Defensive Heart (Donnellys, #2)

by Dorothy F Shaw

[stacey_is_sassy]

I struggled to get past my dislike of the heroine.

***2.5 Stars***

Poor Defensive Heart didn't have much of a chance from the start. If you don't like the characters you're reading about, it's an uphill battle. I just didn't like or understand the heroine Sonja. She is a divorced 41 year old woman with a 15 year old daughter and a job as a defense lawyer. It seems from the start that her daughter plays second fiddle to her career...strike one.

She's at a bar in Vegas and meets James, who is her complete opposite. She's straight and he's tattooed and pierced. She acts judgemental and rude towards him, but he somehow finds that attractive...what the??? He tries to get her to go out with him, but she declines. Before he leaves, he talks her into giving him her business card and plans to try to hook up when they both get home...coincidentally living close by each other.

James leaves the bar with his brother who he came with, but can't get Sonja out of his head (for the half hour they're apart). He tries unsuccessfully to hook up with another chick but sends her on her way when he realises that he's not feeling in the mood...strike two.

Weeks later he eventually tracks her down and talks her into dating him. Still not really understanding why he's so desperate for her. Sure she's pretty, but he's 11 years younger, successful and good looking. He could have anyone.

Sonja's brain fart at 21% was her strike three. I'm not going to give specifics, but it put the final nail in her coffin. Her home situation with Casey her daughter and Thomas her ex, was wrong on so many counts.

The writing was good and the first part kept me entertained and sucked me in. The sex scenes were SMOKING hot between the couple. Unfortunately, I felt that even after they'd fought a million battles to find their happiness...it was just good sex between them. Not an enduring love. I just didn't believe in their HEA.

I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.