Guest Review: Secret Sins – Lora Leigh

Sheriff Archer Tobias has watched the Callahan family struggle to find peace and acceptance in the community—despite the murders that continue to haunt them. But his darkest suspicions grow worse when Anna Corbin, a member of one of the country’s most influential families, becomes the next target…

Anna knows she’s in danger. She knows she’s on a trail of secrets and lies that could lead to a dead end. But no matter what, she’s determined to learn the identity of the killer—even if it’s someone she loves…

Torn between duty and desire, Sheriff Tobias cannot allow Anna to put herself in the path of a deranged murderer. But as the investigation pulls them closer together—and deeper into the nightmare—he realizes that he cannot save her from this legacy of blood and vengeance…without putting his own life on the line.

Series:  Callahans #3
Release Date:  November 27, 2012
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
Source:  Provided by Publisher
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

I have always heard great things about Lora Leigh’s books.  And, having never read one, I was really excited for the opportunity to experience this one.  The verdict?  It was…… okay.  It’s the third book in Leigh’s Callahan series, and I would highly recommend that you read the series from the start, as I felt I had missed A WHOLE LOT of backstory by beginning in the middle.  However, it is not necessary if you’re just looking for a steamy romance novel.

The characters in this book annoyed me.  Anna is naïve, weak and sad.  She’s let her family bully her, and once she’s in the care of the sheriff, Archer, she lets him do the same thing to her.  Archer, who is first portrayed as a caring and understanding person, comes off like a horny teenager who can only think of sex.  He spends most of the book considering ways to sleep with Anna.  He doesn’t really seem to care about her, just her body.  They argue constantly, and instead of standing her ground, she just gives in and lets him have his way with her.  It’s sad and not at all what I would call romantic.

The idea behind the storyline is wonderful.  The author is clearly creative in the sense that she knows what will make a great plot.  There just wasn’t enough time spent on the ins and outs of such a brilliant idea.  I felt like she put entirely too much emphasis on sex.  About 70% of the book is repetitive sex scenes that were mostly void of any real emotion.  I really felt cheated out of what could have been a great romantic suspense novel.

As irritated as I was about the storyline, this will not stop me from reading other books by Lora Leigh.  I’ll definitely give her books another try, as I did enjoy the idea of her storyline.  I just think I may steer clear of this series, as this book wasn’t exactly my cup of tea.