Ouch! Did the heat generated by Justine and Lucas just singe my eyebrows?!

4.5 stars What a steamy and deliciously wicked romance with a good plot and with an older (late thirties), intelligent and plucky heroine. I really enjoy a tale of a woman who’s been done wrong and finally gets some payback. This story had that potential, but I felt the heroine was, in the end, a bit too accommodating to the key men in her life. The book’s main strength was the sizzling physical chemistry between heroine Justine and her newly-acquired bachelor stepbrother Lucas. The story is chock full of spicy scenes, not too exhaustive but frequent and varied. Author Jasmine Haynes really knows how to write love scenes!The men Justine has to deal with, including her unsympathetic boss, her domineering father and a very manipulative and scheming Lucas, were not all that likeable for me, no matter that Dad and Lucas showed some signs of willingness to reform their ways. I get why the heroine gives them a second chance, but I don’t know if I, in her place, could have been so generous. Their flaws made them realistic and, I must admit, I prefer a story where the characters show their less desirable side as well as their strengths.In short, an interesting plot, good characters and first-class passion and heat.:-)I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.