Review & Giveaway:Big Easy Temptation by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

Big Easy Temptation (The Perfect Gentlemen #3) by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake

Publication Date: May 3rd 2016 by Berkely

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

The New York Times bestselling authors of the Masters of Ménage series present the third scintillating novel featuring the privileged, wealthy, wild men of Creighton Academy—the Perfect Gentlemen.

Years ago, Naval officer Dax Spencer and NCIS agent Holland Kirk indulged in a steamy affair—until she betrayed him in the wake of his father’s death. Dax tried to put her behind him with a payback of his own. But he never forgot Holland…

Now, as Dax and his fellow Perfect Gentlemen unravel a web of lies, he discovers his family’s tragedy is part of a much larger conspiracy. Soon, all clues point him back to New Orleans…where Holland waits, protecting her deadly secret and holding a torch for the only man she’s ever loved.

Once reunited, they can’t fight the passion flaring hot and wild. But something sinister lurks around every corner, from the elegance of the Garden district to the beauty of the bayou. Dax and Holland may find their way back to each other—if they survive...

My Thoughts:

Big Easy Temptation is the third in The Perfect Gentlemen series, and it seems I’m a little more invested with each book!  Shayla Black and Lexi Blake have created an addictive and intense series, and I just loved this installment!  This is very much a second chance romance, one of my favorite kinds.  The first half takes up back to the past where Dax and Holland fall hopelessly for each other.  Their love is not the kind a person finds twice. Holland is the one for Dax, has been since the day he set eyes on her, and she feels the same for him, but things go horribly wrong, when a bigger conspiracy comes into play.

Now, present day, there’s so much hurt from betrayal is between Holland and Dax.  The passage of three years hasn’t dulled the intensity of their feelings, even if hurt and anger is primarily between them when they meet up again.  They’re thrown together again when Dax returns to reopen his father’s suicide scandal with new evidence. 

This series opened with the murder of one of the “Perfect Gentlemen”, Mad Crawford, in the first book and the conspiracy behind his death and how it’s connected to Zack, the current President, and one of the “Gentlemen”, is a continuing story arc throughout the series with each book taking us a little further into the mystery.  But at the center of each book is a romance for one of the “Perfect Gentlemen” and this installment was Dax’s turn to find his way back to his one and only true love.  Boy, Dax really screwed up three years ago! That’s not to say that I couldn’t understand how he did what he did, but some first class groveling was in order!  I was hurt and pissed for Holland’s sake even though she had a hand in how thing played out, but she sacrificed everything for Dax! No worries because when we return to the present things are almost immediately cleared up and Dax realized what he did and how he felt was a major F-up on his part! Now Dax is determined to win Holland back and never let her go again.

I’m not into super angsty romances, but this didn’t go over the top for me. Yes, my heart hurt for both of them, but this just made me yearn for them to work out even more!  I loved the intensity of their emotions and passion for each other!  Their intimate time together was desperate and so very HOT! 

The danger from their investigation puts them Holland and Dax in harm’s way and so there is much more going on than just the romance. They have the back up of the Gentlemen, and I was thrilled to see Connor and Lara again, along with crazy-conspiracy-theory-Freddy, as well. The mystery behind Dax’s father’s suicide is cleared up by the end, but the continuing mystery is still unfolding.

The end reunites all the "Gentlemen" and I wanted to smack Zack for what he’s doing to “protect” Liz! I can’t wait for Augustine, “Gus” to find out and kick him where it counts! But I think I'll have to wait for Zack and Liz's story because I think Roman and Augustine are up next. I can’t wait!

4.5 Suns

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The lovely people of Berkley provided a Paperback Copy of Big Easy Temptation to one Waves of Fiction follow.  Simply fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win.  Giveaway is open to US and CA residents only.

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