Instant Karma by Donna Marie Oldfield

10 Nov 2014 1 Comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, General, Romance Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 19th July 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Sonic Pop Publishing
Pages: 325
Format: ebook
Genre: Contemporary romance
★   ★   ★  – 3 Stars

Do you believe in karma? Materialistic, selfish estate agent Siena Robinson doesn’t – until she hits a disastrous run of bad luck that makes her wonder if she has brought it upon herself.

In Instant Karma, Siena moves to the quiet village of Fenville, where the locals are opposing a development that will see a beloved hall and library replaced by new flats and shops. What her neighbours don’t know is that she is one of the developers and stands to make millions from the deal.

But then Siena discovers that her high-school sweetheart, Aiden, is leading the protest and she finds herself acting as a double agent who is torn between her neighbours’ plight and making lots of money.

Will Siena betray her new friends and let greed ruin a second chance with Aiden? And will she ever find out who or what is behind her run of bad karma?

Note: I was given a copy of this book for review.

After having time to think about it this is more 3.5 stars than 3 I think. The story Oldfield has created is all about the effects of karma and the message that what goes around comes around and bad karma comes to those who deserve it. While this idea could be very moralistic for the reader it works because Siena is a character who is very stubborn and selfish and can’t really see or accept that her bad luck is caused by her own behaviour. This brings the focus more on Siena’s character than on the karma itself so you can ignore the “you get what you deserve” message that flows through it.

Siena is a person you do kind of dislike, but without disliking her you can’t understand why she does what she does. You wouldn’t like someone who acts the way Siena does and to do so means the story does not work. It is not a strong dislike, more of an intense judgement about her and her behaviour. You judge her actions and get a nice feeling when she gets her comeuppance.

Siena has an attitude along the lines of “if they don’t care about me I won’t care about them”, but even if they do she brushes them off, finds the bad in people and always assumes the worst. She has her group of friends but they are similar to her and she cannot see the problems with herself as a result. The few realisations she has come after she tries to improve her attitude and a few home truths slowly start to change her way of thinking but it is a long road and she falls more often than she succeeds. But as much as it irked me it took her so long I liked that there was no instant turn around. Doing one nice thing does not change Siena; it takes time and some severe bouts of bad karma for her to truly start to change, and not just for her own benefit, real genuine change. And it is the attempt that makes you start to hope for her, that maybe she is better than the selfish and nasty person she has turned into.

When she reconnects with Aiden Siena tries to improve herself but this is purely for selfish reasons, to make him think she was a better person rather than to actually improve herself. But in doing this Aiden helps her remember the person she was eight years ago when they were together, the nicer, kinder person rather than the snobby and judgemental person she has become. Siena tries to be good for Aiden, to impress him and to show him she is a nice person, but her desire to do better is also powered by her attempt at better karma, but when there is no instant gratification she feels she deserves, she falls back into her old ways.

What I liked was that Oldfield gives us a hint at how Siena became she person she was, and how she gradually changed from the person Aiden knew to the person she becomes. Events in her past and conscious decisions have shaped who she has become and this helps understand her more, and makes you pity her slightly.

One review I read described this story like A Christmas Carol in modern real estate which is the perfect description, but with fewer ghosts. There is definitely something that keeps you reading even though Siena gets up your nose. I think I kept waiting for her to come to her senses and realise the impact her bad decisions and selfish ways were having on her life. I kept expecting that the next chapter would be where she changes her life and sees her fortunes improve.

The changes do come about though and I think at just the right time. Oldfield concludes the story pretty well with some surprises but it works in a way, without being too incredulous or unbelievable. The ending is dramatic but exciting and after the gradual build up in anticipation about the development as well as Siena’s bad karma, it all comes to a head in a wonderful fashion. There are some unexpected surprises that add a bit of mystery to the mix but they manage to work out well. There are a few things left unanswered at the end that I would have liked to see outcomes and consequences of but other than that there is a good concluding sense about Siena’s future. She knows it is not going to perfect but she is going to face it and embrace it as it comes.

 

Purchase Instant Karma via the following

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

 Amazon Australia

 Amazon Canada

James Games by L. A. Rose

18 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Romance Tags: , , , ,

Published: 30th September 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Self Published
Pages: 243
Format: ebook
Genre: New Adult Romance
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

James Games CoverEvery year, the girls of Phi Delta Chi, Fiona Arlett’s dream sorority, hold a competition.
The prize?
James Reid, king size bar of eye candy and famous actor turned haughty undergrad.
The rules?
No girl but the winner can touch him.
The problem?
Fiona miiight have unknowingly banged his brains out last week.
Losing the competition may mean wearing a chicken suit to the sexiest Halloween costume contest, but she’d rather have feathers up her butt than let the truth out.
Unfortunately, she and James have lots in common and more chemistry than the science wing. Soon they’re sneaking around behind the backs of UCSD’s hottest and most vengeful girls.
If they find out?
Fiona’s screwed.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

The story Rose has created is one that is very addictive, and it is one that is engaging and easy to read. There is a wonderful pace to the story and nothing is rushed, nor is it drawn out. There is depth to the characters and not everything about them is revealed immediately, with more information about who they are emerging as the story goes on. This gives a realistic feel to the novel where things are learnt about people gradually, not in a single moment and typically only as a friendship develops.

As a character Fiona can come across as arrogant, but she is more self assured and confident. She has a determination and stubbornness that can get her into trouble but she is also enjoying life and emits joy which makes her fun to read about. It was great to see her grow as the novel progressed, and it is clear towards the end that while she has not exactly changed who she is, she has learnt from her experiences and instead becomes more comfortable in herself and in her life. This calms her down a bit but does not remove the confidence she had before and she is certainly wiser in its use.

I liked that at no point did Rose indicate any real judgement towards Fiona’s actions or make it a bad thing, instead we understand why she behaves like she does and what it is she is looking for in life. As adults in college there is no reason to doubt they are able to make their own decisions but Rose also makes it evident they are still young, a combination that makes for great reading and understanding to why they do what they do.

What I really liked about this story was that it wasn’t what I was expecting. The characters are different and detailed, with complications of their own and personalities that both clash and work well with others. I also loved the story. Rose could easily have gone a different way with this but instead it has a complexity and depth that makes it unique while still being light and fun to read, and with characters that are so different from one another and that have such depth themselves, it only works to its advantage.

In particular I really liked the relationship between Fiona and James, even at the very start. Together they work well but it is their own personalities and histories that make them great, James especially. His past and secretive nature makes him protective of himself, and there is a charming but tough when necessary side to him that makes him admirable and likeable. Compared to Fiona’s outgoing nature they balance each other well, influencing one another and bringing out more in each of them.

One part I both liked and didn’t like was that for me, it highlights the ridiculousness and cruelty of sororities. In a confusing way it made the story great but it also pointed out how stupid they can be. But looking at characters like Brooklyn it is clear the hazing and ridiculous activities is not what the sorority was intended to be, and it is certainly isolated to a few members, not the group as a whole.  But it shows just how horrible and demeaning they can be, bringing down people and making them subservient and under the control of others who are deemed higher ranking. I’m glad Rose made a point of showing the outcome of hazing and the effect it can have on people when it taken too far, it really added another depth to the story and it is woven skilfully into other elements of the narrative as well.

I am glad this book was nothing like I expected, it became a lot more but without taking away the essence of what it is trying to be either. It is light and fun but also serious and meaningful meaning it has the ideal balance and creates a great reality for the characters and something believable for the readers as well. When you finish you can’t help but admire the characters and you certainly admire Rose for what she has created, and with the revelations of secrets and twists and the unexpected, there is never a moment of disinterest.

 

Purchase James Games at the following places

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

 

Maggie’s Five (#1) by Sandra Fitzgerald

08 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Romance Tags: , , , ,

Published: 5th July 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Self Published
Pages: 266
Format: ebook
Genre: Romance
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

I had a great life. Not perfect, but really good. I was happy. 
I had a husband and two children. But now I’ve got Red. 
He’s using me but, that’s okay, because I’m using him too, only for a different reason. 
He wants sex and leverage. I want numb. 
But then Luke came back. 
Don’t be stupid. Luke’s not my husband. My husband is dead, like my children. 
Luke came back and things have started changing. And I think, maybe, that I’m okay with change, but I’m worried it’s too late, that I might be too far down the Rabbit Hole. 
I’m Maggie Cartwright, and this is my story. But be warned, it may not be the happy ever after you dream of.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review

It took me a couple of days to read this book and each time I had to stop or was interrupted I found myself continually thinking about it. The first book in the Five series, the story is about Maggie, a woman who tragically loses her family in a freak accident and tries her best at dealing with the aftermath The story drags you in to Maggie’s world almost right away, a world that starts off as being about family, love, and great memories and is replaced by one that is filled with pain and loss.

The way Fitzgerald has constructed Maggie is wonderful. She isn’t anything too special, she is a mum and a wife, and she is a regular person who has a tragedy in her life and must find a way of dealing with it. This makes her real and someone who was never expecting to have to deal with something like this.

I really liked how Fitzgerald depicted Maggie’s grief and how she was coping. She makes it clear that there is no overnight downfall, nor is there an overnight recovery. People do not succumb to temptations and bad situations in one week and we see this slow decline in Maggie and in how she acts and how she feels as the days pass on.

By telling the story through Maggie it allows you to see the reasons and justifications for her actions and really get a deep sense of the emotions and the hollowness she is feeling. I loved that Fitzgerald doesn’t even make it terribly complex, but the emptiness is evident and it is clearly portrayed that Maggie is at a loss of what to do and shuts herself down and becomes a shell of herself.

Fitzgerald demonstrates her grief and her decent gradually; from the initial shock and pain you can see where things start to slip away from her and it takes over her life. One of the heartbreaking things to read is when you see how each knock adds another blow to her torment and watch as she tries to convince the world she is fine, covering her pain with a smile and a laugh before retreating to the safety of solitude once more.

There is a wonderful use of subtle references to show how Maggie is not coping with her loss, how she is eating less and wasting her days doing nothing. With Maggie’s perspective we see how these things sneak up on her, she doesn’t realise she is losing weight, and doesn’t realise that she is being consumed by grief. Fitzgerald never takes the reader’s sympathy away from Maggie, even when she gets worse, because we understand it so well from her point of view and we know what she is feeling and why she does what she does. There is no third party judgement, and even other characters like Luke do not judge, he lets her go through what she needs to go through without making her recover too quickly.

As Maggie begins to lose control of her pain she turns to drinking and bad company to numb it but it still isn’t something that you judge. You pity her and hope she won’t go too far but it isn’t stereotypical behaviour either. While it may seem that way, the way Fitzgerald has written it doesn’t come across as a cliché reaction. Instead, we see the pain and torment Maggie goes through and the reasons why she goes down this path and it is entirely justified, and as it continues it’s clear how it gets out of control which, in a way, is through no fault of her own. Influenced and controlled by the company she has sought comfort in rather than her own destructive forces.

Maggie pushes away her family and convinces them she is fine, but she is also in part, abandoned by her friends as well because they believe her when she says she is fine, and Luke is the only person who really cements himself in her life to make sure she is as fine as she says she is. Luke is an interesting character, he seems like he is imposing and it seems odd he is staying with Maggie but his reasons are soon made clear and he is someone that is there for Maggie even when she believes she doesn’t need him.

What Maggie does and feels remains real in my opinion, is never becomes too extreme or unbelievable. It is clear she doesn’t know how to handle what has happened and her toxic relationship with Red is more about his actions than hers which highlights her emotional state and vulnerability, not to mention her intense need to escape from everything.

By the end of the book it feels like you have been through as much of a journey as Maggie, one that is never certain there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. Fitzgerald offers a chance of hope and redemption but she makes sure that it is worked for and not freely given which is something that makes this book that much better and unforgettable.

Purchase Maggie’s Five via the following

Amazon

Adrian Lessons by L. A. Rose

20 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Romance Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 24th August 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Self Published
Pages: 237
Format: ebook
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

AdrianLessonsCoverIf there’s one thing Cleo Reynolds knows, it’s that she’s not into Adrian King.

The son of a model with the looks to prove it, the experienced author of her school newspaper’s sex advice column, the cocky playboy with a hint of darkness. That Adrian King.

Nope. Nuh-uh. No way.

The problem is, he’s very into her.

After accidentally flashing him, and slightly-less-accidentally-but-still-totally-unintentionally making out with him in front of the whole class, she expects to be called crazy. Instead, he asks her out.

Cleo’s determined not to end up as another notch on his bedpost. Except she hasn’t done…you know…it in a while. (Read: ever.) And as a girl who pays her tuition by writing all the sex scenes in her roommate’s bestselling romance series, the lack of inspiration has served up a fat slice of writer’s block.

Until her roommate proposes that Cleo and Adrian act out all the steamy scenes in her book.

It’s just research. No feelings involved.

Nope. Nuh-uh.

No way.

Note: I was given a copy for review

Adrian Lessons is a new adult contemporary romance and after finishing this book I can certainly say it is certainly more adult than not. The story revolves around Cleo, writer of erotic fanfiction and ghost writer for the sex scenes in her friend’s romance novels, soon finds herself infatuated by a guy in her class, Adonis-like Adrian King. Conflicted and lustful she tries to fight her feelings but is soon drawn into those green eyes.

Adrian is a character that knows that he is hot and isn’t too shy to admit it, but in a strange way it doesn’t make him come across as vain, or arrogant. He knows what he wants and surprisingly it isn’t what you expect. His affection and admiration for Cleo makes him charming, something that works well having getting to know him and seeing his perspective. I think if Rose had chosen to have Adrian as a character we see only from Cleo’s perspective there would not be the same connection and feeling he brings to the story, especially where dialogue is concerned, and his character would not be as likeable. His affection for Cleo and the fact he does so many things just for her warms your heart and puts you on his side almost immediately, you really can’t ignore how sweet and thoughtful he is with her. You soon realise he isn’t what you expect and there is more to him than meets the eye. To quote Cleo: He’s not just a gorgeous playboy with a cocky smile and an empty head.

She does have her reasons for her initial reluctant approach. She is working from reputation rather than acknowledging her true feelings or trusting him. The fact that he is hiding a secret and an advantage doesn’t help but it makes it an interesting read watching the two of them interact, picking up the references and information Rose drops along the way.

Cleo thinks Adrian is only there for the sex, but he proves her wrong and it is quite sweet and thoughtful, though he does have desires of his own they aren’t the sole focus of his courtship. Being inside his mind and knowing this from that start gives us an advantage and only helps our opinion of him, we are on his side from early on, hoping he’ll succeed.

I liked Cleo; she is self conscious, always doubting herself and her looks, but is also a little wild and crazy at the same time. She talks to her organs, gives herself pep talks, and she has a relationship and conversations with inanimate objects. This I understand. She also has enough sense to be cautious and wary, but not so much that she won’t take chances and have fun.

Adrian is also not the jovial character he seems with his dark side being uncovered and with secrets he’s reluctant to share. Even though we are given a deeper, darker side to Adrian that only added to his character, I wanted more. I could sense there was more hiding behind that smile and charm, something Cleo picks up on and I knew there was more to be revealed, but nothing else came. I know it wouldn’t have added to the story any more than it had already, but it would have been nice to explore it more deeply, not to make him dark and broody, but to show another depth to him, but this was already done well so I may just be greedy.

The story Rose has written is real and feels natural to a point. Yes it is mostly about a college girl helping to write sex scenes for her roommate’s novels, sometimes by acting them out to a point for inspiration, but there is greater reality in the narrative as well with character emotions and the relationships feel natural and suit the characters well.

With a story like this you can’t ignore the romance and the desire but it isn’t the flowery romance, at least not initially and what comes later is less flowery, more passion, lust, and desire. With things like that Cleo has the advantage given that she writes erotic fanfiction and the scenes for her roommate but it doesn’t take over her life and she doesn’t speak or think like that. The focus on desire and sex may be ongoing to varying degrees but it fits well with the story and if you don’t mind a few sex scenes that are detailed but not too crass then it is easy to get caught up in the romance side and the connection and affection between Cleo and Adrian.

The sexual nature and details increase as the novel progresses, I liked that Rose established the non sexual connection first though, this gave you something to build from and it gives it a lot more meaning. I don’t read romance or stories with a lot of sex in them often so I’m not sure what the rules are regarding this or adequate amounts included and detailed, but Rose works it into the story well and with believability. While I think I enjoyed the romancing side rather than the sex side I understand its importance. It isn’t there for the sake of it and it is pertinent really to the relationship between Cleo and Adrian, it shows their developing relationship as well as the intensity of their emotions. I will say it is often told in great detail and is clearly of an adult nature, nothing is implied it is all there, but while it does get quite detailed, it also never feels out of place. Cleo’s and Adrian’s relationship isn’t based on sex, but in a strange way it also is and it really does work well.

