TITLE: Being Me
SERIES #: Inside Out Trilogy #2
CHARACTERS: Sara & Chris
AUTHOR: Lisa Renee Jones
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/11/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The sexy second installment in the Inside Out erotic romance trilogy, following If I Were You—in the seductive tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey.
Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.
In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?
REVIEW:
This is the second in a trilogy and the first thing you need to know is it does not stand alone. You must read the first to understand the second (and the third am sure). And the second thing you need to know is while it might be in the genre of erotica this book is not. And neither was the first for that matter. Sure it has a feel to it of erotica but honestly nothing happens in it that so many other books don’t have too.
Now I really enjoyed the first book but so it seems with so many trilogies the middle one just doesn’t stand up to the first (and usually the last) of the three books and I feel that way about this one. Something is off in it a bit. First it is too long. I say that because there is just a lot of “I must tell him my secret but he will never forgive me so I won’t tell him my secret”… it gets old kind of quick. And honestly the secret doesn’t end up having the big wow factor I think it is supposed to.
And there is something amount desperate and needy about this story that the first one I didn’t feel had.
But all of that being said it is a good story. It is one that makes me want to read the last in the trilogy (Revealing Us) to see how the story ends. Once again I am not one that compares books but seeing as the publisher/author itself seems to want to jump on the bandwagon saying “if you loved 50 Shades you will love this” I will say that if you loved 50 Shades you probably will enjoy this even though it is very different there is that underlying connection the books seems to have.
But again do not read this one as a stand alone. It needs the first to understand any of this story.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TITLE: Breakaway
SERIES #: Dartmouth Cobras #3
CHARACTERS: Jami Richer, Sebastian Ramos, Luke Carter
AUTHOR: Bianca Sommerland
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/04/2012
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Against some attacks, the only hope is to come out and meet the play.
Last year, Jami Richter had no plans, no goals, no future. But that’s all changed. First step, make up for putting her father through hell by supporting the hockey team he manages and becoming an Ice Girl. But a photo shoot puts her right in the arms of Sebastian Ramos, a Dartmouth Cobra defenseman with a reputation for getting any woman—or, as the rumours imply, man—he desires. And the powerful dominant wants her…and Luke. Getting involved in Seb’s lifestyle gives her a new understanding of the game and the bonds between players. But can she handle being caught between two men who want her, while struggling with their attraction to one another?
Luke Carter’s life is about as messed up as his scarred face. His mother is sick. His girlfriend dumps him. When he goes to his favorite BDSM club to blow off some steam, his Dom status is turned upside down when a therapeutic beating puts him in a good place. He flatly denies being submissive–or, even worse, being attracted to another man. He wants Jami but can’t have her without getting involved with Sebastian. Can he overcome his own prejudices long enough to admit he wants them both?
Caught between Luke and Jami, Sebastian Ramos does everything in his power to fulfill their needs. His two new submissives willingly share their bodies, but not their secrets. When his own past comes back to haunt him, the fragile foundation of their relationship is ripped apart. As he works to salvage the damage done by doubt and insecurity, he discovers that Jami is hiding something dangerous. But it may already be too late.
Warning
This ebook contains material not suitable for readers under 18. It also contains scenes that some may find objectionable, including hockey violence, BDSM, ménage sex, bondage, anal sex, sex toys, multiple partners, woman love, and man love including, but not limited to an erotic shower scene. Readers are advised not to attempt reenacting the scene while reading the ebook.
REVIEW:
I think this was my favorite book of the series. I really enjoyed the characters and the growth they went through. There were plenty of obstacles to keep these 3 apart and they were not easily overcome. I like that the author didn’t gloss over the issues that they had to confront and overcome. Again, you can really see the writing improve as the series progresses. We also get a glimpse into previous characters lives and what is going on with them now.
I liked the added drama of the problematic ex and his family. Seems like the author is heading towards reforming the half brother and maybe making him a major character in an upcoming book. Seeing as how I like how she changed and redeemed both Silver and Jami look forward to seeing how it will all come out.
The only thing about this book that I didn’t love was how it seemed to be used as a springboard, or more like excuse to introduce more gay/bi characters. It just kind of seemed like a little convenient. I will be curious to see how it all plays out in future books in the series.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Can you please share with us a little about yourself?
I’m pretty sure I get an A+ at talking about myself. 😉
Hi, my name is Sidney, and I have a deep love for books. I grew up traveling from rodeo to rodeo and a lot of the time my only companion was a book and my horse. No lie. It makes for a super active imagination, because when you have nothing else to play with, you can be pretty darn creative. That love of storytelling and imagination grew with me, and I wrote my first novel when I was still in elementary school. It was a romance, even though I didn’t really know what romance was. I didn’t truly embrace my romance writing ways until a few years ago, and well, I’ve jumped in the deep end of the pool!
