Book Review: Whirlpool by Vivian Arend

Book: WHIRLPOOL
Author: VIVIAN AREND
Genre: PARANORMAL ROMANCE/MENAGE


I received this e-ARC from the author for review
Picture courtesy of Good Reads


Review:
Braden and Chelsea share a hunger for each other. Chelsea's always wanted him, but her plans for the future are looming, and she knows that she will be leaving Jaffrey's Cove for college. Only those plans have come to an abrupt halt, and Chelsea might be staying right where she is. What better time to express her feelings for the handsome sheriff?

Though Braden would like to be with Chelsea, he knows that her hormones - her merfolk hormones - are in full swing. And, sometimes, one man isn't enough for a lusty merwoman. Sometimes, she needs two men to assuage her need. Braden doesn't think that he could be with Chelsea, and share her.

But, then a very human Jamie Powell enters the picture. As a marine biologist, he's supposed to be cataloging the various finds in the merfolk leader's house. The chemistry between Chelsea and Jamie is instantaneous, and doesn't wane when they decide to make Braden jealous. What starts as a sensual game, soon turns into a three-for-all, with Braden and Jamie putting Chelsea in the middle.

Vivian Arend is one of the authors that I have spoken to on Twitter. One of those authors, that has such a personality that I think to myself, I bet I'd like their books. And I do. Without even realizing it, I've had her GRANITE LAKE WOLVES series on my computer for several years. In fact, WOLF SIGNS is one of the few e-book novellas that I have read more than once. So, I jumped at the chance to receive an e-ARC of WHIRLPOOL. Not realizing that it was the second book in the Forces of Nature series. The great thing about WHIRLPOOL though, it wasn't really necessary to have read the first, in order for me to immerse myself into the world of Jaffrey's Cove.

I've read menage stories before, but because there are so many combinations that can occur, I didn't really start reading with any particular expectations. Character-wise, I liked that Braden, Chelsea, and Jamie were all fully-fleshed out. It did seem as if Braden and Chelsea would be the focus of the menage, by the description, and I had high hopes that Jamie wouldn't fall by the wayside. He didn't. Actually, in terms of love scenes, I would have liked to have had more of Braden. Chelsea and Jamie formed a bond early on, and Braden never really seemed as if he was truly Chelsea's preference.

Almost all of the menage stories that I have read, were written one of two ways: a smutty, smexy, one-night stand, or a group of men sharing a woman as a lifestyle. Not that I have any problem with either, but WHIRLPOOL straddled this line very nicely. Braden was the more intense, husband-type guy, while Jamie was the younger, not-staying-permanently-in Jaffrey's-Cove guy. While the end seemed as if Braden was left alone somewhat, while Jamie and Chelsea went off together, I was happy at how Arend resolved their arrangement and commitment to each other.

4/5 for plot
4/5 for characters
4/5 for language

My Rating: 12/15 Highly Recommend
Bonus Cover Points: 4/5