Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Owning Violet (The Fowler Sisters #1) by Monica Murphy


I’ve moved through life doing what’s expected of me. I’m the middle daughter, the dutiful daughter. The one who braved a vicious attack and survived. The one who devoted herself to her family’s business empire. The one who met an ambitious man and fell in love. We were going to run Fleur Cosmetics together, Zachary and I.

Until he got a promotion and left me in the dust. Maybe it’s for the best, between his disloyalty and his wandering eye. But another man was waiting for me. Wanting me. He too has an overwhelming thirst for success, just like Zachary—perhaps even more so. He’s also ruthless. And mysterious. I know nothing about Ryder McKay beyond that he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

One stolen moment, a kiss, a touch . . . and I’m hooked. Ryder’s like a powerful drug, and I’m an addict who doesn’t want to be cured. He tells me his intentions aren’t pure, and I believe him. For once, I don’t care. I’m willing to risk everything just to be with him. Including my heart. My soul.

My everything.

Type: Erotic Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Cover: 5 out of 5-- I flipping LOVE this cover. Damn!

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

Well. I wanted to do some serious damage to the hero's dangly bits for most of the book but dangit I could NOT put Owning Violet down and in the end really had a wonderful time watching this oh so broken man have a come to Jesus moment as he set his sights on Violet and his plans to own her landed him somewhere he never expected to be...being owned by her in return.

Lordy but where to start? It all goes down at Fleur cosmetics where Ryder and Violet work--her family owns the company. There is a lot of office drama happening at Fleur. All kinds of scheming and backstabbing and office sex happening. And oh the interoffice relationships and hostilities!

  • Zachary and Violet are dating and she thinks getting engaged
  • Violet loves Zachary
  • but Zachary is getting it up with ALL of the women at the office because "he can't help himself"
  • and now Ryder and Pilar are out to break up Zachary and Ryder
  • because Ryder hates Zachary and wants in Violet's panties
  • Zachary hates Ryder just as much.
  • Pilar hates Violet and wants to destroy her
  • Violet can't stand Pilar either
  • Pilar wants in Ryder's pants but she's good getting in everyone else's pants too as long as it gets her ahead.
  • basically Pilar is a skank
  • Ryder can't stand Pilar but she's the only person who has ever helped in his life
  • Violet might be having eyes for Ryder and his bad boy self seeing as she's over that cheating bastard Zachary and Ryder would be quite the distraction and adventure
  • and Ryder is definitely going to take it if he can get it and hopefully get away from Pilar in the process

I mean. These people! They're a hot mess that's for sure. Whew boy! It would be quite the place to work! Okay so the scheme is for Pilar and Ryder to break up Zachary and Violet so they can eliminate their competition and move up in the company. Totally that skank Pilar's schemings. And Ryder being a stupid male goes along with it seeing it'll get him what he wants...inside Violet's aforementioned panties and closer to her father who controls the company. Yeah this would be where wanting to hurt his dangly bits comes into play *nods*

Violet was a heroine I just wanted to hug. She's been used a lot by people in her life. Hurt badly by some she should have been able to trust. And she's still a good person. She's a bit shy and protects herself by being very proper and she's missed out on a lot of living because of it. She has a good heart and puts her self out there often despite everything and I really liked her. She's not always 100% sure in herself but she's working through things, finding her inner wildness, living a little and getting bold and I couldn't fault her for her wavering confidence now and again and loved seeing her change as she and Ryder spent time together.
"I've never really been a rule breaker before," I admit.

"I know." He leans in and drops a firm breath-stealing kiss to my lips. "So let me teach you how to play.

And then there was Ryder. *deep breath* Dude... was an utter prick. But dammit I liked him too somehow! Even knowing he was pulling a total dick move on Violet. It did not hurt that he was fucking hot as hell and had that whole bad boy thing happening under the polished suited exterior. Can we say yum?! Yes. Yes we can.Whew!

The man has had a hard life and never had anyone that actually cared about him for him. He's had to look out for himself no matter the costs and I totally got his callous ways and how he ended up being that person. And seeing him change was interesting. Battling on one hand the desire to use Violet for his own gain but then actually getting to know her and like her as a person and how those two sides of himself fought for control of the situation. His fear over caring for someone and being cared for in return was really rather heart breaking and had me giving him a pass more often than not. The man had a LONG way to go from page one but he did get there eventually.


Well. It wasn't your typical romance since most of the time a scheme was simmering in the background. So not a romancy romance exactly though it did make it's way there eventually. For the majority of the time it was them using each other for their own reasons. Violet wanting adventure and experience and,well, you know what Ryder was after. The heat was crazy serious and through the roof. Holy crap. This office building...if the walls could talk! Or the doors. Or the desks. Or chairs...supply closets...conference rooms. I mean! This office got more skin time than most bedrooms. And the sex being indulged in all over the damn place...it's a little edgy and tinged with bits of darkness too and damn it's hot and steamy. These two definitely don't have any problems with sexual chemistry that's for sure.
"Tell him an emergency came up and you need to leave."

"What sort of emergency?"

"I don't know. That you need to get fucked and the only one that can do it for you is me?"


Mostly there were places where I wanted or needed...more than was given. More time after Ryder figured out what he really wanted before things wrapped up. More time with them just talking and getting to know each other--it was referenced to but largely skipped over and I think seeing that would have made the romance stronger. And there were parts concerning her past that really didn't go anywhere but were made out to be a big deal. I kept waiting for something to come about because of it but it was just...dropped which bothered me. I couldn't really figure out the purpose of that. While none of it was a big complaint it kept it from being a stronger showing in my opinion.


Despite a couple hang ups Owning Violet was an interesting romance. It's not your typical dynamic for sure and in some ways that was a good thing. It kept me curious and turning the pages to see what would happen with this very strange relationship. While I wasn't madly in love with these two I did find them fascinating and was left wanting to see where the series will go. So not a bad thing at all.


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