Review and Giveaway: Laid Bare by Lauren Dane

Posted July 24, 2009 by Casee in Reviews | 69 Comments

Review and Giveaway: Laid Bare by Lauren DaneReviewer: Casee
Laid Bare (Brown Family, #1) by Lauren Dane
Series: Brown Family #1
Also in this series: Laid Bare , Coming Undone (Brown Family, #2), Never Enough (Brown Family, #4), Drawn Together, Inside Out , Coming Undone (Brown Family, #2)
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: August 4, 2009
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 336
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Unexpected Desire...

It's been ten years since clean-cut, sexy-as-hell police officer Todd Keenan had a white-hot fling with Erin Brown, the provocative, wild rocker chick next door. Their power exchange in the bedroom got under his skin. But love wasn't in the cards just yet...

Now, life has thrown the pair back together. But picking up where they left off is tough, in light of a painful event from Erin's past. As Todd struggles to earn her trust, their relationship takes an unexpected and exciting turn when Todd's best friend, Ben, ends up in their bed--and all three are quite satisfied in this relationship without a name. As the passion they share transforms Erin, will it be enough to help her face the evil she thought she had left behind?

Erin was an amazing heroine. When the book begins, she’s in her early twenties, yet her absolute acceptance of herself is refreshing. She makes no apologies for who she is and what she does. She enjoys life to the fullest and has no regrets. For a year she has had fantasies of her neighbor next door. Todd Keenan takes part in her wildest fantasies. She finally decides to take what she wants b/c life is too short not to.

Erin is everything that Todd always wanted, but has never admitted to himself. His sexuality has always left him a little ashamed. He doesn’t think his sexual desires are normal. Now here comes his sexy as hell neighbor, who shows him that not only are his desires normal, but that she desires the same thing. Still, no matter how satisfied he is with Erin in bed, he doesn’t think that their lives can merge in any other way.

Todd and Erin part ways. Meeting ten years later, they are both changed people. Erin is no longer the brash and confident woman that he knew. Todd has changed as well. After a marriage and divorce, Todd has grown up and embraced his sexuality. Returning to Seattle, he thinks it must be fate that the first person he runs into is Erin. They take up right where they left off, though he can tell that Erin has changed.

In the ten years they were apart, Erin has dealt with a tragedy that no person should have to; the loss of a child. Erin hasn’t forgiven herself. Going from musical fame to obscurity, Erin lives her life without the same confidence she had before. When Todd comes back into her life, she’s thrilled to see him. Now he’s the one that wants the commitment and she’s the one that balks.

Erin has always wanted to be a submissive in the bedroom for the right Dom. Todd is the perfect man for that, something that Erin always knew he could be. He accepts that she will only be submissive in the bedroom. Outside the bedroom she takes orders from no one. When Todd invites his best friend Ben into their bed, she is shocked by how hot it makes her.

Therein lies my problem with this book. I totally accepted that Todd wanted a threesome with himself, Erin, and Ben. It showed his growth as a person that he could do something like that and not feel ashamed that he wanted it. What I couldn’t accept so easily is his attraction to Ben. Not only the attraction, but how they acted on it. I just had a hard time reconciling the man he was at the beginning of the book to the one that would kiss another man (among other things). It just didn’t fit for me.

Other than that, I thought that the book was very well written. Like I mentioned before, Erin is really a memorable heroine. The things she overcame just proved what a strong woman she was. Also, Dane didn’t gloss over how their relationship would affect their respective families. I appreciated how that was addressed and what I would consider a very real reaction.

I really hope that Dane decides to write about Erin’s brothers. Now those are two men I wouldn’t mind reading more about.

4 out of 5.

Brown Family

four-stars

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69 Comments

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69 responses to “Review and Giveaway: Laid Bare by Lauren Dane”

  8. Tez Miller

    This book is already on my Wishlist, and your review has confirmed that I made the right decision 🙂

    And good news: Brody Brown will star in Lauren Dane’s January 2010 release, Coming Undone 🙂

    Reply
  10. JO

    I love Laren’s work — this one is already on my wishlist. Sounds just the job to spice up my summer hols :o)

    Reply
  15. Lisa F.

    Oh please enter me!!! I have been wanted to read this book. My husband told me I can’t buy books for awhile. *sighs* He makes it sound like I have an addiction or something.

    Reply
  23. Patti

    (a different Patti then the one above)
    Count me in! I like stories where the leads are a bit older and more mature. This book sounds hot!!

    Reply
  25. JAK

    Sounds good, and I am curious to see if I agree with your critique about Todd and Ben.
    Great review. Count me in re: contest, Thanks!

    Reply
  27. TAMARA

    This one looks HOT! I have read and have on my “keeper shelf” almost all of your books Lauren. “Laid Bare” does not look like it will disappoint!!!

    Reply
  31. Cathy M

    I really enjoy Lauren’s stories,especially the way she writes her heroines. I just finished reading Undercover and have Laid Bare on my wish list.

    Reply
  37. Bella

    I love everything Lauren Dane writes — she is totally on my auto-buy list, and this book looks like it will be another winner! Your review has me salivating — I can’t wait for it to come out!

    Thanks for the contest!
    ~bella

    Reply
  39. Sheila

    Thank;s for the review it made me want to read the story more than before. Lauren is a great writer that pulls me into her stories. Count me in.

    Reply
  46. Caffey

    I so love Lauren’s books!! So do put me in, thanks! I too hope she puts in Erin’s brothers. I know when I’m reading I too want those other characters to have their stories too!

    Reply
  47. Kytaira

    I loved reading Taking Care of Business. This sounds like another great Lauren Dane book! Love menages.

    lynda98662 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  69. Wanda

    Sounds like an interesting book contest. Please enter my name. Thank you.
    wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply

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