The Ultimate Risk by Chantelle Shaw

Published: June 21st 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Pages: 192
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Finished: 06 November 2011

Blurb from Goodreads

For better…or for worse?
When she sees Lanzo di Cosimo again after ten years, Gina Bailey's pulse races at the memories of their heady affair—a time when life seemed perfect.

Now she is far from being the carefree innocent she was before. Since married and abused by her ex-husband, and with her dreams of a family dashed, she's built up barriers around her heart.

But Lanzo's sweet caress implies that he wants Gina for the long term. Can she afford to surrender in the hope that he might protect her, cherish her, for better or worse…?

My Rating

My Review

The reading of this book was an enjoyable experience for me. Though I wouldn’t say it was amazing, this book did bring me through several ranges of emotions and I loved it.

Now, pardon me if this review isn’t written well (as usual), I read this book quite a while back and I’m not sure whether I can remember all the intricacies. But from some notes that I scribbled down before that and whatever remnants of the book left in my memory, I will attempt to write the best review that I can do!

So, Gina and Lanzo the main characters of this book actually have a history. They met each other 10 years ago, when Gina was 18. They had a brief affair then all of a sudden, he called it off. Of course, she was hurt because she did love him. And even before I read towards the end, I knew that he was falling in love with her during that period. But after he left, they both got on with their lives. Finally, they met again, at a party I believe.

The sexual tension between them was impalpable right from the moment they laid eyes on each other. He couldn’t exactly place her, but she recognized him immediately. Of course, its revealed later that Gina changed a lot, and hence he couldn’t remember. So basically, she was in need of a job. He offered her a temp job as his PA was away on maternal leave. Having no choice, she accepted. I think you can see where this is leading.

Heh, without a doubt, they became attached and everything. She loved him deeply, but he refused to admit he loved her. For this simple reason. He believed he couldn’t ever love again, or rather, he stopped believing in love all together. But from his every action, I could tell that he did love her, he just refused to admit it.

Later she became pregnant. She told him, he got pissed, she left, he got worried, blah blah blah. I really liked it that she had the courage to leave him even when she was so in love with him! It couldn’t have been easy. Oh yes, since we’re on the topic of Gina, I would like to say I absolutely agree with her view on life. That even if one person ruined quite a lot of your life, there was still hope for a better future. In her own words, she said “I believe that just because something didn’t go the way you planned it once, it’s no reason not to try again.” And “Of course there’s a risk that that could happen, but what is the alternative? To never allow myself to get close to anyone ever again? Never know the joy of loving someone for fear that it could end up in tears? My heart might stay safe, but it wouldn’t be much of a life.” Those words that she said just made me completely admire her. Really, her take on life is very inspiring. And yes, very true. Even if things go wrong, it doesn’t mean we give up and stop trying! After she said that, I began to see her in a completely new light.

Gina is also a very courageous woman. She dared to tell Lanzo all those things about him even though she knew he would be extremely angry. But she did it because she loved him. She is an extremely strong woman. When you put together all the pieces of her past, you’ll see that no ordinary person could have lived through all those things and still say what she said earlier about life.

As I was reading the book, I remember hoping that he would be able to let go of the past. Because for as long as he held on to the past, he would never be able to move forward. He would always be trapped in the past. But the time he started to let go was when she gave birth. Let me tell you, that scene was the most beautiful scene ever. It showed how a cold, hard man could be softened so much by the sweet, innocent gaze of the baby and how love truly healed. I remember crying as I read that scene. It was the start of him starting to actually admit he loved her.

At the same time, I didn’t like it. I mean, its like without the baby, he probably wouldn’t have been able to let go, or be able to finally admit he loves her. I kinda dislike it when that happens as it makes the baby so crucial to the whole story, and I really rather focus on how the love between a couple can heal all wounds, be it big or small, past or new.

All in all, I really liked the book. It did show how love healed. Not only was the love between a couple a balm to the tortured soul, but the most innocent love of a baby could heal an emotionally injured man. I can’t say I loved it, why, I don’t really know. Its just a feeling I get, perhaps overall, the book just didn’t do it for me. Oh, and I loved how he confessed to her! It was so sweet! :) heh, I did enjoy the experience of reading this book and I liked how love was portrayed here.