One More Time Is Not Enough
The Only One, #3
by Belle
Ami
Published by: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication date: July 13th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
From
The Book Junkie Reads . . . One More Time Is Not Enough (The Only One, #3) . . .
I got pulled in and intrigued by Adelia Lindstrom and her life as it was when we first meet her in this book. This for me was the first book of the series. I was a bit thrown off. I was expecting to be dumped in the middle of something already going on but that was not the case. I was fascinated and drawn in.
Adelia's life was just falling down around her. Divorce, custody battle, love triangle (okay maybe not this one), and to top it all off a damn serial killer. She stepped in a big pile for what reason she doesn't know.
I got hot passion, steamy delights, and wicked mystery. Why her? Why now? Who will she chose? How will it all play out? Will there be a HEA for Adelia?
I got so much that I feel the need to start over and read the beginning books and then come back to this one.
Bella Ami gave me romance, suspense, characters with depth, and moments that sent me reeling. I will most certainly recommend the reading of this one.
BLURB
Adelia Lindstrom Bremen seems to
have it all: Wealth, beauty, perfect twin children, two men in love with her,
and a career she loves. But, beneath the veneer of success and prosperity lies
disappointment, tragedy, and unending lies. Her parents were murdered, her
marriage ended in a custody battle, and she is swept up in a love triangle. Now
she has discovered the existence of a half-sister who wants nothing to do with
her.
The only thing that could make
matters worse is if she were to become the target of a serial killer—that’s about to happen.
Previous books in the series:
When they
returned to the cliff house, it was late. Adelia suggested they take a Jacuzzi
and have a nightcap. While David changed into his swimsuit, she ordered a
bottle of champagne and fresh strawberries. By the time he finished in the
bathroom, she was in the hot tub, immersed in a cloud of steam, sipping
champagne and nibbling on fruit.
“Come on,
slowpoke, the water feels like heaven.” She eyed David’s muscled body. “The FBI
Academy seems to have agreed with you. You’re a treat for the eyes, Agent
Weiss.”
David
sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” He slipped into the water.
“I don’t
know. What are you going to do with me?” she goaded, handing him a glass of
champagne.
Enjoying
their playful repartee, she placed her feet in his lap. “This is bliss.” The
intimacy of the hot tub was having its desired effect, she could feel the
sexual tension mounting.
“You know
I’m not going to make love to you.”
“Really.”
She furrowed her brows annoyed. “Why not?”
“Because,
Adelia, even all of this”—he spread his arms wide—“ can’t make the reality of
our lives go away. You have an ex-husband who wants you back, children who’d be
better off with both their parents. I can’t compete with that.”
She could
sense his goading her into a confrontation. “You’re not going to spoil this
perfect evening. I won’t let you.”
“Do you
know what it’s going to be like for me, when this is over? Poor David, too bad
his girlfriend went back to her husband.”
“It’s not
true, you could stop it if you wanted to.”
“We’re
fighting destiny, Adelia.”
Doubt
plagued her, but it wasn’t within her power to stop what she was feeling. She
stood and placed her glass on the side table. With determination, she reached
out and took the champagne glass from him. Then, grabbing a strawberry, she sat
on his lap, facing him.
He
started to protest. “Adelia, stop . . .”
Without a
thought, she placed the strawberry seductively between her teeth and brought
her lips close to his.
He stared
into her eyes. “Please, don’t do this.”
“Why?
Don’t you like strawberries?” She could feel his erection beneath her bikini
bottom. “Or, is it just me you don’t care for?”
He
growled, then bit half of the strawberry off, his lips brushing hers. He tried
to pull away, but her arms encircled his neck, and she deepened the kiss.
“If you
keep this up . . . you might get more than you bargained for.”
“Is that
a threat or a promise?” she whispered, her lips inches from his.
“You’re
killing me.”
“Funny,
am I the only one here who knows what they want?”
“What I
want isn’t in question.”
“Oh, but
I think it is. If you were honest with yourself, you wouldn’t pull away. It’s
been such a perfect evening. What’s wrong with two people who care for each
other, exploring their feelings? I dare you to tell me you don’t want this.
That you don’t want me.”
“I’m
trying to protect you . . . me . . . both of us . . . from making a mistake.”
He smiled. “But you’re not cooperating. I don’t know how much more I can take.”
“Then
surrender and let me win. I’m a big girl. If this is a mistake, it’s my
mistake.” She pressed her lips on his, her tongue darting against his.
He rose
with her in his arms. “I won’t blame you for what’s about to happen. You know
how much I want you. I just hope we don’t live to regret it.”
He kissed
her with a lust that turned her blood to fire.
“No
regrets. I want this. Let’s take a shower,” she teased, kicking her legs
playfully in the air.
MY INTERVIEW WITH BELLE AMI
How
would you describe your style of writing to someone that has never read your
work?
