whips

Highlander Taken by Juliette Miller

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Highlander Taken (Clan Mackenzie, #2)
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate Kink
Series-Clan Mackenzie #2
Reviewed by Kay

Let me explain the hotness level thing first for this book. Inferno is our hottest rating and for good reason but you generally don’t find it in historical romance. At least, not in the historicals I read. I have very specific guidelines for historical romance and erotica has no place there for me. There were multiple sexual situations in this book but no penetrating sex until the end of the book but scenes of non-penetrating sex were explicit as well as some bondage and spanking with a leather strap. That’s where the inferno rating comes from.

Kade Mackenzie has to wed for an alliance to strengthen his clan’s army and holdings. He is a third son. His oldest brother is widowed and not ready to remarry yet. His second brother was all but betrothed and then met his meant to be bride, so his betrothal to a Morrison daughter had to be broken. In come Kade and Stella Morrison to fill the vacancy spot the broken engagement left. Kade has desired Stella even before he met her because she had a feisty reputation. When he sees her, he falls for her beauty. He accepts the fact they have to get married and looks forward to his marriage bed.

Stella Morrison has been abused by her father or his men physically for years. She looks like her dead mother and her father for some reason takes his grief out on Stella. She doesn’t want the marriage but wants to protect her clan. She has heard her husband is a beast, so she is apprehensive to say the least.

I liked this book but not as much as I wanted to. I wanted to love it. It drug a little in the middle for me. Good story telling otherwise. My big problems with it were no full blown sex until the end of the book and in one sex scene he used a leather strap on her. The later is not my cup of tea. Personal preference but I rate based on what I like and I did not like that part. Good voice of the author and she’ll probably get better as she goes on.

Short Rides by Lorelei James

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Short Rides (Rough Riders, #14.5)
Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate
Series-Rough Riders #14.5
Reviewed by Kay

Let me start by saying that this will be a joint review between Kate and I. We have each done a review with Anne but not one together. I’m super excited about it! We’ll each give our reviews, a list of our faves of the series and our not so much faves. I hope you enjoy the review as much as we enjoyed the book and writing it.

This novel has three separate parts-

The King Of Hearts is about Cam McKay who is the deputy of this hometown since his discharge from the armed services. He was badly wounded and ended up with part of one leg and hand amputated. On Valentine’s Day there is a murder suicide committed and he is on the scene. It was very disturbing because of the nature and brutality of the crime. It also talked about PTSD and getting treatment for it. It was okay for me but a little preachy about gun control. I did enjoy his scenes with the kiddos.

Rough Road was about Trevor, Edgard and Chassie Glazner. They are a committed triad. If you are unfamiliar with that, it means they are all lovers in a committed relationship. They all have children together and raise them together. This story deals with prejudice against their lifestyle involving their son. He’s bullied by a child at school and he questions his parents about what the “F” words means.
I do want to point out that the parents of the bully were worst case opinion people. Not every one who disagrees with someone’s lifestyle is a jerk about it. I loved the support they got from their extended family and the lovely vacation they got to take.

All Knocked Up is about Jack and Keely Donohue who are awaiting the arrival of baby number one. Between work schedules and pregnancy hormones it’s a wild ride. The bonus to this story is that we get multiple babies!

I enjoyed all three stories and can’t wait for the next installment in this wonderful series.

My personal favorites in order are (I didn’t rate the novellas):
Raising Kane
All Jacked Up
Cowgirls Don’t Cry
Chasin’ Eight
Rough, Raw and Ready
Kissin’ Tell
Branded As Trouble
Cowgirl Up And Ride
Tied Up, Tied Down
Long Hard Ride
Shoulda Been A Cowboy
Rode Hard, Put Up Wet
Cowboy Casanova
Gone Country

Don’t get me wrong, I liked them all but some more than others. Now, on to Kate.

What does a series that already has 14 full length books (#15 is slated to be released on 6/18) and 2 novellas need? *waiving hand in the air* OOH, ooh, pick me. I know. An anthology containing a short story and two novellas!

King of Hearts featuring  Cam and Domini left me feeling a bit flat. It gives a glimpse of their home life, but it was lacking the heat that I’ve come to expect from a Rough Riders book.   D, blaze

Rough Roads revisits Chassie, Trevor and Edgard as they celebrate their anniversary and deal with issues their oldest son is having at school. I loved this one.  B+, inferno

All Knocked Up follows Jack and Keely through the end of her first pregnancy. This one made me laugh out loud. B, inferno.

For those of us waiting for the next installment in the Rough Riders series these stories will help fill the void and pass the time. I’m curious to find out how many of you are riding the Rough Riders train? What was your favorite book so far?

Kate’s favorites in order:

I’ve not listed them before and it was funny because some of them I actually felt my lip curl just reading the title. And Kissin’ Tell would have been a few spots lower on the list except for Lorelei James’ masterful use of a trampoline 🙂 Makes me smile every time I think about it. I’m curious to know what your favorites are.

1. Rough, Raw and Ready
2. Raising Kane
3. Tied Up, Tied Down
4. Branded As Trouble
5. Cowgirl Up and Ride
6. Strong, Silent Type
7. Cowboy Casanova
8. Kissin’ Tell
9. Should Been A Cowboy
10. Cowgirls Don’t Cry
11. Gone Country
12. All Jacked Up
13. Long Hard Ride
14. Rode Hard, Put Up Wet
15. Chasin’ Eight

Fever by Maya Banks

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Fever (Breathless, #2)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High
Series-Breathless #2
Reviewed by Kay

This installment of Maya Banks’ Breathless trilogy is my favorite so far. I really enjoyed it. Great heroine, pretty good hero. Good supporting cast also. I’ll let you know what I liked and disliked in just a moment. Let me summarize first.

Jace Crestwell  sees Bethany Willis across the room at his sister’s engagement party and something happens. The world shifts on it’s axis and he is almost overcome with a sense of possessiveness. He’s never had that kind of reaction to a woman before. And he’s had plenty of women. Plenty. He knows he wants her but he usually has his best friend, Ash along for the ride(pun intended). Bethany is different. She’s special and he can’t understand how she can be since he has just seen her. Ash sees his interest and against Jace’s wishes approaches her and propositions her.

Bethany is taken aback at first but due to the attraction she feels for both of them but Jace especially, she agrees. She does negotiate dinner in the deal though. The reason I bring that up is that Bethany is homeless and works odd jobs when she can find them. She’s part of the wait staff at this engagement party. She feels a little at odds with her decision to go home with them but takes the chance. They spend the night together and she ditches them in the morning.

This encounter has changed everything for Jace, Bethany and Ash. Jace has met the woman for him, Bethany has possibly met someone who will have her back and Ash realizes that his best friend’s priorities have changed. There is a lot of emotions in this book. Relationship evaluation too. What place you play in different people’s lives.

What I did like: Jace’s immediate realization that Bethany was his. His acceptance of this and of her and her past. Bethany as a character. I love the tortured heroine trope. Life was never kind to her but she always came out swinging. Ash’s acceptance of how things should be.

What I didn’t like: Jace’s extreme BDSM stuff but that’s more of a personal preference. His numerous doubts of trust with the people he was supposed to love. Jack pretty much was annoying and useless.

You got a small glimmer of life on the streets and a bad example of the foster care system. I know that not all examples of the foster care system are bad and that needs to be pointed out. This was a solid addition to the series and I eagerly wait Ash’s book. I want it NOW!