Inreview & Review: The Billionaire Banker by Georgia Le Carre

Today, we have author, Georgia Le Carre with us as she promotes her book, The Billionaire Banker.  Enjoy our interview with her after my thoughts on the book.

Author: Georgia Le Carre
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: November 2013
 When Lana Bloom learns the devastating news that her mother is dying, she is faced with a terrible dilemma. The one thing that can save her is the one thing she does not have. For young and Innocent Lana, The unthinkable is her only choice.

When she walks through the door of that exclusive restaurant she has no idea of the seismic shift her life is about to take, for the highest bidder will not be the rich man she has accompanied.

Fate drops her at the feet of the deeply mysterious and dazzlingly gorgeous American banker, Blake Law Barrington. Throbbing with raw masculinity and arrogance, this is a man who owns all that he pursues.
My thoughts:
I kind of have mixed feelings about this book.  I know I have read and enjoyed other books in the past where the young naive woman makes a contract with a billionaire for loads of money in exchange for an affair.  But for some reason, this book kind of rubbed me the wrong way.  I felt like Lana was so young, not only in age, but in experience. I can understand her motivation for wanting to save her mother, but this arrangement just felt wrong to me.  I will say that I was kind of beginning to like Blake.  I could see that he was falling for Lana and was contemplating changing his life.  But, when he made his comments about not doing anything to stop a pedophile who was in the "inner circles" of his level of society, I lost all respect.  Really?  How anyone would want to contemplate loving someone with that attitude is beyond me.  I don't care how silver the spoon in his mouth was when he was born.  That isn't the attitude that I want my hero to have, ever.

The book was written fairly well and the loves scenes were definitely hot and steamy.  It was just the other things that I couldn't get past enough to recommend it.  I would say you might have to judge this one for yourself.  It does end in a cliffhanger, so readers will have to wait for the second book, 42 Days to see what happens to Lana and Blake.

Kari& Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Georgia: I’m afraid I am what is known as the accidental writer.  I never imagined being one when I was young, but I had always read a lot late into the night, and then one day, I thought, I’m sure I could do this, let me try my hand, and instead of voilà, here is the cheese, here is the writer! 

Kari& Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Georgia:Life is my greatest inspiration.  Every movie I watch, every book I read, every conversation I overhear while waiting for my drink at the bar are seeds that germinate in the dark of my mind emerge as plot.

Kari& Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Georgia: I guess Book Three, A Lesson in Seduction, is already in costume and nervously waiting.

Kari& Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Georgia: Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind.  Because she represents everything that is right about what makes a literary character interesting.  Flawed, indomitable, self-absorbed, passionate, beautiful, fun and constantly evolving.

Kari& Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Georgia: Just for fun…I think, I’d like to be a bird, perhaps a robin.  Beautiful, delicate, friendly, able to fly and totally blameless.

About the author:

Georgia Le Carre lives in England, in an old 19th century romantic cottage surrounded by a magical garden

filled with fruit and walnut trees.  When she is not feeding words into her laptop, she is either curled up in bed with a box of chocolates and a good read, or lost in a long walk in the woods. Especially on moonlit nights.  And often with the man of her dreams.
Her latest book is the romance/erotica, The Billionaire Banker.

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Rome by Jay Crownover

Author: Jay Crownover
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: January 2014

Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.

Rome is the third book in the Marked Men series by Jay Crownover.  I am really loving this series and Rome is a great addition to it. This is Rome and Cora's story.  Rome is Rule's older brother.  He is back from war and at loose ends.  What he didn't count on was a little bit of a woman named Cora.  I loved Cora. She is fiercely loyal and does a good job of playing Momma Bear to all of the guys at the shop. She may be small, but she packs a punch. Rome is a really complicated guy.  The war has changed him and the people around him don't know what to do with the new person they see.  Cora helps everyone realize that they have to learn to love who Rome is now.

What I loved about Rome and Cora together was that they were both damaged.  They both needed to learn to trust someone else to be able to give their all.  Their first interactions weren't all flowers and sunshine.  In fact, Rome is the farthest thing from the ideal man that Cora has in mind.  It just goes to show you that what we think we want isn't always what we need.

There is a lot of healing that happens in the story, especially between Rome and his family.  What Cora did for them was really great.   The other thing that I liked was we got to know Asa and Rowdy a bit more.  The book ends with a HUGE reveal about Nash.  I can't wait to see how that all plays out!

About the author:

Jay Crownover is the bestselling author of Rule and Jet. Like the characters in her Marked Men

series, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories that have interesting characters and make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

Follow Jay’s musings on her blog and connect with her on Facebook.

Jay’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, January 7th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Wednesday, January 8th: Nightly Reading

Thursday, January 9th: Celestial Reviews

Monday, January 13th: Ladybug Literature

Wednesday, January 15th: Schmexy Girl Book Blog

Thursday, January 16th: Ginger-read Reviews

Monday, January 20th: From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, January 21st: A Dream Within A Dream

Wednesday, January 22nd: The Bookmark Blog

Monday, January 27th: cupcake’s book cupboard

Tuesday, January 28th: Into the Hall of Books

Wednesday, January 29th: Book Marks the Spot

TBD: Oh! Paper Pages

Joint Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

by:  Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando 
published by:  Little Brown Books for Young Readers
publish date:  December 24, 2013

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

Roomies is told in alternating view point between Elizabeth aka EB and Lauren.  Each girl comes from a very different background, but they're both struggling with the changes that come with leaving home to go college.   When EB starts the correspondence between the two girls it sets off a crazy whirlwind of drama between them.   The book really highlighted the problem with email.  It makes it so hard to read the tone of someone's message unless you already know them.  Oftentimes, you end up reading way too much into it and things get way out of hand.  This book was a perfect example of that.

I liked this book.  I thought it was kinda cute and fun.  But, I'm in school now.  I'm old (Haha!!) but I can look around at all the young'uns around me and see all their bubbling optimism and how they're so excited to make their new college friends.  I think it's cute,  like I thought this book was cute.


I was the opposite of Autumn.  I listened through to the second disc of the audiobook and then gave up. One of the things that grated on my nerves was the voice of EB. For me the reader can make a big difference.  
I also had a hard time connecting with the two girls. Maybe I'm too old to sympathize, but I felt like they were a little whiny.  College is about new experiences.  Suck it up and see what happens.  This may have resonated more with me had I read this when I was younger.  Autumn thinks it's because I mentioned that I haven't had many good roommate experiences.  Maybe I'm still bitter...

The Last Kiss Goodbye by Karen Robards

Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Ballantine
Date of publication: August 2013

Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Stone has dedicated her career as a psychiatrist to exploring the darkest territory of all: the hearts and minds of serial killers. It’s a job she’s uniquely suited for, thanks to the secret talent that gives her an uncanny edge—Charlie can see dead people, whose tormented spirits cry out to her for the justice only she can provide. This blessing—or curse—gives Charlie the power to hunt down and catch madmen and murderers. It’s also turned her love life upside down by drawing her into a hopelessly passionate relationship with the lingering ghost of charismatic bad boy Michael Garland.

Let me start by saying that I loved the first book, The Last Victim.  I was eager to read the sequel and had high hopes.  I'm sad to say that the book didn't live up to my expectations. I liked it, I just didn't love it.  If the book was a straight mystery/thriller, I would give the book high scores.  I loved the hunt for the Gingerbread Man. I also thought the way he kills people was interesting and ingenious.  That part of the story-line definitely kept me guessing and when the serial killer was revealed, I was genuinely surprised.

