Brie's Corner

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.I’ve said before that Karina Bliss is one of the best current Contemporary Romance authors, and this book is yet another proof of that. As is the case with all her novels, A Prior Engagement was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and I’m happy to say that it lived up to all my expectations.The book is the culmination in a series of not-so-loosely related book. It’s the fourth and final story, and although all the books stand alone well, you should perhaps read the previous one, Bring Him Home, first just to get a bit of background on the characters and their situation.Juliet and Lee had a serious case of opposites attract: she was reserved, wary and somewhat uptight; he was impulsive and a bit careless. So it was only a surprise to Jules when, after a short courtship, he proposed. However, Jules was too afraid to make a mistake and rejected him. But soon after, Lee was killed in action, so when his friends and fellow team members, also dealing with their grief and the consequences of the attack, found the engagement ring and gave it to Jules, she took it without saying what happened. For months she dealt with her loss and developed a serious case of guilt when she became close friends with these men who welcomed her as part of the family. Things get tricky when they discover that Lee wasn’t dead but had been kidnapped, and he’s finally free and coming home. He immediately realizes Jules’ deception, and in the confusion and anger decides to fake amnesia to teach her a lesson. At first he fools her, but once she realizes the truth, they must decide if they can give each other a second opportunity and if they are willing to rely on each other for help.All the books in the series have been quite emotional in their portrayal of serious issues such as death, PTSD and cancer. The premise of this book takes it a bit further into far-fetched territory, but Ms. Bliss makes it work by showing the consequences of such a terrible ordeal, and for making the characters work at getting better. By doing that, she makes the story authentic and organic instead of manipulative, which is a fine line to walk, but she never crosses it. Also, no magical sexual healing, which, let’s face it, would happen in 99% of any other similar books out there. Lee is a big part of the book, but it’s Jules’ story as much as his. Her journey is about emotional growth while grief and fear take over her life. Her issues with commitment, family and stability remain, but she’s forced to confront them under unique and incredibly stressful circumstances. I liked her very much, both as an individual and as part of a couple.The first half of the book is very intense, because the focus is on Lee’s anger. And he is very angry. He remains that way throughout the book, but the recipients of that anger change, and so does the tone of the story. The second half is about Lee dealing with the physical and emotional consequences of his captivity. And throughout both halves we get a love story that’s about forgiveness and support.The two clearly distinct parts of the book are mismatched. One is very angsty and filled with tension, whereas the other is milder in intensity, yet equally emotional, albeit for different reasons. And after such an emotional high, the final part, riveting in its own merits, ended up being anticlimactic. I would have liked to see the tension better distributed.Previous characters have integral roles in the story and help move the plot forward. It makes perfect sense considering that Lee is the one character that brings closure to all of them. The one thing that I didn’t like is that at the end there was the reunion scene where all the characters had the opportunity to show just how happy they were, and I must say that I could have done without such a silly, unnecessary scene. It was completely out of place and way over the top; like a baby-less-logue; if that makes sense.It’s not a perfect read, but I loved every angsty minute of it it. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially to those who like Romance high on the tension. Ms. Bliss can do gut-wrenching emotion like no one else out there, and if you haven’t read her books, you’re missing out.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: a review copy was provided by the author and publisher through NetGalley.The first Julie James book I read was Practice Makes Perfect, and that experience was as close to love at first sight as it gets. Ever since then, I’ve been a fan of Ms. James’ books, and each new release has been anxiously awaited. There have been some bumps in the road, but I continue to thoroughly enjoy her books.Brooke Parker is the general counsel of a company that owns restaurants. U.S. Assistant Attorney Cade Morgan wants to use one of those restaurants to catch a dirty politician. He asks for her help, they catch the guy and they start a relationship. Sounds like I just spoiled the whole thing, right? Wrong! The catching of the bad guy is nothing but an elaborate meet-cute. Despite what the blurb says, this book is a straight Contemporary Romance, and there’s really no suspense subplot. Something I really appreciated.Love Irresistibly is the story of two people whose professional lives are highly successful, yet suddenly find themselves at a bit of a crossroads. And when unusual circumstanced bring them together, the relationship they develop force them to take a look at what they want, their future and maybe even realize that dreams and priorities can change.The book is also about family -- the one you get, the one you make with friends and lovers, and the one that unexpectedly shows up out of nowhere. And as I said before, it’s about growing up and adapting old dreams to new circumstances.I really liked Brooke and Cade, both individually and as a romantic couple. There was a lot of chemistry between them and tons of the fun banter usual in Ms. James’ books. But what I liked the most about them was that they truly respected and admired each other. These are powerful characters that are self-assured and comfortable in their own skins, and the dynamic of their relationship was that of equals and never a power struggle. This is why the ending feels like new take on a trite resolution that tends to make most readers --myself included-- quite mad. But Ms. James manages to pull it off by the sheer confidence her heroine exudes.Is this a 5-star read? No. I liked everything about it, and it’s one of the best books in the series, but the stories are getting formulaic. They certainly work, and I have tons of fun reading them. But these novels are a clear comfort zone, and what originally made Julie James one of the most refreshing voices in Contemporary Romance, becomes more familiar and old with each book. Lover Irresistibly deviated a bit from the norm, but is that enough to stop the books from blending in together? We’ll have to wait for the next book to find out.Criticisms aside, I highly recommend this book, as well as everything else Ms. James has written.

Sweet story, charming characters, but the theme of "life is short and must be enjoyed" was way too overdone. I could have done with more subtlety and less foreshadowing.

Note: This is a review of the first two books.Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerThis series was featured in Ruthie Knox’s What To Read Wednesday weekly blog post. I was very intrigued, so I bought the first book, read a couple of chapters and went and bought the second book, because that small sample was enough to convince me of its quality. The books ended up being so good, that I’m tempted to just review them in one line saying go read this now. Before I get to the review, you should know is that this is a work in progress. The third and final book won’t be out until next year, and the second book ends on a cliffhanger. Not only that, but these books tell one story and pretty much read like one long book. I think the only reason why they have been divided into three volumes is because Captive Prince originated as a free online serial. So the books must be read in order, otherwise it will be like randomly opening a book in the middle and starting there. Our captive prince is Damen. He’s an accomplished and respected warrior as well as the beloved heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his father dies, his older brother --the bastard son of the King and his mistress-- kills everyone close to Damen, captures him and sends him as a slave to the enemy kingdom of Vere, where Damen is given as a slave to the ruthless Prince Laurent. No one in Vere recognizes the new slave as the recently deceased prince of Akielos, which is good news, because Damen is universally hated in Vere. But just as Damen is more than a rebellious slave, appearances are deceiving and no one in Vere is what they originally seem. And that is all I can say about the story without spoiling it. This is a fantasy story clearly inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. As Ruthie said in her blog post, at one point things start to look a lot like the movie Caligula. The setting and characters are brutal. There is slavery, rape and humiliation. And at one point during the first book I even considered quitting, because it was disturbing and uncomfortable to read. But this is not a master-slave fantasy, and the brutal scenes are never used for titillation nor are they ever gratuitous. The story is filled with political intrigue and machinations, but at its core there’s a very lovely and impossible romance that develops oh-so-slowly and takes us all the way to an incredibly satisfying emotional payoff. This, my friends, is how enemies-to-lovers stories should be. There’s also a bit of a clash of the cultures that I found fascinating. Damen and Laurent are both Princes without a crown. Damen was stripped of it; Laurent is too young still. Each sees the other’s culture as barbarian. But they have more in common than they think, and watching them navigate those differences and find common ground was very entertaining. Their relationship is defined by a power struggle, but what makes it thrive is the moment they realize that their differences are complementary. Captive Prince is told in third person and always from Damen’s point of view. He is the only character whose motivations are always clear; the hero in a sea of (apparent) villains. I found him way too naïve for someone who was groomed to be a king, but I never disliked him, and the more I got to know him, the more I understood where he was coming from. I found the narration beautiful. It’s very simple and straightforward, yet the sense of place and otherworldliness that Fantasy novels should have is present in every word. I was transported to the places described, and I have an incredible sense of who Damen is, because the narration perfectly mirrors his character. The battle and action scenes were exciting and well done, and I have a vivid picture of how the places described are. I had some issues with the first book that were mostly cleared in the second volume; the main one being that the female presence is disturbingly lacking. Same-sex relationships are accepted and encouraged, especially in Vere where unwanted pregnancies outside of marriage are taboo, and although there are women in the court, they have no role in the story. In the second book we meet a group of warrior women who help save the day, but I’m still not entirely convinced, and I hope that in the final book one female character in particular will have a more prominent role. I was intrigued by the first book, but the second blew me away. When I was done I felt like reading nothing else, because stories like these are hard to let go. It’s brutal and at times I wasn’t sure where the story was taking me, but I’m glad I didn’t quit. It won’t be for everyone, but it definitely was for me.

