Intrusion

Under the Skin #1

by Charlotte Stein

ACE FOR ASIN: B00JDKBUWU

I believed I would never be able to trust any man again. That kindness was only for fools and would lead me down that same terrible path into darkness. I thought so with every fiber of my being-and then I met Noah Gideon Grant.

Everyone says he's dangerous. He never comes out of his house-a place that looks like it could be featured in Serial Killers Monthly. But the thing is … I think something happened to him too. I know the chemistry between us isn't just in my head. I know he feels it, but he's holding back. The pleasure he gives me is unreal-if only I could give something in return. If only he would let me in. I think I can make him feel something good. And for the first time in forever, I want to.

He's made a labyrinth of himself. Now all I need to do is dare to find my way through.

Genres: Romance, Erotica, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Dark Romance

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2014

About the author

Charlotte Stein is the RT and DABWAHA nominated author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. For more on Charlotte, visit: www.charlottestein.net

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Love doesn’t magically heal all wounds.”

This was a totally random, unplanned read that I just started and finished in one sitting this afternoon! A friend of mine was starting it and I thought the blurb sounded great so I pretty much just dove in too.

Overall, I'd call it a quick, entertaining erotic story with a premise that drew me in from the start. The first 30% of the book was absolutely amazing -- everything from the set up, to the writing, to the character development had my heart racing in the best possible way. After that though, the erotic side of the story took over a little more than I would have preferred. Don't get me wrong, I loooove hot stories, but in full honesty, I would have preferred more plot and less sex here just because of how freaking awesome the story set up was. It was just so good that I wanted more character development and to see more in depth conflict. But... on the flip side, sometimes you just want something hot and sexy to read so if you're in the mood for something shorter and erotic but with a little more depth than just sex, this would be great.

Like I said, the book hooked me from the very first line. The story is about a woman with a scary past (she'd been stalked to nightmarishly terrifying point) who lived next door to a mysterious, reclusive man who everyone talked about but nobody knew. They made up all sorts of stories about him, but no one actually knew anything about him. When she finds him sleepwalking in her garden one night, wearing almost nothing, ankle deep in freezing mud, she invites him in to help him get cleaned up. He's nothing like she expected though and from then on, their lives become quickly entwined...

“You should have been scared; you weren’t. You should have forced me back across the street; you didn’t. You touched me even though it made you tremble to do it, and I won’t ever forget that.”

Tortured heroes are my weakness -- they just melt my heart -- and Noah was such an intriguing character. He was incredibly intelligent and fascinating -- a psychoanalyst left emotionally scared after working on a case profiling a particularly gruesome serial killer. I loved the symbolism of how his house was filled with broken things he was putting back together. "He so desperately wants to fix things he fills his living room with junk and spends his days making everything okay again." -- That just makes my heart squeeze!

I also really loved that feeling that the first 30% of the book really portrayed so well of just not knowing these characters' histories. I had so many questions -- What had happened to this woman in her past? And what about him? What kept this man locked away from the world?

Once they got together, things got pretty hot between them and a good chunk of the rest of the book does basically revolve around sex -- not that there's anything wrong with that, but just letting you know the direction it takes. There are bits of Noah's past that come into the light along the way though and then it culminates in finale that bought out the 'thriller' side. There's a resolved ending -- no cliffhanger!

I generally really enjoyed the writing -- there were a lot of very strong, evocative scenes with vivid imagery -- but there were other times when I found the wording confusing. By that I mean, it was sometimes unclear whether you were reading her thoughts or a description of what was actually happening.

Oh, also just letting you know that the book actually ends at 87%. I know that's something a few of you are sensitive to so just a heads up so you know. Amazon lists the page count as 224 pages so this is kind of a short novel. So, even though I wish there'd been more depth to it, I really did enjoy this as just a quick, hot, entertaining read with a bit of a moody, thrilling edge to it, a unique premise, and intriguing characters.

Rating: 3.5 - 4 stars. Standalone.
First standalone in a series of standalones.

_______________________________________

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[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “No one has ever done for me what you do for me,” stars!