The part of the book that I didn't like was the romance.  Charlie is in love with a ghost.  The attraction was kind of cool in the first book, but I'm not so sure it worked for me in this one.  What got tiring was the many times that Charlie tells us that she can't love a ghost, that it will never work and that she should just move on. I also got tired of hearing how hot and sexy Michael was and how it made Charlie hot and bothered.  I think by the third chapter, I got it.  I also began to not like how she was kind of toying with Tony's feelings.  He really wants to be with her and she keeps stringing him along. The whole thing is kind of a weird love triangle.  I'm hoping there is a good resolution to this in the next story.  The book ends in a kind of cliffhanger, so I do look forward to seeing what happens next.

Jacquelyn Frank's The World of Nightwalker's Series Book 1-3

Today, we have the first three books in The World of the Nightwalker's series by author Jacquelyn Frank.   I did initially have a little trouble orienting myself to the world because I hadn't read any of the other books about Nightwalkers. This series introduces a new type called Bodywalkers.  Basically, Ancient Egyptian priests, kings, queens, etc never found eternal rest, so they reside in the Ether. They can make a deal with a recently deceased soul to share their body. The dead person comes back to life stronger and with another soul inside of them. That is over simplifying things, but you get the gist.  

Forbidden (Ballantine, October 2012) 

The unexpected happens in an instant. On her way to work, secretary Docia Waverley hurtles into a crashing crossroads, and she quickly begins to suspect that things will never be the same. Then, when a tall, blond, muscular stranger intervenes on her behalf, telling her it is his duty to protect her at all cost, what is just a feeling turns to proof positive. That is, as long as Docia’s savior doesn’t turn out to be a crazed kidnapper.

Forbidden is the first in the series" This is Ram and Docia's story.  Ram thinks that Docia has his queen's souls inside of her and he must protect her from enemies.  He finds that he has strong feelings for Docia and fights it because the soul Docia holds is fated for his friend Menes.  Like I said earlier, it's complicated.    This book was mostly set up for the world and explaining the war between The Templars and the Politics.  I felt like the romance between the two took a back seat to the overall story.  However, I did like them together.  I loved Docia and her lack of filter.  She was a fun character.

Forever (Ballantine, May 2013)

After being brought back from death, police officer Jackson Waverly receives the shock of his life: he has become host to a Bodywalker, a spirit that is reborn in flesh and blood, and part of a proud, ancient race that uses its extraordinary gifts to battle dark, evil forces. Jackson’s spirit is a powerful one—none other than the Egyptian pharaoh Menes, who longs to reunite with his eternal love, the Egyptian queen Hatshepsut.

The second book, Forever, is my favorite so far.  Mainly because it features Jackson and Marissa.  They are in the first book and the heat between them is really hot.  Jackson has come back from the dead with King Menes along for the ride.  Menes is looking for a vessel for his queen, Hatshepsut.  Jackson's strong attraction for Marissa makes her the perfect candidate.  The romance was really the main focus.  I thought their's wa a great love story.  Imagine loving someone for centuries. There isn't much in the way of advancement of the war in this book. We do see a new bad guy be reborn and he looks to be a major threat for the Politic.  This was a great addition to the series.

Forsaken (Ballantine, January 2014)

As a mercenary, Leo Alvarez has signed on for a lot—but he never signed on for his best friend becoming host to the soul of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Jackson is now inhabited by a Bodywalker, and Leo is forced to grapple with a realm of supernatural beings far more dangerous than anything he’s ever encountered.

Unfortunately, there is always one in a series that lets me down.  Out of the three, Forsaken was my least favorite.  For some reason, I just couldn't connect with the story.  I found myself putting the book down a lot and skimming parts.  I think it was Leo.  I loved him in the first two books. But in this one, he was just way too angry and the way he treats his friends was really off putting.  I did like Faith's character though and Leo did redeem himself in the end.  I just felt like it took too long to get to that point.  I was also very happy to see Chaltha gt what was coming to him.  What a psycho!

Overall, I can say that I am intrigued by the world that the author has built in this series.  I know I want to go back and read about the other Nightwalkers.  I also  look forward to the the next in the series, Forged.  I have liked Ahnvil since Forever.

 About the author:

Jacquelyn Frank is the New York Times bestselling author of the World of Nightwalkers series (Forbidden, Forever, andForsaken), the Three Worlds series (Seduce Me in Dreams andSeduce Me in Flames), the Nightwalkers series (Adam, Jacob, Gideon, Elijah, Damien, andNoah), the Shadowdwellers novels (Ecstasy, Rapture, and Pleasure), and the Gatherers novels (Hunting Julian and Stealing Katherine). She lives in North Carolina and has been writing romantic fiction ever since she picked up her first teen romance at age thirteen.

Learn more about Jacquelyn at her website,  jacquelynfrank.com, on Facebook, or onTwitter.

Jacquelyn Frank’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, January 6th:  Supernatural Snark

Tuesday, January 7th:  A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, January 8th:  Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Friday, January 10th:  Reader Girls

Monday, January 13th:  Mom in Love with Fiction

Wednesday, January 15th:  Books a la Mode - author Q&A

Thursday, January 16th:  Fiction State of Mind

Friday, January 17th:  From the TBR Pile

Monday, January 20th:  Queen of All She Reads

Tuesday, January 21st:  Bibliophilia, Please

Tuesday, January 21st:  A Night’s Dream of Books

Wednesday, January 22nd:  Book Marks the Spot

Thursday, January 23rd:  StuckInBooks

Sunday, January 26th:  Ladybug Literature

Monday, January 27th:  Books Without Any Pictures

Tuesday, January 28th:  Sara’s Organized Chaos

Wednesday, January 29th:  Love, Romance, Passion

Thursday, January 30th:  Booked on a Feeling

Perfect by Rachel Joyce

Author: Rachel Joyce
Publisher: Random House
Date of publication: January 2014

On a foggy spring morning in 1972, twelve-year-old Byron Hemming and his mother are driving to school in the English countryside. On the way, in a life-changing two seconds, an accident occurs. Or does it? Byron is sure it happened, but his mother, sitting right next to him in the car, has no reaction to it. Over the course of the days and weeks that follow, Byron embarks on a journey to discover what really happened-or didn't-that fateful morning when everything changed. It is a journey that will take him-a loveable and cloistered twelve-year-old boy with a loveable and cloistered twelve-year-old boy's perspective on life-into the murkier, more difficult realities of the adult world, where adults lie, fathers and mothers fight without words, and even unwilling boys must become men. 

Perfect is the second really heavy book that I have read so far this year.   I really had to sit on this one for a bit before writing this review.  I often gauge how much I liked a book by how I felt at the end. When I read the last page of this book, I really felt kind of down with a smidgen of hope. I think I can ultimately say that I liked the story.  It was well written and very compelling.   Just don't go into this book expecting a light fun read. 

For me, the book is a commentary on how one's perceptions of events can change the course of multiple lives.  Especially when those events are viewed through the innocence of childhood.  Although, after reading the book, I have to wonder if some of the things wouldn't have happened on their own anyway given how unhappy most of the adult characters seemed to be.

The story alternates between Byron's story in 1972 and Jim's story now.  It took a while before it was clear how the two stories fit together.  While it ties together nicely in the end, I found the waffling between the past and present to be kind of disjointed for me and kept throwing me off the rhythm of the story.  I can also say that I was convince that story was going to go one way, but it ended up going in a completely different direction. That was a nice surprise.

About the author:

Rachel Joyce is the author of the international bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. She is also the award-winning writer of more than twenty plays for BBC Radio 4. She started writing after a twenty-year acting career, in which she performed leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company and won multiple awards. Rachel Joyce lives with her family on a Gloucestershire farm.

Connect with Rachel on her website,racheljoycebooks.com, or on Facebook.

Rachel Joyce’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, December 16th:  Great Imaginations

Tuesday, December 17th:  She Treads Softly

Wednesday, December 18th:  A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall

Thursday, December 19th:  Lit and Life

Friday, December 20th:  BookNAround

Monday, December 23rd:  Bibliotica

Monday, December 23rd:  Books Speak Volumes

Thursday, December 26th:  The Feminist Texican [Reads]

Friday, December 27th:  Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, December 30th:  Sara’s Organized Chaos

Monday, January 6th:  The Blog of Litwits

Monday, January 6th:  Books and Movies

Tuesday, January 7th:  The Scarlet Letter

Wednesday, January 8th:  Snowdrop Dreams of Books

Thursday, January 9th:  A Bookish Affair

Tuesday, January 14th:  Caribousmom

Wednesday, January 15th:  A Novel Review

Thursday, January 16th:  From the TBR Pile

Monday, January 20th:  Bibliophiliac

Tuesday, January 21st:  5  Minutes for Books

Tuesday, January 21st:  Books a la Mode

Wednesday, January 22nd:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Thursday, January 23rd:  A Bookworm’s World

Friday, January 24th:  My Bookshelf

Monday, January 27th:  The Daily Mayo

Tuesday, January 28th:  Cold Read

Wednesday, January 29th:  Not in Jersey

Throwback Thursday: Lucia in Love by Heather Graham

 

Author: Heather Graham
First published in 1988 by Silhouette Intimate Moments

If Lucia Lorenzo hadn't been so exhausted, she would have realized that the person already occupying the bed wasn't her cousin Dina but someone decidedly masculine: Ryan Dandridge, the man she had been trying - unsuccessfully - to forget.

Little did she realize when she woke up next to Ryan that her troubles were just beginning. For one thing, her entire wacky family was on hand, and nothing was ever easy when they were around. For another, someone seemed to be stalking her - with dangerous intentions. In fact, the more she thought about it, having Ryan re-enter her life might very well be the best thing that could have happened!

Lucia in Love is part romance and part mystery. Lucia and Ryan had a whirlwind affair that ended badly.  They meet up again and the spark is still there.  I liked their story, but it was frustrating at the same time.  Their lack of honesty and communication was unbelievable.  They both made assumptions about the other person and that is what made the relationship fail the first time.  When they get together again, they still wouldn't talk things through.  I felt like that part got dragged out longer than it needed to be.

Despite all of that, the mystery part was fun.  Lucia keeps seeing the same dead body in different places, but no one else ever does.  People start questioning her sanity. The peripheral characters were also fun.  Lucia has a large Italian family.  They added a lot of comic relief.

I do recommend this one. It didn't feel outdated.  My only complaint about the audiobook was the narrator's attempt at a Boston accent. It came across as a bad Brooklyn accent.  That began to grate on my nerves after a while.  If you can't make is sound authentic, just don't bother, please!

The In-Between Hour by Barbara Claypole White

Author: Barbara Claypole White
Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)
Date of publication: January 2014

Bestselling author Will Shepard is caught in the twilight of grief, after his young son dies in a car accident. But when his father's aging mind erases the memory, Will rewrites the truth. The story he spins brings unexpected relief…until he's forced to return to rural North Carolina, trapping himself in a lie.

Holistic veterinarian Hannah Linden is a healer who opens her heart to strays but can only watch, powerless, as her grown son struggles with inner demons. When she rents her guest cottage to Will and his dad, she finds solace in trying to mend their broken world, even while her own shatters.

As their lives connect and collide, Will and Hannah become each other's only hope—if they can find their way into a new story, one that begins with love.

The In-Between Hour is a beautifully written book the pulled me right in from the first page.  I should warn, that this is a pretty intense book.  Every character in this book has major issues, so it's not what I would consider a light read.  Will is dealing with the grief over the loss of his son as well as the loss of his dad in a way.  Jacob, his dad, is dealing with memory loss (they never say that it's Alzheimer's, but it's like that).  Hannah is grieving for her son Galen who is battling depression and has lost the will to live.  Pretty messed up bunch, right?  But what they find together on a mountain is love and home.

