Survival Instincts by May Dawney

Survival Instincts by May Dawney

My rating: 4.4 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Ylva Publishing for an honest review*

This was one of those dense rich stories that took a while to read. If I recall correctly, and I might not, there was a similar denseness/richness in the short story I read by this same author – the only other work I’ve read by them. ‘What does that mean?’ Um . . . hmms. Boiled down: there’s a lot of ‘stuff’ packed into the words/actions/scenes. Right. So.

This story, entirely seen through the perspective of one character, Lynn Tanner, is a future post-apocalyptic world. And the majority of the story takes place in New York (well, all of it, really, just there’s references to Lynn having been elsewhere, like ‘up north’ in Canada). It is unclear what exactly happened – there are references to ‘bombs falling’ but this story takes place centuries later and I’m not sure Lynn herself knows what happened. I pause here to insert a paragraph as this reminded me.

There are two specific things I had ‘trouble with’, which were ‘problematic’. First is easy enough to mention – I despised all side characters, who were basically one step away from being evil, with the possible exception of Toby – no, strike that, he was way too loud to survive – and was a massive liability. Though some of the side characters grew on me, mostly Dani Wilson. Right, with that out of the way let’s get to the second major specific trouble spot – remember how I mentioned this is a future world, and that Lynn herself might not know what happened? Well . . . that was a mixed bag type of thing. There were things she knew, things she didn’t know, and it didn’t always make sense – considering this sometime in the future after a traumatic event, that’s somewhat reasonable. Some weird and wacky things get remembered, other things get lost. This area she’s in had once been called ‘New York’? Sure, reasonable for that to either get remembered or forgotten. Was remembered here. Remembering that a particular type of building was an ‘office building’ when their culture, their being the centuries later people living on earth, eh, okay. Remember a certain area was the ‘receptionist area’ . . . um, really? Seriously? She ‘learned’ this fact from someone? Who learned it . . . how exactly? Bah, sorry, as I said, some things get remembered that are wacky to remember, and maybe this is just one of those wacky things. But Lynn’s ability to ‘know’ the world around her was oddly off and on – like ‘knowing’ that a particular area was the receptionist area, and not knowing what a zebra is. That’s the off and on – there’s parts where she calls them zebras, and other times calling them weirdly colored stripped horses (and hey, what are zebras but stripped horses, eh?). I suppose here it’s more an off and on on what she called the zebras.

Which leads me to: one of the things I had to remind myself almost immediately is the fact that I’m reading a story set far (ish, it’s unclear how far in the future) into the future and the people and whatever culture cannot really have ‘our’ (as in 21st century) ideas forced upon them. Or, more specifically, for a while there I was thinking that Lynn was quite immature for her stated age, and seemed to be acting more on the level of a teenager (as did most of the others), until I recalled that she was – in ways, quite immature – and quite mature. Depending on the thing talked about. I think I messed up noting what I wanted to note. Basically I needed to, initially, remind myself that I wasn’t reading about characters living in my own time period, and that I couldn’t put my own time period standards and stuff onto them. This is way too many words. I move on.

Lynn has lived the vast majority of her life as someone who wanders the wilds – as someone Dani Wilson’s people call ‘Wilders’. As opposed to Wilson’s people who Lynn called ‘Settlers’. Lynn had a mother and father and . . . let’s not reveal the whole plot here, eh? Lynn has lived in the wilds most of her life and is now something like 39. While looking for food she hears something in the distance and creeps closer. Watches as a group of humans ‘take down’ an elephant. She remains hidden until she can’t – for the dog she’s with charges forward to get into the fight. And Lynn runs out to get her dog. Whereupon she’s almost immediately tackled, pummeled and almost killed by some kid. For . . . reasons. One thing leads to another and Lynn’s now these other humans captive. Based entirely on the dog – for, you see, the other humans know this dog – it’s the dog that had been with the scout that they had sent out – the scout who isn’t around anywhere. How’d Lynn get the dog? Did she kill Richard?

Eventually, after 99% of the settlers show how much of a dick they can be, Lynn meets up again with Queen Bitch (who had been off doing something or other), Kate. Who tells Lynn to lead them to Richard, the dead guy, or Lynn will die. One thing leads to another, and before you can say boo . . . Lynn’s in a closet like it’s a cage. Then later off on a journey with one of the settlers, Dani.

And that’s the story the book tells. The quest of Dani and Lynn to retrieve a dead body in the wilds of post-apocalyptic New York. Lynn is wild and, at times, feral. But the settlers, as . . . well I didn’t show did I, well, they aren’t as civilized as they might appear.

I liked the story of Lynn and Dani. Though Dani really comes off quite badly in this story. It seemed like every time you turned around let’s reveal another bad personality trait of Dani’s. But, meh, she was still okay-ish.

I liked the book and enjoyed it. For those wanting to know – there’s a bit of romance, a lot of action/adventure/thrills, a bit of sex (here or there, barely), and . . . ums, stuff.

One last bit: Warning, there are scenes that occur in this book that you do not want to read while eating food.

Rating: 4.44

March 9 2018




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Blackmailer by George Axelrod

Blackmailer by George Axelrod

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I’m not sure if it is somewhat negative of the time period, negative of now, or what exactly, but I’m sure that my comment, which I’ll make in a moment, is negative – just not sure how. That comment: This book has a rather modern feel to it – in that it feels as if it was written in, say, 2007 and set in the 1950s (there are things that link it to the 1950s – mention of films; the somewhat causal mention of how a beautiful actress looks plain and unsexy in Technicolor (a film actress is one of the characters in this book – a new musical of hers came out during the course of this book – another character casually mentions that she looks bad in it – that Technicolor makes everyone look fake and overly painted – that kind of sounds like something someone from the 1950s could put in a book and people then would immediately have a reaction (good or bad) about it – someone could have a reaction to that now, but I’m not sure an author would think to make that comment (I’m not going by myself on this, but I will say that yes you can see Technicolor films today – as in the films from the 1950s that used that colorization process, and you can see how the colors kind of look . . . off)).

Mostly, though, I wanted to say that I had this vague feeling that this book felt somewhat modern with some odd little things here and there that seemed . . . off. Not the Technicolor thing, no it was everyone calling each other baby and darling. For the most part, the only think that I’d want to check after I finished the book – if it actually been written in 2007 and set in 1952, is when microfilm came out – but I do not need to check, since the book isn’t an historical – but a contemporary – written in 1952, set in 1952 (Microfilm came out in 1935 (well, Kodak began using it to put the New York times on it in 1935, and it was endorsed in 1936 by the ALA; the first actual ‘microfilm’, or as it was called ‘microphotograph’ came out in 1839 – but it was a ‘personal hobby’).

For example of one of the ‘off things’, and I’ll need to create the scene: Jean Dahl (sp?), one of the two main women in the story, enters Dick Sherman’s office to offer him a book by a prize winning author – someone up there with Hemingway. The guy is dead now, so any new book by him – something he wrote but didn’t get published before his death, would be quite valuable to a publisher – regardless of the books quality. Throughout Dahl seemed to use baby in every sentence. Something like ‘Hello, baby, I’m not an author’s wife. Baby. I’ve got a book. You’ll want it. I’ll sell it to you, baby, for $50,000.’ And this comment was responded to by Sherman with something like ‘You are out of your mind, baby. Submit the book through the normal means and we might take a look at it, baby. But there’s no way we’d give you a $50,000 advance, baby.’ ‘Ah, but baby, I know you’ll give me that. This is the last work of a Nobel Prize winner. Who is dead, baby.’ (for those coming along behind me thinking of reading or not reading this book – yes, that is something that keeps up, though it tended to only pop up when Dick was talking with women; though he tended to use ‘baby’ with Dahl (both used it), and ‘darling’ with Janis Whitney (sp?) (the other main female character – the actress) – though he used baby with her as well. There might even be a sentence that went something like ‘Janis, baby, you know I love you darling, I always have. We don’t change, baby. That will never change, darling’. *shrugs* take it or leave it if that would annoy you too much to read the book).

Right, so – this book is about a book publisher who normally deals with ‘author’s wives’ who have complaints. A woman drops by demanding to see Dick Sherman. Sherman, thinking it’s an author’s wife, allows her in and immediately launches into several ‘canned’ responses to normal ‘author’s wives’ questions (by the way, the bestselling author for their company is a woman, so that ‘author’s wives’ thing . . . is vaguely confusing). That woman, though, notes that Dick is a moron – she isn’t an author’s wife. She has a book. No, idiot, not her own – the last book written by a prize winning author. And she has proof – the first page in its original form.

By a weird coincidence, Dick Sherman used to work for a different publisher, one who dealt with and published that author’s work – so he would recognize that guy’s work. And he does – it looks like the product of that dead dude. So he is both excited and confused. Excited to be able to get that work. Confused as to why it is being offered to him; and how he can be sure that there actually is more than that one ‘example’ page. The woman tells him that he has until that night for a response.

Fifteen minutes later, Dick receives a letter. From an agent. Offering up the same book. Two different people appear to be attempting to sell him the same book – a book he didn’t know existed (and while the author had boasted of being in the middle of writing a book for six years before his death, no book was found in his estate after his death). Naturally Dick is confused.

Before he can think too hard, one of the authors comes by – the top one – and he has to deal with her. Then he spots an old love - the love of his life. So he is now drunk (that author’s meetings consist of going on ‘lunches’ and drinking, like, 800 glasses of .. .um, rum or something), and distracted by sighting his old love – who left him to become a movie star (which she succeeded to do (that would be Janis Whitney (not sure I have her last name correct)). So, like I said, distracted.