Intrusion is a story I had a hard time reading, at the same time not being able to put down. To say it’s gripping is to say the least, and finding the exact words to do this story justice will not be easy.

Blurb…

I believed I would never be able to trust any man again. That kindness was only for fools and would lead me down that same terrible path into darkness. I thought so with every fiber of my being-and then I met Noah Gideon Grant.

Everyone says he's dangerous. He never comes out of his house-a place that looks like it could be featured in Serial Killers Monthly. But the thing is … I think something happened to him too. I know the chemistry between us isn't just in my head. I know he feels it, but he's holding back. The pleasure he gives me is unreal-if only I could give something in return. If only he would let me in. I think I can make him feel something good. And for the first time in forever, I want to.

He's made a labyrinth of himself. Now all I need to do is dare to find my way through.

Reading Intrusion… well, at first I wasn’t sure what in the hell I was getting myself into…

…because this story isn’t at all what I was expecting. This is not my first Charlotte Stein book, but it’s definitely turned out to be my favorite. I want to call it a psychological thriller, but that’s not exactly right. A dark, romantic suspense might be more apropos, but I also have to add it’s one sensually erotic, passionate, poignant, and romantic journey. It’s a tale about two people who, for all intents and purposes, should be ruined, but who find a way to protect themselves by hiding behind the carefully constructed walls of their lonely but comfortable lives. Their journey… and that’s what it is, a journey… to finding their way back into the light is one that will stay with me, and in some ways haunt me, for a very long time.

If you enjoy darker stories about the resiliency of the human heart and the undying hope of the human soul...

...then definitely give Intrusion a try. It’s typical Charlotte Stein in that it’s told from the first person (heroine)POV, with a lot of internal dialog – some of which had me laughing out loud at the absurdity of Beth's thoughts, and other times wanting to weep at the harsh reality of them, too. Such an emotional roller-coaster read!

Note: This story can be read as a stand alone. While there's an ongoing theme, a different couple is the focus of the next book.

An ARC was provided by Red/Avon Impulse via Edelweiss. In return I’m giving them an honest review.

[-ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Charlotte Stein book, and I have no idea WTH I was reading in the beginning, tbh.

Is it a dark story? The backstories for both LCs are dark, but for the most part, it is unique, erotic, mysterious, suspenseful, and edgy. All in all, the plot far exceeds my expectation and I like how the author delivered the ending. I will definitely add her books to my tbr:)

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion, Charlotte Stein is the queen of the awkward erotic romance story. She loves pitting two very awkward people together, who clumsily find their way to climax (and love) with each other.

Intrusion is no different, but it has a definite dark twist to it. Beth lives next door to an extremely recluse man. When her dog goes missing, she gets up the courage to go next door to see if he stole her dog. He barely opens the door a crack, before her terror overcomes her and she goes back home. Beth was stalked by someone she knew, and the terror of that still haunts her today. Noah isn’t a dog thief, or a horrible person – but he does have major issues. Noah is somewhat of a genius, once a professor who is an expert profiler. When the police where tracking a serial killer, killing women, Noah figured him out to an eery degree. But Noah’s thought process and imagination do not work like most.

To imagine what drives them, to feel what they feel. I’m very good at feeling what other people feel, Beth. So good that sometimes I would wake up and think I was strangling some poor girl, in the exact way he did. The things he was responsible for became the things I am responsible for, and not matter what I do or how much therapy I get, that twisted truth is still there inside me. It makes me stop before I even contemplate putting a hand on a woman, because what if I do and my thoughts are all of violence? What if I wake up in the night and instead of only imagining my hands are around someone’s throat, I see that they are?”

Let me also note, Noah is a very big sleepwalker, walking outside in the middle of the night. Beth becomes fascinated by Noah. She is extremely attracted to him – almost to a obessive amount. As Stein does, the sexual tension in this story is at 100%. Beth really, really wants to not only have Noah trust her and be able to explore his sexuality, but to have sex with him. It’s all she can think about, all day, every day. But Noah can’t – he is so afraid intimate contact will lead to him acting violently. But even after a while, Noah can’t help himself…

So why is he rubbing his leg against mine?

Because that is definitely what he seems to be doing. He has exposed an expanse of skin, and is currently stroking that skin in the most casual way possible. His le just sort of rocks in this slow, maddening circle, until that one point of contact is pretty much all I can think about. All thoughts of being restrained and respectful of his wishes fly right out the window, and I can’t blame them.

The whole thing just feels too good. It feels good in a way nothing has ever felt good before. I thought I could cope because sex has never really meant that much to me, but somehow it means absolutely everything in this moment. It consumes my body, from the neck down. My nipples have stiffened, even though it’s hardly cold in here and he isn’t touching me anywhere rude.

You learn the extent of Noah’s horrific past, and you can understand why he can’t joyfully enjoy sex. Beth is kind and patient and never puts pressure on him or rushes him. It’s an intense look at two people who need to be together, yet have so much baggage, and dark nightmares, and sad things in their lives.

I do think the last chapter is awfully suspenseful and I could have done without that part of the story. It felt a little forced to me. This is a shorter book – but the HEA worked for me. Just not a fan of the events in the last chapter. I almost always enjoy Charlotte Stein’s work and then feel like the end is rushed or forced. But definitely recommend this one and most of her work. She really had a great voice.

Grade: B-

[Celestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stein's writing style is distinctive, and I've gone back for more more times than I can count. Each time I'm overwhelmed by her ability to bring me, the reader, right into the mind of her protagonist, no matter how different I am from that person. I feel nervous and edgy, like I embody that character. In most instances, embodying a Stein character makes me distinctly uncomfortable, and, told from a first person point of view, this book was no different. Beth has been victimized and she is attracted to her neighbor, a reclusive man who has also clearly been victimized in some way. He is so tortured he sleepwalks.

I really don't want to talk about any of the plot since that spoils the moody aura of the book. Suffice it to say that Stein works her craft to the degree that you are scared, titillated, worried, despairing and inspired to feel brave within the confines of this story. She can frighten you with a dog stiffening at the door and make a hand on a thigh seem incredibly erotic. Well, more than seem....it just is - due to the breathless anticipation she can build.

"Lord, I love the way he says anything......I could probably dive into a bathtub filled with that last syllable and slide around for a thousand years." Me, too.

[Jennifer Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow, WOW! I am so in awe of Charlotte Stein's writing skill right now. She already held a spot as one of my absolute favorite authors, but this book sealed it. It was fantastic. No one writes 1st person POV like Ms. Stein. I mean NO one. It was funny at times, but also super HOT, and the nail biting ending will leave you on the edge of your seat. Throw in a broken, tormented hero AND heroine and you have the recipe for perfection! I couldn't put it down! 5++++++++++ stars!

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I’d like to read more Charlotte Stein. This is her second book I’ve read - and it raised some questions for me.

Noah is a recluse. Beth is a trauma survivor. They explore their sexuality through a long process of experimenting and talking and showing one another what they like and need. Which is very specific in Noah’s case.

A short, slightly dark, very steamy read for which I could form no connection. The entire thing felt odd and off-putting for me.

Since it seems obvious that Stein writes short steam (kink?!?!?) heavy stories, and I liked the other that I read by her, I’m curious to see what happens the next time I read something of hers.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

"Love doesn’t magically heal all wounds.”

Great read. I LOVE both characters, they have so much pain. There's vulnerability and then there's strength and I love how the author wraps things up layer after layer until the secrets finally unveiled. Even though its a novella, the author took the relationship very patiently until they surrender into lustful oblivion. The suspense and mystery of the story added to the twist, giving the readers enough heart stopping moment.

[Serial Romance Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Book Q & A***

* How did the book make you feel?: Oh my goodness, this book was so unexpected and wonderful. I stayed up way too late reading it.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: It’s told from the h’s perspective as she learns more about her mysterious sleepwalking neighbor and learns she has a lot more in common with him than she imagined. Usually inner monologues annoy me, but hers didn’t in this book. The character development was so tender. I ate it up.
* What did you think about the main characters?: I love, love loved them. They were both cracked, but not shattered. They were both resilient in their own ways, and they had such mutual respect and concern for each other. It was moving. Their chemistry was beautiful.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: The buildup! Shew!
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Psychologist-victim, serial killers, romantic suspense
* What did you think about the ending?: What a climax! It was a wonderful resolution though.
* What is your impression of the author?: This was my first read, but you can safely say I’m now a fan.



