Twelve Wicked Nights ~ Nadia Aidan
Heat: 5 Wildfire (Erotic)
Isabella and Justin have been friends forever. Closer than friends, actually. More like brother and sister. Only Isabella has harbored a wicked little secret for years and this Christmas she’s going share it with Justin.
Isabella Andreu is coming home for the holidays. Her boyfriend of two years has just broken off their engagement and now there is nothing to prevent her from finally coming to terms with her undying infatuation for Justin, her childhood friend. That is, if she can actually make it home.
Justin Rourke can’t help but to drop everything when it comes to Isabella. He’s been rescuing her from mishaps all of her life. Fetching her from the side of the road in the middle of a blizzard is par for the course. With the streets to her mother’s house closed due to snow, he has no choice but to bring Izzie home with him.
The only problem is that Izzie isn’t the little girl he’s always considered a sister. She’s all grown up and filled out in the all the enticing places, inspiring dirty thoughts that are utterly unbrotherly.
Snowed in and housebound, Izzie decides to shake up things with Justin. A game of strip Scrabble is all it takes to break her out of the sister mold and land her right into Justin’s bed. Then comes the news… Justin’s SEALs unit is being activated in thirteen days. Izzie knows his missions are long and dangerous and she plans to fulfill Justin’s every fantasy before he ships out…if she can convince him to play along.
I knew from the first three paragraphs that this was going to be a fun read.
“Isabella was in mourning—that deep, soulful kind where people fall to the ground wailing as if they are possessed. Her fiancé of two years had just broken up with her over the phone, the same phone that had died right after her sleek silver Aston Martin Vanquish had gone kaput on the side of the road.
Yes, she was in mourning—mostly for her shoes. Where was she ever going to find another pair of white kid-leather knee-high boots that fit her legs perfectly? Her favorite Jimmy Choos would be ruined if they got any wetter, and she’d worn them only twice.
Maybe if she sent up a prayer, God would save her boots right after he saved her from the worst blizzard to hit her small hometown of Jacksonville, Virginia, in more than ten years. She mumbled something that was as close to a prayer as a wicked Catholic girl was ever going to get, and trudged ahead.”
Isabella is a smart, sexy woman with a sense of humor and a great deal of common sense. She might have taken a detour or two in her life, but she’s determined to get back on track. When she decides she wants something, she doesn’t let anything get in her way.
Justin is equally compelling, struggling with his sense of honor, his changing perception of Isabella and his doubt that she could ever love him that way he wants her to.
Both have strong personalities. Their banter in and out of the bedroom is delightful to watch as each tries to best the other.
At Izzie’s insistence, Justin introduces her BDSM. She’s open to trying anything with Justin because she trusts him. But it’s clear that Izzie isn’t a true submissive. The play-struggle for dominance in the bedroom is entertaining and I was happy that Izzie came out on top, at least part of the time.
This type of sexual relationship works for them because of their shared history. They are deeply connected to each other and that connection extends beyond their bedroom escapades. The conflict for them lies in their inability to confess their love for fear of the other’s rejection. Each thinks the other is only in it for the fun. And what fun they have!
Twelve Wicked Nights is definitely Justin and Isabella’s journey; however there is a sub-plot with a brewing relationship between Justin’s best (guy) friend, Caleb, and Isabella’s best (girl) friend, Celeste. I found this secondary story to be a little distracting, especially because it delves into their sexual activity which took me away from Justin and Isabella’s story.
Caleb and Celeste do play a pivotal role in getting Justin and Izzie to open up to each other. And how these best friends conspire to accomplish that is a hoot.
Twelve Wicked Nights is the first book I’ve read by Nadia Adian (love the anagram of the name). I enjoyed the straight-forward writing style, the clever humor, and the depth of the main characters.
If you’re looking to liven up your Christmas, Twelve Wicked Nights, might be just the spice you’re looking for.
