Review: Fearsome by S.A. Wolfe

Fearsome by S.A. Wolfe

Series: Fearsome #1

Publication date: September 27th, 2013

Pages: 464

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Jessica Channing's big city life should be more exciting than sixty-hour work weeks and popcorn nights with her girlfriends, but it's not. She has worked hard fulfilling her role as a child prodigy and graduating college years before her peers. She's the good girl, the brilliant girl.

Unfortunately, she's also the dateless young woman.

That all changes with one phone call. Jess's rigid, predictable life upends when she must visit a small, obscure town to deal with a relative's death. This isn't just any little speck of a town, though. Long lost memories come crashing down on Jess's world when two men, the Blackard brothers, seem to lure her in.

Dylan is cover model handsome, and pursues Jess the minute she comes to town. Then there is tall, dark and gorgeous Carson, who hides his own secrets behind his hardened reserve.

For someone who has been governed by her own obsessive behaviors and fears, Jess lets her guard down and jumps at the opportunity to have an affair with a man she actually finds attractive for a change.

There's just one problem. Jess discovers that she can't have a simple romantic fling because true passion does indeed come with some very big strings attached to it. She will have to own up to her own truths about love and face the two extraordinary men; both troubled in their own ways and both determined to have her.

This novel contains graphic sexual content and strong language. It is intended for mature readers.

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Review:

I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have made it my personal mission to get through some of the long awaited books I have gotten for review and have been doing so as of recently. This was one I had requested for review and even requested the rest of the series to read as they came out. It has been waiting patiently for me to devote my attention to it and finally I did. I was interested to see how this love triangle between brothers played out. The plot snagged me from the very beginning.

Jess never knew her aunt and now she never will. She received a phone call telling her that her aunt had passed away and that she had to come to the small town of Hera in orer to have the will read to her and collect what her loving aunt had left her. From the moment Jess steps off the bus she is transported into small town life. She learns that her aunt left her house and all her belongings to Jess after only ever spending one summer with the girl when she was very young. Jess is confused and sets about trying to piece together the long forgotten memories from her time here.

Enter Dylan and Carson who she soon learns also spent that one summer with her and had never forgotten her. Dylan the charismatic golden boy and Carson the brooding mysterious stranger are so different and yet so alike. Dylan pursues Jess as soon as he can attempting to remind her that they had spent a lot of time together the summer she was here and how he had never forgotten her. Jess is taken in by Dylan, but even though she is with him, she can't help but always search for Carson whenever she is in a crowded room.

Eventually, Jess must make a choice between the two men, but the most troubling part of that is that both men carry secrets. Both men have issues and Jess wonders if she is built to love either of them. She must ultimately decide whether to risk her heart at all for either of the two eligible bachelors.

So, I liked a majority of this book. There were some aspects that just struck me as weird. Like the fact that the big 'L-word' (no, not lesbians) is thrown around A LOT. Not by our tight-lipped heroine, but from others around her. Call me old fashioned but I don't believe love can blossom from watching someone from afar or spending one summer together as children. That just seemed too unrealistic to me. Coupled with Jess's wishy-washy (yes, she actually calls herself that at one point... at least she's aware) antics. Her determination to keep one man at arm's length while embracing the other fully despite having stronger feelings for the one she's pushing away. It got to the point where half the book was Jess being all in her head about things. Got to be a bit tedious.

However, the writing in this book is absolutely phenomenal. I picked it up and within the first few paragraphs I was praising the heavens for a less well-known author actually knowing how to be eloquent. I also adored the fact that there were parts in the book where I literally laughed out loud. I cannot say that happens very often. Normally I internalize book funnies, but this made me giggle outwardly and caused many a brow raise from people around me.

This book was good, but there were parts in it I would have liked to have seen different. I would recommend this book to those who want a little humor to counteract a touchy subject read. This book has issues, but we don't judge because it's also a tad bit brilliant in other ways.

Review: Ruined by Tracy Wolff

Ruined by Tracy Wolff

Series: Ethan Frost #1

Publication date: January 7th, 2014

Pages: 298

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, Bared to You, and Release Me will be hooked on Ruined, an electrifying journey of emotional and sexual discovery that pushes two damaged souls to their breaking point--and beyond.

He's the last man Chloe Girard should love... but the first she ever could.

Ethan Frost is a visionary, a genius, every woman's deepest, darkest fantasy--even mine. And, somehow, I am his.

He stole into my life like a dream. Turned my reality upside down and made my every desire come true--especially those I never knew I had. He demanded everything I had to give and gave me everything of himself in return.

But dreams don't last forever, and ours is no exception. Because my nightmares are darker, and my wounds deeper, than I could ever reveal. And as much as Ethan wants to protect me, the secrets we share will only tear us apart.

Available at:

Review:

I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard a few things about the way Tracy Wolff writes and the depth of the love stories she creates for her characters so I ended up requesting a bunch of her books when the ran across my NetGalley. Life took over and I never got to them until this moment. I was intrigued by the blurb referring to it as something reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Grey as I had always been looking for something similar to that sort of story. I let the blurb select my book for me in this instance.

Chloe is damaged. She has subscriptions of issues and she has somehow made it work for her life. She had attempted, and succeeded to a degree, to forget her past and focus primarily on her goal to become a lawyer. Becoming a lawyer is hard work and it requires the perfect internship to pad her resume. That brings her to Frost Industries. She enters the workforce intent to keep her head down and do the work she is provided as quickly and efficiently as she can. But fate has other ideas for her. As she goes to lunch her first day she stumbles across the enigmatic CEO, Ethan Frost, while attempting to procure a smoothie. Not knowing who he was she stubbornly refuses to budge on her menu selection. This refusal to bend intrigues Ethan and begins the start of his pursuit of her. Chloe is determined not to let the past repeat itself as she figures it will with any man she becomes involved with. Echoes of the past start with the bullying of her co-workers once they catch wind of Ethan's infatuation with Chloe. It is up to Chloe to keep her distance from the enticing man, even when everything in her screams to pull him closer and never let go.

To an extent, I liked this book. I liked the push and pull of the main characters. I liked that Ethan was not like the playboy image that is depicted of him and he truly gives his all to winning Chloe's heart and affections. I felt for Chloe and the trouble and trauma she had in her past. I really wanted to like the way the two worked together as a couple but something about the two just didn't connect for me. I knew Chloe had issues and I knew that Ethan was willing to overlook them but it seemed every time I turned around there was Chloe attempting to run away from Ethan with extremely long internal dialogs about why she needed to stay away from him but couldn't seem to pull it off. The book, to me, was middle of the road. The thing that was the most upsetting was the fact that there were no real Fifty Shades of Grey portions in the book. I didn't get that vibe.

However, I did like watching Chloe slowly overcome her past so she could attempt to be happy with Ethan. I found her determination to get past it endearing.

All in all, the book was definitely not horrendous but it was not spectacular either. It's worth a read if given the opportunity.

Review: Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros

Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros

Series: Flight & Glory #1

Publication date: February 10th, 2014

Pages: 374

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

A new adult novel from Entangled's Embrace imprint...

Three knocks can change everything...

"She knew. That's why Mom hadn't opened the door. She knew he was dead."

Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn't know was how she would find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom falls apart.

Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own, she can't deny their intense attraction.

Until Josh's secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he's worth the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare.

Available at:

Review:

I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have a healthy respect for the military. I love our men and women int he various armed services and am incredibly thankful for their dedication to protecting this country I live in. Since it was quickly approaching Veteran's Day I wanted something with a little patriotism in it. Something that would make me remember what the people of the military have done over the year. When I read the synopsis I was immediately dragged in. Having to face the death of a parent who was overseas is something more and more people have had to deal with. So I picked up Rebecca Yarros's book and dove in.

December, "Ember", Howard had what she believed was the perfect life until that fateful day when the military men came to her door to announce her father having passed away. Instead of falling apart as the rest of her family did, Ember picked herself up and did what was best for those around her. She refused to let herself feel the hurt she was drowning under because she needed to be there for her siblings and mother. Throughout the course of the book, we watch Ember struggle. Internalizing all that pain and regret slowly eats away at her. That is, until Josh comes on the scene.

