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Irresistible #5
The Muse
The author of The List continues her sinfully addictive Irresistible series with a provocative new novel about a woman inspired by her most forbidden desires…
Arden MacCarren can’t afford to lose control. Her family’s investment house has failed, their professional reputation is all but destroyed, and it’s up to Arden to hold the line. The only distraction she allows herself is a weekly drawing class where she can forget everything. Then she meets Seth Miller. When he poses in her class, strong, mysterious, and unbearably sexy, she can’t resist him. The only thing she can do is keep it purely physical—no emotions, no strings, and definitely no telling.
Seth understands responsibilities, both Arden’s and his own. During his last tour as a Marine he lost his best friends to an IED. He has a duty to look after his buddies’ survivors. All he allows himself is the stolen moments with Arden. But as he’s drawn into Arden’s battle with her demons, he comes face-to-face with his own. Seth will have to choose between a duty he can’t ignore and the longing to inspire Arden’s every desire—mind, soul, and body…
Arden MacCarren can’t afford to lose control. Her family’s investment house has failed, their professional reputation is all but destroyed, and it’s up to Arden to hold the line. The only distraction she allows herself is a weekly drawing class where she can forget everything. Then she meets Seth Miller. When he poses in her class, strong, mysterious, and unbearably sexy, she can’t resist him. The only thing she can do is keep it purely physical—no emotions, no strings, and definitely no telling.
Seth understands responsibilities, both Arden’s and his own. During his last tour as a Marine he lost his best friends to an IED. He has a duty to look after his buddies’ survivors. All he allows himself is the stolen moments with Arden. But as he’s drawn into Arden’s battle with her demons, he comes face-to-face with his own. Seth will have to choose between a duty he can’t ignore and the longing to inspire Arden’s every desire—mind, soul, and body…
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
7 people are currently reading
682 people want to read
About the author
Anne Calhoun
52 books656 followersAfter doing time at Fortune 500 companies on both coasts, I found myself living in the suburbs of a small Midwestern city. The glamour of various cube farm jobs had worn off, so I gave up making a decent living to take Joseph Campbell’s advice and follow my bliss: writing romance.
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August 3, 2016
5 When-the-Dust-Settles stars. Full review posted November 5, 2015.
The picture drew her eye. It was of a man in an extreme situation, living with the threat of death and failure every day, but all the while radiating paradoxical strength and woundedness, determination and fear, surviving under the most crushing circumstances, because Semper Fi never ended. She would never get tired of looking at Seth, could spend hours watching him like she’d study a painting by a master. He was complex, shrouded, shaded, finding strength not in individual success but in brotherhood and belonging, in fighting the fight that had to be fought.
Highly sensual and erotic. Evocative. Smart. Sensitive. Genuine. Beautifully emotional. Perfect.
My sixth five-star rating of the year goes to The Muse by Anne Calhoun.
Liberating Lacey was my first book by Anne Calhoun and I will always love Hunter and Lacey (the sex is simply fantabulous). Yet I downgraded it to 4 stars because I wanted to give The Muse 5 stars which is by far the better book. I feel like I'm saying the same about Anne's recent books: it's her best work and my favorite. The Muse is my favorite.
The Muse is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Set in the pulsing city of New York, socialite Arden MacCarren's life is in shambles. After decades of carefully acquired wealth, her family's investment bank has reached the end of the line. Her family is ruined and their reputation destroyed due to a Ponzi scheme that her father and brother established a few years ago. While her father and brother have been arrested, Arden tries to save what can be saved. She finds distraction in a weekly drawing class where she meets Seth Malone. He's a former Marine and a bike messenger who poses in the nude for art students to mend wages. But he's also an honorable, loyal man who takes his responsibilities very seriously and looks out for those left behind. Though when Arden hires Seth for private drawing lessons, things are getting not only physical but also intimate, despite the no emotions, no strings rule.
Arden MacCarren and Seth Malone have been (briefly) introduced in Evening Storm. But don't worry, The Muse works perfectly fine as a standalone. Besides, if you don't enjoy reading a story about main protagonists who spend the majority of the plot separated, then I would not recommend you to read Evening Storm. The Muse, however, is very different. Hero and heroine meet very early into the plot and get extensive page time together.
What happens after losing your best friends in an IED explosion? How do you cope in the wake of a tragedy after the bubble of glory bursts within a heartbeat and when all that remains are guilt and grief eating at you? How do you pick up the pieces of yourself and of those loved ones who were left behind? How and when do you grief? How do you deal with the silence and the dust that doesn't want to settle? And what comes after you've had "I didn't die in Afghanistan" sex or "I didn't die at all" sex? Where and what exactly is the purpose? It surely must go beyond helping the bereaved people.
There was no road map, no story, no movies made about What Happened Next, when the mission ended not in victorious homecomings and a fadeaway shot of a big family meal, but rather in body bags, explosions, and dust that never seemed to settle.
Let's face it, a male lead depicted as an honorable and loyal human being who served for his country appeals to plenty of readers. Even if said male lead isn't in a war zone anymore. The Muse, however, goes way deeper than the sexual objectification of a strong and caring man who'd been wearing a uniform. It is erotic romance, but with emphasis on both terms because it is also about two individuals who helped each other deal with their issues. They challenged and supported one another and gave each other space to find themselves.
You can put down your weapon and quit service, but you can't extinguish your memories. There are different coping mechanisms and Seth has found one that works for him. Or, maybe that's just an illusion. You can fool yourself to a certain degree, but not those who can see beyond the outer shell.
I devoured the very good plot, the sensual drawing bits and the erotic sex and, of course, I did love both main characters. Even though Arden thinks that her problems render her weak, Seth sees her for what and who she is: a warrior and survivor. A strong woman behind a tall, slim and delicate exterior.
What I also LOVED and found incredibly sexy and intriguing was the concept of a very wealthy and classy socialite heroine paired up with a tattooed, resilient, loyal and somewhat reserved and quiet bike messenger hero. Holy.Smokes. What.A.Hotttt.Combo. Where is my fan? These two actually did remind me a tiny bit of Hunter and Lacey and the aspect of "opposites attract".
The Muse isn't a story that hasn't been told already. Fictional heroes who served for their country is a highly popular subject and it's been done a billion times. But Anne crafted a story that's genuine and profound. It's much more than steamy and sensual sex. And that's the reason why I (almost) always connect very strongly with her characters. Her last few books have reached an atmospheric density I truly admire. To me, they are a full body experience and keep my mind and body engaged. Her writing is so beautiful and an organic sensory experience. So, yes, I may be somewhat biased, but with good reason because she's an excellent, combat-tested (pun intended) and gifted author. And I'm very grateful that she keeps on writing stories that not only stimulate my libido, but also speak to my heart and evoke a myriad of emotions from me. She can and does write food for thought that transcends simple erotic stories. In my book, she pens high-end and very smart erotic romance like no one else.
A tantalizing promise and
Torturous anticipation for what's to come
Every sense engaged
The flow of heated blood
Friction of hair and body against body
Tongues flicking over sweat-slicked skin
Teasing nips and bites
Tracing the outer shell of an ear
Eliciting soft, breathy gasps
Erratic hearts beating in unison
Intense passion
Building and building up to a staggering climax…
And coming apart under
A lover's skillful ministrations
The scent of sex and lust
Covering a room like a saturated blanket
This…^^^^^^^^
…is what Anne masters to perfection. There is touch and then more touch. An exploration of passion, intensity and emotion. Getting my obligatory dose of eroticism is one thing. The other important essence is a meaty storyline. Adding a thoughtful and layered plot to the sensuous sex is what makes The Muse so bloody great and the reason I will never get enough of Anne's eclectic writing and voice.
The Muse is well-paced, the buildup engaging and the MCs portrayals are very empathic. Everything, really everything comes full circle and culminates in a superb and well-thought-out crescendo that's going to sucker punch you. Emotion at its very finest when a strong man falls apart.
Micah who acted as the art teacher was talking to his students about finding their voice. Anne has found hers a while ago. Yet she never sustains her efforts and keeps evolving. And what I also admire about her is that she doesn't shy away either from occasionally writing difficult and somewhat unpopular characters (I'm not talking about The Muse). Knowing full well that they might be rejected by the reading audience, she owns up to her decision because being unpopular has a raison d'être also. Unfortunately, being genuine and authentic doesn't always gain laurels but something else: respect. And you know it, Anne, you have mine.
Long story short, thank you that, after all these years, you are still perfecting your gloriously sensuous and thoughtful craft. I think that's a rare gift in the world of romance and erotica authors these days and something I truly value very, very much.
Highly recommended.
All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted in the final copy
**ARC courtesy of PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review**
ISSUE - SIDE NOTE
PLEA TO THE PUBLISHER(S)
Authors don't have any control over a publisher's pricing policy. You have the power, thus ensure that you pursue a reasonable strategy.
The ebook of The Muse costs more than $12 on Amazon.com. That's insane!
A majority of readers don't spend more than $6 for an ebook, many readers don't even pay more than $3 or $4. I understand that authors invest time and effort in their work and they deserve to earn decent money once they put their baby on the market. This being said, publishers must realize that their pricing policy is a very sensitive subject matter. As a result, they must take account of their important decision.
Fact is:
Publishers don't do authors any favors by setting the price at $12. Do they not want to gain new readers? By demanding 8, 10 or 12 bucks for an ebook, they are preventing readers from buying a potentially great book that deserves to be read. We're always talking about piracy. Do they believe that their steep pricing policy is going to help solve the problem? I say that will only aggravate an annoying issue.
