Where did you get the book: E-arc from author
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 16th
I thought I needed only one thing in my life–the money and power to crush one man. But the moment I laid eyes on Victoria Corielli, my thirst for revenge was replaced by my craving for her.
No rule would keep me away; no obstacle too large to overcome. Not her will, not our differing social positions, not my infamous past. When she lost everything, I helped her pick up the pieces. When she trusted me with everything, she sealed her fate.
I’ve convinced Victoria she can put her heart in my hands. Now I have to protect it–from her shady stepfather and my business rivals, from enemies known and hidden. I’ll do anything to keep her. And I might have to prove it, because now Victoria is risking more than her heart to be with me; she’s risking her life.
*Blurb taken from Goodreads*
Taking Control is the sequel to Losing Control in Jen Frederick’s sexy series about billionaire Ian Kerr and his path of revenge towards the man who destroyed his family, and bike courier Victoria (Tiny) Corielli who gets entangled with his quest. I really enjoyed the first installment which was a deliciously hot and seductive romance with a possessive and protective alpha hero who totally goes totally doolally towards Tiny.
Ian also has to deal with his desire of vengeance towards the man who devastated his childhood and family. Things heats up when Tiny, emerging from her grief, wants to help Ian but he is reluctant to involve her in his dangerous endeavor. Nonetheless, Ian wants to start a new slate with his life and begins his course of revenge which has repercussions that affects Tiny’s life.
Taking Control takes a few weeks after the events from Losing Control, with Tiny dealing with the aftermath of her mother’s death and Ian helping her through this tough time. Unlike the first book, Taking Control is mostly told in Ian’s POV which gives some insights to his character, especially towards his feelings and thoughts about Tiny which I loved. Ian is a hero who is so immersed with Tiny you really get the sense of how much he truly loves her and I love this type of romance because it ticks the crack factor box.
Even though the book is mostly told in Ian’s perspective, we do get peeks into Tiny’s viewpoint in some chapters. While she is still dealing with the loss of her mother and adapting to her new job working with a security company as a dispatcher, her relationship with Ian deepens. Despite Ian’s insecurities of losing her, I liked that Tiny was emerging from her shell and embracing her connection with him. I would have liked more chapters or passages on this because while she still remains steadfast in keeping her independence, Tiny realises that she has a real partner in Ian. And it shows how much she has developed as a character from the first book, where she was guarded in her feelings.
I did like Ian’s POV which showed his vulnerability in this book. It was great to see, especially with an uber alpha hero like him which gave him a layer of depth. And if you are fan of obsessive alpha heroes who fall hard and deeply then Ian is definitely a contender because I think he was one who fits high in that definition in my list of heroes. I also loved that despite his overprotective tendencies, he always gave Tiny time and space. She also had the upper hand in a lot of ways in their relationship which was refreshing because I’ve read a few books which had the heroes running roughshod over their heroines.
But I did have a few issues, and that was with the sex scenes. While I really enjoyed the love scenes and they were well written and illustrated how addicted Ian was towards Tiny, I did find there were a tad too many scenes which disrupted the flow and pace of the book. I really loved their interaction–be it between the sheets or just discussing events or their issues. Jen Frederick builds up a fantastic romance but I did wish that a couple of love scenes were toned down to concentrate on other aspects of their relationship.
I also found the plot concerning the revenge against the man and its outcome was satisfactory, although I kind of wished it played out in a different way. Without spoiling, I liked the surprise twist at the end. That was unexpected and caught me by surprise.
Jen Frederick also hints of a fun upcoming romance plot with the supporting cast, such as Kaga, the night-club owner who has a crush with another side character’s sister, or Steve the cantankerous bodyguard with another potential heroine, which definitely keeps me hankering for those stories.
Taking Control is an enjoyable follow-up to Losing Control and even though I had some issues with this installment, the characters of Tiny and Ian further developed and deepened their romance into a terrific romance. Ian especially comes into his own and I loved the dichotomy of powerful but vulnerable billionaire playing high stakes to keep the love of his life and his business safe from the sharks that surround them. Overall, if you love heroes that are protective and obsessive then Ian is your man. I was left sighing with the last swipe on my ereader and I am eagerly awaiting for more in this series and I am definitely looking forward to what is next in store!
I give Taking Control a B-