Lust on the Rocks by Dianne Venetta


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Samantha Rawings is the roughest, toughest, rootin’, tootin-est, shootin’-est lawyer on South Beach and looks model-perfect while doing it. On the fast track to partner she’s not about to let the new guy take over the case that could get her the brass ring. If you’ve read Dianne Venetta’s previous book, Jennifer’s Garden, then you will recognize Sam as Jennifer’s martini drinking best friend. I thought that Sam’s characterization was one of the better parts of the book and now here is her story in Lust on the Rocks. As Sam is about to try the case of her career, her boss strongly suggests that she allow a new associate of the firm to become part of her legal team. Though she allows Victor Marin access to her team, she is still wary and thinks that he has something to hide. She is also very attracted to the man, nearly ten years her junior. (If you remember her Sam from Jennifer’s Garden, you will recall that Sam is a no holds barred kind of woman). Pretty soon, Sam and Vic give in to each other and try to forge out a relationship while butting heads about the best way to win a wrongful death suit. Sam and Vic go through some real life struggles reconciling their personal morals and professional ethics which made the characters seem real and not just romantic cookie cutter pieces. Vic keeping something from Sam having to do with his personal involvement with the case and Sam’s sister is trying to figure out what to do about an unexpected pregnancy. This book is super sexy without being raunchy and romantic without being sappy.


Here comes the but…..


Since this is a sequel, one would expect to have the reappearance of characters that were featured in previous books. Right? What happened to Jennifer’s fiancé, Jackson Montgomery? I know the guy was a free spirit and wanted to explore the world, but did he fall from the face of the Earth? I kept wondering, chronologically, where this action was taking place because in Jennifer’s Garden, Sam was tending to another of her sisters after the death of her husband. I know this story wasn’t about Jennifer or Jackson but Jennifer was in the book but never once mentioned Jackson or his whereabouts. All in all, I like this book so much more than I did Jennifer’s Garden. Sam didn’t do much whining and, surely, didn’t apologize for who she was. Great book.






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