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Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated On Warmer Shores in Books
Aug 4, 2024
stunning 5 star read!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I've followed Ms Adams from the very beginning, and I can honestly say, I'm loving the way she is honing her craft.
This is a step out of her comfort zone, I think, and I bloody LOVED it!
Vince has watched his best friend fall in love with someone else, and an invitation to the wedding is just a step too far for his broken heart. Jetting off to France for a week seemed like a good idea. Meeting Sylvain seemed the answer to his prayers, right?
I loved this, I really did.
It's sweet and smexy, emotional and funny, and everything inbetween, while being a delightful tale of two men meeting and falling in love, when they least expect it!
I did NOT like Theo, even after it all went down. The man really couldn't see who was under his nose the whole time and he couldn't see what an idiot he was getting.
Loved the best friend, Lexi but hated the position that Theo put her in with Vince.
The best bit? Sylvian letting Vince set the pace of their physical relationship. I loved that we never actually got to The Main Event! I mean, its steamy and lots of smexy times, but The Main Event never happens, and I actually LOVED that, I really did.
It's a much lighter read from Ms Adams, and I loved the direction this took.
Amazing read, thank you!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
I've followed Ms Adams from the very beginning, and I can honestly say, I'm loving the way she is honing her craft.
This is a step out of her comfort zone, I think, and I bloody LOVED it!
Vince has watched his best friend fall in love with someone else, and an invitation to the wedding is just a step too far for his broken heart. Jetting off to France for a week seemed like a good idea. Meeting Sylvain seemed the answer to his prayers, right?
I loved this, I really did.
It's sweet and smexy, emotional and funny, and everything inbetween, while being a delightful tale of two men meeting and falling in love, when they least expect it!
I did NOT like Theo, even after it all went down. The man really couldn't see who was under his nose the whole time and he couldn't see what an idiot he was getting.
Loved the best friend, Lexi but hated the position that Theo put her in with Vince.
The best bit? Sylvian letting Vince set the pace of their physical relationship. I loved that we never actually got to The Main Event! I mean, its steamy and lots of smexy times, but The Main Event never happens, and I actually LOVED that, I really did.
It's a much lighter read from Ms Adams, and I loved the direction this took.
Amazing read, thank you!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Deadly Sins (Irish Mafia Kings, #1) in Books
Mar 21, 2024
Aria pushes ALL Quinn's buttons and then some!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I think this is the tamest Mafia book I've ever read and I really enjoyed it!
Quinn goes to kill Aria's father, in revenge for him killing Quinn's youngest brother, but taking Aria becomes an impromptu change of plan. While Aria is saved from one Mafia arranged marriage, she finds it's a case of, out of the frying pan, into the fire with Quinn. Will he let her go, when he gets what he wants from Aria's father? Or will he be her new jailor?
I liked this, I liked this a LOT.
Aria is headstrong and has her own mind, but she knows her place in her father's life. When he says jump, she asks, how high? Because anything else will get someone else hurt. Quinn is the head on the Lyons Irish Mafia Kings, the eldest Lyons. Getting revenge for his brother's death becomes his only plan, and then he has Aria to contend with. The woman pushes ALL his buttons and then some. Letting her go becomes the least pleasurable thing he has to do, but he does. He just has to hope she will come back to him.
My only niggle with this, I found the romance between Aria and Quinn sort of sprang out of nowhere. Quinn knew she was his, very early, but the romance, the love? That kinda walloped me upside the head, almost 3/4 of the way in. They were fighting, then she was gone.
BUT
A very enjoyable 4 star read.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
I think this is the tamest Mafia book I've ever read and I really enjoyed it!
Quinn goes to kill Aria's father, in revenge for him killing Quinn's youngest brother, but taking Aria becomes an impromptu change of plan. While Aria is saved from one Mafia arranged marriage, she finds it's a case of, out of the frying pan, into the fire with Quinn. Will he let her go, when he gets what he wants from Aria's father? Or will he be her new jailor?
I liked this, I liked this a LOT.
Aria is headstrong and has her own mind, but she knows her place in her father's life. When he says jump, she asks, how high? Because anything else will get someone else hurt. Quinn is the head on the Lyons Irish Mafia Kings, the eldest Lyons. Getting revenge for his brother's death becomes his only plan, and then he has Aria to contend with. The woman pushes ALL his buttons and then some. Letting her go becomes the least pleasurable thing he has to do, but he does. He just has to hope she will come back to him.
My only niggle with this, I found the romance between Aria and Quinn sort of sprang out of nowhere. Quinn knew she was his, very early, but the romance, the love? That kinda walloped me upside the head, almost 3/4 of the way in. They were fighting, then she was gone.
