Illicit is the third and final installment in The Other Brother serial by Lauren Hawkeye and Tawny Stokes. As with the previous installments, these need to be read in order as this picks up right where Taboo left off. When Theo answered Allegra's phone, Seth knew he had to get to her. He knows that she isn't safe as long as Theo is around, but convincing Allegra and her father that Theo is a danger to her is harder than he thought it would be. When Seth shows up on their doorstep, Allegra's dad is shocked to see him, but it quickly becomes clear to him that not only did Allegra know he was back but that there is something going on between them. Seth must convince Allegra and her dad that Theo is a threat to her before it's too late. But will he be able to show them that his actions all those years ago were justified and that blood isn't always thicker than water?
Allegra and Seth are finally starting to fully realize what is happening between them. They know that they shouldn't be together and that their relationship is unconventional and yet they can't stay away from each other. The feelings and attraction are too much for them to continue to fight. While Seth struggles with how to keep Allegra safe, he also has to convince her and her father that Theo isn't the person that they think he is. Allegra knows that what she feels for Seth is real, but yet she still finds it hard to believe everything that he is telling her about her brother. Theo makes her uneasy, but she still isn't convinced that Seth is right about him. Seth wants to protect her and has a tendency to tell her what to do, but Allegra is only okay with that when it comes to sex. She is strong and independent, and is dead set on doing what she wants. I liked that she had a mind of her own, but I think that she should have trusted her connection to Seth more. She knew that he cared about her, and I wanted her to realize that he was trying to do right by her rather than just control her. These two really were great for one another, and they fit together so well. But I wish that we had seen more of them together rather than just fighting against what they felt.
Overall, this serial was different than the other step-brother romances that I have read. I wasn't expecting where the authors took this story, and I was glad that they went in a different direction. I never could have predicted how things would play out, and I am glad that I took a chance on this one. I will say that I was completely creeped out by Theo from the very start, and he was truly messed up. I knew that there was something going on there, and I was glad that Allegra had Seth. My complaint with this installment was that while I liked the ending, it felt rushed and abrupt. After everything played out I wanted a bit more. I wanted to see Allegra and Seth together without all the drama that had always been surrounding them. I also felt like there were a few things that could have been dealt with that weren't. I wanted to see if anything happened between Allegra's dad and Seth's mom. I felt like even if they never got back together that they could have been given some closure, and I really wanted to see that. After everything that had happened, I felt like the truth needed to be revealed to everyone. I have to say that I liked Seth's friends Gavin and Tristan, and I would be interested to get their stories. I found Tristan especially interesting and I really liked that he had a connection to both Seth and Allegra. I think that if you are looking for some short and steamy reads with some suspense that you should give this serial a shot. I enjoyed each installment, and they kept me interested from start to finish. I will definitely be interested to read more from Lauren and Tawny in the future.
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