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    Axel
    Axel
    Axel
    Audiobook10 hours

    Axel

    Written by Grace Burrowes

    Narrated by James Langton

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Axel Belmont, though a wealthy and much-respected botanist, occasionally takes a turn serving as magistrate in his rural corner of Oxfordshire. When the owner of a neighboring estate is the victim of a homicide, Axel initially suspects the man's much younger wife, Abigail Stoneleigh, of committing the crime.

    But then Abby appears to be in harm's way, and Axel's investigation uncovers longstanding deceptions aimed at cheating her out of wealth and happiness. The solution to this deadly puzzle remains elusive, even as Axel captures Abby's heart and surrenders his own. Axel is a fine investigator, a devoted father, a brilliant scientist, (and an excellent kisser), but will he solve the mystery before the villain strikes again?

    Contains mature themes.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 24, 2017
    ISBN9781515981565
    Axel

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    Reviews for Axel

    4/5

    142 ratings17 reviews

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    • 4/5
      *Contains Few Spoilers*Axel is the first book in the Corps Security series by Harper Sloan. This author came on my radar last year with her second chance western trilogy that was the BOMB so after hearing the ladies at Scandalicious Chats, rave about this series and these kick ass military heroes that are the Corps Security I just knew that I needed to pick up Axel which is the first book in the series. And this series is through the Audible Romance Package so I was more than willing to grab this one up and boy this book put me through the wringer. I knew it was a bit darker, considering some of the elements that are introduced.This story is one of the second chance romances that you really gravitate towards because there are outer influences that tear this couple apart, although by the end you do think that there could have been more effort. However it begins with two high school sweethearts. Axel has been raised in foster homes all of his life, and can't wait to be free of them. Axel knows that he wants Isabelle for his, but it will cost them some time for him to join the military and go through basic training before they can marry. They love each other passionately and want to be together. But Isabelle never imagined that it would cost her hell and back before she would be reunited with Axel again. Because Isabelle hears word that Axel has been killed, and the baby she is pregnant with she loses through a miscarriage. Isabelle is now, trying to recover from an abusive marriage and trying to pave a new life for herself slowly. He was the only reason I survived at the hands of Brandon, I would just close myself off and think of him and the times we had together. He was my salvation in the darkest of the dark.She is a career woman, doing what she loves, and spending time with her two best friends who have been there for her when she really needed them when she was broken and damaged and they helped her pick up the pieces for her new life. But when her ex starts threatening her, her best friend Greg "Cage" brings in the cavalry, the men he fought with and would die for and the men that created the Corps Security firm. What Isabelle doesn't expect is that one of his friends, is a man she thought had been dead for years....Axel. Axel had believed that Isabelle had given up on them years ago and holds bitter feelings for her. But when she goes into shock, he realizes that there is more going on than a crazy ex and he needs to know the truth. The tensions are high between Axel and Isabelle, but once the truth comes out, they begin to rebuild their relationship and discovering the love they had for each other never died.This was a very heart wrenching tale, and I knew going in it was going to tear me apart inside and boy Harper Sloan really did that for me. But I am so glad that I read this book, it was REALLY good although the angst between Axel and Isabelle gets pretty intense, and boy at times I just wanted them to be more understanding and listen to each other instead of falling on past hurts, but really I understand why it was written this way but I really thought Axel was a bit jerkish when he sees Isabelle again and it takes a while before he redeems himself....but he DOES redeem himself in the end so I really enjoyed that. Not one day went by Izzy that my heart didn’t belong to you. To this day there has only been one woman that has and will ever hold it. Fuck, baby but the love I have for you is so fucking strong sometimes, I wonder if it will crush me Now on to the issue that I think needs to be addressed....this does feature a situation of Domestic Abuse and I am so glad that Harper Sloan went this angle. Because I feel like its such a vital issue in our society today and has been a problem for thousands of years. Lately I have heard many commentary (which this drives me nuts) where most people especially women, view women who are victims of domestic abuse as weak and this is just NOT true. I truly believe that we each have different levels of strength. There is a lot of manipulation involved and its not so simple as just leaving sometimes. I loved that Harper Sloan addressed this issue, because I do feel like it needs to be addressed and we as fellow human beings needn't be so judgemental on something we can't comprehend unless you go through it yourself. And Isabelle has gone through hell and back and some of it I have gone through myself, losing someone you love just about kills you and so I really understood Isabelle in ways that others don't understand her. I really liked her, because she did pick up the pieces of her life, and try to make a new life for herself. I admired Isabelle's strength and courage and tenacity. She finds new strength in herself, in her friendships and the love she finds again with Axel. We see them go through loss and reconnect again and its truly an emotional roller coaster from the joys to the sorrows. When you are with me I am free. My strength. My heart. My everything. Our love now continues forever. Overall I found this book to be a sensational read that worked me through all human emotion and gave back ten fold in its autenticity of swoony love, second chance love and a heartwarming if a bit angst romantic tale that is bound to curl your toes!!
    • 3/5
      Read this book so long ago that I cannot remember the details to add it more to my shelves, sorry.
    • 5/5
      Totally loved this book. Poor Izzy, that girl was put through the damn wringer, but I love how she fought back. I've been told the series just keeps getting better so on to book #2!
    • 4/5
      The Story of a young woman severely abused for years by her husband, and her reuniting with her first love. It is a story of rebuilding trust, communication and strength.This started out rough, it was a hard to read beginning. Abuse, extreme and demoralizing had me just about to delete it from my Kindle. It quickly jumped ahead to the aftermath of the horror and to a new chapter in this woman's life. It was necessary to the story, to understand her reactions and fears. I hate reading about abuse, but there was something about these characters that made me stay and see where they went. I'm glad I did, I enjoyed the story and loved the flawed characters.Iz, was left alone at a young age when the love of her life. Axel joined the Marines with promises of returning. She was left alone again when her parents died suddenly a short while later. This double loss was deepened by yet another great tragedy that would haunt her. Finding herself unable to contact Axel she learned of his death from his foster mother. This devastating blow set in motion a desperation for connection that drove her into the waiting arms of her arsewhip husband who took it upon himself to break her in every way possible.This was not the end of her story, she did not dwell in broken bones and dreams. Her friends stepped up held her up and walked her toward a future that could include happiness. The rebuilding if her missed life was sweet, heartbreaking and had some steamy sex.Holt, the amazing man with muscles on his muscles, is angry and shocked to she his Iz, acting so crazy. His life has never been the same since she ran off an married another man. When the pieces start coming together his vision turns to red and nothing will ever hurt his Iz again.This was a nice slow realistic build up relationship story. Every step had to be earned and it didn't come easy. I couldn't help but cheer for the characters and a few of the side ones too. Good people bad situation stories always work for me.** Trigger warning there is a lot of physical abuseI already ordered the rest of the books in the series
    • 4/5
      3 7/8 stars

      Good story but you could see what was coming from chapter two. It just took forever for Izzy to get around to talking to Axel. The supporting characters and and I were telling her to "get on with it!" Half the book was frustrating just waiting for her to talk to him.

      FYI: If typos and bad editing bother you skip this book.
    • 5/5
      4.5 stars!! Wow, I really liked it, a lot more than I was expecting. I believed the story and the connection between Izzy and Axel. HOT doesn't even begin to describe their relationship. More like combustible! I am going to go so far as to say the writing style was...wait for it...Kristen Ashley-ish!! (Gasp) Yes, I said it! Though it definitely was not in a copy cat/ imposter kind of way. It was respectable enough to stand alone and I dug it! NOTE: As a devoted KA fan this compliment is not given lightly!! Harper Sloan has managed to create her own world of my favorite type of sexy as hell, fist-pounding-on-tight-muscular-chest, territory marking, caveman Alphas and I can't wait to fall in love with them all! Were there some parts that weren't perfect- Yes, but but who cares!! Overall a great debut novel! Rock on Harper!
    • 3/5
      I'm giving it 3 stars cuz the sex was really hot, but Izzy was really annoying, maybe even more so than Ana from 50 Shades. Once she actually started talking to Ax, and they were clearly both confused, why didn't they just have the discussion?! No she wanted to get all pissy and come up with an excuse to not talk. She internally saw his face was confused, so she had to know that whatever she was told was lies, so why was she mad at Ax?! I don't mind a little naivete, but she was obnoxious!
    • 3/5
      I wasn't too enamored with this book. It had it's pluses, the hero was pretty hot, the plot was interesting enough.

      Everything was good enough, but I didn't like how useless the author made the guys. The bad guy was continually able to get to the heroine, and the guys weren't able to prevent or do shit about it. And even when they were able to get there to help, they didn't.

      So, I didn't like that about the books. Also didn't like how the bff wouldn't let the heroine wallow in misery, wouldn't let her keep secrets, but then turned around and did and kept her own. Hypocrisy pisses me off. I didn't like how June didn't get any retaliation, screw 'it's in the past'!!!

      I don't know, I enjoyed reading this book, mostly, but I wasn't really impressed with it.
    • 5/5
      Great book! Be prepared to cry during some parts.
    • 4/5
      I love a good romance and in all honesty that is what this book boils down to. Izzy and Axel are reunited at the absolute worst time and yet they totally find a way to make it okay.
    • 5/5
      Holy hell this is one of the best books I have read this year. I so cannot wait for the next book in the series . These guys are smokin' hot, tough and sexy as hell!!! Yummy......
    • 4/5
      4.5 crazy hot alpha guy stars.

      First of all, congratulations to Harper Sloan on her debut! And what a debut it was! She went full-stop with the hot alpha guy in this one! Love it! She can also write! And write well! For a debut novel, I was highly impressed!

      On to the book.

      The beginning of the book was hard to read. REALLY hard. I had read the reviews, I knew it was coming...but it was still HARD. I felt for Izzy and all she was going through. And I wanted to murder her husband with my bare hands. Izzy was so broken, so defeated, so lost.

      "That was the same day I decided fate hated me. No, she didn't hate me… she loathed me. People say karma is a bitch but I have news for you, karma doesn't have anything on fate when she is after your blood. Not a single thing."

      Thank God Izzy has an amazing friend in Dee. Dee pulls her out of her hell and brings her to safety and life. She also brings along Greg, who is the protector/best friend/angel she needs in her life. The two of them help Izzy recover (mostly)

      Izzy still has issues. A lot of them. She drinks way too damn much, she is depressed and you can tell she doesn't value herself. She lost the love of her life at a young age, settled and married a man who ruined her and is just a shell of a person.

      I gave up pleading to the the heavens years ago.Ten years to be exact.The day he walked out of my life.The day the sun stopped shining and my world turned gray.The day that my dreams turned into nightmares.I miss my dreams, the sun, and I miss him.

      Wait, love of her life? What? Oh...you mean Axel! The guy the joined the Marines and disappeared...never to return. HIM! What happened to him?

      Oh...he's back. He's back and he's not happy. At.All.

      Seems there were some wires crossed in Izzy and Axel land. Some foul play was at hand and some assumptions were made that kept them apart (and you know what they say happens when you assume!)

      So, we meet Axel. Axel who is all grown up and manly like now. Axel who is pissed at Izzy for not waiting for him, but also is still madly in love with her. (well, she is the love of his life, remember)

      "Seeing his face again is still a punch straight to the gut. It physically hurts to breathe. He looks so different than the boyish face I remember in my dreams, he is still Axel, but he looks harder."

      Yep, Axel is a man now. A hard, hot, powerful, protective man. Thank you Harper Sloan for the gift of Axel.

      To top it all off, we have an HEA. No cliffhanger, no waiting for months to find out what the hell happened. Just sweet, sweet happy ending and a promise of more hot guys to come.

      “Not one day went by Izzy that my heart didn’t belong to you. To this day there has only been one woman that has and will ever hold it. Fuck, baby but the love I have for you is so fucking strong sometimes, I wonder if it will crush me.”

      In summary - If you love alpha guys, if you love your stories wrapped up with a bow, if you are a fan of Kristen Ashley type books (you can tell that Harper Sloan is influenced by her!) ...you will love Axel. I definitely did and I can't wait for the next book in this hot series!!



    • 3/5
      I really wanted to love this story. but I just didn't for some reason. It started out so good and so emotionally gripping. But then it just lost it somehow. I get that fate can be a bitch as Izzy continually mentioned, but why is fate a bitch for bringing your true love back? i would of demanded answers immediately. The beginning is what gets one star. the others are for Axel, Greg, and Maddox. The only complaint I have with them, and this really drove me crazy, was how they talked. are they not capable of beginning a sentence correctly? It irritated me to pieces. I get they are all alpha male, manly men. That does not mean they need to speak caveman all the time. maybe i'm the only one who noticed but it drove me crazy. I will read the rest of the series because I really liked the other characters. Axel was hot, that is the reason I pushed through. Like I said I wanted to LOVE this book, but just didn't.
    • 5/5
      Harper Sloan has Kicked it out of this world with her Debut Novel of Axel. I knew with her love for alpha Men this would be good, BUT I did not expect it to be AWESOME !!!!!

      We all know alot of us love Kristen Ashley and her Alpha Men,We know She is THE author of Alpha Men, well let me tell you all something, Like I told Harper I truly believe Kristen Might have a little competition going on now. Harper has Brought us Alpha Men , HOT Military, Alpha Men but in a totally different way then Kristen has.

      I was hooked right from the Prologue of this book I literally started it, went to bed after 12am and was wide awake at 5am Because I needed to find out what was going on with Axel and Izzy. Harper truly knows how to write a story and keep you so engrossed in it that you simply do not want to put it down, BUT you also do not want it to end.




      Izzy, had an awesome upbringing, great parents, then one day Fate became her enemy. Fate has never been kind to her, she has been dealt with a major tragedy, the loss of her Boyfriend to The Military who promised he would come back for her but never did, Or did he?

