Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Hero: Calder Hudson Heroine: Elle Portman Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: August 01, 2023 Started On: October 14, 2023 Finished On: October 19, 2023
Sandra Brown once again proves her unparalleled prowess in creating heroines of class and sensuality, coupled with smoldering heroes that set the pages ablaze. Out of Nowhere, first published in August 2023, is a testament to Brown’s superiority in weaving a spellbinding tale of romantic suspense, with romance and suspense delivered in equally tantalizing doses.
Out of Nowhere thrusts readers into the lives of Calder Hudson and Elle Portman, whose paths intertwine under the most tragic of circumstances. A visit to a county fair ends in disaster, when Elle finds herself grieving for the loss of her two-year old son. Elle, a children’s book author who chose to be a single mother, faces the worst possible calamity that would befall any parent – the untimely demise of their children.
The shooting incident itself is a gripping brain twister, with Ms. Brown keeping the readers guessing until the very end. While little headway is made in identifying the shooter, there are elements at play that leaves a bad taste in Calder’s mouth; his worst fear being that somehow he is the reason behind the shocking and unfortunate deaths of so many people. This twist adds flair to the mystery elements that only an author like Ms. Brown can bring to her stories, and that remains one reason why I always come back for more where her books are concerned.
As things escalate on all fronts, Calder finds himself unable to turn away from Elle, the woman who makes him feel alive and also at peace at the same time. It takes an extraordinary writer to be able to juggle an atrocious event such as a mass shooting, with the heroine facing an immeasurable loss which also results in her coming face to face with the man who undoes her, a bond that is heartfelt and poignant at its very core.
The sensuality between Calder and Elle is once again, classic Ms. Brown. Elle, the beautifully tender and strong heroine who brings Calder to his very knees, and Calder who is just effortlessly carnal in ways that pushes all your buttons. With a searing touch here, and a scorching glance there, Ms. Brown is often able to bring to life imagery of the kind that even the most hardcore erotica is unable to pull off. The earthy sexuality that resonates through the pages warmed the heart of the romantic deep in me, while the killer who remained at large left chills creeping up and down my spine.
Needless to say, I loved everything about the novel, from Calder in whose past lies the key to mystery that unfolds in the story to Elle who was undoubtedly the star of the story. Readers won’t remain untouched by all that she is – good-hearted to the very core, resilient in a way few of us can only ever hope to be, and elegant without even trying to be.
Recommended for everyone who loves a good romantic suspense. There are few authors who can compete with Ms. Brown in pulling one off!
Final Verdict: Out of Nowhere is a compelling and emotionally charged romantic suspense with a masterfully executed whodunit plot, carving into stone Ms. Brown’s reputation as a master storyteller.
Favorite Quotes
He eased his mouth down to hers, giving her time to protest, praying she wouldn’t. He tried a different slant, and this time her lips were more pliant. Their tongues touched. When his slid into her mouth, she gave a purr of permission. He lowered his hands from her face to her waist, drawing her against him as he had when he’d embraced her the night before. This time, however, as though her form had been sculptured onto him, adjustments were unnecessary. On contact, they fit together so familiarly and perfectly, they breathed sighs into each other’s mouths. He deepened the kiss, slipped one hand under the roomy sweatshirt, and splayed it over her bottom, lifting her against him until he filled the notch of her thighs. Filled it well.
Under her baggy sweatshirt was skin like warm satin. A scanty, lacy, see-through bra. The stuff of wet dreams, but bothersome as hell when trying to get his mouth around her nipple, already raised. He would have been fine with the couch, the wall, the floor, but, still glued together, they’d somehow stumbled their way into her bedroom. Clothing had been an aggravation, but she did manage to wiggle out of her leggings and underwear. He’d unbuttoned his shirt but didn’t waste precious time taking it off. Within a second of levering himself above her, he’d gotten his belt unbuckled, his zipper down, his slacks shoved past his hips. She’d been wet, but tight, and had felt so good when he’d pushed into her that he’d shuddered and said… something. Hadn’t he? Maybe. He’d pressed into her until he couldn’t press any farther, then began thrusting. He’d braced himself on his hands, arms straight, back arched. Her hands clutching his ass insistently. It had been hard and fast and vigorous, breath-stealing and heart-pounding, and then they came. Jesus, it had been amazing.
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, #2 Publisher: Fanfare Hero: Austin Bennet Heroine: Molly Bennet Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: January 01, 1994 Started On: August 11, 2023 Finished On: September 07, 2023
A guy should never marry a woman who was in love with someone else. Even if that someone was dead. Especially if that someone was dead.
One Fine Day by Theresa Weir, the second book in the Molly duology is loosely interconnected with Forever, the first book in the series. First published in 1994, One Fine Day brings to readers the much coveted story of Molly Bennet, whose marriage to Austin Bennet is on the rocks, and has been that way for a long time. Making the decision to leave Austin is one of the hardest decisions Molly has ever taken, and once she does so, she believes that she would never look back.
Almost a year passes by and it is the news that Austin has had a stroke and is in need of family that makes Molly return, especially with her daughter unable to juggle her own family with that of the responsibilities of taking care of her father. While Austin hates the very thought of being at Molly’s mercy, he has no choice but to, given the circumstances, but is determined to drive her away even if he has to be his worst self to do so.
Thus begins the struggle between Austin and Molly where each of them, with own versions of tainted memories of their marriage, try to adjust to the new norm defined by the roles thrust upon them; Molly as the caregiver and Austin, the dependent.
Austin is a proud man, brought up by a father who had no love to give, but drummed into him the critical importance of always saving face. For a man such as Austin, competing with a dead man for the affections of his wife had been a losing game from the onset. Molly’s ability to hide her emotions had made Austin’s worst side manifest, trying to shake out some form of reaction from Molly, when it had in fact done just the opposite. Molly’s departure from his life had shaken him up to face the bitter truth, and given him the time to grapple with his loneliness, reflect on his own failings, especially when it came to his attempts to dominate Molly emotionally.
Molly too struggles with her memories of the beginnings of her relationship with Austin, the man who had married her and given her security and support, despite her being in love with someone else. It is only as Molly’s patience gets tested to the very limits of her endurance, with Austin trying to drive her away, that she comes to see things through a different lens; that how difficult their union had been for a man like Austin from whom she had withheld her affections.
As always, the prose by Ms. Weir is evocative, painting scenes with vivid detail and emotional depth. Her narrative style captures the essence of longing and emotional conflict, weaving together intimate moments of physical passion with introspective reflections on love and self-discovery. The stormy imagery is powerful and perfectly in line with the characters’ inner turmoil, echoing the turbulent nature of their relationship.
I was astounded by how Ms. Weir shaped Austin and Molly’s story and completely reshaped my perspective of their marriage, when I had come out of reading Forever totally rooting or Molly, believing that Austin to be a douche-bag of the highest order. Little did I see, how Austin had suffered deeply given his love for Molly, and how his heart had frosted over time, eventually coming to the conclusion that he could not compete with Molly’s first and only love. From thereon, my sympathies shifted greatly towards Austin, while at the same time, knowing that it did not justify certain actions on the part of Austin.
Molly and Austin both coming from emotionally scarring childhoods in their own ways made profound sense in the end; that they both needed to heal in their own ways to really give their marriage a fighting chance. Ms. Weir with her flair delivering angst ridden reads, deftly draws readers into a world where love is not simply a romantic ideal but a battlefield of emotions, where characters wrestle with their pasts and strive for a future where healing and forgiveness might be possible.
The only issue I had with the story was how there was no resolution for the relationship that forges to life between the secondary characters, which left me with a feeling of emptiness. But therein also lies a message which I guess I was not really ready to receive, given my need for happily ever afters in my novels.
Recommended for those who love second-chance romances with characters who makes your emotions bleed and your heart yearn.
Final Verdict: One Fine Day is a compelling exploration of love’s complexities, filled with emotional depth and rich prose, leaving readers pondering upon the intricacies of the webs of desire, devotion, and heartache that defines our most intimate relationships.
