Reasonable Doubt

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually enjoyed a self-published erotica novel. This is new for me as generally speaking the novels are sex first, plot nonexistent, dialogue laughable and grammar/writing-style amateur, but Reasonable Doubt was a decent, if short read.

Andrew Hamilton, known to his chat room hookups as Thoreau, has relocated from New York to North Carolina thanks to some awful, abstract thing. We’re lead to believe it is a lying woman, but can’t be sure. We can be sure that Andrew hates liars and is only interested in casual sex. The latter says as much on his profile and Andrew says as much to his hookups. Through another chat room for lawyers only, he is introduced to Alyssa, a 27-year-old attorney that welcomes his legal advice, but spurns his sexual overtures. They become fast friends — each other’s only friend — over a sixth month period. During this time, Andrew pushes for them to meet in person while Alyssa refuses. When they finally meet, under the worst possible circumstances, the book takes an even more interesting turn.

The story flowed well and the characters — while romance novel go-to archetypes — were interesting, their actions believable. I will agree with other readers that the story was short, but not to it’s detriment. Would it be better if the author just combined the serial into one full length novel? For speed readers like me, yes. For the good of the story, no. The cliffhanger at the end would not pack the same punch in a full length format. Understanding the characters’ motivations: Andrew’s abject hatred of liars and Alyssa’s reasons for refusing to meet ultimately make the abrupt ending all the better. I’m interested to see where the story goes and recommend to anyone on the fence like I was. It was a breezy and entertaining read.

Rating: ****/  (4.5 stars)

Author: Whitney Grazia Williams (www.whitneygrazia.com)

Product Details (Courtesy of Amazon)

• File Size: 217 KB
• Print Length: 78 pages
• Publisher: WGW (March 31, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00JDYC5OI

 

Three Weeks With Lady X (Desperate Duchesses #7)

I was quite excited to read Three Weeks with Lady X given the array of 5-star reviews. I’ve read Eloisa James before and while I haven’t always found her novels as entertaining as others, the book which preceded this one, A Duke of Her Own is good and When Beauty Tamed the Beast is excellent. This book, not so much.

Lady Xenobia India St. Clair is a sort of interior designer of her day. She’s independent thanks to free spirited (read: neglectful) parents and basically had to educate herself on the proprieties of the times. She’s also described as the Marilyn Monroe of her period, a sort of glamour model that doesn’t realize that she causes most, if not all, men she comes into contact with to fall in love with her. She is contracted by Eleanor, the Duchess of Villiers, to work on her stepson’s newly purchased country estate and turn it into something respectable (the previous owner had it decorated like some sort of bawdy house) as he is planning on getting married in the near future to a woman he’s paid court to. India was planning on retiring to find a husband, but is fond of Eleanor, so takes the project on as her sort of last hurrah. Enter Tobias “Thorn” Dautry, the bastard son of the Duke and Eleanor’s stepson. He’s extremely wealthy and masculine (as you’re reminded throughout the novel) and he and India gel like oil and vinegar. Before the Duke claimed Thorn, he was raised on the streets and it shows. The two spar, but only as a means of dealing with their sexual frustration until they give into it. Throw in one precocious ward and it’s an interesting, though slow read.

The story is very well crafted, something that I can say about all of the stories I’ve read by James. Her characters are well fleshed out and there are snippets of humor here and there to lighten the journey. The issue I have is the pacing. If 1/3 of the novel’s length had been slashed, it would’ve been much more enjoyable. I found myself skimming pages because they were of no use to the story or the characters. I didn’t feel the tension between India and Thorn — though I did enjoy reading their correspondence while she was renovating his house. The secondary characters also added to the story, but didn’t. It was as if they were there to elevate the novel in some ways, but like the main characters, I was left with a feeling of “meh, it’s pleasant I suppose.” I think that James is an incredibly gifted writer, but her style isn’t for me. Others though, may enjoy!

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Author: Eloisa James (www.eloisajames.com)

Product Details (Courtesy of Amazon)

 

• File Size: 1000 KB
• Print Length: 385 pages
• Publisher: Avon (March 25, 2014)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00DB365KW

 

Nice Girls Finish Last

“One day you’ll meet some woman who has it all and you’ll offer everything you’ve said you never will.” Ooh, truer words have never been spoken. That line totally elevated the stars for this book, because outside of it, I didn’t really enjoy it as much as I’d hoped.

Nice Girls Finish Last tells of the unfolding relationship between PR guru (for a rugby team) Lena Kelly and wealthy businessman (and undercover philanthropist that would like to do something with said rugby team and his charity) Seth Walker. Lena is known around the locker room as an ice-queen-no-is-my-middle-name challenge, which is interesting as when she and Seth meet, sparks ignite and she is anything but. Like Natalie Anderson’s other works, the book was formulaic in nature: Lena had some skeletons in her closet that keep her from wanting to commit; Seth clawed his way to the top and had some prissy hot wreck girlfriend-slash-bad childhood turn him into a commitment-phobe as well; they’ve hot chemistry from the first and decide to do the no-strings-attached dance until they ultimately feel more and push each other away.

The writing flowed and Seth and Lena were fine enough characters. They had some depth and chemistry and their motivations didn’t seem one dimensional or forced, but the story just wasn’t that good. I think much of that had to do with the pacing: I ended up skipping pages, but could pick right up a chapter later and not be confused or feel as though I missed something important at all. It was a decent read, but I’ve read better from Anderson.

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Author: Natalie Anderson (www.natalie-anderson.com)

Product Details (Courtesy of Amazon)

 

• File Size: 294 KB
• Print Length: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Presents (November 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005JSK2G0