Toni's Review of Raw Desire by Kate Pearce ***3.5 Stars***

Unforgettable Pleasure

Ally Kendal knows returning to her hometown to sell her mother's house isn't going to be easy. She left in disgrace years ago and hasn't been back since. But she's never forgotten the one man who awakened in her a secret yearning for wildly erotic sexual pleasure. . .

Undeniable Desire

Rob Ward is surprised at the surge of desire he feels when he first sees Ally after all this time. He's gotten over the betrayal he felt when he found her and his best friend together on the eve of his wedding, but it's obvious he's never given up wanting her. And now that she's back he'll show her what she's missed, how good he makes her feel, how easy it is for him to take control and bring her to the edge of sweet surrender. . .

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Running away from the past is never a good thing. It’s time to handle the errors of the past and move forward into the future. Three lives are about to change, but can they accept the life that fates holds for them or will they run again from the passion and the unknown?

Ally Kendal left Spring Falls over ten years ago and didn’t look back. But she seems destined to repeat the errors of her mother. Now it’s time for her to return home and make amends. With a town that would rather never hear her name or see her face again. People from small towns are slow on forgiveness, and fast to judge. Ally has a very long painful road ahead of her.

Rob Ward is the town’s revered son. Always coming out ahead in the choices he makes and appearing perfect to anyone who looks at him. But Rob has dark secrets too. While he may look ideal and genuine, he also has a dark desire. He is a dominate man who rules his life and his lovers. His strong hand and will ruined his future. But it has just showed up back in town. Now Rob is determined to fix the past, no matter what he has to do to do it.

Jackson Smith betrayed his best friend when he slept with his girlfriend Ally. After a stint in the military and recovering from his emotional wounds, he returns home. He repairs his relationship with Rob and tries to move on with his life. Unfortunately, he has secrets and desires that run deep and strong. It is time to take what he wants; nothing is going to stand in his way.

Raw Desire is a hot erotic read. Love and emotions also run high in this book. I enjoyed the story immensely. The three characters were deeply connected, yet worlds apart. I felt emotionally drawn to Ally. The lack of forgiveness from the town was horrible, but she held on strong and persevered. The true gems were the members of the community that were sympathetic and understanding. They empowered her to continue. The subplot of her mother’s reformation was a wonderful surprise and very endearing to me. It really started to show Ally that within herself she could find forgiveness and redemption. It was a wonderful touch.

Rob’s journey was not as warm and appealing. He was a jerk at times but during the story you saw a spark of understanding with an undercurrent of self discovery. Jackson was a pure delight. He is a quiet soul with so much confusion and turmoil. All I wanted to do was wrap him up and cuddle with him. He was wise and I believe the true backbone of this ménage. With his quiet demeanor and reflection, he was able to see the pitfalls and gently nudge Ally and Ron in the right direction. A lot of the times they didn’t go willing or at all, but he was there to help them up when they fell. I loved Jackson!

Unfortunately, I knew who the villain of the book was right from the get go. There were no surprises. So the mystery portion of the story just didn’t do it for me, but the budding reconnection of this relationship was fun and extremely heated.

Now that it’s been stated how much I enjoyed the book, I’m disappointed in the misleading blurb from the cover. Short of the names and the general premise of the storyline it doesn’t hold true. I honestly don’t remember the wedding being brought up and while I hate to be a spoiler this is 100% a M/F/M book. There are three definite partners in this relationship (obviously from my mentioning it above). I personally enjoyed the ménage, but I just thought it needed to be stated since some readers may not enjoy those types of novels.

Raw Desire is a sensual delight for the senses. Definitely raw and rough; the sex will get you hot and bothered, while the romance will have you cheering and exasperated. This book is a steamy addition to my erotic romance collection that will keep me up at night and have me fanning myself from start to finish.

Thanks for reading - Toni