Bent on finishing a tough case that resulted in the death of his last partner, Narcotics Detective Laine Tanizaki is undercover as a burger flipper in a mall well known for the trafficking of drugs. Laine doesn’t know what to think about the prickly bookseller who causes him to lose track of his true purpose in the mall. Corie Rickman is a woman with a secret past, a past that has found her again and one that is threatening the life she’s tried to build since her disastrous divorce. Laine is unsure why a woman with such breeding and class seems to be attracting thugs at every turn but his honor won’t allow him to do anything but keep her as safe as possible, even if it means blowing the cover he’s worked so hard at. Danger and cultural differences aren’t enough to keep a pair of unlikely lovers from exploring an attraction that’s inevitable.

Having been eyeing Ebony Eyes for over a year I was really excited when the chance to read and review the story came up. Putting together what some might consider an unlikely match and making their attraction believable I couldn’t imagine would be an easy task. The male lead in the story Laine Tanizaki is an Asian American male a couple of generations removed from immigration, who belies the typical stereotypes you hear about the Asian Man. He’s interesting, large in stature and not at all wimpy. Laine is however gentle, patient and the epitome of a strong man. A man who understands physical or verbal altercations are not always the best way to handle conflict.

The heroine in the story was someone who took a little bit of getting used to. She’s suffering from emotional trauma brought on by the hands of an abusive ex-husband, who happens to also be a drug dealer. Corie’s a contradiction of personalities, rich, well bred yet at times comes across as an immature and spineless brat. Kei Swanson was very slow and tender in her build up of the relationship. This is not a story for people who need instant gratification and an immediate love affair. For lack of a better term Ebony Eyes is a “Sweet” romance, with an urban backdrop of danger and intrigue. I enjoyed the story and outside of the heroine’s personality being a little less than appealing I think readers will enjoy the blending of this unique couple.