Review: Bachelor Unleashed by Brenda Jackson

This latest novel from the pen of acclaimed writer Brenda Jackson is due for release in November, 2010. Ms Jackson has over 70 titles to her credit and has proven that her writing expertise and creativity have not waned over the years.

This is a wonderful love story about two well-educated, highly intelligent and personable people who have been severly wounded in the "Love Wars." Each had given their full love and devotion to a person who was unworthy and both had decided that they would never again allow themselves to be placed in such a hurtful situation. So now Xavier Kane and Farrah Langley have been in a torrid love affair having met through mutual friends. Both of them have made a point of finding physical satisfaction in brief affairs in the past. However, their affair has gone on for nearly a year and Farrah has now decided to call it quits. She was beginning to feel way too comfortable with Xavier, even to the point of thinking about him more than she wanted to, looking forward to his visits more than she wanted to, and beginning to fear that the walls around her heart were in danger of weakening. Xavier accepted her decision, even though he didn't necessarily agree with it. He knew that she had been terribly hurt by a husband who was unfaithful and who had a child with someone else while denying her the child she wanted. He wanted her to have complete control over her personal life so he acquiesed.

Six months later they literally and physically bumped into each other in a New York City shop. Both of them were there on business. Just those few minutes made them realize that their mutual attraction hadn't lessened, and over the next several days they had more than ample opportunity to realize the truth that they still might want to resume their affair. What Farrah didn't realize is that Xavier wanted more than just an extended affair with her and he was determined to get the whole package, marriage included.

My sense is that as erotic as their encounters may be, these two people are learning the futility of trying to keep their emotions out of the intimacy equation. The betrayal of their trust with their ex's kept them apart and their insistence on keeping their relationship purely physical was becoming more difficult to maintain. Farrah was being reminded often by her best friend that she was unfairly judging all men by her ex-husband. And Xavier was becoming aware that his feelings for Farrah--just the pure truth that he missed her--were beyond the need for an occasional tryst.

Ms Jackson has written a story that surely resonates with all those who have loved and lost, especially by being betrayed by the person they trusted the most. Those kinds of wounds don't heal quickly and often don't heal well. The fear of being re-injured can be quite overwhelming and it seems that's the case with both these people, especially Farrah. This is a novel about loving and trusting, about hurt and betrayal, about fear of the future as well as the fear of being close to another human being. Yet throughout this story there is the sense that both Xavier and Farrah really want to move beyond being stuck in this emotional impasse. Their attachment to each other, in spite of six months apart, seems to testify to this.

So, romance fiction fans, here's a great story for you. I think you'll like both these good people because they are real, human, flawed as are all of us, authentic in sharing their feelings at times and not sharing them at others. It is a novel that will keep your interest and perhaps encourage all of us to work very hard to be faithful to those we love. It is just a very, very good read! I give this novel a rating of 4.75 out of 5.