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| 1633758117
| 9781633758117
| B01MAUE57V
| 3.89
| 764
| Nov 21, 2016
| Nov 21, 2016
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liked it
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2.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** My Rogue, My Ruin by Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan Book One of the Lords of Essex series Publish 2.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** My Rogue, My Ruin by Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan Book One of the Lords of Essex series Publisher: Entangled Select Publication Date: November 21, 2016 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): The Marquess of Hawksfield’s lineage is impeccable and his title coveted, but Archer Croft is as far from his indulgent peers as he can get. His loathing for the beau monde has driven him to don a secret identity and risk everything in order to steal their riches and distribute them to the less fortunate. Lady Briannon Findlay embraces her encounter with the Masked Marauder, a gentleman thief waylaying carriages from London to Essex. The marauder has stirred Brynn’s craving for adventure, and she discovers an attraction deeper than the charming thief’s mask. Brynn is a revelation, matching Archer in intelligence, wit, and passion. Stubborn and sensuous in equal measure, she astonishes him at every turn, but when someone sinister impersonates Archer’s secret personality, and a murder is committed, Archer begins to think he doesn’t stand a fighting chance without her. What I Liked: An okay first attempt at historical romance, but not great and definitely not a new favorite. This book came highly recommended to me, and I was looking forward to reading it. I think I had more issues with this book than things that I liked, but I am still giving this book a somewhat favorable rating. I know these two authors are experienced Young Adult writers, so I expect them to grow in their historical romance writing. Archer, the Marquess of Hawksfield, is a lord by day, and Robin Hood by night. He's not actually Robin Hood, but he has been masquerading as a charming bandit, robbing rich lords and ladies and giving the money from the jewels to orphanages and homeless people. One night, Lady Briannon and her family are robbed by the Masked Marauder, and everything changes. She has an attraction for this charming bandit, but she also finds herself drawn to the surly and cold Lord Archer. She'll soon discover that they are one and the same. But when an impostor is masquerading as the Masked Marauder, and disaster strikes in Archer's family, Archer and Briannon will have to make choices that they may not want to face. Briannon - Brynn - is a feisty and independent unmarried lady, paraded around in balls and social events by her parents (namely, her mother), who want her to get married. Except she wants to marry for love, and not for title or arrangement. One thing is for certain - she really does not want to marry the cold and handsome Lord Archer, whom she's known since they were younger. Archer seems cold and distant, but he is brimming with selflessness and a passion for helping the less fortunate. He is the heir to a dukedom in dire straits, so donning the Robin-Hood-esque disguise is how he helps the poor. Archer is noble and honorable, extremely polite and perfectly groomed. He's also wickedly charming and considerate, but few know this side of him. Most think that he is a cold and mysterious man. But he's the heir to a dukedom, so most people don't care about his antisocial behavior. I do like hate-to-love romances, and the romance in this book was just about that. Granted, I thought a lot of Briannon's hostility towards Archer was unwarranted and uncalled for, but the general dynamic between the two of them was really passionate. They clashed like fire and ice. And there were a few steamy kisses, one (yes, one) sex scene which was okay, nothing special. I liked the development of the relationship, but I definitely thought there could have been more heat to the romance, especially given how passionate both of them are. Overall, this wasn't bad. But read on for what I didn't necessarily like. What I Did Not Like: Briannon got on my nerves. I understand that the authors are trying to portray a strong and independent woman, and I'm all for it. But they authors should definitely keep in mind that they're writing in a 1700s/1800s setting. Yes, this is fiction, but it is historical fiction. Briannon was entirely too unconventional and got away with way too many acts and attitudes that were too brash. And then there was the fact that, even for modern times, Briannon was brash. She was downright hostile towards Archer, and I couldn't quite understand why. Especially since she was attracted to him, started to like him, but was still hostile towards him. It was rude and petty. The authors were going for a strong woman, but she also appeared to be a bit cruel. I liked Archer, but I thought that he and Briannon were both one-dimensional. There wasn't much character growth, for Briannon, and I was hoping for more from Archer. He showed the most character development, but even he felt flat to me. I have so many unanswered questions, and this bothered me probably the most, out of anything else. Graham, Briannon's older brother, teaches her swordplay and how to shoot a gun. I wanted to know WHY he was doing that (since it is very rare in this time period). What was the reason? The pair both said over and over how their mother would kill them if she found out. So, why? I support this but it's not quite historically accurate. Especially swordplay - what was the point of introducing swordplay? Shooting comes in handy in the book, but not swordplay. Another question - why was Archer rumored to have a rakish reputation? He's supposedly cold and unfeeling - oh, and a rake by reputation. Where did that reputation come from? We literally meet NO ex-lovers, And it's clear, after reading from his POV, that he isn't like that. So where did that reputation come from? The authors drop that in there (probably to make him seem like more of a "bad boy/alpha"), but never expounded upon this. Same with Graham! Graham isn't a huge part of the story, but he also supposedly has a rakish reputation. And yet, Briannon talks as if he is not a rake. But Archer knew him when they were younger, and Archer knew him to be a rake. This inconsistency was never addressed. And I'm still not sure if he actually is a rake, or not. It matters because there are two reputations for Graham (and Archer), and the authors did not make either clear. And there is the history between the men. They went to school together, or something, and they got along. But Graham hates Archer now, and Archer doesn't love Graham. We get no details as to what happened. Was it a woman? Did Graham think Archer was never good enough to be associated with his family? I'm not sure where the animosity came from, why the men were at odds, but I know for sure that the authors never addressed this. Again, they dropped the detail into the story, and didn't explain it at all. And can we talk about how Briannon doesn't know Archer or his personal life at all? Archer is not as one-dimensional as Briannon, and he does have a pretty rough past, and his familial life sucks too (past and present). I didn't get the sense that Briannon wanted to ask Archer questions about himself, or wanted to dig deeper. There was a lot of lust on the surface, but did she really care to get to know him? I felt bad for the guy. He gets to know her well, but she's a cold, cruel, and selfish woman. All of things might seem minor or subjective, so it's best if you form your own opinion (assuming you were previously interested in this book). The little things add up though! Would I Recommend It: I don't recommend this book. It's not the best example of historical romance, or even close to such. I could recommend so many better authors/series (Elizabeth Hoyt, Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Boyle, Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, etc.). This was an okay first attempt by this duo, but it was not great. Not worth rereading. Not worth reading if you'd never heard of this book or weren't already interested. Rating: 2.5 stars -> rounded up to 3 stars. I think this book had potential, and I might continue with the series. Maybe. I had high hopes, because of the Robin Hood aspect. I'm somewhat disappointed, though I don't regret giving this book a chance. Merged review: 2.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** My Rogue, My Ruin by Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan Book One of the Lords of Essex series Publisher: Entangled Select Publication Date: November 21, 2016 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): The Marquess of Hawksfield’s lineage is impeccable and his title coveted, but Archer Croft is as far from his indulgent peers as he can get. His loathing for the beau monde has driven him to don a secret identity and risk everything in order to steal their riches and distribute them to the less fortunate. Lady Briannon Findlay embraces her encounter with the Masked Marauder, a gentleman thief waylaying carriages from London to Essex. The marauder has stirred Brynn’s craving for adventure, and she discovers an attraction deeper than the charming thief’s mask. Brynn is a revelation, matching Archer in intelligence, wit, and passion. Stubborn and sensuous in equal measure, she astonishes him at every turn, but when someone sinister impersonates Archer’s secret personality, and a murder is committed, Archer begins to think he doesn’t stand a fighting chance without her. What I Liked: An okay first attempt at historical romance, but not great and definitely not a new favorite. This book came highly recommended to me, and I was looking forward to reading it. I think I had more issues with this book than things that I liked, but I am still giving this book a somewhat favorable rating. I know these two authors are experienced Young Adult writers, so I expect them to grow in their historical romance writing. Archer, the Marquess of Hawksfield, is a lord by day, and Robin Hood by night. He's not actually Robin Hood, but he has been masquerading as a charming bandit, robbing rich lords and ladies and giving the money from the jewels to orphanages and homeless people. One night, Lady Briannon and her family are robbed by the Masked Marauder, and everything changes. She has an attraction for this charming bandit, but she also finds herself drawn to the surly and cold Lord Archer. She'll soon discover that they are one and the same. But when an impostor is masquerading as the Masked Marauder, and disaster strikes in Archer's family, Archer and Briannon will have to make choices that they may not want to face. Briannon - Brynn - is a feisty and independent unmarried lady, paraded around in balls and social events by her parents (namely, her mother), who want her to get married. Except she wants to marry for love, and not for title or arrangement. One thing is for certain - she really does not want to marry the cold and handsome Lord Archer, whom she's known since they were younger. Archer seems cold and distant, but he is brimming with selflessness and a passion for helping the less fortunate. He is the heir to a dukedom in dire straits, so donning the Robin-Hood-esque disguise is how he helps the poor. Archer is noble and honorable, extremely polite and perfectly groomed. He's also wickedly charming and considerate, but few know this side of him. Most think that he is a cold and mysterious man. But he's the heir to a dukedom, so most people don't care about his antisocial behavior. I do like hate-to-love romances, and the romance in this book was just about that. Granted, I thought a lot of Briannon's hostility towards Archer was unwarranted and uncalled for, but the general dynamic between the two of them was really passionate. They clashed like fire and ice. And there were a few steamy kisses, one (yes, one) sex scene which was okay, nothing special. I liked the development of the relationship, but I definitely thought there could have been more heat to the romance, especially given how passionate both of them are. Overall, this wasn't bad. But read on for what I didn't necessarily like. What I Did Not Like: Briannon got on my nerves. I understand that the authors are trying to portray a strong and independent woman, and I'm all for it. But they authors should definitely keep in mind that they're writing in a 1700s/1800s setting. Yes, this is fiction, but it is historical fiction. Briannon was entirely too unconventional and got away with way too many acts and attitudes that were too brash. And then there was the fact that, even for modern times, Briannon was brash. She was downright hostile towards Archer, and I couldn't quite understand why. Especially since she was attracted to him, started to like him, but was still hostile towards him. It was rude and petty. The authors were going for a strong woman, but she also appeared to be a bit cruel. I liked Archer, but I thought that he and Briannon were both one-dimensional. There wasn't much character growth, for Briannon, and I was hoping for more from Archer. He showed the most character development, but even he felt flat to me. I have so many unanswered questions, and this bothered me probably the most, out of anything else. Graham, Briannon's older brother, teaches her swordplay and how to shoot a gun. I wanted to know WHY he was doing that (since it is very rare in this time period). What was the reason? The pair both said over and over how their mother would kill them if she found out. So, why? I support this but it's not quite historically accurate. Especially swordplay - what was the point of introducing swordplay? Shooting comes in handy in the book, but not swordplay. Another question - why was Archer rumored to have a rakish reputation? He's supposedly cold and unfeeling - oh, and a rake by reputation. Where did that reputation come from? We literally meet NO ex-lovers, And it's clear, after reading from his POV, that he isn't like that. So where did that reputation come from? The authors drop that in there (probably to make him seem like more of a "bad boy/alpha"), but never expounded upon this. Same with Graham! Graham isn't a huge part of the story, but he also supposedly has a rakish reputation. And yet, Briannon talks as if he is not a rake. But Archer knew him when they were younger, and Archer knew him to be a rake. This inconsistency was never addressed. And I'm still not sure if he actually is a rake, or not. It matters because there are two reputations for Graham (and Archer), and the authors did not make either clear. And there is the history between the men. They went to school together, or something, and they got along. But Graham hates Archer now, and Archer doesn't love Graham. We get no details as to what happened. Was it a woman? Did Graham think Archer was never good enough to be associated with his family? I'm not sure where the animosity came from, why the men were at odds, but I know for sure that the authors never addressed this. Again, they dropped the detail into the story, and didn't explain it at all. And can we talk about how Briannon doesn't know Archer or his personal life at all? Archer is not as one-dimensional as Briannon, and he does have a pretty rough past, and his familial life sucks too (past and present). I didn't get the sense that Briannon wanted to ask Archer questions about himself, or wanted to dig deeper. There was a lot of lust on the surface, but did she really care to get to know him? I felt bad for the guy. He gets to know her well, but she's a cold, cruel, and selfish woman. All of things might seem minor or subjective, so it's best if you form your own opinion (assuming you were previously interested in this book). The little things add up though! Would I Recommend It: I don't recommend this book. It's not the best example of historical romance, or even close to such. I could recommend so many better authors/series (Elizabeth Hoyt, Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Boyle, Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, etc.). This was an okay first attempt by this duo, but it was not great. Not worth rereading. Not worth reading if you'd never heard of this book or weren't already interested. Rating: 2.5 stars -> rounded up to 3 stars. I think this book had potential, and I might continue with the series. Maybe. I had high hopes, because of the Robin Hood aspect. I'm somewhat disappointed, though I don't regret giving this book a chance. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Nov 10, 2016
not set
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Nov 10, 2016
not set
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Sep 29, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1631280066
| 9781631280061
| B00LZNOBOM
| 3.93
| 1,534
| Jul 20, 2014
| Jul 20, 2014
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liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas Book One of The Heart of Blade duology Publication Date: July 20, 2014 R ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas Book One of The Heart of Blade duology Publication Date: July 20, 2014 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley Summary (from Goodreads): In the waning days of the last dynasty, in a quiet, beautiful corner of imperial Peking, a young girl's blissful ignorance is shattered when she learns that she is the illegitimate daughter of an English adventurer and a Chinese courtesan. What future is there for such a girl? But a mysterious figure steps forward and offers to instruct her in the highest forms of martial arts--a path to a life of strength and independence. Half a world away in England, a young boy's idyllic summer on the Sussex downs implodes with the firing of a single bullet. Torn from his family, he becomes the hostage of a urbanely sadistic uncle. He dreams of escaping to find his beloved friend--but the friend is in China, ten thousand miles away. The girl trains to be deadly. The boy flees across continents. They do not know it yet, but their lives are already inextricably bound together, and will collide one fateful night when they least expect it. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON meets DOWNTON ABBEY, this remarkable tale of friendship, danger, and coming of age will stay with you long after you have finished the last page. A prequel to MY BEAUTIFUL ENEMY. What I Liked: I love Sherry Thomas's books. Her YA series, The Burning Sky/The Perilous Sea/Book three, is amazing! One of my favorite YA series ever. I'm a huge historical romance fan as well, and I plan on reading some of her historical romance novels. This particular novel is not a historical romance novel - it is the prequel to a historical romance novel, My Beautiful Enemy. The Hidden Blade details the childhoods of Leighton, an English boy, and Ying-ying, a Chinese girl. Leighton's father and mother are somewhat estranged - his mother goes to meet another man once a month, and has a child by the man. Leighton's father has found comfort in the arms of a man, Herb, but his father hates that he is homosexual. This book is set in the late eighteen hundreds, so it was politically and religiously "wrong" to be homosexual. Leighton's father and Herb are caught by Sir Curtis, Leighton's father's brother and patriarch of the family. The father kills himself, the mother and her bastard son are sent away, and Herb runs for his life. Leighton, a child of about eleven, must live with Sir Curtis, a prison-like life. He cannot escape, cannot leave the house, cannot run. Meanwhile, Ying-ying leaves as the daughter of a concubine. Da-ren is not her father, but an unknown Englishman is. Ying-ying is not well-accepted in the Chinese society because she is the illegitimate daughter of a foreigner and an unmarried woman, and that woman is now a concubine. When her mother dies, she and Amah (a woman that has been taking care of her and training her in martial arts) move to Da-ren's home - which is a prison of its own. This book is extremely sad. It's heartbreaking to watch the two stories parallel each other, because both children suffer so much, at young ages, in different situations. My heart hurt for both characters, for their losses, for their pain, for what they could have had. Neither character meets the other in this book, but they are bound by one thread. It was an interesting connection, though it was sad to see that they never actually met. The storytelling is rich and intriguing. Thomas switches back and forth, between Leighton and Ying-ying's story. Thomas's writing is beautiful and purposeful, as always. She infuses so much culture and history into this book. I loved seeing the portrayal of women's roles in England and in China, the presence of homosexuality in England and in China - how different and yet how striking each "world' was. Very well done by Thomas. Overall, I have a solidly positive outlook on this book - there were just some things that didn't work for me. What I Did Not Like: Why this book received three stars from me has nothing to do with the quality of the book. Thomas wrote an AMAZING prequel novel. The stories of Leighton and Ying-ying are beautiful and powerful, and I'm sure they put things into perspective for readers who plan on reading My Beautiful Enemy (I haven't decided if I want to read it or not). My problem was, this book was entirely too heartbreaking for me. I spent the ENTIRE novel feeling desolate or angry and agonized or upset. While that definitely shows the skill of the writer, for making her reader so emotionally distraught while reading the book, it wasn't something I enjoyed. I didn't LIKE reading this book. I didn't enjoy feeling distraught. Sadly, there were times when I struggled to keep reading, because I wasn't enjoying the reading. Again, this doesn't really have to do with the storytelling, the quality of the story, the genre, etc. The story made me incredibly sad and angry and I couldn't find myself liking the book as I was reading it. Do you see the distinction? I liked the book overall, but I didn't find myself enjoying it as I was reading it. I definitely cannot see myself rereading it. Would I Recommend It: Ehh. Not quite. Some people might like reading about hopelessness and despair and tragedy - personally, I don't. I try to read for enjoyment, enlightenment, enrichment, but not necessarily for sadness and heartache. Rating: 3 stars. A great book! Definitely a well-written piece of literature. Just... not my type of read, in terms of the sadness and tragedy. Love the historical fiction though. Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas Book One of The Heart of Blade duology Publication Date: July 20, 2014 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley Summary (from Goodreads): In the waning days of the last dynasty, in a quiet, beautiful corner of imperial Peking, a young girl's blissful ignorance is shattered when she learns that she is the illegitimate daughter of an English adventurer and a Chinese courtesan. What future is there for such a girl? But a mysterious figure steps forward and offers to instruct her in the highest forms of martial arts--a path to a life of strength and independence. Half a world away in England, a young boy's idyllic summer on the Sussex downs implodes with the firing of a single bullet. Torn from his family, he becomes the hostage of a urbanely sadistic uncle. He dreams of escaping to find his beloved friend--but the friend is in China, ten thousand miles away. The girl trains to be deadly. The boy flees across continents. They do not know it yet, but their lives are already inextricably bound together, and will collide one fateful night when they least expect it. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON meets DOWNTON ABBEY, this remarkable tale of friendship, danger, and coming of age will stay with you long after you have finished the last page. A prequel to MY BEAUTIFUL ENEMY. What I Liked: I love Sherry Thomas's books. Her YA series, The Burning Sky/The Perilous Sea/Book three, is amazing! One of my favorite YA series ever. I'm a huge historical romance fan as well, and I plan on reading some of her historical romance novels. This particular novel is not a historical romance novel - it is the prequel to a historical romance novel, My Beautiful Enemy. The Hidden Blade details the childhoods of Leighton, an English boy, and Ying-ying, a Chinese girl. Leighton's father and mother are somewhat estranged - his mother goes to meet another man once a month, and has a child by the man. Leighton's father has found comfort in the arms of a man, Herb, but his father hates that he is homosexual. This book is set in the late eighteen hundreds, so it was politically and religiously "wrong" to be homosexual. Leighton's father and Herb are caught by Sir Curtis, Leighton's father's brother and patriarch of the family. The father kills himself, the mother and her bastard son are sent away, and Herb runs for his life. Leighton, a child of about eleven, must live with Sir Curtis, a prison-like life. He cannot escape, cannot leave the house, cannot run. Meanwhile, Ying-ying leaves as the daughter of a concubine. Da-ren is not her father, but an unknown Englishman is. Ying-ying is not well-accepted in the Chinese society because she is the illegitimate daughter of a foreigner and an unmarried woman, and that woman is now a concubine. When her mother dies, she and Amah (a woman that has been taking care of her and training her in martial arts) move to Da-ren's home - which is a prison of its own. This book is extremely sad. It's heartbreaking to watch the two stories parallel each other, because both children suffer so much, at young ages, in different situations. My heart hurt for both characters, for their losses, for their pain, for what they could have had. Neither character meets the other in this book, but they are bound by one thread. It was an interesting connection, though it was sad to see that they never actually met. The storytelling is rich and intriguing. Thomas switches back and forth, between Leighton and Ying-ying's story. Thomas's writing is beautiful and purposeful, as always. She infuses so much culture and history into this book. I loved seeing the portrayal of women's roles in England and in China, the presence of homosexuality in England and in China - how different and yet how striking each "world' was. Very well done by Thomas. Overall, I have a solidly positive outlook on this book - there were just some things that didn't work for me. What I Did Not Like: Why this book received three stars from me has nothing to do with the quality of the book. Thomas wrote an AMAZING prequel novel. The stories of Leighton and Ying-ying are beautiful and powerful, and I'm sure they put things into perspective for readers who plan on reading My Beautiful Enemy (I haven't decided if I want to read it or not). My problem was, this book was entirely too heartbreaking for me. I spent the ENTIRE novel feeling desolate or angry and agonized or upset. While that definitely shows the skill of the writer, for making her reader so emotionally distraught while reading the book, it wasn't something I enjoyed. I didn't LIKE reading this book. I didn't enjoy feeling distraught. Sadly, there were times when I struggled to keep reading, because I wasn't enjoying the reading. Again, this doesn't really have to do with the storytelling, the quality of the story, the genre, etc. The story made me incredibly sad and angry and I couldn't find myself liking the book as I was reading it. Do you see the distinction? I liked the book overall, but I didn't find myself enjoying it as I was reading it. I definitely cannot see myself rereading it. Would I Recommend It: Ehh. Not quite. Some people might like reading about hopelessness and despair and tragedy - personally, I don't. I try to read for enjoyment, enlightenment, enrichment, but not necessarily for sadness and heartache. Rating: 3 stars. A great book! Definitely a well-written piece of literature. Just... not my type of read, in terms of the sadness and tragedy. Love the historical fiction though. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jan 2015
not set
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Jan 2015
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633754510
| 9781633754515
| B014CS5JTW
| 3.71
| 126
| Oct 19, 2015
| Oct 19, 2015
|
liked it
|
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Played by Clare James Book Two of the Elite PR series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: October 19, 2015 ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Played by Clare James Book Two of the Elite PR series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: October 19, 2015 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Play. Or be played. The music should be enough. End of story. But Aaron Major is finding out it's not, and now his agent has hired a firm of suits to help launch his debut album, turning his life into a goddamn circus. Smile here. Play there. Be nice. Well, screw that. If Aaron wanted to spend his time shaking hands and kissing babies, he would've gone into politics. Helping launch the career of country singer Aaron Major should be a cakewalk for PR pro Melody Sharp. Aaron is charming, sexy, and oh-so-appealing when he's on stage. Off stage, though, he's her worst nightmare. A stubborn, ornery, reclusive nightmare without a lick of business-or fashion-sense. The only way he's going to make it in music is with a serious makeover-and quite possibly a personality transplant. Soon, they're engaged in a game of give and take, and though it's Melody calling the shots, it's Aaron who holds all control... What I Liked: I absolutely LOVED Caught by Clare James (book one of this series), and at the time, I thought it was a standalone. So I was thrilled to see that there would be another book! The final scene of Caught was a giant hint at another book! Mel and her sexy cowboy get their own book. Win! While I didn't love this book nearly as much as I enjoyed Caught, I thought this one was pretty good! Melody Sharp needs to do something with her career. Her boss, Miranda, has demoted her from her position as a PR manager, lumping her in with the interns. When a new guy moves into the apartment across from Mel's, she discovers that he's super hot... and a country singer. He's about to launch a new song, and Mel is going give him a makeover. She'll help him launch his new label, but he'll have to keep his hands off of her... Melody is so different from the female protagonist of Caught, Vivian. Vivian is so ambitious and driven, whereas Melody is a bit... stuck. When she gets kicked out of her apartment, her new neighbor, Aaron Major, offers to let her stay in his extra room. Turns out, he's a country singer who used to be popular, and is now coming back from a dry spell. It's a perfect opportunity for Melody to clean up her act, and for Aaron's launch to go big. So Mel lets this new project fill her, and she really gets back into her PR groove. I like Mel - she has a knack for publicity and promotion, and she's really good at what she does. She's also kind and tough, and doesn't let Aaron's agent (assistant? agent? Rita, that lady) push her around. Aaron is a different male protagonist than I was expecting. He's almost reluctant to launch his new label, image, country singer self. His first start into the country music world did not end well, and he disappeared for years. Now solo, he's hoping to have a successful and positive impact. He doesn't want to hire Mel at first, but he sees the logic and benefit in doing so quickly. Especially when things heat up in the little apartment. At first, I wasn't a fan of Mel living in his apartment, just because that plot twist seemed too convenient, and also very similar to the events in Caught. But it lead to some steamy scenes for sure. While I didn't find this book quite as hot as Caught, it's clear that Clare James knows how to write sexy and non-repetitive scenes. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The big finale wasn't that great for me, and I mentioned a few things that I'll discuss below, but I did like this book. I'll definitely be looking out for more Brazen books by Clare James! What I Did Not Like: To be honest, I wasn't feeling the climax and ending of this book. It centers around Aaron's launch party, and there's so much drama and angst going on. I get it, famous people are always going to be surrounded by drama. Aaron himself is so chill and low-key. But his agent (assistant, whoever), his "damaged" past, his former bandmate... I won't go into the specifics, but these things didn't really do much for me. I especially didn't like the ex-bandmate. I did like Aaron's brother though, he was a nice surprise (I hope the next book - there MUST be another - will be about him!). And ugh, Rita. What a pain in the neck. I actually wasn't feeling the fact that Melody and Aaron began living together. It felt convenient, way too easy. This definitely works in some books, but in this one, I didn't like that I expected it (like, obviously she's going to be behind on her rent, and the neighbor she literally JUST met is going to offer to let her stay with him, and OF COURSE he turns out to be a country star who probably needs a PR agent). There must be another way for these two to get close! This book wasn't quite as hot as I'd hoped, but of course, Caught set my expectations very high, for this author. So this isn't necessarily a complaint, but more of an Alyssa request. Ish. Would I Recommend It: Despite the three-star-rating, I would recommend this one. When I finished, I wasn't entirely impressed, and I knew I didn't love it. I vacillated between three and four stars, but settled on three because this isn't a particularly memorable Brazen, and I didn't love it. Still, it was decent! Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. This was definitely on the positive side of 3 stars, and not the negative side. If anything, try Caught by this author - it was amazing! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Played by Clare James Book Two of the Elite PR series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: October 19, 2015 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Play. Or be played. The music should be enough. End of story. But Aaron Major is finding out it's not, and now his agent has hired a firm of suits to help launch his debut album, turning his life into a goddamn circus. Smile here. Play there. Be nice. Well, screw that. If Aaron wanted to spend his time shaking hands and kissing babies, he would've gone into politics. Helping launch the career of country singer Aaron Major should be a cakewalk for PR pro Melody Sharp. Aaron is charming, sexy, and oh-so-appealing when he's on stage. Off stage, though, he's her worst nightmare. A stubborn, ornery, reclusive nightmare without a lick of business-or fashion-sense. The only way he's going to make it in music is with a serious makeover-and quite possibly a personality transplant. Soon, they're engaged in a game of give and take, and though it's Melody calling the shots, it's Aaron who holds all control... What I Liked: I absolutely LOVED Caught by Clare James (book one of this series), and at the time, I thought it was a standalone. So I was thrilled to see that there would be another book! The final scene of Caught was a giant hint at another book! Mel and her sexy cowboy get their own book. Win! While I didn't love this book nearly as much as I enjoyed Caught, I thought this one was pretty good! Melody Sharp needs to do something with her career. Her boss, Miranda, has demoted her from her position as a PR manager, lumping her in with the interns. When a new guy moves into the apartment across from Mel's, she discovers that he's super hot... and a country singer. He's about to launch a new song, and Mel is going give him a makeover. She'll help him launch his new label, but he'll have to keep his hands off of her... Melody is so different from the female protagonist of Caught, Vivian. Vivian is so ambitious and driven, whereas Melody is a bit... stuck. When she gets kicked out of her apartment, her new neighbor, Aaron Major, offers to let her stay in his extra room. Turns out, he's a country singer who used to be popular, and is now coming back from a dry spell. It's a perfect opportunity for Melody to clean up her act, and for Aaron's launch to go big. So Mel lets this new project fill her, and she really gets back into her PR groove. I like Mel - she has a knack for publicity and promotion, and she's really good at what she does. She's also kind and tough, and doesn't let Aaron's agent (assistant? agent? Rita, that lady) push her around. Aaron is a different male protagonist than I was expecting. He's almost reluctant to launch his new label, image, country singer self. His first start into the country music world did not end well, and he disappeared for years. Now solo, he's hoping to have a successful and positive impact. He doesn't want to hire Mel at first, but he sees the logic and benefit in doing so quickly. Especially when things heat up in the little apartment. At first, I wasn't a fan of Mel living in his apartment, just because that plot twist seemed too convenient, and also very similar to the events in Caught. But it lead to some steamy scenes for sure. While I didn't find this book quite as hot as Caught, it's clear that Clare James knows how to write sexy and non-repetitive scenes. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The big finale wasn't that great for me, and I mentioned a few things that I'll discuss below, but I did like this book. I'll definitely be looking out for more Brazen books by Clare James! What I Did Not Like: To be honest, I wasn't feeling the climax and ending of this book. It centers around Aaron's launch party, and there's so much drama and angst going on. I get it, famous people are always going to be surrounded by drama. Aaron himself is so chill and low-key. But his agent (assistant, whoever), his "damaged" past, his former bandmate... I won't go into the specifics, but these things didn't really do much for me. I especially didn't like the ex-bandmate. I did like Aaron's brother though, he was a nice surprise (I hope the next book - there MUST be another - will be about him!). And ugh, Rita. What a pain in the neck. I actually wasn't feeling the fact that Melody and Aaron began living together. It felt convenient, way too easy. This definitely works in some books, but in this one, I didn't like that I expected it (like, obviously she's going to be behind on her rent, and the neighbor she literally JUST met is going to offer to let her stay with him, and OF COURSE he turns out to be a country star who probably needs a PR agent). There must be another way for these two to get close! This book wasn't quite as hot as I'd hoped, but of course, Caught set my expectations very high, for this author. So this isn't necessarily a complaint, but more of an Alyssa request. Ish. Would I Recommend It: Despite the three-star-rating, I would recommend this one. When I finished, I wasn't entirely impressed, and I knew I didn't love it. I vacillated between three and four stars, but settled on three because this isn't a particularly memorable Brazen, and I didn't love it. Still, it was decent! Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. This was definitely on the positive side of 3 stars, and not the negative side. If anything, try Caught by this author - it was amazing! ...more |
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Oct 13, 2015
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Oct 13, 2015
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| 0062641778
| 9780062641779
| B01LZFL5IC
| 3.81
| 470
| Jul 11, 2017
| Jul 11, 2017
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Pirate & I by Katharine Ashe Book 2.5 of the Devil's Duke series Publisher: Avon Impulse Publication D ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Pirate & I by Katharine Ashe Book 2.5 of the Devil's Duke series Publisher: Avon Impulse Publication Date: July 11, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): Years ago, Miss Esme Astell fell hopelessly in love with Charles Brittle, an unassuming and highly respectable London bookmaker. Then he disappeared without a word. The last thing Esme ever dreamed was to meet Charlie again — In a dark alleyway — In a drenching rain — In a chase with the police — In Scotland. Can she resist falling again, this time for the dangerous scoundrel he’s become? What I Liked: This novella was an absolute delight to read. I'm up to date with the Devil's Duke series and I actually think this is my favorite so far. Not that The Rogue and The Earl were bad - but this novella was so fun and heartwarming. It has crossover with The Scoundrel & I, featuring Esme Astel (who is Gabrielle Flood's friend) and Charles Brittle (from the Brittle & Sons print shop at which Gabrielle worked). This novella is an excellent addition to the series but also a fine standalone story. Esme Astel hasn't seen Charles Brittle in nearly two years, so imagine her surprise when he comes running down the alley on a rainy night, silently pleading with her not to give him away as the police search for him. Everyone thought he'd left for good, or was dead. As it would turn out, Charlie Brittle joined a ship two years ago, and then the ship was taken over by pirates, and he became a pirate by necessity. He is back - well, in Scotland - in order to complete a mission to get another pirate off his back. Esme has loved Charlie for years, and seeing him again is a dream come true. But he is full of mystery and danger, and not quite the same man from two years ago. And her current dream is to live in Paris as an apprentice to a perfumer. In this story, dreams come true for both Esme and Charlie, in the sweetest and most hopeful of ways. From the start, this book is full of sweet romance and yummy tension. You can practically feel the chemistry between Charlie and Esme, from the first pages and onward. This isn't a second-chance romance, though Esme and Charlie knew each other for years. Esme was secretly in love with Charlie for years, but she was sure that he was in love with Gabrielle - which is why he left. But Charlie has never loved Gabrielle like that, and he left for different reasons. During his years away, only one woman occupied his thoughts, the woman he was too shy to whom he was too shy to speak up. Esme is a sweet and tough young lady, with big dreams and a big heart. She has always had a knack for distinguishing smells, hence why she has gone into the perfume business. She is in Scotland for a perfumer's meeting, and she hopes to get an apprenticeship with one of the perfumers of Paris. Then, she can starting saving money to move her two sisters and mother out of her wretched uncle's house. Charlie is every inch a pirate - big, broad, unsmiling, up to some scheme, and running from the law. However, he is a good man, and though he denies it, a gentleman. He is selfless and caring when it comes to Esme and her family. He isn't an alpha male hero, but rather a seemingly hard yet sweet man who is protective to a fault. The two of them together was always fun and sweet to watch. The romance was adorable and lovely. This was a novella so there weren't too many sexy times, but the few that were there were steamy and also tender. I loved every interaction between these two. The story doesn't just deal with Esme and Charlie falling in love - there is a fun plot involving stealing a dog (whaaaaat), going to a brothel to find said dog (omg), and of course Esme trying to secure an apprenticeship with a perfumer. There is plenty going on besides the romance, though the romance is absolutely lovely! One of the best aspects of this book was the lack of drama! You know how there is always drama between the couple, at the climax, in romance novels? There wasn't too much in this book, and any conflict was resolved in a sensible and sweet manner. Both characters went after what they wanted (each other), when they really realized what they left. In general, this book didn't have drama. I love how agreeable Charlie and Esme were. Esme knew what she wanted, Charlie knew what he wanted, they sometimes butt heads, but they also listened to each other. I loved that. Props to Ashe for writing such a great story in a shorter page limit. I don't know what this says about me but I've really enjoyed her novellas, possibly more than her Devil's Duke full-length novels. What I Did Not Like: Of course I wish there were more sexy times! And I was also hoping to see Charlie confront his family (father and brother) at some point. That would have been symbolic of Charlie leaving behind the past and only looking forward (with Esme). But that's okay, I can come up with that scenario on my own and imagine a great resolution to that. Would I Recommend It: I definitely recommend the novellas that Ashe has written recently - this one, and The Scoundrel & I. Both novellas can be read as standalones, though they have crossover characters. They are fun, less dramatic, lacking miscommunication conflicts and forced conflicts, and very heartwarming. Also, I love how the novellas deal with "common" folk of historic England/Scotland, and not the nobility and the Ton. If you're looking for something different in historical romance... Rating: 4.5 stars. I'll round down to 4 stars for now. This book was incredibly fun and romantic and very much worth the read. If you're ever curious about Ashe's stories, try this one or The Scoundrel & I! Or her Prince Catchers series. And then go from there! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** The Pirate & I by Katharine Ashe Book 2.5 of the Devil's Duke series Publisher: Avon Impulse Publication Date: July 11, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): Years ago, Miss Esme Astell fell hopelessly in love with Charles Brittle, an unassuming and highly respectable London bookmaker. Then he disappeared without a word. The last thing Esme ever dreamed was to meet Charlie again — In a dark alleyway — In a drenching rain — In a chase with the police — In Scotland. Can she resist falling again, this time for the dangerous scoundrel he’s become? What I Liked: This novella was an absolute delight to read. I'm up to date with the Devil's Duke series and I actually think this is my favorite so far. Not that The Rogue and The Earl were bad - but this novella was so fun and heartwarming. It has crossover with The Scoundrel & I, featuring Esme Astel (who is Gabrielle Flood's friend) and Charles Brittle (from the Brittle & Sons print shop at which Gabrielle worked). This novella is an excellent addition to the series but also a fine standalone story. Esme Astel hasn't seen Charles Brittle in nearly two years, so imagine her surprise when he comes running down the alley on a rainy night, silently pleading with her not to give him away as the police search for him. Everyone thought he'd left for good, or was dead. As it would turn out, Charlie Brittle joined a ship two years ago, and then the ship was taken over by pirates, and he became a pirate by necessity. He is back - well, in Scotland - in order to complete a mission to get another pirate off his back. Esme has loved Charlie for years, and seeing him again is a dream come true. But he is full of mystery and danger, and not quite the same man from two years ago. And her current dream is to live in Paris as an apprentice to a perfumer. In this story, dreams come true for both Esme and Charlie, in the sweetest and most hopeful of ways. From the start, this book is full of sweet romance and yummy tension. You can practically feel the chemistry between Charlie and Esme, from the first pages and onward. This isn't a second-chance romance, though Esme and Charlie knew each other for years. Esme was secretly in love with Charlie for years, but she was sure that he was in love with Gabrielle - which is why he left. But Charlie has never loved Gabrielle like that, and he left for different reasons. During his years away, only one woman occupied his thoughts, the woman he was too shy to whom he was too shy to speak up. Esme is a sweet and tough young lady, with big dreams and a big heart. She has always had a knack for distinguishing smells, hence why she has gone into the perfume business. She is in Scotland for a perfumer's meeting, and she hopes to get an apprenticeship with one of the perfumers of Paris. Then, she can starting saving money to move her two sisters and mother out of her wretched uncle's house. Charlie is every inch a pirate - big, broad, unsmiling, up to some scheme, and running from the law. However, he is a good man, and though he denies it, a gentleman. He is selfless and caring when it comes to Esme and her family. He isn't an alpha male hero, but rather a seemingly hard yet sweet man who is protective to a fault. The two of them together was always fun and sweet to watch. The romance was adorable and lovely. This was a novella so there weren't too many sexy times, but the few that were there were steamy and also tender. I loved every interaction between these two. The story doesn't just deal with Esme and Charlie falling in love - there is a fun plot involving stealing a dog (whaaaaat), going to a brothel to find said dog (omg), and of course Esme trying to secure an apprenticeship with a perfumer. There is plenty going on besides the romance, though the romance is absolutely lovely! One of the best aspects of this book was the lack of drama! You know how there is always drama between the couple, at the climax, in romance novels? There wasn't too much in this book, and any conflict was resolved in a sensible and sweet manner. Both characters went after what they wanted (each other), when they really realized what they left. In general, this book didn't have drama. I love how agreeable Charlie and Esme were. Esme knew what she wanted, Charlie knew what he wanted, they sometimes butt heads, but they also listened to each other. I loved that. Props to Ashe for writing such a great story in a shorter page limit. I don't know what this says about me but I've really enjoyed her novellas, possibly more than her Devil's Duke full-length novels. What I Did Not Like: Of course I wish there were more sexy times! And I was also hoping to see Charlie confront his family (father and brother) at some point. That would have been symbolic of Charlie leaving behind the past and only looking forward (with Esme). But that's okay, I can come up with that scenario on my own and imagine a great resolution to that. Would I Recommend It: I definitely recommend the novellas that Ashe has written recently - this one, and The Scoundrel & I. Both novellas can be read as standalones, though they have crossover characters. They are fun, less dramatic, lacking miscommunication conflicts and forced conflicts, and very heartwarming. Also, I love how the novellas deal with "common" folk of historic England/Scotland, and not the nobility and the Ton. If you're looking for something different in historical romance... Rating: 4.5 stars. I'll round down to 4 stars for now. This book was incredibly fun and romantic and very much worth the read. If you're ever curious about Ashe's stories, try this one or The Scoundrel & I! Or her Prince Catchers series. And then go from there! ...more |
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Jul 06, 2017
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Jul 06, 2017
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1619210428
| 9781619210424
| B007PJ3WW2
| 4.15
| 470
| Aug 28, 2012
| Aug 28, 2012
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it was amazing
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AWESOME book :) Merged review: AWESOME book :) |
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Sep 28, 2024
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| 0995050724
| 9780995050723
| B01MUKDJIF
| 3.57
| 1,001
| Feb 27, 2017
| Feb 27, 2017