It’s past the time to respond to the odd offer from the woman, but he’s in luck. She turns up at his apartment. They promptly go back to saying stuff like ‘baby’, he acts like a dick (she asks for something to drink, he says no, tell me what the fuck is going on, she gets herself a drink, he slaps it out of her hand – see, a dick), but before anyone gets anywhere, two thugs turn up and do stuff. Like tear apart the apartment, strip the girl, beat into unconsciousness the man (Dick), stuff.

Dick, naturally, hasn’t a clue what the fuck is going on. So he attempts to 1) get back his health; 2) continue with his life. But he gets pulled back into things. He spots Jean at a party, then spots Janis, and then people are rolling around naked and stuff. Then the lights go out and . . well, you get it. Stuff happens.

It’s an interesting book. Seemed somewhat more competently written for a guy who seems to have mostly written screenplays – not weird ass noir stuff. There were some downright stupid stuff done by the guy – but then I recalled this wasn’t some private dick but a book publisher. He may or may not be smart, but he hasn’t been trained to be smart in this particular type of situation.

Rating: 3.4

December 2 2016




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The Strivers' Row Spy by Jason Overstreet

The Strivers' Row Spy
by Jason Overstreet
Pages: 448
Date: August 30 2016
Publisher: Dafina
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: July 24 to 25 2016

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, Dafina, and Kensington Books exchange for an honest review.

This is both the author’s first book (as far as I can tell) and therefore my first book that I’ve read by him (that’s the both part – first book (written by him; read by me).

I’ll start off with something that I normally put at the end, or nearish the end, the rating. Under my long ago and not currently active rating scheme, used pre-web based book cataloging by me, I would have rated this book somewhere between 3.74 and 3.84. I am uncertain how that actually corresponds to my current rating scheme, but, somewhere around 4 stars.

Two things before I move into a more detailed review; women and ‘roaring twenties’/time in general. I put that discussion under spoiler tag, not because there is anything spoiler-y about it, but because I kind of lost whatever point I was attempting to make, and so that section is boring. Boiled down – for the most part the book is focused on the male actors in this ‘Roaring ‘20s Harlem Renaissance’, though there were a few ‘powerful’ women who make brief appearances; other than a few mentions of prohibition, and a few mentions of how people are flocking to the area, many of them arty, the Roaring Twenties/Harlem Renaissance part was kind of thin.

There are a few powerful women in this book, strong, independent, etc. They do in fact appear in this book. But that’s just it. They mostly appear. They have few lines and while they have ‘things’ to do, and the like, they are almost never seen doing them. No, for the most part, the book is focused on the men. Sure, the book is from the point of view of Sidney Temple, but by noting that the book is focused on the men, I do not mean just that point – that it is from Temple’s point of view. Because there are important men who do stuff in this book, and they do do them in the book, as opposed to off stage, or just assumed. So it isn’t that the book is from Temple’s point of view that limits everyone else’s actions and impact. While it is 1919-1925, and while that would/could limit certain things certain powerful women can/could do, that more redirects them than removes them from history.

I’m babbling needlessly. To a certain extent it is because of the nature of the book. I was promised certain things, while realizing certain things when I went into the book. Like the part where a young man is given opportunities during the Roaring Twenties to do things. And yet, while there is the occasional mention of the year, I didn’t really notice anything ‘Roaring Twenties’ about this book beyond the mention of prohibition. To a certain extent, I believe that is because of the type of man Sidney is – focused on his career and his wife (though her slim presentation/barely there character is one of the reasons I babbled about powerful women; she isn’t specifically one – important but not powerful, no it was her friend Ginger who I was thinking of as powerful – independently wealthy, and independent of a controlling man). On the other hand – young man, going undercover in the roaring twenties, needing to do ‘things’ . . . . kind of lends itself to an image of a guy bouncing around some seedy locations and speakeasies. This book isn’t that type of book.

Luckily, for my own enjoyment of this book, I had actually forgotten that description of the book – undercover agent operating in the Roaring Twenties in New York, specifically in Harlem during its renaissance. I mean, this is when Harlem had something like a golden age – yet, you would not specifically know it from the actions in the book (specifically worded that way, because you would know it from the words – it is in fact mentioned several times that ‘grand things’ were occurring, they just, for the most part, happened for Sidney’s wife while Sidney was off being serious and stuff. And the wife’s world, experience of that ‘Harlem Renaissance’ is only seen once or twice when Sidney happened to be present – I only specifically recall two occasions that might fall into this ‘Renaissance’ type situation (well three, but being kicked out of your seats at a theatre kind of ‘ruins’ the ‘good vibes’) – once when the wife had a huge grand birthday party; and once when Sidney was wandering around and ended up in a club).

I mean, Sidney did visit with various people while undercover around the city – places outside of work site I mean, and almost every single time the meeting was in some restaurant or the like.

So, book.

During a college graduation ceremony, while Sidney is actually in his graduation robes and climbing some stairs, some man approaches Sidney and thrusts a card at him (I’m wording this wrong) and indicates that the BOI, Bureau of Investigation might be interested in hiring Sidney – or at least in interviewing him. If interested, call the number on the card. And so begins Sidney’s slide into the undercover world.

Three things to note – BOI – the description for the book is slightly misleading, specifically the ‘And when he’s tapped by J. Edgar Hoover to be the FBI’s first African-American agent’: 1) the BOI did not become the FBI until 1935; 2) Sidney is not the first African-American agent hired by the BOI in the book (the first in real life and in the book is mentioned in the book, and plays a small role – James Wormley Jones – and Jones is described, on Wikipedia, with a task similar to the one he has in this book, and the one Sidney is given – to infiltrate the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) under the leadership of Marcus Garvey – and Jones actions lead to some similar results in RL and in the book); 3) Hoover did not become head of the BOI until 1924, 5 years after the start of this book here (the guy who preceded Hoover, William J. Burns, wasn’t even in office as the head of the BOI by the start of this book (he became the head in 1921; a guy named William J. Flynn was the head when Sidney was hired by the BOI, he was in office from 1919 to 1921 – it is possible the guy before him was actually in charge at the start of this book, since Flynn didn’t start until July of 1919, though the book did mention that the guy Sidney talked with was just getting appointed to be the director – heh, one of the driving forces in this book, and for Hoover, was the bombing of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer’s house – something that Flynn was brought in as director to investigate; Hoover, though, was with the BOI in 1919, and a new division head – he was head of the new General Intelligence Division).

Real life Hoover was tasked with monitoring and disrupting the work of domestic radicals. And his “Targets during this period included Marcus Garvey, Rose Pastor Stokes and Cyril Briggs, Emma Goldman, and Alexander Berman; and future Supreme Court justice Felix Frankfurter who, Hoover maintained, was "the most dangerous man in the United States". I mention all this because Sidney, in this book, is tasked with monitoring three people – Marcus Garvey (UNIA), James Weldon Johnson (NAACP), and Max Eastman (and indirectly, W.E.B. Du Bois of the NAACP)).

I got distracted by history there, looking up the real life history of the time. Hmms. Dr. James Eason is also a real life figure, member of the UNIA – had a similar end story as to the one in the book.

*shakes self* Right sorry.

This was/is a quite interesting undercover story about a time and place that I knew relatively little about – specifically the time and place of African Americans during the 1920s. There were both times of great ‘sinking’ into the scene, of feeling it, while other times things seemed more surface, more remote/removed from the action. And a few cases where things were just way too rushed.

Only read the spoiler after reading the book read the book yet?Loretta is so annoyed with her husband that she goes to the extreme measure of leaving him, and, for that matter, her country. Going all the way to Paris France. So . . .when Sidney hunted her down? the next words after Sidney arrived at Loretta’s door in Paris were something along the lines of ‘months passed’. Um . . kind of overlooked Lorretta accepting Sidney back into her life, eh?

Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book by this author.

July 26 2016

Uptown Thief by Aya de León

Uptown Thief
by Aya de León
Pages: 352
Date: July 26 2016
Publisher: Dafina (Kensington Books)
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: July 5 to 11 2016

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.

I read something somewhere, in a review?, in a book description? That said something like ‘Ocean’s 11 with women.’ Do not go into this book thinking that or you will be disappointed.

There’s another book that had that tagline attached to it. It was a Michael Crichton book from long ago, released under the John Lange name. That one is both a lot closer to being ‘Ocean’s 11 with women’ than this book while also being incorrect. There the storyline involved a group of people setting up to rob a hotel (I think it was a hotel). The book followed them as the planned, then as they robbed the place. It was actually quite neat. Just one thing – everyone in that gang in Lange’s book were men. So, why that tagline of ‘Ocean’s 11 with women’? Because there was in fact a group of women who robbed the place. They just did it under the noses of the male group – but it is something of a ‘disappointment’ in that the story didn’t follow them so much as it followed the male gang.

Right, so this book here. For one thing, the action that occurs does involve and follow women, so that’s one up on that unnamed Lange book. But the book is not a group of women who rob some location and go through thrills, suspense, and the like. No, the book is about a latina woman named Marisol Rivera who had a rotten childhood (mother died, father wasn’t around, then grandmother died; got left with an uncle, who sexually abused her; she, Marisol, did what she could to protect her sister; which included, once the uncle was gone, becoming a prostitute at the age of 17 to get enough money to pay the rent and bills. She, Marisol, is now in her 30s (or is it 40s? I got confused about her age) and is the executive director of a health clinic in Manhattan. Serving the poor, specifically (has this reputation though I’m not sure it is actually part of their official motto) sexual workers. Also, because the economy went into a downturn, and various grants and the like dried up or were pulled, Marisol again needs a way to pay her bills. So, she opens an escort service. Rich people can ‘donate’ to the clinic, get a tax write-off for that, and then get a ‘gift’ from the clinic (as in an escort).

