365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #247

In Bed with a Stranger - India Grey 
Mills & Boon Modern
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263887136












My rating

From the back cover:

"The ticking time bomb of their marriage 
Sophie Greenham whirled into army officer Kit Fitzroy's life like a red-headed tornado, smashing through the walls surrounding his heart and changing his life for ever. Leaving his bubbly fiancée to return to the front line disposing of bombs was the hardest thing Kit had ever done . . . . 
When he returns home, their reunion is raw and intoxicating. But the man Sophie loves is now a virtual stranger. Tormented, and determined to keep his distance, he can only truly connect with her in the bedroom . . . . But they'll need more than passion to survive the challenges ahead unscathed . . . . 
THE FITZROY LEGACY -Wedlocked to the aristocratic Fitzroy family- where shocking secrets lead to scandalous seduction 
The unforgettable conclusion to this two-part story from award-winning author India Grey"

I loved the first part of this duet by India Grey (Craving the Forbidden), so I was expecting great things from this book...

The hero Kit returns home after active military duty full of pain and guilt after an incident that left a fellow soldier injured. It has also left Kit doubting himself. However he doesn't doubt his love for Sophie, the heroine, and when they reunite it's full of passion. Kit struggles to get over the traumatic events and after even more long buried family secrets are revealed, he finds himself pulling further and further away from Sophie. It hurts Sophie that Kit won't talk to her, she has also got a lot to tell him about events in her life while he was away on duty. The more time that passes they get more and more distant with each other, the only time  they truly connect is their very explosive and passionate moments, but Sophie soon realises that it is not enough. Kit's foundation is rocked even more when he fears that he may have a genetic disease and begins to think that he has nothing to offer Sophie. 

Another fantastic book, and a great second part to Kit and Sophie's journey. This book is jam packed with tension, with a capital T! And, it is enthralling all the way through. The fact that the hero and heroine are already in a relationship and this continues through the entire book is fabulous. It's original and very well executed. Romance novels are so often about the two characters meeting (or re-meeting) so having a couple already in a relatively secure relationship and actually getting to see what happens after they have their HEA is brilliant. I think India Grey has done a fantastic job.

This is very much a book about the hero, but it still has lots of input from a fantastic heroine. The issues raised over PTSD are handled well also. 

This is a beautiful romance; I really felt invested in these two characters lives and couldn't wait to find out how they would find their happiness. It is definitely worth it.

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