Tempt Me Not by Eve Byron

This book packed a wallop. It's full of angst in some ways. Not a major character dying or adultery of the main characters angst. But the angst of being the child of someone who doesn't know how to love, and having to learn what love is and how to open one's heart. And there are very complicated relationships between the major characters. People who think they are friends, turn out to have deeper relationships. Secrets are kept, and lives are destroyed. To say more would be giving away major plot points, so I won't do that. But I can say that this book shows the power of a loving heart, and the determination of a person who will not give up on the one the person loves. Jillian loves Max. She's loved him since she was a child. When her chance comes to have him, she takes it. And there are some consequences. But like most things that seem bad at the time, much good comes of it. Max is scarred by his indifferent father. And his father turns out to be the man who kept his good friend Bruce's married mother as his mistress for many years, but ignored his own wife and son. Max has been friends with Damien and Bruce for many years. Jillian is Damien's younger sister. As complicated as these relationships sound, they turn out to be even more complicated. To best enjoy this story, you should read Tempt Me Not first, then Love Me Not, and finally Decieve Me Not. This trio is very intertwined. I read Love Me Not first, and I had question marks about Max and Jillian. Reading this book last, I had some blanks filled in. This book is evidence that disproves the fallacy that romance is fluff. The emotions and situations in this book are deep and real life, and they hit home, but have the comfort of a loving relationship between the hero and heroine to soften the blow. I am glad I got the opportunity to read this book.