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Undeclared by Julianna Keyes Book Two of the Burnham College series Publication Date: February 27, 2017 Ra ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Undeclared by Julianna Keyes Book Two of the Burnham College series Publication Date: February 27, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is a New Adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Kellan McVey is Burnham College’s most prolific athlete, partier, and ladies’ man—and that’s just how he likes it. Returning to reign for his third year, he wants nothing to change. Then Andrea Walsh shows up. It wasn’t too long ago that Andi and Kellan were lifelong friends, mortal enemies, and, for one hot summer, more. Then Kellan left and Andi stayed behind. Kellan thought he’d moved past that last summer’s heartbreak, but with Andi sitting next to him in class, befriending his friends, and battling for the same once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity, he’s starting to remember why he hated her…and why he loved her. Kellan has a long list of reasons that falling for Andi again is a terrible idea, though every new moment together challenges that theory. But Andi’s all too familiar with Kellan’s love ’em and leave ’em approach—and she’s found someone else to get serious about. Burnham’s campus king has never had to fight for a girl, but if he wants Andi to give him another chance, he’ll have to do the one thing he’s never had the nerve to do: admit it. What I Liked: Undeclared was without doubt my most anticipated New Adult publication of 2017. I loved Undecided - so much it became my new favorite NA book - and I couldn't wait to read the follow-up. While I didn't love this book like I loved Undecided (would that even be possible?), I enjoyed it and definitely recommend it. Undeclared is Kellan's story, and it starts at the end of summer, leading into the beginning of hir junior year. Before heading back to Burnham for the new academic year, Kellan seeks out his childhood and former hook-up, Andi. He and Andi did not part on good terms two summer ago, before Kellan left for Burnham and Andi stayed in Avilla. Years later, she is still angry with him. And as it would turn out, she is starting her first year at Burnham, with a volleyball scholarship. Kellan is notorious for his promiscuous behavior, but what everyone doesn't know is that he left Avilla two years ago with a broken heart, and wanted a fresh start from Andi. But now that they're back to being in the same space - and having the same friends too - Kellan and Andi can't ignore their brokenhearted past, or their unknown future. Clearly this is a second-chance romance story, and I will be very upfront by saying that I do not usually like second-chance romances. It's because someone got burned a long time ago, and now here is the story of two hurt people (at least one, anyway) falling in love again... it's not always pretty, it's never fun, and I'm not here for that kind of story. However, I've read several of Keyes' adult novels, and one was a second-chance romance. I loved that book (Time Served). And I loved Undecided (which was not a second-chance romance, by the way), so there was no way I wasn't going to give this book a chance. Both Kellan and Andi are hurt about what happened two summers ago (when the "broke up", Kellan went to Burnham, Andi stayed in Avilla). Andi has always openly loved Kellan, but Kellan could never force the words into his brain, let alone out of his mouth. Fast-forward to now - there is even more angst and heartbreak between the two of them. With Kellan's literal list of women he's hooked up with between him and Andi, and Andi being tired of waiting for Kellan, you know this story isn't going to be easy. And it wasn't. But... that's one of the things I liked about it. This book is written in Kellan's point-of-view, which was awesome! Exclusively his first-person POV. I loved getting in his head, when it came to track, Andi, his promiscuous past, his friends. It broke my heart, experiencing his feelings whenever his sexcapades were brought into conversation by one idiot or anything, because you can tell how Kellan isn't proud of himself anymore. Kellan has matured so much, between Undecided and Undeclared, but also in Undeclared. He has so much more depth than what everyone expects (the jock playboy who will sleep with anyone). This book is about Kellan, and not just his romance with Andi. He matures and becomes a better guy, a better student, a better athlete, and a better person in general. I like Kellan 2.0. I was surprised when I actually liked Andi, from the start. I thought I'd dislike her initially because she was the one that put the brakes on their "relationship" those summers ago, and honestly she was a little mean to him, when they first start interacting at Burnham. But then I put myself in her shoes... honestly, she was much nicer than I would have been. My petty butt would have been vicious. Anyway, Andi was fine in the beginning and she grew on me even more. I didn't really like that she was interested in another guy at first (I like the romance linear), but I didn't mind because that ended up trickling out less than halfway, and she wasn't interested in him like she was in Kellan. Even though Andi wasn't one to play games, she was quite good at getting Kellan to notice her and want to seek her out. Andi is smart and also protective of her heart - and with good reason. Watching the pair stumble along and find their way was hard, heartbreaking, but also sweet and sometimes steamy. They fight constantly in the beginning, and that leads to some other passionate encounters... they are great together. The romance is different because they both already loved each other - but they grew into those feelings, and that was fun and swoony to watch. They have to hash out and work through a lot of stuff, but it was worth the angst and occasional (small) drama. No love triangle, no cheating, no surprise babies - it's all Kellan and Andi (though at first, like I said, it seems like Andi might be into someone else). I don't really like the diversion bit (Andi being interested in someone else) but it served a purpose. The romance is both bittersweet and swoony, steamy and passionate. I loved how the male relationships are so important in this book. Crosbie, Dane, Choo, and several other male characters make a lot of appearances in this book, and they are so crucial to Kellan's story. They're a hilarious and solid support system for Kellan, whether he knows it or not. She's not a dude but Nora (Crosbie's girlfriend) is also frequently in this book, and I loved all of her and Crosbie's snippets. They are the cutest! I've probably said enough! This book was great overall. I'm not a big fan of second-chance romance novels, but this one was good. I think Keyes did Kellan's story justice. What I Did Not Like: The diversion aspect of the romance could have just not existed (Andi being interested in the basketball player - they didn't "do" anything, for anyone wondering). Sure, there was nothing sexual about Andi and the basketball player BUT that whole plot point was unnecessary. I've mentioned how I struggle with second-chance romances so if you're like me, know that this book has those aspects of second-chance romances that you struggle with (the angst, the heartbreak, the anger, the hurt, and a wee bit of drama). It's not terrible, like some books? Would I Recommend It: I didn't love this book like I loved Undecided (again, probably because of the second-chance romance aspect), but I liked it a lot and I don't think it disappointed at all. I definitely missed the funny back-and-forth banter of Crosbie and Nora's relationship, but Kellan and Andi's relationship had its own tone and quality to it, and for that, I can't fault the book. I do recommend this book if you've read Undecided. If you haven't read Undecided and are thinking about starting with this book (Undeclared)... don't - read Undecided (first). You won't regret it! Rating: 4 stars. A solid companion sequel and addition to the series. I liked this book and I adored Kellan even more than I already did. I think he really redeemed himself in this book, with Andi and in general. Take whatever you thought about him in Undecided and be prepared to take a closer look at this guy! UPDATE (February 22nd, 2017): Friends! Undecided by Julianna Keyes is on sale for only $1.99! This is such an amazing sale for a FANTASTIC book. I don’t throw around the word “favorite” very often… but this is one of my favorite books. :) Buy it at $1.99 for a limited time only, before Undeclared publishes! [image] Amazon | B&N | Kobo EDIT, December 31st, 2016: Soooo December isn't going to happen (obviously), but here's hoping Undeclared will happen in 2017! [image] [image] [image] Second book I've created on Goodreads! I loved Undecided and can't wait to read this companion novel - Kellan's story. The author began writing it in July 2016 and hopes to have it ready to go in December - cross your fingers, folks! :D Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Undeclared by Julianna Keyes Book Two of the Burnham College series Publication Date: February 27, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is a New Adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Kellan McVey is Burnham College’s most prolific athlete, partier, and ladies’ man—and that’s just how he likes it. Returning to reign for his third year, he wants nothing to change. Then Andrea Walsh shows up. It wasn’t too long ago that Andi and Kellan were lifelong friends, mortal enemies, and, for one hot summer, more. Then Kellan left and Andi stayed behind. Kellan thought he’d moved past that last summer’s heartbreak, but with Andi sitting next to him in class, befriending his friends, and battling for the same once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity, he’s starting to remember why he hated her…and why he loved her. Kellan has a long list of reasons that falling for Andi again is a terrible idea, though every new moment together challenges that theory. But Andi’s all too familiar with Kellan’s love ’em and leave ’em approach—and she’s found someone else to get serious about. Burnham’s campus king has never had to fight for a girl, but if he wants Andi to give him another chance, he’ll have to do the one thing he’s never had the nerve to do: admit it. What I Liked: Undeclared was without doubt my most anticipated New Adult publication of 2017. I loved Undecided - so much it became my new favorite NA book - and I couldn't wait to read the follow-up. While I didn't love this book like I loved Undecided (would that even be possible?), I enjoyed it and definitely recommend it. Undeclared is Kellan's story, and it starts at the end of summer, leading into the beginning of hir junior year. Before heading back to Burnham for the new academic year, Kellan seeks out his childhood and former hook-up, Andi. He and Andi did not part on good terms two summer ago, before Kellan left for Burnham and Andi stayed in Avilla. Years later, she is still angry with him. And as it would turn out, she is starting her first year at Burnham, with a volleyball scholarship. Kellan is notorious for his promiscuous behavior, but what everyone doesn't know is that he left Avilla two years ago with a broken heart, and wanted a fresh start from Andi. But now that they're back to being in the same space - and having the same friends too - Kellan and Andi can't ignore their brokenhearted past, or their unknown future. Clearly this is a second-chance romance story, and I will be very upfront by saying that I do not usually like second-chance romances. It's because someone got burned a long time ago, and now here is the story of two hurt people (at least one, anyway) falling in love again... it's not always pretty, it's never fun, and I'm not here for that kind of story. However, I've read several of Keyes' adult novels, and one was a second-chance romance. I loved that book (Time Served). And I loved Undecided (which was not a second-chance romance, by the way), so there was no way I wasn't going to give this book a chance. Both Kellan and Andi are hurt about what happened two summers ago (when the "broke up", Kellan went to Burnham, Andi stayed in Avilla). Andi has always openly loved Kellan, but Kellan could never force the words into his brain, let alone out of his mouth. Fast-forward to now - there is even more angst and heartbreak between the two of them. With Kellan's literal list of women he's hooked up with between him and Andi, and Andi being tired of waiting for Kellan, you know this story isn't going to be easy. And it wasn't. But... that's one of the things I liked about it. This book is written in Kellan's point-of-view, which was awesome! Exclusively his first-person POV. I loved getting in his head, when it came to track, Andi, his promiscuous past, his friends. It broke my heart, experiencing his feelings whenever his sexcapades were brought into conversation by one idiot or anything, because you can tell how Kellan isn't proud of himself anymore. Kellan has matured so much, between Undecided and Undeclared, but also in Undeclared. He has so much more depth than what everyone expects (the jock playboy who will sleep with anyone). This book is about Kellan, and not just his romance with Andi. He matures and becomes a better guy, a better student, a better athlete, and a better person in general. I like Kellan 2.0. I was surprised when I actually liked Andi, from the start. I thought I'd dislike her initially because she was the one that put the brakes on their "relationship" those summers ago, and honestly she was a little mean to him, when they first start interacting at Burnham. But then I put myself in her shoes... honestly, she was much nicer than I would have been. My petty butt would have been vicious. Anyway, Andi was fine in the beginning and she grew on me even more. I didn't really like that she was interested in another guy at first (I like the romance linear), but I didn't mind because that ended up trickling out less than halfway, and she wasn't interested in him like she was in Kellan. Even though Andi wasn't one to play games, she was quite good at getting Kellan to notice her and want to seek her out. Andi is smart and also protective of her heart - and with good reason. Watching the pair stumble along and find their way was hard, heartbreaking, but also sweet and sometimes steamy. They fight constantly in the beginning, and that leads to some other passionate encounters... they are great together. The romance is different because they both already loved each other - but they grew into those feelings, and that was fun and swoony to watch. They have to hash out and work through a lot of stuff, but it was worth the angst and occasional (small) drama. No love triangle, no cheating, no surprise babies - it's all Kellan and Andi (though at first, like I said, it seems like Andi might be into someone else). I don't really like the diversion bit (Andi being interested in someone else) but it served a purpose. The romance is both bittersweet and swoony, steamy and passionate. I loved how the male relationships are so important in this book. Crosbie, Dane, Choo, and several other male characters make a lot of appearances in this book, and they are so crucial to Kellan's story. They're a hilarious and solid support system for Kellan, whether he knows it or not. She's not a dude but Nora (Crosbie's girlfriend) is also frequently in this book, and I loved all of her and Crosbie's snippets. They are the cutest! I've probably said enough! This book was great overall. I'm not a big fan of second-chance romance novels, but this one was good. I think Keyes did Kellan's story justice. What I Did Not Like: The diversion aspect of the romance could have just not existed (Andi being interested in the basketball player - they didn't "do" anything, for anyone wondering). Sure, there was nothing sexual about Andi and the basketball player BUT that whole plot point was unnecessary. I've mentioned how I struggle with second-chance romances so if you're like me, know that this book has those aspects of second-chance romances that you struggle with (the angst, the heartbreak, the anger, the hurt, and a wee bit of drama). It's not terrible, like some books? Would I Recommend It: I didn't love this book like I loved Undecided (again, probably because of the second-chance romance aspect), but I liked it a lot and I don't think it disappointed at all. I definitely missed the funny back-and-forth banter of Crosbie and Nora's relationship, but Kellan and Andi's relationship had its own tone and quality to it, and for that, I can't fault the book. I do recommend this book if you've read Undecided. If you haven't read Undecided and are thinking about starting with this book (Undeclared)... don't - read Undecided (first). You won't regret it! Rating: 4 stars. A solid companion sequel and addition to the series. I liked this book and I adored Kellan even more than I already did. I think he really redeemed himself in this book, with Andi and in general. Take whatever you thought about him in Undecided and be prepared to take a closer look at this guy! UPDATE (February 22nd, 2017): Friends! Undecided by Julianna Keyes is on sale for only $1.99! This is such an amazing sale for a FANTASTIC book. I don’t throw around the word “favorite” very often… but this is one of my favorite books. :) Buy it at $1.99 for a limited time only, before Undeclared publishes! [image] Amazon | B&N | Kobo EDIT, December 31st, 2016: Soooo December isn't going to happen (obviously), but here's hoping Undeclared will happen in 2017! [image] [image] [image] Second book I've created on Goodreads! I loved Undecided and can't wait to read this companion novel - Kellan's story. The author began writing it in July 2016 and hopes to have it ready to go in December - cross your fingers, folks! :D ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Feb 25, 2017
not set
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Feb 25, 2017
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0399180931
| 9780399180934
| B06XFJYWMT
| 3.65
| 236
| Apr 03, 2018
| Apr 03, 2018
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Blood Veil by Megan Erickson Book Two of the Mission series Publisher: Loveswept Publication Date: April 3 ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Blood Veil by Megan Erickson Book Two of the Mission series Publisher: Loveswept Publication Date: April 3, 2018 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley Summary (from Goodreads): In the midst of supernatural chaos, worlds and hearts collide. Celia: Having never known my parents, I’ve always felt like an orphan. All I want is a normal life. But after I’m attacked in my bedroom by one vampire—and rescued by another—it’s about time to give up on “normal” once and for all. Idris, the second in command of the Gregorie vampire clan, has come to my aid, but his motives for saving me are unclear. And what surprises me most is my attraction to his heated gaze. . . . Idris: Terror. Curiosity. Arousal. These are the natural impulses of a human female, not the spawn of the ruthless Valarian king. Is it possible that Celia is unaware of her bloodline—and the power coursing through her veins? As the daughter of my archenemy, she was supposed to be my ransom. But how quickly the heat of desire changes everything. Now the family Celia has always craved is trying to kill her, and it’s up to me to save her again—when all I really want to do is make her mine. What I Liked: Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'm kind of excited about vampires being "in" again. Ten years ago (or more than that), everyone was sick and tired of vampires and werewolves and all that - myself included. But I'm ready for more vampire novels, especially in romance! Thank goodness there is a great author behind this series. I already love Erickson's books, and this series has been going really well for me. This is the second book in the Mission series, and a companion to the first book. Idris, the younger Gregorie brother, is bent on revenge. He plans to use the Valarian king's daughter as a pawn in his plan to take out the king. But Athan (the Gregorie king and Idris's older brother) wants the Valarian princess safe and unharmed while negotiations are in place. Unfortunately for Celia (who doesn't even know that vampires exist, let alone that she's half-vampire), life is not turning out the way she thought. One minute she's sleeping, the next minute there is a creature in her bathroom. She is almost killed by one supernatural being, only to be rescued by another. Idris thought he could use Celia in his schemes, but he didn't expect to fall for her. I felt so bad for Idris in Blood Guard, with everything that he had to deal with, and all the changes that came about towards the end of that book. Idris is a complicated guy with a lot of loneliness and a loss of purpose. He is honing in on revenge because his purpose is gone. But while Idris is a strategic mastermind and a man set on the course of revenge, he is also very loyal and protective. He wants more in life but he is also stalled, and doesn't know where to go. He's a good guy, despite his armor and stony facade. I adored Celia, and maybe for reasons that others might not like her. She is a nurse, a kind soul, a gentle person who cares with her whole heart and is so sweet. She is a selfless, giving woman, and I loved that her gentleness was a perfect foil to Idris's hardness. Celia is NOT weak, but she has a quiet strength. She isn't some sort of kickbutt warrior queen - but she is strong in other ways. Her strength is in her selflessness and her good heart. As a pair, Idris and Celia really worked. It took some time for each of them to trust each other - which makes sense, since Idris saved Celia's life and then took her away from her home (for her safety of course - but still). Celia was scared and cautious at first, but she began to trust him with every time he saved her life, and every time he showed his softer sides. And Idris... Idris spent his entire life being lonely, not having that sense of connection and love with anyone. Both of them have a lot of caution when it comes to loving someone else, and both of them fit the other really well. There was a slow build of trust and a slow build of feelings, but the chemistry was always there. I didn't see Stockholm Syndrome in this romance. As always, Erickson wrote some great chemistry and tension, and this book was fairly steamy! Her books are always spot-on when it comes to chemistry, so I expected no less. This novel isn't just a romance - there is a lot of vampire politics in play. Athan is very present in this book, what with him being Gregorie king and all, and Celia being the Valarian king's daughter (and a very important piece to a puzzle that Idris is trying to understand). We also get to see Tendra (Athan's queen), though less so than Athan. Politics are very important in this book, and certain events take the series even further than Blood Guard. I'm curious to see how the overall plot (the vampire politics and wars and peace settlements with humans) will shake out. I hope there will be a book three! I don't know who the protagonist would be, but I can hope. What I Did Not Like: I can't really think of anything specific at the moment. I enjoyed this book! Would I Recommend It: If you like adult paranormal romance, this is a great series to read! I was wanting to read a vampire romance novel last year and lo and behold, Erickson had Blood Guard ready to be published. That book and Blood Veil are excellent! Very steamy, very intriguing paranormal romance novels. Rating: 4 stars. I really hope there will be a book three! Erickson cannot stop the series here! While each book is a companion novel following a different pair of characters, the overall plot connects the books, and I want to see where things will go. Keep writing, Megan! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Blood Veil by Megan Erickson Book Two of the Mission series Publisher: Loveswept Publication Date: April 3, 2018 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley Summary (from Goodreads): In the midst of supernatural chaos, worlds and hearts collide. Celia: Having never known my parents, I’ve always felt like an orphan. All I want is a normal life. But after I’m attacked in my bedroom by one vampire—and rescued by another—it’s about time to give up on “normal” once and for all. Idris, the second in command of the Gregorie vampire clan, has come to my aid, but his motives for saving me are unclear. And what surprises me most is my attraction to his heated gaze. . . . Idris: Terror. Curiosity. Arousal. These are the natural impulses of a human female, not the spawn of the ruthless Valarian king. Is it possible that Celia is unaware of her bloodline—and the power coursing through her veins? As the daughter of my archenemy, she was supposed to be my ransom. But how quickly the heat of desire changes everything. Now the family Celia has always craved is trying to kill her, and it’s up to me to save her again—when all I really want to do is make her mine. What I Liked: Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I'm kind of excited about vampires being "in" again. Ten years ago (or more than that), everyone was sick and tired of vampires and werewolves and all that - myself included. But I'm ready for more vampire novels, especially in romance! Thank goodness there is a great author behind this series. I already love Erickson's books, and this series has been going really well for me. This is the second book in the Mission series, and a companion to the first book. Idris, the younger Gregorie brother, is bent on revenge. He plans to use the Valarian king's daughter as a pawn in his plan to take out the king. But Athan (the Gregorie king and Idris's older brother) wants the Valarian princess safe and unharmed while negotiations are in place. Unfortunately for Celia (who doesn't even know that vampires exist, let alone that she's half-vampire), life is not turning out the way she thought. One minute she's sleeping, the next minute there is a creature in her bathroom. She is almost killed by one supernatural being, only to be rescued by another. Idris thought he could use Celia in his schemes, but he didn't expect to fall for her. I felt so bad for Idris in Blood Guard, with everything that he had to deal with, and all the changes that came about towards the end of that book. Idris is a complicated guy with a lot of loneliness and a loss of purpose. He is honing in on revenge because his purpose is gone. But while Idris is a strategic mastermind and a man set on the course of revenge, he is also very loyal and protective. He wants more in life but he is also stalled, and doesn't know where to go. He's a good guy, despite his armor and stony facade. I adored Celia, and maybe for reasons that others might not like her. She is a nurse, a kind soul, a gentle person who cares with her whole heart and is so sweet. She is a selfless, giving woman, and I loved that her gentleness was a perfect foil to Idris's hardness. Celia is NOT weak, but she has a quiet strength. She isn't some sort of kickbutt warrior queen - but she is strong in other ways. Her strength is in her selflessness and her good heart. As a pair, Idris and Celia really worked. It took some time for each of them to trust each other - which makes sense, since Idris saved Celia's life and then took her away from her home (for her safety of course - but still). Celia was scared and cautious at first, but she began to trust him with every time he saved her life, and every time he showed his softer sides. And Idris... Idris spent his entire life being lonely, not having that sense of connection and love with anyone. Both of them have a lot of caution when it comes to loving someone else, and both of them fit the other really well. There was a slow build of trust and a slow build of feelings, but the chemistry was always there. I didn't see Stockholm Syndrome in this romance. As always, Erickson wrote some great chemistry and tension, and this book was fairly steamy! Her books are always spot-on when it comes to chemistry, so I expected no less. This novel isn't just a romance - there is a lot of vampire politics in play. Athan is very present in this book, what with him being Gregorie king and all, and Celia being the Valarian king's daughter (and a very important piece to a puzzle that Idris is trying to understand). We also get to see Tendra (Athan's queen), though less so than Athan. Politics are very important in this book, and certain events take the series even further than Blood Guard. I'm curious to see how the overall plot (the vampire politics and wars and peace settlements with humans) will shake out. I hope there will be a book three! I don't know who the protagonist would be, but I can hope. What I Did Not Like: I can't really think of anything specific at the moment. I enjoyed this book! Would I Recommend It: If you like adult paranormal romance, this is a great series to read! I was wanting to read a vampire romance novel last year and lo and behold, Erickson had Blood Guard ready to be published. That book and Blood Veil are excellent! Very steamy, very intriguing paranormal romance novels. Rating: 4 stars. I really hope there will be a book three! Erickson cannot stop the series here! While each book is a companion novel following a different pair of characters, the overall plot connects the books, and I want to see where things will go. Keep writing, Megan! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Mar 24, 2018
not set
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Mar 24, 2018
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250111617
| 9781250111616
| B01BSN14HK
| 3.86
| 1,046
| Jun 21, 2016
| Jun 21, 2016
|
liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Beauty and the Highland Beast by Lecia Cornwall Book One of the Highland Fairy Tale seires Publisher: St. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Beauty and the Highland Beast by Lecia Cornwall Book One of the Highland Fairy Tale seires Publisher: St. Martin's Press Publication Date: June 21, 2016 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Powerful and dangerous highlander Dair Sinclair was once the favored son of his clan, The Sinclairs of Carraig Brigh. With Dair at the helm, Sinclair ships circled the globe bringing home incredible fortune. Until one deadly mission when Daire is captured, tortured and is unable to save his young cousin. He returns home breaking under the weight of his guilt and becomes known as the Madman of Carraig Brigh. When a pagan healer predicts that only a virgin bride can heal his son’s body and mind, Daire’s father sets off to find the perfect wife for his son. At the castle of the fearsome McLeods, he meets lovely and kind Fia MacLeod. Although Daire does his best to frighten Fia, she sees the man underneath the damage and uses her charm and special gifts to heal his mind and heart. Will Daire let Fia love him or is he cursed with madness forever? What I Liked: I downloaded this book on a whim (thank you, SMP!), because I love fairy tale retellings, and I love adult romance novels. This one was good but not great. The writing didn't really work for me, I didn't really love or connect with any of the characters, and I just wasn't feeling the story in general. It wasn't for me, but I am happy that I gave it a shot! Dair (short of Alasdair) is the heir of the Sinclair clan, one of the most powerful clans in Scotland. Dair was a a sailor, circling the globe with ease and skill, before a terrible tragedy struck the family. A mission went wrong, and Dair was captured. His cousin, Jeannie, was tortured and raped and hung while he was chained. Dair was released, as a message to the Sinclairs. Ever since he was sent back, Dair has been having nightmares and has been screaming like a madman. No one wants to go near him. But an old healer declares that a virgin can save Dair, and Dair's father (the chief of the Sinclair clan) finds Fia McLeod, one of the numerous daughters of the fierce McLead chief. Fia and her sister Meggie arrive at Carraig Brigh, and Fia realizes that Dair isn't mad; he seems sane to her. But there is something else afoot, and Dair and Fia must find out before it is too late for Dair. More on this below, but I didn't really connect with, or love, any of the characters. I felt so bad for Dair - he is mistreated and misjudged, dubbed as a madman when I'm pretty sure he is suffering from some serious PTSD. Dair is scarred (physically and emotionally), and reacts badly when Fia arrives at the castle. But he warms up to her, and vice versa. Dair is a good man, and there are hints of alpha male that jump out every now and then. A lot of attention was spent on making Dair seem mad, which detracted from him being a lusty romance hero. I didn't really like Fia, to be honest. She's supposed to be this innocent, sweet girl - think Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Animals LOVE Fia, and all the men ogle her and stare at her breasts. She's supposed to be very beautiful, but noticeably scarred and she has a limp, about which she is very secretive. Fia seemed too naive to me, but she was an okay character. The author revealed information slowly, about Dair's cousin and the tragedy, about Fia's own tragedy in her past, about the villain of the story and his motives. This was well done. While this book isn't off-the-charts steamy, there is some pretty heavy chemistry between Dair and Fia. I liked them together; they fit well, and they each need each other more than they realize. I didn't really care for the ending (some of the reveals were silly and didn't feel right with the story), but I'm amused by one aspect of the ending, and I'm really glad the book wrapped up as nicely as it did. The author ended the book lightheartedly and with hope, which I liked. What I Did Not Like: Somehow I just didn't connect with the characters. I'm not sure if it's just me, so if you read this book and had a wonderful reaction to it, I'm glad! Somehow it seemed like everything of this book was written on a surface layer, and didn't dig deeper. The characters seemed one-dimensional, almost like archetypes or caricatures that needed to be brought to life. Yes, we got in Dair's head. Yes, we got in Fia's head. But somehow, they never seemed like real people to me. And it's not that I didn't like either of them - I think I like them, for the most part. I definitely like and feel so bad for Dair. Fia, eh. But I didn't really NOT like either character. I just didn't connect with them, like I find myself doing in other romance novels. I'm not sure if I liked Fia or not. She's incredibly naive, and it seems like every male is after her. Every male is staring at her breasts ALL THE TIME - it got annoying really quickly, especially when it wasn't Dair doing the looking. I get that she's supposed to be beautiful but... I found the writing to be a little poor, definitely not to me taste. A lot of telling and now showing, and a lot of cliche-sounding phrases. Not even in historical romance novels will you find a female protagonist saying "Take me!" to the hero. That's so cliche and definitely a '70s line in romance novels. I could not believe it when I saw that line in this book! Towards the end, the story started to get a little obnoxious. Some of the explanations for why Dair became as he did were stupid (and they had nothing to do with Dair). I don't want to say that these explanations felt like a cop-out or a rushed ending, but they didn't feel well thought-out, or well-written, in my opinion. I guess the story was a little boring, too. I wasn't hooked, and I wasn't really dying to know what would happen next. It took me two days to read this book (that's a lot - usually I'll sit down and read a book in one sitting). Would I Recommend It: On the one hand, all of the issues I mentioned are subjective and could be limited to me. On the other hand, this isn't necessarily a book I would recommend. Your life won't be too different if you read it, or if you don't read it. It was worth a try, and I'm glad I read it! But it's really not worth the extra effort, if you were on the fence about reading it. Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. This was an impulse download! I do that rarely, which is fine. I don't regret pulling this one from NetGalley, but I wish I had liked it more. I was expecting a little more! Maybe the fairy tale retelling allure was most of why I was excited about this book. Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Beauty and the Highland Beast by Lecia Cornwall Book One of the Highland Fairy Tale seires Publisher: St. Martin's Press Publication Date: June 21, 2016 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Powerful and dangerous highlander Dair Sinclair was once the favored son of his clan, The Sinclairs of Carraig Brigh. With Dair at the helm, Sinclair ships circled the globe bringing home incredible fortune. Until one deadly mission when Daire is captured, tortured and is unable to save his young cousin. He returns home breaking under the weight of his guilt and becomes known as the Madman of Carraig Brigh. When a pagan healer predicts that only a virgin bride can heal his son’s body and mind, Daire’s father sets off to find the perfect wife for his son. At the castle of the fearsome McLeods, he meets lovely and kind Fia MacLeod. Although Daire does his best to frighten Fia, she sees the man underneath the damage and uses her charm and special gifts to heal his mind and heart. Will Daire let Fia love him or is he cursed with madness forever? What I Liked: I downloaded this book on a whim (thank you, SMP!), because I love fairy tale retellings, and I love adult romance novels. This one was good but not great. The writing didn't really work for me, I didn't really love or connect with any of the characters, and I just wasn't feeling the story in general. It wasn't for me, but I am happy that I gave it a shot! Dair (short of Alasdair) is the heir of the Sinclair clan, one of the most powerful clans in Scotland. Dair was a a sailor, circling the globe with ease and skill, before a terrible tragedy struck the family. A mission went wrong, and Dair was captured. His cousin, Jeannie, was tortured and raped and hung while he was chained. Dair was released, as a message to the Sinclairs. Ever since he was sent back, Dair has been having nightmares and has been screaming like a madman. No one wants to go near him. But an old healer declares that a virgin can save Dair, and Dair's father (the chief of the Sinclair clan) finds Fia McLeod, one of the numerous daughters of the fierce McLead chief. Fia and her sister Meggie arrive at Carraig Brigh, and Fia realizes that Dair isn't mad; he seems sane to her. But there is something else afoot, and Dair and Fia must find out before it is too late for Dair. More on this below, but I didn't really connect with, or love, any of the characters. I felt so bad for Dair - he is mistreated and misjudged, dubbed as a madman when I'm pretty sure he is suffering from some serious PTSD. Dair is scarred (physically and emotionally), and reacts badly when Fia arrives at the castle. But he warms up to her, and vice versa. Dair is a good man, and there are hints of alpha male that jump out every now and then. A lot of attention was spent on making Dair seem mad, which detracted from him being a lusty romance hero. I didn't really like Fia, to be honest. She's supposed to be this innocent, sweet girl - think Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Animals LOVE Fia, and all the men ogle her and stare at her breasts. She's supposed to be very beautiful, but noticeably scarred and she has a limp, about which she is very secretive. Fia seemed too naive to me, but she was an okay character. The author revealed information slowly, about Dair's cousin and the tragedy, about Fia's own tragedy in her past, about the villain of the story and his motives. This was well done. While this book isn't off-the-charts steamy, there is some pretty heavy chemistry between Dair and Fia. I liked them together; they fit well, and they each need each other more than they realize. I didn't really care for the ending (some of the reveals were silly and didn't feel right with the story), but I'm amused by one aspect of the ending, and I'm really glad the book wrapped up as nicely as it did. The author ended the book lightheartedly and with hope, which I liked. What I Did Not Like: Somehow I just didn't connect with the characters. I'm not sure if it's just me, so if you read this book and had a wonderful reaction to it, I'm glad! Somehow it seemed like everything of this book was written on a surface layer, and didn't dig deeper. The characters seemed one-dimensional, almost like archetypes or caricatures that needed to be brought to life. Yes, we got in Dair's head. Yes, we got in Fia's head. But somehow, they never seemed like real people to me. And it's not that I didn't like either of them - I think I like them, for the most part. I definitely like and feel so bad for Dair. Fia, eh. But I didn't really NOT like either character. I just didn't connect with them, like I find myself doing in other romance novels. I'm not sure if I liked Fia or not. She's incredibly naive, and it seems like every male is after her. Every male is staring at her breasts ALL THE TIME - it got annoying really quickly, especially when it wasn't Dair doing the looking. I get that she's supposed to be beautiful but... I found the writing to be a little poor, definitely not to me taste. A lot of telling and now showing, and a lot of cliche-sounding phrases. Not even in historical romance novels will you find a female protagonist saying "Take me!" to the hero. That's so cliche and definitely a '70s line in romance novels. I could not believe it when I saw that line in this book! Towards the end, the story started to get a little obnoxious. Some of the explanations for why Dair became as he did were stupid (and they had nothing to do with Dair). I don't want to say that these explanations felt like a cop-out or a rushed ending, but they didn't feel well thought-out, or well-written, in my opinion. I guess the story was a little boring, too. I wasn't hooked, and I wasn't really dying to know what would happen next. It took me two days to read this book (that's a lot - usually I'll sit down and read a book in one sitting). Would I Recommend It: On the one hand, all of the issues I mentioned are subjective and could be limited to me. On the other hand, this isn't necessarily a book I would recommend. Your life won't be too different if you read it, or if you don't read it. It was worth a try, and I'm glad I read it! But it's really not worth the extra effort, if you were on the fence about reading it. Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. This was an impulse download! I do that rarely, which is fine. I don't regret pulling this one from NetGalley, but I wish I had liked it more. I was expecting a little more! Maybe the fairy tale retelling allure was most of why I was excited about this book. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
Jun 2016
not set
|
Jun 02, 2016
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633757625
| 9781633757622
| B01LYS73T8
| 3.99
| 371
| Oct 03, 2016
| Oct 03, 2016
|
liked it
|
2.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** His Best Mistake by Diane Alberts Book Six of the Shillings Agency series Publisher: Brazen Publ 2.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** His Best Mistake by Diane Alberts Book Six of the Shillings Agency series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: October 3, 2016 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from publisher ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): One night with a stranger… Security expert Mark Matthews has loved, and lost, and has no intention of ever loving again—especially not a woman who thrives on her life being in danger. Now, hot, meaningless sex with strangers he had no intention of ever seeing again? That's a whole other story. And it's all life as a single father allows him to enjoy. But when he meets a woman who refuses to tell him her real name, the game is on, because she's everything he swore to stay away from. Daisy O'Rourke has bad idea written all over her, but he's in too deep to walk away now… What I Liked: Another three-star read from this author. My last Brazen novel was literally a Diane Alberts book, Temporarily Yours, the first book in this series. I've now read three of the books in this series (Temporarily Yours, Say You're Mine, and His Best Mistake), and I've read two of Alberts' books as Jen McLaughlin. While I enjoyed Say You're Mine, the other two books I've recently read in this series have been so-so. We meet Mark in Say You're Mine. He's a single father and security expert at Shillings Agency. He's ex-military too. Ever since his wife died several years ago, he hasn't been serious with women... because he doesn't want to go through that again, or put his daughter through that loss. Things change when he meets Daisy O'Rourke at a bar, and they have a one-night stand that he wants to be more than one night. But Daisy is suffering from loss too, and she's determined not to be with someone of a military background. Is Mark making a mistake by chasing this stubborn woman? Mark, I adored, in this book and in Say You're Mine. In this book, we see his pain and his loss, and how his background and his past shaped him. We don't really see much of him and his daughter, since his daughter is with his mother while he is attending his friend's wedding. Daisy is attending the same wedding, but she doesn't know that the man she just had a nameless one-night stand with is also at that wedding. And funnily enough... her friends want her to hook up with a guy named "Mark", who turns out to be the nameless one-night-stand man. Daisy is quite stubborn, hot and cold, but she can't deny their chemistry. The chemistry was medium hot, definitely not Alberts's typical level of heat, but still hot enough for a Brazen novel. I liked seeing Daisy change her mind about Mark (because she was wrong about him, so many times). In the end, they're a great pair. What I Did Not Like: All of that being said, I didn't love this book. I didn't like Daisy, for one. She is so hot-and-cold, and sends so many mixed signals. It's always a battle with her, always an argument or a tug-of-war. And then she's always, always running. Every time things get too serious for her, she runs. Or lashes out. Honestly Daisy isn't the nicest person to be around, and I'm a little surprised that this is the type of person that Alberts would pair with a man with a little girl. The flight thing was really annoying, especially because Mark never stopped chasing her. Honestly I would have given up at some point. This book takes place over a couple of days - are you seriously telling me that you love a woman after a couple of days? And someone please tell me why MARK is doing the chasing even in the end... when Daisy is the one at fault. Huge. Pet. Peeve. Basically I didn't like that Daisy didn't try nearly as much as Mark did. Sure, they have okay chemistry and they seem to be a good pair when Daisy isn't running. But Daisy was always running. And there is the fact that she refuses to be with Mark because he's military, and her father had been military, and therefore all military men are awful (because her father used to drink). That is honestly the most messed up logic I've seen in a while. And then she insults Mark's parenting... woman, stop. You're not a mother at all, and you're not the girl's mother either. Don't ever do that, especially to a single parent who is clearing rocking the parenting thing. Her half-a**ed apology was such a non-apology. She was horrible! Would I Recommend It: I do not recommend this book. I'm struggling to find positives in this book, though I do think, overall, that it wasn't bad. It's not worth rereading though, and I would skip this one in the series and read some of the other ones maybe. This one and Temporarily Yours did not impress me. The good thing about these books is that they are short and a least a little steamy, and always have a HEA! Rating: 2.5 stars -> rounded up to 3 stars. I liked the ending and I liked the HEA but I could not stand Daisy, or the lack of steamy scenes, or the hot-and-cold aspect. I don't love Alberts's Brazen books, but I highly recommend her Sons of Steel Row series (as Jen McLaughlin)! Merged review: 2.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** His Best Mistake by Diane Alberts Book Six of the Shillings Agency series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: October 3, 2016 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from publisher ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): One night with a stranger… Security expert Mark Matthews has loved, and lost, and has no intention of ever loving again—especially not a woman who thrives on her life being in danger. Now, hot, meaningless sex with strangers he had no intention of ever seeing again? That's a whole other story. And it's all life as a single father allows him to enjoy. But when he meets a woman who refuses to tell him her real name, the game is on, because she's everything he swore to stay away from. Daisy O'Rourke has bad idea written all over her, but he's in too deep to walk away now… What I Liked: Another three-star read from this author. My last Brazen novel was literally a Diane Alberts book, Temporarily Yours, the first book in this series. I've now read three of the books in this series (Temporarily Yours, Say You're Mine, and His Best Mistake), and I've read two of Alberts' books as Jen McLaughlin. While I enjoyed Say You're Mine, the other two books I've recently read in this series have been so-so. We meet Mark in Say You're Mine. He's a single father and security expert at Shillings Agency. He's ex-military too. Ever since his wife died several years ago, he hasn't been serious with women... because he doesn't want to go through that again, or put his daughter through that loss. Things change when he meets Daisy O'Rourke at a bar, and they have a one-night stand that he wants to be more than one night. But Daisy is suffering from loss too, and she's determined not to be with someone of a military background. Is Mark making a mistake by chasing this stubborn woman? Mark, I adored, in this book and in Say You're Mine. In this book, we see his pain and his loss, and how his background and his past shaped him. We don't really see much of him and his daughter, since his daughter is with his mother while he is attending his friend's wedding. Daisy is attending the same wedding, but she doesn't know that the man she just had a nameless one-night stand with is also at that wedding. And funnily enough... her friends want her to hook up with a guy named "Mark", who turns out to be the nameless one-night-stand man. Daisy is quite stubborn, hot and cold, but she can't deny their chemistry. The chemistry was medium hot, definitely not Alberts's typical level of heat, but still hot enough for a Brazen novel. I liked seeing Daisy change her mind about Mark (because she was wrong about him, so many times). In the end, they're a great pair. What I Did Not Like: All of that being said, I didn't love this book. I didn't like Daisy, for one. She is so hot-and-cold, and sends so many mixed signals. It's always a battle with her, always an argument or a tug-of-war. And then she's always, always running. Every time things get too serious for her, she runs. Or lashes out. Honestly Daisy isn't the nicest person to be around, and I'm a little surprised that this is the type of person that Alberts would pair with a man with a little girl. The flight thing was really annoying, especially because Mark never stopped chasing her. Honestly I would have given up at some point. This book takes place over a couple of days - are you seriously telling me that you love a woman after a couple of days? And someone please tell me why MARK is doing the chasing even in the end... when Daisy is the one at fault. Huge. Pet. Peeve. Basically I didn't like that Daisy didn't try nearly as much as Mark did. Sure, they have okay chemistry and they seem to be a good pair when Daisy isn't running. But Daisy was always running. And there is the fact that she refuses to be with Mark because he's military, and her father had been military, and therefore all military men are awful (because her father used to drink). That is honestly the most messed up logic I've seen in a while. And then she insults Mark's parenting... woman, stop. You're not a mother at all, and you're not the girl's mother either. Don't ever do that, especially to a single parent who is clearing rocking the parenting thing. Her half-a**ed apology was such a non-apology. She was horrible! Would I Recommend It: I do not recommend this book. I'm struggling to find positives in this book, though I do think, overall, that it wasn't bad. It's not worth rereading though, and I would skip this one in the series and read some of the other ones maybe. This one and Temporarily Yours did not impress me. The good thing about these books is that they are short and a least a little steamy, and always have a HEA! Rating: 2.5 stars -> rounded up to 3 stars. I liked the ending and I liked the HEA but I could not stand Daisy, or the lack of steamy scenes, or the hot-and-cold aspect. I don't love Alberts's Brazen books, but I highly recommend her Sons of Steel Row series (as Jen McLaughlin)! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Oct 14, 2016
not set
|
Oct 14, 2016
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250128625
| 9781250128621
| B01N1ER20M
| 4.20
| 20
| unknown
| Feb 07, 2017
|
really liked it
|
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part II by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publicatio ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part II by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication Date: February 7, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins. Charlize “Charlie” Wakeman fixes cars and doesn’t suffer fools. But when the hot as hell ex-convict Shane McGill enters her mechanic shop, she can't resist one wild night with him. It was just meant to be a fling…the wildest, most thrilling fling of her life. But Shane’s too ruthless, too bad to ignore, and Charlie can’t stop herself from coming back for more. What I Liked: This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial. I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel! Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book. Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders. Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent. The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is. Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III). Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read! What I Did Not Like: Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down! Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read! Would I Recommend It: I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. Rating: 4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part II by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication Date: February 7, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins. Charlize “Charlie” Wakeman fixes cars and doesn’t suffer fools. But when the hot as hell ex-convict Shane McGill enters her mechanic shop, she can't resist one wild night with him. It was just meant to be a fling…the wildest, most thrilling fling of her life. But Shane’s too ruthless, too bad to ignore, and Charlie can’t stop herself from coming back for more. What I Liked: This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial. I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel! Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book. Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders. Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent. The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is. Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III). Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read! What I Did Not Like: Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down! Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read! Would I Recommend It: I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. Rating: 4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Feb 2017
not set
|
Feb 2017
not set
|
Sep 26, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250128617
| 9781250128614
| B01N40BZHX
| 3.85
| 33
| unknown
| Jan 31, 2017
|
really liked it
|
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part I by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part I by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication Date: January 31, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins. Ex-convict Shane McGill is as rugged and wild as they come. Bad to the bone and back on the streets, he’ll do anything and say anything to survive. Even if that something means joining the one car club he had worked so hard to avoid. But there’s one person out there who can match him toe-to-toe...the hot mechanic pin-up doll of a woman with the body of a goddess and tomboy attitude would even give him a chance. What I Liked: This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial. I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel! Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book. Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders. Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent. The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is. Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III). Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read! What I Did Not Like: Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down! Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read! Would I Recommend It: I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. Rating: 4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part I by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication Date: January 31, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins. Ex-convict Shane McGill is as rugged and wild as they come. Bad to the bone and back on the streets, he’ll do anything and say anything to survive. Even if that something means joining the one car club he had worked so hard to avoid. But there’s one person out there who can match him toe-to-toe...the hot mechanic pin-up doll of a woman with the body of a goddess and tomboy attitude would even give him a chance. What I Liked: This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial. I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel! Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book. Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders. Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent. The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is. Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III). Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read! What I Did Not Like: Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down! Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read! Would I Recommend It: I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. Rating: 4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jan 31, 2017
not set
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Jan 31, 2017
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633758680
| 9781633758681
| B06XC6D7RR
| 3.56
| 90
| Mar 20, 2017
| Mar 20, 2017
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really liked it
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3.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** A Moment of Madness by Brooklyn Skye Book Two of the Boston Alibi series Publisher: Entangled B 3.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** A Moment of Madness by Brooklyn Skye Book Two of the Boston Alibi series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publication Date: March 20, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Sailor Carlson comes back to Boston to make amends with her dad, only to find he passed away, and his bar, the Alibi, now belongs to a bearded, grumpy hottie. Mr. Hottie liked her enough for a night of nameless sex on the kitchen counter, but he wants nothing to do with her now he knows who she is. Ryan Edwards has been running the Alibi for seven years. Being in a bar night after night means he's no stranger to one-night stands. But when the quirky, beautiful blonde he spent a hot night with shows up at his bar claiming it used to belong to her father, his guard goes right up. Ryan's desperate for a waitress, and Sailor wants a chance to work in the place that meant so much to her dad. If only the tenuous trust they establish were as strong as the pesky attraction simmering between them. What I Liked: This book was surprisingly very, very good! It took me by surprise, how much I enjoyed it. I read A Moment of Weakness two years ago and I didn't love it, but didn't hate it. This book was quite an improvement and it had some depth that the first book did not. Though I will say, I think I like A Moment of Weakness now more than I did then. The book grew on me! This novel features Ryan, who appeared in A Moment of Weakness. He is the Alibi's owner, and has been for the last seven years (though jointly with Micah, who only recently sold his share to Ryan, after moving to be with Laurel). While checking out a new bar, he helps a woman take her drunk cousin home safely. Sailor Carlson comes back to Boston to fix things with her dad - only to find that he died years ago, and left his bar to someone else. One night, she has to bring a drunk Marissa home... and finds herself bringing home a sexy man from the bar too. Little do they know that he is the Alibi's owner, and she is looking to take the bar from the Alibi's owner. When he finds out the next day, Ryan is furious. But he gives her a job at the bar. After their steamy night together, he doesn't stay mad forever... can he forgive the cute, awkward woman who walked out on her father years ago? Can Sailor find forgiveness in this man who took care of her father for years? I wasn't expecting to adore both the male and female leads so much. Usually, with romance novels, I like one more than I like the other (and sometimes there are unlikely cases when I hate the female). I usually love the male and this book's male was no exception, but I also loved the female. Sailor is awkward, cute, and so relatable. I don't consider myself nearly as awkward as her, but at the same time, it's refreshing to see such a cute female protagonist in a romance novel. She isn't a bold, brazen, feisty independent woman. Don't get me wrong, she's plenty strong and stands up for herself, but she isn't an alpha female, and I love that about her. She is so sweet. Ryan, on the other hand, is an alpha but not in an arrogant way. He goes after what he wants (Sailor) and doesn't play any games. When he finds out who she is, he is pissed (and reasonably so). I love how he jumps to her father's defense (she abandoned her father, and Ryan took care of him and the bar). But I was also really happy to see Ryan eventually work through that and help out Sailor. Of course he wasn't going to hand over the bar to her, but he lets her work for him, to let her have the chance to get used to the bar setting. Ryan is very nice, charming, and selfless in so many ways. Descriptively speaking, the man has it going on. I'm one of those rare women that isn't found of beards, but this guy has a beard and it sounds like he rocks it. I'd love to see the author's inspiration for this guy... This book actually goes pretty deep and heavy, which was surprising! You don't find a ton of former drug addicts in romance novels. When Sailor abandoned her father, she got married to her high school boyfriend, who was a drug addict. Years later, Sailor finally gets clean and starts to get her life back together. Props to her for that, and props to the author for including this backstory and depth to Sailor's character. The romance is pretty hot, definitely as hot as the first book or hotter! Well, the first book was okay in terms of heat, but this book was probably a little higher on the heat spectrum. And the progression of the relationship was well-written. These two are sweet together - Sailor with her awkward self, and Ryan with his temperamental, bemused, sometimes grumpy self. They're a good pair together. Also, it was nice to see both of them put each other in their place, when they deserved it. The climax of the book involves Ryan jumping to a pretty hefty conclusion (though I understand his reasoning - but he should have talked to Sailor before making that leap). But Ryan is a good guy and a good groveler, and Sailor is a smart girl. It's a great ending, and I'd love to see an epilogue in the future. What I Did Not Like: Just that one note I made about the climax - Ryan jumps to a conclusion (which isn't a huge leap, to be honest, but he doesn't talk to Sailor before blowing up at her. Communication, people! It really isn't that hard. Sometimes I want to shake couples (both in romance novels and in real life). Would I Recommend It: This isn't a life-changing, OMG-so-good romance novel, but it's an enjoyable read. If you're looking for something quick, steamy, and sweet, this is a good one. It'll always stick out to me because of how unique the hero and heroine are - you don't see a lot of their types in romance novels (the heroine in particular). This series in general is pretty good. Like I said, the first book (A Moment of Weakness) grew on me, and I like it more than I did previously! Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'd be interested in seeing more books in this series! Perhaps Marissa's (the drunk cousin's)! Or one featuring Micah's sister (April, I think? I can't remember her name). I'll be looking out for more books by this author in the future! Merged review: 3.5 stars. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** A Moment of Madness by Brooklyn Skye Book Two of the Boston Alibi series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publication Date: March 20, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Sailor Carlson comes back to Boston to make amends with her dad, only to find he passed away, and his bar, the Alibi, now belongs to a bearded, grumpy hottie. Mr. Hottie liked her enough for a night of nameless sex on the kitchen counter, but he wants nothing to do with her now he knows who she is. Ryan Edwards has been running the Alibi for seven years. Being in a bar night after night means he's no stranger to one-night stands. But when the quirky, beautiful blonde he spent a hot night with shows up at his bar claiming it used to belong to her father, his guard goes right up. Ryan's desperate for a waitress, and Sailor wants a chance to work in the place that meant so much to her dad. If only the tenuous trust they establish were as strong as the pesky attraction simmering between them. What I Liked: This book was surprisingly very, very good! It took me by surprise, how much I enjoyed it. I read A Moment of Weakness two years ago and I didn't love it, but didn't hate it. This book was quite an improvement and it had some depth that the first book did not. Though I will say, I think I like A Moment of Weakness now more than I did then. The book grew on me! This novel features Ryan, who appeared in A Moment of Weakness. He is the Alibi's owner, and has been for the last seven years (though jointly with Micah, who only recently sold his share to Ryan, after moving to be with Laurel). While checking out a new bar, he helps a woman take her drunk cousin home safely. Sailor Carlson comes back to Boston to fix things with her dad - only to find that he died years ago, and left his bar to someone else. One night, she has to bring a drunk Marissa home... and finds herself bringing home a sexy man from the bar too. Little do they know that he is the Alibi's owner, and she is looking to take the bar from the Alibi's owner. When he finds out the next day, Ryan is furious. But he gives her a job at the bar. After their steamy night together, he doesn't stay mad forever... can he forgive the cute, awkward woman who walked out on her father years ago? Can Sailor find forgiveness in this man who took care of her father for years? I wasn't expecting to adore both the male and female leads so much. Usually, with romance novels, I like one more than I like the other (and sometimes there are unlikely cases when I hate the female). I usually love the male and this book's male was no exception, but I also loved the female. Sailor is awkward, cute, and so relatable. I don't consider myself nearly as awkward as her, but at the same time, it's refreshing to see such a cute female protagonist in a romance novel. She isn't a bold, brazen, feisty independent woman. Don't get me wrong, she's plenty strong and stands up for herself, but she isn't an alpha female, and I love that about her. She is so sweet. Ryan, on the other hand, is an alpha but not in an arrogant way. He goes after what he wants (Sailor) and doesn't play any games. When he finds out who she is, he is pissed (and reasonably so). I love how he jumps to her father's defense (she abandoned her father, and Ryan took care of him and the bar). But I was also really happy to see Ryan eventually work through that and help out Sailor. Of course he wasn't going to hand over the bar to her, but he lets her work for him, to let her have the chance to get used to the bar setting. Ryan is very nice, charming, and selfless in so many ways. Descriptively speaking, the man has it going on. I'm one of those rare women that isn't found of beards, but this guy has a beard and it sounds like he rocks it. I'd love to see the author's inspiration for this guy... This book actually goes pretty deep and heavy, which was surprising! You don't find a ton of former drug addicts in romance novels. When Sailor abandoned her father, she got married to her high school boyfriend, who was a drug addict. Years later, Sailor finally gets clean and starts to get her life back together. Props to her for that, and props to the author for including this backstory and depth to Sailor's character. The romance is pretty hot, definitely as hot as the first book or hotter! Well, the first book was okay in terms of heat, but this book was probably a little higher on the heat spectrum. And the progression of the relationship was well-written. These two are sweet together - Sailor with her awkward self, and Ryan with his temperamental, bemused, sometimes grumpy self. They're a good pair together. Also, it was nice to see both of them put each other in their place, when they deserved it. The climax of the book involves Ryan jumping to a pretty hefty conclusion (though I understand his reasoning - but he should have talked to Sailor before making that leap). But Ryan is a good guy and a good groveler, and Sailor is a smart girl. It's a great ending, and I'd love to see an epilogue in the future. What I Did Not Like: Just that one note I made about the climax - Ryan jumps to a conclusion (which isn't a huge leap, to be honest, but he doesn't talk to Sailor before blowing up at her. Communication, people! It really isn't that hard. Sometimes I want to shake couples (both in romance novels and in real life). Would I Recommend It: This isn't a life-changing, OMG-so-good romance novel, but it's an enjoyable read. If you're looking for something quick, steamy, and sweet, this is a good one. It'll always stick out to me because of how unique the hero and heroine are - you don't see a lot of their types in romance novels (the heroine in particular). This series in general is pretty good. Like I said, the first book (A Moment of Weakness) grew on me, and I like it more than I did previously! Rating: 3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'd be interested in seeing more books in this series! Perhaps Marissa's (the drunk cousin's)! Or one featuring Micah's sister (April, I think? I can't remember her name). I'll be looking out for more books by this author in the future! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Mar 16, 2017
not set
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Mar 16, 2017
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1101967870
| 9781101967874
| B0190HQVEW
| 3.52
| 445
| Sep 06, 2016
| Sep 06, 2016
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really liked it
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4.5 stars. REALLY good. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Destined for a King by Ashlyn Macnamara Book One of The Bastard Brotherhood serie 4.5 stars. REALLY good. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Destined for a King by Ashlyn Macnamara Book One of The Bastard Brotherhood series Publisher: Loveswept Publication Date: September 6, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Bestselling author Ashlyn Macnamara, hailed by Jennifer McQuiston as “a born storyteller,” introduces the strapping, audacious outlaws of the Bastard Brotherhood in this enchanting tale of forbidden love between supposedly sworn enemies. Though she is intended for the king, Calista Thorne picks up a crossbow to defend her ancestral home, Blackbriar Keep, from a gang of landless knights. She even manages to sink a poison-tipped arrow into their commander, who survives long enough to conquer the Keep and claim Calista for his own. Now, with her father’s life at stake, Calista must nurse the brigand back to health, and the strangest thing happens: She finds herself fascinated by his tautly muscled body, and enthralled by his hotly whispered demands. Ever since his father’s death, the fearsome warrior they call Torch has been consumed by his quest for revenge. Taking Blackbriar Keep is the first step in that plan, and—by the three gods—it won’t be the last. But after taking one look into Calista’s smoldering gray eyes, Torch discovers a passion nobler than retribution. He will fulfill his destiny and take her from the usurper king, even in his weakened state. For with Calista’s love, no man has ever felt more powerful. What I Liked: I feel like such an early bird reviewer right now! This book publishes in exactly two months, and so I apologize to the publisher for posting a full review so early. I casually started this book in-between the Young Adult novels I was supposed to be reading, and I was sucked in this story. Destined for a King was an extremely well-written fantasy romance story, and just what I needed! Calista Thorne has been promised to King Magnus Vandal for years, thanks to negotiations between her father and the king. Her father is lord of Blackbriar Keep, a small holding that must rely on the strength of its neighbors for protection. Which is how the warrior Torch of the Bastard Brotherhood is able to claim the Keep easily, with his Brotherhood. Calista manages to shoot Torch while the siege is taking place, but the injury isn't enough to stop Torch. He becomes lord of the keep, and he claims her hand in marriage. Calista doesn't know everything at first, but Torch has a plan, a plan that involves marrying her and taking revenge on King Magnus, who took something from Torch long ago. But Torch will come to earn that his revenge isn't all that he wants - he wants Calista to love him as well. Have I professed my love for fantasy novels enough on this blog already? Seriously, fantasy is my favorite genre. I love Young Adult fantasy, but I also really love adult fantasy (specifically, adult fantasy romance). Books like Through a Dark Mist by Marsha Canham, The Winter King by C.L. Wilson, and A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet are among my favorites. I think I need to add Destined for a King to that list! This book is told from Calista and Torch's alternating POVs, in third person. The story starts with the siege of the Keep, and within one or two pages, Calista shoots Torch with a deadly arrow. Torch claims the Keep and Calista as his bride, injury notwithstanding, but then collapses. Calista is charged with nursing him back to health, or her father will never leave the dungeon cell he is placed in. And so the physicking begins. Torch's wound is not bad, but he catches a fever, and the healing processes takes days. I do like how the author uses the injury and fever to draw the pair closer together. Calista obviously doesn't want to be forced to marry the brute that just took over her home. But she can't help but notice how handsome he is, how much more gentle he is now that he is vulnerable. She's very attracted to him, but she's not stupid. Torch is also very attracted to his healer and future bride, but he's bent on seducing her. She's part of his plan, but he also wants her to want him. He refuses to force her into anything, as he wants a willing bride. Hate-to-love romances are often my favorite, and you could probably categorize this story's romance as hate-to-love. There is so much banter and barbs and smart talk between Calista and Torch. Calista may be a bit younger and definitely more innocent, but she goes toe-to-toe with Torch. I love it! Torch has a necklace with a Scrying Stone, that lets him see briefly into the future, or even the present. For a long time, the Stone has been showing him glimpses of Calista, so when he storms the Keep, he knows that they will marry. So he is set on seducing her. Calista, while seduced, wants a choice. I liked seeing this push and pull. Their relationship didn't seem Stockholm-Syndrome-y (or whatever the equivalent is, in this scenario), and I saw them genuinely falling for each other. These two are seriously fiery together! Calista is a maiden who was supposed to marry King Magnus, and at first she doesn't want to get married to Torch, and doesn't want him to touch her. But the more he reveals, and the more he talks to her, the more convinced she is of who he really is (and who King Magnus isn't - a true king). Calista and Torch share some really steamy moments from the start, and this book has plenty of them throughout the story. But I liked that their relationship wasn't just steamy passion and lust. Calista has insecurities, Torch has mistrust towards her, but they learned and are learning to know each other. I also like that the marriage is about halfway through the book, so the couple really has to spend time getting to know each other even more, as husband and wife. I adore these two. Calista is innocent yet mouthy and hates taking orders from Torch. Torch is a bit arrogant and wicked and loves issuing orders. He is fiercely protective and sooo alpha, and Calista is one of those quiet kick butt ladies. Such fun characters! And such a great pair. This is a fantasy novel, and like any good fantasy novel, there is a war coming, and a clash between leaders. King Magnus isn't who he seems, and Torch is determined to have his revenge on King Magnus. Calista, who once might have defended King Magnus, wants to see him removed. The pair have their work cut out for them, with the Brotherhood. I liked the world-building, the setting, and the premise of the story! This is part of a series, and the ending of this book really shows that! It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but there are many aspects that are not wrapped up, and I couldn't help but get a little frustrated by the lack of pages at the end! Torch's sister Jerrah has gotten herself into a certain situation, and Torch's commander Kestrel has gone to rescue her. So! The next book is likely to follow Jerrah and Kestrel (Kestrel is a dude, by the way. I love the name!). Which makes me happy (because clearly there is something happening there) but also sad (because I adore Calista and Torch - the premise of this book, in terms of the romance, is what hooked me!). What I Did Not Like: Nothing specific? This was a wonderful and sometimes adorable and sweet story. And steamy too. I guess the one thing I would have wanted was for this series to be a continual story series and not a companion series. It's a two-edged sword; on the one hand, I love that we'll get to see Jerrah and Kestrel's story. On the other hand, I just do not think that Calista and Torch's story is over. And I also like them a lot. The summary of this book drew me in, with the whole "I'm taking over the Keep and taking you as my bridge" kind of thing. I'll miss Calista and Torch, even if they make cameo appearances in the next book! Would I Recommend It: If you like adult fantasy romance, I highly recommend this book! I was a tiny bit surprised when I liked it, simply because I've read one of the author's historical romance novels (I love HR novels), but didn't totally love it (it was okay). I had a better feeling about this book - and I was right! It's a wonderful fantasy story with a steamy and passionate romance. Win! Rating: 4.5 stars. I hesitate to round down to 4 stars, and I may change my rating in the future. For now, this book gets 4 stars. But I absolutely loved it, and it's going to end up in my favorites of 2016 list! Merged review: 4.5 stars. REALLY good. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Destined for a King by Ashlyn Macnamara Book One of The Bastard Brotherhood series Publisher: Loveswept Publication Date: September 6, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Bestselling author Ashlyn Macnamara, hailed by Jennifer McQuiston as “a born storyteller,” introduces the strapping, audacious outlaws of the Bastard Brotherhood in this enchanting tale of forbidden love between supposedly sworn enemies. Though she is intended for the king, Calista Thorne picks up a crossbow to defend her ancestral home, Blackbriar Keep, from a gang of landless knights. She even manages to sink a poison-tipped arrow into their commander, who survives long enough to conquer the Keep and claim Calista for his own. Now, with her father’s life at stake, Calista must nurse the brigand back to health, and the strangest thing happens: She finds herself fascinated by his tautly muscled body, and enthralled by his hotly whispered demands. Ever since his father’s death, the fearsome warrior they call Torch has been consumed by his quest for revenge. Taking Blackbriar Keep is the first step in that plan, and—by the three gods—it won’t be the last. But after taking one look into Calista’s smoldering gray eyes, Torch discovers a passion nobler than retribution. He will fulfill his destiny and take her from the usurper king, even in his weakened state. For with Calista’s love, no man has ever felt more powerful. What I Liked: I feel like such an early bird reviewer right now! This book publishes in exactly two months, and so I apologize to the publisher for posting a full review so early. I casually started this book in-between the Young Adult novels I was supposed to be reading, and I was sucked in this story. Destined for a King was an extremely well-written fantasy romance story, and just what I needed! Calista Thorne has been promised to King Magnus Vandal for years, thanks to negotiations between her father and the king. Her father is lord of Blackbriar Keep, a small holding that must rely on the strength of its neighbors for protection. Which is how the warrior Torch of the Bastard Brotherhood is able to claim the Keep easily, with his Brotherhood. Calista manages to shoot Torch while the siege is taking place, but the injury isn't enough to stop Torch. He becomes lord of the keep, and he claims her hand in marriage. Calista doesn't know everything at first, but Torch has a plan, a plan that involves marrying her and taking revenge on King Magnus, who took something from Torch long ago. But Torch will come to earn that his revenge isn't all that he wants - he wants Calista to love him as well. Have I professed my love for fantasy novels enough on this blog already? Seriously, fantasy is my favorite genre. I love Young Adult fantasy, but I also really love adult fantasy (specifically, adult fantasy romance). Books like Through a Dark Mist by Marsha Canham, The Winter King by C.L. Wilson, and A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet are among my favorites. I think I need to add Destined for a King to that list! This book is told from Calista and Torch's alternating POVs, in third person. The story starts with the siege of the Keep, and within one or two pages, Calista shoots Torch with a deadly arrow. Torch claims the Keep and Calista as his bride, injury notwithstanding, but then collapses. Calista is charged with nursing him back to health, or her father will never leave the dungeon cell he is placed in. And so the physicking begins. Torch's wound is not bad, but he catches a fever, and the healing processes takes days. I do like how the author uses the injury and fever to draw the pair closer together. Calista obviously doesn't want to be forced to marry the brute that just took over her home. But she can't help but notice how handsome he is, how much more gentle he is now that he is vulnerable. She's very attracted to him, but she's not stupid. Torch is also very attracted to his healer and future bride, but he's bent on seducing her. She's part of his plan, but he also wants her to want him. He refuses to force her into anything, as he wants a willing bride. Hate-to-love romances are often my favorite, and you could probably categorize this story's romance as hate-to-love. There is so much banter and barbs and smart talk between Calista and Torch. Calista may be a bit younger and definitely more innocent, but she goes toe-to-toe with Torch. I love it! Torch has a necklace with a Scrying Stone, that lets him see briefly into the future, or even the present. For a long time, the Stone has been showing him glimpses of Calista, so when he storms the Keep, he knows that they will marry. So he is set on seducing her. Calista, while seduced, wants a choice. I liked seeing this push and pull. Their relationship didn't seem Stockholm-Syndrome-y (or whatever the equivalent is, in this scenario), and I saw them genuinely falling for each other. These two are seriously fiery together! Calista is a maiden who was supposed to marry King Magnus, and at first she doesn't want to get married to Torch, and doesn't want him to touch her. But the more he reveals, and the more he talks to her, the more convinced she is of who he really is (and who King Magnus isn't - a true king). Calista and Torch share some really steamy moments from the start, and this book has plenty of them throughout the story. But I liked that their relationship wasn't just steamy passion and lust. Calista has insecurities, Torch has mistrust towards her, but they learned and are learning to know each other. I also like that the marriage is about halfway through the book, so the couple really has to spend time getting to know each other even more, as husband and wife. I adore these two. Calista is innocent yet mouthy and hates taking orders from Torch. Torch is a bit arrogant and wicked and loves issuing orders. He is fiercely protective and sooo alpha, and Calista is one of those quiet kick butt ladies. Such fun characters! And such a great pair. This is a fantasy novel, and like any good fantasy novel, there is a war coming, and a clash between leaders. King Magnus isn't who he seems, and Torch is determined to have his revenge on King Magnus. Calista, who once might have defended King Magnus, wants to see him removed. The pair have their work cut out for them, with the Brotherhood. I liked the world-building, the setting, and the premise of the story! This is part of a series, and the ending of this book really shows that! It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but there are many aspects that are not wrapped up, and I couldn't help but get a little frustrated by the lack of pages at the end! Torch's sister Jerrah has gotten herself into a certain situation, and Torch's commander Kestrel has gone to rescue her. So! The next book is likely to follow Jerrah and Kestrel (Kestrel is a dude, by the way. I love the name!). Which makes me happy (because clearly there is something happening there) but also sad (because I adore Calista and Torch - the premise of this book, in terms of the romance, is what hooked me!). What I Did Not Like: Nothing specific? This was a wonderful and sometimes adorable and sweet story. And steamy too. I guess the one thing I would have wanted was for this series to be a continual story series and not a companion series. It's a two-edged sword; on the one hand, I love that we'll get to see Jerrah and Kestrel's story. On the other hand, I just do not think that Calista and Torch's story is over. And I also like them a lot. The summary of this book drew me in, with the whole "I'm taking over the Keep and taking you as my bridge" kind of thing. I'll miss Calista and Torch, even if they make cameo appearances in the next book! Would I Recommend It: If you like adult fantasy romance, I highly recommend this book! I was a tiny bit surprised when I liked it, simply because I've read one of the author's historical romance novels (I love HR novels), but didn't totally love it (it was okay). I had a better feeling about this book - and I was right! It's a wonderful fantasy story with a steamy and passionate romance. Win! Rating: 4.5 stars. I hesitate to round down to 4 stars, and I may change my rating in the future. For now, this book gets 4 stars. But I absolutely loved it, and it's going to end up in my favorites of 2016 list! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jul 04, 2016
not set
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Jul 04, 2016
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 163375927X
| 9781633759275
| B06XWHJSHR
| 3.94
| 562
| Apr 17, 2017
| Apr 17, 2017
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Emergency Attraction by Samanthe Beck Book Three of the Love Emergency series Publisher: Entangled Brazen ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Emergency Attraction by Samanthe Beck Book Three of the Love Emergency series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publication Date: April 17, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): Ten years ago when Shane Maguire chose the Marines as his escape from some trouble of his own making, he only regretted one thing—leaving Sinclair Smith behind. Despite his best intentions, she ended up as the one that got away. Now he’s back, determined to reclaim everything he gave up, including Sinclair. Sinclair is immune to Shane’s charms. She’s immune to stolen kisses behind the gym. And she’s definitely immune to that maneuver he did in the back seat of his car… Okay, maybe her hormones are susceptible, but she has absolutely no desire to risk anything on the bad boy who broke all his promises. When a little emergency lands her at his mercy, he offers her a deal she can’t refuse. And this time, she’ll show Shane what it means to be left wanting… Each book in the Love Emergency series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order. What I Liked: Samanthe Beck is one of my favorite Entangled Brazen authors - and adult romance authors in general. I haven't read a book of hers that I didn't enjoy, which is saying something! Some books have been better than others, but in general, her books work for me. I read the first book in this particular series (Emergency Engagement), but passed on the second book (Emergency Delivery). I almost passed on this one as well (for reasons I'll talk about!), but I'm glad I didn't. This book was a quick, enjoyable read. Shane Maguire and Sinclair Smith grew up together in a small town, and when they were teenagers, they shared a powerful connection beyond physical attraction. But circumstances led to Shane joining the Marines and Sinclair staying behind. Ten years later, Shane is back, working as in risk management for emergency planning. It's been ten years but Shane's feelings for Sinclair haven't changed, and even though her left her, Sinclair's feelings haven't changed either. She can deny it all she wants, but their chemistry hasn't cooled and the pair have missed each other. But Sinclair might not be ready to give Shane a second chance, even if Shane is committed to staying with her. One of the reasons why I almost passed on this book is because it's a second-chance romance, and I really don't enjoy second-chance romance novels. I hate all the drama and angst and hurt - someone is always hurt (usually both of them), and usually it's because of miscommunication. In this book's case, the second-chance aspect was not as dramatic and angst-ridden as I'd expected! Sure, there were painful, heartbreaking parts to Shane and Sinclair's mutual past, but the book was fairly low on drama. Shane is such a good guy, and clearly very different than at eighteen. Years in the military straightened him out and made him a stronger, better person. For years, he sent Sinclair letters, trying to reach out, but she never responded. But Shane never stopped loving her, thinking about her, wanting her. Ten years later, Shane is persistent, protective, thoughtful, and a little naughty. He's a sweet guy who is incredibly patient with Sinclair. Sinclair has ten years' worth of pain stored up, and she blames Shane. She lost faith in him when she never heard from him (his letters never reached her), and thought he didn't care about her anymore. Ten years later, she's still incredibly angry with him, and very hurt. Sinclair is a tough lady, but she has been through a lot, and she has walled herself off since Shane left to join the Marines. I didn't totally like her, but I understood her. Her hurt and pain were legitimate, even if she was a little unreasonable with all of that blame she directed at Shane. As with every second-chance romance, there is a lot of communication between the pair about the past, and mistakes they made. I was happy to see both of them work things out slowly but surely. I was especially happy that Sinclair recognized that she was also in the wrong, and that not only did she have to forgive Shane, but he had to forgive her. The blame went both ways. Shane and Sinclair have a lot of chemistry between them! Their passion for each other clearly never wore off, even with ten years of time and distance between them. Honestly, that's impressive and I love how the author brought about the chemistry and tension. I love how persistent and patient Shane was, because Sinclair was trying really hard not to budge with him. There are a few pretty hot scenes in this book (and some shorter semi-hot scenes). Beck always does a great job with the sexy times! The climax involves a certain trope that I hate, but I did not mind it, in this book. It should have bothered me (like it did in a previous book in the series) but in this case, it seemed to work for the story. And the climax in general is relatively drama-free, and I like how Sinclair knows she is in the wrong, as does Shane. In general, this was another Beck winner for me. Great characters, good character development, a good balance of emotional and physical growth between the characters' relationship, and a steamy romance, that did not disappoint. I also really liked the epilogue, which featured the three couples of this series (Beau and Savannah, Hunter and Madison, Shane and Sinclair). So much cute! What I Did Not Like: More steamy scenes would have been great (or maybe make the abbreviated scenes less brief). Also I mentioned that I didn't totally love Sinclair, though I understood her. I stand by that. She was a little too standoffish and sometimes mean, when it came to Shane. Poor guy! He didn't deserve all of the negativity and blame. Would I Recommend It: I can't speak for Emergency Delivery, but I'd recommend this entire series! This book isn't my new favorite or anything, but it's a great, satisfying novel. If you're looking for a quick, steamy, second-chance romance novel, this is one for you! Rating: 4 stars. I'm hoping Beck will continue writing books in the Compromise Me series, because those books are awesome! The first book, Compromising Her Position, is one of my favorite Beck books. I recommend it! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Emergency Attraction by Samanthe Beck Book Three of the Love Emergency series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publication Date: April 17, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss Summary (from Goodreads): Ten years ago when Shane Maguire chose the Marines as his escape from some trouble of his own making, he only regretted one thing—leaving Sinclair Smith behind. Despite his best intentions, she ended up as the one that got away. Now he’s back, determined to reclaim everything he gave up, including Sinclair. Sinclair is immune to Shane’s charms. She’s immune to stolen kisses behind the gym. And she’s definitely immune to that maneuver he did in the back seat of his car… Okay, maybe her hormones are susceptible, but she has absolutely no desire to risk anything on the bad boy who broke all his promises. When a little emergency lands her at his mercy, he offers her a deal she can’t refuse. And this time, she’ll show Shane what it means to be left wanting… Each book in the Love Emergency series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order. What I Liked: Samanthe Beck is one of my favorite Entangled Brazen authors - and adult romance authors in general. I haven't read a book of hers that I didn't enjoy, which is saying something! Some books have been better than others, but in general, her books work for me. I read the first book in this particular series (Emergency Engagement), but passed on the second book (Emergency Delivery). I almost passed on this one as well (for reasons I'll talk about!), but I'm glad I didn't. This book was a quick, enjoyable read. Shane Maguire and Sinclair Smith grew up together in a small town, and when they were teenagers, they shared a powerful connection beyond physical attraction. But circumstances led to Shane joining the Marines and Sinclair staying behind. Ten years later, Shane is back, working as in risk management for emergency planning. It's been ten years but Shane's feelings for Sinclair haven't changed, and even though her left her, Sinclair's feelings haven't changed either. She can deny it all she wants, but their chemistry hasn't cooled and the pair have missed each other. But Sinclair might not be ready to give Shane a second chance, even if Shane is committed to staying with her. One of the reasons why I almost passed on this book is because it's a second-chance romance, and I really don't enjoy second-chance romance novels. I hate all the drama and angst and hurt - someone is always hurt (usually both of them), and usually it's because of miscommunication. In this book's case, the second-chance aspect was not as dramatic and angst-ridden as I'd expected! Sure, there were painful, heartbreaking parts to Shane and Sinclair's mutual past, but the book was fairly low on drama. Shane is such a good guy, and clearly very different than at eighteen. Years in the military straightened him out and made him a stronger, better person. For years, he sent Sinclair letters, trying to reach out, but she never responded. But Shane never stopped loving her, thinking about her, wanting her. Ten years later, Shane is persistent, protective, thoughtful, and a little naughty. He's a sweet guy who is incredibly patient with Sinclair. Sinclair has ten years' worth of pain stored up, and she blames Shane. She lost faith in him when she never heard from him (his letters never reached her), and thought he didn't care about her anymore. Ten years later, she's still incredibly angry with him, and very hurt. Sinclair is a tough lady, but she has been through a lot, and she has walled herself off since Shane left to join the Marines. I didn't totally like her, but I understood her. Her hurt and pain were legitimate, even if she was a little unreasonable with all of that blame she directed at Shane. As with every second-chance romance, there is a lot of communication between the pair about the past, and mistakes they made. I was happy to see both of them work things out slowly but surely. I was especially happy that Sinclair recognized that she was also in the wrong, and that not only did she have to forgive Shane, but he had to forgive her. The blame went both ways. Shane and Sinclair have a lot of chemistry between them! Their passion for each other clearly never wore off, even with ten years of time and distance between them. Honestly, that's impressive and I love how the author brought about the chemistry and tension. I love how persistent and patient Shane was, because Sinclair was trying really hard not to budge with him. There are a few pretty hot scenes in this book (and some shorter semi-hot scenes). Beck always does a great job with the sexy times! The climax involves a certain trope that I hate, but I did not mind it, in this book. It should have bothered me (like it did in a previous book in the series) but in this case, it seemed to work for the story. And the climax in general is relatively drama-free, and I like how Sinclair knows she is in the wrong, as does Shane. In general, this was another Beck winner for me. Great characters, good character development, a good balance of emotional and physical growth between the characters' relationship, and a steamy romance, that did not disappoint. I also really liked the epilogue, which featured the three couples of this series (Beau and Savannah, Hunter and Madison, Shane and Sinclair). So much cute! What I Did Not Like: More steamy scenes would have been great (or maybe make the abbreviated scenes less brief). Also I mentioned that I didn't totally love Sinclair, though I understood her. I stand by that. She was a little too standoffish and sometimes mean, when it came to Shane. Poor guy! He didn't deserve all of the negativity and blame. Would I Recommend It: I can't speak for Emergency Delivery, but I'd recommend this entire series! This book isn't my new favorite or anything, but it's a great, satisfying novel. If you're looking for a quick, steamy, second-chance romance novel, this is one for you! Rating: 4 stars. I'm hoping Beck will continue writing books in the Compromise Me series, because those books are awesome! The first book, Compromising Her Position, is one of my favorite Beck books. I recommend it! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Apr 06, 2017
not set
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Apr 06, 2017
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Sep 24, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250128633
| 9781250128638
| B01MSLHHQB
| 4.11
| 19
| unknown
| Feb 14, 2017
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part III by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publicati ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part III by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication Date: February 14, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. Volume Three of a three-part volume by Katana Collins. Shane McGill learned one thing from prison—if you get a second chance, don’t screw it up. Shane doesn't regret a single second of his life once he's found Charlie. She’s the happiest, hottest, most important thing to happen to him. But as tensions rise in the Harrison Street Crew, his relationship with Charlie takes on a new level of heat, and danger… What I Liked: This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial. I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel! Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book. Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders. Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent. The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is. Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III). Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read! What I Did Not Like: Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down! Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read! Would I Recommend It: I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. Rating: 4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Ex-Con, Part III by Katana Collins Book One of the Harrison Street Crew series Publisher: Swerve Publication Date: February 14, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you. Volume Three of a three-part volume by Katana Collins. Shane McGill learned one thing from prison—if you get a second chance, don’t screw it up. Shane doesn't regret a single second of his life once he's found Charlie. She’s the happiest, hottest, most important thing to happen to him. But as tensions rise in the Harrison Street Crew, his relationship with Charlie takes on a new level of heat, and danger… What I Liked: This is a review of all the combined serial version. I received the Ex-Con Serial for review, and the serial combined all three parts of the book into one seamless story. I do not know where each part ended and the other began, so I cannot do a separate review for each part of the serial. I read an excerpt from Part I of the serial, and I was hooked. I haven't read too many books featuring ex-cons - the exceptions being Julianna Keyes' Time Served, and Sophie Jordan's amazing Devil's Rock series (All Chained Up, Hell Breaks Loose, and Fury on Fire - so far). I love Time Served and the Devil's Rock series, and after reading those books, I've been less leery of ex-con stories. The excerpt of Part I of Ex-Con that I read was phenomenal and so intriguing, and I'm really glad I stumbled upon it by chance, because I ended up loving this serial novel! Shane McGill has been released on parole, after serving four years in prison for a crime that isn't quite revealed until close to the end of the serial (probably in Part III, if I had to guess - again, I don't know where each part starts and stops). His beloved car has been sitting untouched for four years, and he needs work done on it. He makes a deal with Charlie Wakeman, a sexy mechanic: he'll work at her garage for free and she'll fix up his car. Neither of them expect the intense chemistry between them to boil over. Neither of them expect the other to be involved with one of the city's dangerous gangs. Neither of them expect the other to discover all of each other's painful secrets, and still fall for each other. I read the book as one cohesive story (and not by parts), and I absolutely love how the story was told. The progression and pacing of the story is beautifully written. I wasn't quite expecting that, since the story is split into parts, but I loved how well each part fit into the other, and how much happened in this book. Both characters are so complex and unique. Shane has just completed his time in prison, and wants a fresh start. He has been denying it to himself, but he knows he can never truly escape from HSC (the gang he is involved with). He agrees to do street races with them, which is how he gets involved with them again, after being in prison. Shane has to repair his car, his life, his problems with HSC, his relationship with his little sister... I really felt for the guy. He is so good and so noble, a true white knight in shining armor, even though he's an ex-con and a criminal. He is also super hot (like steam coming off the pages). I didn't think I would like him this much, but I did. He is such a good guy and a decent person. He's an alpha male with a brain and a good head on his shoulders. Charlie is a feisty, independent, take-no-crap kind of girl. She likes fixing cars and having her own garage, but she owes a lot of money on the garage, which is how she started street racing for HSC. That, and she loved the thrill of it. Charlie got out of an abusive relationship and sought out the thrill of street racing. The topic of the abusive ex-boyfriend (ex-fiance, really) comes up a lot in the book, and it becomes a huge part of the story. Her ex is her best friend's brother, and the best friend (Michelle) is a really important person in Charlie's life. I liked Charlie, though occasionally her "you-can't-tell-me-what-to-do!" rants got annoying. Sometimes she wouldn't see reason because her head was so far stuck up her butt, trying to be Ms. Independent. The female friendship in this book is wonderful! I love how Michelle and Charlie always have each other's back, but they also tell each other how it is. Michelle never holds back, which Charlie definitely needed sometimes. These two ladies have been through a lot together, and I love how powerful and strong their friendship is. Okay, okay, the romance. I absolutely loved the romance. Things started off steamy and progressed into inferno-like fiery pretty quickly. Which I didn't mind at all! The emotional side of things also progressed rather quickly, but I didn't mind and I thought this work well in the story. The chemistry between Shane and Charlie is on fire! The pair were liable to start burning up, every time they were in the same room. And yet, things weren't all physical between them. I love how sweet Shane is with Charlie, and how Charlie doesn't take crap from him BUT also isn't quick to judge him. They are a wonderful (HOT) pair, and I loved watching them fall for each other. The "other" plot besides the romance is interesting because it involves both characters, though they aren't aware of this at first. Both Shane and Charlie are involved in street racing, and Shane cuts a deal with HSC to get Charlie out (which puts him back in, unfortunately). Shane works through issues relating to the reason he went to prison, and his relationship with his sister. Charlie works through her own issues, involving her keeping silent about her abusive ex. Meanwhile, someone is trying to frame Shane for something... it all comes together, at the end of the book (which is the end of Part III). Overall, I am highly satisfied with this serial! I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it as a cohesive novel, though releasing it in parts is an interesting idea. I enjoyed this book a lot - it's a wonderful and steamy story about an ex-con who is a decent guy on the wrong side of the tracks, and a mechanic who wants a little independence after a horrible relationship. It was the first book I read by Collins, and I liked what I read! What I Did Not Like: Not a big deal, but sometimes Charlie got on my nerves a little. I understood her need for independence, after being in an abusive relationship for so long. But sometimes she shut down others (Michelle and Shane, specifically) and dismissed their advice and concern because she was so focused on being independent. I feel like she threw tantrums and stomped her feet too many times, yelling about how she didn't want anyone to tell her what to do. I understood where she was coming from, but she acted really stupid sometimes. No one was trying to control her - they were trying to give her solid, unbiased advice, but she acted like everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Girl, calm down! Again, not a big deal - this happened maybe two or three times, and I understood where she was coming from. But it was a little annoying to read! Would I Recommend It: I personally recommend this series, if you like adult contemporary romance. This story is very different and unique and it challenges the way one might view an ex-con. Both characters have dark secrets and both have a lot of emotional healing to pursue. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with these two - it's impossible, I promise! Their chemistry is hot and their romance is hard-fought and heartwarming, in the end. Rating: 4 stars (for each part, and the book overall). I cannot wait to read the Outlaw serial! Patrick and Michelle had some serious chemistry in this book, and the sneak peek at the end was so hot... I need all of the parts of Outlaw as soon as possible! ...more |
Notes are private!
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Feb 02, 2017
not set
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Feb 02, 2017
not set
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Sep 23, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1633756653
| 9781633756656
| B01M5IHVER
| 3.92
| 932
| Nov 21, 2016
| Nov 21, 2016
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Hard Compromise by Samanthe Beck Book Two of the Compromise Me series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publicat ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Hard Compromise by Samanthe Beck Book Two of the Compromise Me series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publication Date: November 21, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Laurie Peterson assumes her impulsive one-night stand with sinfully sexy Sheriff Ethan Booker is the biggest surprise of the year…until her bakery burns down while she’s basking in the afterglow. It looks like her dreams are up in smoke, but then Ethan proposes a deal too tempting to resist. Ethan has no intention of settling for a one-night stand with Laurie. Nor does he want anything to do with the women his wealthy family wants him to meet. Not when he’s waited ten years for his chance to make his move. His deal might have strings—and Laurie may not know the stakes—but nothing will stop this sexy cop from staking a real claim on her body and her heart. What I Liked: Okay. I was not disappointed, folks. Brazen's recent novels have been rather lackluster, but I had high hopes for this novel. Samanthe Beck's books are so swoony, sexy, steamy, and sweet, and this one was no exception. I adore her books, and this series especially! Ethan Booker has waited ten years for a chance to be with wild Laurie Peterson, and he isn't letting the chance go to waste. Sure, he comes from a rich family and she comes from a much more "disgraceful" background. But he knows what - who - he wants, and it's Laurie. Laurie is an impulsive commitment-phobe, and she wants Ethan as badly as he wants her. But she knows she's not good enough for him, especially with their different backgrounds. But Ethan isn't a guy to back down, and his deal that he offers her is temporary at first, but hopefully for life. You'd think I wouldn't enjoy this book, because Laurie, on paper, is not the type of heroine that I like. She's wild and impulsive, slightly irrational and a total commitment-phobe. She avoids commitments like they are rashes, so she has a lot of hook-ups but no real relationships. She is hot and cold with Ethan Booker, pushing and pulling, throwing herself at him and then running away. Theoretically, *I* shouldn't like her. But I did. I understood her. Sure, she has a lengthy sexual history, a ridiculous outlook on commitment, and more in common with her tramp mother than she wants to admit. But Laurie is also a hard worker, a tough lady, and someone who doesn't like to ask for help. I felt for her, even if I wanted to push her at Ethan and make her stay there. Ethan... woah. Holy alpha male. He's an alpha male but not a crazy overprotective one. He's sweet and genuine and alpha all at once - it's hard to describe. This is something that I love about Beck's heroes - they're sexy alphas, but they're also sweet, considerate, and decidedly more real than most alpha males in romance novels. Like, I could see Ethan being an actual guy in real life, and not because he's a hot sheriff. Ethan is a sweetheart as much as he is a sexy guy. I like how he is patient with Laurie, but he's also firm and goes after what he wants. He waits for her, but then he also goes in for what he wants. It's a good balance of letting Laurie be but also satisfying them both. Ethan looks out for Laurie and wants the best for her, but he doesn't try to solve all of her problems. Have I mentioned how hot the chemistry between these two is? The romance in the book is well-developed and meaningful, but the chemistry, the chemistry is scorching hot. These two have been waiting to paw at each other for ten years (you'll have to read the book to find out why), and when it happens... *fans self* Samanthe Beck always has steamy romance novels, but this one is really really hot. I'm impressed! The pair strike a deal, in which Ethan will loan her money (her bakery burned down) if she attends his sister's wedding as his date, to keep his mother off his back. I wasn't expecting to like Ethan's mother, but I actually did! She's not overbearing and nosy like I would have expected. I like how Ethan's mother takes to Laurie and really likes her, despite Laurie thinking that she isn't good enough for Ethan. Ethan's mother is a smart lady and one of the reasons why Laurie fights for Ethan. Which brings me to the climax and end of the story! I despise it when the female screws up and for some reason, it's the male that has to beg and grovel. In this book, Laurie is the one that pushes Ethan away, and he walks away, telling her that she needs to decide even though he'll always love her. The best part about the ending is that Laurie picks herself up and goes to Ethan - and not the opposite. Ethan leaves the ball firmly in her court, and Laurie isn't stupid; she goes after him. I LOVE THIS. Overall, this is a really great addition to the Compromise Me series, and an awesome book by Samanthe Beck! It pulls me out of the small Brazen funk that I've been in. What I Did Not Like: Nothing specific from me! Would I Recommend It: I recommend this one! I feel like it's been a while since I solidly recommended a new Brazen novel - even my regulars Katee Robert and Tessa Bailey have let me down recently. Samanthe Beck hasn't though! I'm excited that this one was really solid. Rating: 4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I hope the next book follows Rafe's sister Arden! (Rafe is the hero of Compromising Her Position, the equally sexy and enjoyable predecessor of this book.) Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Hard Compromise by Samanthe Beck Book Two of the Compromise Me series Publisher: Entangled Brazen Publication Date: November 21, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Laurie Peterson assumes her impulsive one-night stand with sinfully sexy Sheriff Ethan Booker is the biggest surprise of the year…until her bakery burns down while she’s basking in the afterglow. It looks like her dreams are up in smoke, but then Ethan proposes a deal too tempting to resist. Ethan has no intention of settling for a one-night stand with Laurie. Nor does he want anything to do with the women his wealthy family wants him to meet. Not when he’s waited ten years for his chance to make his move. His deal might have strings—and Laurie may not know the stakes—but nothing will stop this sexy cop from staking a real claim on her body and her heart. What I Liked: Okay. I was not disappointed, folks. Brazen's recent novels have been rather lackluster, but I had high hopes for this novel. Samanthe Beck's books are so swoony, sexy, steamy, and sweet, and this one was no exception. I adore her books, and this series especially! Ethan Booker has waited ten years for a chance to be with wild Laurie Peterson, and he isn't letting the chance go to waste. Sure, he comes from a rich family and she comes from a much more "disgraceful" background. But he knows what - who - he wants, and it's Laurie. Laurie is an impulsive commitment-phobe, and she wants Ethan as badly as he wants her. But she knows she's not good enough for him, especially with their different backgrounds. But Ethan isn't a guy to back down, and his deal that he offers her is temporary at first, but hopefully for life. You'd think I wouldn't enjoy this book, because Laurie, on paper, is not the type of heroine that I like. She's wild and impulsive, slightly irrational and a total commitment-phobe. She avoids commitments like they are rashes, so she has a lot of hook-ups but no real relationships. She is hot and cold with Ethan Booker, pushing and pulling, throwing herself at him and then running away. Theoretically, *I* shouldn't like her. But I did. I understood her. Sure, she has a lengthy sexual history, a ridiculous outlook on commitment, and more in common with her tramp mother than she wants to admit. But Laurie is also a hard worker, a tough lady, and someone who doesn't like to ask for help. I felt for her, even if I wanted to push her at Ethan and make her stay there. Ethan... woah. Holy alpha male. He's an alpha male but not a crazy overprotective one. He's sweet and genuine and alpha all at once - it's hard to describe. This is something that I love about Beck's heroes - they're sexy alphas, but they're also sweet, considerate, and decidedly more real than most alpha males in romance novels. Like, I could see Ethan being an actual guy in real life, and not because he's a hot sheriff. Ethan is a sweetheart as much as he is a sexy guy. I like how he is patient with Laurie, but he's also firm and goes after what he wants. He waits for her, but then he also goes in for what he wants. It's a good balance of letting Laurie be but also satisfying them both. Ethan looks out for Laurie and wants the best for her, but he doesn't try to solve all of her problems. Have I mentioned how hot the chemistry between these two is? The romance in the book is well-developed and meaningful, but the chemistry, the chemistry is scorching hot. These two have been waiting to paw at each other for ten years (you'll have to read the book to find out why), and when it happens... *fans self* Samanthe Beck always has steamy romance novels, but this one is really really hot. I'm impressed! The pair strike a deal, in which Ethan will loan her money (her bakery burned down) if she attends his sister's wedding as his date, to keep his mother off his back. I wasn't expecting to like Ethan's mother, but I actually did! She's not overbearing and nosy like I would have expected. I like how Ethan's mother takes to Laurie and really likes her, despite Laurie thinking that she isn't good enough for Ethan. Ethan's mother is a smart lady and one of the reasons why Laurie fights for Ethan. Which brings me to the climax and end of the story! I despise it when the female screws up and for some reason, it's the male that has to beg and grovel. In this book, Laurie is the one that pushes Ethan away, and he walks away, telling her that she needs to decide even though he'll always love her. The best part about the ending is that Laurie picks herself up and goes to Ethan - and not the opposite. Ethan leaves the ball firmly in her court, and Laurie isn't stupid; she goes after him. I LOVE THIS. Overall, this is a really great addition to the Compromise Me series, and an awesome book by Samanthe Beck! It pulls me out of the small Brazen funk that I've been in. What I Did Not Like: Nothing specific from me! Would I Recommend It: I recommend this one! I feel like it's been a while since I solidly recommended a new Brazen novel - even my regulars Katee Robert and Tessa Bailey have let me down recently. Samanthe Beck hasn't though! I'm excited that this one was really solid. Rating: 4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. I hope the next book follows Rafe's sister Arden! (Rafe is the hero of Compromising Her Position, the equally sexy and enjoyable predecessor of this book.) ...more |
Notes are private!
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Nov 23, 2016
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Nov 23, 2016
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Sep 21, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 099714940X
| 9780997149401
| B07645T5HH
| 3.91
| 1,123
| Feb 16, 2016
| Feb 16, 2016
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really liked it
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How wonderful and so sweet! I loved this novella. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** A Study in Scandal by Caroline Linden Book 3.5 of the S How wonderful and so sweet! I loved this novella. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** A Study in Scandal by Caroline Linden Book 3.5 of the Scandalous series Publication Date: February 17, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC sent by the author Summary (from Goodreads): After a youthful infatuation went terribly wrong, Lady Samantha Lennox gave up all thought of suitors and happily-ever-after. But when she angers her strict and demanding father, the Earl of Stratford, he retaliates by arranging a marriage for her to a man she could never admire, much less love. In a panic, Samantha flees to London, only to find herself lost, alone, and nearly kidnapped—until an unlikely hero saves her. Lord George Churchill-Gray is an artist, not a knight in shining armor, but he doesn’t hesitate to rescue Samantha from disaster and offer her temporary sanctuary. He wouldn’t mind if she repaid him by modeling for his latest painting. He’s enchanted by her face… her smile… all of her, really. But with every study he sketches, he falls a little more in love with her, and Samantha begins to suspect her scandalous actions might lead to the sort of love she never thought to find… What I Liked: Note: I received this book for free from the author. I was not compensated for my review, nor did the source of the copy affect my opinion of this book at all. Ah, this series is a favorite of mine. I adored the previous books and novella, and I just recently read and enjoyed the fourth full-length novel, Six Degrees of Scandal. Each pair's story is so unique and lovely, and I especially love just how connected and interwoven the plots of each book are, even though this series is a companion series. If you're a historical romance fan, I highly recommend this Scandalous series! In this novella, we have Lady Samantha's story. Years ago, Samantha stole money from her father to help her neighbor and friend, Sebastian (read his story in It Takes a Scandal). Years later, Samantha confesses to her father so that Sebastian's name will be cleared. At first, her father does not seem angry (which is out of character); but then he decides that Samantha will marry a brute of a man, in a month's time. Samantha runs away, only to become lost and almost kidnapped in London. If not for a dashing artist painting nearby, Samantha might have disappeared forever. Lord George Churchill-Gray, son of the Duke of Rowland, is more concerned with his artwork than his title. When he saves Samantha from kidnappers, he offers her his place temporarily. But weeks pass and the pair can't deny their attraction. Will Samantha leave her life in Richmond behind? This story was short, which is to be expected - it's a novella. I love how Linden is able to fit in a beautiful and very developed story in such a short space. We get all of the wonderful aspects of a historical romance novel,, but in a compact form. In this novella, time moves slowly at first. Only a few days pass between Samantha telling her father that she stole money from him years ago, and her fleeing to London when her father tells her about her new marriage. But when Gray saves her and takes her in, time starts to move faster. Weeks pass. So there is no case of an undeveloped relationship, though it might seem that way. I can't remember how I felt about Samantha in previous books, but I think I liked her more than I did in previous books. In this novella, she is determined to take her fate into her own hands, even if she doesn't realize that is what she is doing. She accepts help from Gray, and while living in his apartment, she takes to helping the landlady and servant with small things. Samantha has a strength of character that we don't always see in historical romance novels. Ahh, Gray. He has an artist's heart, and a noble one too. He generously offers his apartment to Samantha; he knows that she is more than she says she is, and he wants to help a lady in a bad situation. He's the son of the Duke of Rowland, but he does not flaunt his title and he isn't interested in multitudes of women. He and Samantha are such a perfect pair; quiet souls, appreciative of the arts, and rich in intelligence. I remember seeing the pair in Six Degrees of Scandal and wondering, when did Samantha get married? Who is Gray? So while I wish I had held off a few days longer before reading Six Degrees of Scandal, I'm really glad I had the chance to read this novella, and Linden wrote it at all! Samantha probably wasn't one of my favorite characters earlier in the series (for good reason), but I really liked to experience a different side of her, in this novella. Overall, an excellent addition to the series! I usually don't bother with novellas, but this one was definitely worth the time. If you enjoy Linden's books, or historical romance novels in general, I recommend this novella and series! What I Did Not Like: It's a novella but I can't help but want more! Would I Recommend It: If you've read any of Linden's books, I'd definitely recommend this one too. Like I said, I'm usually someone who doesn't bother with novellas, but I really, really enjoyed this one. It adds nicely to the series too, as Gray plays a pretty important role in Six Degrees of Scandal. Rating: 4 stars. If you couldn't tell, I'm a huge fan of this series! I wonder if there will be more books (or novellas) to follow. I would love to read more! Merged review: How wonderful and so sweet! I loved this novella. ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** A Study in Scandal by Caroline Linden Book 3.5 of the Scandalous series Publication Date: February 17, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC sent by the author Summary (from Goodreads): After a youthful infatuation went terribly wrong, Lady Samantha Lennox gave up all thought of suitors and happily-ever-after. But when she angers her strict and demanding father, the Earl of Stratford, he retaliates by arranging a marriage for her to a man she could never admire, much less love. In a panic, Samantha flees to London, only to find herself lost, alone, and nearly kidnapped—until an unlikely hero saves her. Lord George Churchill-Gray is an artist, not a knight in shining armor, but he doesn’t hesitate to rescue Samantha from disaster and offer her temporary sanctuary. He wouldn’t mind if she repaid him by modeling for his latest painting. He’s enchanted by her face… her smile… all of her, really. But with every study he sketches, he falls a little more in love with her, and Samantha begins to suspect her scandalous actions might lead to the sort of love she never thought to find… What I Liked: Note: I received this book for free from the author. I was not compensated for my review, nor did the source of the copy affect my opinion of this book at all. Ah, this series is a favorite of mine. I adored the previous books and novella, and I just recently read and enjoyed the fourth full-length novel, Six Degrees of Scandal. Each pair's story is so unique and lovely, and I especially love just how connected and interwoven the plots of each book are, even though this series is a companion series. If you're a historical romance fan, I highly recommend this Scandalous series! In this novella, we have Lady Samantha's story. Years ago, Samantha stole money from her father to help her neighbor and friend, Sebastian (read his story in It Takes a Scandal). Years later, Samantha confesses to her father so that Sebastian's name will be cleared. At first, her father does not seem angry (which is out of character); but then he decides that Samantha will marry a brute of a man, in a month's time. Samantha runs away, only to become lost and almost kidnapped in London. If not for a dashing artist painting nearby, Samantha might have disappeared forever. Lord George Churchill-Gray, son of the Duke of Rowland, is more concerned with his artwork than his title. When he saves Samantha from kidnappers, he offers her his place temporarily. But weeks pass and the pair can't deny their attraction. Will Samantha leave her life in Richmond behind? This story was short, which is to be expected - it's a novella. I love how Linden is able to fit in a beautiful and very developed story in such a short space. We get all of the wonderful aspects of a historical romance novel,, but in a compact form. In this novella, time moves slowly at first. Only a few days pass between Samantha telling her father that she stole money from him years ago, and her fleeing to London when her father tells her about her new marriage. But when Gray saves her and takes her in, time starts to move faster. Weeks pass. So there is no case of an undeveloped relationship, though it might seem that way. I can't remember how I felt about Samantha in previous books, but I think I liked her more than I did in previous books. In this novella, she is determined to take her fate into her own hands, even if she doesn't realize that is what she is doing. She accepts help from Gray, and while living in his apartment, she takes to helping the landlady and servant with small things. Samantha has a strength of character that we don't always see in historical romance novels. Ahh, Gray. He has an artist's heart, and a noble one too. He generously offers his apartment to Samantha; he knows that she is more than she says she is, and he wants to help a lady in a bad situation. He's the son of the Duke of Rowland, but he does not flaunt his title and he isn't interested in multitudes of women. He and Samantha are such a perfect pair; quiet souls, appreciative of the arts, and rich in intelligence. I remember seeing the pair in Six Degrees of Scandal and wondering, when did Samantha get married? Who is Gray? So while I wish I had held off a few days longer before reading Six Degrees of Scandal, I'm really glad I had the chance to read this novella, and Linden wrote it at all! Samantha probably wasn't one of my favorite characters earlier in the series (for good reason), but I really liked to experience a different side of her, in this novella. Overall, an excellent addition to the series! I usually don't bother with novellas, but this one was definitely worth the time. If you enjoy Linden's books, or historical romance novels in general, I recommend this novella and series! What I Did Not Like: It's a novella but I can't help but want more! Would I Recommend It: If you've read any of Linden's books, I'd definitely recommend this one too. Like I said, I'm usually someone who doesn't bother with novellas, but I really, really enjoyed this one. It adds nicely to the series too, as Gray plays a pretty important role in Six Degrees of Scandal. Rating: 4 stars. If you couldn't tell, I'm a huge fan of this series! I wonder if there will be more books (or novellas) to follow. I would love to read more! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Feb 15, 2016
not set
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Feb 15, 2016
not set
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Sep 20, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0062446339
| 9780062446336
| B07H55BSXP
| 3.86
| 1,369
| Aug 02, 2016
| Aug 02, 2016
|
really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** This Earl is on Fire by Vivienne Lorret Book Two of the Season's Original series Publisher: Avon Impulse P ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** This Earl is on Fire by Vivienne Lorret Book Two of the Season's Original series Publisher: Avon Impulse Publication Date: August 2, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): The sheltered daughter of a country baron, Miss Adeline Pimm comes to London looking for adventure… and finds it in the form of a bloody, unconscious man slumped in the doorway of her family’s rented townhouse. Though his identity is a mystery, Adeline is inexplicably drawn to the handsome, injured man and vows to nurse him back to health. Liam Cavanaugh, the scandalous Earl of Wolford, is startled when he awakens in an unfamiliar bed, wrapped in bandages that hinder his eyesight, with no memory of why he was beaten half to death. Although he can’t see the witty young woman who tends to his wounds, her alluring voice—and a single stolen kiss from her soft lips—helps soothe his pain. But when he is fully healed, Liam is not ready to let go of the one woman who stirs his deepest longings. Liam will do whatever it takes to see Adeline again, even if it means giving up his rakish ways. But his disreputable past is not so easily forgotten and his secrets are far more dangerous than he—or Adeline—ever imagined. What I Liked: While I liked The Debutante is Mine more, this sequel was enjoyable and satisfying! This series in general is very fun and charming, and I'm glad I decided to read The Debutante is Mine on a whim. Jack and Lilah were a lovely pair to follow, but I did like Liam and Adeline together as well. Adeline Pimm lives in the country with her parents, the baron and baroness of Boswick. She's always been sheltered, partly because of her limp, caused by a deformity in her leg. They've come to London for the first time for Adeline's season as a debutante. But they come to their rented London home to find a gentleman at their doorstep, bloody and unconscious. The Pimms are very kind and softhearted, and take care of the gentleman at the house. Liam Cavanaugh can't remember how he ended up where he is, or why or how he was beaten up. But as he is lying in bed, bandaged and bruised and unable to see for the time being (due to a bandaged head), he finds himself allured by the woman who won't leave his bedside. Adeline begins to care for Liam long before she actually seems him and knows who he is. What happens when two people who refuse to marry anyone fall in love? This is the sweet story of Liam and Adeline finding their way to each other. What a cute story! We have Adeline, who is a bit naive and sheltered and believes that many marriages are based on true love, and love at first sight. When they find Liam on their doorstep, Adeline feels... something, in her heart. It isn't quite lust because she can't see him under all the blood. Could this be her soulmate? Time will tell. Adeline is brave and strong and fearless, braving the ton with her limp. A deformity is frowned upon, and Adeline is talked about because of it. The Pimm family also takes a hit because they took in the notorious rake, the Earl of Wolford, and no one believes that he was actually beaten up until weeks later when he leaves the Pimm residence and he's still bruised. During that time, Adeline begins to care about Liam, and is sad to see him go. And then we have Liam, who isn't as rakish as we're led to believe. Sure, he's a flirt, and he's charming. But he hides behind walls of loneliness and sadness. He doesn't want to marry until he's sixty and needs an heir. He likes to buy and collect antique archaeological finds, and he has many, many houses full of them. Including the house next to the Pimms' residence! Which is how he ended up on their doorstep, bloodied and beaten. He had been on his way to one of his houses. I liked reading from Liam's POV more so than Adeline's, because Liam had more depth and more sadness to him. This book isn't angsty or anything, and Liam's "dark past" isn't so terrible, but Liam has had to lead a life of mistrust and caution, when it comes to people. He hides behind his rakish reputation because he doesn't trust people. I wanted to give the poor guy a hug at so many points in the book! But then he's also a huge flirt, and he's funny. The chemistry between these two is fairly sizzling! There is only one sex scene in this book, but all of the foreplay/"almost" scenes are pretty hot. I've noticed that Avon Impulse books are very low on the steamy radar, so I expected this. If I were giving this a steamy radar rating, it would be maybe two out of five. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! The romance itself was cute to watch unfold. Adeline clearly falls for Liam, as much as she doesn't want to admit it. Liam falls for Adeline but realizes it slower. Both of them don't want to marry (Adeline, ever, and Liam, only when he's sixty). Liam tries to avoid Adeline because he thinks she'll marry and he doesn't want to ruin her. But they both fall for each other, and while Adeline might be a naive country girl, she still goes after what she wants. I liked seeing Adeline's character growth in this story. She goes from naive country girl to assertive country girl turned noblewoman. And Liam grows even more than Adeline does; he learns how to be less reclusive and lonely, and he reassesses what he wants in life, and shifts his priorities. The mystery of Liam's attack was solved at the very end, and I personally didn't see it coming until just before it was revealed. It's an interesting twist! We also learn the full secrets of Liam's "dark past", which was sad. So I'm glad that the author tied everything back together. This book was a solid sequel overall! I think I liked Jack and Lilah's story better, but I enjoyed Liam and Adeline's. I'm excited for Max and Juliet's! What I Did Not Like: More steamy scenes would be good! This book only had one sex scene, which really doesn't seem like enough in a historical romance novel. But Avon Impulse's books seem to be less steamy (which could be good or bad). I vote more steamy, please! I don't have many complaints, but this book isn't a new favorite, so it's only getting four stars from me! I'm very stingy with my five-star ratings, and this book definitely did not feel like a five-star novel. It was good though! Would I Recommend It: I'd probably recommend The Debutante is Mine more than this one, but this book was also great! The series is a cute one, but not a must-read series. I like the idea of the Originals, so the connection between the stories and characters is cool. If you're an HR fan, these books are not too shabby - and they're fairly cheap! Rating: 4 stars. I'm excited about When a Marquess Loves a Woman! I feel like this series has been leading up to Max and Juliet's collision. Here's hoping it'll be good! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** This Earl is on Fire by Vivienne Lorret Book Two of the Season's Original series Publisher: Avon Impulse Publication Date: August 2, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from Edelweiss ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): The sheltered daughter of a country baron, Miss Adeline Pimm comes to London looking for adventure… and finds it in the form of a bloody, unconscious man slumped in the doorway of her family’s rented townhouse. Though his identity is a mystery, Adeline is inexplicably drawn to the handsome, injured man and vows to nurse him back to health. Liam Cavanaugh, the scandalous Earl of Wolford, is startled when he awakens in an unfamiliar bed, wrapped in bandages that hinder his eyesight, with no memory of why he was beaten half to death. Although he can’t see the witty young woman who tends to his wounds, her alluring voice—and a single stolen kiss from her soft lips—helps soothe his pain. But when he is fully healed, Liam is not ready to let go of the one woman who stirs his deepest longings. Liam will do whatever it takes to see Adeline again, even if it means giving up his rakish ways. But his disreputable past is not so easily forgotten and his secrets are far more dangerous than he—or Adeline—ever imagined. What I Liked: While I liked The Debutante is Mine more, this sequel was enjoyable and satisfying! This series in general is very fun and charming, and I'm glad I decided to read The Debutante is Mine on a whim. Jack and Lilah were a lovely pair to follow, but I did like Liam and Adeline together as well. Adeline Pimm lives in the country with her parents, the baron and baroness of Boswick. She's always been sheltered, partly because of her limp, caused by a deformity in her leg. They've come to London for the first time for Adeline's season as a debutante. But they come to their rented London home to find a gentleman at their doorstep, bloody and unconscious. The Pimms are very kind and softhearted, and take care of the gentleman at the house. Liam Cavanaugh can't remember how he ended up where he is, or why or how he was beaten up. But as he is lying in bed, bandaged and bruised and unable to see for the time being (due to a bandaged head), he finds himself allured by the woman who won't leave his bedside. Adeline begins to care for Liam long before she actually seems him and knows who he is. What happens when two people who refuse to marry anyone fall in love? This is the sweet story of Liam and Adeline finding their way to each other. What a cute story! We have Adeline, who is a bit naive and sheltered and believes that many marriages are based on true love, and love at first sight. When they find Liam on their doorstep, Adeline feels... something, in her heart. It isn't quite lust because she can't see him under all the blood. Could this be her soulmate? Time will tell. Adeline is brave and strong and fearless, braving the ton with her limp. A deformity is frowned upon, and Adeline is talked about because of it. The Pimm family also takes a hit because they took in the notorious rake, the Earl of Wolford, and no one believes that he was actually beaten up until weeks later when he leaves the Pimm residence and he's still bruised. During that time, Adeline begins to care about Liam, and is sad to see him go. And then we have Liam, who isn't as rakish as we're led to believe. Sure, he's a flirt, and he's charming. But he hides behind walls of loneliness and sadness. He doesn't want to marry until he's sixty and needs an heir. He likes to buy and collect antique archaeological finds, and he has many, many houses full of them. Including the house next to the Pimms' residence! Which is how he ended up on their doorstep, bloodied and beaten. He had been on his way to one of his houses. I liked reading from Liam's POV more so than Adeline's, because Liam had more depth and more sadness to him. This book isn't angsty or anything, and Liam's "dark past" isn't so terrible, but Liam has had to lead a life of mistrust and caution, when it comes to people. He hides behind his rakish reputation because he doesn't trust people. I wanted to give the poor guy a hug at so many points in the book! But then he's also a huge flirt, and he's funny. The chemistry between these two is fairly sizzling! There is only one sex scene in this book, but all of the foreplay/"almost" scenes are pretty hot. I've noticed that Avon Impulse books are very low on the steamy radar, so I expected this. If I were giving this a steamy radar rating, it would be maybe two out of five. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! The romance itself was cute to watch unfold. Adeline clearly falls for Liam, as much as she doesn't want to admit it. Liam falls for Adeline but realizes it slower. Both of them don't want to marry (Adeline, ever, and Liam, only when he's sixty). Liam tries to avoid Adeline because he thinks she'll marry and he doesn't want to ruin her. But they both fall for each other, and while Adeline might be a naive country girl, she still goes after what she wants. I liked seeing Adeline's character growth in this story. She goes from naive country girl to assertive country girl turned noblewoman. And Liam grows even more than Adeline does; he learns how to be less reclusive and lonely, and he reassesses what he wants in life, and shifts his priorities. The mystery of Liam's attack was solved at the very end, and I personally didn't see it coming until just before it was revealed. It's an interesting twist! We also learn the full secrets of Liam's "dark past", which was sad. So I'm glad that the author tied everything back together. This book was a solid sequel overall! I think I liked Jack and Lilah's story better, but I enjoyed Liam and Adeline's. I'm excited for Max and Juliet's! What I Did Not Like: More steamy scenes would be good! This book only had one sex scene, which really doesn't seem like enough in a historical romance novel. But Avon Impulse's books seem to be less steamy (which could be good or bad). I vote more steamy, please! I don't have many complaints, but this book isn't a new favorite, so it's only getting four stars from me! I'm very stingy with my five-star ratings, and this book definitely did not feel like a five-star novel. It was good though! Would I Recommend It: I'd probably recommend The Debutante is Mine more than this one, but this book was also great! The series is a cute one, but not a must-read series. I like the idea of the Originals, so the connection between the stories and characters is cool. If you're an HR fan, these books are not too shabby - and they're fairly cheap! Rating: 4 stars. I'm excited about When a Marquess Loves a Woman! I feel like this series has been leading up to Max and Juliet's collision. Here's hoping it'll be good! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Aug 04, 2016
not set
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Aug 04, 2016
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Sep 20, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1633754669
| 9781633754669
| B015CLZ89Y
| 3.62
| 656
| Nov 16, 2015
| Nov 16, 2015
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liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Tell Me You Need Me by Joya Ryan Book One of the Search and Seduce series Publisher: Brazen Publication Da ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Tell Me You Need Me by Joya Ryan Book One of the Search and Seduce series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: November 16, 2015 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Playing dirty can be the best kind of fun… Chloe Franklin wouldn't call herself a commitment-phobe, so much as she's allergic to anything long term. She loves the sexy, sweaty and intensely hot hours of the night that come before the sun rises, though. Especially when those nights are spent with Search-and-Rescuer Gage McGraw... Gage loves his job, but there is one thing he's starting to like more than the rush of a mission--a stacked blonde with a mouth that haunts his dreams. Every time he steps foot in the sleepy town of Beaufort, he hooks up with Chloe. But he's tired of hooks-ups. He wants more. Just the sight of Gage gets Chloe's blood going. Hot, bothered, and finally naked, she's ready for their night to start. But before he takes her, he whispers what his intentions really are…and then the games really begin. What I Liked: This book and the next book I'll be reviewing (Once Upon a Power Play by Jennifer Bonds) both feature a woman named Chloe, and both Chloe's are commitment phobes and don't want to shack up with the respective man they've come to enjoy spending time with (physically). In this book, Chloe and Gage have known each other for years; he visits a weekend at a time, and he and Chloe hook up, and then he leaves. Both are always anticipating the next time he comes. But Gage might be looking into a more permanent position in Beaufort, and he wants Chloe to go steady with him. But Chloe doesn't want anything permanent, and Gage isn't even sure he wants to stay in the town permanently. But neither of them are going to give up what they currently have. The first scene in the book took me by surprise, because I had no idea that Chloe and Gage already knew each other (I didn't read the synopsis well enough, I think). I was like... why is she about to hook up with someone who uses THOSE lines?! But they already knew each other. Nevertheless, the first scene is SO hot. Right from the start, we get to see what type of relationship Chloe and Gage have - purely physical, no emotional strings attached. I really liked Gage; he's a Search-and-Rescuer, and he is currently in between rescues. He's teaching young search-and-rescuers the tricks of the trade in the forest in Beaufort. Gage would never consider settling down in Beaufort (or anywhere), but after a near-death experience, he's decided that he wants Chloe in his life, permanently. Gage is an honest, noble, hot guy, and I liked him. Chloe was a little harder for me to like because she kept pushing away Gage. She knew she wanted him but didn't want any more from him than a physical relationship. Yet she had feelings for him. I hate this type of confusion, it hurts people unnecessarily! Still, Chloe is a strong type of woman, despite not really knowing what she wants. She's dedicated to her mother's restaurant, and it's really amazing to see how committed she is to see it flourish, after her mother's death. The pair are good together, especially physically. I didn't feel as much of a connection as I had wanted (maybe because they already knew each other?), and I wish I liked Chloe more, but they definitely had good chemistry. Good, but not really hot, like I was expecting. I've not read any of Joya Ryan's books, but I'd heard that her books were SUPER hot. This book was hot but not really hot, if that makes sense. Overall, my opinion of this one is fairly positive, despite the three-star rating. I liked it but didn't love. See below for my (vague) dislikes. What I Did Not Like: I already stated that I had a hard time liking Chloe. Unfortunately, I didn't like her indecisiveness, and when she made a decision, I still didn't like her. There was a scene in which she finally decided she wanted more from Gage, only to then back out. I'm not really a fan of the way Chloe thinks. It's totally okay to not be sure of what you want; but to string someone along in the process is cruel. This book wasn't as hot as I'd expected! Maybe my expectations were too high. I'd heard how hot Joya Ryan's books were, but this book didn't see *that* hot? Maybe I'm too demanding. Ha! I didn't quite feel the emotional connection that these two had, though this could just be me. They had decent chemistry, and the steamy scenes were hot (better than okay but not smokin', if that makes sense). But I didn't quite catch their emotional connection as the book went on - which was sad, because that's basically what this book was about. They already had a great preexisting physical relationship, and this book went through their emotional relationship. The ending felt a bit neat, which is okay in Brazen books, but doesn't stop me from wanting more! I'm not a fan of the man being the only one to work for the relationship, and the woman not doing anything. I don't really care if that view isn't seen as "feminist" - if you mess up, or even if you just really want to be with the person, you should also be invested in working things out. Grand gestures by the man shouldn't JUST be by the man. Would I Recommend It: No. I don't really recommend this one - there are much better Brazen novels. It wasn't that this one was bad - it just wasn't good enough to recommend. Typically I'd only recommend Brazen books that get a rating of four stars or higher from me. 99% of my Brazen reads have been four stars or higher, so there are a lot more Brazen novels that I could recommend! Rating: 3 stars. Not terrible, but not impressive, either. I might try one of Joya Ryan's other Brazen novels, but this one didn't really do much for me. My next review, for Once Upon a Power Play by Jennifer Bonds, is one in which I highly recommend that novel! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Tell Me You Need Me by Joya Ryan Book One of the Search and Seduce series Publisher: Brazen Publication Date: November 16, 2015 Rating: 3 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley ***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers*** Summary (from Goodreads): Playing dirty can be the best kind of fun… Chloe Franklin wouldn't call herself a commitment-phobe, so much as she's allergic to anything long term. She loves the sexy, sweaty and intensely hot hours of the night that come before the sun rises, though. Especially when those nights are spent with Search-and-Rescuer Gage McGraw... Gage loves his job, but there is one thing he's starting to like more than the rush of a mission--a stacked blonde with a mouth that haunts his dreams. Every time he steps foot in the sleepy town of Beaufort, he hooks up with Chloe. But he's tired of hooks-ups. He wants more. Just the sight of Gage gets Chloe's blood going. Hot, bothered, and finally naked, she's ready for their night to start. But before he takes her, he whispers what his intentions really are…and then the games really begin. What I Liked: This book and the next book I'll be reviewing (Once Upon a Power Play by Jennifer Bonds) both feature a woman named Chloe, and both Chloe's are commitment phobes and don't want to shack up with the respective man they've come to enjoy spending time with (physically). In this book, Chloe and Gage have known each other for years; he visits a weekend at a time, and he and Chloe hook up, and then he leaves. Both are always anticipating the next time he comes. But Gage might be looking into a more permanent position in Beaufort, and he wants Chloe to go steady with him. But Chloe doesn't want anything permanent, and Gage isn't even sure he wants to stay in the town permanently. But neither of them are going to give up what they currently have. The first scene in the book took me by surprise, because I had no idea that Chloe and Gage already knew each other (I didn't read the synopsis well enough, I think). I was like... why is she about to hook up with someone who uses THOSE lines?! But they already knew each other. Nevertheless, the first scene is SO hot. Right from the start, we get to see what type of relationship Chloe and Gage have - purely physical, no emotional strings attached. I really liked Gage; he's a Search-and-Rescuer, and he is currently in between rescues. He's teaching young search-and-rescuers the tricks of the trade in the forest in Beaufort. Gage would never consider settling down in Beaufort (or anywhere), but after a near-death experience, he's decided that he wants Chloe in his life, permanently. Gage is an honest, noble, hot guy, and I liked him. Chloe was a little harder for me to like because she kept pushing away Gage. She knew she wanted him but didn't want any more from him than a physical relationship. Yet she had feelings for him. I hate this type of confusion, it hurts people unnecessarily! Still, Chloe is a strong type of woman, despite not really knowing what she wants. She's dedicated to her mother's restaurant, and it's really amazing to see how committed she is to see it flourish, after her mother's death. The pair are good together, especially physically. I didn't feel as much of a connection as I had wanted (maybe because they already knew each other?), and I wish I liked Chloe more, but they definitely had good chemistry. Good, but not really hot, like I was expecting. I've not read any of Joya Ryan's books, but I'd heard that her books were SUPER hot. This book was hot but not really hot, if that makes sense. Overall, my opinion of this one is fairly positive, despite the three-star rating. I liked it but didn't love. See below for my (vague) dislikes. What I Did Not Like: I already stated that I had a hard time liking Chloe. Unfortunately, I didn't like her indecisiveness, and when she made a decision, I still didn't like her. There was a scene in which she finally decided she wanted more from Gage, only to then back out. I'm not really a fan of the way Chloe thinks. It's totally okay to not be sure of what you want; but to string someone along in the process is cruel. This book wasn't as hot as I'd expected! Maybe my expectations were too high. I'd heard how hot Joya Ryan's books were, but this book didn't see *that* hot? Maybe I'm too demanding. Ha! I didn't quite feel the emotional connection that these two had, though this could just be me. They had decent chemistry, and the steamy scenes were hot (better than okay but not smokin', if that makes sense). But I didn't quite catch their emotional connection as the book went on - which was sad, because that's basically what this book was about. They already had a great preexisting physical relationship, and this book went through their emotional relationship. The ending felt a bit neat, which is okay in Brazen books, but doesn't stop me from wanting more! I'm not a fan of the man being the only one to work for the relationship, and the woman not doing anything. I don't really care if that view isn't seen as "feminist" - if you mess up, or even if you just really want to be with the person, you should also be invested in working things out. Grand gestures by the man shouldn't JUST be by the man. Would I Recommend It: No. I don't really recommend this one - there are much better Brazen novels. It wasn't that this one was bad - it just wasn't good enough to recommend. Typically I'd only recommend Brazen books that get a rating of four stars or higher from me. 99% of my Brazen reads have been four stars or higher, so there are a lot more Brazen novels that I could recommend! Rating: 3 stars. Not terrible, but not impressive, either. I might try one of Joya Ryan's other Brazen novels, but this one didn't really do much for me. My next review, for Once Upon a Power Play by Jennifer Bonds, is one in which I highly recommend that novel! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Nov 03, 2015
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Nov 03, 2015
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Sep 17, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1484724194
| 9781484724194
| B00MQD7KNY
| 3.78
| 4,263
| Oct 07, 2014
| Oct 07, 2014
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really liked it
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***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** This Night So Dark by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Book 1.5 of the Starbound series Publisher: Disney ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** This Night So Dark by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Book 1.5 of the Starbound series Publisher: Disney Hyperion Publication Date: October 7, 2014 Rating: 4 stars Source: Kindle copy bought from Amazon Summary (from Goodreads): Don’t miss the breathtaking short story that connects the first two novels in the Starbound trilogy, These Broken Stars and This Shattered World. Tarver still has nightmares about the night, six months before the Icarus crash, when he rescued a group of civilian researchers being held hostage by brutal mercenaries. Now Tarver and Lilac must reconcile his memories of that fateful night with the truth that they uncovered on a mysterious planet after the Icarus crashed. Includes a bonus preview chapter from This Shattered World. What I Liked: If you've been regularly following my blog, you'll know that I've read and LOVED These Broken Stars and This Shattered World. Seriously, this series is fabulous, and it's got covers to match. Now, this novella. I'd already read books one and two, and I usually don't like novellas... but as I said, I love the series, and hey, the novella was free. Still is. So, what did I have to love? This novella is a short story - it tells the story of how Tarver became a hero, when he was held by mercenaries and miraculously escaped with other hostages. The story itself is less than half of the ebook - the other half is the beginning of book one, and a preview of book two (both of which I'd already read). Like with most novellas, this one wasn't NECESSARY to read, in order to know the story in books one and two. I can freely say this because I've read books one and two, before reading this novella. It definitely does help, to see how Tarver became so highly honored in the military. The story is pretty intense, and I won't go into the specifics (it's so short, you could read it yourself!). Kaufman and Spooner manage to pack in a complete story in a very small space, which is awesome. Seriously, there were some plot twists that threw me in the beginning, and the ending rushed at me very quickly (in a good way). Very well done! Lilac is present in this story - Tarver was having nightmares about this night, and she wakes him, so he tells her about it. At the beginning of every chapter, we get Tarver telling Lilac something about the memory (present), and then Tarver and the hostage situation (in the past). There is something crucial that Tarver tells Lilac in this book, something that Tarver doesn't realize in the first book. It's not necessary to read this book to know the thing, because it's taken care of in book two, but I like how all arrows are pointing in the same direction. So to speak. As you can tell, I liked this novella! For someone who doesn't like to read too many of these, I liked it a lot. What I Did Not Like: It was so short! Not even half of the ebook! But then, it is billed as a short story. Waahh, I so wanted more. In a good way! Would I Recommend It: Even though I don't like novellas (too short, too expensive, too unnecessary), I would definitely say that this one is worth the time! And it's free, so, why not. Also, I recommend this series in general. Rating: 4 stars. Now, back to wanting book three... it will be a long wait, especially since I read This Shattered World back in June! Merged review: ***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** This Night So Dark by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner Book 1.5 of the Starbound series Publisher: Disney Hyperion Publication Date: October 7, 2014 Rating: 4 stars Source: Kindle copy bought from Amazon Summary (from Goodreads): Don’t miss the breathtaking short story that connects the first two novels in the Starbound trilogy, These Broken Stars and This Shattered World. Tarver still has nightmares about the night, six months before the Icarus crash, when he rescued a group of civilian researchers being held hostage by brutal mercenaries. Now Tarver and Lilac must reconcile his memories of that fateful night with the truth that they uncovered on a mysterious planet after the Icarus crashed. Includes a bonus preview chapter from This Shattered World. What I Liked: If you've been regularly following my blog, you'll know that I've read and LOVED These Broken Stars and This Shattered World. Seriously, this series is fabulous, and it's got covers to match. Now, this novella. I'd already read books one and two, and I usually don't like novellas... but as I said, I love the series, and hey, the novella was free. Still is. So, what did I have to love? This novella is a short story - it tells the story of how Tarver became a hero, when he was held by mercenaries and miraculously escaped with other hostages. The story itself is less than half of the ebook - the other half is the beginning of book one, and a preview of book two (both of which I'd already read). Like with most novellas, this one wasn't NECESSARY to read, in order to know the story in books one and two. I can freely say this because I've read books one and two, before reading this novella. It definitely does help, to see how Tarver became so highly honored in the military. The story is pretty intense, and I won't go into the specifics (it's so short, you could read it yourself!). Kaufman and Spooner manage to pack in a complete story in a very small space, which is awesome. Seriously, there were some plot twists that threw me in the beginning, and the ending rushed at me very quickly (in a good way). Very well done! Lilac is present in this story - Tarver was having nightmares about this night, and she wakes him, so he tells her about it. At the beginning of every chapter, we get Tarver telling Lilac something about the memory (present), and then Tarver and the hostage situation (in the past). There is something crucial that Tarver tells Lilac in this book, something that Tarver doesn't realize in the first book. It's not necessary to read this book to know the thing, because it's taken care of in book two, but I like how all arrows are pointing in the same direction. So to speak. As you can tell, I liked this novella! For someone who doesn't like to read too many of these, I liked it a lot. What I Did Not Like: It was so short! Not even half of the ebook! But then, it is billed as a short story. Waahh, I so wanted more. In a good way! Would I Recommend It: Even though I don't like novellas (too short, too expensive, too unnecessary), I would definitely say that this one is worth the time! And it's free, so, why not. Also, I recommend this series in general. Rating: 4 stars. Now, back to wanting book three... it will be a long wait, especially since I read This Shattered World back in June! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Nov 20, 2014
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Nov 20, 2014
not set
|
Sep 17, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| 3.89
|
liked it
|
Nov 10, 2016
not set
|
Sep 29, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.93
|
liked it
|
Jan 2015
not set
|
Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.71
|
liked it
|
Oct 13, 2015
not set
|
Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.81
|
really liked it
|
Jul 06, 2017
not set
|
Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.15
|
it was amazing
|
not set
not set
|
Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.57
|
really liked it
|
Feb 25, 2017
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.65
|
really liked it
|
Mar 24, 2018
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.86
|
liked it
|
Jun 02, 2016
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.99
|
liked it
|
Oct 14, 2016
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.20
|
really liked it
|
Feb 2017
not set
|
Sep 26, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.85
|
really liked it
|
Jan 31, 2017
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.56
|
really liked it
|
Mar 16, 2017
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.52
|
really liked it
|
Jul 04, 2016
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.94
|
really liked it
|
Apr 06, 2017
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.11
|
really liked it
|
Feb 02, 2017
not set
|
Sep 23, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.92
|
really liked it
|
Nov 23, 2016
not set
|
Sep 21, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.91
|
really liked it
|
Feb 15, 2016
not set
|
Sep 20, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.86
|
really liked it
|
Aug 04, 2016
not set
|
Sep 20, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.62
|
liked it
|
Nov 03, 2015
not set
|
Sep 17, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.78
|
really liked it
|
Nov 20, 2014
not set
|
Sep 17, 2024
|
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