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Nine Circles #2
Make You Mine
Alex St. James was left with a choice. Pick up the dice and find where they lead, or walk away. Choosing to see where the snake-eyes go, Alex plays in a poker game run by the devil who haunts his past. He will risk everything to find answers—that is, until his alluring, enigmatic bodyguard, Katya, becomes someone he cannot risk losing…
Katya is fiercely conflicted. Aching to break free from Alex to track down her former lover, Katya agrees to one last job—to protect her dangerously sexy boss as he gambles his future in exchange for clarity about his past. As the stakes are raised, Katya's loyalty shifts from the man she loved to the man she swore to protect. But in order to get what she wants, Katya will have to go all in…
Katya is fiercely conflicted. Aching to break free from Alex to track down her former lover, Katya agrees to one last job—to protect her dangerously sexy boss as he gambles his future in exchange for clarity about his past. As the stakes are raised, Katya's loyalty shifts from the man she loved to the man she swore to protect. But in order to get what she wants, Katya will have to go all in…
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 5, 2015
28 people are currently reading
952 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Ashenden
499 books977 followersJackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
April 20, 2020
Spoilers ahead
The h is the H's bodyguard so I expected a fricking Russian badass who can kill a man 100 different ways with the heel of her stiletto!!!! But instead I got a simpering miss who after a makeover finally has the H interested in her. She however wasn't the most disgusting person in this book, that goes to the H
Now he had a traumatic event in his past that affects him so badly he has to have sex with multiple partners, the h has been working for him for months and stands guard outside his door while he gets up to his activities. I just don't understand how a woman can fall in love with someone like that? He didn't want you all along, he didn't even have respect for you, he had sex with numerous OW, set up dates, shared details for months and then suddenly he SEES you???? How?????????
I'm so tired of the manwhore H bs! It's not sexy or attractive and especially in cases like these is just vile and disgusting!
Females authors do better!!!!!!!!!!!!
***ETA I forgot to mention she was a virgin who'd never really felt sexual desire for another man before 😒
The h is the H's bodyguard so I expected a fricking Russian badass who can kill a man 100 different ways with the heel of her stiletto!!!! But instead I got a simpering miss who after a makeover finally has the H interested in her. She however wasn't the most disgusting person in this book, that goes to the H
Now he had a traumatic event in his past that affects him so badly he has to have sex with multiple partners, the h has been working for him for months and stands guard outside his door while he gets up to his activities. I just don't understand how a woman can fall in love with someone like that? He didn't want you all along, he didn't even have respect for you, he had sex with numerous OW, set up dates, shared details for months and then suddenly he SEES you???? How?????????
I'm so tired of the manwhore H bs! It's not sexy or attractive and especially in cases like these is just vile and disgusting!
Females authors do better!!!!!!!!!!!!
***ETA I forgot to mention she was a virgin who'd never really felt sexual desire for another man before 😒
April 19, 2017
So I really tried to like this book.. the "love" story of Katya and Alexei.
But my problems
-The manwhore hero plot has been done to death in romance novels. But a hero so whore-ish he sleeps with 2 women all the time to "escape his pain" and it takes prettying up the heroine to make him attracted to her..NOPE
-And that brings me to my second problem..The heroine had to be dolled up and be attracted to another man for hero to notice her
-He sleeps with multiple women for over 3 months..with the heroine RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR! He even makes out with them and goes to pick one up- while he's on a pretend date with the heroine
-The heroine was supposed to be this kickass bodyguard..and then..she becomes this simpering mess while the whole story focuses on the hero
-I like my heroes more alpha than ones who allow their heroine to be stripped in public
-His rape in the childhood was not handled well
-His reaction each time after sex..UGH
So it has good sex scenes.. and thats why it gets one star
I love the whole virgin heroine trope- actually its one of my favorite genres but in this book I REALLY wished she had more experience.
In summary, I gave a chance to this revenge tale. Bad idea.
Unsafe
1/5
But my problems
-The manwhore hero plot has been done to death in romance novels. But a hero so whore-ish he sleeps with 2 women all the time to "escape his pain" and it takes prettying up the heroine to make him attracted to her..NOPE
-And that brings me to my second problem..The heroine had to be dolled up and be attracted to another man for hero to notice her
-He sleeps with multiple women for over 3 months..with the heroine RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR! He even makes out with them and goes to pick one up- while he's on a pretend date with the heroine
-The heroine was supposed to be this kickass bodyguard..and then..she becomes this simpering mess while the whole story focuses on the hero
-I like my heroes more alpha than ones who allow their heroine to be stripped in public
-His rape in the childhood was not handled well
-His reaction each time after sex..UGH
So it has good sex scenes.. and thats why it gets one star
I love the whole virgin heroine trope- actually its one of my favorite genres but in this book I REALLY wished she had more experience.
In summary, I gave a chance to this revenge tale. Bad idea.
Unsafe
1/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
just-not-for-me-stay-away-hell-no
March 30, 2016self note: after meeting h H continues to sleep with women. even having threesomes. h is his bodyguard so she hears him having sex. yuck! they aren't together but this is something I don't want to read about!
May 15, 2015
I loved it, I have a review that I need to post! asap.
not-for-me
December 5, 2015Self note:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Soonya wrote:
After meeting h, hero continues to sleep with other women. h is his bodyguard, so she hears him have sex and sees all those one nighters. The book opens with hero after his threesome, where he mentions that one of the girl is a screamer and other details(he tells that to h). Gross. Of course h of this book is a virgin.
Yeah, after reading that, this book is not my cup of tea. :(
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Soonya wrote:
After meeting h, hero continues to sleep with other women. h is his bodyguard, so she hears him have sex and sees all those one nighters. The book opens with hero after his threesome, where he mentions that one of the girl is a screamer and other details(he tells that to h). Gross. Of course h of this book is a virgin.
Yeah, after reading that, this book is not my cup of tea. :(
February 17, 2017
Jackie Ashenden writes with a singularly raw intensity that draws you into the story and doesn’t let up until you heave a sigh of relief at the end – and then promptly wish to start the story all over again.
In Make You Mine, the second of the Nine Circles series, there are two plots afoot – the relationship between carefree playboy Alex and Katya his stoic Russian bodyguard, and the suspenseful continuation of the story arc begun in book 1 Mine To Take. I don’t think it’s necessary to have read book 1 in order to enjoy this one – the bits that are required to understand what is happening are explained well enough, and the romance is completely independent of the first story in the series.
Alex is on a mission of revenge to make up for an event that occurred when he was 16 – one that changed the course of his life forever and resulted in his father’s suicide and Alex’s own abandonment of his mother and younger sister. Faced with the opportunity to best his nemesis in an exclusive poker match, he embarks on a trip to Monte Carlo with his enigmatic bodyguard Katya at his side. The hitch? To avoid appearing weak in any way, he wants Katya to play the role of his lover not his bodyguard in public. But when the lines of client/employer get blurred by the intense attraction between them, will Alex be willing to sacrifice everything, including Katya, to get his revenge?
I really enjoyed this story. Alex’s character was fascinating as a carefree multi-millionaire casino owner who does anything he wants to. Drugs and alcohol initially when he was younger, and now casual sex are his way of showing that he cares about nothing and no-one, sometimes not even himself. He’s determinedly put the trauma of his past behind him, until it rears its ugly head and he realizes that he’s been hiding the truth from everyone including himself – that he feels weakened by his past and the only way to fix it is to confront it head on. To this point, he has viewed Katya, his strong, beautiful and unemotional bodyguard in no capacity except her professional one. But he needs someone to go with him to Monte Carlo and Katya playing the role as his lover won’t cause any comment at all, simply solidifying his playboy reputation. Yet when he proposes the idea, he sees a crack in her façade, one he wants to delve into more. He tells himself that touching her in an intimate manner is only practice for when they will appear in public together until he gets a taste:
Alex bent his head and took her mouth. Softness and heat engulfed him, such a heady contrast to that cold, expressionless front she liked to put up. The taste of her went straight to his head like the very finest of champagne. Like a straight flush in his hand and millions on the table.
