Cat Grant

La prima cosa vera si presenta come una variazione di una storia vista parecchie volte (il prostituto che si innamora del cliente), ma sarebbe stato carino se non presentasse alcuni difetti che mi hanno fatto storcere il naso.

Punto primo, sono rimasta infastidita da questa mania di Cameron, l’escort, di gongolare sulle dimensioni del suo pene e sulla capacità del suo culo. Siamo tutti contenti per te, tesoro, ma quest’esaltazione fine a se stessa non ti rende più simpatico. Sarà una quisquilia, ma davvero fastidiosa.

Il secondo punto è più grave: in diversi dialoghi, Grant rende evidente di aver bisogno di troncare la conversazione e non si fa scrupoli di tagliarla bruscamente, lasciando il lettore stordito. Inoltre, ha la mania di riportare in dettaglio qualunque cosa mangino o cucinino i personaggi: sembra di stare su Giallo Zafferano! L’insieme dà l’idea di ingenuità: dove sarà stato l’editor? Per non parlare poi di questa scemenza del blog, del quale si riporta un post prima di ogni capitolo e che ha come unico scopo quello di sistemare in qualche modo un finale troppo tirato via.

Infine, c’è la questione della prostituzione. Possibile che il leitmotiv sia sempre “non posso stare con te se fai sesso a pagamento”? Insomma, chi si prostituisce è condannato alla solitudine? Mi piacerebbe leggere un finale diverso, una volta tanto, uno nel quale il partner accetta di stare accanto all’uomo che si prostituisce (o qualunque sia la combinazione di generi nella coppia). Ci sono un sacco di varianti possibili per non scrivere sempre la solita storia, anche nell’ambito della letteratura d’evasione, coglietele, benedetti autori!… (meer)

Average : 2,41 stars

Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne - 1.5 stars
Blake is an asshole, his change of heart appears from nowhere. Parker is not well-defined.

Resilient Heart by Annabeth Albert - 3,5 stars
Realistic approach all along, that was excellent. Despite being all stated, something didn't work for me when it comes to make me feel the MCs's emotional state, most of all regarding Xander and his medical condition

Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews - 4 stars
Very well written. A fantastic work of immersion in a geographically determining background; the action side was excellent too, even scary.

Storm Out by Brit Blaise - 1 star
Bad to the max.

Civilian Master by Cassandra Carr - 1,5 stars
It would have been sort of more tolerable without so many «holy moly» internal thoughts to set what was obvious.

His Guarded Heart by Lia Davis - 1.5 stars
It was so rushed that I couldn't believe the story.

Hometown Hero by Sasha Devlin - 2,5 stars
This light comedy was nice, specially after three fiascoes.

Blood & Peyote by Rhi Etzweiler - 2 stars
Tiring as a result of an overdose of mystic melange.

Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse - 2 stars
I didn't buy too much the CO's willingness in the event of the risks that interpreters confront; the same with the implied easiness to move between countries for Balkhi.

The Houseboy: Initiation by Amelia C. Gormley - No rating
Not my kinks at all; hence, no rating.

The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant - 3 stars
This is the last of a trilogy, and I have not yet read the two previous books. Even so the story is well structured and, although there're hints to said books, it admits to be read as stand-alone.

Irresistible Forces by EM Lynley - 3 stars
The reconnection between the MCs, after six years, is too smooth. Besides, the last part was very mushy to be about soldiers and considering my low tolerance for purple prose, that influenced on my rating a lot.

Flight Risk by L.A. Witt - 3,5 stars
Sexy and emotional, with very interesting MCs and an even more interesting conflict core, even if the lack of alternatives for Aaron was exaggerated. -there're alternative therapies to painkillers such like chiropractic, acupuncture et al-. Obviously that lack sustains the plot, but that omission in a allegedly realistic story is no mean feat.… (meer)

Although the beginning lulls you in, this is not an easy read, by which I mean, substance abuse, addiction, and living with an addict are rough subjects to handle in a romance novel, but the author handles that and the kink elements with grace, even the ugly bits. She pulls no punches. Nor should she.

As a result, I read the last part all at once because I wasn't going to bed until after the epilogue!

(The cover I have is different, with L. A. Witt as the author rather than her pseudonym Cat Grant, as on the edition here.)… (meer)