First Touch: A Novel

Emily Wayborn wasn’t always just an actress with a very small part in a relatively successful series. She grew up fast and used men to get ahead and she learned everything she needed to know from her best friend - Amber.

When their friendship fell apart, Emily made sure that she could stand on her own. It’s been years since she’s heard anything from the girl who used to be such a big part of her life and she’s just changed everything with one voicemail.

Emily finds herself on a very dangerous path in her search for Amber. The more she finds out her friend’s last days, the more she becomes intertwined with the elusive Reeve Sallis.

He’s a notorious playboy who always gets what he wants – in both business and pleasure. The rumors that surround him tell of dark desires and even murder. But there’s just something about Reeve and what he does to her body that makes Emily believe every word that falls from his sultry lips.

Equally beautiful and deadly, he leads Emily to the one thing that she never thought she would find – her true self.

First Touch is the first book that I’ve ever read from Laurelin Paige and oh my – what a rush!! I was so completely immersed in her story from the very first chapter and actually found myself talking out loud to the characters. (Seriously!!)

This is a hang-on-the-edge-of-your-sanity thriller that has so much heat that it will scorch everything in close proximity. She masterfully convinced me that up is down and black is white. And now the next installment - Last Kiss (June 2016) is sitting on the very top of my Most Anticipated list…

I am not one for suspense/mystery, I usually have to skip ahead, this book kept my interest from the beginning and not only did I want to find out what happens in the end i wanted to see all the little things that happened in the middle. Absolutely love and cannot wait for the next one to come out!! Another great read by Laurelin Paige!!

Once again I have encountered a novel that rubs me the wrong way but for all the right reasons ...

First things first, I could not connect to Emily. There was nothing in her character that could see in myself, which made it a little difficult for me to enjoy the novel. I felt like her character was greatly developed but lacked any realistic growth or evolvement. She was so indecisive and unsure of herself. She was who she was and if she would have stopped running from herself and stood her ground maybe I could have found something charming about her that I could relate too.

The writing was exceptional and was the only reason I even finished the novel. There was just something about the words that created this story that pulled me in and refused to let me go no matter how much I wanted to skip to the end. As much as I couldn't stand the main character, I couldn't stop reading. I had to know where the story would end, where it would take me.

The ending is the only reason I'm going to pre-order book 2. There's no way around it. I'm actually happy I finished the book because the ending was worth it.

If you enjoy a great story with emotional writing and gritty raw and dirty sex scenes then this one is for you. Beware the main character is chopped and screwed, and the there is a cliffhanger.

Oh my gosh SERIOUSLY… Completely blown away!! I don’t even know where to start. This was brilliant and written extremely well. I’m in total book hangover here. The past few nights have been restless still thinking about this book. That’s when you know you read a brilliant story; it stays with you for days. I am just completely blown away.

This is so different from Laurenlin Paige’s other books. It’s darker and raw. I was pulled in from page one reading the prologue. Emily is best friends with Amber who turns up missing. She makes a call that Emily receives after time has passed using their safe word. Since the two haven’t talked in years Emily has no clue what to expect all she knows is Reeve is last man she was with.

Reeve is sexy, mysterious and likes to be in control. He is they type of man that demands control of all things. He is hard to get close to and harder to get to know. The type who when he’s done with a girl he discards them and moves on. The only problem was Amber has turned up missing.

This book was beyond what I thought it was going to be. I was not disappointed at all and am DYING for the next book.

Laurelin Paige has done it again; held my interest page after page and left me begging for more. This story isn't anything like her others, but the storyline is phenomenal. I can't wait to read more about Reeves and Emily. Waiting until mid June is going to be tough.

4.5 stars. Emily Wayborn receives a thinly veiled SOS call from her former best friend Amber Pries, someone she hasn't been in contact with for the past 7 years. Without any leads, Emily finds herself tailing and plotting to meet Reeve Sallis, a wealthy hotelier whom Amber was last known to associate with. Because of Reeve's wealth and reputation, he's not an easy person to meet or get to know so Emily has to fall back on her old tricks of seduction to weave her way in past his walls to find the answers she needs.