I’ve been told that I have an innate sense of
timing and ability to build suspense in my writing. So… I try very hard to keep
the reader engaged and excited to turn the page and find out where the story is
going. I am particularly strong on character development. Because each
character has a life of their own, they often do the unexpected. Sometimes even
I am surprised by what they do and think.
What
mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in
general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?
“Writers write.” I live by this motto. If I’m
not writing I’m miserable. Nothing is more important to me than getting those
words on the page. I rarely have time for, as you call it, free writing. All of
my writing time is spent on my books. There just aren’t enough hours in a day,
or a night.
Do you
take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character
all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development?
Or do you build upon your character during story creation?
I always begin a book with a two to
three-page character profile. I want to know and understand my characters
completely before I put a word on the page. I usually have developed their
backstory, their motivations, their inspirations, their character flaws, their
physical attributes, their distastes and likes. However, characters change, and
far be it for me to put any barriers up that would limit their potential.
Stories are about characters overcoming obstacles. That’s what makes them human
and makes them compelling.
I’m a compulsive people watcher. I also have
a lifetime habit of making up stories about people I observe and their
relationship with the people they’re with. You’d be surprised at all the spies
and cheating husbands I’ve uncovered. It’s really a game I love to play.
I wrote a blog on how difficult it is to say
goodbye to characters. For instance, when a series ends. It’s so hard for me
that I ended up bringing back two of my characters from One More Time is Not Enough and using them in my second book of my
upcoming series The Tip of the Spear.
David Weiss and Cass Saladino are FBI agents and will play a prominent role in
this new series. The first book will be titled Escape and is in final edit now.
The second in the series, which I’m 5/8 done with will be titled Vengeance. I’m very excited about this
new series.
Have
you found yourself bonding with any particular character? If so which one(s)?
I bond with all of my characters, even my
serial killer in One More Time is Not Enough. It’s one of the reasons this
character who kills is so interesting. Notice I’m not revealing anything about
who this character is. I’d much rather you read to find out. A killer who is
not pure evil is always a tad more interesting.
I’ve bonded very strongly with my new
upcoming hero for my upcoming release, Escape.
Cyrus Hassani is a deep cover Mossad agent working at the highest pinnacle of
power in Iran. He’ll be forced to blow his cover in order to save Layla, an
American student who is kidnapped in Dubai.
Do you
have a character that you have been working on that you can’t wait to put to
paper?
I have a romantic comedy that I’m working on
that I’m going to write as a screenplay before writing as a book. I love my new
hero and heroine. This love story shares some common elements with The Notebook. I can’t wait to get
started on it. My hero is a Marine and the heroine is the love of his life.
Unfortunately, it will take twenty years for them to finally find a way to be
together.
Have
you ever felt that there was something inside of you that you couldn’t control?
If so what? If no what spurs you to reach for the unexperienced?
I’m a bit of a daredevil. I drive a fast car
pretty fast. I ski always on the edge, a little out of control. So allowing my
characters to live their lives at a dizzying pace is nothing new to me.
I got
this one from a friend. If you could have dinner with 7 fictional characters,
who would they be?
Ooh, that’s a tough one. I’m literally just
taking the first names that come to mind.
1. Rhett Butler for sure. God, was there ever a
man more appealing. A little bit devil, a little bit charmer, and one hundred
percent sexy. I think I’d rather skip dinner and head straight up the staircase
to the bedroom.
2.
Anne Rice’s Lestat de Lioncourt. Dinner with a vampire, oh dear that could
be trouble.
3.
Ian Fleming’s James Bond. How could I not
want to have dinner with the most seductive spy ever to grace a page.
4. Ayn Rand’s John Galt.
The ultimate non-conformist. That would be an inspiring meal.
5. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
Jay Gatsby. A girl’s gotta have dreams. I’d save his ass from the airhead Daisy
and let him know what a real woman is.
6. Lisbeth Salander from
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I love her anti-heroine character, her
independence and her ability to do the unexpected. She and I would get along
great.
7. László de Almásy the tragic hero of The English
Patient. A man who becomes completely obsessed with love.
Are
you sure you don’t want to know a few hundred more of the characters I wouldn’t
mind dining with?
Thank
you, Belle
I had a
great time with this one. Dinner guest one, two, three, five, and seven are a
must have. Having a few hundred more space would be great. Especially if we
wouldn’t need weeks to complete the meal.
Thanks
again,
The Book Junkie Reads . . .
Author Info
Belle Ami is an accomplished
pianist, world traveler, skier and gourmet cook. She lives in Calabasas, CA and
is currently finishing her sequel to The One entitled The One and More, the
second novel in her (The Only One) series. She also has a self-published novel
in another genre that was awarded Finalist for a major book reward.
Author Links:
