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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Kristen Ashley is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her stories have so much more than just sex scene after sex scene.
5/10/16 Reread this since I just finished Golden Trail and wanted to re-read this series. Love KA!
10/10/16 Rereading it again!
5/10/16 Reread this since I just finished Golden Trail and wanted to re-read this series. Love KA!
10/10/16 Rereading it again!
This is a DNF for me. I gave it 2 stars because I enjoyed the first third of the book, but then it took a nose dive.
I was alerted to The Gamble from a Goodreads list of "Main Romantic Characters over 40" or something like that. Now I question that list. These two main characters are not yet forty, but moreover, they and almost every other character in this book act about 10 years younger than they are.
Max started out OK but, at the time I gave up, he was a hottie Neanderthal eagle scout who spoke (and pondered) in fragmented sentences usually laced with f-bombs and other curse words. I'm not a prude but, really, this guy is pretty classless. And Nina, who barely gets called her real name throughout, also started out as an interesting woman but had a strange habit of answering questions by just repeating the question, calling everyone "darling" (since she has a slight British accent, this made her sound in my head like Cruella DeVille), and had several pages of dialog where all she says is "Max..." (mostly because he's cutting her off).
There are plenty of rave reviews here so I must be the odd man out for wanting less Dynasty-esque drama and more character depth... maybe it comes around to that eventually, but I didn't want to take that Gamble.
I was alerted to The Gamble from a Goodreads list of "Main Romantic Characters over 40" or something like that. Now I question that list. These two main characters are not yet forty, but moreover, they and almost every other character in this book act about 10 years younger than they are.
Max started out OK but, at the time I gave up, he was a hottie Neanderthal eagle scout who spoke (and pondered) in fragmented sentences usually laced with f-bombs and other curse words. I'm not a prude but, really, this guy is pretty classless. And Nina, who barely gets called her real name throughout, also started out as an interesting woman but had a strange habit of answering questions by just repeating the question, calling everyone "darling" (since she has a slight British accent, this made her sound in my head like Cruella DeVille), and had several pages of dialog where all she says is "Max..." (mostly because he's cutting her off).
There are plenty of rave reviews here so I must be the odd man out for wanting less Dynasty-esque drama and more character depth... maybe it comes around to that eventually, but I didn't want to take that Gamble.
So Max sounds a lot like this
So….You can’t really go wrong is my thinking. Nina looks a lot like… well in my head I’m Nina for obvious reasons
Anyhoo it was a bit slow to start, but I liked the story and I really liked the setting of the Colorado Mountains. But I have been reading a lot of Kristen Ashley this summer and from what I have gathered Denver and it’s surrounding areas is full of hot guys and if you’re a woman in Denver you will most likely be kidnapped at least once. Might be worth it non? See first picture.
So….You can’t really go wrong is my thinking. Nina looks a lot like… well in my head I’m Nina for obvious reasons
Anyhoo it was a bit slow to start, but I liked the story and I really liked the setting of the Colorado Mountains. But I have been reading a lot of Kristen Ashley this summer and from what I have gathered Denver and it’s surrounding areas is full of hot guys and if you’re a woman in Denver you will most likely be kidnapped at least once. Might be worth it non? See first picture.
When I get in the mood to read a romance, I have to read a romance to get it out of my system. The mood swung around and I’d had this book on my radar for a while, so I picked it up and started reading it. And I was yanked into it. And I still haven’t escaped (right now I’m on the fourth book in the series, Breathe). I think Kristen Ashley has a new fan girl. Ha, I think? No, I know.
I gave this book five stars (I would give it ten stars if I could). Why? Because I absolutely, 100% loved it. Was it perfect? No. There was some serious issues with this book that could have easily been solved by a great editor. However, I was able to get over this so easily because the book itself was amazing.
Kristen Ashley obviously has a very unique way of writing. It took me a bit to get used to, but I have found that I really enjoy the way she tells a story. She makes me feel like a best friend is telling me this story and it feels familiar and cozy. That probably doesn’t make any sense, but it makes reading her books really enjoyable for me.
The story, characters, setting… Everything was spectacular. I adored Nina! Nina was so many things, but what I loved most about her was her stubbornness, her little flares of anger, and the sweet side of her. She and Max were so sexy together and I loved the ways they complimented each other. Speaking of Max… Whew! Max is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome with a side of alpha male. I have a love-hate relationship with the whole “alpha-male” concept. In this case, it’s a love relationship. Max is one of my favorite male characters ever. I loved his brusque attitude, his no-nonsense personality, and the protective, caring way he handled everyone around him. I just flat out loved him.
