The first book in the Rock Chick series was highly amusing, but I don't think this book is for me...
[image]
I'm kind of terrified of Kristen Ashley FanThe first book in the Rock Chick series was highly amusing, but I don't think this book is for me...
[image]
I'm kind of terrified of Kristen Ashley Fans... The author has this huge loyal following (which I was not aware of this until I started reading this) and they love these books... Like REALLY LOVE them... To the point that when I realized that this book wasn't (for me personally) living up to the hype, I got worried about how I would write this review.
With that in mind... Ms. Ashley, and her Adoring Fans, I want you to know the following: 1. I already plan to read some other series from the talented Ms. Ashley, and see if those work better for me. 2. I will always give my honest opinion in a book review, and I never expect the whole world to agree with me. 3. Maybe one day I'll try to read the rest of the series, and something will spark which was lacking this time.
[image]
THE AWESOME STUFF ABOUT THIS BOOK: 1. I am a total sucker for the "girl crush grows up to become full blown love" plot line *swoon* 2. Um... Lee Nightingale? Yes please! 3. Sassy heroine? Love that! 4. There were so many awesome secondary and tertiary characters. 5. The humor was great, even if it got down right silly at times. 6. Tex? Crazy cat man, coffee savant, looks like a serial killer? OMG yes.
THINGS WHICH WERE LESS THAN AWESOME: 1. You read the synopsis... there's a HUGE Mob plot in this book. Stolen diamonds, drugs, kidnappings, car chases, people got shot... So there should have been suspense, right? I didn't feel the suspense. 2. I was way not in love with India "Indy" Savage... She was a magnet for self-inflicted misfortune... It got old the second time she got kidnapped. 3. Indy was supposed to be thirty years old, but she had the emotional maturity of a nineteen year old, she was alarmingly sophomoric. 4. It was the mixture of immature humor and fumbled suspense which really wrecked the book for me... Consider a certain scene which began with someone being the target of a food fight (hee hee) and ended on the next page with that same person being the target of a car bomb (what?)... There were several other examples of this dichotomy, and it really diluted any threat of the Mob plot line being taken seriously.
[image]
HEAR ME OUT! I really, really wanted to like this book! I am a Rock Chick. I grew up listening to Mom's tapes of 70's rockers... I've tried to burst my own eardrums listening to Led Zeplin... I had my Grunge phase, my Metal phase, and yes... Even my Goth phase (lord help us all)... With the exception of Red Hot Chili Peppers (because I couldn't get tickets) I have been to every single show that Indy mentioned throughout this book... I am STILL one of the biggest TOOL fans you will ever meet in your life... I'd trade all my book boyfriends for Maynard James Keenan, and that just how it is. So I say again... KA fans, don't hurt me...
And to all my friends and followers, I'm not a hater. I will never hate on a book or an author for the sake of being negative. Nor will I ever lie about my feelings about a book to pander to a particular audience. And most importantly, I would never ever unfollow/unfriend or make nasty comments to a person simply because they don't like a book that I do. I'm classy like that, and I know that Kristen Ashley & her fans are classy like that too.
Some of My Favorite Moments: (view spoiler)[ He smiled. He smiled The Smile. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Man, Lee could smile.
...I was never, never, never in a million years going to tell Lee Nightingale that I’d been in love with him since I was five and he sat next to me during my Mom’s memorial service and held my hand. I was never going to tell him it was a Bon Jovi-style shot through the heart when he told me he wasn’t interested in me because I was his little sister’s best friend. And I was never, never, never, ever going to tell him that something had changed in him and he scared the pants off me.
What was he playing at? He told me. And he told me bluntly. “I do this thing for Rosie, you sleep with me.” I stared at him, open-mouthed and in stunned silence. I did, of course, understand what he meant but he explained further. “Not like last night, we’ll both be naked and sexual acts will be performed.” My expression didn’t change except maybe my mouth opened wider. “I’ll expect your participation.” Holy shit. “Your avid participation.” Dear Lord in Heaven.
Lee was not just a Bad Boy, a Badass or a Badass Extraordinaire, he was a fucking crazy man.
I figured it would be bad form to smack Lee in front of his mother. And definitely strangulation was out.
I’d never replace Rosie at the espresso machine. He had a God-given talent, no joke. He was the Picasso of Coffee.
My life had been simple a day ago. Work, coffee, rock ‘n’ roll. Now I was being shot at, dragged around by bad guys and propositioned by the love of my life who I had decided I didn’t want anymore.
“Stop it, you’re crazy! One second you tell me to pack my bags, the next second you’re on me like white on rice.” The backs of my knees hit the bed and we both went down, him on top of me, his lips on mine. “Gorgeous, give me ten minutes and I’ll be in you.”
“...Can’t be fun to be practically famous for fucking anything that breathes and being able to do so by expending the immense effort of just sending a smile their way. Then, later, you find yourself in a position where you’re serious about a woman who’s known you all your life and knows this fact real well and have to convince her you’re serious.”
They all wanted the facts, all the facts. If I but breathed a word of what it actually was like to kiss Lee, be held by Lee, or, dear Lord, what Lee looked like naked, I might cause a riot, even a war. I might have to arm myself and fight them all back lest Lee be torn limb-from-limb. It was for the better health of the female population and peace in the land that I kept my mouth shut.
“I gave him your excuses for missing dinner on Wednesday.” “What were those?” “You’d be with me and I’d be fucking your brains out.”
“He’s from Texas and he’s a drag queen. He has quick reflexes,”
“That was hardly the point. Okay, it was a point, just not the point. It was my longstanding theory that men missed the point on purpose.”
“He’s straight, he’s taken and if he turns, I have first dibs.”
“Holy fuck, pandemonium at the gay bar!” he yelled.
“Jesus,” he buried his face in my neck, “there’s nothin’ better in the world than hearin’ you say my name when I’m inside you.” He slid in deep, filling me. “I’ve been waitin’ years to be right here.” Holy crap. His mouth was at my ear. “I could be on assignment, in a desert as hot as an oven, in a jungle as close as fuck and sometimes I’d get through it dreamin’ of you sayin’ my name like that.” Holy crap, crap, crap.
I had to pull out the big guns.“There’ll be naked gratitude in it for you.” Lee hesitated, but just for a moment.
“We gotta talk. Do you think Betty and Veronica here can keep an eye on these two?” “I get to be Veronica,” Ally said instantly. I turned to her. “Why do you get to be Veronica?” I didn’t want to be Betty, Betty was a doormat. Veronica had attitude. “I’m so Veronica,” Ally said in answer.
“Lee, you’re gonna have to get over this jealous-possessiveness thing.” “Indy, you’re gonna have to get used to the fact that I’m the jealous-possessive type.”
Mace? Who had a name like Mace? Where did these macho idiots come up with this shit? “You got a guy named Mace?” I asked, I couldn’t help myself. “His name’s Mason. Mason is a shit name. We call him Mace.” That made sense.”
