ARC Review: Kissed by Elizabeth Finn

Book Title: Kissed

Author: Elizabeth Finn
Series: Standalone
Release Date: May 23rd, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance

Reputation is everything, a fact Keegan Lauri knows all too well. A political PR strategist by trade, he makes his living creating and protecting the image of men, protecting them from women like Gabrielle Kitrick. She’s a threat to every man who falls for her. Beautiful, innocent, young, and available … for a price… Gabe is the shiny little trophy men of power seem to desire. But possessing her is a risk, a risk Keegan is responsible for removing from his client’s life.

He’s not above manipulating her for his own professional gain. He’s not even above seducing her and enjoying every second of it. But he finds out quickly her looks are a façade, and the more he comes to know Gabe, the more difficult it becomes to ignore her humanity. Because behind her beauty and crimson-lipped smile lies a young woman fighting for a better future, a future his very involvement with her jeopardizes.

When Keegan’s professional responsibilities threaten to expose her, will he choose to do his job or protect the young woman he’s become so attached to?

Whenever I get the news that Elizabeth Finn has written another love story, my sole focus is when will I get to read it? When will she rip my heart out with her love of all things angst? When will she annihilate my ovaries with her sexy, erotic love scenes? And I got all that and more in Kissed. 

Kissed is the love story between a 21-year old Gabrielle (aka Gabe) and 33-year old Keegan. Keegan is a public image guru. His job is to keep people's reputations clean, usually for political purposes. He meets the beautiful, auburn-haired Gabe when she's hired as his latest client's escort. Yes, Gabe is a prostitute and the worst possible thing to get caught with for his client's public-image. She must be removed...

Keegan doesn't expect to become just as captivated by everything Gabe offers. In an effort to one-up his client, he hires her himself, just for a night. But with all the beauty that embodies Gabe, he's quick to find out she's not the self-assured seductress he thought she was. Once is not enough...for multiple reasons. Together, the world seems to just disappear. He wants more, but her walls are high in self-preservation.

“I want to kiss you.” 

My eyes shot back up to his. “No.” 

He laughed. “How very Julia Roberts of you.” 

“I wish,” I said quietly. “But that’s not real life, now is it?” 

He smiled. “I don’t know. You get to fuck wealthy men in expensive hotel rooms and make a nice chunk of change for a few hours of work. I mean, I’m sure they’re not all Richard Gere, but…we can’t all be Richard, now can we?”

Kissed is a steamy-hot erotic love story between two very different people. Gabe has had it rough in life and just surviving college, supporting her younger sister is a huge burden to bear. The lifestyle of call girl isn't a first choice for her but it keeps the tuition and rent bills paid. She emotionally "checks out" with the johns...until Keegan. She can't close her eyes tight enough to not feel what he does to her physically and emotionally. With him, she's a woman and not a high priced hooker.

I essentially read this in one long sitting. Finn has the ability to suck me into her love stories and hold on till the very end. Although she's the queen of angst, this book is a bit lighter than her usual fare. But it's just as hot. And holy mutha of kissing scenes. There's a reason the book is titled Kissed. Keegan can KISS. Bet she feels stupid for holding out on that first kiss!

Elizabeth Finn can write some seriously hot romantic interludes and she had me panting anxiously turning the pages, hoping for these two outwardly ill-fitted yet perfectly suited MCs to find their happily ever after.

Looking forward to more angsty hotness from Elizabeth Finn. Excuse me while I go ice my ovaries...

Advanced copy received by author in exchange for my honest review.

Elizabeth Finn is a multi-published contemporary romance author. Her passion is creating stories packed full of angsty believable conflicts, characters who leave you rooting for them, and romance that might just short-circuit your e-reader. She likes her characters flawed and scarred, but they always find the best part of themselves on their journey, and her readers find themselves devoted to her authentic, honest and heartfelt voice.

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