inferno

A Convenient Husband by Reece Butler

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

A Convenient Husband (Bride Train, #4)

 

Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-Bride Train #4
Genre-Historical/Menage
Reviewed by Kate
326 pages

Ben was finishing law school out East. Ben had made a promise to his older twin Ranger though. He promised his gruff brother that he would bring a bride home for Ranger to marry. Leaving things to the last minute, Ben purchases a ticket on the bride train heading to Montana, sure he’ll be able to find a willing bride for Ranger. What he finds instead is Florence, a well educated, out spoken woman with 2 small children in tow. Everything that Ranger doesn’t want in a wife. When one of the children is threatened, Ben marries Florence himself to save the little girl.

So. This book is written by Reece Butler. Right away that’s a point in the plus column. I’ve read every book she’s written and continue to wait anxiously for the next release. And it’s a marriage of convenience, has children, a menage. Plus, plus, plus. At the same time, this book is screwed up in so many ways, I really shouldn’t like it as much as I do (*facepalm* I’ve reread the thing 4 times already).
 
How is it messed up you ask? Well…Ben is moving to Tanner’s Ford Valley, where a menage lifestyle with three men and one woman is quickly becoming the norm. And despite his 3 brothers (book #1) and his sister (book #3) living in menage relationships, Ben knows nothing about it. Next we have the whole thing with Ranger being so grumpy and crotchety and particular that he’d never be able to find his own wife. Then there’s Ben, who feels so obligated to his brother that he decides to let Ranger take Florence’s virginity rather than doing the deed himself. Yep. You heard me right. Ben and Florence haven’t yet consumated their marriage by the time they reach the ranch, so Ben tells Ranger to go ahead and take care of her the first time (he’s apparently much more experienced with women than Ben is). Of course, Florence has 2 children with her (who aren’t hers by the way). These kids are the perfect soap opera children. Present when they are needed to advance the story.
 
 Conveniently absent (read: away staying with relatives) when they would be in the way otherwise. And let’s not forget Patrick. Poor Patrick. Who really seems to be an addition to the story simply to keep the 3:1 ratio of men to women that seems to be required in this series. Patrick is the youngest brother and just feels like an add on throughout the entire read.
 
All that being said, you will notice that I gave the story a B+ rating. Simply because I absolutely am in love with it. Despite all it’s WTFery, I have read this book 5 times (the first time, plus 4 rereads). It is one of my favorites in the series, although numbers 1 and 2 are very close.
If you like your historical menages to be filled with strong heroines, hot cowboys, and even hotter sex, (and can forgive the hot mess that sometimes comes with it), give this one a crack.

Withstanding Me by Crystal Spears

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Withstanding Me (Breakneck, #2)

       

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series- Breakneck #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
264 pages

I had to read some other reviews to see if people felt the same way I did about this book. I found out several people did feel the same way I did. There’s plenty of chaos here, violence, steamy sex scenes and filthy mouths.

ZZ aka Zig Zag aka Mason is another member of the Breakneck MC. He lives that lifestyle to the fullest. He takes care of his family despite his daughter’s attempts to constantly test his patience and sanity. He balances this well enough but his focus is distracted because of Storm. Storm is a former sex slave that the MC rescued. She works for the Prez’s wife and is enrolled in school for a business degree.

ZZ wants to take her to bed so bad but she rejects him at every turn. You see, she wants more. More than he is willing to offer her right now. She tells him he’s gonna fall in love one day and it’s gonna be with her. He insists that he has no desire to be a one woman man. She tries to date and he blows a gasket. He even runs her date off. You have all the elements of a Crystal Spears’ book but it felt kind of scaled down. It wasn’t as emotionally engaging as Seize me. It was emotional but not as much. It wrapped up some ends and opened more story arcs for this continuing series. I’m very invested in what goes on from here on out but I want the same intensity as Seize Me.

I hope that in the next book there is some of that but am scared because of Shadow being a sadist. That is one of my very least favorite story lines but I’m gonna trust her not to disappoint. Spears writes really badass heroines so Tatiana is going to be fun to read about and I await a release date.

Six Brothers by Lili St. Germaine

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Six Brothers (Gypsy Brothers, #2)

          

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno?
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Gypsy Brothers #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
100 pages

Oh, man! Why did I devour this so quickly?

Book two starts with the funeral of the eldest son, Chad. Dornan is miserable and devastated over the death of his son. He’s ready to go to war with whoever supplied Chad with the drugs that killed him. As Juliette/Sammi consoles him during his grief, she smiles on the inside. She’s giddy with happiness. It’s still very difficult to put my finger on what draws me to this series. I’m a romance reader and this isn’t really as romance. I mean I see one continue to develop between her and Jase but how screwed up will they both be by the end of all this?

My heart breaks with the flashbacks of first loves, horrific loss and this woman’s emotional and physical descent into the bowels of Hell. Seeing Dornan become more and more poised on the edge of lunacy is so extremely frightening. This book does some explaining as to the why of his obsession with Juliette/Sammi which was very helpful. As she sets her sights on Maxi, the next son in line she’s gonna kill, your heart pounds and your pulse races. Can she pull it off? And what will she have to sacrifice of herself to do it? How far in the quest of revenge will she go?

I was reading a great historical book when I found out this was available and I immediately put the other book on hold and started this one. I figured that since historical romances are a balm to my soul, I’d probably need it after this book. I finished this book with a heavy heart and a small sense of satisfaction for her character. I can’t wait for March 10th!

Two down, five to go.