I discovered I loved stun guns, stun guns were righteous when they weren’t used on you.
“I don’t do hearts and flowers but I promise you won’t be disappointed.” “You are so cocky.” “Honey, I don’t give a fuck if you don’t believe it’s gonna be good between us. I know we’ll both enjoy me proving it to you.”
“Maybe we should have this conversation upstairs,” Lee suggested when he saw my attention turn to Eddie. “Maybe we should have this conversation in an alternate universe where Alternate Indy gives a shit what Alternate Lee wants her to wear.”
“What’re you doing? Collecting the straight, super-macho Village People?”
“I’ll help you forget Nightingale,” Wilcox told me. Okay, seriously, this guy was nuts. Even if he wasn’t a weird, creepy, icky, scary bad guy who killed people, there wasn’t a woman alive who would forget Liam Nightingale, especially if she’d seen him naked.
I wanted to run to him, throw my arms around him, do a lot of girlie, oh-my-god-I’m-glad-you’re-all-right and oh-my-god-I’m-glad-I’m-all-right stuff but his body language was not inviting that. This was badass Lee and hugs and cuddles were obviously not acceptable at this juncture. Therefore I kept my distance. (hide spoiler)]...more
I don't give five star ratings very often, but this book deserves every last one. Evan Arden (and the entire trilogy) is a breathtaking thrill ride thI don't give five star ratings very often, but this book deserves every last one. Evan Arden (and the entire trilogy) is a breathtaking thrill ride that surprised and delighted me at every turn. ((This review is spoiler free but not profanity free)) [image]
I cannot bring myself to call this "Romance"... Evan Arden would be perfectly comfortable admitting that he doesn't have a romantic bone in his body... I think "Erotic Suspense with a pinch of Romance" is more appropriate.
After much thought, I realize I am unable to review this book in the usual way. This book was full of twists, turns, surprises, heartbreak, and edge-of-your-seat action...
[image]
My emotions were scattered, swept up, stepped on, loved up, bruised, battered, repaired, & scattered again...
In the interest of not spoiling anything, I'll simply say, HERE IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS BOOK:
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image] IN CONCLUSION, [image]
(TOTAL BOOK HANG OVER...)
Some of my Favorite Moments: (view spoiler)[ She saw me. She saw me like that - rifle in hand, firing at strangers in a park. She saw me in cuffs, being hauled away like a deranged lunatic. I was a deranged lunatic.
I didn't deserve it, and I had convinced myself I didn't want it or need it. I did though. I knew I did, and now that I had it, I was going to do anything and everything I could to keep it.
I was on her a second later, pushing her legs apart to give me access to the Mecca of all pussies.
You love that, don't you?" I growled. "Being hammered by my cock... you must think you're in... fucking... heaven." Punctuation by cock thrust - the very best kind.
I watched him closely. He crossed his arms as he leaned casually against the door - too casually. He was making a point of looking nonchalant, which meant he didn't completely feel that way. My eyes searched for other clues about him, but he was practiced in the art of being a complete and total asshole, which was throwing me off my game.
"Go ahead, you piece of shit," I said calmly. My eyes stayed locked with his. "Take a swing. I'll make sure my bullet doesn't hit you fatally so you can watch me castrate you with that piece of shit blade. Dick to throat, I'll show you what a cut really looks like, and then I'll slam my fist through your ribcage and fuck the hole I made. What do you think of that?"
"I was thinking I'd just hold you down here until I got hard again." "Such a romantic!" Lia snickered.
"You gave me my sanity back," I said quietly. "Your presence, your words, your touch, and your body - they brought me back from someplace I don't ever want to be again. The way I feel when I'm with you - like I could spend the rest of my life just looking in your eyes - it scares the shit out of me. It's more terrifying than that place I was inside my head. The best way I can come up with to cope with that is being inside of you, because when I'm there, everything it right. It's the way it's supposed to be."
My mind swam, and I was nearly swallowed inside of the feelings of completeness, tranquility, and peace. If I lost this in the morning, Trent and Rinaldo and Greco wouldn't fucking matter. I'd die if she left me.
I'd learned to be a selfish son of a bitch over the years. If I could think of something to say to her that would convince her to stay with me, accept who I was and what I did and not be afraid, I would use those words in a heartbeat. As it was, I was only a slight step away from being a big enough bastard to hold her against her will. Would I really do that? Fuck. Yeah, I might. Though I was both repulsed and intrigued with the idea, I was also trying to figure out how I felt, knowing that I was capable of something like that. It seemed far worse than just killing someone.
"Don't leave," I heard myself beg. "Please don't leave." "I'm not going anywhere," she responded. [...] "I needed to find you for a reason. I didn't completely understand it at the time, but now I think I do. I thought I just needed you, but it seems you need me even more." "I do need you," I said quietly. "It kinda scares me."
She would keep me sane, and I would keep her safe.
"Maybe you need to keep your mouth shut," I suggested as an alternative. "Maybe I need to give you something to fill it up for a while."
"Wow," Lia signed. "That was like the fight and the make-up sex all rolled into one."
"I... I wasn't always like this," I said, my voice hushed. "I just don't know... I don't know what's me inside and what isn't." [...] "There's so much shit in my head - shit I can't unsee or undo. Sometimes it feels like there's something inside of me just... tearing me up inside and waiting to bust its way out. I think maybe... maybe if I could get that out, then maybe the person I was is still underneath..."
"...After a couple days in the river, they don't look so pretty anyway." "This is pretty to you?" Andrey asked. I took a long drag on my cigarette and leaned back in my chair. I looked at him steadily for a moment, blew smoke across the table, and then replied. "I think they're beautiful," I said. "Nice clean shots - one to the head, one to the throat. Not bad, considering that rifle needs a scope on it for decent accuracy at that distance. Maybe I'll add an ACOG or a CCO." "You get off on this, don't you?" Micah snickered. "I've got a hard-on just thinking about it." I stared into his eyes until he looked away.
She was everything I needed, and I was fucking poison to her. I'd known it since the beginning, but I'd been too selfish to push her away. "You're perfect for me," I said, "and I'm just.. just bad for you." Lia reached up and placed her hand against the side of my face as she shook her head slowly. "You aren't," she said. "This situation is bad, but you're not."
Though I never really referred to it as a she or anything like that, if my Barett were a woman, I would definitely fuck her.
All you had to do was look at us - from war, death, and suffering we'd achieved beauty, peace, and love. (hide spoiler)]
I promise my other reviews on this series are far more articulate!
This book grabs your attention in a vice grip and doesn't let up through the final pages... I couldn't put it down, and I rushed to pick up the third This book grabs your attention in a vice grip and doesn't let up through the final pages... I couldn't put it down, and I rushed to pick up the third installment Otherwise Unharmed... Thank goodness I had it waiting, or I would currently be foaming at the mouth.
