotic genre, don't be. The heat is turned up on and off the ice with Annika and Axl. You'll love it, I promise!

All You Need is the latest from Lorelei James and part of the Need You series that focuses on the Lund Family in Minneapolis. Annika Lund is the head of PR at Lund Industries and the younger sister of Brady and Walker Lund who were the focus of books one and two. In All You Need Annika has been conned into working with a sports agent to rehabilitate the career of bad boy hockey player Axl Hammerquist. While this is outside of Annika’s usual work the sports agent is a friend of her mother and has recently taken her brother Jensen on as a client. Despite Axl being two years younger and the exact opposite of every man Annika has ever dated they quickly find that they are exactly what the other needs. Axl isn’t whom Annika assumes and Annika is the opposite of what Axl expected from a wealthy young woman.

The Need You series is different from the usual Lorelei James books and it took me until this book to really get into the series. I thought All You Need started off a little slow but it picked up quickly so that I wasn’t able to put it down. Annika and Axl are a fun/sexy couple that you will want to know more about in the future.

Book 3 in the Need You series, the story showcases Annika (Attila/Iron Princess) Lund and Axl (Axhole/Axhell) Hammerquist. Axl is a hot hockey player who needs some PR redemption. Annika is a sexy PR VP for Lund Industries and gets strong armed by her mother into helping Axl improve his image by posing as his girlfriend. Along the way of "faking" their relationship they start having real feelings for each other and start the relationship for real. Only problem is they have to keep it quiet due to circumstances you can read about. I really like the book, and it was a great entry in the series. I had a few issues that prevented me from giving it 5 stars - it took me a little bit of time to warm up to Axl, and before I did I kept wondering why this strong kick ass woman would put up with this scheme. Also, what is it with these Lund kids that they can't say no to their mother and her harebrained ideas? Annika and Axl were funny together, and had some great tender loving moments, as well as hot hot hot sexy times. I loved how protective Axl was right from the start and how much they treasured their relationship. Definitely worth your time to read and enjoy!

This review was written by Marie for a guest review post on Ever After Book Reviews blog:

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Lorelei James! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors, and she doesn’t disappoint with All You Need.

Annika and Axl are a perfect match for one another. They have amazing chemistry, they’re both extremely hard-headed, and they both have a desire for one another that eventually leads them to give in to their inevitable romance.

Ms. James does a masterful job of writing this story, unfolding a cute, sexy and sweet romance set to a hockey player theme. *cue the swooning* She makes it easy to fall in love with the bad boy, Axl, and to cheer on the alpha female in Annika. I just can’t get enough of these books!

This book works as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading the first books of the series, simply because they’re so well written.

I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

Book 3 in the Need You series, the story showcases Annika (Attila/Iron Princess) Lund and Axl (Axhole/Axhell) Hammerquist. Axl is a hot hockey player who needs some PR redemption. Annika is a sexy PR VP for Lund Industries and gets strong armed by her mother into helping Axl improve his image by posing as his girlfriend. Along the way of "faking" their relationship they start having real feelings for each other and start the relationship for real. Only problem is they have to keep it quiet due to circumstances you can read about. I really like the book, and it was a great entry in the series. I had a few issues that prevented me from giving it 5 stars - it took me a little bit of time to warm up to Axl, and before I did I kept wondering why this strong kick ass woman would put up with this scheme. Also, what is it with these Lund kids that they can't say no to their mother and her harebrained ideas? Annika and Axl were funny together, and had some great tender loving moments, as well as hot hot hot sexy times. I loved how protective Axl was right from the start and how much they treasured their relationship. Definitely worth your time to read and enjoy!

This review was written by Marie for a guest review post on Ever After Book Reviews blog:

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Lorelei James! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors, and she doesn’t disappoint with All You Need.

Annika and Axl are a perfect match for one another. They have amazing chemistry, they’re both extremely hard-headed, and they both have a desire for one another that eventually leads them to give in to their inevitable romance.

