Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Harlequin Hero: Dionysios Alexiakis Heroine: Eleanor Morgan Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: November 01, 1999 Started On: June 28, 2023 Finished On: July 02, 2023
He tasted like water after a long summer drought. He created a thirst she had never known she had.
First published in November 1999, Expectant Bride by Lynne Graham is a captivating romance that delves into the complexities of love, trust, and redemption, Ms. Graham style. The story explores the angst-ridden relationship that develops between 29-year-old Greek billionaire Dionysios Alexiakis (Dio) and 21-year-old Eleanor Morgan (Ellie) on a chance encounter that upends both their lives in a way neither thought possible.
Ellie is a woman with a mission, working towards the goal of opening her own bookstore someday. Working on the cleaning crew at the building where Dio houses his office headquarters, Ellie and Dio’s first encounter is one that is fraught with misunderstandings when Ellie, trying to avoid harassment from a young man who works at the building, inadvertently overhears sensitive business information and is subsequently discovered by Dio. Forced to accompany Dio to Greece while he sorts out and closes the deal he has been working on, thus Ellie is forced into the life of the powerful and unapologetic womanizer that Dio is.
As Dio’s suspicions regarding Ellie seems to mount, so does the red hot passion that flares to life between the two, a facet of their relationship that neither relishes at the beginning. However, desire of the kind that Dio and Ellie have to contend with is the kind that refuses to be denied and even with the misgivings between the two, Dio and Ellie succumbs to the temptation, leading to consequences which neither bargains for.
While I did find Ellie’s character to be a bit childish at times, Ellie does try hard to exert her independence with a man who is used to getting his way. Dio is a complex character, whose dominant personality and emotional scars from the past adds a compelling edge to the story. Ellie’s softer side and empathy goes a long way towards accepting Dio, scars and all, while at the same time, Dio himself has to go through some soul searching to be able to accept the side of himself that is vulnerable to Ellie.
As is usual, Ms. Graham’s mastery when it comes to depicting the intense attraction and deep emotional connection that is forged through the turmoil that is the beginning of Dio and Ellie’s relationship is well done. The emotional intensity of the story is balanced with moments of tenderness and vulnerability, creating a well-rounded and immersive reading experience. The dialogue is sharp and often laden with underlying tension, perfectly capturing the nature of Ellie and Dio’s relationship.
I believe that what worked for me was how both Ellie and Dio grew out of their initial selves to become better and more emotionally well-adjusted individuals towards the end, making their happily ever after a believable one, one that I rooted for.
Recommended for those who love passionate romances crafted by Ms. Graham. This one too is no exception to that standard.
Final Verdict: Expectant Bride is a captivating romance driven by complex characterization, emotional intensity, & the compelling style of writing that Ms. Graham is synonymous with, making this a memorable read!
Favorite Quotes
‘Make your mind up.’ Dio’s dark drawl was urgent with stress and tension, pure, masculine need stamped on his lean dark features. ‘I’m not made of steel and I am burningfor you…’ Ellie’s taut hands quivered under his. She just couldn’t take her eyes off him. His intensity melted her deep down inside. ‘I want you too…so much.’ Dio settled her gently back onto the mattress. ‘I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do, pethi mou.’ ‘Of course not, but—’ ‘Open your mouth for me,’ he urged raggedly. And she did, taking instant fire from that passionate onslaught.
He slid over her, rearranging her with urgent hands. She clashed with blazing eyes and exulted in her femininity, sensing his control was as ragged as her own was non-existent. Fierce hunger seethed in her shamelessly at that instant. She would have walked through fire to lie under him. And then he plunged into her, and the sharp, wrenching pain of that passionate invasion startled her into crying out in surprise. Dio stilled. Stunned black eyes looked down into hers. ‘Cristos…you can’t be!’ he exclaimed. ‘Not any more…’ Something primitive flared then in his tense gaze. ‘You like shocking me, don’t you?’
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Harlequin Hero: Joaquin Francisco Del Castillo Heroine: Lucinda Paez Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: September 26, 2000 Started On: June 23, 2023 Finished On: June 28, 2023
‘Desire is rarely so immediate as it is between us. That intrigues me, but it won’t hold me. Don’t fantasize about a future beyond tomorrow…’
Don Joaquin’s Pride by Lynne Graham brings to readers a passionate and tumultuous romance set against the backdrop of Guatemala’s lush landscape and delivers on the kind of intensity between the main protagonists that Ms. Graham is renowned for in her novels. First published in September 2000, the novel is about the fiery relationship as it unfolds between 30 year old Joaquin Francisco Del Castillo, a proud and intense billionaire industrialist, and 22 year old Lucinda Paez, a young woman caught in a web of deception and desire.
Lucinda, known as Lucy, is thrust into a precarious situation when her twin sister, Cindy, requests her help in impersonating her. Cindy’s motives are far from altruistic, and given the complicated history between the twins, Lucy succumbs to the emotional “blackmail” that Cindy is so effective in wielding.
From the onset of her arrival in Guatemala, Lucy is thrust into close proximity with the intense and complex man that Joaquin is. Lucy who has had very little experience with men, much less men of Joaquin’s worldliness and caliber, finds herself helplessly ensnared in the web of desire that holds her enthralled, while Joaquin makes it no secret of his distrust towards her. The case of impersonation of identity keeps Lucy at a position of disadvantage, even as the passion between Joaquin and Lucy builds and Lucy finds herself falling in love for the very first time in her life.
Ms. Graham as always, excels in the portrayal of the internal conflicts and the evolving dynamics between the main characters, with a side of secondary characters who add nuances to the story. While Joaquin himself is a formidable and deeply conflicted man driven by principles of justice, his mistrust towards Lucy is understandable given the main conflict and confrontations between the two that drives the narrative forward.
Lucy herself is no heroine of the doormat variety. However, given her emotional vulnerabilities and guilt when it comes to her twin Cindy, these facets to her character renders her ineffective when it comes to gaining equal footing with Joaquin, whose pride itself is a force to be reckoned with. Ms. Graham is skillful in the way she portrays Lucy’s emotional vulnerabilities and her unexpected attraction to Joaquin, adding layers of depth to their passionate encounters.
The novel’s setting in Guatemala adds richness to the story, with vivid descriptions of the country’s landscapes and cultural nuances enriching the backdrop against which Joaquin and Lucy’s romance unfolds. Ms. Graham’s attention to detail (not too much because that tends to bog a story down with unnecessary details) brings the setting to life, offering readers a sensory experience that enhances the emotional intensity.
However, while Don Joaquin’s Pride excels in its portrayal of complex characters and compelling conflicts, some may find the story line occasionally predictable. But I believe that it is at times, this predictability itself that makes a story worth your while, based on your mood as a reader.
Recommended for fans of Lynne Graham’s intense romance novels. Joaquin is as intense a hero as any.
Final Verdict: Don Joaquin’s Pride offers a captivating romance with passionate protagonists in a lush setting as the backdrop, delivering a satisfying blend of emotional depth and romance!
