by mvbookreviewer

Review: Forever by Theresa Weir

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.

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Man Upstairs by Jade West

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.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Prisoner of Passion by Lynne Graham

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.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | eBooks | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Greek’s Chosen Wife by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Nikolos Angelis
Heroine: Prudence Demakis
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: March 01, 2006
Started On: July 13, 2023
Finished On: July 14, 2023

‘I didn’t know I could feel like this…’
His scorching gaze welded to hers. ‘Not everyone can. Your passion matches mine.’

The Greek’s Chosen Wife by Lynne Graham, first published in 2006, is an emotionally charged novel that leaves the reader hooked from the onset. If you are like myself and love the high intense variety of romances filled with angst, then you would find the story of Prudence Demakis and Nikolos Angelis a captivating and enthralling read.

Prudence is just nineteen years old when her emotionally distant and cold grandfather forces her into a marriage of convenience with Nikolos, who is just a twenty-two year old university student himself. Known for his arrogance and womanizing ways even then, along with the weight of his family’s expectations which he chafes at, Nikolos initially views Prudence as an inconvenient burden—unattractive and beneath his standards. While Prudence is in love with Nikolos, any dreams of the rose-tinted variety are dashed with a disastrous wedding night, followed by eight years of separate lives.

Prudence finds her solace in running an animal sanctuary, and as time heals her wounds over Nikolos and his rejection, Prudence decides it is time for her to move forward in her life and have a baby. When Nikolos is faced with the ego bruising knowledge that his wife is seeking a divorce from him to pursue her own dreams of achieving motherhood, Nikolos rejects this notion just as vehemently as he initially rejected the very idea of marriage to Prudence. Thus begins the fraught journey that these two take towards their happily ever after, with misunderstandings and past hurts forcing them to jarring stops along the way.

Ms. Graham does a marvelous job of navigating the intricacies between Prudence and Nikolos, in revealing their vulnerabilities and exposing the raw intensity of their burgeoning attraction. Their journey from adversaries to reluctant allies, and finally to passionate lovers, is a testament to Ms. Graham’s skill in crafting deeply nuanced characters and compelling relationships.

I loved how Prudence evolved from a woman defined by the perception of others who were unkind to her to becoming a formidable force in her own right. Her ability to stand up for herself and her self-possession were admirable, especially in the face of the forceful character that is Nikolos.

Nikolos himself has some growing up to do as the story progresses, which includes putting his own ego aside to understand the true rarity in finding someone who accepts you as you are, no questions asked. As always, Ms. Graham manages to paint the vividness of love and how it has the ability to transform even the hardest of hearts and smash through the most powerful of egos. I loved Nikolos because he was willing to fight for Prudence and what their marriage, even if it meant going against Prudence herself.

Recommended for fans of romances featuring themes of unrequited love and marriages of convenience. Ms. Graham does these tropes great justice!

Final Verdict: The Greek’s Chosen Wife delivers a compelling read brimming with sizzling sensuality and poignancy of love’s complexities, making this book a must-read for fans of emotional and character-driven romance!

Favorite Quotes

Nik reached for her with sure, steady hands and she let him ease her closer. Her heart was pounding behind her ribcage. Her brain was telling her to back away, laugh it off and extricate herself with style. There was just one problem: she didn’t want to. A little voice had swum up from her subconscious to tell her that it was all right and perfectly acceptable to be curious about how it would feel if he held her close.
‘I may be no good at the romantic angle…but I excel in other fields,’ Nik purred.

‘This is not how it was meant to be between us,’ Nik intoned, almost crushing the life from her fingers.
Moisture shone in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. Nik groaned out loud. ‘Don’t…’
She gulped. ‘I’m sorry…go!’
‘No…’ Nik lowered his handsome dark head to kiss the tear from her smooth cheek. She had the scent of a peach: warm and ripe and ready to eat. For a fraction of a second he hesitated and then, recognising his moment, he went for it with all the ruthless, single-minded purpose which his business competitors feared.
Astonishment shrilled through Prudence when Nik captured her lips with a hungry urgency that rocked her down to her toes.

A heavy pulse of need had started to pound in her pelvis. She leant back into the support of his arm, her fingers spearing into the ebony depths of his hair. He flipped loose the hooks holding the satin cups in place, letting her firm, full breasts spill free.
‘You are magnificent,’ Nik told her raggedly, surveying the pouting silken swells with reverent appreciation and capturing the hands that she instinctively raised to cover herself from him. ‘No, don’t you dare try to hide yourself.’

‘Will I be the first?’ Nik husked, coiling back from her to strip off his trousers.
With difficulty she focused on him and she was shaken by her desire to tell him that no, he would not be, even if it would be the most awful lie.
As the silence lengthened, tension screamed through Nik’s big, powerful frame: had she been with someone else?
Her gaze locked to his lean darkly handsome face and her heartbeat raced. She discovered she could not lie to him on that score. ‘Yes…’

The silence lay thick. She met brilliant dark golden eyes and was suddenly impossibly aware of every inch of her all too female body and of every tiny breath that she drew. She straightened her back in an effort to ease the tingling sensitivity of her breasts.
Bracing long brown fingers on the wall to one side of her head, Nik angled his proud dark head down to press a light, teasing kiss to the corner of her mouth. With a low-pitched gasp, she turned her head to blindly seek more direct contact. His breath fanning her cheek, he toyed with the soft fullness of her lower lip, rimming the upper with an erotic dart of his tongue.

‘I like this sudden need to rip my clothes off,’ Nik confided, hot eyes melded to her.
Although her face was burning, Prudence had not lost her resolve. Rising onto her knees, she helped him out of his jacket and embarked on his shirt buttons with fingers that felt mortifyingly clumsy. ‘
But maybe it’s a little less practised than what you’re used to—’
Disconcerted by that comment, Nik closed his hand over hers. ‘Don’t undervalue what I have with you. This is different for me.’
Wanting to believe that but afraid to, Prudence hesitated momentarily. ‘Is it?’
‘Of course it is…’ Nik covered her lips with an unexpected tenderness.

A dark flush scoring his hard cheekbones, stunning eyes glittering, Nik undid the halter-neck of her dress and slowly drew the opulent fabric down to release her full curves from the shaped bodice.
‘You’re gorgeous,’ he said thickly.
Entranced by her creamy breasts and the distended rosy buds awaiting his attention, he pressed her back against the pillows. Smoothly extracting her from the gown round her hips, he tossed it aside.
He bent over her with a husky sound of satisfaction to let his lips toy with a pouting pink nipple. Heat burst low in her pelvis and tensed her hips and an ache that was almost painful began to stir.

‘Nik,’ she whispered below the passionate onslaught of his hungry mouth, fingers spreading against the warm, muscular wall of his hard torso. ‘When I look at you—’
‘Don’t just look… touch,’ Nik urged, hungry golden eyes striking hers as he carried her hand down over his flat stomach to the aggressive jut of his bold erection.
Involuntarily she froze. ‘I don’t know how—’
‘But I know…’ a provocative smile slashed his handsome mouth ‘…and I intend to enjoy teaching you.’

Her entire being, her every breath, seemed to ride on his slightest touch. Her heartbeat raced and she writhed and moaned, all control vanquished by the fierce need that made her ache. She wanted him, and she wanted and she wanted until the wanting was a frantic and ferocious craving that hurt.
Only then did he plunge into her with a single thrust of possession that jolted her with intense erotic sensation. That very intensity overwhelmed her. His hands closed to her thighs to raise her so that he could sink deeper into her tight passage. Hot, drugging pleasure engulfed her and it went on and on and on. Wild sobs of excitement escaped her. Her unbearably tense body craved release from the passionate torment of his driving rhythm. The tension built and built and then finally spilt over.

He tumbled her back on the bed. Scorching golden eyes raked her with sensual ferocity. ‘I can’t wait…’
‘Take your shirt off…’
He hauled it off with such violence that buttons went flying.
Prudence feasted her eyes on him, wondered if she could wait until he got the rest of his clothes off and decided that she couldn’t. She opened her arms, arched her spine and shifted her hips in silent invitation.
His burning gaze flared with white-hot desire. ‘You tease…’ he ground out helplessly, coming down to her with flattering impatience, all fire, hunger and aggressive masculine energy.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | eBooks | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Fiery Baptism by Lynne Graham

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.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Expectant Bride by Lynne Graham

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?’

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | eBooks | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Don Joaquin’s Pride by Lynne Graham

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.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | eBooks | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Dane Visconti
Heroine: Claire Fletcher
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: August 01, 1987
Started On: June 18, 2023
Finished On: June 23, 2023

Initially published in 1987, Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a novel that thrusts readers into the tumultuous world of Claire Fletcher and Dane Visconti, where passion collides with pride, and misunderstandings ignite an inferno of emotions.

