Falling in love between hero and heroine considered forbidden within society or in the hero or heroine’s perspective.
Eg: During the colonial times, love between an aristocrat and an ex-convict was considered forbidden.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Love at Last, #2 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Kurt Anderson Heroine: O’Neal Jones Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: June 14, 2018 Started On: October 22, 2023 Finished On: October 22, 2023
Loving the Wounded Warrior by Adriana Anders, the second installment in her Love at Last series, is a short length novel that I wanted more out of. Featuring the rugged yet deeply scarred Kurt Anderson and determined reporter O’Neal Jones, this novel weaves a tale that had many elements that worked for it, while at the same time there were missing aspects to it to make the story more wholesome.
Kurt is a man struggling to find his footing after life deals him several harsh blows. Once a promising football player, a career-ending injury pushes him into the Marine Corps, where he faces the brutal realities of war. The physical and emotional scars are compounded by guilt and trauma of losing his closest friend while in the military, making the label of “wounded warrior” an apt description of the man he is.
In comes O’Neal Jones, a tenacious reporter for the Daily Dispatch, who is sent to cover a controversial event in Washington State’s North Puget Sound region. Her reckless driving nearly results in a deadly accident, bringing her face-to-face with Kurt, her brother Jared’s best friend, also her long-term crush while in high school.
An article that O’Neal writes with the best of intentions, ends up being the reason behind the wedge that drives Kurt away from Jared, and puts the nail in the coffin of his promising career in football. Kurt’s resentment towards O’Neal is palpable, which adds to the emotional intensity of the story. As O’Neal learns the full extent of her article’s impact, the feelings of guilt that she herself has to contend with, proves to be the undoing for someone like herself who does not do emotions.
While the dynamic between Kurt and O’Neal keeps the pages turning, it is Kurt’s character that gives the emotional punch to the story. Behind his rough and tough exterior lies a vulnerable heart, a man who has suffered much, both in professional and personal capacity. While O’Neal comes off as more tenacious, she shies away from exposing herself to emotional vulnerability, which perhaps makes her in fact, the more vulnerable of the two.
While the sexual tension and delivery was done well, I found that the novel’s pacing and character development left much to be desired. The story feels rushed, and the lack of depth in characterization detracts from the overall impact. The intense emotional themes and potential for deeper exploration are not fully realized, leaving readers yearning for more.
Despite these shortcomings, the novel does manage to capture Kurt’s struggle with his sense of self and O’Neal’s internal conflict between her professional instincts and personal feelings. Their relationship is a delicate balance of physical desire and emotional intimacy, pushing O’Neal to confront her usual approach to relationships and embrace a deeper connection with Kurt.
Recommended for fans of shorter novels featuring intense heroes that seeks deeper emotional ties with the heroines they fall for.
Final Verdict: In Loving the Wounded Warrior, Adriana Anders presents a heartfelt story that resonates with themes of forgiveness and rediscovery, making it a worthwhile read for fans of emotionally charged romances.
Favorite Quotes
It took just a slight shift for me to turn it into a hug. His head settled onto mine, and we were entwined. Not quite lovers, but more than two strangers comforting each other. Our parkas made a slithery sound, while the stuffing kept us from getting too close. He inhaled, possibly sniffing me the way I’d done him, and I sank into his body, heavier, deeper, more relaxed and easy.
Lovers. That was what I wanted him to be. My lover, or…something. Love. Crap crap crap, O’Neal. Yeah, so I’d fallen for the most emotionally unavailable man I’d ever met. And I’d fallen hard.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Darian Meyer Heroine: Rani Shah Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: November 10, 2022 Started On: October 03, 2023 Finished On: October 04, 2023
Rani smiles in my direction for the first time since she came out here and something unfurls inside my chest, catching me off-guard. The woman has curves I want my hands on, but there is one curve–her smile–that I know, without a doubt, will lead me into a lot of trouble.
Adrift by Swati MH is my first foray into the author’s writing. Drawn to take the plunge by the forbidden elements of the story and the May-December trope, I was intrigued and found myself with a tale that was engrossing in many ways. Adrift brings to readers the story of 32 year old Darian Meyer, a widowed single father, who is grappling with the overwhelming sorrow of his wife Sonia’s sudden demise, turning his world upside down as he is left to raise their son, Arman, alone.
The story takes an intriguing turn with the introduction of 19 year old Rani Shah, Sonia’s much younger sister. As Rani steps in to help take care of Arman, her presence while it eases the burdens that Darian has been carrying alone all along, it also brings to the forefront something neither would have thought possible; mutual desire that blossoms into something more.
As the fiery attraction between Darian and Rani heats up, Ms. Swati takes readers through the events marking the tumultuous nature of Darian’s past as well as Rani’s strained relations with her mother. While Darian battles with his inner self and laments himself for lusting after his sister in law, Rani grapples with her own feelings of guilt and confusion, acknowledging the vulnerabilities associated with her lack of experience when it comes to the opposite sex.
I loved how relatable both Darian and Rani were, how they were “real” in every sense, and worked through a lot of baggage on both sides to embrace the deep abiding love they find in each other. I loved Darian for bringing the kind of teasing sensuality to the story that is addictive, the kind that makes your heart go stumbling into overdrive, and how inventive he was as a lover. I loved the stolen moments between the two, and how Rani’s insecurities were real and just doesn’t magically disappear. I also loved the kisses between the two – they were of the best kind!
One of the best aspects about Rani’s growth in the story is how she stands up for herself, even when it pains her to do so, especially with her mother. I brought out the pompoms and rooted for her big time and was so proud of her. Coming from an Asian household where such actions are considered taboo at best, it takes great strength to do so and I believe that Rani’s trust in Darian played a huge role in her being able to finally stand up for herself.
Recommended for those who love an emotionally charged romance, featuring two protagonists who are real in every sense!
Final Verdict: Adrift is a beautifully crafted story of love, loss, and healing that would resonate deeply with the reader, with complex characterization and sensuality.
Favorite Quotes
Before I even finish thinking about what I’ve done, yet again, his lips are on mine with a soft growl. Both of his hands stroll up my bare shoulders, finding their way to the side of my face. He cups my cheeks as his tongue sweeps over my lips, asking–no, demanding–entrance into my mouth. At first, I’m so bewildered by his scent and the feel of his lips on my mouth that I barely respond. But the more he coaxes me out of my stupor–his tongue teasing against my mouth–the more I feel myself give in. My eyes finally close as my hands slide up his torso, finding purchase on his chest, and I open my mouth, letting him in.
She lets out a staggered breath. “Yes . . ..” Her eyes get a faraway look in them before she grazes her face against mine again and whispers, “No.” “No?” She shakes her head. “I mean, I have an idea, but by all means,” she swallows, “if you have more you want to do . . ..” She trails off like she’s imagining all the things I’ve been telepathically planting in her head. My lips are right above hers. “What I want to do and what I should do, based on our little agreement, are two very different things. For example, what I want to do is take you upstairs and fill you up with my tongue and my cock so you’ll be dripping my spit and cum for days.” She gasps, her eyes giving away the shock and lust building behind them. “But I wouldn’t call that going slow,” I add with a raised brow. I inch closer, my lips almost laying on hers. “So, unless you’ve changed your mind . . ..” “You,” she says breathlessly, pressing her finger into my chest, “are not playing fair, Mr. Meyer.”
His hand travels the length of the back of my thigh under the dress I’d worn to the nursing home today, and it drives me wild. Our lips mesh together and our tongues dance against our moans as his hand continues its slow upward perusal. His eyes fly open in alarm just as he finds my bare ass. He pulls away from my lips. “You’re not wearing any underwear? What sort of nursing home party did you attend?” I giggle, leaning further in to press another kiss to his lips before covering his hand–the one still on my bare bottom–with mine and scooting it further up so he finds the top band of my thong. He groans, running his hand over my ass cheek before pulling me onto him. “Fuck.”
“Jesus, Rani.” He speaks low against my mouth, and I force myself not to scream from the pressure he’s inciting inside of me. “Tell me you want this because I might be getting past the point of stopping. But, baby, I need you to think.” “Yes,” I hiss into his mouth, undulating over him. I’m seconds from shattering, the friction too much, lighting up my body like it’s in a firework display on the Fourth of July. “I want this.” I cup his face with my hands, my eyes hooded. “You’re the only one I want this with.”
He lays a kiss on my lips, watching my face. “Are you okay?” I nod, panting. “Yes. Darian?” “Yes, baby?” “Please move.” He smiles as his hips start rocking inside me. He takes over with one hand grabbing the back of my knee before driving inside me and my fingernails bite into his shoulder. His lips find mine as we groan into each other, breathing, feeling, needing. Finally in sync.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Molly, #1 Publisher: Fanfare Hero: Samuel Harden Thoreau Heroine: Rachel Danielle Collins Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: January 01, 1990 Started On: August 06, 2023 Finished On: August 11, 2023
In order to heal people, we must sometimes take their pain into ourselves.
Forever by Theresa Weir is an intensely poignant exploration of love, loss, and identity by an author whose captivating voice is one that is compelling. First published in January of 1990, the novel brings to us the troubled and yet irresistible hero, Samuel “Sammy” Harden Thoreau, a 38-year-old man grappling with the aftermath of a devastating brain injury and the loss of his memories. Dr. Rachel Danielle Collins, a 32-year-old psychiatrist whose own past is marred by personal tragedy and emotional scars is the main female protagonist of the story.
When Sammy wakes up at the hospital, disoriented and in pain and faces the reality of his memory loss, it is devastating news to a man who is renowned in his field as a freelance writer. This sets the stage in which Sammy struggles to accept his new reality and associated vulnerabilities in his desperate quest for identity.
Rachel takes on Sammy’s case believing that she would be able to make a difference with Sammy, the at times reticent patient who her peers seek to treat in a manner that is abhorrent for Rachel. Her professional demeanor masks deep-seated guilt and unresolved grief over the death of her daughter, Jennifer, and a failed marriage for which she blames herself.
As Rachel works with Sammy, it is a journey of healing not just for Sammy, a relationship that is fraught with challenges in more ways than one, it is not just Sammy who embarks on a journey of healing but Rachel as well. With Sammy, for the first time in her professional career, Rachel is tempted to crash through the boundaries that defines the ethics between doctor and patient. As such, Sammy’s pursuit of Rachel through his days of hospitalization is a tumultuous journey underpinned by the tender moments between the two.
While both Sammy and Rachel try to find validation in each other and ease their loneliness, their relationship which starts out on an uneven footing at best, requires more sacrifice than either of them thought possible. Sammy’s journey to find himself and Rachel’s quest to forgive herself are the very aspects of the novel which stands out, making this happily ever after one that is relatable on many levels.
As mentioned at the beginning of the review, Ms. Weir is an exceptional writer in her prose and ability to extract emotion from the reader, and needless to say, I found what I was looking for when I picked this up – a gripping read that held me enthralled from start to finish, making me want to read the sequel right after. Oh the devastation I felt when I thought that the second installment remained unpublished was all too real until I was proven wrong, to my absolute and utter delight.
One of the aspects that stood out is how Ms. Weir’s writing vividly captures Sammy’s internal battles, from his intense self-reflection to the traumatic flashbacks of his past life. His emotional breakdowns on the path towards recovery are gut-wrenching, showcasing his profound vulnerability. Somethings in life are meant to be left in the past and perhaps it is that very acceptance that proves to be the healing that Sammy needed before he could fully embrace a life with Rachel.
Rachel’s emotional vulnerabilities are also well portrayed, highlighting the burdens that women often carry due to societal norms and expectations, as a consequence of which women often carry more guilt for failed relationships. The self-recrimination is a huge part of Rachel’s inability in moving forward with her life, stuck in a constant cycle where she uses work as a shield in which she hides her pain and loneliness.
The secondary characters, like Molly (Sammy’s sister), adds further layers to the story which proved to be just as fascinating. It is the intriguing tidbits of Molly’s life that Ms. Their leaves as breadcrumbs leading us to the second and final installment in this duology which proved to be the icing on the cake.
Recommended for readers who wish for an emotionally captivating read to sink their teeth into. I loved every nuance and facet of this novel!
Final Verdict: Forever is a novel that masterfully explores the complexities of human emotions through deeply flawed and yet relatable characters, delving into the intensity of one’s journey towards healing, making this unputdownable!
Favorite Quotes
He leaned forward. Without making contact with any other part of her body, he touched his lips to hers. A feather-light brush. As soon as his lips skimmed hers, Sammy heard her quick, indrawn breath. At the same time, he felt an incredible surge of desire rush through him. He pulled away slightly, his lips inches from hers. “Did you guess, Rachel?” His voice was tight. “Your mouth,” she whispered, her eyes still closed, as if she didn’t dare open them.