Note: This is a review of the first two books.Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerThis series was featured in Ruthie Knox’s What To Read Wednesday weekly blog post. I was very intrigued, so I bought the first book, read a couple of chapters and went and bought the second book, because that small sample was enough to convince me of its quality. The books ended up being so good, that I’m tempted to just review them in one line saying go read this now. Before I get to the review, you should know is that this is a work in progress. The third and final book won’t be out until next year, and the second book ends on a cliffhanger. Not only that, but these books tell one story and pretty much read like one long book. I think the only reason why they have been divided into three volumes is because Captive Prince originated as a free online serial. So the books must be read in order, otherwise it will be like randomly opening a book in the middle and starting there. Our captive prince is Damen. He’s an accomplished and respected warrior as well as the beloved heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his father dies, his older brother --the bastard son of the King and his mistress-- kills everyone close to Damen, captures him and sends him as a slave to the enemy kingdom of Vere, where Damen is given as a slave to the ruthless Prince Laurent. No one in Vere recognizes the new slave as the recently deceased prince of Akielos, which is good news, because Damen is universally hated in Vere. But just as Damen is more than a rebellious slave, appearances are deceiving and no one in Vere is what they originally seem. And that is all I can say about the story without spoiling it. This is a fantasy story clearly inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. As Ruthie said in her blog post, at one point things start to look a lot like the movie Caligula. The setting and characters are brutal. There is slavery, rape and humiliation. And at one point during the first book I even considered quitting, because it was disturbing and uncomfortable to read. But this is not a master-slave fantasy, and the brutal scenes are never used for titillation nor are they ever gratuitous. The story is filled with political intrigue and machinations, but at its core there’s a very lovely and impossible romance that develops oh-so-slowly and takes us all the way to an incredibly satisfying emotional payoff. This, my friends, is how enemies-to-lovers stories should be. There’s also a bit of a clash of the cultures that I found fascinating. Damen and Laurent are both Princes without a crown. Damen was stripped of it; Laurent is too young still. Each sees the other’s culture as barbarian. But they have more in common than they think, and watching them navigate those differences and find common ground was very entertaining. Their relationship is defined by a power struggle, but what makes it thrive is the moment they realize that their differences are complementary. Captive Prince is told in third person and always from Damen’s point of view. He is the only character whose motivations are always clear; the hero in a sea of (apparent) villains. I found him way too naïve for someone who was groomed to be a king, but I never disliked him, and the more I got to know him, the more I understood where he was coming from. I found the narration beautiful. It’s very simple and straightforward, yet the sense of place and otherworldliness that Fantasy novels should have is present in every word. I was transported to the places described, and I have an incredible sense of who Damen is, because the narration perfectly mirrors his character. The battle and action scenes were exciting and well done, and I have a vivid picture of how the places described are. I had some issues with the first book that were mostly cleared in the second volume; the main one being that the female presence is disturbingly lacking. Same-sex relationships are accepted and encouraged, especially in Vere where unwanted pregnancies outside of marriage are taboo, and although there are women in the court, they have no role in the story. In the second book we meet a group of warrior women who help save the day, but I’m still not entirely convinced, and I hope that in the final book one female character in particular will have a more prominent role. I was intrigued by the first book, but the second blew me away. When I was done I felt like reading nothing else, because stories like these are hard to let go. It’s brutal and at times I wasn’t sure where the story was taking me, but I’m glad I didn’t quit. It won’t be for everyone, but it definitely was for me.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerIf you were to ask me to give a broad definition of Romance, I would say that it’s a genre that mainly focuses on the love story or the development of the romantic relationship and has a happy ending; an ending that, in this particular case, always involves the characters romantically attached ending up living happily together. But what happens when a story has all the necessary ingredients, yet everything about them is slightly off? Is it still a Romance? Are we allowed to feel happy when two characters fall in love end up together regardless of how twisted their relationship is? Can an ending that makes us uncomfortable still be happy? And is it OK to like it? In Sarra Manning’s Unsticky, our heroine and narrator, Grace, is a 23-year-old woman drowning in debts and slightly adrift. Sounds familiar? If you ever went to college and/or left home at some point, you probably can sympathize. But of course there’s also the unhappy childhood causing emotional problems and negatively impacting her life. So she’s a college dropout, has a crappy job with an abusive boss and shops. A lot. By her own admission, shopping is the one thing that makes her feel like she’s worth something, a feeling that soon gets replaced by the terrible sense of not being able to afford what she’s buying, which does nothing but restart the vicious cycle. And then she meets Vaughn.Not the current US cover, butcouldn't find the right one anywhere.Grace is attracted to this rich older guy who comes out of nowhere, buys her a drink, sends her expensive gifts and takes her out on a glamorous date. But when their first kiss is about to turn into something more, he stops, makes her leave and doesn’t call her again until a couple of weeks later when he makes her the following proposition: she will become his mistress and hostess, meaning not only having sex with him, but also doing as she’s told and always being available when he needs her. In exchange, he will pay her £5,000 a month, plus an extra £2,000 for clothing expenses. Grace, who is both broke and broken, is equal parts offended and intrigued, but curiosity and necessity trump everything, so she accepts. Basically, this book is like Kinsella’s Shopaholic meets Pretty Woman, but with fewer shoulder pads and more daddy issues. The relationship between Grace and Vaughn --and between Grace and herself-- is interesting