Title:  Seduction and Surrender
Author: CC Gibbs
Publisher/Year: Grand Central Publishing 3/1/16
Length:  416 pages
Series:  Reckless #2

Overview

From the peaks of erotic ecstasy–to the point of no return . . .

Power. Passion. Pleasure beyond imagining. Billionaire playboy Rafe Contini offers all this–and more–to the beautiful Nicole Parrish, a young American traveler with a taste for adventure that matches his own. From the private yachts of Monte Carlo to the palatial estates of Geneva to the glittering penthouses of Bangkok, Rafe has shown her a world of unimaginable sensual delights. Now, he is ready to take her to the next daring level. Of danger. Of desire. Of deliciously erotic self-discovery.

Nicole has never known a man as sexy, as strong–or as commanding–as Rafe Contini. Night after steamy night, he turns up the heat, tests her boundaries, and pushes the limits of her body and soul to the point of sweetest agony. But when this masterful lover sweeps her away to a secluded island getaway–where anything can and will happen–Nicole must decide just how far she wants to take this game. And just how much she can bend Rafe’s rules . . .

My Thoughts

I have to start off by saying thanks to the folks at Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for getting me this early read – this is a series that i’ve been invested in before it was a spin-off.  On that note, we start off this 2nd installment with Rafe and Nicole – when they are in hiding in a sense trying to track Zou, all the while, Rafe is trying to keep nicole safe and sated.

What we get here is on par with everything that we’ve come to expect from CC Gibbs – a lot of heat and passion, some great character relationship dynamics and a lot of anxiety wondering when the other shoes going to drop.

Throughout the story, you can see that Rafe’s trying to distract not only Nicole from what’s going on, but himself as much as he won’t admit it.  He’s very involved in the whole scenario trying to find Zhou and his mistress/child but you also see that his head is all wrapped up in Nicole and doesn’t quite know what to do.

The interesting thing here though is that while we’re typically accustomed to seeing the issues as a result of the relationship, anything that keeps these two apart has nothing to do with them – they are GOOD – it’s outside forces pulling at them, but never for too long.

So that being said, it’s very expected in the sense of knowing where the love relationship will go, but the questions that you have throughout while you read is where is Zhou, where is he going to pop up next, who’s he going to hurt and what will that mean.  it’s the last third of the book when things really start to speed up and you’re really getting pulling into the crux of the story.  I have to say that it’s expected yet there were twists, and it was enjoyable to read.  I got what i was hoping for and i’m a happy girl.

The question that remains though is what’s next.  who are we going to get to read about next and in what context.  i’m interested and intrigued since this can’t be the end.  that’s all i’m saying.  have a great night all!