Love Me If You Dare by Toni Blake
Series: Coral Cove #2
Published by Avon Books
Publication Date: December 30th, 2014
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
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“I decided you’re right. It’s worth it.”
Something blossomed in Cami’s chest. Maybe it was excitement. Or maybe it was fear. A part of her had already concluded that this probably wasn’t going to happen – so in a way it was catching her entirely off guard. “Maybe I should be offended,” she pointed out politely, “that you had to think about it.”
He tilted his head and spoke with full, persuasive confidence. “Or maybe you should be flattered. That I didn’t just follow my urges and let my dick do the thinking. That I’m in this with my head, too. Truth is, this might be the first time I’ve ever thought about the pros and cons of sleeping with someone after the opportunity presented itself. And it’s the first time I’ve had a real reason not to go there. But what it comes down to is – you’re impossible to resist.” And then he lifted his hand to cup her jaw, his fingertips grazing the tender skin just below her ear. “Are you flattered yet?”
More than being flattered, she was also nearly too aroused to breathe. “Maybe.”
“Let me convince you,” he said deeply. And then he leaned in, slid his palm warmly behind her neck, and kissed her.
Their last kiss had been very nice – but this one was better. They weren’t wearing snorkeling gear or free-floating in the Gulf of Mexico for starters. And for finishers – mmm, he was a really good kisser. That lush mouth of his moved over hers with absolute sureness and skill. Without quite planning to, she found herself lifting her hands to his chest, bare and warm, and a slight shift in how they stood then brought other body parts into contact below.
Pressing that neediest spot between her legs against the rock-hard proof of his desire made her moan into his mouth. And as both his hands dropped to her ass, pulling her in tighter, snugger, her entire being dissolved in his strong arms.
Thought faded away, leaving behind only sensation, urges, instinct. There was nothing to do but give herself over to it. It wasn’t like her – that kind of surrender. But then, nothing that had happened since she’d met Reece Donovan was really like her. So why would she have expected this to be any different?
The only thing that drew her from her complete abandon was when she heard a heavy shift behind her. It reminded her there was a giant reptile on the floor – something she could scarcely believe she’d managed to forget, actually. She broke the kiss, but remained glued to Reece as she glanced over her shoulder.
“Um, I think your iguana is watching us.”
He quirked a slight grin. “And … you’re afraid she’ll post it on Facebook?”
“Uh …” It wasn’t that, of course – but it was hard to transform thoughts into words at the moment. A rare occurrence for her.
“Trust me, she won’t tell,” Reece rasped with a sexy wink. “But if it’ll make you feel better, we can go in my bedroom and shut the door.”
“K,” was all she managed. God, it was like her brain had just vanished.
“Wrap your arms around me,” he instructed, so she slid them around his neck and he tightened his grip on her bottom, hoisting her upward until she was curving her legs around his body, too, and he was carrying her through the open door to his apartment.
REVIEW
Camille Thompson is a rising star at work, the go-to person for difficult deals, with an uncanny ability to convince reluctant owners to sell and she is headed to Coral Cove, Florida to work her magic on Reece Donovan and convince him to sell his motel to her company so they can build a resort on the land. Coral Cove is a busy tourist spot but in recent times, business has been on the decline and Reece’s Happy Crab motel is mostly empty. In spite of that he is not willing to sell the motel, for sentimental reasons and Camille is determined to close the deal even if it means using unconventional methods.
Camille is a strong, smart woman who walked away from her past and made a new life for herself. She has chosen to focus on her job and finds herself out of her element when she begins to fall for Reece, especially because he is not her type. Reece is laid-back, easygoing and carefree and lives life to the fullest. He decides to show Camille the Coral Cove he’s spent all his life in and Camille begins to fall in love with Coral Cove and soon she’s thinking up ways to revive the town. She’s even reassessing her life and making changes.
Ms. Blake paints a very vivid and appealing picture of Coral Cove – the beach, the motel and the characters, including the animals – making you just want to visit. The characters were fun and I enjoyed watching Camille and Reece’s relationship unfold. The walks on the beach, the conversations, the slow slide into love, all of it. I even found myself cheering for the secondary characters and look forward to reading more from this series. Love Me If You Dare is a feel-good romance, perfect for the beach or curling up by the fireplace.
*ARC provided by publisher*
SERIES ORDER
All I Want Is You: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Love Me If You Dare: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
About Toni Blake
USA Today bestselling author Toni Blake’s love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Soon after, she penned her first novel - nineteen notebook pages long.
Since then, Toni has become a RITA-nominated author of more than twenty contemporary romance novels, her books have received the National Readers Choice Award and the Bookseller’s Best Award, and her work has been excerpted in Cosmo.
Toni lives in the Midwest and enjoys traveling, crafts, and spending time outdoors.
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This is the second time I’ve read this particular excerpt and it had me reaching for my fan! I liked Reece’s plainspoken directness and the fact that it bamboozled Cami. 🙂 They sound like they’re made for each other and I can’t wait to read this latest story by Toni. Thanks for the post.
Yes! You will enjoy it!