Tuesday, 31 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (31): His To Possess

BOOK REVIEW:
His To Possess

Gold watch in cover actually is a reference to a past memory between the Ranier brothers. Neat huh?
When reading erotic romance, I always go about it slowly… Why? Because I tend to become to disenchanted with all the sex scenes, and considering there are plenty of sex in an erotic romance, it sorta takes away the whole point if I skipped through.

So I just go about it slowly, setting a reasonable page count/day until The End. It doesn’t mean I hate the erotic romance genre, or this next book I’m reviewing, it can sometimes be a bit too much when, I don’t know, the characters are having sex everywhere (i.e.in the office, during a friggin’ meeting, against the office window, with two blood-related men—egads!)

And I do believe that every reader goes in with their own pre-established comfort zone concerning the topic of sex—what it is, what it isn’t, what’s hot, what’s not, etc. For some readers these books can even be educational…you walk away and learn something, hey, why not?

And although Opal Carew’s His To Possess did not teach me anything new in the toy department—which to be honest says a lot about my perverted mind—it wasn’t super kinky like the more recent His To Command (ßcheck out my review for that one).

Not very kinky, but it was still pretty fun to read. I fell in love with one of the secondary characters, Melanie, who will star in the 2nd book of this duology… Unfortunately I didn’t really bond with heroine Jessica Long, or the hero Dane Ranier.

Where do I begin with these two?

Well, first these two had the most annoying set-up ever in all the romance books I’ve read this year. The whole rain-so-let-me-offer-you-a-ride scenario. I mean, do people actually meet this way? I’ve never even had someone offer me an umbrella while waiting at the bus stop sans shelter…

It was irritating but I let it slide because A) Jessica is the new girl in Philadelphia and I can imagine how hard it is to transition into a new life in a new place, and B) I was, what, 15 pages in and I figured this couldn’t get more annoyingly cliché. Of course it did when Jessica ends up getting a scoped by Dane’s company, Ranier Industries at a hiring fair and she gets the job which nails down her big move to the city of…brothers?*

After she finds out that Dane is her new boss and the co-owner of Ranier Industries had pulled strings to get her the job as his personal assistant in the growing company, she doesn’t…I don’t know…think it’s highly inappropriate now that they slept together?

But she surprises me by setting up professional boundaries because she’s been heartbroken once and she WON’T, just can’t STAND to have sex with Dane the billionaire who totally wants to bang her so bad he got her a well-paying job that basically pays for her new life in Philadelphia.


That lasts about another 20 pages and they’re back to screwing like bunnies in heat. Fine. Whatever with the sex part, I signed up for that, but I did NOT sign up for Jessica’s back-and-forth assery as soon as Dane’s little brother, Rafe comes into the picture about halfway through the book.

Up to that point I sorta grew on Jessica and Dane and their attraction past the hot sex to each other.

Rafe has a past with Jessica and now he’s ready to rekindle it, and suddenly Jessica doesn’t know which of these two billionaire brothers—who, may I remind you are BOTH her bosses; Rafe being the other co-owner of Ranier Industries—is in her flippin’ future.

That’s fine. She’s got the rich, more mature versions of Edward/Dane and Jacob/Rafe, but then she opens her big fat mouth and says this:

"That's right. I slept with both of you. This is a very confusing and emotional situation for me and I'm dealing with it as best I can. But I haven't lied abut anything I've done, and I haven't agreed to a commitment with either one of you." She placed her hands on her hips. "And maybe I like it that way. It's not like you own me. Maybe I'll keep on sleeping with both of you." She glared at them. "If either one of you wants to stop, just say the word." (pg. 84)

Excuse me for a second.


What?!

Oh, how I wished that the next part wrapped up in a quick ending where both Dane and Rafe left Jessica’s ass and decided Melanie, poor Melanie, was their dream lady all along. Just sayin’.

I don’t think this empowered Jessica or made her a “strong female heroine” (ß a phrase which pisses me off btw), it just made me want to give up and stamp a DNF at pg. 275.

