TAKEN BY STORM – Cat Schield
Dynasties: Secrets of the A-List , Book 2
Harlequin Desire #2667
ISBN: 978-1-335-60369-2
June 2019
Contemporary Series Romance

Seattle, Washington – Present Day

Isabel Withers is the hotel concierge of The Opulence, a first-class resort nestled in the mountains near Seattle. For months, she has been interested in her boss, Shane Adams, but he has paid little attention to her. One night, she invites him to dinner to discuss business, but she is really hoping to get him interested in her. Isabel isn't sure her ploy works, but maybe it did, because now Shane seems a little nervous around her and has started noticing her in ways that he never did before.

Shane is very much aware that he is Isabel's boss and doesn't want to cross the line into a more personal one, but he is slowly realizing that he's attracted to her. It's clear that she is sending out signals to him that she's receptive to his attention, so why is he still balking? Could it be because he doesn't believe in romance and doesn't want to break her heart if she thinks otherwise? Yet, the moment he kisses her, he wants more. Will the boss turn into a lover?

Meanwhile, Teresa St. Claire and Liam Christopher are at odds after their temporary fling fell apart when it was revealed that she inherited twenty-five percent of his father's shares in the family company. Working as a team to put together a conference at The Opulence leads to awkward moments. Liam and Teresa had thought the silly claims that she had an affair with his father years ago had been finally resolved. Now the old wounds are reopened, and they're back to fighting. Yet, there are still sparks of desire between Liam and Teresa. Can they ever work things out?

In order to better understand TAKEN BY STORM, readers might want to read the first book, TEMPTED BY SCANDAL, as both couples appeared in that, and there is a continuing plot about the upcoming conference that involves everyone. Liam and Teresa's romance is ongoing, and a hint for readers: it continues onto the next book, SEDUCED BY SECOND CHANCES, out next month. There will be a total of four tales in the Dynasties: Secrets of the A-List series.

As for Isabel and Shane, they've worked together for a long time, and she has dedicated herself to be the perfect employee. She has an idea to develop the resort into a top romantic destination and needs Shane's approval to go ahead with the project. But first, she has to convince “Mr. Hates Romance” that it can be a viable project. It works only too well when he kisses her, and then a couple of days later, schedules a dinner with her. One thing leads to another, and soon they're sharing a bed. But has anything really changed as far as Shane's views on love? Is Isabel on the road to a broken heart?

TAKEN BY STORM takes you deep inside to the workings of a first-class resort that sits outside Seattle with a view of a waterfall. My guess is that it is based on Salish Lodge & Spa, a top resort and hotel that is situated at Snoqualmie Falls southeast of Seattle. Everyone is busily working to get the resort ready for the upcoming conference, but whatever can go wrong seems to go wrong in TAKEN BY STORM. Will things work out? Find out in this intriguing tale.

Patti Fischer