Title: All In
Author:  Raine Miller
Publisher/Year:  Atria Books 6/25/13
Length:   227 Pages
Series:  The Blackstone Affair #2

Overview

Ethan Blackstone has a problem on his hands. He’s broken Brynne’s trust and she’s left him. He’s unwilling to live without her and isn’t giving up—he’s dead-set on getting his beautiful American girl back. The passion between them was explosive, but the secrets they hid from each other are dark and chilling and are powerful enough to destroy their shot at a life together. With political threats now directed at Brynne, Ethan is running out of time and will need to gather all his strength and agility to protect her from the dangers that could take her away from him forever. Will Ethan be able to save Brynne from a past that keeps her locked in fear? Will he ever feel the warmth of her touch, the solidity of her trust again? This is a lovestruck man who is willing to do whatever it takes to possess the heart of the woman he loves. He’ll go to any lengths to protect her. He’ll go all in. Here is the fiery story of what happens when two people surrender to a love so great it can heal the scars of the past and give way to a life of pure, rapturous ecstasy.

My Thoughts

I was really intrigued by where we were left off in the first book that I honestly couldn’t wait to get right back into this second installment. This story is getting more and more complex, as we learn about Brynne’s secret, and how Ethan has to come back from withholding information from her. As the reader, we know that the first few bits of this story will be emotionally taxing, and explosive all at the same time. It’s in stories and scenarios like these where our alpha males are taken down a few notches and fall off their pedestals when they have to atone for not being honest entirely and that’s what Ethan’s forced to do.

Brynne needs to feel safe and secure – that’s one of the biggest things that she’s made into a non negotiable coming out of what she endured as a teen, and that’s what she thought she found with Ethan. It’s nice to see that both she and Ethan quickly come to their senses and figure out how to listen to one another for what they truly need, especially since they both know that there’s something bigger at stake – not just love, while that big in itself, but true need for safety.

This installment has two paths, one that’s in the single minded goal of keeping tabs on Brynne for her safety, while not truly knowing which direction a threat will come, while also watching Ethan and Brynne build their lives together. If we focus on the relationship piece first, we have to acknowledge that it’s uncharted territory for them, figuring out how to be together, blend their lives and be open to the people who come in and out. It’s tough for both to accept certain things and that adds to the entertainment factor that we get with this book.

Then we have to ground ourselves once again in the reason that Ethan is in this story – that he’s protecting Brynne from various directions. we spend much of the story really waiting for something to happen, until it does, and then we’re at a loss for who’s behind it, what it means, what the immediate threat is and what the resolution will be. We’re left on the edge of our seats waiting for clarity and things to be revealed and that means that i must dive right into book three now so i can figure it out. Enjoy!