And the thing is I actually didn’t mind the character development of other characters, Rafe and Melanie, even Dane might rank third—though tbh he was like a wall fixture compared to Rafe who actually become the life of the company on his introduction. But Jessica just pissed me off to no end. Considering this was a romance

The sex scenes were hot, I must admit, but sex doesn’t make up for the crappy heroine or the bland hero.

It’s okay, but make sure you read His To Possess with Rafe and Melanie’s story in His To Claim. Seriously those two had WAY more chemistry. If you’re going to dredge through this one now that your victory treat on completion is book 2 of the duology. :)

My verdict:

✮.5


(2.5 stars)

*Fun fact: Philadelphia actually means lover of brothers in Greek. And most of the internal conflict for Dane is his rocky relationship with his little brother. Don't know if the author did this on purpose, but I thought it was pretty cool. Cool enough to share it here at least.

Friday, 27 March 2015

Springing into action. (Big Dreams Blog Update #18)


So...I'm trying something new for this Update Day post. For those of you to lazy to read, I'll give you a quick summary: the video below re-caps my achievements in March as I reach for my goal of ONE MILLION words over at the 'Do You Have Goals?/Big Dreams" Blog Hop hosted by authors Misha Gericke and Beth Fred.

I also talk about how my reading/reviewing* went in March, and my plans for April (i.e. participating in both Camp NaNo and the A-to-Z challenge).

But by all means watch the video to get a more detailed (and lengthy!) response.
Pardon all the "umms"! ^^





*As an aside, I forgot to mention my reading + reviewing goal in April is 4 books. It's lighter because I foresee more work in the coming month with Camp and A-to-Z.

Thursday, 26 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (30): Taste for Temptation

BOOK REVIEW:
Taste for Temptation


Okay, I know that saying goes ‘don’t judge a book…’ but I definitely drawn in by the cover of this book—the cover and the back cover blurb. I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, and I love stories featuring baker heroines and/or heroes.

With Phyllis Bourne’s Taste For Temptation hero Adam Ellison is the baker and heroine Brandi Collins is a lover of all things chocolate. But she’s also trying to lose weight for her upcoming sister’s wedding, and having Adam as a next-door neighbour is doubly distracting. The aspiring baker whips up irresistible chocolate all night keeping poor Brandi awake and craving for a taste…

Of course she gets more than she bargains for when she decides to welcome her new neighbour. And Adam gets more than he anticipates from a bigger, homelier woman like Brandi.

All right I don’t mean homely in a bad way—Brandi just gives him food for thought. She isn’t rolling over for him and she has her own career goal, also she isn’t exactly initially deluding herself by being with him. Also I loved that Adam didn’t just feed her the money she needed to start up her business. Sure he had the money, but he let Brandi continue to work hard towards her goal.

I also oddly enjoyed how the author wrote Brandi’s relationship with her mother. I still think that Brandi pissed me off by being too nice to her mom; I get that we should respect our parents, or at the very least respect the sacrifices they make for us (assuming said parents actually deserve to be called parents). And at first I didn’t understand what Brandi meant about having a

Without spoiling too much, I’ll say that Brandi does finally get an answer for us, and though I was satisfied with the answer it didn’t change my feelings for her mother. The older Mrs. Collins is still very nasty all the way through the end.

Thankfully the story isn’t about Brandi’s mom, although the status quo of that relationship is meant to symbolize how Brandi views the world and her potential in it: she’s very humble and a bit of a Debbie Downer in the beginning. I pitied her and that rubbed me the wrong way—I don’t want to pity my heroine. That turned around though as the story progressed and she got to know Adam more.

Now I only wish I could get to know Adam…

Who doesn’t want a guy who’s kind, humble about his wealth, supportive, a baker?!—the guy’s the whole package. But what I LOVED about Adam was his attraction for Brandi from the get-go. Yeah, yeah, it’s a romance novel, what did I expect right? Yet it was too hot when Adam totally confronts Brandi about wanting her forty or so pages in:

Brandi broke off the kiss and her arms fell from around his neck. “That was…” she began breathlessly.

