Literaria: Romance against all odds: In Deep & In Deeper

Book buddies, I'm so happy I could read these two books. The author was feeling really generous when she agreed to send them my way. Even though the covers would benefit from a little bit of sophistication, they still do their job. They boast about the really hot man inside ;o) If you haven't read IN DEEP & IN DEEPER, by Kella McKinnon, and you're craving a steamy romance, you just have to read this highly addictive duology.

IN DEEP & IN DEEPER

Sexy and interesting, this duology packs a romance that kept me hooked from start to finish. I liked that both characters bring luggage to their first encounter. It happens in Vegas which for me it's an added bonus.

The truth is the attraction between Cristos and Brielle starts as a bursting flame of lust and curiosity, but the dynamics working beyond the flesh got the game perky and appealing.

Brielle is a woman with a plan. She's suffered a great loss but is determined to create a future for herself and help others in the process. She's vital, smart. Best of all, she fights the almost unbearable temptation called Cristos with all her might. Of course, she wants to give in, but Brie just won't be a mere speck in anybody's collection of quick one night-stands.

On the other hand, Cristos might come off as a jerk, but his indifference to emotional attachment stems from a childhood steeped in crime, murder, abuse and loneliness. I really liked how these two characters come together. It all seems fortuitous and fleeting, but their passion for each other will change their lives forever. That's the kind of romance I like, life-changing ;o)

While growing up, Criss had a really terrible life. I felt so sorry for him. Flashes from his past cut through the chapters in the present, giving some insight about his origins, and slowly trickling clues to what tragedy is going to spill into Brie's unstable relationship with him. I liked that as much as the very well-chosen quotes at the start of each chapter. They were fabulous!

Sometimes I'm terrified of my heart; of its constant hunger for whatever it wants.
Edgar Allan Poe.

About the steamy scenes, they're abundant, meaningful and devastatingly hot, though they seemed short sometimes ;o) I like my hot scenes a lot longer (hint for the author, wink, wink). Cristos is pure alpha male in all his domineering glory and he battles his issues while his need for Brie builds up into a possessive passion. It gets really crazy in here, I warn you. Drama is a breath away, though, as there is a line of dark events connecting this doomed couple.

One of Criss' quirks and rules is that he never kisses a woman on the lips. It was maddening to suffer that denial when the chemistry between he and Brie was so intense. As a ruse to increase anticipation, it was fantastic!

At the end of the novel, there's a horrifying revelation about Cristos' past that really made me want to cuddle him and then grab the next novel right away. Which I did :D

2- This heated couple got in a serious row last time, so IN DEEPER starts with their non-relationship burning up with tension and wounded alpha male pride. At this point, I'm helplessly hooked to their cycle of desperation and break-ups. Whatever horrors Criss is hiding from Brie, it's fueling their frustrated intimacy.

For me, it was really addictive to just go along this crazy ride of avid lovemaking, painful rejection, danger, blood and sins. Criss is a bit messed-up in the head because of his trauma and the life he's trying to be free from. Because of all that, he makes mistakes in regards to Brie that really made the story so twisted and sexy. Sometimes this vicious cycle would feel a bit repetitive and might tire some readers, but it's also true that after every bout of fights, betrayal and reconciliation, a tiny piece of the puzzle that is Cristos would make itself available to Brie. To me, it was beautiful when they finally share a kiss of surrender.

Then again, the bomb that was ticking between them explodes and it's ugly, violent and bloody. Still, Brie is addicted to her crazy man and she still wants to find a way for redemption. Is it even possible when this traumatized man makes decisions against Brie's free will? Mmm, naughty boy. Though I understand why Brie wants to punch him and forgive him all at once!

When a man who has never had anyone to love gives you his heart, you feel it in every corner of your soul.

The final part of the novel is a climactic series of events that merge Criss' criminal life, his mistakes and his passion for a new life with Brie. So, I can say that the casual writing style and romantic grand gestures made it very easy to like this two-novel story about the redeeming qualities of love and the crazy things we do in its name. I'd gladly read more books by this author.