The Gamble

( 169 )

Overview

"I adore Kristen Ashley's books!"—-Maya Banks, New York Times bestselling author

Love is the greatest gamble of all . . .

Nina Sheridan desperately needs a timeout vacation. With a fiancé who can't even remember how she takes her coffee, Nina wants some distance to rethink her engagement. Flying halfway around the world from England to a mountain town in Colorado should do the trick. But when she finds a ...

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The Gamble

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More About This Book

Overview

"I adore Kristen Ashley's books!"—-Maya Banks, New York Times bestselling author

Love is the greatest gamble of all . . .

Nina Sheridan desperately needs a timeout vacation. With a fiancé who can't even remember how she takes her coffee, Nina wants some distance to rethink her engagement. Flying halfway around the world from England to a mountain town in Colorado should do the trick. But when she finds a gorgeous man at her rental cabin, Nina's cold, lonely adventure suddenly heats up.

The owner of the house, Holden "Max" Maxwell is surprised by the beautiful woman who turns up at his door. But when Nina becomes ill, Max spends days nursing her back to health. A private man with a broken heart, Max finds himself drawn to the strong-willed woman. Soon it becomes impossible for Nina and Max to deny their growing attraction to one another. Yet even as these two wounded lovebirds think about taking a chance on a relationship, a dangerous secret from Max's past emerges-and threatens to end their love for good.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
04/14/2014
Ashley’s first Colorado Mountain contemporary introduces readers to a unique hero—a 21st-century mountain man whose tough exterior hides a vulnerable, caring heart. Nina Sheridan needs a break from her life in England with her fiancé, so she books two weeks at a house in the Colorado mountains. After driving through a snowstorm and arriving in a feverish haze, Nina is upset to learn that the home’s owner, Holden “Max” Maxwell, is in residence due to the rental agent’s error. After he nurses her through her illness, the two engage in frequent bickering and intensely sensuous love scenes . Their romance is fraught with baggage from Max’s previous relationships and mystery surrounding the murder of a local man. Nina and Max are affable protagonists, though Max’s machismo sometimes overshadows Nina’s sense of independence. Despite the novel’s length, it moves at a swift pace with plenty of sizzling passion, romantic angst, and a touch of suspense. (June)
From the Publisher
"Ashley delivers a deeply emotional second installment of the Chaos contemporary romance series (after Own the Wind)... Punctuated by blistering-hot sex scenes and fascinating glimpses into the tough world of motorcycle clubs, this romance also delivers true heart and emotion, and a story that will stay with the reader long after the final page is turned."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review, on Fire Inside

"I adore Kristen Ashley's books!"—Maya Banks, New York Times bestselling author

"Kristen Ashley's books are addicting!"—Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author

"[Kristen] Ashley captivates."—Publisher's Weekly

"With Brock's raw side contrasted with Tess's innocence, Wild Man delivers a passionate, opposites-attract romance."—Patricia Smith, Booklist

"There is something about them [Ashley's books] that I find crackalicious."—Kati Brown, DearAuthor.com

"I felt all of the rushes, the adrenaline surges, the anger spikes... my heart pumping in fury. My eyes tearing up when her my heart (I mean... her heart) would break." (On Motorcycle Man)
—Maryse's Book Blog, Maryse.net

Patricia Smith - Booklist
"With Brock's raw side contrasted with Tess's innocence, Wild Man delivers a passionate, opposites-attract romance."
Kati Brown - DearAuthor.com
"There is something about them [Ashley's books] that I find crackalicious."
Maya Banks
"I adore Kristen Ashley's books!"
Maryse's Book Blog - Maryse.net
"I felt all of the rushes, the adrenaline surges, the anger spikes... my heart pumping in fury. My eyes tearing up when her my heart (I mean... her heart) would break." (On Motorcycle Man)
Jill Shalvis
"Kristen Ashley's books are addicting!"
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781455599059
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date: 5/27/2014
  • Series: Colorado Mountain Series
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 688
  • Sales rank: 39556
  • Product dimensions: 4.20 (w) x 6.70 (h) x 1.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake.

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

You can learn more at:
KristenAshley.net
Twitter @KristenAshley68
Facebook.com/kristenashleybooks

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 169 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(108)

4 Star

(45)

3 Star

(9)

2 Star

(6)

1 Star

(1)
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 170 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Apr 17 00:00:00 EDT 2013

    Im moving

    That's it! I'm packing up and moving to Colorado. I LOVE MAX!!! There has got to be one of him out there somewhere. This was a good, fun read. It got a little tedious towards the end but nevertheless entertaining.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Thu May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    The Gamble was my first introduction to Kristen Ashley. After co

    The Gamble was my first introduction to Kristen Ashley. After concluding it is absolutely guaranteed that I am her newest fan. This story in particular follows Max and Nina. Two completely unique and different characters. Max being the mouth watering mountain man, and Nina as the English conservative definition of a woman are a very unlikely pair. All concerns are laid to rest from the first encounter. Nina and Max are like fire and dynamite, and the story that concludes will rock readers to their core. Max and Nina meet in another very unlikely situation when she pays for a two week vacation in the mountains; only to find the owner is home and the vacation will be canceled. When is terrible sickness overcomes Nina the most unlikely character rises to the occasion with tender love and care. This is the beginning of roller coaster ride that left me breathless. What starts out primarily as a romance soon shifts when a suspense novel. When a murder hits close to home everyone in this sleepy town becomes a suspect. As Max and Nina's relationship grows, she rapidly gaining friends from this little town. Although, with the good always comes bad and not everyone is excited for Nina to be in Gnaw Bone. Nina's vacation soon becomes overwhelming ride, and this little timeout just might end up costing her more than the plane tickets or cabin reservations.

    As you can obviously tell I loved this story. From start to finished Nina and Max offer a thrilling and intense story that will see you through to the very end. As a avid reader and a book blogger I am required to be honest and open minded. Therefore, I must recognize where there is room for improvement and review accordingly. There were a couple things that stood out about this novel that was easily overlooked because it was so absolutely incredible, but to create a truly honest review I am going to address them here. As this was such an action packed novel it was very noticeable any time the story seems to slow down. Every so often this seemed to happened throughout the story, and it gave me moments that felt like I was dragging through the story. It was not enough to cause me any real heartbreak, but it was enough that it will be noticed. Secondly, I noticed that Nina's character was a little wishy washy at moments. For someone that was built as strong and independent; she had a few moments that I was ready to throttle her. As these were very few moments; it too was easy to overlook, but they were there none the less. Lastly, and was the one I noticed the most. Almost every time Max says something to Nina she has one response, "Sorry?". I could have handled the simple fact of her making him repeat himself as though what she heard was a shocked. Though every single time she said that same one word, "Sorry?". There are an abundance of other things that could have been said in it's place such as: pardon me, excuse me, can you repeat that, anything. This appeared so frequently, that I noticed the response losing its effect at portraying the characters response.

    Even with a few concerns this book is a newest BOOKWHISPERER FAVORITE. I can not wait to see where the next book in the series will take us. With a five star read like The Gamble I can't wait to see what this author has up her sleeve.

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Jul 08 00:00:00 EDT 2013

    Sorry? What? Sorry?...

    ...is pretty much the only thing the main female character said throughout the whole book. That, and "Max, let me go!" and then he doesn't do what she asked and then she says, "Sorry? What?" again. I did not finish this book. Normally i like this author but her last few books I have read it is the same things. The main female character doesn't understand when somebody says something or asks her a question. Then, the main male character doesn't listen to anything she says and restrains her. I'm kinda over it. :-(

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Mar 21 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    The Gamble

    I enjoyed this book because it was different from the so many others I've read. Like other reviewers I had to get used to the way Kristen wrote but it didn't take long.

    The banter was very good between the two main characters but towards the end it started getting on my nerves a little. Its a long ebook but enjoyable.

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Mar 18 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    Loved!!!

    A great romance story set in Colorado.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Feb 13 00:00:00 EST 2012

    Excellent

    Recommended

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Apr 26 00:00:00 EDT 2013

    OMG loved this book

    Another great one by KA. I love all her books, but this one had such a deep story and the characters were amazing. Highly recommend this and all of Kristen Ashley's books. I haven't read one I didn't like yet!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Apr 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013

    Awesome

    Amazing, funny, and very romantic!

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sat Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2012

    what a surprise

    I bought this book on a whim and am so glad I did. It is 1466 pages of fun. Nina needs a couple of weeks time out from her fiance who doesn't treat her like a loved woman should. The adventure starts immediately when the cabin she rented is already occupied. Her life changes completely within the first day and never stops in the 2 week period. The story is told from Nina's thoughts only. It was refreshing not bouncing from character to character thoughts. The author did use a lot of 'then' they did this and 'then' and 'then' but it also gave for a very vivid scene. The journey of Nina and her Mountain Man (yummy) was truly wonderful and sexy. I only wish I had a man who called me every sweet pet name and couldn't keep his hands off me. :) Please don't hesitate to get this book. I will be reading the next "Sweet Dreams" from This author. Wonderful Ms. Ashley.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    I just love this series! Kristen Ashley is an amazing writer!!!

    I just love this series! Kristen Ashley is an amazing writer!!! Nina is by far my favorite and I love their story!!! 

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    I absolutely loved this book, THE GAMBLE. The characters were d


    I absolutely loved this book, THE GAMBLE. The characters were delightful and the story kept me reading until I just wanted to finish it.

    I went back and reread the book 3 times in the last month. Then I went to Barnes & Noble and purchased LADY LUCK, SWEET DREAMS,BREATHE, and JAGGED. I enjoyed all of them, but my favorite ones were THE GAMBLE and LADY LUCK. I look forward to KALEIDESCOPE being released in print. I hope that Ms. Ashley will continue the Colorado Mountain Series. It is such a beautiful state to write a story setting. Please keep writing about those romantic Macho Mountain Men in your books. I know there has to be some Maxes and Ninas in the world.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Sep 12 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    The Gamble

    470 pages - interesting story

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Lovved it!

    Was a great book

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  • Posted Wed Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    For some reason I found myself in a book funk and you know who

    For some reason I found myself in a book funk and you know who I always turn to when I need to get out of one of those, Kristen Ashley. The next up on my to be read list is the Colorado Mountain series so I picked up book one, The Gamble.

    I wasn’t sure if I would love the Colorado Mountain Series so I was a little hesitant going into The Gamble. Of course I was worried for nothing, The Gamble is great. By 2% in my first reading note mentions how I already love them both. And I did, I really did. Kristen Ashley not only writes a great alpha, but I love most of her heroines too. There are no Annas to be found here, that’s for sure.

    I loved our hero Max. My all time favorite Kristen Ashley alpha is Hawk from Mystery Man and Max came so close to unseating Hawk from that title. In the end, Hawk buys shoes and isn’t that what ever leading lady needs? Regardless of shoe buying Max is in my top five Kristen Ashley heroes, he is book boyfriend material for sure. Max is so sweet, protective, and alpha all mixed into one great combination. I have half of his conversations highlighted because every time he opened his mouth he was saying something just so wonderfully alpha.

    There were a few times when I was upset with some things regarding Max’s past and it made me wonder if I could ever support him being fully in a relationship with Nina, but you know what, Nina handled it wonderfully and in the end I think these two are a great couple. Kristen was able to take a topic that I normally would not like reading about Loss of a previous spouse. I don’t like when I have to wonder who the hero loved more, the current girl or the lost wife/girlfriend and turned it into a five star book for me with a book boyfriend. I have no doubts on them as a couple.

    I wasn’t just in love with Max, I also really liked our heroine Nina. Sure, there were some times when I wanted to shake the kindle and her a bit, but really when don’t I want to take out a heroine or two? There were a few times that Nina would say something or make a decision that I just thought was sad. She deserved more and I’m glad in the end she not only sees that herself but gets it as well. It also takes her long enough to remove a certain piece of jewelry, I was like “about damn time chick”, but at least she makes the right choice in the end.

    The Gamble was just a great book it has everything I need in a Kristen Ashley book, action, suspense, humor, a hot alpha, great story plot, everything in that perfect blend. I think I was smiling from the first sentence to the final word, it was really just that good of a book.

    I can’t wait to read the next Colorado Mountain series book, Sweet Dreams, but as always I’m going to hold off so I can spread the Kristen Ashley love out. I would gorge read all her stuff if I didn’t restrain myself, so it’s best to space it out. If you live under a rock and don’t know who Kristen Ashley is even after all my pimping attempts check out all her books and our reviews here.

