"I was tired of hurting, I was tired of being scared, and I was tired of doubting myself. I had to stop looking for love. I had to stop looking to other people to fill the void I carried in my heart. If I wanted to be whole, if I wanted to be free, I had to be the one to cut the chains."FINDING ASIA,FREEING ASIAJust the title is catchy, I think. Add in a half Japanese heroine and a love triangle, and I was SOLD! I'm going to do a rundown of the things that lead me to enjoying this so much:Despite my hesitation with the New Adult Genre, I actually enjoy an angsty read occasionally. I adore love triangles. I like having a story with two amazing guys who love/lust/obsess over the same woman. I like not knowing who she will pick, because I usually have a hard time deciding myself. I also love the age of NA characters...it's a time of freedom and self discovery, a time of hormones and passion and overwhelming urges to do bad things. It's also a time of confusion and loneliness, because you don't know who you are yet. Your friends tend to be the people you party with, not necessarily the people who are true friends. You tend to think WAY too much about the way you look and the way people perceive you. You think that when you walk into a room, everyone notices...they notice you, they notice your flaws, they notice your body, and they all start to talk about you. This is simply not true. Practically no one notices, except for the people who truly care about you. So reading an NA novel about a girl who doesn't realize her own attraction is an escapist dream. EVERYONE notices Asia.The kind of angst I DON'T like is the unnecessary drama fabricated to add angst to a boring, retold story. I don't like the overuse of words like "shrieking" or "screaming", "sobbing" "excruciating" and the myriad of other adjectives and verbs used to add invisible exclamation points to a heroine's dramatic story. I have been very, VERY annoyed with a lot of NA that I've read recently, and I scratch my head at how I'm in such a low number of readers who see the ploy for what it is. It's bad writing, plain and simple. Totally my opinion, of course, and I respect that some people dig that type of thing.This was not the type of NA novel to use that ploy to move the story forward. This was slower paced and pretty lengthy, but I so very much appreciated that. I like how things were explained to pieces instead of allowed to be left up to the reader's imagination. I will say, though, that this made for a book that needs to be read in its entirety to really appreciate, and the reason that I tend to hesitate to DNF a book. It got better with time. I actually enjoyed it from the beginning, but I understood Asia much better toward the end, and therefore liked her more. She was somewhat blah at the beginning, very down on herself, very melancholy, and very disillusioned.Short little synopsis...and I'm only telling the things that struck ME, not the entire synopsis...you can read the blurb and other reviews for that. Mine is already super long."Why does it take a man's attention to make me see anything good about myself?"Asia grew up in a house full of men. Her mom died when she was young, and her Dad raised her and her brothers. Her very protective brothers....all during high school, Asia was (unknown to her) called the Untouchable Asia by all of the boys at school. Her older brother made it VERY apparent that no one was to mess with his sister. So they didn't. This caused major self esteem issues for Asia. She has always thought that she just wasn't all that pretty, not very special, and not very noticeable. She somewhat tomboyed out, forgoing girly, feminine clothes and activities, because she felt like she fit in with guys only as a buddy or friend. Adding to this assumption, the boy that she secretly crushed on, her brother's best friend, is also the guy who took her virginity and then disappeared for years to make a name for himself in the world of skateboarding. Simply put, Asia has some pretty low self esteem. And she's trying to find herself.So she's now working at a job that underappreciates her skill as an artist, with no boyfriend, no prospects, and not a whole lot to look forward to. Until one day when her friend forces her to accept a makeover day, one that leads her to her first real inkling of self awareness, which leads to a night clubbing, which leads her to meeting an awesome guy who is very interested...Jay: I really liked Jay! He's obviously really into Asia. He's the poor little rich boy who rebelled when he got old enough to gain some freedom. He partied hard, got tatted up, messed with way too many women....and now he's growing up and realizing that he needs to make amends for some of his mistakes. But now he may be going TOO far the other way and doing a bit TOO much conforming to what he thinks he should be like. And Asia doens't feel like she fits into his uber rich society and life. She's a simple artist/skater/surfer girl who lives in a modest apartment and still likes to smoke weed. How could she ever fit in to the country club lifestyle...and does she really want to? "I'd just met this guy, but in this second, I knew he had the power to hurt me. He had the power to change me and turn me into anything he wanted me to be. And in this moment, I was willing to be whatever he wanted."On the other hand, sex with Jay is phenomenal. Especially when he lets go. **SHIVERS!!**Marcus:"You see beauty in everything, don't you?"Oh, how women love the bad boy, and Marcus is most definitely that! The high school crush that took Asia's virginity, he moved on to fame and fortune while still retaining that bad boy visage. He's a pro skater who now owns a skate shop, and he's back in town. Asia's old feelings never went away, and though she knows that Marcus will always have a piece of her, she also knows that Marcus is still the same old guy. He knows her better than anyone, and because of that, he hurts her more than anyone. So maybe she should settle for having him as a close friend and move on with her life with Jay."Marcus had been my first. He'd know the real me, and there had been something between us that I could never explain."I loved this story. There is no cheating, Asia makes no over the top declarations, has no over the top reactions. In fact, much of the story is spent inside the very introspective mind of Asia. Girl is doing some SOUL SEARCHING, hard core.Call me a heathen, but the pot smoking and such brought back happy (and cloudy) memories of days with less to worry about. It brought realism to the story and made me connect with them, made them real and fallible not only emotionally, but also made them sort of goofy and silly. Pot brings us all together, Kumbaya.... Ah, those were the days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The club scenes were fun and funny, the drunken scenes weren't used as an excuse to add drama, which I VERY much appreciated. Drunk Asia basically became lighter and more free, happier and fun, not so brought down by life and change.Overall, this was most definitely a book I could appreciate and one that I totally related to. A huge bravo to this new author, as this was a debut novel. I'm so very glad to know that not only does Shaun get his own book, but book three will be about..............Jay/Marcus........Jay/Marcus............Guess who?!?!?!?!
Duchess Loves Books
"I was tired of hurting, I was tired of being scared, and I was tired of doubting myself. I had to stop looking for love. I had to stop looking to other people to fill the void I carried in my heart. If I wanted to be whole, if I wanted to be free, I had to be the one to cut the chains."FINDING ASIA,FREEING ASIAJust the title is catchy, I think. Add in a half Japanese heroine and a love triangle, and I was SOLD! I'm going to do a rundown of the things that lead me to enjoying this so much:Despite my hesitation with the New Adult Genre, I actually enjoy an angsty read occasionally. I adore love triangles. I like having a story with two amazing guys who love/lust/obsess over the same woman. I like not knowing who she will pick, because I usually have a hard time deciding myself. I also love the age of NA characters...it's a time of freedom and self discovery, a time of hormones and passion and overwhelming urges to do bad things. It's also a time of confusion and loneliness, because you don't know who you are yet. Your friends tend to be the people you party with, not necessarily the people who are true friends. You tend to think WAY too much about the way you look and the way people perceive you. You think that when you walk into a room, everyone notices...they notice you, they notice your flaws, they notice your body, and they all start to talk about you. This is simply not true. Practically no one notices, except for the people who truly care about you. So reading an NA novel about a girl who doesn't realize her own attraction is an escapist dream. EVERYONE notices Asia.The kind of angst I DON'T like is the unnecessary drama fabricated to add angst to a boring, retold story. I don't like the overuse of words like "shrieking" or "screaming", "sobbing" "excruciating" and the myriad of other adjectives and verbs used to add invisible exclamation points to a heroine's dramatic story. I have been very, VERY annoyed with a lot of NA that I've read recently, and I scratch my head at how I'm in such a low number of readers who see the ploy for what it is. It's bad writing, plain and simple. Totally my opinion, of course, and I respect that some people dig that type of thing.This was not the type of NA novel to use that ploy to move the story forward. This was slower paced and pretty lengthy, but I so very much appreciated that. I like how things were explained to pieces instead of allowed to be left up to the reader's imagination. I will say, though, that this made for a book that needs to be read in its entirety to really appreciate, and the reason that I tend to hesitate to DNF a book. It got better with time. I actually enjoyed it from the beginning, but I understood Asia much better toward the end, and therefore liked her more. She was somewhat blah at the beginning, very down on herself, very melancholy, and very disillusioned.Short little synopsis...and I'm only telling the things that struck ME, not the entire synopsis...you can read the blurb and other reviews for that. Mine is already super long."Why does it take a man's attention to make me see anything good about myself?"Asia grew up in a house full of men. Her mom died when she was young, and her Dad raised her and her brothers. Her very protective brothers....all during high school, Asia was (unknown to her) called the Untouchable Asia by all of the boys at school. Her older brother made it VERY apparent that no one was to mess with his sister. So they didn't. This caused major self esteem issues for Asia. She has always thought that she just wasn't all that pretty, not very special, and not very noticeable. She somewhat tomboyed out, forgoing girly, feminine clothes and activities, because she felt like she fit in with guys only as a buddy or friend. Adding to this assumption, the boy that she secretly crushed on, her brother's best friend, is also the guy who took her virginity and then disappeared for years to make a name for himself in the world of skateboarding. Simply put, Asia has some pretty low self esteem. And she's trying to find herself.So she's now working at a job that underappreciates her skill as an artist, with no boyfriend, no prospects, and not a whole lot to look forward to. Until one day when her friend forces her to accept a makeover day, one that leads her to her first real inkling of self awareness, which leads to a night clubbing, which leads her to meeting an awesome guy who is very interested...Jay: I really liked Jay! He's obviously really into Asia. He's the poor little rich boy who rebelled when he got old enough to gain some freedom. He partied hard, got tatted up, messed with way too many women....and now he's growing up and realizing that he needs to make amends for some of his mistakes. But now he may be going TOO far the other way and doing a bit TOO much conforming to what he thinks he should be like. And Asia doens't feel like she fits into his uber rich society and life. She's a simple artist/skater/surfer girl who lives in a modest apartment and still likes to smoke weed. How could she ever fit in to the country club lifestyle...and does she really want to? "I'd just met this guy, but in this second, I knew he had the power to hurt me. He had the power to change me and turn me into anything he wanted me to be. And in this moment, I was willing to be whatever he wanted."On the other hand, sex with Jay is phenomenal. Especially when he lets go. **SHIVERS!!**Marcus:"You see beauty in everything, don't you?"Oh, how women love the bad boy, and Marcus is most definitely that! The high school crush that took Asia's virginity, he moved on to fame and fortune while still retaining that bad boy visage. He's a pro skater who now owns a skate shop, and he's back in town. Asia's old feelings never went away, and though she knows that Marcus will always have a piece of her, she also knows that Marcus is still the same old guy. He knows her better than anyone, and because of that, he hurts her more than anyone. So maybe she should settle for having him as a close friend and move on with her life with Jay."Marcus had been my first. He'd know the real me, and there had been something between us that I could never explain."I loved this story. There is no cheating, Asia makes no over the top declarations, has no over the top reactions. In fact, much of the story is spent inside the very introspective mind of Asia. Girl is doing some SOUL SEARCHING, hard core.Call me a heathen, but the pot smoking and such brought back happy (and cloudy) memories of days with less to worry about. It brought realism to the story and made me connect with them, made them real and fallible not only emotionally, but also made them sort of goofy and silly. Pot brings us all together, Kumbaya.... Ah, those were the days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The club scenes were fun and funny, the drunken scenes weren't used as an excuse to add drama, which I VERY much appreciated. Drunk Asia basically became lighter and more free, happier and fun, not so brought down by life and change.Overall, this was most definitely a book I could appreciate and one that I totally related to. A huge bravo to this new author, as this was a debut novel. I'm so very glad to know that not only does Shaun get his own book, but book three will be about..............Jay/Marcus........Jay/Marcus............Guess who?!?!?!?!
 - E.M. Abel)
The Redhead Revealed
I have no time for a lengthy review. I just want to say that I liked this book/series SO MUCH MORE than I thought I would. I was not a huge fan of Wallbanger. It was okay, but the sexy times were too PG and too long in coming, and I just didn't connect all that much. This book was totally opposite. I loved these two so freaking much!!! From their first meeting when Grace spits her crackers all over the place while laughing, her ability to poke fun at herself and her humility endeared me to her. Grace is a real person. Jack is hot to trot and he may know it, but he doesn't really embrace it. He's just along for the crazy ride, and he just loves Grace. The age difference really made no difference to him. He found the woman who could make him laugh and see past his looks and his star status, and he loves her. Done deal.Five huge stars from me.
1
If you read book one, then you know that Ghost (Asher) and Nat shared one scorching encounter together. Sparks were practically visible between them. And this is their story, albeit with one big difference...now they are neighbors!!! And STILL in the "Friend Zone."I seriously love this author. Natalie's inner dialogue cracks me the hell up. Here's my Nat: She's got the same kind of potty humor going on in her head that my husband and I have...slightly immature but fun as hell and funny as hell, too. Here are a nice list of my favorite Nat'isms...** "I wouldn't say I'm a slut. I'm just in touch with my inner slut. And let me tell you, she rocks."** "Okay, so either my heart is breaking or someone spabbed me in the boob..."** "Turns out I know yoga..."...(after having car sex, bahaha!)** "I'm so happy I could shit rainbows!!"** "Lola looks at me as if I just told her that ice cream actually has crack in it..."So this was freaking hilarious. Natalie has this love/hate thing going on with Ghost, and the sexual tension is so palpable, it's bleeding from the pages. I don't remember Nic and Tina's story being quite this freaking HOT. I'm telling you, when these two finally get down to business...well, here is a little taste of yum... "By the time Ash was ready to blow, I was ready to blow myself. Through a groan, he said "It's coming, girl. Where do you want it?"I didn't respond, just bobbed my head faster and deeper. He stroked my hair and whispered, "Dirty girl. Fuck. So dirty. You want my load? Take it, baby..."Oh, and this one...**wiping sweat from my upper lip...**"I gasp when he grops the hair at the base of my neck tightly. He pulls gently for me to look up at him, and when I do, I see his soft brown eyes are dark and hooded. He grunts, "How do you want it?"Still minus my brain-to-mouth filter, I whisper, "Fuck me like you hate me."An almost cruel smile corsses his face. He utters, "Fuck yeah"...And then it got a tiny bit kinky....But also sad, because Ghost has had a horrible, HORRIBLE childhood, and when he tells his story, it just breaks your heart. Here's my reluctant cutie pie Ghost: I just loved pretty much everything about this book. I don't have anything bad to say. It's all made of awesome. Ghost...awesome! Natalie...awesome! Nat's sister...awesome! The whole gang from the White Rabbit...awesome!!! So, five big stars from me, and I am SOOOOOO looking forward to Max's story!In honor of Natalie and Ghost's reservations and to try to catch the attentions of my Croatian friends..."Pamet u glavu! Nemoj mi sramotit!" Lol...I have no idea if that's right or not, but Croatians sound like a ball of fun and family.**Edited to add pictures
HOW does this have ratings already? Stop being petty, people...the book isn't even finished. How can you dislike it? Or like it, for that matter? It's extremely simple...don't rate until you read.
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Series #1)
If I could give stars for imagination, Marissa Meyer would get a five from me! This was such a new, crazy idea, and I wasn't prepared for how inventive she got with the same ole Cinderella story line.Cinder is a cyborg, a mechanic, and of course, a grunt, living in some future "New Beijing." This story takes place after World War IV, and society has had a rough time but still managed to flourish. The moon now has beings...human like beings called Lunars, and they have a pretty negative connotation. There is a horrible, deadly disease that is ravaging the world, and no one knows a cure or what to do. So we all know what happens in Cinderella...Cinder is living a life of slavery and drudgery in her own home.Her evil stepmother and stepsisters are simply horrible.Cinder inadvertently meets the prince.The prince falls in love.Cinder wants to go to the ball.Evil stepmother ruins her chances and dashes her hopes.Cinder manages to thwart said evil stepmother and attends the ball anyhow.But this story has a woman trying to steal the prince from Cinder, a kind old doctor who is more than he seems, and unexpected death and torment that I really didn't see coming. I still got a tad bored with the details, and the end basically answers very few questions and leaves it wide open for the next book. Basically, this book has NO ENDING, which is a pet peeve of mine. The end actually creates more questions than the entire story answers. But for entertainments value, and if you don't mind an open ended story, this is worth the time.
 - )
I hate to do this, but I am just so disappointed in this book! The beginning was promising, but I wasn't exactly following the intensity of the story...I felt like I was missing something, because I remember being SO INTO Trey and Sadie's story during the last two books. And I kept waiting for it to happen here, but it just never came. I mean...the excitement never came. Sadie and Trey came multiple times, and just as Aline Hunter does in every book, her sex scenes were amazing and so, so hot. But that was about it.~~First off...the plot. What was the plot again? I'm pretty sure the entire book was simply about Trey and Sadie accepting each other, and the pack accepting them as well. That's it. Aldon, the "villain", plays such a little part in this story...and I'm not even sure he's actually a villain. Was he just thrown in for some action? Because he didn't actually DO anything. Nothing at all. Except be present to cause a fuss for a blip. The only people that did anything were actually pretty stagnant characters as well. The pack...you know, those people who join together against the rest of the world for protection and brotherhood? Yeah, they didn't do that. They all ganged up on Trey, including Diskant and Ava, the city's Omega. What the hell was that all about? What a downer! No one has their back! When Sadie gets hurt and Trey says that he's done, he's leaving...I was rooting for him all the way. I'd have said "F*** you very much, we're out."~~Second...the villain. Oh, yeah...I already went there. What villain?~~Third...the world building and scene setup. It seems the world building is over for the series. There are vamps, all kinds of shape shifters, some magic...DONE. The scenes and description were almost nonexistent as well. Most of the story is spent in two different locations...both houses. That's enough of the setup there, as well, I guess. House. DONE.What I felt got a lot of attention was the couples that I'm assuming will get to star in future books. Much like this couple had a lot of face time in the first two books, there are three (possibly four) couples that have some really interesting stories going on. In fact, I'd like to read their stories right now. But the fact that they got so much face time meant that Trey and Sadie got cheated. And Leigh...PLEASE tell me this chick is going to change before she gets a story. Nathan deserves better than a twelve year old whiny girl.Boy, I sound bitter, don't I? I just anticipated this book so much, and I feel so bummed now. Honestly, I had to go back to Enemy Mine and read Sadie and Trey's parts over again to try to capture what it was I was so stoked about. Because I just never felt it in this book. And yeah, after going back, I got a little more into the story. But then the plot unfocused onto all of the secondary characters and I lost it again. The only time that this couple ever really connects is during sex...where does the love come from? They don't even know each other.I'm sorry.I'm rambling.I honestly think that had the author kept Sadie and Trey's story in ONE book, with maybe a little intro used as a plot setup in previous books, that this book would have packed more of a punch. But the exciting parts of their relationship were used up before we ever got their book. Suffice it to say, I was very, very underwhelmed.
 - Aline Hunter)
Jane's Melody
"Don't you let fear have a place in your life, J. not even a tiny place. Get rid of it from every hidden corner. Chase it away with the truth, and do what you want to do while you can..."This was, as expected, quite the melancholy read. Not quite the tearjerker, though, at least not until a certain part toward the end. The setting is rainy Seattle, and a little island off the coast, so even the weather fit the mood. MY SYNOPSIS:A quick recap...Jane has just lost her twenty year old daughter to addiction. In fact, the opening scene of the book is at Melody's funeral. As Jane tries to cope with her guilt...a mother's guilt that she couldn't save her only child...she scours the city, seeking a connection with her daughters last days. One rainy day, while sitting in her car outside the cemetery, she notices a young man placing something on Melody's grave. He leaves, and Jane follows. The young man is Caleb, a homeless musician with an old soul. Their meeting sparks more than a passing interest between the two, and something bright and shiny brings Jane out from her cloud of loneliness and depression. Suffice it to say, with the help of Caleb and Jane's best friend Grace, Jane begins to see life as something worth living. But her age and Caleb's youth threaten to be too much for her, and doubts plague this lonely woman. And Jane has to decide: can she grab at a chance at happiness, or is she too set in her ways to embrace the unexpected?MY THOUGHTS:The beginning was good. Very much a downer, of course, but it set the stage and really let me live inside Jane's lonely head for a bit. The woman literally roams the streets, chasing the ghost of her daughter, fighting her own demons and those of her past. Everyone in Jane's life has been an addict, and she's so tired of it all. This was one point that this author makes very well. For those of us that have ever had to sit and watch a loved one deal with addiction, this book hit the nail on the head. There comes a point at which you just simply can't care any more...there's not enough in you. And even so, you just can't NOT care, either. It's exhausting. "When she thought of her daughter rotting away in that box, she felt like screaming. She felt like screaming and hurting herself. But after so many years of worry, she had no voice left for grief . And she couldn't imagine feeling a worse sort of pain."When Caleb enters the picture, the sexual tension was a bit awkward for me...it was almost not there, especially from Caleb's end...I just didn't feel it. And then once the romance really stepped in, it just felt awkward. There were a couple of scenes that made me kind of giggle...as if this is what men think women want from their men..."She opened for him like a flower. He was gentle, so gentle that she hardly knew when he had entered her, and he moved inside her like a man conjuring love from secrets hidden in the rhythms of his heart. And as he moved, she moved, ans she watched his face in the blue shadows and he merged into an amalgamation of every love that had ever come to visit her in dreams. "Not trying to be rude, but gag...just too syrupy sweet, too Lord Byron for my taste. However, Ryan Winfield also goes on to give us this:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"I'm going to take you home and rip these clothes off and fuck the self-doubt out of you. That's what I'm going to do. "~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And I say...YES, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! That is how you reassure an insecure woman of how much you desire her mature body. You show her that she makes you lose control. So, I guess...take your pick. You've got the animalistic side of Caleb, and you've got the uber romantic side. I know which one I prefer.So the middle was a bit slow for me, but after about the sixty percent mark, a lot of things started happening. Not just the expected fallout, but some other major things happen in Jane's life that makes this just as much a live and learn story as a romance. It was actually a wonderful, beautiful nudge to those of us entering our middle aged years, particularly us women who value stability and looks over most anything else. What we SHOULD value is life itself. It's a precious gift, one that I know I take for granted every day. And Jane is forced to open her eyes, in more ways than one.I loved Caleb's character. He's a young guy, sure. But his hard life has not made him tout a pity party story. He's not after fame and riches either. He just wants to play music. Only, he detours that life dream to fall in love with a woman fifteen years older than him, and he doesn't bat an eye. I think I love him."You're beautiful,” he whispererd.“Tell me again.”“You're beautiful, you're beautiful, you're beautiful. "
More Than This (More, #1)
"Talking without speaking. Feeling without touching."I shouldn't like this book, but I really did. I've had all these issues with this genre lately, but I keep getting sucked into reading them. And sure, yeah...this story contained some of my pet peeves. It's pretty darn angsty. The setup is a bit off the charts, and so is the melodrama. But I was glued to these pages. I don't want to even say what happens within the first few chapters because I think it would spoil the story. I went into it with only a vague idea of what to expect, and I'm glad. WHAT WORKED:I loved JAKE!!!! I know, I know...everyone loves Jake. But seriously, this guy is amazing! He's got that super protective, gentle air. He's attracted to Kayla (Mackayla, Mickey) instantly. When he witnesses the ultimate betrayal, his protective instincts kick in, and he's there to comfort her. He's her shoulder to cry on, her big strong man to rely on."I think I'm in love with this beautifully broken girl." Perfect word to describe Jake: Steadfast!!So not only is he the biggest freaking sweetheart ever, he's also a major hottie. Here's our boy...and oh, look! There are his group of cohorts in the background...I'm seeing the guy in back as Logan... I love how Jake says...in such a self deprecating manner..."I'm kind of a big deal." What a cutie!!!There was a lot of funny in this book, which I didn't expect with all of the sad subject matter. Let's face it: Kayla goes through some really horrific times within the six or so months that this book takes place. But there a moments of much needed humor to lighten the feel."His eyes bug out of his head. "Okay, smartass," he yells, but it comes out 'smuuhtuhhs.' Australians don't use R's apparently..."Oh, yeah...that Australian accent...freaking YUM!!!I also adore it when the author makes it apparent that she also is an avid reader, that she also has book boyfriends, and that she might actually obsess over them just like we do. I mean, what better way to make your readers identify with your characters than do mimic their insanity? Perfection. Shout out to Josh Bennett from [b:The Sea of Tranquility|16151178|The Sea of Tranquility|Katja Millay|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1352987353s/16151178.jpg|21547521]I loved all of the secondary characters...Jake's group of friends really were so wonderful. They instantly accepted Mickey(Kayla) into the fold, and added more of that humor to the mix, but also gave Mickey the loyalty that she didn't get from those that should have been loyal at the beginning. Here's a tidbit from Lucy, the most awesome of drunks:"...that fucking bitch has it all, ten out of ten every fucking thing. She's super smart. Like, fucking Harvard smart. She's nice to fucking everybody. She's always looked like the cover of a fucking magazine and I hate it so much and if I could get away with it I'd fucking cut a bitch for you."WHAT DIDN'T WORK:The whole back and forth between Jake and Kayla, the jealousy, the things so typical to this genre that drive me freaking batty. I mean, seriously...the dude has practically carried you through the last few months of your life...it's okay if he talks to a girl. The whole no-kissing situation started off as cute, but it eventually bugged that ever loving crap out of me. It's just too unbelievable, and with all of the other sexual things they did, not kissing seemed like an odd plot device. Also, this entire book is one HUGE TURN ON................Every...Freaking...Page...Is...Foreplay.So that "sex" scene? Left me hanging, big time. In fact, I'm not sure...did they even actually have sex? Hmmm...very disappointing. If your going to make the book THAT sexual in nature...and let's face it...this book is extremely sexual....PLEASE, for the love of God...give us some real sex. It doesn't have to be explicit but come on...Wrapping it up...I really loved this book, sort of despite myself...these characters are all normal people...no one really acts over the top or out of character for the way they were intended. Yes, it's a bit too dramatic, but I've just resigned myself to a bit of soap opera with this genre. I remember being a teenager, and a young adult. This is pretty much the way I felt about everything...emotions running amuck and all that.I see that there is another book in the works about Logan, which I'm sure we're all stoked about, especially after showing his sweetheart side to Mickey a couple of times and spouting his drunken longing for love. He hasn't found a girl that makes him feel? I bet Jay McLean can!!
 - Jay McLean)
This was one of those books that pisses you off so badly, but the writing and the story, the continual world building and characterization, the developing personalities of everyone involved simply can't be ignored. Even though I was floored at a certain someone (Ahem, Curran!), I can't help but be amazed. This is a world I love to live in, and that's what Ilona Andrews does...they make you LIVE this book. Fantastic writing, simply fantastic.In this installment, Kate and Curran are prompted to go to Europe. Their mission: to protect a pregnant shapeshifter from her douchebag father and her two ex husbands. Since she is preggers with twins and each twin has a different father, the importance of the firstborn takes on new meaning. But these packs in Europe bring to mind thoughts of regency romance in that their backstabbing and political maneuvering is key to the plot of the story. No one, NO ONE on the other side of the ocean is trustworthy. And boy, is there some behind the scenes stuff going on that no one realizes for the longest time. We all know how important Kate is...her father and her power are epic. But the world sees her as a simple human playing with the pack. They couldn't be more wrong. “Look at them. They think this gathering is about them, their petty territorial clashes, their problems, their lusts, wants, and needs. They gore themselves, squabble, and flash their fangs, and all the while they have no idea that it is all about you.”If you've kept up with the series, then you know that pack politics has already weighed heavily on the very human Kate, the Consort of the Beast Lord. But now, Kate and her patience (I know, laughable, right?) are put to the ultimate test. Because not only does she have to deal with death and dismemberment, there is now a woman after her man. That's right...a wolf shifter named Lorelei has balls enough to try to take Curran from Kate...and in the most obvious and public of ways. And Kate has an admirer herself, though it's not NEARLY so blatant an attempt as Lorelei.Now, I'm all for some jealousy to spark between a couple in a long standing relationship. Everyone needs to know that their significant other will fight for them, and that they care enough to feel jealous. However, **SIGH** I did not get that sense from Curran. Definitely from Kate. And Kate does a rebuff very well, imo. In her own sarcastic, witty, Violent way, Kate tells her suitor that there's no way in hell on earth that she'd ever even give him the time of day.Curran, on the other hand, treats his admiring hoochie like some frikking political tool. He does NOT rebuff, and it pissed me off. It hurts Kate's feelings, too. Sure, it also pisses her off, but I was really not happy with the way that this situation was handled. Like, at all. So be warned: this plotline may not conclude in a satisfactory manner for everyone.I can't really stay too angry at Curran, but I do feel pretty cheated in regard to this situation. It was flat out wrong, and Curran needed to grovel more. Plus, Lorelei never got more than a simple slap on the hand...when she challenges Kate, and simply gets sent back to her seat like a child...that's IT?!?! I wanted her to be publicly humiliated, for Curran to tell her, in front of all of those people that humiliated Kate, that she was a spoiled child who could never even spark a flicker of his interest because he only had eyes for Kate. Okay, moving on...I felt that Kate, more than anyone in this book, grew by leaps and bounds as a person. She's been tested so many times...from fighting her aunt to earning her place beside Curran. But this is a test of herself, her love for her man, her belief in what they are building together, her faith in the one man she's ever let herself trust. “...the thought of running away tasted so sweet, I was afraid to turn it over in my mind. I could disappear into these mountains and live a simple life: hunt, fish, grow fruit trees, and not have to worry about anything.”I know I see the romance most of all, but that's just who I am. I also think that this book really is about the trust and love between Kate and Curran more than any other book in the series. Honestly, it's really got me wondering what's coming up in future books. A whole lot happens in this story. Tragedy, epiphany, lots of BIG MOMENTS. Some I never saw coming, some that I've been waiting for forever. But there are also things that happen that leave the future wide open to possibility. “It wasn't always this way. We hadn't started out by looking at each other and instantly deciding we were soul mates. When we met, he thought I was a reckless merc who defied authority because I felt like it, and I thought he was an arrogant bastard who had enough issues to fill the Keep from top to bottom. But ow we were together. He was the Beast Lord and I was his Consort, which put me in a position of authority over fifteen hundred shapeshifters, the largest pack in the South. I didn't want the responsibility, and given the choice, I would run as far a s I could away from it, but it was the price I have to pay to stay with Curran. I loved him and he was worth it. He was worth everything.”
To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers Series #3)
The Beauty and the Beast theme always captivates me. I think the only one I like more is a Cinderella story. But there's so much to be said for a strong man who lives a tragic life until something beautiful comes along to make him live again. I think the metaphor is even more important than the ugly/pretty trope. You shouldn't live only for aesthetic beauty. There is so much more to a person than their looks. And Alistair learns that just because Helen is beautiful doesn't mean that she cares that he is scarred...vice versa, just because Alistair is a horribly scarred recluse doesn't mean he is ugly. They both deal with prejudices in the end. And this book really pushes the scars into the background until they are just a part of how the reader sees him, not a part of who he is.MY SYNOPSISAlistair is the man who went to the Colonies on a mission for the king...not as a military man, but as a peaceful naturalist, sent to discover all he can about the fauna and flora of America. In a twist of irony, he is also the man that the Native Americans were the most violent with, cutting off fingers, burning his face, and gouging out an eye. He was rescued, of course, but upon his return to England, he locked himself away in his castle, continuing a solitary mission of cataloging plants and animals for the King. A few trips into town in which his face casued children to scream and ladies to faint was enough to convince him that his dog was the only being in the world that he wanted around.Helen has been the mistress of the Duke of Lister. We met her [b:To Seduce a Sinner|3275890|To Seduce a Sinner (Legend of the Four Soldiers, #2)|Elizabeth Hoyt|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340942492s/3275890.jpg|3312172], while Melisande was walking in the park. Helen is a quiet, gentle woman, shunned by society for her status as a mistress. She was a tenderhearted seventeen year old daughter of a country doctor when the Duke swept her off her feet. Now, she is somewhat jaded, approaching her third decade, and has not one, but two children to love, cherish, and keep safe. That's why Helen has decided to get away from the Duke, and when this book opens, she is on her way to the reclusive Alistair Monroe's house on the advice of Melisande, a short acquaintance but true friend.When the trio of bedraggled and homeless arrive on a dark and stormy night on Alistair's doorstep, he tries to turn them away, but Helen is steadfast and desperate, and somehow wheedles her way into his house as his new housekeeper. The attraction between these two is more animalistic than romantic, and builds fairly slowly. But there is much more going on than simple attraction, for the Duke of Lister sees his woman and children as property...and no one leaves without his permission. In the wild, open spaces of Scotland, this tiny family wheedles their way in to Alistair's heart...a young boy with a zest for life and everything in it, a young girl who is not only quiet and shy, but in need of some strong affection and acceptance, and a beautiful but proud fallen woman with empathy and courage in her eyes.MY THOUGHTSI really connected with Helen in this story, and that was unexpected for me. I assumed that after all of my adventures in Historical Romance, the Mistresses of the powerful men of London were beneath my notice, and always the nuisance and point of jealousy for my heroines. But I actually felt for Helen. She is a woman who made a mistake as a young girl...seventeen years old an thinks she's in love. She runs away from her family (who promptly disown her) and begins to live a life that is no longer her own. But in this day and age, after she made that choice, there was little that she could do about her situation. She was forever an object of lust for men and of scorn for women.“But Sir Alistair’s gaze was different. Those other men had looked at her with lust or speculation or crass curiosity, but they hadn’t been looking at her really. They’d been looking at what she represented to them: physical love or a valuable prize or an object to be gawked at. When Sir Alistair stared at her, well, he was looking at her.”For those who follow my reviews, you'll know that I tend to love stories with kids. This particular book was so well done in regard to the little boy and girl. Abigail, in particular, played a large part in the story with Alistair. She simply stole his heart. She also has a few scenes in which we get her POV, so that was great.There is one part of the story that kept this from being a five star read for me, and that involves some disrespect that Alistair showed Helen regarding her previous life as Lister's mistress. The word whore shouldn't be something that the hero gets to call his love interest, but especially not without some repercussion...an most definitely not without some mother loving groveling. I wanted some groveling!!! NO star for you!Despite that grump, the rest of the story was wonderful. They are secluded for the most part from the outside world, so the focus is really on just those involved in the story, and we get to see each character change is some big ways and some small ways. So far, each book in this series has been fantastic, but I've come to expect no less from Elizabeth Hoyt.
To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers Series #3)
The Beauty and the Beast theme always captivates me. I think the only one I like more is a Cinderella story. But there's so much to be said for a strong man who lives a tragic life until something beautiful comes along to make him live again. I think the metaphor is even more important than the ugly/pretty trope. You shouldn't live only for aesthetic beauty. There is so much more to a person than their looks. And Alistair learns that just because Helen is beautiful doesn't mean that she cares that he is scarred...vice versa, just because Alistair is a horribly scarred recluse doesn't mean he is ugly. They both deal with prejudices in the end. And this book really pushes the scars into the background until they are just a part of how the reader sees him, not a part of who he is.MY SYNOPSISAlistair is the man who went to the Colonies on a mission for the king...not as a military man, but as a peaceful naturalist, sent to discover all he can about the fauna and flora of America. In a twist of irony, he is also the man that the Native Americans were the most violent with, cutting off fingers, burning his face, and gouging out an eye. He was rescued, of course, but upon his return to England, he locked himself away in his castle, continuing a solitary mission of cataloging plants and animals for the King. A few trips into town in which his face casued children to scream and ladies to faint was enough to convince him that his dog was the only being in the world that he wanted around.Helen has been the mistress of the Duke of Lister. We met her [b:To Seduce a Sinner|3275890|To Seduce a Sinner (Legend of the Four Soldiers, #2)|Elizabeth Hoyt|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340942492s/3275890.jpg|3312172], while Melisande was walking in the park. Helen is a quiet, gentle woman, shunned by society for her status as a mistress. She was a tenderhearted seventeen year old daughter of a country doctor when the Duke swept her off her feet. Now, she is somewhat jaded, approaching her third decade, and has not one, but two children to love, cherish, and keep safe. That's why Helen has decided to get away from the Duke, and when this book opens, she is on her way to the reclusive Alistair Monroe's house on the advice of Melisande, a short acquaintance but true friend.When the trio of bedraggled and homeless arrive on a dark and stormy night on Alistair's doorstep, he tries to turn them away, but Helen is steadfast and desperate, and somehow wheedles her way into his house as his new housekeeper. The attraction between these two is more animalistic than romantic, and builds fairly slowly. But there is much more going on than simple attraction, for the Duke of Lister sees his woman and children as property...and no one leaves without his permission. In the wild, open spaces of Scotland, this tiny family wheedles their way in to Alistair's heart...a young boy with a zest for life and everything in it, a young girl who is not only quiet and shy, but in need of some strong affection and acceptance, and a beautiful but proud fallen woman with empathy and courage in her eyes.MY THOUGHTSI really connected with Helen in this story, and that was unexpected for me. I assumed that after all of my adventures in Historical Romance, the Mistresses of the powerful men of London were beneath my notice, and always the nuisance and point of jealousy for my heroines. But I actually felt for Helen. She is a woman who made a mistake as a young girl...seventeen years old an thinks she's in love. She runs away from her family (who promptly disown her) and begins to live a life that is no longer her own. But in this day and age, after she made that choice, there was little that she could do about her situation. She was forever an object of lust for men and of scorn for women.“But Sir Alistair’s gaze was different. Those other men had looked at her with lust or speculation or crass curiosity, but they hadn’t been looking at her really. They’d been looking at what she represented to them: physical love or a valuable prize or an object to be gawked at. When Sir Alistair stared at her, well, he was looking at her.”For those who follow my reviews, you'll know that I tend to love stories with kids. This particular book was so well done in regard to the little boy and girl. Abigail, in particular, played a large part in the story with Alistair. She simply stole his heart. She also has a few scenes in which we get her POV, so that was great.There is one part of the story that kept this from being a five star read for me, and that involves some disrespect that Alistair showed Helen regarding her previous life as Lister's mistress. The word whore shouldn't be something that the hero gets to call his love interest, but especially not without some repercussion...an most definitely not without some mother loving groveling. I wanted some groveling!!! NO star for you!Despite that grump, the rest of the story was wonderful. They are secluded for the most part from the outside world, so the focus is really on just those involved in the story, and we get to see each character change is some big ways and some small ways. So far, each book in this series has been fantastic, but I've come to expect no less from Elizabeth Hoyt.
"You should love something while you have it, love it fully and without reservation, even if you know you'll lose it someday. We lose everything. If you're trying to avoid loss, there's no point in taking another breath, or letting your heart beat one more time. It all ends...That's all life is. Breathing in, breathing out. The space between two breaths."Boy, did I fight this book with everything in me. But Leah Raeder dragged my sorry ass kicking and screaming into the book fantasy ether, and I was LOST. I'm not quite sure if I got out of it what everyone else got out of it...I'm not even sure if I can say that I LIKED it all. The content was too much for me...I felt very uncomfortable at first. But it was like reading a book about war...you know you don't like the CONTENT. The story, however, and the telling...are so engaging and so tragic that you are mesmerized. And I was, completely riveted.MY SYNOPSIS:Maise O'Malley is an eighteen year old girl living a rough life. And we're not talking crazy twisted...she simply has it hard. Her father doesn't exist, her mother is an alcoholic, a drug addict, a drug dealer, a sometimes whore. And Maise wants nothing more than to not turn out like her mother. But here she is, substituting a Dad with any man she can get close to, including those who obviously want only what she offers between her legs. She knows what she's doing. She even sort of accepts it, accepts the irony. "Maybe it was time to admit that being wanted intensely for a few minutes wasn't enough. It got me through a few hours, a few days her and there, but when the emptiness returned it felt bigger, hungrier."Until Evan....The way they meet...the carnival, their moment on the roller coaster, their clandestine hookup in his Monte Carlo...it's all so junky, so trashy, so yuck. Evan's much older, but he doesn't act like her other hookups. He touches her face, kisses her gently, and makes plans to meet later. And Maise puts a stop to that shit quick. She simply doesn't show.Until she shows up in class...And there is Mr. Wilke, her teacher."On the way out the door I glanced back. Mr. Wilke watched me, his face angled partially away, shadowed. Our gazes struck like flint and steel. And I realized that gunsmoke smell wasn't ozone. It was us. We burned."MY THOUGHTSAnd so begins this messed up tale of a forbidden affair. Let me tell you, I was really weirded out for the first twenty percent of this book. I couldn't get into the sex scenes, because I was too busy feeling icky and feeling sorry for Maise. The girl has obvious issues. Just because she seemed mature and was well aware of her issues doesn't mean that she wasn't being taken advantage of. At NO POINT in this story did I think that Evan was doing the right thing. At no point did I really ever see this as some epic romance novel. However, I can understand the fallibility of being human, the way that a person can...if not justify...then pacify their own conscience into ignoring right and wrong. By the time that Evan realizes how deep into the shit he is, he also realizes that Maise needs SOMEONE. I know, I know that it's messed up that her only someone comes in the form of an old dude, a teacher, no less, who also sleeps with her. But his stability was actually more than she'd ever had.Maise also begins an odd friendship with another boy at school...these two form an unlikely bond, and betweeen him and Mr. Wilke (i.e., Evan), she begins to see the world much less critically. Maise begins this story so lost, so disillusioned with life, so cynical for her age. We never know the true depravity of what she went through as a young girl, but with a Mother like hers, there is much alluded to, and it ain't pretty. "Who fixes broken people? Is it only other broken people, ones who've already been ruined? And do we need to be fixed? It was the messiness and hurt in our pasts that drove us, and that same hurt connected us at a subdermal level, the kind o scars written so deeply in your cells that you can't even see them any more, only recognize them in someone else.."One of the things that I found most wonderful about this story was how Maise never blamed others for her situation. THIS IS NOT A WHINY, BITCHY HEROINE. Maise is the kind of person that I really want to root for. She stands behind her actions. She deals with consequences. She is young but not stupid, naïve but not a doormat. She accepts her faults, she face-palms her damned self, and she moves forward...always forward, (minus a much deserved meltdown). Evan will most definitely NOT make it to my favorite heroes shelf, but it's beyond my better judgement that I put Maise on my favorite heroine shelf. She effing rules.I can keep going, and I have pages and pages of quotes and highlights. Let me just say this: the subject matter made me a little tetchy, because at first I thought that this book was trying to manipulate me into admitting that an affair between a 33 year old man and his 18 year old student was yummy in that taboo kind of way. And I don't think that was the intent at all. What I took from this story is so much more than some lascivious, naughty little adventure. This author has a very lyrical voice, a romantic soul...and not only the hearts and flowers romance. It's real life and it's hard knocks and it's not always pretty. It's crappy family and forced friendships and it's love that's both wrong andOh..So...Right.(I may edit this later. I am off on vacation and tapping this out while I'm heading out the door.)
When Logan Cooper's bull leaves the chute, the last thing he expects is to see a naked lady standing in the middle of the rodeo arena. Thrown off his game...and off the bull... his newest goal is to rescue the animal rights activist from a crowd of angry rodeo fans....Read the Rest of this review in the September 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.http://indtale.com/reviews/bull-rider-and-bare-boycotter
Deadly Heat
Another winner from Cynthia Eden...this is everything I love about Romantic Suspense. An intense story, a strong woman, an even stronger man, and a whodunnit that kept me guessing until the end.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"He liked to watch the fire. When it danced, it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Sensual, like a lover."~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~MY SYNOPSIS:Firefighter Lora Spade is no stranger to fire...or to loss. She's got scars from the flames that left marks on her body and on her heart after losing her lover and fellow firefighter six months ago in a blaze set by a serial arsonist that is still at large.Special Agent Kenton Lake is the FBI agent sent to investigate the arsonist, and he meets Lora when she forces him out of a burning house. Kenton is pissed that his witness is still inside the house, and Lora is pissed that he's too cocky to realize when he's in danger. Sparks fly from the very beginning, and it only gets hotter between these two. The ordeal is obviously very personal for Lora...she's dealt with death often in her profession, but holding her lover in her arms while he dies left a huge scar on her heart...and she's not ready to let Kenton in. However, she IS ready to let Kenton into her bed. These two give in to baser urges very quickly. All the while, they are chasing a man who's sick, twisted form of justice seems to culminate in the grisly death of his victims...death by burning. He picks people that he deems guilty and lets the fire judge them. But he enjoys his judgement just a little too much. MY THOUGHTS:While this story was not quite as intense as the first book, it was a little sexier, in my opinion, Kenton and Lora have mad chemistry and few inhibitions, so there isn't a lot of angsty will we or won't we going on. The answer to that was a resounding YES WE WILL!! And though they fight fires set by someone else, when these two set the fire, they really heat up the place (ahahahahaha!!! Cheese factor, yes, I know...I had to)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“I’ve been dying to know,” he said again, “how you taste.”Oh, hell. Her right hand grabbed the back of his head, and she yanked him down toward her.Their mouths met. Open. Ready. Lips kissed. Tongues licked. And—damn!Yes, she wanted.The control she’d held so tightly began to crack. She jerked in her seat, struggling to press against him. He took her mouth. Tasted her. Tormented her. And she met him. No, she fought him, fought him for more. “~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This killer gets more and more sadistic the longer the story goes on, and although Eden refrains from detailing the brutal deaths, the situation definitely alludes to some pretty grisly scenes, so this is not for the faint of heart. But that is a unique element to this series, and one that makes it stand out. I'd compare it somewhat to Christy Reece's writing...she also has some pretty horrific images left in my head after reading her books. But the romance here was a little too quick for my taste...I'm not sure exactly the time frame we're talking about here, but I'd think less than a couple of weeks, and these two are head over heels...that's just unbelievable. I thin what made the first book work was the “second chance” love story going on there, and that wasn't the case with Kenton and Lora. Still, the epilogue gives me reason to think that some time passes, plus it gives some much needed insight into Hyde, the leader of the SSI team's past. I'm so hoping that Eden will continue this series...it truly has a lot of room to grow, a lot of characters that still have a story to tell! It seems like she's set up something for Ramirez, so I'm hopeful.