to say the least. She enters into this new world of which he is the apparent king. Vaughn is a benevolent boss with a mean streak, but a boss nonetheless. And in the process of adapting to her new circumstances, Grace becomes attached to him in a way that’s slightly romantic, but also has some codependency undertones that are more than a bit upsetting. Is she using him to replace her missing father figure and/or to fill the emotional void in her life? And what does he have to gain from his relationship with her? What motivates him?Vaughn isn’t as easily deciphered as Grace, but there are plenty of clues for us to get an idea of his character. He can’t form normal relationships and revels in the sense of security that comes from paying for what he wants. But he also sees a potential in Grace that he tries to bring forward and show to her. This is a story about power, control and security. Vaughn, who is uptight, obsessive and this side of an eating disorder, finds safety in controlling everything around him and in the power he has over Grace; a power he uses to control others. And by changing her life he gains the ultimate power someone could have over someone, even if it’s a positive change. His biggest challenge is learning how to let go and find trust in what he can’t control. Grace, on the other hand, gives up all the power and control in order to find a sense of security that doesn’t last long. And then very slowly and almost unbeknown to her, she regains power over her own body and life or at least realizes that she never gave it up to begin with. That’s what tips the power balance in her favor, yet in the end, Vaughn is incapable of giving up his control, so she has to create an illusion in order to make their relationship work. That is the moment when they become equals. These two are in a constant struggle to dominate the other as well as themselves, even if she spends most of the book not knowing it. And their happy ending is about becoming equals by finally understanding each other.Here is the part where I confess that Unsticky is Chick-Lit, so not a Romance per se. But the relationship is the main focus of the book, even more so than Grace’s transformation into a stronger and more confident young woman, probably because what makes her change is Vaughn.As a classic Romance, it doesn’t work that well. But as an oddly romantic, occasionally cringe-worthy and dysfunctional love story, it works perfectly. So to answer my original questions, I’m happy Grace and Vaughn found each other, and I really enjoyed the book even while it made me uncomfortable all the way until the end.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerWhat a mixed bag this book was! I have a thing for unrequited love stories where the heroine is in love with her best friend, but he doesn’t know it and already has a girlfriend or starts dating someone else. It’s probably because a long time ago this happened to me, but I didn’t get a happy ending, so I really enjoy the part where the heroine gets the guy, but even more the part where the guy dumps the other woman. Clearly, I have issues. So yeah, once I read the blurb, I got the book and didn't put it down until I finished it. Unfortunately, this only reflects my own reading preferences and not the actual quality of the book, which I found mostly lacking, although it’s not without some merit.Something happened to Sophie that made her hate Valentine’s Day. So every year she gets together with her best friend, Sam, to watch crappy movies. But this year Sam cancelled because he has a date with a woman he thinks has the potential of being the one. The news are particularly bad for Sophie, because she just realized that she’s in love with him, and everything gets even worse when she falls and breaks her arm.Sam’s new relationship and her accident should force Sophie to confront the reality of her life, which isn’t pretty. After some hard truths and lots of whining she, well, she does nothing except at the very end, when she makes some changes in her life and manages to get the guy. But the road to that was paved with pity parties. Lots and lots of pity parties. This book doesn’t know if it wants to be Romance or Chick-Lit. Sophie’s first person POV narrates the story which is somewhat about her personal journey, but her relationship with Sam gets a lot of page time, so it takes away from the character development, while at the same time managing to not have much of a romance. Perhaps the label that better fits it is Romantic Comedy, because it follows the same pattern and the heroine goes through some situations that are obviously meant to be funny, but made me cringe. Sophie wasn’t a great character. She had broken dreams and childhood traumas, but her way of dealing with it was punishing her family and hiding. Her reasons were valid, but because all she does is whine, my perception of her went from woman trapped in a transitional stage of her life, to a coward incapable of taking on an active role in the improvement of said life. The right elements were there, but the sloppy execution turned her character into a mess. This book needed more focus on her internal struggle than on the unrequited love angst. The secondary characters were fine. Sam, the love interest, had a sweet disposition and their friendship felt authentic, albeit slightly needy on her part (and now that I think about it, on his part as well). I’m not sure if I liked him, but I didn’t dislike him. Sophie’s dad and brother also have minor roles in the book, but the character development was so poor, that I’m still not quite sure what to make of their relationship.The merits I mentioned before? The book is highly readable and oddly engaging. So I’m giving it a very generous three stars, mostly because I couldn’t put it down, and that has to be worth something, right?

I have mixed feelings, and overall I'm not sure how I feel about the book. It makes some interesting remarks about the Catholic Church that mirror my own vision of the Church, and to a certain degree it portrays self-flagellation and some aspects of faith as fetishes. It's almost as if it's trying to bring together the spiritual with the physical, and show us that these two can't be separated and that instead, they feed off each other. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it and I'm doing it through my own bias because I've always thought that the Catholic Church has an obsession with death, pain and blood that's more than borderline fetishistic. But all these thoughts aside, this is a story about a troubled young woman and the man who takes advantage of her. It's particularly troubling because 1. he's a symbol of both power and a safety, and 2. he justifies it by declaring himself helpless when it comes to her. Worse, it would appear that his actions actually helped her, and that's what truly bothers me. It's an uncomfortable story, and I don't know what to make of it.

Oh, book... Why do you tempt me with good reviews just to see my dreams of reading you die when I go to Amazon and can't find you? Why, book, why?!

