by ELLA FRANK
People are complex.
Love a double-edged sword.
And when it comes to a broken heart, there are no rules, only time…
For the past eight years, Julien Thornton has been living with a secret. One that only a handful of people know about.
To the outside world, he has it all.
A thriving career. A loving husband. And a face that the American public fell for by the millions, on a reality show that inadvertently saved his life.
But behind the shine of celebrity, behind the easygoing nature, a crippling truth fills Julien with pain and self-loathing. It’s a truth that he fights to overcome daily with the help of his husband, Joel Priestley, and now their boyfriend, Robbie Bianchi.
But unlike Priest, Robbie doesn’t know what he’s helping Julien to fight. He doesn’t know what Julien did all those years ago. And with the anniversary of his sister’s death fast approaching, the time for explanations is running out.
And thus the question: will the princess be able to forgive the prick as the priest once did?
Only time will tell.
"We all have a role here, Robert. No one's is greater or more important than the other. It's just different. That's why we work, and will continue to work, if we're honest with one another."
As I sit here, typing up my feelings in regards to this book, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this book took me longer to process than normal. My review is late. My feelings are still in turmoil. My heart hurts for Julien. I can easily sit in a corner, re-reading my highlights and closing my eyes to envision the emotions and the love. The book, simply put, was captivating. I know many say that about plenty of books, but the fact that I've only read two books now by Miss Frank, I know that I am wondrously in love with the love these men have for each other. Her writing is magical. She pulls me in with her story. She makes me feeeel all the feelings. I can shrug my shoulders. I can shout from the rooftops. I can sigh and try to explain....but I am just not sure I can adequately get across the intimacy that I feel from these men. I feel like a part of their world. Privy to their emotions and their hidden funny side. I feel like I'm peeking in, but that I was invited as well. What a concept, I know.
I feel like this storyline, as embellished as it may seem to some, it spoke to me. Whether it was her smooth writing, her flawless storytelling, or a love that flowed effortlessly....I was taken away, immersed into a world of genuine love. A love that was meant to be. This story showcases three men, all in various stages of their life, but they are together and.they.work. The WAY they acclimated to one another, the ease in which they fell in step? I feel like that side of the story was what had me sighing the most. I can easily say I am in love with this triad. Completely, unabashedly in love. Robbie adds the drama and the giggles, the pomp and circumstance they crave in their life - or, dare I say, the flash they allow into their structured world. Julien is the depth and emotion, determined to love and provide for his men, even with his tortured soul. But to take care of them and show them unconditional love, that is one of his greatest pleasures. Priest is the intensity and the alpha they both love to please, but he has his moments of playfulness that I know for a fact are brought out by Robbie. But when you mix them all together, you have a relationship worthy of envy. One that ebbs and flows; the give and take is beautiful to witness. I just want to hug them all.
"And how does Priest look at me, princesse?"
"Like you're everything he needs to survive another day."
These characters affected me in different ways and they truly felt like individual characters. Their personalities were so different but they complimented each other so perfectly. Julien may have been in pain, but in seeing this side of him, it brought out the best in his lovers as well. I got to see Robbie GROW so much in this book. Not only in his comfortability within his new relationship with Julien and Priest, but also in his compassion. Not saying he wasn't compassionate before, but there was a more giving side to him in this one, one that shows he wants to please others and not just himself, and I really liked that side of him. And of course, Mr. Priest...his ability to soothe Julien's pain, to comfort him when he needed it the most. I loved seeing that softer side of him. I loved the "not necessarily" vulnerable side to Priest, but the quiet strength he portrayed. I just freaking love these men. Their dynamic was so intriguing. I just want more...
"A broken heart of gold, that's what our Julien has."
This one. This one had so many more sensual, more intimate times than I remember being in the first book. Was it too much? Nah. I don't think so. It served a very definite purpose in the story for me because it just reminded me of the honeymoon phase of when you're with your first true love/love of your life. You want to touch. You want to explore. You want to hold on tight and never let go. And I hope that is what Miss Frank set out to do, because that's exactly how I took it. It was a carnal need, this conviction shared between three men that wanted nothing more than to love one another. And, holy schnikees, was it hot. Wooh. HOT. And quite descriptive, which definitely made me able to visualize it and potentially blush a bit. Will I complain about the gratuitous amount of sex in this one? Again, no - because I remember that feeling in the early stages of falling in love, and she did such an amazing job making these characters relatable. I was able to connect with them not only on an emotional level, but on a "personality" level too. I just loved being a part of their world for the few days I read it.
Embarrassing truth moment: my French is a whole lot of a little bit of rusty....but dammit if I didn't read Julien's words with an accent completely made up in my mind. HA!!
Let's not forget the perfection that is embodied with this cover. That is Julien. 100%, hands down, flat out -- totally Julien. Pout and all. I loved being able to "see" him as Julien while I read this story, just as I feel that Robbie's cover was absolutely HIM while reading that one. I cannot recommend this series enough, but the wait for Priest's book may just be the best form of torture. I want it desperately, but I know that it will be the end of this series and I am not ready to let them go....I'm just not.
I'll leave you with this quote and I think it was easily one of my favorites and I highlighted A LOT:
"Sometimes the best way to forget the past is to lose yourself in the present. But even then, the past often has a way of finding you."
~BEE
PURCHASE ROBBIE: AMAZON
~MEET ELLA FRANK~
Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”
Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.
~CONNECT WITH ELLA~
ARC REVIEW
COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY
COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY
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This review was worth the wait.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. Makes me want to read this even more.
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