Mary Had a Little Problem....

Oh Man, It's a Monday with a capital M! You all know there are two things I don't do well...one is mornings (need mucho java to make the day happen) and the other is Mondays! Let's put it this way - checking out Tyra's new sofas was the high point of my day! However, I did have a few rays of light in an otherwise gloomy start to the week - one of which was a new-to-me author, Destiny Blaine. Rebecca sent this novella over for me to check out and you get to reap the rewards! Mary Had a Little Problem....and it was bigger than Monday, let me tell you!

Destiny Blaine, Mary Had A Little Problem, Resplendence Publishing, August 2011

Mary Worthington is a widow, or at least, she should’ve been. A former Navy Seals wife, Mary has a difficult time accepting the fact her husband isn’t coming home. Without a body to bury or witnesses to explain what happened, there’s no way Mary can put the past to sleep until someone provides her with the truth about her husband’s final hours.

Trying to step out and socialize once again while gathering facts about her husband’s death, Mary is introduced to Brock Taylor, a hard-core ladies man dedicated to the Marines and sharing himself with any woman who wants a piece of one. That is, until he meets Mary, a woman he's heard about through a man they both know well.

Mary and Brock fall in love, plan a wedding in the Great Smoky Mountains, and well, things could’ve been headed toward a happy ending only six months after Brock finally wins Mary’s hand, but Mary’s missing husband reappears. And Mary isn’t sure she can give up one man in exchange for another.

Nothing says "die hard romance" like a story about learning to love after loss. Mary Worthington has the love of her life in husband Luke. Without a body however, she has a hard time truly believing he's dead and she can't seem to get any answers from the military brass he served under. Brock Taylor served with Luke, heard his stories and yearned for the type of love Luke shared with Mary. When Brock has the opportunity to meet Mary through her sister Anna, he grabs for the brass ring, knowing this is his chance. In an almost ruthless manner, Brock seduces the obviously grieving widow but the chemistry they share keeps the seduction from sliding into something dark or nefarious.

The romance and passion the couple share seems very carnal and the emotions that arise from it happen very quickly. That Brock really helps the pretty widow through the grieving process makes their emotional bond that much stronger. Their chemistry sizzles on the page and makes for some sexy entertainment but the Dom/sub aspect feels a bit forced - rather than a true D/s relationship, theirs is one that incorporates aspects of it for play effect. Once Luke reappears and the distinction in their two Dominant styles is established, the reader garners the impression that Luke "lives the lifestyle" and this makes for some new exciting sexy twists. I am not entirely convinced either man is much more than a stereotypical military alpha male, full of brawn and bravado and love of country (and sexy toys). However, watching the two try to convince the completely shell-shocked love of their lives to keep rather than reject them makes for some good story tension.

Overall, I'd say this novella deserves a read - it has decent characters, sultry romance and some interesting plot twists. I'd call it more BDSM-lite than true BDSM, however, the menage scene will definitely have readers reaching for a cold beverage and a fan! Hoo boy! Bring on the next story Ms. Blaine - please!

I give Mary Had A Little Problem a tasty four chocolate dipped strawberries....and a toast with champagne for helping me survive yet another mayhem Monday!