Review and Giveaway: Unwound

Unwound (Mastered - Book 2) by Lorelei James

Publication Date: 03/25/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: New American Library
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Pages: 384
ISBN-10: 0451467310
ISBN-13: 978-0451467317

(Received for an honest review from New American Library)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Indiebound

Lorelei James on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Books in the series: 

Mastered

1. Bound
2. Unwound

Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from, Unwound, courtesy of 

Synopsis:

In this conclusion to the Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a man’s need for control is tested by the one woman he’ll risk everything for…

When sensei Ronin Black first encounters Amery Hardwick, the fire in her eyes ignites a sexual spark a thousand times better than the primal rush he used to get from mixed martial arts matches. She accepts his darker edges and admits to him that her desires aren’t as wholesome as he believed. And before long Ronin is grappling with emotions he’s never felt before….

Yet despite demanding Amery bare her body and soul to him, Ronin holds a part of himself back. When she learns Ronin’s secret and walks out, his life begins to unravel.  To regain her trust he must let go of his pride and prove to her that it’s more than passion binding them together. 

Thoughts:

Unwound is the second book in Lorelei James' Mastered series, which is a complete departure from the authors normal erotic niche. There are no cowboys to be found in this series as James takes on the urban jungle. James continues the journey of Amery and Ronin that began in the book, Bound. Readers who are looking for an erotic romance that is about more than just BDSM and control, will find this series, sensual and erotic in a different way than they are used to. A fantastic conclusion to the series!

What I liked:

I am a huge fan of Lorelei James, especially after reading her book Bound, which is the first book in the Mastered series. James brought readers a story about a young woman with a religious family, who was dealing with her own desires for something more. She also gave readers a man, who was dominant, yet not controlling. He was an alpha male, but one who actually cared how he used his power. Ronin and Amery's story was emotional and full of sensuality and trust. Ronin, however had a lot of secrets and in the end of the first book, one comes back to haunt him and Amery walks out. 

The entire first book was written from Amery's point of view and centered around her journey to become the woman she was meant to be. The second book in the series, Unwound, goes the opposite direction. In this book readers get to see Ronin's point of view. It begins shortly after their breakup and readers are able to see how it affects both of them, but because this book centers on Ronin, it is geared more to his point of view. These two books should not be read separately, as the reader will be left completely in the dark. But I loved the switch up with this one and being able to get inside Ronin's head a little bit. 

Ronin still has secrets and he's literally beating himself up about it. He begins doing martial arts competitions again because he wants to not only feel the pain but experience it, see it in the bruises on his body and know what he has done to Amery. It was so completely believable that it was sad. I got very emotional when I realized the depth of Ronin's pain. It played in perfectly into the story when he ended up at Amery's house, injured and unable to take care of himself. It was quite the moment. I loved everything about Ronin, even his secretiveness, that just gave him more personality. He was a very sexy and full of surprises.

As with the first book, I loved the martial arts aspects of this book. It gave an edge to the book that was so different from James' cowboy books. I liked the urban setting and the intense relationship between the characters. Amery was a sweetheart and Ronin was just plain sexy. This book is also not your typical BDSM offering that was the beauty of it. The rope work was so interesting and intriguing. The techniques that Ronin uses showed such creativity and artistry that it was just a beautiful thing and the way James brings that across to reader is also like a fine art. It was a wonderful book and series, you have to read it!

What I didn't like:

No cliffhangers in this one. There are just some stories that require more than one book to tell and that was the case with Ronin and Amery. I appreciated the fact that James divided this tale into two books and gave the reader more time with these characters, so much would have been lost had she done it differently. Yep, that's right I liked everything about it. 

Bottom Line:

If you are interested in typical BDSM novels, this probably not for you. James gives readers a book and a couple that don't fit in the BDSM box of tricks. The rope work is amazing and so is the connection between Amery and Ronin. Readers won't know what hit them with this one. One of my favorite books of the year so far. 

Unwound is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Lorelei James is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary erotic romances, including the Blacktop Cowboy novels: Turn and Burn, One Night Rodeo, Wrangled and Tangled, Saddled and Spurred, and Coralled. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota with her family.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Unwound by Lorelei James.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, May 13th.

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