Scan barcode
A review by thefox22
Allure by Nina Lane
5.0
It’s official; Dean and Liv are one of my favorite book couples. <3 Top ten, definitely. They probably even made it in the top five.
Lane is one amazingly talented author. She literally brings her characters to life, and when I’m reading, I feel like I’m reading about a real couple. And I love how she mixes the past and the present, intricately weaving together a solid story-line filled with passion, fear, insecurity, grief, heartache, happiness, and most of all: love.
So, I know nothing about what makes a marriage work. I only know what I caught glimpses of from my grandparents and my mom and dad. My grandparents, especially, were shining examples of what true love is. But what Dean and Liv have is what I want out of a marriage. Or, at least, what I think I want. A fiery passion, a safety net, a home. Their marriage isn’t perfect by a long shot, but they have something that would make other couples truly envious: true love. The kind of love, that no matter what, will stand the test of time, insecurities, external and internal conflicts that threaten to tear them apart. It’s a love that conquers all, from betrayal and secrecy to cruel tragedies. It’s the kind of love that fairytales are made of and what I strive to find.
But that doesn’t mean that their marriage goes back to the way it was before, or that it’s perfect. They’ve both changed, and so has their relationship. However, in this case, the change is good. It just proves to them that their love can conquer anything and that they were made for each other. Like two halves of a whole. Like two peas in a pod. Like two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.
In Allure, Dean and Liv are still facing the repercussions of their fights. They take it slowly, one day at a time, trying to find some semblance of the normalcy that they both crave from before their marriage blew up. Liv’s pregnancy sheds a light on some things, and although it had been a complete surprise, they are both determined to do it right. And the longer time goes on, the more they want the baby. And the more they will do anything to push past the echoes of their conflicts and hurt. Because however much they want and need to protect each other from everything, at the end of the day, it was the two of them that had hurt each other.
Tragedy sends Dean home to California, and this time, Liv goes with him. And no wonder why Dean always went home alone over the years! His family seems perfect on the outside: sprawling house, lots of money, and his father has a big career. But that all hides their true colors: their cruel and cold demeanor, their sense of entitlement and superiority. Dean’s parents should have divorced years ago, but they decided to “stick it out” because of appearances. His sister is no better, having worshipped her older brother until he divorced Helen and shattered her ideal image of a perfect marriage. And the youngest, Archer, is the black sheep of the family. But I have a feeling there’s more to him than meets the eye. The brothers have never seen eye to eye, and after a painful family secret came to light twenty five years ago because of Dean, no one can seem to move past that. Especially Archer. But near the end, he and Dean face each other without any argument, fight, or snide comment. It’s a step, I think. A step in the direction of reclaiming the lost friendship and brotherly love they used to have for each other. I’m a sucker for strong family bonds, and I’d love to see that relationship patched up.
But this book isn’t about patching up family ties; it’s about Dean’s and Liv’s marriage. It’s about a couple so in love with each other that nothing, and no one, will bring them down or tear them apart.
***
Liv is such a strong woman, and it shows throughout the whole book. She had a horrible childhood, and it wasn’t until she met Dean that she found safety and security. He was the first man she could trust. He was her white knight, her Sir Galahad. He showed her how to love and be loved, how to open up to someone and how to take pleasure in life. But she no longer wants to be sheltered from everything. And after tragedy strikes their marriage, Liv not only has to deal with grief, but with her husband’s glutton need for punishment. For it to be his entire fault. He’s so protective of her.bitch’s student’s lies she understands why Dean has always tried to shelter her and protect her. Because she’s feeling like a mother bear, staking her claim on her man and wanting to go after the woman who could very well ruin an innocent man’s career because of a petty need to do what her rich father wants her to do. Oh, I just love the strong and fierce woman she’s grown to be, the woman who stands up for herself and the people she loves, and will fight for what she wants.
Two words: Professor. West.
God, I love him. I want my own Professor West. I’m not kidding. Seriously, he’s amazing.
It’s crazy how tied up I am over a book, how insanely jealous I am of something I’ve never experienced myself. It’s fiction, I know that. I’m not naïve, and I certainly know that this is not a real couple. It could be based on real experiences, whether by the author or someone she knows. Or it could just be the author’s exploration of love, of a marriage that seemed so perfect before it fell apart. Whatever the case, I am so invested in this couple’s story, and I will be extremely sad when Awaken comes out and their journey finally ends.
This story, their marriage, everything about Liv and Dean just feels so damn real.
Lane is one amazingly talented author. She literally brings her characters to life, and when I’m reading, I feel like I’m reading about a real couple. And I love how she mixes the past and the present, intricately weaving together a solid story-line filled with passion, fear, insecurity, grief, heartache, happiness, and most of all: love.
So, I know nothing about what makes a marriage work. I only know what I caught glimpses of from my grandparents and my mom and dad. My grandparents, especially, were shining examples of what true love is. But what Dean and Liv have is what I want out of a marriage. Or, at least, what I think I want. A fiery passion, a safety net, a home. Their marriage isn’t perfect by a long shot, but they have something that would make other couples truly envious: true love. The kind of love, that no matter what, will stand the test of time, insecurities, external and internal conflicts that threaten to tear them apart. It’s a love that conquers all, from betrayal and secrecy to cruel tragedies. It’s the kind of love that fairytales are made of and what I strive to find.
