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Kick #1
Strategie di seduzione
KICK SERIES - Il loro primo incontro è il trionfo dell'incomprensione, il secondo l'apoteosi dell'imbarazzo. Il terzo si preannuncia come un fiasco totale. Ma l'attrazione che provano l'uno per l'altro è devastante e sembra non lasciare via di scampo. E anche se Grady crede che non sarà mai degno dell'amore altrui e Micah teme che la propria malattia lo costringa a una esistenza di compromesso che non gli appartiene, nessuno dei due è disposto a rinunciare a incontri sessuali così appassionanti e appaganti.
Quando però il destino viene a bussare alla porta e a chiedere ragione delle loro scelte, sembra che Grady non possa superare il terrore di essere rifiutato e pensa che, come sempre, la migliore strategia sia la fuga. Allora anche Micah adotta una strategia, una molto rischiosa, a dire la verità...
Quando però il destino viene a bussare alla porta e a chiedere ragione delle loro scelte, sembra che Grady non possa superare il terrore di essere rifiutato e pensa che, come sempre, la migliore strategia sia la fuga. Allora anche Micah adotta una strategia, una molto rischiosa, a dire la verità...
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2016
36 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
About the author
Lynda Aicher
44 books567 followersI love to read. It's a simple fact that has been true since I discovered the worlds of Judy Blume at the age of ten. After years of weekly travel as a consultant implementing computer software into global companies, I ended my nomadic lifestyle to raise my two children. Now, my imagination is my only limitation on where I can go and my writing lets me escape from the daily duties of being a mom, wife, chauffeur, scheduler, cook, teacher, cleaner, and mediator.
If writing wasn't a priority, it would never get done.
If writing wasn't a priority, it would never get done.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
April 25, 2016
~3.5~
Very sexy and very angsty, The Harder He Falls is the first book of a promising new series by Lynda Aicher. Kick, the name of the series, is also the name of an outdoor adventure company owned and operated by gay Marine Doms.
Grady's cousin Finn, who hires Grady to run some seasonal whitewater rafting trips for the company, is one such Dom. When Grady takes Finn and another Kick partner, Chris, down a river, tragedy strikes.
Micah, a bartender at a leather BDSM bar called Dane's that most of the Kick guys frequent, meets Grady at a hospital where Micah is a volunteer who reads to comatose patients. Finn is in a coma, and Grady spends hours by his side, beating himself up for the accident and wallowing in self-pity.
Micah know a thing or two about recovering from a coma, and he tries to help Grady, but Grady puts up roadblocks at every turn. Grady is not an easy guy to like. I warmed to him only in the last chapter.
Grady likes to give up control during sex, but he's scared of being labeled a sub and freaks out when the Kick partners assume he is one. Micah is a "strong top" but not a Dom.
Both men enjoy kink and edge (restraints, rough sex) and have incredible chemistry together, but Grady is defensive and lashes out at Micah every chance he gets.
Micah, who came out of a coma years before, suffers from spatial confusion and disorientation. This is a relatively common long-term disability in people who've recovered from a traumatic brain injury, but what triggers the "brain blips" in Micah isn't medically probable.
The MCs spend nearly the entire story fighting, which stressed me the fuck out. There's a lot of conflict and drama. Some of the conversations between Micah and Grady were so antagonistic, I seriously questioned their sanity.
I was annoyed that the main plot point in the story (whether or not Finn will wake up from his comatose state) was addressed in a couple sentences in the epilogue; all that build-up and then nary a whimper.
The ending is a tentative HEA. We see a glimpse of sweetness in the epilogue, but don't expect much romance and tenderness.
Rounding down because I OD'd on the angst, but I will read the next book in the series.
Because.
Gay. Marine. Doms.
Very sexy and very angsty, The Harder He Falls is the first book of a promising new series by Lynda Aicher. Kick, the name of the series, is also the name of an outdoor adventure company owned and operated by gay Marine Doms.
Grady's cousin Finn, who hires Grady to run some seasonal whitewater rafting trips for the company, is one such Dom. When Grady takes Finn and another Kick partner, Chris, down a river, tragedy strikes.
Micah, a bartender at a leather BDSM bar called Dane's that most of the Kick guys frequent, meets Grady at a hospital where Micah is a volunteer who reads to comatose patients. Finn is in a coma, and Grady spends hours by his side, beating himself up for the accident and wallowing in self-pity.
Micah know a thing or two about recovering from a coma, and he tries to help Grady, but Grady puts up roadblocks at every turn. Grady is not an easy guy to like. I warmed to him only in the last chapter.
Grady likes to give up control during sex, but he's scared of being labeled a sub and freaks out when the Kick partners assume he is one. Micah is a "strong top" but not a Dom.
Both men enjoy kink and edge (restraints, rough sex) and have incredible chemistry together, but Grady is defensive and lashes out at Micah every chance he gets.
Micah, who came out of a coma years before, suffers from spatial confusion and disorientation. This is a relatively common long-term disability in people who've recovered from a traumatic brain injury, but what triggers the "brain blips" in Micah isn't medically probable.
The MCs spend nearly the entire story fighting, which stressed me the fuck out. There's a lot of conflict and drama. Some of the conversations between Micah and Grady were so antagonistic, I seriously questioned their sanity.
I was annoyed that the main plot point in the story (whether or not Finn will wake up from his comatose state) was addressed in a couple sentences in the epilogue; all that build-up and then nary a whimper.
The ending is a tentative HEA. We see a glimpse of sweetness in the epilogue, but don't expect much romance and tenderness.
Rounding down because I OD'd on the angst, but I will read the next book in the series.
Because.
Gay. Marine. Doms.
May 19, 2016
Release Date : June 7th 2016
Story Rating ~ 3 Stars
Hero Rating, Grady ~ 3 Stars
Hero Rating, Micah ~ 4 Stars
Heat Level ~ 4.5 Stars
Ending ~ 3.5 Stars
Overall Rating ~ 3 Stars
The Harder He Falls was an OK read for me but it could have been SO MUCH MORE!
What worked for me :
I really liked the whole set up of the white water rafting accident, it made the beginning interesting which kept the pages turning.
Both the hero’s backgrounds were done very well which added a LOT to the story line. I loved when Micha finally told Grady about his illness, how he trusted Grady with this information was wonderful. I also loved how accepting Grady was of Micha’s illness and how he went about helping Micha when he had his brain blips.
The sex scenes were very HOT and creative.
When Grady finally realized that he was NOT weak!
What did not work for me :
The fact that there really was not much movement besides the sex scenes there was not much action other than that. I really wished the author would have begun the story telling us about what took place during the water rafting accident instead of telling the story after the fact.
I felt this whole story was just dialogue, talk, talk, talk. Most of this was Micah trying to help Grady and Grady running away almost every single time. This became a bit repetitive throughout this read for me, something I did not care much for.
Even though this was an angst filled book my feelings were never engaged. I never once had tears in my eyes which is very unusual for me. I can also say that this book did not make me smile, laugh or happy on any level.
I was hoping to learn more about Finn who was in a comma due to the rafting accident instead all that was offered up on this issue was a few sentences near the end.
My favorite character :
Micha, he was such a kind, trusting and caring person. I loved that he spent his extra time at the hospital reading to comma patients. I also loved how he would go beyond his comfort zone to help Grady in every way.
Favorite scene :
When Grady asks Micha if he thinks he’s weak and Micha’s reply,
”You trusted two assholes when you were young. Your dad and James.” He ticked them off on his fingers. “And those fuckers abused that trust. That doesn't make you weak. If anything, it’s made you stronger.”
Final thoughts :
Just because I thought this was just an OK read does not mean others will not love it. If you enjoy your reads with loads of dialogue, angst and STEAMY M/M sex/love scenes, you will definitely get that here.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Story Rating ~ 3 Stars
Hero Rating, Grady ~ 3 Stars
Hero Rating, Micah ~ 4 Stars
Heat Level ~ 4.5 Stars
Ending ~ 3.5 Stars
Overall Rating ~ 3 Stars
The Harder He Falls was an OK read for me but it could have been SO MUCH MORE!
What worked for me :
I really liked the whole set up of the white water rafting accident, it made the beginning interesting which kept the pages turning.
Both the hero’s backgrounds were done very well which added a LOT to the story line. I loved when Micha finally told Grady about his illness, how he trusted Grady with this information was wonderful. I also loved how accepting Grady was of Micha’s illness and how he went about helping Micha when he had his brain blips.
The sex scenes were very HOT and creative.
When Grady finally realized that he was NOT weak!
What did not work for me :
The fact that there really was not much movement besides the sex scenes there was not much action other than that. I really wished the author would have begun the story telling us about what took place during the water rafting accident instead of telling the story after the fact.
I felt this whole story was just dialogue, talk, talk, talk. Most of this was Micah trying to help Grady and Grady running away almost every single time. This became a bit repetitive throughout this read for me, something I did not care much for.
Even though this was an angst filled book my feelings were never engaged. I never once had tears in my eyes which is very unusual for me. I can also say that this book did not make me smile, laugh or happy on any level.
I was hoping to learn more about Finn who was in a comma due to the rafting accident instead all that was offered up on this issue was a few sentences near the end.
My favorite character :
Micha, he was such a kind, trusting and caring person. I loved that he spent his extra time at the hospital reading to comma patients. I also loved how he would go beyond his comfort zone to help Grady in every way.
Favorite scene :
When Grady asks Micha if he thinks he’s weak and Micha’s reply,
”You trusted two assholes when you were young. Your dad and James.” He ticked them off on his fingers. “And those fuckers abused that trust. That doesn't make you weak. If anything, it’s made you stronger.”
Final thoughts :
Just because I thought this was just an OK read does not mean others will not love it. If you enjoy your reads with loads of dialogue, angst and STEAMY M/M sex/love scenes, you will definitely get that here.
*I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
May 10, 2016
A new to me author and not a good fit if this book is representational of their work.
Sporty guys going full throttle is my thing and the blurb drew me in. I was totally sold on an outdoor adventure with some smoking hot men. What I got was BDSM club book with hurt/comfort themes. None of this was evident in the blurb.
So, there's entry level kink, which attempts to explain as it goes about the dynamics and procedures in play. Features light D/s, more just D (dominance) than s (submission), strictly in the control during sexual congress and the trope of I don't bottom. Neither are alphas. Well, that is until it isn't. The author seems to be trying to explain the blurred lines, but it seems pretty straight forward by the end. A whole lot of no, no, yes.
Not thrilled with the over emotional guilt Grady drags us through during this story. People who do extreme sports don't complain, or they shouldn't. They take risks, that's the deal. Grady is so emotional that he doesn't elicit empathy at some point, it's just too much. And that's just the tip of the issues that rubbed me wrong.
Insta-lust and pining. I wish books would lose the awkward boner popping in anyone past puberty that's not used ironically. Please.
Yes, the first thing I think of after a medical episode is sex. Tack on some abysmal communication issues and this starts to get squirrely for me when Grady and Micah become sexually involved. Micah's failure to share critical information was selfish and stupid. Then there's the cross speaking, which is marginally better than no communication.
I was not enamored with either character.
PTBDS, Post Traumatic Bad Dom Syndrome. Another trope in BDSM books that I'm not overly fond of. Grady's internal questioning is relentless and repetitive. Then again, let's do a scene after suffering another injury. Forget sound body and mind, and enter the Psychic Dom with unnegotiated ball torture and pain play. How did we get here when both characters swore they weren't kinky? Yeah, no.
The grand finale: Label phobia crisis and kumbaya
I was hoping for outdoor action. I picked this story because whitewater rafting was in the blurb and I hoped in would be featured. Unfortunately, it's backstory and this was a rather significant disappointment for me. Honestly, I really didn't process that this was going to be a BDSM club book, and while they might have appealed to me when I first started reading the genre, I pretty much steer clear of them, now. This was an uncorrected proof, so there were a few instances of stray punctuation and inconsistencies that I feel confident will be caught before release. That isn't what affected my rating. This just was not a good fit with the amount of angst. Your mileage my vary.
~Uncorrected proof provided by NetGalley~
Sporty guys going full throttle is my thing and the blurb drew me in. I was totally sold on an outdoor adventure with some smoking hot men. What I got was BDSM club book with hurt/comfort themes. None of this was evident in the blurb.
So, there's entry level kink, which attempts to explain as it goes about the dynamics and procedures in play. Features light D/s, more just D (dominance) than s (submission), strictly in the control during sexual congress and the trope of I don't bottom. Neither are alphas. Well, that is until it isn't. The author seems to be trying to explain the blurred lines, but it seems pretty straight forward by the end. A whole lot of no, no, yes.
Not thrilled with the over emotional guilt Grady drags us through during this story. People who do extreme sports don't complain, or they shouldn't. They take risks, that's the deal. Grady is so emotional that he doesn't elicit empathy at some point, it's just too much. And that's just the tip of the issues that rubbed me wrong.
Insta-lust and pining. I wish books would lose the awkward boner popping in anyone past puberty that's not used ironically. Please.
Yes, the first thing I think of after a medical episode is sex. Tack on some abysmal communication issues and this starts to get squirrely for me when Grady and Micah become sexually involved. Micah's failure to share critical information was selfish and stupid. Then there's the cross speaking, which is marginally better than no communication.
I was not enamored with either character.
PTBDS, Post Traumatic Bad Dom Syndrome. Another trope in BDSM books that I'm not overly fond of. Grady's internal questioning is relentless and repetitive. Then again, let's do a scene after suffering another injury. Forget sound body and mind, and enter the Psychic Dom with unnegotiated ball torture and pain play. How did we get here when both characters swore they weren't kinky? Yeah, no.
The grand finale: Label phobia crisis and kumbaya
I was hoping for outdoor action. I picked this story because whitewater rafting was in the blurb and I hoped in would be featured. Unfortunately, it's backstory and this was a rather significant disappointment for me. Honestly, I really didn't process that this was going to be a BDSM club book, and while they might have appealed to me when I first started reading the genre, I pretty much steer clear of them, now. This was an uncorrected proof, so there were a few instances of stray punctuation and inconsistencies that I feel confident will be caught before release. That isn't what affected my rating. This just was not a good fit with the amount of angst. Your mileage my vary.
~Uncorrected proof provided by NetGalley~
May 21, 2016
Right off the bat we've got a fascinating story of hurt/healing/comfort. White water rafting guide Grady is living with extreme guilt after leading an expedition that caused the death of his friend Chris and put his cousin Finn in a coma. He is wound up incredibly tight and suffers from panic attacks.
Bartender Micah is still recovering from being in a coma 5 years ago and the side effects are interfering with his ability to enjoy life to its fullest. (His side effects are incredibly fascinating but you're going to have to read the book to find out about them. Too much to spoil!)
Micah and Grady are drawn to each other and quickly start a sexual relationship which is smoking hot. The more time they spend together, the deeper they feel for one another and the deeper they feel for one another just makes the sex that much hotter.
So, sounds pretty good, huh? A recommended read for sure?
Not so fast.
This book missed the mark so many times for me I lost count. Grady was a whiny asshole until the end of the book and Micah frustrated me for putting up with Grady's douche-baggery behavior. I really felt their hurt and I could see the healing, but the comfort on Grady's part was practically non-existent. He would constantly think one thing but pull a 180 and do another. He was actually a pretty decent guy if he would have gone with his gut, but of course he did not.
I'm on the fence about recommending this one, but I'm going to go with a yes because of Micah. He was delightful and I felt every bit of his pain.
As for the upcoming books in the series, am I going to read them even though this one didn't blow my skirt up? Oh, fuck yes! A bunch of dominant ex-military men working in the great outdoors? Sign me up! The Deeper He Hurts (Kick #2).
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
Advanced review copy of The Harder He Falls provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bartender Micah is still recovering from being in a coma 5 years ago and the side effects are interfering with his ability to enjoy life to its fullest. (His side effects are incredibly fascinating but you're going to have to read the book to find out about them. Too much to spoil!)
Micah and Grady are drawn to each other and quickly start a sexual relationship which is smoking hot. The more time they spend together, the deeper they feel for one another and the deeper they feel for one another just makes the sex that much hotter.
So, sounds pretty good, huh? A recommended read for sure?
Not so fast.
This book missed the mark so many times for me I lost count. Grady was a whiny asshole until the end of the book and Micah frustrated me for putting up with Grady's douche-baggery behavior. I really felt their hurt and I could see the healing, but the comfort on Grady's part was practically non-existent. He would constantly think one thing but pull a 180 and do another. He was actually a pretty decent guy if he would have gone with his gut, but of course he did not.
I'm on the fence about recommending this one, but I'm going to go with a yes because of Micah. He was delightful and I felt every bit of his pain.
As for the upcoming books in the series, am I going to read them even though this one didn't blow my skirt up? Oh, fuck yes! A bunch of dominant ex-military men working in the great outdoors? Sign me up! The Deeper He Hurts (Kick #2).
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
Advanced review copy of The Harder He Falls provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2017
I enjoyed reading this one, but it also irritated the hell out of me. I hate characters who grow hot and cold and I'm not a big fan of the push and pull that takes place in this book. It was however very hot. Lynda sure knows how to write a steamy scene.
I didn't really like Grady, but I loved Micah, eventhough he put up with way to much shit.
The ending also felt a bit rushed to me.
Will I be reading the rest of the books in this series.....Hell yes I will ;)
This may not have been a big winner for me, but the next one could be....
An ARC was kindly provided to me by Netgalley !!
I didn't really like Grady, but I loved Micah, eventhough he put up with way to much shit.
The ending also felt a bit rushed to me.
Will I be reading the rest of the books in this series.....Hell yes I will ;)
This may not have been a big winner for me, but the next one could be....
An ARC was kindly provided to me by Netgalley !!
April 28, 2016
This was my first time reading this author. And, I have to say, I truly enjoyed her writing style. It flowed smoothly, and I found myself very caught up in the world she created.
Where this book fell apart for me came down to the characters. Specifically Grady. He is an MC that made impossible to like him. He's feeling an extreme case of survivor's remorse, but he takes it to every extreme. He's volatile, snarky (and not in a good way), and downright asshole-y. I couldn't, for the life of me, understand what Micah saw in him.
Because of that, I never felt their connection. I was told of it, and, again, it was written well. But I couldn't ever figure out the attraction, not to mention love, for these two characters.
And in the end, Grady has his epiphany of how he treats others because of the big ole chip on his shoulder. What follows is the mother of all personality transplants. SO NOT BELIEVABLE. To me at least.
Good writing, but terrible MCs, and a storyline I just couldn't get invested in. I'll go with 2.5 stars. But - Gay Marine Doms. Some of you may salivate.
Where this book fell apart for me came down to the characters. Specifically Grady. He is an MC that made impossible to like him. He's feeling an extreme case of survivor's remorse, but he takes it to every extreme. He's volatile, snarky (and not in a good way), and downright asshole-y. I couldn't, for the life of me, understand what Micah saw in him.
Because of that, I never felt their connection. I was told of it, and, again, it was written well. But I couldn't ever figure out the attraction, not to mention love, for these two characters.
And in the end, Grady has his epiphany of how he treats others because of the big ole chip on his shoulder. What follows is the mother of all personality transplants. SO NOT BELIEVABLE. To me at least.
Good writing, but terrible MCs, and a storyline I just couldn't get invested in. I'll go with 2.5 stars. But - Gay Marine Doms. Some of you may salivate.
January 15, 2020
2 very tepid stars. I have to apologize up front for the general snark of this review. Generally I try to give a balanced review, but honestly? This book irked me, big time.
The main character Grady is pretty much an ass hat through most of the book, starting off with insulting Micah, the man who has volunteered to read to Finn, Grady's comatose cousin in the hospital. And what a Special Story Hour it is, with Micah reading aloud "Satisfaction tumbled through Dan, his muscles clenching against the need to fuck his sub right that second" because you know ... Finn is a dom ..... a gay Marine dom. One of a group of Gay Marine Doms with names like Warren Novak and Braydon Kerrigan, who are (naturally) nicknamed War and Rig [....eye roll ....], owners of Kick, an outdoor adventures company.
Grady is the newcomer at Kick, trying to prove himself to all the Gay Marine Doms, but when Grady I was ready to toss the book aside but at all that point I was almost done anyway.
The only saving grace to this story was Micah. His medical condition was very interesting and I liked his character but that was not enough to save the story for me personally.
I received an ARC of The Harder He Falls from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
The main character Grady is pretty much an ass hat through most of the book, starting off with insulting Micah, the man who has volunteered to read to Finn, Grady's comatose cousin in the hospital. And what a Special Story Hour it is, with Micah reading aloud "Satisfaction tumbled through Dan, his muscles clenching against the need to fuck his sub right that second" because you know ... Finn is a dom ..... a gay Marine dom. One of a group of Gay Marine Doms with names like Warren Novak and Braydon Kerrigan, who are (naturally) nicknamed War and Rig [....eye roll ....], owners of Kick, an outdoor adventures company.
