The Unwanted Wife Review

 

4.5 stars

WARNING: This is going to be a long-winded review with a few rants thrown here and there, and will certainly contain some spoilers.

I call this my "angst done right" book. Very angsty and very emotionally charged read, which could have been a disaster if it wasn't for the fact that the author did a good job with the characterization and the pacing of the story. I read it in one sitting and I was captivated with both Theresa and Sandro's story from start to finish.

First off, the story. Sandro was basically blackmailed into marrying  Theresa by Theresa's father in exchange for something that Sandro wants very badly. Thinking that Theresa was in on the scheme, Sandro proceeded to make Theresa pay for her father's sins by making her life a living hell. He was downright cruel and hateful to her during this time. This went on for 18 months until Theresa decided she had enough and asks for a divorce. In other words she grew a backbone.

Let me tell you, the first half of this book was difficult to read. I couldn't believe how much Theresa had to endure during those 18 months when all she really did was to fall in love her husband who didn't want her. I felt for her but at the same time I was also angry at her for being so gullible and for being a victim. Not fair to do to a book character but there I was, fuming silently and cursing my cousin for bullying me into reading this book. 

Well, it turns out that this victim mentality started way back during her childhood where she was constantly being rejected by her father. And let me tell you, though I hated Sandro for what he did, I hated her father more. He was downright cruel and not once did he show remorse. He was the one who instigated the deal and led Sandro to believe that Theresa was in on it.

Her ass for a father gave an out to the deal. If Theresa can produce a son, then the deal is off and Sandro can have his freedom and the thing he wanted the most. So on and on it goes. For 18 months, Sandro doesn't kiss Theresa even during sex, he doesn't touch her outside the bedroom, goes on to ignore her until he wants sex of course--and get this, every time they finish doing the business, he says the same thing over and over, 'Give me a son, Theresa.' For 18 months every time they have sex, he says those words afterwards.

Ugh, I hated Sandro at first but I was happy when he finally manned up and realized how wrong he was about his wife. Don't worry, us, readers don't actually get to see those whole 18 months play out. It was all part of Theresa's inner monologue and it comes up during her conversations with Sandro as well. So the reader gets the whole picture of those 18 months without actually reading the whole thing, if you get my drift.

Anyway, as I've said, I was happy with this book and I've grown to love Sandro. You really get to understand his motivation and you will know why he did those things. Not that it was an excuse or anything but the author was able to paint a flawed, believable and most importantly, a redeemable character in Sandro.

Theresa, I also loved because she did grow a backbone. I wasn't annoyed at her for keeping Sandro at arms length and disbelieving her husband when he finally tried to win her back. I mean, if I was in her place, going through what she did with her father and Sandro, I would be very suspicious too. I was actually glad she made him suffer a bit.

So overall, a very satisfying read. I have long since forgiven my cousin for forcing me to read this, like, four hours ago. And oh, there is a short but sweet epilogue, which was absolutely wonderful. I cried during the epilogue but it was happy tears. 

Divide & Conquer Review

Blurb

Baltimore, Maryland, is a city in alarming distress. Rising violence is fanning the flames of public outrage, and all law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are catching blame. Thus the FBI’s latest ideas to improve public relations: a municipal softball league and workshops for community leaders. But the new commitments just mean more time Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have to spend apart when they’re happily exploring how to be more than by-the-book partners.

Then the latest spate of crime explodes in their faces—literally—throwing the city, the Bureau, and Ty and Zane’s volatile partnership both in and out of the office into chaos. They’re hip-deep in trouble, trying to track down bombers and bank robbers in the dark with very few clues, and the only way to reach the light at the end of the tunnel together requires Ty and Zane to close their eyes and trust each other to the fiery end.

My Review

Let me just say that I didn't think it was possible for me to fall more in love with Ty and Zane or this series until I read this book. No joke. I'm pretty sure, I'm going to say that again in the upcoming books but for now, that's where I stand.

Emotions, emotions, emotions. I do love it when a book pulls out a myriad of emotions out of me. This book did it for me. One minute I was happily squeeing, the next minute, I felt like crying and wanting threw my Kindle across the room (yes, I'm talking about you, cliffhanger, you!!) Okay, that was a bit melodramatic but you know what I mean.

I was really happy with Ty and Zane's relationship in this book until that...oh, never mind! I felt for Ty more so than with Zane at first. Zane frustrated me a bit since the last book and he had to go through that momentary blindness just so he could realize his feelings for Ty. But I really did feel his vulnerability especially during that awful blindness thing. *shudder* It was ironic but fitting that he had to lose his sight just he could see how much he loved Ty. That sounded really corny but what the heck, I'm just going with the flow here. LoL!

