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nighteyes82's review
4.0
that was a nice read
but maybe a little less of "oh no I am not worth her!" would have been great
but maybe a little less of "oh no I am not worth her!" would have been great
stumpfed's review against another edition
5.0
Lawdy! Toni Aleo writes a hockey series, true. BUT...she also writes some amazing parenting, family bonds, friendship and uh...sexual awesomeness!
Blue Lines had me at the dedication. I often skip over these, but with Aleo...I have found myself reading every single word she writes and I'm glad I did. I think her dedication was beautiful.
But, on the Erik and Piper! I know we've seen glimpses of these two throughout this series, I think that's one reason that anticipation was so great to see what happens with them. Their story is built on the foundation of a lust they have for one another. It's muddied by the fact that these two are family due to his brother being married to her sister. Harper and Jakob are going through their own issues, Shea and Ellie are still talking about baby making and we see Tate Ooooooder and his HEA as well, it makes this book extra special because the supporting cast we've fallen in love with is still around.
The fact that Erik feels unworthy because of his Amtrak worth of baggage he brought from Russia and Piper can't quite settle makes the fact that these two are facing a future together seem temporary. But, it's sort of great watching Erik figure it all out. It just sucks he has to hurt Piper to do it. And he does. And finally, she finds some staying power with something in her life. Awwww....
I love these books!
Blue Lines had me at the dedication. I often skip over these, but with Aleo...I have found myself reading every single word she writes and I'm glad I did. I think her dedication was beautiful.
But, on the Erik and Piper! I know we've seen glimpses of these two throughout this series, I think that's one reason that anticipation was so great to see what happens with them. Their story is built on the foundation of a lust they have for one another. It's muddied by the fact that these two are family due to his brother being married to her sister. Harper and Jakob are going through their own issues, Shea and Ellie are still talking about baby making and we see Tate Ooooooder and his HEA as well, it makes this book extra special because the supporting cast we've fallen in love with is still around.
The fact that Erik feels unworthy because of his Amtrak worth of baggage he brought from Russia and Piper can't quite settle makes the fact that these two are facing a future together seem temporary. But, it's sort of great watching Erik figure it all out. It just sucks he has to hurt Piper to do it. And he does. And finally, she finds some staying power with something in her life. Awwww....
I love these books!
jaspenson99's review
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Honestly piper is the best character but Erik drags the quality down bad. He was just annoying where as she was actually likeable.
erinnejc's review
2.0
I have read other stories in the Assassin's series, and I wanted this one to be so much more. I had a hard time understanding what Piper saw in Erik, which in turn made me struggle with the whole book.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review
4.0
Erik won't replace Shea at the top of my Assassins boyfriend list, but he is a close second. He's hot, cocky and a little bit on the broken side. My favorite kind of hero. Piper was the perfect woman for him, even though I thought she was going to be too much of a pushover for Erik. She stood her ground with him, but in a way that made him know she'd be there for him...even when he was at his absolute worst.
We've waited a long time for this one and it was worth the wait. I can't wait for Phillip's book and the woman that is going to tame him.
~Shannon~
Toni Aleo hits a new high with Blue Lines, the fourth book in her Assassins series featuring Erik Titov and Piper Allen. Erik and Piper have lives that are intertwined; their families are really close because Erik’s brother is married to Piper’s sister. Having been in love with him for years, Piper is shocked and excited when one day he approaches her and they spend an amazing night together. She doesn’t feel quite the same way about the fact that he broke it off with her and spent the next six months having sex with any female who looked his way. Despite his wayward ways, she has a lifelong symbol of their night together, his child. When she finally tells him six months later the last thing she expects is for him to propose, but they spend the rest of the time trying to navigate their new relationship while preparing for their child.
Erik Titov is not a nice guy, and for half the book all you will want to do is try to shake some sense in him. Although you are sympathetic because of his past it is so bad that by the time he begins to show some signs of changing it is almost too late to change your opinion of him. There is some improvement of his attitude and behavior, and Mrs. Aleo does a good job of making the transition seem smooth. Piper, on the other hand, seemed needy and whiny at times, trying to make it work with an oftentimes uncooperative husband. But for some reason these characters really work, and their flaws are what keeps your reading. This book will make you laugh, cry, scream in frustration, and run the emotional gauntlet from start to finish and will leave you wishing the story doesn’t end.
Reviewed by Lucy for Cocktails and Books
We've waited a long time for this one and it was worth the wait. I can't wait for Phillip's book and the woman that is going to tame him.
~Shannon~
Toni Aleo hits a new high with Blue Lines, the fourth book in her Assassins series featuring Erik Titov and Piper Allen. Erik and Piper have lives that are intertwined; their families are really close because Erik’s brother is married to Piper’s sister. Having been in love with him for years, Piper is shocked and excited when one day he approaches her and they spend an amazing night together. She doesn’t feel quite the same way about the fact that he broke it off with her and spent the next six months having sex with any female who looked his way. Despite his wayward ways, she has a lifelong symbol of their night together, his child. When she finally tells him six months later the last thing she expects is for him to propose, but they spend the rest of the time trying to navigate their new relationship while preparing for their child.
Erik Titov is not a nice guy, and for half the book all you will want to do is try to shake some sense in him. Although you are sympathetic because of his past it is so bad that by the time he begins to show some signs of changing it is almost too late to change your opinion of him. There is some improvement of his attitude and behavior, and Mrs. Aleo does a good job of making the transition seem smooth. Piper, on the other hand, seemed needy and whiny at times, trying to make it work with an oftentimes uncooperative husband. But for some reason these characters really work, and their flaws are what keeps your reading. This book will make you laugh, cry, scream in frustration, and run the emotional gauntlet from start to finish and will leave you wishing the story doesn’t end.
Reviewed by Lucy for Cocktails and Books
barbistull's review
5.0
The most recent book in the series was better than the last. I love how there were so many twists and turns in the storyline. Can't wait to see what happens next.
jscarpa14's review against another edition
3.0
I had a dnf in this series and told myself I'd never read it again but I decided to give this one a chance anyway and it was a fairly good book. There are still parts that bother me, like the way it's never really acknowledged that Piper is everyone's doormat and she doesn't really grow in the book. The only time she tells her sisters no is when Erik makes her and while they apologize to her at one point there's never a scene where she acknowledges they've done anything wrong. She just continues to make excuses for everyone in her life as they use and mistreat her. The person she makes the most excuses for is Erik because hands down this guy doesn't deserve her.
There's also a scene where the hockey players discuss other women getting them hard because its apparently just being a man to get hard around hot women even when they're in love and to be all.about sex 24/7. The thing is not only is that stereotype so overdone I don't believe it's true either. My bestie is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in person. She's also the sweetest but I used to hate introducing anyone I dated to her, not because she ever did anything questionable, but because I knew for days afterward the person I was dating would gush to me about my hot best friend. I would get the I love you but I mean I have eyes and Becky is hot, not that I'd ever leave you for her. Even my high school sweetheart asked her out the week before he asked me and she turned him down because she knew I liked him. She's not to blame for this of course because you couldn't ask for a better best friend and she can't be expected to control that most guys are dicks. Anyway I knew my husband was the one when he met Becky and he told me she was nice. As in friendly, with all my past experiences of course I questioned what he thought of her physically and he told me she wasn't his type. Even if he'd met us both at the same time he still would have approached me and for the first time in my life the guy I was dating didn't make me feel insecure about my appearance compared to my could be a model best friend. If you're in love there isn't an excuse for lusting over ever woman with a great body and it's part of being a guy mentality is an insult to women in general. If a guy actually loves you, you're enough. And honestly I don't buy that Erik actually loves Piper. It's a nice story, but I don't actually believe that this couple will still be together years down the line.
And can I just add I am so fed up with blondes in romance, even here as she describes her hair as blondish brown, he thinks of her as blonde. Blonde is not the be all and end all of beauty and like this one at least 80 percent of the romances I read feature a blonde leading lady. It's a pretty hair color sure, but give me a break. It's honestly getting to the point that I start scowling every time another heroine has blonde hair.
There's also a scene where the hockey players discuss other women getting them hard because its apparently just being a man to get hard around hot women even when they're in love and to be all.about sex 24/7. The thing is not only is that stereotype so overdone I don't believe it's true either. My bestie is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in person. She's also the sweetest but I used to hate introducing anyone I dated to her, not because she ever did anything questionable, but because I knew for days afterward the person I was dating would gush to me about my hot best friend. I would get the I love you but I mean I have eyes and Becky is hot, not that I'd ever leave you for her. Even my high school sweetheart asked her out the week before he asked me and she turned him down because she knew I liked him. She's not to blame for this of course because you couldn't ask for a better best friend and she can't be expected to control that most guys are dicks. Anyway I knew my husband was the one when he met Becky and he told me she was nice. As in friendly, with all my past experiences of course I questioned what he thought of her physically and he told me she wasn't his type. Even if he'd met us both at the same time he still would have approached me and for the first time in my life the guy I was dating didn't make me feel insecure about my appearance compared to my could be a model best friend. If you're in love there isn't an excuse for lusting over ever woman with a great body and it's part of being a guy mentality is an insult to women in general. If a guy actually loves you, you're enough. And honestly I don't buy that Erik actually loves Piper. It's a nice story, but I don't actually believe that this couple will still be together years down the line.
And can I just add I am so fed up with blondes in romance, even here as she describes her hair as blondish brown, he thinks of her as blonde. Blonde is not the be all and end all of beauty and like this one at least 80 percent of the romances I read feature a blonde leading lady. It's a pretty hair color sure, but give me a break. It's honestly getting to the point that I start scowling every time another heroine has blonde hair.
kingsqueen27's review against another edition
4.0
Erik is most definitely my least favorite guy in this series. I was so frustrated with him the entire book, and I just wanted to punch him in his stupid face for the things he said and did. He had his moments, but otherwise he was to stupid for me to love. Piper may be my favorite female in the series though. She deserved someone more like Shea or Tate, but I'm still happy with where this story went.
krmckerrow's review
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5