Review

Lyra Anderson has been dealt a bad hand in life. Her mother is a drug addict who couldn’t afford to keep her. Lyra’s saving grace came along in the form of the wealthy Donovan family who took her in at a young age. Though she grew up with Dion Donovan as her “big brother”, she always harbored feelings for him. One special night after prom, Dion kisses her and she lays out her emotions for him but when he doesn’t return the sentiments, she flees Miami.

Lyra is back home and Dion is forced to face the fact that he has always loved her. Fear of what his family’s reaction, her engagement to another man and the drama from Lyra’s mother, holds Dion back from making a move to her.

I love the Donovan series. The men are so powerful, sexy and loving. However, I’m not sure how I feel about the Miami Donovans. The family still has the same core values and they are a close knit group but Dion’s story grated on my nerves for several reasons. Since Lyra came to live with the Donovans at a young age, I can understand the way they viewed her as family. However, she really is not “blood related”. It is constantly mentioned that she is Dion’s sister, which became frustrating when trying to overlook that aspect.

Lyra didn’t stand up for herself until the end of the book. She never resolved her own conflicting emotions about her stance in the Donovan family. She questions whether they really view her as family throughout the whole book but she never really talks to anybody about it and the issue goes away.

One of my favorite themes is the friends to lovers story and I love this aspect of the book. Dion and Lyra have a good flow throughout the book even when they are intimate. The real life issues such as drug abuse and manipulation adds realism to the fantasy and brings a bit of drama to the contemporary romance.

Overall, this is a short and easy read. I’m still a fan of the Donovan series and Ms. Arthur has set it up for a few more books featuring Dion’s siblings.