GRR Reviews Sunset Thunder (Caliendo Resort) by Shannyn Leah

Sunset Thunder is about a woman who thought she couldn't love again, vs. a man who wanted her for a long time. However, the ending made absolutely no sense whatsoever. The motivation for the nemesis is mud. I initially wanted to rate this higher but ended up giving it average.

Violet Caliendo is the wedding coordinator for Willow's Valley's five-star Caliendo Resort, and she puts on perfect events no matter what, that she's known as the "Ice Queen". However, her latest wedding to coordinate was her ex marrying someone else... Even if it's an ex she no longer loved, but got pregnant with. Despondent in private, Violet fell for the suave charms of Ryder Carlex, a well-known womanizer, and her ex's best man. She figured she just needed it one time, to get it out of her system. She hadn't had someone for years... But Ryder wanted Violet for a long time... Not that he'd ever get between his friend and wife... But Violet's single now, and available. Ryder and Violet got into a torrid relationship, but he has his own dark secrets to keep. And Violet's one indiscretion would come back to haunt her in a way she never imagined... Will their (lack of) trust doom their relationship?

The ending left me exasperated as in "what was the author thinking? This made absolutely no f***ing sense!"

SPOILER

ALERT

I WARNED YOU!

Couple years ago, Violet fell for Joel the rebel, but Joel's really after her family fortune. Joel got Violet pregnant. Violet's father paid off Joel's debts with one proviso: marry Violet, because the kids will not be born as bastards. On the night before the wedding, Violet realized she was stupid but the wedding must go forward. In a drunken haze, violent had a one-night stand with Ryder... and Joel somehow got video of them bonking.

In the present day, Violet divorced Joel and is having a fling with Ryder even as Joel is about to marry someone else. Suddenly, Joel blackmailed Violet... "break up with Ryder, or I'll release this tape of you f***ing him just before our wedding night". Violet can't let her family business be shamed, so she puts on a brave face and broke up with Ryder, and Ryder, having figured out what Joel did, confronted Joel, and Joel just basically handed over the footage without a struggle. The end.

WTF?! What's Joel's motivation for this? This is a LAME villain who's ONLY around to mess with the hero/heroine, for no particular reason!

Add to some bits about her mom and uncle knowing something (and did nothing), the dead daddy always manipulating people, even after he's dead, I honestly can't tell whether it's redemption or douchebaggery. At least the slow seductions made up for some of it. I really was tempted to rate this a 2/5 for a while.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Hotel heiress and even planner fell for the best man who wanted her, but her evil ex (who's getting married) has evil plans...

Overall Rating: 3/5

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