2.5 StarsWarning: There will be spoilers.Kaetrin reviewed this book a few weeks ago and it sounded interesting and unique, so I bought it. I’m glad I read it. For the most part I found it entertaining, and it has stayed with me after I finished it. But I also keep having more and more issues with it, so this review will be mixed at best.Grace’s life depends on number. It’s obvious to the reader that she suffers from some type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, even if she doesn’t admit it. Yet she’s quite frank about how numbers dominate her day and how she has rearranged her life to fit all the numbers in it. Counting, mathematics, weird trivia and numbers rule her life, but she’s comfortable and somewhat happy with it, because they also ground her. There are certain longings and thoughts that sneak in and wreak mini havocs at times, but she’s very good at keeping them at bay, so it’s hard to tell whether she’s miserable, content or happy.What we can tell is that Grace is her own person, and that numbers don’t define who she is. In fact, I didn’t even find her a sympathetic character. She’s not particularly nice to her mother or to her sister, and of her remaining family members she only likes one of her nieces, mostly because she projects herself onto her.But when she meets Seamus and they quickly develop a relationship, she begins to pay attention to all those longings and thoughts, and suddenly considers changing her life so that Seamus can fit in it. The results are not that good. The overall tone of the book is light and quirky. I wouldn’t call it a comedy, because it has plenty of darker undertones, but if I had to put a label to it, I would say that it fits well under Chick-Lit. It’s narrated entirely from Grace’s POV, and she has a very convoluted mind, so more than half the book is a random litany of number-related trivia, and another chunk of it is about Nikola Tesla, Grace’s hero. So there are a lot of things to learn in this book, but when it comes to the important lessons, I’m not sure that it gets it right.The romance plays a prominent role in the book, and Seamus was a good hero, but Grace is self-absorbed and not that observant, so Seamus’ intentions and feelings only manifest themselves when he stays by her side during some rough situations. But as sweet as the romance was, I didn’t understand why they were together. What did he see in her? What did she see in him? Were they really in love, or was it need and loneliness? I’m not sure I have the answers to all these questions. But the ending is happy, at least in terms of the romance.As I said before, the more I think about the book, the more issues I find. This next part will be spoilery, so look away if you don’t want to know. Grace, urged by Seamus, goes to therapy and starts taking medication. Therapy isn’t particularly successful, and the medications make her foggy and change her personality. She stops counting, but she doesn’t become more functional and her relationships rapidly deteriorate. But then she goes off the meds, gets her obsession back, her family accept her for who she is, and Seamus even apologizes for the part he played in all of it. It was uncomfortable to read, because I’m not an expert, and I know that some medications have serious effects on people, but it felt like the second half of the book was an anti-medication propaganda, and I’m not sure I agree with it.Mental illness has a stigma, and it’s either portrayed in a negative way or played for laughs. Grace’s disorder made her unique and special, but the moment she takes medication she becomes insignificant and average. It was too extreme, and now that we’re fighting to have a serious conversation about mental illness, this book bothered ne. Perhaps it was the wrong time to read it, but I don’t agree with the way it ended, and it left me with a bitter aftertaste that has done nothing but increase ever since I finished the book.That being said, I liked the risk the author took with such a different heroine, and I very much enjoyed her voice. I can’t recommend Addition, but I’m more than willing to give the author another chance, because her talent is undeniable.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: A review copy was provided by the publisher trough NetGalley.As you guys know, I loved Pushing the Limits because OVER THE TOP ANGST! *ahem* Which is why I was dying to read the sequel. Unlike its predecessor, however, Dare You To is --or at least feels-- less convoluted, probably because it only focuses on one angsty character instead of two. It is still quite dramatic, but way more contained.I was intrigued by Beth as a secondary character in Pushing the Limits, and I liked her a lot as a heroine in Dare You To. She spends the whole book being angry, something that automatically makes her refreshing and interesting. The previous book heavily hinted at a different outcome for her, meaning that it appeared that her hero would be Isaiah, the other secondary character, yet this book completely challenged all my expectations. And although Isaiah still plays an important role here, he is not the love interest.But let’s talk about Beth first. As I said, she’s really angry. Her mother is an abusive addict unable to take care of her. When the book opens, Beth’s uncle, a famous former baseball player, is back in her life and takes her to live with him. This doesn’t sit well with Beth because once upon a time he left her and never came back. But now he wants to make up for it by taking care of her and giving her the life she missed. And in order to do so, he takes her to a small town where everything is the opposite to what Beth is used to. Not to mention that Beth worries about her mother and feels like it’s her job to protect and take care of her.That’s how Beth meets golden boy, Ryan. Things don’t start well between them, but you know how things go, so ultimately they spend some time together and begin to see each other under a different light. He has his own demons and his life isn’t as golden as it appears, but is Beth who must learn how to trust and to let go of her self-destructive path. As I said, the over the top drama was somewhat toned down, or more accurately, it was all directed to one character. Ryan had his own issues to deal with, but Beth is the real star of the book.In the previous book Beth wasn’t the most likeable character, especially when compared to Echo. But that strong personality is what makes her such an interesting character. I wasn’t kidding when I said that she spent the whole book being angry, and she had all the reasons to be that way. Her relationship with her uncle was also compelling, especially because I kept thinking that he was a Romance hero gone bad. Instead of saving his young niece from a terrible home life, he was