When I read and reviewed Chasing Trouble (review) in September, I was so very excited to find a new author. I said in that review that Ms. Ryan was an auto buy for me and I totally stand by that statement after this book.
Let me tell you, Sebastian "Bass" Strafford is no fucking joke. There have been a number of edgy/dominant, ass slapping Alphas in the Brazen line. Sebastian is pretty high up there. The dude is MAJORLY edgy and really fucking serious about control. Oh holy crap. The dominance and control is a huge coping mechanism and Penny totally hung in there with him. While Sebastian thought of her as so sweet and innocent, Penny was no shrinking violet. She makes it clear to Sebastian what she wants- HIM. She took whatever he gave her and even pushed him for more.
I'm not a huge fan of the BDSM genre but I'm not opposed to some control and fanny slappin' and Ms. Ryan did a fantastic job of creating a dominant MC that wasn't an asshole. Edgy? Yes and kinda hung up on some issues, but easy for me to love. I wanted Sebastian to get his HEA and give in to the comfort, affection and love that Penny offered him.
It wasn't just the sex. It was her. Not how she let him handle her, but how she handled him. It was how she arched for him, How she called out his name. How that sweet body just kept giving and taking. She'd given herself completely to him- he'd felt it.
And that was a heady drug he wanted another hit of.
Ms. Ryan does such a good job of marrying the physical acts and the emotion to each other. Sebastian has his reasons for not wanting to connect with anyone (reasons I won't go into here) but he connects with Penny on a level that after awhile, he cannot deny.
And boy oh boy, do they ever connect... a lot. Holy mother of all that is hot and... HOT. Oh and Sebastian calls her "darlin", which makes me all gooey. I just loved it.
"You're in trouble now, darlin'."
Not stopping until he reached for her, he tangled his fingers through her hair and kissed her hard.
She groaned at the contact and wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her like a wild man. Biting and sinking his tongue deep. Their teeth clattered, tongues dueled, and she clung to his bare back, sinking her nails in. Anything to get him closer.
See what I mean? Really good stuff. Cole, Jenna, Ryder, Huck and Lily from the first book make their appearances and I loved catching up with all of them. I can't wait to see what/who Ms. Ryan has in store for Penny's brother Ryder, Cole's sister Lily and Huck in subsequent books in this series.
And even though it's pronounced BASS as in ASS and not BASE.... I don't care, I could not help myself. I am allll about Sebastian "BASS" Strafford.
Purchase Chasing Temptation: Amazon // B & N // Kobo // iTunes
Book 1, Chasing Trouble Purchase: Amazon // B & N // Kobo // iTunes
Copy for review provided by Entangled in exchange for a fair and honest review.