Favorite Quotes
Their eyes met. An infinitesimal little tremor ran through Lucy. Her heart skipped a beat, began thundering in her ears instead. Green like emeralds, green like fire. A thought which didn’t make any sense at all, but then nothing that Lucy experienced in that moment had anything to do with normal thought. She watched the colour score his fabulous cheekbones with a level of wonderment that was undeniably mindless. Insidious heat curled up in the pit of her stomach, making her suck in her breath and blink, and at the same moment she blinked he turned away.
Joaquin Del Castillo was a male of innate and fascinating contradictions, Lucy acknowledged sleepily. Fiercely proud and icily self-contained in his hostility towards her, yet too honourable, it seemed, to make her suffer unnecessary discomfort. Against the backdrop of the flaming sunset, he stood over her like a huge black intimidating shadow. ‘You look like the devil,’ she whispered, with a drowsy attempt at humour. ‘I will not take your soul, señora…but I have every intention of stripping you of everything else you possess.’ Stray words fluttered in the blankness of Lucy’s brain. They did not connect. They did not make sense. With a soundless sigh of relief, Lucy sank into the deep, dreamless sleep of exhaustion.
‘The word you use with me is sí…it means yes, and I like to hear it,’ Joaquin Del Castillo confided in a deep dark drawl that rasped down her spine like sandpaper on silk, and he drew her in to him and banded his arms round her narrow ribcage instead. ‘Say it for me…’ A strange all-pervasive ache stirred deep in Lucy’s pelvis, wiping out her ability to concentrate. ‘No—’ ‘Sí…’ Joaquin instructed, slowly crushing her swelling breasts into the hard wall of his chest, one strong arm sliding down her back to curve round her hips and hold her fast as he studied her with flaming mesmeric intensity. ‘Dios…you will say it to please me.’
His dark head lowered to capture her exploring forefinger between his lips. Lucy watched him in shaken fascination. A soft gasp was dragged from low in her convulsing throat. Every pulse in her treacherous body went crazy as he gently sucked, silken black lashes almost hitting his cheekbones. Like ice cream on a hot stove she could feel her flesh melting over her bones in a sweet, strong agony of need so new to her experience it overwhelmed her defences. ‘Sí…’ Joaquin prompted thickly as he lifted his arrogant dark head. ‘Sí…’ Lucy framed without even knowing what she was saying, utterly enthralled by the wash of agonising sensation pulsing up inside her.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Harlequin Hero: Dane Visconti Heroine: Claire Fletcher Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: August 01, 1987 Started On: June 18, 2023 Finished On: June 23, 2023
Initially published in 1987, Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a novel that thrusts readers into the tumultuous world of Claire Fletcher and Dane Visconti, where passion collides with pride, and misunderstandings ignite an inferno of emotions.
The story opens with the funeral of Adam Fletcher, a man whose death sets in motion a chain of events that unravel the tightly wound lives of those left behind. Claire Fletcher, his adopted granddaughter, is forced to choose between what her heart desires; i.e., follow the love of her life Max or marry one of her cousins for her inheritance.
Claire had never received any affection from the man who had taken her in at a tender age, making it a point to be cruel to her and keep her at an emotional distance. Claire had been forced to sacrifice her own happiness when Adam had taken ill, and his death, while it should have freed her to pursue her own happiness, brings forward more responsibilities.
The novelty of the story lies in how it is Claire that proposes a marriage of convenience to Dane Visconti, the estranged grandson of Adam, whose reputation precedes himself. Dane’s return to the family home ignites sparks of disdain among the Fletcher clan, yet Claire sees in him a solution to her predicament.
While Dane is at first contemptuous regarding Claire’s proposal and sees it as an extension of her crush on him from long back, Dane finally agrees to what she proposes on certain conditions. From the onset, Dane and Claire’s coming together is fraught with misunderstandings and of course, passion. Their ensuing marriage, shrouded in secrecy, when exposed to the prying eyes of the media, adds another layer of distrust to the battleground that is the union between Dane and Claire.
While Claire believes herself to be in love with Max, her internal conflict stems from the effect Dane has on her, his magnetic presence and his sexuality that plays havoc with her emotions. Dane, whose character is more explosive in nature in comparison to Claire, is often driven to the edge by Claire and her seemingly unaffected nature, when she is anything but.
While Claire’s emotional scars are all too vividly portrayed, Dane is a harder nut to crack. However, Claire does have help in understanding Dane’s complex and multi-faceted character, a boy who had been just as emotionally deprived as Claire had been as a young girl growing up in the household of a man who had always made it well known who she was to him.
While I enjoyed the building blocks of the story which had all the hallmarks of a Lynne Graham novel, I felt that the novel faltered in its execution. The prolonged separations between Claire and Dane, fueled by pride and miscommunication, diluted the impact of their passionate encounters. While the underlying chemistry between the characters is palpable, it was not enough to give the novel that oomph factor which I expect from most of Ms. Graham’s work, especially her earlier ones.
Recommended for fans of Ms. Graham’s earlier works. Even though this did not work for me, it just might for you.
Final Verdict: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a compelling tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption which offers romance of the raw and intense variety.
Favorite Quotes
In that storm there was only Dane and a flashfire desire that burned in her very bones until she was crying, gasping she knew not what and he gazed down at her in masterly and triumph when she was quite blind to such calculation, her abandonment drawing an answering shudder from the hard, virile length of his body. For the merest instant he hesitated and she collided with the febrile glitter in his beautiful eyes before he possessed her and even the pain did not prevent that instantaneous explosion of pleasure that shattered her into a thousand pieces.
He carried the caress down over the flat tightness of her belly and her clenched hands unfurled and curled again as his tormentingly expert fingers located the silken triangle of her desire. She thought later that she cried out his name in protest, because this was no gentle, gradual seduction that respected her inexperience. He racked her with hunger and her hands wove over his sweat-dampened skin in tortured circles while he slowly sank deep into her, possessing her degree by degree until her nails dug into his shoulders, her head falling back in ecstasy. Ironically it was wilder and more earth shattering than it had ever been before. Dane ran a possessive finger across the fullness of her lower lip afterwards, while she still trembled against him. ‘This is what I can give you, and don’t tell me it’s not enough, when I see you like this.’
‘I ought to go back to bed.’ Her eyes lingered on him, then swerved away. ‘I thought you were with Mei Ling.’ ‘Would it have bothered you if I had been?’ he countered cynically. ‘Yes!’ Angered, she stood her ground. ‘I don’t have to be jealous to find promiscuity offensive,’ she flared. He caught her to him with powerful hands. ‘Is that a dog-in-the-manger attitude, or something more?’ Hard amusement brimmed in his bright chilling gaze. ‘It’s a very awkward situation.’ ‘Awkward?’ Her control appeared to antagonise him. Then he laughed softly and took her tender mouth fiercely, and she went under as if she was drowning, trading him kiss for kiss, guided only by raw hunger. His hand thrust up her jersey and closed over the pointed swell of her breast and she gasped, her knees threatening to buckle under her as her body surged wantonly against the lean, masculine lure of his.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novella Genre: Historical Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press Hero: Alistair Darcourt Heroine: Lady Elspeth of Gaveland Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: December 15, 2011 Started On: June 07, 2023 Finished On: June 18, 2023
His smile was unnerving. He knelt down on the bed, leaning over her, and he seemed huge and dark and smothering as he blocked out the moonlight. “Indeed, I do just as I please,” he said. “You’re my destiny, Elspeth of Gaveland. Or my curse. It remains to be seen.”
Anne Stuart’s The High Sheriff of Huntingdon is a historical romance novella that draws the reader into a world of power, intrigue, and passion. The novel opens with the forced marriage of Alistair Darcourt, the High Sheriff of Huntingdon, to the young 22 year old Lady Elspeth of Gaveland.
Married by proxy and having spent the last eight years in a convent, Elspeth is thrust into a new life filled with uncertainty and danger, even unknowingly. Alistair, a man of formidable reputation and rumored to be the spawn of a witch and the devil, welcomes his new bride by placing her in the reputedly haunted tower. This initial act sets the tone for their tumultuous relationship, one that is marked by power struggles, distrust, and undeniable attraction.
Elspeth is a remarkable heroine—willful, intelligent, unyielding, with a core of vulnerability that she does not show to most. Her father’s dismissive attitude towards her only fuels her determination to survive and thrive in the new environment into which she is thrust. Elspeth’s strength lies in her ability stand up to Alistair’s harsh demeanor and call him on his bullshit when and as needed. She is not the shrinking violet that her husband had expected her to be, and this is where the true thrill of the story lies as they navigate the newness of their marriage.
Alistair is a complex and compelling hero. Known for his ruthlessness he is initially dismissive of Elspeth, seeing her merely as a means to an end—a piece of land and a future heir. However, his preconceived notions are challenged as Elspeth proves to be a match for his formidable will. Alistair is a man torn between his desire for power and his burgeoning feelings for his wife, a struggle that adds nuances to the story that I loved.
One of the best aspects of the story lies in the intense chemistry between Alistair and Elspeth that serves to be both their undoing. Their relationship evolves from one of mutual distrust to a passionate and consuming love, which especially Alistair does not care much for. I rooted for both Alistair and Elspeth; Alistair because his brooding nature demands nothing less, and Elspeth because she is what Alistair needs in his life, in every sense.
Recommended for fans of historical romance, offering a perfect blend of passion, intrigue, and richly drawn characters that draws you in from the get go.
Final Verdict: The High Sheriff of Huntingdon is a well crafted tale of love, power dynamics, and redemption, pairing Elspeth’s bold and daring nature with that of Alistair’s brooding intensity.
Favorite Quotes
He lifted his head, looking down into her bewildered face with cool satisfaction. “Your heart is pounding, bride. Is it because you’re frightened? Or is there some other reason why your pulse is racing?” She tried to shake her head, to deny the evidence of her body, but his mouth caught hers, silencing her argument. He kissed her, deep and full and hard, allowing no escape. Indeed, she wasn’t sure she wanted to escape. Her arms came up of their own accord, around his waist, and she held on, suddenly afraid she might faint.
He said what he never thought he’d say. “I don’t want to hurt you.” The words were torn from him in an agonized gasp as he tried to control the powerful urges of his body. His muscles were clenched in iron will, his forehead was beaded with sweat, and he didn’t know how much longer he could stand the torment. “It’s all right,” she said in a whisper. “I’m your wife. Your destiny. Take me.” And she arched up against him, seeking him. He lost control. For the first time in his life, a woman overpowered him. He thrust against her, breaking through the frail barrier of her maidenhead, sinking deep into the glorious tightness of her. She cried out then, a small, soft sound, and he kissed her, his mouth covering her face, drinking her tears, tasting her soft mouth.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novella Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press Hero: Sebastian Brand Heroine: Emma Milsom Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: September 01, 1992 Started On: May 28, 2023 Finished On: June 07, 2023
She could tell him that she was obsessed with him. That she wanted him. That for whatever perverse reason, she was crazily, improbably in love with him. But she couldn’t tell him that he didn’t frighten her. She couldn’t lie. He scared her half to death.
The Monster in the Closet by Anne Stuart is a riveting and intense tale that expertly blends themes of horror, romance, and psychological intrigue. Being the avid fan of Ms. Stuart’s dark and complex characters that I am, I found this book to be a great way to keep away the blues that hits every now and then because I am left with very little from Ms. Stuart’s impressive backlist of published books to indulge in.
The story centers around Sebastian Brand, a British horror actor who is as enigmatic as he is troubled. Sebastian owns a house that developers are after him to sell for them redevelop the property, but he stands firm, haunted by the memories that the house holds. His reluctance to let go of the past sets the stage for the unfolding story that brings into his sphere the unsuspecting Emma Milson, whose life turns upside down from the moment they meet.
Emma takes on the role of general manager for the volatile and brilliant Teddy Winters who is directing the movie that would redefine his career, starring none other than Sebastian. Against her better judgment, Emma accepts the job, knowing Teddy’s reputation for pushing people beyond their limits. It is also partly the safe and boring status of her life that pushes her to give in to Teddy’s demands, landing her in a situation more than she bargained for.
Emma’s task is to keep Sebastian out of the public eye, a job that proves more difficult than she anticipated. Sebastian’s initial coldness towards Emma gradually gives way to a reluctant fascination. The chemistry between them is intriguing, and their interactions charged with an intensity that keeps growing with every encounter, until the inevitable happens. Sebastian’s charismatic yet tortured soul contrasts sharply with that of Emma’s vulnerability, creating a dynamic that I reveled in.
Ms. Stuart’s portrayal of Sebastian’s traumatic history is both heartbreaking and compelling, making him a character you can’t help but root for despite his flaws. Emma being the bleeding heart that she is, finds herself unable to walk away from Sebastian, even when he is being his coldest, trying to do his best to push her away, especially when danger increasingly seems to stalk Emma, eerily similar to incidents from Sebastian’s past.
What I particularly appreciated about The Monster in the Closet is Ms. Stuart’s creation of Sebastian, who is deeply flawed and yet incredibly compelling as is usual for her heroes. Sebastian’s struggle with his dark past and his fear of vulnerability make him a complex and intriguing, while Emma’s journey from a life of safety to one of risk and emotional exposure is equally so. The passion between the two is all consuming, one that scares Sebastian and compels Emma to fight for Sebastian in every single way.
Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart and stories that deliver a unique mix of romance, horror, and elements of mystery.
Final Verdict: The Monster in the Closet is a masterfully crafted novella that combines elements of horror, romance, and psychological drama, weaving intricate and emotionally charged narratives.
Favorite Quotes
She’d never been kissed like that. With that much longing and restraint and carefully leashed passion. He kissed her as an artist might paint a picture, delicately, powerfully, thoroughly, so that all she could do was stand there and tremble in helpless response. She brought her hands up to touch him, and despite the fact that his hands were cradling her face so gently, the iron-hard tension in his tightly muscled arms was shocking. The moment her fingers touched him, touched the smooth, hard flesh of his biceps, he broke away, stepping back into the shadows, leaving her suddenly alone.