I’m a closet crazy cat lady, owned by two rescued Maine Coons. I’m a tattoo addict and I crave Dr Pepper morning, noon and night. You can always find me on twitter, I’m something of a junkie, and I post a lot of my exploits in picture form on facebook. Clearly growing up in front of an audience has made me one of those social media fans.
Have you always wanted to be an author?
Not at first. My best friend growing up, and to this day, kind of tricked me into it. I was pretty socially awkward and clueless when I stopped traveling. She told me that the really popular kids all wrote when I was trying to get her to join the cheerleaders. I believed her and began writing. The rest, well, I’m living it!
Are you a plotter or a punster or combo of both? And you explain the difference?
I like to think of myself as a hybrid, but honestly I identify as more of a plotter. I do some pretty detailed world building, planning and mapping out calendars to be anything else. That said, I do allow for a certain level of fluidity and change in the middle of writing. If something works but it’s not on my outline, that’s okay. I can roll with it.
I’ve never heard the term “punster” but I’m assuming it’s the same as a pantser, which would be someone who writes by the seat of their pants, making it up as they go along and how the characters dictate the story.
What is your most interesting writing quirk?
Hmm. I’m not entirely sure. The one that really catches people off guard is when someone, another writer, friend, family member, etc, is around while I’m writing and I begin talking. You see, I live alone, so it’s not a big deal for me to just start talking to the cats about what’s going on or why something won’t work, but people react differently. I’ve had people attempt to reply, I blink at them totally not understanding why they’re talking to me. It’s amusing I guess.
Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?
I’m currently celebrating the print release of my first Taboo line book from Ellora’s Cave, Bound with Pearls. It’s a contemporary BDSM book that focuses on showing how the everyday kinky person lives and learns to love.
How did you come with the idea for this story?
I wasn’t sure that I could tell this story. I knew I wanted to write something BDSM, but despite my knowledge of the subject I wasn’t sure how it would translate to paper. I started out wanting to tell the story of two people with different family backgrounds meeting and falling in love. They just happen to be on the far side of kinky.
Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?
I’m currently working on my Christmas book. My titles always change so I won’t sure the working title at the moment. I can say that it includes a lot of Russian folklore, fae mythology and an abominable snowman who happens to be a few thousand years old enchanted Scotsman.
Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
I think the only author left that I gaga over who I haven’t met would be Seanan McGuire, who also writes as Mira Grant. Love her work.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Don’t be afraid to say no. There are some opportunities that sound so good, but you can’t make them work. There are some things people will ask you to do, and it’s okay to say no.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list.
I seriously want to go shark diving. Not like snorkeling with some Nurse Sharks, I mean full on cage diving with Great Whites. Someday. I kinda have to learn to swim first.
What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?
I just bought the latest Bound novella from Cynthia Eden and I am DYING to read it!
What is one book everyone should read before they die?
Dang. I’m torn between Mira Grant’s Feed, and Night of the Living Trekkies. Seriously. Awesome books.
What is your favorite time of year & why?
Because I live in Texas, where it’s 120 degrees in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter, I have to say I’m really fond of spring. Sure, it still gets upwards of 90 and into the low 100’s, but things are actually green and you can go outside for a while without frying to a crisp.
Who is your Celebrity crush? And what would you do if you ever meet them?
Normal Reedus. He was one of the MacManus twins and he also plays Daryl on The Walking Dead. I would probably ask him for a picture and try to act cool, but on the inside I would be a squealing fangirl.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks so much for having me! I wouldn’t have gotten this far into my dream of being an author without taking a few chances, so I highly encourage people to take a chance on something. You never know where the adventure will take you.
The last thing Christine wants to do is another favor for her sister, but Lucy always gets what she wants. This time it’s Chris playing sub to a demanding Dom. Their relationship begins with a power exchange and progresses to time spent between the sheets. Now emotions are getting complicated and the Dom isn’t just a hunky guy in black.
Daniel’s expectations are turned upside down when he meets Chris. She’s more than a well-trained submissive. She’s a woman with a body he wants to memorize. He’s willing to spend as much time as it takes to learn her, because she might be his match and his muse. He’ll make her come so hard he’s imprinted on every inch, and then he’ll offer her the most precious thing he can, himself.
BOOK TRAILER:
ABOUT SID:
It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.
