Twin Opinions: LEANN'S REVIEW: Lussaria (S.J. Molloy) Luminara #1

Lussuria #1 in The Luminara Series. An emotional erotic heart-wrenching story of lust, love and light.

File U for upside down. Lexi Robertson's carefully constructed life is about to be turned upside down. Recently hired as Club di Energia's physiotherapist, the stunning yet insecure twenty-six year old finally thinks she has a handle on her physically and mentally damaging past. The only way Lexi can cope is by compartmentalizing her feelings with a unique, internal filing system. To maintain order, Lexi has a firm set of boundaries in place, and she never lets anyone too close. File N for not happening. Lexi has no intention of giving in to the charming Lucca Caruso when he comes into her clinic for an emergency physiotherapy session. Despite his painstakingly handsome face and Italian that renders her speechless, Lexi is able to resist. A Tuscany vacation with her best friend is just what Lexi needs to stop worrying about life and start enjoying it. A cooking course at a villa near the Chianti hills, just outside of Florence, will take her mind off a certain set of mesmerising azure blue eyes. File F for fate. Lexi never expected to see the Italian god again, but they're staying at the same villa. For someone that purposely refuses to feel, Lexi finds herself on a journey of self-discovery, helplessly folding, melting, and crumbling under the temptation of her heart's desire. An emotional, erotic, heart-wrenching story of lust, love, and light. Lexi struggles to confide in Lucca, slowly learning how to love and trust. Lucca is a gentle, patient lover with a heart of gold, but his need for Lexi is insatiable. He's the man we all want and can't get enough of. Through the passion of lust and the sweetness of love, Lexi spreads her wings towards the light … until her past comes back to haunt her. A hot and sexy story of survival, acceptance, learning to trust, and believing. One woman's destiny to find her light, and the one man who can take here there. Welcome to the Luminara series.

Review:

I really enjoyed this read. It had everything I love in a good romance. Two strong but troubled lead characters. Passion and great connection between the two. I loved Lexi. She is the kind of girl we can all relate to. She is strong and independent. Lucca is a great match for her. Lucca is so sweet and strong. He has a big heart that I just fell in love with.

I really enjoyed this book. The ending was good but I am super nervous about book two. The ending left it open for some serious trouble in the future. I am anxious to see where the author takes us in book two. I highly recommend this to all readers out there.

Rating:

SJ Molloy, first time British Author of ‘The Luminara Series’ was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a young child, her family moved and raised her in Lanarkshire, Scotland where she currently resides with her husband, two daughters and her energetic, hyperactive loving gun dog who is utterly spoiled.

SJ is a qualified Fitness Instructor and Health & Fitness Motivator of various fitness styles and disciplines. Music and dance aerobics have always been a pleasure and passion for her. SJ will sporadically make up dance style routines at any hour of the day when a move comes to her or piece of music moves or inspires her. Currently not teaching classes, she is focusing her time into nurturing her yearning passion for creative writing, exchanging one visualisation for another. As a child, SJ loved to write in journals and make up short stories and has a flare for all things creative. With an overactive imagination at times, SJ adores to make notes, visualise scenes and settings to create characterisations. While on holiday with her family one summer reading book after book, she had a flash of inspiration and has had various ideas whirling around in her mind ever since. It was not until she pulled back on teaching classes that she found the courage, time and insight into actually bringing these ideas to life. In February 2013 she decided to bring that imagination to light by beginning her writing journey with ‘Lussuria’ the first instalment in ‘The Luminara Series’ available from late October 2013. Being a self-confessed book junkie, she loves nothing better than to get lost in an emotional and moving book. A true romantic at heart, her guilty pleasure is reading heart-warming, passionate stories and falling in love with her favourite fictional characters. With seven books already mapped out in ‘The Luminara Series’, SJ’s busy creative mind has already planned two more fictitious novels, both stand-alone romance books and very different in their own right. When she is not writing or reading, spending time with family and friends or exercising and walking her dog, SJ loves all things practical and creative. Dancing, music, cooking, travelling, good food and wine and painting are her favourite past times along with laughter, lots and lots of laughter.

I made a choice tonight; it was my decision to be in Lucca’s company, and I have to say I’ve enjoyed it in ways I never thought imaginable for me. Even though Hazel has been protective, she hasn’t had to rescue me, per se. I’ve been perfectly safe. Hazel excuses herself to go to the restroom now, leaving me to explain. As soon as she has left, Lucca reaches for my hand again, brushing his thumb over my wrist. “Are you okay?” he asks. “Yes, I’m confused, I guess, and overwhelmed still.” “Do you regret meeting me or sharing a meal with me even?” Do I? I don’t think I do. “No, I don’t. I said before you have every right to be here, and dinner was lovely, unexpected, but nice.” “Do you mean the food or the company?” I blush. “Doc, I would like to be honest with you, and I would hate for you to walk away tonight before I told you how I feel. I was hurt to fuck earlier when you were distressed, and I am honoured you agreed to eat with me. I know this is a lot for you to take in. When I asked you out to dinner at the clinic, I meant every word. One look at you in that clinic and I was hopeless for you. I admit that I intended to go back to the clinic to try and persuade you to go on a date with me because I have never wanted anything more. Tonight is not how I imagined it would go, or dreamed we would be doing this, here, so soon, but I am delighted we are. I would be lying if I told you otherwise.” He sighs, takes a drink of wine, then continues. “I know this is not a date, but in a way it has meant more to me and has been most enjoyable.” I must look puzzled because my pathetic sobbing earlier was not my idea of enjoyable. “You seemed closed and opposed to the idea of ever seeing me again. Tonight was a pleasant surprise because you eventually softened and relaxed, and that is endearing … to watch you flourish. You never shut me out and gave me a chance. When I held you in my arms, it just reinforced everything I have been feeling and thinking since yesterday.” “Oh?” He has been thinking about me? “I do not want to let you walk away, Lexi. I want you to agree to a proper date. I want to hold you in my arms and wipe away your tears. I want to get to know you, caress and comfort you. I would love nothing more than to kiss you, taste your sweet lips and cradle you in my arms until you peacefully fell asleep in my embrace. And for the record, about the rescuing … I would love to be the one to rescue you … protect you … treat you … make you feel … show you life through new eyes … teach you to value yourself … make you feel alive.”