Soaring (The Magdalene Series Book 2) by Kristen Ashley

4 Stars

This book felt more like the Kristen Ashley of old.  Not a lot happened as far as too much drama between hero/heroine once they got together.  I still wish her books had more action like the Rock Chick series. 

This book follows Mickey (we met him in the first book).  A woman moves in next door to him.  Her name is Amelia (love it) but he gives her a nickname (Amy…meh).  His first encounter is when her ex-husband is at her front door yelling at her.  Mickey makes it clear to Conrad that he should move on.  From here Mickey and Amelia have a very rocky start.  She moved her to be close to her children.  After her divorce with Conrad she lost the tight relationship that she had with them through many of her own actions.  Her main goal is to get her children’s affections back.  Eventually Mickey and Amelia find their way to each other and I must say that is my favorite part of the book.  Everything that happens between Mickey and Amelia until they get together is MAGIC!  After this point, I won’t say it goes downhill, but it is definitely less interesting.  There is still drama:  between Amelia and her kids, Amelia and her ex, Mickey and his ex, Mickey and his kids, Amelia’s kids and Mickey’s kids, Mickey and Conrad, Amelia and Conrad’s new wife.  It’s all in there.   I just cared about it less once Mickey and Amelia got together.  Still, it felt more real to me and less cookie cutter than some of her other more recent works.  Can’t wait for Coert’s story (I don’t even know now to pronounce that name!).  There is already fireworks going for that man! 

Wild and Free by Kristen Ashley (The Three Series #3)

4 Stars

I was really looking forward to reading this book.  I not only wanted to know what was next in this fight amongst the supernaturals, but I wanted to meet this third couple.  I wanted to meet the vampire/werewolf hybrid and his lady.  The previous books were so amazing maybe my expectations were too high?  It was a disappointment, but it was long and at the end I didn’t feel like a lot happened.  This author started writing with the Rock Chick Series which is very action packed.  It is one thing after the next.  This felt like a lot of waiting.

Lilah is a biker chick and she is one a trip to a biker haven.  She immediately gets into some pretty deep trouble.  This is where she meets Abel.  He is our vampire/werewolf hybrid.  They are immediately drawn to one another in a very deep way.  Lilah is thrown into the supernatural world in a way that she can’t deny that it exists.  The larger fight between the good and bad supernaturals is soon brought to their doorstep and they must decide to stay and fight or to run.  After this they spend much of their time on a compound that is safe from the bad guys.  The ultimate showdown involves all the couples, but centers around Lilah. 

Besides wanting more action, I didn’t like the chemistry between Lilah and Abel as much as the other two couples in the series.  I can’t even describe why, I just didn’t feel as strong of a connection. 

Deacon by Kristen Ashley (Unfinished Heroes #4)

3 Stars

I have typically not enjoyed this series as much as this authors other works.  I am finding with her most recent writings that not a lot is happening.  Part of what I loved about her usual work was that we meet these great characters and we watch their relationships blossom, usually under duress, but BIG things happen along the way.  I loved the bombings, kidnappings, and murder attempts found in the Rock Chick Series and the Fantastical Series and the Three Series and the early ‘Burg Series and Colorado Mountain Man Series.  I loved all the books that took place in England.  The Three Wishes is one of my favorite books! 

I’m just not sure how much more of these new books I want to keep reading.  I can’t wait for the finale of the Three Series so I am crossing my fingers that it is as wonderful as the rest of those books.

Deacon is the hero (or anti-hero) of this book.  Apparently he is from the Colorado Mountain Man series but he is not at all the man that was portrayed during those books.  I would not have thought he would even warrant his own book.  I kept trying to make sense of this new side of Deacon.  We pretty much saw him only quietly sitting in the bar prior to this.  Anyway, he comes to Cassidy’s cabins repeatedly for six years.  He gives her no signs or encouragement but Cassidy still puts herself out there for him (although rather vaguely) and Deacon shuts her down.  But he keeps coming back.  Eventually something happens that means Deacon has to step into the situation.  Obviously we know it is a KA story so I am not giving anything away by letting people know that Deacon and Cassidy get involved.   And being part of this series we know that Deacon will have some baggage.  This baggage has kept him from making any meaningful relationships for a very long time and he is resistant to changing this. 

I just wished something else happened…anything of a bit of action. 

Jagged by Kristen Ashley (Colorado Mountain Man #5)

2.5-3 Stars

I think this might be my least favorite KA book of all time.  I didn’t connect with any of the main characters and I don’t feel like the storyline that we left off with in “Breathe” was in any way connected.  The only redeeming quality that I found was that someone (the heroine) who had been crapped on her whole life got retribution and a happy ending.