Triggers: kidnapping, rape, murder, torture (all off-page and related as H’s and h’s memories)

[McGee Magoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETH:


NOAH:


Every time I read another Charlotte Stein, I'm amazed at how taken I am with her writing. The humor and the heat, it's done so well. Her style is a bit different from what I normally read. I tend to prefer the hero's POV to be represented and maybe a smidge more dialogue. But with Charlotte Stein, I don't even miss those things. I'm too busy eating every word up like a glutton, to miss it. Then I feel sad when it's over and my plate is licked clean.

As usual, I highlighted a multitude of humorous and insane snippets of Intrusion, but I will try to restrain myself and limit what I include in this review.

Ms. Stein may not appreciate the way I viewed Noah. As you can tell by the picture above, I kept thinking of Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock. He's sexy and strange and wickedly smart and as the story progressed I started thinking that Noah could be Sherlock if Sherlock's life had taken a horrifying and humbling turn. If Sherlock had been caught in the clutches of a nemesis as cruel and obsessed as Moriarty, only more base.

Beth, no stranger to fear herself, finds that she is drawn to her strange, reclusive neighbor. She wants to be around him even though all signs point to RUN. She fights her fear and even embarrassment and tries to befriend him.

No, no, no. What I need is a motive. You know, like a killer.

Fuck, I hope this pie doesn't make me seem like a killer. I use apples just to give it that extra wholesome touch, and put pastry leaves on the top. Then once it is baked I wrap it in a checked cloth-the way people do in programs about normal people living on farms with lots of animals and plaid and oak furniture everywhere.

From there, Noah and Beth blossom with their new friendship and their slowly progressing physical relationship. This IS Charlotte Stein after all, so the lion's share of this book is the delicious, sensual and erotic tension that crawls it's way into full-blown, scorching, sex acts. I don't think C.S. has an equal when it comes to this. Whew!

In the final act there comes some answers to those burning questions we have about Noah and some surprisingly edge-of-your-seat suspense.

For such a short novel (100 pages-according to Amazon), Intrusion seemed to have it all for me without the rushed feeling novellas normally seem to have. After the epilogue, there's a sneak peek into the next book in the series, , which sounds very promising.

[The Romance Evangelist · Rating 5 out of 5]

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review at The Romance Evangelist.

I have been struggling with how to write a review for Charlotte Stein’s new book INTRUSION, the first in her new Under The Skin series with Avon Impulse. It’s her first foray into romantic suspense, and if this book is any indication, the rest of the series will be more of her best work yet. Stein’s gift with combining confusing emotions with passionate and often non-traditional sexual encounters has always made her erotic romances a special delight for me. But with INTRUSION, she’s included an undercurrent of impending danger that adds a sharp edge to each and every scene even as we know something terrible is going to happen before we can enjoy its promised HEA.

There’s not much of an initial backstory for Beth or Noah, though we can sense the shared nature of their individual traumas. Each has retreated from the world in their own way, although Beth still goes out and works at a job every day, returning to an empty home she doesn’t quite trust as safe. And it’s Beth who makes the first contact in a way that’s unconventional as every other part of this mesmerizing story. What follows is easily the best romance of any subgenre that I’ve read this past year, with a perfect title and a heroine who saves both her hero and herself in more ways than one.

My struggle with this review is how to convey why this story was so amazing for me without giving away exactly what Charlotte Stein has done here. INTRUSION really needs to be read cold, without any previous indication of where it will go or how it will get there. All you should know is that any biases you might have about romantic suspense, erotic romance, or even first person present tense should be set aside, however temporarily, so you can be totally open to what Charlotte Stein offers here. And then if you’re like me when you’re done, you’ll say “What did I just read?” and “When can I have more, please?” Because I just can’t imagine reading anything better right now.

