Beneath The Surface by M.A. Stacie

Beneath the Surface‏ (Reluctance, #1)

Grade-C+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Reluctance #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
182 pages

Kyran Reese is a man that has to have control at all times. He runs his family’s company basically by himself. When he feels his control slip from time to time, he goes to fight in an underground boxing arena. And with the family he has, he feels the need to fight a lot.

Dale Porter has become Kyran’s brother’s assistant at the office and from the moment he sees her, his control is tested. Dale feels the attraction between the two of them but is confused by Kyran’s running hot and cold. She also wonders what to do with Taylor, her boss. His self-destruction is becoming more and more evident.

Kyran and Dale start a non-labeled, just sex relationship. The only problem is that the more they have sex, the more important it becomes to them both. I really liked it except for a few things. I thought for a woman who never has non-committed sex, Dale was certainly all over Kyran within a few days of meeting him. Also, the writing was abrupt. Not like the book was ending abrupt but situations were introduced and solved very quickly. That coupled with the inconsistencies made the book worse not better for me. The dialogue was sexy and the love scenes were hot. I would read another book by her but I’d be more cautious than excited.

Claimed By HIm by Red Garnier


Claimed by Him (The Billionaire's Club #1)
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-The Billionaire’s Club #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
109 pages

Graves is a true self made man with his robotics empire. He has good friends, wealth and he’s in love . With his best friend’s little sister. He keeps his distance because he knows he’s all screwed up. His childhood scars rule his sexual liaisons. He doesn’t like to be kissed or touched really. He’s totally closed off. But Chloe touches him soul deep.

Chloe is a few years younger in age than Graves and many years younger in experience. You see, for her, it’s always been Graves. She has loved him since she was fifteen and has been waiting for him to notice her. She’s attempted to flirt with him for a while now to no avail. She offers herself up to him, only for him to rebuff her. She then says she will lose her virginity to someone, maybe even his friend Luke.

Oh, how I love the best friend’s brother or sister trope! I really, really do! I just never felt that deep of a connection between these two. The author told us there was one but it never fully clicked for me. I loved the premise and the blistering hot dialogue. And the sex? On fire! I did like this book and the second one enough to try and read the rest of the series though.

The Hunter by Monica McCarty

The Hunter (Highland Guard, #7)

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Highland Guard #7
Genre-Historical
Reviewed by Kay
380 pages

Ewen “Hunter” Lamont is a minor chieftain and part of Robert Bruce’s Highland Guard. He is also an expert tracker. He has been given the task of bringing Janet of Mar back to Bruce, which will bring an end to Janet’s being a spy. The two shared a pretty steamy kiss awhile back and neither of them have forgotten it.

Janet of Mar is head strong, loyal and very pretty. She’s also a very good spy. She has considered taking her vows as a nun so she won’t lose her freedom. She views marriage as serfdom. Ewen is a typical male of the times with his views on where a woman’s place is. He can’t stand that Janet is in danger all the time.

This is not Monica McCarty’s best work. I hope the next book in this series is back up to her usual standards. Very few people can write Scottish Highlander romance well. She is usually one of them but this one fell short.