She knew without a doubt there were more chapters of Jack to read. And she wanted to read them. To devour them. The craving for that knowledge was so strong she ached with it.
Oh this was delicious and sweet for so many reasons. Jack Monaghan I WANT TO MARRY YOU! Lawd Moses I can't tell you how much I adored this character. He's sex on a stick and his backstory makes you want to hug him and never evah let him go. I don't even know where to begin with this. Once again Yates supreme handling of prose, well evolved characters and adorable, fun, sexy as hell couple just pulls you right in. The wordplay and comedic timing? Flawless. I could picture these two so clearly, down to the scruff on Jack's face and Katie's ever present ponytail.
From the time she was a little girl, running wild through the fields until she couldn't breathe, until the wind tangled her hair into knots, Jack Monaghan had amassed a whole mountain's worth of admiration in her soul. When the world had been bleak, he'd made her smile. Simple as that. And no matter how hard she tried to fight it, he still held his claim on that turf in her soul.
She looked up at him, a smile curving her lips. And he knew right then and there he would never be able to pull on Kate Garrett's hair in that playful way he'd done for years without remembering this moment.
It didn't seem fair that a few stolen moments could obliterate years' worth of history, but he had a feeling it could. Could and had. Or maybe 'obliterate' was the wrong word. Maybe it was more like mixing two handfuls of sand. One that represented their past and one for this. Put them together in a jar, and you would never be able to separate the two again. They would be mixed forever.
I loved loved the dynamic between these two. Sexy 'playboy' Jack who nobody takes seriously but has so much to give and always puts himself last, and scrappy sassy tomboy Kate. I loved that Kate was the only one to see him for who he is and I really appreciated how annoyed she was on his behalf with how everyone (including his best friends) kept selling him short. I've always been a sucker for older brother's best friend falling for friend's sister and here it was no exception. It's trickier here cause once again, these two shared a lot of history. Jack was always a big presence in Kate's life since she was a little girl. I loved how his biggest purpose and presence in her life was to make her smile and laugh when there was nothing to smile about. To see them go from the easy layed back ribbing of each other to awkward tension and awareness of each other was marvelous.
"Life can be a bitch," she said, hating the strident tone that laced it's way through her voice. "I've never much liked that characterization. In my estimation life is a lot more like a pissed-off bull. You hang on as long as you can, even though the ride is uncomfortable. No matter how bad it is on, you sure as hell don't want to get bucked off."
The hero and the couple get 5 stars without any hesitation. Why the 4.5 stars though? I was not happy with the blow up near the end and how Kate handled it. That was painful. It did not last long and when she finally realizes her true feelings and has her come to Jesus moment it was Hallelujur!
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Everyone has fears and thankfully Kate got her head out of her ass quickly. BUT. But....I just could not understand or buy her reasonings behind why she ran off scared. Seemed really hallow. Her inner struggle and self-reflection to why she is the way she is seemed a little all over the place for me. First it was because of her not liking any change, then it was because of her mom leaving her and her dad being a dead beat drunk, then because she was scared of turning into her mom, then it was because she was scared of feeling anything, then she was just scared of any changes AGAIN (even though the whole point of her asking Jack for help to begin with was to change). My head was spinning trying to understand her POV in this, I get the scared part but the reasons behind it just lacked coherence for me. I just wasn't buying it. Given how open raw and vulnerable Jack was for her I wanted a little more groveling on her end. The reunion was nice and wonderful but I wanted a *little* more. From Kate specifically. It always bugs me when one half a pairing gives more and the other shuts off, and this was the case here. But they were still really adorable and I loved them.
Overall: Addictive, electric, fun, sexy, magical, delicious, stupendous. Seriously I can't say enough about this series or its author. I just recently discovered Yates and I'm so happy I did, she officially is on my author radar and she has her own shelf now too. I definitely recommend her. Her characters even with their flaws are just so damn likable and relatable, her writing is so unbelievably layered, meaningful, witty and sharp. I can't even count the number of quotes I kept pulling out that I found myself relating to personally in some way that it just floored me because it connected with something I'm feeling in real life or dealing with at the time. Like HOW DOES SHE DO THIS?! Seriously is she a magician? Psychic? Her ability to draw out and describe human emotions so effortlessly and in terms that just click with you as a reader on a personal level is not something every writer can do. So yes I am a Yates fan just for that alone, besides all the other fun things that come with it. :D...more
ETA: Congratulations to Maisey Yates for her 2016 RITA Award for Brokedown Cowboy!!! If you all haven't read this series, READ IT!
First let me just pETA: Congratulations to Maisey Yates for her 2016 RITA Award for Brokedown Cowboy!!! If you all haven't read this series, READ IT!
First let me just praise the cover. The male model? WHO are you sir and are you single? I mean....
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Ooof. *fans face* I kept catching myself staring at the cover and wanting to rub my face on it like a lunatic.......
Aaaaanyways, this is my first book by this author and it won't be my last if the writing is anything to go by. Her wordplay is seriously one of a kind and nothing I've seen. I would seriously give a 5 stars just for that. It's so fluid and organic, she manages to go dark and humurous at the same time which I liked and haven't seen before in a CR setting. And by dark I mean dealing with a hero who is still greiving over the death of his wife. The wise cracks and ribbing that bounces off the brothers and group of friends is so much fun and so natural. Nothing is trying too hard. There were some lines that really made me LOL and re-read and other moments that just made me go YES! I know that feeling exactly.
Years of fantasies could not have prepared her for the reality of Connor's lips on hers. It was new, and it was familiar in the most beautiful way. Like Christmas. Different all the time and somehow the same. With surprises and tradition all wrapped into one. That was kissing Connor.
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She wanted a customizable menu of options with boxes she could check. Access to his finer feelings? Check. Awkward self-consciousness? No. A solid, unshakable friendship? Check. Crippling loneliness and despair? No. Consequence-free orgasms on tap? She would double check that.
"Right," she said. "Probably should've just grabbed your penis again instead of trying to talk about feelings."
Connor sputtered, coffee sloshing over the edge of his mug. "What the hell, Liss? You can't just say stuff like that."
"Now is not really the time to get precious. The horse has left the barn, run across the pasture and trampled the daises. If you go after him now, he'll just get spooked and kick you in the head."
The 'I'm in love with my best friend' theme here was executed wonderfully. I liked the fact that the author was conscious of the couple's long standing friendship and the hero's personal struggles to move on from losing his wife. I like that none of it was brushed under the rug and played a big part in the tension between the hero and heroine. It made the dynamic and HEA that much more realistic and plausible. The fact that Connor could *finally* accept that he will always love his wife and it's ok to move on and love someone else was so simple and honest yet bittersweet. It was a real struggle for this character and it made total sense especially given that the heroine has been his best friends for 18 years. That's a lot of history right there. And I have to say Liss, the heroine, really surprised me the most out of the two. Her no-filter personality and blurting whatever she thinks was a real hoot and so refreshing. It could have easily turned into an obnoxious quirk but it wasn't here. I loved how she kept Connor on his toes and left him speechless. I definitely want to read the next book with playboy Jack and Connor's little tomboy sister Katie. Another interesting dynamic with a lot of potential. I really recommend this author because her comedic timing is really great and her wordplay is divine!...more
Ooooh gawd was this dark. This was definitely something different altogether from her Wrecked series. My heart broke for the heroine Devon's horrific ugly childhood. I think Luke's loving patient gentle big heart was just what she needed in her life. Plus he's a sexy as hell doctor. ;P The internal struggles and demons this woman goes through is really compelling. I can see why some struggled to label this a full romantic suspense book, I would say it's a combination of CR AND RS with some erotica thrown in. The last quarter of the book was definitely super suspenseful, edgy and had me really freaked and stressed out on the heroine's behalf. Talk about heebie-jeebies.
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I have to really hand it to Walker she really knows how lure readers in with the suspense angle once the climax of the story picked up. I thought I had figured out who it was but the twists kept coming and the build up just kept getting bigger and bigger.
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There were moments that made me feel like I was reading a psycho thriller book rather than romantic suspense, which impressed me the most. I couldn't put this book down because of that. The first half did feel more like a CR with a whole bunch of steamy sex scenes (super hot and emotional! *fans face*). I'm not gonna lie it did bug me a little how the couple's relationship 'milestones' in the early stages happened off the page. They are dating for a few months but most of it happens off the page except for the sex and I was a little put off by that. But things kick in the second half and the poor couple are put through the ringer, both with personal issues and outside forces. I really felt for Devon, no matter how screwed up in the head she was she tried her best and always was aware and conscious of what this was doing to Luke.
