One Shameless Night (West Sisters #2)

I read this book through kindle unlimited and found it ludicrously improbable and an affront to victims of violence. I literally stopped reading it at the 80% mark because it just sickened me. How in god’s name could this author use the plot device of a heinous physical and sexual attack and then so cavalierly dismiss its significance on disrupting and changing the victims life especially right after the attack before getting therapy.

Just a couple of weeks after experiencing a horrific kidnapping and attempted sexual assault (just weeks after an initial attempt btw) that left the heroine brutally broken, bleeding and disfigured, she is back to her physical affair with the hero and they are exchanging explicit, graphic and dirty verbal sexual dialogue before, during and after participating in slightly rough sex. Seriously? In what universe could anyone see this happening after a brutal, life altering multi day kidnapping and torture event? In the real world the heroine would be so traumatized that she would not want to engage in any verbal and physical sexual activities until all her physical wounds had healed and she had undergone some intense counseling. I mean her attacker obsessively carved his initials into her skin over and over and yet less than two weeks later she is comfortable enough to engage in a physical relationship that wasn’t even of long standing nor was it a committed one?

And if that wasn’t bad enough that the heroine started up a physical relationship within days of her attack when she is still bruised while the author payed ludicrously nominal lip service to the fact that she experienced a horrific event and may never be the same person as she was before, the heroine’s family comes to spend the holidays with her and instead of focusing on her physical and emotional scars, the first thing the heroine and her two sisters do when they are alone is they gossip about what a stud the hero is and they laugh over her brutal physical attack as the heroine tells her “wiener” story making light fun to what saved her at the last minute. This is wrong on SO many levels it makes my mind spin, but the absolute affront awaiting every reader is that one of her sisters is a psychologist ! This absolute drivel downplays the many challenges victims of violent crime need to overcome just to be able to function daily as they navigate their lives after such a horrific event. This book should come with a TRIGGER WARNING not only because it contains such an event and not everyone can read through the graphic details of such or because they or a loved ones have had such an event occur in their lives and in no way do they want to flashback to that past life altering event, but it should contain a warning for how utterly it fails to treat such an event with the deft handling needed to portray the gravity of such a bomb exploding and matastizing in one’s life or the life of someone you loved.

I have read many of this author’s books in the past and I have left her some stellar reviews and some reviews where her work was subpar and deserving of an average rating. But I have never left such a poor review before for her. It sickens me because she has more talent than this but I can not believe more people have not spoken out and left negative reviews about this ludicrously improbable story that belittles and downplays the effects victims of violence experience after an attack and this heroine experienced not once, but twice in her life in a very short period of time from her stalker.

Potential readers please BEWARE of the contents of this book!

One Shameless Night is habit forming. Its a BIG story, that draws out every emotion to the extreme, creating a resonating romance that centers on an out-of-this-world connection between a young boy, his father and the strong but vulnerable, deeply damaged woman who just might form the perfect family if they can overcome the avalanche of angst Hargrove throws their way.

Alessandroin addition to winning cover of the yearI love you! You’re a wolf in wolfs clothing. 🙂 Hes sort of a difficult person, clueless, in denial and sexy has hell. Hes also committed, thoughtful and smart, and yessss a dedicated single father! Thank god for Gabriele, his brilliant and outspoken son, who has the sense to immediately see Piper for the incredible woman she really is.

Piper, my heart. She has an incredible arc in this story. It unfolds from the beginning, with her resignation that she has to leave her family to pursue her own dreams far away. When she first encounters Alessandrounffff thats some shameless trystshe gets the feels as do we. She has a happy-go-lucky air to her that is fun to read and she feels real. She had me cheering her on at every turn, and I wanted to hug so much, because the plot dips and curls into a truly suspenseful romance.

Hargrove tells this story in her signature beautiful prose thats steeped in family and angst. She draws you in with a pleasant image and then swerves until youre gasping for a break, your kindle warm from swiping, your throat clenched and then she twists some more, leaving you inside the drama and the love hoping for your own recovery right along with Piper and Alessandro. Yes, its real, and the humor Hargrove manages to squeeze into their romance left me light headed and restless. Its a testament to her strong writing that she can leave you hopeless and hopeful in the same scene. As the story unfolds, youre left gaping when you realize that Piper is healing not only herself but Alessandro and Gabriele as well.

The pacing and the incredible increase in stakes that kept building and building really got to me. She creates a palpable need for everything to work out, for thes broken souls to get together, to solve the suspense thats thrumming through every chapter. I WANTED them together, and I shushed everyone and starved my kids for all my reading and swiping, begging for relief. Its soooo emotional and I felt all of it. Piper I love you and I wish I could reach through the glass and hug you, just like Gabriele and Alessandro. Sigh. Its a great story.

I could say more–talk about the secondary characters, or the fantastic settings and the great world-building–but I don’t want to spoil any measure of the plot. Its that good. I said before that shes invented a new genre with this spin off to the West Brothers series, and it’s on full display here. I dont even know how to describe it. Romangst for sure, but its more because the writing is so so good.

AM Hargrove is an auto-click for me, and One Shameless Night is exhibit A for a biting brilliant modern contemporary romance.

I enjoyed Piper and Alessandro. Some of the situations seemed farfetched but still within the realm of possibility.

I have to admit that both characters were a bit difficult to like at first. Though it doesn’t take long to figure out the backstory that made them that way. Alessandro especially redeems himself for the most part.

This was an enjoyable story and while I could have done without a lot of the outside drama it was still a good read.

They met on the plane to London. She was upset about leaving her family, but she had to finish her degree. All she needed was six more months and she would have her degree. A lot can happen in six months. He was so easy to talk to and gorgeous too. She fell asleep on his shoulder and one thing led to another….. But the next day in class guess who is her new teacher. He convinces her to change classes so he won’t be her professor. But they keep running into each other. It must be fate…..

This story gave me everything I needed. Emotion, drama, suspense, sex and an adorable little boy. I loved the way Allesandro and Piper started off Rocky and built their relationship slowly. Loved the Italian references. Loved Allesandro ‘s relationship with his family. This story has it all to make every reader more than satisfied

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