no kink

The Recruit by Monica McCarty

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

The Recruit (Highland Guard, #6)
Grade-B-
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-The Highland Guard #6
Reviewed by Kay

Mary of Mar is a widowed countess. Her son was taken from her when her husband was found guilty and executed for treason against Edward. She has made do with what she has had to her whole life. She was a bride and mother at fourteen, basically abandoned by her soldier husband. She literally had to grow up very fast and she lost very much at an early age. She always wanted to be important to a man and have him love her, something she didn’t have from her husband. He viewed her as an obligation and a child, whereas she was in love with him. She had a twin sister Janet, who disappeared after a bridge explosion during the battle for the crown. She is allowed a small amount of time to see her son and she has to try to support herself with embroidery due to the seizing of her late husband’s estates.

Kenneth Sutherland is the heir to the earldom of Sutherland. He’s a scrapper of sorts. He is a second son but was named his older brother’s heir due to the current earl’s barren wife. He lost a close friend of his in the last year and has had a hard time dealing with that. His sister is married to his arch enemy and main tormentor. He wants so badly to be one of ” Bruce’s Phantoms” or part of the Highland Guard. He has one chance to impress Robert Bruce and be admitted into the Guard. He sees Mary and instantly knows he must have her, at least once. This happens and Mary sneaks away. Her act of sneaking causes him to lose focus and the contest, therefore losing his chance. They are then separated for some time, she to try to hide her pregnancy and him to undergo training for the Guard.

This story wasn’t bad but I really didn’t connect to the characters. Kenneth was introduced in the last book after the death of his friend, Gordon, who was a member of the Guard. I was irritated with Gordon’s death in the last book and think Monica McCarty’s killing off of a main character was not a great idea. In McCarty’s defense, she does mix true events and fiction in her writing, so maybe Gordon’s death was a part of history. I just wanted to read about the rest of the original members of the Guard, not a newcomer. I would’ve liked to know more about him before he got his own story.
Monica McCarty is an auto-buy and auto-read for me. She always delivers and this book is no exception. My issue with the character was a personal preference and should not discourage anyone who has a desire to read this book.

Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Motorcycle Man (Dream Man, #4)
Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Dream Man #4
Reviewed by Kay

Tyra Masters is at the end of her rope. Mentally, emotionally and financially. She just up and left her life. She’s trying to start a new one but sleeping with your new boss probably isn’t the way to go about it. Plus her new boss is a biker and her new job is at a biker repair and restoration garage. She knows nothing about either of those things.

Kane “Tack” Allen is a bad ass biker guy. He is the leader of the motorcycle club, Chaos and runs the garage. Over the years he has done all he can to legitimize his club. Now they are mostly law abiding, with the exception of pot smoking and trying to free themselves from the Russian Mafia. He has a crazy ex-wife and two teenage kids. He also has a thing for redheads. He’s a major player with the lack of morals to prove it.

This is a busy little story. It has a major love story, a minor love story, two kidnappings, the Russian Mafia, tension within the motorcycle club, a child custody battle and a tragedy in the hero’s past. Hero is a misleading title for Tack, he’s more of an Anti-hero. He tries to be a good guy but he’s so aggressive and forceful, almost to the point of being frightening. The interaction between the two main characters is smoking hot and chilling at times. Tack is crass and rude one minute and sweet the next.Just when you are ready to punch him right in the throat, he does something so sweet you wanna kiss him. I loved both of the main characters in this book. Tyra was reserved when she needed to be but forceful when she needed to be. Tack was by far the most alpha male I have ever read about! Wow!

I enjoyed reading this story a lot. My complaints are that the author’s writing style seemed to be as if a conclusion was right around the corner from about 36% in until the end ,which I found a little frustrating. My other complaint was that it was accepted by all characters that it was okay to cheat on your significant other within the club. Married or in a committed relationship, this is a hot button for me. I don’t do cheating,ever. I have watched things regarding motorcycle clubs and it seems that this is the norm but it still pulled the rating of the book down for me. All things considered it was a great read and I recommend it.

Hometown Girl by Robin Kaye

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Hometown Girl (Bad Boys of Red Hook, #0.5)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Bad Boys Of Red Hook #0.5
Reviewed by Kay

This is a novella to start Robin Kaye’s new series. It is about two people that grew up together and then lost contact. Elyse is in her early to mid twenties and decides she needs to lose her virginity. The man she’s always wanted doesn’t even know she’s in love with him, which she’s been since the third grade. Simon is an artist, who is bar tending until his career gets off the ground. He’s estranged from his family because he didn’t take a job with his father that his father thought he should.

Elyse’s decision to lose her virginity is supported by her best friend, Melissa, who is Simon’s sister. Elyse and Melissa used to play pranks on Simon and all of his dates. Basically making his life miserable, but that changed when Simon went away to college. Elyse walks into a bar and there is Simon. She knows that he’s the one she’s been waiting for. He knows he knows her from somewhere but can’t remember where. He is instantly attracted to Elyse and they decide to leave together. Needless, to say her virginity is toast after that night. Simon finds out who she is and thinks it’s all a prank. He tells her to leave and throws her out. She’s heartbroken but knew there would be a chance of that when she decided on this course of action.

This is a solid start to this new series and I enjoyed reading it. I liked the premise to the story and I feel it delivered. Robin Kaye’s Domestic Gods series is one of my all time favorites and I expect no less with this one.