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caseroo7's review against another edition
5.0
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
The Viper is the first book in the Untamed Hearts series by Kele Moon. The Untamed Hearts series is a spin-off of her Battered Hearts series, but these books can be read as standalones. I had never read a book from Kele Moon before, but as soon as I read the blurb for this one I knew it was one I wanted to take a chance on. I am so glad that I read this book as I absolutely loved it! It was a great story and start to this series, and I honestly cannot wait to read more from Kele Moon after reading this book.
When Katie Foster and Marcos Rivera get into an accident, Marcos stays and talks with her while they wait for help. Though Katie and Marcos are complete opposites, they both find themselves drawn to one another. After the accident, Katie tries to find Marcos but the address and phone number she had from the accident report are no longer accurate. She tries to get in touch with him by placing ads on craigslist as well as by going through his cousin Chuito. When Marcos finds out from Chuito that Katie has been trying to contact him, he returns to Garnet from Miami in order to see what she wants. Though Marcos knows that he needs to stay away from Katie, he finds himself unable to. Marcos knows that his life is full of bad things and that Katie deserves so much better, but he finds himself agreeing to spend a week with her before returning to his life at the end of it. But when the week is over Katie isn't willing to let him go, and she is determined to show him that they belong together.
I really loved Marcos and Katie together. These two were so completely different, and yet they were absolutely perfect for one another. Marcos had a tough life growing up. He didn't finish school and got involved in a gang. He lost his mother and cousin Juan, and it changed his and Chuito's lives forever. Marcos was used to living life as a criminal, and even when he tried to find honest work he ended up getting let go because of his record and his past. But after he met Katie, he wanted to be better and do more with his life. I really loved how protective and caring he was with her, and you could tell that they had a really strong connection. They made each other better, and I liked that they really seemed to bring out something in each other that no one else ever had before. Katie was used to her boring steady life and had thought that after divorcing her ex-husband that she would never find anyone. But Marcos changed something in her the night of the accident, and he really brought her to life. He showed her that she could stand up for herself and take what she wanted. I liked that she was stubborn and challenged Marcos. These two had such great chemistry together, and I loved seeing them fall for one another.
Overall, I really loved this story. Katie and Marcos were fantastic as a couple, and I really liked seeing how their feelings grew and how they both changed over the course of this book. I liked that Katie never judged Marcos, and she saw beyond just his past and the things that he had done. She truly loved him for who he was, and she brought out the best in him. Marcos thought that Katie deserved better than him, but I was glad that she kept trying with him and showed him that she wouldn't give up on the connection they shared. I also really liked Chuito and the rest of the secondary characters, and I can't wait to get more of them as this series continues. I am really looking forward to getting to know Chuito better, and I am also really wanting to go back and read the Battered Hearts series now.This might have been my first book by Kele Moon, but it definitely will not be my last! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great opposites attract romance with a sexy alpha and likable heroine.
**Review Copy Provided by As the Pages Turn**
The Viper is the first book in the Untamed Hearts series by Kele Moon. The Untamed Hearts series is a spin-off of her Battered Hearts series, but these books can be read as standalones. I had never read a book from Kele Moon before, but as soon as I read the blurb for this one I knew it was one I wanted to take a chance on. I am so glad that I read this book as I absolutely loved it! It was a great story and start to this series, and I honestly cannot wait to read more from Kele Moon after reading this book.
When Katie Foster and Marcos Rivera get into an accident, Marcos stays and talks with her while they wait for help. Though Katie and Marcos are complete opposites, they both find themselves drawn to one another. After the accident, Katie tries to find Marcos but the address and phone number she had from the accident report are no longer accurate. She tries to get in touch with him by placing ads on craigslist as well as by going through his cousin Chuito. When Marcos finds out from Chuito that Katie has been trying to contact him, he returns to Garnet from Miami in order to see what she wants. Though Marcos knows that he needs to stay away from Katie, he finds himself unable to. Marcos knows that his life is full of bad things and that Katie deserves so much better, but he finds himself agreeing to spend a week with her before returning to his life at the end of it. But when the week is over Katie isn't willing to let him go, and she is determined to show him that they belong together.