There are a lot of characters in this book. I love the way Kristen Ashley incorporates them all and makes each of them feel important. The characters in her books are just so vibrant. I love that I care about the secondary characters just as much (ok, almost as much..) as the main characters. It really is the difference between a good book and a great book.
I also loved that this book wasn’t just a straight romance. This book had so much more than that! There was murder, mystery, and plenty of real-life drama that was done very well. All of these elements combined to make an intense, anxiety-inducing book that I’m sure made my blood pressure rise (I mean that in a good way). This is a rather big book and I flew through it because I couldn’t put it down.
My favorite part of this book was the slow burn of the romance, though. I loved watching the relationship between Nina and Max develop. Even though it really was pretty rushed, it didn’t feel that way to me. Nina and Max had so many moments that made my heart squeeze, but just as many that made me laugh out loud. They were such a great couple to watch get to know each other.
I’ve been sucked into the Colorado Mountains series and I don’t plan on resurfacing for a while. I have two and a half more books to read, after all! I highly recommend this book, but just be warned that it does deal with some serious issues such as abuse, rape, and suicide. That being said, I have a new favorite for the Favorites shelf!
I gave this book five stars (I would give it ten stars if I could). Why? Because I absolutely, 100% loved it. Was it perfect? No. There was some serious issues with this book that could have easily been solved by a great editor. However, I was able to get over this so easily because the book itself was amazing.
Kristen Ashley obviously has a very unique way of writing. It took me a bit to get used to, but I have found that I really enjoy the way she tells a story. She makes me feel like a best friend is telling me this story and it feels familiar and cozy. That probably doesn’t make any sense, but it makes reading her books really enjoyable for me.
The story, characters, setting… Everything was spectacular. I adored Nina! Nina was so many things, but what I loved most about her was her stubbornness, her little flares of anger, and the sweet side of her. She and Max were so sexy together and I loved the ways they complimented each other. Speaking of Max… Whew! Max is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome with a side of alpha male. I have a love-hate relationship with the whole “alpha-male” concept. In this case, it’s a love relationship. Max is one of my favorite male characters ever. I loved his brusque attitude, his no-nonsense personality, and the protective, caring way he handled everyone around him. I just flat out loved him.
There are a lot of characters in this book. I love the way Kristen Ashley incorporates them all and makes each of them feel important. The characters in her books are just so vibrant. I love that I care about the secondary characters just as much (ok, almost as much..) as the main characters. It really is the difference between a good book and a great book.
I also loved that this book wasn’t just a straight romance. This book had so much more than that! There was murder, mystery, and plenty of real-life drama that was done very well. All of these elements combined to make an intense, anxiety-inducing book that I’m sure made my blood pressure rise (I mean that in a good way). This is a rather big book and I flew through it because I couldn’t put it down.
My favorite part of this book was the slow burn of the romance, though. I loved watching the relationship between Nina and Max develop. Even though it really was pretty rushed, it didn’t feel that way to me. Nina and Max had so many moments that made my heart squeeze, but just as many that made me laugh out loud. They were such a great couple to watch get to know each other.
I’ve been sucked into the Colorado Mountains series and I don’t plan on resurfacing for a while. I have two and a half more books to read, after all! I highly recommend this book, but just be warned that it does deal with some serious issues such as abuse, rape, and suicide. That being said, I have a new favorite for the Favorites shelf!
This was a re-read for me and I still love it! Fangirl mode = ACTIVATED! But seriously, I love these characters and the emotions this book made me feel and the story and the setting and literally everything about this book. (I apologize for the run-on sentence, but I can't help but gush about this book.) I am so excited to be doing a big Kristen Ashley re-read and continuing on with these series that I love!
1st read - 31 July to 4 August 2013
2nd read - 7 May to 11 May 2015
3rd read - 24 March to 29 March 2016
4th read - 3 June to 9 June 2020
5th read - 20 May to 25 May 2022
6th read - 16 May to 18 May 2023
7th read - 10 May to 12 May 2023 (super sunny weekend 'dip in and out of' read)
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“In my life, I’ve learned when to let shit go and when to fight. This, babe, what we got, I’ll fight for.”
This is not my favourite Colorado Mountain (although on my 2020 reread I kind of liked it more than some of the others) but it was my first Colorado Mountain so I'll always have a soft spot for it.
Nina could be kind of annoying and Max overbearing but I ended up falling for them and the town of Gnaw Bone. I actually liked when Nina got mouthy and took a wild hair. It was when she was being all 'I won't be his one and only' that I got annoyed.
I absolutely love this series. It's far fetched, it's over the top, it's ridiculous at times but it is also pure comfort reading, entertaining and so much fun.
I'm a big KA fan, even when I'm not loving something of hers I'm still a big fan because I will always have a large amount of her stuff to reread to it's all okay. Another reason I love Kristen Ashley is because she basically introduced me to Denver (Rock Chick and Dream Man series) and The Rocky Mountains (Colorado Mountain series). Basically because of these books I fell in love with Colorado and kind of because of these books I went to Colorado last year and fell in love with it good and proper. This book was even more enjoyable having actually experienced the mountains.
Soon I will give it all up and move there forever.*
*(This probably won't happen.)
[b:Sweet Dreams|11227040|Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain, #2)|Kristen Ashley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327912890l/11227040._SX50_.jpg|16152935] next. That's my favourite.
2nd read - 7 May to 11 May 2015
3rd read - 24 March to 29 March 2016
4th read - 3 June to 9 June 2020
5th read - 20 May to 25 May 2022
6th read - 16 May to 18 May 2023
7th read - 10 May to 12 May 2023 (super sunny weekend 'dip in and out of' read)
____________________________________________
“In my life, I’ve learned when to let shit go and when to fight. This, babe, what we got, I’ll fight for.”
This is not my favourite Colorado Mountain (although on my 2020 reread I kind of liked it more than some of the others) but it was my first Colorado Mountain so I'll always have a soft spot for it.
Nina could be kind of annoying and Max overbearing but I ended up falling for them and the town of Gnaw Bone. I actually liked when Nina got mouthy and took a wild hair. It was when she was being all 'I won't be his one and only' that I got annoyed.
I absolutely love this series. It's far fetched, it's over the top, it's ridiculous at times but it is also pure comfort reading, entertaining and so much fun.
I'm a big KA fan, even when I'm not loving something of hers I'm still a big fan because I will always have a large amount of her stuff to reread to it's all okay. Another reason I love Kristen Ashley is because she basically introduced me to Denver (Rock Chick and Dream Man series) and The Rocky Mountains (Colorado Mountain series). Basically because of these books I fell in love with Colorado and kind of because of these books I went to Colorado last year and fell in love with it good and proper. This book was even more enjoyable having actually experienced the mountains.
Soon I will give it all up and move there forever.*
*(This probably won't happen.)
[b:Sweet Dreams|11227040|Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain, #2)|Kristen Ashley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327912890l/11227040._SX50_.jpg|16152935] next. That's my favourite.
FREE not sure for how long so if you like KA or romance time to pick it up. on Amazon
Another KA buddy read with my girls at Buddies Books & Baubles we are doing great with our one KA book a week plan.
After all the ridiculousness of the Rock Chick series this was a down shift into something a little more serious. There are still those great fun moments filled with banter and she devil smack downs but this book had a undercurrent of something a little more serious.
The Rundown
Nina lives in England but after coming to the realization that her fiancé really has no interest in her or their relationship since he proposed she has decided to escape and decide once and for all does she wants to be married and still feel alone or leave him and actually be alone. However when she shows up in Colorado for her time out from Niles there is a mix up with the cabin she is renting and the owner is there. Enter the hero Max, who at the beginning doesn’t particularly seem that heroic as he is telling Nina she can’t stay in his cabin since he is obviously staying there. However Nina is pretty sick and ends up being stuck there letting Max take care of her for a few days after which Max totally acts like the hero we all want him to be and has decided he likes this spunky feisty woman and if the man whose ring she is wearing doesn’t know what he has well then too bad finders keepers and all.
Max is what I’ve come to expect from a KA alpha male. He is protective, stubborn, tells it like it is, he is all man and he will not give up even when the heroine tries to pull away. It’s cute in an alpha male way and since Nina has been neglected for so long she isn’t sure what to do with all this attention in a town that seems to have adopted her.
This is clearly a romance novel but there is a little side action happening with the murder of a local developer that no one in the town really liked but especially not Max since they have a bit of history. I’m just going to say I did not clue into who the murder was until it was too late so I was very surprised.
The Good
KA built a fantastic little town where everyone knew everyone else and they were all up in your business. She showed how that could both be good and bad and because of the way the town is you get a ton of extra details about many of the side characters to give you the feeling that you could go visit said town and have a beer at the local pub with any of the side characters.
I felt emotionally attached to a few of them and that is KA’s special talent making me care not only about the main characters of the story but also about many of the side characters.
The romance was interesting and Nina had quite a few verbal smack downs with various people throughout the story. Even though hers were good, really great actually my favorite scene is when Max went up against Nina’s then ex-fiancé. It was crass and very macho man but I love scenes like that where a man totally stakes his claim.
The Bad
KA is always one for the details, especially fashion wise but she got a little out of control in this book. I found myself sorta skimming a few of the times when she went into little side stories about random characters or some of the scenery. Normally she has quite a bit but she was a little overboard in this one and maybe could have edited out a few things.
Also minor complaint…the chapters were so long. She has gotten better at this as her writing has progressed but when I look at my kindle and the time left in chapter is over an hour I cringe a little.
Another KA buddy read with my girls at Buddies Books & Baubles we are doing great with our one KA book a week plan.
After all the ridiculousness of the Rock Chick series this was a down shift into something a little more serious. There are still those great fun moments filled with banter and she devil smack downs but this book had a undercurrent of something a little more serious.
The Rundown
Nina lives in England but after coming to the realization that her fiancé really has no interest in her or their relationship since he proposed she has decided to escape and decide once and for all does she wants to be married and still feel alone or leave him and actually be alone. However when she shows up in Colorado for her time out from Niles there is a mix up with the cabin she is renting and the owner is there. Enter the hero Max, who at the beginning doesn’t particularly seem that heroic as he is telling Nina she can’t stay in his cabin since he is obviously staying there. However Nina is pretty sick and ends up being stuck there letting Max take care of her for a few days after which Max totally acts like the hero we all want him to be and has decided he likes this spunky feisty woman and if the man whose ring she is wearing doesn’t know what he has well then too bad finders keepers and all.
Max is what I’ve come to expect from a KA alpha male. He is protective, stubborn, tells it like it is, he is all man and he will not give up even when the heroine tries to pull away. It’s cute in an alpha male way and since Nina has been neglected for so long she isn’t sure what to do with all this attention in a town that seems to have adopted her.
This is clearly a romance novel but there is a little side action happening with the murder of a local developer that no one in the town really liked but especially not Max since they have a bit of history. I’m just going to say I did not clue into who the murder was until it was too late so I was very surprised.
The Good
KA built a fantastic little town where everyone knew everyone else and they were all up in your business. She showed how that could both be good and bad and because of the way the town is you get a ton of extra details about many of the side characters to give you the feeling that you could go visit said town and have a beer at the local pub with any of the side characters.
I felt emotionally attached to a few of them and that is KA’s special talent making me care not only about the main characters of the story but also about many of the side characters.
The romance was interesting and Nina had quite a few verbal smack downs with various people throughout the story. Even though hers were good, really great actually my favorite scene is when Max went up against Nina’s then ex-fiancé. It was crass and very macho man but I love scenes like that where a man totally stakes his claim.
The Bad
KA is always one for the details, especially fashion wise but she got a little out of control in this book. I found myself sorta skimming a few of the times when she went into little side stories about random characters or some of the scenery. Normally she has quite a bit but she was a little overboard in this one and maybe could have edited out a few things.
Also minor complaint…the chapters were so long. She has gotten better at this as her writing has progressed but when I look at my kindle and the time left in chapter is over an hour I cringe a little.
Why on earth I took so long to read this one, it was just perfect! Loved it! Love Max!
3 The Gamble Stars
I read this book back in 2014, and it wasn’t really a favorite of mine. I remember liking it just fine but it wasn’t my favorite. Now that Nina and Max have been in other books in this series they grew on me more and more.
So I thought I would give this book another chance and I am glad I did. It’s still not my favorite because well Sweet Dreams is and will always be my favorite KA book.
But I have to say I love how Emma Taylor did Nina’s accent she nailed it not once did I think she was American even though she is ;). But the accent never wavered.
This book is suspenseful and I can’t believe I forgot the key players! It was kind of like relistening for the first time. And how awesome is that?
Max is totally a hot mountain man and I loved that, he reminds me of Tate my number one mountain man. So that’s always a plus.
The best part for me with this book was how Nina can meet anyone and they, love her she has connections with people right away, Mindy and Nina that bond is awesome and sad. I loved that the most.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
I read this book back in 2014, and it wasn’t really a favorite of mine. I remember liking it just fine but it wasn’t my favorite. Now that Nina and Max have been in other books in this series they grew on me more and more.
So I thought I would give this book another chance and I am glad I did. It’s still not my favorite because well Sweet Dreams is and will always be my favorite KA book.
