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Review: Chesapeake Blue

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Review: Chesapeake BlueChesapeake Blue (Chesapeake Bay Saga, #4) by Nora Roberts
Published by Berkley on January 1st 2002
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 357
Goodreads
three-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable read if somewhat forgettable in the end. The story works fine as I was reading it, but there is nothing lasting or intense in the story to make it a keeper.

THE STORY: Eighteen years since Seth Quinn came was rescued from his negligent and abusive mother to come live with the Quinns, Seth has returned home after a stint in Europe where he honed his skills as an artist. When he returns, he meets Dru Whitcomb Banks, who has shed her rich family to open a florist shop. As Dru and Seth get to know one another, Seth’s past won’t stay hidden as he has to deal with problems that arise while coaxing a woman who has been betrayed and finds it hard to trust and make connections.

OPINION: This book was difficult for me to rate. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, I really liked seeing the Quinn siblings and their families. I even liked Seth and Dru as a couple as they discussed their issues. But ultimately while I enjoyed this book, I don’t think it stands up against other books that I have read. The storyline works, but isn’t compelling enough and the characters aren’t interesting enough for this to be a book that calls for me to re-read it.

Seth is a little too good, perhaps. (Except for his blind spot for which he is rather wrongheaded). I thought he and Dru were a nice match and I really liked her character. But nothing in this case really goes deep. The characters drama and hurts just don’t feel intense. I did think their sexy encounters when Seth was painting Dru were the best part of the book. That felt emotional and intense.

I also really enjoyed the relationships between the brothers. That was a highlight of the entire series and repeated here with even more emotional resonance.

I think readers of the series should definitely read this one as it adds to the series in a nice way. I just walked away wanting more emotional connection and intensity.

WORTH MENTIONING: I’ve always wished that this book either resolved Aubrey’s story as well or that Roberts had written her story. She ended up being a really interesting character.

CONNECTED BOOKS: CHESAPEAKE BLUE is the fourth and final book in the Chesapeake Bay Saga. This book was a coda to the original trilogy and thus really depends upon the knowledge in the first three books in the series. I don’t think the plot works well without knowledge of those books.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

three-half-stars

Review: The Choice

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Review: The ChoiceThe Choice (Doms of Her Life: Heavenly Rising 1) by Isabella LaPearl, Jenna Jacob, Shayla Black
Published by Dream Words, LLC on March 27th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica
Goodreads
five-stars

“It’s going to get messy, emotional, and complicated. I hope you’re ready for that.”

FINAL DECISION: Hot, hot, hot. Just the beginning of the story between Beck, Seth and Heavenly, but definitely a great start. (Readers should be aware that this book ends on the cliffhanger, and there will be more books about this threesome).

THE STORY: Heavenly Young has a complicated life. She is a new nursing student, she is caring for her ill father and she is taking any job she can to make ends meet. Things become even more complicated when she catches the eyes of two dominate alpha men — both of whom want her but cannot stand one another. Dr. Ken Beckman is a surgeon who also happens to be a sadist. Having a relationship with an innocent and sweet woman is against all his rules, but Beck can’t stop himself from obsessing over Heavenly. Seth Cooper, private eye, takes one look at the sweet Heavenly and wants her in bed. But Seth finds himself drawn in by the woman he begins to know. Torn between two men who want her to make a choice between them, Heavenly cannot bring herself to choose.

OPINION: I really enjoyed this one. After reading the first trio romance by these authors, I knew to expect the cliffhanger and thus I wasn’t disappointed by the ending and the loose ends. And I think I love this couple more than Raine, Liam and Macen (DOMS OF HER LIFE) because the two men here are so funny in their competition with one another. This book feels lighter and more amusing and while there is clearly drama to come, I’m hoping that some of the humor remains.

Heavenly was slightly annoying to me as this book began. Too naive, too willing to lie to hide things that aren’t particularly worth hiding, but as the book continues I begin to see the woman who will be emerging as the series continues. (I also have to admit that her naivete made for some amusing situations). I think at some point, she is going to pull her two men by the ears (or another unmentionable part) and force them to her will.