Our relationship, our love, cannot and will never be perfect. It will, however, always belong to us in all its flawed, intense beauty. Perfect in its very imperfection.Throughout Arouse, Liv and Dean were both keeping secrets. Sex wasn’t enough to save them from letting their insecurities, doubts, and hurt cloud their minds and their hearts. But their relationship, their marriage, their love is so much more than a passionate and fiery sex life. They saved each other, gave each other the warmth and security that they were missing from their childhoods. Their love gave them a chance to be themselves and to feel completely and wholly safe and protected. Whatever hits them from the outside won’t break them apart. But it was the conflict inside themselves that wrecked them and made them question everything about their marriage. Through honest communication, space, and time to reflect on their marriage and why they fell in love in the first place, Dean and Liv find the strength to push past their troubles. And they come out stronger as individuals and as couples.
But that doesn’t mean that their marriage goes back to the way it was before, or that it’s perfect. They’ve both changed, and so has their relationship. However, in this case, the change is good. It just proves to them that their love can conquer anything and that they were made for each other. Like two halves of a whole. Like two peas in a pod. Like two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.
In Allure, Dean and Liv are still facing the repercussions of their fights. They take it slowly, one day at a time, trying to find some semblance of the normalcy that they both crave from before their marriage blew up. Liv’s pregnancy sheds a light on some things, and although it had been a complete surprise, they are both determined to do it right. And the longer time goes on, the more they want the baby. And the more they will do anything to push past the echoes of their conflicts and hurt. Because however much they want and need to protect each other from everything, at the end of the day, it was the two of them that had hurt each other.
Tragedy sends Dean home to California, and this time, Liv goes with him. And no wonder why Dean always went home alone over the years! His family seems perfect on the outside: sprawling house, lots of money, and his father has a big career. But that all hides their true colors: their cruel and cold demeanor, their sense of entitlement and superiority. Dean’s parents should have divorced years ago, but they decided to “stick it out” because of appearances. His sister is no better, having worshipped her older brother until he divorced Helen and shattered her ideal image of a perfect marriage. And the youngest, Archer, is the black sheep of the family. But I have a feeling there’s more to him than meets the eye. The brothers have never seen eye to eye, and after a painful family secret came to light twenty five years ago because of Dean, no one can seem to move past that. Especially Archer. But near the end, he and Dean face each other without any argument, fight, or snide comment. It’s a step, I think. A step in the direction of reclaiming the lost friendship and brotherly love they used to have for each other. I’m a sucker for strong family bonds, and I’d love to see that relationship patched up.
But this book isn’t about patching up family ties; it’s about Dean’s and Liv’s marriage. It’s about a couple so in love with each other that nothing, and no one, will bring them down or tear them apart.
***
Liv is such a strong woman, and it shows throughout the whole book. She had a horrible childhood, and it wasn’t until she met Dean that she found safety and security. He was the first man she could trust. He was her white knight, her Sir Galahad. He showed her how to love and be loved, how to open up to someone and how to take pleasure in life. But she no longer wants to be sheltered from everything. And after tragedy strikes their marriage, Liv not only has to deal with grief, but with her husband’s glutton need for punishment. For it to be his entire fault. He’s so protective of her.
"You just always wanted to give me the safety I never had. But life isn't safe, no matter how hard you try to make it that way."And it was because of Dean’s need to protect her and shield her that their marriage started to fall apart in the first place. He kept secrets from her, and it made her question their marriage, but not their love. Never their love. When her husband’s career is threatened because of some
Two words: Professor. West.
God, I love him. I want my own Professor West. I’m not kidding. Seriously, he’s amazing.
“Beauty, you’re the only thing I’m sure of.”
“My beauty. I’d wait for you forever.”
“You’ll always be my allure.”I just melt when he calls her beauty. <3 He definitely made the top ten book boyfriend list. Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading too many young adult novels with the stereotypical “bad boy” versus best friend of the female protagonist. Maybe it’s because I’m always partial to those bad boys that I find this studious, medieval studies professor so damn sexy. And maybe it’s just because I need to get the hell away from the “cutesy” and adorable love between teens. Whatever the case, I am so glad I stopped putting off reading this book. Dean has such a three-dimensional personality that makes him a believable and lovable character. The tentativeness he shows toward Liv, that fierce protectiveness, that possessive and dominant sexual side of him. He may be an esteemed professor, but that’s not even his best side. The reason his parents weren’t thrilled about Liv was because of that esteemed side to him, yet it has never mattered to either of them. Why? Because they’ve never had to be anyone but themselves with each other. But after a previous failed marriage and what happens with Liv while he was away, the guilt and failure starts to eat away at him. Add in false accusations that threaten his jeopardy and the career he’s worked so hard to build, and everything comes crashing down around him. With a push from Liv, Dean makes a plan to move past all of the shit that has flooded his life in the past year. And I have no doubt he’ll find his way.
It’s crazy how tied up I am over a book, how insanely jealous I am of something I’ve never experienced myself. It’s fiction, I know that. I’m not naïve, and I certainly know that this is not a real couple. It could be based on real experiences, whether by the author or someone she knows. Or it could just be the author’s exploration of love, of a marriage that seemed so perfect before it fell apart. Whatever the case, I am so invested in this couple’s story, and I will be extremely sad when Awaken comes out and their journey finally ends.
This story, their marriage, everything about Liv and Dean just feels so damn real.