Book Review: Naked by Raine Miller

Title: Naked
Series: The Blackstone Affair, Book 1
Author: Raine Miller
Genre: Erotic Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from NetGalley
Published: August 2012 by author

Brynne Bennett is living the good life. An American art student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she’s putting her life back on track with school and lots of hard work. When ultra successful London businessman, Ethan Blackstone, buys her nude portrait, he isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. He wants Brynne in his bed and makes plans to keep her there no matter what. His dominant nature captivates and ensnares despite the demons she carries inside her. But there are secrets in this relationship. Huge ones. Can Ethan free Brynne from the past that has marked her? Will Brynne let him or will the specters tormenting her resurface to destroy them both…

Why I Read this Book: The cover for Naked caught my eye, then the title. I read the blurb and it seemed like a cross between Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series and On Dublin Street by Samantha Young. Since I enjoyed both of those author’s books, I decided I had to read Naked.

What I Liked: I am a sucker for the dominating and controlling billionaire hero trope. The filthy rich hero and the opportunities that come with him; The hero and heroine calling each other formally by their surnames (Mr. Blackstone, Ms. Bennett); The hero being very controlling and sexually hungry; The safe word. (Except in Brynne's case, the safe word isn't for escape from a sexual situation, which was an interesting twist.) Yes, Naked did have a similar feel to other books featuring dominating billionaire heroes, and I’m okay with that. So as long as there is something that sets the book apart from the rest of the pack and Naked had that with the contents within its prologue and with Ethan’s character.

The difference with Ethan is that he wears his heart on his sleeve. He doesn't suppress his feelings and he's very blunt about what he wants when it comes to having a relationship with Brynne - not only sexually but emotionally as well. And though Naked is told in first person narration from Brynne's POV, the reader is still privy to what Ethan feels and goes through the use of dialogue. Like I said, Ethan speaks his mind.

Speaking of narration, there was a sneak peak of All In, the next book in this series, and it's told in Ethan's POV. I'm wondering if the entire book will be told from his POV or if the author just gives the reader a bit from Ethan's perspective, especially given what occurs at the end of Naked. 

What I Didn’t Like: It took me a while to get into Naked. The beginning (with the exception of the prologue) somewhat lacked originality but at around the half-way point or so things got rolling in an interesting and unique way.

Memorable Moments:

“Get your hand off my ass before your balls become pom-poms for my boots. You have two balls and I have two boots – one for each.”

“When we fucked in my bed you passed into uncharted territory – trust me on that one.”

Overall Impression: It took a while for Naked to really capture my attention but once it did, it was hooked. It did end with a cliffhanger, which has me anxious to read the next book All In.

Brianna’s Rating: