Book Tour for Blind Passion by Bonnie Dee (Review)

Bonnie Dee is quickly becoming a favorite for her emotionally intense reads and uniquely drawn characters and this latest release reinforces my feelings.  Keep reading to get a glimpse of Blind Passion, the first book in the Wyatt brothers series, along with my impressions of it and then make sure to add it to your bookshelf.

Through personal darkness, two strangers find their way to each other.
Leah Schaeffer has come a long way since an accident took her sight. She’s finally ready for independence, but convincing her wealthy parents she’ll be safe on her own isn’t easy. The first night in her own place at last, she encounters her neighbor with the midnight velvet voice and her world shifts again.
Since finishing a military tour, J.D. Wyatt has struggled both financially and emotionally. When Leah’s parents hire him to act as her bodyguard, he seizes the opportunity. The catch—she can’t know she’s being followed. As he grows closer to the intriguing woman and begins to have feelings for her, the burden of this secret grows heavier.
Although Leah and J.D. have suffered different types of trauma, their mutual understanding of each other’s pain bonds them. But their relationship, dependent on absolute trust, is rooted in lies which will detonate like an IED when exposed.

EXCERPT:

I was nearly asleep, the plot of the CSI show lost on me, when my doorbell rang. I literally jumped to my feet, my heart pumping so hard and fast it hurt. Who would be at my door tonight? If Bets had changed her mind and decided to come over, she’d have phoned first. Maybe my parents had forgotten something and come back for it.
I muted the TV, moved to the door, and leaned close. “Who’s there?”
“J.D. Wyatt.” He added to jog my memory, “From across the hall.”
“Yeah. Just a minute.” I hurried into my bedroom, found a cardigan, and wrapped it around me to hide my braless state, then returned to open the door.
“Hi. What’s up?” My voice sounded breathless, as if I’d sprinted and I was sweating a little.
“I brought you something.” A paper bag rattled, and he paused long enough for me to realize he’d held up whatever it was, forgetting I couldn’t see. “Ice cream. Or if you need something a little stronger after the big move, I’ve got whiskey too.”
I tried for clever. “How about whiskey floats?”
“Perfect.” He chuckled, and heat more potent than whiskey rippled through me.
“Come on in.”
I led the way into my apartment. For just a second, I doubted whether it was sensible to invite a complete stranger inside. Shouldn’t I get to know him for more than two minutes? But I shrugged off my mother’s voice whispering worry at me.
I gestured in the direction of the couch. “Sit down. I’ll get glasses.”
He stepped close and held the bag so my fingertips brushed paper.
I took the bag and went into my kitchenette where I shoved the ice cream in the freezer and opened the bottle of whiskey. I poured a couple of glasses and sipped mine to calm my nerves before returning to the living room. What did I look like? Was my hair a mess? My pj’s too scruffy? How was I going to check my appearance every day without Mom there to give me the thumbs-up? At least the aide, Gina, would be around for a month.
I calmed myself but clung to the glasses too tightly as I returned to the living room and held out one.
“Thanks.” J.D. took it from me.
From the direction of his voice, I needed to correct a few paces the other way in order to reach one of the chairs facing the couch. I navigated slowly, and when my shin bumped the chair, I found the front of it and sat—more awkward than I’d like in front of a guest, but not too bad.
My unexpected visitor clicked his glass against mine. “Cheers.”
The straight whiskey was far more potent than the microbrews I was used to. It burned my throat and baked my stomach, but a warm, relaxed sensation filled me soon after, and that was nice.
“Looks like you’re settling in,” J.D. said. I imagined what my apartment might look like, but for the first time, I was living someplace I hadn’t seen before my accident, so I couldn’t visualize it.
“My family helped put everything in order.” I searched for something else to add. “You mentioned you moved in recently too. Are you new to Chicago?”
“Yeah. I’m from Kentucky. Went into the army after high school. I just returned from a tour in Afghanistan and crashed at my brother’s place here for a while.”
Another military vet. There seemed to be a lot more of them these days.
“I’m juggling a couple of part-time jobs while I figure out what to do next,” J.D. added.
“Guess we’re both in transition. I’m all about figuring out my future too.”
“Change is hard.” His voice was slow and thoughtful. His Southern accent seemed more pronounced.
I loved the smooth, sexy drawl. Maybe it was the liquor percolating through me, sending tingly sex signals down between my legs, or maybe it was the hushed intimacy of the two of us sitting together in my apartment, but I was becoming aroused. Every time J.D. shifted or swallowed more of his drink, the quiet movements gave me a little shiver. Again a sense of familiarity tickled at the edge of my consciousness, as if I’d been here before. And I felt as if I was poised beside something big stirring and waking up.
“Change is hard,” I echoed. “Especially when it’s forced on you and you don’t know what direction to take next.”
I must sound pathetic. The alcohol loosened my tongue, making me talk too openly to a stranger.
“Sometimes it seems like I’m feeling my way blind—oh fuck, I did not just say that.” The horror in J.D.’s voice made me smile.
“It’s okay. Don’t sweat it. Honestly, it’s kind of nice to know I’m not the only one flailing around in the dark.”
He laughed, and what a sweet, rich sound that was. Little petals of attraction unfurled inside me. Or, to be more honest, it was petals of pure, primal, gut-level lust. I slowed down on sipping the whisky before it made me do things I might regret.