Ms. James does a masterful job of writing this story, unfolding a cute, sexy and sweet romance set to a hockey player theme. *cue the swooning* She makes it easy to fall in love with the bad boy, Axl, and to cheer on the alpha female in Annika. I just can’t get enough of these books!

This book works as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading the first books of the series, simply because they’re so well written.

I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

Opposites attract would probably good a good start for PR professional, Annika Lund and hockey player, Axl Hammerquist. Their chemistry is fun to read about as they have a give and pull with one another. Annika Lund is a strong lady who has worked had for what she got, but her mom is convinced that she needs to intervene in her personal life. Annika is proposed with a 'fake' relationship with hockey hottie, Axl, and the struggle to keep it real.

Wait, what is real? Do they really like each other, or is this just a convenience for the both of them? Emotions and feelings tug at your heart strings and their banter is laugh out loud funny at times. I can't wait until they next installment in this series.

Lorelei James writes compelling stories again and again. All You Need is just another example of her talent. Her wit and ability to keep me turning the pages with the need to devour the story amaze me along with the added bonus of a tough, hot and buff hockey player. Axl Hammerquist and Annika Lund are perfect for each other. Their banter had me laughing out loud throughout the book and is what makes me want more from this incredible author. I love the way Lorelei can take two seemingly mismatched characters and not only make it work but make it work spectacularly. All You Need is now my favorite in the Need You series. I can't wait to see what she gives us next. (less)

I LOVE this series! The Lund family has became one of my favorites. All You Need is book 3 in the Need You Series and it was as exceptional as the first 2 books.
I was not in love with Axl in the 2nd book and in the beginning of the 3rd book, but of course Lorelei James has a way of making him redeem himself and I fell in love with him. Annika the PR "Iron Princess" of LI has been a lovable sister is the other 2 books and I was so excited for her story. I love her and her commitment to her family.
This couple was forced into a "fake" romantic coupling for PR but the attraction was there from the beginning. Whats not to love with a hunky Swedish hockey player and a beautiful Swedish goddess. The nick names that they have for each other are hilarious.
This book opens up the Lund family more and gives us a look into some of the other family members. I can't wait to see what Lorelei James has in store for us with this family.

When PR business mogul Annika Lund is hired by an agent to revamp Swedish hockey player Axl Hammerquist's image, the two mix like oil and water. Axl is a playboy, wild child that needs to focus on his hockey career and not on all the puck bunnies waiting for some one-on-one game time with him. Annika is a strong business woman that takes her job seriously and doesn't think she will be able to get Axl under control. Sparks fly when the two are forced to work together, and their seemingly hate relationship starts to turn into something more. I loved the 3rd installment of the "Need You" series and once again Lorelei James did an excellent job. This series is definitely a must read!!!!

Another great read by one of my favorite authors! I love the Need You series and the Lund family. Annika and Axl are great together once they get past their rocky start and get to know each other. Axl is not quite the bod boy everyone thinks he is ....there are so many layers and as each one is revealed you can't help but fall in love with him. Annika is sassy, smart, and so quick witted....I just love her. These two sizzle together. Romance, humor, drama, and a whole cast of great characters makes this I don't want to put it down read. I absolutely loved the ending and can't wait for the next book in the series!

Story was strong in terms of conflict, but the romance and banter was lacking. One of the disadvantages I had was reading outside of sequence. I didn't realize this was book 3 in a series, so the heroine had SO MANY family members that I sometimes didn't catch. The Lund family is apparently big, and Annika was just one part of it. Axel was good for most readers, but I'm not most readers, so he kinda bored me outside of him being a polygot.

The love scenes outside of kissing took 68% in the audiobook to get to, and I tend to like steamier books than that. If the banter had been stronger, I would've gladly given it a 4, but it was overall good, just could've been better. Still good read!

Axl and Annika were perfect! Both seemed complete opposites, but as they ended up getting to know each other, they really weren't that different. They both were driven in their fields. They both preferred to be out of the limelight. They both liked to separate their private life from their public life. They both were extremely attracted to each other. They both care about the other. They both only want to spend time with each other. They both fall deeply in love with the other. They both want to spend every available moment with the other. They are both prefect together!

