Addict by Rachael Orman

Addict
by Rachael Orman
Pages: 217
Date: December 19 2014
Publisher: Author
Series: Cravings (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Read: November 20 to December 31 2015

My first book by this author.

I believe I originally got this book because it was mentioned as being free in that Dark Erotica group I’m in. So, if so, I’ll mention that up front – this is not a Dark Erotica book (at least by my understanding of the terms). Though it is an erotic book. And a book filled with BDSM. There’s bondage, a bondage club, spankings, whippings, domination, submission, a mix of sadism and masochism, some comments about ‘pain slut’, some bit of orgasm control/denial, the use of chains, the use of cuffs, and blindfolds, and a bit of forced exposure (inside a bondage club, while blindfolded and therefore uncertain how many might be there); and finally a bit of romance between two sex addicts. The kind of romance that can occur while one keeps their identity a secret (hence the use of a blindfold).

As the book description starts off (at the moment on GoodReads) “My name is Alix and I am addicted to sex.” This isn’t a pose or anything like that. She’s gone to therapy. She’s a sex addict. Not someone who thinks they might be or could be. The kind who can’t stop herself from masturbating at the drop of need. Though, after the therapy, she’s been able to fight her cravings. Until recently.

Alix works as a concierge at a hotel. While in her position she has a view of the hotel lobby. This is important because her ability to fight her cravings has collapsed under the assault of a hotel visitor, who she eventually learned is named John. John’s crime? Existing. Something about him has caused Alix to lose her control. And by lose control, I don’t mean that she day dreams about him, then in the safety of her own apartment . . . handles things. By ‘lose control, I mean that she masturbates. There. At her desk. While looking at him. That kind of lose control.

Naturally, in a situation like this the thing to do is allow your coworker, the hotel receptionist (hmm, what is that position called again? Gah), to talk you into going to an exclusive club. Alix reluctantly agrees. Whereupon it turns out that this exclusive club is a bondage club. The friend is both fascinated and horrified – some petrified like deer in headlights. Alix is some mixture of that, but mostly aroused. To the point of needing to use the restroom. To play with herself. Then stand in the hallway outside and continue (if I recall correctly, been a while since that part of the book). Not that night but eventually, she meets a man whole will become her Master. That man happened to witness her actions. And had previously seen her at the hotel. That man is none other than . . . Santa Claus. Who is always watching you. Be naughty or nice. Wait, no, it's . . . John.

That guy who I mentioned above *waves vaguely upwards*, John? I’ve forgotten what his specific background is, but he has a distinctive British accent. Which I mention because, after a certain event, hell I’ll just say it. After becoming Alix’s master, he never attempts to talk to Alix while Alix knows him as John (that’s awkwardly phrased, I know, while in the mode of Master, Alix wears a blindfold and the room is kept darkish when she isn’t; when not in the mode of Master . . . John continues his never actually talking with Alix, now with the added risk that if he did, his distinctive accent would immediately give him away). So.

John keeps stopping by the hotel, not because he really likes hotel lobbies, flirty receptionists (desk attendants? Desk managers? Bloody hell, can’t remember what they are called), nor specifically because of Alix. But because he lives there. And, occasionally, uses one of the hotel rooms for work. For he is a sex therapist. The kind who helps couples who are in need of help. With sex. He, no longer, allows himself to be involved directly – at least no more directly than being in the same room.

Alix doesn’t believe she can have a real relationship (romantic or otherwise, i.e. friends) because of her sex addiction. John won’t allow himself to have a relationship because of the nature of whom and what he is. He has had too much experience with those who freak out about his job; and/or turn out to be inadequate submissives (that was mentioned, I forget now how). Yet both are drawn to the other. They complement each other’s needs and desires. The book follows this couple as they move from strangers to vaguely couple like status.

I must have hated this book, right? I mean, I started reading the book on the 20th. No, not 11 days ago. The 20th of November. And completed it on the 31st of December. Six weeks. 42 days. 1008 hours. 60,480 minutes. 11.51% of 2015. If you are familiar with my reading style then you might know why I am belaboring the amount of time taken to read this book. If not, then not. It’s simple. I have on occasion read 3 books on the same day. Though that’s stretching things and likely the first book had been started the night before, and all three are super short, but it’s been done. Books not short stories. Toss in short stories and the numbers go up. It’s a book of only 217 pages. It shouldn’t have taken this long to read, right? Well, no not right. I always take longer with certain books. Nonfiction. Wordy fiction. Erotica that is book length. I read them, at least erotica, in short chunks. Meaning that I didn’t read, or need 1008 hours to read the book. At least not in terms of amount of actual reading time.

Okay, that was a boring paragraph above. I only meant to note that it took me a while to read this but it was my own choice and not a reflection of the book itself. It was a clean well written book without anything that pushed me out, caused me issues, or otherwise ‘deserved’ to look like a ‘problem book’.

I liked the book. I’m not 100% certain I like John, but he was ‘livable’. I liked Alix though she was kind of down on herself. Straight forward BDSM novel. There’s no non-consent or dubious consent moments. Heck, John kept up a steady stream of comments, dropping them here and there, to reassure Alix, and himself, that everything was okay (I’m making that specific aspect seem worse than I mean). Certain boundaries are pushed, but with great care. There are only, really, two negatives.

First negative (One) - after being so concerned with how Alix was reacting to everything, and wanting to make sure she didn’t flee or anything like that, dragging her out into the bondage club, while blindfolded, and wearing only panties without first determining if that might or might not be an issue was vaguely confusing. In that he seemed determined to make sure everything else ‘worked’. To just drag her out there seemed out of character. Granted, I only thought of this specific negative after I started thinking about the book as a BDSM novel. At the time I probably thought of it, but it wasn’t really much of an issue. She didn’t panic, nor find herself in a situation she didn’t know how to get out of or anything like that. So it was all good. And stuff.

Second negative (Two) – this is a much more important negative. I’ve mentioned before that John works as a sex therapist. I mentioned use of hotel rooms. Apparently he also has an office (not important), and also works as an online (anonymous) consultant. At some point, Alix begins to use the service (and will continue to do so throughout the book). I forget now how John knew immediately that it was Alix, but he knew immediately. Despite both using code names as online handles. This initial online consultation isn’t the issue necessarily. He knew of her, had seen her, but had never interacted with her in any way before this initial online interaction. No, it was later, when she continued to use the service. And he continued ‘handling’ her. After they became an item. That’s . . . unethical and super creepy. And that’s not even considering the part where Alix didn’t know who her online doctor was, nor that she actually knew him.

Despite those two negatives, which I noticed in passing but didn’t actually and really get annoyed about, I enjoyed the book. I’m not exactly sure what could be in a second book. Though know that there’s both a prequel and a sequel to this book here. I’ll probably read another book by Rachael Orman but not sure I’ll read the sequel.

In terms of ratings – somewhere along the way I had a system. At some point I broke the system and started thinking of ratings in terms of deducting ½ or full stars for certain things. I’m sure I overrated (and/or underrated) books in the past during my brief run of insanity. Well, I was using a baseline of 5. ‘There’s nothing bad about it, so I’ll give it a five’. I don’t think any book actually crept into the five star slot because of that, but some probably got overrated because I’d fallen into that trap. No, I start with three, as ‘average’ and deduct or add as needed. In theory. Mostly I just wing it. Like now. I liked the book. Roughly 4.5 much. So . . . I deem this book 4.5 stars! Or something.

ETA: oh right, I just thought of something of a negative I forgot to mention. John kept calling Alix his Precious. And capitalized it. It was . . . . giggle-worthy. In that John kept turning into Gollum in my mind.


December 31 2015

Date Knight by Bridget Essex

Date Knight
by Bridget Essex
Pages: 259
Date: October 29 2015
Publisher: Rose and Star Press
Series: The Knight Legends (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 2.8 out of 5.0
Read: December 28 to 29 2015

*Helpful hint: If you are reading this review before reading anything in this series, read A Knight to Remember then this book here (which is a direct sequel, both in time and in characters), then read Forever and a Knight (which, chronologically, actually takes place after Date Knight. I think; also involves different characters.)*

It’s unfortunate but I didn’t really have ‘fun’ with this book. Cutting off everything from roughly 0% to 68%, and everything from 96% to 100% and the book was interesting and fun-ish.

The beginning part of the book, at least up to 50 percent had ‘stuff’ happening, but it was really annoyingly wordy. Calling it purple prose might be a bit too strong, but at the very least it was leaning heavily in that direction. Could probably have been recorded with fewer words, less extravagant words. Well, melodramatic? Something.

The book opens on the one week anniversary of Virago returning from her world to be with Holly. They plan to celebrate with a date night. While heading back from a day of watching Virago joust, and get ready for the night, it gets all stormy and stuff. They get caught in rain. Lightning. Holly looks out into her backyard and . . . what do you know, there’s a bunch of women in armor back there. Virago’s quite happy. For they are ‘her’ knights (and, in addition there is also, as eventually realized, her Queen). They’ve come because they need Virago because the Queen’s life is in danger (if it matters at any point, the Queen is named Calla).

First, though, they go paint the town red, so to speak. Holly leads the merry band of knights and Queen to a lesbian bar in Boston. They get drunk, they flirt, do stuff. Then everything gets all weird when the crowd suddenly goes all quiet. And stare. At the front door, through which struts an angry woman dressed in all black armor. Vibrating with power. Accusing Virago of doing evil (as in kidnapping the queen). Eventually it comes out that, no, the queen hadn’t been kidnapped. And stuff. And they have to go back NOW! Or something. So they go back to Holly’s place so that she can get her dog. And lots of clothing. Which she doesn’t actually need, but whatever (the clothing that is; or, for that matter, the dog). All that I’ve conveyed took 50% of the book to convey. Much better than I am here, of course, but still. It was, quite frankly, not that interesting to me.

The vast majority of the rest of the book takes place back on Virago’s planet. Whose name isn’t in the book description and I don’t really know how to spell it. Aorgatoara or something like that. Things are tense. Everyone’s nervous that ‘something’ is going to happen. And the queen has to continuously put herself into danger because her city is hosting the Hero’s Tournament. And therefore if she isn’t out in the open, she’d be admitting weakness, and that’d be exactly like being defeated in war. So she has to be out there. Eventually the big bad guy finally attacks, stuff occurs, the end of the book. This occurs in the second half of the book. And, for the most part, was interesting enough, to be somewhat riveting. At least some scenes here and there.

Note - there some plot holes, and inconsistencies. Or, at least, things brought up that are not later of importance. Like, in the beginning of the book the queen is super sad and wants to resign. Which would immediately destabilize the country, and put it into prime 'taking over' mode for evil king of next door country to swoop in and take over. That was badly worded. That early 'I just want to resign' is countered later with a queen in the second half of the book who just wants to do the right thing, and stand up against King Evil; which includes putting herself out there for assassins to try to assassinate. A vague thought I had that I'm not conveying well.

So, as I indicated at the beginning, I didn’t really have the fun with the book that I expected. Part of the ‘decrease’ in tension is the simple fact that I realized instantly that the book I was reading actually took place in time, chronologically, before the second book in the series occurred. And since I’d seen how the world looked in that second book . . . I kind have had a lot of the tension that could have been there just . . . not be there. So, all in all, this barely made it to a 2.8 rating.

December 29 2015

A Date with an Angel: and other things that weren't supposed to happen by J. Judkins

A Date with an Angel: and other things that weren't supposed to happen
by J. Judkins
Pages: 380
Date: April 2 2015
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 29 2015

My first book by this author, and, as far as I can tell, the only book by this author.

At the 37% mark, I had written:
"I may mess everything up, somehow, by admitting this but . . . so far this is the funniest book I've ever read in my life. I can't stop laughing. On the train. In the pizza place picking up pizza. Etc. Please don't turn bad immediately after me admitting this here."

And here I am, book completed, and I’ve rated it 4 stars instead of 5. I have three theories for ‘what happened’. Or at least I did yesterday when I had originally desired to write a review. Let’s see if I recall any of them. Oh, right, I should mention what happened before presenting theories. See, if I had been able to write this yesterday*, I’d have been able to remember this bit here. The ‘what happened’ is that roughly 50 to 60% of the book is literally, and yes I know what that word means, laugh out funny. Involuntarily laughing out funny. Having people give you looks because you are rolling around laughing. While the last 40 to 50% of the book is not.

1) I read all 380 pages very very quickly. Practically non-stop. While also attempting to do stuff, like commute home from work, and walk, and get food. Theory one is that I read so quickly that I became somewhat numbed by the humor to the point that I was no longer able to achieve humor-gasm. (Theory one fails in that there were still moments wherein I broke out laughing, loudly, near the end of the book).
2) Theory one is that I was numbed from reading everything at once so my ability to feel the humor had been numbed. Theory two is that I read everything so fast that the insanity inherent in the book finally overwhelmed me to the point that I was incapable of noticing humor, except on rare occasions, as I battled through the insanity.
3) Theory one posits that I became numb; theory two posits that I became overwhelmed. Theory three takes what has been learned, felt, examined and assumes that the second half of the book was simply less funny than the first.
4) I’ll add in a fourth theory about why the latter half of the book wasn’t as funny to me as the first half had been. Add it in after I’d already written everything else in this review. I, odd as it might seem, saw a lot of similarity between myself and Kim. I had the thought, somewhere along the line, that this would probably be how any kind of romantic relationship would have to occur with me being involved. By accident. And by the insistence of another. But then the character diverged from me and so the antics of the book lost some of their pleasurable elements that had been previously acquired while reading. (Somewhere along the line my brain reminded me of that 7 year relationship I had been in, and then I had an argument with my brain about whether that was real or not; at which point I just shrugged and returned to the book).

All theories might be right. I might have read too fast and been numbed. The insanity might have been more sustainable/bearable if I hadn’t read everything in one gulp. And even if I had taken time, the second half might simply have not been as funny as the first.

From the beginning, though, the book was ‘insane’. A woman who has no social ability is out using her brand new telescope for the fourth time. She got it as a gift. She’s quite bored and figures four attempts are enough. While coming to this conclusion, she hears a sound near her. A sound like pain. With her extensive knowledge from reading, movies, gaming and the like, she suspects the sound might be alien in origin. She investigates. Eventually emerges from the woods to spot a woman near her car. The woman is naked but for a shirt she is in the process of tugging on. Near her is a shirtless man on the ground knocked out. She has two immediate thoughts – (1) Terminator!; (2) must get closer!

One thing leads to another and the woman who is wearing just a shirt agrees to go back to Kim’s place. Kim being the person who had been out with the telescope. The bottomless woman has explained that she lost her memory, and clothing, in a fire. Eventually decides that her name is ‘Angel’, since the guy she knocked out used that word. Kim believes Angel is an alien scout out to lay the foundations for an alien invasion.

Naturally, the insanity of the situation is readily apparent. I’m not really sure how to word this, but I’ll attempt to do so. One of the advantages of the first half over the second half is that Kim’s insanity isn’t overwhelming the plot, or, for that matter, Angel. Once Angel started arguing back in an illogical manner – revealing that she knows that Kim believes that Angel has been attempting to manipulate her all this time, and knows that she always seems to fail when she actually does attempt manipulation . . . once that argument occurred my head kind of exploded. We were doing loop de loops. Circular logic/circular arguments. Kim was insane but it was manageable. Angel was insane, but in a cute ‘person who lost their memory or might be an alien, or possibly a terminator sent from the future to kill all’ way.

There is supposedly a sequel. I’ll likely acquire it as quickly as my greedy little hands can get it and devour it. Hopefully I’ll be able to slow myself enough to enjoy. And, hopefully, the humor from the first half resurfaces. Harder now, though, as the ‘fish out of water’ and ‘we don’t’ know what’s going on’ elements are gone now.

The book is not a five star book; I’d directly or indirectly noted that to begin the review, but didn’t say what it is. Those peeking above the review already know what I rated the book. That’s right, I rated it 4.8 stars. What? We don’t have that ability? Hmms. I might have to raise it to five stars then. As it is closer to 4.8 stars than 4.5 or 4. I just went to so much trouble saying why it isn’t a five star book. I don’t want to have to try to find something else to write there.

This was a really fun book all the way around. From the embarrassments at work, at home, out on dates. The accidental nature of some of the activities. The slow build up of sexual tension. This, I know, is an odd thing to say considering that one of the first things they did when they got back to the apartment was take a shower. Together. Which included Angel soaping up Kim, and Kim returning the favor as she didn’t want to admit that everything was a little weird, because she wanted to keep the alien close, but couldn’t think of what to say, so found herself being soaped up, and soaping up the alien. This book should come with a warning. I was giggling and outright laughing at their antics, and the next thing I knew I was on a train reading a rather erotic scene in a shower involving two women. It was an ‘accidental’ scene, though. This is why I say there’s a slow build up of sexual tension. Because Kim denies any actual attraction to Angel until deep into the process (the process being the romance/book, not process of being soaped up). While Angel was just soaping someone, without knowledge that there is anything odd about that, nor with any romantic desires while doing so. No, that developed later. Rather quickly. A switch got flipped when they were at a restaurant and someone made the comment that they were on a date. And Kim couldn’t think of a quick way to get around that comment. From that moment on, Angel acted like a girlfriend.

