From author's site:An appetite for sensual pleasures must never be denied. . . .
Lily Ellis has curves--soft, beautiful curves. The kind of voluptuous body she fears Travis Carson, the man she's always loved from afar, would never crave. But Lily is about to be proven wrong. Her sensual adventure begins when, despite her inhibitions, the demure San Francisco interior decorator agrees to model a plus-size dress for her fashion designer sister. Watching this sensual beauty move down the runway with mesmerizing power, Travis can't believe it's the same Lily he's always known and always rejected. In a whirlwind of electric attraction, Lily is soon moaning Travis's name in his bed, not just in her wild fantasies. But Lily is all too aware that she's nothing like his past lovers . . . and now that she has him close at last, she's praying Travis likes what he sees and feels. Determined to beat Travis at his own game by guarding her true feelings of love and lust, she spontaneously partners with him on a business deal that takes them all the way to Italy. In the seductive warmth of the Tuscan sun, Lily is about to unwrap her real self, and play a game of desire with the hot-blooded Travis. Will she be burned by an ecstasy that's so all-consuming it has her seeing stars? Or will Travis open his heart to the sexy, exciting, and lasting love she has to offer?
Review: Take Me reminds me of Fall of Troy and Full-Bodied Charmer both by Marylin Lee. This story took me from the gutter to the sky twirled me around and then let me fall flat on my ass. I'm not really sure I liked Lily or Travis. Travis proves to be a jackass throughout the novel. Lily never seems to be able to decide if she is gonna have a backbone or not. At a size 16, she doesn't seem overly large to me, but when Travis only dates women that are under a size 4 then I see the problem. Travis seems as obsessed with Lily's size as she is. At separate times they both worry about how his friends and coworkers will think of her size. Janica, her sister, and Luke, Travis's twin, seem to not really know her either. They both came off as equal parts enabling and patronizing of Lily. This is probably due to Travis's well earned reputation as a womanizer, his demeaning attitude towards women and his apparent dislike of Lily that he has had for her since he was ten. At thirty, he has spent the last twenty years antagonizing and flaunting women in front of Lily-all of them the opposite of her. Lily has watched him from afar and hid from life to not get hurt. I completely understand Lily's descriptions of being invisible, a little too much. This story is an emotional roller coaster. Lily has hid from life and has been sheltered by Luke and Janica as she had in turn comforted them through points in their lives when they needed her. Travis and Lily's relationship moves too fast and unless they work through issues that were not completely resolved enough for me, then I do not see a continued HEA. Italy was wonderfully described and makes me want to go. In the end, Lily should have took up one of the many offers from the "Italian stallions" that flocked to her and lazed about with them in Italy for a few years instead. While not a bad read, or poorly written, the almost obsessive concerns by Lily and Travis over her weight and how people back home will treat them as a couple just brings it down. I really had to try hard to find the appeal of Travis, Lily with some confidence could have done better. Both characters do change attitudes and outlooks during the story, but Lily flip-flops so much that it becomes grating. It is a sexy, erotic tale but the emotional roller coaster over her weight and what a prick Travis is just left me with a bitter taste. In all not a horrible or bad read and for the most part enjoyable, but little appeal to the characters and their back history. I really couldn't see why Lily wanted Travis. I will not reread this book. It really just gave me a headache.