Reviewed by Desere
Being a military wife is tough for any woman, the not knowing if your husband will come home, the long days and nights spent alone. It can after a time take the toll on a woman not strong enough to handle it all.
But what if you are strong enough to handle it only you don't want to, all simply for the reason that it is simply no use?
In the new Dani Collins read this is one of many reasons why Lauren is relieved when the news of her husband going missing during a mission comes knocking, she is yes saddened and concerned but not in the way a loving wife would be.
It was marriage to a man that cheated on her every chance he got, he lied to her about being able to have children, he kept her on the side simply as a trophy for his best friend Paolo to see, after all he won her.
She seeks comfort in the arms of I-want-you-in-my-bed-but-only-as-my-wife Paolo, the one man she has always loved and wanted, but she chose the safer option of marring the perfect imaged man instead, one that does not let her burn out of control. When morning comes the news of her husband's death lets them go their separate ways, their night of unbridled passion over but never forgotten.
But when she comes striding back into his life with news she is expecting his baby, out the door goes the kind and considerate friend and lover and in walks the cold hearted bastard from hell. And Lauren feels trapped all over again, only this time it with a man she loves with all her heart and she has no option but to go along with is rules and be the dutiful wife yet once again, after all she survived one loveless marriage and for the sake of her baby she will do so again, if she does not lose her strength to fight first.
The character of Lauren was well written, I liked that she lets go for once and takes what she wants, even if it gets her pregnant and not knowing what to exactly do, she still showed courage to grab the chance to be with the man she has always secretly yearned for.
I was not nuts about her being so shy all the time, I wanted to grab her, shake her up and yell at her to snap out of it. However as the read progressed I understood that it all had to do with her failed marriage and her husband keeping her as this perfect dutiful wife that would not so much as cut her hair when told not to. She had been controlled every minute of every day even when her husband was absent. I loved when the author let her blossom into a more confident woman ready to face the world head on no matter the consequences, as soon as the truths started to be revealed.
The character of Paolo was a real mean bastard, yes ladies no other word for it. Him questioning if the baby is really his, made me so mad I could strangle him! He treats Lauren with such distaste and disgusting words that it made my heart ache. But again only when the author revealed his past did it bring the puzzle together for me as reader and I could understand his faults. Only I would have liked the author to dig a little deeper into the past, as it was I only got the basic information that he had been cheated and that was the end of it.
I loved that Paolo feels so bad about breaking his promise to his best friend, however I was not crazy about him feeling so extremely torn up about it, as with the secrets he knew about his perfect hero friend, I as reader felt that he could actually push the guilt aside completely as the best friend treated the very kind hearted Lauren nearly as badly as he treats her when learning she is expecting.
The backdrop settings were all very romantic and blended in very nicely with this read. The dialogue was sexy and passionate, loved the words of conflict between the main and secondary characters. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to see how this will play out for a couple so definitely meant to be.
I adored the ending of this read, it was not one that I have read before in a Mills and Boon Modern read, and left me laughing out loud.
I am taking away a message of always doing the right thing just because it is expected of you, will leave you empty, and feeling bereft of the happiness you are entitled to.
I recommend this read for fans of romance with secrets that when revealed will chance the lives of people who have been kept apart for years. Passionate, sensual and worth the time to read.
4.5 star review
"He finally has her in his arms, but will she stay?"
