The Story of X by A.J. Malloy

William Morrow Paperbacks, April 2, 2013

Originally Reviewed: I didn’t. It’s a paperback original.

New Cover or Old? So far this is the only cover. I’m a little indifferent about it.

From the Publisher: Shy American student Alexandra Beckmann—‘X’ to her friends—arrives in Naples desperate for adventures beyond the sheltered life she has led. She is there to study the Camorra, an infamous Italian crime organization. But in the sun-soaked, ancient city streets, her research leads her to a man like no one else she has ever met. Irresistibly handsome, Lord Marcus Roscarrick is an Italian aristocrat with a mysterious past. Yet, underneath his refined exterior, X senses a man who is well-acquainted with danger.

Soon they begin a passionate affair, and X is drawn into Roscarrick’s world—a world she never dreamed existed. But as she falls ever more deeply under Roscarrick’s spell, X must decide whether she dares to submit entirely to this shadowy realm of dark desire.

What I Thought: The subtitle of this is “An Erotic Tale”, so there is that, and that part got a little old after awhile. I did a bit of speed reading through all the sexy times. The interesting thing about The Story of X is  the research that Alexandra does into the Mafia and the effect that it had on Italian culture as it shaped their neighborhoods. That part was well-written, informative and lovely, even while the rest of the book followed the tropes of the genre complete with a college age heroine, and troubled hero who resists love to protect potential partners from his emotional damage. There was enough here that I enjoyed the light (mostly) and quick read. As Alexandra become more involved with Rosscarick she discovers that he is involved in a super steamy secret society, complete with all the accompanying sexual rites and rituals. So, you’ve been warned.

Book Club Pick? If your book club was into 50 Shades of Grey, why not?

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