Adam dipped his head until it touched her forehead. “What I’ve wanted to do ever since I saw you in the park.

“Really?”

She sounded surprised, so he confirmed it. “I haven’t been able to get you off my mind.”

*fans self*

Maybe I’m used to romances dragging on with the introspection about how sexy the other character is… I don’t know. Give me a romance that dives into it headfirst and you’ve got me hooked. :)

It was pretty awesome how much Adam and Brandi supported each other too. I know because my parents have a dream to start their own bakery, and the planning and financing can cause strains with a couple.

Overall Taste For Temptation was an endearing read that didn’t tie every plot point with a bowtie and pushed it towards a HEA. I mean we get the HEA in the end, but it was believable given the set-up of the story. So no surprises there.

If you’re looking for sexy times and maybe a recipe or two, please check out Brandi and Adam’s story in Taste For Temptation. Although I warn you to read on a full stomach so you won’t have urges to binge on chocolate snacks.

My verdict:

✮.5

(4.5 stars)

Saturday, 21 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (29): Hidden in Plain View

BOOK REVIEW:
Hidden in Plain View


Like most readers I have a never-ending TBR pile. Sometimes I ignore said pile and grab books at the library, but I just so happened to be rummaging around my bookshelf when I found two inspirational romances I bought a couple years ago. I hadn’t read either, and it seemed pretty strange that I would go out of my way to buy and then just let sit around for 2 years. Really bad habit…

Anyways I picked up one of these books, and it only made me feel more like a heel when I finished reading Hidden in Plain View.

Such a good book just lying there waiting for me to pick it up all these years. *sigh* It’s a crime really.

This is sorta my second suspense for 2015—check out my first here—BUT this is my first romantic suspense. Or my first inspirational romantic suspense (because, you know, I have that other book to read). Diana Burke’s Hidden in Plain View is set on an Amish plain, and it was a first for me reading about the Amish and I learned a lot of words and some customs this group practices.

Other than that, of course, there was a really great spark between heroine Sarah Lapp, the Amish widow and hero Samuel “Sam” King, the shunned Amish-turned Englisch/English cop. There’s a amnesia hook and our heroine is pregnant as well as the target of a madman’s wrath.

The tension—oh boy! What I love about sweet romances is the sexual tension that never quite gets its itch scratched on the paper… I mean I figure that when the couple goes and gets married and are expecting (or have children) at the end of the prologue that they ARE having sex. Birds and the Bees 101, yet I love that I don’t have to read about it. It just makes it all the more tantalizing.

There is also the forbidden romance element keeping Sam/Samuel and Sarah apart. She’s Amish and he’s English, and Sam knows he can’t return to the Amish life—and Sarah doesn’t know what the English life can offer her just yet when all she knows is that her killer is an English man from the English world.

Heads up on the suspense factor, the first 50 or so pages are just wham-bam-thank-you-dead-men action. Seriously. I was gritting my teeth at the book when the antagonist was basically running the show and taking no prisoners. And that anger is pretty much my investment in the story, so I tip my proverbial hat off to Ms. Burke for pissing me off (in a good way)!

Also there was a perfect balance of romance and suspense and the author accomplished this by never allowing the reader (me!) to forget that I was reading a mix of both. Sure there was downtime for Sarah and Sam to talk and, umm, share their first kiss, still how much downtime could they possibly have had knowing there was a dangerous and destructive maniac running loose around the plain and in the midst of the peaceful Amish community.

If you’re up to trying a blend of sweet romance and deadly suspense/crime, pick up Hidden in Plain View.

My verdict:



(5 stars)

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (28): Freefall to Desire

BOOK REVIEW:
Freefall to Desire


A couple weeks ago I read author Kayla Perrin’s Island Fantasy and in that review I mentioned the heroine’s sister, Brianne Kenyon, and her heartbreaking story about her missing fiancé.

Well I also mentioned that Brianne had her own story, and I managed to hunt it down because I wanted to read her tale as well. No regrets on the search because Freefall to Desire was (is?) an amazing book!

I have to admit that I love a story that has a bit of mystery and intrigue intertwined into the love story. Especially this whole fiancé-is-missing-and-might-be-dead but he’s really not! The drama, I loved it. :)

The romance was awesome, too. Alex Thorpe, Brianne’s fiancé’s best friend is a very sexy hero. I like the single-minded desire he had for Brianne, also I’m sorta a sucker for the best friend to the rescue trope…a kind of other version of the two brothers who the heroine has to choose between when she realizes one brother is a complete troll.

Alex was also the perfect blend of a rich and self-knowing hero, without the whole Alpha domination ‘tude. He gave Brianne her space, and he never gave her the cold shoulder even when she sometimes deserved it for playing at jealousy yet denying any attraction to him in the same breath. Yeah. That was annoying. If she wasn’t willing to jump for Alex, then why shouldn’t any girl drooling at him? That was hardly realistic and the most annoying part of this book…

Anyways, Alex and Brianne had believable chemistry. I also loved the situation they were in: travelling together and living under the same roof while fighting against their attraction for each other—how risqué.

There’s nothing else I didn’t like about the book.

I mean the ending was a bit cheesy, but it tied up everything nicely. I just really liked this book. And on that note I suggest y’all pick it up soon. You don’t even have to read Brianne’s sister, Shanna’s story in Island Fantasy. Just go ahead and j Freefall to Desire…haha, see what I did there. (I was totally waiting to but that one out.)

My verdict:


(5 stars)

Tuesday, 17 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (27): His To Command

BOOK REVIEW:
His To Command


I have a story behind this review or behind the book in this review: well, back in my pre-blogging days circa early 2013, Opal Carew’s His To Command was released as a 6-part serial. I have the first two parts of that serial, but I stopped purchasing it when I realized the whole book would be released once the serial version culminated.

Then I went out and got Ms. Carew to sign a copy and I had planned to dive in, but I didn’t do much reading in 2013. His To Command literally disappeared into the back of my bookshelf—which surprisingly didn’t batter and bruise the book. I dug it out a few days ago and I finally sunk my teeth into the rest of the story, ending the cliffhanger I created in my own mind from part 2 onwards.

Now I finally know how Kate and Matt’s story ended: in perfect sexual bliss after a tumult beginning.

So let’s talk about that beginning. Phew. When I first read Part 1 of His To Command I wanted to chuck the book across my room. Kate’s reaction to Matt was beyond over-the-top. I mean, it’s understandable given what she thought she went through at his hands, but WTH was the whole mall dash?
I guess the part that bothered me was how she went on to dream about Matt afterwards and how she continued to think about him a happy sexy ways even though she thought she figured out he might be a total sadistic and dangerous freak.

If you survive Part 1, Part 2 gets a bit better. For one Kate is finally stuck with Matt a la cliché snowstorm freezing rain storm. Seeing as there’s “snow way out” Kate and Matt have a talk and get cozy. I mean really cozy—they pretty much pick up where they left off…

Part 3-5 lead to the black moment, which I might add was terrific! I was expecting something pretty cheesy along the lines of Illeana, Matt’s ex and former BDSM partner, to make another appearance and have a catfight showdown with Kate after the latter caught them in bed. And Matt would have to chase Kate down again and explain he was drugged…

But that didn’t happen and it’s clear I watch way too much K-drama.

Part 6 moves into the epilogue where readers can bask in the glow of a HEA.

What I liked/diidn’t like
Kate was a curious creature for me. I expected her to be more of a cornered cat, gradually warming to sexual experiences and the BDSM lifestyle. But girl just threw herself off the deep end. Or semi-deep end. She was also more annoying in the beginning, but once she knew what she wanted she went after it.