She stiffened against him for a second, then relaxed, her lips parting as if she’d been waiting for him to kiss her all this time. Jesus, she was delicious.
Katya is equally riveting as a strong, loyal, self-assured woman. She can kill a man with her bare hands if necessary and she’s clear on her mission – protect Alex at all costs. It’s what she’s trained to do, to follow orders like the good Russian soldier she used to be. When she left Russia after the disillusionment of realizing her missing comrade Mikhail would be left for dead with no rescue, she wanted only to find somewhere new where she could use her skills to serve and protect. Now Mikhail has been found alive and Katya makes a deal with Alex – she’ll pose as his lover in return for his help to free Mikhail. But Katya has started to see behind Alex’s front to the real man underneath, the layers of him that she has ignored until now. She understands that if she peels away those layers, he will uncover hers in return. But when he sees her for the first time as the woman she is and not just the bodyguard, she isn’t prepared for the burning desire for him that threatens to overwhelm her.
She wanted this. Wanted the intoxicating rush that filled her when he touched her. Wanted to know what would happen if he kept doing it. But more than any of that, she wanted to save him.
The sexual tension is thick from the start and leads to the inevitable – emotional, intense and very sexy scenes between Alex and Katya as they discover the passion that has been simmering under the surface. But equally engaging is the suspense storyline as more of Alex’s past is revealed and the poker game he desperately wants to attend to extract his revenge is revealed as being something much more dangerous. Katya is with him every step of the way and the more involved he gets, the more he realizes that he has made a mistake in bringing her, a mistake that could cost him everything. This is the kind of story that is difficult to put down – if you begin reading it at night, you’ll have a hard time getting up in the morning!
Secondary characters, in particular, Alex’s group of friends that make up the Nine Circles club play key parts in the story and set the stage for future series books. They share a unique friendship and are willing to do anything for each other – even though they might not say it in so many words. I really enjoy seeing them together, their banter and their ability to call each other out when needed.
Overall, I thought this was a great addition to the series and brought everything I expected to the table – intense drama, sexual tension, emotional love scenes, and if ever any two people deserved some happiness, it’s Alex and Katya. 4.5 stars.
Note 1: this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Note 2: This post first appeared on the Straight Shootin' Book Review Blog at : http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
In Make You Mine, the second of the Nine Circles series, there are two plots afoot – the relationship between carefree playboy Alex and Katya his stoic Russian bodyguard, and the suspenseful continuation of the story arc begun in book 1 Mine To Take. I don’t think it’s necessary to have read book 1 in order to enjoy this one – the bits that are required to understand what is happening are explained well enough, and the romance is completely independent of the first story in the series.
Alex is on a mission of revenge to make up for an event that occurred when he was 16 – one that changed the course of his life forever and resulted in his father’s suicide and Alex’s own abandonment of his mother and younger sister. Faced with the opportunity to best his nemesis in an exclusive poker match, he embarks on a trip to Monte Carlo with his enigmatic bodyguard Katya at his side. The hitch? To avoid appearing weak in any way, he wants Katya to play the role of his lover not his bodyguard in public. But when the lines of client/employer get blurred by the intense attraction between them, will Alex be willing to sacrifice everything, including Katya, to get his revenge?
I really enjoyed this story. Alex’s character was fascinating as a carefree multi-millionaire casino owner who does anything he wants to. Drugs and alcohol initially when he was younger, and now casual sex are his way of showing that he cares about nothing and no-one, sometimes not even himself. He’s determinedly put the trauma of his past behind him, until it rears its ugly head and he realizes that he’s been hiding the truth from everyone including himself – that he feels weakened by his past and the only way to fix it is to confront it head on. To this point, he has viewed Katya, his strong, beautiful and unemotional bodyguard in no capacity except her professional one. But he needs someone to go with him to Monte Carlo and Katya playing the role as his lover won’t cause any comment at all, simply solidifying his playboy reputation. Yet when he proposes the idea, he sees a crack in her façade, one he wants to delve into more. He tells himself that touching her in an intimate manner is only practice for when they will appear in public together until he gets a taste:
Alex bent his head and took her mouth. Softness and heat engulfed him, such a heady contrast to that cold, expressionless front she liked to put up. The taste of her went straight to his head like the very finest of champagne. Like a straight flush in his hand and millions on the table.
She stiffened against him for a second, then relaxed, her lips parting as if she’d been waiting for him to kiss her all this time. Jesus, she was delicious.
Katya is equally riveting as a strong, loyal, self-assured woman. She can kill a man with her bare hands if necessary and she’s clear on her mission – protect Alex at all costs. It’s what she’s trained to do, to follow orders like the good Russian soldier she used to be. When she left Russia after the disillusionment of realizing her missing comrade Mikhail would be left for dead with no rescue, she wanted only to find somewhere new where she could use her skills to serve and protect. Now Mikhail has been found alive and Katya makes a deal with Alex – she’ll pose as his lover in return for his help to free Mikhail. But Katya has started to see behind Alex’s front to the real man underneath, the layers of him that she has ignored until now. She understands that if she peels away those layers, he will uncover hers in return. But when he sees her for the first time as the woman she is and not just the bodyguard, she isn’t prepared for the burning desire for him that threatens to overwhelm her.
She wanted this. Wanted the intoxicating rush that filled her when he touched her. Wanted to know what would happen if he kept doing it. But more than any of that, she wanted to save him.
The sexual tension is thick from the start and leads to the inevitable – emotional, intense and very sexy scenes between Alex and Katya as they discover the passion that has been simmering under the surface. But equally engaging is the suspense storyline as more of Alex’s past is revealed and the poker game he desperately wants to attend to extract his revenge is revealed as being something much more dangerous. Katya is with him every step of the way and the more involved he gets, the more he realizes that he has made a mistake in bringing her, a mistake that could cost him everything. This is the kind of story that is difficult to put down – if you begin reading it at night, you’ll have a hard time getting up in the morning!
Secondary characters, in particular, Alex’s group of friends that make up the Nine Circles club play key parts in the story and set the stage for future series books. They share a unique friendship and are willing to do anything for each other – even though they might not say it in so many words. I really enjoy seeing them together, their banter and their ability to call each other out when needed.
Overall, I thought this was a great addition to the series and brought everything I expected to the table – intense drama, sexual tension, emotional love scenes, and if ever any two people deserved some happiness, it’s Alex and Katya. 4.5 stars.
Note 1: this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Note 2: This post first appeared on the Straight Shootin' Book Review Blog at : http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
April 22, 2015
I had a lot of fun reading this book. Katya and Alex make a great team. I enjoy reading about heroines that know how to hold their own and Katya certainly does. Alex is hot and interesting and complicated. Their chemistry is on point. The writing is very good. Definitely one to pick up :)
May 5, 2015
Alex, a founding member of the Nine Circles club, has to go on a mission to find out what’s going on with villains from the past and he needs his bodyguard, Katya, to play his lover to protect him during a high stakes poker game. Then, romance happens.
The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
- I love Jackie Ashenden’s writing style : She has beautiful prose, really knows how to get you into the character’s frame of mind. If I was rating strictly on her prose, this would rate five star easily.