BUT
A very enjoyable 4 star read.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated The Tryst List (Spicy Standalone #3) in Books
Apr 15, 2024
3 good, but not for me, stars
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book seems to be a spin-off form the author's series Less Than Zero. Those guys pop up here, but I didn't think I missed anything by not reading them before this one.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book, and you all know I'm all about sharing the book feelings. So, I'm gonna say what I liked, and maybe what didn't work will wing it's way out.
I liked that both Jordan and Peter are given a voice, although that first meeting was all from Jordan. I loved that we did NOT get that first meeting, in all its glory, right as it happened. I loved that it comes in memories from both of them. I think had we had it all at the beginning, I might have dumped this one, so well played to the author for not doing that. I loved the way it all comes out along the way.
It's steamy and smexy, oh yes but I found the emotional connection a little lacking in the beginning. But then again, 10 years since their first encounter would stunt anyone's connection.
There was a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication between these two. I'm not sure whether that worked for me or not, to be honest!
I'm gonna wrap up: I liked this book, I finished it. Will I go back and read the series this spins off? Not at this time.
3 good, but maybe not for me, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewher
This book seems to be a spin-off form the author's series Less Than Zero. Those guys pop up here, but I didn't think I missed anything by not reading them before this one.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book, and you all know I'm all about sharing the book feelings. So, I'm gonna say what I liked, and maybe what didn't work will wing it's way out.
I liked that both Jordan and Peter are given a voice, although that first meeting was all from Jordan. I loved that we did NOT get that first meeting, in all its glory, right as it happened. I loved that it comes in memories from both of them. I think had we had it all at the beginning, I might have dumped this one, so well played to the author for not doing that. I loved the way it all comes out along the way.
It's steamy and smexy, oh yes but I found the emotional connection a little lacking in the beginning. But then again, 10 years since their first encounter would stunt anyone's connection.
There was a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication between these two. I'm not sure whether that worked for me or not, to be honest!
I'm gonna wrap up: I liked this book, I finished it. Will I go back and read the series this spins off? Not at this time.
3 good, but maybe not for me, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewher
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated The Underhanded (William Dresden #1) in Books
May 3, 2024
takes time to come together
Independent reviewer for Arachaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
William is a professor of history, and he gets dragged into the world of espionage, full of secrets about him and his family, and an attempt to destabilize Europe. Followed by an attempt on his life, and William is running for that life, while trying to get the truth.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book, but a couple things, for me, knocked that 4th star off.
The book is full of long dialogues, explaining things in minute detail. I got bogged down reading those pages, and in some places, I skipped ahead.
And it takes a long LONG time for the plot to come together. I very much wanted to dump it in places, I was so freaking confused. It made for a hard-work read, and I'm not sure this book was for me.
It's well written, though, and I didn't see any editing or spelling errors to spoil my reading. It really was the long winded plotting out loud, and the long plot line.
Some twists, and they were not seen coming, so well played there! And once things start coming together, it moves fast, so you gotta hang on there!
Many bonus points for not, not once, calling William, Bill. Big thumbs up from me for that!
First I've read of this author, and I think I'd like to try a shorter book, if there are any. I just struggled a bit with this one.
3 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
William is a professor of history, and he gets dragged into the world of espionage, full of secrets about him and his family, and an attempt to destabilize Europe. Followed by an attempt on his life, and William is running for that life, while trying to get the truth.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book, but a couple things, for me, knocked that 4th star off.
The book is full of long dialogues, explaining things in minute detail. I got bogged down reading those pages, and in some places, I skipped ahead.
And it takes a long LONG time for the plot to come together. I very much wanted to dump it in places, I was so freaking confused. It made for a hard-work read, and I'm not sure this book was for me.
It's well written, though, and I didn't see any editing or spelling errors to spoil my reading. It really was the long winded plotting out loud, and the long plot line.
Some twists, and they were not seen coming, so well played there! And once things start coming together, it moves fast, so you gotta hang on there!
Many bonus points for not, not once, calling William, Bill. Big thumbs up from me for that!
First I've read of this author, and I think I'd like to try a shorter book, if there are any. I just struggled a bit with this one.
3 good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Show No Mercy in Books
Nov 20, 2024
i liked the instanta nd powerful attraction
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Hector's blind date goes wrong, and then he finds himself running for his life with a bleeding stranger in tow.
I liked that this book jumps straight into what is going on with Callum, and that Hector gets pulled in. I wasn't sure it was going to work for me, but it holds up well through the book, that start. It's sort of sets the pace for the book.
I did feel though, at times, that the pace was WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too quick. I found myself struggling to keep up, things were happening so fast. But it's a relatively short book, 195 pages, and you can only get so much on the page count. I would have just liked a bit of a let up from everything, really. Just to catch my breath!
I would have liked some more of the suspense that is tagged with the book. There is, I felt, none. We know, right from the start, who is doing what they are doing to Callum and Hector.
But there is lots of the passion the book is tagged with, and I liked that the attraction and connection between these two men is powerful and almost instant, but it never ever wavers, not even when they are both faced with such a situation they find themselves in.
Only Hector gets a say though. And really this is the only reason I rounded my 3.5 stars down, rather than up.
3.5 stars, rounded down for the blog.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Hector's blind date goes wrong, and then he finds himself running for his life with a bleeding stranger in tow.
I liked that this book jumps straight into what is going on with Callum, and that Hector gets pulled in. I wasn't sure it was going to work for me, but it holds up well through the book, that start. It's sort of sets the pace for the book.
I did feel though, at times, that the pace was WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too quick. I found myself struggling to keep up, things were happening so fast. But it's a relatively short book, 195 pages, and you can only get so much on the page count. I would have just liked a bit of a let up from everything, really. Just to catch my breath!
I would have liked some more of the suspense that is tagged with the book. There is, I felt, none. We know, right from the start, who is doing what they are doing to Callum and Hector.
But there is lots of the passion the book is tagged with, and I liked that the attraction and connection between these two men is powerful and almost instant, but it never ever wavers, not even when they are both faced with such a situation they find themselves in.
Only Hector gets a say though. And really this is the only reason I rounded my 3.5 stars down, rather than up.
3.5 stars, rounded down for the blog.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated A Love To Remember in Books
May 1, 2018
so desperately wanted to hear from Sam!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Graham takes his dad to the cabin in the woods, because he cannot be on his own anymore. Ravaged by Alzheimer's, his father needs calm, and peace. But Graham can no longer look after his dad and work, so he hires an in-home nurse, Sam. Sam and Graham have met before, after a brief hook-up. Sam wants more, but Graham has to take a step back, and make Sam realise, what's slowly killing his father could very well kill him too.
It's only short, this one, some 85 pages, but Brook manages to get a lot in those 85 pages!
We get the intensity of that initial hook-up. We get all of Graham's fears for his dad. We get all of Graham's emotions trying to keep Sam at arms length, while fighting to pull him close. We get all of GRAHAM.
What we don't get is Sam. Any Sam, at all. And that's the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars, because it is single person point of view. Had Sam had a say, this could well have been a 5 star read, it really could!
It's not overly complicated, just two men falling in love while one tries really hard not to. There is no major breakup/make up, no nutty exes. It has some sexy time, and some emotional times, especially when Graham is fighting with himself to look after dad but having to admit that he really can't.
It really is a lovely, if short, read. Passed an hour, while watching the rain, on a Sunday afternoon.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Graham takes his dad to the cabin in the woods, because he cannot be on his own anymore. Ravaged by Alzheimer's, his father needs calm, and peace. But Graham can no longer look after his dad and work, so he hires an in-home nurse, Sam. Sam and Graham have met before, after a brief hook-up. Sam wants more, but Graham has to take a step back, and make Sam realise, what's slowly killing his father could very well kill him too.
It's only short, this one, some 85 pages, but Brook manages to get a lot in those 85 pages!
We get the intensity of that initial hook-up. We get all of Graham's fears for his dad. We get all of Graham's emotions trying to keep Sam at arms length, while fighting to pull him close. We get all of GRAHAM.
What we don't get is Sam. Any Sam, at all. And that's the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars, because it is single person point of view. Had Sam had a say, this could well have been a 5 star read, it really could!
It's not overly complicated, just two men falling in love while one tries really hard not to. There is no major breakup/make up, no nutty exes. It has some sexy time, and some emotional times, especially when Graham is fighting with himself to look after dad but having to admit that he really can't.
It really is a lovely, if short, read. Passed an hour, while watching the rain, on a Sunday afternoon.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Machine, Metal, Magic (Mind % Machine #1) in Books
May 14, 2018
really REALLY good
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Jaime runs, after the facility he and his kind were housed in, was attacked and everyone else killed. He can talk to the computers that run everything. He thinks this is not a gift, but a curse. He finds himself taken prisoner by a starship crew, carrying a cargo that needs delivering. Rylan is his jailer. But Rylan is keeping secrets from his crew, just as much as they keep secrets from him.