selfish and decided to save himself. And now he feels bad and wants to help Beth, but she’s very difficult and he isn’t a martyr, so they were in constant conflict. More than that, in the previous book we had a main character desperate to sacrifice his future to take care of his small brothers, and here we have the complete opposite of that. This was my favorite part of the book, and the main source of the over the top, delicious angst.The romance, on the other hand, didn’t work that well for me, mostly because I found Ryan to be slightly inconsistent. He becomes nice and good almost magically, and the result is a certain blandness to his character that I can’t quite pinpoint. But the chemistry was there and I liked them as a couple. I also enjoyed that this was a “bad girl falls for the good boy” story. In many ways Dare You To is the opposite of Pushing the Limits.Now that I’m writing the review I realize that my original reaction has changed. When I finished the book I felt a bit lukewarm, but the story has a lot of merit and in a way is better than the previous installment. The problem is that the reason why I loved Pushing the Limits so much was because of how extreme it was. This book is less into that exaggerated, almost manipulative emotion, and although it remains dramatic, the magic was not quite there. I still had a great time with it, but it wasn’t the same. That been said, I read the book in one night. Dare You To confirms that Katie McGarry’s books are additive if you’re into that particular brand of angst. And if you do, then I highly recommend this series.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: review copy provided by the author.You guys know how much I like Sarah Morgan (and if not, now you do), so I’ll skip that part and go directly to the review.The plot is quite simple: Selene is a sheltered young woman with an abusive powerful father. She has dreams of escaping, but she can’t do it because she has no money, her father is super evil and her mother is too afraid. So she comes up with this plan that takes her directly to Stefan Ziakas.And who is this Stefan? I’m glad you ask! He’s a player with a secret pain that killed his soul and turned him into a ruthless man. He’s also Selene’s father’s nemesis. Years ago he was nice to her, because he’s not as dead inside as he would like us to believe. So she has nothing but fond memories of him. She tells him her plan, which involves a very simple business idea as well as the necessary loan. After a lot of convincing, Stefan agrees because he likes her and helping her would mean getting some revenge on her dad.Selene has always admired Stefan, mostly because of that one memory. She’s not familiar with kindness and that encounter meant a lot to her. He is somewhat amused by her and a lot attracted, but he also respects her ideas and goals. The problem is that when she discovers that one of the reasons he helped her was to get revenge, she’s unable to forgive him. So the romance gets complicated.This is one of those “Greek Tycoon and the Shy Virgin” Presents, with a bit of a revenge plot thrown in for good measure. Except that it’s not. The Shy Virgin is the one who seduces the Greek Tycoon, and the revenge plot dies halfway through the second chapter when the hero says that he “won’t blame the daughter for the sins of the father”.I bet you didn't see that one coming!Of course this is a Harlequin Presents, so it’s a bit campy and has all the right elements like the insta-lust, the domineering hero, the Mary Sue-ish heroine and the big misunderstanding, but it’s toned down enough to let us see the people behind the clichés. The basic premise and characters are typical enough that we can clearly identify the book as part of the line, but it twists the tropes just enough for the reading experience to be surprising and refreshing. The problem is that while the story doesn't rely on the internal conflict produced by the emotionally-stunted hero, the external conflict caused by the apparent betrayal felt forced and slightly out of character. Yes she’s naïve, but the text makes it look as if she has real insight into the hero’s character beyond what her own memories and subsequent fantasies tell her, so the way she reacts, en especially how long she remains so angry, felt out of character. Perhaps the problem here isn't so much the characterization as it is the transitions. The shifts from reluctant partners, to lovers, to big misunderstanding were abrupt and felt a bit inconsistent, yet even these transitions don’t follow the usual pattern, so the big misunderstanding doesn't happen when you would expect it. Flaws and all, I was very pleased.This is one of those books I would recommend to those who want to read a Harlequin Presents but can’t figure out where to start. It has all the elements that make the line so entertaining, but written in a way that strips them of the most obnoxious qualities. And of course, if you like Contemporary Romance and want to read about an adorable, confident heroine and the alpha hero who loves and respects her, then I highly recommend this one.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: a review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.I’ve been known to really enjoy Ms. Kelley’s Contemporaries, but what you probably don’t know is that I’m also a fan of her Fantasy trilogy of which Time Dancer is the last installment. Each book takes place in the same universe but features a different leading couple, yet they don’t stand alone that well, especially this book. You could read the first two in any order, but this one ties everything together and brings the series to a closure. Maybe this review will tempt you to try the books!The setting is a fantasy land that somewhat resembles medieval Europe, but with magic. Jana, the heroine, has some magic but it’s fairly useless because it only gives her insight into the past, and even then, she’s not that good at it. But when her best friend, who happens to be the prince and heir to the throne, receives assassination attempt after assassination attempt, she asks the prince’s mother, a powerful sorceress, to create a spell to protect him.In this particular universe spells take human forms, at least half the time since they can also shapeshift into animals. In fact, the queen originated as a spell and had her own love story in the first book. So now Jana gets her own spell in the form of Darach, a proud, almost conceited mountain of a man who can shift into a bear. At first, Darach and Jana don’t get along that well, mostly because he sees her as unworthy and weak. But it doesn’t take long before he realizes there’s more to her, and the two end up falling in love. Each other is not the only they have to deal with, tough. The kingdom is in jeopardy, Darach knows nothing