Category: B reviews (Page 25 of 74)

Beyond Ruin by Kit Rocha

April 5, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy via the author.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Adrian Maddox fled his royal life—and tragic past—in Sector One, choosing instead to join up with the O’Kanes. For years, he’s lived by one rule: love fast, love hard, and always be willing to walk away. He’s managed to guard his heart, keep it whole and untouched—until now.

They couldn’t be more different—Dylan, the brilliant, burned-out doctor from Eden who drowns his pain with drugs and self-destruction. Scarlet, the sensuous, sexy rocker from Three, a woman unafraid to embrace the world. And Jade, the whore turned spy from Sector Two, who battled addiction and came out stronger than anyone he’s ever met.

Separately, they make Mad long to open his heart, to tumble head-first into a sea of possibilities and wild love. Together, they make him burn, inside and out, with lust and unbearable, unimaginable pleasure.

Then one fateful moment shakes their world to its foundations—and leaves the sectors on the verge of all-out war with Eden. It’s the biggest fight the O’Kanes have ever faced, and Mad and his lovers are at the dead center of it. They could end up with everything they never knew they wanted—or lose it all. Including their lives.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I was behind on the series so I’ve just binge-read Beyond Addiction, Beyond Innocence and Beyond Ruin all in a row. So I’m all caught up on who’s who and what’s happening in the Sectors. Things are changing fast and the advice I got from other readers was correct: read the series in order. You can skip over the novellas but the full length novels have too much world-building stuff to read out of order.
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March Round Up

April 1, 2016 / Kaetrin

Monthly Mini Review

All Seated On the Ground by Connie Willis – B I saw this short story mentioned in a thread where posters were saying it was the best of Connie Willis’ short stories so I looked it up. I couldn’t buy the story on its own because geo restrictions, but I found it was available in a library book as part of The Best of Connie Willis and placed a hold so I could read the story.

Meg Yates is a humour columnist who unexpectedly finds herself on a committee trying to communicate with the six Altairi aliens who arrived on the doorsteps of Denver University nine months before. Many experts before her and on the current committee have failed to find a way to break through the Atairi glare of disdain before her but her particular history and a chance encounter with some Christmas music and choir director lead to a breakthrough. Continue reading

Heaven and Hell by Kristen Ashley, narrated by Felicity Munroe

March 31, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I had the ebook on my TBR, having picked it up for 99c in a sale some time ago. I saw the audiobook at Audible for $1.99 on a whispersync special so I bought it.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) After making a bad decision when she was very young, Kia Clementine finds herself in hell. Then, suddenly, within the time it takes for a shotgun to blast, her hell changes. Completely. Then, out of the blue, she sees Sampson Cooper, her celebrity crush. A man the whole world knows is decent. A man the world knows is loyal. A man the world knows is good. All of these very unlike her now dead husband. He’s sitting at a table right next to hers. And she catches his eye.

Terrified of the interest Sam shows in her, Kia finds the courage to go out with him. Not long after, she shares her dark secrets, and Sam shares that he’ll stop at nothing to gain her trust. As Sam leads Kia to heaven, Kia realizes that Sam is living his own hell. Although he gives her beauty and she gives him everything, he withholds his trust. Even with all the beauty Sam shows her, Kia wants it all. But Sam forces Kia to make a heartbreaking decision, and only she can decide. It’s all or nothing.

Trigger Warning: Domestic abuse (in heroine’s first marriage)

What worked for me (and what didn’t): As is often the case when I start audiobooks, I hadn’t looked at the blurb and so I didn’t really know much about what to expect, other than that I remembered it was a contemporary. In many ways, the story has the same vibe as the ‘Burg series (even having cameos from some characters from that series, including Joe Callahan and Tanner Layne) and the Colorado Mountain series. Pretty much, if listeners enjoyed those series’, they’re like to enjoy this book.

I suppose I should say more than that though shouldn’t I? 🙂 Continue reading

One Night With Her Bachelor by Kat Latham

March 22, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: It was on special recently so I bought it.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Molly Dekker hates being the town charity case, but when her son Josh is seriously injured she has no choice. She lets her best friend organize a bachelor auction to help pay her massive bills and make Josh’s life more comfortable. She can’t bid on any of the men, but a surprise bidder gives her a gift she never expected: a date with the man who saved her son’s life—the only one she’s in danger of losing her heart to.

Former Air Force pararescueman Gabriel Morales made a career of flying to the rescue, until a tragic helicopter crash stole more than his livelihood. Being auctioned off like a slab of beef isn’t in his recovery plan. But one look, one touch and one night unlocking Molly’s pent-up passion makes him realize how badly he needs to be rescued…and how badly he wants to rescue Molly right back.

Will Molly and Gabriel’s never-quit attitude have them rushing head-first into love? Or will Gabriel’s secret pain stall their relationship before it can get off the ground?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Even though I have most of the books in this series, loosely linked by a bachelor auction in the small Montana town of Marietta, this one is the first that I’ve actually read (the curse of the TBR of Dooooom). I wasn’t really expecting what I got – which was deeper and heavier than I thought it would be. For starters, the bachelor auction takes place well into the book and it’s not at all the main focus of it.
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A Negotiated Marriage by Noelle Adams, narrated by Carly Robins

March 6, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: Audible had a special on this one so I bought it because I can’t resist a bargain.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Sex wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal.

Three years into a marriage of convenience, Molly’s high-powered CEO husband wants to add a new term to their marriage agreement. Sex—without any messy emotional entanglements. But weekly sex with Luke, despite their carefully negotiated terms, is likely to get messy eventually.

Content in a mutually beneficial arrangement, Molly isn’t going to fall for Luke the way she fell for an old lover, only to be crushed in the end. She vows to stay strong, no matter how much intimacy develops between them in bed. When her old lover returns, finally wanting a real relationship, Molly has the chance to give her heart to a man who will accept it.

It’s too bad she now wants to give it to her husband, who has never admitted her heart is what he wants.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I do like a marriage of convenience story but it isn’t terribly common in a contemporary romance. Here, Ms. Adams gives a believable set up and a lovely romance wrapped up in a contemporary package. The only thing missing really, was the hero’s POV.
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Claimings series by Lyn Gala

February 25, 2016 / Kaetrin

Why I read them: A number of people have recommended these books to me – most recently Sirius from Dear Author.

CLAIMINGS, TAILS AND OTHER ALIEN ARTIFACTS

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Liam loves his life as a linguist and trader on the Rownt homeworld, but he has ignored his heart and sexual needs for years. He won’t risk letting anyone come too close because he won’t risk letting anyone see his deeply submissive nature. For him, submission comes with pain. Life burned that lesson into his soul from a young age. This fear keeps him from noticing that the Rownt trader Ondry cares for him.

Ondry may not understand humans, but he recognizes a wounded soul, and his need to protect Liam is quickly outpacing his common sense. They may have laws, culture, and incompatible genitalia in their way, but Ondry knows that he can find a way to overcome all that if he can just overcome the ghosts of Liam’s past. Only then can he take possession of a man he has grown to love.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): This first book is a lot shorter than the other two in the series (so far – dare I hope for another?), at less than a hundred pages (the second book is the longest and the third is in between). I was impressed with the world building Gala was able to portray in a short word count and fascinated by the Rownt and the way they think. I love the way she used the Rownt to examine some things about people which are weird or don’t make sense and, seeing these things from an outsider point of view was deeply interesting. In particular, the way Dominance and submission is portrayed here is unique and quite charming.
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