Review: Great Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 11, 2014
I received this book from the author and Advanced Copies for Review & Book Giveaways in exchange for a honest review.My Thoughts:  I really liked this book. At the heart of the story, it is about two damaged people who find solace in one another.  Each have their own demons to conquer.  I did not read the 1st book in the series.  That being said, I had no trouble following this book.  The storyline kept me engaged throughout the book.  The revelation of the villain's identity caught me totally off guard.  Not in a million years did I guess who it was.The Hero:  He had a difficult upbringing.  His father abandoned them for another family.  So, he was left to take care of his mother and sister.  It was a great responsibility for him and at a young age.  It turned him into a very determined person.  Eventually, he got married, but that did not turn out so well.  She ran off with another man humiliating him in the process.  After that, he is somewhat reluctant to commit to another woman.The Heroine:  Eight years ago, Loraine was in culinary school in Paris.  She met Pierre and they dated.  One night, he unexpectedly attacked her.  Luckily, her parents had sent a employee to watch over her.  She was rescued in time, but was left damaged.  Since then, she has suffered from nightmares.  Later in the book, Reno's son is dropped off by his ex-wife.  Reno does not take to fatherhood well.  He is a real jerk.  I loved how the heroine took to taking care of Tyler.  He was the cutest little boy.  When she told Reno to not come back until he got his act together, I loved it.  She was so protective and loving with Tyler.The Story:  Loraine is attending her best friend Riana's wedding to Allan.  She is the maid of honor.  After the wedding, she meets Reno (Riana's brother) face to face for the first time.  Before this, she had only spoke to him through the computer and phone.  In a side note, Reno is introducing Ruiz to his sister Riana for the first time at the wedding.They hit it off and she agrees to spend the night with him.  They go to the room and Loraine eventually freaks out.  Reno is so sweet and understanding afterwards.  The next morning, Loraine sneaks out before he wakes up.  She is so embarrassed.Loraine heads home.  Upon arriving at home, she goes through her mail and discovers a letter from Pierre.  Freaked out, she goes to her parents and stays there for a couple of months.  Melody (Allan's sister)comes to see her and invites her to a girl's vacation in the Bahamas.Loraine and Melody arrive in the Bahamas.  Once there, they meet up with Reno and Ruiz.  Reno is understanding and acts no different towards her.  She is so relieved she breaks down in tears.Loraine and Melody stay at Reno's house.  Later that night, Reno hears a whimper and investigates.  He discovers it is Loraine in the throws of a nightmare.  He wakes her up and comforts her.  He stays the whole night so she will feel safe.The next day, they talk and Reno invites her to take a vacation with him.  They go to Nassau and he rents an apartment for them.  While there, Loraine discovers that Reno also suffers from nightmares.  She helps him through it and they become a couple.They return from their getaway.  Soon after returning, Reno's three year old son is dropped off by his ex-wife's nanny.  This changes the whole dynamics of their relationship.The rest of the book deals with Reno and Loraine's HEA, and the final confrontation with Loraine's stalker.Overall, a great contemporary romance about two wounded people and their eventual salvation.