Lee Piper's Blog - Posts Tagged "giana-darling"

The Affair by Giana Darling

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


To say I was conflicted while reading Giana Darling’s, The Affair (The Evolution of Sin Trilogy, #1) is the biggest understatement in the history of the universe. I mean, a romance novel based around the concept of infidelity is bound to confound even the most open-minded readers. And from the opening page, the reader is smacked in the face with so many questions which to be honest, many don't have the answers to:

Smack. Does love at first sight exist?
Smack. Can infidelity be justified if it does?
Smack. Is blood thicker than water?

Yeah, I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

Though, that’s not to say the book itself isn’t well written. Generally speaking, it is. The characterisation of both MC’s is well thought out. There are glimpses of ridiculously complex personalities which make learning more about these individuals imperative for the reader. And the sex… Sweet baby Jesus. I’m blushing just thinking about it. However, there are a gazillion adverbs littered within the pages which threw me out of the story at times, and, like I said before, this book seriously messed with my moral compass. To be honest, I think most people would experience the same issue. Reckon you’re any different? I doubt it. But hey, I’m willing to stand corrected.

Go on, I dare you.

Lee Piper is an Evernight Publishing bestselling author. Rock My World, Book #1 in the Mondez series and Rock My Body, Book #2 are available now. You can find all of this information and more on her website: www.leepiperauthor.com





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Lessons In Corruption by Giana Darling

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


You know you’re in in the hands of a masterful storyteller when you open a Giana Darling novel. You know you’re going to have your morals tested, your expectations challenged, and your heart ripped out of your chest. Her latest taboo romance, Lessons in Corruption, is no exception. And thank God for that.

King Kyle Garro. I know, right? The name itself is an orgasm personified. But prepare yourself, there’s more:
• Alpha? Check.
• Gorgeous? Check.
• Loyal? Check.
• Biker? Check.
• Poet? Check.
Wait, what? An alpha biker who not only writes poetry but reads it aloud for the sole purpose of claiming his woman?
Thump.
That’s the sound of panties hitting the floor worldwide. There’s going to be a global epidemic, you mark my words. There will be chaos and anarchy as more and more readers swoon over the perfection which is King.

You have been warned.

Cressida Irons. We’ve all got some Cress inside us. She’s that voice which questions if you’re good enough, that thought which worries about what others think, that inherent belief there is more to life yet is too terrified of change. Thank heavens she morphs into Queenie. Sassy, independent and fearless Queenie. The literary world needs more characters like her.

Now, I could get hung up on the taboo aspect of a teacher hooking up with her student. I could go on and on about the impropriety of it all, blah, blah, blah. But I won’t. Firstly, this is a work of fiction and should never be confused with fact. Secondly, there is so much more to this novel than the teacher/student trope. And thirdly, it is so well written you will cheer for the MC’s while they search for their happily ever after regardless.

I was blown away by this book. I lived and breathed the characters, I fought their demons as though they were my own. Hell, I lost track of minutes, hours and days because I was so engrossed in this story. I. Never. Wanted. The. Book. To. End.

Such is the mastery of Giana Darling.

***I voluntarily read an ARC of this book***




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Welcome to the Dark Side by Giana Darling

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was wondering if I could ask you a question, and it’s kinda personal so feel free to pass. But since you’re still reading I’m assuming you’ve given me the go ahead so I’m just gonna pull up my big girl panties and say it…

I’ve lost my ovaries. Have you seen them?

They were last spotted at the start of Welcome to the Dark Side (The Fallen Men, #2), but have gone missing since then. Pretty sure it was sometime after Zeus Garro was introduced, so I’m blaming him. You know the guy, tall, built like a mountain, capable of killing men with his bare hands or bringing a woman to orgasm with the twitch of his lips. He’s the one with a dirty mouth, kind heart, and body of a Viking. Yeah, that guy.

No?

Hmm, maybe Lou has seen them. After all, she’s partly to blame for those pesky internal organs skipping out on me. If she hadn’t formed an unbreakable bond with her Guardian Monster all those years ago, none of this would have happened. Who would have thought strong willed, compassionate, and intelligent women sent Zeus into a sexual frenzy? Not me, that’s for sure.

You know what? Maybe Giana Darling has seen them. She’s the mastermind behind the whole series, the one who’s responsible for melting Kindles around the globe. Heck, it’s her fault sleep deprived devotees are scrambling for coffee injections to get them through their day after binge reading well into the night. This book is addictive, damn it. It needs to come with a warning label. Something like, YOUR OVARIES WILL GO MIA, or THIS READING DEVICE MIGHT SPONTANOUSLY COMBUST needs to be stamped on the front cover.

Yeah, maybe I’ll ask her.




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Good Gone Bad by Giana Darling

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’ve been trying to figure out what makes Giana Darling’s, Good Gone Bad such an amazing read. And it’s hard trying to pin it down to a single reason. It’s kind of like trying to determine what makes a puppy cute. You can’t just say it’s in the trusting eyes or the floppy ears or the excess skin it’s yet to grow into. It’s a combination of all three and then some.

Good Gone Bad is a lot like this. There’s so much to love. The hero and heroine are flawed yet honest. They’re the perfect combination of virtue and wantonness cleverly crafted to balance each other out. The rising tension is detailed, believable and well-paced. The action grows more complex and intense as the narrative progresses—it’s a definite page turner. The chemistry is…. Hot. Ablaze. Inferno-like. And it’s here where Giana comes into her own.

You see, writing sex scenes isn’t easy. It’s the ultimate juggling act. Trying to balance heat, heart and dialogue is hard (pun intended). It needs to stay true to the characters, their motivations, fears and desires. It needs to be reflective of where they’re at in the story and what their relationship represents at the time. It needs to be intoxicating, as far removed from a cheesy Hallmark card as humanly possible.

Giana Darling does this.

She writes with heat, with heart and with a true understanding of the complexities of the human experience.

So yeah, Good Gone Bad is hot AF. But it’s also more than that. It’s layered, multifaceted, and above all, beautifully written.




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