August 28, 2014

REVIEW: Falling In (The Surrender Trilogy #1)

Falling In (The Surrender Trilogy #1), by Lydia Michaels
Published September 17, 2013
Publisher: Intermix
Format: e-book, obtained from NetGalley
Genre: adult erotic romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 

Rating: 4 STARS

(From Goodreads) The debut of an emotionally charged and highly erotic contemporary romance trilogy, in which love and trust are the most dangerous games of all…

With a dark past that would have shattered most people, Evelyn “Scout” Keats is doing what no one in her bleak world thinks possible—getting off the streets and leaving her impoverished life behind. She’s a new maid at the luxurious Patras Hotel, and aims to keep her job no matter what. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to sacrifice her dignity, or let anyone into her heart. The risk of losing either is just too great.

When hotel tycoon Lucian Patras discovers Evelyn in a compromising position, he uses everything at his disposal to seduce her—a proposition that both surprises and frightens her.

Ignorant to her true circumstances, Lucian relentlessly pursues Scout as a prize to be won. But he is soon given an unforgettable lesson in love and sacrifice when he learns how far Scout has gone to gain her independence and discovers that there are some things money can never buy.

  
I've found that, for me at least, the best parts of these so-called "mommy porn" books is the escapism it offers. They're a lot of fun and an adequate distraction. But, let's face it - most of us don't read them for their elaborate and beautiful prose. Right? 

So, in that way, Falling In stands apart from the rest. Not only did it satisfy all my girliest bits, but it was really beautifully written too. It's like, the unicorn of mommy porn.

Evelyn was born on the streets, raised on the streets and lives on the streets. Her biggest goal is to work hard enough and make enough money to finally get a permanent roof over her head and three meals a day in her belly. To do that, she gets a job as a maid at the swanky Patras Hotel. By accident, she catches the eye of Lucian Patras, and immediately goes from pauper to princess. Lucian teaches Evelyn so much in such a short period of time. And, amazingly, Lucian learns a thing or two from this uneducated daughter of a junkie. 

Falling In had a Pretty Woman vibe to it. An uneducated girl from the wrong side of the tracks happens to be in the right place at the right time to meet a handsome, ridiculously rich man. He's captivated by how unlike the rest of his world she is. How real and untainted she is by money and power. And, inevitably, they fall in love. 

I absolutely love how completely and utterly different Lucian and Evelyn are. She can't even read, and he's a billionaire real estate tycoon. But, Evelyn isn't stupid. At one of their first meetings, he starts to teach her chess. He definitely has an interesting way of motivating her (strip chess, anyone?), but she picks it up quickly. Evelyn is honest and innocent and honorable. She's everything Lucian is not used to. 

Lucian is taken by her very quickly. She tries to walk away several times, and every time Lucian comes after her. He's super intense and controlling, and yet Evelyn handles him. She puts him off his game, and I loved seeing him out of sorts. I got the impression that doesn't happen often. 

Falling In is told in dual POV, but it's done a little differently than what I usually see. Part I is told entirely from Evelyn's POV. Part II is in Lucian's and Part III is back to Evelyn. The final chapter is told in Evelyn's friend Parker's POV, and it sets things up for the next book in the series. There's sure to be fall-back from the deal Lucian made to save Evelyn's life (seriously - read this book). 

Falling In was poignant and so super sexy.  The chemistry between Lucian and Evelyn was amazing. This series has started off with a bang for me, and I can't wait to read the rest of their story.
 

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