30 Nights - Christine d'Abo (The 30 Series #2)

The Goodreads group SHH...[Smut, Heroes & HEAs…] with Alessandra participated in a TopPick discussion regarding taboo books during the week of May 15 and this week beginning May 30. I read a pile of books, but 30 Nights has been burning a hole in my Kindle, so I am super excited I got the chance to review it for you this week. 30 Nights is a bit tame on the taboo side, but it's still a Teacher/student (colleague) romance and that made me want to read it even more. It's sensual, at times funny, and a lot more heartfelt than you might imagine. Go into this one with no expectations and you'll find yourself very surprised.

Rating: 4 Stars
Published: May 31, 2016
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Erotica
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Glenna O'Donald is a research student at a college where she shares an office with her best friend. She's known for putting work first and never straying from the rules, not even to do something about her crush on the handsome college professor, Eric Morris. When her great-grandmother passes away she leaves a note behind encouraging Gemma to take risks, to find a man, and to enjoy life without regrets. At the cemetery she finds note cards with instructions, 30 days worth of sexual instructions. After sharing the cards with her friend at work and ignoring her encouragement to use them, she discovers that Eric has heard of her desires to use them with him. He's just as attracted to her, but he has a past that keeps him from wanting to begin a relationship. There's nothing wrong with joining her for an experiment, is there? As they begin to follow the cards they find that passion carries emotion with it.

"You've walked by my office every day for the past year. I'v begun the recognize the sound of your gait. I know it's you and not someone else. You laughter will sometimes reach my office and I can't help but wonder what had made you smile. He looked awkward with his admission."

I really enjoyed 30 Nights from Christine d'Abo and can confirm it can easily be read as a standalone, as I have yet to read the previous novel 30 Days. I absolutely adored reading from Glenna's perspective, she's aware of her flaws, but uncomfortable at putting herself out there. It's clear she surrounds herself with friends more social than herself, unaware of the vibrant nature she too possesses. It was really refreshing to read the character development of Glenna, from meek to confident and assured. Then there's Eric, our handsome hero with a past that you won't guess. I get nervous when I read about a male character wanting just sex and no relationship, but Christine d'Abo tackled that with such finesse. He really is an enigmatic character and, though we don't read from his perspective, it was very clear he was dealing with some things. The way both Glenna and Eric find companionship and the strength to tackle some of their fears together by using sex was really enjoyable to read, especially once the feelings came into place. Mix in the workplace drama and things just take off from there. The book definitely has some twists and the sex-relationship between these two is very hot and cold, but it's a story you don't want to miss.

"Professor. I hope the rest of your evening was enjoyable."
"It was. I had a bit of a run-in with a remote control, but I eventually bent it to my will."

30 Nights totally tugged at my heartstrings, I really liked the relationship that developed between Glenna and Eric, but I could have totally done with more interactions. While it is briefly touched on and we know they spent time together, we don't get to experience those times together so it comes across as pure smut. There is one major plot twist near the end that I also would have loved to see fleshed out, it felt too simple and tied up too easily for how significant a moment it was. It weakened my view of Glenna in the end, though it strengthened my view of others.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed the movie." He started to walk away. "We'll have to make sure that you come again for the sequel."

I wish I had read 30 Days prior to 30 Nights, but I will definitely be going back and doing so now. I absolutely recommend 30 Nights to readers looking for a sexual read with a very real plot. You'll feel hot with desire, laughing at their antics, and then hurting for their struggles, it's all very balanced. I think you'll find yourself wrapped up in the 30 cards and where they lead two lost individuals, I definitely was.

About the Author

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

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