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__livesbtweenpgs__'s review
4.0
Well..where to begin with this one? I had too many feelings on this story. first of all I despise cheating and usually don't finish a book with it in it but for some reason I couldn't put it down. I guess the whole your from the wrong side of the tracks vibe came from it and kept me wanting to know what was coming next. ultimately I began to feel how Kate felt in her marriage and it came down to being lonely and being lonely in a marriage is the worst. Jaylee is troubled yes, but he is also almost mature for a 22 year old. he has just the right amount of alpha and possessive tendencies that it isn't overwhelming. Robert comes alive after the fact and you truly see a side to him that you wouldn't expect and it's intriguing and I honestly want more of him. This story is definitely a eye opener for me and I loved every word of it, the while love triangle that goes on throughout is also amazing. can't wait to read the next one!
sonja92's review
5.0
I seriously loved this book! It was really emotional. We have Kate, 42 year old mother of two with a perfect life, or so it seems to people on the outside. And we have Jaylee, 22 year old drug dealer. From the first moment they see each other they have chemistry between them they can't deny. Kate has been lonely for years because her husband is always working and barely spending time with his family. But Kate's affair with Jaylee didn't start because she was unhappy in her marriage. She and Jaylee have some bond between them and they just couldn't stay away from each other. At times I couldn't completely understand her actions but it was obvious she was meant to be with Jaylee. The fact that he is 20 years younger and from completely different world than Kate doesn't matter. When they're together everything is perfect, but still there are so many things between them that are getting in the way of their love.
Angst and drama lovers will definitely love this book, I highly recommend it.
Angst and drama lovers will definitely love this book, I highly recommend it.
eslismyjam's review
5.0
4.5 stars
This is a like watching a car-wreck. And not any namby-pamby fender bender, a full blown 30 car pile up, with an explosion and bodies covered in sheets on the side of the road. I don't mean that it is horrible-- well it is horrible-- The car-wreck effect is due mostly to our heroine, who gets herself in deeper and deeper, as we look on spellbound, mouths-agape at her decisions.
It is sucks you in and you just can't stop reading.
Heights of Desire is a page turner, and a train wreck all at once. I hesitate to call it a romance because I really don't believe that it is. Our "couple" doesn't fall in love, in my opinion, and the book isn't about them finding a happy ending (more on that later). So at least in the traditional sense of the word this is not a romance.
There are romantic element, but I wasn't routing for our brave pair-- Kate and Jaylee (god what a STUPID name) at all-- because I couldn't, because they really aren't meant to be together. I don't know that anyone is meant to be together at the expense of all other people in their lives. On the other hand I wasn't routing for Kate and her husband either (yes, it is that kind of story, so for those of you that don't like to read about cheating spouses, this one is NOT for you.)
But I also hesitate to even call it a love triangle. The setup for one is there, a forty-two year old married woman starts carrying on with a man-boy twenty years her junior. At first I was all about Robert and I couldn't believe what Kate was doing to her seemingly innocent-bystander of a husband. The problem is that as the novel progresses you start to hate the husband as much as you kind of hate Kate for making a complete and total mess of her life.
And a mess she does make. I mean like a serious mess. It was the sort of crazysauce mess, complete with obligatory that usually makes me want to bang an author upside the head and say, "really? really?!" But it works here.
I was tentative when starting this book because I got it for a steal-- 99 cents-- and it's self-published. (I don't have anything against indie authors, but there are more terrible self-pubs than good ones out there right now, especially in the "erotica" genre, and I have HAD it with reading unedited dribble.) Not to fear! There are a couple of editing issues (very minor), but the writing is smooth and pleasant to read.
White should also be commended for her use of dialect when she writes dialogue. Since our hero is literally a gangster living in NYC, he needed a pretty specific linguistic register and one that is totally different from hoity-toity Kate. The dialogue of Jay and his amigos was accurate and believable and the Spanish was right on. In fact, all the secondary characters were pretty strong.
But back to the car wreck...Kate made me want to throw my kindle across the room. There were multiple occasions when I either yelled, or groaned and banged things against the wall (if I used gifs this is where I would insert one). It's been a while since a "romance" got that sort of reaction from me. Kate starts out and continues throughout the whole story to make Really Bad Decisions. She knows she's making them and yet she can't seem to stop. To some people that might be infuriating in a protagonist, but again it works here-- because it feels authentic. I felt like it was honest. Kate knows she's being stupid and destroying her life, her family and marriage, but she doesn't stop. She CAN'T stop.
I'm all for happy books with strong females, but I also think they are sometimes unrealistic. A woman in a situation like this-- born with a silver spoon in her mouth, a stay-at-home mom, who is BORED because she has nothing else to occupy her time-- I think that that woman would cheat given the circumstances presented in this book. Because with Jay she is presented with the opportunity for fun, excitement and danger, and a chance to feel desired as she hasn't felt for a long time. Everything that Kate does, no matter how exasperating, is in character and fits with that motivation.
Now Jaylee...well he's an anti-hero if ever there was one, but I'm not sure he won me over. There was always a little too much mystery and a little too much edge with him. He's plainly immature, but streetwise. He is equal parts sensuality and violence. His behavior, according to his character was right on point. He's a gang member with a father in jail, and a drug dealer-- he's going to be dangerous and explosive.
So the character portrayal is spot on, but that doesn't mean that as a reader I wanted to swoon over him, because I didn't. He was sexy, sure, but that didn't mean much when you add everything bad and terrible thing about him in. Throwing a woman onto various objects to have your way with them is a little too caveman for me, even if Kate does think that she likes it:, while an absolute "Oh My God" moment, also absolutely objectionable from a reader standpoint, though she says she likes it. Again, cue Kate with the Amazingly Bad Decisions.
The one issue that I really have and the reason that I had to hold back the last 1/2 a star is the use of the idea of love. Kate and Jaylee keep talking about how they are "in love." But I don't believe it. Not at all. Especially from a woman who is/was happily married to a man she did actually love, at some point, with whom she built a life. Maybe, towards the very end I could agree that Kate and Jay had found some sort of deep affection for each other, but mostly they are in some serious lust. A definite case of insta-love if nothing else. Really though, it is some serious, make-you-need-a-fan-while-reading, hot and heavy lust.
Romance often confuses love and lust, but I expected more of Kate despite all her impulsive, rash decisions. I expected her to realize that she barely knew Jaylee and even though she worried about him and bailed him out of crap situations, she didn't love him, because she didn't really know him. Throughout, their conversations are neither deep nor long. Their interactions mostly walk a fine line between violence and sex, with Kate constantly thinking that she is going to end things with him right that very minute. Ha!
For all of that, this is a kick-ass book. I picked it up in the morning and I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I was FURIOUSLY angry that there was a cliffhanger and no release date in sight for the sequel. That makes me crazy. The more I think about it I should probably knock off more for the complete lack of ending, but I'm not going to, because this book provoked a reaction, something that has been sorely lacking in a my reading life lately and if an author can do that, then I say it was a worthy read.
This is a like watching a car-wreck. And not any namby-pamby fender bender, a full blown 30 car pile up, with an explosion and bodies covered in sheets on the side of the road. I don't mean that it is horrible-- well it is horrible-- The car-wreck effect is due mostly to our heroine, who gets herself in deeper and deeper, as we look on spellbound, mouths-agape at her decisions.
It is sucks you in and you just can't stop reading.
Heights of Desire is a page turner, and a train wreck all at once. I hesitate to call it a romance because I really don't believe that it is. Our "couple" doesn't fall in love, in my opinion, and the book isn't about them finding a happy ending (more on that later). So at least in the traditional sense of the word this is not a romance.
There are romantic element, but I wasn't routing for our brave pair-- Kate and Jaylee (god what a STUPID name) at all-- because I couldn't, because they really aren't meant to be together. I don't know that anyone is meant to be together at the expense of all other people in their lives. On the other hand I wasn't routing for Kate and her husband either (yes, it is that kind of story, so for those of you that don't like to read about cheating spouses, this one is NOT for you.)
But I also hesitate to even call it a love triangle. The setup for one is there, a forty-two year old married woman starts carrying on with a man-boy twenty years her junior. At first I was all about Robert and I couldn't believe what Kate was doing to her seemingly innocent-bystander of a husband. The problem is that as the novel progresses you start to hate the husband as much as you kind of hate Kate for making a complete and total mess of her life.
And a mess she does make. I mean like a serious mess. It was the sort of crazysauce mess, complete with obligatory
Spoiler
accidental pregnancy and possible jail timeI was tentative when starting this book because I got it for a steal-- 99 cents-- and it's self-published. (I don't have anything against indie authors, but there are more terrible self-pubs than good ones out there right now, especially in the "erotica" genre, and I have HAD it with reading unedited dribble.) Not to fear! There are a couple of editing issues (very minor), but the writing is smooth and pleasant to read.
White should also be commended for her use of dialect when she writes dialogue. Since our hero is literally a gangster living in NYC, he needed a pretty specific linguistic register and one that is totally different from hoity-toity Kate. The dialogue of Jay and his amigos was accurate and believable and the Spanish was right on. In fact, all the secondary characters were pretty strong.
But back to the car wreck...Kate made me want to throw my kindle across the room. There were multiple occasions when I either yelled, or groaned and banged things against the wall (if I used gifs this is where I would insert one). It's been a while since a "romance" got that sort of reaction from me. Kate starts out and continues throughout the whole story to make Really Bad Decisions. She knows she's making them and yet she can't seem to stop. To some people that might be infuriating in a protagonist, but again it works here-- because it feels authentic. I felt like it was honest. Kate knows she's being stupid and destroying her life, her family and marriage, but she doesn't stop. She CAN'T stop.
I'm all for happy books with strong females, but I also think they are sometimes unrealistic. A woman in a situation like this-- born with a silver spoon in her mouth, a stay-at-home mom, who is BORED because she has nothing else to occupy her time-- I think that that woman would cheat given the circumstances presented in this book. Because with Jay she is presented with the opportunity for fun, excitement and danger, and a chance to feel desired as she hasn't felt for a long time. Everything that Kate does, no matter how exasperating, is in character and fits with that motivation.
Now Jaylee...well he's an anti-hero if ever there was one, but I'm not sure he won me over. There was always a little too much mystery and a little too much edge with him. He's plainly immature, but streetwise. He is equal parts sensuality and violence. His behavior, according to his character was right on point. He's a gang member with a father in jail, and a drug dealer-- he's going to be dangerous and explosive.
So the character portrayal is spot on, but that doesn't mean that as a reader I wanted to swoon over him, because I didn't. He was sexy, sure, but that didn't mean much when you add everything bad and terrible thing about him in. Throwing a woman onto various objects to have your way with them is a little too caveman for me, even if Kate does think that she likes it:
Spoiler
The scene in the public restroom in the park with Kate performing a oral certain act on Jaylee with an onlooker wasThe one issue that I really have and the reason that I had to hold back the last 1/2 a star is the use of the idea of love. Kate and Jaylee keep talking about how they are "in love." But I don't believe it. Not at all. Especially from a woman who is/was happily married to a man she did actually love, at some point, with whom she built a life. Maybe, towards the very end I could agree that Kate and Jay had found some sort of deep affection for each other, but mostly they are in some serious lust. A definite case of insta-love if nothing else. Really though, it is some serious, make-you-need-a-fan-while-reading, hot and heavy lust.
Romance often confuses love and lust, but I expected more of Kate despite all her impulsive, rash decisions. I expected her to realize that she barely knew Jaylee and even though she worried about him and bailed him out of crap situations, she didn't love him, because she didn't really know him. Throughout, their conversations are neither deep nor long. Their interactions mostly walk a fine line between violence and sex, with Kate constantly thinking that she is going to end things with him right that very minute. Ha!
For all of that, this is a kick-ass book. I picked it up in the morning and I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I was FURIOUSLY angry that there was a cliffhanger and no release date in sight for the sequel. That makes me crazy. The more I think about it I should probably knock off more for the complete lack of ending, but I'm not going to, because this book provoked a reaction, something that has been sorely lacking in a my reading life lately and if an author can do that, then I say it was a worthy read.
daisybox's review
1.0
SPOILERS because that book was horrible and I want to cry for reading it
Yeah Sandra I know how you feel !
This book was SO disappointing. This was supposed to be the story of a 42 married woman with 2 children who falls in love with a 22 years "bad boy". What I read was the story of a 17 years old whining bitch who doesn't know who to choose between the bad boy and the wealthy boy, so she decides to keep them both.
Kate, the "heroine" didn't have any empathy in her. At all. She doesn't think. She doesn't care. She sees Jaylee and she wants him. That simple. Lust at first sight. But she doesn't want to leave her comfy life. She loves her husband, she makes love to him even if she thinks of Jaylee after (so sick).
Obviously the husband finds out what the hell his wife does behind his back. He decides to beat Jaylee, gives him money and then tells him to leave Kate alone... Of course, she still sees him after that.
"I want to kiss you, but your man probably got his spies out" he says.
Desire curls like smoke through my body. With his touch a great relief washes over me, something deep inside me relaxes.
"Kiss me, I don't care who sees"
At first I was like
And then
And it doesn't bother her to want to screw her husband after her date with Jaylee.
She is a selfish bitch. She doesn't even try to stay away from him. And her husband is an asshole, he tells his 9 years old girl that her mom has a boyfriend.
6 months later, she still is with her husband and the sex between them is great. Yeah we really need to read that to like her better !
Of course, she sees Jaylee again, and even better her husband agrees to let them sleep together ! YOUHOU ! And poof, she get pregnant.... and the husband is not happy happy ! DUH !
One of the majors WTF was :
I loved her friend Sarah:
« This is like Twilight, Robert is Robert Pattinson, obviously, and Jaylee is the younger one, the brown one. The wolf with the abs.”
“What are they doing? The real people, for Christ’s sake, Sarah!”
“Standing on the porch. They both want you – so you’re Bella. But you actually put out. You’re a slutty Bella.”
“I can’t believe you read Twilight!” I say between dry heaves.
“Read it, loved it, and I’d read it again. Ain’t no shame in my game, Great. »
What I gonna do with the book next
Yeah Sandra I know how you feel !
This book was SO disappointing. This was supposed to be the story of a 42 married woman with 2 children who falls in love with a 22 years "bad boy". What I read was the story of a 17 years old whining bitch who doesn't know who to choose between the bad boy and the wealthy boy, so she decides to keep them both.
Kate, the "heroine" didn't have any empathy in her. At all. She doesn't think. She doesn't care. She sees Jaylee and she wants him. That simple. Lust at first sight. But she doesn't want to leave her comfy life. She loves her husband, she makes love to him even if she thinks of Jaylee after (so sick).
Obviously the husband finds out what the hell his wife does behind his back. He decides to beat Jaylee, gives him money and then tells him to leave Kate alone... Of course, she still sees him after that.
"I want to kiss you, but your man probably got his spies out" he says.
Desire curls like smoke through my body. With his touch a great relief washes over me, something deep inside me relaxes.
"Kiss me, I don't care who sees"
At first I was like
And then
And it doesn't bother her to want to screw her husband after her date with Jaylee.
She is a selfish bitch. She doesn't even try to stay away from him. And her husband is an asshole, he tells his 9 years old girl that her mom has a boyfriend.
6 months later, she still is with her husband and the sex between them is great. Yeah we really need to read that to like her better !
Of course, she sees Jaylee again, and even better her husband agrees to let them sleep together ! YOUHOU ! And poof, she get pregnant.... and the husband is not happy happy ! DUH !
One of the majors WTF was :
Spoiler
She gives a blowjob to Jaylee in a public bathroom (he just pushes her down on her knees actually) and then a man comes, watches and masturbates... and she's arousedI loved her friend Sarah:
« This is like Twilight, Robert is Robert Pattinson, obviously, and Jaylee is the younger one, the brown one. The wolf with the abs.”
“What are they doing? The real people, for Christ’s sake, Sarah!”
“Standing on the porch. They both want you – so you’re Bella. But you actually put out. You’re a slutty Bella.”
“I can’t believe you read Twilight!” I say between dry heaves.
“Read it, loved it, and I’d read it again. Ain’t no shame in my game, Great. »
What I gonna do with the book next
kcsunshine25's review
4.0
Oh Oh! From the very beginning I knew there was going to be trouble.
I was drawn in immediately by the boy with the golden eyes. I've met Jaylee before in Maldeamores. I won't say the pivotal role he played in that book in case you haven't read it - but I did struggle to remember whether it was before the timeline of Heights Of Desire or after. I decided to go with the before.
When Jaylee and Kate meet, it is like the world stopped spinning so it could extend the moment that their eyes locked on each other and their fates were sealed. There is passion, want and need, hurt, anger, betrayal. Every emotion is twisted and played with.
I was totally gripped by the story. There is adultery - I can cope with the cheating in a book. It's just a story! I loved Sarah and Kate's relationship. What a beautiful friendship they have.
One tip I would have for readers is that if you don't speak Spanish (I don't) make sure you have Internet access for Google translate. I could kind of pick up some words but felt I lost bits of conversations.
It does end on a cliff hanger of sorts.
My favourite bits:
"I put my life on the line for him. He knows it well and it coveys a message beyond desire and perhaps, beyond love. We're bound to one another."
"Your life is like a movie. I thought I was coming for girl's night and instead I get like, live action Nancy Drew, but with hot sex and drugs."
"This is where, in all the best love stories, I kill him, or him me. Where we take our own lives with the same dagger or burn in a boudoir pyre, the flames becoming symobolic of our passion, the evanescence burn of our love."
"His eyes communicate enough to me, they speak only of unbridled desire, of unrelenting love."
Well written. Fast paced. Great characters. More please Mara.
I was drawn in immediately by the boy with the golden eyes. I've met Jaylee before in Maldeamores. I won't say the pivotal role he played in that book in case you haven't read it - but I did struggle to remember whether it was before the timeline of Heights Of Desire or after. I decided to go with the before.
When Jaylee and Kate meet, it is like the world stopped spinning so it could extend the moment that their eyes locked on each other and their fates were sealed. There is passion, want and need, hurt, anger, betrayal. Every emotion is twisted and played with.
I was totally gripped by the story. There is adultery - I can cope with the cheating in a book. It's just a story! I loved Sarah and Kate's relationship. What a beautiful friendship they have.
One tip I would have for readers is that if you don't speak Spanish (I don't) make sure you have Internet access for Google translate. I could kind of pick up some words but felt I lost bits of conversations.
It does end on a cliff hanger of sorts.
My favourite bits:
"I put my life on the line for him. He knows it well and it coveys a message beyond desire and perhaps, beyond love. We're bound to one another."
"Your life is like a movie. I thought I was coming for girl's night and instead I get like, live action Nancy Drew, but with hot sex and drugs."
"This is where, in all the best love stories, I kill him, or him me. Where we take our own lives with the same dagger or burn in a boudoir pyre, the flames becoming symobolic of our passion, the evanescence burn of our love."
"His eyes communicate enough to me, they speak only of unbridled desire, of unrelenting love."
Well written. Fast paced. Great characters. More please Mara.
cheryls's review
4.0
This could have been a simple story between Kate and the 2 men that she loved but no. Nothing is easy with Kate. It's very well written and flowed smoothly with great character development. The whole situation is kind of...
For the remainder of the review go to http://www.welovekink.com/
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
For the remainder of the review go to http://www.welovekink.com/
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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