Beck and Sean are similar men in many ways. They both clearly have some darkness in their pasts that are going to arise as the series continues, but here I found the guys funny and sweetly baffled by Heavenly. These guys are also intensely competitive and nowhere set up for the idea of a long term menage relationship. In many ways, this first book is about “the choice” that these men have to make.

I appreciated that this book allows the relationships to build in a slow fashion. Everyone is introduced and we really get the chance to see what Heavenly sees in each of these guys and also see these men begin to build a friendship with one another.

The book is hot, but I didn’t find the sex to be the focus here. It really was about relationship. The highlight was the heat and the humor. Even the cliffhanger was a gentle one so I can look forward to the next book instead of cursing the ending.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a mmf menage with the focus on the woman in the story. The two men are not involved with one another.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE CHOICE is the first book in the Doms of Her Life: Heavenly Rising series. This series is, however, connected with the Doms of Her Life series and partially takes place concurrent with that series. You can read this one without having read that series, but there are overlapping characters. And this menage is even introduced in that series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via the author in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

five-stars

Review: The Quinn’s Christmas

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Genres: Contemporary

This is a short vignette that follows the events in INNER HARBOR. It is about the first Christmas that Sean spends with the family. It is cute and a nice coda to the original trilogy of books. We get to see more of the developing relationship between Sean and his brothers. One thing I missed in the ending of INNER HARBOR was a wrap up of what happened with everyone. This is a nice epilogue type story and also operates as a transition to the final book in the series.

Review: Inner Harbor

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Review: Inner HarborInner Harbor (Chesapeake Bay Saga, #3) by Nora Roberts
Series: Chesapeake Bay Saga #3
Published by Berkley Books on January 1st 1999
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 324
Goodreads
three-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable read although the drama in the story isn’t as deep as might be expected from the description. I enjoyed watching these characters fall in love, but I felt there was more that could have been explored below the surface.

THE STORY: Phillip Quinn began life as a thief until he was taken in by the Quinns. Now he wears a veneer of sophistication. When he meets Dr. Sybill Griffin, he finds her reserve attractive. But Sybill has a secret reason for being in town. Sybill finds Phillip intriguing, but she is used to a life kept apart and observing, but although Phillip appears the cool sophisticate, there is something hot and wild under his exterior.

OPINION: This was an enjoyable read, but the story stays on the surface between these characters and thus is not as memorable as it could have been.

Phillip is a sly man. Sophisticated and polished, he also retains the fiery and untamed street rat he was. I liked the combination here, but there really isn’t much drama with his background as I might have expected. I thought the book missed that a bit instead focusing on Sybill. I still felt that Phillip was a little distant as a character because I never got deeper into his character.

Sybill is a good pair for Phillip because they both hide their pain under the sophistication and a type of coldness and distance. That was the interesting part of the story between these characters as they see something alike in one another. She is a harder to get to know, but I thought the book explored her character better than Phillip.

I did really like how the relationship between these two developed, I just wanted more.

The book also wraps up Sean’s story. That part was a bit underwhelming for me. A little too neat and easy for the setup in the first book. The series decides to focus on the relationships which works for me, but the first book set up some expectations that really didn’t come to fruition in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: This series was originally created as a trilogy but several years later Roberts added Seth’s book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: INNER HARBOR is the third book in the Chesapeake Bay Saga. This book should be read as part of the series even though the romance is self-contained because the developing relationships are good portion of the plot of this book.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

 

three-half-stars

Review: Rising Tides

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Review: Rising TidesRising Tides (Chesapeake Bay Saga, #2) by Nora Roberts
Series: Chesapeake Bay Saga #2
Published by Jove on August 1st 1998
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 330
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: One of the best of Nora Roberts’ family dramas, this romance has a languid build between these two friends. The pace feels just right for a real relationship as these two overcome the pain of their pasts.

THE STORY: Ethan Quinn stayed at home when his other brothers roamed. Steady as the bay in which he works, Ethan hides turmoil and pain from his youth. Working with his brothers to raise the boy that their father took in before his death, Ethan plans to focus on their new business. But the woman he has known for years, Grace Monroe, won’t seem to let him go. Determined to keep his distance from the young mother to protect her, Ethan can’t seem to resist Grace’s pull.

OPINION: This book is a perfect example of the best of Nora Roberts’ work. The story has a tremendous feeling of place where I can almost smell the bay. The entire family of characters are three dimensional and interesting in their own right. They feel real and genuine. These are characters without the easy crutch of wealth and power.

This is one of my favorite books of Roberts because everything just works in this book.

Grace is a woman who is struggling but has pride in being independent and taking care of her daughter. She has flaws — the primary one being that she is incredibly stubborn.  She also fundamentally doesn’t know or understand the struggles that Ethan is going through. She makes assumptions without seeing the dark undercurrent of his life.

Ethan is a man good at hiding his pain and self-loathing. He has had his eye on Grace for years but has kept his distance because he doesn’t see himself as being worthy of her. But he is a good man. He is strong and reliable and everything that society sees as manly. Which makes the complexity of his character work so well. He is such a wonderful hero.

I loved these characters and the slow unfolding of their relationship works so well here. The book takes it time in showing their relationship and letting the crisis points come and pass with a natural and real timetable. This is my favorite book in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: The overarching story line with Sean doesn’t progress much in this book which means that everything is set up for book three.

CONNECTED BOOKS: RISING TIDES is the second book in the Chesapeake Bay Saga. While each book has a separate couple and thus can be read on its own, there is an overarching story line dealing with the family and thus I believe it is better to read this in order as part of the series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: Sea Swept

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Review: Sea SweptSea Swept (Chesapeake Bay Saga, #1) by Nora Roberts
Series: Chesapeake Bay Saga #1
Published by Jove Books on January 1st 1998
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 330
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: A comfortable read about a man who changes his life after the death of his father leaves him and his brothers with the responsibility for a ten year old and begins a relationship with a social worker. The story builds towards the end and offers a springboard for the series.

THE STORY: Cameron Quinn has sailed around the world racing boats and wooing women. The death of his father brings him home where he and his two brothers face decisions on what to do with the ten year old boy that their father brought into their family. The three men have to find a way of building a family in order to keep guardianship of the young boy which challenges all of the lives they have built. They also have to satisfy the watchful eyes of Anna Spinelli, a social worker, who has her doubts that the three men can build a home for a wary and damaged child.

OPINION: This book’s romance suffers a little from the introduction books. The situation and the characters all have to be set out which means that Anna and Cam get less “screen time”. Their romance was only okay for me until the last quarter of the book where things pick up and end on a high emotional note.

I enjoyed this book primarily because of the Quinn family dynamics. There is something really special in how these three men and a young boy figure make a family. The story is both inspirational and sweet. And I love watching these strong men give up whatever they have to for the love of family.

Anna and Cam are both damaged people who have triumphed through the love of others. Unfortunately, we don’t get much into their heads in this book. So while I really enjoy the story of this book, I wish the romance had been stronger.

At the same time, the comfortable nature of this story makes it one that I’ve read before and would read again on a rainy day.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book clearly is part of a series so ongoing story lines are not finished but the romance is complete here.

CONNECTED BOOKS: SEA SWEPT is the first book in the Chesapeake Bay Saga.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: A Princess in Theory

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Review: A Princess in TheoryA Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals, #1) by Alyssa Cole
Series: Reluctant Royals #1
Published by Avon on February 27th 2018
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 384
Goodreads
two-stars

FINAL DECISION: I wanted to love this book, unfortunately, I didn’t even end up liking it very much. A woman in a STEM field taking care of herself and finding herself the missing fiance of a Prince who comes to find her. Great concept, but I ended up finding the book too stilted and sterile. I wanted more emotional drama or more humor, but ended up with just plot.

THE STORY: Naledi Smith is working hard towards her career goals and doesn’t have time for spam emails claiming that she is betrothed to a prince. When Prince Thabiso arrives in person to claim the woman who is supposed to be his bride, Naledi mistakes him for the new help. Intrigued by the idea of living a “normal” life, Thabiso gets to know the woman who is supposed to be his bride, but is definitely the woman with whom he shares an incredible attraction.

