À Fleur de peau, T2 : Fièvre (édition Canada)

Breathless #2

by Maya Banks

Jace Crestwell et Ash McIntyre sont les meilleurs amis du monde et partagent tout,leur entreprise, leur succès... et leurs nombreuses conquêtes. Jusqu’au jour où Jace croise la route de Bethany. Sans bien comprendre ce qui lui arrive, une évidence s’impose à lui : voilà une femme qu’il désire pour lui seul. Pour la première fois, il connaît le sentiment de jalousie.

Comment écarter Ash sans mettre leur amitié en péril ? Et, surtout, comment sortir Bethany des démons de son passé ?

Genres: Romance, Erotica, BDSM, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Adult

579 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 2013

About the author

Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today and international bestselling author of over 50 novels. A wife and mother of three, she lives in Texas.

Reviews

[Marina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh.my.God.





I don't get it. I absolutely don't.

I mean correct me if I'm wrong.
Let's forget for a moment all the possessive crap that seems to come natural even before you've gotten to know someone.
If you so much as like said someone, would you be jumping into a threesome with your best friend?


And let as just say that ok, said best friend proposed it.
The threesome has several stages.
You can stop any moment now, pal.

And yet, no. Guilt and jealousy don't seem to be enough.

Ok, so here's another clue. The morning after you just KNOW that you want said person all to yourself. AFTER the threesome.





I am really sorry, but even if what he did afterwards to save her from her life was wonderful, I just couldn't get past the initial scenes.

[KristenReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 to 4 1/2 stars

I enjoyed this story much more than I did Rush, the first book in the series. Jace and Bethany, the hero and heroine, were strong, well developed and likable characters. The plot is what romance novels are made of–more fairytale than reality and highly addictive. I was completely riveted while reading this highly erotic, passionate, and engaging story.

Crista's review captured my thoughts and feeling about this book perfectly. I couldn't have said it better.

*ARC provided to Swept Away By Romance courtesy of author and publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

Fever is the second book in the “Fifty-shades-esque” Breathless series by Maya Banks. The first book, Rush introduced us to three best friends, Gabe, Jace and Ash who are billionaires and the founders of HCM Global Resorts and Hotels. Jace’s character was portrayed as a kind, sensitive, fun/flirty man with a great love and protective nature to his sister, Mia. That Jace no longer exists in Fever, or at least in the first half of the book. Jace is now a controlling, dominant, hot-headed asshole, mimicking the hero, Gabe, of Rush. But there are several issues why this story did not work for me. One being, the initial execution of the plot.

Jace’s first encounter with the heroine, Bethany Willis, is at Gabe and Mia’s engagement party. Bethany is working as part of the catering staff, cleaning up after the guests. She’s homeless and trying to earn money for her next meal and then move on to find more work in order to survive. Jace sees Bethany across the room and feels an immediate attraction. Ash sees that Jace is interested and decides to approach Bethany with a proposition. Ash and Jace have always shared women in the past. Threesomes are their thing but Jace does not want that with Bethany. He immediately decides he wants this woman for himself. Ash approaches Bethany in the kitchen which leads to this:


“What’s your name?”

She glanced up at him. “Uhm, does it matter?”

He paused a moment, cocked his head to the side and then said, “Yeah. It matters.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“Because we’re not in the habit of fucking women we don’t know the name of,” he said bluntly.


conversation……conversation………


Jace walks in and is pissed off that Ash has propositioned her for a night with the two of them.


THEN Bethany asks….


“Does this offer come with dinner?”


and agrees to a threesome with two men she just met for a cheeseburger, fries and orange juice and a night in a hotel room once she finishes the job.

The absurdity of their meeting was such a turnoff for me as well as the heroine’s weakness. Bethany is portrayed as a defeated doormat and in my opinion Jace needed a strong heroine to balance his dominant nature.

Another problem I had was the excessive swearing and profanity in the dialogue. I don’t have a problem with cursing when it’s relevant to the emotion in a scene; however it’s a major distraction and unnecessary filler when it’s on almost every single page. When I start counting how many times a character is saying “goddamn” it is a problem.


“But fuck, baby, you’re so goddamn sweet.”

“Just read the goddamn report, Jace.”

“Even with his instincts screaming like a motherfucker, he’d allowed it to happen. Every goddamn minute of it, but he’d still let it happen.”


The plot had potential but the overall execution and dialogue in the first half of the story confirmed to me that Ms. Banks writing style has significantly changed from the books I’ve enjoyed from her in the past. I’ve been an avid reader of her Sweet and KGI series and the last few books from both of those series were major disappointments as well. So, at this point I am stepping away from Ms. Banks work and am grateful I will always have Damon (Sweet Persuasion) to fall back on for happy memories.

[Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

*Warning this is going to be ranty and spoilery. I’m too disappointed to censor right now.

*Please don’t let me put you off reading this – I’m guessing I’m going to be in the minority with this one.



I like Rush a lot. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, but it was entertaining, and engaging. I LOVED Jace in Rush. After reading the teaser chapter for Fever, I was beyond excited to get my hands on it. I was SURE I was going to love the story.

Nope. Not even a little.

First, the ménage scene in the beginning. I don’t understand why it’s there. Jace was sure he didn’t want to share from the beginning. The whole time they were doing it, he was sure he didn’t want to share. He could tell that Bethany was into him more than Ash. So why the heck didn’t he speak up – at any point? I know he gave the explanation that she agreed, and he didn’t want her to get away, but it was obvious, even to him, that she wasn’t doing this for the ménage experience. It wasn’t like she was all like “oh, a threesome, just what I wanted”

As bothered by it as Jace was, even in the beginning, I cannot swallow that he just couldn’t say something. Now, I have no issue with ménage in general, but because of this, it felt like it was a totally gratuitous scene that was completely unnecessary, and out of character.

Next there was the insta-love. Oh my god. It was bad. I mean, so so bad. It was as close to love at first sight as I’ve seen in a book. I tried to push it out of my mind, I tried to pretend they had know each other… more then a week, but I just couldn’t get past it. Ever time they would get down to the “you are my everything” etc. I would just have to roll my eyes. I just couldn’t take it seriously – at all.

Then there was Bethany. If that girl cried once, she cried 50 billion times. I felt like every other page tears were filling her eyes. I don’t have a problem with heroine’s crying. I don’t need every heroine to be independent - kick ass and take names, but Bethany was just SO fragile. And more than that, her being that fragile just didn’t make sense to me. This is a girl who grew up in foster homes, who lived on the streets of New York City for four years. No one that fragile survives a life like that. A life like that might damage you, but it should also make you tough. I just could not like her, or feel sympathetic at all.

Then there is the fact that, I still feel like I don’t know anything at all about Jace or Bethany. It’s like they were characters with no real personality or interests outside their relationship. They felt completely one dimensional.

Ok, I could go on, but I’ll stop here. Needless to say, my enthusiasm for the next book is nill.

[♥ℳelody · Rating 1 out of 5]

Haven't given anything a 1 star in a while. There were more things that annoyed me in this rather than entertain me.

1. Bethany is a 23 year old homeless girl who's been living on the streets for 4 years yet there is no mention whatsoever of her hygiene. How in the world does she keep herself clean? Showers? Grooming? Clothes? Considering the fact that she agrees to have sex with 2 men 2 hours after meeting them, yeah it was an issue for me. A big one.

2. Jace performs oral sex and has vaginal & anal sex with her without using any protection knowing her history with drugs and promiscuity. He never bothered to get both of them tested before going on a sexual marathon. Seriously dude??? You're an idiot.

I read for escapism but this went above and beyond realism and was just plain moronic. I found it careless and--I'm sorry MB but--irresponsible writing. There is no way you can convince me a person who had multiple partners and had unprotected sex while doing drugs walked away clean. Yeah right. That's not the kind of fantasy I want to buy into.


3. The insta-love. I wasn't a fan of this and don't think I ever will be. Sorry but it just didn't work, way too much too fast. After 24 hours of meeting Bethany, Jace is making grand overtures to make this girl his, wanting to own her, take care of her and be HIS forever and eva. Just didn't buy it for a minute. He's spouting words of forever to her and wanting her to live with him after just one week.

4. THIS:

“It took two attempts before she managed to open the box and then she pulled out an intricate leather choker with a huge diamond teardrop in the very middle, designed to rest in the hollow of her throat.

He’d spent a lot of time searching for just the right piece of jewelry. It wasn’t just a necklace. Far from it. It was a stamp of his possession. A signal of his ownership. It was a...collar. Not that he would tell her that. Later. When she was more comfortable in their relationship. For now, he was content with the knowledge that he knew what it was and that she would wear it.”

He bought her a collar. A fucking collar.

5. The cheese factor is at an all time HIGH. I don't know what was exactly worse, the incessant swearing that happens every two seconds or the cutesy petname that follows every line. I usually melt when guys get affectionate with special nicknames but the number of 'baby, baby, oh baby' Jace does in here made me want to physically reach in the book and punch the dude. It's not cute. The strangest thing was there was more talking about sex than actual sex. And for the supposed brooding 'quiet' guy Jace likes to talk. A LOT. The dialogue is what exhausted me the most. Very very repetitive and heavy on the saccharine flowery confessions. It's exhausting and I found it extremely hokey. Jace is endlessly described as a dark dangerous quiet guy but he's super emotional and over-the-top in his reactions. I love me some tender affectionate men, but no man acts like this. Ever. I honestly thought this guy was gonna shit rainbows and unicorns the way he carries on. The last 10 pages was a real chore to finish with all the suffocating cornball dialogue. I just wanted everyone to shut up.

6. The swearing. What's with all the 'damn, g-ddamn, fucking bullshit, fucking hell'? It's everywhere . When you are counting the number of times 'damn' is used in one sentence page then it's a problem. Nobody talks like this. And why the hell are Jace & Gabe using British slang?? The last time I checked guys from the States who are born and raised there do not use the term bloody.

7. This was trying too hard. It's as if MB felt compelled to use the overtired 50 Shades template and insert it here with her own characters. And they aren't much different to be honest. Do the guys in all these erotica trilogies have to be arrogant rich jerks hellbent on being obsessive kinky pricks who like to swear a lot? It isn't necessary. And believe me trying to copy E.L James is no prize IMO. MB and every other author I've discovered so far can write circles around her. Similar to Rush, there was little-to-no plot in this, very little character growth or dimension for that matter. And I'm sorry but a girl who pretty much grew up on the streets cannot be as naive and oblivious to things as Bethany is in here. Just, unreal.

8. Note to authors: If you have to have your heroine continuously tell readers that the hero is badass, then they are most likely NOT a badass. -__-

The only reason this made it on my 'sexy' shelf was because of the threesome with Ash in the beginning of this. That was hot and pretty much the only exciting thing I got out of this. I was gonna give an extra star just for that but everything that followed after just weighed the entire story down.

[Crista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance

4 stars!

I read this book during a flight, and I must say, between the man sitting next to me looking over my shoulder at what I was reading to the tingles this book gave my girly parts, I’m not sure it was the best decision I’ve ever made! This book is best read in private, preferably near a cold shower!

My favorite movie in the whole world is Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. I don’t know what it is, but the Cinderella factor always gets to me. The idea that a rich, classy guy could sweep in a rescue a woman in a desperate situation and become her knight in shining armor appeals to my fairytale loving self. Fever is a Cinderella type fairytale with an erotic twist!

I thought the chemistry between Jace and Bethany really worked. It was obvious that Jace was completely mesmerized by Bethany from the first moment he saw her, and the initial spark only intensifies throughout the book.

It is no secret, for those who read Rush, that Jace and Ash like sharing women. Jace and Bethany’s first sexual encounter involves Ash, and this creates a very interesting and uncomfortable situation for the remainder of the book. I must say that the opening chapters that involve the three of them are the most erotic of the entire book, but I wish that Jace had stepped up, gone with his gut, and refused the threesome. It would’ve made the entire book a bit more comfortable without that added complication!


I really enjoyed this “rags to riches” tale of a beautiful woman who comes from nothing and a larger than life man who is brought to his knees when he falls in love. I was emotionally invested and felt connected to the characters throughout the book. This is a highly erotic novel that will reach you in all the expected places, but will also touch and engage your heart.

Highly recommended for lovers of erotic fiction!


Thank you to Maya Banks and Berkley via Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Komal · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF (last page 258): My general thought process while reading this book: grrrr, meh, should I just quit? Yeah, I need to quit. No! What if things finally turn around?!? Grrr…"

It got to a point where even the dirty sex wasn't worth sticking around for.

It REALLY irks me when authors try to piggyback off a genre/author that's blowing up and then add nothing more to it. Billionaire dom + meek heroine, who turns out to be a sub + penthouse setting + a group of close buddies = generic. It wouldn't have been so generic if Banks actually gave life to the characters but they felt so flat and lifeless. Did Jace like anything more then kinky sex and dominance? Did he have a life outside of that? From what I could tell, no. Why were Gabe, Ash, and Jace even best friends? It seemed like they didn't have much in common besides their wealth and the college they attended. It didn't make sense nor did it feel natural. I love smut but there has to, at the very least, be some originality. You have to make me care enough for your characters to be invested instead of riding on the hope that I'll just like them because I like erotic romance.

