Review: A Read to Savor
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 17, 2010
Originally posted at: [...]If you're the type of reader who loves compelling emotional romance, Pride and Passion is exactly what you're looking for. From the moment the story began, I was swept into the vastly different, yet unmistakably similar, lives of Jake and Lily. There are a lot of misunderstandings, past grievances, and secrets the two keep from one another, making the story one that is impossible to put down.In the beginning, I wasn't all that certain I'd like Jake. He is powerful, controlling, and so cold you wonder if there is actually a man somewhere beneath the surface. However, as the story unfolds and the reader learns his reasons for being so distant from those he cares for, it's impossible to do anything but fall in love with him. He is complex as he is intriguing, which makes him an ideal hero -- especially if you enjoy alpha types. As for Lily, she is far more than a socialite who has been ruined by scandal. After she rejects Jake's proposal of marriage, determined to stand on her own two feet, she begins to mature and grow as a woman. The progression occurs in a carefully timed manner, so that you watch her adapt to her new life, learn from it, and become a strong woman versus a virginal girl who has been sheltered all her life.The writing is fantastic, the character development is brilliantly done, and the pace of the story is excellent. There was never a moment that I wanted to put the book down and, as a result, I read Pride and Passion from start to finish in one sitting. I've always been a fan of romances in which the protagonists must learn to trust and accept each other, and I wasn't disappointed here. Jake and Lily prove to be so much more than the reader initially perceives, and the emotional tension between them, as well as the chemistry they share, will make this one story you won't soon forget.Definitely a story for the coveted TBR list, don't miss your chance to read Pride and Passion. This is the first book I've read (and thoroughly enjoyed) by Jenna Bayley-Burke, but it will not be the last.