The story opens with the funeral of Adam Fletcher, a man whose death sets in motion a chain of events that unravel the tightly wound lives of those left behind. Claire Fletcher, his adopted granddaughter, is forced to choose between what her heart desires; i.e., follow the love of her life Max or marry one of her cousins for her inheritance.

Claire had never received any affection from the man who had taken her in at a tender age, making it a point to be cruel to her and keep her at an emotional distance. Claire had been forced to sacrifice her own happiness when Adam had taken ill, and his death, while it should have freed her to pursue her own happiness, brings forward more responsibilities.

The novelty of the story lies in how it is Claire that proposes a marriage of convenience to Dane Visconti, the estranged grandson of Adam, whose reputation precedes himself. Dane’s return to the family home ignites sparks of disdain among the Fletcher clan, yet Claire sees in him a solution to her predicament.

While Dane is at first contemptuous regarding Claire’s proposal and sees it as an extension of her crush on him from long back, Dane finally agrees to what she proposes on certain conditions. From the onset, Dane and Claire’s coming together is fraught with misunderstandings and of course, passion. Their ensuing marriage, shrouded in secrecy, when exposed to the prying eyes of the media, adds another layer of distrust to the battleground that is the union between Dane and Claire.

While Claire believes herself to be in love with Max, her internal conflict stems from the effect Dane has on her, his magnetic presence and his sexuality that plays havoc with her emotions. Dane, whose character is more explosive in nature in comparison to Claire, is often driven to the edge by Claire and her seemingly unaffected nature, when she is anything but.

While Claire’s emotional scars are all too vividly portrayed, Dane is a harder nut to crack. However, Claire does have help in understanding Dane’s complex and multi-faceted character, a boy who had been just as emotionally deprived as Claire had been as a young girl growing up in the household of a man who had always made it well known who she was to him.

While I enjoyed the building blocks of the story which had all the hallmarks of a Lynne Graham novel, I felt that the novel faltered in its execution. The prolonged separations between Claire and Dane, fueled by pride and miscommunication, diluted the impact of their passionate encounters. While the underlying chemistry between the characters is palpable, it was not enough to give the novel that oomph factor which I expect from most of Ms. Graham’s work, especially her earlier ones.

Recommended for fans of Ms. Graham’s earlier works. Even though this did not work for me, it just might for you.

Final Verdict: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a compelling tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption which offers romance of the raw and intense variety.

Favorite Quotes

In that storm there was only Dane and a flashfire desire that burned in her very bones until she was crying, gasping she knew not what and he gazed down at her in masterly and triumph when she was quite blind to such calculation, her abandonment drawing an answering shudder from the hard, virile length of his body. For the merest instant he hesitated and she collided with the febrile glitter in his beautiful eyes before he possessed her and even the pain did not prevent that instantaneous explosion of pleasure that shattered her into a thousand pieces.

He carried the caress down over the flat tightness of her belly and her clenched hands unfurled and curled again as his tormentingly expert fingers located the silken triangle of her desire. She thought later that she cried out his name in protest, because this was no gentle, gradual seduction that respected her inexperience. He racked her with hunger and her hands wove over his sweat-dampened skin in tortured circles while he slowly sank deep into her, possessing her degree by degree until her nails dug into his shoulders, her head falling back in ecstasy. Ironically it was wilder and more earth shattering than it had ever been before.
Dane ran a possessive finger across the fullness of her lower lip afterwards, while she still trembled against him. ‘This is what I can give you, and don’t tell me it’s not enough, when I see you like this.’

‘I ought to go back to bed.’ Her eyes lingered on him, then swerved away. ‘I thought you were with Mei Ling.’
‘Would it have bothered you if I had been?’ he countered cynically.
‘Yes!’ Angered, she stood her ground. ‘I don’t have to be jealous to find promiscuity offensive,’ she flared.
He caught her to him with powerful hands. ‘Is that a dog-in-the-manger attitude, or something more?’ Hard amusement brimmed in his bright chilling gaze.
‘It’s a very awkward situation.’
‘Awkward?’ Her control appeared to antagonise him. Then he laughed softly and took her tender mouth fiercely, and she went under as if she was drowning, trading him kiss for kiss, guided only by raw hunger. His hand thrust up her jersey and closed over the pointed swell of her breast and she gasped, her knees threatening to buckle under her as her body surged wantonly against the lean, masculine lure of his.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The High Sheriff of Huntingdon by Anne Stuart

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novella
Genre: Historical Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press
Hero: Alistair Darcourt
Heroine: Lady Elspeth of Gaveland
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: December 15, 2011
Started On: June 07, 2023
Finished On: June 18, 2023

His smile was unnerving. He knelt down on the bed, leaning over her, and he seemed huge and dark and smothering as he blocked out the moonlight. “Indeed, I do just as I please,” he said. “You’re my destiny, Elspeth of Gaveland. Or my curse. It remains to be seen.”

