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norwayellesea's review
5.0
A perfect finale from Harlequin Dare; Reawakened is sexy, a sizzling story with strong-willed protagonists.
Entrepreneur, Olivia Carmel is uncontrollable. After losing her husband, she's determined to live her life in the fast lane, not caring what others think. Only her actions are becoming an embarrassment to the board of her company. They want to… need to rein in her behaviour before she destroys her company and charity's reputation. So they send in PR expert Valentine Boretti to help… with surprising results.
Manipulating. The heroine isn't instantly likeable… it took time to warm to her personality. Her controlling behaviour; baiting a response from Valentine made for uncomfortable reading. Yet, the author makes it clear Olivia is struggling and her actions are symptoms of the issues she is unable to cope with.
Ever the pragmatist and without prompting, Valentine offers Olivia a life with solutions. One where hurdles are easily overcome. Therefore, despite their age difference, the younger man proves he is mature far beyond his years and very much attuned to his client in both mind and body!
Written from a dual point of view, the author gives us a greater insight into what the protagonists are thinking which adds an exciting dimension to the narrative. As with all the Rachel Stewart novels I've devoured previously, Reawakened is everything I expected and more.
***arc generously received courtesy of Harlequin Dare***
Entrepreneur, Olivia Carmel is uncontrollable. After losing her husband, she's determined to live her life in the fast lane, not caring what others think. Only her actions are becoming an embarrassment to the board of her company. They want to… need to rein in her behaviour before she destroys her company and charity's reputation. So they send in PR expert Valentine Boretti to help… with surprising results.
Manipulating. The heroine isn't instantly likeable… it took time to warm to her personality. Her controlling behaviour; baiting a response from Valentine made for uncomfortable reading. Yet, the author makes it clear Olivia is struggling and her actions are symptoms of the issues she is unable to cope with.
Ever the pragmatist and without prompting, Valentine offers Olivia a life with solutions. One where hurdles are easily overcome. Therefore, despite their age difference, the younger man proves he is mature far beyond his years and very much attuned to his client in both mind and body!
Written from a dual point of view, the author gives us a greater insight into what the protagonists are thinking which adds an exciting dimension to the narrative. As with all the Rachel Stewart novels I've devoured previously, Reawakened is everything I expected and more.
***arc generously received courtesy of Harlequin Dare***
emmalb1984's review
4.0
A highly enjoyable romance from Rachael Stewart featuring strong characters and an emotional story which keeps you reading.
Olivia and Valentine are both troubled having suffered personal tragedy, and when PR man Valentine is brought in to bring Olivia back onto the straight and narrow to save her public reputation sparks fly from the off. What really surprised me about this book was that the first meeting between the characters is highly unconventional and in the opening pages, and yet, thanks to the authors skill in crafting the story, the moment doesn't go the way you might think, and this is a key point in the plot, making the book all the better for not having Valentine and Olivia indulging in a one night stand right from the off. Instead, the plot twists and turns as, yes the characters act on their attraction to each other, but the pair also reveal more about their past and what has led them to this point in their lives. It is this healthy dollop of emotion that really drives the story and what keeps the reader engaged to the point where you become invested in the relationship and really do care what will become of Valentine and Olivia as they struggle to take the proverbial leap forward and move on from what has gone before. The story is always engaging and you may need a tissue handy for the tear jerking final chapters where the pursuit of a happy ending comes to the fore.
As this is the last month for the Dare line, it is fitting that Rachael Stewart ends on a high with this engaging book, but also shows just how well she will follow up in her move to the True Love series where, yes the heat of the story is much lower, but the emotional depth of character is key to driving the plot. I hope fans of Rachael's Dare books will follow her to True Love,
Olivia and Valentine are both troubled having suffered personal tragedy, and when PR man Valentine is brought in to bring Olivia back onto the straight and narrow to save her public reputation sparks fly from the off. What really surprised me about this book was that the first meeting between the characters is highly unconventional and in the opening pages, and yet, thanks to the authors skill in crafting the story, the moment doesn't go the way you might think, and this is a key point in the plot, making the book all the better for not having Valentine and Olivia indulging in a one night stand right from the off. Instead, the plot twists and turns as, yes the characters act on their attraction to each other, but the pair also reveal more about their past and what has led them to this point in their lives. It is this healthy dollop of emotion that really drives the story and what keeps the reader engaged to the point where you become invested in the relationship and really do care what will become of Valentine and Olivia as they struggle to take the proverbial leap forward and move on from what has gone before. The story is always engaging and you may need a tissue handy for the tear jerking final chapters where the pursuit of a happy ending comes to the fore.
As this is the last month for the Dare line, it is fitting that Rachael Stewart ends on a high with this engaging book, but also shows just how well she will follow up in her move to the True Love series where, yes the heat of the story is much lower, but the emotional depth of character is key to driving the plot. I hope fans of Rachael's Dare books will follow her to True Love,
jessbookishlife's review
4.0
Rachael Stewart's books are always fun, exciting and steamy. And I was not disappointed with this one. Just what I needed to balance my reading life.
In this book we follow Olivia and Valentine, a journey of romance, seduction, wildness, and self exploration. The book is not all about the steamy scenes, it's also about the characters past and their presents and future, it's about their needs and wants, it's about what they fear and what they wish for.
To me honest, I haven't read many books following an older woman & younger man romance. I don't know what people's thoughts are about it. I don't really have a problem with it, since the characters are adults, they can do whatever they please. I quite enjoyed how their relationship developed.
Overall I liked the story a lot. I guess Rachael Stewart can get me to enjoy everything she writes. It's her writing style, it's the feels she puts in her stories, is the plots, the characters and their backgrounds. Okay, and I'm incredibly jealous because she always picks amazing names for her characters and I want to do that too!
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Rachael Stewart for the eCopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
In this book we follow Olivia and Valentine, a journey of romance, seduction, wildness, and self exploration. The book is not all about the steamy scenes, it's also about the characters past and their presents and future, it's about their needs and wants, it's about what they fear and what they wish for.
To me honest, I haven't read many books following an older woman & younger man romance. I don't know what people's thoughts are about it. I don't really have a problem with it, since the characters are adults, they can do whatever they please. I quite enjoyed how their relationship developed.
Overall I liked the story a lot. I guess Rachael Stewart can get me to enjoy everything she writes. It's her writing style, it's the feels she puts in her stories, is the plots, the characters and their backgrounds. Okay, and I'm incredibly jealous because she always picks amazing names for her characters and I want to do that too!
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Rachael Stewart for the eCopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
joreadsromance's review
5.0
Naughty and engaging tale
5 Stars
I usually avoid books where the hero is younger than the heroine but such is the draw of a [a:Rachael Stewart|15103378|Rachael Stewart|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1526372299p2/15103378.jpg] tale that I snapped this book up before I’d even read the blurb!
We start by walking right into the heat and action - and did I mention the heat? Wowza! Our heroine, Olivia, is naked in the BDSM club, with a whip toting mistress and our hero watching intently, before you’re even at 10%. But fear not, this is Ms Stewart of the exceptional writing skills, so we already have a handle and knowledge of who are characters are and how they tick before the naughtiness begins. And how she manages to make even the more risqué things seem intimate and personal, while still ridiculously hot… that’s a seriously sexy skill to have!
Olivia is deciding it’s time she lived her life by her own rules, after the death of her husband. Unfortunately for her, the fun she’s having is brought to a halt by her husband’s company when they hire PR guru, Valentine Boretti, to take her in hand and get her under control.
Olivia was an interesting character. At first, I wasn’t sure I liked her as she was quite forceful in her pursuit of her new life and of Valentine himself. But I think that my original feelings towards her were clouded by what Valentine himself was thinking - despite his obvious attraction. When we hear Olivia’s point of view, we see another side to her. A reason why she acted the way she did. I’m not saying I could now relate to how she acted, but I definitely could understand it and sympathised with her.
If Olivia is trying desperately to look to her future, Valentine is very much stuck in the past. He himself has seen loss but instead of making him wild, it made him stoic and careful. In Olivia, he finds someone that he truly wants to experience things with - that, without sounding hokey, makes him want to live again.
As well as the insane heat and chemistry between our pair, they are also perfect for each other. Yes, yes, even if she’s an older woman and he’s a younger man. They bring out the best in each other but still let the other be themselves. I adored their happily ever after and may even have got a little sniffly!
I’m hardly quiet in my admiration for [a:Rachael Stewart|15103378|Rachael Stewart|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1526372299p2/15103378.jpg]’s writing. I find her style fresh, detailed and intricate while still maintaining an ease that makes it so involving to read. Her characters come alive and their situations always tug at my emotions. I understand that this is to be her last Dare but I’m happy to follow her to wherever her writing goes next, just as I am happy to recommend this book to you. 5 stars.
cuppacora's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
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