Somewhere along the line that ‘Ocean’s 11’ has to come in, right? Well, that has to do with two facts. The escort service is not able to cover all the bills, and Marisol spots a few people she wants to ‘punish’. Rich CEO’s who were involved in a Mexican sex traffic ring – got put on trial, and got off (I think the judge dismissed the case or something). So, she robs them. Right off the bat that’s different from Ocean’s 11 – where a gang robs a casino. Here the ‘gang’ (a small group of Marisol’s most trusted people) robs several locations. As quietly as possible. And there’s a ton of other stuff happening in this book. So, if it had been a series of robberies, I might stretch things to include this under some altered tagline of ‘Ocean’s 11 with women’, but no, it isn’t that. It’s more of a slice of life book that just happens to have, as the main character, someone who robs rich assholes.

So, Marisol – because of the abuse from the uncle, and because of the fucking for money, she is not one who has the ability to have a natural relationship from men. She does have an ‘itch’ though. A huge number of times, she’ll head uptown to an immigrant area, pick up a man, and fuck him. With her in control.

Both of her criminal and relationship life is put in jeopardy, though, when a man from Marisol’s past turns up in the form of Raul. A man who grow up in the same neighborhood (which reminds me – for the shit life Marisol had growing up, she sure has a lot of nostalgic feeling for her ‘old community’).

When a pimp wandered near waving a gun and calling for his whore to come out, things got complicated at the clinic. At a benefit for the clinic, Marisol mentions needing some extra security. Raul steps up and offers his services. He becomes a temporary security guard. He has a certain background, being that he had been a NYPD officer. He’s an ex-cop now, though. One that still consults with the city. Which is part of the complication on the criminal side – Marisol robs people, an old friend begins working at the clinic and is an ex-cop. Then there’s the romantic side – for the first time in maybe ever, Marisol might be willing to try a relationship, she has lustful feelings toward Raul. Though there are complications – he’s an ex-cop, she’s a criminal, and she also has that past sex worker history (and current, for that matter).

One of the neat things about this book is how LGBT friendly the book is. Two of Marisol’s top friends/thieves/escorts are lesbians (they are each other’s girlfriends). And another character in the book, much less important character-wise, is transgender.

Marisol, though, is very much heterosexual and spends a lot of time, and I mean a lot, humping men. Well, I do not mean to make that seem like it goes to porno levels. She humps men. Every once in a while. And, at times, graphically.

To a certain extent this book took me somewhat longer than normal not because of anything to do with the book itself, I mean quality wise, but because it involves MF relations. I had to ease my way in, and then through at times. Taking breaks here and there.

There is one very big flaw/problem with the book that could have had something like a negative impact on the star rating, if the book was not an arc. Because it is, I do not push up or push down the rating in any way because of it. ‘It’ being the part wherein the formatting in the copy I read is kind of messed up. As in, it isn’t really formatted. Sentences/paragraphs/etc. are smashed together or have double spaces within the same sentence as in:

Not an exact quote:

‘That taco is very

hot don’t you think?’

While at other times I was not always certain who was saying what because of things being mushed together, as in:

Again, not an exact quote:

“How are you doing?” She looked at the floor. “Are you doing that thing later?” She asked.
“The tacos are hot.” She moaned.

Most of the time I could tell, in context, that ‘Are you doing that’ was actually someone else speaking; though occasionally I wasn’t certain.

Again, though, I do not – because it is an arc – remove anything from the rating because of that issue (though I would if this wasn’t an arc). I assume that I got a digitalized version of the paperback, as opposed to an ebook file.

One last thought – language. I began reading this one at the same time I was reading Clare Ashton’s Poppy Jenkins. Which I mention for one reason – while I was reading ‘Poppy Jenkins’, people I know who were reading it at the same time were making comments about all the Welsh words popping up. And I? I was reading that and this book here. No, there are no Welsh words popping up in this book, no there were instead a bunch of Spanish words. I probably should have mentioned that any way – the part where a bunch of Spanish gets used. But I specifically am mentioning it here for a reason I once mentioned in another book with mixed languages (not the Poppy book, but a Heyer book).

I have no inherent problem with a book filled with mixed languages; characters speaking two or more languages at the same time in the same sentence. The specific problem I had was, like in a book by Heyer about the British fighting in Spain, this book here included several occasions when a character would start talking and the author included helpful notes like ‘in Spanish’. As in, the character was speaking in Spanish, but the words were printed on the page in English. I liked the fact they were there in English so I could read along. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was the part where, remember the reader has already been told that the characters are speaking in Spanish, Spanish words would begin to appear in the sentences.

How exactly am I supposed to ‘take’ that? Spanish words popping up in a Spanish conversation that has already been specified to be translated into English. Are those words extra Spanish-y? So that’s why they appeared in Spanish? And to clarify, I’m not talking about the Spanish words that pop up before and after this specific event I’m talking about. I’m specifically talking about when the main character went to Cuba, and several occasions conversations occurred during which the author noted that the conversation had been translated from Spanish into English . . . yet still contained, here and there, Spanish words (Note: until I went to look for examples, I had forgotten that ‘in Spanish’ actually popped up in previous sections to the trip to Cuba; there are 17 occasions when ‘in Spanish’ is used in the book).

Quote from book:

“Quieres otra?” he asked
“No thanks,” she said in Spanish. “But I’ll buy you one.”
He raised his eyebrows, but then leaned back and smiled “Como no?”
She told the bartender in Spanish. “A rum and Coke.”

1) Why are his words in Spanish? Well, no. Both of their conversation are in Spanish. Why are his words only in Spanish, while hers, which, remember that ‘in Spanish’ part, are also in Spanish, but get translated?
2) Why does ‘in Spanish’ keep getting repeated?

By the way ‘Quieres otra’ apparently means ‘do you want another’. And ‘Como no?’ means . . . I don’t know what it means. Google translate is telling me it means ‘as?’. Hmm. Okay.

“I need to be on top,” she said in Spanish. “Bueno,” he said. me talking now – this is an example where the formatting got messed up – both of their lines are right after each other without a break

Here it makes sense to mix things up. I would not have known what ‘necesidad de estar en la cima’ (I have a large feeling that isn’t what ‘I need to be on top’ is in Spanish, but that’s what I get from Google), but do know Bueno = good.

Though here is what I meant specifically about mixing:

“Welcome to Cuba!” he said in Spanish, kissing her check. “Sorry we couldn’t . . .”
“our house is no Hotel Palacio, pero mi casa es tu casa.”

Gah. Okay, the mixing took place several paragraphs later. Still, same talker, I assume he is still speaking in Spanish after that ‘in Spanish’ mention, especially as they are in Cuba and everyone there speaks Spanish. So, why is pero mi casa es tu casa in Spanish in a part that is already supposed to be translated into English from Spanish? I know, from here or there, that ‘casa es tu casa’ is ‘my house is your house’ (or something like that), though I didn’t realize it needed the mi to make it ‘my’, and had no clue what pero was until I looked it up (means but – as in ‘but my house is your house’).

*shrugs* I never learned Spanish, so 99.9% of the stuff in Spanish just flies over my head unless there is some mention of what it means (several occasions someone will say something in Spanish, then within a paragraph or two, what they meant is said in English – somewhat rare, though).

I liked the book. I recommend this book. Do not expect constant action and thrills and suspense. Or, for that matter non-stop sex (there’s plenty of graphic sex, just not non-stop – oh, and, other than kissing, I believe all the sex is between a man and woman; no lesbian sex here; bah, I just recalled that there was one incident when the two girlfriends got busy while their ‘dates’ were asleep. I forget how graphic that scene was, though. Looking for ‘in Spanish’ is easy; searching for ‘lesbian sex scene’ to see if it is graphic or not does not actually work, heh).

Overall – An enjoyable book. I liked it. Just be aware that there’s graphic depictions of male-female sex, and that it isn’t a ‘thrill-a-minute’ type of book, but more of a ‘slice-of-life that occasionally includes robberies; and those robberies can occasionally be suspenseful’.

July 11 2016

First Position by Melissa Brayden

First Position
by Melissa Brayden
Pages: 264
Date: August 16 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: connected to the books 'Waiting in the Wings' and the Soho Loft series

Review
Rating: 5.5 out of 5.0
Read: July 4 to 5 2016

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

(For those who care about such things, two people from Waiting in the Wings appear and have relatively significant roles); just an FYI in case someone would wish to read that one before this book here (which I’d recommend doing)

This story has seemingly a cast of thousands, but two of them are the most important for today’s discussion, both of whom are roughly 27 years of age. Natalie Frederico and Anastasia Mikhelson.

Natalie Frederico is something of a wild child, rebellious type, who has great dancing talent and spent some time in a prestigious ballet school but found it too restraining, controlling, rule-based and so left without graduating. As the book opens, Natalie is wrapping up a show in Los Angeles, a show she created that mixes classical, and modern dance with ‘mixed media’. A show that’s fabulous successful and always is sold out. As you might expect in such a situation . . . heh, no. Natalie is very much an ‘art before profit!’ type, and so she and her show are being kicked out of their building because she only charges $10 a ticket. A man wanders by, after the last show (actually the next day, but I needed to work in the ‘last show’ part) and offers Natalie a job with the New York City Ballet. Natalie doesn’t really want to have anything to do with ballet, but she doesn’t exactly have any other opportunities pounding on her door, so she agrees to head off to New York.

One little tidbit about a ball and chain around Natalie’s ankle. Always a good thing to toss into a romance story, no? The young Natalie happens to have an adoring girlfriend (I think her name might be Morgan, though it might be something else – the current book I’m reading has someone named Mrs. Morgan Morgan in it, so that’s causing me doubts about the name; okay, looked it up – the girlfriend’s name is in fact Morgan. Weird - that). Right, so, heading off to New York, has a girlfriend – Natalie offers to bring Morgan along. Morgan notes that she would rather just stick around Los Angeles. Veg out. Party. Maybe Morgan is less of an adoring puppy, eh? Well, they decide on trying that ‘long distance’ thing.

Anastasia Mikhelson is the other lead in this here book. She’s fabulous talented, gifted, the kind who can cause grown men to weep with joy upon seeing how technically accurate, how flawless her movements are, while also shuddering in despair at how lifeless, emotionless Ana’s dancing tends to be. The book opens with Anastasia having spent the last nine years slowly moving up the ballet hierarchy. This year though, this year will be hers!

When a new season starts, Ana is warming up in a crowd of ballet dancers, though at the same time somewhat off by herself, since she’s kind of stand-offish (her co-workers call her ‘Frozen’). Just then someone bursts through the door – a late arrival. Ana feels vaguely sad for the girl – first day and she’s late – making a bad impression for her first day as an apprentice (see, Natalie’s addition to the Ballet company is kind of abnormal, atypical, both from not being a ballet school graduate, and for leaping over several levels to land at soloist position).

One thing leads to another and Ana realizes that she actually went to school, ballet school, with this other woman. And was annoyed/irritated by her at the time. And was actually happy when she had dropped out. But here she is again, in the unusual role of leaping up to soloist. Ana’s pissed.

Still, it’s her year. She’s going to lead in a show. She approaches the guy, Roger Eklund (the same guy who invited Natalie to the Ballet company), running that show, is told that she isn’t really right for the role – it calls for someone much better at expressing emotions through their dancing than Ana gives in performances. Ana begs. The guy agrees to watch Ana try out.

Later that afternoon – Ana, Natalie, and several others compete for the lead role of Mira, rehearse. Jason Morales is also there – he’s the lead male and . . . only one invited to the rehearsal (to play the role of Titus). Ana and Natalie compete. Ana’s technically perfect. Natalie’s emotionally perfect. Neither is perfect by themselves.

Roger decides to split the duties. Ana will dance three nights, Natalie three nights, and Jason will be Titus throughout.

To round things out – as noted Jason is Natalie and Anastasia’s dance partner in the show they are putting on. He is also madly in love with Anastasia and is not clued in to the fact that Anastasia doesn’t exactly feel the same way.

Right, so, that’s the basic set-up. Cast of thousands. Some come and go before you can blink and learn their name (the people who worked in Natalie’s Los Angeles show); others hang around like lead balloons (Jason). The two women work together to impart what they both know (Ana helping Natalie with technical stuff; Natalie helping Ana loosen up). And they grow closer together romantically and otherwise, while, in the background, are three ‘things’ – (1) girlfriend Morgan; (2) Ana’s father (super-duper great ballet dude); (3) injuries and the like natural to people who perform strenuous physical activities like professional ballet.

This is my seventh book by Brayden. As I mentioned in some review here or there, there’s a particular formula that Brayden seems to follow. A top-notch writer, so the reader can kind of forgive that formula usage. Except here – yes certain things occurred that kind of followed the formula framework, but it was the smoothest I’ve seen. Seemed natural, organic. Brilliant really.

There are really just two issues that I have with the book – (1) the unexpected entrance of odd ball uses of ‘merde’ (which I learned, along the way from outside the book sources, is something said in ballet) – each unexplained usage of the phrase jerked me out of the story (I mean, I know what it means when someone says to other ‘break a leg’, but merde?); (2) the book is a natural lovely organic story, near perfect in its way and . . . then an epilogue appeared that moved things from natural perfection to cutesy too perfect to breath perfection. Unfortunate that.

Regardless of these two issues, I found that the book is either the best I’ve read by Brayden or tied for first place. A very enjoyable book.

July 5 2016

Eye of the Beholder by Kim Pritekel

Eye of the Beholder
by Kim Pritekel
Pages/Words: 23,800 words
Date: 2008
Publisher: Self/Fanfiction (Xena)
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 18 2016

My first story by this author. Not my first time reading a short story off of the internet, not by a long shot (Tor.com has some lovely short stories on it, for one), though the first time I've attempted to read a story from 'Academy of Bards'. Where I found this story (actually, I found this story on xenafiction.net - it was 93rd perennial favorite in 2012).

Characters: Juliet Ross (model (ex?), businesswoman; super-bitch; 'the brunette', 'blue eyes', 35), Megan Oliver (Denver Post reporter, blind; 'the blonde', 'green eyes', 28 (if 'I've now been blind for exactly half my life' is to be taken literally))
Location: Denver, Manhattan
Time of Year: October to ~February
Weather: 'absolutely frigid' in October

The story involves Juliet Ross, bitchy ex? model, and Megan Oliver blind journalist.

Note 1: I immediately notice a difference between the description of the story and the actual story. As in, Juliet keeps being referred to as a former model in the various descriptions for this story. Yet the story opens with Juliet in a modeling session being photographed. I confused (doesn't help that there's this model session to open the story, then mention of 'Juliet the ex-model'; was she not being photographed in the beginning of the story? I might be confused. Somehow). Though the bitchy part is correct. She's a massive bitch (referring to the level of bitchness, though she is 'six feet in her stiletto heels').

And, for those who care about said things, Juliet has 'gorgeous blue eyes.' And she, Juliet, is apparently so gorgeous that her super angry/bitchy persona is not a deterance to continued work. The story bluntly makes note of this particular issue.

(Hmms. I just destroyed one or more paragraphs, not really sure what I had there. mmphs. Stupid computer). To try to recreate what I wrote, I believe I said something about how Megan, like the description of her, is in fact blind. So that, blindness of Megan, and bitchiness of Juliet are correct. Former model may or may not be correct (though there's a comment about how she was the tops for 10 years and is now something of a business woman; does not remove the fact that the story opened with her in a modeling session).

Then I had something about blonde hair. Like how bloody many times Megan's blonde hair is mentioned. Her own bloody brother refers to her, in his mind, as 'the blonde'. Seriously? Her brother thinks of her as 'the blonde?' For fuck sake. Then there was something in the deleted paragraphs about how sometimes the mention of the blonde part 'worked' with the story, other times not. Her blondeness probably gets referenced, oh, 800,000,000 times in this story (not really; though 'the blonde' sure is used a lot; for the record - Megan = 'the blonde', Juliet = 'blue eyes'). Oh, and Megan has green eyes. 'Damn shame they don't work' as the asshole boss of Megan's thinks to himself.

Interesting, I suppose, Megan's boss, Bill Carter, also has something of a point of view (actually, almost every character encountered has their own point of view inject themselves into the story). So that he can note that he hates people in general, but of all the reporters who have worked for him, Megan is his favorite. The interesting part being that Bill Carter (what, his full name gets repeated a few times) has his own point of view.

So, the story: Megan's boss wants Megan to do a story about Juliet Ross. And he doesn't want 'jack-off material', so he is sending his blind reporter. To get a different perspective, one angled more towards this (ex)model's brain. So, Megan does said story.

'Gathering his professionalism, he nodded and bade the Juliet a good night.' heh. 'the Juliet'. I bet there was a hair color there that got replaced with a name. But 'the' didn't get deleted. That or Juliet is now 'the Juliet'. heh.

Overal: Well-written (mostly, there were some missing letters here and there, like want got spelled as wan), enjoyable story. The overuse of 'the blonde' and 'blue eyes' was annoying, but . . . cliche. Sterotypical 'fanfiction', eh? Which is/was a pity, that overuse of those descriptive wording, as it made me take longer to realize just how much I rather enjoyed this story. Because I did. Enjoy it. A lot. Loved it, really.

Oh, and that 'illness-or-injury' is for both of the main characters. What with Juliet suffering from abuse, and Megan suffering from some injury which blinded her.

The story is listed as being 'original/uber'. I do not know what 'uber' means. I do know that this story has two characters who even I, who only ever saw brief flashes of the Xena show in passing, 'match up' with the two main women on Xena. The short blonde woman (Megan/Gabrielle), and the towering black/brunette haired woman (Juliet/Xena).

Quotes:
Megan to Juliet after getting tossed out before the interview could even properly begin:
"The world may think you’re some sort of visual goddess, but I have to tell you, Miss Ross, you’re the ugliest person I’ve ever met."

http://www.academyofbards.org/valentine14/2008/kp_eyeofthebeholder.html

June 19 2016

Building Blocks
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: Unknown
Date:
Publisher: Bumbling Bard Creations
Series: By Design (7th in series)

Review
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0
Read: May 13 to 15 2016

I've felt for a longish while that I'd love to read one of these books (well, not that one series I can't get into) by Armstrong in a full length book (more than 200+ pages at least).

Well . . .. There are three hour movies that feel like almost no time has passed when it's over. There are 90 minute movies that feel like days have gone by while it was playing. This book? I do not actually know how long this book was, since that information is oddly missing, but it felt more like a three hour movie that felt like it was taking days to complete.

Now there were moments when I was thinking that this would end up being another 5 star effort. Or 4 star. Or . . .. Well, that was before things kept being tacked on. Then again, I've felt two things before: a desire for the book to be over already (mostly in that third series); and that these stories seem to work better in shorter form. There's only so much lovey-dovey; we are such great people; emotional rollar-coasters; before my brain exits my body and visits the beach or something insane like that. Can you imagine? Sand gets into everything as it is, but if only my brain visited? I'd never get the sand out.

Despite my ramblings, there is a good-ish story here. Mostly. The whole 'evil Klein dude' story line has been building up and building up for a good long while now. And Candace was finally going to unleash herself. And . . . it all just kind of fizzled, really.

