"Ellie Watt, the sacrifice that everyone loved to make."
This was the book that really solidified all of these characters in my head. Ellie's past
"Ellie Watt, the sacrifice that everyone loved to make."
This was the book that really solidified all of these characters in my head. Ellie's past has been revealed a bit, and so instead of being some selfish, self absorbed bitch, now she's a selfish, self absorbed bitch...with a rough past. But she sacrifice herself for Camden, knowing that she was giving him over to live a life without her; in fact, with another woman and the son they made together. That was just about the first thing that Ellie has done that endeared me to her. Although I almost felt like she was just worn down to that point, just not willing to keep up this crazy life.
Oh, but that isn't her choice, because now Javier OWNS her. As he likes to remind her in his obsessive way, over and over again. Javier's a changed man. [image] He's no longer young, and in no way is he still a romantic. No, Javi showed his true colors here. I'm scritch-scratching my head as to how some people still see him as a good match for Ellie. Maybe if lines like this don't bother them:
"You don't know what you are, Ellie. You act strong but everyone can see how vulnerable you are. Men, like me, like Travis, we want to protect that. We want to break you, mold you and keep you as ours."
Yeah, Javi is certifiable.
And I have enough of a romantic in me to still want what is good for Ellie, to still want her to find a real love, a lasting romance, a man who...like Camden...will still want to protect her and provide for her, a man who will chase her across the US and into Mexico because he can do nothing else. [image] A man who says things like this:
"After I first felt Ellie's lips on mine, the warmth, sweetness, I was never the same. She took a piece of me that I was unable to get back until I was inside her, feeling her heart and her sins in my hands."
And who thinks things like this:
"For all she'd done, for the heartless, cruel, selfish person she could be, there was an innocence deep inside - there was still a ten year old girl who's lost everything , show never learned to love without repercussions, who never let her real self be free."
Now, up until this book, I wasn't too fond of either Camden OR Javier. But the entire premise of Shooting Scars really turned the table for me. Javier is using Ellie to get to Travis...for reasons unknown, he is sending her into the belly of the beast. Not only does he use Ellie to do his dirty work, but he's even more psychotic and power hungry now than he was six years ago.
"No? You don't get to say no, Ellie..."
Welp, Javier, you sealed your fate with me. On top of the lamest excuse EVER for cheating and how completely unapologetic he was about the whole situation, I am firmly team Camden now. I think Ellie deserves someone who thinks about her for once.
That being said, Camden allies himself with someone important from Ellie's past, and it's a great and loyal match up.
This book had a lot more action, a lot more character development in it. I can't say that I agreed with all of Ellie's actions (stupid, STUPID girl!!!) but...this story shoved the series forward by leaps and bounds, and was a great one to rad right after On Every Street. We all have learned what makes Ellie, Camden, and Javier tick. And now we're witnessing them all under pressure. I don't know about you, but I'm super curious to know who's going to blow first :D:D...more
"Any love that starts under a lie is bound to kill you."
I just feel...shattered and broken and so confused. Why, Javier? What is happening? [image]
"Any love that starts under a lie is bound to kill you."
I just feel...shattered and broken and so confused. Why, Javier? What is happening? [image] I'm not sure in what universe any reader could read this as a stand alone...that was the biggest cliffie ever aside from the one on Sins and Needles. And oh, boy, did this affect me waaaay more than I thought it would. I read Sins and Needles first, just fyi, so I had a vague idea of Javier and Ellie's (errr, Eden's) past.
I expected Javier to have some more than redeeming qualities, and now that it's over, I'm more confused than ever. I think putting this down, I just have this super sad feeling, sort of hopeless. I know that I really do understand where Ellie's lack of bonding and emotion comes from...so if there's one thing for me to pick as the major focal point of On Every Street, that would be it for me.
"You know," he began, voice low and full, " if you were to ever leave me, I'd come looking for you, on every street."
(view spoiler)[ First off, what the hell was the whole losing her virginity thing? Like, who THINKS that would be a good way to do it? Doggy style, tied up, blindfolded, and FUCKED. No slow and sensual, no trying to ease the pain. That was madness, and it wasn't sexy, and it was a huge turn off in the Javier department. Ellie was bleeding and trying not to scream...I'd cry rape but the stupid girl never said no! It was just weird. (hide spoiler)]
Honestly, Javier and Ellie are just so messed up together. Javier is nothing short of psycho obsessed with Ellie...the man is crazy! And Ellie seems to LOVE it...she lives for this unhealthy possessiveness that he feels for her, and in fact their "love" seems to thrive on it. And what really got to me is how much he really, really seemed to care about her, despite his weirdness. He sees her as his savior, his one chance at goodness:
"I'm a very bad man who has done too many bad things to deserve a pardon. I shouldn't be waling this earth as I do, I shouldn't have the money I have, I shouldn't have the love of a woman who is so far above me she should have wings."
A huge, massive cloud hanging over this Javier obsession: (view spoiler)[ I assumed that the cheating thing had some kind of explanation. I don't have any idea what, but the way it was laid out made it seem like Javier just lost interest. I will never be team Javi if that's the case...I don't do infidelity, but ESPECIALLY because he was so convincing as to how devoted he was to Ellie, how he branded her and broke her and adored her...only to fuck another woman in their bed? Nope. No effing WAY can I forgive that. EVER. (hide spoiler)]
"You want revenge. You want vindication. And I hope you get those things. But the relief will be fleeting. Because you can never right the external wrongs until you fix what's wrong inside you."
This is my thing: I don't have any idea how to categorize this hot mess of a story. But I CAN say that for every single second of this book, I was completely and utterly captivated...in a train wreck kind of way. I mean, it was AWESOME.
So...no, I'm not team Javier...I'm not team Camden.
I'm team No One. Still.
No! I take that back. I'm Team Dex Foray, baby. ...more
3.5 stars This book definitely has a classic Suzanne Brockmann feel to it. I It's a Troubleshooters SPINOFF series! Holy swoon...I think I'm gonna cry.
3.5 stars This book definitely has a classic Suzanne Brockmann feel to it. I got the notion here that she has a nice long list of characters ready to have their stories told. So while it makes me excited for the good things to come, it sure seemed to drag this story out for awhile. This is a loooong genre book.
The first half did get a bit tiresome, what with all of the introductions and minor details. But once the meat of the story really begins, it was pretty much nonstop action from then on. Brockmann does action SO WELL, especially paired with the sexy romance. There's a scene in here where they are running from the bad guys and get stuck in very close contact with each other...whew! Gives a whole new meaning to sexual chemistry in the heat of the moment. Another thing I loved about this book is how Ian and Phoebe come to admire each other because of what they witness in each other during the course of the story. They start off somewhat apprehensive...Phoebe is a lawyer, Ian is an ex-SEAL turned convict. Total opposites. But by the end, they not only gain a partner that compliments them, but they have a healthy respect for one another.
Ian is an alpha male, of course, but not so much a chauvinist as is popular in contemporary romance the last few years. This is a guy I could actually like in REAL life, despite some obvious flaws.
ARC provided by Random House via Net Galley...more
"This wasn't romantic any more; this was tragic, and it was all my fault."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I already knew I would enjoy
"This wasn't romantic any more; this was tragic, and it was all my fault."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I already knew I would enjoy this series before I started it. There are just some authors that click for me, and Halle is one of them. And this is a darker, grittier, and yet more realistic side of Karina Halle than her Experiment in Terror series. But no less exciting, just different.
Since book one, I've watched all three of these characters...Ellie Watt, Camden McQueen, and Javier Bernal...change. It's been a process for each of them, but I think it was Ellie that changed most of all. And I am so glad that she did. Never is the new and improved Ellie so necessary than in Bold Tricks. She has truly grown up and grown away from what she was molded into being. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"On one side of me was Camden McQueen, on the other was Javier Bernal. One more light than dark. One more dark than light."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bold Tricks picks up right where Shooting Scars left off. In Mexico, on the run from the bad guys and yet still running toward the bad guys. How does that work? Let's just say Javier isn't happy with the way things went during the last book. And now he's intent on getting to Travis and even more obsessed with keeping Ellie (and strangely Camden) alive. It's a twisted situation, for sure. Only now Ellie has to save the man who's been more of a true parent to her than her real parents ever were as well as her deadbeat mother. And dear old Camden is right there, willing to help in any way he can. And yet...so is Javier, albeit with much more selfish motives. [image] For me, Javier just gets greasier and greasier...this is a power hungry, loose cannon Javi, the one that has been slowly creeping up on us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I was back to dealing with the spurned Javier, the hunter and the sadist." (...) "Tell me angel, what is it about that boy that makes you forget who you really are? Is it the tattoos, because you know I have those. (...) Or is it those horrible glasses of his? You know, I can look like a fucking idiot if I really wanted to."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Haha! Gotta love the unapologetic prick.
Camden, Camden...your loyalty has quite simply astounded me. After your actions in book one, I was certain you could never be a bad enough ass (you know, a badass) to win me over. But you did. And you did, and you did, over and over.
Ellie sees Camden's loyalty, she sees this great man that he has become. I'm unsure of the time frame that all of this present craziness has taken place in, but I can't see it being less than a month or two. Boy, has Camden changed. Nearly as much as Ellie. He's just such a good person. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Camden McQueen deserved to have all his wrongs righted."
Yes. Yes. Camden McQueen blows me away and actually makes it onto my favorite heroes shelf. Whodathunk?
I did have a couple of small issues with the way things wrapped up in the end. I wanted a nice pretty bow, and I felt shorted when it came to a few things. (view spoiler)[ Camden's Dad never shows back up for a grande finale of any kind. No strong words, and Camden never gets to punch that ass hole in the face. Also, Ben doesn't get enough face time for me. (hide spoiler)] Those are very small spoilers I tagged there. There is one other BIG HUGE thing that I wish had been better explained or given a bigger ending, but you'll know what it is when you get there. It's glaringly, obviously missing, at least for me.
The ending...ah, what a grand epilogue! I loved it, I loved it! Although the events leading up to that epilogue...namely the last ten percent of this book was CRAZY! I literally cried out in surprise and agony at one point...it was THAT INTENSE!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I was wrapped up in layers and layers and he was at my core, at my middle. This was me and I was in his hands and he had me exposed to the bone."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edit to add: There is some controversy over who was left out of the triangle and exactly how this played out. I couldn't say it better than my friend Jeanne in her spoiler here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... This is exactly what I couldn't say and exactly how I felt. Arc provied by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via Net Galley...more
Review to be posted in the Holiday 2013 double issue of InD'tale Magazine. www.indtale.comReview to be posted in the Holiday 2013 double issue of InD'tale Magazine. www.indtale.com...more
"So, you think we're on the same page then?" "Yes, I do." Well, baby girl, I'm here to tell you that you don't even have the correct book op
3.5 Stars
"So, you think we're on the same page then?" "Yes, I do." Well, baby girl, I'm here to tell you that you don't even have the correct book opened."
I was a little too broken up to rate and review this last night. I needed some space to think. I'm going to not do a recap of the blurb and just try to explain my rating.
First of all, I think that this book is the most well written book that Andrea Smith has written to date. My issues with the sex scenes were almost nonexistent. Taz and Lindsey were so very natural together...their intensity and the sheer magnitude of the initial JOLT of awareness between them was explosive. They knew each other a little bit but due to the crazy happening around them and age difference, it took a special circumstance for that explosion to occur. But boy, when it does... [image]
I loved, loved, how Taz comes to see Lindsey as a well rounded, genuinely good person. Because she is.
"There wasn't a deceptive or calculating bone in that beautiful body."
She has lost so much of herself since her father's trip to the dark side. Her stability has been shaken, and yet she's still a positive individual, trucking along and smiling at the world. She loves her new baby brother, she likes her new stepfather Slate, and she's enjoying her time at college with her roommates Jill and Darcy. She also wants to get rid of that pesky V card.
"So," I started my stomach in knots from my nerves, "what's on the agenda, Taz?" "We're going back to my place." he replied very matter of factly. "We're going to fuck."
Well, okay Taz!!
TAZ:
"His hair was sandy brown; thick and tousled like he'd just rolled out of bed. He had gorgeous green eyes and some stubble going on that made his perfectly chiseled features that much more appealing. (...) His right arm was beautifully tattoes from his shoulder to his elbow."
[image]
I think Taz was a great guy, albeit a bit underexplored as a person. We know how dedicated to his job he is...he's still taking classes to move up in the FBI, in fact. Yeah, studying is sexy, Taz! We know he is adamant about not getting into a relationship. This was very well done, imo. Taz really is clueless about his feelings for Lyndsey. But when he finally does start to admit to himself that she is different from all of those other girls, he tries so hard to be a good partner for her. He explains to her that he has no freaking clue how to be a part of a whole, and asks her to bear with him. I loved this side of him.
"I gazed over at her face as she slept. Lindsey was beautiful and cute, innocent and sexy, sweet and a smart-ass. That was what fascinated me so much about her. She was multi dimensional, yet not complicated."
Once he gets past the roadblock of Lyndsey's virginity, he enjoys the hell out of teaching her the joy of sex and pleasure. However, there is little to no background on him; his family is obviously brushed off as being "not close". That's a weird thing to do with a hero. As a reader, I want to believe in his loyalty, and I never got to that point with Taz. I did, however, get to where I knew of his devotion for Lyndsey. And I guess that's what really matters.
Okay...**sigh** my dislikes. I was fully prepared to go for a full fiver on this, but one horrific thing grabbed me down from my happy cloud; indeed, it pushed me off the cloud and my litter heart splattered on the ground. I had read the disclaimer about the rape scene but I'd like to make my own disclaimer:
This book contains a graphic, disturbing rape scene.
That's more like it. I do not read books with graphic rape. It's not a trigger, I simply don't want that type of thing in my romance book. Generally, I skip over the scene and continue with the healing and romance. But due to the nature of this instance, skipping and moving on wasn't possible. (view spoiler)[ Lyndsey's rapist has her tied to a bed and first rapes her mouth, then rapes her anally until she hemorrhages. All the while, his girlfriend is masturbating while watching this detailed, horrible thing happen. When Lyndsey is saved she's on the brink of death from infection and blood loss, and after an induced coma, wakes up only to be told that she has to use a colostomy bag for an indefinite amount of time, maybe forever. (hide spoiler)] Why? Why, why WHY? To be blunt, I don't want that shit in my romance books. Not only do I not want it, but it didn't FIT here. The overall tone of this book was much like Diamond girl...FUN, with a little bit of danger. When this instance happened, I lost all desire to finish the book. My happy romance turned horrific and tragic. Instead of remembering this book the way I'd like to, this instance is how I'll remember it.
Moving on. Again, I'd like to reiterate that I think this was Smith's best work so far. As I rated Diamond Girl according to my enjoyment of the story, I also rated Love Plus One according to my enjoyment. I'm still torn between 3 and 4 stars, so my rating may change. I loved everything about this book for the first 80 percent.
"“It was new territory for me sexually, and for Taz, it was undeniably new territory for him emotionally.”
EDIT TO ADD: I am READY for some retribution against the rat bastard. It didn't come in this book, but I hear through the grapevine that Darcy's book coming up next gives us some much needed closure there. Just fyi......more
[image] A Short Recap: Zara and Graham are old lovers. Graham is a traveling man, never settling down in one place, and Zara is happy to meet his needs [image] A Short Recap: Zara and Graham are old lovers. Graham is a traveling man, never settling down in one place, and Zara is happy to meet his needs and serve her own whenever they can meet up for awhile. He's a good guy, just not the permanent type. And she's a good girl, but she's definitely not a rambler.
When Zara decides that she's not going to even expect any more from Graham, she calls off the relationship. It's an easy breakup on the outside. But each of them seems to have some inner turmoil with regards to their feelings on the split. Zara is a little broken up...she cares a lot for Graham, and the fact that he puts up not even a token of resistance really gets to her. But she moves on, marrying a great guy and settling in to live her life. Graham's feelings are a bit more complicated. He continues with his lifestyle, but deep down, he knows he'll always regret the one who got away. [image]
Only now, Zara is in a bad place emotionally and physically. Things have just flat out gone wrong for her at every turn. And when Graham stops back in town, he sees what's happening. And he pulls the KA alpha guy takeover. And Zara's first and only real, passionate lover is there, in her face, doing the one thing no one ever has: he's taking care of her. Now, they have to figure out whether or not Graham can stick around...and if Zara can believe in him. [image]
MY LIKES: ** I love how Zara is not a typical hysterical woman when it came to their initial separation. She's a really practical woman, and I can appreciate that. I tend to never dislike KA's heroines, but it deserves repeating. I really liked Zara as a person.
** I LOVED the rambling man story. I love the fact that after all these years of random places and women and lives he's lived, Graham always felt a pull to come back to Zara. That's romance
My Graham and Zara: [image] [image]
I loved this book. For me, this was just the kind of book that made me fall in love with this author. She writes romance for women...she writes about destiny and deep, abiding love...but with a gritty, modern feel. She writes sweet and flowery with more than a touch of badass.. She writes my kind of hero, and Graham lived up to the norm. I'd say he's about on the level of Max. He's a badass, he's an alpha, but he's not quite so over the top as Tate or Dax Lahn.
