Veena’s review of Born To Be Wild (Night Star, Book 6) by Lynne Connolly
Contemporary Romance published by Ellora’s Cave 30 Apr 14

Ms. Connolly’s web site classifies this book as an erotic romance, but while there are some amazingly hot encounters between Riku and Cyn, I personally would classify this story as more of a contemporary romance. I am fascinated with Riku’s character and I would dearly love to know if he’s based on a real person. He is definitely Rock Star material with his fancy costumes and stage makeup, not to speak of his talent, and he is definitely all male in his feelings for Cyn and what he wants and needs from her.  What appeals to me about this story – and, yes, I did plunge all the way into this one without reading any of the preceding books- is the fact that despite the level of talent both Riku and Cyn possess, they are very sure and certain about what success means to them and pursue their own definitions of success, no matter how the rest of the world might view them and their chosen path.

Clearly Cyn has the potential to be famous with her soprano voice, yet she turns down the opportunity of a lifetime in order to preserve who and what she is. Content designing jewelry and growing her businesses, she’s not without ambition, and definitely, when she goes backstage with Riku, she is fully cognizant of what she gave up by pursuing her own individuality instead of following in the direction all her instructors wanted her to go.  For all her independence, I find it interesting and puzzling that she distances herself from Riku when he’s not happy about her pursuing his mother’s offer for financing and business growth opportunities.

Riku is larger than life. I love his arrogance and his flamboyance. He’s trained as a classical pianist and comes from a rich, successful Asian-American family and yet he walks away from wealth and a certain level of fame to pursue his dreams. His talent and grit get him to be a part of one of the hottest rock bands in the country. His relationship with his parents and siblings is a very interesting facet of his character. Being a first-generation American as well as a parent, I understand the drive for success and visualization of the great American dream through our children, yet the extreme that Riku’s parents take it to saddens me. While they don’t condone his lifestyle and choices, they are, however, content to bask in it when he’s riding the extreme high point of his success.

I love meeting all the band members and their significant others, even though I have no idea how each met and became a couple. Unlike many stories where the secondary characters play a larger role that might be distracting, I definitely do not find it taking away from my focus on Riku’s and Cyn’s story.  Despite the glamour of Riku’s profession, the story feels real and reached out and sucked me in.

Grade: B

Summary:

For eight and a half years Riku has wanted only one woman. Every person he has had on tour with the Murder City Ravens has been unable to compare to the electric lovemaking he had with Cyn. They had everything together, love, passion, fire, sex—until the day she left him and everything between them behind. Riku wants answers as to why she left, but he wants her more.

Cyn abandoned her future as an opera singer—and her relationship with Riku—when she dropped out of the Creel Institute. A day hasn’t gone by that she doesn’t crave Riku’s body against hers. Now he’s back in her life, if only for a few weeks, and she plans to make the most of the time they have. No location is off-limits for their whirlwind romance. Cyn knows she can’t keep him but that doesn’t stop her from falling for him, mind, body and soul, all over again.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: