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Brown Family #5
Drawn Together
Beauty is more than skin-deep…
Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.
With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.
Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.
But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…
Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.
With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.
Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.
But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
113 people are currently reading
3833 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Dane
111 books4,996 followersLauren Dane has been writing stories since she was able to use a pencil, and before that she used to tell them to people. Of course, she still talks nonstop, and through wonderful fate and good fortune, she’s now able to share what she writes with others. It’s a wonderful life!
The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.
The basics: Lauren is a mom, a partner, a best friend and a daughter. Living in the rainy but beautiful Pacific Northwest, she spends her late evenings writing like a fiend when she finally wrestles all of her kids to bed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
October 11, 2013
Wow. Never did I think I would love a book about Raven. In all the other books in this series she was just so...unlikable. Bitchy. Nasty. Hard. But, I came into this one with an open mind, figuring Lauren Dane must have a doozy of a backstory for Raven, to explain away all her nastiness. And darn if she didn't! And I ended up liking her! Okay, loving her.:)
What a truly excellent read. The pairing of sexy lawyer Jonah Warner (brother to Levi--Sway) and tattoo artist Raven was incredibly satisfying. Boy did these two bring the heat! And Jonah could bring it. He wasn't put off by Raven's bitchiness, in fact he liked that she was 'difficult'. He had no trouble handling her, or getting her to 'submit' and give up control. (Jonah had this kinky side that he was dying to explore...) And, he even broke down her walls (which was truly a miracle)--Raven actually opened up to him! So we the reader got to get inside Raven's head, and hear about her tragic past (you just knew there was something to make her the way she is), and wow, I started to understand her. And she became so much more likable. And Jonah was just so patient and supportive (god I loved him!)
Jonah...
Raven...
So yes, I loved this book! And I'd recommend it to all you Raven haters out there, or anyone who was a little put off by her in the previous books. There's a beautiful, well-written story here, one I was loathe to put down. Parts of it even brought tears to my eyes (who knew that I would cry for Raven?) This was one of my favorite books in an excellent series. 5 stars
What a truly excellent read. The pairing of sexy lawyer Jonah Warner (brother to Levi--Sway) and tattoo artist Raven was incredibly satisfying. Boy did these two bring the heat! And Jonah could bring it. He wasn't put off by Raven's bitchiness, in fact he liked that she was 'difficult'. He had no trouble handling her, or getting her to 'submit' and give up control. (Jonah had this kinky side that he was dying to explore...) And, he even broke down her walls (which was truly a miracle)--Raven actually opened up to him! So we the reader got to get inside Raven's head, and hear about her tragic past (you just knew there was something to make her the way she is), and wow, I started to understand her. And she became so much more likable. And Jonah was just so patient and supportive (god I loved him!)
Jonah...
Raven...
So yes, I loved this book! And I'd recommend it to all you Raven haters out there, or anyone who was a little put off by her in the previous books. There's a beautiful, well-written story here, one I was loathe to put down. Parts of it even brought tears to my eyes (who knew that I would cry for Raven?) This was one of my favorite books in an excellent series. 5 stars
December 28, 2012
I can't say who the hero is since I had such an early peek at this one but I will say this. I have enjoyed this series since book 1 but Brody was always my #1 ever since I read his story. Adrian came a little close to nudging Brody out of the way but Brody was able to hold him off. :) Sadly, Brody is no longer my #1 from this series, the hero of this book is. I adored everything about him.
October 11, 2013
Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks
Drawn Together is the fifth full length book in Lauren Dane’s Brown Siblings series. I did not know that she was working on this book until I saw people chat about it one twitter. Then I got all, well, a twitter because I hoped Lauren would someday write Raven’s HEA and to find out she did made me quite happy.
Raven is the character you loved to hate in the previous books. She definitely has a hard exterior and is a bitch to everyone. And even though you know there is more there (after all, Brody did fall in love with her once upon a time), it’s sometimes hard to see. But she has been mellowing out bit by bit in the last few books and her growth in this one not only works well (as in doesn’t come out of nowhere) but also suits her character and the story.
I loved who Lauren wrote for Raven HEA. The type of man that Jonah is is just perfect for her. Older, sure of himself, knows what he wants and what he likes. And even the Dom/sub twist fit even though at first glance I didn’t think it would.
You don’t have to worry about Jonah being a Dom because although he is one in the bedroom, it does not define him which is why I liked him. He is in his forties, divorced with a teenage daughter. He is a lawyer and comes from a well-to-do family. When you first read this you don’t feel it would work with Raven. Afterall, she is prickly and needs to be in control of everything. How dare someone tell her what do to in or out of the bedroom? Well, it really works. She needs to let go of some of that control. She needs someone who won’t take her at face value and who will work at getting her to be her true self without being too much of an arse or without being too much of a pushover. I found Lauren wrote the perfect balance for Jonah. He is exactly what Raven needs and they are excellent together.
Raven has been growing on me bit by bit and I enjoyed her in this book. Her story is sad but not so much that it was no fun to read. Lauren writes emotion in her characters well. Honestly, sometimes it can be a bit much (like with Erin) but with Raven, yes I am going to use the word ‘balance’ again, Lauren wrote the right balance. Emotional but not too mushy. It let Raven shine in her way and everything that happened and how she reacted was true to her character. I was pleased with that.
There are a few things that did rub me the wrong way though. Lauren took a bit of a break from the Brown Siblings to write a new series called Delicious. I knew that there was going to be a bit of a crossover from the Brown series to the Delicious series because some of the characters were introduced in Brown #4. I have not read any of the Delicious books. I want to but I just haven’t fit them into my schedule yet. I did not think that would be a problem when I picked up Drawn Together because it is Brown book and not a Delicious books yet I often found myself wondering ‘who are all of these people?’ and ‘since when are all of these guys such bestest closest friends?’ The characters from Delicious are in many scenes of Drawn Together. I felt I was missing big chunks of story. And yes, obviously I was, but I feel I shouldn’t have felt that way as this is not the same series! I was disappointed in that. I didn’t like diving back into the Brown world and almost feeling as though it was filled with intruders. Odd as that may sound, that is how I felt.
I also didn’t get the point of Jonah’s youngest brother’s wife and that whole tiny little subplot. It did nothing for the story. She was a crazy lady who was after the ‘new’ women to the family. The only thing I can think of is either this is something that started in a Delicious book (the hero from book one is Jonah’s brother so maybe..) or Lauren is getting ready to write a series about the brothers and wanted the youngest single so he could have his own book. Other than that, there was absolutely no point in Mal and his crazy bitch of a wife in my opinion.
There were tons of character updates from the other Brown Sibling books which was nice. We know where all of the other heroes and heroines are and what they are up to and I like knowing stuff like that. The pacing good but sometimes I felt it could be better as I found there was some repetition here and there which slowed things down for me a bit.
All in all, even though this was not my favorite installment of the series (that would be book two, Coming Undone) I am glad I read Drawn Together. Now the series feels finished and it ended well. I like the person Raven ultimately ended up being and I love Jonah for her. I think fans of the series will want to read this.
Drawn Together is the fifth full length book in Lauren Dane’s Brown Siblings series. I did not know that she was working on this book until I saw people chat about it one twitter. Then I got all, well, a twitter because I hoped Lauren would someday write Raven’s HEA and to find out she did made me quite happy.
Raven is the character you loved to hate in the previous books. She definitely has a hard exterior and is a bitch to everyone. And even though you know there is more there (after all, Brody did fall in love with her once upon a time), it’s sometimes hard to see. But she has been mellowing out bit by bit in the last few books and her growth in this one not only works well (as in doesn’t come out of nowhere) but also suits her character and the story.
I loved who Lauren wrote for Raven HEA. The type of man that Jonah is is just perfect for her. Older, sure of himself, knows what he wants and what he likes. And even the Dom/sub twist fit even though at first glance I didn’t think it would.
You don’t have to worry about Jonah being a Dom because although he is one in the bedroom, it does not define him which is why I liked him. He is in his forties, divorced with a teenage daughter. He is a lawyer and comes from a well-to-do family. When you first read this you don’t feel it would work with Raven. Afterall, she is prickly and needs to be in control of everything. How dare someone tell her what do to in or out of the bedroom? Well, it really works. She needs to let go of some of that control. She needs someone who won’t take her at face value and who will work at getting her to be her true self without being too much of an arse or without being too much of a pushover. I found Lauren wrote the perfect balance for Jonah. He is exactly what Raven needs and they are excellent together.
Raven has been growing on me bit by bit and I enjoyed her in this book. Her story is sad but not so much that it was no fun to read. Lauren writes emotion in her characters well. Honestly, sometimes it can be a bit much (like with Erin) but with Raven, yes I am going to use the word ‘balance’ again, Lauren wrote the right balance. Emotional but not too mushy. It let Raven shine in her way and everything that happened and how she reacted was true to her character. I was pleased with that.
There are a few things that did rub me the wrong way though. Lauren took a bit of a break from the Brown Siblings to write a new series called Delicious. I knew that there was going to be a bit of a crossover from the Brown series to the Delicious series because some of the characters were introduced in Brown #4. I have not read any of the Delicious books. I want to but I just haven’t fit them into my schedule yet. I did not think that would be a problem when I picked up Drawn Together because it is Brown book and not a Delicious books yet I often found myself wondering ‘who are all of these people?’ and ‘since when are all of these guys such bestest closest friends?’ The characters from Delicious are in many scenes of Drawn Together. I felt I was missing big chunks of story. And yes, obviously I was, but I feel I shouldn’t have felt that way as this is not the same series! I was disappointed in that. I didn’t like diving back into the Brown world and almost feeling as though it was filled with intruders. Odd as that may sound, that is how I felt.
I also didn’t get the point of Jonah’s youngest brother’s wife and that whole tiny little subplot. It did nothing for the story. She was a crazy lady who was after the ‘new’ women to the family. The only thing I can think of is either this is something that started in a Delicious book (the hero from book one is Jonah’s brother so maybe..) or Lauren is getting ready to write a series about the brothers and wanted the youngest single so he could have his own book. Other than that, there was absolutely no point in Mal and his crazy bitch of a wife in my opinion.
There were tons of character updates from the other Brown Sibling books which was nice. We know where all of the other heroes and heroines are and what they are up to and I like knowing stuff like that. The pacing good but sometimes I felt it could be better as I found there was some repetition here and there which slowed things down for me a bit.
All in all, even though this was not my favorite installment of the series (that would be book two, Coming Undone) I am glad I read Drawn Together. Now the series feels finished and it ended well. I like the person Raven ultimately ended up being and I love Jonah for her. I think fans of the series will want to read this.
January 26, 2019
If I can describe this book in 5 words: Not my cup of tea.
I picked up this book thinking it would be okay as a standalone, but you have to have read the previous books to understand everything. This book follows Raven, her love interest, and her background story.
Since I didn't read the rest of the series, I was very confused by all the characters and their relationship to one another. It's written as if the reader already knows everything, so I got a little lost, especially since there are so many characters.
