The Striker's Chance

Review:

Holly is a self-employed PR professional. Kepler de Klerk is the person she is tasked with improving the image of. Kepler was the driver in an auto-accident that severely injured him and a teammate. He's been out of action for more than a year. Because he was the driver, he was blamed and harshly criticized for the accident and his former team released him to Charlotte Discovery.
I thought this was sweet. Kepler is not quite the person the tabloids made him out to be. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked that the romance (and later the sex) was a slower build. 
For Ripped Bodice Bingo: Soccer square!

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1777761/the-striker-s-chance

Emissary

Review:

I thought this was interesting. Short, the atmosphere/world building happens quickly. I was a little confused during this short novella due to that. This would have been better had it been longer and the world building more detailed. That said, Ahmeksut is an interesting character. She's kick-ass. I liked her companions; 2 lionesses Eburi and Sorqet.

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1777760/emissary

Five Things I Love About You

Review:

Estelle is apartment sitting for her brother. She happens to be a landscape architect and despises the city. Crosby is part of a family owned business currently struggling. It seems most of the businesses use the chain HVAC companies. 
This was short, sweet. Crosby got on my nerves for his sense of responsibility- he is of the opinion since he is the oldest child (3 younger brothers), he has the one solely responsible for the family's business. Estelle had a few moments where she was struck dumb by Crosby's "hotness." *Eye roll* I did like the end where each came to their own decision independently without knowing what the other did.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1777638/five-things-i-love-about-you

Free Falling

Review:

Better than the first book.
I liked that there's a lot happening; a rescue, mistaken identity, a stalker, a 2nd rescue, and a mystery. I have to admit the "mistaken identity" is one of my favorite tropes. Laurie and Ross do fall quickly, but it felt believable. I liked the 1920s style mystery. I liked Ross and Laurie's comprising. I liked Laurie rescue of Ross in the beginning. Laurie's ability was also a cool one.
What I didn't like/annoyed me: Laurie's stupidity. And her roommate's. The whole, we forget to lock out door! Or if we have to carry a key around we will lose it! Really?! Then, after the office gets ransacked, someone (walks right into) breaks into her home and does the same to her bedroom, and she gets pushed down the stairs; she STILL forgets to look the door? What?! And this leads to an event that later happens to Laurie and she needs to be rescued. 
I also thought the ending was a bit rushed. I would have liked to read about Ross and Laurie arriving to the conclusion they did. Earlier in the book, I thought that was a viable solution to Laurie's issue (not the door locking; she's promised her parents she will take over the chair of her family's charitable Foundation when she turns 30). It would have been interesting to read about the "light bulb" moment.
Bruiser, Sheila, Deepika, and Andrew were all decent supporting characters.

Ripped Bodice Bingo: Free Space

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1776224/free-falling

A Case of Possession

Review:

This picks up soon after the first book. Lucien and Stephen are still seeing each other, but both each have their own lives. Each have feelings that have gotten stronger, but do not know how the other feels. (Don't worry- they TALK in this one and are honest with how each feels).
Complicating matters are Lucien's family history and the power there. Because they are sleeping together, Stephen can draw on that power, leading his partner, to suspect he might be turning to the dark side. Stephen's partner, Esther has a decent roll in this one and I'm glad to read about her on the page.
One thing I liked was Stephen's friends, they loved and accepted him just as he was. I am interested in how they continue to progress.

Ripped Bodice Bingo:  Queer+Historical square

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1774924/a-case-of-possession

Lighting the Flames

Review:

A Hanukkah romance! Winter holidays in July!
I wanted to like this more than I did. The author's creation (with another person) is a website I adore (smartbitchestrashybooks.com). I liked Wendell's non-fiction books. This was her first romance.
I didn't really connect with Gen and Jeremy. I felt that they were immature. Definitely reads as a NA romance. 
What I did like was the Hanukkah aspect, I learned a bit.
For Ripped Bodice Bingo I am using this for the Summer Camp square- while I know this wasn't set exactly during a summer camp, it was set at location that hosts a yearly summer camp and both MC were attendants as children and staff as adults. The secondary characters were attendants/staff at previous summer camps (and now the special winter camp in which this is set).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1774458/lighting-the-flames

Death Defying

Review:

This opens with how Tannis met Rico.  It had been hinted at, but it was good to read about her background.  Their first meeting explains so much of their friendship.  More about the Church, the Council, Meridian, Trakis Seven, Trakis One.  Callum's character was an interesting one.  He started out as an asshole, I didn't like him, but gradually eventually I did.  Tannis and Callum have a bit of a slow burn romance (if you count about a week).  There are new characters in this one and the death of 2.  I'm enjoying this series.  I like how each is about a couple, but there is a huge underlying story-line the connects each book.  I also love how the characters are in each one.  Think Firefly.  This is a chosen family.

Spoilers behind page break (mainly for my memory to help keep things straight).

For my memory
Book 3 ends as they (purposfully) were swallowed by the black hole by Trakis One (the prison planet). They discover Trakis One (the ship from earth). Tannis gets her Meridian treatment. "Meridian" are alien life forms; I was a bit confused about what exactly it *is*
Rico (vampire) + Skylar (Meridian-ite; for lack of a better word)- book 1
Al AKA Alex (former high priestess of the Church, now turned werewolf) + Jon (former assassin+werewolf) book 2; find out they are expecting in book 3.
Tannis (GM; human +snake DNA, captain) + Callum (Meridian-ite, the first to find it and have it "latch on." He has wings) Book 3
Daisy - GM- human with plant. She is green. She's very kind, but protective of her family.
Janey- red hair, computer Genius hates men, has a story (I think she killed her husband, ?abusive?)- murdered book 3
The Trog- AKA Tristan Starke, brother of Devil who is the leader of the Resistance. Murdered in book 3
Devlin- "joined" the crew in book 3

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1774317/death-defying