Built by Jay Crownover

Built by Jay Crownover
Series: Saints of Denver #1
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: January 28th 2016
Source: Received from Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Sometimes you have to tear everything down to build something new…

Sayer Cole is frozen inside. At least, that’s what it’s felt like for as long as she can remember. She’s yet to let anyone past her icy exterior – and the one guy she thinks might melt her heart couldn’t possibly be interested in someone so uptight. 

Rough, hard and hot-as-hell, Zeb Fuller has rebuilt his life and his construction business since protecting his family sent him to jail all those years ago. His elegant client, Sayer, makes him feel like a Neanderthal in denim, but despite the many hints that he’s been dropping to get to know her better, she seems oblivious to his charms.

Just as things finally start to heat up, Zeb’s past comes back to haunt him and he needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. As these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, fire and ice collide in an unstoppable explosion of steam…

Built has just completely knocked every single new adult book I read in 2015 out of the park. I was lucky enough to receive an email with a copy of Built attached and I just couldn't wait to read it! 

Built follows Zeb - who we met in the Marked Men series - and Sayer - Rowdy's (Marked Men) sister. Sayer has grown up with walls around herself. Her father was never very supportive and always made her feel worthless, so Sayer has grown up trying to blend in and never doing anything to attract attention. Zeb has rebuilt his life after being sent to jail for protecting his family. He's rough around the edges, but has a heart of gold when it comes to his family and friends. Zeb and Sayer are complete opposites, but they both feel the chemistry between them. Just as things start to take a step forwards, Zeb gets a visitor who gives him some heart-wrenching news. Zeb and Sayer are thrown together as Sayer tries to help Zeb fight to prove himself. The more they work together, the more their chemistry grows. But can Sayer embrace herself, or will she lose Zeb and everything she's been working towards?

Sayer is probably my favourite of Jay Crownover's female characters. She's the one with the toughest journey, and I enjoyed seeing every single change. Sayer is cool, calm and collected. She likes everything neutral and bland, and tries to make herself blend in. But that all comes from issues Sayer had with her father. Her father never thought she was good enough and berated her for not being perfect. So Sayer did everything she could to hide herself. But she's beginning to realise that that isn't who she is. Sayer had a very long and emotional journey to discover who she really was, and I love every single moment of her self discovery.

Zeb has a very rough exterior, but a heart of gold. He found himself in jail a few years ago after protecting his family and he's been rebuilding his life ever since. He's also been helping other people who have been in jail for minor crimes try to make something of themselves. He's been working really hard and his life is back on track again, but then he gets some life-changing news that completely throws him upside down. Zeb had a massive journey to go on as well. He had to prove himself and show that he'd changed his life around.

The storyline of Built also made it my fvaourite. The characters also helped, but the storyline was so deep and emotional that I just got completely invested and couldn't put the book down. I couldn't wait to see how Zeb and Sayer's lives were going to progress and to see whether they'd ever be in the right places to be together.

Zeb and Sayer made a hufe impact on each other's lives and I adored reading their story. I can't wait to read Charged now, but I'm pretty sure nothing has the capacity to top Built for me. It was just that damn amazing.