Seduce the teacher.
Meet the cousin.
Make a deal.
Steal the painting.
Andrea Anderson has no clue of the thoughts churning around in the dark and dangerous ex-con’s head as he enters her classroom. In fact, she’s momentarily lost for words. Not in her entire teaching career has she had a student who looked quite like Stu Cross.
A widow at just twenty-eight, love is something Andie hasn’t considered a part of her life for a very long time. However, when lingering touches turn to whispered words and hot, searching stares, she begins to wonder if maybe she should take a leap of faith.
But Stu is in her class for a reason, and it has nothing to do with love. He’s there to burrow his way into her life and repay a debt, otherwise his family will suffer. Andie is the first person to show him true kindness since he left prison, and though he doesn’t want to mislead her, he doesn’t have another choice.
Before long, Stu can’t tell whether or not he’s acting anymore, and his feelings for Andie could throw all of his carefully crafted plans into complete and utter disarray.
First of all there is nothing hotter than an East London Cockney accent. Gets me all hot and bothered. Now that that vital piece of information is out of the way let’s move on to the important things.
4.5 ‘It’s a clean slate or nothing’ Stars.
Andie Anderson is a widow at the young age of 28 years old. The dead spouse trope is always somewhat difficult for me. This oddly enough worked though.
After the loss and pain of losing her husband it has been tough going. She hasn’t been living. Only surviving. What with all her problems there is no wonder with all the pressure that she is under and not being able to tell anyone.
Although isn’t Andie Anderson a goody two shoes. She did me bloody nut in sometimes. Andie has saint like qualities which I think was taking a little bit too far but hey, just my opinion. Don’t get me wrong I liked Andie but when she was talking about being a teacher and trying to help people which is noble it’s just teachers really wanting to help their students is like finding the one and only magical unicorn.
Stu Cross has been out of prison he was in for two years. I owned up to his past mistakes and went to jail for Lee taking the fall. Poor sod went through a lot of things in jail and had to do what he had to survive and he did. After his release the favour that he has to do has been called in. Stu has a James Dean vibe to him and how you can’t help but love those Cross brothers. I loved Lee but I think I love Stu more. But then there is Trev and not to forget Liam, can I have all of them maybe?
Stu has had a tough upbringing. His family has had to do a lot to stay above board. He doesn’t see the talents that he has and well I just wanted to hug him and jump his bones half of the time it took Andie long enough to get her shite together.
Andie and Stu meet when Stu joins her class. She recognises his untapped potential and he can’t quite believe it. Stu comes on strong to Andie she tries to fight it but she can’t that is until she finds out Stu’s hidden agenda and they come up with a plan. Andie doesn’t get Stu’s advances but Stu begins to see that he handled the situation wrong and that he makes up for it in the ways that count and least and I’m not talking about the dosh.
Beneath Stu’s gruffness there is a really good guy. He warns Andie away on numerous accounts but he can’t not help flirt with her especially after the two year period of hell. Stu is the ultimate underdog and I was rooting for him the whole way. I get his reasons for doing what he did. And how he is with his feelings in the end is adorable and had me sighing.
“Nobody’s ever seen me like you do,” Stu went on whispering now. “Not even my brothers.” “You see me, too,” I replied, my voice shaky. “Like no one else does. What you just said means everything.”
I was starting to get bored until I found out that it was about pulling off a heist and the ultimate heist is pulled. Clever. I like clever books and well heist books as well. Who of us didn’t’ want to be Charlize Theron in The Italian Job?
I. am. A. Huge. L.H. Cosway. Fan. And I don’t think that it will change so soon. Ms. Cosway takes the most unlikely characters and makes it work and it works well. Stu and Andie couldn’t be any different.
This is one of my favourite series and I hope this is kept up as it would be a crying shame for it to go all tits up you know.
