Takeover by Anna Zabo

* * * 1/2

Michael Sebastian thought Curacao would be the perfect place to have a little fun in the sun—and between the sheets. So far, no one has struck his interest, until Sam Anderson walks into the bar. With one look at his tense body and expensive suit, Michael knows that this is a man in need of release. And Michael is more than willing to lend a hand.

Shattered by the most intense sex he’s ever had, Sam has to face the facts—one night with a handsome, dominating stranger is all he gets before returning to the closet he’s been suffocating in for years. But when Sam starts his new job as the CEO of a failing technology company, he discovers that Michael is one of his new employees.

While Michael is desperate for another night with Sam, he knows he shouldn’t get involved with his boss, let alone another man who can’t accept who he is. But as they’re forced to work together to save the company, the desire sparking between them becomes impossible to ignore…



Review:

In a recent review I stated how I’m not a big fan of “love at first sight” stories.  But I do love stories about instant attraction that grow into something more.  So I guess I believe in magic just not that magic equates to love?  I don’t know.  There’s really no explaining how my bizarre brain works.  In any case…When Michael first sees Sam in that bar in Curacao there is definitely attraction.  And after a hot night and an exchange of power neither have experienced in years, they realize that it was a night neither will forget.  They might not know each other well enough to be in love with each other but they know enough to realize that they each have something the other needs.  If circumstances were different they might see where this relationship will go.  But Michael leaves for home the next day and Sam’s vacation is just starting.

Sam and Michael never expected to see each other again.  They didn’t even know each other’s last names.  But it’s a small world sometimes.  And that couldn’t have been more obvious when Sam shows up as the new CEO of the failing software company Michael works for in Pittsburgh.  A relationship in their current situation is impossible.  One, Michael is Sam’s employee.  Two, Sam is not out.  Sam made the decision to go back into the closet and lock the door when he decided on his career path.  Corporate America wasn’t ready for a gay CEO and Sam wasn’t willing to give up his dream of a successful career in the corporate world.  

But as I said, they each have something the other needs.   After managing and controlling every part of a company during the day, Sam wants nothing more than to surrender in the bedroom.  And Michael?  Well, he wants nothing more than to dominate in the bedroom.   Match made in heaven, right?  Almost.  There is that pesky business about Sam being Michael’s boss.  And then there is the ultimate deal breaker for Michael – Sam staying in the closet. 

I loved Michael and Sam’s dynamic relationship.  There was so much energy and intensity.   All of that emotion and sexual tension about jumped off the page.  The bedroom scenes in this book contain quite a bit of BDSM play.  That is the place Sam can let go and Michael is more than willing to oblige.  I don’t consider any of these scenes “hard core” but they ARE  hotter than hell.  Phew!

It wasn’t perfect.  I had a small yet noticeable issue with this book.  And that was the repetition of the word, “spine.”  Phrases like “Sam’s spine tingled” and “pinpricks ran up his spine,” were a bit overdone. 29 times overdone.  I got it the first time.  And just in case I’m really slow, I can forgive the second .  But 29 times?  Not cool.   There may have been repetition in other areas but that was the one that hit me over the head for some reason.   That’s really the only complaint I had.  And in the end it’s a small one.  A small one I can live with because Michael and Sam’s story is hot and sexy and romantic.  And when it comes down to it, hot/sexy/romantic is EXACTLY what I’m looking for in a romance.

Nat

Long Way Home by HelenKay Dimon (Adult Romance)

* * 1/2

The Hanover brothers are trying to live down the con-man reputation of their late father. But they can’t blame their father for all their problems in life—or in love…

Callen Hanover has led a tough life. But after years of roaming, he’s finally settled back home in Sweetwater to reunite with his brothers, and rebuild Shadow Hill, his grandmother’s crumbling home. The last person he expected to see at his door was Grace Pruitt—ex-girlfriend and partner to the FBI agent who’s determined to put Callen away.

Grace Pruitt is in town to save the two men she cares about the most—her former partner who seems to be on a downward spiral, and Callen, the man who ran before she could explain who she really was…or tell him some shocking news. Can the secrets of the Hanover family’s past be just the thing to save them all? Or is it already too late?

Review:

One night after meeting each other, Callen Hanover and Grace Pruitt move in together.  There were together for 4 months before Callen decided Grace had betrayed him and walked out without caring to really listen to anything she had to say.

Although I’m not a big “love-at-first-sight” fan, I DO enjoy reading about relationships that begin with an instant connection.  It may not be love YET but something is bringing our hero and heroine together in a way that will lead to a happy ever after.  And even though we don’t see those first 4 months first-hand, Long Way Home still manages to deliver the instant-connection-to-love story line.  But…there was something about this story really ruined it for me. 

