Holiday Review...Second Chances by Lauren Dane

For Christmas this year, and to help keep me holly jolly, I picked up a few Happy Holiday offerings for the Kindle. (Still have to name it...I mean, who doesn't name their toys?) And, to keep with the theme, the Favorite Things (I had a music box that played the song when I was younger, and there was something that always felt like Christmas to me. *shrugs*)

Second Chances came my way by the means of Lauren Dane herself (I find it fitting that I won the ARC in a twitter contest since I discovered her through the twitverse. *G*)

From Amazon.com :

Ten years ago, Rori Simon left town shy, unattractive and with zero self-esteem. Now, she's back, older, stronger, and finally loving herself - and it shows. Hot men are soon knocking at her door, including Jude Callahan, the bad boy who starred in her teenage daydreams...and her adult fantasies.

Jude can't believe the sexy, confident woman in front of him is actually Rori! She's gotten under his skin like no other woman has...and she brings out secret desires he can't resist. He wants to dominate Rori with every fiber of his being. Wants to own her and pleasure her. To cherish her as he makes her his.

Rori discovers she likes being controlled. She also knows Jude is not a one-woman man. Everything changes when she meets Zach Helm. Edgy, sensual Zach knows just what she needs, and before long, she's in love. Jude watches them together and wonders if he's lost his chance forever...

Second Chances, previously released in 2005, first came to my attention when I found Believe, a Holiday novella that takes place after the events in Second Chances...but, more of that in just a little bit...

Admittedly, there is something about this author that I just can't seem to get enough of, so I was very excited to get my...ugh, eyes? on this one, especially after getting to know the characters in the holiday novella. And of course, I expected all the hot steaminess mixed in with the heart and soul that permeates previous works I've devoured.

Here's the difference...even though Rori left an ugly duckling, she hasn't quite turned fully into a swan. She's confident and brushed off the uncomfortable fog that hung around her (mostly in the form of her over bearing and somewhat condescending mother) that plagued her as a teenager. Traveled and more experienced, Rori is most definitely a changed woamn. But, we get to take the final part of the journey with her. And what a journey...Jude, the lady's man, yet entirely the sexy object of her teenage dreams, becomes a reality. She decides to play his game against him and turn the tables. Too bad her heart won't get with the program. Or, for that matter, his. Jude doesn't know what he's got until he's too stupid to let it be gone (and, the commitment idea scared him right down to his sexy in command lil toes). Enter Zach...thanks to Jude, Rori knows what she likes, and Zach takes this to an entirely new level for her and she falls head over heels. (Zach is one of my all time faves!) Like any good friend, I wanted to smack Jude upside the head a few times for his, well, stereotypical commitment phobe don't know what you've got til someone else is tying her up-ness. (And, the smoldering is so hot I'm surprised you don't see smoke coming from the screen just thinking about it!) Zach is almost too good to be true for Rori, and the way they challenge one another is fun loving and sexy. Until things go not so happily ever after. Few books make me cry... is one of them. No spoilers here, but woah...and wow

Still want your Happily Ever After? Check out Believe...and my next review...