Also, publishers shouldn't ignore the psychological aspect of ebooks versus paperbacks. Holding a paperback or even a hardcover in your hands is affecting a reader differently than downloading a "virtual" book. This may seem wrong to publishers and authors, but there is a perceptible added value when you buy a paperback instead of an ebook. Readers have different book budgets; more than a few are struggling to make ends meet, and that means they check out books and pricing. They think, reevaluate, judge and, ultimately, buy or reject. So, yes, a publisher's (too steep) pricing is going to affect an author's royalty checks negatively.
Greed is a bad advisor. Think about it.
***********************************
Pre-reading The Muse:
Maybe I should rate it with five stars prior to reading it. Because someone with 14130 ratings, 0 reviews and an average rating of fabled 1.00 has given this book 1 star on August 18th 2015, a long way before anyone was holding an ARC in their hands. It boggles the freaking mind. Not only is The Muse due out on December 1st 2015, but I don't understand how anyone can have 14130 ratings and every single one is a one star?! Conveniently, the account is set to private.
The picture drew her eye. It was of a man in an extreme situation, living with the threat of death and failure every day, but all the while radiating paradoxical strength and woundedness, determination and fear, surviving under the most crushing circumstances, because Semper Fi never ended. She would never get tired of looking at Seth, could spend hours watching him like she’d study a painting by a master. He was complex, shrouded, shaded, finding strength not in individual success but in brotherhood and belonging, in fighting the fight that had to be fought.
Highly sensual and erotic. Evocative. Smart. Sensitive. Genuine. Beautifully emotional. Perfect.
My sixth five-star rating of the year goes to The Muse by Anne Calhoun.
Liberating Lacey was my first book by Anne Calhoun and I will always love Hunter and Lacey (the sex is simply fantabulous). Yet I downgraded it to 4 stars because I wanted to give The Muse 5 stars which is by far the better book. I feel like I'm saying the same about Anne's recent books: it's her best work and my favorite. The Muse is my favorite.
The Muse is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Set in the pulsing city of New York, socialite Arden MacCarren's life is in shambles. After decades of carefully acquired wealth, her family's investment bank has reached the end of the line. Her family is ruined and their reputation destroyed due to a Ponzi scheme that her father and brother established a few years ago. While her father and brother have been arrested, Arden tries to save what can be saved. She finds distraction in a weekly drawing class where she meets Seth Malone. He's a former Marine and a bike messenger who poses in the nude for art students to mend wages. But he's also an honorable, loyal man who takes his responsibilities very seriously and looks out for those left behind. Though when Arden hires Seth for private drawing lessons, things are getting not only physical but also intimate, despite the no emotions, no strings rule.
Arden MacCarren and Seth Malone have been (briefly) introduced in Evening Storm. But don't worry, The Muse works perfectly fine as a standalone. Besides, if you don't enjoy reading a story about main protagonists who spend the majority of the plot separated, then I would not recommend you to read Evening Storm. The Muse, however, is very different. Hero and heroine meet very early into the plot and get extensive page time together.
What happens after losing your best friends in an IED explosion? How do you cope in the wake of a tragedy after the bubble of glory bursts within a heartbeat and when all that remains are guilt and grief eating at you? How do you pick up the pieces of yourself and of those loved ones who were left behind? How and when do you grief? How do you deal with the silence and the dust that doesn't want to settle? And what comes after you've had "I didn't die in Afghanistan" sex or "I didn't die at all" sex? Where and what exactly is the purpose? It surely must go beyond helping the bereaved people.
There was no road map, no story, no movies made about What Happened Next, when the mission ended not in victorious homecomings and a fadeaway shot of a big family meal, but rather in body bags, explosions, and dust that never seemed to settle.
Semper Fi never ended. Faithfulness never ended.
Hollywood used the worst day of his life as entertainment.
Let's face it, a male lead depicted as an honorable and loyal human being who served for his country appeals to plenty of readers. Even if said male lead isn't in a war zone anymore. The Muse, however, goes way deeper than the sexual objectification of a strong and caring man who'd been wearing a uniform. It is erotic romance, but with emphasis on both terms because it is also about two individuals who helped each other deal with their issues. They challenged and supported one another and gave each other space to find themselves.
You can put down your weapon and quit service, but you can't extinguish your memories. There are different coping mechanisms and Seth has found one that works for him. Or, maybe that's just an illusion. You can fool yourself to a certain degree, but not those who can see beyond the outer shell.
I devoured the very good plot, the sensual drawing bits and the erotic sex and, of course, I did love both main characters. Even though Arden thinks that her problems render her weak, Seth sees her for what and who she is: a warrior and survivor. A strong woman behind a tall, slim and delicate exterior.
What I also LOVED and found incredibly sexy and intriguing was the concept of a very wealthy and classy socialite heroine paired up with a tattooed, resilient, loyal and somewhat reserved and quiet bike messenger hero. Holy.Smokes. What.A.Hotttt.Combo. Where is my fan? These two actually did remind me a tiny bit of Hunter and Lacey and the aspect of "opposites attract".
The Muse isn't a story that hasn't been told already. Fictional heroes who served for their country is a highly popular subject and it's been done a billion times. But Anne crafted a story that's genuine and profound. It's much more than steamy and sensual sex. And that's the reason why I (almost) always connect very strongly with her characters. Her last few books have reached an atmospheric density I truly admire. To me, they are a full body experience and keep my mind and body engaged. Her writing is so beautiful and an organic sensory experience. So, yes, I may be somewhat biased, but with good reason because she's an excellent, combat-tested (pun intended) and gifted author. And I'm very grateful that she keeps on writing stories that not only stimulate my libido, but also speak to my heart and evoke a myriad of emotions from me. She can and does write food for thought that transcends simple erotic stories. In my book, she pens high-end and very smart erotic romance like no one else.
A tantalizing promise and
Torturous anticipation for what's to come
Every sense engaged
The flow of heated blood
Friction of hair and body against body
Tongues flicking over sweat-slicked skin
Teasing nips and bites
Tracing the outer shell of an ear
Eliciting soft, breathy gasps
Erratic hearts beating in unison
Intense passion
Building and building up to a staggering climax…
And coming apart under
A lover's skillful ministrations
The scent of sex and lust
Covering a room like a saturated blanket
This…^^^^^^^^
…is what Anne masters to perfection. There is touch and then more touch. An exploration of passion, intensity and emotion. Getting my obligatory dose of eroticism is one thing. The other important essence is a meaty storyline. Adding a thoughtful and layered plot to the sensuous sex is what makes The Muse so bloody great and the reason I will never get enough of Anne's eclectic writing and voice.
The Muse is well-paced, the buildup engaging and the MCs portrayals are very empathic. Everything, really everything comes full circle and culminates in a superb and well-thought-out crescendo that's going to sucker punch you. Emotion at its very finest when a strong man falls apart.
Micah who acted as the art teacher was talking to his students about finding their voice. Anne has found hers a while ago. Yet she never sustains her efforts and keeps evolving. And what I also admire about her is that she doesn't shy away either from occasionally writing difficult and somewhat unpopular characters (I'm not talking about The Muse). Knowing full well that they might be rejected by the reading audience, she owns up to her decision because being unpopular has a raison d'être also. Unfortunately, being genuine and authentic doesn't always gain laurels but something else: respect. And you know it, Anne, you have mine.
Long story short, thank you that, after all these years, you are still perfecting your gloriously sensuous and thoughtful craft. I think that's a rare gift in the world of romance and erotica authors these days and something I truly value very, very much.
Highly recommended.
All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted in the final copy
**ARC courtesy of PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review**
ISSUE - SIDE NOTE
PLEA TO THE PUBLISHER(S)
Authors don't have any control over a publisher's pricing policy. You have the power, thus ensure that you pursue a reasonable strategy.
The ebook of The Muse costs more than $12 on Amazon.com. That's insane!
A majority of readers don't spend more than $6 for an ebook, many readers don't even pay more than $3 or $4. I understand that authors invest time and effort in their work and they deserve to earn decent money once they put their baby on the market. This being said, publishers must realize that their pricing policy is a very sensitive subject matter. As a result, they must take account of their important decision.
Fact is:
Publishers don't do authors any favors by setting the price at $12. Do they not want to gain new readers? By demanding 8, 10 or 12 bucks for an ebook, they are preventing readers from buying a potentially great book that deserves to be read. We're always talking about piracy. Do they believe that their steep pricing policy is going to help solve the problem? I say that will only aggravate an annoying issue.
Also, publishers shouldn't ignore the psychological aspect of ebooks versus paperbacks. Holding a paperback or even a hardcover in your hands is affecting a reader differently than downloading a "virtual" book. This may seem wrong to publishers and authors, but there is a perceptible added value when you buy a paperback instead of an ebook. Readers have different book budgets; more than a few are struggling to make ends meet, and that means they check out books and pricing. They think, reevaluate, judge and, ultimately, buy or reject. So, yes, a publisher's (too steep) pricing is going to affect an author's royalty checks negatively.
Greed is a bad advisor. Think about it.
***********************************
Pre-reading The Muse:
Maybe I should rate it with five stars prior to reading it. Because someone with 14130 ratings, 0 reviews and an average rating of fabled 1.00 has given this book 1 star on August 18th 2015, a long way before anyone was holding an ARC in their hands. It boggles the freaking mind. Not only is The Muse due out on December 1st 2015, but I don't understand how anyone can have 14130 ratings and every single one is a one star?! Conveniently, the account is set to private.
December 15, 2015
A not quickly forgotten, inspirational, sensual and haunting love story.
Anne Calhoun has brilliantly created an uplifting, enthralling, complex and breathlessly fascinating story of two people who meet under difficult situations and their journey together to finding hope, healing and love.
Arden McCarren’s world comes crashing down, when her father and brother are arrested and charged with using a Ponzi scheme to defraud clients of millions. She now faces the challenge to caring for her mother and dealing with the fall-out that they have left her to deal with. Beset by panic attacks and the pressure that the relentless media facing her, ostracized by her friends and colleagues, FBI scrutiny, half-way to a breakdown….she’s tries as best she can to face each new day in her life.
