stacey_is_sassy
Written on May 22, 2016
Raven must use all his skills including manipulation...of the naughty kind
Well, Raven…what can I say about Raven? I liked it. I was a little frustrated with it, but I think it had more to do with the players involved than the storyline. We’re on a mission to stop the handover of a dangerous device. If the device gets into the wrong hands we could be looking at a disaster. Who is on the good side and who is on the bad side? People are murdered, threats are made and sex is used to manipulate. I felt like I was sitting on the sidelines trying to work out who was going to be the winner in this mission and whether that win would be a good one or a bad one. See, my problem is…I struggled with the main characters. All of them had a vulnerable side, had ulterior motives and do stupid things because of their arrogance and need to feel successful. Where do I go from this? Who do I route for? Who do I want to win and be happy for them? There is an ending but it’s not a conclusion. So many things are still in play and we are yet to see who will come out the victor.
Zara is a workaholic and proud of it. With a small town upbringing and a narrow-minded father, Zara knew if she didn’t move away, she’d be knocked up, housebound and stuck in that little town. With her job at Cormack Industries as Premium Personnel Coordinator to the CEO, Grant McCormack, she works hard but feels the effort is well worth it. Her connection with Grant is purely business and she respects him for his fine work and business sense. Each Friday Zara has a tradition of going to a bar called Purdy’s and having a glass of wine to reflect on her success. One particular Friday she is approached by a man and they form an instant attraction. Unfortunately, that night does not end well for the man and Zara is left shocked and unsettled by what she has seen and dealt with. That wasn’t the only shock of the night, someone was waiting in her bedroom for a little chat.
Raven's job rules his life. I’m not sure he’s proud of it, but he knows that his purpose supersedes his own desires and wishes. Raven is his code name and he works best under the cover of darkness. His team of men that he works with are his family also known as Kindred. Kindred believes in looking out and protecting each other. Chief of Kindred is also Raven's uncle, Art. Raven wants a safe world and if he has to take out the baddies to make it safe, he has no hesitations in doing it. Feelings and emotions play no part in his decision-making. He will use every trick in the book to manipulate his target so that he gets the outcome he is looking for.
Zara and Raven must come together to fight evil, but it takes awhile for Raven to convince Zara that her boss and mentor, Grant, isn’t the Saint he makes himself out to be. Raven and Zara must learn to work and have a little trust in each other.
There are some steamy scenes where Zara and Raven can no longer fight their attraction. Raven likes it a little rough and it doesn’t take Zara long to realise that she likes it that way too. Both of them push their feelings aside because they are scared and uncertain and don’t feel like they can trust each other. At one stage I was sure that Raven was loosening up a little and about to show Zara how much she meant to him. That stage doesn’t last long and he's back to pushing her away and hurting her in the process.
Hmmm…I actually thought that Zara was a bit of a twit. I’m not sure I understand why a woman keeps having sex with someone who clearly doesn’t want her...enough. She does nearly all the chasing and keeps trying to justify to herself why he keeps hurting her. I think my last straw was when Raven gives Zara a codename - Swallow - implying that she works in the opposite way that he does. He sleeps with women to get them to comply and she "swallows" to get her way…nasty. Zara is also very gullible when it comes to Raven and to some extent Grant. Both men use and abuse her trust and yet until the very end, she is dedicated and devoted to them.
The suspense part of the story was interesting. I wanted to know more about the device and its purposes, how it was made and came together. Forming alliances was never straightforward because both the good and bad sides were not exactly nice. Grant had an evil side that came through in his business dealings. Raven had an evil side by being unemotional in getting to the end.
This was a fairly long story. Some things were over-explained while others I just wanted to know more. I hope that the second book in the series gives me a little bit more of the necessary details. I hope that Zara will start using her head instead of her heart and that Raven will listen to his heart. I also hope that Grant stops being a douchewaffle…
To pre-order your copy of Raven for $0.99 from Amazon - http://amzn.to/1s1ZmVd
I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -