Dawn Ryder (1)

Wow. From the love interest's name, Syon, to the lack of any good feeling toward women, I hated the part of this book that I read. I'm pretty sure that this author doesn't like women at all, doesn't know how amazing and strong they really are.

The love interest is a bad boy rocker who continues to kiss the protagonist, Kate, even though she says no every time. Syon (ugh) and his bandmates talk shit about women constantly. Kate's characterization is inconsistent at best, and no one in the story treats her well.

I have no idea why a woman who started her own business and has a reputation as a consummate craftsperson would agree to travel on a tour bus with a man (and his friends) who treat her with so little respect. Oh, and she apologizes for shit that's not her fault. I will not be reading any of this author's other books.… (meer)

Rock Steady
4 Stars

Rock guitarist for the phenomenally successful band, Toxsin, Matthew Brimer aka Ramsay, has women falling all over themselves for him. Annoyed by his inability to commit, Ramsay's latest short-lived conquest tricks him into getting a completely inappropriate tattoo. When sparks fly between Ramsay and Jewel Ryan, the gifted tattoo artist hired to fix the eyesore, he convinces her to join the band on tour.

One of those rare cases where the sequel is significantly better than the first book as the irritating issues in Rock Me Two Times, i.e., the rampant misogyny and doormat heroine, are absent here.

As with many reformed rakes, Ramsay's womanizing ways conceal a painful past and a fear of rejection. In Jewel, he is both terrified and delighted to have found a woman who sees past his flirtatous facade to the lonely man in search of a real connection.

Unlike Kate in book #1, Jewel has sufficient self-respect to recognize that becoming involved with Ramsay will only lead to heartbreak. She makes him work hard to win her heart and her trust, and calls him out on his attitude when necessary.

Unfortunately, it appears that Dawn Ryder has decided not to continue with the series so Taz and Drake's stories are left unresolved.… (meer)

Rock Me Two Times
2 Stars

Reading this book reminded me of all the reasons I dislike the rock star genre.

The rampant misogyny is overwhelming with each and every male character in the book treating the heroine as well as every other woman in the book as an object to be ogled, fondled, and commented on disparagingly.

The heroine starts out well with an intriguing profession and an admirable sense of self-possession, but rapidly devolves into a doormat who voluntarily relinquishes her agency, and actually acknowledges doing so because she is besotted with a sexy rock star.

So, why the 2 stars?

Well, there is some character growth for the hero and some of his bandmates who come to realize that they are arrogant sexist jerks; the romance has potential, and the minor suspense plot has a satisfying resolution.

Nevertheless, if I hadn't been reading this book for 2 separate challenges it would have been a DNF.… (meer)

Dare You to Run is the second book in the Unbroken Heroes series. Vitus met Damascus when he rescued her from kidnappers, and then they began a very erotic relationship leading to their engagement, but Damascus's powerful father had other ideas. He threatened to make sure Vitus was killed if she followed through with their engagement. Damascus spent the next three years making Vitus believe she hated him in order to protect him from her father. Her plan to escape from her father is complicated when he promises his daughter to Carl Davis as a bribe for becoming his running mate in the next presidential election.
Damascus's and Vitus's paths cross again when the threat of kidnapping again becomes a problem for them both.
Once again, the erotic scenes are front and center in this book as with the previous book in the series. There are so many of them, that it almost becomes a distraction from the actual story. These books would be better with a little more story and a little less sex. Also this book suffers from and ending that comes out of the blue without much to make it believable. However, even with all of these problems, the light political intrigue makes this book worth reading.… (meer)