REVIEW: How Beauty Loved the Beast by Jax Garren

How Beauty Loved the Beast by Jax Garren

Series: Tales of the Underlight, #3

Publication Date: May 13th 2013

Publisher: Carina Press

ebook, 292 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

It's all been leading to this .

Jolie Benoit has become a skilled agent of the Underlight, relying on her savvy to complete assignments while Sergeant Wesley Haukon was out of commission. But an unexpected clue to the Order of Ananke's diabolical scheme rattles Jolie, and she turns to Hauk for comfort.

It's been years since Hauk took comfort from the touch of another person, though his love for Jolie is deep and powerful. Uncomfortable in his skin, scarred by a terrible fire, he is unable to give in to the pleasures that Jolie so desperately wants to grant him.

Meanwhile, the Order is lurking in the shadows—and when they strike, the blow is swift and terrible. Hauk and Jolie scramble to fight for their community, but with the future of the Underlight threatened, no one is safe. And Hauk will never be the same…

How Beauty Loved the Beast is the much awaited conclusion to the very successful sci-fi series, Tales of The Underlight written by Jax Garren and let me tell you fans of the series won't be disappointed in the least. I know I wasn't! And how could I ever be when Garren's writing style and the way she portrays her heroes and their emotions is simply irresistible!

If you read my reviews of the previous two books in the series then you know how much I loved everything about Jax Garren's writing style and her story. So, there's no need for me to repeat myself by saying what an amazing author she is once more or how much I loved her main and secondary heroes of this story. Even if all the books in the series are rather short, Jax Garren's stories are character driven. Her main focus is her characters and their emotions and that is why I probably love so much this series. Jolie is so much more than a pretty dancer and Hauk is so much more than scars and muscles.

The final book in the series, wraps up the whole plot but here I have to note that there are more things to be said. Maybe most of the basic things were covered but I'm left feeling that there's just more to everything. I don't know if the author did that on purpose and she will return on the same universe with another set of characters later or things couldn't possibly wrap up better, but I sure hope that it was intentional. In my mind there are two characters who would make a perfect couple for a future story but that remains to be seen. After all, The Order of Ananke is far from defeated...

But while I really liked pretty much everything about How Beauty Loved the Beast, somehow, I was left unsatisfied too. Maybe part of that is because of the ending of the story and how I felt that there were more things to be said. Maybe it's because the whole thing wrapped up pretty quickly. And maybe it is because this final instalment in the series was more focused on Jolie's and Hauk's relationship rather than what happened with Underlight and the Order and their final battle. But probably, it's because of all the reasons mentioned above. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed reading about Jolie and Hauk, they are one of my favorite fictional couples but when so many other crucial things kept happening or were on the verge of happening, I just felt that it was wrong for the sole focus of the story to be their relationship. Maybe I'm wrong here, but that's what I was expecting from this final book. And while I did get a closure I still don't know how I feel about that. And the ending.... Well, after reading the author's note at the end I couldn't help but agreeing with her choice of ending but still, I found myself wanting the alternative... But, despite that, the whole ending is a matter of preference. Either one of them would fit the story, so that wasn't any real problem. Any problems I had were purely with the way things wrapped up with the Order rather than anything else.

All in all, How Beauty Loved the Beast is just as amazing as the rest books in this series even if I had some minor troubles with it. Despite what I said I really enjoyed reading it and I just can't wait to read anything else Jax Garren will write in the future. And even if I truly hope that she will return on the same universe again I really want to read something completely different and new too. Whatever the case, there's no way I'm gonna miss Garren's next story!

* Review first published at Book Lovers Inc
* ARC provided via NetGalley for review purposes

REVIEW: Defying the Odds by Kele Moon

Defying the Odds by Kele Moon

Series:Battered Hearts, #1

Publication Date: December 20th 2011

Publisher:Loose Id LLC

ebook, 165 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn.

The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay’s large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it’s obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie.

Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can’t resist Clay or the tender connection they share.

Finding love in the most unlikely of places, the passion is undeniable, but Clay and Melody know their haunted pasts and unpredictable futures leave the odds stacked against them.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: violence.

Defying the Odds was a very pleasant surprise for me! Surely, I have read all the raving reviews about this book but with my luck lately, that doesn't mean that I would actually enjoy a book others have loved... But I'm glad to say, that Defying the Odds lives up to its expectations and it was a book I really enjoyed reading!

It's no big secret that I love my contemporary romances sweet yet at the same time sexy. It's a common combination in stories out there, but it's not that successful always as one might think. In some cases the sexiness overshadows everything else, while some other times a story can be really sweet, but with little to no sex in it, something that I have no problem with, but let's face it, I tend to feel unsatisfied afterwards, searching for a little spiciness in all that sweetness. Who says I'm hard to satisfy?

Defying the Odds though has the perfect balance between sexy and sweet. Between cute and lust. It's just written in a way that will satisfy any reader's appetite and mood. And that is the best thing about this story for me. That is what I loved the most and why I couldn't wait to pick book two as soon as I finished reading this one. Kele Moon, has found in this novel the perfect balance between everything thus making her story irresistible!

As far as the plot is concerned, you will not find any big surprises here. Defying the Odds follows most of the cliches of the romantic genre but fear not, it manages to stand out. Not only because of that balance I talked about before, but because of its characters as well, both main and secondary. And that is the second thing I really loved about this story: the way the characters were written and their development. Kele Moon really focuses on her characters, since most of the secondary characters in this one will either be the main ones in future novels or will appear again. So she tries her best to introduce everyone to us and make us want to know more about them, making it hard for the reader to not anxiously await for future novels in this series. At least I know I can hardly resist them when they get published! I want to read each and everyone's story!

This one though, is the story of Clay, a UFC fighter and Melody, a waitress who runs for her past and falls right into the hands of one unmistakably sexy and gorgeous man who will change her life forever! Clay is super delicious while Melody is as naive as one could get but somehow her naivete instead of irritating me made me adore her. Their chemistry is off the charts and the romance between them has the exact pace I love in a story. No insta love or lust. Surely they like each other and are attracted to each other but not in the way I'm tired of reading lately with clenching wombs and wetness between the heroine's legs every single time she lays her eyes on the hero.

All in all, Defying the Odds was a most pleasant surprise of a book for me! I loved pretty much everything about it and as soon as I finished reading it, I just immediately grabbed the next one. And so far, it's just as good, so something tells me that this series, will be my next obsession for some time :)

*This title was provided for review via NetGalley

REVIEW: What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries

Series: The Duke's Men, #1

Publication Date: June 18th 2013

Publisher: Pocket Books

Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Maximilian Cale, the Duke of Lyons, long ago buried his grief for his missing elder brother, Peter, who was presumed dead after being kidnapped. When a mysterious note arrives from Tristan Bonnaud asserting that the Duke's brother is alive, it leads Max straight to the winsome Lisette Bonnaud, illegitimate daughter of a viscount and Tristan's sister. Soon he and Lisette are traveling to Paris posing as husband and wife, in search of Tristan, who has disappeared. And the longer he spends with Lisette, the easier it is for Max to see that the line between dukedom and desire is easier to cross than heimagined . . .

The premise of What the Duke Desires sounds more than intriguing and upon reading it I kind of believed that this book was right up my alley. Add to that the fact that I've heard nothing but praise about Sabrina Jeffries's work and I was more than excited about reading. Now that I finally read it, although I did enjoy this book in overall, I can't say that I was very impressed with it either. There were some parts in this book that really worked for me and some others that just fell flat I'm afraid...

Let's start with the good things about What the Duke Desires. And one among them is Sabrina Jeffries's writing style. Having finally read one of her books I totally understand why people praise her work. The pace of the story was great, I literally devoured it and finished it in no time, while her descriptions of Lisette's and Max's travels were beyond fascinating and probably my favorite part of the book.

But, even with the decent writing style and the vivid descriptions, What the Duke Desires was just an ok read. And that happened mainly for two reasons. The first one was the fact that the romance between the leading couple felt completely flat for me. There was no connection between them, no chemistry, no spark. I read about their feelings, I wanted them to get their HEA but I wasn't dying to see them reaching it. Even if the characters were well presented and had a background (I've noticed that underdeveloped characters usually make me not care about what happens to them) still, I couldn't feel their emotions. There were moments I felt that those two were together only because the author wanted them to.

The other reason I didn't enjoy What the Duke Desires as much as I expected was the fact that the mystery part of the story was not that mysterious after all.... I mean the reason Lisette and Max started this incredible journey was to get some answers and to solve a mystery but the real focus of this story was how their romance would evolve and not how they would solve the mystery at hand. And maybe that was the author's intention all along but I found myself wanting something more in that department, especially if you think how the romantic part didn't really convince me as well...

Other than that, there were some very interesting secondary characters introduced and even if they were completely underdeveloped I still want to learn more about them and that's a good thing because What the Duke Desires is the first book in a new HR series and all those interesting secondary characters will soon get their chance to tell us their story!

All in all What the Duke Desires was not exactly what I expected it to be but it was still a fun read and Sabrina Jeffries is definitely an author whose work I want to read again. I just hope that the romance in any future books in this series will be better presented or closer to what I usually enjoy.

* Review first published at Book Lovers Inc
*ARC copy provided via Edelweiss for review purposes

REVIEW: PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

Series: Pods, #1

Publication Date: June 4th 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Paperback, 312 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

PODs by Michelle Pickett is a rather difficult book for me to review and rate I'm afraid. And it's difficult because even though I enjoyed reading it and I finished it in no time it could easily have been so much better. The potential of a great story was all there. And even though I can't deny that PODs had a very interesting story the execution just complicated things a bit.

First of all, let me just say that I found the idea of PODs extremely fascinating. I kind of love dystopian novels and lately I seem to pick one great dystopian novel after the other, so the idea of a deadly virus that wipes out almost the entire human population and leaves only small groups of people to pick up the pieces just made me love PODs before I even picked the book up!
Maybe the idea behind PODs isn't all that original. But I couldn't care less. After all I haven't read anything similar, even though there are similar books out there, and the certain Walking Dead vibe I was getting made me appreciate Michelle Pickett's effort all the more.
And here I have to take some time and note that even though the idea of a deadly virus wiping out almost the entire human population isn't something new, the way Pickett planned the PODs and how the government planned to contain the virus was simply amazing and well thought. It wasn't just something done in haste. Pickett had an entire plan in her head and managed to communicate it to her readers but unfortunately the fact that PODs was actually at least two books squeezed in one didn't leave much room for all that brilliance to shine. Because my main problem with PODs was it's pace and how many information was squeezed in one book.

Throughout this story, there were large amounts of time that just passed in a blink of an eye. Literally. 15 months of seclusion in the PODs were squeezed in a matter of 100 pages, probably less. And that was such a shame. Because that way we couldn't really see how 10 strangers could live underground with nothing really special to do. We couldn't really see how that seclusion affected them nor what exactly was the dynamic of the relationship between all those strangers. We were just informed that any relationship progressed rather than witness it. It was just stated that they were affected by everything that was happening rather than see how each character developed through all the dramatic things that kept happening. We were being told that they were afraid but we couldn't sense their fear. Because usually in a chapter of 5 pages there was covered a span of two months. So it's only natural that things would go on the fast forward. Only that fact kind of ruined the potential of this story I'm afraid.

The same thing unfortunately applies to the romance of this story too. There was real chemistry between Eva and David, there was a spark between them but it couldn't possibly be fully explored and felt while months were passing by in a blink of an eye. With the chemistry between them imagine how great a story could PODs be if we could actually read how their relationship developed. But no, Eva and David went from friends to undying love in a blink of an eye. And it saddens me to say something negative about the romantic part of this book because their chemistry was great and better than other books out there that try really hard to show the reader how perfect is the hero for the heroine.

