I have loved many of the books that I’ve read, but it has been a long time since I can remember being as flat out delighted as I was when reading I have loved many of the books that I’ve read, but it has been a long time since I can remember being as flat out delighted as I was when reading this book. I finished it and just wanted to squeeze it to me and bask in its awesomeness. (Not quite comfortable when it’s an ebook you’re reading) It was so frickin’ adorable!
Ainsworth and Prudence have a…unique start to their relationship. One night, while out enjoying himself on the town, the duke is nabbed and drugged by Prudence’s well-meaning servants in order to bring to life a revenge she’s spent years plotting. Of course, Prudence would have never gone through with the plan on her own, but since her servants/friends already had him there, why not? Is it her fault that the title recently changed hands and they didn’t realize it until it was too late? Surely he won’t be that upset about the tattoo they forced on him. And if he is…well, he was drugged and won’t remember them, right? Right?!?
Of course, they’re not that lucky. Ainsworth does not take it at all well. He can’t exactly go to the police and start a manhunt because then he would have to admit what happened, but he has no plans of letting this go. It drives him nuts that he doesn’t know why someone did this to him, but he will find them no matter how long it takes and he will have his revenge. Luckily for him he remembers some things from that night, despite being drugged, and he has the clue (of sorts) that Prudence couldn’t resist leaving with him out of guilt.
You can see why I was sucked into this story, can’t you? How unique and fun! I absolutely loved the writing style used. The tone is completely matter-of-fact, but it is so matter-of-factly absurd that you can’t help but giggle. Hilarious events are treated as completely rational and each little absurdity adds up to a wonderfully fun romp of a story. This book reminded me so much of the air of fun that I find when reading a Loretta Chase or Kate Noble story. I prize that quality so I’m thankful I’ve found another author that can deliver.
I loved watching Ainsworth and Prudence fall in love. The shenanigans they got up to had me in stitches but the genuine friendship and love that developed is really what invested me in them. There was such genuine care between them, despite being an unlikely pair on the surface. I also loved that the story spanned such a significant time span. I rarely get that in the HR’s of today so that was appreciated. The last story I can remember reading that, like this, had a good chunk of time covered was Wulf’s story, Slightly Dangerous, by Mary Balogh. Why is that so rare nowadays?
A misunderstanding and inability (or refusal) to communicate crops up toward the end of the book, which might irk some, but for me it just added a layer of further fun to an already delightful courtship. Watching Ainsworth bumble around love and having his friends come to investigate the situation made the whole thing that much better. I didn’t quite understand the motivation of Prudence’s brother and his wife, but that was such a small niggle that it barely bothered me. Who cares about her brother and sister-in-law when the rest of the characters fix your attention so firmly their way? I read the sneak peek for the author’s next book with Ainsworth’s friend, Lord Clun, and it looks F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. I wish it were already out!
The writing was solid (which I greatly appreciate in a debut author), the characters intelligent, and the dialogue witty. Honestly, this book hit all my sweet spots and has me wishing the author had a backlist for me to glom. If you’re on the fence about this one, consider this: it’s only $2.99 for the ebook right now. How can you go wrong? That’s one heck of a deal for a story this delightful.
Favorite Quote:
”Over and over, I’ve bared my soul to her.”
“You told her you loved her?” Percy persisted.
“Not precisely in those words, Percy,” the duke snapped. “Why must you harp on that!”
Looooved it! I had a blast going on the cross country adventure with these two. They were an unlikely pair in the beginning, but I loved watching themLooooved it! I had a blast going on the cross country adventure with these two. They were an unlikely pair in the beginning, but I loved watching them butt heads before slowly opening up and becoming a couple. The dynamic was great, the tension hot, and the writing smooth. What more could a girl ask for? ;)...more
This was great! I loved the characters and how slowly the relationship developed. Joss had some issues that got tiring toward the end, but *4.5 Stars*
This was great! I loved the characters and how slowly the relationship developed. Joss had some issues that got tiring toward the end, but I loved that the author didn't make them magically disappear. I wanted them resolved, yes, but the worse her emotional upheaval got at the the end, the more out of control her issues got, and that felt realistic. I could have done with less assumptions and lack of communication between the h/h, but I gave them slack because I know Joss was a main contributor in that and she couldn't help herself from running scared.
All in all, I loved this read and inhaled it in one sitting. I can't wait to see what this author will put out next. ...more
This book came to my attention and I bought it for exactly one reason: I was told it was similar to Shelly Laurenston's style. Sold! It did*4.5 Stars*
This book came to my attention and I bought it for exactly one reason: I was told it was similar to Shelly Laurenston's style. Sold! It didn't hurt that it was only a $0.99 investment, either. :) And luckily the recommender was correct. It did read like Shelly Laurenston. Yay! Another author to feed my need for immature humor and outrageous antics. :D
This book was, quite simply, hilarious. The start was a little clunky for me, but it quickly smoothed out and settled into a fast paced, cute read that had me giggling often. The hero, Jason, strongly reminds me of Mitch from Laurenston's Pride series. He's rude, arrogant, fun loving, and quite obsessed with food. He can eat and eat and eat and it always turns into the biggest production. He has good friends who know him for the lovable ass he is and who mock and tease him mercilessly about his delusions toward his relationship with the heroine.
His delusion consists of the fact that he doesn't like-like Haley. When he intimidates or scares off the men interested in her, it's only for her benefit. What else could a wingman do but help her out? When he stares at her ass, it's only natural. It's like having a best friend and a show in one. Nothing personal. The fact that he needs her more than she needs him doesn't even ping on his radar. He's in Jason-land and nothing is rocking that boat.
"I don't know how Haley put up with you for the last few weeks. I would have killed you by now."
"Haley worships me," he said with a snort.
"Yeah, okay," Brad said, laughing. "That's why she dates other men and screws you over just to laugh at you."
"Exactly."
Brad looked over at him. "You are a seriously fucked up man, aren't you?"
Of course, Haley is much more self aware than Jason. She comes to realize that they're in an intimate non-relationship, but it eventually drives her nuts that it's not intimate enough. She doesn't want to ruin the friendship that they do have, so she doesn't make a huge issue out of it, but she yearns for a real relationship instead of the weird ass friendship they have going.
I'm not going to go into much more detail than that, but it was great. The author slowly built up a convincing friendship between Haley and Jason and slid them toward a real relationship so smoothly that the reader didn't even blink. It all just fit perfectly.
Toward the end we got into a bit of drama that had the characters doing things that bounced the "victim" tag back and forth between them. It felt like it got a bit away from the author, but it also provided the opportunity for more hilarious scenes like,
"This is kidnapping!" she sputtered in disbelief.
"No, it's not."
"Yes, it is!"
"Nope."
"What the hell would you call it?" she demanded, snatching his soda from him and finishing it off.
"A romantic getaway?"
so it was hard to be too bothered. :) The epilogue was sweet--too sweet for me--but I know some people enjoy that sort of thing. All in all, this was a great read. I can't wait to try something else by this author.
Favorite Quote:
Megan's eyes narrowed on her. "You're really his girlfriend?"
"Yes."
"This isn't just some sick game he's playing?"
"Uh, no...is there something wrong?" She was really starting to feel self-conscious.
"Nothing other than you are the first woman he's ever brought home and you'll have to forgive me if I seem a little surprised. For a moment there I though hell had frozen over."
"You want your reputation as the Enemy of Old to precede you, to make your enemies fear you?" When she jabbed at his chest a
*4.5 Stars*
Favorite Quote:
"You want your reputation as the Enemy of Old to precede you, to make your enemies fear you?" When she jabbed at his chest again, his gut clutched with want. "My greatest asset is that I'm forever underestimated--by people like you." She pinned his gaze with her own. "I'm the sucker punch that you never saw coming."
This book had a weight to it that I wasn’t expecting. I guess I’ve come to associate shifter books in Paranormal Romance with mating games,*4.5 Stars*
This book had a weight to it that I wasn’t expecting. I guess I’ve come to associate shifter books in Paranormal Romance with mating games, dominance plays, and a group of badass guys running around sweeping women off their feet. There’s nothing wrong with that but I love when a book comes along and shakes things up for me. The shifters in this book don’t change into animals. They’re actually a group of aliens that have the ability to change their shape into any human whose DNA they have come in contact with. They have no rights on Earth and there’s conflict between the humans over how they should be treated. This setup is not unfamiliar in real life and it really helped to develop an authentic conflict between the protagonists.
Cam and Griffin stand on opposite ends with their regard for shifters. Cam is a shifter, so obviously she’s for shifter rights and wants them to be left in peace. She has no illusions about the human’s regard for her species. This is not the first time the survivors of her species have traveled to a new planet to try again. The last one they tried didn’t appreciate them either. Cam has a wry, accepting manner that made it easy to sympathize with. She isn’t bitter about their lot in life, although she is sad. She’s a survivor who rolls with the punches. I really loved how strong she was, especially when it came to her relationship with Griffin.
As I said, Griffin stands opposite of Cam in his opinion of shifters. He flat out hates them. His whole life was ruined by one and he is still picking up the pieces. He has no trust for a people that can change their appearance at will. They could be anyone, do anything, and that’s what they do. They’re not all malicious, but to fit in on Earth they spend their day to day lives in human form. That means that they’re running around with someone else’s face. What’s to stop them from taking over their life too?
I understood where both sides were coming from, but it took me longer to understand Griffin’s point of view than it did to understand Cam’s. I was shocked to find that Cam didn’t join the XCEL team voluntarily like I thought she did, based on some assumptions I had going into the book. Griffin was the agent who led the way in capturing her and blackmailing her into doing what they asked. I had a hard time liking him in the beginning and prayed that the author would pull off a believable slide into love. She did, thank goodness.
Cam and Griffin are attracted to each other, but they aren’t very happy about it. Cam fought it less than Griffin, but she had her moments of bitterness and resentment toward him and his views. Griffin slowly came to see the species in a different light based on his slow fall into love with Cam. Getting to know her and working alongside her opened his eyes to the fact that they are not all the same. There are good people who have had a rough life. They didn’t come to Earth to irritate the humans. They were just trying to save themselves.
I really enjoyed the characters we met. Cam and Griffin were great, but I also loved their nerdy little champion in XCEL and Griffin’s grandfather. I know that we didn’t see much of the grandfather beyond the phone messages he left, but Griffin’s regard of him made him standout in my mind. I originally wasn’t sure what I thought of the Native American mysticism running through the book, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. The grandfather’s messages nicely highlighted Griffin’s slow change of opinion toward Cam and they also provided a nice starting point for us to learn more about his past.
This was a fast paced PNR that had a strong Romantic Suspense feel to it. The characters and their development were great and I really enjoyed watching the storyline unfold. There were strong characters, great action scenes, and a wonderful love story. The only complaint I had was that the end wrapped up a little too quickly. The book ends with a definite HEA between them, but I would have liked just a tad more time spent on wrapping it up.
Favorite Quote:
"And if you get any closer, you're going to get what you want."
She felt her eyes widen. "And what is it I want?"
Mercer's palm wrapped around the back of her neck and brought her lips to his--a fraction of an inch away. She felt the fire ignite in her belly with anticipation.
"Trouble," he whispered. "And not the kind you're looking for."
That intrigued her. "You want it too."
He peered into her eyes. "No, I don't. I'm already in as deep as I want to get."
"Really?" she said and bushed her lips against his.
"You can't just take whatever you want," he said, but his pulse was getting faster by the second. Maybe he was right and she shouldn't be pushing him. Still, curiosity gnawed at her.
She ran her lips over his and breathed, "Chicken."
This is my first book by Shiloh Walker. I’d heard good things about her, but I never seemed to find the time to seek her out and give her a try. Let mThis is my first book by Shiloh Walker. I’d heard good things about her, but I never seemed to find the time to seek her out and give her a try. Let me just say, this was a great introduction to her work and I’m glad I finally took the plunge. Romantic Suspense doesn’t always work for me. I find that a lot of authors tend to focus more on one of the elements; Romance or Suspense. But some authors have the skill to balance both features well. Walker is one of those authors. I never felt cheated on the relationship or the suspense. They both blended well together to create a gripping story.
Before I discuss the story and the characters, I have to mention something first. This is a trilogy and the books are very connected. In fact, some of you who do not realize this *cough*me*cough* might finish If You Hear Her, stare at it in shock, and wonder, Where is the rest of the book? Apparently the story that begins in If You Hear Her will carry over into the following books, If You See Her and If You Know Her. Nothing but the relationship is wrapped up in this one. I DO think that this trilogy is worth the time investment, but I would have liked to have known that fact up front. So…here’s your heads up, guys. ;)
I really liked the characters in this book. There are the protagonists, Lena and Ezra, of course, but we also get to spend time with three other side characters that will most likely feature heavily in the next two books. We are given the opportunity to spend sections in their POV’s and it really helped cement my interest in them. They never felt like sequel bait. We spend time with them because their storylines are woven together with the main plot and it would have shortchanged the reader if we didn’t get to see things from their POV. I really loved getting a rounded picture of the players in the story. We spend the most time on those characters, but we are also treated to a couple of other POV’s that help build the suspense plot. They all twined together to create a fascinating tale.
