The Terms: Part One (The Terms Duet)

The Terms: Part One is told from dual POVs: our heroine, Camilla and our hero, Ellis. I went back and forth between loving and hating these two, both as individuals and as a couple. Blackmail, romance, and light BDSM are all included in this book. Camilla has secrets, some of which are even fuzzy for her. Ellis is haunted by a memory that makes no sense to him. These two are working to figure out their own memories as well as the relationship forming between them. The story ends in a cliffhanger.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. I absolutely love this book. It really pulls you in from the beginning. Camilla and Ellis are wonderful. The chemistry between them is obvious from the beginning. Even though there are terms they both agree to. Yes there are secrets each is keeping from the other. That doesn’t take away from how hey feel about one another as time passes. This is the kind of story you don’t want to put down until you finish it. That being said it will leave you at the edge of your seat waiting or the second part because as you are aware of this is only part one of the story of Camilla and Ellis. The supporting characters in this story help to make it great. They are ones you love, like Camilla’s son, Liam. Ones that your heart weeps for like her sister. And of course ones that irritate you, such as Christopher and Rusty. All characters make for a wonderful and at sometimes emotional read. That said don’t miss this absolutely great read by Ruby Rowe!! Looking forward to the continuation of Camilla and Ellis’ story!!

Wow, this book is an absolute gem! Way to go Ruby Rowe with this intriguing BDSM romance that will have you on the edge of your seat! This suspenseful story was well done; it pulled me in and held my attention from the beginning and did not let go. When reading the story, it may make you feel sad, confused, appalled, and even euphoric. I was enthralled with the characters of Camilla Rose and Ellis Burke. Camilla has a past that is about to catch up with her especially when Ellis finds out that her son is his deceased brother’s son—that she never told him about. Ellis is handsome, wealthy, and a hacker by trade and he can find out anything. Now, Camilla will pay a price for her deceit to Ellis’ brother. The drama is riveting and emotional that it will keep you wondering what actually happened to Ellis’ brother—how did he die and did Camilla cause his death? Why does Ellis want Camilla to pay for her deceit to his brother and what will Ellis do to Camilla? There are several twists and turns within the story that makes it interesting—it caught me off guard and there was a surprise I never saw coming! The scenes are well written, fast-paced and flow smoothly from one scene to the next. The book will pique your interest and draw you in from the beginning to the very end. So do yourself a favor and buy this book, you will not be disappointed.

This story was an okay read for me. I liked the characters in the story; Camilla, Ellis, Liam, Irene, Greyson and Em. However, Christopher is too jealous for my liking and Sasha needed to get herself together. Ellis and Camilla’s attraction to each other was instant and they have history however brief, even if Ellis doesn’t remember it yet. The scenes between Camilla and Ellis were steamy and Ellis does give us a softer side when he decides to let his guard down. I really enjoyed his character when it came to Liam. This story has a bit of suspense, mystery, jealousy, steamy scenes, and well kept secrets. The thing that bothered me most about this story was the flow. I felt as if the flow of the story was just too slow and it made the story drag and a little boring at times. If I didn’t already have the second book, I don’t think I would have went out and purchased it. However, I will read it because I already own it. This wasn’t a bad story, it just moved at a slow pace and it wasn’t as great as I thought it would be.

First off let me just say this is by far my top read of this year so far! I was so enthralled with it I just couldn’t put it down! It pulled me in from the beginning and didn’t let me go til the last page was finished.

In The Terms: Part One, Camilla and Ellis have a story I defiantly didn’t see myself falling in love with as quickly as I did. This was my first book by Ruby Rowe and I am so drawn to her writing after reading this 1st half of The Terms duet, that I just can’t wait for more of her writing in this series as well as what she has next. When elements of BDSM are brought into a book I typically love it, but reading the blurb about Camilla being forced to be his submissive made me a little nervous about what was to come between them. How it would transpire; would she be forced; etc. Well, all my hesitations about this book were disintegrated within a few chapters! Her writing captivated me and forced me to not look away until I was done.

The premise of the story is that Camilla has a young son by Ellis’s recently deceased brother. Once Ellis finds out about the young child he forces Camilla into a relationship with him as well as he makes her and her son move in with him. There are many secrets she is keeping from Ellis from the beginning, and he has a few of his own as well. As things begin to unfold between them and the secrets begin to emerge, they threaten to tear them apart. Ruby has packed so much angst into this book as well as twist after twist that finishes up in a cliff hanger that will make you beg her for the 2nd book now!

But Ruby doesn’t stop there. She adds in so many supporting characters to the book that could always spin off into their own stories if she ever wanted too. She made me interested to know their stories as well as Camilla and Ellis’. That typically doesn’t happen in most romance novels. I am typically in tunnel vision just focusing on the main characters that the others are just that to me, “others”. Two of the main supporting roles I can’t wait to see more of and get more backstory on is Camilla’s sister Sasha, and Ellis’ cousin Greyson. Both have a lot of backstory going on and Sasha in particular has had a hard life and is keeping secrets with Camilla. Some of them were exposed in the first book, but I feel like there is al ot more to come in Part 2 with some of these characters. If not I do see spin-offs later to give us more! I love that these characters were able to hold my interest as well and I didn’t do the typically scroll til the next steamy scene!

Throw in a twist or two, some angst, lots of romance, and a mystery behind it all, and you get a well written and put together story of two people who were really destined to be together; even if it was in a very unusual way to begin with. Great job Ruby and I wholeheartedly can’t wait for more!

Camilla thinks perhaps she should have told Tony that Liam was he’s son before he died but it wasn’t the type of life she wanted for her son, but when leaving a picture in Tony’s casket, even though her friend Christopher told her not to, she meets his brother Ellis, and hopes he doesn’t remember her.
Heading to home from work she’s surprised when she leaves to hear Ellis call her by her real name, finding out that he can have Liam taken away from her and wants them to live with her, and only gives her two weeks.
When Ellis explains that he hasn’t found someone he wants a future with, but he will provide for her and Liam in exchange for sexual needs, although shocked Camilla is even more shocked when he tells her he wants her to be his submissive, Camilla tells him anything but that, she can’t, Ellis calls her a liar and tells her how her body reacts to him.
After clearing the air about some things between them, Camilla and Ellis become closer. Although Camilla is hoping that Ellis doesn’t remember her from the one night long ago when they were both drugged.
Camilla and Ellis work though a lot of issues and lies, their trust has to be earned and when you start to think that the trust and bond between them is there, after helping get Camilla’s sister into rehab, Ellis receives a visitor that tells him something that could change everything.

Full disclosure, I was honestly not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. As soon as I started reading it, I fell in love with the characters and I could not put it down. I finished this book in a matter of a few hours because it was just that good. I was pleasantly surprised.

I was worried that the story line would have either been to strange for me to handle, or the book would revolve solely on the sex. Which, as it turned out, neither was the case. The story line was incredible, the sex was not the sole purpose of the book, and the characters were very easy to relate to and to fall in love with.

I absolutely love how these two seem to be tested time and time again and yet they still manage to get through it all together. I can only hope that, after that MASSIVE cliffhanger, they can still get through their current predicament and move forward.

I am fairly certain that I have figured out a few things, on my own, that I hope will be explained in the next book. But that’s okay, this book is so amazingly well written that it’s entertaining none the less! If I could give this book more than five stars, I totally would, but it seems like 5 is my limit.

Can not wait until the next book! SO EXCITED!