about the world and is awkwardly trying to get used to it, and no one even knows for sure who is trying to kill the prince. Basically, everything is a mess, and falling in love with a spell that will go back to his realm the moment they stop the person trying to kill the prince, doesn’t make things easier. I don’t know why it took me so long to talk about this series, because the truth is that I really like it. The world-building is interesting and not overly complicated, the characters are likeable and the stories quite romantic. Both Jana and Darach are fairly predictable Fantasy characters. She’s a bit of a Mary Sue, and he’s very strong and honorable. But the stereotypes aren’t cartoonish and each character has unique traits that make them stand out. This means that Darach is a socially-awkward virgin, and Jana is a socially-awkward virgin. Wait. No. She isn’t a virgin! In fact, that ship sailed a couple of times with an evil guy who broke her heart. She is slightly awkward and borderline annoying in her extreme vulnerability and selflessness, but she also develops a bit of a backbone. She’s too set in her self-sacrificing ways to be truly interesting, but I never disliked her. The romance was sweet. It happens fast and includes a heavy dose of insta-lusty protectiveness and love, but Ms. Kelley takes time to show personality traits that justify the friendship and the love. Perhaps my favorite part of the story is how it transgresses a couple of genre conventions and plot devices. The very alpha hero is a virgin who needs to be taught everything, including how to pleasure the more sexually experienced heroine. The first time they have sex things don’t go as smoothly, and she isn’t afraid to let him know. But what really surprised me was the fact that the popular fated mate trope is painted as a curse instead of a blessing. The whole plot revolves around how easier and happier everyone’s lives would be if fated mates didn’t exist. Time Dancer is the last book in the series, and so the ending belongs to all the characters and not just to Darach and Jana. They all get satisfying resolutions that are this side of cheesy. It was sweet and a bit sad; in a way reflecting the emotions the reader faces when saying goodbye to the series.The book isn’t perfect, and the flaws are easily spotted. But it packs a lot of emotional punch and it’s very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think you will too, but listen to me when I tell you to read the books in order.

I feel like I should have enjoyed the book more, at least enough to finish it, because there's a lot of references to the 80's and to video games that made me nostalgic. Until I became annoyed by the constant references to the 80's. It went from cute to gimmicky.There's also the fact that the characterization is poor and the character development flat, unless you count getting better at the game as development. Wade is a hero that has the potential of being relatable and authentic, but feels flat and has some reactions that feel rushed and don't fit the hero he's supposed to be. Also, he's portrayed as an overweight, insecure, ugly kid, with dreams way to big for his reality, but I stopped reading when he discovers exercise and gets fit in a few weeks. The book either borrows heavily from Harry Potter, or it's filled with common genre tropes I'm not familiar with: he's an orphan who went to live with his evil aunt; the father figure of the story takes the form of an old wizard; and he develops a friendship with a goofy guy and a brainy girl. The premise is interesting, but the tone isn't as dark as I expected. I'm sure there's a message in there about virtual reality and how it takes over our lives, and about how the world is rapidly deteriorating, but I wasn't engaged enough to care.It's pure nostalgia porn, so if you are old enough to remember the 80's, and especially if you grew up in the 80's, I'm sure you will get a kick out of it, but that's pretty much it.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: a review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalleyThis book caught my attention because of its interesting premise and because I seldom read Sci-Fi. The blurb did mention a love story, but we know that when the book isn't a romance, love stories tend to end tragically, so I wasn't expecting a happy ending. It took a couple of chapters for me to realize that as much as I wasn't expecting anything, what I got wasn't what I was expecting at all. The Best of All Possible Worlds tells the story of Dllenahkh. It’s not clear whether the book is set in an alternate universe that looks futuristic, or if it’s supposed to be a very distant future (1). Regardless, what we do know is that there are different planets and different types of humans that have some genetic differences between them that manifest in their appearance and some psychic traits. When Dllenahkh’s planet, Sadiri, is destroyed, he goes to Cygnus Beta, a planet that welcomes people from all corners of the galaxy and acts as a refugee camp. There he meets Grace Delarua, the local assigned to help Dllenahkh’s while he searches for any remaining Sadiri willing to go to New Sadiri and establish the new planet. However, things don’t exactly go as planned, mostly because, as their quest will show them, they are looking for the wrong things.This book is an introspective character study. There is no action, and we follow our two main characters in an expedition through the planet that mirrors their own personal journey. It’s also an interesting take on cultural change, the devastating effects of genocide and the desperate fight of a culture to survive when faced with change and potential extinction. It’s the story of a man who, in search of those willing to rebuild and save his culture, slowly realizes that cultures are alive and constantly changing. But that is all there is. This is not a commentary on genocide, or even a revenge story.Grace is the main narrator, but it’s Dllenahkh’s book as much as hers, perhaps even more. His culture was one of the most powerful, thriving and respected of the planet system, but after its destruction he became other and went from subject to object; an outsider that doesn't belong, living in a world filled with outsiders that do. It was interesting to see him slowly realize this, and even though we don’t get his POV as often as Delarua’s, the few times we get to see through his eyes, were very enlightening and telling. We join the characters in an expedition throughout the planet, and in each community they come across different cultures that tells them something about the other as well as about themselves. And although some encounters are whimsical in a way that left me scratching my head, others were poignant and thought provoking. The most interesting part of the story happens when, in a quest to find cultural purity as reflected by physical appearance, they find a town where the inhabitants actually put value on genetics and phenotypes, with devastating consequences. The social commentary is quite heavy-handed, but mostly welcome, although not without flaws. The two main characters are as different as their narration. The few parts told from Dllenahkh’s POV are in third person, whereas Delarua’s parts are first person. It’s a deliberate choice that clearly portrays how different these two characters are and lets us know that Dllenahkh is detached, calm and introverted, while Delarua is effusive, emotional and extroverted. The story has a very women-positive feel to it, with strong and diverse female characters that don’t behave the way stereotypes and conventions would demand, but it also gives us the point of view of a hero so overly concerned with species propagation that he sees women as nothing but breeding machines. It was disturbing, especially when faced with an ending that presents us a character thoroughly transformed working under premises that remain unchanged. As a romance reader, I was painfully aware that there was a relationship brewing between Dllenahkh and Delarua, but my awareness had some wishful undertones, because the love builds so slowly and organically, that almost fades into the background. It was like a constant buzz that we eventually get used to and forget. It’s a beautiful romance that behaves in unusual ways because of the protagonists’ cultures, but that’s grounded in respect, admiration and friendship. Though please, don’t expect an epic love story, or the romance to take center stage, because you will be very disappointed. I really enjoyed the book, but it is more interesting than it is entertaining, so I would only recommend it to those who find the subject appealing and don’t mind a long book completely devoid of action and where everything but the message is subtle. This means that it is extremely slow-paced and the only thing that changes is the way the two main characters see themselves and each other. By the end of the story the state of the worlds is the same, as is Dllenahkh’s quest. Note: I can’t write a review and not comment on the unfortunate cover. Almost every character in the book --the two main ones included-- have dark skin. And I can’t help but interpret it as proof that we can read about aliens falling in love, but dark-skinned models on book covers are perhaps too alien. (1) There are weird pop culture references to things like Indiana Jones that I found confusing and took me right out of the story. My guess is that this is supposed to be an alternate universe, but I thought the references were intrusive and unnecessary.

Originally posted at Romance Around the CornerSource: A review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.I decided to read this book because it seemed to center around a mother-daughter relationship, a premise I found compelling. It certainly delivered more than I expected, and although there are plenty of clichés in the story, it was actually quite refreshing.Devan has lived in the Midwest with her father and her stepmother her whole life. She’s never met her mother, and until recently she didn’t even know who her mother was. But one serendipitous day she came across a book by famous author Reece Malcolm, a book that was dedicated to her. So after some digging, she finally knew who her mother was, and she even managed to make a short list of all the things she was able to find out about Reece, minor things like where she went to college or how she likes her coffee. But when Devan’s dad dies she has to go live with her mystery of a mother in L.A. and her life suddenly becomes a huge question mark.Reece and Devan are wary of each other, which makes their interactions awkward and at times even hurtful. But life in L.A. isn’t as awful as expected, and even her hipster new high school is filled with surprisingly welcoming people. There, she finds shelter in musical theater as well as in her new classmates, and she even develops a serious crush on the cute but unattainable guy. However, figuring out Reece Malcolm is what truly drives her days, because by doing so, maybe Devan will be able to figure out her place in life. This book was engaging, entertaining and full of heart. It has all the potential to be a melodramatic mess, yet Devan and Reece are as far from melodramatic as it gets. Devan is in a bit of a shock and too afraid to upset the fragile balance in her life, which makes her shy away from confrontations and questions that are more than necessary. Communication is something she has to learn how to do, but in the meantime she’s not throwing temper tantrums.Reece, on the other hand, is just plain awkward and doesn’t know what to do with Devan. We never get her point of view, yet what we see through Devan’s eyes, paints a clear picture of the most interesting and complex character in the book. This is a woman who left her baby and (apparently) never looked back (due to spoilerish circumstances that make sense). She’s selfish and hurts people without realizing it, but I never dislike her, and she is never a villain. She’s inherently good, but deeply flawed, and I think she would make a fantastic Romance heroine.Once Devan goes to school, she meets a diverse set of characters (including the token potential gay best friend). One of them is a boy she falls for, but who doesn’t seem to like her that way, so instead of dying of unrequited love, she allows herself to be with someone else and enjoy herself. It smells of love triangle and it’s obvious that the unattainable boy is really into her, but by not being together they get to know each other as friends first and the angst levels in their relationship are quite low. But even better was reading about a girl who knew and respected herself, and demanded the same respect from others.The book isn’t perfect, though. As much as I liked Devan, I found her too passive and unnaturally well-behaved. Her apparent perfection was grating, because it felt like there was a lot of effort put into making her likeable, and not enough effort put into making her real. But she sets the tone of the story, and it’s so different and refreshing that’s impossible to feel too annoyed. Not to mention that her character brings balance to the dynamic in her relationship with Reece.The Reece Malcolm List is undeniably YA, and a very sweet one at that. There are some dark themes in the book, but it’s an uplifting, happy read. Devan is a teenager and her voice matches what one would expect from a teen, so it might put some non-YA readers off, but it’s not a dumbed down narration; it’s honest.I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy the genre.