Review: Uncommon Passion by Anne Calhoun

5 very big stars.  After I finished Uncommon Passion, I sat with a stupid grin on my face for a few moments before logging onto B&N and putting a reserve on Unforgiven. While, okay, it's only the beginning of August, this is my second favorite book of 2013. It's Written in Red by Anne Bishop, Uncommon Passion, and then Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh. Yes, it bumped Nalini. The heroine, Rachel, she is the type of heroine that I want to be. She has the courage to break away from everything she's ever known, the compassion to keep reaching out to her father and the hero (Ben), and the self-respect to walk away when Ben is unwilling to meet her halfway. Ben is a police/SWAT officer who's running from his past and chasing adrenaline thrills to distract himself from the emptiness inside. He thinks that teaching a virgin about sex is something new to break the ennui he's been experiencing, but Rachel knocks him on his ass. She doesn't offer him ultimatums or ask him to go beyond the rules he's set out, but rather, Rachel, by simply accepting Ben, makes Ben want to be better than he is. He tentatively starts to examine his issues because she makes him believe that there is more to life than emptiness. The writing was amazing. Calhoun made the smart call of keeping the book's time frame focused on the weekends, at least at the beginning. So we get the sense of time passing, we can see how their relationship develops, slowly and in a burst of passionate fire, without a lot of exposition dragging down the pace. By the end of the book, there was no doubt in my mind that these two belonged together and that they were going to live happily ever after. The sex scenes were hot and yet Calhoun managed to keep the reader emotionally connected as well. At the second-to-last sex scene, I was right there with Rachel as on one level, she enjoyed herself, and on another other, she figured out the psychology behind Ben's actions. My favorite of the book has to be the end. We all know that I love a book that shows the characters making smart, self-aware, decisions, and Uncommon Passion delivers on that with a vengeance. When Ben starts getting himself together, he doesn't rush over to Rachel and be all, 'you were absolutely right, I need to change. Let's get back together!' No, instead, he acknowledges that he's f-ed up and that he needs to get himself straight before he can be a worthy partner for her. When he and Rachel finally do re-connect, it's like a new beginning. They don't jump right back into bed. They date. There's coffee and long conversations and all the getting-to-know-yous that they didn't do the first time around. They love each other and for the sake of that love, they take the time to do their relationship right. I'm getting teary just thinking about it. Long-time followers probably have guessed that I'm quite the speedy reader and, due to the whole anti-delayed-gratification that I have going on, it's rare that I savor a book. Yet with Uncommon Passion, I took breaks. I didn't want it to end too soon. I haven't even started a new book yet, I'm not ready to say goodbye. I hate that this is going to be a trade paperback because I want to tell y'all to run out and pre-order it. So email your public libraries, and tell them to add it to the collection, but if you're going to splurge on one book next month, make it this one.

Review: Drawn Together by Lauren Dane

4 stars.

Snagged from NetGalley.

Sometimes I'm surprised Berkley still gives me stuff because I'm the crazy chick who can't wait until closer to the review date to read the ARC and then, when I finish it, I must post ASAP. Clearly I am a publicist's worst nightmare.

In deference to their nerves, I will not say that while I found the pacing a bit slow and the twist made me go, 'wait, what?', I thought it was a great addition to the series and I'm pretty sure this is my favorite after Never Enough (I love that book...I should dig out my copy and re-read it). Instead, I will say that you need to read the following books before you start Drawn Together: Laid Bare, Coming Undone, and the novella "Sway," found in Cherished. The novella is particularly important because the hero of Drawn is the brother of the hero in "Sway." It would also help to read Never Enough, but it's not strictly necessary (you should, though, because it's awesome).

I'm also going to share with you the dedication of the book because I thought it was really sweet, and I was very excited by the second paragraph. To be on the safe side, I'll white it out (highlight to see), but there's nothing about Drawn Together specifically.

Dedication of Drawn Together:


"Ever since Erin first came onto the page in Laid Bare, I've had so much love for this group of family-- intentional and biological. The Brown Family novels have been a joy to write and I'm very grateful readers have enjoyed them so much. 

I'll be back at some point because I can't really imagine being totally done with these folks. After all, there's a whole new generation of artists and rockers coming up. 

In the meantime, this one is for the readers who've made this series possible--especially for those of you who've understood that despite her crusty exterior, Raven was worthy of her happily ever after."


I didn't know until I read that second paragraph that I want Miles's book with a burning passion. Like, he's the oldest and his book should come first. Or, Lord, can you imagine what Alexander might be like when he grows up? Dayum.

Review: Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi

Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Snagged from NetGalley.

When I first started reading this, I intended to just peruse the first chapter or so. I ended up getting sucked in and I read much longer than I intended to, much to the detriment of my schedule. The characters were wonderful and I loved the look at what it's like to live in a farming town. While my family line hails back to the days when the Island was mostly farmland, and one branch actually still operates a farm out east, my branch of the family is firmly rooted in suburbia. All the women in my family have windowsill gardens, but nothing to the scale that would require a harvest, so I was fascinated by the idea that this entire town would shut down to help harvest wheat.

However, it must be said that, while I've shelved this as contemporary romance, it's really not. There's actually not much plot at all. It's like a leisurely look at the inner workings of a small town. The focus on the relationship was erratic and I didn't feel it was ever really resolved. Indeed, the minute we were supposed to get the romantic payoff, the book faded to black and the next bit was the epilogue. I was very disappointed.

So if you're looking for a wonderful setting book, along the lines of Billie Letts or Fried Green Tomatoes, check out Love Overdue. Otherwise, you may want to give it a pass.

Review: Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton

Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



3.5 stars.

This was repetitive as hell. Not just within Affliction itself, but the series as a whole. How many times is Anita going to angst about the fact she kills so easily, bemoans Asher's pissiness, or go head to head with various law enforcement about her personal life? There were also moments when I felt like Hamilton herself was speaking rather than Anita and once or twice I was like, 'well, that's convenient.'

However, if someone had wielded an editing pen ruthlessly and cut the dead weight, this would've been a five star book for me. We learn more about Micah's past, there was an actual mystery to be solved, and there were less than four sex scenes. The overall series plot advanced a bit and the supporting characters were mostly great. What really sealed the deal for me was the introduction of Marshall Hatfield.

I want Hatfield to get a spin-off series. I want to leave Anita behind with all her drama and get back to the purity of the earlier books. Hatfield starts off as a typical Hamilton female supporting human character (Shifters are usually exempt from being positioned as antagonists, but female vampires will likely also be 'against' Anita), who has major problems with Anita and her lifestyle, and is generally a character you're willing to see die. But then, then, Hamilton does something I don't think she's ever done for a female supporting character before and actually redeems Hatfield. From Chapter 55 onwards, Hatfield is dedicated, determined to atone for her earlier behavior after a massive screw-up. I'm going to put a spoiler-ish quote. It's an exchange between Edward, Anita, and Hatfield, and this was the point that I decided Hatfield needed a book of her own.

"If there’s anyone, or anything, that can help me do my job better, I’m all for it. I got those people killed last night. I can’t bring them back, but I can get better and not do it again." 

"You didn’t kill them, Hatfield," I said. 

"Neither of you would have stored the body parts in the morgue of a hospital. If either of you had been in charge last night, all five victims from last night would be alive now. Tell me how my ignorance didn’t cost them their lives."

I didn’t know how to answer her. 

"We all make mistakes until we know better," Edward said.

"Exactly, and I’m going to follow you both around like your fucking shadows and learn all I can before you leave."

I think it takes guts to admit when you make a mistake, especially one that colossal, and true strength to go to such extremes to learn from it. I was very disappointed when Hatfield went off-screen before the climax and I seriously hope Hamilton finds a way to bring her back. This series needs another positive female role besides Anita.

Oh, just as a FYI, there are cannibalistic zombies here, but most of the people-eating was suggested rather than on-screen and despite my squickiness in this area, I was okay with it. In addition, there's a sex scene where Nathaniel and Nicky use breath play on Anita. It's all consensual, but I had a bit of a hard time with the underlying violence of it, especially when Nicky says he loves seeing Anita's face 'change colors.' *shivers* Another hard line to add to my list.

Review: Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Snagged from NetGalley.

I really liked the heroine of this one. She was different than most new adult heroines, as she was harder, more determined, and even stronger in a way. Kacey went through a horrific event and emerged with steel within her. I could actually relate to her and I saw a few pieces of myself on the page.

The hero, on the other hand, meh. Don't get me wrong, the tension between Trent and Kacey was palpable, but I knew from the blurb inside the book, the line about 'one explosive secret,' that Trent was somehow involved in the car crash. Knowing that, I felt like I was just biding my time, waiting for the grand reveal. However, I definitely didn't figure on him being quite so...troubled. Both characters are supposed to have PTSD and maybe I just empathized better with Kacey because I rather felt Trent checked out of the mental hospital too soon. Don't get me wrong, I do feel like Tucker did a good job of portraying the treatment of mental illness as an ongoing process. I think what it basically boils down to is that I can understand why Trent wanted to be with Kacey, but I didn't get why Kacey wanted to be with Trent.

The supporting characters were excellent. I always prefer it when an author chooses to focus on a few select supporting characters, allowing them to be full-fledged people rather than just scenery props, and she does the job admirably with Livie, Ben, Storm, and Storm's daughter.

I would recommend this to people looking for a slightly meatier and more complex On Dublin Street.

Review: The Girl's Guide to (Man)Hunting by Jessica Clare

The Girl's Guide to (Man)Hunting by Jessica Clare

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



A librarian heroine and an ex-NFLer hero? Woohoo!, I thought.

Not so much.

This might be a bit of a personal preference thing because I kinda found their relationship a little, um, icky. I mean, who the hell sleeps with a guy that you think, basically, performed a sexually charged action against you without your consent? And maybe it's because I've lived in suburbia all my life, but I can't believe an entire town is blaming for the victim for what was, in essence, child pornography. She was a minor. Okay, I went back to double-check and the author makes it a point of saying it's the heroine's freaking birthday and so she was eighteen when the photos were taken. Still. Even if I'm going to accept the fact that the police were like, 'eh, you asked for it,' (let's face it, it's possible) why the hell didn't the heroine just email the hero & be like, 'Bastard, take down the pictures!'? Why didn't he email her if he was trying to contact her? Clearly the internet existed back then if the photos were uploaded.

I ended up skipping over most of the sex scenes, not because of their lack of hotness, but because I just couldn't deal with the inequality of their relationship. First, I felt like she was paying him for sex because the book was all 'two grand for the class, yadda, yadda' and it was clear that the heroine was only doing it for the possibility of sex and revenge. Then, once we learn that the hero has no idea about the pictures, I felt bad for him because he has no idea that the heroine is perpetrating a major deceit with the goal of sexually exploiting him.

Furthermore, when the photos were actually taken down, I felt like the consequences should've been a lot more severe. Being recorded without consent is creepy and if it's sexually explicit, it's wrong. To go a step further and distribute it, well, I'm on my work computer so I can't exactly Google 'posting naked photographs without subject's knowledge legality,' but I'm pretty sure it's illegal. Male or female, no one has the right to do something sexually explicit to you without your permission. No matter how you slice it, it's a form of rape.

If I pretend that the heroine is mad at the hero because of some run-of-the-mill misunderstanding, The Girl's Guide to (Man)Hunting would have been three stars until they got out of the woods, at which point it would've gone up to four stars. It's obvious who the other couples will be and I might read the next book if I ever see it at the library. So if you think I'm taking the 'naked photos on the internet' too seriously and you liked Molly O'Keefe's books, you may enjoy Girl's Guide. If you agree with me, then skip it.

Review: Down London Road by Samantha Young

Down London Road by Samantha Young

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I was actually not a huge fan, personally speaking, of On Dublin Street, mostly because I didn't like the heroine. As a result, I put off reading Down London Road.

However, I loved Down London Road, mostly because I felt it was on the realistic side of things. Every time I started to roll my eyes or be like 'really?', the characters would stop and reconsider their actions. They acted like adults, mature adults. This isn't to say that they didn't make mistakes or do boneheaded things, but the way Young wrote it, you understood why they were behaving this way and it seemed very natural.

What made the book even more fascinating to me is that nothing extraordinary happens. There was no mystery stalker or sudden windfall. This really is just a story about two people, one rather messed up (Jo the heroine), falling in love. The instant attraction, the getting to know yous, finally getting together, the inevitable first fight, that make or break moment, and then the certainty of being in love. As a result, the pacing reflects the slow growth of the relationship between Jo and the hero, Cam.

Joss and Braden also returned. I don't know if it was because of my original dislike for her, but Joss felt like a completely different character to me. She was sharp and sarcastic, and I liked her much, much better. Braden also got a chance to flex his alpha muscles. In addition, Young introduces Jo's younger brother, Cole, who's just an all-round awesome kid, albeit one who should really look into therapy at some point. Other new characters include Olivia, Jo's cousin, and Nate, Cam's best friend. These two will be the main couple of book three, Before Jamaica Lane, and Young very subtly laid the groundwork for them in London Road. Like, I had an inkling, but I couldn't be sure until I saw the posting on her blog.

It should be clear by now that I loved this one and I definitely recommend it, but I do have a caveat: if you're looking for a book that's exactly like On Dublin Road, you're going to be disappointed by Down London Road. Despite the cameos made by the previous characters, London Road really stands alone and that's how you should approach it. If you go in with a negative opinion about Jo and the kind of relationships she had prior to Cam, you're not going to like it as much as I did.