There were a few things that made me want to read this book: first, this story is about two characters who are not just separated by ten years in terms of age, but also have a very different outlook on life just because of the type of man they each are. Second, one is a British multimillionaire and the other a free-spirited American stripper, so I expected some interesting cultural clashes. Then there is the London setting, a nightclub as the place of first meeting, and a very strong attraction that promised some sparks, some heat, and hopefully enough “magnetism” to ensure a happy ending.

Kyle is an arrogant snob in the beginning, trying to protect himself against being hurt by a lover again, and the stereotypical “Brit with a stiff upper lip”. He is an extremely successful businessman but very lonely. He has definite ideas about what is right and what is not and is very controlling – to the point that it took me a while to figure out that much of his bluster was a façade. Basically Kyle is scared of the attraction he feels and finds all kinds of excuses like their age difference, the fact that Eden ends up as his employee singing in a club Kyle co-owns, and anything else he can think of. Kyle's point of view is very dry and lacks emotion in the beginning, but his style changes as his emotions come through when he begins to "unthaw" – a difficult thing to pull off, but the author did it very well.

Eden is an artist: a free spirit, flamboyant, and an excellent singer and dancer. He does not care about societal norms or restrictions, and one-night stands are not his personal choice. Eden wants to find a permanent gig as a singer, and wishes for a partner to share his life with. His first reaction when things turn out to be tougher than he expected is to run, and it becomes clear that he’ll have to change a lot if he wants to make things work with Kyle – whom he is incredibly attracted to.

In the beginning these two men can't help but not get along due to their differences. It takes quite some doing for both men to realize they need each other and are better off appreciating their differences. The plot revolves around Eden and Kyle working out their differences, and growing to the point where they can accept them. Kyle takes forever to figure out how important Eden is to him, but once he does – there is no stopping him. The humor and contrast between Eden and Kyle made this a fun read for me, and the dialogue was particularly enjoyable - lots of banter and snarky sarcasm made it very British!

If you like May/December romances with a lot of character growth, if you enjoy stories where the sparks fly from the start, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read without much drama and lots of humor, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by JMS Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )