Review: Hot, Steamy Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 24, 2013
"Have Mercy" pretty much says it all about this book.  If you're looking for a smoking-hot, steamy, sexy read full of emotional and physical intensity that explodes on the page then this is a book you'll enjoy. Although this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone.Story Brooks is in shock, reeling from her fiance's confession that he isn't going to marry her, when she gets the call that her father, Jack, is in the hospital after suffering a heart attack.  Even though Story has been estranged from her father since she was a child, she hastily leaves California to travel across the country to New York. Not only can she reconnect with her father, but she can also escape her current misery.Soon after she arrives at the hospital, she unexpectedly meets Daniel Chase, a successful hostage-negotiator who knows his  "come-hither" good looks  are his invitation to flirt with and seduce the women around him. However, this smooth-talking womanizer becomes practically speechless when he first sees Story and is mesmerized by her beauty.Even worse,  Story seems to be immune to his charm, and, in their first teasing conversation, she shocks Daniel in a way that lets him know his flirtation is meaningless to her. Ironically, though, Daniel only finds her more intriguing and desirable. Their initial stimulating conversation was what really snagged my attention and from that point on, I was hooked.Daniel is surprised and disappointed when he realizes that Story is Jack's daughter. Jack is one of the most famous hostage-negotiators in the country and has been a mentor to Daniel since he started his career.  Jack immediately warns him: "She is my daughter and she's vulnerable after her breakup. I won't have you taking advantage of her. She came here to heal, not to be your latest conquest. Hands. Off. My daughter."Although Story has acted as if she's uninterested in Daniel, in fact, the opposite is true:  "Every movement of his body screamed sex. Combined with his ladies, ladies, there's enough of me to go around vibe, she could understand why women stopped to gawk at him on the sidewalk. She couldn't deny his magnetism. The guarantee of satisfaction practically radiated from him."Story is tired of her passive lifestyle, and being around Daniel makes brings out a brazen side of her that pushes him to his limits.  Impulsively, she offers him a sixty second challenge to prove his sexual prowess, and, when the countdown begins,  the sexual tension between the two builds into an intoxicatingly explosive, passionate relationship.As they spend more time together, Daniel becomes desperate for her, wanting to become more than a rebound. Yet, the emotional and physical wounds he carries from his childhood have made him feel unworthy to be with a woman like Story.  Although Daniel projects confidence,  his pain runs deep, and his need for Story is so heart-breaking and sincere: "Belong to me, Story. Even if it's just for a little while." Story opens his eyes to everything he's been missing in life.  She brings a light into his darkness.Although Story didn't come to New York looking for a relationship, the connection she feels to Daniel in such a short amount of time both excites and scares her. Can she really be falling in love with this strong, possessive man who is determined to make her his? Can she push beyond the shameful secrets he keeps hidden away?Although there is some conflict involving external antagonists, the story really delves into  Story's and Daniel's internal conflicts as they must confront their fears and insecurities before they can even think of promising a commitment.Bailey has created two multi-dimensional characters whose inner turmoil and transformation move the plot, and their struggles intensify into a suspenseful crisis that unifies all plot threads to bring closure to the story. I found the realistic ending to be emotionally satisfying.I received a copy of this book from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.