The third installment of the Need You Series does not disappoint. While James doesn't shy away from alpha or dominant males, she also lets women be strong in their own right. While this book can work as a standalone, James shines in her world-building, and there are references to previous books - and things that seem like maybe they'll play out in future works (please???). Annika and Axl are complex, believable characters, and I always appreciate that James uses more than just physical scenes to develop relationships in her books.

Why must I live so far away from hockey rinks?

From reading the previous books I was ready to hate Axl.He was a womanizing jerk-how could I like him? Annika is a strong woman, why tie her to a jerk? Slowly throughout the story the real Axl is revealed.
I love that this book takes place over months not days or weeks. I really love these characters and can't say enough about the story. The only critique I have is to let a Lund live interest also come from a loving family.

About all I can think right now is "Holy Hotness". Lorelei James absolutely fried my brain with her panty wetting combo of Axl and Annika. Ms. James is a master at redeeming men who we have started to give up hope on.

Axl is stuck in a career / image / and self destructive cycle when the PR whiz of Lund industries is steamroller into helping whip him back in line. But their chemistry is off the charts and when one thing leads to another.... well we're back to Holy Hotness.

Great read! My how the sparks fly! Annika and Axl, both high profile in their personal and professional lives. Forced to work together, while trying to maintain their independent don't mess with me personas, nor acknowledge the heat between them is hilarious. Enjoyed, the antics they got into before taming and finding each other's heart. Looking for more stories to come in this series. LJ sure knows how to write a story!

I enjoyed reading this book. I like the way Lorelei James went from character to character in the chapters. It gave you both their perspectives.

I liked that her brothers were so protective of her, maybe a little over protective at times.

Axl and Annika really got to know each other because they had to meet in secret. This was an interesting book.

I really liked this couple, Annika & Axel!! For all their <what appeared to be> differences they were very compatible.... and actually were perfect for one another! I liked their banter and pet names for one another, what started off as demeaning pet names quickly became enduring ones. Just like the transition of their relationship!! Love the Lund family....

3.5 stars for this. The fluid, fast-paced writing style and Lorelei James’ magical ability to have chemistry and emotions leap off the page had me reading through this book from start to finish in one sitting.

That said, this book suffered from a number of puzzling ailments that hampered the usual Lorelei James reading experience.

First of all - the language issue. Gawd. It might work for American readers, but Axl pretending to not speak a word of English is just not believable anywhere else. In Europe, Swedes are well known for having an excellent grasp of the English language. A Swedish pro athlete who does not speak enough English to even order a steak would simply not exist. Even if, after six years in the United States, anyone in his position would be fairly fluent. It makes everyone around Axl look unreasonably thick for not suspecting a thing. The lazy language research hits its inglorious climax when we learn that Axl actually speaks a ton of languages, including Finnish, because, you know, “all Scandinavian languages are kinda similar”. Finnish is not even on a different branch on the language tree, it is on a completely different tree, unrelated to any European language other than Hungarian. So, it’s about as similar to Swedish as Hungarian, which is, well, not similar at all.

This grated mainly because Axl’s feigned lack of English proficiency was a plot driver through he first half and was mentioned in every other scene, which left me feeling a bit cheated out of a real plot. Especially since his reasons for ding it weren't convincing.

Then there’s Axl himself. SPOILER As the story progressed, he turned into a male Mary Sue - a wealthy 6 ft 5 Chris Hemsworth look-a-like with an engineering degree, fluency in half a dozen languages, a pro Hockey career, tailor-made suits and the desire to get married after a few months of dating? I’m not really complaining but somehow, James’ vertically disadvantaged bull rider in Chasin’ Eight felt more real.

Finally, there’s the matter of sub-plots and side characters just popping up and/or dropping like flies.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Let’s just say that neither Rausch nor Bunny nor Annika’s claustrophobia nor Axl’s Waltons-on-steroids family nor Jenson’s accident nor Axl’s reason for acting so wildly in the beginning really raised the stakes for the H and h, nor were they resolved in a banging climax. They were there (then they weren’t). That’s about it.

