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| 1683690141
| B073P95WZS
| 3.25
| 6,697
| Apr 03, 2018
| Apr 03, 2018
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it was amazing
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You rush to tend to Lord Craven, who has collapsed at the foot of your bed in a fashion both manly and vulnerable. You manage to tug down the neckline
You rush to tend to Lord Craven, who has collapsed at the foot of your bed in a fashion both manly and vulnerable. You manage to tug down the neckline of your nightdress ever so, in order to ensure that the tops of your womanly orbs glow attractively in the moonlight. Delightful, hilarious - I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romance. Not because it is a 'great romance novel' but because it lovingly and cheerfully skewers and parodies romance in the funniest ways. You can choose your own adventure in here, and let me tell you: Curran and Zageris really surprised me with the breadth of choices they give here. Initially it looks as if you only have two: a kind, redheaded Scotsman or an arrogant rich regency lord. But really, there are SO MANY different places you could end up. And it's not only limited to (view spoiler)[m/f (hide spoiler)] here. Yes, that's right, you can actually end up (view spoiler)[with a woman living happily ever after (hide spoiler)] if you play your cards right. ALSO, not all the love interests in here are white. WHAT?!?!?!!? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, both of the POC options are ??? but somehow Middle-Eastern or Egyptian-ish (this book isn't big on details) but they are actually POC love interests for you. So I have to really applaud Curran and Zageris for pushing the envelope in both these ways. What could be a (view spoiler)[completely heteronormative and white-centric (hide spoiler)] book is neatly sidestepped. Of course, the majority of your options are white men, but I don't feel like ripping them down, instead I feel happy with what the authors have chosen to do. Kudos. It's MUCH more than I was expecting, honestly. And the authors are SO FUNNY and they are having SO MUCH FUN writing this. You will die laughing. It is TOO hilarious. Mac is muscled and broad shouldered, unlike the sleek nobles of the ton that surround him. His is a body that's seen vigorous activity, and you shudder with longing to know what kind. With eyes the green-brown color of a Highland glen below a Highland moor, and a strangely sad square jaw set with a sensitive poetic mouth, he is a vision of Scottish virility. I almost feel like they have the most fun with Mac and (view spoiler)[Fabian (hide spoiler)] because with Mac they can make everything hilariously "Highlander." He pulls you into a kiss that would make other mouths ashamed of themselves, then pulls you up and onto him and slides slick fingers into your aching rainbow, searching for the gold at the end of it. He listens to your every moan, attends every catch of your breath, and when the time is right and neither of you can resist creating the perfect union that your love, like this foal, was born to witness, he slips his dirk into your sheath. Together, you play the most beautiful song on the bagpipes of your joined bodies. Together, you reach love's most exuberant pinnacle, screaming louder than the stable full of horses as you do. And with (view spoiler)[Fabian (hide spoiler)] it's stuff like: You realize that you are parched for him as well. How majestic would it be, you wonder, to feel those hands as big as twin sphinxes, but twice as mysterious run all over your curves? ... Your nipples harden, the apexes of two pleasure pyramids ready to be pillaged by vandals. The sex is silly. It's not hot, it's funny - the book is a joke. Don't expect to get turned on or have any serious sexual details - it's designed to make you laugh out loud. And it succeeds. You, the heroine, are very feisty, independent, sassy, and hugely horny and sexually adventurous. NOTE: Do NOT read this for historical accuracy. I mean, it's all out the window. Since there are so many possible 'stories' in here, the authors can't wait for a shy or hesitant heroine - you are willing to jump into bed FAST and with almost no provocation. Also, the book is a joke - please remember that. He presses you into a kiss, and to punctuate his desire, he literally rips your bodice. "Get your filthy hands off her, you odious piece of bodice-ripping TRASH." Benedict's sharp, superior voice cuts through the night. If you are a major romance reader and are familiar with all the tropes and stereotypes of romance, this is definitely the book for you. Curran and Zageris are constantly winking at the reader - directly having a villain call you "too stupid to live" for instance. Insta-love, brooding vampires, gothic castles with creepy dead wives, Highland adventures, romantic tomb-raiding... I could go on and on (and on). There are stones left unturned here, but Curran and Zageris did a good job of covering the major bases of historical romance. His hair looks astoundingly (and attractively) unkempt, and he wears his shirt open to the navel. You have noticed that the more tortured he feels, the more skin he bares. There's a lot of winks at Mary Sue, as well. You and Mac birth the everloving daylights out of that horse. The two of you perform the procedure with such precision, grace, and showmanship that you could have entirely revolutionized veterinary techniques of the early nineteenth century, if only someone had been there taking notes. The book seriously had me in stitches. This book belongs to a rare sub sub sub sub sub genre of loving, kind, gentle romance parodies written by authors who love romance. If you enjoy this book and want another one like it, I highly highly recommend My Angelica which is SO FUNNY and SO GOOD and also belongs to this sub sub sub sub sub genre. It's the only other one I can think of, although hopefully there are more out there and more in our future. Because this - these two books - are golden. And it's ILLUSTRATED. Yeah, let that sink in for a minute. HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN? You climax harder than you ever have before. You lay entwined with your lover, and the moonstone of your sex glows with otherworldly desire for Lord Craven. He places that broken-statue hand of his on your left breast, which he has taken to calling Rent Promise. His other hand travels to your right breast, which he has named Raven's Wing. He senses your soul stirring betwixt your bosom. "I sense your soul stirring betwixt your bosom," he growls. In answer, you make love to him again, with all the rushed intensity of spirits wrongfully dispatched from the mortal coil trying to communicate with the living from the great beyond. You climax even harder than you did the first time you climaxed harder than you ever had before, but the cries of your ecstasy are pierced by something harsher and louder: the sound of Alexander screaming in terror. LOL LOL LOL Let's look at the kind Scotsman. "Of course my husband is joking," you laugh. You reach for Mac's incredibly taut bicep, pulling him close. He gasps audibly, causing the innkeeper to raise a bemused eyebrow. "He thinks I snore like a 'bloody dragon, lass!'" you add in your best attempt at a brogue. The innkeeper laughs, and Mac stares daggers at you. "But I promise to be quiet, sir," you tell the innkeeper conspiratorially. "He will be the only man I keep up all night." You and the innkeeper share a round of wicked laughter, and you lead a dazed Mac into the cramped quarters where you will be spending the evening - together. "What the devil are ye up to, lass? Goin' and pretendin' we're married folk?" Mac asks once the innkeeper is well out of earshot. You extend the privacy screen so you may undress, and as soon as you have hidden yourself from him, you begin to strip off your clothes. "After such a journey, there is no way you should take your rest in the stable. As husband and wife, you can get as good a night's rest as I. We can split up the bedding so one of us is on the floor, if you wish. In any case, I trust you." "Aye, but what if I dinnae trust ye?" he says. "Ye are being reckless with your honor, as much as ye are being reckless with my - " he cuts himself off. "Fine. I will change here, but as soon as ye are asleep, I will head out to the stable and be proper about it." "Suit yourself, husband," you say, smiling despite yourself at his bullheadedness and his slip of the tongue. You imagine several more ways you could enjoy his slipping tongue while you strip down to your underthings. As you do, the strange bit of paper that Dodger brought out from the fire falls from its hiding place in your bodice. You bend to pick it up and read the name again. Constantina. You remember Mac's strange expression when you said the name before. Who could she be, you wonder. A lover? A sister? A friend? An enemy? Clearly, she meant a lot to Mac. You wonder if you could ever mean a lot to him, of if he sees you merely as an impulsive, reckless woman with a caring streak. You are so distracted by these confusing thoughts that you lean against the screen to contemplate, forgetting that it is a flimsy bit of screen and not a solid wall built for contemplative leaning. You tumble, mostly naked, into Mac, who, you are thrilled to discover, is mostly naked as well. You hold yourself over him, arms trembling, and he holds your waist with thick, limber fingers. "You're naked," you whisper, both surprised and pleased. "Ye said to trust you," Mac offers by way of weak explanation. "Well," you say, and ever so gently arch your valley to meet his throbbing tor. Mac groans with rare pleasure and release at the slight movement, and your heart races at the thought of what other symphonic exultations the undulations of your bodies could bring. "Better than the stable floor?" Mac throws his impressive caber against you in sweet release. "We can't, lass," he gasps. "It's improper." He kisses you, his tongue as true in its aim as his mind is in deed. You kiss like moss growing, wet and lush and full of secret direction. Your kisses give the other guidance, to lick here, bite there, pull, push, ride. "Honor my body," you whisper into the cup of his ear. He shudders, and you spasm just to witness this great lighthouse of a man shine on you. He worships your breasts, kissing them as fully and forcefully as he has your mouth, as tenderly as he strokes the wet apex of your sex. You thrum and thrill at his touch, at the final show of desire from which he does not hide. The fact that it is desire for you heats his touch all the more, until you are blazing hotter than his red hair. LOL LOL TL;DR Probably having this much fun reading a book should be illegal. Best for readers who are already very familiar with romance novels and their tropes - people who love romance novels are the core audience for this book. If you enjoy this book and want to read other (loving, gentle) romance parodies - I can't recommend My Angelica enough. It's STUNNING. Curran and Zageris are having great fun writing this book, and you will have great fun reading it. It's fun to make different choices and find out all the (sometimes very surprising) endings. It's a very cute, sweet, funny book designed to make you laugh. I highly recommend it. I haven't laughed this much and this hard in a long time. So cute. :D ROMANCE CATEGORIES: Bodice Ripper - Literally Gothic Romance Historical Romance LGBT+ Multicultural/Interracial Romance Paranormal Romance Regency Romance Scottish/Highlander Romance Second Chance Romance Vampire Romance ...more |
Notes are private!
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Jul 27, 2018
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Jul 28, 2018
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Jul 27, 2018
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Kindle Edition
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| 1535561823
| 9781535561822
| 1535561823
| 3.55
| 855
| Aug 17, 2016
| Aug 17, 2016
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it was amazing
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I cup her face and make her meet my gaze. The shadows are there. They might always be there, but I know I can put joy on her face. I don't know what h
I cup her face and make her meet my gaze. The shadows are there. They might always be there, but I know I can put joy on her face. I don't know what happened to get her standing here, but I only need her to know one thing. Okay, I have a lot to say about this book. A lot. I want to make sure I do this book justice. It deserves a long, thoughtful five-star review. Nate is a man who loves to eat vulvae and he is excellent at it. He doesn't remember women's names, he calls everyone he 'dates' - and I'm using the term 'date' loosely - 'sugar.' But he meets his match when Robyn seeks him out in revenge for her friend. ^^ Simplest summary I can give you, it's a complicated book. Let's get started. For one thing, this book is very complex and psychological. I've read tons TONS of erotica, especially this new, modern erotica which focuses on these kind of I-fuck-a-ton-of-women-I'm-so-good-in-bed heroes. And most of it is trash. Good for jilling off, in some cases, but completely without any depth or substance. Which was why I was so delighted to discover this little gem while walking around Amazon. THE GOOD: - The story is super-fascinating. From a psychological angle, there are about a million things in here to analyze and dissect. This was probably about my twentieth reading of this, and I'm still finding new things - which delights me. Now, don't get me wrong. This is no Pride and Prejudice. You wouldn't teach a lit class on this (at least most people wouldn't) but compared to most of the erotica books out there nowadays this is gold. Gray is bringing something extra to the table. - The book is genuinely funny. Not so much laugh-out-loud funny, but more of a sardonic, dry wit. The author is smart and funny. She will have you grinning wryly to yourself a lot. - Perfect characterization. Moreso for Nate than Robyn, since we are in Nate's head most of the time. I can picture this man. I can predict what he will do. I can understand where he's coming from and where he's going. Now is he the kind of man I'd date? The kind of man I'm attracted to? No. But that isn't the point. My point is that Gray had the time and skill to flesh him out. - Nate has an army background - five tours in Afghanistan - but Gray does not focus on this. Nate is neither obsessed with his military past nor is Gray trying to make some sort of statement about servicemen. Most of the time when I read romance/erotica about military men, it always devolves into this sort of "He's a SEAL!!!!" obsessive mentality as if all people who serve are the same. Nor is Nate subject to some sort of he-man complex about being army. He doesn't hang out with all his buddies from the service and he doesn't get physical with people in a 'fighting' stance. SO many romance novels about military/former military men is them hanging around in a relatively large group of men they used to serve with, and usually the author chooses to 'show off' the male's skills or training in some kind of fight. Nothing like that here. He doesn't even have a confrontation with anyone. - Robyn is hurt. Common, common romance trope. When she gets entangled with Nate, she's been celibate a year. What I really love, though, is how Gray handles this. For one thing, we don't really get into it until 51%. When Nate and Robyn exchange sexual info and STD screening results, and etc. etc. (another nice touch. Protection is also covered by Gray) it is at 24%, and Nate doesn't pry. "You test for everything? I thought you used dental dams?" "I'd rather be safe than sorry. Your turn." She bites her lip. "Of course." To my surprise, a flush darkens her skin as she pulls out her phone. Now she curls into herself and puts distance between us. Eventually she slides her phone to me. The results are a year old. I try not to react outwardly to this news in any way. She's already blushing. I'm not going to be a dick about this. "There's a hotel down the street from here," I say, still cautious but optimistic. She admitted, by way of these results, to having a sexless year. Do I want to know why? Yeah. Do I want to know how a woman like her could go so long without... touch? Sure. Can I fathom going that long without? Fuck, no. What's important is the way her expression softens when she realizes I'm not going to tease her or ask questions about her celibacy. Hmmmmmmm, I really like this. When we get to fifty-one percent, she is talking to him and she tells him about her first trip to a BDSM club. They discuss sex and power exchange. "Letting him spank you?" "LET HIM is the important phrase here. So... not power but control." "You topped from the bottom." He shakes his head as though he's disappointed, but there's a wicked light in his eyes. "Yeah. I can see you as a bad submissive." "Which is why I'm not in the lifestyle." His chin tilts up and his eyes are laser sharp. "Who gave you trust issues?" I bite his lip to shut him up. He laughs. I've made it obvious he's hit a soft spot, but he can't have access to my sore bits. I don't care how good he is in bed, he can't cup my pain and inspect it. If I give him Lawrence's name... If I tell Nate how my first crossed a line during a scene, made OBEY an ugly word for me - I can't do that. I'm not still writhing in the pain of mistrust but it's part of my DNA now. Nathan can't have my blueprint. And that's how things sit until 59%. She never gives Nate Lawrence's name. He never hunts him down and confronts him. AND THAT IS GOOD AND IMPORTANT. Too many romance novels feature the hero beating up or intimidating a former lover. Which is really quite silly. I realize romance is a... wish fulfillment genre, but I'm glad Gray sidesteps this trope. Anyway, at 59% she tells Nate she had a bad dom. "Who made it hard for you to trust?" She pulls back and her lids lower. "My first." Of course. "What did he do?" "He was a bad Dom." I can assume the truncated story. "How bad?" "He didn't listen when I said my safeword. Humiliation was his kink and not mine." I keep my voice level but my hands ball into fists. I want to hurt the asshole who hurt her. "Pain?" "I can take it. A lot." But what about pleasure? So. Nate, in exactly his Nate-like way that is completely in character, suggests that Robyn allow him to take her home and tie her up. Not because he is a dom - although this book insists on calling him an alpha a lot, I disagree, but more on that later - but because he a.) wants analytically to help Robyn get over what happened in the past and b.) he wants to prove himself, not as a dom or as an alpha or whatever the fuck - but prove to her that he will be someone she can always trust. She agrees, the agree on a safeword - and she picks one she knows will needle him because she loves to needle him - and tentatively suggests she'd like to find out if she enjoys having her nipples spanked. They have a highly successful and consensual and pleasant BDSM session when they get home. These are HIGHLY RARE in erotica and I have to admit I am no BDSM expert, but I have to give Gray major, major props for this. Again, I'm not into tie-me-up, tie-me-down, chips, dips, chains, whips. I am more or less vanilla. So I wasn't exactly jonesing on this BDSM scene. But it was extremely loving, respectful and romantic, if you see exactly what is going on here. It was one of the sweetest BDSM scenes I'd ever read, and that is really not something I usually say. Again, IMO Nate is not a dom. As in "BDSM is part of my life, or I need to practice this lifestyle or I have needs that can only be sated in a relationship that involves BDSM." No. But she likes it - or at least she used to like it - and he can step up to the plate for her, so he does. I have to give kudos to Gray for nicely including a bit of BDSM into the book without being all like, "OMG, S&M, CHRISTIAN GREY!" and shit. It's nice, normal, and woven into the fabric of the book in a not-over-the-top way. Much like Nate's military background. - Another thing that was so refreshing in this book is that Nate is white - and from Georgia - and Robyn is black. Again - Gray talks about this, she doesn't just shove it under the rug - but nor does she make it into a huge "OMG, interracial relationship!!!!!" deal. It's just the perfect balance IMO. Very well done. - Robyn and Nate slowly, slowly get to know one another. I mean, the fucking starts from the beginning. This is erotica. But the great thing about the book is how these two actually starting to care about each other - against all odds - slowly develops and crystallizes. A nice touch Gray includes in this is how delighted Nate is when Robyn laughs. The first time she giggles, his heart nearly stops (this is already some ways into the book, they are not the giggling kind for the first third). After that, he is always seeking her laughter. And he doesn't seem like a joking kind of guy, but you can almost see him relaxing and letting down his guard a little bit so that he can allow himself to be a bit goofy (and he's not a goofy guy) - all for the hope of seeing her grin or hearing her laugh. He lives for it. I really enjoyed seeing this aspect of their relationship. She makes him see things as absurd or ridiculous and, instead of getting angry, he is able to relax and joke around with her - even about himself. They have a GREAT chemistry and the book involves a lot of gentle teasing and gentle joking with each other. You know these are normally two very serious people (and in Robyn's case, occasionally maybe even depressed) but they are able to lift each other up this way and it is very cute. The scene where Nate takes Robyn to the club he used to strip at and does a private show for her is adorable and funny. They are both laughing, and it's such a great scene. She's sitting with her hands up at her mouth, clasped together as though in prayer. From the crinkle around her eyes, I know she's fighting a laugh. I strike the first pose with my legs spread in a fighter stance. I do a hip roll and slowly unbutton my geek shirt. I'm rusty but it doesn't take long to get the dress shirt undone. I look her right in the eye and I flip the back of my shirt like Michael Jackson. She leans forward and her shoulders are shaking. Her eyes are so bright. She's laughed a lot since I've met her, but this is the first time I've seen joy on her face. THE BAD: It's a common mistake for folks to believe a five-star review from me means I have no complaints. I definitely have complaints. For one thing, why refer to Nate as an alpha all the time? I figure this is just to sell books. Slap 'alpha' on a book and it sells. I mean, I don't see Nate as beta but I don't see him as alpha, either. I just see him as a man. Do we have to categorize people all the time? Also I fucking hate the term 'alpha,' the whole idea is just stupid. An alpha dominates other males, not females and it has nothing to do with sex or sexual behavior. I'm sad to think that the word 'alpha' and all the references to Nate being 'alpha' will scare off some readers who will then miss out on this treat. 