Review: Disappointing
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 18, 2013
I was looking forward to another book by Cherrie Lynn as I like her writing style and enjoyed Rock Me and loved Leave Me Breathless. Unfortunately, this one is not nearly as good.I didn't remember Gabriella from the other books but I never read the first book in this series about Evan, so maybe she featured more in that book. Gabriella is the older sister of Evan (Unleashed) and Brian (Rock Me). She's 36, training to be a Dr but has just been jilted on her wedding day by a Dr who she had been seeing for a year (bit of a rushed relationship!). She returns home to live with her parents for a while and decides to go to her brother Brian's tattoo parlour for her first ever tattoo but Brian refuses to do it and so the new guy, Ian Rhodes offers up his services. Ian has been working for Brian a few months and knows a little of what happened to Gabriella. As he begins the tattoo they start talking and then later, Gabriella decides she wants Ian so approaches him in the local bar. They have what is supposed to be a one night stand which soon turns into something more.The problem with this book is I never felt any real connection between Gabby and Ian. Gabby is 36 but comes across a lot younger and the fact she is still supported by her parents at her age was never really explained. She had previously worked as a Nurse before deciding to train as a Dr, so not sure why she couldn't have saved and supported herself but that aside, I didn't particularly like her that much and at no point did I feel she fell in love with Ian.Ian is 28 (the age difference is never an issue) and didn't have a great childhood and does not have a good relationship with his mother. I felt the problems from Ian's childhood could have been expanded on more, I didn't feel we really got to know him or understand him. Through an unforeseen circumstance Gabby and Ian are thrown together but I felt their relationship was very rushed and that they never really took the time to get to know one another. They had a lot of sex (most of it repetitive when this author normally writes a great sex scene) but that was about it. I never felt them fall in love. Another thing was Ian is described as a 'hot, tattooed, Harley-riding hero' but I didn't feel the author described him well. There is no mention at all of any of his tattoos and it wasn't until 63% into the book that Gabby mentions him having pierced nipples! I liked Ian but if I'm honest, I feel like Gabby wasn't good enough for him. It almost seemed like she was with him on the rebound from her ex and used him for sex and then decided near the end that oh actually, she was in love with him!The other three couples from the first three books feature but in this book I found Gabby's parents reactions a bit OTT considering she is 36! There was just something about the storyline that seemed forced and it had a similarity to the issues in Rock Me but considering the ages of the H&H; this seemed unrealistic.I will still read more from this author as I do like her books but this one disappointed me.