Anyway, PODs is one of those books I really enjoyed reading but I had more than a few problems with it, despite how much I enjoyed it. Michelle Pickett has a strong voice and I dare hope that we should expect great things from her. It's not that PODs is a bad book, far from it. It's just that it could have been so much better. after all ,the potential is all right there, in front of the reader's eyes.

* Review first published at Book Lovers Inc
* ARC copy provided from publisher for review purposes

REVIEW: Immortal Trust by Claire Ashgrove

Immortal Trust by Claire Ashgrove

Series:The Curse of the Templars, #3

Publication Date:March 26th 2013

Publisher:Tor Books

Mass Market Paperback, 464 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

When archaeoloist Chloe Broussard acccepts the contract to lead a dig in Ornes, France, she has no idea she will uncover the Veil of Veronica. When she does, she discovers a danger far greater than the demons she's confronted since childhood. Azazel wants her, as well as the Veronica, and his chosen minion is her brother. Her hope lies with immortal Templar Knight Lucan. Her life depends on oaths she knows nothing about.

For countless centuries, Lucan of Seacourt has lived with the knowledge that his brother killed their family. Now, as Azazel's darkness eats away at his soul, old betrayal stirs suspicion. He trusts no one. Not even the seraph who can heal his dying spirit.

With the fate of the Almighty hanging in the balance, Lucan must find faith in something more terrifying than the dark lord's creations. He must learn to believe his heart.

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

It's no secret that Claire Ashgrove's Curse of the Templars is among my favorite paranormal romance series currently. From the first book, Immortal Hope, I was fortunate enough to review until now, this series is just getting better book by book as well as more addictive :) Maybe because those books are about Templar Knights, whose myth I find very hard to resist, maybe because the writing style is simply amazing, but the bottom line is, that Claire Ashgrove has created a world that I just love to read about. Simple as that.

I mean, I really liked the first book. The second one was just as great but Immortal Trust was so good that I devoured it. And not only that but I didn't want it to end. I loved so much Chloe and Lucan's story that I didn't want for this book to reach its last page. Because who knows when the next book will be published? And Azazel is gaining more power book by book and I really need to see some of my favorite Knights find their Seraph and their salvation. See? Waiting for the next book to get published is plain torture!

Immortal Trust follows more or less the exact same pattern as the previous two books in the series but in this one I really loved both Chloe and Lucan as characters, more than I did the previous two couples. I really enjoyed how their romance developed and how believable Chloe was as a heroine, a quality that I found lacking a little bit both in Anne and definitely in Noelle. Chloe was as sceptical as any sane person would be when presented with the unbelievable without Noelle's stubbornness that made everything so difficult in the previous book. The only stubborn character in this book was Lucan, but still he was adorable.

One other reason I enjoyed so much Immortal Trust is Ashgrove's ability to describe beautiful places and artifacts in detail but in a way that she isn't tiring the reader. I had some problems with a few books recently, that delved into so much detail spoiling the whole narration. But Ashgrove's writing style is perfectly balanced, giving the reader the amount of detail and descriptions that are needed to imagine things and not lose your interest. And that is a balance not all authors can achieve so I really appreciate it when I find it.

All in all, The Curse of the Templars is among my favorite series at the moment and for a very good reason. The writing style is amazing, the world building unique and fresh and each story in this universe is just better than the previous was. And that says much when you're talking for a very good series of books to begin with. I just really hope that Immortal Trust won't be the last book published in this universe. There are so many things still left to be said!

* This title was provided for review from the author

REVIEW: Dare you To by Katie McGarry

Dare you To by Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing the Limits, #2

Publication Date: May 28th 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Hardcover, 462 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

What can I possibly say about Dare you To that could do this book justice? I mean honestly, once more, Katie McGarry delivers a heart wrenching story, a story so full of meaning and deep, that words can't possibly describe it. You just have to read this book to fully understand what I'm saying.

Dare you To is one of those books that will just stay with you long after you've finished reading it. Much like with Pushing the Limits, the first book in this series, the second story is not just a romantic YA story between two deeply troubled teens. Oh no, it's so much more... One might think that with how popular the New Adult genre has become lately and how most of the books in that genre feature a deeply troubled hero and/or heroine, that Dare you To would almost feel like a repetition. One couldn't be more wrong about it. On the contrary, Dare you To, is a shining example of how one should write about troubled and emotionally scarred characters without becoming repetitive and shallow while handling such delicate issues. Katie McGarry is just the kind of author one should study in order to understand how to talk about difficult things not simply because that is the trend but because they actually have something important to say with their story. She's the author whose stories reminded me why I like so much to read about far from perfect heroes. I have to admit that lately, because more and more stories feature heroes with a troubled background but too shallowly portrayed, I had forgotten why I did. I'm glad that there are still authors out there that can remind me of how much can a complex character add to a story. A complex character that has a background that is.

Anyway, I don't know what more can I say to describe what a brilliant author Katie McGarry is. You simply have to read her books and you'll understand what I mean. I won't even say anything about the plot. I think it's better for Ryan and Beth to tell you their story for themselves. I will only say that Dare you To is a great story, an incredibly well written one, with characters that are flawed but real, like every real person is. Both main and secondary characters have a voice of their own and a place in the story. All characters have a great and solid background. In the end of day, Dare you To is just the kind of story that will speak directly to your heart. I almost cried for Beth, I cried at how she had to change herself in order to survive and how in the end all that she actually needed was for someone to care about her.

All in all, Dare you To is a story that no one should miss the opportunity reading. It's the best YA book that I read in quite sometime. Surely I loved other books too, but Katie McGarry managed once more with her story to remind me what it feels to read something that goes way further than just enjoying myself with a book. Dare you To is the kind of book that will make you cry, think and love. One of the best books of 2013!

* ARC copy provided via NetGalley for review purposes

REVIEW: Bare it All by Lori Foster

Bare it All by Lori Foster

Series:Love Undercover, #2

Publication Date:April 30th 2013

Publisher:HQN

Paperback, 480 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

"A cop's craving to know more about the woman next door could prove fatal in the steamy new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster"

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

Lori Foster is a huge name in the romantic suspense genre, and after reading a couple of books of hers I can definitely understand why! This author knows how to write great romance and even greater characters! Bare it All is her newest book and the second in her Love Undercover series and follows the story of Reese and Alice who had also made an appearance in the author's Men who Walk the Edge of Honor series.

