Brain Candy

The boyfriend is currently watching boxing. And while I adore Floyd Mayweather Jr. (he's from Michigan, plus he's really pretty), I'm just not much of a fan of the sport. Too many dirty politics, corrupt promoters and the mob have a tendency to turn me off.

So I thought I'd do a drive by blogging on Ecstasy by Nicole Jordan, which I wrapped up Friday night.

I'm not sure what it is about Jordan's books, but I tend to read them really fast. I'm not sure if it's her writing style, her tendency towards multiple sex scenes, or what - but it's like her books are brain candy. Ecstasy was pretty good, but it's one of those books that could have used closer attention in the editing process.

Raven Kendrick is a bastard. Her mother had the nerve to fall in love with a married man and get pregnant. To avoid scandal, she then married another - a man who despised her and never let Raven forget the origins of her birth. On her deathbed, Raven's mother made her daughter promise to marry a title and take her rightful place in London society.

Raven is all set to marry a duke, when Sean Lasseter kidnaps her. Having spurned his advances, and for the mere fact that he's nutso, Sean then drugs her and ties her up in his brother's gambling hell. Kell Lasseter learns of what has happened and rescues Raven. Um, sort of.

Raven is in a bad way. She has stood a duke up at the alter and her reputation is in tatters. Compouding this is the reputation of her rescuer - for it is rumored that Kell murdered his uncle. However, with no other option, Raven accepts a marriage proposal from Kell in order to salvage some sort of life for herself among London society.

Most of this story works. Raven is spirited and independent, having been raised in the Carribbean. However she's deadly serious about doing right by her mother's memory - that means marrying up and not falling in love. Her mother falling in love is what brought her family to ruins, and Raven isn't about to make that mistake.

Kell is desperately trying to forget his hard scrabble childhood - but London won't let him. Not only is he rumored to be a murderer, he's also Irish - which in most eyes is the worse sin. To top this off, his younger brother is a mess. Kell cannot forget that he promised his mother to take care of Sean, and that he failed miserably.

What doesn't work? This story really drags in spots. It's about 100 pages too long. And while the sex is hot stuff (whoa doggie), it bogs down the latter half of the book. Jordan also has a tendency to get repetitive when it comes to the characters' internal angst.

Still it was a quick guilty pleasure read - ideal for vacation or a day at the beach. And here in California, every day is a day at the beach...