tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4018005292916050342024-03-06T00:51:03.872+01:00Rarely Dusty BooksRomance Reviews - A dirty book is rarely dustyJannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08097232237827106033noreply@blogger.comBlogger674125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-51526890467925908672014-04-03T17:59:00.000+02:002014-04-21T15:19:14.279+02:00Motorcycle club crack: Cole by Megan O'BrienLately I have this new guilty pleasure: reading MC biker romance stories. It started with watching <i>Sons of Anarchy</i> of course, followed by reading some Kristen Ashley novels and from there on I lost control. I’ve now read quite a few different stories and bought even more. <br />
My latest read in this genre is <i>Cole</i> by Megan O’Brien. It’s one that is far less gritty and much tamer than most of the MC stories so far. <br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>The blurb:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWP-TMA9g6reQa59WerJs47YUQOj5VaGm3bDQzQYrO2uZ-AHd-J7bs5sYXEUHntG58QuwPOPkDsxA_YyaRjackahm2IkbxLTnXF_VxWmsj3Fe0ZRQeaLrC64ICm1dg57jtOXoiK_vEvY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqWP-TMA9g6reQa59WerJs47YUQOj5VaGm3bDQzQYrO2uZ-AHd-J7bs5sYXEUHntG58QuwPOPkDsxA_YyaRjackahm2IkbxLTnXF_VxWmsj3Fe0ZRQeaLrC64ICm1dg57jtOXoiK_vEvY/s1600/1.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><i><span style="font-size: small;">For eight years I’d been content with my quiet life. I was safe in the bubble I’d built for myself. But I wasn’t really living.<br />Until one chance encounter changed it all.<br />Scarlet Malone has lived quietly for years hiding from her past. Aside from her best friend Kat she doesn’t allow herself to get close to anyone. Then Cole Jackson, Vice President of The Knights MC comes bursting into her life with his gorgeous eyes and fierce determination to have her in his bed and his life.<br />Scarlet’s letting her walls down for the first time in her life. Could Cole really be her happily ever after?</span></i></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #351c75;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">When Scarlet’s past becomes their present will she run to protect those she loves? Or can she trust in Cole to protect her life and her heart?</span></i></span></blockquote>
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I did enjoy this novel, although it did have some serious flaws too. For me the most important minus was that it couldn’t hold my attention throughout the whole narrative due to some dips in pacing and the suspense arc. The suspense consists of an ex boyfriend causing some serious trouble for the heroine, Scarlet. A few weak attempts are made to hurt her, which lacked some real suspense in my opinion. This arc was alternated with the romantic development between Scarlet and Cole, which had its moments. And then there were periods that nothing much happened at all. Overall, there were too many parts in the novel without any tension of some sort at all.<br />
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Another minus is that Scarlet is the sole narrator and has as such the habit of summarizing the story with phrases like "the next couple of weeks nothing much happened" or "A few quiet days followed after this or that incident". I find this kind of storytelling annoying when it happens too often. Especially towards the end it occurred more frequently.<br />
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Furthermore, a few twists and turns in the plot made me raise my eyebrows a couple of times, because I’m not a big fan of insta-love or of lust burning so hot it makes the use of condoms superfluous (with its obvious consequences), or of TSTL actions from the heroine. <br />
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What I did like most was the hero’s growly, possessive alpha goodness I’m afraid. I never would tolerate that kind of behavior from my lover (of course) but it makes me weak in the knees when a fictional man acts like a big commanding alpha biker. Cole is sexy like that and yet he has a kind heart. Although I must say that he stays a bit two dimensional perhaps, he is a hero to fall in lust with nonetheless. I hope to see more of him and Scarlet in the second book in this series, which will be about Kat and Sal, both friends from the heroine and hero of this first installment. <br />
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Overall, this was not a bad read. <b>3 stars</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-86306672742056678862014-03-18T20:54:00.000+01:002014-04-03T17:59:51.075+02:00Freshly Found M/M Author: Darien CoxI've been struggling with my love for m/m books for a while now, and have been reading more m/f romance for that reason too, but every now and then I try another m/m book again. Hoping to find what I loved about the genre once more. Last week I tried a book from a completely unknown author to me: <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>Guys on Top</i> by Darien Cox</b></span>. It was discussed by Amy and Jen at <a href="http://fictionvixen.com/amy-jen-guys-top-darien-cox/" target="_blank">Fiction Vixen</a> and it piqued my interest because of the ménage that's not a ménage premise. <br />
Reading this book accomplished what not many m/m books could lately: I couldn't put it down!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XdIgVQJzOpg/UyiiHsEXSWI/AAAAAAAAEF8/14MJoajuBhk/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XdIgVQJzOpg/UyiiHsEXSWI/AAAAAAAAEF8/14MJoajuBhk/s1600/1.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="color: #351c75;"><i>Doug Crandall’s perfect suburban life imploded after his boyfriend’s betrayal and a subsequent lawsuit left him personally and financially devastated. A year later, with a new place in the city and a fresh outlook, he’s back on his feet and ready to start over. Eager to lose his cynicism and heal his battered heart, he immerses himself in the local social scene, which includes a pair of charismatic men engaged in an open relationship. As Doug finds himself becoming emotionally and sexually entangled in their lives, he’s forced to reevaluate his views on fidelity, betrayal, love, and the often calamitous price of happiness.</i></span></blockquote>
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It's not only the characters that I loved, because they felt so real, but I also liked the fluent writing style, the dialogues, the heat of the building anticipation before every sex scene, the secondary characters, the conflict, how emotions are conveyed, the three dimensionality of it all and the pace and development of the plot. It did have some flaws too, but they didn't bother me much due to the strong storytelling. The author had me invested in his characters from the first pages on and I wanted to know what happened next until the last page.<br />
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After that I wanted to read another one of his books and I picked <span style="color: #351c75;"><i><b>Criminal Pleasures</b></i></span>, which was again a wonderful read. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f4kHSYZh_i4/UyiiXUaKKhI/AAAAAAAAEGA/4wxHq1NUpDA/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f4kHSYZh_i4/UyiiXUaKKhI/AAAAAAAAEGA/4wxHq1NUpDA/s1600/2.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="color: #351c75;"><i>When young attorney Brendan Burke opens his first law practice in a new city, he knows things are about to change in his life—though he never expected one of those things to be his sexual orientation. But when he meets Marcello, a sexy and mysterious stranger working at a restaurant in Providence’s Little Italy, he can’t fight his compulsion to pursue him. But while Marcello is willing to let Brendan into his bedroom, he’s stubbornly elusive about his past and his family. Fixated on discovering the truth, Brendan’s passion for Marcello turns out to be far more dangerous than he ever anticipated.</i></span></blockquote>
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I especially loved the plot twists and the mystery in this one, but the sex was as hot, if not hotter, than in <span style="color: #351c75;"><i><b>Guys on Top</b></i></span> without ever becoming boring. Maybe that was thanks to one of the main characters being inexperienced with gay sex, but also due to the sexy dirty talking for sure! Whew! Again, this book brought lifelike characters and a real (not necessarily realistic) setting and string of events to me, which I gobbled up in almost one sitting. And once more the flaws this story had didn't show themselves until after I finished the book because I was too engrossed to notice them while reading.<br />
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These books have brought me some entertaining hours with my old love, m/m romance. Just what I needed to keep faith in that love. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-11034372514703078052014-03-11T13:29:00.002+01:002014-03-18T20:55:26.970+01:00A Sign of Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lKTLSckTwoM/Ux7_lMO7QrI/AAAAAAAAEFo/wAo16d4TVkk/s1600/SIGN-OF-LIFE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lKTLSckTwoM/Ux7_lMO7QrI/AAAAAAAAEFo/wAo16d4TVkk/s1600/SIGN-OF-LIFE.jpg" height="261" width="400" /></a></div>
It's been quite a while since my last blog post. The reason is that I was sort of suffering from a blogger burn out. It had become quite difficult to keep up with my reading and review obligations. At first it was mostly because of an increase of other activities in my personal life: I not only work full time but I also decided last year to go back to school. I’m studying Communication and Multimedia Design, and it’s been putting quite a strain on my spare time, as you can imagine. While I didn’t want my social life to suffer too much from all that, there was nearly no time left to read and write reviews. <br />
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On top of that I had to come to terms with the loss of a dear person whom I admired. The mourning process spiraled me down into some serious doubts about my life and my choices. It was a tough period in which existential questions dominated my mood pretty much all the time. The only reason that I still kept reading was to escape from the pain and the self-research. I’m thankful for the books that had the ability to make me forget for a short period. But writing reviews just wasn’t going too well.<br />
I’m doing much better now. Doing fun stuff with friends and having good conversations with a few others and my husband helped me to get my head sorted. I’m done with being depressed; it’s time for smiles again. Last week hubs and I went to Lisbon, the sunny capitol of Portugal, and now I’m ready for the spring to begin. <br />
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As for blogging: I noticed that I wasn’t the only one who dealt with some variation of blogger burn out. Quite some blogs and websites I used to visit did throw in the towel and either went on a hiatus or did quit all together (like Brief Encounters, Booklovers Inc and Jessewave) and others don’t blog as frequently as they used to do anymore. It’s sad, but understandable. And it’s not a new phenomenon either; it has been like this ever since I started blogging back in 2009. I’ve seen many bloggers throw in the towel over the years.<br />
I also noticed that I’m not the only one who doesn’t read exclusively M/M novels anymore, I see quite some (Goodreads) friends mixing M/M with M/F romance or other genres now too. The M/M genre couldn’t hold my attention as it used to anymore. I still read M/M books but only the ones that really pique my interest or that are written by my favorite authors.<br />
I’m not sure how I’m going to handle this blog yet; I don’t want to go back to the weekly reviews, but I do miss blogging. I just don’t want the full email inbox that comes with the review activity returning. And I don’t want the review copies piling up again. So for now, I keep reading the books that I buy and when I feel like it I might write about one or two on the blog, without the pressure that comes with accepting review copies. I’m not sure if this will work for me, I’m probably too lazy without the obligation to write about a book, but we’ll see.<br />
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To conclude this post with something more bookish, here are a few books that I look forward to reading:<br />
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Of course, <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>Ball & Chain</i> by Abigail Roux</b></span>, the 8th Ty and Zane book! Need I say more?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0tMmaPGVyw/Ux72zPIiR7I/AAAAAAAAEEw/Ruxwx3-ZfGk/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0tMmaPGVyw/Ux72zPIiR7I/AAAAAAAAEEw/Ruxwx3-ZfGk/s1600/1.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17736067-ball-chain" target="_blank">Goodreads link</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To satisfy my Motorcycle Club romance obsession, the <span style="color: #351c75;"><b>anthology <i>Riding Desire</i></b></span> with 14 alpha bad boy biker romances:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f3dWf8b5SFU/Ux724jhsMzI/AAAAAAAAEE8/7zirqQREwPg/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f3dWf8b5SFU/Ux724jhsMzI/AAAAAAAAEE8/7zirqQREwPg/s1600/6.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20643897-riding-desire" target="_blank">Goodreads link</a></td></tr>
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Two of my favorite M/M authors come with a new title in March: <b><span style="color: #351c75;">Marie Sexton with </span><i><span style="color: #351c75;">Normal</span> <span style="color: #351c75;">Enough</span></i></b> and <span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Rhys Ford with <i>Dirty Deeds</i></b></span>, the 4th book in her Cole McGinnis series:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-54bynbuNvBY/Ux73DDZ-eLI/AAAAAAAAEFA/KicUWXoVugs/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-54bynbuNvBY/Ux73DDZ-eLI/AAAAAAAAEFA/KicUWXoVugs/s1600/2.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20803150-normal-enough" target="_blank">Goodreads link</a></td></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsJINIp1T4gVujU-mEWyizJiX0I-1DsXZIaloJEZagM28dJmsPy1DAP2VeHpM-OvtHGIESHNWJxLuXqhLjcJuDWJy7iZg62D8SYCicCYzeVzQ2teLZiLZY0HpOAMs2JFQNEn4d0d6XKA/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsJINIp1T4gVujU-mEWyizJiX0I-1DsXZIaloJEZagM28dJmsPy1DAP2VeHpM-OvtHGIESHNWJxLuXqhLjcJuDWJy7iZg62D8SYCicCYzeVzQ2teLZiLZY0HpOAMs2JFQNEn4d0d6XKA/s1600/3.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20345930-dirty-deeds" target="_blank">Goodreads link</a></td></tr>
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Then a M/F romance that piqued my interest because of the darkness and scarred hero: <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>Destroyed</i> by Pepper Winters</b></span>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8s4KOx1RH0E/Ux73Me-VkjI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/Vjf33KyYUr4/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8s4KOx1RH0E/Ux73Me-VkjI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/Vjf33KyYUr4/s1600/5.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20324107-destroyed?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads link</a></td></tr>
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And last but not least, a military romance from one of my favorite M/F authors: <span style="color: #351c75;"><b><i>Danger Close</i> by Kaylea Cross</b></span>, the 4th in her Bagram Special Ops series (release date April 1):<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlXWx4QuE-ofTh4r-Apwapl3WRRiuC6wt2Y3F9KAMdbfFRjfMJ2erxlWeEXwhDIJSyCPYplYUcLbqpOlpJFNC-EgHJ491ChN_3nCWtHunKeQZ6VuHZDx2NT1dt7Ao3Blpvrpu4CEc2zY/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlXWx4QuE-ofTh4r-Apwapl3WRRiuC6wt2Y3F9KAMdbfFRjfMJ2erxlWeEXwhDIJSyCPYplYUcLbqpOlpJFNC-EgHJ491ChN_3nCWtHunKeQZ6VuHZDx2NT1dt7Ao3Blpvrpu4CEc2zY/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20942502-danger-close" target="_blank">Goodreads link</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><br /></a>
<img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" />Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-717477341398144382013-11-19T22:56:00.000+01:002013-12-19T22:29:25.682+01:00Lis’ Review of Wild Magic by Poppy Dennison <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwUyC64mqmw/UoveKCFxQoI/AAAAAAAAEDk/AQipzLS5r90/s1600/Wild+Magic+by+Poppy+Dennison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwUyC64mqmw/UoveKCFxQoI/AAAAAAAAEDk/AQipzLS5r90/s320/Wild+Magic+by+Poppy+Dennison.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Poppy Dennison </b></div>
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<b><i> Wild Magic </i></b>(Triad, #4)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dreamspinner Press, September 25, 2013 | 108 pages </span>
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<a href="http://www.poppydennison.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18372562-wild-magic?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4209" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Joseph Anderson was heartbroken when his childhood best friend Dominick Levent moved away. Years later, Joseph is a successful real estate broker with good friends, an easy smile, and a stunning house. When he finds a dying mountain lion who miraculously shifts into Dominick’s sister, Joseph must find Dominick and reunite him with the two young sons she left behind.
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<span style="font-size: small;">When mountain lion shifter Dominick gets a call telling him his sister is dead, he rushes home to protect his nephews and avenge his sister. Seeing Joseph brings back the feelings Dominick tried to bury and he dares to hope Joseph’s newfound knowledge of shifters means they can finally be together.</span>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
M/M Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Triad, Shapeshifters, Were-Animals, Magic, Mages, Mates, Pack, Kids
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 3 out of 3 flames<br />
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<b style="color: #674ea7;">Reviewed by <a href="http://twitter.com/ReviewerLarissa" target="_blank"> Lis/Larissa</a>: </b>
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Everyone knows I love a good Poppy Dennison book and so far this author has not disappointed me. While I didn’t think <i>Wild Magic</i> had the ‘oompf” that the previous three <b>Triad</b> books had, it certainly didn’t disappoint. <i>Wild Magic</i> can, sort of, be read as a stand-alone, but it’s highly recommended to read the previous installments.
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The book is not overly long, but a lot happens in a short period of time and I thought it was well handled as the story carries the somewhat heavier theme of kids dealing with the loss of their parents. It wasn’t glossed over in favor of the romance between Dominick and Joseph, which is admittedly both hot and very frustrating. There were a few times when I wanted to stick the two in a closet and lock the door so they had no other option but talk to each other. Or have them actually shout at each other!
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In a way, this book deals with the aftermath of the previous books, as Riley’s storyline is very much tied in with that of Avery and Blake and it was fun to see the kids together and interacting with grown-ups.
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As always, the characterization in the story was well done. Every character is their own person and not a stereotype. It was nice to see Dominick not automatically become the perfect parent. In fact, while he is a highly likeable character he is most certainly not perfect. He makes mistakes, in the past with Joseph and in the present. While practical, he does panic easily. Joseph, on the other hand, is much calmer and levelheaded. He thinks things through. It was sweet to see them work together.
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So why did the story not have the ‘oompf’ of the previous stories? It might be the lack of action, though that didn’t quite bother me much. The previous books - while not action-packed - did contain scenes with fighting or magic or conflict. <i>Wild Magic</i> has little of that. The lack of action is not so much worrisome, but the lack of conflict did bother me a little as the problems never really become problems and the conflict never really becomes a conflict. Everything is easily and calmly resolved and the story ends on a happy note.
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It certainly makes a nice change from the more dramatic stories with dark themes, but at the same time <i>Wild Magic</i> misses a little kick.
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Overall, <i>Wild Magic</i> is a recommendable installment of the <b>Triad</b> series and I hope there will be more of our favorite pack! <br />
~
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Reviews of previous books:</b></span><br />
#1 <a href="http://www.rarelydustybooks.com/2012/07/lis-review-mind-magic-by-poppy-dennison.html" target="_blank">Mind Magic</a><br />
#2 <a href="http://www.rarelydustybooks.com/2013/02/lis-review-body-magic-by-poppy-dennison.html" target="_blank">Body Magic</a><br />
#3 <a href="http://www.rarelydustybooks.com/2013/05/lis-review-of-soul-magic-by-poppy.html" target="_blank">Soul Magic</a><br />
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<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Ava March</b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> All In with the Duke </i></b>(Gambling on Love #1)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Carina Press | November 11th 2013 | 81,000 words</span>
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<a href="http://www.avamarch.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18397778-all-in-with-the-duke" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/BA9EDF64-713D-439D-A7AF-E8A5B1F8692E/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID={A709D40F-31E3-485B-A35B-E8CAC33CC390}" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">London, 1822
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Max Arrington, the Duke of Pelham, vows to never again let a handsome face blind him to a man's true intentions. But ten months of celibacy and lonely nights drive him to a decadent brothel, where a beautiful young man arouses his illicit passions as never before.
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<span style="font-size: small;">Tristan Walsh has grown tired of being used for men's pleasure. But his latest client is different: commanding yet generous, Max makes him feel cared for as well as wanted. Yet Tristan knows he'll never have the choice to leave the brothel and submit only to Max.
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<span style="font-size: small;">So when Max invites him to be his guest at his country estate, Tristan eagerly agrees to his terms—days to do as he pleases while Max tends to the dukedom, and nights spent together in wicked play. But when the "business arrangement" begins to deepen into something more, Tristan must face the fact that he has no true place in Max's life—or in Max's guarded heart…
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Historical Romance, M/M, Britain, London, Hampshire, 1822, Duke, hooker, light bdsm, bondage
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2.5 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
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Ava March's newest historical romance is about setting aside your pride and hurt feelings for a chance of real happiness and love. The main characters in the full length novel <i>All In with the Duke</i> couldn't be more different from each other: one is a very wealthy Duke, the other is working in a brothel where he's stuck due to his gambling debts. But both men have to face their own insecurities and get past their feelings of pride in the end to take a risk to become truly happy. This makes them more equal than anything else and I think that the author did a wonderful job of making us believe in that equality and therefore in their happiness.
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The plot in a nutshell: Max has been hurt by a lover ten months ago and finds it difficult to open has heart again to another man. Then he meets Tristan, a boy who works at the brothel Max decides to visit after ten moths of celibacy. Soon Max invites Tristan to his country estate to spend the nights with him while he tends to his dukedom during the day. This 'business arrangement' suits Max because he thinks it will save him from going through the same feelings of hurt again as he went through with his ex-lover. But when Tristan starts to fall in love with Max and says he wants to end the arrangement, Max doesn't react very well.
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I admit that I'm rather fond of March's historical settings and characters. Additionally, I admire her writing style and skill to paint pictures with words. It makes it all so easy to submerge in the world she creates and to experience the feelings of her protagonists. In this novel we alternately get presented with Max' and Tristan's point of view, so that we can empathize with them both. This way the conflict and angsty moments are felt to its fullest potential, and with a maximum of understanding on the part of the reader for their behavior. Just how I like it.
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I'm absolutely convinced that Max and Tristan are a great match. March put in a successful effort to show how they bring out the best in each other's personalities and how they complement each other too. From the beginning they have fabulous chemistry in bed, which leads to hotter than hot sex scenes, with sometimes a kinky character. Gradually more emotions are woven into those scenes and after a while the emotions and feelings make an appearance outside the bedroom as well. Max and Tristan start to spend some time together during the daytime too, which results into more personal conversations and getting to know each other on another level. March builds up their relationship with well-dosed and balanced portions, until it reaches a believable steadiness.
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Just when you think that they're going to enter their version of paradise and live happily ever after, things turn for the worse. There's no big drama, just a short disconnection between the two, but one with a rather sad result that doesn't have an easy solution. I thought it was a plausible 'disconnection' and I rather enjoyed the way they had to work things out again, with Max making serious efforts to convince Tristan, and with Tristan finally realizing that he has to set aside his pride and doubts and put his trust in Max as well.
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With <i>All In with the Duke</i> Ava March has written one of her longest novels, which translates into a well rounded, well balanced plot with plenty of room for exploring the depths of her main characters' feelings and motivations. This novel appears to be the first of three, according to her website. The main characters of the next two novels, Morgan and Rawling, are introduced in this first installment as Max' driver and Max' friend. Both will get their own love story in the next two books, but unfortunately we'll have to be patient for their release. I can only hope that their stories will be as engaging and well developed as Max and Tristan's turned out to be. Definitely don't miss out on this first in a new series, it's worth your time. <br />
~<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-27253517094231513632013-10-11T12:40:00.000+02:002013-11-19T23:05:52.861+01:00Review of Trace Evidence by Alexa Snow<blockquote>
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<b> Alexa Snow </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Trace Evidence </i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Torquere Press | March 6, 2013 | 99 pages</span>
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<a href="http://home.comcast.net/~alexasnow/index.html" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17560024-trace-evidence?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_85&products_id=3829" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Mitch is a police detective with a life that should be smooth sailing; unfortunately, his boyfriend is getting on his nerves, he has a murder to solve, and he has a mysterious stranger telling him details no one but the killer could know. Can Mitch make sense of the chaos before the killer chooses another victim?
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<span style="font-size: small;">Originally published in To Protect and Serve.
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, Romantic Suspense, Murder Investigation, Psychic, Serial Killer, Established Couple
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 1.5 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
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The romance in this novella is about an established couple, Mitch and Clay, facing relationship troubles. Their story is embedded in a suspense plot about a serial killer, which makes for a well-balanced romantic suspense. But unfortunately, due to the story’s shorter length, neither romance nor suspense arc have much depth.
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The story opens with police detective Mitch and his partner Leo, finding the body of a murdered girl in the park. They have nothing to go on to find the murderer; no evidence, no witnesses, no suspects. Then Nick Kelley - a character from the <i>Laying A Ghost</i> series from Alexa Snow collaborating with Jane Davitt - walks into their precinct and offers his help. He's a psychic and has the ability to talk to the ghost of the victim. At first Leo and Mitch don't believe him and throw him out but later Mitch and Nick discover some new clues together. During their intense investigation of the scene where the body was found, they share a kiss, which Nick ends with the advice for Mitch to go home and fix things with his boyfriend.
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The night before, things between Mitch and Clay turned nasty after a fight. They broke up but it was not what Mitch wanted. However, he has no idea how to make it all better, because he felt annoyed with Clay for a while now. Basically, Mitch is an asshole who refuses to talk and walks out on his boyfriend every time he’s getting on his nerves. It never becomes clear why he feels about Clay this way. So, it’s not easy to understand, let alone like, Mitch’s behavior, as a reader, due to that lack of insight in his character.
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After the event with Nick and the subsequent discoveries in the murder case, Mitch suddenly realizes that he could’ve lost Clay to the serial killer. He finally goes home, apologizes for his behavior and makes up with Clay, but it still doesn’t become clear to me why he behaved like he did. And neither what was changed now that makes him believe that everything is all right again between him and Clay. I could've done with a little more depth and explanations to understand the romance developments better, and to make them more believable.
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For the murder investigation I could say the same. It’s a decent suspense arc, but it lacks a bit of depth as well. The investigation is not very complex and leans heavily on the help from Nick Kelley. His involvement was actually one of the most interesting aspects of the plot. The murderer is caught easily but not without some thriller-like action. Also, the role of the dog in this wrap-up is very cute. I love animals in my romances.
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Overall, this was an enjoyable story that suffered a bit from its short length but was still a rather engaging read. It’s a comforting read for in between longer and more angsty stories, to keep you company for a few hours on a cold, rainy night. <br />
~<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-65524796159310141862013-10-08T21:19:00.000+02:002013-11-19T23:05:27.351+01:00Review of Fearless by Tawny Weber<blockquote>
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<b> Tawny Weber </b></div>
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<b><i> Fearless </i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Cosmo Red Hot Reads by Harlequin | September 15, 2013 | 150 pages</span>
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<a href="http://www.tawnyweber.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18302746-fearless?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-fearless-1293480-340.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Promising career: check</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Amazing apartment: check</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The best of friends: check</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sex life: MIA</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">There’s just one thing missing from Gia Renyard’s life: sexual adventure. And the one man she’d like to have it with is her hot co-worker, Luke Monroe. If only company rules didn’t prohibit her from asking him out. So Gia comes up with a plan: make herself over into a fantasy seductress, follow Luke to a convention in Sin City, and have her way with him for one erotic weekend. The man will never even know who did him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Everything is going according to plan—until Gia discovers that Luke is perfect for her outside the bedroom too. And suddenly she’s no longer content to let what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas…
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/F, Fantasy, Seduction, Co-workers, Las Vegas
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
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This sexy novella is about creating an alter ego to seduce the unreachable man of your dreams. The seduction is meant to be for just one weekend, because in real life the hot guy would never look twice at the common girl beneath the fantasy seductress alter ego. Also, the guy is supposed to move to the other side of the country. Well, that's what Gia thinks anyway. But guess what, she's wrong, on both parts.
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Luke is Gia's crush, but Gia thinks he's out of her league because he can have every woman he wants and she's just a shy and common girl. When she and her three girlfriends have a 'girlz' night they come up with a plan for Gia to have her sexual adventure with Luke before he leaves their company for a new job. They give her a makeover and turn her into a hot and sexy woman. <br />
Now, this is the part where I started to have my doubts about the set-up. Maybe it's the silent feminist in me that finds this a bit sexist or maybe I'm just not a fan of deception between the main characters, no matter how innocent. I don't know exactly, but I kept wondering why the heroine needed hair extensions, a dye job and a fake name, among other things, and why she could not just do the seducing as herself. Apart from that, I also thought that the idea of the 'girlz' club felt a bit too teenage-y and shallow. Gia's girlfriends didn't feel as real friends to me, perhaps because they hardly get any on-page time after this set-up, except for one of the friends later on.
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Anyhow, the seduction takes place in Las Vegas and is, unsurprisingly, a great success. Luke lives up to his reputation, and more, in the bedroom. Gia discovers that he's not only hot but very kind and sweet too. The author is a master in writing sex scenes and mixing them with emotions, although we don't get every detail of their fantasy weekend together spelled out. Thankfully so, because that would have been exhausting considering I lost count on how many orgasms they shared. Needless to say, this part of the story is sizzling hot. <br />
It's also the part of the plot where a connection between the main characters starts to bloom. They talk a lot, but again we don't get to read all of those conversations in detail, we're just told a few times that they talked. One important topic they talked about is written in dialogue though; it's about Luke getting bored easily and Gia's observation that he needs to challenge himself more. This is also beautifully translated into a sex scene. And it's the base for their connection; at least it's what Luke finds attractive in Gia. I thought it was a believable emotional development, which didn't feel as a rushed falling in love.
