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by Annette Francine

Pub Date: April 12th, 2012
ISBN: 978-1470069346

A hot summer romance with Christian themes, titillating realism and a guilty conscience.

Though Francineâs debut novel may not be as controversial as Fifty Shades of Grey (2012), it nonetheless comes with a warning of adult language and explicit sex scenes. Fortunately, the realistic language and swift-paced dialogue are strengths in this otherwise stock romance. Kendall Smith, a sweet, 20-something, âleggy blondeâ whoâs also a Christian, has been a widow for several years. She misses her husband deeply but manages to keep busy with friends and church activities in close-knit Key West. Sheâs dated some men, but none of them pique her interest, so she concentrates on her love of the sea and her small business, which takes tourists on catamaran outings to coral reefs. Then David Bryceâa âbad boyâ who looks like a gorgeous pirateâmoves in next door for the summer, and Kendallâs neat, tidy world is turned upside down, as the forbidden fruit of lust tempts her Christian morals. Much skin tingling and deep breathing ensue, with Kendall both disgusted by and sexually attracted to the man she thinks could also be a drug dealer. In fact, David Bryce, whose real name is Bryce Tejidor, is working undercover to infiltrate the Mezaluno drug cartel, and he vowed to never get close to any woman, except on a superficial level. The author builds sexual tension by sprinkling in awkward situations that bring the two closer together; e.g., Kendall chases her rowdy cat into Bryceâs yard, and it claws his hand when he gently catches it. While leggy blondes, hot guys who look like piratesâand Kendallâs wisecracking island friend Mariâcan be clichÃ©s, acting on human sexual desire is an interesting twist to the often squeaky-clean Christian writing genre. However, this book is definitely a morality taleâand a love storyâas Kendall tells Bryce she can never have unmarried sex again, even as she continues to grapple with desire versus faith. The plot doesnât lose its steady pace after the steamy bedroom scene, since a secondary storyline emerges when Bryce and Kendall encounter danger from the drug cartel, which keeps the pages turning.

Christian romance fans who donât mind some R-rated language and a lovemaking scene will find satisfying lessons in faith.