Without conscious thought, without relinquishing contact with her mouth, he positioned himself over her, urging her knees apart with his hips until he was where he wanted to be—between her thighs, his hardness pressing against her warmth. His kiss deepened. His tongue slid past her lips, into the moist recesses of her mouth. As he made love to her mouth, he could almost feel another part of him buried in her. He began to move his hips. Stroking . . . One hand lifting her closer . . . Desire winding tighter . . . Suddenly an uncontrollable shudder went through him, then another and another. He plunged one last time before collapsing on top of her.
“I’ve dreamed of this,” he whispered raggedly as he lowered himself into her. “Sweet, sweet Rachel.” She couldn’t take her eyes from his face. “Me too …” Slowly, ever so slowly, he entered her until she surrounded his firm flesh. And as he made love to her, he wrapped her in his innocence and beauty, in the vibrant way he looked at life. Everything that she’d experienced before had been nothing but a poor imitation of life. Sammy was life. And in some way, in his holding her, his touching her, she was suffused with his electricity. She could feel it humming through her veins.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Erotic Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Julian Lockley Heroine: Rosie Flynn Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: July 14, 2023 Started On: July 20, 2023 Finished On: July 29, 2023
The Man Upstairs by Jade West is a provocative exploration of forbidden desires that might not settle well with some readers. My first experience of a Jade West novel was certainly memorable, featuring 18-year-old Rosie Flynn and 48-year-old Julian Lockley, whose love affair is as illicit as they come.
Rosie resides in Crenham Drive, a housing block marked by faded green carpet hallways and the stale smell of decaying lives struggling to survive amidst constant and abject cycles of poverty. Rosie’s life is no walk in the park, and her dismal existence takes a dramatic turn when she comes face to face with Julian, a disgraced former English professor with a scandalous past, who moves into apartment number six of the same building.
Estranged from his family and haunted by his past, Julian is a man on the brink of self-destruction. He struggles with his thoughts and self-loathing, unable to bridge the chasm that he has caused between him and his family. Despite the dark urges that plagues his mind and his troubled history, Julian’s protective instincts kick in when it comes to Rosie, snowballing into something that leaves him perhaps hopeful, for the first time since the scandal that made him a pariah in his former life.
Rosie, in contrast, is a young woman on the cusp of her adulthood and her sexual awakening, whose interest in Julian is one most would see as problematic. However, in Julian, she finds for the first time, security of the kind she has never had, a man who through simple acts of kindness and taking care of her, invades her heart. Rosie is also captivated by all that is Professor Julian, with his penchant for rougher than average sex, the need for which rises ferociously in him as Julian and Rosie spends more time together.
While Rosie’s curiosity about Julian leads to a series of intense and explicit encounters, Julian remains locked in battle with his inner demons and attempts to protect her innocence, which is a losing battle at best. When Julian finally gives in to what is inevitable, the exploration of their mutual desires turns out to be complex, dirty, and powerful in a way that reshapes both of them emotionally.
The Man Upstairs is a novel that delves into several heavy themes, including abuse and poverty cycles, sexual awakening, and the quest for betterment in life, along with redemption. Rosie’s struggles with her mother’s inability to move on from abusive relationships and the trauma of it remains all too real and constant, until Julian steps into her life. Ms. West also explores how challenging it is for those stuck in such vicious cycles to move forward in life and walk away.
While Rosie was a sweet heroine in many ways, she is also one who has a very strong mind of her own, perhaps forged through years of living through constant cycles of abuse which made her wiser and perhaps grow up faster than her peers. Rosie is also lonely in a way that perhaps we can all relate – sometimes you can be surrounded by people and yet feel a yearning for something indescribable. Rosie’s need for love and affection might not be what initially draws her into the warmth of Julian’s existence, but it is definitely why she chooses to stay with him, even amidst all the judgement that society sees fit to throw their way.
Julian was an incredible hero in my opinion – what made him stand out being the fact that he truly accepted his past actions for what they were and understood the sort of man he was deep inside. While Ms. West does not try to portray Julian in a light that exempts him from blame, my perspective of his marriage was quite different. Julian’s undying devotion to Rosie and the way he takes care of her needs (and I do not mean sexual needs in this context), under whose gentle ministrations Julian was also able to heal was thought provoking. I believe that Julian was a man who was lost amidst a marriage that did not serve to fulfill his needs, and knowing that his wife had drifted apart from him and sought comfort elsewhere made Julian embrace his depraved needs in the worst ways possible. It is true that some are late bloomers and meet their true soulmates late in life, and in Julian’s case, I felt that the statement holds quite true.
If there is anything I would say about this novel, it is that the story is unflinchingly explicit, with graphic sexual scenes that illustrate the intense physical and emotional connection between Rosie and Julian. This exploration of sexual dynamics is both a rite of passage for Rosie and a moral predicament for Julian, making their relationship deeply controversial, yet undeniably compelling.
Fans of provocative and boundary-pushing romance will find The Man Upstairs to be a riveting read. However, due to its explicit content and controversial themes, it may not be suitable for all readers. Ms. West’s writing certainly makes for compelling reading, and I for one enjoyed exploring the forbidden world of Rosie and Julian.
Final Verdict: The Man Upstairs is a bold and thought-provoking novel where Ms. West crafts a story that is both deeply unsettling and intensely passionate, pushing the boundaries of conventional romance to explore the darker sides of love and lust.
Favorite Quotes
Julian: My body took over, nothing but pure white heat behind my eyes as I pulled my thumb free and set my mouth on hers. My kiss wasn’t tender. My tongue wasn’t gentle. I gripped her face in my hands and possessed her mouth with the desperate kind of lust that drove me wild. She whimpered at the shock, dithering just a little before her senses flew free with mine. Instincts met instincts, raw and unfiltered.
Julian: I loved the way she giggled, just a little. “You’re pretty cool, you know, Julian? Hot, and smart, and brilliant. You’re a lot more than a creepy man upstairs.” It knocked me aback, hugely. I’d been approached and appreciated by many young girls in my life, but they had seen me against a different backdrop. Proud, successful, preened and polished. Not as a freaky loser in a suit from Crenham Drive.