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I'm not sure though about the actual falling in love part, later on, after Luke discovers Gia's true identity. Luke and Gia unexpectedly have to work on a project together after they return from their weekend of debauchery and Gia is trying to avoid Luke as much as possible to prevent discovery. However, a pair of red shoes adds a touch of Cinderella theme to their romance when the shoes give her away. Once Luke has found his Cinderella there's no room for anger, doubts or other negative feelings. The only thing that counts is that he has found her and wants his HEA with her, like a true fairy tale. <br />
I felt that this last part could've gotten a bit more weight. It felt light and easy, which is not necessarily a bad thing, and given the fact that this is a novella it's rather fitting too, but for me a smooth and rushed ending like that is not as satisfying as an ending where the characters have to work a bit harder to get what they want. I like to feel more tension and to see them go through some emotional struggles. But, maybe that's just me.
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Overall, this novella turned out to be an entertaining, scorching and sweet read, after my initial reservations about the need for a makeover for Gia. It's a fast-paced and sexy story without much tension or angst, with a cute and happy ending that was a little too light for my taste but which fits the nature of this format. Definitely a great read for when you're in the mood for quick & dirty and sweet & sexy all in one. <br />
~<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-63502104304800136182013-10-03T18:39:00.000+02:002013-11-19T23:04:58.614+01:00Review of Junk by Josephine Myles<blockquote>
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<b> Josephine Myles </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Junk </i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Samhain Publishing | August 27, 2013 | 351 pages</span>
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<a href="http://josephinemyles.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18068792-junk?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://store.samhainpublishing.com/junk-p-72985.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Letting go is the first step to healing…or bringing it all crashing down.
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<span style="font-size: small;">When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university librarian Jasper Richardson can no longer ignore the truth. His ever-growing piles of books, magazines and newspapers can no longer be classified as a “collection”. It’s a hoard, and he needs professional help.
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<span style="font-size: small;">Professional clutter clearer and counselor Lewis Miller thinks he’s seen it all, but even he has to admit he’s shocked. Not so much by the state of Jasper’s house, but by the level of attraction he still feels for the sexy bookworm he remembers from school. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">What a shame that Lewis’s ethical code forbids relationships with clients. As Jasper makes slow but steady progress, though, the magnetic pull between them is so strong even Lewis is having trouble convincing himself it’s a temporary emotional attachment arising from the therapeutic process. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Jasper longs to prove to Lewis that this is the real deal. But first he’ll have to lay bare the root of his hoarding problem…and reveal the dark secret hidden behind his walls of books.
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<span style="font-size: small;">Product Warnings</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Contains a level-headed counselor with a secret addiction, a bespectacled geek with a sweet tooth, a killer “to-be-read” pile, embarrassing parents, a van called Alice, and deliciously British slang.
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, Hoarding, Therapist-Client, Librarian, Books, British
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 1.5 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
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One of the tv shows I used to watch in the past was a British documentary type of show about hoarders. Hubs and I always watched with increasing incredulous faces at the surreal amounts of junk the portrayed people could collect. More often than not, these hoarders needed to be evacuated from their homes due to health hazards; they weren't the most hygienic of people. <br />
When I started reading <i>Junk</i> by Josephine Myles I had to get over the image I had of hoarders thanks to the eccentric people from this tv show. Especially since this novel is set in England too. It took me a while to see Jasper's attraction through the layers of his severe hoarding habits. But fortunately he's one of the less extreme cases, compared to that tv show, and his habits are confined to books, newspapers and magazines: stuff that doesn't smell too much and has a certain appeal to me as a book lover as well. <br />
Because to be honest, a couple of years ago I was becoming quite a hoarder myself - a mild one though - before we moved to a house twice as small and before I discovered ebooks (those two developments saved me from becoming worse). And I definitely think that a large part of this novel's attraction for quite a few readers like me will lie in some sort of recognition of Jasper's condition. <br />
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Therefore and despite of my initial feelings due to the image of extreme hoarders from that tv show, I can honestly say that I loved <i>Junk</i> - and especially Jasper. The romance is sweet and endearing. Lewis and Jasper make a great couple, whose relationship develops slowly but gradually. I liked that it wasn't rushed and that they took their time, which definitely made for a lot of sexual tension and delicious anticipation. As a consequence the actual sex scenes are less frequent and less graphic than we’re used from this author. This was not a problem for me, because it agreed with the plot completely. <br />
I also found the fact that theirs starts as a therapist-client relationship was handled with care. Lewis feels very responsible as a therapist to treat Jasper right. Sure, from the romantic perspective it was rather frustrating that he pulled the emergency break on the budding relationship, especially since I as a reader felt that Jasper was healing well, with or without Lewis' personal attention, so he could handle more than Lewis was prepared to give. But from Lewis' perspective it wasn't as clear and therefore I felt that his actions were justified. I thought Myles perfectly found the balance in this delicate situation. <br />
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The focus in this novel is slightly more concentrated around Jasper and his personal development than around Lewis or their building relationship. Jasper has the biggest changes to achieve to even be ready for a normal life and relationship at all. It's not that Lewis doesn't have relationship issues to overcome himself, and these are dealt with as well, but naturally nothing compares to Jasper's problems and healing process. His growth and character development are prominent and done skillfully, with attention for detail but without losing sight of the bigger picture of his romance with Lewis. <br />
I loved witnessing, in detail, how Jasper learned to overcome his habits, how he went through all the junk and how he turned his house into a home again. Myles descriptions are not only detailed but very vivid and true to life as well. I had no trouble picturing his house during all the different stages for example, while I enjoyed the Britishness of the setting very much as well. <br />
Another enjoyable aspect for me in this story is the supporting cast. I'm not sure if they're specific British too but Lewis' family is rather colorful and eccentric in a hippy sort of way. His parents for example like to walk around in the nude all day, have very liberal views on society and nothing can be wild and free enough, while they are intellectual and respected professors at the same time. They and other important secondary characters bring a light and humorist element into this novel. <br />
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But what really made my heart beat faster was the intertextuality in this novel: the frequent references to literary works, both classic as contemporary fiction, came as a nice and unexpected present for me as a reader with a Master in Literature. It’s not very often that romance authors let their characters read books like Martel’s <i>The Life of Pi</i> or de St.-Exupéry’s <i>The Little Prince</i>. Both are books that are fairly popular and I (and probably other readers too) know them well. Therefore the images they evoke add to Jasper’s isolated position at the beginning and bring new depths to the journey he makes; a journey that is accompanied with insights and wisdom like Pi’s and the little prince’s adventures did bring them. <br />
At the same time the intertextual references brought a lighter note with them to this novel, for example when <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> is mentioned. I found it funny how the earlier mentioned hippy parents named their son and daughter, Lewis and Caroll. They run the clutter clear company together and their company’s van is called Alice. Also their work brings them to the weirdest places where they don’t know what they’ll find behind the different doors, just like Alice's weird world brings something unexpected all the time. <br />
<br />
<i>Junk</i> is a rich and thoughtful story disguised as a sweet and moving romance. Its plot is well paced and balanced. Myles voice is addicting and her latest book is definitely well worth reading more than once, thanks to its impressive, multilayered, entertaining and engrossing qualities. <br />
~<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-18041311941955083022013-10-01T19:37:00.000+02:002013-10-03T18:39:57.287+02:00October M/M Releases I Look Forward ToI'm not sure what happened with September but it's October already. So, time for my monthly list of M/M releases. These titles caught my eye:<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b><i>Love Lessons</i></b></span> by Heidi Cullinan | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17853573-love-lessons" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Kick Start</b></i></span> (Dangerous Ground #5) by Josh Lanyon | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17412594-kick-start" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>One Night Ever After</b></i></span> by Tere Michaels, Elle Brownlee & Elizah J. Davis | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18457513-one-night-ever-after" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Elements of Retrofit</b></i></span> (Thomas Elkin #1) by N.R. Walker | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17901475-elements-of-retrofit" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Ethan in Gold</b></i></span> (Johnnies #3) by Amy Lane | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18455577-ethan-in-gold" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Good Boy</b></i></span> (Theta Alpha Gamma #4) by Anne Tenino | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18308701-good-boy" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>After the Fall</b></i></span> (Tucker Springs #6) by L.A. Witt | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18457837-after-the-fall" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Face to Face</b></i></span> by Jaime Samms | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18455015-face-to-face" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>The United & The Divided</b></i></span> (Tooth and Claw #3) by L.A. Witt | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18114768-the-united-the-divided" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Bad Idea</b></i></span> by Damon Suede | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18484854-bad-idea" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Breaking Point</b></i></span> (Turning Point #2) by N.R. Walker | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18215750-breaking-point" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><i><b>Long Time Gone</b></i></span> (Hell or High Water #2) by S.E. Jakes | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17936957-long-time-gone" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-84085377304547129482013-09-26T11:52:00.000+02:002013-11-19T23:04:23.324+01:00Review of Cake by Lauren Dane<blockquote>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wL400V-hrX4/Uovfptt1ySI/AAAAAAAAED0/05y1Pk0lWMo/s1600/Lauren+Dane+Cake+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wL400V-hrX4/Uovfptt1ySI/AAAAAAAAED0/05y1Pk0lWMo/s320/Lauren+Dane+Cake+.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
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<b> Lauren Dane </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Cake </i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Harlequin | September 15, 2013 | 85 pages </span>
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<a href="http://www.laurendane.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17735858-cake" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cake-1295343-149.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She won’t be satisfied with just one bite...
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<span style="font-size: small;">Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she’s determined to show him that just one taste won’t be enough...
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/F, Art Student, Successful Artist, Tattooed & Pierced Hero
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
This long novella is as delicious as cake and its main characters are as addictive. I'm a fan of Lauren Dane's writing and <i>Cake</i> only confirms why. She writes unique and sexy heroes and heroines, even in a shorter book like this one, although I must admit that the characters aren't as well-developed as I've seen in her other books. But that's understandable given the shorter length of these Cosmo Red-Hot Reads.
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With Wren we get a confident and lovable heroine who is an art student earning her money as a bike messenger. She runs messages for her niece who's the assistant of the successful Russian artist Gregori Ivanov. Wren loves delivering his letters and packages because then she gets the chance to watch him work. He's not only an amazing artist and an inspiration to her, but also a hot and sexy man. And Wren wants him. <br />
Gregori likes Wren's visits too but he's a bit of commitment phobic since his marriage blew up in his face. But Wren is on a mission; she wants the tattooed and pierced artist in her bed. And she succeeds of course, or else this wouldn't be labeled a romance story. And what follows after a nice build-up, are some steamy scenes in which the couple get addicted to each other.
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This set-up is pretty standard procedure in a romance novel, just like the tension afterwards when the hero has to overcome his fears and admit to his feelings before the couple can has its happy ending. But not so standard is the backdrop of the art world and the portrayal of the main characters which makes this story more unique. Wren's determination to win Gregori for her is a nice element and also how she gets his art. Additionally, Gregori is not your typical hero, with his piercings, tattoos, Mohawk and beard. Not all readers will instantly think of him as a sexy hero. I admire the author for her choices and for the skill to make her stories special.
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Dane's writing is fluent and engaging. By giving us the POV of both the heroine and the hero it's easy to empathize with them and to understand their feelings. We see them falling in lust first and then in love. Somehow the sex scenes aren't as unforgettable as I remember from other novels but they are still Lauren Dane trademark hot. <br />
For a story with this length <i>Cake</i> is definitely a satisfying read and I can only hope that the other books in this Cosmo Red-Hot Reads line are as good and as fun as this one. Some sure look promising, especially for whenever you're in the mood for a hot and quick fix of happy ending. <br />
~ <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-1344797949875481202013-09-23T20:42:00.000+02:002013-09-26T11:53:33.206+02:00Review of Whiskey and Wry by Rhys Ford <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9sJPJeX_i5E/UkCLWheV5zI/AAAAAAAAD9c/z36VHHBOrcM/s1600/Whiskey+and+Wry+by+Rhys+Ford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9sJPJeX_i5E/UkCLWheV5zI/AAAAAAAAD9c/z36VHHBOrcM/s1600/Whiskey+and+Wry+by+Rhys+Ford.jpg" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Rhys Ford </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Whiskey and Wry </i></b> (Sinners #2)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Dreamspinner Press | August 19, 2013 | 254 pages </span>
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<a href="http://rhysford.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17912488-whiskey-and-wry" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4107" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He was dead. And it was murder most foul. If erasing a man’s existence could even be called murder.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">When Damien Mitchell wakes, he finds himself without a life or a name. The Montana asylum’s doctors tell him he’s delusional and his memories are all lies: he’s really Stephen Thompson, and he’d gone over the edge, obsessing about a rock star who died in a fiery crash. His chance to escape back to his own life comes when his prison burns, but a gunman is waiting for him, determined that neither Stephen Thompson nor Damien Mitchell will escape.
</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">With the assassin on his tail, Damien flees to the City by the Bay, but keeping a low profile is the only way he’ll survive as he searches San Francisco for his best friend, Miki St. John. Falling back on what kept him fed before he made it big, Damien sings for his supper outside Finnegan’s, an Irish pub on the pier, and he soon falls in with the owner, Sionn Murphy. Damien doesn’t need a complication like Sionn, and to make matters worse, the gunman—who doesn’t mind going through Sionn or anyone else if that’s what it takes kill Damien—shows up to finish what he started.
</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, Suspense, Serial Killer, Musician, Abusive Youth
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
I had been looking forward to this second book in Ford's <b>Sinners</b> series. Very much so. Maybe that's why I'm a bit disappointed by it. It's probably a classic case of my own too high expectations, but I wasn't as overwhelmed and amazed by it as I was with the first book, <i>Sinner's Gin</i>, and the books in the <b>Cole McGinnis</b> series. <i>Whiskey and Wry</i> is still a good read, don't get me wrong, but for me it felt a bit too much like 'more of the same'. <br />
It follows the same patterns as the first book in the series, partly because two of the main characters in both books - Miki and Damien - are very much alike, are both damaged men and are going through a similar emotional process of recovery while in the meantime they are being targeted by a killer. Additionally, their love interests in both books - Kane and Sionn - are not that different from each other either: they are in fact cousins, and one of them is a cop and the other a former bodyguard, both with strong protective instincts. <br />
Also, both books have a serial killer and the same sort of suspension, with a bloody climactic scene near the end of the book. Not changed either is the warm Morgan family that became Miki's substitute family in the first book and now Damien's in this second book. Other elements also return in this novel, like the fragments from songs and notebooks at the beginning of every chapter. Maybe I just read the two books too close after another, I don't know, but the similarities became too obvious for me to be able to ignore them, and instead they started bothering me a little bit.
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Apart from that all, <i>Whiskey and Wry</i> is still a heartbreaking story that I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on, simply because of Ford's entertaining way of telling a story and her fabulous writing style. Also, Damien is one of her unforgettable characters that just crawl under your skin and make your heart bleed with empathy for him. His and Sionn's coupling is an interesting and engaging one. They have plenty of chemistry that I enjoyed seeing combust during their sexy times. The build-up of their relationship is slow yet intense. Paradoxically they fall in deep love rather quickly. <br />
Damien's music - which is a large part of who he is, of what he breathes - adds to the intensity of the story, of his character. He's a complex hero with many layers, more so than Sionn, although both are three-dimensional heroes. However, Sionn's kept a bit in Damien's shadow, with Damien being such a colorful and intense character. I would've liked it if we'd seen more of Sionn's personality too: for example, he had some issues to overcome himself, with a former job gone wrong, but this stayed slightly under-exposed.
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As a complete Miki & Kane fan I couldn't have been happier than to see so much from this <i>Sinner's Gin</i> couple again in <i>Whiskey and Wry</i>. It's one of the best aspects of reading a series, even if it's a series with a new couple in every book, as long as the author gives us cameos like we get here. Ford gives them plenty of screen time too and I loved every minute of it. However, in the light of the balance of the plot I felt that maybe Damien and Sionn's romance arc got a bit snowed under by other plot lines that took up quite some space, like Miki and Kane (or also Miki and Damien) scenes, and quite elaborate scenes from the killer's point of view as well. I must admit that I'm never a big fan of a third point of view in my romance novels (besides those of the two heroes), especially not those of a villain, so I wasn't too thrilled about it here either. These scenes weren't badly written, not at all, I just thought I'd rather read more about Sionn and Damien together than about the killer's thoughts. On top of that, I found the killer's behavior becoming incredible towards the end, turning from a professional hit man into a psychopathic serial killer. I'm not sure what that was all about, other than that it was rather convenient for the suspense arc.
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Overall, <i>Whiskey and Wry</i> was a great read, were it not that its patterns became a bit predictable. Its fabulous and engrossing way of story telling still makes it an above average romance novel. With Damien and Sionn the author added another memorable couple to her oeuvre, and with Damien a hero that has settled his place in my heart. This author's voice has become one of my favorites over the past months and this new addition only confirms that position. <br />
~<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-67925771490924733222013-09-19T15:00:00.000+02:002013-09-23T20:44:02.108+02:00Review of Reburn by Anne Marsh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9_V3YzbQY8/UjiLdwEabEI/AAAAAAAAD9I/vifkwmy3Lmo/s1600/1+Reburn+by+Anne+Marsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9_V3YzbQY8/UjiLdwEabEI/AAAAAAAAD9I/vifkwmy3Lmo/s320/1+Reburn+by+Anne+Marsh.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Anne Marsh </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Reburn</i></b> (The Hotshots #1)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Kensington Books | July 18, 2013</span>
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<a href="http://www.anne-marsh.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17901592-reburn?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/22725" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Not every man knows how to put out a fire. Fewer know when to keep it burning. . .
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">He Battles The Flames. . .
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Nobody messes with Sam Clayton--or his territory. The big bruising ranger is the last line of defense in forest infernos and he'll go up against anyone who gets in the way of putting them out. Even the FBI tracking a terrorist through the heart of a blaze. But when Sam discovers the agent is ex-lover Olivia Albert, saving himself will be more dangerous than any fire he's faced before. . .
</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">She Lives For The Heat. . .
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Olivia needs Sam's help to survive the heat, but when it comes to keeping her quarry from detonating a major strike, this Bureau agent is calling the shots. Except when Sam's hard body and expert hands are reigniting a second chance that could be hot enough to burn forever. . . </span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/F, Suspense, Firefighter, FBI agent, Terrorism, Reunited Lovers
<br />
<br />
~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 1.5 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
<br />
I like stories about firefighters and when I saw this title up for review on Netgalley I couldn't resist requesting it. I've meant to read one of Anne Marsh's stories before, but except for the free first short story in this <b>Hotshots</b> series this was my first acquaintance with her writing. The first thing that I noticed is her precise and detailed descriptions of everything involving fires. I don't know a thing about fires beyond the basics but the technical details Marsh provides come across as real. She must either speak from experience or have done thorough research. It gives her story an authentic feeling.
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<br />
<i>Reburn</i> is a novella about reunited lovers. Sam is a park ranger and firefighter in Sequoia National Park and Livy is a FBI agent hunting a terrorist who's hiding in Sam's park. They meet again after a ten-year long separation when there's a huge fire in the Park and Livy and her team are on the heels of the terrorist but running into the fire's unpredictable course. Sam needs to get them out of the heat before the fire closes them in. The rest of Livy's team is sent to safety but Sam and Livy need to spend the night in a gorge. They not only have to stay out of the fire's danger but also stay alert for an attack of the terrorist. Despite of the double danger they find the opportunity and time to rekindle their old sexual attraction.
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<br />
The premise is an interesting one, however I think there might be a little too much going on - plot wise - for the shorter length of a novella like this. I found myself wishing for an elaboration, especially of the romantic arc, because now it felt as if things were rushed. Both the suspense and the romantic developments could've profited from a bit more time and depth and complexity. <br />
Although I won't blame a novella for being a novella, I'm still of the opinion that the romance took a backseat in this story. The pace felt off and the turning point in Livy's feelings for Sam came very unexpected. There was no emotional build up; at one moment she tells him that she can't pick up their relationship where they left off ten years ago and that she can only give him this one night; the other moment (after only one unspectacular orgasm) she wants a future with him. Forgive me for being confused. Not seeing what made Sam fall in love with Livy either is just another omission contributing to my lack of belief in the romance.
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<br />
Not helpful for enjoying this story was the frequently alternating point of view between Sam and Livy, and even the terrorist. I found this more confusing than interesting and it didn't benefit the pace either. Often I had a hard time visualizing the scenes because of the perspective changes, which were sometimes accompanied by a small jump in time. Apart from that, the POVs stayed very close to the (details of the) events as opposed to the characters' feelings about what happens between them. I found it difficult to empathize with the main characters because I hadn't enough insight in the development of their feelings and emotions this way.
<br />
<br />
Overall this novella didn't bring the romantic satisfaction I was expecting after reading the promising back blurb. The premise of this story had much more potential than it actually delivered. So, in the end I felt a bit disappointed about Sam and Livy's romance, but I'll give the next book in this series a try when it's going to be longer than novella-length. After all, it remains hard to resist hotshot firefighter heroes. <br />
~
<br />
<br />
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Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-23857850419224074692013-09-17T17:00:00.000+02:002013-09-23T20:43:37.510+02:00Larissa’s Review of Haffling by Caleb James<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7OtOPfHaz6Y/UjhstRIG5WI/AAAAAAAAD84/UX-IasctqgQ/s1600/Haffling+by+Caleb+James.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7OtOPfHaz6Y/UjhstRIG5WI/AAAAAAAAD84/UX-IasctqgQ/s320/Haffling+by+Caleb+James.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Caleb James </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Haffling </i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dreamspinner Press, July 11, 2013 | 274 pages </span>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caleb-James/536765356387453" target="_blank">Author’s Facebook</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18070897-haffling?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3976" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A Harmony Ink Press Young Adult Title
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">All sixteen-year-old Alex Nevus wants is to be two years older and become his sister Alice’s legal guardian. That, and he’d like his first kiss, preferably with Jerod Haynes, the straight boy with the beautiful girlfriend and the perfect life. Sadly, wanting something and getting it are very different. Strapped with a mentally ill mother, Alex fears for his own sanity. Having a fairy on his shoulder only he can see doesn't help, and his mom's schizophrenia places him and Alice in constant jeopardy of being carted back into foster care. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">When Alex's mother goes missing, everything falls apart. Frantic, he tracks her to a remote corner of Manhattan and is transported to another dimension—the land of the Unsee, the realm of the Fey. There he finds his mother held captive by the power-mad Queen May and learns he is half-human and half-fey—a Haffling.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As Alex’s human world is being destroyed, the Unsee is being devoured by a ravenous mist. Fey is vanishing, and May needs to cross into the human world. She needs something only Alex can provide, and she will stop at nothing to possess it… to possess him..</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Young Adult, M/M, Urban Fantasy, Fey, Coming Of Age, Angst, Care For Younger Sibling, First Romance, Fairies
<br />
<br />
~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 1 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
<br />
<b style="color: #674ea7;">Reviewed by <a href="http://twitter.com/ReviewerLarissa" target="_blank"> Lis/Larissa</a>: </b>
<br />
<br />
A book featuring the Fey in New York and an unlikely hero – a boy down on his luck – and a possible romance? Yup, that sure is one I'd love to read and I wasn't disappointed with <i>Haffling</i> by author Caleb James who seems new to the genre.
<br />
<br />
There is a lot going on in this story. It's a story about coming of age, coming out (in a way) and first love. It's also a story full of action, adventure, drama, angst and just plain surviving, which for sixteen-year-old Alex Nevus isn't always all that easy, but he sure does a hell of a good job.
<br />
<br />
He not only has a mother who is diagnosed with schizophrenia, but he also has an honest to God fairy on his shoulder and the care for his eleven-year-old-sister Alice. It's a fight to stay on top with all the organizations gunning for him.
<br />
<br />
Alex is an admirable character. He's strong, inventive, smart, caring and protective and he does his best under circumstances no sixteen-year-old should be in. There were times in this book where I just wanted to hug him and tell him it would be all right. This is where the strength of this story lies. Apart from the plot, it is Alex who carries this story. I also love Jerod, who is just as smart as Alex, laid-back and caring and – fortunately for Alex – is also tenacious.
<br />
<br />
The plot with the Unsee and Alex's mother and learning the truth of his mother's illness and his heritage is solid for the first half of this story. Well written and well thought out and very original. I liked the use of technology in this story as it befits the age of the characters. Not many authors use a lot of technology in their stories. There is also the twist on the Fey and the mixing of myths and legends that give this story a kick-ass vibe.
<br />
<br />
However, the second half of the story has a rushed quality. A lot seems to come into play and not a lot of pages to work it out. As I understand it, this is the first story in a series, so there are elements that will be returning in future stories (as it should be), but there are a number of plot angles – in particular the ending – that were just too rushed (and that I would have liked to see more of) or too over the top.
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<br />
<i>Haffling</i> is a truly fantastic story that captures the age category very well on top of a wicked story. I for one can't wait to see more of this series, be it with Alex and his gang in the lead or a different angle. An author who thinks up amphibious GPS is just to precious to let slide from my radar.
<br />
~
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-85989249786531161202013-09-12T16:18:00.000+02:002013-09-17T19:09:04.040+02:00Review of Making It Last by Ruthie Knox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4wnaOh7xxtE/UjHMFPh8W4I/AAAAAAAAD8o/RGnYz2TfC9I/s1600/Making+It+Last+by+Ruthie+Knox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4wnaOh7xxtE/UjHMFPh8W4I/AAAAAAAAD8o/RGnYz2TfC9I/s320/Making+It+Last+by+Ruthie+Knox.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Ruthie Knox </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Making It Last </i></b> (Camelot #4)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Loveswept | July 15, 2013</span>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ruthieknox.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17704528-making-it-last?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-makingitlastanovellacamelotseries-1230490-149.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A hotel bar. A sexy stranger. A night of passion. There’s a part of Amber Mazzara that wants those things, wants to have a moment — just one — where life isn’t a complicated tangle of house and husband and kids and careers. Then, after a long, exhausting “vacation” with her family, her husband surprises her with a gift: a few days on the beach . . . alone. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Only she won’t be alone long, because a handsome man just bought her a drink. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;">He’s cool, he’s confident, and he wants to take Amber to bed and keep her there for days. Lucky for them both, he’s her husband. He’s only got a few days in Jamaica to make her wildest desires come true, but if he can pull it off, there’s reason to believe that this fantasy can last a lifetime.
</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/F, Established Couple, Rekindling, Vacation, Jamaica
<br />
<br />
~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
<br />
<i>Making It Last</i> is a novella about, as the title already indicates, an established couple that has to work on their relationship to make it last. We've met the couple, Amber and Tony, in the first of the <b>Camelot</b> series, <i>How To Misbehave</i>. In that story they met, fell in love and committed to start their future together. <br />
Fast-forward 14 years. Amber and Tony are now married for 10 years, have three sons together, of which the youngest is 6 years old and just off to school. Tony is working long days because they're struggling financially. And Amber feels lost and lonely in their big house that Tony built for them.
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<br />
During a short vacation with their extended family on Jamaica where Amber's brother gets married, everything comes to an insightful climax for Amber and eventually for Tony as well. Thanks to Amber's aunt Jamilla they are offered a few extra days on Jamaica, first it's just Amber who's staying, but later Tony joins her again, introducing himself as a stranger to her, seducing her all over. It's a cute scenario, which leads them to a hot and sexy bed scene. However, the rekindling of their sex life doesn't bring them an easy solution for their deeper problems. They have to find each other again on more levels than just the physical one.
<br />
<br />
I found it very enlightening that Knox, aside from the reestablishing of their sexual attraction, showed the deeper levels being recognized and worked on as well. The real problem solving happened later at home and not during their steamy night in that hotel room. And even then they don't have all the answers but they realize what's needed to make it last. <br />
The author succeeded in portraying a very realistic long-term relationship in rough weather. Every relationship needs working on in the long run, maybe not as much as Tony and Amber's, or perhaps more, depending on the situation, but it's not a topic you read a lot about in romance stories. And that while, when it's as authentically done as it's here, it's such an interesting and entertaining topic. And like Knox proved, it can be as sexy as a falling in love type of story as well.
<br />
<br />
I like it very much that Knox made her main characters people with flaws. To be honest, at first I felt a slight antipathy for Amber because of her flaws, but Knox knew to turn those feelings in sympathy when the emotional developments proceeded.
For a novella, this story packs a lot of emotions and feelings, aside from a smart take on an established relationship. I can highly recommend Amber and Tony's lovely love story. It's an uncommon, enjoyable and insightful story that has an interesting take on the romance genre, written in a fluent writing style. <br />
~
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-30755417297481530662013-09-09T21:34:00.001+02:002013-09-17T19:09:31.830+02:00September M/M Releases I Look Forward ToI'm home from Greece and one of the first things I did when I had an internet connection again was browsing for books! And I found some pretty awesome upcoming m/m releases for September (and some already released ones). Here's my wish list for this month:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 1<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 6</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 9</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 17</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 23</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzby9ktbhdQ/Ui4hBpgpqeI/AAAAAAAAD8I/2WXsUQcmx5Y/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzby9ktbhdQ/Ui4hBpgpqeI/AAAAAAAAD8I/2WXsUQcmx5Y/s320/1.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 25</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-humpPeAHRZo/Ui4hFPw53mI/AAAAAAAAD8U/ZJgEytChgOk/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-humpPeAHRZo/Ui4hFPw53mI/AAAAAAAAD8U/ZJgEytChgOk/s320/8.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 30</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubZ8TLYUiBQ/Ui4hFPKxu5I/AAAAAAAAD8Q/1n_yPzBBs-c/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubZ8TLYUiBQ/Ui4hFPKxu5I/AAAAAAAAD8Q/1n_yPzBBs-c/s320/9.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sept 30</td></tr>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-44964779874154484662013-08-19T15:06:00.002+02:002013-08-19T15:06:37.359+02:00Vacation Time & 10 Summer Reads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iy_bxCm_8XU/UhIISUyAuVI/AAAAAAAAD6M/LrSe8jZflBU/s1600/blog-vacation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iy_bxCm_8XU/UhIISUyAuVI/AAAAAAAAD6M/LrSe8jZflBU/s400/blog-vacation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm on a vacation for the next couple of weeks and so is the blog! <br />
I hope to be back with a new post in three weeks, on Monday the 9th. Until then I also take a break from the internet since we most likely won't have a connection in our rented house in Greece. Instead we have a private swimming pool. ;)<br />
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Of course I won't take a break from reading. I'm bringing tons of books, about which I hope to blog in a couple of weeks. Just a few examples of the books I plan to read are:<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">M/F</span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-large;">M/M</span></div>
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See you later! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-8713680752900882222013-08-15T13:00:00.000+02:002013-09-17T19:10:01.849+02:00Review of Bread, Salt and Wine by Dev Bentham<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d_MYpi1fdEs/UgqH-WDqQaI/AAAAAAAAD54/kjt7HdIpsAc/s1600/Bread,+Salt+and+Wine+by+Dev+Bentham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d_MYpi1fdEs/UgqH-WDqQaI/AAAAAAAAD54/kjt7HdIpsAc/s320/Bread,+Salt+and+Wine+by+Dev+Bentham.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Dev Bentham </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Bread, Salt and Wine </i></b> (Tarnished Souls #4)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Loose Id | June 11, 2013</span>
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<a href="http://www.devbentham.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18005863-bread-salt-and-wine?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.loose-id.com/tarnished-souls-4-bread-salt-wine.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Some wounds never heal. George Zajac grew up in a religious family with a father who beat “the swish” out of him. Now he's a troubled man. At thirty-eight he moves across the country to start a new life in Los Angeles, working as the catering chef for a prestigious French Restaurant.
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Kenny Marks, a writer who's currently waiting tables, is everything George cannot be--flamboyant, proud and sexually confident. Enthralled by Kenny, and against his own better judgment, George agrees to a date. Sparks fly. The sex is better than good. But even after the two get close, George remains crippled by humiliating sexual hang-ups. Still haunted by his childhood, he lingers in the closet and can't commit to a relationship with Kenny.
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<span style="font-size: small;">Love is the great healer, but is it enough? George's emotional scars could drive Kenny away, and with him, George's last chance at happiness.
</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, Friends With Benefits, In The Closet, Catering Chef, Waiter/Writer, Abusive Childhood, Jewish Holiday
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
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<i>Bread, Salt and Wine</i> is a story about the courage to come out of the closet, the courage to seek help for childhood trauma's, the courage to be yourself and the courage to love. George needs a lot of that courage. This is more his story than it is Kenny's. It's not a coincidence that it's solely told from his point of view in first person, because it's kind of his belated coming of age story. Kenny is merely the catalyst for George to gather his courage to do the things he needs to do, for himself. George is a heartbreaking character.
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I liked it a lot that George realized that he needed therapy and got help <i>after</i> he and Kenny broke up. He didn't seek help to save his 'friendship-with-benefits' with Kenny, but to save himself. Although Kenny's remark about George's kink being not a kink but a wound propelled him into taking the necessary steps. We don't get to see how George goes through his therapy, the story makes a time lapse there and we only learn about it in hind sight. This is not the only time lapse in the plot: the story covers a period of 8 years.
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The pace of the plot is well dosed. Due to the use of the time lapses the developments in George's healing process get enough room to make them realistic. However, they caused me to feel like I missed some important occasions in George and Kenny's growing relationship as well. It wasn't very visible nor tangible how or why they fell in love, because it all felt a bit fragmented. Also, I had the feeling I didn't know Kenny very well. George's characterization is done much, much better than his.
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This is the fourth book in the Tarnished Souls series but can be read as a stand alone. Only at the end I got the feeling I was missing out on something when all the couples from the three previous books made a cameo appearance. I think book #3 took place somewhere during the 8 years of George and Kenny's story. But it didn’t bother me very much that I had to guess about the other couples. Now I'm only more eager to read the previous books as well.
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Apparently, the four books in this series are all centered around a Jewish holiday. In this last one it's Purim. As the author writes in her acknowledgment "Purim is a funny holiday (...) yet the Purim story deals directly with the potentially deadly consequences of bigotry." I thought the way this holiday played a role in the story was done very cleverly. Kenny organizes a Purim party twice in the plot, once before George's healing and once after. George's part in this Purim party on both occasions reflects his development as a person wonderfully. I enjoyed those scenes at the last party very much, especially with the knowledge of the meaning of the holiday combined with George's personal history. His transformation really felt completed. <br />
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This was the first book by this author that I've read, but it certainly tastes like more. I liked that it was not a conventional romance but more of a novel about personal growth with a romantic plot line and a happy ending. I also admired Bentham’s clean and compelling writing style. And last but not least, I enjoyed the emotional layers in this story not being overly dramatic but heartbreaking nonetheless. Overall, this was an engaging and entertaining novel written by an author whose voice I love and definitely like to see more off. <br />
~
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<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-91400197526342902032013-08-13T17:51:00.000+02:002013-08-15T22:30:05.954+02:00Review of Absolutely Eric by Erica Pike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rc0Z7kINJZg/UgpVguATqiI/AAAAAAAAD5o/dcEFcBU6kxY/s1600/Absolutely+Eric+by+Erica+Pike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rc0Z7kINJZg/UgpVguATqiI/AAAAAAAAD5o/dcEFcBU6kxY/s320/Absolutely+Eric+by+Erica+Pike.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Erica Pike </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Absolutely Eric </i></b> (Boston Boys #2)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> MLR Press | May 11, 2012</span>
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<a href="http://www.ericapike.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13549225-absolutely-eric?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=EPABERIC" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Eric Wesley is short and snazzy, hot and happy. Or that’s what he thought. After three years of living on the wild side he’s tired of being a playboy and wants to find love. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Eric, however, has never been in love before and doesn’t see that the guy who’s been gazing at him all summer might be Mr. Right. Boring-suit-guy Alexander Centauri isn’t only style-less and clumsy, but also terribly awkward. After a miserable date, Eric plants Alex on another guy’s lap and goes after Mr. Wrong…who looks so right. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">When Eric realizes his mistake, it might be too late.
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, College, Opposites Attract, Making Wrong Choices, Jealousy, Past Promiscuity, One Time Threesome Sex, Abuse, Friendship
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
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The first word that comes to mind after closing this book is 'intense'. Knowing lighthearted Eric from the first story in this series, <a href="http://www.rarelydustybooks.com/2012/11/review-life-without-you-by-erica-pike.html" target="_blank"><i>A Life Without You</i></a>, didn't prepare me at all for the course this second installment took. Sure, Eric's happy out and proud persona was still providing the lightness and humor here but his romance story also has a much darker and heavier side to it. <br />
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First, it's probably good to know that the main characters are having both sex with other men and are even in a relationship with other men, before they hook up together. Not every reader likes to read about that, on page, when it comes to their romances. Personally, I thought it fitted the plot here perfectly, so it didn't bother me. <br />
Secondly, there's some on page violence and abuse directed at one of the main characters. It's not happening between Eric and Alex, but it's pretty graphically described and thus might be a trigger to some. <br />
As I said, this is an intense read.
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Now that I've given off enough warnings, let's talk about the awesomeness that is this story. There's the fact that I couldn't put the book down even if I'd wanted to. It kept me up until 4 in the morning on a school/work night. The tension is omnipotent and you just want to know when they, meaning Eric and Alex, will get things worked out already. They take the better part of the book to finally start talking about their feelings for each other. Meanwhile there's plenty of sexual anticipation building up between them. This suspenseful tension is what makes it difficult to put the book down once you've started it.
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The novel is entirely written from Eric's point of view. We see his opinion of Alex change drastically throughout his own rite de passage. At the beginning of the story Eric is the happy playboy who hops from one bed into the next. He doesn't think he's relationship material. But this changes after he's spent a night with his best friend and boyfriend, Adam and Jesse, who invited him for a threesome. He sees the love they have for each other from up close and suddenly craves something like that for himself too. His path to find Mr Right is bumpy though. He falls in love with the wrong guy, while Mr Right is all this time right in front of him. But he's too blind to see and when he finally notices him it's too late.
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During his initial journey of self-discovery Eric is somewhat of an ass to be honest. He's trampling hard on Alex's feelings and treating him rather badly because he thinks Alex is a boring klutz. He's well aware of Alex's crush on him but can't imagine ever feeling the same for Alex. How wrong he was, of course! But by the time he comes to the conclusion that Alex is hot, Alex seems to have falling in love with Eric's friend. And Eric is in a complicated relationship of his own.
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Thus begins a careful dancing around each other, feelings of unrequited love playing a part in every encounter between them. Eric's friends and their sex game of Spin the Bottle are helping them building quite some steamy sexual tension too. I enjoyed this phase of their building romance a lot. It was made believable with a little help of lack in communication. Of course, Eric acted like a blind guy most of the time, but I found his lack in confidence rather refreshing and credible thanks to his inexperience with relationships.
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The first book in this series wasn't without controversy either (cheating was the issue there) and this second book shows some unusual choices again. This time it's not really cheating, since the MCs don't have a relationship yet (or anymore), but like I said before not all readers will appreciated the fact that we see the heroes having sex with other characters, especially since it hurts the love interest too. However, I admire Pike for these not so usual choices in the romance genre. It definitely brings a new dimension to the emotional spectrum of my romance reading. My poor heart.
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It's surely Pike's skill to write compelling and solid romances that is to blame for tugging at my heartstrings so hard and keeping me up half of the night. Her engaging characters and clever use of humor don't hurt the enjoyment either. <br />
There are a few secondary characters in Eric's circle of friends that I'd love to read more about as well. Luckily, this month the third book in the Boston Boys series, <i>Black Hurricane</i>, will come out. It's Jazz's book and his love interest is a rock star. I'm excited! <br />
~
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<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-19938539699193944532013-08-08T15:59:00.001+02:002013-08-13T17:51:36.837+02:00Review of The Winning Season by Alison Packard <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShQF0ZNcEi0/UgOgwgEoEcI/AAAAAAAAD5U/kCnqDrrQpD8/s1600/1The+Winning+Season+by+Alison+Packard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShQF0ZNcEi0/UgOgwgEoEcI/AAAAAAAAD5U/kCnqDrrQpD8/s320/1The+Winning+Season+by+Alison+Packard.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Alison Packard </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> The Winning Season </i></b></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Carina Press | July 15, 2013 | 241 pages, 95,000 words</span>
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<a href="http://www.alisonpackard.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17236875-the-winning-season?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/D941E890-3A86-4424-BBDE-DED66A6ECA22/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=B14B9968-68C1-45E6-B0DD-B7C3AA34F923" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Kelly Maxwell has finally landed her dream job as publicist for the San Francisco Blaze. But the team's newest member, handsome bad boy catcher Matt Scanlon, is refusing every interview. She's got to get him to open up before the season ends, or she may not be back next year. And after everything she overcame to achieve her dream, Kelly's not about to let that happen.
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Matt Scanlon just wants to be left alone to rebuild his life and his career. After a year of masking the pain of a recent loss with hard partying and fast women, he finally hit rock bottom and was traded to a team he's loathed his entire life—a team with little to no chance at the post-season.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Butting heads is getting Kelly and Matt nowhere but annoyed, and with the team's schedule on the road, they can't avoid close quarters—or their surprising attraction to one another. As the season winds down, Matt finds his growing feelings for Kelly have brought his numbed emotions back to life. But when betrayal shatters their fragile trust, winning it all seems more impossible than ever.
</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/F, Sports, Baseball, Enemies to Friends, Eating Disorder, Loss, Secret
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
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My first acquaintance with Packard's work was definitely a pleasant reading experience. Not only, did I enjoy the setting of <i>The Winning Season</i> immensely, I also thought the relationship development and overall pace were very well done. Additionally, her writing style is clean and entertaining with quick dialogues and vivid descriptions. However, what kept me from rating this novel with 5 stars is the presence of a few predictable plot elements.
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This is a sport romance with a baseball hero. Accordingly the story takes place on and around a ball field. I loved this baseball setting. Especially since it was not only a decor, it felt very real and authentic. The heroine also works for the PR department of the baseball team, so we learn different aspects about what's going on behind the scenes of a major league team and competition. I'm not an American so the concept of this specific sport is somewhat foreign to me, although I've heard of the World Series of course and I've been to a Padres game when I was in San Diego last May. So I can say that I know a lot more about baseball after reading the novel than I knew before. But I gained this knowledge in a playful manner; I didn't feel overwhelmed with baseball lingo at all. I just really enjoyed the insider’s perspective on this sport.
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As for the romantic developments in this novel, the pace of the falling in love part was slow and nearly perfect. It would've been perfect with a less rushed ending. But what I liked immensely is that this couple starts out hating each other and then, slowly but steadily, they fall in love. This is done credibly and convincingly, in a way that you can actually see them get there. I rather enjoyed this phase, especially when they weren't that much into each other yet and had these amusing banters, bickering and cussing at each other at every opportunity. When their mutual attraction starts to surface more and more, it results in some very steamy encounters, which are also a pleasure to read. I think an important part of my enjoyment is due to the author's ability to write vivid and evocative scenes, mingled with great and often witty dialogue.
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<br />
However, as much as I liked this author's voice and the way the feelings developed between the main characters, I have to address the several predictable plot turns the romantic arc takes. The enemy-to-lovers trope has a dramatic secret as a centerpiece right there in the middle of it, being the reason for the transformation from hate to love. Albeit a not very original take on the trope, nonetheless it turned out to evoke quite some emotions as well. <br />
Furthermore, the big secret becomes the catalyst for The Big Misunderstanding when it's unwillingly unveiled in the media and some accusations are made. Especially this plot element was a bit of a disappointment for me. I kept thinking, long before it happened, 'no the author won't go there' and yet, she did! I regretted she went for this obvious and predictable choice and actually thought she altogether could've skipped the big, big drama that followed if she intended to rush through a reconciliation as quickly as she did anyway. <br />
Also a bit predictable was that most of the secondary plot lines - like Matt's role in the new team, his future as a catcher for the Blaze, the medical condition of Lily, the outcome of the last series of games - were rounded up neatly with no real tension or threats. They felt a bit artificial to me but maybe that's because I don’t think that everything has to end well.
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One secondary plot line however, didn't get this neat treatment: that of the eating disorder and more specifically the plot line of Kelly handling her intern. Some may cynically say because it served its purpose already being a means to Kelly's end, namely winning Matt's sympathy and admiration, so that he would share in return. But I actually liked how the author handled this topic and left the ending open where it concerned the plot of Kelly's intern. We don't really know how she's doing after she left the hospital with her parents but we can only hope she acknowledged her problem and got help. Like Kelly did. I think the topic of the eating disorder and Kelly's experience with it come across as realistic and authentic. In real life stories like this don’t always end well either. I actually think the way that this topic is dealt with here makes this an above average novel, along with the earlier mentioned positive elements.
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Overall, I can certainly recommend this sport romance. It has a great setting, a well-paced, believable romance, quite a few emotional moments, a lack of fear for some harsh scenes between the main characters and, most importantly, skillful writing. I will definitely pick up another book by Alison Packard in the future!<br />
~
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-21181415586148958752013-08-05T14:00:00.000+02:002013-08-08T16:00:05.445+02:00Review of Safeword by A.J. Rose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b8-7vo1hkSk/UffvsNYqQUI/AAAAAAAAD24/SQZisEXg4I4/s1600/Safeword+by+A.J.+Rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b8-7vo1hkSk/UffvsNYqQUI/AAAAAAAAD24/SQZisEXg4I4/s320/Safeword+by+A.J.+Rose.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> A.J. Rose </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Safeword </i></b> (Power Exchange #2)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Voodoo Lily Press | June 1, 2013 | 110,000 words, 333 pages</span>
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<a href="http://andrewjrose.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17569268-safeword?ac=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-safeword-1216726-356.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Everywhere Detective Gavin DeGrassi looks he’s reminded of his attack by the Breath Play Killer. It’s in the house he lives in with his partner and Dom, Ben Haverson. It’s in the sympathetic yet pitying looks he receives from his fellow detectives when he returns to the force after a year-long hiatus. It’s in the suffocating coddling of his entire family, and the relentless reporter demanding an exclusive of his ordeal.
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Most of all, it’s in his lack of submission to Ben, who isn’t convinced Gavin’s recovered enough to trust the power exchange between them.
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<span style="font-size: small;">The miraculous recovery of two teen boys from a twisted kidnapper gives him heart, and Gavin's determined to prove he can handle anything despite increasing strain between him and Ben, painful nightmares, and panic when anyone touches him.
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">But his next case is too close for comfort: a friend and colleague found raped and murdered in a fate chillingly similar to what could have been his own, and this killer isn’t stopping with one cop. As the body count rises and taunting souvenirs are being hand-delivered to Gavin, he faces a frustrating lack of leads, a crushing need to prove himself, and a sinking suspicion the imprisoned kidnapper’s reach is further than originally thought. A miasma of uncertainty and fear threaten to suffocate him when he asks a question with which he’s overwhelmingly familiar: what happens when a victim is pushed too far?
</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, Suspense, BDSM, Police Investigation, PTSD, Violence, Danger, Recovery, Bondage
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2.5 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
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<b>** This review may contain spoilers for the previous book, <i>Power Exchange</i> **</b>
</blockquote>
<br />
Note: <i>Safeword</i> is the sequel to <i>Power Exchange</i> in which we met Gavin and Ben, the main characters of these books. <i>Power Exchange</i> should be read first for a better understanding of <i>Safeword</i>, since Ben and Gavin deal with the aftermath of what happened to them at the end of the first book in <i>Safeword</i>.
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After reading <i>Power Exchange</i> I was hoping for this sequel because I was so engrossed in Gavin and Ben's romance and I felt their story wasn't completely told yet. <br />
<i>Safeword</i> certainly proved their was still a lot to enjoy with these two engaging characters. Their adventures and their emotional journey in this sequel are even more compelling than before.
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There's a time lapse of one and a half year between the ending of the first book and the beginning of the second. Gavin has recently returned to his job as a Detective, doing deskwork for the past couple of months. He and his partner Myah are finally getting back to their usual work, while Gavin and Ben are still struggling to find the balance back in their D/s relationship. That's where we enter the story again.
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The case Myah and Gavin are assigned to is the rape and murder of one of their colleagues, soon to be followed by another killed cop. The violence and circumstances of the killings are hitting close to home for Gavin. While the investigation is absorbing him more and more, he and Ben are gradually but steadily working through their issues as well. They are having small breakthroughs, in which they switch from Gavin's problems to Ben's insecurities and back. When they gradually find their footing, Gavin becomes stronger and calmer again which helps him to keep his cool during the case and the confrontations with his homophobic ex partner and a stress-inducing reporter, who are connected to the case.
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The two main arcs, the suspense and the romantic arc, are balanced very skillfully. I never felt once that the one arc was slowing down the other arc or the other way around. They were both equally important and interwoven with each other at the right moments. At a certain point in the investigation the couple's life becomes part of the suspenseful events too. And vice versa this interferes with their relationship development as well. It doesn't stay without consequences in the end either. Again Ben and Gavin have to face some serious danger and violence related to the case Gavin's working on.
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The procedural police work from the first novel is back in this sequel, and I found myself really enjoying the pace and the way the author takes me as a reader along with the investigation. I felt challenged to solve the murders together with Gavin and Myah. The cases are built-up well and seem to be very realistic and furnished with psychological layers. Therefore my sympathy went to the victims as well as to the murderer nearly to the same extent. The author even managed to raise my empathy for the bad guys who became victims of the murderer, solely by the way their ordeal was described.
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Although this second book perhaps doesn't have as many hot sex scenes as the first book, I thought that the heat level was still immeasurably high. Ben and Gavin's intimate scenes are not only sexy but very emotional too and these moments are showing excellently the progress in their relationship development. Rose not only knows how to write a wickedly hot scene which involves purple rope, the scenes also make it quite tangible what it must feel like to completely submit to someone else, someone you trust and who can make you fly. It's a pretty intense experience, or so it seems. It takes a talented author with a skillful pen to convey those emotions and feelings so well.
<br />
<br />
A few minor niggles had me rating this book the same as the first book. Firstly, the POV from Ben, that I missed slightly in the first book as well, was still amiss in this sequel. We solely witness the relationship plot line from Gavin's perspective. Admittedly, the author does not do a bad job conveying Ben's feelings and view on things too, but not as elaborate as Gavin's. This is just a personal regret though. <br />
Secondly, towards the end of the investigation everything becomes very explosive, again, and the dramatic level is a bit higher than is to my taste. A few things also made me raise my eyebrows in surprise. Like the way the police department 'uses' a minor without the consent of his parents for a broadcasted message to the suspect, and the mild and empathetic way Gavin thinks about his hateful former partner in the end (making Gavin almost a saint). Also, I couldn't quite understand the murderer's focus on (or near obsession with) Gavin and Ben. This seemed maybe a bit far fetched to me and I couldn't help but think that it provided some convenient extra excitement, that wasn't necessary in my opinion. <br />
However, like I said, these were only small niggles because while I was reading I was too engrossed to really notice them, let alone be bothered by them much. I was too busy to keep from falling from the edge of my seat, where I had been seated for a while already, quickly turning page after page.
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<br />
So, I'm rather sad to have finished this book because I will miss Gavin and Ben, and Myah and Cole and the rest of the colorful secondary cast, fiercely. I understand from the author that there are no further books in this series planned (at least for now). I can see why not, after the way things ended in this story. The good news is that Rose is writing a whole new book, called <i>Queers</i>, which is supposed to come out by the end of this year. The first chapter was included at the end of <i>Safeword</i> and it's quite promising really. <br />
For those who haven't read the <b>Power Exchange</b> series by this author yet, just know that I'm rather envious of you being able to experience the compelling and thrilling ride that these books will provide, for the first time. I will have to content myself with rereading them. <br />
~
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-41519047985893351092013-08-02T16:12:00.000+02:002013-08-05T22:15:09.746+02:005 Questions For Author Josephine Myles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YbrXRYCdO9k/Ufu8CdLyeNI/AAAAAAAAD4k/fFKLxs2KLyE/s1600/BloomingMarvellous-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YbrXRYCdO9k/Ufu8CdLyeNI/AAAAAAAAD4k/fFKLxs2KLyE/s1600/BloomingMarvellous-200x300.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;">Today I’m very pleased and honored to have one of my favorite m/m authors as a guest, <b>Josephine Myles</b>! A collection of her short stories - <b><i>Blooming Marvellous</i></b> - has been released recently and later this month a new novel will come out at Samhain Publishing, called <b><i>Junk</i></b>. And I’m happy to have the opportunity to ask her a few questions about those, and other things related, like the UK Meet. So here are the 5 questions and answers!