“The fact of the matter is, Emma,” he whispered, his mouth brushing hers so lightly that she might have imagined it, “I feel the same way. Angry.” He pushed his body closer, up against hers, his hips pressing against hers. “Turned on,” he said, and there was absolutely no doubt of that. “And quite, quite terrified of you.” With that, he released the iron bars and pulled her into his arms, imprisoning her against his hard, tense body. He kissed her then, and she was lost.
“Stop fighting it,” he breathed in her ear, his own voice ragged, and she knew he understood her body better than she did. “Stay with me, damn it.” She released the iron bars, turning her hands beneath his above her head. He clasped them, driving his hips against her as his mouth crushed hers, and the fear was gone, burnt away in a flashpoint of cataclysmic proportions as her entire body seemed to arch, shatter, and dissolve.
He covered her, sliding into her, filling her with a deep thrust that brought a cry to her lips. But her arms wrapped around his back, her long, beautiful legs wrapped around his hips, and she buried her face against his shoulder, against his hair, and her voice was muffled, fierce, as she told him what she needed. He put his hand between their bodies, touching her, and she exploded immediately, her body convulsing around him. He’d gone into some dark, wild place, beyond sense, beyond reason, and all that existed was her body, her soul, her heart racing against his, her breath panting in his ear, as he thrust into her again and again as she clung to him, sobbing.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novella Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Ice, #6.5 Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press Hero: Luc Dubois Heroine: Emma O’Bannion Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: March 17, 2023 Started On: May 27, 2023 Finished On: May 28, 2023
Dangerous Lover by Anne Stuart, the latest release in the bestselling Ice series, takes readers on a captivating journey through the shadowy world of covert agents and forbidden romance that is synonymous with the series. As an avid fan of Ms. Stuart’s work, especially her knack for creating irresistibly dark and complex heroes, I was in a sense of anticipation as I dove into this novella, and I was not disappointed.
The story begins with 29-year-old Emma O’Bannion dreading the upcoming Valentine’s Day. It is a holiday she finds particularly depressing, amplifying her restlessness and longing for an adventure that might distract her from her inner musings. Emma’s life is seemingly well-planned, with her ambitious goal of making partner at Kelton and Kelton by the time she turns 35. Yet, there’s a spark of impulsiveness within her that ignites when she encounters Luc Dubois, the enigmatic new tenant in her building.
From the moment Emma decides to send Luc an anonymous lover’s card for Valentine’s Day, believing it to be a harmless gesture, the story takes the turn that I was waiting for. Luc, a retired agent of the Committee, a global covert agency with its own hidden agendas, has been living a life of relative quiet in his retirement until a warning makes him up his guard once again. When Emma’s seemingly innocent card coincides with this warning, Luc deliberately puts himself in Emma’s space and world, something which he had been resisting up till that point.
Luc is a man marked by his past, particularly by betrayal five years ago, also on Valentine’s Day. This haunting memory makes Emma’s “anonymous” gift too much of a coincidence for him to walk away from and consider as harmless. When Luc confronts Emma suspicious of her in every sense, what ensues is a tense, captivating dance between them, culminating in the kind of passion and want that Luc has no place for in his life.
Ms. Stuart excels at crafting heroes who are dark, broody, and dangerously irresistible, and Luc Dubois is no exception. His initial coldness and calculated demeanor hides a deep well of passion and vulnerability, which Emma gradually uncovers. Their chemistry is electric and Luc’s protective instincts towards Emma, despite his better judgment, adds a layer of complexity to their relationship that kept me hooked.
While Dangerous Lover is a novella and shorter than a full-length novel, I found myself wishing for more time with Luc and Emma, as it always happens when you are enamored by a story and want it to continue forever. I wanted to delve deeper into their backgrounds and the intricacies of their relationship and encounter the angst that Ms. Stuart so famously delivers in most of her novels.
Ms. Stuart’s ability to write darker romance with a flair that is uniquely hers is why she remains my go-to author for my dark romance fix. I aim to do a re-read of some of my favorite books of hers sometime soon, having done so a year or so back in recent times. Not every romance reader may appreciate the dark themes and morally ambiguous characters that Ms. Stuart excels at creating, but for those who do, her books are a treasure trove of unforgettable stories, some of which remain permanently on my favorites shelf.
Recommended for fans of the Ice series and those who love their heroes a bit darker than most. While part of a series, Dangerous Lover can totally be read as a standalone.
Final Verdict: Dangerous Lover is a thrilling addition to the Ice series, delivering on the suspense, romance, and dark allure that Anne Stuart fans have come to expect and love from her novels in the series!
Favorite Quotes
The last button went, and her silk blouse hung open, exposing her indecent little wisp of a bra. “And what made you choose my apartment building? What made you decide to move in beneath me, and watch me every time you could catch a glimpse of me?” “I didn’t even know you were there,” she said wearily. “I told you, I didn’t think anyone lived upstairs until a couple of months ago. And it’s not your apartment building, buster, it belongs to the owners and it’s run by Mr. Habib and I have just as much right as you have…” “It is my building. I own it.” She could feel the tip of the knife against her bare skin, a strange, painless caress. A shiver of pure fear ran across her skin. She looked up at him, into his opaque, unreadable eyes, and she held her breath.„ And then he slid the knife between the bra and her skin, cutting it open.
He slid one hand through her hair and kissed her on the mouth again, taking his time, no need for hurry, no need for force. He was willing to wait, to see how long it would take her to respond. Her mouth opened beneath his slow, deliberate kisses, reaching for breath, reaching for words, reaching for his mouth, letting him, asking him, her lips clinging for a shy second and then falling back, then kissing him again, and this time when he used his tongue it truly was like sex, entering her, pushing inside the dark wetness of her mouth, and she let him, taking him, a hot damp clinging of mouth to mouth.
“Don’t think about it,” he whispered against her mouth. “Don’t think about anything. Just feel.” She wanted to cry. She lost herself in the taste of him, the sweet texture of his mouth and his tongue, the silken heat of his skin beneath her trembling hands. He hadn’t touched her breasts, yet they felt exquisitely sensitive, almost burning. He was rocking her against him, a slow, lascivious rhythm, her wispy silk panties against the buttoned fly on his jeans, and the sensation was a powerful one, making her breath catch in her throat. His eyes were half closed, watching her, and she was shy, edgy, her fingers digging into his smooth shoulders, as her stomach knotted and a jolt of something streaked through her body in anticipation.
She didn’t know why she was so wet, and she didn’t care. He was holding her too tightly for her to pull away, her face was pressed close against his shoulder, and she could feel the thunder of his heart, could feel the tension thrumming through his muscles, and she wanted to lick his skin, she wanted his mouth, she wanted everything, she no longer cared what he wanted to do with her. Nothing mattered but the wet, delicious waves of sensation he was coaxing from her, an almost lazy cycle of response that began to build, sharply, until without warning it exploded, and she screamed against his chest and her body arched off the bed in a spasm of hot, prickling response.