2.) My second complaint is about Nate's 'fetish' of pussy-eating and how it's treated. "Oh, I am a pervert." "Oh, you are a nasty fucker." "Oh, this is filthy" etc. Like... eating pussy is not really weird. Liking to go down on women is not, in my opinion, a big deal or some kind of horrible shameful thing. This is JUST LIKE when I read that book about that hero who enjoyed a little bit of recreational spankies and everyone treated him as if he was a serial killer or something. Remember that book? I was reading it and I was like, "What the fuck? He just wants to do some light bondage stuff. What's the big deal?" but the characters in the novel treated him as if he were murdering women in the night or doing stuff against their will or something. And he had this deep, deep shame about it - as if he was a bad and deeply fucked up person simply because he wanted to spank his woman a little bit and maybe tie her up on Saturdays. ???? Baffling. Here it isn't AS bad as in that book. They don't treat Nate like a serial killer or rapist, at least. But everyone - including him - cheerfully believes something is deeply fucked up with him and that he's a 'pervert' and 'filthy.' Um... why? Because he loves eating women's vulvae and that gets him off? I don't really see the big deal. There's one or two references to him stealing used panties from girlfriends when he was a teenager, and that is more creepy, but still not falling into "OMG!!!" territory for me. *shrug* He doesn't do ANYTHING nonconsensual sexually or questionable consent sexually in this book. I just want to make that clear. OK? Robyn is 100% on board with everything he's doing to her in the sack. Just weird to me what some people define as 'sexual deviance.' Liking vulvae is not sexually deviant IMO. *shrug* But I get that it sells books. PERV in big letters with some overly muscled guy on the cover is going to be $$$$. Luckily LUCKILY for me, Nate did not practice what I found to be ugly, weird, or disrespectful sexual behaviors. I never know when I buy these books what I'm going to end up with. In my opinion, the weird and deviant thing about Nate isn't his penchant for going down on women, it's his misogynistic tendency not to bother learning women's names and his deepseated fuckeduppedness about women and money. More on that in THE UGLY. - The other thing that I consider 'bad' in this book is (view spoiler)[ the whole plot about Robyn's friend. Robyn meets her friend in a divorce lawyer's office. Now, get this. Robyn blames Nate for her friend's shitty marriage. Yeah. It's ludicrous. "Someone who came into my office for a divorce to a dickhead became my best friend. A dickhead she married because no one was you, Nate. Who can live up to you." That's rich. He's so good in bed that he ruins women for any other man? You're saying it's his fault she married a piece of shit? Because he was too good at eating her out?! Are you fucking kidding me. It's the most bizarre thing. And Nate just accepts responsibility for this. He totally thinks it is his fault instead of looking at Robyn like she's nuts. And Look, of course the Best You've Ever Had has an impact on your life. Yes, you'll always remember him. Yes, some men turn you out in a way that no other man ever will. Let's face it. *shrug* But it's beyond silly to blame all your problems on life on 'he didn't marry me.' I mean, what the fuck. Woman up and take responsibility for your own actions. You enjoyed him, you might have even been in love with him - but it didn't work out. For whatever reason. That doesn't mean you can just lay blame for everything at his feet. JFC. I didn't fall to pieces after my Best and I weren't together any more. I certainly didn't blame everything under the sun on him and curse him for all my current problems. I'm grown. Will I ever meet anyone who is capable of fucking my brains out like he did? Probably not. All signs point to no. But that didn't ruin my life or make me very angry or want to kill him or get revenge or anything. That's cuckoo. Instead, I'm just very happy I got to experience that and live that highly enjoyable part of my life. And who knows? You can always hold out hope that you'll meet someone who puts it down even better. And I know you're shaking your head at me, like, "Guuuuuurrrrrrrl... there's no such thing," but let's be optimistic here. :D (hide spoiler)] Gray does a great job of depicting grief, death, and coping. I'm not slamming her for that. But this underlying idea is fucked-up. And no one calls it out. THE UGLY: For how much Nate 'loves' women - and I'm being ironic here - he's awfully misogynistic, at least at the beginning of the book. Imagine a man who doesn't even bother to remember women's names. Because it's 'useless shit.' He can 'date' these women for up to six months, and he's always exclusive. But he has them in his phone as "Cinnamon" or "Glitter" instead of by their proper names and he honestly doesn't even remember their proper names. That's really disgusting. And how did he turn out this way? No one has any idea. No hints are given. He has a great relationship with his mother and it is showcased in the book. Perhaps Gray is trying to tie it in with his 'perversion' of being obsessed with vulvae, but NO, the two have nothing to do with each other IMO. So... what gives? Ex in his past fucked him up real good? Again, bullshit, but it would at least be an explanation. - He also has serious issues with women and money. He must pay for everything, if Robyn even reaches for her wallet he gets angry. He says this is how he was raised, but he gets more upset than I think is healthy. She's absolutely not allowed to pay for anything and he takes it as a great insult if she tries. Now, you could just say "Great! I will enjoy dating someone who takes care of every single expense," but if you have half a brain, this will worry you on some level. I mean, he doesn't have a temper unless she brings up paying for something. HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN? Brilliant! Exquisitely detailed. Even the most hardcore stickler for detail (Carmen coughs delicately) couldn't complain about the sex in here. Now, Gray obviously covers practices that I'm not turned on by. Getting tied up, blowjobs while tied up, 'spanking nipples' and breast-biting are all things that severely don't interest me, I'm not into pain at all, but there were plenty of things I enjoyed as well. But if you don't enjoy reading about cunnilingus, just avoid this book. It's basically the whole book. Not all - they definitely have blowjobs, PIV sex, and one hilarious and amazing scene about foreplay that I LOVED. He's hustling her off the bedroom and she's gently teasing him about "What, no foreplay?" so he dedicates hours to foreplay just to piss her off and she ends up begging to be fucked. It's very cute. She's a low-lidded, moaning mess when I flip her back over. She'll never question me about foreplay again. I will lick her elbow in a way that will make her come. My dick hates me, but it always does. And I'm not done yet. Laughing out loud. He reminds me of one of my ex-boyfriends. :D TL; DR - IN COMMENT SECTION ROMANCE CATEGORIES: Contemporary Romance Enemies to Lovers Erotic Romance Multicultural/Interracial Romance Non-Virgin Heroine ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 25, 2017
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Oct 26, 2017
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Sep 09, 2016
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0373779704
| 9780373779703
| 0373779704
| 3.84
| 1,825
| Jul 28, 2015
| Jul 28, 2015
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it was amazing
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FIVE ROMANCE STARS!!!! *dies of excitement* As he pulled the loop over her other foot, she reached out to stroke his hair. It was silky and hot from th FIVE ROMANCE STARS!!!! *dies of excitement* As he pulled the loop over her other foot, she reached out to stroke his hair. It was silky and hot from the sun, but the nicest thing about it was that she could touch it just because she wanted to. This was a wonderful romance novel, I really loved it. Veronica is an advice columnist, and a local celebrity. She gives advice on everything from dealing with nosy neighbors to oral sex. But Veronica has a big secret: she's still a virgin. Sort of. And she feels like she's a big fraud, in more ways than one. Gabe is taking a year away from his duties and responsibilities in NYC to be in "paradise:" which for him means Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Working at his beloved job of librarian, rock-climbing at every opportunity - he wants to milk every ounce of enjoyment he can before he has to go back to NYC and be the dutiful son, taking over the family business and living in the city he hates. When Gabe meets Veronica at a talk she's giving, he quickly forms false ideas about her: she's a stuck-up Manhattanite who is high-maintenance. But he soon finds out he couldn't be more wrong. And after Veronica drunkenly confesses to him that she's not really experienced with men, he becomes determined to give her the best First Time ever. Um, this sounds really skeevy. I know, I can't think of a way to make it NOT sound skeevy, but trust me, Dahl busts her ass to make this guy a mensch and he is really such a mensch. I mean, you know I can't give a man a higher compliment than to call him a mensch, so you know that I'm being serious here. The best thing is that Gabe doesn't fetishize or objectify Veronica or her kind-of virginity. Explain "kind-of" virginity to me, Carmen. Well, as I've explained before, there's no such thing as a virgin. WHAT?!?!!? Yes, virginity doesn't really exist. Take Veronica in this book. Technically no penis has been in her vagina. Does this make her a virgin? No, it doesn't. I know more than one lesbian I could say that about, and they are certainly not virgins. o.O Veronica has made good use of vibrators and dildos. Does that make her not a virgin? She's had oral sex. Does that make her a virgin or not a virgin? Do Christian girls/women who have oral sex and anal sex but not vaginal sex retain their virginity? Are gay men who have never had sex with a woman virgins? o.O Obviously not. The whole concept is laughable. I mean, I could go on and on and on with this. There's no such thing as a virgin and the entire idea of virginity is fucked-up and a direct result of our patriarchal culture. Spare me the feminist ranting, Carmen. Fine, fine. I'm done. BECOME STRONG! ANYWAY. The book. It's excellent. Gabe is a cute, sweet, patient mensch. And Veronica is extremely likable as well. She's shy and really wants to please others, but she's strong and brave as well. And the best part of the book is seeing her gain confidence and stand up to people in all areas of her life: her friends, her boss, her horrible father... I might as well admit up front that I am a HUGE fan of shy-woman-discovers-herself-and-becomes-badass novels. And movies and TV shows. I just love it when someone who is perhaps a bit insecure or keeps part of herself tamped-down becomes a confident and take-charge individual. It makes me happy and deeply satisfied. This could be a romance novel, or A Room with a View. It can be in any genre, but I'm a real soft-touch for this. HILARIOUS The book is also very funny. Dahl has a great sense of humor and I got plenty of laughs while reading this. So, as I said, on their first meeting Veronica is very drunk. And Gabe is such a mensch and he takes her home and puts her to bed. The next day he takes her to dinner. "Thank you," she said, turning toward him so she could say goodbye like a normal person. "I had a great time." "I'm not going to ask to come in, Veronica. I only tuck girls in on first dates. On second dates I have a strict no-tucking rule." She couldn't help but smile. He looked so serious. "Last night wasn't a date." His eyebrows shot up. "Wow, you're right. Tonight is our first date. I hope you're ready for the tucking of your life, then." He's just so sweet and cute and funny, and he and and Veronica laugh and tease each other all the time. Normally I hate virgin-heroine novels because it's usually weird or skeevy, but here it really surprisingly wasn't. Gabe treats her just like a "normal person" not like a lab specimen or a precious jewel or a freak. What if she messed up and pulled him right off the cliff? What if she murdered her only source of penis-based sex? FRIENDSHIPS Dahl always includes strong, supportive and caring female friendships into her books. It's really great to see a heroine who a.) actually has female friends and b.) her friends always have her back and are supportive to her. No back-stabbing or slut-shaming here. FIRST BOYFRIEND (OR FIRST LOVER) Also, Dahl has miraculously and succinctly caught the exact feeling of when you have your first sexual partner. This book will completely take you back to those sweet feelings of excitement. I'm not talking about just the sex here. I'm talking about how Veronica is so excited to be able to run her hands through Gabe's hair whenever she wants to, and how she agonizes over every text message she sends to him, and how fun and exciting it is for her to have a real family (his family) for the first time in her life. So sweet, so cute, there's just so much emotion and heart here. MODELS (view spoiler)[Gabe's sister is a NYC fashion model, and I love how Dahl portrays this. For one thing, she doesn't even try and pretend that Naomi eats like a normal person. I love that. I am sick and tired of authors writing 90-pound women who eat hamburgers and fries every day. She also doesn't make it like "Oh no, she's starving herself! Eating disorder!" Even if Naomi does have an eating disorder (which is extremely possible), it's never discussed, and it's just accepted that she has to severely limit her calorie intake because she's a model. I fucking love this (the realistic portrayal of modeling). I love how Dahl doesn't try to sugar-coat or hide anything but also doesn't make it maudlin or anything other than something Naomi has to do for her job. I rarely see this handled so well in fiction. A+ Although I have to say I didn't understand Veronica's insecurities and jealousy over Naomi and her model friend Monique. I really didn't. It surprised me when she reacted to negatively and sadly to finding out that Gabe had a super-model sister. Luckily, she got over this quickly, so I wasn't too upset. (hide spoiler)] How's the sex, Carmen? OMG, this book is pure 100% female fantasy. (That means the sex was good, in case I'm being unclear.) We should all be as lucky to have a hunky, bearded, caring librarian who is amazing at He knows she's really nervous about not being able to cum. Her past boyfriends have been less than stellar, let's just put it that way. "You don't have to try at anything, Veronica. Just let me touch you. Even if you don't come, I still want to taste you. I want you on my tongue. I want to hear the sounds you make when I lick you. That's all." It was a lie, but it was one she needed to hear. He meant to make her come if he had to eat her pussy for an hour. LOL You have to admire a very determined man with specific goals. ;) That's not the only potentially unrealistic thing, you should hear Dahl's (completely ludicrous) explanation about why he's so good at going down on women. But what the hell, it's a romance novel and I'm sure not reading it for its realism. o.O He's so sweet with her, he's so patient with her, and him walking her through all the sex acts and talking about them with her is very hot. Wow, no skimping on the sex scenes. Dahl's definitely bringing her A-game here. And Veronica is so sweet and so enthusiastic and excited, it's very cute. Everything is very wonderful. Oh, and Veronica masturbated A LOT before she met Gabe. There's no stupid "OMG this is what a penis looks like?!" or "It's so big, I don't think it will fit!" or pain-blood-pain stuff that usually accompanies virgin-heroine books and adds greatly to the skeeve factor. Saints be praised! Thank you, Dahl. THE STORY The story is also very good. Dahl aims at being a little bit more realistic than in her last novel where she tried her hand at romantic suspense. She's always been amazing at writing family dynamics, and that's really the crux of the drama here. Veronica has to deal with her horrible father, her even more horrible stepbrother, and her desire to be independent and strong. Meanwhile, Gabe is struggling with the fact that after this year is over, he has to face a lifetime of miserable work in NYC. Dahl's deft and heartwrenching portrayal of family strife is powerful and used to great effect here. The drama and tension is not overdone, but just right so that you are anxious even though you know everything will be alright in the end. THE COVER Once again I'm baffled by the publishers' decision to make what is very clearly a bearded and hairy-chested man in the book (his beard gets a LOT of page time, well-deserved page-time) a clean-shaven and fully waxed model on the cover. WHY. Seriously, isn't "lumbersexual" becoming a thing now? Would it kill HQN to put a bearded guy with chest hair on the cover? I happen to think both beards AND chest hair are very attractive. Let's get cracking with this, people. I'm bored of perfectly waxed six-pack-ab cover models. "You're so cute," she said mournfully, reaching up to slowly pat his cheek. Her fingers lingered, stroking down his beard. "Huh. It's soft." "Thank you?" he ventured. Ugh, I LOVE petting men's beards and stroking them. So fun. MY ONE COMPLAINT WITH THE NOVEL The cover-thing doesn't count as a complaint with the novel. That's not Dahl's decision. Actually, my complaint doesn't really have anything (directly) to do with Dahl. Now, as you've noticed, I finally got what I wanted from Dahl all along: sweet, caring, patient sex. You may also notice that this is the only Dahl book where the heroine is a virgin. Coincidence? I think not. Hard as I try, I can't seem to shake this pervasive concept that sweet, slow, and patient is for virgins, but once you're "experienced" it's hard fucking all the way for the rest of your life. Strange. I know the demand for hard fucking is very high right now - people think it's exciting and want the sex in romance novels to be as pushing-the-envelope as possible. But I happen to think the most exciting sex is also sweet sex. Sweet sex and slow sex can be hot! It's also very sexy and very arousing! I don't think it should be an "allowance" made only for virgins. That's what it feels like. If you're a virgin heroine, we'll coddle you and make love to you and be patient and sweet with you, but as soon as you've had one sexual partner, it's hard fucking against the wall or bent over a table every time. And I have NO PROBLEM with hard-fucking-over-a-table. Please, by all means put that in your novel. That is exciting and fun. But if you are writing three or four sex scenes in the book, could at least ONE be a little sweet? Thanks, I'd really appreciate it - virgin heroine or not, I want some snuggles and slow sex in my romance novel. ... Tl;dr - Great sex, completely dreamy hero who is a mensch, and a brave heroine who learns how to be kickass in life! What more could you ask for in a contemporary romance? Not much. She felt him lean closer. "I only want to know what you want," he whispered, his voice so close to her ear it made her shiver. "What you're looking for." THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS Highly recommended. Seriously considering buying this one. P.S. I almost forgot to mention Dahl's great female-positive messages. Here's one: "There is nothing flattering about someone wanting to bone you... I hear some disagreement, but let me be clear. There are men out there who will put their penises in a tree. There are men out there who will put their penises in sheep. You do not need to feel flattered that a man wants to put his penis inside you... If casual sex isn't fun for you, then don't do it. It's not a requirement - it's an option. Buy a good vibrator and take a break from being the fun girl who's down for the superhot guy." ...more |
Notes are private!