Zara Cinders is the heroine and she comes from a family where her father verbally and physically abused her, her sister and her mother her whole life.  Her mother is a broken women who couldn’t save herself or her children and for this Zara cannot forgive her.  The hero is Graham Reece whom we meet in the The ‘Burg book #1 “For You”.  However, Zara does not call Graham either Graham or Reece.  Either would have been acceptable.  No…she calls him Ham.  Yuck! And do you know what he calls her?  Cookie!  Terrible, terrible names.  KA usually does a fabulous job in picking out both names and nicknames for her characters, but she missed the mark with these two. 

So Ham comes and goes as he pleases and he has women in all the many cities that he goes to.  The women know they aren’t exclusive (except when he is with them) and this is how he functions.  This is how we met him in “For You”.  However when Zara when Ham comes around again she has found a guy who will give her more and he walks away.  Of course, this can’t last.  We know this.  Her husband isn’t a bad guy but he isn’t Ham (yuck!) so it is doomed to fail.  When next Ham comes to town he finds Zara is even more broken than she was before (and that is saying a lot).  They do not have good times and bad things are said.  Beyond the story of Ham and Cookie (I think I just threw up in my mouth) the storyline revolves around a lot of drama and secrets in Zara’s family and these get resolved.  

The Promise by Kristen Ashley (The ‘Burg Series #5 )

3 Stars

I have been looking forward to Benny and Frankie’s story since I met them in “At Peace”.  The beginning was spectacular! I love every second of Benny trying to convince Frankie to stay with him.  There is a lot of back story with Frankie and Benny and I feel like it might have been good if I read “At Peace” again before reading this. 

There were actually two books in between “At Peace” where we meet Frankie and Benny and their book but the book takes place right after “At Peace” ended where Frankie is shot.  Benny comes to the hospital and Frankie pretends to be asleep every time he is there.  I cannot blame her with the way the Bianchi’s treated Frankie after Vinnie was killed.  I actually feel like she lets them all off the hook too easily but that probably says more about my poor character huh? 

The ‘Burg series is supposed to be more about crime and (although I haven’t finished #4, I am having a hard time getting into a heroine with the name of Dusty) the rest are about serial killers and the mob and a human trafficking ring.  What is going on in this book is not nearly on the same level as the other books and in fact Frankie isn’t involved or actually ever in any imminent danger.   Which brings me to my next point.  When we meet Benny I felt like he was a typical Kristen Ashley hero (meaning: alpha, macho, tough guy, etc) but I didn’t get that feeling from Benny in this book.  In fact when one of the Hot Bunch (I won’t tell but it spurred me to read his book again) makes an appearance it is abundantly clear that they are not on the same level. 

The best part of the book was that Frankie got her happily ever after.  But when I read a Rock Chick book or a ‘Burg book I want action, danger, kidnappings, near misses, and angst.  The angst was present at the beginning of the book, but that is all I can say.  I was disappointed for how long I had been looking forward to their story.   

Fairytale Come Alive by Kristen Ashley

3.5 Stars


This is a standalone book by this author. She tends to write series, but there are a few out there like this. I hadn’t picked it up for a while because the premise didn’t seem like something that I wanted to read about. Guy and girl meet and fall in love, but are torn apart. He marries someone else who dies and is “haunting” them when girl returns. Guy hates girl for leaving. Girl had reasons to leave (heartbreaking reasons). Guy and girl fall in love again with his dead wife watching through her ghostly vigil. The part that I had the hardest time with was that Prentice (aforementioned “guy”) got married and fell in love with someone else. Someone who he deeply loved and still loved and missed. While Isabella (aforementioned “girl”) lead a terrible lonely life! I actually enjoyed Isabella’s back story. It was heartbreaking, but perfect. There needed to be a pretty good reason why she would walk away from Prentice and there is!

Prentice was angry well Isabella comes back to Scotland and lands in his life while he is trying to pick up the pieces of his kids losing their mother and him losing his wife. It has been a year and a half since she died and they are all still grieving. Isabella is the last person he wants to see and he lets her know it! He is a big jerk to her and the whole village is a big jerk to her! It made me cry many times because she didn’t deserve that!

Prentice eventually learns the truth and falls for Isabella again. The author tries to make their love seem epic, but this is coming after he led a long happy life with another woman whom he loved deeply! I think this is where my naivety comes into play because that part bothered me. Usually KA makes the women before/between the heroine into nasties or no big deal, but Fiona (aforementioned ghostie) was written as practically perfect in every way (just like Mary Poppins).

I loved the drama and danger. I didn’t feel like Isabella was overreacting to her own fears about being with Prentice again. I thought she handled almost everything how many women would. She was incredibly likeable.