Anne Stuart’s The High Sheriff of Huntingdon is a historical romance novella that draws the reader into a world of power, intrigue, and passion. The novel opens with the forced marriage of Alistair Darcourt, the High Sheriff of Huntingdon, to the young 22 year old Lady Elspeth of Gaveland.

Married by proxy and having spent the last eight years in a convent, Elspeth is thrust into a new life filled with uncertainty and danger, even unknowingly. Alistair, a man of formidable reputation and rumored to be the spawn of a witch and the devil, welcomes his new bride by placing her in the reputedly haunted tower. This initial act sets the tone for their tumultuous relationship, one that is marked by power struggles, distrust, and undeniable attraction.

Elspeth is a remarkable heroine—willful, intelligent, unyielding, with a core of vulnerability that she does not show to most. Her father’s dismissive attitude towards her only fuels her determination to survive and thrive in the new environment into which she is thrust. Elspeth’s strength lies in her ability stand up to Alistair’s harsh demeanor and call him on his bullshit when and as needed. She is not the shrinking violet that her husband had expected her to be, and this is where the true thrill of the story lies as they navigate the newness of their marriage.

Alistair is a complex and compelling hero. Known for his ruthlessness he is initially dismissive of Elspeth, seeing her merely as a means to an end—a piece of land and a future heir. However, his preconceived notions are challenged as Elspeth proves to be a match for his formidable will. Alistair is a man torn between his desire for power and his burgeoning feelings for his wife, a struggle that adds nuances to the story that I loved.

One of the best aspects of the story lies in the intense chemistry between Alistair and Elspeth that serves to be both their undoing. Their relationship evolves from one of mutual distrust to a passionate and consuming love, which especially Alistair does not care much for. I rooted for both Alistair and Elspeth; Alistair because his brooding nature demands nothing less, and Elspeth because she is what Alistair needs in his life, in every sense.

Recommended for fans of historical romance, offering a perfect blend of passion, intrigue, and richly drawn characters that draws you in from the get go.

Final Verdict: The High Sheriff of Huntingdon is a well crafted tale of love, power dynamics, and redemption, pairing Elspeth’s bold and daring nature with that of Alistair’s brooding intensity.

Favorite Quotes

He lifted his head, looking down into her bewildered face with cool satisfaction. “Your heart is pounding, bride. Is it because you’re frightened? Or is there some other reason why your pulse is racing?”
She tried to shake her head, to deny the evidence of her body, but his mouth caught hers, silencing her argument. He kissed her, deep and full and hard, allowing no escape. Indeed, she wasn’t sure she wanted to escape. Her arms came up of their own accord, around his waist, and she held on, suddenly afraid she might faint.

He said what he never thought he’d say. “I don’t want to hurt you.” The words were torn from him in an agonized gasp as he tried to control the powerful urges of his body. His muscles were clenched in iron will, his forehead was beaded with sweat, and he didn’t know how much longer he could stand the torment.
“It’s all right,” she said in a whisper. “I’m your wife. Your destiny. Take me.” And she arched up against him, seeking him.
He lost control. For the first time in his life, a woman overpowered him. He thrust against her, breaking through the frail barrier of her maidenhead, sinking deep into the glorious tightness of her. She cried out then, a small, soft sound, and he kissed her, his mouth covering her face, drinking her tears, tasting her soft mouth.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Monster in the Closet by Anne Stuart

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press
Hero: Sebastian Brand
Heroine: Emma Milsom
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: September 01, 1992
Started On: May 28, 2023
Finished On: June 07, 2023

She could tell him that she was obsessed with him. That she wanted him. That for whatever perverse reason, she was crazily, improbably in love with him. But she couldn’t tell him that he didn’t frighten her. She couldn’t lie. He scared her half to death.