One thing that I really like in Lori Foster's stories is the way she builds her characters and how they feel real and solid. I remember while reading A Perfect Storm, how much I liked Arizona's character and how deeply I cared for her. Much like then, Alice just stole my heart in this story. She's one of those characters who are really beautiful, not only on the outside but on the inside too. She's one of those characters who's deeply wounded but still finds a joy in life and is strong and generous. All in all, she's a character I can't help but care for. And I honestly believe that the best thing in Bare it All is Alice. She's the reason I enjoyed a story I found not so memorable otherwise.

Bare it All has a really slow beginning. I mean really slow. Nothing crucial happens for the best part of the book and when things finally pick up they are wrapped up quite easily and quickly. So as far as the suspense or action department goes, Bare it All, wasn't something special. Now let's talk about the romantic department which also wasn't something really special I'm afraid. I mean I loved Alice, the main heroine, and thought that Reese was an interesting character too but the romance between them fell just flat for me. There were no sparks. Maybe because one of the things I really enjoy in a romantic story is the building of a relationship, to read about the way the main couple becomes something more than friends or strangers, to witness their growing attraction but in Bare it All, all I got was a couple who was already halfway in becoming something more. Now here, I have to add that both Reese and Alice made an appearance in the previous novel of the series, so that is maybe the reason why things were a bit progressed between them, but even though I read the first book in the series, I remember little of it I'm afraid and even less about a secondary romance in it... But since those books are meant to be read as stand alones too, I think that things should progress on a slower pace nevertheless.

Anyway, despite Bare it All being a rather typical romantic suspense book, I still managed to enjoy myself while reading it and that is mostly because of Lori Foster's writing style. I mean this author is simply amazing, so it's not a wonder how every single one of her stories is a success! The way she builds her characters, main ones and secondary alike, is simply incredible. She has the ability to make her readers care for all her characters and feel their emotions or understand their action and their motives.

All in all, Bare it All, isn't the best book I have read by the author, but it is still a good read and it is definitely better than the first one in the series. Maybe I feel that way because of Alice, I don't know, all I know is that I enjoyed reading it a lot more than I did the first book of the series!

*This title was provided for review from MediaMuscle

REVIEW: Seducing the Secret Heiress by Jennifer St. George

Seducing the Secret Heiress by Jennifer St. George

Publication Date:January 10th 2013

Publisher:Destiny Romance

Paperback, 188 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Diamond heiress, Charlotte Wentworth, is passionate about two things - cooking and her billionaire fiancée, Paul. That is, until she finds Paul has been unfaithful. Shocked, she flees to Europe where she is determined to build a life of her own without her family's name, fortune or connections. When she meets gorgeous Englishman, Gabe Grenville, a famous reality TV producer, sparks fly. Charlotte passes herself off as a lowly catering assistant but soon finds herself a star on his TV cooking show. But how will he react when he discovers Charlotte's true identity? And Paul has not given up – he has his own agenda for forcing Charlotte to return to Australia and marry him.

Will their love turn into a recipe for disaster? Or will it turn out to be a perfect concoction?

Seducing the Secret Heiress is the second book by Jennifer St. George, the first one being The Convenient Bride, which I absolutely loved, so, I started this second book of hers having somewhat high expectations to be honest. And I'm so glad to say that St. George has lived up to them! Her books are incredibly cute and sweet and romantic, with enough dose of sexiness in there to keep you turning the pages.

The story of Seducing the Secret Heiress follows more or less all the cliches of romantic stories but still, Jennifer St. George's writing style and her descriptions and settings are some of the things that make her stories stand out among the rest.

This story follows Charlotte Wentworth, a diamond heiress from Australia who ventures to Europe in escape of her family and cheating fiance and somewhere in Italy she meets Gabe, a reality producer who has trust issues of himself. The plot here doesn't have any surprises. Couple meets, falls in love, resists their feelings for various reasons, misunderstandings happen and all that leads us to the end. But the fact that the plot isn't hiding any surprises doesn't make this story any less pleasant or cute.

I absolutely loved both Charlotte and Gabe and thought their characters were well developed for a rather short story. I found a little hard to believe the way both Charlotte chose to stay in the same house with a complete stranger as well as the easy way with which Gabe trusted Charlotte, especially since he faced some trust issues, but still, Jennifer St. George's writing style managed to take me away and travel me once more! Her descriptions of places and cities are plainly powerful and as a writer she has the ability to make her readers travel. With both her stories, you don't just read to meet a new couple but a few places along the way.

On the other hand, what made Seducing the Secret Heiress so interesting to me was the fact that it was focused on a cooking reality and it was topped with a couple of amazing recipes. Well, not the actual recipes, but lately I find myself enjoying romances that evolve around food. And no, I'm not on a diet (yet)!

All in all, Jennifer St. George delivers yet another enjoyable story and she is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors for many reasons. I'm just eager to see what she has in store for later!

*This title was provided for review via NetGalley

EARLY REVIEW: Midnight Secrets by Ella Grace

Midnight Secrets by Ella Grace

Series:Wildefire, #1

Publication Date:April 30th 2013

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

For fans of Maya Banks, Allison Brennan, and Lori Foster, a thrilling new romantic suspense novel from Ella Grace

AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT, THE HEAT BEGINS

On a hot southern night, with a storm on the horizon, a family is shattered. Three beautiful daughters—Savannah, Samantha, and Sabrina Wilde—go on with their lives, each significantly changed, as they bear the memory of the murder-suicide that killed their parents. For years, they have stayed away from Midnight, Alabama. Until Midnight calls them home.

Savannah is the first one back, when a grueling case in Nashville leads the young prosecutor to seek shelter in the quiet of the once grand Wilde mansion. But when she finds letters casting doubt on her family’s dark, shameful past, she realizes that peace in Midnight is a shallow façade and sinister secrets lurk beneath the surface. Zach Tanner, once the town’s bad boy, is now the new police chief and still has a wild hold over her. Zach can feel it, too, but he hurt Savannah once. As teenagers, they broke every rule together. Now it’s his job to keep her safe, even though he isn’t sure who her enemies are—or which ones might be his own.

What a pleasant surprise Midnight Secrets was for me! I mean all I seem to pick lately in the romantic suspense genre are mediocre to bad books but Midnight Secrets is the kind of book that finally reminded me why I like this genre so much! Ella Grace is on my radar from now on!

I loved pretty much everything about this book! From the small town setting and the great characters to the deadly secrets that were well hidden up to the end, Midnight Secrets is a book I found very hard to put down. Even if the start was very slow, with the first 3 or 4 chapters taking place 18 and 10 years ago, I found myself drinking in every small detail. Even if the beginning was slower than what I usually prefer, I think that it was essential for the building of the story and to understand the characters better. Getting to know more about an 18 year old Savannah and a 20 y.o. Zack not only added to the whole story but helped me understand them better and added to them a more than solid past.

The writing style is simply exquisite! The pace of the story is even, with not a single moment where I felt bored or tired even when nothing happened. Because granted, the whole uncovering the past mission started quite late in the story but still, I was more than occupied wondering what happened between Savvy and Zach and drove them apart and then all I wanted was to see them back together as soon as possible. The sexual tension between them was delicious and the sparks were all over the place. And that is partially because of those few flashback first chapters.

There wasn't much action in Midnight Secrets I'm afraid, but the mystery was well written and uncovered in an even pace, with small clues given every other chapter making me wondering for quite some time. Yeah I found the villain soon enough but I wasn't 100% certain of the identity until the ending. Maybe it wasn't that difficult to put everything together but at least there was some well delivered mystery to the whole story plus the motive was also not easy to figure out.

The character development is also great and both main and secondary characters are well explored and have a voice of their own. Maybe because most of those characters will re-appear in the next books but still, Ella Grace did a splendid job with all of them. I could watch how both Savvy and Zack matured through all the difficult things they had to survive, how all of those things affected them and shaped them as adults. And that is my favorite part of the story I think.

All in all, Midnight Secrets was a very pleasant surprise for me and I just can't wait for the next book in the series to be published! Ella Grace (a.k.a. Christy Reece) is an author to watch out for!

*This title was provided for review via Edelweiss

REVIEW: A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce by Jillian Stone

A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce by Jillian Stone

Series:The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard, #2.5

Publication Date:November 6th 2012

Publisher:Pocket Star

ebook, 100 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

A force of attraction...too tempting to resist.

As readers of The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series already know, Archibald “Archie” Bruce heads up the crime laboratory for Special Branch. Undervalued and overworked, the brilliant young man has no time for a social life—that is, until the heroine's father, a noted chemist in his own right, offers Archie a deal. He will modify a secret latex compound that will transfer fingerprints from the crime scene to the lab. In exchange, Archie must agree to tutor his charming but exasperating daughter, Miss Fiona A. Rose, for the major pharmacy exam.

But as Archie and Fiona attempt to study for the major, they can't help but get involved in a bit of sleuthing. Was the fire in the opium den accidental or deliberately set? Who was behind the lab explosion? Not to mention the strange and haunting memory of a masquerade ball and a very seductive kiss...

Amidst the pop quizzes and danger, Fiona and Archie ultimately find the force of attraction too tempting to resist.

A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce is part of the very successful Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series, written by Jillian Stone. And if you read my reviews of the previous two books in this series, then you know that I'm in love with both Jillian Stone's writing style and her stories. So, it comes as no big surprise, that A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce, didn't fail to impress me!

I'm usually not a big fan of novellas, because in most cases, the story and the plot are pretty basic, and the character development is non existent. Not that I haven't been impressed or really liked novellas, but in most cases, they fail me. So, I'm more than happy to admit that even with a novella, Jillian Stone manages to retain the same quality in her writing, that makes her stories truly stand out!

A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce may be smaller than her full novels, but it's just as good as the previous two books in the series!

This story is about Inspector Bruce and Fiona, who fall in love during some seriously hot chemistry lessons and amidst a very dangerous setting! What's there not to love!

Inspector Bruce is as hot and smart and courageous as the rest of the Scotland Yard gentlemen, while Fiona is as independent as the previous two ladies we got to know in the previous books. One might believe that meeting characters that share the same qualities in each book in this series might be a little bit boring, but let me warn you here, that even though all the characters share some qualities, they are not alike, not by a long shot. You have enough reason to remember each and everyone of them for very different reasons :)

The story is again action packed, even if the resolution comes quicker due to the length of the story and probably for that very same reason, it was way to easy for me to guess the traitor. But even so, A Lesson in Chemistry with Inspector Bruce was a highly enjoyable read!

All in all, Jillian Stone manages to make me love her work more book by book! And with all those tempting glances at Agent Gunn, I just can't wait to read his story!

*This ARC was provided for a review from Edelweiss

REVIEW: How Beauty Saved the Beast by Jax Garren

How Beauty Saved the Beast by Jax Garren

Series:Tales of the Underlight, #2

Publication Date: February 11th 2013

Publisher:Carina Press

Kindle Edition, 208 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Jolie Benoit left her old life behind to become an agent of the Underlight. Training under Sergeant Wesley Haukon, she’s honing her combat skills, all the while coping with the intense sexual attraction she feels for Hauk. She keeps their friendship casual, but when his high school sweetheart transfers into their division, Jolie finds herself grappling with jealousy.

The Underlight gave Hauk a purpose, but he can’t escape his past completely. The physical and emotional scars from the fire that killed seven fellow Army Rangers will mark him forever. Jolie sends his protective instincts into overdrive, but he’s convinced he’ll never be worthy of her love.

Hauk is determined to keep Jolie from harm. But when the Order of Ananke ambushes them with a new weapon that neutralizes Hauk, making him vulnerable, it’s Jolie who must tap into her hidden strengths to rescue him—or risk losing him forever…

If you read my review of the first book in Jax Garren's incredible Tales of the Underlight series, then you know that I fell in love with it! So, to say that I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next book, would be an understatement. And even though it took me a while to finally read it *hangs head in shame* I can't even begin to describe how much I loved How Beauty Saved the Beast! Jax Garren is an author you need to watch out for. She's incredibly talented!

How Beauty Saved the Beast starts exactly where the first book ended and Jolie finds herself torn between her feelings for Hauk and her mission with the Underlight. The tension between them is simply delicious. They can't live without the other but still try to fight their feelings. They kiss and then they drive each other apart, all because they are afraid of what their feelings can cause. Not to the mission, but because of what those feelings mean for them. The way Jolie is jealous of Hauk is plainly adorable.

Apart from that, the second instalment, has everything that made me love so much the first book and then some. You still get the same beautifully written, character driven story but enhanced with some delicious sexual tension. How Beauty Saved the Beast may not be a very long story, but still, Jax Garren manages to explore every main and secondary character to his/her full potential. And that is what I love most about this series and this author. How all her characters have their own place in the story and evolve.

I won't say anything about the story itself, I hate spoilers, so the only thing I will say it is that it's fast paced and action packed. Jolie isn't just a pretty face. She can seriously kick some ass! And Hauk..., well, like I said, I have to love and care some much about a male character since Terrible from Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series. Maybe because they are both deeply scarred heroes, both physically and emotionally. I don't know. What I know is, that both of them are among my favorite ever fictional characters!

All in all, Jax Garren doesn't disappoint with her second book and all I can say is that I can't possibly wait for the last book in the series!

* This title was provided for review via NetGalley

REVIEW: The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst

The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst

Series:Marriage to a Billionaire, #3

Publication Date:November 6th 2012

Publisher:Gallery Books

Paperback, 328 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

Carina Conte has had a crush on her brother Michael’s best friend, Max Gray, since she was a teenager. Now she’s earned her MBA and come to work at Michael’s new venture, America’s fastest-growing bakery empire. But some things never change: her family still treats her like a child. With three drop-dead gorgeous siblings, she’s still the ugly duckling of the bunch. And Max, the company’s new CEO, still barely notices her.

Max knows Carina Conte is strictly off limits. But hot-blooded lust wins out at a conference when the two share a scorching one-night stand—and are busted by her mother! Now, forced by old-world Italian tradition into a marriage he’s not ready for, Max is miserable—and Carina is furious. Her new husband is about to realize that hell hath no fury like a woman transformed…

Reading The Marriage Mistake was so much more fun than reading the previous title in this series! It was so much fun that I just couldn't put this book down. I just loved it! It was fun and cute and super sexy and in overall a contemporary romance title written exactly in the way I like.

The third instalment is Jennifer Probst's Marriage to a Billionaire follows the exact same pattern the previous books do, but in this case, I really loved both Carina and Max, much more than I did Michael and Maggie of the previous title. Especially Carina is so much more fun to read than Maggie was and I didn't have any problems with her, like I had with Maggie. Minor problems, I know, but they had managed to spoil some of the fun of the book, whereas here, I'm perfectly content with both my main characters.

I just knew that this story would work better for me, even while reading The Marriage Trap. You see we got to know a bit about Carina from that book, so, I knew that she would be a heroine right up my alley. And in Marriage Mistake, she proves just that. And at this point, I should add that the woman Carina grew up to be was even better than what I expected. I liked her confidence, especially after witnessing her self-esteem problems in the second book, and the way she knew exactly what she wanted from her sex partner, even if she was relatively inexperienced.

Max on the other hand, is as much an alpha male as one could hope for, without being a caveman occasionally like Michael did. He was drool worthy and sexy as hell, a hero I always appreciate reading about.

As for the secondary characters, all the protagonists of the previous books make their appearance as well as some of the rest of the recurring characters, and since this is the third book, the character development department is pretty good. We already know much about the secondary characters and we just see how their lives progress, while the development of the main ones is evident by the end of the story.

The story is typical for a chick lit title, even cheesy at times, but it's written in such a fun way that I couldn't care less. After all, the premise let's the reader know exactly what he/she should expect from this story, so if you don't like what the premise is about, then don't try this one. If like me, you search for a hot, cute and light read, then The Marriage Mistake is just the book for you.

One last thing I want to mention, is that the 50 Shades phenomenon, is evident in Probst's writing style as well. There are certain references to that book and Carina's submissive side will probably appeal to fans of the genre. Don't expect any heavy BDSM elements, but there are certain references and the subject is mentioned a few times.

All in all, The Marriage Mistake was exactly what I had hoped it to be and I had a really good time while reading it. So good a time that I can't wait for any future releases of this author :)

*This title was provided for review from Edelweiss

REVIEW: Tempted by Trouble by Michelle Smart

Tempted by Trouble by Michelle Smart

Publication Date:March 11th 2013

Publisher:Entangled: Indulgence

ebook, 174 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Socialite Pippa Rowantree has always provided excellent fodder for the UK’s gossip rags. After another unfortunate scandal sends the gossips into a feeding frenzy, her shamed family retaliates by forcing her into hiding at old family friend Marco Capello’s lush Caribbean estate—literally the last place on earth she wants to be.As far as Marco’s concerned, wild child Pippa has ruined his life once and he’ll be damned if he lets her do it again. But it’s hard to reconcile the adolescent he knew with the mature, beautiful woman who stands before him. Soon he's questioning if everything the media is claiming about PIppa is the truth or if he should trust his heart.

Tempted by Trouble is a rather difficult book for me to rate. And it's difficult because even though I really enjoyed reading it, there were some aspects of the story that made me want to bang my head on any available surface! And the main thing that made me feel that way was Marco, the main hero of the story.

But let's take things from the start. Tempted by Trouble is a typical romantic story about second chance in love. Pippa is a socialite, the golden girl who has everything right on her feet and chooses to throw them away and be a party animal and Marco, her step uncle, who is her first and only love but doesn't want to ever see her again because he believes she has destroyed his life, or does he?

