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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I knew before I even took this timeout that Niles and I were never going to work and I realized that I’d known that for a long time. I’d either fallen out of love with him or he’d bored the love out of me.
I'm a huge Kristen Ashley fan but I made the mistake of reading the Colorado Mountain Series out of order. I had read all of them except book 1 so I decided to go back and read it. Unfortunately I didn't find it as enjoyable as the other books but that may have been because the hero Max shares the same name as my dad. So I really couldn't bring myself to feel anything but friendship for the hero. Some may think that's a silly reason but for some reason I couldn't get past it.
However this was still a good book, it was full of all the good things that makes Kristen Ashley's books so popular. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone female :P I don't know what it is about the Alpha males this author writes that make them so drool worthy but if you haven't picked up a book by her then I suggest you get one ASAP.
“I thought I’d stay home, read, maybe plot how I’ll drug and kidnap my father, drive him to the next state and dump him outside a Police Station with a note pinned to him saying that he killed JFK and was there to confess.”
I'm a huge Kristen Ashley fan but I made the mistake of reading the Colorado Mountain Series out of order. I had read all of them except book 1 so I decided to go back and read it. Unfortunately I didn't find it as enjoyable as the other books but that may have been because the hero Max shares the same name as my dad. So I really couldn't bring myself to feel anything but friendship for the hero. Some may think that's a silly reason but for some reason I couldn't get past it.
However this was still a good book, it was full of all the good things that makes Kristen Ashley's books so popular. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone female :P I don't know what it is about the Alpha males this author writes that make them so drool worthy but if you haven't picked up a book by her then I suggest you get one ASAP.
“I thought I’d stay home, read, maybe plot how I’ll drug and kidnap my father, drive him to the next state and dump him outside a Police Station with a note pinned to him saying that he killed JFK and was there to confess.”
DNF at 59%
It feels like a blasphemy to say this, but this book left a bad taste in my mouth. The plot was boring and painfully repetitive that I was cringing the whole time.
I hate to be in a minority here, especially since this book was written by Kristen Ashley (one of my top go-to authors when I need a fun and fluffy read), but if I'm really being honest, reading The Gamble was like pulling teeth.
I didn't like the female lead (Nina) at all, which was surprising, because all throughout the book, I felt as if the author is trying too hard to make me like her. The key phrase there is "trying too hard", so I guess that's why it had the opposite effect on me. I hated her. She lacks largely in character development and depth.
I admit that there were a few times I had swooned over the male lead (Max), because of his possessiveness over Nina (which I kind of liked until it got too much). I also think their interactions are too mushy for my taste, and that's telling something because I'm a romantic at heart and dabble on mushy romances occasionally. It's just that...there were a lot of things happening that don't contribute anything to the story or made any practical sense at all.
Needless to say, I wish I liked it (I really do), but it just frustrated me to the point of quitting half way through the story.
It feels like a blasphemy to say this, but this book left a bad taste in my mouth. The plot was boring and painfully repetitive that I was cringing the whole time.
I hate to be in a minority here, especially since this book was written by Kristen Ashley (one of my top go-to authors when I need a fun and fluffy read), but if I'm really being honest, reading The Gamble was like pulling teeth.
I didn't like the female lead (Nina) at all, which was surprising, because all throughout the book, I felt as if the author is trying too hard to make me like her. The key phrase there is "trying too hard", so I guess that's why it had the opposite effect on me. I hated her. She lacks largely in character development and depth.
I admit that there were a few times I had swooned over the male lead (Max), because of his possessiveness over Nina (which I kind of liked until it got too much). I also think their interactions are too mushy for my taste, and that's telling something because I'm a romantic at heart and dabble on mushy romances occasionally. It's just that...there were a lot of things happening that don't contribute anything to the story or made any practical sense at all.
Needless to say, I wish I liked it (I really do), but it just frustrated me to the point of quitting half way through the story.
This is the first book by the author I did not enjoy. The heroine was really annoying. I usually like the unrealistic situations the author creates but in this book it was too much. I have already read the next in the series and loved, so I will continue to read her work.
I never learn and after I promise myself not to read another KA book I do it again.
It feels like they are the same characters in a different story setting. The same conversations in all of them. The same alpha male and same princess heroine.
And the dialogue! Omg! For goodness sake let the woman finish her sentences!
“Max –”
“I got in,” he declared and he could say that again.
“Max –”
“I’m in, Duchess, you think for a second I’m gonna let you push me out?”
“Um…”
“I’m not.”
“Max –”
His hands started roaming and he stated, “No fuckin’ way.”
Yeah, this is how a conversation is between H and h in every book (the contemporany ones anyway).
It feels like they are the same characters in a different story setting. The same conversations in all of them. The same alpha male and same princess heroine.
And the dialogue! Omg! For goodness sake let the woman finish her sentences!
“Max –”
“I got in,” he declared and he could say that again.
“Max –”
“I’m in, Duchess, you think for a second I’m gonna let you push me out?”
“Um…”
“I’m not.”
“Max –”
His hands started roaming and he stated, “No fuckin’ way.”
Yeah, this is how a conversation is between H and h in every book (the contemporany ones anyway).