Josh comes in and completely captivates Ember. He is there for her when she needs him most and refuses to back down even when she tries to push him away. He is a well known playboy and Ember doesn't feel she has time to be just another notch on his bedpost. However, for whatever reason, Josh seems more smitten with Ember than she had thought. But even Josh has his secrets. Secrets that could end Ember's recovery and threaten to destroy her all over again.

I was enthralled by this book from page one to the very end. I ugly cried so much it became a public service to make sure I read it in the confines of my bedroom and away from those who had to witness my emotional breakdowns. I felt my heart break for Ember and I also felt anxious to drag Josh closer to her when she pushed him away. I found the characters relateable and absolutely perfect. The subject matter was absolutely devastating and made me even more thankful to the soldiers in reality who devote their lives to the service. Also, despite Ember being completely against military men after her father's death, the book made me long for my own man in blue. The uniform, ladies, the uniform. Delicious.

Review: The Betrayed by Heather Graham

The Betrayed by Heather Graham

Series: Krewe of Hunters #14

Publication date: September 30th, 2014

Pages: 368

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Sleepy Hollow isn't so sleepy anymore...

One night, New York FBI agent Aiden Mahoney receives a visitor in a dream--an old friend named Richard Highsmith. The very next day he's sent to Sleepy Hollow because Richard's gone missing there.

Maureen--Mo--Deauville now lives in the historic town and works with her dog, Rollo, to search for missing people. She's actually the one to find Richard or more precisely his head, stuck on a statue of the legendary Headless Horseman.

Mo and Aiden, a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's unit of paranormal investigators, explore both past and present events to figure out who betrayed Richard, who killed him and now wants to kill them, too. As they work together, they discover that they share an unusual trait: the ability to communicate with the dead. They also share an attraction that's as intense as it is unexpected, if they live long enough to enjoy it!

Available at:

Review:

I received an e-copy from the tour host in exchange for participation in the blog tour and an honest review.

This was only my second encounter with the lovely Heather Graham's writing and I was still unfamiliar with the series that I was reading. These books are made to be able to be read out of sequence, but I am a stickler for not doing such things. Being introduced more fully to the group of paranormal investigators may have shaped my opinion differently.

Aiden awakens to find his dead friend haunting him and pleading for his help. This simply occurrence that could have been likened to him being sleep deprived or hallucinating set the course for what was to come. It was only afterwards that he finds out that his long time friend has disappeared without a trace. His last whereabouts were in a small town with big history. Aiden finds himself setting course for Sleepy Hollow in hopes of finding his friend despite having the suspicion he is much too late.

Mo is used to finding lost or missing people easily with her trusty canine companion, Rollo. Nobody seems to question why Mo finds people so easy, but, really, who is going to look a gift horse in the mouth? Mo and Rollo find the remains of Aiden's friend without much difficulty but what they didn't expect was to find the remains of another person as well.

Now Mo and Aiden must attempt to find the killer that is loose in Sleepy Hollow beheading people much like the folklore story. But while they search, they can't deny the spark that is simmering between them. What will Mo and Aiden do when confronted not only with their feelings for each other but when they are staring into the eyes of the cold-blooded killer that decided to use a scary story for the stage of their dastardly deeds.

Again, this book reads more as a mystery with paranormal aspects than any sort of paranormal romance that I am most likely to read. The romance is light and fun while the mystery is gripping and thought provoking. Most people like that in their books, but I am more focused on the romance in my books than any sort of murder mystery that may go along with it. That is, of course, my personal preference. As with the book before this that I reviewed, The Betrayed is middle of the road simply due to my taste in what I like in my books. Most of the people in my book club for instance, would love the way Heather Graham plays with history to set the tone for her books. That aspect I actually did like a lot.

I think that if you are an enthusiast of history and murder mysteries with a paranormal tidbit to them, Heather Graham's The Betrayed is perfect for you.