Review: Weak Heroine, Admirable Hero Make for an Emotional Roller Coaster Ride to Happiness
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 8, 2013
I've enjoyed Cheryl Douglas' previous series, Nashville Nights, and am excited by her new foray that tells of the next generation of the characters from that well established series.  Seeing the offspring of those beloved characters on their own emotional journeys added an extra layer of anticipation to reading this book.It's said that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but for Alisa Turner, daughter of a rich and famous country crooner, her impulsive act upon arriving in Vegas changes her life dramatically.  She's been on a downward spiral after finding out her fiancée was cheating on her and is given the opportunity to do something meaningful by starting her own business.  Wanting to make her daddy proud she's done with living impulsively and after the betrayal by her ex she's keeping her heart locked away.  But the tempting older man she meets on a plane has her forgetting all her plans.  Her regrets of their impulsive act war with her deepening feelings in regards to Liam as she tries to figure out a way to have a HEA when so much is against them.  Alisa acts very immaturely throughout most of the book.  She jumps to conclusions, uses alcohol as an excuse, and lets her ex continually be in the picture.  It's not until virtually the end that she shows a mature side in standing by the man she really loves.Liam is the kind of man you dream about....sexy, charming, giving the woman he loves her every desire, loving towards his daughter, and rich.  He wants to be loved for himself and not his money and his instant attraction to Alisa has him believing that she's the perfect one for him.  He never regrets their impulsive act and I felt bad that he was more certain of their love than she.  This emotional tug of war was difficult to read and made me dislike Alisa immensely.  Liam is confident in business but feels less certain with Alisa's ex constantly in the picture and this again had me frustrated by her actions. Liam's very dedicated to his work and the juggling of a new relationship that he fought for constantly led to a life altering event that changes the course of the story and finally allows for a HEA.It's a hard won HEA that's acheived only through some very intensely emotional highs and lows.  I liked that Liam believed in love at first sight and it's sad that Alisa became so jaded.  Her evolution to becoming a stronger more mature woman is one I applauded as it made her worthy of Liam and his intense love for her.  High Stakes is well-written with a wonderful hero but a weak heroine and incredibly annoying ex who refused to go away.  The emotional tug of war between Liam and Alisa went on a bit too long and got a bit too over the top at times but I still found myself fully invested in their relationship and look forward to the next book in this series.3.5 STARS