I’m over at the ARRA blog today with a review of Sylvia Day’s Reflected in You. I gave it a B+. ARRA members who comment go into the draw to win both Bared to You and Reflected in You in print.
Category: B reviews (Page 67 of 74)
Why I listened to it: Are you kidding? I’ve been haranguing Tantor for ages to try and get them to pick this series up on audio. I’m sure it wasn’t just me but I’m proud to say that I had a small part to play in getting this series onto our MP3 players.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) It’s been years since her child’s father dumped her, and since then investigative reporter Kara McMillan has kept men at bay—although every day she aches more for a lover’s touch. But to get that, the hard-boiled journalist must become vulnerable—a feeling she vowed never to have again.With his dangerous good looks, charm, and power, Senator Reece Sheridan could have just about any woman he sets his piercing eyes on. But he’s intrigued by only one. This Kara, this gutsy investigative reporter, has a sensuality that arouses him to no end. If she’s a firebrand in print, he guesses, she must be just as fiery in bed…
But this is no fling. A sudden political scandal—and attempts on Kara’s life—could very well drive them apart. Or maybe, just maybe, adversity could draw them into a bond even more intense than their steamy sexual embraces…
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I’ve read the book twice so I know the story well. Kara McMillan is a reporter for the Denver Independent’s “I-Team”, covering the environmental beat. When a whistleblower gives her information about a mining company dumping toxic materials into the water supply, her investigation leads her into danger. While all this is happening, she meets sexy Senator Reece Sheridan, an idealistic ex-social studies teacher who ran for office on a dare from his students. Their first meeting is hilarious – Kate has had too many margaritas and she asks Reece some very interesting questions – including whether a woman really does taste like tuna!
Reece is captivated by Kara but she is gunshy after being dumped unceremoniously by the jerk who got her pregnant and then bailed. She has a 4 year old son and a busy job and trying to fit in a relationship as well is a challenge even if she didn’t have trust issues.
There was a wonderful balance between the romance and the suspense and there is no silly stuff like anyone having sex while bullets are flying. Because the story takes place over a number of weeks, the romance has a believable build and when they do scorch up the sheets, there is plenty of time.
What else? I have wanted this series to be available on audio for so long. When it was first announced, there was rampant speculation on who the “dream narrator” would be. When Tantor Audio announced their choice of Kaleo Griffith, I admit, I was a little nervous. Would he do it justice? Would he be able to deliver the love scenes? Would his female character voices make the grade?
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| Photo by John Riedy Photography | *. |
*used with permission
When I started to listen, I almost did the audio equivalent of reading with one eye open. What a relief to find that the rhythm of the story was maintained and enhanced by this new-to-me narrator. He has only been narrating audiobooks for about a year and has about 30 under his belt now but romance listeners may not have come across him before. I’m betting we’ll be hearing a lot more from him though.
To be honest, there are very very few men who can deliver an authentic female voice. Some female narrators can do male voices well, but the reverse is so rare as to be unicorn-like. The horror of romance listeners is the “female impersonator” voice. Mr. Griffith softens his tone to indicate a female voice rather than trying to drag it up. His voices for older women were very very well done. The younger women’s voices didn’t sound exactly “female” to me but they weren’t drag-y and I could tell by his voice that a female character was speaking. His other accents and male voices were stellar. Mostly, he “got it”. I’m so glad he is the kind of narrator that takes the time to contact the author (I hear she was a little nervous that he would be uncomfortable with “Mr. Jigglestick”) and understand the characters and their motivations; to give credit to the text. His natural voice is deep, and pleasing to the ear and his pacing was spot on for the story. And, boy oh boy, he can deliver a sex scene. Not overdone and purple, not bored and disinterested. Basically, I’m a happy camper.
I can’t wait to see what Mr. Griffith does with Julian Darcangelo and Mark Hunter!
Phil Gigante might have to watch out. There’s a new deep sexy voice on the scene.
Grade: B+ (perilously close to an A- in fact)
Why I read it: I’m a JL Merrow fan and had this one pre-ordered.
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Some secrets are better left hidden.
To most of the world, Tom Paretski is just a plumber with a cheeky attitude and a dodgy hip, souvenir of a schoolboy accident. The local police keep his number on file for a different reason—his sixth sense for finding hidden things.
When he’s called in to help locate the body of a missing woman up on Nomansland Common, he unexpectedly encounters someone who resurrects a host of complicated emotions. Phil Morrison, Tom’s old school crush, now a private investigator working the same case. And the former bully partly responsible for Tom’s injury.
Warning: Contains a flirtatious plumber with hidden talents, a cashmere-clad private investigator with hidden depths, and an English village chock full of colourful characters with plenty to hide.
The shocks keep coming. Phil is now openly gay, and shows unmistakable signs of interest. Tom’s attraction to the big, blond investigator hasn’t changed—in fact, he’s even more desirable all grown up. But is Phil’s interest genuine, or does he only want to use Tom’s talent?
As the pile of complicated evidence surrounding the woman’s murder grows higher, so does the heat between Tom and Phil. But opening himself to this degree exposes Tom’s heart in a way he’s not sure he’s ready for…while the murderer’s trigger finger is getting increasingly twitchy.
Warning: Contains a flirtatious plumber with hidden talents, a cashmere-clad private investigator with hidden depths, and an English village chock full of colourful characters with plenty to hide.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I love the humour in JL Merrow’s books. It is subtle and distinctly British and it suits me fine. Told from Tom’s first person POV, the story is part mystery, part comedy and part romance. Tom has a self-deprecating style which I found endearing and just his way of describing things made me smile.
Once I got there, it was a lot easier to be quiet, as the carpet had the sort of pile you don’t so much walk on as hack your way through with a machete.
Phil is harder to know as we don’t spend any time in his head and he is fairly quiet and intense. The romance is fairly understated and slow to develop. Normally I might find myself getting impatient about such a thing but in this book, the timing was right. Tom had been horribly hurt – both emotionally and physically – directly and indirectly because of Phil and they both carry baggage because of it. For them to fall into bed and/or a relationship quickly would have felt forced. It is clear there they have a connection almost from the start, but it takes time and some forgiveness and understanding before they can start to embark on a relationship. As it is, by the end of the story, their relationship is really only beginning.
I enjoyed the secondary characters in the book too – many of them were sympathetic even though they might not have had much page time – and I liked the friendship Tom had developed with police detective Dave Southgate. Merrow tends to have a bit of the quirky in her books (which I love) and it is found here especially in Tom’s campanologist friend Gary and his new boyfriend Julian who is a dwarf ex-porn star with attitude.
What else? Before I read this one, I saw someone talking about it on Twitter to the effect that she hoped it would be a series. I had that thought in my head when I started reading it and to be honest, I think that affected my grade. If this is the first book in the series, then my grade stands because I think it is a great start. But, if it is a standalone book, then the grade would be a B because, to be honest, I did think there was an element of it being incomplete. Which makes perfect sense if the characters are to return in future books but which would bug me if they are not. I enjoyed the time spent in setting up the secondary characters and fleshing out Tom’s life but I’m hoping this means we will see them again. Call it wishful thinking, but I’m going with the “it’s the first in a series” grade.
Grade: B+
Why I read it: Many of my Twitter friends were telling me how much they enjoyed this book. I wanted to join in the fun so I bought it.What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Four years ago, Jocelyn Butler left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Edinburgh. Burying the grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without any real attachments has worked well for her so far but when Joss moves into a fantastic apartment on Dublin Street, her carefully guarded world is shaken to its core by her new roommate’s sexy older brother.Braden Carmichael is a man who always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Jocelyn in his bed. Knowing how skittish Joss is concerning any kind of relationship, Braden proposes a sexual arrangement that should satisfy the intense attraction between them without it developing into anything ‘more’. An intrigued Jocelyn agrees, completely unprepared for the Scotsman and his single-minded determination to strip the stubborn young woman bare… to the very soul.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): Let’s get the gripes out of the way first shall we? There were a number of typographical and gramatical errors in the book. The acknoweldgements in the back say that there were editors so I’m not really sure why so many were allowed to get through to the final version. Examples include comma abuse, “rung” instead of “wrung”, “all and all” instead of “all in all” and I’m not entirely sure that “incapacitation” is even a word. There was also one egregious use of the word “vajayjay” by the heroine. However, the story and the characters were otherwise so well done, that I was able to press through where a lesser book may have ended up a DNF. As it was, there was some teeth gritting at the number of errors. Moving on.
I think I had expected the characters would hook up much earlier than they did and I was pleased that it wasn’t the case. We were at maybe the 2/5 mark of the book before Braden and Jocelyn first kiss. Even though their physical relationship progresses quickly from there, there was a reasonable amount of time taken to build the sexual tension and for the characters to get to know each other.
I also liked the way the book was set up (well, except for one niggle which I’ll get to in a minute). The prologue shows us a quick sketch of the devastation in Jocelyn’s life after the death of her parents and baby sister and the epilogue gave me a sneak peak into Braden and Jocelyn’s happy future without being treacly. The middle of the book charts Jocelyn’s move to Dublin Street and the beginning of the end of her self imposed emotional isolation.
I think that Jocelyn was “ready” to start connecting again, consciously, with others, or she would not have moved in with Ellie. It was clear from their first meeting that Ellie was not the sort of person Jocelyn could successfully freeze out. Not because Ellie is rude or pushy, but because she seems, in some way, fragile and Jocelyn cannot bring herself to be that mean.
Quite early on we understand that she had made connections with people – Rhiann and James and even her workmates, Craig and Jo but she had deliberately distanced herself from them. At around the time she moves to Dublin Street, Jocelyn discovers she can’t do it anymore. She wants to but the connections grow and deepen anyway.
“You’re shopping with a teenager?”
“Why do you keep saying it like that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because you’ve moved into an expensive flat, you’re spending money you were always weird about spending, you’re friends with a girl who’s seen The Notebook fifty-five times and, like, smiles a lot; you’re out for drinks with actual people on week nights, you saved my relationship, you’re seeing a therapist, and you’re babysitting teens. I moved to London and you got a fuckin’ lobotomy.”
As much as there is instant and visceral attraction between Braden and Jocelyn, it is not a book where Jocelyn is “cured” by his love. She, quite sensibly, seeks therapy – and, because she is ready now to process her loss, it has benefits. It is not without pain and panic attacks, but it is time for Jocelyn to live fully and the book charts her journey to letting people in.
In terms of structure, there were a few sections with Dr. Pritchard which seemed out of time. There would be Scene A, a conversation with Dr. Pritchard and then Scene B, but Scene B starts immediately after Scene A and it is clear that the conversation with the doctor could not have happened in between. I understood why they were there in terms of the narrative drive of the story, but it nevertheless jarred because I had mental pictures of her either using a teleportation device or having the most sympathetic counsellor in the world, who will take calls/appointments at the drop of a hat, 24/7.
And then there’s Braden. Rowr. Possessive, certain, hot, sexy. I think there is something about how definite he is that adds to his attraction.
“I want you in my bed. Gentlemen are boring in bed.”
Good point. “Gentlemen are gentlemen in bed. They make sure you’re having a good time.”
“I’ll make sure you’re having a good time, and that you’re okay with everything we’re doing. I just won’t be well-mannered about it.”
Because Braden is so secure and dominant, he can take Jocelyn’s insecurities perhaps better than anyone else – he doesn’t mind railroading her from time to time (for her own good of course)
“No. It’s spooning. You said it was just sex. No spooning. We fuck, we have fun, you go home. That’s the deal.”
He studied me intently for a moment and then lowered his head until his lips were almost touching mine. “We fuck, we have fun, and then we spoon. I don’t go home. I don’t go home because sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up, and when I wake up, I want to fuck. And for some baffling reason, the person I want to fuck is you. Now, I’m only going to say this one more time. Go to sleep.”
In fact, Braden finds things work much better this way – fortunately, Jocelyn isn’t all pushover.
“From now on I’m completely in charge. I think we’ll have a lot less drama, and definitely no more breakups, if I’m in control of this thing.”
I patted his stomach. “Whatever you need to tell yourself to get through the day, baby.”
By the end of the book, their relationship is more event – yes Braden is dominant in bed, but the rest of the relationship is more balanced, as Jocelyn finds her footing and learns to open up.