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I always love relationships that are fully rounded and selfless. What I enjoyed the most was even though Devon is supposed to be this 'fragile' thing, she's quite strong and resilient. That theme is hammered down a few times (a little too much) and it was great to see her overcome everything. Luke for his part was in total alpha mode, a little bit much in some cases and made me wish the author toned it down in some areas. I also have realized Walker loves to use the word damn. Like A LOT. So much so that she even has her heroines using it too, in conversation, during sex, and internally which I have to say was my biggest pet peeve. It's a distraction to have your heroine talk the same way as the hero.
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But overall, I enjoyed this. I also fell really hard for Luke's twin brother Quinn. The quiet, brooding loner brother with a bunch of personal baggage and demons of his own he's trying to fight. I loved seeing the connection between the two especially given the hurdles they had to overcome when they were separated as kids. Walker's skill with writing dark brooding characters with horrific backstories is something else. I would say it's her strength and I hope to see more of it. And shout out to my good friend Kyraryker for recommending this book to me. The minute she said this was a very dark series I ran straight for it. Lol...more
*5 beautiful sweet stars!*
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I think I've found a new author. This was a pure delight and everything I look for in a HR book. A highlander*5 beautiful sweet stars!*
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I think I've found a new author. This was a pure delight and everything I look for in a HR book. A highlander love story set in Medieval era. Generally I'm not a big fan of that era, the whole knight and court and dresses with veils is not my thing, but I enjoyed it here. I big part is probably because the story takes place in Scotland so it's more Highlander novel if anything, which I love. :) I adored Gavin McLendon, the tough brooding clansman Lord who takes in an English widow who is in dire straights to help her son. I haven't read a good mistress story in a while and this was exactly what I was looking for. The fact that they both go in it with open hearts and don't hold anything back I found really refreshing and so endearing. Gruff Gavin getting all sweet and sentimental around his English lass was really sweet and Fiona taking it all in was adorable. Gavin surprised me the most in this, I was expecting him to be a typical Scott stubborn-headed warrior and deny his feelings openly to Fiona, but he didn't. I loved how sweet, honest and considerate he was of Fiona and her feelings. He swept me off my feet right along with Fiona.
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I loved loved loved seeing every aspect of their relationship play out, all the small little moments, words, gestures, intimate moments that aren't usually depicted on the page the author totally captures which is something I always look for. Kudos to Basso! Of course the whole 'my duty v. following my heart' is played into this but thankfully it isn't dragged out forever. Like I said the hero endlessly surprised me with his actions and words. Looooove Gavin, such a big scrumptious lovebug. *swoon* This is a stand alone and I recommend it for anyone who loves Highlander novels with a lot of heart, romance, sexy times and some angst. I'm glad to see the author gave Gavin's bastard half brother Ewan a book. Saw a lot of potential there with him (and I'm so happy she didn't pair him up with Lady Aileen *shudder* the complete 180 turn this character took surprised and perplexed me a little). I will definitely be checking out other works by Adrienne Basso! ...more
Fun read with an adorable couple and scrumptious hero! But this was in serious need of an epilogue or something more. The ending was so abrupt and stiFun read with an adorable couple and scrumptious hero! But this was in serious need of an epilogue or something more. The ending was so abrupt and stilted, it almost came off like an editing mistake. Like...where is the rest? You can't do that to your readers and the characters. The dialogue just abruptly stops and falls off the page. The couple's reconciliation deserved more than one brief conversation on the very last page. Come on! Felt very very rushed and incomplete. ...more
Tessa drank in his features, committing them to memory- his black tousled hair, thick brows, perfect nose, and square jaw, freshly shaven, leaving only a hint of his heavy beard. Most of all she wanted to remember his brilliant blue eyes and the many times he'd gazed so intently at her.
I'm a very visual person for those who haven't been able to tell by now. ;P Being able to picture *exactly* what characters look like is a big draw in for me because it's a glossed over element in many books. Stories have flaws, plots may not be the most original but when characters are written with such focus and depth, when every tick, mannerism and emotion is caught on the page? You have me for life. I don't always post pictures of my dream casting unless I can't get them out of my head and know exactly what they look like and boy did Tristan stand out to me. He's so yummy!
This was pretty much The Bachelor meets Millionaire Matchmaker set in the Regency era and it was quite fun. Tessa, the barely tolerated 'matchmaker' of the ton, picking 24 girls to vie for the Duke's heart was quite entertaining and hilarious. I really loved the duchess, Tristan's intimidating gruff mother and her 'insolent puppy' remarks. Too cute. Was this a flawless story? No. But it had a lot of heart and charm. The amount of angst, sexual tension and chemistry that pings back and forth between the hero and heroine was a delight and pretty much saved this from falling into a humdrum category. And oh man the angst! It hurt so good. Tristan, the Duke of Shelbourne, was absolutely scrumptious with those magnetic intense eyes of his, brooding presence and polished manners. Tessa was a wonderful original heroine whose independent streak yet vulnerable yearning heart makes her so endearing. The thing I enjoyed the most was how strong and smart Tessa was, she was nobody's fool. And I really loved the fact that she didn't try to fight her feelings for Tristan through the entire book which is a habit most HR stories fall into. That was the most refreshing thing of all, she recognized the real man behind the guarded polished duke and fell head over heels in love with him. It was really sweet to see. Oh she puts on a good show of not needing to marry or finding love but for deliberate reasons. Her heart is open and honest from the beginning and her internal struggle to do what's 'right' vs what she really wants was heartbreaking to see yet made her more admirable. Also the flirting, teasing and endless battle of whits between Tristan and Tessa was also really fun and adorable.
You are my one and only, for all eternity.
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This wasn't perfect, the heroine's 'big awfulshameful secret' was dragged out a little too long for my liking and milked for all its worth. I did feel the author built up the secret bigger then it was in some areas which just ended up making Tessa look like a willing martyr with her 'I don't deserve anything' mindset. You were a naive girl with no parents give yourself a break. And some of the dialogue is repetitive but-- all in all it was still very enjoyable and I loved the couple so much. (view spoiler)[The ending and how Tristan went about proposing was really touching and adorable, just wish this author got in the habit of writing epilogues, it's very much needed! (hide spoiler)] So yes, if you are in the mood for a fun romantic angsty Regency novel I definitely recommend this! ...more
Ward seems to be getting her groove back! (please let it stick). Everything that fans fell in love with in the early days of the BDB series is pretty much punched into here. There were a few things here and there that could have been better but overall? Not bad at all. Great start. This spin off series is such a much-needed breath of fresh air and break from an otherwise overcrowded over-arcing main series and I recommend it to one and all, both old and new readers. Plus have I mentioned I have a new hero to add to my collection of 'My precious' harem?
Paradise & Craeg I loved the whole opposite side of the tracks element used here. Paradise, the Kings’s First Advisor’s daughter falling in love with a commoner vampire Craeg. I really REALLY fell hard for Craeg. His whole backstory of growing up poor and losing his family during the raids and wanting to ahvenge them was heartbreaking and endearing all in the same. Oh and did I mention he’s built like a brickhouse and I want to climb him?
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Omg the way this guy is built and carries himself just drove me insane. In a good way. I found Craeg to be a combination of Butch and Tohr, his dry sense of humor (when it comes out), blunt personality and leader take-charge attitude. And he's kinda got a big chip on his shoulder and testy when pushed. His gruff edges I found sexy and surprising. Paradise was a nice yin to his yang. I love how open honest, sweet and kind she is but very strong and smart. She's definitely sheltered and innocent but she’s no wilting lily. The whole tryouts/initiation was super intense and exciting with some moments that did make me fidget but reminded me so much of the early books. I will say there were a few things that could have been better for me personally. (view spoiler)[1. The super rushed wrap up near the end and the reveal of the killer happened a little too fast and fell flat. And the reveal of the killer?...predictable much? 2. Craeg and Paradise finally having sex in a seedy bathroom at a club. Really Ward? The bathroom? For the heroine’s first time this is NOT what I had in mind and it had me cringing big time. 3. I wanted more sexy time for the MCs. Craeg and Paradise's sexual tension and the slow build up was everything but for them to only get one *full* on (not really) sex scene in a rushed bathroom hookup was WTF. I felt cheated. (hide spoiler)] But I enjoyed these two and can't wait to see what's next for the other trainees. And I will say I wish the program wasn't so narrowed down. I was expecting more to make it through. A little more variety would not have hurt.
Butch and Marissa I won’t beat around the bush. I was not a fan of their book Lover Revealed. I initially thought it was the story and mostly how Marissa acted that turned me off but now I’m beginning to think it’s just them. There is nothing wrong with them as a couple, I have no issue with them together. I like them as individual characters. But to be blunt: they bore the crap out of me as a couple. They don’t get me hot and bothered like some of the other couples. And here was pretty much the same. But I enjoyed some parts enough. My favorite being the girls movie night. BEST THING EVER.
