I love the unconventional books with regards to topics like what this book was about. I believe not everything is black and white in life and the relaI love the unconventional books with regards to topics like what this book was about. I believe not everything is black and white in life and the relationships we foster along the way less than. That being said i was so eager to start this book. I was all "yeah do so don't like so" and just applauding the lead's stance until... At around 55% I became a tad frustrated with the leads and their progress and lack thereof. Then the plot's culmination and conclusions were all thrown together and for me i disliked it so much.
After acknolwdeging that she is an empowered woman and such and Luke deciding to pursue his heart I expected a different ending. of course not bow tied but not the cluster flock it turned into. I had so many questions about Luke and Tim and Brandi.
it just didnt seem plausible that Luke going through what be did and writing a book on it would succumb to the actions (not the affair) that altered his fate. It didnt make any sense. Penelope yes but not Luke.
The hyprocrit of a wife would have gone down lying saying that she never cheated but low and behold she was well acquainted with that style of revenge.It was just too much. Everything.
The way she mourned that husband after everythig he did. He violated her, making it so she can never have children again! What the what!?!? and you loved this man so completely you visit his grave and beg for forgiveness? after all that? what the ever loving. The way she was treated by the mother who conveniently forgot that it was her own jackass son who killed the other unintentionally or not. How could you blame Chelsea, lying sack that she was.
I cannot get over Luke who was the only person who should have come out on top. Then to find read about him wasting his earnings and a woman who never told him the truth about anything.
THE SUICIDE cure all?!?!
I think the author did so well at first but personally for me the book went way south past the half mark. arghh !!! this could have been so much better. So much better.
Merged review:
I love the unconventional books with regards to topics like what this book was about. I believe not everything is black and white in life and the relationships we foster along the way less than. That being said i was so eager to start this book. I was all "yeah do so don't like so" and just applauding the lead's stance until... At around 55% I became a tad frustrated with the leads and their progress and lack thereof. Then the plot's culmination and conclusions were all thrown together and for me i disliked it so much.
After acknolwdeging that she is an empowered woman and such and Luke deciding to pursue his heart I expected a different ending. of course not bow tied but not the cluster flock it turned into. I had so many questions about Luke and Tim and Brandi.
it just didnt seem plausible that Luke going through what be did and writing a book on it would succumb to the actions (not the affair) that altered his fate. It didnt make any sense. Penelope yes but not Luke.
The hyprocrit of a wife would have gone down lying saying that she never cheated but low and behold she was well acquainted with that style of revenge.It was just too much. Everything.
The way she mourned that husband after everythig he did. He violated her, making it so she can never have children again! What the what!?!? and you loved this man so completely you visit his grave and beg for forgiveness? after all that? what the ever loving. The way she was treated by the mother who conveniently forgot that it was her own jackass son who killed the other unintentionally or not. How could you blame Chelsea, lying sack that she was.
I cannot get over Luke who was the only person who should have come out on top. Then to find read about him wasting his earnings and a woman who never told him the truth about anything.
THE SUICIDE cure all?!?!
I think the author did so well at first but personally for me the book went way south past the half mark. arghh !!! this could have been so much better. So much better....more
Catch bless his soul is a damn mess. He spiraled so quickly. I was totally shocked and honestly wanted him to have some time to clean up his act beforCatch bless his soul is a damn mess. He spiraled so quickly. I was totally shocked and honestly wanted him to have some time to clean up his act before coming face to face with Lana. Boom bang bang she's there. Catch is a man on murderous mission when he see Lana's face being sucked off by this pipsqueak fella. Absolutely hilarious.
