PRELUDE (The Interlude Duet)

PRELUDE                                      AUDEN DAR

I thought I had it all until he came back.
Julian Caine, my childhood friend, was a short, scrawny thirteen-year-old boy with thick glasses and a mouthful of braces the last time I saw him.
Fourteen years later, he’s no longer an awkward teen.
He’s all man.
A. Beautiful. Staggering. Drop-dead. Gorgeous. Man.
This is more than a fleeting attraction. I’ve spent too many sleepless nights obsessing over him while my fiancé sleeps next to me.
Then Julian makes a proposal I can’t ignore.
One night.
That’s all he’s offering.
If I say yes, will I finally have it all? Or will it be a prelude to disaster?


Note:
Prelude is Book One in The Interlude Duet. There is no cheating and due to graphic sexual content, it is intended for mature audiences only. ARCs for Prelude are available now.

Interlude (Book Two) releases January 25, 2018. ARCs for Interlude will be available early November 2017.

MY REVIEW:

     What an amazingly tantalizing story of a woman Lina James, twenty-nine, who had a tragic beginning to her life.  When her mom died at her birth.  Her dad took it hard.  He was devoted to her but at the age of thirteen, he was ripped from her life in an auto accident.  Since his family lived in another country he had a will that was drawn up that she was to stay in the U.S. in joint care with the Caine family Marcel his dear friend and his loving wife Elisa and his parents who would come during the summers.

     When Elisa passed away once again the family she knew and loved was thrown into turmoil, Lina had grown to love them like her own, but now they were split.   She had comforted Julian all through that horrible night his mom died.  Only to be upend  again.  When he left for England that night after she left his room, to get away from the memories, she was told and Lina because it brought up all the pain full force.  So, when she woke he was gone.

     She was left alone once again.  Her grandparents had come to care for her and by then she had met her boyfriend, Andrew, who helped her through the pain and turmoil of it all.  But still her family was gone and the two she loved most were gone.  But Julian, was her heart.  Julian had shredded it.  The pain was unbelievable.  Andrew nursed her through it all and she grew to love him with her mind, then her heart, and then her body.  They became like rabbits.  Fourteen years have passed.

     Now Marcel was turning sixty-five-years-old and they were having a celebration they wanted Lina to be a part of it and attend.  After fourteen years away, the family but especially the one person who had abandoned her betrayed her, and hurt her the most, Julian.  The boy who was her brother and friend.  She wasn’t sure how she felt about all of it or going to the party.

     So, when out of the blue and all those years of no contact he does show up to invite her to Marcel’s birthday bash she says, “Yes.”  When she does her fiance of five years Andrew, but the boyfriend of fourteen years is not happy.  Lina goes anyway.  She said he had been invited too but he chooses not to go because he would rather work on his book.  He says he remembers how much pain they had caused her when they abandoned her the last time.  She goes, one, because she is not happy lately in their relationship.  Because Andrew hadn't left their home but he had abandoned their relationship.  Two, she is curious to see all the Caine’s but especially, Julian.

     Now, here is the thing, I didn’t like Andrew at all I really thought he was an ass throughout but at this point, I thought he had a valid point.  Why would you want to go to this family that abandons you and play nice when you haven’t really had any real family contact with them.  There was no loyalty from Julian yet he wants you to be loyal to his family.  I felt like he was gaming her from the beginning.  I felt like he and his dad are in on a plot of some sort.  But Andrew didn’t bother to go either to protect her and that really pissed me off.

     When she finds out Julian is the guy she was drooling over and having wet dreams over every night she wants to freak out.  For the last several nights, while her fiancé sleeps next to her it's Julian she imagines touching her, she about loses it.  Her body temperature nearly hits the roof, her interest peeks, her heart rate rises, but her mind goes on high alert because she knows how much this man can hurt her because he walked away before as if she was nothing and no one.  Never looking back.  Never answering a letter, call, email, nothing.

     Then there is Julian, I don't know, he is an Ass himself.  He brings that chick to his father's home knowing the score between him and Lina.  That there is this attraction and that he was that boy that loved her too.  What was with all the mind games.  I don't know he just kept rubbing me the wrong way.  So, the two men in her life the man I pick?  Is the third man in her life her gay husband Roger.  He was the only one who treated her with the love and respect that she truly deserved.  Roger and Patti were the best-supporting characters ever.  Loved them they lived large and alive.

     This is a quick read.  Why because once you start you will not want to put it down.  You will not and mean will not want to miss book two.  I balled like a baby.  Full-bodied characters and funny as hell.  So worth the read.  This is a to be continued but yet a standalone in the best way.  I give this: 5 stars.  Provided to me by the author for an honest review.  Follow us atwww.1rad-readerreviews.com.