Mine To Hold: The Totally Erotic Adventures of Tyler Murphy

Yep, you read that right...totally erotic!

As the sixth book in the Wicked Lovers series by Shayla Black, this was one hell of a sexual ride. Shayla Black's WL books seem to get better with each story, so I was stoked to read her latest one.


The story starts with Tyler Murphy, an ex-LAPD detective, now working at a strip club as bouncer and bodyguard to Alyssa, the strip club owner. We met Tyler in Delicious, as he was fighting for the affections of Alyssa, who was enamored and in love with Luc, much to Tyler's chagrin.
It all opens with the ladies of the previous WL books, all content and married to the hunky, hot sex gods of the series, some with children and a couple preggers. They're all giving Tyler a sex intervention, with Alyssa complaining about his "hit 'em and leave 'em" status with the club's strippers. While all this was going on, Tyler's former fling, Delaney is hiding out, eavesdropping on the whole conversation. Why is she there? What's going on? Does it have to do with sex? Hmmm, let's find out, shall we? ;-)


Spoilery review after the jump...

Del comes knocking on Tyler's door while this little intervention is going on and wants him to take care of something for her while she goes and tries to stop someone who is trying to kill her.  Low and behold, it's their little son, Seth, who needs looking after. 


Seth was conceived one drunken night, two years earlier. Del's husband at the time, Eric, wanted to watch Del and Tyler together since he was unable to pleasure his wife. Eric had been shot in the line of duty, which left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. Since Tyler felt guilty about the shooting and because he really had a thing for Del, he complied. Del also had a thing for Tyler, and wanted to please her husband so she agreed as well.


Things got a little too hot and heavy between them and Tyler, being the stud muffin that he is, made Del a very satisfied woman (hehehe. Ladies, I don't know about you, but I'd say this one's a keeper).
By the end of the evening, Eric was pissed, because he was never able to satisfy Del at all and he obviously felt inadequate  He kicked Tyler out and became supremely annoyed with the little woman for enjoying it so much.


Back in the present, Tyler, angry that Del never informed him of his son, will have nothing of Del running off on her own and insists on coming with her. There's a lot of going back and forth about this, with Del trying to reason with Tyler and explaining that it has nothing to do with him. She thinks her hitter may be one of L.A.'s upcoming ADA's, Martin Carlson, whom she confronted about his shady dealings and who now wants to shut her up for good.


All Del really wants is for Tyler to keep an eye on Seth and to be there for him in case things go wrong and she doesn't make it back. Naturally, Tyler balks at this plan and enlists the help of his friends to watch over Seth, something Del is not comfortable with since she doesn't know them. Tyler assures her they're trustworthy and good people, but Del still has her doubts. I actually don't blame her for this. Being a mom myself, I would have an issue with a group of very horny strangers taking care of my child, especially ones I don't know. Maybe I'm just as paranoid as Del? I am, actually, but then again no one is trying to kill me... yet. ;-)

There's a lot of debate going on about Del wanting to leave and Tyler, along with Jack, who Del would like to hire to investigate, not liking the idea one bit. All this time Tyler is getting both possessive and protective with Delaney, and Delaney isn't handling it very well. Every time Tyler tries to put the moves on her, she pushes him away. This, ladies and gentlemen, goes on for the majority of the book. Tyler realizes more and more how much she and Seth mean to him. Del tries to deny her feelings, despite the fact that she does, in fact, care a lot for him.


Tyler gets his other protection business buddy, Deke, to bring over a playpen for little Seth, not letting Del in on the fact that he's really there to make sure she doesn't sneak off without him.
And guess what? She does, but not before Tyler manages to back her into a door and make every female reader want to maul their significant others with this:

Without conscious thought, she whimpered, her body melting into his, hands fisting his T-shirt, then clutching his shoulders to drag him closer. She opened wider for the hot thrust of his kiss. Needed it. Tyler gave it to her, then grabbed her thigh with one hand, slung it over his hip, and pressed harder against the needy flesh throbbing between her legs. She moaned.