Favorite Quotes
The years teach much which the days never know – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Him. She wanted him. Deeper. Harder. She needed … wanted– Something. Maybe the ground, maybe– He pushed again, and her thoughts flew away. She swung backward; he swung forward. She gasped and made a small sound of strangled pleasure. Something in her wound tighter, tighter, taking her to the edge … so close, so close– He bent his legs and the swing dropped into a backward arc. Back and forth. Then he slowed it until they were almost to a stop, enough for him to touch her. While Molly clung to the ropes, he ran his hands over her perspiring body. He groaned her name and she felt him stir deep within her.
She wanted to let go, wanted to touch him, but she knew if she did she would fall. She wanted, needed– His mouth was on her breast, his teeth scraped her nipple. She arched against him. “Austin, I want–” “What?” He breathed against her hot, tingling skin while his hands supported her rib cage. “What do … you want?” It was happening. Whatever it was. A coiling, a tightening, a longing, a need– “You.” She didn’t know what she was saying. It was talk. Just talk. “I want you.”
“Molly. God, Molly.” They were both breathing hard, their chests rising and falling. “I … didn’t … forget,” he said raggedly, the roar in his head competing with the roar of the storm. “Me either.” He said her name again and slid his fingers through the dripping hair at the nape of her neck, water trickling down his arm, her hair coiling around his wrist. “Want to kiss you.” He did want to kiss her. God how he wanted to kiss her. As he cupped her head in his palm, his mouth found hers.
She cried out. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. He froze. Had to stop. Couldn’t hurt her. Couldn’t hurt Molly … Her legs tightened around him. She lifted herself to him. “Don’t stop,” she said against his throat. Water from her hair trickled down his chest. “Don’t stop.” The storm–it was in her too. For the first time in his life, Austin let go. Completely. Mindlessly. They came together like the raging storm. Fast. Wild and furious. A ragged, bursting tempest. Pounding, pounding, pounding, burning up every bit of energy in him.
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: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Harlequin Hero: Rico da Silva Heroine: Bella Jennings Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: January 01, 1996 Started On: July 14, 2023 Finished On: July 20, 2023
It was like coming alive when you thought you were dead. Every skin-cell suddenly flamed into red-hot life, a kind of frantic, feverish hunger possessing her. Her response was so intense that it swallowed her alive.
Prisoner of Passion by Lynne Graham is another explosively emotive read by the highly acclaimed author of category romances. First published in January of 1996, the story delves into two vastly different characters in terms of upbringing and outlook, rendering their coming together one that is as combustive as it can get.
The story begins when 21 year old Bella Jennings, a spirited and fiercely independent artist gets into an accident with 32 year old magnate, Rico da Silva, who misunderstands Bella’s intentions and challenges her integrity from the onset. While Rico would rather die than admit how he is drawn towards the spirited nature of Bella in a way that makes him wary, it is when they are kidnapped and thrown into forced proximity with each other that their desire comes to its heady conclusion, forging emotional ties that goes beyond mere attraction.
While Bella chafes at the very notion of giving into Rico, she carries the emotional scars of abandonment, which makes her extremely wary of relationships, especially given her mother’s history with men. When Rico misjudges her, laying blame at her door for enticing him, Bella tends to give as good as she gets, until she realizes that for the very first time in her life, she wants to succumb to the wiles of a man.
Meanwhile Rico has a more well-rounded upbringing and is not cast from the usual mold of heroes that litter most category romances. However, he is a man once bitten and extremely “shy” when it comes to the opposite sex, willing to believe that every woman wants what he can give them, both in bed and as a man who is financially affluent. When Bella pushes his buttons, the ones that do not even show up with other women, Rico being the strong character that he is, pushes back.
Their relationship is one that is an uphill battle, as it is not only their own vulnerabilities that each has to contend with, but also external forces that would rather see them go their separate ways. However, fate has a way of bringing them together which defies everything else, even be it the internal struggles that both Rico and Bella go through towards the end.
I highly enjoyed this high octane number from Ms. Graham. I am always in awe of how she can turn formulaic story lines into books that demands all my emotions to be fully invested in them. I am also quite taken in with the fact that almost every Lynne Graham novel tends to touch on the vast class difference that exists in advanced societies like the United Kingdom, and this was no exception.
