Kira Sinclair

As has often been the case for me with Harlequin’s Blaze line, the emphasis here on the physical aspect of a relationship didn’t entirely mesh with my own preference for a slow burn. The transition from disliking each other to being all over each other felt kind of abrupt, with not as much build up as I favor, for instance, fairly early on these two wind up in a situation where they’re isolated together, which I thought was an exciting plot twist, except it was utilized less to show the kind of team they could be together or getting to know each other on a deeper level, and instead mostly just served as an opportunity to get naked. They do have some deeper conversations later about scarring stuff from their pasts, I thought those scenes were well done and got me a little more on board with their potential as a couple.

Even though the romance in these Blaze books doesn’t tend to be paced in line with my sensibilities, I continue to occasionally dip into this older discontinued line because I’ve read plenty of Blazes where the storytelling itself still manages to engage me and that was the case here as well. I liked that the author gave Avery a very difficult moral conflict to navigate, facing pressure via blackmail, Avery’s career as well as proper care for her sister hang in the balance, those high stakes and some solid action scenes kept the pages turning.… (més)

Excellent frenemies to lovers book with a bit of suspense to complicate things. Meredith and Dominic have known each other since they were teenagers. Meredith is Nic's little sister's best friend, but she and Nic have rubbed each other wrong from the beginning. As they grew up, Meredith watched Nic turn into a womanizing bad boy intent on pleasure-seeking. Meanwhile, Meredith became a well-known investigative journalist. But whenever they meet, the sparks fly as Meredith makes no secret of her disapproval, and Nic eggs her on. Neither wants to admit that there are sparks of attraction simmering under the antagonism.

When Meredith receives a tip that Nic and his club are involved in human trafficking, she doesn't want to believe it. However, the evidence is overwhelming, and she storms his office to confront him. I could feel her disbelief and frustration at his blasé attitude and the anger that rolled off her as he blew her off.

Nic's frustration is evident. She could ruin everything if he doesn't find a way to head her off. Meredith doesn't know he uses his reputation as a cover for helping women escape abusive situations, and her misguided investigation could put everyone in danger. Their confrontation is intense, and Nic knows her well enough to believe she won't give up on the story. Telling the truth clears the air and ramps up their attraction to the breaking point.

Nic's backstory of why he helps abused women is heartbreaking. I ached for him and its lasting effects on his willingness to risk a relationship. He fears the worst when word comes that one of his rescues is missing. Meredith was with him when he found out and insisted on helping him find her. Working together to find Tessa brings them closer together and decimates their ability to resist their need for each other. I loved watching Nic realize that Meredith has worked her way past his walls. But when she's attacked while helping him, it brings back devastating memories, and he blames himself as he pulls away from her. I loved the emotional ending and laughed out loud at seeing Meredith confront him.… (més)

Another installment in the Island Nights series, Kara Sinclair again writes well with word choice, dialogue, and characters. I'm loving the island setting and can only imagine how beautiful it must be from the descriptions. In the first book I felt like I saw more of the resort, this book is a little more sheltered, but still it has its charm. The overall story was intriguing with why she was really there and how he was suspicious of her. The bad thing was to me there is too much insta-lust, followed by insta-love, especially in a short span. This wouldn't have been too bad if only they weren't constantly wanting each other, her even eyeing him when he comes into a room while they're fighting and angry with each other. Blaze isn't my preferred subprint, but this is a good one, as I especially liked the main characters. Eager to read the third and the last with Simon and Marcy.… (més)