Reviewed by Colette

TITLE:    Evil’s Embrace

SERIES: Investigating Love Book 2

AUTHOR:   L.M. Somerton

PUBLISHER:  Totally Bound Publishing

LENGTH: 178 pages

BLURB:

Never underestimate the power of obsession.

After the trauma of the Rasputin case, Detective Inspector Alex Courtney and his boyfriend, Detective Constable Conor Trethuan, are in desperate need of a holiday.

The peace and tranquility of Cornwall can’t eradicate Conor’s nightmares, though, and the unbearable prospect of losing Alex drives him to confess feelings that he isn’t sure are reciprocated. Alex responds in the best way he knows how—by issuing orders and claiming Conor’s body as well as his heart.

Prematurely recalled to work, they are thrown into a dangerous trafficking case focused on a leather bar with a hardcore reputation, Spikes. Conor is sent in undercover, not knowing that he is only a decoy. When Alex learns that the motivation behind his team’s involvement in the case might not be as straightforward as it seems, he realizes that his actions might jeopardize not just their relationship, but Conor’s life, too. A shadowy figure from Conor’s past is about to step into the light.

REVIEW:

I am a fan of L.M. Somerton and was excited by the chance to review this book, especially since I enjoyed Rasputin’s Kiss – while not absolutely necessary, reading that first will help give you a better understanding of Alex and Conor’s backstory.

The book picks up 4 months after the events of Rasputin’s Kiss; Conor is still living with Alex, recovering from his ordeal at the hands of the serial killer. Connor has been given the green light to go back to work and will as soon as he and Alex return from a well-earned vacation in Cornwall. Alex and Conor have an interesting relationship; forced into pretending to be lovers as part of an undercover investigation, their attraction to each other grew and their undercover relationship became real.  Alex is a Dom and Conor his submissive though he still has trouble understanding his need to submit to Alex.

The first part of this book is Alex and Conor on holiday in Cornwall, staying at secluded cottage Conor’s grandparents left him. They spend their time surfing and hiking and getting to know each other, outside of work and the stress that comes with the job.

Unfortunately, their holiday is cute short when they are called back to work and Conor once again is sent undercover – this time at a leather bar. Conor is an extremely attractive man, though very shy and having to parade around the bar in skintight leather being groped by strange men is not something that is easy for him. Fortunately another waiter, Jaime, and the bouncer, Bubba watch out for him.  Meanwhile, Alex has some suspicions about the case, things are not what they seem and there is more to this investigation that either Conor or Alex is aware of.

While this is not as intense as Rasputin’s Kiss, it is a very good book.  I liked finding more about Conor’s past and where he is from and seeing his relationship with Alex grow and deepen.  L.M Somerton’s descriptions of the Cornish coast are lovely and she beautifully captures the dynamics of the D/s relationship.

I look forward to the next book in this series, which I think may return Alex and Conor to Cornwall.

RATING:  

BUY LINKS:

Totally Bound

AMAZON