TEST
I expected a lighthearted, sexy read, but Obsession from Tori Carrington turned out to be very different; a dark and intense story that offers suspense, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural…as well as some hot love scenes.
Josie Villefranche owns the Hotel Josephine, located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The hotel has been passed down through the generations by the women in her family and has a lot of history, having previously been a bordello, and Josie is determined to preserve it. But the hotel is on hard times and Josie is harassed daily by offers from investors wanting to buy her out. The recent murder of a girl in one of the hotel rooms hasn’t helped, further driving down revenues.
Enter Drew Morrison, a ruthless business contractor known as “The Closer,” who is paid by investors to get close to the owners of properties and somehow convince them to sell. He shows up and becomes the only guest of the hotel who isn’t a prostitute looking for a temporary place to do business, and that’s mainly because he’s there at the bidding of a client to persuade Josie to sell.
An instant and intense attraction sparks between Josie and Drew from the moment that they meet. Josie has been burned before by flings with guests who have come and gone but promised more – she makes it clear to Drew that all she wants is honesty from him and a no-strings-attached relationship. Women in her family have a history of being abandoned by their lovers, and Josie wants to avoid the emotional entanglement. While she’s strong and independent, she has a great deal of baggage stemming from her childhood.
Of course, the one thing Drew can’t give Josie is honesty. And he also has quite a bit of personal baggage of his own, starting with an ex-wife who cheated on him with his lawyer, and also in how he conducts his business. As a business shark, he is a step beyond ruthless.
The death of the previous guest and additional threatening, grisly events add a layer of suspense and mystery that, while compelling, casts a serious pall over everything. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good read; it offers originality and I very much enjoyed the many details in the author’s vivid description of the unique New Orleans setting, atmosphere, culture, and characters. Ghosts and voodoo curses play a significant part, and it adds a sense of the supernatural to the story that is either intriguing or creepy, depending on your taste.
The plot is brisk, the attraction between the two protagonists is believable, and there are some interesting twists and very hot love scenes. However, both characters have an incredible amount of personal baggage, and this, combined with the murder and threats that cast a shadow over everything, made it difficult for me to fully enjoy their relationship as it progressed.
Drew freely admits his own calculated, ruthless business dealings in the past. While he struggles internally with his deception and his attraction, warming up to him wasn’t easy, especially knowing how his actions will hurt Josie. Situations where the male protagonist deceives the female protagonist – and make out with her at the same time – are just not my cup of tea, no matter how much guilt they feel inside. Josie projects strength and independence, yet early on she is shown to be vulnerable because of how she was abandoned by her mother as a child (just one item of many pieces of baggage). It was almost uncomfortable to see her succumb to an affair with Drew because it’s obvious that she has the most to lose. That she is too much a victim of too many people, from her mother to Drew to the mysterious threats surrounding the hotel, prevented me from enjoying the story more.
For readers who like mystery, suspense, and a bit of voodoo mixed in with their romance, this may be right up your alley. The New Orleans setting and secondary characters add a unique flavor to this story, and the romance is an intense one. I found the story to be compelling, though it wasn’t always a comfortable read.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Series Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 12/04/06
Publication Date: 2006/04
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.