[image]
Evan Arden is descending into Madness... He cannot sleep, He's haunted by dreams of 18 months spent as a POW, He suspects his colleagues of conspiring against him, He's seeking the comfort of a hooker to warm his bed, He's traveling the country taking down targets for the Mob, He's trying to avoid thinking about the woman he left behind in Arizona...
He's slowly losing his sanity. Which is dangerous for an ex-Marine sniper turned hit man for the Chicago Mafia.
EVAN ARDEN Former Marine, Current Hit Man [image]
I felt like the end of an A-Team episode when everything worked out, and the heroes all got to go home and live happily ever after while the bad guys were put in jail. Except of course, I was the bad guy. Whatever.
LIA ANTONIO The Girl He Left Behind in Arizona [image]
Lia. As soon as the name entered my head, I refused to think about her. I would not dwell on the woman who wandered into my sights and made me feel something for the first time in ages.
ODIN Man's Best Friend [image]
Odin sat next to me, wagging his tail and lolling his tongue to one side. Some guard dog.
BRIDGETT The Whore [image]
"You suck as a conversationalist," she said with a laugh. "It's a good thing you spend a lot of time with my cock in your mouth then," I quipped.
RINALDO MORETTI The Boss [image]
"You endured more than most men ever will," Rinaldo said quietly. "You've had it worse than anyone you ever killed. They died quick and easy. You've been dying since they brought you home from that war."
NICK WOLFE, The Uncockblockable Mob Son [image]
"I was just wondering... what's the best way to apologize to a chick? "Oh that's easy," Nick replied. "You gotta go down on her." "Don't I have to get her to speak to me first?" "It Helps!" Nick laughed, "So, how do I get her to talk to me again?" "Just do something nice for her," Nick replied. "It doesn't matter what, 'cause guys never do anything nice for chicks, so anything works, That's why the flower business is so good."
TERRY KRAMER The Scheming Nemesis [image]
He was an obnoxious kid who rubbed me the wrong way even before he started trying to take my job.
JONATHAN FERRIS Ally and IT Genius [image]
...Jonathan had used some app he wrote on his phone to hack into the waiting list, and his name was up front as soon as a table became available...
BRAD ASHTON The Target [image]
"I hate drinking alone," he said. He flashed me a toothy, actor-practiced smile. It was probably known to drop panties or something, but I wore boxers. This was really, really hard to fake.
THE CITY OF CHICAGO [image]
Evan Arden starts out as a sort of self obsessed jerk... 100% Ass (however attractive his ass may be) It's hard to have sympathy for a man who would rather hire a whore off a street corner than cultivate a relationship with anyone. He cares about two things: 1. His Dog, Odin 2. The respect of his Boss, Rinaldo Moretti
Somewhere along the line, when Evan really starts to crack and pieces of his soul seem to scatter across the City of Chicago... I really started to feel for the character. When you're reading a story completely from Evan's Point Of View, his desperation and insanity is so much more moving...
[image]
(view spoiler)[When the madness finally tightens its hold on our beloved Hit Man, things get ugly in a way that can only be achieved by a highly trained killer who has lost touch with reality... And has a sniper rifle...
Some of My Favorite Moments: (view spoiler)[ I was used to women looking at me in the gym or even going down the street. Even in the military, the chicks I served with favored me. Women usually like what they saw - toned muscles, six pack abs, no scars. Well, none on the outside. My captain told me I intrigued them, which was why they seemed to flock to me. I was a quiet guy - a mystery for them to solve. I didn't know why girls ate that shit up, but he said they did and he was right. As soon as they figured you out - really figured you out - they didn't want anything to do with you.
I'm going to kill a guy I've watched fuck two sorority chicks and a frat boy. Shaking my head again didn't seem to completely rid my mind of the thought, so I headed to the kitchen and popped open a couple of beers.
Bridgett was the most inquisitive of streetwalkers.
Women couldn't get enough of him, gay dudes couldn't get enough of him, and straight ones put up with it because their women came home horny and ready to blow them.
Nick was already feeling up the chick's tits, saying something about how he thought he could paint her whole chest as a butterfly or something. I wondered what he did when the chicks he conned called him out. Maybe they never did. Maybe he really could paint a titty-fly.
"If I get his, even with an instant kill, my finger's already tight against the trigger. With the angle and the trauma to my system, my finger will pull back in reflex. Yeah, I'll be dead, but I'll take you with me. Whatever happens after that... well, honestly? I don't give a shit."
I didn't really care for the games at this point. They were both going to have to die, and we all knew it. I never understood dragging it out for the dramatic effect. Wasn't that the same sort of mentality that always screwed up the comic book villain's plans?
"How do you think your experiences changed you?" "They Didn't" "Evan, no one comes out of something like that without some damage." "Not a mark on me - they were really careful about that." "There are other kinds of scars."
If I believed in a god, it would be the god of women's asses.
I felt like the end of an A-Team episode when everything worked out, and the heroes all got to go home and live happily ever after while the bad guys were put in jail. Except of course, I was the bad guy. Whatever.
I never should have let her get as close as she did. I never should have said anything at all to her. It could only end in tears. Or blood.
"You scratched my car," I said quietly as I stared into his widened eyes, "Maybe it was a rental car, but you still scratched it. Now when I drive it, it just won't quite be the same."
"I don't have anything else to give you, Bridgett," I told her. "This is all there is."
"Killing to keep her safe - you know just what to do with those instructions. But matters of the heart? You're lacking there son."
...Tired of playing this role, tired of just moving through the city like I was some kind of god or demon here to bring Rinaldo Moretti's version of justice to those who crossed my path. None of it even mattered to me - all I got out of it was a wad of cash and a twisted idea of loyalty to someone who told me I did a good job and occasionally called me "Son." (hide spoiler)]
I'm hooked! This story did everything necessary to get me invested in the Evan Arden Trilogy! At a mere 56 pages, this story may be small, but it hits I'm hooked! This story did everything necessary to get me invested in the Evan Arden Trilogy! At a mere 56 pages, this story may be small, but it hits hard. [image]
(((As always, beware of my use of vulgar language in my reviews)))
I've already moved on to Otherwise Occupied I'll keep this review short & sweet to match the subject matter:
Otherwise Alone is written entirely from the perspective of an ex-marine turned mob hit-man, who has been exiled to a shack in the middle of the Arizona desert. He's been alone for months with only his dog & sniper rifle to keep him company... Until a young woman appears on the horizon...
[image]
Let's break it down: 1. Evan Arden is sexy & mysterious 2. He loves his dog (total sucker for a dog lover) 3. WRITTEN 100% FROM HIS POV 4. We're given just enough information to want to read the next book... Sort of a "just the tip" kind of set up... "just to see how it feels" you know, in case you want to pull out... Which you won't.
I took that metaphor too far didn't I? [image] Well, I'm not sorry...
Can we really mark this as Romance? No, probably not... But Evan Arden has an attention to detail that surpasses the perceived "convenience fuck" of the plot set-up... And let me just say that the hotness level of this particular piece of Erotica deserves some sort of wet-panty award... I mean seriously...
I'm absolutely loving this series!
Some of My Favorite Moments: (view spoiler)[ The heat continues to be oppressive, but there is at least the hint of a breeze in the air today. It’s still unbearable, but it’s a slightly better version of unbearable than it was yesterday.
...killing her is kind of a shitty thing to do.
I’m just a killer, not a torturer. That’s an art form I don’t care to learn. My skills are all with the guns, and the closest I ever see my victims is through the scope.
“Touch me,” I repeat as I nod towards her hand. “You want to – go ahead.”
My eyes stay on her as she moves slightly closer. She hesitates one last second before her lips tentatively touch mine. I’m not having any of that, though. She’s opened the door, and it might as well be a pair of those gigantic wooden double-doors that grace the front of some huge Bavarian castle because I’m coming in.
Evan Arden – hit man gone spooner. I almost laugh out loud.
“I like your muscles.” “The better to hold you down and fuck you with, my dear.” (hide spoiler)]
A book which gleefully oscillates between seriousness and silliness... The only thing more rewarding than reading this book was finally figuring out wA book which gleefully oscillates between seriousness and silliness... The only thing more rewarding than reading this book was finally figuring out what all "Bunny Slipper" status updates were about...
[image]
“I’m not gay.” That wasn’t what I meant to say. At least not so bluntly. It had just become a mantra as I drove across town. Repeated over and over so many times that, by the time I stood in the diner, confronted once again by this visceral attraction to a perfect stranger, the words tumbled out.
“Congratulations. Would you like a medal?” Bunny Slippers asked.
“I already have a medal. For bravery, not for being gay. I think you made me gay.”
“I made you gay?” He set down the napkin he was holding. “Is that better or worse than the person who made you stupid?”
This book was one of the four big players in the MM Romance genre for 2013, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do a buddy read of this with the GCR Group who were celebrating M/M March. This book would be entertaining for the solo reader, but I also recommend this for a book club. The eroticism doesn't permeate the text, and there is enough character development and seriousness to prompt many interesting conversations...
Shattered Glass is a combination of: crime drama, coming out angst, haunted pasts, touching connections, laugh out loud humor, murder mystery, brotherly love, general awkwardness, and steamy sexual situations...
AUSTIN GLASS [image]
I was not insecure. I was a perfectly normal combination of arrogant and narcissistic.
Logan is a straight-laced detective on track to join the FBI. He's also a trust-fund kid with a huge ego and a fiancé. So when he finds himself sexually attracted to a redheaded bus boy at a local diner, he is obviously knocked for a loop.... And the knocks just keep coming for Detective Glass...
PETER "RABBIT" COTTON [image]
“Everyone is your competition.” Peter lifted his hand to his eyes and began lowering it incrementally. “It goes normal human beings, crazies, republicans, my hand, imaginary characters, corpses and then, in a moment of lustful psychosis, you.” By the time he was done, his hand was below the table.
Peter comes from a rough past - one which slowly reveals its dark depths as the book progresses. He isn't a mere busboy at the diner, he's the owner - the ex-cop who took him in off the streets left it to him in his will.
Together Peter and Austin spell trouble - their attraction is more than merely dangerous for Austin's career, it could quite possibly be deadly...
There were so many heavy subjects packed into this book... lovingly wrapped in humor... I think a less competent author might have crumbled under the pressure of the undertaking. As it is, Dani Alexander has creating an amazingly balanced novel which I can't help but recommend...
There was a single POV from Austin's perspective though out the book, and his awkwardness shined through brilliantly.
The show was kind of stolen in the personality department by Peter's little brother Cai - whose past and present are heart-wrenching. He is emotionally unstable and wise beyond his years.
“Cruelty is an effortless answer to fear.” “Who said that?” “Um… me?” “You’re too wise for your own good.” “You’re too cynical for yours,”
The next book in this series (Not So Innocent) is Cai's story... We all hope it will be published, but I couldn't tell you when to save my life - Dani Alexander's Slashfiction site says "published 2012" GoodReads says "Published 2014" but they are all lying liars who tell all the lies...
I will await the next installment. I will not, however, be holding my breath for a quick release...
[image]
Some of My Favorite Moments: (view spoiler)[ Blue eyes. No, not just blue, blue like glacial waters, like romantic poems, like heavens and moonstones. Cornflower blue. And— Blue like romantic poems? What the ever-living fuck?
Apparently this was an awesome time to not only discover I had a bunny slipper fetish, but to violate someone’s arm in public. Some guy’s arm.
I flipped off a street sign that didn’t conform to my need to go right, earning a glare from a misunderstanding motorist who yelled, “Cocksucker!” as I passed. I briefly considered rolling down my window and explaining that I was not, in fact, a cocksucker; that it was just that one fantasy. And besides, I was fairly sure I had a bunny slipper fetish, not a cock sucking fixation. That seemed like a lot of information to impart in the second and a half we had before he pulled ahead of me, so I let it slide.
Naked things. With a guy. Naked things with a guy. Surreal. [...] Jesus! Okay, that’s just disturbing.
“Do you know any gay guys?” I asked when he picked up the phone. “Why? Are you switching teams?” I heard the low chuckle on the other end. “I’m not sure. Maybe,” I answered sincerely. He laughed again, because that’s what everyone did when I told the truth. It was a little disconcerting.
There was no way gay men watched as much ESPN as I did— another check to the 'not gay' column.
“I’m not gay.” That wasn’t what I meant to say. At least not so bluntly. It had just become a mantra as I drove across town. Repeated over and over so many times that, by the time I stood in the diner, confronted once again by this visceral attraction to a perfect stranger, the words tumbled out. “Congratulations. Would you like a medal?” Bunny Slippers asked. “I already have a medal. For bravery, not for being gay. I think you made me gay.” “I made you gay?” He set down the napkin he was holding. “Is that better or worse than the person who made you stupid?” “Worse,” I answered automatically. Then I computed what he said. Ouch. “I have a degree.” “What are pointless and obtuse bits of information, Alex?” “Austin,” I corrected. “Right now, you’re Alex.” “What?” This conversation wasn’t going at all like I planned. “This is Jeopardy, right? You give all the answers, I tell you the questions?”
And fuck it, I’m not gay. Goddammit. I’m bunny-slipper-sexual?
You fail at prostitution.
“A gay? I don’t think it’s a noun.”
“You’re not just short a few sandwiches,” he said, lip curling up in disgust. “Your picnic is missing the basket and blanket. There’s not even ants at your picnic.”
“Everyone is your competition.” Peter lifted his hand to his eyes and began lowering it incrementally. “It goes normal human beings, crazies, republicans, my hand, imaginary characters, corpses and then, in a moment of lustful psychosis, you.” By the time he was done, his hand was below the table.
My case was unraveling before my eyes, but I had a date with Peter on Saturday. He might not even stab me in the face during it. It amazed me what constituted a victory these days.
“I like you,” I said honestly. “Even though you’re probably a criminal and are going to get me thrown off the force. And you kicked me. Broke my nose. Made me gay and refused to kiss me.”
“Tell me something good about your life,” I whispered, needing to hear that he wasn’t as broken as I thought him to be. Peter breathed into the handset for about two minutes. I began wondering if he was about to hang up, or had fallen asleep, when he answered. “You.”
You That one word. Maybe nothing else mattered but that. Maybe all that mattered was that I wanted to hear his snarky comments about my tie and make him laugh in spite of his best attempt not to. Maybe all that mattered was I was mostly accepting the gay.
What I knew, beyond a doubt, was that if I continued to deny who I was, I’d end up with my service revolver in my mouth. “Better cock than steel,” I said wryly...
I was not insecure. I was a perfectly normal combination of arrogant and narcissistic.
“I just didn’t care what they thought. They were a means to— whoa, hello. That’s a penis.”
My throat constricted, a ball of humiliation pushing upwards from my stomach. My mouth still stung from his kiss. The attraction still hovering between us made me sick. All his lies, his manipulations, the hostility, the teasing, and I still wanted him.
“My whole life has been upside down since I met you! A little confliction is—.” “Not my fault. Your confliction is not my fault or my problem.” The laugh that pushed out of me had more air than humor. “You’re right. I’m not your problem. Not your type. Not your anything. I’ve ignored all your hostile rejections, the insults and the lies. You wanted me to leave you alone. I’m finally listening, Peter.”
I sat on my sofa, pounding Johnny Walker Black like it was my new bride and this was our honeymoon.
“Are you going to join?” Yes. Fuck, yes. Yes on four different levels— one of them pleading. “No,” I replied.
I didn’t care about what I just said to Peter. Didn’t notice the awkward silence or care that I was giggling and suspended from my job and being used by a whore to help a sociopath. I just closed my eyes to it all and let Johnny Walker lead me back to our honeymoon suite.
When did my life become a series of lectures and scoldings from a twenty-year-old whore?
“You’re hard.” “Yeah well, I keep trying to explain to my dick that you’re a lying, manipulative whore, but it has selective hearing and chooses to focus on that last part.”
His mouth held only a serene smile— a vision I would pocket away forever.
Dave and I had jacked off together plenty of times. Our friendship didn’t lend itself to embarrassment.
Maybe Peter was the answer. The problem and the answer. The answer without being a solution.
Lord, give me strength, and a steady hand for when I shoot him in the face.
Most people showed gratitude or happiness in a smile or a bouquet of flowers— Peter sucked cock. Not a whole lot of debate on which of those choices was my favorite.
“Cruelty is an effortless answer to fear.” “Who said that?” “Um… me?” “You’re too wise for your own good.” “You’re too cynical for yours,”
“Do you know why I like dogs and not cats? Because when you’re talking to dogs, they don’t walk away in order to rim themselves.”
“Good. Then you can find a place for them to sleep, if they’re staying. But hear this— I’ve given up my living room, guest room, job, career, heterosexuality and my stance on no pets in the house, but I’m not giving up my room. I’m drawing a line.”
“Rabbit’s the rock we cling to when we’re drowning. He needs a mountain to hold him up, not another storm that’ll wear away at him.”
He tasted of salt and sweat and every one of my fantasies.
“I have a price tonight.” “It wasn’t coming on my face like we were shooting a scene from Peter Does Austin?”
“Here are the facts, Austin. You’ve been engaged four times. You’ve cheated on every single one of them.” Fuck the fucking newspapers and their biased articles about me. “You’re cruel sometimes and superficial and spoiled and really fucked up emotionally. You talk about my being inscrutable, but you treat nothing as if it matters to you. Something terrible happens? You make a joke and shrug it off. You feel too much? You get angry and lash out at me. So no, I’m not in love with you. I’m fighting it every fucking step! I just wish I could stop it.”
“You’re a manipulative asshole, you know that?” “You love it.” “Only when your manipulations are to get into my pants.” “Yes, my so clever manipulations to get into your pants. What were those again?” “Breathing. Talking. Existing.” (hide spoiler)]
SECTION HEADINGS: One of the highlights of the structure of this book were the section headings, which I couldn't help but include here... Now that I'm reading them in this singular context, I think Dani Alexander could use this to distill the content of her novel into some art of existential poem... (view spoiler)[ Fucking Bunny Slippers Not a Cock Sucking Fixation Pricks and Bunnies Douchebag of the Year Award We Played Football Together, They Can’t Be Gay
Denial. How fucking works it? Austin or Alex or Idiot Booyah! Neutral Schmeutral
Theme Of The Day: Prostitutes We Tested Negative For Hepatitis Oh, Shit. Oh, Shit. Have I Mentioned: Oh, Shit!? I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Man. Yet
How to Interrogate A Prostitute. Or Not How to Date a Prostitute She Left With The Only Bottle of Soy Sauce It’s Easy To Be Brave When No One But The Dead Can Hear How To Lock Yourself in A Closet without Realizing It
Endorphins, Escapism, Enough! Hump Day! My Father, The Anti-Hero Once I Got Over Him Being a Scumsucking Criminal Unf Unf Unf Dave
Thirteen Years Too Long Peter My Job Sucked Sometimes You I Am Now Fully Embracing The Gay
Holy Fucking Christ, Dear Sweet Mother of God He Was Nothing Like What I Thought Falling Lips. That is all. Austin’s Epic Intuition Fail FUCK!
Austin Glass-Fuckup of the Year Two Epiphanies in Less Than An Hour. I’m On A Roll. Temper, Temper Revelations and Bruised Egos You’re Invited to the Wedding Givin' It Before Gettin’ It— Always Beat Them To the Punch Suspension Without Pay
Who’s Using Whom? Getting to Know Your Local Sociopath Peter— Age Twelve Jealousy, Thy Name is Austin Johnny Walker and Austin Glass: A Love Story
I Will Never Drink Again. I Need a Drink. I AM My Own Worst Enemy Awkward. Life is Awkward. Maybe I’m Dating the Sociopath? Frotting Should Replace Baseball as the National Pastime
Gay Sex 101 With Professor Peter Dear God, I’ll Take That Lobotomy Now. Thanks, —Austin Uh— Help My Ass is A No Fly Zone What’s That You Say?