How the poor struggle to make ends meet often living in cycles of abject poverty until the hero swoops in and rescues them, with generations often spending their lives in servitude, while those who have the money belong to a class of their own. While most may not hone in on such details, I believe Ms. Graham brings the struggles of especially women who assume responsibilities of single motherhood for instance to life in her novels to show this dichotomy that is still very much part of society.
I loved how passionate both Rio and Bella were in their unique individual ways, and how that passion translated into a love of the kind that both were willing to fight for when all was said and done. Ms. Graham’s vivid prose is perfect for such contrasting characters, capturing the often tumultuous emotions that defines their relationship. From heated arguments to tender moments of vulnerability, each scene is crafted to best portray the emotional nuance, drawing readers into the heart of their passionate and intense love affair.
Ultimately, it was how Bella and Rico both navigate their personal demons and external pressures to go through periods of growth and introspection, to be able to accept each other and their love which made the story stand out for me.
Definitely recommended for those who love highly passionate love stories crafted with emotional depth that Ms. Graham is famous for!
Final Verdict: Prisoner of Passion is a gripping romance with its richly drawn characters, evocative prose, and poignant exploration of love amidst adversity, attesting to Graham’s mastery of the genre!
Favorite Quotes
‘Let me go… Let me go!’ she chanted wildly. ‘Please!’ ‘If I don’t take you to the police I’ll take you home.’ Every muscle in his dark features rigid, he slung her a look of smouldering sexual appraisal which was flagrant enough to make her knees sag and her darkened eyes fill with an ocean of sheer shock. ‘Sí…and bed you like you’ve never been bedded before! I have never wanted anything as badly as I want you, and the knowledge that I can afford you doesn’t help. It’s a sick craving and I am not yielding to it,’ he muttered roughly, so close now that she could feel his breath on her cheek as his dark head lowered, degree by mesmerising degree. ‘And, if I did, you’d be sorry. Believe me, the police are the soft option…’
His mouth crashed down on hers. Electric shock sizzled through every skin cell. Nothing that intense had ever happened to her before. His tongue stabbed between her lips and heat surged between her thighs. She quivered, letting him splay his hands intimately to the swell of her hips, lifting her to him, melding every inch of her screamingly willing body to the hungry threat of his. It still wasn’t close enough to satisfy. A moan escaped huskily from the back of her throat—a curiously animal moan that she did not recognise as her own.
‘Don’t be disgusting! Let me go!’ He gave vent to something rough and charged in Spanish and moved with an abruptness that took her completely by surprise. Suddenly she was flipped onto her back and Rico was lying above her instead, their positions reversed without warning. Before she could open her startled lips to demand an explanation he took her mouth in a surge of angry passion. And what happened next she definitely wasn’t prepared to deal with. As his tongue drove into the moist interior she had already accidentally opened to him she was seized by an explosive wave of excitement. It left her dizzy and stripped of every coherent thought. The intensity of her own response electrified her, opening up another world that was full of unbearable physical temptation. She returned the kiss with a kind of wondering innocence, arching her head back to deepen the pressure, involuntarily greedy and inviting more.
He wasn’t listening. He muttered something rough and yet soft in Spanish, and just as suddenly reached for her. As possessed by that terrifying strong need to physically connect as he was, Bella made no demur. Lost in the slumbrous demand of his golden gaze, she was mindless. He took her mouth with a hunger that burned like flames of fire over her unprotected skin. And yet she craved that fire, needed that fire as she needed oxygen to live. Her hands gripped his broad shoulders, loving the heat of his flesh through the fine shirt. She pushed against him as he crushed her to him, her breasts flattened to the hard wall of his chest, already heavy with a sensitivity and an anticipation which he alone had taught her to feel. Her body remembered him with every newly awakened sense.
