Hello and good morning my fellow followers,
it has been a bit quiet on my blog due to personal reasons and a lots of stuff has happening in the background. But I’m now here with a few reviews. :3
Since the book series Man Up by Felice Stevens is connected I’ve decided to do a series review. So you get not one, not two but three book reviews. 🙂
See also here my release blitz posts for additional information like excerpts and cool teaser pictures.
Double Release Blitz: Austen & Rhoades – Undeniable
Release Blitz: Frankie – Unforgettable
Happy reading. 😉
Austin by Felice Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
I can make it by myself. The only rules I follow are my own. Love? I learned that lesson the hard and painful way it wasn’t right for me. Sure, sometimes it gets lonely and I wish I had a man to hold. Who’d love me. Want me. Treat me with respect. Yeah, I dance in a club but that doesn’t mean I’m easy. Or a fool. So you, sitting in the back, watching me? I know what you want. You want me. In your bed. Under you. But I say no. It doesn’t matter how many presents you give me.
I’m not falling for you. I know who you are. But you don’t know me. You don’t know Austin.This is a 14,000 word CLIFFHANGER story. It is a start to a new series, entitled Man Up. The next book in the series is Rhoades—Undeniable
As the blurb says Austin is a short book, kind of a prequel to the whole Man Up series.
I liked how we were with Austin, reading from his POV. The whole concept of the guys dancing in a club, being close to people, let them touch them but aren’t emotionally touched is interesting and something I really like.
Felice Stevens creates with the short novella a promising start of what we can expect in the next full book and the way the book ends is a mean cliffhanger. 🙂
I was really into the way how Austin was captured by the mysterious man who’s name remains unknown until the next book in the series. He is a riddle, you don’t know as the reader if he’s a good guy or if he tries to harm Austin. The tension and the need to reveal the guy’s identity makes the book thrilling to the end.
Although shown in a glimpse, it’s right there how well Austin and the other guys are with each other and that they are like a big, caring family. :3
For this I give 5 out of 5 stars. 🙂
Rhoades—Undeniable by Felice Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
Rhoades
Loneliness. The pain doesn’t simply go away with time. It’s been years, and they tell me I need to move on. But I can’t.
Blame and regret are my constant companions. Until I see him in the spotlight and everything changes. Night after night, I watch him dance. Thinking about him.
What he’d feel like.
What he’d taste like.
And now that I know, I want him even more.
And maybe…just maybe, he might want me too.
But not yet.
Not before he knows he’s more than a pretty face. Not before he knows what he means to me. I need him by my side.
The two of us.
Together.Austin
Why can’t I forget him? His hands touching me. His mouth on mine. Kissing me. Rendering me mindless.
Breathless.
Every night I lay awake burning for him. Dreaming. Thinking. Needing him.
No—I don’t. I don’t need anyone.
I lie.
I want him.
I want more. I am more. He’s seen that, and now here I stand with my dream on the horizon. All I need to do is take that first step. Trust him.
Trust myself.Rhoades begins immediately where Austin, Book one, left off
If you’ve wondered who’s the guy is who is after Austin, you get your answer right in book 2. I was hooked how the two books are connected. Imidiately after the events of book 1, book 2 sets in, it’s like a second chapter in a broadway show. 🙂
Rhoades is a character who’s pretty similar to former main characters Felice Stevens created. This isn’t a bad thing, quite the contrary. In fact, the way how he is displayed, as a successful business man but is living a lonely life is totally catching and your heart went towards him.
The conflict, that Rhoades has to accept a few things, to recognize he can’t buy everything with money, are greatly dealt with in the book and I liked how Austin and he are balancing each other. I really loved how Austin is clearly saying “no” to Rhoades – and he’s accepting it. No force behind, not sugarcoating that Austin says “no” but means “yes”. I really liked this dynamics and I was relieved when I saw how Rhoades was displayed when a first of those scenes appeared.
The book has, of course, a lots of hot sex, but it’s more the character development which is in the focus. :3 I really love it.
As you can imagine the events of book three are set in this book too, although it focusses on a different couple. We have scenes which are just told because the POV is either switching from Austin to Rhoades, both times 1st person.
But the way these events with Frankie and Aaron are mixed into the second books let you be eagerly awaiting for book 3.
5 out of 5 stars for the emotional second book in the series, which you should totally read in one go. 🙂
Frankie—Unforgettable by Felice Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
Frankie
No one understands why I love him.
Why I need him.
Why I took him back.
But they don’t have to.
I know.
Despite the hurt and the heartache, I see beneath his skin.
And I’m different now.
No more Flirty Frankie. I’m done with being King of the club.
My dreams have changed, and so have I.
I’m stronger.
I believe in myself.
And I’m a hell of a lot smarter than a year ago.
Now it’s his turn to show me the man he really is.
To prove it.
I’ve always loved him.
But that’s not enough.
I need to learn to trust him.Aaron
No more excuses.
No more chances.
I make this right or lose him for good.
I have to do this.
No one has ever believed in me but him.
No one has ever wanted me but him.
I can’t let him down.
I won’t.
I can’t let myself down.
I’m trying, but it’s so damn hard.
No matter what they throw at me, I’m stronger.
And I’m going to make it.
I’m on my way.
With Frankie by my side.
I can see the future.
I have a future.
Us. Together.
Forever.
I am not sure if the book really should have been named Frankie and not Aaron. To be honest I wasn’t sure when I heard about Frankie’s story and his past with Aaron if I’d like it.
But the way how, again, Felice Stevens is showing the change in a character who has dealt with a lot of stuff in his past, dealing with loss, grief, anger, and other countless emotions, but finds a way out of the personal misery, is a great skill this author has.
I liked Aaron in many ways as much as I disliked him. He isn’t shown as a kind guy in the first moments, he did things I can just be shocked about but honestly after a while, after pondering about it, it becomes clear who’s the guy behind. That he is caring, he is kind, and has a beautiful soul.
Frankie is a character which I hadd problems with sometimes. He is flamboyant and shows off, in a different way than Austin from book 1 and 2; but sometimes Frankie appeared shallow, like just a shell; and soon it’s clear what’s Frankie searching for.
I was really impressed how the difficulties in a relationship but also for Aaron were displayed in the book. Aaron has to prove himself, show the world or at least the guys around him, he isn’t the violent man who is a danger for Frankie; Frankie has to prove that he isn’t sticking with Aaron just because it’s convenient, that he is really caring for Aaron and in a way, the book shows the growing of not one but two guys who learn to accept each other and themself.
5 out of 5 stars for this. 🙂
Mikku-chan 