Book Review & Giveaway: THE REDEMPTION OF RIVER by Eli Easton (Sex in Seattle #4)

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 75,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Tiferet Design

Sex In Seattle Series

The Trouble With Tony (Book #1) - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

The Enlightenment Of Daniel (Book #2) - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

The Mating Of Michael (Book #3) - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

River Larsen is a world traveler, truth-seeker, and tantric healer. He’s a master of loving all—and no one. Both his past and his spiritual path warn him against attachment. When he falls for his surrogacy client and coffee magnate, Brent McKay, River tells himself it’s a temporary idyll, a beautiful encounter they’ll both enjoy and move on from like mature adults. Only his heart misses that memo.

Brent McKay hasn’t been interested in sex since his wife died two years ago. When he goes to Expanded Horizons sex clinic in Seattle for help, he meets River Larsen, a sex surrogate specializing in reiki massage and tantric sex therapy. Brent never expected to be interested in a man, but River’s light-filled spirit, inner peace, and electric touch bring him back to life. Brent’s loyal heart is ready to commit again. But how can he convince River that love can last forever—if you just have faith?

The Redemption of River features a widower who surprises himself, a gorgeous hippy who thinks he’s a dandelion puff, an age gap, midlife discovery of bisexuality, foodie Seattle, a houseboat, dogs, a trip to Mumbai, and tantric secrets. (You know, the ones that let you have sex for hours. Those secrets.)

The Redemption of River takes place in part at the Expanded Horizons sex clinic and is thus book #4 of the Sex in Seattle series. It features a brand new couple and can be read as a stand-alone.

Carra's Review

First up—even though this is the fourth book in this series, and some of the characters/couples from the other books do show up here, you can still read this story as a standalone.  Next—if you’re not already familiar with tantric healing or tantric sex, you’ll likely find this thought-provoking enough to do some research on your own.  It definitely piqued my interest!

Brent endured a lot with the tragic passing of his wife, and this sets the background for the hurt/comfort aspect of the story.  I was intrigued by the idea of using tantric massage to help him with his physical issues; it was interesting to see Brent’s reaction to it and the budding connection between him and River.  River’s character feels very genuine, and it’s obvious how much he loves to help others.

The way the two of them so easily connect during their sessions and then later when they are finally together felt powerful; the strength of their bond was obvious and continued to grow throughout the story.  The temporary aspect of River’s situation and his nomadic lifestyle does leave an eventual expiration date hanging over them, making the reader wonder how these two will be able to find their happily ever after.

The physical intimacy here is different than what you’d usually see in a romance novel for the majority of the story.  The tantric practices that River introduces to Brent don’t always follow what most readers would expect for intimate scenes, but they make for intensely passionate scenes regardless.

The Redemption of River wound up being a solid 4-star read for me (and has now sent me off on a research mission for myself), and I know fans of this series will enjoy this new addition.  I’m a bit unsure on the title though; I don’t quite understand for what River would need to be redeemed… *shrugs*  Anyway, with the adult language and sexual content, this book is meant for readers 18+.

About the Author

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.

Her website is www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com

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