Review: Crash Into You by Roni Loren

CRASH INTO YOU by Roni Loren
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Contemporary Erotic
LENGTH: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Berkley Trade (January 3,2012)
ISBN: 9780425245248

Sometimes the past can bring you to your knees...

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger. Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

Where To Find Roni:  Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr(NSFW-seriously)
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository | Powell's | IndieBound | Books-a-Million
Book Extras:  Read Chapter 1

I loved it

REVIEW:
The book is told with every other chapter going back to 10 years before.

THEN:
Brynn LeBreck has had quite a hard life. Her mother comes home bruised, battered and drunk from whatever man she's been with, her baby sister having to witness her mother's behavior. She's taken a job as a receptionist in the campaign office of a soon-to-be senator. On her first day she notices all the girls fawning over the soon-to-be senator's son, Reid Jamison and thinks nothing of he. After all, he's got money, is well connected and everything has been handed to him on a silver platter. What the heck would he want with a girl who would never measure up to his social circle? But want her he does. She's not like all the other girls and this intrigues him.

As the summer goes on, Brynn and Reid become closer, go out on dates and even get caught in an almost inappropriate position in his truck in a field. Reid is being pushed by his aunt and uncle (who have been like a mom and dad to him) to get together with a girl from their social circle. Brynn knows that this thing they have going on won't last. Just a summer thing since, well, she's not really the girl for him. Reid also has a secret which his aunt wants him to bury. He's got a penchant for something deviant. He wants to tie Brynn up and dominate her. His aunt thinks that Reid could end up like his father so he thinks there's something wrong with him for wanting to do that.

Brynn chances upon Reid at his friend Jace's house when he said he had family plans. When she sees the girl that Jace has invited over to help "cure" Reid, Brynn realizes that it's time to get out of their relationship. Reid confesses that there is a darker side to him and Brynn wants to help him with it. At first he refuses to allow her to do so but Brynn pushes him until he takes control.

Brynn finds out that Reid has a girlfriend and this breaks her heart. Here she was, falling for him when all along he's kept this secret from her. The way that she finds out completely broke my heart. It was just horrible.

NOW:
Brynn meets Reid at a fundraiser for The Women's Crisis Center of Dallas where she works. He's agreed to be the new lawyer for the center. From the moment Brynn's boss re-introduces them, faint feelings thought long hidden in the past resurface. She's vowed to feel nothing. This man was the lawyer for the guy who murdered her mother.

Reid is still attracted to Brynn and heaven help him, he wants to do things to her that he did 10 years ago. But he can see that she won't go for it. He soon realizes that maybe there's still something there. She wants him too but is hesitant.

The case of the guy who was sent away for Brynn's mother's murder is innocent and Reid feels it. A call from Brynn's sister saying she found something pertaining to the case brings Brynn and Reid together. After a frantic call from her sister, Brynn arrives at her sister's apartment only to find out that she's not there. Reid saves her from almost getting raped. After seeing Brynn off, looks around, trying to find the evidence that could prove his client not guilty.

Brynn soon learns that her sister may have gone to The Ranch, an invitation only club where the elite can fulfill any sexual fantasy. She decides to infiltrate the club, having had a bit of experience with being a sub, thanks to Reid. With the unwanted help of Reid who has connections, she sets out to find out more. Well, it turns out Reid's "friend" is none other than his buddy Jace. Brynn starts to freak out a bit after Jace tells her what will happen once she gets into the club: she must perform in front of an audience with her chosen Master. She asks if he will be there. He says no.

When Brynn arrives at the club, she is prepped and is introduced to the owner of The Ranch. She freaks out and blurts out that she was raped and the owner, Grant, tells her that she can use the safeword ("Texas") should she feel uncomfortable at any time during the weekend. Brynn knows that she must do this. She must find her sister even if it means giving herself over to a total stranger.

Brynn gets the shock of her life when she chooses her Master. Will she able to put aside old feelings and put on a show long enough to convince everyone that she's there to be a sub and nothing more, or will she rekindle a passion for the man that once broke her heart 10 years ago? And will they finally figure out what really broke them apart? A weekend at The Ranch will reveal secrets long buried and a gasp worthy, omg-omg-omg-I-knew-it-but-not-really-cause-I-only-figured-out-half-of-it ending.

FAVORITE QUOTE: 

The elegantly scrawled sign for Wicked blended in with the upscale shops around it, but its name left no question about the store's purpose. Leave it Reid to fail to mention that the uptown address he'd given her was a sex shop. She sighed. What else would it be? She wasn't exactly applying for membership to the PTA.

OVERALL: Roni Loren has written a sexy, sizzling, holy-carp-I-thought-my-book-might-burst-into-flames-cause-the-sex-is-smoldering-hot, heartbreaking erotic tale. Yeah. You don't see erotic and heartbreaking in the same sentence but Ms. Loren's debut is a wonderful balance of real, hard hitting issues, a bit of suspense and smoking hot, did-I-just-moan-out-loud? smexing. I was left utterly speechless once I put it down. It took me a couple of days to figure out how to go about this review. I figured out half of the answer to the long awaited mystery halfway through the book but a twist out of nowhere definitely had my jaw dropping and getting weird stares from fellow passengers as I neared the end. (Oh, did I mention that I finished this book at the airport? Yeah I did.) Well done, Ms. Loren. I look forward to your next book. The little teaser for Melt Into You had me shaking my fist at the book and wanting more.


***review copy provided by the publisher***