Right, sorry, the warning. Two parts: 1) you will make a fool of yourself by laughing loudly. Be aware of this issue if you attempt to read this book where others can see you reading; 2) there are some rather erotic scenes that pop up unexpectedly.

*- the book was so good that when I returned to my apartment with food, I gobbled the food and continued reading. The point, though, is that I literally (my I seem stuck on that being my word of the day or something) tossed my keys when I got inside. Along with all my belongings. Because I wanted to continue reading. The next day I could not find ‘my stuff’. I spent four hours looking for my keys. I eventually found them though too late to actually write my review (so I wrote it today). Did give me the chance to watch the new Star Wars for the first time, though.

December 31 2015

How Do You Know? by Meredith Schorr

How Do You Know?
by Meredith Schorr
Pages: 270
Date: December 2 2014
Publisher: Booktrope Editions

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 25 to 26 2015

My second book that I have read that had been written by this author.

I’m vaguely surprised, in the end, by where I ended up rating this book. I have many a review wherein I make comments about the age of the participants, in a manner suggesting that if they hadn’t been so much younger (or, occasionally, older) I’d feel a closer connection to the book and/or possibly like the book more. Well, I should have just loved this book here, eh? I mean, it ‘starred’ a woman of my own age, not near, not slightly older, slightly younger, but my own age. And the setting was my own city.

Before I go further, no I didn’t assume that I’d love a book simply because of these characteristics (age of characters, setting). Just hadn’t run across the specific characteristics much and figured I’d like it more than I did.

Hmm. I just noticed that the book is listed as a first in a series. The other book I’ve read by Schorr is/was also the first book in a series. That one, the other first in a series book, actually either having the second book just now appearing or appearing shortly. Considering how this story unfolded, well . . . not important. (hmm. Rereading this . . . I had some point. I've no idea what that point is now).

The book opens with one Maggie Piper, 38 and with the love of her life, Doug. She works in a law firm as the marketing person. But not staff. I’ve no real idea what that means, where she actually is in the hierarchy, just that there was this big point made over and over again that she was ‘not staff’. As in, perfectly acceptable to turn up at an ‘attorney-only’ party. But whatever that means, she’s that. She loves her job, her man, and seems to like her family and friends too. She’s about to turn 39 though, days away or something like that, I forget now how close. And that reminds her of how close she is to 40. So she freaks out.

Did I mention she loved her man? Well, they’ve been going out for a while now, three years or so, live together even. Well, those aren’t just words she bats around. The love one I mean. She does in fact love him. The stuff they do the life they live. Etc. But . . . she isn’t really sure if he really and truly is ‘her one true love.’ So, she asks for a moment or to think about things. Instead of a break, like she requested, he breaks up. ‘If you don’t know now if you really love me, you won’t know after a break!’ he screams (or, actually, mutters with shiny eyes). What an asshole.

So. She’s now 39 and single. I mentioned 38 before; they broke up on her day of birth. So, 39 and single. Starring at the dating pool again. Naturally she does a second stupid thing. She dates her boss. Not literally the next second. Months are going by in this book. It’s set over slightly more than a year 39-40. But, yeah, she dates her boss. Because he’s so . . . um . . . something. They appear to have nothing in common, but at least she’s not stuck with a guy she loves, likes being with, and even likes watching television (which the boss doesn’t like doing; nor like amusement parks, another thing both Doug and Maggie love).

I’ve no inherent problem with reassessing where you are, what you are doing with your life. But the way she went about it with her man was like kind of stupid. Then to go off and date your boss? That’s just . . . icky. And no, I’m not picturing my own boss and shuddering – putting us in place of Maggie and whatever the guys name is in this book. No the icky part was getting involved with someone either higher up or lower down the chain of command. Getting involved with a coworker is kind of iffy enough without adding layers of power one way or another.

So, the book unfolds. Doug is off dating others. Maggie is dating others. Life continues. Her friends drift in and out of her life. She drinks a lot. Talks to her television. Spontaneous breaks into victory dances after guessing correctly about stuff occurring on the television. You know, life moves on. A slice of her life has been scooped up and offered for people to peer at. To a certain extent, reminding myself that this is a slice of a person’s life, helped keep me interested and moving on instead of focusing on some of the ‘dumb’ decisions made.

