Built is the first book in the Saints of Denver series from Jay Crownover, and I absolutely loved it! Fans of the Marked Men series will recognize both Zeb and Saylor, as the Saints of Denver is a spin-off to that series. But if you haven't read those books yet, Built is a easily read as a standalone. It was nice to see some familiar faces though, and I loved getting to know both Zeb and Saylor better after meeting them previously. I have to say that this book is my favorite so far of everything I have read from Jay Crownover. Everything about it spoke to me and I couldn't put it down!
Zeb Fuller works in restoration after turning his life around. He made some mistakes in his past, and is determined to move forward. When Zeb meets Saylor Cole, he knows that he wants her right away. Though Zeb and Saylor are complete opposites, they find themselves drawn to one another. As Zeb works on restoring Saylor's house, he tries to drop as many hints as possible to his feelings for her, but nothing seems to come of it. But just when things appear to be taking a turn in the right direction, Zeb is given new that changes everything. Needing help, he finds himself turning to Saylor in both a personal and professional manner. But getting her help could be what ultimately pushes her away for good.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure how much I would like Saylor before starting this book. While I had been intrigued by her, she always came off as cold and unfeeling. But as we got to know her better in Built, it was clear that there was so much more to her. Though she never became the overly warm and friendly type of heroine, I found that I actually really liked her. She was such a good person, and despite everything she had a strength to her that even she didn't realize. Zeb was my favorite though, and he was impossible not to love. Here was a guy that had such a strong love of family and loyalty to them that he would do whatever it took to protect and look out for them, and while that ultimately got him into trouble he did what he felt he had to do. I liked that he realized that he had messed up though, even with the right intentions, and that he worked hard to put his life back together and be a different person. He never gave up and that was what made him so easy to like. He was the kind of guy that Saylor needed in her life, and I really thought that these two made each other better people. They had great chemistry and the attraction was clear right away, but the way that they connected was what made their relationship one worth reading about.
Overall, there was so much to like here and I feel like I really can't go into detail without spoiling it. What I will say though was that I absolutely loved all the characters involved here and not just Saylor and Zeb. This one was sweet and heartwarming and I couldn't put it down. There was so much growth and development in these characters, and the love was so evident between them. Built is a fantastic start to this new series, and I cannot wait for the next book! Jay Crownover did such a great job setting up the next book as well, and the little we saw of Quaid and Avett has me hungry for more! I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of Jay's! This is my favorite book of hers to date, and I can't wait to read more from her in the future.
**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**
Thank you so much! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR
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