You want to know what one of my favorite things about Walker’s characterization of the heroine, Lena, was? She was blind, but the plot didn’t revolve around that fact. She was a woman, same as any other RS heroine, who became entangled in a criminal investigation. Her blindness had nothing to do with it. The author kept from creating an ”issue” book and made her blindness feel natural. I loved that!
Beyond that, Lena was a very normal woman. She had friends, she had a career. The hero didn’t swoop into her life and give her purpose, she already had that. In fact, he didn’t swoop in at all. They met, became attracted, and went out on a date. Sure, things got a little complicated after that, but my point remains the same. The author made their relationship completely feasible and avoided adding any unneeded drama and tension. The circumstances of the case added enough of that. I’m thrilled about this, because that is what keeps me coming back to certain contemporary authors. I get an eye twitch when I read about contemporary characters that don’t fit in with the modern world.
The suspense plot was very well done. It was the sort that slowly crept up on you. The book covers a nice little chunk of time, and the reader gets to see the tension slowly start to wear on the people. Everyone is scared and not sure what to think. I loved getting to see the people, and the town in general, slowly start to unravel. Tensions are high and people are starting to turn on each other.
I’ve tried to be vague about the plot since I think a big part of the fun in RS is watching the plot unfold. More than the obvious murder plot is going on during the book and I’m curious to see if my initial guesses will turn out to be correct. The book ended right after a couple of really big events took place. I’m very eager to see where the next book will take us. If you are in the mood for a good Romantic Suspense, I recommend giving this one a shot. Just be ready to rush out and buy the second one when it releases, too. :)
I didn’t realize quite how much I missed Singh’s Guild Hunter world until I jumped back into it. The first book in this series, Angels’ Blood, gave meI didn’t realize quite how much I missed Singh’s Guild Hunter world until I jumped back into it. The first book in this series, Angels’ Blood, gave me my first taste of this author and I loved it so much that I indulged in a serious glom session and inhaled the rest of her backlist. Said glom session led to me falling in love with the Psy/Changeling series as well, but even that doesn’t come close to how happy the Guild Hunter world makes me. There was just something about Elena and Raphael (and that incredibly romantic scene at the end of the first book) that sucked me in. I was iffy on Dmitri (from the last book, Archangel’s Blade), but I have always enjoyed Jason. It was great to read his story. Jason is sent into the archangel Neha’s territory to investigate the murder of her consort. After the recent upheaval in the Cadre no one is willing to see another Cadre member lose it, so Jason is sent in as a sort of damage control measure. Even though he’s Raphael’s spymaster, and thus not to be trusted, his skills in uncovering secrets make him perfect for figuring out what happened to Eris, so Neha agrees to allow him access to her territory as long as he agrees to a blood bond with someone of her line, and of her choosing. This bond would make Jason family, in a sense, and would obligate him to protect the family’s best interests, splitting his loyalty between Raphael and Neha’s line for the duration of the agreement. Jason goes, of course, and finds himself tied to an angel who is not at all what she seems. Mahiya, the angel that Jason bonds with, it a puzzle that he just can’t figure out. Jason’s job is to understand people and to know all the things they want to hide, so Mahiya, a woman who appears bland at first glance and who allows herself to be treated as nothing, draws his attention. He sees flashes of personality that just don’t add up and his interest, first as a spymaster and later as a man, is caught. I really like Mahiya. She’s not an out and out badass like some of the previous heroines, but she has a core of pure steel. She’s willing to forego anything in the name of survival; pride, dignity, comfort, trust. Whatever it takes, she’ll bend. That may not sound like much to some, but I find it impressive. She’s survived for hundreds of years by playing a deep end game and being cunning and smart, and she’s somehow managed to keep from turning bitter or cold. How can you resist a girl like that? Jason is a deep one. He’s had a rough life and he has an extremely hard time connecting with people. What I loved about him was how self aware he was. He knew exactly what his issues were and why. His biggest problem is that he just doesn’t care the way most people do. His past kept him too isolated and broke something inside him. He’s bonded with Raphael and the other Seven, yes, but he knows that it’s not as deep as it should be. I think the author did a great job developing his character, especially given how quiet and withdrawn he was. She had to make a mountain out of a molehill and she succeeded with me. I loved Jason and how consistent he stayed throughout. The ending especially emphasized this. Jason and Mahiya’s HEA is unique to them and is an echo of their personalities. Jason and Mahiya’s romance is very different from the previous romances in the series. It makes sense, of course, given that they’re different people, with vastly different personalities, but I think that it might throw some readers off. I, personally, loved that the romance was so subdued. Jason has always come across as somber and quiet, so a loud, dramatic romance wouldn’t have fit at all. Instead, we are treated to two master strategists who slowly fall for each other. Neither of them trusts easily, and both of them have a role to play that keeps them from broadcasting their burgeoning feelings, but the emotion is definitely there. I loved that their needs matched each other so well. Mahiya finally found someone that she could love and trust and Jason finally found a home. *sigh* Because Jason had to travel into Neha’s territory we don’t see as much of the cast as we’re used to. I think this helped Jason and Mahiya step out of the shadows and prevented their quiet personalities from being dominated by some of the other flashier characters. We get a visit from Venom and a small visit from Aodhan, but other than that we don’t see much of the other characters. However, the author does have scenes from Dmitri and Honor’s POVs scattered throughout the book, continuing their story. Those scenes didn’t do much for me but I know they’ll probably thrill a lot of you Dmitri lovers. ;) Favorite Quote:
In many ways, he was the opposite of Aodhan, the angel so broken, he couldn’t bear the slightest touch. Jason, by contrast, sometimes only felt real and not the phantom Lijuan had named him if he had the pressure of another’s skin, another’s wing against his own. It was as if all those years, decades, when he hadn’t felt the touch of another sentient being had created a thirst in him that could never be assuaged.
Wow. Just wow. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the conclusion to the Mab story arc—other than badass action scenes, of course. ;) But whateveWow. Just wow. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the conclusion to the Mab story arc—other than badass action scenes, of course. ;) But whatever I expected, this was better. We got the same awesome cast of characters and thrilling action scenes, but we also saw a vulnerable side to Gin and got the pleasure of watching her and her friends solidify into a solid team.
Let me just say, I didn’t expect Gin’s confrontations with Mab to turn out how they did. I had a vague image of her and Finn spending most of the book plotting, leading up to one big ass confrontation. How it turned out was so much better. There was one final climatic battle, but there were a lot of skirmishes along the way. I loved the uncertainty and vulnerability that Gin experienced after them. She’s apt to shoulder a lot of the blame when things go wrong, anyway, but here she had to face the fact that when the opportunity of a lifetime came around she faltered. Who wouldn’t angst over that?
Owen and Gin were excellent together. I’ve enjoyed them in the past, but here we got to see their relationship deepen. Gin finally opened herself up enough to be honest about her feelings. Due to Gin’s focus being on Mab, Owen is more of a background feature in the book, but he stood out whenever he was in a scene. Their scenes together and his unwavering devotion made me sigh. I can’t wait to see where they go from here.
I was thrilled to finally get more information on Jo-Jo and Sophia and their connection to Fletcher. I have wondered about it for a while now and was not disappointed with the truth. Sad and a little horrified, but not disappointed. This book did a really good job of strengthening Gin’s core group. I think Gin finally got an idea of what she means to everyone and exactly who she can count on when the chips are down. I also appreciated that Gin didn’t protest too much when the decision was made that she couldn’t handle this one alone.
I’m sure you can tell by now that I loved all the bits about the side characters. It wasn’t just the good guys that stood out, though. I also enjoyed an assassin team that was hunting Gin. Their dynamic nicely mirrored Gin’s connection to Fletcher and it was hard not to feel for them. The scene with the cookies really underscored Gin’s core self. No matter how much of a badass she is—and she is quite a badass—she never loses that core softness. She can be as cold and as vicious as they come, but her morals and her humanity will always have me on her side.