[Jayme · Rating 2 out of 5]

The biggest success of this book is the one that I read it to the end.

[Auntee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well...I'm sorry to say but I just didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one in the series (Rush). I don't know exactly what it was, but I think it had to do with the heroine (Bethany), or should I say the hero's obsession with her--I just didn't get it. Here's this uber-successful alpha-male businessman, with a wild and kinky sex-life (into threesomes with his best friend/business partner Ash), and he becomes obsessed with this uneducated homeless waif. They have nothing in common, he's about 14 years older than her, socially they're miles apart...and I just couldn't fully buy into it. I guess we're supposed to believe that it was sort of some "love-at-first-sight" thing, but I don't know. I think it was more like Jace (our hero) was at loose ends because he no longer had to take care of his younger sister (who he practically raised) since she became engaged. Controlling, protective Jace needed someone to take care of, and who better than (way) down on her luck Bethany? This was a sort of Cinderella story, with Jace showering Bethany with things she could never have before (a place to live, plenty of food, clothing, hot chocolate(!)). I did feel sorry for Bethany (she had a rough life with some bad breaks) and I was curious to see where this would all lead. They have plenty of adventurous sex (they match up pretty well here), and Jace lets Bethany in on all his kinks (he likes the whole pain-gives-you-pleasure thing). But all the while Bethany keeps feeling she's not good enough for Jace; questions "why do you want me?"--(yes, I'd like to know that too), and generally is an insecure mess. Now, I know what I would've liked to see her do to get over feeling that way (despite Jace's repeated reassurances) but we don't get to see that until the last page of the book! Finally.

Jace...

Oh well. I do enjoy Ms. Banks's writing, and she does know her way around a sex scene, but sadly, this one was just ok. I have a feeling I will enjoy Bethany a lot better in the next book, if she does what she says she is going to do. I am looking forward to Ash's book (Burn--I'd like to see him resolve his family issues and get a woman of his own. A lukewarm 3 1/2 stars for this one.

*Warning: This book contains explicit language and sex, including oral and anal; one m/f/m menage scene; some spanking and bondage. Not for the faint of heart.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Meh. That is what I feel. Meh.

After reading Rush, I actually pre-ordered this. I had high hopes. I was really excited. Could that be the issue? Honestly, I did love maybe 40% of this book. If Gabe was there, I was loving it. I didn't realize how much I liked Gabe until reading this.

Bethany is a young girl, in her twenties, living on the streets. She doesn't have a home. She hasn't had a home in over four years. She is a beautiful girl, and has love for her brother, Jack.

Jack is not good for Bethany. Jack brings her down, causes pain for her and probably is the reason she is still on the streets. Can Bethany let Jack go for her own happiness?

Jace is Mia's brother (obviously) and hasn't fallen in love yet. With most of these filthy rich hero men books, the hero has had some type of heartbreak or has been burned in some way. Not with Jace.

Jace sees Bethany at Gabe and Mia's engagement party and immediately is intrigued by her. Since Ash and him generally share everything, it's just crazy to him that he doesn't want to share Bethany. He wants Bethany to himself.

"I don't care how long it takes, baby. You're going to see you like I see you. You're going to get it through your head that you deserve better. And I'm going to make damn sure you get it."

I liked Bethany for most of the second half of the book. When she was strong, confident and not whining. This story was just kind of boring to me. It was strange to me that *blink* OH Jace is in love! I bothered me that there was so much talking, they always "had to talk". I especially didn't like that Jace called the necklace he gave Bethany a "collar". And that she liked it. That was weird. O.o I just feel like there was so much potential in this book! SO MUCH!

This is probably just going to be my least favorite book in the series. I still can't wait for Ash's book, as I feel like it's really going to have a lot of drama in it and closure on things that weren't quite resolved in book 2. It's well written, has a lot of naughty smut, so still an entertaining read.

"There's only one world. We live in the same goddamm world, Bethany. More important, you're there. I see you. I want you. You're here in front of me. If that doesn't put you solidly in my fucking world, then I don't know what does."

[Elizabeth (Liz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance


Joint Review: Steffi, Crista & Elizabeth


- What worked -
Elizabeth: I loved the depth of the characters, in particular Bethany and her background. I loved that she was quiet and out of her element, yet had a backbone and a delicate strength and dignity. Jace was dominant, no doubt, but most enjoyable for me was the way Bethany stripped away a lot of the artifice and melted his heart. I'm fascinated by the character of Jack, Bethany's stepbrother. I hope we'll see more of him and get his story!

Steffi: I absolutely loved the blend of romance and erotica in Fever. Jace is a badass alpha male, no question about it, but he also has a very sensitive and vulnerable side. Surprisingly enough, he has no problems sharing that side with Bethany. I am absolutely in love with the secondary characters, although they don’t play a secondary role in the book. It is great to see Mia and Gabe as a happy couple and Ash….what else can I say about Ash but that I love him, he is one of my all-time favorite characters and I can’t wait to get to his story.

Crista: My favorite movie in the whole world is Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. I don’t know what it is, but the Cinderella factor always gets to me. The idea that a rich, classy guy could sweep in and rescue a woman in a desperate situation and become her knight in shining armor appeals to my fairytale loving self. Fever is a Cinderella type fairytale with an erotic twist!
I thought the chemistry between Jace and Bethany really worked. It was obvious that Jace was completely mesmerized by Bethany from the first moment he saw her, and the initial spark only intensifies throughout the book.


- What didn’t work -
Elizabeth: There were a couple of scenes that were a little bit overdone, but these were few and far between. Honestly, there was very little in this book that didn't work for me.

Steffi: I have to agree with Elizabeth here and say that I loved almost everything about it. I think some people might be uncomfortable with a particular scene in the book but that was just necessary with Jace and Ash’s history. The whole story wouldn’t have been believable otherwise.

Crista: The threesome. It is no secret, for those who read Rush, that Jace and Ash like sharing women. Jace and Bethany’s first sexual encounter involves Ash, and this creates a very interesting and uncomfortable situation for the remainder of the book. I must say that the opening chapters that involve the three of them are the most erotic of the entire book, but I wish that Jace had stepped up, gone with his gut, and refused the threesome. It would’ve made the entire book a bit more comfortable without that added complication!


- Best Scenes -
Elizabeth: My favorite scene was when Bethany went out with the girls to the club. There was such a sense of fun and friendship there. LOVED IT!!

