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Showing posts with label Sophie Jordan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sophie Jordan. Show all posts

Monday, January 9, 2017

Review: Fury on Fire by Sophie Jordan


Fury on Fire by Sophie Jordan
Book Three of the Devil's Rock series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

When you live next door to the big bad wolf . . .

After years in prison, North Callaghan is finally free. But the demons haunting him still make him feel like a caged beast. He loses himself in work and hard living, coming up for air only to bed any willing woman to cross his path. So when his new neighbor snares his interest, he decides to add another notch to his bedpost. The only problem? Faith Walters is a white picket fence kind of girl.

Prepare to be devoured.

Faith’s new neighbor is the rudest man alive. He’d rather grunt at her than speak and he takes her “welcome-to-the-neighborhood” scones without a thank you. She knows she should run for the hills from the ex-con. If only he weren’t so smoldering sexy…if only the sounds of him with other women didn’t drift through their shared wall and fill her with longing…and if only he didn’t look at her like they were a collision waiting to happen.

What I Liked:

I have to admit - I was really excited about this book, after finishing Hell Breaks Loose. Heck, I was excited to read it after only reading All Chained Up. I knew this third book would be about North, and I really wanted to read his story. While my favorite book of the series remains All Chained Up, I think on comes in second.

Faith is moving into her own place - finally. At twenty-six, she's either lived in school dorms (in undergrad and grad school), or at home with father. Her father is a retired sheriff and her older brother Hale is the current sheriff, and her other older brother is an Army Ranger. With these three men in her life, she hasn't had a lot of privacy, or a personal life. Living alone will allow her to have both. She doesn't anticipate her sinfully attractive neighbor, North. North has been out of Devil's Rock for several years, and he just wants to be left alone. He has one-night stand after one-night stand, and avoids his older brother Knox and wife Briar. But he can't seem to avoid his prim and proper neighbor, who gets under his skin within days of her moving in next door. As much as he'd love to stay far away from this good girl, he can't help his curiosity - and she can't help hers.

I honestly really liked the structure of this story. It's definitely a romance story and the romance is at the forefront, but it's different because the lust factor doesn't hit immediately as the story begins. Faith and North "meet" early in the book (they don't have a formal, traditional introduction), though they don't go face-to-face for at least 10% of the book. The first 10%-20% of the book focuses on Faith's newfound independence, and North's terrible loneliness, which he tries to fill with beer and sex and avoiding his brother.

I liked how this began! It wasn't instant lust or the couple having sex (or almost) within the first chapters, which is definitely different. North gets on Faith's nerves almost immediately, for constantly making a racket (well, his guest of the night), for parking his motorcycle in her half of the driveway (they share a driveway), and things like that. Faith gets on North's nerves for constantly telling him to keep it down, or move his vehicle, or things like that. The tug-of-war is huge, in the first half of the story. We've got a hate-to-love dynamic happening. But then there is also the flirtatious texting that starts, which I thought was cute. The back-and-forth texting was different too. And there is lust too, once they really start interacting. But my point - this chemistry is different. It's there on a physical level, but North and Faith get under each other's skin long before they even touch each other.

I definitely see why some readers complained about this. They don't get physical in the first 50% of the book?! What?! That's crazy! BUT it totally works for the story. Given the dynamic between North and Faith that Jordan builds, this lack of touching (in the first half) really makes sense, and fits well.

And the touching in the second half? Makes up for the lack of touching in the first half. Believe me. While I love that North and Faith get under each other's skin and irritate each other and infuriate each other and eventually trust each other, in the first half of the book... I love how they collide and crash and explode together. They are a really hot pair! I love the opposites attract dynamic of this series (bad boy, sweet and innocent girl). 

I liked seeing so much depth to North. It's been years since he left prison, and he's minding his own business and being very lonely, in his house. He's a convicted felon and a murderer, and he's not hiding. He hides behind his walls (physical and emotional), and he does not let Faith in easily. He is hardened and lonely, but he's definitely an alpha and a "bad boy". The appeal is very much there.

Faith... I admire her and like her a lot. She grows up a lot in the book. She moves into her own house, faces her father and her overprotective brother Hale, especially when Hale meets North (he meets him as the next-door neighbor, not a boyfriend or something). Faith is an inherently nice person, a prim and proper, hardworking young lady. I thought she and North fit each other very well.

I have one complaint (which I'll detail in the next section). One deals with the ending, so I won't specifically say much about that here. But in general, the ending is a happily-ever-after, and a sweet one. I absolutely love the epilogue especially - at first you think it's one thing, but then it's another. I loved it but I really hope it's not the end of the series!

What I Did Not Like:

I really have only one complaint. Throughout the book, you can tell that Hale (Faith's older brother) is extremely overprotective and he doesn't want her anywhere North (or North anywhere near Faith). I thought it was interesting, and a little strange, that Faith's father and Hale are not a part of the "ending" (before the epilogue), in which North and Faith finally get together for real (this isn't a spoiler, we all know this is going to happen). Perhaps it's to show that Faith is completely independent and no reactions from/interactions her family is necessary, since they have to accept her decision no matter what (to be with North)? It's just a little odd because Hale's over-protectiveness is a part of this story, not a big part, but significant enough for me to have expected it to circle back at the end of the story and play a part in the climax.

So the ending was slightly underwhelming, in that sense. No drama (in terms of family) whatsoever - which is a good thing! Sort of. The family drama would have fit with the story and made sense, even if I hate the drama. If that makes sense?

Would I Recommend It:

I liked this series a lot. Especially All Chained Up, which is my favorite of the series. This is probably my second favorite - I loved how different this book was. This whole series "bad boys" and "good girls", and I do like this dynamic; if you do too, definitely check out at least the first book! I never thought I'd enjoy a series about ex-convicts, but hey, Jordan wrote the series well.

Rating:

4 stars. I'm very satisfied with this book! I enjoyed it, even with the seriously lowered expectations and slight dread, before reading the book (some of the negative reviews deterred me a little). I'm kind of hoping that we'll get a book on Hale and Piper (Piper is a young woman in this book), but since neither are ex-cons from Devil's Rock, it's probably not going to happen. Oh well!


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Monday, January 2, 2017

Review: Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan


Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan
Book Two of the Reign of Shadows series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Rating: 1 star
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

The richly suspenseful sequel to Sophie Jordan’s romantic fantasy Reign of Shadows.

Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever.

Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world—until the king discovers both Fowler's and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne.

Now pawns in each kingdom’s political game, Luna and Fowler are more determined than ever to escape and build the life they’ve been dreaming of. But their own pasts have a tight hold on their hearts and their destinies. Luna must embrace the darkness and fire within her before she loses not only Fowler, but the power she was destined to inherit.

What I Liked:

That didn't take long. Rise of Fire is my second read of 2017, and it's a two-star read. My first read, Wayfarer, was great, but this one was incredibly disappointing and irritating. I partially regret reading this duology, even though I loved Reign of Shadows. 

This sequel novel picks up exactly where Reign of Shadows leaves off - with Fowler trapped among dwellers, and Luna dropping after him. Luna finds him and together, they leave the dwellers' nest behind. But Fowler has been infected with dweller toxin, and he sickens quickly. The pair is rescued by solders of Lagonia, who take them to the king of Lagonia. King Tebald is cruel and ruthless and recognizes Luna as her mother's daughter immediately, as well as Fowler as the prince of Relhok. He allows for Fowler to be taken care of by his healers... because Fowler and his daughter Maris have been betrothed since birth. But upon learning that Luna is the true ruler of Relhok, King Tebald decides that two weddings are better than one, and Luna will marry his heir, Prince Chasan. Trapped in Lagonia and with no place to run, Fowler and Luna must trust each other and find a way out.

Redeeming qualities of this book... it ends well. The ending is warm and fuzzy and is a hasty attempt at reclaiming the book's positive attributes (whatever they were). I love a happy ending, regardless of how awful the story was beforehand.

Other redeeming qualities... Fowler is possibly the only person in this book with a functioning brain. It's too bad that he's sick and dying for more than half the book. Even then, he's still the only person that seems to have a good grip on reality. I always liked Fowler, and he is the only character in this entire sequel/conclusion novel that I liked. 

Moving on.

What I Did Not Like:

Ahhhh. Where do I even start? This book was an absolute train wreck (for me). As always, keep in mind that these are my reactions and feelings, and your own reactions and feelings might be quite different. Still, this section is worth the read!