Grady is the newcomer at Kick, trying to prove himself to all the Gay Marine Doms, but when Grady I was ready to toss the book aside but at all that point I was almost done anyway.
The only saving grace to this story was Micah. His medical condition was very interesting and I liked his character but that was not enough to save the story for me personally.
I received an ARC of The Harder He Falls from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
May 20, 2016
My review @ Coffee, Cookies & Books
3.5 stars
I was really torn how to rate this (damn you, GR, for not giving us half stars) There were aspects which I liked a lot. Others not so much...so I'll dive right in and hope this won't be too rant-ey.
Grady is a whitewater rafter. If you have been on a river whitewater kayaking or rafting you know that it takes a lot of skill to ride the rapids. I went kayaking on a category II two years ago and hell that was tough (fun, too though!). Anyway, Grady works for an outfitter as a whitewater guide. One day on the water he, his cousin Finn and a guy (also both rafters) from the outfitter company he works for are involved in an accident that costs his co-worker his life and his cousin falls into a coma. The guilt he lives with, combined with a tragic past with his family and relationship make his life hard and he tries to stay out of relationships.
Micah volunteers at the hospital Finn is a patient at. He reads to comatoese patients - having been in the situation too he knows that people in a coma react to their surroundings. This is how he meets Grady. Their first encounter is everything but smooth but Grady is curious and his aversion to relationships notwithstanding he wants to see Micah again to learn more about the guy who he can't get out of his mind. Both of them have secrets. Will they let those secrets drive them apart?
I absolutely loved the concept of Micah's secret and how, once he opened up about it, Grady dealt with it. It was touching and sweet. Micah longs for love but he is convinced that he can't impose his problems on anyone. I loved Micah, he was the sunshine where Grady was all shadows.
Grady...God...it took me until the last couple of pages to warm up to him. He was guilt-ridden and and wallowed in self pity quite a bit. Micah tried to help him but whenever he did so, Grady would start throwing barbs. I wasn't a fan as you can tell. This guy had mood swings like a woman on her period. Part of Grady's problem was that while he didn't let his sexuality define him, he did so with his sexual proclivities. It annoyed the hell out of me that despite Micah showing him that he was safe with him Grady just hid behind the wall he'd built. Micah challenged him at every corner. It took most of the book for Grady to see the light and when he did it was like flipping a switch.
Despite it all, this was a deep story about two men finding love despite a lot of obstacles - sometimes the pacing was a bit overwhelming but altogether I did like the story. And eventually Grady.
***ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
3.5 stars
I was really torn how to rate this (damn you, GR, for not giving us half stars) There were aspects which I liked a lot. Others not so much...so I'll dive right in and hope this won't be too rant-ey.
Grady is a whitewater rafter. If you have been on a river whitewater kayaking or rafting you know that it takes a lot of skill to ride the rapids. I went kayaking on a category II two years ago and hell that was tough (fun, too though!). Anyway, Grady works for an outfitter as a whitewater guide. One day on the water he, his cousin Finn and a guy (also both rafters) from the outfitter company he works for are involved in an accident that costs his co-worker his life and his cousin falls into a coma. The guilt he lives with, combined with a tragic past with his family and relationship make his life hard and he tries to stay out of relationships.
Micah volunteers at the hospital Finn is a patient at. He reads to comatoese patients - having been in the situation too he knows that people in a coma react to their surroundings. This is how he meets Grady. Their first encounter is everything but smooth but Grady is curious and his aversion to relationships notwithstanding he wants to see Micah again to learn more about the guy who he can't get out of his mind. Both of them have secrets. Will they let those secrets drive them apart?
I absolutely loved the concept of Micah's secret and how, once he opened up about it, Grady dealt with it. It was touching and sweet. Micah longs for love but he is convinced that he can't impose his problems on anyone. I loved Micah, he was the sunshine where Grady was all shadows.
Grady...God...it took me until the last couple of pages to warm up to him. He was guilt-ridden and and wallowed in self pity quite a bit. Micah tried to help him but whenever he did so, Grady would start throwing barbs. I wasn't a fan as you can tell. This guy had mood swings like a woman on her period. Part of Grady's problem was that while he didn't let his sexuality define him, he did so with his sexual proclivities. It annoyed the hell out of me that despite Micah showing him that he was safe with him Grady just hid behind the wall he'd built. Micah challenged him at every corner. It took most of the book for Grady to see the light and when he did it was like flipping a switch.
Despite it all, this was a deep story about two men finding love despite a lot of obstacles - sometimes the pacing was a bit overwhelming but altogether I did like the story. And eventually Grady.
***ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
May 11, 2016
2.5 stars
Well, this is a case of too much sex (scenes) not enough story combined with wrong expectation based on the blurb. Duly noted I only read the blurb once before requesting the ARC, then I forgot about it when I started to read since I wanted to be in a 'clean slate' when I was reading. However, I definitely didn't expect the D/s tone.
See, I am not really keen with D/s in general. On cases where D/s stories work for me, it usually because I am mentally prepared somewhat or at least the D/s feels natural for the characters. In my humble opinion, leather bar (as stated in the blurb) does not necessarily mean BDSM scene, so it definitely threw me off.
Another issue I had was with Grady, as one of the MCs. I just felt that his personality was all over the place, went hot and cold, and his incessant internal drama and denial were not appealing (I am not a submissive!). So Grady didn't share everything -- because clearly, men don't communicate -- and then he got pissed off because Micah made the (wrong) move or assumption?
Yeah. Sexy. Not.
Grady remedied that situation around half-way by telling Micah about his bad experience with a Dom -- thought it didn't really stop him from going hot and cold the rest of the way. It definitely made a dent in my enjoying him as the main character. To be honest, if it wasn't for Micah and his health condition, I might not be able to finish. Although, in full disclosure, I also skimmed the story when they went back to all sex scenes.
Micah was the one that kept me going. I like characters that aren't flawless. Micah's health condition intrigued me. I was engaged in reading how Micah performed in day-to-day activities and how he reacted with the possibility of having a lover in his life. Even if I couldn't understand what Micah saw in Grady ... but maybe that makes him a better person that I am (*haha*).
Grady's conflict and denial gave way to a lot of arguments with Micah and the tendency of Grady running away when things got intense. Then the closure was slightly rushed and hey, everything was hunky-dory, except for me as a reader.
Conclusion: MEH at best for me. Not exactly my cuppa tea. But for those of you who like their books with a lot of sexy times, D/s kink (or at least giving up control in the bedroom), you might enjoy this more that I do. I am bailing out of the series too -- marine Doms are not my poison *shrugs*.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
Well, this is a case of too much sex (scenes) not enough story combined with wrong expectation based on the blurb. Duly noted I only read the blurb once before requesting the ARC, then I forgot about it when I started to read since I wanted to be in a 'clean slate' when I was reading. However, I definitely didn't expect the D/s tone.
See, I am not really keen with D/s in general. On cases where D/s stories work for me, it usually because I am mentally prepared somewhat or at least the D/s feels natural for the characters. In my humble opinion, leather bar (as stated in the blurb) does not necessarily mean BDSM scene, so it definitely threw me off.
Another issue I had was with Grady, as one of the MCs. I just felt that his personality was all over the place, went hot and cold, and his incessant internal drama and denial were not appealing (I am not a submissive!). So Grady didn't share everything -- because clearly, men don't communicate -- and then he got pissed off because Micah made the (wrong) move or assumption?
Yeah. Sexy. Not.
Grady remedied that situation around half-way by telling Micah about his bad experience with a Dom -- thought it didn't really stop him from going hot and cold the rest of the way. It definitely made a dent in my enjoying him as the main character. To be honest, if it wasn't for Micah and his health condition, I might not be able to finish. Although, in full disclosure, I also skimmed the story when they went back to all sex scenes.
Micah was the one that kept me going. I like characters that aren't flawless. Micah's health condition intrigued me. I was engaged in reading how Micah performed in day-to-day activities and how he reacted with the possibility of having a lover in his life. Even if I couldn't understand what Micah saw in Grady ... but maybe that makes him a better person that I am (*haha*).
Grady's conflict and denial gave way to a lot of arguments with Micah and the tendency of Grady running away when things got intense. Then the closure was slightly rushed and hey, everything was hunky-dory, except for me as a reader.
Conclusion: MEH at best for me. Not exactly my cuppa tea. But for those of you who like their books with a lot of sexy times, D/s kink (or at least giving up control in the bedroom), you might enjoy this more that I do. I am bailing out of the series too -- marine Doms are not my poison *shrugs*.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
August 31, 2016
I barely made it through this book. Ok...honestly, I probably skimmed 75% of it.
I think I missed the bit that this was a Dom/Sub BDSM'y type story...which so very rarely works for me. And even less so in this book where the sex didn't contribute to the (barely there) story.
And Grady drove me nuts. Selfish, whiny, irritating.
I have zero desire to read book 2. Heck, I barely read book 1.
June 29, 2016
I do enjoy Lynda Aicher’s writing, and the sex was hot, but the emotional distance between Micah and Grady, left me a bit cold. It makes sense in the context of the story, but I just didn’t connect with it and it was a little too easy for me to put this aside for long periods of time. That said, Ms. Aicher is an excellent writer who I will always check out, even if this particular tale didn’t quite work for me.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
For more reviews, visit
June 13, 2016
The blurb drew me into this one - I perked up when I read "whitewater-rafting guide" - however, while rafting has an impact in this story, there isn't much page time (okay, really zero page time) devoted to actual rafting. It worked for me though! Because instead of rafting down a river we have a sex scene on a mountaintop. We have a lot of sex scenes - and they were really hot and dirty and intense.
Grady worked for an adventure company, and his specialty was being a whitewater rafting guide. His cousin was a partner in this company and Grady loved it - until there was a rafting accident with Grady at the helm. His cousin Finn ended up in a coma, and another co-worker died. Grady is devastated and is carrying around a huge amount of guilt. When the book starts, Finn is still in the coma, and Grady forces himself to go visit. When he arrives one day, a man is there reading Finn a book. This man is named Micah, and besides volunteering to read to coma patients at the hospital, he is also a bartender at the local BDSM club. Grady isn't one to mince words, and because he is so stressed out over Finn, he has a big attitude problem. He doesn't come across as nice to Micah, but during their initial meet, Micah mentions that he was in a coma, and he could provide a little insight if Grady wanted to meet him later at work.
Grady decides any information about coma patients, especially from a person who has experienced it and woken up, would be beneficial and he heads to the leather club to meet Micah. And oh boy do they meet - they end up having really hot sex in one of the rooms. But...Micah has a little secret.
He went into the coma because of a viral infection in his brain. While he has pretty much recovered, when he has an orgasm, something triggers in his brain and he forgets where he is. He can't recognize any landmarks or anything. This also happens sometimes spontaneously, or stressed induced. It happens a lot. It make him panic and he is kind of ashamed of it.
Micah isn't heavy into the BDSM scene, but he does like to be in control. He doesn't need it to get off and he isn't heavy into kink, but he does like to be the dominant when having sex. Grady was once tricked into being a sub and had a very bad experience, so the mention of subbing upsets him. This is something they have to work through in their relationship. This may have been portrayed a little dramatically - a good sit down conversation about their fears and their past experiences could have cleared all of this up quicker than it happened in the book.
I liked Micha and Grady together though. I felt their chemistry. Poor Finn had to lie in a coma the whole book while Micah and Finn humped each other on mountain tops and stuff, but damn it I liked it. Take the first time they kiss:
Micah lunged and Grady met him. He grabbed Grady's face and their mouths slammed together in a desperate clash of lips, tongues, and teeth. The heat was instant, the hunger consuming. There was no room for finesse, no desire for soft, and he wasn't about to slow down.
In a series of quick steps, he swung Grady around until his back hit the wall. He crashed in, his whole body coming alive when it met Grady's hard, muscled length.
See? It's so intense (and that scene is nowhere near done).
It's definitely an erotic book - there is a lot of sex. It's how they come to know each other in a way. They may not communicate great and they may get a little whiny and poor Micah doesn't know where he is every time he has an orgasm (and wow he has a lot of orgasms in this book) but it worked for me pretty well. The BDSM stuff caused a little over-done conflict, but overall this is a fun read.
Grade: B
Grady worked for an adventure company, and his specialty was being a whitewater rafting guide. His cousin was a partner in this company and Grady loved it - until there was a rafting accident with Grady at the helm. His cousin Finn ended up in a coma, and another co-worker died. Grady is devastated and is carrying around a huge amount of guilt. When the book starts, Finn is still in the coma, and Grady forces himself to go visit. When he arrives one day, a man is there reading Finn a book. This man is named Micah, and besides volunteering to read to coma patients at the hospital, he is also a bartender at the local BDSM club. Grady isn't one to mince words, and because he is so stressed out over Finn, he has a big attitude problem. He doesn't come across as nice to Micah, but during their initial meet, Micah mentions that he was in a coma, and he could provide a little insight if Grady wanted to meet him later at work.
Grady decides any information about coma patients, especially from a person who has experienced it and woken up, would be beneficial and he heads to the leather club to meet Micah. And oh boy do they meet - they end up having really hot sex in one of the rooms. But...Micah has a little secret.
He went into the coma because of a viral infection in his brain. While he has pretty much recovered, when he has an orgasm, something triggers in his brain and he forgets where he is. He can't recognize any landmarks or anything. This also happens sometimes spontaneously, or stressed induced. It happens a lot. It make him panic and he is kind of ashamed of it.
Micah isn't heavy into the BDSM scene, but he does like to be in control. He doesn't need it to get off and he isn't heavy into kink, but he does like to be the dominant when having sex. Grady was once tricked into being a sub and had a very bad experience, so the mention of subbing upsets him. This is something they have to work through in their relationship. This may have been portrayed a little dramatically - a good sit down conversation about their fears and their past experiences could have cleared all of this up quicker than it happened in the book.
I liked Micha and Grady together though. I felt their chemistry. Poor Finn had to lie in a coma the whole book while Micah and Finn humped each other on mountain tops and stuff, but damn it I liked it. Take the first time they kiss:
Micah lunged and Grady met him. He grabbed Grady's face and their mouths slammed together in a desperate clash of lips, tongues, and teeth. The heat was instant, the hunger consuming. There was no room for finesse, no desire for soft, and he wasn't about to slow down.
In a series of quick steps, he swung Grady around until his back hit the wall. He crashed in, his whole body coming alive when it met Grady's hard, muscled length.
See? It's so intense (and that scene is nowhere near done).
It's definitely an erotic book - there is a lot of sex. It's how they come to know each other in a way. They may not communicate great and they may get a little whiny and poor Micah doesn't know where he is every time he has an orgasm (and wow he has a lot of orgasms in this book) but it worked for me pretty well. The BDSM stuff caused a little over-done conflict, but overall this is a fun read.
Grade: B
June 15, 2016
The Harder He Falls is the first story by Lynda Aicher in her Kick series, featuring the crew of an outdoor adventure company, all of whom are practitioners of BDSM in some form or other. Grady is a newly hired but experienced white water rafting guide who experiences the worst kind of tragedy – the death of a man on his boat, and the serious injury of his cousin, now in a coma after their raft hit an underwater log. Grady’s guilt is intense, and he spends some time at his cousin’s hospital bedside. On one such visit, he meets Micah, a volunteer who reads to coma patients. Micah is part of the gay community and works at a leather bar. He has personal experience with being a coma patient and Grady is eager to hear more about it – enough that he’s willing to meet Micah at the club. The fact that he and Micah are attracted to each other is also a perk – though it’s yet another stress inducing situation for Grady. He’s now a closet submissive, and Micah’s dominant personality is definitely part of the attraction. Micah has his own issues to deal with, side effects from his time as a coma patient, ones that are never going to go away. They’re quite the damaged pair. Can they find a way to let go of their insecurities and trust their hearts to each other?
I really enjoyed this story. Micah’s bout of viral encephalitis when he was younger left him with permanent memory problems, exacerbated by stress (including sexual release). When in that type of situation, his brain reacts by shutting off the recognition center of his brain, so that he feels lost even if he’s in what should be a familiar place. Though he does regain his equilibrium eventually, it’s a fact of life that he has to deal with on a sometimes daily basis. He worries about being involved with anyone, as his last relationship ended in disaster when his boyfriend at the time couldn’t deal with his health problems. He’s hesitant to put his trust in another person as a result, especially with the potential for something really bad to happen to him. But Grady’s obvious distress over the situation with his cousin makes Micah want to soothe and care for him in any way he can, even if that means through sex to help Grady forget, if only for a short time. The downside is that it’s going to mean he has to trust Grady with his problem.
Grady is also a really interesting character. Besides feeling guilty over the accident that resulted in death and injury on his watch, his sexual nature is a problem he’s not quite sure how to deal with. As a teenager, he fell into a bad relationship with an older man with whom he had an abusive sexual relationship, one he eventually escaped from. In his previous job, he was ridiculed for having a submissive sexual nature, and the fact that all the leaders of the outdoor adventure group he’s working for now are practicing Doms makes him wary of them, and what could happen to his job if they found out that he’s a submissive. For these reasons, he is used to hiding his true desires. When he and Micah end up alone together in a playroom at the club, he can’t resist Micah’s controlling nature and finds immense pleasure in letting Micah help him forget his troubles. But he’s very insistent that what happens between them not be revealed on the outside. Coupled with Micah’s reluctance to reveal the extent of his memory issues, it’s only when they spend more time together that they start to open up to each other. Grady naturally fears getting into another abusive D/s relationship, and it takes time for him to believe that Micah, while enjoying control in the bedroom, is not interested in taking that control anywhere else and is looking for an equal partner. Trust is the key here, and eventually, they find their way to a satisfying happy ending.
I did expect to see more scenes dealing with the outdoor adventure company, and I felt like that aspect of the story wasn’t really fleshed out, other than to introduce the characters. Grady’s bosses, Rig and Ash both came across as compassionate and strong men, dominant in nature, but definitely not the same as Grady’s previous employers. Overall, this was a really entertaining read, with some super sexy scenes, interesting characters, and a unique plot. I’m looking forward to reading more in the series.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
This review appears as a blog post at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
I really enjoyed this story. Micah’s bout of viral encephalitis when he was younger left him with permanent memory problems, exacerbated by stress (including sexual release). When in that type of situation, his brain reacts by shutting off the recognition center of his brain, so that he feels lost even if he’s in what should be a familiar place. Though he does regain his equilibrium eventually, it’s a fact of life that he has to deal with on a sometimes daily basis. He worries about being involved with anyone, as his last relationship ended in disaster when his boyfriend at the time couldn’t deal with his health problems. He’s hesitant to put his trust in another person as a result, especially with the potential for something really bad to happen to him. But Grady’s obvious distress over the situation with his cousin makes Micah want to soothe and care for him in any way he can, even if that means through sex to help Grady forget, if only for a short time. The downside is that it’s going to mean he has to trust Grady with his problem.
Grady is also a really interesting character. Besides feeling guilty over the accident that resulted in death and injury on his watch, his sexual nature is a problem he’s not quite sure how to deal with. As a teenager, he fell into a bad relationship with an older man with whom he had an abusive sexual relationship, one he eventually escaped from. In his previous job, he was ridiculed for having a submissive sexual nature, and the fact that all the leaders of the outdoor adventure group he’s working for now are practicing Doms makes him wary of them, and what could happen to his job if they found out that he’s a submissive. For these reasons, he is used to hiding his true desires. When he and Micah end up alone together in a playroom at the club, he can’t resist Micah’s controlling nature and finds immense pleasure in letting Micah help him forget his troubles. But he’s very insistent that what happens between them not be revealed on the outside. Coupled with Micah’s reluctance to reveal the extent of his memory issues, it’s only when they spend more time together that they start to open up to each other. Grady naturally fears getting into another abusive D/s relationship, and it takes time for him to believe that Micah, while enjoying control in the bedroom, is not interested in taking that control anywhere else and is looking for an equal partner. Trust is the key here, and eventually, they find their way to a satisfying happy ending.
I did expect to see more scenes dealing with the outdoor adventure company, and I felt like that aspect of the story wasn’t really fleshed out, other than to introduce the characters. Grady’s bosses, Rig and Ash both came across as compassionate and strong men, dominant in nature, but definitely not the same as Grady’s previous employers. Overall, this was a really entertaining read, with some super sexy scenes, interesting characters, and a unique plot. I’m looking forward to reading more in the series.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
This review appears as a blog post at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
June 9, 2016
Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)
I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Let's go :D
The Story
Grady is a broken man. Despite being healthy and vigorous, he’s been depressed and desperate since an accident put his cousin Finn into a coma and killed one of their work colleagues. An accident that was Grady’s fault.
Grady doesn’t want pity, doesn’t want to be cooed or saved. He only wants for Finn to wake up. Maybe then Grady himself can wake up from this permanent nightmare.
