blaze

Cutest Couple by Kate Davies

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Cutest Couple (Girls Most Likely to..., #2)
Grade: C+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, NovellaSeries: Girls Most Likely To… #2
Reviewed by Anne

Bree and Marc were devoted to each other in high school and were voted Cutest Couple of their class.  Bree was a military brat whose father died in service.  When Marc enlists just after graduation they have a huge argument and break up.  While Marc is gone at basic training Bree realizes she’s pregnant.  She makes an attempt to contact him, but when he doesn’t respond she feels further betrayed and abandoned and decides to raise their child on her own.  Now it’s their 10 year high school reunion and they are both attending.  Marc still has no idea he has a child, and Bree knows she must tell him. 

I really wanted to like this book more than I ended up liking it.  I think I’ve said that before.  It’s that darn secret baby trope.  I cannot set my inner parent aside, and it makes it really hard for me to understand and forgive anyone who would keep a baby a secret from its father.  So, right away this story has a mark against for me.  The thing is, when the explanation is believable, I enjoy a secret baby story.  In this case, I was so mad at Bree, it’s hard for me to say how I felt about the story.    I was pretty upset with Marc, too.  Here are two young adults (when they graduated from high school) who were each other’s world.  Then they have one fight and never say another word to each other.  Nope.  I can’t buy it.
 
There were some things I appreciated about this book, and this series, though.  I liked that Bree caught a lot of flack for her weak attempt (ONE attempt!) at contacting Marc.  I didn’t want instant forgiveness, and she didn’t get it. (It did come pretty quick, though.)  I really like how this story fit tongue in groove (not that kind!) with the first of the series.  The writing is well done and fun to read.  Sometimes you know what just happened off page because you read book one, and other times you can’t wait to read what just happened off page when you get to read book 3. I also really appreciated the friendship between Bree, Tess, and Kelsey.  It felt fun and real. 
 
It’s a nice quick read, and I’m curious to see what was going on in all those off page moments, so I may just have to read the 3rd one.  Which bumps this from a C to a C+.

Mindlink by Kat Cantrell

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Mindlink
Grade: D-
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Sci-Fi
Reviewed by Kate

Aliens (who look like humans) have invited 10 of earth’s top scientists to a sit down, a meeting of the minds if you will. Ashley, a former child star (I kept thinking Lindsey Lohan), poses as a scientist in a publicity stunt to jump start her career again. When they land on the alien planet a probe is inserted into each of their brains, allowing the aliens complete access to the humans’ thoughts and knowledge. Ashley is sent to be executed when the aliens discover her deception. While awaiting execution, her probe links with the probe of ZXQ (all aliens have probes implanted at birth). Now Ashley and ZXQ, or Sam as she names him, can share thoughts and he agrees to help Ashley escape.

Sounds exciting, right? I thought so too. I really looked forward to reading this one.  Then I read it. In my opinion Ashley would have been better off sticking to the path other have-been actors take to start a comeback…Dancing With the Stars or any of Fox’s celebrity reality shows.

Unfortunately, she chooses aliens and we embark on the slowest 200+ pages I’ve come across lately. Her character has a sense of entitlement that put a sour taste in my mouth. The entitlement switched to a need to prove herself back on earth. It wasn’t until the last fifth of the book that she showed and character growth at all. On the opposite side of things, Sam goes from alien to full blown human in the blink of an eye. Very little struggle for him to adapt to a new program.

The romance between Ashley and Sam isn’t worth writing home about. Ashley had been there, done that. And probably for all the wrong reasons. Sam is experiencing his first taste of sex. And, of course, he’s magically wonderful at it (eye roll).

The ending that took forever to get to sort of fizzled.  A huge build up, then… nothing.  Like a lit bottle rocket that never launches.  A disappointing ending to a disappointing book.

Loving an Ugly Beast by Danielle Monsch

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Loving an Ugly Beast (Fairy Tales & Ever Afters)
Grade: C+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Fairytale/Historical
Reviewed by Anne

Benton is big and strong, but he’s covered with scars, so he’s known as the beast of his village.  Nissa is his best friend.  They secretly each like the other, but lack the confidence to make a move.  When a fairy godmother shows up and grants Benton’s wish to be more beautiful, how will things work out?
 
First off, what a great premise!  It’s pretty rare to read about a man who thinks he’s unworthy of a woman because of his looks!  I enjoyed seeing this cliche turned on its ear.  Second, this is a mid-evil set fairytale village.  I enjoy this kind of setting, and I really wanted to enjoy the book.
 
My biggest complaint is the modernisms that kept pulling me out of the story.  At one point they talk about having enough money to “keep your son in diapers.”  That didn’t make sense to me. They would have been using cloth diapers.  Expense wasn’t as much an issue as the time it took to wash them, I’d think.  Another time we see this line “Why is it always good for the man but a crapshoot for the woman?”  Crapshoot?  That seems like a more modern casino term to me.  I don’t know.  I’m not an expert.  Maybe I was being too picky, but little stuff like this kept pulling me out of the story.  That was disappointing!  It had a lot of promise.
 
Because of that promise, and because it was funny, and because I like fairytale romance, I’ll probably try another one by this author, but it’s borderline for me.