REVIEW: Sweet as Sin by Inez Kelley

Author: Inez Kelley

Pages: ebook (104,200 words)

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Carina Press

AMAZON: Sweet as Sin

Synopsis (Goodreads)

John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he's driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.

Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won't lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she's as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?

REVIEW: 4 out of 5 stars

John Murphy is tormented by nightmares of a very tortured past and has not healed from the brutality of what he had to endure at the hands of his step-father. He is a successful Young Adult author who uses his writing as an outlet for his own personal demons. John has built a wall around his heart and is not looking for permanence in any relationship.

I loved John & his new next door neighbor, Livvy’s initial meeting – he is cocky and confident and oozes sex appeal, he makes his feeling known from up front; he is keen on a summer fling but there will be nothing more.

Livvy is a pastry chef, owing and running her own business, she is attracted to her new neighbor but longs for marriage, the white picket fence and children something she doesn’t see in her bad boy neighbor but agrees to spend some time with him.

The chemistry between John and Livvy was scorching hot and sensual; Livvy really fell for John in such a short period of time and even during the times where he tried to push her away, she pushed back and stuck by his side.

Kelley has written a very powerful story that certainly tugged at the heart strings; I was devastated and shocked by what John had to go through as a child. He was a protector and what he was told was ingrained into who he believes he actually is, not deserving of love or affection. On top of the emotional story, she adds a strong dose of sexual tension that keeps the desire high with each turn of the page.

I enjoyed the secondary characters, Livvy’s sister Andrea and her fiancé Tow had a nice story of there own as did John’s sister Gwen, her husband Pete and their loveable children – although what they were going through was distressing, it was believable. Even policeman Leo played a nice little role.

I loved the glimpse we have in the book excerpts of the characters John writes about; he is the Master of Monsters and it was a nice insight into his mind and haunted past.

John wasn’t the most loveable hero, at times he was a real b@stard to Livvy and certainly crossed the line on a number of occasions, but his pain was believable so I let his more hurtful insults pass. He recognized he was a sufferer of PTSD and finally sought the help he needed to go forward in a relationship with Livvy; it was a satisfying HEA.

This story grabbed me from the beginning and held my attention. It was clever and original and I loved Ms Kelley’s writing style. The characters were complex, likeable and well developed.

I look forward to reading more by this wonderful author.