Book Highlight: Etched in Stone by Mayra Statham

One look, one moment and I was completely defenseless.
One touch, one embrace and I was utterly consumed.
One kiss, one caress and that's all it took.

One look and thirty-four year old Parker Stone knew his life would never be the same. She called to him unlike anything ever had in his life, sparking an unbridled desire and captivating him completely.

One touch and twenty-eight year old Liz Del Rio wasn’t sure she’d be able to walk away. Experiencing a life full of disappointment and heartache, she wasn't looking for a relationship, let alone love and all the risks that came with it. Every time life had taught her the same lesson: not to let people in because they always leave and when they leave, it leaves scars upon your soul.

One kiss sealed their fate and they knew they would never be able to live without one another.

.Liz and Parker embed themselves into each other's world. Passion burns bright and fast, but what happens when your lives are connected in ways you could have never imagined?

Secrets from Liz's past threaten to break not only what they have, but who she is as they learn that once love is etched in stone nothing can make it crumble.

Overall Rating:  4.5 Rockin’ ★★★★☆

Etched in Stone by Mayra Statham is a beautifully written love story about two soulmates, Parker Stone and Liz Del Rio finding their happily ever after ending.  The author magically intertwines their lives with mystery, intrigue and desire consuming the reader with a need to be immersed in their world.  The dynamics of the main and secondary characters brings a level of camaraderie and friendship to a well-developed plot.

Parker is a successful businessman, loving son, devoted brother and heart stopping gorgeous alpha male.  He has never wanted a relationship and thought he would live his life without the awe-inspiring love that his parents share.  When Parker, however, laid eyes on the beautiful Liz Del Rio for the first time, he knew without a doubt that he had found his one and only. After finding her, he loses the chance to introduce himself and she disappears without Parker knowing who she is. Finding her again so that he can claim her and let her know she is his is the beginning. When he does finally find her, he moves heaven and earth to let her know she is his angel.

Liz Del Rio does not trust easily.  She has been unlucky in love and is happy baking her special delights and sharing them with her patrons at Izzy Tizzy’s.  Her friends are her family and the inner sanctum of their group is tightly formed from a long hard path they've forged together.  She is a beautiful, sensuous woman that would tempt any man.  Her past mars her vision of what love is supposed to be like not allowing her to venture towards a healthy lasting one.

When the couple finally begins to connect, Liz's past comes back to haunt her and the trouble begins for them. Circumstances begin to spiral out of control and Liz is left devastated and lonely once again.

While reading, I found myself buried deep in the quagmire of evil that the villain’s reach spread over the couple.   Rooting for the hero and heroine to find a way to overcome and defeat this malevolent force in their way to finding their HEA, kept me involved until the end of the book.  It wasn't easy, many tears were shed but the ending outshines everything and leaves the reader happy and content.

***Received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review***