Review: Relentless Seduction by Jillian Burns

3 of 5 scoopers

Relentless Seduction by Jillian Burns
Harlequin (Dec. 18, 2012)
Mass Market: $5.25; ebook: $4.99
ISBN: 9780373797370
Excerpt

Favorite Line: “Wake up and notice the real world. Everyone looks out for number one. You think she’s worried about you? Hell, no. You saw how she treated you back there.” He pulled the coffeemaker out, began filling  the carafe with water. “That’s the way the world is, Claire. People leave you and you can’t count on anyone but yourself. The sooner you learn that, the easier life gets.” (p. 136, e-galley)

Unrestrained.

Unrelenting.
And completely undressed!
When her best friend disappears during Mardi Gras, microbiologist Claire Brookes is determined to find her. Her only lead is a bar called Once Bitten—a haven for the dark, melancholy and vampire-obsessed. And while Claire generally prefers science nerds over the Gothy children of New Orleans, something about the bar’s tall, dark and delish bartender makes her mouth water….

Bar owner Rafe Moreau is pretty sure that there’s more to Claire than uptightness and frumpy clothes. And as they delve further into the dark, seedy underworld of the Big Easy, Claire and Rafe turn to each other, discovering a sizzling hunger that won’t be satisfied.
But will one taste be enough?
Bein’ bad in the Big Easy…

Relentless Seduction is a romantic suspense which takes the ugly duckling, best friend searching for her missing pal and transforms her into the beautiful, but still brainy, woman who men lust after. Toss in a few creepy characters and a bad boy hero and you’ve got a good image of what takes place in this Harlequin Blaze story.

I had a hard time with Relentless Seduction. I was confused for the first third of the book. I didn’t understand who Rafe was: human, vampire or some other creature. For some reason I thought this was a Harlequin Nocturne which features vampires and shape shifters not posers. That’s not the author’s fault, but it did impact my impression of the book since the blurb makes it sound like a paranormal romance. Once I realized there was no real paranormal aspects, I snapped out of it and began taking Relentless Seduction as a romantic suspense which offers a glimpse of the seedy side of life in New Orleans.

The city is filled with all types of people which was a great way to show how two totally different people could come together and find love. The attraction between Claire and Rafe built quickly. I loved how surprised Rafe felt every time he felt something or reacted positively toward Claire. It was nice to see his confusion about the connection he feels for Claire because it prevented me from just assuming he wanted a booty call. Claire came across as self-conscious and needy half the time. Normally this would irritate me, but for some reason it just felt like…her. Like here’s this lady who normally marches to her own beat trying to stay afloat on the cool kid’s boat. Claire’s unsure in an endearing way.

Relentless Seduction didn’t sweep me off my feet, but I enjoyed watching the bad boy find himself worthy of the good girl. For a moment it was like Sandy’s transformation in Grease. You know where she changes from her good girl clothes into her black leather? That’s the moment when the story began getting interesting for me. Comments like “Purr for me, cher” spiced up the sexy moments as the hero took charge in the bedroom but the best part of Restless Seduction was how author Jillian Burns brought the crazy. If you want to watch the loonies come out from all over pick up a copy of Relentless Seduction.

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