This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

This was my choice for the August Just One More Pa(i)ge Reading Challenge prompt: Women in Translation month. This was a great chance to both read something totally different and, in this case, to work on my side goal of reading more books by Latinx/Spanish-speaking authors. And this was such a good choice. Completely different from anything I’ve ever read before and illuminating/insightful in what was, basically, a completely frightening way. Enriquez truly brings to life, since a light into the darkness of, contemporarily historical Argentina, as it’s present generations work to recover from and reset the country after years of violent dictatorships, privation and volatility (the aftermath of which are palpable throughout the collection).

As always with short story collections, I have included little blurb reactions to each individual story. And then at the end I have some overall/wrap-up comments. [Side note: my copy of this book smells amazinggggg and every times I open it to start a new story (and sometimes just randomly) I take giant sniffs of the pages. *swoon*]

The Dirty Kid – This story drops us right into the middle of a dangerous country, pulling no punches with its disturbing imagery and the pervasive hopelessness that comes of living surrounded by and infected with fear and lack of security. It’s also a striking insight into how quickly and easily a person can become inured to violence and horror, even in the extreme, when it’s an everyday occurrence…at least until it’s dropped at your own doorstep, until it becomes personal, and then it’s impossible to ignore or overlook or be complacent with. What a opening story. What a tone-setter. “I realized…how little I cared about people, how natural these desperate lives seemed to me.” “Maybe I wasn’t the princess in her castle; maybe I was a madwoman locked in her tower.”

The Inn – A strange, quick little story. A mix of historical/ghostly fear and inner fears of if others discover one’s true self combined to create a sort of hallucinated invasion or encounter. Not sure how I felt about this one, as it ended so abruptly, just a snapshot of a moment of fear. But I guess that’s the way fear works, and there’s a message in that. Plus, a great highlight of how "haunted" everywhere in Argentina is by the past.

The Intoxicated Years – Again, no holds barred with the imagery, though this time, in place of the violence from the first story, there is drug misuse/abuse. And deeper than that, it’s a look at the only coping mechanisms available for youth who grow up in uncertain (at best) times with adults around them who have no better coping mechanisms to model. Misery and insecurity covered by anything available that can help you forget. It’s heartbreaking and, because of what I do for a living, I cannot help but imagine the paths their lives will take…the chances of things getting better, even with a physical change to/removal from the situation, are so substantially unrealistic it hurts.

Adela’s House – This was a creepy little tale. I can’t decide if I prefer to read it at literal, face-value for horror or if I prefer to think of the entire situation around Adela’s house/arm/obsessions as a metaphor for fear/violence and the affect it has on youth and their lifelong mental state. Either way, it was deeply unsettling with a great creation of ambiance.

An Invocation of the Big-Eared Runt – Oh this one had such a great spine-chilling vibe to it! It read like an old school ghost story, with the addition of some incredibly gruesome descriptions of murder (strong TW for child murder), that give a great portrayal of the dark side of Buenos Aires (or, truly, any city). This was a more straightforward tale, for me, than many of the other stories have been, but still had some elements that were representative in a deeper way as well. And oh man I was really worried it was going to end differently than it did and I heaved a great sigh of relief when that wasn’t what happened!

Spiderweb¬ – Oh I liked this one. Ghost stories and local mysteries that set the tone for the real-time mystery at the end. Plus, some of the most poetic writing in the collection so far. The lead-in was a little long, but it was necessary to make the ending work. And I loved Natalia’s character, sort of ethereal and enigmatic, and you get to the end wondering if she didn’t have something to do with what happened. It’s perfectly built and executed. And the way both women basically remorselessly and, really, unquestionably leave at the end – ooooh I was into that feel. “I hate when people call them lightening bugs; firefly is a beautiful word. Once, I caught a bunch of them in an empty mayonnaise jar, and I realized how ugly they really are, like cockroaches with wings. But they’ve been blessed with the purest possible justice. Still and grounded, they look like a pest, but when they fly and light up, they are the closest thing to magic, a portent of beauty and goodness.”

End of Term – Wow. This was intense (TW: self-harm). Similar to the third story (The Intoxicated Years), I’m wondering what about the lack of control (or other traumas) these girls have experienced during their lives that are causing these kinds of reactions and coping mechanisms. It’s really hard to think about, but also I think that point is one of the major ones in the whole collection, and making us think about the tough things like that is the author’s goal/message.

