Review: Rock Hard by Olivia Cunning

Rock Hard by Olivia Cunning

An ultimatum can break your heart....

Every night lead singer, Sed Lionheart whips thousands of women into a frenzy with his voice alone. But the stage is the only place Sed feels any passion since he lost Jessica...

If you’re not willing to break all the rules...

It shattered her heart, but law student Jessica broke off her engagement to Sed, determined to be successful on her own terms. But no other man can ever hold a candle to Sed...

Then a chance meeting and tortuously close quarters lead to uncontrollable flares of passion and rediscovery of their unique penchant for public encounters. Now, in addition to the risk of mutual heartbreak every time they get together, they’re in danger of truly scandalous public exposure...
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Erotic Romance

Series: Sinners on Tour #2
Does the series need to be read in order? No

Review

Liked
• I enjoyed catching up with the band. Despite this being a romance book that focuses on one couple, the other members of the band play a big role. It's nice to catch up with everyone from the previous book.
• One of the (many) plotlines dealt with addiction to painkillers. It's a big issue and it's good to see a book addressing it.
• The heroine, Jessica, is striving to be independent. Sometimes she approaches it in annoying ways but I understand her reasons.

Liked Less
• The plotline where Jessica can't succeed in law school because she's too beautiful and can't get no respect made me roll my eyes so often that I now know every spot that I need to dust on my ceiling. I'm not buying it.
• Sed was a controlling jerk.
• While I respected Jessica's need for independence, I didn't really like her most of the time.
• Why was everybody in the band so mad at Jessica? I understand that they're being loyal to their bandmate but as adults they should recognize that there are 2 sides to every story. Also, knowing Sed, I'm sure they wouldn't have to take too far of a leap of faith to see how he could be a controlling jerk in a relationship.
• The sex scenes were repetitive and very vanilla.

TL; DR

After immensely enjoying the first book in this series, a dislike of the hero and heroine made this book a difficult read for me.

Rating

Page of Swords
Has some good points that are unfortunately overwhelmed by bad points/flaws. I will probably continue with the series because I enjoyed the first book so much.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Amazon | B & N

Christmas Review: Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish by Grace Burrowes

Book Description

A luminous holiday tale of romance, passion, and dreams come true from rising star Grace Burrowes, whose award-winning Regency romances are capturing hearts worldwide.

All She Wants is Peace and Anonymity...

Lady Sophie Windham has maneuvered a few days to herself at the ducal mansion in London before she must join her family for Christmas in Kent. Suddenly trapped by a London snowstorm, she finds herself with an abandoned baby and only the assistance of a kind, handsome stranger standing between her and complete disaster.

But Sophie's Holiday is About to Heat Up...

With his estate in ruins, Vim Charpentier sees little to feel festive about this Christmas. His growing attraction for Sophie Windham is the only thing that warms his spirits-but when Sophie's brothers whisk her away, Vim's most painful holiday memories are reawakened.

It seems Sophie's been keeping secrets, and now it will take much more than a mistletoe kiss to make her deepest wishes come true...
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance

Series: Windham #4, Duke's Daughters #1
Does the series need to be read in order? No

Review

Liked
• Our hero and heroine meet over an abandoned infant, and even though I'm not a huge kid person, I found the whole setup to be adorable and heartwarming without tipping over into saccharine toothache territory.
• Sophie and Vim are great characters though oddly enough I felt that the hero was more fleshed out than the heroine in this novel. That's unusual for a romance novel, but I liked it.
• I enjoyed the kind-hearted meddling of Sophie and Vim's families. It sometimes verged on annoying but for the most part, it was fun.
• This book wasn't as heavy on the Christmas as The First Love Cookie Club, but I don't think it could be put at another time of year either. The holiday was well-integrated in the plot.

Liked Less
• I was a little confused toward the middle of the book because I didn't understand why Sophie was behaving the way she was. Her behavior is partially explained later by one of her brothers, but that didn't provide a complete resolution to my bewilderment. It's frustrating to not have a better view of what's going on inside the heroine's head. I would have liked to have known more about her and especially her motivations.
• Sometimes it was hard to keep track of who was who among Sophie's brothers. The three who were traveling together were referred to by both name and title so it took a few scenes for me to sort everyone out.
• The trauma that kept Vim from visiting his family home was rather silly. His response was a complete overreaction.

TL; DR

A heartwarming Christmas read for historical romance fans though it could have used a little more of the heroine's point of view.

Rating

Knight of Swords
A decent read. I will likely read other books in this series.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Amazon | B & N | Book Depository

Christmas Review: The First Love Cookie Club by Lori Wilde

Book Description

"On Christmas Eve, if you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your one true love, he will be your destiny."

The townsfolk of Twilight, Texas, believe the legend, but not Sarah Collier--not since she was a pudgy teenager, running down the church aisle on Christmas Day in a jingle bell sweater and reindeer antlers, trying to stop Travis Walker from marrying someone else. She may be grown-up, slimmed-down, bestselling children's book author "Sadie Cool"now, but Sarah will never forget that day. And she'll never fall foolishly in love again

But when a letter from a sick fan brings Sarah back to Twilight, she's shocked to discover that Travis is the little girl's father--unattached and hotter than ever. His smile still makes her melt, but Sarah knows that ship has sailed. Travis, however, might have different ideas.
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance

Series: Twilight, Texas #3
Does the series need to be read in order? No

Review

Liked
• The kismet cookie tradition is really cute. I wish the author had included a recipe in the book. I'd like to dream of my true love, but then again, I don't think I could deal with crumbs in my bed. Would a baggie interfere with the magic?
• Do not read this book if you are not in or do not want to be in the holiday spirit. It's a giant Christmas cheeseball. I was in a holiday mood so I ate it up.
• I really loved how Travis is such a devoted dad even to the point of almost screwing things up with Sarah.
• Sarah and Travis had good chemistry and their backstory was great. I love how they were both knit up in the community even though Sarah didn't really want to be.
• Twilight, TX (the setting) is as much a character as the people are. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the town, her people, and her history. The sense of place was very well-crafted.

Liked Less
• I didn't buy Sarah's relationship with Jazzy because we didn't get to see enough of their interactions. I can understand feeling protective of a seriously sick child, but the depth of love she is said to feel is out of proportion to the circumstances that we're shown.
• The Raylene plotline was clumsily handled. Although the book is all in third person, there was still a notable switch in tone for the parts focusing on Raylene. Although that subplot later re-integrates into the main Sarah/Travis storyline, the shifts are jolting. I think that particular plotline could have been integrated in a way that didn't pull the reader out of the story.
• The sex scenes were kind of weird to me. They came across as somewhat awkward.

I managed to find the kismet cookie recipe!

TL; DR

A fun, delicious Christmas cheese-fest; only to be read if you're in the holiday spirit.

Rating

Knight of Swords
An average read. I may or may not read other books in the series.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Amazon | B & N

Christmas Review: Season for Surrender by Theresa Romain

Book Description

Honor Among Rogues

Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation—for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to attend his famously naughty Christmas house party—and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bookworm Xavier finds quite charming. Yet to refuse the challenge is impossible—he will simply have to appoint himself Miss Oliver’s protector…

Mischief Among Misses

Louisa knows her chance for a husband has passed. But she has no desire to retire into spinsterhood without enjoying a few grand adventures first. When Lord Xavier’s invitation arrives, Louisa is more intrigued than insulted. And once inside the rogues’ gallery, she just may have a thing or two to teach her gentlemen friends about daring…
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Christmas, Historical Romance

Series: Seasons #2
Does the series need to be read in order? No

Review

I did not finish this book. I personally don't see the point in slogging my way through something I'm not enjoying. That being said, I do see value in a DNF book review as long as the reviewer explains why they quit.

Why I DNFed:
• I felt that this novel could have taken place at any time of year. The Christmas element was very tangential to the story and could have been replaced with any other kind of event.
• I didn't feel the chemistry between the hero and heroine.
• The reader is repeatedly told that Lord Xavier is a scoundrel and a rake. Apparently, he likes to make weird bets with his cousin which doesn't really peg my Scoundrel-O-Meter. We are never really shown his scandalous doings so his supposed reformation lost a lot of impact. There were no prior misdeeds with which to compare his good behavior.
• I didn't buy Louisa's amazing insight into Xavier's character. After a few days of observing and interacting with him in a limited context, she knows that he's really using his rake/scoundrel image to cover up his soft creamy center. The author does show Louisa's keen observation in another context, but to me, at least in Xavier's case, it still felt like she was making assumptions instead of gaining insight. I hate when people make assumptions about my character whether they're true or not, and I really can't understand how Xavier was be okay with it.
• The plot moves along slowly. Even when things started to spice up a little bit between Louisa and Xavier, it was too late and still too slow to keep my attention.

TL; DR

The hero and heroine didn't have enough chemistry to make up for a slow-moving plot and the hero's unconvincing personal transformation.

Rating

Three of Swords
DNF (Did Not Finish)

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Amazon | B & N

Audiobook Review: Jane Eyre

Book Description

Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity.

She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.

With a heroine full of yearning, the dangerous secrets she encounters, and the choices she finally makes, Charlotte Bronte's innovative and enduring romantic novel continues to engage and provoke readers ...
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Classics, Romance, Gothic Romance

Series: No

Quick Synopsis

Jane takes a position as governess at Thornfield and finds both love and a mystery that will tear her apart.

Review

Liked
• For a novel that is over 100 years old, Jane Eyre reads almost like a modern book. I guess that's why it's a classic.
• Jane is a well-developed character. She lays her own strengths and weaknesses out for the reader to create a very detailed picture. Although she is from a different time, I noticed many things that Jane and I had in common, and it added a nice sense of connection.
• The romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester is epic. The relationship is slow to build but explosive when they confess their feelings for one another. The obstacles in their path are many but by the Happily Ever After, you just know that it was meant to be. After all, it's a little bit of magic that facilitates their reunion.
• Even though he's a bit Alpha, I like Mr. Rochester because he does bend for Jane.

Liked Less
• Although the book as a whole isn't dated, there are some elements that are. For example, there are long soliloquies, sometimes religious ones, that bored me. Also, I found the denigration of any other nation besides England to be pretty unintentionally comical.
• Parts of the book dragged a little. I think this is more a difference in style between when the book was written and now rather than a lack of writing skill.

Audiobook Notes

• Clarity - 5/5 - Words and names were very easy to understand, even with differing accents.
• Differentiation Between Characters - 4/5 - It was fairly easy to tell the difference between characters speaking in conversations. There were a couple rare moments of confusion.
• Sound Levels - 4/5 - I only had to adjust the volume once or twice because the sound levels were too different i.e. suddenly too loud or too quiet.
• Overall Performance - 3.5/5 - Good voice acting. Sometimes it sounded like the narrator almost flubbed a word/line. She recovered and didn't actually make a mistake but I don't know why this wasn't re-recorded.
• Audio Version Recommended? Yes

Note: this is the Brilliance Audio recording of Jane Eyre with Susan Ericksen as narrator.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read with a couple of minor issues. Recommended.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Buy the audiobook at: Audible

Review: The Way to a Duke's Heart by Caroline Linden

Book Description

Charles de Lacey, Lord Gresham, is running out of time, running from his responsibilities, and running from love.

Destined to be a duke, Charles de Lacey has led a life of decadent pleasure, free of any care for propriety or responsibility. It comes as a terrible shock to learn that he might be stripped of everything, thanks to his father's scandalous past. He has no choice but to find the blackmailer who would ruin him—and his only link to the villain is a woman who may be part of the plot…

To save his fortune and title, he vows he'll stop at nothing—in fact, he's all too eager to unravel the beautiful, tart-tongued Tessa Neville. She intrigues him and tempts him like no other lady ever has. With only his heart to guide him, and keenly aware that his entire future is at stake, Charles must decide: is she the woman of his dreams, or an enemy in disguise?
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: The Truth About the Duke #3
Does the series need to be read in order? No

Quick Synopsis

Tessa is in Bath to investigate a possible investment for her brother. Charlie is in Bath to uncover a blackmailer who threatens his wealth and title. Their paths merge as Charlie realizes that Tessa might lead him right to the answers he's searching for.