In terms of style, the writing and voice is good. It is engaging and the switch between Cleo and Adrian gives you more of the story and adds to the character’s relationships by offering both sides. What I found interesting was that they both are written with the knowledge that a reader is reading it, something I was surprised by, especially considering some of the content. It doesn’t take away from anything but it was interesting. There are narratives written like they are being told to someone, but it is another thing to break the wall and acknowledge it.

Overall I enjoyed the book. It was what I was expecting while not at the same time. With an interesting narrative concept it focuses on the characters with Rose using the plot well to highlight each of them, even if only momentarily. The characters have depth and are unique, bringing something of themselves into many moments making it light and humorous, while also grounding it and showing the complexities of relationships and the people involved. Adrian’s Lessons is a novel for those who want a touching story filled with adoration and the joys and complications of young love, but one that is also filled with the passion and desires that go with it.

Before Nightfall by Rachel Amphlett

05 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, General, Romance Tags: , , , ,

3349b-goodreads-buttonPublished: 5th June 2014
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 576
Format: ebook
Genre: Suspense/Romance
★   ★   ★   ★   ★   – 5 Stars

“If they move you, they will kill you.”

Kate Foster is quick to forget the advice from a pre-deployment hostage survival course once she’s catapulted into a new job in Eastern Europe, despite the good-looking instructor. But a simple day’s task in Istanbul six months later goes horribly wrong. 

Trapped and alone, her only hope of survival is the man who trained her – ex-FBI Hostage Rescue Specialist, Finn Scott.

For Finn, it’s his worst nightmare. Kate was the one person he almost let into his heart. Haunted by memories of a failed hostage rescue, he is thrust into a situation beyond his control. Now, against a sinister adversary whose ambitions will split apart Eastern Europe, Finn must overcome his demons to prevent an international catastrophe.

And avoid losing Kate forever.

Note: I was given a copy of this book to review

Before Nightfall is an engaging story that keeps you guessing and hoping for a happy ending while offering interesting and unique characters that always have something up their sleeve and secrets to hide.

The story involves Kate, a woman who was looking to challenge herself and applies to work overseas in the Business Development division of a company. For staff safety she must undergoes hostage training, but does not hold up to the standards expected by her interrogator Finn Scott. Despite this, she already has the job, and inexperienced or not, she gets to go overseas with her new boss Ian Hart. Now, six months later when a routine trip in Istanbul gets her kidnapped, she must rely on the information she was told during her training, try to recall anything that will help her stay alive.

As a character Kate is one we are meant to worry about. We are shown and reminded continuously that she may not be able to cope with her situation, that she was unprepared and seemingly unqualified despite her training. While we do see a small part of this, Kate actually comes through quite well, she is strong and clever, and while it doesn’t always show, the strength underneath is quite powerful, even if it is not in the manner we are expecting.

There is a mystery about why Kate has been taken, we are given hints and clues but no real reason at first. When the answers are revealed it soon becomes a complicated and intriguing series of events that reveal so much more than what you first anticipate. What Amphlett does reveal is explained well. The secrets Finn won’t discuss, the half truths given by Hart, the unspoken words of seemingly innocent characters. It’s all there, and all waiting to be unearthed in a truly suspenseful style.

There is enough romance, suspense, and twists to keep you satisfied and it’s a story that keeps its secrets close. I liked that the strong romance elements were kept at a minimum, but I liked the restrained ongoing and obvious unspoken attraction between Finn and Kate. I enjoyed watching them pine for one another without doing anything about it, almost denying to themselves something was even there. Finn’s tormented soul made the storyline interesting away from the kidnapping, while still connecting them together.

I really liked how Amphlett handles the hostage and kidnapping aspects. Kate is portrayed in a way that suits her character well, she is strong, but inexperienced but she is also determined. Amphlett isn’t trying to make her out to be an unbreakable force, but she is not entirely out of her depth either.

With no spoilers I will say that by the end of the book when everything comes to light and everything is revealed, you realise how creative and clever Amphlett has been. It doesn’t go in the direction you think, nor do anyone’s secrets turn out to be what you suspect either. It is a great book that brings enough romance, suspense, action, and uniqueness meaning there is a little something for everyone to enjoy.

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