Likable heroine, sexy/geeky/wonderful hero, and a whole new group of Olivia Cunning's amazing rock stars to salivate over! I love immersing myself int...moreLikable heroine, sexy/geeky/wonderful hero, and a whole new group of Olivia Cunning's amazing rock stars to salivate over! I love immersing myself into the rock lifestyle Cunning writes. I wish there'd been an epilogue, so I hope we'll learn how Melanie & Gabe/Force are doing in the upcoming Sole Regret novellas.
*WARNING* This book contains a hero who likes to invent objects to drive the ladies crazy. You just might find yourself in need of a few objects of your own...and don't forget the batteries! ;-)
Romantic suspense is a genre that I often find lacking. Either the romance takes a backseat to the suspense or the suspense overshadows the romance. V...moreRomantic suspense is a genre that I often find lacking. Either the romance takes a backseat to the suspense or the suspense overshadows the romance. Very few authors can make me completely happy on both.
From the opening scene of If You Hear Her, I felt Shiloh Walker might be able surpass my high expectations. She doesn't shy away from the tough stuff. Instead, the book begins with the Big Bad, raping and killing his latest victim. By the third page I was in tears reading this powerful passage...
He raped her again. Her voice gave out long before she was able to escape inside herself. This time, though, her escape was final. She had retreated somewhere deep inside herself -- somewhere where pain didn't exist, where terror didn't exist. When he ended her life, she never even knew -- she was already gone.
Those words ripped at my heart because I know the kind of place one must escape to in order to survive -- or in her case, die. I'm sharing this with you because some of you reading may have experienced similar trauma in your life. There are scenes of rape and violence that can be triggering, so please read with that knowledge.
As if Ms. Walker didn't already have enough on her plate telling an engaging romantic suspense, she further intrigues me with the heroine, Lena Riddle. Lena is a chef at the local inn. She is confident, strong, capable, funny, and blind. Nothing holds this woman back! Lena lives a full life; one she's worked hard for and doesn't take for granted.
I love the build-up in the story between Lena and her hero, Ezra King. Ezra comes to Ash to heal both physically and mentally. He knows he isn't ready for a relationship, but the powerful attraction and overwhelming feeling of rightness won't let him stay away from Lena. Poor Ezra is a tortured hero, and he's honest with her from the start. I love how he never once views Lena as anything other than an attractive, smart, and wonderful woman he could fall for.
There's a lot of head-hopping in this book. We see insight from every main character, and a lot of the secondary ones. Normally that would bug me, but in this story it only intensified the suspense and helped me to try and piece together what was going on. We get to know the heroes and heroines in the upcoming books pretty well. I'm not sure it will be possible to read this series out of order, and I'm not even sure why someone would want to! You learn an amazing amount of info in this book. And I'm pretty certain Lena's dog, Puck, knows who the killer is! I even think I may know, but Ms. Walker does such a good job of surprising me a few times that I could be wrong.
One of my favorite Puck-related quotes between Lena and Ezra: "You still insist on going to work?" "Yes." "Shit." Nudging her off his lap, he said, "Fine. I'm driving you. I'm picking you up. If anybody says one wrong thing to you, tell Puck to eat him."
I'm glad I waited closer to the release date for books 2 and 3 (If You See Her, If You Know Her) before reading this. The ending of If You Hear Her is a plot cliffhanger! That would have irked me something fierce if not for the perfect way our hero and heroine's relationship is settled. I feel satisfied they will have their happily ever-after!
On a side-note: Am I the only one thinking this series would make a GREAT movie?! lol(less)
I have a confession. I love bad boys. But I'm, also, picky about my bad boys. I want 'em rough, tough, protective, bossy, sexy as all get out, can tal...moreI have a confession. I love bad boys. But I'm, also, picky about my bad boys. I want 'em rough, tough, protective, bossy, sexy as all get out, can talk the talk and walk the walk, but with a side of sensitive that only the heroine gets to see, and a staunch set of morals that he lives by. So, when I saw the blurb for Knight I couldn't help but be intrigued by the thought of an anti-hero. An honest-to-goodness bad boy. Could I trust Kristen Ashley to tick-off all the boxes on my checklist and still make me love him if he was an unlawful bad boy?
The answer is yes.
After the 2nd chapter, I no longer cared that Knight was more of a dark knight in shining Aston Martin. I geniunely liked him because he was perfect for Anya. Anya had struggled forever to make her life better. She's a very strong, likeable heroine. By the time I learned exactly what Knight's side-business was, I loved him anyway.
I wish she hadn't called him "Daddy" (instead of Sir or Master) in the bedroom. It was a little weird. Other than that, I thought the BDSM aspect of the story to be pretty mild and there was major overuse of the c-word during sex. It wound up working for the story, though, because the chemistry was hot between them!
The moral of the story: Even an anti-hero deserves a HEA!(less)
The Cowgirl’s Secret is an emotionally-charged story with so much anguish that it completely distracted from the romance. I’ll be very honest: if you’...moreThe Cowgirl’s Secret is an emotionally-charged story with so much anguish that it completely distracted from the romance. I’ll be very honest: if you’re a survivor of any kind of sexual abuse, this story could be triggering, and at the very least, painful to read.
Daisy Buckhorn left Weed Gulch, Oklahoma ten years ago, pregnant and fearing for the safety of herself and her unborn child. For years, Daisy was molested by a trusted family friend. And as any truly evil child predator will do, he put a fear so deeply into her soul that she had no choice but to run without telling anyone. She’s made a new life for herself as Julie Smith, a successful lawyer in San Francisco. She yearns for home and the people she left behind. Most especially she misses Luke Montgomery, her high school sweetheart.
The Buckhorn family have never stopped looking for Daisy. Luke follows-up on one of the leads, finding himself face-to-face with the woman who broke his heart so long ago. Luke wants answers that Daisy is having a hard time giving him. She wants to trust him with what happened to her, but the shame she still feels is so heavy that she can’t. When Daisy’s son, Kolt, arrives suddenly, Luke realizes she took much more from him 10 years ago than he ever would’ve guessed. To Daisy’s credit, she doesn’t try making excuses for not telling Luke she was pregnant. Her apologies were that of a woman who’d spent many years feeling guilty for what she’d done.
Daisy returns home to Oklahoma without Kolt the first time. She wants to clear the air with family and she needs them to know her secret. Everyone assumes the secret is that she was ashamed of a teen pregnancy. Luke is blinded by the pain he felt when she abandoned him, and now the added loss of missing out in his son’s life. There were times his words were downright cruel. Despite everything, Daisy makes the decision she and Kolt will move back home to Oklahoma. This isn’t an easy task. On top of all the anger from everyone, the man who molested her still lives on her family’s ranch. Her days are spent dealing with the guilt everyone is doling out at her for leaving and keeping Kolt away; while she’s consumed with fear over seeing her molester again. If she had to say “I’m sorry” one more time to Luke or any of her family, I thought I’d cry in desperation for her!
It takes coming face-to-face with her molester for Daisy to find the courage to speak. And once her secret is out, I hoped to see Luke and her family rally around her. They did to a point. Luke’s reaction was hard for me to take. While the pieces seemed to fall into place, and he suddenly recognized all the signs he missed, it stopped there. He couldn’t look past his own feelings of betrayal to understand that he had nothing to do with her leaving. I had to remind myself that he was hurt, too, but I really expected much more from him.
I don’t want to be too hard on Luke. He spent a lot of time after Daisy left wondering if he did something wrong. There were many countless hours of wondering if she was alive or what horrible thing had happened to her. The same feelings her family experienced. I’m not saying any of their emotions are wrong. Her family loves her deeply. Luke loves her deeply. I just wish I’d been able to see more of that in the book and less ridicule.
The Cowgirl’s Secret gets an A+ for the spot-on emotional portrayal of child molestation. However, this is a romance, and honestly it pains me to say, but I found it lacking greatly in that area. (less)
Sadie is overwhelmed with more responsibility than a seventeen year-old should have. Her mother, Jessica, managed to get knocked up by a guy who's cou...moreSadie is overwhelmed with more responsibility than a seventeen year-old should have. Her mother, Jessica, managed to get knocked up by a guy who's couldn't stick around. Jessica's laziness increases when Sadie's summer vacation begins. Too keep a steady income, Sadie is forced to take on Jessica's job as a well-paid maid at a nearby mansion. Sadie's astonished to find out that the home belongs to Jax Stone -- young, famous, rock star, current "It Guy" in Hollywood. Jax is smitten the second he lays eyes on Sadie. She's so different from the girls he's used to; Sadie isn't impressed by his fame. He tries to stay away from her, all too aware of the circus her life would become if her name is linked to his, but he can't resist the pull of her charm. They agree to be satisfied with the time they have together. Only, neither really bargain on emotions growing and the threat of discovery is forever looming...
When I write it out like that, I can't help but think how much I should like this book. I don't feel comfortable accepting Jax and Sadie's relationship as functional. This line cemented my unease:
"You're my...air." I frowned at him. "Your air?" He grinned. "Well, girlfriend seems to be too shallow for what I feel for you. These past two weeks it's been as if you control my breathing."
If it wasn't so alarming, at the least it's cheesy! I also have a hard time believing a seventeen year-old doesn't know what an iPhone is -- even a seventeen year-old who hasn't had a lot of extras in life.
I don't think I'll give up on Abbi Glines. It may be that Breathe just isn't my cuppa.(less)
Good; not great. Charissa became too annoying after half the book. Her reasons for staying away from Dillon, at first, were fine. Then, as the story p...moreGood; not great. Charissa became too annoying after half the book. Her reasons for staying away from Dillon, at first, were fine. Then, as the story progressed, and Dillon proved himself more and more, I felt she was being unfair.
04.07.13: Re-read before diving into Travis's POV, Walking Disaster. This time around I think I appreciated the story a bit more. I still stand-by my...more04.07.13: Re-read before diving into Travis's POV, Walking Disaster. This time around I think I appreciated the story a bit more. I still stand-by my original thoughts, but I'm going to bump my rating up from 3.5 stars to 4.
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Original Review: posted 06.28.12
Travis said: "You know why I want you? I didn't know I was lost until you found me. I didn't know what alone was until the first night I spent without you in my bed. You're the one thing I've got right. You're what I've been waiting for, Pigeon."
Talk about an emotional ride! Travis is the bad boy on campus. He's a bit broken, has quite the temper, and doesn't think twice about using his fists to rectify a situation (be it during a paid fight or taking up for his girl). I liked Travis, even if I felt his emotional maturity needed a lot of growth. Abby was harder for me to "get" until much later in the book. I was in a perpetual state of anxiety during the length of Beautiful Disaster; my stomach tied in knots, my head hurt, and my heart broke dang near every other page.
I didn't get why Abby had so much hostility towards Travis. Sure, in the beginning, he was a man-whore, but he changed. As their friendship grew, it was so obvious he loved her, and I just wanted to stomp on Abby's careless heart for being so hurtful towards him! A few times I couldn't understand why she'd be friends with someone she had such a low opinion of.
But, then the story finally began to develop, and, eventually, I could see what caused Abby to be fearful of a relationship with Travis. In my opinion, her secrets were held for too long--because of that I nearly put the book down--and her wishy-washy attitude was a complete turn-off. She had valid concerns that luckily put her actions & reactions into perspective for me.
A few random things I liked: - Travis' nickname for Abby is Pidgeon/Pidge. When he finally clues us into how he came up with the name, it's cute, sweet, and so very Travis. - Abby's friend, America, is loyal and the type of BFF every girl should have. - Loved the poker game with Travis' family! - Adored Travis' grand gesture when he rids his apartment of a certain piece of offensive furniture, and adds to his already inked body. - The epilogue left me with a huge smile on my face.
Young Adult Mature • 3.5 stars!
As an afterthought: I'm not sure if it was the success of Twilight, or what, but it seems more and more writers are jumping on the codependency bandwagon. It feels as if every few books I read features a possessive, stalkery hero who might die without his lady love. Before I get bombarded with hate mail, I love a bad boy, possessive hero just as much as the next girl. There's nothing like having a man who'd fight for you and declare you can never leave him to make a girl's heart aflutter. But, really, there's a fine line between healthy and unhealthy, and too much line-crossing makes me worry about the state of romance novels...and just how much people are willing to overlook in the name of love.(less)
A hunky Dominant. A woman in need of losing control. Come Monday, Keira will learn exactly what it means to put all that control into Will's very capa...moreA hunky Dominant. A woman in need of losing control. Come Monday, Keira will learn exactly what it means to put all that control into Will's very capable hands. The light-foray into the BDSM lifestyle is perfect for those looking for a change from vanilla romance, but who are uncomfortable journeying into the extreme.
A Fair to Remember delivers a compact story with a reformed bad boy, a good girl sporting fake tattoos, an overprotective family that means well, a ps...moreA Fair to Remember delivers a compact story with a reformed bad boy, a good girl sporting fake tattoos, an overprotective family that means well, a psychotic dog with love in her eyes, funny moments that made me laugh, and a 24-hour leap of faith for two people who deserve love. Excellent free read!(less)
There will be spoilers in my review, but nothing that you don't learn from the characters early-on.
(Edited 12/21/12 to include this picture that rem...moreThere will be spoilers in my review, but nothing that you don't learn from the characters early-on.
(Edited 12/21/12 to include this picture that reminds me of Cam & Andrew)
To lovers and dreamers and anyone who hasn't truly experienced either.
That quote, from the dedication page of The Edge of Never, caught my eye immediately and I knew, if the book was half as good as its dedication, I was in for a treat!
Cam and Andrew are on a journey, both literally and metaphorically. Cam's running from tragedies that have built up and she's feeling like she doesn't truly know who she is. There's a deep connection I feel with Cam, having also lost my first love to death at 16, so I know the frame of mind Cam's in at the start of The Edge of Never. Something like that can emotionally break you, and has broken Cam. She can't cry, she doesn't dream, she doesn't believe in herself. Cam's also dealing with her parents' divorce, her brother's incarceration, and her best friend's boyfriend who suddenly goes off the rails announcing his desire for her. When she tells Natalie (the BFF), Nat responds with all the hostility you expect from an insecure girl. Cam gets on a Greyhound to Idaho (because they're famous for potatoes, lol) and so her journey begins, and soon she crosses paths with Andrew, who's own tragedies have sent him running...
Not since Tammara Webber's Easy, have I been so enamored with a young adult hero. Andrew is that boy--you know the one--who has tattoos, lives life to its fullest, isn't afraid to rough-up bad guys (yes, it happens!), seems like an open-book, but there's something mysterious about the guy that you just can't put your finger on, and OH MY GOD, he's so damn cute (dare I say sexy, yes I dare!), that I can hardly stand it.
Cam and Andrew's relationship begins as a friendship they both really need. Andrew is on his way to Wyoming to see his dying father. Cam is the perfect distraction for him. But once they get to Wyoming, things happen (boy do they!), and their journeys become one.
“If you were to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you.” - Andrew
There are really two parts to this book. The first half, which I fondly think of as the sweet, sometimes sexy, Greyhound to Nowhere section. And the second half, which I very fondly think of as the OMG Am I Reading the Same Book(!?!?!) section, lol. Cam and Andrew's relationship becomes intimate, and these two are definitely budding BDSMers! Wowza! But besides all the heat, they really have an ultimate road trip with Andrew showing Cam the true meaning of living.
Andrew: “Well, everybody needs help feeling alive again every once in a while.” “No,” she says seriously, and my gaze falls back on hers, “I didn’t say again, Andrew; for making me feel alive for the first time.”
But let me tell you, J.A. Redmerski pulls out an ending I didn't fully see coming until it was too late. I am not lying to you -- the tears wouldn't stop flowing and, at one point, I was crying so hard I had to put down the book and go to the bathroom to clean up the hot mess I'd become! SO EMOTIONAL, BEAUTIFUL, POIGNANT, ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING! The ending is one I will not forget--ever--and, most certainly, is the reason this book places on my best of 2012 list!
"You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant in the same place all your life." His eyes lock on mine. "Live in the moment..." - Andrew
Please, don't let the emotional ending scare you away. I promise I would go through EVERY SINGLE TEAR to get to that beautifully-written ending again.
BTW: I now have a playlist on my iPod named after this book! GREAT MUSIC!!!(less)
This book is a very hard one for me to review. I started Animal Magnetism to distract myself while my dad was in the hospital. It took me over two wee...moreThis book is a very hard one for me to review. I started Animal Magnetism to distract myself while my dad was in the hospital. It took me over two weeks to read with all the distractions, and then the grief of losing him so quickly. Honestly, I can't be certain I remember half of this book. I'm sure under other circumstances, I would give this book higher marks. What I do know is that Jill Shalvis is a master storyteller -- humor and sexiness abound! -- and you really can't go wrong with one of her books.
"She knew she was no great heroine. But perhaps she could live with being a loyal soldier, a loving daughter and a pretty darn good person."
Lieutenant...more"She knew she was no great heroine. But perhaps she could live with being a loyal soldier, a loving daughter and a pretty darn good person."
Lieutenant Magdalena Cruz was being too hard on herself. She’s an extraordinary heroine, who for 5 months, has dealt with the horrors of life as a wounded soldier. Returning home from Afghanistan missing part of one leg, she’s physically and emotionally exhausted. Prior to deployment she worked as a nurse in Phoenix and was engaged to a brilliant young surgeon. That all came crashing down the minute she saw rejection in her fiancé’s eyes. Now she’s back home in Pine Gulch, Idaho to nurse her wounds and heal.
Jake Dalton is more than a small town doctor. The level of care he gives to his patients is a direct reflection on the type of man he is – kind, loving, sympathetic, strong. It’s safe to say I fell in love with him. He’s, of course, handsome, but his outer beauty really doesn’t hold a candle to his inner. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better guy for Maggie! But Jake has more to contend with than Maggie’s resistance to relationships and intimacy. She’s spent years blaming Jake’s father for the death of her dad, and believes all Dalton’s are no better. I could understand her pain, even if her rejection of the Daltons came from a place of childhood anguish. And Maggie’s mother, Viviana, is best friends with Jake’s mother, Marjorie. I didn’t get to see much of Marjorie in this book, but the strength of their friendship was obvious.
This is such a sweet and tender romance. I loved Jake’s compassion in the face of Maggie’s bitter resentment. His actions spoke of his feelings for her. When Viviana has a heart-to-heart with Maggie about the night they found out she’d been injured, I couldn’t hold back the tears as she spoke of Jake’s reactions. Jake’s heart has always held a place for Maggie.
Maggie fights Jake at every turn. She won’t allow herself to see that he’s different. Once her mother sets her straight on what really happened with Maggie’s father, I think that last piece of her heart she’s holding back breaks free. Poor Maggie tried everything to keep from falling in love with him: holding on to past angers, comparing Jake to her ex, and even trying to convince herself that no one could love her.
The story crests when Maggie and Jake can no longer hold back their attraction. Her fear had my heart racing, but I knew Jake wouldn’t reject her. The terror consumes her, and she pushes him away, only to see the pain and hopelessness in his eyes. I read a lot of books – sweet ones, sexy ones, erotic ones – but it’s been a long time since a love scene has wrapped me up in that much emotion!
DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT is an inspiring love story. This is the first book I’ve read by RaeAnne Thayne, but I know it won’t be the last! The Cold Creek Cowboys all have their own books! The secondary characters in this story are what they should be – interesting, fun, a little eccentric, and proud. The pride they have for Maggie helps to heal her. I can’t wait to return to the quaint little town of Pine Gulch. (less)
Bianca has her shit together. She may not be the prettiest, skinniest, most popular girl in her high school, but she's not bothered by it one bit. She...moreBianca has her shit together. She may not be the prettiest, skinniest, most popular girl in her high school, but she's not bothered by it one bit. She's realistic about her self-image and her life; doesn't intend to change for anyone. Bianca's the kind of friend who will go to The Nest (a local teen club) to watch out for her girls, even though, she hates the place. She's a bit of a mother hen in the way she keeps her friends from making bad choices. I really love that about her. Smart and cynical; Bianca's one of those young people who seem way older than their age reflects. She reminds me of myself at that age--ready to move on from youth and start living.
Then, there's Wesley. Bianca's hero doesn't come to her like a knight in shining armor. Wesley is, well, he's an effing pain in the ass. He sits down at The Nest to talk to her, but our girl Bianca doesn't want any part of Wesley Rush. He changes tactics; out-right tells her she's the DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) and that by being nice to her he'll have a better shot at hooking up with one of her hot friends. Bianca, God love her, tosses her Cherry Coke on him and tells him exactly what she thinks of his behavior!
I didn't know how Kody Keplinger was going to redeem Wesley or even if she could. Bianca and I are pretty turned-off by him at that point. He seems to care very little about anything or anyone but himself. Then, Bianca's life takes a turn for the worse and she reacts in a way I think too many young people do today. The distraction she needs comes in the form of Wesley. Kody really pulls the story together by the spot-on way she portrays Bianca's feelings and reactions during the turmoil she's facing. Wesley started as an arrogant jerk that I freely admit to being hesitant about for most of the book. However, when Wesley defends Bianca (no spoiler, you'll know when you read it) I fell completely for the guy. He begins to open up, show more emotion, and became real to me. Bianca challenges him to want something he doesn't think he can have. Thank God, he figures it out for both of them.
