Taking Tessa

by Aria Cole

[stacey_is_sassy]

Leave reality at the door…

***3.5 Stars***

Taking Tessa is a relatively quick story about a young woman being saved from a prison of her stepfather’s making. Tessa has had a pretty horrible upbringing. Her mum passed away and with no other living relatives, Tessa is left in her stepfather’s care. Her stepfather, Tom, went off the rails and decided that Tessa should be homeschooled and away from the evils of the world. Tessa spends a lot of time in her own company and is not allowed to leave the house at all. With the fear tactics in place, Tessa thinks she has no options and lives each day just doing what she’s told. One day, she decides to test the boundaries and walks outside. When Tom (who likes to be called Father) finds out he goes off on his usual tirade. This time was a little different though and his words and actions finally trigger a fight or flight response. For the first time in years, when there is a knock on the door, Tessa opens it.

Cage is a police officer who takes his job very seriously. He doesn’t have the time or the desire for relationships. None of the women he has met up until now has made him want to pursue a relationship. One day at work he gets called out to an address he is, unfortunately, familiar with. He hopes he won't be faced with horror, but will be relieved if he has a reason to see the homeowner finally face justice. Cage had no idea that the woman who opens the door will change his life forever.

Taking Tessa is SUPER corny. When I decided to read this story, I kind of knew what I was getting so it didn’t really surprise me that I was sniggering for half of it.

Let’s put it this way, I think Aria Cole has been able to tap into the minds of a lot of romance readers. At some stage, we’ve all read a book where the hero says just the right thing at exactly the right moment. We sometimes get a hero in our reads who manages to not shy away from feelings. There might also be a hero in a story who thinks before he speaks and acts. What Aria Cole manages to do is give us a hero that says, expresses and does all of those things. There’s no need to smack some sense into him. We don’t need to (or feel a need to) smash trashy ex’s who dare to touch their man. We’re also not left wondering why the hell he did, said or acted a certain way. She gives us the perfect bloke.

The problem is…he’s a bit of a unicorn. A manly one mind you, but a completely mythical creature.

I’m far from perfect, so how am I to expect the love of my life to be perfect.

This is why it’s fun to step away from reality every once in awhile. I don’t mind dreaming of mythical heroes. I’d personally be stoked if hubby did and said exactly the right thing (without expectations of perfection returned). BUT…I’ll take the dreamy in my reads…and take the flesh and blood, flaws and all, in my reality.

If you’re looking for a steamy read where the hero is all about making everything perfect for the love of his life, then Taking Tessa may be perfect for you.

To buy Taking Tessa from Amazon - http://amzn.to/2d5BFnp



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 -