Four Seconds To Lose by K. A. Tucker
Also by this author: One Tiny Lie
Series: Ten Tiny Breaths #3
Also in this series: One Tiny Lie
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Published by Atria on E-Book: November 4, 2013 Paperback: April 1, 2014
Pages: 416
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

I was really anticipating reading Four Seconds to Lose by K. A. Tucker because her past stories have been great so I was expecting even greater things from this one and I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint!

This was so dark and gritty which is clearly understandable dealing with both Cain and Charlie’s given professions plus their dark mysterious pasts which caused the big question of what lead them to be who they were. This was not going to be a light happy story and boy it wasn’t, both of them had major struggles on their hands not even including the crazy relationship that was forming between them.

I really enjoy a good man on a mission and Cain was defiantly a man on a mission. Looks can be deceiving and Cain and Charlie exemplified that statement with Cain seeming like a sleazy good for nothing guy who exploits women, and Charlie being this sleazy girl exploiting her body for the money. But in the end those views are wrong and they are so much more, engaging and complex. Getting to know Cain it was easy to see all the issues he was dealing with, from his horrible past and his present struggling to do the right thing for the people he cared about and those in need of it. He has a protective streak a mile long, trying to deal with the situation he found himself in and help those who felt that they had no other choice.

Charlie was such a great character filled with vulnerability, mystery and strength willing to do what ever it took to secure her future and happiness. Now I was a bit shocked at Charlie’s past and all she had to deal with. She was really in deep, deep danger that it had me worried if she would get out alive and if Cain could help her or end up getting himself killed in the crossfire. Things get real, real fast!

Secrets, Secrets, and more secrets from Charlie and Cain makes them and the story so interesting and exciting. Trying to figure out who they are, their past and what is really going on brought complexity, mystery and danger to the story.

Loved the romantic build up between Charlie and Cain. I could feel the connection and chemistry from the beginning and so easily between these two. Things didn’t instantly happen but was a slow burning attraction that kept building and building and building. There was the back and forth struggle with the feelings they had for each other as the sexual tension grew when they dealt with their issues but in the end their love was unavoidable ending up being this epic blazing romance.

Overall Four Seconds To Lose by K. A. Tucker blew me away. It had all the elements that I love in a story, engaging complex characters that captured me with their personalities, drama filled mystery that kept me guessing and on my toes with that would happen next. Ultimate danger that had me worried, blazing romance filled with passion and sexual tension. This story was an adventure of love and life that I loved exploring.