Loving the Enemy, is the prequel to the 'Seven Forbidden Arts' series, though it is a standalone novel.
Loving the Enemy, focuses on Lily and Jacob. Lily is the sheltered daughter of a rich and very powerful criminal. In the beginning of the book, we find Lily to be homeless, and living on the dangerous streets of Cape Town, due to an attack on her fathers home. Sitting in a dark, secluded, park, where it is about to rain, Lily is stumbled upon by handsome and mysterious Jacob, who offers Lily a place to stay for the night.
After reluctantly accepting Jacobs offer, Lily learns that he is in the bodyguard business. When Jacobs apartment is attacked by the very men who attacked her fathers home, the pair set out to find the only person who can help and protect them, Lily's father.
As you read on, you are brought along as Jacob and Lily attempt to make their way from Cape Town, to Lily's father in Paris. No small feat considering neither of them have money, and all of the airports and ports are being monitored for any signs of them. What follows is an action-packed, romance, where two people from completely different world are thrown together and must learn to trust and rely on one another if they want to make it out alive.
The 'Seven Forbidden Arts' series is a paranormal series, but there really is little to no paranormal 'activity' :) in 'Loving the Enemy', though it is mentioned occassionally. I wish the author would have thrown a bit of paranormal aspects into the mix, because it was a bit of a let down to have it mentioned, but not actually be part of the book.
The book kept me interested from the very beginning, it's not predictable, and the author did a great job with character development. I felt invested in both lead characters, and couldn't help but root for them. The plot was original, intriguing, and well thought out. I would definitely be interested in reading other books in the series.
The book could use a bit more editing, though it isn't anything that I personally feel detracts from the story, though if you are someone who is bothered by grammatical errors, it is something to keep in mind.
Something that really detracted from the story for me, was the age difference between Lily and Jacob. Lily is eighteen years old, and a very naive, sensitive, sheltered eighteen year old at that, while Jacob is thirty, and a very traveled, experienced, thirty year old. Though it isn't unheard of for a thirty years old man to date a eighteen year old girl, I feel as though their maturity levels were way off, and that threw me off a lot. Lily, for most of the book, seemed very childlike and immature, while Jacob was intense, and very knowledgeable due to life experiences. The aspect of their age difference had no real relevance to the story (it wasn't an obstacle keeping them apart) and therefore could have been eliminated by simply making Jacob a couple of years younger, which would have made the story flow better.
Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):
* * * *
Would I recommend this book to others?:
Yes.
Would I read other books by the author?:
Yes. The author did a great job of introducing the series in a manner in which I feel intrigued to find out what happens next.
*** It should be noted that while 'Loving the Enemy' is part of a series, it IS a standalone novel, and contains a HEA. You will not be required to read/purchase others in the series to get a HEA (although if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate your support). ***
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