I didn't appreciate his finagling of her re-assignment. A bit too presumptuous for me, my pseudo-feminist came out. His uber stalker vibes came back out in full force. An eye on her at all times, even if it wasn't his. I'm glad the plot communication problems were sorted out pretty early on because it would have been tiring. Catch has some serious problem and I wanted him to have a heart to heart with Lana most of all. I felt that the connection between them was lacking in true sharing. It was more by the way after alllll the steamy sex. Their connection was more physical than anything and I felt that this book could have focused more on them delving into each other's minds. Initially I didn't appreciate the way he became aware of Lana's past. He needed to hear it from her not outside sources with their unconscious spin on it. Again prudish me was a bit uncomfortable by some scenes but it wasn't the entire book you know. some had a specific purpose and I appreciated that. it obviously did draw them closer and at the end of the day you want you leads to head over heels for one another. Lana's angst and anguish wasn't enough. She too needed to find herself without the crutch that is their relationship. During that time it would have been fantastic for her to really come into her own. She just became the spineless human. Giving into the depression and what not. Before she could even begin to show us her strength and her coping with him gone... he was back.
I had the thought that it wasn't the most healthy of relationships and this did make the turn of events at the end a bit disappointing for me. Love yourself and your own company. Go into the relationship whole or become whole while in one but it should be distinct. Your mental health shouldn't be so wrapped up in a relationship you can't function if that person is sent on assignment. I honestly love this author's writing tone. It's not hurried and just reads well....more
I received this as an ARC and was grateful to have been entrusted with it for review. I apologize for the length in advance if you dare to read it.
ThiI received this as an ARC and was grateful to have been entrusted with it for review. I apologize for the length in advance if you dare to read it.
This particular story presented a realistic moral dilemma that showcased itself in previous books and I was intrigued by Seth. I wanted him to have connections and forgiveness and redemption and while reading this book cover to cover somewhere along the line what I wanted changed. This book shredded me and when I glued myself back I was all over the place. I wanted to fight for Seth. I was incensed at what I considered to be injustices against him. I wanted to slap Seth and ask him to stop rolling over man the eff up and be vociferous. Seth Brothers is broken and drowning in musical genius. He messed up when he was younger and paid the ultimate price both fighting for his life and sanity simultaneous to his connection with Dirty being severed. He fought for his survival relapsing several times before he managed to get his sobriety to adhere. He was given a golden opportunity to reunite with Dirty years later after a chance meeting at a beach. Sadly the opportunity was ripped away from him unjustly. (I’ve never liked Brody) Months Later, after drifting he decides to go bravely to the blind open audition for his old position. I really have never liked Brody and this book further cemented that feeling. I truly dislike his character and Jessa is a spineless hypocrite. How can you live comfortably knowing you blamed someone for your recreational use of drugs as a teen? This entire situation could have been fleshed out differently. She felt badly he left after she pointedly asked him to. Much favoritism was displayed in the group and the disparity in the way Seth was treated as an drug addict and how Zane is treated as a consummate alcoholic was vexating. It was repeatedly said that Seth hurt the band but I felt it more apt to say they hurt each other. Dirty knew about Seth’s addiction and turned blind eyes to the situation until he became a public liability/embarrassment. They fully turned their backs on him and that gutted me and it was never properly addressed by any, aside from Elle now. “I felt alone, for a long time… abandoned.” How is Dirty a family if they could have done that to one of their own? For this reason I strongly felt Seth needed to cauterize Dirty. They repeatedly broke his heart and by his own admission he was done. IMO He had the talent to start his own one man show. Let us begin by giving Elle a round of applause for “woman-ing” up and not giving in to group think. It was absolutely refreshing to have read her character taking the bull by the horns early and shoving it south. I appreciated Elle’s zero effs approach. Not much is known about Elle aside from the fact that she was Jesse’s ex-lover and band mate. She is presented as a solitary figure in previous books. She is a beautiful, slightly bitter and heartbroken woman of little words who’s coping by pursuing a dalliance with Ashley Player and distancing herself emotionally from Dirty. She distances herself further after the audition goes south and she minutely understands that some injustices are being played out. “…at this point, we were all starting to feel like we were cursed or something. Every time we thought we’d found our guy, it fell apart.”
