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Lightning Crashes #1
Temptation
Broke and widowed, Rachel Ferrer has already lost so much that when her tarot reading roommate pulls The Tower card, Rachel isn’t phased. What are upheaval and chaos when the worst had already happened? When Rachel’s late husband’s childhood best friend, Nicolas, reappears in her life and brings a handsome friend along with him, Rachel forgets the cards. She takes a chance on Blake even though she can’t stop thinking about Nicolas. It isn’t settling if the person you want is married, right?
Nicolas Rivera has always been a man of faith. His marriage and his job at the church have been his pillars, but when the foundations of both begin to crumble, doubt and a forbidden attraction tempt him to seek comfort in the one woman he shouldn’t go anywhere near.
Nicolas and Rachel have been on the periphery of each other’s lives for years, but as circumstances push them together, lightning crackles between them. Will they be able to resist the electricity or will they get burned by Temptation?
Temptation is the first volume of The Lightning Crashes Duet. Volume one is a slow-burn forbidden romance that ends on a cliffhanger. Volume 2, Absolution, will be available April 20th, 2021, complete with all the happily ever afters.
Nicolas Rivera has always been a man of faith. His marriage and his job at the church have been his pillars, but when the foundations of both begin to crumble, doubt and a forbidden attraction tempt him to seek comfort in the one woman he shouldn’t go anywhere near.
Nicolas and Rachel have been on the periphery of each other’s lives for years, but as circumstances push them together, lightning crackles between them. Will they be able to resist the electricity or will they get burned by Temptation?
Temptation is the first volume of The Lightning Crashes Duet. Volume one is a slow-burn forbidden romance that ends on a cliffhanger. Volume 2, Absolution, will be available April 20th, 2021, complete with all the happily ever afters.
Unknown Binding
First published March 23, 2021
114 people want to read
About the author
Marla Holt
28 books175 followersMarla Holt believes in second chances, romance, and the radical notion that everyone deserves a happily every after. She's living her own fairy tale, writing contemporary romance novels in her Kansas farmhouse with her husband, three boys, three cats, and flock of imaginary sheep. Follow her at marlaholt.com or on Instagram as @marlaholtauthor
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 24, 2021
A Forbidden Romance Done PERFECTLY
Marla Holt does it again, and she deserves ALL THE STARS. With the perfect balance of angst, romance, forbidden attraction, and a bevy of realistic and relatable inner battles, Temptation is a groundbreaking book that defies genre expectations in the best of ways.
Temptation was my most anticipated read of 2021, and saying it did NOT disappoint is the understatement of the year. This is my third time reading this book (thanks to the author for the advance copy), and every time I find more things to love about it. I’ve had the worst book hangover since my first read. These characters and their story just would not let me go.
Rachel Ferrer was a complex, interesting character with a heartbreaking backstory and an adorable son. Her husband passed five years ago, and Rachel hasn’t found her way out of the grief quite yet. Her journey to taking her first steps out of that was highlighted in this book, and I was cheering her on every step of the way.
But as much as she tries to — and as much as she swears she’ll never act on it — she cannot deny her attraction to Nicholas, her late husband’s childhood best friend who also happens to be 1. married and 2. a preacher at the church she attended as a young adult. The church where her mother attends and that Rachel swears she’ll never set foot in again.
Nicholas is on his own personal journey through some soul-crushing circumstances, and watching him work through those issues was both relatable and gut-wrenching. So many times I just wanted to reach through the pages and give him a hug.
And let’s talk about SEXUAL TENSION. This book has it in spades. Rachel and Nicholas’ lightning-bolt attraction sparks on the page. Nicholas is dreamy, and you just know they would burn each other to ashes in the best way possible if given the chance.
Throughout the book, the constant pull of “will they/won’t they” and the unfolding of the main relationships in the story — set in a brilliant examination of the fundamentalist evangelical church — draws you in and keeps you turning the page well into the night. And the cliffhanger — AMAZING. I’m not usually one for cliffhangers, but I couldn’t imagine the book ending any other way.
If you love the thrill of forbidden romance and crave a gut-wrenching, emotional read, you NEED Temptation in your life. Trust me.
Marla Holt does it again, and she deserves ALL THE STARS. With the perfect balance of angst, romance, forbidden attraction, and a bevy of realistic and relatable inner battles, Temptation is a groundbreaking book that defies genre expectations in the best of ways.
Temptation was my most anticipated read of 2021, and saying it did NOT disappoint is the understatement of the year. This is my third time reading this book (thanks to the author for the advance copy), and every time I find more things to love about it. I’ve had the worst book hangover since my first read. These characters and their story just would not let me go.
