I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Reflected in You
It is part of the Crossfire #2 series and is a in Paperback edition on October 23, 2012 and has 338 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Second in the Crossfire psychologically obsessive series that wants to be a BDSM book like the Fifty Shades series.
My Take
Well, I guess that line above pretty says what I think… Day may want to publicize this as being a BDSM book, and it is about control. And whining. Lots and lots and lots and lots of whining. Oh. My. God. The whining that Eva tortures us with. Obviously, Gideon has a sexual problem. Her name is Eva. I would never put up with someone like her. Give. Me. A. Break. It’s gotta be love. Nothing else would get me to put up with her insecurities.
While both main characters are messed up psychologically, it’s Eva who takes the spotlight with her insecurities. She keeps breaking up with Gideon, then she goads him with a past lover. Of course, Gideon isn’t helping as he’s trying to keep her safe without terrifying her.
Will someone please just hit the woman over the head!? She can take the most innocent situation and blow it so far out of proportion that I want to throw her out a window. She talks about how the payment for being with a wealthy man is the long hours they put in, but then turns around and is angry because Gideon has to put some time in, so he can take time off to be with her. Then she pisses me off with her insisting that Gideon spill everything about his past. This after her own experiences with having to deal with her traumas. What? People aren’t allowed their own pace? It all has to be on Eva’s timetable or you’re outta hyah! Gimme a bat! It’s all me, me, me, me, me. Argh, she’s such a CHILD.
Admittedly, Gideon doesn’t handle things all that well. He finally gets how crazed Corinne makes Eva, and he knows she follows his every move with a Google Alert but he still doesn’t stop seeing Corinne.
I do like her insistence on having a “friendly framework” in place before she falls into bed with a man. She’s had some really hard knocks and is working to respect herself more.
It takes a knock-down, drag-out fight before Gideon understands how Eva feels about Corinne always insinuating herself into Gideon’s life. Of course, Gideon isn’t actively kissing Corinne. Now, why doesn’t he just tell her what’s going on? This always irritates me when one side doesn’t warn their loved one because they “want to protect them”. Well, knowing helps, although, if Eva had known, then Day would have had to find something else to write about besides all the whining.
The Story
It’s happy families for Gideon and Eva as they prepare for a day of work. At least until Gideon insists that Eva accompany him out of town on a business meeting when she wants to spend the weekend re-bonding with Cary.
Eva is determined to build her own circle of friends. To be sociable with people other than Cary and Gideon. So, when Shawna has an extra trio of tickets to see a band, Eva brings Gideon who, in turn, finds an escort for Shawna for the night. A hero of her and her boyfriend’s. Only to run into someone from Eva’s past she doesn’t want to see. She so badly doesn’t want to see him that she ends up kissing him like there’s no tomorrow just to get back at Gideon. That’s just so healthy…NOT.
A stolen weekend gives the two time to talk. To just be together. A peaceful weekend until they get back and find out Cary is in the hospital after being beaten horribly. It’s shortly after this that Gideon retreats from her. Starts seeing Corinne again.
Then there’s Eva’s father’s short visit. And the truth Eva discovers about her mother.
The Characters
Eva Tramell works as an advertising assistant at Waters Field & Leaman and, as much as she loves Gideon, she refuses to be at his beck and call. Cary Taylor is Eva’s best non-sexual friend. He’s gorgeous, a model, bisexual with a very wandering eye, and lousy impulse control. He’s in love with Trey, a part-time photographer’s assistant pursuing a degree as a veterinarian, and trying to get back together with him.
Gideon Cross is one gorgeous hunk of billionaire, and he’s obsessed with Eva. Too obsessed as he wants to control all her moves. He also has one heck of a sleep disorder in which he flashes back to his own disturbing sexual history. He owns and runs Cross Industries and is headquartered in the Crossfire building where Eva works.
Angus is Gideon’s driver. Ireland is his half-sister and she worships him. Chris Vidal, Jr., is a half-brother and hates Gideon. Elizabeth is his mother and she didn’t support her son when he tried to tell her the truth.
Arnoldo Ricci owns Tableau One, a restaurant, in partnership with Gideon. Dr. Terry Lucas is one of Gideon’s enemies, mostly because of the revenge Gideon took against him with his wife, Anne. Magdalene is one of Gideon’s friends who had hopes of getting a ring from him; she was vicious to Eva in Bared to You. Corinne Giroux is an old flame of Gideon’s: his ideal. And Corinne wants him back. Sheila is a bodyguard Gideon sics on her while she’s in Las Vegas. I do love how Eva gets him back!
Eva’s Co-Workers at Waters Field & Leaman
Megumi is the receptionist and one of Eva’s friends. Mark Garrity is her boss and he’s partners with Steven Ellison, a contractor, in his personal life. Shawna Ellison is Steve’s sister and her boyfriend Doug is in Sicily. Will is a new hire whom Eva is helping.
Eva’s Family
Victor Reyes is an Oceanside, California, street cop and Eva’s dad. Eva’s mother, Monica Tramell Barker Mitchell Stanton, is a neurotic trophy wife. The neurotic mostly stems from what she learned about Nathan. She’s currently married to her third husband, Richard Stanton, another very rich man. Martin is Richard’s son. Benjamin Clancy is her stepfather’s personal bodyguard.
Nathan Barker is a former stepbrother who molested Eva when she was just a kid. Dr. Lyle Petersen is Eva’s mother’s therapist and now hers and Gideon’s. Parker Smith is a Krav Maga instructor with whom Eva trains. Brett Kline is an old boyfriend of Eva’s. And the lead singer for Six-Ninths. Turns out she’s his muse. She’s been inspiring his songwriting for the past four years.
Detectives Shelly Graves and Richard Michna of the NYPD question Eva and Gideon about a murder
The Cover and Title
The cover is very Fifty Shades-inspired, except in warmer colors. Gradated browns create the background for a silver keyring engraved with a “GC” while gold creates an embossed title.
I suppose the title is Reflected in You, with “you” meaning Gideon’s neuroses are reflected in Eva’s own whacked-out neuroses.
I’m no prude but I could not stand 50 Shades of Gag (and not in the fun way). This one doesn’t sound much better. I tried an angel series by this author but it ended up being a DNF, so perhaps her stuff just isn’t my style. I recommend Tiffany Riesz’s Original Sinners books. I don’t even read erotica but I make an exception there. She can write and it probably helps that she’s actually into the lifestyle as opposed to doing some internet research!
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10970532-the-siren
Ooh, I’ll have to check Tiffany Reisz out! I have read Sylvia Day’s Renegade Angels and I enjoyed the different perspective, although she’s not one of my must-haves. I did have greater expectations of her Crossfire series, which are NOT being fulfilled. I can’t stand a whiny character.
The Fifty Shades series. Do NOT make me go there again. It was so incredibly juvenile in its writing. I kept wishing she’d had an editor. Or at least one that knew what they were doing!!
It’s always a shame when books don’t live up to their expectations. I love to be surprised, but so far the hype machines aren’t doing it for me.
Yeah, 50 Shades writing was awful and I hated the characters. Just dreadful. It weirds me out to read something at a young adult level with explicit content. Though that writing was an insult even to young adult. It just didn’t compute to me. I had a similar experience with The Edge of Never that’s the new craze (though it only had a few scenes), though I didn’t finish the book wanting to abandon the written word forever like with the other one. It’s not a bad read, but I’ve certainly read better.