For Desire Alone

Written by Jess Michaels

Narrated by Carmen Rose

A mistress should never be foolish enough to fall in love with her protector, nor trust him with her financial future. Mariah Desmond did both, and now her dearly departed protector has left her with nothing.

Forced to seek another protector, she's determined that this time, she'll lead with her survival instinct-not her heart. But when she attends one of Vivien Manning's infamous parties, the familiar face of her late lover's best friend throws her for a loop.

A painful past taught John Rycroft that he's not fit to be anyone's knight in shining armor. His soft spot-make that a hard spot-for Mariah is precisely why he's kept his distance. Yet the sight of her flirting with a bevy of men vying to become her next lover makes something inside him snap.

As John hauls her bodily away from her suitors, Mariah's indignation melts away in the heat of the sizzling sexual chemistry. She quickly finds it isn't easy to navigate John's stormy emotional waters. Especially when his abusive father's quest to get his son back under his thumb puts her life in danger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Jan 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781452687391

Jess Michaels

Jess Michaels always flips through every romance she buys in search of "the good stuff," so it makes perfect sense that she writes erotic romance where she gets to turn up the heat and let it boil. She also runs the popular website The Passionate Pen and writes historical romance as Jenna Petersen.

Reviews for For Desire Alone

[Christy Knott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good but just a tad too much. I mean they don't even get married at all in the book after all of the crap! His dad is pure evil and running around after him takes up most of the book. Yet, even with all of this it's still 4 stars....

[jorgeousjotts · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My interest was engaged, curious to see how things would play out. But my emotions weren't really. It could be a weird mood specific to me, but I just feel like something was missing that would have connected me to the characters more. I didn't dislike them, my feelings just weren't very engaged. But, I was still entertained, so overall 3 stars.

[gwendolyngrace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars. A good choice for a hot historical romance read but I wanted to connect with the H more, he was just OK for me. Still moving on the book 3 though!

[bishhy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

**THIS BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**Checklist of things you will need before starting this book:-Fan (preferably on full blast)-AC (again on full blast)-Windows (open) -Empty room (with doors locked) NO INTERRUPTIONS!Okay, you all settled? GREAT! Let's get started... Jess Michaels takes you back into a time where carriages were the bomb and whoever had the biggest poofy dress was also the bomb. Jess takes you on the journey of the life of a mistress. And Mariah Desmond is said mistress' name. (pretty name, que no?) Mariah has just lost her protector and he has left nothing for her (mhm. no money, no home. zip, nada, zilch!) and she is forced to look for another protector before she uses up what little funds she has left. Whilst on her journey to find another protector, Mariah finds herself having a very lust filled affair with John Rycroft, whom was her last protectors best friend. Weird? Somewhat. But these two can't help the feelings of lust that is building within them and soon to be more? But wait! John has his own issues which keeps him at bay (at least in the heart pouring, sweep you off your feet, prince charming kind of way). Sexually? No problem, he can handle that with his hands tied behind his back. John is finding it more and more hard to conceal his feelings for Miss Mariah and when a person from his past comes bangin' on doors and threatens her life, John pushes aside his feelings and drops a proposition into the unknowing Mariah's lap to help better guard her life. For Desire Alone was a damned good read. Seriously. I absolutely loved Mariah and Johns characters as well as a few minor characters that were mentioned in the book as well. The sexual content is definitely there between these two. Fulfilling each other is, without a doubt, a piece of cake. Feelings wise? It's a bit more complicated. Mariah isn't willing to lay down her heart and let it get stomped on. Oh, no. She's done with that, or so she thinks. Then you have John who has his own issues and aside from trying to hide his ever showing bulge behind his trousers, he is also trying to fight the deeper feelings that are building within him for the lovely and outspoken Mariah Desmond. The connection between these two is there and it's sizzlin'. (Add a cup of ice water to the above list of things you need before starting this book.)There wasn't much I didn't like about this book, I thought it flowed really well and the Jess Michaels really kept the story going, building up to events and drawing you in with the words on the page. I would definitely recommend For Desire Alone. All you historical romance fans out there? Mhm, this ones for you! Ooh and it gets pretty damned steamy, so all your erotica lovers, this ones for you too ;) For Desire Alone is the second book in the Mistress Matchmaker series. I was told you can read these as stand alone's. I haven't read the first book, but I can tell you that by reading this book, I was in no way confused or lost.