Into My Arms by Lia Riley

The Basics:
Into My Arms by Lia Riley
Forever Yours
New Adult, Romance
An Off the Map novella
Published September 8, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon Kobo Goodreads 

Why I picked up this book:

I really enjoyed the Off the Map series, and really wanted to know how the secondary characters fared in love. Also, apparently I missed the first novella, which I will go correct shortly.

Blurb:

"You're here because I want to touch you."

Beth Jacobs spends her days slogging away in a corporate "fish bowl," as the hard-working assistant for one of North America's youngest dot-com billionaires. Aleksander "Z" Zavtra is the definition of dark and dangerous with a sexy Eastern European snarl. He's also ruthless. Curt. Exacting. An infuriating man she loves to hate. While Beth hardly sees him, it's as if he's always watching her . . . 

Z doesn't do romance. But he never expected to be captivated by a whip-smart, fiery assistant who just so happens to share an uncanny resemblance to the beautiful face that haunts his dreams. He craves Beth. He wants to stroke her skin, to feel her heat beneath him. And what Z wants, he gets. And for one weekend, the lines between employer and employee are blurred as Z and Beth give themselves completely to the dark pleasures they've both been dreaming about.

My Thoughts:

The Off the Map series is one of my favourite New Adult series. I loved the first book in the series, Upside Down, and really enjoyed the two follow-ups. When I realized that Riley was writing novellas to address the romantic futures of Talia's best friends, Sunny and Beth, I was immediately on board. And then I found out I missed Sunny's story somehow, and I was sad.

But Beth!  Beth is working in a very weird situation. Her boss, Z, never meets her in person. She works as his secretary, from a desk that's under surveillance. He's demanding, and infuriating, but distant. She needs the job, and has the patience to cope with Z's eccentricity.

Until one night, he caves and invites her out, wanting to see if he can overcome his aversion to physical contact.

I really wanted to love this novella--which probably tells you everything you need to know. There's definitely some sexy bits, and one of the things I love about Beth is that she's got a confident body image.

But.

Because Z and Beth's relationship before the story begins occurs only through online and telecommunications, I found myself really wanting to know what their relationship would look like once they'd crossed that barrier. There were so many radical changes that would have to take place, I wanted to--needed to see them after they transitioned into coupledom, to believe in a happily ever after (or a happy for now) ending.

As much as it was awesome to see them get together, that wasn't enough of their story to satisfy me.

Bottom line:

Into My Arms is a pretty good New Adult romance novella. While you don't have to have read the rest of the series first, obviously you'll be more invested if you have.  I recommend this, but I want a follow-up!

4 stars
For fans of contemporary romance, steamy novellas, obscenely wealthy men

Please link up your reviews of Into My Arms in the comments below! I love to see what other people think of the books I've read/am reading!