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This edgy and intense erotic thriller is the story of Beth and Noah. They are neighbours with one thing in common - serious and disturbing traumas have happened to both of them, making a normal relationship near impossible to attempt. Yet they are drawn to each other time and again, a sexual attraction between them pulling them inexplicably closer. As they start to develop real feelings for each other, danger lurks around the corner - will what they've built stand strong or come falling down around them like a house of cards?

Well, this is definitely not a sweet cheerful romance. Instead it's a gripping sexual tale, told from Beth's point of view of a woman who has difficulty trusting men, and finding in her neighbour Noah someone who can read her like a book - and make her feel things she never knew she wanted. I'll be honest, it's not my normal reading material but from the first page I couldn't put it down. It definitely pushed my comfort zone, but I suspect this was the point - to show that even damaged souls can find love, that everyone is deserving of love no matter how horrible they think they are or how much they feel they are to blame for events around them. The sex scenes are steamy and undeniably riveting as Beth and Noah explore their boundaries with each other. From a conventional standpoint this does qualify as a romance, in that the character's get their happy ending, but other than that it's unconventional in every way. 5 stars for this unique and captivating tale!

[RachelW (BamaGal) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Intrusion is a boy meets girl tale riding the darker edge; more a psychological horror story than anything else. Beth befriends Noah and eventually discovers his issues and past trauma; as well his dark and twisted quirks. This is a disturbing story with dark undertones.

Stein’s stories and writing style have always been hit-or-miss for me. Intrusion unfortunately, is somewhat of a ‘miss’. The idea behind the storyline is fascinating; however, the execution leaves something to be desired. Stein simply tries.too.hard to unsettle the reader and make the disturbing story work. The writing is stilted and with far too much rambling thoughts and descriptive prose (a trademark of the author taken too far here). The result was a story that was ultimately just strange; leaving the reader not caring much for the odd characters or their weird, twisted relationship.

Intrusion might work well for fans of Stein’s writing style; as long as they realize this is as much or more horror story than erotic love story. It left me feeling the need to wash the taste of the story out of my mouth.

Will I read more of this series? No, I found it's not to my taste...

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intrusion is told from the perspective of Beth. She is a single woman living alone across the street from the dilapidated home of a recluse. Every neighborhood has a home like it. Where you suspect the person living inside is a serial killer and has bodies in his basement. No one really knows. A misunderstanding has the two meeting. Beth suddenly realizes Noah Gideon Grant is a lot like her. A friendship and slow building erotic relationship begins between these two souls. Despite its short length, Stein did a fantastic job of fleshing out her characters. She slowly peeled back their layers, exposing their back-stories, and allowing us to connect. The whole story had a sense of suspense to it. The uncertainty and slow reveals built up tension and kept me engaged. Intrusion was dark, disturbing, hot and beautiful.

Copy received from publisher.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beth and Noah
3.5 stars

I can always count on Stein to write something different. This is a bit dark but certainly delicious. Full review to come on Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

[Aly is so frigging bored · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't read it.

[Corduroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Three stars is "mixed feelings, neither negative nor positive" for me, not "I liked it" as GR thinks it is.)

Premise: Beth (who is maybe a nurse, and who has a trauma in her past) lives on a street where there's also a creepy-looking house inhabited by a mystery man. After Beth accuses him of stealing her dog, then finds him having sleepwalked into her yard, she and the man, Noah (genius academic with his own trauma backstory) become pseudo-friends and she lusts after him.

I have really loved some Charlotte Stein books (Run To You, Curve Ball) but this is the second in a row I've read and haven't been wild about. (The first was Beyond Repair) With both, I have similar problems:

*Narrative is too much stream of consciousness, not enough of what is actually happening. Possibly because not that much is actually happening? Charlotte Stein always seems more interested in the emotional interactions than in the plot, which sometimes works, and sometimes works less well (for me). Here, the focus on the heroine's rambling internal monologue is kind of disruptive and unenjoyable for me.