I enjoyed this book.  I found myself tearing up at times. My heart really hurt for Will over the loss of his son.  Bu,t I also felt badly that he couldn't grieve properly.  By having to keep his son "alive" for his father, Will isn't able to move on in the process.  After a while, that would catch up with anyone.  I also felt for Hannah.  I don't think any mother likes to see their child struggle. 

The story is told from the view points of all of the characters.  The ones I enjoyed the most were Jacob's thoughts.  Even though his mind is muddled, he seemed to always see the truth in what was going on around him.  He really is the most honest of everyone.  The love story between Hannah and Will is subtle and, I thought, pretty secondary to the story.  They find a friendship first before they realize they are in love and that made their ending much sweeter.  

This is a book I definitely recommend.  It's one that made me think about things in my own life and will stay with me for a while.  It's the first book I have read by this author.  I look forward to trying out her first book and seeing what she comes up with in the future!

About the author:

Barbara Claypole White writes and gardens in the forests of North Carolina. English born and educated, The Unfinished Garden, Barbara’s debut novel, won the 2013 Golden Quill for Best First Book. The In-Between Hour is her second novel.

she’s married to an internationally-acclaimed academic. Their son, an award-winning poet / musician, attends college in the Midwest. His battles with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have inspired her to write love stories about damaged people.

Connect with Barbara on her website www.barbaraclaypolewhite, Facebook, or Twitter @bclaypolewhite.

Barbara’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, December 31st: bookchickdi
Thursday, January 2nd: Bibliotica
Monday, January 6th: cupcake’s book cupboard
Tuesday, January 7th: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, January 8th: Tina’s Book Reviews
Thursday, January 9th: Chronicles …
Tuesday, January 14th: Becca Rowan
Wednesday, January 15th: From the TBR Pile
Friday, January 17th: Peeking Between the Pages
Friday, January 17th: Not in Jersey
Monday, January 20th: Staircase Wit
Tuesday, January 21st: Sweet Tea and Lollipops
Wednesday, January 22nd: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Friday, January 24th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Monday, January 27th: As I turn the pages
Tuesday, January 28th: Book Journey
Wednesday, January 29th: Found Between the Covers
Thursday, January 30th: Good Girl Gone Redneck

Visitation Street by Ivy Pochoda

by: Ivy Pochoda
published by:  Ecco Books
publish date:  July 9, 2013

Summer in Red Hook, Brooklyn, a blue collar neighborhood where hipster gourmet supermarkets push against tired housing projects, and the East River opens into the bay. Bored and listless, fifteen-year-old June and Val are looking for some fun. Forget the boys, the bottles, the coded whistles. Val wants to do something wild and a little crazy: take a raft out onto the bay.  But out on the water, as the bright light of day gives way to darkness, the girls disappear. Only Val will survive, washed ashore semi-conscious in the weeds.

On a stifling hot Summer night Val convinces June to take a pink blowup raft out on the East River for an adventure.  While the girls think they're alone, there are eyes upon them, envying them for their bold attempts to break free of the monotony of the Red Hook lifestyle.  When Val is washed up on shore the next morning and June isn't found, the lives of many Red Hook residents will be forever changed before the Summer is over.

This book was pretty interesting.  It was written about a part of New York that I don't normally read about and it was enlightening to get a different perspective.  I was kind of surprised at how much the book revolved around other characters versus June and Val.  It spent a lot of time telling the story of Val's teacher who rescued her and their relationship and Cree a friend of Val's and his struggle to get over his father's murder.  All this eventually got tied together and it made sense, but it was an unusual balance in my opinion.

Overall, I liked this book.  The characters were people you would want to read about and diverse.  The setting was something different.  So I would recommend this book to the adult readers.  The New Adult readers might like it as well consider most of the characters are young.

