Awakened by Him (Zinklaus #1) by Eyta Jade-a review

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Falling into him was a dance with destiny; little did she know it would be her unravelling.
Zina at 24 and fresh out of the academic world, arrives in London for a new paralegal job. She is thrown for a loop when her chance at something new and uncomplicated is threatened from the moment she meets business magnate, Niklaus Clarke.

He wants more from her than she’s willing to give, because giving him more means undoing her past which she’s been running from. Unable to resist the undeniable attraction she feels or the allure of the unyielding billionaire who didn’t get to where he is by giving up, Zina surrenders.

What should have been a mere awakening turns into blurred lines and shattering of boundaries. Until their secrets, lies and half-truths threaten the gravity that pulls them toward each other.

Bridges will be crossed, bridges will be burnt. But, will bridges be rebuilt?

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REVIEW:AWAKENED BY HIM is the first instalment in debut author Eyta Jade’s contemporary, adult ZINKLAUS erotic, multi-cultural romance series focusing on forty year old, billionaire Niklaus Clarke, and twenty-four year old, paralegal Zina Wright.

Told from first person perspective (Zina Wright) AWAKENED BY HIM follows the forbidden relationship between forty year old, billionaire Niklaus Clarke, and twenty-four year old, paralegal Zina Wright. First day on the job at the Burton Bright Law Firm, and our heroine Zina Wright comes face to face with her future but working as part of the legal team for billionaire Niklaus Clarke brought the complications of racism and xenophobia as it pertained to his family, his employees, and Zina’s roommate’s questionable boyfriend. As an African -British (Nigerian) woman Zina knows discrimination first hand but never expected to be accused of selling out her own race as a prelude to climbing the ladder with a billionaire white man. As her relationship with Niklaus Clarke takes on a life of its’ own, our couple’s secrets grow and spiral out of control. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Zina and Niklaus, and the potential fall-out as neither one comes clean about their pasts, and the secrets that could tear them apart.

The relationship between Zina and Niklaus is erotically charged; highly sexual in nature with very little in common between our leading couple. Although Niklaus wants to know everything about our story line heroine, Niklaus is reluctant to reveal the intimate details about himself, details that could affect their relationship going forward. The $ex scenes are passionate, erotic and intense but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word in my romance story lines.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Zina’s immediate boss Mrs. Amelia; roommate and co-worker Evelina Rodriguez and her ‘boyfriend Jayce; via phone-her best friend Ashraf, and her brother Robert; Niklaus’s sister Perla, and their parents Burton and Michaela Hughes.

AWAKENED BY HIM is a story of discrimination, racism, secrets and lies-secrets and lies that have yet to be revealed. From the outset, the slow building premise did more telling than showing, then gradually changed direction largely focusing on the sexual relationship of our leading couple, and the fact that our heroine is a curvy, woman of color in a relationship with a billionaire white man, a relationship that will begin to struggle with the possibility of a hidden agenda. The characters are charismatic and energetic; the romance is aggressive and provocative. There is plenty of cultural jargon and slang (American, British, Nigerian, East Indian).

I did have a couple of issues including the perceived lack of any real chemistry between our leading couple. Yes, there are plenty of sexual situations but I didn’t feel any real palpable sexual energy. Niklaus has a need to control both in and out of the bedroom, almost Dominate in nature to a less than submissive heroine but a heroine who is willing to submit at all times. I would have also like to have had more information regarding the business interests of Niklaus Clarke, something I that I hope will be revealed in the second instalment. There is also an issue with the spoken language that didn’t feel or read like normal conversation but a stilted need to use proper grammar-contractions are in every day speech are allowed in fictional story lines 😉

Awakened by Him ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy