Review: Ours to Love – Shayla Black

Between two brothers…

Xander Santiago spent years living it up as a billionaire playboy. Never given a chance to lead his family business in the boardroom, he became a Master in the bedroom instead. His older brother inherited the company and worked tirelessly to make it an empire. But while the cutthroat corporate espionage took its toll on Javier, nothing was as devastating as the seemingly senseless murder of his wife. It propelled him into a year of punishing rage and guilt…until Xander came to his rescue.

Comes an irresistible woman…

Eager to rejuvenate Javier’s life, Xander shanghais him to Louisiana where they meet the beautiful London McLane. After surviving a decade of tragedy and struggle, London is determined to make a fresh start—and these sexy billionaire brothers are more than willing to help. In every way. And London is stunned to find herself open to every heated suggestion…and desperately hoping that her love will heal them.

And inescapable danger…

But a killer with a hidden motive is watching, on a single-minded mission to destroy everything the Santiago brothers hold dear, especially London. And as fear and desire collide, every passionate beat of her heart could be her last.

Series:  Wicked Lovers #7
Release Date:  May 7, 2013
Publisher:  Berkley Heat
Source:  NetGalley
Buy the book at:

Reviewer’s Thoughts

When I read the plot summary for this story I was immediately intrigued by the idea of 2 brothers (Xander and Javier) sharing one woman, London. As I read the story I honestly became more and more creeped out. It’s was hard to even enjoy the scorching hot sex scenes because I just felt so bad for the heroine, and it just seemed too much like incest with both brothers sleeping together. I also couldn’t get past the extremely fast timeline. They met this woman, sexed her to within an inch of her life, solved a corporate espionage/murder case, fell in love and proposed to this woman in a week time period. The brothers also solved their personal issues, London’s personal issues, and created a tighter bond than ever all because of the awesome sex.

First, London is still in recovering from a horrible car accident while she was in high school that forced her into a coma for about 2 years. She has had multiple surgeries, has been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, and still has frequent blackouts. Now, how clearly can a woman suffering from traumatic brain injury think through deciding to be engaged in a threesome? She becomes their submissive in BDSM play, and she is much younger than Javier and Xander. I just felt sorry for her. This story felt too much like exploitation. The author frequently referenced how her sweet, submissiveness healed the men and they needed her to be able to make it. I just felt nauseous. That sounds like the kind of thing an older man would tell a gullible young girl to keep her under his thumb.

The other plot elements were a bit unrealistic. Javier blames Xander for not taking his wife as a submissive so she would be more disciplined for him and begins to drink heavily. Xander is determined to save Javier and their company so he takes him to friends in Lafayette, Louisiana. Oh, and they set up corporate offices with a brain damaged lover and an alcoholic CEO to run a multi-billion dollar company. Javier and Xander’s issues were recited so often in the book that I think they are emblazoned on my brain. The book pacing was extremely slow and so repetitive it was annoying. There were some scorching hot sex scenes if you can get past the idea that the female is a virginal, sheltered young girl pulled into these extreme sexual acts by these handsome, rich, suave men that are 10-15 years older than she is and much more experienced.

I did not enjoy this book. If you enjoy many scenes of hot, steamy threesome sex and can filter out the exploitative and incestuous element, this book might be just the thing for you. It is not for the faint of heart or the empathetic.