2 1/2 stars Still as good as a Draven book. I am not a fan of historical romance and this has the added problem of being a short story in which two str2 1/2 stars Still as good as a Draven book. I am not a fan of historical romance and this has the added problem of being a short story in which two strangers fall for each other. Tough, even if she makes it almost believable. :)
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2 1/2 stars Still as good as a Draven book. I am not a fan of historical romance and this has the added problem of being a short story in which two strangers fall for each other. Tough, even if she makes it almost believable. :)...more
This is a dark (and sad) book. And make no mistake there is no (real) happy ending.
The story is set in a world divided between freemen and slaves andThis is a dark (and sad) book. And make no mistake there is no (real) happy ending.
The story is set in a world divided between freemen and slaves and the plot make use of this background in a very serious way. There is no titillating sex here, no fake "you wanted this" rape (typical of some romances). There is a real rape scene which is difficult to stomach. And it has some consequences (but not enough to be totally believable).
Ms Haimowitz knows how to write. But I'm not sure I would label this book as erotic romance.
Merged review:
This is a dark (and sad) book. And make no mistake there is no (real) happy ending.
The story is set in a world divided between freemen and slaves and the plot make use of this background in a very serious way. There is no titillating sex here, no fake "you wanted this" rape (typical of some romances). There is a real rape scene which is difficult to stomach. And it has some consequences (but not enough to be totally believable).
Ms Haimowitz knows how to write. But I'm not sure I would label this book as erotic romance....more
I loved it: the characters, the writing style, the details. The paragraphs dealing with Swift's (former) addiction were chilling. But the story/settinI loved it: the characters, the writing style, the details. The paragraphs dealing with Swift's (former) addiction were chilling. But the story/setting did remind me a little bit of Mr Lanyon's Fair Game.
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I loved it: the characters, the writing style, the details. The paragraphs dealing with Swift's (former) addiction were chilling. But the story/setting did remind me a little bit of Mr Lanyon's Fair Game....more
This short story (it can't be really called a novella) reminded me why I liked Ms Harrison's first book: prose, world building, plot.
In such a short sThis short story (it can't be really called a novella) reminded me why I liked Ms Harrison's first book: prose, world building, plot.
In such a short space, the plot suffers a bit, but less than I thought. Her prose is more lyric, less witty, but a couple paragraphs had me stunned. Given my cynical attitude (it is well known I prefer grittier stories) it does say something.
Thanks Nyasa for the loan.
Merged review:
This short story (it can't be really called a novella) reminded me why I liked Ms Harrison's first book: prose, world building, plot.
In such a short space, the plot suffers a bit, but less than I thought. Her prose is more lyric, less witty, but a couple paragraphs had me stunned. Given my cynical attitude (it is well known I prefer grittier stories) it does say something.
Books are driven by stories. Stories are made by plot, characters, description. Novellas are very hard to write because of length limit. There are autBooks are driven by stories. Stories are made by plot, characters, description. Novellas are very hard to write because of length limit. There are authors who excel, but most are not good with this limit (even when they are great with novels).
This is a story without plot, characters, description. What do you read then? Sex with something in between to keep the flow going. There's nothing that makes you stop being rational and start believing the magic that is writing.
Merged review:
Books are driven by stories. Stories are made by plot, characters, description. Novellas are very hard to write because of length limit. There are authors who excel, but most are not good with this limit (even when they are great with novels).
This is a story without plot, characters, description. What do you read then? Sex with something in between to keep the flow going. There's nothing that makes you stop being rational and start believing the magic that is writing....more
A paranormal romance that read (almost) as a UF novel: lots of action. I take back one star for the vanilla ending. Rather than being the strong heroiA paranormal romance that read (almost) as a UF novel: lots of action. I take back one star for the vanilla ending. Rather than being the strong heroine she has been since the beginning, Alex accept every were tradition (read: misogynist) that she supposedly wants to change.
I'm not particularly fond of were as animal, too (and you are if nature master your life). Sorry, but I found the claiming sex scene laughable :)
Merged review:
A paranormal romance that read (almost) as a UF novel: lots of action. I take back one star for the vanilla ending. Rather than being the strong heroine she has been since the beginning, Alex accept every were tradition (read: misogynist) that she supposedly wants to change.
I'm not particularly fond of were as animal, too (and you are if nature master your life). Sorry, but I found the claiming sex scene laughable :)...more
I keep trying to find interesting books to borrow, but it seems I can only find this kind of "trash". (Please, no offence to readers or author is meanI keep trying to find interesting books to borrow, but it seems I can only find this kind of "trash". (Please, no offence to readers or author is meant. It is just my way of tagging books that I did not like in any way.)
I do not understand this huge gap in erotic romance, on one side romance, on the other porn. I like sex in books, porn not so much. I like dominance, not humiliation (or rather I understand sub vs dom but I don't understand this description of pain nor accept humiliation. The last sends me into rage...)