No Flesh over Our Bones – A super short story about a morbid fascination that starts to turn into an obsession and withdrawal from society. It seemed a little metaphorical, but I can’t put my finger on it…so it can, clearly, also be taken literally. Also, and interesting side focus on food and food control (over-eating versus not eating). “We all walk over bones in this city, it’s just a question of making holes deep enough to reach the buried dead.”

The Neighbor’s Courtyard – Well, that was terrifying. Good thing I didn’t read this one at night! Seriously, what a disturbing mix of a traditional “haunting”-based horror story and the reality of burnout effects from working in high-stress/strain jobs. This piece has a lot of layers about chronic and trauma based mental health issues, as well as the myriad ways those affect lives/relationships. And the fear hits like ton of brinks at the end.

Under the Black Water¬ – Whoa. This story is the epitome of this book’s ability to take the dark and terrible reality (in this case, poverty and police/state corruption) and turn it just slightly into something supernaturally dark and terrible that exaggerates and allegories that reality. I can’t think of a way to put it any clearer, though I wish I could. It’s such an impressive line to walk, not taking anything away from the importance of the message about the seedy/sordid truths of existence, yet giving it the extra push into a nightmarish symbolic amplification.

Green Red Orange – This one was a bit different from many of the other stories. Still with some really dark descriptions and references, but in a more distant/theoretical way than the other stories. Again though, there’s a big focus on mental health and the difficulty many people have in seeing mental health issues as true illnesses, the same as any other disease, like cancer. Anyways, despite the relative distance I felt from this story, I still came away unsettled and uneasy, right in line with the rest of the collection. “Sad people are merciless.”

Things We Lost in the Fire ¬– Wow. Just wow. I understand why this I the titular story and why it’s the last in the collection. The visceral reality of violence against women is taken to an extreme here in such a unique way – where in an effort to reclaim and own their own bodies and fates, women are choosing to enact this violence against themselves. It’s horrifying and terrible with such a strong message about how often, for women living in times and places where things are unstable (politically and socially) they are faced with no single good choice, simply choices between bad and worse. What a striking and affecting finale.

I found that, with this collection more than any other I’ve read, I’m tying so many of the stories back to the title of the collection. I’m contemplating the state of the country that raised this author, her life there, and how that led to these stories being in her and needing to come out. It’s fascinating to consider and analyze, in a horrifying way. And I have finished my reading experience feeling, deeply, the consequences of Argentina’s troubling (to put it mildly) recent history on its people. This collection also took all that a step further. I mean, I knew it would be dark and, at times, tough to read, based on other reviews I had seen. But it went past that – it actually crossed over into the realm of true “scary” stories. The types of things told to frighten the reader and cause nightmares. Some of it, I could see, acted as metaphor and hyperbole of real life, which is dreadful and depressing, of course. But some, some was just good old shock and dread. Oooof. So come in ready for that, but do come, because this is a collection whose topics and messages deserved to be translated and, still more, deserve wide readership.

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

This one has been on my TBR from the second I heard of it. I LOVE Greek mythology. I mean, I love any country’s/culture’s mythology, to be honest, but Greek is one of the classics (pun intended). So anyways, I was super excited about this retelling of the Trojan War, and (let’s be honest cause he’s the “real” hero) Achilles, both in general and because it’s told from a woman’s perspective! The lost voices of basically all of history, but especially in these epic tales of battle and war and bravery, is the women’s voices. It’s like all my favorite things come together (and, you’ll recall I’m sure, that a similar type of story, Circe by Madeleine Miller, was my favorite book of 2018), so me and this book are, in my mind at least, a perfect match.

The Silence of the Girls is, as I mentioned, a retelling (ish) of the Trojan War. Our narrator, for the most part, is Briseis. She was once the wife of the King of Lyrnessus, but after the Greeks destroyed the city, she was given as a battle prize to the great Achilles…the man who murdered her husband and brothers. Forced to accommodate to her new life as Achilles’ slave and bed-girl, Briseis grants insight into the realities of war outside the glory of the battlefield…of the lives of the women of conquered lands after all their men have been slaughtered, their lives in the encampments and tents of the men who killed everything they’ve ever known, and the day-to-day “behind the curtains” truths of these exalted tales of history’s and mythology’s favorite heroes.