Finn and Bria were really great here, both individually and together. There came a time when they both royally screwed up, but I have to admire them for owning it. I wasn’t as upset with them as I probably should have been because (view spoiler)[I read their screw up as Finn and Bria finding something with each other that they weren’t able to control. Always in the past nothing had gotten in the way of them staying vigilant and doing their job. But suddenly, in the most inconvenient time possible, they both faltered because of their feelings for each other. It was hard to be angry at them when they never denied how badly they had screwed up. Plus, I was thrilled they were finally hooking up. ;) (hide spoiler)]
I mentioned it before, but I loved, loved, loved the vulnerability that Gin showed. She was still tough as nails, but her feelings seemed closer to the surface when she wasn’t in her role as The Spider. At one point (view spoiler)[Bria is staying with her when she has a nightmare. She ends up screaming and waking her up. Their shared memories and their guilt and sorrow finally open them up to each other. They don’t hash it all out, but you see a definite shift in their relationship. When Bria climbed in bed with Gin to comfort her, my heart just about melted. (hide spoiler)]
One last thing I have to mention about the book is the final showdown between Mab and Gin. That was AWESOME. Jennifer Estep writes excellent action scenes, and this one was even better because it had been so long in the making. Watching Gin and Mab duke it out had me on the edge of my seat. One word, people. Intense. ...more
Looking for angst? Looking for brooding characters who have a hard time letting themselves be happy? Looking for a shy heroine who hasn’t e*4.5 Stars*
Looking for angst? Looking for brooding characters who have a hard time letting themselves be happy? Looking for a shy heroine who hasn’t enjoyed sex to date and needs to be shown the power of the mighty orgasm? If you answered yes to any of those, it’s probably best to keep on walking, because this book is completely unlike any of those things. It is light and happy and is filled with farcical situations that had me laughing out loud. I know that whenever I pick up an Alexander there’s a good chance that I’ll get a dose of happy. This was no exception. I closed the book grinning from ear to ear.
Veronica is that rarely seen Romance heroine who actually loved her previous husband and enjoyed sex. She enjoyed it so much that three years later she is starting to feel the lack. She doesn’t want to bounce around from lover to lover, but she’s not interested in marriage again. She didn’t have a bad first marriage, but she knows that she has grown from that girl she used to be and has become too independent to easily give up the reins. So what’s a girl to do in a situation like this? Well, her solution is to become the mistress of a man of her choosing—leaving out the money part of the equation. She wants all the benefits of a husband without actually having one.
Sebastian finds himself in quite an opposite position. He has been off exploring and adventuring for years, but now that the time to decide his inheritance is approaching he finds himself in search of the trappings of a responsible man. He buys a house—because all serious, responsible men own houses—and finds himself starting to lean toward finding a wife as well. He’s been quite the ladies man to date, but he’s ready for a new stage in his life. He sets his sights on Veronica just as she sets her sights on him. It’s their bad luck that they’re at cross purposes.
Veronica and Sebastian are pretty happy people and their upbeat attitude makes it easy to fall into their characters. That’s not to say that they don’t have insecurities and regrets, because they do. They just don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on it and angsting. When one of them does something stupid or they end up miscommunicating and getting angry, they’re able to solve their issues pretty easily. They are at heart quite logical and are more willing to look for the best in each other rather than the worst.
There are quite a few friends and family members running around this book, complicating Veronica and Sebastian’s lives with the best of intentions. Although many of them weren’t focused on exclusively, I still felt that I got to know them well. Obviously, the two best friends, Portia and Sinclair, had more of a focus on them, but I never felt slighted on the rest. They all managed to make their mark in one way or another.
The humor in this book doesn’t come from one liners, although there is some of that, so much as it does from the hysterical situations they find themselves in. Their Christmas getaway descends into a farce of epic proportions. It was hilarious to watch them panic and scramble to try to manage the situation, all the while being broadsided by another wrench in the gears. I loved that Veronica and Sebastian’s scheming to manipulate each other into falling in line with their plans never had a malicious vibe to it. Just like most everything else, it had an edge of humor to it that made it fun to watch.
The only thing that didn’t work for me about this book was believing when the characters fell in love with each other. It was way too soon, especially on the hero’s part. I could clearly see, as I read on, why they would fall for each other and how absolutely perfect they seemed together, but that was after they had already had the I’m in love realization in their minds. It wasn’t a huge thing for me since the rest of the book was so fun, but it bothered me. I would have preferred there be some kind of realization that the beginning emotions were puppy love and the end emotions that the puppy love grew into were the real deal. I guess we’re still doing well if that’s my only complaint. ;)
Favorite Quotes:
Sebastian is a man of courage and intelligence and, for the most part, honesty. He's certainly not perfect--"
Someone, Sebastian wasn't sure who, choked back a laugh.
"--but then few of us are. I wouldn't want a man who was perfect. I would certainly not fare well in comparison. And yes, he can be most annoying, and he is certainly one of the most arrogant--"
Sebastian leaned toward her and lowered his voice. "Are you defending me?"
