Review: This book was shot hot I had to check my hands for burn marks by the end of it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 3, 2014
Let me put it this way: this book was so HOT, I actually had to check my hands for burn marks by the end of it. Tessa Bailey knows how to bring the steam and her latest book in the Line of Duty series is no exception! She has created two very sexual characters that deviate from the sexual norms and give us a scorching, tantalizing journey of how just how far each of them is willing to go when it comes to one another.After having graduating from college, Lucy Mason is heading back to New York City to start the next chapter in her life. Having been ditched last minute by her best friend Sasha, she now must make the trip alone- with her older brother's best friend at the wheel. Meeting Matt Donovan in person is an experience that Lucy will never forget. Nor is overhearing him mention that he heard she was a bit of a nuisance. She is hurt by this, as she does feel that way when it comes to her family. After getting into some trouble, Lucy gave up her wilder ways and buckled down to do what she needed in order to help her family. Having Matt Donovan eye her in the coffee shop like he wants to devour her from the inside out, launches her into a lie so he will continue looking at her in that way. Yet Lucy has no idea what looms just under the surface with Matt. She finds out his desires run darker and instead of shying away from him like most women do, she embraces his darker side and finds she's a bit more wicked in her tastes than she originally thought.Of course, there's only so long that Lucy can keep up the act of being someone other than herself. Living in New York, where she's bound to meet up with her brother's friend again, she knows she needs to come clean about her true identity, but doesn't.If there's one type of Matt Donovan can't stand- it's a liar. He is angry and upset once he finds out just who made that mini road trip with him. He knows he should stay away from Lucy for a number of reasons and yet he finds himself seeking her out, even after she had lied to him. While this bordered on stalker, I actually really liked how Matt would show up (as she left her itinerary in his car). Seeing Matt's playful side with Lucy is really sweet and by far my favorite sweet scene of the book is the FM. (Guess you'll have to read to find out what that is!)I liked Matt's character, but he drove me a little crazy with the self-deprecation. He is the one who constantly pushes Lucy away and then pulls her right back in again. He knows it's wrong to sneak around with her behind her brother's back, but most of all he's insistent she won't be able to withstand the darkness within him and will turn heel and run for the hills. Women have been disgusted by Matt's deviate sexual nature in the past, leaving him a bit self-conscious about his approach. He looks at Lucy and sees goodness and light and he knows spending time with him will only drag her down and he would resent himself for taking that light away from her.  Yet Matt is the one who constantly hurts Lucy with his words (or lack thereof), not his actions. She is all for the mixing of pleasure and pain, and likes him being in control. However, Matt has a really hard time reconciling that this beautiful, wonderful girl could really want to be with him and give in to his needs.I enjoyed this story quite a bit, but I did feel there were a few points towards the end that seemed a bit rushed for me. Matt spends most of the book fighting his inner demons about how to deal with Lucy and I felt like I missed the falling in love part. We went from blind attraction and lust to love and while I do believe he absolutely loves her, I just felt we missed those moments where we got to see him stop and realize that he wanted to fight for her and not against her.Despite that minor issue, I really enjoyed Matt and Lucy's story and fans of the Line of Duty series will really oooh and aaah over that adorable epilogue!