Review: Steamy & Suspenseful Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 29, 2014
When a woman trying to succeed in the boy's club has her life threatened, the man sent to guard her takes his job very seriously which causes sparks to fly both in and out of the bedroom in this suspenseful and super steamy read.  Fans of erotica will find this a tantalizing read with a surprisingly captivating mystery and a hero to die for.  From the first page to the last it's easy to get caught up in this rocky road to HEA as you're kept on the edge of your seat trying to decipher whodunit.Charlize is desperate to prove herself after taking over her father's company.  To be seen as capable she tries to bury her femininity and set herself apart from others so the lines aren't blurred as to who's the boss.  With her company in jeopardy unpopular decisions must be made which increases the number of her enemies and after a violent physical attack she's forced into admitting she's not as capable as she thought.  The moment Connor enters her life everything she thought about herself and what she needs are put in doubt.  To find happiness at both work and home she must realize that accepting help isn't a weakness and that having someone beside you makes you stronger....but is it too late to discover this before a killer, who's killed before, has her in their hands?  Charlize is tightly wound at the start of the story, affected by numerous panic attacks.  She's a bit arrogant thinking she can handle everything herself and it's truly crushing to her to discover that's not the case.  She has a tendency to think the worst of men as her previous relationship was abusive and ended badly.  She perpetually doubts Connor though everything he's done has been to keep her safe.  I appreciated how she stood up for herself but was frustrated by her doubts towards Connor.Connor is a truly drool-worthy hero who desperately wants to save the girl this time around.  As a former cop his hands were often tied and he got frustrated by always following the rules...now he makes the rules.  He sees how stressed-out Charlize is and wants to help her any way he can.  Not only will he protect her body but he'll protect her heart by reminding her what it means to live again.  He brings moments of carefree sensual fun to her life along with the joys of flaunting her womanly side.  He gives her the tools to protect herself and goes in search of those seeking to harm her which causes friction in their relationship.  Connor was the one to first admit his feelings in a very tender scene balanced with numerous erotic encounters with him her guide.  I loved Connor's dominant side as well as his sweetly endearing side and was often annoyed by Charlize for doubting his feelings and actions as he was the quintessential hero.The erotic interludes in this story were numerous and scorching in their intensity.  They allowed the heroine to unwind and embrace her feminine side.  The mystery is surprisingly engaging with the possible criminal hard to determine as the possibilities are numerous.  The mystery was pulse-pounding and kept me on the edge of my seat with the heroine's life in jeopardy until the very end.  This was my first time reading Ms. Bardan but won't be my last as I enjoyed many aspects of this story and highly recommend it to fans of erotica as the HOT factor is off the charts!