Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

After his parents' death, Brody gave up a promising career to care for his family. Now, with his siblings grown, Brody owns his own business, and for the first time in years he's alone. Elise has come to Seattle with her daughter to find peace. After years as a world-famous ballerina-and trapped in a marriage gone bad-she's looking for neither love nor attention. But she finds both in the handsome, honest man who befriends her with no strings attached.
 
Brody and Elise discover in each other the wild, physical passion they need. But it'll take a shadow from Elise's past to make them look beyond what they need-to what they truly desire.

A tattooed, Harley riding bad ass.  What’s not to love?  Brody is the older brother to his two siblings Adrian and Erin.  Nearing forty, he owns a successful tattoo shop, a nice home, and enjoys a satisfying life knowing both of the siblings he raised are settled in successful careers and happy.  Surrounded by family and good friends, life is good for Brody.

Elise, a former ballerina, and now owner of dance studio, moves in across the street from Brody, hoping to establish a quiet life for her and her young daughter Rennie.  She’s rebuilding her life after a  violent relationship with Rennie’s father and hoping to escape her former in-laws who seem bent on making her life a living hell. 

A freak accident brings their worlds together and they begin an amazing friendship that will eventually change their lives in ways neither of them ever expected. 

Fresh off my high of reading Laid Bare  I hoped that Coming Undone would be every bit as good.  Well, it’s not—it’s even better in my opinion. 

Brody is sexy on so many levels.  Besides his obvious physical appeal, he’s the guy you know you can count on without even asking when times get rough.  He’s the protector, the fixer, the gentle giant.  He possesses a self assured sexuality without being cocky and just the right amount of confidence to curl your toes.  

Elise is an independent, dedicated single mother who is determined to leave her past behind and create a happy, safe home for herself and her young daughter. Although she has been through hell and back, Elise is strong and seeks no pity from her friends.  Young and sexy she discovers that wounds from the past have not permanently scarred her spirit or her sensual nature.

Both Laid Bare and Coming Undone are centered around families and their relationships, but I did wonder how a young child would fit into this erotic romance.  Lauren Dane handled this beautifully developing the relationships appropriately, without portraying the child as an obstacle in the developing emotional relationship between Elise and Brody.  Instead Rennie, Elise’s daughter, captures everyone’s hearts around her with her sweet honesty and sunny personality.  She is truly charming. 

Elise and Brody have blazing hot chemistry and waste no time in heating things up.  Because both are busy business owners and Elise is first and foremost a mom who puts her daughter first, they have to be creative with their private time together.  This makes for great spontaneous sexual situations and they learn to seize the opportunities as they present themselves.  Translation: hot sex in a very mirrored dance studio between dance classes, hot desk sex at the tattoo shop…you get the picture.  During their first unplanned sexual encounter:

He pulled out a lone condom, checked the expiration date and breathed a sign of relief.  He’d need to make a donation somewhere that afternoon when he left, to thank the universe for that luck.

For those of you who loved Todd, Erin and Ben from Laid Bare, don’t worry, you haven’t heard the last of them or their very interesting relationship.  You’ll get a small peek into their lives as they’ve moved from newly weds to marital bliss and yes, you even get a little encore Erin/Todd/Ben ménage bonus. 

Once again, Lauren Dane weaves a sexy tale of love and romance with characters that are firmly grounded in family and emotionally sound.  The sensual nature of her characters will keep you warm and breathless as you follow them through the ups and downs of discovering new friendships and finding love.

I assumed we’d get Adrian’s story next. He’s the rock star brother to Erin and Brody. Instead we’ll be reading about Cope, Ben’s sexy brother in the next book.  Read the back cover copy here.

Coming Undone will be available January 5th, 2010. 

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ARC was provided by the author.