Review: New Orleans heats up in this fabulous contemporary romance!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 26, 2014
Taking us into the heart of New Orleans, this is the story of Jen and Stefan. Jen has grown up with Stefan's family , a result of the early and traumatic death of her parents and brother. Friends to start with, her feelings for Stefan deepened over time until the inevitable wedding was assumed - despite the fact that they had never discussed their feelings with each other. Having found out some bitter truths from a family friend, Jen escaped to Paris for six months to train as a pastry chef. She has returned with the full intention of breaking her engagement to Stefan and starting her own future without him. But Stefan, seeing the woman that Jen has become, is not willing to let her go without a fight.I loved this story! Once started, I was unable to put it down until the very end. The setting of the story, in a post Hurricane Katrina city of New Orleans is vibrant and detailed. The plot of the story is unique and riveting. Stefan appears to be cold and calculating, characteristics that serve him well in his role in the family business. Underneath that exterior however lies a passionate and caring man, totally in love with Jen yet unable to express this to her for fear of frightening her with the depths of his feelings. He has always seen Jen as someone to cherish and protect and his sexual desire for her threatens to overwhelm him. As a result he pushes her away physically while still trying to maintain control over their relationship. Jen lives with elements of post-traumatic stress in the wake of the accident that claimed her family. Previously fragile and overly emotional, her six months away have taught her to stand up for herself. Her defiance of Stefan startles and arouses him, and her determination to go her own way galvanizes him into action. He is forced to see Jen as the woman she has become and not the girl she was. As clues about Jen's past are unveiled, the story heats up both emotionally and physically. The sexual attraction between them sizzles, and the love scenes are steamy and well written. Alternating points of view add realism to the story as the underlying thoughts and feelings of Jen and Stefan are revealed.Secondary characters play an important role, adding humorous dialogue as well as scenes of conflict. The overall package is one of a taught, emotional and heartwarming love story that will keep you enthralled to the last page as Stefan and Jen get the happy ending they deserve. Hearing that there will be more books in the series is icing on the cake. 5 fabulous stars!