Synopsis
There are two sides to every story. In this dark and sexy companion novel to the New York Times bestseller A Terrible Love, experience the sizzling passion and pulse-pounding suspense through FBI agent Cas Steele’s eyes as he hunts down a psychopath...and falls for the killer’s prey.
Cas has been charged with an unsavory task: manipulate the hauntingly beautiful Jewell MacLeod—a woman he has every reason to hate—and slowly gain her trust in order to use her as bait to lure in a killer. But as the killer draws closer, Cas realizes that he can’t deny the scorching chemistry that ignites between him and Jewell, even if giving into his physical desire for her means jeopardizing his mission...and opening himself up to the possibility of a real and terrible love...
Jenn's Review
A Brutal Tenderness was so much more than I expected! Even
though I knew how it was going to end, the story leading up to it was so good!
Cas’s anger and guilt at losing someone very important to
him is going to destroy him. Jewell may not have been the killer but he blames
her just as much. His hate is palpable and if he’s not careful, he’s going to
blow his cover. The worst part, he is going to have to get close to her. This
is the only way to draw out the real killer. They know who he is but can’t make
a move until he messes up.
But while Cas is trying to hang onto his anger at
Jewell/Jess, things begin to change for him. He sees in her eyes the fear she
has felt for years. And when his desire to have her in his bed grows more than
his desire to make her pay, he finds a way to make it happen. And when bodies
start to turn up, he knows he needs to protect her and find the killer before
it’s too late.
We know what Jewell went through during A Terrible Love. Now
we learn the complexity that is Cas Steel. He struggled with his feelings for
Jewell. He wanted to hold her accountable not hold her in his arms. But it was
so much more than that. I think that one of my favorite parts was when he
watched her dance for the first time. She mesmerized him and we get to see just
a little bit of his sensitive side. This is a wonderful companion novel,
getting a taste of the guy’s POV and I highly recommend it, if you read A
Terrible Love.
Sandy B's Interview
Did you always want to be a writer?
You hear authors say they've always wanted to "be a writer" quite often. It's because it's true! I've wanted to write since I was thirteen years old and won a little impromptu writing contest. I was thus bitten by the writing bug and never forgot it....
How do you react to a bad review of one of your books?
This is a great question I've never been asked before. A "bad review" can mean a lot of things so it depends. I find the three star reviews to be the most helpful critical reviews. They always improve my work, giving me insight into what the reader wants and what I can clarify and deepen. I try to take most one-star reviews in the spirit they were written. Writing is art, and not all people are going to like the words you paint.
Are the names of the characters in your novels important?
Names are critical and have a lot of meaning for me. I'm a stickler for names being proper for the era the book was written in and- funny fact: I find the Social Security Administration website a plethora of fertile name-hunting!
Your inspiration for A Brutal Tenderness?
I was inspired by ballet and used that aspect in A TERRIBLE LOVE, the book that preceded A BRUTAL TENDERNESS I studied dance for about a decade when I was young (no, I wasn't any good- lol). I was a gawky, tall and skinny girl in a room full of petite, lithe athletes! Getting a visual? But... it taught me grace where none had been before and an appreciation for the human body and the movement it could accomplish (another form of art!). I wondered how interesting it would be to take a talented dancer from a famous family and throw a volatile, hard-charging Alpha hero in the mix. I enjoy contrasts in my work and intrinsically understood the electric raw chemistry that could be made from the environment that I created... I was not wrong. Cas is everything I hoped he'd be. And when standing opposite of Jewell, together it's a cauldron of romantic tension!
What’s next for you?
My newest work is another dark romantic suspense titled, THE DARKEST JOY, which will publish in February. Readers of ATL and ABT should really enjoy this one. It has a unique setting with all the elements that both ATL & ABT had: romance, suspense, thriller with a touch of horror.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful questions, Sandy~
About the Author
twitter username MarataEros
genre Dark Erotica, Romance, Horror
Marata Eros (a pseudonym for Tamara Rose Blodgett) is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of dark, romantic new adult novels, including A Terrible Love and its companion novel A Brutal Tenderness. A passionate writer who loves interacting with her readers, Marata lives in South Dakota with her husband.
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