Review

Liked
• Tessa has a dark past but not super-dark. Her actions and interactions are proportionate to the level of her trauma. I find this a refreshing change from heroines who make really dumb outlandish decisions or put up insurmountable barriers based on something that should not haunt them that long. "OMG I can't ever love anyone because I peed my pants in front of my third grade class and I was so embarassed!!! Alas, although you are perfect for me, I can't ever share my life with another because... PEE!" Tessa's not like that. She lets down her walls when it's appropriate for a strong person to do so.
• Charlie is a fun hero. I really enjoyed his relationship with his father and his realization that they are much more alike than either of them wanted to admit.
• The progression of Tessa and Charlie's romance was realistic and fun to read. No insta-lust here but there was also just the right amount of them losing control when they admitted their feelings. I liked the balance.
• There was more to Mrs. Bates than I first thought and the sly revelation of more of her character made me smile.
• The blackmail plot was well-paced and handled though I didn't really feel as much suspense about it as I thought I should. This is probably because I haven't read the previous books and am coming in at the end of that particular arc.

Liked Less
• I thought Charlie's turnaround from indolent rake to efficient committed dude might have been a little too fast. I think that hearing more of his point of view regarding that change might have made it seem less precipitous.
• Tessa's whole "I'm not cool-kid enough to be a duchess" hangup was a bit silly. That being said, it thankfully didn't take too much to get her to set that crap aside.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read that I feel happy recommending to other readers. I will likely read the other books in the series.

Amazon | B & N

Disclosure: I won this book in a contest. A positive review was not a requirement of winning. No compensation was offered or received in exchange for a review.

Review: Lord's Fall by Thea Harrison

Book Description

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them…

Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom.

In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Series: Elder Races #5
Does the series need to be read in order? No. I jumped right in without having read the previous books, but as with most series, I think you'll get a little extra if you've read the other installments.

Quick Synopsis

Pia and Dragos are separated for the first time since they've been together as a couple. The distance is hard on them but duty calls each of them. The couple soon reunites when an old force resurfaces and puts the Elves in terrible danger. Pia, Drago and the rest of the Wyr must work with the Elves before the peril spreads beyond their demesne.

Review

Liked
• The world-building is pretty solid. I enjoy the wide variety of magical beings - shapeshifters, vampires, elves - and the interactions between them. The relationships between the groups are not always easy and that gives it a nice realism. I also loved the larger mythology of the God Machines. It's an intriguing concept.
• Pia and Dragos definitely have a passionate relationship, but it's also a maturing one. At this stage they are learning to work together, trust one another's abilities and compromise. It's rare to see this stage of a relationship in romance or even a book with romantic elements. It's refreshing to watch a couple progress beyond the new love glow (and lust).
• Pia and Eva's relationship was fun.
• The plot was well-paced right up until the end (more on that below). Once the craziness got going in the Elven lands, I was completely sucked in.

Liked Less
• Nothing to do with the writing, but the print in this paperback was tiny. It made it a little difficult to read. Maybe I'm just getting old.
• Sometimes there were so many people involved in a scene that I lost track of who was who. The confusion didn't detract from the overall story arc, but it sometimes pulled me out of the story a bit until I figured out the significance of a particular character. It might be easier for someone who has read the previous books in the series.
• The disposal of the main villain was too easy. (Spoiler-avoiding vagueness follows.) There were explanations as to why that solution was not used earlier but I didn't buy it. Everything could have been settled a lot sooner and with less damage. Also, after all the buildup, the villain's easy defeat was kind of a letdown.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read that I feel happy recommending to other readers. I will likely read the other books in the series.

Disclosure: I won this book in a contest. A positive review was not required nor was any compensation offered or received for a review.

Amazon | B & N

Review: Blade Song by J.C. Daniels

Book Description

Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.

So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.

Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.

If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee…

(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Fantasy

Series: Colbana Files #1
Does the series need to be read in order? N/A, first in series

Quick Synopsis

Kit gets hired to find a missing kid and is stuck with Damon, a sexy shifter, for the duration of the project. She also has to deal with a vampire stalker named Jude.

Review

Liked
• Kit is a great character. She has a traumatic past and though she copes really well, she still experiences echoes of her abuse. She can never shove it completely down and just keep blithely going every time. Her trauma is given its due without taking over her life completely. The author keeps it nicely balanced.
• The world of the book has the typical vampires, shifters and witches. I found the paranormal races to be fairly typical for UF but I found the interactions between the races to be interesting.
• Kit is something different - aneira. Aneira are a paranormal race similar to Amazons but different enough to keep it fresh. I like the set of powers that Kit has and how accepting she is that she is weaker because she’s half-human. She works with what she has.
• Damon starts out as a total asshole. At first I was pretty annoyed with him (as Kit was), but then he grew on me. I think his finally starting to trust Kit made the difference to me.
• The Walgreens scene is comedy gold.

Liked Less
• There were a few typos in this book. The mistakes were not enough to throw me out of the story, but they definitely shouldn’t have been there.
• I really wish that more had been explained about Jude’s business venture (to explain more would spoil). Why did he set something like that up in the first place? I also thought that his business was very cliched and I was a little disappointed because of it.

Rating

King of Swords
A very enjoyable read that I feel happy recommending to other readers. I will likely read the next in the series.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Amazon | B & N

Audiobook Review: Riveted by Meljean Brook

Book Description

A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland's inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magical—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.

Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on an airship, searching for her sister and longing to return home. But that home is threatened when scientific expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard, looking to expose Annika's secrets. Then disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, with their very survival depending on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam . . .
(Description from Goodreads)

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Steampunk

Series: Iron Seas #3
Does the series need to be read in order? No

Quick Synopsis

David and Annika meet and their relationship starts to bloom aboard the airship Annika works on. Then some crazy awesome action stuff happens (don't want to spoil) and Annika and David are in a fight for their lives. Along the way, there's plenty of airships, clockwork devices and other neat steampunk tech.

Review

Liked
• The world-building is amazing. You can tell that the author has the world completely sculpted in her head. Each place has its own feel and history and people. It's a cornucopia of stories to be told, and I want to read them all.
• There are plenty of steampunk devices - airships, clockwork dogs, nano-agents, mechanical prosthetic limbs, and much more. The technology is neatly integrated into the story so I never felt like it was a collection of "look at the cool things my brain invented."
• Annika and David are fascinating, layered characters. I loved getting to know them almost as much as they loved getting to know each other.
• There is no insta-lust. I don't always mind insta-lust but I very much appreciated the slow-developing romance between David and Annika. Many times I found myself grinning like a fool as things progressed so sweetly.
• The sexy scenes are hot and well-written. Ms. Brooks doesn't fall into any over-used phrases typical to romances (flat, male nipples anyone?). As with everything else, the sex is well-integrated into the plot.
• About 50% of the way through the book, shit gets real. I was already enjoying the story immensely, but then the action really got ratcheted up and I loved it even more.

Liked Less
• I wish we'd seen Annika's home. Maybe in another book in the series?

Audiobook Notes

• Clarity - 5/5 - Words and names were very easy to understand, even with differing accents.
• Differentiation Between Characters - 4/5 - It was fairly easy to tell the difference between characters speaking in conversations. There were a couple rare moments of confusion.
• Sound Levels - 5/5 - I never had to adjust the volume because the sound levels were too different i.e. suddenly too loud or too quiet.
• Overall Performance - 4.5/5 - Excellent voice acting.
• Audio Version Recommended? Yes

Rating

Queen of Swords
Amazing! Why aren't you buying this book right now?
I will be buying up this author's entire backlist.

Disclosure: I purchased this book.

Buy the audiobook at: Tantor | Amazon | B & N
**Currently the digital download is on sale at Tantor for only $6.99!**

Buy other editions at: Amazon | B & N