Tag Archives: erotica

Book Review of Bloodlines (KinKaid Wolf Pack #1), by Jessica Lee

I picked up a copy of Bloodlines, by Jessica Lee, when it was free on Amazon. It was still free at the time of posting.

Description from Goodreads:
Evin KinKaid, the only son of the KinKaid pack’s alpha, has a secret. One that will tear his family apart. In one year, Evin is to succeed his father as alpha leader and continue the dominant bloodline of his family. There’s only one problem: Evin is gay. When Evin is pushed into the bed of his intended female mate, he’s forced to reveal the truth. And for an alpha male wolf shifter promised to a female whose goal is to one day be queen, coming out has never been more explosive.

To Mason Thorne II, heir to Thorne Global Inc., life is a lie. To sustain his father’s love, Mason has agreed to stay in the family business and to one day assume his place as CEO. Instead of reaching for his heart’s desire, he’s settled for a life he never wanted. But an unexpected auto accident will send Evin and Mason into each other’s arms and down a path toward a destiny neither man can escape: an eternity sealed in blood.

Review:
This was ok, not great, deep or important in any way, but also not all bad. It was basically 75% sex though. Which was a shame because that left far too little room for the plot, which was weak to say the least. I rather thought it just a pretty skin laid over the sex to tie it all together. Meh.

The main characters, while likable, were shallow and poorly developed. Everyone else were just caricatures, blown up and over exaggerated villains or angels. Mostly including cheesy dialogue to match their role. Meh.

The writing, when not dripping cheese, was fine. But the editing was a mess. Meh.

Book Review of No Boundaries (Phoenix, Inc. #1), by S. E. Jakes

I purchased a copy of S. E. Jakes‘ No Boundaries.

Description from Goodreads:
When your past closes in, running isn’t always an option.

The jobs Marcus Lowry works for at Phoenix, Inc. Investigations are quick and easy, and they don’t give him the nightmares his days as a CIA operative did. That is, until he gets involved in a case that grabs him by the throat and won’t let go.

Cole Jacobs left behind his old life on the streets to make a name for himself rebuilding high-end and vintage cars and bikes. But when a stalker threatens to kill him—and to hurt anyone who stands in his way—his past closes in on him, and he’s not sure where to turn.

The last thing Marcus wants to do is take on a charity case, and to say that he and Cole don’t see eye to eye at first is putting things mildly. But when the first attempt on Cole’s life nearly kills them both, Marcus realizes that Cole is in real danger, and Cole is forced to reveal everything. Almost everything. Because Cole’s deepest secrets could destroy them both.

Review:
I have read several other books by S. E. Jakes and enjoyed them. In fact, I’ve given every other book by them a 4 or 5 star rating. So, I know they can pace a book, develop a character, write clear, concise scenes and believable romance between rough men. And it’s a really good thing I’ve read these other books, because if I had to judge Jakes on this book I wouldn’t believe it.

This book is rushed, clumsy, inconsistent, poorly edited, under-developed and just a bad example of writing, from an author I know is capable of more. Here is an example: In the final climatic scene the villain is killed (I don’t think that’s a spoiler, the villain always dies in this sort of book) and I couldn’t even tell who killed them! POVs are all over the place, even though there are sometimes (but not always) headers inferring whose POV the section is supposed to be from. Characters were named that weren’t in the book, so I didn’t know who they were. I often couldn’t’ tell who was doing what or in what position someone was in during sex scenes. Names were swapped. It was just a bloody mess!

Part of this may come down to the fact that, as another reviewer pointed out (and that’s the only indication I’ve seen) that this is a spin-off from another series. But this is no excuse and I take issue with this on multiple fronts. One, if you’re calling it a new series, spin-off or not, I should be able to pick it up and read it without reading the previous series; otherwise it’s part of the first series. It should be self-contained enough to allow this. Two: especially if nothing warns the reader that it is a spin-off! And as far as I can tell, nothing does. I feel lied to, as a reader, on this front. Tricked into picking something up that I was never going to be able to engage in without being forewarned.

This was a total fail, made even worse because I expected so much more.

Book Review of Sweet Agony, by Charlotte Stein

I purchased a copy of Sweet Agony, by Charlotte Stein.

Description from Goodreads:
New job, new boss, and he’s cold, strict, but terribly attractive. Does Molly Parker stay or does she go? Because beneath Cyrian’s chilly front, there may be a heat that’ll burn her up.

Giving in was vicious bliss.

The live-in position is an opportunity for Molly to earn and escape a problematic family. There’s just one drawback. Her employer is the most eccentric, aloof and closed off man she’s ever encountered. His rules are bizarre and his needs even more so, and caring for his ramshackle Dickensian home is far more than she ever bargained for. Only their increasingly intense conversations stop her heading for the door. Cyrian Harcroft is a man of many mysteries and secrets, and the more she learns the greedier she is for each and every one. Especially when she discovers his greatest fear: any kind of physical contact. Now all she has to do is dig a little deeper, to unearth the passion she knows he can feel…

Review:
“Oh, that was just marvelous.” This is what I exclaimed, out loud, when I hit the last page of this book. I really, truly enjoyed it. Granted, the first half more so than the second, but still an over all win. The voice was just to die for.

I call the first half the comic half and the second the erotic, and I imagine if either one wasn’t the sort to thrill you they would feel they went on forever. But for me, I ended happy. The first chapter alone had me laughing so hard I bounced the hammock I was laying in, which of course just made me laugh harder. Eventually, I just put the Kindle down and let myself have a minor hysterical moment. Alternatively, the second half left me wishing for a few moments alone with my other half. Unfortunately, my 5-year-old declared, quite innocently, “You will never get rid of me,” so…

Stein’s humor, though a little on the juvenile side for a 34-year-old protagonist, managed to hit just the right note for me and I thought the sex was hot. There was a lot of it once it eventually hit the page. It was maybe even too thick, but it still scalded my knickers. All in all, though not a perfect book (I was especially squinked out by the use of sex as a rudimentary cure for past abuse and psychological illness), it left me wanting more and I’ll be looking for further Stein novels.