My favorite quote comes from a note Wesley leaves of Bianca's desk. I'm smiling again just typing it...
Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls, but I'm chasing you.
The ending: nicely done!
By the way, I want to say how impressed I am with Kody Keplinger who wrote this--her first book--during her senior year of high school. Awesome! Can't wait to read more from this talented author.(less)
This is the type of book that's a good time killer. If you're sitting in a doctor's office or on your lunch break this would be the book for you. It t...moreThis is the type of book that's a good time killer. If you're sitting in a doctor's office or on your lunch break this would be the book for you. It took me about 30 minutes to read. It wasn't complicated or full of emotional drama. No outrageously kinky sex scenes that might have you squirming in your seat. Just a short story about two people brought together by Fate. Loved how the epilogue wrapped things up in a realistic way!(less)
I'm struggling with expressing how I feel about this book in a way that doesn't seem as if I hated it or that it isn't worth your time. The truth is,...moreI'm struggling with expressing how I feel about this book in a way that doesn't seem as if I hated it or that it isn't worth your time. The truth is, I enjoyed An Uncommon Sense just fine. Maybe that's the problem I'm having; it was good, but not knock-your-socks off brilliant as I'd hoped.
Grace is a science teacher, therefore I fully expected her to be skeptical of Ash's abilities. That was no surprise. What annoyed me about her is that she seemed to have absolutely no filter between her immediate thoughts and her mouth. And it wasn't a cute personality trait--no matter how it appealed to Ash. To me, I felt like she crossed the line between honest and being just plain rude at times. I, also, didn't get how Grace could go from thinking he was a lunatic to having sex with him so quickly.
I felt exactly the opposite about Ash. His patience and understanding in Grace made me want to feel the same. He didn't push her to believe in him. Instead, he allowed her to gradually come to terms with his abilities on her own. He even liked her skepticism, and felt it helped to ground him. Ash was also an amazing dad!
Short and a little spicy. The sex was a little...well...dull for me, lol. I only say that because both scenes were quickies and Jed's pants were never...moreShort and a little spicy. The sex was a little...well...dull for me, lol. I only say that because both scenes were quickies and Jed's pants were never fully removed! And why mention Jed's dominate side & rope then not utilize either in the story? That made no sense to me. (less)
If You Know Her is a fabulous ending to Shiloh Walker's Ash Trilogy! After three books, it's good to have all the loose ends tied up -- and, most imp...moreIf You Know Her is a fabulous ending to Shiloh Walker's Ash Trilogy! After three books, it's good to have all the loose ends tied up -- and, most importantly, to find out who the killer is! I had a pretty good idea in book one who the killer was, but then book two did such a great job at misleading me that I wound up with another suspect. Throughout If You Know Her, I flip-flopped a few times, but my gut instincts were right. Pay close attention to Lena's dog, Puck. He knows who the killer is!
On the romance-front, Law & Nia's relationship wasn't as special to me as the previous couples in the trilogy. I enjoyed them together, without a doubt, and their chemistry was wicked hot, but something felt missing to me. It could be that after three books, I was more focused on the suspense.
Speaking of the killer, he's creepy and gets plenty of creepy head-time in this book. There's some violent scenes that may be alarming to some readers. Read with caution.
Emotional, heartfelt, tender, funny, sexy, and addictive! Heavy Issues is one of the biggest surprise reads of the year for me.
Christy Sheridan takes...moreEmotional, heartfelt, tender, funny, sexy, and addictive! Heavy Issues is one of the biggest surprise reads of the year for me.
Christy Sheridan takes a sabbatical from her job as a computer programmer and leaves L.A. for small town Alden. She needs a change after catching her fiance cheating on her, and constant badgering she's receiving from her mother. While in Alden, she takes a job updating the town's library by bringing it into the 20th century. That's where she meets Cole Bowen, who's company is restoring the building. After six months, she's certain he isn't interested in her; the man goes out of his way to avoid her. It's fine with Christy, though, because the girl is through with relationships.
Cole is anything but uninterested with Christy. The problem is she has complicated written all over her, and Cole Bowen does NOT do complicated women. He's fighting a losing battle with his attraction to her. When he witnesses her drunken vow to move on with her life, he's done fighting the inevitable and moves in with his patented Bowen charm. I was laughing my butt off when he attempted to get her to go out with him! Talk about a misunderstanding! Once they clear things up, Cole manages to strike up a deal with her--he'll give her all the pleasure one girl could want, and in exchange, she pretends to date him during the town's month-long anniversary festivities to keep the marriage-minded Alden women at bay.
