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Review: Strictly Business by Cat Grant
Eric Courtland is hungry for revenge—at any cost—against the cold, unfeeling father who never loved him, and who drove his mother to an early grave. Tossed headfirst into the shark-tank world of big business, Eric soon learns it’s eat or be eaten, and has no choice but to throw in his lot with ruthless titan of industry Branford Crane.
Still reeling from his mother’s death—and the guilt of not being able to save her—Eric plunges into a dark spiral of self-destruction, rejecting his longtime partner Nick’s love and support in favor of the harsh tutelage Bran offers him, in and out of the bedroom.
But one night, when Bran finally pushes Eric beyond any reasonable limit, Eric realizes how far he’s fallen—and how desperately he needs Nick to help pull him back from the edge.
- Publisher: Cat Grant Books; 2nd edition (December 25, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- ASIN: B00ATG09VU
- FTC Disclosure: given to me by the author for the purposes of an honest review
I fell in love with Eric and Nick in By Chance, and if it were possible to run on my iPad to get to the next book, I would have. I didn’t read the blurb, so I went into the novella blind. If I had read the blurb, I would’ve been more prepared for the split between two of my favorite men.
In Strictly Business, Eric’s mother dies and it sends him spiraling down the rabbit hole. He pushes Nick away and runs straight to a business associate, Branford “Bran” Crane. While I totally understand reeling from the loss of someone you love very much and going into a dark place, I don’t think my fragile mind could wrap itself around why Eric would need the rough (and that’s putting it mildly) treatment that Bran gives him.
Watching Eric deal with his inner demons hurt, because I loved him so much. Everyone has to deal with their demons or be eaten alive by them. While I hated the how, I understood the why.
Cat Grant does a great job of writing characters that I love (Eric and Nick) and that I hate (Bran). I can’t wait to dive into Complications, which continues Eric and Nick’s world.
Rating: 3.75 Stars
Review: Fifty Shades Darker & Fifty Shades Freed – EL James
Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.
But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades.
While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.
- Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (April 17, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0345803493
- ISBN-13: 978-0345803498
- FTC Disclosure:bought with my own money
When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Greyit sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian’s singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.
Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.
Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.
- Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (April 17, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0345803507
- ISBN-13: 978-0345803504
- FTC Disclosure: bought with my own money
I listened to the first book on audio and read the last two (because they weren’t available on audio yet). I really wish I would’ve just waited until the audio was out for the second two because the editing was so crappy that I couldn’t get past it. I kind of wonder if the audio versions would still have Ana referring to Kate as Rose (as in: Rosalie) and Jack as James (as in: the vampire in the first Twilight book who tried to kill Bella).
I like to call FSoG a “train wreck” because even though they’re awful, you can’t look away. It’s an entertaining train wreck, to say the least. I laughed out loud every time Ana did something stupid that was either going to tick Christian off or put herself in danger – which was almost every other page. Yes, the smex was hot, but as one commenter at Romance At Random said, it got very repetitive after a while.
I read a LOT of BDSM for my review site, and FSoG was NOT a BDSM book. It was more BDSM-lite. Christian may have all the equipment and like to play a little bit, but when the girl he’s falling for freaks out on him during a scene and calls him a freak who needs therapy (which he’s already doing, btw), he crumbles and changes everything about himself (even to the point of becoming a sub for her!) that’s when I have to call BS. I know some people are Switches, and he started out his sexual life as a sub, but he’s now a Dom and acts every bit the role before poor innocent (stupid & naive!) little Ana comes into the picture. Sorry, I just don’t see that happening in a real D/s relationship. It’s nice that EL James did some research, but I wish she would’ve done MORE. And maybe kept the storyline consistent, rather than changing it to fit the needs of the characters.
Personally, I don’t get why these books are sweeping the nation and are such a craze. I’ve read better books in 4th grade (I was reading Stephen King at that point, so I digress). I guess the appeal is that it’s not entirely BDSM, so the people out there reading the genre for the first time feel safer?
