Tag: NetGalley (Page 34 of 37)

Wish by Kelly Hunter

October 9, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: After my less than successful experience with my first try of something from the Destiny imprint, I was keen to read another which I liked. I’ve heard about Australian author Kelly Hunter from various trusted reviewers and I even have another of her Harlequin books on my TBR but I hadn’t read any. When I saw this on NetGalley, I felt like this would be a sure bet. I was right.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) All single mother Billie Temple wants for Christmas is to trade her hectic Sydney lifestyle for simple country living and a place to call home.

All widowed cattleman Adam Kincaid wants is for Billie and her son to go away.

Someone’s got a problem.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I’ve always thought it takes a special talent to write short. To tell a good story in less than 100 pages is a talent I both recognise and envy (if I ever do write a book, I can’t imagine it being short!). And, sure I could happily have read more about Billie and Adam, but, the story was told and very enjoyably too in that less than 100 pages.

Ms. Hunter creates characters using bold strokes but which nevertheles feel complete. She doesn’t use a lot of words to explain the characters, letting them largely speak for themselves, but there was enough that I had a very clear picture of the main players, without any of them feeling like caricatures. I enjoyed the humor too – the way she portrayed Adam’s initial interest in Billie is one example:

Billie was doing the rounds for empties when he walked in and she looked businesslike and efficient in tailored black trousers and a crisp white shirt. Not that he’d been expecting a miniskirt, fishnets, and six-inch heels, no, but a man had his fantasies and that one had been particularly vivid.

I had half expected the book would be on the sweet side of the steam scale, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the heat level was higher than that – no shying away from use of the word clitoris. There wasn’t tons and tons of sex – it’s not an erotic romance and of course, it’s not very long, but there was enough for the story and it was well done too.

Billie is open about her desire for Adam from early on and it is obvious he is struggling with feeling the same way even though after the death of his wife and son in a car accident some years before, he’s not looking for a relationship. The presence of Billie and her son on his property is enough to give him the heebie geebies and it’s bringing all sorts of uncomfortable emotions to the surface. He’s gruff and outright rude but he is at heart, a good man and a protector and he is drawn to Billie.

Eventually they start up a friends with benefits type arrangement, on the quiet and with no strings from either side – Adam can’t bring himself to use Cal’s name referring to him as “the boy” and Billie knows that a relationship with a man who can’t include her son in his life is doomed. But, he’s sexy and she’s lonely so, despite her better judgement she embarks on a fling. When some strange things start happening in town and it looks like Billie is under threat, Adam’s protective instincts outweigh his reticence and he takes Billie and Cal into his home. And he finds, against his will, he likes it.

I enjoyed the Australian setting and farming work peppered throughout the story and I liked how Billie stood up for herself with her new boss at the pub Roly and got her way in getting the pub modernised and bringing in new customers. The “suspense” plot was a little thin I suppose but it all made sense and as I read for the romance I wasn’t bothered by it.

Billie has been through a lot in her life too and I appreciated that she was the sort of person who could take a little time to grieve but then got up and moved on with optimism, without being a Mary Sue. Adam sees that and takes some inspiration I think.

I also enjoyed the scene where Adam went shopping. Very fun. 🙂

The book is nothing earth-shattering – just a sweet sexy and short contemporary but I really enjoyed it. The length is just right to finish in an evening and it left me with a smile on my face.

What else? According to Goodreads, the book was first released last year but it is up at NetGalley now as release for the new Destiny imprint so I guess it is getting a new audience.

I enjoyed Ms. Hunter’s writing voice and will definitely be reading more from her.

Grade: B+

Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

October 8, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I saw the Twitter buzz (especially from Angela James, Carina Press editor who said it was super dirty) so I hoofed it over to NetGalley and was happy to be approved for the title. I’ll just say here too that the copyright information at the front was pretty classy I thought (basically that it’s okay to lend, but keep within your peer group and lend like you would a paper book.).

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) All Noelle Cunningham has ever wanted is a life beyond–beyond the walls of Eden, where only the righteous are allowed to remain, and beyond her stiflingly restrictive existence as a councilman’s daughter. But only ruins lie outside the City, remnants of a society destroyed by solar storms decades earlier.

The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal–men like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four’s ruthless leader, and he’ll defend the O’Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet.

Her innocence is undeniable, but so is their intense sexual attraction, and soon they’re crossing every boundary Noelle barely knew she had. But if she wants to belong to Jas, first she’ll have to open herself to the gang, to a dangerous world of sex, lust and violence. A world where passion is power, and freedom is found in submission.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Angela James was right. It’s super dirty! 😀 In the wild west environment of Sector 4, anything goes (so, expect some f/f action as well as multiple partners and a little BDSM play). Dallas O’Kane rules the sector and he makes sure the women under his protection are free to choose what that they do and with whom, just like the men. In Eden, woman (I gather) are ornaments for their fathers and later, their husbands; sex is not allowed and certainly not for fun. Noelle does the rubber band thing a little – going from one extreme to the other, until she settles at what is comfortable and happy for her. But, from the first, when she literally falls into Jasper’s arms, she feels a special affinity for him and he for her. It takes a while for both of them to realise that their attraction is based on more than him being her white knight that day.

I *really liked* how there was no slut shaming in this book by the people of Sector 4.

“Do you think I’m a harlot?”

She could not be serious. “No. I think maybe you’re a lady who likes to fuck.”

Noelle’s lips twitched. A laugh bubbled up, and she jerked her hand from his leg to cover her mouth. “You say it so easily, like it’s not the same thing at all.”

“Because it’s not. No one here is going to think you’re a bad person.” Seeing her mouth covered was a travesty, so he pried her fingers away and rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “I’ll show you tonight, and you’ll see.”

It takes a while for Noelle to understand that along with the power to say “yes” to things, she also has the power to say “no”. Ultimately, I think Jasper’s earlier reticence about Noelle was about this – if she only said “yes” did that make the word meaningless?

Jasper’s insta-love didn’t bother me as much as it usually would have (though generally it’s not a trope I love) and I can’t really put my finger on why. It was just an accepted fact in the story very (very) early on. I did believe he feels for Noelle something he hasn’t felt before. I liked the way he’s clearly fairly alpha but he wasn’t uber possessive of her either. It seems even after their HEA they will still have many sexual adventures.

I liked Noelle’s journey (now she’s free, what’s she going to do with it?) and I liked the glimpses we had into Dallas (rowr!), Lex, Ace (more rowr!), Rachel, Bren ( ro… are you sensing a theme here?) and Six. I think I’m going to like Maddox too as the series progresses.

Dallas in particularly is a very interesting character (absolutely ruthless but with a unassailable sense of honour) and his dynamic with Lex is something which outshone Noelle and Jasper from time to time. For some reason, I didn’t mind though. 🙂

Because of the way the story was set up, with bits of Dallas, Lex and others, there was a sense of the book being somewhat unfinished. This was a satisfying read, but it’s clear there is a LOT more to tell.

I also liked that Noelle didn’t just cave into Jasper at the end, she actually thought about it – valued herself and him enough to sit back and make a decision. I also liked that she took responsibility for her part of the relationship and didn’t expect hearts and flowers and perfection – that she undertook to make it work too.

Jasper had hurt her. Whether through good intentions or carelessness, it didn’t matter. He’d crushed something fragile, and while doing it had damaged her trust. She couldn’t close her eyes and believe that he’d always know what she needed, that he’d always be there, giving it to her, no questions asked.

But maybe it had been the wrong sort of trust. Open, passive trust, the kind that was reckless to give and easy to shatter. The girl who’d been thrown through the gates of Eden had trusted blindly because she hadn’t had any other choice. That kind of trust meant as little as one more yes from someone who never said no.

This time would be harder. She’d have to trust Jasper, knowing he was human. Knowing he could hurt her, even when he didn’t mean to. She’d have to trust that he’d do his best, and make amends when his best wasn’t enough.

What else? I appreciated that the book wasn’t overwhelmed by world building, while at the same time being curious about some aspects which weren’t explained. All in all though, I’d rather the less is more approach I think. I’m curious to know more about the world – I got the sense that the authors know the answers even if they’re not actually in the book (as opposed to some books where I’ve felt that no-one has a clue or “they’re making it up as they go along”), so I’m happy enough to go along for the ride. I’m definitely looking forward to finding more about this world and I can hardly wait to find out more about Lex and Dallas and the other Sector 4 characters.

Grade: B

Kit Rocha (who is the alter ego of Moira Rogers – aka the writing team of Bree and Donna) have a most cool promotion on at present, where you can sign up and join the O’Kane gang – complete with (temporary) tattoos. You can also grab a badge just like this one to show your allegiance. Very fun.

Lean on Me by HelenKay Dimon

October 4, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I heard the Twitter buzz and snapped it up when it was offered on NetGalley.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Cassidy Clarke once climbed the world’s highest mountains, but after an unexpected illness ends her career she’s back in her hometown, broke and hoping for a little luck. But the townsfolk aren’t exactly putting out a welcome mat for the woman who once snubbed them in the media, despite her apologies now.

Mitch Anders knows someone has set up camp on the grounds of his plant nursery, and he’s surprised to find his sexy high school crush ducking questions about where she’s staying. Though he’s sworn to stop cleaning up other people’s messes, Mitch offers Cassidy a job and a place to stay—his place. Bedsharing optional, but definitely welcome.

Out of options and too attracted to Mitch to keep things platonic, Cassidy says yes to his offer. She wants to get back on her feet financially and start a new career. She never expects to suffer a different kind of fall, one that has her believing Mitch just might bring her something bigger and better than luck

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I knew I was going to like this book when I got to page 9 and found this:

“What happened to your neck?” She closed her eyes the minute the babble left her mouth. Her breath also caught in her throat. She blamed the fumble of words rather than the feel of his hand folded over hers. “I mean, you, ah, look slimmer. Not that you were ever fat.”

One of the bystanders laughed.

Cassidy rushed to cover her most recent verbal disaster, though she feared there would be more. “You were more muscular then. Like, thicker in the shoulder to jaw area. You had a neck, of course. It was just…big.” She swore she heard a gurgling sound. Probably had something to do with her drowning in stupidity.

He held up his free hand as his eyes sparkled with mischief. “That compliment, if that’s what it was supposed to be, was kind of painful.”

“It didn’t sound too great in my head either.”

And the deal was sealed on page 14 when Mitch gets saucy:

“When I do go—” he pointed in the direction of the glassed-in office at the far end of the room, “—you’re going to be tempted to watch my ass.”

The comment was so out of context it hit her like a sharp smack. “Excuse me?”

“Just to be clear, I won’t be offended. As far as I’m concerned, you can go right ahead and look because I can guarantee you if the positions were reversed, I’d be watching yours.”

I love that kind of humour – it put me in mind of Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski series and it made me smile as I settled in to read.

Yes, there were things I thought were a little on the thin side – for example, the mystery regarding Cassidy’s stepfather Allan’s strange behaviour – I mean, seriously, how long did he think he was going to keep that a secret?

And, I would have liked the story to be a bit longer so as to flesh out Mitch’s backstory just a little more – I liked the way there wasn’t a great big info-dump, but rather was parsed out in small pieces, but at the end, I felt it was not quite enough.

I did think the final “conflict” was a little bit manufactured, given the faith Mitch had shown in Cassidy up til then (and the fact that that faith had consistently been rewarded) but they sorted things out quickly and he groveled sufficiently that I was prepared to let it go. Besides, the guy was hilarious clinging to a tree up the side of what was basically a hill and telling Cassidy (who had climbed Everest for goodness sake) to stay well back from the edge.

Mitch made the story for me – I really think he had most of the best lines:

“When we talk about everything else, we’ll cover that issue too. No more hiding.”

“I’m not really comfortable with any of this. After all, it’s my life. My business.”

“That argument would be more compelling if I hadn’t spent an hour washing shit out of my hair last night.”

Mitch made up his mind as soon as he laid eyes on Cassidy that he was going to be getting to know her very well and I enjoyed his single-mindedness on the issue. He wasn’t all alpha caveman about it, but he was quietly determined and with the dimple and the eye-twinkling Cassidy was a goner right from the start. The chemistry between the two was sizzling and fun and even though the book only spanned a few days, I didn’t have trouble believing that they had a real and lasting connection.

What else? Another good thing about this was that the small town of Holloway, West Virginia wasn’t full of sweet old ladies and kind friends (On Twitter, it was referred to as not being “Stepford”). The townsfolk were pretty fired up about an interview Cassidy did some years before where she was pretty scathing about her hometown and they haven’t forgiven her. The gossip mill is active and mean in Holloway – which is the way gossip usually is. Mitch is on Cassidy’s side right from the start and that made him a wonderful hero. Here he is again:

Nice and slow, making sure everyone saw and no one got the story wrong, he lowered his head and treated her to a shoe-shaking kiss. He let her have it all, didn’t hold back. And when he lifted his head again she was smiling.

The twinkle had returned to her eyes. “No, that’s how a man stakes a claim.”

He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Wait until you see how I do it with my clothes off.”

It’s a light, fun, sexy contemporary which was a pleasure to read.

Grade: B+

Two Tickets to Paradise

September 27, 2012 / Kaetrin

This is the latest Dreamspinner Press anthology, which I picked up from NetGalley.

Because there are so many short stories included, I’ll change up my usual review format and talk briefly about each one.

A Good Night’s Sleep by Anna Martin – B- – Two guys backpacking through Thailand and Malaysia meet on a train and hook up (yep, train sex). The story is very short, so the hopeful kind of HFN is appropriate. I know I got this from NetGalley and I can expect to find some errors which (hopefully) won’t be there in the final version, but can I just say that Sydney, Australia is spelt with a “y” and not an “i”?

Fall Forward by Jamie Love – D – 2 college guys take their first vacation together. I didn’t really enjoy this story; it was a bit clumsy and delved into boring minutiae.

Reconnecting by Claire Russett – B – Physics professor meets up with the ex who broke his heart at a conference in Corfu. Quite good but I didn’t get the excitement over getting a free 16GB flashdrive as conference swag – are they that expensive?

Mending and Moving On by Cecilia Ryan – B – Two guys meet up in Spain – one is nursing a broken heart (although, not that broken because he connects pretty quickly with the other guy, let’s face it). Apart from that I don’t like it when adults, especially guys “giggle”, I did enjoy this one. It was quite sweet overall and had a believable hopeful kind of HFN. But, do men really say I don’t like being “penetrated”?

The Jeep Guy by Eric Renner C- This was an odd little story which took me a while to work out – Guy meets another guy during a beach vacation. The story is told initially via blog posts but by the end that device seemed to have been dropped, but without any real explanation.

All at Sea by JL Merrow – B Story about first love on holiday on the Isle of Wight with a sweet surprise at the end. Touching and happy. I liked it.

Haunted by Jana Denardo – C Story about a ghost hunter writing and his photographer boyfriend. I was expecting a ghostly conflict but it was more about the writer being worried his boyfriend was bored/unhappy about all of their working vacations – which was sorted out by one simple conversation.

Something Different by Sean Michael – B Very sexy story about 2 ex-lovers getting back together after 10 years apart, when they bump into each other while they are both holidaying in Las Vegas. I wouldn’t have minded a longer story and to know more about the how of their future, but I did believe they would make it.

Perpendicularity by Mal Peters – B- Cute story about a pro snow boarder and a chef who meet in the French Alps. It has a hopeful HFN ending. Strangely, the story was told in 1st person present tense which felt a bit odd. I would have happily read more of these two however.

Sunlight on Water by Susan Laine – D The clumsy writing made this one difficult for me to finish “He had that surfer thing going on and the surfboard next to him emphasised the impression” (ya think?). Young guys meet on the beach. One is a hustler but nevertheless; insta-love. Did not like.

Off the Tracks by Chelle Dugan – C- This was a kind of odd time travel story. A lot of telling not showing (which I can kind of understand in such a short format, but still). I liked the style but the time travel thing threw me a bit.

All You Need by Dar Mavison – B- Relationship in trouble story – a couple go to New York for a weekend and find some common ground. If the story had’ve been longer, perhaps I would have more confidence that their problems were over, but it’s a more hopeful than happy ending. I liked the alternating first person POV and how the same problems were shown from each man’s perspective. What they also had in common was that they didn’t want the relationship to end.

Know Nobody by GR Richards – C- Story about an older guy who takes a trip to somewhere he knows nobody so he can hook up. He gets lucky with three (!) younger men after “undies night” at a local gay bar. His BFF turns up and they suddenly realise they belong together. Lots of sex but not much emotional connection.

New Lease by BG Thomas – C+ A guy who’s been someone’s dirty little secret for 20 years is still grieving his death and goes to their holiday rental considering suicide. He meets a handsome man there who awakens his dormant libido and gives him hope for the future. I liked the style but struggled a bit with why anyone would have put up with that for so long.

Krung Thep, City of Angels by Zee Kensington – C Young guy hooks up with older more experienced traveller in Bangkok. The young guy felt very young – much younger than 23. Hopeful happy for now ending.

Overall Grade: B-/C+

All He Ever Needed by Shannon Stacey

September 14, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: Carina sent an early copy to all of its auto-approved NetGalley reviewers. Thank you Carina! But in any event, I’m a fan of the series.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Born to RoamMitch Kowalski lives out of a suitcase—and he likes it that way. Traveling for work has the added bonus of scaring off women who would otherwise try to tie him down. But when he’s called home to help with running the family lodge, he’s intrigued by the new girl in town and her insistence that she doesn’t need a man—for anything. If there’s one thing Mitch can’t resist, it’s a challenge, especially a beautiful one.Looking for Home

After a nomadic childhood, Paige Sullivan is finally putting down roots. Determined to stand on her own two feet, she lives by the motto men are a luxury, not a necessity. But when Mr. Tall, Dark and Hot pulls up a stool in her diner and offers her six weeks of naughty fun with a built-in expiration date, she’s tempted to indulge.

Mitch won’t stay put for a woman, and Paige won’t chase after a man—they’re the perfect match for a no-strings fling. Until they realize the amazing sex has become anything but casual…

What worked for me (and what didn’t): First of all, Mitch Kowalski is ROWR. He’s also a bit of a player, but he’s not a dick about it. He makes it clear from the start that he’s not into long term. Things will end, he will say goodbye and leave. He won’t call, he won’t text and he won’t be back.His role as boss/owner of a demolition company (what a cool job!) means he travels a lot and he’s very busy and he learned the hard way that his business and a long term relationship don’t mix well.

But, even before that, he was a love ’em and leave ’em man – as many many ladies in Whitfield will tell you – the strange thing is that no-one holds a grudge. All the memories are fond (at least on the part of the women, some of their daddy’s? Not so much.)

She leaned her hip against the stainless steel island the coffeemaker sat on and looked him over. “Tall, dark and handsome, with pretty blue eyes. You must be one of Josh’s brothers.”

Usually a guy didn’t like being told he had a pretty anything, but he’d learned a long time ago having pretty eyes led to having pretty girls. “I’m the oldest. Mitch.”

When Mitch comes home to Whitfield to help his brother Josh with the Northern Star Lodge after Josh breaks his leg, it is with bittersweet joy. It is good to be home, to see family and the lodge, but he detests that he doesn’t seem to be able to shake off the mistakes and hubris of his teen self. No-one in Whitfield will let him forget his adventures – and over the years, many of them have been embellished.

Mitch doesn’t take long to spot Paige and decide that he’d like to spend his 6 weeks in Whitfield getting cozy with her. Paige’s role-model was her mother – a woman who flitted from one man to the next, who felt it was necessary to have a man to be “complete”. Her philosophy is that men are a luxury she doesn’t need so she’s sworn of relationships. Despite how hot and sexy Mitch is, it does take him some time to wear down her resistance – by the time he does, half of his time is up (which seemed like a bit of a waste if you ask me – I mean, he was the perfect candidate for a fling wasn’t he? Temporary and hot – and, not staying, so she wouldn’t have to keep bumping into him in town.)

Paige also has to deal with the “girlfriend code” – her good friend Hailey had a fling with Mitch when they were teenagers – in fact, it is one of the reasons Hailey is urging Paige to go for it.

“But still nothing. Trust me when I tell you there was no emotional involvement at all, for either of us, and you are clear to land, honey.”

“My runway’s closed.” Paige frowned, then shook her head. “I’m butchering this whole airplane thing. I can’t be the plane and the runway.”

“Let me make it easy. He’ll be the plane. You be the hangar.”

“For a guy who’s parked his plane all over town? He can taxi on down to another hangar.”

Hailey laughed. “You’re right. You do suck at the airplane thing. But I don’t think he’s quite as free with his plane parking as legend makes him out to be, you know. I’ve lived my whole life here, and a lot of those stories are the equivalent of my uncle’s fish stories. They just want everybody to think they landed the big one.”

“I can’t do planes and fish. You’ve gotta pick one.”

“Reel him in, keep him a few weeks, then throw him back and let him swim away.”

“You’re killing me with metaphors.

*gigglesnort*

I didn’t mind the build up of the sexual tension actually, it was sexy and fun and it gave the couple some time to do a bit of courting. But, I did think Paige’s turnaround made little sense in the big scheme – after all, nothing had really changed, other than resistance being futile I guess. And, I would have liked the period of “togetherness” to have lasted longer than a couple of weeks.

When Paige and Mitch do get together, they certainly scorch up the sheets (and a few other places as well) and find extra uses for a can of whipped cream. Pretty soon, both of them have developed feelings but Mitch won’t stay and Paige won’t go – if she does, she would be giving up on her dreams and they’re just as important as Mitch’s. What I liked, is that Mitch never ever contemplated that Paige would or ought to do so (which was why I was able to forgive him for a couple of his more sexist type comments – like we woman need a man to open a jar! Really!). The compromise, when it occurs, seems obvious (and not dissimilar to that reached in Slow Summer Kisses really) but I didn’t see much resolution of the other problem Mitch has with Whitfield – not being able to escape his past.

I think, in the end, perhaps the 6 week duration of their journey from “hello” to HEA was a little on the short side for me, particularly as they were dancing around each other for half of it. I guess I would have liked the relationship to span a little more time. Other than that, I can’t really articulate why I like others in the series better than this one (having said that, I didn’t not like it).

As usual, there is plenty of sizzle and spark and humour – all the things which have made Shannon Stacey an auto-buy for me. Her contemporary voice just works for me. While this book wasn’t my favourite in the Kowalski series, it was nevertheless good fun and I recommend.

What else? We are also introduced to the other Kowalksi brothers Josh and Ryan and their soon to be significant others (they just don’t know it yet) Katie and Lauren (Ryan and Lauren are next) and a broader cast of Whitfield townspeople. I particularly liked Drew and the storyline with his wife Mallory. He wants children, she doesn’t – but she’s told him for years that she would eventually – turns out, not so much. Their ending in this book isn’t happy. I’m hoping that over the course of the trilogy we might see Drew get a HEA of his own (ETA: Ms. Stacey tweeted that Drew will be getting his own book – yippee!) – whether his HEA will be with Mallory again or someone new, who knows. They certainly have believable and large obstacles. I can’t help but be sympathetic to Drew’s position – children were something they had agreed on before they were married and Mallory’s been lying to him about it for 10 years.

There is an overarching storyline about whether Josh will stay in Whitfield and whether he will keep running the lodge which didn’t bog down this book but links the 3 stories together. Next up is Ryan’s carpentry assistance to get the lodge into tip top shape for the as-yet-unknown future.

The good news is that All He Ever Desired is out in October and All He Ever Dreamed is out in November, so we don’t have long to wait to find out what happens to the other Kowalksi brothers.

Favourite Quote:

“Men are a luxury, not a necessity.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, scowling as if the concept was totally foreign to him. Which it probably was.

She moved away from the island and straightened the salt and pepper shakers just to give her hands something to do. “It means I don’t need a man in my life. And I have that written on a sticky note taped to my fridge so I don’t forget it.”

“But you want a man, right?”

She pretended to think about it for a few seconds. “Not especially.”

“Who opens jars for you?”

“I have a little gadget that does that.”

“But…” He grinned. “What about sex?”

“I have a little gadget that does that, too.”

Grade: B-

Power Play by Rachel Haimowitz & Cat Grant

September 7, 2012 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: My very first foray into m/m romance was with Anah Crowe’s Uneven, a book recommended by Sarah Frantz, former Dear Author reviewer (and, as it happens, current Riptide Publishing editor who, I understand, had a hand in editing either the second or both of the Power Play books). Uneven was a book which didn’t work for me that well, because I didn’t “get” BDSM and especially the pain side of things. Plus, there was blood. One MC kept hitting the other and making him bleed and I just didn’t understand why that would be fun for anyone. Since then, I’ve read a bit more and have learned a little more about it, although I can’t say that I’m any kind of expert or that I really understand it. Still, I’m a curious and adventurous reader. I heard that this book/series “explained” BDSM in a way that made it accessible without being boring. I downloaded it (as well as Power Play: Awakening) from NetGalley but I’ll admit it took me a while to be brave enough to open it, especially after reading the advisory:

Reader discretion advised. This title contains heavy kink. While consent is clearly established and frequently reaffirmed, some moments in Power Play push hard against the outer edges of consent.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Give me six months, and I’ll give you the world.

