Fiction, Dark Romance, 5 heat level, BDSM, erotic
4****
Blurb:Nothing about our interactions is comfortable, yet he comforts me as no one can. Years ago I gave up on love. Shackled with past traumas and driven to succeed professionally, I keep a tight rein on my desires and ignore my needs. But when I collide with a magnetic Scotsman at a sex club, my carefully balanced world begins to totter. He seeks legal representation, and my boss insists I oblige. He wants me, and my body urges me to comply. Yet he’s off limits in every way. For one, I’m his lawyer, and he’s my client. For another, we’re searching for the woman he loved—possibly still loves. What’s more, he’s a heartthrob, completely out of my league. And most disturbingly, he makes me crave things I’ve never dared to imagine, subduing me with one word, one flick of a brow. The more he wears down my defenses, the more I suspect the real hurdles keeping me from love are my own fears. Can I conquer them before they undo me? She’s in my bloodstream; I breathe her in like oxygen. Brushing past a hawthorn bud on the branch, I pluck her and make her mine. Sweet, fierce, and passionate, she opens up into a flower under my ministrations. Yet at every turn she needs me to seize control and confiscate her will. She doubts herself, doubts love, and doubts men. I plan on shattering her walls and teaching her to listen to her body. But my past dogs me, refusing to let me enjoy my sweet bud in peace. Once forced to serve traffickers, I now vow to bring down the remnants of their organization. I’m bound to search for a woman I promised to protect who’s suspected of murder and other crimes. Some say I’m trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. As one woman draws me toward my future and the other pulls me toward my past, I have to confront the wrongs I’ve committed head-on. Can I beat the odds and claim my forbidden love? This is dark romantic suspense. Please see my website for a full content warning.
THOUGHTS: This is a hot, sexy story that starts with two pages of trigger warnings. Please pay attention to them because everything that’s there is in this story. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, this is a well-written deep story. Irene is a lawyer who accompanies a client one night to a sex club. What she sees there shocks her, but also draws her much to her surprise. When one of the participants accuses a DOM of inappropriate behavior, Irene steps in and shoots the accusation down. Ness is both relieved and intrigued by this curvy woman who came to his defense, and he is determined to get to know her better—in several different ways. He has a dark past that requires the help of a lawyer so he approaches the firm she works for and uses his influence to have her assigned to his case. What follows is an intense story of BDSM, human trafficking, drugs, money laundering, and more. During the story, Ness also teaches Irene what it’s like to be a sub to his DOM. Be prepared to fan yourself with the heat in here.
This wasn’t an easy book to read in some places – I’m not a fan of violence— but the writing is very well done. If you like your stories darkly romantic with lots of spice, some violence, and a HEA ending that satisfies, you’ll like this one.
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