eyes wide open

BOOK REVIEW: Eyes Wide Open by Raine Miller (Plus our Top 10 Best Moments of Ethan & Brynne)

May 14th, 2013

The third part in The Blackstone Affair series: A love on the brink of being destroyed. The fight of a lifetime to keep it alive. 


Big surprises are on the horizon for Ethan and Brynne as they struggle to adjust to what life has thrown at them. Demons from the past are threatening to destroy the passionate bond they’ve forged despite their vow that nothing will ever keep them apart. A truly devastating loss coupled with the promise of a new hope opens their eyes to what is most important, but is it possible for the lovers to move on from the painful histories that continue to haunt them? A stalker is still lurking in the shadows, plotting evil amidst the distraction of the 2012 Olympic games in London. Brynne and Ethan are on the cusp of losing everything as the stakes rise. Will they yield to circumstances beyond their control or will they give every ounce of fight they have left to save each other and win the ultimate prize of a life together? 


Eyes Wide Open is a passion-wrought story that shows us what pure love can achieve when tested and what the heart can accomplish despite danger and adversity. 

Holy hotness!! Eyes Wide Open now tops my list of all time favorite reads. That. Is. All. 
Ethan Blackstone is the James Dean of book boyfriends. Yes, that’s right, the James Dean of book boyfriends. Riane Miller is a genius and has done a phenomenal job taking all the qualities a woman could ever want in a man and multiplying them to the tenth degree. The alpha male with a soft side, the sex god with a heart? My insides are laying in a puddle at my feet!!! This book took over my life and I now have a new hobby… I now spend my time looking for my “Ethan.” Every song I hear makes me think of him and all books I read find me comparing the male character to the “man of my dreams.” My life will never be the same. Who doesn’t want Ethan to bury himself in her and get lost inside of them? I’m fairly certain I am not the only woman out there in dire need of a panty change after this book!!! 
It’s true. This book rocked my world. The first two books impeccably laid out the characters of Brynne and Ethan causing us to become vested in their story. They became familiar, people we
desperately cared about. We knew them, we related and we wanted them to succeed. Neither was perfect, but yet they were so perfect for each other. Eyes Wide Open took already adored characters and gave them so many new elements and layers. It tied up all the loose ends perfectly and gave us the the missing pieces in understanding the rawness that made them so real. It picked up right where the last book left off and left us sitting on the edge of our seats. Now throw in some amazing curve balls, and it was a roller coaster of emotions. This was an intensely erotic love story, full of passion, angst, and beautifully tender moments. The love these two have for one another can not be surpassed, it can’t be swayed or broken. They learned not only to trust each other, but to trust themselves in the process. Their love opened their eyes to a future of endless possibilities. Their eyes are now wide open.
Riane Miller has a true gift of pen to paper. Her words perfectly portrayed an amazing love story of two people, each with a past and each with demons, but showed us that sometimes true love really can conquer all. Sometimes love is enough. I can not wait to read the next installment of The Blackstone Affair. The possibilities of what will happen next has my insides all a flutter. 
Take a number girls because I am first in line to volunteer to be Ethan’s “Beautiful American Girl.” 
Uhm… Yes please! **SWOON** 5 SHINING STARS
Raine Miller has been reading romance novels since she picked up that first Barbara Cartland book at the tender age of thirteen. And it’s a safe bet she’ll never stop, because now she writes them too! Granted Raine’s stories are edgy enough to turn Ms. Cartland in her grave, but to her way of thinking, a hot, sexy hero never goes out of fashion. A part-time teacher and writer of sexy romance stories every other chance she gets pretty much fills her days. She has a handsome prince of a husband, and two brilliant sons to pull her back into the real world if the writing takes her too far away. Her sons know she likes to write stories, but gratefully have never asked to read any, thank God! Raine loves to hear from readers and to chat about the characters in her books. 

RAINE MILLER BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY AT THE AVENUE

WE ARE SUCH BIG FANS!!!
In honor of Raine Miller’s birthday, whom we love soooo much, we are giving away ebook copies of The Blackstone Affair Series to 2 winners which will run today till May 3rd, 11:59pm.
Enter the rafflecopter below. Goodluck!

The first book in the bestselling Blackstone Affair series

Naked desire. Secret satisfaction. An affair you’ll never forget.

Brynne Bennett has left scandal in her past and is living the good life. An American grad student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she’s getting back on track with lots of hard work and focus on a career in art conservation. When London businessman Ethan Blackstone buys her nude portrait, he wants to possess more than just her image. He wants Brynne in his bed, serving him in every way possible. He has no trouble voicing his desires, and he isn’t taking no for an answer.

