One of the series I chanced upon was a recent book that I didn't at first realize was a serial. It was in a really great collection known as "The Alpha's Touch" and which is presently on sale at a great price. I found it on Amazon, of course, and since I recognized some of the authors' names and thought it sounded like a good deal, bought it for a ridiculously low price. What a bargain!! So far all the stories are just delightful--a very good mix of erotic romance, paranormal romance, and everything in between. One of those stories was a serialized novel that was by an author who was new to me and one that I will now be on the look-out for in the future. In addition, I am now waiting for the next segment in this new novel.
His Golden Cuffs sounds like a BDSM novel but the main sense of the novel is anything but. Actually, it is about a proposition made by the hero, Leo, to Anya, a woman with whom he had a loving relationship until about a year prior to the time of the story. Leo had suddenly left Anya at a time when her mother was dying from cancer and she was trying in the worst way to protect her family from the criminal activity of her father with his professional con artist lying--he was one of those guys who are always talking about wonderful investment opportunities that don't really exist. Now he wants Anya for his trophy wife for one year in order to gain the use of her society contacts and to take over her family company with as little trouble as possible. Anya agrees but knows that her heart will be shattered once again when Leo leaves her high and dry at the end of their year together.
It must be terrible to live with someone you know really no longer believes in you. There may be some solid Caveman-type lust involved in the relationship, but how awful to live with the knowledge that the man you once thought loved you was willing to walk away from the relationship without even talking about his questions and doubts.
This is a captivating story and I think almost any reader would be so drawn into the story that there is no question of buying the second installment of this novel. There was no way I was going to just move on without reading the next installment and am now awaiting the third and final installment which will be available in Spring, 2014. This novel is beautifully written, with a very good flow to the story, characters that are well-developed and done in such a way that they come alive, not only in the story but in the reader's imagination.
Yes, those freebies do indeed rope us in and it is just like crack to a reader--who can resist a free book?