Crazies R Us Book Blog: Elizabeth's Review~ The Raven Room~ Ana Medeiros~ Contemporary Romance

~4 Mysterious Stars~

"It's dark. Warm. Sounds of pleasure, sounds of pain, echo around me and I close my eyes. The air in here is different from anywhere else. Here is where I come to forget. To let go. Here is where I come to be alive."

The Raven Room is a contemporary blend of mystery, romance, kink, and passion. The hero is quite damaged and seeks fulfillment in some very dark places!

Julian is a well educated child psychologist. He appears to have everything together. And yet, Julian has dark desires that he explores in The Raven Room a secret sex club nestled in the bustling city of Chicago. In addition to his frequent trips to the club, he has fallen into a comfortable sexual relationship with a young journalism major named Meredith.

"There were no demands or expectations. Their time together was fun, passionate, and carefree. Just what he needed. To Julian, that made her the perfect lover."

Meredith enjoys sex with Julian and yet, she has an even deeper desire to excel in her career. She hopes to use her relationship with Julian to investigate the secret sex club and write an expose' that will give her notoriety in the journalism world.

"The Raven Room draws the most powerful people in the city and I'm going to write a piece about it and one of its members."

The Raven Room's patrons are among Chicago's elite and they are able to "play" under the mask of anonymity. However when a dead body is discovered, questions are asked and the patrons of the Raven Room are all suspects! While Julian is thrust into the middle of the investigation he becomes enraptured by a young girl he met at the club named Alana.

"In that moment Julian knew he wanted her."

"You're a man easy to fall in love with but a hard one to love."

Told in multiple POV, The Raven Room is full of intrigue and mystery. With an undertone of "sexy kink" and a heavy dosage of emotional turmoil, the characters undergo extreme transformation. I found particularly drawn to Julian as he is such a emotionally driven individual. Additionally, I was quite intrigued with Meredith and her tenacity. Alana is still a bit of a mystery to me. As a reader, I wasn't able to identify a central couple in this book. In my opinion, this book is focused on Julian. Although Meredith and Alana play a critical role in the story, for me, it was unclear who Julian should ultimately end up with. I wouldn't identify this read as having a love triangle per say. However, the dynamics are unstable as the plot continues to develop. Ms. Medeiros has created a unique plot line with intriguing characters. What is most appealing to this read is the alluring setting of the Raven Room and the mysteries that are hidden behind those closed doors!

"The Raven Room gives everything. Takes everything. It will do the same to both of us."

Overall, The Raven Room was an enjoyable read. I felt like the central plot could have been a bit more streamlined however, I anticipate the questions that I have will be answered in the next installment of the series. I look forward to seeing how this story progresses. If you are a fan of murder/mystery books (and you don't mind a touch of the "dark and sexy genre") then this is the read for you! I can only hope for a HEA for Julian, Meredith, and Alana! Until then, my kindle will be waiting!