No Strings by Aline Hunter

No Strings (novella)

Aline Hunter
Contemporary Romance/Erotica
Published in 2011

H/h - Zeke Greer/Diane Marcus
Setting: Present time.

Read in Sept, 2012.

My rating:

                                               [spoiler alert]

 

So I totally picked this quickie up on pure whim. New-to-me author, not sure if I should take the chance but... But, the blurb sort of got me hooked and here I am! I devoured it in one sitting, loved the story to bits... until the end. Let me explain though...

Two grieving people, who have lost their spouses, get together to forget; if only for one night, so be it. Would this be just another one-night-stand or would there be something special?

Diane has lost her husband Mark 2 yrs ago in a robbery-gone-wrong incident. She went from a woman anxiously planning to start a family to a grieving widow. And why won’t it feel like her life is finished when she loved her husband and was happily married? With grief, came the need to share… At first, in those therapy sessions, she didn’t talk, which is totally understandable. But it was a solace nonetheless to be able to listen to people who can understand her situation because they have gone through it themselves.

And then, there is this tattooed man, big and handsome Zeke, who never really talked much, unless pleasantries and that his wife has died very unexpectedly. Diane has noticed him, looks have been exchanged (and I don’t necessarily mean lustful glances). Diane was attracted but of course, she knew nothing could come of it. What she didn’t know that Zeke feels the same way about her.

Sexy tattooed guy... yum!

2 years have gone by already, so we can’t really say that our protags are out and out strangers. There has been this unlikely bond to begin with, even though they never talked to each-other that much. When Diane informs the group that it’s probably time to move on, Zeke, who has always been glad to look at Diane from afar, makes his move... It’s simply now or never. He fears he’ll never see her again if he let’s her go.

Even though I love doing spoilerish reviews, I won’t say anything else. Just know that it was sexy, intense. None of them were into short term flings, which I found amazing. Kind of made me believe in their chemistry more, rather than those stories where it’s nothing but sex, more so in any one-night-stand setups. Zeke is totally crazy about Diane and let her know in his sexy way. There is a twist too, about Zeke’s marriage...

I wasn’t particularly happy with the ending because it didn’t end on a HEA note, not even a relationship way but that after this little incident between them, which was so honest and open and powerful (instant chemistry was everywhere around them IMO), after all they’ve suffered in their lives, now probably they can learn to live again. But, surprise, surprise! While I was going through some reviews, in one, I came across something; that AH is writing a full length novel for Zeke and Diane. Next installment? I’m just so happy that she is and can’t wait to grab it because there’s just HAS TO BE a HEA for them. No one is more deserving than these two.

So grab No Strings if you have an hour or so to spare and you won’t regret it! 4.25 stars. Lovely writing and story, with two lonely, broken hearts. Ah! *sigh*

Favorite Quote(s):

“What about the support group? What if I decide I’m not ready to leave?”
“It won’t take me long to find somewhere else to go.”
“You’d be willing to do that?”
“To have you beneath me? To hear you scream my name? To go down on you, lick you from bottom to top and finally see if you taste as good as you smell?” He smiled when her lips parted in shock and her eyes went wide. “I’d give up group altogether, sweetheart.”

“She cleared her throat and asked, “Do you have a preference?”
Christ, was she insane?
“I’d love to feel at least one part of you without latex between us.”