3.5 StarsBest FriendsTurned LoversLoss and SeparationA shocking revelationCan a man who left it all find his place in the world that he left behind? MY SYNOPSIS:Peyton Turner grew up with the world laid at his feet...the heir to the Turner Menswear fortune, he'd been groomed and pampered, and had any job available to him. His grandfather made sure of it...any position, bought and paid for. But Peyton wanted more than the rich man lifestyle. He wanted to pave his own way, to earn respect of his peers and his friends, and he wanted to feel self respect as well. He was a young man still finding himself, with a bit of rebellion in his soul. Valerie Jordan was Peyton's polar opposite. An orphan young girl sent to live with her emotionally abusive uncle at his failing ranch, she knew what hard work and hard knocks are. These two were unlikely friends, but each found comfort in each other, and they were true friends& willing to forgo what society and their families felt was proper and continue their unconventional devotion to each other. Until one night, Peyton and Valerie take a little too much comfort in each other, and their friendship moved beyond the comfortable level it had been at for so long.When Peyton's life is turned upside down, he knows that in order to find who he is without the money backing him up, he must get out from under his grandfather's influence. And so Peyton leaves his family, the small town that he grew up in...and Valerie, his best friend. For ten years, Peyton makes a life for himself and becomes his own man. A good man, a doctor who thrives on helping others, on the fast paced life of a Doctor Without Borders. Despite the danger and the chaos, he feels accomplished and worthy...he now has self respect as well as deserved respect from those around him. And his job satisfies his wanderlust. What more could he want? Well, he finds out when he decided to go home for the first time in over a decade, after prompting from his grandfather and a hint at a major change in his will. But what he finds is far more than he expected, because while he's been away wandering, Valerie was left to raise their daughters on her own. This is the story of two people who used to mean the world to each other. Now, their lives are so different, their outlook on each other somewhat bitter. They are simply different people. Valerie just wants to live her simple life ranching and raising her daughter. And now, Peyton doesn't know what he wants. But he knows he's a father, and he can't just walk away this time.MY THOUGHTS:This debut novel was not what I expected. There's some meat to these characters, to this town, to these circumstances. There was also a lot of random humor thrown in that was surprising enough to make me snort a few laughs out. The story really seems to border on chick lit for most of the book. Although Valerie and Peyton have definite romantic undertones to their relationship, I didn't feel much sexual tension between them until closer to the end. This was more of a story about people who used to be infinitely close to each other. But adulthood changes people, and they can't go back to what they used to be. Life happens, and it's obvious that Valerie holds a bit of (warranted) bitterness toward the man who left her...not only because he deserted her as a friend, but because he left before he even knew that she was pregnant. She's had to work so hard for her entire life just to get by, and now that her life has finally fallen into place, here comes Peyton...stepping in and wanting to take on the father role, and possibly the lover role as well. She just doesn't know how to handle that, and though you'd think she would be happy to have him back, her inner turmoil is a little heartbreaking. Their daughter, Lucy, is very smart and very level headed aside from the normal teenage angst. She was a highlight of the book for me. ”But he can't quit helping all those people in other countries.” Lucy shrugged. “He can live here and still do that. It's called travel in the twenty first century.”“It's more complicated than that.”“No, it's really simple. Grownups just make everything complicated.”I loved how there was no right and wrong...no black and white. Peyton wasn't made out to be a bad guy...in fact, I got the impression that Valerie is actually somewhat hard headed and not very easy to deal with. I mean, how awful to learn that you've been a father for twelve years and were never told? It can't be THAT hard to find someone. That was a bit hard to swallow for me. And now that he's back and he wants to be in his daughter's life Valerie is dragging her heels and acting as if Peyton is somehow not stable enough to be a dad. To me, Valerie bordered on unreasonable. And yet, Isla Bennet took this ultra touchy subject and let me really empathize with the characters individually. Each point of view change was welcome, because I was continually interested in what would happen next to that person, and I felt like their decisions were all valid.”Are you that damaged?”“I'm not damaged,” she seethed, skirting around him and encountering the buffet.“You are.” He leaned close. “So am I. So's our daughter, and everyone else roaming this planet. If they're not, then they haven't lived long enough yet. It's called life, and we've got to deal with it.”The romance aspect did fall somewhat flat for me. Peyton made it very apparent that he wanted to be there for the long haul...both for his daughter, and for Valerie. Valerie played pretty hard to get. There were a few moments that could have been bigger, more poignant, more meaningful. I think that I wasn't convinced of their loyalty to each other in the past, and I didn't feel a real connection to them other than what happened in their present day lives. I know they had their sexy times in the back of a car at the batting cages, but there were no flashbacks, no intense teenage feelings, barely any description of why they were such good friends in the past. So their relationship was more “told” than “shown.” The overall pacing was just slow for this part of the story.I think my favorite part of the book was watching Peyton become a real Dad. After his shock of realizing that he has a half grown daughter, the author didn't just jump in to Daddy mode. Peyton was realistic in his expectations and in his inner turmoil. He allowed a relationship to build naturally, and he never once thought of ignoring his child. Over time, and through a few BIG MOMENTS, he realizes what it is to be a parent. He gets some hard times, some frustration, but then he has those moments that every parent lives for, the times that make all of the heavy stuff worth it. And he seems to be exactly what Valerie and Lucy need to complete their family...Overall, a very promising debut. Personally, I'd have wanted more romance and less family drama/life lessons to be told. But for readers who like either chick lit with some spicy moments or lighter romance heavy on the big picture, this was a wonderfully rich small town story of a family that finally learns to live and love together. The writing itself was wonderful, almost poetic at times, and Bennett excels at setting the scene and placing the reader inside her book.Arc provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Another amazing and wholly different historical romance from Elizabeth Hoyt. This lady can really write no wrong. Melisande was introduced in the previous book as the somewhat dowdy wallflower-by-choice friend. She's very much not caught up in the fashionable fops of London, although she does run in the same circles. She attends what propriety demands, but she prefers quite evenings at home and quiet clothing when she does venture to the occasional party. And from the last book, we also know that she's been in love with Jasper Renshaw for years, even though he was engaged to her best friend. And yet Jasper never even knew her name. “I watched you for years,” she whispered. The tears were drying on her cheeks, and heat was building within her. If he would just touch her. Touch her there. “I watched you and you never saw me.”This story begins, however, with Jasper's newest fiancee' calling off the wedding while standing in the church. Jasper is so jaded, so ready to get this marriage business over with. And so Melisande steps in, offering herself as his bride. And he accepts. Marriage, done! Now comes the unexpected.Quiet, strong willed, dowdy Melisande is quite the passionate creature. This was such a surprising pleasure for me to read. I tend to not like forward women in my romance, but the way that Hoyt created Melisande was very unusual. The woman is the epitome of A lady in the street but a freak in the bed. I loved it! And so does Jasper, even though Melisande worries that he'll find her enthusiasm disgusting. Oh, no...Jasper is thrilled!! Check this out:“She sat up and swung a long slender leg over his hips. Then she sat straight and tall, and so prim on top of his throbbing prick. “Take me inside, my lady wife,” he whispered. “Put me in your pretty cunny.” He thought he saw her frown in the dark, as if disapproving of an inappropriate subject at tea. She might look prim and proper when at tea in the afternoon, but at night and with him, she was a wanton creature. “Ride me, my heart,” he urged. “Ride me until you weep on my prick. Ride me until I fill you with my seed.”What is it about the words cunny and cock in a historical romance novel that gives me instant hot flashes? Holy wow! This was one hot, HOT read!!!! Bordering on erotic, but only while the sexy times are happening. The plot itself is equally as engaging, as Jasper continues to hunt for the man who sold secrets to the French, and in turn, got his regiment not only slaughtered, but tortured. And Jasper is now the tortured one, living with the memories of his soldiers screams in his head. Poor Jasper...his demons won't leave, and he can't figure out how to let Melisande help him deal. He sees her as his interesting wife...a surprisingly good companion, a sexy siren in bed, and the future mother of his children. But Melisande wants more. She loves him desperately, and her steady, quiet devotion begins to seep into his soul, dragging those demons into the light and forcing him to face them. A wonderfully rich love story, a surprising passion between a frumpy, fading, on the shelf woman and a man who surrounds himself with lively society just to escape his nightmares...all around, this is what romance should be: the melding of two people who find in each other exactly what they didn't know they needed or wanted. I love when he calls her "My lady wife..." The sentiment changed through out the story into something tender and beautiful.Oh, and I'm SO EXCITED for the next book, [b:To Beguile a Beast|5554803|To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers, #3)|Elizabeth Hoyt|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340944827s/5554803.jpg|5725878], which is about a horribly scarred recluse and a longtime mistress running from her past with her two children. It sounds like the PERFECT book for me, and I'm already sympathetic to both characters after meeting them here.EDIT TO ADD:A Huge thanks to Anna (Bobs her hair) for the link to an absolutely marvelous epilogue...http://www.elizabethhoyt.com/extras/articles/epilogue.php