- The story : This is the second book in the Nine Circles series, and each book has gotten me to the point where I’m not sure what’s really resolved. The overarching storyline seems to dominate all, and the farther I go, the more questions I have. This entry had me wondering if there were going to be any real surprises, and I loved that something you thought you knew from the first book was turned on its head. Now, there’s alot here that I enjoyed, especially the leads and how they swapped traditional gender roles in romance - Alex dealing with the aftermath of abuse and Katya being the bodyguard, protecting him, physically and emotionally.
- Katya is the strong, silent one : Katya is raised to be strong, terrified of being considered weak like her mother, who committed suicide. Her father, a general in the Russian Army, drilled that mantra into her and she’s determined to not let a little thing like attraction to Alex mess with her. I liked her and seeing her confusion. *mild spoiler* Wasn’t expecting her to be a virgin, so that brought a different vibe to their relationship. Also, other than her relationship with her parents, she felt a bit blank.
- Alex is the damaged one : Alex, hard to get a handle on because I wanted to love him. Felt horribly for him and what happened to him when he was a teenager and it explains alot of what drives him to act as manslut. However, the man who is free with his physical affection, has a one-nighter at the very beginning of the book with two women. Then he kisses one of those women in front of Katya.
Made sense for the character, yes. Goes against my philosophy of no other woman but the heroine, also yes. So I had to take points off for it.
- Their chemistry is strong and they know it : These two have great buildup to sex, but when it came down to the act itself, I’m not sure if I really connected with either of them. I wasn’t expecting this, because I think the anticipation was super strong and again, Ms. Ashenden’s talent for setting the scene was there in spades. But just when you think these two would be connecting on an emotional level, Alex’s issues had him pulling back, and as a result, so did I. But, the story is strong when it focuses on the emotional and their individual journeys.
- Unnecessary plot point : Mikhail, unless he factors into the series later, seems completely superfluous to the story. In a story that has a lot of hanging plot threads, I just don’t see the point to him, since getting Katya to pose as Alex’s lover would have been accomplished without him.
The Bottom Line (3.5 stars)
I enjoyed it. A nice twist on the usual H/h and while I would have liked some more answers, I think the overarching storyline is what’s keeping me coming back for more.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
- I love Jackie Ashenden’s writing style : She has beautiful prose, really knows how to get you into the character’s frame of mind. If I was rating strictly on her prose, this would rate five star easily.
- The story : This is the second book in the Nine Circles series, and each book has gotten me to the point where I’m not sure what’s really resolved. The overarching storyline seems to dominate all, and the farther I go, the more questions I have. This entry had me wondering if there were going to be any real surprises, and I loved that something you thought you knew from the first book was turned on its head. Now, there’s alot here that I enjoyed, especially the leads and how they swapped traditional gender roles in romance - Alex dealing with the aftermath of abuse and Katya being the bodyguard, protecting him, physically and emotionally.
- Katya is the strong, silent one : Katya is raised to be strong, terrified of being considered weak like her mother, who committed suicide. Her father, a general in the Russian Army, drilled that mantra into her and she’s determined to not let a little thing like attraction to Alex mess with her. I liked her and seeing her confusion. *mild spoiler* Wasn’t expecting her to be a virgin, so that brought a different vibe to their relationship. Also, other than her relationship with her parents, she felt a bit blank.
- Alex is the damaged one : Alex, hard to get a handle on because I wanted to love him. Felt horribly for him and what happened to him when he was a teenager and it explains alot of what drives him to act as manslut. However, the man who is free with his physical affection, has a one-nighter at the very beginning of the book with two women. Then he kisses one of those women in front of Katya.
Made sense for the character, yes. Goes against my philosophy of no other woman but the heroine, also yes. So I had to take points off for it.
- Their chemistry is strong and they know it : These two have great buildup to sex, but when it came down to the act itself, I’m not sure if I really connected with either of them. I wasn’t expecting this, because I think the anticipation was super strong and again, Ms. Ashenden’s talent for setting the scene was there in spades. But just when you think these two would be connecting on an emotional level, Alex’s issues had him pulling back, and as a result, so did I. But, the story is strong when it focuses on the emotional and their individual journeys.
- Unnecessary plot point : Mikhail, unless he factors into the series later, seems completely superfluous to the story. In a story that has a lot of hanging plot threads, I just don’t see the point to him, since getting Katya to pose as Alex’s lover would have been accomplished without him.
The Bottom Line (3.5 stars)
I enjoyed it. A nice twist on the usual H/h and while I would have liked some more answers, I think the overarching storyline is what’s keeping me coming back for more.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
May 5, 2015
ARC provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for an honest review.
Where to start .... Where to start ..... I am really in lust with these guys! The Nine Circles Club has some seriously intriguing and ruthless boys in it! Even tho each book gets their own H/h with their own HEA, the books are connected with a background mystery they are all are trying to solve. THIS is what I love to see in series. Standalone novels that really aren't! My suggestion to future readers is start from the beginning, Mine to Take because the players ARE connected and the mystery/suspense may not make sense to you if you don't.
OK, back to Alex .... There are a lot of you that are probably not going to like Alex .. at first. But given the chance. You will. Promise! Alex has a troubled past. Actually, troubled is too mild a word but since you deserve to read every heart-wrenching piece of information as I did, I'm just gonna leave it at THAT! He's gonna come across as an asshole. Because he's used to getting the worst from people, so that's what he gives back. But then comes Katya into his life. His past demons are really no match for this woman. She is fantabulous! She doesn't let him get away with anything! She makes him stronger. She makes him believe. She's strong and independent and protective and oh so loving. And, his bodyguard (that was just humorous to me! lol). But very quickly, she becomes more than just a bodyguard and he becomes way more than someone she's guarding. Katya has her own 'past' to battle with. She's made promises. She must go back home. So she's pulled in both directions. Keep a promise from the past or help a 'friend' in the present.
What will happen? .... You'll find out :) just as soon as you BUY THIS BOOK and read it! It's worth it. TRUST!
Where to start .... Where to start ..... I am really in lust with these guys! The Nine Circles Club has some seriously intriguing and ruthless boys in it! Even tho each book gets their own H/h with their own HEA, the books are connected with a background mystery they are all are trying to solve. THIS is what I love to see in series. Standalone novels that really aren't! My suggestion to future readers is start from the beginning, Mine to Take because the players ARE connected and the mystery/suspense may not make sense to you if you don't.
OK, back to Alex .... There are a lot of you that are probably not going to like Alex .. at first. But given the chance. You will. Promise! Alex has a troubled past. Actually, troubled is too mild a word but since you deserve to read every heart-wrenching piece of information as I did, I'm just gonna leave it at THAT! He's gonna come across as an asshole. Because he's used to getting the worst from people, so that's what he gives back. But then comes Katya into his life. His past demons are really no match for this woman. She is fantabulous! She doesn't let him get away with anything! She makes him stronger. She makes him believe. She's strong and independent and protective and oh so loving. And, his bodyguard (that was just humorous to me! lol). But very quickly, she becomes more than just a bodyguard and he becomes way more than someone she's guarding. Katya has her own 'past' to battle with. She's made promises. She must go back home. So she's pulled in both directions. Keep a promise from the past or help a 'friend' in the present.
What will happen? .... You'll find out :) just as soon as you BUY THIS BOOK and read it! It's worth it. TRUST!
May 13, 2015
Wow. Wow. Wow. Now that's a 5 star romantic suspense read!
Full review at The Romance Evangelist.
Full review at The Romance Evangelist.
