Ms. Gordon made it a pleasure to read this story by mixing in a little humor, a little love, lots of sex … some toys … a blow-up doll … well, you get my drift. But, what I enjoyed most was watching Grace and Ben grow and realize the potential they had together as a couple. ~ Kitty, Guilty Pleasures
Description:
Grace Nolan is doing her best to conform to the rigid corporate world and put her history as a paid escort behind her. And even after seeing the worst that men have to offer, she still hasn’t given up on finding love with the right guy. But right now, Grace could use a distraction to take her mind off her nonexistent love life. The trouble is, giving fashion advice to a former fling with rock-hard abs and a bad-boy attitude isn’t exactly what she had in mind.
After working his way up from cameraman to vice president of an adult media company, Ben Lockwood is floundering. While he reevaluates his future, he asks the most poised and polished woman he knows to make him look respectable. Ben even swears off sex, which makes spending time with Grace pure torture. It’s only a matter of time before they give in to the heat—but unless Ben confronts what his heart has been denying, they may both get burned.
Review copy provided for an honest review
New to me author, Gina Gordan really impressed me with Reason to Believe. It was an unexpected, interesting story. Who would have thought that a story about an ex-porn star/director and an ex-escort would be intriguing.
Kudos to Grace trying to make it in the corporate world and putting her Escort days behind her. Of course, without being an escort, she wouldn’t have the education that she now has. Wanting to make it on her own, being her own boss is important to her. But, an opportunity arises and there is no way for her to say no to it. She had no idea how she would handle if her past came back to haunt her. And, of course, when it did happen it would be the one customer that she would never want to see again and, her bosses brother. She also had certain ideals for love … Ben Lockwood pushed all the right buttons but, by his own omission, was not the forever man. She’s hoping that someone will come into her life to give her the love and family she has always wanted. Until that time, she’ll stick to her favorite toys. No more sex for sex. Or, so she thought.
Ben Lockwood knows how to make love to a woman, knows how to set up a good sex scene for the camera. He has no idea how to be a Vice-President. Since his best friend, Max, son of the founder of White Lace Productions, found and fell in love with the woman of his dreams and stepped away from the Porn business, it’s his job to keep the company running and on track. He’s crashing and burning, or so he thinks. Enter Cory to turn his life upside down, make him realize that there could be more to life than meaningless sex. But, since becoming VP, he’s celibate so that shouldn’t really matter. Until he’s thrown back together with Grace and his unending boner is driving him crazy. But, without her help, there is no way that he could go through with the terms of Cory’s internship at White Lace.
It takes a lot for both Grace and Ben to realize that they were really made for each other. She wouldn’t have to worry about her past, he’d never judge her or her past decisions. He wouldn’t have to be anyone other than the person he already is. What will it take for them both to look into the mirror and see what they have to offer each other?
I was really impressed with the way this story unfolded, with the way the subject matter was handled. My biggest pet peeve in a story is when it doesn’t flow, doesn’t make sense. I did not, at any time, have a problem with that here. The porn industry was very well represented with class and dignity. She transformed her characters from what could have been brash and tacky to decent and professional. Ms. Gordon made it a pleasure to read this story by mixing in a little humor, a little love, lots of sex … some toys … a blow-up doll … well, you get my drift. But, what I enjoyed most was watching Grace and Ben grow and realize the potential they had together as a couple.
4.5 stars
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There were so many interesting and intriguing moments in Reason to Believe, not to mention the off the charts sexy times, but what struck me more about this book was the amount of emotion that poured out of these characters and their story. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures
Gina Gordon’s Reason to Believe is not your typical love story; I mean who would ever expect a 
porn star and Vice President of an adult entertainment company to fall in love with an ex-escort? From the start this book I knew it wouldn’t be a typical romance, but it surprised me in so many ways. Both the hero and heroine had issues and both made no apologies for their occupation and former occupation; they accepted the choices they’d made in their lives, but despite that they both felt unworthy and even a bit scared of the stigma that came from their professions. I enjoyed watching them try and deny their chemistry, try and deny the feelings they didn’t want to admit and figure out that trusting someone while scary was also very freeing. I loved these characters and this book immensely.
When Ben’s best friend (Max) and the man he thinks of as a brother left White Lace Productions to pursue his dreams, Ben stepped up to help run the company. While Ben will do anything for Hirsch Levin, Max’s dad and the man who basically raised him, running the company has taken its toll on him and Ben misses the creative end of the industry.
Since graduating from college and giving up her work as an escort Grace has worked hard to start her own consulting firm and has done pretty well. Grace’s fear that one day someone will recognize her from her former life is always on her mind as is the thought that she’ll never find a man who will accept her as the person she is now not the one who resorted to selling her body to help her family out of a financial crisis only to have her family turn their backs on her.
With Ben and Grace’s best friends moving in together, they are thrust together often and each time they are they are assaulted with the memories of their one night together; a night neither one can forget. As they work together to help Max and Everly get ready for the big opening of Max’s boutique hotel, they find it hard to stay at arm’s length despite Ben’s vow of celibacy he took when he was promoted. I loved watching Grace try to break down Ben’s walls and watching Ben come to Grace’s rescue time and time again even when he truly believed he wasn’t the jealous type or the committed type. They shared a lot of eye opening moments and through it all they broke down each other barriers and began to trust each other even when it was so very hard.
There were so many interesting and intriguing moments in this book not to mention the off the charts sexy times, but what struck me more about this book was the amount of emotion that poured out of these characters and their story. Reason to Believe might not be a typical fairy tale romance but in my opinion it is pretty damn perfect.
4.5 stars
Sounds pretty interesting…thanks for the two-fer ladies