Jagged by Kristen Ashley 
 Colorado Mountain #5 
 Published by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) - November 5, 2013 
 Contemporary Romance 
 4 Stars 
 Kristen Ashley has a style and tone in her books that is instantly recognizable. I could start reading one of her books blindly and I would know within a chapter that Kristen Ashley was the author. This can be great but it can also be a negative when the writing style begins to feel repetitive. At the same time her way of telling a story is very engaging and Jagged is no exception. 
 One thing that bugged me about Jagged was that the hero was an ex-lover of February, a pervious heroine. If you read her story, (For You), you read firsthand how into Feb, Graham Reece (Ham) seemed to be. Having that in your head puts the slightest damper on his story with Zara, though it is discussed and resolved in this book. I personally just prefer that ex-lovers of the main characters remain side characters. Speaking of side characters it was fun to see the familiar characters of Nina and Max from The Gamble in this story as it takes place in Gnaw Bone, their hometown. 
 So, when all was said and done, I really like Jagged. It's an entertaining and engrossing book. There are drama filled moments, sexy ones, sad ones and some very sweet ones. At the heart are the characters and Ham (Graham Reece), is the typical Kristen Ashley hero. He's tough, protective and can occasionally be a dick. His hero status starts out a little rough but he really pulls through and shines in Jagged. I wasn't sure he would be deserving of Zara at first but he proves himself to the characters in the book and to the reader. That's the talent of a good author. 
 Hams lady love, Zara is a lovely and strong heroine. She is a very likable character who has had it rough many times in her life but every time she manages to rise above and worked through it. For her, Ham has always been the one. But she knew she couldn't have him the way she needed so she let him go and she moved on. Jagged takes place after her attempt to move on has ended and she's hit some hard times. This book is about Zara overcoming the emotional drama currently hitting her hard and along the way finally getting her shot at happiness with the one she's always wanted. I enjoyed reading Zara and Ham's story and following along as they find their path to happily ever after. 
 Jagged is recommended to fans of Kristen Ashley and contemporary romance.