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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
My first Kristen Ashley book.
You know a book is good when halfway through you pop on to Goodreads, get the names of the rest of the authors books and pop them on your library holds list (I will be spending the next few weeks in the Colorado Mountain world :)
This was a lovely romance, it's rare that a book actually makes me teary but this one had an exceptionally good, thoughtful epilogue that was a really nice finish to a book, such an important part of the book, you either finish feeling happy but a bit disappointed that it's done, or fully sated like it really is the happy-ever-after, this is definitely the latter.
Some slight drawbacks that would realistically make this a 4.5 stars if we could give that on Goodreads. It REALLY needed some editing, sometimes the sentences felt a bit jilted or out of context and I'd read the paragraph again to see if I'd missed something but no, it was just a really odd way to write a sentence. The writer does have an slightly stilted way of writing that does take a bit of getting used to, on top of that the abbreviated language from the hero took a bit of getting used to as well -might be easier if you're American and used to the vernacular (I'm Australian).
The only other drawback is the heroine, I liked her but she made so many mistakes in the relationship, making it a little frustrating from the reader's point of view - it felt like Max did everything right, she did everything wrong - a little more balance would be lovely.
Those are my only tiny peeves, the plot, the LOCATION (my god, I really want to go to Colorado now and go sit on a mountain), the relationship was real and interesting, the HERO was smoking hot and just plain wonderful (good grief, love me a mountain man), secondary characters were all really fantastic.
I also LOVE how long this book is, I've read so many short romance novels lately it was so delicious to really get absorbed into a book and embroiled in the scenario for a decent length of time.
All in all, the book equivalent of going on a holiday on a Colorado mountain and sitting by the fire drinking red wine and eating nachos. Yum.
See you again soon Colorado mountain (and all your spunky, gruff mountain men).
You know a book is good when halfway through you pop on to Goodreads, get the names of the rest of the authors books and pop them on your library holds list (I will be spending the next few weeks in the Colorado Mountain world :)
This was a lovely romance, it's rare that a book actually makes me teary but this one had an exceptionally good, thoughtful epilogue that was a really nice finish to a book, such an important part of the book, you either finish feeling happy but a bit disappointed that it's done, or fully sated like it really is the happy-ever-after, this is definitely the latter.
Some slight drawbacks that would realistically make this a 4.5 stars if we could give that on Goodreads. It REALLY needed some editing, sometimes the sentences felt a bit jilted or out of context and I'd read the paragraph again to see if I'd missed something but no, it was just a really odd way to write a sentence. The writer does have an slightly stilted way of writing that does take a bit of getting used to, on top of that the abbreviated language from the hero took a bit of getting used to as well -might be easier if you're American and used to the vernacular (I'm Australian).
The only other drawback is the heroine, I liked her but she made so many mistakes in the relationship, making it a little frustrating from the reader's point of view - it felt like Max did everything right, she did everything wrong - a little more balance would be lovely.
Those are my only tiny peeves, the plot, the LOCATION (my god, I really want to go to Colorado now and go sit on a mountain), the relationship was real and interesting, the HERO was smoking hot and just plain wonderful (good grief, love me a mountain man), secondary characters were all really fantastic.
I also LOVE how long this book is, I've read so many short romance novels lately it was so delicious to really get absorbed into a book and embroiled in the scenario for a decent length of time.
All in all, the book equivalent of going on a holiday on a Colorado mountain and sitting by the fire drinking red wine and eating nachos. Yum.
See you again soon Colorado mountain (and all your spunky, gruff mountain men).
Generally speaking I am not a big fan of the kitchen sink approach to romance novels and this one had that in abundance but somehow this one worked for me. This had a sweetness and charm that allowed me to suspend disbelief and feel all the feelings. In the end I really really wanted this couple to end up together.
"Bottom line, you didn't take care of what was your's. Now as Nina has explained, you've lost it, i found it an it's mine."
Sweet Jesus, ladies and gents i think i just struck fuckin' gold! Having never before read a Kristen Ashley book (The Gamble poppin' my KA cherry.) I am just so seriously excited at the amount of books of hers i've got to read, by from what i can tell will become one of my number one authors. (I've now read two more ga her books Sweet Dreams and Lady Luck and starting Breathe shorty i can say she's well up at the top of my list.)
Okay so.. The Gamble, honestly i was totally freakin' speechless when i finished this book. I sat there staring at my Kindle thinking Hell no! I was in now way shape or form any where near done with Nina & Max's story & that nutty bunch of people in Gnaw Bone. I wanted more i just couldn't get enough! (Not that i think myself or anyone else in their right mind would everrrr be dont with Holden Maxwell ;) )
I felt my heart rip a little i was so caught up in these two, i just didnt want it to end. I know a few people found this book to be a bit too long and a bit too crammed. But i gotta say, i fuckin' loved it! Each character had their own individual story and quirks, not one of them was under developed. As for the town, Gnaw Bone, i can actually picture it in my head with such a fine clearness as if i just walked the streets yesterday! (HUGE hi five on this KA made it even more extra special and enjoyable!)