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Sep 24, 2015
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Sep 24, 2015
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Aug 30, 2015
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0778315371
| 9780778315377
| 0778315371
| 3.39
| 1,889
| Jan 01, 2013
| Aug 27, 2013
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it was amazing
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CUTE, SWEET, FUNNY and SMART. FIVE ROMANCE STARS. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. Please excuse any crass language in this review, the book is NOT crass, but I CUTE, SWEET, FUNNY and SMART. FIVE ROMANCE STARS. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. Please excuse any crass language in this review, the book is NOT crass, but I've gotta describe it in my own words, ya know what I'm sayin'? This book was amazing. It's a romance novel, but it's also funny and sweet - with a bit of a dark and serious undercurrent to keep it from being too fluffy. DJ loses her virginity at age 21 to a mysterious stranger at the beach on Spring Break. She doesn't know his name, she doesn't know where he's from. He was sweet, patient, gave her hours of kissing, and turns her out. I mean, he puts it down for her so good she forgets any word but "please." After this spectacular night of marathon sex, she creeps out the next morning without a word, thinking she'll never see this man again. Unfortunately, for eight years she's been unable to find a man who is even close to the standards set by Mystery Guy. She tries unsuccessfully to have relationships with perfectly decent men, but none can match the chemistry she had with Mystery Guy. This is completely accurate. I mean, she lost her virginity to this man (which makes it extra-difficult), but you can be having completely mediocre sex for years, then start dating a guy who fucks your brains out and suddenly you can't ever be satisfied by the "perfectly fine" sex you were having before. BUT THE TWIST IS, Mystery Guy had no idea she was a virgin, his world was turned upside down by HER fucking, and he's been spending the last eight years jerking off to the memory of HER. Unbelievable. This is too good and cute to be true. Extra funny and extra cute is that he wasn't really that sexually experienced when he laid her out, INSTEAD he (saddened by a (view spoiler)[terrible marriage (hide spoiler)] and believing he needed more practical and hands-on experience to be "good in bed") studied the shit out of sex and kind of tutored himself into being a sex god. So funny. ANYWAY. It's eight years after the fact. DJ gets a job offer in a small Kansas farming town to be a library administrator. She jumps at the chance to escape from her hell job and become the library administrator to a small, closeknit town. Unbeknownst to her, Viv has other, deeper, more personal reasons for bringing her to town than to just revive the gloomy and oppressive library. She wants DJ to be a girlfriend to her son, Scott. When Scott walks into the kitchen, DJ nearly spits out her coffee upon seeing a face she was certain she'd never see again.... ... AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! OMG. The book is amazing. Even though DJ recognizes Scott instantly as the man who made her First Time the Best Time, Scotty doesn't recognize her AT ALL which leads for super-hilarious scenarios. It's rare for me to laugh out loud while reading a book. Usually the most an author can wrench out of me is a wry smile. Morsi had me IN TEARS with laughter twice in this book, during the most hilarious scenes: One, the first dinner together awkwardly with Scott and his mom and DJ. DJ recognizes Scott and he has no fucking idea who she is and why she's so angry with him. It's hysterical, OMG, I couldn't stop laughing. Two, when the two of them go on their first "date" together, Scotty still in the dark. It's a riot, OMG, for sure I was turning heads in the coffee shop laughing my ass off while reading this book. EVEN BETTER, the book is not only about romance and sex and falling in love. It's got a lot of plot, a lot of subplots, a lot of great side characters... everything you could want in a book. There's drama at the library and trouble with DJ adjusting to her new job and coworkers. There's a side romance! I love side romance! There's (view spoiler)[ Scott's mom and her depression. (hide spoiler)] There's DJ's adorable little black terrier Melvil Dewey and the trouble he gets into: he's so cute and sweet! I love when romance novels have extra layers and well-written plots like this. This book is also queer-friendly and autism-friendly and I have to give the author major props for dealing with both these concepts in a cute, friendly, and respectful way. Extra points. The dark side is there, too, to keep this from being too sweet and too fluffy, and that dark thread is (view spoiler)[suicide. (hide spoiler)] So, trigger warning for that if you feel like that would upset you, but I think Morsi does a good job of handling it without making it silly or inconsequential (see my anger at The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry). Tl;dr - If anything will restore your faith in the romance genre, this book is it. Extra points for being so funny. :D I can't believe this book made me laugh out loud, it was that good. Morsi is extra cute in numbering her chapters using the Dewey decimal system. For instance, a chapter might be called: 140.4 Philosophical Schools of Thought. It's fun. FIVE ROMANCE STARS, HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!!!! EXTENSIVE KISSING IS IN THIS BOOK!!!! ...more |
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Mar 02, 2016
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Mar 02, 2016
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Aug 09, 2015
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 1609288521
| 9781609288525
| 1609288521
| 3.77
| 1,707
| Feb 14, 2012
| Feb 14, 2012
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it was amazing
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"Whores are meant to be bought with money, my lord, not flattery." Another quick reply, one Wes gave almost without thinking. "Perhaps it is not the who "Whores are meant to be bought with money, my lord, not flattery." Another quick reply, one Wes gave almost without thinking. "Perhaps it is not the whore I am trying to buy." Ugh, this book was SO AMAZING. I loved it. I was struggling the other day to think of a genre I've neglected. It was very difficult because I read everything. But finally I was like, "I am challenging myself to read one m/m romance novel and one f/f romance." Boo-yah! How exciting for me! (Now, this is not completely new territory for me, but rare enough that I think it counts as a challenge.) Unfortunately, a quick Amazon search revealed a bunch of garbage. I definitely wanted to avoid erotica and I definitely wanted to avoid poorly written PWP crap. Quickly the Romantic Times Book Review magazine swooped in to rescue me. They usually feature one m/m fiction in among the hundreds of m/f romances they review. (However, f/f fiction is conspicuously absent.) This book was featured and it sounded like an amazing plot, actually. "D-did s-someone h-h-hurt you?" Vallant's sudden, careful stillness told Wes all he needed to know. I will kill him, he thought. His mind began to catalog the many, intricate plant-based poisons he knew, several of which were rendered tasteless in a simple cup of tea. I was NOT disappointed. This book just was slamming me with all the emotional and psychological drama I look for in romance. Not to mention two MCs who are sweet, patient and loving to each other. That's what is most important to me - no sneering asshole hero. I can't stand being told that jerks are "romantic" or "charming" or "sexy." Luckily, both these men were wonderful people who treated each other with kindness and respect. Yay! ... Wes is a rich man in Georgian (?) or Regency (?) England. He has a bunch of problems. For one thing, he has a severe and pronounced stutter. This, combined with a good dose of social anxiety, makes him a near-recluse. His judgmental father criticizing him at every turn and his love of men which is seen as a sickness by society just add topping on the cake of nerves and anxiety that makes up Wes. It's for this reason that he turns to opium. I know, I know, this guy is a mess. Where can we even begin to help this man? One thing that helps him is his love of plants. He works for the Royal Botanist Society and he is great with flowers and orchids, even "bringing some back from the dead," as the book puts it. But he is basically very unhappy. ... Enter another unhappy man, stage left. This is the pretty, blond, well-dressed flirt (and prostitute) Michael. He seems to be fine, until (due to his very poor eyesight) he mistakes Wes for his... pimp(?) mentor(?) ex-lover(?) rescuer(?) Rodger. Well, let's just say Wes is shocked to be taken by surprise and felt up by this young, blond, gorgeous man. Once Michael realizes his mistake and everything is worked out, one thing leads to another and this book completely slams you into the ground with the feelings and psychology and messy pasts of both these main characters. "I'm not in love with him. I couldn't be. I can't be." His hands tightened around his gown. "I WON'T be." Wow, I just LOVE romance books that get into psychology and damaged characters and the healing power of love. Cheesy, I know, but I just eat it up. Unrealistic, I know, but it makes me so happy. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough I was so wrapped up in Wes and Michael's story and so eager to find out what would happen next. And at no point does the book slow down or let you go, because Cullinan has SO MANY issues to resolve. Which, to me, is super-fun! And, there's tons of cute, sweet, adorable scenes. Full of love. I just really like love and stories about love and when two people are in love. I am a fan of love. <3 "You shall make me fat," Michael accused, falling to the sweet with relish. Wes sincerely doubted that, but in any case, he wouldn't mind. He would feed Michael all day long, were he allowed. But he only said, "Eat quickly. There is a b-b-bookstore ahead." Because Michael loves books! And there's lots of book-worship in this novel, too. Another great thing about the book that I want to note is that there's no stupid misunderstandings, miscommunications, or dumb fights. I hate when those are in romance, they are very frustrating. But Cullinan neatly sidesteps that, to my relief. ... How's the sex, Carmen? I don't feel like I can really weigh in on this because I am not really interested in sex unless there are vulvae involved. If it's only penises, I just can't work up any excitement. I know tons of heterosexual women who enjoy gay porn (for example, a friend of mine watches it all the time), but it just leaves me bored. So... perhaps you should check other reviews to find out if this book is sexually exciting or not. I will say that if you love the slow burn (and I do), then this book will be right up your alley. The romance between these two (even though they sleep together early on) is so slow, so gradual, so glacier-slow and that is JUST how I love it. I wish more romance books did this. I love slow-moving, "we actually are going to fall in love, not just fuck or instantly be a couple" plots. ... TRIGGER WARNING: This book deals rather heavily with the sexual abuse of children. If that upsets you, SKIP THIS, I am warning you. ... THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS Completely worth the $4 I paid for it. And that's saying a lot, for me. P.S. I tried valiantly and I think successfully to ignore the cover picture and create my own imaginings of what Michael and Wes looked like. Not that the cover is bad, but I'm trying to fight it destroying my mind-pictures. o.O I am strange. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Jul 25, 2015
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Jul 25, 2015
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Jul 25, 2015
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ebook
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| 0373718101
| 9780373718108
| 0373718101
| 3.72
| 61
| Jan 01, 2012
| Oct 09, 2012
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it was amazing
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They had both lost their freedom because they had done really stupid things. It didn't seem right that they were both still paying for those mistakes. They had both lost their freedom because they had done really stupid things. It didn't seem right that they were both still paying for those mistakes. They had done their time in solitary. Shouldn't that have been enough? 71% This is a fascinating, bold, audacious romance novel that I really enjoyed. Doyle sure stepped out of the realm of comfortable with this book. Madeleine Kane is hired to remake the image of playboy car-designer Michael Lang. He wants to be taken seriously so that he can get his cool, environmentally-friendly supercar on the market. He needs to pair with a big auto manufacturer to get this done. His hard-partying, womanizing, hard-drinking lifestyle is an impediment to his success. Madeleine Kane is a kingmaker - partnered with presidents on campaigns and known for her amazing abilities as an image-creator and image-manager. However, that's not the things she's known most for. Seven years ago, she was caught in flagrante delicto with the President of the United States. Yes, Doyle loosely based this character on Monica Lewinsky, although Madeleine and Monica are very different people. Ruined by her choices in a way few people can be ruined, Madeleine has barely gone out in these seven years. She certainly hasn't dated or had sex in seven years. Men treat her like either a loose woman who is wiling to have sex with anyone immediately for any reason, or like a disgusting creature they should stay far away from. She also has huge social anxiety, since the paparazzi hounded her for months, and even now when she is recognized she is mocked and treated with disgust. Surprisingly, Michael doesn't have these hangups about Madeleine's past. He respects her. He treats her like the expensive expert, Yale graduate she is and doesn't treat her like shit. Even her own brother and father hate and despise her for having sex with the president, and her father died while calling her some choice names. Perhaps a reason Michael can treat Madeleine like a normal human being is because Michael has a past of his own. He grew up on 8 Mile in Detroit, and stole cars. He was eventually caught and served three years in prison. When he got out, he was mentored by an auto mechanic and became a rich race car driver. After that he morphed into someone who designs cars for a living. But the real huge thing about Michael is WARNING HUGE SPOILER (view spoiler)[that he was raped in prison. Because of being raped in prison, Michael has been unable to get a natural erection for these last seventeen years. He takes Viagra to get an erection for the women he dates, but never cums. He hasn't orgasmed in seventeen years. He's too fucked-up from the rape. (hide spoiler)] So we can see that both Michael and Madeleine are extremely fucked-up sexually in different ways. And perhaps each has the unique perspective to see each other and be merciful to the other. But he knew he didn't like the kid who planted the idea in her head that she was nothing more than a base to steal. He thought it before and he was seeing it again: he wasn't the only one of them in this relationship who was messed up about sex. It felt to him like Madeleine didn't know what it meant to be wanted for who she was alone, she didn't know what it meant to want that person back for the same reason. He wondered if she'd ever been made love to or if she'd ever made love to someone without there being some agenda. (view spoiler)[For that matter, Michael wasn't sure he ever had that experience, either. Before the attack happened, sex was just sex. After the attack, sex was a game of skill and deception and illusion. And lies. (hide spoiler)] 52% THE GOOD This book has a lot of good. - Two flawed, fucked-up characters that honestly have some of the most unique and interesting and shocking backstories I've ever seen in romance. Very interesting, very bold. - Detailed writing. The book has a very nineties feel to it, even though it was written in 2012. If you've ever read nineties contemporary romance by Harlequin, you'll know what I'm talking about. It's charming in its own way. I find Harlequin contemporary romances written in this time period (the '90s) to be very different from those written in the 2010s. This has that retro nineties feel, which is a compliment. - The characters approach each other with respect and try their best (it doesn't always work) to discuss things and be honest with each other. There were failings. But overall, I liked how adult the two protagonists acted. - The book promotes kissing for the sake of kissing, and the characters have a conversation about how kissing doesn't always have to lead to sex, and how makeout sessions can be enjoyable on their own. "You're damn right I'm mad. You're such a man." "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" "Why can't kissing just be for the sake of kissing? Why does it have to go anywhere?" 52% - I don't feel like Doyle was saying (view spoiler)[Michael was healed by a magical vagina. Instead, the book talks about how you have to work through your own trauma, how no one can do it for you, and how no woman could magically 'cure' him. He had to go forward himself, and allow himself to do things and feel things. (hide spoiler)] That was a big issue, I'm glad Doyle addressed it. - Interesting look at PTSD and some of its effects. - Michael kind of reminds me of Bruce Wayne, carefully constructing a 'playboy, womanizing' image to cover up his TRUE self. - Man being called a 'tease' and dealing with the issue of 'being a tease' rather than a woman. 'Tease' is a concept I hate with a passion, anyway. It's so stupid. ANYWAY, the shoe is on the other foot for once. Which isn't GOOD, I mean, I'd rather nobody got accused of being a 'tease,' but it's interesting to see a man dealing with this for once. - The complexity of the characters and how they deal with their issues and their pasts. THE BAD - She has sex with the president ONE TIME. And it was on that ONE AND ONLY time that the First Lady walked in on them. I found this a cop out. WHY are romance authors so resistant to writing a woman who isn't 'a good girl?' Do they think an audience won't accept one? Every single time I get excited about having a genuinely promiscuous and/or morally questionable romance heroine, the author ALWAYS pulls back. ALWAYS half-asses it. Why couldn't Madeleine be a smart, Yale-educated, driven woman who had an on-going affair with the president? Why do they have to shovel in the bullshit that it was ONLY ONE TIME, A BIG MISTAKE blah-di-blah? You can make her regret it. Obviously, she regrets it. It ruined her life. She's literally afraid to go out in public. But the idea that she just, like, accidentally fell on the president's dick one night is quite frankly ludicrous and I'm not sure you can convince me of this happening. It would be scads better if she just said, "Yeah, I was attracted to him, I don't know how I let things get so out of hand, blah blah blah" but trying to write a book where it is a one-time event is stretching it. It's stretching it in order to be able to label Madeleine as a 'good girl' still, even after everything. To make the reader see her as a victim. But guess what? She could be a person who immorally had an affair but is STILL a victim of some horrible things happening to her. Yeah, that could happen. Be bold! - Michael being 'threatened' by Ben, Madeleine's boss. Thinking 'Ben could steal her at any moment.' Oh, please. He's fucking DYING of cancer, he's not going to fucking steal your woman. It's ludicrous, I don't need this kind of testosterone poisoning. Thanks. - They could talk more with each other about sex and before sex. Since they are both so fucked up, I think it would conducive to the situation if they would talk things out. They do talk... but not enough and not about the details that might matter IMO. TL;DR - Riveting book. Quite interesting and bold moves on Doyle's part. How fascinating to write about a woman who had an extramarital affair with the president of the United States and the emotional, social, and mental traumatic fallout of that. Also, if not even more shocking: a hero who was (view spoiler)[raped by another man in prison and as a result has not been able to orgasm in seventeen years. His tragic PTSD and the struggle to keep up his facade with women. (hide spoiler)] You could not ask for a more envelope-pushing book, I'm honestly quite surprised it came from Harlequin Category Romance. ROMANCE CATEGORIES Contemporary Romance Millionaire/Billionaire Romance - Both Madeline and Michael are well-off. I think Michael may be a millionaire. Non-Virgin Heroine (view spoiler)[Rape/Abuse Survivor (hide spoiler)] He's a Criminal turned Convict turned Car Racer turned Automobile Creator. She's a Kingmaker. Takes place in: Detroit, Michigan / Washington D.C. / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Los Angeles, California - The United States of America NAMES IN THIS BOOK (view spoiler)[ Michael m nn Mickey 37 Ben m Madeleine f Anna f Archie m Robert m Jackie f Nick m Charlene f Peg f Darnell m Tamara f Walt m Craig m Irene – car James m Nooky m Carol f Kevin m Gale f Lynn f Greg m (hide spoiler)] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 22, 2020
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Mar 23, 2020
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Jul 25, 2015
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Paperback
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| 1942874243
| 9781942874249
| 4.39
| 36,433
| Oct 11, 2016