Rachel Ferrer was a complex, interesting character with a heartbreaking backstory and an adorable son. Her husband passed five years ago, and Rachel hasn’t found her way out of the grief quite yet. Her journey to taking her first steps out of that was highlighted in this book, and I was cheering her on every step of the way.
But as much as she tries to — and as much as she swears she’ll never act on it — she cannot deny her attraction to Nicholas, her late husband’s childhood best friend who also happens to be 1. married and 2. a preacher at the church she attended as a young adult. The church where her mother attends and that Rachel swears she’ll never set foot in again.
Nicholas is on his own personal journey through some soul-crushing circumstances, and watching him work through those issues was both relatable and gut-wrenching. So many times I just wanted to reach through the pages and give him a hug.
And let’s talk about SEXUAL TENSION. This book has it in spades. Rachel and Nicholas’ lightning-bolt attraction sparks on the page. Nicholas is dreamy, and you just know they would burn each other to ashes in the best way possible if given the chance.
Throughout the book, the constant pull of “will they/won’t they” and the unfolding of the main relationships in the story — set in a brilliant examination of the fundamentalist evangelical church — draws you in and keeps you turning the page well into the night. And the cliffhanger — AMAZING. I’m not usually one for cliffhangers, but I couldn’t imagine the book ending any other way.
If you love the thrill of forbidden romance and crave a gut-wrenching, emotional read, you NEED Temptation in your life. Trust me.
March 4, 2021
I loved Nicolas and Rachel’s characters so much!
Both were the kindest of people faced with such conflicting emotions. Trying to do the right thing by everyone else but by doing so, left them longing and miserable to a point.
This is one of those stories where although I can’t relate to their struggles, I could still feel so much emotion and compassion for them.
The emotional angst was intense and I mean literally had me on edge, especially at the end.
I hate cliffhangers but I completely loved this story and desperately want the next book now. I so badly want the HEA for them both!
Both were the kindest of people faced with such conflicting emotions. Trying to do the right thing by everyone else but by doing so, left them longing and miserable to a point.
This is one of those stories where although I can’t relate to their struggles, I could still feel so much emotion and compassion for them.
The emotional angst was intense and I mean literally had me on edge, especially at the end.
I hate cliffhangers but I completely loved this story and desperately want the next book now. I so badly want the HEA for them both!
March 23, 2021
Oh, this book. Oh, my heart.
The author clearly cared for the former very much, and the latter not at all. (I kid.)
Temptation is real. Raw. Beautiful. Hard. Hopeful. Every connection between characters, between events, is deep and layered.
Rachel is grief personified. Uprooted and not growing. A too-young widow and single-mother who doesn't know she needs the deep connection she lost. Nicolas is ... tortured. Everything that can go wrong for him does. And it hurts, as as a reader. Blake is shiny and sweet - but he's more than that. Kat is a MESS. She's a life snuffed out yet still walking. Naomi is a breeze that can lift them up or knock them down.
The cliffhanger will steal your breath, but you don't have to wait long. The author has promised a happily ever after, and she's never let me down before.
The author clearly cared for the former very much, and the latter not at all. (I kid.)
Temptation is real. Raw. Beautiful. Hard. Hopeful. Every connection between characters, between events, is deep and layered.
Rachel is grief personified. Uprooted and not growing. A too-young widow and single-mother who doesn't know she needs the deep connection she lost. Nicolas is ... tortured. Everything that can go wrong for him does. And it hurts, as as a reader. Blake is shiny and sweet - but he's more than that. Kat is a MESS. She's a life snuffed out yet still walking. Naomi is a breeze that can lift them up or knock them down.
The cliffhanger will steal your breath, but you don't have to wait long. The author has promised a happily ever after, and she's never let me down before.
March 23, 2021
This book is definitely a page turner. I love the characters and can't wait for the next series .
March 22, 2021
Real people. Real issues. Real hypocrisy. Completely heartrending. This layered read gives such true-to-life treatment of human nature and relationships.
Nicolas was having a crisis of faith he didn’t even recognize until every facet of his life started to slowly unravel. Including his marriage, as his wife, Kat, had long since withdrawn due to her own mysterious issues.
Rachel didn’t realize how much she’d closed herself off after the death of her husband until two different men pulled at her, each in their own way. Nicolas and her husband were childhood friends that shared many similarities, but the draw she has to him now has its own forbidden flavor. On the other hand, Nicolas’s best friend, Blake, is sweet and disarming, and may be more than just the average fling.
