Claimed by Love (Love in Bloom: The Ryders, #2)

by Melissa Foster

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.
 

If you have been following my reviews, you would have figured by now that I am a huge fan of Melissa Foster. I have not read everything she has written (I will be rectifying that slip up very soon), but those that I had the opportunity to read I enjoyed.  Although I must admit there were one or two that just didn’t not do it for me. In spite of this, the moment I hear she has another book coming out I am excited to get by hands on it.
 
One of the things that stand out in each of her books that I have read thus far is that her stories are generally centered around the bonds of family and friendships.  One may think that based on this that all her stories are probably the same, but this is not the case. They are unique in their own right and Claimed by Love is no different. 
 
Ms. Foster grabs her readers’ attention by focusing her stories on real life situations. Her characters are so intense that one cannot help but to either love them or be annoyed by them.  It’s these emotions that Duke and Gabriella elicited from me.
 
Duke Ryder is most women dream guy. (swooning) He is the embodiment of a true alpha male. He is smart, confident, sexy, protective and compassionate. He is the type of man who loves unconditionally and is not afraid to express how he feels.  There were moments I was envious of Gabriella.  He treated her with respect and he put her needs above his. The man had it going on. 
 
My feelings for Gabriella was mixed. I admired her passion and drive. It was evident that she valued family and she loved the island that she grew up on.  However, I was annoyed by her shortsightedness. For someone who is supposed to be smart, she failed to see what Duke was offering her. Both in terms of how he felt about her and what he could do for her island which was going through an economic slump. It was clear she was afraid to embrace change. I guess when you look at it, that is how most of us are.
 
From the moment, Duke and Gabriella met the chemistry between them was evident.  They initially tried to fight it because of their business dealings, but to no avail. I guess the heart want what it wants.  Gabriella’s family saw the chemistry and was not subtle in their matchmaking attempts. Although their romance developed quickly they were able to gain insight into what made the other tick. 
 
Claimed by Love is a story that demonstrates the power of trust in any relationship. Gabriella’s lack of trust would have probably derailed the relationship between her and Duke. Thank goodness for Duke’s patience.  It also demonstrated the strength of love and the changes it brings forth. 
 
Bottom Line: This was another wonderful story by Melissa Foster and am I can’t wait to see what next she has to offer.