Reckless in Love, by Jennifer Skully and Bella Andre - A Worthy Successor to #1

As you all know, I loved Breathless in Love, book 1 in the Maverick Billionaires series.  I gave it a 4/4.  AND, it took me two posts to say all that I wanted to say (June 26 & 29).  I'm going to try and get my review of book #2, Reckless in Love, all into one post this time.  But it won't be easy.

The synopsis is not that important.  Just like in #1, one of the 5 maverick billionaires meets a potential love interest.  And just like in #1, the love interest has a family member that really needs her ongoing help.  Does this sameness take away from the story?  Absolutely not!  I was caught up in the relationship immediately.  In this one, we have Sebastian, a self-help guru, and Charlie (short for Charlotte), a welder of creatures made out of junk pieces.  And Charlie has a mother, Francine, who is in a very low-end nursing home. Charlie, of course, wants to make enough money to move her mom into a much nicer place.  But she can't make it work.  Will billionaire Sebastian change that scenario for Charlie?  Well, I guess you'll have to read it to find out.

Okay, let's just get this out of the way.  I cried a whole bunch, including a couple of times where I was borderline blubbering (with the use of "borderline," I'm trying to make myself seem a little less out of control - did I succeed?).  But, although a bit embarrassing, I have to tell you what happened to me on Friday.  I had just read a particularly tear-inducing part (pages 388-89 out of 445).  Right after that, I had a one-on-one meeting.  As I was talking to the other person, my mind drifted to the scene I had just read.  You know how sometimes when you're feeling emotional you sort of hitch or inhale a short gasp?  Yep, that's what happened to me.  I think I covered it pretty well but, c'mon?  Are you kidding me?  That'll teach me to read this series prior to any scheduled meetings!

What did I like about this book?  Everything.  Let me give you some highlights.  And as they say on game shows, these are in no particular order:

1.  The visuals are great.  When they describe Charlie working; or when she
comes down the stairs at a gala; or when Sebastian is speaking to 50,000
people; you can actually see the scene in front of you.
2.  I just flat-out care about the mavericks and their adoptive parents (for 4 of
the 5 mavericks) Bob and Susan.  And I care about Will's fiancee, Harper, and
her brother, Jeremy, from book 1.  Basically, I care about all of them.
3.  Sebastian and Charlie don't even kiss until page 100. That seems smart to
me.  The authors let the tension of the physical connection grow.
4.  The description of the art itself - Charlie's sculptures and Sebastian's
drawings - is interesting.
5.  I like how in each of the 1st 2 books there is a 3rd person to really care
about - besides just the lovebirds.
6.  I got a takeaway from this book, just like I did in #1.  It's not quite as
dramatic as the last one I got from Skully and Andre.  But it hit me
nonetheless.  There is a scene where Sebastian is trying to help Charlie's
mother improve her medical condition.  Although his efforts did not prove
to be successful, Charlie tells Sebastian that she loves him for trying.
Sometimes we get too wrapped up in the result and not enough in the effort.
Food for thought.

And no review would be complete without me throwing in a couple of situations
that I can relate to personally:

1.  2 books ago I read Being Mortal.  A lot of it talks about not-so-good
nursing homes.  And in Reckless in Love, where does Charlie's mother
reside?  Yep, in a not-so-good nursing home.  Deja vu.
2.  Charlie is a big fan of the original TV show The Outer Limits.  It wasn't
The Twilight Zone, but it was still a good show that I enjoyed a lot
growing up.
3.  Charlie is talking to Sebastian about how her mother walks a mile
every day when, physically, it should be impossible for her to do that.
The last line of the chapter says:  "And Charlie began to cry."  I have a
note to myself for that page that says:  "Me too."  That kind of says it all.

For those who don't know (or remember), Jennifer (in-store) and Bella (by
phone) were our RBC authors for October.  We all read #1 and talked about it
with the 2 authors.  And everybody liked it.  Well, I'm here to say that every-
body is going to like this one too.  If you're into romances, then pick up
either of these 2 books (or both!).  I guarantee that you won't be sorry.

Jennifer Skully

Bella Andre