Title: Gentleman SInner
Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas
Publisher/Year: Grand Central Publishing 2/5/19
Length: 400 Pages
Overview
Izzy White knows of the darkness in this world. After all, she escaped it long ago. Determined not to let her past beat her, Izzy has a secure, stable life with a job she loves in nursing. But one act of kindness will completely upend everything she’s so carefully built-putting her right back in the crosshairs of danger she’s been so desperate to avoid.
When Theo Kane shows up like a knight in shining armor, Izzy can’t help thinking she’s been saved from one threat and exposed to another. His imposing physique, the harsh lines of his face, and the wariness of everyone who comes close are just a few clues to Theo Kane’s notorious reputation. The man is positively terrifying. But with Izzy, he’s tender and a complete gentleman, and her fascination with the mysterious beast of a man becomes too powerful for her to walk away.
As Theo’s demons come to light, running becomes even more impossible. And yet staying together could doom them both.
My Thoughts
OOOH how i love a stand along story – one that you know you’re going to get the full roller coaster and resolution in one big dose. Ms Malpas has done it again with this original story.
True to this genre, we have a leading lady who’s strong – very strong, yet who has a past that she’s hiding / running from. I don’t know what that always seems to be necessary when we are reading erotica/romance but so be it. Izzy keeps hinting at the fact that there’s a man that’s hunting her, one that we don’t know the history on and what his back story, so we don’t know what it means for her. When her night takes a turn in the wrong direction, when she’s just trying to do what she was born to do in helping others, she needs saving of her own. Enter Theo.
Also in true genre form, he’s astounding and powerful. Tall, Broad, demands authority just by being in a space. Everything that Izzy is terrified of apparently, but the odd instant connection that they share makes her feel safe for some reason. This encounter of course is where her life changes, even when she fights it.
Part of what i love about this story is that it’s not an easy road for either to find happiness, and Theo certainly has more issues than anyone bargained for, but the friends that they have around them really make it more entertaining. Callum, Theos best friend, bodyguard etc is a guy that you just want to get under his skin. you want to figure out what makes him tick since he’s so good to Izzy and so ‘tolerating’ of her best friend. Then there’s Jess, the best friend who has Izzy’s back no matter what, and yet also finds Callum entertaining as well ,which makes the dynamic that much better.
Where this story takes us is thankfully not one of trying to understand how to fix each other, but instead to realize and resign each to knowing that both will be broken, but for some reason that just works for them. Izzy accepts that early on, and doesn’t really question it. Theo on the other hand has trained himself to be how he is and has this fear that he will always harm Izzy and make her miserable.
It’s sweet of course but it’s passionate which is something that our author writes really well. She’s got a skill and ability to write these insanely compelling and entrancing scenes that you feel so in the moment with the characters. It’s intense and powerful, and compliments the personalities of our characters and their dynamic. There’s enough naughtiness to keep it flowing quickly but the tenderness that you hope for in order to play the long game.
This story was deep in all the right places, giving us more of a thorough look into aspects of their lives and stories where it mattered most, but light and glossy where we needed just enough to keep the story moving at a good clip. I really enjoyed this and while i’m happy it was a stand alone, i wouldn’t mind another installment that focused on Callum and Jess. just thinking out loud here! Enjoy!