Book Sojourner: (Adult) Review: After Dark by M Pierce

After Dark by M. Pierce

(Night Owl #3)

March 24, 2015

Genre: Adult Erotica, Contemporary Romance 18+

Contains: Very explicit sex and mature language

Source: eARC for Honest review

In the final novel of the Night Owl Trilogy from bestselling author M. Pierce, can a passion that has withstood many ordeals become a love strong enough to last a lifetime?

At twenty-nine, Matt Sky is trying to return to normal, having faked his death and come back to life. He and Hannah move to a simple house in the suburbs, and strive to grow their relationship into something durable and honest. They become more and more entangled, in the best ways possible.

At twenty-eight, Hannah finally has the life she's always wanted: she's pursuing her career as a literary agent at Granite Wing Agency, she is writing her first solo novel, and she is living with her hot, passionate lover. For the first time, Matt and Hannah are able to explore intimacy without inhibitions—without lies, secrets, or jealousy—and the results are explosive.

Still life together is not as easy as it seems. Matt is estranged from his brothers in the wake of his cruel stunt; Seth Sky, embittered by his failed pursuit of Hannah, makes a play for Hannah's sister; and the topic of Hannah's novel—her relationship with Matt and the Sky family—is driving a wedge between her and Matt. The lovers are devoted to one another, having come through many ordeals, but is their bond strong enough to last a lifetime?

'After Dark' picks up right where 'Last Light' left off. Well, it doesn't take long for Matt and Hannah to start giving me whiplash. This couple, I tell ya, they are so sweet one moment, so sexy another, and so secretive and screwed up the next. Perhaps that is their appeal. Because entering this third book, even when the scenes start to take an unpleasant turn (in my opinion), I can't seem to look away.

I'd hoped the whiplash and the secrets would chill out eventually, but... well. Now the things I've liked about Matt and Hannah started to get a bit tiresome here. Don't get me wrong. Matt and Hannah still have an appeal about them that is mesmerizing. They continue to have the intense sexuality about them that we have come to expect, taking even more risks here. A healthy combination of wake-up, make-up, and shake-it-up sex. But with the forward momentum of their relationship there also seems to be a regression in their maturity. The secrets, the enabling, the ignoring. These two had a lot of work ahead of them.

This story is also about more than just Matt and Hannah. Other family members have things going on, that may or may not affect Matt and Hannah. I thought the author took interesting risks and created a storyline that had twists and turns that kept me wondering how it all would end. One character, however, I was really upset about how they were treated. There was such an imbalance of how this person was treated compared to others and I felt like this person was just never given a fair shot or a chance. Matt's childish actions overshadowed this person and I was left dissatisfied and disappointed with this segment of the storyline. Though I will say the epilogue tried to balance things out and find redemption for the characters and I liked that hope was gained in the end.

Overall, I found 'After Dark' an engaging read and I was engrossed in the conclusion of Matt and Hannah's story. While Matt and Hannah drove me crazy frequently, I liked them as a couple, and felt invested in their somewhat neurotic romance. Though I did not like all the choices made here, I was still gripped by the story, and happy with where they were at in the end. And I still like Pierce as a writer and feel he really brings a unique voice to his characters and to this trilogy. I look forward to more from him in the future.