Review: sensual m/m romantic thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 16, 2013
The Long Con Lori TolandI received this via Netgalley in return for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise - I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.Nathaniel Bradley (Bradley )is a British Agent seeking to recover a stolen Fabergé egg. Its actually been stolen from his grandmother. In order to infiltrate the gang seeking to sell it on to an unsuspecting collector he has to pose as a high priced prostitute. Once in the gang he is tasked with seducing the buyer, Tony Terranova Jr - the heir to a Mafia dynasty. It makes things dangerous for Bradley - even more so when he finds he is very attracted to Tony and Tony clearly wants him...he deviated from the plan and starts winging it and the gang keep trying to bring him back to target. Although he's not bothered about tricking the gang - as con artists they are good targets to bring in - but he feels guilty that he's conning Tony as he seems such a nice and honest man, not at all what he expected from someone so high in the Mafia family.I really enjoyed this book, the sexual chemistry between Bradley and Tony was sizzling and at times very erotic and sensual. Bradley discovers by accident that Tony is a submissive and being a top himself they found that they had an added dimension to the sexual relationship.  They really felt like real people to me, and I was carried along with them on their romantic forays... I empathised with Bradley when he had feelings of guilt over the part he was playing in deceiving Tony, and felt for Tony in the way he was quickly so taken with Bradley and hoping for a longer term romance.  But as ever things aren't as straightforward as they seem, and the story takes directions I didn't expect and the results were just what I wanted though it took some emotional moments to get there. There wasn't any weird plot endings where Bradley got out of a scrape by some unbelievable means - you know the sort I mean, where something weird happens and suddenly all is sorted. Lori gives us credible endings and ways out fo the dilemmas she puts her characters in and that's what made it so good for me.  . Its well written and edited and was a treat to read, with the plot taking unexpected diversions that kept me gripped and the romance angle was very tender. I felt for both parties when things began to heat up and become critical.The Long Con is a terrific read, good solid romance wrapped up in a believable storyline. I hate that so many erotic books are little more than sex scene upon sex scene with little or no story. I need a good back-story to balance the heat and romance and make it an enjoyable read and this book delivers that for me.  Its joined my keepers list. At 4.54 for  235 pages it is a little expensive but if like me you'll re read the story then that becomes a more value for money price.Stars: a solid four.