*Related to that, I find the characters in this (and Beyond Repair) kind of odd. They're quite weird in ways that I then find hard to believe the other finds sexy. Like, is it necessarily sexy when someone rambles a lot? I don't know. Not that there's anything wrong with being weird, but it's hard for my brain to accept that they like to lie around in some furs stored in the attic and just look at each other's faces for entire afternoons. (Really.) I know this is a thing people just accept in romantic fiction (eg: "she could watch him beautiful eyes for hours, they were that fascinating" and so on) but I normally find that Charlotte Stein's fiction has a sort of realistic element to it, character-wise at least, so this felt off to me. The characters are interesting, but they don't feel very real.

*The female main character in this and Beyond Repair give me mild Mary Sue anxiety. It's the combination of her being kind of weird, having a LOT of internal anxiety about being weird and unattractive, and then the male character being instantly smitten with her because she's like no other woman.

I'm not sure I'm going to finish this. (I am disappointed to type that! I was excited to read this, so I may try again.)

[Petra Grayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
I really couldn't put this book down. In some Charlotte Stein novels, it's because the characters are so amusing. But this one, oh wow, it was so intense and full of creepy tension. There was no way I could stop readings until I got past the anxious sections – it would have been too disturbing to try to sleep with the eerie parts in my brain.

Honestly though, it wasn't as bad as I had been expecting. I heard rumors that it was going to be a bit more of a thriller and I was gearing up for pretty much start to finish spine-tingling (which would have been really hard for me to stick with), but instead it turned out to be very touching with some allusions to disturbing events in the past and then one big creepy factor right near the end.

This one is written in 1st person present tense and still has all the great Charlotte Stein high points - a really deep POV, very compact plot, and some deep insight into what the rest of the characters are thinking. Unlike a lot of her other novels, this one is very light on the amusement factor. I had a slightly twitter-pated smile for a little while, but no laughing.

In fact, I think this is the first Charlotte Stein book that I was in tears for. These characters both have a lot of pain, especially in their past, but they work through their problems in an believable manner. They were weighty and intense with quite a bit of angst, but I loved how instead of solving problems with a magical relationship, she allows the characters to overcome their problems by taking back their power. Each step in their journey felt empowering and a blossoming of their potential.

That's not to say these two grew separately. Their relationship was the catalyst for everything that happened and Charlotte Stein has a great voice for distilling an entire relationship to it's focal points. We don't see much of jobs, friends, even surroundings outside the one small house. But we get every single detail of their relationship's forward progress. I felt like I was taking each step right along with the characters.

I had so many heart-warming feelings for this story. It's a book you want to read while snuggled in a blanket – to hold in the emotional parts and stay safe from the creepiness. I'd read it again when I need to be reminded of the hope of healing, even when things look mentally messed up. But I might not read it just before bed.

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

**This review is archived on my blog: The Theory of LietoFine

[SuperWendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gah, I loved this book. I think a big reason I loved it so much is that I went into my reading of it "blind." It literally took me on a roller coaster of "This is OK so far, I guess" to "OMG I LOVE THIS!!!!" to "OMG WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!?!?!"

Stein has a unique, almost stream of consciousness style to her writing so I always encourage those new to her work to download a sample before buying. Also, the ending here is going to be very divide or conquer. I'll admit that I thought there were huge gaping holes left behind, but by that point I was beyond caring. That's how wrapped up I was in the romance.

What struck me the most however was the intensity to the romance. The passion of it. The "suspense" of these two people finally succumbing to their attraction. Sad to say, not all erotic romance authors "get" that. That the intensity is what makes an erotic romance work as an erotic romance. You can throw in all the kinky bits you want - all that does is make the story "kinky." Kinky alone does not erotic make.

It won't be a story for everybody but it totally worked for me on every level.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Stein......well, there's just something about her writing I love.  Her books are quick reads, not much detail, but lots of feelings.  I have never read such sensual sex scenes like she writes when there isn't even any actual sex happening....the simple touch of fingertips or brush of each other's thighs together.  Wow, just amazing what her words can do!

