Review: 4.5 Stars
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2013
Do you like a book with deep detailed character development? Characters that persevere, and you being the fly on the wall witnessing it for a good amount of a character's life? Do you like beer? Detroit? A realistic love story? BDSM, and/or being THOROUGHLY satisfied??? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, you must add Mutual Release by Liz Crowe to your TBR list.The first part of this book is about Evan. He had typical teenage experiences (including sexual) while living with his dance-consumed twin sister, Olivia, neglectful yet sometimes overbearing mother, and a mostly absent father walking through family life with blinders on. Evan felt like he had no control over the oddness of his family unit. Although his family life wasn't perfect, his connection with his twin was unbreakable - or so he thought. His life changed forever with the addition of an adopted son, Damian, when he was in high school. Even though they were close in age, Evan immediately sensed that Damian was a handsome manipulator, flirt, liar, and soon to find out: a sexual predator. Yet, he introduced the BDSM lifestyle to Evan, teaching him how to use it to have control over his sexual encounters and needs. If that was all it was, Evan would've been fine. However, with Damian's influence, Evan was witness and participant to the dark side of the lifestyle - which eventually tore his family apart, and affected all future relationships Evan was involved in.The second part details the life of Julie - daughter of a single mother who worked hard at a local bar, while trying to land a marriage with its wealthy owner. With her mother having very little money and devoting little time to her, Julie didn't even try to fit in with the rich girls of her high school, acknowledge boys in her classes, or have any true self worth or confidence. But she's smart - and had a keen sense of good and bad in others. Her close friendship with her friend Amy would carry her through to adulthood, while her distrust for the owner of the bar, Bart, was as strong as the awful cologne he wore. Her instincts proved her right...Both Evan and Julie persevered in their careers, but had issues of trust and control in every aspect of their lives - including relationships and sexual encounters. They met unexpectedly and knew from the start that their connection was unlike any other they've ever experienced. And this connection lead them down a road that they'd never traveled before (and one Julie vowed to herself to NEVER travel) - divulging their darkest secrets. Can they each accept and overcome the other's secrets? Can they find true, unconditional love with each other? While traveling down this uncharted road, their intimate encounters were on fire. Evan's tall, muscular, broad-shouldered physique and Julie's full-figured bod were a match. But navigating Evan's need for control in the bed and Julie's use of sex to get ahead or for instant gratification, left my nether regions doing acrobats at some points and my hand wanting to slap Evan at others! The ending of this is so not what I expected - and I'm gladThis book is part of a series. I didn't feel I was lost or was missing information even though I hadn't read the previous books. I had a little trouble getting through the darker first part of the book learning about Evan - I did not enjoy reading about teenagers having sex (perhaps because I have two boys? They better NOT have teenage sex - not my boys!!! Lol....). But I did not want to give up on the book, and I'm glad I continued. The darkness and intensity of Evan's early years prepared me to expect similar feelings in Part II. And now that I've finished, the ending is so sweet, especially given how the book started for both Evan and Julie.