Tender Temptation (Cillian & Ivy: Charming Irish 1) by Kaylene Winter-review & giveaway

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RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2024

Tender Temptation is a scorching tale of age-gap, insta-forbidden-love, hidden identities, coming of age, and second chances.

I’m a master at rebuilding structures, yet my own life is a constant work in progress. As the middle brother in a family of superstars, I’ve battled alcohol addiction and shoulder the hefty challenge of taking over the family business.

My world makes a seismic shift when I fall hard for Ivy Bright, a vibrant, enigmatic firecracker whose captivating energy makes me feel invincible.

Ivy is more than just a spark in my shadowed world—she’s a blaze. Her luminous presence ignites a clandestine desire in me that I can’t resist. But Ivy harbors deep secrets and a tragic past that keeps her trapped in a life she never chose. Despite our undeniable chemistry, her decision to conceal her age and identity backfires spectacularly, threatening to unravel both our hearts.

Years later, will our rekindled passion withstand buried secrets that come to light, or will the truths of our past push us apart forever?

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REVIEW: What a fantastic new author! Tender Temptation is the first installment in the Charming Irish series. This author is new to me, and I was hooked from the get go.

Cillian is the CEO of McLoughlin Construction, he is first and foremost a workaholic. On the nights he does take a break he goes to a local pub to knock a few back and relax. One of those nights he meets birthday girl Ivy. His reaction to her is visceral, the draw he feels toward her is one he can’t explain. Ivy has a broken story that she doesn’t share with many people, but this year is the first time in nearly a decade she decides to celebrate her birthday. (There is some background to this, but I don’t want to spoil it for future readers, but it plays a big part) On this very special night Ivy and Cillian find themselves sharing a few drinks, and then something else as well.

I was really surprised with this author and the way she made real, daily problems that people experience come through the plot of the story. While Cillian and Ivy start to fall in love, they also deal with their own issues and trauma still. Ivy’s family is…difficult, and as the book processes Cillian starts to develop a (bigger) issue with alcohol. I truly am very impressed with the story and how the characters develop as they deal with the issues they have, they learn to lean on one another as more and more things come to the surface.

This story is intense, filled with a whirlwind of emotions, passion and suspense. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the Charming Irish series has in store for us.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah