It’s been a while since I’ve read such an imaginative paranormal romance. Bec McMaster has penned a noteworthy...more4 ½ stars – Paranormal Romance/Steampunk
It’s been a while since I’ve read such an imaginative paranormal romance. Bec McMaster has penned a noteworthy debut that’s bold, inventive, engrossing, and sensual. I really enjoyed this!
McMaster has crafted an intricate, alternate London set historical with memorable, complex characters and unique elements of paranormal, steampunk, vampires, and verwulfen blended seamlessly without excessive world building to bog down the pacing or impede the romance. The dark, eerie Whitechapel setting gives the story an authentic gothic resonance and provides lots of danger, intrigue, thrills, and chills.
Blade, “the devil of Whitechapel”, is a captivating, sexy hero with a fascinating mix of tortured soul and primal alpha male who’s at times brutal yet intimately tender and protective of those he cares about. He’s rough, growly, ruthless, and possessive, has a caring heart of gold, and yearns for affection, trust, and peace. Blade reminded me a little of Charming Mickey from Elizabeth Hoyt’s Scandalous Desires at times but with more of a predator, supernatural edge and a somewhat softer, gooier center. In other words...YOWZA!
Honoria Todd is a strong, brave heroine and I both admired and wanted to strangle her at times for being so stubborn, proud, and loyal to a fault. It drove me crazy that she continually resisted and rebuffed Blade, no matter what he did or how hard he tried. Blade and Honoria engage in quite a bit of bickering, sparring, and bantering and have some seriously explosive chemistry. And when she finally comes to her senses I nearly screamed...well, it’s about time!
Kiss of Steel is a terrific, original debut that’s dark, passionate, intense, emotional, and satisfyingly steamy. I’m looking forward to the next book, Heart of Iron.
Kristen Ashley has without a doubt earned the best/most of everything for 2012 (addictive stories, unforgettable...more5 stars – Contemporary Erotic Romance
Kristen Ashley has without a doubt earned the best/most of everything for 2012 (addictive stories, unforgettable heroes, and moving epilogues) and is easily one of my all-time favorite authors. Her books completely beguile me every single time and this was certainly no exception. Never mind that I had boxes to unpack or a gazillion other things to do because Creed simply demanded my full attention...and boy howdy, he got it! I simply couldn’t put it down!
This actually started off a little bit rocky and I wasn’t quite sure what to think. But then around the 28% mark, everything started falling into place and I ended up loving it! Creed and Sylvie are both broken and battered with horribly tragic pasts, but they find healing and forgiveness through their resilient, enduring, and unconquerable love for each other. They’re memorable, unique characters, and I adored them together.
I loved Knight and Creed, and it’s hard to decide which I liked better. Both have compelling, strong, albeit very distinctive, heroes, and although related, they’re still very different books; so it’s probably best not to compare the two. Having said that, this definitely left me more emotionally satisfied than Knight, probably because there’s a definitive, more traditional, hard-won HEA.
Bottom line, Kristen Ashley is an author goddess and she’s once again made me a very happy romance reader! Big 5 stars!
The epilogue...of course. KA is the queen of heartwarming, mushy, gushy, and can’t-get-enough-of-it epilogues, and Creed left me smiling and wiping away tears.
Minor criticisms:
Creed naming his kids (view spoiler)[with another woman the same names that he and Sylvie had planned on (hide spoiler)] made my heart break. Talk about a hot poker to the chest! His reasoning was awful, twisted, beautiful, and tragic, and although things eventually worked out, it was still hard to take.
After waiting so long for the flashback scene to reveal the moment that Sylvie (view spoiler)[finally lost her virginity to Creed (hide spoiler)], I was very disappointed that it faded to black.
I think it’s a bit misleading that this series falls in the Unfinished Hero series that’s described as erotic romances with anti-heroes because Creed is without a doubt an honorable man and a full-fledged hero, and it’s really not all that erotic.
Oh, but I really enjoyed this one! There are opposites attract stories and then there are opposites ignite, combust, and...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Oh, but I really enjoyed this one! There are opposites attract stories and then there are opposites ignite, combust, and singe my Kindle stories and this is definitely the latter. Whew!
And the premise is one of my favorites...seemingly stodgy, stuffy, rich, straitlaced Darcy-esque hero and free-spirited, quirky, flamboyant, provocative heroine clash, battle, and then inevitably end up lusting and scorching up the sheets...and pretty much any stable surface.
But Sarah Mayberry has penned an insightful, affecting story and given depth to Martin’s and Violet’s characters that dispels clichés and stereotypes. And talk about a swoonalicious, husband-worthy hero! I absolutely loved Martin! *sigh*
Her Best Worst Mistake is a sequel/spin-off of Hot Island Nights that takes place during the same time period, and I enjoyed this much more having read Hot Island Nights first.
It’s a sexy, fun, super steamy, and emotionally gratifying romance with a memorable H/h. 5 stars!
This is Kristen Ashley’s first venture into the “erotic” romance genre, and I loved it! Knight Sebring is a serio...more5 stars – Contemporary Erotic Romance
This is Kristen Ashley’s first venture into the “erotic” romance genre, and I loved it! Knight Sebring is a seriously sexy, magnetic, dark anti-hero and all kinds of yummy “Dom”ineering alpha hotness. Anya Gage is very likeable and genuine and one of my favorite KA heroines. I really enjoyed their captivating, intense connection, dynamic relationship, emotional progression, and explosive bedroom scenes! YOWZA!
Ms. Ashley took a gamble with this, and I imagine some readers/fans will be put off by certain aspects, like the BDSM (D/s) elements and Knight’s dark side. He’s definitely an enigmatic, powerful “anti-hero”, but that’s one of the things I loved most about it. And I’ve read quite a bit of erotic and BDSM romances, so for me, this is actually on the somewhat lite/mild side, but it’s still gratifyingly steamy!
Controversy and Quibbles:
1) Spank Me Daddy
Knight had Anya answer/call him “Daddy” instead of “Master” or “Sir” in their sex play, which usually sets off my ick factor alert, but it really didn’t bother me in this. Somehow Knight mastered it, and I actually found this “Daddy” more smokin’ hot than creepy. “Come to/for Daddy?” If/when it’s Knight Sebring demanding it? Oh Hell Yeah!
2) I’m No Mr. Nice Guy...aka...Knight’s Big Secret
(view spoiler)[Knight is a pimp. WTF?!?! But hey, he treats his stable of women much better than his smarmy predecessor and he once covered Anya with a blanket while she was napping, so it’s okay. *dramatic eye roll* It just didn’t seem right to me that he would continue to profit from the world’s oldest profession, despite his reasoning and assurances that his girls are well treated and protected, especially considering his mother’s tragic past as a prostitute and how it impacted him when he was a little boy. And not to mention the fact that he’s already filthy rich. (hide spoiler)]
3) HEA But Knight Isn’t Traditional
(view spoiler)[Knight wouldn’t “officially” marry Anya or give her his last name because it’s just not him (too white picket fence and traditional). Yet he gave her a ring and very reception-like party and was excited and enthusiastic about having kids. Hmmm...isn’t that a bit ironic? (hide spoiler)]
Overall, I’m a very satisfied Kristen Ashley fangirl and sincerely hope she pens more erotic romances! 5 stars!
Favorite Knight quotes:
“Wars fought over a face like this,” he murmured like he was talking to himself, my heart stopped beating and his thumbs moved lightly across my cheeks. “A man would work himself into the ground for it, go down to his knees to beg to keep it, endure torture to protect it, take a bullet for it,” his eyes came to mine, “poison his brother to possess a face like this.”
“And I wake up happy, baby, because I possess beauty and I own that beauty in all the forms it can take and the least important of those are physical.”
“Who’s Your Daddy?”
Knight’s Hot in a Suit, Sophisticated Style:
‘Cause every girl crazy ‘bout a Sharp Dressed Man!
Gah! I don’t have time to fully review this book to give it the justice it deserves. And ther...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense Novella
Gah! I don’t have time to fully review this book to give it the justice it deserves. And there’s no way I could possibly gush enough over how much I enjoyed the sweet, touching romance between a remarkable H/h, both of whom are battered souls deserving of gentleness, healing, and love. Pamela Clare never fails to amaze me with her emotional, powerful stories and she pens some of the absolute best heroes in romance. If you’re a romance fan and haven’t yet discovered her I-Team and MacKinnon’s Rangers series, then what on earth are you waiting for?!?! Big 5 stars!
I’ve been looking forward to Mike’s story and anxious for his HEA ever since he stole my heart when I read At Peace. G...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
I’ve been looking forward to Mike’s story and anxious for his HEA ever since he stole my heart when I read At Peace. Games of the Heart lived up to my high expectations and then some. It’s one of my (many) favorite Kristen Ashley reads. I loved it! I adored everything about it...the amazing hero and heroine, touching young love secondary romance, great ensemble cast of characters, emotional story, and gratifying epilogue.
Mike is such a swoon-worthy hero...he’s a caring, dedicated, and protective father and cop, a tough alpha male, and a commanding bad boy in the bedroom. Dusty is the perfect heroine...genuine, loving, strong, earthy, spirited, funny, and loyal. Mike and Dusty make a wonderful, solid couple, and their romance is compelling and heartfelt. But they nearly have the spotlight stolen by the beautiful, sweet teen romance between Dusty’s nephew, Finley “Fin”, and Mike’s daughter, Clarisse “Rees/Reesee”. There just aren’t enough words to describe how much I adored Fin. *sigh* He’s a far better man at seventeen than most could ever hope to be. Not to mention an unforgettable romantic hero in his own right.
So on that note, I’m finishing my review with a picture tribute to Fin. I love Garrett Hedlund and he’d make a yummy (older) Fin, but age wise I think Alex Pettyfer is a fitting casting choice.
Younger Alex Pettyfer as 17-year-old teen heartthrob Fin.
Alex Pettyfer as Fin seven years later when he’s finally about to (view spoiler)[marry his longtime sweetheart and true love Reesee in the epilogue. (hide spoiler)]
Garrett Hedlund is a great alternate for 24-year-old Fin.
“A Very Sinful Valentine” indeed! You are a master of eroticism, whether using you...more5 stars – Erotic Historical Romance Quickie/Freebie
Dearest Matthew,
“A Very Sinful Valentine” indeed! You are a master of eroticism, whether using your wicked tongue for scorching dirty talk and skillful fingers to pen naughty, sensual love notes or putting them to use for far more vigorous and...ahem...pleasurable pursuits. What an utterly rakish, licentious husband you are, and Jane is one lucky wife!