I actually don’t have a favorite quote that doesn’t have a swear word in it which means they mostly came out of Prentice’s mouth.

Three Wishes by Kristen Ashley

 

6 Stars

I admittedly am a bit smitten with Kristen Ashley’s writing, but this book blew me out of the water.  I often read reviews for her books where people say that it brought them to tears often.  This is not me.  I do not cry at movies and rarely cry at books.  I won’t tell you the first book I remember crying at because it is so embarrassing (ok…fine.  I’ll tell you.  It was…darn it, I can’t remember the name of it.  Whatever the second Twilight book is called.  Don’t judge me, that book devastated me!)  Anyway, there were so many times in this book that I was fighting back the tears.  It was perfect!  I loved everything. 

Brief Summary:

The story starts out with heartbreak for the grandmother of the main character.  We spend a small amount of time with this storyline to set the stage for the main character and…the genie!  Yes a real genie is brought out of his little bottle to grant three wishes.  Unlike most people however, Lily’s grandmother doesn’t use her wishes and the wishes pass on to her daughter who does use one then the remaining two pass to Lily.  Lily uses a wish when she is fourteen.  The main story starts up when Lily is twenty-two when she meets Nate McAlister.  Their time is a whirl wind that ends after just two weeks when tragedy strikes Lily’s life in too many ways to count.  Then, like many KA books, years pass before our Lily and Nate meet again and this is where the waterworks start!  The reunion was so perfect and heartbreaking!  I went back and re-read it a few days later. 

Thoughts:

I don’t think I need to write much here.  I think you get that I loved this book.  I loved Lily the best out of all KA heroines.  She went through so much!  She didn’t do anything to annoy me, except maybe forgive Nate too quickly when he was being a jerk (and when he decides to be a jerk he is the jerkiest of all big jerks!) 

(One of) My Favorite Quotes:

“Nathaniel is the name of a gentleman, a genius, a man of means and power.  Nate is just a name.  And my Nathaniel is a Nathaniel.” –Victor Roberts about his son, Nate McAlister

Play it Safe by Kristen Ashley

4.5 Stars

So if you have visited my blog before you know I love, love, love a good Kristen Ashley book.  On her website she posts the first few chapters of her books so you can get a feel for it.  I had read those first few chapters like lightening and went straight away to get the whole book…but then…it sat…and sat…and sat on my poor overworked kindle.  Why you ask?  Who in the heck knows!  I know that I loved those first few chapters so what took so stinking long?  We may never know the answer to the mysteries of how my brain works, but we do know how great this book turned out.

Brief Summary:

Ivey is moving through town after town with her old brother.  They stop in Mustang, Colorado and one things leads to another, but they stay awhile.  It turns out these siblings have had a hard life and are on the lam.  To make money, Ivey hussles pool and Casey (her brother)…well, I’m not quite sure what he thinks he does to contribute.  In Mustang is where Ivey meets Grayson Cody.  He is a rancher/cowboy and the entire town looks up to him.  He does the right thing…always…but you also do NOT want to mess with this good guy rancher/cowboy because he will mess you up!  A conspiracy is…conspired and Ivey leaves Mustang and Gray behind for a LONG tragic time.  Mustang reaches out to Ivey although they turned they back on her a long time ago and while she is older, wiser and hard as nails, she still does what she can to help knowing she’ll get no thanks from Gray for this. 

Thoughts:

The first 70% of this book was AWESOME!  I loved reading about Gray and Ivey’s burgeoning romance and I LOVED reading about their time apart.  This is weird, I know, but KA wrote this tragedy so well.  I understood exactly how Ivey felt during those seven years.  I felt what she felt everytime her little heart took a beating.  The only reason why this gets 4.5 stars instead of 5 is that I wish there was a little more danger/drama in the last 30%.  It kind of fizzled out for me.  I still tore through it because I wanted to see how it ended.   

Favorite Quote: (This is Lash talking trash to Buddy Sharp…its great)

“I understand you’re a big fish in a small pond,” Lash said softly, his deep, cultured voice carrying a more eloquent threat than Buddy could ever hope to pull off.  “But I’ll explain that if you want to swim in the ocean, you must understand that the ocean is populated by sharks and sharks never sleep.”

Heaven and Hell by Kristen Ashley

 5 Stars

This is another Kristen Ashley hit!  I’ve had it stored on my kindle for months and just got a wild hair to read it.  I am so glad I did!  I really didn’t know what to expect, but this was awesome!

Brief Summary:

Kia Clementine is a woman abused.  She had a terrible marriage to a terrible man.  When we meet her she is no longer in this situation.  She begins living her life for the first time in seven years and takes a European vacation.  This is where she meets Samspon Cooper, an ex-football player (for the Colts, Woohoo!) and a beloved American hero.  She catches his eye as only a Kristen Ashley heroine can do for a Kristen Ashley hero. 

