Friday, May 3, 2013

April Round Up

on Paper/eBook

Mystery Man by Kristen Ashley - B/B+  I have recently discovered the reading crack* that is Kristen Ashley.  Her writing is not for everyone.  There are very long run-on sentences (some of which don’t make sense), some abuse of tenses and apostrophes… but.  But.  The stories are strong and if you like the alpha protector type who likes dirty talk and laugh out loud funny heroines (and heroes for that matter), an authentic girl posse who drinks cosmopolitans and eat cookie dough and other fattening things, this might be for you.

Mystery Man is the first book in the Dream Man series (but I started with book 4, Motorcycle Man because I’d heard that is the “gateway drug” – I’d heard right by the way). 
  
Gwendolyn Kidd has been having the strangest relationship – 18 months earlier she met a hot sexy guy in a bar and with very (and I mean very) few words, found herself having the best sex of her life with him. They don’t exchange names or conversation.  And he keeps turning up, every few days for more hot sex, in the middle of the night, then he says “Later, babe” and leaves.  Matters come to a head when Gwen’s sister Ginger gets in a lot of trouble with a lot of bad people.  Her Mystery Man, Cabe “Hawk” Delgado is a commando type and rides to the rescue.  

Gwen is funny and there were many laugh out loud moments in the book.  By mid book, Gwen has Hawk, cop Mitch Lawson and Kane “Tack” Allen (from Motorcycle Man – hmmm… Tack… *happy sigh*… sorry, where was I? oh, right…) all interested in her and they are all hot, sexy, alpha protectors.  Hawk is the Mystery Man however so I don’t think it’s a surprise where the HEA comes from.  And there is most definitely HEA.

Hawk certainly had his moments of dickishness and I must say that Gwen forgave him on a couple of occasions more quickly than I would have done.  But he does give good grovel and I do believe he adores the ground Gwen walks on. Hawk is blunt - his voicemail message consists entirely of “Talk” (for real) but he loves deeply and he recognises a treasure once he sees it.

The story is like a wild ride – action packed, over-the-top, sexy, funny and sweet all at once. I definitely recommend.

BUY IT

*For the record, my personal definition of "reading crack" isn't that it is a guilty pleasure or something to be somewhat ashamed of.  For me, when I describe something as "crackalicious" it's more about how I'm captivated and addicted and compelled - it's usually the precursor to a glom (if there is sufficient backlist).  I think others may use the word/phrase differently, but for me, reading crack is not a bad thing

Coming Soon

I'll have reviews of Country Mouse and City Mouse by Amy Lane and Aleksandr Voinov coming up soon.


on Audio

I had loads of review audiobooks this month so not much time for listening to anything from my own library.  

Everyone Loves a Hero... and That's the Problem by Marie Force, narrated by Tanya Eby - C  I reviewed this one for AudioGals.  Narration excellent, story okay.

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs, narrated by Lorelie King - A-  I reviewed this one for AudioGals. You can see it here.







Love Irresisibly by Julie James, narrated by Karen White - B  I reviewed this one for Speaking of Audiobooks. Will post a link when live.










Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost, narrated by Tavia Gilbert - B-/C+  Also for Speaking of Audiobooks.








Did You Miss Me by Karen Rose, narrated by Marguerite Gavin - C  My review will be at Speaking of Audiobooks in an upcoming column.









Full Moon Rising (abridged) by Keri Arthur, narrated by Tamara Lovatt-Smith - C-  I reviewed this one for AudioGals. The big problem was the abridged part I think.  I will post a link when the review goes live.







Coming Soon


I'm listening to Die for Me by Cynthia Eden. And I have The Lion's Lady and Fallen on my TBL.


Links

Here's what you may have missed:
Beyond Control by Kit Rocha 
Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley
Irregulars by Nicole Kimberling, Astrid Amara, Josh Lanyon and Ginn Hale
Protecting What's His by Tessa Bailey
Wild Man by Kristen Ashley
REAL by Katy Evans
Slam! by JL Merrow
Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
The Gamble by Kristen Ashley
Big Boy by Ruthie Knox
Rush Me by Allison Parr
Thank You For Riding by Meg Maguire
Law Man by Kristen Ashley
Falling Free (audiobook) Lois McMaster Bujold
Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley

I was also over at AudioGals with a review of The Haunting of Maddy Clare and also at the ARRA blog with a review of The Perfect Hope.

 

2 comments:

Chris said...

The guy on the Everyone Love's a Hero... and That's the Problem cover is the guy I'm using for Monday's Misadventure. Fortunately, the Misadventure is done and scheduled and I am NOT going to try to fit that horrifically long title into it!

Kaetrin said...

@Chris Oh LOL! I shall have to check that post out. He's not attractive to me AT ALL even though he does have a six pack!