OPINION: I was incredibly disappointed in this book because it seemed exactly like a book I would love. Just about everything in the setup is fantastic. A woman working in science struggling to make her own life for herself and finding herself in a “Cinderella style” story of being betrothed to a prince.

Unfortunately, there was too much exposition and plot in this book for me. I wanted more passion and more character. I never connected emotionally with these characters and their relationship. There was lots of explanation and story, but it didn’t grab me like I expected or wanted. I kept losing the threads of the story which drained my interest and I also kept seeing holes in the story. Now I will often forgive those in character driven stories, but here the focus on the plot made me focus on the questions I had.

I really did like that Naledi is incredibly strong and independent and there is quite a bit of humor in the story. There are also some interesting secondary characters who might be getting their own books. I will give this series another chance.

WORTH MENTIONING: Having Naledi working to make a career in epidemiology and struggling with multiple jobs to reach her goals was the best setup part in this book. I would like to see more women heroines in STEM careers.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A PRINCESS IN THEORY is the first book in the Reluctant Royals series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 2 stars.

two-stars

Review: On His Knees

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Review: On His KneesOn His Knees (Blasphemy #4) by Laura Kaye
Series: Blasphemy #4
on February 13th 2018
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: For a short novella, this one was surprisingly good. I enjoyed how the relationship between Jamie and Alex develops. The ending where a crisis requires a dramatic gesture, this one was emotional and dramatic. My only negative was that I didn’t get to know Alex enough as a character.

THE STORY: Attorney Jamie Fielding is at a crossroads in his life. A series of failed and unfulfilling relationships send him on a personal journey to challenge his own notions of his sexuality and sexual needs. He makes his way to the sex club Blasphemy where he meets Alex McGarrey who is one of the dominant masters of the club who also is a sadist. Alex feels a pull towards Jamie when they meet, but Alex doesn’t intend to take on someone who is just investigating being an masochist and bisexual. But there is something about Jamie and Alex just can’t resist.

OPINION: This was a book that I enjoyed more and more as it progressed. I worried that I would not be able to see how Jamie who is totally new to both masochism and bisexuality would work with the more experienced and jaded Alex. But something just clicked between these two. Their encounters are definitely on the more extreme side but there is a undercurrent of consent and respect that works better here than perhaps in any of the other books in this series.

I felt an understanding and connection with Jamie whose personal journey is central to the story. Alex’s character remains more elusive. When there is a dramatic problem towards the end of the book, I didn’t feel enough understanding of Alex’s character to feel connected to his reaction. Intellectually I understood, but there were deeper issues that I didn’t feel were fully explored.

While this book is beautifully crafted as a novella, I think that a longer book would have explored Alex’s backstory more and give better insight to his character. But that is a quibble in what is a very enjoyable read.

For fans of Kaye’s Hard Ink series there is even a cameo by a character that jump starts Jamie’s personal journey.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a m/m romance.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ON HIS KNEES is the fourth book in the Blasphemy series. These books are connected by the club and small appearances by others, but each book is independent and can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: More Than Love You

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Review: More Than Love YouMore Than Love You (More Than Words, #3) by Shayla Black
Series: More Than Words #3
Published by Shelley Bradley, LLC on February 13th 2018
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“I had no idea when I purchased my dream home that it would come with the woman straight out of my fantasies.”

FINAL DECISION: My favorite of the series. This one is hot, hot, hot. And perhaps because the character with the secrets and pain (Harlow) isn’t the narrator this time, I can understand why the character who is treated badly sometimes (Noah) stays in the relationship. Noah’s dedication and caring for Harlow is a highlight.

THE STORY: Noah Weston is transitioning from famous quarterback to retired player and arrives in Hawaii trying to decide whether or not to take a job as a commentator.. Harlow Reed is looking for fantastic sex after ending her engagement in a public manner. The two agree to a three month arrangement…but things get complicated.

OPINION: I quite enjoyed this book because although Harlow is often distant and difficult to understand, it feels like the reversal of the typical romance where the heroine is trying to understand the distant and hurt hero.