But I have to say I love how Emma Taylor did Nina’s accent she nailed it not once did I think she was American even though she is ;). But the accent never wavered.
This book is suspenseful and I can’t believe I forgot the key players! It was kind of like relistening for the first time. And how awesome is that?
Max is totally a hot mountain man and I loved that, he reminds me of Tate my number one mountain man. So that’s always a plus.
The best part for me with this book was how Nina can meet anyone and they, love her she has connections with people right away, Mindy and Nina that bond is awesome and sad. I loved that the most.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
Reviewed on: Ashes Books & Bobs.
Wow, this book hooked me from beginning to end. I haven't read such a hefty book as quickly in quite some time. I decided to pick this one up because I was in the mood for a lengthy romance. After Reads_Romance wrote one of her excellent blurbs of The Gamble in her Instagram Story I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. I needed a winter setting, without the traditional Christmas theme, and this ticked every box. It was the next best thing to actually being in Colorado myself!
My reading experience with this book was interesting since the book included many of the things I traditionally hate while reading, such as numerous pet names, a bossy male character, redundancy, iotas of drama, and an overuse of the same words. Despite these things, I still loved the book and eagerly anticipated my moments of free time for the chance to pick it up. It was the type of book that allowed me to read for hours on end and tune out everything around me. I loved Max and Nina together and I especially loved how Nina's plans continued to be thwarted, causing her to be forced together with Max whether she wanted to be or not.
As silly (and embarrassing) as it might sound, as a kid, I would tell myself stories every night before bed. I would make up elaborate romances from a very young age. I was always dreaming of what my husband might be like in the future and making up stories for our life. One of the stories I always enjoyed telling myself was one where I came down with a debilitating sickness or injury and had to be cared for a man I would fall in love with (ha!). The Gamble took me right back to those stories I hadn't thought about for years and I think this is precisely why I loved the book so much. I was kind of dreamy and nostalgic for me.
I enjoyed the suspense mixed into the plot of this story. I wasn't expecting there to be such mystery and drama for Nina in the beginning. It kept me on the edge of my seat and made for some really great moments within the book. I especially loved Nina's determination and the fierce friendships she was able to forge in such a short amount of time. She really drove the book for me and I loved seeing which decision she would make next.
I think some of this novel could have been condensed a bit. I felt like the writing became a little lazy toward the latter half, but overall this book had many great elements. I loved the setting, the relationships between the characters, and the pacing, among other things. For me, the good far outweighed the bad and I will definitely be reading more books in The Colorado Mountain Series!
Wow, this book hooked me from beginning to end. I haven't read such a hefty book as quickly in quite some time. I decided to pick this one up because I was in the mood for a lengthy romance. After Reads_Romance wrote one of her excellent blurbs of The Gamble in her Instagram Story I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. I needed a winter setting, without the traditional Christmas theme, and this ticked every box. It was the next best thing to actually being in Colorado myself!
My reading experience with this book was interesting since the book included many of the things I traditionally hate while reading, such as numerous pet names, a bossy male character, redundancy, iotas of drama, and an overuse of the same words. Despite these things, I still loved the book and eagerly anticipated my moments of free time for the chance to pick it up. It was the type of book that allowed me to read for hours on end and tune out everything around me. I loved Max and Nina together and I especially loved how Nina's plans continued to be thwarted, causing her to be forced together with Max whether she wanted to be or not.
As silly (and embarrassing) as it might sound, as a kid, I would tell myself stories every night before bed. I would make up elaborate romances from a very young age. I was always dreaming of what my husband might be like in the future and making up stories for our life. One of the stories I always enjoyed telling myself was one where I came down with a debilitating sickness or injury and had to be cared for a man I would fall in love with (ha!). The Gamble took me right back to those stories I hadn't thought about for years and I think this is precisely why I loved the book so much. I was kind of dreamy and nostalgic for me.
I enjoyed the suspense mixed into the plot of this story. I wasn't expecting there to be such mystery and drama for Nina in the beginning. It kept me on the edge of my seat and made for some really great moments within the book. I especially loved Nina's determination and the fierce friendships she was able to forge in such a short amount of time. She really drove the book for me and I loved seeing which decision she would make next.
I think some of this novel could have been condensed a bit. I felt like the writing became a little lazy toward the latter half, but overall this book had many great elements. I loved the setting, the relationships between the characters, and the pacing, among other things. For me, the good far outweighed the bad and I will definitely be reading more books in The Colorado Mountain Series!