Review: Serenity by Janet Nissenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Standalone - Inevitable #5
Release - April 27, 2017
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat - 3 out of 5
Length - 495 pages

Matthew Bennett has suffered the worst sort of betrayal a man can ever know, and he’s trying to put his life back together after years of unhappiness and emotional neglect. He desperately needs the care and devotion of a good woman, someone who will not only erase the hurt he’s experienced, but help him cope with the tremendous stress and responsibility he endures daily as the CEO of a multibillion dollar corporation.
Through the yoga classes that she teaches, and her successful massage practice, Sasha Fonseca spends her days helping others improve their health and wellbeing, and also learning to combat stress. She leads a simple but serene life, content with the little she has, but shies away from any sort of long term commitments or serious relationships. Her unconventional upbringing has also made her fiercely independent, and she won’t let anyone try to mold her into something she’s not ever again.
Sasha is enlisted to help Matthew in a professional capacity, but it isn’t long before she finds herself drawn to him on an emotional and physical level as well. With a woman like Sasha in his life, Matthew finally believes he’s found the happiness that’s eluded him all these years. But will his scheming, soon-to-be ex find a way to destroy him once again, or will he get the happy ending that he deserves?

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MY REVIEW

Matthew and Sasha meet at Ian and Tessa's wedding. They both share a visceral reaction to one another, an attraction that hits you right in the gut. Too bad Matthew is there with his wife. It is soon revealed that his wife has been and continues to be unfaithful, while in his heart he knows that his marriage has been over for a long time. An unexpected event serves as the catalyst to the dissolution of the marriage.

I enjoyed the way the author moved us through the lives of her characters. The impending divorce and Matthew's contentious soon-to-be-ex gave this story its much needed angst and drama. This book lauded Sash as a woman of perfection, virtually on the path to be elevated to sainthood, while Matthew's wife was painted as a deceitful, manipulative, and whoring itchbay. Harsh. But true. The ex's actions weren't doing her any favors and I couldn't find an ounce of sympathy for her circumstance.

Although I wasn't a huge fan of Sash, I adored Matthew. He was a computer geek and a bit awkward, but he was also kind, considerate, generous, loyal, thoughtful, and a truly amazing father. I honestly cannot praise his character enough. He really was amazing. I loved that the author didn't create him to be perfect. He wasn't the perfect husband, the perfect lover, or the perfect man. But it was his slight imperfections that made him stand out. It was his humbleness despite his riches (dude's a billionaire) that made him special.

I've been a huge fan of Janet Nissenson's Inevitable series and despite the fact that this one wasn't as sensual or sexy or physical, it did spark a good note within me because it still hinged on the profound feelings of its characters, good and bad. If you're looking for a sweet, almost saccharine, romantic read, then Matthew and Sasha's story may just be the book for you!