Dirty English by Isla Madden-Mills

I love a standalone book, knowing that I am going to get a resolution at the end and working my way towards whatever that resolution might be is tantalising.

But with Ilsa Madden-Mills there is no gentle meander, so slow saunter towards an easily anticipated conclusion, no she hits you straight between the eyes with a book that has me scratching around for superlatives.

I was gasping by the time I had finished the prologue, furious at what Elizabeth had been through I was itching to see her find her way, I almost felt a need to will her to fight against letting those events define her.

But it is those events that shape the woman she becomes, which in turn shapes the life she leads and because of her all of that comes to bear on the deliciously devilish Declan.

I adore the fact that this has a Brit bad boy, there and not enough of them in my opinion and Declan can keep up with the rest of the broody alpha males that the genre bring to the table.

Declan has a whole lot of angst going on, but that isn’t what drew me to him, I loved his character, he was just so strong, so forthright and just so damn moody…just so Declan!

But could this bad boy of the ring be tamed? Or was Elizabeth always on a hiding to nothing?

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of the two of them, I didn’t get the feeling that they stood a cat in hell’s chance of finding a way to be together, they fought so much it was almost as easy as drawing breath to the pair of them.

They were opposite ends of the spectrum but isn’t there a saying about opposites attracting? Well, what do you know – they are right because as hard as they seem to try to pull each other apart, they are only ever complete when they are together.

I will hold my hands up now – this pair brought a smile to my face!

The story flipped along at a nippy pace and I think this is to its credit, it didn’t hang around.

This is not a smooth and easy story, the path to being together is fraught with obstacles that have to be overcome, not only together but as individuals. The story had all manner of emotions packed between the pages and at times it was almost an sensory overload, I had to take a few seconds away from the screen in order to be able to absorb what was happening.

An in depth look at the evolution of two characters which not only barrage of difficulties but a wealth of experience shaping their futures, the author built creatively complex personalities but with a hint of sass.

A little twist from the norm, I have to say that reading this was a joy.