In the midst of this is Emily's constant struggle and acceptance of her true self. The history between Amber and Emily is revealed bit by bit and it was fascinating how close they were and what they went through together. Both of them are extremely flawed, but they were there for each other as the main constant. Emily is a multi-layered character where her experiences have most definitely shaped her, on top of her natural tendencies and preferences, but she is in constant conflict with balancing those needs and wants with overstepped boundaries. She will give everything of herself selflessly, except her heart. But she's not because she is cold or aloof, she simply hasn't had anyone reach her that deep except her best friend Amber. To me, Emily seems pretty transparent in her POV, but she is also an actress so she's got a game face that she wears and can slip into other roles. Reeve is complex because he keeps his privacy very close to him and doesn't share much emotion. He's controlling and likes to call the shots so when thing are not orchestrated the way he plans, his reactions are not predictable, yet he reveals very little about his personal self.

I was intrigued by their relationship because Emily's end goal is to find out what happened to Amber and along the way, she has to decide that if Reeve had anything to do with Amber's disappearance, would she still desire and care for him the way that she does. Not to mention that these feelings emerging are both exhilarating and confusing to her because she's not sure what Reeve is thinking. Reeve likes complete submission and when it comes to sexual activity, he has a proclivity for the very things that Emily craves and wants so they are explosive together. Reeve isn't entirely impassive towards Emily, he has his vulnerable moments which he covers up with authoritative actions or suspicion, so there's more to him underneath. Plus, Emily actually loves what Reeve dishes out, but the formation of trust between them is brittle at best despite their unspoken communication. I could definitely feel the chemistry between them as far as lust goes, but anything deeper than that was slower to transpire and rightfully so. I definitely felt like I was waiting for them to cross a threshold that neither of them were quite ready for just yet with so many secrets between them.

And then the ending, that throws a wrench in everything because now I need to know what's going to happen next. This could be the game changer or reset the tone of the story so I'm eager to find out if Emily will get the answers she's been seeking and if they will be satisfactory enough. I'd also like to see her character develop further because while I don't think she is weak, she could definitely make more of a firm statement in certain ways if she wanted to and truly embrace who she really is without shame or apology. As for Reeve, I hope to discover more about what he's really thinking and feeling. This story wasn't anything that I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised and enthralled the entire time.

Emily is a reformed anything goes girl, she cut ties with her best friend and has been living a good, but lonely life in LA. She is an actress who is the voice of a computer on a hit show. Nothing too exciting, but for once in her life what she owns she earned the good old fashioned way, not by living off rich men. Then her past comes back full force, her former best friend is in trouble. She finds out not only is Amber in trouble, but is missing. Emily sets out to find answers and meets Amber's former boyfriend Reeve Sallis. Reeve is powerful, rich and sexy as hell, from the moment she meets him she knows he will wreck her. But, what she doesn't know is she can wreck him too.

This story is dark and somber and has a feeling of danger laced through out. I was on pins and needles for much of the book, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. It never really did, when some of the secrets are revealed, I felt relief, but I still feel there is much more to this story. It ends on one heck of a cliffy, but don't let that deter you from reading this book. Reeve is everything you could ever want in an alpha male. He is an enigma, strong and aloof, sexy and demanding, I enjoyed getting to know him. I can't say the same for Emily, she seems like a bit of a dim bulb, and was too easily distracted from her task of finding out what happened to her friend.

There are strong BDSM situations in this book, and some of them will make you squirm in your seat. But I didn't feel they were gratuitous, they made sense given Emily's background and fit the story line. Even though this is a somber tale, the relationship that starts to develop between Emily and Reeve is almost sweet and lightens the dark just a bit.

This book is superbly written and kept my interest from start to finish, and I am very much looking forward to what happens next.

Laurelin Paige has outdone herself with this book. The plot was breathtaking, suspenseful and mysterious. I had so many questions in my mind while reading this intriguing story. At the end of this first book, I felt I had been given some puzzle pieces, but they didn't fit perfectly yet.
This author has a great talent for creating wonderful characters, totally flawed, but unforgettable.
Alayna and Hudson in the Fixed trilogy, Emily and Reeve in this series.

Emily Barnes/Wayburn has a rather naughty past. With her best friend Amber, she used men as sugar daddies to make a living. But after an horrific event, she decided to fend for herself and parted ways with Amber. Actress in a successful sitcom, she has gained her independency and is able to take care of her ailing mother. But she is caught up by her past, when she receives a call for help from Amber. After sending this message, her friend has simply vanished.

Emily's investigation reveals that Amber was in contact with the infamous multibillionaire Reeve Sallis. She will need to get acquainted with the very private Reeve and seduce him to obtain the information she is looking for. But her attraction for this hot, controlling and uber alpha man is getting in the way of her plan, despite her loyalty to her long lost friend.
Reeve's character is a mystery, is he responsible for Amber's disappearance, is he really dangerous and connected to the mob ?

