Successful blues singer Ailana "Lana" Rodriguez has accompanied her
friend and personal assistant, Melanie, on a vacation to Waikiki.
Melanie is weathering a very acrimonious divorce and as much as
Lana hates the island, (that was once her home) she wasn't about to
let her friend go alone. Melanie books a surfing lesson for the two
of them and when the instructor for the school is unfashionably
late, Lana (not known for patience) goes to seek him out. She finds
their instructor, whom she later discovers is Jason Koa, in a very
compromising position with a young blonde tourist. After a terse
exchange where sparks fly between Lana and Jason, he does meet his
commitment and give the women a surfing lesson. Lana had herself
well camouflaged to avoid recognition, however in order to take the
lesson she has to remove her big hat and cover-up. It is at this
point that Jason discovers she is the famous blues singer whose
music he has enjoyed for years.
Lana Rodriguez is a complex heroine. She is beautiful, sexy, has a
razor sharp tongue and while she keeps and outward appearance of
perfect calm, she is inwardly vulnerable and insecure doing battle
with many past demons. Lana is sexually experienced and has always
assumed the control with her past liaisons never allowing a man to
get too close. That is until Jason….
Jason "Jace" Koa, Olympian swimmer, surfing champion, local legend,
restaurateur and entrepreneur, lives on a luxury houseboat moored
in a private lagoon on the island. The setting is absolutely
breathtaking. Jace is strong minded and completely comfortable in
his own skin. He is secure and happy with his upbringing and very
involved with his large, tight knit extended family. Jace also
likes control and is a dominant in the bedroom. Jace has enjoyed
his pick of any female he has wanted over the years but has never
considered settling down or committing himself to one woman. Then
along comes the prickly and seemingly cold hearted Lana Rodriguez….
After admiring their 'surfing instructor', Melanie makes a joke
about enjoying some male 'companionship' while on the island. Lana
decides that is just what the doctor ordered and arranges for male
escorts for herself and her friend through what is supposed to be a
'reputable' agency that is known to be very discreet with respect
to its clientele's privacy.
Meanwhile, Jason is at his popular restaurant "Jace's" and his
cousin Ipo "Po" Koa, pays a visit. Po is a slimy little cretin who
just so happens to own "Hawaiian Nights", which is the same escort
service (and strip club) that Lana has called for her and Melanie's
'dates'. Po brags about a 'celebrity' booking an escort and Jason
puts two and two together. At first he tries to ignore his desire
to see Lana again, however, since the opportunity has presented
itself, he decides to approach Po with an offer to step in as her
'escort'.
When Lana opens her hotel room door to find her paid escort is none
other than the surfing instructor who she had words with earlier in
the day, surprise is an understatement to describe her reaction.
Jason will not be pushed around or patronized by Lana and she
quickly learns he isn't about to be controlled, in fact, it is
exactly the opposite.
Lana is a victim of childhood neglect and abuse and continues to
suffer the after effects of that trauma. I found her to be quite
fearful of the passion Jason arouses in her when he takes control
during their sensual encounter, but at the same time she
experiences a sense of awe at the magnitude of her response. In
reaction to these unaccustomed feelings she patronizes Jason and
pushes him away and he leaves angry never expecting to see her
again.
Jace Koa, simply ROCKS. He knows Lana is struggling with
relinquishing control to him, but certainly flourishes and
responds. Lana is not sexually naïve and despite allowing Jason to
take the reins, gives as good as she gets.
Jason is stunned when Lana chooses to seek him out and convinces
her to spend a night and a day with him, with the condition that
she follows, "his rules". These two are "volcanic" together and the
narrative is laced, but not overburdened with what I have come to
know as Ms. Kery's signature emotional, sexually charged love
scenes.
I also enjoyed some of the dry wit incorporated in the dialogue,
both of these characters manage to slip some pretty good "shots"
that had me snickering and laughing out loud.
There are a number of great supporting characters which all have a
small role in Lana and Jace's story. Especially memorable is Lily
Koa, the grand matriarch of the family who lays eyes on Lana and
reveals startling information about her past which leads to an
emotional climax.
"Her Island, His Rules." With Jason's strength, nurturing and
eventual love, Lana comes to accept both him and her island, and as
a reader, I was happy she did.