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Fates #2
Thoroughly Kissed
When her sexy boss, Michael Found, accuses her of being a fraud, Emma Lost, the real Sleeping Beauty, must prove to him that magic does exist even if it means breaking her vow of never kissing a strange man again, in a charming modern adaption of the classic fairy tale. Original.
351 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2001
21 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Grayson
56 books83 followersA pseudonym for Kristine Kathryn Rusch, other pseudonyms include:
Kris Nelscott
Kristine Dexter
Kris DeLake
Sandy Schofield
Kris Rusch
Kathryn Wesley
Kris Nelscott
Kristine Dexter
Kris DeLake
Sandy Schofield
Kris Rusch
Kathryn Wesley
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 28, 2022
I stumbled across this series on my e-reader when I was looking for some light reading on a quiet night shift. I have since enjoyed pretty much every one of these books--yes, a bit predictable, but I like the writing and the character development and how these fairy tale people get to write a different ending than the one we know. Maybe not as happily ever after, but a bit more true to life and more livable for sure for the women straight outta Grimm's tales. This one followed Sleeping Beauty as she tries to make a life in Madison as a professor of medieval studies.
May 29, 2012
Kristine Greyson's Thoroughly Kissed charms readers with her fairy tale re-telling of the sleeping beauty story. Thoroughly Kissed is a feel-good romance read filled with magic, humor, and romance.
This is a re-vamped Sleeping Beauty tale, told in the modern day about what happens to Sleeping Beauty when she wakes up 1000 years after being spelled into sleep. Oh, and the kicker, a kiss put her into the spell (instead of freeing her with her handsome prince). So, sleeping beauty has to catch up 1000 years worth of history, she is terrified of kisses, and she just came into her mage magic and her only helper is a deliciously handsome professor.
I really liked reading Thoroughly Kissed. This book is a very sweet read, Emma (Sleeping Beauty) is just adjusting to life in the 21st century when she is thrown for another loop, she gets her magic. Her magic is out of control, causing wishes to come true and her cat to become a lion. She needs help getting to her mentor, and her only helper is the reluctant Michael. Michael is very stubborn and rude to Emma in the beginning of the book, however as he gets to know Emma, he softens towards her and begins to believe her remarkable story.
The romance in this story is very sweet, it is not an instant love, the relationship between Emma and Michael develops at a believable pace and is not based on sex. There is plenty of humor and fun throughout the story, Emma's magic creates some interesting and funny problems as she travels to her mentor. Both Emma and Michael have to grow a bit through the book, Michael has to accept that there is more to the world than he knew, and Emma has to come to terms with her past and let go of anger.
I highly recommend this book to any readers who loves fairy tales. This Sleeping Beauty re-telling is creative, cute, and fun to read. As Thoroughly Kissed is releasing in June, it is the perfect beach read and even though it is book 2 in a series, it can be read as a stand alone title. Also, the romance is very sweet and clean, it is not overly sensual and graphic. So, readers who like their romance on the sweet side, I say definitely pick up Thoroughly Kissed.
I received this book for review*
This is a re-vamped Sleeping Beauty tale, told in the modern day about what happens to Sleeping Beauty when she wakes up 1000 years after being spelled into sleep. Oh, and the kicker, a kiss put her into the spell (instead of freeing her with her handsome prince). So, sleeping beauty has to catch up 1000 years worth of history, she is terrified of kisses, and she just came into her mage magic and her only helper is a deliciously handsome professor.
I really liked reading Thoroughly Kissed. This book is a very sweet read, Emma (Sleeping Beauty) is just adjusting to life in the 21st century when she is thrown for another loop, she gets her magic. Her magic is out of control, causing wishes to come true and her cat to become a lion. She needs help getting to her mentor, and her only helper is the reluctant Michael. Michael is very stubborn and rude to Emma in the beginning of the book, however as he gets to know Emma, he softens towards her and begins to believe her remarkable story.
The romance in this story is very sweet, it is not an instant love, the relationship between Emma and Michael develops at a believable pace and is not based on sex. There is plenty of humor and fun throughout the story, Emma's magic creates some interesting and funny problems as she travels to her mentor. Both Emma and Michael have to grow a bit through the book, Michael has to accept that there is more to the world than he knew, and Emma has to come to terms with her past and let go of anger.
I highly recommend this book to any readers who loves fairy tales. This Sleeping Beauty re-telling is creative, cute, and fun to read. As Thoroughly Kissed is releasing in June, it is the perfect beach read and even though it is book 2 in a series, it can be read as a stand alone title. Also, the romance is very sweet and clean, it is not overly sensual and graphic. So, readers who like their romance on the sweet side, I say definitely pick up Thoroughly Kissed.
I received this book for review*
May 31, 2012
This is a really cute story bringing a fairytale for the past to the future. A nice twist on Sleeping Beauty that will bring a chuckle to life as you read along. It's not a action packed story but not a sleeper either. I think it is just right in between making it a pleasant change.
Emma is in a world so totally different from the one she was born in that it takes her some time to adjust to the unbelievable things she is witnessing. Men are attracted to her like bees to honey because of her specular beauty and this makes her quite leery because the last time she let a man near her it cost a thousand years sleep. Now a history professor in a well known collage, she is challenged by the head of the department but what will she do is the question?
Michael is the head of the history department at the local collage and quite the handsome man at that. A stickler for protocol he decides right off the bat that Emma is not only a fraud but a liar. No way is he going to deal with her and he needs to protect the collage and it's students from any damage that Emma's history book can bring down around them.
The story plunges us into Emma's unhappy little life due to a coming of age into her magic that she is not ready for nor does she want. Without the proper training all Hell breaks loose and she must rely on her cat and Michael to get her to her tutor before she can totally screw up the history of civilization as we know it.
Emma is in a world so totally different from the one she was born in that it takes her some time to adjust to the unbelievable things she is witnessing. Men are attracted to her like bees to honey because of her specular beauty and this makes her quite leery because the last time she let a man near her it cost a thousand years sleep. Now a history professor in a well known collage, she is challenged by the head of the department but what will she do is the question?
Michael is the head of the history department at the local collage and quite the handsome man at that. A stickler for protocol he decides right off the bat that Emma is not only a fraud but a liar. No way is he going to deal with her and he needs to protect the collage and it's students from any damage that Emma's history book can bring down around them.
The story plunges us into Emma's unhappy little life due to a coming of age into her magic that she is not ready for nor does she want. Without the proper training all Hell breaks loose and she must rely on her cat and Michael to get her to her tutor before she can totally screw up the history of civilization as we know it.
December 3, 2019
I'm letting the rating stand like I did with the others but if I were to rate this now it might be low 3 stars. More than 50 percent of the book was over before I even started to find Michael tolerable. Sure he's hot but he's a complete ass the first half of the book and even when he starts to get more acceptable as a hero he still makes ridiculous demands, has to be in charge and won't take no for an answer. Consent is a thing and forcing a kiss on someone who tells you no is never okay. That part of his personality will never allow him to fit the hero mold in my mind even when he started to get nice. Also in the beginning half his animosity toward Emma was that he found her attractive and assumed without really looking into it that her success was entirely based on her appearance. Additionally he's jealous that she has a success he's never achieved and holds it against her without good reason. He's a sexist ass though the entire book.
Outside of Micheal the plot is interesting and as always includes a lot of imagination. I'll never be happy with the instalove of this series but Grayson does always present an interesting story.
Outside of Micheal the plot is interesting and as always includes a lot of imagination. I'll never be happy with the instalove of this series but Grayson does always present an interesting story.
June 4, 2012
Originally published at http://www.torimacallister.com on May 31, 2012
It's an interesting phenomena in romance when publishers reissue books. As a reader, I think it generates a love/hate relationship - love, if the book was great to begin with and it's hard to get a hold of or hate, if the author is so prolific that you end up buying a book you've already read because the cover looks so different and you're desperate to read anything by that writer. With a lot of publishers purchasing author backlists, usually for ebook reissuing, this is becoming more of a landmine, but the good news for readers is that we benefit from more great books on the market.
Prior to getting a copy of this novel from NetGalley, I hadn't read anything by Kristine Grayson, the penname for the prolific powerhouse of Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Rusch has published dozens of novels and short stories in various genres, particularly in the area of fantasy fiction, so paranormal romance definitely seems like a natural fit for her Kristine Grayson persona.
Thoroughly Kissed is the second in her Fates series, succeeding the story, Utterly Charming , but it's totally feasible to read them independent of one another (a fact I was happy to discover a couple of chapters into this novel). Utterly Charming was the story of Prince Charming in the Sleeping Beauty tale, who is now a 1000 year old magician living in modern times as a cutting edge chef. He has guarded Sleeping Beauty's glass coffin for all that time but when she awakes he has lots of problems, not the least of which is the fact that he is attracted to the lawyer he hired to help him with this situation. Moral of the story: really pay attention to prophesies since you're not always interpreting them correctly.
In Thoroughly Kissed, Sleeping Beauty, who has taken the name Emma Lost, has managed to forge a life for herself in the last 10 years, including becoming a highly successful history professor whose expertise on the Middle Ages has landed her book deals and television interviews. She's incredibly content with her life at the university in Madison, Wisconsin, with her lovely house and crazy cat and when men fall at her feet from her beauty she just ignores them - they never really see her, after all.
But in just one day, everything changes. Emma inherits her magic (which she is supposed to get in a few years, but it seems her 1,000 year sleep made it come a little faster) but she has no mage nearby to train her and things are getting a little out of control. Part of that loss of control is the arrival of her new department head, Michael Found, who thinks Emma is a shady academic who doesn't know the first thing about the Middle Ages. She's bowled over by his incredible good looks and simultaneously put off by his condescending attitude while he fights his attraction to her beauty and intelligence tooth and nail.
[image error]
When her temper gets away from her and she zaps them both (temporarily) back to the Middle Ages, Michael confronts the idea that magic isn't just a subject for intellectual speculation - it's very real. Emma needs someone to accompany her to get to her mentor for training since tradition says she has to make the journey without magical assistance, but she's kept everyone at a distance. After all, the last time she let someone close, she got kissed and fell into an enchanted sleep. It's enough to make anyone swear off relationships.
Michael realizes that his ordered existence has to be temporarily put on hold while he accompanies Emma from Wisconsin to the Pacific Northwest, with her (completely hilarious) cat. They face a series of adventures on this lengthy car trip, some magical and some not, but all revealing more about each of them as they fall for one another.
This is a sweet romance - lots of longing but no kissing until the end and a behind the bedroom door ending. In actuality, the original cover, while dated looking, is a better demonstration of the sensuality level of the novel. I love the new cover, particularly the castle in the background and the dreamy fairy tale quality, but I think bare chests indicate a much racier level of sensuality, so that's a bit misleading. (The first book in the series also got a nice reissue and it's much more accurate since the male figure has a shirt on.)
The best compliment I can give this romance is that I started off not really liking either character and experienced a complete turn around by the end. Michael was seriously uptight and quite frankly, really rude about not agreeing with Emma's academic approach, and she flipped into a testy, stressed personality with the onset of her magic (this was a little more understandable). I usually don't enjoy sweet romances that much but I felt Grayson did a great job of character development to the point that I really found myself unable to put down the book. I'm not sure I will read the other books in the series, but I will be adding these to my library as they are ideal for a young adult audience.
It's an interesting phenomena in romance when publishers reissue books. As a reader, I think it generates a love/hate relationship - love, if the book was great to begin with and it's hard to get a hold of or hate, if the author is so prolific that you end up buying a book you've already read because the cover looks so different and you're desperate to read anything by that writer. With a lot of publishers purchasing author backlists, usually for ebook reissuing, this is becoming more of a landmine, but the good news for readers is that we benefit from more great books on the market.
Prior to getting a copy of this novel from NetGalley, I hadn't read anything by Kristine Grayson, the penname for the prolific powerhouse of Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Rusch has published dozens of novels and short stories in various genres, particularly in the area of fantasy fiction, so paranormal romance definitely seems like a natural fit for her Kristine Grayson persona.
Thoroughly Kissed is the second in her Fates series, succeeding the story, Utterly Charming , but it's totally feasible to read them independent of one another (a fact I was happy to discover a couple of chapters into this novel). Utterly Charming was the story of Prince Charming in the Sleeping Beauty tale, who is now a 1000 year old magician living in modern times as a cutting edge chef. He has guarded Sleeping Beauty's glass coffin for all that time but when she awakes he has lots of problems, not the least of which is the fact that he is attracted to the lawyer he hired to help him with this situation. Moral of the story: really pay attention to prophesies since you're not always interpreting them correctly.
In Thoroughly Kissed, Sleeping Beauty, who has taken the name Emma Lost, has managed to forge a life for herself in the last 10 years, including becoming a highly successful history professor whose expertise on the Middle Ages has landed her book deals and television interviews. She's incredibly content with her life at the university in Madison, Wisconsin, with her lovely house and crazy cat and when men fall at her feet from her beauty she just ignores them - they never really see her, after all.
But in just one day, everything changes. Emma inherits her magic (which she is supposed to get in a few years, but it seems her 1,000 year sleep made it come a little faster) but she has no mage nearby to train her and things are getting a little out of control. Part of that loss of control is the arrival of her new department head, Michael Found, who thinks Emma is a shady academic who doesn't know the first thing about the Middle Ages. She's bowled over by his incredible good looks and simultaneously put off by his condescending attitude while he fights his attraction to her beauty and intelligence tooth and nail.
[image error]
When her temper gets away from her and she zaps them both (temporarily) back to the Middle Ages, Michael confronts the idea that magic isn't just a subject for intellectual speculation - it's very real. Emma needs someone to accompany her to get to her mentor for training since tradition says she has to make the journey without magical assistance, but she's kept everyone at a distance. After all, the last time she let someone close, she got kissed and fell into an enchanted sleep. It's enough to make anyone swear off relationships.
Michael realizes that his ordered existence has to be temporarily put on hold while he accompanies Emma from Wisconsin to the Pacific Northwest, with her (completely hilarious) cat. They face a series of adventures on this lengthy car trip, some magical and some not, but all revealing more about each of them as they fall for one another.
This is a sweet romance - lots of longing but no kissing until the end and a behind the bedroom door ending. In actuality, the original cover, while dated looking, is a better demonstration of the sensuality level of the novel. I love the new cover, particularly the castle in the background and the dreamy fairy tale quality, but I think bare chests indicate a much racier level of sensuality, so that's a bit misleading. (The first book in the series also got a nice reissue and it's much more accurate since the male figure has a shirt on.)
The best compliment I can give this romance is that I started off not really liking either character and experienced a complete turn around by the end. Michael was seriously uptight and quite frankly, really rude about not agreeing with Emma's academic approach, and she flipped into a testy, stressed personality with the onset of her magic (this was a little more understandable). I usually don't enjoy sweet romances that much but I felt Grayson did a great job of character development to the point that I really found myself unable to put down the book. I'm not sure I will read the other books in the series, but I will be adding these to my library as they are ideal for a young adult audience.
February 11, 2024
My first book by this author. Had some good laughs. Emma Lost she remembers the first time she woke up from her 1000 year snooze. She is the real life sleeping beauty that inspired the Sleeping Beauty myth.
Emma has come into her powers and they are out of control she has to go train how to control them. She should have been trained before but she thought she had a long time before her magic would come.
Now she is on an adventure with her mind-numbing gorgeous boss Michael Found, who does not believe her but us stuck taking her to Oregon.
Get ready for an adventurous magical ride.
Emma has come into her powers and they are out of control she has to go train how to control them. She should have been trained before but she thought she had a long time before her magic would come.
Now she is on an adventure with her mind-numbing gorgeous boss Michael Found, who does not believe her but us stuck taking her to Oregon.
Get ready for an adventurous magical ride.
July 20, 2017
Well-written, satisfying, inventive, and fun to read.
February 20, 2022
Could have been way spicier but a fun and sweet story overall
Read
December 16, 2022a retelling of beauty and the beast, good but now that I think about it don't remember much about it
June 28, 2012
When I requested this book to read as an ARC, I did not realize that it was a continuation of a previous book. That being said, I was able to read this one pretty easily without having read the first book. Anytime there was something from the previous book alluded to, the author briefly explained what was going on and what happened in the previous book so that you got the gist of what was going on. I was not confused at all, which is a good thing. Reading this book made me want to read the first one, but I am not sure there is a point since it seems like all the high points were covered in this one.
I enjoyed the way Ms. Grayson wrote and I would most definitely read another book by her. She writes in a very fluid manner and draws the reader into her work. I was sucked in and wanted to know everything that was happening to the characters. There was not a ton of character development and I still really would have liked to get to know some of the characters better, but not every book is written that way, and that is not a bad thing. Thoroughly Kissed is just a nice book that allows the reader to get away from the world and enjoy a little romance without any of the heavy plot that can be in some other books.
Since I am moving out west in less than a month, I loved reading about the places that we will probably drive through. I have one complaint though; Ms. Grayson was quite rude when she mentioned Sheridan, Wyoming.
“The only place I’d feel comfortable stopping in the middle of the night between here and Billings is Sheridan, and it’s not the friendliest city I’ve ever been to.” Pg. 239 of the ebook.
Now most readers probably just skimmed over it and didn’t think much of the sentence, but I take offence to it. Sheridan, Wyoming is my new home and we chose to move there specifically because of the hospitality that it offers. It is a beautiful, friendly city centered in the Big Horn Mountains. Before Ms. Grayson, or any other author, decides to say hurtful things about a city, maybe actually going there and meeting the people would be a good thing, and if Ms. Grayson did go there and had a bad experience, I don’t think knocking a small town that really is friendly and has many neat experiences (Huge rodeo in July) and a strong history (Buffalo Bill and the Wild West show) to offer visitors, is a good thing to do. There were other ways she could have gotten the point that it was too long a drive across to readers without mentioning Sheridan, Wyoming in a negative way.
Overall, this is a great romance novel that really didn’t have any bodice ripping. Now it does have a lot of sexual tension and kissing and sex are a big overlapping theme, but it doesn’t happen in the book, you just know it happens after the book ends. I would recommend this book to adults only because of the sexual tension and overall theme.
I received this book as an ARC. I do not get paid to review books; I do so in order to assist you in recognizing books that you might enjoy.
Please read more of my reviews on my blog: sarahereads(dot)wordpress(dot)com
I enjoyed the way Ms. Grayson wrote and I would most definitely read another book by her. She writes in a very fluid manner and draws the reader into her work. I was sucked in and wanted to know everything that was happening to the characters. There was not a ton of character development and I still really would have liked to get to know some of the characters better, but not every book is written that way, and that is not a bad thing. Thoroughly Kissed is just a nice book that allows the reader to get away from the world and enjoy a little romance without any of the heavy plot that can be in some other books.
Since I am moving out west in less than a month, I loved reading about the places that we will probably drive through. I have one complaint though; Ms. Grayson was quite rude when she mentioned Sheridan, Wyoming.
“The only place I’d feel comfortable stopping in the middle of the night between here and Billings is Sheridan, and it’s not the friendliest city I’ve ever been to.” Pg. 239 of the ebook.
Now most readers probably just skimmed over it and didn’t think much of the sentence, but I take offence to it. Sheridan, Wyoming is my new home and we chose to move there specifically because of the hospitality that it offers. It is a beautiful, friendly city centered in the Big Horn Mountains. Before Ms. Grayson, or any other author, decides to say hurtful things about a city, maybe actually going there and meeting the people would be a good thing, and if Ms. Grayson did go there and had a bad experience, I don’t think knocking a small town that really is friendly and has many neat experiences (Huge rodeo in July) and a strong history (Buffalo Bill and the Wild West show) to offer visitors, is a good thing to do. There were other ways she could have gotten the point that it was too long a drive across to readers without mentioning Sheridan, Wyoming in a negative way.
