Mini Review: Because You Are Mine Part VIII: Because I Am Yours by Beth Kery

If you have been following my mini-reviews you know that each week I grump a little when the latest installment ends.  This week I think I will grump because my weekly visits with Ian and Francesca have finally come to an end with the conclusion of the serial books, Because You Are Mine Part VIII: Because I Am Yours.

Even at the end of the previous novella, Because I Need To, I wasn’t sure how Ian and Francesca were going to come together.  Francesca is hopeless in love with Ian but Ian refuses to let her into his darkest place.  Ian has been carrying a secret that he is unwilling to share.  The secret has him running off to London at all times of the day and night causing Francesca to get fed up with his leaving and finally follow him there.

Once she arrives in London, she has no idea where to go or what to do.  She decides to wing it and travel to a place where she thinks Ian might be.  It might sound like I am being purposefully vague with Ian’s secret and that is because I am.  I feel like the reader should learn the secret as Francesca does.  It would take away from most of the story if I told you outright what was happening.

Ian is floored to see Francesca in London.  By being there she has witnessed him at his most vulnerable and he cannot stand that.  He immediately calls for his plane to take them back to Chicago.  On the plane he punishes her for daring to step inside his private world.  I wasn’t too happy with the punishment because it was clear his sole goal was to hurt her in response to her seeing him so exposed.  This wasn’t a sexual punishment but an emotional punishment.

“I want to possess you, Francesca.  Dominate You.  See that stubborn streak in you submit to pleasure…to me.  That’s what I offered.  You insisted upon interfering in my world, so now you can stop deluding yourself with a girl’s fantasies.  That’s all I can offer you,” he said, pointing in the direction of the bedroom,  “Now go in there, take off all of your clothes, and wait for me.”

After arriving back in Chicago Francesca and Ian do not see each other for a week and a half.  The last contact they had was Ian turning away, in disgust, from how he had treated Francesca on the flight back.  Francesca’s roommates convince her to go out and take her, without her knowledge, to Ian’s building.  Ian has arranged for all of Francesca’s paintings to be framed and hung in his lobby with the main painting displayed for everyone to see.

I believe this was Ian’s way of telling her how much he values her without coming outright and saying the words.  Words with feelings attached are hard for Ian so he attempts to show her in the best way he knows possible.  After the party they return to Ian’s penthouse where he bares his soul to her.

His mouth twisted into a bitter expression.  ”I’m sorry, in general.”

She started in surprise at his harsh declaration.  “For which part?”

“For all of it.  From the first thing that I said to you that was unappreciative and callous to the last selfish thing I’ve done.  I’m sorry, Francesca.”

And my one complaint would come here…it ended to soon!!  Waaaaa!  I wanted more.  Yes, it is so cliché but I wanted an epilogue with babies and picket fences.  I am a sucker for those things.  Ok, so maybe picket fences don’t match Ian but I really wanted to see further in the future for them.  I have to believe they will make it but I really wanted Ms. Kery to TELL me they make it!

So overall this was a fantastic story.  I am not sure how I feel about the serial part because it really was torture to wait each week.  I am big on instant gratification!  But because Beth Kery wrote it and I am big fan of her work, I suffered through!   At the end of Ian and Francesca’s story we get a sneak peek of another serial she is writing.  It is starting January of 2013 and features one of the characters from this book.  Final grade- A

Favorite Quote:

“What’s wrong?” she whispered.

“I didn’t give myself permission to fall in love with you.”

Rating: A
Because I Am Yours by Beth Kery
September 18th 2012 by Berkley InterMix
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Read reviews for the entire Because You Are Mine serial