Sandy M’s review of Broken Open (Hurley Brothers, Book 2) by Lauren Dane
Erotic Contemporary Romance published by HQN 25 Nov 14
When I met all of the Hurley brothers in the first book in this series, it was Ezra who I wanted to know more about. Because he’s one of those tortured heroes I love so much to read about. We definitely get to know the mighty-fine rock star in this book, all his glory and all his guilt.
Ezra and his brothers had it all when their band hit the big time, but for Ezra it went a bit too far when he hastened down the dark hole of drugs. Though he’s been drug free for a few years now, he hasn’t gone back to the world of music, except for his own enjoyment, and his guilt over his treatment of his family when he was so far gone still eats at him practically every second of every day. He now lives a very controlled life, afraid to let go in any way, that addiction again – of any kind – may just do him in for good.
Finally getting back into the business of living again after losing her husband,Tuesday is content with her best friends, making her jewelry, and partaking of some good sex here and there. But then her BFF becomes part of the Hurley family and Tuesday meets Ezra. There’s immediate attraction between these two, and even though they decide to be friends, the reader knows that eventually everything will explode between them. But it’s the slow and languorous journey that makes their relationship perfect. The slow heat that builds over time is some of the best sexual tension I’ve read.
Nearly all of the conflict in the story is from within, but Ezra and Tuesday are terrific at talking through issues, working together, despite the vulnerabilities that still creep up on them when they least expect it. They lay themselves bare to each other, and you can just see the love swell and flow over and through them when they’re open and honest with one another. Ezra realizes he hasn’t really been living even though he’s been clean for a while now, and Tuesday has to learn to open her heart again, to let love in now that it’s at her door.
I really enjoyed these two characters. It breaks your heart all they’ve gone through, and while the road to recovery and happily ever after is rocky, it’s worth every rough patch when that road finally smooths out. Obviously, I’m behind in reading this series, but I’m looking forward to Vaughan’s and Kelly’s book next. He’s the next brother who intrigued me enough to want to know the story behind the divorce he didn’t want.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Five years ago, Tuesday Eastwood’s life collapsed and left her devastated. After an empty, nomadic existence, she’s finally pieced her life back together in the small Oregon town of Hood River. Now Tuesday has everything sorted out. Just so long as men are kept for sex, and only sex….
Then she met him.
Musician and rancher Ezra Hurley isn’t the man of Tuesday’s dreams. He’s a verboten fantasy—a man tortured by past addictions, whose dark charisma and long, lean body promise delicious carnality. But this craving goes far beyond chemistry. It’s primal. It’s insatiable. And it won’t be satisfied until they’re both consumed, body and soul…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