This story was about a reclusive man named Noah who never came out of his house and was talked about in the neighborhood as if he were a leper.  When Beth ends up at his front door accusing him of stealing her dog, things get really interesting.  Apparently, he's not the leper people thought..... in fact, he is one hot mess!  (Yes, mess, but yes, also hot)! 

This was a great story and I will definitely be continuing with this series from Charlotte Stein.  Sheltered was the first book I read by her, and I was pleasantly surprised and really loved that one!  Her unique writing style sucks you in every time!

[Lea M · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT. WAS. FABULOUS. Now I wish I hadn't read it so fast because I'll be Charlotte Stein-less again for the next few months. Ah well, it was worth it. I love the way she writes her heroes and heroines, so often broken, but still so strong and kind (and dirrrrrty!). This one gets into some really dark places, but she handles it well. I've also never read a sleepwalking hero before, so that was interesting. I'm still on a book high so this review is slightly incoherent, but I don't even care. MOARRRR PLEASE!


---

Can't wait to start it!!!

[Jill Sorenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I've read other Stein books and enjoyed them but I really think she knocked it out of the park with this one. It reminded me a bit of Sheltered as far as the heroine's sexual discovery. Intrusion takes it a step further. Two troubled individuals with questionable social skills and traumatic pasts find each other and nothing is the same. They're awkward and every touch is fraught, but the sex is more explosive than fumbling. The heat and emotion leaps off the page.

This is an erotic romance with a tortured hero and some dark edges. It has two great leads, a lot of heart and a little horror. The writing BLEW ME AWAY. I don't get blown away by writing often. I think this is a very mature book for Stein, quirky and introspective and gothic-hot. 5/5

[Jujubee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Stein Seduces Her Readers Again

Loneliness and longing, primed for seduction.
That's the feeling this author does best, mesmerizing seduction.
These two tormented characters are drawn to each other with a pull so strong it keeps the reader enthralled...this was intense, yet brilliant. Well done, dear author. Well darkly done!
 "The thing I don’t even know I want the most, until it’s right there."

[Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely superb.

[T Rojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

God, Charlotte Stein is so horny and weird- I love her.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to read romance when traveling, picking books at random from Libby that are available for immediate check out. Sometimes that means I read a lot of bad books, but sometimes I find gems like this. This was absolutely not what I was expecting, but I was all in from page 1. It leans dark, but is a well told story of 2 damaged people who find love and comfort with each other. I didn't fully buy into the ending, and I wanted a bit more character development. Yet, I'm surprised at how much this moved me and left me wanting more from this author.

[Rhyll Biest · Rating 5 out of 5]

If an order of chivalry were to be awarded (let's call it the Order of the Clit) for erotic writing, I would be pinning that medal to Stein's chest right now and calling her Dame Charlotte. I'm awarding The Order of the Clit (for meritorious literary service to readers' lady parts) to Intrusive for several reasons. Yes, it's true I'm a Stein junkie, I crave her deep narrative point of view like a stoner craves their morning wake and bake. But this particular story twisted my biscuit for a number of reasons.

Sex scenes: smoking, point-a-fire-extinguisher-at-my-loins-right-now hot.

Language: Charlotte Stein uses the freshest, most inventive language (whether its metaphors or straight description) of any romance writer I know. Sometimes I suspect she's Nabokov's secret love child.

Delicious gothic elements: The love story comes wrapped inside a gothic bow. The heroine (Beth) approaches the hero's sinister home with foreboding, convinced he's dognapped her dog, and typical gothic elements such as sleepwalking and dark secrets make an appearance. Why is this good? First, I love the contrast offered by horror and romance, and second, it sets up a delicious double tension. Even when hero and heroine seem to be inching towards their HEA, we can't relax because we just know the sleepwalking and dark secrets are going to bite someone on the butt at any second.

Characters: Beth's narrative voice is so full of self-doubt, incredulity and humour that I doubt any reader could resist her. As for the hero, Noah, well, he was a delicious change from the ocean of Alphas (and alpha-holes) out there. An intellectual, he's full of the dark torment and vulnerability that comes with genius and insight, and his past experience as a profiler threatens to destroy any chance he (or Beth) has at a relationship or happiness. He struck me as a mix of Will Graham from Hannibal and Sherlock from Elementary all rolled into one big, fat lady-boner. in a word, delicious. Also, both characters are deeply scarred and it's a delight to follow their progress as they heal and open up to one another.