Steffi: I don’t think there is a particular scene that I loved but the whole process of Bethany learning to stand up for herself and, more importantly, learning to trust herself, I loved. She learns to let loose, go with her instincts and builds up a kind of courage which she didn’t have before.

Crista: One of my favorite scenes was the scene when Bethany is invited to go out with Mia and the girls. They all get highly inebriated and Gabe has to go and deliver a very drunk and loose-tongued Bethany into Jace’s waiting arms. The sex scene that follows is just pure hot, sexy fun.
Another favorite scene is when Jace comes home and finds Ash and Bethany in an emotional moment and, in a jealous rage, makes a painful accusation. I loved Ash’s response and Jace’s necessary groveling that follows. I also think this is a big moment for Bethany. In this beautifully written scene, she sets clear boundaries for herself and for Jace.


- Favorite Characters -
Elizabeth: Bethany was my favorite character because of all that she had to overcome and the strength she found to do so. But, I also found her 'stepbrother', Jack, VERY compelling. I feel that he has a story to tell, and I hope that he'll get the opportunity.

Steffi: I loved Jace for his honesty. He knows who he is and what he wants and he makes no apologies for it. He goes all out when it comes to Bethany and not once does he give up on her. I also can’t stress enough how much I love Ash and how excited I am for his story. I think it’s going to be the highlight of the series and an amazing finish to the trilogy.

Crista: This surprised me because my favorite characters in this book were Ash and Mia. Jace is incredible and amazing, but there is just something about Ash. I love his personality, demeanor, and charm, and can hardly wait for his book! Mia is also a favorite because she is so accepting and loving towards Bethany, and effortlessly gives this book heart.


- Overall Thoughts -
Elizabeth: This was one of my favorite books from Maya Banks. FEVER read just a bit differently to me than many other books by this author, and I hope it's a change that's permanent. I felt the author tapped into an unexplored area of her ability and really dug deep to bring this story to life. I love a book and characters with depth and emotional hurdles. I appreciate the story so much more when the characters have to work for their happily ever after. I enjoyed RUSH, but I became absorbed by FEVER!! ~ 4.5 stars

Steffi: I already really enjoyed Rush, but Fever knocked it out of the park for me. This is a series worth reading and Maya Banks exceeded my expectations. Don’t be fooled by the billionaire erotica theme. The Breathless Trilogy is much more complex than that and shouldn’t be put in a category and written off. Maya Banks is a master storyteller and her brilliance shines through in Fever. I know I’m repeating myself but I am very much looking forward to the third and final book in the series when Ash finally finds his other half. ~ 4.5 stars

Crista: I read this book during a flight, and I must say, between the man sitting next to me looking over my shoulder at what I was reading to the tingles this book gave my girly parts, I’m not sure it was the best decision I’ve ever made! This book is best read in private, preferably near a cold shower!
I really enjoyed this “rags to riches” tale of a beautiful woman who comes from nothing and a larger than life man who is brought to his knees when he falls in love. I was emotionally invested and felt connected to the characters throughout the book. This is a highly erotic novel that will reach you in all the expected places, but will also touch and engage your heart. Recommended for lovers of erotic fiction. ~ 4 stars



**ARC provided to Swept Away By Romance courtesy of author and publisher in exchange for an honest review**

[Book Binge · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jace Crestwell, Ash McIntyre, and Gabe Hamilton have been best friends and successful business partners for years. They’re powerful, they’re imposing, they’re irresistibly sexy, and Jace and Ash share everything—including their women.

When they meet Bethany, Jace begins to feel things he’s never experienced before: jealousy, and a powerful obsession that threatens him, overwhelms him—and excites him beyond control.

Jace isn’t sharing Bethany—with anyone. He’s determined to be the only man in her life, and it’s jeopardizing a lifelong friendship with Ash. Bethany will be his and his alone. Even if it means turning his back on his best friend.

I’m not going to lie, I had serious issues with Fever.

Jace and Ash are best friends and are known for enjoying a woman together. So when Ash notices Jace checking out one of the wait staff at Mia and Gabe’s engagement party, he decides to proposition her, something Jace specifically asks him not to do. Jace is drawn to the woman and when Ash talks about sharing her, he doesn’t know why but he does not like it. Ash doesn’t listen to Jace and goes after the woman.

Bethany, the waitress in discussion, needs this job. She gets to eat the leftovers and it gives her some much needed money. Right away the reader gets that Bethany is homeless. And to top it off, she’s practically supporting her ‘brother.’

Jace and Ash are rich (not quite the way the summary described them as the most powerful men in the country, that’s a bit of an exaggeration) and Bethany is the exact opposite. But they don’t know that.

So Ash goes to Bethany to ask her if she wants to fool around. She’s not interested until Jace shows up to get Ash to back off. When she realizes that it’s a threesome Ash is proposing and that Jace is part of the deal, she’s intrigued. She says she’ll do it if they feed her. They think nothing of it and off they go.

And this is where I had some serious problems. There’s definitely a power imbalance here. Jace and Ash are in this to get off. And their dialog between the two of them while they’re engaged in sex with Bethany proves that. On page 27 of the pdf copy I had (from Netgalley) Jace says “Her pussy is mine.” I know we’re supposed to see that as some romantic thing, that he doesn’t want to share her with Ash on some level but I did not take it that way at all. I was frankly disgusted that they would refer to Bethany in terms of body parts while she was right there. She’s a flesh and blood woman with feelings who deserves more respect than to be broken down into body parts to be fought over.

Contrast that with Bethany’s reasons for the threesome. Yeah she’s attracted to Jace (and Ash but more Jace) but she wants a warm place to stay for the night and a meal. Survival.

I was put off by the whole scenario. But hey, Jace is smitten with Bethany and her tiny body and how vulnerable she looks, so this is a romance! I kept reading despite being very uncomfortable with that whole scene. So during the morning, Bethany sneaks off and Jace spends the next two weeks looking for her. He finds out pretty quick that she is homeless which makes him more determined to find her.
Once he finds her, he takes over her life, almost completely (Bethany still tries to do some stuff on her own that always results in Jace freaking the hell out). And this whole scenario rubbed me the wrong way too.

Jace is a control freak. And really, who else but a homeless woman who has to rely on him for everything could make him happy? Seriously. He wants to control every aspect of her life and he does. He has found his perfect woman.

“But if having her own apartment gave her a semblance of power and at least the guise of having a choice, then he could deal. Because he knew she had neither power nor choice. She was his. Belonged to him. That didn’t change because she had the appearance of independence.” (p. 155)

That whole paragraph sums up Jace and his feeling of ownership towards Bethany. He totally loves her right? How infuriating and patronizing and condescending!

