Judith’s review of Bodyguards of Pleasure (Pleasure, Montana #8) by Melody Snow Monroe

Overweight computer nerd Brooke Armstrong lives her dream of store ownership. When she witnesses a drug deal gone bad, the killer is intent on seeing her dead. Scared for her life and that of her family’s, she reluctantly accepts protection from two hot bodyguards, Gavin Kirkwood and Riley Landon.

Gavin can’t believe how much Brooke entices him. He’s drawn to her lush curves and intelligent mind. He knows she will make the perfect submissive for him and Riley.

Never in her wildest dreams did Brooke think the muscular former military man would find her attractive, but when he ties her up and demands her obedience, she’s in heaven.

Too bad the killer won’t let them revel in their passion. After a kidnapping gone wrong that ends in a do or die battle, the killer is brought to justice. How can the men convince Brooke they want her in a permanent ménage relationship?

This novel has lots of stuff in it that makes for fun sexy reading.  Throw in some BDSM and its the best of all worlds.  Now it is not intended to be a textbook on any one thing, but it’s simply a fun story about a geeky, overweight lady who is totally wrapped up in her business and being responsible about serving her clients and keeping her life together the best way she can.  But as often happens to all of us, a simple occurrence can become a defining moment and one which changes the course of one’s future.  So it is with the BBW as she is placed in the care of two ex-military hunky guys because she has witnessed a murder and is now in serious danger of losing her life.

It seems that there are more and more romance novels that are featuring women who are in the size 12-14-16 size range rather than featuring the runway model skinny minnies as has been more the kind of heroine of the past.  These heroes like curvy women–they’re big men to begin with and like a woman with enough body substance to hold on to.  That the heroine has anything but a positive self-image poses a challenge for these two guys.  But by virtue of Brooke’s need to trust them with her life and her safety, she is drawn into a closer proximity to them 24/7 so that it becomes easier for them to work on helping her to become willing to allow them in her life long-term.

This is pure and simple a fun read and to make more out of it would do it a disservice.  Set in a curious little town of Pleasure, Montana, of course it is going to be a romantic fiction but still lots of entertainment quality.  I have read several works by this author and all of them are fun-filled stories, with enough substance to keep the reader mentally engaged, and yet fully aware that it is fiction.  Yet it is also containing a lesson about the romantic possibilities that are available to full-figured women who needn’t allow their curves to become a problem.  Our society has long sought to convince women that size 2 is normal.  Not so, and one has only to read the optimum weights for certain heights and one realizes that anyone who aspires to size 2 is not dealing with reality.  (IMHO)  So I can honestly say that I thought this novel preached a very good “sermon” to women to live their own lives and be willing to accept love in whatever form it comes into your life.

I give this novel a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

The Series:

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place

This title is available from Siren Publishing.  You can buy it here or here in e-format.