Books & Spoons Review: The Australian by Lesley Young

29/4/2015

The Australian
Crime Royalty Romance # 2
By: Lesley Young
Releasing March 27, 2015
Self-Published

Charlie Sykes takes everything and everyone at face value—and believes life would be a lot easier if everyone else did, too. Aussie Jace Knight, international hotelier and purported playboy, has never met anyone like the absurdly literal and beautiful American who applies for his personal assistant position. The trouble is, how do you pursue a woman whose definition of flirting comes straight out of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary? That, and he’s not the only one after Charlie. Seems Mr. Knight might not be a reformed criminal after all.

Soon, Charlie’s immersed in a whirlwind of international espionage that takes her from the hip streets of Sydney to the majestic Great Barrier Reef and the wild, desolate outback. A dangerous trap’s being set, but how will Charlie protect herself and prevent a tragic betrayal, when she can’t even sort out what her heart’s telling her?

Interestingly, different kind of a story. The whole book is told in first person, from the heroine's point of view. Charlie is not your typical heroine, or even a person, with her inability to feel emotions, lie, hold her opinion of something, communicate, small talk, and so many other things, making her rather awkward socially. But Jace seems to be intrigued by her, understand her quirks, and accept them. He is likable, attractive, caring, and accepting man, who has had past in the criminal world, and still makes his own definition of right and wrong.
The story tells Charlie's move to Australia after her drug addict mother dies of overdose, the difficulties she faces in the new country and environment. Working for Jace Knight, they form a relationship, that turns into a sensual ride for Charlie, finding herself as a sexual being for the first time in her life. I admired the patience Jace had for her, as she stumbles through new experiences in life.
The criminal world Jace is, or isn't, involved in, steps in, creating dangerous situations, putting trust in the fragile relationship into a test, and making Charlie grow as a person, as things do get totally out of control, and several law enforcement agencies are involved.
Charlie is so unique, making the story interesting and different. At the same time, with Charlie's lack of ability to feel emotions, and the story told entirely from her point of view, it also lacks the intensity, that otherwise could have been part of the tale. Even the sexiest love scenes, that are detailed, didn't reach the emotional potential that could have been there.
I struggled a bit with the second half of the book, but overall, the story sets apart with its unique heroine and her way to look at the world, matched with super hot, kind, and caring, ex-crime boss hero, coming to the total score of
~ Three Spoons and a teaspoon on the side

Lesley Young is an award-winning Canadian journalist by day, and compulsive novelist by night. Her debut novel, Sky’s End (Soulmate Publishing, 2013) hit #9 on Amazon’s sci-fi romance paid best-seller list in its first three months of release. Not too long after that, she started dreaming up quirky heroines who lose their hearts to extremely powerful, imperfect heroes, while on dangerous adventures abroad. She called it the Crime Royalty Romance series, and kicked it off with The Frenchman, which landed her an agent at Spencerhill Associates. Lesley’s never sure who or what will pop up in her imagination next. The Irishman? The Spaniard? The Englishman? She’s taking requests!

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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