I threw myself into Julian’s arms with such force that I knocked him backwards. I was as desperate as it’s possible to be as I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, needing him more than life itself. I took hold of his shoulders, squeezing tight before I kissed him. My lips met his like magic. His body worked on instinct to support mine, and we were lost. Consumed. Done for. I kissed my saviour, and my saviour held me tight and kissed me right back.
“Rosie–” he began, still trying to clutch at his resolve, but I shook my head. I wasn’t listening. I wanted him to claim me. I was done with my innocence. My hands roved over his chest, and that was enough. He succumbed, hands reaching for me in return and ripping the shirt from my shoulders. He lifted me up, sitting me right next to the mugs on the counter, and I spread my legs, already panting as he peppered his beautiful mouth up my thigh. He was rougher with my pussy this time. His tongue was fierce and wet, and fuck, I was done for… lost. I gripped the counter, clumsy, and the mugs went tumbling, smashing and spilling coffee all over the floor. But Julian didn’t care, or so much as flinch, just kept working his mouth against me. He was as done for as I was.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Mills & Boon Hero: Rafael Luis Enrique Santovena y Alejandro Heroine: Sarah Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: August 09, 1991 Started On: July 02, 2023 Finished On: July 13, 2023
‘I want to watch you while I love you,’ he breathed fiercely. ‘I do not want you to forget who I am.’
A Fiery Baptism by Lynne Graham, first published in August of 1991, brings to readers the tempestuous world of Sarah and Rafael, a couple whose past is marred with passion, betrayal, and heartache. This is classic Mills & Boon, with of course the emotional highs and lows that only an author like Ms. Graham can properly deliver to her fan-base.
The story begins with 25 year old Sarah, who is a single mother of twins, whose life has been a constant struggle with loneliness and insecurity, primarily due to her emotionally distant adoptive parents, finds herself running into her estranged husband Rafael at a party. Thus, a man whose confidence and charisma are as unforgettable as his betrayal, re-enters Sarah’s life, igniting old wounds and unresolved emotions.
Readers are taken through the shared history of Sarah and Rafael, Sarah’s elopement with Rafael against her parents’ wishes, and the subsequent turmoil that had made Sarah miserable to the point where it had been easy for her parents to manipulate her into surrendering to their wishes. Their marriage is portrayed as one that is passionate and yet destructive, where Sarah had had hopes of escaping the controlling nature of her parents, only to find that Rafael too, treats her as his possession.
When Rafael discovers that he is in fact father to twins, the betrayal he feels is immense, and Ms. Graham does a remarkable job of taking readers through the central themes of passion, heartbreak, betrayal, and redemption with her usual fervor. Sarah’s character is one that makes you feel for her – the lack of emotional affection that had shaped her most formative years which has turned her into a nurturing soul, whose spirit had been crushed under the weight of the expectations of her parents and her husband.
Rafael too is a man shaped by an upbringing that is painful. While Sarah had grown up in an environment that had lacked affection, Rafael had grown up in a harsh environment that makes him cynical and dispassionate about the finer emotions of life. His emotional vulnerabilities and passionate nature creates a complex character who is both possessive, while at the same time yearns for deeper connections and also rejects the very notion of the vulnerability that would be associated with such a connection.
The passion that blazes out of control as Sarah and Rafael engage in heated exchanges and raw confrontations as they navigate their shared life a second time around, all reveal the deep-seated grievances and misunderstandings between them, painting a vivid picture of their troubled past and the lingering emotions that bind them.
I found Sarah’s sexual awakening to be rather intriguing which comes later in the novel, a deviation from the almost formulaic nature of category romances. In 99.9 percent of the novels, the hero never fails to satisfy the heroine in every single sexual encounter from the onset, and to see their sexual relationship also evolve with their maturity as individuals in this novel, was truly what stood out for me.
Recommended for fans of Ms. Graham’s stories which are roller-coaster rides on the emotional bandwagon.
Final Verdict: A Fiery Baptism serves a captivating read for fans of classic Harlequin romances, offering just the right touch of passion, drama, and emotional intensity to keep the pages turning.
Favorite Quotes
Her flat was just round the corner. She walked fast, not looking at him. Inside the lift the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense. With a flourish she removed his jacket but before she could return it he closed the distance between them. He slid long fingers very slowly into the damp tangle of her hair. Fierce dark eyes searched her pale, upturned face. Heat rushed up to the surface of her fair skin. ‘Por dios, Sarah,’ he breathed raggedly. ‘What is it that you want from me?’ A dull ache stirred in the pit of her stomach. The thump of her heartbeat filled her eardrums. An overpowering sexual excitement unlike anything she had ever experienced had her entrapped, preventing her from moving away.
He lowered his dark head so gradually that she trembled before he engulfed her mouth in the scorching heat of his. Shock reverberated through her but shock was swiftly drowned by sensation. Her hands clenched convulsively into his broad shoulders. His tongue penetrated hotly between her lips, imitating another far more elemental possession, and the ground rocked and fell away beneath her feet. It was a savage awakening to a hunger that had no boundaries, a hunger that boldly seized and controlled. She was weak and dizzy, wildly disorientated, when he released her mouth and vented a stifled groan into her hair. ‘I don’t know you like this,’ he muttered roughly, angrily.
Clashing unwarily with luminescent gold challenge, she could feel her hold on reality loosening even more. ‘Don’t…’ she whispered shakily. ‘You speak with such conviction,’ he mocked. Alarm bells rang loudly in her head as his measuring gaze dropped to the prominent thrust of her small, high breasts and lingered on the pointed buds pushing against the damp cotton, damning indictments of her response to him. He was very still, dull coins of colour overlying his hard cheekbones, his breathing shallow and audible. ‘You say “don’t”,’ he noted in a low-pitched growl. A peculiar lassitude was sweeping over her. Time seemed to have slowed down to a third of its normal speed. ‘But I say si…I say yes,’ he completed.
He swept her up in his arms and kicked the bedroom door wide. He tumbled her down on the bed, following her there in an almost instantaneous motion. Impatient hands disposed of the remainder of her clothing. He was indifferent to the sound of ripping lace but she welcomed the rapacious savagery of his demanding mouth. His mouth, oh, God, his mouth. The hot, hard angularity of his body on hers was an unbelievable pleasure and the burning urgency of his hands made her cry out, defenceless against the wild, explosive agony of need that he had induced.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Bennett Sisters, #1 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Max Connor Heroine: Julia Bennett Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: March 07, 2016 Started On: February 21, 2023 Finished On: February 22, 2023
God knew Max had given her nothing, not so much a single hello in almost two years, and yet, and yet, and yet, her crush stuttered on like a corrupted MP3 file, making her feel electric and helpless and nauseous and depressed in turns.
