REVIEW: Only for a Night by Naima Simone

In Only for a Night (Lick #1) by Naima Simone, Rion Ward and Harper Shaw were once very good friends, and now Harper needs him more than ever. Losing her husband has left her lonely, and she’s determined to proposition Rion. What she wants is sex, the kind only he can give her.

“God, you’re like a dog with a bone. You don’t want me, but no one else can have me either?” She cocked her head to the side. “But that doesn’t matter because it’s not your business, is it?”
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Harper.” He warned.
Only if I lose,” she whispered. They stared at one another, a high-noon showdown that neither backed down from. In her dark brown eyes, he spied determination. Resolution.

Rion Ward hasn’t forgotten Harper Shaw; the one person that was a shining light in his sea of darkness. He thought he’d never see her again, but somehow she’s managed to worm her way back into his life. When she asks him for a favor, he’s not sure whether he can give her what she wants until she leaves him with no option but to agree.

What an incredibly steamy and emotionally charged friends to lovers story this book was to start off a new series for Ms. Simone. Right from the beginning, I found myself riveted to each page. The opening sentence is a good one, and without a doubt will grab a readers’ attention and get them to want to continue reading. Does sex sell? Well obviously, if you own a sex club, than yes it does.

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories and Rion’s reasons for fighting for a future with Harper. Given everything that he’s been through when they were close friends and he was a part of the Irish Mob, he doesn’t think he’s right for her. He’s worried that his past will come back to haunt him and he doesn’t want Harper to get caught in the crossfire if it does, which was understandable. However, I liked that she fought for what she wanted and that she made Rion see reason because he needed her just as much as she needed him.

Anticipation, hot and thick, rolled through him. “All right, Harper,” he drawled. “You win. But I have one condition.” He paused. Waited for her nod. “One night. I’ll give you everything you’re looking for. I’ll f*** you. Make you get on your knees for me. Make you come. Over and over again. On my face. My fingers. My dick. As often and as hard as I say. But only for a night.”

Both the main characters were enthralling and the history between this couple had between them had me flipping the pages quickly wanting to discover more about what went wrong between them. What made Rion push Harper away? How did she end up marrying another man when they were so close and so very much right for each other? Moreover, the secondary characters were just as entertaining as the main ones, and I liked the advice Rion’s friends offered him when it came to Harper. Why should he continue to let the past affect his future when she’s perfect for him?

Harper is strong, brave and I liked how determined she was to get Rion to agree to her proposition. Because no way would she have been comfortable allowing anyone to get close to her and show her the scorching intimacy that Rion does. Then again, she’s been through so much and it’s no wonder she’s lonely and turns to Rion for comfort. While the hero, he’s had a tough life and Harper was the one bright spot in it, and I could understand why he was reluctant to pursue a relationship with her, even though his life of crime is behind him. He’s also done very well for himself after leaving the mob, which is proven by how successful the club that he owns with his two friends is.

Overall, Ms. Simone has penned another wonderful novel filled with plenty of emotion, great characters and a storyline that kept me completely entertained from start to finish. The way this story ended was perfect, and made me laugh. Rion is not the sort of man that the heroine’s parents would have imagined their daughter going for, but it’s good that they respect her decision because the hero and heroine are so right for each other. I would recommend Only for a Night by Naima Simone, if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope where the couple’s romance is scorching and off the charts.

Book Info:

Publication: May 30th, 2016 | Entangled Publishing | Lick #1

Rion Ward fought hard to be free of the Irish mob life. Now, as the co-owner of Boston’s hottest aphrodisiac club, he’s traded crime for the ultimate sexual fantasy. But when the “good girl” from his past walks through Lick’s doors, he discovers that his unconsummated hunger for her never abated.

Widowed for two years from a man who felt that anything besides the missionary position was dirty, Harper Shaw is ready to move on. The first step to feeling alive again is sex. Hot, dirty, black-out-from-orgasm sex. And who better to provide it than the brooding, sexy, tatted bad boy-turned-man she’s known for years?

Rion, however, has one stipulation: He’ll be hers only for one night. One night to explore her every fantasy. One night to push her limits. One night to introduce her to a passion that makes both doubt if it will be enough…