I like an alpha hero but this was too much. I was not comfortable with this story at all. I could go on but I’m going to leave it there. I did not like the inequality between Bethany and Jace.

1 out of 5

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Ames.

[Vina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Jace in Rush but now I'm IN love with him!



After reading Rush, the first book in this Breathless trilogy, I wasn't all too impressed. I wasn't that big of a fan of Gabe and his relationship with Mia just was not my cup of tea. I guess all I was missing was the perfect man because I absolutely loved Jace's story!

This book has absolutely nothing to do with Rush..

Where Rush was all about dominance and since-forever-crush and total obsession, this one comes a bit more intense and highlights the relationship between a very capable, wealthy man and a helpless, defenseless -not spineless, mind you- girl who has nothing at all.


They way these three men are such playboys and gradually find women to tie them down is so sweet and I love watching them discover how to love one woman. Jace's need (well, practically obsession) to protect and provide for Bethany is so cute and I wish I had a man like him who wanted to shop and cook for me 24/7. Jace is by far my favorite of these three delicious men, but I've got to say I'm really excited to see Ash's story. That's right, I'm definitely making sure I get to read the last book of this series. The first book may have been okay, but Fever definitely makes up for it! With a great guy and a strong girl who needs a man but is too stubborn to admit it, Fever gives you a hot romance that leaves you begging for more.

[Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 or 2.9999999..I dont know why I ended up rating this book so low... :/


I LOVED RUSH...let's first get that straight..This isn't a story that would match Gabe & Mia as a couple and yet I found myself constantly comparing and wanting "FEVER" to be a bit more romantic and emotional like the first instead of it being wholly BDSM based.

The first half of the story was just a DRAG with him going on and on about how....."I want to own you but don't ask me why... " while she stuck to one phase THE WHOLE FREAKING BOOK.....

I just kept going, "Oh god girl ! Get urself together !!! Ugh ! "
The ending was a bit emotional..Idrug overdose and all ,I'll give you that but come on..IT IS NOT ok to push all the emotionalism towards the end..that's just disrupts the feel of the whole story line as a whole.

I really wanted to like this better,I really wanted to rate this a bit higher ..But I can't....

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those reads that kept me awake until 1:30am in order to finish it. I'm suffering the consequences today and yet, I regret nothing.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was hot (incredibly so), it was steamy, and I liked the romance. Don't get me wrong, if this was real life I'd probably look at this couple in horror surrounding the rapid evolution and healthiness of their relationship. Luckily for me, this is not real life--this is fiction. Therefore, I have no qualms enjoying the story.

Also, what a way to begin a novel! I have never read anything like that before and I have to say, wouldn't have thought I'd like it but wow, it was hot. Definitely broke the mold of my typical erotica reads.

Interested to read the final novel in this trilogy. I didn't think I would like the story of Jace as much as Gabe's but I definitely liked it just as much.

[Elle ✟ Søren's ♡ (i'm too old for this shite) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2* STARS!

Plus:
+ ???

Minus:
- NO TRUST
- Insta-love/lust
- Over posssive with jealousy
- Super stalker
- JASE IS SUPER CONTROL FREAK (Worse than G***)
- BETHANY FRUSTRATED ME in so many ways. Independent isn't same with stupidity, woman!
- Slow dragging ass pace. It keeps moving in circles.

Overall: Such a disappointment. This book has power over me for my gloomy mood -_- so much negativity! 2 stars because I BARELY MADE IT ALIVE!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew! What an explosive last 6% of a book!! I might just add that there is not cliffie though!! (Thank goodness for that!) I am giving Fever 4.5 stars; but definitely that half a mark got added due to the major emotional scene towards the end of this at times emotional book. I will start off in saying that I loved this book way better than the first in the series, even though the heroine tended to annoy me at times. I loved Jace, but I knew I would from when I read book one.

Out of Gabe,Jace, and Ash, this story focuses on Jace Crestwall and his love at first sight woman that he spots at his sisters engagement party. Now, I will explain..Jace's sister is engaged to Gabe, and Jace and Ash have always been even closer friends than they were with Gabe. In fact, they were so close that they were in the habit of sharing their one night stands with each other--at the same time!! They were known for their threesomes, and they both wouldn't have it any other way. The night of the engagement party changed everything; but not at first. They do manage to share the gal Jace has set his eyes on,and to his surprise he was miserable during the whole sexual encounter. For the first time, he did NOT like his friend touching the woman in question at all.
Bethany is homeless, and desperate to have a meal and a warm place to sleep that night. When she is propositioned by Ash and Jace, she grudgingly accepts their offer. She sneaks off before morning to Jace's dismay.

When Jace eventually tracks her down, a heavy duty relationship between these two start. Jace is extremely dominating and needs to be in control in every aspect; both sexually and everything else too. He needs Bethany to submit to him, and he also needs to figure out how to tell her that he takes pleasure in delivering pain during intimacy. He fears that his personality and kinks will scare her off; but he can't change who he is inside. Jace is majorly intense, and I loved every minute of it!! Here are some quotes that capture who Jace is:

"Give me your pain. Give me your pleasure," he growled. "I want it all, Bethany. Every sound. Every reaction. I want all of you."

"I'm going to mark you. I'm going to own you. I'm going to fuck you like you've never been fucked. Do you understand? Can you accept that? Tonight you step into my world."

"I will absolutely cherish and protect you. See that your every need is met. Your body will be mine, but mine will also be yours. I will love and adore you with everything that is me."

Jace may be extremely possessive and controlling; but he is also very fair, and he has a protective streak a mile long. I am guessing because he had to take care of his sister since he was a teenager, that is why he is like this. I loved Jace, even with his extreme demands in the bedroom, he could also be gentle when it was needed. Bethany was perfect for him. Considering she had been living on the streets from a very young age, she needed someone who could take care of her and nurture her. My problem with Bethany was that as soon as there was any kind of misunderstanding, she would run instead of stay and try and fix what the conflict was. Also her blind faith in her "brother" who was nothing but bad news for her. I do understand why she was loyal to him; but she seemed extremely naive for someone who had been homeless for so long. This is where my 4.5 stars came in, she just tended to annoy me at times.

I did enjoy this book immensely, and it loosely reminded me of a Pretty Woman type theme. Of course, Bethany was not a hooker..but just living in such poverty and then being swept off her feet by Jace reminded me of that movie! I highly recommend this series, especially if you are a Maya Banks fan. Like I said in the beginning of this review, the first book isn't near as good as this one; but it still should be read to get the full effect of the three men's friendship. This was a feel good read with some pretty emotional scenes thrown in. The sex was HOT!!! And yes, there were crops, paddles, and some bondage!! Hot,hot,hot!!! This is the kind of story I would read again!!

[KatLynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya Banks gives a highly erotic ‘fairy tale’ in this second installment of her Breathless series which centers around the lives of three beautiful, sexy as sin men; Jace Crestwell, Ash McIntyre, and Gabe Hamilton. They’ve been best friends and very successful business partners for many years making their relationship more like family. This group of delicious testosterone are all easily lovable alpha males and the draw to the series.

I haven’t read the first book, Rush, which featured Gabe’s story but jumped right into Jace’s without a hitch. It appears Jace and Ash share a little more than just friendship. Their sexual proclivities for having threesomes with the same woman are pretty well known. I’m glad to say there was only one occurrence at the beginning and this contributed to the plot twist later on. It would come back to haunt Jace that he hadn’t been honest that first night and regretted not letting Ash know his true feelings. Jace was instantly attracted to Bethany and he found himself for the first time ever NOT wanting to share with Ash.

Bethany Willis is certainly in need of rescue. She’s homeless and lives each day in survival mode. She agrees to this one night threesome in order to get a decent meal and a warm place to stay on a cold winter’s night. Of course, she’s drawn to Jace and the chemistry is there between these two. But Bethany is very realistic and she's not hoping for more realizing she could never fit into this opulent world among the rich.

Jace has different plans. He may not understand this powerful and immediate attraction and he doesn't know anything about Bethany, but what he does know is he must have her in his life...forever. This brooding, intense alpha is used to going after what he wants and he wants Bethany. One of the things I liked about Jace is that he never waivers from his intent to show her his feelings and to help her see her true self worth. He’s protective and obsessive in his care for her. He’s not only dominating in the bedroom but in all aspects of her life. Bethany is more than willing to hand over the reins and sit back and enjoy the freedom of not worrying about tomorrow.

Their journey will take you through the ups and downs of ‘insta-love’ and it’s fraught with trust issues. Bethany’s story will pull on your heartstrings. Her life has been nothing but hardship. She and Jace’s world are polar opposites in every way and she lives in fear of him one day tiring of her and letting her go. Thrown into this mix is Jack, whom Bethany loves as a brother. Their past is tied together forming a deep bond that will interfere with Bethany’s new found happiness.

Occasionally, I found the dialogue repetitive which slowed the pace somewhat. I'm always leery of the 'insta-love' theme and here too I found areas of disbelief. But leave it to Ms. Banks to make this work. While there are lots of detailed, passionate love scenes, they all contain the element of intimacy shared between a couple in love.

Ms. Banks gives a cast of secondary characters that are all lovable and I like how they each warmly welcome Bethany into their fold. This story also has humor and the Girls Night Out is laugh-out-loud entertainment. I love a Cinderella plot device and this one is very hot with an H/h that you’ll love and root hard for. Ash’s book is up next and he's very intriguing. I'll be reading his story!

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fever is the second book in the Breathless trilogy by Maya Banks. When I met Jace and Ash in the first book, Rush, I was highly curious about the woman who would break up this double duo in the bedroom. These two best friends find it highly erotic to be with the same woman at the same time. But now Jace has finally found a woman, who he has formed strong amorous feelings for, and he isn’t willing to share.

From the moment Jace sees Bethany serving at his sister's engagement party, he was drawn to her. When Ash notices who Jace is eyeing, he takes it upon himself to proposition Bethany to have threesome with them. This didn't please Jace. For the first time, Jace feels possessive of a woman and threatened by Ash being the third party. But he goes along with the deal anyway, for fear of not having her at all. This one night of passion and erotic sex leaves Jace craving more of Bethany. Jace is the kind of man, once fixated on something he wants, he goes after it. Yet when he wakes up the next morning, he finds himself alone in the hotel. Jace becomes angry and desperate to find Bethany.

When Jace does find Bethany, she's bruised and starving in a woman's shelter. Like a knight in shining armor, he rescues her from living in poverty. Bethany, who was once raised in foster homes, was once a recovering drug addict, and is now homeless living on the streets. She comes with a lot of baggage that includes: mistrust, low self-worth, and a friend she loves like a brother, Jack, who continues to take her down a very dangerous path. After learning Bethany's heartbreaking story, Jace is even more determined to have this woman who has consumed his thoughts and feelings.

“The truth is I’ve never felt this way about another woman. The truth is I’m fucking obsessed with you. The truth is I want you in any way I can have you. The truth is if you told me right now that you could never submit to me, never give what I want so badly from you, that it wouldn’t matter. I’d take you any way I could have you. The truth is I’m not letting you go.”

I thought it was an interesting twist for the story to have a heroine like Bethany. She's different from a lot of the heroine's I've read here lately - being that she’s homeless and a recovering drug addict. She’s had a hard life growing up and living on the streets, yet she's not hardened by this life. She’s a survivor. She overcame her drug addiction on her own, hoping to make her life better. But jobs don't come easily for the homeless. So when she meets Jace, for the first time in her life, she’s given a second chance to start over.

Jace is a great hero, he swoops in and rescues Bethany from a harsh life on the streets. He provides for her. Gives her whatever she wants or needs – luxuries Bethany is completely unaccustomed to but really appreciates. These two may be total opposites, but they fit well together.

This story is has a lot of emotional moments between the main characters that were very touching. It's also super sexy. I really think lovers of erotica will be fanning themselves over the sizzling sexy times between Bethany and Jace. Whew.

Unfortunately, this story has a bad case of insta-love, which I'm not a huge fan of. I really wish the author spent some time developing their friendship, slowly building up the relationship before they jumped into a relationship. It felt unrealistic when they were confessing their affections after only knowing each other for two days. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at times. I understood the fierce attraction, but expressing your heartfelt feelings for someone right away just didn’t work for me. Eh, that may just be the skeptic in me talking too.

Gabe and Mia play an integral role in this story which made me jump for joy. I really adore this couple. We also get quite a bit of Ash as well. Part of the story is seeing how Ash and Jace handle their friendship when they are no longer sharing the same woman for the first time. There is definitely a lovely bromance between Gabe, Ash, and Jace. Especially between Ash and Jace. I'm definitely looking

Overall, I enjoyed this modern day Cinderella story. Maya Banks is an incredibly romantic and passionate writer.

-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review


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[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, maybe 3 stars

From the other reviews, I'm in the minority here. I'm not gushing over this book. Yeah... I really wanted to like this book, and it was a decent read. But it didn't GRAB me like Maya's and Gabe's story did in book 1. It's not a bad book... it probably deserves a 3 star rating, because I *did* read it, and I *generally* liked it. I just didn't feel the chemistry between Bethany and Jace, despite his obsession with her. It really did seem too much like a cross between Pretty Woman and FSOG (with a whole better setup and better, stronger characters).