Book one in the Bennett Sisters series is another wonderful story by the critically acclaimed author that is Eve Dangerfield. Locked Box, published initially in March of 2016, brings to readers the story of 33 year old Senior Constable Max Connor at the Brenthill Police Station where 25 year old Julia Bennett works as the IT person aka “computer girl”.
Julia harbors a massive crush on the all too married Max and that has been the case for a long time, something which mortifies and petrifies her in equal doses. When on the eve of a long weekend, Julia gets roped into organizing the entire computer section of the Brenthill Evidence Room which is definitely not a one person job, and she gets locked in the the room, the man who strides to her “rescue” is none other than Max himself.
When a series of mishaps ends up with both of them locked in together, things start to get interesting as we get our first insights into how Max actually feels about Julia and the truth about his marital status. Max and Julia met years ago, a night that has left its impression on both of them equally. While Max moved on and got hitched, Julia has steadily been working towards her goal of launching her own video game.
As things start to heat up between Julia and Max, it is Julia’s desperation that pushes past the reluctance and the walls that Max shields his heart with. A rushed marriage which had gone awry with time has left its mark on him, and having to suppress his needs has left him feeling him exhausted. But Julia tests every bit of his resistance until it lies in tatters around him, and he gives in to the scorching heat that has always existed between them since day one, something he has denied for far too long.
Max does not want to feel the way he does around Julia, all inept and mindlessly horny as he puts it. But then love and lust in combination does strange things to even the most intelligent and coherent of people and that is what makes him warier than ever. Even as Max tries to put distance between himself and Julia, things certainly do not go according to plan as Julia tests the reserves of his strength, and makes him question every aspect of why he had walked away all those years back.
I loved both Max and Julia and thoroughly enjoyed knowing that there was no way that Max was going to be able to walk away this time around. I loved how Ms. Dangerfield brought out the tidbits of their past entwining with the present, giving their attraction and the intense connection between the two more meaning. Max is wild for Julia, there is no doubt about that. And Julia has her work cut out for her when it comes to convincing Max to take that chance on her, which ends up being the factor that gave this story the angst that I always need in my romance novels.
Recommended for those who love a broody and reluctant hero who spikes up your heart rate just by stepping into the pages.
Final Verdict: Multi-layered with a forbidden love angle that we all love, Max’s intensity and Julia’s unwavering love made this memorable!
Favorite Quotes
“Max.” “That’s it, say my name.” Usually, an orgasm turned her body to stone, but this was so raw, so surreal, all Julia could do was thrash against Max, who was thankfully strong enough to keep her in check. She shrieked and shuddered and cursed enough to kill several fairies but he didn’t slow down, he kept stroking her G-spot until she did something she’d only ever done once before; gushed into his open palm. It was as excruciating as she remembered, painfully pleasurable, completely unable to be stopped.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Brant Elliott Heroine: June Adeline Bailey Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: May 17, 2022 Started On: January 20, 2023 Finished On: January 28, 2023
“There is no sense in love,” I counter, swiping away more tears. “It’s a senseless thing.” Mom pauses, pinching the bridge of her nose, chin tucked to her chest. I forge ahead. “And I didn’t pursue him. He didn’t pursue me. It just… happened. Because that’s what love does. It happens. It sneaks up on you, and then it burrows. It festers in your blood. And once it’s in your blood, you can’t just flush it out. It’s a part of you now. Trying to get rid of it would be like cutting off a limb, or carving your heart right out of your chest.”
June First by Jennifer Hartman is a transformative reading experience. No two ways bout it. This story truly digs into your psyche making you ache in the best way possible, a true testament to the romance genre and why I stick to reading romance even when good books are so hard to come by now. Told in the first person, published in May of 2022, this phenomenal story brings to readers two characters who stake their claim on your heart from the get-go.
The story begins when the hero Brant Elliott, is six years old, and his parents die in a murder-suicide, instigated by his father leaving him without family. His savior comes in the form of his neighbors, the Baileys, of whom Theo is of the same age as he is, and his best friend. When the Bailey’s takes him in, it is also with a new addition to their family unit, a baby girl that they name as June Adeline Bailey, June because she was born on the first day of the month, on that fateful night that Brant’s life was marked forever.
It is June that saves Brant’s life unknowingly when memories of “The Bad Night” as he calls it, haunts him too much. The Bailey’s adopt him and call him their own, giving Brant the kind of love and security that would never have been possible if otherwise. From the start, the bond between June and Brant is one that is indescribable. As Ms. Hartman takes readers through the formative years of both their lives and beyond, readers get glimpses into how their relationship metamorphoses and shifts to accommodate the ever growing and changing love between them.
It is not easy journey for Brant and June, even if June at first does not recognize the feelings burgeoning inside of her as she comes of age. For Brant who is six years older, it is a different matter altogether, being old and wise enough to understand the strength of his attraction towards June. The conflicting emotions that runs amok through Brant renders him the perfect definition of a tortured hero, which of course gave this story a ton of angst which I absolutely adored.
For Brant who promised June that he would always protect her, the hardest thing to face is him being the person that she needs protection from. But no matter how hard Brant may try to keep his distance and hurting June in the process, there is no stopping the tide when it comes to the strength of the magnetic draw between two halves of one soul.
The night that Brant succumbs to the temptation that is June, tragedy strikes, splintering the fragility of what took place, the guilt factor multiplying exponentially. As someone who was transfixed by the variety of emotions that coursed through me as I waded deeper into the story, I found that the longing that drips from the pages to be unparalleled, the angst and slow burn unlike anything I have ever come across.
The delivery on that build-up was out of this world, and I could not have asked for more. The writing is deeply evocative, the prose perfect, the build-up of the tension, not just in terms of the attraction between June and Brant but the entire story – all blends exquisitely to deliver a tale that makes you bleed your emotions all over. Every single aspect of this novel just drives home the fact that Brant and June are the true definition of two halves, one soul.
Evocative writing and exemplary characterization makes this book stand out from similarly themed taboo romances, and I cannot recommend this gem of a book enough to all romance readers!
Final Verdict: With June First, Jennifer Hartmann pulls off the kind of story that few authors can. The sheer magnitude of the undertaking is visible from the start, making this perfect in every sense!
