Title: Wonderlust
Author: B.L. Wilde
Genre: Erotic Romance
Rating: 3.5 ♥‘s
♥Reviewed for My Family's Heart♥
The best part about this entire book, was the lack of sugar-coating. B.L. Wilde’s characters are exposed in all of their tragic, messed up, jealous, lying, cheating, short-fused, sarcastic, drug and alcohol abusing glory. If you want a book about fantasy, this is not it. If you want a book guaranteed to irk, delight and surprise you with raw edges and realism, then hop right in!
Wonderlust is truly a character driven plot, complete with awesome sub-characters. The tumultuous mood swings were a little daunting at times, but I couldn’t stop reading. I appreciated having to work for the slow, awkward growth that some of the characters went through, rather than just being handed a cookie-cutter Hero and Heroine. I would’ve liked to have seen more of that growth from the main character, herself, especially regarding her habit of running away from her problems. I felt she could be immaturely short-tempered and unaccountably dishonest, though I never stopped rooting for her. She’s otherwise a strong woman with heart, who doesn’t sacrifice who she is against some pretty tough obstacles, and that was admirable.
Natasha White is trying to distance herself from a four-year fling with her boss, David, when he chooses to get engaged to someone else. Taking on the position of Alex Harbour’s new Personal Assistant has her fleeing London for sunny L.A. The problem? She’s had a crush on the former front man of Steel Roses since she was twelve and in less than ten seconds, he brings all of her adolescent daydreams crashing to the ground by being the epitome of the entitled, egotistical, womanizing Rock Star.
Alex Harbour has scars so deep, some of them aren’t even revealed in the book. He’s gorgeous, addicted, arrogant and far from charming. Yet, underneath all the trappings of Rock Stardom that he uses as a shield, is a man desperate for more than what life has been throwing his way. He needs someone to tell him no, to give him boundaries and give back just as good as he dishes out – on every level. The problem? He’s been safeguarding his heart for so long, he has no clue how to win a woman over without falling back on his depraved, wickedly destructive ways.
It’s simply best to accept right now, that you’re going to love Alex Harbour, even when you hate him. You’re going to experience emotions most romance novels never cover, like disgust, disappointment, a new-found, really strong dislike for supermodels, and gob-smacking “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!” moments. Final thoughts: I hope some of the things left unfinished here find closure in the coming books, because if the rest of Steel Roses is anything like Alex Harbour, I think I’m in danger of becoming a groupie. ♥