Publisher: Self
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: ARC from the author
The greater the risk…
Older. Wiser. Hotter. Months after reuniting with the man who loved her – and left her – a decade ago, Tatiana Belikov is determined not to let their wicked games blind her to the danger of repeating history. If that means biting her tongue, so be it. After all, she does get to bite him.Wyatt Caine never thought Tatiana would be back in his cards, but he’s not ready to question his luck. Between the sheets he knows exactly how to make her naughty fantasies come true: rough and tumble, with an extra serving of dirty. Communicating outside of the bedroom? Not always so easy.
The city’s bright lights can’t compare to their passion, burning hot enough to singe them both. But when the harsh glare of reality exposes long-inflicted wounds, Wyatt and Tatiana have to decide if they want to play it safe…or risk it all.
This blurb came from the author’s http://alisharai.net website.
E: After reading and enjoying Rai’s first installment in Bedroom Games, Play With Me, I was super curious about how she was going to move the relationship between Tatiana and Wyatt forward. When the last installment ended they decided to see each other as often as they could based on the demands of their individuals businesses. Determined not to repeat the mistakes that drove them apart years earlier they spent a lot of energy towards keeping their relationship harmonious and free from any discord. When it was just Tatiana and Wyatt in an isolated bubble achieving harmony was relatively easy however, the outside world and their past had a way of interfering, in this case both were embodied by a visit from Tatiana’s parents.
MinnChica: As someone who absolutely can’t stand reading serials, I was a little skeptical as to whether or not I’d continue to like Tatiana and Wyatt’s story. Thankfully, Rai leaves each installment with a happy-for-now end to these lovers stories. I liked that this installment went back into their past and made them face all the things that went wrong, and what they needed to do to fix it. While I’m not still sold on the idea of serials, I do continue to enjoy Tatiana and Wyatt’s journey.
E: In Risk and Reward Rai insisted that her characters take a hard look at their past patterns and what they wanted for the future. It took the shock of a disastrous dinner followed by a fight, and angry sex for Wyatt and Tatiana to realize they were starting to repeat the same patterns of their previous relationship. I really admired how Tatiana’s parents were not left in the role as the villain but ended up helping the relationship along. In a separate conversation with her mother, Tatiana learned that something not fighting or arguing could be just as bad for a relationship as fighting but never resolving anything. Wyatt, initially hurt and furious when her father accused him of separating Tatiana from her family, had to do some serious introspection about his behavior regarding her family in general. I found it refreshing to see both the hero and heroine admit they needed to work on their relationship in an adult manner. That gave me hope that this second chance at love would succeed. While Rai could end the story here and I would be satisfied, I do want to see what comes next.
I give Risk and Reward a B
MinnChica: There were quite a few things I really enjoyed about this story, but I think the big thing was the way that Tatiana and Wyatt both came to realize how destructive they were being with their relationship. Because neither one wanted to “rock the boat” they were glossing over their concerns and frustrations, and letting things fester instead of discussing them. Tatiana’s revelation from her mom and Wyatt’s quiet contemplation were the perfect way for each character to really get it. I loved getting to meet Tatiana’s parents, and hope we see more of them in the future.
All in all I enjoyed the second installment of this series, however I continue to be just a little bit disappointed at the end of the book. These stories are so short, that part of me wishes that Rai would bundle them together as one novel instead of going on with the serialized format. That being said, I love how sexy and smutty Tatiana and Wyatt are together, and can’t wait to see what they get into next.
I give Risk and Reward a B-