ONE TO KEEP
Series: Nights In Bliss #3
Genre: BDSM Romance, Romantic Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Re-released in a second edition with new content.
Stefan Talbot likes order and control. He approaches his life with the same meticulous precision that he uses to put paint on his canvas. Nothing good comes from chaos, and that is why he has refused to allow himself to get close to Jennifer Waters. They are like fire and ice. Though she is younger, her talent as an artist is unquestionable. But she lives her life like she paints—with wild, passionate abandon. It is intoxicating and terrifying, and he can’t get her out of his head.
Jennifer ran from Bliss to put Stef behind her. She had come to the mountain town seeking a mentor but found much more than she bargained for. Cool and distant, Stef was like a marble statue and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t break through his shell. She moved to Dallas to start over, but nothing is going as planned. When the art gallery where she works is robbed and a precious painting is stolen, Jen is accused of the theft. Jen is thrilled when her bail is met, until she realizes her savior is Stef and he has a few conditions. First and foremost, she has to return to Bliss.
Against the backdrop of the Winter Festival, Stef and Jen’s attraction catches fire. But the dark forces behind the robbery in Dallas have followed Jen home. A criminal syndicate believes she still has the stolen painting and they’ll kill to get their hands on it.
Kiss me, love.”
After the delicious push and pull between Stefan and Jennifer in the last two books, I was absolutely dying to get my grabby little hands on their book. But I was also hoping for two things from this book; a grovel from Stefan, and for Jennifer to grow a little more. Jennifer has always been incredibly open in her desire for Stefan, that at times I almost felt like she made it too easy for him.
And while I did spend a large chunk of this book wanting to punch Stefan in the eye and shake him until he sees reason, I’m happy to report that I absolutely LOVED Jennifer.
These are both incredibly multi-layered characters. But while Jennifer doesn’t let her past dictate her future, Stefan uses his as a crutch and his answer of why he can never be with Jennifer. Considering he spends the entire book thinking that her age makes her not know her own mind because of the demons of his past, it was an exercise in frustration to say the least. And while a part of me gets it, another part of me wanted to slap him. Continuously.
There’s a suspense plot that runs parallel to the romance that adds a much needed edge and entertainment factor. With the Russian mafia after Jennifer for a painting that may be in her possession, there’s a character that’s introduced that I absolutely fell in love with. Alexei Markov, with his gentle soul, violent past and broken english absolutely stole my heart. I cannot wait for his book. The set up is AMAZING!
As for this book, while I did spend a good part of it frustrated with Stefan’s inability to see reason, I still enjoyed it. Admittedly, I was kind of expecting an uber Dom with him, but what I got was slightly different. I can’t say I’m complaining, though. This is a man that’s not perfect, has faults, and is not afraid to admit to them by the end. I did wish he groveled a bit more, but I was still satisfied with how things wrapped up. Jennifer was the perfect balance. I appreciated her strength and her will to fight for him even when he gave her every reason not to.
All in all, another wonderful addition to the series and as always, I can’t wait for more!
Speak Your Mind