Review: Paxton Pride

Paxton Pride by Kerry Newcomb
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

1.5 stars

I just want to say, even if I don't end up liking/enjoying the books you all recommend to me, I always get something out of them. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you all take to think of me.
Thank you to Belinda for the recommendation.

Part 1 comments

Part 2 comments

Part 3 was were I kicked my skim reading into gear. I just couldn't, y'all. The almost raped yet once again heroine scene after scene had me exhausted. To say this story is problematic would be sugar coating it. The third part the hero and heroine hardly spend any time together as hero has run away to get over his blaming of the heroine for losing their child. Heroine miraculously sheds her city persona and becomes Annie Oakley and takes to running the ranch. Men love her for it and of course, women are jealous of her. The men loving, women hating is so extreme in this, bleh.

Heroine ends up getting kidnapped by villain, lives under constant threat of rape from him, another glorious scene where villains sexual aggressiveness starts to turn her on, a very woman's no can easily be turned into a I really want it yes. An almost gang rape scene, heroine gets tossed and stripped in a circle of men before they are interrupted.
I just don't know how I could stand the romance of it all!!!!

These older, longer saga romance reads typically would do a great job with incorporating historical detail and creating a very clear setting, this one is no exception; I enjoyed the western setting. The sexism and racism just ended up ruining it for me.

She was much woman, this one. There was much spirit in her---a real woman's spirit. Not like the temperamental Marcelina. The little one knew how to please a man, knew instinctively and exquisitely where and how to touch him, how to move. But such a girl was for a moment and no longer. There were many more like her. The woman at the fire was one of strength, of character as strong as the hills and rocks themselves. A man who was blessed with the love of such a senorita would need no other woman except occasionally, for the sake of diversion.

Because of course, the Latina SIXTEEN year old girl is just a natural sexual being, while the white woman only encapsulates the highest virtues. Which, I have to say, home girl only started to lose her spoiled ass attitude only about three chapters back, so singing her virtues seems a bit premature. Also, because I simply can't keep the horror to myself, the sixteen year old and villain end up being brother and sister. Which turns out the villain knew. He knew he was banging his sister. Yep, this was a two for one, dad and brother incest!!!!
The bonus line of men being blessed with a good woman so they only have to sleep with other women occasionally for sake of diversion, had me feeling spoiled.

So, I won't be continuing on with the series.

A huge thank-you to previous generations of women who worked and work to clear this type of grossness from my younger generation eyes. I only hope to do the same for the next.



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60%

I've made it to part 3.

While part 1 was dominated by the father lusting scene, part 2 was all about the rape. You see, the male authors have decided that the only way our heroine can or wants to exert her power is by flirting and coyly seduce men. No friends with women because they are all just jealous of her beauty. There's a great scene where heroine is friendly with a a guy and he misinterprets or over interprets her friendliness into meaning she wants to have sex with him. He almost rapes but the hero ends up shooting him first. Hero blames her for guys death. You see he was a really great guy who was driven crazy by heroine's friendliness.

The hero's mom is good, because of course men put them in a different category than other women but the rest of the characters don't fair so well. There is a sixteen year old Latina character who lusts after the hero and throws herself at him, he gets hard for her but manfully pushes her away. She then of course betrays everyone when she lets in the villain into the ranch. The villain who raped her, until she passed out but the third time he rapes her, she decides she likes his strength and wants to be his woman. 

So anyway, there was a lot to choose from for a quote from this 2nd part but I'll give you this:

"I know what happened. For three nights and days I've been here fighting your fever with cold cloths and listening to you repeat the story over and over again. You had a gun. You could have stopped him." He placed the lantern on the table, leaned over and gripped her by the shoulders, his fingers bruising the flesh of her arms, his voice quaking. "Karen. He killed Maruja. You let him. You ran. You...killed our son."

When the villains broke into the ranch, our city gal heroine panicked (I don't think the hero ever taught her to fire a gun) and froze, not firing her weapon to defend. She ended up falling and losing her baby. "Hero" blames her for the miscarriage. 

I can't wait to see what part 3 brings

(There was some good Alamo history) 

Trying not to be a glass half empty person :/

Copy a Romance Cover

Errr, make that, CURL up with a Romance Cover. I've been super busy, so we didn't make it out to find a spot to copy this cover.

Raiden enjoying Too Scot Too Handle by Grace Burrowes!
Dog days of summer indeed :)

New Release: Too Scot Too Handle by Grace Burrowes! #Giveaway

As a captain in the army, Colin MacHugh led men, fixed what was broken, and fought hard. Now that he's a titled gentleman, he's still fighting—this time to keep his bachelorhood safe from all the marriage-minded debutantes. Then he meets the intriguing Miss Anwen Windham, whose demure nature masks a bonfire waiting to roar to life. When she asks for his help to raise money for the local orphanage, he's happy to oblige.

Anwen is amazed at how quickly Lord Colin takes in hand a pack of rambunctious orphan boys. Amazed at how he actually listens to her ideas. Amazed at the thrill she gets from the rumble of his Scottish burr and the heat of his touch. But not everyone enjoys the success of an upstart. And Colin has enemies who will stop at nothing to ruin him and anybody he holds dear.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: TOO SCOT TO HANDLE

Author: Grace Burrowes

Series: Windham Brides, #2

On Sale: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market:  $7.99 USD

eBook: $6.99 USD

Audio: $22.98 USD

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt:

He’d taken care that this kiss be private, and thus unhurried.

            Anwen liked the unhurried part exceedingly. Lord Colin held her not as if she were frail and fragile, but as if she were too precious to let go. His arms were secure about her, and he’d tucked in close enough that she could revel in his contours—broad chest, flat belly, and hard, hard thighs, such as an accomplished equestrian would have.

            Soft lips, though. Gentle, entreating, teasing…

            Anwen teased him back, getting a taste of peppermint for her boldness, and then a taste of him.

            “Great day in the morning,” he whispered, right at her ear. “I won’t be able to sit my horse if you do that again with your tongue.”

            She did it again, and again, until the kiss involved his leg insinuated among the folds and froths of her riding habit, her fingers toying with the hair at his nape, and her heart, beating faster than it had at the conclusion of their race.

            “Ye must cease, wee Anwen,” Lord Colin said, resting his cheek against her temple. “We must cease, or I’ll have to cast myself into yonder water for the sake of my sanity.”

            “I’m a good swimmer,” Anwen said. “I’d fish you out.” She contemplated dragging a sopping Lord Colin from the Serpentine, his clothes plastered to his body….

            “Such a sigh,” he said, kissing her cheek. “If ye’d slap me, I’d take it as a mercy.”

            “I’d rather kiss you again.” And again and again and again. Anwen’s enthusiasm for that undertaking roared through her like a wild fire, bringing light, heat, and energy to every corner of her being.

            “You are a bonfire in disguise,” he said, smoothing a hand over her hair. “An ambush of a woman, and you have all of polite society thinking you’re the quiet one.” He peered down at her, his hair sticking up on one side. “Am I the only man who knows better, Anwen?”

            She smoothed his hair down, delighting in its texture. Red hair had a mind of its own, and by the dawn’s light, his hair was very red.

            “No, you are not the only one who knows better,” she said, which had him looking off across the water, his gaze determined.

            “I’m no’ the dallyin’ kind,” he said, taking Anwen’s hand and kissing it. “I was a soldier, and I’m fond of the ladies, but this is… you mustn’t toy with me.”

            Everlasting celestial trumpets. “You think I could toy with you?”

            “When you smile like that, you could break hearts, Miss Anwen Windham. A man wouldn’t see it coming, but then you’d swan off in a cloud of grace and dignity, and too late, he’d realize what he’d missed. He wouldn’t want to admit how foolish he’d been, but in his heart, he’d know: I should ne’er have let her get away. I should have done anything to stay by her side.”

            I am a bonfire in disguise. “You are not the only one who knows my secret. I know better now too, Colin.” She went up on her toes and kissed him. “It’s our secret.”

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THE WINDHAM BRIDES SERIES

THE TROUBLE WITH DUKES, #1 My Review

TOO SCOT TO HANDLE, #2  My Review

NO OTHER DUKE WILL DO, #3

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Reading Update: 30%

Look, I'm an old hat with reading romance books, bodice rippers? I cut my teeth on them. Modern books tend not to follow the beaten path those took, some have the same tropes just coated in "alpha" and "dark" semantics. Really though, pretty close to tomato, tomato. This one, oooh this one sneaked up on me, but you can't fool a permanent resident of Romancelandia.

Take at glance at that innocent cover.

LIES.

This is the original cover:

TOO BEAUTIFUL! RARE POWER!

Time to gird your f-ing loins, people.

This was originally published in 1976. Also, notice how two dudes took a woman's name to publish under. The breast talk/worshiping had me wondering at 10%, suddenly things make more sense. 

I'm going to guess they did not revise the new 2015 republished version. Why do I say that you wonder? 

For a moment the two stared at each other, the mere sight of their naked bodies arousing them. No touch was needed between these two. Angie felt the throbbing ache awaken in her loins as the animal before her hardened, rose tumescent and pulsing to its full height. Her hand went down to sweep the remaining piece of silk from across her thighs, revealing the soft, moist lips so eager to be stroked, parted, entered and ravaged. Eyes burning and lips parted, she threw wide her arms to greet the carnal god as he approached. There would be no more waiting.

No mere coitus for Angie, she's waiting to be RAVAGED.

Did I mention Angie is not the heroine? Angie is not the heroine. Hero is banging another woman 10% in.

Now, nothing I could say could prepare you this, so just, I don't know, have puppy gifs keyed up.

Barrett is her FATHER,

Barrett glared at her, panting with fury. “Slut!”

“Slut!?” Karen spit back. Her voice was low, barely audible in the heavy silence. “Is that how you see your daughter? As a slut?” The two faced each other in timeless attitudes of belligerence until Karen straightened herself, stood regally, boldly before him, her gown falling away to her sides to reveal her naked body, the perfect breasts rising and falling slowly, the thick light brown patch of pubic hair exposed between finely sculpted thighs. “Do I look like a slut to you?”

It had been a long time since Barrett had seen his daughter naked. Not since she was a little sandy-haired tomboy swimming in a New Hampshire stream. But this was no little girl. His eyes raked over her and he was unable to stop them. Karen watched her father’s line of vision and made no attempt to cover herself. Contemptuously aware of the power her body could wield over a man, any man, even her father, she stood still as a statue blatantly displayed to he who should not look. Barrett, his momentum shattered, suddenly aware of his licentious reaction, staggered back, shocked by his obvious and less than fatherly interest in his daughter’s body.

Because of course, even though it is his daughter, what do women's bodies do? They evilly tempt men.

I'm 30% in. 

As with these older written stories, they are longer and more sagas. This first part took place in Washington D.C. The heroine broke off her engagement and is set to leave with the hero back to his home in Texas. 

I'm going to continue to read, partly because of morbid curiosity, and partly because this older books actually incorporate the scenery and setting; I do enjoy the epic adventure feel. I just hope the less desirable components disappear.  

Review: Royally Matched

Royally Matched by Emma Chase
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

1.5 stars

I should have stopped while I was ahead.

This one magnified everything I didn't enjoy from the first. Our hero was such an immature I can't believe we're really calling him the hero guy. He never did redeem himself for me. Because of the Bachelor like show he is involved with, more than half of his time is spent with other women. Even though this time isn't really focused on or seen, you're still aware of it. The time he does spend with the heroine (also, this happens over a span of 6weeks) is rushed and we're told they talk all night but don't get to read about the sharing.
My shy book loving heroine is more of a badly done facsimile of one. Her painful background also felt sloppily done; in fact this whole story felt sloppy.
Shallow characters and shallow story line, I know, I should have seen this coming with the synopsis.
Even though we don't get a glimpse of the couple I'm looking forward to in the third book, I'm still going to read it and hope it gives me some of the cheesy charm from the first. The hero gives me more hope as he has to be more mature than this one was.

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Review: Royally Screwed

Royally Screwed by Emma Chase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Lover of Romance for the recommendation. And has now cruelly added another series to my never ending stack :)

I'm...I laugh to myself…I'm Cinderella, stepping into her coach to go to the ball. And even if this night is all there is, I won't forget it; I'll hold this memory close. Savor it, cherish it. It will make the hard times just a little easier, the lonely moments just a little less cold. When Ellie leaves for school, when I'm making pies before dawn in the kitchen day after day, I'll remember this feeling and I'll smile. This will get me through.

Cotton candy, fluff, and cheese-fest. You could call this all of those and you'd be right but I couldn't help myself from eating it up with a spoon; even when I groaned and rolled my eyes. But hey, romance stories help get us through, don't they?

This is told is dual pov from our hero and heroine and had a bit of a New Adult vibe. Our hero danced across the boar line a couple times and was colored a bit too much with an overly cocky paintbrush, which I usually loathe. Look, I have no excuses.

I giggle again---feeling silly and light-headed. Possibly delusional.

The heroine says it perfectly. I'm American and would never dishonor my ancestors by bowing a knee to royalty, and that is possibly how they get into my naughty taboo, I know I really shouldn't and that is why it's now hot category. The author's writing and tone is immensely readable, if not challenging. This is royalty fan fiction with no surprises and not a lot of depth but god help me, I read this in 24hrs with a goofy grin on my face most the time.

