Ass of the Year

The Secret Heir of Sunset Ranch Charlene Sands

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

       
Grade-C-
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
192 pages

The Cast

Justin: Ass-hat who lost a bet and had to pretend he was Brett for a weekend-and while he was at it, decided to sleep with Kat as Brett. Son of the wealthy Slade family.

Brett: Justin’s soldier buddy who died in the line of duty, was raised by his Aunt Mattie. Had never met, much less slept with Kat.

Kat: Slept with Brett (who was really Justin), then found out she was pregnant. Was raised in an extremely poor and abusive household. Wants better for her son. A reformed gold digger. Currently living with Aunt Mattie.

Aunt Mattie: Brett’s aunt. Lost her husband and her nephew-both had been in the military. The news of her nephew’s death caused a heart attack, leaving her in a fragile health state.

Connor: Young son of Kat and Justin. A model baby, always sleeping when the story requires it.

The Plot

Justin returns home after his stint in the military is finished. He heads over to Brett’s aunt’s house to confess his guilt over Brett’s death. When he arrives, he discovers Kat living there with Connor, the son he didn’t know about. Aunt Mattie believes Connor is her nephew’s son. Kat pleads with Justin to not reveal Connor’s paternity as Aunt Mattie’s health is too fragile to handle such a blow. Justin reluctantly agrees, but demands to be a part of Connor’s life.

This was a book about secrets. Everyone seemed to have at least one huge skeleton in their closet. Starting off with Justin’s “Brett’s not my name” secret, it was just one secret after another.

It was also a book about money. How having money or not having money can lead to different motivations. Justin is not afraid to throw his money around. Kat struggles to not chase after money.

Secrets and money are not a good combination for me. I can handle one or the other, but when you put them together, it gets too soap opera-ish for me. And that’s what this book read like. A soap opera. The characters seemed a bit like stock characters. A hero with money and a secret. Check. A heroine with a secret and no money. Check. I just couldn’t connect with either of them and their conflict didn’t pull me in either.

Obviously, secrets and money don’t work for me as a combination. Do you have any combinations that don’t work for you, but are okay individually?

Because You Are Mine by Beth Kery

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne
Because You Are Mine: The Complete Novel (Because You Are Mine, #1-8)
Grade: B+
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: High Kink
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM
Series: Because You Are Mine #1-8
Published: March 2013
Reviewed by Kate
400 pages 
 
Ian, über-richy rich Dom, is an ass.  He’s all about control.  Controlling his business, controlling his employees, controlling every aspect of his life.  He has no time or interest in love.  Francesca, sweet, innocent Francesca is a painter.  She’s won a contest to paint a painting for Ian’s newest building.  And, being this is a romance, sparks of attraction fly when they first meet.  But despite being in control of his life, Ian can’t control the way his thoughts keep returning to Francesca.  So what’s a poor controlling Dom to do?  Ian will control everything about their sexual interactions, including when their interludes will end.  He acknowledges that they will both probably get hurt, but he just can’t turn away.  In exchange, Francesca will get pleasure and experience.  But just when Ian has reached the pinnacle of asshood, you discover why he is the way he is, and you, along with Francesca, fall in love with him.
 
I don’t think I’ve ever been so enthralled by such an ass of a hero before, but I really just couldn’t stop reading.  Francesca manages to walk that fine line between submission and doormat.  The author does a good job of showing us the torment Ian faces in his relationship with Francesca.  How he’s trying to protect his heart and trying to not be a complete ass.
 
This was originally written and released in 8 separate parts.  I’m glad that I read the complete novel, because I can’t imagine having to wait for the next installment to be released.  I’m not of huge fan of serialization as I tend to get sucked in and end up spending too much time and money on the whole series.
 
Do you have any serializations to recommend?  Are you a fan of the format or not?

Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Styxx (Dark-Hunter, #23)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level- Moderate Kink
Series- Dark-Hunter #23
Genre-Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by Kay
836 pages

Back many months ago when I read the blurb for this book, my heart raced. I’ll admit I was a little tentative about a book featuring Styxx, but the blurb says that we only know half of the story. If you don’t want to read a review with spoilers stop now.
Here’s a little refresher on this very long series. Styxx is the identical twin to Acheron except for the eyes. They shared a womb even though they were not blood related. I’m not going to summarize all the details to Ash’s (Acheron) conception and subsequent birth. Just know that Ash was put in a queen’s womb who was already pregnant as a way to protect Ash from those who were hunting him. See, Ash is the son of the Destroyer and he can bring an end to the world.
In Ash’s book, we learn of his birth and life up until this point. He and his twin, Styxx hated each other. Ash was made to suffer atrocities that no one should suffer, especially a small child. We all developed a hatred so intense for the golden child, Styxx. But in this book, we realize that we only knew Ash’s story. Styxx’s story was in my opinion even worse. Not only was it over one hundred pages longer but it was almost double the size of Ash’s back story. A back story that had me either too stunned to cry or sobbing uncontrollably. I won’t say anything more about the back story other than you have to read it to truly know the story and the ultimate betrayals that take place.
The most beautiful part of this book is the love story between Styxx and Bethany. It was so precious and innocent. Styxx is the future king of his country and became a true war hero and a master strategist. His one and only true love was a blind girl who he met when she was fishing.
He didn’t realize that his love was really the Goddess of Misery as she didn’t realize he was Prince Styxx.
I don’t want to give away too much about the book. Just read it even though it is 836 pages long. It moves quickly and I devoured it in less than 48 hours. I’ll end this review with my favorite quotes from the book.
“Never once in my life did I feel the sunshine on my skin until the day you touched me.”
“And without my Bethany, I dwell in total darkness.”
“It’s not fair that we’re forced to live without them while the world goes on, oblivious to the fact that it’s missing the most vital part of it.”
“I let go of your hand eleven thousand, five hundred thirty nine years, one hundred and eighty three days and roughly ten hours give or take a few mintues ago.”
“You really did count the heartbeats.”
“Oh Beth, you have no idea.”
This time Styxx knew that nothing would ever separate them again. And if anyone or anything was dumb enough to try they were going to learn the lesson he had given both Archon and Apollo. Styxx of Didymos fought for what he wanted. He didn’t back down. He didn’t give up. He didn’t lose. Even if it meant coming back from the dead, he wouldn’t be stopped and he would never again live without his most vital part. Bethany.