REVIEW: His Demand by Lisa Renee Jones

In His Demand (Dirtier Duet #1) by Lisa Renee Jones, A well-known attorney who causes businessmen to quake in their shoes, Gabe Maxwell is a commanding presence in every room he enters. So it comes as a shock when a gorgeous redhead demands his attention with just the flick of her eyes, leading him down a barroom hallway only for her to give him the most scintillating kiss of his life. And then she disappears. Gabe becomes determined to find his mystery woman, although Abigail finds him first when she walks into his law firm needing help. From that day forward, he knows he will be the one to protect and care for his Abbie. It doesn’t matter if their connection scares the hell out of him. Gabe is in it to ride this wave until it comes to its final conclusion. Whatever that may entail.

“Maybe one day you’ll trust me enough to show me the man beneath the smiles.”
I catch her hand. “Are you suggesting you’ll stay around to find out?”

Even after a messy divorce ended her tumultuous relationship, Abbie is dealing every day with the fallout. And not just emotionally. It seems her ex is still out to prove he has the upper hand in her life. And she’s had enough. It’s when Abbie reaches out for help by approaching the Maxwell law firm that she makes her first mistake, as the man she impulsively kissed–the man she can’t get out of her head–turns out to be Gabe Maxwell. And knowing her complicated, dangerous life right now, Abbie should turn tail and run the other way. But there is something about Gabe’s sense of humor and the feeling of safety she gets when they’re together that’s addictive. She just hopes it won’t prove to be the downfall of them both.

‘We are two damaged, broken people who have perhaps found each other to heal. In this I find liberation.’

His Demand was a deliciously sexy start to a duet of books featuring Gabe and Abigail, two attorneys who heat up the pages while staying one step ahead of their nemesis. But a surprising twist in the final paragraphs had me wondering if one of them is hiding something sinister.

‘He’s letting me inside his world, he’s giving me that chance. I want to be here despite all the reasons I should walk away. I won’t ever hurt Gabe, but the world I live in might.’

Lisa Renee Jones has quickly become a favorite of mine when I want an erotic-edged romance full of secrets and a complex storyline. And I was so happy to see she created this duet of books (in late April we’ll get the conclusion, Her Submission) all about Gabe Maxwell, the dashing brother of Reid Maxwell who we’ve come to know and love in Dirty Rich Obsession. There was something about Gabe that piqued my interest beyond his charm and sexy smile–and the fact that he’s an animal lover, especially of dogs. *sigh* You could tell he used his funny man persona to cover up something from his past but we’ve never gotten a hint of the truth. By the end of His Demand, we now have an inkling as to what that hurtful past centers around but still not the specifics. Hopefully in Her Submission we’ll get all the deets.

Abigail, even though we get both characters’ POV here, remained a bit of a mystery to me. I liked her as a match for Gabe. They were both passionate, loyal, and had huge hearts that had unfortunately been broken in horrible ways. But throughout the book, Abigail was hiding something. She had some ace hidden up her sleeve, something revolving around her ex-husband that we never quite narrow down. I have a feeling that will be a huge factor in book two. And that Gabe and Abigail will be put through the ringer before they get a HEA. But as long as Gabe stays steadfast and believes in them as much as he has since day one, and Abigail lets him into her heart and her life, then their romance will rank right up there with the rest of the stellar pairings in this world LRJ has created.

Hero. Perfection. Gabe is quickly becoming one of my favorite heroes in Lisa Renee Jones’ intertwined universe of dynamic characters. With just enough intrigue to keep things exciting and enough steamy love scenes to make my kindle combust, His Demand is sure to be a favorite among readers.

Book Info:

Publication: February 10th 2019 | Pub: Julie Patra Publishing | Dirtier Duet #1

Gabe Maxwell is a powerhouse in the boardroom, a man with a dark past he’s buried under success and power. He’s not a white picket fence and forever kind of guy and he’s definitely not into redheads. That is until one corners him, kisses him and thanks him for waking her up. Right before she walks away and leaves him. She’s gone and he’s obsessed.

Then she walks into his office and back into his life, and he has to have her. It doesn’t matter that she’s the kind of woman you marry. It doesn’t matter that she’s everything he avoids because she’s everything he wants.

Only Abbie isn’t the good girl she seems. She has secrets and a past and soon, she’ll pull Gabe into her bed, her life, and that spells more than obsession. It spells danger. ​

Book one in the Dirtier Duet.