The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

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15851732

 

THE VINCENT BOYS
Series: The Vincent Boys #1
Author: Abbi Glines

There was something wicked about Beau that drew me to him. What was wrong with me? Why did I want to sin so badly?

Ashton is getting tired of being good, of impressing her parents and playing ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is perfect, a regular Prince Charming, but when he leaves town for the summer, it’s his cousin Beau who catches Ashton’s eye. Beau is the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, and even though he’s dangerous, Ashton is drawn to him.

Beau loves his cousin like a brother, so the last thing he wants to do is make a move on Sawyer’s girl. Ashton is off-limits, absolutely. That’s why he does his best to keep his distance, even though he’s been in love with her forever. When Ashton wants to rekindle their childhood friendship in Sawyer’s absence, Beau knows he should say no.

Ashton and Beau don’t want to hurt Sawyer. But the more they try to stay away from each other, the more intense their urges become. It’s getting way too hard to resist..

Where do I even start? I really wanted to enjoy this story after so many people on Goodreads had rated it with high marks.  I am in that lower percentile that didn’t have such high praise for it.

The writing wasn’t too bad.  The author had some great writing and narration.  Heck, even most of the dialogue wasn’t that bad.  I think it was the flat out cheating that bothered me the most. I am not a fan of stories with cheating involved. I don’t like cheating in real life and I certainly don’t want to read about cheating.  Yes, sometimes it is not so black and white and might be able to work in a fictional world, if the author handles it very carefully.  Well, I was disappointed with the way this one was handled.  It seemed that right off the bat the main characters were getting it on and moved straight into the no-fly zone. I also was about ready to pull my hair out if I had to read how perfect Sawyer was on almost every other page.

The characters were frustrating and seemed not to have any sensible values whatsoever.  Perfect Ashton (who happens to be the preachers daughter). Perfect Sawyer. Bad boy Beau (which everyone in town looks down on). Like I said, the writing was decent, but the story and characters were not.

GOODREADS / AMAZON

Quickie Reviews For You (9)

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A short post featuring a few quick reviews. Short, sweet and all in one post.

For this edition of Quickie Reviews, I am featuring books that have received a 4 Star rating. The Amazon price posted below is the current price at the time of this post. The prices could change at any time.

curiousCURIOUS (The Finn Factor #1)
by R.G. Alexander
GOODREADS
AMAZON (currently $2.99)

The warning for this book had me Curious. Then I bought it and devoured it in one sitting. This book almost slid onto the 5 star list, but the beginning of the story played out a little too quickly for my tastes. Definitely going to keep reading this series.

jack5.500x8.500.inddGUILTY PLEASURES
by Kitty Thomas
GOODREADS
AMAZON (currently $4.95)

I was recommended to read books by this author if I want to read a dark and not-so-frilly romance. This book will not be for everyone. It is a walk on the dark side in the romance books with dark subjects and scenes.  Personally, I enjoyed the book even with the knowledge that it is out of my usual comfort zone.

good neighborsGOOD NEIGHBORS
by Sheila Roberts
GOODREADS
AMAZON (currently $FREE)

A quick novella that comes in at 77 pages on Goodreads. Rarely I can find a novella that I enjoy enough to give it a high rating. Usually there isn’t enough to the story to grab on to, but this one surprised me. The only downfall to the story was the Hero. I didn’t quite connect to him as much as I would have liked.

straight boySTRAIGHT BOY (Straight Guys 0.5)
by Alessandra Hazard
GOODREADS
AMAZON (currently $FREE)

Another short novella that surprised me. Straight Boy comes in at 48 pages according to Goodreads.  That being said, the 48 pages actually held some story within that short amount of reading time. Not only were the sexy scenes just that, but there is some humor thrown in occasionally to lighten the mood of a prison sex read.

addicted to youADDICTED TO YOU (Addicted #1)
by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie
GOODREADS
AMAZON (currently $FREE)

A bad boy addicted to booze and a naughty girl addicted to sex. This can be a volatile combination to work with in a story but the author(s) pulled it off. These characters went through really bad times to the point of where I didn’t think either one could survive giving up the addictions.  The ending left me craving more and I do recommend having the next in the series on hand.

Mini-Merger: Guys on Top by Riley Simpson

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mini merger

 

Mini-Merger: Guys on Top
Author: Riley Simpson

Gabe smiled mischievously, “Are you proposing some kind of mini-merger between us?”

Gabe’s not interested in players – he’s interested in serious business. As the VP of Summers Enterprises, he has to oversee an intense company merger with Chaucer Enterprises, but his counterpart at Chaucer, Jag, seems to be all about seduction and fun and games.

But as Gabe gets to know Jag, and why the man is known by that name, he discovers a sexy charmer who’s hard to resist. Perhaps there’s more to Jag than meets the eye, and one unexpected late night encounter will tell Gabe everything he needs to know.

This book was not a hit for me. I expected a M/M romance but got something else. This is a short read that comes listed at 21 pages.  I understand that 21 pages are hard to flesh out character personalities and actual romance.  Being that short of a book makes not only the romance almost nil, but leaves the reader with feelings of no connection with each character.  I felt like I was reading a submitted short story to a men’s magazine.  It was short, to the point and almost clinical in character feeling. If you are looking for a short read with no depth or swoon worthy moments of love, then skip this 21 page story. Go for a full length novel. Yet, if you want something quick, straight to the point and mainly just a sex fueled chapter, then this is your go to read.

[sc:rate1 ]

GOODREADS / AMAZON

Held Against You by Season Vining

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held against you by season vining

 

Accused of a horrible crime and on the run, Kat has been rejected by everyone she loves. She’s a fugitive from her past, flitting from town to town with nothing but the clothes on her back. Until she meets a man who literally stops her in her tracks.

This notorious bounty hunter, with his stunning good looks and powerful instincts, never fails to capture his prey. But there’s something about his newest mark that gets under his skin–and it’s not just the naked innocence he sees in her eyes. Behind his ice cold demeanor, he has his own secrets… and now his lively, vulnerable captive is about to crack him wide open.

As they drive across the country together, neither of them can deny the spark of attraction between them. Will their journey force these two passionate opposites together…or will their dangerous secrets be too much to bear?

MY REVIEW

Held Against You by Season Vining held my interest for the first half of the story. There was suspense, mystery, chemistry, romance and lots of cat and mouse chasing.  I liked the characters enough together that I thought they had a good chance of a sizzling romance.  Kat was spunky and she was a good fit for the bounty hunter.  They both had attitudes and could bicker back and forth with each other yet sweet talk the next. What I didn’t like however, was the way the relationship and romance progressed after about half way through the book.

The details and the reason why Kat is on the run wasn’t what you would expect.  Not that it would be a deal breaker in disliking the story, the out come with the bounty hunter is what flopped for me.  Would a bounty hunter really do that? Would he just change everything in such a quick few days? To me, it wasn’t sitting well with me as a reader because it was an easy way out for a ‘happily ever after’. There are still unanswered questions for me because it wasn’t really resolved. It was assumed it was a HEA, but there was no real closure or punishment for the crime.

I really think the story needs some fine tuning for the last half of the story.  Too many loop holes can ruin any story, but unbelievable outcomes can also bring characters to an end just as fast.

“Would you hurry up? I’m exhausted,” he growls.
“Aww. Poor widdle kidnapper is tiwerd.”
“I’m not a kidnapper. I’m a fugitive recovery agent.”
“You say po-tay-toe.”

MY RATING

[sc:rate2 ]

GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review & Excerpt: Evidence of Life by Barbara Taylor Sissel

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Evidence of Life
Author: Barbara Taylor Sissel

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)

On the last ordinary day of her life, Abby Bennett feels like the luckiest woman alive. But everyone knows that luck doesn’t last forever.

As her husband, Nick, and daughter, Lindsey, embark on a weekend camping trip to the Texas Hill Country, Abby looks forward to having some quiet time to herself. She braids Lindsey’s hair, reminds Nick to drive safely and kisses them both goodbye. For a brief moment, Abby thinks she has it all—a perfect marriage, a perfect life—until a devastating storm rips through the region, and her family vanishes without a trace.

When Nick and Lindsey are presumed dead, lost in the raging waters, Abby refuses to give up hope. Consumed by grief and clinging to her belief that her family is still alive, she sets out to find them. But as disturbing clues begin to surface, Abby realizes that the truth may be far more sinister than she imagined. Soon she finds herself caught in a current of lies that threaten to unhinge her and challenge everything she once believed about her marriage and family.

MY THOUGHTS
That cover sums this book up for this reader.  Mysterious, suspenseful and determination all in one package of a book. As not a regular reader of mystery/suspense unless it falls within the romance genre, I was pleasantly surprised by this book in the woman’s mystery fiction world.  I found myself really getting into the story and not wanting to put it down.
After Abbey’s family goes missing after a storm, they are presumed dead.  While it can’t be proven, there is always that 1 percent of hope that they are actually alive.  We read about how Abbey has to deal with not knowing and wondering what really happened. While she struggles with finding the answers she needs, the reader also discovers along with Abbey that not everything was as perfect as she thought.  
I really felt for Abbey in this book and wanted to help her figure out the mystery as well.  While it was a little predictable in most of the story, the suspense was enough to keep me interested until the last page.  Not a bad book in my eyes considering I don’t usually read these types of fiction.  I am definitely going to keep this author on my radar for future reads!
MY RATING
Very Good! I would recommend this book!
EXCERPT
Abby made a face. Lindsey never passed up an opportunity to remind her parents that she was the better student, the orderly, more agreeable child. “I thought you were going to play pro basketball overseas, travel the world.”
                “Is there a reason I can’t do both?”
                “Nope. You, my darling daughter, can do anything you set your mind to, just like your brother.” Abby ran her fingers lightly down the length of Lindsey’s braid.
“If only I could stay home like my brother.”
“Your daddy has gone to a lot of trouble to plan this trip so he can spend time with you.”
“I know. I just wish it wasn’t this weekend.”
“There are worse sacrifices,” Abby said blithely.
“I have finals next month too. And don’t say it’s not the same.”
“Okay, I won’t.” Abby centered the griddle over the burner.
“will you set the table and call your dad? The French toast’ll be done in a minute.” She could feel Lindsey considering whether or not to push.
Please don’t. It was a prayer, a wish, yet one more in the sea of mundane moments from that morning that would return to mock her. To ask her: How could you? Because she would remember that Lindsey hadn’t pushed; she’d set the table and left the kitchen without another word.
“What about jackets?” Abby followed her husband and daughter through the back door, onto the driveway. Although it was April, it was still chilly, and it would be colder where they were going.
Colder than home.
“It’s supposed to rain,” she said. “Maybe you guys should take your boots.”