At first his dominant nature captivates her, but it isn’t clear if the force of his powerful desire will ultimately awaken or dispel the demons Brynne is carrying inside. There are secrets on both sides of this relationship—huge ones. Can Ethan erase the scars of Brynne’s past so that she can reveal her true self to him? Or will the shadows cast by Ethan’s own mysterious former life destroy their chance at happiness?

Naked is the sizzling, unforgettable story of what happens when a strong woman meets the one man powerful enough to strip away all her defenses, leaving her standing naked and perfect before him.

Ethan Blackstone has a problem on his hands. He’s broken Brynne’s trust and she’s left him. He’s unwilling to live without her and isn’t giving up—he’s dead-set on getting his beautiful American girl back. The passion between them was explosive, but the secrets they hid from each other are dark and chilling and are powerful enough to destroy their shot at a life together. With political threats now directed at Brynne, Ethan is running out of time and will need to gather all his strength and agility to protect her from the dangers that could take her away from him forever. Will Ethan be able to save Brynne from a past that keeps her locked in fear? Will he ever feel the warmth of her touch, the solidity of her trust again? This is a lovestruck man who is willing to do whatever it takes to possess the heart of the woman he loves. He’ll go to any lengths to protect her. He’ll go all in. Here is the fiery story of what happens when two people surrender to a love so great it can heal the scars of the past and give way to a life of pure, rapturous ecstasy.

Big surprises are on the horizon for Ethan and Brynne as they struggle to adjust to what life has thrown at them. Demons from the past are threatening to destroy the passionate bond they’ve forged despite their vow that nothing will ever keep them apart. A truly devastating loss coupled with the promise of a new hope opens their eyes to what is most important, but is it possible for the lovers to move on from the painful histories that continue to haunt them? A stalker is still lurking in the shadows, plotting evil amidst the distraction of the 2012 Olympic games in London. Brynne and Ethan are on the cusp of losing everything as the stakes rise. Will they yield to circumstances beyond their control or will they give every ounce of fight they have left to save each other and win the ultimate prize of a life together?

Eyes Wide Open is a passion-wrought story that shows us what pure love can achieve when tested and what the heart can accomplish despite danger and adversity.

A New York Times bestselling author who has been reading romance novels since she picked up that first Barbara Cartland book at the tender age of thirteen. And it’s a safe bet she’ll never stop, because now she writes them too. Granted, Raine’s stories are edgy enough to turn Ms. Cartland in her grave, but to her way of thinking a hot, sexy hero never goes out of fashion. Ever! Writing books pretty much fills her days now and she’s always busy. Raine has a prince of a husband, and two brilliant sons to pull her back into the real world if the writing takes her too far away. She loves to hear from readers and to chat about the characters in her books. You can connect with her on Facebook or visit her blog at http://www.RaineMiller.com to find out what she’s working on now.

More about Raine Miller

Q. What inspires your writing?

A. So many things. Art, a photograph, a portrait, poetry, movies, songs, books, historical events, notable people, a friend, a colleague…and the list is never-ending.

Q. Why do you like to write historicals?

A. I guess mostly because of the nostalgia of the past. It is an escape for me to think in a world where communication existed only in real face-to-face time or in a letter. Social graces were not only an art, but a survival skill. Interaction with another person was downright intimate in a way it can never be today. I also find great joy in writing my stories. It is as entertaining to write them as it is to be lost in a book you can’t set down.

Q. What is your favorite quote?

A. “I almost wish we were butterflies, and liv’d but three summer days. Three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain.” JOHN KEATS…1819 (sigh) Need I elaborate?

Q. How do you plot out your stories?

A. I picture the scenes like a movie in my mind. I go on long walks with my ipod and just process through storylines in my head. As soon as I get home I run up to my computer and jot down my ideas so I don’t forget. I’ve worked through many a troublesome plotline while on a walk. Solitude works for me.

Q. Who are some of your favorite authors?

A. JR Ward, Megan Hart, Elizabeth Hoyt, Ken Follett, John Grisham, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, John Keats, Robert Herrick…What I wouldn’t give to have all of those writers together in a room.

Q. What has becoming a writer taught you?

A. A healthy respect. That’s: R – E – S – P – E – C – T! I am humbled by anyone who wrote before the word processor and Google were invented. There’s no denying that writing is hard work, but to imagine how Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice with a feather quill pen makes my brain hurt.

Q. Any pearls of wisdom for aspiring writers?

A. Write what you love–your voice will come through. Write every day–your creative mind needs exercise. Never give up your dream of becoming a writer. Everyone loves a good story and if you can write one, people will always want to read it
.

(special thanks to Amazon for the blurbs,  Author BIO and  Q&A; visit   http://www.amazon.com for details)




BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE: Eyes Wide Open by Raine Miller (May 20th -31st)

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