Seducing Fortune is the first book that I have ever read by Brinda Berry. This is the third book in her Serendipity series, but each book can be read as a standalone. The characters are interconnected, but it is not necessary to read these in order. I feel like this is sort of a hard review for me to write because while there were things that I really loved about this book, there were also things that I had a hard time with as well. This one left me with mixed feelings, but I am curious to read the first two books in this series to see if they have the same issues for me or if it was just this book.
Emerson works several jobs in order to support herself and her younger sister. While trying to balance her jobs, she is also attending school. What she doesn't have time for is dating, especially not Dylan who is the last kind of guy that she needs. Dylan and Emerson shared a kiss one night, and it was never mentioned again. Dylan is playboy type that doesn't settle down with one girl for long. But when Emerson starts receiving threats, Dylan is determined to look out for her. Dylan wants a shot with Emerson, but can he convince her to take a chance on him? The more Emerson gets to know Dylan, the more she realizes she doesn't know about him. But will they be able to get past themselves as well as the danger Emerson finds herself in to have a chance at something together?
I liked both Dylan and Emerson, but they both frustrated me a lot as well. Both of them made assumptions about one another and didn't really allow the other to inform them differently. Dylan was especially bad about this, and I really hated that he kept on doing it. Though he had his sweet and thoughtful moments, he would revert right back at the first sign of something bad. Emerson was trying to handle everything on her own, and I wanted her to let someone in. She seemed to feel as though she couldn't ask for help, and it was really frustrating to see her keep others at arm's length. These two were clearly attracted to one another and had a lot of chemistry together, but they also had a really tough time being honest and talking to each other. I am convinced that the majority of their issues could have been solved with better communication, and while I understand part of that is what makes up the conflict in this story, it got old.
My biggest issue with this book is that while this story started off really strong and I was loving it, the middle slowed way down and I found myself losing interest. There was so much going on and so many players that I felt like it just bogged the whole thing down. Suddenly there was a ton going on with Dylan's roommates and their girls, Emerson's sister, Toby, and Emerson's neighbors etc. It just got to be too much and I felt like it got out of hand. By the end of the story it really felt like I didn't know which way was up or down, who was good or bad, and what was really happening. I missed the romance in all the other stuff that was going on, and it seemed as though the relationship beginning between Emerson and Dylan was no longer at the heart of this story but rather a side story that didn't much matter. While I enjoy some suspense and twists in a story, I read romance for the main couple and I just felt like that got lost in everything else here. So while this was a potentially great story, it just fell flat for me. I am curious about the previous two books after having seen those characters in this book, but I am not sure that I would rush right out to get them. I will give Brinda Berry another shot in the future, and I am sure that I will get around to reading the rest of this series. This one just wasn't what I had been expecting.
**Review Copy Provided by Good Choice Reading**
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