Illusions by Kacey Hammell - A CBLS Review

This post is part of the Coffee Beans & Love Scenes Virtual E-Book Tour Mar 5-24th 2012

ILLUSIONS
(In the Arms of the Law) 

by 
Kacey Hammell

Genre: Contemporary Urban Fantasy/Suspense/Erotica


Published by:   Decadent Publishing


Source:  VBT eBook Review Copy


Blurb (as per VBT Media Pack):

Protection. Adventure. Love.

It's all found within The Arms of the Law...

Detective Isabella Knowles, a tough-as-nails cop, lives by the law, and knows what she wants out of life. And it doesn't include marriage or all that comes with it. Everything Isabella has ever known seems like an illusion when a new relationship makes her feel more alive than ever before.  She isn’t happy about it and fights it every step of the way.

Burned by his fiancé years ago, seer and P.I., Brady Jacobs never wants another commitment in his life.  But his bachelorhood and heart are threatened when he has one of his visions and see a killer striking too close to the woman he has recently come to love.

Danger lurks close to home and neither Brady nor Isabella like that they can’t control every situation…especially matters of the heart.

Favourite Quote: 

“You taste like M&Ms, babe.”    

What I thought (no spoilers, promise): 

As if it isn't hard enough to be a woman in what is still a man's world - Detective Isabella has to struggle with a precinct full of relatives/friends/acquaintances who involve themselves in her private affairs. Everybody and their cousin wants her to settle down (ok it's her father, mostly), but Isabella likes her job, likes being a detective, and has no intention on giving it up for a white picket fence and anklebiters (her words)

She isn't exactly making things easy on herself, though. Her cousin's partner, Ethan, has a major crush on her - but she only has eyes for Brady. To put it in Isabella's words, he looked good enough to eat. Top that off with being Trenton's favourite psychic P.I. and daddy-approved, and what more could you want? Even the press thinks they're in love. But they're just friends, right? Friends with benefits, maybe...but more? Isabella isn't ready for more. Is she?

Brady, meanwhile, has his own problems. His visions are helpful and thankfully accepted by his immediate surroundings, but you can't save everyone and one case in particular haunts his thoughts. His affair with Isabella - or Bella, as he calls her - is steaming hot and a much-needed release, but it isn't at all like him to be so focused on just one babe...

I think we all know where that's going....and it would, too, but things aren't that easy if you're a seer PI and a detective. Work interferes, and then Brady has that vision that strikes all to close to home... I'm going to refrain from going into more details - don't want to spoil it for you! 

What You Should Consider: 

It took me a little longer to get into this story than it usually does - the rythm of the storytelling took some getting used to, but I do believe that's just me. I've included an excerpt at the end of this post - have a read and see what you think! 

If you don't like characters who dance around each other in an effort to hide their true feelings (mostly from themselves), this isn't the book for you. Both Brady and Isabella know there's more to their relationship than just sex, but it takes time before they admit it to themselves or each other. 

The sex scenes are steamy - so remember that this is erotica, not 'plain' romance. Sex is a major theme (and an enjoyable one, too... ; P ). 


I should probably mention that the epilogue sets up the next novel, so we have a series to look forward to! 


Rating: 

About the Author: 

Canadian-born author, Kacey Hammell is a self-proclaimed book-a-holic, who began reading romances at a young age and became easily addicted.  As a Mom of three, Kacey has made certain that each of her children know the value of the written word and the adventures they could escape on by becoming book-a-holics in their own right.

A decade ago, while working for multiple review sites, Kacey quickly discovered that she was developing the writing bug. Thanks to the encouragement of her own beloved hero husband, she decided to try her hand at writing. 

With a love of contemporary settings, modern day romances and the happily ever after, as well as the excitement of suspense, Kacey creates stories in genres she’s familiar with and that she loves most. She also loves vampires who nibble the necks of the heroines, ghosts who can't leave a loved one, shape-shifters who are sexier than hell and the thought of her very own werewolf or were-cat to tame makes her tremble!

You can find her on her Blog, on Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and at kaceyhammell@gmail.com.

Where You Can Get It: 


Amazon (Kindle Edition)
Decadent Publishing
Smashwords


Excerpt: 

Knowing she would soon run out of time before his arrival, and getting more aroused by the second, Isabella hurriedly reached for her bath sponge. Soaping it up, she cleansed her body with an eagerness she was growing accustomed to feeling whenever she had plans to see him.

Sponging all suds from her clean body, Isabella pulled the plug in the drain, and stood in the tub, reaching for a thick, blue towel from the shelf. 

She rubbed vigorously at her body, drying it, and reached for the strawberry body lotion that went with her bubble bath. She poured a generous amount into her palm, rubbing her hands together to coat them in the sweet smell. Then she smoothed it over her arms, her breasts, stomach, and legs. The scent of strawberries made her smile.

Humming Destiny’s Child’s ancient hit Soldier to herself, Isabella wondered how many more minutes she’d have to wait before her soldier made an appearance.

She recapped the body lotion and tucked the towel loosely around her once again. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the sound of the front door closing. 

She hazarded a glance in the mirror. With the mussed, damp tendrils of hair around her shoulders, the towel haphazardly wrapped around her, she looked like a woman eager for a man’s—her man’s—touch.

The sound of a boot hitting the floor with a thud caused her to smile, and she moved to the doorway of the bathroom.

Hearing another boot drop and the sound of heavy breathing, Isabella peered into the hallway. When he finally came into view, she was already breathless, even though she had been expecting him.

Dressed in his usual black denim, form-fitting jeans, and dark hair damp as if he too had taken a few moments to clean up, he was a sight to behold.

Isabella’s heart thudded rapidly and her legs threatened to give out. She noticed his leather jacket, undone, over a naked torso. Obviously his zealousness to be with her had him forgetting a few things.

There they were. The abs, the washboard stomach had her literally teetering on the edge of orgasm already—and he hadn’t even touched her.

Finally lifting her gaze to his face, his smoldering silver-gray eyes captured hers. She had to lean against the doorjamb for support.

He always made her speechless. His beauty, his charm oozed from him with no effort at all. How she had gone so long, so many years as friends with him and never really noticed him in such a way before? Some detective she was, not seeing what was directly in front of her.

As he moved toward her, his pace slowed, as if he knew the effect he was having on her and wanted her to crave him more desperately than ever. His face broke into a sinful grin, telling her he knew exactly what he was playing at.

Never one to let anyone, least of all this man, have the upper hand, Isabella let go of the towel she was still holding around her. It slithered downed her body, pooling at her feet. Noting his small stumble mid-stride, she relished the power she had over him.

Naked and confident, she smiled at the man she needed to feel against her. Desperate to have his hands on her, she called to him.

“Brady….”