I take you by Nikki Gemmell

Author: Nikki Gemmell
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Date of publication: December 2013

Under her Chanel suit and designer lingerie, Connie Carven is no longer the typical banker’s wife. When Cliff’s horrible skiing accident shifts the balance of their relationship, Connie becomes a willing submissive to her husband’s every desire. Cliff is eager to explore new, and troubling, avenues of passion. Connie, ever the dutiful wife, follows wherever he leads. While at first she enjoys a perverse sense of freedom within the ever-tightening bonds of her marriage, Cliff’s dark desires soon consume her entirely. She finds herself surrendering to an act that will forever remind her that she belongs to her husband alone—to be unlocked only by him, whenever he pleases.

But it is also this act that awakens Connie from the numbness that has taken over her life. And when she encounters someone new in the communal garden of her Notting Hill home, she discovers the thrill of true intimacy . . . and the price of risking everything for it.

 I Take You is a take off of Lady' Chatterley's Lover with some 50 Shades of Grey thrown in.  In truth, I'm not sure what I read.  There were definitely parts of both, but for me they didn't fit together well. The book was just too bizarre for me. I had an inkling going into this book that it might not be my cup of tea.  But, I am always willing to give a new author a try.  I have to be honest, I really didn't like this book. I felt like it was all over the place. The "love scenes weren't consistently written.  Sometimes they were just crude and sometimes they were vague.  I didn't find anything erotic in any of them.  

What Connie allows her husband to do to her was just wrong and disgusting. I didn't find anything consensual in the Dom/Sub relationship between Connie and Cliff.  Instead of walking away from a cruel and despicable man, she find solace in the arms of another but still stays with the bad guy.  I guess I'll just never understand that.  

The book has gotten good reviews, so I would say this is one that you need to judge for yourself.

About the author:

Nikki Gemmell is the internationally bestselling author of The Bride Stripped Bare and With My

Body, as well as Shiver, Alice Springs, and The Book of Rapture. She lives in Sydney, Australia with her family.

Find out more about Nikki at her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Tour stops:

Tuesday, January 7th: Conceptual Reception

Wednesday, January 8th: Seaside Book Nook

Thursday, January 9th: Mom in Love With Fiction

Monday, January 13th: From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, January 14th: The Ludic Reader

Wednesday, January 15th: Seductive Musings

Thursday, January 16th: Cupcake on Books

Monday, January 20th: Cruising Susan Reviews

Tuesday, January 21st: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Wednesday, January 22nd: Lovely Reads

Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan

Author:Andrew Klaven
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date of publication: November 2013

Tom Harding only wants the truth. But the truth is becoming more dangerous with every passing minute.
As a reporter for his high school newspaper, Tom Harding was tracking the best story of his life—when, suddenly, his life turned very, very weird. He woke up one morning to find his house empty . . . his street empty . . . his whole town empty . . . empty except for an eerie, creeping fog—and whatever creatures were slowly moving toward him through the fog.

 As Autumn has mentioned before, once in a while we have good luck with random library picks.  I knew nothing going into this book, but it looked interesting enough to download.  In general, I have enjoyed books from publisher, Thomas Nelson.  Nightmare City was no exception. 

I liked Tom Harding and his need to find the truth.  It was ultimately what helped him figure out what was going on in the end.  It's kind of a hard book to talk about without giving too many plot points away.  It's really a journey that you have to take along with Tom and learn the truth along with him.  The reader is dropped right into the nightmare with Tom and the action keeps going right up until the end.  This is a book that definitely kept me guessing.  Just when I thought I knew what was going on, a twist was thrown at me and I found I was wrong.

I would definitely recommend trying this book out.  It's a fairly clean YA book and would probably be OK for 14 and over.  The audiobook is narrated by the author and he did a great job with it.  I know I am anxious to see what else Mr. Klavan has to offer!