In The Forbidden Touch of Sanguardo by Julia James, When Celeste Philips first sets her eyes on Rafael Sanguardo, she is not expecting the fierce and immediate attraction between them. The night was meant to be about raising money for charity but Rafael is doing his best to distract her from doing her job!
Rafael Sanguardo is a self-made millionaire and a man who always gets want he wants. Celeste might avoid him but for how long can she resist his charms. The shadows behind her eyes tell him that she has been scarred before and therefore is reluctant to trust him. He is determined to erase the shadows and her hopelessness but will he feel the same when he knows the whole bitter truth of her past?
The Forbidden Touch of Sanguardo by Julia James starts off really great with the introduction of the main characters.There is lot of inner dialogue from both the character’s POV. While at the starting its always gratifying to know the main character’s inner thoughts and their first impressions they make on each other, it gets a little boring for me midway through the story. Also the inner dialogues were very dramatic at times.
The romance was really sweet as the hero pursues the heroine by making all kind of grand gestures.When he manages to get past her reluctance, they have a steady and good relationship which threatens to break apart towards the end due to some conflict.
Rafael was a really sweet, caring and a great hero. I loved him and the dedication with which he wooed Celeste showed how much he wanted to be a part of her life. Celeste was a model who preferred to keep everyone at a really good distance. She was still burdened by the past and though hints are dropped throughout the story, I did not expect her past to be so questionable for a harlequin heroine so if you prefer shy, virginal and ethical heroines who would never compromise their morality then I am afraid you will hate her. The main conflict of this romance has to do with the heroine’s past. As a seventeen year old she made some tough choices and I refuse to pass any judgement on whether she was right or wrong because I feel its her life and therefore her choice.
Overall, The Forbidden Touch of Sanguardo by Julia James is a well written romance with the perfect hero. It could have been better on the intensity level but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
Book Info:
Published April 15th 2014 by Harlequin Presents Series #3238
Her heart rate was raised rapidly. And she knew exactly what had caused it. Rafael Sanguardo…
Celeste Philips’s night was meant to be about raising money for charity. Not trying to douse the flames of attraction between herself and self-made millionaire Rafael Sanguardo, a man who always gets what he wants.
Celeste knows she shouldn’t fall for Rafael’s practiced charm, yet the more her head tells her to walk away and protect her fragile heart…the more she craves his forbidden touch
