Unwound (Mastered #2) by Lorelei James-a review

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Unwound by Lorelei James
Mastered #2
About the book: Release Date March 25, 2014

When sensei Ronin Black first encounters Amery Hardwick, the fire in her eyes ignites a sexual spark a thousand times better than the primal rush he used to get from mixed martial arts matches. She accepts his darker edges and admits to him that her desires aren’t as wholesome as he believed. And before long Ronin is grappling with emotions he’s never felt before….

Yet despite demanding Amery bare her body and soul to him, Ronin holds a part of himself back. When she learns Ronin’s secret and walks out, his life begins to unravel. To regain her trust he must let go of his pride and prove to her that it’s more than passion binding them together. But after their private pleasures are made public, Ronin is unsure if he’s the right man for Amery. Can they face the consequences together? Or will their differences rip them apart?

Review:
Unwound picks up not long after Bound ends. Ronin and Amery are still apart, and miserable without each other. To deaden the pain, Ronin decides to step back into the MMA ring. Never mind that he’s older than he used to be, he just wants to feel something other than his breaking heart. And, boy, does he feel something. After being beaten half to death, he makes his way to Amery’s where he has to be rushed to the ER once she sees just how badly he’s injured.

Once he’s released from the hospital, they start to try and rebuild their relationship, but they have a lot of work ahead of them. They both have issues from their past that need to be dealt with. First and foremost, trust. Once Ronin finally starts to share with Amery, someone from his past shows up and wreaks havoc, not only for him, but for Amery as well. Amery and Ronin, for the most part, present a united front, until Ronin discovers that Amery has withheld something from him that makes him question her motives from the beginning. Even though he knows down to his toes that she had no malicious intent, can he really give not only his body, but his heart and soul over to her as well? Will they both take a chance on each other, or as the title insinuates, will their relationship be completely Unwound?

Love love loved this book! Once again, James has done a wonderful job of telling her characters’ stories. Bound was more from Amery’s point of view, but Unwound was more Ronin’s. We get to see what makes them both so insecure on the one hand, and what makes them so dynamic as a couple on the other. The supporting characters are AWESOME!! I can only hope that we get to hear more about Ronin’s sister and some of the others. This series, in my humble opinion, could easily support another book or two. If I had any complaint about this one, it would only be that it was a bit slower than the first in the series, but once it gets rolling……………..hang on!! Surely to goodness, she’ll write another?!?!?! I think I said before that this series is my first by Lorelei James, but it will NOT be my last. Very well done Lorelei James, very well done!!

Reading Order
1. Bound
2. Unwound

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Vickie M.