Micah is a broken man. Since waking up from a coma, Micah has been trapped into a very limited life. He can’t afford to be daring when he loses himself inside his own house. When he has no control over his brain.
Micah can’t stand pity and knows how to handle himself. The only thing he sometimes dared to ask for is the company of a good man.
What both men didn’t know is that two broken pieces can merge into a solid one… If love is your glue.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader:)
At first, I wasn’t impressed with The Harder He Falls. The writing was ok, Grady was one of the biggest asses ever on my reading resume (and that’s something), and there was a promise of BDSM between Grady and Micah. Since the moment I started this book until their first hook up, I was skeptical and dreading not liking the book. I am so glad to say that I was wrong and the book is good! ❤ There are still things that bothered me, so I rated it four stars :)
The narrative is third person with switching points of view between Grady and Micah. I like third person a lot, but I wish I didn’t need to be inside Grady’s head. He got too much on my nerves and doesn’t deserve Micah. Hunf. Aicher’s writing style didn’t swept me off my feet, but I really liked how she knows her business when Grady and Micah start talking dirty. It was amusing and sexy at the same time, so refreshing! Also, I have to admit that this book contains the best blow job that I have ever seen (and this phrase came out so wrong, haha!).
The plot had some interesting twists, but wasn’t complicated. Once again, love and society turn something simple into something dangerous and tricky. As if we need any more complications, right?
The characters were very well developed and I was surprised to see how Grady and Micah grew up together during the book. It was beautiful and very rewarding, even if I wanted to stab Grady between his eyes most of the time. The guy was simply too dense and couldn’t take his head out of his ass – understand that as you wish, haha!
I really loved Micah and in several times I felt like high-fiving him. He made it to my list of Bookish Boyfriends (I so have to update that!) and made this book a four stars instead of a three stars ❤
And have I mentioned that the sex was hot? A little bit over used, if you asked me, but oh-so-hot in 90% of the time!
Another strong point of this romance is how Aicher portrayed people that woke up from long comas. She was very didactic without being boring or disrespectful, so it was very interesting to see the medical background behind it all:)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see who will be the pairing of the next one in the series. If you like gay contemporary romance, drama, hot sex with touches of BDSM and a lovely top, you have to read The Harder He Falls!
I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Let's go :D
The Story
Grady is a broken man. Despite being healthy and vigorous, he’s been depressed and desperate since an accident put his cousin Finn into a coma and killed one of their work colleagues. An accident that was Grady’s fault.
Grady doesn’t want pity, doesn’t want to be cooed or saved. He only wants for Finn to wake up. Maybe then Grady himself can wake up from this permanent nightmare.
Micah is a broken man. Since waking up from a coma, Micah has been trapped into a very limited life. He can’t afford to be daring when he loses himself inside his own house. When he has no control over his brain.
Micah can’t stand pity and knows how to handle himself. The only thing he sometimes dared to ask for is the company of a good man.
What both men didn’t know is that two broken pieces can merge into a solid one… If love is your glue.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader:)
At first, I wasn’t impressed with The Harder He Falls. The writing was ok, Grady was one of the biggest asses ever on my reading resume (and that’s something), and there was a promise of BDSM between Grady and Micah. Since the moment I started this book until their first hook up, I was skeptical and dreading not liking the book. I am so glad to say that I was wrong and the book is good! ❤ There are still things that bothered me, so I rated it four stars :)
The narrative is third person with switching points of view between Grady and Micah. I like third person a lot, but I wish I didn’t need to be inside Grady’s head. He got too much on my nerves and doesn’t deserve Micah. Hunf. Aicher’s writing style didn’t swept me off my feet, but I really liked how she knows her business when Grady and Micah start talking dirty. It was amusing and sexy at the same time, so refreshing! Also, I have to admit that this book contains the best blow job that I have ever seen (and this phrase came out so wrong, haha!).
The plot had some interesting twists, but wasn’t complicated. Once again, love and society turn something simple into something dangerous and tricky. As if we need any more complications, right?
The characters were very well developed and I was surprised to see how Grady and Micah grew up together during the book. It was beautiful and very rewarding, even if I wanted to stab Grady between his eyes most of the time. The guy was simply too dense and couldn’t take his head out of his ass – understand that as you wish, haha!
I really loved Micah and in several times I felt like high-fiving him. He made it to my list of Bookish Boyfriends (I so have to update that!) and made this book a four stars instead of a three stars ❤
And have I mentioned that the sex was hot? A little bit over used, if you asked me, but oh-so-hot in 90% of the time!
Another strong point of this romance is how Aicher portrayed people that woke up from long comas. She was very didactic without being boring or disrespectful, so it was very interesting to see the medical background behind it all:)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see who will be the pairing of the next one in the series. If you like gay contemporary romance, drama, hot sex with touches of BDSM and a lovely top, you have to read The Harder He Falls!
February 5, 2017
The Harder He Falls is the first in a new series from Lynda Aicher, and if you follow me you know that she is one of my favorite authors out there. Her books are always so compelling and emotional, and this one was no exception. We have two main characters that both have plenty of baggage they are dealing with, but they also have an intense amount of sexual chemistry you can feel coming off of the pages too. Those two elements combined make this story an interesting read.
Micah and Grady's attraction to one another is instant and ferocious. But despite the fact that they engage in a heavy amount of sex early on in their budding relationship, as time passes the connection between them develops into something neither of them thought possible for their futures. Grady because he's closed himself off from the possibility to trust, and Micah because he feels his disability prevents him from it.
Now I'm betting you're wondering why 3 stars, Tabatha? As much as I love Lynda's emotional approach to the relationships between her characters, it was actually the added BDSM elements into the story that didn't do much for me. It just seemed like Grady did a total 180 where that was concerned, and although it's explained it still just didn't seem to work . Now that paired with the fact that I really didn't like Grady didn't help. Grady was a downright asshole a lot of the time, and his constant running away from his problems got really old. It just frustrated the crap out of me that he acted like a teenager, and I felt that Micah deserved better than that when all he was trying to do was help. Now Grady did have some sweet moments in there where he was almost likeable, but by the time they came it almost seemed too little too late.
Overall would I recommend this one? Absolutely! It's still an interesting story angle with Micah's disability, and when Grady isn't being a douche bag I enjoyed the interactions between him and Micah. I'm definitely going to continue on with the rest of the series. I'm eager to see what happens with Finn and the rest of the Kick crew.
*I received a review copy from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*
For this and more of my reviews, check out my blog
Blending Perspectives Book Reviews
Micah and Grady's attraction to one another is instant and ferocious. But despite the fact that they engage in a heavy amount of sex early on in their budding relationship, as time passes the connection between them develops into something neither of them thought possible for their futures. Grady because he's closed himself off from the possibility to trust, and Micah because he feels his disability prevents him from it.
Now I'm betting you're wondering why 3 stars, Tabatha? As much as I love Lynda's emotional approach to the relationships between her characters, it was actually the added BDSM elements into the story that didn't do much for me. It just seemed like Grady did a total 180 where that was concerned, and although it's explained it still just didn't seem to work . Now that paired with the fact that I really didn't like Grady didn't help. Grady was a downright asshole a lot of the time, and his constant running away from his problems got really old. It just frustrated the crap out of me that he acted like a teenager, and I felt that Micah deserved better than that when all he was trying to do was help. Now Grady did have some sweet moments in there where he was almost likeable, but by the time they came it almost seemed too little too late.
Overall would I recommend this one? Absolutely! It's still an interesting story angle with Micah's disability, and when Grady isn't being a douche bag I enjoyed the interactions between him and Micah. I'm definitely going to continue on with the rest of the series. I'm eager to see what happens with Finn and the rest of the Kick crew.
*I received a review copy from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*
For this and more of my reviews, check out my blog
Blending Perspectives Book Reviews
June 8, 2016
Let me just start by admitting I didn't know this was a BDSM book. I knew it was MM. I love MM plots. BDSM plots...not so much.
So I read it with a bit of caution, afraid it would give me a scene I'd rather not read. Fortunately for me, and my rating of the book, it only included one BDSM scene that I could have done without. In fact, as far as BDSM books go, this one was pretty mild. The lifestyle was more "alluded" to than actually described. It was like we were on the outside looking in at that world. - Which was good for me. -
I completely "got" Grady. I could sympathize with how he was feeling after the accident. I thought that particular subplot could have been played up even more than what it was.
I could understand his hesitation at entering into a "sub" role that, based on past experience, would jeopardize his respect among co-workers. His fear of losing himself and his identity if he didn't bury his desires in a dark, hidden place. I was there. I totally got him.
Micah, on the other hand, was almost too good to be true. But I appreciated his level headedness in the face of incomprehensible moodiness from Grady. Micah repeatedly told us he was a "strong top" not a "Dom" and he insisted he was not a "sadist". But the scenes, one of them in particular, laid the lie to his words. (imo - of course)
This is one of those where I have no idea what rating to give. On the one hand, I liked Grady and Micah. For the most part, I liked both of them. But there was just an intangible something missing that prevented me from completely connecting with them. I also worry that it may have been the BDSM theme that kept me at arms length. In which case, it's totally on me and no reflection at all on the story or the writing.
By the way, the writing is fantastic. It moves at a steady pace. There are no glaring holes left at the end. No inconsistencies from beginning to end. It's the one thing that I was really excited about. Excellent writing and editing.
Which means I just convinced myself that it deserves at least 3.5 stars.
*ARC graciously received from the publisher via Netgalley
So I read it with a bit of caution, afraid it would give me a scene I'd rather not read. Fortunately for me, and my rating of the book, it only included one BDSM scene that I could have done without. In fact, as far as BDSM books go, this one was pretty mild. The lifestyle was more "alluded" to than actually described. It was like we were on the outside looking in at that world. - Which was good for me. -
I completely "got" Grady. I could sympathize with how he was feeling after the accident. I thought that particular subplot could have been played up even more than what it was.
I could understand his hesitation at entering into a "sub" role that, based on past experience, would jeopardize his respect among co-workers. His fear of losing himself and his identity if he didn't bury his desires in a dark, hidden place. I was there. I totally got him.
Micah, on the other hand, was almost too good to be true. But I appreciated his level headedness in the face of incomprehensible moodiness from Grady. Micah repeatedly told us he was a "strong top" not a "Dom" and he insisted he was not a "sadist". But the scenes, one of them in particular, laid the lie to his words. (imo - of course)
This is one of those where I have no idea what rating to give. On the one hand, I liked Grady and Micah. For the most part, I liked both of them. But there was just an intangible something missing that prevented me from completely connecting with them. I also worry that it may have been the BDSM theme that kept me at arms length. In which case, it's totally on me and no reflection at all on the story or the writing.
By the way, the writing is fantastic. It moves at a steady pace. There are no glaring holes left at the end. No inconsistencies from beginning to end. It's the one thing that I was really excited about. Excellent writing and editing.
Which means I just convinced myself that it deserves at least 3.5 stars.
*ARC graciously received from the publisher via Netgalley
April 3, 2016
Grady has had an awful life, he thought he'd finally left all that behind when he went to work with his cousin, the only member of his family who still speaks to him. He is still reeling from the tragic accident that killed one man and left his cousin in a coma when he meets Micah who volunteers at the hospital reading to comatose patients.
Micah has problems of his own that he is no hurry to share but there is something about Grady that calls to him and has him opening up to him about what happened. Grady comes across as naive and childish sometimes but at the same time he is very adult in his reactions to Micah's problem.
They both have trust issues and Micah is much quicker to open up than Grady who is still struggling to come to terms with the aftermath of the accident and his sexuality but they made a lovely couple.
There were some interesting characters introduced and I can't wait to read more of this series.
*Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Micah has problems of his own that he is no hurry to share but there is something about Grady that calls to him and has him opening up to him about what happened. Grady comes across as naive and childish sometimes but at the same time he is very adult in his reactions to Micah's problem.
They both have trust issues and Micah is much quicker to open up than Grady who is still struggling to come to terms with the aftermath of the accident and his sexuality but they made a lovely couple.
There were some interesting characters introduced and I can't wait to read more of this series.
*Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
i-give-up
March 1, 2019No rating. DNF @ 18%. I hated Grady from the start. He was an absolute ass. Sexual chemistry can’t make up for him being a douche.
July 14, 2017
Avevo già letto alcuni libri della serie precedente di questa autrice, ovvero i 2 libri all’interno della serie “I padroni del piacere”. Se ve li siete persi i titoli sono: “Lasciati tentare” (mmf) e “Lasciati svelare” (mm). Questa nuova serie sembra essere tutta mm, almeno sbirciando le trame dei prossimi libri e in questo primo capitolo, infatti, oltre ai 2 protagonisti principali, incontriamo seppur molto di sfuggita anche quelli dei prossimi libri.
Focus del libro è la storia fra Grady e Micah. Grady è una guida di rafting che ha iniziato da poco a lavorare per la compagnia del cugino e dei suoi soci, quando un brutto incidente lo colpisce. Non gli ha lasciato nessun segno fisico, ma ha aggiunto, alle sue già numerose ferite interiori, altre che lo segnano profondamente. Suo cugino, l’unica persona importante della sua vita, è in coma in un letto d’ospedale e i sensi di colpa lo schiacciano.
È proprio al capezzale del cugino che Grady incontra Micah, un volontario che legge per i pazienti in coma. Il primo incontro non è dei migliori, infatti pur non volendo Grady è veramente odioso. Avete presente quando il cervello e la bocca non sono connessi? Ecco, magari lui non vuole essere brusco e scortese, ma è proprio così che si comporta e si comporterà così per quasi tutta la storia. Pensa una cosa ma poi ne fa un’altra, a volte è snervante, devo ammetterlo. Ma ne ha passate tante, un po’ di attenuanti le ha, anche se il povero Micah proprio non se lo merita.
E qui arriviamo alla mia parte preferita del libro: Micah. Anni prima, a causa di una infezione, è stato in coma per un certo periodo di tempo e al suo risveglio purtroppo gli sono stati riscontrati degli strascichi che probabilmente non passeranno mai e che condizioneranno la sua vita per sempre. È originale il disturbo da cui è affetto, non lo avevo mai trovato in nessun altro libro (niente spoiler), ma nonostante questi problemi Micah non è assolutamente un personaggio patetico o vittimista. Spesso si corre il rischio di trovare personaggi che si piangono addosso, ma lui è forte e positivo, un gran bel personaggio, forse a volte un tantino troppo buono… Grady a volte un ceffone se lo sarebbe proprio meritato.
Oltre a fare il volontario, Micah fa il barista in un club BDSM, ma non aspettatevi un libro bdsm perché è solo un contorno per ora, vedremo poi nei libri futuri se e quanto prenderà piede. Micah non è un dominatore ma più un dominante, deve avere in pugno la situazione dentro e fuori dal letto a causa del suo handicap, ma non è un Dom né vuole esserlo. E neanche Grady è un Sub, né vuole esserlo.
Nonostante questo, una piccola scena leggermente bdsm c’è ma, ripeto, non è una caratteristica della relazione tra i due protagonisti, per cui gli amanti del genere non si aspettino troppo. Il libro mi è piaciuto, la storia ha elementi originali e affascinanti e la parte sessuale tra Micah e Grady è passionale e bollente. Mi piacciono i libri un po’ sofferti, ma con un bel lieto fine.
La traduzione è curata, l’unico appunto che mi sento di sollevare è che ho trovato il titolo un po’ fuorviante, mi sarei aspettata un altro genere di storia, ma fortunatamente non sono rimasta delusa da quello che ho trovato. Non vedo l’ora di leggere i prossimi libri.
https://trelibrisoprailcielo.com/2017...
Focus del libro è la storia fra Grady e Micah. Grady è una guida di rafting che ha iniziato da poco a lavorare per la compagnia del cugino e dei suoi soci, quando un brutto incidente lo colpisce. Non gli ha lasciato nessun segno fisico, ma ha aggiunto, alle sue già numerose ferite interiori, altre che lo segnano profondamente. Suo cugino, l’unica persona importante della sua vita, è in coma in un letto d’ospedale e i sensi di colpa lo schiacciano.
È proprio al capezzale del cugino che Grady incontra Micah, un volontario che legge per i pazienti in coma. Il primo incontro non è dei migliori, infatti pur non volendo Grady è veramente odioso. Avete presente quando il cervello e la bocca non sono connessi? Ecco, magari lui non vuole essere brusco e scortese, ma è proprio così che si comporta e si comporterà così per quasi tutta la storia. Pensa una cosa ma poi ne fa un’altra, a volte è snervante, devo ammetterlo. Ma ne ha passate tante, un po’ di attenuanti le ha, anche se il povero Micah proprio non se lo merita.
E qui arriviamo alla mia parte preferita del libro: Micah. Anni prima, a causa di una infezione, è stato in coma per un certo periodo di tempo e al suo risveglio purtroppo gli sono stati riscontrati degli strascichi che probabilmente non passeranno mai e che condizioneranno la sua vita per sempre. È originale il disturbo da cui è affetto, non lo avevo mai trovato in nessun altro libro (niente spoiler), ma nonostante questi problemi Micah non è assolutamente un personaggio patetico o vittimista. Spesso si corre il rischio di trovare personaggi che si piangono addosso, ma lui è forte e positivo, un gran bel personaggio, forse a volte un tantino troppo buono… Grady a volte un ceffone se lo sarebbe proprio meritato.
Oltre a fare il volontario, Micah fa il barista in un club BDSM, ma non aspettatevi un libro bdsm perché è solo un contorno per ora, vedremo poi nei libri futuri se e quanto prenderà piede. Micah non è un dominatore ma più un dominante, deve avere in pugno la situazione dentro e fuori dal letto a causa del suo handicap, ma non è un Dom né vuole esserlo. E neanche Grady è un Sub, né vuole esserlo.
Nonostante questo, una piccola scena leggermente bdsm c’è ma, ripeto, non è una caratteristica della relazione tra i due protagonisti, per cui gli amanti del genere non si aspettino troppo. Il libro mi è piaciuto, la storia ha elementi originali e affascinanti e la parte sessuale tra Micah e Grady è passionale e bollente. Mi piacciono i libri un po’ sofferti, ma con un bel lieto fine.
La traduzione è curata, l’unico appunto che mi sento di sollevare è che ho trovato il titolo un po’ fuorviante, mi sarei aspettata un altro genere di storia, ma fortunatamente non sono rimasta delusa da quello che ho trovato. Non vedo l’ora di leggere i prossimi libri.
https://trelibrisoprailcielo.com/2017...
June 6, 2016
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2016/06...
The Harder He Falls is sexy, angsty, and features two wonderfully flawed heroes. Grady is a whitewater rafting guide who is floundering after an accident on the river lands his cousin in a coma. While visiting his cousin in the hospital, Grady meets Micah, a bartender who gets under his skin from the moment they meet. Their attraction is red-hot, but both men carry baggage that could crush any hope of a relationship before it even starts. It’ll take courage, trust, and patience on both their parts if they ever want to move beyond casual sex.
Micah is easy to love. He’s strong, protective, and patient, but he’s also a bit vulnerable. He was in a coma himself years ago, and though he has mostly recovered, he suffers from permanent side effects that he feels would be a burden to others. Micah likes to stick to brief encounters, but something about Grady calls to him, and he wants to help the other man just as much as he’d like to go to bed with him. As for Grady, his torment over what happened to his cousin is only the beginning of his problems. Grady’s formative years were shaped by abusers, he’s never had a support system, the only person he could possibly ask for advice (his cousin) is in the hospital, and Grady has a negative view of the submissive side of his sexuality. Grady isn’t a sub in the traditional BDSM sense, but he does like to submit in bed, which makes him a great match for Micah, who is a strong top. But it’s been ground into Grady that submitting in any sense of the word makes him weak, and that makes him fearful of what he gives to Micah. There’s a lot of push-pull in The Harder He Falls , but for me it was understandable given what Grady has been through.
When Grady and Micah aren’t battling their demons, they can be hot as hell. Lynda Aicher cranks up the heat in sex scenes that blur the line between kink and light BDSM. And while Micah and Grady’s erotic encounters sizzle, what really grabbed me about the story was the heart. Grady is troubled and gets wrapped up in his problems, but he’s also incredibly caring toward Micah. He never treats Micah differently because of his medical condition and he never makes it a defining characteristic of the man either (which I loved). Instead, Grady adapts and helps Micah when and how he needs it, and he creates a safe space for Micah to push his boundaries. The two of them are a great match and both have a lot of love to give, which makes every obstacle they have to overcome worth it.
The Harder He Falls is the first book in the Kick series, which is about an outdoor adventure company and the sexy gay Doms who run it. We don’t see much of the company in this story, but I can’t wait to learn more about it and the men who work there. I finished Grady and Micah’s story a well-satisfied reader and I can’t wait to read the next Kick book, The Deeper He Hurts.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Harder He Falls is sexy, angsty, and features two wonderfully flawed heroes. Grady is a whitewater rafting guide who is floundering after an accident on the river lands his cousin in a coma. While visiting his cousin in the hospital, Grady meets Micah, a bartender who gets under his skin from the moment they meet. Their attraction is red-hot, but both men carry baggage that could crush any hope of a relationship before it even starts. It’ll take courage, trust, and patience on both their parts if they ever want to move beyond casual sex.
Micah is easy to love. He’s strong, protective, and patient, but he’s also a bit vulnerable. He was in a coma himself years ago, and though he has mostly recovered, he suffers from permanent side effects that he feels would be a burden to others. Micah likes to stick to brief encounters, but something about Grady calls to him, and he wants to help the other man just as much as he’d like to go to bed with him. As for Grady, his torment over what happened to his cousin is only the beginning of his problems. Grady’s formative years were shaped by abusers, he’s never had a support system, the only person he could possibly ask for advice (his cousin) is in the hospital, and Grady has a negative view of the submissive side of his sexuality. Grady isn’t a sub in the traditional BDSM sense, but he does like to submit in bed, which makes him a great match for Micah, who is a strong top. But it’s been ground into Grady that submitting in any sense of the word makes him weak, and that makes him fearful of what he gives to Micah. There’s a lot of push-pull in The Harder He Falls , but for me it was understandable given what Grady has been through.
When Grady and Micah aren’t battling their demons, they can be hot as hell. Lynda Aicher cranks up the heat in sex scenes that blur the line between kink and light BDSM. And while Micah and Grady’s erotic encounters sizzle, what really grabbed me about the story was the heart. Grady is troubled and gets wrapped up in his problems, but he’s also incredibly caring toward Micah. He never treats Micah differently because of his medical condition and he never makes it a defining characteristic of the man either (which I loved). Instead, Grady adapts and helps Micah when and how he needs it, and he creates a safe space for Micah to push his boundaries. The two of them are a great match and both have a lot of love to give, which makes every obstacle they have to overcome worth it.
The Harder He Falls is the first book in the Kick series, which is about an outdoor adventure company and the sexy gay Doms who run it. We don’t see much of the company in this story, but I can’t wait to learn more about it and the men who work there. I finished Grady and Micah’s story a well-satisfied reader and I can’t wait to read the next Kick book, The Deeper He Hurts.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
May 12, 2016
2.5 stars
It took time for me to get somewhat comfortable reading this because of the much-too-soon clash of bodies in a save room. Too soon for lil' old me, anyway. After that sort of beginning, I should've been prepared for the next sex scene after another. I guess I just got numb in the end.
The lead character's hot and cold attitudes (more on Grady, though at first Micah acted likewise) grated on me. Plus - being a skeptic by nature - I found it hard to believe instant attraction in a contemporary setting, especially when I thought the compatibility's wanting.
So why the heck was I doing trudging on reading this; other than being plain stubborn as usual? The issues. I mean, men with issues, disability, could almost always stir my curiosity. Grady and Micah had that in spades; personal demon to fight. And I hoped with each pages there'd be more connection between them than just sexual.
What - or who - worked for me a lot in this story was Micah. A bartender in a leather club, his damaged brain severely limited his capacity. He could get lost in his own apartment in a literal sense of the word. But he long ago accepted his condition and made the most of it. He even volunteered to read for coma patients in nearby hospital, which was how he met Grady: while reading for Finn, Grady's cousin.
Grady had two issues: the guilty feeling after the accident that resulted in casualties and the insecurity of being a weak submissive in his previous relationship. I did sympathized with him on both accounts, given his past. The further the story went though, I felt that he acted like a confused teenager. In fact, I'm surprised Grady could be a successful whitewater river guide, he's so mercurial and self-centered! Even after knowing Micah's condition, he ended up treating him callously!
Another bummer was on the Kick team themselves. Stories that I've read (or watched) of servicemen brethren so far was how tight their solidarity was to one of their own and their family. Granted, Grady was no Marines or any military vet, but his cousin Finn was. It felt... weird that none of Finn's partner didn't reach out to Grady while he floundered. At least there was none on the page that I'm aware of until the meeting and the (quite predictable) decisions. After that, Kick's way of watching out seemed rather conveniently shown.
This book being the first of Kick series which no doubt would featured the partners from Adrenaline Kick Adventures (and most likely the leather bar), I'd be taking a wait and see approach for the next books. I wasn't too impressed with them here. Furthermore, BDSM is not my favorite genre in romance. At least here we got for Micah. He saved the book for me!
ARC is kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the exchange of a fair and honest review.
It took time for me to get somewhat comfortable reading this because of the much-too-soon clash of bodies in a save room. Too soon for lil' old me, anyway. After that sort of beginning, I should've been prepared for the next sex scene after another. I guess I just got numb in the end.
The lead character's hot and cold attitudes (more on Grady, though at first Micah acted likewise) grated on me. Plus - being a skeptic by nature - I found it hard to believe instant attraction in a contemporary setting, especially when I thought the compatibility's wanting.
So why the heck was I doing trudging on reading this; other than being plain stubborn as usual? The issues. I mean, men with issues, disability, could almost always stir my curiosity. Grady and Micah had that in spades; personal demon to fight. And I hoped with each pages there'd be more connection between them than just sexual.
What - or who - worked for me a lot in this story was Micah. A bartender in a leather club, his damaged brain severely limited his capacity. He could get lost in his own apartment in a literal sense of the word. But he long ago accepted his condition and made the most of it. He even volunteered to read for coma patients in nearby hospital, which was how he met Grady: while reading for Finn, Grady's cousin.
Grady had two issues: the guilty feeling after the accident that resulted in casualties and the insecurity of being a weak submissive in his previous relationship. I did sympathized with him on both accounts, given his past. The further the story went though, I felt that he acted like a confused teenager. In fact, I'm surprised Grady could be a successful whitewater river guide, he's so mercurial and self-centered! Even after knowing Micah's condition, he ended up treating him callously!
Another bummer was on the Kick team themselves. Stories that I've read (or watched) of servicemen brethren so far was how tight their solidarity was to one of their own and their family. Granted, Grady was no Marines or any military vet, but his cousin Finn was. It felt... weird that none of Finn's partner didn't reach out to Grady while he floundered. At least there was none on the page that I'm aware of until the meeting and the (quite predictable) decisions. After that, Kick's way of watching out seemed rather conveniently shown.
This book being the first of Kick series which no doubt would featured the partners from Adrenaline Kick Adventures (and most likely the leather bar), I'd be taking a wait and see approach for the next books. I wasn't too impressed with them here. Furthermore, BDSM is not my favorite genre in romance. At least here we got for Micah. He saved the book for me!
ARC is kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the exchange of a fair and honest review.
June 25, 2016
"The Harder He Falls" , is a wonderful start to a new series by Lynda Aicher. The series based around the men of Kick outdoor adventures, mostly all former marines and Dom's kicks off with Grady Kelly's story.
Grady has spent most of his life since a teen working as q white water raft guide , something he is extrodanarily at doing, rafting served as an escape from a bad home life when younger and has served him fairly well over the years; but for an error in judgement when he was a teen and now what he Carrie the most guilt over. His cousin Finn , the only family he has left that he even cares about since his mother passed was an integral part in getting Grady to join the kick team, lies in a rehab facility in a coma which Grady blames himself for .
Grady had been encouraging the partners in Kick adventures to branch out to newer white water routes and while leading the initial run his cousin Finn, another partner and himself went into the drink, Finn came out in a coma and Chris died; leaving Grady grounded and distressed.
A chance meeting may just pull Grady from his funk, certainley the sexy voice reading an M/M romance to his cousin Finn has the ability to awaken certain parts of him. Upon entering Finn's room the voice reveals a sexy Micah Swaine volunteer reader . Micah volunteers his time reading to people in comas because he was once in ne himself and remember snippets of people talking to him . Micah works at as a bartender at a Bdsm and kink club that Grady is familiar with but has never visited , a previous relationship has ensured he does not wish to go down that road again, but when he can not get Micah out of his mind he finds himself taking him up on the offer to visit him.
Micah has his own issues and to spite the overwhelming attraction to Grady one he fears telling him; the last person he was involved with that he told left him.
Grady and Micah develop a relationship each bolstering the other ; however at times Grady's own fears lead him to treat Micha poorly , push him away and run from him, threatening to hurt their growing relationship. As much as Grady fears being to submissive to Micha's submissive side , beloved and craves it. What he does not realize , or allow himself to realizes that Micah does not want to be his Dom he just likes being the one to be in charge during sex , to lead the direction not demand complete submission. These two have issues to resolve but when they come together they light the pages on fire,
Will they resolve their issues? Will Grady get to go back to white water rafting? Will Finn wake up?
Overall I enjoyed the storyline, the dynamics of all of the characters and am looking toward to reading more about the men of Kick!
Arc Graciuosly provided via Netgalley for an honest review!
Grady has spent most of his life since a teen working as q white water raft guide , something he is extrodanarily at doing, rafting served as an escape from a bad home life when younger and has served him fairly well over the years; but for an error in judgement when he was a teen and now what he Carrie the most guilt over. His cousin Finn , the only family he has left that he even cares about since his mother passed was an integral part in getting Grady to join the kick team, lies in a rehab facility in a coma which Grady blames himself for .
Grady had been encouraging the partners in Kick adventures to branch out to newer white water routes and while leading the initial run his cousin Finn, another partner and himself went into the drink, Finn came out in a coma and Chris died; leaving Grady grounded and distressed.
A chance meeting may just pull Grady from his funk, certainley the sexy voice reading an M/M romance to his cousin Finn has the ability to awaken certain parts of him. Upon entering Finn's room the voice reveals a sexy Micah Swaine volunteer reader . Micah volunteers his time reading to people in comas because he was once in ne himself and remember snippets of people talking to him . Micah works at as a bartender at a Bdsm and kink club that Grady is familiar with but has never visited , a previous relationship has ensured he does not wish to go down that road again, but when he can not get Micah out of his mind he finds himself taking him up on the offer to visit him.
Micah has his own issues and to spite the overwhelming attraction to Grady one he fears telling him; the last person he was involved with that he told left him.
Grady and Micah develop a relationship each bolstering the other ; however at times Grady's own fears lead him to treat Micha poorly , push him away and run from him, threatening to hurt their growing relationship. As much as Grady fears being to submissive to Micha's submissive side , beloved and craves it. What he does not realize , or allow himself to realizes that Micah does not want to be his Dom he just likes being the one to be in charge during sex , to lead the direction not demand complete submission. These two have issues to resolve but when they come together they light the pages on fire,
Will they resolve their issues? Will Grady get to go back to white water rafting? Will Finn wake up?