I really loved Marcos and Katie together. These two were so completely different, and yet they were absolutely perfect for one another. Marcos had a tough life growing up. He didn't finish school and got involved in a gang. He lost his mother and cousin Juan, and it changed his and Chuito's lives forever. Marcos was used to living life as a criminal, and even when he tried to find honest work he ended up getting let go because of his record and his past. But after he met Katie, he wanted to be better and do more with his life. I really loved how protective and caring he was with her, and you could tell that they had a really strong connection. They made each other better, and I liked that they really seemed to bring out something in each other that no one else ever had before. Katie was used to her boring steady life and had thought that after divorcing her ex-husband that she would never find anyone. But Marcos changed something in her the night of the accident, and he really brought her to life. He showed her that she could stand up for herself and take what she wanted. I liked that she was stubborn and challenged Marcos. These two had such great chemistry together, and I loved seeing them fall for one another.
Overall, I really loved this story. Katie and Marcos were fantastic as a couple, and I really liked seeing how their feelings grew and how they both changed over the course of this book. I liked that Katie never judged Marcos, and she saw beyond just his past and the things that he had done. She truly loved him for who he was, and she brought out the best in him. Marcos thought that Katie deserved better than him, but I was glad that she kept trying with him and showed him that she wouldn't give up on the connection they shared. I also really liked Chuito and the rest of the secondary characters, and I can't wait to get more of them as this series continues. I am really looking forward to getting to know Chuito better, and I am also really wanting to go back and read the Battered Hearts series now.This might have been my first book by Kele Moon, but it definitely will not be my last! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great opposites attract romance with a sexy alpha and likable heroine.
**Review Copy Provided by As the Pages Turn**
mccorbin's review against another edition
4.0
This is the Kele Moon writing that I am talking about! Marcos was absolutely sexy, raw, and all around perfection. His late night encounter (no, not that kind – get your mind out of the gutter) with Katie starts off this wonderful ride between the two of them.
Marcos is trouble wrapped up in trouble. He’s a gang member, a thief, a murder, but he has an innate goodness about him. He’s protective, he’s sweet, and he can kick someone’s butt when needed. When Katie, the sweet high school teacher, tries to contact him after the wreck, Marco comes back to her sleepy town to get her to stop and then he realizes that it is going to be harder than he thought.
Both characters have this wonderful integrity about them, almost honest to a fault. It was almost like they spoke in pure honestly the entire time.
I loved how Marcos spoke in Spanish when he was particularly passionate about something and I loved that Katie had him translate it throughout the book. It made me feel as if it was a sweet connection between them.
Moon wrote a darker past than I was expecting with Marcos and his family. It was quite surprising to find out that this book wasn’t all about the romance; it was about both characters really digging down and fighting for their freedom.
I hope the next book in this series comes out soon and I am curious to know who it is about…I have my suspicions.
Marcos is trouble wrapped up in trouble. He’s a gang member, a thief, a murder, but he has an innate goodness about him. He’s protective, he’s sweet, and he can kick someone’s butt when needed. When Katie, the sweet high school teacher, tries to contact him after the wreck, Marco comes back to her sleepy town to get her to stop and then he realizes that it is going to be harder than he thought.
Both characters have this wonderful integrity about them, almost honest to a fault. It was almost like they spoke in pure honestly the entire time.
I loved how Marcos spoke in Spanish when he was particularly passionate about something and I loved that Katie had him translate it throughout the book. It made me feel as if it was a sweet connection between them.
Moon wrote a darker past than I was expecting with Marcos and his family. It was quite surprising to find out that this book wasn’t all about the romance; it was about both characters really digging down and fighting for their freedom.
I hope the next book in this series comes out soon and I am curious to know who it is about…I have my suspicions.
timitra's review against another edition
5.0
I was very excited when I heard about this new series and who it would feature. Then I found out the first book featured unknown characters I was still excited but a bit apprehensive and I shouldn't have been because every book I've read by this author thus far I have thoroughly enjoyed and I'm happy to report this continues to be true. I was sucked into this story from the first page had it not been for health issues and life intruding I would have devoured it in one sitting, yes it's that good. The author has a way of making you fall in love with her characters from very early on, of making you root for them from the get go to get their happily ever after despite the obstacles in their way. I loved watching Marcos and Katie fall for each other while catching up with characters that I already know and love, those who have already gotten their HEA (Jules and Melody) and those who's stories I cannot wait to read (Chuito, Tino, Nova). When Nova walked onto the page dreamy sighs ensued, to me he was the icing on an already delicious cake. I love me some Nova and cannot wait to read his story.
The Viper is an amazingly solid start to what is shaping up to be a great series. I for one cannot wait to read them all. If you're a fan of Kele Moon's Battered Hearts series then you'll definitely enjoy this book.
The Viper is an amazingly solid start to what is shaping up to be a great series. I for one cannot wait to read them all. If you're a fan of Kele Moon's Battered Hearts series then you'll definitely enjoy this book.
sadie_rae's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this book, A LOT! Marcos and Katie meet hours after New Years when they are involved in a hit and run. Once recovered Katie tries to contact him but is stone walled by "well meaning" friends, I haven't read Jules and Romeo's book but this book just makes me think that Jules is a b!tch. Once Marcos discovers that Katie is looking for him he makes himself available(in more ways than one ;p) and ends up staying with her over spring break. Drama ensues with Katie's ex-husband and his inability to accept that their marriage is over. Once Marcos leaves to deal with his problems back home Katie is left in an awkward position and has to decide if she want's to keep teaching in a town that she no longer likes or if she should move on. Of course moving on means moving in with Marcos's aunt whom Marcos just happens to live with. Tia Sofia is Awesome! She's pushy and blunt and of course always right! Not a whole lot of action in this book but it still works and I loved the connection that Marcos and Katie had with each other! 5 Stars!
rlp78's review against another edition
3.0
This was just ok for me. I think the writing was really good I just wasn't in to the story. I don't think that's the author's fault though so I gave it the rating based on the writing quality.
chroniclesofabookreader's review against another edition
3.0
**3.5 Stars***
Marcos and Katie are on two very opposite sides of the track and of life. One is naive and good-hearted, the other is hard and experienced. But on an accidental meeting, their lives become entwined. Marcos gets pulled into Katie’s life despite his misgivings and his desperation to pull away in order to protect her, but something in her innocence calls to his soul.
Katie has led a very sheltered life. She was never wanted or appreciated so she sort of falls into that category of going for the first guy who pays her mind. Unfortunately, that did not work out well, and she’s single again. She really only sees the good in people, even her awful ex-husband. She has a retained sense of innocence, but she’s also someone who believes in her convictions. She truly believes Marcos is a good guy, even under his persona. She’s almost a believer to a fault, as she bucks all safety to be with him.
Marcos has not led a safe life. He’s a member of a gang in Miami that has tainted every part of him. He’s fine with that, but he doesn’t want Katie tainted by it too. So he refuses to be a part of her life, instead choosing to go back to Miami. He doesn’t expect her calling to be so strong. Marcos, I believe, was a good guy. Growing up in poverty in Miami with no father figure to earn the money, he was forced to be that person. For most young men they choose the streets because that’s all they can do. He was forced into his way of living, and he dealt with it. Gave it reasoning and excuses, and he was content to continue in that existence until he was shown what good could come to him, in the form of Katie.
I thought the storyline was great, I love seeing a hard man be made soft by a good, caring woman. The only part of the story that I had a hard time with was his Puerto Rican nature. As someone who is privvy to gangs and their culture, I found his mannerisms (mostly the way he conversed or the things he said) to be out of character of an actual gangster of Latino race. After awhile, I was able to ignore it, because I realized this is fiction, and it is my own personal feeling on it. It certainly didn’t pull me away from the story completely. I loved their love story, and how not only did he change for the better, but she did too. He helped her to grow just as much as she did for him, which is beautiful.
**Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
Marcos and Katie are on two very opposite sides of the track and of life. One is naive and good-hearted, the other is hard and experienced. But on an accidental meeting, their lives become entwined. Marcos gets pulled into Katie’s life despite his misgivings and his desperation to pull away in order to protect her, but something in her innocence calls to his soul.
Katie has led a very sheltered life. She was never wanted or appreciated so she sort of falls into that category of going for the first guy who pays her mind. Unfortunately, that did not work out well, and she’s single again. She really only sees the good in people, even her awful ex-husband. She has a retained sense of innocence, but she’s also someone who believes in her convictions. She truly believes Marcos is a good guy, even under his persona. She’s almost a believer to a fault, as she bucks all safety to be with him.
Marcos has not led a safe life. He’s a member of a gang in Miami that has tainted every part of him. He’s fine with that, but he doesn’t want Katie tainted by it too. So he refuses to be a part of her life, instead choosing to go back to Miami. He doesn’t expect her calling to be so strong. Marcos, I believe, was a good guy. Growing up in poverty in Miami with no father figure to earn the money, he was forced to be that person. For most young men they choose the streets because that’s all they can do. He was forced into his way of living, and he dealt with it. Gave it reasoning and excuses, and he was content to continue in that existence until he was shown what good could come to him, in the form of Katie.
I thought the storyline was great, I love seeing a hard man be made soft by a good, caring woman. The only part of the story that I had a hard time with was his Puerto Rican nature. As someone who is privvy to gangs and their culture, I found his mannerisms (mostly the way he conversed or the things he said) to be out of character of an actual gangster of Latino race. After awhile, I was able to ignore it, because I realized this is fiction, and it is my own personal feeling on it. It certainly didn’t pull me away from the story completely. I loved their love story, and how not only did he change for the better, but she did too. He helped her to grow just as much as she did for him, which is beautiful.
**Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
booklvrkat's review against another edition
3.0
You just never know what might happen when you decide to leave the life you've known. These characters came together on a dark stormy night, and their souls decided it was forever. Their minds however decide to fight back and the clash is mighty.
ivette03's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it! Marcos is a badass boricua and Katie a quiet gringa. Fate or was it really bad luck that brought them together? Both are trying change they ways. Katie trying to change her normal routine and Marcos trying to get into a normal routine. Love has a way of making opposites attract and have awesome routine. This book had me laughing out loud because the puerto rican slang was perfect!! Great Job Kele!
veracruzzzzz's review against another edition
3.0
I was disappointed by this one. Kele Moon usually writes amazing relationships, so full of heart and well-scripted dialogue; but this one fell a little bit short.
Katie and Marcos are a steamy duo, to be sure, but oftentimes it felt like that was all there is to them. A whole plate of insta-love without so much a side of meaningful romance or rapport.
I also feel like the build-up to the main conflict never really paid off. Everything that seemed insurmountable was quickly fixed with some chit-chat. The featured secondary characters are a pretty interesting lot, but still...
Anyway, I'm not giving up on the "Untamed Hearts"/"Defying Odds" series. This one's just a bit of a miss in my opinion.
Katie and Marcos are a steamy duo, to be sure, but oftentimes it felt like that was all there is to them. A whole plate of insta-love without so much a side of meaningful romance or rapport.
I also feel like the build-up to the main conflict never really paid off. Everything that seemed insurmountable was quickly fixed with some chit-chat. The featured secondary characters are a pretty interesting lot, but still...
Anyway, I'm not giving up on the "Untamed Hearts"/"Defying Odds" series. This one's just a bit of a miss in my opinion.