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BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a disabled person I'm drawn to stories that depict the trials and tribulations of our lives in a vivid and believable way.  Ms. Dee has quickly become my go-to author in meeting my needs as many of her title deals with disabilities.  In this series starter a young woman recently blinded in a car accident is struggling to make it on her own, getting out from under the protection of her parents while dealing with her own insecurities and fears in an easily relatable.  With her parents still scared for her safety though they unbeknownst to her hire a sexy Southerner just returned from the war and just as lost and scared of the future as she is.  As next door neighbors become friends and slowly morph into more will the truth about their meeting blind her even further to a love she once thought she'd never have or will she accept the confidence and support he's brought to her life?

This is a book full of emotional upheaval.  Just when Leah and JD look to be heading towards HEA painful truths come between them.  If JD had been honest from the start, as he wanted to be, things would have gone much smoother for them.  JD was an honorable man from the very start.  He saw a lot of death and was held prisoner while in the military and it's left him with lots of issues of his own.  Survivor's guilt and PTSD haunt him and keep him from moving forward.  Being with Leah gave him purpose and a desire to be better.  It's was heartbreaking seeing how far he fell when they were apart with his pain palpable.  I felt sympathetic towards him and adored him too for all his charm and sweet nature despite all the ugliness in his past.  

Leah came from a family of weath and despite her blindness had it pretty easy.  Most disabled people couldn't afford all the help she got which made her appear a bit out of touch with reality.  She seemed a bit naive too about the darkness of war and a children of alcoholics as her family was idyllic.  While I admired her wanting to live on her own her path to independence was made very easy courtesy of her parents.  I also felt she was too hard on JD after all he'd done for and meant to her, giving an impression of superiority.  While I didn't love everything about her I found her difficulties and concerns with getting around realistic and vividly detailed as to give readers insight into a world they never knew of.

Along with these two emotionally bruised main characters came the engaging Gina and Micah.  Gina was the outspoken aide to Leah who's been unlucky in love.  She's a tell-it-like-it-is gal and I enjoyed her scenes as she brought great energy to every scene she was in and I look forward to her taking center stage in the next story.  JD's brother Micah brought much needed humor to this story and his pick-up lines did just that.  He's a player with a hidden heart of gold.  His father's alcoholism left him with abandonment issues reflected in his numerous one-night stands which are just hinted at and I'm greatly anticipating the merry chase Gina will lead him on.  These are strong characters who easily took over the scenes they were in and will make great lead characters.

This was an emotionally intense and sensual story of two very different people brought together through their painful pasts.  Their relationship was rocky but richly rewarding.  I adored JD and found him a great book boyfriend but was frustrated by Leah's naïveté even as I admired her finally living life on her own even as she had a support system that all of us dream of.  This was an immensely satisfying series starter and I look forward to Micah's story being the next installment in the Wyatt Brothers series!

My rating for this is a B+

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

I began telling stories as a child. Whenever there was a sleepover, I was the designated ghost tale teller. I still have a story printed on yellow legal paper in second grade about a ghost, a witch and a talking cat.

I enjoy reading stories about people damaged by life who find healing with a like-minded soul. When I couldn't find enough books to suit my taste, I began to write them.

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