“Open your eyes, Emma,” he whispered in a harsh voice, and there was no ignoring him. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she stared up at him in dazed confusion. He cupped her buttocks, pulling her up closer against him, but she simply wrapped her legs around him, tight, drawing him in deeper still. His faint smile was answer enough. “You like it?” “I like it,” she whispered. “You want more?” “Yes, please.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Western Historical POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Dell Hero: Seth Archer Heroine: Olivia Morrison Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: December 18, 2007 Started On: April 21, 2023 Finished On: May 20, 2023
He staged a predatory assault upon her senses, determined, ruthless, driven by a fierce passion that overwhelmed every inhibition she had ever had.
Karen Robards’ “Ghost Moon” is a suspenseful and emotionally charged novel that weaves together elements of romance, family secrets, and chilling mystery. The story begins with a haunting scene from 1969, where a young girl is murdered in her sleep, a girl who had been terrified of the monsters lurking in the shadows. This tragic event sets the stage for a tale that spans three decades, culminating in a gripping narrative of past and present that meshes well together.
26 year old Olivia Morrison, returns to her childhood home, LaAngelle Plantation, after a prolonged absence. As a single mother, Olivia brings her eight-year-old daughter, Sara, back to a place filled with painful memories and unresolved emotions. Once the glamorous and rebellious member of the prestigious Archer clan, Olivia has fallen on harder times and is barely making ends meet. Her return is anything but uneventful, as she is immediately confronted with family tensions, especially with 37 year old Seth Archer, her step cousin that she had faithfully followed around until things had gotten complicated between the two.
Olivia’s homecoming stirs up long-buried memories that haunts her, including the trauma of her mother’s death, and the family dynamics that left her feeling like an outsider. Her struggles to reconcile her past mistakes with her present, and forge newer bonds with the family that she had left behind, made me root for her wholeheartedly.
Meanwhile, the darker elements of the story continues, with chilling accounts beginning from 1979 of young girls kidnapped from their beds. These incidents, echoes eerie similarities to the murder that sets the opening stage of the novel, and brings to the story a different kind of tension that winds the reader up as the story progresses. The recurring theme of young girls fearing monsters in the shadows underscores the lurking danger which echoes patterns of parents being dismissive of their fears as mere fantasies until each and every one of them are taken, never to be found ever again.
Ms. Robards masterfully captures Olivia’s complex emotions as she navigates the memories of her mother’s mysterious death and her difficult past with Seth. The chemistry between Olivia and Seth is tangible, their shared history adding delicious nuances to the story which I reveled in. Seth, who once acted as a protective older brother, now finds himself battling his renewed attraction to Olivia, despite his engagement to another.
Obviously the one factor that I thoroughly loved was the friction between Olivia and Seth and the push and pull that draws them tighter together. There is no denying that both feel the same way about the other, and the delivery on that front I would have to say, was classic Ms. Robards, who does a mean job on the built-up sexual tension in her novels.
While Ghost Moon delivered a great story for the most part, I felt that it occasionally faltered in its pacing. I for one would have loved to learn more about the villain and their backstory, as they brought a facet to the story that kept me intrigued throughout. I am always keen on understanding well crafted villains, as much as I adore the main protagonists and want to know as much my heart desires about them. What makes the villain tick? What made them into who they are in the stories? What role did society play to create such monsters to begin with? I would have loved to learn more on that score.
Recommended for fans of romantic suspense, with a good dose of spicy romance on the side, along with the family theatrics that keeps the pages turning.
Final Verdict: Ghost Moon is a compelling read that blends romance and mystery with a Southern Gothic flair and an eerie undertone of lurking danger of the heart pounding variety.
Favorite Quotes
‘‘Seth,’’ she whispered, unable to help herself as her chin tilted up and her mouth moved infinitesimally closer to his. ‘‘Better?’’ he asked, and his voice was hoarse. His gaze slid from her eyes to her mouth and back. Olivia nodded. Her breathing had quickened, and so, she saw, had his. From her shoulders down her body was so close to his that they were practically fused together. Some of it was her fault—she pressed against him like they were two halves of the same piece of Velcro. But his arms were wrapped around her, too, and he wasn’t letting her go.
‘‘Jesus Christ, Olivia.’’ His voice was thick, hoarse, almost unrecognizable. This time he moved, pulling her up on tiptoe as his mouth came down on hers. His mouth slanted across hers with fierce hunger. His tongue slid between her lips, touching hers, possessing her mouth. Olivia kissed him back just as fiercely, opening her mouth for his taking, possessing his in turn. She couldn’t get enough of him, just as he, it seemed, couldn’t get enough of her.
He took her fiercely, driving into her with an urgency that made her strain and buck and writhe in frenzied response. Her hips arched up off the bed to receive him. She shook, and clung, and at the end, when the firestorm took her, cried out his name. ‘‘Livvy,’’ he groaned in response, huge and hard and hot as he thrust into her trembling body. ‘‘Ah, Livvy.’’
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Western Historical POV: Third Person, Dual Series: 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo, #1 Publisher: The Tule Group, LLC Hero: Jasper Flint Heroine: Chelsea Crawford Collier Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: September 08, 2013 Started On: May 15, 2023 Finished On: May 17, 2023
Megan Crane’s Tempt Me, Cowboy is a beguiling romance set against the backdrop of a small Texas town, featuring two protagonists whose lives intertwine in unexpected and compelling ways. The story revolves around 30 year old Chelsea Crawford Collier and 35 year old Jasper Flint, two individuals from vastly different worlds who find themselves drawn to each other through a series of chance encounters.
Chelsea, a dedicated schoolteacher, spends her life taking care of her demanding mother and trying to preserve her family’s legacy in Marietta. Her life is turned upside down when the Marietta Railway Depot, a symbol of her family’s heritage, is sold to Jasper Flint, a mega rich oil tycoon looking for a new project. Chelsea’s mission to save the depot brings her face to face with Jasper, leading to the fireworks that explode between the two.
Jasper, a man accustomed to getting what he wants, finds himself intrigued by Chelsea’s honest and genuine nature. He likes the novelty of being accepted for the man he is, rather than being taken at face value as the wealthy tycoon that he is, which draws him to Chelsea in a way that he never thought possible.
Chelsea’s struggle with her own insecurities and her determination to prove herself worthy of love and respect are what endeared her to me. Her internal conflicts and the weight of her family’s expectations are portrayed with nuance and empathy, making her a heroine worth rooting for, and also quite relatable in many aspects.
Jasper’s backstory adds layers to his character, revealing a man who has achieved great success but is still searching for something meaningful. His history outlining life with a broken, bitter father who had shaped his most formulative years and a trophy wife makes him a hero worth empathizing with. The story also culminates in the message of the power of genuinely felt and given love, and its transformative abilities in shaping the best of humanity.
The romance between Chelsea and Jasper is electric, marked by moments of intense passion and tender vulnerability. Their chemistry is palpable, and Ma. Crane does a masterful job in capturing the push and pull factors of their evolving relationship.
Chelsea’s fear of her mother’s disapproval and her own doubts about her worthiness create significant hurdles that she must overcome. The weight of her family’s legacy and the small-town scrutiny add to the pressure she feels. Yet, it is this very pressure that drives her to grow and find her own voice.
