Holly‘s review of Second Chances by Lauren Dane
Ten years ago, Rori Simon left town shy, unattractive and with zero self-esteem. Now she’s back, older, stronger and finally loving herself—and it shows. Hot men are soon knocking at her door, including Jude Callahan, the bad boy who starred in her teenage daydreams…and her adult fantasies.
Jude can’t believe the sexy, confident woman before him is actually Rori! She’s gotten under his skin like no other woman has…and brings out secret desires he can’t resist. He wants to dominate Rori with every fiber of his being. Wants to own her and pleasure her. To cherish her as he makes her his.
Rori discovers she likes being controlled. She also knows Jude is not a one-woman man. Everything changes when she meets Zach Helm. Edgy, sensual Zach knows just what she needs, and before long, she’s in love. Jude watches them together and wonders if he’s lost his chance forever…
I didn’t realize this was a re-release. I’m glad there was a note in the front of the book to warn me. Things like that annoy me (not being told ahead of time, I mean). Don’t get me started on the time I paid $20 for a 190pg Jennifer Crusie book in hardcover, not realizing it was a reprint of her first novel. Talk about frustrating.
Moving on.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel. Based on the blurb, I thought it might end up being a menage story, but that isn’t the di …moreI didn’t realize this was a re-release. I’m glad there was a note in the front of the book to warn me.Not being told ahead of time really annoys me. Don’t get me started on the time I paid $20 for a 190pg Jennifer Crusie book in hardcover, not realizing it was a reprint of her first novel. Talk about frustrating.
Moving on.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel. Based on the blurb, I thought it might end up being a menage story, but that isn’t the direction Dane went. I’m still on the fence about the way it turned out. While I appreciate the growth of the characters and the overall progression of the novel, I’m still unsure. I really liked that Jude grew as a character. We really saw him change from a person no one wanted to be around to a stand up guy.
I also liked how strong Rori was. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it, but she also wasn’t afraid to cut her losses when things didn’t work out. Jude acts like a complete ass in the beginning, and Rori walks away. That was very refreshing.
I think the main thing that bothers me about this book is the way Zach was portrayed. It was obvious that he cared for Rori and she for him. But there were small things Zach did that made him less likable to me. It was almost like Dane wrote those things so we’d have more sympathy for Jude in the end?
I also wish Rori had stood up for herself more with Zach. The few things he did that were over-the-top should have been handled better by Rori – or dealt with more severely, I guess. She was too quick to forgive him considering the things he pulled.
Having said that, this is an intense novel. Dane really grabbed me emotionally, especially as the novel wore on. It was very good. Just unexpected. I think the story arc took the right direction. My issues stem more from the actions of the characters. Overall an excellent novel of love and growth.
3.75 out of 5
This book is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here in e-format.
I love Lauren Dane. Thanks for posting this!
Your site is awesome!