A Reviews

Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Highlander Most Wanted (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs, #2)
Grade-A+
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-The Montgomerys and Armstrongs
Reviewed by Kay

Genevieve McInnis is a Lowland Laird’s daughter on her way to meet her betrothed. Her traveling party is intercepted and massacred. She is taken prisoner by Ian McHugh, who repeatedly rapes her, which leaves her emotionally and physically scarred.

Bowen Montogomery is a second son to a Highland Laird. His brother is the heir to this title and Bowen is his second-in-command. Bowen leads a war party to the McHugh Keep to take out Patrick McHugh, Ian’s father and Laird to that clan. Ian was killed by Bowen’s brother in the previous book because he kidnapped his wife and terrorized her.

That’s the backdrop to this story. Bowen meets Genevieve and is awestruck by her beauty, until she turns her head and he sees the puckered scar on her cheek. He learns she got this scar from Ian McHugh so no one would want to look at his prize possession that he treated worse than an animal.
He made her his whore and passed her around to his cohorts. This was her existence for a year until Ian’s death and Patrick’s desertion of his clan.

Bowen admires Genevieve’s spirit which seems unbroken most of the time. As they get to know one another, he comes to view her , even with the scar, as the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Through clan uprisings, attacks against the Keep, injuries from said attacks and idiocy from the McHugh clan, we see a beautiful love story emerge. The chemistry between the two main characters is sweet and combustible.

There were a few confusing situations for me, such as: Ian slashing Genevieve’s face so no one would look at her but he passed her around to his cronies? Doesn’t make sense to me. And her demand that her family not know she was alive due to her shame being projected on to them but her family welcomed her back with open arms. I like the idea of the later but I don’t know if I buy into it, not in a time period where image was everything.

All-in-all, this was a five star or A+ read for me. Maya Banks is fast becoming one of my favorite historical authors. I love the heroine! She was an innocent who had that innocence shattered but still managed to never truly lose hope, even as she was terrorized by clans people for things that she never asked for and never should’ve experienced. She was pitiable but never pitiful. I can’t wait for Teague’s book! In a word, this book was precious. My best read of 2013 so far.

Beyond Control by Kit Rocha

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Beyond Control (Beyond, #2)
Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: BDSM (but pretty light stuff)
Genre: Dystopian
Series: Beyond #2
Reviewed by Anne

Note: This book will be enjoyed much more if you read Beyond Shame first.  I really enjoyed Beyond Shame (my review) and it does a great job of world building and explaining the O’Kane gang.  I think this is especially important in understanding the role sex plays between them all.  In this dystopian world the O’Kane gang is free to give and receive sexual favors… or not.  But they tend toward group play and open displays.  Beyond Shame made me feel comfortable in this world, especially in the relationship that Lex and Noelle have together.  It’s like best friends with benefits.

 
OK, so Dallas O’Kane runs Sector 4 and is the leader of the O’Kane gang.  Lex long ago escaped the brothels in Sector 2 and eventually settled into Sector 4 and the O’Kane gang.  She’s the unofficial leader of the females and has the respect of everyone in the gang, including Dallas.  There is a strong attraction between Dallas and Lex.  They both know that someday this relationship will be made permanent (the O’Kane version of marriage) but neither has been ready to take the next step toward that.  
 
This story starts with Lex getting a tattoo of Dallas’ name, from hip to hip.  She knows it will start the journey toward him officially claiming her.  She’s nervous about how that will all go down, but knows it’s time to stop stalling.  Getting the tattoo is an in-your-face taunt to Dallas.  Once he discovers it he immediately collars Lex.  Putting a collar on a partner is a short term declaration of ownership/partnership.  Lex is fine with that move, and the rest of the story is how they stumble forward to a long term relationship.
 
Lex’s main issue is trusting someone else to take care of her and put her first.  Dallas quickly realizes this, but that doesn’t mean their path is smooth.  At the same time there is a political situation afoot that demands their attention as leaders and also drags them back into contact with Sector 2.  (By the way, Sector 2 was a little disappointing.  I expected a lot of heat there.  I think the point was that displays without affection aren’t really that hot, but still, I’d been hoping!)
 
I loved the sex scenes in this book.  Hot, and they really show the relationship progress between Dallas and Lex.  I also liked the friendship and support Dallas and Lex (together and individually) got from their friends.  The gang is like a small town with everyone all up in everyone else’s business (sometimes literally) and that means everyone is watching Dallas and Lex closely.
 
While I was reading this story I didn’t want to put the book down!  I was so caught up in it.  When I was done I immediately wanted to re-read it.  However, part of that was because I want a little reassurance that Dallas and Lex will be ok. They certainly have a rough road ahead of them.  This is due mostly to Dallas’ uber-alphaness.  I’m not sure much changed over the course of the book.  The story was more about Lex and Dallas each coming to terms with who the other was.  I was left with the feeling that they will continue to step on each other’s feelings, but that they are committed to working things out, though.
 
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.  There are several ongoing story lines and I want to know more!  The next book is due in early Fall 2013.  I’m counting the days and will reread this one while I wait. 

Master of the Abyss by Cherise Sinclair

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Master of the Abyss (Mountain Masters, #2)
Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: High Kink
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM
Reviewed by Kay

Since his girlfriend died a few years ago, Jake (owner of a vacation lodge) has perfected his “for one night only” speech. And almost all the single women in town have heard it, except for Kallie (wilderness guide extrodinaire). Before a business deal can be struck between Kallie and Jake, she needs a quick education in the sort of kink his lodge caters to.

Okay, that’s the short version of the romance aspect of the book. The story also includes three over protective cousins, overcoming demons from the past, and a serial killer who has decided Kallie is his next victim. Enthralling and fast paced, I couldn’t put this one down. Actually, a big part of me wants to pick it back up and read it again.