Not a bad book per se. Just odd. Maggie had read a lot of romantic books. She just knows there’s supposed to be angst and conflict and stuff, so it just must mean something if there wasn’t any with her relationship with Doug (pre-break up). Interesting twist. Not sure I particularly liked any of the characters as people, but meh.

December 28 2015

Touch of Trouble AND Time for Trouble by Susan Sey

Touch of Trouble
by Susan Sey
Pages: 75
Date: April 13 2014
Publisher: Third Girl Publishing
Series: Blake Brothers Trilogy #2.5

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 22 2015

A quick short story by an author I've read two previous books in this series.

Book doesn't actually start immediately after the previous book, it actually starts in a police station with Drew and Meg sitting there. Telling a cop why they are there. Then book flashes back to near the end of the last book. With Hildy racing in her car to an unknown, to Drew, location, and Drew in his car chasing Hildy. Meg's sitting next to him dodging his questions, and flirtations.

As I believe I read in a review, this is less a romance and more a look at Meg's family. Sure Drew flirts with Meg and makes her feel things she didn't expect to feel from such a young guy, one who seems unable to be serious, but she 'friend-zone''s him hard.

Heh. I was just thinking to myself, while staring at the cover, about what to write next (I knew, but my mind wandered), and the thought crossed my mind about how the covers, all of them in this series, show legs. A series about brothers. Cover's show women's legs. Started to think why that might be when it hit me that I already knew why this one had that on the cover. Drew is very fascinated by Meg's legs. Her long long legs. So . . ..

Before I distracted myself - so, yeah, this is a book about family. Specifically Meg's family. And less about Drew and Meg. Interesting story. Hildy being the mother. And 'special' - as in she works as something of a . . . hmm, not sure correct word, I'll call her a ghost buster for the heck of it. Joe, Hildy's ex, is described as an alpha male. Hates the very idea that his wife, ex-wife, is a con artist (in his view). Meg - the 'sane' twin. Quite good with electronics. Doesn't believe anyone when they say she's 'pretty'. Believes anyone interested in her would instantly turn their affections towards her sister, Clara. Clara's the 'insane' twin. I'd say something like - at least when she doesn't take her medication, but no, she's 'insane' even on her meds. So, that's the Wise family.

It's a short story - it's a short review. Heck, I didn't even mean to read this here story, but I'd started on the third book in the series (this story being considered 2.5), and realized that the book was opening too far forward in Meg and Drew's 'relationship', so I needed to go back and read the short story. So I did. The short story was entertaining. Had a bit of humor. And stuff. Off to the third book I go.

Time for Trouble
by Susan Sey
Pages: 309
Date: April 13 2015
Publisher: Third Girl Publishing
Series: Blake Brothers Trilogy #3

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 22 to 23 2015

My third book by this author, fourth work when including the short story. Everything read falling within the Blake Brothers series.

This is a vaguely strange series in that it kept bouncing around genres/themes/etc. First one involved celebrities, athletes and sports agents. Well, more the reality tv angle I’m going for here. Second introduced ghosts, the paranormal and ghost busters. Third introduced spy or crime caper or thriller.

This story barely made it to 3 stars. I was quite certain it’d end up getting only 2. This is strange as there were some good interesting parts. And it began strong. I stopped shortly after beginning to go back and read the ‘prequel’ short story, since I felt like I was ‘missing’ stuff. And I liked the short story. And the characters in it. Despite involving the same characters, Meg and Drew, I didn’t really like the characters in this one. Oh, and yes, I do think reading the short story first greatly enhances this here book.

I mean, that whole ‘Meggy – don’t call me Meggy! – you know she doesn’t like to be called that right? – that’s why I do it! I know she hates it! *giggles insanely*’ thing was super annoying. It wasn’t cute it wasn’t fun(ny). It was just downright creepy. Personally, I preferred when Drew kept calling her Pretty Meg. Instead of, you know, Meggy.

It’s strange looking back on the series, but the brother I like best of all, at least by the end of it, was Will. I never really got a good handle on James – that or by the end, I’d forgotten what exactly made him tick. I assume I had a better handle on him earlier, and that it was more than ‘smart-alacky, smarmy, lazy, super-star’. Will was, and still is to a certain extent, mostly a mean bastard. But he’s up front about it. He kind of has a rage-y shell over a raging asshole. While Drew, well, I’ll be wordier as he’s the star of this here book.