Favorite Quotes
“June.” I take her wrist in my hand and lower her arm, catching the flash of worry in her eyes. “Junebug, you should get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning.” I don’t let her question it, or convince me to stay. I just go. I walk out. I can’t be in here right now. She’s too soft, too vulnerable. I’m still surging with adrenaline. I’m still suffocating on the awful awareness that the child I watched grow up, the angel I swore to protect, the little girl I craved in a million beautiful, innocent ways—is now becoming the girl I crave in the only way I shouldn’t. And it’s not fair. It’s not fucking fair. If my father hadn’t murdered my mother, I would still just be the neighbor boy, and she would be the girl next door. Instead, he branded us with a label; forced me into something twisted. He turned the only girl I’ve ever wanted into the only girl I can never have.
Brant lets the door swing shut behind him, his brow furrowed with confusion. “Why are we over here?” He senses something off about me and moves in closer, his hand extending to my forearm. “You’re scaring me a little.” It’s so quiet on this side of the doors, and I fear he can hear my heart screaming in terror. I lick my lips. “I’m not trying to. I just… I have to do this.” He shakes his head, a baffled laugh slipping out. “You’re not making any sense. Do what?” Breathe in. Breathe out. Just get it over with, June. “This.” I don’t think. My hands lift, reaching up and pulling his face down to mine. His stunned breath is the last thing I hear before our lips crash together, and I’m inching up on my tiptoes, my palms clasped around his jaw, my mouth parting on instinct. I didn’t intend to part my lips, but I do. We just hover there for a moment, our breaths heavy and unsteady, turning into pants the longer we linger, while our mouths connect in a way they never should. And then something happens. I don’t know what happens, but something happens. I feel his hand cinch around my waist, while the other drags up to my hair, tangling in the mound of loose curls. My pelvis jerks forward without warning. Then he kisses me. Truly kisses me.
Pulling away from his touch, I sweep around him and march my way to the front door. I don’t grab my bags, but I’ll come back for them. It’s fine. I just need to go. When I reach the door, I twist the brass knob and tug it open, prepared to dart into the hallway and escape this mess of confusion. Only, I’m stopped short when a hand plants against the door right above my head, slamming it shut. I draw in a sharp breath. He’s right behind me, his chest whispering along my back as he cages me in. Swallowing hard, I squeak out, “Brant…” Electricity hisses all around us.
“It’s not fair that your face is so perfect; a piece of art on display that I’m not allowed to touch. I should only adore it from afar, even though its beauty calls to me. Even though I’m convinced it was created just for me.” Her eyelashes flutter as she sways, as if she’s drunk on more than rum or whiskey—as if she’s drunk on her very own words. “It’s not fair that it holds two eyes that look at me the way they do, like they were made for seeing only me. It’s not fair that it has lips that I’ve memorized, that I can’t forget, and a tongue I’ve dreamed about tasting me over and over again.”
“You always smell like springtime and lemon drops,” I say gently, kissing the top of her head. My eyes close with contentment as I breathe her in. She sighs, her breath warming me through the cashmere of my shirt. “You always smell like spearmint and Ivory soap.” Songbirds serenade us as we stand in the center of the patio, enmeshed in a potent embrace, breathing in perfect time, and swaying lightly, as if nature is singing just for us. Then we say it at the same time: “Like home.”
June whimpers as her shaky hands make their way to my hair, fingers sifting. Nails grazing my scalp. Her pelvis jerks up, just slightly, like it’s instinct, like she’s silently begging me to sample her. Her legs spread farther apart. And I lose it. I fucking lose it. I trail my fingers underneath the hem of her panties, yanking them down past her knees. Then I bend over and bury my face between her thighs. June cries out. She lets out a sharp, primal moan as her hips thrust up against my mouth and her nails carve into my scalp. I feast on her. Untamed. Untethered. Hungry.
“Are you happy?” I ask softly. There’s a catch in my voice, sounding louder than my words. Worry claims her pretty features, and she reaches up to hold my wrists. “Of course, I’m happy. I’m so happy.” “Even though you’re not dancing? Even though you’re not in New York?” She falters. It’s only for a second, only for the briefest, tiniest moment, but I see it. I see it
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Historical Erotic Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: The Seducers, #1 Publisher: Crooked Sixpence Press Hero: Magnus Stynwyck Heroine: Melissa Griffin Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: October 01, 2021 Started On: October 01, 2022 Finished On: October 02, 2022
She was glad nobody else could hear the noise she made. To say he looked like a water god out of mythology was trite, but, oh, it was so very, very true. He strode from the waves like some male version of The Birth of Venus. Or The Birth of Adonis or Zeus or one of those randy Greeks or Romans who was always getting his kit off at the drop of a hat. Melissa realized she was sliding off the rock because she’d leaned forward so much and pushed herself back into her crack, briefly disgusted by her own avidity but quickly suppressing it. He bent at the waist and slicked water from his legs with both hands. She swallowed.
Believe it or not, it was the Grantchester series, starring a vicar (James Norton) who also moonlights as a detective in solving murder mysteries that made me read Melissa and The Vicar by S.M. LaViolette. It is an intriguing premise after all, the hero being a curate (an assistant to the vicar) whose fate is intertwined with that of a heroine who owns one of London’s most exclusive brothels.
First published in 2021 as the debut book in The Seducers series, Ms. LaViolette brings to readers the story of 24 year old Magnus Stynwyck and 29 year old Melissa Griffin, whose age difference might not have mattered all that much if not for the fact that Melissa’s lived reality makes her well beyond her years, unacceptable by society’s standards to lead a life that is considered respectable.
Melissa’s first encounter with Magnus comes as she moves to the village of New Bickford for a brief spell to recuperate and regain her zest for the business, as her rescuer from the vicious rooster in the village. For someone who has seen it and done it all, Melissa is awestruck by the beauty that is Magnus, who makes her feel shy and fidgety for the first time she can recall, something she had long forgotten along with the innocence of her youth.
Magnus has always known that he wanted to join the clergy when he grew up, the youngest of six brothers. His family had never understood why he wanted to take up the vocation, and he had long given up trying to convince them that this was his calling.
While Melissa finds herself enjoying the solitude and the sedate pace of life in the village, she is at the same time taken aback by how strongly she finds herself attracted to Magnus, which she knows in her heart is futile in every sense. For someone as well schooled in the art of seduction, Melissa finds her heart racing, her mind distracted, and her body reacting to the mere presence of Magnus and the charm that he wields on her heart without even trying.
