Helpful Score: 2
This book was a roller coaster for me. I found myself loving it and being totally appalled in a matter of chapters. I loved the writing, the characters, and the diversity of the wounds that each of the characters carried around. I also enjoyed the fact that this novel is not happily ever after and roses and rainbows. It had a Megan Hart feel to it, if you enjoy her work this book will be for you.
Let's dive in. The characters are truly what made this story so amazing. Nora in her own right is such a strong yet fragile women and Ms. Reisz isn't afraid to take her to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In this book I have to say that Wesley is my favorite character. Maybe because he is closest to my age so I understand his plight and fight with his emotions and hormones when it comes to Nora. He makes the story so much better but I wish he would have had a better ending. The series will continue so maybe he will.
The skeeve level in this book is large for me. There are inappropriate relationships every single way you look at these characters. Nora and Wesley, Nora and Zach, Nora and Soren...and it continues as the pages turn. I was uncomfortable a lot through this book and I almost stopped reading when Nora got her "birthday present" from Soren but I pushed through and I didn't regret it. Does the way Ms. Reisz turn the relationships make them any more appropriate, I don't know, but I promise you that if you read this book there will be something that puts you on edge.
The writing in this book is amazing. Ms Reisz definitely has command of her vocabulary and writing skills on so many levels. I enjoyed reading this novel for it's vivid descriptions and complete command of the prose just as much as I did for the actual book. If you love to ride the edge of erotica then this book is for you
Let's dive in. The characters are truly what made this story so amazing. Nora in her own right is such a strong yet fragile women and Ms. Reisz isn't afraid to take her to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In this book I have to say that Wesley is my favorite character. Maybe because he is closest to my age so I understand his plight and fight with his emotions and hormones when it comes to Nora. He makes the story so much better but I wish he would have had a better ending. The series will continue so maybe he will.
The skeeve level in this book is large for me. There are inappropriate relationships every single way you look at these characters. Nora and Wesley, Nora and Zach, Nora and Soren...and it continues as the pages turn. I was uncomfortable a lot through this book and I almost stopped reading when Nora got her "birthday present" from Soren but I pushed through and I didn't regret it. Does the way Ms. Reisz turn the relationships make them any more appropriate, I don't know, but I promise you that if you read this book there will be something that puts you on edge.
The writing in this book is amazing. Ms Reisz definitely has command of her vocabulary and writing skills on so many levels. I enjoyed reading this novel for it's vivid descriptions and complete command of the prose just as much as I did for the actual book. If you love to ride the edge of erotica then this book is for you
Helpful Score: 1
Nora Sutherlin is a famous erotica writer in need of a new publishing house she is writing a different type of book and wants it handled differently. Zachary Easton is the editor assigned to her manuscript. He walks into the deal with severe prejudice about the types of books she writes and the type of writer she is but the more they work together the more he realizes the talent under all the smut.
I have so many thoughts floating around in my head right now, it is hard to organize them all and pick out the highlights. Forgive me if this review is all over the place.
When Nora first appeared on page, I hated her. I was completely turned off by her personality and found her repugnant. Midway through the book I started to warm up to her, mostly because of the genuine affection she showed for Wesley. By the end of the book I felt sorry for her, liked her and felt that I really didnt know her that well at all. The characters in this book are all so complex I feel like we have barely touched the surface of them.
The one thing that bugged me the most about this book was the way I felt the authors and Noras voice spoke to me. I dont know how to describe it except to say I felt like book quotes, Latin, and French were placed in the book to impress the reader rather than to have a real purpose to the story. The other thing that irked me was the use of the term Vanilla Sex. Like anything outside of BDSM was boring and Vanilla. If you are having boring sex its not Vanilla. Its wrong. LOL
Surprisingly, despite the subject matter, this was probably the least arousing of the erotic literature I have read. First of all there werent that many sex scenes. The sex really does take a backseat to the emotional struggles of each of the characters. The sexiest scene to me was probably one of the tamest a simple hand job. It was intimate and intense, sweet and terribly sexy. I loved it. A second runner up would be a scene between Nora and another female.
This isnt a lighthearted happily ever after kind of story. Its an uphill battle with what we want, whats good for us, what we can never have. It left me feeling bereft. I dont understand the appeal of ending up hospitalized after a beating from the one you love, but I understand the need to be whoever you have to be to be with the one you love.
This book is delightfully disturbing, sinful and sad. It is also beautifully written, hard to put down and impossible to forget.
Cherise Everhard, April 2013
Book provided by and reviewed for the Amazon Vine Program
I have so many thoughts floating around in my head right now, it is hard to organize them all and pick out the highlights. Forgive me if this review is all over the place.
When Nora first appeared on page, I hated her. I was completely turned off by her personality and found her repugnant. Midway through the book I started to warm up to her, mostly because of the genuine affection she showed for Wesley. By the end of the book I felt sorry for her, liked her and felt that I really didnt know her that well at all. The characters in this book are all so complex I feel like we have barely touched the surface of them.
The one thing that bugged me the most about this book was the way I felt the authors and Noras voice spoke to me. I dont know how to describe it except to say I felt like book quotes, Latin, and French were placed in the book to impress the reader rather than to have a real purpose to the story. The other thing that irked me was the use of the term Vanilla Sex. Like anything outside of BDSM was boring and Vanilla. If you are having boring sex its not Vanilla. Its wrong. LOL
Surprisingly, despite the subject matter, this was probably the least arousing of the erotic literature I have read. First of all there werent that many sex scenes. The sex really does take a backseat to the emotional struggles of each of the characters. The sexiest scene to me was probably one of the tamest a simple hand job. It was intimate and intense, sweet and terribly sexy. I loved it. A second runner up would be a scene between Nora and another female.
This isnt a lighthearted happily ever after kind of story. Its an uphill battle with what we want, whats good for us, what we can never have. It left me feeling bereft. I dont understand the appeal of ending up hospitalized after a beating from the one you love, but I understand the need to be whoever you have to be to be with the one you love.
This book is delightfully disturbing, sinful and sad. It is also beautifully written, hard to put down and impossible to forget.
Cherise Everhard, April 2013
Book provided by and reviewed for the Amazon Vine Program
