FLASHED is the third book in Zoey Castile’s “Happy Endings” series. Although it’s part of a series, I think FLASHED works as a standalone novel. I love unconventional love stories and FLASHED has a modern-day fairy-tale vibe with a unique twist. Patrick Halloran was the epitome of strong and sexy maleness back in his glory days. Patrick was a top athlete, model, stripper and general hottie entertainer. Wild excess led to him and his brother getting in a life- altering accident. In true fairy-tale form, the golden boy is now a scarred recluse. Lena Martel is an artist working to pay her school bills by being Patrick’s new housekeeper. This courtship is equally erotic, bizarre, and fabulous.

The danger with these “beast”-like heroes is that the author sometimes lets that hero be incredibly cruel to the heroine, using his fears and insecurities as an excuse. I like the way Zoey Castile lets this relationship evolve. Patrick is initially snappish with Lena at times, but Lena is no shrinking violet and has no trouble standing up for herself. Lena is exactly the kind of strong, beautiful, and sensitive woman that helps reinvigorate Patrick and help heal his soul. I like how these main characters are both flawed people with strengths and weaknesses, as well as complex family situations. Patrick struggles over the guilt with his brother’s injuries, and Lena is often lost as to how to deal with her beloved half-sister and her wicked stepmother. For much of the first half of this book, Zoey Castile tells a steamy story but gets very creative to do it. The sexual tension is through the roof as Patrick and Lena fantasize and tease each other before making actual physical contact. Classic. Loved the inventive foreplay in FLASHED. As much as the physicality in FLASHED is terrific, the emotional depth that these characters reach is equally as strong an element in this love story.

FLASHED is a fierce modern fairy-tale with sighs and sexiness galore. I enjoyed getting to know these characters. This is a future re-read for me. I look forward to Zoey Castile’s next book.