Seth Miller, former marine, who has suffered the loss of his three best friends on their last mission in Afghanistan, is now a bike messenger and part-time nude model for art students in New York. He’s haunted by the tragic and terrible death of his colleagues and the only way he can deal with his loss and pain is by helping and being there for his dead friend’s families.
When these two damaged souls meet at an art class, they feel a connection each other.
They recognize something that comforts and eases their pain.
I loved watching Arden and Seth together. Their relationship felt real and the progression from sex to friends to lovers was done in a very believable and natural way. Understanding each other’s pain, fears and insecurities…..
I so wanted these two people to be together and find happiness in their lives…I was so invested in their relationship. Sadness, giving, understanding, caring and an incredibly unselfish love for each other.
I love this author’s writing style and voice. She has a unique and distinctive way with words that enthralled me from the very first page.
I am so looking forward to reading more of this author’s books.
This is definitely one of my favorite reads in 2015.
Go on, get this book….why? Because it’s more than just brilliant and unforgettable.
And not forgetting…. a big and huge THANK YOU to my GR friend, Baba, whose brilliant review made me want to read this book. You rock BB!!!
Anne Calhoun has brilliantly created an uplifting, enthralling, complex and breathlessly fascinating story of two people who meet under difficult situations and their journey together to finding hope, healing and love.
Arden McCarren’s world comes crashing down, when her father and brother are arrested and charged with using a Ponzi scheme to defraud clients of millions. She now faces the challenge to caring for her mother and dealing with the fall-out that they have left her to deal with. Beset by panic attacks and the pressure that the relentless media facing her, ostracized by her friends and colleagues, FBI scrutiny, half-way to a breakdown….she’s tries as best she can to face each new day in her life.
Seth Miller, former marine, who has suffered the loss of his three best friends on their last mission in Afghanistan, is now a bike messenger and part-time nude model for art students in New York. He’s haunted by the tragic and terrible death of his colleagues and the only way he can deal with his loss and pain is by helping and being there for his dead friend’s families.
When these two damaged souls meet at an art class, they feel a connection each other.
They recognize something that comforts and eases their pain.
I loved watching Arden and Seth together. Their relationship felt real and the progression from sex to friends to lovers was done in a very believable and natural way. Understanding each other’s pain, fears and insecurities…..
I so wanted these two people to be together and find happiness in their lives…I was so invested in their relationship. Sadness, giving, understanding, caring and an incredibly unselfish love for each other.
I love this author’s writing style and voice. She has a unique and distinctive way with words that enthralled me from the very first page.
Wrapped securely in his arms, she let the silence settle over her. She breathed in, breathed out, and knew she was alive. She breathed in, breathed out, and knew peace.Engaging secondary characters and a beautiful setting.
I am so looking forward to reading more of this author’s books.
This is definitely one of my favorite reads in 2015.
Go on, get this book….why? Because it’s more than just brilliant and unforgettable.
And not forgetting…. a big and huge THANK YOU to my GR friend, Baba, whose brilliant review made me want to read this book. You rock BB!!!
December 16, 2015
The Muse is hands down the BEST romance book I've read this year! I loved everything about it: the great writing, the two MC's and the unique and intelligent storyline. Highly recommended for fans of erotic romance.
***I want to thank my lovely friend Baba for encouraging me to read this book. Thanks, sweets!***
***I want to thank my lovely friend Baba for encouraging me to read this book. Thanks, sweets!***
December 1, 2015
Afrodyt's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Arden is embroiled in a complete implosion of her life. Everything changes as her father and brother are found guilty of operating a "Bernie Madoff style" investment scheme and overnight her last name becomes synonymous with cheating, lies, greed and broken dreams. The paparazzi are in a feeding frenzy and Arden is in their crosshairs. While she is completely innocent of any wrongdoing, just being part of the family makes her the recipient of the animosity directed toward her father's misdeeds. In order to cope with the overwhelming stress she goes back to drawing, a skill she hasn't cultivated for many years. In her first private class, with a few friends, Seth arrives to be their model, or Muse.
Seth is a tattooed, former marine that currently works as a bike messenger and also models nude for art students for additional income. Seth carries with him the visible and invisible scars of war. He feels a deep sense of loss for his fallen brothers and he's committed to doing all he can to take care of the loved ones they left behind. Seth is in limbo, not complete with the past and not moving forward with his future. When he meets Arden he can relate to her as someone who is a survivor, carrying on with life even after everything has fallen apart.
They become each other's Muse using art to cope with loss that is unspeakable. The love that blooms between these two is poignant and simple and subtle in its complexity. I love how Anne Calhoun tells this story because there is nothing cliché about how it unfolds. It's sexy and modern and elegant.
I love reading romance novels because, when they are well written, I feel as though I am transported into the most intimate places a man and woman can go within themselves and with each other. Calhoun writes this story in a way feels honest, lyrical, almost poetic. The world and the characters feel richly textured and intricate, from their settings, to their wardrobe, to their emotions. Everything has layers that all fit beautifully together, especially how the characters from the prior novel in this series, The List, are incorporated. Outstanding storytelling.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
Arden is embroiled in a complete implosion of her life. Everything changes as her father and brother are found guilty of operating a "Bernie Madoff style" investment scheme and overnight her last name becomes synonymous with cheating, lies, greed and broken dreams. The paparazzi are in a feeding frenzy and Arden is in their crosshairs. While she is completely innocent of any wrongdoing, just being part of the family makes her the recipient of the animosity directed toward her father's misdeeds. In order to cope with the overwhelming stress she goes back to drawing, a skill she hasn't cultivated for many years. In her first private class, with a few friends, Seth arrives to be their model, or Muse.
Seth is a tattooed, former marine that currently works as a bike messenger and also models nude for art students for additional income. Seth carries with him the visible and invisible scars of war. He feels a deep sense of loss for his fallen brothers and he's committed to doing all he can to take care of the loved ones they left behind. Seth is in limbo, not complete with the past and not moving forward with his future. When he meets Arden he can relate to her as someone who is a survivor, carrying on with life even after everything has fallen apart.
They become each other's Muse using art to cope with loss that is unspeakable. The love that blooms between these two is poignant and simple and subtle in its complexity. I love how Anne Calhoun tells this story because there is nothing cliché about how it unfolds. It's sexy and modern and elegant.
I love reading romance novels because, when they are well written, I feel as though I am transported into the most intimate places a man and woman can go within themselves and with each other. Calhoun writes this story in a way feels honest, lyrical, almost poetic. The world and the characters feel richly textured and intricate, from their settings, to their wardrobe, to their emotions. Everything has layers that all fit beautifully together, especially how the characters from the prior novel in this series, The List, are incorporated. Outstanding storytelling.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
December 16, 2015
I loved this story so much! Such passion and intensity and beautifully expressed!
If I had to describe this book with one word, it would be INTENSE!
I loved this romance so much. It's a powerful story of loss and love, of learning to live and love again. Ms Calhoun explored in depth and with great detail and a sympathetic eye the journey of her characters towards living a full life, being themselves and ultimately freely giving and receiving love and affection.
Takes a familiar trope ex-solder and a rich heiress in distress and twists it completely. There is nothing predictable or cliche in this story. I found it refreshingly original and enthralling.
I loved how Ms Calhoun played with the traditional roles of artist and muse, both Arden and Seth were each other's muse and artists at the same time. A story focuses a lot on art and creation as therapy, there is also sexual exploration, forging a deep sincere connection, reaching true intimacy where two people can be themselves with each other completely honest and un-selfconscious. They need to face their fears, before they deal with them in order to eventually being able to enjoy living again.
Arden was so fragile and gentle and even weak at first glance, yet she had this inner strength and determination to save her family, herself. It's was Seth who saw her strength (he depicted her as a warrior dragon) and helped her discover it for herself. It's through her relationship with Seth she gathered the courage to act and go for things she wanted. She did not shy away from the difficult decisions that had to be taken, she stuck to her own moral code and this made me admire her even more.
Seth was dealing or rather not dealing with his issues - stuck in the past, unable to move forward. After losing his friends in an IED explosion in Afghanistan, he now lied only to support the families/relations of his fallen brothers. I appreciate how Ms Calhoun drew a sensitive portrait of the modern-day soldier, he is not a perfect killing machine, but a real human being, who is lost, vulnerable, suffering from anxiety and PTSD.
They met by chance, their relationship started with lust and need for physical contact but all this was intertwined with art, drawing, truly letting go when drawing, being able to see the other, really see them and transfer them on the page of a scratch book. Art was a central metaphor in the story and I loved how Ms Calhoun used it to reveal Arden and Seth to the reader and ultimately as means for them to see the other for who they are and not just the outward person the rest of the world sees.
The writing was exquisite, very sensual, highly erotic. The story had a solid plot and the romance was really strong and engaging. It's a richly textured story which makes you care for the characters, makes you involved in their struggles and happily ever after. It all feels real, there is no sugar coating the experience of war, or Arden's panic attacks, or her father and brother's crimes. Ultimately, it's a story about being able to give and receive love but also about the real world with its jealousy, greed, deceit.
One of the best books of the year for me!
If I had to describe this book with one word, it would be INTENSE!
I loved this romance so much. It's a powerful story of loss and love, of learning to live and love again. Ms Calhoun explored in depth and with great detail and a sympathetic eye the journey of her characters towards living a full life, being themselves and ultimately freely giving and receiving love and affection.
Takes a familiar trope ex-solder and a rich heiress in distress and twists it completely. There is nothing predictable or cliche in this story. I found it refreshingly original and enthralling.
I loved how Ms Calhoun played with the traditional roles of artist and muse, both Arden and Seth were each other's muse and artists at the same time. A story focuses a lot on art and creation as therapy, there is also sexual exploration, forging a deep sincere connection, reaching true intimacy where two people can be themselves with each other completely honest and un-selfconscious. They need to face their fears, before they deal with them in order to eventually being able to enjoy living again.
Arden was so fragile and gentle and even weak at first glance, yet she had this inner strength and determination to save her family, herself. It's was Seth who saw her strength (he depicted her as a warrior dragon) and helped her discover it for herself. It's through her relationship with Seth she gathered the courage to act and go for things she wanted. She did not shy away from the difficult decisions that had to be taken, she stuck to her own moral code and this made me admire her even more.
Seth was dealing or rather not dealing with his issues - stuck in the past, unable to move forward. After losing his friends in an IED explosion in Afghanistan, he now lied only to support the families/relations of his fallen brothers. I appreciate how Ms Calhoun drew a sensitive portrait of the modern-day soldier, he is not a perfect killing machine, but a real human being, who is lost, vulnerable, suffering from anxiety and PTSD.
They met by chance, their relationship started with lust and need for physical contact but all this was intertwined with art, drawing, truly letting go when drawing, being able to see the other, really see them and transfer them on the page of a scratch book. Art was a central metaphor in the story and I loved how Ms Calhoun used it to reveal Arden and Seth to the reader and ultimately as means for them to see the other for who they are and not just the outward person the rest of the world sees.
The writing was exquisite, very sensual, highly erotic. The story had a solid plot and the romance was really strong and engaging. It's a richly textured story which makes you care for the characters, makes you involved in their struggles and happily ever after. It all feels real, there is no sugar coating the experience of war, or Arden's panic attacks, or her father and brother's crimes. Ultimately, it's a story about being able to give and receive love but also about the real world with its jealousy, greed, deceit.
One of the best books of the year for me!
December 3, 2015
As of late, Anne Calhoun’s have been a hit or miss for me. The last book in the series was a miss but while it took me awhile to warm up to THE MUSE, I ended up liking it in the end. Calhoun has a special way of approaching her stories. She takes quite mundane occupations and kind of glamourizes them with her characters. In this case, we have Seth who is a bike messenger. But he also models nude on the side. He has quite the interesting past. He was in the Corps and is dealing with survivor’s guilt when an IED explosion killed his best friend.
He meets Arden MacCarren at one of her drawing classes, after her family undergoes some public scrutiny when her family investment house fails. To be honest, I didn’t care about the scandal part of the story. For one, readers don’t know Arden’s father or Charles and the evident already happened at the start of the book so there was no emotional attachment to what she was going through.
However, I did enjoy the romance that Seth and Arden have. It runs along the same lines as Calhoun’s other books – sleek and sexy, that’s the best way I can describe them. They definitely have that big city feel, accompanied by that taint of loneliness that comes with living in a large city.
There are some shy and awkward moments between the two but I found that it ran a little bit more subtle in this one. The emotion is still there but maybe it’s because Arden is so closed off that it doesn’t have the same intense heat as some of Calhoun’s previous works do. I enjoyed THE MUSE but it’s probably not my favorite from this author.
February 17, 2017
Quick Note: Because this review is also posted at Dear Author, it's a little different than my usual style, but was just as much fun to do! Links to the DA review are found at the bottom of the post.
Dear Ms. Calhoun:
When I finished reading The Muse, my initial thought was that there were not really any words I could put together that would do justice to this story. If ever a novel has inspired a ‘book hangover’ in me, this was it. But as my dazed brain cleared, I realized that I did have a few things I could say that might entice a reader to pick it up, beyond saying ‘It was fantastic! You have to read this!’ These are my thoughts therefore in a more cognizant form.
Firstly, a little background on the story. The Muse is part of a loosely connected series called Irresistible and is the 5th book. They are standalone stories and characters from one appear in other stories generally with smaller secondary roles. The name Irresistible is the title of a lingerie shop in book 4 of the series, Evening Storm. Though they don’t have to be read in order, this story takes place directly after book 4 and comes about as a result of that tale( in which Ryan, a trader on Wall Street, blows the whistle on a Ponzi scheme headed up by Arden’s father and brother at their family banking investment firm, MacCarren’s).
Arden is the heroine of this story and it starts with that bombshell having gone off, and her trying to pick up the pieces. As a young teenager she was in a serious car accident, and it’s given her a legacy of anxiety and panic attacks. With this disaster, they’ve only gotten worse. She’s desperate to find a way to cope, both with the panic attacks and just in general with the news that has resulted in unwanted and extreme press attention as well as the stress of dealing with the FBI and the lawsuit against her family and their company. One way for her to do that is to spend some quiet hours with a few trusted friends (the ones who haven’t deserted her) and when they suggest a drawing class, Arden hopes that immersing herself in the art she used to love doing can calm her mind, at least for a few hours at a time.
It is here that she is introduced to Seth, a secondary character from Evening Storm where he appeared as a bike messenger that Ryan occasionally used. As well as his courier work, Seth occasionally does some nude male modelling, his tattooed and very masculine form a hit on the art circuit. They meet then, at Arden’s friend’s house and it’s safe to say that they find each other intriguing but don’t pursue anything – until Arden hires Seth to come to her house privately for a drawing session and the lines between hired man and employer blur. They end up in bed together, and in your signature style, the sex is riveting and visceral.
Ryan is the epitome of the wounded warrior, a soldier whose three best friends died on his last mission. He’s taken it upon himself to be their replacements back home in an effort to assuage his survivor guilt. So he plays the role of friend, brother, provider – not moving on with his own future but living a transient existence. He has a trailer to live in, a job as a bike messenger and occasionally as an artist’s model but no thoughts of anything but the present. He can’t let go of the past, and because of this, he can’t move forward into the future. He exists in this limbo on a day to day basis, until he meets Arden. She captures his attention with her beauty, and her character. And though at first he doesn’t know who she is, he can see that she is wounded like him. When he does find out her story (both from his own internet searching and from her telling him bits and pieces as they begin to see each other more regularly), he admires in her the steel he sees running through her core. She’s gone through some horrible things, like him, but has been able to move forward with each setback. Though she feels that she is weak, he sees her strength.
What draws these two together, besides recognizing kindred spirits, is their love of art. In fact, though Seth is a model, he’s also an artist and when on tour, he carried with him a sketchbook all the time to record the events that shaped his time overseas. Since the IED explosion that took his friends, he’s been unable to draw.While he poses for Arden and she draws him, he gets the sense that she can really see him, through his facade that lets him be naked in body if not in soul in front of another.
Arden becomes Seth’s muse then, as he picks up his own sketch book in his private time and starts to draw again. He fancies her as a shield maiden, a warrior woman, though one he doesn’t feel worthy of. The juxtaposition of drawing and sex in this story was quite fascinating to me, and as with many books by you, I always feel like I’ve learned something, in this case about the skills and talent required to make a picture come to life. There is lots of discussion about drawing in general in the story in the art classes Arden takes, the discussions that Arden and Seth have,and several drawing scenes. Some readers might find those details extraneous to the story, but I thought they were an integral part of it.
As the story progresses the tension ramps up. The case against the MacCarren firm spills over into their family’s charity foundation, the one that Arden and her mother have run and the place where she feels she’s made the most impact. The knowledge that all their hard work has been wiped out by the greed of her father and brother is sickening to her. The majority of their family assets will be liquidated to pay back the money that was stolen, leaving her mother a nervous wreck that Arden must also deal with. She will still have money, as a result of her trust fund from her grandmother, but all the work she’s done for the charity, and her day to day job, is gone. Unclear of what to do next, it is in her relationship with Seth that she finds her footing again. Seth on the other hand, experiences the opposite effect. The more time he spends with Arden, the more he realizes that he can’t go on living the way he has been. She forces him to see the truth of his existence and how he’s clung to his dead friends, unable to face the reality of their deaths. After one particularly intimate experience in which they film themselves having sex (ostensibly to help Arden overcome her anxiety about exposure), it is Seth who realizes just how much about himself has been revealed.
Forced to confront his feelings for Arden and his own walls, when the breakthrough comes, it is a cathartic release of emotion – anger, fear, frustration and loneliness. But Arden is there to catch him as he falls, and with this, their relationship is solidified. As that happens, their future becomes a little brighter and a little clearer, as they find in each other the home, security, and love they’ve been seeking.
As each story in the series has come out, I’ve found them to be riveting tales that combine powerful sex and emotion intertwined with unique and flawed characters. Every time I think that it’s my favourite, another one comes out to top the previous one and I’m just left in awe, really, at your powerful storytelling. This one gets an A (I’m sure that’s obvious by now), and I highly recommend it. In other words, to the rest of you out there, ‘It was fantastic! You have to read this!’
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Dear Author link: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
Dear Ms. Calhoun:
When I finished reading The Muse, my initial thought was that there were not really any words I could put together that would do justice to this story. If ever a novel has inspired a ‘book hangover’ in me, this was it. But as my dazed brain cleared, I realized that I did have a few things I could say that might entice a reader to pick it up, beyond saying ‘It was fantastic! You have to read this!’ These are my thoughts therefore in a more cognizant form.
Firstly, a little background on the story. The Muse is part of a loosely connected series called Irresistible and is the 5th book. They are standalone stories and characters from one appear in other stories generally with smaller secondary roles. The name Irresistible is the title of a lingerie shop in book 4 of the series, Evening Storm. Though they don’t have to be read in order, this story takes place directly after book 4 and comes about as a result of that tale( in which Ryan, a trader on Wall Street, blows the whistle on a Ponzi scheme headed up by Arden’s father and brother at their family banking investment firm, MacCarren’s).