Recommended for those who love romances in small-town settings and the heroes who sweep you off your feet!
Final Verdict: This is a beautifully written romance that delves deep into themes of identity, legacy, and love. Megan Crane’s skillful storytelling and rich character development makes this a captivating read.
Favorite Quotes
Chelsea had been kissed before, even well, she would have said. But Jasper was a revelation. He kissed her the way he’d driven them on his bike, with an ease and a skill that combined into something liquid and powerful, driving her straight out of her head. He took her mouth like it was his, like she was his and always had been, and he tasted like fire and whiskey. And she wanted. She yearned.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Western Historical POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Rocky Mountain, #2 Publisher: Avon Hero: Sloan McCord Heroine: Heather Ashford Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: February 01, 1998 Started On: March 03, 2023 Finished On: March 11, 2023
He’d never been so hungry for a woman before, so hot. He’d never felt this kind of need, mindless, relentless, endless.
The Heart Breaker by Nicole Jordan is a story that takes you to places. Though this is the second book in the Rocky Mountain series, this can totally be read as a standalone.
Sloan McCord is a widowed hero, a single father navigating the complexities of life in the aftermath of a devastating range war. His marriage to a full-blooded Cheyenne woman resulted in his most cherished daughter, Jenna, who was only two months old when her mother was brutally murdered.
Now, more than a year later, Sloan is driven by ambitions to be elected to the Colorado Senate, and to achieve this, he believes he needs a wife who will not only care for his daughter and home but also elevate his social status and help change the hostile perceptions surrounding his support for the “wrong” side during the range war.
Enter Heather Ashford, a woman of rich roots who has fallen on desperate times. Urged by his sister-in-law, Sloan considers Heather as a potential wife. While Sloan wants only a wife of convenience who would allow him to keep his emotions in check, the first meeting between Sloan and Heather puts that notion to shame, as Sloan recognizes in Heather, the woman who has been haunting his dreams.
Despite his desire to keep her at arm’s length, Sloan is undeniably drawn to Heather in a way that leaves him vulnerable and conflicted. The sexual tension that simmers between the two is so well done, that I swear, even re-reading bits of the story for my review more than a year on still moved me to bits! Heather, who is inquisitive and intelligent, is determined to prove her worth, putting her heart and soul into being an equal partner in their marriage.
Ms. Jordan definitely excels in crafting vivid characters, with Sloan’s sensuality and stubborn pride shining through the depths of this story. His struggle with memories of his late wife and his initial decision to start the marriage with separate bedrooms add to the emotional sucker punches that the story delivers in spades, and also brings his internal conflicts when it comes to his burgeoning feelings for Heather to the forefront.
Heather’s unwavering determination in the face of her husband’s often cold, dismissive, and at times cruel behavior makes your heart ache for Heather. It is the reserves of strength that Heather finds and holds onto while trying to make the best of a situation that leaves her emotions in tatters, while her husband sets her body and soul on fire with every searing glance and touch that truly clutches at your heartstrings.
Like many readers, I also found that the story faltered slightly in its climax. The grand gesture and groveling that are meant to bring resolution to Sloan and Heather’s relationship fell a bit flat for me, which was a tad disappointing, given how emotionally invested in both of them I was. Despite this, the overall journey of their evolving relationship is compelling and well-written, not to mention out of this world scorching hot. Sloan is the type of hero I shelve as sex-on-a-stick, because he is all that and more with just his existence in the story.
Recommended for those who love a good western romance and those who adore reluctant widowed heroes who fall that much harder, because of the fact.
Final Verdict: The Heart Breaker by Nicole Jordan offers a rich tapestry of emotion, sensuality, and the slow burn of a developing romance amidst the backdrop of post-war societal challenges. Sloan and Heather’s journey towards happily ever after definitely leaves a lasting impression.
Favorite Quotes
His gaze swept her form slowly, with a vague suggestion of scorn, as though he recognized her as the helpless, inept widgeon he’d rescued from the path of a runaway carriage. Heather flushed, hoping the wide brim of her bonnet hid her mortification. “You are my hero, sir,” the young lady murmured in breathless praise, demanding his attention. Suddenly an ironic half-smile curled the corner of his mouth. It was the kind of smile that made sensible women do foolish things, Heather realized, one that softened his hard features with breathtaking effect and invited others to share his amusement.
He moved closer, letting his body touch hers. The shock was stunning. She felt blistered by his sudden invading heat, by the hard, masculine contours that branded her. Her heart beat in a wild pulse of alarm and need as he bent his head to her. Through a daze she heard him whisper against her lips. “You really think you’re woman enough to handle me, duchess?”
His lips were warm and hard, like the man … threatening, dominating … yet somehow gentle. In response, something deep within her body quivered in purely sensual reaction. His kiss deepened into a bold invasion, his tongue parting her lips and thrusting inside. The intimate intrusion shocked her for an instant. She hadn’t known a man’s kiss could be so blatant, so devastating. Hadn’t known she could respond this way … that she could feel so weak and not… so wanton.
“Don’t fight it,” he said in her ear as she arched against him. “Let it happen.” Heather whimpered, colors and blinding light blurring before her eyes. It was like being swept up in a storm, unable to do anything but go along for the ride. The first tiny convulsions swelled to shafts of fire. She strained against him, burning, pulsating, spinning away into a netherworld of shooting flames.
When the woman beneath him splintered into ecstasy, he groaned with a savage need held barely in check. At the rhythmic clenching of her loins, desire shot through his groin, white-hot and explosive. Unable to restrain his agonized arousal any longer, he surged into her, deep into the tight, wet welcoming of her body. With a final groan, he thrust into her fiercely one last time, before shuddering and collapsing against her, his body pulsing inside hers.
Every muscle in his body tensed in rejection, the sinews cording his neck so rigid they stood out visibly. A stillness came into the room as their gazes locked, a sense of breathless waiting. Heather watched him, her urge for self-protection vanishing. This was a man in need. To his dismay, Sloan couldn’t break the connection with her golden eyes, so warm with concern. He wanted to move away from her, away from the dangerous seduction of her compassion. He was too vulnerable just now. He felt so raw, so tired from the war he was waging. He couldn’t bear to have her this near. “You’d best go,” he whispered, his voice raw and cracked. She didn’t stir. Nor did he. He couldn’t manage it. In his chest he felt that strange swelling, twisting sensation again. He didn’t like it. It hurt to feel. It was easier, safer, to keep himself isolated, remote, his rampaging emotions under tight control. Yet he had no defense against her. He couldn’t save himself.
“Is it always like this?” she whispered long moments later. When he didn’t answer, she drew back a little to look down at him. His eyes grew hooded. He didn’t want to meet her searching gaze. Just then, they heard the sound of a child’s gurgling laugh through the partially open door. Janna was awake. Grateful for the interruption, Sloan eased himself from beneath her and left the bed. Giving her a glimpse of taut, bare buttocks, he bent to pull on his denims. “Hell, it’s just sex, duchess,” he lied. “Happens all the time. Nothing to get worked up about.”