| Oct 11, 2016
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it was amazing
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First, things needed discussing. Then kissing. Then more kissing. KISSING! <3 So, if you want your heart torn out of your chest, stomped on, then lovingl First, things needed discussing. Then kissing. Then more kissing. KISSING! <3 So, if you want your heart torn out of your chest, stomped on, then lovingly stitched up and placed back inside - this is the book for you. Forget a cardio workout, this book will have your heart on such a rollercoaster ride you will have palpitations. Cletus is the most sexually and romantically exciting of all the Winston men - and that's hard to say, all of them are very wonderful - and this is his story. Reid outdoes herself here. She outdoes herself. This book is possibly the best romance novel I've ever read. THE SLOW BURN One of the best and most stunning qualities of this novel is Reid's slow burn. The characters start off not even attracted to each other. Cletus has completely dismissed Jennifer - whom he's known since childhood - to the point where he doesn't even recognize her as someone he knows when she comes to his door in the middle of the night. He's written her off as a non-entity, someone so weak and so under the thumb of her parents that she might as well not even exist. Jennifer is the only person in town (outside of Cletus's family) who knows what he really is. A whip-smart, devious, manipulating mastermind who controls anyone and anything he wants to with his extensive intimate knowledge of everyone. He manipulates everyone from the police to the local evil motorcycle club. He orchestrates marriages, affairs, and divorces. The world bows to his whim. She's terrified of him, and rightly so. Even though he loves his family and protects them, is a great singer and instrument-player, and has a lot of cute and good qualities, the fact remains that he is Not A Man To Be Fucked With. No one knows this more than Jennifer, who - as a quiet person who is overlooked by everyone in town - has watched and observed him for decades from afar. He's not a physically violent man - he doesn't beat people into submission, although he's a great fighter (as we know from previous books) - but instead he knows dirt on everyone and uses this to control and manipulate every goshdarn thing under the sun. He can and does destroy people and lives with the snap of his finger. But he's also odd and funny and a weirdo. He's a very strange man. I can't describe it, you'd have to read the books. This isn't like some fake-badass thing that you find in some erotica. The shocking, shocking thing that happens in this book is Jennifer makes the dangerous decision to blackmail Cletus after she accidentally catches him on tape stealing evidence from the police station. Is she FUCKING crazy? I was genuinely concerned for her safety and well-being. The small car made him look huge and imposing. He'd turned on the dome light and the forward reading lights. I closed my door, as he had done with his. A brief silence followed, during which the reality of my present situation crashed over me. I was alone. I was alone with Cletus Winston. I was alone with Cletus Winston and no one knew where I was. OH. SHIT. The bad (or good?) thing is that the bravery of blackmailing Cletus puts her on his radar. Cletus is shocked. SHOCKED. He never underestimates people or is wrong about them. But he was so, so wrong about Jennifer. What is she blackmailing him for? She wants a husband. But Cletus is not so sure. "Thank you," she said, breaking the silence and surprising me. I'd expected demands, not gratitude. "I haven't done anything." Her posture relaxed just a smidge. "You have," she contradicted. Her eyes were wide and I could tell she was trying to see me better. "What've I done?" I challenged, wanting to be irritated but instead finding myself curious. "You've made this week more bearable." She laughed lightly and it was a pleasing, musical sound. But then she swallowed her laughter and her expression grew exceedingly earnest. "You gave me hope." Well... darn. I stared at her - at this short woman, at her pointed chin and her uncommonly pretty eyes framed by ugly fake lashes - and reviewed the facts: One, Jennifer Sylvester was desperate. Two, she was not a bad person. Three, she thought she wanted a husband. Jennifer leaned away from the wall, twisting her fingers in front of her and tilting her head to one side and then the other. She laughed again, but this time it sounded nervous. "You know, I can't see you at all. But I get the feeling you can see me just fine." Four, Jennifer Sylvester was surprisingly observant. I stepped forward into a swath of light provided by a tall window. It wasn't yet dusk, but night was quickly approaching. "Is that better?" I asked, my voice gentler than I'd intended. "Yes." She shivered and her eyes moved over my face, dawdling for a moment on my beard, then fell to the floor. "That's better. Thank you." Five, Jennifer Sylvester didn't need a husband. She might've wanted a husband, likely because she was equating marriage with escape and freedom, but she didn't need one. What she needed was a backbone. So Cletus goes to work getting Jennifer to stand up to her parents and other people. He gives her little assignments, and the book is largely about Jennifer taking back her power and getting out from under her horrible and abusive parents. But the great, key thing here is that these two are NOT sexually or romantically attracted to each other. That takes a lot of time. A LOT. Which is great. I hate insta-love and even inst-lust where two people see each other and then suddenly think about fucking each other non-stop for the rest of the book. It's not only unrealistic, it's a bit silly. Penny Reid writes pretty long books. They are long. This gives her ample time to really, really develop her characters and draw a real romance, create a real, true idea of what happens when two people fall in love. It doesn't happen in twelve hours, that's for sure. It's not even until 14% when Cletus decides to grant her mercy. He's not even physically or romantically interested in her yet, but I am talking about the simple act of deciding not to get revenge on her for daring to blackmail him. First, they have a really great conversation where Cletus asks Jennifer about herself, and she tells him about her true self. He's shocked at her depths and the things they have in common. Unable to withstand his inscrutable expression, I pressed, "What? What's wrong?" "I'm not going to harm you," he said matter-of-factly, as though HARMING me had been on the table, but now NOT HARMING ME was something he'd just decided. I felt my eyebrows lift high on my forehead. "Oh?" I croaked, a shiver of fear racing down my spine. "Well, that's nice of you. Celtus's slight smile was warm, truly disarming, and didn't look practiced or measured. It ignited a blossoming warmth in my chest despite his most recent statement, and that confused the ever-living heck out of me. 14% Grants her mercy. I was praying he was going to be merciful - after all, we all remember the mercy he gave Sienna in Grin and Beard It - and it looked in her favor, since this was a romance novel. I knew Reid would come through. At 18% he admits to himself that Jennifer is pretty. But still has no romantic or sexual interest in her. At 23% he does the first act of standing up and taking care of shit on Jennifer's behalf. I was like, "Oh, gosh. It's starting." My stomach was doing all sorts of twists. Reid makes this progression from Cletus not even caring Jennifer is alive to her being his world SO SLOW and exquisite it's painful. PAINFUL. WONDERFUL. Even imagining having THIS MAN behind you, watching out for you, and at your back is undeniably thrilling. Some of the best, most exquisite, most amazing scenes of the novel is Cletus stepping up and helping Jennifer when she needs it the most. SO FUCKING HOT. 28% Jennifer starts to feel sexually attracted to Cletus. 30% Cletus touches Jennifer for the first time. Not anywhere inappropriate or sexual, just him touching her face. At this point your heart is going to be pounding out of your chest as you have an aneurysm. 52% (view spoiler)[FIRST KISS. (hide spoiler)] 52%, can you fucking believe it??! Penny Reid is a goddess and a mistress of sexual tension, OMFG. Your head might explode when you get to this part. So exquisite and meaningful. (view spoiler)[They don't have PIV sex until 95%. NINETY-FIVE PERCENT. (hide spoiler)] OMFG, Can Penny Reid be any more perfect?!?!?!? How can she craft a story like this, HOW. HOW. Remember when I told you that she is an author who has revolutionized the romance genre? Yeah. This is a perfect example of her sheer awesomeness. If you love slow-burn romances and think 'romances' where two people meet and are 'in love' by page 12 are highly annoying, this is golden. You can't have better, this is the absolute best. And it absolutely beats your feelings all to hell. TRADE ONE MASTER FOR ANOTHER Now, here is another point which will show you Reid's complete mastery of writing. Reid doesn't simply have Jennifer exchange her parents for Cletus. She doesn't go from one man's household to another's, from one master to another's. Reid could easily EASILY done the romance trope of 'now she's found a good man who will take care of everything for her,' but, in an amazing twist, Reid instead decides to make Jennifer a strong, capable heroine who learns to stand on her own two feet and stand up not only to her abusive parents but to her man - her man who is used to handling shit for his loved ones. We all know that if Jennifer wanted to, she could sit back and Cletus would take care of all her problems. For the rest of her life. That's what he does, he takes care of problems. But THE WHOLE POINT of this book, from beginning to end, from the first page to the last page, is Jennifer learning to take care of herself and handle herself and stand up for herself. And this nearly kills Cletus at times, because it would be SO EASY for him to step in and take care of business for his woman. But on some level he knows that isn't healthy for her, and SHE knows that, too, and these two do a lot of very difficult psychological work in this novel. Both of them have to change and grow and learn. Sometimes it is extremely heartbreaking. The reader will be put through the wringer with this book. Good luck getting through it and surviving, Reid pulls no punches here and decimates all your feelings. EXTREMELY HOT SCENES And I'm not talking about sex here. Just a conversation - a normal, fully-clothed conversation - between these two can be SO hot you will light on fire. And they aren't even discussing sex. How can Reid do this? What is her magic? You are so fucking on edge knowing that these two are going to end up together, and watching them learn about each other and slowly, slowly explore what makes the other tick is almost torturous (in a good way). This is one of the romance books where I am reading them having a completely nonsexual conversation where they really get to know each other and at the same time it is so subtly sexual that you are screaming inside. (Or out loud). HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN? Five star sex here. No complaints. I've given up complaining about bearded activities - although I've noticed that Reid does include more beard-stroking in here. :) COMPLAINTS? Yes, of course I have complaints on this five-star review of a book I've claimed is possibly the best romance novel ever written. Have you met me? :D They basically consist of Jennifer's virginity. In one of the rarest instances, I don't actually mind that Jennifer is a virgin and (view spoiler)[never-been-kissed (hide spoiler)]. That doesn't bug me - which is a huge testament to Reid's writing skills. However, I do completely object to how Jennifer's virginity is treated in this book - as if it's up for public discussion. Cletus, in a completely bizarre turn of events, tells Claire that Jennifer is a virgin and wants them to talk things out. All the females (you know them from past books) get in on this and are delighted, calling Jennifer 'cute' and 'wanting to help.' I'm sorry, but this is a huge misstep by Reid. I know what she's doing - Jennifer has no girlfriends so Reid is saying these women can be her girlfriends - but it's completely humiliating. I don't think it's anyone's business if you are a virgin or not. You could argue it is Cletus's business, since he eventually is going to be her lover - but it's certainly not something I feel everyone should be discussing. It's fucking humiliating. And they have a discussion about her virginity - IN FRONT OF HER - in a room with not only Claire, who is being 'helpful,' but all the Winston men. WHY THE FUCK. I can't believe Jennifer didn't melt into the floor in embarrassment. How could anyone think this is okay? It's not okay. It's deeply not okay. And while I think Reid is going for 'it's sweet' how all the females want to 'help' Jennifer - they can't. How are they going to 'help' Jennifer with her virginity and lack of experience with men?!!?! I'm sorry, but the only way to learn is by doing and they certainly aren't going to fuck her. If Cletus sees her virginity as a problem - WHICH IT ISN'T. IT ISN'T A PROBLEM - then he should see to matters himself. Why the fuck is he involving his family in this? It isn't any of their fucking business, no pun intended. Also, can I just state for the record that virgins are neither aliens nor children and I'm really tired of romance books treating them like this. Being a virgin does not mean you are a bloody idiot. It doesn't mean you are not an adult. It doesn't mean that you are some weird, strange creature from another world that is to be treated as a lab experiment. I find this especially weird since all humans were virgins at one point. So... what gives? People are virgins until they're not. And as much as romance and erotica desperately try to convince me that both kissing and sex are incredibly difficult to do and need extensive experience to master, THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. Most people figure both kissing and fucking out without much difficulty. It's really not that hard, people. (No joke intended.) It's ridiculous. RIDICULOUS. I love kissing and I am the biggest fan of kissing, but it's strange to me when books imply that kissing takes practice or that you need tons of partners to be good at kissing (or sex). It's not that complicated. It's simply not. I mean, everyone is going to have some bad kissing and bad sex, but it's not like (and romance books act like this) you NEED an experienced teacher otherwise you are doomed to a life of bad sex, or bad kissing or something. You figure things out together with your partner. Even two virgins can get together and have sex. *Everyone gasps in shock* Everything will be fine. People marry their first sexual partners sometimes! *more gasps of shock* The world doesn't end! The male doesn't accidentally stick his penis in her ear by mistake because, guess what, being a virgin doesn't mean you are a fucking moron!!! HELLO. I'm just sick and tired of erotica and romance treating virgins like they are either children, stupid, or aliens from another planet. I'm also very upset at their insistence that virgins NEED to be taught how to kiss or have sex by some experienced rake/femme fatale. I mean, IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED. PEOPLE WILL FIGURE IT OUT. IT ISN'T A CRISIS, FFS. TL; DR Penny Reid has crafted an exquisite book that will break your heart over and over again, but will also make it soar to the heavens. I really don't know how she can write like this, it should be impossible. This is one of the best romance novels (and romance series!) I have ever read, hands down. To get FULL ENJOYMENT out of this, I would start with Truth or Beard, then read Grin and Beard It, then this one. Not only will it not be a hardship - the two books that come before Cletus's are EXCELLENT, but you will really know Cletus better and it will hurt so good to get to his book and your enjoyment will be tripled. Psychologically, romantically, sexually - Reid nails this. Not to mention her wonderful amazing sense of humor - you will be laughing out loud while reading this. One of her best qualities is that she doesn't take herself too seriously and the book is genuinely funny. One of the best books ever written. Never, ever fails to cheer me up if I am having a bad day. Must have read this book thirty times. Can I just say it is particularly hilarious and just that Cletus falls for a virgin when we ALL KNOW (from previous books) how he feels about virgins. OMG Too funny. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 30, 2017
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Nov 2017
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Jul 16, 2015
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ebook
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| 4.11
| 31,551
| Mar 21, 2016
| May 31, 2016
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it was amazing
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From now on, it was Jethro Winston and Sienna Diaz against the world, defying our history, ignoring the labels others might assign. If I became lost,
From now on, it was Jethro Winston and Sienna Diaz against the world, defying our history, ignoring the labels others might assign. If I became lost, I knew I could count on him to find me, and vice versa. We had faith in each other, and that's all that mattered. Every time I go to re-read a Winston Brothers book I'm like, "Oh, Penny Reid probably isn't as good as I'm remembering. This series is probably overhyped by my mind due to beards." So I picked up this book to read it for the twentieth time and at first I was like this, ho-hum, but by 16% I was under Reid's spell once more. She's still got it. Some books you come back to later and you're like, "Nah, why did I ever like this shit?" But not here. Listen, I actually gasped - out loud! - twice when I was reading this. It was purely involuntary, I can assure you. It is difficult to get me so into a book I do things like gasp or laugh out loud, and I gasped out loud in shock TWICE while reading this - then looked around me in total astonishment at having done such a thing, checking to see if anyone was looking at me in amusement. Yeah, that's how much these books pull you into this world. And I was gasping out loud even though a.) I'm not a gasper and b.) I already had read this at least twenty times. Penny Reid... I mean, damn. She writes these Winston brothers who are kind, patient, gentle, and friendly. NOM. And they have beards!!!! Nom nom! I read a lot of romance - and some of it is even romance that I enjoy and that turns me on - but as for heroes I would actually date IRL this is it. These are the heroes right here. Most romance novels create heroes that are fun in theory, but would be shitty or scary IRL. These men are not like that, they are the ideal Boyfriend. Now, don't think I'm some salivating Reid fangirl - I do not enjoy Reid's Knitting in the City books, nor did I like Beauty and the Mustache. So... not someone who thinks Penny Reid writes golden every time. She's let me down. However, these Winston brothers books are fucking awesome, so let's discuss. ... When we first meet Sienna Diaz and Jethro Whitman Winston, we have certain impressions of them. Sienna gets lost driving to a cabin. She is a fat, funny, latina actress who has won awards. We see her that way. Fat, funny, latina actress who is award-winning and finds her fame and celebrity both overwhelming and tiring. Jethro Whitman Winston, park ranger, white man, appears in his vehicle to guide Sienna to the cabin. He has no idea who she is. He does not recognize this celebrity and just thinks she is a pretty and nice lady. We see Jethro the way Sienna does, as an attractive, bearded, straightforward, cheerful, helpful, patient, competent, kind man. NOM. Oh, sorry, got distracted. I was going to save the noms for later, but FUCK ME this man is hot. So gentle. So kind. NOM. ANYWAY. I keep repeating 'we see them this way' because Reid is going to amp these characters up. What you see is NOT what you get in Reid's books, which actually involve character development. I know, it's romance, you're shocked. There's a lot going on under the surface here, and Reid is going to plunge those hidden depths by the time the novel's over. Here are some highlights you can expect in this book: Reformed Bad Boy Can people change? Is what you have been in the past a permanent stain on your whole life? I think not. I believe people can grow and change - for better or for worse. I am someone who believes people can change. A lot of people do not think this, and are very unforgiving. Reid deals with these themes here, especially with Jethro's arc. We don't know it at the beginning, but throughout the book it comes out piece by piece - what a Bad Man Jethro was in the past. And I'm not saying that in a cutesy way. He really was bad news: drinking, brawling, drugs, treating women like prostitutes, involved with the local motorcycle gang, etc. As a result of his past actions - the hurt and pain he's caused his family, the townsfolk, and his past lovers - he has been not only on the straight and narrow for five years, but completely (view spoiler)[celibate. (hide spoiler)] It's extremely interesting. He has family members who are on his side and think he genuinely has changed, and he has family members who hate him for what he's done in the past. Now her smile wavered, her eyes narrowing into suspicious slits. "Jethro, don't you hurt that girl." I winced, her words hitting a target Ash likely didn't realize existed. Placing a gentle hand on Ashley's shoulder, I pulled her a smidge closer. "Ash, I love you. You've been gone a long time and have only been back a few months, so I don't mind repeating myself 'cause you haven't been here to see things change first-hand." I made sure she