The Monster in the Closet by Anne Stuart is a riveting and intense tale that expertly blends themes of horror, romance, and psychological intrigue. Being the avid fan of Ms. Stuart’s dark and complex characters that I am, I found this book to be a great way to keep away the blues that hits every now and then because I am left with very little from Ms. Stuart’s impressive backlist of published books to indulge in.

The story centers around Sebastian Brand, a British horror actor who is as enigmatic as he is troubled. Sebastian owns a house that developers are after him to sell for them redevelop the property, but he stands firm, haunted by the memories that the house holds. His reluctance to let go of the past sets the stage for the unfolding story that brings into his sphere the unsuspecting Emma Milson, whose life turns upside down from the moment they meet.

Emma takes on the role of general manager for the volatile and brilliant Teddy Winters who is directing the movie that would redefine his career, starring none other than Sebastian. Against her better judgment, Emma accepts the job, knowing Teddy’s reputation for pushing people beyond their limits. It is also partly the safe and boring status of her life that pushes her to give in to Teddy’s demands, landing her in a situation more than she bargained for.

Emma’s task is to keep Sebastian out of the public eye, a job that proves more difficult than she anticipated. Sebastian’s initial coldness towards Emma gradually gives way to a reluctant fascination. The chemistry between them is intriguing, and their interactions charged with an intensity that keeps growing with every encounter, until the inevitable happens. Sebastian’s charismatic yet tortured soul contrasts sharply with that of Emma’s vulnerability, creating a dynamic that I reveled in.

Ms. Stuart’s portrayal of Sebastian’s traumatic history is both heartbreaking and compelling, making him a character you can’t help but root for despite his flaws. Emma being the bleeding heart that she is, finds herself unable to walk away from Sebastian, even when he is being his coldest, trying to do his best to push her away, especially when danger increasingly seems to stalk Emma, eerily similar to incidents from Sebastian’s past.

What I particularly appreciated about The Monster in the Closet is Ms. Stuart’s creation of Sebastian, who is deeply flawed and yet incredibly compelling as is usual for her heroes. Sebastian’s struggle with his dark past and his fear of vulnerability make him a complex and intriguing, while Emma’s journey from a life of safety to one of risk and emotional exposure is equally so. The passion between the two is all consuming, one that scares Sebastian and compels Emma to fight for Sebastian in every single way.

Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart and stories that deliver a unique mix of romance, horror, and elements of mystery.

Final Verdict: The Monster in the Closet is a masterfully crafted novella that combines elements of horror, romance, and psychological drama, weaving intricate and emotionally charged narratives.

Favorite Quotes

She’d never been kissed like that. With that much longing and restraint and carefully leashed passion. He kissed her as an artist might paint a picture, delicately, powerfully, thoroughly, so that all she could do was stand there and tremble in helpless response. She brought her hands up to touch him, and despite the fact that his hands were cradling her face so gently, the iron-hard tension in his tightly muscled arms was shocking. The moment her fingers touched him, touched the smooth, hard flesh of his biceps, he broke away, stepping back into the shadows, leaving her suddenly alone.

“The fact of the matter is, Emma,” he whispered, his mouth brushing hers so lightly that she might have imagined it, “I feel the same way. Angry.” He pushed his body closer, up against hers, his hips pressing against hers. “Turned on,” he said, and there was absolutely no doubt of that. “And quite, quite terrified of you.” With that, he released the iron bars and pulled her into his arms, imprisoning her against his hard, tense body.
He kissed her then, and she was lost.

“Stop fighting it,” he breathed in her ear, his own voice ragged, and she knew he understood her body better than she did. “Stay with me, damn it.”
She released the iron bars, turning her hands beneath his above her head. He clasped them, driving his hips against her as his mouth crushed hers, and the fear was gone, burnt away in a flashpoint of cataclysmic proportions as her entire body seemed to arch, shatter, and dissolve.

He covered her, sliding into her, filling her with a deep thrust that brought a cry to her lips. But her arms wrapped around his back, her long, beautiful legs wrapped around his hips, and she buried her face against his shoulder, against his hair, and her voice was muffled, fierce, as she told him what she needed.
He put his hand between their bodies, touching her, and she exploded immediately, her body convulsing around him. He’d gone into some dark, wild place, beyond sense, beyond reason, and all that existed was her body, her soul, her heart racing against his, her breath panting in his ear, as he thrust into her again and again as she clung to him, sobbing.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo