Tag: Kristen Ashley (Page 6 of 8)

The Will by Kristen Ashley

April 28, 2014 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I bought this one as soon as it was out because: Kristen Ashley and also various of my reader friends who’d read early copies were saying good things.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Early in her life, Josephine Malone learned the hard way that there was only one person she could love and trust: her grandmother, Lydia Malone. Out of necessity, unconsciously and very successfully, Josephine donned a disguise to keep all others at bay. She led a globetrotting lifestyle on the fringes of the fashion and music elite, but she kept herself distant.

While Josephine was trotting the globe, retired boxer Jake Spear was living in the same small town as Lydia. There was nothing disguised about Jake. Including the fact he made a habit of making very bad decisions about who to give his love.

But for Josephine and Jake, there was one person who adored them. One person who knew how to lead them to happiness. And one person who was intent on doing it.

Even if she had to do it as her final wish on this earth.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I haven’t had the same problems with the two most recent Ashley books that others have had. That is to say, I’ve liked them well enough. Sure, they weren’t Motorcycle Man but I found things in them to enjoy. That said, this book was a welcome return to form. The story was long – over 400 pages and the romance was a kind of slow build. The sexual tension was always there but it took a while before the couple became intimate and they got to know each other (even though Jake already knew a lot about Josie, spending time with someone is different) in that time so the romance felt stronger to me. I loved Jake’s kids – Conner, Amber and Ethan and I loved Amber’s besties, boy Taylor and girl Taylor. (Seriously, they were hilarious). There were some great things in the book – including some good messages about self-worth combined with loads of humour and affection of various kinds.

Review at AudioGals

April 9, 2014 / Kaetrin

I’m over at AudioGals reviewing Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley, narrated by Kate Russell. Tack is my favourite KA hero. Click the link to see my thoughts about Tack on audio – I have many!

Kaleidoscope by Kristen Ashley

February 23, 2014 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Sexy, gifted, and loyal, PI Jacob Decker is a tall, cool drink of perfection who had Emmanuelle Holmes at “hello.” His relationship with Emme’s best friend kept them apart for years, but things have changed. Now that a case has brought him to Gnaw Bone, Colorado, the road is wide open for Emme and Deck to explore something hotter and deeper than Emme dreamed possible. So why is she sabotaging the best thing that’s ever happened to her?

It isn’t easy to catch Deck off guard, but Emme does just that when she walks back into his life after nine long years. The curvy brunette had her charms back in the day, but now she’s a bona fide knockout . . . and she wants to rekindle their friendship. Deck, however, wants more. Emme’s always been the one; she excites Deck’s body and mind like no other woman can. But a dark chapter from Emme’s past overshadows their future together. Now only Deck can help her turn the page-if she’ll let him . . .

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I ended up enjoying this book but it wasn’t my favourite Ashley. I did like that Deck and Emme got together quickly and that if felt natural for it to be that way. Because they had a history of a very strong friendship some years earlier, it was much easier for me to accept they’d get physical early. I also liked that Emme was in an actual sexual relationship with someone and that Deck waited to even kiss her until she was out of it.

“So, summin’ up, you got until Sunday to get your head together about McFarland. On Sunday, you scrape him off. On Sunday night, the boys are gone, you learn the true meaning of me callin’ you ‘baby.’ ”

Jagged by Kristen Ashley

November 13, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley. Also I have read and enjoyed, to one degree or another, the other books in this series.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) An old flame rekindled . . .

Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn’t interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara’s lost her business, her marriage, and she’s barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara’s plight, he’s on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.

Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham’s faced his own demons, and he’s learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he’s meant to live. So when he hears that Zara’s having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he’s a changed man.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Those who follow me on Twitter, will know I’ve been under a bit of stress lately, with my stepdad coming toward the end of his life in fairly sad circumstances. Maybe that’s why I am a reverse-outlier here. Maybe I just needed some ridonkulous in my life. I haven’t read any Kristen Ashley books since I read Fire Inside (which I enjoyed – Hop!) and I was out of the habit of reading Kristen Ashley-ese. There is a somewhat unique syntax to her books. Her publication by Forever has cleansed it in some ways but there were still sentences which only made sense after I read them a few times and some which made no sense at all (how does colour radiate OUT to the pupil from the iris?) – and this included the time after the babel fish was returned to my ear. The traditionally published books are shorter and there is less of the female friendships which (to my surprise) I adore but Ashley still sounds and feels like Ashley so I’m glad the editing hand is fairly light.

Breathe by Kirsten Ashley

June 12, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I bought this one a while back and I decided to finish the series (so far) as a little reading treat.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) In order to protect a father he does not respect, in Lady Luck, we learned that good cop Chace Keaton went bad, sacrificing his career and his future. But when the local police department’s secrets are revealed and the wife he’s forced to marry is murdered, Chace finds himself the town of Carnal’s hero. Knowing how deep in the mud he was forced to sink, Chace feels he’ll never get clean. The quiet, content future he envisioned of the love a good woman with whom he could build a family was now beyond his reach. The only thing he can do is find his wife’s murderer.But he isn’t the only one looking.While searching for new leads, he runs into Faye Goodknight, the town’s quiet, shy, pretty librarian. Chace has long since had his eye on what could possibly be the town’s last remaining virgin but he has also long since given up hope he could make her his. Faye is pure and clean and Chace refuses to dirty her with his sordid past.Pure and clean Faye may be, but when the shy librarian is forced to go head to head with the man who she’s had a crush on since he hit her hometown, Chace finds Faye is full of surprises. And he doesn’t know what to do with her.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): To be honest it took me a little while to get into this one. I felt my reading mojo was missing initially and I was getting too distracted by Twitter. But, by about 1/3 in, I felt I had hit my straps and things were looking up. By the end, I had mixed feelings. I enjoyed the romance but the subplot involving the Elite was too opaque for me and the parts involving the children mixed with so much cheese as to render me lactose intolerant.

Vegemite: It’s a Matter of Taste

June 1, 2013 / Kaetrin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vegemiteontoast_large.jpg

I like Vegemite^. A sparing amount over freshly made and hot buttered toast, can be just the thing for breakfast if I’m in a toast kind of mood. Other than that I grew up eating it and I like the flavour of umami reasonably well (or, possibly, just saying “umami”), I really can’t explain it though. I don’t expect you to understand. It is almost black and thick and kind of … greasy. It is a by-product of the beer brewing process. (And it LOOKS like a petroleum by-product.) But I like it. It is okay for me to like it. It is also okay for you not to like it.

If you’d like, I will try and explain why I like Vegemite but if you don’t “get it”, it doesn’t mean I have failed you. I’m not obliged to keep trying to come up with new ways to justify to you why I like Vegemite. I am not a Vegemite-Evangelist. I’m a Vegemite-Live-and-Let-Live-r. Vegemite, like many things, is something that ultimately, you either “get” or do not. And LOADS of people DON’T. LOADS.