I’ve read a large number of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books, from YA to contemporary romance, but her de Vincent novels reign supreme in my hierarchy.
To each his/her own of course, as no two readers are identical, but there’s just something about these books that has me absolutely enamored. It all started with Lucian, whose transformation from playboy of the South to besotted boyfriend was an absolutely infectious read. Especially when you pair that snark and sizzle with the de Vincent legends, the curse, and all the seemingly spooky things that go on in that house.
I have often wondered about loud noises at night, or weird drafts from closed windows, but when you read about those common, everyday things happening in the de Vincent estate, your mind just runs absolutely wild.
Before we get too far off track, let’s re-center on today’s most wonderful treat: Moonlight Seduction. Gabe and Nic’s story is equal parts forbidden love and friends to lovers, two of my most favorite tropes. You see, Gabe is 10 years her senior, and they were friends back when she was a teenager, crushing hard on the attractive 20-something man that her parents worked for. Something happened right around Nic’s eighteenth birthday that made her running off to college a very, very attractive option. Four years and a lot of maturing later, Nic is back at the de Vincent estate helping out for the summer, which puts her square in Gabe’s path. And let’s just say, Nic is definitely not the teenager that he used to know. Let the will-they-won’t-they dance begin!
I freaking love the de Vincent family. I am going to be so upset when this series ends, because I love the tone, the sarcasm, the self-flagellation. Everything. The de Vincent brothers are just the perfect blend of dedicated and antagonistic. They know each other’s buttons, and when and how to push them. They know how far is too far, and sometimes will push their luck a bit if it’s worth the trouble.
While Lucian and Julia will always hold a special place in my heart, I have to say that Nic and Gabe absolutely staked their claim on my soul. They both want to do “the right thing,” but who’s to say the right thing isn’t exactly what they both want? A ten year age difference is dramatic when you’re a teenager, but once you are both in your 20s and 30s and have both matured into adulthood, that age difference becomes meaningless.
Nic is kind of the heart and soul of this story. Her infatuation for Gabe de Vincent is charming beyond belief, but once you realize that there’s more to her addiction than a crush, your craving for more of these two will become absolutely insatiable. Their first meeting in this book? PRICELESS. All she wants to do is run and hide, as the man of her dreams (and reality) sets his eyes on her for the first time in years. And all he can say is, “Holy shit.”
It’s simultaneously exactly what she wants to hear him say, and the absolute worst thing possible. Nic wants him to see her as more than the scared teenager that he knew years ago, but also wants to just invisibly go about helping her mother and father for the summer. Thank goodness she doesn’t have the ability to be invisible, though, because otherwise we would have missed out on an infectious story about a couple that has been meant-to-be longer than either of them knew.
While Nic is the heart and soul of the story, Gabe is the conscience. He has a tougher road to weave here, as we remember the events of Moonlight Sins, and the secrets that Gabe is keeping. His future is a network of pathways laid out before him, and in order to find true happiness, he’s going to have to navigate the web they weave, pulling all the necessary pieces together right along with him.
Gabe and Nic’s story was exactly what I was hoping for. They gave passion and devotion a new name, and showed that sometimes time can be your greatest ally. Time is what gave these two a chance. They both needed the opportunity to grow into well-rounded human beings, which is exactly what they found when they rediscovered each other.
I could not possibly be more excited for Devlin’s story, despite the seemingly VERY long wait ahead of us. Rest assured that there will be re-reads galore going on while we wait, mining both Moonlight Sins and Moonlight Seduction for all the secrets and legends that Devlin has been keeping close to the vest.
And hopefully we’ll get the answer to the most plaguing question: Is the de Vincent house truly cursed?
Moonlight Seduction is available now! Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or find it at an indie bookstore near you. Don’t forget to add it on Goodreads, too!
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