In this book, moreover, the lead woman enjoyed being raped, as in really raped (at 14 and then again 21) while battered. Meh. I don't understand really, the sex was so much and so repetitive (to me boring) that I skipped page after page. The "plot" is the usual in this kind of stories, same for characters.
Merged review:
I keep trying to find interesting books to borrow, but it seems I can only find this kind of "trash". (Please, no offence to readers or author is meant. It is just my way of tagging books that I did not like in any way.)
I do not understand this huge gap in erotic romance, on one side romance, on the other porn. I like sex in books, porn not so much. I like dominance, not humiliation (or rather I understand sub vs dom but I don't understand this description of pain nor accept humiliation. The last sends me into rage...)
In this book, moreover, the lead woman enjoyed being raped, as in really raped (at 14 and then again 21) while battered. Meh. I don't understand really, the sex was so much and so repetitive (to me boring) that I skipped page after page. The "plot" is the usual in this kind of stories, same for characters....more
I suspect that if I looked up "Mary Sue" on the dictionary, it would say "see The Soldier's Lady". This is really wishful thinking or daydreaming. (I I suspect that if I looked up "Mary Sue" on the dictionary, it would say "see The Soldier's Lady". This is really wishful thinking or daydreaming. (I guess every romance in a way is, but it usually comes with a different package, and maybe some sort of believability. Uhm.. or maybe not. I'm thinking about the Halequins...)
I don't begrudge the author the fantasy, who wouldn't like a guy who's always there, always ready to help, who's always on our side. Who is rich to boot too! And his family is Disney perfect, sure in politics. (There's also some strong hypocrisy going on: we want a size 16 heroine, but the hero is the usual hunk. Never a normal guy...)
What I do begrudge are the total lack of grammar and the price tag. The book needs an editor ASAP. Lady, style maybe personal, but grammar is not. Commas have quite a value. And editors help check the story too, like avoiding talking of different values (here weeks) in different moments. Or that a title with a different pov has the correct characters on the heading. The price is totally a rip-off in my absolutely personal and humble opinion. 5$ would be a lot for a novella, even if this book had been trad published. As a self pub with no content editing, no proof-reading, no real story and characterization outside a personal dream, my idea is that the price is really off-chart.
Ok, you got my spiel. As long as you're looking for some sex scenes in a contemporary setting and do not mind paying for it, this is the book for you. It surely leaves you .. interested.
A personal note. As a woman struggling with her weight since...ever.. I didn't found this book empowering (even if cute), on the contrary it's somewhat dangerous in its naivité. The "problem" is not the villains of the world, (they are simply repeating what the "world" thinks), but the people who love you. Who care about your health and image, but aren't always right in their approach. There's also the other facet of the story, where being obese it is really dangerous, it's not an image problem. (Being or sounding real is what makes a character real and not simply shallow.)...more
All her Pride books are hilarious but crazy. This tops it all. I really like this series, but they are not books I ever think about re-reading. T3 1/2
All her Pride books are hilarious but crazy. This tops it all. I really like this series, but they are not books I ever think about re-reading. They lack the intensity for it (in the pnr I think I read again only a few of the Breeds series), this explain the 3 stars rating. But I would recommend it if you love fun and cute.
I usually prefer my books dark and gritty, but Ms Laureston is the exception. They are light and oh so funny. There's good build-up of a relationship I usually prefer my books dark and gritty, but Ms Laureston is the exception. They are light and oh so funny. There's good build-up of a relationship and true family chaos....more
3 1/2 She does know what she's writing about, even if obviously she's glamorising it a bit. I didn't take it for granted, not in genre fiction, especia3 1/2 She does know what she's writing about, even if obviously she's glamorising it a bit. I didn't take it for granted, not in genre fiction, especially not in romance. kudos for it.
To someone actually living in Italy and reading thrillers and detective books by Italian authors, the story is at the same time déjà read and fresh. (there was even a tv movie eons ago called The American cousin with a very similar plot). This is not to say I didn't enjoy the book, quite the opposite.
I appreciate the author even more. I agree with BamaGal: pity it's short! (I suspect the reason is because it is difficult to glamorise the every day prison-like life of an anti-mafia judge.)...more
I have one complain only. It was too damn short and it felt cut, rather than finished. :)
The main coup at the end deserved more time and space. It's sI have one complain only. It was too damn short and it felt cut, rather than finished. :)
The main coup at the end deserved more time and space. It's such a huge change for the over all story. Actually this is the first book in the series that shows an overall arch. All the other stories are connected, but the links were somewhat loose. h
This is not a stand-alone book. I think you might read it anyway, but it would really seem too short and too focused on the main couple (and you wouldn't know why).
The Moira Rogers couple is one of the few authors really able to pull off a novella of the erotic romantic kind and make you believe in it. ...more