The Burden of Desire by Natalie Charles

The Burden of Desire Reviews

• 
  Susan

  Overall a good book. Sally is about to begin one of the biggest trials of her career. She has been putting a lot of hours into her work on it. A few days before the trial is due to start, she is assigned a "helper" by her boss. Sally is a loner and doesn't want anyone's interference in her case, especially that of Ben, the new guy in the office. She and Ben knew each other in law school, where they had a brief relationship before he walked away breaking her heart.
  
  Ben had had a good job as a corporate lawyer, then joined the Marines where he was a JAG for a few years. He's never forgotten Sally, or what he did to her back in school. He wants to show her that he's changed, but having to review her case isn't making it easy.
  
  Sally's professional life has been going great until the murder victim in her big case shows up alive. Now she has to trust Ben to review her actions to make sure she didn't miss something important. After talking with the "victim" both Sally and Ben realize that there is something fishy going on and it's up to them to figure out what it is. I enjoyed seeing their work as they unveil each bit of evidence and put together the facts of what happened. There were some very interesting twists as that evidence was uncovered.
  
  The relationship between Sally and Ben was complicated. Their college history had left both of them with scars. Sally had really cared for Ben in spite of their differing backgrounds. When she confessed her feelings Ben panicked and broke things off in a very cruel manner. Since then Sally hasn't had any successful relationships and in order to have the family she longs for has become pregnant via a sperm donor. Ben has issues of guilt because of the death of his father. To deal with those feelings he used to drink and indulge in other forms of wild behavior. He also felt undeserving of love which was why he had fled from Sally all those years ago. His guilty feelings were added to because of things that happened in another relationship and his military career. Now that they are forced to work together, both discover that the attraction they felt before is still just as strong. Sally still has a hard time forgiving him for his actions ten years ago and though there are a few instances of softening, still treats him like her enemy through a good share of the book. Meanwhile, Ben is still looking a Sally as if she's a blond airhead that he can't figure out how she made it through law school, even though he reminds himself of how good she was even then. I liked seeing her support Ben by going to his friend's wedding with him and she did finally start to see him as the man he is now, not the total jerk he used to be, but is still hurt when he reverts to jerkdom at times. Ben admits to himself that he was a total ass back then and owes her a huge apology, but I never saw him give her one. He did redeem himself somewhat at the end. I would have liked to see more actual talking about their pasts between them.
  
  My only other issue with the book is a frequent complaint I have with the Harlequin line. A big deal was made of Ben's time in the Marine Corps, but he was always spoken of as being a marine, not a Marine. Marine is ALWAYS capitalized, and it's hard to tell anymore whether it's the author who doesn't know any better, or (as is more frequently the case) the publisher/editor who doesn't bother to check on the proper way of doing things. Either way, it is a big issue for me as it pulls me out of the story every time I see it.
• 
  Kathy B. (NE)

  Having worked in a law firm for many years, I was hooked into the book right away. Our heroine, Sally Dawson, is a prosecutor on the eve of the start of a murder trial. Things take a major wrong turn when the victim shows up very much alive. Things go from bad to worse when her former law school lover turns out to be the new hire in the office and has been assigned to review Sally’s entire file on this botched case.
  
  Even though the “victim” is alive, someone was murdered, so Sally and Ben are forced to work together to unravel this very unusual turn of events. Sally has quite the love/hate relationship going on with Ben, so much so, that for me, she was a hard character to like. She was downright mean to Ben throughout most of the book, even though he was trying to salvage her career, and was also trying to rekindle their former relationship. Ben, on the other hand, has his emotional baggage from the past, too, but he seemed more willing to forgive and forget than Sally did.
  
  The story moved along at a good pace, and the suspense level and romance level were appropriate for this type of book. I figured out “who done it” before it was revealed, but not too far before the revelation. True to a good romance novel, Sally and Ben did get their HEA. I’m giving this one 4 ½ stars just because I wish Sally had thawed out sooner rather than later. Then again, if an author can evoke this kind of reaction from a reader, she has done her job, hasn’t she?
  
