[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Raw: Torn Between Two Lovers

National Bestselling author Jo Davis is best known for her popular Firefighters of Station Five series written as Jo Davis, and her dark, sexy paranormal series Alpha Pack, written as J.D. Tyler. PRIMAL LAW, the first book in her Alpha Pack series, is the winner of the National Reader's Choice Award in Paranormal. She's also been a multiple finalist in the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, a finalist for the Bookseller's Best Award, has captured the HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, and has been a two-time nominee for the Australian Romance Readers Award in romantic suspense.

Jo's books regularly appear on the Neilson Bookscan, Barnes and Noble, BooksOnBoard, and Amazon bestseller lists, among others.

Jo is currently at work on a new contemporary romance series titled SUGARLAND BLUE for NAL/Signet Eclipse, a spin-off of her Firefighters of Station Five series scheduled to debut in April 2013 with the kick-off novella ARMED AND DANGEROUS. Book 1, SWORN TO PROTECT, is being released May 7, 2013. She's also publishing a new FBI series, ARMED AND DEADLY, set to debut in April 2013 with ONE LAST KISS. Jo lives in Texas with her two kids and a cute Boston terrier.

Connect with Jo online at her Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on GoodReads.

Raw: Torn Between Two Lovers Book #1

by Jo Davis

Buy from Amazon | B&N

Publication Date: 10/15/13

Synopsis:

TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS is a gripping and sexy romance trilogy with a unique twist: Our heroine needs your help to decide who wins her heart… RAW introduces this sizzling new series, in which two enticing men will vie for Anna’s heart—culminating in a choice that will be determined by reader vote!

Anna Claire is a prominent restaurateur, the toast of New York. She’s not one to let down her guard, but her new prep chef is gorgeous enough to cause her to break her own rules, and soon she’s tearing up the sheets with Grayson James. More than that, she’s falling in love.

Until she discovers that Grayson is no chef. He’s an FBI agent investigating a drug ring he suspects is using her restaurant. Anna is shattered to learn she was just part of his cover.

The case means everything to Gray, right until the moment he loses what matters the most—not his intended target, but Anna. Gray is devastated when the woman he loves learns of his betrayal. Especially with his greatest enemy all too eager to take advantage of her…

So, will you join #TeamGrayson or #TeamJoaquin? Make the informed choice: Don’t miss RISKY, available in November 2013.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Associate Reviewer - Marta C:
*eARC Received from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a mix of contemporary romance and a little suspense . It's also quite an unusual twist on the usual trilogies available to readers, as we get to pick the ending! In this, the first installment, we meet one potential lover, but at the end of the book another suitor is introduced ready for the next book one month later. The idea is that readers will get to vote for their favorite, and their choice will determine just who the heroine will get for her happy ever after.

Anna Clair is a very hard working restaurant owner who devotes little time to her personal life. Her hard work has paid off and her successful restaurant is going from strength to strength. She has recently employed a very charismatic prep chef Grayson James who awakens desires she's long ignored. One night, Anna is subjected to an attack when leaving work, and luckily Grayson is on hand to save her. It's time for Anna to seize the moment and give in to the attraction that she feels for him. Their relationship is all consuming and pretty soon Anna is falling hard for Grayson.

Grayson has a secret though. He's not a chef, he's really an FBI agent who has been placed deep undercover to investigate a drug ring that appears to be based at Anna's restaurant. Grayson is beginning to see Anna as more than just a suspect, and wants nothing more than to prove her innocence. Anna discovers his deception and is left devastated and wants nothing more to do with him. Will he convince her of his love? As this book ends Anna encounters the sexy and enigmatic Joaquin and the question is, has Grayson lost what he most wants?

This is a delight to read. It's a book chock full of passion and intrigue. The reader gets action both in and out of the bedroom, and while it clearly has a cliffhanger ending, its not so annoying that the reader is left screaming at the final page. Ms. Davis has very cleverly chosen to release the follow up, Risky, just one month after publication of this.

So are you Team Grayson or Team Joaquin?

*I wanted to give the book more skulls, but this is just one of those books where I didn't connect with the main character. I found myself not really liking Anna, and that deducted a few points for me, personally.

Raw: Torn Between Two Lovers