Review: Love Enzo
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 14, 2013
(Quote)The tides are shifting, and I'm coming out a better man on the other side.Riptides is largely Enzo Rodriguez's story but also brings all of our friends and family from this series back together again. Enzo has always been the wild card. He lacks direction, is spontaneous, and does not really have a set life plan. He is the easy going, fun guy in the crowd. But he is seeing his brother, sister, and friends all pairing off and settling down.One meeting with an outspoken, intelligent, politically minded woman knocks him on his ass. Jessica and Enzo have an immediate connection, the ability to really talk and relate, and great sexual chemistry. Enzo is suddenly re-evaluating his life.(Quote)And suddenly the rush from that incredible wave is pulled under by a riptide of jealousy over the fact that these two a**holes have something I want so damn badly. Something I can't yet call mine, because I have yet to crack the code to Jess's heart.Jessica owns a bakery and has her own life. And she also has secrets and issues that keep affecting her ability to open up and progress with Enzo. I really liked her in the beginning as she and Enzo had such a great rapport and seemed so good together. But as it went on and it was obvious she was holding something back, I got a bit frustrated. There was mystery involved in what exactly she was not saying.(Quote)I hope it's from pent up emotion, but something about this feels sad. I can't put my finger on why, but the shape of her, the press of her body against mine has this desperate feel, like she's caught in a riptide and trying to decide if she should cling to me and go where I go or swim like mad back to the shore.Enzo was so sweet, attentive, and caring. He knew what he wanted without hesitation. Seeing him mature, his improved confidence and understanding of his needs, and his devotion to his family was something that really touched my heart. This is really a story of a man in transition. He is figuring out what he wants out of life, trying to progress and change, and open up to new experiences.But once all of her secrets are revealed will Enzo be able to cope or will he find himself wanting something he cannot have?This book brings back all of our friends and family from the previous stories. It focuses a lot on his brother Cohen and Maren's wedding. We see more in the continuing stories of Hattie and Ryan, Deo and Whit, Gen and Adam. I loved seeing how the newer members of this group Ryan, Hattie, and Adam continue to bond with this family. The whole Rodriguez-Beckett clan is at the heart of this story and this series. They tease, torture, fight and fuss, but are fiercely loyal and love each other without question. This novella like the rest of the series has humor, sweet romance, steaminess, heartbreak, and pain. I will say that this novella surprised me. And I am still not sure if I am upset or happy about it. There is definitely more story to tell and I am looking forward not only to Lydia's upcoming book Drift, but also a spin-off series that will begin with a book titled Almost Lover and will feature a familiar character.