Well, I was right. I loved it. And wow, it was such an interesting mix of exactly what I expected and nothing like what I expected – neither of which I can really explain in a satisfactory way, I don’t think, but it was just wonderful. I was both simultaneously entranced and disgusted by the entire thing, which is such a unique mix of emotions that I don’t really know what to do with myself now. Barker’s writing is simply exquisite. Every page, every line, flows smoothly and eloquently into the next, spare and evocative all at the same time. I feel like I could live in her words. And yet, the reality that the words are telling us is gruesome and shocking. None of it is new, or unknown, yet told from this unheard perspective, it makes you realize the horrors that have been glossed over, purposefully downplayed and conveniently overlooked, for…ever. Barker is unflinching in the face of war, unwavering in her quest to show the darkest brutalities (never gratuitously, simply matter-of-factly), resolute in her role as the voice of these abused and terrorized female survivors. The way she captures the absolute acceptance of these “everyday” cruelties of war, the norming of this violence against and ownership of these “prizes” of battle, by everyone, the men and women alike, is striking. In particular, for me, this point was driven home towards then end, when Priam, knowing that defeat is imminent (which means his own death), is resigned to the horrific fates that await his conquered wife and daughters, saying simply that he is glad he will not be around to see it. It’s such a disheartening emotional acceptance of a terrible traditional fate that he gets an “easy” way out of, as a man. Anyways, the long and short of my rambling here is that Barker portrays it all flawlessly, through Briseis’ voice, of course, but giving representation to many of the different women in her same situation, and the various ways they react, emotionally and otherwise, in order to survive.

The only thing, narratively, that I took issue with is when, partway through the book, we started getting some sections that were written, sort of, from Achilles’ own perspective. I felt a little cheated by this, as Achilles has many other versions of this tale that tell his side (even romantically, with his feelings for Patroclus at center stage – in particular, Miller’s The Song of Achilles is fantastic and emotional in this way), and this retelling was supposed to be all about the women. So that was a bit frustrating. I understand that it showcased a more sentimental side of him than is normally given, and I appreciate that in this context, but still, Briseis voice could have (and actually did) tell us all that as well, and the integrity of her narration, and her right to narrate, could have been upheld.

As far as the plot, I mean, it’s common knowledge how Achilles’ story ends. The tragedy and glory of his life and death. But there is absolutely something…extra…in this new retelling. Briseis’ voice gives a singular perspective of Achilles’ heroism, pain, and inner life, as she is able to see him in ways that are different from everyone else. Her ability to convey his true character, without the romanticized lens of his followers, the jealous/fearful rivalry of the other kings, or the particular love of Patroclus (the only other person whose perspective might shine a light on any of Achilles’ true inner turmoil or failings) is prodigious. It shouldn’t be a surprise…she has no love for him (for he killed so many of her family and took away her life as she knew it), and manages to hold onto that, despite her slow acknowledgement that, under the circumstances, he could have been a much worse sort of man. And that, combined with her insights into his character from her private time with him and the hours she spends watching and anticipating his needs (she is, after all, his slave…and subject to any kind of retaliation should he not be satisfied with her), creates a truly unique angle from which to tell this story.

The way that Barker takes this well-worn legend and creates something new is just miraculous. She gives the reader such a personal and individual take on an event almost too expansive to truly comprehend, giving this mythological war and its heroes a very human spin. And she gives a long overdue voice to the girls that were silent victims of this epic story for so long. I am stunned by the beautiful pain in this novel and I absolutely recommend it.

“…in my experience men are curiously blind to the aggression in women. They’re the warriors, with their helmets and armour, their swords and spears, and they don’t seem to see out battles – or they prefer not to. Perhaps if they realized we’re not the gentle creatures they take us for their own peace of mind would be disturbed?”

“Isn’t that love’s highest aim? Not the interchange of two free minds, but a single, fused identity?”

“Grief's only ever as deep as the love it's replaced.”

“As later Priam comes secretly to the enemy camp to plead with Achilles for the return of his son Hector's body, he says: ‘I do what no man before me has ever done, I kiss the hands of the man who killed my son.’ Those words echoed round me, as I stood in the storage hut, surrounded on all sides by the wealth Achilles had plundered from burning cities. I thought: ‘And I do what countless women before me have been forced to do. I spread my legs for the man who killed my husband and my brothers.’”