Raven's romance wasn't my taste. The smutty scenes were BDSM, and dominant/submissive, which I don't really enjoy. It was also kind of instalove, which I also don't like.
The story as a whole rang a little too soap opera for me. I rolled my eyes quite a few times and wasn't invested in the MC at all. She was your cliche, "damaged, emotionally destroyed bad bitch but a softy at heart." I didn't care for her or any of the characters. Didn't enjoy this book at all.
I picked up this book thinking it would be okay as a standalone, but you have to have read the previous books to understand everything. This book follows Raven, her love interest, and her background story.
Since I didn't read the rest of the series, I was very confused by all the characters and their relationship to one another. It's written as if the reader already knows everything, so I got a little lost, especially since there are so many characters.
Raven's romance wasn't my taste. The smutty scenes were BDSM, and dominant/submissive, which I don't really enjoy. It was also kind of instalove, which I also don't like.
The story as a whole rang a little too soap opera for me. I rolled my eyes quite a few times and wasn't invested in the MC at all. She was your cliche, "damaged, emotionally destroyed bad bitch but a softy at heart." I didn't care for her or any of the characters. Didn't enjoy this book at all.
October 7, 2013
He didn’t want anything from her but everything.
I’m a fan of Lauren Dane’s Brown Sibling series. And even though I had Drawn Together on pre-order for months, it was really because I love the series rather than a real interest in reading Raven’s story. I haven’t been such a Raven fan in the past. She hurt Brody and I have tender feelings for that guy. And she’s just overall abrasive. I get that’s just part of her personality but I just wasn’t sure I wanted to read a whole book dedicated to her. I went into Drawn Together with an open mind, just happy to be reading this series again.
As hesitant as I was to start Drawn Together, by the conclusion of the book, I really liked Raven. More than like, I respected her. She came from shit, really. Her childhood was littered with abandonment, poverty, abuse, foster care…just bad. I love that Lauren Dane didn’t portray her as a damsel in distress or a woman waiting for a man to fix her. Despite her past she actually was one of the most well rounded characters I’ve read lately. She definitely had a vulnerable side and we get to see more of that as her relationship with Jonah progresses. But ultimately, she is a very strong woman. I loved that about her. She totally owned who she was, faults in all. She stood up for herself and those she cared about. She didn’t back down.
But he wanted something with her. There was no denying it. No denying this woman brought so many things to the surface. More than need, which he nearly drowned in. More than lust and sexual hunger for her. He wanted to dominate her in all the best ways.
Jonah was perfect for Raven. At times I thought maybe he was too perfect. I really thought she would end up with someone a little wild, a little edgy. Jonah was every bit of a gentleman. A gentleman that liked a little kink…but still a gentleman. Still, they did seem to work together, right from the start.
This wasn’t play. This was more. He was breaking her in a sense. Battering all her defenses until she submitted to him totally. There was a lot of responsibility he was about to take on. If he wanted her to submit to him, he had to deserve it. To continue to deserve it every day.
The steam factor was medium for me. I think Drawn Together was more of a tender sweet romance, a story of redemption for Raven instead of a sexy, hot romance. Because of that, I could see where some readers may be disappointed. I wasn’t. This wasn’t my favorite of the series and it wasn’t the steamiest. But when Raven and Jonah were together, it was pretty hot. I loved some of the things that came out of Jonah’s mouth. Jonah was very matter of fact sexy.
“You’re so fucking tight and slick, goddamn.” He nearly snarled it as he thrust so hard her tits bounced. She hung on, her nails digging into his shoulders. She was going to leave a mark and she didn’t give one single fuck. She owned him as surely as he owned her. “I want to come inside you. Fill you up with me, mark you, gorgeous. I want to bite you.” He moved and his teeth sank into the side of her right breast. She cried out, her cunt rippling around him. God, she was going to come again. “Tomorrow. Next week. Next month I want you to be at work and think of this. Of the way my cock feels inside you.” “Yes.” “Yes. Beautiful, beautiful Raven. All mine.” “Body and soul.”
I also appreciated while he liked to dominate her and she liked to be dominated it wasn’t full fledge BDSM. I think that story line is getting over used. Just my opinion.
“I want to take you back to my house and strip you naked. I want to lick you from head to toe and then I want you to suck my cock. I’ll fuck you.”
“Naturally.”
“Naturally. And then we’ll nap. Then I’m going to wake you up and you’re going to get on top so I can watch you while I fuck you again.”
I’m not sure what’s next for the Brown Family. While Drawn Together does seem like a good place to conclude the series, I’m hoping we may see all the characters pop up in Lauren Dane’s Delicious series which I just figured out is a spin off of the Brown Sibling series. One quick note, while I’ve read the entire Brown Sibling series I was wondering how I missed the story of Levi and Daisy that were characters in this book. Their story was told in the book Cherished which is part of the Delicious series and is bundled in with a book by Maya Banks. I definitely am adding that to my TBR list. I wish I would have read that story before reading Drawn Together. While it’s totally not necessary, since I’ve read the whole Brown Siblings series in order, it would have been nice to have Levi and Daisy’s story before Jonah’s.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and am glad Raven got her HEA. 4 SOLID STARS
October 18, 2013
Well, kudos to Lauren Dane for her own personal shock and awe campaign, which hit me like a ton of bricks!! That sneaky, talented author took a long-running and much-despised character and completely—I mean, completely—changed my mind about her! Not ever, ever, EVER…not in a million years…did I think that was possible!
I’ll own it: I have loathed the character of Raven Smith since she first appeared in this series. I truly hesitated to read Drawn Together for that very reason, as it was her story. However, being the final book (I believe) in the Brown Siblings series, I knew I had to read it! I fully anticipated, though, that it would be a less-than-stellar reading experience for me. Some authors can change my mind about characters, but Lauren Dane had to overcome all of my built-up resentment toward this character, which had only been gaining momentum over the course of this series. That was a very tall order, and, let me just say, Lauren Dane managed that like it was just another day at the office!
This book showed me, explained to me, the history behind Raven’s personality…er, disorder? Malfunction? And, yeah, I would say that was about as legitimate a reason for being a gold-medal winning bitch as I’d ever heard. It made me ache for Raven. I hurt for her. I felt protective. For the love of all that’s good and right…I cried buckets for the wretched woman! But, I also watched her slowly evolve into a much better person, a more hopeful person. If I’m honest, I have to admit that she had been sloooooowly making strides in the previous couple of books, but it was at a snail’s pace. Lauren Dane and Drawn Together somehow managed to give me exactly what I needed, in precisely the way I needed it, to look at the character of Raven Smith with fresh eyes and an open heart. That was a feat in and of itself! Well done, Lauren Dane!!
Something else to consider, I’m not a fan of male leads who are attorneys. For that matter, I’m not a fan of female leads who are attorneys. Simply being honest, 99.9% of the time they bore me to sleep. I have zero interest in reading about characters with that occupation. So, to say I was (again) shocked by how thoroughly I fell for Jonah Warner would be a vast understatement! Granted, he had brief moments of being a bit of a stuffed-shirt, but, for the most part, he was sexy (as evidenced by his, ahem, commanding presence in the bedroom…shazam!), had just a bit of an edge on occasion, and also melted my heart as the father of a college-age daughter. There was nothing flat or one-dimensional about this particular attorney!
As with all of the Brown Siblings books, it was so much fun to get those scenes which allowed me to catch up with the rest of the family, extended or otherwise. I love having the chance to see each of them living and continuing on with their lives. That’s one of the very best parts of a great series, and I hope that Lauren Dane will perhaps spinoff this series, again, for the kids of the Brown siblings. Honestly, I can’t think of anything better.
If any reader is at all apprehensive about reading Raven’s story, as I so obviously was, please don’t be. Drawn Together was a fantastic story, and, astonishingly enough, now my second favorite in the series, only behind Coming Undone, Brody and Elise’s story!!
★ 5 Stars ★
I’ll own it: I have loathed the character of Raven Smith since she first appeared in this series. I truly hesitated to read Drawn Together for that very reason, as it was her story. However, being the final book (I believe) in the Brown Siblings series, I knew I had to read it! I fully anticipated, though, that it would be a less-than-stellar reading experience for me. Some authors can change my mind about characters, but Lauren Dane had to overcome all of my built-up resentment toward this character, which had only been gaining momentum over the course of this series. That was a very tall order, and, let me just say, Lauren Dane managed that like it was just another day at the office!
This book showed me, explained to me, the history behind Raven’s personality…er, disorder? Malfunction? And, yeah, I would say that was about as legitimate a reason for being a gold-medal winning bitch as I’d ever heard. It made me ache for Raven. I hurt for her. I felt protective. For the love of all that’s good and right…I cried buckets for the wretched woman! But, I also watched her slowly evolve into a much better person, a more hopeful person. If I’m honest, I have to admit that she had been sloooooowly making strides in the previous couple of books, but it was at a snail’s pace. Lauren Dane and Drawn Together somehow managed to give me exactly what I needed, in precisely the way I needed it, to look at the character of Raven Smith with fresh eyes and an open heart. That was a feat in and of itself! Well done, Lauren Dane!!
Something else to consider, I’m not a fan of male leads who are attorneys. For that matter, I’m not a fan of female leads who are attorneys. Simply being honest, 99.9% of the time they bore me to sleep. I have zero interest in reading about characters with that occupation. So, to say I was (again) shocked by how thoroughly I fell for Jonah Warner would be a vast understatement! Granted, he had brief moments of being a bit of a stuffed-shirt, but, for the most part, he was sexy (as evidenced by his, ahem, commanding presence in the bedroom…shazam!), had just a bit of an edge on occasion, and also melted my heart as the father of a college-age daughter. There was nothing flat or one-dimensional about this particular attorney!
As with all of the Brown Siblings books, it was so much fun to get those scenes which allowed me to catch up with the rest of the family, extended or otherwise. I love having the chance to see each of them living and continuing on with their lives. That’s one of the very best parts of a great series, and I hope that Lauren Dane will perhaps spinoff this series, again, for the kids of the Brown siblings. Honestly, I can’t think of anything better.
If any reader is at all apprehensive about reading Raven’s story, as I so obviously was, please don’t be. Drawn Together was a fantastic story, and, astonishingly enough, now my second favorite in the series, only behind Coming Undone, Brody and Elise’s story!!
★ 5 Stars ★
November 20, 2013
Best part was Jonah's grandfather telling him about the nose hairs that were coming his way with old age. "Thanks Grandpa Jack." Ha.
I may need a break from Lauren Dane. Or a drinking game!
Icy bitch mother figure who respects strength? Drink.
Skanky man-stealing harpy? Drink.
Strong, feminist women who can still call other women "skanks"? Yeah, drink.
"own your shit" Drink.
Lectures-in-a-can disguised as dialogue? Drink.
Of course, I'll be drinking tea, so I'll have to pee a lot.
I may need a break from Lauren Dane. Or a drinking game!
Icy bitch mother figure who respects strength? Drink.
Skanky man-stealing harpy? Drink.
Strong, feminist women who can still call other women "skanks"? Yeah, drink.
"own your shit" Drink.
Lectures-in-a-can disguised as dialogue? Drink.
Of course, I'll be drinking tea, so I'll have to pee a lot.
April 12, 2015
Drawn Together by Lauren Dane PJV Quickie: Drawn Together, Book 6 in Lauren Dane’s Brown Siblings series, left me with mixed feelings: on the one hand, I was thrilled to read about Raven’s past and read her HEA, but on the other hand, it didn’t read as sexy as previous books in the series, and the familiar theme of “family” was missing for this reader.
Review: Raven Smith doesn’t make friends easily. The product of foster care and halfway houses, she’s learned the hard way not to rely on anyone but herself. A chronic wanderer, she doesn’t stay in one place for long, but has started to settle a bit in Seattle as the Brown family, rare trusted friends, live in Seattle and the siblings have begun starting their families. To people outside of Raven’s inner circle, she comes across as a bitch, but those who know her well know that there’s so much of Raven to love if you can get past her tough exterior.
Jonah Warner, is a divorced father with a teen-aged daughter and an ex-wife who’s a money-grubbing piece of work. He meets Raven at a party thrown by mutual friends and talks to her about getting a back tattoo. After some flirting and chatting, Raven agrees to show him some drawings and will do his tattoo at his home. Jonah is instantly attracted to Raven, and is determined to make her his. Doing that, however, is going to require tearing through walls that Raven has spent a lifetime building.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am a huge Lauren Dane fan and her Brown Siblings series is one of my favorites. I have been waiting excitedly for Raven’s story, and in Drawn Together we learn so much about why she is the way she is. Raven is probably the least-liked character in the series, but I knew, just knew, there was so much more to her story than we’d seen previously…
I think that in Jonah, Ms. Dane has written a good character to handle Raven’s issues – they are many and some of them are very intense. Raven had a horrible childhood and doesn’t trust easily. Those people she lets into her inner circle know and accept this and are very protective of her. She’s done bitchy things in the past, but in most instances her heart was in the right place and she was doing it to protect the people she loves, or for self-preservation. Jonah understands this and while he pushes her sometimes, he doesn’t push her farther than she’s willing to go. He also gives Raven what she needs in the bedroom – a chance to let go and let someone else be in charge. And while they may occasionally disagree out of the bedroom, inside the bedroom they are in perfect agreement.
What didn’t work for me in Drawn Together is the “insta-love” aspect. Raven and Jonah were immediately attracted to each other and their “courtship” consisted mainly of them discussing their attraction: “we’re attracted to each other so we’re going to have sex”. For me, it read as almost clinical in that I didn’t feel the passion I’m so used to getting from Ms. Dane.
The other thing I missed in Drawn Together is the theme of Family; perhaps because both Jonah and Raven’s families were so awful, and Raven’s chosen family, the Brown siblings, were already established in previous books? I think I just had a hard time with how mean the women in Drawn Together were written – Jonah’s ex-wife, his sister-in-law, his mother and grandmother, and Raven’s aunt – and they just left me feeling beat-down.
Those two issues aside, I have to say that Drawn Together is full of Lauren Dane’s rich writing style: reading her words on the page is like eating decadent chocolates – you want to just gorge yourself on them and when they’re gone you can’t figure out how you’re done already. One other thing I liked about Drawn Together is that we do get to see how the Brown siblings and their progeny are doing, and I’m looking forward to reading more about them.
Recommendations:Fans of erotic romance will enjoy Drawn Together, readers who enjoy reading D/s, redeemed heroines, like their heroes tattooed.
Review: Raven Smith doesn’t make friends easily. The product of foster care and halfway houses, she’s learned the hard way not to rely on anyone but herself. A chronic wanderer, she doesn’t stay in one place for long, but has started to settle a bit in Seattle as the Brown family, rare trusted friends, live in Seattle and the siblings have begun starting their families. To people outside of Raven’s inner circle, she comes across as a bitch, but those who know her well know that there’s so much of Raven to love if you can get past her tough exterior.
Jonah Warner, is a divorced father with a teen-aged daughter and an ex-wife who’s a money-grubbing piece of work. He meets Raven at a party thrown by mutual friends and talks to her about getting a back tattoo. After some flirting and chatting, Raven agrees to show him some drawings and will do his tattoo at his home. Jonah is instantly attracted to Raven, and is determined to make her his. Doing that, however, is going to require tearing through walls that Raven has spent a lifetime building.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am a huge Lauren Dane fan and her Brown Siblings series is one of my favorites. I have been waiting excitedly for Raven’s story, and in Drawn Together we learn so much about why she is the way she is. Raven is probably the least-liked character in the series, but I knew, just knew, there was so much more to her story than we’d seen previously…
I think that in Jonah, Ms. Dane has written a good character to handle Raven’s issues – they are many and some of them are very intense. Raven had a horrible childhood and doesn’t trust easily. Those people she lets into her inner circle know and accept this and are very protective of her. She’s done bitchy things in the past, but in most instances her heart was in the right place and she was doing it to protect the people she loves, or for self-preservation. Jonah understands this and while he pushes her sometimes, he doesn’t push her farther than she’s willing to go. He also gives Raven what she needs in the bedroom – a chance to let go and let someone else be in charge. And while they may occasionally disagree out of the bedroom, inside the bedroom they are in perfect agreement.
What didn’t work for me in Drawn Together is the “insta-love” aspect. Raven and Jonah were immediately attracted to each other and their “courtship” consisted mainly of them discussing their attraction: “we’re attracted to each other so we’re going to have sex”. For me, it read as almost clinical in that I didn’t feel the passion I’m so used to getting from Ms. Dane.
The other thing I missed in Drawn Together is the theme of Family; perhaps because both Jonah and Raven’s families were so awful, and Raven’s chosen family, the Brown siblings, were already established in previous books? I think I just had a hard time with how mean the women in Drawn Together were written – Jonah’s ex-wife, his sister-in-law, his mother and grandmother, and Raven’s aunt – and they just left me feeling beat-down.
Those two issues aside, I have to say that Drawn Together is full of Lauren Dane’s rich writing style: reading her words on the page is like eating decadent chocolates – you want to just gorge yourself on them and when they’re gone you can’t figure out how you’re done already. One other thing I liked about Drawn Together is that we do get to see how the Brown siblings and their progeny are doing, and I’m looking forward to reading more about them.
Recommendations:Fans of erotic romance will enjoy Drawn Together, readers who enjoy reading D/s, redeemed heroines, like their heroes tattooed.
January 2, 2014
I've read all of the books in Lauren Dane's Brown Siblings series and never particularly cared for Raven. The only reason I read her book is because I have OCD when it comes to completing series. Needless to say, I was completely surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and how much I really do like Raven. There are many great reviews already for this story, so I will encourage all Raven bashers to read this book not only because it really explains why Raven is the way that she is,but also because it really is a fantastic book! Four stars!
January 22, 2019
Re-read 9/13 - even though I've read this several times I stayed up until 2am to read it again. So good.
_______
My reaction to this book was wholly unexpected. Dane hasn't disappointed me yet, but I didn't think I'd love Raven as much as I did. I also didn't think Brody could be topped as my favorite hero of this series, but I think Jonah managed it.
Absolutely fabulous.
_______
My reaction to this book was wholly unexpected. Dane hasn't disappointed me yet, but I didn't think I'd love Raven as much as I did. I also didn't think Brody could be topped as my favorite hero of this series, but I think Jonah managed it.
Absolutely fabulous.
July 26, 2014
4 ½ stars – Contemporary/Erotic Romance
September 27, 2013
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B
Raven has always seemed a little like the odd woman out. She’s blunt, speaks her mind but throughout the series, she never seemed to put herself out there emotionally with anyone. She has a history with Brody but to her their relationship wasn’t as serious as Brody was taking it and they’re now better off as friends. She’s close to Erin but again, in the past she’s never stuck around, she likes to travel but always found her way back to Seattle. In Drawn Together I really enjoyed getting to know Raven. She wasn’t the same Raven I remember from books past and I think that’s due to seeing things through her eyes for the first time. She’s now putting down roots in Seattle, and by slowly letting herself get closer to Erin, Brody and their families, it’s had an impact on her and has changed her – a little. She’s still has her bitchy moments, she’s just a little more pleasant about it!
Her hero is Seattle attorney Jonah Warner (brother to Levi, Sway) and I loved this man. He’s exactly what Raven needs in a partner. He’s trustworthy, dependable, he doesn’t let her push him away but he straddles the line on not pushing issues. He’s a good guy, and sexy and he pushes Raven in the bedroom. I wouldn’t call him an extreme Dominant, but he does like to restrain her and play with different items during sex but the biggest aspect I took away from him was his need and desire to take care of her since she’s never had that before. He’s very *sigh* worthy, buying her things that take into account her personal style and likes, opening her door, touching her whenever he can. He’s one of the good guys, but it still takes Raven time to warm up to him, not in the bedroom, they hit it off in there right away. But her walls are thick and tall and it takes time for her to start breaking her own personal rules about relationships and men and let Jonah in.
Raven’s past is tough and she didn’t have it easy growing up. The past comes back to get her in the present as she has to deal with a family that she’d rather forget and it brings a lot of things to the surface for her. I loved seeing her vulnerable, dropping the mask she’s worn for the entire series up to this point and seeing her let go emotionally with Jonah. For as sexy as this couple is, they have many sweet moments together that don’t involve sex, but rather have Jonah just being there for Raven and proving that she has someone in her corner completely. He also proves to be a man that she feels comfortable enough to really talk to, again, it’s something that she’s never had, not even with the Brown family and I loved seeing her soften up just a little bit when it came to her relationship with Jonah. She doesn’t completely lose her edge, a few people push her buttons and I loved seeing her stand up for not only herself but her friends, so make no mistake – she lets her softer side out with Jonah, but the Raven we’ve come to know does come out when she needs to.
We’ve already met one of Jonah’s brothers, Levi, but my request (plea) to Lauren Dane is that the rest of his brothers need some loving too! I really enjoyed getting to know his whole family, prickly mother included, and would love to see the rest of the single Warner men have stories told. The Brown’s all show up throughout the story. I didn’t feel like they overtook the story at any point and their presence on page was more to show Raven and her relationship with their kids, which is very sweet. She has a few scenes with Erin and Daisy, but I mainly enjoyed seeing her interact with the kids and again, it’s just another side to Raven that we haven’t seen in the past.
I finished this story feeling very satisfied with Raven’s story. She’s a likable character and one that I wanted to have happiness because of all the things she had to deal with in her painful past. And Jonah, ahhhh, he’s sexy and sweet and there were many scenes with him that had me so happy with how he was with Raven. I really enjoyed their relationship and it’s the heart of this story.
