June Round Up

on Paper/eBook

Like the Taste of Summer by Kaje Harper  - B+  This free online short is a little gem.  Jack thinks back to the summer he met Sean, some 28 years earlier and recounts how they got together. I actually enjoyed it all the more knowing that they'd made it and were still in love.

Taken by Him (Billionaire's Club #2) by Red Garnier - C  This erotic romance is very short (just over 80 pages) and at page 1 the couple have never before met, so it was always going to be a big ask for me to buy into the HEA.  I had the impression that the book doesn't take itself to seriously and the tone of the hero's OTT arrogance was, I thought, intended to be funny rather than insulting (as it may have been in a serious book or if a reader is in a serious mood perhaps).  The sex was very hot and Luke certainly had a massive turnaround from being a total manwhore to being a "you're-the-only-one-for-me-for-the-rest-of-my-life" guy.  I liked it, but there was something lacking in it for me. And I can even tell you where it was.  It was in Chapter 1, here:

Two hours later they were both a little too…merry.

Luke had seemed hesitant to drink first, but then he’d downed a whole beer within minutes and soon ordered more. They’d flowed into conversation like they’d met years ago, teasing back and forth.

Almost their entire getting to know each other is contained in that two hour period which occurs off page.  For me to really root for them, I needed to see their connection rather than just be told it existed.

As a fun, sexy, erotic short, it works well, as a romance, I could have used a bit more.

I'm Over at AAR today...

for Speaking of Audiobooks where I have 3 reviews up.  Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale, narrated superbly by Nicholas Boulton

as well as Tempting the Best Man by J. Lynn, narrated by Kaleo Griffith and The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood, narrated by Susan Duerdin.

My fellow SOA reviewers also share their thoughts on The Haunting of Maddy Clare, Beauty Queen and Practice Makes Perfect.  Come see what we thought.

March Round Up

on Paper/eBook

Tortoise Interruptus by JL Merrow - B+  This very short (27 pages), very cute and fun story features a tortoise shape-shifter who is tortoise-napped from his sister's cafe on the Isle of Wight and his adventures, romantic and otherwise, in getting back home.  Very funny with Merrow's trademark humour.  I liked it a lot.  Buy it on special though because it is pretty short.

Beyond Denial by Kit Rocha - B+  Free short/extended deleted scene from Beyond Control which was released by the authors during the DABWAHA March madness contest. Features Jared and Ace and sexytimes and gives a glimpse into what's going on with Ace and Rachel and snippets of backstory of our dear Ace. A lot of fun and very hot but won't make much sense if you haven't read the other 2 books. 

Coming Soon

My review of Kit Rocha's Beyond Control will be up soon, as well my review of Irregulars by Josh Lanyon, Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale & Nicole Kimberling.

I'm over at AAR & AudioGals today...

I have audiobook reviews in today's Speaking of Audiobooks column of Rush by Maya Banks and Breaking Point by Pamela Clare. 

PLUS I have a review of Calculated in Death up at AudioGals.

Come say hi. :)

I'm over at AudioGals today...

with a review of Naked Edge by Pamela Clare and narrated by Kaleo Griffith.  Feel free stop by and say hello.

January Round Up

on Paper/eBook

Stand In Star by Rachael Johns - C  (arc via NetGalley) This book suffered for being my first read after 2 A reads in a row.  It's a hard act to follow - I don't give out A's very often.  I also had something of an ick factor over Nate having been Daisy's lover before he and Holly got together - and his discussion with Holly about their (his and Daisy's) relationship was immediately before their (his and Holly's) first kiss.   I also questioned whether Holly would really bare her  (and her family's) soul about Daisy on international television. Many of Holly's decisions seemed a lot more than merely naive and I didn't buy the set up that she would stay with Nate, a complete (and surly) stranger, in the first place.

Still, I had a bad book hangover (from the joy of the previous 2 books) and I think I wasn't in the best mood for this one. I can't say that I saw in Nate what Holly did - apart from that he was gorgeous, he ran hot and cold and was grumpy and rude more often than not.   I'm afraid this one didn't work that well for me.  But I've left the grade at a C because I feel like I brought unreasonably high expectations to the read and I'm sure that affected me.

Risque Business by HelenKay Dimon - C-  An erotic short which tried to be too much in too little time IMO.  Possibly my book hangover continued.  The sex was hot but the conflict was manufactured and the resolution too swift considering what an asshole the hero had been.  I like this author's contemporary stories much better.

Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare, narrated by Kaleo Griffith

Why I listened to it: Are you kidding?  I've been haranguing Tantor for ages to try and get them to pick this series up on audio.  I'm sure it wasn't just me but I'm proud to say that I had a small part to play in getting this series onto our MP3 players.

What it's about: (from Goodreads) It's been years since her child's father dumped her, and since then investigative reporter Kara McMillan has kept men at bay—although every day she aches more for a lover's touch. But to get that, the hard-boiled journalist must become vulnerable—a feeling she vowed never to have again.

With his dangerous good looks, charm, and power, Senator Reece Sheridan could have just about any woman he sets his piercing eyes on. But he’s intrigued by only one. This Kara, this gutsy investigative reporter, has a sensuality that arouses him to no end. If she’s a firebrand in print, he guesses, she must be just as fiery in bed…

But this is no fling. A sudden political scandal—and attempts on Kara's life—could very well drive them apart. Or maybe, just maybe, adversity could draw them into a bond even more intense than their steamy sexual embraces…

What worked for me (and what didn't): I've read the book twice so I know the story well.  Kara McMillan is a reporter for the Denver Independent's "I-Team", covering the environmental beat.  When a whistleblower gives her information about a mining company dumping toxic materials into the water supply, her investigation leads her into danger.  While all this is happening, she meets sexy Senator Reece Sheridan, an idealistic ex-social studies teacher who ran for office on a dare from his students.   Their first meeting is hilarious - Kate has had too many margaritas and she asks Reece some very interesting questions - including whether a woman really does taste like tuna!