Twists: From the riveting first chapter until the end, jolt after jolt lands as the surprises keep rolling through. One of the things I like about the author's writing is the way she maintains tension throughout the story, using every opportunity to seed uncertainty in the heroine and the reader.

Feels: Lastly, this book should come with a warning label for those who don't like emotion (Warning: this product contains feels) because for a 50k story, Intrusion sure packs a lot of emotional punch, no doubt due to the author's trademark deep POV which allows the reader to feel that they're actually residing within Beth's head. I certainly enjoyed being in Beth's head, and after reading the teaser at the back for Forbidden, now I can't wait to read that too.

[bookedrightmeow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear, whenever I finish a book by Charlotte Stein, I feel like I've just had a religious experience. Her writing is THAT GOOD.

Intrusion deals with some extremely dark themes, but I'm glad that Stein doesn't shy away from them. Her characters meet their demons head on and somehow manage to make it through to the other side.

Noah and Beth meet under awkward circumstances. She's convinced that he has stolen her dog and confronts him about it, only to have his door shut in her face. When her dog turns up later, unharmed, Beth feels remorse over her behavior and goes back to apologize (with pie).

The two of them form a tentative friendship that evolves into much more. As their relationship develops, they bond over their traumatic pasts. Here's where the story becomes quite intense and dark but ultimately, really meaningful. I don't want to post specifics because I don't want to spoil the story. I'll just say that I've read some reviews that said the ending feels rushed; I didn't really feel that way, but I do agree that the climax of the story is very dramatic. However, within the context of these characters and this story, the resolution is appropriate.

The writing here is so classically Stein. I highlighted a passage on nearly every page. I love the internalization that Beth constantly has--deeply introspective one moment, utterly hilarious the next. Same with Noah. His dialogue with her is so many things at the same time: brutal, considerate, hesitant, giving. Somehow, it all just works.

I can't say enough good things about this book (and all of Stein's books, really). Highly recommended.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I came away with after reading this story is that NO ONE writing likes Charlotte Stein. She just has his unique quality to her writing that gets down deep into her character’s mind and recites details you don’t think are necessary, but become essential to how you feel this book. INTRUSION is the first in the Under the Skin series.

Everything starts out slow in the romance between Noah and Beth. There’s this mysteriousness she adds that makes the reader wonder what kind of hero we are dealing with. Is he a bad boy? A stalker? A psycho? Or just a really shy guy? Noah Gideon Grant definitely comes off as strange at first, but Beth coaxes him out of his seclusion and somehow a romance blooms between them. It’s a strange and wondrous thing to witness as Stein unfolds layers and layers of her characters to the reader. You feel like you’re peeking in and Stein’s first person narration adds to that feeling.

INTRUSION is a little dark and a whole lot of sexy. You can always count of Stein to write something different, but alluring. I’m definitely excited to read the others in this sizzling hot series.

*ARC provided by publisher

Read my alternate review at Fresh Fiction

[CeCe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never heard of this author before, but picked it up because it was a bit of mystery and it had romance. Glad I gave it a chance. I loved the beginning. The way Beth approached Noah, the way Noah approached Beth, and then how their friendship started. Noah is the neighbor everyone has made up rumors about...that he killed his wife, that he is crazy just because no one has ever really seen him leave his house. But Beth's dog has run off and she thinks Noah stole him. She marches to his house demanding her dog back only to realize, he never took her dog. She apologizes and then she thinks it is all over until the next night Noah sleepwalks to her driveway. Beth wakes him up and then the story begins. Who is Noah? Why does he sleepwalk? Why does he only want a friendship? Why can't he be intimate with anyone? Why has he stayed locked in his house for years? I love stories about men who have secrets but turn out to be the best type of protective heroes.

I loved all the questions...I loved the mystery and OMG was there steam. The kiss and the "touching" was hot.

I read it in one sitting. It was a good read.