Title: Defining Love (Volume 1-3)
Author: Elizabeth Reyes
Genre: NA | Contemporary Romance
Release Date: Vol 1 (05/05), Vol 2 (05/12) & Vol 3 (05/19)
Hosted by: As the Pages Turn
Synopsis
Being friends before becoming lovers makes for stronger relationships.
Aaron and Henrietta can certainly attest to this. It takes time to develop the kind of deep relationship each is in. Both are committed and fiercely loyal to a lover they each consider their best friend.
Then one night Aaron and Henri meet.
After a single conversation, neither can explain the profound connection they’re feeling. Is it intrigue? Lust? How can one chance meeting—one conversation–possibly have them questioning everything they ever believed about love?
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Synopsis
Denial is a dangerous part of desire.
Aaron offers Henrietta a position at his business and she takes it—despite the intense connection they felt the day they met.
While neither can deny they’re feeling something, both are in committed relationships with someone they love profoundly. Neither would ever dream of acting on something that’s clearly just a physical attraction.
But sometimes your mind takes longer to accept what your heart already knows . . .
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Synopsis
Their hearts have belonged to their significant others for years . . . and then they met each other.
Doing the right thing means cheating is not an option.
So it’s time to decide.
Should Aaron and Henri stay with the ones they love or take a chance on something so extraordinary it’s impossible to even explain—understand.
Making such a life-altering decision is truly scary.
But even more scary than that?
Regret.
Defining Love. Which is the forever kind?
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•••• Defining Love ~ Excerpt ••••
“What about you? Anyone special in your life?”
The sweet smile fell for a moment, but she recovered quickly then nodded. The immense jealousy that gutted me so instantly not only surprised me but had me sitting up straight.
“Eddie,” she whispered then smiled, but it wasn’t as genuine as her earlier smile when she referred to Mia and me being perfect for each other. “We were friends for a long time, too, before anything happened.”
Unable to so much as force a smile, I stared at her silently. Of course she was spoken for. Of course someone had claimed her already, despite how young she was. In the short time I’d known her, I’d come to discover what an amazing young woman she was and how easy it felt to talk to her. She made me feel comfortable when I spilled my guts about all the aspirations I had for this business. And it was heartwarming to see the genuine enthusiasm not only when she spoke of her own goals for her future but when I spoke of mine.
Swallowing hard, I fought the unreasonable anger that she hadn’t mentioned her boyfriend before. She’d told me about everyone else in her life. Why had she left this out? “Is he back in California?”
Those sweet brows narrowed and she shook her head. “No. Edi’s my roommate.
The one you met today.”
It didn’t register at first. Then when it did, it still didn’t make sense to me. Surely I’d misunderstood. I stared at her, speechless. She couldn’t be saying what I thought she was saying. Was she pulling my leg or did she misunderstand what I meant by someone special? But then her comment all but jumped at me. The one I’d been too inundated with jealousy to focus on earlier. We were friends for a long time, too, before anything happened.
What happened?
It was the burning question, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask, so instead I said the only thing that came to mind. “Oh. So you and Edi . . . are . . .?”
I couldn’t say it. It didn’t seem possible. I had nothing against the lifestyle, but I would’ve never believed Henri to be gay. I knew it was none of my business, but I would’ve thought Bea or Eileen might’ve at least mentioned it. I was still ready for her to laugh and say she got me, but she wasn’t even smiling now. Instead, she just offered a nod. “Yes, we are.”
•••• What I thought about Defining Love ••••
Defining Love is a bit of a different sort of romance and I really liked that about this three volume story. Henrietta doesn't have much, but when a long lost aunt takes her in, she finally has a home that she can call her own. She's able to make friends, one of which becomes someone that is very special to her. When they go away to college together, Henri's best friend becomes more to her than just friends.
Aaron is a good guy. He's stayed committed to his high school friend then sweetheart, Mia. But he knows deep in his heart that Mia isn't the "one". When he meets Henri, he gets a glimpse of what that means, and it's only a matter of time that these two connect, but there are a few hurdles for them to cross first.
I liked this story for it's diversity and it pulls off the concept of the "one" person that's meant to be. It's a lot about fate, and I loved that about the story. It wasn't hard to see how both Henri and Aaron got involved and attached to the people they are with, but it's inevitable that Henri and Aaron find a way to be together because their attraction is just that strong.
This meant-to-be romance takes a few twists to get to its conclusion, but the final payoff is satisfying. If you like contemporary romance with a bit of a twist, you might like Defining Love.
ARC provided for review.
•••• About Elizabeth Reyes ••••
USA Today Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Reyes continues to answer to her calling on a daily basis. Since releasing her debut novel Forever Mine (Moreno Brothers #1) in 2010 she has now published 9 full length novels total and fast at work on the next. The excitement her Moreno Brothers, 5th Street, and Fate series have garnered has far exceeded her wildest dreams. It is with as much excitement that she’ll continue to put out books related to these series as well as introduce brand new ones very soon.
In 2014 she will take her next step in the exciting world of writing and publish her first traditionally published book with Simon & Schuster/Atria. But she will continue putting out self-published books as well.
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