BEING ME - Lisa Renee Jones
The Inside Out Trilogy , Book 2
Gallery Books
ISBN: 978-1-476-72721-9
June 2013
Erotic Contemporary Romance

San Francisco and Los Angeles, California - Present Day

After visiting the BDSM club owned by her new boss, Mark, Sara McMillan is more determined than ever to find Rebecca.  Sara found Rebecca's journals in a storage locker, and in spite of having never met the other woman, Sara became intrigued as she read about Rebecca's life, her introduction into BDSM, and her relationship with her Master.  The final entries in the journal lead Sara to believe that Rebecca may be in trouble, so she tries, unsuccessfully, to find her.  Sara's quest led her to a job that she loves, working in an art gallery where she meets Chris Merit, a well-known artist.  After dating for a short time, Sara insists that Chris take her to the club that Mark owns, but now she's not sure if she can handle it.  Having grown up with a controlling father, Sara guards her independence fiercely—being submissive is not something she's comfortable with.

When a visit to the storage locker spooks Sara, she calls Chris and is surprised to learn that he's returned to San Francisco to talk with her.  The chemistry between them is too hot to ignore, but both have issues with their pasts that make a relationship challenging.  As they look into Rebecca's disappearance, Chris and Sara try to find a way to make things work between them.  It's no longer just lust that they feel, but with the secrets they still keep from one another, will love be enough?

The second book in the Inside Out Trilogy , BEING ME picks up where IF I WERE YOU left off, with Sara beginning to learn some of Chris's secrets, and knowing she'll have to face her past.  If you haven't read the first book, this one may be a bit difficult at the beginning, as it is more of a continuation than a sequel.  Sara's need for independence, especially from wealthy, powerful men, is a direct contrast to the need she has for Chris to take control in the bedroom.  She's surprised by what she learns about him in the club, but the fact that he left behind his charity work and a dying boy to insure that she is okay eases her mind a bit.

In addition to the rocky romance between her and Chris, Sara is also trying to find out what happened to Rebecca while, in some ways, immersing herself in the other woman's life.  On summer break from her teaching job, Sara joins Allure Galleries to fill in for the missing Rebecca, and is fairly sure that Rebecca's illusive, unnamed Master is her boss, Mark.  Some of the journal entries talk about her Master sharing her, and Sara is trying to figure out who the other man in Rebecca's life might have been.  Mark has shown a sexual interest in Sara, and the enmity between Chris and Mark leaves Sara feeling as if she's the rope in a tug of war.  Sara also gets to meet two men that Rebecca worked with, one of whom may be the one she wrote of in her journal.  The manipulations and the power plays only make things more uncomfortable for Sara, but at the same time, she's living the life she never allowed herself to dream of.

Told from the first person point of view, we only learn what Sara is thinking and feeling, with occasional glimpses into how Chris feels.  While some of Sara's questions are answered, she still has more, and she knows that she has yet to learn all of Chris's secrets.  The third book, to be released in September, will reveal all, including whether or not two such damaged people can have a happily ever after.  While I'd definitely recommend reading the books in order, BEING ME is a sexy, enjoyable book.

Jennifer Bishop