Jennifer
6, 7, 8...ALL the stars!!!!!
I stayed up late last night to finish this, and during the final few chapters I bawled my eyes out. First sad tears and then very, very happy ones. I think this may be the best book I have ever read. Phenomenal. Such a unique plot...I've never read anything like it. Absolutely fantastic.
I have 3 more of Laura Kinsale's books on their way to me (all paperback, as her stories deserve to be read that way to get the full experience, imo) but they aren't here yet! I need more of her work PRONTO! In the meantime, I have to read this one all over again. I'm not ready to go on to something else. It will just pale in comparison.
5 phenomenal stars for the first half, but only 3 stars for the second half, as there were some twists in the plot, one in particular, that I wasn't at all happy about. I absolutely LOVED the first half of the book, though, so I am meeting in the middle and giving it a 4.
Wow, wow, WOW! I am so in awe of Charlotte Stein's writing skill right now. She already held a spot as one of my absolute favorite authors, but this book sealed it. It was fantastic. No one writes 1st person POV like Ms. Stein. I mean NO one. It was funny at times, but also super HOT, and the nail biting ending will leave you on the edge of your seat. Throw in a broken, tormented hero AND heroine and you have the recipe for perfection! I couldn't put it down! 5++++++++++ stars!
I'm a sucker for forbidden love stories, and what could be more forbidden than the love of an (almost) priest? Charlotte has this way of writing 1st person POV that makes you feel like you're actually getting both POV's. I never feel as if I'm missing anything at all when I read her stories. She's a genius!
This was a great book that has a little bit of everything....contemporary, historical, paranormal...if you love time travel romance you should enjoy this.
When I first saw this guy on Cyn Mistress Kitty's profile, he immediately made an impression. And as I began to read “Hearts in Darkness”, I knew in an instant who my Caden was:
My Makenna:
I'll admit, I was initially drawn to the premise of this story. Two strangers trapped in a dark elevator together? Sounds delicious. And let's not forget that the guy on the cover is pretty delicious, too. But I soon discovered this story is so much more than a quick, illicit tryst in an elevator.
Rarely do I feel such a deep connection between two characters who've only known each other as short a time as Caden and Lacey, but the author really made it realistic and believable. “Hearts of Darkness” packs an unexpected punch, both emotionally and in terms of steam factor.
Caden has a deep set fear of dark, confined spaces, and the more I learned of his tragic story, the more my heart broke for him. My favorite kind of story is one where the characters come alive on the page, and the best way to accomplish that (for me, at least), is to tug at the heart strings and emotions. I truly felt Caden's pain.
I was so happy that Lacey felt it too, and that she felt compelled to reach out to this stranger, this man she'd never even laid eyes on. In the darkness of the elevator, time seemed to stand still as this pair shared something raw and genuine. By the time the lights kicked back on and they had to return to the “real” world and go back to being strangers, I was rooting for this couple to find their HEA.
“Peace was not an emotion with which he was much familiar, but with Makenna, he had it. And he didn't know how he'd ever give it up.”
And it was utter bliss when they did.
5+ AMAZING STARS!!!
Wow.
I am so twisted up inside, I don't know if I can even get the words out. This is seriously one of the best books I've ever read. Probably because it speaks so strongly to me on a personal level.
I, too, was sheltered. I'm not going to go into all the details because that's way too raw and personal for goodreads, (although this review already feels like it's headed in that direction), but let's just say I was sheltered to the extreme and leave it at that. ;-) So when I started reading about Evie, I couldn't believe just how close her story hit home. In case anyone has doubts about whether someone can really be raised THAT strictly, be THAT naive, let me assure you that yes, they can and yes, they are.
Needless to say, I devoured this book. Evie struck a chord and it almost feels uncomfortable to admit it.
Ok, enough about Evie. Now I must say a few words about VAN. Where do I even start? 6'5” at least, although that's just her guestimation, and at one point he eludes to the fact that he may be much taller than that. Panting He's broad-shouldered and big...ALL over. Ahem. He's covered in tattoos in delectable places that Evie wants to lick, like his neck (I'm with ya, girl!) He rides a motorbike. He's got a partially shaved head. He's bad to the bone on the OUTSIDE, and the best kind of good and sweet on the inside. The perfect combination. They never say how old he is, but I figure a few years older than her as he talks about attending college (she's 19). I usually go for the May/December, older man/younger woman kind of thing, but this just WORKED. They were so meant to be. Every word, every single moment just felt so RIGHT.
And the SEX. Holy freakin' SH*T. She was so innocent, and yet SO ready to explore, to take the bull by the horns (or the balls?) and dive head first into the uncharted waters of passion, and he was so sweet at first, keeping his distance, but when he finally gave in and let go...O.M.G. The mouth on that boy. There were several times I thought I might seriously pass out. Expire from lack of blood to my brain because it had all headed decidedly south.
And so much emotion. Even in such a short story, I really FELT their connection. I believed in their love.
A perfect story, and one I wished had been MUCH, much longer. AMAZING!!
Very unique. The heroine is an injured runner who wants to train to race again and her coach is the hero. He's 12 years older than her, secretly in love with her, and in a wheelchair. A 5 star read. It won a RITA for best first book also.
I don't read a whole lot of contemporary and I'm not a sports fan at ALL, but I absolutely loved this story!!! I'm definitely reading the entire series now. I've already ordered about half of SEP's backlist, lol!
This book was at times funny and sexy, and at other times gut-wrenching and emotional. I adored Phoebe. She is a perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a book (or a person) by its cover. You never know what may be hidden beneath the showy, in-your-face exterior. Phoebe was gutsy and strong, real and beautiful.
As for Dan...Dan was hot. :D A big, brawny manly man with hair on his chest. Yum. Together they are explosive. He doesn't take too kindly to this woman who knows nothing about football coming in and taking over, but their fights usually ended up with their hands and/or lips all over each other. Their chemistry is off the charts!
This book won a RITA award for best romance in 1995, and it's currently only 1.99 on Amazon. Hurry and snatch this one up! http://amzn.to/1WjDMI1
4 1/2 stars!
From page 1, the story and the delightful heroine's antics had me enthralled. I love it when I read a book and am immediately thrust right into the action, when the H/h meet at the very beginning. There's no better way to hold my attention.
The ending was a bit rushed and there were some misunderstandings I felt could have been handled better, but I can only take 1/2 of a star off for that. The story was engaging and the characters were really well fleshed out for such a short book, and the time period felt authentic. Given the limited number of pages, Tycoon was extremely well done.
Whew! I was fanning myself with this one, LOL! I started Addicted to You while on the plane ride home from Nashville, and let me tell ya, I think I turned beet red reading this with strangers sitting inches away, lmao!
I'm a historical girl, but I enjoy contemporary if it's in the form of erotic romance. A bit of a tortured hero thing going on, as Rill can't forgive himself for past mistakes. Also a bit of the forbidden, as Katie is the little sister of his best friend.(and therefore off-limits)
It worked. Well. I was captivated from start to finish!
4 1/2 stars!
Stayed up late last night to finish this. I had to. Couldn't stop!
Wow. I see why this book won the RT Award for Best Contemporary Romantic Suspense. It absolutely deserved it. I don't think I've ever been more terrified of a hero, or more unsure of his worthiness to even be called that. Anne Stuart is known for her antiheroes, and this book is a perfect example of why.
She had me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. Was he innocent, or was he guilty? Brilliantly done!
Sweet and sexy! The hero rises hehe to the challenge and gives the heroine 7 orgasms (all of them involving his cock instead of just mouth or fingers) in the span of 2 hours. Yes, please! This novella was HOT, but it was also a tender, emotional read.
3.75 to 4 stars
I loved the characters in this story.
The hero, Damon, was wicked and not very likeable at first. He used intimidation as a weapon, but you soon discover that he also hides behind it, shielding the real Damon from being exposed for the tortured, abused and unloved little boy he'd been who'd grown into a lonely man.
The heroine Gwyneth was feisty and determined,and wasn't afraid to go toe to toe with Damon for the sake of her cause, even if it meant getting her hands dirty. She was compassionate and kind, and she saw Damon for who he really was and loved him despite his attempts to push her away. When he finally admitted his love for her and accepted her love in return, it was beautiful and sweet and brought a tear to my eye. Sigh I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again: I LOVE a story where a tortured hero finds healing and peace in the arms of a good woman who loves and accepts him for who he is.
I found the storyline to be very interesting, as it takes place mainly aboard a prison ship that Damon is the Captain of. So the theme is different than the norm and I quite enjoyed it. The author really sucked me into the world and with her creative writing, had me smelling the stench and imagining the horror of the prison ship and its unfortunate inhabitants. The vivid descriptions had me cringing and holding my breath, so kudos to the author for breathing such life and realism into the story.
There were a few things that bugged me, such as numerous POV; also overuse of certain words in certain chapters, but certainly nothing that kept me from ultimately enjoying the story.
“Wicked at Heart” is also light on steam. There is one love scene at the very beginning that occurs between the hero and another woman, one failed love scene between the H/h that is interrupted, and then one full love scene between the H/h. I prefer my stories to contain a much higher steam level, so that did knock my rating down some.
When I purchased, the kindle version was only 99 cents, and well worth the read at that price! Recommend, especially if you enjoy your stories more on the tamer side as far as steam level.
This one is ALL about the sex, ladies. ;-)
Pretty hot, too. A little bit of forced seduction, a forced marriage of sorts, very unconventional. But did I say it was hot? LOL
