Before I being this review, I would like to point out that I wish it was Friday. The Friday before a very long weekend. I know I just got back from vacation but I could sure use one.
And now my review.
Abbie Gough, the heroine, is a physical and emotional abuse survivor who has locked herself into a routine in her own little world. Ivan lives across "The Courtyard" in Abbie's apartment "complex" and as you get further into the book, you find out just how complicated Ivan is.
This is my first book/novella by Charlotte Stein. The first thing that struck me is that I couldn't tell exactly where this story was taking place, which overall is not a bad thing. It allowed me to imagine it could be taking place in any city, in any country. Also adding to that is Miss Stein's use of British English...which I will admit took me a bit to get used to. My mind screamed "TYPO" while the less pedestrian part of my brain told be to shut up.
The story is deliciously drawn out with voyeurism and mutual masturbation as heavy themes in the beginning of the story. It almost got to the point where it was too drawn out, but it is almost like the author sensed it and fed you the details you needed to keep the story going at a good pace. I can appreciate that talent.
Abbie and Ivan, for all intents and purposes, are fucked up characters. But I loved their story because as cheesy as this sounds, she completed him. And he did the same for her. They gave each other what was missing, what their pasts had destroyed.
And the sex! If you ever had a voyeuristic fantasy, ever wanted to catch your neighbor doing naked housecleaning, the window scenes will appeal to you. But the sex scene that did it for me was the one when all their barriers were broken down and it was just Abbie and Ivan... with none of their past sharing their bed with them. Very poignant and hot. Fair warning, there is also some brief m/m action, so if that isn't your bag...I would skip that part.
I look forward to reading more of Miss Stein's writing...and I will be keeping this one on my bookshelf. I suggest giving Deep Desires a read if something beyond the typical love story appeals to you.
I was lucky enough to get a review copy for this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Review: Hot in Handcuffs- Shayla Black, Sylvia Day & Shiloh Walker
Ahh Saturday. How I love you. And how busy I am when the week finally comes around to you. So, I shall pause in my party preparing to review one of my vacation reads.
To begin, these are three of my favorite authors. Just recently read the Ash Trilogy by Shiloh Walker. I have a serious love of Bared to You by Sylvia Day and Shayla Black's Wicked Lovers series is just swoon-worthy. I didn't think Hot in Handcuffs would disappoint....and it didn't.
This is an anthology, so obviously the stories are shorter. But trust me, they didn't pack any less of a punch.
First at bat is Arresting Desire by Shayla Black. I loved the female lead in this book. Lucia was a believable combination of smart and innocent. And the alpha male/FBI agent/panty dropping Jon Bocelli is hot. Smoking hot. His tender domination of Lucia, plus the appreciation of her intelligence really struck a chord with me. Jon's dominating seduction of Lucia, getting her to submit to both him and her fantasies should have been formulaic with all of the dominant vs. closet submissive tropes that I have read, but it wasn't. I enjoyed their interaction immensely. The sub-plot of family mystery/suspense added to the story and helped develop both Lucia and Jon's characters for me.
Second in the line-up was On Fire by Sylvia Day and oh my was it. Jared and Darcy set the pages on fire. The intensity of their desire for each other made me sweat. Darcy wasn't a female character you read about very often. She was very aware of her sexuality and indulged as discreetly as she could living in a small town. Then the suspicious fires begin, bringing Deputy Marshal Jared Cameron into her life...and bed. From the jump Jared wanted Darcy and when they finally came together, the combination of hot sex and fierce emotion that neither expected made for some of the best sex scenes I have read. Seriously. And again, the mystery just added to the story, making both characters vulnerable to the real world outside the bedroom.
And last, but certainly not least, is The Unwilling by Shiloh Walker. Now, I must interject here. I haven't read any of Shiloh's FBI psychic books...but I will be after reading this. I absolutely loved the relationship Colby and Mica have. They need each other, but don't want to need each other. When Mica asks for Colby's help he is reluctant because even after she left him, he still loves her. Their psychic connection made their relationship seem even more intimate than your every day relationship. It also made this a very enjoyable read. As always, Ms. Walker's descriptive writing seems to drop you right into one of Colby or Mica's visions. Her writing never disappoints.
To sum it up: This book is staying on my bookshelf. If you ask nicely, I may let you borrow it. If you don't return it...I will come after you to get it back :)
Have a good weekend everyone!
To begin, these are three of my favorite authors. Just recently read the Ash Trilogy by Shiloh Walker. I have a serious love of Bared to You by Sylvia Day and Shayla Black's Wicked Lovers series is just swoon-worthy. I didn't think Hot in Handcuffs would disappoint....and it didn't.
This is an anthology, so obviously the stories are shorter. But trust me, they didn't pack any less of a punch.
First at bat is Arresting Desire by Shayla Black. I loved the female lead in this book. Lucia was a believable combination of smart and innocent. And the alpha male/FBI agent/panty dropping Jon Bocelli is hot. Smoking hot. His tender domination of Lucia, plus the appreciation of her intelligence really struck a chord with me. Jon's dominating seduction of Lucia, getting her to submit to both him and her fantasies should have been formulaic with all of the dominant vs. closet submissive tropes that I have read, but it wasn't. I enjoyed their interaction immensely. The sub-plot of family mystery/suspense added to the story and helped develop both Lucia and Jon's characters for me.
Second in the line-up was On Fire by Sylvia Day and oh my was it. Jared and Darcy set the pages on fire. The intensity of their desire for each other made me sweat. Darcy wasn't a female character you read about very often. She was very aware of her sexuality and indulged as discreetly as she could living in a small town. Then the suspicious fires begin, bringing Deputy Marshal Jared Cameron into her life...and bed. From the jump Jared wanted Darcy and when they finally came together, the combination of hot sex and fierce emotion that neither expected made for some of the best sex scenes I have read. Seriously. And again, the mystery just added to the story, making both characters vulnerable to the real world outside the bedroom.
And last, but certainly not least, is The Unwilling by Shiloh Walker. Now, I must interject here. I haven't read any of Shiloh's FBI psychic books...but I will be after reading this. I absolutely loved the relationship Colby and Mica have. They need each other, but don't want to need each other. When Mica asks for Colby's help he is reluctant because even after she left him, he still loves her. Their psychic connection made their relationship seem even more intimate than your every day relationship. It also made this a very enjoyable read. As always, Ms. Walker's descriptive writing seems to drop you right into one of Colby or Mica's visions. Her writing never disappoints.
To sum it up: This book is staying on my bookshelf. If you ask nicely, I may let you borrow it. If you don't return it...I will come after you to get it back :)
Have a good weekend everyone!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
I'm Back!
If you weren't paying attention..I went on vacation. If you were paying attention..I went on vacation.
And now I am back to the real world...and better coffee. No offense to you Southern folks but I went a week without good fucking coffee and I damn near died from caffeine withdrawal. But, you made up with for it with awesome accents, polite people and some banging food. You are forgiven.
We didn't have any major vacation plans except visit the zoo, eat a Cuban sandwich, swim in the pool and get tattoos. Yes. Get tattoos. We have developed a habit of getting tattoos as souvenirs when we travel because frankly shot glasses are boring. My tattoo came out FUCKING AWESOME and I give mad props to the guy at FatKats Artistry in Ocala for the banging job he did. I am healing now and I swear this things itches like crazy. I can't wait to get my next one.
I shot a gun! Totally forgot to mention that. I have shot guns before..we used shoot targets off our back porch when I was a kid, but it had been awhile since I pulled a trigger. We shot targets in the woods across the street and I made a Pepsi bottle my bitch. It exploded and I shouted with glee. Then we went in and ate barbeque. My neck is still red.
In addition, I got in some reading. The Hot in Handcuffs anthology by Shayla Black, Sylvia Day and Shiloh Walker was so good. It shouldn't be read on a plane unless you plan on joining The Mile High Club. I swear I was panting as I exited the plane and cabin pressure had nothing to do with it. Plus, they are three of my favorite authors..so putting them all in one book is like multiple orgasms. It can not be missed. This book went right back on my bookshelf when I unpacked and I am sure I will re-read it several times over.
I jump back further into real life my returning to my job tomorrow where I will be back to reading on lunch...so hey I just might review some more books.
Now, I must go mentally prepare myself for my return to the workforce by having a grown-up Shirley Temple and trying to figure out what laundry is actually clean.
Please don't envy my exciting life.
And now I am back to the real world...and better coffee. No offense to you Southern folks but I went a week without good fucking coffee and I damn near died from caffeine withdrawal. But, you made up with for it with awesome accents, polite people and some banging food. You are forgiven.
We didn't have any major vacation plans except visit the zoo, eat a Cuban sandwich, swim in the pool and get tattoos. Yes. Get tattoos. We have developed a habit of getting tattoos as souvenirs when we travel because frankly shot glasses are boring. My tattoo came out FUCKING AWESOME and I give mad props to the guy at FatKats Artistry in Ocala for the banging job he did. I am healing now and I swear this things itches like crazy. I can't wait to get my next one.
I shot a gun! Totally forgot to mention that. I have shot guns before..we used shoot targets off our back porch when I was a kid, but it had been awhile since I pulled a trigger. We shot targets in the woods across the street and I made a Pepsi bottle my bitch. It exploded and I shouted with glee. Then we went in and ate barbeque. My neck is still red.
In addition, I got in some reading. The Hot in Handcuffs anthology by Shayla Black, Sylvia Day and Shiloh Walker was so good. It shouldn't be read on a plane unless you plan on joining The Mile High Club. I swear I was panting as I exited the plane and cabin pressure had nothing to do with it. Plus, they are three of my favorite authors..so putting them all in one book is like multiple orgasms. It can not be missed. This book went right back on my bookshelf when I unpacked and I am sure I will re-read it several times over.
I jump back further into real life my returning to my job tomorrow where I will be back to reading on lunch...so hey I just might review some more books.
Now, I must go mentally prepare myself for my return to the workforce by having a grown-up Shirley Temple and trying to figure out what laundry is actually clean.
Please don't envy my exciting life.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Electronics & Me...
We have a hate/hate relationship. They hate to work for me and I hate trying to figure out how they work.
And because technology makes the world go round..consider me fucked. Not in a hot, nasty, sexy way either. (Unless you consider the overheating laptop part of the equation. Love me some laptop thigh burn.)
I have recently become reinvested in writing (see previous Lazy Blogger post). Well, it is difficult to cater to my extremely sexy, dominating bitch of a muse (I fucking love her) if my computer won't stay on for MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES! Not to mention my constant fear of losing work. I learned that lesson when 4,000 or so gorgeous words disappeared before I could back up.
This weekend..the laptop officially died. It bought the farm, took a dirt nap..whatever euphemism for dead rocks your boat. So with the remainder of this story screaming inside me to be let out...I went to buy a new fucking laptop.
I reiterate. I hate technology, electronics, shit with buttons and wires blah blah blah. I like my cell phone and my Nook. That's it.
So an obscene amount of money, patience and screaming because it took me forever to figure out later...I can restrain my bitchy muse and get back to work.
And if one more person tells me to get an external hard drive again..I can't be responsible for what I do to you. But I suggest a high pain tolerance and a safe word. You will need it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)