Title: At His Service
Author: Suzanne Rock
Publisher/Year: St. Martin’s Press 2/17/15
Length: 88
Series: At His Service #3
Overview
Leo Perconti’s life is spinning out of control. As head of his family’s hotel conglomerate, it’s his job to save his family from bankruptcy. At the center of his turmoil is Karin Norell, a quiet, alluring housekeeping manager who compliments his dominating personality and lets him feel in control once more.
As Karin explores her passion her feelings for Leo deepen. Unfortunately, Karin and Leo come from different worlds, and when the two worlds collide, the cost can be devastating. As the service staff at The Palazzo rise up against the Perconti family, both Leo and Karin are faced with losing what each of them holds most dear. Together they must learn that true power comes from vulnerability and trust that can only happen when you let your insecurities go.
My Thoughts
We are DEFINITELY in the meat of the story now – not only do we see things progressing but we see them moving VERY quickly and in a great way. I think this is always what we hope for when we’ve just crossed over the mid point of a story.
When we last left these 2, their relationship was gaining strength, they were hiding of course but they were getting to find a way to work out what they were going to be to one another for the time being. Of course though, they were in Stone’s hotel, and not only is he the biggest direct competitor for Perconti – but it turns out that he’s the CEO ex that Karin was with – and while she’s been trying to hide from his staff – they end up coming face to face.
The nice thing here is that Leo still has this trust in her and lets that go – in the hopes that he’s able to keep her in his life since he’s slowly beginning to realize that he needs her both professionally and personally. The personal bit – well we continue to see that there’s GREAT chemistry between them, every time they get a moment alone, our lovely author makes sure that we know that it’s HOT and dirty and a bit raunchy at times. Those are the best kinds of scenes especially when it’s so ‘clean’ given that there was a tease that Leo’s a dom and that’s part of what broke up his marriage before.
On top of all that, we start to see the layers get peeled from everything around them. Leo opens up after being coerced into it, so that Karin starts to understand what made him the way that he is and what put him into the role of the General. The other thing too is that we see that Karin really is getting to be something that’s new and different for him and where that goes – well we’ll have to wait and see.
The nice thing about this 3rd installment though is that we see so much turmoil coming up. There was the talk of a strike before, Wes was feeding the updates to Karin and that’s all coming to a head – at the most inopportune time. Dannika – Leo’s ex is now trying to take her wrath out on him and Karin (how she learned her identity we don’t know yet) and things are going to get VERY complicated i’m sure. Also – we know that the wedding for sister Arianna is coming up – and that means that there’s more opportunity for things to go wrong. Jason Stone even implied that he was up to something – but that never really came up in this piece of the story. And – to make matters worse – Karin’s world is turned upside down – by Leo, in front of everyone. and not in a good way.
So, there’s the necessary and expected tension, anxiety, passion, heat and well…..fear of everything going up in flames – which is the BEST bit of a story if you ask me. I don’t know that i even NEED to have the heat and chemistry between this couple since the story itself is getting good – but i’ll take it since Ms. Rock did such a good job with each of the scenes. I just wish that we’d get to see the D/s side a bit more then, and maybe go to the club – but…..there’s always time for that. So, in the meantime, enjoy the Super Bowl everyone and i’m going to read Part 4.