Marked Men, Book 5
From the publisher:
A Spicy Forbidden Ex’s Older Sister Romance
from the Series That Inspired the Upcoming Film “Marked Men: Rule and Shaw“The New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with this sizzling, sexy story of love, heartbreak, fate, and second chances.
After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.
Salem Cruz grew up in a house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.
Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.
“The characters of Crownover’s Marked Men series are all outlandishly colorful and irresistably passionate, while still being so genuine that their stories become unforgettable. This fifth installment, which reunites old friends and lovers, is no exception.” — RT Book Reviews (top pick)
“Full of intimate yet spicy scenes, this novel takes readers on an emotional ride. Though it is mostly lighthearted, Crownover’s frank novel does addresses domestic violence and abuse.” — Booklist
This is the fifth book of the Marked Men series and I just can’t stop reading them. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Salem and Rowdy.
Rowdy is a tattoo artist, and Salem is hired on to run their new store. Rowdy and Salem, and Salem’s younger sister Poppy, all grew up together and all had unhappy childhood homes. Salem ran away when she turned 18, leaving her sister and Rowdy behind to struggle along as best as they could. They ended up going to college together, but then a rift occurred, and Salem doesn’t know why. Rowdy acts like Poppy was the love of his life, but he is Salem’s true love, so she is happy to be working with him. Until she finds out he proposed to her sister.
I don’t generally like sisters vying for the same man, but even though it sounds like that, it isn’t. Crownover takes it in a different direction, and it makes sense. Salem’s parents were super religious, and she was a constant disappointment to them, while Poppy did everything they wanted of her, with some dire results. Salem and Rowdy find their way to friendship and more, with a lot of heat and fun interactions until they reach their happy ending. But there is a lot of drama before that happens, making this another unputdownable read. I can’t wait to read the last book in the series, but I’m also sad it is ending. Luckily, Crownover has many more series to explore.
2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
ROWDY by Jay Crownover. William Morrow Paperbacks (October 21, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062333056. 416p.
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