If you have read any of my reviews, you know that I am not a fan of coming into the middle of a series, so I love it when I find an author who can write a story that reads well as a stand-alone, but has enough detail that I want to find the previous books. This is one of those cases.
“Turning the Tide” is actually the fifth book in the Eastern Shore Swingers series. It focuses on Luke, an ENT doctor with an absolute shrew of a wife, and Connie, a recent transplant from California. Connie is the sister of Casey (who I gather might be the focus of an earlier story). They meet at “The Factory,” a club for alternative lifestyles.
But this book is much more than another BDSM/swinger novel. Sure there are scenes (and they’re pretty hot) and the romance grows as the two find their way to acknowledge their true natures. But there is also a great subplot involving Luke’s wife that builds throughout the story, culminating in some pretty awesome scenes.
Ultimately the story belongs to Luke and Connie, and it is absolutely fantastic that they are older (40s and 50s). It’s about time that somebody acknowledged and wrote about something other than doe eyed 20 year olds being shocked at a new lifestyle. I loved that these were two mature people who had been around the block and were ready to embrace their new lifestyle. More of this please!
I will definitely be going back and reading the first four in this series, and I look forward to any future books from this author as well. My Goodreads review is below.
Turning the Tide by Phoebe AlexanderMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really, really enjoyed this book. The romance between two older people who have seen a lot of life was a very refreshing break from the usual 20-something year-olds who pledge undying love in romances. Both Luke and Connie knew what they wanted and didn’t stand for games. The suspense part of the plot was well thought out and gave depth to Luke’s decisions. The man was certainly justified in his actions – it’s been a while since I found a character as loathsome as his wife. I especially liked how the author didn’t rely on the draw of the lifestyle to determine the arc of the story. The scenes of the lifestyle were interwoven seamlessly with the suspense plot, and I appreciated that the author presented the characters as normal, every-day people instead of focusing on the darker side like many other novels. This was the fifth in a series, but the first one that I have read. I liked the style of writing and the characters enough to go find the first four in the series. I definitely recommend this book. This review was written based on a complimentary pre-release copy.
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