Brandon McKinney has scraped and sacrificed for what little in life he’s ever had. Though it’s been fifteen years since he escaped his father’s abuse, the damage remains. Trust seems as far out of reach as his dream of becoming an architect, and though he’s come to accept being gay, he can’t deny the shame and confusion he feels at other urges–the deeply repressed desire to submit.

Jonathan Watkins is a self-made Silicon Valley billionaire whose ex-wife took half his money and even more of his faith. Comfortable as a Dominant but wary of being hurt again, he resorts to anonymous pickups and occasional six-month contracts with subs seeking only a master, not a lover.

When a sizzling back-alley encounter cues Jonathan in to Brandon’s deep-seated submissive side, he makes the man an offer: Give me six months of your life, and I’ll open your eyes to a whole new world. Brandon doesn’t care about that; all he wants is the three million dollars Jonathan’s offering so he can buy the construction company he works for. But he soon learns that six months on his knees is no easy feat, and shame and pride may keep him from all he ever wanted-and all he never dreamed he had any right to have.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Well, my “innocent” eyes were certainly confronted by some of the pain play in this book. I can’t say that I honestly understand why anyone would consent to having a taser to their intimate parts (makes my eyes tear just thinking about it) but, it was clear that Bran’s consent was present at all times. Jonathan and Bran agree on rules at the outset and Jonathan sticks to them. He responds immediately to Bran’s use of safewords and always makes sure he has the ability to “say” it – sometimes by use of a panic button or a red bandanna if he’s gagged.

Even though they set up the rules, it becomes clear over the course of the story, that Bran really didn’t know what he was getting into – yes he consents but he doesn’t understand at all the reasoning behind the actions Jonathan is taking. And, it’s clear (particularly at the beginning of the second book) that Jonathan realises that his initial approach was in error.

The writing is smooth and compelling – even when I was reading about things which made me uncomfortable as a reader, the story flowed so well and the characters were so interesting that I found the book very difficult to put down. And, it wasn’t the voyeuristic horror of a car wreck which made me not want to look away either. I surprised myself actually that I didn’t look upon it like that at all. I was still querying why? at the end of the book, but I didn’t feel that Jonathan crossed into villain/serial torturer territory. The parts of the book from his perspective, particularly toward the end, made it clear that he wasn’t getting much out of it because of Bran’s resistance and was using the more severe punishment as a way to make Bran give up and leave – to put them both out of their misery. Because, despite Bran’s resistance to what Jonathan is trying to do (and again, I can’t say I was anymore clued in on this than Bran), he will not quit. This idea of resisted consent intrigued me. The things Jonathan required of Bran were things he almost universally resisted – he wasn’t happy about kneeling naked on a cushion and keeping still for long stretches, being hand-fed, he wasn’t happy about daily enemas (Twitter tells me this could lead to lazy bowel so I did worry for Bran a little on this), he certainly wasn’t happy about being beaten, slapped or whipped. But, he did consent. He had the ability to make it all stop on a word (or a gesture if he was gagged) and he was free to leave at any time. And, I don’t think staying had as much to do with the $3 million as Bran perhaps thought. It seemed more about pride, a “you WILL NOT break me” kind of thing.

Of course, everyone has their breaking point.

One character I did not like was the housekeeper Sabrina. I didn’t really understand why she had so much power and authority over Bran. Jonathon I could understand (if I squinted a little) but Sabrina? No, And, I didn’t like her smugness about it either. It’s quite possible that there is something (else) about this total power exchange business that I’m missing when it comes to other people however.

What else? I started reading Awakening as soon as I finished Resistance. Awakening is a complete story with a distinct beginning, middle and end, but it is not their complete story. At the beginning of Awakening, Brandon tells Jonathan that he broke him and now he has to fix him and I felt the same way in my reading experience. Resistance is all about breaking down and Awakening (I hope) is about the rebuilding. I really don’t feel you can read one without the other and so I decided that the reviews had to be concurrent also.

I don’t expect that I will ever completely understand BDSM and I don’t think it’s for me outside of fiction but right now (and as I’m writing this, I am only a couple of chapters into the second book) I do feel like I just might be able to “get” it in a way I never have before, or at least almost – like something which is on the tip of your tongue. Also, now I think I need to read Master Class.