Blog rating: B
Raven has always seemed a little like the odd woman out. She’s blunt, speaks her mind but throughout the series, she never seemed to put herself out there emotionally with anyone. She has a history with Brody but to her their relationship wasn’t as serious as Brody was taking it and they’re now better off as friends. She’s close to Erin but again, in the past she’s never stuck around, she likes to travel but always found her way back to Seattle. In Drawn Together I really enjoyed getting to know Raven. She wasn’t the same Raven I remember from books past and I think that’s due to seeing things through her eyes for the first time. She’s now putting down roots in Seattle, and by slowly letting herself get closer to Erin, Brody and their families, it’s had an impact on her and has changed her – a little. She’s still has her bitchy moments, she’s just a little more pleasant about it!
Her hero is Seattle attorney Jonah Warner (brother to Levi, Sway) and I loved this man. He’s exactly what Raven needs in a partner. He’s trustworthy, dependable, he doesn’t let her push him away but he straddles the line on not pushing issues. He’s a good guy, and sexy and he pushes Raven in the bedroom. I wouldn’t call him an extreme Dominant, but he does like to restrain her and play with different items during sex but the biggest aspect I took away from him was his need and desire to take care of her since she’s never had that before. He’s very *sigh* worthy, buying her things that take into account her personal style and likes, opening her door, touching her whenever he can. He’s one of the good guys, but it still takes Raven time to warm up to him, not in the bedroom, they hit it off in there right away. But her walls are thick and tall and it takes time for her to start breaking her own personal rules about relationships and men and let Jonah in.
Raven’s past is tough and she didn’t have it easy growing up. The past comes back to get her in the present as she has to deal with a family that she’d rather forget and it brings a lot of things to the surface for her. I loved seeing her vulnerable, dropping the mask she’s worn for the entire series up to this point and seeing her let go emotionally with Jonah. For as sexy as this couple is, they have many sweet moments together that don’t involve sex, but rather have Jonah just being there for Raven and proving that she has someone in her corner completely. He also proves to be a man that she feels comfortable enough to really talk to, again, it’s something that she’s never had, not even with the Brown family and I loved seeing her soften up just a little bit when it came to her relationship with Jonah. She doesn’t completely lose her edge, a few people push her buttons and I loved seeing her stand up for not only herself but her friends, so make no mistake – she lets her softer side out with Jonah, but the Raven we’ve come to know does come out when she needs to.
We’ve already met one of Jonah’s brothers, Levi, but my request (plea) to Lauren Dane is that the rest of his brothers need some loving too! I really enjoyed getting to know his whole family, prickly mother included, and would love to see the rest of the single Warner men have stories told. The Brown’s all show up throughout the story. I didn’t feel like they overtook the story at any point and their presence on page was more to show Raven and her relationship with their kids, which is very sweet. She has a few scenes with Erin and Daisy, but I mainly enjoyed seeing her interact with the kids and again, it’s just another side to Raven that we haven’t seen in the past.
I finished this story feeling very satisfied with Raven’s story. She’s a likable character and one that I wanted to have happiness because of all the things she had to deal with in her painful past. And Jonah, ahhhh, he’s sexy and sweet and there were many scenes with him that had me so happy with how he was with Raven. I really enjoyed their relationship and it’s the heart of this story.
October 6, 2013
My Rating: ★★★½
Drawn Together was the sixth installment in the Brown Siblings series. Side note: interesting name for a series that only has three siblings but six books. But I like the Browns and their cast of friends in this series and the Delicious series.
I'm a bit torn on my review. Parts of the story I enjoyed --like Jonah breaking down Raven's walls. The guy was just 100% solid all the way around and you just couldn't help falling in love with him a little. Parts of the story left me feeling a bit "meh." The Raven in this story seemed like a watered down version of her previous self in some respects. Dane did an excellent job explaining why and it showed throughout the story but I expected Raven's story to have a bit more bite. I truly enjoyed the moments when the old Raven came out for a visit. I love how she put Charlotte, Liesl, and Beth in their place. The confrontation with her aunt was heartbreaking but showed the Raven-mettle that I enjoyed about her character.
And speaking of the confrontation with her aunt. Wow. The big revelation was right out of a soap opera. Jonah made a similar commentary. But boy...it was just a bit too far-fetched. I get that this is fiction but that scenario was unbelievable as was her aunt's reason for her actions. I was doing a lot of SMH with that particular story line.
Overall, I enjoyed Drawn Together. It had it's moments of sweet, sexy, and heartbreaking. But it was nice to see Raven get her happily ever after with a man who understood and cherished her. I just expected a bit more from the end of the series and wasn't "wowed" by this. BUT, Dane notes on her website that she may chronicle the lives of the children in the story when they grow up. If so, it makes sense why they were a prominent detail in this story.
This is definitely NOT a stand alone book. Readers will need to have read the other books in this series and possibly even the Delicious series to understand who all the characters are because they are integrated throughout this one.
GOOD: The characteristics of a 3 star book include: interesting characters, a decent storyline, and unique story elements; there was something about the story that I didn’t completely connect with; the book is a solid read. I would recommend it to a friend.My Thoughts:
Drawn Together was the sixth installment in the Brown Siblings series. Side note: interesting name for a series that only has three siblings but six books. But I like the Browns and their cast of friends in this series and the Delicious series.
I'm a bit torn on my review. Parts of the story I enjoyed --like Jonah breaking down Raven's walls. The guy was just 100% solid all the way around and you just couldn't help falling in love with him a little. Parts of the story left me feeling a bit "meh." The Raven in this story seemed like a watered down version of her previous self in some respects. Dane did an excellent job explaining why and it showed throughout the story but I expected Raven's story to have a bit more bite. I truly enjoyed the moments when the old Raven came out for a visit. I love how she put Charlotte, Liesl, and Beth in their place. The confrontation with her aunt was heartbreaking but showed the Raven-mettle that I enjoyed about her character.
And speaking of the confrontation with her aunt. Wow. The big revelation was right out of a soap opera. Jonah made a similar commentary. But boy...it was just a bit too far-fetched. I get that this is fiction but that scenario was unbelievable as was her aunt's reason for her actions. I was doing a lot of SMH with that particular story line.
Overall, I enjoyed Drawn Together. It had it's moments of sweet, sexy, and heartbreaking. But it was nice to see Raven get her happily ever after with a man who understood and cherished her. I just expected a bit more from the end of the series and wasn't "wowed" by this. BUT, Dane notes on her website that she may chronicle the lives of the children in the story when they grow up. If so, it makes sense why they were a prominent detail in this story.
This is definitely NOT a stand alone book. Readers will need to have read the other books in this series and possibly even the Delicious series to understand who all the characters are because they are integrated throughout this one.
January 1, 2015
This one caught me by surprise. I picked it up because I like the series and I want to finish it. It took a long time for me to actually read this one because I hated Raven. Raven is such a bitch and beyond annoying in the other books. How could a book focused on her be any good? It would take a lot to turn my opinion around about her. The first third of this book, I still didn't like her. She's mental. Is this a derogatory remark? Yes. Bite me.
Then Ms. Dane slowly turns it around by prying open Raven's shell and slowly taken down the way. Raven makes much more sense, but I still don't really like her. I do like her with Jonah though. He is good for her and he makes her acknowledge her self worth. It's not that Raven is insecure or has low self esteem. It's that she feels unwanted and abandoned. For this to happen to an adult, there would be a little damage. But when it happens to a child during their formative years, it does a lot of damage. It also explains why Raven is the way she is.
Overall, this story is one of healing. The last 1/3 of the book is when the pace really picks up and gets better. There is sex in the book but honestly, I just flipped passed it. It didn't do much for me because I can't remember it. I'm too jaded. Recommended for those who love when a bad girl finds her knight in shining armor.
Then Ms. Dane slowly turns it around by prying open Raven's shell and slowly taken down the way. Raven makes much more sense, but I still don't really like her. I do like her with Jonah though. He is good for her and he makes her acknowledge her self worth. It's not that Raven is insecure or has low self esteem. It's that she feels unwanted and abandoned. For this to happen to an adult, there would be a little damage. But when it happens to a child during their formative years, it does a lot of damage. It also explains why Raven is the way she is.
Overall, this story is one of healing. The last 1/3 of the book is when the pace really picks up and gets better. There is sex in the book but honestly, I just flipped passed it. It didn't do much for me because I can't remember it. I'm too jaded. Recommended for those who love when a bad girl finds her knight in shining armor.
March 10, 2016
I love when an author can take a character that is not at all likable and once you learn their story you love them! That happened in this book and it was wonderful!
Raven did some terrible things in the earlier books and I just couldn't imagine her as the heroine of a story. As the story was told, we learned more and more about her and I came to love her. I don't feel like we got to learn as much about Jonah, but we saw his character in how he treated her. His was an interesting family though, I think I need to go find more books I feel like I missed something. I did feel that the whole D/s aspect of the story wasn't necessary and that it was only added because that is the 'in' thing right now. It worked, but I don't think it really added anything.
I listened to the audio of this and quite enjoyed it. Lucy Rivers as narrator does a good job!
Raven did some terrible things in the earlier books and I just couldn't imagine her as the heroine of a story. As the story was told, we learned more and more about her and I came to love her. I don't feel like we got to learn as much about Jonah, but we saw his character in how he treated her. His was an interesting family though, I think I need to go find more books I feel like I missed something. I did feel that the whole D/s aspect of the story wasn't necessary and that it was only added because that is the 'in' thing right now. It worked, but I don't think it really added anything.
I listened to the audio of this and quite enjoyed it. Lucy Rivers as narrator does a good job!
June 11, 2020
definitely a favourite read. whether you came to love her or hate her through the rest of the series, you cannot help to be happy to read Raven and Jonah's hea. as always brilliant writing style and a beautiful romance
August 3, 2016
3.5 stars
October 2, 2013
Reviewed by both Heather and Sarah
Title: Drawn Together
Series: Brown Siblings bk 6
Author: Lauren Dane
Genre: Erotic Contemporary
Beauty is more than skin-deep…
Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.
With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.
Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.
But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…
Review by Heather: Lauren Dane has firmly planted herself on my autobuy/autoread list. She writes characters that fully engage all our emotions.
I’ve loved every single book in this series, and until now Coming Undone has been my absolute favorite book in the series, but this book, it is now tied with that book for my favorite in this series.
Raven has been a character I’ve tolerated from book one, however after reading Drawn Together she is now one of my favorite characters. The reason being, because we finally get the full story of this person and I have to admit now she’s one of my favorite characters. Her story is one that breaks your heart and cheer when she finally gets her HEA.
Jonah has intrigued me ever since he showed up in Cherished. I’ve wanted his story. I have to say he lived up to everything I wanted him to be. Putting his daughter before his own happiness made him that much sexier. His determination to crack the shell around Raven showed that he knew there was more to her and he was willing to put in the work to make her his.
One of the side stories I was happy was resolved was the marriage of of one of Jonah’s brothers. If you read Cherished you know who I’m talking about. And Jonah’s mom, man she freakin’ rocks. She rules her family, but they all know it’s from a place of love.
This is one of those awesome Lauren Dane books you HAVE to read, especially if you love the Brown Siblings. I will admit I really want Lauren to write the rest of the Warner brother’s stories. And I really hope Jonah’s daughter gets her story some day.
Grade A+
Review by Sarah: This is only the second novel that I have read from Lauren Dane. I read Laid Bare awhile back, and while it was okay for me, it didn’t really leave me panting for more. It was good, but not captivating. The blurb was what caught me into and pulled me to the story but the book didn’t live up to it for me. I don’t really know why….all the elements of a good story were there….it was original, it had a whole new take on things, the characters were interesting, etc. But somehow I just failed to fall in love with that book. So, when I came across this one, my first question to myself was – did I want to chance reading another one?
I decided to take another chance here and hoped for the best….and in this case I was not disappointed. The story itself didn’t stand out for me – but the characters did. And boy, did they stand out! I absolutely LOVE Raven….she’s strong, honest, blunt, and loyal. I loved her remark, “My goodness, I already let you see my boobies.” So funny, so real, so Raven! She’s just such an amazing character. She’s been through the fires of hell and is stronger for it. She’s tough on the outside, yet a sweet marshmallow underneath. And if you take the time to get to know her, making your way past her gruff exterior, you’ll have a friend for life. She’s been hurt in the past and she’s messed up in alot of ways because of it….but she doesn’t let it rule her life. And Jonah was a perfect match for her. He was determined yet patient, loving yet willing to push her when she needed it, and most of all he was always there for Raven when she needed it. These two will stand out in my mind for a long time to come.
I loved how Dane captured the essence of these characters. I loved the ‘realness’ of their actions and responses…and the ‘realness’ of Raven’s fears. Beyond her gruffness, she was a character that was vulnerable in many ways. And the way Jonah helped her work through some things was simply heartbreaking.
My only complaint was the mention of numerous characters from previous books. For someone not an avid follower of her books, it was a bit distracting from the story itself. I thought many of the names and characters could have been left out, as they really didn’t pertain to the story at all. Some of them actually contributed to the character building and/or the plot, but many were unnecessary. I particularly enjoyed watching Erin rip into Jonah and his brother to protect her friend. It was a wonderful scene. I want a friend like that!…:)
Bottom line – the characters are what makes this book. This book has made me do a complete about-face when it comes to other books by this author. I’ll be doing some back reading after this!
Rate: A
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com
Title: Drawn Together
Series: Brown Siblings bk 6
Author: Lauren Dane
Genre: Erotic Contemporary
Beauty is more than skin-deep…
Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.
With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.
Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.
But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…
Review by Heather: Lauren Dane has firmly planted herself on my autobuy/autoread list. She writes characters that fully engage all our emotions.
I’ve loved every single book in this series, and until now Coming Undone has been my absolute favorite book in the series, but this book, it is now tied with that book for my favorite in this series.
Raven has been a character I’ve tolerated from book one, however after reading Drawn Together she is now one of my favorite characters. The reason being, because we finally get the full story of this person and I have to admit now she’s one of my favorite characters. Her story is one that breaks your heart and cheer when she finally gets her HEA.
Jonah has intrigued me ever since he showed up in Cherished. I’ve wanted his story. I have to say he lived up to everything I wanted him to be. Putting his daughter before his own happiness made him that much sexier. His determination to crack the shell around Raven showed that he knew there was more to her and he was willing to put in the work to make her his.
One of the side stories I was happy was resolved was the marriage of of one of Jonah’s brothers. If you read Cherished you know who I’m talking about. And Jonah’s mom, man she freakin’ rocks. She rules her family, but they all know it’s from a place of love.
This is one of those awesome Lauren Dane books you HAVE to read, especially if you love the Brown Siblings. I will admit I really want Lauren to write the rest of the Warner brother’s stories. And I really hope Jonah’s daughter gets her story some day.
Grade A+
Review by Sarah: This is only the second novel that I have read from Lauren Dane. I read Laid Bare awhile back, and while it was okay for me, it didn’t really leave me panting for more. It was good, but not captivating. The blurb was what caught me into and pulled me to the story but the book didn’t live up to it for me. I don’t really know why….all the elements of a good story were there….it was original, it had a whole new take on things, the characters were interesting, etc. But somehow I just failed to fall in love with that book. So, when I came across this one, my first question to myself was – did I want to chance reading another one?
I decided to take another chance here and hoped for the best….and in this case I was not disappointed. The story itself didn’t stand out for me – but the characters did. And boy, did they stand out! I absolutely LOVE Raven….she’s strong, honest, blunt, and loyal. I loved her remark, “My goodness, I already let you see my boobies.” So funny, so real, so Raven! She’s just such an amazing character. She’s been through the fires of hell and is stronger for it. She’s tough on the outside, yet a sweet marshmallow underneath. And if you take the time to get to know her, making your way past her gruff exterior, you’ll have a friend for life. She’s been hurt in the past and she’s messed up in alot of ways because of it….but she doesn’t let it rule her life. And Jonah was a perfect match for her. He was determined yet patient, loving yet willing to push her when she needed it, and most of all he was always there for Raven when she needed it. These two will stand out in my mind for a long time to come.
I loved how Dane captured the essence of these characters. I loved the ‘realness’ of their actions and responses…and the ‘realness’ of Raven’s fears. Beyond her gruffness, she was a character that was vulnerable in many ways. And the way Jonah helped her work through some things was simply heartbreaking.
My only complaint was the mention of numerous characters from previous books. For someone not an avid follower of her books, it was a bit distracting from the story itself. I thought many of the names and characters could have been left out, as they really didn’t pertain to the story at all. Some of them actually contributed to the character building and/or the plot, but many were unnecessary. I particularly enjoyed watching Erin rip into Jonah and his brother to protect her friend. It was a wonderful scene. I want a friend like that!…:)
Bottom line – the characters are what makes this book. This book has made me do a complete about-face when it comes to other books by this author. I’ll be doing some back reading after this!
Rate: A
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com
July 29, 2018
Strong abuse survivor h, down to earth H (he is still the usual alpha/dominant/rich guy, but I’d also really caring and seems like a real adult lol)
Tattoos, family dramas, and HEA
Tattoos, family dramas, and HEA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2025
I didn't think i could really like or understand Raven, but this book did a pretty darn good job...it was a 4 star read, but I knocked off a star because it just seemed to...end
September 12, 2013
LAUREN DANE - DRAWN TOGETHER
• Brown Siblings #6
• 304 Pages
• release date - 01 October - 2013
• Genre: erotic Romance
★★★★★ 4,75 Stars
Click here to see the Brown Siblings Series on goodreads
► I would also strongly recommend that you read the DELICIOUS Series between the Brown's book 5+6 ☺
I just wish somebody had told me that earlier ;)
My Opinion:
Like all books in the series - I loved it!
Those Browns and their friends are a great bunch of people.
This time it's about the 30-something girl who works in Brody Brown's tattoo shop - Tattoo Artist and Brown/Copeland Family friend Raven Smith.
She has always been a bit of an outsider - she's from a bad home - foster homes and she even had to live on the street for a bit when she ran away from Arkansas. But she made herself into a successful tattoo artist. Still working for Brody whenever she's in Seatlle - which is much more often now that most of the Brown's have babies - because she totally adores them ☺
There was this romantic thing between her and Brody many years back - but that's all forgotten and forgiven.
But still she feels that she doesn't really belong - even though the Brown's tell her differently.
Then she meets Jonah Warner. A rich and successful lawyer - 42 years old, divorced with an almost college aged daughter.
I think I don't have to mention that he's really HOT too! ☺
Jonah Warner was beyond hot. He was on-fire sexy. Like panties on fire.
And he wants Raven to ink his back - a huge wolf tattoo.
It's INSTANT sexual attraction between those two ♥
BUT - Raven doesn't really do relationships - she never has. Jonah wants her to commit (and more important to submit) to him - to date him exclusively. She likes that he's very dominant and she agrees to do the monogamy thing - which shocks her a bit - would anyone else tell her something the way Jonah does - she would've been out the door before he could put ice on his face or his more southern areas.
But Jonah is not afraid of her - he 'gets' the real Raven:
‘Everyone’s so afraid of you. But they don’t know that underneath that bitchy exterior is all marshmallow.’
Will the relationship work? Will Raven want to submit to Jonah? Can they both accept each other the way they are? Raven's past? Jonah's upper class family?
I am NOT telling you ☺
I don't want to spoil your reading pleasure ☺
well, ok - maybe I could mention a few points ☺
There will be LOTS and LOTS of SEX in this book - lots of kinky sex too ;)
we will meet all our beloved Brown's and Copeland's again - especially all their babies ☺
Raven has some secrets in her past that she has never told to anyone - will she tell Jonah?
there's a little interesting 'twist' towards the end of the story - well - it's not really a twist - it's something that happens - something that Raven didn't expect ☺
Even though Raven thinks she doesn't belong there - with his upper class people, she will spend Thanksgiving AND Christmas with Jonah's family - which makes for a few funny scenes ☺
________________________________________
I REALLY LOVED THE BOOK!!!
I loved all the Brown family books - they were all really erotic and romantic and exciting.
And Drawn Together was no different!
There were sooo many erotic moments in the book - many people complain about too much sex in a book - pfffft - DON'T BUY EROTIC ROMANCES if you don't want to read about SEX!!!!
I have to admit there wasn't much else in the book - there was no big story - no criminal or exciting part at all - no guns - no violence ☺ I wouldn't have minded a little kidnapping or some bad guy from Raven's past to come calling - or even a little fighting between Jonah and Brody because of Brody's and Raven's past - but no.....
It was just a wonderful erotic Romance. With lots of feelings and fears and lots of talking - LOTS of talking (Lots of sexy talking too☺)
BUT, if you loved the first 5(8) books in the series - LIKE I DID - you will SOOO LOVE this one too! It was worth the wait to finally read Raven's story ☺ YAYYYY
Now hurry up Ms Dane - those Browns still have some stories left to tell!!! (MILES! *hint*)
December 10, 2013
Originally posted here: http://smexybooks.com/2013/10/review-...
Raven has long been a character that I’ve loved to hate. She’s always been quite the bitch, and she makes no apologies for herself. A talented tattoo artist, she’s also a free spirit and she moves through life going wherever she wants to, whenever she wants to. That is until her dearest friends start finding love and having children. Now she finds herself making a more permanent home in Seattle, wanting to be nearer to these friends who have become more her family than her blood relatives.
When Raven meets Jonah and they start dating, I was totally thrown for a loop. We still got the Raven that goes after what she wants, but her demeanor was somehow different and I was intrigued. Jonah seemed to bring out a different Raven and I wasn’t really sure if I liked her. But Jonah is all that and then some-so I was very interested to see where Ms. Dane planned to take us.
What she gives us is Raven’s back story and it explains so much about the Raven of the early books. At the same time, however, learning that Raven endured abuse of all kinds, neglect and a really horrific betrayal, caused me much confusion with respect to Raven and her acceptance of the type of sexual relationship she had with Jonah. Jonah is a dominant and it didn’t sit well with me that this type of sexual play worked for Raven because of her past. Everything is completely consensual-so perhaps her being able to make this choice was all the author was going for. But even as we got to know more about Raven and witnessed her relationship to Jonah blossom, I couldn’t get rid of the niggling feeling I had about this one issue.
Jonah is basically perfect. Handsome, successful, rich-he gently pushes Raven because he truly wants her. He’s willing to wait her out, but it doesn’t take too much once he asks her to do a large tattoo on his back for him. His immediate support of Raven as she deals with a secret that was kept from her won my approval in huge ways. Jonah comes from a stronger family unit, so it’s natural for him to provide this kind of support to Raven and I loved how the author built their relationship this way.
We are treated to visits from most if not all previous characters, which is something I truly look forward to in Dane’s series. Here too we see a different Raven. We see her ‘softer side’ as she interacts with the children of her friends. We also meet Jonah’s family and there is much entertainment to be had by them. I love how Dane portrayed and then handled the situation with Jonah’s sister in law who we first met in Sway. This woman is the definition of “bitch” and she certainly gets hers in here.
Ms. Dane is brilliant at bringing in secondary characters that, even though their parts are small, they feed the story well and they intrigue us and leave us wanting. She did this in here with Jonah’s brothers. I can only hope that she has plans for the Warner men as these are stories I look forward to reading.
Drawn Together surprised me in both good and bad ways. While I had a little trouble with the fact that Raven was comfortable with Jonah’s dominant side, I really liked them together. Getting Ravens back story and knowing everything that happened to her, even though I had already imagined it, made her finding Jonah-who really was her other half-very satisfying.
Raven has long been a character that I’ve loved to hate. She’s always been quite the bitch, and she makes no apologies for herself. A talented tattoo artist, she’s also a free spirit and she moves through life going wherever she wants to, whenever she wants to. That is until her dearest friends start finding love and having children. Now she finds herself making a more permanent home in Seattle, wanting to be nearer to these friends who have become more her family than her blood relatives.
When Raven meets Jonah and they start dating, I was totally thrown for a loop. We still got the Raven that goes after what she wants, but her demeanor was somehow different and I was intrigued. Jonah seemed to bring out a different Raven and I wasn’t really sure if I liked her. But Jonah is all that and then some-so I was very interested to see where Ms. Dane planned to take us.
What she gives us is Raven’s back story and it explains so much about the Raven of the early books. At the same time, however, learning that Raven endured abuse of all kinds, neglect and a really horrific betrayal, caused me much confusion with respect to Raven and her acceptance of the type of sexual relationship she had with Jonah. Jonah is a dominant and it didn’t sit well with me that this type of sexual play worked for Raven because of her past. Everything is completely consensual-so perhaps her being able to make this choice was all the author was going for. But even as we got to know more about Raven and witnessed her relationship to Jonah blossom, I couldn’t get rid of the niggling feeling I had about this one issue.
Jonah is basically perfect. Handsome, successful, rich-he gently pushes Raven because he truly wants her. He’s willing to wait her out, but it doesn’t take too much once he asks her to do a large tattoo on his back for him. His immediate support of Raven as she deals with a secret that was kept from her won my approval in huge ways. Jonah comes from a stronger family unit, so it’s natural for him to provide this kind of support to Raven and I loved how the author built their relationship this way.
We are treated to visits from most if not all previous characters, which is something I truly look forward to in Dane’s series. Here too we see a different Raven. We see her ‘softer side’ as she interacts with the children of her friends. We also meet Jonah’s family and there is much entertainment to be had by them. I love how Dane portrayed and then handled the situation with Jonah’s sister in law who we first met in Sway. This woman is the definition of “bitch” and she certainly gets hers in here.
Ms. Dane is brilliant at bringing in secondary characters that, even though their parts are small, they feed the story well and they intrigue us and leave us wanting. She did this in here with Jonah’s brothers. I can only hope that she has plans for the Warner men as these are stories I look forward to reading.
Drawn Together surprised me in both good and bad ways. While I had a little trouble with the fact that Raven was comfortable with Jonah’s dominant side, I really liked them together. Getting Ravens back story and knowing everything that happened to her, even though I had already imagined it, made her finding Jonah-who really was her other half-very satisfying.
June 28, 2016
Reviewed for: Where the Night Kind Roam
Ok, it is official I am DNFing this book. Not so much because it is bad, but because I just dont care. I could not bring myself to care about either Jonah or Raven as a couple or as individuals. I got to about 70% of the way through the book and my little Kindle timer told me I still had over an hour and a half of reading time left and I just could not bring myself to spend over another hour reading about two characters I just didn't care about. Maybe I could have gotten over the lack of connection with the characters if there was a good plot, but really there wasn't much of one. There is a lot of blah blah blah talking, mostly about Ravens hard knock childhood and how Jonah needed to help her break out of it. There is a lot of talk about kids and probably the most significant relationship in this book is between Raven and a toddler her best friends kid. There was a lot of blah blah blah talk about how much she loved that kid and how she is such a great "auntie", not my favorite subject in my erotica. There is also a lot Raven's friends telling her about there is just so much more about her then a cold hearted bitch and she is such a wonderful person, blah blah blah. Usually Im a sucker for a emotionally scared character but there was nothing about Raven that could not bring me in to care. Even when she revealed a doozy of a hard knock that would usually have my heart breaking, nothing... Jonah is ok I guess, nothing special. He spends a lot of time thinking about Ravens bad childhood and how she is such a strong woman and how he wants to help, but we don't really get a good look into what makes him tick. In theory he should be a stand out character but he doesn't really stand out or shine.
Since this is erotica I suppose I should talk about the steam factor in this book. Again, lack luster for me. It starts out promising but quickly tapers off to guess what?! A lot of talking about doing and not as much actual doing. So as it turns out Jonah is a Dom and somehow brings out Raven's until now non-existent sub qualities. Out of the bedroom Raven does not have a single sub trait she does not have a hard time making eye contact for any period of time, no eagerness to please, absolutely nothing that would signify a sub. I guess she is supposed to be like Nora from the Original Sinners series by Tiffany Reisz but she just does not have Nora's confidence, or swagger to pull it off. She is supposed to be bi and promiscuous and her bestie is married to men; however, when he thinks about her newly found sub tendencies she thinks of herself as a freak? Really because being Bi is so much less freaky?? Jonah is like a half assed Dom, I didn't buy it for a second. I just couldn't take him seriously as a Dom. I've read my share of BDSM and usually a Dom has a certain quality of them, a commanding presence that Jonah just did not have. The D/s portion of this book just read as an after thought to me. Like the author randomly thought, oh this is erotica I better throw some sort of kink in there, lets just go with the old staple D/s.. easy peasy.. and the affect was EH..
Im sure lots of people will end up loving this book especially fans of this series, but for me it was just a boring miss...
Ok, it is official I am DNFing this book. Not so much because it is bad, but because I just dont care. I could not bring myself to care about either Jonah or Raven as a couple or as individuals. I got to about 70% of the way through the book and my little Kindle timer told me I still had over an hour and a half of reading time left and I just could not bring myself to spend over another hour reading about two characters I just didn't care about. Maybe I could have gotten over the lack of connection with the characters if there was a good plot, but really there wasn't much of one. There is a lot of blah blah blah talking, mostly about Ravens hard knock childhood and how Jonah needed to help her break out of it. There is a lot of talk about kids and probably the most significant relationship in this book is between Raven and a toddler her best friends kid. There was a lot of blah blah blah talk about how much she loved that kid and how she is such a great "auntie", not my favorite subject in my erotica. There is also a lot Raven's friends telling her about there is just so much more about her then a cold hearted bitch and she is such a wonderful person, blah blah blah. Usually Im a sucker for a emotionally scared character but there was nothing about Raven that could not bring me in to care. Even when she revealed a doozy of a hard knock that would usually have my heart breaking, nothing... Jonah is ok I guess, nothing special. He spends a lot of time thinking about Ravens bad childhood and how she is such a strong woman and how he wants to help, but we don't really get a good look into what makes him tick. In theory he should be a stand out character but he doesn't really stand out or shine.
Since this is erotica I suppose I should talk about the steam factor in this book. Again, lack luster for me. It starts out promising but quickly tapers off to guess what?! A lot of talking about doing and not as much actual doing. So as it turns out Jonah is a Dom and somehow brings out Raven's until now non-existent sub qualities. Out of the bedroom Raven does not have a single sub trait she does not have a hard time making eye contact for any period of time, no eagerness to please, absolutely nothing that would signify a sub. I guess she is supposed to be like Nora from the Original Sinners series by Tiffany Reisz but she just does not have Nora's confidence, or swagger to pull it off. She is supposed to be bi and promiscuous and her bestie is married to men; however, when he thinks about her newly found sub tendencies she thinks of herself as a freak? Really because being Bi is so much less freaky?? Jonah is like a half assed Dom, I didn't buy it for a second. I just couldn't take him seriously as a Dom. I've read my share of BDSM and usually a Dom has a certain quality of them, a commanding presence that Jonah just did not have. The D/s portion of this book just read as an after thought to me. Like the author randomly thought, oh this is erotica I better throw some sort of kink in there, lets just go with the old staple D/s.. easy peasy.. and the affect was EH..
Im sure lots of people will end up loving this book especially fans of this series, but for me it was just a boring miss...
November 9, 2013
I was blessed to win this book in a contest and it is the first book I’ve read by Lauren Dane. That being said, neither will influence my review.
The Review:
This is the 6th Book in Lauren Dane’s Brown Family Series, so to say I’ve missed a lot of the past relationships and trials these two main characters have had is an understatement. However the way it was written didn’t make me feel like that. Yes I had a sense of a past between a couple characters, but it touched on the explanations, so I never felt lost. I was very impressed with that.
The book starts out with Jonah and Raven meeting. He’s wanting her to do a major tattoo. There is an immediate mutual attraction for both of them.
Jonah is coming out of a messy divorce and Raven is quite bluntly the fuck em’ and leave em’ type. They make plans for her to do the tattoo at his house. In Raven’s mind, this will be an amazing time. Business then pleasure. As Jonah gets to know more about Raven, he realizes there is more than meets the eye…that she’s someone special underneath that tough exterior.
Raven starts feeling things she has never felt before and it scares her. Jonah scares her. Her past has taught her getting close to someone, especially a man, will just hurt her. He’s also some rich top notch lawyer from a wealthy family. Raven was a child of the state, being thrown from foster home to foster home. Can this relationship even work? Or will Raven’s past come back to destroy everything she has worked for and overcome. Then there is Jonah’s ex-wife. When she comes back into the picture, will Jonah realize all Raven ever was, was a walk on the wild side?
My final thoughts…I LOVED this book! I immediately loved Raven. She can be a bitch, but when she gives her love, it’s for life. I have all intentions of starting from the beginning with this series and I can’t wait!! I want to see how Raven and the other characters became the people they are by book 6! Lauren Dane definitely has a new fan!!
~Robin - Book Reads and Reviews
The Review:
This is the 6th Book in Lauren Dane’s Brown Family Series, so to say I’ve missed a lot of the past relationships and trials these two main characters have had is an understatement. However the way it was written didn’t make me feel like that. Yes I had a sense of a past between a couple characters, but it touched on the explanations, so I never felt lost. I was very impressed with that.
The book starts out with Jonah and Raven meeting. He’s wanting her to do a major tattoo. There is an immediate mutual attraction for both of them.
“So Levi tells me you’re a tattoo artist.”
Jonah Warner was beyond hot. He was on-fire sexy. Like panties on fire. Raven looked him over, imagining him naked. Imagining him over her, under her, whatever. Just naked and doing something sexy with her would do just fine.
He had a voice like smoke. Like caramel and other things made with heavy cream and possibly deep fried. He was whatever things that were a thousand calories that you ordered anyway because you had to consume them.
“I do okay.”
He looked her over with slow perusal. As if he was wondering what she looked like naked too. Which was absolutely fine with her.
One corner of his mouth lifted and she licked her lips, imagining his taste.
“You do more than okay.” He held a hand out. “I’m Jonah Warner. Levi’s brother. I know we’ve seen each other in passing at various events but I don’t think we’ve formally met. I’d have remembered.”
She took the hand and he slid a thumb over her wrist as he shook it.
“I’m Raven.”
He made her all tingly in the absolute best way. She wanted a bite of this man. Maybe a whole mouthful.
Jonah is coming out of a messy divorce and Raven is quite bluntly the fuck em’ and leave em’ type. They make plans for her to do the tattoo at his house. In Raven’s mind, this will be an amazing time. Business then pleasure. As Jonah gets to know more about Raven, he realizes there is more than meets the eye…that she’s someone special underneath that tough exterior.
Raven starts feeling things she has never felt before and it scares her. Jonah scares her. Her past has taught her getting close to someone, especially a man, will just hurt her. He’s also some rich top notch lawyer from a wealthy family. Raven was a child of the state, being thrown from foster home to foster home. Can this relationship even work? Or will Raven’s past come back to destroy everything she has worked for and overcome. Then there is Jonah’s ex-wife. When she comes back into the picture, will Jonah realize all Raven ever was, was a walk on the wild side?
My final thoughts…I LOVED this book! I immediately loved Raven. She can be a bitch, but when she gives her love, it’s for life. I have all intentions of starting from the beginning with this series and I can’t wait!! I want to see how Raven and the other characters became the people they are by book 6! Lauren Dane definitely has a new fan!!
~Robin - Book Reads and Reviews
October 15, 2013
Raven often had me either wanting to throttle her or to make her my best friend. She is harsh, course and a lot of times, someone who was really hard to like. So I was intrigue to find out just how Lauren Dane was going to turn her into someone I loved just as much as Erin, despite everything she had done previously. Well, I'm happy to say, I'm a convert.
Raven has a very good reason for being the way she is. It's mostly a protection mechanism caused by years of neglect from her family and being bounced around from foster home to foster home. She believes she's unwanted and she acts out the way she does to keep people away. We see where the rough Raven we met in Laid Bare is now a bit softer, especially when the Brown Family children (along with their extended family's) love on their Auntie. She knows their love is unconditional and they accept her as she is, letting her walls fall a little. Even with Erin and Brody she opens up to them, but you can tell she still holds back just a bit. But that all changes when she meets Jonah Warner.
Jonah is a very dominant male who goes after what he wants. Whether it's in the courtroom, ballroom or at a small gathering of friends, if he sees what he wants, he's determined to have it. When he sees Raven, he uses his desire for a large scale tattoo as his in with her. Jonah sees a woman who sparks all the dominant male traits in him that his ex-wife never did. He wants, but for more than just entertainment in bed. She calls him on his crap and makes him want to be her knight in shining armor.
I loved Raven and Jonah together. Jonah knew when to push Raven and when to give her her space. That not only made Raven fall hard for him, but myself as well. He may have screamed, cursed and vowed to avenge Raven for all the bad things that happened to her, but his did that to himself because he knew, without Raven having to say it ,that she could not handle his pity. His internal struggle to give Raven what she needed proved that he was the man for Raven.
These two are very hot together. Jonah helps Raven discover that there is one place that she's willing to hand over control and he very graciously commands her. He may be a softy when it comes to other areas of his relationship with Raven, but in the bedroom he's all about control.
A very fitting story for Raven. She's a woman who overcame horrible circumstances and proved to herself and (at the end) her family that you can overcome adversity. She's grown quite a bit from when we first met her and I have new respect and love for her as a character. My only wish for Raven (and Jonah) is that she has a baby of her own one day, because the woman has a hell of a lot of love to give.
Raven has a very good reason for being the way she is. It's mostly a protection mechanism caused by years of neglect from her family and being bounced around from foster home to foster home. She believes she's unwanted and she acts out the way she does to keep people away. We see where the rough Raven we met in Laid Bare is now a bit softer, especially when the Brown Family children (along with their extended family's) love on their Auntie. She knows their love is unconditional and they accept her as she is, letting her walls fall a little. Even with Erin and Brody she opens up to them, but you can tell she still holds back just a bit. But that all changes when she meets Jonah Warner.
Jonah is a very dominant male who goes after what he wants. Whether it's in the courtroom, ballroom or at a small gathering of friends, if he sees what he wants, he's determined to have it. When he sees Raven, he uses his desire for a large scale tattoo as his in with her. Jonah sees a woman who sparks all the dominant male traits in him that his ex-wife never did. He wants, but for more than just entertainment in bed. She calls him on his crap and makes him want to be her knight in shining armor.
I loved Raven and Jonah together. Jonah knew when to push Raven and when to give her her space. That not only made Raven fall hard for him, but myself as well. He may have screamed, cursed and vowed to avenge Raven for all the bad things that happened to her, but his did that to himself because he knew, without Raven having to say it ,that she could not handle his pity. His internal struggle to give Raven what she needed proved that he was the man for Raven.
These two are very hot together. Jonah helps Raven discover that there is one place that she's willing to hand over control and he very graciously commands her. He may be a softy when it comes to other areas of his relationship with Raven, but in the bedroom he's all about control.
A very fitting story for Raven. She's a woman who overcame horrible circumstances and proved to herself and (at the end) her family that you can overcome adversity. She's grown quite a bit from when we first met her and I have new respect and love for her as a character. My only wish for Raven (and Jonah) is that she has a baby of her own one day, because the woman has a hell of a lot of love to give.
January 11, 2016
Upon a reread I have to say this story went down a lot better the second go round. Despite knowing exactly what happened it drew me in a lot more this time. I liked the characters better and the romance was a lot more developed in my mind, but perhaps that's just because I read them all at once and fell in love with this family all over again.
Heroine: I was so looking forward to raven's story and i have to say i was a bit disappointed. I love raven's character shes so open and honest (sometimes rudely so) but she has a huge heart and is fiercely loyal to her people. You expect her to have quite the backstory to explain the way she acts and she does but i had 2 issues with the backstory. First is that is didnt jive with her open healthy sexuality. Sexual assault victims generally go one of 2 ways without serious therapy: dont want anyone to touch them or are promiscuous and unsafe. This just niggled in the back of my mind though my bigger issue was that the story felt more intellectual than emotional. I understand it and it sucked but it didn't make me feel the story. This may be because its only told in bits and pieces rather than a cohesive narrative (which made sense in context) or it could be because the biggest part is skimmed over but either way it was disappointing.
Hero: Hes very sweet and protective and is perfect for raven crowding her when she needs to let go and backing up when she needs the space. Also...tattooed lawyer? hello awesome!
Romance: i loved this romance the two were a perfect fit and i loved that Dane made the drama outside of the couple and not part of the romance plot line.
Sex scenes: HOT. This one goes deeper into the D/s scene than the others but its portrayed the way it should be as a loving relationship rather than a possessive one.
Plot: really interesting and actually had some twists i didn't see coming. i loved the story but i felt like the ending left a lot to be desired and also had some loose ends since this series has come to a standstill due to lack of characters left to work with.
Writing: I actually was not a fan of the writing style of this book. A lot of the sentences were overly simplistic. "See jonah sex.Jonah sex good" I just wanted a little more complexity to it (not a lot because hello pleasure read). I cant exactly put my finger on it but this books writing felt very different from the others.
Bottom line: Definitely worth the read if you dig the Browns but Cope and Ella's story still takes the cake for me!
Heroine: I was so looking forward to raven's story and i have to say i was a bit disappointed. I love raven's character shes so open and honest (sometimes rudely so) but she has a huge heart and is fiercely loyal to her people. You expect her to have quite the backstory to explain the way she acts and she does but i had 2 issues with the backstory. First is that is didnt jive with her open healthy sexuality. Sexual assault victims generally go one of 2 ways without serious therapy: dont want anyone to touch them or are promiscuous and unsafe. This just niggled in the back of my mind though my bigger issue was that the story felt more intellectual than emotional. I understand it and it sucked but it didn't make me feel the story. This may be because its only told in bits and pieces rather than a cohesive narrative (which made sense in context) or it could be because the biggest part is skimmed over but either way it was disappointing.
Hero: Hes very sweet and protective and is perfect for raven crowding her when she needs to let go and backing up when she needs the space. Also...tattooed lawyer? hello awesome!
Romance: i loved this romance the two were a perfect fit and i loved that Dane made the drama outside of the couple and not part of the romance plot line.
Sex scenes: HOT. This one goes deeper into the D/s scene than the others but its portrayed the way it should be as a loving relationship rather than a possessive one.
Plot: really interesting and actually had some twists i didn't see coming. i loved the story but i felt like the ending left a lot to be desired and also had some loose ends since this series has come to a standstill due to lack of characters left to work with.
Writing: I actually was not a fan of the writing style of this book. A lot of the sentences were overly simplistic. "See jonah sex.Jonah sex good" I just wanted a little more complexity to it (not a lot because hello pleasure read). I cant exactly put my finger on it but this books writing felt very different from the others.
Bottom line: Definitely worth the read if you dig the Browns but Cope and Ella's story still takes the cake for me!
July 31, 2013
Snagged from NetGalley.
Sometimes I'm surprised Berkley still gives me stuff because I'm the crazy chick who can't wait until closer to the review date to read the ARC and then, when I finish it, I must post ASAP. Clearly I am a publicist's worst nightmare.
In deference to their nerves, I will not say that while I found the pacing a bit slow and the twist made me go, 'wait, what?', I thought it was a great addition to the series and I'm pretty sure this is my favorite after Never Enough (I love that book...I should dig out my copy and re-read it). Instead, I will say that you need to read the following books before you start Drawn Together: Laid Bare, Coming Undone, and the novella "Sway," found in Cherished. The novella is particularly important because the hero of Drawn is the brother of the hero in "Sway." It would also help to read Never Enough, but it's not strictly necessary (you should anyway though because it's awesome).
I'm also going to share with you the dedication of the book because I thought it was really sweet, and I was very excited by the second paragraph. To be on the safe side, I'll put it behind a spoiler cut, but there's nothing about Drawn Together specifically.
Sometimes I'm surprised Berkley still gives me stuff because I'm the crazy chick who can't wait until closer to the review date to read the ARC and then, when I finish it, I must post ASAP. Clearly I am a publicist's worst nightmare.
In deference to their nerves, I will not say that while I found the pacing a bit slow and the twist made me go, 'wait, what?', I thought it was a great addition to the series and I'm pretty sure this is my favorite after Never Enough (I love that book...I should dig out my copy and re-read it). Instead, I will say that you need to read the following books before you start Drawn Together: Laid Bare, Coming Undone, and the novella "Sway," found in Cherished. The novella is particularly important because the hero of Drawn is the brother of the hero in "Sway." It would also help to read Never Enough, but it's not strictly necessary (you should anyway though because it's awesome).
I'm also going to share with you the dedication of the book because I thought it was really sweet, and I was very excited by the second paragraph. To be on the safe side, I'll put it behind a spoiler cut, but there's nothing about Drawn Together specifically.
September 20, 2013
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2013/09...
Tattoo artist Raven Smith is rough, blunt, and somewhat broken. Her past has made it incredibly difficult for her to get close to people, and she certainly has no plans to risk her heart in a monogamous relationship. Then she meets Jonah Warner and her world is turned upside down. Jonah’s a hot-as-sin attorney who falls hard and fast for Raven and doesn’t let her hide from him. He wants everything from her, and that makes Raven want to run scared. But if she gives the whole of herself to Jonah, he just might be the one to help her heal.
Drawn Together is a sexy, emotional read. I found it easy to like Raven; she’s straightforward and takes no sh*t, but there’s a vulnerability to her that breaks your heart. She’s been through the wringer more than once, and as a result, she’s emotionally damaged and has a hard time trusting or giving all of herself. I really enjoyed watching Raven start to heal over the course of Drawn Together . Jonah is the catalyst for her change. I loved that he doesn’t back down from what he wants from Raven, but he also doesn’t push her too far. Jonah’s the perfect mix of alpha male and caring partner. Their relationship is beautifully drawn by author Lauren Dane, who doesn’t stint on eroticism even as Raven and Jonah deal with heavy issues.
Drawn Together is the sixth book in the Brown Family series, but as I have not yet read the previous five stories, I can safely say that Raven and Jonah’s book can be read as a standalone. Most of the previous Brown Family heroes and heroines (plus some of their children) play strong supporting roles in Drawn Together , which is sure to delight fans of the series. Raven’s best friend, Erin (of Laid Bare and Laid Open), does tend to overtake the scenes she’s in, which possibly drew me out of the story a touch since I haven’t read Erin’s books and thus have no real connection to her. Even with that minor niggle, I adored Drawn Together and I’m looking forward to reading more Brown Family novels!
Tattoo artist Raven Smith is rough, blunt, and somewhat broken. Her past has made it incredibly difficult for her to get close to people, and she certainly has no plans to risk her heart in a monogamous relationship. Then she meets Jonah Warner and her world is turned upside down. Jonah’s a hot-as-sin attorney who falls hard and fast for Raven and doesn’t let her hide from him. He wants everything from her, and that makes Raven want to run scared. But if she gives the whole of herself to Jonah, he just might be the one to help her heal.
Drawn Together is a sexy, emotional read. I found it easy to like Raven; she’s straightforward and takes no sh*t, but there’s a vulnerability to her that breaks your heart. She’s been through the wringer more than once, and as a result, she’s emotionally damaged and has a hard time trusting or giving all of herself. I really enjoyed watching Raven start to heal over the course of Drawn Together . Jonah is the catalyst for her change. I loved that he doesn’t back down from what he wants from Raven, but he also doesn’t push her too far. Jonah’s the perfect mix of alpha male and caring partner. Their relationship is beautifully drawn by author Lauren Dane, who doesn’t stint on eroticism even as Raven and Jonah deal with heavy issues.
Drawn Together is the sixth book in the Brown Family series, but as I have not yet read the previous five stories, I can safely say that Raven and Jonah’s book can be read as a standalone. Most of the previous Brown Family heroes and heroines (plus some of their children) play strong supporting roles in Drawn Together , which is sure to delight fans of the series. Raven’s best friend, Erin (of Laid Bare and Laid Open), does tend to overtake the scenes she’s in, which possibly drew me out of the story a touch since I haven’t read Erin’s books and thus have no real connection to her. Even with that minor niggle, I adored Drawn Together and I’m looking forward to reading more Brown Family novels!
October 3, 2013
Piper‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Drawn Together is the book a lot of Brown Siblings and Delicious series readers have been waiting for. Fans finally get Raven’s story. Raven has intrigued me since the first time we met her in Laid Bare. She is a hard ass b$tch that I loved to hate.
Raven never stays in one place long enough to put down roots. Her only real connection with another person is her friendship with Erin and Brody Brown. Most people just deal with Raven and her pushy, rude behavior, but that is how Raven keeps her walls up and her emotional attachments to a minimum. Some of the best parts of this story were Raven’s interactions with Erin’s son and Brody and Elise’s girls. I loved seeing this side of Raven with the kids. You see her as such a b$tch many times throughout the series, and her love for the kids just melted my heart. I kept asking myself what happened to this beautiful, talented and loving woman. When Raven meets Jonah Warner her life changes in so many ways.
Jonah Warner is HOT!! He is a sexy attorney and a wonderful father. He raised his daughter pretty much on his own. His ex-wife is a piece of work to say the least. Jonah meets Raven at a mutual friend’s wedding and he drawn to her for the beginning. Jonah wants her talents has a tattoo artist, but then their relationship takes a turns.
Raven and Jonah are wonderful together. They are, to me, a perfect example of opposites attract. Jonah has to fight for Raven in more ways than one. I loved that someone fought for Raven. Raven needed to know that she was worthy of love and Jonah was the perfect person to show her that she was loved and that she loved with her whole heart.
Drawn Together is the final book in the Delicious series. I have to say that I am sad to say goodbye to these characters. Lauren Dane writes such wonderful characters that I cannot help but fall in love. I hope that is not the last we see of these characters. I hope Ms. Dane writes stories for the rest of the Warner brothers. This is such a great series! Don’t miss out!
Happy Reading!!
Review copy provided for an honest review
4.5 STARS
Drawn Together is the book a lot of Brown Siblings and Delicious series readers have been waiting for. Fans finally get Raven’s story. Raven has intrigued me since the first time we met her in Laid Bare. She is a hard ass b$tch that I loved to hate.
Raven never stays in one place long enough to put down roots. Her only real connection with another person is her friendship with Erin and Brody Brown. Most people just deal with Raven and her pushy, rude behavior, but that is how Raven keeps her walls up and her emotional attachments to a minimum. Some of the best parts of this story were Raven’s interactions with Erin’s son and Brody and Elise’s girls. I loved seeing this side of Raven with the kids. You see her as such a b$tch many times throughout the series, and her love for the kids just melted my heart. I kept asking myself what happened to this beautiful, talented and loving woman. When Raven meets Jonah Warner her life changes in so many ways.
Jonah Warner is HOT!! He is a sexy attorney and a wonderful father. He raised his daughter pretty much on his own. His ex-wife is a piece of work to say the least. Jonah meets Raven at a mutual friend’s wedding and he drawn to her for the beginning. Jonah wants her talents has a tattoo artist, but then their relationship takes a turns.
Raven and Jonah are wonderful together. They are, to me, a perfect example of opposites attract. Jonah has to fight for Raven in more ways than one. I loved that someone fought for Raven. Raven needed to know that she was worthy of love and Jonah was the perfect person to show her that she was loved and that she loved with her whole heart.
Drawn Together is the final book in the Delicious series. I have to say that I am sad to say goodbye to these characters. Lauren Dane writes such wonderful characters that I cannot help but fall in love. I hope that is not the last we see of these characters. I hope Ms. Dane writes stories for the rest of the Warner brothers. This is such a great series! Don’t miss out!
Happy Reading!!
September 30, 2013
I am a HUGE fan of Lauren Dane and especially of this series ~ it is one of my favorites. That being said….I have HATED Raven from the very beginning of the series ~ I thought she was a total bitch and I definitely didn’t want to see her with Jonah ~ who I have LOVED since he first appeared. I was so hoping for him to get his own book and was disappointed that his heroine would be Raven. So when I was chosen for an ARC of Drawn Together from Lauren Dane, I hesitated to read it knowing my feelings about Raven’s character. Well….I have to admit that Lauren achieved the impossible because I liked Raven so much and I especially liked her for Jonah and him for her. I just loved them as a couple and the relationship that developed between them. They were pretty straight forward with their feelings for each other and what they wanted and didn’t play games.
Jonah was a great character and I definitely fell more in love with him in this book, especially after the way he defended Raven both during and after the benefit. So good!! That was one of my favorite parts of the book. He was so damn sexy!!
I loved that Raven was independent and totally capable of handling herself and didn’t need a man to define her but she accepted Jonah’s need to take care of her. I also loved how easily she took care of him. The sex was downright HOT and kinky!!! Definitely had my Kindle sparking!! lol ;)
I loved being able to read about all my favorite characters from the series and I especially loved the part with Levi and Daisy towards the end. Loved reading more Brody ~ just love him!!
My only complaint is that there wasn’t an epilogue wrapping everyone up. I thought that this was the last book in the series but since the story ended the way it did, I am hoping that there is still more to come. I would love for Mal, Toby and Eli to get their own books.
Reading Drawn Together just makes me want to go back and start the series over again from the beginning.
4 out of 5 rating.
***ARC provided by Lauren Dane. Thanks so much!! :)
Jonah was a great character and I definitely fell more in love with him in this book, especially after the way he defended Raven both during and after the benefit. So good!! That was one of my favorite parts of the book. He was so damn sexy!!
I loved that Raven was independent and totally capable of handling herself and didn’t need a man to define her but she accepted Jonah’s need to take care of her. I also loved how easily she took care of him. The sex was downright HOT and kinky!!! Definitely had my Kindle sparking!! lol ;)
I loved being able to read about all my favorite characters from the series and I especially loved the part with Levi and Daisy towards the end. Loved reading more Brody ~ just love him!!
My only complaint is that there wasn’t an epilogue wrapping everyone up. I thought that this was the last book in the series but since the story ended the way it did, I am hoping that there is still more to come. I would love for Mal, Toby and Eli to get their own books.
Reading Drawn Together just makes me want to go back and start the series over again from the beginning.
4 out of 5 rating.
***ARC provided by Lauren Dane. Thanks so much!! :)
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