When i really get into a book i find myself never wanting it to end. I get totally absorbed into the world and connect with the characters like we've been life-long friends.This is what a good story is meant to be, an escape. Kristen you gave me my escape and i didn't wanna come home!!
“Not one fuckin’ thing gentlemanly about protecting what’s yours. Looks like you’re gonna lose it, you do everything you can to stop that from happening.” Max looked back to Niles. “And you didn’t do that. She was a week away from me, she walked into a room I was in holdin’ another man’s hand, I’d lose my fuckin’ mind. Not at her. Wonderin’ where I lost my way and I’d talk to her about how to find my way back.”
Lord, i don't know where to start. Max & Nina, Nina & Max. Oh my lovelies i frinkin' adore you two! Nina was so well real, so connectable. Nina's thirty-six, which meant no teenage girl's bitchin', whinging, moaning, self pitying bullshit. Which is a rather popular case. Nope Neen's was a strong feisty strong independent mature woman. which was so megaly refreshing. (Yeah i'm only 20 but even i get sick of reading about girls my own age that are just soo super annoying!) Nina knew how to handle people who had been through some seriously tragic and upsetting event and she knew how to bring love, hope and positivity into these situations helping with the person suffering which its just incredible. PLUS she's a fan of Criminal Minds... HUUUGE bonus for me i just loved all the little bits slipped in there about the show made me grin like a loon. Yes me mega-fan.
"Yes. He. Was. Just. Here. Spreading his goodwill and love to all around Max's entryway. It's a wonder there aren't cherubs flying around sprinkling rose petals and rainbows erupting through the windows, an aftermath of his delightful visit."
Max.. He's just soo perfect. ALPHA ALERT!! Damnnn i sure do love me a alpha-tastic-male, this guy had me weak the the knees! So Lush, sweet amazingly sweet actually, honest... basically he was every good decent quality you could ever ask for in a man with a splash of dominance. Just 100 fuckin' percent of pure alpha male perfection. He's so protective and i just love that in a man, think it shows they truly care. i could sit here and gush about him for a week... but this is looking to be one long ass review as it is!
“I was your man, you were halfway around the world from me, honey, I’d fuckin’ phone you.”
…
“You on a timeout?”
“What?”
“If you told me you needed a timeout, first I wouldn’t fuckin’ let you have one, second, I wouldn’t give you a reason to fuckin’ want one, last, you took off anyway, I’d fuckin’ phone.”
i'm not gonna go into the plot cause i went in not really knowing what to expect and i enjoyed it a helluva lot more. All i'll say is strap on your seat belts and keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times. Roller-coaster? Hell yes! Not just an emotional one either somethings constantly happening. It's insane one minute i'm on the edge of my seat clinging onto my Kindle for dear life cause the suspense is just about killin' me off here then the next im all steamed up cause things are gettin' HOTT or i'm in stitches grinnin' my ass off like the fuckin' Cheshire cat. I'll hold my hands up and admit that i got a few sideways glances off my grandparents especially when i burst out laughing like a freakin' loon, to them for no aparent reason cause they're watching some frickin' murder program where someones just been slaughtered and is NOT a laughing matter.
“You’re being domineering again,” I informed him.
I felt his mouth grin under mine and watched his eyes do it.
“Yeah, baby, fair warnin’, when we’re naked, you better get used to that.”
I gasped at his words then he kissed me.”
Duchess & Macho-mountain-man... Gahh this shit could only happen in fiction... but we can dream girlies!!
This book was such a refreshing thrilling pleasure, i loved ever moment. The characters AND the plot were divine. Such an enjoyable read. I honestly could not get enough.
Well i finished the third in this series not long ago and i'm planning on starting the fourth in the morning. I'm wading my way through KA's collection like a mad woman. (Think iv'e developed an addiction to these too hot for reality males!)
Having only recently discovered my love for romance books and never hearing of Kristen before but seeing her books pop up left right n freakin' center all over my Good reads. I decided to give her a whirl, and she did NOT disappoint. So once again can i just say Thank-you Good reads for bringing this incredible talented author to my notice. Once again i'm in debt to you bringing one more awesome story into my life.
Can i just add how i LOVED Nina's & Charlie's conversations. So fuckin' beautiful.
“He put the knuckles of his fist to the table, leaned toward Niles and spoke quietly, cuttingly, in his rough, gravelly voice.
“Fucked her last night, man, and this morning. Five times. Five. It was like she hadn’t been touched in a decade. So fuckin’ sweet. Damn,” he taunted, his eyes locked on Niles. “You’ve had her, you gotta know, not enough money in the world’s worth that.”
**Review Edit..**
Can i just say i read this book like two/three weeks ago and it is STILL stuck in my head.. i'm itching to read it again. This is definitely the best of the series so far!
Read count: Four
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
I picked up this book for some easy listening of unrealistically happy life after a few books of about the sadness and trauma or the real life.
