Review & Giveaway: Owning Violet by Monica Murphy

Owning Violet (The Fowler Sisters #1) by Monica Murphy

Publication Date: December 2nd by Bantam

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy begins a sexy new contemporary romance series—perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emma Chase—that introduces three sisters born to wealth, raised to succeed, ready to love, destined to make waves.

I’ve moved through life doing what’s expected of me. I’m the middle daughter, the dutiful daughter. The one who braved a vicious attack and survived. The one who devoted herself to her family’s business empire. The one who met an ambitious man and fell in love. We were going to run Fleur Cosmetics together, Zachary and I.

Until he got a promotion and left me in the dust. Maybe it’s for the best, between his disloyalty and his wandering eye. But another man was waiting for me. Wanting me. He too has an overwhelming thirst for success, just like Zachary—perhaps even more so. He’s also ruthless. And mysterious. I know nothing about Ryder McKay beyond that he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

One stolen moment, a kiss, a touch . . . and I’m hooked. Ryder’s like a powerful drug, and I’m an addict who doesn’t want to be cured. He tells me his intentions aren’t pure, and I believe him. For once, I don’t care. I’m willing to risk everything just to be with him. Including my heart. My soul.

My everything.

My Thoughts:

Ryder sees Violet and wants.  He wants to steal her away from her cheating, dirtbag boyfriend, Zachery, who also happens to be his chief competition at Fleur Cosmetics. With Violet being one of the three heiresses’ to Fleur Cosmetics and an influential executive in her own right, she holds a lot of promise to someone like Ryder. Pilar his “friend” (if you can call a pit viper a friend), and sometimes lover wants to crush and devastate Violet so she can take her place in the company.  So they come up with a plan to achieve their goals.

Violet is the “good” daughter always doing what’s expected and never causing embarrassment. She’s worked hard to get where she is and she hopes to run Fleur Cosmetics with her boyfriend Zachary someday even though his faithfulness has come into question from time to time.  Yet, when Zachary’s latest dalliance pushes things too far, Violet finally has enough.  Waiting on the sidelines to swoop in is Ryder.  Violet thinks he’s a self-serving arrogant man, but Ryder is seductive and seems completely focused on Violet.  She can’t help resist his charms or the fiery attraction simmering between them.

Owning Violet was a romance reminiscent of Cruel Intentions with two people scheming to seduce, humiliate or scam another leaving them broken in the end.  However, I never felt Ryder came off as cruel and he never desired to humiliate Violet, although Pilar did. He did plan on using Violet to forward his own agenda and career.  But Ryder lusted after her even before he had designs to use her:

There’s just something about her shy, reserved personality that drives me out of my fucking mind. That makes me want to drive her out of her fucking mind.

 All his bad intentions took a back seat after Violet let him in.  It seemed Ryder was more beguiled and bewitched by her than the other way around for a lot of the book.

I did like Violet, but at times I had a hard time respecting her.  She knew her boyfriend had cheated on her and she ignored it, even wanted to eventually marry him after knowing this!

Rumors swirl that there are other women. I'm not stupid. I have my suspicions. They might have even been confirmed once or twice. But when we're engaged, when we're married...
That will change. It has to.

Wake up and smell the coffee, Violet! Thankfully, that didn’t last long, but she still had bouts of poor judgment, IMO that made it hard for me to truly connect with her. Also, I wished for more of a cerebral connection between Ryder and Violet instead of a mostly physical one. Still, it was a very hot romance.

Monica Murphy excels at writing steamy, all-consuming romances, Violet and Ryder’s was no exception. They both were caught up by their intense attraction making for some sizzling scenes!  Pilar seems to be the villain in this series so I wonder how things will play out with her in the next book: Stealing Rose which focuses on Violet’s younger sister, Rose.

3.5 Suns

Connect with Monica Murphy:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The wonderful people at Sullivan and Partners have generously provided a Paperback Copy of Owning Violet to one Waves of Fiction follower.  Restricted to US or Canadian Residents.  Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.  Good luck!

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