Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
I have anxiously been awaiting Mark's Story ever since I first read If I Were You. I knew Mark wasn't right for Sara, but there was just something about him that made me want to know more about him. The Master Undone Novella takes place after If I Were You, Rebecca's Lost Journals and Being Me. If you haven't read those, then you should not read The Master Undone until after you have done so as there is a huge reveal at the end of Being Me that would be spoiled if you read The Master Undone first. Also if you haven't read those first, beware of spoilers below. This series has to be one of my all time favorites and this novella was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Lisa Renee Jones has created some of the most interesting and deep characters that I have ever read about. Each one of them seems like one thing on the surface, but as her stories continue and you begin to peel back the layers, you realize that there is so much more to each one of them than you originally see.
After the events at the end of Being Me, Mark is left shaken to his core. He feels responsible for the tragedy that happened with Rebecca and he begins to question everything he thought he knew. He heads to New York to be by his mother's side as she undergoes surgery and cancer treatment. While in NY he becomes acquainted with an employee for Riptide and he can't help but be attracted to her despite the fact that she is everything that would normally turn him off. Crystal is not submissive in any way and is a self proclaimed control freak. Mark knows that he should stay away, but he just can't help himself. After the two spend a passionate night together, she leaves him. Crystal is everything that he never wanted, and yet she just might be everything that he needs.
I loved getting to know Mark better. Even though he is a large part of the series, we really haven't got to know much about Mark in the previous books. This novella really starts to dig deeper into his personality and past. I enjoyed seeing him let his guard down a little. It was nice to see him actually be human instead of just some unreachable master and boss. I also liked that we got to see him with his mother. It was sweet seeing how much he cared about her and his reactions to what was going on with her health despite him trying to hold them back. I also loved Crystal! It was really fun to see such a strong woman come in to his life and not put up with his normal controlling personality. I loved that she would throw it right back in his face, and only relent if she chose to. Her honestly and bluntness was really refreshing and kept Mark on his toes. She is exactly what he needs and I cannot wait to see how their relationship progresses. These two also had a ton of chemistry. Their hook-up in The Master Undone was super hot and I can just tell its only going to get better.
Overall, this was a quick read that left me wanting more. I enjoyed getting to know Mark better and meeting Crystal. This novella really added more depth to the entire series and gave us some insight into Mark's character and the life he has been living in the past. Although it did give us some more information about him and his past, there is so much left that we don't know about him. I am really excited to read more about him and Crystal both. I am really hoping that we will get a few more books on Mark. Lisa Renee Jones has exceeded my expectations again and if you haven't read this series yet, I cannot tell you enough how much you need to! This series is fantastic, and fans of all genres of romance will love these books!
**ARC provided by NetGalley**