Sci-fi is growing on me, it really is!
Sometimes, sci-fi can be a little overwhelming, with all the technology and what-not, but not so here. I loved how it was explained how Jaime talks to the computers, to the ship, and to Rylan's artificial arm. Love how they play with that one ?
Loved how we don't get what Rylan is up to,not all in one go, and loved how I did not see what was in the cargo coming at me, never in a million years! I had an idea, but that was way off base!
I wrote four stars at the top of the page, but honestly?? Can't find a single thing to fault it!
First in the series Mind + Machine, and I hope I get to read more. Also first I've read of Ms dare, so hope that it's not the last. I loved how she spins her tale, how you don't get it all in one go, just in dribs and drabs, a little at a time. Meant I can keep up!
so, because I can't fault it....
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Jaime runs, after the facility he and his kind were housed in, was attacked and everyone else killed. He can talk to the computers that run everything. He thinks this is not a gift, but a curse. He finds himself taken prisoner by a starship crew, carrying a cargo that needs delivering. Rylan is his jailer. But Rylan is keeping secrets from his crew, just as much as they keep secrets from him.
Sci-fi is growing on me, it really is!
Sometimes, sci-fi can be a little overwhelming, with all the technology and what-not, but not so here. I loved how it was explained how Jaime talks to the computers, to the ship, and to Rylan's artificial arm. Love how they play with that one ?
Loved how we don't get what Rylan is up to,not all in one go, and loved how I did not see what was in the cargo coming at me, never in a million years! I had an idea, but that was way off base!
I wrote four stars at the top of the page, but honestly?? Can't find a single thing to fault it!
First in the series Mind + Machine, and I hope I get to read more. Also first I've read of Ms dare, so hope that it's not the last. I loved how she spins her tale, how you don't get it all in one go, just in dribs and drabs, a little at a time. Meant I can keep up!
so, because I can't fault it....
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Attachments in Books
May 10, 2018
Attachments was a really cute story. It's one of the weirdest love stories that you will ever root for!
Lincoln works in the IT department of The Courier, the local newspaper. But Lincoln doesn't have a typical IT job. It's his job to flag any email messages that contain personal messages or any kind of threat against the paper. For the most part, the job is a mindless night of not having much to do. But nearly every night he's got something in his folder that has been flagged. Mostly, it's the emails between the movie reviewer, Beth and her best friend, copy editor, Jennifer. There isn't anything harmful in the emails, but they are all deeply personal. When Lincoln finds himself falling in love with one of these women just through their email correspondence, he's not sure how he's going to be able to face her without telling her how he knows her.
Through a series of strange encounters and near misses, the opportunity never arises for them to formally meet, and to top it all off, she already has a boyfriend. Will Lincoln ever find a way to tell this girl how he feels? Will she ever feel the same way knowing what he had done? Would they ever find a love that would "leave the lights on all the time"?
The thing I liked best about the book, is that there aren't any overly handsome or beautiful people in it. The characters could be your friends or your neighbors, or the person you are sitting next to at work. It's a story we can all get behind. This is the first book I have read by Rainbow Rowell, but not the first one that I had put on my TBR list. I am for sure going to read more!
Lincoln works in the IT department of The Courier, the local newspaper. But Lincoln doesn't have a typical IT job. It's his job to flag any email messages that contain personal messages or any kind of threat against the paper. For the most part, the job is a mindless night of not having much to do. But nearly every night he's got something in his folder that has been flagged. Mostly, it's the emails between the movie reviewer, Beth and her best friend, copy editor, Jennifer. There isn't anything harmful in the emails, but they are all deeply personal. When Lincoln finds himself falling in love with one of these women just through their email correspondence, he's not sure how he's going to be able to face her without telling her how he knows her.
Through a series of strange encounters and near misses, the opportunity never arises for them to formally meet, and to top it all off, she already has a boyfriend. Will Lincoln ever find a way to tell this girl how he feels? Will she ever feel the same way knowing what he had done? Would they ever find a love that would "leave the lights on all the time"?
The thing I liked best about the book, is that there aren't any overly handsome or beautiful people in it. The characters could be your friends or your neighbors, or the person you are sitting next to at work. It's a story we can all get behind. This is the first book I have read by Rainbow Rowell, but not the first one that I had put on my TBR list. I am for sure going to read more!
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Ryker (Owatonna U Hockey #1) in Books
Mar 14, 2019
Not sure I liked Ryker!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
**This review will be short, I really dislike writing the three star reviews!**
Ryker is hockey royalty, coming up as 4th generation championship winning players. Jacob works his family farm with his mum and dad. Both end up at hockey camp for the summer, and are polar opposites in most things. Sharing a room brings them closer, then camp is over and they are on opposite sides of the country. When Ryker switches college to be closer to Jacob, will Jacob let him?
I can't put my finger on why this one didn't work for me, and ya'll know how much that does my head in! So, here's what I DID like.
Both Jacob and Ryker have their say, so we get both sides of the coin. Both voices are clear and very different, and their voice is in the first person. Each change is clearly headed, and comes as the chapter changes.
I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I tagged it as a short read, because it does NOT seem as long as the billed 196 pages! One sitting read, too.
There are some characters from the series this one spins off, and that makes me want to go back and read THEIR series, or at least, Jared and Ten (Ryker's dad and step dad) stories.
I just . . . .DON'T know what didn't work!
Or at least, that was what I thought when writing this review. Now I'm typing it up, I *think* it might be Ryker himself. I dunno, maybe. Possibly.
So, gonna leave it at that.
3 good solid but maybe not for me, stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
**This review will be short, I really dislike writing the three star reviews!**
Ryker is hockey royalty, coming up as 4th generation championship winning players. Jacob works his family farm with his mum and dad. Both end up at hockey camp for the summer, and are polar opposites in most things. Sharing a room brings them closer, then camp is over and they are on opposite sides of the country. When Ryker switches college to be closer to Jacob, will Jacob let him?
I can't put my finger on why this one didn't work for me, and ya'll know how much that does my head in! So, here's what I DID like.
Both Jacob and Ryker have their say, so we get both sides of the coin. Both voices are clear and very different, and their voice is in the first person. Each change is clearly headed, and comes as the chapter changes.
I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading.
I tagged it as a short read, because it does NOT seem as long as the billed 196 pages! One sitting read, too.
There are some characters from the series this one spins off, and that makes me want to go back and read THEIR series, or at least, Jared and Ten (Ryker's dad and step dad) stories.
I just . . . .DON'T know what didn't work!
Or at least, that was what I thought when writing this review. Now I'm typing it up, I *think* it might be Ryker himself. I dunno, maybe. Possibly.
So, gonna leave it at that.
3 good solid but maybe not for me, stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Nocturne (Fourth Talisman #1) in Books
Feb 9, 2018
should have been told about books before this one!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
When I started this book, I was thinking I'm missing something, something important, and that feeling stayed with me right the way through, and to be honest, I nearly dumped it a couple of times. I'm still not sure what kept me reading, but I did and that feeling led me to look at the author's other books.
And there is folks! What I've been missing is a whole THREE books set before this one, revolving around these main characters! Why was I not told this, when asked to read this one?? I don't know, but I'm annoyed, because whatever happened in those three books has a HUGE impact in this one, and my reading enjoyment suffered, greatly.
Oh, don't get me wrong, the book is well written, from all the major players points of view. It's neither graphic nor explicit, it moves at a fair and even pace. I saw no spelling or editing errors.
There is a much bigger picture that I'm not seeing going on. Whether that is because I didn't read the previous books, I don't know. It might just not have been laid out fully yet and all will become clear in the next books.
But for me, I can't get past not knowing about the other books that I SHOULD have read first. So if you come across this review, please PLEASE go back and read The Fourth Element trilogy before you read this one. You WILL need it.
Will I read future books in the series?? Probably not.
Because I DID finish it, and because everyone who needs to has a say...
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
When I started this book, I was thinking I'm missing something, something important, and that feeling stayed with me right the way through, and to be honest, I nearly dumped it a couple of times. I'm still not sure what kept me reading, but I did and that feeling led me to look at the author's other books.
And there is folks! What I've been missing is a whole THREE books set before this one, revolving around these main characters! Why was I not told this, when asked to read this one?? I don't know, but I'm annoyed, because whatever happened in those three books has a HUGE impact in this one, and my reading enjoyment suffered, greatly.
Oh, don't get me wrong, the book is well written, from all the major players points of view. It's neither graphic nor explicit, it moves at a fair and even pace. I saw no spelling or editing errors.
There is a much bigger picture that I'm not seeing going on. Whether that is because I didn't read the previous books, I don't know. It might just not have been laid out fully yet and all will become clear in the next books.
But for me, I can't get past not knowing about the other books that I SHOULD have read first. So if you come across this review, please PLEASE go back and read The Fourth Element trilogy before you read this one. You WILL need it.
Will I read future books in the series?? Probably not.
Because I DID finish it, and because everyone who needs to has a say...
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**