I will say this – the trilogy has gotten people to read again, which is a fantastic thing. Three of the people I have clinicals with have read or are reading it, when they all admit that they aren’t normally “readers”. Two of my aunts have read or are reading it. So, even though I have multiple issues with the trilogy, it was entertaining, and it has gotten people to read again. So I guess it can’t be all that bad, right?
I’m giving the Fifty Shades of Grey series an overall rating of 3.75 meows.
Review: Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims
WANTED
Single human female to join charming, wealthy, single male were-cougar for a night of romantic fun—and maybe more.
Me: The tall, sensuous, open-minded leader of my clan.
You: A deliciously curvy virgin who’s intimately familiar with what goes bump in the night. Must not be afraid of a little tail. Prefer a woman who’s open to exploring her animal nature. Interest in nighttime walks through the woods a plus.
My turn-ons include protecting you from the worst the supernatural world has to offer. Ready for an adventure? Give me a call.
Vampires and doppelgangers need not apply.
- Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (October 25, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1439188238
- ISBN-13: 978-1439188231
- FTC Disclosure: I bought it with my Christmas money.
At first glance, I thought that this story was going to be really, really cute. And it is. Sims’ writing is kind of like the Queen Betsy series by MaryJanice Davidson—super quirky and totally funny with a strange twist to the paranormal. While the title could probably be better (it just wasn’t my cuppa, sorry), it was a cute story with characters who I really could get down with for the most part.
Bathsheba (really, she needs to come up with better names, seriously) is the female protagonist in the story, and I really liked her…somewhat (I won’t spoil it for you, but at the end of the book, she gets really, REALLY stupid). Her beau Beau (see what I did there? I’m so clever) is particularly likeable, too. Granted, their relationship lacks build up. The entirety of their relationship kinda goes like this:
Bathsheba: “I like you, but I can’t be with you! Oh, WOE IS ME!”
Beau: “I SHALL have you, my little virginal princess! I love you in the best way that a were-cougar can!” *pounces*
They’re totally cute together, but on and on it goes…
Don’t get me wrong, I like this little world that Sims has created, and I really think that with time, this will be a really neat little series. But what keeps me from being totally gaga over this series is the fact that the plot was very… pat and predictable, and the characters (primary, here, the secondary characters I liked, actually) lacked the development that I generally like to see in a really good romance novel. I’d give Beauty Dates the Beast 3.75 out of 5 meows.
Review: To Conquer Mr Darcy by Abigail Reynolds
What if…
Instead of disappearing from Elizabeth Bennet’s life after she refused his offer of marriage, Mr. Darcy had stayed and tried to change her mind?
What if…
Lizzy, as she gets to know Darcy, finds him undeniably attractive and her impulses win out over her sense of propriety?
What if…
Madly in love and mutually on fire, their passion anticipates their wedding?
In To Conquer Mr. Darcy, instead of avoiding Elizabeth after his ill-fated marriage proposal, Mr. Darcy follows her back to Hertfordshire to prove to her he is a changed man and worthy of her love. And little by little, Elizabeth begins to find the man she thought she despised, irresistible…
- Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (August 1, 2010)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
- Language: English
- ASIN: B003V4BPXS
- FTC Disclosure: my copy bought with my own money
I first heard about To Conquer Mr Darcy when Lynette from Lynette’s Two Cents was talking about it on Twitter. I’d heard about published fanfic before, but hadn’t ever read it. I’d definitely never given much thought to reading Jane Austen fanfic, despite my love for all the Jane Austen movies I’ve devoured (yes, even the much-despised Keira Knightley version. What? Matthew Macfadyn is hot.)
In this revamp of Pride & Prejudice, Darcy doesn’t avoid Elizabeth the way he does in the original novel and let things happen the way he thinks they’re supposed to. Rather, he goes after her and pursues her like a real man should. Even though she initially rejects him (as she should – his behavior was reprehensible) she eventually bends and they fall in love.
The almost-love scenes leading up to their eventual consummation of their desire were pretty hot and heavy… so much so that I almost wondered if Elizabeth would have actually allowed Darcy to treat her that way, given the fact that she was raised to be a proper lady but I had to stop and think about the fact that this was a a) a book and b) Elizabeth was a young girl with hormones going crazy. Hell, even older women have hormones going crazy and would likely give into temptation like that. Have you seen the many incarnations of Darcy??
Once they gave in and did the hibbity-dibbity, all bets were ON and my Kindle almost melted. I’ll tell you one thing, Abigail Reynolds knows how to write a love scene! ^_^
Once the happy couple were… happy, I did feel that the story kind of dragged on. All the crap with her bratty ass sister running off with that dickhead Wickham felt like it took forever to resolve. Maybe it’s because I felt like the story was already wrapped up with Darcy and Elizabeth married and together and happy. That was really my only problem with the story. Other than that, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
Rating: 3.75 meows
Review: Beautiful Sins – Leigha Lowry by Jennifer Hampton
The skies of the Dark Coast, the Pacific Coastline of U.S. States has been infected with a strange chemical reaction from a military experiment gone awry. Constant cloud cover rules over the lands. Leigha Lowery, a sixteen year-old popular fiction writer in the local free press is pulled from the only home she knows in Detroit, MI when her mother decides on an impulse to marry a doctor she’s been dating over the internet and moves to the small town of Banks, Oregon. As she adjusts to her new life of wealth and power, she begins to realize that the rumors about the Dark Coast aren’t even close to what she’s witnessed. Prince Alexander Sommers, the son of King Royce, and heir to the throne has taken a fascination to her. He pulls her into a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, and many other creatures of the night that have decided to make the Dark Coast their home.
- Publisher: Hampton Publishing; 1 edition (February 23, 2009)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
- Language: English
- ASIN: B001TRE52W
- FTC Disclosure: book provided by the author for the purposes of an honest review
I’ve never been a fan of futuristic sci fi books where everyone is motoring around in flying cars and everything is… well, sci-fi-like (I may be a fan of Star Trek: TNG and Star Wars, but that’s about as far as my sci-fi love goes), so it’s refreshing to see Beautiful Sins’ minimal approach to sci-fi. It’s set in the future, there’s a civil war going on and the Pacific coastline has gone Dark thanks to a chemical reaction due to a military experiment gone horribly wrong. Oh yeah, and vampires exist… Among other things that go ROAR in the night.
I loved the story, and I was pulled into Leigha’s world from the start. She’s a bright 16 year-old who wants to make her mother happy. It’s rare to see a kid these days who isn’t so self-absorbed & so focused on their iPhone and sucking down their next vanilla latte from Starbucks that they can’t help out their parents or friends. Leigha seems to be all about helping out her parents and friends… sometimes too much so (it gets her into trouble more than once).
Alexander, the prince, was both sexy and frustrating as hell. He was hard to understand at times because he refused to explain to Leigha just what their connection was (which we only understood in bits because it was let out a little at a time, which was extraordinarily frustrating since it felt like it was never truly explained in full) and even though she was really attracted to him, it didn’t feel like she had that same draw to him – even though she used it whenever she needed to get herself out of trouble.
The supporting characters added life and depth to the story. While I do wish her mother and step-father were more parental in their roles (they were a tad on the lenient side – and this is probably my mommy side talking here, since I know this is a fictional character I’m talking about and she has to be able to get into all this trouble for the plot to progress), I did love the way they were together. Her friends were very much the typical teenagers, and made me long for my high school days even while I rolled my eyes at their antics.
My one problem with the book was that the writing was a tad on the choppy side and made the story hard to follow at times. I think the author left out some detail, or skimmed over as she tried to write as quickly or as much as she could (there’s a lot of world-building involved and not a lot of time to do it in), but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the story – in fat, I really enjoyed it.
I devoured the book in one sitting, and the cliffhanger at the end had me going “Really? That’s it? No way!” This is part of a series, and I’ll have to pick up the next one when I get some extra time.
Rating: 3.75 meows
Review: Little Sister by VJ Chambers
Ever since Jane Cassidy’s big brother was killed in a car accident six months ago, she’s been taking solace in watching cheesy vampire movies and yelling at the characters on the screen when they do stupid things. She can’t control the tragedy in her own life, but in the movies, the characters can find ways out of the grip of death.
A chance meeting with Bailey Westfield, her brother’s best friend and her childhood crush, catapults her out of her cocoon of grieving. Bailey’s kiss makes Jane feel tugged under a rushing waterfall of cold, sweet darkness. She only sees him at night, and she longs to feel his icy fingers trace the outline of her jaw.
Jane doesn’t realize that she’s been (literally) sucked into the plot of a vampire movie. And she’s not so snarky when there are teeth in her own neck.
- Publisher: Punk Rawk Books (February 13, 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
- Language: English
- ASIN: B004NNV52W
- FTC Disclosure: provided by the author for the purposes of an honest review
Jane lives in a fog of vampire movies and hanging out on her couch with her gay best friend after her older brother is killed in a car accident 6 months ago. When Danny (the gay bestie) convinces her to go to a local bar to play the songs she wrote brother, there’s light at the end of the tunnel… or so we think.
Jane runs into Bailey, her brother’s best friend, and things are looking up. They hang out, play music, and really seem to click. It was interesting to watch them both blossom together while they play. Jane has been so depressed ever since Eric’s death and being with Bailey and playing the songs she wrote for her brother is cathartic.
I know that this is a novella, but it did move kind of fast for me. They’re together 2 nights, and laying on the floor making out, while he’s telling her how “alive” she’s making him feel? Ok, there’s a reason for that, but still… It’s a little quick, and it makes me a little squickish.
I absolutely LOVE the fact that she’s such a vampire tv show/movie addict and brings them up all the time. I’m a bit of a vampire addict myself, so every time she mentioned one, I cheered. (me=dork)
Little Sister is a really cute and quick read. You’ll adore it.
Rating: 3.75 meows
Review: A Lifetime to Find Love by Ava Riley
Tessa has no desire to spend another Friday night alone. Inviting her brother’s best friend, Cade, to hang out with her at a local club was nothing more than a night out with a friend. At least that’s what she thought. When unexpected advances are made, they are both forced to evaluate their life- long friendship and newly revealed feelings for each other. Can Tessa accept that someone as sexy and successful as Cade could want her for more than sex? Will their friendship continue on as it was or will these two find a love that lasts a lifetime?
- Publisher: LazyDay Publishing (April 4, 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
- Language: English
- ASIN: B004V9G000
- FTC Disclosure: copy provided by author for the purposes of an honest review
I know that MamaMcGregor already reviewed A Lifetime to Find Love, but I agreed to read & review ALTFL before MMcG joined MKR and… well, I’ve had the review written in my little pink notebook for ages, and I’ve debated as to whether I should post it and have 2 reviews of the same book, and finally decided “why not?” So, without further ado…
The opening was different – you don’t normally have the heroine on the floor with a pounding head, so that was definitely a great way to draw me into the story.
I wish we would have seen more of their interaction when they were younger. It sounded like they had a fairly decent relationship even before they became more, and I would’ve loved to have seen how they went from being buddies to lovers.
I really liked how they understood each other and didn’t let miscommunications or petty shit (like Erin) get in the way of their being together. Too many books rely on simple things like that for their conflict when adults tend to actually talk to each other.
There wasn’t really much of an actual conflict though. They both had reservations about being with someone, but their feelings for each other seemed to make it a moot point.
One thing that bothered me is when they first hgad sex, he says he can’t because he doesn’t have a condom and she just shrugs and says “it’s okay, just don’[t come inside me”. My eyes almost bugged out of my head. Yes, you’ve been friends for ever, but there’s still a risk of pregnancy and unless you’ve both been tested for STDs recently, there’s still a risk of that as well. I know I’m hyper-aware as a student in a medical field, but people should be hyper-aware anyway. That’s not the type of shit you joke around with.
*steps off my soapbox* And now back to our regularly scheduled review…
A Lifetime to Find Love is a sweet, fun read about two friends who find their way to each other. It made my sentimental heart smile.
Favorite Line: “Where do you want me”
“On top of me”
Rating: 3.75 meows