Three Against One— And Not in the Fun Way Everybody Hurts The Lying Onion Revenge is Best Served Using an Albanian Woman and the Sociopath She Calls Son Home Alone VI — Avoiding Mother and Son My Ex-Girlfriend Was Right— Men Do Suck
Understanding Everything— Unfortunately How to Win Friends and Alienate Albanian Table-lovers Whore-Colored Glasses Blow Job or Coffee? Cai Redefines Dork
Did I Just Agree to More Pussy? Demons Indebted to a Fucking Hairball With the Crazies Frankenstein Ass
Hospital Admissions Hump Day Goes Down in Flames Driving While Intoxicated My Father, The Philandering Asshole Would It Be Okay If I Stomped My Foot Until Someone Let Me Fucking Shower? Peter’s Trick
My Ass! When had I become so self-involved? Answer: always People Should Be What They Look Like, Dammit! Austin Glass Starring in: Screwed Without Orgasm Career Plague
Predictions and Predicaments Bedraggled and Empathizing with a Cat. Where’s My Gun? Lectures Make Me Hard Gay Sex Three, Straight Sex Nil The Truth Sucks. And It Is Awesome.
He Loves Me. He Loves Me N— Fuck This. The Solution To All Problems is a Blow Job Dreams Interrupting Fantasies Everyone’s a Critic Schizophrenic News Half-Wit’s End Oh, Yay. Peter Pissed at Someone Else For a Change Rapid Shift in Parenting
How to Adopt a Teenager Without Your Consent Arturo Sees More Action Than Reality TV Trust Is An Illusion
Tourette’s is Contagious The Things I Do For You Can’t Anything Just Be Easy? Would Penis Bullets Hurt? Breathe and think — (Of 1001 Ways to Shut Darryl Up) Cai is Going To Military School When This is Done
Maybe I Should Remove the Cummerbund Never Ending Story Popularity is Overrated I Love You, Man True Irony Is Lost on the Idiots And All I Got Was This Stupid Cat Sleep. Sleep Would Be Good Here
Thinking About Anything But Peter Great. Now I Hate Hospitals Good Doggy Running On Empty 52:14 I Might As Well Grow a Vagina with All This Sharing
Checking Out Picking Up The Peace Don’t Look At Me, I’m Not Even Here Questioning the Gay Whatever It Takes Are You My Mother? Baggage for Two, Please
Ass Hair Spawns the Weirdest Discussions DWS— Driving While Stunned (hide spoiler)]...more
Wanted was a steamy, sexy, whirlwind ride of secrets and mystery. The discovery of an important truth: the secret fantasies you've built up in your miWanted was a steamy, sexy, whirlwind ride of secrets and mystery. The discovery of an important truth: the secret fantasies you've built up in your mind will never hold a candle to the reality of letting yourself go. If we are not our vices, who are we really?
I tried to give myself some time to digest this book before writing a review, because I am a mass of contradictions when I think about this story. I loved Evan's dialogue, but I hated Angie's. I loved that there was so much mystery twisted throughout everyone's lives, but I hated that my questions were teased straight to the ending.
This was a fun book, but it simply failed to resonate with me.
The premise was freaking awesome, and it started with some amazing fanfare. Evan's dirty talk was some of the most alpha-male hotness I've read in a while. The sex was lusty and well written. I was especially pleased with the fact that Angie and Evan knew each other for a long time before they became lovers, so the emotional attachment didn't seem so contrived.
[image]
Allow me to present my grievances:
1. Angie was not a very strong person… She struggled to find who her way in life, was prone to self-inflicted mental breakdowns, keeps secrets from her friends… And she completely lost herself in the fantasy she created of Evan Black when he was her teenage crush. She really grated on me, and caused more than one moment of yelling at a fictional character.
2. Sometimes an author begins a book by dangling mysteries in front of the reader, and our overactive imaginations begin filling in the blanks. The problem starts when the author dangles these mysteries in from of you for too long without resolving them… My imagination had all types of wild ideas concerning the secrets which were bearing down on Evan and Angie. Some of my predictions were 100% true (and that felt awesome), and some predictions were way off. Unfortunately by the time the author showed me the truth, I was almost disappointed that the answers weren't as good as the ones I'd thought up on my own.
3. For all the awesome things which made this book enjoyable, it was completely dragged through the mud because of the pace. It started out amazing, and it ended awesomely as well… But the whole mid-section of the book was a rough read for me. In fact, the middle section was so repetitive and dull, repeating the tropes of "What are Evan Black's secrets?" and "Angie must conform and do what's right for the family!" that by the time the plot picked up again it felt rushed.
From what I understand this is going to be a trilogy, and I assume that the other two books will be about the other "Knights" Cole and Tyler… And with any luck, J. Kenner will find her rhythm and I will be waiting patiently to read Heated, Book two in the Most Wanted Trilogy. There is a lot of potential here.
[image]
Some of My Favorite Moments: (view spoiler)[He wanted me dammit. He wanted me, and he was too goddamned loyal to my uncle to do anything about it.
I'd been trying to keep myself under control, but the tighter I grasped, the more pieces of me seem to break free.
The world around us. Promises. Loyalties. They had no place between us. Not now. How could they, when the fire that burned between is would render everything to ashes?
"This excites you, doesn't it? Not knowing where we're going next. What's going to happen. Who might turn that corner. Not knowing if I'm going to kiss you or fuck you." … "I'll give you a hint, Angie. I'm going to do both." (hide spoiler)]
***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I'd like to thank Wendy for Buddy Reading this book with me. We had a lot to discuss, postulate, praise, and complain about (which made for a really enjoyable reading experience) I'd like to direct you to her review as well....more
A rookie cop teams up with the head of a private security firm to go undercover and attempt rescuA combination of Modern Romance and Thriller.
[image]
A rookie cop teams up with the head of a private security firm to go undercover and attempt rescue a young woman before she can be sold at an auction of sex slaves. This was an up and down event. When the book was good, it was really good - gripping, intriguing, sexy… But unfortunately it took a while to gain momentum.
The first parts of the book were kind of strange for me - We were given a very clear vision of Allie Green's fears, goals, and motivation - She' s going to use Tristan Cross to get revenge. Then suddenly everything shifted... (view spoiler)[Allie was literally handed the chance to achieve her revenge. Cross places a high-powered sniper rifle in her hands and points to the location of Wright off in the distance. And she folds, she can't do it - refuses to murder him in cold blood.
I was confused for a little while… So far, all we knew about Allie was her hatred of Wright, her need to keep her mother safe from him, her craving for revenge against the man who killed her father & her unborn baby sister, a man who brutally raped her mother…. So what were we going to do now?
Tristan Cross tells her that he will take care of Wright for her if she will take the highly dangerous undercover position with his company. (hide spoiler)]
Then the plot thickened in rapid succession after that - (view spoiler)[we learned more about the mission at hand; and oh what a juicy assignment it was - infiltrating an auction of sex slaves?!?! Hells yeah! It gave Allie something to focus her energy on that was not the worrisome family circumstances (which we were lead to believe would drive this book) and let her stretch her badass black-belt wings and prove that she's a formidable heroine.
"I'd trained for this; I'd always known I was meant to do something big with my life. Being a police officer was just a stepping stone. I'd been waiting for an opportunity to make a difference. It wasn't all about using Cross - not anymore"
The reveal of (view spoiler)[Kendra's association with the Cross family was well played. I had started predicting things that were way wrong - maybe she was an ex-wife? Or another little Sister? A former undercover employee of Cross Industries who fell through the cracks? Nope! - She was a former lover of Tristan's (his first) before she stabbed him in the chest (OMG!) and she obviously had the love of both Cross Brothers.
"In the back of my mind I knew that if Julian took care of Kendra, that would leave Tristan all for me. Was that what he wanted? Or had Tristan hired me only so I could get her back for him?"
But it wasn't all awesome... there were a few things that fell short for me...
We were brow beaten with these themes: - She was a police officer, and shouldn't be acting a certain way (view spoiler)[
(but she was)(hide spoiler)] - Tristan was supposed to be her boss, so she doesn't want to screw him (view spoiler)[
(but she does)(hide spoiler)] (Have a little faith in your reader. Trust me, we got it.)
And What on Earth was with Tristan & Scotch? She mentioned that he tasted/smelled of scotch on a ridiculous number of occasions. I started to get this feeling: [image]
Now, let's talk about the ending for a second:
So If I understand correctly, While she was undercover (view spoiler)[ as a sex slave, and supposedly under lock and key by the man who purchased her for the evening, She just pulled on some bluejeans and waltzed down to the Hotel Bar? As in the Hotel that had hosted an event selling sex slaves to depraved men who were all staying in the exact same hotel?!?
[image]
And then BAM!
Martinez (the target) propositions her at the bar. This is her chance... She's going to play along...
And the BAM!
Martinez has Kendra!
Martinez drugs Allie
Allie and Kendra make a break for it. (a chase and struggle ensue)
[image]
And the Bam! (literally this time)
Allie Green is shot in the stomach! She's bashed in the head! She Passes out!
[image]
Then she wakes up in the hospital... Safe with Tristan Cross... Kendra is safe in recovery with the other Cross Brother....
All is right in the world
AND THEN BAM!!!!!
She finds out she's PREGNANT.
[image]
She doesn't know how Tristan will react, so she keeps the baby a secret… (even has her Medical records doctored so Cross won't find out) For THREE WEEKS! …Seriously, three weeks? Sure… Why not… Allie Finally gets up the courage to tell Cross about the baby. She strolls into his office intending to leave a little box of gift-wrapped baby booties on his desk. …She took a bullet but she's too much of a coward to say the words "I'm Pregnant"? …Ok Anyway!
This is the Moment!
They're face to face!
AND BAM!
Cross says, "Allie, you're fired."
[image]
Well hello Cliffhanger! I guess the author did warn us that this was the first book in a trilogy… But still, the ending was a little like mixing Tequila and Scotch (you see what I did there) it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. (hide spoiler)]
I guess we'll have to see what happens in book two of the series. Will I be reading it when it comes out? I honestly couldn't guess. I'm not sure this book had enough to keep me interested long enough for Book Two of The Layers Trilogy to hit the shelves. We'll have to wait and see...
Some of My Favorite Moments:
(view spoiler)[Could I really work for Cross when the strength to control my own eyes vanished the minute he walked in the room?
Familiar scars from the past painted his face the same way they marked my heart
The man had a way of seeping deep into my soul and covering each wound with a permanent band-aid. As if he knew I needed his help.
"Is there anything you don't know about me?" "Your bra size," he said, shamelessly eyeing my cleavage.
If I had ten tequila shots, all at once, I doubted they'd knock me off my feet as hard as Cross had.
What happened last night was ore than just sex, no matter how much I tried to deny it. It was a sinful act of two needy souls connecting and using each other's bodies to heal old wounds, fulfill our own desires, and forget the damaged pasts that scarred our lives.
He was everything to me, and not enough.
"You become a different woman in my arms. A vulnerable woman I love to please, but I also love the strong woman you are every day." (hide spoiler)]...more
An Erotic Romance with an artistic backdrop, a heavy dose of suspense, and two characters struggling to overcome their pasts before they can possibly An Erotic Romance with an artistic backdrop, a heavy dose of suspense, and two characters struggling to overcome their pasts before they can possibly consider a future together.
[image]
"I look at you and see every color of the spectrum and I'm nothing but shades of gray."
This is a stand-alone romance, and a highly entertaining ride reaching from the swamps of Louisiana to the shores of San Diego.
Photographer Serena Macafee is on a hot assignment - not only because photographing Kevin Riley for an upcoming book abut his art could launch her career, but also because the artist she's capturing in the lens of her camera is hotter than the Louisiana bayou he lives in.
"...Kevin was the living breathing example of every fantasy she'd ever had, his unbelievable sexiness did nothing to put her at ease. Fantasies were just that - something she could escape to when her hard-earned control stifled her, when life got boring and she needed a little spice. But fantasies were supposed to stay fantasies - who expected to encounter them in real life?"
Kevin Riley only cares about his art and his carefully established reputation as a recluse. He has no desire to participate in the fanfare surrounding his success as an artist, and even less desire to subject himself to the intrusion of the beautiful ice-queen photographer haired by his agent to photograph him at work.
One stormy night in the swamps of Louisiana changes everything between the pair - a huge storm sweeps in , the power goes out, and their emotional walls come crumbling down. As the heat escalates between the two artists in the bayou, tragic pasts will reveal their undeniable influence, and a mysterious stalker begins to weave their way into the forefront of their minds.
A few thoughts: This was a fun, fast-paced ride. The sizzling sex scenes were well balanced with the storyline and suspense - not your standard "sex on every page" kind of erotica. My only complaint: what was going on with (view spoiler)[that ending? One second we see Serena in BatonRouge resolving to end things with Kevin, the next scene she's showing up on his front step asking if he still wants to get married? I was as surprised as Kevin to hear her change in heart. I felt like I had missed something... And speaking of missing something... The last paragraph was horribly awkward. Kevin's summation of their relationship, and the whole
"No wonder she hadn't called him when she found her car. Like Deb, any feelings she had for her were only superficial."
was a terrible way to end this book. I assume this was supposed to be a "hahaha Kevin likes cars" moment? but seriously, why bother tying a nice bow on the ending just to leave off with that sentence? It left me feeling kind of gross, I had to re-read the last paragraph several times to assure myself that it was supposed to be a joke. Hack off the last paragraph of this book, please. Due to the fact that those were the last words and the final impression I was left with, it effected my rating. (hide spoiler)]
Some of My Favorite Moments:
(view spoiler)[Feeling as if he'd missed a few steps, or an entire staircase for that matter, Kevin closed his eyes. Ran another hand through his hair.
His voice hinted at beignets and chicory and long, lazy mornings in bed.
...she had a felling getting involved with Kevin would be the equivalent of emotional quicksand.
"C'est tout le juste, bebe. C'est tout le juste. Je vous ai, amour. It's okay now. I've got you. I've got you now. Just relax." He leaned forward, brushed a kiss against her temple, and just like that, she shattered.
"I look at you and see every color of the spectrum and I'm nothing but shades of gray." (hide spoiler)]
***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review***...more
Yikes! I make it a point to avoid writing reviews for bad books - The author worked hard on this, but itSorry folks, this one was NOT for me...
[image]
Yikes! I make it a point to avoid writing reviews for bad books - The author worked hard on this, but it was sloppy. Grammar and punctuation mistakes aside, it was a ridiculous collection of words strung together and called a book.
Tie Me Down was all about Sex, New Orleans, corrupt cops, gruesome murders, stalkers, women who should know better than ignoring the stalkers (but do anyway), and men who want to protect them from danger... It's like this book was comprised of out takes from Full Exposure (the only other book I've read from Tracy Wolff) to the point that I immediately knew that (view spoiler)[Chastian (hide spoiler)] was the serial killer. When the answer to the only real mystery is blidingly obvious to the reader, it makes your Man Character seem like an idiot for not figuring it out...
Here's what was good about this book: (because I feel kind of bad trashing anyone's book): 1. The sex scenes were good. 2. Cole had some steamy bedroom dialogue. 3. The moments when we saw Genevieve working the case were fun. 4. The serial killer was delightfully twisted, I liked his taunting clues...
But here are the problems: I have no issue reading erotica that is simply sex with little-to-no plot line. Unfortunately Tie Me Down claimed to have a plot line... We saw nothing about the alleged plot line for most of the book. And it definitely wasn't as full of suspense as the book's description would have you believe. You have to get at least 75% though the book before anything happens with "suspense" and it's a chore to make it that far...
[image]
Genevieve Delacroix was an infuriating, unreliable character. Just because the author tells us she is an Ice Queen, hard ass detective does not make it true if the character acts in an opposite fashion through the entire book.
Why was she constantly putting herself in dangerous situations with this guy she doesn't know, who has files about her and photos of gruesome murder scenes?!?! She's a homicide detective, she knows what the possible consequences could be. She knows that the killer has taken an interest in her. But she's like, "well screw it, I'd rather have sex than think about it."
You have to get 28% through the book before the two main characters said anything to each other that that wasn't sexual. It lasted less than two pages. They had breakfast together. Genevieve even took the time to think about having a dialogue:
"You never did answer my question last night." He leaned against the counter, his body suddenly tense as he watched her over the rim of his coffee cup. "Which question was that, sweetheart? 'Where'd you earn to fuck like that?' or 'Could you do it some more?'" She narrowed her eyes, refused to blush at the reminder of her blatant demands. "The one where I wanted to know what the hell you were doing researching my department and various sexual homicides from the last few years. How did you even know about them?"
A perfectly reasonable question! I'd been wondering the same thing!
And what happens?
They fuck again rather than answer any burning questions...
Because yeah...
We have to go through several pages of sex before any conversations were resumed, and amusingly, Cole says what everyone is thinking:
"And while you're at it, think about what it says about you that you fucked me while you had even the slightest suspicion that I was involved with raping and killing seven young women. I guess I'm not the only sick bastard around."
And so Cole and Genevieve argue, Genevieve leaves, and the book continues to deteriorate in spectacular fashion...
Final Thoughts: I like to come away from a book with a new experience, or having learned something. I learned something very important from Tie Me Down. I learned that I'll never ever read Tracy Wolff ever again.
[image]
***I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**** (and it can't possibly get more honest than what I just said.)...more
This is the First Book in yet another collection of erotic serials… You know the drill… Each book is going to be short. The first book is going to be frThis is the First Book in yet another collection of erotic serials… You know the drill… Each book is going to be short. The first book is going to be free. The book will be heavy on sex, light on plot...
Verdict: Yeah, this could be a fun series.
[image]
Victoria hooks up with Carter on a camping trip with mutual friends… Carter, however, is on this trip for a reason - he was hired to KILL Victoria… But when she turns out to be the best sex of his life, he calls the whole thing off......more
Selling Scarlett was like a psychotic snowball rolling down a hill - all awkward and unassuming at the beginning;Ups and Downs with this one...
[image]
Selling Scarlett was like a psychotic snowball rolling down a hill - all awkward and unassuming at the beginning; easy to ignore, monochromatic white on white... Then to my surprise (and seemingly out of nowhere) it gained momentum. Unstoppable momentum. It rolled over everything in its path, leaving me wondering if that crappy little snowball at the beginning was really the precursor to the avalanche it became.
Alright, enough of the metaphors... This book was a lot of things... Or at least it tried to be a lot of things. It had several failings in my opinion, but once it hooked me (which took at least 1/4 of the book), I didn't put it down. I stayed up until 1am to finish it.
It had some glaring mistakes that could have been caught with the utilization of a competent editor, but they weren't too terribly distracting. In fact, I kind of got the impression that the first half of this book was written independently from the second...
In my experience with crime/thriller fiction, a proficient author will attempt to break up the tension every now and then, luring the reader into a false sense of safety before ratcheting up your anxiety once more. Generally this is accomplished through humor. Unfortunately, I found the humor in this book ridiculously, unbelievably, and unforgivably sophomoric in comparison to the subject matter.
"...I'm starting to get a serious case of belly bats (the unrelated more serious cousins of butterflies.)"
[image]
After taking some time to think about this book, I believe the lack of humor (or any other periodic pallet cleanser to the plot line) is what killed the book for me. It caused the whole work to lack a necessary balance. If a reader can deal with political corruption, kidnapping, murder for hire, prostitution, blackmail, and selling women into sex slavery, I promise they can handle some dark or dry humor. It occurred to me that perhaps the author was attempting to use sexy situations to break up the tension... if that was the case, we'll need to add another failure to the list.
In addition to the problem with balance, there were way too many characters. Seriously. If a character is unimportant, and I don't need to remember them for the progression of the story - if I'm never going to see their names again, consider calling them "two former FBI agents, a security adviser, and a PI" instead of telling me that "Theodore and William were in the FBI together before starting a private firm with Christoper. Jonathan joined three years later with a chip on his shoulder..." (For the record that's not an actual quote form the book, just trying to make a point.) As I finished the book I noticed a big shiny advertisement for the next book in the series, and suddenly the hap-hazard character structure made sense - This book was a teaser for a series (which I did not realize when I downloaded it) so the author was just trying to set up a few names which will (in theory) be flushed out later in the series....more
Loading...