Ms. Featherstone,
My deepest thanks for giving your fans a wonderful, passionate, poignant, and sinfully delicious glimpse into the married life of “Matty” and his beloved Jane, for this is truly a delectable little morsel that’s not to be missed! 5 stars!
This is my favorite in the fun, ridiculously zany, wild ride Rock Chick series so far. V...more4 ½-5 stars – Chick lit/Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
This is my favorite in the fun, ridiculously zany, wild ride Rock Chick series so far. Vance is another yummy, KAmazing alpha hero, and he and Jules were smokin’ hot together!
I liked Jules and found her far less irritating than previous Rock Chicks, Indy, Jet, and Roxie, but she definitely had numerous aggravating moments. Her inner Rottweiler, constant threats about breaking up with Vance, and routinely bragging about being such a kickass “The Law” mamma jamma were really annoying. As far as I’m concerned, Vance has the patience of a saint.
The love triangle went a bit too far for my taste, so I’m knocking off half a star for that and some Jules irritation. Otherwise, it’s a highly entertaining read with some emotional moments that made me tear up a few times. 4 ½-5 stars!
Although his hair isn’t quite long enough, this is definitely my Vance Ouray Crowe.
There’s no possible way I can adequately express my feelings about this book or gush enough over how much I admire Kris...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
There’s no possible way I can adequately express my feelings about this book or gush enough over how much I admire Kristen Ashley’s writing brilliance. So I’ll keep things simple and just say that I loved, loved, loved this!
Ms. Ashley is the reigning queen of smokin’ hot, badass uber alpha heroes, addictive, sigh-worthy romance, and dreamy, gratifying epilogues, and Heaven and Hell is certainly no exception. It’s one of my very favorite KA reads to date! Huge, heavenly 5 stars!
Sam in all his sexy, swoonalicious glory:
Kia in casual glamour mode:
Kia lounging around Sam’s beach house in North Carolina:
Memphis going for a walk on the beach:
On a side note...I’ve been to Lake Como in Italy and it’s without a doubt one of the most beautiful, heavenly places I’ve seen. So I especially loved all the Lake Como scenes.
Lago di Como è bellissima!
This emotional, heartfelt scene pretty much sums up the book.
**********spoiler warning**********
(view spoiler)[“You walked into that dining room, baby, and you know, the minute I saw you, I wanted to fuck you. Two days later, I saw you outside havin’ a drink and even before you looked at me with tears in your eyes, just when I saw you sittin’ there, I was annoyed, thought you were playin’ games, and I didn’t care. Just you sittin’ there I knew it was you.” He knew it was me. Me I closed my eyes. “Look at me,” Sam ordered quietly and I opened them. “Weeks after that, Kia, I saw you standing in my kitchen writing a grocery list, doing nothing, just writing a grocery list. But you’d just made me laugh and, just like you, you made me do it hard. That shit with Gordo, with Luci, losin’ Ben, Felicia tryin’ to off herself, that shit’s too much, it wears you down. I hadn’t laughed like that in months, not since Gordo died and in that moment, you in the kitchen, I realized I did it all the time with you. There were times before, a lot of them, I’d look at you and feel your pull, so strong. I wanted to fight it, deny it but I couldn’t, you wouldn’t let me and I didn’t get it. But seein’ you standing in my kitchen, effortlessly beautiful, writing a fuckin’ grocery list after you made me laugh like that, I knew what it was. I got it. I knew it was more. I knew that wasn’t an offer. That was a promise. Even with all the shit goin’ down with you, shit that would wear any other woman down, it didn’t with you and you gave me that from the beginning. And it hit me then that was what my life would be like if I lived the whole of it with you. And I knew I couldn’t live without you.” Oh. My. God. He couldn’t live without me. His face got close. “You cannot leave me. You can’t. I can’t live without you.” He couldn’t live without me. He was in hell, just like me. And just like he did for me, I showed him heaven.(hide spoiler)]
My favorite badass alpha, yowza dirty talkin’ Sam quote:
**********explicit language and spoiler warning**********
(view spoiler)[“Kia, eyes on me,” Sam ordered gently and my eyes slid back to him to see he wasn’t smiling anymore and there was no trace of hilarity. He was focused, intent and serious but all of that in a tender way that made something important shift inside of me. “Makin’ you melt for me then makin’ you light up for me, listening to you get excited, feeling it, tasting it, eating it.” His words made me shiver and it helped that his hand was gliding up my back, my neck and into my hair then he pulled my head down so my face was an inch from his and he continued on a whisper, “Feelin’ you come against my mouth, watchin’ you drive yourself down on my dick, listening to you moan as your pussy clenched around my cock when you came, baby, yeah, that was all okay, that was all better than fuckin’ okay. It was fuckin’ beautiful.”(hide spoiler)]
GAWD I loved this book so much! There are many things that make this a great read but the reasons can be easily summari...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
GAWD I loved this book so much! There are many things that make this a great read but the reasons can be easily summarized in three words repeated over and over again: Detective Mitch Lawson. A Law Man and Dream Man extraordinaire, he is without a doubt my favorite Kristen Ashley alpha hero and one of the most swoonalicious, studtastic, heart thud inducing, and sigh-worthy heroes in Romancelandia. Seriously, Mitch is yummy husband hero material and utterly amazing in every single way and then some.
I’ll be honest that I wanted to smack Mara silly for about the first 30+% of the book. Her constant judging and referring to people in terms of their zone number...“they’re a 7.5, I’m a 2.5, and he’s a 10.5”...really annoyed me. There were times when I wondered, why doesn’t Mitch ever let Mara talk or even finish a freaking sentence? (This is a common behavior with all of Kristen Ashley’s alpha heroes.) But then I was like, oh wait, maybe it’s because all she ever says is “uh...”, “um...”, “pardon me?”, and “sorry?”! And I found myself agreeing with Mitch’s harsh assessment that Mara seriously needed to (view spoiler)[get her head out of her ass (hide spoiler)]. But once Mara’s past was revealed and her batsh*t crazy relatives came calling; I understood and liked her much better. And I was so proud of her along with Mitch when she finally recognized her own self worth, found some backbone, and stood up for herself and her kids.
That brings me to another main reason I loved this book so much, which is the adorable, heartstring-tugging kids, Billy/Bud and Billie, and the cute, sweet, and emotional moments between them, Mara, and Mitch. There were several poignant scenes that choked me up and had tears streaming down my cheeks and others that brought a big smile to my face.
Like all of the previous Kristen Ashley books that I’ve read, this grabbed me from the very beginning, kept me engaged throughout, and had me anxiously yearning for a HEA finale. And once again, like all of KA’s stories, I was sad for it to end and grateful for the beautiful, touching epilogue that is in and of itself worthy of 5+ stars. (view spoiler)[The scene in the epilogue where Bud pounds a fist over his heart while staring meaningfully at Mitch on his way to the baseball dugout had me gulping back sobs. (hide spoiler)]
And the romance? Oh yeah! It’s intense, sexy, and smokin’ hot! Law Man is another Kristen Ashley winner! Big 5 stars!
Josh Duhamel is my Detective Mitch Lawson, and he definitely has the soulful brown eyes. *sigh*
Another Kristen Ashley winner! Do I even need to say anything more than that? Probably not, so ins...more4 ½-5 stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Another Kristen Ashley winner! Do I even need to say anything more than that? Probably not, so instead of a typical review, I’m going to do some general rambling.
What I Loved:
#1 -- It’s told entirely from the hero’s POV, which is A+wesome!
That brings me to item #2, which is the hero, Tanner Layne. He’s a badass PI, a tough alpha male, and a devoted lover and father struggling to reconcile with his past, one and only, true love and make amends with his teen boys while also trying to teach them how to be men.
And this takes me to favorite things about the book #3 and #4 -- Layne’s teen sons, Jasper and Tripp. They’re KA heartthrobs and heroes in their own right and made me feel a little bit dirty and cougar-ish for seriously crushing on teenagers. (view spoiler)[Jasper and Keira and Trip and Giselle seemed to get their own HEAs, (hide spoiler)]but I really hope we haven’t seen the last of them. In fact, I’d love for Jasper and Tripp to be featured as main (legal and guilt free) heroes in future KA books. LOL!
#5 -- A great secondary cast of characters, especially mysterious badass, Ryker. I’m also looking forward to Garrett Merrick’s story.
#6 -- The To Kill a Mockingbird reference and how it’s an allegory for the story.
#7 -- The sweet and gratifying epilogue that’s worthy of 10+ stars!
Wacky But Whatever, It Still Worked Somehow:
Parenting 101 -- I’m not a parent so I can’t rightfully judge someone’s child rearing skills, but that doesn’t mean I can’t shake my head a few times with a seriously?, huh?, or wtf? There were several characters (Layne, Gabby, Vera, Dave, etc.) who demonstrated questionable parenting. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about some of Layne’s parenting decisions and actions, like involving his teenage sons, ages 14 and 17, in an undercover operation of a shady youth group. I imagine he would probably raise the eyebrows of some parental experts. But raising teenagers to be compassionate, responsible adults who do the right thing isn’t easy. I liked his honesty and that he didn’t shield Jasper and Tripp from the harsh realities of life. And it seemed to all work out for the best.
Talk Show Worthy Family Drama -- I think several characters in this book needed some counseling. Seriously, Dr. Phil would have a freakin field day with these people.
Crazy Exes, Multiple Plots, and Uber Villains -- Layne’s b*tchy ex-wife Gabby and her loser, enforcer boyfriend, Rocky’s cheating doctor ex and his shady financial and business dealings, and an undercover investigation of a sinister youth minister (view spoiler)[whose group is really a front for recruiting girls for a child pornography, underage sexual slavery/prostitution ring (hide spoiler)] run by a female mastermind villain who makes Cruella de Vil look like the Easter Bunny.
The Big Secret Reveal -- It was a heartbreaking scene, but also seemed very melodramatic and overly angsty.
Petty Grievances:
The Hero’s Name -- Layne is a nerdy programmer analyst with fancy pencils in his pocket and Tanner is a badass biker or cowboy (and Days of Our Lives soap opera bad boy from the early 90’s). So I would have preferred that the hero went by his first name, Tanner, instead of his last name, Layne.
The Heroine’s Name –- She has a beautiful name, Raquel, but everyone calls her Rocky?! Ugh!
