Veena’s review of A Tangled Affair (Pearl House, Book 2) by Fiona Brand
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Desire 1 Jun 12

Carla Ambrosi, face of Ambrosi pearls and PR chief, has made a list of what she needs in a perfect husband. That list goes right out the window when she meets Lucas Atraeus, hatchet man for the Atraeus empire. It’s love at first sight and she doesn’t hesitate to jump over the proverbial cliff and commit body and soul. The physical attraction is so strong that they don’t even make it out to the car the first time they kiss.

Circumstances have forced them to hide their relationship for the past two years, but now Carla is ready for Lucas to publicly acknowledge her as his fiancee. However, it is a tangled affair and the path of true love definitely does not flow smoothly in this next offering from Fiona Brand in her Pearl House series.

Lucas has a tragic love affair in his past and still has nightmares of the accident that killed his girl friend Sophie. He feels the same uncontrolled physical attraction to Carla and believes that Carla is the wrong wife for him. He cold bloodedly works to eliminate her from his life by dating her friend and colleague with a view to a future marriage. However, he cannot resist his attraction to Carla and time after time succumbs, ending up taking her to his bed. Unable to cut her out of his life, he forces her hand by announcing at a press conference that they’ve been secretly engaged for two years.

Carla goes through the emotional wringer looking for the positives in Lucas’ behavior to reinforce a happy outcome to their relationship. At other times she is convinced they don’t have a future. Eventually she starts to get under the surface of Lucas and really get to know him. Lucas, in turn, realizes that he really never knew the real Carla. She has shown him an image of who she thought he wanted, but he really wants the real person hidden beneath the facade. It is a love story after all and they do find their way to each other.

The characters are well fleshed out and the dialog engaging. It’s fun to watch the two protagonists fence with each other until they both surrender to love. I have read the first book in the series, but I think this one can stand on its own.

Grade: B

Summary:

They’d been embroiled in a hot, secret affair. Until Lucas Atraeus’s and Carla Ambrosi’s feuding families were merged by marriage and business. Suddenly the situation was…complicated. Burned by the past, Lucas has never let his heart rule his head. Now, with Carla closer than he had ever imagined she would be, their affair must end.

Saying goodbye to such intense passion is not easy…as he’s now Carla’s boss.

But even as he sets out to choose an appropriate bride—one who won’t break down his guard—Lucas fears he’s fighting a losing battle. Sometimes temptation is meant to be seized.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: