Category: B reviews (Page 65 of 74)

Leave Me Breathless by Cherrie Lynn

November 29, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: Despite DNFing Unleashed recently, after seeing the Twitter buzz about this book and, especially after seeing Mandi’s review, I decided to give her another try. This was much more successful for me.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Leather and lace don’t strike sparks. Or do they?It’s Valentine’s Day, but Macy Rodgers isn’t feeling the love. Aside from a torrid, one-night fling in a backseat a few months back, her love life has been sorely lacking, but fortunately she has devious friends who feel like playing Cupid. Wouldn’t they be shocked to learn that the match they’ve made for her is the same one that steamed up the back of that ’69 GTO…Seth “Ghost” Warren has just returned to town after an extended absence. Between his grandmother’s failing health, his job as a tattoo artist, his band’s gigs, and a crazy ex that won’t leave him alone, he’s stretched thin. Cautious cowgirl Macy is the last thing he needs thrown into the mix.

She’s all country, he’s all heavy metal—and Macy knows that if anyone can propel her out of her rut, it’s Seth. But when their worlds collide, it’s anyone guess if they’ll survive with their hearts intact.

Warning: Contains explicit sex, graphic language, road trips, troublemaking exes, emotional baggage, and an unconventional but exceptionally hot hero tatted and pierced for your pleasure…

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I didn’t finish the first book in the series and haven’t read the second, but I don’t think it’s necessary to have read them to enjoy this book. Macy is clearly more on the uptight side of things and Ghost (Seth) is clearly on the other. It’s a case of opposites combusting and they certainly scorch the sheets (and the backseat of his car and various other places too).

Seth was a character of somewhat unexpected depth (you can probably tell I’m more like Macy!) and I enjoyed watching Macy realise that you really can’t judge a book by its cover. Seth is also very sweet – he wants to push Macy but, as he says, only to places she wants to go. He’s very insightful and seems to have her number almost from the beginning (in fact, he even tells her so).

“You’re so obsessed with my underwear, are you sure you don’t want to wear them?”

He stilled and silence hung for a moment. For one terrible instant, she thought she’d made him angry. No chance. “Who’s to say I didn’t?”

She couldn’t help it; she burst out laughing. “You are awful.”

“And you like it. Admit it.”

“And you’re pushy. And presumptuous.”

“No. I’ve just got your number, babe.”

I thought some of the writing was beautiful actually, like this:

Amazingly, she wasn’t self-conscious about it, not with him. She opted out of bikinis these days, but Seth…in a way he carried his life story in his skin, right? He believed in that. He would merely see her scar as a little piece of hers.

I missed seeing their first encounter (perhaps it was in the second book as a subplot?) and even at the end, I thought that Macy‘s behaviour in ignoring him afterwards was pretty shitty. Seth didn’t deserve that and I thought he let her off much too easy.

I enjoyed the sexy humor of the book too. Mandi had some good quotes in her review but I found another one which made me laugh:

Whoever the guy was who taught her to suck cock, he wanted to buy him a beer and punch his fucking lights out.

The second half of the book took a bit of a right turn for me. The angst and misunderstandings ramped up to the kind of level I see in the Crossfire series and for this book, I would have rather it was a bit toned down. In the end, the so many new problems arose that I wasn’t entirely sure that they were settled enough into their HEA at the end – was it really a HEA? Was it more a HFN with the possibility of more? Perhaps what was missing for me, after all the angst was seeing them happy together for a bit longer, seeing whether the volatility which was the hallmark of the last half of the book had truly passed.

What else? I’m happy to report that Seth referred only once to his penis in the third person (he called it “he” once). I’m really not into sentient intimate parts.

The other thing that dropped off a little in the latter half of the book was the sex – they were so busy being all angsty and fighty that they were not having the hot sex. I felt a little deprived.

I liked Seth a lot and I liked Macy and Seth together. While I had a couple of issues with the story, I nevertheless enjoyed it – did I mention about the sex being hot? – and I’m very glad I gave this author another go.

Grade: B

I’m over at ARRA…

November 28, 2012 / Kaetrin

with a review of Nalini Singh’s Archangel’s Storm. I’m a busy girl today! (I gave it a B+)

Red Hot Holiday anthology by KA Mitchell, Leah Braemel & Anne Calhoun

November 26, 2012 / Kaetrin

Wish List by KA Mitchell

Blindfolds. Handcuffs. Submission.

There’s so much Jonah Kendrick hasn’t tried, and so much he wants to explore. But just before Christmas he finds a ring box in his boyfriend’s desk. Jonah panics. He loves Evan and their sex is hot, but how can Jonah be ready for forever, when there are so many items on his Naughty Bucket List? Desires that might drive Evan away.

Evan’s noticed Jonah has been distant. His usually talkative and cheerful boyfriend is preoccupied. The seemingly straitlaced Evan stumbles across Jonah’s wish list of sexual kinks, and Evan realizes he may not have to hide his true nature from Jonah after all. The Dom in him wants to see Jonah on his knees, begging, submitting, but Evan isn’t sure Jonah’s ready to accept what being Evan’s sub would mean.

The two lovers must figure out how to share their hidden desires with each other before their secrets permanently damage their love.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I love KA Mitchell stories. I like her style, the way she writes sex scenes (and speaking of, in this book – whoa baby!) and the humour in her stories. This one wasn’t quite as successful for me as other books, mainly because the conflict was the “big Mis” which is one of my least favourite tropes in the history of tropes. I don’t get why people just can’t talk to each other. Of course, if Jonah and Evan had‘ve actually communicated, there would have been no reason for the story… but still. I liked it but big misunderstandings aren’t my favourite.

Favourite Quote:

Maybe Jonah would never be able to say for sure if the flashing lights in his eyes were because he’d finally seen the ball drop in Times Square, or afterimages burned onto his retina from coming so hard he’d broken something in his head.

Ahh, KA Mitchell, you certainly do have a way with words. 🙂

Grade: B-

I Need You for Christmas by Leah Braemel

Ryan Porter is a sculptor, and beneath his callused hands, even the most rigid metals bend to his will. So, too, does his girlfriend Megan—a confident, strong woman who delights in submitting to Ryan’s dominance in the bedroom.

Megan is a Mountie, and she’s spent the past few years in the arctic following her career dreams. Family obligations kept Ryan at home, but their love survived the distance thanks to several hot visits. A Mountie always gets her man, and Megan is bound and determined to keep Ryan.

Now Megan’s with Ryan for the holidays…but how long will this visit last? She’s always been willing to do anything Ryan desires, but will he finally tell her that all he needs for Christmas is her?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): This was my first Leah Braemel novella. I believe I may have one of her other books on my TBR and if this is typical of her writing, then I think I’ll be reading more of her.

You’d think, given what I said above about the KA Mitchell story, that the miscommunication in this story would have bothered me – but it didn’t. I think it was that it was more of a gimmick and a fun secret, deliberately kept from one another as a surprise. And, it demonstrated that each of them was fully committed to their relationship and willing to make sacrifices for it. Ryan and Megan have been doing the long distance relationship thing for a very long time. I felt for them, being separated for long stretches. I respected them for being faithful to each other and for the choices they made at the times they made them. I liked how Ryan didn’t expect Megan to give up her dreams for him. I also liked that Megan felt the same way about Ryan. And the sex was very hot. This couple had a connection and it was noticeable right from the start. I always think novellas have a head start when the couple is established from page 1 and this whole anthology is proof of why actually.

Grade: B

Breath on Embers by Anne Calhoun

Christmas is the perfect time for Firefighter Ronan O’Rourke to take things to the next level with his sexually adventurous girlfriend. He knows she has feelings for him—and he’s sure of his feelings for her—but when Thea refuses his invitation to sample Christmas in New York City because what they share is nothing more than sheet-burning sex, Ronan sets out to change her mind.

Deep down Thea Moretti knows she cares for Ronan, but she can’t move past her grief over her late husband. Loud music and sex with Ronan are the only things she’s got that her feel alive, so she takes as much of both as she can get. She knows Ronan wants more, but during the darkest time of the year finding her way won’t be easy.

Ronan gambles everything and challenges Thea: one night of passion with him and another man. Can he prove to her that what they share isn’t just great sex but an emotional connection strong enough to last forever?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): The mood of this story was quite different from the other two novellas. This is more serious and bittersweet. Thea is struggling with grief after the death of her husband. She feels numb and that there is a void within. She fills that void with loud metal music and sex with Ronan but she believes she is unable to feel anything and so cannot commit to more. Of course, it isn’t that she can’t feel, but rather that she chooses not too – partly out of habit and partly out of fear. Ronan is no stranger to grief and is very patient with Thea while at the same time wanting more from her and pushing, little by little to get it. The menage scene was pretty sexy and it made sense in the context of the story too. Bonus.

The bit where the wall between Thea and her feelings comes down was very moving and I even got a bit teary. A rare thing in an erotic novella, for me anyway. I’d read Liberating Lacey by this author before so I knew she was a good writer and I had been looking forward to this story. It has a happy ending of course, but I wouldn’t call it a happy story – it is, essentially about grief. I liked that it wasn’t all hearts and flowers and I liked that Ronan was patient and kind and sexy as all get out. Plus – firefighter. Rowr.

Grade: B

Another strong Christmas anthology from Carina press. I recommend. 🙂

Overall Grade: B

2/3 of Midnight Scandals anthology

November 22, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I’m a fan of all three of these authors so I snapped this one up soon after it was released. I didn’t know what I was in the mood to read and felt unable to make a commitment to a full length novel so I turned to this – which had the advantage of being guaranteed to please as well as not requiring a lot of investment.

Why only 2/3? I haven’t read the Sherry Thomas novella, A Dance in the Moonlight, yet – only because I have her recent novels on my TBR and this story is set after them, so I’m saving it.

One Starlit Night by Carolyn Jewel

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Ten years away from Doyle’s Grange isn’t quite long enough for Viscount Northword to forget Portia Temple, or their passionate adolescent affair. Portia, however, is about to marry another man. Northword tells himself it is wrong to interfere in her life at this late hour, but interfere he cannot help, with his words, his body, and the truths of his heart.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I enjoyed this story quite a bit. Portia and Northword have a painful history and both struggle with past hurts even while their passion is still clearly present. I did wonder why it took Northword so long to arrive at the solution but once he did, I was glad he persisted. I did feel a little distanced from the characters for some reason. Perhaps it was the result of feeling a little in the dark as the story unfolded. Portia and Northword’s past relationship is revealed in brief glimpses through the course of the novella and I found myself wondering why where were apart, given they clearly felt so much for one another. I had some curiosity about Northword’s (dead) wife and how he came to be married and Portia’s erstwhile fiance but accept there wasn’t room for those aspects of the story to be explored in this format.

I don’t think there are that many books which explore the issue Jewel does here. I think she did so with sensitivity and, I felt, reality. Portia didn’t feel there was any choice and the threat was very real.

What else? I think for this to have been an A read for me, it needed a scene showing the split between Northword and Portia ten years earlier. There was a lot of deep emotion but it seemed to me that a lot of it was off the page (that distance thing again).

Portia’s sister-in-law was a witch. I thinkI was supposed to see her as so nice and pleasant that no-one could say no to her but she came across to me as a total horror and I disliked her right from the start. But then, I’ve never responded well to the passive-aggressive manipulator type.

Grade: B

What happened at Midnight by Courtney Milan

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Fleeing the consequences of her father’s embezzlement, Mary Chartley takes a position as a lady’s companion, only to find herself a virtual prisoner at Doyle’s Grange, her employer’s house. And then the nightmare truly begins: the man she loves, who also happens to be the man from whom her father stole, shows up at her door seeking recompense. And not merely in pound sterling…

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I felt more connected to the characters in this story for some reason, even though really, there was the same parsing out of the backstory. I’m a contrary reader it seems.

I felt quite chilled by the behaviours of Sir Walter and felt sorry for Lady Patsworth. The way women can be treated when they are nothing more than property, what men can get away with in such circumstances; well it is just scary.

I liked how John thinks to himself that he is lying to Mary about his motivations when I think mostly he was lying to himself. I enjoyed the nuance.

I was a little bit confused at the end – for some reason I thought that Mary’s father’s actions would mean that she had no legal claim on the partnership and also, it involved maths.

The romance though, was lovely and I felt it was complete in the short format.

Favourite Quote:

“Heavens,” She said, “that was…”

Amazing? Extraordinary? Perfect?

“That,” he said roughly, “was something we need to do again. Often. Quite often. Maybe soon.”

She let out a little laugh.

“Maybe,” he suggested, “in five minutes.”

What else? I loved the important cameo of Portia from the first story in this one and the humorous nod by her and Northword to their stable interlude. It fit the story perfectly and made a wonderful link between the two novellas.

Grade: B+

Celebrity in Death by JD Robb – a mini review

November 20, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: The paperback was finally released locally for not a billion dollars, so I bought it a little while back. Generally, even as much as I love the audiobooks, I prefer to read these books first and listen later on. Also, I am caught up on the reading but behind on the listening…

A review in brief: Anyway, in the context of the series, this is one of the more procedural ones and less angsty – which fits after the drama of New York to Dallas (which I actually listened to first… yes, I know what I said but I reviewed it for Speaking of Audiobooks). Eve and Roarke needed a bit of a breather from personal drama so there’s not much of it in this one. They’re both being somewhat careful of each other in fact, but in a good way. There are some special moments with McNab and Peabody which I loved and Nadine has a greater role (which only makes sense when you think about it). My love of this series has evolved to enjoying all the many secondary characters as well as Eve and Roarke, so even one where there isn’t a lot of Eve/Roarke angst still satisfies.

After I finished this one, I was compelled to read New York to Dallas (I think the angst might be better for me on paper – I can savor it). So, that’s next (once I get it back from my mother).

Favourite Quote:

(here, Nadine is talking to Eve about the actor who plays Roarke in the movie)

“There’s one more reason I opted against sleeping with Julian.”

“Okay.”

“He’s not like Roarke, but he gives the illusion of being a lot like him when he’s in the mode. So the idea of sleeping with him felt disloyal – and just, well, icky.”

Eve started to laugh it off, then realised Nadine was perfectly serious. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“All right, not completely understood, but appreciated anyway.”

“I hear he bangs like a turbohammer.”

“I thought you said he wasn’t like Roarke.”

It’s passages like this which keep me coming back for more.

Grade: B

Dirty Thirty by Cara McKenna

November 19, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I won a copy from the author on a recent Twitter giveaway. I needed something short as a “palate cleanser” and thought this might be just the thing.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Despite his scrappy punk packaging, Evan’s got a submissive streak in him that’s just screaming to be indulged. So on the eve of his thirtieth birthday, Evan’s wife Margie arranges for them to ring out his twenties by realizing his darkest fantasy-inviting another man into their bedroom. Margie’s found the perfect candidate for Evan’s birthday treat. Paul works as a bouncer at their favorite bar, and lucky for Evan and Margie, he’s every bit the sexual Dominant his intimidating body suggests. Evan isn’t a hundred percent sure he’s ready to go to all the places his kinks seem determined to take him, but one thing’s for sure-by the time he wakes on his thirtieth birthday, his fantasy will have become reality.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): This isn’t a romance – it’s an erotic short story. There is no courtship or HEA. The couple are already living their HEA when the story begins. I don’t read a lot of erotica but I do enjoy this author’s writing and the story sounded fun.

What I liked best about it is that even in a short story such as this, a reasonable amount of time is devoted to establishing that Margie and Evan’s relationship is healthy and sexy and happy. The reason they bring in a third for Evan’s birthday is not to fill a gap, but rather to fulfil a fantasy. They talk about it, take time to plan it and are open to pulling the pin if things don’t feel right – their relationship is primary. Margie and Evan’s connection to each other is apparent even when sexy Paul arrives to give them a good seeing too (and he does). So, while it is an erotic story it is strangely romantic and I think that’s why it worked better for me than Don’t Call Her Angel which, for me, was a bit lacking in the relationship department (both were billed as erotic stories rather than “romances” so this is my own preference talking, not a failure of marketing).

I especially liked that Margie was not at all intimidated or offended by Evan’s desire to be sexed up by a man. Her attitude made Evan much more comfortable with his own desires and her participation made it a fun adventure.

At the end of the story, I felt confident that Margie and Evan would continue to have a loving, happy and adventuresomely sexy relationship, perhaps with the occasional guest spot from Paul but maybe not. Evan and Margie were presented as being enough for each other together but willing to explore fantasies and kinks that worked for them and that seemed pretty healthy to me.

Grade: B