Overall, this is a great romance novel that really didn’t have any bodice ripping. Now it does have a lot of sexual tension and kissing and sex are a big overlapping theme, but it doesn’t happen in the book, you just know it happens after the book ends. I would recommend this book to adults only because of the sexual tension and overall theme.
I received this book as an ARC. I do not get paid to review books; I do so in order to assist you in recognizing books that you might enjoy.
Please read more of my reviews on my blog: sarahereads(dot)wordpress(dot)com
June 27, 2014
This is a sweet romance, in spite of what the cover on one of these editions might tell you. It's a fun, fractured take on Sleeping Beauty and how she might find love in the modern world.
Ella first appeared in the previous volume, Utterly Charming, but the only thing that's changed is that she's managed to fit in very well in modern society. She even has a bestselling book and a position at a university as a history professor.
Her new boss, Michael, would rather see her gone. However, when the Fates decide she's going to get her magic early (on-time in their estimation) he finds himself caught up in a desperate attempt to try to bring her wild magic under control. They end up falling for each other in a very sweet, very passionate way, in spite of Michael's disbelief regarding magic, and in spite of Ella's strong refusal to ever be kissed again.
Ella is a strong-minded woman with a bit of a temper. However much she's integrated into the modern world, there are still some things that fascinate her, and some parts of her upbringing that still cause her problems. That she's able to do as well as she does makes me smile.
And I loved her final solution to her problem. That was a very nice touch.
Michael and his approach to Ella's magic were some of the best moments. The times he had trouble believing were great, but I think the times when he tried to analyze her magic were the best. Though he knows he's only a mortal, he still tries to protect her as best he can. I loved it.
Before moving on to the plot, I want to give some attention to the talking cat, Darnell. He was hilarious in this book, and gave it some of its funniest moments.
Just wanted to say that.
The plot for this book is more solid than the previous one. There's a stronger emphasis on the romance and more clarity regarding motivations. It also helps that the hero's thoughts are known pretty early on. It makes him much more sympathetic than Alex from Utterly Charming, though I still think well of that character (this book helps with that). The final resolution of all the elements was logical and very satisfying.
Highly recommended, especially for those who want more romance in their fairy tales.
Ella first appeared in the previous volume, Utterly Charming, but the only thing that's changed is that she's managed to fit in very well in modern society. She even has a bestselling book and a position at a university as a history professor.
Her new boss, Michael, would rather see her gone. However, when the Fates decide she's going to get her magic early (on-time in their estimation) he finds himself caught up in a desperate attempt to try to bring her wild magic under control. They end up falling for each other in a very sweet, very passionate way, in spite of Michael's disbelief regarding magic, and in spite of Ella's strong refusal to ever be kissed again.
Ella is a strong-minded woman with a bit of a temper. However much she's integrated into the modern world, there are still some things that fascinate her, and some parts of her upbringing that still cause her problems. That she's able to do as well as she does makes me smile.
And I loved her final solution to her problem. That was a very nice touch.
Michael and his approach to Ella's magic were some of the best moments. The times he had trouble believing were great, but I think the times when he tried to analyze her magic were the best. Though he knows he's only a mortal, he still tries to protect her as best he can. I loved it.
Before moving on to the plot, I want to give some attention to the talking cat, Darnell. He was hilarious in this book, and gave it some of its funniest moments.
Just wanted to say that.
The plot for this book is more solid than the previous one. There's a stronger emphasis on the romance and more clarity regarding motivations. It also helps that the hero's thoughts are known pretty early on. It makes him much more sympathetic than Alex from Utterly Charming, though I still think well of that character (this book helps with that). The final resolution of all the elements was logical and very satisfying.
Highly recommended, especially for those who want more romance in their fairy tales.
April 15, 2012
Emma Lost is a lecturer on history at the University of Wisconsin. She wrote a best-selling book about the Dark Ages. No one knows that her expertise on the subject is a result of her having been born in the Dark Ages.
Emma is the woman that the Sleeping Beauty myth is based on. An evil woman cursed her, and when she was kissed she fell into a thousand-year coma. She apparently woke up during the first book of this series (which I haven't read), and in the years since then she's gone from illiterate to university lecturer, making her pretty damn smart - but understandably scared of kissing.
Michael Found returns from a year-long sabbatical to become the head of the university's history department. He's read Emma's book and thinks it's very poor scholarship. He doesn't want her teaching in his department, but when bizarre things start happening he can't deny that something magical is happening between them.
I really wanted to like this book. I loved the premise of Sleeping Beauty come to life. But the pacing of the story was way off. It starts off slow and I felt like it only got going near the end. There is so much potential for humor and conflict, but I felt like it largely went untapped.
To me, the funniest character is not one of the protagonists but Emma's cat, Darnell. And the best verbal exchange was between Michael and The Ghost of Christmas Present, who visits him...in May. None of my favorite moments happen with both Emma and Michael on the page.
The conflict between Michael and Emma clears up fairly quickly and then revolves around Emma's fear that she'll be knocked unconscious for a millennium if she's kissed again.
But to be honest, I never felt engaged enough to care whether they kissed. Emma is an angry person. I guess it's understandable, considering how much of her life she's lost. Anger drives her, and it keeps her from having close relationships. But because of that, I too felt distant from her. I started thinking that Michael could surely find a better partner than one who kept snapping at him.
Overall, this story was too light on romance, and too light on fantasy, for me.
Emma is the woman that the Sleeping Beauty myth is based on. An evil woman cursed her, and when she was kissed she fell into a thousand-year coma. She apparently woke up during the first book of this series (which I haven't read), and in the years since then she's gone from illiterate to university lecturer, making her pretty damn smart - but understandably scared of kissing.
Michael Found returns from a year-long sabbatical to become the head of the university's history department. He's read Emma's book and thinks it's very poor scholarship. He doesn't want her teaching in his department, but when bizarre things start happening he can't deny that something magical is happening between them.
I really wanted to like this book. I loved the premise of Sleeping Beauty come to life. But the pacing of the story was way off. It starts off slow and I felt like it only got going near the end. There is so much potential for humor and conflict, but I felt like it largely went untapped.
To me, the funniest character is not one of the protagonists but Emma's cat, Darnell. And the best verbal exchange was between Michael and The Ghost of Christmas Present, who visits him...in May. None of my favorite moments happen with both Emma and Michael on the page.
The conflict between Michael and Emma clears up fairly quickly and then revolves around Emma's fear that she'll be knocked unconscious for a millennium if she's kissed again.
But to be honest, I never felt engaged enough to care whether they kissed. Emma is an angry person. I guess it's understandable, considering how much of her life she's lost. Anger drives her, and it keeps her from having close relationships. But because of that, I too felt distant from her. I started thinking that Michael could surely find a better partner than one who kept snapping at him.
Overall, this story was too light on romance, and too light on fantasy, for me.
February 6, 2018
I think I needed to read the first book in the series to even care about the heroine of this book. It read a lot like a fan fiction narrative so I didn't really enjoy the journey/road trip or the two main characters. Even the cat could have used some character development.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2009
I Finished this book knowing exactly how I felt about it, which is more than I can say about the first one, when I finished the first book, Utterly Charming, I didn't know what to make of Emma, She seemed to juvenile but after reading just the first couple of chapter of her own story I know how wrong it was of me to have an opinion already formed about her. I was comfortably able to sink into this book and loose myself to like I was watching a movie in my head. I loved how strong and hard headed Emma was and I was happy to see how bright she was even though she was still in the dark about so many things. Her temper had me giggling. Which brings me to Michael Found her boss,(who thought she was the worst kind of fraud)and road trip partner, at first I was like whoa really this is suppose to be the Hero. Then after a while he grew on me I felt closer to him than I did with the Hero of Book 1 (Aethelstan)he was so much more connected to Emma than Aethelstan was to Nora, he showed more emotion and compassion and honestly they had more believable time together. I felt they were just so great for each other. Now of course I had my issues with it, such as, the whole spirits thing, I mean if Foe was such a scary he could hurt you thing why did he scare off so easily. Most of all my issues fall along the same lines it just seem that it got all climatic and then just fizzled out. Then of course you have the fact that it was just so PG not even hint of -13 except there was more kissing. I will say this too, the biggest thing I didn't like was I felt Michael pushed and pushed weirdly so for the kiss like he thought it no big did she has this somewhat reasonable fear of loosing more of her life, but I'm sure that someone could argue his point as well and make it seem like he wasn't pushing but trying to help her through it. Now for my favorite part of this book, it as MERLIN aka Sancho aka Casper aka Andvari. I am so excited about his book that then minute I finish this review I'm starting his book.
June 4, 2012
If you are picking up this up before reading the first in the series, then you may have some minor problems like not understanding the way this book starts. So, those of you, who are new to this series, this is a story of modern day "Sleeping Beauty"'s life, after waking up from the sleep after 1000 years and seeing that her "Prince Charming" is in love with another girl. So, she leaves him, and tries to cope up with the world that she has no idea of.
This book made me think a lot, about how much the world has changed. It made me sad that we have taken so much for granted. From Emma's perspective, I realized we had not seen the achievement that the human population has made in all these years. Such comfort and knowledge are gained very hard by us. I can feel the amazement in Emma's eyes, when she sees the television and wonders how it works. I never even gave the guy, who invented them, any credit, except maybe reading and writing about him in exams can count. The world of Emma is simple and amazing. She sees things in a different way, or she doesn't see what we are taught to see. That's what makes her adorable. She goes to the only job, she can do - history professor.
Michael, the head of the History department and boss of Emma, thinks that Emma's version of history is all based on fiction. He even intends to dismiss her from college. But, things soon move from ordinary to extra-ordinary. Does no-one knows that Michael is her true love? How can Michael hate her, if Emma is destined for her HEA with Michael? Cute, isn't it? No??? Well, it's cute for me.
I loved this plot, being the fairy tale lover. The characters were great, especially Emma's cat. The author has good imagination. But, this story is not for all of you readers. Its definitely not for you, if you don't like fairy tale retellings. Its not for you, if can't stand knowing the end, only when you are half-way through the book. But, its FOR you, if you are into fairy tales and love 'Happily Ever After' endings.
Worth your time!
This book made me think a lot, about how much the world has changed. It made me sad that we have taken so much for granted. From Emma's perspective, I realized we had not seen the achievement that the human population has made in all these years. Such comfort and knowledge are gained very hard by us. I can feel the amazement in Emma's eyes, when she sees the television and wonders how it works. I never even gave the guy, who invented them, any credit, except maybe reading and writing about him in exams can count. The world of Emma is simple and amazing. She sees things in a different way, or she doesn't see what we are taught to see. That's what makes her adorable. She goes to the only job, she can do - history professor.
Michael, the head of the History department and boss of Emma, thinks that Emma's version of history is all based on fiction. He even intends to dismiss her from college. But, things soon move from ordinary to extra-ordinary. Does no-one knows that Michael is her true love? How can Michael hate her, if Emma is destined for her HEA with Michael? Cute, isn't it? No??? Well, it's cute for me.
I loved this plot, being the fairy tale lover. The characters were great, especially Emma's cat. The author has good imagination. But, this story is not for all of you readers. Its definitely not for you, if you don't like fairy tale retellings. Its not for you, if can't stand knowing the end, only when you are half-way through the book. But, its FOR you, if you are into fairy tales and love 'Happily Ever After' endings.
Worth your time!
June 17, 2012
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...
Imagine waking up after a thousand years have passed and finding out you’re in a whole new world full of things you never even thought of. That would be the worst thing, right? No, finding out you have uncontrollable magic is the worst thing…
Ms. Grayson based this story of the premise of what happens after Sleeping Beauty awakens. She makes her main character a very attractive but cautious female (look what the first kiss did!) and turns her into a college professor who teaches history about England during the middle ages. After all, she’s an expert at it since that was right before she went to sleep for a long time. Her problem arises from a new department head who believes she has the history all wrong and that her book is “bunk”. When she gets upset with him, all his furniture in his office disappears. That’s just the beginning of magic going wrong.
Her new department head, Michael, gets concerned about her and her wayward magic, so he agrees to go on a road trip with her to her mentor, where she can be trained in magic. The author adds all kinds of spicy encounters while on the road where Emma quickly tries to reverse any magical spells she’s done in error. Along with the magical side of the story, which I really enjoyed, the author adds a budding romance between the two professors. Emma has this irrational fear of being kissed, so there’s a bit of a conflict there. However, based on her past experience, who can blame her?
Emma’s challenges keep the story interesting and author’s writing flows well. The ending is unusual and very appropriate for this couple. The final pun in the story is a real groaner, but it made me smile. This author won’t bore you; you even get to meet the Fates.
Why not step alongside Emma and walk down the rough path she has to take to true happiness? You’ll be glad you did.
Imagine waking up after a thousand years have passed and finding out you’re in a whole new world full of things you never even thought of. That would be the worst thing, right? No, finding out you have uncontrollable magic is the worst thing…
Ms. Grayson based this story of the premise of what happens after Sleeping Beauty awakens. She makes her main character a very attractive but cautious female (look what the first kiss did!) and turns her into a college professor who teaches history about England during the middle ages. After all, she’s an expert at it since that was right before she went to sleep for a long time. Her problem arises from a new department head who believes she has the history all wrong and that her book is “bunk”. When she gets upset with him, all his furniture in his office disappears. That’s just the beginning of magic going wrong.
Her new department head, Michael, gets concerned about her and her wayward magic, so he agrees to go on a road trip with her to her mentor, where she can be trained in magic. The author adds all kinds of spicy encounters while on the road where Emma quickly tries to reverse any magical spells she’s done in error. Along with the magical side of the story, which I really enjoyed, the author adds a budding romance between the two professors. Emma has this irrational fear of being kissed, so there’s a bit of a conflict there. However, based on her past experience, who can blame her?
Emma’s challenges keep the story interesting and author’s writing flows well. The ending is unusual and very appropriate for this couple. The final pun in the story is a real groaner, but it made me smile. This author won’t bore you; you even get to meet the Fates.
Why not step alongside Emma and walk down the rough path she has to take to true happiness? You’ll be glad you did.
June 30, 2012
Emma is a well known author, professor and historian. An expert in the dark ages, she’s known around the world. Little does anyone know – she’s an expert because she was born in the dark ages! After being kissed by the man she thought she loved, she’s put into a deep sleep for a thousand years. With the help of the man who put her in the deep sleep, she learns to fit into this new century.
I was first introduced to Kristine’s books a little over a year ago. I was gifted her book Wickedly Charming by a fellow blogger and instantly fell in love with her style of writing and the characters. When I saw this book pop up on NetGalley there was no question as to whether I was hitting that request button or not – and I wasn’t disappointed!
Our heroine Emma, wants nothing more then to be normal and fit in. When her ‘talent’ starts to emerge she’s completely thrown into the realm of magic. A place she had hoped she would never have to deal with. Unable to control her powers, she’s put into some situations that had me giggling as I read. Drop dead gorgeous Michael Found, also (her boss) gets caught up in Emma’s world – they have amazing chemistry that leaps off the page – although both of them try and fight it!
Will I recommend this to anyone? Yes! For someone who loves fairy tale retellings this is definitely a book you should pick up. This revamped version of Sleeping Beauty had me hooked from page one until the last sentence. Would I recommend this author? Of course! I know I will be picked up several more books – including Utterly Charming!
I was first introduced to Kristine’s books a little over a year ago. I was gifted her book Wickedly Charming by a fellow blogger and instantly fell in love with her style of writing and the characters. When I saw this book pop up on NetGalley there was no question as to whether I was hitting that request button or not – and I wasn’t disappointed!
Our heroine Emma, wants nothing more then to be normal and fit in. When her ‘talent’ starts to emerge she’s completely thrown into the realm of magic. A place she had hoped she would never have to deal with. Unable to control her powers, she’s put into some situations that had me giggling as I read. Drop dead gorgeous Michael Found, also (her boss) gets caught up in Emma’s world – they have amazing chemistry that leaps off the page – although both of them try and fight it!
Will I recommend this to anyone? Yes! For someone who loves fairy tale retellings this is definitely a book you should pick up. This revamped version of Sleeping Beauty had me hooked from page one until the last sentence. Would I recommend this author? Of course! I know I will be picked up several more books – including Utterly Charming!
July 27, 2012
Thoroughly Kissed is a modern day Sleeping Beauty. Actually, according to this story, the Sleeping Beauty legend was started by the heroine in this novel. Emma Lost’s first kiss didn’t go quite so well. Sadly she fell into a thousand year old sleep. Now it’s the 21st century and she has a lot to learn. Emma is tenacious though.
The story opens with Emma working as a college professor teaching Medieval History; something she is very familiar with. The new department head Michael Found is not impressed with her and would like to see her out of his department and the university; no matter how attractive he thinks she is. As if trying to still find her place in this new world wasn’t enough her Mage powers begin to kick in sooner than expected. She needs to travel from Wisconsin to Oregon to her mentor and the man who got her in all this mess to begin with. But, she can’t travel alone. Michael Found gets roped into accompanying her.
This was a very light romance read. Emma and Michael start off at each other’s throats, and then gradually work into friendship and beyond. All throughout, though, you can feel the sexual tension building between them. Emma won’t act on it for fear of triggering another very long slumber. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I can’t really place my finger on what it is, but for me it was a miss. Although, Darnell, the cat, was hilarious. Loved him!
This book was provided by NetGalley for review.
The story opens with Emma working as a college professor teaching Medieval History; something she is very familiar with. The new department head Michael Found is not impressed with her and would like to see her out of his department and the university; no matter how attractive he thinks she is. As if trying to still find her place in this new world wasn’t enough her Mage powers begin to kick in sooner than expected. She needs to travel from Wisconsin to Oregon to her mentor and the man who got her in all this mess to begin with. But, she can’t travel alone. Michael Found gets roped into accompanying her.
This was a very light romance read. Emma and Michael start off at each other’s throats, and then gradually work into friendship and beyond. All throughout, though, you can feel the sexual tension building between them. Emma won’t act on it for fear of triggering another very long slumber. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I can’t really place my finger on what it is, but for me it was a miss. Although, Darnell, the cat, was hilarious. Loved him!
This book was provided by NetGalley for review.
March 6, 2013
What if Sleeping Beauty didn't wake up until the 21st century?
That's the premise of this sweet little tale by Kristine Grayson. Emma's prince charming wasn't, and he didn't figure out how to break the sleeping spell until the 21st century.
Emma's rebuilt a life for herself as a professor of medieval history only to have her magic powers kick in at the most inopportune time. Like when her new boss Michael is about to fire her for shoddy academic research. The story turns into a road trip where Michael tries to get Emma the help she needs before she accidentally kills someone, or herself, with her uncontrolled powers.
Thoroughly Kissed is a delightful, albeit bizarre, take on the Sleeping Beauty mythos. The interaction between Emma, Michael, and her obnoxious cat Darnell alternates between hysterically funny and a little too innocent.
I think my biggest problem with the book is that I never felt the threesome were truly in danger. The one evil sorceror who waylays our trio turns out to be a joke. The worst things that happen are when Emma accidentally turns Darnell into a lion (more than once) and creates a herd of "wish" horses for some homeless folks.
If you're one of those people bitching that there's no sweet romances anymore, then this is the book for you. No explicit sex here. This is definitely a book you can give your preteen if you want to get her hooked on romance.
All-in-all a pleasant winter weekend read.
That's the premise of this sweet little tale by Kristine Grayson. Emma's prince charming wasn't, and he didn't figure out how to break the sleeping spell until the 21st century.
Emma's rebuilt a life for herself as a professor of medieval history only to have her magic powers kick in at the most inopportune time. Like when her new boss Michael is about to fire her for shoddy academic research. The story turns into a road trip where Michael tries to get Emma the help she needs before she accidentally kills someone, or herself, with her uncontrolled powers.
Thoroughly Kissed is a delightful, albeit bizarre, take on the Sleeping Beauty mythos. The interaction between Emma, Michael, and her obnoxious cat Darnell alternates between hysterically funny and a little too innocent.
I think my biggest problem with the book is that I never felt the threesome were truly in danger. The one evil sorceror who waylays our trio turns out to be a joke. The worst things that happen are when Emma accidentally turns Darnell into a lion (more than once) and creates a herd of "wish" horses for some homeless folks.
If you're one of those people bitching that there's no sweet romances anymore, then this is the book for you. No explicit sex here. This is definitely a book you can give your preteen if you want to get her hooked on romance.
All-in-all a pleasant winter weekend read.
January 6, 2013
Have you been following my reviews on Kristine Grayson's books as I stumble and read through her Fates series ? So far I have read Books #1 , 8 , 2 , the novella Standing up for Grace and the anthology Geek Romance.
Now get ready for Book #2 Thoroughly Kissed as I bring to you a fractured fairytale version of Sleeping Beauty. It seems that Sleeping Beauty is all the rage as Kill me Softly featured a version of the same tale. In Thoroughly Kissed we meet Emma Lost , she was awoken ten years ago from a curse that had her put to sleep over 1000 years ago when she was in her twenties. Now a Professor at the local Madison University, Emma specialises in the Dark Ages and early England. Her time of existence , before her magical induced coma. All has been plodding well for her until now. Emma has just come into her powers, but the thing is she hadn't expected it for another twenty years and now with her powers raging out of control , she must visit the "Fates" in order to control them before terrible things happen. The worst thing though is that its not just her powers she has to worry about as the last time she was kissed, it was by the wrong person and it landed her in a deep magical coma for 1000 years. Is Professor Michael Found , Emma's Prince Charming ? Can she prove to him that magic is real and that she isn't a fraud ?
Find out in Book #2 Fates Series - Thoroughly Kissed by Kristine Grayson and discover what happens when the Fates are on your side
Now get ready for Book #2 Thoroughly Kissed as I bring to you a fractured fairytale version of Sleeping Beauty. It seems that Sleeping Beauty is all the rage as Kill me Softly featured a version of the same tale. In Thoroughly Kissed we meet Emma Lost , she was awoken ten years ago from a curse that had her put to sleep over 1000 years ago when she was in her twenties. Now a Professor at the local Madison University, Emma specialises in the Dark Ages and early England. Her time of existence , before her magical induced coma. All has been plodding well for her until now. Emma has just come into her powers, but the thing is she hadn't expected it for another twenty years and now with her powers raging out of control , she must visit the "Fates" in order to control them before terrible things happen. The worst thing though is that its not just her powers she has to worry about as the last time she was kissed, it was by the wrong person and it landed her in a deep magical coma for 1000 years. Is Professor Michael Found , Emma's Prince Charming ? Can she prove to him that magic is real and that she isn't a fraud ?
Find out in Book #2 Fates Series - Thoroughly Kissed by Kristine Grayson and discover what happens when the Fates are on your side
April 7, 2011
I wavered between 2 and 3 stars with this one. It's not that I disliked it; typical romance novels just aren't my thing. I did like the idea of Sleeping Beauty somehow sleeping until the modern era and having to learn how to live as a modern woman, so I enjoyed the concept that shaped the book. I just felt that the characters were kind of flat, and although it's a fairy tale, a bit too perfect. I think my favorite character was the cat, Darnell. He was quite hilarious even in the parts that he wasn't able to speak.
My one major gripe with the book is that someone made some mistakes with the editing. At one point, the main character, Emma, was "stealing" herself, versus "steeling" herself. I'm really curious as to how one steals oneself. Also, at one point they were at an all-night diner type thing and suddenly it turned into a coffee shop. Those are two very different environments to me, and that threw me off a bit. There were a few others, but at the risk of sounding like the grammar police, I'll stop.
There isn't a ton of depth here, but I don't suppose that depth is what Grayson was going for with this one. This is a by the pool/beach read or the book to pick up if you're in the mood for a bit of frivolity.
P.S. There are no sex scenes in this book, which I greatly appreciated. Thought others might want to know as well.
My one major gripe with the book is that someone made some mistakes with the editing. At one point, the main character, Emma, was "stealing" herself, versus "steeling" herself. I'm really curious as to how one steals oneself. Also, at one point they were at an all-night diner type thing and suddenly it turned into a coffee shop. Those are two very different environments to me, and that threw me off a bit. There were a few others, but at the risk of sounding like the grammar police, I'll stop.
There isn't a ton of depth here, but I don't suppose that depth is what Grayson was going for with this one. This is a by the pool/beach read or the book to pick up if you're in the mood for a bit of frivolity.
P.S. There are no sex scenes in this book, which I greatly appreciated. Thought others might want to know as well.
September 7, 2012
Also posted at http://abbeyannsbookland.blogspot.com/
3 and a half out of 5
I probably would have enjoyed this book more if it was a bit faster. That's not to say that this book was boring - it wasn't. I just wish it wasn't as slow as it was. Even though this is technically the second book in the series, you don't have to read the first to understand what is going on. I didn't and I followed along just fine.
The premise of this book is intriguing. It puts an interesting spin on the classic romance novel. Though writing a book with such an unique premise as this one could prove to be difficult, the author managed to pull it off brilliantly. Despite the slowness of this story, I enjoyed this book immensely. For those readers who don't like the steamy scenes, this is the book for you. The lack of sexual content is something you don't see a lot of these days.
Overall, this was a sweet, entertaining novel that I think any romance junkie should check out. Though it had its problems, I can't wait to read the next one in the series. I doubt I would be disappointed.
3 and a half out of 5
I probably would have enjoyed this book more if it was a bit faster. That's not to say that this book was boring - it wasn't. I just wish it wasn't as slow as it was. Even though this is technically the second book in the series, you don't have to read the first to understand what is going on. I didn't and I followed along just fine.
The premise of this book is intriguing. It puts an interesting spin on the classic romance novel. Though writing a book with such an unique premise as this one could prove to be difficult, the author managed to pull it off brilliantly. Despite the slowness of this story, I enjoyed this book immensely. For those readers who don't like the steamy scenes, this is the book for you. The lack of sexual content is something you don't see a lot of these days.
Overall, this was a sweet, entertaining novel that I think any romance junkie should check out. Though it had its problems, I can't wait to read the next one in the series. I doubt I would be disappointed.
June 5, 2012
I really enjoyed Thoroughly Kissed! It is kind of a slow read, but not boring at all. For almost ¾ of the book there is not a lot of romance going on. You really get to meet the characters and see them grow before the romance comes into play.
This is a new spin on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Emma’s story is a bit different than the one we grew up reading. I liked her version and I was able to understand why she made the choices she did. Darnell was my favorite though. I just loved it when he attacked the pizza boy!
I would recommend Thoroughly Kissed to anyone who loves fairy tales and don’t need a lot of adult situations in their books. I know I was excited to find out when I finished Thoroughly Kissed that there are six more in this series. I can’t wait to get my hands on them!
This is a new spin on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. Emma’s story is a bit different than the one we grew up reading. I liked her version and I was able to understand why she made the choices she did. Darnell was my favorite though. I just loved it when he attacked the pizza boy!
I would recommend Thoroughly Kissed to anyone who loves fairy tales and don’t need a lot of adult situations in their books. I know I was excited to find out when I finished Thoroughly Kissed that there are six more in this series. I can’t wait to get my hands on them!
September 2, 2007
This is the book that said that if you broke down on I-90 you wouldn’t be spotted for days. Which is pretty much the stupidest thing I have read in a book in a long time.
It was easy to read, even though I pretty much hated everything about it. Except for the cat. Because he was funny as shit. And shit? Can be damned funny. Maybe I’ve been spending too much time with little boys. He was like Salem from Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. His assiness made me remember that I do kind of like cats. Especially ones that talk.
The story was about magic. About witch’s and spells and a woman being placed in a magical coma for 1,000 years. Then waking up. And coming into her powers. Yada, yada, yada.
And, considering the title - there was very little kissing.
It was easy to read, even though I pretty much hated everything about it. Except for the cat. Because he was funny as shit. And shit? Can be damned funny. Maybe I’ve been spending too much time with little boys. He was like Salem from Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. His assiness made me remember that I do kind of like cats. Especially ones that talk.
The story was about magic. About witch’s and spells and a woman being placed in a magical coma for 1,000 years. Then waking up. And coming into her powers. Yada, yada, yada.
And, considering the title - there was very little kissing.
August 8, 2012
This is a novel approach that blends the loose threads of the original sleeping beauty, with elements from a few others, and a modern setting. Sleeping beauty is cursed to 1000 years of sleep by a single kiss. When she finally awakens, Prince Charming marries someone else. This story picks up 10 years after her awakening and just days before her life explodes with magic she wasn't expecting for a few more decades.
This romp includes her sexy new boss, a cranky cat and road trip. Of course the sexy boss is her new prince charming and the live happily ever after at the end.
This is a cute read. It is a little too squeaky clean for my tastes but will appeal to romance readers who want a little bit of magic, a little bit of humor and only a little bit of sexual tension.
This romp includes her sexy new boss, a cranky cat and road trip. Of course the sexy boss is her new prince charming and the live happily ever after at the end.
This is a cute read. It is a little too squeaky clean for my tastes but will appeal to romance readers who want a little bit of magic, a little bit of humor and only a little bit of sexual tension.
March 25, 2012
I do enjoy the occassional romance novel, but this book was just not my cup of tea.
This book started out rather slow for me and it never really picked up. I just couldn't fall in love with the characters like I have with other books. There were also some very obvious editing problems in this book, but I try not to be a stickler with that.
Although, I did absolutely love Darnell, the cat. He was a comical little addition to help ease your mind off of the sexual tension.
I also enjoyed Ms. Grayson's re-telling of the classic Sleeping Beauty story.
All in all, I liked this book. I just didn't love it.
This book started out rather slow for me and it never really picked up. I just couldn't fall in love with the characters like I have with other books. There were also some very obvious editing problems in this book, but I try not to be a stickler with that.
Although, I did absolutely love Darnell, the cat. He was a comical little addition to help ease your mind off of the sexual tension.
I also enjoyed Ms. Grayson's re-telling of the classic Sleeping Beauty story.
All in all, I liked this book. I just didn't love it.
June 19, 2012
THOROUGHLY KISSED is one of a series of contemporary takes on our favorite fairy tales. This one is Sleeping Beauty.
I love the cat Darnell, especially when he's acting like a cat. And I thorougly enjoy all the books in this series. Emma Lost and Michael Found are Sleeping Beauty and her prince. I laughed the first time I read their names. I laughed or smiled through much of this, and the ending is great.
If you like gentle romance novels, especially those infused with wit, humor and imagination, you'll love Kristine Grayson. I'm right in line to buy the next of these that comes out.
I love the cat Darnell, especially when he's acting like a cat. And I thorougly enjoy all the books in this series. Emma Lost and Michael Found are Sleeping Beauty and her prince. I laughed the first time I read their names. I laughed or smiled through much of this, and the ending is great.
If you like gentle romance novels, especially those infused with wit, humor and imagination, you'll love Kristine Grayson. I'm right in line to buy the next of these that comes out.
February 17, 2008
Emma, the original Sleeping Beauty, has managed to overcome her thousand-year sleep and live somewhat normally until two disastrous things occur: her magic comes early, and her new boss, Michael, is sexy enough to tempt another thousand-year sleep.
A much better story than its prequel. Emma is charming although a little immature and emotionally unavailable. Michael starts off a bit of a jerk but is remarkable adaptable and doesn't have too many issues afterward.
A much better story than its prequel. Emma is charming although a little immature and emotionally unavailable. Michael starts off a bit of a jerk but is remarkable adaptable and doesn't have too many issues afterward.
April 30, 2013
I didn't know this was the second in a series so that explains a bit of oddness at the beginning but it does just fine as a stand alone. This was a fun quick read, not any real substance, but the writing was engaging and it was a fun twist on an after fairy tale story. I'll be checking out some of her other works. It was clean other than the guy thinking he'd like to see her naked a couple times. Definitely could have been left out but at least it wasn't more detailed than that.
May 12, 2013
this was cute, silly and fun.
a weird twist on sleeping beauty, where beauty is accidentally sent to sleep for 1000 years by someone who thought he was her true love. when she wakes up she's in the 20th century. after 10 years of playing catchup she suddenly comes into her heritage - magic. a gift she doesn't want. with her annoying department head and her cat Darnell (I loved Darnell) she must make the trip to Oregon to be taught how to control her magic before it gets out of control.
a weird twist on sleeping beauty, where beauty is accidentally sent to sleep for 1000 years by someone who thought he was her true love. when she wakes up she's in the 20th century. after 10 years of playing catchup she suddenly comes into her heritage - magic. a gift she doesn't want. with her annoying department head and her cat Darnell (I loved Darnell) she must make the trip to Oregon to be taught how to control her magic before it gets out of control.
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