She watched him questioningly as Sloan moved to the damask wing chair beyond the dressing table. Sitting down, he tugged off the rest of his clothing and settled back, naked and relaxed, his upthrusting manhood blatantly masculine between his parted, sinewed thighs. “Remember how I taught you to ride me?” “Yes.” The word was a hoarse whisper. “Why don’t you come here, and we’ll see how much you’ve learned?”
Then what had begun tenderly suddenly turned wild. He gripped her buttocks, no longer in control. She gasped in welcome as he plunged home… arching against him as his huge shaft drove deep and hard… She cried out, sobbing as his wonderful length impaled her helpless body over and over again. They came together in passion and need. He took her with fierce, insistent thrusts, possessiveness surging through him. She was his; his need was almost violent, his desire uncontrollable.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: This Time, Forever, #1 Publisher: Harlequin Hero: Cesare Falcone Heroine: Mina Carroll Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: September 01, 1995 Started On: March 01, 2023 Finished On: March 02, 2023
Entirely focused on him, she felt light-headed. ‘I didn’t know—’ ‘Didn’t know what?’ Cesare whispered unevenly, dropping his hand to the bedspread wrapped beneath her arms as he coiled fluidly up so that their eyes locked. ‘That wanting like that is rare? That most people go all their lives without ever feeling like this? It’s a hunger so strong it has to be satisfied…and it’s bound to rage out of control.’
A Savage Betrayal by Lynne Graham, first published in September of 1995 is told in the third person from the heroine’s perspective. The story begins with the heroine, Mina Carroll, who while working alongside her boss at the charity benefit that her workplace organized, runs into none other than Cesare Falcone, the man who broke her heart years ago.
Four years back, a freshly graduated Mina found herself at the receiving end of a cutthroat job interview, after which Cesare hires her as his executive assistant. Two months in, Mina realizes that she was head over heels in love with her boss, and by the end of the third month, Mina is sacked rather unceremoniously, and that too without a reference.
Discovering that her one night of passion with Cesare right before she was sacked had borne its fruit, Mina finds herself in the tough position of having to juggle being a single mother and making ends meet in a world that is frightful for women who do not have the kind of support systems that prevent them from falling into utter destitution.
Coming to the realization that the spark that has always existed between her and Cesare burns even brighter than before, and that she is just as vulnerable to the heat between them, makes Mina wary, especially in light of the revelations that Cesare believes her to be a deceitful tramp, perhaps the only woman who has ever made a fool of him in the worst way possible.
Cesare’s belief that Mina committed a criminal offense four years back is an ironclad one, citing that he is in possession of irrefutable proof with which he could send her to jail even now. While Cesare continues to believe the worst about Mina, the way he is helplessly ensnared in the web of desire that clouds his judgement is something he perhaps despises about himself.
Cesare definitely drives a hard bargain, expecting Mina to be his and only his satisfying his every carnal desire, and in bed, Mina knows that she is able to drive him just as wild as he does her. When the truth of her conception four years back comes to light, Cesare is of course livid and devastated, and what ensues leading up to the climax of this delectable story was just unforgettable.
A Savage Betrayal is a novel that is evidence of Ms. Graham’s remarkable talent in weaving a story that would have required so little to completely unravel. At certain points, I was left wondering as to how Ms. Graham would be able to turn things around, to show to readers why Cesare was worth all the heartache, grief, and pain that Mina goes through, even as she struggles with her enduring love for a man who sees very little of worth in her.
The story is one that is brilliantly executed, with the sexual chemistry and heat between Mina and Cesare off the charts hot and steamy. Perhaps the one reason the story got to me so much is the fact that the reader has to discover how Cesare feels about Mina through her perspective of his actions. The hero who comes off as ruthless and says often the cruelest things (which Mina is perfectly capable of handling), is unable to bear it when he witnesses Mina being hurt, in pain, or in tears. That is how the reader knows just how deeply that Cesare feels for her. And there is of course the red blooded alpha male whose possessive streak rears its head whenever he feels that what is his is in danger of being claimed by another, and the red hot jealousy that courses through him every single time!
I loved how Cesare meets his daughter who is just as temperamental as he is which gave me a couple of good chuckles that broke the never ending tension that is consistent throughout the story. This book had such good verbal warfare happening alongside all that sizzle, which made Mina and Cesare highly entertaining. The way Ms. Graham managed to make Cesare so arrogant, powerful, sexy, and vulnerable was nothing short of amazing, paving the way for everything to just click into place when all was said and done.
Recommended for fans of Lynne Graham and those who love explosive love stories between two protagonists whose verbal warfare just adds to the spice factor!
Final Verdict: A Savage Betrayal is a novel that is fierce in the way it consumes all your emotions. Those who love a good angst-fest; this one is for you!
Favorite Quotes
Her breath hung suspended and then he pressed his mouth hotly to the tiny pulse flickering wildly above her collarbone. Every bone in her body melted in a burst of feverish heat. Her head fell back, her throat extending. She trembled violently, an upswell of sensation suddenly released with devastating force. Her hands flew up of their own volition, one finding his shoulder, the other spearing into his hair, and just touching him again felt so good that she ached.
‘Move, Cesare!’ Cesare continued to stare at her as though he was mesmerised, brooding golden eyes intently fixed on her. Outraged by his lack of response, Mina planted a small hand against his broad chest to thrust him out of her way. A lean hand whipped up and unexpectedly trapped hers, preventing her from withdrawal. ‘What the heck are you—?’ she began. Without the smallest warning he grabbed her right there in the middle of the street. Two strong hands clamped to her waist as he lifted her up against him and brought his mouth smashing down on hers with an explosive sexual hunger that travelled through her like forked lightning.
The first day when you walked into that interview I decided I could not possibly employ a woman whom I wanted to strip and fling onto the nearest bed!’ Helplessly her head flew up. She couldn’t believe her ears. ‘I gave you a nightmare interview…and you took it,’ Cesare condemned with lingering disbelief at such unfeminine strength of will and staying power. ‘You were trying to scare me off?’ Mina questioned in a tone of revelation. ‘I was a fool. I gave you the job.’
‘You’re mine,’ Cesare muttered thickly, one strong arm closing fiercely round her to stress the assurance, and he simply shifted his hand smoothly from beneath hers and slid it beneath the parted edges of her bodice, slowly curving his fingers over the firm thrust of one unbound breast. It had been so long since she had known such intimacy that her teeth clenched on the sweet pleasurepain of her own helpless excitement, and in the interim her hand fell away. He tugged the dress open, exposing the smooth pale flesh he sought, discovering the delectable curves she had tried to conceal. With an unashamed groan of hunger he caressed a pouting pink nipple with almost worshipping fingers, watching the bud bloom into aching prominence.
On some other level she was aware of the cooler air that brushed her skin as her dress fell away entirely and then he was laying her flat, crushing her mouth under his with raw, unashamed hunger. Her hands swept over his silk-clad back in sudden frustration, instinctively seeking the satin-smooth skin she remembered. His muscles rippled as he tautened and broke the connection of their mouths. Her glazed eyes opened on that shock of separation. He was ripping off his shirt, and she remembered that from before, but she heard no warning bells. Past and present had merged indistinguishably. The pectoral muscles of his lean, golden torso were hazed with a sprinkling of ebony curls. Like someone in an hypnotic trance, she focused on the blazing gold of his eyes and sank ever deeper into his power.