That something is our hero, Callen.  He is a hot mess.  And not in a sexy way.  Early on the reader learns that during their four months together Callen was a heavy drinker with a very short temper.  And when I say heavy drinker I mean he was drinking 24 hours a day; even getting up in the middle of the night to drink.  Apparently Grace insisted he stop drinking.  He does.  His temper improves but isn’t non-existent.  Which is proven when and he just walks out during an argument.  He doesn’t stop to listen or to talk things out.  He just LEAVES.  He’s willing to go through the tremendous effort of sobering up for her but god forbid he have a conversation to save their relationship.

Fast forward 3 months later.  Callen left no trace; even changing his phone number so Grace can’t find him.  But she does find him.  In Oregon, helping his brothers sort out the house and legacy their con-artist father left behind.  Callen is still sober but he also continues to be uncommunicative.  When he is communicating it is to accuse Grace of lying (she’s not and has never given him a reason to think so), he’s exceedingly moody and ridiculously paranoid about everything.  He lacks self esteem. And he still runs away from everything. All I could think was that this guy needs serious therapy before continuing a long term relationship. 

The reason I gave this 2 1/2 stars is because the writing kept my interest and Callen seemed to have SOME redeeming qualities considering he didn't run away when he found out he was going to be a dad. And as I said before, he's a runner. The fact that he didn't run showed a little bit of character growth. Just not enough to make me feel anything other than a tremendous need to send him to a therapist. And Grace? Her desire to make Callen understand he's worth more than he realizes is commendable. But his issues are deep and messed up and the fantasy that she can fix him all on her own is too far fetched. Did I already mention that this guy needs a therapist?  Well, I’m suggesting it again.  This hero was TOO broken.  And had the story addressed that issue further rather than trying to portray love and romance as a fix-all, I would have been more forgiving and more interested. 

Nat

Paper Towns by John Green

* * * 1/2

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer Q gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

I have never read a John Green novel, something I needed to correct. My choice was between The Fault In Our Stars and Paper Towns. As Nat cautioned me that the former would have me crying buckets, I thought starting off with Paper Towns would be a good way to go.

John Green has a fantastic sense of sarcasm and humor - have you seen his vlog?  These highschoolers on the verge of graduation are very much normal and ridiculous.  Quentin is just a great guy. In fact, the entire time I was reading it, I thought to myself how much Nat would love him because he’s just one of those good guys, a forever boy.  His relationship with Margo is an interesting one.  As kids, they discovered the dead body of a man under a tree at a park. Quentin pinpoints that moment as the moment that their friendship changed and she became more withdrawn.

When she encourages him to join her on her revenge campaign against her cheating boyfriend and her lying best friend, Quentin feels it’s finally his chance to get close to her again before they graduate. (It doesn't mean that he's not nervous about what they'll get up to.) It’s almost as if the old Margo is back. Throughout the night he senses something is up with her. After an interesting night of activities they go their separate ways. Quentin thinks that now things will be different between them at school. But then she doesn’t show up to school the next day nor the days after. Turns out she has a history of running away and leaving clues behind. Her parents have given up on finding her and have decided to no longer play her games. Quentin though can’t let it go. He discovers that Margo did indeed leave him some clues and he and his friends decide to try and find her themselves. As all this is happening, Quentin can only wonder to himself who Margo has become, why she is doing this and why he’s obsessed with finding her.

I liked that Paper Towns aside from being about friendship and growing pains was also a neat little mystery. With every clue that Quentin came across, which includes the Walt Whitman poem "Song of Myself", I was trying to figure them out too. There were moments where I was worried about what he’d run into.  And while Margo is missing, life goes on as usual with their friends getting ready for prom and graduation. Quentin’s best friends are concerned about him being too caught up in the Margo mystery instead of enjoying the final few days of school with everyone.  I was bothered by Margo herself because I ended up feeling so protective of Quentin. I was annoyed by her mysterious motives for dragging him into her drama without giving him any kind of explanation.  The poor guy goes through hell worrying about her. He has no clue what is going on inside her head and yet he's still big-hearted enough to want to find her and help her.  Those good guys just get put through the ringer!

I will say that Paper Towns does have a satisfying ending for everyone in the sense that it works for each of the characters. It is about the nature of friendship and how it changes. What do you hold on to and what do you let go of? This is what Quentin has to come to terms with eventually.

~ Bel

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

* * * *

 “One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them … until one summer night Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase’s family embraces Samantha – even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha’s world. She’s suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time to save herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

I don't read contemporary romance too often but if they're written as lovely as My Life Next Door then I am thrilled to read more. It's been a while since I've read a book and seriously gushed over it to anyone who comes near me.

Seventeen year-old Samantha is an absolute delight. I enjoyed everything about her – her naiveté her awkward moments, her maturity and most importantly her eventual decision toward the end of the book to stand up for what's right – even if it means she has to stand up to her narrow-minded mother. Samantha’s mom, Grace, has good intentions for her children, though it’s evident from the beginning that since she entered into politics, her attention to her daughters has lessened. It’s Samantha who notices how much her mother has changed especially when she starts dating a younger man who also happens to be her campaign manager. Samantha is a bit blindsided by these events yet Grace shows no recognition of how much Samantha is changing.  Instead she mothers through post-its and schedules but doesn’t really engage with her daughters. She sees what she wants to and has expectations that are a bit unfair. Samantha, being the good kid that she is takes it in stride. She is very insightful when it comes to noticing her mother’s change. It's too bad her mother doesn’t wake up for a while.

It's when Samantha offically meets Jase for the first time after years of observing his family over their privacy fence that her world starts to change. Jase is impossibly perfect but a dream come true for Samantha – and for all us other girls too. He’s easygoing and unfazed by things. Plus he can fix cars, motorcycles, vacuums and babysit! But it's his thoughtfulness that really does a girl in. Case in point:

"Jaces' green eyes meet mine, then his lashes lower. 'I guess I like things that take time and attention. More worthwhile that way.'"

Seriously, can we clone this guy?  The Garrett’s home is a culture shock to Samantha who has only known order and routine all her life. Every member of the Garrett family shines with abundant personality and she takes to them instantly. 

As Samantha spends more time with Jase and his family she learns the valuable lesson of looking beyond the surface. Sure their yard may be a perpetual mess and Jase’s parents my breed like rabbits but that doesn’t make them bad people. In fact, they’re all hardworking, upstanding folk. This lesson comes in handy particularly when she is blindsided by how her two best friends, Nan and her brother Tim, have always viewed her as a trust fund baby. They’re under the misconception that she has always had it easy because her family has money. As these two worlds eventually meet, Samantha has to figure out how she'll balance her mother's expectations with her own growing independence. And when things take a turn for the worst, Samantha finds a way to push through. This is what I adore about this book: Fitzpatrick allows her characters to evolve and surprise you and she does it so well. Samantha learns that given the chance, some people can pleasantly surprise you and some can also disappoint you.

I know Huntley Fitzpatrick hit the mark with me when I kept reaching for the book even after I finished it. After the initial twinge of sadness that I had done so, I reminded myself that I can always reread it. This book is simply dazzling and will appeal to anyone who loves Stephanie Perkins’  Anna And The French Kiss  and Lola And The Boy Next Door. It has the growing pains issues of the latter but will leave you with the same good vibes that you get from reading Anna. Needless to say, My Life Next Door stands in good company on the bookshelf.

~ Bel

The Trouble With Paradise by Jill Shalvis (Non-YA, 18yrs+)

* * * * *

One phone call has turned Dorie’s dead-end life into an adventure: she’s won a trip on a singles cruise to Fiji. With her cutest outfits packed and the Love Boat theme in her head. Dorie boards – and soon meets two men: a pro baseball player with an irresistible Texas drawl, and the ship’s dark and mysterious French doctor, Dr. Christian Montague. She’s sure to fall head over heels in no time. She just never expected to do it so quickly, or so literally, tripping over her luggage.

With her foot twisted and her ego deflated, Dorie’s dream vacation is about to take the biggest detour yet. A violent storm has wrecked the ship and cast everyone ashore. A deserted island would be the perfect setting for a steamy romance, if something sinister wasn’t lurking. Whose alluring arms will Dorie to? Being stuck never felt so…liberating.

My fellow BiblioJunkies know of my severe aversion to romance novels. When I used to commute to the City for work, I’d notice all these other well-dressed professional women on the train reading those ridiculously cheesy romance novels with the Fabio-like model on the cover holding some dainty damsel in his arms. Seriously? I swore that would never be me. 

Fast forward a few years, a few kids and several dystopian novels later, I felt a change of pace was desperately in order. So when Shel and I went on one of many trips to Borders (RIP) I charged her with the responsibility of  choosing my first romance novel. 

Whatever I thought I was in for definitely surpassed my expectations! Jill Shalvis has such a wicked sense of humor that had me in stitches throughout the book. Dorie is a sweet, klutzy heroine. She may not be able to speak when she’s in front of a hot guy (literally - her tongue swells up which provides for plenty of comedic dialog) but she’s still lovable.

On the cruise around the islands of Fiji, Dorie meets a variety of characters that are so worlds away from the humdrum life she left behind. Almost immediately she finds herself torn between laid-back hottie baseball player, Andy and the very reserved and gruff French doctor, Christian. The story is told from both Dorie’s and Christian’s perspectives. Their reactions to one another are hilarious especially when they don’t want to admit feeling an attraction to each other. In the midst of all the flirting, Shalvis also introduces a murder mystery, cleverly weaving it between the comedy and romance thereby upping the “awesome” factor several notches. Even the absurd situations that Dorie finds herself in are believable because of Shalvis’ outstanding writing.

So my first foray into the world of romance novels was a success. I mean Shalvis had me wrapped up in the story and I have to say that if it weren’t for her, I would never have known that nipples could have so many emotions. Did you? Jill Shalvis, I bow to you and your awesomeness!

I highly recommend The Trouble With Paradise to anyone (18 yrs+) who wants a quick escape, several laugh-out-loud moments, of course the (steamy) romance and may be a little mystery to keep those brain cells working. :-)

~ Bel