      “Fate might hate me, but that doesn't stop me from hoping one day she forgets about her favorite chew toy. When that day comes I hope karma has some fun with that bitch fate”

      Izzy Lost alot all in the matters of weeks. Left heartbroken, with her parents gone, Izzy moves through her life in the motions as a shell of herself. When she meets Brandon and they get married she thinks she might have another chance. She soon finds out her husband is not all he is cut out to be and she lives 6 yrs of marriage with a cruel abuse man. After one horrible incident Izzy gets herself out and away from him.

      With the help of her Best friend Dee and her New best Friend Greg ( I LOVE Greg) Izzy starts to put her life back together one step at a time. She is trying to overcome demons, tragedy, and an abusive husband. Her husband is not letting her go easily and once an incident happens Greg decides to step things up and enlist the help of his Military Brother's.


      Holt( Axel) Reid. Did not have a great family life, living in foster care because his parents thought their next High was better then their child. Axel Decides at the age of 18 to enlist in the military to have a better life and to make sure that he and Izzy will have a happy life. When he left he promised her he would be back, he knew their love could survive their time apart. When Axel arrives home he finds Izzy gone. He does all he can to try to find her but in the end he can not find her. When he dies finally find info on her He feels the betrayal right to his heart.

      The girl ripped my heart to fucking shreds and I never knew why. It would have been quicker if she had stuck around and shot me in the fucking chest. At least I would have died instantly, instead of bleeding out slowly for the last twelve years.

      When one of his longtime Military brothers approaches him about helping a friend, Axel says he will help, but he has no idea he is about to come face to face with the woman he felt betrayed him yrs ago.


      Once they are reunited all the hurt, pain, and tragedy of yrs ago come back in full force. Izzy has things she needs to tell Axel. Axel has things he needs to say and he needs to listen to Izzy.

      Can these two people get through the heartache they felt yrs ago? Can they deal with the past and put it behind them to move forward and have a life together? Will Izzy be rid of her Abusive Husband once and for all?

      Your going to have to read it to find out the answers to these questions and many more.

      I have finally come to the realization that I’m not ready to let her go. Not again. And if I’m being totally honest with myself, I haven’t ever gotten over the fact that she was and always will be ‘it’ for me.




      Harper has brought us an amazing debut novel, with Love, romance, betrayal, sexy alpha men and hot sexy sex scenes. This is definitely a book you are going to want to add to your TBR list!!!!!

      I can not wait for the next one in this series. I need, No I WANT some more of Corps Sexy Alpha Military Men NOW !!!!!!


      ARC provided by author for an honest review
    • 3/5
      This is a story of lost love found again, two huge misunderstandings caused by someone horrible (he thought this and she thought that kind of thing), a psycho ex and a very hot guy.

      I liked that neither Axel nor Isabelle were guilty of something in the past (they were simply that jinxed), but she annoyed me so much I almost had to take a break. Still, I felt sorry for her most of the time. Axel is pretty much the very thing you saw in five-star reviews - he can't get any hotter even if he tried (he gets five stars).
    • 4/5
      I love a story about first love and young love.

      I love the primary and secondary characters.
      The story moved at a steady pace and kept my
      interest throughout.

      Be warned this story contains physical abuse
      and emotional abuse.

      Definitaly looking forward to next in series.

      3.75 stars!
    • 4/5
      This novel opens with a warning note from the author--"This book is intended for a mature reading audience and isn't suitable for younger readers. Brash language, sexual hotness, delectable alpha males, some violence and adult situations are all over this book."While I appreciate the warning, it just made me want to read it more! Isabelle West is a young woman living a nightmare. She is so deeply into this nightmare, she can't fight her way out. Brandon, her husband was kind, loving, gentle and charming when she fell in love with him. Happily married for way too short a time, the true Brandon emerged. Controlling, brain washing , and very abusive, the man she is married to now. Until one night he nearly kills her for her choice of what to make for dinner, and the fact she stole a few minutes to visit with her best friend Dee, which was forbidden. After recovering in the hospital, she is whisked away by Dee, and moved to a new city sharing a home, and hopefully staying under the radar from her husband. Two years go by, she has a successful business, loves living with Dee, and meeting friends who have her back. One being Greg, former marine and large, strong alpha male who has become a brother to her. Brandon refuses to sign divorce papers, and quickly proves he knows where she is. Her life is threatened.......again. Greg has a strong allegiance with fellow marines, and a group of his friends are opening a security business, Corps Security, in town. He gets their help to protect Izzy. Suddenly Izzy is face to face with the first man to break her heart twelve years ago, and who she believed was dead. I couldn't put the book down, the characters are amazing. It is gritty, heart pounding, and a beautiful love story. I would highly recommend this to readers who like alpha marines, and second chances. It appears that Ms. Sloan has another book in this series, and it will be a pre-order for me.4.5 stars!