Emily is a former athlete turned professional choreographer and enjoys all the perks her Hollywood career has to offer. But when her fame brings an abusive ex-boyfriend back into the picture, her employer hires the best security money can buy.
Carter Kincaid.
Carter is not only the best in the business but also one of the most gorgeous and sexy men Emily has ever seen. But Carter doesn’t mix business with pleasure and he tries his best to keep his attraction to Emily locked up tight. When her ex-boyfriend attacks, Carter tosses aside all his objections and vows to protect her 24/7. But letting Emily into his life means letting her into his heart. And that could be dangerous for both of them.
Bodyguard is the 2nd book in C.D. Reiss’ Hollywood A-List series. I’ve only read two other books by Reiss and enjoyed them both. Each book is this series completely independent of one another and can be read as standalones. Set in the same world (Hollywood) Reiss dives into the world of stars, stalkers, and bodyguards when a young woman’s ex-boyfriend wants her back and refuses to take no (or a beating) for an answer. It had a lot of promise but for me it didn’t deliver. I was disappointed to see that the wit and chemistry that made Bombshell a hit for me was missing in here. This is a completely different iin tone and scope. I enjoyed the premise of a stalker ex, the hints of forbidden fraternization, and the reason behind Carter’s secretive nature but I was bored overall.
Reiss opens in the past, giving us background on the heroine, Emily, and how she went from an Olympic hopeful to a professional choreographer for her best friend-pop star Danielle McKenna. We then hop into the present with Emily rushing to work and getting tackled in the parking lot. She’s about to unload a world of hurt on her attacker only to discover he is a newly hired bodyguard. His company has been hired to help as they get ready for a huge music tour. Danielle has been receiving more than her usual creepy fan mail but when Emily is targeted, Danielle tells Carter to make Emily is number one priority.
Using alternating voices, Reiss introduces the main characters while laying the groundwork for the story. Simultaneously building a thriller/romance, Reiss skimps in some areas and overly expound on others. There are scenes that are set up with the impression that their intent will reveal later; only they don’t. Some scenes play out simply to add drama to the story and it is frightfully obvious. We learn more about Emily’s ex, his abuse, and the extent Emily has gone to get him out of her life. Carter is an ex LAPD detective now private bodyguard who lives with his mother and has a secret that he’ll do anything possible to protect.
Carter and Emily are lust at first sight but Carter doesn’t play where he works. That is until Carter does some maneuvering with his boss and suddenly it’s okay for them to be together. Apparently because, e Emily is THE ONE, this makes it all everything okay. Plenty of internal dialogue on both sides shows us they are interested in one another but the intensity of their feelings, along with the push and pull they engage in is better suited for a couple who has a long romantic history. Their chemistry is more a matter of Reiss skills in writing a sexy sex scene than an actual emotional response. This couple moves really fast and exhibits some inappropriate behavior that just doesn’t jive. Especially when you realise that all this happens in less than a week or two.
We know who the villain is right off the bat, so the story stays more focused on the romance and Carter’s big secret. I It’s odd but I found I liked Emily and Carter when they were in their own heads, doing their own things. When they were together or thinking of each other-that’s when they did some odd things and crossed lines. I found Emily to be nosy, naive, and easily angered when she doesn’t get her way. She carries a fake gun for protection then decides she wants a pink glock because black guns scare her. I don’t even know what to say to that. I liked Carter better though he too had some issues. His over protectiveness was commendable though it caused him to cross multiple lines. His constant hot cold act was annoying but the love he has for his family is wonderful to read about. What saves the story from being a complete write off for me is Carter and his family.
A large cast of secondary characters help to round out the story and give it some depth. For me, this book would have worked a lot better if Carter had been the star and Emily the bodyguard. The ending comes at us fast and wraps up the story neat little bow, leaving readers secure in the fact that Emily and Carter are the perfect couple and well on their way to their HEA. There is even a little inspirational scene at the end. Unfortunately, Reiss never managed to sell me on it.
Boone Price and his brothers are or rather were roughnecks-oil drillers. When they discover oil on their property, the money flows in as fastGrade: C-
Boone Price and his brothers are or rather were roughnecks-oil drillers. When they discover oil on their property, the money flows in as fast as the oil gushes out. Now a billionaire, Boone finds he’s more than ready for the respect that should come with his new found wealth. When it doesn’t, he decides what he needs is some class in his life. Enter Ivy Smithfield. Blonde, gorgeous, and intelligent with legs that don’t stop, Boone has found his trophy wife. But Ivy has a few secrets of her own. And she is positive that Boone will drop her in a heartbeat when he finds out the woman he wants doesn’t exist.
Dirty Money is the first in a romance contemporary series that follows the four Price siblings as they look for love in all the wrong places. This spirited romance requires a definite suspension of belief and some common sense as Clare introduces a rambunctious storyline with some raunchy lovin’ and characters who go all out and then some for love. Boone and Ivy come out strong but soon dissolve into a puddle of misunderstandings and temper tantrums. Ivy’s lying drags the storyline down and I found Boone’s attitudes on money and women tacky as the story wore on. I think the series has plenty merit, I’m just not sure it’s for me.
LAPD consultant Sophia Ross is handed the opportunity of a lifetime when she comes to the UK to fulfill the terms of a will. Upon arriving, Sophia realizes that there is more at stake than a little breaking and entering. Sophia has landed right in the middle of an ongoing war between the Light and Dark Courts.
Nikolas Sevigny, a Daoine Sidhe knight of the Dark Court, has been in exile for centuries along with his fellow knights. Unable to return home to Lyonesse, he has been searching for a way to reunite his people in order to stop Isabeau, Queen of the Light Court, from destroying them all. He will use anyone and anything to win this war. Even at the expense of his own happiness.
Nikolas sees a way to get what he wants through Sophia though she refuses to be anyone’s pawn. As their animosity rises, so does their attraction to one another. When Isabeau unleashes her fiercest fighters to stop Nikolas and Sophia, they will have to set aside their differences and band together if they want to survive what is coming.
Moonshadow is the first in a new trilogy that spins off of Harrison’s best-selling Elder Races. Set in the UK, Harrison expands on the ongoing dark Fae demesnes storyline that has weaved itself in and out of the main series. Easily read as a standalone, new and long time fans will able to sink right into this new world and character influx with nary a bump.
I’ve been a huge fan of Harrison’s since she released Dragon Bound and introduced us to the Elder Races. This explosive series gave PNR a much needed shot in the arm with its fantastic world building, dynamic characterization, and an arc brimming with suspense, intrigue, humor, and plenty of sexy romance that has kept me enthralled ever since. I was pleased to see Harrison diving into the Fae demesnes and their long standing war. The clues and engaging bits of information she has dropped throughout the series hinted at an epic storyline well worth the wait. Unfortunately, I wasn’t all that impressed with this first installment.
The story opens with Sophia in America. She is doing a reading and in a vision, she finds herself face to face with an unknown, gorgeous man. She disrupts the vision and wonders how and why this man was able to see her and if this is an omen about her future.
Sophia Ross worked with the LAPD as a witch consultant until she was shot multiple times while on assignment. On an indefinite leave of absence and unsure what to do with her life, she meets with Dr. Kathryn Shaw and learns that she has been named in Dr. Shaw’s late father’s will. If she can gain entrance to the Shaw family mansion in the UK within in 90 days, she will own it, all of its possessions, and the land free and clear. Built as a monument of victory on a broken crossover passageway (a gateway between Earth and the other worlds) the family abandoned the home when ‘it’ stopped letting people enter. Sophia jumps at the chance to learn more about her origins and leaves immediately for the UK. Her arrival drops her into the middle of a war when she rescues an abused dog and meets Nikolas Sevigny.
Nikolas Sevigny is the leader of the Daoine Sidhe Knights of the Dark Court. Considered abominations because of their multiple bloodlines, the Queen of the Light Court has made it her mission to destroy them all. Trapped on Earth centuries ago when Queen Isabeau’s Captain of the Hounds, Morgan le Fae, destroyed their only way of getting home, Nikolas and his remaining knights have searched tirelessly to find a way home while avoiding death. When he scents a familiar fae he’s been looking for, the trail leads him to Sophia.
Tempers flare….wills clash…and a destiny awakens…
Moonshadow takes place in a relatively short span of time. It was hard to narrow down an exact time frame because of the time shifts between Earth and the other worlds. I estimate everything occurred in a two week span-give or take a few days. I found this short time frame didn’t allow for the storyline nor the romance to evolve as naturally as I expected. It was very rushed and forced in some places. The development occurs on a singular level, not allowing for any real depth or exploration. We are given the bare bones of the conflict at hand and the characters involved. This book essentially sets up the world and conflict, staying in the present and leaving me feeling there was so much missing. The flow was off , the pace uneven, and the narrative choppy.
The romance also wasn’t a sell for me. I adore the trope of antagonistic attraction, something Harrison excels at, but this is one time I felt it didn’t work. Sophia is very independent and self-sufficient. Nikolas’s autocratic behavior rubs her the wrong way and she reacts in a sarcastic and at times a juvenile manner. The brief background we learn about her does explain the basis of her nature but she goes overboard and by the end, I was exhausted by her.
I couldn’t see why this couple fell in love. From their first meeting to their final declaration of love, I felt they were more infatuated with one another than anything else due to being forced into a volatile situation and having to depend on one another. While I could understand the attraction; both are intelligent, loyal, hard working, and extremely self-sacrificing, there wasn’t enough time for them to get to know one another much less fall head over heels. Sophia repeatedly refers to Nikolas as an arsehole and snarks at him when she feels he is ordering her around. She claims to dislike him and initiates sex with no strings, then gets angry when he agrees and distances himself. Her insults are framed as foreplay.
Nikolas is not much though I understood his reasoning better. He is much older than Sophia and has been fighting one war or another for most of his life. He knows the dangers around them and while he tends to react with anger over Sophia’s actions, it’s out of concern for her well-being.
As always, Harrison writes some steamy, chemistry boosted, love scenes and while I enjoy them greatly, I will admit I am prejudiced against the word spurt. It’s a whimsical word that works well (in my opinion) in erotic and or comedic romances but felt very out of place in the seriousness of the storyline and characters.
A cast of interesting secondary characters are brought in to round out the story and I’m looking forward to seeing each shine in their predestined roles. Many new faces and some old ones make an appearance. We meet the other knights and the Puck (Robin) holds a strong place in the story. The most intriguing character to me was Morgan la Fae. Harrison hints a few times that there is more to him than what meets the eye and I’m interested in seeing how and even if she redeems him.
All in all Moonshadow was a disappointment when compared to the jewels I have read from Harrison. I’m hoping this is just an anomaly and the second book in this trilogy takes us back to her normally exceptional works.
Ward's BDB/BDL has become a comfort read for me. It has softened considerably in its evolution, stepping away from the high octane action and becomingWard's BDB/BDL has become a comfort read for me. It has softened considerably in its evolution, stepping away from the high octane action and becoming more relationship driven. The multiple story lines, ongoing relationship advancements, crazy drama-it's a paranormal soap opera. This particular spin-off read as expected and enjoyable. I did get a sense of deja vu while reading about Axe and Elisa. Their storyline reminded me a little of Rev and Ehlena. Ward handles the Rhage/Mary/Bitty storyline well, managing to get us what we wanted while giving a hint to a new possible couple. I do wish the secondary storyline hadn't overpowered them main one but honestly, coming off The Beast, it was to be expected. Regardless, this is a fast, fun read that entertains but doesn't overwhelm. ...more
I adored this little romance niblet. Super sweet and sexy. Loved the chemistry between the H/h. They were well matched. A hint of drama rounded it outI adored this little romance niblet. Super sweet and sexy. Loved the chemistry between the H/h. They were well matched. A hint of drama rounded it out. ...more
I liked though I enjoyed seeing cameos from the Russian Protector series and learning the backgrounds of certain events rather than the romance. It feI liked though I enjoyed seeing cameos from the Russian Protector series and learning the backgrounds of certain events rather than the romance. It felt rushed as this couple meets then within a day or two are planning a life together. ...more
When I read an Alexa Riley book, I know what I'm getting. My expectations aren't high. I'm not saying the books aren't good because they are in terms When I read an Alexa Riley book, I know what I'm getting. My expectations aren't high. I'm not saying the books aren't good because they are in terms of what your getting. And what you are getting are short hot fast erotic reads that doesn't focus too much on plot or execution. It's the literary version of a "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am.". :) And I'm fine with that. Usually. This one however just didn't do it for me. The hero was a selfish, whiny, man-baby whose need to wallow in self pity and dispair caused him to abandon the heroine not once but twice. When she accepted him back the first time I was semi okay. Young love makes you do stupid stuff and it had only been a few months. When she takes him back the second time, with no groveling or even one kick in the nuts? No. I understand he had PTSD and other issues and had he left to straighten his self out then I would have been more forgiving. But instead he spends all his time drinking and doing drugs. He only goes to find her BOTH times because he suspects she might be hooking up with someone else. Meh. ...more