And, unfortunately, this story is completely predictable in almost every way. Sure, I want to find out what happens to them all from here, especially Jack. But was I one bit surprised at what happened? No. The story is fairly well-written and definitely has it's moments, but I didn't feel the *need* to read it to know how it would end.

Bethany's lived a hard life, and I empathized with her, even her insecurities. I guess that for someone who's lived on the streets most of her life, this whole scenario would be more than a little overwhelming. While I can see how she'd appreciate Jace's 24/7 almost TPE (total power exchange) - taking almost complete control of her life, giving her a schedule, deciding what she wears and eats, when they have sex, etc. - after awhile, I can also see her rebelling. And because of the way that they've started, will they have built enough trust and love together that Jace will stand by his assertions that he'll take her any way he can get her. 'Cuz in future, I see her being much more independent. It's one thing to allow Jace total control/dominance in the BDSM way in the bedroom and another to allow that same total control/dominance in her everyday waking life.

I guess that's the catch: Bethany's life truly has been SO DIFFERENT from Jace, Gabe, Mia, and Ash, that despite how wonderful and accepting and loving these people are, they don't KNOW what it's been like for her. To go from wondering where your next meal is coming from and whether you'll have somewhere warm to sleep tonight to literally anything her heart desires and total protection and control from a man obsessed with her... well, that's going from 1 to 10 in .5 seconds. That's the part of the book that doesn't fit. Doesn't seem real.

IF Bethany had a fairly normal upbringing but then something happened and she was out on the street surviving, OK. I could accept it. But that's not the case.

And the whole thing with Jack. OK, he's not the best person to be around her. OK, he's got his own issues. But living as Bethany has for so long, the fact that Jace can't see or understand what Jack is to her... the fact that he's so threatened by Jack... well, it says a LOT about Jace and how he's relating to Bethany.

To be fair, Ms. Banks TRIES to bring those elements in. But most of it gets lost in the HEA of the romance genre. The harsher edges are smoothed down by appeasing the reader with mild BDSM scenes. Yes, Bethany's realization about TRUST and Jace is very good - very real. But it's not really addressed, front-and-center; it's acknowledged, barely discussed, and then swept under the rug in favor of Jace's determination to be forever with Bethany and provide everything and anything she could ever want.

The way that Jace and even Ash talks most of the time, without a subject - "Wanna blahblahblah..." "Have to thisorthat..." - drove me crazy after awhile. It was totally overdone. No one talks that way all the time.

So... I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. I'm hoping that Ash's story is more in line with some sort of reality.

[Lady Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review & others also found on Red Hot Books

Let me preface my review by saying that I loved Ms. Banks' Sweet series. I think she's a talented writer and I have always enjoyed reading the relationships she creates. That being said, this book was hard to get through.

This is the second book in the Breathless series, the story of Jace Crestwell and Bethany Willis. Jace is a self made millionaire who sees Bethany at his sister's engagement party from across the room and wants her immediately. Bethany is a homeless woman forced to do odd jobs to keep money in her pocket, since no one will hire her on a continuous basis. When Bethany is confronted by Ash, Jace's best friend and the man he shares his women with, what she sees for the evening is a guaranteed place to sleep and a warm meal for free. She agrees to go upstairs with them both, even though Jace doesn't seem 100% on board. After they spend the night together, Jace wakes up to find Bethany gone and goes crazy. He spends two weeks tracking her down and eventually finds her in a women's shelter and steals her away.

This story is very unique in that I've never read about a homeless heroine, and it was very interesting to get inside her mind and watch her face situations most people don't have to. However, I was less than impressed with Jace. He completely took over Bethany's life without thought to how she might feel about it. Granted, she didn't have much of a life to live, but for me, a woman's choice is one of the most important things she has to hold on to. Which brings to me to my biggest issue with this story.

I understand that there is a delicate balance between building trust and taking care of the person you love while being the dominant partner in the relationship. However, I felt that the dominance went over board. Jace was more than just "demanding" or "exacting". He was a pushy jerk.

"Do you understand that I would be in absolute control over every aspect of our relationship, Bethany? Do you really get that? That every decision will be made by me. Where we eat, what we eat, where we go, where you go. When we have sex. When we don't have sex. What you wear. Who you talk to. Are you getting it yet? I'm a controlling bastard and that won't change. Are you really willing to sign on for something like that?"

I don't mind a man taking care of me or not having to think about things for a while, but since when did becoming an all out asshat become a good thing in a hero? He crossed the line so many times it was hard to count.

As soon as Jace had taken that step in exerting his dominance, a part of her had sighed in relief. It had been so freeing to hand over responsibility to someone who cared about her. Someone who took care of her and was insanely protective of her. It gave her a measure of security she hadn't enjoyed until now. It made her feel... safe.

How can I argue with that? If that's what it took to make her feel safe, who am I to judge? It's just not my thing. My mind rebelled the whole way through. I liked Bethany a lot, even when her constant self hatred got tiring, I wanted her to have a better life and a better future.

In the end, I think this may simply be a case of "not my cup of tea" - but it may be yours, who knows? Either way, it's a breathtaking cover; I still enjoy the author, but I won't be following up with this series.

Grade: D

*ARC Provided by Berkley

[Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

********** 3 - 3.5 STARS **********

The second book in Banks' Breathless trilogy was good, though not as good as the first one IMO. This time around we're given the story of Jace and Bethany, a down on her luck homeless woman swept up in an instant and electrifying romance with the billionnaire.

I liked the pacing of this book and have to say that although it didn't wow me as much as the first, Maya Banks writes romance extremely well. It was easy to be caught up in it and I found myself finishing it faster because of that.

I like Gabe. I liked Jace. But I LOVE ASH! If I'm being honest, I read this partly for the story and largely for glimpses of the enticing Ash McIntyre. He melted me in Rush, even with his limited story time and although I didn't see as much as I would have of him in Fever, the scenes involving him made me want him more. Obviously I can't wait to read Burn!

Back to Jace and Bethany. They were very sweet and cute together. Jace was, like his brethern, the dominating alpha male turned soft by the love of the right woman. He was tender and wonderful even when he was angry. And while I liked Bethany, I liked Mia a lot more. Bethany was sweet and deserved her life to change at the hands of a man that would cherish her but I just couldn't connect with her at all. Her naivety annoyed me sometimes but really I didn't empathize with her like I did Mia.

