3.5 Stars! Good start to the series, but I would have liked more!
What worked:
I never expected to be reading such an in depth, complex book. Initially I thought that the sex would overrun the story, but I was surprised at how unique the plot was, and found myself anxious to learn about the family connection that tied all these siblings together.
What didn’t work:
Insta' love, sometimes it works, I didn't feel it here. I wish Ian and Riley would have gotten to know each other first, before diving into that first kiss, the intimacy came on rather quickly. I think the author missed the mark a on the couple chemistry, and maybe that was because....
The story was a little too short for all the stuff going on, and while I enjoyed the detail that was there, it felt squashed into the pages. It needed more time and space for the reader to appreciate the complexity of this family dynamic and the relationship between Ian and Riley.
Best scene(s):
The times Ian spent with his mother and her motherly advice to him. Also, when she gave him the bottom line on what happened between her and Ian's father, and in her own way accepted the circumstances of their marriage and his betrayal. She had her regrets, but not when it came to the children she had as result of their union...I loved that!!
Favorite character(s):
Alex. Yes, he could be an ass, but his heart was in the right place, and he actually endeared himself more to me than Ian did. Seeing them both come to terms with their sibling connection, albeit a most unconventional one, was interesting and eventually they were able to put aside their differences for Riley and her welfare.
Overall Thoughts:
Going into this and after the first few pages, I wasn't sure if it would work for me, I like relationships to build slowly and this all happened very fast. Then once I got to know the characters better and read about the odd circumstances of the two families, what tied them together, who accepted it and who didn't, and why, I was engaged. However, I still would have liked more Ian and Riley time, connecting on a fundamental level, as opposed to Ian and Riley having sex. What I was really happy about though, was that Ian and Riley's story came to a conclusive happy ending and won't be dragged on from book to book, and all too common occurrence in on-going series these days. It seems that each sibling will be featured, a total of 8 altogether, and Alex, who was particularly intriguing, will be featured next, and we already know who is love interest will be. Should prove to be fun!
*A copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*