Morning, everyone! Happy Friday! I need the T.G.I.F. like you wouldn't believe. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! For those of you in the path of the impending storm/hurricane we have coming to the states, stay safe! Hunker down with a stack of books... that's my plan, anyway.
As I stated in a prior blog post, instead of bombarding you guys with individual book reviews from a series, I'm going to finish the series (the books that are released at the time I grab them at least) and then give you all a review in a lump viewing. That gives me time to collect my thoughts and write something more thorough, and I don't have to post almost every single day. You'll get a break rather than being overwhelmed. That being said, let's get on with the reviews!
I spent half of this week with The Wild Ones series by M. Leighton. They were super quick reads, and kept me entertained as well. This review may contain a spoiler or two, so approach with caution.
Book one was titled The Wild Ones, the same as the overall series. The characters in this book had a bond that kept me turning pages and finishing the book before my work day was done. If it were longer and had some more detail, I probably would have enjoyed it even more.
I feel like this story went too quickly, and I know it's fiction, but parts of it I just couldn't get fully into because it didn't seem all that believable for the short time I spent with Cami and Trick.
There's a ton of attraction and tension for the first 100+ pages of the story, and I spent all that time waiting for Cami and Trick to FINALLY give into their feelings and get together, and when they do, it's like they were everything and then nothing within the blink of an eye. They had an intense night together in the horse stall of Cami's father's barn, and a weekend away with friends, and next thing you know, drama... Annnnnnnnd bam. It's over.
The last 40-50 pages were just annoying if I'm being honest. Both characters played stupid but 1) I couldn't get emotional over their sudden break up because they were barely tofficially together in the first place and 2) They both handled the break up stupidly by not talking to each other, not venting to friends after a period of time, and making ridiculous assumptions.
Give it a minute because it is a romance novel, but their make up/make up sex session just wasn't what I expected. You guys spent months apart and now you're just going to climb into bed because you don't feel you need to do much talking? The minute or so you took to say "why didn't you come to me?" "Why were we apart" was slightly nonsensical. I feel like they had a LOT of talking to do, and maybe they did talk, but I would've liked to have read about it.
I just wish that for a love as powerful as they made it out to be, I got more story out of it.
I feel like this story went too quickly, and I know it's fiction, but parts of it I just couldn't get fully into because it didn't seem all that believable for the short time I spent with Cami and Trick.
There's a ton of attraction and tension for the first 100+ pages of the story, and I spent all that time waiting for Cami and Trick to FINALLY give into their feelings and get together, and when they do, it's like they were everything and then nothing within the blink of an eye. They had an intense night together in the horse stall of Cami's father's barn, and a weekend away with friends, and next thing you know, drama... Annnnnnnnd bam. It's over.
The last 40-50 pages were just annoying if I'm being honest. Both characters played stupid but 1) I couldn't get emotional over their sudden break up because they were barely tofficially together in the first place and 2) They both handled the break up stupidly by not talking to each other, not venting to friends after a period of time, and making ridiculous assumptions.
Give it a minute because it is a romance novel, but their make up/make up sex session just wasn't what I expected. You guys spent months apart and now you're just going to climb into bed because you don't feel you need to do much talking? The minute or so you took to say "why didn't you come to me?" "Why were we apart" was slightly nonsensical. I feel like they had a LOT of talking to do, and maybe they did talk, but I would've liked to have read about it.
I just wish that for a love as powerful as they made it out to be, I got more story out of it.
My Final Rating: three out of five stars
So, funny story, I read these out of order. I was going to skip the novella entitled Wild Child all together and just do the three main books, but it wound up being printed in the back of book two, Some Like It Wild, so I gave it a go AFTER I finished book two. I'm not sure why it was at the end of book two instead of one, but whatever. I digress....
Aside from the fact that I hate the name "Rusty" with a fiery passion, I enjoyed this little snippet of Cami's best friend, Jenna, and her main man. I was slightly "eh" going into this because Jenna didn't particularly win me over when I first met her in book one, (she just isn't the kind of girl I can relate to or would hang out with) but I liked seeing another side of her that was a bit deeper. I liked the chemistry and fun her and Rusty had together, while also trying to explore something more meaningful than a romp in the sack.
I do, however, despise that the characters in these stories NEVER communicate. They always assume and tip-toe around each other. I know that's how conflict comes to the front and makes for an angsty, tortured soul of a plot.. blah blah blah, but oh-my-GOD, it's INFURIATING as a reader. It sucks that it takes an act of either sudden emergency or tragedy to get them communicating again.
My heart shattered for Jenna when she lost her dad, but I adore how Rusty acted as soon as he found out, even if he was supposed to be in the hospital. When they reunite, everything is lovely and as it should be between them.
My favorite part was the bit with her belly at the end. Really precious and intimate. I hope I hear more from these two in the future.
Aside from the fact that I hate the name "Rusty" with a fiery passion, I enjoyed this little snippet of Cami's best friend, Jenna, and her main man. I was slightly "eh" going into this because Jenna didn't particularly win me over when I first met her in book one, (she just isn't the kind of girl I can relate to or would hang out with) but I liked seeing another side of her that was a bit deeper. I liked the chemistry and fun her and Rusty had together, while also trying to explore something more meaningful than a romp in the sack.
I do, however, despise that the characters in these stories NEVER communicate. They always assume and tip-toe around each other. I know that's how conflict comes to the front and makes for an angsty, tortured soul of a plot.. blah blah blah, but oh-my-GOD, it's INFURIATING as a reader. It sucks that it takes an act of either sudden emergency or tragedy to get them communicating again.
My heart shattered for Jenna when she lost her dad, but I adore how Rusty acted as soon as he found out, even if he was supposed to be in the hospital. When they reunite, everything is lovely and as it should be between them.
My favorite part was the bit with her belly at the end. Really precious and intimate. I hope I hear more from these two in the future.
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
Now let's get to book two, Some Like It Wild. I liked this installment so much better than book one, even if it had a bit of A Walk to Remember cheesiness to it. "Bad boy" gets tangled up with reverend's daughter and ta-da! Instant "forbidden" fireworks!
Okay, so Jake isn't actually "bad" per say. I'm not sure why everyone refers to him as "bad". Apparently he's had a pretty loose past with women in the town, but other than random and quick references to "oh yeah, in my younger days", I don't see an element of true bad in the guy. He even says at one point that before Laney, he was flying solo and the like for over two months, which in guy time, might as well be forever.
Laney, as I said, is the reverend's daughter trying to shake her squeaky clean image after she catches her POS fiancé, Shane, in bed with her best and oldest friend, Tia. Rightfully so. Backtrack a second: Jake and Laney crossed paths once at a faire when she was only 18, so they have their own past, even if it was small. It was a start.
When Laney is the paralegal assigned to assess Jake's family estate, their flirtation obviously becomes the cure for any issues either of them seems to have at the moment. It's when casual transitions to the very gray area of serious that they both realize it's time to make some decisions that could affect their future.. Together or separate.
The roller coaster this book brought with it, mixed with just a bit of extra detail (maybe a couple of extra chapters), made it much more worth it for me than book one. I was definitely more invested.
Okay, so Jake isn't actually "bad" per say. I'm not sure why everyone refers to him as "bad". Apparently he's had a pretty loose past with women in the town, but other than random and quick references to "oh yeah, in my younger days", I don't see an element of true bad in the guy. He even says at one point that before Laney, he was flying solo and the like for over two months, which in guy time, might as well be forever.
Laney, as I said, is the reverend's daughter trying to shake her squeaky clean image after she catches her POS fiancé, Shane, in bed with her best and oldest friend, Tia. Rightfully so. Backtrack a second: Jake and Laney crossed paths once at a faire when she was only 18, so they have their own past, even if it was small. It was a start.
When Laney is the paralegal assigned to assess Jake's family estate, their flirtation obviously becomes the cure for any issues either of them seems to have at the moment. It's when casual transitions to the very gray area of serious that they both realize it's time to make some decisions that could affect their future.. Together or separate.
The roller coaster this book brought with it, mixed with just a bit of extra detail (maybe a couple of extra chapters), made it much more worth it for me than book one. I was definitely more invested.
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
Lastlty, we have the final book, number three, There's Wild, Then There's You. Aside from a hint of She's All That cheesiness going on in this book, I really enjoyed it, maybe even more than any of the prior ones.
Jet and Violet each have a bit of mystery around them when they meet in SAA, and for me, that added a shadow, or element of darkness to this story that I found myself drawn to instantly.
Kudos to Violet for her kind heart. She's a much better person than I'll ever be. The tolerance she has for those with addictions and emotional issues is something I could never deal with. She's there for her father and her best friend without the slightest hesitation. I'd take Jet's side and just stand by to say, "you deserve better". I have zero tolerance for babysitting a drunk, and even less for a cheater.
I'm surprised that Violet's hard heart finally took shape when she finds out the secret Jet has kept from her since the moment they met. I figured she'd have a soft spot for him and hear him out, but she seemed to be the toughest on him. I guess because she loved him the most, all her greatest hopes and fears went to battle at once on something she fought to refrain from for so long.
Jet- what can I say? Another amazingly flawed but decent man to love. Lord knows we can't get enough of them in the fictional world. They have to make up for the fact I'm almost certain they're extinct in the real world.
Jet and Violet each have a bit of mystery around them when they meet in SAA, and for me, that added a shadow, or element of darkness to this story that I found myself drawn to instantly.
Kudos to Violet for her kind heart. She's a much better person than I'll ever be. The tolerance she has for those with addictions and emotional issues is something I could never deal with. She's there for her father and her best friend without the slightest hesitation. I'd take Jet's side and just stand by to say, "you deserve better". I have zero tolerance for babysitting a drunk, and even less for a cheater.
I'm surprised that Violet's hard heart finally took shape when she finds out the secret Jet has kept from her since the moment they met. I figured she'd have a soft spot for him and hear him out, but she seemed to be the toughest on him. I guess because she loved him the most, all her greatest hopes and fears went to battle at once on something she fought to refrain from for so long.
Jet- what can I say? Another amazingly flawed but decent man to love. Lord knows we can't get enough of them in the fictional world. They have to make up for the fact I'm almost certain they're extinct in the real world.
That's all for now! Have a lovely weekend and stay tuned for the next story!
My Final Rating: four out of five stars
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