I'm very fortunate to say I've had some extra time on my hands this past week so I could read another book by Caisey Quinn. Quinn was lovely enough to send me a free copy of her novel Last Second Chance for me to review. If you read last week's installment of my reading list, you'll remember I had my first experience reading Quinn's novels. I love her writing and believe she is on par with writers like Sylvia Day ( famous for her Crossfire Series).
Let me set the scene for you: a hot bad boy with a tender heart and a recent undergraduate searching to find herself. We meet our heroine, Stella Jo, as she is on the cusp of graduation from Texas A & M. She finds herself presented with a job offer in Dallas, Texas that could be viewed as a dream position and the realization that she still needs to discover herself as she's locked away feelings since her horse accident. She decides to take the position in Dallas for a rehabilitation ranch for those who are in need of a "second chance" and they pay a hefty price for that chance and for privacy. There she runs into our tortured hero, Van Ransom.
Van is tortured in every sense of the word, even though he is viewed as "living the dream" since he's a famous rocker. He gets high, drunk and trashes rooms. His latest stunt landed him in the hospital with an ultimatum: go to a rehab center and keep himself in check or lose his record deal. Sid, Van's manager, signs Van up for the rehab ranch under an alias, Mr. Walker. On Van's first day he bumps into our heroine and the connection is instant, a moment of sizzle and raging heat!
Both Van and Stella Jo have secrets, pasts that continue to define them and their actions, and the need for another to finally understand them. Their attraction is instant and undeniable, even if Stella Jo tries to ignore it and squash it. Any relationship between an employee of the rehabilitation ranch and a client is strictly forbidden and results in the loss of the employee's job. Stella doesn't want to return home to her parents and does everything within her power to avoid Van while he does everything in his power to get closer to the woman he can't get out of his head.
As you might expect, the two fall into a wildly delicious love affair. Van is possessive, sexy, witty and downright sinful. He expands Stella's sexual horizons with soft touches of BDSM and multiple orgasms. In return. Stella gets closer to Van than anyone else in his life. The two quickly become dependent upon the other.
There are many twists, turns, and balls coming out of left field which keeps you on the edge of your seat. Some things you never see coming and that is what great writing does, keeps you guessing. Caisey Quinn crafts a story so detailed you believe you're viewing memories rather than reading. You can picture each moment in your mind and that is some damn good writing. The plot is strong with enough familiar components to not cause confusion but enough curves to keep you on your toes. The characters are real, flawed, and so damn relatable that you want to look for them in the real world. I would give this book a five out of five and highly recommend it as your next pick up.
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