Also, just like with other KA books, this book comes with a soundtrack...and one of the most apropos songs in relation to the story that I've heard yet. I bought this song after reading about it, and I've listened to it now probably fifty times. Each time, it brings me back to this book. Only KA has ever done that for me...I have an actual Kristen Ashley playlist on my phone...it's one of my most listened to. Here is the link if you want to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oouFE5... It's Colder Weather, by the Zac Brown Band [image]
MY DISLIKES: ** I despise the name Ham. If I had the power, I'd seriously delete every time that name was mentioned and replace it with his real name, Graham. In fact, I'd rather she call him "Gra" or "douchebag"...anything but Ham. I don't even care if they were forced to eat eggs and Gra for breakfast. It's the most ridiculous name for a hero I've ever come across...seriously. Terrible.
** This was pretty short! I suppose it's because the publisher limits her words, but I had gotten used to Kristen Ashley's rambling, wordy style of writing. In fact, that's one of the things she was known for, and what made her such a popular writer...part of the life that she breathed into her characters came from the punchy dialogue and the wordy, descriptive narrative. So I missed that here.
So for me, KA still has it. This is my first book that I've read by her since she stopped self pubbing, and so far so good. Although I don't know why a publisher would want to mess with a good thing...for me, the heart of Kristen Ashley still comes through, albeit in much fewer words. I just hope she can keep on keepin' on. Retain her unique, indescribable and much imitated but never recreated style. ...more
Sarai, a woman whose been a captive since the age of fourteen... [image]
Victor (The American), a cold blooded, ruthless man on a mission. A mission thaSarai, a woman whose been a captive since the age of fourteen... [image]
Victor (The American), a cold blooded, ruthless man on a mission. A mission that does NOT include rescuing some woman... [image]
When Sarai shocks and amuses The American by stowing away in his car, only two things are for certain: He is a badass, and he's only keeping her as a bartering tool.
Sarai's bravery, compassion, and humanity start to wear down Victor's defenses. He's a man not used to trusting anyone. Never, under any circumstances. Not even family. So the bulk of this book does NOT focus on the romance between this couple. No, it's focus is the building of trust and awareness. Each of them had no childhood to speak of, no gently parental guidance. Their lives have been about survival and staying ahead. To put it bluntly, they've each lived one big lie. Both from those around them, and themselves. Now they learn not only to trust, but to be trustworthy. [image] Full review to come.
3.5 Stars Much more thorough and multi-layered than book one. Mine to Take focused basically on how Skye and Trace met, how they come to be together ag3.5 Stars Much more thorough and multi-layered than book one. Mine to Take focused basically on how Skye and Trace met, how they come to be together again, and all of the crazy that happened to Skye during their ten year estrangement. This one focuses more on Trace and his haunted and bloody past.
I felt like the first part of this book was very melodramatic, very much a soap opera. It was all super duper intense, and any time a scene ended, I kept expecting a dramatic pause before a fade to black. This was the part where Eden reiterates how OBSESSED these two are with each other. They've been OBSESSED since they were sixteen, and their obsession carried them through the years. Not to mention the many sex scenes in which Skye has to practically beg Trace to fuck her harder. Poor Trace, he was just too gentle a lover. Skye wanted him to lose control. And while I got tired of this scenario quickly, I can admit that when this guy does finally let go, I was all about Cynthia Eden's now trademark scorching hot sex scenes. If there's something memorable about her books, that would be the steam and the intensity. She does it well.
Once the scene is set, and the plot for THIS book comes into play, my interest was held much better. Trace has some crazies from his equally crazy past pop up. True to CE's whodunnit style, this villain comes out of nowhere. I still think that there was almost TOO much intensity. Lots of death...LOTS. Many grievous injuries and close calls. But there is a setup of the next book or two, and I will most definitely be reading that one. I only recently discovered Cynthia Eden but I feel sure that I will soak up all of her romantic suspense. ...more
Well, heck. I really liked the first of the book...the first twenty pages were great. The first meeting after ten years apart, when Trace is drilling Well, heck. I really liked the first of the book...the first twenty pages were great. The first meeting after ten years apart, when Trace is drilling holes through Skye with his eyes, drinking her up like ice tea in Texas on a hot summer day...yeah, that was sexy.
So, Skye is a dancer...a prima ballerina, to be exact... [image] But she can't dance any more, because a madman ran her off the road, causing an accident that ripped her dreams from her, leaving her broken and alone. Whereas Trace used to be her rock, he let her go so that she could pursue her dream, and so now she's left with neither her dancing or her truest friend and lover.
Now, she is forced to seek Trace out. She senses that she is being followed again. The police can't or won't help, and Trace is the owner of one of the most successful security companies in Chicago. And so, the broken ballerina returns, asking for help.
I enjoyed the premise, but I felt like this was way too short to cram so much into a hundred page book. This story would normally take around three hundred pages to tell. Cutting short the sexual tension and build up, the character development that I've come to expect from Eden, and the explosive sex was shortened to one page, mediocre and forgettable quickies.
The beginning was great. But boy, I expected more...of everything....more
Evie Baker recently returned to her hometown of Rochambeau...depressed, broken, and the newest hair washer at her Mom's salon. From her ambitions and Evie Baker recently returned to her hometown of Rochambeau...depressed, broken, and the newest hair washer at her Mom's salon. From her ambitions and the realization of her dream of owning a restaurant, free to create culinary masterpieces...to this. To add insult to injury, her childhood best friend and the man who horribly betrayed her young heart is back in town.
Captain Matt Gerard is also coming back to Rochambeau a defeated man. Soon up for a hearing that will decide whether the death of two of his Special Forces teammates is his fault, Matt is heartbroken as well as a little lost feeling. Especially when he walks into the small town's salon and comes face to face with one of his biggest regrets.