Arden is the heroine of this story and it starts with that bombshell having gone off, and her trying to pick up the pieces. As a young teenager she was in a serious car accident, and it’s given her a legacy of anxiety and panic attacks. With this disaster, they’ve only gotten worse. She’s desperate to find a way to cope, both with the panic attacks and just in general with the news that has resulted in unwanted and extreme press attention as well as the stress of dealing with the FBI and the lawsuit against her family and their company. One way for her to do that is to spend some quiet hours with a few trusted friends (the ones who haven’t deserted her) and when they suggest a drawing class, Arden hopes that immersing herself in the art she used to love doing can calm her mind, at least for a few hours at a time.
It is here that she is introduced to Seth, a secondary character from Evening Storm where he appeared as a bike messenger that Ryan occasionally used. As well as his courier work, Seth occasionally does some nude male modelling, his tattooed and very masculine form a hit on the art circuit. They meet then, at Arden’s friend’s house and it’s safe to say that they find each other intriguing but don’t pursue anything – until Arden hires Seth to come to her house privately for a drawing session and the lines between hired man and employer blur. They end up in bed together, and in your signature style, the sex is riveting and visceral.
He could have been asking about any number of things, permission, affirmation that she liked the direction he was taking things, confirmation that he wasn’t hurting her. It didn’t matter. Her answer was the same. “Yes,” she said.
His mouth landed hot and heavy on her ear, the unpredictable combination of kisses, licks, and nips jolting her from shudder to pliancy and back again. There was no getting lost in what he did, mind wandering to the grocery list, much less spiraling into the barbed wire of anxiety. He commanded her attention as he gathered more of her hair in his hand, baring her nape to his mouth.
She braced her arms underneath her and pushed up. He didn’t take more of his weight but rather made her bear it, giving her something to writhe against. This was real, physical, definitely not in her head. She tipped her head forward, giving him full access to her neck, and felt the position resonate deep in her back brain. Pinned under a bigger, stronger male, oh yes.
Ryan is the epitome of the wounded warrior, a soldier whose three best friends died on his last mission. He’s taken it upon himself to be their replacements back home in an effort to assuage his survivor guilt. So he plays the role of friend, brother, provider – not moving on with his own future but living a transient existence. He has a trailer to live in, a job as a bike messenger and occasionally as an artist’s model but no thoughts of anything but the present. He can’t let go of the past, and because of this, he can’t move forward into the future. He exists in this limbo on a day to day basis, until he meets Arden. She captures his attention with her beauty, and her character. And though at first he doesn’t know who she is, he can see that she is wounded like him. When he does find out her story (both from his own internet searching and from her telling him bits and pieces as they begin to see each other more regularly), he admires in her the steel he sees running through her core. She’s gone through some horrible things, like him, but has been able to move forward with each setback. Though she feels that she is weak, he sees her strength.
What draws these two together, besides recognizing kindred spirits, is their love of art. In fact, though Seth is a model, he’s also an artist and when on tour, he carried with him a sketchbook all the time to record the events that shaped his time overseas. Since the IED explosion that took his friends, he’s been unable to draw.While he poses for Arden and she draws him, he gets the sense that she can really see him, through his facade that lets him be naked in body if not in soul in front of another.
She was watching, her pencil halted, midline, gaze fixed on his hand. He drew his fist up the shaft, slicked the precise around the head, stroked back down. Her gaze trailed up his torso, watched the muscles clench in his abdomen, then continued to his face. Knowing that his face had changed, he wondered what she saw, tried to discern it from the tiny shifts of muscles and the pattern of her breaths.
“That’s good, too,” she said, and resumed drawing, her arm moving in the big sweeping gestures of capturing the essence of a man with his cock in his hand.
It was need, he realized. She showed it in a completely different way, leaking out behind the tight restraints of blank expressions and not reacting. The deeper they sank into drawing and sex, the more she cracked. But he was the one in real danger. She drew him back into his body, made him want, made him feel; both those things would keep him from taking care of the people left behind.
Arden becomes Seth’s muse then, as he picks up his own sketch book in his private time and starts to draw again. He fancies her as a shield maiden, a warrior woman, though one he doesn’t feel worthy of. The juxtaposition of drawing and sex in this story was quite fascinating to me, and as with many books by you, I always feel like I’ve learned something, in this case about the skills and talent required to make a picture come to life. There is lots of discussion about drawing in general in the story in the art classes Arden takes, the discussions that Arden and Seth have,and several drawing scenes. Some readers might find those details extraneous to the story, but I thought they were an integral part of it.
As the story progresses the tension ramps up. The case against the MacCarren firm spills over into their family’s charity foundation, the one that Arden and her mother have run and the place where she feels she’s made the most impact. The knowledge that all their hard work has been wiped out by the greed of her father and brother is sickening to her. The majority of their family assets will be liquidated to pay back the money that was stolen, leaving her mother a nervous wreck that Arden must also deal with. She will still have money, as a result of her trust fund from her grandmother, but all the work she’s done for the charity, and her day to day job, is gone. Unclear of what to do next, it is in her relationship with Seth that she finds her footing again. Seth on the other hand, experiences the opposite effect. The more time he spends with Arden, the more he realizes that he can’t go on living the way he has been. She forces him to see the truth of his existence and how he’s clung to his dead friends, unable to face the reality of their deaths. After one particularly intimate experience in which they film themselves having sex (ostensibly to help Arden overcome her anxiety about exposure), it is Seth who realizes just how much about himself has been revealed.
He was on foot, unable to stop thinking about the sex he’d just had. That wasn’t “I didn’t die in Afghanistan” sex. It wasn’t “I didn’t die at all” sex. That was “I’m getting on with my life” sex. That was “you reorder my world” sex. That was “life will never be the same” sex. That was “I’m falling for you” sex. That was exactly the kind of sex he didn’t want to have.
Forced to confront his feelings for Arden and his own walls, when the breakthrough comes, it is a cathartic release of emotion – anger, fear, frustration and loneliness. But Arden is there to catch him as he falls, and with this, their relationship is solidified. As that happens, their future becomes a little brighter and a little clearer, as they find in each other the home, security, and love they’ve been seeking.
As each story in the series has come out, I’ve found them to be riveting tales that combine powerful sex and emotion intertwined with unique and flawed characters. Every time I think that it’s my favourite, another one comes out to top the previous one and I’m just left in awe, really, at your powerful storytelling. This one gets an A (I’m sure that’s obvious by now), and I highly recommend it. In other words, to the rest of you out there, ‘It was fantastic! You have to read this!’
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Dear Author link: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
January 7, 2016
5 Sensual Stars!
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Penguin Group
He was her muse, helping her learn. But somehow this had become about him, not just Arden.
Let's start with a big shout out to Anne Calhoun as her ability to write blows me away ever time I read her work. Her stories don't fit the normal formula that we are used to in this genre, which I 'm extremely thankful for. The way she threads sensuality through her stories is so alluring. Her stories aren't about sex, sex mixed with some substance. They are beautiful tales that have so many elements and emotions woven together that you feel you are following along in the couples journey. You feel every emotion as you glide through. Her stories just feel like more. It's hard to completely explain instead Anne's story need to be experienced to truly get the magic of her work.
This book feels like the peak of what this series has been heading for. Yes all the books are part of a series but can be technically standalone. But in The Muse it felt like all the elements of the past have come to light which made it so much more. I'm going to assume it would be better has a whole series then standalone.
This book started off as a sensual journey of a need of sex between two consenting adults, but ended up as so much more for these two. Together they emotionally needed one another to get them through their current circumstances.
Without his knowledge, let alone his consent, whatever this thing with Arden was it wasn't just about her anymore. It was about him.
Arden MacCarren and Seth Miller have their own personal demons. With Arden she's dealing with panic attacks and the downfall of her families empire and good name, while Seth is still recovering from exiting the Marines and losing his friends/brothers in arm in duty. Together these two calm each others demons.
You have to go on living because you're alive. They aren't. To deny that, to live only for them, is to deny yourself.
Originally Arden only wanted to have Seth help her with her art as she needed an escape from the chaos that was her life. But his natural beauty shined through causing Arden to want to use him in more ways then the original plan. For Seth, he's a 'live in the moment' type of guy and was intrigued with Arden, so decided why not with this new plan.
Safety was an illusion. So was peace. But she could find calm in the chaos, a harbor in the storm, and be that for someone else.
Together these two used each other as muses but found so much more. The both had beautiful journeys to find themselves.
"We all walk with ghosts, Arden."
I loved these two together. They were such a great match. I loved Arden's hidden strength where even she didn't realize she had. I loved Seth's loyalty and love for his lost brothers, but it broke my heart for where he was stuck. I loved that they brought the best out in each other and without that I don't know if they would have found their wholeness without each other.
Beautiful Story. Beautifully written. And very recommended.
December 18, 2015
Although the romance in this one is definitely a stand alone. for those that have read Evening Storm, you are all too familiar with the massive Ponzi scheme that has taken place. In Evening Storm, the hero of the book was the whistle-blower who brought down the MacCarren family. The Muse features Arden MacCarren, who had no idea her father or brother, now arrested by the FBI, were involved in such a horrible scheme. Countless people have lost so much money, and Arden and her family are now under intense scrutiny – not only from the FBI but also from the press. While Arden had no idea this Ponzi scheme was taking place, her beloved MacCarren foundation may now lose all of its assets. Arden doesn’t know what to do, and is completely stressed. Her friends, sensing she has gone into crisis mode, invite her to a drawing class, and Arden who loves to draw, happily accepts.
The male model that shows up is named Seth. A marine recently home from Afghanistan, Seth is also in a dark place. His three best friends died in an explosion, and Seth has only had five months to deal with this tragedy. He feels guilt for surviving, and he feels like he owes the family members of his friends a lot. He has become a bike messenger in New York city, living out of a motor home and just trying to acclimate back to civilian life. He finds out that being a nude male model makes him a lot of cash, for not much work. Which is out he meets Arden – naked in a wealthy town house as she draws him. They make eye contact….and she eyes other things on his body – and a connection is made. When Arden realizes drawing helps her relax, she invites Seth to her house for a private modeling session – which leads to other things.
