Format read: ebook provided by author for review
Release Date: 18 July 2011
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon

Sienna Diaz is desperate to find her missing beagle, no matter what it costs. She hires Cruz Santino, the best-and hottest-in the business. He’s an ex cop, dangerous on many levels, which comes in handy when all evidence indicates her beloved pet was snatched to use in a dogfighting ring.

Cruz will do whatever it takes to find Sienna’s lost pet, but he also wants results from the smokin’ hot attraction between them-and he isn’t above breaking his own hands-off-clients rule to get there. However, until he brings her beloved beagle home safely, he won’t have Sienna’s undivided attention…and affection.

Though it is a contemporary romance, Dangerous Desire is full of thrill and suspense and it explores crimes not for the faint-hearted (animal cruelty and dog fights) with well detailed and realistic storytelling.

Both Sienna and Cruz were interesting and well fleshed-out characters. Cruz sounds so yummy that based on Sienna’s descriptions of not only his physique but his take charge attitude I was drooling er.. I mean smitten with him. And due to her having already lived and experienced a lot Sienna feels confident in her own age, body and life.

I liked most of the secondary characters as well, it was only Tori, Sienna’s best friend whom I couldn’t stand. She was so loud mouthed and way over the top that her presence irritated me even through the virtual distance, and I couldn’t wait for her to finally exit the scene and not monopolize the conversation and all the attention.

When speaking of secondary characters I have to mention Zola (Sienna’s cute beagle) and Roman, the trustworthy German shepherd of Cruz who besides being of great help in the investigation was a wonderfully adorable and funny pet.

Besides the sensual romance what stood out for me in Dangerous Desire was the chuckle out, tongue in cheek humour Diane Escalera used to describe Sienna’s self deprecating thoughts, like when she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Cruz muscular body after a work out:

She really needed to stop eye-raping him.

and Cruz’ own inner monologues:

He kissed her with wild abandon, his ache raw and primitive. Foreplay with Sienna was so freakin’ surreal, he heard bells ringing, dogs barking. The noise grew louder and more persistent–the ruckus wasn’t inside his head. Someone was at the front door.

Verdict: With a completely unprecedented mystery plot, sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine as well as chuckle out loud humour Diane Escalera’s writing makes Dangerous Desire a thrilling (and very sexy) read. I would recommend you give Dangerous Desire a chance, such a nice and unexpected surprise doesn’t happen too often.

I give Dangerous Desire 4 bookies!

About Stella

Stella is a proud bookaholic and a self-taught multilinguist in training. Besides reading, her other great passions are travelling and baking. When she is not globetrotting she lives in sunny Budapest, where she loves to spend her free time preparing (and feasting on) delicious cookies or devouring equally yummy books. Her favourite genres are urban fantasy and romance and she couldn't live without her daily dose of sunshine. Besides being the Latin Lover on BLI Stella also blogs about books and a bookish life on Ex Libris.

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