After The Storm by Maya Banks

After the Storm (KGI, #8)

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-KGI, #8
Genre-Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
392 pages

Donovan Kelly is one of the Kelly’s of KGI. He’s the computer geek that looks like anything but a geek. He’s as devilishly handsome as his other brothers. He can lead in the war room or in the field. Donovan sees his brothers one by one falling in love and having babies and knows he wants this too but hasn’t found the right woman yet. He’s on the look out for her but not devoting himself to the search, much to his mother’s dismay.

Eve is in her mid twenties and in big trouble. She basically kidnapped her two younger half siblings from the father, her step-father. She knows he killed her mother and made advances on her. Because of her rebuffing him, he has had her declared unstable and alerted the law to her taking of the children. The three so them are on the run from him. They wind up in the Kelly’s hometown and on their radar. When Eve realizes this, she knows they have to run because she can’t afford to trust anyone.

I read a lot of reviews of this book and most of them very unfavorable. I thought the book was okay. It wasn’t the best in the series but it wasn’t the worst either. That honor still belongs to Nathan and Shay’s book. My complaint was that his internal conversations were so damn repetitive that I thought I would scream. I’ve waited for Donovan’s book for awhile, so it not being wonderful was a disappointment but not a total loss either. I’ll still read this series because it’s solid and I did get a catch up on all the other Kellys.

Love a Little Sideways by Shannon Stacey

Love a Little Sideways (Kowalski Family, #7)
Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Kowalski Family #7
Published: 11/26/13
Reviewed by Anne
195 pages

Liz, the youngest of the lodge-running Kowalskis is moving back home.  The only drawback to this situation is that she had a one night stand with Drew Miller, best friend to one of her brothers and chief of police.  That shouldn’t be too awkward, right? All she has to do is avoid him.  Except that as soon as she gets into town, she spins off the road and it’s Drew that comes to her rescue.  And he just keeps coming to her rescue.

This was a good story that I enjoyed, but it was always be “the one where they went camping again!” when I think of it.  Hilarious!  It was full of other enjoyable moments, too, though.  The pacing of Liz and Drew’s relationship was actually pretty slow and enjoyable. 

The main sources of conflict in the book were 1.)keeping their relationship a secret from Liz’s brothers and 2.) Liz not being sure what she wanted out of life and Drew knowing that he wants a wife and family.  The first one was resolved to my satisfaction.  The second one, after the leisurely pace of the rest of their relationship, felt a little rushed.

The Kowalski camping trip was great fun.  There were a LOT of secondary characters from other books that were getting jumbled in my head.  I finally decided I just didn’t need to try to keep track of them, and things went more smoothly from there.  Don’t get me wrong – I’ve read the other books and I like cameos from previous couples, but I think this book would stand alone just fine, since that’s essentially what it did in my memory!

It was interesting and enjoyable to read a story where the man was the one who was anxious to settle down and start a family.  That was a very nice twist.  But it’s really the relationships between Liz and Drew and their family and friends that make the book and keep me coming back to this series for more!

Unattainable by Madeline Sheehan

Unattainable (Undeniable, #3)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Undeniable #3
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
306 pages

This time we get Cage and Tegen’s story.

Cage is the heir to the MC throne for the Hell’s Horsemen. He’s so much like his dad it’s not even funny. His drinking and whoring definitely rival his father’s. He has always taken care of Tegen. He was her first true friend in the club. These two grew up together and Tegen fell in love with him at age eight and never fallen out of it. Cage is a hot guy, very very hot. Women love him and he takes full advantage of that they have to offer. Over and over again. He has issues with his father because of his childhood and they slowly fester.

Tegen being raised in the club was a horrible thing truly. Her mother was a club whore but only to one biker in particular. She watched her mother love someone who in my opinion never truly loved her. This has taken a toll on both mother and daughter. After high school, Tegen moves to San Francisco to start her career and get over Cage. His selfish and callous ways have hurt her far too much. She isn’t happy, she merely exists.

When Tegen is sucked back into club life you really feel for her because you know what it will once again cost her. She may have changed her looks but she can’t change who or what she is. Cage is there as usual but now he sees her in a different light. As a woman he wants. Can she handle it? This story was heartbreaking at times, just like the other stories in this wonderful series. You also get a story about Dirty and Ellie. Dirty is of course another biker within the club and Ellie is Danny’s friend from high school. Dirty’s story is horrific and their love story is a hot mess. But the way the author writes, just makes it precious. My big compliment on this book is that there is no cheating. Tegen is sleeping with a gut in the beginning but they weren’t committed. So, yay for me.

I can’t say enough about this series or it’s characters or this author’s writing. I’m all in and only hope I can stand it until the next book comes out!