Review: Gets the juices flowing
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 10, 2013
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.Sarah and Adam meet again at their 20th high school reunion.  Never having the courage to have sex while in school they make up for it that night, only to have Adam leave in the morning.  Sarah lets him go but keeps that night in her mind.  She finally decides she has to pursue whatever they might have and goes after Adam in Adriana Kraft's THE REUNION.  Little does Sarah know what the impact of her actions will be and how it will change lives.I LOVED this book.  At first I thought it would be a cliché of old schoolmates meeting again after 20 years, remembering how much they liked each other in high school but not having the courage then to embark on a relationship so they decide to make up for lost time at their reunion, decide that they should have had the courage back then, fall in love now, and have their happily-ever-after as adults.  This is NOT that type of book.  There are so many layers in THE REUNION.I loved Sarah.  She was not a goody-two-shoes that Adam thought she was and now wants to pretend she is.  She is a flesh-and-blood woman who loves sex.  While Adam worshipped her from afar in high school, Sarah was getting an education that surprised Adam when he found out about it.  Sarah has had two husbands.  Neither of which were worthy of her.  One is a senator who only wanted Sarah to give him a family so he would be surrounded by children for his campaign photos.  The other was only interested in her until she surrendered to him then the thrill of the chase was gone.  The only good thing both men did for her was divorce her and make her wealthy so she was able to find her life's work and pursue it.I loved Adam.  He thinks he has everything under control.  He discovers that with Sarah that was not true.  She bests him so often that it is a treat to watch.  He is a Dom but he has not explained the rules to Sarah so when she misbehaves she has no idea she has misbehaved and does not understand what she has done wrong.  What Adriana Kraft has done very well with Adam is show us his flaws.  He is not perfect.  He is not this tough-as-nails alpha.  He has hang-ups and insecurities.  He questions what is happening.  He questions what he should do.  He is not sure of anything when it comes to Sarah and their relationship.The third person in this ménage is Maria, Adam's live-in lover.  When Sarah turns up at Adam's home, she assumes Maria is the maid.  At first Sarah dismisses Maria.  Maria allows it because she knows something happened at the reunion that deeply affected Adam.  When Adam tells Sarah of Maria's place in his life, Sarah is unsure of where she fits into Adam's life.  I like how there are no assumptions that everything will turn out wonderfully.  Each character is feeling his or her way around this relationship.  Sarah has to question whether this type of relationship is right for her.  Adam has to decide if he can handle two women.  Maria questions it the least.  She is the most open to it and the ramifications of it.The story revolves around Sarah, Adam, and Maria working out how they will have a relationship.  Sarah and Maria spend a lot of time together and, while Maria knows she loves women as much as men, Sarah has to come to the realization she is bisexual.  The women fall in love.  I liked that the f/f story was given prominence. It was well done. Usually the f/f aspect of a ménage relationship is ignored or downplayed.  The usual ménage focuses on the f/m/f relationship with the women servicing the man and little or no interaction between them.  That does not happen here.  The women and their growing love becomes the centerpiece of THE REUNION.  Adam has to learn where he fits in the relationship.  That is what makes THE REUNION different.  Adam does not have all the answers.  At times, he flounders badly as he questions what the women want, what he wants, what is the nature of the relationship between the three, and is he part of the relationship.  Sarah and Maria want him to be part of the relationship but they will not force him.  If he chooses to go, they will let him go and strengthen their own relationship.  It is only when tragedy strikes that Adam knows where his place is, where he needs to be.There is a secondary storyline which is interesting.  As Sarah contemplates staying in California, she takes up photography again.  Her clients are women in the sex industry.  I was fascinated by their stories and how Sarah's views changed as she got to know these women.  She realized they were similar to her with the same wants and desires--to have a home, a family, a job so they could pay the bills.  I liked how Sarah's prejudices were broken down.  It was refreshing.THE REUNION has well-developed characters in an unconventional relationship.  The sex is hot and steamy.  It gets the juices flowing.  I wanted the happily-ever-after ending but I was willing to go with whatever ending happened.  Sarah, Maria, and Adam are not characters I will soon forget.  THE REUNION is not a book I will forget.  I liked how the characters had to struggle to find their answers.  I liked how they fought to ensure the answers were right for them.  I am glad these characters visited me.