Dangerous Passion [Paperback]

STORY BRIEF:
Drake heads up a billion-dollar empire selling weapons to various countries. He lives in a fortress of a home with bodyguards. One day he sees paintings in an art gallery window that he can't resist. He goes inside to look and meets the artist Grace who takes his breath away. She brings her work to the gallery every other Tuesday. For the next year, Drake secretly stands in the alley on those days so he can watch her through the gallery window. He loves her from afar but knows he can't bring her into his world. One of his enemies learns of his Tuesday visits and hires four men to ambush Drake. One of them grabs Grace and holds a gun to her head. He and Grace are able to get away, and Drake takes her to his home fortress. He later shows her she can never be free again, because his enemies will always be after her as a way to get to Drake.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
Totally enjoyable. Emotionally fulfilling. This is similar to her other books. The same alpha-type warrior who is so in love with a woman and so turned on by her that "he needs to be hosed down." The same type of heroine: gentle, caring, beautiful, brave, and needing protection. It's easy to read. Every once in a while I'm in the mood for this kind of writing. Makes me feel good. Some of it is a little over the top - with exaggerations similar to "I've done this thousands of times ..." and "I'll kill him if he so much as leaves a scratch on her." I like her style and enjoyed this even though there were a few weaknesses described below.

CAUTION MILD SPOILERS:
The weaknesses were: 1. I wanted to see how Drake would uncover and deal with the traitor in his organization, but it never happened. 2. Grace's psychic ability painting his scar felt thrown in and didn't go anywhere. If the author was trying to show a psychic connection between the two she needed to do more with it than she did. I think the story would have been fine without the psychic part. 3. The hero was a bad guy, an arms dealer. For some readers that may be a problem. I was ok with it. Not every story needs to be about perfect do-good heroes.

This is not a weakness, but I would have liked seeing more story about what went on between Andrew and Shota - how Andrew enticed information from Shota. Shota was so loyal. I wanted to see how someone could pierce through it.

DATA:
Story length: 310 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: strong/erotic. Number of sex scenes: 10. Total number of sex scene pages: 34. Setting: New York, S. Carolina, Italy, Sivatu (island in the Pacific). Copyright: 2009. Genre: erotic romantic suspense.

OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Lisa Marie Rice books, see my 4.5 star review of "Midnight Man" posted 3/17/09.

Viktor "Drake" Drakovich is wealthy, mysterious, and deadly. There is nothing he can't have; except Grace Larson, so he buys her paintings instead. Drake hides in the shadows, watching Grace, longing for her, until his enemies discover his weakness and come for them both. Drake has to protect Grace from his enemies and himself. To have Grace, is to risk her life, and that is something Drake will not do.

Dangerous Passion stirs the senses with dramatic exchanges and deeply erotic scenes. With languid, sensual moments and electrifying car chases, Dangerous Passion kept me on edge from the first page to the last. Drake's enemies may be aggressive and relentless, but Drake is stronger and smarter. He is accustomed to waging war. Emotions and feelings are foreign to him. His need for Grace is tangible. Grace is independent and strong, but her almost solitary existence makes her vulnerable. Drake appears to be super-human; he's the wealthiest, most powerful, and most capable of men. Grace didn't stand a chance against his overwhelming desire for her. What transpires between Grace and Drake in Dangerous Passion has a dream-like quality to it; complete with a villain, a tortured hero, and a fairytale ending. Dangerous Passion is a perfect addition to Ms. Rice's Dangerous novels.


Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I enjoyed Dangerous Passion, but I like Lisa Marie Rice's style. She doesn't deviate from her winning formula. But be forewarned: it is formula. If you've read Rice before, you know this couple. Drake is dangerous, filthy rich, and alone. Grace is loving, cultured, and gentle. They need each other desperately. I like their story, but there are a few flaws.

1) This might be a biggie for some folks. This novel is an extended version of a short story Rice wrote for a Secrets anthology. I think the title of the short story is Secluded, but I'm uncertain. However, I am 100% sure that this plot follows the short story pretty faithfully, even to the getaway and exotic island epilogue.

2) Drake is soooo gentle and careful and mannerly with Grace. On the one hand, this is a mark of his love and respect for her. How can I hate on such dreamy perfection? On the other hand, given that Drake's a former "street rat" from Odessa, romantic perfection seems a little out of character. He's a bit too courtly, too polished. I would have liked to see a little more of the inner gangster that allowed him to amass such wealth and power.

3) Finally, Grace falls a little too quickly. A sensitive, intelligent woman would have a few more reservations about a crime lord like Drake, even if she chose to ignore them.

But overall, this story is an enjoyable FANTASY, so I can ignore these flaws. I recommend this book if you're looking to escape.

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