REVIEW - Outside the Lines by Lisa Desrochers

TITLE - Outside The Lines 

AUTHOR - Lisa Desrochers

Synopsis:

As the oldest son of a Chicago crime lord, Robert Delgado always knew how dangerous life could be. With his mother dead and his father in prison, he’s taking charge of his family’s safety—putting himself and his siblings in witness protection to hide out in a backwater Florida town.

Fourth grade teacher Adri Wilson is worried about the new boy in her class. Sherm is quiet and evasive, especially when he’s around his even cagier older brother. Adri can’t help her attraction to Rob, or the urge to help them both in whatever way she can. 

But the Delgados have enemies on two sides of the mob—their father’s former crew and the rival family he helped take down. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds them. And if Rob isn’t careful, Adri could end up in the crossfire...

My Review:

“EVERYTHING IN BALANCE” 

Sometimes it puts a damper on your personal life when you're the police chief's daughter. Especially so if you live in a small town. Adri has never had an issue with her father's over protectiveness until now. Shes twenty-three and ready to have a life of her own. But life is about to get complicated for Adri when a new family moves into town. 

Rob is the oldest of five kids and the one in charge. They are one of the top Mob families from Chicago, but now they are in hiding. Before their Father went to prison he flipped on the rival family. Now there is a price on all their heads. Rob’s goal is to get revenge and be able for all of them to go back to their old lives. When Rob takes his youngest brother Sherm for his first day at his new school he meets the pretty Adri. Without a doubt he knows she will be his downfall, but will she get caught in the crossfire when his enemies come? 

Adri and Rob’s relationship starts out slow, but when it finally jumps from flirting to the real deal it takes like a forest fire. She knows he’s hiding something but she's willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Rob constantly has doubts about if he's doing the right thing by being with her. There is no happy outcome in his mind, he's a pessimist. Where Adri is an optimist. Really what do an elementary school teacher and a Mob boss have in common? The fact that they are keeping the relationship a secret probably doesn't help. 

This is the first book by Lisa Desrochers I've read. I was mostly good with the story. I like a good Mob book. But for some reason I struggled with this story. The characters and plot were good, but the first half of the book kind of dragged by. Although it did pick up speed the farther in I got into the book. I hope as the series continues Desrochers will be able to work out the kinks. 

Here are some quotes that stuck with me;

“Considering all I can think about every waking minute is f****** you senseless. Considering all your fears about me are true. Considering I'm probably not sticking around.” 

“You are the key to my soul. Electricity to my bulb. I was made for you, and you were made for me. I can't think of anything more meant to be than that.” 

“...What if we can create something new and awesome instead of always looking over our shoulders?” 

“But this girl is my kryptonite. She does something to me that no other woman ever has, and it’s dangerous . She’s so innocent . . . so open and upfront, she makes me want to tell her things that no one can know.”

Star Ratings:

Plot- 3/5 

Character- 3/5 

Heat- 2/5 

Writing style- 3/5 

Overall- 3/5 

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(Releases Jan 19th)