Review: Passion & Ink by @Naima_Simone

PASSION & INKY
Series: Sweetest Taboo #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic, Taboo
Author: Naima Simone
Release Date: February 18, 2019

Blackballed from my job.

Moved back to my hometown with my tail between my legs and family issues crushing my back.

Slinging drinks in a dive bar.

Yes, the past year has been hell.

So when a man who’s temptation wrapped in golden skin and sin offers me one night of no-holds barred, dirty sex, I’m all in.

I deserve it.

But now those few unforgettable hours have me facing blackmail from my own father: He’ll pay for my mom’s medical bills, but only if I never again touch the man who has quickly become my obsession.

Because the man? My obsession?

He’s my stepbrother.

AMAZON

I want to be consumed by him until there’s nothing left but ash and the fragrance of sex, of us, left.

It’s no secret that I love a good forbidden/taboo romance but the stepbrother trope has never really been my thing. But after loving every other book by Naima Simone, I couldn’t help but give this a chance. The cover had nothing to do with that decision either (*ducks for lightning to strike*). What? It’s a hot cover. Get off mah tits, here!

So what can I tell you about this book? Naima Simone can write some hot, and I mean HOT, sex scenes. Holy mother of ovaries, people. The chemistry factor of this book is downright incendiary. Yes, the characters get together pretty much right away, but it does nothing to diminish their growing chemistry. If anything, it only stokes the fire.

Cypress is back in Chicago with her tail tucked between her legs after her dream job goes down in flames. Slinging drinks in a bar is how she’s making ends meet while she puts together her plan B. Cypress is not a longterm relationship sort of girl, but she’s not opposed to one night with a sexy stranger that seems to ignite her blood and send shivers down her spine with just a look. She’s all set never to see him again, until she finds out that the man that rocked her body is also the stepbrother that she hasn’t seen in over ten years. They have every reason to stay away from each other, but the chemistry between them proves impossible to resist.

The dynamic between the two families is a crazy one to say the least. Both Cypress and Jude have enough emotional baggage to fill up the Grand Canyon. There’s crazy stalker ex girlfriends. There’s family drama and codependent mothers. There’s also plenty of drama between the three brothers. Suffice it to say, if you don’t like crazy family drama, this book may not be for you. But me? I gobbled it right up.

I loved the connection between Jude and Cypress. They’re both very broken in their own ways, but I absolutely loved the way that they unknowingly hold the other up. There’s plenty of emotion packed into the romance, not just with Jude and Cypress, but with their family dynamic as well. And while I’d normally find the stepbrother thing to be a touch tawdry, it really worked here. Maybe because they didn’t grow up together and didn’t even recognize each other when they run into each other ten years later? Maybe because both of these characters have an incredible amount of depth and plenty of layers to really connect the reader to their romance. Whatever the case may be, I couldn’t get enough of them.

I devoured this book in practically one sitting. I loved everything about it; the drama, the emotion, the sizzling hot romance, and the splash of angst. It was deliciously addicting and I’m so hooked on this series now. I can’t wait to see what Simon’s book will bring but if it’s anything like this one, I know we’re in for one hell of a ride!