Release Date: April 18, 2011
Genre: Contemporary Romance
The Gamble by Kristen Ashley is a very sweet and swoony romance novel. It has all the small town feels that I enjoy, the alpha male that makes my heart swell, a heroine who I could easily befriend, and a little added suspense to make it interesting. On the downside, I found this book to be extremely long which, at times, made it hard to stay focused on the story. Even more, at some points I knew that if I just skimmed the pages that I wouldn't miss anything of particular importance. And honestly, I didn't. A lot of the story (even though I enjoyed reading it) was repetitive. I mean, how many times in a week long period can two virtual strangers get into so many arguments? This went on... and on... and on... Sure it was fun at first, but then it got a little annoying. In light of all this though I still feel like the novel should receive at least 4 stars because the story line and the characters are truly phenomenal. And based off of this one, I am going to go into the next novel with enthusiasm (even though that too is very long) because I adore the way Kristen Ashley delivers these stories.
The Plot
This story is about two people who come together due to unconventional circumstances. Nina, comes to the United States from England in order to take a break from her fiance who barely listens to a word she says in order to figure out if a life with him is what she really wants. However, unbeknownst to her, the house she is renting for the week is already occupied. And by occupied I mean the strong mountain man owner, Max, is still there and has no plans to leave. This little mix-up leads to a whirlwind romance filled with ups and downs, angst, and a lot of love. And, to make things a little more interesting, it also has a little bit of a murder mystery and suspense! Sounds like fun right? Well, it truly is!
The Characters
Max is purebred alpha male. He doesn't take no for an answer (not even lightly) and is as determined and fierce as they come. But he also has a heart full of gold and seeing through his alpha male tendencies isn't hard for readers.
Nina is an English flower. She is sweet albeit a little naive. She is also what some would call a pushover as she doesn't have a lot of dominance over anything. Just allowing her to fully speak is hard (and I have to admit, this really annoyed me as the story progressed). However, I like her attitude and her loyalty (well, not to her fiance anyway), and the way she helps those in need. This is a quality that we don't see all too often and I really enjoyed it.
The secondary characters are just as lovely, well, most of them anyway and I wouldn't mind getting to know them better in the future! Although I will also admit that there are some that will make you want to throw a few punches...
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a wonderful and heartfelt novel and I enjoyed it even though it was long and drawn out. Based on this one, it is also easy to understand why readers flock to her stories. Therefore, if you are a fan of the authors work and haven't read this one then I would recommend it to you. If you haven't read the authors books then I would say this is a good place to start. Although she has some other amazing books as well (like the Rock Chick series).
Genre: Contemporary Romance
The Gamble by Kristen Ashley is a very sweet and swoony romance novel. It has all the small town feels that I enjoy, the alpha male that makes my heart swell, a heroine who I could easily befriend, and a little added suspense to make it interesting. On the downside, I found this book to be extremely long which, at times, made it hard to stay focused on the story. Even more, at some points I knew that if I just skimmed the pages that I wouldn't miss anything of particular importance. And honestly, I didn't. A lot of the story (even though I enjoyed reading it) was repetitive. I mean, how many times in a week long period can two virtual strangers get into so many arguments? This went on... and on... and on... Sure it was fun at first, but then it got a little annoying. In light of all this though I still feel like the novel should receive at least 4 stars because the story line and the characters are truly phenomenal. And based off of this one, I am going to go into the next novel with enthusiasm (even though that too is very long) because I adore the way Kristen Ashley delivers these stories.
The Plot
This story is about two people who come together due to unconventional circumstances. Nina, comes to the United States from England in order to take a break from her fiance who barely listens to a word she says in order to figure out if a life with him is what she really wants. However, unbeknownst to her, the house she is renting for the week is already occupied. And by occupied I mean the strong mountain man owner, Max, is still there and has no plans to leave. This little mix-up leads to a whirlwind romance filled with ups and downs, angst, and a lot of love. And, to make things a little more interesting, it also has a little bit of a murder mystery and suspense! Sounds like fun right? Well, it truly is!
The Characters
Max is purebred alpha male. He doesn't take no for an answer (not even lightly) and is as determined and fierce as they come. But he also has a heart full of gold and seeing through his alpha male tendencies isn't hard for readers.
Nina is an English flower. She is sweet albeit a little naive. She is also what some would call a pushover as she doesn't have a lot of dominance over anything. Just allowing her to fully speak is hard (and I have to admit, this really annoyed me as the story progressed). However, I like her attitude and her loyalty (well, not to her fiance anyway), and the way she helps those in need. This is a quality that we don't see all too often and I really enjoyed it.
The secondary characters are just as lovely, well, most of them anyway and I wouldn't mind getting to know them better in the future! Although I will also admit that there are some that will make you want to throw a few punches...
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a wonderful and heartfelt novel and I enjoyed it even though it was long and drawn out. Based on this one, it is also easy to understand why readers flock to her stories. Therefore, if you are a fan of the authors work and haven't read this one then I would recommend it to you. If you haven't read the authors books then I would say this is a good place to start. Although she has some other amazing books as well (like the Rock Chick series).
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes