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kimberlyfaye_reads 's review for:
Mystery Man
by Kristen Ashley
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Last summer, my bookish bestie insisted I read a Kristen Ashley book. She's her favorite author and, since we were meeting her in September, I knew I had to see what the fuss was. I'm not generally big on reading series out of order, but she insisted I NOT start with this book because some of the themes might be off-putting to me. She wanted me to see KA at her best, so she told me to start with Motorcycle Man. I loved it. All caps LOVED it. I went on to binge the spinoff Chaos series and loved those just as much. But I still wanted to go back and read the rest of the books in the Dream Man series. She made the right call for me when it came to Mystery Man and me. I liked it. I more than liked it at some times. But it did take some time to really trust and fall for Hawk. I'm honestly not sure I would have the same love for KA had I started with this book.
As with all of KA's men (at least those that I've read so far), Hawk is a total alpha. There's definitely some sweet under his hard exterior, but I did get frustrated with him at times. I'm not big on manwhores (if I had a dollar for every time I typed those words in a review...) and he doesn't start out the book as a one woman man. BUT once he's in, he's ALL IN with Gwen. He's a straight-talker, even when the truth was hard to hear and stung a little, but he was super protective and I really grew to love both of those things over the course of the book. I liked Gwen, for the most part. She made some questionable decisions at times, but I did like her wit and sassiness. Her need to run away instead of facing things head on made her seem pretty immature at times, but I did like how she grew over the course of the book.
The secondary storyline with Gwen's piece of trash sister took the book beyond just romance and made for some edge of the seat moments as I was reading. I enjoyed getting an introduction to the other men who would be featured in the Dream Man series – even if I was having a hard time remembering that Tack hadn't met Tyra yet and it was totally ok for him to be into Gwen. (This is why I don't like to read series out of order!) Mystery Man was sexy. Oh boy was it ever. It also had some funny moments and plenty of "tough guy sweet" moments. Before the end of the book, I was totally wrapped up in this couple and their story and I felt the feels along the way. It might not've been my favorite book in this series, but it was still one I really enjoyed.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
Last summer, my bookish bestie insisted I read a Kristen Ashley book. She's her favorite author and, since we were meeting her in September, I knew I had to see what the fuss was. I'm not generally big on reading series out of order, but she insisted I NOT start with this book because some of the themes might be off-putting to me. She wanted me to see KA at her best, so she told me to start with Motorcycle Man. I loved it. All caps LOVED it. I went on to binge the spinoff Chaos series and loved those just as much. But I still wanted to go back and read the rest of the books in the Dream Man series. She made the right call for me when it came to Mystery Man and me. I liked it. I more than liked it at some times. But it did take some time to really trust and fall for Hawk. I'm honestly not sure I would have the same love for KA had I started with this book.
As with all of KA's men (at least those that I've read so far), Hawk is a total alpha. There's definitely some sweet under his hard exterior, but I did get frustrated with him at times. I'm not big on manwhores (if I had a dollar for every time I typed those words in a review...) and he doesn't start out the book as a one woman man. BUT once he's in, he's ALL IN with Gwen. He's a straight-talker, even when the truth was hard to hear and stung a little, but he was super protective and I really grew to love both of those things over the course of the book. I liked Gwen, for the most part. She made some questionable decisions at times, but I did like her wit and sassiness. Her need to run away instead of facing things head on made her seem pretty immature at times, but I did like how she grew over the course of the book.
The secondary storyline with Gwen's piece of trash sister took the book beyond just romance and made for some edge of the seat moments as I was reading. I enjoyed getting an introduction to the other men who would be featured in the Dream Man series – even if I was having a hard time remembering that Tack hadn't met Tyra yet and it was totally ok for him to be into Gwen. (This is why I don't like to read series out of order!) Mystery Man was sexy. Oh boy was it ever. It also had some funny moments and plenty of "tough guy sweet" moments. Before the end of the book, I was totally wrapped up in this couple and their story and I felt the feels along the way. It might not've been my favorite book in this series, but it was still one I really enjoyed.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"Gwen, baby, clue in. I was makin' you mine. When I make a woman mine, I do my homework."
"But I darkened your door, baby, and you lit up my life again, so I'm not lettin' that go."
"You're in deep with me, aren't you, baby?" I whispered my question just to confirm.
"Drowning," he whispered back.