</span><br />
<br />
Hi Janna, thanks for having me over today!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">Welcome Jo, here we go! :) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>1) Your most recent release, <i>Blooming Marvellous</i>, is a self-pubbed anthology of m/m short stories. Is this your first self-published title? What can you tell us about self-publishing?</b></span> <br />
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I’ve self-published a few short stories and anthologies before, as well as one novella, <i>Boats in the Night</i>, so I think I can now talk about this with a little bit of authority. <br />
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As far as I’m concerned, self-publishing is a lot of work and I end up spending a fair amount of time on jobs I’m not so keen on, like formatting the ebooks (and for <i>Blooming Marvellous</i>, a print version too). So for me, self-publishing is only worth doing for books that publishers aren’t so interested in, or for the chance to offer promotional freebies like <i>Pole Star</i>, which has been downloaded over 45000 times! For the most part I’m self-publishing stories that have been previously released by a publisher—it’s often a chance to give them a cover revamp and another edit. It’s also been a relief to finally put the British spelling back into some of those early shorts!<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>2) The short stories in <i>Blooming Marvellous</i> have all been published before. Why did you want to bring them all together in this collection? And what do they, when you look at this collection, tell about your development as a writer? </b></span><br />
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I’ll be totally honest, it was partly because releasing them all separately would be so much more work! But that’s not the only reason. I thought I could offer much better value to the reader this way than by pricing each story at $0.99—the minimum price Amazon will allow. It also allowed me to make a print version, which just isn’t economical with short stories. <br />
<br />
But aside from those practicalities, I did want to put together an anthology of my stories as a way of showcasing the different sort of genres and narrative voices I’ve experimented with. If you’d only read my novels, you’d be forgiven for thinking I only ever write smutty contemporaries. That’s not the case, though. I may not get many ideas for novel length paranormal, science-fiction, young adult or historical stories, but I do enjoy writing them and you’ll find all those different kinds of stories in here... along with the smutty contemporaries, of course! <br />
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I suspect the finished anthology might not show you so much about my development as a writer as I gave all the stories a thorough re-edit before publishing it again. However, I certainly noticed that it was the older stories that needed the most attention. They were full of clunky sentences, point of view slippage and wandering body parts—not to mention the pronoun confusion! In the oldest story of all, “Passive Resistance”, I also discovered I had a bad tendency to repeat myself back then, saying the same thing over and over in different words. I ended up cutting a lot of excess sentences out of that story, and the leaner version is much stronger as a result.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>3) Which of your stories or characters is your personal favorite? </b></span><br />
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In the <i>Blooming Marvellous</i> anthology, I think it has to be Ky, the graffiti artist narrator of the title story. He just blazed out of my subconscious and onto the page, and his story really touched me. He has that blend of surface toughness and hidden vulnerability that I love, as well as a bit of a motor mouth. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DtHhk3tvPsI/Ufu8hiNJSEI/AAAAAAAAD40/kd285YkBeWI/s1600/streetart7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DtHhk3tvPsI/Ufu8hiNJSEI/AAAAAAAAD40/kd285YkBeWI/s200/streetart7.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street art from Banksy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I’m also especially fond of that story because I just adore street art. To me it’s a way of reclaiming bland urban spaces and making them human again. I had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy" target="_blank">Banksy</a> in mind as I wrote it, because I’ve seen a lot of his work in situ in his home city of Bristol. Whole areas of the city are now covered in beautiful, ever-changing artwork now as a result of his legacy. Well worth a visit if you’re ever in the West of England... perhaps for the UK Meet next year?<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>4) You just got home from the UK Meet in Manchester, a yearly event for GLBTQ writers and readers. Can you tell us something about the history of this event and your role in the organization of the event? And what have those who weren't there missed out on this year?</b></span> <br />
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The UK Meet has been going for four years now, and it’s grown from just twelve of us in a back room of Ely library to an event attracting readers and authors from all over the globe! I got involved during the planning of the second year in Milton Keynes, and after that the main team of five organisers (Alex Beecroft, Clare London, Charlie Cochrane, JL Merrow and me) formed with the aim of turning it into a more professional, larger convention. Alex has now been replaced by Liam Livings, but the rest of the team seem to be in it for the long haul! My main job so far has been working on finding the venues and organising entertainment options like the wonderful GLBTQ walking tours we had in Manchester this year, but I also organised the promotional anthologies <i>Tea and Crumpet</i>, <i>Lashings of Sauce</i> and <i>British Flash</i>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Authors Marie Sexton and Josephine Myles at the UK Meet</td></tr>
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As for Manchester, you missed a treat! The city is beautiful, with a proud and vibrant gay culture. But I think what everyone seems to enjoy most is the chance to socialise with other people who understand why you read what you do and who won’t judge you for it. I loved having the opportunity to finally get to meet some of the friends I’ve been chatting with online. <br />
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Don’t worry if you missed it, though, because next year we’ll be in Bristol and 2014 will be bigger and better than ever! We’re learning all the time and paying close attention to feedback from attendees this year, so we’re confident we can deliver something really special next year.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>5) What are you working on at the moment? And can you tell us something about your upcoming release Junk?</b></span> <br />
<br />
At the moment I’m planning the next book in the series beginning with <i>Junk</i>. It’s provisionally titled <i>Stuff</i> and will be out in May 2014, and it gives the story of Mas, who pops up as a minor (but scene-stealing) character in <i>Junk</i>. It’s the first time I’ve started a series like this, so I’m a little nervous but really excited. Better yet, it gives me a chance to go and explore more of Bristol for research, which is really handy seeing as how the UK Meet is there next year! <br />
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<i>Junk</i> is also set in Bristol, and is unusual for me as it’s definitely a contemporary rather than an erotic romance. That’s not to say there aren’t a few sex scenes in there, but that’s not the focus this time. It tells the story of Jasper, a man who’s become overwhelmed by his hoard of books. The situation has become so severe he can’t get into many of the rooms of his house, and he eventually has to call a company who specialise in helping hoarders both with the practical and emotional sides of their problem, which is when he meets love-interest Lewis. Of course, falling for the man who’s meant to be your counsellor isn’t the best idea, especially if that counsellor has a strong ethical code forbidding romantic relationships with clients. <br />
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I’m really excited for <i>Junk</i>. I honestly think it’s my best novel yet, and I’m hoping the theme resonates with readers. Many of us have issues with too many possessions these days, and I’ve seen hoarding first hand in my own family. It was a fascinating topic to research and I’m really looking forward to being able to discuss it more with readers when the book comes out on August 27th. <br />
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Thanks for having me over to chat, Janna! I’d be very happy to answer any additional questions from readers in the comments :)<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Thanks for being here today, Jo! I definitely hope to come to Bristol next year & I can't wait to read <i>Junk</i> :) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
Josephine Myles’ <a href="http://josephinemyles.com/" target="_blank">website</a> | <a href="http://eepurl.com/hrQ4s" target="_blank">Newsletter</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/josephine.myles.authorpage" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/JosephineMyles" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Josephine-Myles/e/B004CRIH34/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://ukglbtfictionmeet.co.uk/" target="_blank">UK Meet</a> <br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-48158528013251032522013-08-01T15:28:00.003+02:002013-08-05T22:14:27.716+02:00August M/M Releases I Look Forward To<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s a hot
summer here in the Netherlands! And what better way is there to spend those hot
days reading hot romances, right? Here’s my list for this month’s most
anticipated M/M romances:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079167-black-hurricane" target="_blank" title="Black Hurricane (Boston Boys, #3)"><i>Black Hurricane</i> (Boston Boys, #3) </a></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5433276.Erica_Pike" target="_blank">Pike, Erica</a></b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug, 2013</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Twenty-three
year old Jasper Jones fell in love with Dean McQueen at fourteen, but after a
disastrous relationship, Jazz would like nothing better than to see the rock
star choke on his own vomit.<br />
After a catastrophic reunion, Dean seems bent on destroying Jazz’s life. It all
started when an impromptu bar performance ended up on YouTube and Jazz became
an internet sensation<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079167-black-hurricane" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17730532-weight-of-silence" target="_blank" title="Weight of Silence (Cost of Repairs, #3)"><i>Weight of Silence</i> (Cost of Repairs, #3) </a></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5304118.A_M_Arthur" target="_blank">Arthur, A.M.</a></b></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug 06,
2013 </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The wrong
secret can poison everything--even if it’s kept with the best of intentions. <br />
Gavin Perez knows he’s a living cliché. He works a dead-end job, shares a
trailer with his waitress mom, has an abusive, absentee sperm donor, and he’s
poor. So color him shocked when middle-class, white-bread Jace Ramsey agrees to
hang out with him. <br />
Granted, Gavin is trying to make up f<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17730532-weight-of-silence" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18107013-compromised" title="Compromised">Compromised </a></span></b></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4093537.Ethan_Stone" target="_blank">Stone, Ethan</a></b></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug 09,
2013 </span></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Book
One in the Uniformity series.</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
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</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kash
never thought he’d find true love working at a maximum security prison, but
that’s exactly what happens.</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
Correctional Officer Daniel “Kash” Kashaveroff is single, gay and working at a
maximum security prison in a small town in Nevada. Not the best job or town in
which to meet men. He wants to fall in love again but isn’t actively looki<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18107013-compromised" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18192843-a-little-bit-country-a-novel" target="_blank" title="A Little Bit Country, A Novel"><i>A Little Bit Country, A Novel</i> </a></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3009736.S_J_Frost" target="_blank">Frost, S.J.</a></b></span> </span></div>
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2013 </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ash Ivers
says and does what he wants, and with being the lead singer of the world famous
rock band, From Ashes, he gets away with both. Three years ago, his mouth got
the better of him, and he started a media feud with county music star, Jackson
Abrams. When they’re both booked to play a charity concert, he sees his chance
to finally confront Jackson in person. Though, he<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18192843-a-little-bit-country-a-novel" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17912488-whiskey-and-wry" target="_blank" title="Whiskey and Wry (Sinner's Gin, #2)"><i>Whiskey and Wry</i> (Sinner's Gin, #2) </a></span></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>
</b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4968409.Rhys_Ford" target="_blank">Ford, Rhys</a></b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug 19,
2013 </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He was
dead. And it was murder most foul. If erasing a man’s existence could even be
called murder.<br />
When Damien Mitchell wakes, he finds himself without a life or a name. The
Montana asylum’s doctors tell him he’s delusional and his memories are all
lies: he’s really Stephen Thompson, and he’d gone over the edge, obsessing
about<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17912488-whiskey-and-wry" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17731296-capture-surrender" target="_blank" title="Capture & Surrender (Market Garden #5)"><i>Capture & Surrender</i> (Market Garden #5) </a></span></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>
</b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3185029.L_A_Witt" target="_blank">Witt, L.A. & Aleksandr Voinov</a></b></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Aug 19,
2013</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ever since
his partner died, Frank has resigned himself to staying single. He wards off the
loneliness by spending time with friends on the paintball field and running his
high-end brothel, the Market Garden.<br />
After one of his most lucrative rentboys quits, Frank is thrilled when a
gorgeous replacement walks through the door. A former US soldier, Stefan is
hot, bold, and per<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17731296-capture-surrender" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OmBmwUbu4EEEBJuqlgYnswaVZElcuwIo5rs2qi4sQbPjC5Z9B9WaNcq95NVBUfSaXNWOIUJyCBvIaSU3wyaTeAHmHMVCgRwQIgKfWbnf5w_mzZpDZ-0_C8rdqmAB50lk4KGvNriN8hY/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OmBmwUbu4EEEBJuqlgYnswaVZElcuwIo5rs2qi4sQbPjC5Z9B9WaNcq95NVBUfSaXNWOIUJyCBvIaSU3wyaTeAHmHMVCgRwQIgKfWbnf5w_mzZpDZ-0_C8rdqmAB50lk4KGvNriN8hY/s200/7.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMUl0esoMq7IcphzgTTcCECaTPAXZK1z5eA3BTcrGOkU4LQo-FLTo1TaTceCNHdeiDyX-_dExxHKyYhbWS1nWcdRNaSZklJ7WezMw4sslCuNEnyvAxrJvwrUQlsb3z_0apfz8vV3f8eY/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMUl0esoMq7IcphzgTTcCECaTPAXZK1z5eA3BTcrGOkU4LQo-FLTo1TaTceCNHdeiDyX-_dExxHKyYhbWS1nWcdRNaSZklJ7WezMw4sslCuNEnyvAxrJvwrUQlsb3z_0apfz8vV3f8eY/s200/8.jpg" width="127" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9CIhE35d26k/UfphB9YYwDI/AAAAAAAAD4U/YWIB8C3roOU/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9CIhE35d26k/UfphB9YYwDI/AAAAAAAAD4U/YWIB8C3roOU/s200/9.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17844898-meet-me-in-the-middle" target="_blank" title="Meet Me in the Middle (Distance Between Us, #3)"><i>Meet Me in the Middle</i> (Distance Between Us, #3) </a></span></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>
</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3185029.L_A_Witt" target="_blank">Witt, L.A.</a></b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug 20,
2013 </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fool me
three times… <br />
Dale Ramsey is looking forward to his twenty-year high school reunion except
for one small problem. Adam O’Connor, his old friend—and old flame. <br />
Twice before, Adam has disappeared from Dale’s life. Once after a graduation
night fling, and again after a hot reunion years later. When Adam resurfaces
this time, single and on the verge of retiring from the<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17844898-meet-me-in-the-middle" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17898625-my-cowboy-heart" target="_blank" title="My Cowboy Heart">My Cowboy Heart </a></span></b></span></i></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2738500.Z_A_Maxfield" target="_blank">Maxfield, Z.A.</a></b></span>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug 20,
2013 </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A cowboy's heart has room for anything…</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
J-Bar ranch foreman Malloy pretty much keeps to himself—slinking around the
edges of everybody else like an old coyote, doing his job and staying private.
That is until Crispin Carrasco shows up. <br />
Lean, muscular, and with a motor mouth that won’t quit, Crispin sparks
something in Malloy—something the foreman didn’t know was there. But<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17898625-my-cowboy-heart" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18068792-junk" target="_blank" title="Junk">Junk </a></span></b></span></i></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>
</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3499509.Josephine_Myles" target="_blank">Myles, Josephine</a></b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Aug 27,
2013 </span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Letting go
is the first step to healing…or bringing it all crashing down.<br />
When an avalanche of books cuts off access to his living room, university
librarian Jasper Richardson can no longer ignore the truth. His ever-growing
piles of books, magazines and newspapers can no longer be classified as a
“collection”. It’s a hoard, and he needs professional help.<br />
Professional clutt<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18068792-junk" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">...more</span></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Happy book
shopping!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">~</span></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-44085361370629320782013-07-30T17:13:00.000+02:002013-08-01T15:30:06.718+02:00Review of Dangerous Submission by Lori Toland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ctZMAxhlzbs/UffXk7M0ECI/AAAAAAAAD2o/1Wp2xSVKOPQ/s1600/Dangerous+Submission+by+Lori+Toland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ctZMAxhlzbs/UffXk7M0ECI/AAAAAAAAD2o/1Wp2xSVKOPQ/s1600/Dangerous+Submission+by+Lori+Toland.jpg" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Lori Toland </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Dangerous Submission </i></b> (Dangerous Affairs #2)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Loose Id | April 23, 2013</span>
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<a href="http://loritoland.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17877383-dangerous-submission" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.loose-id.com/dangerous-submission.html" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">British Agent Drake Steele never thought when he was hired on at the Serious Organised Crime Agency that his job would involve spanking a co-worker. But when the colleague is Lord Robbie Covington, the sexy red-headed computer hacker for SOCA and MI-6, Drake can't agree fast enough to pop Robbie's cherry and pull him into the sensual world of BDSM.
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<span style="font-size: small;">Now they are caught up in a web of lies as they pose as members of the jet-setting crowd. Drake and Robbie have to race against the clock to stop a weapons haul that could threaten the safety of all Europe. As their covers begin to fade and danger is closing in, protecting Robbie is Drake’s most important task, but neither man is ready for the moment when their hearts are put on the line.
</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/M, Mystery, Suspense, BDSM, Undercover, Prague, London, Red-head, Danger
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~~~~~<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 4 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 3 out of 3 flames<br />
~~~~~
</blockquote>
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Well, this was a thoroughly sexy read. Two agents, who don't really know each other but feel a mutual attraction, are thrown together in an undercover operation where they have to pose as a couple. And not just any couple, no, they have to act as a Dom and his sub. Drake already is an experienced Dom but Robbie is completely new to BDSM. So, they not only are taking precocious steps into this scene, but have the added pressure of being undercover on top of that. This makes their ordeal rather intense from the start.
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This premise is not awfully original but when you're in the mood for it <i>Dangerous Submission</i> will provide you with the sexiness and emotional complication this type of story usually brings, in a fabulous way. Although the plot suffers a bit from instant lust which turns into instant love rather quickly, it was lovely to experience the way Toland writes feelings and emotions into a fast developing relationship. She masters the art of showing instead of telling beautifully, which made me almost forget the insta-love and the predictable outcome of the undercover operation.
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For example lines like the one in this quote made me enjoy her writing style very much: <br />
<blockquote>
'I was floating on a bed of clouds. Actually, it was velvet touching my skin, and while I slowly drifted back to reality, our surroundings came into focus. We had landed in the middle of the room on a pile of velvet blankets specifically prepared for another dom and his sub, who now stood at the entrance to the room.'</blockquote>
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Images of scenes are evoked very quickly and clearly thanks to her vivid writing, and this makes the sex scenes extremely sexy and hot too. I completely believed the D/s developments between the main characters. Drake and Robbie have a sizzling chemistry going on from the beginning. And there's also room for some playfulness between them, which I enjoyed.
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I thought it was a good choice that the wrap-up of the investigation does not coincide with the end of the story. Drake and Robbie realize that they don't really know each other and that their falling in love happened very quickly and may have mostly been ignited by the excitement of the job. They take their time after that job to get to know each other by having a long distance relationship, with Drake in Birmingham and Robbie in London. This made their HEA in the end more believable to me. And I also liked the role Drake's daughter played in that part of the story. However, I still felt that the relationship development was a bit rushed and could've profited from a slower build-up overall and maybe from a bit more friction between the heroes as well.
