Review: Wednesday ~ Kendall Ryan

Wednesday
Kendall Ryan
Contemporary Romance
Novella
Kendall Ryan Books/May 23, 2016

Hard-core fucking.

It’s not what I really want, but it’s all he has to offer. He’s filled with turmoil and heartache and regrets, but for two hours every Wednesday all he feels is me. How much I desire him, how desperate he makes me, how much I’d like things to be different between us. Real.

He used to be my best friend back before he got married. And now? Now, he’s a young widower. It would be wrong on so many levels to expect something more from him, so I give him what he needs. Dark, delicious fucking.

But I know I can’t keep this up. I’ve already given him my body, my soul. I want him to have my heart. It might drive him away forever, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. 

Wednesday is an angsty romp told from dual points of view. If you’re in the mood for something quick and dirty, you’ve found it. Proceed at your own risk.

Wednesday is a quick read, 107 pages according to Goodreads. The hero and heroine have known each other since they were children so they have a long, established history. Calling Shaw a hero is a stretch. Three times in my notes I used derogatory language when referring to him. It was ass, asshat and asshole. I was not a Shaw fan.

Chloe is Shaw's best friend and wants to be there for him. I totally get that. But he uses her. There's no other way to put it. He knows it. She knows it. He shows up at her place every Wednesday and they fuck. There's no other way to put it. They fuck, he dresses and leaves. It's physical for him. When we get Shaw's point of view, he tries to explain why he does this. He knows he is using her and he even agrees with my opinion of him being an ass. He says he needs her to fill the emptiness. As if he doesn't have her, he might fall apart and their physical connection is all he has to hold on to. It does make sense, in a way. He has so many emotions to deal with from his wife's death that he doesn't want to deal with any more. Instead, he only wants a physical release. But the fact that he knows he is only using Chloe, that is what bothered me. This is his best friend, someone he cares about. Even after he admits his mistakes and does some groveling, I'm still not a Shaw fan.

Chloe has been in love with Shaw for years. She doesn't think he reciprocates until he makes it very clear he wants to have sex with her. But that's all it is. I think she convinced herself that she was okay with that because she wanted to help him in any way she could. It took months of sex before she finally realizes she can't stand having the physical without the emotional. It had become too painful to be so close physically to Shaw but have him so distant emotionally. So I will give her points for trying to break off their destructive relationship.

I'm still not sure how I feel about this novella. I didn't like Shaw, obviously, and I wasn't a huge Chloe fan either. I liked her but thought she should have treated herself better. Rather than letting the sex go on with Shaw for so long when it was hurting her so much, she should have put a stop to it much sooner. She deserved better than his treatment of her.

The book did make me think. I wonder if this happens more often than we think. You have a group of friends, some closer than others. Some single, some married and suddenly one of them finds themselves a widower/widow. How do you help them through it? We all would probably say by being there for them. But what if they need something more physical and you want to give in but are conflicted with the situation? There was certainly the feeling of guilt for both Shaw and Chloe. Would we feel guilty for giving in and then wanting more? This actually sounds like a movie.

This novella did elicit a few strong emotions from me but in the end, I found the frustration with the hero and heroine too much of a roadblock to enjoying their story.

Rating: C

Review: Reaper

Reaper
Rachel Vincent
Young Adult/Urban Fantasy
Soul Screamers/Novella
Harlequin Teen/December 2010

From Books on Board ~

The story of how Tod died and was recruited as a reaper . . .

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life . . . Death . . . or something Between . . . .

A couple of things first. This is a novella of approximately 17,000 words. Most full length novels run closer to 90,000 to 100,000. Reaper comes in at 64 pages in Adobe Digital Editions. The great news is that it's free right now! Yes, you can go right now and download it for free from Books on Board in Adobe PDF format. It's showing up at places like Amazon and B&N for pre-order, set to release on December 1 for $2.99 (minus discounts). If you don't want to pay for it, Ms. Vincent has said it will be available for free on her website. Personally, I think this is a great way to introduce new readers to Ms. Vincent's writing and get current readers excited about the next release in the series, My Soul to Steal (January 1).

As you can see from the blurb, the story is from Tod's perspective, telling about the events that led up to him becoming a reaper. But that really simplifies this little gem of a story. Those of you that have read the previous books in the series know who Tod is and, if you're like me, want to know more. This is the more. Tod is complex in a way that only a teenage guy could be. He likes hanging out with friends, his girlfriend and partying. He finds his little brother irritating as only little brothers can be. He loves his mom but doesn't always listen to her. See, a typical teenager. Tod's also smart, he gets the consequences to his decisions. He's loyal and loves his family so fiercely, he'll do anything to keep them safe.

I loved this look at the series from Tod's POV. He's a character that we've gotten to know through the series but still leaves us so many questions. In Reaper, we get to see what makes him tick, what drives him to make difficult decisions and still maintain that smart ass humor that is oh, so Tod. It was also heartbreaking, making me tear up a bit and feel Tod's sorrow and regrets coming through in Vincent's writing.

This novella only adds to the layers of this series. Since the bean sidhe are all about the dying, it's not surprising that reapers are part of their world. In Tod's world, there are rules that he doesn't mind bending and even breaking a little. Tod showed how mature he could be and gave this reader a greater appreciation for his part in Nash's life. I hope we get more of Tod and possibly his POV in future books. Since he's an integral part of Nash and now Kaylee's life, I can't imagine we've see the last of him.

Rating: A

My reviews for books in this series ~

My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep

Elizabeth Hoyt ~ News & Free Serial Novella

Updates and news for Elizabeth Hoyt fans of which I'm one ~ love her books!

The second book in her Legend of the Four Soldiers Series, To Seduce a Sinner is due out on the 28th per Amazon but Ms. Hoyt's site says it out now. It's the story of Lord Vale and Melisande Fleming. They were secondary characters in To Taste Tempation, the first book in the series.

The third book in the series is called To Beguile a Beast, due out in May 2009. It's about Sir Alistair Munroe and ???. His heroine hasn't been named yet. Hopefully we'll find out more in To Seduce a Sinner. And the fourth book is To Desire a Devil. No cover yet, release date of November 2009.

Her covers are so beautiful and the stepbacks are even better!

Starting in January Ms. Hoyt will be posting a chapter a month of a novella called The Ice Princess. This is about Coral Smythe, a secondary character from The Raven Prince. Here's the synopsis from her website:

SEVEN NIGHTS OF SIN

As the madam of Aphrodite’s Grotto, the most infamous brothel in London, Coral Smythe knows everything possible about men’s needs and desires. Yet she’s never experienced the love of a single man—not even that of Captain Isaac Wargate whose hawk-like eyes stare at her with both condemnation…and lust.

SEVEN NIGHTS OF ECSTASY

Captain Wargate heartily disapproves of the sensuous madam who always wears a golden mask. She lures his officers from both his ship and their duty. But when Coral herself is offered up as the prize in a game of chance, Wargate impulsively enters…and wins.

SEVEN NIGHTS OF LOVE

Now the puritanical navy captain has just seven nights to learn everything he can about the mysterious madam and what she knows of a man’s desires. But when Coral is threatened by the new owner of Aphrodite’s Grotto, will Wargate take a chance on the woman beneath the mask…and on love?

Also for November only, you can order a free preview booklet of the first chapter of The Ice Princess and the first chapter of For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper the contemporary name Ms. Hoyt writes under. Here's my review of HOT, the other Julia Harper book. For the Love of Pete sounds like another fun read. The info for ordering these and subscribing to her newsletter can be found here.