Wow! This woman, Ms. Kresley Cole, can write anything. I began reading her action packed-under and above the covers- Immortals After Dark series many years ago. I read quite a few, then put her books on hold for a while. I came back last year and have nearly completed IAD. As we Geminis love to do, we read at least five books at one time (depending upon our mood). In doing this, I thought I would try Ms. Cole's earlier works after having recently completed her new-amazing-contemporary erotica series, The Game Makers. Knowing how great she handled Contemporary in addition to Paranormal Romance, I had faith that her earlier works-The MacCarrik Brothers trilogy- would be fantastic. Well, I can honestly say that I placed my faith in good hands because this series, so far, is really wonderful. For those who like non-paranormal romance, don't mind period pieces with minimal historical details, and more detailed erotic scenes with brawny, sensual, loving, alpha-males who happen to be Kilt wearers, then this is your series. This book of three, is well written, has a good story line, is erotic but tasteful, and is an easy read! I highly recommend it. There is just a special way that Ms. Cole, and only Ms. Cole, writes sex scenes that are the most unique and erotic in general romance. I have never read anyone else that writes them like she does. It's strange because the scenes are so normal and vanilla, but they make you puddle on the floor every time. And oh yeah, did I mention there's an actual plot that takes up most of the book! I know, right?! Amazing how now we can get a two-for-one deal in today's literature. This book is indeed a "kilt lifter" not a " bodice ripper." Just to clarify ;) But not a cheesy Harlequin; one of few genres I detest vehemently. Yes, there is a clear distinction. So, check this first book out via Overdrive, it's free! You can't go wrong with that, especially if you are new to her works. Enjoy what's under the kilt, I mean cover ;)

I started this with some trepidation, because of unpleasant spoilers I'd read. In the end though, I decided it worked about as well as Deeper -- which is to say mostly, but in a slightly lopsided way.

In Deeper, I thought Caroline's journey was very well done, but West didn't make a lot of sense to me. Here it was the other way around. West's portrayal as someone who hasn't been able to hope for anything for himself since he was ten years old, who's been used and abused by everyone with power over him, was very strong. And I was really happy with how he started to find what was important to him and work for it.

Caroline was more oblique to me, perhaps because I didn't really agree with her justifications for her decisions about West -- her decisions about how she wants to deal with her past and the rest of her life are much clearer -- and because I found her behavior towards West invasive and even violent. I was surprised at how much West let her get away with and wondered if he just didn't really notice because he's so used to being treated badly.

I found the end something of a letdown because although both are taken in a very good direction, there seems to be a lot from West's past that hasn't really been addressed. I dislike the idea of a third book so I'd just as soon let it go, but it felt incomplete.

 

On balance, I don't think it was as good as Deeper, but still very worth reading, and with a notably different happy ending.

I think the goal here was to write an NA book with all the emotional power, but none of the cringy sexist/insane themes that permeate the genre. It succeeded very well.

The Golden Couple starts off right where The Samantha Project left off.  There was no lag in the storyline and there was an unexpected side of Brittany that was very welcomed.  The group, still on the run, deals with a few unexpected setbacks but there’s no stopping them.   The connection between Samantha and Erik is even stronger than before but with some trepidation now that Colin is back in the picture.

 

There is a new piece of the puzzle in connection with the genetic enhancements.  One that is shocking and a bit disturbing but bringing the science fiction feel full circle.  More deaths, accidents and secrets abound.  Accomplices that you never would have expected show their faces bringing the extent of GlobalLife Genetics intertwining in Samantha’s life front and center in a bewildering way.

 

As I had stated in my review of The Samantha Project, bits of this story remind me of the TV show Kyle XY.  This isn’t a bad thing.  I really enjoyed that show as did my family.  Unlike the first book, sexuality is touched on a bit more but thankfully not in way that would make you blush while reading nor did it take away from the storyline.  It has its place and it’s dealt with in rather a nontypical way.  Think about it; you have a genetically enhanced female and a genetically enhanced male…why would GLG want them together?   Better yet, why wouldn’t they want them together?

 

Again, a good story that kept me reading from start to finish.  I am again looking forward to reading the next book in the series.  It’s not many series that keeps my interest like this, usually I’m ready to go on to something else or the fizz has started to fizzle.   Instead, there is a whole lot more to this story and I can only wonder where the author will take the characters the next go-around. 

 

I recommend this to all.  It’s a good YA story that will satisfy any age of reader and as a mother, I would not have any problem with my 14 year olds reading it and on the same token I think my 44 year old husband would enjoy it.

A pretty good story, well paced and suspenseful, though quite light on the romance. I was kind of intrigued by the backstory of the heroine, Zoe, a somewhat lost and downtrodden young mother with a history of unsuccessful relationships. As the story begins, she is trying to get ahead in life through marriage to a wealthy man and unfortunately, we never do get a chance to see whether she will pull her life together on her own.But my biggest complaint is that everyone in the story is so gullible and non-suspicious, including the private eye hero, who should be experienced enough to know better. Doesn't pretty much everyone know at this point that someone who tries to be especially helpful about solving a crime is considered suspicious? (This is not a spoiler, since we know from the very beginning of the story who the villains are.) But the private eye doesn't think about this til the book is almost done. And Zoe ignores/excuses all sorts of odd things the villain does, ignoring every inkling that Something is Not Right. And it's a small plot point, but if I were the parents of a child who'd been found after being kidnapped and abused, I wouldn't let any stranger visit him in his hospital room, no matter how good their story was. Obviously the characters of this story don't read enough thrillers.