First thing - Luna. I wanted to bang my head against the nearest wall, or throttle her, throughout the entire book. There was not one scene when I felt like I liked her like I did in Reign of Shadows. She's so stubborn and not in a good way; every time she dug her heels in, she got hurt, or Fowler got hurt because of her. She refused to run in certain situations, or hide, or back down, and in all of those cases, her stubbornness was utter stupidity. What kills me about her stubbornness? She refuses to "take orders" from Fowler, because I-am-woman-I-will-not-be-ordered-around. SERIOUSLY?! You'd rather die than take an order to hide? This isn't feminist, this is pure stupidity. Luna never recognized when it was time to be stubborn and when it was time to tuck her tail between her legs and find that shred of self-preservation. You know how some heroes/heroines have a selfless, saving-people quality? I could see Sophie Jordan trying to make Luna a character with that quality... honestly Luna came off as stupid and idiotically stubborn. 

Furthermore, to add to her fake feminism, about three quarters of the way into the story, she suddenly has three men fighting over who is going to marry her. And what does she say? Out loud? NOTHING. Not a word. She lets the king and two princes talk over her (easy, because she doesn't say a word). She lets the king declare her marriage to his son (and then himself, when he changes his mind). She lets Fowler and Chasan literally fight (i.e. punch, kick, fight to the death) over her. There was an actual fistfight duel in this book! And she said nothing! Did nothing to prevent it! And yet she loves Fowler and is always declaring how she's going to do things her way? But she never once resisted any of the marriage declarations that King Tebald made. Not once.

Somebody explain that feminism to me. And don't tell me it was a calculated silence - no, girlfriend was shriveled and shocked and silenced like a lamb. Or... a weak little girl. At 75% into the conclusion of a series, this is not what I wanted to see. Instead of a fully fledged kickbutt heroine that Luna likes to pretend that she is, we have a cowering, weak girl.

And I'm not finished yet! The romance in this book is a load of dung! Luna goes through at least nine changes of feelings towards Fowler in this book. She decides that she no longer has feelings for him when she learns who his father is (um, what?). Then she decides that she really does have feelings for him. But then she hates him again when he mutters a name in his fevered sleep. And then she fights for him, and then hates him again when she learns that he is betrothed (since birth and by royal decree, but that doesn't reach Luna's tiny brain), and it. Keeps. Going. I swear I have whiplash from all of that deciding about her feelings.

What's worse? There is a sort-of love triangle in this book! Don't get me wrong, Luna only has feelings for Fowler (on and off, as I mentioned, but no one else). Fowler, bless him, has feelings for Luna only (and never wavers). But of course enter Princess Maris, Fowler's betrothed, and her handsome but slimy older brother Prince Chasan, who sinks his claws into Luna. There is no romance between Chasan and Luna, or Fowler and Maris. BUT. The inclusion of these two characters (Maris and Chasan) is clearly to throw a wrench in the romance. Honestly this is so unnecessary and annoying.

Perhaps I misspoke - there is romance on Chasan's part. After like, two days? He is in love with Luna. I mean moony and possessive type of love. It's sickening and ridiculous and unnecessary. WHY is Chasan in this story? To torment readers. To add an "interesting" element to the romance? I assure you, there is nothing interesting or fun about this unnecessary "love triangle". Chasan's feelings, coupled with Luna's wishy-washy feelings towards Fowler, were obnoxious. 

So, the romance in this book is off-putting, poorly written, and dissatisfying - to say the least. I have a great deal of respect for Fowler, who is so in love with Luna throughout the entire story, and is a gentleman in every way. Fowler redeems the story a little. Luna deserves exactly zero square inches of his dirty socks, let alone him.

The climax of this book is so jumbled and rushed! This book ends so haphazardly, it's like the author threw it together and put same tape to hold it all together (does that comparison make sense?). There was a certain death and Fowler is casually okay with it? I'm not buying it. The ending was disjointed and it just didn't fit well. Especially with a deus ex machina move that Luna pulls - the author was probably scrambling for a way to save the ending. Deus ex machina, people. Look it up.

I am so irritated! This book was incredibly infuriating, especially after a great start to the series with Reign of Shadows. I haven't read a Sophie Jordan YA series that I actually liked.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly do not recommend this book, or series. Of course, if you've read Reign of Shadows, you should probably decide for yourself and read this book, because there is a good chance that you'll enjoy this book (as always). But if you were on the fence about reading Rise of Fire, or the series in general, don't. Don't do it! Not worth the time/effort/money. Thank goodness it only took me like, two hours to read this book (what was up with that, by the way? This book felt so short).

Rating:

1.5 stars -> rounded down to 1 star. Originally I gave the book 2 stars, but even the redeeming qualities (the few of them) weren't enough to save this one. I'm so frustrated I could scream! And to think, I'm about to read another Jordan book very soon (an adult one though - Fury on Fire. Reviews have been negative so far. Joy!).


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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Review: While the Duke Was Sleeping by Sophie Jordan


While the Duke Was Sleeping by Sophie Jordan
Book One of the Rogue Files series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: October 25, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sometimes the man of your dreams . . .

Shop girl Poppy Fairchurch knows it’s pointless fantasizing about the Duke of Autenberry. Still, dreams can’t hurt anyone . . . unlike the carriage Poppy spies bearing down upon the unsuspecting duke. After she pulls him to safety, the duke lapses into a coma and Poppy is mistaken for his fiancée. But one person isn’t fooled: his arrogant and much too handsome half-brother, Struan Mackenzie. Soon Poppy isn’t sure what she wants more . . . the fantasy of her duke or the reality of one smoldering Scot who challenges her at every turn.

. . . is not who you think.

An illegitimate second son, Struan may have built an empire and established himself as one of the wealthiest men in Britain, but he knows he will always be an outsider among the ton. Just like he knows the infuriating Poppy is a liar. There’s no way the haughty Duke of Autenberry would deign to wed a working class girl. It doesn’t matter how charming she is. Or tempting. Or how much Struan wants her for himself.

What I Liked:

I actually wasn't sure that I would enjoy this book, since the premise was all about a girl who is infatuated with one man from afar, but really falls in love with another.  BUT, this book surprised me! The romance was so fun and steamy and shippy. Jordan's historical romance novels have been good and not-so-good, for me, but this one was great.

Poppy Fairchurch is a shopgirl, working in a florist's shop. One of the shop's best customers is the Duke of Autenberry, who comes every week to buy flowers for a different woman (doubtless his various paramours). The first time Poppy sees him, she is totally infatuated. She builds a fantasy in her head that they fall in love, and get married... despite the fact that neither has said more than five words to each other. One day, she sees the Duke punch another man, and a fight ensues. She runs to stop the fight, and the Duke gets hurt to the point of a coma. When she accompanies him and the stranger (who turns out to be the Duke's half-brother), Poppy is beside herself. She mutters something along the lines of "we're to be married someday, remember?"... and the housekeeper hears her muttering, and mistakes Poppy as the Duke's fiancee (the Duke has no fiancee though). Soon everyone is convinced that Poppy is Autenberry's fiance (the dowager duchess, the Duke's siblings, even Struan Mackenzie, the Duke's half-brother from the fight). But Poppy finds herself drawn to the half-brother, and not the Duke. As the Duke lies in a coma, Poppy plays along with her lie, and she and Struan get closer. But what will happen when the Duke awakes?

Like I said, this book's premise didn't really appeal to me, so I wasn't sure I'd like this book. Even if Poppy is simply pretending to be the fiancee... she is infatuated with Autenberry. But as the story progresses, we can clearly see that she adores the idea of Autenberry - the idea she has in her head. Who he really is, that's a completely different story.

So, Poppy is a romantic and a dreamer. She follows her heart and not always her head, though she is clever. She feels awful about the lie, and would have come clean within the day, but Autenberry's friend Lord Tucker asked her to continue the lie, since Autenberry's family was so happy about him finally settling down (Autenberry is a rake of epic proportions). Poppy is kind and selfless, giving up a lot of her life to take care of and raise her beautiful and vivacious fifteen-year-old sister.

Struan Mackenzie is the bastard son of the late Duke of Autenberry, just a year younger than the current Duke. He's from Scotland (hence the name), and he has never had anything to do with his father's family. His father threw Struan's mother out, and the current Duke never wanted to be reminded of his father's indiscretions. So Struan has no relationship with his half-brother, or half-sisters, or the dowager duchess. And after Struan's mother died young... Struan has no one. And he wants nothing from Autenberry. Struan is extremely wealthy and successful. He came to England looking for a bride, and he definitely found what he was looking for.

I adored Struan! He had an incredibly difficult childhood, but he made himself into something much more. He's big and rough and a little possessive, and he likes getting what he wants. Jordan writes this type of alpha really well. 

