I liked a couple of the books in the series but this one, meh. I think it all depends on Briar's sexual expression being attractive to Casey and the rI liked a couple of the books in the series but this one, meh. I think it all depends on Briar's sexual expression being attractive to Casey and the reader being interested on it, because other than that I really really did not like Briar, he kept lying, and it is never clear why he did not have other plans other than getting into a fraternity (and he is taking a spot which could have been needed by somebody else...). Yeah, bad situation all round, but he was lying and lying and technically speaking, he kind of got into the fraternity or Casey kept not looking too deeply into his story because of attraction. I never really got that the relationship really was equal or that they were both good for one another. ...more
A much more serious book than A Rival for Rivingdon, all the angst and grief and alcoholism and low self-esteem. And I liked the characters a lot, I lA much more serious book than A Rival for Rivingdon, all the angst and grief and alcoholism and low self-esteem. And I liked the characters a lot, I liked the dynamic between them, but this felt much too short, like there were chapters missing already. Re meet, some whatever plot so they are thrown together, hanging together a bit, in love. It is almost like I blinked and missed it, wait married and the book over already? This is often a problem with recent series though....more
The two most idiotic empty headed fops to fall in love ever and it is so sweet. They would be the comedy sidekicks the fashion obsessed very young rivThe two most idiotic empty headed fops to fall in love ever and it is so sweet. They would be the comedy sidekicks the fashion obsessed very young rivals in another story, and they might still because this is a long series, but their squabbles and lack of awareness is brilliantly funny and their low self-esteems, for different reasons moving, as is the way they turn out to be so good for each other. Very sweet and kind of different of every other love story I had read before (and I read many many...)...more
This is a villain story, kind of, the deep in the closet brother who caused a lot of heartache as teens to his younger brother's new partner. Nicky JaThis is a villain story, kind of, the deep in the closet brother who caused a lot of heartache as teens to his younger brother's new partner. Nicky James writes really well, and these characters seemed interesting in the previous book (that I loved!), and I am not one of those readers who hates reading about prejudice or uncozy things. And this book was rife with homophobia, in the past, internalized, with teenagers around, and I think it was a bit claustrophobic even for me who did not expect to mind. But my biggest problem was the plot, it is all kind of meh, dramatic thing with teenagers, relationship a bit instant - also the most annoying (supposedly cute!) child I ever found in fiction as a plot lever. I loved one of the characters (Windsor), and was meh about the other (Tomy. The villain role in the past, and it was not even that, it's how bland he is).
Best part - the small town feeling, the side characters, the dialogue between all the police officers, and Windsor in general. I did not love this as I expected though....more
This is supposedly to be all dark and edgy (child trafficking, revenge and all) but it feels just silly. Like a comic book, where everything is so hypThis is supposedly to be all dark and edgy (child trafficking, revenge and all) but it feels just silly. Like a comic book, where everything is so hyper and so full of back story and it is all so cheesy but without unawareness of it.
I think Kelly Fox can really write, it is just sometimes less is more and all this overthetopness felt to unreal - while at the same time trying to be real and "dark" and content warnings. It did not work (for comparison K.A. Merikan or Nordika Night). I hated the constant references to other couples and huge character universe, it kept getting on the way of the story (though story, what story? they are both turned on by their size difference, that seems to be it...) This book must break some kind of record for couples from previous books showing up or being mentioned, I did not keep count but maybe 12, 15 other books? I am sure a lot of fans love that, but I am out and prefer to read lots of authors and try new authors and new voices and different stories, because I often get fed up from books which all seem same-y.
As a note, and I am not american, there was a lot of stereotypes about nationalities and all, it all felt a bit weird to me. All those references to norwegian and vikings, the british guy being a lord of some kind with a country house of course, even the way mexicans are portrayed, it all felt a bit "alien perspective".
I am not sure if I should dip into the author's early backlist (I mean it can't be that crowded with couples right?) or risk newer books if they are unconnected....more
Nicely written, adorable characters who are good for each other, college hockey romance. The initial setup is fun. But for some reason I found it all Nicely written, adorable characters who are good for each other, college hockey romance. The initial setup is fun. But for some reason I found it all incredibly boring and it took me ages to finish it - not that there was anything wrong with it to DNF it all just felt so incredibly predictable and much much too long. Nice, sweet, maybe too sweet, but uncompelling, unmemorable......more
Former bully romance and it works, it works, even if that is not something I usually would think it would. But all the feels, two suicide attempts, a Former bully romance and it works, it works, even if that is not something I usually would think it would. But all the feels, two suicide attempts, a lot of attempting amends and I could get it, and forgive it. Kelly Fox writes really well.
Tons of former couples being couple-y and future couples being implied but I do not even mind too much. And I usually do....more
Kelly Fox writes really well - though her books seem all seriously interconnected which is not a plus for me. I am reading this all out of order yeah,Kelly Fox writes really well - though her books seem all seriously interconnected which is not a plus for me. I am reading this all out of order yeah, but that is how I roll, and this seemed interesting. Player non relatioship MC gets jealous when two of his hookups start hooking up, or developping a relationship with one another - and that was glorious, so much fun. They all went poly in the end, which fine, though they rushed into it a bit too suddenly IMO and I would have been fine if the two other guys went into a relationship on their own, but it was a lot of fun either way.
Incidentally, I am not even a horse person, but I loved the horses here. The humans and all couples being all coupley (seriously marrying your much younger brother in law? I will pass) I could have done without and also the so wise dead Saint Renée. But it was overall such good writing, such deep characterization, really good stuff....more
Novella, Las Vegas set, unrequited love from childhood friend to ride-or-die straight best friend, fake relationship, just one bed. Totally fine, profNovella, Las Vegas set, unrequited love from childhood friend to ride-or-die straight best friend, fake relationship, just one bed. Totally fine, professional, well written.
But so so so predictable in all ways, so forgettable. It also felt too long and too short somehow. ...more
The blurb is not immediately appealing. junkyard owner with a side job of hiding bodies for criminals and the high end escort he has been seing for a The blurb is not immediately appealing. junkyard owner with a side job of hiding bodies for criminals and the high end escort he has been seing for a year, but I loved it. It's clear to see the feelings develop, and how much they see the other and respect the other and adapt to them, and what makes each of them have made the choices they made. They change each other for the other, but in ways they also want to and feel healthy to both, breaking toxic patterns. The junkyard dates were also incredibly romantic or maybe my taste just stinks!
I got to get to the rest of the series - found family and all, other characters dropping by lots, and I usually hate that but it worked so well here. Jag is so sweet, Dex is so gloriously stupid and chaotic and they are lots of fun. ...more
Willow Dixon´s books got a lot of recurring formulas and themes - the enemies to lovers, physical fight or close, knowing each other from childhood (hWillow Dixon´s books got a lot of recurring formulas and themes - the enemies to lovers, physical fight or close, knowing each other from childhood (here it's not stepbrothers which is also recurring) and a sex work but softened up almost cozy like. It's done really well, polished, but it kind of merges together with other books, and the structure of this feels a bit surface like and ending much too soon.
The sex work is not a big focus and it's clearly unrealistic but hey there are far more unrealistic "softened" up recurring settings, including all the mafia books which are indeed morally dubious, so not holding it against the book or author, even if I do roll my eyes a lot. It made me pick up a K.A. Merikan book Grind for contrast, and that was far better (for my own taste, and all that) so that was a plus.
Real rating 3.5, and if this was my first book by the author I would likely have rated it higher, but as it is, it feels a bit "instant", artificial and like it all merges with all her other books (except the pretty woman retake that I loved...)