Really. Need I say more? Tyler then reminisces over their night together two years ago. Let me tell you, if you thought that little make-out session was hot, you need to read this flashback scene. Cold showers and fantasies will abound, I can guarantee it.


Del eventually goes to the airport in New Orleans and gets accosted by two men who obviously work for Carlson. Thankfully, Tyler is there posing as a passenger and stops it. Now Tyler is going to take matters into his own hands and they both embark on a cross country trek to L.A. to stop Carlson once and for all.


Tyler and Del stop off at various run-down motels (and change cars to avoid Carlson's goons from catching on to them) and one very nice one, with the help of Xander, friend of Logan Edgington, who happens to be a very wealthy Dom with lots of connections.  While Xander's smooth moves on Del are fun, his flirtatious style pisses Tyler off and Xander enjoys rattling the ex-LAPD detective. I have to say, it's quite enjoyable when Tyler gets mad over having another guy come on to Del. It's always sexy to have a man fight over you. Unless he's nuts... then it's scary.


Needless to say, Del and Tyler engage in some pretty smoking-hot sex along the way, which are always the best parts of these books. Del also comes to find out that Tyler's lust for Alyssa and his various stripper conquests really has to do with her. They were just a distraction from his love for Del, a love he assumed had died away. Until now. Awwww!


Del lets Tyler in on the fact that she hid a flash drive of all pertinent information concerning Carlson's antics at Eric's house, thinking they would never suspect Eric of knowing anything since he's her very bitter ex-husband. They eventually wind up at Eric's and after a pissing contest between the two men, Eric decides to handcuff Tyler to the fridge just to force him to watch while he does to Del what Tyler did that drunken night two years ago. Of course, Del refuses him, so Eric gets all obnoxious and douchey and starts forcing himself on poor Del. Tyler's going ballistic while Del coaxes Eric to change his mind, but after a few unsuccessful tries at reasoning with Eric, she finally succeeds... by kicking him in the nads. Niiiice.


She then talks Tyler out of tearing Eric into a million tiny pieces once he's freed. You know, Del is good at this, I have to say. She should be a hostage negotiator or something. Heh.  Unfortunately, what they came there for is missing and Eric knows nothing about it.

They meet up with Xander and he takes them to an old hotel that's been converted and he gives them the penthouse while he bunks with his troubled brother elsewhere. While there, Del and Tyler... well, you know. ;-)  Afterwards, Del is still trying to close herself off from him, but Tyler is determined to change her mind by any means necessary. He then proceeds to prove to her how wrong she is about them. Yes, again. These two need to join the Sex Olympics, if it actually exists.


They spend some quality time together and it's honestly sweet how affectionate Tyler is with her. He's really trying to make her open up and trust him, but she keeps shutting him out. Oh, Del, Del, Del...


Then she finds out that her investigative reporter friend, Lisa, was killed. The same Lisa that Del confided in about what was going on and who she now suspects was working for Carlson. She then lets Tyler know that Carlson is working with a member of a dangerous gang. One of the gang members didn't like the Carlson deal, so he agreed to talk to Del. She manages to find an old message from him and gets in contact with his mother, who gives her his number.

Let me comment on the use of the word homie in this book. I always giggle when I hear it and I just think it sounds ridiculous, in books or real life.

"That name is estupido!"

Lobato Loco's mom, I couldn't agree more.


Oh, and apparently, Tyler can sing, as witnessed by Del while he was singing Seth a lullaby via Skype. I think I'm in love.  Just saying. Move over, Del. ;-)


Del and Tyler then meet up with someone named Esteban at his club for info on Carlson. Xander goes with them to what turns out to be a strip joint. Esteban fails to show up and a brief encounter with a stripper had Tyler finally confronting Del about Eric's infidelity. Del becomes angry that he never told her about Eric cheating when they were friends, and as she storms out with Tyler and Xander, someone starts shooting at them. They get away and Xander hides them away again. Finally, the infidelity issue gets confronted once more, and once again, Tyler has to prove he loves her in the only way Tyler knows how. Del seems to be opening up more. Progress, folks!


