Twenty-six year-old Daphne Cohen’s life is closed off, hiding behind an introverted personality to keep from expressing her true self and exploring the depths of what she truly desires. With very few friends and having only slept with three men in her life, she believes man number three is the one…until she finds out he’s been sleeping around. Fleeing to Martinique to do some soul searching about her past, she meets her future: Wolfe LaCasse, a devastatingly handsome and sensuous Creole. He takes her on a passionate journey whose fire burns too hot for Daphne and she flees the island before getting burned. The problem is, she can’t forget the state of ecstasy she experienced in his arms. Can she risk everything and, for the first time in her life, follow her heart and return to the island? Spinning a fresh twist on the romance genre, Ju Ephraime’s Daphne is in the driver’s seat and in full control to make the decisions that will change her forever. Daphne’s developed sexuality and power bridge a gap between the classic and the contemporary with subtle nuances, sparkling insights, and a provocative, sensuous narrative style.
The Story Behind This Book
a woman recovering from a bad break-up, when to the Island of Martinique to reinvent herself, and give her some time to think and sort things out. But she had not counted on finding the love of her life in the person of a French creole, who appears feels the same way about her, so what did she do....
Praise and Reviews
In "State of Ecstasy" by Ju Ephraime, Daphne is recovering from a bad break-up. She was completely duped by boyfriend Michael and is picking up the pieces. She has thrown herself into work to forget, but now thinks a holiday will be better for her. Her friend and work colleague Gayle tries to dissuade her, thinking it is a bad idea but Daphne is determined. She flies off to Martinique where she very quickly falls for the gorgeous Wolfe. She tries to rationalize herself out of what quickly becomes infatuation but she is fighting a losing battle. Soon she is in his arms where a whole new physical side of herself is awoken. But surely everything is happening too quickly? And of course there are complications, which take human and emotional forms. So they give themselves time and space to think.
This is the ideal book for some saucy summer reading. But there is more to it than just good looking characters and steamy sex scenes. It is not shallow. The story touches on very raw, real emotions, ranging from love to hatred and jealousy. It is also about the need we feel, whether real or imagined, right or wrong, to curb our physical desires and stay rational and practical. Sometimes it is OK to want it all. The complexities of families and family life and the pressures of business responsibilities come into play as well and are portrayed all too realistically. This is a book you can easily end up reading in one sitting since there is plenty of excitement and drama. Thank goodness this is just the first in a series!
