Morning Song

4 1/2 stars

What can I say.....my blood was pumping when I read the premise of Morning Song. An older, more experienced stepfather seducing his newly acquired 18 year old innocent stepdaughter? How scandalous.......and delicious. Although it's definitely “forbidden love”, it's not quite as taboo as it initially sounds. The hero is married to the heroine's witch of a stepmother, not her biological mother, and he doesn't come on the scene until she's 18, so it's not like he raised her. Also, for those of you who hate cheating heroes (as in, cheating on the heroine), Clive is not that as his relationship with his wife is strained and has been long before he seduces Jessie.

Clive McClintock is devastatingly handsome and charming, and it doesn't take long for me to fall for him right along with the innocent young Jessie Lindsay. He's also a rake with a nasty temper and a penchant for swearing at ladies. Still, he redeems himself as time and time again he shows tenderness and sympathy for Jessie when most everyone else around her rejects and ridicules her. It's not hard to see why sweet, naïve little Jessie falls for her stepfather and why he awakens a sexual curiosity in her that she's never felt before. Jessie is young and innocent, and she's had a hard life since her father died, but she hasn't let the circumstances of her life beat down her spirit. She's a bit wild and feisty, and I enjoyed watching her transform from awkward child to beautiful young woman.

I was not disappointed with the level of passion in this story, because there's heat and plenty of it. The scandalous nature of their relationship as well as some serious sexual tension that builds up for quite some time before their first love scene makes Morning Song quite a steamy and satisfying read. I was a bit disenchanted with the ending of the story though, as I felt the romance was a bit lacking. Clive's rough treatment of Jessie and the hurtful things he says to her towards the end left me a bit cold. There is a “happy ending” for this interesting couple, it's just not quite as warm and fuzzy as I would have liked it to be. Perhaps my expectations were a bit too high. After all, this is a romance about a rakish older stepfather who takes the virginity of his young, innocent stepdaughter. How romantic did I think this story was gonna be, lol? After all, I didn't pick this book because it sounded romantic......I picked it because it sounded like it would get my heart pounding and my pulse racing, and that, it most definitely did. If you're looking for a scandalously sexy story about forbidden love, this is your book. If you want hearts and flowers, I'd look elsewhere.