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  • Posted Fri Jun 27 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    i read this after the rock chick series and let me tell you.. i

    i read this after the rock chick series and let me tell you.. i could not believe how good it was. im in love with max. gosh... i need to go out to colorado and find someone like that.

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  • Posted Sat Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    A contemporary romance with a hint of mystery/suspense, The Gamb

    A contemporary romance with a hint of mystery/suspense, The Gamble is the 1st book in Kristen Ashley’s Colorado Mountain series.

    Nina Sheridan wants a timeout from her life. She wants an adventure. She needs distance from her clueless fiancé, distance to decide whether she wants to spend the rest of her life with a man who doesn't care enough to learn how she takes her coffee. Who doesn’t listen to her when she speaks to him about things that bother her deeply, or how it upsets her that nothing ever seems to get through to him. Who, when she travels, isn’t bothered by whether or not she arrives safe and sound to her destination, or whether she checks in with him. A man who, after telling him she needed a two week timeout to think about their relationship, their future, and having explained to him exactly what a timeout means, didn’t stop her from leaving for an adventure in the Colorado Mountains.

    Arriving in a blinding snowstorm at the beautiful A-Frame she’d rented for two weeks, Nina finds her rental is currently occupied by the owner—the most amazing man she’s ever seen. Who, minutes later, kicks her out of his house telling her there’s been a mistake and that there’s a hotel down the mountain, in town, where she can stay. Beyond angry, because she'd just traveled for seventeen plus hours to a different country in a different time zone to start her timeout adventure, not to mention it’s late, dark, snow is falling and the roads are treacherous, she has hundreds of dollars’ worth of groceries in her rental car, she’s tired, and feels a head cold coming on, Nina reluctantly heads back down the mountain. But hitting a patch of snow covered ice she loses control of the car and slides into a ditch. Unable to extricate herself, exhausted, and not feeling well, she takes some nighttime cough medicine and falls asleep in the backseat hoping that someone would eventually happen upon her.

    After phoning the hotel to make sure Nina had arrived safely, and discovering she had not, Holden “Max” Maxwell goes in search of her. Having lapsed into a fever so bad she was delirious, Max spends two days nursing her back to health, then spends the next two weeks trying to convince her to take her Colorado adventure further by taking a gamble on him. But Max has a past, and when the most detested resident in the small town of Gnaw Bone is murdered—a man everyone has motive to kill, especially Max—that past comes back to haunt him.

    While I enjoyed the read overall, it contained a lot of inconsequential filler, which caused the story to drag on at times. Luckily, I found myself immersed enough in the plot to keep reading. Beyond the fact the story could use a little trimming, there were plenty of likeable, quirky secondary characters—the town of Gnaw Bone, Colorado is small—really small—so, everybody knows everything about everyone.

    Nina was a strong, independent character who was feisty, charming and slightly neurotic, yet very quick-witted. She has a tough time fighting her attraction to Max, especially when it seems all of his friends, her mother, her stepfather and the whole town of Gnaw Bone want them together. Max was all alpha-male—protective, possessive, and domineering, yet equally caring and affectionate. I would have liked a little more mystery/suspense in the storyline, but hey, that’s just my personal preference. A sweet, sexy, steamy read, The Gamble is an entertaining story with a satisfying HEA, including a heartwarming epilogue.

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  • Posted Sat Apr 12 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    Excellent! I love, love, love this story! I love the way it is w

    Excellent! I love, love, love this story! I love the way it is written. The language of the characters really make them come to life. 5* Now I'm onto "Sweet Dreams'.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Annonymous

    Annoying that Max has to repeat everything he says. Annoying thst Nina was always saying 'Sorry?' Did she have a hearing problem.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Mar 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Highly Recommend!

    If you have never read Kristen Ashley this is a great place to start! The Gamble is probably the closes thing to "sweet" that K.A. writes but with enough edge that it won't shock the more timid reader. Great book, worth reading more then once.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Feb 13 00:00:00 EST 2014

    Correction

    Sorry but my previous three star rating was for The Gamble not Breathe. I enjoyed Breathe a lot and rated it a five!

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