Falling For The Backup by Toni Aleo

Falling for the Backup (Assassins, #3.5)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Assassins #3.5
Reviewed by Kay

This latest read from Toni Aleo’s Assassins series is another great addition. It focuses on Jordan, who is the backup goalie. He has been on the bench since a very significant injury. While he was healing, his replacement became a star goalie and basically took his place on the team. Now that he’s healed, he wants to play again and is talking with other teams. He also wants to settle down, get married and have kids, so he’s looking for his future wife.

Aynslee is a elementary education teacher. A red haired Irish girl complete with a big family. She transferred down to Nashville after a breakup with her longtime boyfriend. These two meet on a plane ride back to Nashville. Instant sparks and here you go. I love these novels, I really do. This series is an auto-read for me. When she has a new book come out, I  clear my schedule so I can sit down and read it. If you haven’t started reading her, you are sooo missing out on one of the best new authors there is out there. I can not wait for September when the next book comes out!

Restraint by Charlotte Stein

Restraint
Grade – A
Hotness Level – Inferno
Kink Level – no kink
Genre – Contemporary, short
Reviewed by Anne


Mallory is pissed of at her friend.  He invited *Artie* along on their holiday.  Artie who hates her and thinks she’s stupid.  But while they are sharing a vacation house, Mallory quickly realizes Artie doesn’t dislike her, he just doesn’t know what to do with the attraction he feels for her.  He’s so uptight, conservative, restrained… he just doesn’t know what to do with the physical reaction he has to her blunt words.

I’ll stop there because it’s a short story (51 pages on my reader) and I don’t want to give it away, but it’s incredibly good.  I love Charlotte Stein’s voice.  Her first person story telling works for me, even though I’m not a first person fan, in general.  Early on in the story, before she understands why Artie seems to dislike her, Mallory decides she’s never going to have Artie’s approval and she doesn’t care.  In fact, she’s going to say more of the things that make him uncomfortable.


I can almost make out the pressure of his immense gaze on the side of my face, as I make a comment I know I shouldn’t be making.

I know it, the second it comes out – but somehow I just can’t help it.  I’m not even trying to employ this new “Artie can go fuck himself” attitude.  The words simply come out all on their own, like a reflex.

A rude, rude reflex, in response to Lucy’s suggestion that she’d be happy just to have some movie star hunk of the week read the phone book to her.

‘He could read the phone book to me, too, ‘ I say, and then the Doc hit my knee with the little hammer, and my leg kicks up. ‘As long as he does so directly into my vagina.’

This story is very hot.  It’s also got a dirty feel to it, which I really enjoyed.  The dirty comes from knowing how Artie feels about the things they are doing, not so much what they are doing.  I really enjoyed the writing!  Artie and Mallory also develop a sweet and believable love for each other.  I highly recommend this book.  It’s going on my Best of 2013 list.


Favorite Authors for Kay

Anne and I were talking and she had the idea that we should maybe be more specific and name our favorite authors. Sounds good to me, so here goes. These are in alphabetical order not in order of preference.

Historical-

Jennifer Ashley
Maya Banks
Kresley Cole
Alexandra Hawkins
Jennifer Haymore
Lorraine Heath
Sabrina Jeffries
Nicole Jordan
Christie Kelley
Beverley Kendall
Sarah Maclean
Margaret Mallory
Monica McCarty
Sarah McCarty
Jenna Petersen
Julia Quinn
Michele Sinclair

Paranormal-

Lara Adrian
Shannon K. Butcher
Kresley Cole
Alexandra Ivy
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Shelly Laurenston
Gena Showalter
J.R. Ward

Contemporary-

Bella Andre
Maya Banks
Shayla Black
Toni Blake
Jaci Burton
Lorelei James
Robin Kaye
Susan Mallery
Lisa Marie Rice
Jill Shalvis

These are my favorites and I like almost everything they write in these genres. I hope this gives insight into some of what I like and please feel free to comment and let me know some of yours.

Kay