Zero Visibility by Georgia Beers

Zero Visibility
by Georgia Beers
Pages: 289
Date: February 24 2015
Publisher: Brisk Press
Series: None

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: May 12 to 13 2016

Just some quick thoughts - I loved the interaction of Emerson & Cassie . . up to the 23% mark when suddenly they got thrust aside for brand new point of view (Vanessa). And all the crap she brought to the story. I was horrified when she appeared, and feared the worst. I never grew to like her, care about her, or want to have anything with her story, but I got past my horror. As the story still mostly revolved around Emerson and Cassie.

Then some evil troll business man got a point of view. Then Mary, Etc. I, obviously personally, did not feel that their bits of story needed to be told from their point of view, and, to a certain extent, told at all. At least the parts told directly from their point of view. But still, story remained mostly focused on Emerson and Cassie.

I rather liked both of the main characters, and most of the side characters (with exceptions here and there – that Jonathan guy annoyed the hell out of me).

As I mentioned, I just had some quick thoughts I wanted to drop here in this box thingie. I liked the story. I liked most of the characters. There was a certain amount of angst and hair-pulling moments (and one moment wherein I had a ‘oh god, two single lesbians and suddenly there are kids thrust into the story-line?’ thought, though the kids, despite their initial gasp of horror from me, didn’t subtract from the enjoyment of the books (and added something)).

Right, as I said, just a few thoughts leaking from my mind.

May 13 2016

Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz

Trigger Mortis
by Anthony Horowitz
Pages: 310
Date: September 8 2015
Publisher: Harper
Series: James Bond

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 29 to 30 2016

This is something like my 51st or 52nd James Bond book I've read. But even so, I was reluctant to read this book. Several reasons - (1) I got the book for free, not normally an obstacle to my enjoyment, but why was this book, a James Bond book of recent vintage, free?; (2) it has been a rather long while since I read a Bond book; (3) the concept of Bond, his place in society, and his vaguely out-dated way with women had finally reached a breaking point years before I read this book. So . . . could I actually read this book here?

Well, attempt to read it I did. *shrugs* I mean, it was free, it was Bond, and I did have a challenge on GoodReads that would accept this book and so, I attempted it.

Unlike many of the non-Fleming Bond books, this one actually took place back in the time of Fleming's Bond - literally moments after the Goldfinger mission. The book actually opens up with him dealing with the aftermath of that mission (which includes having him have Pussy Galore in his apartment in London - because she needed to get away from the US authorities, the criminal element and stuff).

Goldfinger was released in 1959. I do not recall a date appearing in Trigger Mortis, but since the story takes place immediately after Goldfinger, I assume that the events taking place have to have occurred some time around 1959. There is mention of Eisenhower as the president, and mention of the Republicans in power, so 1959 works.

While dealing with the weird situation of actually having a woman in his apartment (he tries to keep his spy life separate from his London life), Bond is contacted by his superiors. Asked about his driving abilities. Apparently the Soviets have built a race car and they are going to be racing at a specific race track. One that has already claimed [insert some high number here] deaths.

All well and good, of course, but . . . SMERSH is involved. And they have apparently targeted the English race driver - the favorite in the race. So, the book turns to having Bond train to drive a race car (actually, retrain since he had apparently had some practice at that in the past). He is going to go undercover as some rich guy buying his way into the race, which apparently happens. He is going to use the lovely cover name of 'James Bond'. As an aside, this is one of the reasons I kind of always assumed Bond itself was a cover name - who the hell goes around and tells everyone asking his name 'Bond, James Bond' unless he's using the name itself as part of his cover? Both in terms of it not actually being his real name, and in terms of that's a name well-known in spy circles, with a rather big elite reputation. But, I'm getting off track here.

The car training/racing scenes were quite fun. Not a large part of the book, but still exciting. Then the story turns to the after-party for the car racers and hangers-on. Some action in a castle, meeting a woman there, stuff happens. Spy stuff, I mean.

The spy stuff there lead to spy stuff taking place in the USA directly connected to the USA space program. And a plan by enemies of the USA to impact the USA space program. Some exciting scenes here as well - in Virginia and New York. Mostly.

I was on edge throughout most of the book, tittering on the edge of 'is he going to do something now? Now? Now? To piss me off with his cave-man 'me-man, you-woman, obviously want to hump me' ways. But there were some surprises along the way. Some of which I doubt would have actually appeared in a book released in 1959/1960 (some elements of it, just not the full bits). Like how a woman Bond was eyeing, dodges his advances, and goes off with another woman. In a Bond book. And he didn't immediately rape her (sorry, overpower her) and show her what she was missing - man-wise (like, say, in most of his encounters with women - there's even a scene, the after party for the car racers, where Bond looks around in disdain. All the women were purring and eager for action. Bond turned his nose up at them - he needs a challenge, to overpower. Which goes along with Bond's character as shown in other works - like that one specific woman in a film who eagerly bounced around him and tried to hump him at every opportunity, and Bond kept kicking her away).

The action was interesting. The characters and events were 'Bond' like. Bond himself . . . hmms. I was thinking at the time that Bond was feeling vaguely off for some reason. As if someone in about 2014 or 2015 had the task of writing a Bond book, set back in the 'bad old days' aka Fleming's macho man days, while also knowing that they were writing a book to be released today. There's this vague vibe of 'need to show him looking macho, but not piss people off' type of vibe. That, actually, made Bond look less Bond like than he should have. But, whatever.

Good book. I enjoyed it.

April 30 2016

Keystone by Bridget Balentine

Keystone
by Bridget Balentine
Pages: 179
Date: February 28 2016
Publisher: Self
Series: Dreams and Dreamers (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: March 21 to 22 2016

The third book in this series and third book I’ve read by this author.

It’s been a while since I read the first two parts of this series, so I’m just going to assume that the second book ended in a cliff-hanger – based on how this specific chapter in the story opened. Actually, let me just look at what I wrote for the previous book. Won’t take me two seconds. Be back in a jiffy.

Ah, hehe. I wondered what was up with the many occasions when Josie talked to herself inside of (). Reminded me a little too much like I was reading Jim Gaffigan, but without the humor. As in:

I really like cheese . . . (Is he going to spend the next hour talking about cheese? I came here to listen to humor! He better not talk about cheese for too long or I’ll I’ll . . leave! *both parts spoken by Gaffigan, second part spoken as if he was giving a very bad impression of attempting to do a fake woman’s voice)

At first I thought that () stuff was because Josie’s sections, at least in the first part, were flashback scenes. And I thought the () was ‘current’ comments she was making while the scenes unfolded. But that () continued in the second part when Josie’s scenes leapt to present day. – I say, getting back to my prior thought that I had been wondering about that () -> I see from my review of the last book that the prior book used heavy italics to convey flashbacks. Well, this time there isn’t heavy use of italics, which I’m happy about. The () was weird, but much more livable than heavy use of italics.

Okay, finally got to what I was looking for – yeah, the second part ended abruptly. As I kind of assumed. The second part ended with Sabrina about to go to a party hosted by her ‘semester abroad’ mentor/teacher but in a certain amount of distress because she just had a fight with the, literally, love of her life (or, in other words, the woman she has loved her whole life, even if the other never really noticed her). This third part opens with that still to be resolved.

Sabrina’s been kicked out by Josie, and must find some hotel room to inhabit until the party. And to change into. We read this from Sabrina’s point of view. Josie’s point of view? At least in the first part, she’s stuck in the past (and that’s one of the reasons I was really confused when the book opened, because the book doesn’t actually open with a continuation of the prior story, but opens in a flashback – Josie flashing back to her time living with her bitchy, alcoholic abusive mother).

Right, so. This is not a work that can be read on its own. I mean that both in terms of this specific book here, and probably, to a certain extent, to this series. It’s probably easier to ‘take’ if read all in a row. Wasn’t possible, for me, since the second part was read by me in November of 2015, and the third part didn’t come out until Feb 28 2016.

The story follows Sabrina in the present as she tries to get over the very brief and abruptly ending affair she had with the woman she has always fancied, Josie. While also having to put on a brave face and go mingle at that previously mentioned party hosted by Tobin, Sabrina’s ‘semester abroad’ teacher/mentor.

Meanwhile, Josie’s in the past reliving, or flashing back, to living with her dreadful horrible mother. And not being able to cut the ties. Not being able to get over her disappointment. Somewhat easier to ‘get/understand/accept’ when the reader adds to the ‘that’s my mother’ aspect the part where she had given her dying father the promise that she will attempt to watch over her mother.

Sabrina needs some time to collect her thoughts, but her sister, Lilly, keeps hammering her with texts. Apparently Lilly needs Sabrina to call their mother. So Sabrina does. And learns of an issue that Josie needs to address, and an issue better expressed face to face. So, Sabrina must face Josie. Only to find her looking horrible, and all the workers at Sass, Josie’s restaurant, giving Sabrina evil looks. Sabrina hurriedly conveys the message that she was tasked with delivering and flees.

Sabrina’s relationship appears to be over, but her career is just starting so she must go to the party. Which I express in this way, because Sabrina learns at the party that part of Josie’s ‘problems’ involves being forced out of her job – Josie has a rotten mother she has to deal with (that’s the issue that Sabrina had to give a message about, face to face), a broken relationship, and a wrecked career.

Sabrina figures out that she needs to be more of a friend than a disgruntled positional/former/future lover and goes to try to give comfort to Josie. I mention all of this story so I can finally get to the part wherein they decide, based on a suggestion by Sabrina, that the thing to do is to drive cross country from New York to Colorado so that Josie can both deal with the issue with her mother, and give herself time to address her problems with Sass the restaurant.

I believe that it might have been around here when the two points of view both shift into the present, for the most part. Though, it might also have been point wherein Sabrina kind of took over more of the book – with Josie’s sections being fewer and further in between.

Right, so, that isn’t the whole of the book by any means, but something of it. A relationship in turmoil, a career beginning/ending, etc. etc. Overall quite good story.

One thing to note, something of a warning I guess since some people care more about this issue that I normally do – there are certain . . . formatting issues? Something like that. Wherein words are missing. Letters are missing (as in, using pass when mean to use passed). 99% of the time I just let the issue flow past me, and do not add or subtract any ‘points’ because of the issue.
One example, though not the one I was going to use (the one I was going to use apparently is refusing to be found by me):

She heard the muffled sound of her mother talking other voices in the background and cringed because Josie definitely wasn’t going to be up for all the residents of Castle Rock to want to stop by and see her as though she were an exhibit on loan from a New York City Zoo

. (not the best example, but one that I can find, insert, and move on from).

March 22 2016

Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden

Waiting in the Wings
by Melissa Brayden
Pages: 288
Date: September 25 2013
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: February 25 to 26 2016


For one reason or another I either ramble/babble or 'leave a few notes' in Brayden books I've read. This'll be one of those 'leave a few notes' thingies.

This is a good solid book about two actresses/singers/dancers in the entertainment industry. A much better book than that other entertainment industry book featuring lesbians I read the other day by a different author.

Jenna McGovern is both the lead character and the only character with their point of view being expressed. She's something l like 24 when the book opens (based on a comment somewhere about her being 27, after a '3 years later' note), and just graduated from 'one of the most prestigious musical theater programs in the nation.' Her path to fame and fortune goes a rather unexpected path. She graduates, gets a call to go to an audition, and not only does she get the part, she gets a part she didn't even know she was applying for (instead of an ensemble role, she's going to be one of the main characters for the stage musical). A completely abnormal career path. Most struggle at least a little bit before some form of success. The only way she could have succeeded more is if she had gotten this role for the Broadway stage, not for the touring company of a Broadway show (that or be cast as the headliner, but that'd be going a step too far).

As they say, lucky in cards, unlucky in love. Well, acting isn't cards, and she isn't unlucky in love. For she, right out of the gate - so to speak, meets the love of her life (potentially, hey, she really dug her when she saw her on that teen show, so . . .) in the form of her costar and the lead of the show - Adrienne Kenyon. Adrienne & Jenna hit it off. Both (or was it just Adrienne? Oh, right, it was, because Jenna was disappointed when Adrienne used the phrase) wanted something more causal. Neither, though, could suppress the feelings their togetherness created. So, feelings started up.

Life is grand. Good role in a play. Lover. Friends. The only tough spot is that Jenna doesn't get along with Adrienne's friend (and ex) Sienna. But hey, that's okay. Life can't be all roses and puppy kisses. Then the book ended with no problems or issues.

Yeah. Right. This is where that 'lucky in [insert thing here]' 'unlucky in [insert thing here]' fits in.

Adrienne and Jenna are first separated for months when Adrienne is kicked off the show. What, she busted her knee (I believe the actual damage was a torn ACL or something like that) and it’s a song and dance show. If she can’t dance, she’s not needed. So, the two lovers are separated by many miles. But they try to keep up their relationship. Jenna continues on tour. Adrienne rehabilitates her knee. Time passes. They know they’ll be together again soon, for they have plans to live in New York (not necessarily in the same place, but both in New York) when the play ends.

Then Jenna gets a great job offer in Los Angeles. She’s torn. What should she do?

I’ve forgotten what the point of me doing a recap of the plot was for. I know there was a reason. And this appeared to be a good breaking off point. But now I don’t remember what my original point in doing that was. Hmms. Well, I’ll just pretend I know, and did whatever I wanted to do next, and then move on to:

So, Adrienne Kenyon is a big deal in this book. Former teen star (on a television show). Current stage star. Doesn’t have her own point of view in this book, though, so all of her thoughts and feelings have to be interpreted and revealed through others. Well, through Jenna, since she’s the one whose point of view appears. For the most part, I was okay with that issue – that one POV thingie. There was only one occasion I really wanted to be inside Adrienne’s head, but I suppose I, after all has been read, know why she made the decisions she did at the time she made them. I’m being vague on purpose.

A good solid book. Mostly good solid plot. Romance part had a few issues here or there. I actually liked Adrienne and Jenna. And the story. And stuff. So, why only 4 stars? Well, I didn’t love it so . . ..

February 26 2016

Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich

Fortunate Sum
by M. Ullrich
Pages: 240
Published Date: March 15 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: N/A

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: February 8 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair review.*

My first book by this author.

A lesbian romance involving two women with ‘baggage’, damaged as they have been by life. Catherine was damaged by a bad relationship when she was in college, one so bad that she doesn’t want to date women any longer; while Imogene has been damaged by 9/11 (during which event her father died); damaged so badly that, among other things, she can’t ‘return to the city’.

Characters
This book follows two main characters (and occasionally hops over to another to see a scene neither would have been able to see).

Catherine Carter is a financial advisor who works in lower Manhattan in New York. Lives in Hoboken New Jersey. She is something like 4 months, give or take a few months, from turning 30. She had a list of things she wanted to do before she turned 30 and feels like she hasn’t fulfilled her self-imposed obligations. While she is very successful in her job, it isn’t one her father wanted her to do (which, apparently, is important). Father wanted her to be a lawyer. That fact that his two sons, older brothers of Catherine, joined him didn’t seem to lesson father’s disappointment.

Catherine is a work-a-holic but needs to be checking off those things left to check off. For the most part, all she has left to check off is ‘family’ or ‘a warm body to share her bed’ or something like that. So, she’s looking for a man.

Looking for a man? How can she be doing that, I can hear some lesfic readers asking (while others might be giddy with happiness/or groaning in despair). It’s a straight woman-lesbian woman romance? Well, no, not exactly. It’s a ‘woman was badly damaged from a relationship with a woman, and while she feels nothing for men, prefers to not have her heart further damaged so looks to men to find happiness’ type of story.
Connected to Catherine: Alice and Alice’s husband. Best friends of Catherine’s. Alice and her husband are friends with . . um, Will is it? Well, with Sophie’s husband. Sophie is best friends with Imogene.

Imogene Harris is a shop owner in Hoboken New Jersey. As she is the one described as having blue eyes, while the other woman is described as having dark eyes (two different colors are mentioned, if I recall correctly, both are basically brownish in color), I assume that she is the one on the cover of the book. There’s nothing about that half-head that I’d say couldn’t match up with Imogene.
Connected to Imogene Sophie the psychic and her husband. Vixen the cat.

Romance
Imogene and Catherine spend most of the book circling each other. With Imogene assuming Catherine is straight (well, she mentioned preferring men). While Catherine found Imogene quite . . . um . . . interesting.

There was a nice slow build up of their relationship occurring when things spiraled into ‘relationship troubles’ when a specific plot twist occurred. You’d think that a woman who doesn’t think she can be with a woman again, because she wants to protect her heart, mixed with a woman who thinks she might be falling for a straight woman, would be enough of a relationship burden, but no.

Sex
Yes, there is graphic sex that takes place in this book. I made comment once about how I keep reading these types of scenes while on trains. Well, for once that didn’t occur. It was interesting and likable sex. As I tend to say, that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.

Plot
Through a friend of a friend, Imogene Harris is hooked up with Catherine Carter. No, not on a blind date or the like, but as a financial advisor. The book, see, opens with Imogene having this inheritance that she ‘needs to take care of’ from her grandfather. And, through a network of friends, she is advised to contact Catherine Carter – a high rising financial advisor in New York city.

I’m not sure if it is supposed to be a coincidence or not that Catherine and Imogene happen to live something like three blocks from each other (okay, probably not that close, but it seems that way when their movements are described). Considering how the two were matched up, it probably isn’t a coincidence. I mean, it was a friend of a friend type deal. Friends who all happen to live in Hoboken. On the other hand, Catherine works in New York, and it is quite easy to see her being friends with someone who also works in New York, but lives in New Jersey. So *shrugs*, let’s just leave it as everyone happens to live in the same city in New Jersey.

Right, so, Catherine and Imogene meet at a party for Catherine’s friend – a birthday party. During which the entertainer happens to be a psychic. This is important on several levels. Firstly – Catherine, while talking to a stranger at said part, both of whom appear to be getting on quite well, makes some kind of comment or another indicating that psychics are stupid. Or something like that. The psychic, seemingly right then and there, calls her assistant to stand up to help her. That assistant being Imogene. So, Imogene and Catherine meet bad. Well, good, then foot-in-mouth bad. Secondly – the psychic is Sophie, Imogene’s best friend. Thirdly, despite believing that it would be a bad idea, Catherine can’t seem to stop herself from relatively continuously dropping in on Sophie the psychic for some psychic help.

So, Catherine helps Imogene with her finances. While also looking for ‘her man’, and being guided by the tiny drops dripped from the psychic (blue; 11; etc). Imogene, meanwhile, is finding herself getting more and more intrigued by this Catherine.

Then . . . plot twist! Someone from the past turns up. And twists the plot, and stuff.

Setting/Location
The story takes place in Hoboken New Jersey and lower Manhattan New York. For the most part, the stuff that occurs in NY could have occurred in any high rise (at least in terms of descriptions given). I’ve no clue if the Hoboken described in the book corresponds to the one in real life, but I did get a good sense that I was in a city, bouncing around during a snow storm between apartments, and a store.

Overall
There are certain things that kind of are off-putting to me. Things that I don’t want to read. Teacher/student relationships (depending on all parties involved, including age and like, I’m not deeply opposed to the idea, just . . . not while the student is a current student of the teacher); and cheating. There’s a flare of both in this story. Yay?

Up to about 62%, or thereabouts, I was considering what I had read up to that point. How I was reacting to it, how good or bad it was and came to the conclusion that I really really enjoyed everything. A well written story with well characterized people (mostly Imogene and Catherine). Then a plot twist occurred. The kind that deeply annoyed me. Well, potentially could have. It’s the type of plot twist I’ve seen before (oddly, or not, the last time I saw this specific plot twist, I think, was in another book that included teacher/student relations).

The book started off with me rather liking Catherine, and, to a certain extent, less liking Imogene. Not disliking, just that she hadn’t ‘grown’ on me. Then, somewhere along the way, I came to really like Imogene and . . . kind of dislike Catherine. But, meh, that’s life.

By the end of the book, I could say that I liked the characters but not really the story. For the most part. Except even at the end Catherine irritated me. “It feels good to have something they don’t” she says at one point, immediately followed by “They don’t know what it’s like to truly be in love.” Seriously? What kind of bitch is she? She ‘feels good’ that her brothers don’t know what it’s like to ‘truly be in love’? Really? WTF? What the fuck did the brothers do to her that she feels easy to make such a comment? To be glad that they don’t have true love? That annoys me.

Regardless, I grew to feel I knew both women, Imogene and Catherine, and mostly liked both of them. Giving the side eye, as I do, to Catherine, listing her on a ‘tentatively like’ list.

February 8 2016

Ready or Not by Melissa Brayden

Ready or Not
by Melissa Brayden
Pages: 240
Published Date: November 16 2015
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Soho Loft (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: February 5 2016

I'll probably not actually get around to writing much about this book, but figured there were certain things to note.

1 -- Third book in the series, final book, and third book I've given 5 stars to. First one that went a specific direction that I'm more used to, in the sense that the first two were books I really liked all the way up to a certain point, then got really annoyed at, then in the end thought there were still worth at least 5 stars. This one went my more usual pattern - reading along, enjoying everything, but thinking I was reading something that would probably get rated 4 stars when everything was said and done. Then pulling itself up to the five star mark by the time it was done (though not literally, the rating is unrelated to the epilogue).

2 -- The neon blinking foreshadowing moments mostly both appeared, something of a Brayden trademark by this point, and flowed the way I expected. Mostly. The twin thing was a lot more muted than I expected -- a scene kind of what I expected occurred, Mallory bumped into the twin, thought it was Hope, got all pissed off and . . . then things went different than expected - the resolution was a lot smoother and quicker than normal, and quite frankly a lot more enjoyable; the issues involving Dominic went the way I expected; I'm sure there were foreshadowing moments involving Sophie (other than that 'she's from rich people, why's she working here', I didn't see any), but I didn't see her contribution to conflict before it happened; the issue with Mallory's family also came without my prior knowledge it would occur).

3 -- This might have been the first one, if I recall correctly, which involved both women's families. And I'll stop here to make note that by family I'm referring specifically to the biological family, not any other use of the word family. I didn't even realize Jessica had a family until the epilogue of this book here. Or, for that matter, that Samantha did either. No, the first book was about Brooklyn's family. If Jessica's family was mentioned at all in that first book, I completely overlooked it. And, again, the second book focused on only one of the couple's families - there the focus was on Hunter's family. By this point, the only thing I know about Samantha's family is that her dad likes Monday Night Football. That's it, sum total of what I know about Samantha's family (that and that her parents are still married to each other). This third book involved both Mallory's family, and Hope's -- though different parts of them. Mostly Mallory's parents (though some siblings popped up to say things like 'I'm going to go check my stocks'); and mostly Hope's sister (though mention occurred of a mother, and an uncle).

4 -- I suppose I'll add one last thing: Brent appears yet again in this book; Jessica seemed to have even less lines in this book than in the previous, though her role, to a certain extent, was 'larger' in a certain specific way in this book than in the previous. Ashton had maybe a page or two, less than previous book, and much less than the first book in this series.

Hope's side of things brought in a sister - Kara, and bar staff. Teddy the dependable, and Sophie the klutzy rich girl.

By this third book, the wonder and joy that is Brooklyn has been mostly overshadowed by everyone else. And her contributions seemed to consist of scenes like 'can't you see I'm staring at the grey spot? I'm working', being bubbly, and being the reason for the first midnight chocolate party (I think it was the first one that occurred in this book). Jessica, already mentioned but I'll add this part here, had even less to do than Brooklyn.

To a limited extent, Hunter had a larger role than Brooklyn - since she was friends with Hope before anyone else was, so there were some extra reason for Hunter to maintain some more 'lines'. I'm trying to remember if Sam was in this book beyond 'I've got donuts!; *kissing scenes with Hunter; banter scenes with Hunter; mention of her father then being told to just sit in the corner and let everyone else talk because her perfect family has no baring on this conversation*'. Was Samantha in this book, really? If this was a tv episode, her lines would probably have added up to about 2 to 3 minutes (if that) of screen time in an hour long program (admittedly her on screen time would be more, I'm referring to spoken lines for the 2 to 3 minutes), while her importance to the plot, on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being mostly unimportant to 10 being the plot could not have existed without her, she's probably at about a 0.5 importance. Using that same scale, I'd put Hunter at . . . oh, 4.5.

I'm not going to go through the scale with everyone else, though will note that I believe there might have been, and I stress the word 'might', more time spent inside of Mallory's head than in Hope's.

Right, so. Loved the book. Series is over. Time to move on with my life. Somehow.

February 5 2016

Just Three Words by Melissa Brayden

Just Three Words
by Melissa Brayden
Pages: 264
Date: April 20 2015
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Soho Loft (2nd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.75 out of 5.0
Read: February 3 to February 4 2016

Right, I should probably actually get around to rating and reviewing this book. Though I kind of don't want to do so.

The thing that I had mentioned in my review for the previous book in this series? About being reluctant to dive into this series because everyone and their pet donkey absolutely loved these books? And I didn't want to be the late comer who comes, reads, and finds everything wrong/negative/bad. Was self-conscious about that. Well, I read the first book in this series and, while there were issues I had with it, I still loved the book. So, naturally I started . . . a book in a different series. Another one I kind of feared actually reading since so many seems to love the series. There, though, I found myself loathing the main characters. So, I've kind of put that book on the back burner. I'll probably read and finish it eventually.

So, I dove into the second book in this series, this book here. Had been reluctant when I noticed, from the description, that the main coupling here would involve Hunter and Sam - two long term friends and business partners.

Rereading what I've written up to this point and I messed up, eh? I had meant to reference my reluctance to read the books in this series, mention that I loved the first book in the series, then mention that some of my fear was found to come true with this book here. The book that people I'm friends with and/or follow gave a higher average rating to than the previous book.

Well, enough of that --

This book involves Hunter, the ad agency's graphic artist, and Sam, the ad agency's accountant. Being that this is a book that involves a group of friends, and an advertising agency, the people from the prior book, for the most part, also pop up in this one. Even Brent (though less so this time around), Jessica's assistant. Jessica had a much smaller role in this book, and was almost not in it. Ashton had roughly the same amount of page time as Jessica in this book, though only because she got hired, at some point in the process, as an intern. Brooklyn had a larger role than Jessica or Ashton, but a much reduced one from the previous book. Mal, the fourth friend in the four friend group, had about the same amount of pages this time as in the first book.

I was going to dive into this book immediately after finishing the first in the series, but stopped myself because of the fact that it involved Hunter and Sam. Seemed a tiny bit incestuous. Not that they were sisters or anything like that, but they kind of love each other like that, right? No? Maybe not. Well, anyway, that's why I dove into a different book before moving to this one when that one tanked.

And the reason why I didn't want to dive immediately in this book is one of the main problem areas for the coupling/romance here. As in, they are friends, and business partners, they don't want to ruin either their friendship or their company/ad agency. So, every time they are offered a choice, they take the path that seems more inclined to safe-guard the friendship/business while also likely to be adverse to a successful relationship.

This is a two person point of view book. Hunter and Sam. I know there are people who like to include rants about books that are first person books, that have just one point of view (which is not necessarily the same thing as a first person book), but sometimes that is a better solution. Largely, a two person point of view book worked better in this situation. Largely. Because both of their lives/back stories/emotions/etc. was needed - more, at least, than can be gotten if only one of their point of views was present. It did cause me to wish to never read another romance again, though. Because, at some point, the book broke down into something like this:

*scene opens during a thunderstorm. Night, late night. A woman jerks awake as thunder booms. She blinks. Licks her lips. Her lips are dry. She licks them again. Shrugs, gets up, and heads to the kitchen. She then spots another person there. The woman is kind of awestruck by the vision before her. Unable to control themselves, they press their lips into the other persons. Thunder booms. Lightening lights up the apartment.*
External chatter:
Person 1: whaaa
Person 2: ... *person two, the kisser, then turns and returns to their room*

*next day, kitchen at work*
External chatter:
Person 1: what happened last night? What was that about?
Person 2: I couldn't stop myself. *internal chatter acquired via POV: I wish to continue kissing you until the sun implodes* We . . . we shouldn't do it again, right? *internal: please want to do it again*
Person 1: aaah . . *swallows; internal chatter acquired via POV2: yes, let's, kiss me, please . . nooo, it will ruin everything!!!* aaah . not again . never again.
Person 2: Right. Um. Right. *Internal: crap*
Person 1: back to work. *grins weakly. *internal: crap*

*scene 2: apartment*
Person 1: I just can't keep myself off of you! . . um . . sex with benefits? I mean friends with benefits? No strings? *internal: please want strings. I wish to hump you until the end of time*
Person 2: Ahh, I don't . . know if ahh . . *swallows* ookay. Right. Friends with benefits. No strings. *internal: darn, well, she can't be any other way. Not built for relationships. I want to hump her until the end of time, oh well.*

Repeat these scenes six hundred more times. Well, not specifically kissing and humping. But the conversations and the internal desires being hidden.

Oh, and Brayden, in these two books I've read, seems to like to have big flashing blinking lights foreshadowing conflict points. Happened in first book. Happened in this one. I knew exactly what was going to happen because of that foreshadow point in the first book. I kind of had a 'um, that's not good' kind of reaction this time, but my brain didn't follow to the logical conflict point that would result from this foreshadowing (one of the characters telling Brooklyn that they might really like someone, then slipping in a name of some other person, not the person they wish to hump until the end of time; Brooklyn then revealing this information in a way that causes conflict and confusion – accidentally not on purpose).

Also like in the first book, friends, family, business, etc. play big parts in this book here. The family that matters specifically in this one is Hunter's. Hunter and her great relationship with her mother, and horrible relationship with her father; plus there is a straight sister, and a younger brother in the mix as well.

There are some important, very important need to know, plot points that I could mention, but I do not feel up for it.

This is another book that I felt would end up highly rated, by me. I thought the first book was heading towards me creating a brand new top level shelf just to place that book on it (a 6 star shelf), only to have the book annoy me at a specific point. With that information presented - this one felt like it was a much better book than the previous . . . until a specific point that occurred much earlier in percentage terms. From something like 60% to 70% I was seriously considering putting the book on a DNF shelf; burning all my romance books; deleting all my digital romance books; never reading another romance book ever again.

I said something in my status updates that relates to the issue. It was around midnight and I worded things badly. I know women are stereotyped as being chatters, as being more open with emotions and feelings than, say, men (while women also - from the male perspective, saying things like 'you know why I'm angry. I shouldn't have to say why'). That doesn't mean that lack of communication/miscommunication doesn't happen between two women. It can and does happen. I'm just tired of it being a major plot point in romance books. My status update made some kind of comment, something like 'I moved from MF to FF because I wanted to try to get away from this failure to communicate (because men are fucking morons, right?)'. What I didn't mention at the time is one simple fact. Lack of communication? Miscommunication? Is something I've run into a lot more often in lesbian books than in non-lesbian books. Actually, I could probably just say LGBT books, as I've also run into it more often in FF as well as MM books. More often than in MF books.

But, alas, I managed to finish the book. And need to find some method of rating. I can’t just leave it unrated. It’s confusing. I’m both inclined to rate this book 2 stars. And inclined to rate it 5. And no, I have no desire to merge the two together, take an average, and rate the book 3.5 stars. No, this is not a 3.5 star book. It’s either a 2 star book, or a 5 star book. Maybe I should flip a coin. Okay, I flipped a coin. 2 times it landed tails (2 stars), 1 time it landed heads (5 stars). Therefore, and naturally, that means I rate this book something. Hmm, flipped the three coins one more time each. 2 heads, 1 tails. Meaning 3 and 3. Luck is no help!

February 4 2016

Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden

Kiss the Girl
by Melissa Brayden
Pages: 314
Date: July 13 2014
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Soho Loft (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 4.75 out of 5.0
Read: February 2 2016

There are something like a million and one (or 14 to 78) brilliant reviews here. I'm not going to be adding much new to the discussion at this point.

This book is the first book I've read by this author. I was 'pushed' into reading this book because of a group I am in that is currently running a 'pick it' group challenge.

I had been putting off this book because everyone and their pet donkey just absolutely loves this book. And I didn't want to go in, after everyone else, pick at it and go . . . you know what? I don't really like this here. Yes, I felt self conscious.

The book involves Brooklyn Campbell, Hunter something or other, Samantha, and Mallory who jointly run an advertising agency in New York City. They meet in college and they are roughly around the age of 28 (though I believe the prologue indicated some were older than Brooklyn). Brooklyn is the main point of view for this set of friends. Brooklyn was put up for adoption when she was a baby and went in and out of various foster homes until, at some point, she ended her 'tour' in a group home and aged out of the system at 18.

The second group of people this book involves is Jessica Lennox and . . . um, she's friends with her assistant Brent. And is friendly her teenage neighbor Ashton. Lennox is a hard charging head of an advertising agency that she started long ago. It is also located in New York City. Lennox is described as being a bitchy, ball busting, 'get my way or I'll cut you' type of person. Oh, and she might be married to a billionaire who helps her find business. Most of this is based on rumors and nothing but rumors. Lennox, though, likes how the rumors help her in business, so does nothing to 'set people right' and 'fix' her image. I'm using Lennox on purpose, instead of Jessica (or Jess). Because I'm mostly referring to her business persona. Jessica/Jess, though, is nothing like what others see her as being. Oh, and Jessica is really really old...er than Brooklyn. 10 years older. 38. Or, in other words, younger than me.

Before I move on - I rather like both Jessica and Brooklyn.

Okay then. Brooklyn is having a rotten day - pulled over and ticketed for speeding, her car is towed, her heel on her favorite shoes break, and, to top it off, her birth mother has offered contact information through an organization that does stuff like that (Brooklyn had signed up with them when she was 18, i.e., 10 years ago). Gazing around in despair, she contemplates what to do with herself. Spots a neat looking place across the street from a print shop (there's a reason why she is there; oh - and the print shop line was super long - to add to her woes).

Brooklyn enters this lovely looking place. Walks right up to the bar and . . . realizes her purse is in her car (which just got towed away, remember). She kind of whimpers.

Jessica has had a tough day. She decides to do two things she rarely ever does - step out earlish from work, and go home. No the go home isn't the second thing. The second thing is to step into this neat little bar that is near her home. As she sits there looking around kind of happy she decided to step in, she spots a rather attractive woman step in. And overhears her exchange with the bartender (um, I forgot to mention that, Brooklyn's 'realization' about her purse took place out loud). Jessica offers to pay for Brooklyn's drink.

Brooklyn is reluctant but eventually agrees. Jessica introduces herself as Jessica . . . Jess. But without a last name, and makes a game of not saying what her job is (well, one of them do, I forget which one started the game of Brooklyn guessing Jess' job). Both have a fabulous time. It ends with Jessica acquiring Brooklyn's number, and giving a brief kiss. Which expands into a really passionate kiss. The kind that makes your toes curl and your hair stand up straight (or whatever it is that happens). They part.

Jessica and Brooklyn meet again, as someone who read the beginning of this review might suspect, when both turn up for an advertising job. Jessica Lennox is quite well known to Brooklyn's ad agency, but Brooklyn doesn't normally go on calls (and therefore doesn't know what Jessica Lennox, professional ball crusher, looks like). Plus, Jess never gave her last name. Jessica leaves a conference room. Brooklyn spots her. They gaze at each other. Brooklyn is now flustered and somewhat messes up her first ever attempt to talk to clients in a client meeting.

Jess texts Brooklyn. They kind of flirt by text.

The 'Cinderalla kiss' is mentioned by Brooklyn to her coworkers (well, it was mentioned, I forget the sequence now). The idea of having any kind of relationship, friend/romantic or otherwise, with someone like Jessica Lennox is roundly booed by everyone of Brooklyn's friends. Brooklyn kind of agrees with them.

Time passes. The Foster account is fought over by both Brooklyn and Lennox's ad agencies.

Eventually Brooklyn uses that contact number she got for her birth mother. Eventually her relationship with Jess advances . . . somewhat. Meanwhile Ashton, the teenage next door neighbor of Jessica's, is having a rotten time with her alcoholic mother - Jessica tries to help.

There's a really intense scene in a stuck elevator between Jessica and Brooklyn (which occurred, I believe, actually before Brooklyn attempts to contact her mother; it's not related, I'm just fixing the chronology I messed up in my review).

At some point, while reading this book, I was seriously contemplating making a brand new shelf. I would call this shelf something like '6 star books'. Then put this book on said shelf. Because this was, in fact, a really really good book. Until it wasn't.

The 'it wasn't' part occurred when a specific incident occurred. And I could immediately foretell what would then happen next. And everything unfolded almost exactly as I thought it would. About 99.9% exactly like I thought it would. To be fair, everything that happened? Did not seem like a contrived little thing to add to the book to add tension/drama/and conflict. It did, in fact, seem like a natural extension of the book (which is also why I knew immediately what would happen after the fact, and was 99% correct - because everything flowed naturally). Well damn. I was going to pinpoint the 'incident' at the beginning. Ah well. It was when Brooklyn visited Jessica. At her office. A bag may or may not be involved. I'm trying to be vague for those who haven't read the book, while giving enough for those who have to know what I'm referring to. *inserts spoiler tags*

The book was filled with a ton of tension/drama/etc. based on intergroup dynamics involving the Campbell friend group and their reaction to Brooklyn-Jessica link up; the ad agency competition; the drama over the birth family; and, most specifically of importance for a romance - relationship tension (both because of that issue of Brooklyn's friends not liking Jessica; being rivals; Brooklyn having commitment and trust issues; having to take things slow; etc.). So, tacking on an extra layer, even if a natural development for the book, seemed like a layer too many.

Oh, and, you know (those who have read my reviews before), how I recently made a comment on another book recently read about how it contained that cliche of 'I'm a powerful woman. I'm giving up control and submitting to another woman. I think I like it'? That cliche, once again, turned up in this book. And yes, it once again pulled me from the story. Though I just kind of laughed and dove back in. See, this was when I still thought of this as a six star book, and that specific scene neither increased nor decreased the overall score given to this book. (Though, I also admit (did I admit anything previously, dang it, I don't want ot reread my own review), Brayden handled that scene brilliantly).

So, for these and other reasons, I cannot break open a brand new 6 star shelf and shove this book onto it. Nor, in good conscious can I add this to my super duper and special 5.5 star shelf. I have currently placed it on no specific star shelf. Though I've currently rated it 4.75 stars. I am contemplating which shelf to add this book to. 3.5? Probably not. 4? Maybe. 4.5? Perhaps. And, surprising, I know, I still have a strong desire to put this on my five star shelf

February 3 2016