Size Matters -- KA’s stories are characteristically detailed and lengthy, but this one felt looong. I think it could have used some trimming down.
But despite all the wackiness and some imperfections, I loved it! Nearly 5 stars!
Layne
Jasper (Now you can understand why I was crushing hard on a teenager!)
Wow! I loved this! Kristen Ashley is an amazing author warrior queen! Seriously! At Peace is the 8th...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Wow! I loved this! Kristen Ashley is an amazing author warrior queen! Seriously! At Peace is the 8th book of hers that I’ve read and highly enjoyed and it’s one of my favorite KA reads. Although the Colorado Mountain series and my beloved Law Man still hold a definite edge.
Joe Callahan is another extremely domineering, uber alpha asshat and lordy have mercy did he piss me off...until around the 80% mark that is! There were times I swore that even if he got down on his hands and knees and crawled through broken glass to apologize, plead, and beg for forgiveness for being such an absolute d*ck that I wouldn’t have been swayed. I mean, I wanted him to execute some serious groveling. Alas, he never did. BUT, his way of making amends was much more subtle, genuine, powerful, and affecting and therefore all the more gratifying. And in the end, he totally won me over and had me sighing and swooning along with the Winters girls.
So Joe was an arrogant jerk and Violet could be a wishy-washy wimp at times, but boy were they explosive together! The sex scenes were rough and smokin’ hot! And I was anxious for them to find their HEA. The love triangle between Joe/Violet/Mike lasted far too long, and I missed Ashley’s staple, celebrated, detailed epilogue, but otherwise this is another fabulous KA winner!
I’m looking forward to reading Mike’s story, Games of the Heart, because he’s certainly due a much deserved HEA. And I read on the author’s website that she’s planning to write Frankie and Benny’s story in an upcoming ‘Burg release. Yay! Kristen Ashley has already solidified a position as one of my top favorite keeper authors of 2012. Big 5 stars!
I had a hard time finding my perfect Joe because he’s so enigmatically, broodingly sexy and all badass, rugged alpha male with some macho Italian mixed in, but I think Italian actor Raoul Bova could fit the bill.
All the single ladies, all the single ladies All the single ladies, all the single ladies All the single ladies...
Now pack your bags up!
Considering there’s not one but four yummy heroes introduced in this first book in the Dream Man series that’s set in Denver, Colorado (all of whom get their own book...YAY!), not to mention the smokin’ hot, badass alpha heroes from Ashley’s Colorado Mountain series, and it definitely wouldn’t be surprising if all the single ladies suddenly packed up and moved to Colorado.
Mystery Man is Cabe “Hawk” Delgado’s book. Initially, I was far more fascinated and smitten with Detective Mitch Lawson and biker badass Tack (two of the aforementioned yummy Dream Men who will have leading roles in Law Man and Motorcycle Man respectively). But of course Hawk soon won me over and left me panting, daydreaming, and swooning like all of KA’s heroes.
Hawk is a growly, bossy, arrogant, brooding, domineering, and possessive uber alpha commando who could teach Tate from Sweet Dreams a thing or two about being a badass, including the correct, standard rumbling response to anything and everything...“Babe”.
There were several times I wanted to smack both Hawk and Gwen, but they eventually got their sh*t together. Kristen Ashley is a master when it comes to dreamy, gratifying epilogues, and this time was certainly no exception...just heartwarming perfection. 5 stars!
A bunch of my fellow romance lovin’ Goodreads friends have been reading and raving about Kristen Ashley, and with great...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
A bunch of my fellow romance lovin’ Goodreads friends have been reading and raving about Kristen Ashley, and with great reason. Lady Luck is the third book in the Colorado Mountain series, and after reading it, I’m now 3 for 3 with her books being big 5 star winners that I loved.
There’s just something about her stories that grab me right from the beginning and never let go. I especially love how the details, descriptions, and conversations depict such vivid images of the characters and scenes so that it feels like you’re watching a movie in your mind. It’s true that the editing could use improvement and there’s perhaps too much elucidation of inane minutiae, like clothes, jewelry, outfits, rooms, furniture, and common “stuff”. But overall Ashley’s unique writing style and genuine, engaging dialogue bring the story and cast to life. Her books are unusually lengthy and take me longer to read than other authors/books, but then astonishingly when they’re over, I’m sad and still want more. Fortunately, she also gives her readers superb epilogues that more than satisfy.
I absolutely adored Lexie, but I didn’t warm up to Ty quite as easily. I felt bad for him and all that he endured, and his anger, cynical mistrust of women, and desire for vengeance were more than justified. Even so, Ty’s cruel treatment of Lexie in a couple of momentous, heartbreakingly intense scenes really pissed me off. I cried like a baby and felt nearly as emotionally flayed and raw afterward as she did. Lexie’s such an incredibly sweet, loyal, giving, and loving heroine, and I wasn’t sure he’d be able to win me back after he’d hurt her so terribly and unforgivably. Amazingly he did, and with icing and a cherry on top. It certainly didn’t hurt that he’s a smokin’ hot, tortured, badass alpha, which I can never resist.
Crude language doesn’t bother me, but there’s a lot of fuckin’, pussy, and bitch talk in this that got somewhat grating at times. Also, I didn’t really care for Ty’s nickname “mama” for Lexie initially, but it grew on me after a while.
My summary of the Colorado Mountain series so far: Favorite hero: Max from The Gamble Favorite heroine: Lexie from Lady Luck Favorite overall story/book: Sweet Dreams And I can’t wait for Chace and Faye’s story!
I’m glad she’s got an extensive backlist and more book releases coming because I definitely want to read more by this author! Big 5 stars!
I envisioned hunkalicious Boris Kodjoe as Ty. He doesn’t have enough tats, but I’ve got a great imagination and could mentally tat him up.
I imagined Jennifer Garner or Rachel Weisz as Lexie. I think either of them could play her with the perfect mix of sweet, goof, and sass.
There are a lot of reviews for this already, so here are some of my random thoughts.
The Bad and The U...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
There are a lot of reviews for this already, so here are some of my random thoughts.
The Bad and The Ugly:
•Yes, it’s an editing nightmare that at times made me want to whip out my red pen and go crazy with correcting remarks. •There is way too much (and occurring too often) inane detail, especially about the heroine’s wardrobe, outfits, hair, makeup, getting ready, routine, etc. I understand that her self-esteem and makeover were a significant component to the story, but I still think an easy 50+ pages of random “stuff” could have been trimmed. •It was annoying to me how the heroine constantly answered the hero with “Sorry?”, and also how she repeated Tate’s name over and over again like Kate Winslet’s Rose continually said “Jack”, “Jack”, “Jack”, “Jack” all throughout Titanic.
BUT, despite those annoyances, here’s why I still rated it 5 stars.
The Good:
•The story has a frenetic hodgepodge of themes: chick lit self-discovery, steamy contemporary romance, small town drama, family angst, crazy exes, serial killer suspense...you name it. But amazingly enough, it works. I was sucked in and thoroughly entertained. •The hero is an ex-football star, ex-cop, bounty hunting, bar-owning, tattooed badass, uber alpha biker. He’s growly, sometimes mean, often pissed off, possessive, and fond of saying (or perhaps I should say grunting) “Babe” and “Ace” to communicate a wealth of things, rather than expressing or explaining himself. There were times I wanted Lauren to smack him and send his ass packing to the curb. But DAYUM! Tate is f’n HOT! •The heroine is insecure, funny, flawed, sweet, sometimes cranky and bitchy, caring, and most of all, genuine and endearing. Laurie is easy to identify with because she’s so real. I could see myself laughing over manis and martinis with her. •Cute scenes with Buster the cat, aka, Princess Fancy Pants. •Tender, heartbreaking moments with Tate’s son, Jonas. *sigh* •An unforgettable, quirky cast of secondary characters. •Great dialogue, snappy banter, humor, and emotion. It made me laugh out loud at times and tear up in others. •And oh yeah, the steamy romance between Tate and Laurie is truly addictive.
So it’s not perfect, but I still loved it and will definitely read more by this author!
I had a hard time casting my perfect Tate, mainly because he’s so impossibly gruff, badass, and smokin’ hot. But I think Hugh Jackman could portray him fairly convincingly, especially if he acted all Wolverine broody, growly, alpha badass and got some sexy tats. He particularly looks the part in these pictures. YUMMY!
Addendum after further Internet exploration for the perfect Tate:
This is Tate in all his beautiful, badass, bounty hunter glory. *sigh*
The Gamble is my second Kristen Ashley read, and I enjoyed it nearly as much as Sweet Dreams, mainly because yummy, pr...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
The Gamble is my second Kristen Ashley read, and I enjoyed it nearly as much as Sweet Dreams, mainly because yummy, protective alpha hero Max actually rocked my world more than SD’s Tate. Nina and Max were great together, and the story kept me completely engaged, despite the fact that it’s very lengthy. The Gamble is another winner, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. 5 stars!
One of my favorite scenes is when Max mops the floor with Nina’s snooty ex-fiancé, Niles, without even delivering a single punch.
(view spoiler)[He put the knuckles of his fist to the table, leaned toward Niles and spoke quietly, cuttingly, in his rough, gravelly voice.
“Fucked her last night, man, and this morning. Five times. Five. It was like she hadn’t been touched in a decade. So fuckin’ sweet. Damn,” he taunted, his eyes locked on Niles. “You’ve had her, you gotta know, not enough money in the world’s worth that.”
“Not one fuckin’ thing gentlemanly about protecting what’s yours. Looks like you’re gonna lose it, you do everything you can to stop that from happening.” Max looked back to Niles. “And you didn’t do that. She was a week away from me, she walked into a room I was in holdin’ another man’s hand, I’d lose my fuckin’ mind. Not at her. Wonderin’ where I lost my way and I’d talk to her about how to find my way back.”(hide spoiler)]
It’s hard to deny the talent and mass appeal of Nora Roberts considering The Witness is her 200th book...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
It’s hard to deny the talent and mass appeal of Nora Roberts considering The Witness is her 200th book. I mean...wow! That is quite an impressive achievement and a boon for romance readers. I consider myself a fan of hers, and I especially loved her Bride Quartet series and the few J.D. Robb In Death books that I’ve read. Some of her books tend to be a little bit too generic and plain vanilla for my taste, but I occasionally enjoy their comfort like good old vanilla ice cream, even if it doesn’t make them all that memorable.