Kia has demons from her past that follow her into this new existence with Sam.  Like a good little Kristen Ashley hero, Sam does his darnedest (which is considerable) to ensure her safety.  But Kia soon realizes that Sam has his own demons and while he expects 100% of Kia he isn’t willing to give her 100% of himself and Kia must decide if this is enough for her.

Thoughts:

As always, the secondary characters are wonderful: Luci, Celesta and Thomas, Hap, Skip, and Marisela.  All wonderful.  I could have used a little bit more action (I am partial to the plot lines of the Rock Chick Series).  I always loves when KA brings in people from previous books: we get to briefly see (through Kia’s eyes: Lee Nightingale and Tanner Layne and brief discussion of a few more.  

Rock Chick Revolution by Kristen Ashley (Rock Chick #8)

4 Stars

This is the last book in this series, but I doubt it is the last we will see of these characters.  That is something I love about this author.  We often get to visit with our old friends in the new books.  There are so very many people that you meet in this book that it is hard to say good-bye.  So while I enjoyed this book immensely, it isn’t my favorite Rock Chick story.  It would be hard for this book to be a favorite in this series for two reasons: 1.) there has been so much build-up and this series is so fantastic how do you create an ending that is better than anything that came before it and 2.) it’s the end of an era so it is inherently going to be bittersweet.

Summary:

This is Ally Nightingale and Lorenzo Zano’s story.  This has been brewing since Ava’s story (book #5).  The reader gets a brief recap of the most important encounters over this time period.  The current time picks up right where Breathe (Colorado Mountain Man #4) ends.  Ren is mad at Ally for taking the risk she did in Breathe.  They have it out.  Darius and Brody have been working with Ally to give her guidance and backup as she takes on more private investigator type jobs.  She has found what she wants to do with her life, she just has to get the rest of her loved ones on board.  This is dangerous work and they want to keep her safe.  There are a lot of little dramas that happen throughout the book with different cases that come up for Ally, but not one big issue that is following throughout like a typical Rock Chick book. 

Thoughts:

 A part that I liked about this book is that the start of Ally and Ren was a while ago.  We got glimpses of it in some of the other girls’ books so we knew it was coming.  This is more like real life so I like that.  A part I didn’t like about this book is that the start of Ally and Ren was a while ago.  I know…what is my problem?  How can I like it and dislike it at the same time.  My favorite parts of the Rock Chick books are the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch going head to head.  I love the arguments!  I love the struggles of both the Rock Chick and Hot Bunch trying to come to grips with what is happening and their new feelings.

What I also didn’t like was that Ren hooked up with Ally first in Ava’s story, but then when Ava wants back, he is all about this, then when Ava chooses Luke (again) he apologizes to Ally for being a jerk.  I like that he can apologize, but this is not something I like to read about.  My Hot Bunch need to be sure about their Rock Chick once they have found her.  I like Ren, but when I think about this Ava business it makes me say, “Yuck Ren!” 

I also never got a good image in my head of what Ally and Ren look like.  I’m going to have to visit the “casting couch” again on Goodreads. 

I’ve read a few reviews where the people were quite upset that Kristen Ashley is used as Jane’s nom de plume.  They said it was self serving and self promoting.  This didn’t bother me in the slightest.  Nobody is reading Rock Chick #8 without knowing that they are reading a Kristen Ashley book.  In the book, Jane is the author but because of her personality she doesn’t want this known to anyone.  I thought it was kind of clever and it amused me.  Obviously, people differ on this.  I read one review where the reader stopped reading the book, it bothered her that much. 

Overall, Ally isn’t my favorite Rock Chick, I am not sure that Ren is even included in the Hot Bunch and the story line was only slightly better than Jet’s and Stella’s (obviously my least favorite J).  However, I can’t wait to read about Mace’s team in L.A.

(One of) My Favorite Quote(s):  Ren to Ally when she made a comment about his drink order:

“Know you’re tight with men who drink blood and eat nails, babe, but just to say, what a man drinks does not make that man.”

I chose that quote because most of my other favorites either contained too much potty language or too much smexy talk.   

Fire Inside: A Chaos Novel by Kristen Ashley (Chaos #2)

3.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Chaos Series, but it is really the third book since you should read Motorcycle Man first then start the Chaos Series.

This book follows Hopper Kincaid and Lanie Heron. Lanie is the best friend to Tyra (the heroine from Motorcycle Man). To understand Lanie’s story you absolutely must read Motorcycle Man first! That is an order! Lanie is still recovering, years later from her ordeal in Motorcycle Man. The physical scars have healed, but she is an emotional wreck! She approaches Hop for a one night stand. He declines as she is Tyra’s best friend, but Lanie convinces him. Then Hopper decides he wants more. Then she calls it off, then he calls it off, then she calls it off, then he calls it off, then it ended.