The setting couldn't be more perfect for me, seeing that it takes place in the Caribbean, and the story, well, it's right up my alley. Add to that the fact that Michelle Smart did a wonderful job both with her writing and the way she developed her characters in such a small story and you get why I really enjoyed this story. I mean we're talking about a rather short story, but still, Smart managed to provide her characters with a solid past, to explore them throughout her story and make her readers care for them. That is a great accomplishment in my book! While I was reading this story I felt more than once my heart breaking for Pippa, the way everyone treated her and the way no one could understand that she was so messed up and all she needed was some love. All she needed was for someone to care about her. And maybe because I cared so much about Pippa, I hated so much Marco and his behavior towards her. Granted, maybe Marco's behavior was justified but still, you never get to treat someone in that way. No matter how much you believe you were wronged, being so short sighted speaks volumes of your own character. For the best part of the book I just wanted to slap both Marco and Pippa. Well, mostly Marco for treating Pippa that way and then I just wanted to slap some sense into Pippa for still dreaming of a man that treated her that way for no apparent reason. He was just horrible to her right until the end. And in case you're wondering, no, he didn't redeem himself by then. Even if he tried to protect Pippa and changed his behavior towards her, I still couldn't forgive him his previous horrible behavior. He was a man with such a huge ego and no matter what he did couldn't change that.

As you can guess, I got quite passionate with this book right? Which is a good thing because it means I got invested in the story, and that is where I find it difficult to rate this book. Because I loved it, but I really hated the main hero. One other thing that I quite didn't like also, were the sex scenes. While I found the whole writing style really good, the sex scenes were a failure. They were very cheesy and descriptions like:

"The first press of his lips on hers turned her bones into fondue." or

"All that mattered was being in his arms again and being kissed with such passion and hunger her whole being turned into noodles"

just killed my mood. Add to that some really unnecessary commands while in the act like "Take me." or "Kiss me." more than once and yeah, the sex scenes were definitely not my favorite part of this story.

Anyway, all in all, Tempted by Trouble is a decent story, well written for the most part of it, that I really enjoyed reading if not for the main hero. He was my main source of problems while reading this book, but Pippa just made up for him. She was one memorable character, so strong and so kind that I just loved her. And maybe because I loved her so much I hated Marco for the way he treated her. Michelle Smart did an incredible job and I just can't wait for her next story!

 

* This tile was provided for review via NetGalley

REVIEW: Playing the Maestro by Aubrie Dionne

Playing the Maestro by Aubrie Dionne

Publication Date:February 11th 2013

Publisher:Entangled Publishing (Bliss)

Edition:ebook, 190 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

Melody Mires has sworn off dating musicians, but when the sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony, her hesitation almost flies out the window with the notes of her flute—until he opens his mouth. Wolf is arrogant, haughty, and seems to have a personal vendetta against Melody. Oh, and he’s her boss. If she wants to keep her job as principal flutist, she’ll have to impress Wolf while simultaneously keeping her undeniable attraction to herself.

Wolf came to America to get as far away from his past as possible, and to recover some of the swagger he had as one of the world’s best maestros. He never imagined being forced to reassess the entire orchestra’s talent—and potentially fire anyone who doesn’t make his cut. Dating the attractive flutist is out of the question, but as their feelings reach a fever pitch, can they risk both their careers for a chance at love?

Let's face it, I have a thing for all Entangled's titles, especially those of the Bliss imprint. It's no secret! I love how sweet and cute and at the same time sexy they are without having any really hot sex scenes in them. So, when I read the premise of Playing the Maestro I couldn't wait to get started with it. I mean I knew I would read a cute and romantic story plus, as far as an interesting setting is concerned, one couldn't hope for a better, seeing this one is about a maestro! I haven't read anything like that before, so naturally I was beyond intrigued!

And while Playing the Maestro is fresh and unique in it's own way, it's cute and sweet, everything I had hoped for exactly, still, it failed to impress me or catch my interest. After a point, I couldn't care less about what happened in the story. Not because it was a bad one or the writing was bad but simply because I was bored. And I'm terribly sorry to say that but despite how fresh is the idea behind this story, still, the result was a lukewarm romance and a plot that didn't have anything exciting in it. It was terribly predictable, following every single cliche out there that even a gorgeous maestro or a cute flutist couldn't save the day. I may enjoyed reading about how the orchestra operated or Wolf's ideas to make kids care about classical music, but other than that there was little else I enjoyed in this book. Not that I hated everything else, I just had read everything before so there was nothing to keep my interest there. And if it wasn't a rather short story, I would have put it aside before even reaching the middle, but since it was a quick one, I decided I might as well finish it.

The plot like I said isn't anything fresh or interesting. Full of cliches and as predictable as one could get. The writing style, may be decent, but still I couldn't really appreciate it or give much thought to it since for most of the time, I just read for the sake of reading. With no real interest or a mind set to what I was reading. Too many things just went unnoticed truth be told.

The characters were ok I guess. I liked them. But I wasn't thrilled with them. And like with everything else in this story, I didn't care for them. And that is the main problem. That the author couldn't make me care about anything. Why? Maybe because despite the fresh setting, everything else was presented with in a rush way. Wolf hasn't even met Melody and he's set on impressing her even though he reminds him of his dreaded ex while Melody on the first page of the story vows to never date another musician and a little later she dreams about her dreamy boss... I get that this is a rather short story, but if you can't built your characters and a decent romantic plot in so few lines, use more pages or just don't do it at all. Honestly, at the time I picked up this book I was already tired of romances that just were on fast forward so maybe my judgement is a little bit harsher about this one specifically. But I just can't help it and I'm sorry about that.

All in all, Playing the Maestro is a sweet romantic title but nothing unique or fresh except for the fact that here the main hero is a maestro - and that is something you don't read about every day. Other than that, this story is exactly like a thousand others out there.

 * This title was provided for a review from the publisher.