Laurelin Paige is a great storyteller. I enjoyed every second of this gripping, suspenseful, seductive and scorching hot story that has all the qualities to be an epic love tale, once the second part will be released and all questions will be answered. Highly recommended.

Laurelin Paige writes amazing stories! I mean anyone who's read the Fixed trilogy is aware of this! (And if you haven't read it, you're doing yourself a disservice) Her heroine wasn't the perfect cookie cutter woman like most are in the romance genres. She was bold, brazen, and had lived a life that you wouldn't believe. For years she used her body to get what she wanted and at times, just to survive. I mean the way Laurelin Paige wrote this story, I could feel Emily's mental struggle right along with her. And Reeve, I mean this guy is STILL an anomaly to me. He's so perplex. But, undeniably HOT! These two are genuinely perfect for each other. First Touch was darker and grittier than her usual stories. From some of the content to the sex scenes, this was something different than anything I'd ever read from her. Yet, it didn't take away from the greatness that was First Touch. It just opened you up to more possibilities. It drew me in until the very last page and didn't want to let me go. This is another one of those stories that you know you won't ever forget. Even years from now, with just looking at the book cover, everything you felt while reading it the first time will come back to you without you having to even open the book. That's what kinda of book this is. I mean honestly this review doesn't do this story justice AT ALL. We're left with one heck of a cliffhanger!!! I mean, you seriously will go back like wait, no this can't be over!! The anticipation for Last Kiss is going to be killer!

One of my favorite tropes is the alpha billionaire, and no one does it better than Laurelin Paige. (Exhibit A: Hudson Pierce.) And Laurelin does it again with Reeve Sallis.

Reeve is the sexy, dominant, mysterious hotelier alpha billionaire with an extremely dark and twisty side. I find Reeve so intriguing, just like Emily does.

Emily makes it a point to seek out Reeve to seduce information out of him, but Reeve is smart and turns the tables quickly on her. Their attraction is undeniable. Emily knows she is being pulled under Reeve's spell and is helpless to stop it.

This book is beyond amazing. What you think is going to happen doesn't. It is just so unpredictable in the best possible way. I had to remind myself to breathe while reading because I was holding my breath wondering what was going to happen next.

Laurelin Paige weaves a spellbinding story of mystery, lust, drama and suspense. Did I forget to mention this book is the first in a duet? Enjoy the ride that ends in a cliffhanger where you may not believe what you just read.

More than a week has passed since I finished reading First Touch, and I still feel like I need a stiff drink and a cigarette. The first thing that struck me as I was reading this book was the quality of Laurelin Paige's writing. I have always enjoyed her work, but I found myself especially captivated by her storytelling in this book. As to be expected from Paige, this story was smoking hot. However, it was the suspense aspect that truly drew me.

In order to find her missing friend, Emily jumped into Reeve's world with both feet. I was impressed with her moxie and the way she held her own. It did take me a while to warm to Reeve. He was an alpha male to the max and always got what he wanted. The cat and mouse game between he and Emily was positively thrilling. I couldn't get enough, and Paige had me squirming in my seat on more than one occasion. This book was intriguing, erotic, twisted, and distinctive. I need the next one right away!

*An advance copy of this book was received in exchange for an honest review.*

WOW! This book really surprised me. Honestly, I found it a bit slow at the beginning and I wasn't expecting that from all the pre-review hype. I'm a rather impatient reader and I wanted to be grabbed and pulled in immediately (hence the 4 stars). HOWEVER, once I got further into the story there was NO WAY I was getting up for air! This book was dark, twisty, gritty, suspenseful, sexy and well worth the read! Reeve and Emily are quite the pair! It was fascinating to watch the story unfold around them and try to figure out where the next page would take you. I can't say I was completely surprised and/or shocked at the ending (NO SPOILERS HERE), but I will say I will be waiting with bated breath for the release of the follow-up to this book to see if my suppositions are correct. Laurelin Paige is a master story teller and this is without a doubt one of her finest books to date! It will definitely be at the top of my list of MUST READS FOR 2016.

Great story! Reeve is uber sexy and the leading lady doesn't make me sick with her constant indecision or lack of self esteem. Excited for the next book in the series. Laurelin has a new fan, for sure!