May 3, 2015
Player and club owner Alex is on a mission to uncover the secrets of the dice left behind at the murder scene in the last book, and at the same time to get revenge for what he had to endure nineteen years ago. Along for the ride is his russian bodyguard Katya, who´s got her own agenda. She made a promise two years ago, and helping Alex will make her own quest easier. What she didn´t expect was how she´d react to being so close to him.. And Alex never saw this coming either, how Katya would make such an impact on him..
Mystery, action and smut in a great combo, can´t wait for the next book in the series, I need to know more! *grabby hands*
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Mystery, action and smut in a great combo, can´t wait for the next book in the series, I need to know more! *grabby hands*
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
June 23, 2015
4.5 stars - I did not want to like Alex, at all...and well, I kinda' love him now so well done Jackie Ashenden, well done!
Click here for my complete review:
http://www.scandaliciousbookreviews.c...
Click here for my complete review:
http://www.scandaliciousbookreviews.c...
September 8, 2015
This book was slightly better than the first, however, it was too much the same. I liked that there was a bit more of deeper emotion behind the characters, but it was still too boring.
There were enough interesting twists and turns to keep me hooked, but I hope the next book is better.
There were enough interesting twists and turns to keep me hooked, but I hope the next book is better.
May 23, 2015
Originally Reviewed For: Tea and Book
There is nothing so dark as a soul without light. A man so deep into despair that he no longer even dreams of the light. A man who could be good or could be evil, either or neither. Just a man who lives withing the depths of despair.
Jackie Ashenden writes a wonderful tale of such a man in book two of her Nine Circles Series, Make you Mine. This story has power, it has depth and it has redemption... what more could we ask for? A sexy Hero? A smoldering Heroine? A despot of a villain??? We don't have to ask, Ms. Ashenden gives it all to us.
Alex St. James is the Playboy's Playboy.. he doesn't take anything seriously. Or so it seems. He has spent his entire life focusing on escaping a brutal betrayal. Once the family's goldenchild but he walked away from all he loved at the age of 16. He walked away in shame and tried his utmost to put it all behind him. He even created the Nine Circles Clubs so he would have a place to hide, a place where his friends could hide. But things you hide in the dark have a way to coming out and Alex's past has come slamming into his present. Now he must face the darkness, alone. But he has one bright light to take with him, his "bodyguard" Katya. A sensual woman who hides her own darkness..
Katya found her mother dead in a pool of water and blood when she was just a child. Raised by her father to be strong, to be tough and to never be weak she held true to his values. That is until he betrayed her and everything he claimed to believe in. Leaving the Russian army, Katya has become one of the best bodyguards in the business. Aloof but professional but even Katya can't resist the pull of Alex St. James. And when he demands she accompany him on his darkest mission, Katya finds herself truly understanding what she must do to save this man.
Complex characters and intense interactions drive this story and oh wow, does it pull you in. At first, it seemed a bit slow but Ms. Ashenden built a wonderful story word, by word. Each layer of the story slowly revealed until we the readers can not help but be lost in the story.
This is not some sweet romance.. nope it's dark, it's deadly and it's full of sensual promise.
Check it out because I promise you will be enthralled.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Make You Mine, provided by netgalley.
There is nothing so dark as a soul without light. A man so deep into despair that he no longer even dreams of the light. A man who could be good or could be evil, either or neither. Just a man who lives withing the depths of despair.
Jackie Ashenden writes a wonderful tale of such a man in book two of her Nine Circles Series, Make you Mine. This story has power, it has depth and it has redemption... what more could we ask for? A sexy Hero? A smoldering Heroine? A despot of a villain??? We don't have to ask, Ms. Ashenden gives it all to us.
Alex St. James is the Playboy's Playboy.. he doesn't take anything seriously. Or so it seems. He has spent his entire life focusing on escaping a brutal betrayal. Once the family's goldenchild but he walked away from all he loved at the age of 16. He walked away in shame and tried his utmost to put it all behind him. He even created the Nine Circles Clubs so he would have a place to hide, a place where his friends could hide. But things you hide in the dark have a way to coming out and Alex's past has come slamming into his present. Now he must face the darkness, alone. But he has one bright light to take with him, his "bodyguard" Katya. A sensual woman who hides her own darkness..
Katya found her mother dead in a pool of water and blood when she was just a child. Raised by her father to be strong, to be tough and to never be weak she held true to his values. That is until he betrayed her and everything he claimed to believe in. Leaving the Russian army, Katya has become one of the best bodyguards in the business. Aloof but professional but even Katya can't resist the pull of Alex St. James. And when he demands she accompany him on his darkest mission, Katya finds herself truly understanding what she must do to save this man.
Complex characters and intense interactions drive this story and oh wow, does it pull you in. At first, it seemed a bit slow but Ms. Ashenden built a wonderful story word, by word. Each layer of the story slowly revealed until we the readers can not help but be lost in the story.
This is not some sweet romance.. nope it's dark, it's deadly and it's full of sensual promise.
Check it out because I promise you will be enthralled.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Make You Mine, provided by netgalley.
May 12, 2015
Make You Mine by Jackie Ashenden is the first novel I've read by this author and I must say I wish I found out about her sooner.
Ms. Ashendon is a great author who catches a reader right from the start with her description. I loved that I got to meet the playboy Alex and his bodyguard Katya, right from the beginning. Just from the beginning interactions between Alex and Katya in the first chapter, they made me think of Seven of Nine from Star Trek for Katya while Alex made me think of Tom Paris (also from Star Trek). The strong and unflappable Katya who is more than she seems and the emotional and pained Alex hiding behind his carefree indifferent playboy facade. I love these characters and how they each have layers that are slowly peeled away as they become closer and as the story progresses. They help each other become stronger.
Besides my love for the main characters, the story of Make You Mine is one that is intriguing. The mystery, suspense and danger mixed with moments of humor like when Alex keeps trying to push Katya's buttons (which at times got annoying since he kept pushing) when they prepared for the trip to Monte Carlo. That aside, the plot of what happened to Alex's stepfather, and the mystery with Eva that continues on to the next book, is great and now I wish I read the first book, Mine to Take with Gabriel and Alex's sister Honor, first.
My only qualm is that I wish we could have seen Katya be more badass and use more of her special forces training.
Overall, Make You Mine, was a fabulous read and I can't wait to read Zac and Eva's story (and Gabriel and Honor's). I highly recommend this book and series.
(Thank you to Jackie Ashenden, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an ARC of Make You Mine for an honest review.)
Ms. Ashendon is a great author who catches a reader right from the start with her description. I loved that I got to meet the playboy Alex and his bodyguard Katya, right from the beginning. Just from the beginning interactions between Alex and Katya in the first chapter, they made me think of Seven of Nine from Star Trek for Katya while Alex made me think of Tom Paris (also from Star Trek). The strong and unflappable Katya who is more than she seems and the emotional and pained Alex hiding behind his carefree indifferent playboy facade. I love these characters and how they each have layers that are slowly peeled away as they become closer and as the story progresses. They help each other become stronger.
Besides my love for the main characters, the story of Make You Mine is one that is intriguing. The mystery, suspense and danger mixed with moments of humor like when Alex keeps trying to push Katya's buttons (which at times got annoying since he kept pushing) when they prepared for the trip to Monte Carlo. That aside, the plot of what happened to Alex's stepfather, and the mystery with Eva that continues on to the next book, is great and now I wish I read the first book, Mine to Take with Gabriel and Alex's sister Honor, first.
My only qualm is that I wish we could have seen Katya be more badass and use more of her special forces training.
Overall, Make You Mine, was a fabulous read and I can't wait to read Zac and Eva's story (and Gabriel and Honor's). I highly recommend this book and series.