“It all started to border on eff!ng juvenile” Truer words have never been spoken. This was a hallelujah moment and monumental as a reader. Jaine is able to get the reader to feel on behalf of the protagonist which is a powerful tool because as angry as the situations in the book may have the reader, once you become invested in that character, it is unlikely you will put this book down for anything other than to release a pent up breath. I never realized how tiring being inside my own head might be but I do now after reading their inner monologues. The first part of this novel focused on the inner workings of both their minds and their variegated thoughts. Jaine captured this process well. It dragged a bit and some areas felt a bit redundant but it’s actually a process we ourselves go through and she was able to suck you into this person’s thoughts and current emotional state. During this time it was difficult for me to even imagine them being anything other than the best of friends at the end. So much so I started craving for a story about friendship and the kind of love needed to sustain theirs. When that moment came and the vibe initially shifted I wasn’t truly prepared for it, not from Seth anyway. It felt too sudden when he started liking her and the past was used as tool to give credit to his current feelings. That seemed a bit unnecessary when the present was strong enough to foster fresh new feelings that could develop devoid of baggage from the past. “eff reservations.” “eff the band.” “This was happening.” I was now ready. Seth made his peace and was a truly good guy. Elle recognized this and she fought hard against herself but in the end wanting a deeper meaningful connection with someone won out. Experiencing that connection with Seth became vital for her and it became a beautiful thing. They connected on a mental level first before they progressed to any physical and that was important. She came to know Seth and knowing Seth and his music and everything he willingly offered her became this foreplay of sorts. She loved him before she was truly willing to acknowledge it and when she did she became his tigress. Nice role reversal done by the author. Seth came across a bit effeminate and Elle was just a strong no nonsense female. Quite interesting and it actually worked minus a few things. “Seth was mine. That was all there was to it’. Seth was an unusually open male protagonist, a nice change from the brooding dark type. However, he had no spine and that was frustrating. He accepted everything and that didn’t seem right at all. He had no fight in him. I truly wanted Seth to forget the band and grow and become his own act. He didn’t need their forgiveness and as a reader I felt it would have been more natural if he did become a solo act. Seth Brothers… Sober. Has a lovely ring to it.
Zane aside the rest of the band from is the only person who surprisingly always had a true heart. Seth didn’t need or want the band as much as he wanted Elle and they would have made a remarkable team. There comes a time when some bands do need to disperse and I feel this way about Dirty. As a reader Brody and Jesse’s behavior always being rationalized, was very annoying. I felt on this, Elle was to back and forth. You know who the wrong and the wronged parties are and the peace keeping had me antsy. Too many people did him wrong and not enough heartfelt apologies were issued. I enjoyed reading this book and the romance was Jaine Diamond through and through. I feel Jaine did a great job keeping me enthralled with the two main characters and evoking the strong responses I had when reading this book, from anger to butterflies and smiles. My grouse with Seth’s treatment, his lack of backbone and what I consider a dissatisfactory address of past events and the general donkeyish behaviour of secondary characters did sour it a little but overall it is a book worth reading and it causes you to ask yourself questions on friendship especially what it means to be a friend to...more
Some plot holes that were gaping for me. Interesting concept. Things escalated so quickly I felt a bit lost but I cant truly be bothered enough to wanSome plot holes that were gaping for me. Interesting concept. Things escalated so quickly I felt a bit lost but I cant truly be bothered enough to want to continue....more
This book. I really wanted to enjoy it and i just felt frustrated more than anything. I finished it but at the 55% mark I started skimming.
I wanted tThis book. I really wanted to enjoy it and i just felt frustrated more than anything. I finished it but at the 55% mark I started skimming.
I wanted to shake the shit out of Noa. I saw the shit coming way before it was properly mentioned but it fit into place and I was like yeah yuh been hoodwinked! why did we waste so much pages? How did the seed Ghost plant not take root?
I felt we went over unnecessary parts of the plot, alluding to so much shit and by the end of the book I was more confused than ever.
I also couldnt get why they had to be running from patrol so much. After arriving at the cabin they didnt even get a day and I didnt understand how they were found so quickly. The club, on the way to Elvira's. sickening is what that was.
Spoiler
Im disappointed. I wanted more in a diff approach. Condense the novel because a lot of if seemed unnecessary.
The action in the last 15% was kind of difficult for me to follow as well. felt confused af for majority of it....more
The first thing that comes to mind when i thought of reviewing this book is that it "mashed me up". Now this is a good thing. I was so into this book.The first thing that comes to mind when i thought of reviewing this book is that it "mashed me up". Now this is a good thing. I was so into this book. I read the back and said i love certain sport romances and i love figure skating. I read the sample and while i felt Jasmine was overthinking and getting too much page time i bought it because it sucked me in.
Jasmine was an annoying character a lot og the time. I craved reading things from Ivan's POV and felt, that that was missing from this book. The romance felt like it had time to get there. Unrushed which made it more poignant and all the hints indicating that Lukov was in Love wih Jasmine for 10+ years was given to us. Her character was well fleshed out and at times semi likable.His character needed it, from his POV of course.
I loved the book, really did and thought it well excuted minus a few things here and here. A lot of scenes were redundant or plain unnecessary which was annoying along with that inner monologue.
However, I loved how almost all the scenes were of the couple. I was hungry for their interaction and pleased the author gave us so much of them .Again would have loved more from Ivan but it is what it is....more
As much as I hated the initial spineless heroine she came around in the end. I detest bullies and felt that Marilyn didnt get half of what she deserveAs much as I hated the initial spineless heroine she came around in the end. I detest bullies and felt that Marilyn didnt get half of what she deserved. I must say i loved the secondary characters a lot. Kimmie especially. I hope her crazy is expanded on in her story.
So Natalie was spineless and grew her lady balls a bit. she still needed a lot more development. I didnt appreciate the way she undervalued herself and felt that her character was still wrapped up in how others saw her achievements as opposed to how she saw them. I got tired of her harping on disappointing her father when she didnt. Honestly felt that their relationship could have had more page time.
Didnt appreciate at all the behind the back things the father did and his lack of understanding with Marilyn and her treatment of his daughter. The turn around was too fast. Again i understand we took the high road but it annoyed the shit out of me all the high roads that were taken.
CJ is a hero that one can get under in all senses. I really liked his character and his interacations with his siblings were gold. His constipated holiness was a joy to read about and its a damn shame he is a priest and not a pastor. Noah was an enjoyable character and a bright spot in the book.
Overall this book was decent enough. it angered me no end though a lot of Natalie's scenes....more
As i started getting into the first chapter off the bat i knew the heroine annoyed me greatly. The dog saved her. Pirate was one of if not the best chAs i started getting into the first chapter off the bat i knew the heroine annoyed me greatly. The dog saved her. Pirate was one of if not the best character in the book. I'd read a book all about his adventures. Grandma had spunk and hadna crazy crew. Lizzie was just a bit frustrating. After seeing a demon in your bathroom and u dont do drugs you would run the frig out of there. Anywho that passed and the last few chapters were confusing as hell because it seemed chaotic. its as though rules of the world were being put into place at that moment on top of one moment we were doing one thing and the next something else. It threw me a lot. i had to reread to ensure that i understood and got everything. It was okay otherwise....more
i really wanted to love this book because i enjoyed the first two installments and although i dont fancy explicit chapters of the leads doing bedroom i really wanted to love this book because i enjoyed the first two installments and although i dont fancy explicit chapters of the leads doing bedroom tangos so early in a contemporary i was willing to look past it. all was going well until free will was totally eschewed and Rod became one of my most disliked leads. I skimmed the book after that and read the last two chapters to see what next in the series, character reveals their might be.
I try not to be too nit picky but reading about Sloan in the jungle of the West Indies amongst a tribe aka his people really made me scowl. I know and understand creative freedom and forgive me but it made me think of ppl years ago thinking its all mud huts and tree swinging.
The West Indies is made up of the islands in the Caribbean and most of the islands' indigenous tribes are extinct due to wars, colonization etc. Also silk worms arent natural resources in this hemisphere.
Im still going to read Dom's book of course ....more
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