“Yes, the death of young men in battle is a tragedy - I’d lost four brothers, I didn’t need anybody to tell me that. A tragedy worthy of any number of laments - but theirs is not the worst fate. I looked at Andromache, who’d have to live the rest of her amputated life as a slave, and I thought: We need a new song.”

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

I have to be honest, this is the second time I waited through a hold list to get this book from the library. I don’t even remember what happened the first time, but the long and short of it is, I didn’t get around to reading it before it was due. In most cases, I take this as a sign that maybe it’s not the right book for me. Which is weird, because sometimes timing is out of my control, but I really don’t think I have ever re-checked out a library book before. Huh. But anyways, there’s just been such a steady stream of people reading this book and enjoying it that I just decided this was worth another hold list wait…and this time I read it in the first week!

This is the adorable love story of Alexa and Drew. Alexa is a JD that works in Berkeley and Drew is an MD that works in LA. But when Drew comes to town for a wedding, and a chance encounter in an elevator (no joke…but the trope totally works here!) leads them to meet, they both start down a decision-making slide that has them feeling and acting in all sorts of ways that aren’t normal for them. But, as with any good love story, second-guessing and drama ensue, and the reader is left wilding flipping pages to see how things work out.

This is, essentially, a chick flick movie in novel form. And I do not mean that as an insult. It’s great! And exactly what I was looking for. Plus, it’s even better that, really, because there are lots more steamy sex scenes that you’d normally get in a movie. The romance part of this contemporary romance is definitely on point - super fun to read without overdoing it with the language (thank goodness). I really enjoyed that both characters were comfortable and self-sufficient on their own, and really unsure (in their own ways) how to get romance to fit into that picture. It’s something I think a lot of people can relate to nowadays, and that kind of connection always makes for a better/deeper reading experience. Other things I liked were the constant talk about food (that speaks right to my soul) and the great relationships between Alexa and Drew and their friends. Also, I thought the side stories here were fairly well developed, considering the genre. Drew has an emotionally difficult patient situation that he is dealing with and Alexa is pouring her heart into a project that means a lot to her but is not something easily accomplished. I also feel like there are some aspects about interracial relationships that are addressed well - not overlooked (because would definitely not be genuine) but not overtaking the storyline. They’re all very believable problems, without being unrealistically dramatic. In fact, other than the elevator meet cute, I think my favorite thing about this book is how true it all rings, throughout the entire development and into the ending. I mean, it is, of course, cheesy (as it needs to be), but it’s not too far-fetched.

The one thing that bugged me, and I totally understand that this is real (I’ve been there) is the incessant assumptions and second guessing about the other person’s intentions/long terms goals for the “relationship” without ever actually talking about it or, even worse, despite evidence to the contrary. Like I said, I’ve been there. Talking is scary and hard and no one wants to be the one who risks it. Plus, I know that no matter how successful you are in life, there’s that little voice in your head that tears down all your confidence. The plot was written very well in order to advance this drama-inducing line of thinking for both characters, so that wasn’t the problem. I don’t know, I just…felt like it lasted just a little bit too long? (**Note: I mean this only in regards to the relationship itself, I felt the constant concerns Alexa had about her body were absolutely spot on, and was really happy about the general overall message of positive body image layered in with those worries.)

In any case, overall I was totally charmed by this novel. I actually had to force myself to put it down and sleep after I started it because otherwise I’d have read it all in one sitting and been up WAY too late. So if that’s the mood you’re in – for a sweet, sexy, well developed contemporary romance, reminiscent of a favorite chick flick, then I definitely recommend this one.

A few weeks ago I read/posted about The Kiss Quotient, one of my favorite books from this year, and asked for recommendations of similar contemporary romances. I’m just really in the mood for them right now. One of the most popular recommendations was The Hating Game. So here we are!

This is such a great enemies-to-lovers office romance story. Lucy and Josh work together, are complete personality opposites, and are known throughout the company for their constant bickering, one-ups-man-ship games, and complaints to HR about each other. Essentially, they hate each other and everyone knows it. And now that they are both going for the same promotion, things are ramped up even farther. But then there start to be some blunders, some changes in their interactions, and Lucy starts to realize that perhaps her feelings for Josh are not what she thought they were. And maybe his are different than she thought too. But it’s hard to tell because everything they do could be just another game…

First, let me just say that the recommendations were spot on. This was light and fun and adorable and full of some wonderful chemistry. The slow burn build (or really, change) of the relationship was paced perfectly. Told entirely from Lucy’s perspective, the slow thawing of her feelings towards Josh, and the clear hate/love play, is really done in such a believable way. The mix of denial and “slip-ups” in her interactions with him are balanced out super well and really do truly feel real. And the way Josh’s feelings are revealed to us as a reader are only slightly faster than Lucy’s revelations, which is the best place to be – anticipation of what’s coming, but not have to wait too long for that satisfaction. And by the time it all comes together, you are dying for it…in the best way! The little side stories to their relationship, like Lucy’s being a bit of a pushover and Josh’s family-related insecurities, add a nice little bit of depth to the story, while allowing another angle for us to see how the differences in their personalities actually balance/help each other out perfectly. And of course the competing for the same job situation adds that extra sense of tension and outside pressure on the time frame for these relationship changes to take place in (both for us as the reader and for the characters themselves). And there were some cute small details, like Lucy’s parents running a strawberry farm and the details to the little office games Lucy and Josh played with each other (childish, but they made for fun reading…and office settings can get very boring), that just add a little extra quirk and adorableness to the book.

This is a quick, sweet novel, with realistic dialogue, true to life (as much as romance can be) plotline and overall smooth/clean writing. Also, honestly, for being a combination of two super common tropes (enemies-to-friends and office romance), and obviously of a fairly predictable romance story plot development style, there was nothing about this that was boring. I literally could not turn the pages fast enough. I read it all in one day. And would have finished in one sitting except for silly chores that kept getting in the way!

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

“I never got to fall out of love. I just had to move on.”

Sometimes you are just looking for a little bit of romance – that flutter in your stomach and zing between your legs kind of feeling. (Sorry, not sorry.) Anyways, I was totally feeling those feelings with the onset of spring and the warmer weather (finally). Plus, I’ve read a couple heavier books recently and needed a little break. Enter bookstagram, where a recommendation from someone who had just finished this made it sound like the perfect book for my current reading needs. Conveniently enough, it was available at the library. Boom. Done.

Our love story here is between Macy and Elliot, who met in middle school and did the entire adorable childhood sweethearts bit. This is made even cuter by the fact that Elliot is a total word nerd and they spend a lot of time together reading. Be still my heart (and “o hey, nostalgia”). Anyways, they’re pretty much meant for each other, but then something happens (no spoilers!) and eleven years go by before they run into to each other at a coffee shop one morning. They’re both in relationships, and both have crafted their own lives without each other, but is that enough to make them both happy…?

I don’t read a lot of romance, and when I do it’s usually more paranormal than contemporary, so I don’t have too much to compare this story to. But for me, I thought it was amazing! I mean, the story itself might be a little too perfect, but isn’t that what you’re looking for when you pick up a romance? That destiny, meant to be, sort of feel is what I wanted and it’s exactly what I got. But I also got so much more! The writing was superb – smooth and sexy without being overly dripping in it (pun? Intended). The slow burn build-up, to both the big reveal of what broke between Macy and Elliot in high school and whether or not they can overcome that to make their love happen in the present, is paced to perfect. You get just enough, hints at the heartbreak and tidbits of heat, as you go to keep you engaged and dying for more. Wonderful page-turner-esque handling of that. Also, that the story was told in back and forth time periods – alternating between their youth together and their current day interactions – really allowed you to understand their connection, watch and feel it grow as they grew up. And since it was told in two age ranges, the mix of YA first love and adult love was great for me – I do love YA, but I’m pretty much an adult now, so getting to experience both lifetimes in one book was super satisfying. Honestly, I was just really invested in Macy and Elliot (by the way, I love those names) and loved their chemistry. So good.

In addition to all that, this story had some really wonderful additional themes about family and love and loss. Be warned, there are definitely a few small spots that will make you tear up, especially if you have ever lost a close family member. It’s so absolutely sad, but the reality makes the love story that much deeper.

“I didn’t like where this was heading. This was heading to admissions, and admissions changed things. Admissions made feelings intensify simply because they are given space to breathe. Admissions lead to love, and admitting love is like tying yourself to a train track.”