All four will face temptations. And when some of them give in, it will affect all their lives. Complex and well-woven, this story hits you right between the eyes. With a twist I saw coming, yet was no less earth shattering, this is the start of what I hope is an overcome-all-to-find-HEA tale. Because lordy my heart couldn’t handle anything else. Such a great first part and I’m more than ready to dive into book two!
Nicolas was having a crisis of faith he didn’t even recognize until every facet of his life started to slowly unravel. Including his marriage, as his wife, Kat, had long since withdrawn due to her own mysterious issues.
Rachel didn’t realize how much she’d closed herself off after the death of her husband until two different men pulled at her, each in their own way. Nicolas and her husband were childhood friends that shared many similarities, but the draw she has to him now has its own forbidden flavor. On the other hand, Nicolas’s best friend, Blake, is sweet and disarming, and may be more than just the average fling.
All four will face temptations. And when some of them give in, it will affect all their lives. Complex and well-woven, this story hits you right between the eyes. With a twist I saw coming, yet was no less earth shattering, this is the start of what I hope is an overcome-all-to-find-HEA tale. Because lordy my heart couldn’t handle anything else. Such a great first part and I’m more than ready to dive into book two!
April 1, 2021
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Oh wow that was a really interesting story! When I read the introduction part where the author explained some things, she mentioned that this book should be approached with an open mind because it kinda has cheating. I will be honest. This didn't disappoint me because I like dark and intense books and also I am generally a very open minded person so things that would possibly trigger other people..won't trigger me.
So, when I was reading about the feelings and the lust between Nicolas and Rachel it didn't bother me. Nicolas is married with Kat and Rachel is a widow who now dates Nicola's best friend, Blake.
Rachel and Nicolas though know each other from the past and when they meet after some time they realize that there are feelings between them. Intense feelings that they both subdue because of their "mates".
Nicolas is really struggling with his wedding and Kat, and that's not an excuse to "allow" him to cheat. The man really struggled. And it was really difficult for me to read this part because i wanted him just to take a divorse and move on. Although with two kids and him having a place in his church this isn't an easy solution.
Anyway! This ends in a huge twist and a cliffhanger but I'm so happy that the end of the story will be released next month 🙈 This story gave me all the feels and I loved reading it. 🖤
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Oh wow that was a really interesting story! When I read the introduction part where the author explained some things, she mentioned that this book should be approached with an open mind because it kinda has cheating. I will be honest. This didn't disappoint me because I like dark and intense books and also I am generally a very open minded person so things that would possibly trigger other people..won't trigger me.
So, when I was reading about the feelings and the lust between Nicolas and Rachel it didn't bother me. Nicolas is married with Kat and Rachel is a widow who now dates Nicola's best friend, Blake.
Rachel and Nicolas though know each other from the past and when they meet after some time they realize that there are feelings between them. Intense feelings that they both subdue because of their "mates".
Nicolas is really struggling with his wedding and Kat, and that's not an excuse to "allow" him to cheat. The man really struggled. And it was really difficult for me to read this part because i wanted him just to take a divorse and move on. Although with two kids and him having a place in his church this isn't an easy solution.
Anyway! This ends in a huge twist and a cliffhanger but I'm so happy that the end of the story will be released next month 🙈 This story gave me all the feels and I loved reading it. 🖤
March 21, 2021
WOW! Though the author’s warning had me prepared to hate these characters and storyline, I found I could not do so. They garnered my compassion and reluctant understanding instead. Their emotional conflicts and struggles are sometimes difficult and heartrending to read about, but I found that I could not put this book down. Part slow burn romance, part emotional upheaval and disillusionment, and part self-discovery, this book was utterly captivating. The cliff hanger ending was upsetting, but I can’t wait to read the next book.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
March 7, 2021
This is a story that begged to be told - Nicholas and Rachel have both gone through hell in their lives in very different ways because of the church thwy were both raised in. You get a front row seat as Nicholas gets more disillusioned with the one thing in his life that had been a constant. The church let Rachel down in an entirely different way, which causes her to distance herself, even after a tragedy that sends her and her young son back to the on she grew up in. This book has everything: Amazing character development, topics that are often sensitive for people are handled with care without being patronizing, throw in a tarot reading best friend and you have yourself a book that draws you in and makes you think. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.
March 29, 2021
So I had a bombshell dropped on me 2 days after Temptation came out. I had originally planned on waiting until Absolution came out so I could get right to that HEA but I ended up needing a cathartic crisis of faith and self.
I grew up in a non-denominational church that could be the church in this story. Like, all my visuals in this story were from my old church. I know what it was like to be an outcast for not looking the part, acting the part of the perfect Christian family. Rachel perfectly epitomizes that feeling of on the outside looking in.