Regardless of all that this book, like it's forerunner, was great to read. The chapters aren't excessively long which adds to the pacing and Maya Banks manages to instill interest in the vaguest of occurrences. Its also nice to read about men that have earned their wealth, at a realistic age, rather than the unlikely occurrence of being a billionaire in their twenties. I'm off to read Burn and finally get Ash all to myself!

GENRE: Contemporary Romance
STEAM: High with light BDSM
POV: 3rd person
CLIFFY: HEA with Burn being Ash's story

[Jacqueline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd marriage of a controlling, bdsm and menage enthusiast billionaire tale with um...Cinderella. Some of the smut was hot as fuck, some started to get a bit repetitive, but for the most part the smut held it together.

She's homeless and down on her luck but she catches the billionaire' s eye and within moments of poking around in her lady closet he's obsessed with her. He moves her in and buys her stuff and she's all wide eyed yet apparently unaffected by materialism because all she wants is to be surrounded by people who care about her. Oh and to drink gallons of hot chocolate. Not quite sure what else she did all day tbh. So, yeah...

The heroine in this was a bit of a wet lettuce for me and didn't really have anything going on except her past. Jace though was the archetypal controlling billionaire and along with that of his best friends, his alpha craziness kept me interested.

Not bad.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this but not as much as the first. This took the term insta-love to a whole new level, and it took me awhile to get on board with them as a couple. I love Jace, but Bethany it took me awhile to see she was sincere. The opening scene with Ash and Jace- HOT! I love Ash, on to his book.

[Seyma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gabe'i beğenmiyordum daha beteri de varmış! Gerçekten okuduğum en iğrenç kitaplardan biri olabilir şöyle aslında kitap güzel ama yaşanan bir olay tamamiyle kitabın bütün havasını bozdu. En yakın arkadaşınla her şeyini paylaşabilirsin ama sevdiğin kadını? (burada kusuyor) bilemiyorum bana çok ağır geldi ama kitapta her şey normalmiş gibi hayatlarına devam ettiler genişliğinde bir sınırı olmalı tabi burada en büyük hata benim çünkü inatla okumaya devam ettim müstehak bana..
Şimdi gidip salak gibi üçüncü kitabı okuyacağım hani alkışım

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

just marking this as read cause it was my second ✨spicy romance✨ i read ever. Picked it up accidentally on vacation and i think it changed my life.

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #2 - FEVER
Series about three men, friends since college - Gabe, Jace and Ash.
And this is Jace and Bethany's story.

Jace and Ash always/usually share the same women. That’s how they apparently get off - better. But the moment Jace spots a waitress, Bethany at Gabe and Mia’s (his sister) wedding, his heart and mind respond/quicken along with his body.
Ash notices his interest and is happy to ask the women on ‘their’ behalf. For the first time, Jace is unhappy and uncomfortable with the threesome concept.
Bethany, btw has had the worse end of life for a long time - as in forever. So much so that she’s presently living on the streets or street shelters if she’s lucky. And this winter night, she’s not sure if she’ll get a place at the shelter or not. So, when two hunky, obviously rich guys approach her with their offer, she says yes with a condition.

Bethany (23) is an absolute sweetheart and the author portrays her as having retained her sweetness and innocence - as well as dignity and morals despite having lived a life that should have beaten them out of her along with her lost self-confidence, self-worth and hope. She’s small and skinny, starved really but beautifully perfect to Jace. And her quiet dignity, grace and niceness shines through her physical and emotional fragility.

And Jace (38) is a bigger sweetheart who loses her heart at the first look and he goes way out of his way to take care of Bethany. He thinks it’s some connection plus sex and concern but we know better. The tenderness that he shows Bethany from the first is the USP of this book.
I read smuts but am never happy with the mechanical hyper-sex that is served but here I just love, love, love how Jace, even during the acts, is minute by minute showing his concern for the quiet and timorous Bethany.

Poor Ash. He’s not the bad guy despite his stint of warning Jace off. Thankfully, he doesn’t get as emotionally involved as these two do instantaneously do. So, he just watches from the sidelines - concerned and angry on his friend’s behalf.
But, same as I said before - emotions. Jace and Bethany connect at a deeper level. And so sex, smutty sex between the h/H is not just sex here.

Bethany again. She takes naive to another level. Not generalizing, but I'd expect a person living on the streets to be ... well, more street smart. And more wary. And canny. Because of more well-honed survival instincts and all. But, she goes stupid in a major way. At one point, I was actually shouting - No, No, Stop!
This involves her foster brother, Jack. (Jace and Jack - Hmmm, why not go for a completely different sounding name?)
I hate reading about people guilt-tripping themselves so much in books. Should know when to cut off a toxic person/relationship from their life. Being nice is one thing but when mcs go trying for sainthood? Not my thing.
(Had to pare off a star here.)

With my present short and shallow attention span, I was certain once things settled a bit between Bethany and Jace, they’d get into routine stuff aka focking and my interest would waver. But, surprisingly the author manages to do a credible job with these two and their story.
Apart from the h going literally TSTL, it's a good story.

[Syndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comparing Fever to Rush, Fever has more drama. I was not expecting drama since I know this series is alpha male dominance story plot. A lot of profanity and steaming sex.

For the character, I like Jace. He is a very caring, distance and sensitive man. For Bethany... not so much. I feel like I want to slap her myself. This woman cries a LOT! whole lot that it makes me skipping my audiobook just to past her crying drama.

And the chemistry between Bethany and Jace also dry. I wish more substance on their relationship. However I like the drama twist towards the end.

[Caro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ella acepta hacer un trío a cambio de comida y una cama para pasar la noche. El protagonista decide que aunque hasta el momento sólo hacía tríos con su amigo del alma y otra mujer random, a partir de esa noche sólo quiere estar él en exclusividad con esa mujer.
Period.
Esta novela esa basura.

[Thereadingbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bethany is a young girl, in her twenties, living on the streets. She doesn't have a home. She hasn't had a home in over four years. She is a beautiful girl, and has love for her brother, Jack.

Jack is not good for Bethany. Jack brings her down, causes pain for her and probably is the reason she is still on the streets. Can Bethany let Jack go for her own happiness?

Jace is Mia's brother and hasn't fallen in love yet. With most of these dom rich hero men books, the hero has had some type of heartbreak or has been burned in some way. This is not Jace at all.

Jace sees Bethany at Gabe and Mia's engagement party and immediately is intrigued by her. Since Ash and him generally share everything, it's just crazy to him that he doesn't want to share Bethany. He wants Bethany to himself.

I found the story to be a tad bit boring. Bethany with her past was very insecure.