  I can also recommend Natalie Charles’s first book, The Seven-Day Target, and I’ll definitely read her next book.
  
  (I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.)
  
• 
  Gina

  *Won a signed copy in a goodreads giveaway.
  
  Warning: Contains mild spoilers on the relationship. No mystery spoilers.
  
  Sally Dawson is a good prosecutor about to try a difficult murder case without a body. Ben McNamara is a new addition to the prosecutor's office who is assigned to help Sally on this difficult case. They share a history from law school that goes beyond him being first in the class and her second that includes a brief but passionate love affair that ended when Ben cheated. On the day Sally is confronted with having to work with Ben again after 10 years, her murder victim Ronnie - thought killed by her husband Mitch - shows up on TV in a press conference very much alive. Despite the case being in shambles, the evidence says someone had to have been killed, so Sally and Ben start investigating to find out who.
  
  The mystery portion of this book was incredibly well done. For the constrained format of a Harlequin, a lot of mystery was packed into the book. Ben and Sally's reactions to the evidence as its revealed seem realistic. My 3 star rating is primarily for this part of the book. Also, the author takes the time to develop some secondary character relationships which are often absent from Harlequins. This was also well done.
  
  The romance? Not so much. I never really got a good sense of the characters and still have no reason why they would want to be together. Sally is pregnant through a sperm donor throughout the book but never tells Ben, even after the sexy times begin. He only finds out after she's afraid she is about to miscarry and he has to take her to the hospital. Do you think they have an in-depth conversation about it after that? No. On Ben's side, I kept wanting some groveling or at least a full apology for his behavior 10 years before. Does that happen? No. Add to this that the overall character development was hard to follow. We're told Ben started his career as a hot shot Wall Street attorney but then decides to become a Marine JAG who serves in Afghanistan. Both of these things could happen in a 10 year time frame, but it would have been enough to have him be one or the other, especially if you have him one minute complaining about the size of his office (not what he was used to on Wall-Street) but then the next talking about losing buddies in the war. We're told Sally likes to play up being a ditz in order to have an advantage in court, but then we're regularly shown behaviors that make me think she is really just a ditz but with some good court skills. I didn't like her much making the romance even harder to understand.
  
  My expectations for Harlequin romantic suspense are pretty low, but Charles exceeded my expectations with this one.
  
• 
  Paula Legate

  This book was about a murder trial. Sally had been working really long hours to prepare for the trial itself. Her boss sent a message to Sally stating he wanted to met with her. Sally enjoyed working alone. To her surprise, and shock there was another person in the office along with her boss for the meeting. It was Ben. She and Ben had dated a few times in law school. He broke her heart, and she never wanted to see him again. Ben always liked Sally, and felt bad with the way he treated her. He wanted a chance to make things right. Sally stormed off when her boss said that Ben would be her new partner. Sally's day went downhill from there. The murder victim in her big case showed up ALIVE on TV at a press conference. Her boss wanted Ben to review the case, to see what they missed. The case needed fresh eyes. Ben and Sally did work together shifting through clues, pictures, and talking to people. The suspense was good. Some people just have a very sick mind. It always surprises me the lengths that a sick person, will go to, to hide a crime. It also is surprising what small item, or clue will break a case wide open.
  
  The book was also a romance between Sally, and Ben. As a reader I thought the romance part of the plot fizzled. The words were there, don't get me wrong, but I didn't feel a strong connection between Sally, and Ben. She wore her heart on her sleeve. I don't think Ben cherished, or appreciated Sally for the kind hearted beautiful lady she was.
  
• 
  Pam

  Sally Dawson has it all- money, looks, a great job, and now a baby. What else does she need? Then things at work begin to tumble down from her mountain. The case she is working on for court is taking her many house so her boss decides she needs some help. Enter Ben McNamera with whom she had gone to law school, had an affair with, and who had broken her heart. She is suppose to work with him? Just as she is trying to come to grips with this turn of events, the murder victim in her case shows up alive? Did she make a mistake in putting together her prosecution? Didn't all signs point to Mitch Kruger's having killed his wife. If she isn't dead, who is? Ben is going over her case to find out where the mistake was made. Could it mean her job? As troubles pile up, Sally has no choice but to lean on Ben for support. Is the love they once shared really gone?
  
  Natalie Charles manages to keep you in suspense throughout the book and the solution is indeed an obscure one.
• 
  Maria Elliott

  I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair review. I absolutely loved the book. Ms. Charles' experience in the legal profession helped to make this book real, the story line kept you turning pages. I would recommend this book to all of you who enjoy a romance novel with the added mystery/suspense added. I look forward to reading her next book as well. Very refreshing to be able to read a romantic novel without it being x-rated. I would highly recommend this book.
• 
  Marsha

  The mystery that brings these two people together is one that rivets the attention. A dead woman magically comes back to life, scrambling prosecutor Sally Dawson’s carefully compiled report and requiring the presence of the last man she wants to see—the cheating, heartbreaker Ben McNamara.
  
  Unlike other romances where the mystery is poorly handled or proves peripheral to the lovefest, the mystery of a living dead woman is integral to the action and interaction between the main romantic characters. Clues aren’t adding up, threats have been made and Ben and Sally are fighting their mutual attraction.
  
  Hmm. I don’t approve of on-the-job sexual tomfoolery. But Ben and Sally have a history and several unresolved issues. Unwillingly, they find themselves sharing confidences, personal stories, secrets and dinner with family members and learn that the other person isn’t quite so awful as they remember. There’s vocal intimacy long before they ever make it between the sheets. So I found myself grudgingly allowing for this sexual slip, especially since they both find themselves awkward and uncertain around each other after their one-night stand.
  
  The murder mystery resolves itself in a way both shocking and truly terrifying and Ben and Sally are thrown together but in a way that is satisfying. This isn’t sex as an easy fix or a romance clumsily cobbled together with a murder. The author deftly combines all the elements to create a better-than-average romance novel. I’d recommend this novel for people who like their crime novels seamlessly blended with love stories.
• 
  Annie

  What happened to the pet Shar Pei?
• 
  Michelle

  This is my first time reading a book from Natalie Charles and I really enjoyed it. Because titles from Harlequin’s Romantic Suspense line aren’t my normal read, it was enjoyable to break out and read something a little different. Sally is a prosecutor on the verge of a murder trial but when her murder victim comes home alive, Sally’s case, and her world, fall apart. Ben is new to the DA’s office. Starting a new job can be pretty hard but his past with Sally affecting his work, he’s having a harder time. Sally has never been able to forgive the Ben she knew in college but working closely trying to crack the case, she can’t hide her attraction to the Ben she knows now. Really enjoyable story of new found/re-found love, redemption, and suspense. Fun read!
  
  **I won a copy of this title through the GoodReads giveaways.
• 
  Marissa

  Goodreads Autograph Copy
  
  A husband sits in jail for the murder of his wife despite the lack of her dead body. As the court trial is about to proceed, the wife suddenly appears claiming that she had amnesia.
  
  The prosecuting attorney is suspicious of the situation when she is paired up with an ex college flame they continue to investigate the situation despite the death threats. Will they survive their chemistry that they still have as they seek justice.
  
  Is everything as it appears or what is it a lie.
  
  
• 
  Dísir

  I really wanted to like this book after reading the engaging blurb but it felt as though the depth of Ben's and Sally's relationship was compromised in favour of the action - which hovered on the side of ridiculous towards the end. I wasn't convinced of Ben's reformed behaviour and Sally's change of heart towards him wasn't entirely believable as well, which is unfortunate considering the great potential of these characters.
• 
  Dana Andrews

  I have not read a Harlequin romance since I was in high school, a million years ago, and boy have they changed. The story was good with just the right amount of suspense. I was looking for something that was entertaining and an easy read. I got it. Went in with low expectations and boy was I surprised. This author writes other types of novels besides Harlequins and I will definitely check them out; plus, I will keep reading her Harlequin romances as well.
• 
  Scott Springer

  I liked it
• 
  Carrie Johnson

  Love reading her books. They are a great love story with suspense.
• 
  Ash

  It was good but not very high on romance and suspense.