The Witness is one of the better NR books that I’ve read. It’s a great contemporary suspense with satisfying romance between an extraordinary heroine and a protective cop hero. Often I find that my reading enjoyment tends to hinge on my feelings about the hero, but this time it was primarily the unique, unforgettable heroine who made me like the book so much.
I loved the heroine, Elizabeth/Liz, right from the start and my heart ached for her. It’s told in four parts/acts with the first involving her as a sixteen-year-old girl, and the ending of the first act (page 100 in the Hardcover edition) was intense, pulse-pounding, and emotionally distressing. I admired the strong, formidable, self-reliant woman she became. Abigail is a kick-ass survivor in hiding with so many interesting, veiled layers, and it’s impossible not to like her, especially when her social awkwardness and gruff loner persona make her unintentionally funny and glimpses of that vulnerable girl yearning for affection and normalcy are revealed. (view spoiler)[The part where she methodically researched proper etiquette and social customs of a barbecue on the Internet just to prepare for a casual gathering with Brooks’s family cracked me up. Yet it was also a bit heartbreaking when she became so easily discomfited by routine social graces and niceties. (hide spoiler)]
Police Chief Brooks Gleason is a great hero, and he’s pushy and unyielding in his pursuit of Abigail yet remarkably patient and understanding of her as well. And I couldn’t possibly forget to mention Abigail’s loyal friend and guard dog, Bert, since their relationship adds so much to the story. Bert definitely deserves top dog honors for favorite animal companion.
My one complaint is that I wanted more from the epilogue, but otherwise I really enjoyed this. So kudos to Ms. Roberts for her notable 200th release! 5 stars!
Oh, how I love Julia Quinn’s witty, winsome writing! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors for feel-good, sw...more4 ½ stars – Historical/Regency Romance
Oh, how I love Julia Quinn’s witty, winsome writing! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors for feel-good, sweet romances that put a huge smile on my face and lift my spirits. The musicale scene in the first chapter had me laughing so hard that I had tears streaming down my face and that part alone was worth 5 stars. This actually has a bit of angst as well, but it’s tempered with Julia’s engaging, heartwarming style.
Another enchanting, romantic winner from the incomparable Ms. Quinn! And I can’t wait for Hugh to find his HEA, hopefully in the next Smythe-Smith tale.
I really enjoyed this, and it’s definitely an improvement over the last couple of books in the series. Nolan and Eve w...more4 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance
I really enjoyed this, and it’s definitely an improvement over the last couple of books in the series. Nolan and Eve were a lot of fun together and their romance was engaging and steamy. I loved the snappy dialogue and funny banter between all the characters. Nolan and Eve’s Oktoberfest outing was fantastic...one of the best date scenes that I’ve read.
Nolan was such a sweet, goofy, playful, easygoing, charming, fun-loving, and all around nice guy and an almost too good to be true hero. He was also extremely patient, insightful, and understanding when it came to Eve and there were countless times I thought it was amazing that he not only put up with and accepted her grumpy, snippy demeanor but actually found it adorable and endearing. Eve was insecure, crabby, sarcastic, surly, and often times outright bitchy, but I found her internal contemplation, constant worrying, and cranky-pants personality genuine and pretty damn funny at times.
Other than being dissatisfied with the abrupt ending and lack of an epilogue, Jacked Up was a highly enjoyable read. This is when I wish there were half star ratings on GR because this isn’t a 5 star read but it’s better than a 4...so solid 4 ½ stars.
This quote pretty much sums up opposites attract Nolan and Eve.
He was a glass half full kind of person and she was…what? The glass is going to break before you can even pour kind of person. Yikes.
Whew! I think my Kindle had smoke coming out of it from this little scorcher! Seriously, I Just Gotta Say that t...more5 stars – Contemporary Erotic Romance
Whew! I think my Kindle had smoke coming out of it from this little scorcher! Seriously, I Just Gotta Say that this is turn down the AC, need a glass of ice cold water, where’s the fire? blazing hot! And it’s sweet, too. :)
I previously enjoyed Hearts in Darkness by this author, and I’ll definitely read more of her work. 5 stars!(less)
A+mazing! Another dark, seductive installment in the addictive Lords of Deliverance series and perhaps the best yet. Thana...more5 stars – Paranormal Romance
A+mazing! Another dark, seductive installment in the addictive Lords of Deliverance series and perhaps the best yet. Thanatos, the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Death, is a dangerous warrior who’s bearing of violence mixed with vulnerable longing makes for one lethally sexy hero. Larissa Ione has delivered once again! Big 5 stars!(less)
Wow! What can I possibly say about this one to convey how absolutely wonderful it is? Talk about a charming, wicke...more5 stars – Historical/Regency Romance
Wow! What can I possibly say about this one to convey how absolutely wonderful it is? Talk about a charming, wickedly splendid read and a smashing good time! A Week to Be Wicked is one of the most engaging, refreshing, witty, banterific, and all around pleasing historical romances that I’ve read in quite a while and definitely so far this year.
Colin is a handsome, flirtatious, affable, generous, funny, sweet, and utterly lovable scoundrel whose tormented past and insecurity make you want to hold him tight, heal his wounded soul, and never let go. And spunky, awkward, bespectacled, bluestocking, spinster geologist Minerva, who prefers spending her time unearthing rare rocks and minerals and making scientific discoveries to people, might appear his polar opposite, but together they prove that magnets indeed attract.
