REVIEW: Torn by Monica Murphy

In Torn (Billionaire Bachelors Club #2) by Monica Murphy, Real estate mogul Gage Emerson is caught unaware when he meets Marina Knight at a local wine tasting. He doesn’t realize it’s her family’s property he intends to buy out in Napa Valley, so he proceeds to put his foot in his mouth as he talks to her. Gage tries to make amends but Marina gives him no sympathy at all. Although they seem to fight more than they get along, their mutual chemistry can not be denied. They have to figure out if they can manage a relationship together or if they are simply using each other for business gain.

‘She’s consuming my thoughts. I never let a woman do that to me, and I can’t believe how fast my attraction for her has grown. I like everything about her, even how much she seems to hate me.’

Marina is doing everything she can think of to keep her family’s bakery in business. She’s heard around the valley that Gage plans on making an offer to buy the lot of buildings her family owns, which includes Autumn Harvest. All Marina wants to do is leave an impression on Gage at the wine tasting, but instead they both become rattled emotionally. It seems like every time they are in the same room together they do nothing but argue and lust for each other. As they finally give in to their feelings, Marina wonders if she can trust Gage’s intentions toward her or if he’s still just trying to further his real estate deal.

‘For whatever strange reason, I’m fairly positive Gage Emerson has set his sights on me. And I think I kind of like it.’

Book two of the Billionaire Bachelors Club trilogy, Torn, is a look at the volatile but passionate love/hate relationship between Gage and Marina.

Torn is written in the same sophisticated, flirty style that book one, Crave, was. Monica Murphy has a knack for writing characters and plots that draw me in quickly and I simply breeze through her books. This one is no exception. I loved the give-and-take between Gage and Marina. Neither one can seem to express themselves in conversation without saying things they never intended to mention aloud which is both comical and sadly, realistic. They both had ulterior motives for wanting to get close, mainly for business purposes, but they wind up finding each other irresistible instead and fall head over heels for each other.

From their first awkward meeting, it was inevitable that Gage and Marina would end up together and they have several memorable fights as well as smoking hot love scenes. (I will never think of a Maserati the same way again, lol) Outside forces also influence the decisions they make, including Marina’s family and Gage’s friends and his sister. I thought it was interesting that Gage had mostly supportive help from his loved ones, while poor Marina had to battle with some of her family to make her own decisions. I did love her Aunt Gina, though. She was a sassy Italian lady who spoke her mind and was so very funny. Plus she made all the yummy food for the bakery. I mean, how delectable does a chocolate raspberry cake sound??

Definitely check out Torn if you are a romance fan who likes a story that is steamy but not too over the top and has a great plotline.

Book Info:

Published November 19th 2013 by Avon Impulse | Series: Billionaire Bachelors Club #2

Marina Knight came to this party for one thing only: to slap Gage Emerson in the face. Poised to snatch up her family’s real estate empire, the sexy tycoon is on the verge of making an enemy for life—even if he can make her melt with a single kiss …

When Gage discovers that the alluring woman before him is the key to his latest acquisition, claiming her as his suddenly doesn’t seem quite so cut-and-dried. To get what he wants, he must get to know the fierce woman willing to face him down—as she steadily steals his heart.

Gage’s persistence and intense passion war with Marina’s determination to protect her family. As they delve deeper into an affair they didn’t see coming, Marina’s torn: Will she lose her heart to Gage—or everything she holds dear?