Book Review for The Other Brother Part 2: Taboo by Lauren Hawkeye & Tawny Stokes

From two New York Times bestselling authors comes part two of the scandalous story started in The Other Brother Part 1: Forbidden...

Nothing has changed… and everything has.
I’ve tried to forget him. I know I never will. But that doesn’t mean I should welcome him back with open arms, right?
But the heat that once sparked between us has become an inferno. He’s changed… but so have I.
I don’t know if I can resist what was once so taboo. But first?
We have some seriously unfinished business to take care of.
The Other Brother is a novel told in three parts. This is part two of three.

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Years have passed since the dramatic showdown between stepbrothers Seth and Theo over Allegra.  Lots of emotional upheaval with a family torn asunder.  In the aftermath Allegra became lost, falling into an abyss of drinking and meaningless sex which she's finally recovering from after intense therapy.  Some of that therapy is unconventional and has her connecting with her former stepbrother Seth in an unexpected way after he returns to town to deal with Theo once and for all.  Things between Seth and Allegra are just as scorching and with Theo's return from jail everyone's heading towards a fiery conclusion that kept me on the edge of my seat creeping ever closer to the end.

Seth may have left for jail down on his luck but he returns a very rich and powerful man still obsessed with Allegra and bent on keeping her safe no matter what.  An unexpected encounter with her at a BDSM club reinforces his belief that they're meant to be together and leads to scorching encounters that are laden with sexual tension and banter crackling with sensuality.  Seth's a sexy and powerful man exuding confidence and desperate to keep Allegra safe which brings out his Alpha nature.  He forces her to admit her feelings, and arouses her doubts, as the truth about what sent him to jail is finally revealed.  He's not alone in his battle to keep her safe though as friends from his past help him watch over her.  It might not be enough though as Theo's obsession grows stronger with a final act that leaves readers screaming from the final installment.

Allegra was crushed when Seth went to jail and her family fell apart.  She was left in pieces that led to a deep depression that she's slowly recovered from.  With the return of Theo and Seth though she's once again on edge as Theo's a changed man...and not for the better.  He unsettles her and Seth's confession about what happened all those years ago unsettles her even more.  The hard-won strength she acheived is quickly crumbling in the face of so much emotional turmoil and I felt very sympathetic towards her.  The feelings Seth arouses in her scare her but satisfy her like nothing else has before.  It's only with him that she feels whole and unashamed and I'm rooting for them to make a future together despite Theo's subtle yet increasingly dangerous threats.

This was a quick read that kept me on edge from start to finish with its intense sense of foreboding.  There's a great balance between the scorching sexual encounters between Seth and Allegra and the complex emotions radiating from this intense trio to keep me fully immersed in the action and fast pace.  Theo continues to show even more subtle depravity and takes even more dangerous steps to stake his claim on Allegra that takes him another step closer to villainy.  Seth is a formidable opponent though and it's clear that with the gauntlet thrown down here their eventual meeting will be combustible and my heart's pounding in anticipation.  Readers looking for a compelling blend of eroticism with a bit of danger will be drawn to this series that keeps me coming back for more.

My rating for this is a B+

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