Obviously, what begins as a fake relationship transpires into a real one. But here's where the heavy issues really begin. Christy is an addict. Her addiction isn't to drugs or alcohol. No, her drug of choice is food. She has battled the monster, having dropped from 200 lbs down to 130, and is very self-conscious about her body and addiction. Cole is a very dominant man. His sexual desires are raw, rough, and leaves her no chance for modesty. She is so fearful of his rejection that she tells him about her issues with food, explains about the marks and jiggle it has left her body with. Honestly, Christy has a skewed sense of body image--just as any person who has suffered through an eating addiction. Cole listens, tries his best to understand, asks questions, even takes her grocery shopping after his failed attempt at stocking his fridge with food for her. But what I love about Cole is how he refuses to let Christy believe her own lies. He does his damndest to tell her how beautiful she is, how much he desires her, and he doesn't let her hide from him. Not ever!
Cole isn't without his own issues. He has a severe fear of abandonment that is the cause for his warped view of women. It probably doesn't help that Alden is swarming with a pack of greedy bitches looking to bag a Bowen husband. He falls in love with Christy long before he admits it to himself. Cole fights it so much that, after a while, I wanted to knock him in the head! Dude, just give it up. But, ultimately, he needed to work through his mama issues before he could accept what Christy had to offer, and to fully give himself to her.
Ms. Aycart knows how to write not only a scorching hot romance, but an emotional journey to happiness. I'm sure there must be other books that touch of the aftermath of eating disorders, but I've never read one, and I give Ms. Aycart my respect for tackling the taboo subject of compulsive overeating. It's often misunderstood, but I thought she did a remarkable job of getting the emotions and reasons behind it through in the book. One of the most heart-aching scenes was when Cole forced Christy to look at herself--really look--and see what he sees in her.
It was wonderful seeing James & Tate (the H/h from the first book, More than Meets the Ink) again! I really hope we don't have to wait forever before Max, the 3rd Bowen brother, gets his book! Oh, and I want to see Tate's sister, Elle, hook-up with Jack. Please, Ms. Aycart, write faster!!(less)
I heard this is a spin-off of her LOTU series. Wonder if I need to read that series before starting this one? Hmm.. will wait for reviews before I dec...moreI heard this is a spin-off of her LOTU series. Wonder if I need to read that series before starting this one? Hmm.. will wait for reviews before I decide. (less)
I appreciate what Lauren Dane did with this book. Ella and Cope were as real as couples get! It was refreshing to see a heroine dealing with the effec...more I appreciate what Lauren Dane did with this book. Ella and Cope were as real as couples get! It was refreshing to see a heroine dealing with the effects of an abusive past NOT acting out-of-character. Even more, it was beyond wonderful to see a hero understand the brokenness inside the heroine and NOT try to fix it. I fell in love with that about Cope. He accepted Ella for who she was; baggage, insecurities, and fears. And Ella did the same with Cope. She saw him as so much more than the pretty-faced playboy.
It helped to know these two have been friends for several years. I haven't read the first two books in this series, and there were some things I felt very clueless about. But the characters other books were very much a part of this one. I'm sure those who read the series from the beginning loved seeing what was going on in their lives -- especially the unconventional relationship between Erin, Ben, and Todd. That sub-plot was heartbreaking.
There's a few things I didn't like about this, otherwise, brilliant book! Ella, Erin, and Elise. WHAT possessed the author to give these women all "E" names? It took me half the book before I felt marginally sure I knew who was who and which girl was with which insanely hot guy. Oh, and two of those men have "B" names. Talk about confusion! I didn't think it a good move to do that when there are a lot of characters and relationships to keep straight. Perhaps had I read the series from the beginning I wouldn't have needed to write out a character chart for reference!
Besides that, where was Dane's trademark heat? The sexual tension -- and even the sex -- wasn't what I would have expected from a couple who'd crushed on each other for years! Don't get me wrong, Cope woos like few can, but the scenes were completely lacking in heat. Didn't matter in the end, though, because I fell for Andrew Copeland as hard as Ella did!
PS. Adrian, you're next big guy! YOU called to me in this book and I can't wait to read your HEA!(less)
The only way I can imagine someone liking this book was if they were looking for 50 pages of sex riddled with phrases like "weeping core", "weeping e...more
The only way I can imagine someone liking this book was if they were looking for 50 pages of sex riddled with phrases like "weeping core", "weeping erection", and my personal favorite, "c*me your brains out". The dialogue didn't feel natural to me. Honestly, I put it down while one of them was "weeping" and almost didn't pick it back up! Only reason I did was because I wanted to know how many more positions they could do in the twenty-four hours, lol.
Because of this book's huge sexfest, I never cared much about either of the characters.
Scorecard Heroine: 1 star Hero: 1 star Plot/Originality: 1.5 stars Voice: 1 star Steam Level (1/Low to 5/High): 3 stars; the dirty talk was so laughable that I can't rate this any higher.
I love small towns. I've lived in the same small town my entire life and it's even smaller (less than 400 people) than Virgin River! There's a comfort...moreI love small towns. I've lived in the same small town my entire life and it's even smaller (less than 400 people) than Virgin River! There's a comfort that comes in knowing your neighbors, seeing the same faces every day, knowing these people will have your back if you meet trouble, and there's always trouble to be found -- even in a small town. So, my love of rural America is what led me to read this popular series by Robyn Carr.
I had a real hard time getting in the mindset that this book was, in fact, set in modern times. Mel wears $450 boots, $150 jeans, gets $300 highlights, and loves Starbucks. Despite all that, I kept feeling like I was watching an episode of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"! In my opinion, the author went too far trying to develop a small town atmosphere. I know they were in the mountains, zero cell reception, and it would have to take a while to get into town, but everything just seemed outdated. Even rural clinics are equip for all kinds of things these days.
Also leading to this old-fashioned vibe, was our perfect hero, Jack. I liked Jack. What's not to like? He's a tough-guy, decorated, ex-Marine with a good ol' boy attitude. Problem was, he was too perfect and he didn't act like a tough-guy, decorated, ex-Marine even with the good ol' boy attitude. The man said "fanny" and "frickin'".
I found it increasingly difficult to like Mel the further I got into the story. Her grief was spot-on considering it'd only been a year since her husband's death, and this carried on until the last 50 or so pages. Because of this, I spent the majority of the book feeling bad for Jack who was falling for a woman who considered herself someone else's. The first time they had sex, I couldn't see it happening like that (view spoiler)[it was the 1-year anniversary of her husband's death, she'd broken down into a soul-cleansing sob that lasted at least 1/2 hr, he took care of her, and then she invited him to bed with her (hide spoiler)]. I really couldn't grasp what he was thinking when he crawled in that bed. He just seemed like he didn't mind settling for whatever she would give him. I don't know about you guys, but I want my H/h to have a connection, and other than a great friendship (with some added benefits) I never really saw that between Jack and Mel.
It wasn't only the H/h that didn't do it for me, the rest of the townsfolk didn't either. These characters had no interesting character traits. I didn't really care much about these people and I blame it completely on the writer's habit of "telling" instead of "showing." She switched tenses a lot and it became so irritating I skimmed throughout the last half of the book. By then, I'd already guessed everything that would happen and was so bored with the writing and the predictability of the story-line that I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Overall, I was really shocked by my feelings towards this book. With so many amazing reviews/ratings, I fully expected to enjoy it. Her writing style just didn't cut it for me, and I'm uncertain if I'll continue the series. If I do, they won't be top-priority on my reading list. However, the only character in the entire bunch that stood out for me was Jack's friend, Preacher, and I would like to read his story sometime.
One of my favorite Lori Foster books of all-time. Ray Vereker is just such a friggin' bad mama-jamama. She thrives on the fight; is completely in her...moreOne of my favorite Lori Foster books of all-time. Ray Vereker is just such a friggin' bad mama-jamama. She thrives on the fight; is completely in her element opening up a can of whoop ass. Eli is drawn to her immediately. He knows she hides behind her tough exterior and refuses to let her do the same with him. The sparks flying between them will singe your fingers! When the mission is over, Eli makes it clear things aren't over between them. He's the absolute best kind of alpha male. Love him! Funny thing, though, neither realize just how much their taking with them when they leave the jungle...
On a side note: I've always hoped Ms. Foster would give us Matt's story. Ray's little brother has some of the best lines in the whole book. It may be a pipe dream at this point, but a girl can always hope. :-)(less)
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