Super hot and brimming with desire, eroticism and emotion. It’s a feverish seduction on a page. Gideon Cross does not disappoint.
From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.
No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.
Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…
Please do not read if you have not read Bared to You and Reflected in You.
If you have, this is a spoiler-free review.
It’s been 8 months since Gideon! I wasn’t even blogging then! But this is one of the series that drove me deeper into this erotic genre, fueling my love for the all-powerful alpha male! And OMG girls, Gideon Cross does not disappoint. He oozes sex appeal, demands attention, wields power, and insists on complete and total possession.
I know there’s been some controversy over this latest installment from Sylvia Day. Many people thought this would be the final Crossfire book, and once they understood the series is a quintet, questioned whether the story truly necessitated more books. In my own personal opinion, after finishing Entwined With You, the story did call for a further extension. There are just so many elements they need to work through — some internal to themselves and between each other, others requiring them to overcome external forces and circumstances. I didn’t feel there were a lot of fillers in the story, but may comment on one or two lingering questions I had below in my review.
Last we saw Gideon and Eva in Reflected in You, Eva discovered it was Gideon that took care of Nathan, forever ridding him of her life. It’s a staggering truth that they both must work through (and do in this book), and one that forces a separation between them to give Gideon a believable alibi. Their separation, however, has taken a deeply emotional toll on both of them, intensifying insecurities, necessitating lying to loved ones and amplifying their loneliness.
Both are just so fearful of being without each other — each for their own reasons. Eva is scared that Gideon will fall into his old ways with Corinne, while Gideon is afraid that he’ll find a life not worth living without Eva’s love.
A couple things struck me about their relationship in this book… one, how much Gideon is evolving (note action verb – as in he’s still got a way to go). He’s become so vulnerable, so affected by Eva and he desperately wants forever with her. Gideon no doubt wants Eva to marry him, but she resists. Gideon also needs to continue to work on being transparent and honest, but he wants to and that’s a big step forward. He’s also slowly trying to let go of the guilt and hurt he feels from his abuse. But truly, it was a beautiful thing to see him more in love than ever… willing to change, to be better for Eva.
Secondly, as I watched the story unfurl and evolve, I kept thinking how their relationship is a case study in nonfunctional functionality. What I mean by the phrase is that in their individual brokenness, they better understand each other and are therefore ideally suited to be exactly what the other needs. Simply put, it works. They work. Gideon pushes Eva to trudge past her fears and commit to their future, while Eva pushes Gideon to let go of the guilt that he feels for the part he thinks he played in his abuse.
Their relationship really strengthens, however, as they are tested over and over again. Despite the intense feelings of anger and jealousy that naturally arise from the situations they face, they implicitly trust each other.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a Crossfire book without the hot sex! Just like we expect from our alphas, sex is used as a mechanism for dealing with problems and expressing love when words seem to fail. And boy, is this book scorching! Their intimacy, their chemistry ignites the pages and at times even made my jaw drop.
*fans self, takes a deep breath!*
I also couldn’t believe how much more sexual Eva was in this book. I don’t recall her being this sexual and kinky and insatiable in the other books. She’s a female alpha, no doubt. And not only that, but she’s not afraid to stand up to Gideon.
So on to the things that left some questions in my mind. To me, there were a couple things that happened that I’m not sure how they fit into the bigger picture. One, is something that happens with Eva’s parents and secondly was the increased attention with Megumi. I do think, however, that with Megumi, there is a branched storyline that will materialize in book 4. I have some theories there, but we shall see. I will also say that the book didn’t have any HUGE plot twists or occurrences. Things did happen, some unforeseen, but nothing that rocked my world. The more I thought about this last comment I just made, the more I wondered if it was Sylvia Day’s way of giving us a little break after the intensity and darkness of book 2, Reflected in You. I guess you could think of Bared to You, as the part of the story where they collide and get to know each other, giving in to the inextricable pull they feel. In Reflected in You, there is so much pain and adversity that it’s about them being strong enough to make it through. And so, this book, Entwined with You could be described as their brave new step into the future. They have to love each other enough… trust enough… and be fearless enough write the next chapter of their story. I also think we learned more about Gideon’s struggles in this last installment. I’m hoping the next two books focus more on what Gideon has been going through, and give us a more in-depth peek into his thoughts and intents.
I loved this book for what is was, for what I expected it to be, for staying true to the characters that hooked me to the series to begin with. I hope the next two books come soon, while all of these thoughts and feelings are fresh in my head and in my heart.
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