Before meeting Adrian, Tala is a girl without what she considers to be beauty, luck, and prosperity. She also suffers from childhood trauma due to her mother’s psychological issues and abuse. Not to mention that she still loves her mother deeply, does not blame her for the debilitating disease she has, and she works hard to pay for her care. Despite all of that, she is such a strong, inspirational woman; truly. I love that Amelie created such a powerful female lead. Furthermore, she stays true to herself and captures Adrian because of her unfailing ability to be compassionate, honest, and real.
Adrian is sex incarnate, and is unbelievably unique. He expects loyalty and wants nothing more than to find his perfect match. Due to his celebrity status as a director, photographer, and playboy he finds himself growing tired of the trickery he finds with every woman he has bedded. Then, he finds Tala. Well, let’s just say he seeks her out through his connections. He has secrets involving such information, and I’ll let future readers learn more about said secrets for themselves.
Jax, who is Tala’s brother (she was adopted, and they are close siblings) and is an artist. He creates his masterpieces through expression in the world as a playwright, so to speak. Tala fills in for one of his actresses, Adrian sees her, and now must possess her as well. She ends up leaving with him, under the impression that she will be involved in his photography, and in the process earn plenty of money. Of course, as someone who struggles to survive, Tala is willing to do what is necessary even if the path paved to do so is unorthodox. What she is not aware of, is that Adrian does not intend to only have her for a job, but also claim her in every way possible.
Along the way we meet some characters that I would personally like to see incarcerated, such as Tristan and Suzette. However, there are other characters that I cannot help but love, like Sophie; Adrian’s Aunt (and I’ll admit I am intrigued by Sergio, Adrian’s cousin, who I hope she writes more about later…maybe he will end up with someone less psychotic than Monique). With that said, I loved the interaction between Adrian and his family, as well as how loving, open, and generous they were with Tala. I am also still reeling from the look into Senegal, the setting in which the majority of the story takes place.
Apparently, Senegal is in West Africa, which I knew nothing about. The author does a great job incorporating the language (which is generally French), as well as a beautiful look into the beauty of the place itself. I enjoyed the descriptions she provided of the sand, water, and the architecture. Moreover, I liked the drama in the story that focused on the more uncivilized aspects of such places. In order to prevent too many spoilers, I’ll just say that when Tala and Adrian’s love is tested, she ends up in trouble; trouble that is all too real in society.
What else did I love, you ask? Well, I love how Adrian is a blatant dominant, but that he is not a complete prick. I have in some cases been turned off by male leads that are overly dominant to the point of lacking any social tact. Or, the male leads that actually finds sexual pleasure in the pain caused to the submissive partner, which I find abhorrent. Adrian, well, he is possessive, dominant, and somewhat controlling. However, he is cooperative and willing to give a little. So, to say that he is a perfect mixture of both would be an understatement. So, ultimately, I must say that I loved his character so very much.
I also loved how he fought for Tala in the end. She could not have found anyone better for her. Between there tangles in the sheets, the places they journeyed to (like the little beach house his mother and him stayed in), and the playful times they had, I enjoyed this couple. I also loved the growth in their relationship. Adrian started out wanting to find someone perfect for him, but had no idea how to truly immerse himself in a full-blown relationship. By the end, he was able to realize the gravity of eternal love, and he did not hesitate for a moment to give Tala every piece of himself. Tala, on the other hand, began this journey unable to be vulnerable, or to be close to anyone. Once they came together, she learned how to give and take in a relationship, as well as how to balance out co-dependency with independence. I will gladly read another book by Amelie in the future.
**ARC provided by Author**
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