Colin, with his good-natured, roguish charm, endearing wit, and underlying tortured soul, reminded me of one of my favorite romantic heroes, Leo Hathaway, Lord Ramsay from Lisa Kleypas’s masterful Married By Morning, and that’s high praise indeed!
It’s a highly enjoyable, gratifying read for historical romance fans! Big 5 stars!
One of my favorite scenes/passages:
(view spoiler)[A hint of sensual frustration roughened his voice. “And I will curse the gods along with them, Min. Some wild monsoon raged through me as I looked at you just now. It’s left me rearranged inside, and I don’t have a map.”
“I will insist you be man enough to take it. I won’t have you making light of my feelings, or making light of yourself—as if you’re not worthy of them. Because you are worthy, Colin. You’re a generous, good-hearted person, and you deserve to be loved. Deeply, truly, well, and often.”
He looked utterly bewildered. Well, what did he expect, after the power he’d given her? He couldn’t compare a woman to a torrentially beautiful monsoon, and then look surprised that he’d gotten wet. “You reckless man.” She laid a touch to his cheek. “You really should be more careful with those compliments.”(hide spoiler)]
I’m an avid Julie James fangirl and I love her snappy, clever, banterific dialogue and snarky humor. Practice Makes Perf...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
I’m an avid Julie James fangirl and I love her snappy, clever, banterific dialogue and snarky humor. Practice Makes Perfect, Something About You, and A Lot Like Love were some of my favorite reads of last year, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting Kyle’s story.
Although I didn’t enjoy About That Night as much as the previous books in the FBI/US Attorney series, it’s still an entertaining, satisfying read. The romance between sexy computer genius Kyle Rhodes, aka “Smug Dimples,” “Twitter Terrorist”, and Sawyer from Lost lookalike, and sassy law geek, “counselor”, “Meth Lab” Rylann, aka “Prosecutrix Pierce” and “brunette bombshell”, was highly amusing and steamy. These two ignited some serious sparks! I would have liked a bit more to the ending and an epilogue, but overall I really enjoyed it! 5 stars!
And who would have figured cyber geek Kyle for such a bedroom bad boy and smokin’ hot dirty talker?!?! Yowza!
This scene cracked me up.
“I don’t mind hot and spicy. Actually find that appealing in a girl.” He cocked his head, thinking this over. “And chicken wings.” Rylann turned her head and stared at him. “Did you really just compare me to chicken wings?” “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Chicken wings are the bomb.”
I’m a huge MacKinnon’s Rangers fan, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of...more5++ stars – Colonial American/Frontier/Highlander Historical Romance
I’m a huge MacKinnon’s Rangers fan, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Defiant ever since I squealed like a fangirl when I heard Connor would be getting his own book. I swooned hard and irrevocably for his brothers, Iain in Surrender and Morgan in Untamed, two of my all-time favorite romance keepers and heroes, and it seemed only fitting that brooding, enigmatic youngest brother, Connor, should get his own HEA. And after nearly two years of anticipation since I read the first two books in 2010, I’m happy to say that the brilliant and incomparable Pamela Clare not only exceeded my super high expectations but blew this right into the stratosphere! Brava!
I feel frustrated and inadequate writing this review because there just aren’t sufficient words to convey how much I loved this. It’s complexly A+mazing, powerful, emotive, thrilling, sensual, and heartrending with an unforgettable hero and heroine whose journey will leave you breathless, speechless, and deeply inspired. It’s the epitome of what I love about romance and a story of substance that I’d recommend for all those book snobs out there who look down their nose at romance authors and readers.
Defiant is a truly astounding, utterly enthralling, and beautifully moving read that will stay with you long after you’ve finished. Having read roughly 1,300 romances, Pamela Clare’s MacKinnon’s Rangers still holds a place of honor on my treasured keeper shelf. Huge 5++ stars!
On a side note, Pamela Clare is not only a superb author goddess, but also an amazing person who genuinely cares about humanity and her fans. And I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude for that. So, thank you, Pamela, for giving so generously and joyously of your talent, dedication, and friendship.
I highly recommend checking out the live action trailer for Defiant for visual inspiration.
Addendum: I’m beyond excited that Joseph will be getting his own book! YAY! *happy dance and fangirl squeal*
MacKinnon’s Rangers is one of my top, all-time favorite romance series and the MacKinnon brothers (Iain, Morgan, and Connor) are some of the best, most swoonalicious heroes in all of Romancelandia!!!!
When will the WARDen give us Qhuinn’s/Blaylock’s story, dammit?!?!? I don’t give a @*#&$...more5 stars – Paranormal/Vampire/UF Romance
Thoughts Before Reading:
When will the WARDen give us Qhuinn’s/Blaylock’s story, dammit?!?!? I don’t give a @*#&$ about Tohr!? I want Qhuay!!!!
Thoughts After Reading:
This is me coughing up feathers after eating crow because Lover Reborn was sooo much better than I expected. It’s an emotional read that had me shedding serious tears and an a+wesome installment to the series!
And now that the Warden has officially announced on Facebook that Blay and Qhuinn are the next BDB hardcover release slated for 2013?!?! *faints* Seriously, somebody better have a stash of smelling salts handy!
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