I liked that it happened simultaneously with Own the Wind. However, I felt like it ended suddenly and that nothing further happened with Benito since what we read in Own the Wind. Because of this, I felt ripped off. I wanted more action and danger!

Favorite Quote:

When he was done, he pulled me straight, crouched in front of me, wrapped his arms around my thighs, lifted me up and roared, “This is my woman!”

With Everything I Am by Kristen Ashley (The Three Series #2)

5 Stars

I loved this sucker even better than the first one. For reasons discussed in my review for the first book in the series (Until the Sun Falls From the Sky) I had put off reading the first book. I read the summary for this book and still wasn’t crazy about starting this series! The summary states that the werewolf king finds his mate, but she is human and dying of an illness. Yuck! What a downer! I am so glad I got started on this series and didn’t let the summary deter me for much longer.

Sonia Arlington is human and does have a rare disease that is killing her. She has to take injections nightly and these are painful. At the beginning of this story Sonia is being attacked by some badies and Callum (aforementioned werewolf king) comes to the rescue. Then she is whisked off to a cabin where she spends her time trying to escape her delusional kidnapper. Callum, being king, is used to taking and ordering, not asking for anything. Sonia is whisked around at his whims, and fights falling for this big, bossy jerk!

My biggest complaint about this book is that there were a lot of misunderstandings. Some were intentional by key players in order to play out the prophesy as it is supposed to unfold. But Callum doesn’t tell Sonia how he feels about her. Sonia hears Callum’s brothers talking at the beginning and learns a lot of stuff that hurts her feelings. But she doesn’t bring it up, she just uses it to keep herself from falling for him. There are other times when she buries stuff until she explodes! I am not a big fan of misunderstandings keeping people apart so that was frustrating.

Overall, I loved this book. There was so much heart break in this one. It makes what Lucien and Leah went through in the first book seem trivial. The ending was not expected so I enjoyed that! I would love for Ryon, and Callum’s brothers, Calder and Caleb to get their own books too. Especially, surly Calder! He needs a dose of lose-your-mind-and-your-logic-because-you-have-fallen-in-love!

Favorite Quote: Callum to Sonia

“If I could have wished what I thought was my perfect mate on the wind and had her come back to me in a storm, I could never have come up with anything as exquisite as you.”

Until the Sun Falls from the Sky by Kristen Ashley

4 Stars

I had been putting off this book. I’ve had it for a while. I will tell you after my brief summary why I was putting it off.

Leah is a Buchannan. This means her family has been in the vampire concubine business for 500 years and their family was the first to sign up with the vampires. The vampires have made feeding very sophisticated. They go to a ceremony where they pick out their next concubine and everyone signs a contract. There is not funny business between concubine and vampire, only feeding. But Lucien has been waiting for 20 years for Leah to be his concubine and he will not allow anyone to tell him what he can and can’t do with her.

The reason I had been putting this off is that Lucien has a vampire mate, Katrina. Obviously, Katrina doesn’t like Leah, but I shouldn’t have doubted Kristen Ashley’s ability to make this situation work. I don’t like the idea of the hero being with two women at once, but don’t worry this is a non-issue in this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It isn’t the typical KA book, but I happen to love PNR so reading about vampires wasn’t off-putting for me. My biggest complaint with the storyline is that vampires and humans can’t mate. Lucien knows that Leah is falling in love with him and how he reacts to her when she tells him this is devastating! I felt so awful for Leah!

I went right out and bought the second book in the series and I think that I will like this next one even better than this one. Although, I have been putting off reading that one too because I read that the heroine has a terminal illness! I should have more faith. Kristen doesn’t write sad stories. They may break your heart in the middle, but there is always a happily ever after!

Favorite Quote: (Lucien and Leah talking)

“You can’t stalk what’s yours,” he returned.

I looked at his shirt. “Yes, I suspect that’s what all the stalkers say.”

Golden Trail by Kristen Ashley (The 'Burg #3)

4 stars


This is the third book in The ‘Burg series. We meet Rocky Merrick and Tanner Layne. They were high school sweethearts, but Rocky ended things 18 years ago for reasons unknown. I am not sure I would have noticed this but another reviewer noted that the only narration happens through Tanner (or at Rocky calls him “Layne”). We are never in Rocky’s head. I didn’t really miss this, and since we didn’t find out until the end, I can see why the author chose to stay in Layne’s head. It gets really old if you have to read vague references to situations two dozen times before you get the details. So although we knew Rocky was hiding the secrets from Layne, we didn’t have to listen to a narrator who was hiding her thoughts from herself (which doesn’t make sense) and the reader.

