Scan barcode
rebel_unicorn's review against another edition
3.0
The suspense could have started earlier. Chase reminded me of Christian Grey. Their nickname calling was really cute. 3 stars.
yeahorneighreviews's review against another edition
5.0
Don't start this book unless you're prepared to stay up reading all three, lol! Follow Gillian as she overcomes the obstacles created by her past failed relationships, one of which has left her emotionally scarred. She meets Chase, has an instant attraction but finds out they're involved with the same Foundation, the very one that previously saved Gillian's life.
As they fall in love, old ghosts come back to haunt them, including someone that is obsessed with making Gillian his...it's a great read, and worth not getting much sleep two night in a row.
As they fall in love, old ghosts come back to haunt them, including someone that is obsessed with making Gillian his...it's a great read, and worth not getting much sleep two night in a row.
alice_thompson's review against another edition
1.0
Finally! I finished this anticlimactic book!
I read the Calendar Girl series by Carlan more than a few times and loved it, so I came in with a lot of positive vibes and open mind.
It started out fine, you know, a bit of flirting, a bit of insta-love, but then there was a real red flag. One that I couldn't ignore. Not like the writing which did not know where it was going, not the world building which was so poor and surface level, or even the other characters which were not much more than a carton figure, no. The real red flag here was Chase's possessive behaviour striking. Again and again. I could keep up with it until certain point, gave it leeway, but then I got to the edge of what I could deal with and my opinion of the book took a 180° change. Instead of a steamy, sexy, fun story that I want to follow, it became dull, gross, toxic, and just plain torture. And even though I started hating Chase after the midpoint, the story felt dragged, too long and going nowhere.
The characters lacking (and suddenly everyone is coupling at the same moment?!), The storytelling was poor. It was just bad.
I loved other books by her but I just became so disappointed by this one.
There was no reason for the plotline to continue. This book should have ended with a real ending to the story of Gillian and Chase (two bad characters).
There is no chance I'll keep reading this series.
Now you might be asking why the characters were so bad, right?
Well, Gillian was abused and battered by her ex and is suffering from the emotional and mental scars it left her with. She starts with her own state of mind, opinions, strong sense of self, and being independent.
Then she meets Chase.
Chase is a business men who owns something like half of the world and loves control, or more like a control freak. He is smart, charming, strong, rich, hot-headed, manipulative, possessive, egotistical and self-centred.
He likes to keep his control over Gigi, and over her life. He ran background checks on her and everyone who comes into contact with her. He tells her what to do, sometimes moving her from place to place like a doll. Telling her she will from now on use his money only (so she will become dependent on him), tells her she is "his" every chance he gets and talks to her like a piece of property. One time he even deliberately said "I own you".
He does not abuse her physically, yes, but even Gigi sees the similarities of his behaviour to the one of his ex. It's still gaining control in a relationship which needs to be with an equal. It's still manipulation.
At the end he even says: "I can't live without you" in all seriousness, after pumping all this manipulation and possessiveness to our minds he says this line to lock her in his arms. Because she cares for him, right? So she shouldn't harm him and make him live without her, because then he'll want to die, right? She doesn't want him to die, right, Gigi?
And she just eats it up. But she is a scarred soul, and she falls to what feels familiar, I don't blame her.
But everyone surrounding her says she needs to be with him. They don't see the signs though they are very aware of her past. Except Phil. But Carlan shut him up with a love interest very fast.
And people who are close to Chase (bodyguard, Jack, and mother), are possessive of him, don't appreciate Gigi in his life. This is another red flag.
And let's not talk about the writing, pacing and plot.
There were too many times I was given to long of an explanation which took me out of the story.
Too many times of telling, not showing.
Too many dull parts, and suddenly chips of plot.
A plot which took me nowhere. I have no idea of the plot progression and I finished the book now.
This was bad and angered me at times.
I don't like it.
I read the Calendar Girl series by Carlan more than a few times and loved it, so I came in with a lot of positive vibes and open mind.
It started out fine, you know, a bit of flirting, a bit of insta-love, but then there was a real red flag. One that I couldn't ignore. Not like the writing which did not know where it was going, not the world building which was so poor and surface level, or even the other characters which were not much more than a carton figure, no. The real red flag here was Chase's possessive behaviour striking. Again and again. I could keep up with it until certain point, gave it leeway, but then I got to the edge of what I could deal with and my opinion of the book took a 180° change. Instead of a steamy, sexy, fun story that I want to follow, it became dull, gross, toxic, and just plain torture. And even though I started hating Chase after the midpoint, the story felt dragged, too long and going nowhere.
The characters lacking (and suddenly everyone is coupling at the same moment?!), The storytelling was poor. It was just bad.
I loved other books by her but I just became so disappointed by this one.
There was no reason for the plotline to continue. This book should have ended with a real ending to the story of Gillian and Chase (two bad characters).
There is no chance I'll keep reading this series.
Now you might be asking why the characters were so bad, right?
Well, Gillian was abused and battered by her ex and is suffering from the emotional and mental scars it left her with. She starts with her own state of mind, opinions, strong sense of self, and being independent.
Then she meets Chase.
Chase is a business men who owns something like half of the world and loves control, or more like a control freak. He is smart, charming, strong, rich, hot-headed, manipulative, possessive, egotistical and self-centred.
He likes to keep his control over Gigi, and over her life. He ran background checks on her and everyone who comes into contact with her. He tells her what to do, sometimes moving her from place to place like a doll. Telling her she will from now on use his money only (so she will become dependent on him), tells her she is "his" every chance he gets and talks to her like a piece of property. One time he even deliberately said "I own you".
He does not abuse her physically, yes, but even Gigi sees the similarities of his behaviour to the one of his ex. It's still gaining control in a relationship which needs to be with an equal. It's still manipulation.
At the end he even says: "I can't live without you" in all seriousness, after pumping all this manipulation and possessiveness to our minds he says this line to lock her in his arms. Because she cares for him, right? So she shouldn't harm him and make him live without her, because then he'll want to die, right? She doesn't want him to die, right, Gigi?
And she just eats it up. But she is a scarred soul, and she falls to what feels familiar, I don't blame her.
But everyone surrounding her says she needs to be with him. They don't see the signs though they are very aware of her past. Except Phil. But Carlan shut him up with a love interest very fast.
And people who are close to Chase (bodyguard, Jack, and mother), are possessive of him, don't appreciate Gigi in his life. This is another red flag.
And let's not talk about the writing, pacing and plot.
There were too many times I was given to long of an explanation which took me out of the story.
Too many times of telling, not showing.
Too many dull parts, and suddenly chips of plot.
A plot which took me nowhere. I have no idea of the plot progression and I finished the book now.
This was bad and angered me at times.
I don't like it.
gardenofevils's review against another edition
3.0
It's really tiring when a character who internally knows what is happening to her is wrong and overbearing and not healthy, she builds herself up to not put up with it and challenge it, only to accept it and not have a backbone.
Oh he's reading through your phone, checking your messages and it bothers you but you and you don't mention it... oh he's dumped thousands of dollars into your bank account and paid off your credit cards and you find that to a violation of your privacy but you don't even bring it up to him and then go by a 5K dress....
I'm tired of weak women.
Oh he's reading through your phone, checking your messages and it bothers you but you and you don't mention it... oh he's dumped thousands of dollars into your bank account and paid off your credit cards and you find that to a violation of your privacy but you don't even bring it up to him and then go by a 5K dress....
I'm tired of weak women.
More...