Quick Reads and Quick Reviews 17

  

• Bodywork, Annette Fields
• Smolder: A Hot As Hell Prequel, Vivian Wood
• Earning It: Stolen Moments Book 1, Angela Quarles

This was quick and sweet, the steam was truly hot (pun intended), and the story moved fluidly.  While the drama was much bigger than I could have ever expected I didn't find it off-putting.  Cassie was defeated in so many ways and I was glad to watch her blossom with the attentions from someone who not only desired her but respected her.  Rylan was sweet and tender because he admired Cassie and her attitude.  He was also very protective.  Mark, the other guy in Cassie's life, started out as an uncaring jerk but quickly moved to unhinged when his comfortable life was threatened.  I liked that Cassie stood up for herself, even if she needed liquid courage to do it.

The danger she was in was unexpected and she was understandably afraid.  I don't think her panicking made her less of a strong character, but rather a realistic response.  She didn't completely lose her head, though, and that was admirable.  Her desire for Rylan was genuine and they both worked through the difficulties to find something real among the mess that her life had become.  They worked well together and I liked the feel of the story.  With strong characters and passion as well as the lighter, more affectionate side of things, this author stays true to her quality of work and has produced a genuinely good story.  4 stars.

Understanding that this is a prequel I went into it knowing I would either be excited to read the full novel or sorry that I didn't just jump into the story itself.  Smolder lived up to its name with fires of all kinds drawing you in to the relationship we're bound to angst over when we get to Hot As Hell.  I'm interested in the shy Lily crushing hard on Cade and even more interested in seeing if Cade's manwhore ways will turn me off or seek his redemption and settling with everything that Lily can offer him.  3 stars.

Funny, sexy, a little angsty, but such a joy to read!  I really liked the whole cast of characters and am looking forward to reading more from the Stolen Moments series.  There's so much to like about this particular book that kicks it all off.  We have Pepper who has just come out of a rather unfortunate situation, a break up and a suspension from work.  With a new job and a fresh start in her home town her life is looking up.  If it weren't for the blind date she's heading to her day would be great.  A misunderstanding puts her across the table from her high school nemesis, Luke Haas.

Luke can't believe his luck.  Struggling with the lack of life that penetrates his emotional walls he is floored by Pepper's presence not just in the cafe but at his table.  If only she weren't calling him by someone else's name.  He decides to let the misunderstanding slide and that one mistake takes them to his place where they share something incendiary.  Neither one wants to forget it but those were the rules...

Jobs, sports, and secrets take them from high to low and back again.  Watching them make mistakes, find forgiveness, shut each other out, let one another in, and ultimately devote themselves to a future with one another was highly entertaining.  Their banter is fun and their chemistry is absolutely hot.  The feels are also quite abundant as is the honesty that they finally share.  There wasn't enough time and too few pages to adequately work through Luke's history but they're well on their way and with what Pepper and Luke have a chance to build up to this point puts them into a really great place and I believe in their future.  I loved reading their story.  4.5 stars.

Awakening Storm: The Divine Tree Guardians Book 3, Larissa Emerald

I had reservations about this book because of how little I enjoyed Awakening Fire, the first book in The Divide Tree Guardians series.  The plot in this story, however, was more clear, the characters simpler and more direct, the motivations easier to understand, the relationship still rushed but more believable, and the conclusion way less messy.  Overall, the story was a huge improvement over the first book and I wouldn't be averse to continuing the series.

Aidan is the aloof and alone guardian in the middle of nowhere off the coast of northern Japan.  He's had very little contact with others and creates what he needs to survive on his little island.  There's someone else that lurks nearby but he keeps to himself so long as Theodora does as well.  At least that's until Rhianna Mori ends up in the Dragon Vortex and no clue what real dangers she could find.

Rhianna is on a quest to find out what happened to her great-grandfather that disappeared without a trace a long time ago.  Her dying grandfather would dearly like to know and so would she.  When a chance to go to Japan and earn a lot of money by sticking it out on an uninhabited island come her way she jumps at the chance.  What she doesn't realize is that she's going to be the catalyst for something much larger than she ever knew could exist.

Theodora is part siren, part Valkyrie and traps anyone who happens upon the island or in the surrounding sea.  She sets her sights on Rhianna but so has Aidan.  He'll do anything in his power to keep her safe.  His desires changed from wanting to protect her by scaring her away to protecting her by throwing himself into another realm to rescue her.  Together they discover the true fate of the captives and aim to free themselves and the others.

I thought the plot moved quickly and fluidly.  With a bunch of the history and circumstances of the Tree, Custos, and the relationship to the guardians taken care of in book one this story could focus on the drama surrounding this particular location.  The romance was short and quick, as is normal in these kinds of stories, and while there's not a lot of foundation building with time, there's the pressure and uncertainty of being in another realm that hurries things along.  They learn that they can trust one another and rely on the other person's strengths.  Despite the harrowing situation they find themselves in they move forward together in trust and affection.  Passion is there too but I'm really glad it didn't overshadow the more real things that could hold them together.

The ending was a bit rushed, I'm not sure how I feel about the escape, theft, and liberation because it all happened so quickly and was slightly underwhelming after a lot of anticipation.  The parting bit from the Demon Prince's point of view hints more for the series, kind of, but is centered on Aidan and Rhianna specifically so I'm not sure if it was just to hint to their lives not being all sunshine and rainbows after their escape or if it was to allude to more forces from the Dark Realm having more of an interest in the demise of Custos and its guardians.

Aside from those things the book was pretty enjoyable and a much shorter read than I expected.  The series is moving in a positive direction and I could read more but would be okay if I ended my reading here too.  The book was good, the characters were believable, and the happy anticipation of a future for them was a nice way to close out the story.

$5.00 on Amazon!

Manny's Surprise Baby: Bodyguards and Babies Book 3, S.C. Wynne

Pierce had all kinds of attitude in book 2, Rockstar Baby and both his damage and prickly vulnerability drew me in.  He made me want to know him and watch as he softened and healed.  Seth is really such a good partner for Pierce and watching their story unfold was a pleasure.

Seth is in quite a pickle with a surprise 8 years after a one-night stand.  When the mother suddenly dies he's left with a daughter that he doesn't know anything about and has no clue how to raise.  Running to Colin for help turns out to be not only his answer to childcare but to his heart's future too.

Pierce is looking for a bit of normalcy in a world he left behind.  Unsure of himself but unwilling to hide away in the mountains any longer, he returns to LA and crashes with Colin and Riley until he can find a job and start living in the real world again.  Their conversation is interrupted by a harried and seemingly arrogant alpha.  But when a job is reluctantly offered he reluctantly accepts.

As Pierce gets to know Seth he finds himself unwillingly attracted to the first alpha since his life was torn apart.  Something about Seth draws him in an he's scared of what that means.  He can continue to hide or he can choose to accept.  By hiding his heart away he can continue to find release with other omegas and never allow himself to be taken advantage of and hurt by another alpha again but he'll also never know true love and acceptance and a family of his own.  And if he accepts something more with Seth he'll be opening himself up and making all his soft places known, he'll be at the mercy of an alpha who might be just as two-faced as so many others he's known.

Seth is straight.  Or so he thinks.  He's confused by the attraction he feels for Pierce and denying it is getting harder and harder.  He's also confused by Pierce's attitude.  With Pierce unwilling to share his past Seth is left wondering how he can get closer to the prickly omega.  Once the truth comes out he becomes determined to keep just enough distance to let Pierce feel safe but not enough to let him run.  When the moon's influence push them both into a situation they've fantasized about they find that the consequences might be more than Pierce can handle.

There's blundering and honesty and vulnerability and healing all throughout the story.  Seth's feelings toward Pierce are sweet and grow slowly letting us believe his affection and change.  Pierce's feelings are more erratic but we can see that Seth's steady presence is just what Pierce needs.  Together they can create a safe home for Emily and I loved watching them get to this point.  Having Colin and Riley there for support and advice is great too, they're perfect for Pierce and Seth.

The situation used to show Pierce what he could miss out on by not going all in with Seth is a bit awkward and I don't know that it was more beneficial than another device the author could have used.  It was a bit jarring and distracting even though the ultimate outcome was effective for reminding Pierce what his reluctance and running could cost him.  I'm also not a fan of Emily's age.  By making her 8 I can see the vulnerability and fear that she would be feeling and our first meeting is appropriate.  Soon after she warms up to Pierce, though, she's all of a sudden speaking and acting like she's 12.  And when she warms up to Seth the conversations she has with him and Pierce both together and separately sound more like they could be coming from a 14 year old.  Her character was a good addition but the way she was written was inconsistent and not really believable.  Aside from those two points the story was enjoyable and well written.

*$4.00 on Amazon!

*Get to know the other men from Shield and their unexpected partners and bundles...

 

         

Awakening Fire: The Divine Tree Guardians Book 1, Larissa Emerald

I was excited to start this series and signed up for book 3 through Hidden Gems.  After being approved I started with this book so I'd have a better idea of what I was getting into for Awakening Storm.  I have to say, though, that I was disappointed.  What I thought would be an exciting series full of the paranormal, supernatural, otherworldly things that make this genre so great was overshadowed by MC's that I didn't enjoy.

Venn starts off in the prologue with an attitude, a chip on his shoulder, a stronger than strong will, and a desire to do his best to fulfill his duty once he accepts it.  I had high hopes for him and his progression once he finds his mate.  He grows closer to her and to his heart but then seems to throw away all his loyalty to his duty.  When he can't think around a problem or use his centuries of experience and knowledge to try to find another way or to think beyond his rage for Io he barrels in and makes a mess of things.  Refusing to heed Seth's warnings and admonitions get him into a much more difficult situation than he would have been because both he and Emma go into the dangerous, world-altering situation not working together or knowing what they could to thwart Io's plans.

Emma is another story.  The thing with Todd was such a throwaway and made her a cheater rather than just conflicted.  When she gets after Venn for keeping things from her because he thinks she can't handle something and then at every single turn she runs away from the situation, avoids thinking deeply about it, denies, and falters under pressure I don't blame him.  I do blame her for not rising to the strength within that she's supposed to have.  And with her freaking out and struggling to accept Venn's shifter nature...umm...SHE CAN MELT AND CHANGE METAL WITH HER HANDS!!  Oh, AND SHE HAS VISIONS!!  How is any of Venn's stuff so much that she takes so dang long to accept and move forward with the information?

 Their relationship was iffy too.  The sexy times didn't compensate for the lack of relationship building that was necessary for me to believe that Venn loved Emma, not just Amelia and that his mate was reincarnated or to believe that there was something about each person as an individual that said they belonged to one another and could work out for the long haul.  Destiny, trees, and past live's relationships aside, I didn't see them doing much to get to know one another.  Venn tries to get her to know about their past but doesn't actually try to get to know her now.  Emma takes his support but doesn't really give him anything back.  Neither of them try to figure out her power and what makes her different from Amelia besides the tree connection.  I just don't buy it.

I struggled with this book almost all the way through.  The best part of the book was the prologue because it gave me insight into who the players are throughout the series.  The tree is cool and the powers stuff is good too.  To start off the series with these characters who don't use their resources and their heads, they're willing to sacrifice the world for one person, and to end up with a rushed patch to heal things that her impulsive short-sighted actions caused was just not enough.  I'm now roped into reading Awakening Storm and I'm not really looking forward to it if what I'm going to get is a bunch of hype and sex with no foundation or depth beyond a ton of supernatural stuff thrown in to engender enthusiasm and interest.

*FREE on Amazon!

The Panther's Rival, Emilia Hartley

Jumping right into the story we have Merk, a panther shifter running from his past and the darkness inside him.  Kara has her own secrets too and they turn out to be an even bigger issue than Merk's past, at least in this particular story.

This book was darker than others I've read by this author and it made it a bit harder to swallow.  There wasn't a lot of build-up, we are thrown right into the deep end with Merk's darker past and Kara's secrets.  We don't even get Merk's dark past except for in small hints here and there until he has that delirious moment with RJ in the woods and that's just a bit too weird to digest and feel enlightened.

Under and surrounding everything is a bully who will never give Kara up.  We're given hints about what Kara was using Ratty for but the answers to that were never given.  Merk even wonders why she was with him when it was obvious that Ratty was a despicable being, fully admitted by Kara as well.  He's never mentioned as once being a good guy ever so we're left guessing as to what those reasons Kara had were.

The angle of bullies running the town and the couple fighting for justice is more like a side element that's kind of an accident.  Kara's all about standing up for herself and others but the plot to take down the bullies for good?  That was just something necessary to stay in town, not something they came together to do.

I can't say that I truly enjoyed the story, there were a lot more questions unanswered and unfinished sentiments by the end than I was uncomfortable with.  While those unfinished feelings suggest a series beginning here, it does so in a way that means I'm un-enthusiastically waiting for answers rather than intrigued by the town and its people because, honestly, those townspeople are pretty abhorrent as well.  There aren't any other characters beyond RJ that we're introduced to that could carry into a series so I'm wondering where things will go.  If there's no series then that just leaves a rather disappointing novel that had a bunch of potential.

*99¢ on Amazon or FREE on KU!