Desire by Cybill Cain

Cybill Cain knows romance, but it goes far beyond that. Her books are so much more than the formulated "boy meets girl, they fall in love, there's a big crisis that gets resolved and they live happily ever after."  Her books are full of drama, suspense, intrigue and shocking surprises. They're gritty, raw, and even a little dark, but they also have a way of laying the reader bare -  deeply emotional, heartbreakingly vulnerable, touched with humor, full of hope, with a soul-deep connection between two people lasting through several lifetimes that we all long for.

Desire is the latest book in the Chimera Club series, all centering on the enigma that is Thomas Meenan. Meenan is the right-hand man to billionaire, James Draven, who has a team of operatives righting wrongs and rescuing innocents. Meenan also has a way of orchestrating things behind the scenes, resulting in his operatives, and even James Draven himself, finding their happily ever after.  This time it's Tony McIntire's story which, for those of us who are Chimara Club fans, has been eagerly anticipated! Desire is the longest of the Chimera Club books to date, but Tony and Mila's story is complex and involved so a little longer book is certainly welcome. It's around 200 pages so it's a quick but compelling read. If Cain didn't already have me under her spell, this book would have hypnotized me fully.

We start with a sexy, tough, charming, handsome hero whose go-to tactic for making women fall at his feet (his physical appearance) fails him when he realizes his target, Mila, is blind.  Refill your drink, grab the popcorn, and settle in for this spectacular show. Here's my five star review.

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Finally, we get Tony's story, and what a story it is!  If you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, Tony is a security employee of James Draven whose immediate supervisor is Draven’s right-hand man, Thomas Meenan.  We got to know Tony in the previous books and found he thought he was in love with the woman who ends up married to Draven. Tony is big, strong, beautiful and cocky, all of which hides his tender heart, so his unrequited love certainly earned my sympathies. Needless to say, between that and the ongoing issues these characters have with the bad guy, Constantine, I was more than ready for this book.

Meenan gives Tony an assignment to get close to Mila Samuels, a music teacher who appears to have distant ties to Sergei Sokolov, a man threatening to release a crippling computer virus on the world who slipped through the fingers of Tony and his fellow operatives. Tony gets a custodial job at the school where Mila teaches, taking extra care with his appearance, the thing he uses to his advantage most often with the opposite sex, only to discover that Mila lost her sight when she was six years old. Time for a Plan B, but Tony didn’t account for the intense chemistry and soul-deep connection he and Mila would have from the very start.

There is so much that happens in this book, but if you haven’t read the other books, the author does a good job of providing critical information so you get the big picture. The suspense, intrigue, drama and convoluted connections are shocking and intense, so it’s a story that will easily grab your attention as it takes you on a wild ride. This, along with a mean girl subplot, offers a little humor and plenty of “holy carp!” moments.  And while the book doesn’t really end with a cliffhanger, the epilogue certainly whets the appetite for more. Who am I kidding? I still want to find a way to sneak into the author's computer and start reading the next book NOW! All I can say is that things are about to get really interesting and Meenan better watch his back.

I would be remiss to not discuss the relationship between Tony and Mila, because, as fantastic as all the drama and suspense is, this is the place where the author really excels. She gives enigmatic hints about the main characters’ growth, change and self-actualization that is to come, but every interaction between Mila and Tony has an emotional component that keeps building, getting deeper and stronger with each scene. It’s as complex as it is subtle, and I have yet to be able to break it down and identify the steps of the process, but the end product is something that grabs the reader, gripping her heart, imprinting her soul and making her live every emotion these two characters experience.  If this is erotic romance, then give me more, because this is so far beyond physical intimacy. It’s the soul deep connection between two people, the finally finding  “the one,” and two people becoming so much more together than they ever were alone.  It perfectly illustrates that “it” we’re all really looking for in a relationship, and it speaks to the reader's heart so softly and gently that it’s deafening.

If you haven’t read Cybill Cain, you’re missing out on some of the best emotive literature out there. Her books will leave their mark on you and her characters will forever live in your heart. I can’t urge you strongly enough to grab this book! This is one that will stay with you, and you’ll find yourself hungry for more from this series.
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The other books in this series are equally as amazing. These characters will quickly become a part of your heart and you'll be eager for more.  These stories are definitely 18+, so expect a decent heat level, but one that packs a huge emotional punch.  I've listed the other books in order, along with a link to my reviews. Just click on the book title to learn more.

Poker Face (my review)
Escape (my review)
Haunted (failed to post a review, but this is Stacy's story, a beautiful second chance romance)
Delicious (my review)
All the Colors of My Heart (my review)
Roped - coming June 21, 2018!

You can learn more about Cybill Cain here, and once you've tried her work, I'd love to know what you think! Until next time, dear reader

Much love between the covers,

BookAddict

(Find my other reviews here.)