ARC Review: The Anatomy of Us (WJM, #2) by Amelia LeFay

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Review

4 stars!

I absolutely adored The Anatomy of Jane, and after that brutal cliffy I have been desperate for this book, and the moment it landed on my kindle I dropped everything to read it, and I was not disappointed!

The first book saw Jane Chapman, a feisty woman with a difficult past, enter the lives of Maxwell Emerson and Wesley Uhler. Max is a well-respected news anchor and Wesley is a world-renowned chef – both semi-celebrities, they are in a committed, though secret, relationship. When Jane begins working as a maid for Maxwell, she sees the men together and it’s not too long before she is invited to the join them, setting the stage for hot-as-hell sex, soul-deep friendship and life-changing love.

This book starts off starts off with a few surprises and honestly had my heart hurting as I waited to get resolution to all of the questions I was left from the end of the first book. Our beloved characters have each been through a lot and things between them are not what they once were, but this book is a journey of them finding their way back to what they had, and not only that, but making it better.

“I miss how we were before,” she whispered…
“We all do,” he replied, “so let’s stop missing it and create it again.”

Menage relationships always intrigue me. Apart from the hotter than hell sex scenes, it’s the dynamic between the trio that interests me, and Amelia LeFay has done a wonderful job in exploring that. Like the first, this book is written in the POV of each of the characters and we see their personal feelings about what their relationship is and what it means, but there are also the realistic issues of public perception, the taboo nature of their relationship, and the impact that it has on them and their loved ones. And it all felt so realistic. I could understand the characters’ concerns, and I completely empathised with all that they were going through.

There’s a significant dynamic shift in this book that I absolutely loved! The changes in Jane, Wes, and particularly Max, are really well explored, and the resulting change in their relationship is beautifully written as they work through everything that is between them and readjust to all that that means, finding their way forward together.

Spoiler
And I absolutely LOVE that Max is the driving force behind all of it!

“I’m stubborn and patient, I’ll chase after you both. I’ll drive a hundred miles an hour in the rain to welcome you back. I spent years pushing myself, killing myself, just so I can stand next to you both. Because…I love you…both of you.”

SQUEE!!!!!!

But it’s not all deep and emotional all of the time. There’s a lot of lightness and humour, and some fantastic banter. I love Wesley’s cockiness and teasing, Max’s dry wit, and Jane’s strength and sass. Their inner monologues are wildly entertaining, and they bounce off each other beautifully.

“It’s so hard being handsome, isn’t it?” I mocked him.
But he nodded and shrugged. “Sometimes I ask God why, but then I realize someone has to show the world the perfect male specimen. Why not me?”

And of course, there is the sex. Oh holy damn this book is SO freaking hot! Hotter than the first, with a whole lot of dirty talk, even dirtier sex and some kink. The connection that is shared between these characters absolutely sizzles off the page, and it’s made even more significant by the emotional bond between them which is evident in each and every interaction. Yes, they are all insatiable and open to pretty much anything in the bedroom (and anywhere else they feel the need to get it on), but the love between them is a big part of their physical relationship and the two aspects were really well blended. But seriously… a fan or a squirty bottle of cold water may be necessary while reading.

“It might not work for everyone. But for us, we’re at our best when our clothes are off.”

I loved this book. Jane, Wes and Max’s story is a beautiful one, and I loved seeing them in this new stage of their relationship. The side characters from the first book all make an appearance, as well as some new additions, and I loved their involvement and the way they impacted on the story. There’s a bit of a dramatic plotline towards the end of the book which sort of came out of nowhere, but does provide some additional intensity and it works for the overall plot. But for me, this book was all about the love story and that was done beautifully. I loved entering Jane, Wes and Max’s world, and happily lost myself in everything that they are together.

“It’s okay to be happy. You are allowed to be happy, for you to ask for what you want, to demand what you want from your life. It’s okay for you to be there with sexy thing one and two. You deserve whatever you want, and if you want them, and they want you, that’s okay. Don’t overthink it.”

A wonderful finish to the story. 4 stars.

An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author.

 

The WJM Duet

The Anatomy of Jane  the-anatomy-of-us

The Anatomy of Jane (#1)
Review
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The Anatomy of Us (#2)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

 

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