Lauren's Review of Belonging to Him by Lucie Babikian

Summary: A dark past haunts Bella Valenti and she vows never to open herself to a man again. When she meets billionaire playboy Lorenzo Moretti at a Rome nightclub, she wants nothing more than to escape his magnetism and the vulnerability his presence arouses.

Still, the passion between them can’t be denied, and their first date is electric. She knows his reputation -- this will not last. Lorenzo, for his part, finds himself surprisingly intrigued by the puzzle that is Bella.

He whisks Bella off to Monaco, where they succumb to their desires. But Bella’s past catches up with her when the brother of her ex-fiancé, accosts her at the casino and Lorenzo nearly kills him in his fervor to protect her. He demands to know what happened to her in the past, but Bella, worried he will judge her, at first refuses to tell him. It is only after another night of sensual lovemaking, that they both realize that something deep is happening between them, and Bella takes a chance and opens up.

As their love deepens, what neither of them realize is that soon Bella’s dangerous history will no longer remain in the past, and will threaten Bella’s safety, their love, and in the end, both of their lives. Will Lorenzo be able to save her in time? Will they both live through it?

Rating: 2 Stars

What I Liked: Bella is a challenge for Lorenzo and I appreciate that in this story. It’s so important to not do what is expected and that is exactly what Bella does. She doesn’t call when he tells her to and she doesn’t chase him like the other girls do and I love that.

Not So Much: I felt like I jumped right into the story way too fast and the rest of the book kept that pace. The couple only had one date and they both claim to know each other so well. After the first date which consisted of dinner, some short lustful moments, a breathing view, a dramatic departure and a car nap, Lorenzo claims, “He admired Bella a great deal.” How does he know that? They barely exchanged dialogue with each other.

The writing. Show me! Don’t tell me! Use your descriptive writing to make me come to conclusions on my own. Everything was written for me so plain and simple that the book was boring. Plus, some of the lines were a bit cheesy and over-the-top for me.

“For her, getting involved in any way with a man like Lorenzo was like gambling. And the stakes were very high because she wasn’t left with anything to give but what was left of her heart. And if it was taken away from her and broken this time, she would be left with nothing and she would be as good as dead. But, if she won, Bella had a strong feeling that he could also be her salvation.”

Lines like this, made me want to put the book down. The plot has potential but the writing jumped around too much and there was no flow to it.


Overall: I really struggled to get through this book. While I respect anyone who decides to write a book, the writing just could not hold my attention. Just my opinion.