Provoke You
Diana A. Hicks
(Cole Brothers #2)
Publication date: December 16th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Hotel heiress Ela LeBlanc is ready to take control of her life. Waking up handcuffed to a former marine and the news of her step-dad’s plans to sell the hotel is just the wake-up call she needs.
With only thirty days to prove he has no claim on the property, Ela has to enlist the help of her sexy as sin bodyguard.When things take a dangerous turn, and Matt becomes the only person she can trust, she can’t help but wonder… can she trust him with her heart?
Former Marine Matt Cole came to New Orleans for a fresh start, a chance to make amends. After accepting a job as the chief of security for a wealthy hotelier, he quickly realizes that life in the Big Easy is anything but.
Matt’s greatest challenge is keeping his distance from the tempting Ela LeBlanc, his boss’s gorgeous and very off limits step-daughter.
Surviving Ela is just the beginning. As things unfold it becomes clear that it’s not just his heart on the line, but their lives.
PROVOKE YOU is book two in the Cole Brothers series. A new family saga binge reading experience: 5 brothers, 5 full-length novels in 5 months.
Continue reading on December 16th, January 13th, February 10th, and March 9th. Don’t miss out on this suspenseful and seductive series.
Note: This is a steamy romance with explicit sensual scenes, happily ever after, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.
Oh, how I love this series! This seems to be the tag line for all my reviews for Diana Hicks’ books. All is justified when you have an amazing author, that brings the readers great characters and a suspenseful plot.
In „Provoke You” we have another Cole brother – Matt. He meets Ela LeBlanc in … less than honorable circumstances (for her) and somehow ends up accepting her step-father’s offer to see her to Paris, in exchange for a job as head of security for the LeBlanc empire. Little did he expect to get tangled into a family affair that puts Ela’s life in danger multiple times. Things are not always what they seem and the two needs to join forces to find answers.
Both characters are amazingly well built, each with his or her baggage to carry. Matt learns to see past Ela’s Intagram profile and he likes what he finds. She, on the other hand seems to give him only trouble, until she understands that only with his protection she can defend what is hers. Their relationship builds reasonably fast and I like that Matt keeps his professional attitude until he no longer considers necessary (though I wonder what would have happened if the outcome was different…). I’m being vague, but you’ll understand what I mean after reading the story.
Honorable mention for Kitt and Chase. They are a delight! So strong, yet full of crazy ideas.
Alcohol addiction is present in many forms. Ela is fighting her dependence at every step, until one good reason comes along. Matt has his own demons and seeing Ela drunk brings back memories he wants to keep locked and fears he is not yet willing to face. The author underlines, with her story, that everyone needs to find strength and reasons to move forward. Together, we can do it 🙂
I may see one glitch in the perfect book that „provoke You” is: Matt’s past comes back to haunt him, but I cannot seem to find the conclusion of this story. Maybe we will find out at some point in the series, but for now it doesn’t make much sense to me. Still, this is not a good reason to decrease my rating.
Let’s conclude, shall we? A great plot, great characters with interesting backstories and an amazing writing. I am loving this series so far! Book 3 will be out January 13th and I cannot wait to share my thoughts with you guys J So hurry up and catch up with the series until then.
Cover Review: Yes, yes, yes! This is an amazing cover! The purple theme makes me think of Ela’s social life with her Insta-stories. There’s the bodyguard guy overseeing what I assume should be New Orleans. I love how the elements are tied to the story. That’s my idea of a great cover!
Favorite Quote:
“I’m just gonna say one thing. The last time you got involved with a civilian who needed help, you almost died. Please don’t die”
“I’ll do my best.”
(come on, this is funny! It really is 🙂 )
P.S.: should you be interested in my thoughts about book 1, “Unravel You” follow the link here
Author Bio:
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance with a touch of suspense. Book two in her Desert Monsoon series, LOVE OVER LOGIC, won the 2019 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Romance – Suspense genre
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
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