Wicked Burn by Beth Kery

When Beth Kery approached me to ask if I'd be interested in reading her NY debut novel from Berkley Sensation, I thought, why not? And thanks! My only trepidation came from the fact that I'd have to review it, and I've been in one helluva reviewing slump. I've read a hella lotta great books, but can't get up the gumption to review a single one.

So... I read this over Thanksgiving weekend, and it's taken me this long to review it. My apologies, Beth.

Here's the blurb, courtesy of www.bethkery.com:
He wanted all of her…
Vic Savian knows what he wants when he sees it. And what he wants is his sexy neighbor, Niall Chandler. So when he sees her in the hallway of their building being harassed by an aggressive suitor, Vic makes his move—and finds himself greatly rewarded…
And did she ever let him have it…
Sleeping with her gorgeous neighbor—when she didn’t even know his last name—was the craziest thing Niall’s ever done. Now, she can’t seem to get enough of Vic—or the uninhibited passion he stirs in her. Suddenly, with his help, she’s opening to sensual pleasures she’s never known before. But when Niall’s past comes back to haunt her, will she and Vic let themselves venture beyond the bedroom and explore the possibility of love that’s in their hearts?

When the book started, and it was pretty much all sex, all the time for the first few chapters, I must admit, I had my doubts. K, yeah. There you have it. Just a small touch more below of what I could have done without, but overall... great book.

As the story progressed, we got a picture of a couple headed into a relationship. Vic, hurt before, began it determined not to have any sort of "relationship", but found himself completely drawn into Niall. He was open, honest, caring, dominant (oh, yeah was he dominant - rowrrrr). He's in your face - he puts it out there, and if you don't like it, so be it.

Niall was written as the one with the secrets. Not out of any real wish to be secretive per se, but more because she was a private person and out of a desire to hold her hurts close. And there is a very big hurt she is holding close! As the story progresses, and these two draw closer, Niall ends up wounding Vic tremendously by not disclosing her personal information.

These characters must have been difficult for Kery to write - Vic is written as such a raw, emotional, open, honest man, and Niall is so contained, so reserved, yet completely willing to open herself up to Vic in every way but the one he needed the most. But they work well together, both in and out of the bedroom.

There were bits and pieces that I didn't love so much - Niall's parents were not my cuppa, and while I did feel that Vic's responses when Niall was attempting to win him back were honest and true, that section of the book contained a subplot that I felt may have detracted from the main storyline. And, yeah, I'm a touch ADD these days. Because that storyline showed once again what a great guy Vic is. But I was already convinced.

God, I hope I haven't made him sound sappy, because peeps, he is so not sappy. He is raw, rough, emotional, nasty at times, but yeah, a really great guy, too (and he loves his mother). If there is one big flaw with this book, it's that he perhaps is so huge that his character overpowers Niall's, while her story overpowers his. This is how Kery evens the score.

I really really enjoyed this book. Given that the only other book I've read by Kery was a beta read, and I found both the H & H terribly unlikeable (I must now go read some others, because I'm sure that they will be much better!), I was pleasantly and happily surprised to find this a truly satisfying, emotional, sexy book about two very likable people. Wade your way through all the sex in the first couple chapters. I promise, it's worth it!

You can buy it here on Amazon or in ebook here.