Harlow, like her brothers, is hiding a tremendous amount of pain and hurt from her childhood (her parents are terrible people). She is, however, a funny and sexy and strong woman who who has overcome much but doesn’t recognize that she deserves more than she is allowing herself.

I really liked Noah who quickly recognizes that Harlow is special to him but has to find a way to keep her from running from him. Harlow clearly fears intimacy and will take any opportunity to flee.

This book is sexy (very sexy) and yet has a sweet undertone to the relationship between Harlow and Noah. There is darkness here, but it isn’t overwhelming in the tone of the book.

WORTH MENTIONING: Book told in first person (primarily from the hero’s point of view).

CONNECTED BOOKS: MORE THAN LOVE YOU is the third book in the More Than Words series. While this book can be read as a standalone since the couple is separate from the other books, there are overlapping characters.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via the author in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

four-half-stars

Review: Starlight Nights

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Review: Starlight NightsStarlight Nights by Stacey Kade
Published by Forge on January 9th 2018
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 384
Goodreads
five-stars

“I’d never understood why people called it ‘falling’ in love. You either love someone or you don’t, like an on/off switch. End of story. But in that second, I get it. Because suddenly it’s not the floor tilting anymore, it’s my whole world. And I’m sliding helplessly toward feelings that are way bigger than I am.”

FINAL DECISION: Choices, mistakes, second chances. Calista and Eric do not have an easy uncomplicated path to one another and I loved it. They are flawed and struggling and they don’t figure everything out by the end of the book and that was perfectly okay with me. I loved this book almost as much as 738 DAYS.

THE STORY: Calista Beckett has lived a lot in her twenty-three years. After a wildly successful stint as a teenager on the show Starlight, she fell into a heroine addiction. Now sober, she is trying to build a new life for herself as a student at a midwestern college. Eric Stone comes back into her life wanting her to star in his new web series based on a book that Calista loves. Eric played Calista’s brother in Starlight but there has been something between them since Eric gave Calista her first kiss at her audition for Starlight. She fell in love with him that day but their relationship has ended up giving her nothing but pain.

OPINION: Sometimes books and characters just capture my attention despite flaws that might otherwise make me dislike them. Eric and Calista are definitely flawed characters. Their romance is rocky and before the epilogue, I was barely convinced that they would be able to overcome the years of mistakes that they had made with one another.

For people so young, history weighs heavily on these two. This book is all about second chances. About how choices and mistakes can overwhelm and how love is not always something positive. Yet by the end of this book, I felt the distance the characters had traveled and the welcome epilogue shows that they finally found a way to deal with one another in a positive affirming manner.

Calista is a young woman who has already made many mistakes and is threatened by an overbearing mother who uses her love to keep her under her thumb. Calista has become the breadwinner for her family and the mother is desperate to keep things together. Torn between wanting to live her own life and her responsibilities to her mother and sisters, Calista has to learn to assert herself even when she will disappoint others.

Eric also has family problems. Abandoned by his mother, dealing with a father who wants to control and crush him, Eric struggles with abandonment issues. These are a pair that seem destined to be at cross purposes: Calista fears control; Eric fears loss.

These characters are flawed and make very human mistakes. They backslide. They succumb to their fears and the easy way out. They are definitely not perfect. Some readers might find this a difficult read because the flaws and failures of these characters are on full display. They struggle and sometimes flail in their relationship with one another and with others. Yet this is the very reason that I ended up loving this book. The journey of these characters gave me a sense of their accomplishment by the end of the book.

As I began this book, I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to like these characters. Eric, especially, seemed at times arrogant and a jerk; Calista seemed weak. But as I got to see these characters change and fail and succeed and determine their path, I found myself liking not only them but the possibilities of their relationship.

This is a book that will be on my keeper shelf and along with 738 DAYS be one that I will revisit again and again.

 

WORTH MENTIONING: For fans of 738 DAYS, the epilogue of this book is definitely worth reading.

CONNECTED BOOKS: STARLIGHT NIGHTS is the sequel to 738 DAYS. It is not necessary to read that book first as this operates as a standalone. However, readers of 738 DAYS will get to see what is going on with Amanda and Chase.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

five-stars