"Yes, darling, I am," she said firmly.
"Interesting way to go about it,"Diana murmured.
"I say seduce her, seduce her tonight. Break the door down if you have to. Tell her all those things you said to me about her. You will love her more tomorrow than today and how you want to die with her hand in yours--which is an excellent line, by the way, that I fully intend to borrow when the time comes."
Wow. I’m amazed at how much more I liked this book than I did Fifty Shades of Grey. I mean, I really, really liked it. I honestly can’t tell if the wrWow. I’m amazed at how much more I liked this book than I did Fifty Shades of Grey. I mean, I really, really liked it. I honestly can’t tell if the writing improved or if I was just more prepared for that particular style after reading the first book. Regardless, it didn’t grate on me near as much.
It seems like a single book can make a heck of a difference in a relationship. This book starts shortly after the cliffhanger the first book left us with. Ana has just dumped Christian and they are both suffering for it. We don’t see much of his experience, obviously, but we hear about it later. Ana’s leaving is a catalyst for Christian and he takes a hard look at what is and isn’t necessary to make him happy in life.
Christian is a different man in important ways because of this period of introspection. He’s determined to be with Ana and is willing to go out of his comfort zone to have her. That vulnerability is one of the biggest changes from the first book. He’s still dominant and controlling, but he’s hesitant and always checking up on Ana’s reaction to their relationship and his behavior. He’s not willing to suffer through her leaving him again and he struggles with the anxiety and trust issues that her leaving him caused.
Christian is out of his depth in attempting to forge an equal and long-lasting relationship with Ana. Ana isn’t finding it any easier, being that this is her first relationship, but she finds her footing sooner than he does. I loved that Ana was more confident and unwilling to settle for less than what she wanted. They both struggled to mesh their lives together and found that even if the love was there, they just didn’t know each other well enough to really relax and be confident in the longevity of their relationship.
Ana struggled to accept the change in Christian at face value. She loved it, but the happier she was, the more she started to obsess about it not being enough for him in the long run. I honestly can’t blame her for that worry, though, so I was understanding of her mood swings and fears. I did feel bad for Christian, though, and understood his frustration over her inability to accept what he said as truth. I think it was necessary for her to struggle so much and cause Christian to rise to the occasion to try to prove himself to her, because it gave us the opportunity to delve into Christian’s issues. He is a dark man and he pushes himself to break through his issues for her. The closer he comes to scaring her off, the more he pushes himself. I don’t think he would have come quite so far if Ana had been the same meek girl she was in the first book.
One of the things I loved most about this book was the role reversal. In the first book Christian introduces Ana to his sexual world and pushes her boundaries (with her permission) to the limit. Her determination to please him causes this boundary pushing to backfire on him and leaves him gun-shy of testing this limit again. It is Ana who is the aggressor in experimenting here. She pushes him to try certain things with her again and is interested in experimenting again in the future.
In the first book Christian’s dominance and experience seemed to leave her overwhelmed and frightened. Here, though, she controls it, and that seems to make all of the difference. After seeing that Christian is willing to take steps to please her, she is determined to do the same. They get to know each other and become more comfortable with each other, and what was once sexy and frightening for Ana just becomes flat out sexy. To me, it seemed like Ana validated a lot of Christian’s sexual preferences here. She had her limits, sure, and he never tried to argue them, but she is the one who pushes for the kink, not just to please him, but to please her. It really seems to highlight the fact that her being comfortable with him and on a more even footing has eased a lot of the issues she had with his wants. I guess it just hammers home the difference comfort in a relationship can make.
I spent quite a bit of time breathing fire at certain secondary characters in the book. I am very, very glad that those people got what was coming to them, finally. I did have to shake my head over some of the behavior that Christian exhibited toward these people, though. Good decision making skills seem to be something he occasionally lacks. His lack of empathy seems to be a major issue for him, and it leads him to be unreasonable about certain situations with Ana and yet completely clueless about how jacked up his own actions can be.
I still see some work ahead of them to really solidify their relationship, but I am thrilled with how far they have come. I can’t wait to read the next book! ...more
This is one of my favorite stories in the Breed series. I think one of the big things that fixes my attention on it is the fact that it is so4.5 Stars
This is one of my favorite stories in the Breed series. I think one of the big things that fixes my attention on it is the fact that it is so unlike the other books in the series so far. Anya and Del-Rey mated, but due to his manipulations, and her her rage about said manipulations, ended up granted an official order of separation from the breed council. This was the first order of its kind and although it didn't please Del-Rey, it gave Anya some much needed breathing room.
I didn't always agree with Anya and thought she could be occasionally petty, but I totally got where she was coming from and why she wanted the separation. Fated mates have always rested uneasily with me because the issue of consent seems so murky to me. When you're compelled by a hormone to be in each other's company and have sex, it makes me kind of uncomfortable and always leaves me with a little niggling doubt about whether it was love or the character just giving up the fight that made them so accepting of the relationship. It's especially pronounced in this series because the heroine is the one that feels the actual pain and agony of denying the relationship. The guys are affected, but nowhere near as bad, and it doesn't pain them to touch other people, so they do have other options. Because of this setup, I found it refreshing to see an installment in the series where the heroine refused to submit and took her power back. She may not have been able to undo the mating, but it was completely in her hands to dissolve the separation.
Del-Rey screwed up a lot and Anya was left to suffer for it, but I was fine with it because he was genuinely in the dark about how his actions would turn out. They both grew to honestly care about each other and I admit that I got a dark satisfaction out of seeing Del-Rey completely upset over Anya refusing to fight and giving him exactly what he wanted. I have to be honest and admit that I get complete satisfaction out of watching characters crumble once they're given exactly what they've been demanding--no matter how stupid it is.
We are introduced to a ton of great side characters in this one and I really enjoyed getting to walk on the dark side of this series and actually get to see a coyote romance. There seems to be fewer sex scenes in this one than a lot of the earlier ones, but that provides a nice opportunity for the tension to ramp up for a change. Plus, as I said before, it gives us a chance to actually see these characters work through some issues and grow to know each other.
The only reason I dropped the grade from a straight 5 stars is because for some reason the author felt the need to throw in a completely unnecessary (and intrusive) section at the very end of the book to show Anya and Del-Rey having sex one more time, but this time with butt play and spanking. It felt completely jarring when you consider the rest of the story. I really wish that had been cut because it served no purpose and didn't fit with any of their earlier intimacy. ...more
I ended this book positively seething. I was so mad. Not about the writing or the characters, but about the hateful council and they way th*4.5 Stars*
I ended this book positively seething. I was so mad. Not about the writing or the characters, but about the hateful council and they way they can ruin your life. The way they can control certain people, and the impossible situations others are put in because of it, fills me up with futile anger because I can't change it. I get so angry when it's a small group against a whole society. It's almost impossible to win when everyone is against you, actively or otherwise.
The book moved me, yeah, and I really liked the relationship between the hero and heroine, but I didn't end it feeling like it was a 'win' for the good guys. So sad.
Wow. I am completely floored by how much I enjoyed this book. I am not much of an Erotica reader, and when I have ended up dabbling in it I've found tWow. I am completely floored by how much I enjoyed this book. I am not much of an Erotica reader, and when I have ended up dabbling in it I've found that I didn't enjoy it much. I don't like sex to be the focus of the book. I want the relationship to be the focus, with some really hot sex helping to build that connection. And I don't like sex scene after sex scene with no character or emotional development. That just bores me. But I don't like when token emotions are written as an excuse for more sex, either. So, I return to Romance because Erotica seems unable to give me what I want. But this... This delivered.
I am not a fan of one night stands and casual hookups, but this author pulled it off. I was completely caught up in the sexual tension between them and their attraction to each other. The sex was hot and frequent, but it never felt out of place or like it dominated their connection to each other. It felt more like a safe excuse for them to use to be together while they slowly grew closer and closer--all the while proclaiming that what they had was casual.
I really liked Hunter and Lacey and how well they fit together, regardless of their surface differences. The age difference, the wealth gap, it all didn't matter when they were together. At times Lacey could be too accepting, and at times Hunter could be too closed off and standoffish, but it all fit together perfectly.
I loved that there was no subplot to take attention away from the main story. It was completely character driven and I loved the nonstop focus on their growing bond together. I was also very relieved that Hunter actually sounded like a regular guy. His dialogue, both in the bedroom and out, had none of that overblown flowery prose that seems to be popular. Consider the over used phrase, "I want to taste your sweet honey." What modern man would ever say that and what modern woman wouldn't laugh at him if he did? Seriously.
I'm really pleased with this read and am eager to try something else by the author. Hopefully I'll have the same success with her other work.
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