Review: PASSION STORM by Diane Escalera

A looming hurricane has nothing on the storm raging inside...

Karina Valdez loves a good adventure, but jetting off to the Bahamas with a complete stranger is taking it to the extreme. She can’t believe her meddling best friend entered her in a radio dating contest. Even more shocking? Karina won! A tropical getaway she can do. Making a love connection with a hot local bachelor, not so much. Especially when she’s not looking for a man.

Meteorologist Andrew Romano is psyched over winning the radio contest. He’s ready to settle down and get married, prove once and for all that he’s not a player. The contest will surely help his chances—he’s been matched with his perfect woman. Too bad she doesn’t want him. To make matters worse, an erratic storm has shifted direction and is whirling toward them. Andy will do whatever it takes to win over the elusive beauty and keep her safe. He can handle a hurricane. But what about the other storm waiting to be unleashed?

Reviewed by: Celia

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Karina has won a free trip to the Bahamas. Nice! But there’s always a price….

“What the heck had her best friend gotten her into? She didn’t want to go on vacation with some stranger. Why couldn’t Jackie and everyone else butt out of her life? Why were they always trying to fix her up? A girl could be single and happy. She didn’t need her mother, sisters—the whole darn world badgering her to settle down, get married, have kids. She was only thirty-one, for God’s sake. They made her sound like an old maid.” (3)

“Karina liked her independence, enjoyed coming and going as she pleased. She wasn’t selfish. She just liked things the way they were: uncomplicated. What part of that couldn’t they understand?... She

planned to live life on her terms, her rules.” (3)

Most chicas will be able to relate to Karina every step of the way!

While Karina chooses to live for today, Andrew wants to plan for tomorrow and settle down with the perfect woman. Their first meeting was in a blind date—literally, they were both blindfolded. Imagine getting turned on by someone you’ve never even seen!

Even though Karina is hell-bent on staying single for the rest of her life, she goes on the trip with Andy to the island of bliss, where sparks continue to fly and Andy slowly, but surely, breaks down the armor that surrounds Karina’s heart. “He was patient. Forceful. Wild. Tame. Safe. Dangerous. …Forget the hurricane. A storm named Andy had already ripped through her tidy life.” (128)I wouldn’t mind being stuck on an island with Andy.

Well-written and full of fun characters, this book is a tidal wave of zest and passion.  

“Life shouldn’t be taken for granted.” (8)