Melissa’s plans to prevent her heart from breaking results in her fleeing after tasting the exquisiteness of what it means to surrender to what is between her Magnus. However, she never factors in the stubbornness that courses through Magnus which his doting mother claims to be her youngest son’s only sin. The steely determination behind the gentleness that is Magnus proves to be Melissa’s undoing, and give in she does, even with all her misgivings about them and what it would mean for Magnus, until she realizes that her past is very much part of her present, which could end up destroying not just what she has with Magnus, but her very existence in the process.
I thoroughly enjoyed and loved the heady experience of reading this novel. One thing that is always true for books by Ms. Spencer aka Ms. LaViolette is that every single story that she has written to-date has a solid tale to tell. The steam factor which she does so well only enhances the underlying story and gives it the edge and angst the stories deserve, and this is true for Melissa and the Vicar in every sense.
The great characterization of the story is what beguiled me the most, the different facets to both Melissa and Magnus which continues to surprise the reader at every turn. Melissa’s was by far the most intriguing, all the horror that she had lived through at the tender age of thirteen just being unreal. Her indomitable strength to persevere, to rise above, even when she continues to be at war with her own conscience about being the owner of the very brothel at which she had served, is a study of contrasts that really got to me. Melissa is a survivalist at heart, and I don’t think I can even begin to comprehend what it would do to anyone’s psychology to have survived the kind of trauma that she lived through.
Of Melissa and Magnus, the latter is the dreamer, the one who believes that everything would turn out alright and perhaps in his naivety, assumes that everyone would see Melissa as he does, and accept her into the fold with open arms. The most shocking truth about Melissa’s past as it unfolded is the reason this story stands out in such a remarkable way, and how Magnus seemed to shift and show us the different facets to his character which proved to be my undoing.
I loved Magnus for his gentleness, his stubbornness, his love for Melissa that was pure in every sense, his need for the woman who rocks his very existence out of its orbit, and the way he stands true to his convictions, even if it pains him to do so. There was no way on earth that Melissa could have resisted the force that was Magnus as unleashed, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
The ending was realistic, especially given Melissa’s profession and the stain it carries in society. The epilogue was lovely, and made me smile with joy from inside out. Definitely recommended!
Final Verdict: As Melissa puts it, Oh, Mr. Stanwyck, what a wonderful surprise you turned out to be! Top notch characterization makes this an instant page-turner!
Favorite Quotes
“This is wrong, Melissa.” He’d meant to sound firm, commanding—but it came out more of a question. She gave a throaty chuckle, working her way down his jaw to his neck. “How can something so wonderful—between two people who love each other—be wrong?” Her lips pushed into his cravat and her mouth settled over his Adam’s apple. And then she bit him.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Untitled Series, #1 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Jonathan Barclay Heroine: Emelia Mercier Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: June 02, 2022 Started On: August 05, 2022 Finished On: August 06, 2022
It’s a hard thing to explain, to want to be treated like an equal most of the time but, occasionally, with the right person and in the right setting, to want the exact opposite. I want to be thrust up against the door of a bar bathroom and told what to do.
Needing something to rejuvenate me from the dumps I was in after the abysmal disappointment that my last read turned out to be, I needed a pick me up, something that would deliver me from my doldrums. I found the perfect antidote when I stumbled across My Professor by R.S. Grey, first released in June of 2022.
Told in the first person from dual perspectives, this is a May-December romance featuring 32 year old Jonathan Barclay as the hero and 21 year old Emelia Mercier as the heroine. When the story begins, Emelia is a student and Jonathan a professor, teaching History and Philosophy of Historic Preservation at the same university. Emelia’s enrollment in his class ends in disaster for various reasons, the push and pull factor between them being one behind Jonathan’s atrocious behavior when it comes to Emelia.
Four years on, with her master’s degree in architectural conservation from NYU, their paths cross once again when Emelia lands a job at Jonathan’s firm, Emelia mistakenly believing that Jonathan would not remember her. But she couldn’t be further from the truth as the same visceral attraction burns between them, this time around, hotter and far brighter than either of them perhaps anticipated, where each is drawn to the other like a moth to flame.
Emelia is by far the character with the most interesting background in the story, estranged from her family, with her mother having died earlier from cancer. She is alone in the world for the most part, and even if she were so inclined to seek her family out, the truth regarding her conception alone is enough to stop her from doing that.
I felt like this book had such promise which had me glued to the pages. The angst and build-up between Emelia and Jonathan were perfect up to a point. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with the power dynamic between a professor and his student, one that he wants desperately, a want that he schools himself not to show? He even goes as far as to ask her to drop his class, which she ends up doing, cutting off what was blossoming to life between them at that point.
The yearning on Jonathan’s part when seen through his eyes makes up for all the dickhead moves that he puts in place to keep Emelia at bay. But he certainly is not strong enough to douse his own sense of curiosity, want, and desire when it comes to Emelia, especially when he is closer to the truth on where she comes from than he anticipated. I also loved his relationship with his mother – that woman could ruffle his feathers unlike any other.
The tension between Emelia and Jonathan was out of this world, and this brings me to the most disappointing aspect of this novel; Ms. Grey failed to deliver on that extremely tightly wound tension which she built up so spectacularly. I feel that the story would have gained more nuance and helped cement the emotional connection between Emelia and Jonathan, had Ms. Grey taken these two through a series of illicit and forbidden encounters between them over the passage of time, which would have given depth to their connection as well.
It was taking the easy way out if you ask me, to bring that heady tension between Jonathan and Emelia to its ultimate and foregone conclusion towards the end of the book, failing also to focus on the submissive nature of Emelia when it comes to her sexual needs and desires, something that Jonathan was more than well equipped and ready to handle. I have one message for authors who tend to do that; don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time – building up the tension to ferocious levels and failing to deliver is impolite at best. And I am being polite here with my choice of words.
I also failed to see the emotional connection and spark between Emelia and Jonathan develop to levels that I wanted. I mean don’t get me wrong, they were both fabulous characters in their own right and I rooted for them big time. But at the same time, there were so many threads to the story that were taking place, that I felt that Emelia and Jonathan’s budding “romance” took a back seat when all was said and done. Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading this little number and am thankful for the huge role it played in taking me out of my reading slump.
Recommended for fans of Ms. Grey and fans of May-December trope romances. This one had more professor vibes going for it than Hey, Mr. Marshall!
