This story starts out at the headquarters of a large athletic company with:
Jaxon – a fitness mogul, who is controlled, disciplined, and follows his plans. Has had to work hard and stay focused to get where he is.
Eli – an influencer, who is charismatic and laid-back, he rubs Jaxon the wrong way.
I’m going to start off talking about Ryan’s writing since his way with words, and describing scenes, really takes me right into the story, “The door creaked open with the elegance of a silently sneering villain in a play, and in strode Eli Martinez, his bright smile flashing like a summer storm breaking the gray clouds. ” What I love about the ways Ryan puts words together to describe scenes is that they really do allow me to envision what he’s describing, yet he doesn’t overdo it. “… “and yet the easy swagger with which he entered suggested a quiet confidence that bothered Jaxon more than it ought to.”
I can only imagine how Jaxon was feeling. He works so hard, then gets paired with Eli, his polar opposite. I get that feeling. You feel like you are fighting for everything, needing to keep things running in an organized way so things don’t run off the tracks. Then you are dealing with someone who doesn’t seem to have a care in the world. You don’t realize that under that laid-back exterior they have their own concerns and worries. Until you get to know someone you don’t get to see behind their mask, many times you may never be let in under the surface.
Eli calls Jaxon “Mr. Perfect Form.”
Jaxon says of Eli: “I’m preparing myself for the circus.”
They are offered a campaign together, the thought being their contrasting styles will make a good campaign. Jaxon – intense, no-nonsense, and Eli – light-hearted and accessible.
You can truly see Jaxon and Eli’s clash of styles during their first photo shoot. Jaxon posed, professional, knowing the importance of each move. Eli, on the other hand is casual to the point of seeming disinterested. Eli starts teasing Jaxon about being so serious. They start to pick at each other. Both seeming to know just what to say to each other to get a reaction. When the company executives realize things aren’t going well, they decide to send Jaxon and Eli on a weekend retreat to bond and connect. Obviously this doesn’t go over well with Jaxon and Eli, they both understand what a great opportunity this campaign is, but neither can imagine being able to bond with each other as one of the execs mentions.
When they get to the cabin Eli is already grating on Jaxon’s nerves. They start to go at each other again about their differences. As they stand just a few inches apart from each other, through the tension, there is also a pull they feel towards each other.
As they are pointing out each others flaws, I’m wondering about what made each of them the way they are. When reading this scene, the energy reminds me of the scene in the Pride and Prejudice movie where Darcy finds Lizzy in the rain, tells her all the reasons she’s not a suitable match as he proposes to her. As they have a heated exchange, the energy shifts for a moment, they look like they are about to passionately kiss, then Darcy pulls away. That is the energy I feel between Eli and Jaxon. These passionate, heated exchanges are about so much more than differing personalities. If it was just that, it would be much easier to push those thoughts away and just take the pictures for the campaign and be done with it. I think they both feel a pull towards each other from the start, and their arguments are a way of trying to push down their attraction.
Eli overhears Jaxon admitting his fears of failure on the phone with his mentor, Eli is surprised. We learn not just about what is driving Jaxon, but we also get hints into Eli, seeing he has much more depth than he lets others see. Eli feels drawn to Jaxon, maybe he sees a hint of something real under the wall of “perfection” Jaxon normally presents to the world. Eli lays out some of his own truth and insecurities to Jaxon. I’m really floored by this. To open up so fully to someone you’ve clashed with, that is so brave. Their first kiss is pure fire and passion, intense, and raw.
The main story has a delicious push and pull between Jaxon and Eli. They try to rebuild walls between each other, be professional, yet the pull they feel towards each other gets stronger. It’s like once they were honest with each other, once they gave into their attraction, they couldn’t ignore those feelings and go back to how things were before.
I’m really enjoying the energy between Jaxon and Eli during the final photo shoot, but this is where I’m going to stop for the main book, don’t want to give too much story away. A little surprise at the end gives me hope we’ll see more stories about Jaxon and Eli in the future.
Steeled Heart: Jaxon’s Story is a bonus Ryan sends to his subscribers.
I’m already connecting with Jaxon in the first chapter. I used to watch wrestling meets in high school, and even would go on the players bus with a couple of my friends when they had away matches.
Ryan is really good at writing characters with depth and stories that feel real, not contrived. I find myself looking for these little threads and pieces about his characters that tell me more about what they’ve been through. I do find myself drawn to the buttoned up characters like Jaxon. Then, when I get to read the bonus story I’m like “Whoa, I get it now.” My story is different than Jaxon’s, though some is similar. My dad used to show up at my soccer games drinking beer and yelling when I made a good kick or goal. If it was hot, he would take off his shirt, beer belly hanging out, yelling “That’s my girl!” I can relate to what Ryan put about Jaxon’s dad “shouting embarrassing encouragement.” I know that pull between wanting a parent supporting me and knowing it’s most likely going to be embarrassing instead.
Reading about Jaxon’s history really allowed me to connect with him. He’s so earnest, and when he’s betrayed you feel heartbroken for him. It’s helps you understand where his disciplined work ethic comes from. I highly recommend Heated Rivalry and Jaxon’s story Steeled Heart.