Lukas (Ashes & Embers #3)

I have, of late, developed a disdain for contemporary romance. I like naughty as much as the next girl, but it’s hard to swallow (pun intended) when it’s buried in bad grammar, typos, and just lousy storylines and shallow characters. I’m reminded of the Simpsons episode where Homer takes the kids to the dump – which, apparently, is a regular family excursion. Bless his heart. He so diligently sifts through all the garbage hoping to find a treasure.
Hey Homer, I get it now! Woohoo!
Treasure!
FYI, this reader can count on her fingers how many authors have gotten four stars. Brava Carian Cole.

We meet Lukas and Ivy in book one of this series, and their relationship does peek even more interest in book two when they show up again as a couple. So now we’re finally getting to know their story which goes in parallel with books one and two in places. It was everything I was hoping it would be, although I was nervous about the author being able to pull it off. But she so did. Lukas is so much younger than Ivy, however, his maturity level is way high. I guess it is hard to imagine that given how a typical 24-year-old acts nowadays. But his start in life was not typical, which put him way ahead of his peers as far as maturity and understanding of what being an adult really meant. Ivy is 36, she has two kids, one of which is closer in age to Lukas than she is, she is in the process of getting a divorce, and getting in a relationship with a much younger guy is definitely not on her radar, even though her soon-to-be ex is shacked up with a much younger woman. They have lots of hurdles to pass in their journey, and, in he end, it does come down to whether she can live with an unconventional, once in a life time kind of love regardless of whether people would judge her for it or not. The ending is a little twisty (I can’t give details without giving spoilers away) but perfect nonetheless. They do get their most perfect happy ending.

I know I’m probably repeating myself, but I just love these books. They tug at my heart the angst these guys go through in order to fine their true love. This book is about Lukas, the tattoo artist, a very sweet and sensitive younger brother of Vandal. They are so different from each other. Lukas is more mature and giving guy. Ivy has a 17yr old daughter and 7 yr old son with her husband she married at a young age. Then she finds out her husband is having an affair with someone younger and wants to divorce her after all these years together. Ivy meets Lukas when her friend gives her a coupon for a tattoo. Lukas is 12 years younger than Ivy, but he still finds her very attractive. When they eventually get together, you can tell how much they care about each other. I love how Ivy says to Lukas”you are an amazing person, I tell him. Being with you is like reading a book I cant put down, and every page gets better and better. Swoon *sigh*. I think Lukas is my favorite one… and I just want to say…the ending another surprise from Carin Cole

Ugh I hate it when authors write women older than men and its only by two or four years. In Lukas we get a real age gap story, one where the heroine is old enough to feel like her life is drastically different than her hero. Even though shes only 36, shes been married before and has two kids, one thats only six years younger than her love interest at 24.

As someone who doesnt have kids but am in my thirties, I often feel like Im in another time zone talking to women with kids, both younger and older than me, so I know how having kids can make you feel older and at another stage in your life. This romance displayed it perfectly.

I hate to admit it but the one thing I liked about the story were the villains. I hated them so much and couldnt understand the decisions they made just to keep the hero and heroine apart. It made me really root for the hero and heroine and just made me despise the people in Ivys life that claimed to have loved her. People really think they can move on but you have have to be single and miserable while they live their best lives. While ivy took longer than I thought she shouldve to come around and hear Lukass explanation, I understand why she did. When something involves people you gave life to, you love to believe you know them and that you taught them not to lie but what her daughter did was really unforgivable. Her ex husband was even worse of a person.

Overall I loved the book! Cant believe this was my first book by this author.

Lukas is reverse age gap story. Lukas is the young man of only 24yrs old that falls in love with Ivy a 36yr old divorcee and mother of 2 an 18yr old daughter an young son.

Ivy is going through a separation with her ex husband that cheated with a 19yr old and went to live with her abandoning his family. In a moment of wanting to be wild and free she decides to get a tattoo and when she goes to the store she meets Lukas the tattoo artist. As soon as they meet there a reaction from both sides and they star falling in love but not without drama of course, first is Ivy trying to get over the issue of been older than Lukas, then is the ex husband, then daughter and at the end adopting a child. Overall it just shows you that at the end age is just a number and regardless of your age you could be responsible and mature or selfish and in mature.

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