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Melodious87

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Graphic Designer, painter, dreamer, fashion addict, unhealthy obsession with shoes and jewelry. Film lover and oh yes....books! :D
Tempted by His Kiss - Tracy Anne Warren *4.5 stars*

This was really close to a 5 star for me. Real close. This is the first book from the Bryon clan series. It's centered on Cade Byron the second oldest of 8 siblings. An ex-officer from the war who carries deep physical and emotional scars after his capture by a French spy. It leaves him forever changed physically and emotionally, he closes himself off to everyone, his friends and family, keeps to himself and has the temperment of a agitated bear to go with it. Meg is an orphaned young woman on her way to Scotland to live w/ her aunt after her father has passed away. Caught in a terrible snowstorm she takes refuge at Cade's house and asks/begs him to let her stay till the storm passes. From there is where things get interesting...

First let me just say, this was so so sooo much better then the previous book I read from this series (4th book) and it makes me so happy. lol It was just all around fun to read, I miss that. After being underwhelmed by Mallory's story,Wicked Delights of a Bridal Bed I went into this book w/ low expectations and I was very pleasantly surprised. The opening scene and plot set up was eerily similar to another book that happens to be an all-time favorite of mine. If you have read Lisa Kleypas's Devil in Winter then you know what I'm talking about. I couldn't help but draw parallels between the two books in regards to the set up and hero and heroine. In both, you have the young heroine who visits the hero's house unexpectedly during a snow storm asking for his help, the hero is a dark brooding sulking man who wants nothing to do w/ her and refuses to help her at first. Warren set up the scene where Meg meets Cade for the first time so deliciously. I really loved it. It was like a innocent mouse walking unbeknowest into the lion's den. Ha. :P

Cade just won me over completely with his moody disposition and dry sense of humor and speaking looks he kept giving Meg. It made me want to melt to the floor with the looks he kept giving her and how he tried so very hard to stay away from her. He made me want to kiss his scars and soothe his inner demons. :P Oh yes he was that yummy. And Meg was all around fun, witty, adorably innocent, yet so brave and sassy. I loved her and I loved what she was able to do for Cade. He was a man who never wanted to fall in love again and believed he was complete damaged goods and preferred being left alone but Meg changed all of that. Because of this, I have to track down the rest of the series and see what happens next for the Bryon family. I do think the conflict regarding Cade confronting his captor and the traitor to his country could have been pushed more, especially where Meg was concerned. I thought that was resolved and cleaned up a little too quickly for me. But aside from that, I thank Warren for not giving me that same dull played out plot of a couple going through the 'motions' with no real conflict, angst or drama thrown in there. It's this kind of work that reminds me why I'm a fan of Warren to begin with. She writes her characters w/ depth, with some flavor who aren't dead on the page. And can I just say the love scenes in this particular book....woooh! HOT. So unbelievably hot and sexy. Really fun enjoyable read.