Final Verdict: It is a heady journey to witness the undoing of the tightly wound Professor Barclay, whose legendary control over his baser nature is torn to shreds at long last!
Favorite Quotes
“Look at me.” My gaze sweeps to him instantly. My body is such a traitor where he’s concerned. “The mistakes of the past…” He sniffs and looks away as if disgusted by himself. “They will not be repeated.” I bite down on the inside of my cheek. “Furthermore, outbursts like that one in the car will not be tolerated.” “You goaded me,” I blurt out rudely. Like a whip, his gaze lashes me. “You don’t know the meaning of goad.”
“You haven’t said anything about my dress, Professor Barclay.” “You don’t want to hear my thoughts about you in that dress.” Oh but I do. I really, really do. “One word won’t hurt,” I say, smiling in innocence. He opens the back door of the car and deposits me inside. His blue eyes are level with mine as he leans in to click my seat belt into place. “Lethal.” Then the door gets slammed, and I’m left alone in the back seat, blinking.
I take a baby step toward him. It’s barely anything, but it’s enough to feel intimate and wrong. If someone were to turn a corner and find us here, it wouldn’t look innocent. I look him over, taking my time. “I like when you’re dressed like this. This suit fits you to a T. Your tie is done perfectly, your pocket square is folded neatly. You look so proper…” Knowing I’m playing with fire, I lift my finger to trail it down the center of his tie and my eyes follow, but then I pause and let my gaze flit back to his as the truth spills out. “Just like the professor I can’t stop fantasizing about.” My words are kerosene. He has me hauled back against the wall behind me so fast I almost whimper, and his hand reaches up to grab my chin in a punishing grip—a grip he knows I like.
“I pulled up the boy’s HR file. Should I send an email, have him fired on the spot?” My body tenses in panic. “You wouldn’t. That’s cruel, and ridiculous. He did nothing wrong.” “He made you smile,” he says, wistfully ensnared by my pout. I narrow my eyes. “Are you always this territorial?” A beat passes. “No.” Then he bends down and kisses me.
“Tell me you love me,” he insists. “I love you.” The words slip from my mouth like they’ve waited there my whole life. “Again,” he says haughtily. “I love you,” I say, more emphatically this time, exasperated even. Don’t you see it? Can’t you feel it? My spark lights his. What impatience I felt a moment ago he matches now, kiss for kiss, touch for touch.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Doctor, #1 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Finn Burke Heroine: Pepper Sensuality: 3 Published On: April 16, 2019 Started On: May 15, 2022 Finished On: May 18, 2022
“People are such assholes behind their computers.”
The Doctor by E. L. Todd is the debut story in the four book series, Doctor. First published in April of 2019, The Doctor brings to readers the story of 30 year old Finn Burke and 26 year old Pepper, the latter being six months divorced from Finn’s younger brother, and Finn himself having left the military in which he had served for the past decade as a trauma physician.
Fate definitely seems to have crossed over its wires when it comes to Finn and Pepper, even when their fascination with each other, and the way they gravitate towards one another tells a story of its own. Even though Pepper’s marriage had ended with Colton after five years of being together, when Colton had come out as gay, they continue to live in close proximity to each other, and in each other’s lives, because for some reason, both Colton and Pepper believe that a divorce does not negate what they are to each other or have been to each other for a good part of both their lives.
Pepper who has a thriving lingerie business that she is proud of, helping women find the right fit and overcoming their self esteem issues through the beautiful pieces she selects and sells, finds herself in a bind when Colton’s coming out and the subsequent divorce does e a number on her own self esteem.
Even with Pepper making the moves pick up the pieces of her life and meets someone to some effect, Finn’s arrival changes all that. While Finn tries to regain his footing in civilian life, there is no turning the tide when it comes to the tightly wound string that pulls him towards Pepper, one destructive step at a time.
Being a four book series, this one of course just sets the groundwork for the rest of the books to follow. I found the story to be quite repetitive in most places, perhaps that is how the author manages to drag the story on for four books, to milk this story for whatever it is worth. Sometimes the story reads like a gay rights pamphlet which I particularly did not like, rejoicing in how open and progressive a person’s thinking is judged to be, all because they take things in stride when they find out someone close to them is gay.
I did not care much for Pepper’s ex husband Colton either, who seemed to hold onto Pepper and takes advantage of her presence to keep the truth at bay from the “lesser” progressives. Ultimately, the truth is, Colton and Pepper’s relationship post-divorce, seems like a recipe for disaster, which certainly did not win any points for me. While I understood in some aspects, the whole set-up was just too weird in my opinion.
I believe that the novel should have just focused on Finn and Pepper’s story, the forbidden nature of the feelings that blossoms to life between them, the heartache and the angst that they go through,and the ultimate happily ever after (I am assuming there is one at the end of the long draggy tunnel of four books), rather than focus on a bunch of secondary characters that I did not have any interest in. In my view, they did not really add any value to the story as it unfolded and just wasted the reader’s time from getting to the good bits.
I don’t think I will continue to read this series. It has been a year since I read this, and I am yet to muster up enough interest to hunt down the rest of the books in the series. If the first book is indicative of the amount of skimming I would have to do to just focus on Finn and Pepper’s story, I would rather not waste my time.
Recommended for fans of E. L. Todd, and those who love book series featuring the longer road to the happily ever after.
Final Verdict: The Doctor had interesting elements going for it, which ultimately did not end up being enough to make me stick to the series!
Favorite Quotes
“Am I the only one who feels something here?” It was a bold thing to say, to blurt that out right to his face. But I felt comfortable with him, like I could say anything at all with no repercussions. I’d just asked my former brother-in-law if he felt the chemistry between us, and if he said no, it would be humiliating. But if he said yes, that might be even worse. He set his beer down without watching his movements. Then he slowly shifted on the couch closer to me, his eyes unblinking throughout the entire exchange. He stopped right beside me, and the only time he pulled his eyes away from mine was when he glanced down to look at my lips. I stopped breathing.
His fingers dug into my hair and pinned it back from my cheeks, just so he could get a better look at me. He hadn’t even kissed me yet, and it was the best I’d ever had. He directed my head against his and rested his forehead against mine. He was dead silent, his warm breaths falling over my cheek. Pine needles were even more fragrant in my nose. It was the closest I’d ever been to him. I hadn’t even hugged him before. Now I was cradled against him like he owned me.
