"A murder mystery complicates a woman's sexual awakening"

Ana Briggs has been struggling to save her business ever since her late husband was diagnosed with cancer. She owns a "combination boarding stable, horse training facility, and pack animal rental operation". She is reluctant to travel alone with a male customer to a remote forested area, but she needs the money.

Devin Rourke is looking for the answers to his best friend's murder. He has evidence that links Ana's husband to a poaching operation that Devin's friend was trying to put a stop to. How much does Ana know? Devin doesn't expect to be so attracted to Ana. Will his lust get in the way of his desire for answers?

Ana and Devin end up in a sexual relationship their first night camping. The story takes place over a few days, so not much time is given for them to get to know each other. There is little interaction outside the two of them, so most of the conflict is internal. The reason for the murder and the identity of killer himself comes without any forewarning from the author.

The heart of HER PASSIONATE NEED is Ana's sexual awakening. Raised by a repressed mother and married to an almost asexual husband, she never has had an orgasm before Devin. Readers who love stories exploring themes of sexual awakening will want to read Ms. Harper's latest novel.

Sensuality: Rated Hard R by the publisher. Explicit sex, unprotected sex; sexually explicit scenes: 8.

Reviewed by Denise Powers
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted June 18, 2003

Summary

At first undercover cop Devin Rourke wants nothing from Ana Briggs besides the truth behind his best friend's murder—a truth tied to Ana's dead husband. But as his search takes them into the wilderness, isolation, loneliness, and hunger strip away their protective layers. When Ana awakens Devin from a nightmare, he takes her in more ways than one. Now nothing will ever be the same again...

Sexual Content: Hard R. Genre: contemporary.