Also, some mental/emotional themes are explored that I really appreciated. Macy’s hesitancy to get into a “real” relationship with Elliot, her fears of losing a friend that she desperately needs if something goes wrong with it, are completely relatable. Her preferences for a “safe” and “easy” relationship because she had already experienced heartbreak and couldn’t (didn’t want to risk) dealing with more is so human and understandable that it’s almost just as painful to read as it was for her to live it. The “stay in my comfort zone” vs “take a risk” motif is strong here, across time, and the writing of Macy’s mental and emotional states as she works through this as an adolescent and as an adult (along with some compounding issues that we learn of in our final reveal) are developed beautifully.

If you are looking for a light contemporary romance, one with some deeper themes but that will still leave you feeling a little breathless and totally “heart eyes” at the end, than I completely recommend this book.

This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

I have seen lots of people talking about this recent release and it seemed like a lovely summer romance (which, if you can tell, I’ve been into lately). And bonus, this is a popular, big publisher summer romance with REPRESENTATION (sexually, anyways). That’s right, this is a f/f romance novel. Published right in line with Pride Month. Lovely. And my hold came in at the library the day before I took part in my first readathon (#8intwo hosted by @25in5). Even better.

This romance is, obviously, between Katie and Cassidy. No spoilers there. Haha. Katie was just cheated on by her obnoxiously superior, high society, fiancé…so obviously that’s over. She’s right in the midst of the post-relationship blues when she runs into Cassidy on the job. (They’re both lawyers living in NYC – yay for strong, financially independent women.) They’re both kind of drawn to each other from the start, but that makes much more sense for Cassidy, who has known she’s a lesbian, and been out, for years. However, that doesn’t mean she’s looking for anything serious or complicated…like Katie. Katie has never really been exposed to a world like Cassidy’s before, never really considered a possibility of being gay, isn’t even sure that’s what’s happening now. All she knows is that she’s very drawn to Cassidy.

First, this is an insanely quick read. Like, I read it in about 2.5 hours (which I know because I was timing my reading for aforementioned readathon – a fun perk that I didn’t expect beforehand). That’s partially because it’s smoothly written, fast paced, and super fun. It’s also because it’s a light love story. I mean, yes, there is drama (because you cannot have a real romance novel without any of that that), but it is not much than some of the surface issues that you’d expect a relationship like this to have. To be perfectly honest, this was both a pro and a con for me. I didn’t hate that it was mostly fluffy, addressing some more serious conflicts/themes, because it would not be genuine without at least recognizing their inevitable existence, but not really delving too deep. It made it a very satisfying summer read. However, it was also a little disappointing because there was such a chance here to really get into some of those conflicts, like Katie’s traditional and Midwestern family that she doesn’t think “likes” gay people, or the differences in Cassidy and Katie’s comfort together in public because one has been out (and practicing dealing with that) for years whereas it’s completely new for the other – since this was a such a high profile LGBTQIA+ release, it had the attention to possibly really open some people’s eyes. However, I respect that Perri wanted to write a fluffier romance, that’s her prerogative. And it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story overall.

There were a few other small things that were weird for me. I thought some of the pop culture/song references felt a little forced, but sometimes they worked fine. I’m not sure what the difference was… Also, the whole upstate/horse situation was super uncomfortable to read for me – I personally think that “ranch romance” is one of the most awkward clichés ever – but I see what Perri did, grabbing and re-purposing such a typical hetero-romance-plot, and I can’t be mad at that. On a more positive note, I think she did a great job writing especially Katie’s perspective, as she works through her feelings about Cassidy, what that means for her own identity, and how she can come to terms with that for herself. I imagine that kind of inner confusion, and individual physical exploration, is quite common in similar cases of sexual self-discovery. Perhaps it struck me as so well done because it’s something I can personally identify with on a number of levels. Another thing I was really into was just how SEXY this book was. Perri did not hold back in writing about Cassidy and Katie’s “bedroom time” (that was a cringe-worthy euphemism, I’m so sorry to everyone reading this) – which is the part of romance novels that everyone is looking for, even if they want to pretend that’s not true. High five for all that!

This was just a fast, fun, sexy summer romance. Fairly “typical,” as contemporary romance novels go, but definitely enjoyable. I’d definitely recommend this as a poolside, back yard with a cocktail, summer book!

