Jackie Ashenden’s Living in Secret is an erotic exploration of a marriage in trouble and the third story in the author’s New Zealand set Forbidden Desires series. Connor and Victoria have been separated for a year and are on the verge of divorce but Connor can’t make himself sign the papers, despite the fact that the illusion of happiness in their marriage has been shattered. But one night in the presence of his soon-to-be ex-wife shatters his reserve when she shows up at a party as a sexy, sultry woman he doesn’t recognize. And when he sees her flirting with another man, Connor’s plans change. He wants one week of this woman, the one he’s never seen before, and then he’ll agree to the divorce. But once they’ve had a taste of the passion hidden from each other for so long, will they be able to go their separate ways?
If there is one thing I’ve come to expect from this author, it’s that she has a no holds barred approach to pulling the reader in from the start and presenting them with a tense, emotional, erotic journey from the first page onward. Connor and Victoria are so not perfect for each other in the guises they presented in their marriage, but now that it’s almost over, their true selves are coming to the forefront and the sexual attraction they feel for each other as this happens threatens to overwhelm them both. Their first time together post-separation happens with a third party, sexy handsome Raphael, who understands his role is to be an extra serving to buffer Connor and Victoria as they realize what they’ve been missing all this time.
The sex scenes are explosive and riveting as the couple falls into roles they never would have don before in their marriage. Connor gives as good as Victoria takes, though she ultimately has the power in the decision of staying or going in their week-long quest to get each other out of their systems and move on. They both have secrets that prevented them from fully engaging in their marriage but somehow, in this new and fragile peace they’ve established, they have the trust finally needed to open their souls to each other thus establishing a new and much better relationship than before. When their week of satiation is complete, the decision to move forward with the divorce or back into each other’s arms is not taken lightly by either party, but suffice it to say the happy ending is worth the wait. Living in Secret is one of those stories that will keep you engaged into the wee hours of the night and leave you fully satisfied. I highly recommend it and the others in the Forbidden Desires for readers who enjoy intense erotic romances.
The audiobook is how I discovered it. The copy I have (from Audible) doesn’t have text chapter names, however -…
The audiobook has great narrators, too, Kale Williams and Joel Leslie.
Agreed. And it’s why I’ve stopped reading so many historical mystery series – the couples got together in book 3…
See my note above that for me it is about the relationship rather than the mysteries. Thomas’ Holmes series relationship…
I agree that most series fizzle. There are very few I’ve managed to hang in with for more than 6…
The audiobook version of the anthology is still available, though.
Maria Rose
I'm a biochemist and a married mother of two. Reading has been my hobby since grade school, and I've been a fan of the romance genre since I was a teenager. Sharing my love of good books by writing reviews is a recent passion of mine, but one which is richly rewarding.
Recent Comments …
The audiobook is how I discovered it. The copy I have (from Audible) doesn’t have text chapter names, however -…
The audiobook has great narrators, too, Kale Williams and Joel Leslie.
Agreed. And it’s why I’ve stopped reading so many historical mystery series – the couples got together in book 3…
See my note above that for me it is about the relationship rather than the mysteries. Thomas’ Holmes series relationship…
I agree that most series fizzle. There are very few I’ve managed to hang in with for more than 6…
The audiobook version of the anthology is still available, though.