Matt and Evie had been best friends since they were little. Their friendship not only survived a myriad of childhood hardships...not the least being the death of Matt's mother....but seemed stronger for them. It began to dwindle when Matt started seeing other girls in a whole new light...and yet Evie still only had eyes for him. The breaking point was the night that Evie gave Matt her most precious gift, and he made a mockery of her for it...and left town to join the Army.
Matt immediately wants to make up for his young and dumb actions, but Evie still needs to guard her heart. After all, it was her lover who stole her blind and ruined her restaurant. But Matt is persistent, and when Evie's past comes back to haunt her...and her mom and little sister, she is forced to lean on Matt for help. His experiences in intense tactical situations makes him the perfect guy to have along for the ride that she's getting ready to take. And she quickly comes to realize that one night of inconsideration doesn't make up the entirety of the man who used to be her best friend in all the world.
I enjoyed this book. I expected to have a bit more action and intrigue than what was included, I think. I felt like the emotions and regrets of both Matt and Evie were sort of recycled and used again throughout the entire book, and it really dragged the story out. What action was included was fairly riveting. The love scenes were well done, definitely for a mainstream romance market, but still sexy. My favorite part was when Matt starts speaking his French bayou yumminess! Chere', indeed!! Especially toward the last half of the book, Matt's team gets some face time and we are introduced to the guys who likely get the next few books in the series.
Overall, a nice Romantic Suspense...not too heavy, a bit stagnating in the middle, but ended on an exciting note with lots of room for series growth.
[image]
Big thanks to Victory Editing and Net Galley for the arc in exchange for a review!...more
_________________________________________ Evan Arden...you stole my heart back in the desert. You scared me back in Chicago. You made me angrier than I'v_________________________________________ Evan Arden...you stole my heart back in the desert. You scared me back in Chicago. You made me angrier than I've ever felt with a fictional boyfriend. You broke my heart when you fell apart.
And now, and now, and now.......You did all of that and more in this book. _________________________________________
[image] After his meltdown and subsequent arrest, Evan is heavily medicated and placed in jail. His last visions of Lea and his pleading for her to take his dog Odin have stuck with me over the months while I waited for this book to come out. Evan has come across as a cold blooded bastard, that's for sure. But what he actually is is harder to define. [image]
"Lieutenant Evan Arden, Marine sniping expert, brought home with minor injuries and muscle atrophy, but otherwise unharmed"
He's a soldier who fought for our country. He was held captive and tortured for over eighteen months. He was brought back to the states and due to his lack of obvious physical wounds, he was pronounced OTHERWISE UNHARMED and sent back into the world, as if nothing had ever happened to him.
Naturally, being tortured for any amount of time would leave a significant impact on a person's psyche. It's no wonder Evan has a hard time coping. He's shut his emotions of just to survive. All of these terrible things he's done, the people he's killed...I hate to say it's forgiveable, because it's not. But it is what it is, and his boss, the leader of the Chicago mafia, is the only constant in Evan's life. He'll do anything for him.
But now, Evan has another reason to live.
"She'd just been a girl, lost in the desert. She should have meant nothing to me."
It was that one chance encounter with Lea in the desert that snagged him and set his life's course in a tailspin. He isn't the same man that he once was. And now that she's come back into his life, he knows what he has to do.
My Evan and Lea: [image]"/>
[image]
And of course, Odin: [image]
"You have endured so much - far more than any one person should ever have to face - but you kept going" " I didn't endure it," I replied. "I cracked. I totally lost it." "Everyone has their breaking point, Evan. That's not bad; that's just being human (...) I wanted to remind her of what I had become since then - a cold blooded, merciless killer - but I didn't. I kissed her instead. Again and again I kissed her because I didn't have any words for what I was feeling."
I'm so happy that I decided to read this series. This kind of broken hero, I love...Evan is NOT all good, and this romance is NOT all happy and hunky dory, everything ends up in marriage and 2.5 kids (haha). BUT...it's a beautifully written and evocative story about a guy who came from nothing, sacrificed EVERYTHING, and finally found something worth living for.
ARC provided by the publisher via Net Galley...more
Evan, Evan!!! What are you doing to me?!?! I just can't bring myself to five star this...same as with the first...because the cliffhanger is one of thEvan, Evan!!! What are you doing to me?!?! I just can't bring myself to five star this...same as with the first...because the cliffhanger is one of the WORST I've EVER read!!!! And we all know how grumpy I get about cliffies. This one left me in a sort of catatonic, zombie like state...
DEEP BREATHS!!!!...........AND ANOTHER!!!............ONE MORE.......
Okay... MY SYNOPSIS:
Since being called back to Chicago by his boss, Evan hasn't been able to forget about Lia. She comes to mind far too often, and whereas she brought out the gentle animal in him before, she now brings only restlessness and sleeplessness. Evan is exhausted. And in a world in which his mind should be remaining sharp, exhaustion can be dangerous. When he tries to recreate the soothing touch that Lia gave him for that one short time back in Arizona, it's evident that the romance from Otherwise Alone is missing. [image] Amid his personal problems, we get to see that Evan's ruthless nature has returned full force. This is not a nice guy. He does a lot of very bad things. [image]
MY THOUGHTS: Well, this definitely wasn't what I expected. There isn't much romance here. This is more of a book that lays Evan out for the world to see, in all his messed up glory. Geez, this guy is so very alone!! Which makes Otherwise Alone a bittersweet memory, and it's events all the more poignant. I miss Lia! Evan misses her, for sure. But he's got a job to do, and holy hell, is this guy ruthless. And yet somehow, I still love him! I mean, he's the lapdog of an evil guy...he does all of the dirty work. At least he takes no joy from it. In fact, the only joy that he takes from life seems to be spending time with his dog Odin... [image] which to me, shows that he really does have a compassionate side to him, somewhere in there. But Evan is so stuck with his demons from the past that it's hard to see how he can pull through and live like he has a sould again. His Prisoner of war days haunt him, and he lives without love, light, or laughter in his own prison now...the one in his head.
