Captivated by Jessica Rooker
What’s it About?
Shy innkeeper Amelia is trapped in a toxic relationship. When billionaire playboy Quinton realizes Amelia is unattainable, he executes a plan to ensure their paths will cross again. Fate steps in and gives Quinton the opportunity he needs to make Amelia his.
“I dreamed of her before I knew she even existed. That has to mean something.”
When Quinton Starks books a room at Amelia’s inn, she doesn’t expect to see the man from her steamy dreams standing across from her. And Quinton doesn’t expect the woman with the sapphire eyes from his own fantasies to be the owner of the hotel he’s visiting. They are immediately captivated by one another, and things only heat up from there as tension grows, obstacles arise, and they realize they can’t stay away from each other. Jessica Rooker’s Captivated (JCPublishing LLC) is Fifty Shades of Gray meets Colleen Hoover’s It Starts With Us with twice the suspense and steamy tension.
Remembering What Real Passion Is Like
Amelia Johansson manages the Florida inn she technically runs with her husband, but she does it all herself — the cooking, the cleaning, and welcoming guests. Trapped in a loveless and abusive marriage to Eric for the past ten years, Amelia is finally sick of it. Eric has forced himself on her numerous times with the goal of having children, criticizes and berates her, and treats Amelia like she owes him something just because she’s his wife. These scenes are particularly tough to read, as we witness Amelia’s internal struggle and are shown how Eric has forced her into a shell of her former self. Trapped as she is, we see her stand up for herself and say no, as hard as that might be, and as impossible as it is to leave. It’s easy for readers to root for Amelia to flee to something — or someone — better.
And that something better? Billionaire playboy Quinton Starks himself. Quinton is certainly a man written by a woman — chiseled abs, a confident and slightly cocky attitude, great in bed. He’s the daydream people conjure up. He’s generous with his money, treats his employees well, calls his mom, and values enthusiastic consent. And most of all, he would never mess around with a married woman. It’s against his moral code. But there’s just something about Amelia that makes her impossible to resist…
Quinton is the kind of guy who knows he’s sexy; he knows he can have anyone he wants. And he wants Amelia.
But Amelia is shy — she’s no model like Quinton’s friend Tierra — and she doesn’t think she compares to the women Quinton usually sleeps with. But she’s the first one to really grab his attention, to be his friend, even. And that is what makes this relationship deliciously compelling, with a slow-burn romance that makes you want to flip ahead a few pages, just to get a sneak peek at when they finally give in to their desires.
One weekend aboard Quinton’s yacht when Eric is out of town, accompanied by friends who treat Amelia with unexpected kindness, is all it takes. Temptation and desire reach a breaking point when Amelia realizes she deserves to follow her heart and find out what it’s like to have her deepest desires fulfilled.
Erotic Romance with Complex Themes
At the center of the novel, interspersed with dozens of steamy, open-door sex scenes, is a story about finding passion again and giving yourself a chance to accept the love you deserve. We see the reality of how easy it is to be trapped and suffocated in an abusive relationship, and how impossible it is to leave, even when you know it’s the right thing.
Doing the right thing — remaining faithful, not cheating, and not getting involved with a married woman — is the thin line these carefully crafted characters walk. Quinton and Amelia are balancing their need to make a moral decision with the uncontrollable lust and desire they feel for one another.
Through it all, Amelia re-discovers herself. The Amelia that has been smothered in a decade of marriage is reignited by one handsome billionaire with an expensive, fast-paced lifestyle and a soft spot for sapphire eyes. But is passion enough to keep a relationship afloat? And what will the repercussions be for giving in to their desires? We’ll have to wait for book two, Forever Captivated, to find out.
To learn more about Jessica Rooker, check out BookTrib’s August Book Club Selections and this interview with the author.
About Jessica Rooker:
Jessica Rooker lives in a small town in Northeast Georgia on 30 acres. She enjoys writing titillating romance novels with erotic intimacy and alpha-male protagonists. She received her Bachelor of Arts in pre-law and an Associate’s in paralegal studies. During college she took elective courses in journalism and creative writing. Captivated is her first published novel.
Publish Date: 4/30/2023
Genre: Romance
Author: Jessica Rooker
Page Count: 547 pages
Publisher: JCPublishing LLC
ISBN: 9781961101012
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