This should have been right up my alley - and a great summer read because of the setting, two parents of teens spending a month in cabins on a lake inThis should have been right up my alley - and a great summer read because of the setting, two parents of teens spending a month in cabins on a lake in Canada, with an undergoing mystery. And I like Nicky James's writing a lot usually. But the more I went on the book the more annoyed I got with everything - one of the MCs (the one in the "guy" role and yeah you can totally tell) is a kind of an asshole to his son, there is little show or tension or uncertainty to the relationship (talking about feelings and establishing there is an attraction is a good idea in real life but it makes for a boring story), or yearning/romance.
Also, really bad parenting all round, of all kinds. In fact them sticking to the mystery investigation and actively involving the kids on it was just bad bad call and it was a good thing (view spoiler)[ the killer decided to suicide rather than shooting the 16 year old because that could have gone way wrong (hide spoiler)]
The mystery plot is really ambitious and you can see the author put a lot of work into it, tons of characters and back story and motivations, red herrings, and all. But all that and it is really frustrating for a mystery reader! Our main characters jump into conclusions, everybody they interview just indulges all their nosy questions even if they are not the police and tell them lots of things (this is a pet peeve of mine in mystery novels), the identity of the killer is pretty obvious pretty fast, ridiculous number of dead bodies and yeah the media would notice if 2 men and 2 teens from out of town went missing, and the red herring bait-switch the author pulls is just a bit unbelievable.
Also, this is petty but so be it, the names. Nicky James likes to pick unusual names for her characters, but this time it was Nova and Mercedes/Mercy (actually a woman's name in several languages), and they do not even talk about it.
I still think it's such a great setup for a story, pity this was so disappointing. Nicky James has real skills and puts effort into her books, and the skills are here, but her flaws are also here and this just did not work for me, neither the romance nor the mystery part (and particularly the parenting part! That was the worst part). ...more
Trailer park romance and the trailer park is almost a character itself. Feels real but without being grim or exploitative and I love the HEA they figuTrailer park romance and the trailer park is almost a character itself. Feels real but without being grim or exploitative and I love the HEA they figure out for themselves. Very very good - unusual but that for me is a feature and not a bug. No social climbing HEAs or fairy godmothers (of a kind, a way, for a fridge..).
Two idiots in love, a broromance going on for decades getting an upgrade. The kink list was hilarious. It feels very working class, depicting realistically challenges, lack of access to seemingly simple things - though the joke about the truck not being reliable and them being mechanics went on way way way too long.
I read the first book, skipped the second (because yeah, intense relationship but enough is enough) and I think I would recommend that order. You can not start here, but I think reading just the first book is context enough for who these people are and how they connect.
The writing was great, tight, characterization deep, layered themes around - the title is perfection, layered, meaning several things, and very meaningful into their HEA....more
Romance, bordering on dark, pretty guy gets thrown in a cell with a prisoner beast-like fighter. Shades of Lost and Bound as a setting, but so much woRomance, bordering on dark, pretty guy gets thrown in a cell with a prisoner beast-like fighter. Shades of Lost and Bound as a setting, but so much worse a book.
It's not a paranormal, but honestly if it were it would make more sense because the book is almost insta instincts protectiveness and submissiveness and instant sexual attraction in a formerly asexual person (why? No idea, maybe so he is a kind of virgin, it is that kind of a book). There is no depth to anything really, the characters and above all the plot which is amateurish in coincidences making them able to escape, on the fight dynamics and the big baddie reveal.
Worth noting, the book is mostly sex scenes, which fair enough is not unusual in romances and good ones at that. But it profoundly boring all, because it is all so shallow. Towards the second half, when they are free (and the author must find something for the characters to do) a couple kinks are thrown out of the blue (view spoiler)[ (water sports and sex in front of others. Eventually shaving or something if that counts) (hide spoiler)] without even trying to establish it into their relationship before when that might have had to happen. But this is not a good book at all levels. This is a book where I actually checked to see if I had got the title or something wrong and was reading the same one others loved. Apparently yes, I will just skip everything else by the author....more
Hidden gem status for me. Part of a series, but I read this third book first, because the blurb was so appealing - enemies to lovers sometime before tHidden gem status for me. Part of a series, but I read this third book first, because the blurb was so appealing - enemies to lovers sometime before the book starts, but one of the MCs has an accident and forgets the lovers part and is back to enemies. And it was fantastically believable, and romantic seeing the relationship redevelop, and the small acts of love and effort at communication and compromise. Really really good.
It is part of a larger series, and their initial clash was clearly part of the plot of a previous book, but it is all clear enough if you start here, and I did not feel like I was missing something, since like Shay, the relationship re-starts here. And there is a side character, deeply painfully in the closet here who is going to get his story on the next book - I will probably read it, though I need to be in the right mood, that is going to be a more difficult read I expect....more
Really polished, sweet setting, a bit unlikely in some details (how come the student misunderstood so much the point of the class? Lots of funding monReally polished, sweet setting, a bit unlikely in some details (how come the student misunderstood so much the point of the class? Lots of funding money because..), but I kept putting it down and started to forget it almost at once. The niceness needed some contrast maybe.....more
A better title for this would be "how to tame your alien alpha abductor" - and that is a compliment, because that was the fun part. The alien abductioA better title for this would be "how to tame your alien alpha abductor" - and that is a compliment, because that was the fun part. The alien abduction dynamics, while campy enough to be fun, were just not clicking (and bless his heart, the alien abductor really is not clever or good at his job). There is a lot of fun with the alien translation devices, priceless fun, I would read those scenes again.
But the plot, and silly misunderstandings, and the human abducted MC acting all feisty heroine of a old style bodice ripper (actually this is an old style bodice ripper), meh...
And weirdly the antagonist was obviously evil in obviously evil way, so that there was a plot, but he was the only character on this book with any kind of scientific curiosity or who was worried about there not being enough omegas......more
I am going to put this aside for now, because the suspension of disbelief is just not functioning for this one.
K.M. Neuhold is one of those authors whI am going to put this aside for now, because the suspension of disbelief is just not functioning for this one.
K.M. Neuhold is one of those authors whose books are really consistent, pacing, writing, characterization, all of that is usually good. But the thing they tend to be short and relatively shallow, and I have trouble keeping the books (or the series) straight and remember which was which.
This seems different from her usual biker-mechanic-tattoo studio books, a mafia group where (it seems from blurbs) they are all gay and all secretly submissive. Mafia romances are hard to pull off to me, particularly when authors try to edge how dangerous and violent they are but only to those who deserve it and there was a scene here right at the start, uh no, come on, even the rapist was a bad father, the kids on the next room. And then there the mafia is all tolerant of a few other things.
The other MC also seemed instantly sliding into dominance in a very unlikely way. This book was just not working for me, so I decided to put it aside. I might try again another book of this series, because Neuhold writing something different is interesting, but my suspension of disbelief got overstretched and snapped!...more
Sweeter than I thought it would be, and that is often a good thing, but in this case, the sweet feels artificial and the relationship kind of hollow. Sweeter than I thought it would be, and that is often a good thing, but in this case, the sweet feels artificial and the relationship kind of hollow. Mal is a great character and a lot from his PoV makes so much sense, how much the financial security means to him, his past trauma and how he relates to it. Disney princess material, just with trauma and a porn/escort career. But then there is the other guy and he is a lot harder to relate. Even if he is blind, sorry I dslike the blind guy, I really did not like him, and it's like the author kept gaslighting us, he acts like a jerk often, inconsiderate, but in his head we keep being told how he he loves Mal so much - as well as stupid third act conflict (stupid IMO). (Incidentally the blindness seems researched but not completely worked into plot, sometimes he is aware of things he isn't and I can't see how kittens, multiple, would be a good idea to somebody for whom things out of place are an obstacle).
The plot setup, by being so sweet, by softballing the sex-for-money part, evades something which would be interesting, that the financial security would really really be a very big deal for the escort. (Pretty Woman is far more realistic than this book, and that is saying something: I do not need realistic but the too sweet is not convincing so I care less...)...more