Hey, hey, everyone! Happy Saturday! It’s been a little bit since I’ve given you a proper update. My apologies. It’s been a hectic week, and I’ve recently taken on a new project on top of my full-time job and running/writing the website. I’m still trying to get myself on a schedule, but I will, I promise! Lots of things have been happening in the book world so of course we’re going to discuss it, but first, I’m going to bring you a long and overdo review! Beware as this will contain a few, minor spoilers, so if you don’t want even an inkling of juicy info, turn back now. 

I’ve reviewed books by Raine Miller before, but I’ve recently noticed that I’ve never discussed her Blackstone Affair series! The horror! It’s my favorite of hers, so I can’t believe I’ve never discussed the loveliness of my time in London with Ethan and Brynne! More recently, I gave it a re-read (for the fourth time) via Audible, and it was even more enjoyable listening to the whole series being read to me. It definitely made for a more pleasant commute to and from work, that’s for sure!

Things kick off with Naked. Brynne Bennett is an American girl living and studying art conservation in London. She’s beautiful, smart, and makes a steady income posing for her artist friend, Benny.

During one of his gallery exhibitions, the pair are enjoying a cocktail and studying the pieces he had compiled. They’re having quite the evening until they both discover a stunning stranger admiring Brynne more than he should in one of the photographs. When said stranger winds up in Brynne’s path in order to give her a lift home, her life is forever changed.

Ethan Blackstone is head of Blackstone Security International. He’s a noble, loyal, and protective man with a dominant and possessive nature, and Brynne becomes his target. Upon first glance, he’s completely enthralled, and despite his other motives, he needs her in his life.

Brynne is just as attracted to Ethan as he is to her, but she’s also hesitant to get involved. She’s not just in London to study art and build a life in another country, but she’s starting over. Monsters remain in America trying to chase after her, and she insisted on leaving them in her past, burying her demons, and moving on to a brighter future.

She hopes that Ethan will be a part of this future, but they both have secrets. Secrets they need to divulge and discuss in order to move on, but can they discuss things before they get too deep?

What I will warn readers with this installment is to immediately move on to book two. Book one is short… really short, and it ends before things are really resolved. I think it might be less than 200 pages, so while you will be frustrated that it all ends so abruptly, make sure you have book two at the ready so you can dive right in.

You won’t find out about Brynne’s past, nor will you get an explanation from Ethan as to his pursuits. It all escalates so quickly without much development into the characters back stories. The follow up books are longer installments so like I said, have book two by your side!

All In picks up right where book one leaves off. Ethan and Brynne are out of sorts, and they need to either fix things before it’s too late, or part ways and leave the passion they had for one another in the dust.

There’s just one problem with that idea. There’s a threat hanging over Brynne’s head coming from across the pond, and her past, that she doesn’t know about, and it’s Ethan’s job to protect her. He’s just not sure how to go about it since the moment she fled his office and left him in a state. Until he figures out how to win her back, he has to be cautious and watch her from a distance.

Ethan is nothing if not determined and he wants his American girl back in his life and his arms. He knows that if he wins her affections, he’s going to have to be candid regarding his own secrets, and he’s not sure he can do that just yet.

Brynne isn’t the only one with past. Ethan has one as well, and it’s quite disturbing and traumatic. There’s a reason people surrounding the pair call Blackstone a walking miracle. He just needs to make Brynne understand without chasing her even further away.

With all the secrets being revealed, the series begins to get pretty dramatic. The rollercoaster of emotions and passion is what wound up sucking me into this life and these characters.

Eyes Wide Open is full of nothing but milestones for Ethan and Brynne. They’re not quite out of the woods when it comes to danger, but at least they’re attempting to form a united front in the midst of terror.

The Olympics have come to London, and Ethan is busier than ever, while still trying to keep Brynne safe and his number one priority, especially with the news they’ve recently received. The two have so much to look forward to together, but they still have to look over their shoulders.

Politics in America are increasing, and so is the threat on Brynne. An unspeakable tragedy hits, and the two are thrown for an absolute loop right when Brynne should be taking it easy in life. Ethan has an eagle eye on her, and never leaves her side through the turmoil, no matter how busy and spread thin he is at the moment.

All the couple wants is their happy ending, but it looks like life keeps throwing curveballs that they need to maneuver together in order to get everything they want.

I think I enjoyed the third and fourth books the most. They were the perfect mix of emotional angst, and sensual passion. I forever kept my fingers crossed for the pair that they got everything they wished together, but the journey to get there is certainly an eventful one!

Rare and Precious Things is the last installment of Blackstone Affair and it was quite perfect. It goes hand-in-hand with my David Gandy obsession (the British male model Raine used as inspiration for our Ethan). If you need to know what he looks life, enjoy a few of these:

He’s stunning, isn’t he? Anyway.. back to the review. Sorry about that, folks!

Brynne and Ethan are nothing short of enchanting in this last part of the series. They are such a great example of what every person should have in a partner and relationship. It was so amazing being in their world one last time and drifting off to London and the English countryside as well.

My love for this pair, and little family grew so much over the course of four novels and now I was not ready to give them up! Maybe one day, Raine will re-visit the gang and has one more adventure for them down the road so that I can indulge in more of daddy Ethan coping with his sweet, little Laurel-Thomas!

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

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