He pulled her to him with strong hands and instantaneously attempted to sink into her with one powerful thrust. There was a flash of momentary pain that made her bite down on her tongue and taste blood. Cesare muttered something in Italian, settled his hands on her hips and drove into her again, making her tender flesh yield more fully, and the sensation was so unbearably pleasurable that she moaned in shock and delight, for she had worked so hard at forgetting, had made herself forget, that most intimate moment.
Cesare had turned pale at one glimpse of her Caesarean scar. ‘You’ve had surgery,’ he breathed as she sat bolt upright, grabbed clumsily at her discarded dress and concealed herself behind it as best she could. ‘Major surgery—’ ‘No, only a little female thing,’ Mina lied in desperation, evading his shocked gaze. ‘It looks much worse than it is.’ ‘What was the matter with you?’ he demanded tautly. ‘I told you, something female and private—minor.’ ‘It doesn’t look minor—’ ‘But it is and I’m sorry you find it so offensive,’ she said wildly, ready to say or do anything to throw him off the subject. ‘Of course I don’t find it offensive but naturally I was disturbed,’ Cesare asserted stiffly, ‘and if that is the result of some minor female problem you must have had a third-rate surgeon!’
‘It doesn’t even have to be my best,’ Cesare murmured thickly, dense black lashes screening his gaze to a sliver of hard gold as he scanned her feverishly flushed face and unwittingly pleading eyes. ‘The one thing you ever gave me that was honest…why? You can’t control it. But I can—’ ‘Can you?’ Mina was in another world, one where she felt far more than she thought. Her hand lifted of its own volition, shyly smoothed along his strong, clean shaven jawline, fingertips softly brushing a high cheekbone. Her nostrils flared on the warm maleness of him. That close, it would have been sensory deprivation not to touch. He dipped his dark head and trapped her fingers with his mouth before she could reluctantly drop them again. Her eyes squeezed shut on a wave of unbearable excitement as he sucked first one finger and then another and her breath rasped in her dry throat, liquid fire running through her quivering body, melting every bone to boiling honey. She was poised on the edge of an erotic anticipation so intense, it consumed her.
Cesare tensed, momentarily holding himself back, and then her tongue flicked against his in an enticement that was entirely instinctive and, with a raw groan of need, he ravaged her reddened mouth with potent hunger. Suddenly she was no longer upright but lying back. His hand slid up one trembling thigh, wrenching the dress out of his path. She was out of control, her breath sobbing in her throat, her heart racing. She clung to any part of him she could reach, her fingers clutching at his hair, the back of his neck, splaying against the silk-clad heat of his taut abdomen, scratching down his long spine, clothes, always clothes getting in her way, driving her mad with frustration.
‘Get out of here, Cesare!’ ‘But this is our wedding night, cara.’ Mina’s teeth clenched. She wanted to leap off the bed and thump him but she was afraid that the bedspread would fall off. ‘The answer is no!’ A winged ebony brow elevated. ‘Did I ask a question?’ ‘You need it spelt out to you?’ Mina intoned, quivering with fury. ‘OK. I am not prepared to share a bed with a man who thinks I’m a gold-digging, dishonest tramp!’ ‘Why not?’ Cesare enquired softly. ‘If I’m prepared to sacrifice my principles—’ ‘Yours?’ Mina flared in disbelief. ‘Who else’s? If I could keep my hands off you, don’t you think I would?’ Cesare murmured with grim satire. ‘Do you really think that it was my secret ambition to take a wife who could be described as a gold-digging, dishonest tramp?’
He leant over her, nibbled erotically at the reddened fullness of her lower lip, and as she trembled, he uttered a strangled groan and shuddered, every muscle tautening with whipcord tension as he lifted her against him, searching out the moist heat between her thighs. She writhed, cried out, unbearable sensation rising to a sudden shattering peak that was pure torment. ‘I can’t wait.’ He brought her down to him with aching slowness and agonising control, forging his entry little by little, and it was so staggeringly exciting that she somehow wanted to faint with delight and scream with frustration at the same time.
He took her by storm and she felt possessed, driven, inflamed by the feeling that he was out of control. All honeyed pliancy and complicity, every fibre of her body pitched to an unbelievable height of anticipation, she let herself go, lost herself entirely in the thunder of her own crazed heartbeat and the fevered tension coiling ever tighter inside her. With every driving thrust he took her higher, and then suddenly the whole world went multi-coloured, her back arching, her teeth clenching as she sobbed, ‘I love you…I love you!’ on the peak of a shuddering and ecstatic wave of drowning pleasure.
‘Why do you think Steve hates you so much? Steve and I dated for four years and we were never intimate, never even partially intimate! But I only knew you for three months and he actually dared to tell me once that that was the hardest thing of all for him to accept…and I thought at the time, To hell with fragile male egos—and I still think it!’ ‘Mina—’ ‘So if you want to go on thinking that I bounced straight out of bed with you into bed with him, go ahead! I’ll phone and tell Steve…he would be absolutely delighted to know you think that! But how dare you try to drag me down to the level of a slot on some pathetic male sexual score card?’ A dark flush of blood had highlighted his hard cheekbones. ‘That was not what I was doing,’ he told her rawly. ‘That’s exactly what you were doing! All that sophistication on the surface, and underneath what are you?’ Mina splintered tempestuously. ‘You’re so primitive you haven’t even made it on to the bottom rung of the evolutionary ladder!’ ‘Whatever turns you on, cara,’ Cesare murmured, eyes a sliver of flaring gold below his black lashes.
‘This time…you really are mine,’ Cesare murmured roughly, framing her hectically flushed face with hard, possessive hands as he looked down at her, eyes of molten gold alight with desire and primitive satisfaction. But those hands weren’t quite steady and that big, powerful body trembled in the circle of her arms. On a very female level, she was fully attuned to that awareness. ‘Absolutely mine,’ Cesare savoured, lowering his dark head to her breasts, circling a taut bud with the tip of his tongue and then hungrily engulfing her achingly tender flesh with the raw heat of his mouth.
‘We should have made better use of last night,’ Cesare muttered raggedly. ‘I want you so much, I ache…’ Without warning, he pulled back from her and communicated with the chauffeur. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘It’ll take over an hour in this traffic to reach the town house…’ Minutes later he was tugging her out of the limousine in front of a well-known hotel. Ten minutes after that they were standing in a luxurious bedroom. ‘This is crazy,’ Mina protested weakly. ‘Everything I do with you is crazy,’ he muttered thickly, hauling her into his arms.
She lost herself in him. Her heart hammering, her slender body writhed beneath his, desperate for the completion that only he could give. She clutched at his hair, scored the satin-smooth skin of his back and then arched and sobbed as he sank into her in one powerful thrust. ‘Nobody is going to take you away from me,’ he said savagely, scanning her with glittering golden assurance. ‘Nobody!’
A Maldivian's Passion for Romance 