Review: Lust by T.C. Anthony

Evangeline Chase is standing at the edge of a crossroad. After choosing to be blissfully ignorant for far too long and willfully ignoring what her life has been lacking, fate is about to intervene. When Alexander Mason, a striking and powerful venture capitalist, is introduced as her new boss, Eva is overwhelmed by an intoxicating cocktail of hormones and lust that leaves her struggling to maintain her composure and more importantly, control of her life.

With an undeniable urge to dominate her new boss, her own lust-filled fantasies lead to a transformation that shakes her to her core. But when Alexander challenges Eva to satisfy her carnal urges, she is forced to choose between her career, her desires, and an unconventional and lustful relationship. Consumed by fear and forced to maintain control at all costs, Eva must decide if having it all is worth risking her career, her world, and possibly, love.

Three Stages of Love: Lust is the first book in a suspenseful new erotic romance series that explores the questions that young women have while embarking on their journey through life and love. Eva’s transformation from prim and proper to fun and dominating proves to be one of the most erotically intriguing personal makeovers around. Her passion for her career and life goals ultimately gives way to uninhibited encounters that leave her intoxicated and yearning for more. Eva’s emotional battle between her heart and mind leave her juggling with a desire to have it all and a profound fear of losing everything.

I read the blurb for Three Stages of Love: Lust on NetGalley and just knew that this would be the perfect “first request” I submitted. Here you have two extremely successful people trying to get over their issues as a couple, who also happen to have some pretty steamy scenes along the way. This should have been an easy yet enjoyable read with a minimum given 4 star review. Imagine how devastated I was when it took me more than three days to finish the book, and the utter disappointment and frustration I felt throughout that three day read.

The book actually starts off really funny and with great potential. You have your group of 30-something, New York girlfriends dancing on a bar, taking shots after work. Entertaining first scene? Check. Next our main character Eva, drunkenly falls off said bar and right into the arms of sex on a stick.  Funny start? Check. Eva then propositions this completely yummy yet irresistibly sexy man to have sex with her right there at the bar, only to find out a few days later that Mr. Sexy-pants (since she doesn’t know his name yet) is here new “acting boss”. See what I mean by a funny and great start? It had everything set up and ready to go for a great read, but sadly everything kind of went a little to mood-swingy from there. You see, Eva is the Webster definition of a commitment-phobe.  Here she has this amazing career that she has worked so very hard for, loyal and dependable friends, and a family who is supportive and close. Then enters the final piece of the puzzle, someone she can share her success with, who appreciates the woman she is and can be, Mr. Alexander Mason, aka Mr. Sexy-pants. He is sweet, attentive, not creepy, successful on his own, and willing to get to know a woman and ease her fear of things moving too fast.

Seriously if Santa is by chance reading this post, I know I haven’t been that good this year but can you please bring me my own Alexander Mason? I promise to be better next year if you give him to me this year (insert puppy dog face here).

Yes he was that damn amazing; something that Eva completely looked over. She was so afraid of not being in control and of not taking her career to the next level that she drove this patient and beautiful man away from her. I’m not one of those people who believe you have to have a man/woman in your life to be happy, but I do believe that when you have made it to the top of your career it will probably feel better to have that someone special who you can share that accomplishment with. You would think a woman with parents who have been married for 30+ years would appreciate the prospect of having that too one day. Not right this second, but one day. I get the whole insta-love thing freaked her out, but it wasn’t like he got down on one knee or anything. People can date for various lengths of time, and who knows three years from now she might be in a better place emotionally to think about that next step. Of course I am a rational, yet hopeless romantic, and Eva was an evil, control-freak BITCH!  She’s a fictional character but I swear I was suffering from emotional whiplash with all of her crazy personalities. She went from talking about how great, and kind, and wonderful Alexander was to screaming at him for things that were completely out of his control. He deserved so much better than Eva could give and Eva deserved a straight jacket and a padded room to help with her multiples personalities and mood swings. To put it simply, the characters were underdeveloped, the story felt incomplete and jumpy, and even the good sex scenes couldn’t save it for me.

I am the poster child for “the hopeless romantic”, but I am absolutely happy with how things turned out with Eva and Alexander and honestly don’t believe that a second book is necessary.

*I received a copy from the publisher for a honest review*