It started as a cheesy romantic fantasy with a somewhat engaging plot. The characters are not too believable as in most romantic stories. The man is very kind, yet controlling and almost immediately violates personal boundaries of the female, apparently she is helpless to resist. She keeps trying to get away but he is holding her captive and she is on some level ok with it because he can be kind, while being totally controlling and disrespectful of her boundaries.
At about 45% percent the story starts to become overly dramatic and I lost interest. Gave it a bit more time but it didn't improve. It goes into more sex scenes and the language around it is just vulgar. At the start the male character uses the work f*** a lot and it just gets worse from there. To me gentleness, kindness and f***ing are polar opposites and they can't possibly coexist in any believable or relatable universe. I believe that the frequent use of profanity is intentional but to me it just makes the book unreadable. The author can come up with 20 synonyms for a word crazy but uses one vulgar word for sex. Not my cup of tea, dropped this book without finishing.
It started as a cheesy romantic fantasy with a somewhat engaging plot. The characters are not too believable as in most romantic stories. The man is very kind, yet controlling and almost immediately violates personal boundaries of the female, apparently she is helpless to resist. She keeps trying to get away but he is holding her captive and she is on some level ok with it because he can be kind, while being totally controlling and disrespectful of her boundaries.
At about 45% percent the story starts to become overly dramatic and I lost interest. Gave it a bit more time but it didn't improve. It goes into more sex scenes and the language around it is just vulgar. At the start the male character uses the work f*** a lot and it just gets worse from there. To me gentleness, kindness and f***ing are polar opposites and they can't possibly coexist in any believable or relatable universe. I believe that the frequent use of profanity is intentional but to me it just makes the book unreadable. The author can come up with 20 synonyms for a word crazy but uses one vulgar word for sex. Not my cup of tea, dropped this book without finishing.
I hated this book.
The narrative style wasn't terrible but it wasn't engaging either, and I got annoyed with how many times Nina "breathed," whatever the heck that means. I thought she was immature, bratty and her character certainly wasn't that of someone who has been relatively abused by her boyfriends all her life. If nobody treats you right then you start thinking you don't deserve it and behave accordingly - why bother when you're going to be hated anyway, right? She had a quick temper that was more like that of a preteen girl - sometimes I had to go back to understand what the heck she was talking about because she got angry so fast you didn't even see it coming.
AND THE HERO: ugh. Not my cup of tea, I can say this politely because everyone has their own taste and to each their own and suchlike. I just couldn't abide his domineering ways. If someone treated me like that I'd be gone so fast you wouldn't even see me running, that's all. He was also unreasonable
Pet peeve:
????!!!
what
So not my thing. I suppose. /sigh/
The narrative style wasn't terrible but it wasn't engaging either, and I got annoyed with how many times Nina "breathed," whatever the heck that means. I thought she was immature, bratty and her character certainly wasn't that of someone who has been relatively abused by her boyfriends all her life. If nobody treats you right then you start thinking you don't deserve it and behave accordingly - why bother when you're going to be hated anyway, right? She had a quick temper that was more like that of a preteen girl - sometimes I had to go back to understand what the heck she was talking about because she got angry so fast you didn't even see it coming.
AND THE HERO: ugh. Not my cup of tea, I can say this politely because everyone has their own taste and to each their own and suchlike. I just couldn't abide his domineering ways. If someone treated me like that I'd be gone so fast you wouldn't even see me running, that's all. He was also unreasonable
Spoiler
(he got angry because Nina wanted to help support their shared house/land whatever) AND HELLO THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY.Pet peeve:
Spoiler
the bit where Nina listens to her recorded conversation with Bitsy (DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON HER RELATIONSHIP WITH CURTIS THAT'S JUST SICK), which by the way WHY WHAT and Max hears - also, Holden? Really? - and there's something like "his face was full of mountain man betrayal"...????!!!
what
So not my thing. I suppose. /sigh/
Method: ebook
Rating: 5/5 stars
H rating: 4.5/5 - Max. Okay sooo I really liked him, but his anger at her knowledge seemed a bit extra..rectify and apologize he did though so I forgave this fault.
h rating: 5/5 - Nina. BADASSS Nina. I loved her.
Drama: 4/5 - Really good amount of drama.
Thoughts: Okay so I have to admit this whole second love is hard for me to read, maybe personal issues are what makes it hard for me to believe you ever really get over that person and can give your love equally to your next partner...but I do have to admit that line about him getting a second chance..why couldn't he be allowed a second chance..I cannot for the life remember it, once I get the paperback I'll edit this. Anyways! It stuck..and made me be more accepting and believe in his love for her. Loving this new series and cannot wait for the rest!
I love Kristen Ashley's writing. Her characters are great, however I had a few issues. 1) Max was an asshole or at least he could have been developed better. I know the book takes place over the course of 1.5 weeks, but he seemed a little too "Mountain Man" forward. 2) Her heroines don't need to be abused or go through trauma to be strong. It was something I noticed in the Rock Chick series, but her it seemed unnecessary.
meh. I'm not 100% on board with this new series. I guess I might try book 2 but this one left me pretty disappointed. Too long for so little action.