Within Temptation (Sons of Temptation
#1)
Author: Tanya
Holmes
Release Date:
May 12, 2014
Category: Romantic Mystery/Romantic Suspense. This is not erotica or romantica. This is a romance centered around a murder mystery.
Heat Factor:
3 out of 5 -- The sexual tension is high, and the burn is slow. Sex is
character-driven, rather than plot-driven.
Love, betrayal and murder in a small
town….
Twelve years
after her mother's murder, Shannon Bradford fears she may have helped convict
an innocent man. Even worse, her prominent family may have had something to do
with it. Desperate for answers, she seeks help from the one person least likely
to give it. Her best friend and childhood crush, Trace Dawson. The man she sent
to prison.
Serving hard
time for murder has left Trace angry and bitter. As far as he's concerned,
digging into the past won't replace the years he's lost or erase the hell he's
lived. Now that he's free, Shannon Bradford tops his list of bad memories. But
he never counted on falling in love.
Set in a
sleepy little town during the dead of winter, this award-winning romance novel
is a tale of one woman's quest for truth and a man's struggle to
forgive.
REVIEW -mature content reader discretion is advised.
4 STARS out of 5
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Mystery
‘Geographically speaking, I was free, but
I still thought like a con. Still felt like a caged animal. Something told me
that to survive this place, I’d have to define stuff in terms of Gainstown.
Nothing made sense outside of it.’
‘I’m the butcher boy of Temptation’
Trace just finished doing a 12 year bid in prison when he
spots the one responsible for keeping him behind bars. Shannon Bradford. And
ironically he ends up coming to her rescue on the day of his release.
Oh how fate likes to bring up unfinished business.
Murderer:
The small town has a long memory and Trace being back in
town does not please the people. Shannon found Trace that fateful day over her
own mother’s dead body murder weapon and all. Problem is things are a bit hazy
for Shannon about that day her memory seems to not missing pieces of what
happened. A discovery leads her to confront Trace. In her heart she knows he
did not kill her mother but she can’t shake the images. He was there that day
over her dead bloody body.
But, if not him then who killed her?
Trace and Shannon have a history, with a 4 year age difference
Shannon was in love with him as a teen but in teen years a 4 year gap can make
a BIG difference. Therefore their relationship remained in the friendship zone.
Oh how fate likes to
show us what we need.
Temptation:
Ever since his first day back in town, ever since he and
Shannon came within close proximity to one another it’s been there…this slow
burn and yearning for one another. They both feel it whether they like it or
not.
Oh how fate likes to tempt us.
“Here’s the thing, I see you sometimes
and it’s –it’s like my brain objects, but my bodyhas other ideas. Try as I
might, I can’t stay away. And you…” He paused to half smile. “Can’t seem to
stay away from me either.”
-Trace
A reluctant Trace eventually caves and decides to help
Shannon put together the missing pieces. Only learning the what and who behind
his imprisonment leads them down a path to crazy town; where everyone is a
suspect.
In the midst of all this Trace and Shannon find it hard to
keep their hands off one another. Fiancée be damned. Oh, did I not mention her engagement?
Hmm, must of slipped my mind *shrugs* Tanya Holmes manages to lightly sprinkle
in some VERY SEXY times between these two in a way that does not over take the
story. Trace is harboring a lot of anger and bitterness inside. Never the less
while has he tried to keep his feelings toward Shannon in the non romantic
atmosphere the smog of lust takes him on a ride. One she will never forget if
you know what I mean *wink,wink*
‘I knew his scent, his touch. How it felt
to have his mouth close around me. And he knew what I tasted like, knew me in
ways no man ever had.’
-Shannon
My Thoughts
This was a pleasant surprise, it’s not often a
book meets your expectations however Within Temptation by
Tanya Holmes did just that! A perfect mix of Romance-suspense-and mystery there
never a dull moment in Temptation. Her characters are beautifully layered as
she reveals their hidden truths in soft tender moments and some in highly
charged emotional moments.
What I found interesting was that Holmes did not
allow Trace to be a tortured male..Bitter, yes. Angry, yes. But not a tortured
soul, although he could have been once you hear his story and some of the
things he goes through after his release. The whole situation with his parents
and his brother that alone is enough to leave one a tortured but not Trace.
