Lunch

by Karen Moline

Devoted to her absent fiance+a7, talented painter Olivia Morgan is tempted during a fateful lunch meeting by famous actor Nick Muncie, who harbors a desire for twisted sexual games and has made Olivia his newest target. Reprint.

Genres: Fiction, Erotica, Contemporary, Dark, Adult

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not your typical romance novel. Yes, there’s sex. Yes, it’s hot and steamy. But that’s where any similarities end. Nick is not a knight in shining armor, nor does he wish to be. Olivia is strong and self-possessed, but she falls prey to her own desires and does not have the heart to stop them. This story isn’t about the bright side of love. It is not about sunshine and rainbows and how love conquers all. This story is dark, forbidding and wickedly delightful. You will hate Nick, while at the same time wishing desperately that you were in Olivia’s shoes. Moline brings out the side of you that you either didn’t know was there or did not wish to see. You will discover your dark desires right alongside Olivia, and you will both hate yourselves for it.

The interesting thing about this book is that it’s told from M’s point of view. M is Nick’s best friend, bodyguard and secret keeper. This means that you do not get to see inside the minds of Nick or Olivia. You only see them as M sees them. M, with his scarred face and poetic soul, will show you how to love and hate in the same breath. This book may change you, for better or worse.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story line certainly picked up toward the middle of this book and I admit that I was eager to find out how it might end. I totally miscalled the ending but at the same time, it was definately an appropriate one.

The reviews suggested that any reader of Fifty Shades and the Crossfire series would enjoy this. That was misleading. This book was nothing like those books, and so it took me a while to let go of that disappointment and just read. Overall, an ok story with ok character development. It just wasn't how I most enjoy romance stories to go.

[Olive · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very hot and Steamy. I loved this book Karen Moline really knows how to write. I really like her fiction. This book was out of print, but if you find it, you won't be disappointed. Quick read.

[Dante Sylvester · Rating 1 out of 5]

Excruciating

The best summary of this book is a quote from my book club as we discussed this book "Oh sorry, I can't remember which rape that was"

[Evan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This should be called "Lunch: A Novel of Violent Obsession; OR How I Helped My Best Friend Rape and Emotionally Terrorize Women Until I Decided Not To Anymore."

[Mercurialgem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected.

[DesertReal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great lyrical and dark writing that unfolds a fantastic erotic suspense story.

I've read this a few times over the years, and it still holds up.
There's an odd atmospheric quality that Karen Moline seems to capture perfectly. It works well with the plot, the characters, and the sense of impending doom that builds throughout the story.
An artist gets swept up into a manipulative and intense affair with a narcissistic actor with a violent past...and once she starts to pull at that thread, everything begins to unravel.
He wants more than she can give (needless to say people that whine about cheating in a fictional story with fictional characters need not apply for this position) and over time it becomes obvious that the person she fell for, was a mask that was covering something far worse.
You'll love this if you like solid food, and stories with lots of moral conflict. If Twilight is more your jam, I think there's a frozen yogurt somewhere with your name on it.

[Cerenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free in a Goodreads Giveaway. I have to say i kind of liked this story. This story is a lot different in that the whole story is told from the point of view of a side character named Major. You never fully get to know what Olivia and Nick are thinking or feeling. All of the characters in this novel have flaws with there character. I just would of liked to know more about Nick and Major and how they became who they are. If you like 50 Shades this is a lot darker of a story about a man you could never fix and has way more problems than Christian Grey ever could. This is a book about obsession a dark, dark obsession. But if your in the mood for a dark twisted read i would definitely recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

UGH! This book is not an erotic romance - after reading it I felt like I was being punished by the author for wanting to read such a story - yes it was well written but erotic NO - violent YES, disturbing YES. I wish I had not read this story not that it wasn't interesting or well written but it wasn't what I wanted and I felt like I had been taken advantage of in the end ....be warned it is really a dark story and there isn't too much light at the end to balance it out

[Ren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book hard to follow at times, not knowing who the writing perspective was coming from. Erotic? I don't know about that. Sick and twisted, yes. I can see the parallels to the Shades of Grey series, but the characters of Lunch were not likable at all. I think I was expecting the usual romance novel where guy meets girl and eventually they end up with some kind of happily ever after.

[Rachel Delaosa weldon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was suckered into reading this book by the description that likened it to 50 shades of grey. This is absolutely NOTHING like 50 shades. This is a disturbing, drawn out, difficult to read story of a severely screwed up actor. It left me feeling upset and annoyed I had wasted time on this book. If you like overly descriptive drawn out books with not much going on, with terrible endings that make you feel depressed, maybe you will like this book. Definitely not for me.

[Giulia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book as a good reads giveaway prize and I have to echo some of the other reviews. This book kind of creeped me out. The characters were immoral and for the most part despicable. I did not find any of it enjoyable to read. This is a very dark book about obsessions.. but none of them are erotic.. in my opinion. I cannot say I would recommend to anyone.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure how I feel about this book. I agree that I really wanted to like the characters but I could not. I thought it was better written than 50 Shades, but in the end I was ready just to find out what happened and be finished. It is not my favorite book I have read in this genre, but I would never say it was terrible. I give it a good three stars.

[Dayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, I didn't expect what happened at all.This book was brilliantly written.The whole watching thing with M bothered me a little. I was hoping for some redeeming quality in Nick for the whole happily ever after thing or a least something to make her part in the relationship all worth it. It just left me sad for them all.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this as a Good Reads Giveaway and I am sorry to have to say that I didn't like it. I didn't like any of the characters in the story and I didn't like the subject matter. On the back cover of this book it mentions "50 Shades of Grey" and "Bared to You", but this was not like either one - I didn't feel the romance or the fun.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I added this to my wish list because it was on a list for readers who liked Fifty Shades. I have to tell you that it is nothing like 50 shades. The love story in 50 was what made the books so good. Lunch was creepy and a little to violent for me. I started reading the book and several times I thought about not finishing it, but unfortunately I did. You might like the story more than I did.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a free download, thought it would be a good little guilty pleasure. It was a great disappointment. This book was a difficult read, the storyline was hard to keep up with and i kept reading hoping it would somehow get interest. It was cruel and disturbing and was quite shocked it was by a female author. Glad it was free....total waste of time.

[Kl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read. It is NOT like Fifty Shades, it is not like any other book I've read.

I expected the story to end differently. It was an intense book. I did not like it but I could not put it down. I had to see how it would end. Truly the definition of an excellent writer. I hope she writes more. Not sure I will read them as I like a true happily ever after love story.

[Antonia Jackson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hollywood actor and side kick with bad childhoods and psychopathic leaning,to violent sex. Portrait painter heroine. Trite and hard to believe. Wanted to drop the book but read to the end for the ending.

[Cheryl Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about sexual obsession...worth reading. I bought it in hardback.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A twisted obsession tale. Still can't decide on how I feel about this book, but I think I will try to forget it none the less.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not finish this book...I don't think I even made it to the half way point. It may get finished eventually

[MT931 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Again comparing to Crossfire and 50 Shades, you have a lot of expectations for this book. I couldn't get into it, actually DNF!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty well written but I was not invested in the characters.

[Teresa Lanning · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was so hard to get into. The first half of the book seemed to drag and then it got really good

[Sommer Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Read my full take on Lunch on my blog Unapologetic Fiction:

http://sommermarsden.blogspot.com/201...

[Peri11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very artsy book. Interesting. Glad I read it

[Jerri palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dunno this book took me a few time to read it sorta creeped me out

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a few years back.
This is one dark read so it's not for the faint of heart period.
So if you are expecting a HEA look again.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so... this book isn't really that great, but it is erotic and then SHOCKING