Review: Great continuation after Layers
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 02 6, 2014
Reviewed on FicCentral.com:Haley thought she could go on without him, especially after Daniel so badly misjudged her, but when she’s still reeling from no news about her brother’s fate, Daniel steps in with the answers.  Determined to be the man she not only needs but wants, he’s doing his best to rebuild what they might have lost.Never being a believer in love or marriage, Haley’s not having an easy time of things, and it doesn’t help that neither she nor Daniel were saints before they met each other.  Problems emerge, doubts creep in, and all the while, Haley’s trying to hold onto her sense of self next to Daniel’s larger than life persona.  But love happens whether you believe in it or not, and for all Hayley’s efforts not to put her heart on the line, it’s already there.  The only question is whether two strong personalities that strive for their own versions of control can find a middle ground and move on together.But...It really took me a while to get into this one, which at first made no sense at all.  I mean, I was practically obsessed while I was reading Layers, and I was on pins and needles waiting for my copy of Inner Core.  I even dropped a book I was halfway through to immediately start reading this one the second it landed in my inbox.  But then it just couldn’t keep my attention.  I read a few chapters, stopped to finish that other book, read a dozen more chapters, and then stopped to read something else.  Why did it take me so long to stay interested?  The only answer I can come up with is the break between books.The problem for me, as best I can figure, is that I was absolutely 100% involved when Layers came to an abrupt end with an ugly cliffhanger.  Inner Core started by resolving that cliffhanger and then trekking through some everyday life stuff, minor issues, talking it out, and other filler-like reading before things got interesting again.  Once they did, I was back in the groove, but since the first part of Inner Core was essentially clean-up from a book I’d set aside weeks ago before it offered anything all that new, it was a tough sell for probably the first half of the book, and I was tempted to pull the did-not-finish card.  I’m really glad I didn’t go that route, but whatever the cause, my reading was certainly affected by it.The Verdict...My obvious attention issues aside, it’s still a great story, and I suspect it will be even better for those of you who have the opportunity to read Layers and Inner Core back-to-back.  I may just try that myself once I knock a few more promised reviews out of the way.  Hayley is as strong as ever, speaking her mind exactly when she needs to and refusing to compromise, which is always refreshing when faced with a super-hot control freak like Daniel.  And of course, I mean “control freak” in the most awesome way.  Daniel is incredibly romantic and thoughtful without losing his take-charge personality, and it’s the perfect balance.  And OMG the sexual tension (and frequent relief) is soooooo good!