Arouse

by Nina Lane

[Cocktails and Books]

If you ever wondered what happened to that spectacular book couple after their happily ever after, this book will show you. Nina Lane does a fabulous job of depicting real marital issues and how one thing can snowball into many, making a couple fight for their relationship and themselves.

The story picks up three years into the marriage of Dr. Dean West and his wife Olivia. Olivia is struggling to find her place in their small Wisconsin town. She volunteers at the library and the museum, she works a the local bookstore and she's Dean's wife. But Olivia wants more. Things she didn't think she wanted when she and Dean first got together. But those wants cause the solid foundation that Dean and Olivia have built to suddenly become very unstable. Do they both have what it takes to fight for their marriage?

I really enjoyed Dean and Olivia, both together and apart, but it became very clear that Olivia gave much more of herself in their marriage than Dean did. When she started to want more, Dean accused her of wanting something to occupy her free time. Olivia clearly changed her mind about what wanted in the family she and Dean had created, thinking the change would be an extension of their love. But for Dean, it made him face secrets he had kept from Olivia. More importantly, it made Olivia question just what kind of relationship she and Dean have.

This isn't a story that gets tied up with a nice pretty bow at the end. Dean and Olivia have to fight for themselves and each other. It's erotic, gritty and emotional, but it's a journey that gives an honest portrayal of what it takes to make a relationship work.

My only issue with the story was the cliffhanger ending. I know anxiously await Allure to see what journey Dean and Olivia must make to get back onto solid ground.