review || I NEED YOU NOW { blog tour }

I Need You Now by Cynthia P. O'Neill

Publisher: Self-Published (5/25/2015)
Series: Need, Book #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Erotic Romance
Source: HEA Book Tours
Purchase links || amazon | bn | smashwords || add to goodreads

Rating: ★★★1/2

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Nate Lawson was a player - dominating in the office and bedroom. Thanks to betrayal he didn’t do relationships, only one-night stands, until he met her. The one he finally connected to would be the one he’d let slip away… 

His job took him everywhere to uncover criminal activity at corporate levels. But, now he was back with one focus in mind, to expose the questionable activity at his sister’s workplace and find his woman! The only problem – who was she?

Gianna Scott finally found a Dom to show her the true meaning of submission – surrendering her mind and body freely. Too bad she didn’t know who he was or if he’d return. Her life had gotten crazy with someone intent on destroying her reports at work, making her frustrated and needing release – needing him…

Nate hated answering to anyone, but agreed to go incognito, as Gianna’s assistant. They’d butt heads at every turn, but why did fighting with her leave him turned on? And why was she starring in his fantasies? Would he ever find the one that got away?

All he knew is that he needed her - Now!


about Cynthia || I grew up in a small town in South Florida called Clewiston and moved to Central Florida to attend college. I married my friend, love, and soul mate and still reside in the area with our amazing son, and a feisty, four-legged little doggie boy.

In my books, I draw on my background in healthcare, business, and science, along with my husband's engineering and wireless technology knowledge.

I currently write on all levels of Romance. The Learning Series is for those who like a little more steam with their books, falling into the categories of Contemporary and verging on Erotica, with a hint of Suspense. The Remembrance Series encompasses Young Adult, with a touch of Paranormal activity and a hint of Historical romance. A new contemporary romance series is underway, called Need. It will be different than the others, because each book will focus on a new couple, while all of the characters will still have a large presence throughout the series.

I try to make my writing very personal and close to her heart. Regular life is the inspiration for my books, but I'm only limited by imagination taking ideas to new heights, opening up possibilities that would normally not exist.

On a more personal note...I love to cook and create in the kitchen and on the bbq grill. I sometimes lose myself in a song at the piano. I often sing with my son while we are driving or making dinner together. I enjoy crafts (flower arranging, making wreaths, painting pottery, needle point and drawing in pencil and charcoals). My music tastes are eclectic at best, ranging from classical piano to hard rock/heavy metal. It all depends on the song, group, and if it has a good beat or is a soulful ballad.

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{ excerpt } .

He wore a cowboy hat and a black mask making him look like the Lone Ranger. You can save me any day, sir! His smile was a brilliant white, while his emerald eyes seemed to darken the longer he stared at me.

I couldn’t resist temptation. “Hello, Cowboy. Care to tame a wild filly or be ridden by one?” I figured I’d offer up the answer of a switch.

His smile broadened as he backed me up against the bar, putting a hand on each side of me, caging me in so I couldn’t move. He stepped forward, shoving one leg between mine, as his face came closer to mine.

He placed a gentle kiss on the side of my neck, before nipping it with his teeth. I could feel my panties getting moist and my head start to spin with thoughts of desire. This cowboy knew how to drive a woman wild. If he did any more, I would easily submit to his lead.

The stubble from his five o’clock shadow scraped against my skin as his lips laid down a blazing trail of kisses toward my mouth. I started to lift my hands against his chest to push him back, trying to resist my urges, but he was quick. He had both my hands behind my back in no time, while the front of his body molded to mine. “Let’s stop pretending, little filly. You may dress like you want to be in the saddle, but the way you look to the floor, the scent of your arousal, and the way you bend to me, tells me you want to be ridden hard.”

I swallowed, knowing he was right, feeling the need to be dominated by him. I could only find true release through submission and right now I’d gladly play in this cowboy’s corral.

I’d barely managed to squeak out, “Yes, sir,” when he gently bit my lower lip, causing me to gasp as his tongue thrust deep into my mouth. I matched his tongue with mine and felt a surge of passion run deep within me, unlike anything I’d ever encountered before.

He didn’t speak a word as he released my mouth and began walking away. I felt my heart breaking, that I wasn’t good enough for him until he turned around, cocked his head to the side, and motioned for me to come. A snarky smile, as if he knew I’d do anything he asked, spread across his face. “Are you coming, little darling?”

I nervously followed my cowboy into a private room and let him show me how he trained his “fillies” on his “farm.” I’d never known a woman could come so many times in just a few short hours. No one had ever managed to elicit more than two orgasms from me, but this man had talents I’d never seen before. I’d come so many times that…

{ review } .

Although I had my qualms with the first book in this series, I NEED YOU ALWAYS, I was excited to continue the Need series journey with I NEED YOU NOW. My issues that were present in ALWAYS were still around in this book -- so if there's one thing, at least the author is consistent. Her writing style leaves a bit to be desired for me (as this may not be true for other readers) as I tend to get annoyed with exclamation points. But this is simply the style of the author and as a comma overuser, I can't very well hold it against her too much ;) The storyline was a bit more believable this go-around, but thought patterns and dialogue didn't quite ring normal or likely. The 3.5 comes from the fact that I found myself not entirely engrossed in the story -- aspects that were just Gianna and Nate? I was in 100%... but there was enough 'other' that didn't keep my interest.

HOWEVER.

While I had my issues, I still enjoyed the journey that was Nate and Gianna's.

The two of them met one night at a club anonymously. She would leave the encounter thinking of him as 'cowboy', and her thought of her as 'Vixen' (as that was the nickname she gave him). Nate is a bachelor who enjoys being with women, but this Vixen has been on his mind since that encounter. Deciding he needs to find her, he lets go of his traveling job and takes a position at his sister's offices.

Sister, as in Marissa from the previous book.

Nate and Gianna now meet as upper and lower neighbors, and they can't stand one another. After a weekend of loud music and pounding on floors and doors, they learn that they'll be working together. Nate takes on a new last name so it's not known he is related to Marissa; funny thing? Gianna is a Prescott and she, her uncle, and her father have kept that underwraps.

As Gianna and Nate (as Gianna and Nate) start to become friends, they need to keep up the pretense that they're enemies at the office.

It takes a good chunk of the book (over 50%) before the two of them give in to one another, and even longer until they realize why exactly the other seems so familiar to them.

The relationship between the two was fun to read; the big hoopla with what was happening at the office behind the scenes... I didn't get too much into those parts, but the parts that were all Gianna and Nate, both in and out of bed? I enjoyed those. I liked this couple.

I'm becoming more and more curious about Jackson and Ethan, and would like to read their books; however, the next belongs to Rafe.

{ previous reviews in series } .

I NEED YOU ALWAYS { review here } .