"You endured more than most men ever will," Rinaldo said quietly. "You've had it worse than anyone you ever killed. They died quick and easy. You've been dying since they brought you home from that war."
I still see Evan as Chris Evans, albeit a lot more angry than in the first book. [image] I am hoping and praying for a happy ever after for Evan. And Miss Savage did ease my mind by informing me that there will for sure be another book. Here's hoping that Evan gets more Lia to drag his humanity kicking and screaming into her loving and gently arms!! ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review....more
Gina's story starts out with instant action and sets the tone for the rest of the book. Just like in Fox Hunt, this book was cover to cover movement aGina's story starts out with instant action and sets the tone for the rest of the book. Just like in Fox Hunt, this book was cover to cover movement and excitement.
`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~ SYNOPSIS Gina is called back home to Bangkok to help her mafia father track down and save his partner and friend in a power struggle between warring crime lords of the bustling Thai city. [image]
The captive boss's right hand man is no other than Kannon Takahama, a man that Gina met three years ago and never forgot. Well...never forgot her lust for, anyways. Gina is one lusty broad, and extremely open with her sexuality, unashamed of her desires and not afraid to put herself out there. She makes no secret of the fact that she wants Kannon. She wants him however she can get him, even if she needs to do a bit of chasing.
"I saw the way you've been checking me out."
She was ready for him to deny it. Instead, he said, "I check out deals all the time . It doesn't meant I'm buying."
Kannon is a solid, staid gamma hero, an enforcer in one of the strongest crime families in Bangkok. Since he was a young child, he was raised to be a tough nut...brutal even. Yet still, he has managed to hold on to his empathetic nature, his desire for a bit of sweetness, and an intense loyalty to those who deserve it. Kannon has a teenage daughter, and she is first on his mind in all situations. Gina throws him for a loop, but especially when she comes home to her father and exhibits a different side of herself than he's yet seen. She's a loving daughter, just as fiercely loyal as Kannon, and despite her unorthodox methods and demeanor, Gina is genius intelligent and stubborn enough to persevere when the odds are against her.
[image] Here is the story of an Italian/American mafia princess and a Japanese hit man who... along with a few loyal team members and the help of Gina's father and his merry band of high price hookers on board the "Pink Pussy...Cat" must scour the wild streets of Bangkok, on a wild game of cat and mouse with a sadistic group of sexual predators and their allies, the enemy crime family trying to take over city. **Deep gasping breath** All of this while fighting (or giving in to) their burgeoning feelings for each other.
`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~ MY THOUGHTS Likes I'm such a sucker for a gamma guy, and Kannon ticked my goodie boxes, for sure. He's the quiet loner type, but he's not so far over the edge that he's antisocial to the extreme. He just doesn't waste excess energy by chit chatting. Plus, let's face it...Kannon Takahama is a major badass. That's hot. But what I loved so much about him is when he begins to show his vulnerable side, which somehow oddly comes across as a strength. He's not interested in casual sex with Gina, and he makes that clear.
"I'm not interested in being used. You want to get it on with me because you think you can. You think that whatever belongs to Daddy Zaffini belongs to you. Except he doesn't own me, and I'm not your toy to play with."
Well...booyah, Gina. Booyah. My Gina and Kannon (a bit younger than what the book requires but...) [image] [image] One of the best things about this book was how this writing team took a solid romantic suspense with a great plot, lots of action, and a decent romance, and then added in some really poignant moments and things that really made me pause and reflect. Sometimes really random things catch me off guard, and this book was one of them. With regards to religion:
"Gina, believing nothing but respecting everything..."
Wow. If only more people grabbed onto this sentiment, the world would be a better place. One more thing...with a lighter tone, is Gina talking to her father, who is not a healthy man. Gina is getting on to him about his bad habits and he says:
"You're going to feel awful stupid one day, lying in your death bed, dying of nothing. At least my cigars gave me closure."
Dislikes I have to say, forward women throw me off. I don't like sexually aggressive women in my romance books and although I do realize that this author duo does NOT necessarily put out typical romance, Gina's repeated and obvious sexual advances sort of squicked me out. There is a brief and not too descriptive girl on girl scene in this book as well. Having read Fox Hunt previous to this book, I was aware that Gina is bisexual, but the situation that she puts herself in this story is what bothered me. If a man used another woman to make his heroine jealous...and actually follows through with the sex, I'm not likely to think very highly of him. And Gina does that very thing, albeit with a woman...she tries to entice Kannon to sleep with her by practically waving a threesome in his face and (view spoiler)[ when he doesn't take the bait...she continues on her merry way and does the dirty deed anyways. (hide spoiler)] It's very hard for me to believe in a new love when sex with another person is involved.
I also thought that Gina and Kannon needed to have some more talking between them regarding a more permanent relationship...mainly for the reader's benefit, because Gina states at the beginning of the book that she's never really been monogamous, and well...I don't see Takahama sharing very well.
`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~`~*~ Last but not least, I just wanted to say that there was a part not necessarily in the book...it came in the first pages, hidden in a note from the author, in which she talks about her father and the special bond between a father and daughter. I just wanted to note how deeply Moira's words touched me and end with a quote from her:
"But insofar as it's possible to teach something without knowing it yourself, what I learned from my father is that you don't have to be remarkable to be loved or, upon your passing, to be missed.
And the other ting is to know how to being your story, including that of your life, to a good conclusion."
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUVDDY8 Price drop to $.99 for a limited time!! If you're looking for a great new Romantic Suspense author, this was a greahttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUVDDY8 Price drop to $.99 for a limited time!! If you're looking for a great new Romantic Suspense author, this was a great one. This is an author to watch out for, guys!
