The Professional by Kresley Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Conflicted About This One
THE STORY: Natalie Porter is a grad student in Nebraska when the search for her birth parents leads her to discover that she is the long lost daughter of a Russian Mafia leader. She discovers this when her father”s enforcer, Aleksandr Sevastyan drags her out of her ordinary life and forces her on a plane to Russia. Natalie and Sevastyan are immediately combustible together in every way. Sevastyan was sent to protect Natalie but becomes obsessed with her while fighting his attraction to her. The two are quickly engaged in a sexual BDSM relationship while Sevastyan fights the emotional connection.
OPINION: I am conflicted about this book. I wonder if the original format (being split into three ebooks) interfered somewhat with the development of the story. I loved portions of this book. The beginning was incredibly strong. I am a complete sucker for the emotionally damaged alpha hero, but the continued conflict between Natalie and Sevastyan just went on too long in a too repetitive manner for me to find this a great book. It was on the edge of that, but at about the two-thirds mark, I found myself saying “not again!” The couple would have a break through and then her hero would back away once again — over and over again. I think the story could have been pared back somewhat. At the same time, I did love the rough alpha hero who doesn’t completely reform at the end and I liked how the heroine demands to be treated as a woman with her own sexual desires and wants even when the hero wants to treat her as fragile.
WORTH MENTIONING: This book is erotic romance with extensive and explicit sexual exploits including public sex so readers should be warned.
FINAL DECISION: Parts of this book I really loved and some of it was just okay for me. I ultimately recommend it because I think it is interesting.
CONNECTED BOOKS: This is the first book of the Game Maker series. The second book will feature the brother of the hero of this book.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.