Page Princess: HE BELONGS WITH ME by Sarah Darlington

Thursday, May 26, 2016

HE BELONGS WITH ME by Sarah Darlington

Title: HE BELONGS WITH ME

Author: Sarah Darlington

Publish Date: 02.27.14

Publisher: Sarah Darlington

Category /Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing: ungraded – book received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from: Sarah Darlington (in exchange for an honest review)

Date completed: 03.08.14

Goodreads link: He Belongs with Me

Description from the publisher:

Two girls. One Leo

Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather's world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis.

But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo... which girl will win his heart?

Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing's for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong.

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“Clara?” His eyes searched my face, screaming with unexpected vulnerability and fear. He seemed genuinely worried about me. “What's going on? Say something, please. Are you okay?”

I nearly lost my nerve. How easy it would have been to kiss him and fall into his arms all over again? A big piece of me wanted to do just that, but one moment of weakness was all I was going to allow myself for the day. “Am I okay?” I asked him, trying to sound indifferent and not angry. “What's that annoying code word you and Maggie used to say all the time? The two of you probably thought I was too dumb to crack that little language you created to use against me. Oh yeah, I remember now. Peaches. I'm just totally peaches.”

Standing tall, I reached my arm above his head and slowly poured the remaining contents of my beer on top of him. A shocked breath left his lips, but he didn't budge and took the beer shower like a man. “Real mature, Clara,” he grunted, glaring a shitload of hate-fire my way as the liquid coated his hair, face, and clothes. Angry as hell and soaking wet was a good look on him.

“That's for making me care,” I told him, setting my empty glass back down on the table. Then my hand swung hard and made stinging contact with his wet face. “That's for being a jerk to me since we were kids. And this...” I stood up on my tiptoes, grabbed hold of his handsome, shocked face, and planted one firm kiss on his wet lips. “That's so you know I'm not fucking around.” I held onto him for another moment. “Prove it to me,” I whispered. “Prove to me you aren't an ass and I'm all yours.”

Then I pulled away, turned on my heel, and left Leo standing there, soaking wet and stunned.

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This is a stand-alone novel. No series needed.

Love, love, love this book! This book is full of the angst and drama inherent in “contemporary romance,” but it is also downright hilarious throughout. These are the beautiful people, people with more money than God, but beneath it all just people. Like all of us, they are searching for the way to their personal happiness. Family, friends, and love – the trifecta of life are found within the pages of this book.

This is Ms. Darlington’s debut novel and I pray she has a long life filled with plenty of time for writing.

Last note: I had to share just a bit of the humor from this book:

RULES FOR DATING MY TWIN SISTER

“Rule number one. No talking about anything physical because I don’t ever want to hear about that.

Rule number two, you have to keep our friendship one hundred and ten percent separate from anything that happens between you and her. No matter what.

Number three, if Clara and I get in fights – like you know we will – you will always have to pick her side. Her side will be the irrational, moronic side, and secretly you’ll agree with me, but I’ll be the bigger person and forgive you in advance for siding with her.”