Easter’s Lilly by Judy Serrano

Book Title: Easter’s Lilly
Author: Judy Serrano
Release Date: December 16, 2010
Genre: Thriller, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Thriller
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Presented by: As You Wish Tours
Banner Made by: Camelia Miron Skiba

BLURB

It was Easter Sunday; the day Lilly’s life went from safe and comfortable to dangerously unfamiliar. Her transformation takes her from a small town girl having an affair with a low ranked gangster in the Montiago crime syndicate, to a woman of grace and fortitude married to the head of the organization. Easter’s Lilly is an inspired journey from the idyllic to the darker side of self-discovery. Read as the over-privileged brothers embark on their journey that twists and turns down the road of unbridled passion in this first book of the series.

EXCERPT

He stood up to button up his shirt. He was a little shorter than Diego but not by much. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of the well-maintained six-pack on his stomach that was exposed when he stood. He watched me watch him intently. Our eyes were locked and I couldn’t pull away. I couldn’t help but wonder if Diego looked like that under his shirt. “Yes,” he said as though he was reading my thoughts. “Diego looks something like this too.”
I could see Diego smile and look at us peripherally. “Mine is better,” he said and laughed a little. I was so embarrassed that I was busted.
“When are you going to show her what you’ve got?” Max asked him. I was starting to get a little nervous.
“That’s not part of the deal,” he answered. “I told her I’d take care of her. And I will.”
“Can I have her?” Max asked. I think he was kidding.
Diego looked at him with a silly smirk on his face. “No, you can’t have her. She’s not a Barbie doll.”
“Well, someone’s got to have her, why can’t it be me?”
“She’ll be my wife, Max, keep that in mind.” He was still smiling.
“Can I take her out and play with her once in a while?” He finished buttoning his shirt, still staring at me. I knew my face had to be red by now.
“Forgive my brother,” Diego answered. “He’s a little… quirky sometimes.” Then he looked at Max and said, “Clothes on at all times, got it?”
Max saluted him, “Clothes on… got it.” They both laughed and Diego shook his head in comedic disbelief. Then Max said something disconcerting. “You may change your mind later right? And… well… you know.”
Diego walked over to me and kissed my hand. “I promise, you’ll be safe here.” He left the two of us alone, still shaking his head as he walked out the door, muttering something in Spanish. I looked at Max and he went back to playing with his calculator. I tried to break the tension in the air. “What do you do, Max?” I asked.
“Unspeakable things, Lilly, unspeakable things.” He still did not look up. “But I like my new job. It sounds like it could be fun. Follow me, I’ll help you get settled.” He took my bags and we climbed a flight of stairs. He pointed out Diego’s room and mine was two doors down. “Mine is next to yours.” He smiled. “You know, in case you get scared or just need something.” I could tell he was embarrassed that I might have thought he was hitting on me for real this time. He was very sweet and I think under that entire ‘bad boy’ image, a little shy. His humor was obviously what he used to cover up that fact. He brought in my bags and quickly got out of the room. “If you need me, I’ll be downstairs,” he said. “One more rule.” He looked at me quite seriously.
“Yes Max, anything,” I answered.
“You’re not allowed to be afraid of me. I’m here to keep you safe. If you need me, you find me.” He handed me a radio. “Push this button and call me. It’s quick and easy. Like Johnny,” he continued.
I made a face.
“I was just making a joke,” he said. “Sorry… too soon.” I walked over to him, hugged him and kissed his cheek. He backed away. “Thank you.” I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. “I’m all alone now, you know.”
He took both my hands and brought them up to his lips. He kissed them but never took his eyes off of mine. “You’ll never be alone again,” he said, softly after releasing my hands. Then he walked off.

AUTHOR BIO
Judy Serrano graduated from Texas A&M University, Commerce with a BA in English. She is a substitute teacher at her children’s school district and teaches developmental writing at a local college. She is also a freelance writer for certain on-line periodicals. She is the author of The Easter’s Lilly Series, which falls under romantic suspense, and The Linked Series, which is paranormal romance. Although she is originally from New York, she currently resides in Texas with her husband, four children, (all boys) and five dogs. She is also a singer/songwriter in her spare time.

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My Review:

I found Easter’s Lilly to be a compelling story between a young woman and three very bad boys.  Lilly, the daughter of a local police chief, was a very naive 23 year old who fell for Johnny, a local druggie and dealer.  Through a series of events she’s thrust into the dark violent world of a drug cartel.  She experiences so many losses and hardships even though she’s materialistically got the world at her fingertips.

I loved the twists and turns in the plot.  It’s intricate and fast pace, never a dull moment. The most interesting parts of the story for me was the relationships she develops with Max, Diego, and Hector.  Three very hot latino men.   Once you start reading Easter’s Lilly you won’t be able to put it down.  I blinked and I was on chapter 12. You just can’t stop!

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