Second Nature by D.L. Roan Series: When Seconds Count #2
Published by Self-Published on October 15, 2013
Genres: Erotic, Suspense
Format: eARC
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Grant Kendal has spent his life hunting the shadows of evil. He can feel it changing him; twisting him into the very thing he despises; a mindless killer.
Thalia Brezlin is a marked woman, hell-bent on revenge. She is haunted by the nightmares of her past. A past that lies in wait to destroy her. When she washes ashore Grant’s desolate island of exile, beaten, stabbed and clinging to life, their worlds collide.
Follow them across Africa, Madagascar and India into the underworld of human trafficking. Where innocence isn’t lost, it’s stolen.
Passion will rage, rules will be broken, lives will be shattered and the truth will be revealed. Survival is Second Nature.
Liezel’s Thoughts:
My entire weekend was consumed by both D.L. Roan’s stories I have to say that I am very surprised that I haven’t heard of this series sooner because they are simply amazing. In my opinion, it isn’t necessary to read both books but would be ideal if you ever given the chance.
Both deal with the serious issue of human trafficking and one thing that I found most admirable about this author was how she was able to present these two stories in such contrasting settings. Book One: Second Chances was set out in the Montana country while Book Two was set all over the world mostly Africa and India. How those two separate world’s were described felt so authentic I looked twice to see if both stories were written by the same person. The characters mostly remained the same and I am in total awe how the author was able to make all of it work.
We first meet our hero Grant Kendal in Second Chances. At first I was confused what his exact job description was but it all came clear in this book. Let’s just say he had some exceptional skills. It was mostly because of guilt and the thought of disappointing his mentor that caused him to retire after his last assignment. He just wanted to lay low on his tiny island with his ornery monkey.
When an injured woman washes up on his island without question he takes it upon himself to care for her. Immediately he knew that she was in some serious trouble and instead of going on with his life and enjoying his early retirement he decides to help and protect her instead. Given his line of work this man is known to be cold-hearted but this woman that he hardly knew breaks through all of those walls making him feel things that he’s never felt before.
“For the first time in his life he understood what it was to make love to a woman, to feel the essence of another being as it slipped inside you and cradles your aching soul. He never believed it was possible to feel this whole, this complete… “
Thalia is this very resourceful and intelligent woman out to seek revenge against someone who ended the only person that she’s ever loved. However there is so much more to her story that she doesn’t even know. All these years she has compartmentalized these issues that would have caused anyone to break. She was lead to believe that her life was always safe and happy but not everything is as it may seem. When she was finally confronted with the truth she recovers rapidly. Her strength and tenacity is just astounding.
Grant took to Thalia immediately. The sexual tension between these Grant and Thalia was well-played out. When they finally got to that point I thought their fervor was mind-blowing. I loved how well they fit together and I’m not just talking physically. Each of their histories and their backgrounds brought them so close together I thought they complimented each other very well.
There was so many complex elements in this story and yet the delivery was exemplary all throughout. The depth of every feeling and emotion between the characters was noteworthy as well. Bottom line is, I think that this book was outstanding and I would have to say that after reading this story, anything written by D. L. Roan will be on my insta-buy list.
The Verdict:
Excerpt:
The sunlight sparkled like diamonds against the drops of water that beaded across Grant’s broad chest and raced along the cuts and dips between his washboard abs. His dark blue board shorts, soaked and clinging to his equally muscled thighs, hung low on his hips. A thin trail of golden curls raced between the hard lines of his narrow hips, disappearing beneath his waistband. Only a blind woman would miss the outline of his perfectly defined erection. Holy sin on a stick, he is packing.
His arms and legs moved with the grace of a jungle cat stalking its prey, the tight strands of muscles bunching and stretching beneath his skin with every step. His right hand was wrapped tight around the black grip of a pistol, the thick tendons in his wrist flexing as he tightened and loosened his grip. She followed the ripple of movement to his rounded shoulder, his neck, and then up to the chiseled lines of his face. Her lungs seized with feminine lust, mixed with a healthy dose of fear as she locked eyes with the lethal beast inside him. He’s going to kill me.
The fire in Grant’s eyes blazed with a heat as tangible as the sun’s rays beating relentlessly against her skin. She didn’t know the first thing about this man, other than the fact that he was dangerous and locked onto her like a fast moving freight train. He hadn’t hurt her yet, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t kill her. Still, she couldn’t make herself move or even look away. Something inside her was drawn to the beast residing within the man; to the absolute power and strength that wrecked her senses.
Paralyzed, she was powerless to resist as his hard, lean body crashed into hers, trapping her against his hot, wet skin. His hands tangled in her hair, his desperate grip holding her captive to his assault, his lips crushing against hers with frantic need.
Second Chances (When Seconds Count #1)
Synopsis:
Six years after the McLendon brothers lost their wife during the birth of their twins they are merely existing, focused only on running their ranch and raising their boys….until Claira Robbins drops into their family like a baby bird falling from its nest.
She certainly ruffles more than a few feathers. Matt and Mason believe she will be the one to heal their hearts and family. Their older brother Grey? He plans to live out his life comfortably numb from the neck down, even if it kills him…and it just might if Claira’s lethal past catches up to her.
Can they convince Grey to let go of the past and give love a second chance? Or will his own haunting secret destroy what is left of their family for good?
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Shannon Burdsall
Loved the review! Thanks for supporting DL Roan! I can’t wait to read more from DL Roan!
Josette Schaber
I couldn’t have said it better myself Liezel! Great review for an exceptional series and author. <3 DL!