Unlike Matt who sorta waffled around much longer, but who wasn’t a perfect guy after all. I really do believe the whole black moment lifted his character into the light for me… It gave him a true flaw without drawing on the whole “I-know-I’m-a-gajillionaire-but-I-had-a-really-sad/horrific-childhood-I-overcame” bit. It was all about the internal conflict between these two and the focus on the dichotomous theme of what BDSM brings to the forefront for discussion: how do you balance a life that has close to even amount of being controlled (i.e. following the law, letting your Master ‘punish’ you) and controlling (i.e. being the boss of your own company, spanking your bad little slave).

Also one thing I’m glad didn’t happen, Matt cornering Victor, the guy who showed Kate how whips were used in the medieval ages and how BDSM is not done (if you catch my drift--*ahem*hewhippedher*ahem*). I love my drama, especially my K-drama, but that would have been painful to read…more painful than the “blue suede flogger”.

So if you’re looking for some contemporary erotic romance, try His To Command, and let that magic black moment whisk you away to a mental paradise.

My verdict:



(4 stars)

Saturday, 14 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (26): The Tuscan Tycoon's Pregnant Housekeeper

BOOK REVIEW:
The Tuscan Tycoon's Pregnant Housekeeper


I haven’t read much in the way of powerful and wealthy Alpha males in a while, which is not to say that I haven’t read any good books lately, but I sorta missed my He-man heroes.

But I think my itch has been scratched again with Christina Hollis’ The Tuscan Tycoon’s Pregnant Housekeeper. The title tells you a lot: you got the Tuscan tycoon hero, Alessandro Castiglione—whose name I had fun saying—and the housekeeper heroine, Michelle Spicer. And somewhere along the way Alessandro + Michelle makes three.

Of course the title doesn’t give it all away. It doesn’t show you the change in Alessandro’s personality… I loved the way the author really spun a 170 on Alessandro: you see, pre-Alessandro is super kind. In fact when Alessandro and Michelle first meet it threw me for a loop. He was too sweet… He didn’t order her around, at least not as much as Harlequin Presents’ heroes can be, and he didn’t seem to have an ulterior motive where Michele was concerned.

Of course that changes when pre-villa Alessandro, that is the Alessandro that is first introduced in the South of France versus the post-villa Alessandro whisking his pregnant soon-to-be-bride, Michelle, to his Tuscan hideaway.

Michelle is…well, she fits the Presents heroine bill a bit more. She’s really meek and throughout the story, especially when she was attempting to go toe-to-toe with Alessandro I wanted to just grab and protect her. Did I like that she provoked that feeling? Not always. I mean it would have been funnier/more amusing had she had a little spunk to fight back with Alessandro, but I also believe that there are people out there who have trouble voicing their feelings. And the author does really well capturing the “plain, shy {…] mousy” Michelle.

And I know I said I wanted my Alpha, but I don't always mean that because I have a hate-love relationship with the whole Alpha thing. Alessandro was likable before the pregnancy, when he was staying in a villa in the South of France. But then he became this big jerk who ordered Michelle around and yet wanted her at the same time. Thankfully he stopped short of accusing her of carrying another man's baby and trying to gold-dig him out of his billions. He doesn't and that's what saved his character for me. Still being in his thoughts was a little annoying, particularly when he wanted Michelle physically, but he still saw her as "cheating him by getting pregnant on purpose".

The plot was also short and sweet. The focus here was internal conflict: Alessandro has trust issues and he unfairly places an image on Michelle from what he’s seen of other people in his past, and Michelle—who honestly had less baggage and was totally committed to the relationship unlike Alessandro—could relate to his disappointment in his family, but she needs for him to open up to her.

A quick read starring characters with purposeful motivations in an otherwise classic plot scenario. I liked it, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it too. Although if you want, you could prove me wrong by reading The Tuscan Tycoon’s Pregnant Housekeeper yourself…

My verdict:

✮.5


(4.5 stars)

Friday, 13 March 2015

BAKING REVIEW (3): Chocolate Cake w/ Cream Cheese frosting

BAKING REVIEW:
Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

So...my plan was not to make this cake and not nearly as early this month, but it sorta happened.

My mom wanted me to finish up some cream cheese and I decided to make more frosting and I needed a cake. It didn't take long for me to find a recipe. The idea of chocolate cake and cream cheese through me for a loop... You see I'm not a fan of chocolate cake on...sweeter frosting and cream cheese can be pretty sweet.


My options with cake/frosting combo is chocolate on chocolate or vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.


And I guess I could have attempted chocolate cream cheese frosting, but that would have been taking it over the top. Like I said I was hesitant. Naturally pictures lured me over to the dark, chocolate-y side...





And here's what mine looked like in the end in all its frosted glory:


And the missing piece...



It's good! Well, it turned out better than I thought. I was expecting something really...well, not appetizing. I mean I'd still prefer my chocolate on chocolate combo, this worked out. Even the addition of the cup of coffee. And I hate coffee. ^^

My verdict:

❤.5

(3.5 hearts)

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (25): A Meeting In The Ladies' Room

BOOK REVIEW:
A Meeting In The Ladies' Room


Sometimes when I read a bunch of romances back-to-back I start to grow cynical. And it doesn’t bode well for each subsequent book…

So to be fair to my romance TBR pile, I took a break with Anita Doreen Diggs’ A Meeting In The Ladies’ Room. I actually started the novel not knowing what to expect genre-wise—as you can see the cover isn’t telling of a romance, yet the back blurb suggests a hint of something…that never transpires the way I thought it would…

Anyway. Now I can say confidently that this is a chick-lit mystery. I say chick-lit only because it has a very self-centered vibe. The heroine, Jacqueline/Jackie Blue is very “all about me” which is fine considering the story is written from her perspective.

I didn’t like Jackie all that much. I try to not judge a character based on whether they were “relatable” or not or “likable” or not…and Jackie was neither. Yet oddly her personality—her story kept me reading, flipping the pages and not in a this-is-so-bad-I-can’t-look-away-it’s-a-train-wreck way.

Jackie was desperate. So painfully desperate when it came to Victor, and it really hurt to read her embarrassing actions and reactions …it was like watching an episode of Girls.

Jackie was also really annoying to read. I mean she was nasty. Her thoughts on almost everyone were snide and backhanded, and as the reader has to see it from her POV there’s no avoiding the fact that she isn’t a very personable person. What I mean is that I wouldn’t want to know Jackie IRL because girrrrl is a beyotch!

I mean the way she treats her enemies couldn't be worse than then way she treated her friends. Poor Paul and most of the women in the Black Pack were under her fire.
Though tbh some of those women started the fights first, but that doesn't excuse Jackie's thoughts--which I had to be forced to read. They were nastier than needed be.

Still I felt for her. Being accused of a crime and having your cushy life thrown out from under you after you worked so hard to get it had me rooting for Jackie even when I also wanted to slap her silly at the same time.

Now the mystery was great, but it wasn’t the focus of the story. The focus was about racial affiliations and navigating through one’s cess pool of past mistakes. Therefore the ending couldn’t have been written better: as much romances as I read, an ending to a novel is only as good as the construction of the plot and characterization up to that final point.

So I would have felt differently if a HEA was shoved in at the end of this book, which thankfully it was not.

My verdict:



(4 stars)

Saturday, 7 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (24): A Reluctant Hero

BOOK REVIEW:
A Reluctant Hero


Still in the Kimani Romance mode, I picked up another book from Harlequin’s African (American?) line.

A Reluctant Hero by Dana Girard was an interesting read. The story is a closer on the tales of four sisters, the Duvall girls: in the ”Dear Reader” section, the author explains that a lot of readers wanted a series closer for the baby Duvall sister, Daniella.

So, viola! Ms. Girard delivered with A Reluctant Hero, where Daniella Duvall gets herself mixed up into some craziness with our smokin’ hero, Richard Engleright/Trenton Sheppard.

What I enjoyed about this story is the mystery/thriller element. A little more mystery than thriller, it added something extra to the romantic main conflict: mostly a struggle with trusting anyone else but himself, Richard/Trenton pushes Daniella away AND though Daniella accepts her lust for Richard/Trenton, she isn’t sure that a HEA is at the end of their road…or she isn’t sure at first.

And because there was a mystery external conflict, it layered the narrative with different POVs. Something I liked, even though I thought I might not. It was nice to see some other goings-on around Richard/Trenton and Daniella’s story that didn’t entirely also shift focus from the romance. I never forgot I was reading about their love.

I LOVED the main characters, even the bad guys. But I really loved Emma and Duane. Mostly Emma, but I liked that they actually got their own closer in the end. Too sweet!

Character motivations were really strong as well, the ending wasn’t drawn out and there wasn’t a prolonged showdown: bad guy is confronted and he goes down, that’s it. Which is fine, I had no problem with that by the end.

I also don’t really do flashbacks, but there’s a chapter(s?)-worth of a flashback and I didn’t mind it at all. The author wrote it out of necessity; she got to the point of the flashback, which mostly developed the intrigue/mystery around Richard/Trenton and the romance between him and Daniella. Essentially if I have to read a flashback, make me want to read the flashback…

It helped that the flashback was part of a larger, interesting scenario. I won’t divulge spoilers, so you’ll have to read A Reluctant Hero to find out!

Also, dog lovers out there, there’s a super cute Lab in this one.

My verdict:



(5 stars)

Thursday, 5 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (23): Island Fantasy

BOOK REVIEW:
Island Fantasy


Now I’m a romance lover, and I think some of the best short romances out there come from Harlequin. And what I love about Harlequin is the variety in their short category romances.

Still most of the characters I encounter are not African/Black (American, Canadian, etc.) But Harlequin has a whole line, Kimani Romance, dedicated to POC and their (sometimes) multicultural relationships.

Oddly I’ve never read the line, until now… Though I’ve been meaning to, only the books are available monthly—as with other lines—in a brick and mortar store.

My first Kimani was Kayla Perrin’s Island Fantasy, which is set in Jamaica for the most part. A little background then:

Heroine Shanna Kenyon is a romance writer who has no control of obtaining her HEA when she’s jilted by her groom before their wedding day. Determined to make use of her would-be honeymoon to Jamaica, Shanna goes on the trip alone to rejuvenate her broken spirit…

Enter Donovan Deval, another guest at the hotel in Jamaica who sparks Shanna’s interest only days after her wedding was called off. But Donovan also attracted to her and he’s doing most of the chasing— When Shanna finally gives into her desire, she wonders if her island fantasy has a place outside the island and in the real world.

So Shanna is a romance writer—and she’s actually not as cynical as you might imagine. I’m a romance writer, and I like to think of myself as a realist, yet I’m totally open to melodrama and the crazy happening in the real world… So I’m not a full blown cynic and Shanna isn’t either. And thankfully so because that would have been clichéd and a little too much for me to hold my disbelief back…

I enjoyed the chemistry between the two. The teasing and the chasing, but also the fun—I’ve read one too many alpha males who basically fight with the heroine all the way into bed. And although I think makeup sex is probably wondrous—ahem, it is fun to write—I also preferred the more natural development between Donovan and Shanna.

They both liked each other, and the out-and-out confess the attraction very early on. What I did notice is that this novel is not 50/50 between the hero and heroine’s perspectives. It is mostly written from Shanna’s POV and Donovan makes an appearance on pg. 31… 2 chapters and a bit into chapter 3 before readers can finally sink their teeth into the first sight.

That being said, I didn’t mind so much. When we did get Donovan’s POV late into the book, it was a nice break from Shanna’s thoughts—mostly because Donovan was very clear about his feelings. He accepted his attraction to Shanna and he wanted more of a relationship, or at least a chance to explore a potential long time union. Shanna, on the other hand, is the one with commitment/trust issues. It makes sense the story be told from her perspective mostly because it’s her insecurities that are holding back the full treatment of Donovan’s affection and her chance at a potential rejection (and more heart ache) or a HEA.

