Surrender

Surrender, by Lora Leigh (book one in the bound hearts series)
Published by Ellora's cave
Grade: B

About the book: Cole has wanted Tess for years. And he's warned her of this several times. He's also warned her HOW he wants her. Tied down in his bed, under his domination, surrendering to his desires...

I finally started to read the Bound Hearts series. I was going to wait and read the whole series one book right after the other and then do one big review. But a then I read a real shitty book that put me in a bad mood. I decided that some steamy Lora Leigh is just the thing I needed to make me happy.

Tess knows Cole because his sister is married to her dad. For 2 years he has flirted with her, and she has been lippy to him. She also had the hots for him, but she was a bit jealous about all the women he would have hanging off him.

Her step mother, who is named Missy, and is slightly ditzy has a yearly Valentines day party. Tess's dad makes her promise that she will attend the party. She leaves to spend a week in her childhood home with her dad, but she does it knowing that her mother does not approve. Ella doesn't want Tess spending time with her dad. She tried to guilt trip Tess, but Tess just wants to get away. She is tired of her mother trying to control her all the time.

She arrives at her fathers house and she finds that her dad and Missy are away for the week. Cole is there though, and for 7 days it will be just the two of them. He convinces her to trust him with her body. In true Lora Leigh fashion, it's very very hot.

Tess' mother walks in at the end of a menage with Cole and his best friend and she flips out. She calls Tess a whore, tries to make her leave and then disowns her daughter. See, Tess' mother left her husband because she could not handle his sexual urges. She calls him depraved and blames him for corrupting Tess. I liked Tess' dad. He takes her aside and explains that anything she does in her bedroom is her own business. I know it sounds odd that the dad knows what she is doing with Colee, but it's very innocent. He simply respects her enough as an adult to know what she wants, and he supports her.

My favourite scene is some lovely phone sex early on in chapter two, plus the very end when Tessa has a heart to heart with her step mother.

Even though the cover looks like that, the BDSM is very light. I actually wouldn't consider it BDSM at all. Also, the menage was not mentioned on EC sales page, so it was a nice surprise.