I liked this book, but there were also a few things that I didn’t love. I really enjoyed both Seth and Arden. I like that only five months have passed since Seth lost his three best friends. His wounds are still so fresh and raw, he has yet to truly cope with it. He has diverted all of his emotions to caring for the grieving family members of his friends and pushing his body to the limit racing through New York city traffic as a messenger. Seth is also an artist, but hasn’t been able to pick up a pencil to draw since he got home. While Arden finds peace drawing Seth, the tables are turned as well as Seth starts to find his way back to life when art is introduced back into his life.
Arden is so overwhelmed by the arrest of her father and brother. So much is put on her shoulders as her mother has a complete breakdown and her other brother is on the other side of the world. The paparazzi are relentless in their coverage of her. To add to all of this, as a teenager Arden got hit by a car and has suffered panic attacks ever since. These come out full force with the added stress of her life. THis embarrasses her and makes her feel out of control. I thought this was portrayed well.
Things I didn’t love about the book – at one point Seth and Arden video record themselves having sex, with the expectation if Arden watches it back, it will help with her panic attacks (as I scratch my head). This then gets stolen/hacked from the iCloud, and the sex tape ends up on the internet with everyone (and I mean everyone) watching it. I didn’t like this – it didn’t feel like this was something Arden would do. I also felt a little confused by just how much press Arden was receiving. To me – she is just a wealthy New York socialite who has a foundation – but otherwise is very quiet and mature. Would the paparazzi really be completely immersed in her life like this? And would someone be able to hack into her iCloud to steal this sex tape the morning after they filmed it? Maybe…but it seemed a little far-fetched.
This is also a more somber romance book. There is a solid HEA which made me smile, but it’s more serious and a little sad. Not that that is a bad thing, but it’s heavier and sometimes a bit slow. I adore Anne Calhoun’s voice – she writes smart and sexy. Each book feels different and she creates such deep and intricate characters. The List and The Evening Storm, two prior books in this series are both really great.
Grade: B-
The male model that shows up is named Seth. A marine recently home from Afghanistan, Seth is also in a dark place. His three best friends died in an explosion, and Seth has only had five months to deal with this tragedy. He feels guilt for surviving, and he feels like he owes the family members of his friends a lot. He has become a bike messenger in New York city, living out of a motor home and just trying to acclimate back to civilian life. He finds out that being a nude male model makes him a lot of cash, for not much work. Which is out he meets Arden – naked in a wealthy town house as she draws him. They make eye contact….and she eyes other things on his body – and a connection is made. When Arden realizes drawing helps her relax, she invites Seth to her house for a private modeling session – which leads to other things.
I liked this book, but there were also a few things that I didn’t love. I really enjoyed both Seth and Arden. I like that only five months have passed since Seth lost his three best friends. His wounds are still so fresh and raw, he has yet to truly cope with it. He has diverted all of his emotions to caring for the grieving family members of his friends and pushing his body to the limit racing through New York city traffic as a messenger. Seth is also an artist, but hasn’t been able to pick up a pencil to draw since he got home. While Arden finds peace drawing Seth, the tables are turned as well as Seth starts to find his way back to life when art is introduced back into his life.
Arden is so overwhelmed by the arrest of her father and brother. So much is put on her shoulders as her mother has a complete breakdown and her other brother is on the other side of the world. The paparazzi are relentless in their coverage of her. To add to all of this, as a teenager Arden got hit by a car and has suffered panic attacks ever since. These come out full force with the added stress of her life. THis embarrasses her and makes her feel out of control. I thought this was portrayed well.
Things I didn’t love about the book – at one point Seth and Arden video record themselves having sex, with the expectation if Arden watches it back, it will help with her panic attacks (as I scratch my head). This then gets stolen/hacked from the iCloud, and the sex tape ends up on the internet with everyone (and I mean everyone) watching it. I didn’t like this – it didn’t feel like this was something Arden would do. I also felt a little confused by just how much press Arden was receiving. To me – she is just a wealthy New York socialite who has a foundation – but otherwise is very quiet and mature. Would the paparazzi really be completely immersed in her life like this? And would someone be able to hack into her iCloud to steal this sex tape the morning after they filmed it? Maybe…but it seemed a little far-fetched.
This is also a more somber romance book. There is a solid HEA which made me smile, but it’s more serious and a little sad. Not that that is a bad thing, but it’s heavier and sometimes a bit slow. I adore Anne Calhoun’s voice – she writes smart and sexy. Each book feels different and she creates such deep and intricate characters. The List and The Evening Storm, two prior books in this series are both really great.
Grade: B-
dnf
November 29, 2020DNF at 41%
This book was recommended to me for the art modeling scenes — scenes that I really enjoyed! The rest of the plot was ... not for me. Near-constant descriptions of the heroine’s panic attacks and the hero’s war trauma. Some weird sex scenes where I couldn’t tell if the hero was actually prostituting himself to the heroine or if it was role play ft poor communication.
This book was recommended to me for the art modeling scenes — scenes that I really enjoyed! The rest of the plot was ... not for me. Near-constant descriptions of the heroine’s panic attacks and the hero’s war trauma. Some weird sex scenes where I couldn’t tell if the hero was actually prostituting himself to the heroine or if it was role play ft poor communication.
December 18, 2015
Have you ever felt so connected to the characters of a book that you don't want it end? That you don't mind reading their everyday lives, just don't end it, not now not ever?
Yes? Yes?
Because, that's exactly what I feel whenever I read Anne Calhoun's work.
The Muse is one of those books that captures your one hundred percent attention and curiosity right from the start. Just looking at the cover and title with the author alone, the book screams FUCK YES FIVE STARS AND MORE
The author's writing is something so rare these days. It has never failed to create the chemistry of her characters that makes it so good to read. Reading The Muse is so easy, the words flowed naturally and the way she introduced the characters -- in the right time and right amount of mystery. So many author's try to write unforgettable romance stories that always fall short because it is being forced, plain and boring. It just so annoying to stop reading something that got you excited after reading the promising blurb, that it's actually traumatizing because you get so disappointed. And I promise you, I've never felt that way reading this. The story about a heiress and a Marine is something that we might have already read, but boy, Anne made it so special with her impressive story telling and character build up.
I love how Anne continued on with the story of the series. I will admit that before I read this, Tilda Davies from The List is undoubtedly one of my favorite heroines of Anne. But after getting into Arden's mind for a few pages... she's already on the top of my list. Her name is undeniably uncommon, which I love because it leaves her a permanent spot in my book universe. She is freaking badass, in my humble opinion. After it has revealed , my heart felt for her. It made me so mad on her part that she experienced a lot of awful things and she isn't even a spoiled rich brat! I'm not going to say more other than, you go Arden girl! I was wishing that somehow she would meet new awesome friends... but it's fine because she has Seth Malone. He's a former Marine and a bike messenger - and part time nude model - with mouth watering tattoos. Do I need to say more???
Arden and Seth's story is just raw and honest. I was just sad that I read it in one go and ended too soon.
The Muse might not have mind blowing twist but it's delivery brings out genuine emotions that won't be easily forgotten.
Yes? Yes?
Because, that's exactly what I feel whenever I read Anne Calhoun's work.
The Muse is one of those books that captures your one hundred percent attention and curiosity right from the start. Just looking at the cover and title with the author alone, the book screams FUCK YES FIVE STARS AND MORE
The author's writing is something so rare these days. It has never failed to create the chemistry of her characters that makes it so good to read. Reading The Muse is so easy, the words flowed naturally and the way she introduced the characters -- in the right time and right amount of mystery. So many author's try to write unforgettable romance stories that always fall short because it is being forced, plain and boring. It just so annoying to stop reading something that got you excited after reading the promising blurb, that it's actually traumatizing because you get so disappointed. And I promise you, I've never felt that way reading this. The story about a heiress and a Marine is something that we might have already read, but boy, Anne made it so special with her impressive story telling and character build up.
I love how Anne continued on with the story of the series. I will admit that before I read this, Tilda Davies from The List is undoubtedly one of my favorite heroines of Anne. But after getting into Arden's mind for a few pages... she's already on the top of my list. Her name is undeniably uncommon, which I love because it leaves her a permanent spot in my book universe. She is freaking badass, in my humble opinion. After it has revealed , my heart felt for her. It made me so mad on her part that she experienced a lot of awful things and she isn't even a spoiled rich brat! I'm not going to say more other than, you go Arden girl! I was wishing that somehow she would meet new awesome friends... but it's fine because she has Seth Malone. He's a former Marine and a bike messenger - and part time nude model - with mouth watering tattoos. Do I need to say more???
Arden and Seth's story is just raw and honest. I was just sad that I read it in one go and ended too soon.
The Muse might not have mind blowing twist but it's delivery brings out genuine emotions that won't be easily forgotten.
November 14, 2015
Review of THE MUSE by Anne Calhoun
****4 Stars****
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Set in New York City, The Muse introduces the reader to Arden MacCarren- a wealthy young socialite who's family are MacCarren, the investment bank. It's headed by her father and oldest brother, Charles. But when her father and brother are arrested by the FBI for orchestrating a decade-long Ponzi scheme that swindled thousands of people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, Arden's world begins to crumble.
Her BFF, Betsy entices her to escape the family shame, if only briefly, by attending a drawing class at her palatial apartment. This is where we meet Seth, who is a former Marine, currently working as a bike messenger but who poses naked for art students to supplement his income. He's loyal and honest, traits he has had instilled in him while serving.
Arden hires Seth to pose for her drawing lessons, where things heat up in not only a physical sense but also passionately.
Seth must deal with "survivors grief" after losing his best friend in an IED explosion whilst serving. This makes Seth and Arden's connection even more volatile. They find their shared grief and loss in common and support one another through their issues.
The Muse is an erotic romance that will capture your heart, your imagination and fire your senses.
Arden and Seth will leave an indelible impression on the reader, dealing with circumstances most people will never have to face and doing so with grace, strength and courage.
Highly recommended.
Kathryn Dee
****4 Stars****
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Set in New York City, The Muse introduces the reader to Arden MacCarren- a wealthy young socialite who's family are MacCarren, the investment bank. It's headed by her father and oldest brother, Charles. But when her father and brother are arrested by the FBI for orchestrating a decade-long Ponzi scheme that swindled thousands of people out of hundreds of millions of dollars, Arden's world begins to crumble.
Her BFF, Betsy entices her to escape the family shame, if only briefly, by attending a drawing class at her palatial apartment. This is where we meet Seth, who is a former Marine, currently working as a bike messenger but who poses naked for art students to supplement his income. He's loyal and honest, traits he has had instilled in him while serving.
Arden hires Seth to pose for her drawing lessons, where things heat up in not only a physical sense but also passionately.
Seth must deal with "survivors grief" after losing his best friend in an IED explosion whilst serving. This makes Seth and Arden's connection even more volatile. They find their shared grief and loss in common and support one another through their issues.
The Muse is an erotic romance that will capture your heart, your imagination and fire your senses.
Arden and Seth will leave an indelible impression on the reader, dealing with circumstances most people will never have to face and doing so with grace, strength and courage.
Highly recommended.
Kathryn Dee
January 10, 2016
I received this touching book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.
Arden MacCarren's life is anything but peaceful. Her Father and brother have been arrested for running a ponzie scheme through the family’s investment firm. The once powerful family is in tatters. Both her professional and personal life is under scrutiny. Arden can’t even go out in public without garnering media attention. Her one sanity-saving occupation is her art. It has become her saving grace. And so has the man who poses for her. Arden met Seth at one of the art classes hosted by a friend.
Seth has his own life to deal with and isn’t looking for any more complications. The loss of his best friends while serving in the Marines has left him with a hole he can’t fill. While no longer in the military, he sees it as his duty to help the families of his fallen friends. Art was always a part of him, but since the death of his buddies, he can’t seem to pick up his sketch book.
Anne Calhoun brings two wounded people together in a sensual, emotional story that will touch the heart-strings of the readers. As Arden and Seth use art as a way to fight their own inner demons, both discover that what they are truly looking for is the person right in front of them. All they have to do is let go.
Arden MacCarren's life is anything but peaceful. Her Father and brother have been arrested for running a ponzie scheme through the family’s investment firm. The once powerful family is in tatters. Both her professional and personal life is under scrutiny. Arden can’t even go out in public without garnering media attention. Her one sanity-saving occupation is her art. It has become her saving grace. And so has the man who poses for her. Arden met Seth at one of the art classes hosted by a friend.
Seth has his own life to deal with and isn’t looking for any more complications. The loss of his best friends while serving in the Marines has left him with a hole he can’t fill. While no longer in the military, he sees it as his duty to help the families of his fallen friends. Art was always a part of him, but since the death of his buddies, he can’t seem to pick up his sketch book.
Anne Calhoun brings two wounded people together in a sensual, emotional story that will touch the heart-strings of the readers. As Arden and Seth use art as a way to fight their own inner demons, both discover that what they are truly looking for is the person right in front of them. All they have to do is let go.
August 16, 2016
When I started reading this book I thought I'd probably end up giving it four stars. But as the book went on it got to be less and less until at the end a two star review seemed generous. I want to state that I don't hate this book or even have any real negative feelings about it but it definitely wasn't the romance it was advertised as being. Essentially, this book was quite a bit of porn with random snitches of the two main characters' lives thrown in. My overwhelming feeling about this book was one of frustration. I really want to state that this book is not worth reading unless it's for the sex scenes which I have to admit are pretty hot. At the end of the book, the main characters are saying that they love each other but they don't even know each other! They go on one date and other than that don't spend any time with each other except when they're having sex. (They also don't do any talking when they're having sex.) It's like the end of the book comes up and the author has to end it but just makes something up because she went nowhere in the entire length of the book. Another big thing that bothered me was the totally random scenes that would pop up and then disappear at the drop of a hat. Case in point, the main characters decide to make a sex tape because they want to watch themselves having sex (bletch!). But the female lead's camera is linked to her Cloud account where everything gets sent to a soon as she does it. The only thing I could think about as I was reading this part was that it's almost exactly like the movie Sex Tape starring Cameron Diaz. The video gets out, of course, because they always do and the media releases it to the general public (the media cares because the female lead is a finance executive whose family business has been running a Ponzi scheme on a very large scale). After the main characters find out about the video being released that's the end of any talk about that. (There is one little mention of it when the female lead is talking about the sex tape with her best friend. The best friend, who stole the female lead's fiancé in a previous book, admits that she and her new boyfriend watched the video and got off on it. However, the old fiancé/new boyfriend is very angry with the female lead for not asking him to make a sex tape with her instead of the new guy. And that's just the grossest thing ever.) It's like that scene never even happened, yet it was supposed to have a huge impact on the events of the book. This is such a constant occurrence throughout the book that I'm shocked this book got published and even more shocked that this is not the author's first book. I thought for sure it had to be but this one is at least book six. The only reason I even finished this book was because I was about 40 pages away from finishing when I got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I'm just not one of those people who can quit when they're almost at the end, I have to finish. But I would never recommend this author and definitely never read anything more by her again.
May 29, 2016
DNF about 50% in.
This was just, hmmm, not good. It's not my book (wealthy WASP on the Upper East Side Manhattan, bleh) but it's also not good. Heavy, boring, slow, and depressing.
Also, too research heavy. Takes away organic feeling from the work. Less creative writing, more purposefully substantive and contemporary - with the whole Madoff connection, that is.
Is this the same person who wrote Liberating Lacey?
This was just, hmmm, not good. It's not my book (wealthy WASP on the Upper East Side Manhattan, bleh) but it's also not good. Heavy, boring, slow, and depressing.
Also, too research heavy. Takes away organic feeling from the work. Less creative writing, more purposefully substantive and contemporary - with the whole Madoff connection, that is.
Is this the same person who wrote Liberating Lacey?
December 19, 2015
4.35 stars
December 23, 2015
OH, Anne Calhoun, you just do it for me.
Reading your books is such a decadent treat.
Reading your books is such a decadent treat.
September 27, 2017
Az eleje szokásos, aztán a múzeumban ülve a festményt bámulva kap a történet valami mélységet. Onnan meglepően jónak találtam.
A hősnő apja és bátyja elsikkasztották a befektetők pénzét, ami miatt most komoly nyomozás folyik ellenük. A média nyüzsög a hősnő körül, aki a rajzban találja meg az egyetlen menedékét. Aztán nem csak a rajz, hanem a modell is nagyon vonzó lesz számára. A főhős volt katona, aki elveszítette a társait, most pedig bringás futárként küzd a NY-i forgalomban, vagy modellkedik. Bár a ruháit szemrebbenés nélkül leveszi, mélyebbre nem enged senkit.
A hősnő apja és bátyja elsikkasztották a befektetők pénzét, ami miatt most komoly nyomozás folyik ellenük. A média nyüzsög a hősnő körül, aki a rajzban találja meg az egyetlen menedékét. Aztán nem csak a rajz, hanem a modell is nagyon vonzó lesz számára. A főhős volt katona, aki elveszítette a társait, most pedig bringás futárként küzd a NY-i forgalomban, vagy modellkedik. Bár a ruháit szemrebbenés nélkül leveszi, mélyebbre nem enged senkit.
December 7, 2015
The Muse (Irresistible #3) by Anne Calhoun
Arden MacCarren can’t afford to lose control. Her family’s investment house has failed, their professional reputation is all but destroyed, and it’s up to Arden to hold the line. The only distraction she allows herself is a weekly drawing class where she can forget everything. Then she meets Seth Miller. When he poses in her class, strong, mysterious, and unbearably sexy, she can’t resist him. The only thing she can do is keep it purely physical—no emotions, no strings, and definitely no telling.
Seth understands responsibilities, both Arden’s and his own. During his last tour as a Marine he lost his best friends to an IED. He has a duty to look after his buddies’ survivors. All he allows himself is the stolen moments with Arden. But as he’s drawn into Arden’s battle with her demons, he comes face-to-face with his own. Seth will have to choose between a duty he can’t ignore and the longing to inspire Arden’s every desire—mind, soul, and body
My Review:
The only reason I really liked this book as much as I did was Seth. Arden was a win but Seth was what paid off the story for me. Although I had some reservations and mixed feelings it wasn't the solider part of his story that was believable it was the way he tried to find himself and some kind of steady peace in his life. That worked for me. Perhaps some of it was the art dynamic and Arden that woke his inner heart but I think that finding a bond with another person really helped him discover forgiveness. Not in others but for himself. I liked that kind of quality in him. It took me awhile to get into the story but once I fully invested in finishing it Muse was a great read.
My Rating:
4 Stars
Reviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/
Note: I received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley/NAL/Penguin
Arden MacCarren can’t afford to lose control. Her family’s investment house has failed, their professional reputation is all but destroyed, and it’s up to Arden to hold the line. The only distraction she allows herself is a weekly drawing class where she can forget everything. Then she meets Seth Miller. When he poses in her class, strong, mysterious, and unbearably sexy, she can’t resist him. The only thing she can do is keep it purely physical—no emotions, no strings, and definitely no telling.
Seth understands responsibilities, both Arden’s and his own. During his last tour as a Marine he lost his best friends to an IED. He has a duty to look after his buddies’ survivors. All he allows himself is the stolen moments with Arden. But as he’s drawn into Arden’s battle with her demons, he comes face-to-face with his own. Seth will have to choose between a duty he can’t ignore and the longing to inspire Arden’s every desire—mind, soul, and body
My Review:
The only reason I really liked this book as much as I did was Seth. Arden was a win but Seth was what paid off the story for me. Although I had some reservations and mixed feelings it wasn't the solider part of his story that was believable it was the way he tried to find himself and some kind of steady peace in his life. That worked for me. Perhaps some of it was the art dynamic and Arden that woke his inner heart but I think that finding a bond with another person really helped him discover forgiveness. Not in others but for himself. I liked that kind of quality in him. It took me awhile to get into the story but once I fully invested in finishing it Muse was a great read.
My Rating:
4 Stars
Reviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/
Note: I received a print copy in exchange for an honest review from Berkley/NAL/Penguin
December 6, 2015
War veterans suffering from PTSD or Survivor's Guilt have been done to death in the romance genre. As serious as the issues are, they have been treated with such callousness in some books that I find myself actively avoiding such plots now. However, Ms Calhoun does not treat any subject with callousness, and honestly, the vividness and sensuality of her prose will tempt me to read any book written by her no matter what topic she chooses to write on. In that vein, The Muse doesn't disappoint. Not at all. It's rich, engrossing, smart, different, beautiful. The characters never come across as trope-y, and their struggles seem genuine. The art/intimacy is exquisite. This book is much better than the previous books in the series and way up there among the best of her stories, in my opinion.
December 15, 2015
“You pick up the pieces when life detonates. You make do. You just do” This quote kind of sums up life and Arden and Seth’s journey during this book. Yes this is a love story a really beautiful one at that but there is so much more to this story. It’s about losing oneself in the moment and just being, finding oneself again after being adrift, finding a way to cope and accept ones flaws and surviving what life throws at you even love. A Beautiful story I really enjoyed.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
February 19, 2016
Really enjoyed this one. So well written and flowed, great characters and development, interesting situation, plot, conflict. Liked how the obvious differences- their social and economic statuses - weren't the main focus of the conflict between them, but rather their internal issues and outside influences and circumstances. Loved how they strengthened and supported each other instead of one "saving" the other. Compelling plot, conflict, characters, circumstances, world, all the above. Great read I'll recommend.
November 30, 2015
Hi! I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and I have to say out of all the books I have won in giveaways, this one was the BEST! Most of them I have won, I could barely get through the first two chapters and just gave up, but not this one! I loved it and didn't want to put it down! Great writing and a beautiful story! Thank you! :)
March 9, 2016
Oh wow. This one just blew me away. Such a powerful story about very different people, each carrying heavy burdens, having suffered major trauma. This is definitely an erotic romance, with explicit and detailed sex scenes. The incredible part is that they are such an integral part of the story, of how Arden and Seth connect, that they barely register as graphic.
Bought from kobo
Bought from kobo
Want to read
December 26, 2015
So I actually won a paperback copy of this in a giveaway 0_0
I. NEVER. WIN. ANYTHING!!!
I'm so excited, although since my Kindle entered my life I can't remember the last time I actually read a book with actual pages to turn :D
I. NEVER. WIN. ANYTHING!!!
I'm so excited, although since my Kindle entered my life I can't remember the last time I actually read a book with actual pages to turn :D
July 25, 2020
Two people with emotional baggage finding healing in each other is my favourite trope everrrrrrr
Also where did Anne Calhoun go I need more soul destroying erotic romances please-
Also where did Anne Calhoun go I need more soul destroying erotic romances please-
July 29, 2024
This was a real mixed bag. Arden had no idea her father and brother were involved in a Ponzi scheme until they were arrested and now she’s left to deal with the fallout, no matter how much she wishes someone else in the family would rise to the occasion. She’s dealt with debilitating panic attacks for years. When her best friend suggests private art lessons as stress relief, she readily agrees and that’s how she meets life model Seth, a Marine veteran who recently returned from his last deployment and hasn't dealt with the death of his best friends.
It’s a great set up and yet I never fully bought them together. They don’t really know each other outside of sex and drawing. I was very uncomfortable that Arden continued to pay Seth for private sittings even though they were having sex the whole time. Too many blurred lines there and it highlighted the class and power differences. I really needed both of them to go to therapy before I could believe they had more than a trauma bond.
Additionally, it was difficult to believe that NYC paparazzi would care that much about a woman who wasn’t actually involved in the Ponzi scheme to the point of standing outside her home and eventually hacking into her cloud. If she was Paris Hilton, sure. But Arden is the exact opposite of a socialite like Paris. So the whole plot choice was completely implausible, in addition to being unnecessary. Not to mention, I never understood how the If not for this plot choice, I might have bumped my rating up a star.
While I appreciated that Arden essentially cut off her dad and brother once she learned about their actions, I could not understand her dedication to redeeming the MacCarren name. Her family is AWFUL, except for her lawyer cousin. What is there to redeem? In addition to her dad and Charles’s crimes, they’ve always been ableist about her mental health and even now her mom questions her ability to be the face of the family as the trial preparations get underway. Her mom’s reaction to the repercussions from the Ponzi scheme reminded me of Erika from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Which is to say: not a good look. That said, I was shocked by Arden’s level of naivety about how the Foundation would be affected. Obviously organizations would be withdrawing their applications for support! Obviously the government would go after the endowment since their family donated money from defrauded investors! Thankfully,
I loved the role that art played for both MCs. I just wish the rest of the story had lived up to its premise.
Characters: Arden is a 28 year old white charitable foundation CEO. Seth is a 30 year old white bike messenger, life model, Marine veteran, and artist. This is set in NYC.
Content notes: image-based sexual abuse , panic attacks, PTSD, FMC has panic disorder, past deployments, recent death of MMC’s best friends (killed by IED 5 months ago), past injury from IED, past pedestrian accident (FMC was hit by a cab at 13 years old; broke shoulder and collarbone, torn ligaments, shattered knee, moderate concussion), FMC’s brother and father incarcerated for Ponzi scheme, physical assault, paparazzi harassment, FMC’s brother is estranged from their father and brother, past infidelity (FMC’s fiancé left her for her best friend and they’re somehow all still friends), secondary character’s father cheated on her mother and impregnated both of her nannies (past), nude modeling, body scars, mental illness stigma and ableism (FMC’s family), internalized ableism, fatphobia, stress-related weight loss, body commentary, on page sex, role play, sex tape, masturbation, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), excessive drinking (secondary character), Valium (FMC’s mother), past marijuana (secondary character), diet culture, gendered pejorative, gender essentialist language, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of past death of friends by overdose, mention of past death of FMC’s grandparents
It’s a great set up and yet I never fully bought them together. They don’t really know each other outside of sex and drawing. I was very uncomfortable that Arden continued to pay Seth for private sittings even though they were having sex the whole time. Too many blurred lines there and it highlighted the class and power differences. I really needed both of them to go to therapy before I could believe they had more than a trauma bond.
Additionally, it was difficult to believe that NYC paparazzi would care that much about a woman who wasn’t actually involved in the Ponzi scheme to the point of standing outside her home and eventually hacking into her cloud. If she was Paris Hilton, sure. But Arden is the exact opposite of a socialite like Paris. So the whole plot choice was completely implausible, in addition to being unnecessary. Not to mention, I never understood how the If not for this plot choice, I might have bumped my rating up a star.
While I appreciated that Arden essentially cut off her dad and brother once she learned about their actions, I could not understand her dedication to redeeming the MacCarren name. Her family is AWFUL, except for her lawyer cousin. What is there to redeem? In addition to her dad and Charles’s crimes, they’ve always been ableist about her mental health and even now her mom questions her ability to be the face of the family as the trial preparations get underway. Her mom’s reaction to the repercussions from the Ponzi scheme reminded me of Erika from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Which is to say: not a good look. That said, I was shocked by Arden’s level of naivety about how the Foundation would be affected. Obviously organizations would be withdrawing their applications for support! Obviously the government would go after the endowment since their family donated money from defrauded investors! Thankfully,
I loved the role that art played for both MCs. I just wish the rest of the story had lived up to its premise.
Characters: Arden is a 28 year old white charitable foundation CEO. Seth is a 30 year old white bike messenger, life model, Marine veteran, and artist. This is set in NYC.
Content notes: image-based sexual abuse , panic attacks, PTSD, FMC has panic disorder, past deployments, recent death of MMC’s best friends (killed by IED 5 months ago), past injury from IED, past pedestrian accident (FMC was hit by a cab at 13 years old; broke shoulder and collarbone, torn ligaments, shattered knee, moderate concussion), FMC’s brother and father incarcerated for Ponzi scheme, physical assault, paparazzi harassment, FMC’s brother is estranged from their father and brother, past infidelity (FMC’s fiancé left her for her best friend and they’re somehow all still friends), secondary character’s father cheated on her mother and impregnated both of her nannies (past), nude modeling, body scars, mental illness stigma and ableism (FMC’s family), internalized ableism, fatphobia, stress-related weight loss, body commentary, on page sex, role play, sex tape, masturbation, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), excessive drinking (secondary character), Valium (FMC’s mother), past marijuana (secondary character), diet culture, gendered pejorative, gender essentialist language, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction, mention of past death of friends by overdose, mention of past death of FMC’s grandparents
July 12, 2020
Anne Calhoun just writes some goddamn good books. The sexytimes are excellent, but the stories and the characters are so rich and detailed and emotional. I really can’t get enough of her writing in general. Each book is its own journey, even in this series. I hope there’ll be more in this setting, but she’s definitely in my Must Read list no matter what she’s writing.
February 17, 2019
I have a new favorite author. Great story.
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