In Need You Tonight by Roni Loren, Tessa is trying to move on with her life after leaving her emotionally abusive and cheating (now ex) husband. She moves back to Texas, to be close to her friend since childhood. Deciding Tessa needs to get out and meet people, Sam drags Tessa along to a singles event. That doesn’t work out for Tessa, but as she’s leaving she meets Kade – a hot, sexy man who sends little thrills of desire through her. Tessa becomes the woman she’s always wanted to be that night – she decides for one night she will take what she wants, be who she wants.
As soon as Kade sees Tessa he wants to command her. He’s a dominant, and although Tessa doesn’t know that, she can feel the strength and power in Kade. Before the night is over, even as Kade decides one night with Tessa will never be enough, he discovers who she really is. It turns out they have a past connection, a history in high school. Tessa was the girl he loved, but at the time he was not who she wanted to be with. Tessa craved the stability she thought only her boyfriend at the time and future husband could give her…and on the night everything went wrong with a very bad ending, she never saw Kade again. Until now.
Kade doesn’t settle with anyone. Since his divorce he’s never had a real relationship, let alone one that lasted more than a couple of months. Tessa is definitely not in the market for a relationship. She’s never going to be under someone’s thumb again. But Kade stirs hidden desires and fantasies she’s hidden from herself, and as conflicted as she is about her desires and what it means, she trusts Kade even when she is both scared and turned on. Kade has opened a whole new world to Tessa…one she decides she will explore with Kade. For Tessa, that’s all it is going to be, experimenting with BDSM, having fun, and getting in touch with who she is inside. Will that be enough for both of them though?
Tessa and Kade both have trust issues and they have both overcome a childhood trauma and issues. They both come with a lot of baggage, past and present. Their honesty and mature characters shine through in Need You Tonight though, and slowly they come to mean more to each other than either of them expected. But danger and bitter ex’s threaten what they have now. Will the love they are feeling for each other be enough? Can love really over come all and empower them both? Can the past be put to rest?
Roni gives us a strong, character driven story in Need You Tonight. I loved the maturity of Tessa and Kade, despite what they’ve been through and what they still face. They don’t play games with each others’ emotions and minds, and through these traits, Roni gives us some very well developed characters in Need You Tonight. I really liked how Kade came clean to Tessa very early on about who he was after his discovery. This sets up the relationship, no matter how it ends up, very well. Tessa and Kade are very good for each other, and they just might have finally met at a time in their lives where it could work for them. Kade is patient with Tessa, bringing out her submissive side, but outside of the bedroom and the BDSM, she has just as much say in things as he does. I really liked that Roni gives us so much more of their relationship than just the sex. Need You Tonight is about so much more than BDSM. Roni pulls the romance, their relationship, and the BDSM aspects together very well and the flow of Need You Tonight is smooth.
Roni is definitely not afraid to push boundaries in Need You Tonight, and she doesn’t sugar coat anything. There is one scene that might be disturbing, but it are also necessary to know Tessa, and in particular Kade as they were and what made them who they are today. I really enjoyed the flashbacks to Tessa and Kade’s high school days, as well as the alternating POV’s in Need You Tonight. They enhanced and already great read.
I’d recommend Need You Tonight to any erotic/BDSM romance reader who is looking for a great story with characters you will really care for.
Book Info:
Published March 4th 2014 by Berkley
She’s making a wish list, and he wants to be on top.
From foster kid to trophy wife, Tessa McAllen is about to reinvent herself all over again—and defy every insult her cheating ex-husband ever used against her: Selfish? She’s championing a charity. Stupid? She’s getting her degree.
Boring in bed?
Kade Vandergriff can help her with that one. When they encounter each other at a singles event held at one of his restaurants, Tessa blurts out that kink is for girls who try too hard, and Kade instantly wants to show this sassy stranger how thrilling a night under his command can be…but when he learns her name, the game changes for both of them.
In high school, Tessa was the popular girl who stuttering, awkward Kade fell for. But she chose another. Now, as she eagerly learns lesson after lesson, he’s going to make sure she never forgets him again.
