Bea Reviews From This Moment On by Bella Andre

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Series: The Sullivans #2
Format Read: Print ARC
Source: From Meryl L Moss Media in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository*
* affiliate links; clicking & purchasing results in a small commission for the blog.

Blurb from goodreads:

Expanded Edition! More Story! More Sullivans!

Fans of Bella Andre's Sullivan Series will love this long-awaited print edition of FROM THIS MOMENT ON. It features a longer, more-detailed story with all the emotion and sensuality that readers love. Not to be missed!

Just one night…

Marcus Sullivan has always been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings when their father died. But when the perfectly ordered future he's planned turns out to be a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all.

Known throughout the world by only one name—Nico—pop songstress Nicola Harding is seen as the ultimate sex kitten. But it's all a lie. After a terrible betrayal she refuses to let anyone else close enough to find out who she really is…or to hurt her again. Especially the gorgeous stranger at the bar.

One night is all Nicola and Marcus agree to share with each other. But instead, a deeper connection than either of them could have anticipated begins….

Bea's Thoughts:

Just like the first book, "The Look of Love", "From This Moment On" is hot, sweet, and sexy. If all the books in the Sullivan series stay true to that, I expect I'll enjoy them. The Sullivans are quite a family - eight siblings who are all smart, good looking, and successful in their chosen fields. Some of those fields are glamorous - movie star, vintner, choreographer, and fire fighter among others. When the series starts all eight siblings are single and never married, a statistical unlikelihood. This is not your family next door but they are a fun family, full of characters, sibling rivalry and a deep love for each other.

Marcus is the eldest sibling and the fatherly stand-in. Their father died suddenly when Marcus was fourteen and he stepped up, helping out his mother around the house and acting as father to his siblings. Even now, in his thirties and with a life of his own, he still acts as their father, keeping an eye on everyone and ready to drop everything at a moment's notice to help out. When he and his long-term girlfriend break up after she cheats on him, she says

"I tried to love you, Marcus. I really did. But I want something more. Something bigger. Something exciting. And I want someone who puts me first. All the time. No matter what else is going on in his life, even if his friends and family try to get in the way."

Charming, isn't she? But it helps Marcus truly realize that they don't want the same things or have the same priorities. 

He meets Nicola, not realizing at first that she's the sex-kitten pop singer Nico. She ended a bad relationship six months ago and is now wary of trusting and unsure she can love again. They hook up for a one night stand but things don't go as planned and they hook up again. That first night when they hook up, Nicola starts to freak about having a one-night stand and ends up calling Marcus's mother for reassurance. While not particularly believable, it was sweet and tender and a little funny.

"I'm sorry I bothered you so late," she said suddenly, still feeling bad about worrying his mother with her out-of-the-blue call.

"It's no problem at all, although I would love to speak with Marcus for a moment."

"I'll give him the phone right now, Mary. And thank you." Nicola held the phone out, hardly able to believe she was actually telling the guy she was about to have a one-night stand with,"Your mother wants to speak with you."

Family is a recurring theme throughout the book and family is important to both Marcus and Nicola, although we don't get to see Nicola's family. Unlike Marcus's ex-girlfriend, Nicola loves how close he is to his family and sees it as one of his strengths. Marcus also comes to realize that it's time he let go and allow someone else to be a priority in his life, but that he doesn't need to give up his family to do so. Marcus and Nicola also challenge each other's self-perceptions and illusions.

Although events happen fairly quickly, the love story feels real and the sex scenes were hot. There's a big misunderstanding of course but it actually makes sense within the context of the story; both Marcus and Nicola make mistakes, but ultimately they talk it out and take steps to make their relationship work; and both Marcus and Nicola feel real. A fun couple, a sweet romance, some steamy love scenes and a happy ending make for another enjoyable romance by Andre. 

My review of book one. | An interview with Bella Andre.