Category: B reviews (Page 49 of 74)

Uncommon Passion by Anne Calhoun

September 19, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I have enjoyed other Calhoun books and read the first book in this loosely related series a couple of weeks ago. So I decided to bend my usual rules about how much I’m prepared to spend on books and get this one.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) After leaving a restrictive religious community, Rachel Hill is on a mission to divest herself of her virginity. Newly independent and struggling to establish herself, she’s not looking for anything complicated. She bids on sexy SWAT officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, confident he’ll give her the night of her life and nothing more.

But Ben is jaded and detached, living his life in an endless cycle of danger-fueled adrenaline jags, drinking, and sex. When he misses the fact that his bachelor auction hookup is a virgin, he’s shocked by his obliviousness, and by the risk she took. To make amends, Ben offers Rachel all he can: a no-strings-attached sexual education.

Ben’s lessons introduce Rachel to down and dirty passion, but she’s searching for something more profound than sex, and she’s willing to walk away to find it. Ben can’t get Rachel out of his head, but will he come to terms with his troubled past and learn to love?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I enjoyed this one but why I enjoyed it kind of surprised me. I know a lot of my romance reading friends have read and enjoyed this book but I haven’t read any of the reviews yet. When I know I’m going to be reading a book very soon after release, I like to keep my thoughts “pure” I suppose and then go and see if other people picked up the same things I did.

The first 2/3 of the book has a lot of sex. Good sex. Hot sex. But, a lot of sex. In fact in all but about 2 of their encounters for that first section of the book, they have sex. They were all different and exposed something different about the character, but I found myself getting tired of and somewhat impatient with Ben’s detachment. Afterwards there is no cuddling. He disposes of the condom and gives Rachel the unspoken message that it’s time for her to go. Sometimes it’s not actually unspoken. That jarred for me a little because I felt that Ben wasn’t detached when he was having sex with Rachel and Rachel was anything but. She isn’t like the average virgin heroine. She is determined to sample what she’s been missing and is endlessly curious. I enjoyed her forthrightness. I loved how she didn’t play games or play coy. She was open and honest and incredibly strong.

Fading by E.K. Blair

September 16, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: After seeing Jennie review it positively at Dear Author recently I went to buy it only to realise I had already done so at some earlier point. Then DA Jane read it and said it was really good so I moved it up Mt. TBR.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing?

Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered.

The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens.

At what point do secrets become lies?

Warning: The main character of the book is raped and it does happen on page. I don’t think it’s gratuitous but those will triggers will probably want to avoid.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): The book starts in Ryan’s POV in a “prologue” (which threw me a bit because Chapter One is actually before the events of the prologue – which I should have remembered from Jennie’s review but I forgot). He hears a girl screaming in an alley behind the bar he owns/runs and runs to the rescue, fighting off he rapist, covering Candace and calling an ambulance. Candace is unconscious and isn’t aware of Ryan’s presence at all.

The story then really starts with Candace starting her final year of college. She is a studying Fine Arts, majoring in dance (ballet). Her dream is to dance with one of the big New York ballet companies and it is clear she’s good enough to do it too. She is fairly shy and risk averse but decides to let herself loosen up a bit – she even gets a tiny tattoo to mark the occasion. Her parents are very wealthy and her mother in particular is very (like times a million) conscious of her social standing. She disapproves of Candace in many ways and both her parents are disapointed she will not conform to their version of “respectable”. I did find this a bit difficult to understand. The parents felt a little unbelievable to me and I found it hard to see how they had not noticed just how good a dancer she is over the many years she has been studying it.

Her mother sets her up on a date with Jack, the son of one of her wealthy friends. Jack is not really her type but she is trying to be more adventurous and at the time, she doesn’t want to rock the boat with her mother. She doesn’t think there is any future for them but she goes out with him on a second date to see if sparks develop. She does find out he is a good kisser – he is able to arouse her passions but nothing else about him really rings her bells so she decides to break it off – especially after he seems to be becoming clingy and possessive. She decides to tell him she doesn’t want to date him but as she has already agreed to go to a party with him, she decides to go and tell him at the end of the evening. This doesn’t go well at all, Jack accuses Candace of leading him on – she runs out, he follows her and then brutally rapes her in the alleyway behind Ryan’s bar. Candace wakes up on the way into the hospital where she is treated and a rape kit is done. She is extremely traumatised and is terrified of people knowing what has happened to her – she thinks she did lead Jack on and brought this on herself. She does call her best friend Jase and he (and shortly after Mark, Jase’s boyfriend) is the only one who knows what happened for most of the book.

Cake by Lauren Dane

September 13, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I’d heard good things about this novella, which is part of the Cosmo Red Hot Reads line from Harlequin, launched this month so I requested a review copy via NetGalley. Cake releases on September 15 but is available for pre-order now.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) She won’t be satisfied with just one bite…

Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.

But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she’s determined to show him that just one taste won’t be enough…

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I must admit that this book had a lot more story than I was expecting. This probably says something about me more than anything, but I was kind of expecting to jump straight to the sex and for there to be not much characterisation. Something about it being a “Red-Hot Read” perhaps? I’m happy to say I was wrong. There is a story and the pair don’t just jump into bed. There’s sexual tension and flirting but the reader is given a chance to get to know the characters a bit before there is any horizontal tango-ing. There are some books which jump straight to the sex and that can work fine for me – and, it is to be noted that I requested this book even with those expectations. The story is short – about 87 pages so there isn’t a lot of time for huge backstory and character development but I thought the author used the page count cleverly to introduce two characters to me and make me believe their happy ending.

Risk & Reward by Alisha Rai

September 10, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I enjoyed the first one in this series and bought the second as soon as it was released. Warning *mild spoilers for Play With Me*

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) The greater the risk…

Older. Wiser. Hotter. Months after reuniting with the man who loved her – and left her – a decade ago, Tatiana Belikov is determined not to let their wicked games blind her to the danger of repeating history. If that means biting her tongue, so be it. After all, she does get to bite him.

Wyatt Caine never thought Tatiana would be back in his cards, but he’s not ready to question his luck. Between the sheets he knows exactly how to make her naughty fantasies come true: rough and tumble, with an extra serving of dirty. Communicating outside of the bedroom? Not always so easy.

The city’s bright lights can’t compare to their passion, burning hot enough to singe them both. But when the harsh glare of reality exposes long-inflicted wounds, Wyatt and Tatiana have to decide if they want to play it safe…or risk it all.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): At the end of Play With Me, we left Tatiana and Wyatt reunited and trying a long distance relationship. Risk & Reward picks up some six months later. They have been seeing each other regularly and are having lots of fun together but each is a bit careful around the other, preferring to avoid potential problems out of fear they will return to their old patterns of arguing, leading to a breakup neither wants.

Uncommon Pleasure by Anne Calhoun

September 8, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I enjoyed Liberating Lacey and Breath on Embers (from last year’s Red Hot Holiday anthology) and I’d heard good things about this book. I bought up an ecopy with a Kobo coupon recently. The next book in the series has just been released. It is called Uncommon Passion. I’ve heard great things about that one too, but I’m waiting for another coupon.

I’ve also put a digital book from her backlist on my wishlist – On the Edge is a novella which features Ty (hero of the first story in this anthology) and John Langley and Lucy Malone.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) From a “fresh and imaginative” (“The Romance Studio”) voice in erotic romance come the tales of two women, each daring to challenge the boundaries of the toughest of men…But in these edgy, heated encounters, the greatest thing each woman will risk is her heart.

“Over the Edge,” – after a tragic incident during Ty Hendricks’ last tour of duty, he cut off all connection with anyone he cares about–until a night with Lauren Kincaid draws him reluctantly back into the world. Lauren sees a wounded man in danger of losing everything to his inner demons, but the sensual, no-holds-barred fight for Ty’s soul could cost Lauren her heart.

“All on the Line,” – Abby Simmons fell hard for Lieutenant Sean Winthrop, but he sacrificed their relationship when he deployed to Afghanistan. Now he’s home, full of regrets and intent on winning back the woman he never forgot. Abby gives Sean her body but holds her heart aloof, until one night of pleasure forces her to choose either her U.S. Marine…or life without him, forever.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Over the Edge is the first novella in the anthology. Ty Hendricks is a roughneck working on an oil rig. He was a Marine and served in Afghanistan. His skill set is mainly around people management. He can identify where people work and fit best, when something is wrong and how to manage it, etc etc. However, he has basically shut down as a result of PTSD following his last deployment. He wants no emotions to creep in – both in his sexual liaisons and his friendships with former-Marine buddies John Langley (owner of Langley Security) and Sean Winthrop. Lauren Kincaid is a petroleum geologist who flies out to the oil rig where Ty is working. Over the course of a few days on the rig, Lauren sees enough of Ty to become intrigued and desirous. After they get back to the mainland, she propositions him and he, even knowing that there was no way it would just be an anonymous, meaningless hookup (no matter how hard he tries), accedes. Lauren sees, she thinks, the man underneath the armour of disinterest and is curious to know him. To her credit, Lauren doesn’t think she can heal Ty, but she does see that he is in need of it and it takes a lot of effort on his behalf to successfully push her away. When not working on the oil rig, Ty helps our his friend John in his security business. They had been supposed to open the business together but after events in his last deployment, Ty wanted to be separate from everyone and changed his mind. Sean, also on furlough is also helping out and they end up doing some industrial surveillance in the same business park where Lauren is based. The book was sexy and hot and I liked how sexually free Lauren was and how the story (both of them actually) was not at all slut-shamey. Both stories feature a menage even though the HEA is with just two people. In this one, Ty suggests a threesome to Lauren (with Sean) as a way of shocking her into leaving only to be surprised when Lauren not only says yes, but really gets into it.