31.3.14

Blind Space by Marie Sexton

Blind Space by Marie Sexton
Stars: 4/5

Length: 164 pages
Blurb
Captain Tristan Kelley enjoys the luxuries of Regency service, as well as the pleasure of his Prince’s bed. It’s an easy life, if not a happy one. When the Prince decides to take a trip through the perilous Blind Space, Tristan must go with him, but somebody in the Prince’s guard is a traitor.

Blind and held prisoner, Tristan finds himself at the mercy of Valero, a pirate who bears no love for the Regency. Valero is determined to seduce Tristan, and Tristan fears his resolve won’t last. His duty is clear, but so is his desire. As the days tick by with no word or ransom from the Regency, Tristan begins to question what loyalty means to his Prince, the Regency he’s sworn to, and to the man who holds him captive. He begins to realize that being a prisoner may actually set him free.


Note: I read the previous edition (pictured) but Sexton recently re-released it with a new cover and edits (linked to above).

Overall
This story may start a little slow but ends with a BAM that absolutely makes it worthwhile.

Review
I love Sexton's stuff, so when I first started Blind Space, I was a little disappointed. It was good, but it didn't have the same clean writing and style that I was used to. And by the halfway point, I was starting to get concerned--it seemed like the story was winding down...

But Sexton did not disappoint. For one, the writing seemed to pick up as Tristan gained his freedom and made some freeing realizations. I'm not sure if this was done on purpose or subconsciously, but it worked to make the story pick up just as the action did. And boy did the action pick up!

My fears of the last half of the story dragging (because everything had been resolved, right?) were blown away. I slammed through the second half of this book and even pushed my bedtime back a little so I could finish it. And, in true Sexton style, it made me all soft and hard inside. I'll admit, I giggled at one point.

And the sex scenes? Very sexy. Very sensual. Very hot. Sexton also balanced two oversexed characters with not oversaturating the story with sex scenes, making the scenes more enjoyable (especially after all that build up). Plus Tristan's 'naughty' little secret. That was a lovely little bit.

And my favorite line: “He wasn’t demanding my submission—he wasn’t even asking for it—but I knew it would be accepted if I chose to give it. The firmness of his grip on my head, the softness of his touch…”

But it's the plot and story that really grabbed me and had me dragging my tired eyelids over the last dozen pages. It went places I didn't expect...and yet weren't completely unexpected. It was a fantastic surprise.

Even before the 'twist' there was some nice psychological commentary that I appreciated and that felt like a turning point to the story. It could have just as easy done without that chapter, but it also felt like it secured Tristan and Valero's relationship, so I wanted to give a nod of approval.

2.3.14

Caught by A.B. Gayle

Caught by A.B. Gayle
Stars: 3/5

Length: 122 pages
Blurb
When Daniel's invalid landlady asks for his help preventing a possible suicide from the clifftop near their home, he doesn't want to disappoint her. So he grits his teeth, picks up his camera, and goes out to play the Chinese tourist. He's done it before: befriended the lonely, lured them away from the danger zone, acted as a safety net.

This time, the figure staring out to sea is way out of his league, his complete opposite, the sort of man Daniel's always admired from afar. Then the attractive Taylor turns the tables and lures Daniel out from behind the safety of his camera, and as Daniel finds himself fighting off an attraction he can't deny, he realizes he's in danger of being caught. Will the camera expose truths about himself that he wants to keep hidden?


Overall
A fairly delightful story that suffers from a hardcore case of Insta-Love. Otherwise, it’s enjoyable, sweet, and has a warm message at the core.

Review
I enjoyed this tale from beginning to end, but it also made me roll my eyes something fierce. If you believe in love at first sight, then you’ll be fine, but if not...tread carefully. I still think the story is worth reading, but these two men fall hard and fast for each other (and I don’t just mean in the bedroom!).

Daniel and Taylor have a great dynamic, although sometimes Taylor toes the line with his bossy-ness (but never crosses it). They bring out the best in each other and their interactions show an honest connection that can easily lead to love. I just thought the leaps there were a little fast.

Still, the unfolding story, the ex, the motivating introduction--these all built up a pleasant, although oftentimes dark, story that played across my ereader delightfully. The passion of these two men, at their pasts, each other, and jerk exes, were great. However, the problems I had with it (which was rather pivotal to the storyline, or at least was a focus) couldn’t bump it above a 3-star rank, although I couldn’t go any lower for this little gem either.