2.5 stars

Standing in the shadows in the cold of a Manhattan winter or the steamy furnace of a Manhattan summer for an hour or two a month, without his bodyguards, without any security whatsoever, for a glimpse of a woman…it was madness.

The beginning of this was crazy good. The suspense, danger, and action was gripping. Then the story started to become the hero constantly talking about how the heroine is not like any other woman and his fantasy of banging her. We don't get a sex scene until the second half, which shocked me because this is categorized as erotica but the constant fantasizing by the hero and then the second half focus on sex more than earn that category.

I wanted more action because the author wrote it so well. The villain was good, the hero's dark background was good, and I could even handle the very good girl but,

It had also been clear that she wasn’t wearing a bra, because she didn’t need it. Her breasts were perfect as they were.

No. She's sweet, amazing, no make-up, perfect no-dyed shade hair, amazing artistic talent, etc, etc, but no to the perfect breasts not needing a bra to look "perfect". I can sustain my disbelief only so far. Really though, I just couldn't with the perfect all other women are scum heroine, as viewed by the hero.

The sex didn't grip me because I didn't "know" the characters enough. Great first two chapters, though. ( )

DESCRIPTION: Feelings kill faster than bullets.

That is Drake's creed. A legend, a renegade, a ruthless, powerful enigma understood by no one and feared by all, Viktor "Drake" Drakovich heads up a billion-dollar empire—and shows no mercy to the many enemies who would stop at nothing to destroy him. He is a man with no love and no weakness, until...

Grace Larsen takes Drake's breath away the first time he sees her—and quickly becomes his obsession. Never before has he burned for someone the way he desires this hauntingly beautiful artist who is plagued by troubling dreams. He aches to possess her, to protect her, to carry her to new heights of sensuous arousal and rapturous release.

But entering Drake's world means becoming a target—for relentless, bloodthirsty foes have been eagerly waiting for him to expose his weak spot. And the price of their passion may be their lives. ( )

reviewed for AAR. review to come. ( )

I was a little uncertain about this book at the beginning I mean the hero is a gun runner after all. However this sory isn't about his business but about his redemption. It was wonderful to see the change in Drake as he fell in love with Grace. Grace also changes becoming more confident and grounded. Her life has revolved around her art for so long she had lost touch with the real world in some ways. Drake's life had become insulated and lonely never able to trust anyone. I was a little sad that Drake never knew who had betrayed him and why. I wad also sad that he lost all of Grace's artwork that had made him feel alive again. This is another wonderful book from the very talented Ms. Rice. She never fails to please and I look forward to each book as it comes out. ( )

"Dangerous Passion" has everything readers expect from Lisa Marie Rice--a hot Alpha male, a woman in trouble, tense action, and enough sizzling sex to set your fingers on fire. Although I enjoyed this story a lot, I did notice more than a passing resemblance to a previously released story, "Secluded" in Secrets, Vol. 9.

She's a mostly naive artist, struggling to make her living in the big city but content with her distance from others. One day Grace's artworks catch the eye of an anonymous collector who buys up everything she produces. Then during one visit to the art gallery to drop off her newest works, Grace is kidnapped and her dealer friend killed. But when they try to use her to force compliance from a stranger in a nearby alley, the stranger saves Grace and gets away...taking Grace with him to his highrise aerie.

Drake has always known he would die violently. He is, after all, the head of a billion-dollar arms empire--and not all that money was earned legally. He's honed himself into a lethal weapon and never takes chances...until he spots Grace's artwork and sees himself in it. For one year, he's only watched from a distance; but when his enemies try to snatch Grace, he realizes her life will never be the same. She's his only weakness, but she's also his only happiness.

It takes talent to make me LIKE a weapons dealer! Drake grew up hard and can only express tenderness with Grace (silly sigh). She confuses him, attracts him, and completes him and he (in a typical male manner) can't figure out quite why. WHAT an Alpha. And the sex?! I think my fingers are still smoking! The story does take place in a compressed timeframe, but that's part of the plot so it didn't bug me. The contrast between the characters and their natures are a big part of what draws me to Rice's works and this story is no exception.

My only beef is the story's eerie resemblance to a previously released work. Not that I didn't enjoy the greatly expanded version, but I would have liked to have known about it before reading "Dangerous Passion". Lisa Marie Rice is still one of my favorite erotica authors and I'll be anxiously awaiting her next release. ( )