Dangerous Secrets Review!

When I finally ventured into the online world of ebooks, I found Ellora’s Cave. There were three authors there I quickly had become a big fan of. They were Samantha Kane, Sarah McCarty and Lisa Marie Rice. I find Lisa Marie Rice to be a very different author of erotic romance. Most erotic romance has the hero and heroine trying out every sexual position possible to the point where they are swinging from chandeliers and spanking each other upside their bums. (and even in some cases multiple partners and toys are a big option) Lisa writes romances that don’t need such shocking and scandalous sex to get her point across. She is the one author who writes some of the hottest missionary sex around. Her stories are so beyond sexy because of the bond the hero and heroine form between them. Her heroes are men who are so lost, adrift in the world until they meet that one woman that gives them their soul back.

When I found out Lisa would be published in the mainstream book world, I was over the moon. Dangerous Lover was one of my favorite books of 2007 and her hero, Jack Prescott is one of my all time favorite heroes in romance ever. That says a lot coming from me, because from the amount of romances I read a year, the majority of the heroes are a dime a dozen. But not Lisa’s men. Her newest hero, Nicholas Ireland, in her July release of Dangerous Secrets is very much a trademark Rice hero. He is very much an alpha male but so protective and sweet of the woman he cares for. He wants to swallow his new found love whole, but feels the need to treat her with kindness and care instead. Because I am so biased about Jack, Nick doesn’t even come close in my hero worship, but the way he treats his woman, librarian Charity Prewitt, is so very endearing.

I read Dangerous Secrets in one sitting a few weeks ago during an electrical blackout because the heat was so intense. Without any power, I cracked open Dangerous Secrets and read it under four hours. Nicholas Ames is a rich stockbroker who starts to woo the local town librarian. Actually, Nick is a former Delta operator on an undercover mission. He is really Nick Ireland a.k.a. the Iceman who must befriend and seduce Charity because she is best friends with Vassily Worontzoff, a Russian immigrant who has acclaim as a world renowned writer. He also happens to be head of a world wide crime syndicate that aids terrorists. If Nick can get close to Charity, he will be able to get to Worontzoff and stop him from ruining more innocent lives.

Charity has no clue who the real Nick is and he courts her very smoothly. Things happen very quickly between these two and Charity is so enthralled by Nick, that she takes him into her bed and gives him her heart. Even though Nick’s nickname is the Iceman, he is not cold at all. He is sick over the way he has to lie to Charity. He hates the fact that the woman he is falling for is being placed in danger because of him. Charity is such a kind and loving woman and her love wraps Nick in a wonderful bubble of promises and hope for a future. But he knows that all will end because he has to betray Charity in the worst way.

Ah yes, that nasty word- betrayal. Nick does something that tears Charity apart and probably will make most readers growl because Charity feels so deeply for Nick and her heart is ripped in half to the point she is ready to die. As she goes through these emotions, I felt so deeply for her. And when Charity finally confronts Nick, he has no words to explain how sorry he is over her grief. Even if he groveled on his hands and knees (and we all know we love when a hero gets down and begs for forgiveness) it won’t be enough. The only promise Nick can give Charity is the fact that she will no longer be alone and he will make it his life’s purpose to bring her joy, happiness and all the hot loving she can handle.

Dangerous Secrets is very much an erotic thriller because of the plot about terrorists. Worontzoff is borderline cartoonish in his villainy, but Lisa gives the reader enough background on this man that you actually do feel sorry for him at one point. For he is a man that has loved and lost; much like Nick. The difference is that Nick does not descend into madness like Worontzoff.

Charity is sweet yet not so innocent where she will annoy most. If I were in her shoes, I would have fallen for a man like Nick and never question his motives. There is a point where she does something some would place under the TSTL (to stupid to live) category but her actions pulled everything together in the end.

Dangerous Secrets is a nice read for the summer season, even though it takes place in the cold winter of Vermont. Nick and Charity steam up the sheets just fine with their love story and of course some nice missionary sex I have come to enjoy in a Rice novel.

3 out of 5 stars.

**And I have another surprise in store! Lisa Marie Rice gave me an interview! Keep your eyes posted here for my "EXCLUSIVE" interview with Lisa!**

Katiebabs (KB)