A while later, Del receives the email she's been waiting for from Preston. It tells her that Lobato Loco is dead. This has Del freaking a bit, but not before they calm themselves, once again. In, you guessed it, the only way they know how, and if you haven't figured it out by now, it's not playing Scrabble.


The next morning, Del gets a call from Eric. He tells her that he has her flash drive and if she wants it, she needs to come see him. She complies, much to Tyler's dismay, but he insists on hiding out in case he tries something. Xander then helps them out by sending one of his best bodyguards, McConnell, a former Special Forces Soldier who went to work for the CIA. They say their good-bye's to Seth just in case, and to each other.


Del goes to Eric's and is surprised to see three of the gangbangers there. Then she spots Carlson sitting on the couch. She finds out that Eric has been dirty for years, working for Carlson. They exchange words about his nefarious activities, but all the while Del is wearing a purse with a hidden camera, trying to incriminate him. She manages to get him to talk (she's, like, seriously good at this!), and she gets everything, figuring she'll probably be dead in a few minutes anyway. She has it out with Eric about his past and then the time comes for her to be carted away and killed. Tyler is there and jumps the would-be-assassin and kills him. He tries to get Del to escape, but she refuses to leave him behind. Tyler and McConnell take out the other two guys. Eric then finally grows a conscience and stops Carlson from trying to kill his wife. They fight, but Carlson manages to get the better of Eric, but only until Tyler stops him by pointing his Glock at him. Carlson then gets behind Eric and puts his gun at his spine and threatens to damage him for good.  Eric elbows him and gets free, but not until Eric shoots him in the back and Tyler shoots Carlson right between the eyes. Finally, no more. Ding dong the d*ck is dead.

The FBI takes Del away for questioning. She asks Tyler to go back to Lafayette and watch over Seth, and she'll be in touch as soon as she can. Tyler is a wreck for days, not hearing from her and not knowing if she wants to come back. Then, to his surprise, she comes back. She lets him know she's spent the last week dealing with the downfall of Carlson and writing her story, which was a hit and they wanted her as a featured reporter... in California. She turned it down, to be with him. She finally opens up, finally lets him in. A very excited and happy Tyler proposes and they're about to show their love when she let's him know that Seth will have a little brother or sister. Yay! :-)


I LOVED this book. I was enthralled with knowing what was going to happen next between Tyler and Del. The plot kept me on my toes and I loved Tyler's determination and grit.  


                                      WHY THESE BOOKS ROCK MY WORLD


I like how Shayla Black mixes things up with both the male and female leads, like in the case with Luc and Alyssa. In Delicious, Alyssa was the one lusting after Luc and determined to make things happen between them. It was a nice change-up, having the female being the aggressor.


 My favorite thing about the Wicked Lovers series is how all of the previous leads are connected in some way. They all know each other and are either related or are good friends. It gives the books a sense of togetherness and family and it's not just all about the hot sex scenes. The characters have genuine feelings for each other and will do anything to keep that. They're there for each other, especially when the shit hits the fan. It makes you feel good while reading the books to know that there'll always be a happy ending. I know a lot of readers hate to have their endings wrapped up in a pretty bow, but for me, I need it. I need to know that these characters that I have grown to love and root for will always have each other and nothing will change that. Don't get me wrong, I love good angst. It always makes the book and the "will they or won't they" is very intriguing and piques my interest. I just need to know, in some way, that there will be a happily ever after. In a world where HEA's don't exist much, it's nice to just sit back and enter a world where it can happen, and does. Sometimes, the guy does get the girl and vice versa. That makes me smile and makes my outlook on life that much brighter.


So I say, let them get married and have as many babies as they can. Bring on the hot sex, relationship angst, exciting plot lines and happy endings.


So what do you guys think? Do happy endings work for you, or do you like serious relationship angst that never gets settled?  Or both? Share your thoughts below!