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Monday, 13 May 2013

Review: Eyes Wide Open by Ranie Miller







The third part in The Blackstone Affair series: A love on the brink of being destroyed. The fight of a lifetime to keep it alive. 

Big surprises are on the horizon for Ethan and Brynne as they struggle to adjust to what life has thrown at them. Demons from the past are threatening to destroy the passionate bond they’ve forged despite their vow that nothing will ever keep them apart. A truly devastating loss coupled with the promise of a new hope opens their eyes to what is most important, but is it possible for the lovers to move on from the painful histories that continue to haunt them? A stalker is still lurking in the shadows, plotting evil amidst the distraction of the 2012 Olympic games in London. Brynne and Ethan are on the cusp of losing everything as the stakes rise. Will they yield to circumstances beyond their control or will they give every ounce of fight they have left to save each other and win the ultimate prize of a life together?

Eyes Wide Open is a passion-wrought story that shows us what pure love can achieve when tested and what the heart can accomplish despite danger and adversity.


Purchase Eyes Wide Open --> Kindle I Paperback
*You can find the series reading order at the bottom of this review


My Rating: Kiss (3, maybe 3.5 stars)

Genre: New Adult Erotica

Steam Level: Boiling

This book was just okay for me and I know my feelings about this book are the minority, but I’m trying to be honest so please don’t hate me....pretty please?

Let me start out with the good. Ethan fucking Blackstone. Do I really need to say more? Ethan is the ultimate in a dominate and controlling hero that could give Christian Grey a run for his money, but he also has a super sensitive and caring side that comes out around Brynne. He knows what he wants, Brynne, and he fights for a future with her in this one.


“It always amazed me at how easy it was to carry her. I knew why. It was because she carried my heart with her wherever she went. My heart was in her hands, and carrying her was some form of self-preservation, maybe. Holding her, holding me up. I couldn't explain it, but I understood it. Made perfect sense to me.”


This book is boiling with its sex scenes, and there are a lot of them! They were hot, but at times I felt like they were using sex as a distraction so they didn't have to face or talk about their issues.

Byrnne grows a lot in this book and some of her hidden ‘hang ups’ are revealed that let us as readers better understand some of her decisions. 

“Yeah,” I sobbed, taking a moment to get the next part out, “I need him so badly…and it makes me utterly vulnerable…and what will I do if some day he decides he doesn’t want me anymore?”
“It’s called trust, Brynne, and it is by far the hardest gift to give away.”
She was right about that.

It took till 40% for a certain thing to be revealed that I’m sure 99% of us had guessed was going to happen by the end of book 2. It was a little frustrating that so much time was spent on that and the story felt stagnate until it was revealed. And then after that there was a lot of build up to a certain event that takes place at the end of the book (again I'm sure you'll be able to see it coming a mile away) that was over within about 10 pages tops. I hate to be so vague but I’m trying to get my feelings across without spoiling anything, lol. For me, the entire story and plot was just too predictable with a whole lot of buildup and not much actual action.

Eyes Wide Open is told in alternating POVs between Ethan and Brynne, which I love. Who doesn't want get inside the head of a super sexy alpha male? I read an ARC so hopefully this will be fixed in the final version, but the switch in POVs was not well marked. Sometimes it would switch in the middle of a chapter between paragraphs and it would take me a few sentences to realize I was hearing someone else’s’ “voice”. It really distracted from the flow of the story because I had to pay such close attention to whose POV I was hearing.

Overall I still love Ethan Blackstone and I’m glad they got their happy ending, but I was left a little underwhelmed with the plot and there was nothing in this book that I didn't already see coming. But still, if you loved Naked and All In you definitely don’t want to miss this one!

An ARC was kindly provided by the publisher for review. 

Note: If it’s been awhile since you finished All In you should probably re-read it or at least re-read the last couple chapters so you remember what’s going. Eyes Wide Open picks up right where it leaves off.

Also, here is some exciting news that Ranie Miller recently posted on her website!
What’s on the horizon? Well, I’ll tell you. I’m hard at work on a 4th Blackstone Affair book. No title yet, but the book will be more of a stand-alone story and take Ethan and Brynne beyond the happily ever after at the end of Eyes Wide Open. This final installment of The Blackstone Affair, is scheduled for an ebook release at the end of 2013. I promise to keep everyone updated on this blog and on my Raine Miller Romance on Facebook page.


Series Reading Order:
Naked --> Kindle I Paperback
All In --> Kindle I Paperback 
Eyes Wide Open --> Kindle I Paperback

~Erin

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