I've dodged bullets, got in high speed chases, nearly got blown up, got kicked in the balls. None of it compared to being forced to wait for you to come back to me."
4.5 Stars Well color me surprised! You never know what you're going to get when offered a read-for-review book. Since I was recently lamenting the lack of good new Romantic Suspense authors, the offer from Mrs. Stelmack seemed serendipitous ;);)
From page one, this book is packed with action, intrigue, sexual tension, and edge of your seat moments. And yet somewhere amid the chaos is a wonderful love story, between two deserving people.
My Synopsis: Delta Fox (come on, can a name be ANY more kick ass?!) comes from a sad and lonely background. Betrayed in the worst possible way by her parents, she spent her teenage years being trained in the art of stealth by her mentor and pseudo father figure, Mr. Hadrian. When her one and only friend is murdered and people start chasing Delta, she doesn't simply try to get away...she wants to get even. Delta doesn't have special people in her life, and the ones who took her friend need to be brought to justice. Problem is, Delta is a thief. Sure, she only steals things from those that were originally stolen, so she's not technically breaking the law. Nevertheless, there have been enough run ins with cops and bad guys that she has a warrant out for her arrest. So she must stay hidden.
Brian is a thrill seeking stuntman and owner of a special effects studio Cause & FX. He's no stranger to danger...in fact, he actively seeks it out. When he comes across a lone woman hitchhiker in the pouring rain on the highway late at night, he has no idea that he's about to be led on a merry chase with more thrills and danger than he'd bargained for. Not to mention, the cute little ninja like woman he picked up is sexy as hell and pushes all the right buttons.
Within a day of Delta and Brian's first meeting, there are car chases and shootings, smashed limbs and assassination attempts. Boy, does this author know how to write action! I have missed this genre, although I have to say that it focuses less on the sexual aspect and tension than my normal Navy SEAL stories or FBI macho men romances. And yet somehow, the love story between Delta and Brian is very genuine, somewhat slow building, (although the time line is still very small, so much happens that it feels longer).
My Thoughts: Brian is exactly what Delta needs. He sees a sweet, pixie like woman beneath her tough girl exterior. He uncovers her vulnerabilities. Here's what he says when he learns of her past:
But you beat them, didn't you? They betrayed you in the worst way a person can be betrayed, but you didn't lie down and die. You found your own path in one of the toughest cities on Earth. You found friends and a mentor and became this ninja, wall climbing super-thief...You're a hero, Delta..."
Ummm...Swoon! Yes, yes, I swooned!!
Aside from the fabulous suspense and action that this book contained, I loved most watching how Delta is slowly won over by Brian. He's steadfast when that's what she needs most. She changes from a loner woman, stoic and simply living day to day to a woman who loves, desires, giggles, and truly LIVES her life, for the FIRST time in her life. It was beautiful! And it made me smile while giving me warm fuzzies! When they finally reach the point of playful and fun with each other was the highlight of the book for me! I love how Delta goes from frightened and mistrustful to letting loose a round of giggles.
"I'm not most women." And before he could correct the stupidity of that remark, she keeled over sideways onto the bed and was giggling like a madwoman, making the mattress jiggle. He whacked her one with a pillow..."
This was the ultimate man who knows EXACTLY how to handle the strong willed Delta. And boy, does Delta ever need someone to show her tenderness and devotion! My favorite Brian quote:
"Use my love. You need to wear it when you're cold. Turn it on when the room's too quiet. Read it when you're bored. Pop it back when you're sick. Call it when you're in trouble...Take it, Delta. Take mine, take it all." She swallowed. "I've got nothing to give in return." "Nothing at all?" She knew what he wanted. He knew how to love somebody. She'd get it wrong, she didn't know how to love. "You don't want my love. It's small. And hard. And poky."
A remarkably full debut novel from this husband and wife writing team. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment featuring Brian's quirky, off the wall assistant Gina.
My HUGE thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was honestly thrilled!!!...more
Buddy read with Wacky Blacky Must Have HEA tomorrow! I bet they all die at the end, mwahahaha!!!!!
FINAL RATING: 3.5 stars I'm rounding up to four becaBuddy read with Wacky Blacky Must Have HEA tomorrow! I bet they all die at the end, mwahahaha!!!!!
FINAL RATING: 3.5 stars I'm rounding up to four because I think I just expected something different...that's what I get for skimming reviews.
My Own Synopsis: Cam is a waiter at a posh Chicago restaurant. He's content with his lot in life...he has no big aspirations to be rich or powerful, he's a simple guy with simple tastes. Everything he is reflects his simple character. He is friends with everyone he works with, he's good at his job, he has a few fluffy white dogs at home to greet him.
The biggest excitement for Cameron, it seems, is Tuesday nights. That's when HE comes in. Without fail, a mysterious dark haired, gorgeous hunk of man sits at Cam's table, orders the house wine and the daily special, and never says a word...no yes, no, or anything. Just nods and looks. Until one day he does...Mr. Mystery speaks! He begins to (very) slowly have a certain repertoire with Cam. As their one and two word conversations turn into more lengthy discussions, Cam begins to notice that this man watches him with a certain look in his eyes. Though he doesn't even really begin to let himself hope that the hotness personified is gay, let alone that he would be interested in plain, unassuming Cam, there comes a day that Mystery Man makes it clear that he's interested.
"All I do is serve the food." "And all I do is sit there and watch you."
As Cam slowly comes to accept the attraction that he feels for the man may be reciprocated, he also begins to learn little bits about him...such as his name, Julian. But he also begins to notice things about Julian...some are obvious, like the way he always sits with his back to the wall, eyes alert, scribbling notes in a little notepad. Others are intuitive; such as the intense, nearly feral look in his eye and the sometimes too self contained demeanor in which he carries himself.
And so it goes...how can a normal, everyday average guy and a mysteriously dangerous and secretive stranger find a way to be together? ****************************************************************
"Cameron swallowed with difficulty. "You look at me like there's nothing else int he world," he whispered to Julian nervously. "There's not right now, " Julian answered immediately. " It's Tuesday."
My Thoughts: The first part of this book was full of that magical, giggly, squishy, sexually charged feeling of a new relationship. It was made better because of the mystery surrounding Julian. He's quite the badass, it seems, and yet he's not obvious about it. That's one thing that made me like him even more. He's not at all what I expected. Neither was Cameron for that matter. While Julian is the stoic, self contained mystery at first, he slowly turns into a somewhat romantic figure...sweet most often with little bouts of passionate lover. Cam starts off almost feminine in his attitudes and actions. He's an extremely passive guy, more than I was prepared for. Almost too much at times. I will say that Cam does have a few moments that he sticks up for himself and doesn't let Julian unintentionally run rough shod over him.
I think I expected this to be a romantic suspense novel. For the most part, it was straight up contemporary romance, and with only one fairly nondescript sex scene. I also expected more bow-chicka-bow-wow. Nope...only one :(:( The middle of the story fell pretty flat for me. I think it needed more moments of levity...more moments of quiet for these two in which their relationship was portrayed as solid. But every scene with these two together had them solving (or trying to solve) some sort of conflict. I just never got to the point that I felt comfortable with them as a couple. Their solid relationship never manifested for me, even though they are supposedly together for months. Maybe this was due to Julian's mystery profession that only allowed them to be together two days a week. **shrug** But for me, it kept me from really accepting these deep emotions that they apparently felt for each other. Well, that and the fact that Julian remains a mystery for pretty much the entire book. In fact, there isn't EVER a moment in which his job is spelled out. You have to sort of make an educated guess.
When the action picks up during the last parts of the book, my attention was again captured. I had to laugh at myself because even though I knew what had actually happened at one point, I was still on the edge of my seat and choking up...just at the possibility that what was insinuated was true!
"He'd faced many things in his life that most people never faced, but he was not immune to terror. He's discovered tonight that being scared for someone you cared about was an entirely different animal from simply fearing for your own life and limb."
Overall, I enjoyed getting to know these two as a couple. They just seem to fit each other...they seem to be polar opposites, really, but they fit like puzzle pieces. And I put the book down feeling as if they were meant to be. Julian allows Cam to have a solid, confident influence in his life, and Cam gives Julian the comfort of simply being loved and accepted without fear. Beautiful love story!!!
"When I'm with him I feel like one of the good guys."
First off, I've gotta say that I love this cover...rarely do I see a cover match up so exactly with what I have in my head but this D and Jack is perfFirst off, I've gotta say that I love this cover...rarely do I see a cover match up so exactly with what I have in my head but this D and Jack is perfect...body language and all. D is sort of badass and standoffish, Jack is a bit more boyish and nervous. I love it!!!
This is a story about a hit man, D, and and his mark, Jack. You'd think that no excuse is good enough to convince you that a man who kills other people for a living could be a good person, but D can change your mind. He's not ALL good. He still kills people. But he gets to choose which jobs he takes, and he would normally pass a job like Jack up...D does have some scruples. Under threat of exposure, D is forced to put a gun to Jack's head...if only D didn't fell like he was losing his own humanity...
"He didn't like to think about how far gone he was into the abyss that even the humanness of lust was now foreign to him. At least he still felt hunger, and cold, and the craving for nicotine. How long until event hose animal sensations left him? Would he eventually be left with nothing but a set of skills that suited him for only one profession, and a head full of things he didn't want to know? Maybe he's disconnect enough that he would no longer swear, or piss, or get stupid songs stuck in his head. He's been told over and over again that he'd have to become a machine, but he hadn't really believed that he would. He knew better now."
Jack has worked for the last decade to get to where he is now...a maxillofacial surgeon who has not one but two college degrees, his work is his life. But now life as he know it is over. He's under witness protection after witnessing a mob like hit on an innocent woman, and has been forced to give up everything he's ever known...friends, family, job, house, life...
Now they are on the run together, hiding from some really bad people...people who used to be D's bosses and colleagues...who can and are trying their hardest to find Jack and D. But D's really freaking good at hiding. Which leads to a lot of down time for these two. A lot of time to to know each other. And their romance is so slow building, growing by miniscule increments. It's easy to see how these two fall in love...and it's real love, not the kind of lust that is life affirming in the face of death. Because D is just that badass, and Jack becomes quite proficient at badassery as well...
Honestly, the best part of this book for me was watching D accept who he is...not as a gay man, but as a man. A person deserving of the love that Jack has to offer him. I just feel so bad for D. His lot in life has been one of pure hell, all of it not under his own control. Circumstances have led him again and again into tragedy, and it's no wonder that he's shut down his emotions to the extent that he has. The way that Jack is able to get inside him is what fairy tales are made of if they're not made up by Disney. This dawning realization that Jack could very well be his soul mate...it's breathtaking. [image]
"To think I almos' put a bullet between them eyes, and took that life that now I'd die ta save, and I never woulda known what he was in the world, and who he was or could be, and I woulda never even known what I was misin', nor known how right it could feel just ta lay my fingers alongside his."
The sex is fairly PG13 for the most part...I'd not call this erotic at all. It's more romance than anything. It's a story of two people from such opposite walks of life who are thrown into circumstances that almost seem serendipitous. D and Jack are just meant to be together. They heal each other, they soothe each other, and this is their story...Oh, and the epilogue!!!! Made me so happy...all is not automatically bright and shiny for these two. But you do know how much they love each other, and you can feel how content they are. [image] ...more
Duchess Nicole
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