Devoted to Pleasure (Devoted Lovers #1) by Shayla Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Shayla Blacks’s Devoted to Pleasure is absolutely SMOKIN HOT! The instant attraction between Cutter and Shealyn sets up a steamy secret romance sure to be filled with angst and heart-ache in order to get to that HEA. We met Cutter in Ms. Black’s “Holding on Tighter” and she did not disappoint on this gorgeous private security bodyguard’s story. Shealyn is an up and coming Hollywood starlet with a blackmailer “problem” in need of Cutter’s services. Shealyn is a strong and easy to like heroine – always keeping a small-town vulnerability for such a successful actress.
The story starts out with Cutter making a non-romantic life commitment to his best friend Brea. This was given to keep Brea safe and pay her back for the “sacrifice” she made to save his life. But first he must go to California and complete a job with this actress. (Side note: this sets up a future story for good girl Brea and the menacing “One-Mile” Pierce in “Wicked as Sin” coming soon from Ms. Black.) Shealyn just needs this bodyguard guy to deliver her blackmailer’s money, then he can go home, and she can continue to move up the Hollywood Starlet food chain. Ah, but it is never that easy and the blackmailer situation turns drastically complicated.
Cutter is instantly protective of his charge and their chemistry escalates while Shealyn is bouncing around Hollywood with her co-star boyfriend for show. His internal dialog is intense and considerate at the same time. Throughout the story we are introduced to several characters – each of whom could be the blackmailer. (Ms. Black does a little “bait and switch” on that theme in the end – but I was leaning towards the eventual character who ended up being that villain.)
“We may not be coming up for food – or air – all evening, because I’ve devoted hours to thinking of all the ways I want to pleasure you.”
Once Cutter and Shealyn finally give in to their attraction it’s an instant love match. You are constantly trying to figure out how they can possibly work this out for their forever? How is he going to resolve his “commitment” back home? How will she save face while dumping the Hollywood boyfriend without the PR nightmare? UGH! Well, Ms. Black weaves her story’s conclusion with a dramatic bow, an expected tragedy, and a few sizzling tidbits for future stories.
Shayla Black brings in several of her characters from my favorite “Wicked Lovers” series and she is sure to mix and mingle more of these beloved people with her future tomes. When these characters (Hunter and Logan Edgington and a few run-ins at the Mackenzie-Thorpe Christmas party) pop up – it always makes me want to go back and re-read the series!
Devoted to Pleasure is a super sizzling love story with some explosive chemistry from the start. It keeps you pining for these two to seal the deal and find their forever while all the dramatic surprises take you for a wild ride. Enjoy!
Now I HAVE to read Ms. Black’s next books in the series – Devoted to Wicked (#1.5) and Devoted to Love (#2).
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