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The guys moping around without their ladies? Classic and can't get enough of it. But overall, I will say I felt some parts of this couple's drama felt forced in some areas. (view spoiler)[Marissa suddenly feeling effected by one of her Safe Place victims who is badly brutalized. She’s been the director of the place for 2 years now (it's really been more than 2 years now get it together Ward!) and suddenly now she’s affected by one? Really? I don't know why I found this hard to believe and I struggled to connect with this. And Butch’s issues with blow jobs. How come these two never dealt with it before? 2 years is a long time to gloss over that kind of elephant in the room. No pun intended. (hide spoiler)] But I really did appreciate Ward touching on Butch’s Catholic faith. This stems from his old human life but something that he very much still believes in, practices and goes to church still. I found that very endearing and consistent to his character and ties back to when we first met him. The consistency was very nice and it adds another layer to Butch so I liked that it played a hand in here. It made sense to me, especially given how he was raised. I also thought his confession scene with Marissa was really emotional, sweet, vulnerable and touching. If I had to pick a scene for these two, this was probably the standout scene that actually moved me.
Overall: Great start to a new series with a whole lot of avenues to go. And also thank you Warden for not packing my brain with random endless brand name drops and pop culture references. And also if she's gonna revisit every brother (PHURY PHURY PHURY) all I ask is that the drama & tension not be contrived but make sense. And if Sax doesn't get his HEA in the main BDB arc (*coughEric or Evhalecough*), calling it now, he should be paired with Axe. That would be SO MUCH FUN. ...more
I keep flip flopping on the rating for this one. Loved the hero and heroine's story. The underlying tension, the longing and rumination of 'what ifs' I keep flip flopping on the rating for this one. Loved the hero and heroine's story. The underlying tension, the longing and rumination of 'what ifs' were subtle small moments, sprinkled here and there but nice and really genuine. If only those quiet crushing moments happened more often I would have given this a solid 4 star without hesitation. Those fervent moments were the saving grace for me in in an otherwise slow dragged out story. I'm new to Sherwood's work, she's a very thorough detail-oriented writer, it definitely shows. But there were some things that could have been edited down to make the story momentum go faster, this is a 400+ page book and good chunk of it is used to tell the day-to-day going on of the 4 main players. I'll be honest at times I did want to strangle the heroine's twin sister who is the golden 'perfect' sister who fusses and tuts over everything and doesn't realize she doesn't want to marry the hero till the very end. That kinda drove me nuts since it was so obvious since day 1 they had nothing in common. I would like to try other works by Sherwood but you need the time and patience to sit through it for sure. Also the hero's best friend, Thomas, a talented painter was a delight as well. Really liked him.
Excerpt from my favorite scene:
He stared at her, his dark eyes unfathomable. "You could meet a better, worthier man." She laughed, a strained, harsh sound. "I've already met one--he's marrying my sister!" The words blazed forth, hanging in the air as though etched in fire, impossible to recall or deny. They stared at each other, scarcely breathing--then, in an instant, Trevenan closed the distance between them in one stride and pulled her to him, arms banding around her like iron. Their mouths met in a fierce mutual claiming, and the world went white around them--white as lightning, white as the heart of a flame. Closing her eyes, Aurelia let herself fall, deep into a void where all that existed was his touch, his taste, and the hot, urgent press of his lips against hers. This, she thought hazily. Yes, this. And knew by his response, the guttural moan in his throat, that it was the same for him. Love, that is first and last of all things made... "Damn you, James! Why couldn't you wait for me?"
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"You could run to the ends of the earth, and my heart would still follow you."
“I have wanted you ever since I can remember wanting.”
This was sweet! A sigh of relief honestly b*4 knock out stars*
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“I have wanted you ever since I can remember wanting.”
This was sweet! A sigh of relief honestly because I was so disappointed and kinda worried after reading Book 1. I felt this author's distinct voice was completely vacant and missing in Romancing the Duke but here I felt right at home. This had Tessa Dare's signature mark stamped all over it. Clio and Rafe were so engaging, sexy and fun. Nothing was forced between them and the chemistry and sexual tension just rings off the page. Yayus! There were a few hiccups and one or two anachronisms but overall MUCH tighter and cleaned up than Romancing the Duke.
I'm a complete sucker for gruff towering ginormously built heroes. YUM. I love them. The bigger the better. And to top it off, they're a prizefighter with huge fists and bad boy disposition?
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I'M THERE. What was great about Rafe is that even though he's reckless and a self-described illiterate brute, he's got such a playful vulnerable heart with insecurities that were very endearing. I loved how sexy and open he was about his attraction and admiration of Clio. No matter how much he fought it off, it was great seeing him test the boundaries and get Clio to fight for what she wanted. There were a few laugh-out-loud moments that I loved. The comedic timing and whit was there that TD is always great with. It's not trite and overly done. Bruser was hysterical and Tessa flirted with him possibly being OTT and a cartoon but thankfully it never went there. There were some close moments that toed the line but he made a great secondary character that brought laughs and levity to the story. And what I loved and missed the most and was here in spades was the sensual, playful sexy love scenes. TD doesn't shy away from that and I love it. I always appreciate the way she's written love scenes and just intimate moments in general. She always manages to capture the underlying desperation, need and all-consuming passion. It's always what I look for in my readings, that connection and realism of human emotions no matter how flawed or reckless. I just need to see more of that in her future work that was so prevalent in her other series and in here.
Closing his eyes, he let his brow fall against hers. His thrusts redoubled with force. They clashed against one another-cheek against jaw, teeth against chin. Raw, openmouthed kiss against kiss. Then his hand tightened in her hair, and he broke the kiss, pulling her just a few inches away. He held her so tightly, forbidding her to look anywhere else. She had no choice but to stare into his eyes. “Look,” he said. “Look what you did.” Those bold green eyes held hunger and yearning and stark unabashed want. And something more. Something that could only be love. “I know,” she said. “I know. It will be alright.”
The chemistry and banter between h/hr are honestly what saved this for me from being a dull & unexciting story. There were some modern anachronisms that bled into here but they weren't so heavy handed and OTT like in Romancing the Duke. The beer/distillery plot I could have done without because it was suspending belief and honestly? Not interesting. lol TD is known to have a modern voice and drop a lot of pop culture references in her HR books so for a new readers keep that in mind. It's subtle in some cases and others I personally didn't notice but in her more recent work it's like a sledge hammer and too much. Thankfully it was toned down in here save the beer/distillery business the heroine wanted to pursue in. And some of the details surrounding the hero's prizefighting career could have been trimmed and finessed more to suite the era IMO. But I'm no expert. I just wish Tessa would be more careful with her slip ups (or intentional winks?) because they can be distracting in some cases or just silly. Here thankfully it wasn't. And since I'm starting to repeat myself I'll end there. While I don't think this was her most exceptional work it was still a fun read and I felt at ease. I hope to see more angsty dark forlorn characters Tessa used to center her stories around because they were much more fun, fluid and organic. Yeah yeah even with the deep DARK tortured OTT secrets! lol ...more
Another favorite from the Knight series. Gaelen Foley was seriously in her prime while writing thi*review up* Alec Knight
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Another favorite from the Knight series. Gaelen Foley was seriously in her prime while writing this brilliant series. Alexander "Alec" Knight is the rakehell rascal of the Knight siblings, the 'baby brother' who knows how to charm, play, fight and win. With fallen angel looks and more charm that’s almost lethal he’s used it to get his way until his luck runs out. Literally. He did a real number a few books back that caused his family and loved ones to shun him. I couldn’t ever really label him a villain because he didn’t go out of his way to hurt anyone, he made a mistake and paid the price, in here he’s licking his wounds and trying to redeem himself. The journey was quite thorough and beautifully resolved. I was expecting the typical piteous pity party of a fallen spoiled rake but Alec surprised me and endeared me in so many ways. He’s honest, sweet and is a gentleman even when pushed to his limits. For a rake he has so much honor. The fact that he didn't go through with what Lizzie thought he did is a testament to that. Foley’s mastery of writing mutli-dimensional flawed characters really shines here. What surprised me the most was how far back Alec’s misuse and distrust of women went. To the outside world he’s the master of seduction and ‘captain’ of rakehells but behind closed doors he’s vulnerable, jaded and always expecting to be used for his body and wealth. That memory of how he lost his virginity took me aback and made me ache for him. I did not see that coming at all. (view spoiler)[It was pretty much rape and sexual abuse. (hide spoiler)] The most heartbreaking thing of all is he didn’t even realize how badly he was misused & taken advantage of at such a young age. That memory and his awful selfish negligent mother pretty much set the tone and shaped Alec’s ideologies on women, sex and love. He really truly does not know the feeling of being loved unconditionally without having to give something in return. It's a complete foreign concept to him.
Alec, staring at her, looked as dazed by her words as a man who’d been thrown from a horse. “You love me?” The question slipped softly. His big blue eyes looked so lonely and wistful that they brought fresh tears to her own. She cupped his cheek. “More than words could say, my darling.”
That’s what makes Alec's story and long journey to self-discovery so devastating and compelling. I was so happy that he found a woman who knew his potential, self-worth and saw his vulnerabilities (no matter how hard he tried to hide them) and didn’t try to misuse him or hurt him. Emotional scars are just as damaging, even more so in some cases than physical scars.
...he couldn’t get her face out of his mind. Not that he wished to. The sweetness of her violet eyes gazing at him as he had taken her by storm. She said she loves me. His brain could not stop marveling on it. Lovers had said those three sweetly treacherous words to him in the past, in their effort to own him, but he had believed none of them. He believed Becky. No one had ever been so abundantly kind to him. So patient with him. Accepted him so completely. No one had ever believed so much in his essential worth, least of all himself.
Becky Ward is everything I wanted for Alec. She’s his perfect match in every way. Oh my how these two played off each other. From the coy flirting, to sweet talk, to honest vulnerable pillow talk conversations to blistering fights. I adored this heroine so much. She’s the perfect prototype of what a strong, resilient, sweet, compassionate heroine should be like. That stunning combination of feisty and smart yet innocent and shy is what I enjoy the most. I felt so much at ease knowing Becky wouldn’t play silly games, run off or lash out without provocation. It literally takes the stress out of the reading experience when you trust the characters and the author to take you on a ride without any unnecessary BS. Becky always took into consideration what Alec was feeling and whether she was being fair to him. I found that the most genuine charming mature aspect of Becky’s character.
"You are a jewel, Becky." Leaning nearer, he kissed her forehead. "There's no one like you in the whole wide world. I've searched. I know."
Becky wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed, smiling, into his eyes. “Of course I still want to marry you. You’re the only man who could ever make me truly happy.” “Me?” he whispered, staring at her with the fragile bud of true, deep trust only now beginning to unfurl in the depths of his eyes. She trailed her fingertips down his cheek. “Yes, my darling. You.”
The ‘save my village from my evil Russian Prince cousin’ plot I wasn’t crazy about and it seemed a little forced and OTT in here but thankfully Foley eased off and focused more on the couple and their growing relationship and Alec’s personal demons, which really needed to be addressed. Smart move on the author’s part. I really feel that’s what saved this book from falling into the humdrum category of dull and cliche. This is very much a character driven story, as it should be. You are dealing with a hero that is facing a lot of personal demons from abandonment issues, distrust, using sex as a bartering tool and a serious gambling problem. I could go on and on. This may sound like any other rake you read about in HR book but GF really dived deep with this hero's identity problems, self-loathing and inferiority complex. What was so nice and worked well was having a heroine who could go head to head with a hero like this and not back down all while managing to come off so patient, caring and compassionate. This altruistic quality is rare to find so I relished it as much as I could. Becky may be naive and sheltered in many ways but she's smart and very perceptive and wouldn't let Alec walk all over her or lash out when he's trying to avoid talking about something sensitive. This could have all translated as very cloying and shallow but Foley did a beautiful job matching these together. The purity and honesty and vulnerability was the most gratifying and refreshing thing about this couple and their story. The lengths they go to for each other is sweet and the kind of love we all crave for in life.
What he felt for Becky was more like a firestorm inside him, a primal certainty that he would burn down the world if it threatened her. This “love” of which the poets sand bore little resemblance to the violent ardor that he felt for her.
The only thing I would have loved to see and really missed was the Knight family. I was really hoping to see the brothers and their wives at some point come in and take Becky under their wing or just show Alec some support. The small flashback at the end while nice was too short and not enough for me. I get what Foley was doing by isolating Alec from his family, he had to sort things out on his own but it would have been a nice tie back and touching to see his brothers rally around him for more than one brief scene. But all in all, wonderful installment to this series and I'm sad to have finished it. Not sure if I will read Jack's story, the blacksheep of the family who seems to have no ties to the rest of family at all. Maybe someday I will pick up his book. But for now, great 'conclusion' to a beautiful, thrilling series....more
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