Don't read quote if you don't want a sneak peek at ending.
(view spoiler)["He gave up a kingdom for you." (hide spoiler)]

If I had read this in my teens, I'd have worn out the spine in two years. Alas, I read this in my thirties, so while I probably won't re-read this into oblivion, my dopey grin will stick around for a while.
Predictable, gooey, Cinderella-ish, and sugary satisfying.

"Smell."
After a moment, Henry leans down and sniffs the pages distrustfully.
"What do you smell?" Sarah asks.
Henry gives it another sniff. "It smells…old."
"Exactly!" She smells the pages herself, deep and long. "Paper and ink---there's nothing like it. The only thing that smells better than a new book is an old one."

The heroine of the next in the series already has my heart. Usually, this kind of story and trope only works for me once in a series but a book loving heroine? I MUST read it! Also, I NEED book three and the couple that stars in that one. NEED.


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Reading Update: 25%

Because exasperation was part of my charm.

Y'all, I don't know. I'm starting to have a real

with this book. I blame my love of cheese. 

I'm veering back and forth between "Oh for Pete's sake!" and "Hee hee, giggle, giggle."

Review: Hemlock

Hemlock by N.J. Layouni
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Thank you to Anne for the recommendation.

Well, this had the unfortunate timing of being read after an amazing 5 star read, it probably only had a hope of paling in comparison.

It kind of felt and read like slight Outlander fan fiction; the author got inspired after reading Outlander and tried to craft a story like it. The world the heroine time travels to is like a medieval Europe but suppose to be a different dimension. I'm not really sure because it is not truly explained. Honestly, it gives the feeling that the author wanted to set it in a medieval time period but didn't want to do research and work to make it feel authentic.
The characters and main couple's relationship felt shallow and while this ends on a cliffhanger, I think I'm going to stop here.

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SHOOK

The only gifts I'm giving out until March 9, 2018 is this movie trailer.





I read this book over and over when I was younger, can't wait for this!

Review: Hate to Want You

Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Growing up as the pseduo prince and princess of their families, it was almost inevitable that Nicholas and Livvy would end up together. However, their world gets shattered when tragedy strikes and they find themselves ripped apart.
Ten years later and Livvy is back home to take care of her mother and maybe get back some of what was lost to her.
Nicholas wants something too, more than one night a year.

First in the new Forbidden Hearts series, Hate to Want You lends itself to the easy comparison to Romeo and Juliet. We have two families brought together by hard work and determinism, only to be broken apart two generations later by hurt, innuendo, secrets, and pain. Our couple's grandfathers started a grocery store that has been built up over the years to develop into a chain. When the heroine's father and the hero's mother are killed in a car accident together, painful questions are raised. Then the hero's father does some suspiciously underhanded dealings to buy heroine's family half of the grocery chain. Thus, begins the cold war between the families and the fracturing of Livvy and Nicholas' romance.

In terms of pure pleasure and relief, he imagined the feeling he got when he received a text from Livvy was similar to what an addict felt when they got a hit of whatever drug they craved.

We are started off with Nicholas' point of view and what a deep emotional start it was. We learn that on Livvy's birthday she texts him her coordinates, he travels to her, and they have sex for that one night a year. Except she didn't do it this year and he finds out she is in town where she hasn't stepped foot in ten years. Our first look at the couple is so filled with emotional and sexual tension, you'll be hooked. Nicholas starts off as the brighter focus of the two with his barely contained torment, weight of struggling to take care of the business and his family, and inability to stop craving Livvy. There is a tiny little bit of martyr syndrome to him, but ultimately, his character and heart was wonderful to read.

All those years ago, she'd lost her father to death, her mother to grief, her brothers to hate. And then she'd lost him.

While I thought Nicholas started off with a stronger spotlight, Livvy grows brighter and brighter with each new insight to her character. Livvy was such an amazing look at strengths and weaknesses that were laid bare with inner struggles that were a painful beauty to behold. Her struggle to try and manage her feelings to what she thinks is acceptable and still respect her herself had so much depth. We also learn of a very real struggle she deals with, I loved how the author didn't use to define her but showed how she is in some ways fashioned from it. Our heroines don't always get to be everything; Livvy was a fantastic multi-faceted woman.

There is no way I can do justice in relaying to you the complete picture of story and characters Alisha Rai gives us. The family dynamics going on here were tremendously done, with the emotions feeling real and raw. There's obviously more to be discovered about the instances that tore these two families apart, the introduction to the secondary characters that are connected by these story threads will have you dying to get the complete picture. Nicholas and Livvy's siblings aren't thrown out there as series bait but rather fill out the complete story; I'm salivating for their stories (Put me on team pairing up Eve and Gabe!).

Now, this has more intense sexual talk and scenes than your average contemporary, you could probably put an erotica tag on it. They are gritty, raw, and of course sexual with the author not shying away from pearl clutching language. I would argue though, that what makes them feel so raw are the deep emotion between Livvy and Nicholas, but look, the spanking and hair pulling also helps. What I personally loved about their sex scenes were the powerful dynamics happening. There's a blowjob scene where Nicholas is the more vulnerable participant, even while physically we know he's the more powerful, he's shown to be incredibly emotionally vulnerable. There's been a little bit of a trend to portray "Me Tarzan, you Jane" sex, the power and emotion dynamics sex scenes here blow those depictions out of the water for me. I was a huge fan of what felt more like consensual and emotionally balanced sex. What I'm trying to say, is spanking and hair pulling sex scenes can be amazing when you add depth of emotion. The hint of humor and lightness between our couple, which gets bogged down sometimes from the pain and circumstances, also plays a big part here, even if regulated to the edges.

Deep, emotional, raw, and hot, Hate to Want You is an incredible lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance. Nicholas and Livvy's desire and love for one another is the stuff of Shakespearean plays. Alisha Rai has set up a series with a world and characters that I can't wait to return to and read about.

"You're not my secret anymore. My love for you is bigger than anyone who might try to tear us apart." He paused. "I won't leave you, Livvy. You don't have to trust me completely right now, but watch me. Watch me fight for you this time."



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70%

“Unbutton that shirt a little more.”

She regularly wore corsets and miniskirts, but she clutched the lapels of her shirt together like an outraged aunt and glared down at him. “I will not.”

“Come on. If I’m such a creeper, give me something to creep on.”

She was tempted to smile, but she controlled her face. “Creepers don’t get rewarded.”

“Probably a good policy.”

Love these little light-hearted moments between such an emotionally heavy baggage couple :)

Reading Update: 20%

Their encounters were usually a haze of sweet and pleasure and filthy words and filthier actions.

You're only 20% in, you're only 20% in. My mantra to try and put a lid on the excitement threatening to bubble over. We've got sexiness but most importantly, the deep barely contained emotion, y'all. Y'ALL! I'm shook. No one warned me how good this started off.

Review: Too Scot to Handle

Too Scot to Handle by Grace Burrowes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

After a sick childhood, Anwen is used to being fretted over and cosseted. However, when the orphanage and boys she's dedicated her time to are in financial straits, her inner fire is about to be seen by all.
Colin never wanted to be a duke's brother and learning how a lord is supposed to act is wearing. Discovering Anwen is not the quiet shy miss everyone thinks her to be, though, has him intrigued.
Anwen and Colin will fight for what is right while discovering the strength of each other.

Second in the Windham Brides series, we're immerged back into the author's regency London. There are, of course, Windham's flittering about but nothing overwhelming enough to keep a new to the world and series reader from starting here. The previous book stared the sister and brother of our main couple, so while they were introduced, their romance starts here.

"You are a bonfire in disguise," he said, smoothing a hand over her hair. "An ambush of a woman, and you have polite society thinking you're the quiet one."

Anwen is the shy and quiet sister who everyone tries to mother because of a frightening childhood sickness that almost claimed her life. She was sweet and kind but I enjoyed how she delighted and took strength from Colin telling her he enjoyed her inner fire. A hero that sees something in the heroine that no one else has payed attention to never fails to capture my heart. Colin was just as sweet as Anwen and sympathetic in his willingness to try and adapt to ton life. They come together as friends who slip comfortably into more as their chemistry prompts their friendship to develop into love. It's a graceful falling in love and I admit to missing a bit of dramatics as the middle slowed a wee bit for me.

Our villain and who Colin and Anwen must both struggle against, was a frenemy to end all frenemies. As the author stays pretty true to the time period, I found myself frustrated at how sedate or proper our couple must act toward him, when I really wanted them to give the frenemy a strong boot to the backside. Everyone is levelheaded and sane; you won't be reading this for the drama but rather for a charming story of two misplaced souls finding each other.