was looking at me, really looking, before continuing. "I don't do that anymore. I haven't for a long time. I have no intentions of hurting Sienna or anyone else. Not ever again." Ashley's gaze flashed, likely with some unpleasant memory of a younger asshole me, then dropped to the deck. She nodded stiffly. Her tone was laced with guilt as she apologized. "I'm sorry. You're right. You've changed. Sorry." The set of my sister's jaw was a painful reminder of how, no matter how far I'd come or how many good decisions I'd made in recent years, I couldn't take back past mistakes. BAM! So fucking good. And this is all woven into the story very subtly, and Jethro isn't the only one struggling with public image. One interesting thing about Sienna is that she sees herself one way: as a fat, funny latina actress - but we can see others around her see her as a maneater. And we get that. Slowly, it becomes clear to us that in certain ways she is a heartbreaker. She has to deal with this as well - this disunion between how she sees herself and how she believes the world sees her with actual reality. She's very pretty and charming and a lot of men have their hearts set on her - whether they are conflicted about that or not (some My point is, these characters are a lot of things... just like people in real life, the judgments and opinions we have about them when we first meet them are not accurate and not based on complete knowledge. But as you go through the book the picture becomes clearer and clearer. It's wonderful. Reid also tackles the labels assigned to children and how those aren't (or shouldn't be) permanent. The pretty one, the smart one, the failure. People are not what they were in childhood. Even as Sienna and Jethro are fighting these ideas people have of themselves, they are also labeling others incorrectly or judging others by who they were as children/teenagers. It's complex. (view spoiler)[Celibacy and Waiting for Marriage (hide spoiler)] It's quite a shock for Sienna to find out that (view spoiler)[Jethro is celibate, has been for five years, and plans on only having sex with his wife. (hide spoiler)] How is she supposed to deal with this revelation? Kudos to Reid for tackling this issue, and moreover, from presenting it from the male quarter - very rare in romance fiction. (view spoiler)[I don't think Sienna handled it well. She is not patient enough. This is played as understandable - not cute, but pretty close to cute - but I'm not buying it. If you are with a romantic partner who is hesitant about having sex (for whatever reason) it is YOUR responsibility as the more eager partner to be patient and kind. You should wait until the more hesitant partner is ready and sure. I don't feel like Sienna did that here, I feel like she pressured Jethro to have sex with her. (hide spoiler)] Hero with Female Friends The hero has female friends. He talks to them about what is going on in his life and has serious discussions with them. He has no hidden desire to fuck them, and they have no hidden desire to fuck him. This is almost unheard of in romance and it is so refreshing. Every other woman is not a threat to Sienna. Actual Conversations About the Relationship There are four or five Serious Talks that Sienna and Jethro have in this book. It's astounding. When they have a problem, they sit down and have an adult conversation with each other about it, instead of using the age-old romance tropes of "The Misunderstanding" and "Secretly Seething Inside For Nine Chapters." It's amazing the adult, kind, rational relationship Reid creates here. Frankly mind-blowing. Hand-holding It's the little things that make a relationship in a romance book real. Not everything is about sex. More authors should learn from Reid and throw little things like this in. Quotes Opening each chapter with an amazing literary quote like a fucking boss. True Life Partner Jethro takes his responsibilities as a man very seriously. It's spectacular. He's always thinking about what Sienna might want and need and trying to give that to her. He also feels compelled to be her partner and her bastion of strength against the world. Much like she is to him. I truly believe that your partner should be just that, your partner - your stronghold and your help against life and the world. My most beloved romance novels are the ones where I feel like - instead of just wanting to fuck each other very badly - the hero and heroine are going to stand by each other's sides and meet the pain and difficulty that life brings head-on. First I was worried, because Jethro had this idea that Sienna was his 'prize' or 'reward' for all the reformation he had done in the last five years, but Reid quickly sets him straight as he starts realizing that Sienna is flawed and human. This is actually a good thing, because having a woman who is not on a pedestal, but instead is an imperfect My job, as her man, was to take care of her, to see to her needs and well-being. Not cause embarrassment, not be a stain on her reputation. Not make her job harder. I'd already darkened the lives of my own family. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt her chances for success. Blue Balls Props to Reid for having Jethro handle blue balls like a man. Apologies to anyone who is offended by this term or concept. I kissed her again, pulling down the cup of her bra and sliding my palm over her perfectly shaped breast. Fuck. She felt so fucking good. Heaven in my hands. I wanted her. Right now. I wanted her little, panting, hitching breaths and her loud, abandoned moans. And now I knew she was a happy screamer, I wanted her screams, too. "Wait." She twisted her mouth from mine and caught my hand again. "Wait, stop." I stopped, but groaned my dissatisfaction. "What? What is it?" "I don't want you to go down on me." Her words were breathless but I heard conviction in her tone. "Why?" I said through gritted teeth, because I DID want it. As much as I'd needed her mouth on me before, I needed my mouth on her sweet body. Needed the taste of her. NEEDED it. "Because I didn't give you a blow job because I wanted reciprocation. I did it because I need you to-to-to accept my affection. I have feelings for you - deep, important, overwhelming feelings - and I have to be able to show you how I feel." "Fine. Done. You can show me while I taste you." I moved to kiss her again, shifting my thigh between her legs. "Jethro, stop. You're not listening to me." Her grip on my roaming hands tightened and I growled my frustration. My patience was at an end. I couldn't be this close without taking some part of her for myself, so I pulled my hands and body away. I rolled onto my back, shoving my palms into my eye sockets. My heart galloped. Blood pounded between my ears and rushed with needful intent to my dick. "Let me know when you're calm enough to talk," she said, her tone even. Completely fucking reasonable. She didn't apologize and I was glad. She had nothing to be sorry for. But, Christ almighty, I was shaking with how badly I needed to touch her. I was sweating with it. And it wasn't her fault. Time. I needed time. And space. I pushed myself upright and edged to the tailgate, jumping down. In my peripheral vision I saw she'd also sat up and was trying to figure out what I was up to. Likely, to her eyes, I was a black mass against the dark field and sky. "Jethro?" She sounded uncertain. I didn't like that. I cleared my throat and tried to mimic her earlier reasonable tone. "I need a drink. You want something? I have hot chocolate." She hesitated before asking, "Do you think it's still hot?" "Should be. It's in my camping thermos. "Then yes, please." I walked to the driver's side and opened the door while I considered taking off my shirt. I was still hot. I knew of a pond not far from here I could jump in. It wouldn't be precisely cold at seventy or so degrees, but it might do the trick. I fished out the thermos and tequila, shut the doors, walked back to the tailgate, and poured her cup first. She'd crawled on her hands and knees to where I stood and I had to look away. Seeing her in that position inspired all kinds of frustrating thoughts. I set the mug just in front of her, pulled the cork from the bottle of Patron, and took a short drink. I needed to clear my head, not get drunk. The burn helped, sobered and slowed my frenzied pulse. "You're drinking tequila?" I nodded, then remembered she couldn't see me. "Yes. I'm drinking tequila." She was quiet, like she was picking her words, then said, "You're upset." I tried the words on and they didn't quite fit. "I'm not upset. I'm frustrated." This launches into one of Reid's patented real-life relationship talks, and it's wonderful, but I am really happy with Jethro here. It's so hard for people, because we live in a culture where females believe they owe men sex. I remember when my much younger, virgin girlfriend came to me about her boyfriend. They were having some pretty intense makeout sessions and he was getting erections and she wasn't ready to have sex with him. "You owe him jackshit," I informed her. "If things get really bad, just tell him to go jerk off in the bathroom." FFS, the entitlement is real. And women feel so much GUILT over it, OMFG. "Just because a man gets an erection while making out with you, doesn't mean you owe him sex or that this is 'your fault' and you have to 'take care of it.'" I told her. "What was he doing before he met you? Jacking off? Well, he can do that now.'" And it irritates me to hell when people suggest not making out. So now my friend can't enjoy making out with him? Because he gets an erection? Fuck that shit. There should be tons of making out. Making out doesn't have to end with a penis in one of her orifices. That's disgusting and stupid. Well, that makes sense because she's a VIRGIN, Carmen. Yes, and what? Non-virgins don't deserve any courtesy or respect? They have no rights. Once they've had cock inside them, they'd better be ready to have that cock inside them whenever Boyfriend feels like it? Fuck that shit. Okay, mini-rant over. Funny The book is laugh-out-loud funny at times and Reid has a GREAT sense of humor. THE BAD Yes, don't think I have no complaints about this five-star book! LOL 1.) Why give Jethro a beard if you are not going to give me DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS of what he does with it in bed?! WHY. Reid provides us with the off comment about 'his beard tickled my cheek' and 'his beard scratched my neck' which is lovely... but I want extensive details about how he uses his beard as a sexual weapon against Sienna. Come on! There is a whole scene where he eats her out and Reid doesn't even mention beards or beard-sensations! WHY. How can you do this to me? I want detailed kissing, necking, cunnilingus, and makeout sessions with serious beard action descriptions. Do you know how good it feels when bearded men kiss you on the neck?!!?! Can we talk about this, please!??! In great detail?! Why is this book not more descriptive. WHY. Maybe the hero can just take his beard and rub it all over the heroine's body like a delightful little hedgehog? Soon? Also, I would be stroking and playing with Jethro's beard a lot. Why doesn't Reid employ more beard-stroking and beard-touching in this book? Sigh. We will just work on it and hope it arrives in later books. 2.) See my earlier spoiler-guarded section above on (view spoiler)[dealing with the fact that your romantic partner is not willing to move forward sexually as fast as you are. (hide spoiler)] I wish Sienna had been more understanding about this. HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN? Pretty damn good. TL;DR: I would recommend reading Truth or Beard and then this book and then Beard Science. Beard Science is Cletus's book and I don't know if I am physically or mentally prepared to write a review on it since I find Cletus to be the most sexually exciting Winston brother. This series is gold. Reid writes the hell out of it and you are going to be blown away by the levels of complexity, the humor, and the amazing character development. If you like sweet, patient, kind, gentle men and you like to laugh, this is a total win. One of the few, few romance books/series in which I can say, "I would date these men IRL." Five romance stars, highest praise, some of the best romance books I've ever read. Reid just kills it with these Winston men, I swear. It's almost unbelievable that anyone could write romance this well. Highly recommended. ROMANCE CATEGORIES: BBW Romance Contemporary Romance Multicultural/Interracial Romance Non-Virgin Heroine ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 26, 2017
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Oct 29, 2017
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Jul 16, 2015
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Paperback
| |||||||||||||||||
| 1942874111
| 9781942874119
| 3.89
| 53,254
| Jul 21, 2015
| Jul 21, 2015
|
it was amazing
|
Duane's mouth parted slightly and his eyebrows lifted high on his forehead. All hints of his earlier frown had vanished. Unless I was misreading his e
Duane's mouth parted slightly and his eyebrows lifted high on his forehead. All hints of his earlier frown had vanished. Unless I was misreading his expression, he appeared to be a little lost, like maybe I'd stolen his breath and his wallet and his passport and his memories. Really, he looked stunned. *deep breath* Sometimes you run across a book or an author who almost revolutionizes the romance genre. That is what we have here. This book is cute, funny, sexy, and smart - with a bit of danger to top it all off. But that is not what makes it revolutionary. What makes it revolutionary is Reid's destruction of romance tropes. It's absolutely amazing and mind-blowing and almost something you'd think is physically impossible. She systematically raises each romance trope that is stupid and then blasts it to pieces right in front of your eyes. You can't believe what you are reading. Your mind is being blown. You flip back and forth between two pages, saying "What... just happened... OMG..." unable to believe that she's just obliterated your every expectation. She is getting a place on my rarest, most prestigious shelf: five-romance-stars. She gave you this book for free? Don't be ridiculous. I don't accept free books on GR. Ever. I always pay full price. You know her. Never met her in my life, although she sounds fun! You are just a blind Penny Reid fangirl who would praise anything she wrote. That is patently false. Let me present you with evidence: Not only is this book flawed, and I will be criticizing it below frequently, but I want to go on record here and state that I did not like Neanderthal Seeks Human at all, it was a big disappointment for me, and I will be writing a negative review later. But even though she - and this book - are not perfect, she earned this five-star review from me. She fucking earned it. She worked very hard to get it and it is completely deserved. This isn't even the best book Penny Reid's written. But it's still deserving of five stars. So, now that we've got that out of the way, let's review. The book drew me in with the promise of a bearded hero, cuteness, and a sweet male lead who wasn't going to pull any alpha bullshit. And luckily, it delivered. Jessica James is in her early twenties and teaches calculus and other advanced math in her hometown high school in Tennessee. When she runs into a hot, redheaded bearded man at a school dance, he looks familiar. Beau Winston - one half of the Winston twins. Jessica can tell it's Beau instantly from his smiles, his kindness towards children, and the insane sexual excitement she feels when she sees him. Her best friend Claire idly tells her, "No, I think that's Duane." but Jessica ignores her. She hates Duane! You know where this is going. >.< "Beau" admires her sexy Gandolf costume. "Hey if you tug her beard, she gets to tug yours," Claire teased. His smile growing, the redhead stepped forward and into my space, his eyes at half-mast as they glittered down at me. "Go ahead, Jessica... Touch it." I would have squealed out loud if Reid actually went through with this, but of course they get interrupted and there is no beard stroking. :( I will rant about this later. But, match struck, the two sneak off and start making out in the back. Only to have Jessica feel betrayed when a third party reveals "Beau" to, of course, be Duane. This is just the tip of the iceberg on the story. It goes on about 86 twists and turns from there. Let's break it down: PROS: - This book is long. It's long, and the people you meet at the beginning of the book are not the same two people who end up together at the end. What do you mean, Carmen? She's bad at consistency? No, the exact opposite. Her characters develop. They learn and change and grow. It's absolutely astounding to watch. By the end of the book I couldn't even recognize the two characters who clashed at the beginning. They had come so far and done so much. It was just like real life. You are not the same person you were five years ago! Seeing this amazing, thorough, seemingly effortless character development is a treat. And pretty rare for a romance novel, IMO. - She has snuggling, kissing, petting, cuddling, hand-holding, etc. etc. instead of just sex. The hero and heroine actually do what couples do in real life. At one point she picked up my hand from where it rested on her thigh and studied my fingers, holding them close to her face and tracing my knuckles. "I like your hands." "My hands like you." She smiled again. Then sighed against my neck. "This feels good." "What's that?" - Which brings me to my next point: these people talk to each other. They go on dates. Now, in a lot of romance people go on dates, but on those dates they just think constantly about fucking each other. >.< Now, I don't know about you, but that's not usually how my dates go. I want to get to know a man. You can't fall in love with a person without getting to know them. Reid pulls out all the stops. They have long, on-page, actual conversations. About work. Joking with each other. About their dreams. About their families. About their feelings and fears. It's absolutely spectacular. What makes it so exquisite is that Reid doesn't take shortcuts. She doesn't say, "They had a long talk over dinner." Instead, she writes that long talk down. We get to know the characters really well. They get to know each other very well. This is how we can believe they are falling in love. In many romance novels, all I end up believing is that the couple wants to fuck each other. In this one, I actually could believe they loved each other and cared for each other. "I want to know you. And I want to be known." This is the epitome of romance, folks. So many romance authors don't understand this, but Reid does. And she illustrates it beautifully! - THE DESTRUCTION OF ROMANCE TROPES. I can't stress this enough. I can't tell you how refreshing this is. It's almost unbelievable. Let me give you a few examples. When the 'bad girl' tries to convince the heroine that the hero is cheating on her. "Duane and I aren't back together." I stiffened with surprise and dropped the roasting pan I'd been holding, splashing water on my apron. "What? What did you say?" "I said, Duane and I aren't back together. Despite what you may have heard, we aren't. He came to see me on Friday, at the Pink Pony, and I know how some people like to gossip. I'm sure you heard about it." I felt many things at that moment and all of them were of the ugly, jealous variety. I recognized something about myself just then: I wasn't enlightened or open-minded. Not even a little. I didn't want Duane going to the Pink Pony, watching and admiring naked women, and I didn't want him seeking out Tina. Just the thought of it made me angry. And feeling more and more like a woman scorned - in the Shakespearean sense. And lots of crazy-woman scorned thoughts bounced around my brain making me dizzy. The room tilted and I gripped the edge of the sink. Maybe Duane didn't want to leave Green Valley because he didn't want to leave Tina and all the dancers at the Pink Pony. Maybe I wasn't enough for him. Maybe he'd been expecting me to conform to some role, where he raced cars and got lap dances on the weekends while I stayed home, knitted him socks, and folded his laundry. But that wasn't right. That wasn't the Duane Winston I knew and fell in love with. That wasn't even the Duane Winston I grew up with. Reason raised its hand and suggested I doubt my cousin, or doubt her version of events at least. Reason had a calming effect, and that's when I realized she was still speaking. "...so just because he'd been texting me and calling me like crazy for the last three weeks didn't mean I was open to restarting anything between us. Like I said, I've moved on and so should he. I told him - " She stopped talking abruptly, frowning as she pulled her phone from her pocket. Helplessly, I watched as she smirked at the screen of her cell. "He just can't stop calling me," she tsked, then showed me the incoming number. It was Duane's number. And he was calling her. I watched her send it to voicemail. I felt her eyes on me, though mine were affixed to the phone. Duane WAS calling her, he'd left her messages. Now maybe I was being willfully blind, but I could not swallow the notion that Duane cheated with Tina, or with anyone for that matter. He loved me. He did. I knew it. And no one could convince me otherwise. And he wasn't a cheater. I KNEW him. Therefore, with cold conviction, I turned my tired gaze back to Tina. "You're lying." The whole thing is fucking amazing beginning to end. Any romance reader groaned as soon as Tina entered the kitchen. Everyone knew Jessica would believe her and turn against Duane in a classic, very old romance trope of misunderstanding. But then she just doesn't. The sound of thousands of readers heads' exploding must have been very satisfying to Reid. Jessica trusts her man?!?!?!? She can recognize an evil lady for being an evil lady? What lunacy is this? How can she defy romance stereotypes like this? "But what does she do for a plot?!?!?!?" I can hear thousands of people asking me. "If she refuses to use stupid romance tropes, how does she craft a plot?!?!?!!" I know, it's like she's an actual author who knows what she's doing and crafts actual books! WHAT?!?!!?!? Let's do another one, oh, this is too fun! Jessica has a secret. A secret she is hiding from Duane! What will he do when he finds out!? We all know, as romance readers, that as soon as Duane and Jessica are very happy together, someone will come along and tell him the secret and he will be hurt and betrayed. Then they will be apart and sad, until she crawls back and apologizes and he forgives her, and admits he fucked up in some way, too. BUT NO. Do you know what happens?!?! Jessica tells Duane her secret on a date. Just fucking tells him and lays it all out for him like an adult. Like a mature, responsible, caring adult woman. FUCK YES. FUCK YES. And does it cause problems? Of course, he's not happy. But look how Reid neatly sidestepped this whole chance for cliched drama and just made her MC a fucking awesome woman who does the right thing even though it is difficult!!! Amazing! And the scene is beautifully done, by the way. There's so many tropes she destroys in here. I can't possibly list them all. She lines them up and knocks them down. I fucking loved it. I loved every single minute of it. Genius. Reid doesn't give into lazy writing, and that is possibly the highest compliment I can pay an author. She also does no jealousy. Cletus picks up Jessica and carries her in his arms. Jethro kisses Jessica full on the mouth. Each Winston is loving and affectionate (sometimes physically) with Jessica and neither Duane nor Reid make a big deal out of it. It's cute, it's sweet, and it's much more realistic than these 'heroes' who kill men for even so much as looking at their woman. I feel great, because I feel like even if Duane died - heaven forbid - all these brothers would look after, care for, and love Jessica (not sexually). You know, like a sister. Completely on point. Here's another one: at one point her overprotective brother confronts them. Duane sits quietly and doesn't say a word while his woman handles it. This is another one that will make your head explode. He doesn't angrily confront Jackson. He doesn't speak for his woman. He lets his woman handle herself and trusts her to know family business better than he does. This is so respectful, feminist, amazing. It would NEVER happen in any other romance book. - He calls her 'Princess' which I find very cute. 