{Review} Hush Hush #1 by Anneliese Vandell

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: February 10th, 2015
Finished Date: April 21st, 2015

Publishers: Self Published
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: Unknown
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

Fifty Shades of Grey meets Revenge in this tantalizing new series about a young woman who’s willing to do anything in the name of vengeance.

Something terrible happened to April Morrison when she was eleven years old. When she returns home to New Orleans fourteen years later as “Sophia,” she has only one word on her mind: revenge. She’s got her eye on Charles and Barbara Hawthorne, the crowning jewel of New Orleans’ elite and the ones responsible for turning her life upside down. 

Enter Liam Hawthorne, the couple’s successful, strikingly handsome, and irresistibly dominant thirty-two year old son. When Liam makes a provocative proposal, it occurs to April that he may be just the “in” she needs. But what she doesn’t bargain for is Liam’s insatiable—and thrilling—sexual appetite. And as Liam begins to test April’s limits, she realizes that appearances are not what they seem. 

This book is intended for mature audiences.

The Review: Hush Hush was an intriguing read in which we meet ‘Sophia’ the alter ego of April Morrison as she returns to New Orleans to seek revenge on those who ruined her life fourteen years previous. She has a mental list of all of those involved and along with her cousin, she has come up with a cunning plan to infiltrate New Orleans elite and show the world what liars they really are.
After striking up a conversation with a brooding, handsome man at a gala – he propositions her and she turns him down……until she realises that he is Liam Hawthorne, New Orleans most eligible bachelor and son of the Charles & Barbara – her intended targets. Seeing this opportunity as an ‘in’ to their lives she quickly changes her mind about his proposal thinking she can seduce him into anything…… little does she know that Liam is a sexual dominant and wants to push her boundaries in every way.
I enjoyed this book although it did feel more of an ‘episode’ in those serial novels and I really don’t like those.
I thought the premise was good and it had me interested straight away, I was curious to know all about Sophia/April’s background and what had happened to upset her childhood. I wholeheartedly believed that Charles and Barbara Hawthorne had done her an injustice and really wanted to see what she had planned for them. I wasn’t sure whether I believed that Sophia could exact revenge upon anyone because she seems way too innocent a person and it didn’t fit her personality much but, she was being guided by someone in the know so I was willing to go along with it. Liam entered the scene more or less straight away and there is an instant connection, did I feel it? Hmmm.. a bit, but that was their first meeting – plus I’m not overly keen on the ‘let’s just get out of here and go for it’ lines. Anyway, I was glad she turned him down at first; it showed some innocence to her and also showed that she wasn’t dumb although at times she was too easily influenced by others.
Now the big thing that interested me about this was the revenge plot, I was in it for the romance too but I like a good story and this had all of the elements that I would love. Unfortunately that took more of a minor role to the romance and relationship development, not that there was a great deal of depth to the relationship but it was enjoyable to some extent. What irked me was that it was like he was trying too hard to be Christian Grey and Sophia was meant to be all innocent but immediately let him touch her intimately in public on their first date – it just didn’t sit with my opinion of her character, I know she needed an ‘in’ for her plan but it seemed that she gave up her integrity straight away. I liked his dominance over her, I liked how he asserted himself too and I liked most of her responses because it did create some very heated moments that had you wishing they would get it on but also hoping they didn’t to draw out the tension. I’m willing to see where it will lead, it’s early days yet so they could grow on me even more.
What I did get of the story was interesting and I liked the setup, I’m intrigued about the circumstances and those involved and yes I really want the truth of what went down but I also felt that Sophia/April had blinkers on at times and what about if she was doing all of this for nothing? We do see her get a little taste of revenge on someone and it was satisfying but quite childish but again, she does seem quite naïve. I liked that someone is there for her (it’s hard to not give things away so I think this review will be quite vague) and I thought they had a very natural relationship and is someone I could imagine her being friends with and maybe more? To be honest, this instalment is just the tip of the iceberg – it whet my palette and left me wanting more where hopefully I will get some answers and warm to the lovers a bit more, it was good though and definitely worth a read. 

3.5 Flowers!

Thank you to Anneliese Vandell for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.