So, I wrote my AMAZON review (copied at the bottom of this write-up) before I was quite finished with the book- I thought I knew exactly where it was So, I wrote my AMAZON review (copied at the bottom of this write-up) before I was quite finished with the book- I thought I knew exactly where it was going.
HOLY FREAKING CRAP.
THAT ENDING. THAT ENDING. THAT ENDING!!!
Go read it now.
Why are you still reading my review??
GO FREAKING READ THE BOOK!
Amazon review: The duo of Jesse and Laney is the sort of love that becomes legendary. They have backgrounds that betray them from the beginning, memories they make that are angst-filled and poisonous, bodies that call to one another, even when they shouldn’t. And yet, despite all the shit going against them, they find a way to love each other so fiercely that the world could come crashing down around them and they wouldn’t care. Not at all. They’d just rebuild to keep their love alive.
Club life isn’t for the faint of heart, from either a member or an Old Lady’s perspective. Joining together, becoming ‘property’ or ‘owner of said property’ takes trust, complete and without reservation trust. There are times when I root for Jess and Laney to become a true couple, the kind that could survive the club and survive its rules, and other times I wonder if they’d not be better off truly going their separate ways, not ever getting back together in present day.
You get a real picture of what happened then and what is happening now; you see the growth each of them have experienced whilst apart, you see the scars and how they’ve healed- misshapen and not forgotten.
Legendary love though.
That’s not something to be denied. So, for better or worse, for club life or club death, Laney and Jesse end up back together. And this brings blood and pain and grief.
But then it brings life back, in so many ways. Legendary love- the kind that ends on the emotion that even happiness can be laced with darkness. A darkness that stitches up the wounds and fills up the empty bits....more
While this isn’t my normal type of read, I found it a refreshing change. I was worried going in that it would verge on erotica; it seems that sex, sexWhile this isn’t my normal type of read, I found it a refreshing change. I was worried going in that it would verge on erotica; it seems that sex, sex, sex, has been the name of the game for the romance genre lately. If I wanted my sex hookup, I’d go for LK Hamilton or Kim Harrison- at least they give me some crazy good loving with a lot of intrigue and killing.
If I’m going to read a true romance story, if I’m craving that, I want it to be freaking romantic. Is that so much to ask? I don’t think so.
It seems that Riley & Sheehan agreed.
The main characters have secrets. We all do. We all have things we’d rather forget. It’s the coming together, the bonding and falling in love beyond the secrets, that helps us grow and, in that growth, or, rather, because of that growth, we are able to face our secrets, share those things that make us vulnerable and weak and then, when the walls have fallen, create in us the ability to fall truly, madly, and deeply in love.
The book has the essential elements to a great story- a supporting character best friend that somehow makes the main character complete. The mysterious man that draws interests. And the unexpected entrance into the mix that creates a secondary path. Because love and life is a journey that has multiple forks in the road. Sometimes, we think we find the right path, but fate has a different story ending for us, one that we can not predict or force.
I don't want to give anything away. I'll just say that Will, Mila, Nikki & Richard are believable characters and, combined with the plot and eloquent writing, cause you to fall into the story like a warm, bubble bath after a stressful day....more
Another hit from Claire C Riley & Madeline Sheehan! This is their third book together and they're still melding amazingly well--to the point that it hAnother hit from Claire C Riley & Madeline Sheehan! This is their third book together and they're still melding amazingly well--to the point that it has become impossibly difficult to pinpoint Riley's styling from Sheehan's within the storyline and characters (Trust me, I tried to find where the different personalities shone through. Riley is a long-time favorite of mine and I've read everything she's ever written. Once in a while, I did read a line in BB&B that slapped me with "Yeah, definitely Riley").
BB&B follows a secondary character from Thicker than Blood (which was a poignant story of the true love between friends at the end of everything). Eagle was a bit of a (insert really derogatory name here) in TtB and BB&B does wonders to redeem him (if not make readers totally forget the terrible things he did in TtB). Autumn is broken yet strong--she's inspiring in a way. And her affect on Eagle is a core part of the overall story.
Like others have said--Riley and Sheehan succeeded where many fail; they've created a second book in a series that is nearly better than the first. Another thing I love about the TtB series is that it's not a series in the traditional sense. They're separate stories intertwined to create something with true staying power. ...more
Gut punch after gut punch with instances of love and levity. Thicker Than Blood was the kind of book that leaves you with a particular type of PTRD (pGut punch after gut punch with instances of love and levity. Thicker Than Blood was the kind of book that leaves you with a particular type of PTRD (post traumatic reading disorder) after the ending, with your eyes wide and needing time to recover. There’s hope though, a little glimmer among the angst and heartbreak.
I always go into a Riley book with certain preconceptions of quality & craft. Unfamiliar with Sheehan’s work, I was unsure how the combination of styles and skills would affect my history with Riley’s writing. I’ve been burned before by co-writing; when you dive into a new book by your favorite author (co-written) and realize that the composition is changed, different, not reflective of the originally loved author’s ‘something special’ that drew you into their works in the first place. But sometimes, melding two minds together can create something unique and magnetic in its own right. Something both tragic and epically beautiful.
This is the case of the combination of Riley and Sheehan. And that fact pleases me to no end (because it was these two authors objective to please me particularly, right? Who else would they have strived for so diligently to create a piece so pleasing?). These two authors have come together so seamlessly that it's nearly impossible to tell who wrote what; a feat that can only be compared to the innovation of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Each turn of the page brings on a new element, a new dimension, something unexpected and light years away from cliché and trite. As a reader, you will find yourself rooting for the characters- experiencing a medley of despair and triumph in equal measure. These feelings stem from my personal investment in the book and characters; trademark of a book that goes beyond the norm into something truly special.
With excellent world-building, character-crafting, and storyline, Thicker Than Blood will get under your skin. When that happens, when a book truly touches you in the deepest part of your soul, you’re irrevocably changed. I cannot speak with higher praise about this book. I cannot adequately describe the ending and the chills it gave me, the small ache in my chest as if I were the Grinch with the expanding heart, a chorus of Whos in the background.
Thicker than Blood embodies the essence of humanity, friendship, and perseverance. I cannot wait to have it in hard copy, sitting on my shelf, waiting for me to return and re-read the story of two best friends and true loyalty.
A little birdy told me the duo are already working on the sequel to their co-debut. I’ll be the first in cyber-line to pick it up, devour it, and wait impatiently for a third offering by Riley and Sheehan. ...more
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