Review :: Naked (The Blackstone Affair #1) by Raine Miller

Brynne Bennett is living the good life. 

An American art student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she’s putting her life back on track with school and lots of hard work. 

When ultra successful London businessman, Ethan Blackstone, buys her nude portrait, he isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. He wants Brynne in his bed and makes plans to keep her there no matter what. 

His dominant nature captivates and ensnares despite the demons she carries inside her. But there are secrets in this relationship. Huge ones. 

 Can Ethan free Brynne from the past that has marked her? 

Will Brynne let him or will the specters tormenting her resurface to destroy them both…

Title: Naked (The Blackstone Affair #1)
 
Author: Raine Miller 

Publication Date: 25 August 2012

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Series / Stand Alone: Series

Buy from Amazon:



Buy Part Two in this series: (Released 12 December 2012) 
 

My Review

Naked could easily be a 4 star or even a 4.5 star book, but alas... it does not make the cut. Why? Because, for starters, there were too many moments while I read this book, that I thought to myself...mmmm very Fifty Shades or too much like Bared To You.

That's not good enough for me. The book alone is a really good book, but unfortunately the likeness to other books, just simply put me off a little.

Secondly, the beginning was weird. It felt uncomfortable for me, I felt detached and it really seemed as if I was reading a book containing commonly known cliche's. The dialogue was abrupt and way to simple... not to mention that after the first meeting between Brynne and Ethan... the next morning (when Brynne wakes up) I felt as if what she experienced the previous night with Ethan and what I read in the book that actually took place were two completely different scene's. Either that or my book's missing something.

What I read happening between Ethan and Brynne was innocent and friendly. What Brynne thought the following morning, one would think she was panting at her front door with her panties missing. It just didn't match.

Other than that, like I said, the book is good once you get into it. But I'm not going to deny the fact that is had a strange build-up in their relationship. It was super rushed and one moment Brynne was all hot and ready and the next she was running around in the middle of the night, trying to get away.

What I did like? I liked the fact that it was a fast paced book. There were no endless monologues and rubbish bits that have absolutely nothing to do with the story. I do like that in a book. This book could have been longer... even with my complaints, I did enjoy the book once it seemed as if the author got more into her story and really started paying attention to the smaller details.

“Oh, we’re well past you being just a date, my beauty.” He leaned in, his lips at my ear. “When we f****d in my bed you passed into uncharted territory – trust me on that one.”

 

It took me two days to get to through about 14% of the book. I kept leaving it and picking up something else. But today I thought, I'd just go into it for the long haul and once I got past the rough patches it worked out well for me as a reader. 

If you don't mind reading a book that closely resembles / has very similar attributes to another book, then this book is a really good one to pick up. If you do mind... but still want to read it and see what all the fuss is about... just go into it with the knowledge that a horse is still a horse, even if you call it by another name and speckle it with yellow paint... In other words... changing minor details and giving character's different names and appearances... doesn't really tell a whole new tale.

With all that said, I'm eager to begin the next part in this series. Naked does leave you hanging and of course, I'm only human... so I want to know what happens next... since the cliffer part is a whole other story and I admit... to me at least... it's somewhat unique.