Tag Archive | brooding male

Crux Untamed (Hades Hangman #6) by Tillie Cole–Review

Mar2

Crux Untamed was one of my most anticipated reads! I knew when I read the blurb that I just had to read it. I was curious from the beginning of the dynamic duo of Cowboy and Hush. Cowboy’s outgoing personality and Hush’s calm and quiet demeanor pulled at me making me wonder what was going on underneath. As soon as I heard that Sia was Ky’s sister, I knew I had to have more.

This book…(smh)…man, this book was everything. It destroyed me in the best way possible. It was dark, gritty, uncomfortable, emotional (totally cried here), passionate and the underlying storyline was magnificent.

“Kärleken ser inte färger. Bara rena hjärter.” 

(“Love doesn’t see colors. Just pure hearts.”)

Our three leads are Sia (Elysia), Cowboy and Hush and I LOVED them. They stole my heart and had no concerns with giving it back. Prior to reading, Cowboy and Hush had me intrigued equally. While reading though, Hush, massacred my existence and slowly became my #1 go to guy of the series. Don’t get me wrong, I have other favorites, but Hush will always have an extra piece of my heart.

hush cowboy and sia.jpg

Tillie Cole mentioned that Jesse Williams, Kellan Lutz and Amber Heard were her inspiration for the characters. She did a pretty spot on job with description and transferring that into reader visualization.

“Three sets of blue eyes, all different. All who have walked different paths…All who have seen the full spectrum of life-the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

Sia is the sister to Ky, VP Hades Hangman. When she was seventeen years old, she got into some trouble and drew the attention of Juan Garcia (Mexican cartel). Ky and Styx (Pres of Hades Hangmen) had to go in and kidnap her back. Since this time, she has been hidden on a farm where she happily works with horses, as her own form of equine therapy. Unfortunately, she is indirectly found by Garcia.

“You’re mine, rosa negra. And I’m never letting you go.”

The underlying story and bond between Cowboy and Hush is beautiful, shocking and outright emotional. These twenty-six-year-old Cajun twosomes hale from an incredibly small town in Louisiana. Through much bad blood and incredibly hard to imagine horrific circumstances, they meet and have created a bond so strong, that nothing will destroy it!

Despite the seriousness and emotionally heaviness of this book, Viking and Ky brought forth some much needed instances of laughter. Despite being distraught and tormented, Ky mentioned something that just had me laughing with tears.

“It’s the thought of those fuckers double-teaming you that makes me see red…You’re my baby fucking sister. Now you’re in bed with not one but two brothers, who quite honestly could be fucking each other too. All I see in my head whenever you three are mentioned is a conga line of pussy, cocks and assholes. It’s fucking with my head!”

Truthfully, in all out honesty, Crux Untamed, is one heck of a book. You have Sia, Cowboy and Hush each with their own individual issues/storylines, but then you bring together three different people and meld those storylines into an incredibly heart-wrenching, yet tragically beautiful story, you simply end up with perfection. Everyone has their own very specific role within this threesome, it was exquisite to read. Sia is a broken woman, Hush is a damaged and lonely man, while Cowboy is the free-spirited glue that holds them all together. It was striking to read of them evolving and changing and finding peace within themselves and their souls. A truly impactful story with much greater depth than two men and a woman in a relationship.

“I couldn’t have been prouder to wear the Hangmen patch. Because they were my family…After fighting my demons for so long, I let myself accept the truth. I belonged.”

Bravo to Tillie Cole for another well done Hades Hangman!!

“Live Free. Ride Free. Die Free!”

teaser of threeImage.png

Surprise Daddy by Nicole Snow–review

Jan3

Surprise Daddy bannerI, believe, I may have found another book boyfriend.  Marshal Howard is flawed with some rough edges. He’s an emotionally haunted man with dark, scarring thoughts that run through his system. He is the town ‘castoff’ (literally, this is one of the names the town calls him).  Marshal may have given up years ago, except for the one piece of sunshine is his life. His four-year-old daughter, Mia. When Marshal is in ‘dad mode’, holy heck, is he one tender, caring, loving and sexy man. He was sexy before in his tainted and broody stage, but when he goes into to dad made, watch out for exploding ovaries!!

Sadie is a twenty-one-year-old college student, who was guilt tripped into dropping out to come home and help take care of her mother. Her older brother couldn’t be bothered to help, so he did what he needed to do so Sadie would come home. Sadie is a very sweet girl, who when able to is able to display her spunky ways. There are issues at home where most everybody walks on eggshells. It’s when she takes a job for the ‘Castoff’, that her true personality comes through. She is Mia’s new nanny, and there’s wonderfully touching scenes between the two.

This is a very multi-dimensional book. It is a romance; however, it is also an angsty, action packed, emotionally brooding read with surprises built in. I enjoyed this book, but there were some plotline issues with inconsistencies. The story pace overall was well paced. However, there were a couple times that seemed to be rushed. I felt that I might’ve blinked to long and missed something. Somethings didn’t feel like they made sense, for example, Sadie’s phlebotomy student position. It almost felt like it was written to just get the initial interaction between Sadie, Marshal and Mia. The last two things that felt out of place, is the actual title of the book and the cover itself. I am COMPLETELY not complaining about the model, because he seems to fit the Marshal mold. Keep in mind, this book is angsty, broody and emotional, I felt like the cover a little too bright and cheerful (brightness wise).

Overall, there were many positives that would overshadow those few hiccups. The interaction between Marshal and Mia, was completely swoon worthy. His love for his daughter is completely evident and show you his true heart underneath all that hurt, despair and pain from ghosts past and present. Once you are done reading, you get a nice ‘Ahhhh’ moment. All issues have been tied up with a little bow and all is as it should be.

4-stars

Vicious by LJ Shen

May3

30839185

Wow, where to start? Ok, here’s what I can say. I finished this book about a week ago and it left me with the BIGGEST hangover, ever. It is emotionally heavy, yet light at the same time. Feelings run the whole gamut on this one. I feel like I’m still trying to digest this book, but in a good way. There was so much content in it, it will hook you immediately.

Vicious received his name for a reason. He was mean, disrespectful and had a vicious tongue.  The thing is, he was made into this person, by his surroundings and people whom he interacted with.  He was brought up with a dad who wasn’t present, despite living in the same house and a stepmother who was only worried about her current wealth.  He didn’t experience love, kindness or the human touch.

“…love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances. The passion is the same. The pain is the same.”

Emilia is a sweet, southern girl who has a little sass to her. She is an artist trying to make it in the city.  She hasn’t seen any of the ‘HotHoles’ in 10 years, specifically Vicious.  She bumps into him while at an art gallery with her friend.  From this point on, it’s all systems go. Vicious has her in his sight and isn’t going to let go.

“He was toxic, poison, and he was going to kill everything beautiful in my life if I let him. He was the storm to my cherry blossoms.”

This book was INCREDIBLE! It will take you on a winding path full of emotions, twists and turns.  I, highly recommend it. If you haven’t read ‘Defy’ go ahead and pick that up as well.  It is a prequel for this book, but not necessary to have been read before this book.  It centers around Jamie Followhill and Melody Greene.

5 stars