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<i>Dangerous Submission</i> is a well-written and hot romance with some attractive suspense and quite a few steamy BDSM scenes thrown into the mix. It's definitely a recommendation if you like the type of undercover story where the heroes have to guess to what extend their partner is faking his feelings or actions for the sake of the job. The main characters are likable and three-dimensional sex gods who will keep you entertained - and not only with their naked action - from the first to the last page.<br />
~<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-46960156992154280792013-07-26T14:30:00.000+02:002013-08-01T15:30:36.319+02:00Series spotlighted: The Cole McGinnis Series by Rhys Ford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcWf1qHgacDsfU6TbsqXgnkmdo2jpYt9HQNHgoV3LZF_OfiIlGtDXFgP6eL00uKEz-HRVfu6S18QoP3TElr7yVagwebnW5_T5IVplx2mgEGQmwjMxf1gvsSvaZepOCo4sJ3HVSUwFD3U/s1600/1Dirty+Kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcWf1qHgacDsfU6TbsqXgnkmdo2jpYt9HQNHgoV3LZF_OfiIlGtDXFgP6eL00uKEz-HRVfu6S18QoP3TElr7yVagwebnW5_T5IVplx2mgEGQmwjMxf1gvsSvaZepOCo4sJ3HVSUwFD3U/s200/1Dirty+Kiss.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uUhFaCYxWA/UfGCOFX-9MI/AAAAAAAAD2M/_XScUKUmd3k/s1600/2Dirty+Secret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uUhFaCYxWA/UfGCOFX-9MI/AAAAAAAAD2M/_XScUKUmd3k/s200/2Dirty+Secret.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mDNuqKc9GrM/UfGCOJplq6I/AAAAAAAAD2A/KuBWSxbYCNM/s1600/3Dirty+Laundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mDNuqKc9GrM/UfGCOJplq6I/AAAAAAAAD2A/KuBWSxbYCNM/s200/3Dirty+Laundry.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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I've read the <span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Cole McGinnis</b></span> Series by Rhys Ford back to back; I started with the first of three books and I just couldn't stop reading until I finished the last one. Cole McGinnis stole my heart. He is the narrator of the books in this series and he's an ex-cop turned private investigator in Los Angeles. At the beginning of the first book he meets his (soon to be) lover Kim Jae-Min, when he is investigating the suicide of Jae-Min's cousin. All of Cole's investigations are, from the first book on, taking place in the midst of Korean culture. Jae is Korean and being gay in his culture is a big problem. This is a recurring theme in all the books. It's amazing how much these stories are drenched in Korean culture, without it being too overwhelming. I'm actually surprised at how much it fascinated me.
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Cole himself is half Irish, half Japanese, grown up in the United States. When he came out to his father and stepmother they kicked him out of the house, but his older brother Mike was there for him. Before we meet him in the first book a horrible drama has occurred in his life while he was a cop: his friend and partner Ben shot Cole and his boyfriend Rick after which he killed himself without leaving behind a reason for his deed. Rick died and Cole nearly did as well. This loss is a big shadow in Cole's life and only when he meets Jae some of his grief and pain loosens up.
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Cole's characterization is done excellently. He's a character with flaws and many layers. Thanks to his first person POV we get to know him really well, and the humor and sarcasm in his narrative makes his voice a delightful one. There's plenty of violence and danger in his life but his light tone of voice in certain situations makes it very bearable and sometimes even hilarious. It's hard not to love him. And it's great to see him have a few wonderful people in his life - like his brother Mike, his friend Bobby and his assistant Claudia - who are always there for him (as opposed to his parents and most of his old colleagues from the force). The characterization of these supporting characters is rich as well and a real bonus in these stories.
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The books in this series each have two major plot arcs. One is the same in all three: Cole's evolving relationship with Jae. The other is a different suspense plot line in each book. In the first book it's Cole's investigation of the suicide of Jae's cousin. In the second book Cole investigates an old disappearance of a friend of Scarlet (his and Jae's friend). And in the third book it's a series of unexpected deaths of a few clients of a fortune teller who has asked him to look into them. <br />
All these cases are suspenseful while a lot of people are killed in the process. Cole isn't presented as the super smart investigator who prevents things from getting worse. These are not really a whodunit sort of mysteries that need to be solved by him because everyone else is too stupid to figure things out. No, fortunately they are nothing like that. The events are much more capricious and unpredictable than in some of those type of books. I think that here they make for an excellently fitting and entertaining backdrop for the romance arc in this series.
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The romantic plot line is going steady throughout the three books but is not devoid of a healthy dose of angst either. Jae is very much aware of what it means for his family when he'd come out as being gay. In his culture it will be a huge shame. So much so that his family would declare him dead. His strict upbringing prevents him from being who he really is. It's a feeling that is rooted deeply and one that stands between him and Cole like an invisible wall. <br />
There's always a fear of losing Jae present in Cole's newfound purpose to live and love. I liked that the development of their relationship goes slow. But over the course of three books their love grows and becomes a more certain factor with each event in their lives. Meanwhile they have scorching hot, passionate sex from the beginning, that becomes more and more emotional over time too. The balance between the romantic arc and the suspense plot lines sometimes inclines to the first (with page long sex scenes for example) and sometimes leans over to the second, but overall I found them poised pretty well.
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There are a few other things that made reading this series an enjoyable experience for me. Firstly, the use of language and the author's writing style. Ford's vocabulary is rich and encloses words that I seldom see in romance novels. And I'm not only talking about the colorful use of Korean and other Asian words. The writing style is a delightful example of 'showing' how the characters feel instead of 'telling' about it. And the comparative phrases that are being used are unique and never lacking humor. <br />
Secondly, the presence and descriptions of Jae's cat, Neko. Cole eyes the little creature with humorous suspicion and acted contempt. And the way he describes the cat's behavior and actions makes Neko a very three-dimensional, lifelike 'character' in the story. I wouldn't have wanted to miss Neko's presence in this series. <br />
Thirdly, the supporting cast of secondary characters. I've mentioned them before, but I can't emphasize enough how much the recurring secondary characters in this series are full-fledged, three-dimensional and colorful, distinct personalities. They are so much a part of Cole (and Jae's) life as well as making up their world, that I would be very sad if something would happen to them. It's almost as much for them as it is for Cole and Jae that I look forward to the next installment in this series.
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-niPHIGWHuD0/UfGCrZ0M1sI/AAAAAAAAD2Y/QrYFjOt1DUE/s1600/4Sinner%27s+Gin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-niPHIGWHuD0/UfGCrZ0M1sI/AAAAAAAAD2Y/QrYFjOt1DUE/s200/4Sinner%27s+Gin.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
Speaking of which. I'm <strike>stalking</strike>... uhm... following Ford's blog and learned that she's writing the fourth novel at this moment, <i>Dirty Deeds</i>. No release date yet, but let's hope we won't have to wait too long. Meanwhile, I enjoyed myself with the free short story <i>Dirty Day</i> from Jae's point of view (which can be found <a href="http://dreamspinnerpress.com/blog/2013/05/21/sexy-anniversary-short-dirty-day-rhys-ford/" target="_blank">here</a>). <br />
And thank god the second book of Ford's <span style="color: #351c75;"><b>Sinners</b></span> series will be out next month: <i>Whiskey and Wry</i>. After the cliff hanger at the end of the first book, <i>Sinner's Gin</i> (which I've <a href="http://www.rarelydustybooks.com/2013/03/review-of-sinners-gin-by-rhys-ford.html" target="_blank">reviewed here</a>) I can hardly wait to read that one either.
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If you've never read any of Rhys Ford's books, I'd say the Cole McGinnis series would be a great place to start!<br />
<br />
The books in this series:<br />
#1 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11787563-dirty-kiss" target="_blank">Dirty Kiss</a><br />
#2 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15853341-dirty-secret" target="_blank">Dirty Secret</a><br />
#3 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17560488-dirty-laundry" target="_blank">Dirty Laundry</a><br />
#3.5 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17970857-dirty-day" target="_blank">Dirty Day</a> (free short)<br />
#4 Dirty Deeds (to be released)<br />
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Links: <a href="http://rhysford.com/" target="_blank">Rhys Ford's website</a> | Ford's books at <a href="http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=452&amp;osCsid=mr6ahlk5qbi2lsiq03bfbibab2" target="_blank">Dreamspinner Press</a><br />
~
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<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-401800529291605034.post-27028295253618738132013-07-24T14:00:00.000+02:002013-07-29T16:31:04.816+02:00Review of Empty Net by Toni Aleo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b5W0mW914Rk/Ue7bmzi-fcI/AAAAAAAAD1w/pgPFQnjdL_4/s1600/1Empty+Net+by+Toni+Aleo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b5W0mW914Rk/Ue7bmzi-fcI/AAAAAAAAD1w/pgPFQnjdL_4/s320/1Empty+Net+by+Toni+Aleo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b> Toni Aleo </b></div>
<div style="color: #351c75;">
<b><i> Empty Net </i></b> (Assassins #3)</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Loveswept | April 23, 2013 (first published January 1st 2012) | 451 pages</span>
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<a href="http://tonialeo.com/" target="_blank">Author’s website</a> | <a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-emptynet-1191963-149.html" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17505095-empty-net" target="_blank">Buy book here</a>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Backblurb:</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Definition of an Empty Net: When a team pulls the goalie for an extra attacker, desperately seeking a goal.
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<span style="font-size: small;">Audrey Parker was in a horrible place. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">She hated her job, her sister was getting married and moving out, but worst of all, she was in love with a total jerk. No matter what she did, every guy she met hurt her. All she wanted was her happily ever after. Her Prince Charming. Her Lucas Brooks! She didn’t know how to change her life but she knew she needed too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Feeling like she was about to hit rock bottom, Audrey wakes up next to Tate Odder. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Tate Odder had lost everything. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">After being brought up from the Assassins’ farm team, the Florida Rays to the Nashville Assassins, Tate hopes he’ll forget everything he has lost. He doesn’t. Each day gets harder to live in a place he doesn’t know. Even being the first rookie goalie to shut out an opposing team three times during the Lord Stanley Cup Finals, he still felt empty. With the loss of his parents and sister still heavy on his heart, Tate isn’t sure how to live like everything is okay. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">But when he wakes up beside Audrey Parker, things start to change. She turns his life upside down with her kooky sense of humor and her bright clothing. She is intelligent and beautiful, and for once, he doesn’t feel empty. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Will Audrey be the person to fill the holes in Tate’s heart, making him whole again?
Or will another player ruin everything, leaving him feeling forever like an empty net?</span>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Genre & Keywords:</span></b>
Contemporary Romance, M/F, Sports, Ice Hockey, Life Choices, Loss, Pregnancy, Abusive Ex, Violence
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Rating:</span></b> 3.5 out of 5 stars<br />
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Heat level:</span></b> 2 out of 3 flames<br />
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</blockquote>
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I'd heard good things about this series and it's hard for me to pass up on an ice hockey story when the opportunity presents itself. I love contemporary romances with a sports setting and in that regard <i>Empty Net</i> didn't disappoint at all. We get a hero who's an ice hockey goalie and we see some of his and his team mates' actions on the ice in this novel, which gives this story the interesting backdrop I was looking for. <br />
Although it's the first book I've ever read from this author, it's the third book in the Assassins series already. It can be read as a stand alone but the characters from the previous books are playing a big role in this installment since they are all connected to the ice hockey team in some way or other. It makes me want to read the other books too. And the couple of the next in the series is already been introduced and sounds interesting as well. I like this kind of interconnection between stories very much, especially when the main and secondary characters are written so well as they are here. <br />
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The fact that the characters are written so well, with multiple layers and flaws, doesn't mean that I like them equally though. For more than the first half of the book I found it difficult to like the heroine Audrey. Very difficult. I understood where she was coming from, because the author succeeded very well in conveying that, but I still felt that she was rather whiny and blind for the obvious choice, while she kept repeating herself to convince herself to not choose for something good. It got me frustrated with her and more than sympathetic with Tate. It got me to a point that I wanted to scream at Tate to find himself someone more deserving of his attention and patience. But luckily for the story's happy ending he didn't listen to me and kept on his determined path to Audrey's heart. <br />
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I actually liked the slow build-up of the relationship. Audrey's choice for a friendship only conveys that their personalities fit perfectly much better than when they would've continually scorched the sheets from page one. If only Audrey wouldn't deny their potential as a couple for so long... An important part in how Audrey feels about a relationship stems from the treatment her ex-boyfriend's given her. And still gives her. He's a classical bad guy, to the point that he becomes somewhat stereotypical. Everybody sees he's trouble with a capital T and so wrong for Audrey, except for Audrey. I think his character is maybe a little bit over the top, his only function in the plot seems to be to cause conflict and angst. And I'm just not a big fan of external conflict, especially when it's delivered in a mean and violent package like it is here. <br />
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What I rather enjoyed was the fact that the story wasn't wrapped up with a quick I love you and a they lived happily ever after, shortly after Audrey finally gave in to her feelings for Tate. No, after that turn in the story, we weren't done with the plot at all. Quite some more events were waiting to happen and it was nice to see Audrey and Tate solidify their love over that period of time. However, some of the events that occur later on are not easy to read about, because of the violent nature. But I have to admit that, no matter how predictable some of these plot turns are, they are written in a way that was gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. The angst level rises high towards the end of the story and you have to be a hard-ass to not be moved by it at all. No matter how annoyingly frustrating Audrey might have been during the first half of the book, this last part affected me no less. <br />
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Although I can see the flaws in Aleo's writing, like the repetitive and endless flow of thoughts from Audrey - and I'm not counting the many editorial mistakes, because I read an uncorrected proof -, I must confess that these flaws didn't bother me too much in the light of Aleo's well done characterization and her ability to create a interesting setting with many engaging side characters, which make up for a three-dimensional world in which a moving romance takes place. A romance that was engrossing and entertaining, not in the last place because of its lovable, wildly sexy, to-die-for ice hockey hero. I can't wait to read more books about Aleo's sports stars! <br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3514606" title="Follow Rarely Dusty Books on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/lank.gif?id=3514606" /></a>Jannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15169163606041934383noreply@blogger.com0