A Sammy Review: Down and Dirty (Cole McGinnis #5) by Rhys Ford

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

“You are my brother’s best friend. And from what Cole’s told me about you, not someone I’d wake up to the next morning,” Ichiro murmured, scrubbing at his tired face. Peering out between his fingers, he barked a short laugh. “Fucking you would be a huge mistake, Bobby.”

Bobby’s laughter was nearly as bitter as the coffee he’d brought over for Ichiro to drink. “Well, if there’s one thing I’m good at, Sunshine, it’s making huge fucking mistakes.”

Bobby Dawson is an ex-cop with a bitter past and a slew of one-night-stands. Sure, he’s handsome, fit, and pretty damn hilarious, but if there’s one thing he’s not, it’s boyfriend material.

Jae, Cole, and most everyone who knows him all agree on that. But there’s something about Ichi, and Ichi with Bobby that make all the past screw ups seem surmountable.

It’s true. They’re the kind of couple that shouldn’t be together. Bobby has a son Ichi’s age, he sleeps around, Ichi’s too innocent… the excuses go on, but even excuses run out when love is involved

Bobby didn’t want this. He’d never wanted to feel that connection to another man. Men were… disposable. Holes and mouths who laughed and maybe kept him company but eventually wandered off like strays finding a new home.

He wasn’t supposed to want to keep them. To soothe them or wipe their tears when their worlds were shattered by violence. The world was a tough place. He’d seen enough blood and death to stare it down until it whimpered away, but he’d never wanted to keep someone else safe from its looming, dark presence.

Until now.

And it scared the shit out of him.

Down and Dirty runs concurrently with a lot of the events in Dirty Deeds, which I really appreciated, as it allows us to really see the growth of Bobby and Ichi’s relationship from the very start.

Like all other Rhys Ford books I’ve read, she has a definitive voice that is immediately recognizable and completely enjoyable. There’s a balance of humor along with a seriousness that one would think may be hard to maintain, but she does it with near flawless precision. The way she gives her characters life allows the reader to feel close to them, like they know them on a personal level, and this book was no different.

For readers of the series, we’ve gotten to know Bobby a bit along the way, and Ichi more recently. We had bits and pieces of their lives, but what I loved about this book is that it revealed a whole other layer to both characters, but particularly Bobby. I knew on a basic level that he was more than an aging man whore with a need to box and sharp wit, but that was more just my personal thought process. Rhys really gave us the window into his past in Down and Dirty, and it wasn’t at all what I expected.

On top of that, we also get to see pretty much all of our favorites, with a few exceptions. But if you’re worried that Jae and Cole are going to be forgotten in this, don’t be. They are in here plenty without taking over the story and making it their own. We even get a brief but kick-ass appearance from Claudia, some sweet words from Scarlet, and a dash of Mike that will make you want to hit your head on the desk. The story did a great job of making it Bobby and Ichi’s, but still giving us everyone we’ve come to know and love in the previous four books.

I do have a few small bones to pick. For one, that ending. WHAT WAS HIS ANSWER?! I mean, I’m hoping I know what it is. But… I need to know!. Secondly, I really wish we got to see more of Bobby with his family. We see him debating about telling his Uncle, but never really find out if he does. And I’d love to have seen more of him and his son. But can you blame me for being greedy? Of course I want more.

All around a great addition to a wonderful series.

The cover art by Reece Notley does a very nice job of connecting to the other books and making them all appear cohesive. I can definitely picture Bobby as the cover model, but I’m not so sure about Ichi. The model who is meant to depict him just seems a bit too buttoned up for me. Still, it’s a nice cover that connects to the story through small details.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Expected publication: January 2nd 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
original titleDown and Dirty
ISBN139781632166159
edition languageEnglish
seriesCole McGinnis #5

Cole McGinnis Series includes:
Dirty Kiss (Cole McGinnis, #1)
Dirty Secret (Cole McGinnis, #2)
Dirty Laundry (Cole McGinnis, #3)
Dirty Sweets (Cole McGinnis, #3.5)
Dirty Day (Cole McGinnis, #3.6)
Dirty Deeds (Cole McGinnis, #4)

A Sammy Review: Making Nice by Elizah J. Davis

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

“This is my friend Ryan. He made pecan pie. I hope that’s okay with everyone?”

“I’m allergic to nuts,” Blake muttered. Or evidently said loudly enough for everyone to hear. Ryan snorted, Bianca glared, Matt looked like a confused puppy, and his mom gave him a questioning look and said, “Pecan is your favorite.”

“It’s a recent allergy,” Blake said weakly.

Ryan walked past him to set the pie on the counter and whispered, “Don’t worry. My nuts are hypoallergenic.”

Being a twin is special, and when Blake’s twin Bianca meets Matt and falls madly in love with him, it’s imperative that Blake approves. The thing is, Matt isn’t so bad. His friend, Ryan, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

Granted, they get off on the wrong foot – meaning that Ryan is pretty much foot in mouth. He can’t help himself, the stupid comments just keep pouring out.

Sometimes, though, foes make the best lovers, and Blake and Ryan teeter on the line of hate, to tolerance, to tolerating sleeping together because sex is about the only time they don’t drive each other mad. They decide to keep their arrangement a secret, and as with all secrets, things get mucked up when a secret becomes common knowledge.

Making Nice is a lot more than enemies becoming lovers, it extends to a relationship building between two people who are both equally flawed and live up close and personal with their worst enemies – themselves.

“I’m just saying, I guess—make sure you’re paying attention. Blake has a tendency, if he doesn’t think he can get what he wants, to take what he can get.”

Ryan forced a smile, though it felt like he’d just been insulted. “Which one am I, then? What he wants or what he can get?”

I was a bit nervous at first. This is a fairly long book and it’s a new author for me, but I loved the idea for the plot and went in with an open mind. Elizah Davis did not disappoint.

I’ve said before that one of the things I love is good banter between characters. I understand that it’s not something that should happen in every story, that’d get boring, but I just love it when an author can make characters duel with words and pull the reader into it. This was the case for Blake and Ryan. They truly had a banter that lasted even after their relationship progressed, and it made their relationship that much sweeter for me.

To a certain extent, the blurb really doesn’t do the story justice. It’s so much more than this hate-sex type of deal. The reason the story is the length it is, at least in my opinion, is because you get to see their relationship build. It’s not an automatic hate one day, love the next – they kind of fall into it. It’s a progression that you can visibly watch throughout the chapters.

I also enjoyed the side characters. There were a decent number of them, but I never got mixed up on who was who or who had been told what. They had personality and life that added to the story for me. I do wish we’d gotten to hear more about Ryan’s family life, as most of it deals with Blake’s, but that was just something that would’ve been a nice addition.

I will say that the thing some people may struggle with here are communication issues – Ryan and Blake certainly have them. The reason it didn’t bother me in this story is because I saw it as a natural byproduct of their relationship and its roots, and also a growing pain that they needed to overcome. The author doesn’t make this a moot point though, and at one point outwardly acknowledges that communication is probably more beneficial for them. To me, their communication issues made sense, it worked.

Also, I really adore the cover art by Paul Richmond. It fits the story quite well, right down to the check list (with friends crossed out, which totally made me smile after reading the story).

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) amazon buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 314 pages
Expected publication: December 26th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165282
edition languageEnglish

A Sammy Review: Les faits accomplis by Anna Martin

Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5 out of 5 stars

“So you’re saying not to trust her.”

“Don’t trust anyone,” Adam said seriously.

“Not even you?”

“Especially not me.”

Jared Rawell is the new kid in school for his senior year, but New Harbor Academy isn’t just any other school. It’s founded on old money and even older blood, full of only the wealthiest and most elite.

Adam Hemlock is one of the kings of the school. He’s not just popular, but he’s connected and known for being a bit of a player. So when the resident HBiC (Head Bitch in Charge) bets him a priceless item to sleep with the new kid, there’s no way he’s about to pass it up.

But these halls are full of games and tricks, and in the vicious life of high school, you can be anyone’s pawn, and just when you think you know who to trust and who your friends are, think again.

My mom always told me it was smart not to trust people. We live in a society which sort of demands we fall in love with someone, and they automatically have this key to your heart and soul, and that’s how it’s supposed to be. But that’s bullshit, you know? If you love someone, it’s probably healthier to not trust them for a while.

I had so much fun with this book. I don’t know if it’s just my luck lately or what, but this and the past couple books I’ve read have just been so incredibly satisfying.

If I had to explain this book to someone who had no idea what it was about, it would go something like this: the love child of Mean Girls, She’s All That, and Gossip Girl. But really, all together in a perfect mesh of gossip and the dirty little lives of the elite. LOVE IT.

This book is chalk full of characters, and I mean big characters. We have Biggie, the reincarnation of the true Biggie (but really), and Clare, who reminded me a bit of her namesake from the Breakfast Club, turned up a few hundred notches to account for today’s society, and then Ryder and Mia who have each have their own little line in the story.

If you’re someone who is opposed to the idea of a female being presented as a bitch in any way, shape, or form, you probably won’t like this. It plays off that whole evil high school vibe and owns it, and there are evil plots and bitchiness does ensue. Also, if you don’t like any of the things that I mentioned this story being the love child to, well, again, it may not be for you. It definitely has a certain slant that will not hit everyone’s funny bone, but it totally hit mine, and more.

To top it off, Adam and Jared were so good together. I felt the balance between them and the build up was well done. There are times when I ask for more, or plead, but this time, I’m going to take a line from Clare and pretty much demand it – well, with a please. So please, Anna Martin? Can we have more?

The simple but lovely cover art by Aaron Anderson may not seem to fit the book at first glance, but once you get into the story, this little bug will have a special role in the story. All bets are off on what you can expect out of this.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) amazon buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 234 pages
Published November 24th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
original title Les faits accomplis
ISBN139781632164728
edition languageEnglish
setting New Harbor, Washington (United States)
Washington (United States)

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