Those things hurt him yet they did not define him or leave him broken to the
point of no return. And the best part was he did not run from his feelings for
Shannon once he recognized them for what they were.
One thing is for sure you will fall in love with
Trace I have no doubt in my mind about that.
Fave Scene hands down was the dance scene. HOLY HOTNESS can
I get a Trace of my own?!?
My Rating and Why
Within Temptation gets 4 STARS for having a great plot,
smoking hot characters and for being well written. Just when I thought it was
going one way it took a sharp turn and took another. Good job at keeping me on
my toes Holmes!
My Ratings
Characters- Sexy, Sexy and Innocent (Pun intended)
Writing Style- Purposeful, favorable my preferred cup of tea
Plot/Storyline- Man is released from prison only to be confronted about his past and questioned about his role on the day of the murder he was convicted of. Did he really do it?
Steam Factor- High/Steamy on a scale of 1-10 I say 7
Characters- Sexy, Sexy and Innocent (Pun intended)
Writing Style- Purposeful, favorable my preferred cup of tea
Plot/Storyline- Man is released from prison only to be confronted about his past and questioned about his role on the day of the murder he was convicted of. Did he really do it?
Steam Factor- High/Steamy on a scale of 1-10 I say 7
Entertainment Level- From Lo-Med-Hi I say
High this book kept me guessing
Overall- I LOVED IT!
Overall- I LOVED IT!
My Recommendation: READ IT!
No more than
two minutes could have passed, two of the most terrifying minutes I’d ever had.
The left side of my face was numb with cold. My lips and hands ached too. I
couldn’t seem to make anything move.
The details
came in pieces. How I’d almost been run over. How a stranger shoved me to
safety just before a Jeep playing target practice could send me
flying.
Then as if
someone had flipped a switch, sensory explosions filled the void. Horns blared.
Somebody screamed. A baby was crying. And the wind howled while sounds burst
forth in a crush of voices.
“I swear the
brakes locked!” a teenage boy yelled. “She ain’t dead, is she? Oh, jeez.
Daddy’s gonna kill me!”
“Don’t just
stand there. Call 911!” a girl shrieked.
A cell phone
chimed and someone started pressing numbers.
Next, an old
man with a rough-and-ready voice said, “Pushed her out the way just in time.
Another second and—”
“Is she dead
or not?” the teenager demanded again.
While this was
going on, I sat up, taking my time to ensure I was in one piece. Except for a
sore hip, a bump on the head, and a scraped knee, I was fine. A woman standing
nearby helped me, and as I got to my feet, realization dawned.
Trace Dawson
had tried to save me.
I fought to
see past the crowd into the parking lot, spotting him instantly. He’d just
struggled to his feet and was staring right at me, his chin dripping blood. The
people scurrying about and the cars streaming through the slush faded. Nothing
but the two of us existed.
Memories
flooded my mind, of the quiet riot he was, of the secret crush I’d had on him,
and the extraordinary friendship we’d shared so many years ago. As fast as
those images came, others replaced them.
I was thrust
back to the crime scene, back to Mother’s corpse and the shirtless eighteen-year-old
roaring obscenities while Sheriff Gray and a deputy dragged him away in
handcuffs.
Trace Dawson
the man glared at me now, and his eyes were hard and accusing, eyes brimming
with fire and ice. A chill wind rumbled past him, but he stood as still as a
statue. Only his eyes moved while he looked me up and down with agonizing
thoroughness. The rage. The pain. It was all there.
“Trace?” I whispered.
In chilling
silence, he walked away without so much as a glance over his
shoulder.
Tanya Holmes
is a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist, a recipient of
the Maggie Award, the MICA Award, as well as Overall Winner of the Sandy Haddad
Award and a two-time finalist and one-time winner of The Emily (Best of the
Best). She's happily married with children and loves reading, writing and a
good cup of coffee---but not necessarily in that order. Her debut novel, Within
Temptation is due out on May 12, 2014.
Beautiful review, Alexis. Thanks, hon! <3
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