I enjoyed the supporting cast of Windhams and orphanage boys who add immensely to the world and story. The epilogue is so complete; you won't help but happy sigh after reading it. Colin is above all else a good guy, Anwen's shy but inner fire will inspire you, and this tender story will pleasantly pass the day away. This story is ultimately about finding that one person who sees you truly for who you are and loving you because of it.
I'm looking very forward to the next in the series starring Anwen's older sister and a certain recluse duke.


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50%

Desire simmered through Anwen, along with glee, wonder, and not a little surprise---she  was a bonfire---but also gratitude. Her disguise had fooled her entire family, and even begun to fool her, but Lord Colin had seen through all the manners and decorum to the flame burning at her center.

Reading Update: 10%

"Now you know what the ladies put up with year after year," Miss Anwen said. "We're seen as nothing more than half of an attractive couple, good breeding stock, decent settlements. Nobody refers to us as gorgeous settlements, even if a lady is an heiress. The higher praise she'll garner is 'decent settlements'. Be patient with the ladies, Lord Colin, for they are very patient with the gentlemen."

Review: If He's Noble

If He's Noble by Hannah Howell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.3 stars

Thank you to Shannon Burke for recommending this to me :)

Coming in at book #7 really hurt me here, I felt lost with all the Wherlocke family talk and their abilities.
It's a road romance where I thought the main couple fell in love a bit quickly while trying to find the heroine's brother and warn him about their evil aunt.

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Review: Don't Tempt Me

Don't Tempt Me by Lori Foster
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

Ooh boy, what to say about this one? To be honest, I just want to say, lacking effort. Foster's writing is a bit like Shalvis with its easy readability and tendency to stick to a formula. It's a formula I greatly enjoy but this one, especially with the main couple, felt completely uninspired. I don't feel like I really grew to know the hero at all and both the hero and heroine came off a bit ho-hum. I got way more from the secondary couples and especially the secondary romance, in which about 30-40% of the story is given to.
As the first in the series, the series baiting characters stole the show more than once and even though I really liked the secondary couple, it seems their romance is resolved here, I really wanted them to get their own book. This felt rushed, squeezed in, and the main couple was uninspired. Looking at the second in the series, it looks like Foster continues with the two couples format. With books that are around 300pgs, I sometimes don't find that long enough to fully flush out a romance to my liking, adding a second couple makes the story feel more like two novellas smashed together.
I can see people who want more of shorter, quicker romances liking these better. The half star is for the German Sheppard doggie that comes in towards the end :)

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Kindle Freebies!

I have not read these selections but they're free (at the time of my post).

So enjoy and partake at your own risk :)

*Click on the book cover to go to Amazon and Get Yourself Some!

    

    

    

  

Hope you all find some to enjoy :)

Review: Under Locke

Under Locke by Mariana Zapata
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Quirky Omega for the recommendation!

3.2 stars

This had a glimmer or whiff of Kristen Ashley's writing but toned down. It is told in first person all from the heroine's pov and as I broken record say with this format, I missed getting an internal look into the hero. The romance is kind of a slow burn and I enjoyed the growing taking place.
I will say, around the 70% mark, I started to feel like the story was running long. There's some repetitiveness but I don't want to say the story is dragged out, it just moves more slowly than your average romance; no one's falling in love in two days.
Even though the hero is in an MC, it is definitely to the periphery, he's more of a tattoo parlor owner. He has immature anger management issues (a book club would be fun to discuss/shred his personality) and the heroine has a bit of never let it go-ness for far too long; there's definitely issues here.
The secondary characters were able to be more flushed out because of the pace and page count which I really enjoyed and would show up for a few secondary characters (Sonny!) staring in their own books.
I liked this one and even though the shine started to wear off around 70%, I still enjoyed the journey and writing style of the story. I'll definitely give another of the author's story a try.

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June Reading Roundup

Summer has arrived and I am here for it! My reading took a bit of hit because of the glorious weather and I only checked off 12 books. June was my start a new series month, it wasn't the most successful for finding me a new series to obsess over but that's probably a good thing. Those selection books will be denoted with ***book cover***. July is my Recommended Month, books selected for this come from friends who send direct recommendations to me on Goodreads. Can't wait for more sun, fun, and reading. Enjoy your July, everyone!

*Click on book cover to be taken to my review or if I didn't write one, the book's Goodreads page

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

  ******

2.7 stars

******

2.5 stars

2 stars

  ******    

  

1.5 star

******  ******

1 star

Kind of an average rated month but I like how many different sub-genres I got to touch on, this is why I like my themed months :)

How many books did you all get to read this month, any favorites?