All in all, an entertaining read but not one of her nail-biters.

I love the series and happy to see Annika getting her own story.

The pair had some series heat in the beginning of the book but I was getting tired of the games that they played. They didn't officially become a couple until 3/4 of the way through the book and even then they kept their relationship secret.
This part if the book was getting a little old for me.
The ending was adorable and I was happy these two finally get their HE A.

I was provided a copy for a honest review

I'm so obsessed with this series it's ridiculous. I didn't think anyone would be better than Brady and Lennox but Annika and Axl proved me wrong.

A nice contemporary romance full of swoons.

The characters bring out the best and worst each other and offer a great balance. The Ice Queen shows she's far from the perfect Lund daughter and Axl much more than the hot headed hockey player.

The expected layers and depth of the characters drew me in and have me craving more.

This series keeps getting better and better. While the hero is a pro ice hockey star don't worry if you don't know which end of a hockey stick to use, you won't be lost. All the things you love about a Lorelei contemporary romance are here. Strong heroine, smexy times and witty dialogue are between the covers. While the story starts as a fake relationship there is a twist which really enhances the plot and moves the story forward. Fun glimpses of characters from the series appear but don't overwhelm the story.

This book was unbelievable. I could not put it down as I kept wondering what would happen next.
The main characters are thrown together and instantly kinda dislike each other. Only by communicating and spending time with each other do they realise there is more beneath the surface.
This is the third book in the series and whilst you don't really need to read the others, they do provide back story for some of the other characters.

Atilla and Ax-hell are my new favorite characters…this book is hot, funny, witty, sexy, and well written. So very glad that the strong woman that Annika is didn’t get lost along the way. If you like a great story and humor with your romance this book is for you. It is still on my re-read list and I’ve read it three times already! An honest review from an ARC recipient.

The love/hate relationship between Axl and Annika was perfect! This book is full of angst, passion and mama Lund is absolutely rib-splitting when she isn't down right frustrating! I love that the characters are believable as real humans with flaws.

Wow! This book was fantastic! I love hate-to-lovers stories and this one definitely did not disappoint. The bickering back and forth and names they gave each other early on were very entertaining. Then ending totally did it for me! Such a sweet and beautiful ending.
I have read every book LJ has written and I have yet to be disappointed by a single one.

Annika and Axl's story was amazing! First, I love this series. Second, I love anything Lorelai James writes. Third, HOCKEY!!!!!! This story has it all--great characters, fabulous story line, lots of chemistry between the characters and hockey---my favorite things in a book. You won't be disappointed!

Annika and Axl are the shiznit....and of course, you get Mama Lund to boot! The word play is awesome in this book and Lorelei out does herself with the snark. These two are the epitome of love/hate and you can't help cheering them on. On and off the ice! I loved everything about their story and you will too.

Jag älskade det!

LOVED All You Need! Annika and Axl are now my favorite characters in the “Need You” series. Lorelei James rolls angst, sexy and funny all together. She never fails to create a great story that pulls you in and I was sad when it came to an end because I was so invested in it. I honestly need a full-length epilogue for this one! Quite tempted to leave my SoCal life and move to Minnesota, become a winter sport athlete, or at least a hockey fan!

This third book in this Lund family series has the seriously hot and successful in her own right Annika Lund doing her momma's favors assisting in the Lund family dynamics. She's pulled in to translate for help fellow Swede and upcoming hockey player Axel Hammerquist clean up his image. The ice is heated up with these two are the together or not? Either way the are sending sparks flying.

I love the Kind family. Axl and Annika are wonderful characters. Sparks fly when they meet. The two of them learn more about each other as the story goes on. Their journey is fraught with secrecy, but they are open with each other. This is a very sensual tale. I can't wait to read the next book.

I cannot say enough words about how amazing Lorelei's books are! I cannot put them down! Atilla and Ax-hell had amazing chemistry from day one! My only problem with her books is that they end! You know it's coming, but can't stop reading it!