Review: Good-but not Great...here's why
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 3, 2014
This book was recommended to me and...well...It's definitely something I would read according to the synopsis.  It was good...just... good.  I really wanted to enjoy it more but...3.5 **** from me.  Here's why...First, the synopsis:" ‘Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person’Layla Summers has run from her past for the last six years, and life is currently peaceful and controlled. That is until Hunter, a hot and hard Dom who frequents The Black Panther where Layla works as an erotic dancer, takes an interest in her.After turning down his offer of a hot night between the sheets, Layla brushes away her intensifying lust for Hunter and continues with her safe but lacklustre life.  That is until Layla and Hunter’s paths cross in the most awkward of places and Layla is stunned by the different man Hunter is in the club to the man he is away from the club. He is rude, arrogant and so bloody cocky that Layla has visions of whipping the man with his own expensive tie.But it soon becomes increasingly difficult to keep their relationship professional and they are soon embroiled in a hot, steamy and dominant liaison.Lucas Hunt has wanted Layla since he first saw her spin the pole in The Black Panther and after her rejection of a night of hot hard sex he is stunned when the sexy little Redhead turns up in his daily routine.  The temptation to drag her into his dominant sexual desires becomes harder and harder but he soon finds out just how perfect they are for each other.  But Layla comes with dangerous baggage and lots of it, and Lucas is soon fighting against things that could kill their relationship and against people that could basically just kill them both.At the end of the day, is their relationship worth the risk? Or is Lucas willing to bite the bullet and endanger his life for the sexy little erotic dancer that has stormed and exploded into his life?"Sounds good, right?  Great even!! BUT and herein lies the problem...I felt like this story was a mash-up of a bunch of other really great books I've already read.We have the very dominant Hunter,  whose actually Lucas Hunt.  Hunter is his Dom name.  He sees Layla at a club he frequents...she's a pole-dancer.  Next, she needs more money (who doesn't?) and Lucas needs a temp P.A.  Super...she ends up being his temp.  Lucas is a bear! to work for, an ass really!  Once they fall into a relationship, it's a bit confusing.  The D/s part of their relationship exists only in the bedroom really.  Not that it didn't suit them as characters, but it was just sort of...odd that Lucas was a complete caveman in the bedroom and then almost overly emotional otherwise.  I know he's supposed to be this domineering man but he really puts his heart on his sleeve a little too much to be believable.  Layla seemed to have a connection with everyone who was also connected to Lucas which was epically strange (however...I did NOT realize this was book 5 of a series and have not read the others prior). This may be my whole problem people...although I believe it states the book does ok on its own two feet as a standalone.  It has a beginning, middle and end and doesn't seem to have any lingering issues from a prior book.  The way the characters are connected-maybe  a totally different issue.The things I did enjoy were the actual flow of the story.  It wasn't too fast or slow.  Also, who doesn't enjoy steamy sex scenes?  This author can write some HOT stuff my book people!!  If your fan of HEA's, this book has one!  Like I said earlier, a series but can be a standalone.I know it seems really tilted in my review above...the good VS bad.  I did LIKE the book, just didn't LOVE it.