Review: Irresistible Lead Characters Make This Romance Stand Out
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2014
“Complicated Creatures” is a romantic novel about two people who thrive on being independent and unattached—and yet who are irresistibly drawn to one another.The story begins with action—a business deal turns violent and Samantha Wyatt, a former officer in the Navy turned lawyer, pulls her client out of danger in the nick of time. This sets the scene for Samantha, the book’s female protagonist—not only is she beautiful, but she’s also smart and kick-butt. It turns out she works in “Human Asset Protection” for companies—and her next challenge is expanding her business.Her other challenge is keeping her mind off the handsome Jack Rowan, who himself is successful and driven in business—the two meet when his friend tricks Jack into selling half of a duplex to Samantha. Sexual sparks fly, and Jack and Samantha embark on a flirtation that’s driven not just by lust, but also by true compatibility—but Jack’s commitment issues and the danger (and secrets) of Samantha’s business may keep them apart.I really enjoy romance that takes its time to develop the relationship and also create full-realized supporting characters, and “Complicated Creatures” delivers in both of these aspects. Perspectives alternate between Jack and Samantha, so you really get to know them both as characters and see their relationship from both sides. Jack and Samantha also have rich, deep relationships with family and friends in their lives, which gives the book depth and interest beyond the “will they or won’t they” aspect of most romantic novels.The action scenes are sharp and well-written; the author also has a knack for dialogue that's both natural and sparkling. Samantha’s unorthodox skills make her a unique heroine and give the book a chance to take you as a reader to some exotic locales (there are also erotic scenes in this novel, but I would not necessarily classify this as erotica). Recommended to readers who like romance novels with substance and suspense.