Layne is a private investigator for The ‘Burg. There is so much drama going on in this book! Layne’s ex-wife has a live in boyfriend who is trouble so he is working on gets the goods on this guy to get him outta his kids life. There is something weird going on with the local youth group and Rocky is determined to figure it out so that forces Layne to get involved. One of the local cops is dirty and Layne already almost died from getting too close to this situation, but he is back in action here. His boy’s football coach is a big jerk and turns into an even bigger jerk.

In true Kristen Ashley alpha male fashion, Layne is able to fix all the problems. What he can’t fix is Rocky because she won’t let him in. When you find out her secret you kind of want to punch her brother and father because they could have helped her, but instead they kept it “in the family” and let this crap fester for twenty years.

I can’t wait for #5 in The ‘Burg series to be released! It is going to be the bomb.com!

Own the Wind by Kristen Ashley (Chaos #1)

 

4 Stars

This is the first book in a spin off series from Motorcycle Man (Dream Man #4).  This is the story of Tabitha Allen who is the daughter of Kane “Tack” Allen who is the hero from Motorcycle Man and the president of the Chaos MC (motorcycle club for those of us not down with the lingo).  We met Tab in Motorcycle Man and knew she had a tiny thing for Parker “Shy” Cage.  You must guess that the brothers in the MC get nicknames like Tack, Shy, Hop, Hound, Rush, Joker, etc.  In Motorcycle Man, Shy is called in (along with others) to get Tab out of a bad situation where her (much older) boyfriend hit her because she wouldn't put out.  After that, the brothers were called out many times to get her home safely and Shy was often on the end of the calls.  One night he lays into Tab and says some hurtful things.  Tab avoids him for years and Shy knows she is doing this and that he went too far that night.  She finally lays into him and explains how wrong he was.  More years pass before Shy has his chance to be with Tab again, but this time it might be too late for them. 

Other drama in the book include her best friend Natalie getting in her face about a lot of things, but one is Shy.  Natalie is into a bad lifestyle and Tab offers her help in getting out, but Natalie refuses until she ends up in a situation that needs not only Tab’s help but Chaos as well.  I do hope that Natalie never gets her own book.  I know we were supposed to feel how close and how far back that Tab and Natalie go, but she was unlikable  even when she wasn't be cracked out.  Even her language was a turn off.  She spoke like she was a man (it actually kind of reminded me of Sylvie from Creed). 

Lee Nightengale (Rock Chick #1), Hawk Delgado (Dream Man #1), Brock Lucas (Dream Man #2), and Mitch Lawson (Dream Man #3) all make lovely little appearances in this book.  I absolutely love it when KA brings in people we love from other books.  It really keeps the characters alive. 

There was a bit of drama with Cherry and Tack and Tab where they were mad at her like she was a child again, and I absolutely loved the writing in that scene when Tab broke it to Cherry that she had no right to be mad.  It was so perfect.  Often in arguments I find myself wishing the characters would say this or that, but KA got it so perfect with that scene I loved it!

After saying all of that stuff, there wasn't really anything that happened.  I didn't feel like I felt Shy and Tab grow together.  I didn't feel like there was any danger to their relationship or to Tab.  I prefer the Rock Chick series where the girls land themselves in danger and need to be rescued from bad guys.  I hope the whole series isn't like this one. 

Overall, it isn't my favorite KA book, but there are so so many awesome KA books that I just expect them all to be good and for one to take the lead as a favorite, it will be one that blows my mind that I think about the characters for months after finishing their story.  I read this quick (like all KA books) and enjoyed it, but didn't love it.  I did love the build up in the prologue of the years moving from the four years prior to present day.  I think the prologue might be my favorite part of the whole book though and that is sad.  The ending wasn't quite the normal KA ending.  I felt it was more of a cliff hanger and KA usually does extensive wrap up so that we feel every event is taken care of, every drama address and we know how the HEA goes.  I can see that the cliff hanger is meant to build up for the second book in this series.  I hope that Rush and Joker get their own books.   One thing I did like as a change is that there was pages and pages of description of rooms/pillows/paint colors/decorations/furniture etcetera.  Also I am pretty sure that Tab didn't wear one pair of “strappy spike heels”.  She wore pumps!  Finally!    

I’m not sure if this is my favorite quote, but it is one that is appropriate for the internet so it is the one.  This is Tab talking to Shy’s brother:

“You really need to take him for coffee so I have plenty of time to plot his murder.  You can’t plot murder distracted by hot guys, and now I have two of you on my hands.”