I couldn’t grade Resistance until after I finished Awakening either. For me, they are 2 essential halves with how much I enjoyed this book ultimately depending on what happens at the end of their story. (You might want to not give that last too much thought, as it doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Just go with it).

Grade: B

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Brandon McKinney is a man reborn. Newly awakened to the notion of consensual power exchange and the submissive urges inside him, he begs for a second chance from the man who opened his eyes to this world: Silicon Valley superstar Jonathan Watkins. But no birth is absent pain, and Brandon’s is no exception. He fears he’s not strong enough to see it through.

Jonathan knows better. He’s seen the iron core inside his new submissive, and the wounded heart inside him too. He means to teach Brandon to heal the one with the other. They have five months left on their contract, after all, and Jonathan has done more with less before.

It’s tough to stay objective, though, when you’re falling in love. Shame Brandon doesn’t feel the same. He’s only there for the three-million-dollar payout at contract’s end—a fact that Jonathan, nursing his own wounded heart, reminds himself of each day. For even as Brandon’s barriers break and his mind expands, even as he grows to love his place at Jonathan’s feet, he’ll never love life with a sadist—especially one who cannot escape the public eye.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): There is something about these characters which compels me. I can’t say that it’s the power exchange, although that may be part of it. I really think that is more of an adjunct than the reason however. I find myself thinking about them, pondering the how and the why like I do with any book whose characters blow me away. Even when they are confronting me, I want to spend more time with them.

This book is more about Jonathan and Bran’s emotional relationship than Resistance and the emphasis isn’t so much on the S/M part of proceedings, although there is some of that (clothes pegs – ouch!). The focus is much more on Bran’s growing ease and peace and acceptance – of himself and of what he shares with Jonathan.

Ultimately, I felt Awakening was somewhat less satisfying than the promise of the first book – while I preferred the emphasis on the emotional side of things in this book, the ending felt a little underdone to me and somewhere along the way, I lost my tenuous grasp on the “why” of it all. It’s quite possible (even probable) that I’ll never “get” it and certainly, these 2 books had me closer to understanding than I had been before, so there is that.

I understood that Bran found a great deal of peace and freedom in his relationship with Jonathan but I would have liked a little more of the how of their relationship once Bran has resumed his life outside of their one-on-one relationship. I think I fell down a little there in my understanding of how it all works.

There were a couple of things about which I was left curious by the end and, because I’m the type of reader who does like things tied up in a neat bow, I found myself niggled by the questions. For example, what happened with the swear jar? Was it re-set to 0 or did Bran take his punishment?

I also wondered whether Jonathan understood that Bran’s reaction to Solange was jealousy and if so, what he thought of it. That wasn’t addressed in the story and I would have liked to have known. It is apparent that Jonathan is bisexual – he was married to Susan for 5 years and he says he still has feelings of love for her; he obviously had some kind of sexual relationship with Solange. But he also said that when he was quite young, he realised that he preferred men. I wondered if Bran ever worried about this. If he did, it wasn’t mentioned in the story.

The biggest thing which felt somewhat undeveloped to me, was that Jonathan comes to the overt realisation about halfway through this book, that he and Bran are not compatible sexually – Bran is NOT a masochist – he does NOT like pain. Jonathan IS a sadist. He DOES like (other people’s) pain. He reflects that they cannot be for each other what each other needs. Obviously, he changes his mind and I admit I wanted him to do so, but I did not see enough of the how of that change in the text.

What else? I am glad I read these 2 books. I liked Jonathan and Bran and I enjoyed reading about their emotional journey, even though some of the physical aspects of the trip had me squinting my eyes a bit. I would happily have stayed in their world and learned more about them and how they manage their lives together. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters and – while I can’t say I “get” BDSM completely, if there is a continuum, then I think I have moved along it. The books took me outside my comfort zone in some ways but ultimately, at its heart, the story of Jonathan and Bran is a romance – a story of love, acceptance, courage and faith. If only there had’ve been a little more closure…. but perhaps it is a story I will re-read and perhaps in doing so, there will be gleanings I missed the first time around. I certainly hope to meet up with these characters again in the future.

Grade: B

Even though I found Awakening a little less satisfying than Resistance in some ways (but not in others – Awakening was definitely the more “romantic” of the two), I ended up with the same grade for both – the stories are so interdependent on one another, I felt I needed to grade Power Play as a whole.