Heat Level – Blaze

New Life by Bonnie Dee

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

New Life
Grade: C+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate

Anna is a brand new attorney.  Jason is a college aged janitor in Anna’s building.  He was seriously injured in a car accident that left him with permanent brain damage.  One night he finds Anna crying in the stairwell.  They feel a connection to each other.  Most people look right through Jason, but Anna does not.  This develops into a relationship.  It has it’s challenges, but they meet them well together in the beginning.  I really enjoyed the book up to this point.
 
As things progress, though, they face bigger challenges and I didn’t like how things played out.  I felt like Jason was too fragile.  It didn’t seem like there was a lot of personal growth, and I’m not convinced they overcame their problems.  I think they’ll face them over and over and probably deal with them in the same way.
 
I thought it was an interesting relationship to read about, but I wasn’t convinced that they’d live happily ever after..  That was troubling to me.  I think the story ended too soon for me to be convinced otherwise.  I do think Bonnie Dee is a good writer, though, and I’d read more by her.  

Trying To Score by Toni Aleo

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Trying to Score (Assassins, #2)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Assassins #2
Reviewed by Kay

This is the second installment in Toni Aleo’s Assassins Hockey series. It is about Lucas Brooks, who has recently been traded to Nashville, where the Assassins are from. He is no stranger to hockey or the lifestyle that comes with being a professional athlete. He’s cocky and very self assured. He just wants to play hockey and win back the girl he lost.

Fallon Parker is that girl. She and Lucas had a love affair when they were younger and was heartbroken when it ended with Lucas’ infidelity. She left town, which at the time was in California, and came home to Nashville. She is in charge of Rocky Top Wines, lives with her sister, Audrey, and her son, Aiden.

I love this series and this book was no exception. I loved Lucas even with all his faults and there are some. I loved Fallon too. She had to make herself into the woman she was because of Aiden, who as you probably guessed, is Lucas’ son. Lucas never knew about him until he came to Nashville. You as the reader get to go through that with them also. Understanding both sides of the situation, it was still a moral dilemma. Toni Aleo knows just how to write an emotion packed novel. This is a great example of a sports based romance series. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Taking Shots by Toni Aleo

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Assassins #1
Reviewed by Kay

Shea Adler is a hockey pro at the top of his game. He loves hockey, his team, family, especially his twin sister and women. The first four of the above things he loves with some staying power but women, not so much. He’s kind of a love ’em and leave ’em sort of guy. He’s cocky, self assured and has never had to wait on or chase anyone he has wanted.

Eleanor “Elli” Fisher is a rich girl. She’s a photographer with a thriving business. She has a father that adores her. A best friend she loves and a great support staff of other close friends. But she is very insecure about a lot of things: men, family, weight and self worth.

These two see each other at a sports photo shoot and the sparks fly. This is an emotional read in regards to a woman who is almost broken but desperately wants to be loved and a man that never saw her coming. Elli is a character that is easy to like. She’s kind, shy and cares about people. Shea is absolutely precious. I love his character so much I can’t even tell you! He starts off wanting Elli and his pursuit is patient but persistent. When he fell,….sigh, he fell big time. Head over heels and so did I, with him.

I liked this book so much. Even through the “big misunderstanding” I loved Elli. She had been hurt before and she wasn’t taking any chances. I cried a couple of different times in the book: when he had dinner with her family and when he realized he was in love with her. This is a great new series for me and can’t wait to read the next one! Toni Aleo has gained a fan in me!