BOOKWORM REVIEW: Bloom by Helen Hardt
Francesca "Frankie" Thomas needed a lot of distraction today. She was meant to be walking down the aisle toward whom she thought was the love of her life. Until she caught him cheating. On top of that memory, her sister announces her own engagement today of all days. She parks herself away at a bar with specific orders to the bartender to keep them coming..until HE sits next to her.
The Phantom normally keeps to himself. The only exception prior to meeting Frankie was engaging with scenes at the Black Rose Underground Club and nothing more. But somehow Frankie not only breaks down that wall but has him wanting more. Would one night at the Black Rose get her out of his system?
I read the first book in this series and liked it, so I gravitated to this one. But..it did not quite deliver.
One, we had to suspend our belief that any woman who meets a man wearing a Phantom of the Opera-esque mask would not be running in the opposite direction.
Two, Frankie...was just not likable. Hey, I get the heartache of your engagement crashing down, and on the day of your supposed wedding, your sister announces her engagement? Totally get it, but she comes off as whiny. I give her points for recognizing she is being petulant, but that tantrum and her initial interaction with the Phantom left a bad taste in my mouth for Frankie.
The spice in this tries to make up for it, which is why it gets three stars. It is not an insta-lust or insta-love, and Helen Hardt does a great job of establishing a deep connection between our main characters before they jump into the physical aspect of their relationship.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Helen Hardt, Entangled, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **
ABOUT THE BOOK
Under his touch, your every desire will… BloomToday is the day Francesca Thomas was supposed to get married. All she wants is a stiff drink and a whole lot of distraction…which is exactly when she meets him. Tall, dark, and deliciously disguised, the man known only as Phantom awakens her every sense. All Frankie really knows about him is the raw, untamed chemistry that makes her want to relinquish herself―body and soul―to his touch…
Phantom has rules, all designed to protect his identity. No names. No personal information. But Frankie is a too-tempting ingenue who threatens all of his cautious, careful control. At the ultra-exclusive Black Rose Underground Club, he can explore each of her deepest, uncharted desires…so long as he keeps his public life―and his secrets―hidden.
Frankie’s ready to explore what lies between them. The intensity, the darkness, and the unyielding pleasure of it all. But while the mystery of Phantom is thrilling, secrets are one game she won’t play. And if she’s going to explore the forbidden, she’ll begin with finding out exactly who’s under the mask…