Review: An engaging and gratifying story of overwhelming lust and love
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 22, 2012
4.25 starsMax is a mess. He's been running from his past, feeling guilty about his friend's death and keeps alienating himself from his friends. He works, he sleeps, he goes through the motions. His only feelings are guilt and disgust at himself. He doesn't want to give into his impulses and needs as he did in the past, so he vows to leave this kind of life behind.His friends don't know the extent of Max's suffering.  Jack and Louis have been Max's friends since school and only want to make him feel better. They have had enough of him moping around and take him out to Compulsion to see Louis dance. There he opens himself a little to Jack, but finds that he can't tell him the whole story. Saved by the start of Louis show, Max runs away to the bar to clear his mind before joining his friend and his whole world is turned on it's axis.Seve is the manager at Compulsion. Strikingly handsome and with an aura of authority, Seve knows what he wants and how to go about getting it. He is direct to a fault, sexy as sin and exudes lust in every breath or step he takes. He is everything Max desires and the very thing that Max has vowed to stay away from. He is raw and hard in all the right places, but not where it counts the most - in his heart.What comes next is a set of sexy encounters where the lust runs rampant and where Max's impulses are let loose dragging him deeper into the very world he has been running from.The author, Clare London, brings to the page a story filled with lust, need and overwhelming turmoil, where Max questions his every move. Throughout the story the range of emotions jump from hesitation to determination, from lust to disgust, from despair to hope and back again to lust. Seve and Max's chemistry in undeniable and their connection only grows deeper with every encounter. Yes, the sex was off-the-charts hot, but necessary. That's how they connect, how they express themselves. Words are useless, but every moan, grunt and touch mean more to them, for if the truth were spoken this whole bubble of lust could be shattered and that in of itself would be unbearable. After a while, Max questions, prods and surrenders when Seve opens himself to him and together they make sense of the world they have been dragged in.The writing was excellent, even if to me the beginning of the story dragged a bit. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters and the uncertainty of their situation. I especially liked that there were no immediate declarations of love. They lusted after each other and fed their desires throughout the story and in the end their love came naturally and it was everything I expected. The secondary characters all added to the story in their own right and every event brought to the page added nicely to my enjoyment of the story. I wanted to keep on reading and when it ended I still wanted to know more.I truly did enjoy this book. From the characters to the plot, everything came together seamlessly to make an interesting, gratifying read. I will be looking for more from this author from now on. My only hope would be to get to read more about these characters.