Sorta like a writer’s life: opening the door to opportunity also opens the door to both rejection and acceptance. You’d think Shanna the successful historical romance author would get this…

As far as external conflict goes, nothing too dramatic—the focus is more on an internal struggle of commitment, and head versus heart type problem; although something happens near the end. No spoilers, just a warning. I sort of figured it out and…hahaha…with a, err, racial profiling. Though the story set me up, and I filled in the blanks too quickly!

Anyways, I liked the story. There’s actually a second story featuring Shanna’s younger sister, Brianne who I really liked. All I know is that she’s a bigger girl who recently lost her fiancé/boyfriend? to an accident (I forgot the accident) and well, if that doesn’t set us up for a companion Book 2.

Make sure to pick up Island Fantasy and book 2, Freefall to Desire! If you’re new to this subgenre/line of romances then this is as great a place to start as any.

My verdict:

✮.5


(4.5 stars)

Monday, 2 March 2015

BOOK REVIEW (22): Her Alpha Protector

BOOK REVIEW:
Her Alpha Protector



So I completely forgot that I’ve been sitting on a PNR novella stash… You see nearly 2 years ago Harlequin had a short paranormal category line called Nocturne Bites and that line grew in word count to more of a novella and less of a novelette and this was renamed Nocturne Cravings.

I have some of those Bites and Cravings titles and I only remembered a few days ago. Naturally I started reading one of those neglected stories and reminded myself why I should have probably tried to submit to the lines before they both were closed.

The story I chose is Gwen Knight’s Her Alpha Protector. Knight’s debut was everything I loved about the short PNR stories: it was sweet yet sexy, tension-filled with proper pacing, and a read-in-one-sitting type story (even though I totally stretched it out to three days—though in my defense I was reading it on the commute).

ANYWAYS. I really liked the story!
I also find it interesting to read about weres, so that was fun.

Her Alpha Protector follows heroine, Angelina/Angel while she’s on the run from her old pack and her abusive “mate”. In order to hide she ends up in another pack’s territory and this pack’s Alpha, Hunter, tracks her down as he would all non-pack/unregistered wolves, you know for security reasons. Of course when Hunter learns it’s Angel whom he’s hunting, he decides to finally do what he’d been afraid to do 10 years ago: take the she-wolf as his mate.

And drama ensues.

Angel was all right… I mean, she had good character development. My heart/head ached for her loss of innocence and her trouble adjusting to her life as a new wolf… And though an immortal wolf for a decade, she’s still very much unsettled in terms of finding a caring pack/family, uncomfortable in her own skin and body, and generally loveless in viewing herself in the world.

She wasn’t a damsel-in-distress, yet she also didn’t go around kicking down doors to get at her enemies. Angel was scared, but she also sorta fought back when the going got tough.

What I really enjoyed was the topic of domestic abuse in this novella. In the romance genre abuse is sort of tossed in there to add more drama and/or show how great the hero is. And Her Alpha Protector falls prey to this trap as well, especially when Hunter and his power of love cure Angel of all her emotional insecurities. However the insecurity Angel details in her actions make the story, particularly since her POV is more powerful than Hunter’s. Hunter has no need to be afraid or emotionally charged outside Angel… The way I see it she’s the more interesting of the two characters, and understandably so.

Hunter was cool, too. As the story was short, we didn’t get too see too much of his character outside his connection and concern for Angel. The main antagonist was clearly also a foil for Hunter’s personality and views in life and for his romantic ideal. In his mind, Hunter doesn’t want to hold his alpha powers against Angel’s head the way he might an enemy or the rest of his pack—he really sees her as an equal, at least emotionally and that thought pattern makes you like the guy anyways.

But his name was annoying… I mean I wasn’t sure whether to be amused or not. Yet as I write this I keep forgetting to capitalize the H in hunter. Ugh. Very annoying.

Also there’s a death. Don’t you love romances when a gory death gets thrown in there?

My verdict:



(4 stars)