He shifted over her then, ravishing her swollen lips one more time, and then, abruptly, he drew her up to him with impatient hands and plunged inside her. She hadn’t expected the pain that tore at her as he entered her. Her shocked eyes flew wide and she bit her tongue so hard that she tasted blood in her mouth. ‘Madre de Dios!’ Shattered golden eyes held hers, and then his teeth clenched as the momentum of his own desire made him drive deeper still, his swollen shaft forging a path through the tender tissue that had sought to deny him.
She was at screaming-point when he moved over her, every shred of physical awareness centred on the ache of emptiness between her thighs. And then he thrust into her and she moaned and arched in one taut movement, her body clenching on a pleasure so intense that she was utterly possessed by it. Her fingers raked down his back in reaction and her teeth nipped at the strong brown column of his throat in instinctive revenge for the ragged laugh he gave vent to. After that there was nothing but the long, pulsing drive for satisfaction. It went on and on and on. She hit the heights fast, unable to rein back the flood of release, but he didn’t stop. She had barely hit ground level again before the frantic climb back up began, and in all her life she had never felt so controlled, never dreamt she could enjoy that reality so much. And when the second climax whooshed up inside her she was wiped out.
He kissed her and the world fell away and everything else soared to an ungovernable height of excitement. He closed his arms around her so tightly that she couldn’t breathe, but she didn’t want to breathe. Dizzy and disorientated, she clung to him, lost in the devastating plunge into passion, her heart racing, her pulses throbbing, every muscle taut with a hunger that dominated and controlled. Heat surged into her loins, making her thighs tremble against the aroused thrust of his manhood. He swept her up in his arms and then dropped her on the ancient feather mattress from a height. ‘You’re a pushover, querida.’ He stared down at her, his hard-boned features grim and derisive. ‘And you will crawl for that month’s trial before I am finished with you!’ he stated chillingly.
‘Would you like me to show you around?’ Standing there in the stray patch of sunlight arrowing through a tall sash-window, he looked so good that she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Six feet four inches of spectacular masculinity. Visually she adored every extravagantly gorgeous inch of him, her heart accelerating like a racing car screeching round a bend at a hundred-plus miles an hour. She felt her breasts stir and swell inside the cups of her bra, helplessly struggled to fight the electric tension that was wantonly taking her over. ‘Bella…’ he murmured unsteadily, his shimmering golden eyes suddenly hotly pinned to her. Emboldened by the discovery that he could look helpless too, Bella smiled, all female. ‘Turned very coy all of a sudden, haven’t you?’
She pulled his jacket off, tore at his tie, and as he fought his way out of his shirt let her palms smooth up over the warm, hard wall of his muscular chest, her fingertips teasing at the dark whorls of hair in her path. With an earthy growl he brushed her hands away, thrust her T-shirt up and found her breasts. It was her turn to gasp and quiver as his expert fingers pushed up her bra and tugged at her engorged nipples. Her back arched in a blinding wave of intolerable excitement.
She burned and panted for breath as he tugged the briefs away and discovered the damp, hot secret of her desire. Intolerable excitement held her in its grip. Suddenly he was pushing her back, shifting over her, unexpectedly stilling when she was poised with anticipation on the furthest edge, every nerve ready to scream with frustration. ‘Don’t stop!’ she gasped. She felt his hands, roughly impatient on her thighs, and then, with a suddenness that stole her breath away, he thrust into her hard and deeply. An ecstatic cry escaped her, wanton in the depth of need it expressed. She stretched up, kissing his throat, licking the salt from his skin, adoring him. But he pushed her back, arching over her like a primitive god, demanding absolute control, thrusting harder and faster, filling her again and again with the driving force of his manhood.
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, 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: 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!’
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Brides for the Taking, #3 Publisher: Harlequin Hero: Jax Antonakos Heroine: Lucy Dixon Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: May 23, 2017 Started On: February 27, 2023 Finished On: March 01, 2023
Sold for the Greek’s Heir by Lynne Graham is the third installment in the Brides for the Taking series, published under Harlequin in 2017. Ms. Graham brings to readers the story of Greek billionaire Antonakos and single mother Lucy Dixon, with the tale unfolding from the perspectives of both protagonists.
Jax is the proverbial man-whore and bachelor and likes his life that way, even as his father wishes and pushes him in the hopes that Jax would marry the woman of his choosing. Jax makes no commitments and has no intention of giving into his father’s demands. He is marriage and children averse, the bitter divorce that resulted in the split of his parents having left its mark on him. Living with his mother was not a walk in the park either, with a father who pretty much ignored his existence up till he did not have a choice but to.
Lucy arrives in Greece to finally unite with her long lost father. The fact that he accepted that Lucy was mother to a fifteen month old baby girl seals the deal for her, up until she comes face to face with the father of the baby, i.e., Jax, who pulled the disappearing act on her.
Lucy was a naive nineteen year old virgin when Jax swept her off her feet. Devastation hit when Jax abandoned her, and made it all but impossible for her to reach him with the news that she was pregnant with his child. Lucy is therefore determined that she would not give Jax the time of the day, that is until machinations by her father which she has no knowledge of, forces the hand of Jax into offering her marriage.
When Jax comes face to face with the one woman who had shaken his very existence, the shock of discovering that he is father to a toddler pushes him into taking action to ensure the best for his daughter. It certainly does not help matters when Jax is driven by the nightmarish revelations that forced him to cut ties with Lucy in the first place, and that proves to be the ultimate conflict around which the story revolves.
While I did enjoy some of the aspects of the story, I felt that the prose of the novel was all wrong for Lynne Graham, or at least the Graham novels that I always enjoy and revel in. Lucy was definitely a welcomed change from some of the doormat variety of heroines you come across in category romances especially. But at the same time, Jax failed to invoke all those heady emotions in me which I look forward to when it is especially a Lynne Graham novel. All the attributes that should make him so were there, and he should have been appealing in every sense, but somehow the elements did not come together in the way that I expected perhaps.
I guess this has a more modern streak going through the story, which perhaps is not a bad thing in itself. However, I believe I jive better with older Graham novels.
Recommended for fans of Lynne Graham and those who love category romances featuring the forced marriage trope!
Final Verdict: Sold for the Greek’s Heir is a hit and miss sort of novel; there were aspects that worked and those that did not.
Favorite Quotes
Just one kiss, she bargained with herself, just one, but the man who had once seduced her with kisses had no intention of breaking his perfect track record. He always knew what she wanted and he gave it to her, all the seething passion he had taught her to crave. He kissed her and she went up in flames. Her body flared into shocking awareness and suddenly burned back to almost painful life with every plunging thrust of his tongue.
‘I can’t get enough of you,’ Jax growled between the urgent biting kisses that bruised her lips and the devastating plunge of his tongue that made her slight body jackknife in reaction beneath his. ‘We’ve got all night,’ she whispered through rosy swollen lips, eyes glazed with passion. ‘I’ve got a hunger that one night won’t come anywhere near satisfying,’ Jax told her rawly, fisting a hand in her tumbling curls as he snaked a string of kisses down over her collarbone and found a plump, pointed nipple to torment with attention.
‘Thee mou, I want you so much,’ Jax ground out as he slid over her, his hands strong on her hips to angle her back. He entered her slowly, urging her tender flesh to open for him and stretch, and the sensation made her dizzy with yearning and wildly impatient for more. He eased back and then pushed in hard and deep and her body convulsed and tightened round him, intense sensation ravishing her. A string of tiny sounds was wrenched from her parted lips as he ground into her and picked up the pace, raw excitement flooding her as she tilted up to meet him, hot, damp and abandoned as the wild roller coaster of sensation raged on and on.
That fast she wanted him intolerably and with every probing plunge of his tongue she wanted him more. Evocative little noises were wrenched from low in her throat as skilled fingers teased and played to prepare her for his entrance. And then he tilted her back and thrust into her with vigour while she clung to his shoulders, her ankles wrapped round him. He grunted with raw male satisfaction, his hand supporting her hips as he pounded her yielding body with delicious force. Excitement writhed through Lucy in an unstoppable surge and she reached her peak with an involuntary cry, convulsive waves of exquisite pleasure rippling through her lower body as an orgasmic flush spread over her sun-dappled skin.
A Maldivian's Passion for Romance 