Ace Security, Book #1
Heat Factor: It gets a little explicit
Character Chemistry: I hate them both
Plot: Rescue man saves demoralized, abused woman
Overall: I struggled so hard. But my eyeballs probably got their best ever workout with this book.
Steampunk Proper Romance, Book 4
Heat Factor: Their first kiss was boring
Character Chemistry: Hate and love are two sides of the same coin
Plot: It’s marketed as Steampunk Cinderella but it’s more enemies-to-lovers / bodyguard / road trip
Overall: DNF at 50%. I was slogging and then just couldn’t take it any more when Gus-Gus the friendly pumpkin farmer appeared.
Department of Second Chances, Book 1
Heat Factor: Just when I was beginning to suspect it would be no sex… BAM
Character Chemistry: There was so much going on in the suspense plot, the relationship between the protagonists was relatively superficial
Plot: FBI agent + attractive single mother + serial killer
Overall: I’m not entirely sure how to reconcile my feelings about the first half of the book (chilling serial killer drama) with my feelings about the second half of the book (why are these characters so frustrating?)
Heat Factor: The fire is banked.
Character Chemistry: It’s that snapping, snarling: “I hate you and everything you stand for, so why am I so horny around you?”
Plot: Trying to keep everyone’s heads attached to their bodies during the Reign of Terror
Overall: This book would have benefited significantly from better editing.
Heat Factor: It’s not ‘hot’, but don’t let it deter you.
Character Chemistry: You hope she’ll fall for the hero but there’s so much else going on it’s not a sole focus.
Plot: Louise Archer gets jilted by her unseen suitor at the last possible moment by telegram and decides to hop on the train as planned anyway so she can convince him to change his mind. But when she lies to a US Marshal and ends up in a dismal little town in desperate need of saving, Louise can’t help but jump right in…
Overall: This is not a steamy, relationship-driven romance but it’s darn good and it sticks with you.
