Title: Indebted
Author: A.R. Hawkins
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (270pgs)
ISNB: 978-1-62798-302-0
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (25th November 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: A debt is paid and two lives are changed forever.
For Aaron Quinn, the decision to drop out of med school turns his life upside down, and his father piles on the guilt over the tuition costs. So when his father cooks up a plan to hold off a Mafia loan shark’s wrath, Aaron reluctantly agrees, desperate to make up for his failings.
Raised and groomed to take over his father’s position in the Mafia, Liam Sandoval has his own issues. Looking for any escape from his horrible life, he accepts the offer of a weekend of pleasure from Aaron. A mutual attraction ignites, and they realize a weekend will never be enough. But the growing relationship will be put to the ultimate test when enemies target Liam’s new weak spot—Aaron. Can they overcome the outside forces threatening to pull them apart?
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4382
Review: Aaron’s life began to fall apart when his mother died, he dropped out of med school, and he feels guilt for failing. Now his father is playing on his guilt and is making him pay the price for his father’s outstanding loans, Aaron has to pay the loan with his body and he can only pray that the Mafia loan shark won’t make him pay a higher price. Liam has been groomed into his position by a power-hungry father, forced into a life he never wanted, accepting Aaron’s offer isn’t the way to do business but it gives him some release. With their mutual attraction burning bright, they realize that a weekend will never be enough, but Liam’s enemies won’t leave Aaron in peace and Liam has to come up with a way to protect Aaron and keeping them both alive.
Ohhhh, a Mafia enforcer falling for a poor guy forced to pay his father’s debts and the poor guy accepting the Mafia enforcer warts and all, soooo romantic. Aaron is a sweetheart who couldn’t cope when his mother died and dropped out of med school, he feels guilt over the money spent on his education that was wasted, and his dad uses that guilt to full measure. Liam is a great man who is stuck in a life his dad dragged him into, he accepted his fate but longs for something different. When these two guys meet the sparks fly and they begin a hot relationship but Liam’s enemies try to make Aaron pay a price and Liam comes up with great plan to get out of the life.
We see this story from both Liam’s and Aaron’s point of view so we get to know both characters really well, we see how both of them got to be in that office the first time they meet and we follow along as they fall in love. Aaron’s character is one that sees beneath the surface of Liam’s veneer, to the honest caring man underneath the brutal enforcer and Aaron opens his heart to that man. Liam’s character is one that wants more from life but until Aaron came along he never pushed for it, Aaron has him striving for peace and safety instead of violence and money. They make a fantastic couple who are perfectly suited and through Aaron’s eyes, we see Liam for who he really is.
While reading this story I was expecting the usual ‘enforcer goes to the other side for love’ but got a very nice surprise with Liam’s solution. I was also really enjoying Aaron’s attitude to Liam’s life, instead of demanding Liam gets out of the life, he warily accepted Liam’s life and friends. This is a very good story. Which I enjoyed for not having rose-tinted glasses. There’s violence that doesn’t apologize, and men who are what they are. The sexual element of this book is hot from the very first encounter and neither Liam nor Aaron gives a damn about how their relationship started, with sex as payment for a very large debt. This is a great story that is slightly gritty, with danger and callous men, but with a strong thread of love throughout.
I recommend this to those who love Mafia enforcers finding love, violence and danger, enemies dishing out retribution, protecting your love, loving someone no matter what and a wonderful ending.