Review: Eyes Wide Open – Raine Miller

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.

Series:  Blackstone Affair #3
Release Date:  May 14, 2013
Publisher:  Atria
Source:  NetGalley
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Reviewer’s Thoughts

It’s finally here!  I’ve been patiently waiting (along with many others) for this installment in the Blackstone Affair series.  I needed to know who was behind the bombing at the gallery.  Why was Brynne sick?  And most importantly, do Ethan and Brynne find their happily ever after.  Raine Miller did a fantastic job of giving the Ethan and Brynne lovers a story that displayed the depth of their feelings and commitment to each other.

If you haven’t read the previous 2 books in the series (Naked and All In) stop reading this and go buy them, as they are a must read before you get to this book.

Brynne and Ethan have had their fair share of trouble in the short amount of time they’ve been together.  He was hired, by Brynne’s father, to protect her from potential harm in the way of a Senator’s son.  But Ethan fell hard for Brynne and was determined to have her.  He may not have used the most effective method to convince Brynne that he was her man, but he did what he needed to ensure Brynne knew how he felt.

Both Brynne and Ethan have some pretty large emotional issues that need to be overcome:  Ethan’s PTSD after being held captive in Afghanistan and Brynne from the rape suffered at the hands of her boyfriend and his friends.  While most people might think that given their issues they shouldn’t have entered into a relationship with one another, these two lost souls connect with one another and make it possible for both of them to move forward from the horrid events of their past and look towards a future together.

The culprit behind who was threatening Brynne comes to light…and it’s not who anyone would have thought it was.  Raine Miller kept me on my toes with this one and I was pleasantly shocked when everything was revealed.  The conclusion to that particular storyline was a happy one, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t some fall out as we got to the end of the line.  But those events could have pulled Ethan and Brynne apart, but instead it just solidified their relationship (which was great to see).

I was a bit sad when I got to the end of the book, because I didn’t want Ethan and Brynne’s story to come to an end.  While this book could truly be the conclusion to the series and end with a happily ever after, it felt like there was more Ethan and Brynne needed to share with us.  Luckily, Raine Miller agreed.  A fourth installment to the series is coming later this year, so those that have enjoyed this series…we have something to look forward to.

As I said earlier, if you haven’t picked up this series, definitely pick it up.  It’s worth it.