Jocelyn does treat some of her friends in a pretty shitty way during the course of the book, but, while I did not always like it, I did understand her motivation. Because she hadn’t processed her grief over the death of her family, she kind of reacts like a 14 year old child at times – it’s all about her. But, she does grovel and apologise and by the end of the book, I think she’s worked enough out that I don’t think she will do that again. Sure, she will struggle from time to time, but I think she will be a less crappy friend if push comes to shove.
What else? One of the characters has a medical crisis later in the book. Even allowing for the differences between the Australian and UK health systems, MRI scan results do not take 2 weeks to arrive. They just don’t. I could, maybe, stretch it to 2 days. In terms of the book, it would have made no difference to have the scan result available more quickly so I don’t know why there was a such a big delay. In any event, Braden has so much money and influence, he could have pulled strings – after all, that’s what he does later doesn’t he? Also, I think it more than likely that the character would have been admitted and not discharged until treatment/surgery had been completed. But then, I may be a little touchy about medical issues just at the minute.
Editing issues aside, I really enjoyed this one and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Grade: B (but it would have been a B+ if the editing had been better).
Why I read it: I heard the Twitter buzz and bought it. Thank you to Fatin, Brie and Jane for the excellent recommendation. What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Truth or dare…
When Lacey Garrity finds her groom in flagrante delicto in the reception hall closet with her bridesmaid, she’s saved by her best friend’s older brother—childhood tormentor, crush, and boxing bad boy Galen Thomas. Galen’s solution is both exciting and dangerous. What better way to forget the mess of her life than go on her honeymoon with a hot guy who can’t promise anything beyond today?
…or TKO?
Galen had been counting on Lacey’s wedding to put her out of reach—and out of his mind—once and for all, but their steamy Puerto Rican escape is testing all his boundaries. Now that Lacey’s embracing her inner bad girl, Galen is tempted to throw in the towel and claim her for himself. But with the biggest fight of his career on the line and an important business merger threatening to derail Lacey’s resolve, their romance might be down for the count before it even begins.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): I really enjoyed the snappy one-liners of this book. Even though Lacey was getting cheated on at her wedding reception, the writing style made it clear that this book is a fun contemporary, not a heavy angsty read
The ensuing silence was so absolute that when he fastened his tuxedo pants, it sounded like a grizzly bear traveling down a zip line.
which was just what I was in the mood for actually.
Lacey and Galen were funny and sexy together and I enjoyed her naivete getting under Galen’s skin, as she does here, when he offers to help her out with some sunscreen.
“Do you need help with your back?”
“Nope, I already got it. I do yoga so I’m super flexible.”
Lacey has some moral qualms about starting anything with Galen when she’s technically married and so the sexual tension builds until that aspect is sorted out. It made for some lovely sexy build up without feeling like the reader was being teased
Lacey’s lashes fluttered and she shook her head.
“W-we shouldn’t do that anyway.” She sucked in a ragged breath. “Or anything else. Probably.”
He pursed his lips together to keep from smiling. “Okay. Then you might want to get your hand off my ass.”
While that was funny, Galen also showed his good guy card by not pressing her for sex.
When Galen and Lacey do start scorching the sheets (and various other places), the sex is dirty and fun and nothing like Lacey had ever experienced before. I liked that Galen comes to the realisation beforehand though, that there is something work exploring in the chemistry and attraction he has with Lacey even as he bemoans the bad timing.
I also liked how sex positive Galen was. There was no slut shaming at all. In fact, he was disappointed that her previous sex life hadn’t been more positive.
Lacey’s mother is a horror show. Although, later in the book, it becomes obvious she has her reasons for why she is which leavened her harshness somewhat. Not an excuse, but some context which saved her from being a complete stereotype. Lacey also learns to stand up for herself and there is no miracle happy families either, which is good because “The Admiral” really was a nasty piece of work and very unlikely to change.
I liked how Galen taught Lacey a lot of new things and encouraged her to be brave and stretch her wings – not just with the sex, but the dancing and boxing. He was very patient and encouraging without being patronising. Although, I wasn’t a fan of him calling her “Squirt” all the time. That doesn’t feel like a romantic pet name to me. I could see that’s why he called her that when they were teenagers and even after, as it (to me) put some distance between them. But I would have liked him to come up with something new by the time they each said “I love you”.
I can’t say I loved the very end of the book, but I can see that it is a good thing for Lacey to have time to make a decision she and Galen can both be sure of. I understood Galen’s reasons for his actions, even his silence made sense, but it still seemed a bit like a plot device to me.
What else? I haven’t read anything by this author before but the Twitter buzz was doesn’t usually steer me wrong. I’m glad to have read it and I’m looking forward to more sexy contemporaries from Ms. Bell.
Grade: B+
Why I read it: This is one I’d had on my wishlist for some time and when I bought The Hot Floor recently, I picked up this and Barging In. They were on sale and I couldn’t resist. 🙂
What it’s about: (from Goodreads) The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.
He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.
Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.
Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.
Product Warnings
Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home.
What worked for me (and what didn’t): Jo Myles has a pleasing, easy writing voice so it was easy to slide into this story and enjoy it. I did have a few problems with the book, but overall, it was a very enjoyable read.
The story is told from Ben’s 1st person POV and because of that, I missed some of the action I would have liked to have seen – particularly the developing (platonic) relationship between Ben’s sister Zoe and Ollie, which was, unfortunately, all done off page.
I don’t know whether the author intended it or not, but for a while I wondered if Ollie had some illness fetish and that was what attracted him to Ben. He certainly seemed to get off on Ben’s scars and tubes but it wasn’t really explained. For a while I wondered if Ollie would only like him if Ben was an invalid. I don’t know much about it, but I understand that there are people about who have such a fetish.
The whole idea about Ben being ill, having to have a multi-organ transplant etc and him still being the sexy hero was unusual and I liked it (I gather that his own view of what he looked like was more dire than the actuality though – nothing unusual there is there?). It was also educational without being in the least boring – it actually made me want to go and Google the kind of dialysis he used etc. After the organ transplant there is only small mention of the immunosuppressant drugs Ben has to take – I don’t know much about them and thought they could cause bloating and other bad things but it seemed Ben’s reaction to the drugs was all good.
Ben has been lusting after Ollie for months – he orders porn DVD’s more for the guarantee of Ollie delivering them than anything else but he’s so shy and his body image is so poor, he just can’t make a move. I did become a little impatient with that because the couple together is where the fun is, so I was glad when Ollie decided to take matters into his own hands.
I liked the way that Ollie and Ben had to learn to navigate their relationship – a healthy relationship (or for Ben, any relationship) was very much unknown territory and they make a few missteps and have to learn to communicate what they think and feel to make it work. I believed that it would but I would have liked more of it on the page. Overall, I’d say there was a certain… sketchiness to the story – not bad, but I would have liked more colouring in of the lines.
There is a 13 year age gap between Ben and Ollie and it does show. I think as Ollie gets more confident he will take more of an equal place in their relationship – that is what Ben wants (which I was glad about), but the story was more about the beginning of Ollie’s confidence and so that equality was more of a promise in the book I think.
The sex was pretty hot but also realistic, with Ben’s fears of whether he’d be able to get it up after the surgery, whether he’d be able to satisfy Ollie. I also appreciated the somewhat unusual depiction of their sex life after the surgery – Ben isn’t allowed to have sex, but he’s very happy to “see to” Ollie. It’s not that often that I’ve read in a book where one partner can’t have sex but is still not just willing, but enthusiastic about seeing to their partner’s pleasure. Although it was partly done out of a fear that Ollie would leave him otherwise I think, I still thought it showed something special about Ben’s character – and why Ollie would be so drawn to him.
What else? On my reader, I had 158 pages and I thought that most of that would be story so it was with a bit of shock that the story finished at page 145. It wasn’t so much that the story was unfinished (although I did find the ending somewhat abrupt) but that my expectation was that the story was going to be longer than it was.
I liked the unusual premise of the story and I enjoyed spending time with Ben and Ollie. I would have liked a few more details and for it to be perhaps a bit longer, but it was nonetheless an enjoyable read and I’m glad I bought it.
Grade: B-
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