'Princess' can go either way - I've seen it be disgusting - but here it is cute. - Songs are mentioned throughout the book so you have a little soundtrack which is fun. - Cletus. This is just me personally, I find him SO romantically and sexually attractive that I am hyperventilating for the need to read his book. You know how romance authors often establish a group of men that they are going to go through in the series? In this case it is the six Winston boys, and Cletus is the one that does it for me. The one I am salivating to read his love story for. Akin to looking forward to Zarek's novel in Kenyon's world. Just getting tiny glimpses of Cletus in here was turning me on and distracting me from the main story. I LOVE when romance authors can get me excited about future books like this. - Duane behaves pretty much EXACTLY like how I want men to behave in bed. - Reid is genuinely funny and you will be laughing out loud a lot. I was distracted. Not even Rick Steves' Europe could hold my attention. It was all Duane's fault. His words and lips, and hands, and eyes, and his penis' fault. ... He had such pretty eyes, blue and glittering, mesmerizing... it was a shame they belonged to Satan. - Duane is a mechanic and he fixes cars and he gives her a car he built himself. This is a huge, huge turn on for me. "No. You shouldn't." He wasn't smiling now. In fact, he looked frustrated. "That'd be a waste of money. This Mustang is a classic, yes. And, sure, it has over six hundred thousand miles on it. But I've rebuilt the engine and most of the other parts are new. It has new tires, brakes, suspension. It runs as good as a new car, I wouldn't let you drive anything unsafe. You're not going to have any problems with it, and it handles the mountain roads real well." *Carmen fans self* This is so hot. OMG, so hot...! He got her a car. He would never let her drive an unsafe car. Mmmmmm, having a man who takes care of your car and your car maintenance is one of my biggest fantasies. You just wake up and know your car is going to be in great working order and have a full tank. And you never have to worry about it, whether it is in good shape or not, whether it will break down, whether it will stall... Oh, this is so fucking hot. I'm getting excited. Reid sure knows the way to this woman's heart. <3 Rawr! - Biker gang, who runs women, drugs and guns, are seen as disgusting and evil. The way they view women as property, sex toys, and punching bags is seen as disgusting and evil. After all the romanticizing of criminal bikers in romance nowadays, this is a welcome relief. - Jessica is not a virgin. The conversation she and Beau have about whether she is a virgin, how many sexual partners each has had, and if Jessica has ever orgasmed is SO GOOD AND SO REAL. Not stereotypically romance trope-y, not stupid, not lame, and actually like an honest conversation two people dating would actually have. - Jessica masturbates. Extra points. - Jessica has female friends who are supportive and kind. They have great conversations. - Jessica actually acknowledges that she is pretty. No fake "I'm so ugly" despair here! - Reid describes black characters as having "Brown skin" not "chocolate" "mocha" or "coffee." Extra points. - Jessica STANDS UP TO DUANE and CALLS HIM ON HIS BULLSHIT. Like a boss. Just because they are dating and falling in love doesn't mean she cuts him a break when he is being stupid. And she's not afraid of making him mad or saying something that will make him break up with her. She's an adult woman and she acts like one. - The scene where Tina tries to seduce Duane is also fucking awesome. CONS: - Let's-date-for-a-year-and-this-way-we-won't-become-attached-because-we-have-an-expiration-date-on-our-love trope. Stupidest plan ever. - Everyone in the book (EVERYONE) acts like Jessica's desire to travel and see the world is akin to her joining a cult that worships Satan. I just did not understand this at all. It's not just her family who wants her to be born, live, work, and die in the same tiny town, but EVERYONE, including Duane. I found this baffling. Surely someone else in town went on a trip to another country? Or wanted to see Paris? Or something? - The men have a problem and they don't go to Cletus. For absolutely no reason that I can see except to draw out this subplot. They go to Tina, instead. Tina, the stripper. Of all people! o.O Cletus could've have everything cleared up in two seconds, AND THEY KNOW THAT, and I'm not just saying that because Cletus is highly sexually and romantically exciting to me. It was dumb. - How's the sex, Carmen? Nothing fantastic had ever happened to my nipples before. I was pretty sure I'd die a happy woman after [] Winston did something fantastic to my nipples. What sex there is is excellent. Duane is pretty much my ideal man in bed. Jessica is pretty funny and good, too. "I'm actually kind of serious. I think if you breathed on me I'd orgasm." My confession made his eyes widen as he laughed again; then he squinted at me. "I'm kinda breathing on you now." "No, you mistake my meaning. If you were to breathe on me DOWN THERE," I glanced down at myself meaningfully and then back to him, "I would totally come apart." I like women who are brave enough to ask for oral sex. But I have to say there is not enough described sex in here. Often Reid will tell us that the characters engaged in some fun sexual activity that I REALLY want to hear about, but not show anything on-page. Also, even though she has blessed Duane with a luxurious red beard - which makes me extremely sexually excited - she DOESN'T DESCRIBE ANY BEARD ACTIVITIES. Listen, if you are going to write a bearded hero, I want beard-stroking, beard-petting, described kissing, described necking, described everything of how beards feel on every sensitive part and he should be rubbing that beard all over her body IMO. DESCRIBED BEARDED-BOYFRIEND FEELINGS. You can't just casually mention the beard occasionally. I want DETAILED sex and kissing screens with focus on how beards make it better. Thank you. This has been a PSA from Carmen. Because otherwise, what is the point!?!?! What is the POINT of giving your hero a beard if he is not going to use it as a sexual weapon?!!?!? WHY. Tl;dr - One of the best romance books I have ever read. Not THE best, that will come from Reid later!, but seriously awesome, I would recommend it to ANYONE. ANYONE on Earth could read and enjoy this book. It's sweet, smart, funny, well-written, and not TOO dirty for the people who don't like described sex (not dirty enough! for the rest of us, LOL). "Jessica," he whispered, his gaze sweeping over my face like he was attempting to memorize this dirty look I was giving him. "My priority is making sure all your dreams come true. You can trust me on that." [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 04, 2017
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Feb 07, 2017
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Jul 16, 2015
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ebook
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| 0345533240
| 9780345533241
| 0345533240
| 4.03
| 17,298
| unknown
| Mar 19, 2013
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it was amazing
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"'Tis time for me to rise. I wish it were not so. 'Tis the truth I'd rather never leave this chamber, and I'd sell my soul to do nothing more than kis
"'Tis time for me to rise. I wish it were not so. 'Tis the truth I'd rather never leave this chamber, and I'd sell my soul to do nothing more than kiss you for the rest of my days." KISSING! LOL But, no, seriously, another stellar 5-romance-star book from Maya Banks. I am so grateful to Navessa for informing me of this author's existence - I had no idea. Thank you, Navessa. This is a Highland, Scottish historical romance - you know the type. Kilts, plaids, aye, nay, clans and bairns and lairds etc. What is so wonderful about Banks' books though (I have read this one and Never Seduce a Scot) is that her heroes are so patient, kind, compassionate, merciful and respectful. There's no sexual aggression or dub-con or.... alpha-asshole-ness to them. They are still, you know, "tough warriors and brutal fighters blah blah blah" but they treat their women right. I don't have to worry that they are going to do the normal historical-hero rape-y stuff that usually happens. Instead, everything is sweet, sexy, romantic perfection. :) Another extra added bonus in this book was a kind of hinting at female leadership roles (as a side thought, actually, Never Seduce a Scot included a tiny bit of this, too). Totally unrealistic for the time period, but HELLO, need I remind you - this is a romance novel and nothing is realistic, okay? LOL Anyway, I have NOTHING bad to say about this book, I ate up every word. Delicious. So many intense feelings. My heart felt like it was in a vise the whole time. I was so worried and anxious about the characters, even though I know this is a romance and everything would turn out happily. Banks uses the abused-woman-escapes-from-her-abuser-and-finds-love-in-the-arms-of-a-good-man trope, which as we all know is one of my favorite tropes in romance novels. So. If you like kissing, patient sweet kind respectful men, riding horses across Scottish moors, damaged-woman-healed-by-love kind of books - this is your jam. :) I thought it was AMAZING. Even the sex was pretty good! 5 ROMANCE STARS, 3 REAL STARS ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 31, 2015
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May 31, 2015
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May 07, 2015
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0345533232
| 9780345533234
| 0345533232
| 4.14
| 35,252
| Sep 25, 2012
| Sep 25, 2012
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it was amazing
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He liked kissing. Many a man didn't have much patience for it. His men jested about kissing being a waste of time and was only for wooing the unwillin
He liked kissing. Many a man didn't have much patience for it. His men jested about kissing being a waste of time and was only for wooing the unwilling lasses. But if a lass was willing, they'd much rather move to the more rudimentary elements of coupling. But to Graeme, kissing was almost as intimate as the act of lovemaking itself. It wasn't something to be hurried or to be offered as a token to woo a reluctant lass. It was an expression of regard. Welp, there you have it. *Carmen slams the book shut.* Now you know why this is getting 5 romance stars from me. Okay, bye. ... Oh, you're still here? You want more details about the book? A hero who loves kissing isn't enough for you? Okay. This is an AMAZING romance book that is going to make your heart explode inside your chest. For tons of reasons: cuteness, sweetness, betrayal, shock, outrage, and romance. Yay! The Armstrongs and the Montgomerys hate each other. Their clans have been feuding for generations. So the king orders a marriage to unite the two clans. Eveline Armstrong is touched. Daft. Not right in the head. Her clan is outraged at the thought of her being forced into a marriage with the hated laird Graeme Montgomery. Anyone can see that she is unfit to carry out her wifely duties. Why, she hasn't spoken a single word in three years, not since "the accident." Graeme is not pleased with the arrangement, either. Getting married to a woman who is afflicted means that he will be unable to consummate the marriage and unable to have any heirs. And when he finds himself very attracted to the tiny blonde lass, he is ashamed. Only a slime would think lustful thoughts about a dimwit. And Eveline is most certainly addled... Isn't she? Having faked mental problems for three years, Eveline is tired of pretending that she's touched. In fact, nothing is wrong with her brain at all. She's simply deaf. But in a desperate move to avoid marriage to a wife-beating rapist piece of shit, she used her deafness as a tool to fake intellectual disability. Now, forced by marriage into a clan who hates her family, can she confess the truth and find an ally in her kind and patient husband? ... This book is so cute and delicious and it also will make your heart explode with feelings. o.O GRAEME: Sweet, kind, patient, loves kissing (!!!!!). He is so honorable. Sometimes historical heroes can be forceful, possessive, and a bit brutal, so I'm happy to report that Graeme is a complete mensch. Your heart will be melting from the cuteness. He acts so correct, it is so attractive, OMG. Patient men who love kissing are the best in life. O.O I was excited. He's so good with consent. He has a really deep voice and Eveline loves it because she can feel the vibrations from his voice. I'm with you, girl. I could listen to Vin Diesel or Michael Clarke Duncan or Michael Dorn or James Earl Jones or Ving Rhames read me the phone book and it would be exciting. ;) For serious. What else? Oh yeah. As something VERY RARE in a historical romance, Graeme is NOT a mujeriego. NOT a man who has slept with 500 women. He's actually just slept with about 4 or 5. Wow. That is so amazing for this genre you have no idea. (view spoiler)[And when he goes down on Eveline, it's his first time doing that! OMG so sweet. (hide spoiler)] EVELINE: Sweet, kind, good-hearted, earnest, hard-working, sincere, smart, and brave. My heart was being torn out every time someone was mean to her because she was deaf or because they thought she was daft. She was always trying to do the right thing and she was so brave. Aw! There's bad guys and betrayal and some bad stuff happens (but no rape, thank you, Banks). This book will really put you through the wringer. I loved every minute of this book. I highly recommend this if you like historical romance, and/or specifically Highlander romance. 3 REAL STARS, 5 ROMANCE STARS - Highest romance recommendation!!! P.S. Why is this available in Portuguese and NOT Spanish!?!!?!?!? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 16, 2015
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May 16, 2015
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Apr 21, 2015
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1402274505
| 9781402274503
| 1402274505
| 3.96
| 480
| Apr 07, 2015
| Apr 07, 2015
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it was amazing
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Cassandra shook her head at the unreasonable craving. Never before had she wished to touch another person so intimately. Her experience in the marriag
Cassandra shook her head at the unreasonable craving. Never before had she wished to touch another person so intimately. Her experience in the marriage bed had been a chore she'd endured with dread. But with Rafe... She knew it would be different with him than with her late husband. Just how different, she had no notion...but she was now resolved to find out. After all, she could be dead in mere weeks. Do you like grumpy-grumpy men who scowl a lot and are grumpy? And they have good reason to be grumpy, because half their face is hideously scarred and they are unable to use their burned left arm? ("Your left arm is dead and hangs lifeless at your side. Lean on the crutch! Left foot turned in. Tilt your head and glare with your good eye!" <---- 10 points for anyone who knows what that quote is from without looking it up. Hint: It's one of my all-time favorite films.) ANYWAY. Rafael Villar is grumpy. He has spent the last two books (Bite Me, Your Grace and One Bite Per Night) scowling and making disparaging remarks about life. But he has always been a good man inside, just a curmudgeon. Bitter, alone, and convinced no woman could love a 'damaged, ugly' man like himself, Rafael is resigned to his solitary existence. But as Lord Vampire of London, he has duties. And when he hears that a vampire hunter is disturbing his people, it's his responsibility to deal with the problem. Imagine his surprise when he comes upon the Countess Cassandra Burton digging up graves. But she is no vampire hunter! She wants to be a physician, but of course, as a woman in 1823, she is barred from every medical school in the land. Therefore she has turned to graverobbing! Rafael bites Cassandra, intending to erase her memory of his kind, only to find out that she is one of the rare mortals who can resist vampire mind control. Now he only has two choices: kill her or Change her into a vampire! ... This is what I suggest you do. Okay. ONE: Get a large bowl of some kind of fattening, delicious, easily-munchable snack. Examples: potato chips, popcorn, M&Ms... whatever makes you happy. TWO: Pick whichever one of these Brooklyn Ann books catches your fancy and sounds most appealing to you (you can read my reviews if you need help). THREE: Mindlessly eat some glorious foods while reading this fun, silly, sweet book full of kissing and very cheesy dialogue. Yes. That is my prescription. *nod nod* ... Rafael is tall, dark, scarred, and handsome with a worthless left arm. He is a Spaniard and a boxer and grumpy. He likes cigars. Shunned by the mortals in high society for his frightening appearance, he lives a lonely life and he likes it, damn it! Who needs friends and love!?!? Not him. The widow Cassandra is a fiesty, independent woman who is very smart and determined to be a physician! Nothing will stand in her way! Her fiery red hair and disdain for what is 'proper' set her apart from other women in the ton. She is a widow, but her husband was a total dud who was horrible in bed and also cheated on her. But she bears him no ill will. She was actually happy to have his attentions turned somewhere else. LOL HIGHLIGHTS: 1.) It's very cheesy. This is a plus - at least for me. She raised the shovel, ready to plunge it into the soft soil. "I am not afraid. I am NOT." "You should be." A sinister, accented voice pierced her consciousness. The shovel fell from her nerveless fingers, thudding onto the cold ground. Cassandra knew that voice; it had the rich, dark cadence that had haunted her dreams since the night she first met HIM. O.O *reaches for peanut M&Ms* This gonna be goooooooood... 2.) KISSING. OMG, so much kissing. You can never have enough kissing. Actually, what Rafael really wants in his grumpy heart is kissing. No, not sex! This isn't a euphemism for anything. I mean kissing! Rafael's voice was low and provocative as he answered slowly. "I will let you study me... in exchange for one thing." Her breath caught. "And that would be?" His burning gaze swept her with tangible intensity. "I want a kiss. One for each study." Cassandra can't believe her ears - or her good fortune! She loves kissing. Yay! Then tons and tons of kissing happens. The couple doesn't even have sex until 58%! Yay! Slow burn, tons of kissing. *Carmen is happy* If you want MORE DETAILS about the extensive kissing, please see my status updates below the review. The kissing could have been more detailed but I'll take what I can get. ;) 3.) Vampire mythos - 1800s London! Vampire lords! (Females can be lords too! And are addressed as 'my lord' and are just as powerful as the males.) Very fun. I liked Ann's worldbuilding and lore. 4.) New vocabulary. "Don't be a ninnyhammer." Actually, not only with slang: I liked the great vocabulary Ann uses in this series. I learned some new words - which is uncommon for me reading romance novels. 5.) Warm-hypothermia-victims-with-your-body-heat-it's-sexy trope. One of my all-time favorite tropes. Always enjoyable no matter how many times it is trotted out. 6.) Cassandra has Rafael smoke medicinal marijuana! Hilarious, and completely unexpected. o.O I love when romance authors have fun like this. ... LOWLIGHTS: 1.) Traitorous-body trope. This is used four times (FOUR!) in the novel and I was like, "OMG, make it stop." o.O This is one of my least favorite tropes and it needs to die. Her traitorous body quivered at his proximity. and Despite her doomed situation, her traitorous body reveled in the feel of his arms around her... And Her traitorous body warmed at the thought. Even men are getting in on the act, sick of being ignored by this tired trope! Rafe took bitter enjoyment in the battle, relishing every cut he made on Clayton's traitorous body. JUST MAKE IT STOP!!! 2.) Erotic bloodsucking. Bloodsucking is disgusting, end of story. 3.) "Though perhaps you should take care not to exacerbate matters. Or else I may be tempted to wed you just for the legal right to take you over my knee." Dear Rafael: Stop being disgusting. 'Kay, thanks, bye. Thankfully, Ann did not pursue this plot point and spanking is never mentioned again. Because this "you are like a child in my eyes, but yet I want to fuck you" thing is very icky territory for me. You can do sexual spanking without this gross subtext and if you ARE going to put sexual spanking in your book I'd prefer it if you didn't make it all "daddy/child" like this because it's a turn-off for me. (Maybe it's a turn-on for you, and that's okay! ;) but don't expect ME to be on board.) NEUTRAL: 1.) Minor rape plot point. Does NOT involve any main characters, but a minor side character. All rape (and gang-rape is included) happens But the rape's not done in a way I despise (i.e. graphic, described, on-page, inside-the-rapist's-head trope, is the main focus of the book... etc., etc.,) So it's landing in "neutral territory" for me. ... So... How's the sex? Well. There are four sex scenes and the second one was very good, I think. The others were just okay - and the first one had RIDICULOUSLY little foreplay and I was upset. :( Hmmmmmm, don't read these books for the sex, is what I'm saying. Read them for the fluffy, fun, cheesy goodness. It's not BAD sex, but it's not going to have you like this: O.O But I really did like Sex Scene #2 so there is hope. (P.S. This is totally subjective, you could think the sex is the "hottest thing ever OMG)." ... Tl;dr - Do you want to read about people who love kissing!?? And a grumpy, scarred man who thinks he's unlovable finding his true love?!?!? And a woman determined to be a physician and heal the sick despite the sexist time period she was born in?!?!? And melted cheesy goodness smeared all over that on top?!?!!? Well, then. This is an excellent series for you. A total guilty pleasure (but I feel zero guilt, 'cause I'm not into hating myself like that). Highly recommended. I was neglecting all my work and errands and duties in order to read JUST ONE MORE PAGE and that's about the highest compliment I can give a romance book. ;) 5 ROMANCE STARS ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 07, 2015
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May 08, 2015
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Nov 29, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 1402274440
| 9781402274442
| 1402274440
| 3.51
| 1,778
| Apr 02, 2013
| Apr 02, 2013
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it was amazing
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She couldn't hold back a smile as she remembered him laughing with her on his sofa when she told him about her ghost stories. Resolutely she pushed ba
She couldn't hold back a smile as she remembered him laughing with her on his sofa when she told him about her ghost stories. Resolutely she pushed back the memories. It would not at all do to have warm feelings for this man. Vampire or no, he was still a man and as such he represented the end to her freedom. This book was great!!! Cute, sweet, fluffy, cheesy, and so romantic. I really enjoyed it. Angelica does not want to get married to some bore who will spend her inheritance, stifle her spirit, and want her to have children. She wants to be a gothic authoress like Mary Shelley! She writes exciting stories about ghosts, vampires and witches. But her parents are upset with her unladylike ways and determined to marry her off to the highest-ranking man they can. Ian Ashton, Duke of Burnrath, is a 276-year-old vampire. He is the Lord Vampire of London. He adores passing as a mortal and living in high society, but he has never taken a wife. All that changes when he finds himself intrigued by the headstrong, feminist, fearless Angelica. They dance together and banter with each other. Then, late one night, Ian hears an intruder in his house. A young street urchin. Ian quickly makes him his next meal - only to find when sinking his fangs into dinner that the street urchin is really Angelica in disguise! His secret exposed, he knows there's only one solution: marry Angelica and save both of their reputations... ... I loved this book. Silly? Yes. Cheesy? OMG, so cheesy. But sweet and romantic, with a good heart and a sense of humor, I enjoyed it immensely. THE HIGHLIGHTS: 1.) Book worship. Ann, like many authors, inserts herself into this novel by making Angelica a budding gothic author. Angelica is a writer and she loves books. Literature was a precious gift. One shouldn't have to hide it from others. The written word should be revered and shared by all, no matter their sex or station in life. Her gaze strayed back to the fireplace, rage curling in her belly at the destruction of a precious book. Angelica has a "Beauty and the Beast" moment when she gets a gander at Ian's library: Her breath caught suddenly, and a thrill rushed through her body at the vast array of books in the mammoth chamber. The meager light from the windows gleamed on the high shelves and wheeled ladder. Gas lamps stood in every corner of the room, and two overstuffed wingback chairs sat companionably before an elaborate carved marble fireplace. With such light, one could read all night long if she desired. Angelica let out a breath in a reverent sigh. Burnrath's library was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen. Like the main room, the library seemed immaculately clean. There was not a cobweb in sight, and the chamber smelled of fresh polish. The duke must spend all of his time here, she mused, having greater respect for the man, given his obvious love of the written word. She tiptoed to the shelves to see what captured his fancy. 2.) Cuteness. Angelica makes an adorable plan to repel Ian and all other suitors by acting unladylike. This completely backfires. It's really sweet and touching how Angelica shows what she thinks of as unattractive, shameful, or ugly sides of herself to Ian and he completely adores and supports her. It's so wonderful and rare to find a man who really likes and appreciates who you are and not some made-up version of you. He encourages her to write Her heart nearly burst with joy. "You want me to write the story again, truly?" He even likes her singing, which she has been told all her life is awful. Ian had to agree with her mother that Angelica's voice was not at all the light trilling or ethereal whisper that one came to expect from accomplished singers of the petticoat line. But Angelica's singing was not unpleasant. Instead her voice was rich, full bodied, and robust, like the finest burgandy. That's really cute. If a someone can tolerate (or even be fond of) your awful singing, you've got a winner. 3.) KISSING!!!! The vampire leaned forward. "Death is not your only danger in being alone with me, little Angel." He was so close that she could feel his breath on her lips, and her body, unbidden, began to tremble. He was going to kiss her! She closed her eyes and... Angelica quickly discovers she enjoys kissing. Then maybe she could ask him about vampires... and maybe he would kiss her! She frowned. PRACTICAL, she must be practical. And yet her belly fluttered as she imagined his lips on hers... Yay! Kissing! So much kissing. :) 4.) A heroine who doesn't want to be a mother. OMG I am really, really shocked. I cannot even name a romance novel where the heroine DOESN'T want kids. They ALWAYS want kids. Angelica's views are really refreshing and stunning, considering the genre: "Unlike most females, I never really gave motherhood much thought except for being outraged on behalf of those women who are subject to a husband's wrath if they fail to provide a male heir, especially since so many die in the effort. I would much rather avoid the whole ordeal." 5.) Ian is a mensch who treats Angelica right. Angelica felt safe with Ian. Safe... and valued. Every aspect of his behavior in their brief courtship implied he cared about her thoughts and feelings, and he never criticized her for being different from other females. The realization brought another thought. "Perhaps he isn't marrying me only to protect his reputation. Perhaps he is doing it because he's lonely." And when Angelica shyly asks Ian if she can have a cat as a pet, he remembers his promise. "He remembers that I want a cat." Angelica's heart bloomed with love. Her breath caught in amazement as she realized that somewhere in their encounters over the past few months she had fallen in love with him. Unlike all her previous suitors, Ian looked at her as a human being with thoughts and feelings of her own. He did not talk to her in that condescending manner in which most men did. Instead, he answered any question she had with a patient respect that urged Angelica to treat him likewise. And... his fathomless charm, breath-stealing good looks, and melting kisses didn't go amiss, either. And when he gets married to her, he gifts her A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft to show her that he won't cage her in a traditional marriage. 6.) Mercy. Angelica is so compassionate and merciful during the book to people who she could easily crush and had a right to be angry or vengeful at. I love compassionate and merciful people. Ian also shows mercy towards people who have betrayed him. Merciful men are so attractive. O.O 7.) No mercy. But, Angelica knows when to be ruthless and she is a fierce fighter, capable of defending herself (against mortals, not vampires - who obviously have super-strength.) (view spoiler)[She even kills a vampire hunter and saves Ian's life! How badass! So cool. (hide spoiler)] 8.) Creating excitement for future books. It's always great when an author can pull this off. "When the cloth was removed from her eyes, the first thing she saw was the scowling Spaniard. A startled squeak escaped her and the vampire actually flinched. A glimmer of pain flashed in his amber eyes before his ruthless sneer returned. "I apologize if my ugliness offends your tender sensibilities, Your Grace," he growled bitterly. I was like, "OMG I need Rafe's book RIGHT NOW. He is obviously in desperate need of snuggles. o.O" Sherrilyn Kenyon is also good at making me excited for future books. 9.) Cute Gone with the Wind reference. Once her body and hair were addressed and she had cleaned her teeth twice, Angelica stood before the mirror dressed impeccably in a royal purple gown trimmed with black lace. "I am the Duchess of Burnrath, and I swear before God that I shall never be pitiful again!" LOL Silly and cute. 10.) Cheesiness. Tons of romantic cheesiness that was making my heart melt and making me sigh in happiness and contentment. A thrill of hope electrified her being. "Oh Ian, my love," she whispered. "Please live, please." Or "Oh God, I hurt her so unbearably," he whispered. "I HURT her and yet she still loves me! And she risked her life to save mine. What have I done?" There's plenty more where THAT came from! So much cheesy goodness. :) 11.) A chance for equality. Even though the society Angelica lives in treats women as little more than property, stopping her from living out her dreams of being an author and having rights - vampire society treats men and women as equals, with many powerful female vampires and a council of Elders made up of both men and women. By marrying Ian and being exposed to this society, Angelica gets to see equality play out in a society for the first time. ... LOWLIGHTS: 1.) Creepy sleep-watching. Both male and female characters in this book sneak into the bedrooms of their loved ones and watch them sleep. Creepy! I don't understand why this is so popular in books nowadays. o.O 2.) Checking for injuries. Ian does 'check Angelica for injuries' after she's fainted once. Read: feels up her unconscious body. Sick. 3.) Ian didn't know whether to kiss her or take her over his knee for such impudence. She's not a child, you sicko. ... NEUTRAL: 1.) "There will be incredible pain the first time, darling," Margaret had said. "And you might bleed. But you must submit to him without complaint until you are pregnant with his heir. After that, he should leave you alone for the most part and fulfill his baser desires on a mistress." Wow. I am so glad I live in the here and now because I can't even tell you how disgusting it is to send a sheltered young woman with zero knowledge of sex into a marriage to a much older man with this kind of advice. o.O So horrifying. Anyone who wants to time travel to the past must be insane. Luckily, Ian is a mensch. He's sweet and loving in bed. No dub-con here! ... Tl;dr - Cute, charming, silly, cheesy, brainless fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much fun. Could the sex have been better? Yes. Could I have done without the bloodsucking? Yes. But overall it was entertaining and sweet. Just what I wanted. :) 3 REAL STARS, 5 ROMANCE STARS ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 03, 2015
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May 03, 2015
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Nov 29, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0373698046
| 9780373698042
| 0373698046
| 3.90
| 122
| Nov 18, 2014
| Nov 18, 2014
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it was amazing
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Sadie Brooks is in witness protection after testifying against a scary criminal. Now she runs a bakery and owns a big red dog and is always looking ov
Sadie Brooks is in witness protection after testifying against a scary criminal. Now she runs a bakery and owns a big red dog and is always looking over her shoulder. One early morning she comes to the bakery only to find that the bad guys have located her. Luckily a rescuer steps out of the shadows - a mild-mannered man she believed to be a radiologist, but who in reality is a government agent who is keeping watch over her. They go on the run together. ... I really enjoyed this novel. There is actual sexual tension in it, which is surprising rare in the Harlequin Intrigue line. Usually I'm struggling to believe that the protagonists are actually even attracted to each other, much less in love. I find it very difficult to believe that a U.S. Marshal would be allowing a protected witness to be tagging along with him on investigative stuff, but oh well. The nature of romance, I suppose. That issue aside, nothing else about the police work bugged me - which is a miracle considering how shoddy the police work usually is in these Harlequin Intrigue novels. Nick seems like a good guy, and I approved of how he handled himself sexually. Props to Han on that one. Nick is aware of what makes Sadie uncomfortable and he is very smart figuring it out and making compensations for it. Also, even though it SEEMED like they were going to have sex for the first time in Nick's pickup truck, he makes the executive decision not to do that, which gets my approval. In short, a fun, satisfying read. THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS Harlequin Intrigue December 2014 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 27, 2014
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Nov 27, 2014
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Nov 27, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0373798199
| 9780373798193
| 0373798199
| 3.79
| 125
| Sep 16, 2014
| Sep 16, 2014
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it was amazing
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She looked sweet and sexy, both of which were misleading. He had no idea what game Piper was playing with him, but she'd never shown the slightest awa
She looked sweet and sexy, both of which were misleading. He had no idea what game Piper was playing with him, but she'd never shown the slightest awareness of him as a man. Or sweetness. Stubborn, fierce, competitive - Piper was all of those. Sweet, however, was not part of her vocabulary. He didn't even like sweet. Finally. A romance where I like both of the characters, the characters are well-developed and fleshed-out, and the story is cute and sweet. Thank heaven. I was getting tired of awarding so many romance novels one star. Piper and Cal have quite a history together - they first met each other on Discovery Island when she was 6 and he was 10. Both are tenacious, hard-working, and competitive. Needless to say they have an interesting relationship. They grow up playing pranks on each other, doing dares together, and getting into trouble together. They think they don't like each other, but clearly they do. They are friends, even if they don't admit it or see it that way. Cal is always worried about Piper's safety - she is a reckless daredevil - and Piper is always teasing the serious, in-control Cal and trying to get him to loosen up. After their teenage years, they went their separate ways - Cal became a Navy SEAL and Piper went to college and became a professional diver. But they still saw each other on the Island every summer. One notable summer, five years ago, Piper unwittingly got on the back of a Jet Ski being driven by a drunken friend. He crashed the Jet Ski into Cal's boat and even though Cal rescued her, Piper's knee was screwed up badly. That was the end of her diving career. Now both Cal and Piper running diving shops/clinics on Discovery Island. That means that they are in competition with each other - especially for the lucrative Fiesta contract. They both need the money. Piper, daredevil that she is, makes a bet with Cal. She says, "Loser takes orders from the winner for one night - in bed." Well, Cal is intrigued. Although up until now, neither one has looked at the other in a sexual light, it's undeniable that they have a certain chemistry together. So they agree to this bet. ... GOOD CHARACTERS This book was very satisfying. Both the MCs were fully-formed and real. Marsh does a great job of "showing, not telling." And both MCs are good people who I liked. This is rare. Usually either the hero or the heroine is getting on my nerves and pissing me off. Not the case here. Both are sweet, hardworking, caring people who have each other's backs and really love each other - first as friends, then later as something more. ... PIPER Piper is such a cheerful, freewheeling, daredevil prankster. Even though she suffered a huge blow when her diving career was ended by a drunk driver, she barrels ahead and never slows down. She is cute, tenacious, funny, playful, and brave. ... CAL Cal also has some issues. After a particularly brutal SEAL mission where he lost a "brother," he has had PTSD re: diving. He is having trouble submerging. This is very humiliating and traumatizing for him. He's brave, serious, hardworking, competitive, and protective of Piper. But not protective like "get-away-from-her-she's-mine" (I hate that), but protective like "let's-make-sure-none-of-her-crazy-stunts-get-her-killed." ... ALPHA Okay, I read this book twice and upon opening it up the second time I was surprised to see Marsh make an offhand comment about "alpha males" at the beginning. Um. I am seriously glad that I didn't read that opening part the first time, because any mention of "alpha males" makes me immediately say, "Do not want." To me, the word "alpha" is code for "domineering asshole who I will want to strangle." So, to reiterate - Cal is NOT some kind of asshole, I'm-in-charge, obey-me,-woman, you-are-mine scumbag. If he was, this would be getting one star from me. I hate men like this. As soon as a hero starts being an intimidating, controlling jerk I DNF. I have no tolerance for that shit. Does Cal like to be in charge? Yes. But guess what? So does Piper. Both are bossy, both are competitive. Both are smart and capable. In no way does Cal "dominate" or "control" Piper. They are on even ground. Actually, they are one of the most balanced couples I've ever seen. Cal doesn't pull a single asshole move in this book. He's a gem. Okay, rant over. ... SEXUAL CONTENT - They use condoms. Yay! - Kissing! There is so much kissing in this novel. Anyone who knows me knows I love kissing. And Marsh is writing great kissing. Long, detailed kissing scenes that were making me sigh in happiness. No, I am not using "kissing" as a euphemism for something else. I mean kissing! Making out! Kissing! The more kissing that is in a book, the happier I am. The more detailed the kissing is, the happier I am. Marsh really delivers. She is making me very happy! Also, Cal really enjoys kissing. I don't know why, but a lot of times in books men are not interested in kissing. :( They just want sex. I mean, sex is great, but where is the kissing?!?!?! Can there be kissing? Why is there not more kissing? But in this book, Cal really likes kissing. He always plans on kissing Piper more. And he loves kissing her. He fantasizes about kissing her - even after they've had sex! Piper is also obsessed with kissing! She always is always wanting to kiss. :) Yay! She is just like me. This whole kissing vein of the book was making me very ecstatic. - Um, I'm sorry to say, but if you were expecting them to be taking turns on who is in charge in the bedroom, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Despite what Piper says when they make the bet, they just have relatively normal sex despite whose night it's "supposed" to be. I could see why you'd really like to see what each one of them would do while "in charge" (they're such an adorable couple), but don't hold your breath. They're both too independent and too big of control freaks to really let the other person take the reins in the bedroom. This really didn't bother me... but I could see how it would frustrate some readers. After all, the bet is exciting and probably something that made a lot of people pick up this book. But it doesn't deliver on this premise. Fair warning. - The sex is good, but not amazing. The kissing is amazing. ... LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION It is so fun (especially in winter) to be plunged into this sunny island, snorkeling, crystal waters, swimsuits, boating, underwater reefs, etc. place. Very fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. ... SWEAR JAR Okay. I am against swear jars, or any kind of "aversion therapy" (beyond normal social norms - swear at the office, get reprimanded/fired. Swear at your SO, get a talking-to/dumped. Etc.) of people for cursing. Yeah. And despite what you see on the Internet, in real life I do not swear. In real life, I do not swear. Even though I am someone who does not swear in real life, I feel like the idea of making someone (or making yourself) put money in a jar every time a person swears is disgusting. It just rubs me the wrong way. DO NOT LIKE. In this book, Piper is trying to quit swearing and she not only puts a quarter in the jar every time she swears, but tries to make Cal do this also, even though he made no plans to cut down on swearing. If I knew her in real life, this would drive me NUTS. I do like this Bud Light commercial, though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI3Y1a... ... Tl;dr - A cute, sweet romance novel with two likable, fleshed-out characters. An interesting plot (for a romance novel). Not stupid. Entertaining and fun. I recommend it to any romance fan. 3 REAL STARS, 4 ROMANCE STARS But this is earning a place on my FIVE ROMANCE STAR shelf due to the kissing. P.S. Update 08/30/2015 I still open this and flip to the (bookmarked) kissing parts in order to get a grin whenever I feel like I need one. So sexy of kissing. KISSING! <3 No, I'm not talking about the sex scenes, I'm talking about kissing. Harlequin Blaze October 2014 ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Feb 09, 2015
not set
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Feb 10, 2015
not set
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Nov 23, 2014
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0373658389
| 9780373658381
| 0373658389
| 3.84
| 145
| unknown
| Aug 19, 2014
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it was amazing
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OMG Amazing romance book, so amazing! It just clenched my heart in its fist! I was struggling to breathe as I turned the pages! Funny how that can hap
OMG Amazing romance book, so amazing! It just clenched my heart in its fist! I was struggling to breathe as I turned the pages! Funny how that can happen even though I know it's a romance novel and will have a happy ending. Patricia Cargill is a heiress. She's living a pretty awful existence because of her horrible father, who is a pig and also stupid and greedy. She's trying to keep the family and the money together before her father can spend it all on model girlfriends. She also loves working for Texas Rescue, setting up temporary hospitals and helping people who are injured or homeless because of disasters. It's at Texas Rescue that she meets firefighter Luke Waterson. He's handsome, funny, sweet - and best of all, has no idea that she's mega-rich. She tries so hard not to be with him... ... Wow. I was swooning right and left in this book. For one thing, Luke is so patient, careful, and respectful. OMG so hot. "I've been officially informed that you are my boss today," Luke said, giving her the smile she was so good at ignoring, but which he liked to believe she wasn't entirely immune to. "What do you want to do with me? Tell me to go to hell, maybe?" Secondly, my heart was breaking for Patricia, which is REALLY hard for me to admit since she's beyond rich and usually I can't stand 'rich kid problems.' But Carson did a great job of making me feel terrible for her. She was just so vulnerable and the ways that she tried to hide this were heartbreaking. Patricia couldn't smile back. She wasn't like that. Flirting for fun was a luxury for people who didn't have obligations. She'd never learned how to do it. She'd known only responsibility, even when she'd been 22 and men had been interested in her for more than her bank account and Cargill connections. Well, I don't really know what else to say. So amazing. The sex could have been better but I'm just throwing in the towel and realizing Harlequin just isn't going to give me what I want on this. However story-wise, this knocked my socks off! 5 ROMANCE STARS, 3 REAL STARS. P.S. Can I just add that Luke is a firefighter-slash-cowboy/rancher-slash-Texan-SLASH-millionaire!??!!?!? I mean, how many cliches can we fit in here? Harlequin Special Edition September 2014 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 23, 2014
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Nov 23, 2014
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Nov 23, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0373278969
| 9780373278961
| 0373278969
| 4.00
| 56
| Jan 01, 2014
| Nov 04, 2014
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it was amazing
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Vincent Fitzgerald was a Marine. Now he's a special agent. He is assigned to protect designated target Dr. Skylar Baang. She is a Filipino naval scien
Vincent Fitzgerald was a Marine. Now he's a special agent. He is assigned to protect designated target Dr. Skylar Baang. She is a Filipino naval scientist who is a genius. Attended university at age 10 kind of genius. She is being hunted by some Russians for reasons unknown, but since she is working for the U.S. government on a top secret submarine project, she is going to have the best protection. ... This book was fun. Amazing sex, cute characters, and action-movie-style fight scenes. 5 ROMANCE STARS, 3 REAL STARS. Harlequin Romantic Suspense November 2014 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 2014
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Dec 2014
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Nov 19, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0373278950
| 9780373278954
| 0373278950
| 3.83
| 36
| Nov 01, 2014
| Nov 04, 2014
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it was amazing
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Dylan Rooney is a U.S. marshal hunting fugitive Jackson Kincaid. Jackson's sister, the widow Rachel Kincaid, is running the alpaca ranch with just her
Dylan Rooney is a U.S. marshal hunting fugitive Jackson Kincaid. Jackson's sister, the widow Rachel Kincaid, is running the alpaca ranch with just herself, her 10-year-old son Peter, and an elderly ranch hand named Josiah. One day, while spying on the ranch, Dylan notices a commotion and gallops over to discover that Josiah has been murdered. He tells Rachel that he is a U.S. Marshal and asks to work the ranch and live in her house while waiting for her brother to show up. Rachel fiercely loves her brother who she has raised since her parents died when she was 18. She doesn't believe Jackson is the hardened criminal Dylan believes him to be. But she agrees to keep Dylan on her ranch because she is a control freak and wants to keep an eye on him. They sleep in separate rooms - but how long can that last? ... This book actually has good sex. I'm stunned. Apparently I've been barking up the wrong tree with the Intrigue imprint all this time, I should have been reading Romantic Suspense. Not only is the sex great, but the story is good. Detailed, well thought-out, and exciting. I enjoyed it a lot. 5 ROMANCE STARS, 3 REAL STARS Harlequin Romantic Suspense November 2014 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 30, 2014
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Dec 2014
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Nov 19, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 0373278942
| 9780373278947
| 0373278942
| 3.81
| 32
| Apr 29, 2014
| Nov 04, 2014
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it was amazing
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Ana Izzolo is trying to break into stunt work. After a brutal attack on a date 2 years ago, she has become proficient in martial arts. Action star Jack Ana Izzolo is trying to break into stunt work. After a brutal attack on a date 2 years ago, she has become proficient in martial arts. Action star Jackson Prescott is still an emotional wreck from his last serious girlfriend 5 years ago. But his chemistry with this 5'2" firecracker is off the charts. ... Now, if you are thinking that this is a book about two damaged people finding each other, love and sweetness and maybe some tears and soul-searching, you are WRONG. This book is more sassy, funny, sexy and less weepy touchy-feely. The characters have senses of humor and most of the book is very lighthearted. The characters are also more complex people. I feel like the Romantic Suspense imprint of Harlequin results in better novels because they are longer and the characters and plot are more fleshed out. Jackson was especially hard to get a read on. When I first met him, I was like: "Oh, a cocky playboy actor who is confident and self-assured." But as he and Ana start to flirt and get physical with each other, it becomes clear that he is a bit uncertain and even awkward when it comes to sex. He even blushes a few times. So I was confused and intrigued and wondering where Dees was taking this. THEN, we have a kind of 'practice sex scene' - remember, they're actors, okay? - and I was excited because Jackson was being a total gentlemen and making every single touch and kiss about consent and was just being very lovely. I love when heroes are so consent-oriented and I find it very sexy and I was very happy. So I thought he was going to be like this for the rest of the novel and I settled myself in for some really hot sex. THEN - this is in a later sex scene - Ana gets really sassy and playful with Jackson and he proceeds to fuck her brains out and I was like: o.O But in a good way of o.O! The problem is that he gets stuck in this mode and proceeds to fuck her brains out in every successive sex scene after this one. Some of them were very creative, I especially liked the scene where they have sex on the side of the road astride Jackson's Harley Davidson. It was great. :) We never get back to the lovemaking, though, and that made me a bit sad. I didn't like resigning myself to the fact that Jackson might be a one-trick pony instead of the complex guy I wanted him to be. It was as if (as I initially thought) there were so many layers to this guy and his sexuality and it made me SO HAPPY because usually in romance novels you either have a.) a man who knows how to fuck or b.) a man who knows how to make love but never c.) a man who excels at both. And every woman knows that (c) is the best option. When I say "fucking" I don't mean weird 50 Shades shit. I mean good, consensual sex with no pain or humiliation. Don't think this book is kinky because there is no kink in it. I hate pain, humiliation, crying etc. in sex and I despise when it is in books so there's NO WAY I would be singing this books praises if it was icky like that. ANYWAY. The character is layered, is what I'm saying. And he's clearly fucked-up about women. He wants Ana, he loves her (maybe?) but he freaks out at the idea of any sort of commitment. Ana gets sick of this quickly, and so do I. Jackson's hissy fits about babies and marriage are tiring and annoying - but understandable and key to the plot. Ana herself is a layered character - she has PTSD from her attack and you'd think she'd be wonky about sex. Heck, she thinks that she's going to be wonky about sex - but she's not (at least not with Jackson). So that was surprising to her. Also, she is a little spitfire who speaks her mind and can also throw a punch and I liked her spunk and verve. Things go a little crazy when (view spoiler)[she starts having mood swings from the pregnancy (hide spoiler)] but the novel never loses it's fun and sassy tone. Now, this hero is a guy I would never be attracted to or date in real life. He's too ... volatile for me. I like calm, Zen guys. But the book was a roller-coaster ride of fun and full of laughs. I loved seeing these two spar and they definitely had great sexual chemistry. This book had actual good sex - I couldn't believe it! LOL I almost never say that. So, final verdict - 3 REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS. Harlequin Romantic Suspense November 2014 ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 29, 2014
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Nov 30, 2014
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Nov 19, 2014
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Mass Market Paperback
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| 9780996032315
| unknown
| 3.91
| 256
| Mar 01, 2014
| Mar 2014
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it was amazing
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This book gets my highest romance recommendation - 5 romance stars! ... This book is adorable, sweet, funny, cute, and romantic. ... We follow Lucy Rulefo This book gets my highest romance recommendation - 5 romance stars! ... This book is adorable, sweet, funny, cute, and romantic. ... We follow Lucy Ruleford, from Emma Carr's first book, London Falling. She's working at a bank and is assigned to work a charity fundraiser with her bank's (and family's) biggest enemy - a rival banker who is out to destroy Lucy's father's bank. A man named Matt. Matt is out to destroy the Rulefords. He starts out the book being ruthless and scheming against Lucy, who is a sweet, nice, kind person who would never hurt anyone. It takes him a long, long time to realize this about her. I loved how slowly Carr goes in this novel. She doesn't rush anything. Even though Matt and Lucy are attracted to each other, they don't acknowledge it or act on it because they are supposed to be dueling each other for profit. Unlike a typical romance book, Carr is in no rush to get these two in bed. Instead, we see them slowly, slowly get to know one another and defrost each other, as they learn about each other and what drives and motivates each of them. This more slow-moving romance is super-effective in this book. My heart was aching for BOTH characters as their rather sad pasts were revealed. Carr has a way of getting under my skin and making me very worried about what's going to happen and protective of Lucy. I was cheering when good things happened, and clutching my pearls (LOL) when things were going badly. Carr's books are always emotionally affecting - even though they are so light and fluffy with no real harm or danger coming to any characters. ... This book is not nearly as funny as London Falling. So if you are looking for more laughs in your romance, go with that one. This one plays it a little bit more serious, but no less enjoyable. ... There's almost no sex in this novel and what IS in the novel is barely described. While I really would like more details in the bedroom scene (only one is even started to be written-out), a lot of readers don't like graphic sex in their romance novels and this book seems to make the perfect compromise. The barely-there sex, yet descriptive kissing scenes will probably please the majority of readers - but if you are looking for illustrative sex scenes, you might want to look elsewhere. This isn't going to satisfy you on that front. ... So, if you are looking for a cute, sweet book in which you'll be eagerly and anxiously rooting for two people to take a chance on love, this is definitely the book for you. I can't give a romance book a higher rating than three stars (just due to the inherently silly nature of the genre), but I can't rave about this book enough. If you ARE the type of person who enjoys fluffy romance novels, this is golden. Highest romance recommendation. THREE REAL STARS, FIVE ROMANCE STARS ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 14, 2014
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Nov 14, 2014
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Nov 14, 2014
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ebook
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my rating |
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| 3.25
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it was amazing
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Jul 28, 2018
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Jul 27, 2018
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| 3.55
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it was amazing
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Oct 26, 2017
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Sep 09, 2016
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| 3.84
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it was amazing
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Sep 24, 2015
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Aug 30, 2015
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| 3.39
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it was amazing
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Mar 02, 2016
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Aug 09, 2015
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| 3.77
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it was amazing
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Jul 25, 2015
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Jul 25, 2015
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| 3.72
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it was amazing
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Mar 23, 2020
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Jul 25, 2015
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| 4.39
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it was amazing
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Nov 2017
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Jul 16, 2015
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| 4.11
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it was amazing
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Oct 29, 2017
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Jul 16, 2015
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| 3.89
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it was amazing
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Feb 07, 2017
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Jul 16, 2015
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| 4.03
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it was amazing
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May 31, 2015
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May 07, 2015
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| 4.14
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it was amazing
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May 16, 2015
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Apr 21, 2015
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| 3.96
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it was amazing
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May 08, 2015
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Nov 29, 2014
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| 3.51
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it was amazing
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May 03, 2015
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Nov 29, 2014
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|||||
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| 3.90
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it was amazing
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Nov 27, 2014
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Nov 27, 2014
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| 3.79
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it was amazing
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Feb 10, 2015
not set
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Nov 23, 2014
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| 3.84
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it was amazing
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Nov 23, 2014
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Nov 23, 2014
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|||||
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| 4.00
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it was amazing
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Dec 2014
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Nov 19, 2014
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|||||
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| 3.83
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it was amazing
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Dec 2014
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Nov 19, 2014
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|||||
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| 3.81
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it was amazing
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Nov 30, 2014
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Nov 19, 2014
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| 3.91
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it was amazing
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Nov 14, 2014
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Nov 14, 2014
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