The moment Ty told his recon buddies about him and Zane, I was so nervous for him and felt relieved when they took it really well. I was a little pissed at Owen but he was like a non-entity to me so I got over that really quickly. But Nick, hmm, Nick was a different matter entirely. I mean, dude, what the hell! He had the nerve to tell Ty he wished Ty had told him sooner? And what was that, "if you got tired of waiting for him, you know where to find me," crap? And the things he said about Zane when he didn't know him well enough? Not cool.

Another thing that wasn't cool? Those bombers. Yeah, I know some people think that was a weak plot device, but considering the things that happened recently, it's entirely plausible for bored teenagers with money and time to those things. I loved the action sequences in this book especially when with Zane getting caught in that blast. Of course, let's not forget what happened to Bronco! Poor Bronco! Poor Ty!

Hallmark card moments...hmm...It's safe to say that this book had them in spades. I squeed, and I oohhed, and I ahhed each time when there was winking, holding, spooning involved. I'm not just talking about the sex, although those were freakin' hot, I'm talking about the tender moments when they were being open and vulnerable to each other.

And that dance? Gosh, that was my favorite moment I think. I mean, I know the song that they danced to wasn't mentioned but I thought this song, All I Want Is You from U2 was the perfect for them. That song had been playing in my head since yesterday and I just had to share it. That moment was a definite highlight for me.

But the ending...I know they're going to be together but I still wasn't happy with that ending. I do not appreciate the rug being pulled under me. :(

Anyway, still a 5-star read for me despite the cliffhanger, and yes, I'm going to start book 5 ASAP, like tomorrow. Reading list be damned!
 

Lover Undercover Review!!

 4 1/2 stars!

Folks, we have another winner from Samanthe Beck! Seriously, this girl has some serious writing chops.

To her credit, she didn't write another rehash of Private Practice, which I appreciate. Although, her trademark humor is still there,  Lover Undercover has a more serious tone to it than PP and of course, there was a bit of mystery added to the story as well, which we'll get into later.

Kylie and Stacey Roberts are twins. Kind of like the Wakefield twins but from the wrong side of town, who came to Los Angeles to find fame and fortune. Kylie is the "good" twin, aptly, nicknamed as Saint Kylie, who works as a yoga instructor and self-appointed rescuer of Stacey, the "bad" twin. Stacey works as a stripper at a club. So when Stacey broke her ankle during an altercation with a customer, she asked Kylie to step in as Stacey so she could keep her job.

Ever the "good" twin, Kylie relented but after finding a dead body in the parking lot of the club, their simple charade just got complicated. Now, Kylie as Stacey just became a person of interest in a murder investigation and one very hot, very perceptive detective is intent to finding out why two Stacey's customers ended up dead.

Turns out, the dead bodies were only part of Kylie's problem because aside from keeping up the charade of pretending to be her twin, Kylie is seriously attracted to hottie detective, Trevor McCade. Can't say I blame her. Trevor is one hot and oh, so swoon-worthy hero. He's alpha without being over the top, and he is also very sweet and protective of Kylie. And being the observant guy that he is, he knows that something didn't quite add up about Kylie.

Oh, what fun they both have while trying to find out who the killer is. I mean, with all those private lap dances, the frisking going on, I seriously wondered how in the heck are they going to find the killer? But then I really didn't mind whether or not they would solve the case at all. LoL! All I wanted to do was read about Trevor getting a lap dance from Kylie (very hot and very well written) and Kylie getting frisked by Trevor (very naughty) than finding out who the killer is, you know what I mean? 

So that's basically how I feel about the mystery aspect of the story. It was there but it wasn't really the center of the story. It was more like an afterthought or a set-up to Trevor and Kylie's HEA. I really didn't mind. I went into reading this book wanting to read about a hot romance between a detective and his witness and that's what I got. In spades. So I was very happy with how it turned out.

And the epilogue? Well, let's just say, I certainly wouldn't mind getting my own hot guy to do a private strip --- er, dance for me, if you know what I mean.

You don't have to be beautiful
To turn me on
I just need your body baby
From dusk till dawn
You don't need experience
To turn me out
You just leave it all up to me
I'm gonna show you what it's all about

You don't have to be rich
To be my girl
You don't have to be cool
To rule my world
Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with
I just want your extra time and your

Kiss


ARC provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.