(Thank you to Jackie Ashenden, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an ARC of Make You Mine for an honest review.)
May 30, 2015
Oh man, this book. I was hooked to every page. Where book one of this series had a slow start (as I expect any first book in a series does), this book hit the ground running from page one and never stopped.
It's been a while since I've read a book with so much underlying tension on nearly every page and through every interaction. Alex is an excellent card player, and it's like this entire book is a game of high-stakes poker. Especially when you have Alex, a man so broken, so utterly lost within himself, and no one can see how much pain he's really in. (Until Katya)
Every piece of dialogue holds more than one meaning, every physical interaction has significant weight under the surface. I'm kind of blown away by how subtle the tension was built throughout the course of the book. I was just explaining to a friend that while some of Jackie's erotica is fast and hard-hitting, this series is very much a slow burn. A slow, painful, torture that you beg for. This book was even more torturous than the first book, which I really liked.
And Katya...damn. What a fantastic, strong woman. I loved every part of her. My heart bled for her, related to her as a woman, and just yes. In fact, I can't even decide whether my heart bled more for Katya, or for Alex, who both had their fair share of darkness. Which I LOVE. It's my crack, what can I say. The more tortured the characters, the sweeter the love story.
Yes, yes, I LOVED another Jackie Ashenden book. And that's something I never see coming to an end.
(ALSO, HOLY SHIT THAT EPILOGUE. I SCREAMED. THEN THE EXCERPT... I NEED ZAC AND EVA'S BOOK RIGHT. NOW.)
May 5, 2015
MAKE YOU MINE was a very good book, this was the first time I had read anything by Jackie Ashenden and I have to say that I really enjoyed this read.
The plot of this book was very well written but at times I found the pace of it very slow and I had a hard time following the story as the chapter would end and then the next chapter would start a whole new scene without the previous scene being finished, but then about halfway through the book when the drama and the suspense starts I couldn't put it down and read till I finished. My other problem was that this is the second book in the series and I had not read the first book. The characters in this book were very well written and the chemistry between Alex and Katya was kind of forced at first and then once Katya gives into what she is feeling and lets go then their passion and times together are hot.
In this book you will see a man who has been broken inside since the age of sixteen want revenge on the man who hurt him and he will try and do that with his group of friends and his smoking hot body guard Katya. You will see Alex and Katya head to Monaco to put his plan into action, but in the process Alex will begin an affair with Katya, you will also Alex's whole past come back to haunt him and just when he thinks he has his past right where he wants him another man swoops in and spoils all Alex's plans.
MAKE YOU MINE, in my opinion should be read after reading book one (Mine to Take), and I would definitely read more by this author making sure I have read the books in the correct order.
The plot of this book was very well written but at times I found the pace of it very slow and I had a hard time following the story as the chapter would end and then the next chapter would start a whole new scene without the previous scene being finished, but then about halfway through the book when the drama and the suspense starts I couldn't put it down and read till I finished. My other problem was that this is the second book in the series and I had not read the first book. The characters in this book were very well written and the chemistry between Alex and Katya was kind of forced at first and then once Katya gives into what she is feeling and lets go then their passion and times together are hot.
In this book you will see a man who has been broken inside since the age of sixteen want revenge on the man who hurt him and he will try and do that with his group of friends and his smoking hot body guard Katya. You will see Alex and Katya head to Monaco to put his plan into action, but in the process Alex will begin an affair with Katya, you will also Alex's whole past come back to haunt him and just when he thinks he has his past right where he wants him another man swoops in and spoils all Alex's plans.
MAKE YOU MINE, in my opinion should be read after reading book one (Mine to Take), and I would definitely read more by this author making sure I have read the books in the correct order.
May 22, 2015
I read book 1 in this series and really enjoyed it but I wanted to enjoy this one as much but I did and did not.
This story of Alex and Katya, had all the things a good book needs but the author took so long stringing us along that by the 50% mark I was bored and you pretty much knew most of what was going to happen so I did something I might do in 1 out of 1000 books because i DID love the story.
I jumped to the last 2 chapters and read them and did not feel like I missed ANYTHING of any importance.
I give it 3 Stars and want to give it 4 because this really is a great story but the author took almost 400 pages to tell a story that would have been exceptional at 200-225 pages.
Bottom Line: This series still has a lot of good stories to tell but the males all seem to be mainlining testosterone and come across as jerks most of the time. They mellow out by the end of the book but I find them unpleasant BUT the author has such great stories in these books I will be reading the next one and hope the writing is tighter and much less filler. Sometimes "less is more" as the saying goes and it applies to this book for sure.
This story of Alex and Katya, had all the things a good book needs but the author took so long stringing us along that by the 50% mark I was bored and you pretty much knew most of what was going to happen so I did something I might do in 1 out of 1000 books because i DID love the story.
I jumped to the last 2 chapters and read them and did not feel like I missed ANYTHING of any importance.
I give it 3 Stars and want to give it 4 because this really is a great story but the author took almost 400 pages to tell a story that would have been exceptional at 200-225 pages.
Bottom Line: This series still has a lot of good stories to tell but the males all seem to be mainlining testosterone and come across as jerks most of the time. They mellow out by the end of the book but I find them unpleasant BUT the author has such great stories in these books I will be reading the next one and hope the writing is tighter and much less filler. Sometimes "less is more" as the saying goes and it applies to this book for sure.
April 26, 2015
Thanks St. Martin's Press for a book to read and review via netgalley.
Pulse pounding entertainment! Amazing story, book two in the Nine Circles series, and it should be read in order but not necessary. I think this book did well enough standing on its own, but I'm thinking all the people that belong to their circle will get their own story. What a plot in this one! I couldn't put it down! Alex has a beautiful Russian bodyguard named Katya. She is both deadly and beautiful. She is protecting Alex during a poker game in Monte Carlo. The imagery and world building in this book was beautiful. Alex is a playboy, and is deeply scarred by an event from his childhood. The poker game involves the man from his event in his past, and Alex brings in Katya with him for backup. Even the ending was amazing! Overall entertainment is five stars!
Bad Ass Books
Pulse pounding entertainment! Amazing story, book two in the Nine Circles series, and it should be read in order but not necessary. I think this book did well enough standing on its own, but I'm thinking all the people that belong to their circle will get their own story. What a plot in this one! I couldn't put it down! Alex has a beautiful Russian bodyguard named Katya. She is both deadly and beautiful. She is protecting Alex during a poker game in Monte Carlo. The imagery and world building in this book was beautiful. Alex is a playboy, and is deeply scarred by an event from his childhood. The poker game involves the man from his event in his past, and Alex brings in Katya with him for backup. Even the ending was amazing! Overall entertainment is five stars!
Bad Ass Books
December 17, 2015
This book was really good! Things kept taking me away from it but when I could get back to it, it sucked me right in. I loved Alex from the start. The tortured playboy who hides his pain in alcohol and women. There is only one person who gets past his armor. Katya is his bodyguard who goes everywhere with him and manages to reach into his deepest self.
They go to Monaco for an exclusive poker tournament to find answers and get revenge on Alex's enemy from the past where things are not all that they seem.
This book had it all. Intrigue, drama and passion. I fell into it and didn't want to come out. This is the 2nd book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. It is well written and worth the read. The characters are great and I loved them. The story is fast paced and flows really well. This book is a great read and I can't wait to read more by this author.
They go to Monaco for an exclusive poker tournament to find answers and get revenge on Alex's enemy from the past where things are not all that they seem.
This book had it all. Intrigue, drama and passion. I fell into it and didn't want to come out. This is the 2nd book in the series but can be read as a stand alone. It is well written and worth the read. The characters are great and I loved them. The story is fast paced and flows really well. This book is a great read and I can't wait to read more by this author.
May 23, 2015
Ok this book was so suspenful! But it still leaves me with so many unanswered questions. My main concern is would Kayta have stayed with Alex if Misha had not told her to stay away?????? This series is so good but the more I read, the more questions that are not answered. The heat between Alex and Kayta was so intense. I loved how strong Kayta was and made Alex accountable for his feeling...this series is really good, but man do I need some answers! Zach and Eva story is next....now this should be super intense and alpha!
April 28, 2015
Make You Mine was an intense read. I did not like the guy in this book at first. After reading more of this story, as his history was revealed, I soon found myself changing my mind about him. The lead lady in this book, was a strong female character and I liked her from the beginning. In Make You Mine, the main characters slowly come together to eventually realize that they love one another. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
April 24, 2015
*Review to come *
June 2, 2015
Katya mine *sighs*
I love it!!!
They were so totally different from what I was expecting. Its not
just about romance. Suspense!!!
Who da hell is Elijah,anyway????
I love it!!!
They were so totally different from what I was expecting. Its not
just about romance. Suspense!!!
Who da hell is Elijah,anyway????
January 25, 2016
Best book in the series!
August 24, 2016
This series is terrific !!! Loved every page and so sad when I was finished. Jackie Ashenden does a fantastic job with the plot & characters. Keeping my fingers crossed for another one !!!
July 12, 2019
This review is not spoiler-free!
Full disclosure: half way through I just kind of angry-skimmed to the end.
Make You Mine started off with a terrible first impression of the hero. I know bad first impressions are a grand tradition of romance novels (it was Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice, after all), but usually it plays out with the hero making a bad impression on the heroine, not the reader.
We meet Alex waking up in bed with two women. Nothing wrong with that, congratulations to him. But he mentions a few times throughout the scene (and the rest of the book) how he feels pretty much nothing for his sexual partners and only really engages in sex to avoid...feeling anything? The characters in this book are very concerned with not feeling feelings. And they say so often, in a lot of uninteresting ways, which really defeats the purpose of reading a book if you ask me.
Those first few pages reminded me of Sean McCloud fromShannon McKenna’s Edge of Midnight, who also opens his book by waking up in bed with two sexual partners. The difference is Sean turns out to be a social butterfly who just likes meeting new people and enjoys sex. So he tends to have a lot of it. This is not only an enviable super power, but also a fun and positive way to approach, you know, all the fucking sex you’re having.
The point is, the mention of Alex’s threesome isn’t titilating, just perplexing.
He goes on to bat a thousand by propositioning his employee, Katya (our bodyguard heroine), in the middle of the night with the deliberate intention of making her uncomfortable. Not cool, dude, especially in light of what we find out about you later. We even get a line that’s supposed to ingratiate him to us about how he won’t sleep with unwilling partners, and I start praying that Alex is going to develop some charm at some point.
The book powers on and it becomes clear that Alex has a perfectly understandable reason to have a complicated relationship with sex: he’s experienced sexual assault.
I haven’t found a lot male sexual assault survivors represented in the romance novels I’ve read, so I was interested to see how it was handled. It was handled not well.
Obviously, the flat, alpha-male archetype he’s supposed to embody doesn’t do Alex any favors in helping him deal with his trauma. But beyond that, the dialogue in any scene where his assault is discussed feels clunky and distant. We’re told plenty of times that Alex is angry, but when he expresses this it just kinda sounds like someone who’s real miffed by a verbal insult, or possibly a business betrayal. I never felt the gravity of terrible situation that people actually deal with in real life. It felt almost cartoonish.
Katya endeared herself to me at first by being tough and intuitive. She has a backstory where her dad raised her to believe that anything too feminine, like doing ballet, encourages weakness of character (you’re telling me this guy’s Russian and he’s never heard of pointe?). Katya’s mom commited suicide and her dad blamed this on her being a weak, girly lady. No surprise that this aspect of Katya’s internal conflict goes nowhere since this is a book uninterested in examining the ill-effects of internalized gender prejudice.
Anyway, there’s a plot. It involves Alex and Katya fake dating and infiltrating a high stakes poker game run by Alex’s rapist, Conrad, who is also running a human trafficking ring.
There’s a moment where Alex is doing the predictable “I have to protect you by keeping you away from the action even though you’re literally my bodyguard” song and dance. Katya responds by saying she’s too strong for Conrad to try anything, and the tone kinda edges too far into victim blaming for my tastes.
Also, the writing constantly has the characters asking questions that have obvious answers.
“I can’t be feeling trepidation at being in the same room as my rapist, can I?”
….Yeah?
“Will he think me a horrible person for ?”
….Nah?
I get it. People have irrational ideas, and I’ve read plenty of good books about them. The writing in this one was just plain bad, y’all.
In conclusion, I can’t wait to discus-throw-chuck this into the returns slot at the library. And I’m still looking for a new romantic suspense author that doesn’t have me wanting to strangle the hero within the first five pages.
This book includes: Casino Royale-style high-stakes poker, a lot of rich people, a not-quite Pretty Woman shopping scene, and sparring as foreplay.
Trigger warnings for: Male sexual assault, workplace sexual harrassment, mentions of suicide, and generally depressing statements on gender.
Full disclosure: half way through I just kind of angry-skimmed to the end.
Make You Mine started off with a terrible first impression of the hero. I know bad first impressions are a grand tradition of romance novels (it was Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice, after all), but usually it plays out with the hero making a bad impression on the heroine, not the reader.
We meet Alex waking up in bed with two women. Nothing wrong with that, congratulations to him. But he mentions a few times throughout the scene (and the rest of the book) how he feels pretty much nothing for his sexual partners and only really engages in sex to avoid...feeling anything? The characters in this book are very concerned with not feeling feelings. And they say so often, in a lot of uninteresting ways, which really defeats the purpose of reading a book if you ask me.
Those first few pages reminded me of Sean McCloud fromShannon McKenna’s Edge of Midnight, who also opens his book by waking up in bed with two sexual partners. The difference is Sean turns out to be a social butterfly who just likes meeting new people and enjoys sex. So he tends to have a lot of it. This is not only an enviable super power, but also a fun and positive way to approach, you know, all the fucking sex you’re having.
The point is, the mention of Alex’s threesome isn’t titilating, just perplexing.
He goes on to bat a thousand by propositioning his employee, Katya (our bodyguard heroine), in the middle of the night with the deliberate intention of making her uncomfortable. Not cool, dude, especially in light of what we find out about you later. We even get a line that’s supposed to ingratiate him to us about how he won’t sleep with unwilling partners, and I start praying that Alex is going to develop some charm at some point.
The book powers on and it becomes clear that Alex has a perfectly understandable reason to have a complicated relationship with sex: he’s experienced sexual assault.
I haven’t found a lot male sexual assault survivors represented in the romance novels I’ve read, so I was interested to see how it was handled. It was handled not well.
Obviously, the flat, alpha-male archetype he’s supposed to embody doesn’t do Alex any favors in helping him deal with his trauma. But beyond that, the dialogue in any scene where his assault is discussed feels clunky and distant. We’re told plenty of times that Alex is angry, but when he expresses this it just kinda sounds like someone who’s real miffed by a verbal insult, or possibly a business betrayal. I never felt the gravity of terrible situation that people actually deal with in real life. It felt almost cartoonish.
Katya endeared herself to me at first by being tough and intuitive. She has a backstory where her dad raised her to believe that anything too feminine, like doing ballet, encourages weakness of character (you’re telling me this guy’s Russian and he’s never heard of pointe?). Katya’s mom commited suicide and her dad blamed this on her being a weak, girly lady. No surprise that this aspect of Katya’s internal conflict goes nowhere since this is a book uninterested in examining the ill-effects of internalized gender prejudice.
Anyway, there’s a plot. It involves Alex and Katya fake dating and infiltrating a high stakes poker game run by Alex’s rapist, Conrad, who is also running a human trafficking ring.
There’s a moment where Alex is doing the predictable “I have to protect you by keeping you away from the action even though you’re literally my bodyguard” song and dance. Katya responds by saying she’s too strong for Conrad to try anything, and the tone kinda edges too far into victim blaming for my tastes.
Also, the writing constantly has the characters asking questions that have obvious answers.
“I can’t be feeling trepidation at being in the same room as my rapist, can I?”
….Yeah?
“Will he think me a horrible person for ?”
….Nah?
I get it. People have irrational ideas, and I’ve read plenty of good books about them. The writing in this one was just plain bad, y’all.
In conclusion, I can’t wait to discus-throw-chuck this into the returns slot at the library. And I’m still looking for a new romantic suspense author that doesn’t have me wanting to strangle the hero within the first five pages.
This book includes: Casino Royale-style high-stakes poker, a lot of rich people, a not-quite Pretty Woman shopping scene, and sparring as foreplay.
Trigger warnings for: Male sexual assault, workplace sexual harrassment, mentions of suicide, and generally depressing statements on gender.
March 7, 2022
LET ME FIRST SAY I ABSOLUTELY HAD A HARD TIME LIKING ALEX. HE WAS A SELFISH COWARD, BUT HE DID REDEEM HIMSELF IN MY EYES. The good thing? At least there's something about him that sets him apart from the previous male lead, and this story while circles around the theme of RAPE again, it's as good as the last.
Oh, and if you're wondering if you can read this as a standalone? Well, it's better to start from the first book as the plot that drives this entire series continues in this book. You might not appreciate it fully or understand what's going on.
ALEX, alex, alex....what am I going to do with you? He was the stereotypical guy who hides his pain in excess. Call him a player, hedonist, manwhore etc etc. He's got his reasons, and let's just say...sexual abuse is one hard road to come back from. Alex has the most hang ups compared to Gabriel. He's like a petulant, selfish boy sometimes and sometimes I personally couldn't stand his ways. But, I also understand why the author wrote him as such. Alex takes up where Gabriel left off and is bent on his own revenge against the man who raped him when he was 16. I didn't feel invested in the MCs until much later...because the chemistry took awhile for me to warm up to even if the sexual attraction was there. Alex's not an easy character to like, and it's not difficult for me to see him pushing Katya away when his emotions come close to the surface and she gets under his skin.
KATYA was an angel. She's not only a kickass bodyguard, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE her honesty. Her honesty isn't the sarcastic, straightforward type...it's more direct and innocent, like a child asking you "Why not?". She was good for Alex, because I think he needed her patience, understanding and most importantly, her innocence. Think of it as a cleansing. She was good for his broken and damaged soul to be sure. I felt uncomfortable about how their sexual chemistry unfolded....it just seemed so awkward and weird. Katya's a virgin, and all her life she's only known to be strong, almost like one of the boys. She doesn't have sexual urges, not until Alex. But one rule she doesn't cross, is to be involved with her clients - until Alex, again. When he refuses her resignation to return to Russia, he proposes her to do one last job and that is to pose as his lover on his revenge mission but, what happens overseas, stays overseas right?
OVERALL Ashenden really does a great job delivering characters who are seriously flawed. It makes the story more interesting. Sure, there are certain elements to the story that ring similar to the last but luckily, the glaring differences of how every character reacted and behaved helped to set it apart. Nevertheless, this was an emotional and passionate story, and I absolutely can't wait for Eva and Zac's story!! That one has been stewing for awhile now, and I'm also dying to know who Elijah is and WHO THE HELL IS THE REAL BAD GUY!! Everytime the book ends, it feels as if everyone's efforts are wasted and they're back to square one. Instead of getting answers, we only get smacked dab with more questions!!
Oh, and if you're wondering if you can read this as a standalone? Well, it's better to start from the first book as the plot that drives this entire series continues in this book. You might not appreciate it fully or understand what's going on.
ALEX, alex, alex....what am I going to do with you? He was the stereotypical guy who hides his pain in excess. Call him a player, hedonist, manwhore etc etc. He's got his reasons, and let's just say...sexual abuse is one hard road to come back from. Alex has the most hang ups compared to Gabriel. He's like a petulant, selfish boy sometimes and sometimes I personally couldn't stand his ways. But, I also understand why the author wrote him as such. Alex takes up where Gabriel left off and is bent on his own revenge against the man who raped him when he was 16. I didn't feel invested in the MCs until much later...because the chemistry took awhile for me to warm up to even if the sexual attraction was there. Alex's not an easy character to like, and it's not difficult for me to see him pushing Katya away when his emotions come close to the surface and she gets under his skin.
KATYA was an angel. She's not only a kickass bodyguard, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE her honesty. Her honesty isn't the sarcastic, straightforward type...it's more direct and innocent, like a child asking you "Why not?". She was good for Alex, because I think he needed her patience, understanding and most importantly, her innocence. Think of it as a cleansing. She was good for his broken and damaged soul to be sure. I felt uncomfortable about how their sexual chemistry unfolded....it just seemed so awkward and weird. Katya's a virgin, and all her life she's only known to be strong, almost like one of the boys. She doesn't have sexual urges, not until Alex. But one rule she doesn't cross, is to be involved with her clients - until Alex, again. When he refuses her resignation to return to Russia, he proposes her to do one last job and that is to pose as his lover on his revenge mission but, what happens overseas, stays overseas right?
OVERALL Ashenden really does a great job delivering characters who are seriously flawed. It makes the story more interesting. Sure, there are certain elements to the story that ring similar to the last but luckily, the glaring differences of how every character reacted and behaved helped to set it apart. Nevertheless, this was an emotional and passionate story, and I absolutely can't wait for Eva and Zac's story!! That one has been stewing for awhile now, and I'm also dying to know who Elijah is and WHO THE HELL IS THE REAL BAD GUY!! Everytime the book ends, it feels as if everyone's efforts are wasted and they're back to square one. Instead of getting answers, we only get smacked dab with more questions!!
May 24, 2017
I'm really enjoying this series - i think the fact that there's this bigger story that seems to be woven throughout each installment so far makes it that much more engaging.
So we had the first book with Gabriel and Honor - and we saw how their relationship had the potential to make Gabe's world explode since Honor is his best friend Alex's sister - yet we see that maybe it's ok right?
So in this 2nd book, it's about Alex, and his quest to find out the link of who Gabriel's father is since it's not their stepfather, while fighting demons of his own. The journey that we go on shows us quite about of what happened to Alex nineteen years ago, and a lot about who he is now and why.
As expected, things get interesting when we learn more about his bodyguard - a woman who appeared in the first book - an attractive Russian woman who was special forces and has the ability to disarm Alex with a look. You know it'll inevitably lead to chemistry right?
When Alex has to go to Monaco to play in an exclusive poker tournament that's run by Conrad - the demon from his past and potentially a link to his father - we see things get interesting. There's clearly more to the game than meets the eye since Alex realizes that it's not Poker exactly that folks are there for. They aren't the best players and there are hints of other things that are of interest outside of cards.
All the while, Katya, his bodyguard and the other guys, Gabriel, Zac and Eva try to uncover the links and information - which still seems elusive even at the end of the story. What's not escaping us is the chemistry and tension between Alex and Katya and once they start to scratch the surface - everything erupts.
Katya plays the role of girlfriend and lover when she's had no experience at all in that. She learns a lot about herself and is forced to admit to herself why she's been so stoic and hard through out her entire life - all because of the emotions that Alex brings out. What it leads to is uncharted territory for the two of them, and it's only when one is shot and ends up on the edge of death that things are finally realized.
The great continuation that we are taken with this story is that there's a video that's being used as blackmail against Alex and while he uses a facade of not caring, we know there's more to it than that, and it's Eva that we learn who may be able to decipher it all.
So true to Jackie Ashenden's style, we not only get a book with a compelling plot, but one that's so hot and steamy that you can't help but to get engrossed in. The way that she writes the need for control and ownership, dominance etc from Alex is incredibly hot. The way that we see Katya fight giving up control and letting Alex lead is also really compelling. I can't wait to see what's next since there's clearly something between Eva and Zac and it has to come out in the next book. Enjoy!
So we had the first book with Gabriel and Honor - and we saw how their relationship had the potential to make Gabe's world explode since Honor is his best friend Alex's sister - yet we see that maybe it's ok right?
So in this 2nd book, it's about Alex, and his quest to find out the link of who Gabriel's father is since it's not their stepfather, while fighting demons of his own. The journey that we go on shows us quite about of what happened to Alex nineteen years ago, and a lot about who he is now and why.
As expected, things get interesting when we learn more about his bodyguard - a woman who appeared in the first book - an attractive Russian woman who was special forces and has the ability to disarm Alex with a look. You know it'll inevitably lead to chemistry right?
When Alex has to go to Monaco to play in an exclusive poker tournament that's run by Conrad - the demon from his past and potentially a link to his father - we see things get interesting. There's clearly more to the game than meets the eye since Alex realizes that it's not Poker exactly that folks are there for. They aren't the best players and there are hints of other things that are of interest outside of cards.
All the while, Katya, his bodyguard and the other guys, Gabriel, Zac and Eva try to uncover the links and information - which still seems elusive even at the end of the story. What's not escaping us is the chemistry and tension between Alex and Katya and once they start to scratch the surface - everything erupts.
Katya plays the role of girlfriend and lover when she's had no experience at all in that. She learns a lot about herself and is forced to admit to herself why she's been so stoic and hard through out her entire life - all because of the emotions that Alex brings out. What it leads to is uncharted territory for the two of them, and it's only when one is shot and ends up on the edge of death that things are finally realized.
The great continuation that we are taken with this story is that there's a video that's being used as blackmail against Alex and while he uses a facade of not caring, we know there's more to it than that, and it's Eva that we learn who may be able to decipher it all.
So true to Jackie Ashenden's style, we not only get a book with a compelling plot, but one that's so hot and steamy that you can't help but to get engrossed in. The way that she writes the need for control and ownership, dominance etc from Alex is incredibly hot. The way that we see Katya fight giving up control and letting Alex lead is also really compelling. I can't wait to see what's next since there's clearly something between Eva and Zac and it has to come out in the next book. Enjoy!
September 19, 2017
A solid 4*!!! I almost did not read this book due to some top reviews here. The main problem being hero was a manwhore parading his lovers in front of heroine! NORMALLY I would not even want to touch this kind of story, but something made me pause and reread the book blurb.
We first met Alex in book 1, Gabriel and Honor's story. I was intrigued by his story and was keen to read it. Katya was his cool Russian bodyguard, so I was surprised she's the heroine. Now at this point they had an employer and employee relationship. We knew from the book summary Katya had someone in her heart, so really Alex did not owe it to Katya to er become faithful to his bodyguard right? I mean they were not in a relationship then!
So I proceeded to start the book. I love both Alex and Katya!
It was definitely not an insta-lust or love story. Ex special forces Katya was a hardcore soldier whose father promised her to fellow soldier Mikhail. He was lost in a black ops mission and when her general father put his political ambitions above loyalty to another soldier, Katya felt betrayed on all levels because her whole life after her mother's death, her father raised her to be strong and cold, putting loyalty for army and country first. Yet her father did not walk the talk and Katya left Russia while trying to locate Mikhail herself.
As we knew Gabriel saved Alex outside his father's secret casino and Alex left home and cut off ties with his mother and sister for the past 19 years. Nobody knew why but in this book we find out. Something really horrible happened to Alex as he thought his sacrifice could save his father, his hero. When his father shot himself, Alex felt betrayed and angry that it was all for nothing. Katya shared his pain because her mother committed suicide too. It was painful and beautiful seeing both Alex and Katya consoling each other; they both understood each other's pain, and how it was actually their own parents who let their younger selves down.
What had happened to Alex traumatised him, such that he turned to drugs, alcohol and sex for escape. He's since learnt to stop the drugs and alcohol which left him a manwhore! His inner devils were painful and initially when he took courage and told Eva and Zac they had not believed him! I was angry on his behalf!
I enjoyed very much how Katya and Alex's relationship changed and developed as the plot and mystery moved on. Showing each other their vulnerabilities and sharing strength and trust.
The poker games in Monte Carlo were exciting and plot twists at the end kept me reading.
SPOILERS
KNOWING this series has got a few other books I should not be surprised we did not find the true villains behind the shady casino business Alex's father was caught in. We still did not know who ordered Tremain shot, would Honor be safe, and worse they had all been warned off their investigations into the dark secrets of the casino mastermind/human trafficking.
I am looking forward to Eva and Zac's story next!
We first met Alex in book 1, Gabriel and Honor's story. I was intrigued by his story and was keen to read it. Katya was his cool Russian bodyguard, so I was surprised she's the heroine. Now at this point they had an employer and employee relationship. We knew from the book summary Katya had someone in her heart, so really Alex did not owe it to Katya to er become faithful to his bodyguard right? I mean they were not in a relationship then!
So I proceeded to start the book. I love both Alex and Katya!
It was definitely not an insta-lust or love story. Ex special forces Katya was a hardcore soldier whose father promised her to fellow soldier Mikhail. He was lost in a black ops mission and when her general father put his political ambitions above loyalty to another soldier, Katya felt betrayed on all levels because her whole life after her mother's death, her father raised her to be strong and cold, putting loyalty for army and country first. Yet her father did not walk the talk and Katya left Russia while trying to locate Mikhail herself.
As we knew Gabriel saved Alex outside his father's secret casino and Alex left home and cut off ties with his mother and sister for the past 19 years. Nobody knew why but in this book we find out. Something really horrible happened to Alex as he thought his sacrifice could save his father, his hero. When his father shot himself, Alex felt betrayed and angry that it was all for nothing. Katya shared his pain because her mother committed suicide too. It was painful and beautiful seeing both Alex and Katya consoling each other; they both understood each other's pain, and how it was actually their own parents who let their younger selves down.
What had happened to Alex traumatised him, such that he turned to drugs, alcohol and sex for escape. He's since learnt to stop the drugs and alcohol which left him a manwhore! His inner devils were painful and initially when he took courage and told Eva and Zac they had not believed him! I was angry on his behalf!
I enjoyed very much how Katya and Alex's relationship changed and developed as the plot and mystery moved on. Showing each other their vulnerabilities and sharing strength and trust.
The poker games in Monte Carlo were exciting and plot twists at the end kept me reading.
SPOILERS
KNOWING this series has got a few other books I should not be surprised we did not find the true villains behind the shady casino business Alex's father was caught in. We still did not know who ordered Tremain shot, would Honor be safe, and worse they had all been warned off their investigations into the dark secrets of the casino mastermind/human trafficking.
I am looking forward to Eva and Zac's story next!
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