Raid by Kristen Ashley (Unfinished Heroes #3)

4 Stars

I read the first 3-4 chapters from the author’s website (P.S. she does this with all her books so if you want to try it before you buy it, just visit her website) and became obsessed.  I needed to know more about Raid.  I was a little bit surprised to find that he was from the “Unfinished Heroes” series.  This series is a little grittier (with more in your face smexy stuff) than her other series.  It also seemed shorter than some of her other books, but make no mistake it is still listed at 292 pages (this author writes super long winded books). 

Hanna has been in love with Raiden Ulysses Miller since she was six.  He does not know she is alive and looks right through her.  He is back in town and Hanna has realized that she needs to start living her life and have some fun.  She buys a new car, buys new clothes, gets a new hair style and a ridiculous bicycle.  Wonder of wonders, Raid notices our girl and decides she is his reward for what he has gone through in his life.  We never quite find out what that is, but it involves most of his buddies in the marines dying in some specific situation.  He has nightmares and DOES NOT like to talk about it.  I wanted to punch him the first time that Hanna brought it up.  I wasn’t sure how the author was going to get Raid back on my good side after that, but have no fear…she did and he is. 

Raid has a scary job.  It isn’t exactly legal and Hanna has to decide whether she is ok with his.  This is going to sound weird but some pretty awful stuff happen to Hanna because of this connection to Raid’s job, but I loved, loved, loved how Raid handled it.  It isn’t exactly spelled out how he handles it, but we KNOW that he handles it and permanently. 

Overall, Raid and Hanna aren’t my favorite KA heroes and heroines, but they aren’t my least favorite either.  I think my favorite part was the first few chapters at the beginning that I got to read free, but of course I had to know what came next and that next part was awesome too.  Then it got real…fast. 

Creed by Kristen Ashley (Unfinished Heroes #2)

3.5 stars

This is the second book in the Unfinished Heroes series.  As the author says, this series is a little different than her other series in that it is about the “anti-hero”.  Knight is a much better anti-hero than Sylvie as he is basically a pimp (although that word is never used).  Sylvie works for Knight sometimes so I guess that is where her “anti-hero-ness” comes in.   Oh, and this series has more of the smexy stuff than her other series and by that I mean it is more graphic and…hmmm how to say this…more adventurous?  We will go with that…more adventurous.  This story is about Sylvie and Creed.  They were childhood sweethearts and were torn apart right when it should have gotten good for them. 

Throughout the story we get snippets of how Sylvie and Creed started.  I actually think those snippets were my favorite part of the entire book.  Usually, I hate when authors do that and I can’t wait to get through passages like that, but I could. not. wait. to read those sections.  We get to see when Sylvie and Creed meet when she is six and he is eleven and get to read about most of the major events in their young lives. 

Anyway, they were separated when they were young and it was tragic for both of them, and by that I don’t mean that their little hearts were broken (although they most certainly were), I mean that they were both abused/tortured is terrible ways.  Neither has known what the other went through and they haven’t seen each other for sixteen years.   That is pretty much the beginning of the book. 

Those are my favorite parts of the book.  I loved reading about little Sylvie and little Creed.  I think my absolute favorite is when Creed realizes he likes Sylvie but she is still too young to be with him.  And I loved hearing about the tragedy that took them apart.  That sounds weird  because they were both seriously abused and almost killed, but I liked that it wasn’t some stupid “I thought they would be better off without me and so I left”.  It was well thought out most people would react the way that Sylvie and Creed did. 

What I didn’t like about the book was the rest of the storyline.  There was a little drama at the beginning with Knight needing some help and a little at the end with Hawk Delgado (from Mystery Man, whom for the record I love, love, love).  Besides that, nothing much happens and it is all about Creed and Sylvie working through their demons and I am sorry but it was b-o-r-i-n-g!  I actually skimmed a couple pages and I NEVER do that. 

The other thing I didn’t like was that Sylvie was too much of a KA man character.  She dressed like a guy and talked like a commando.  Yuck.  But I get that it was part of what happened to her to make her hard, I just didn’t like that she spoke like every other KA hero.  You with me? (That is a joke.  That is Sylvie’s phrase in this book.)

As I said in a previous post, I pretty much read this one to get to the next one.  Raid is supposed to be out February 28^th and I am getting a little worried that it won’t be released then…but I guess I can’t complain because it popped up on my radar unexpectedly.  There is a couple free chapters on the author’s website. 

Favorite quote:
"You feed your cat once a day?" he asked and I stopped opposite the bar and planted my hands on my hips.  "Yeah," I answered.  "She says two," Creed informed me.  Shit.  He spoke cat.  This was not good.  Gun knew all my secrets.

P.S. don't google "Creed" images.  It is not PG...or PG 13...or R.  In fact, it is probably XXX.  Now that I said that you are probably all going to do that, but I am telling you…just don’t. You can’t un-see that.

At Peace by Kristen Ashley (The 'Burg Series #2)

4.25 Stars (is that possible?  I don’t know but it is my blog and I can give 0.25 stars if I want)

This story takes place in a small Indiana town outside of Indianapolis.  I happen to be from Indiana and am familiar with the area that the author writes about, which brings an element of fun that most novels don’t have (as not many take place in Indiana J). 

The main characters are Violet Winters (I love the name Violet!) and Joe “Cal” Callahan.  They are neighbors and live across the street from Colt and Feb from the first book in The ‘Burg Series.  Violet moved there with her daughters from Chicago after the death of her husband (Tim) of 17 years by a psychopath who has followed her movements down to Indiana.  Cal is security to the stars and specializes in stalkers and wiring installations for security systems.  Violet had lived there over a year and had never met her neighbor but one night she does, while wearing pink rain boots and a ratty old robe.  Thus begins a tumultuous affair with lots of ups and lots of downs.  Cal has his own demons and does so many 180° turns that the reader gets dizzy.  He’s hot, he’s cold, who knows!  There is another love interest in this book, Mike Haines (who I also love but apparently I have to wait a while to read more about him! boooo!).  We also meet Cal’s cousin/cugino, Benny, and although it is planned for him and Frankie to get their own book, it hasn’t come out yet and I really, really, really, really want to read their story! 

Ok, all done.  Daniel Hart the crazy, stalker man comes after Vi and Cal is not having that.  I liked the ending of this book because the drama with the crazy man lasted longer than in some of the author’s other books. 

Breathe by Kristen Ashley (Colorado Mountain Man #4)

5 Stars

I think that this is my favorite installment in this series.  I really like Tate (#2) but man could that guy be mean when he was mad and I thoroughly enjoyed Ty and Lexie’s (#3) beginnings but that guy has got a potty mouth on him, but I enjoyed every second of Chace and Faye’s story.  I loved how they both were pining for each other.  I loved how big of a nerd Faye was (I seriously read as much as her and like nerd shows) and I loved the way that Chace is a seriously good guy, but his protective streak is so big it’s almost a fault.  I loved the dual POV from Chace to Faye.  I loved that Faye was a virgin and how much that Chace appreciated this.  I loved the get-togethers with all the other mountain men.  I loved Deck and hope to get his story too. 

This book picks up where Lady Luck left off and the town is still trying to pick itself up.  The Elite are still out there and their dirt is still floating around and they want it back!  There is a side story with a little boy that brought tears to my eyes (that does not happen often folks).  Chace and his father are not bosom buddies and the night that Faye meets his mom and Chace gets upset and tries to be a turdling to my darling Faye was not awesome, but it was awesome how she handled it.  Perfect!     

That is all I’m gonna say.  It was great.  Loved every second of it. 

There is a little bit too much of the big speeches being made all around.  People don’t generally talk like this.  

Favorite quote:

“You’re beautiful, a good kisser, this is our first date, my bed is in the room, I’m nervous as all heck, and I just thought I was going to die chocking after spitting out gum so no, I’m not all right.”  --Faye Goodknight to Chace Keaton

Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley (#3 Colorado Mountain Man)

4.5 Stars

I think the beginning of this book contains my favorite beginning for a Kristen Ashley book and is definitely one of the top contenders for awesomest beginning for a romance book of all time (for me).  I loved every interaction between Ty and Lexie.

This is the third book in the Colorado Mountain Man Series.  Tyrell (Ty) Walker is just released from prison and someone owes him big time.  To pay up, Lexie Berry is dispatched with a bag of stuff to escort Ty home.  Ty immediately likes what he sees but can’t see how the scum who owed him (Shift) was able to send someone like Lexie to pay his dues.  Still he needs Lexie for part of his Grand Plan O’ Vengeance.  Lexie agrees, but soon Ty’s plans are falling apart.  Lexie isn’t sticking to the play book.

Twice Ty hurts Lexie and the way it is written, I can feel her pain.  I can imagine the depth of her pain and how she feels.  While this sounds weird, those times were some of my favorites because it pushed Ty and Lexie beyond what they would have been.

Ty is a bit more crass than some of the other Kristen Ashley heroes.  At times works for him and its hot and at times it is jarring.  I would find it alarming if someone spoke to me the way Ty does Lexie, but it works for them.  I can’t include my favorite quote because it has too many curse words!

When Ty and Lexie make the end of their road trip and end in Carnal.  The Carnal PD is still as crooked as ever and are up to no good.  This is all I can say without giving out spoilers.  It is a long book, typical Kristen Ashley long.