There we go. It's all wrapped up with a nice bow on top. Gideon and Eva both opened up to each other and outside people, confronted their past and present demons, and defeated the big threats to themselves and their relationship. Drama with all G's ex's, Eva's mother, the press, G's family issues, etc. were all dealt with tidily, but with enough drama to show that the author hadn't lost her "touch" and to put the final nail in the full trusting relationship between E and G. A few things were a bit interesting and forced (like the whole thing with Eva's mother), but others were really nicely done and more realistic (like G's relationship with his family - especially his mother and step-dad). And around it all there sex scenes remained. Interestingly though, as the series went and people got more invested in the characters, the number of sex scenes lessened (maybe less important to get/keep people hooked?) - it's interesting. I wonder if that's what all romance series end up as. Maybe I'll learn more about that next V-Day when I again get the craving for a romance novel/story. Despite the fact that the length of the series was more than anticipated, and I now need to do some catch up reading elsewhere, I'll admit that I did get pulled in and I did want to see where everything ended up.

Well - it was just Valentine's Day and I got a bit of a craving for a romance novel. Not really a genre I generally get into, but hey, everyone's allowed to branch out now and again. To be honest, the first time I ever read anything in this genre was Fifty Shades - and really only because of all the press it got (I can't let a book get that much publicity without seeing what it's all about.) But like I said...V-Day had me in the mood. So, I picked this one based on the "100 Best Romance Novels" list that popped up here in Goodreads' homepage the week leading up to V-Day (and it had SUCH high ratings - damn). It's what I was looking for. I can't really get picky about the character development, dialogue, realism, etc. because honestly, that's not what this genre is for or about so that'd be unfair. So 3 stars - cause it's exactly what it should have been, but (and here's why I only occasionally venture into romance) the formulaic setup was followed to a T, so I really feel like a 4 or 5 star rating isn't applicable. Maybe this is 4 or 5 stars compared to other books in the genre, but I don't have enough experience to say. So, generally, take this whole review with a grain of salt. But in the end - the sex scenes are solid and the dangerous emotional edges of troubled pasts and current obsessions do make for a page-turning, easy, entertaining read. Watch out though - this particular trilogy should definitely come with trigger warnings for sexual assault survivors.

Similar sentiments to the first one. Delivered everything one looks for in a romance novel, in my opinion. And I see you, comparisons to Fifty Shades, I see you. There was a lot of uproar there, about the emotional abuse, etc. Let me tell you, if people think this novel is better - false. Made worse by the fact, I think, that the obsessiveness and deep seated esteem issues and jealousy are coming from BOTH sides here. Plus, the whole, I'd kill for you thing (and how that was handled) is really in no way better than anything that happened in Fifty, and is, arguably, even worse (regarding lack of control, over-controlling, and the creation of an absurd sense of co-dependency that would definitely not end healthily in real life). Lots of fighting and lots of good sex. The typical "pulling away" after the initial coming together in book 1, cause the drama has to come from somewhere. And too many good looking, rich, sexually charged people to even remotely resemble real life. But then, isn't that what these novels are for? Lol. Remember - this isn't my normal genre, so take my thoughts with that grain of salt.

Well, this one was a bit of a step down, I think. Or maybe that's not exactly what I mean, but it was different. SO MUCH DRAMA. It is absurd that one single person could have SO MANY people trying to get back at him. I realize that, as things go, he finally has a soft spot (Eva) so if anyone was going to try and get at him, now (and in that way) would be the best option. But dear lord, so much drama. And all the possessive issues that have, or should have, previously popped up as danger signs for Eva are really taking main stage. So I was a little gald, at least for the "reality" of the story, that she finally got fed up enough to take some time off/away from Gideon to try and figure that shit out for herself. And it scared him enough to realize he needs to chill a bit (a lot), and maybe start sharing/facing his past. However, Eva is a bit over dramatic, jealous, interfering (like, people handle things different ways and he's been doing it his way, without her, for years...he may need more time to change that she's getting him). But anyways, still lots of sex. And now that we've had our littler intermission of time apart, hopefully we can move forwards and get to the end of this story, the (more or less) happily ever drama-less after. Because it's want I wanted, but it's way longer than expected and I'm ready to move on, but I cannot leave this all unfinished. Here we go for the finale.