Under My Skin

Kenner’s red-hot and angsty third Stark International erotic thriller (after On My Knees) further develops the kinky romance between series protagonists Jackson Steele, an arrogant architect, and Sylvia Brooks, a dynamic executive; it can be read as a standalone novel without confusion. Sylvia was abused by a Hollywood star as a child, and as the story begins, her tormentor, Robert Cabot Reed, has been brutally murdered. The main suspect is Sylvia’s boyfriend, Jackson. He’s been thrown a few curveballs of his own lately, including trying to get custody of Ronnie, a daughter he didn’t know he had until recently. Sylvia knows Jackson would do anything to protect her and Ronnie from harm. But does that include murder? Kenner keeps readers guessing about who was responsible for Reed’s death until the very end, punctuating the story with hot and explicit sex scenes, questions about who’s trying to destroy the resort project that could make Sylvia’s career, and a red herring or two. (Sept.)