Holt did an excellent job of building up yet blindsiding the reader with the climax and I cannot wait for Absolution to come out.
I grew up in a non-denominational church that could be the church in this story. Like, all my visuals in this story were from my old church. I know what it was like to be an outcast for not looking the part, acting the part of the perfect Christian family. Rachel perfectly epitomizes that feeling of on the outside looking in.
Holt did an excellent job of building up yet blindsiding the reader with the climax and I cannot wait for Absolution to come out.
March 10, 2021
This book is just, gah, so damn good! Even when I was pissed at a character, I still couldn’t wait to see what happened next - a testament to Holt’s ability to draw the reader in. Holt has a knack for taking controversial topics and deftly weaving them in to solid plots filled with wonderfully nuanced characters. This sexy, slow burn of a book is my favorite contemporary romance Ive read to date. I cannot recommend it enough.
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March 23, 2021It's live! Temptation is out and in the world. You can read it and become just as obsessed with these characters as I've been for the last seven months.
April 18, 2021
I loved this book!! It was a bit from the norm of what I read ( a lot of story involves a church, the people of the church and some religion).
It's something I deal with personally as I can relate religiously to Rachel, our main female character. As there's a big part of a part of my family where religion is as important as it is for Nicholas, the main male character and his group from the church in the the book.
Rachel and Nicolas were both very kind people who have been dealt a hard hand in life. They faced conflicting emotions throughout the whole book. They keep trying to do everything to try to make the people in their lives happy, but leaving themselves miserable.
I realized after reading the book, that I think my life with my family that has such a stronger connection to their church is the reason I almost DNF'd the book, which for me would be a first with one of Marlas books. I knew she wrote it so it had to have more to it that I would connect to to keep reading on and I did and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I would like to thank Marla Holt for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely love her writing and will continue reading her.
It's something I deal with personally as I can relate religiously to Rachel, our main female character. As there's a big part of a part of my family where religion is as important as it is for Nicholas, the main male character and his group from the church in the the book.
Rachel and Nicolas were both very kind people who have been dealt a hard hand in life. They faced conflicting emotions throughout the whole book. They keep trying to do everything to try to make the people in their lives happy, but leaving themselves miserable.
I realized after reading the book, that I think my life with my family that has such a stronger connection to their church is the reason I almost DNF'd the book, which for me would be a first with one of Marlas books. I knew she wrote it so it had to have more to it that I would connect to to keep reading on and I did and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I would like to thank Marla Holt for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely love her writing and will continue reading her.
April 12, 2021
First, the title says it all. What happens when life sucks and temptation strikes? Do you stray from your morals or do you hold fast? It’s never that easy because there are too many shades of gray in between. The characters are real, honest, struggling people trying to find their own path even though they are so intertwined.
I can say, I haven’t disliked a character as strongly as I did in this story in a long time. I’m not going to ruin it for you by divulging the name. I just don’t understand how they could be so immature in their actions/decisions. But I can say, if Marla writes a book about this character I would jump right in because I want to know WHY they acted the way they did.
This is a story that stays with you. Makes you think. Ponder what if’s. This is not a sunshine and rainbows romance. It is heartfelt and painful & I whole heartedly recommend.
I can say, I haven’t disliked a character as strongly as I did in this story in a long time. I’m not going to ruin it for you by divulging the name. I just don’t understand how they could be so immature in their actions/decisions. But I can say, if Marla writes a book about this character I would jump right in because I want to know WHY they acted the way they did.
This is a story that stays with you. Makes you think. Ponder what if’s. This is not a sunshine and rainbows romance. It is heartfelt and painful & I whole heartedly recommend.
March 11, 2021
Temptation was a surprising read. At first, it seemed to drag with a ton of narration, yet just before the second part, it started to pick up steam. The author's use of imagery and other descriptions helped to create vivid pictures of the scenes and helped to create a melancholic and pensive tone. The editing could have been better: wear vs where; your vs you're and others throughout the book. I liked the foreshadowing that the author used to let us know what was leading up to the resolution. All in all, this was an awesome narrative.
October 27, 2021
This was a really good book. The ending was kinda predictable but I don't care 'cause I still loved it!
July 8, 2021
Totally binge read this in a couple of days. It was like a train wreck I just couldn't look away from. Even though I spent a lot of the book not really liking any of the characters, it was compelling and I just couldn't put it down. You won't like the choices and thoughts the characters have, but stick with it. It's very well written and emotional. Do make sure you have Absolution in hand so you can keep reading when you get done with Temptation. Marla's best book yet!
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