You'll recall Struan being in Jordan's Debutante Files series - he courted Aurelia in All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue! I like this crossover between the series. 

The Duke of Autenberry was in a coma for the entire book, and anyway, there was no real romance between Poppy and him. The romance is entirely between Struan and Poppy, and it's steamy and sweet. At first everything is purely physical, but you can see that the two are drawn to each other. They have verrrry hot chemistry, and the tension boils throughout the book. But I liked seeing them fall for each other too. It wasn't easy, because Struan believed her to be his brother's fiancee, and Poppy knew that she wasn't but had to keep up the pretense. So in a way, it was wrong of them to fool around, but the engagement was never real. Still, questionable morals much, Struan?

One thing that I especially loved was the ending, for several reasons. Yes, we get a nice happily-ever-after. But I love that Struan leaves after Poppy pushes him away (and the Duke too - after he wakes up), and POPPY is the one to chase Struan down. Often in adult romance novels, you'll see that the woman pushes the man away, the man leaves, and then the man comes back begging and pleading. To me, I'd like to see the woman fight for what she wants more often... especially if she's the one messing up (in this case, Poppy kept saying no and pushing Struan away). So, good for Poppy! I'm glad she created her own ending.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I look forward to reading more from this series. I'm sure Jordan will write a book for Autenberry, redeeming him in some way. And we'll see Tucker's story too (I hope). I would love to read about Bryony (Poppy's younger sister) too!

What I Did Not Like:

One could say that the entire idea behind this book is silly... Poppy's ridiculous dream about marrying the Duke, and getting overheard muttering that. BUT. I liked how absurd it was, though at first the idea really bothered me.

Another thing - so Jordan specifically writes that Struan has rough, slightly more adventurous tastes than English noblemen... I was totally hoping to see this wild side, when Struan would get it on with Poppy. Sadly nothing they did together was "wild" or "rough". Still steamy, but nothing different. 

I felt a little weird about typing this dislike. Hopefully that made sense though!

Would I Recommend It:

This was probably one of the more fun and steamy historical romance novels I've read recently, and I would definitely recommend it. It's not bogged down by angst and drama and hardships, though it's not cute and fluffy either. This book is full of fiery passion!

Rating:

4 stars. I'm glad I wasn't deterred - I almost didn't read this one. I hope the next book, The Scandal of It All, will be just as good!


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Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Swoon Thursday (#176): Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!


- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting


This week, my swoon is from Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan!


She realized his intent the moment before his head swooped down. His mouth crashed over her own.

Her hands were lost, crushed between their bodies. She could move. His other arm stole around her, pulling her in tight, wrapping her up in him. It was impossible to break his iron hold. 

Of course, there was the question of whether she wanted him to.

His kiss was firm and demanding, punishing and yet seductive. Her head swam as his mouth softened slightly against her lips. His fingers curled into her hair, fisting the heavy mass and pulling her head back, forcing her chin up.

Her lips parted on a gasp, and his tongue slid along her bottom lip in a sinuous move. Her blood sang, everything in her melting. She opened her mouth wider, inviting him in. Their tongues touched and it felt like a bolt of electricity shot through her.

- eARC, 57%

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble



I am loving this series! Knox was super swoony, and now Reid was super swoony... I can't imagine North and his swooniness!

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Review: Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan


Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan
Book Two of the Devil's Rock series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: July 26, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath. 

What I Liked:

SO much love for this series. I adored All Chained Up and didn't think I would love Hell Breaks Loose as much. Knox and Reid are totally my type of romance hero - strong, silent, intense, brooding, overprotective alpha. Never mind that they are convicts in the Devil's Rock prison. Both are good men. This book is Reid's story, in which he breaks out of the prison and finds his younger brother, who just kidnapped the First Daughter of the United States.

Reid Allister started a fight in the prison, and he was transferred to a hospital. There is where he escapes. The fight at the end of All Chained Up was pure masterminded genius, though rather bloody and violent. Reid goes to where he knows his younger brother Zane will be - and finds Zane and his crew high on something lethal, and with the First Daughter, Grace Reeves. Grace is bound and gagged but unhurt - so far. Reid didn't break out of prison to become a part of his brother's crazy plan. or to rescue a defenseless innocent girl. He broke out to deliver some much-needed revenge to Otis Sullivan. But Reid isn't going to leave Grace, especially since Zane kidnapped Grace to deliver her to the one and only Otis Sullivan, who wants to hurt the President. Grace must trust Reid with her life, but she quickly realizes that it isn't fear she feels when she is with him.

At first, as I was reading this book, I thought that this was going in the direction of Stockholm Syndrome. Grace was kidnapped by Zane and crew, but Reid turns up not long after Grace is kidnapped (maybe a day later). He takes one look at her, and tells the men that she is his, and that he is the only one that will touch her. He does this to protect her; he won't allow anyone to touch her, not even himself. Except that pretending to have been with her has its price - he can't stop thinking about touching her. And she can't stop thinking about him touching her.

So the Stockholm Syndrome thoughts didn't last long. It was good to see that Grace considered that as well - why else would she be starting to care about an escaped criminal who is protecting her but not letting her go? And Reid - it kills him, to know that he wants her but can't do anything about it, because he refuses to take advantage of her in any way, even if she wants it as well. It felt wrong of him to touch her or even consider touching her, because she's so good and he is so not good.

Ahh, Reid. I found him mysterious and a little dark in All Chained Up. In this book, we see a lot behind the shrouds of mystery. His past, his terrible home life, how he tried to shield his younger brother. What really happened that had him end up in prison. Reid is a good man. He is all those things I listed above - silent, brooding, overprotective, totally alpha, etc. He's also a little intimidating, and while Grace feels safe with him, she didn't at first.

Grace is the awkward, not-so-graceful First Daughter of the United States. She's the President's only child, and she's given up so much for her father and his campaigning, for both election and reelection. One night, she sneaks out of her hotel, ditching her Secret Service bodyguards. Of course, it WOULD be the same night that some thugs are watching her hotel, waiting to kidnap her. So she is kidnapped. Grace is a little fragile, a little naive, a lot pampered, but you really feel for her in this book. Her parents don't love her, she's surrounded 24/7, and she's a terrible public speaker/civil servant. She isn't good in the spotlight. Grace is sweet and innocent and selfless, and sneaking out of the hotel is the first adventurous thing she's done in... forever. Too bad it backfired.

As weird as the plot of this romance sounds, I loved the romance. I loved seeing Reid and Grace get comfortable with each other. Literally the first 50% of this book is spent with Grace in fear of Zane and the crew and her getting killed or raped. Grace is very attracted to Reid, and vice versa, but neither of them act on this odd sexual attraction. Grace wants to be free and Reid wants to kill Sullivan, but Reid won't leave Grace at the mercy of his brother. I liked seeing Grace slowly trust Reid, and Reid slowly trust Grace. Like I said, the romance might seem strange, and it's definitely not a conventional romance, but it's so well-written and wonderful to read.

Not to mention steamy. Whew! Even with more than half the book passing without any sexy times, this book was hot. There were so many "almost" scenes, so many scenes filled with sexual tension, in the first half of the book. And the second half too, though there were actual steamy scenes in the second half.

This is only the third book I've read featuring a criminal and ex-con as the male protagonist, and I must say, I love how Jordan portrays her men. She doesn't sugarcoat - none of these men are innocent angels. All of them are hardened and burdened, and Jordan does not shy away from writing what makes them hardened and burdened. 

The ending of this book surprised me a little! I liked the ending a lot, it's a good HEA. It just surprised me, the way it came about. I'm really happy with the epilogue/final scene, in terms of Reid and Grace. Part of it felt off, with Grace's parents, but I like the image we're left with of Reid and Grace. So sweet!

What I Did Not Like:

I think we could have had a little more scenes with Grace and Reid AFTER they have sex for the first time? Both steamy scenes and emotionally intimate scenes. It seemed like they had sex one or twice and then the climax of the book happened (hehe) and then the book ended. Of course, this could just be insatiable Alyssa's weird requests. 

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book (and series), especially if you like adult contemporary romance novels. I like the archetypes Jordan is using in these books - alpha alpha male, sweet and innocent female who is tough and strong too. Not every woman is fierce and snarky, and I like seeing females like Grace and Briar (from All Chained Up) take center stage. If you like hot steamy romance novels with depth and some past tragedy and some good relationship development, try this series!

Rating:

4 stars. I am EAGERLY awaiting Fury on Fire! As of today (June 6, 2016) it hasn't been officially announced, in terms of who the protagonists will be. I'm hoping the book will feature North!


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