When it comes to the wolves of Wall Street, Ryan Hamilton is the leader of the pack. But his bravado is all bluff. The bank he works for is up to it’s assets in fraud and shady deals. And thanks to pressure from the NYPD and FBI, Ryan is working as both a trader and a whistleblower. His only respite from the tension is when he parades his latest arm candy at a fancy lingerie shop.

Simone Demarchelier owns Irresistible, crafting custom high-end lingerie. So she’s more than happy that Ryan is spending a fortune on his women. But she senses that behind the hotshot facade there is something more. Something tortured and sad. And when he flies her out to the Hamptons in the shadow of a summer thunderstorm in order to fix one of her designs, she instead finds herself stuck in the opulent home with a distraught Ryan.

Is Simone the one person who can mend Ryan’s heart and soul?

​Anne Calhoun wrote one of my favorite erotic romances – Liberating Lacey, so I’m always willing to give one of her books a try. I read the previous book in this series (The List), and I liked Evening Storm [even] more. There’s something about it that keeps me from loving it, but I did find the book very sexy, and an enjoyable read. I can’t quite put my finger on what was “off” for me because the premise while potentially off putting for people, didn’t bother me. There’s a stark and rather grim undertone throughout the novel, which makes everything unique. The back cover copy is itself unique because it describes something that happens near the end of the story.

Simone Demarchelier is a heroine who is comfortable in her own skin. She knows who she is, and likes who she is – that’s unique enough amongst romance heroines, much less women in general. Simone designs and sells high end lingerie, which makes her profession inherently sensual, if not sexual. She understand that and goes with it. She’s attracted to Ryan but keeps her distance as she meets him basically as a client first. And then because of who he is – he’s a player, and Simone is too smart to be taken in by that, or involved with someone like that. I liked that Simone was willing to stand in place and do what she liked without changing for Ryan. Especially because they only had a tentative friendship. She values and respects herself, and is the steady presence in Evening Storm.

Ryan Hamilton is a really interesting character. He’s a romance hero – but he’s not very heroic in a way. While he’s pictured as your stereotypical high flying asshole investment banker, his despair negates the behavior. It’s hard to explain without reading it. Ryan himself says that he hit rock bottom when it comes to humanity, and almost surprised himself by doing the right thing. And in this case, doing the right thing is more than even a good person might do. It’s a difficult journey for Ryan throughout, and Ms. Calhoun does an excellent job of conveying how difficult and precarious the situation is. Then there’s also the fact that he yearns for Simone, but is essentially romancing other high profile women. He and the actress(es) are using each other, but it’s still unusual.

It’s clear from the start is that Ryan and Simone are going to end up together. What adds another level to Evening Storm is that they aren’t together, and that as I stated, Ryan is “dating” other women through most of the book. In fact, he uses stories of his exploits to tempt and seduce Simone. He’s ridiculously extravagant and romantic in his gestures to Simone. Almost obscenely so, but it fits. He’s a splashy guy who gets what he wants, and money is no object for him. He’s also working toward a goal that will basically destroy his life. Somehow Ms. Calhoun takes all this, and crafts a romance from the mess.

I found Evening Storm to be a compelling read, and I look forward to Anne Calhoun’s next book. I can definitely see myself re-reading this book in the future.

You can read an excerpt here or buy a copy here.