WOW - What a book. C.C. Morian is remarkably insightful when it comes to characters.
The Vixen is the prequel to two other books in this Allure of the Vixen series: The Husband and The Lover.
If you have read any of the books in this series, you will know that Joanne is a very sensual lover with varied interests. She has a unique set of “rules” for managing her lovers and her husband. In previous books, we didn’t learn why she has these rules, or why she holds so firmly to them.
This book – The Vixen – shows Joanne as she is, and what she thinks. It also shows the events and characters that helped her become who she is. And it goes a long way in explaining why she is the way she is.
It is a thoughtful, exciting and insightful exploration of one woman’s character and how that character developed. It’s also a good exploration of other characters, illustrating how varied people are in their interests and appetites.
There are a number of books published today that explore how individuals, in marriage “self-actualize”. In these books (and well highlighted in a book entitled “The All or Nothing Marriage” by Eli J Finkel), there are thoughtful discussions and analyses of how one can be true to oneself while at the same time being true to a partner(s). The Vixen is not a cliff-hanger, yet at the end of this book, Joanne is faced with the dilemma of how to continue to be true to herself while she is drawn to her eventual husband Phillip.
In some of this author’s books, reviewers have felt the stories developed too slowly. That’s certainly not the case with this book - it jumps right in with both feet.
This is Joanne’s story. Given that the other two books are not from Joanne’s point of view and she has been an enigma, this book fills in important elements of the follow-on stories.
For me to give a top rating, a book has got to be well written, have excellent character development, be insightful (leaving me with things to think about) and have a good story. This book is so exceptionally strong in these areas, I can’t help but give it a solid 5 stars. And of course, the sex is HOT!
I hope you enjoy it. Once I let the intensity of this book settle out, I look forward to reading it again at a more leisurely pace.
Note: an Epilogue is available from the author by signing up at her website. It’s a continuation of the story of The Vixen and is a great tie-in to The Husband. It examines the angst Joanne feels, being torn between Love and, as she describes it, Chemistry (sexual attraction). In this Epilogue, Joanne puts herself in a make or break situation with Phillip. You will need to read The Husband to find out how Phillip deals with this situation and how he becomes The Husband.