EARLY REVIEW: Hard Way by Katie Porter

Hard Way by Katie Porter

Publication Date:April 9th 2013

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Edition:ebook, 327 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website

"No holds barred. No mercy. No going back "

Warning: Time to put the kidding aside. Although 100% consensual between a husband and wife, this book contains violent sex that, in some scenes, will appear forced. Readers sensitive to rape scenarios should proceed with caution...

Throughout their eight-year marriage, U.S. Air Force Captain Liam Dash Christiansen and his wife, Sunita, stayed strong through long separations. However Sunny s new job as a high-profile legal advisor puts a severe strain on their enduring bond.

Her abrupt announcement that she wants a divorce is like a missile to Dash s gut but her confession that she s met another man is what unleashes his shocking passion. Sunny is surprised and nearly repulsed by her body s reaction to Dash s animalistic attempt at complete possession. That doesn t stop her from craving more.

With Sunny s whispered approval, their sex life explodes. Not only does Dash s aggression tap into dark fantasies, she s hopeful that now, "at last," she ll get what she s always wanted from her devil-may-care, don t-give-a-damn husband. Something honest and candid. Something real.

Yet fiery, carnal encounters won t heal two long-broken hearts. Their bodies are finally speaking the same forbidden language, but it will take more than taboo desires to learn each other for the first time and to save a marriage that s only just begun.

Hard Way is one of those books that make it really difficult for me to rate. It's that kind of a book that I had quite a few problems with but I can't just ignore the brilliance of the author and totally dismiss it as a bad read. There were things I liked, things I didn't like and things I both loved and hated in Hard Way. Actually, the title of the story itself couldn't describe my feelings towards it better!

Let's start with the things I liked. Do you remember my review of Lead and Follow written by the same author? I was absolutely amazed by that title, so naturally, anything else written by the same author was a must read after that. So, when I got the chance to review in advance Hard Way, I jumped right at it. The thing I loved so much about Lead and Follow was the way Katie Porter (aka Carrie Lofty and Lorelie Brown) made me enjoy so much a story that was outside my comfort zone. So, when I read the blurb of Hard Way I immediately thought that I was in for a hell of a ride, pretty much the same like before. I mean I have never before read about a couple enjoying engaging in rape scenarios. Like a menage, it is a bit outside my comfort zone, and because of that fact, I was all the more eager to read this book. So, I just kept an open mind towards all the sex scenes. And no matter how violent or rough they were, I didn't mind one bit that fact. I knew what I was going to read, so if I cringed towards any of the sex scenes described it would be no one else's fault but mine. The summary warns the reader enough. So, even though some parts were a bit (or a lot, depending on how you see it) violent, that wasn't my problem. I couldn't engage emotionally in what I was reading, but I could still feel the characters. And that's the brilliance of this duo in my opinion. The way they can make the reader understand their characters and how they communicate and express their emotions during the sexual act.

So, the violence or the "rapes" weren't my problem in Hard Way. My problem was that while I know how great Katie Porter can built a character, in Hard Way both Dash and Sunny felt underdeveloped, felt like a couple of characters with no past and a very bizarre present. And here I have to note that I haven't read any of the previous books in the series, so maybe I'm missing some crucial parts. But since those books can be read as stand alones, I still believe that the author could have done a little bit of a better job building the main characters. The story starts immediately, throwing the reader in the midst of a marriage ready to fall apart, with Sunny asking for a divorce and Dash reacting a little bit violent. Don't get me wrong, he didn't force himself on his wife, he was just rougher than usual and as soon as he saw that Sunny liked it, he stepped up his game. And here is the problem. It was way too soon in the story for the reader to understand either Dash's or Sunny's reactions. There were times that I didn't understand Sunny's reactions at all, if she liked Dash's violence or if she meant it when she asked him to stop. Or I couldn't understand why Dash reacted the way he did. It was the beginning of the story, so naturally the characters hadn't enough time to show us their background. Later on, they developed, I could more or less understand them, but the damage was done. I had lost some of my enthusiasm towards the story.

My other problem was that I couldn't understand how was possible for a couple to be together for so many years and never discuss their problems or understand that they were in for some kinky stuff. You can be shy, but there are always some hints. Granted, both Sunny and Dash were two characters with many problems. So naturally, their marriage would be problematic as well. But the dynamics of their relationship were revealed too late in the story. While the author should show us at first, or at least early in the story, how their marriage operated and then focus on the sex parts, it happened the exact opposite. And while both characters redeemed themselves by the end, the damage was once more already done. Even if by the end Sunny resumed responsibility for her own mistakes rather than blaming Dash for everything, it was a small consolation for me. I already spent the whole book trying to figure her out and disliking her. Because Sunny was my other problem with Hard Way. For a fighter and a woman who knew what she wanted and how to get, she sure acted like a spoiled brat. She chose to fight for anything else but for the man she supposedly loved. Her aversion to having kids or acknowledge what her husband wanted made me like her even less. Because granted, every man or woman can choose whether having kids is what he/she wants in life, but Sunny, just didn't know what she wanted. Her reasoning was a little bit self centred as self centred was the way she chose to react to her fear for Dash's life. But like I said, by the end she redeemed herself. I understood why she acted the way she did and even sympathised with her at some points but still, it was a small consolation.

Dash on the other hand, was a character I liked far more even though he too was a very complex character who could have been explored way more than he was, but still he was sweet even if he seemed to suffer from a split personality at times. I mean he was like two completely different characters throughout the whole story, something that was explained by the end as well, but still I liked him way more than I did Sunny. Bottom line, the problem in Hard Way was that it had two main characters who could add to the whole story if they were better explored, but as it was, they felt incomplete, messing with the whole plotline.

All in all, Hard Way is a story that I enjoyed but had many significant problems especially with the character building. Readers who have a problem with rape scenarios or rough sex should be warned to stay away from this particular story. You won't like it believe me. But for me, the problem with this book didn't lie there. It lay on an inferior character building, especially if one thinks of what these two authors are capable of achieving in that particular department.

* This title was provided for review from the author.