Drew is a man-child. He lost his parents at really young age, ten, and was warped by it. Not desiring to ‘lose’ anyone ever again, he developed a shell. People in this situation tend to go in two directions. The one I normally see in popular entertainment is the other path/direction. The direction/path in which the person ‘hurt’ at a young age puts on an angry grimace and glares at the world around them. That’s their mask, their shell over whatever is beneath. Drew went the other direction. He put a happy go lucky smile on his face. Bounced around all cheery like. This is a mask/shell over a mixture of numbness and rage. The outside shell mostly included crap that is quite off-putting to me personally. Including the outward appearance of never being able to take anything seriously. His need to say ‘I love you’ to everyone around him at every opportunity. And not really meaning it. Mostly.

Will and Drew sure can’t read women. Will’s a strong dominant type who is kind of rough. And knows it. So he was freaked when he ‘let himself out’ and ‘hurt’ Audrey when they had their sex scenes in the second book. And completely misread Audrey’s reactions to it. For example, she was moaning in pleasure, and he thought she was crying in despair. Will kept trying to stop himself. The woman in his life kept having to, basically, beg him to continue. And Drew? The opposite, to a certain extent.

During a sex scene with Meg, he got really creepy. Verging on rape-y creepy. It’s a good thing Meg actually wanted him, eh? Because . . . otherwise his actions could have landed him in the hospital and possibly jail (what, Meg’s strong, able to knock someone out with one punch . . . or something like that). Why do I say all of this? Because of how everything broke down. Gah, every fucking time. More or less.

Meg’s freaking out about a situation; he can barely hear her for his need to pounce on her. So he does. Forcing himself onto her with a kiss. To which she replies in kind. So he continues. When she tries to push him away, when she indicates she wants him to stop, what does he do? He thrusts his hands into her, now open, shirt to grope her. To fondle her breasts. Why? What were the thoughts going on in his head? That he might never have another opportunity, and fuck the consequences, he just needs to touch her, fondle and grope her. That’s . . . you know, super creepy.

Luckily for him, she was trying to get him to stop not for the sake of stopping their amorous activity, but to rearrange them into a more fuckable position. So, yeah, Will couldn’t read that Audrey loved what was going on and was horrified by it, and Drew couldn’t read that Meg also loved what was going on, and was, basically, turned on by it. So you might see why Will ended up being my favorite brother. James was so memorable that I can’t remember what he was like. Drew was a perv-y creep, and Will was a strong dominant type who cared what others felt.

The other star of this show, Meg, is also something like ‘damaged goods’ because of her family background. She’s a twin. In that when her mother gave birth, two daughters came out. Not in that she has someone who looks like her like a clone. Meg got the legs. Clara got the looks. Meg thought she got the brains, but Clara, once she applied herself, proved that she was quite intelligent as well. So, Meg got the legs. And that kind of warped her. Because when the two were standing next to each other, men drooled over Clara and didn’t give Meg a second look. And her parents kind of thrust their attention towards Clara. Making Meg something of an outsider in her own family. Though more because Clara had a mental illness issue and would go on psychotic episodes. So, Meg was damaged by that. Shown in this book by her constant mentioning to herself how unattractive she is to others. (That whole no underwear thing was kind of weird, but I do not wish to express any additional thoughts on the matter).

So, the book itself. Or, less on the characters now. The book opens with Drew and Meg in a bar. About 8 years after the second book. Drew spots Meg talking to a ‘very handsome man’ and becomes enraged. Charges across the room, grabs the man and thrusts him into a table. For it is Ian, the guy who Drew had watched die 12 or so years ago. They then proceed to drink a lot then go on a crime caper. That whole crime caper thing was just plain stupid. Mostly in how easily Drew and Meg were talked into it. Into doing it right then and there. Granted that Meg didn’t really want to do it, but she did. For such a smart guy, Drew sure did a lot of dumb shit. And based on various comments/thoughts here and there, he knew it too.

It’s unfortunate, but this is how the series ends. With a book I’d probably rate 2.8 stars.

December 24 2015

Love Bites by Lila Bruce

Love Bites
by Lila Bruce
Pages: 223
Date: November 23 2015
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: December 21 to 22 2015

My third work by Lila Bruce, and second novel (one of the three is a short story). If I only counted the book length works, the two of them I’ve read, I’d find that my overall rating for the author would be somewhere near 4.65 stars. Including the short story, the overall rating would be closer to 3.7666667. All of which is exciting, I’m sure.

So, this book here. There are three points of view, if I recall correctly. Well, I know there are at least three, and I think only three. The book opens up with one of the three. Obviously enough. And if I had not read something prior by this author, I might have immediately stopped reading. Well, probably not, but it’s hard to continue when the book opens with a character saying how much they hate cats. I mean, that’s just super off putting, you know? I’d like to say that I understood what was going on right around when this character lifted their hind leg and scratched their ear, since that would be fitting, but I caught on earlier.

Viewpoint one: Moose Baldwin. Dog. Specifically the dog of one Ashley Baldwin, who joking calls Moose her boyfriend. Since this cat-hating was expressed through the view point of a dog, I figured I’d not allow that to put me off. The perspective from the dog’s point of view as actually quite good and well constructed. Enjoyable even. For the most part.

Viewpoint two: Ashley Baldwin. High school teacher. Long term resident of, if I recall correctly, small-ish town Georgia (I say small-ish as it is for the most part, but it is also near two colleges). She’s spent the last twelve years attempting to move on with her life but finding it difficult to do so. Move on, that is, from a bad breakup which occurred near the end of College with her longish term girlfriend, who she actually first meet, if the stories are matching up right in my mind, back in high school. Part of the break up was based on how Ashley wanted kids and a house. With, I assume, a white picket fence. Peyton Maxwell, this so far unnamed ex-girlfriend, expressed the view that she didn’t want that. Couldn’t give that to Ashley. Expressed, or implied the opinion (it’s murky) that she didn’t like kids. So, that’s what Ashley has been attempting to move on from. Attempting relationships, breaking them off, trying again, repeat. (There was some comment somewhere along the line that all Ashley had was her dog – her parents, that she was somewhat estranged from, live in Florida now; and yet there are at least two best friends who pop up in the story. I might have misunderstood the comment. Since one of them’s off for the summer ‘elsewhere’, so the comment might have been related to that).

Well, I just distracted myself there, sorry.

Viewpoint three: Peyton Maxwell. Ex-girlfriend of Ashley Baldwin. Recently moved back to Georgia from Texas with her daughter Daisy, in the last six months I believe, and taken a position as a vet at Ridgeview Animal Clinic. There are ‘reasons’ for her return, for return it is, one of which involves living closer to her parents. One may or may not involve being near Ashley again.

Book opened, as noted, in the viewpoint of Moose. Which I mention because he’s at the animal clinic. For fleas. They wander back, when called, to an exam room. Get all settled. Find a vet come in and . . . it’s that ex-girlfriend. Moose, unlike himself, growls and instantly takes a dislike to the vet. Largely due to how tense and flustered his person is when this newcomer entered (plus he doesn’t particularly like meeting new people anyway). Ashley and Peyton somewhat nervously bounce off each other, Peyton offering to get another vet to cover, Ashley saying no, etc. etc. Visit over. Both flustered. At some point the possibility of being platonic friends came up, mayhap on this visit.

Friends:
Ashley – Cassie (fellow teacher, going off for the summer), Melanie - she only seemed to turn up at Cassie’s grill party as someone to rub her hands against Peyton’s leg and make her feel all uncomfortable and drool over how hot Peyton is.
Peyton – um, her parents? Other than attempting to become friends again with Ashley, I don’t recall any specific friends mentioned.
Moose – Elvis – Cassie’s dog. And some others, but Elvis is the one he runs into most often.

Glad I finally tried this book here. I rather liked the first book I had read by Bruce, but the second one – the short story, was such a letdown that I’d been kind of burned and was distrusting my initial impression of the author. Like maybe I had tricked myself into liking the first book or something. But this one was quite good. Solid characters, story-line, pace, humor. Not sure I’ve read a book like this one before. Oh, right. Of course I have. Before I go too far done the road of vagueness, I mean a book involving two people who appeared to love each other but broke apart, only to bump into each other again years later and have sparks fly again. The other book I’d read that had that specific relationship arc, though the stories themselves were different, was “The Thousand Mile Love Story” by Natalie Vivien.