Series: Splendor #1
Published by Create Space Publication Date: June 21st 2016
Pages: 490
Also in this series: Crave
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The long-awaited prequel to a love story for the ages.
She was the only woman he wanted…but the only one he couldn’t have
Ian Gregson had been born into wealth and power – one of the privileged heirs of the top luxury hotel chain in the world. To the outside world, he was seemingly the man who had everything – money, prestige, good looks, charisma – a man who could have any woman he desired. But the only woman he’d ever truly coveted was forbidden to him for far too many reasons to count – her youth, her employment within his company, and especially her commitment to another man.
Tessa Lockwood’s young life has been one of deprivation, misfortune, and heartbreaking loss. Working for the Gregson Hotel Group offers up a glimpse into a world she had never before imagined – one of affluence, sophistication, and splendor. And meeting the suave, elegant Ian Gregson for the very first time awakens feelings in her that she struggles to repress, never imagining that a man like him could find a nobody like her attractive.
Ian and Tessa fight their feelings for the other, knowing that a relationship between them can never exist. But when matters of the heart are involved, things are never quite that simple. How long will both of them be able to hold on before betraying their forbidden attraction to each other? Or will they be destined to remain forever apart?
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from Manic Readers in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
I first have to say this being my second Janet Nissenson book – I am loving her stories more and more as I read them. Covet is a prequel to Splendor book 2 in her Inevitable series about Ian and Tessa and their backstory leading up to Splendor. Haven’t read Splendor I know very little about who they are other than my introduction to Ian in Sensational and he intrigued me – to the point that when I say that Ms. Nissenson was writing a new trilogy for Ian and the love of his life Tessa I knew I was in.
Tessa has had a rough life – losing everything at a young age she had nowhere to go and no one to turn to until Peter a boy she worked with stepped up and offered to help. Peter has had his own issues and because of those issues having a true relationship with someone almost impossible. Tessa and Peter are in a dire situation so their solution get married with the thought they would get out after a year. Eight years later they are still in a loveless marriage but are the best of friends. They move to San Francisco where Tessa is a PA for Ian Gregson the owner of one of the most prestigious hotel chains in the world. When Tessa sees him for the first time she realizes he has been haunting her dreams and when Ian sees Tessa he realizes he just found the love of his life. The problem, of course, is that Tessa is still married and Ian is her boss – over the course of the book they live their lives secretly having feels for each other. Then the situation changes and that’s where we leave off.
I first need to make sure to say that this book is part of a trilogy so there is a cliffhanger. That being said I am found this book to be well written about how your life isn’t what you thought it would be the possibilities are endless. Ms. Nissenson also takes on some pretty heavy real life scenarios such as abuse and depression that I thought she handled beautifully. Told in dual POV’s you get a great sense of who Ian and Tessa are and what they want. There are also cameos from some other characters from her other books and since the stories run concurrently you as the reader get to see them from a different perspective.
I definitely recommend this book for those out there who love Tessa and Ian and if you have never read any of this authors books this one is a great place to start.