Overall I enjoyed the storyline, the dynamics of all of the characters and am looking toward to reading more about the men of Kick!
Arc Graciuosly provided via Netgalley for an honest review!
August 2, 2016
Poignantly displayed, this story is a tale of rebirth for Grady Kelley. This series is definitely a kinky m/m romance I can enjoy. The characters are well developed and pull at the heartstrings. The community of adventurers who enjoy kink is a fantasy come true. In this story, Grady Kelley is a masochist with a past. It is a bit alarming how he will not safeword and just how deep he wants to go. When he takes up with a hardcore sadist, it is anyone's guess if he will survive the encounter. Lucky for him, Micah is a sadist with a limit.
This story is moving because it shows a survivor's guilt. Grady is the sole survivor from his family. His family is wiped out by a tragic accident which leaves Grady traumatized, even years later. For Grady, he uses pain to help him cope. I'm mixed about using BDSM in this manner for most books. In this story, it works out really well. The BDSM is edgy and rough. The dynamic between Grady and Micah starts out with the physical part to SM and slowly morphs to include an intimate SM dynamic. I wouldn't say this is D/s or BD, it is focused on SM and it is done so well. Ms. Aicher shows it from Grady's side and how he processes the pain. It is also nice to see from the Top's side, Micah and how he enjoys doling out pain.
What pulls me into this story is how the relationship develops. The chemistry between the men is not a smooth and slow simmer. It is more a class five rapid then a sudden drop to calm still waters. This yo-yo effect usually leaves me in a dizzy spin. In this instance, it builds the sexual tension until it becomes a force of nature. Grady and Micah balance each other so well. Ms. Aicher's stories pull me in because of her character development. This m/m kinky romance is recommended to those who love happily ever afters.
*provided by NetGalley
This story is moving because it shows a survivor's guilt. Grady is the sole survivor from his family. His family is wiped out by a tragic accident which leaves Grady traumatized, even years later. For Grady, he uses pain to help him cope. I'm mixed about using BDSM in this manner for most books. In this story, it works out really well. The BDSM is edgy and rough. The dynamic between Grady and Micah starts out with the physical part to SM and slowly morphs to include an intimate SM dynamic. I wouldn't say this is D/s or BD, it is focused on SM and it is done so well. Ms. Aicher shows it from Grady's side and how he processes the pain. It is also nice to see from the Top's side, Micah and how he enjoys doling out pain.
What pulls me into this story is how the relationship develops. The chemistry between the men is not a smooth and slow simmer. It is more a class five rapid then a sudden drop to calm still waters. This yo-yo effect usually leaves me in a dizzy spin. In this instance, it builds the sexual tension until it becomes a force of nature. Grady and Micah balance each other so well. Ms. Aicher's stories pull me in because of her character development. This m/m kinky romance is recommended to those who love happily ever afters.
*provided by NetGalley
July 16, 2016
Hot mess
Part of the problem could be that I've only read one book from the author's previous series, so maybe some of these characters and the setting were more well defined there. I don't read MF anymore and I felt like there was some prior book I should have read to know who the hell Ash, Rig and Finn and Dane were. Because they were never defined well here, except through Grady's disjointed thoughts.
Which was the next problem. Nearly the entire book, aside from some sex scenes, was written as internal monologues. All of Grady's, except for the very end, were circular and repetitive, defeatist and self-absorbed. He's never shown trying to think of ways to change or make an effort to solve things. Micah's character was fine; he used his thoughts to analyze and problem solve and for whatever reason, try to connect with Grady. Those two things made it impossible to feel any connection between the two characters. Yes, Grady did make an effort to be understanding about Micah's condition, at least.
Last was the whole " I'm not a sub/masochist" and "well, I'm not a Dom/ sadist" The ending was abrupt and disappointingly flimsy. Just was poorly executed all the way through and annoyed me, rather than absorbing me. Makes me not want to read book two, but I'll probably try. Based on two other MM I've read from this author, her writing seems to be inconsistent in quality.
Part of the problem could be that I've only read one book from the author's previous series, so maybe some of these characters and the setting were more well defined there. I don't read MF anymore and I felt like there was some prior book I should have read to know who the hell Ash, Rig and Finn and Dane were. Because they were never defined well here, except through Grady's disjointed thoughts.
Which was the next problem. Nearly the entire book, aside from some sex scenes, was written as internal monologues. All of Grady's, except for the very end, were circular and repetitive, defeatist and self-absorbed. He's never shown trying to think of ways to change or make an effort to solve things. Micah's character was fine; he used his thoughts to analyze and problem solve and for whatever reason, try to connect with Grady. Those two things made it impossible to feel any connection between the two characters. Yes, Grady did make an effort to be understanding about Micah's condition, at least.
Last was the whole " I'm not a sub/masochist" and "well, I'm not a Dom/ sadist" The ending was abrupt and disappointingly flimsy. Just was poorly executed all the way through and annoyed me, rather than absorbing me. Makes me not want to read book two, but I'll probably try. Based on two other MM I've read from this author, her writing seems to be inconsistent in quality.
Read
June 13, 2016DNF @37%
Nothing about this worked for me. I cannot deal with immediately meeting and then 5 seconds later them having sex. I cannot deal with all the talk around conversations. The guilt over the accident was like a heavy cloud throughout the book. I just didn't have the patience to deal with it. I've only read 37% of the story. The stopping point was Micah deciding to have sex after a major episode. It wasn't explained and I'm expected to be okay with that? No not for me, and I didn't appreciate Grady who's so guilty about his cousin to be countless towards someone else. So no, I didn't enjoy it and didn't want to push through either.
Nothing about this worked for me. I cannot deal with immediately meeting and then 5 seconds later them having sex. I cannot deal with all the talk around conversations. The guilt over the accident was like a heavy cloud throughout the book. I just didn't have the patience to deal with it. I've only read 37% of the story. The stopping point was Micah deciding to have sex after a major episode. It wasn't explained and I'm expected to be okay with that? No not for me, and I didn't appreciate Grady who's so guilty about his cousin to be countless towards someone else. So no, I didn't enjoy it and didn't want to push through either.
August 12, 2017
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Black and white composition with red edge and banner. White font. Bold, eye-catching design. The synopsis is interesting; intriguing.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
Grady is a new whitewater rafting guide at an extreme adventures company where his cousin, Finn, is a founding partner and the others all seem to be retired Marines and Doms. This initially made Grady shy away, having had an abusive experience with a proclaimed Dom, but the pull to the only accepting family he had left drew him in regardless. On an early exploration of the new season, the rapids present a tragic turn to Grady and those aboard, leaving him shaken to his core.
Micah's a bartender at a leather club. His experience with coma patients brings the two together. They both have a ton of baggage, but somehow, they work together well. There's a light BDSM and/or kink theme, but nothing heavy. As Micah states, he's a strong top but not a Dom. Grady insists that though he likes to cease control during sex, he's not a sub. Navigating their relationship is a rocky battle, but both men are worth the investment in the end and I'd love to read more of this series. The men are only given a vaguely implied HEA, so I hope their story continues playing in the background of future installments of the series or I may be mildly disappointed. Overall, a great cast of characters that I look forward to reading more of!
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.25 ~ Stars: 4
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I won a copy of this book from Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Black and white composition with red edge and banner. White font. Bold, eye-catching design. The synopsis is interesting; intriguing.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
Grady is a new whitewater rafting guide at an extreme adventures company where his cousin, Finn, is a founding partner and the others all seem to be retired Marines and Doms. This initially made Grady shy away, having had an abusive experience with a proclaimed Dom, but the pull to the only accepting family he had left drew him in regardless. On an early exploration of the new season, the rapids present a tragic turn to Grady and those aboard, leaving him shaken to his core.
Micah's a bartender at a leather club. His experience with coma patients brings the two together. They both have a ton of baggage, but somehow, they work together well. There's a light BDSM and/or kink theme, but nothing heavy. As Micah states, he's a strong top but not a Dom. Grady insists that though he likes to cease control during sex, he's not a sub. Navigating their relationship is a rocky battle, but both men are worth the investment in the end and I'd love to read more of this series. The men are only given a vaguely implied HEA, so I hope their story continues playing in the background of future installments of the series or I may be mildly disappointed. Overall, a great cast of characters that I look forward to reading more of!
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.25 ~ Stars: 4
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I won a copy of this book from Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
July 22, 2025
Penny Rose is positive she is never falling in love again. She is back home to be there for her grandmother and brother. Ryder Colburn is too busy for romance and is caring for his father. They both had not so good childhoods and are not interested in romance. But fate keeps throwing them together. Will they give in to love?
June 7, 2016
Leigh and Slick's 's reviews posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Slick's 5 star review
Sometimes reviews can be so hard to write and that is the case with this review. Please don't misunderstand, I loved The Harder He Falls but I'm not sure if I can fully express everything I feel about this book or the complexity of these characters. As a new to me author, I was sure what to expect from Lynda Aicher's work, but she impressed me beyond reason and I look forward to discovering more from this talented writer.
This is the story of two men; two men who have some big time baggage and who meet under unusual circumstances. I refuse to sugar coat anything about these two, they are both dealing with issues and scars and honestly, they can be their own worst enemy at times.
Grady Kelley is in a bad place. A white water rafting trip he was guiding has left one man dead and his cousin and the only real family he has left in a coma and to top it off the accident is under investigation and could result in criminal charges. He is upset, he is angry and he blames himself although no one else does and he just really, really want it all to go away or someone to make it go away.
A coma changed Micah Swaine's life forever in many ways including the people he allows into his life when he meets Grady he feels a connection, but he's not sure if it's because Grady is dealing with a loved one in a coma or if it is more but finding out might prove to be one of the hardest things he's ever done including his recovery from coma.
Both these men have trust issues for different reason and yet they gravitate towards one another from the start. That's not saying it was easy, it was far from that with often one, the other, or both saying or doing something that send the other one reeling. I appreciated the fact that there wasn't an easy solution for them or their issues that it took some time, some long, hard soul searching and a few very bold moves for them to even begin to understand that the connection they had was worth opening themselves up and learning to trust. I loved seeing these men grow, change, accept and begin to understand that their wants and needs and their vulnerabilities were safe in the hands of the other. So many, many intense and special moments for these two that I still get goose bumps thinking about them.
While this book did contain some elements of BDSM and takes place partially in a leather club, that is a very small piece of the story. Yes, they have sex and one could even argue that they scene together, but there is way more going on between these two and watching them both figure it out was a thing of beauty.
Intense, complex, emotional and undeniably sexy I loved every minute of The Harder He Falls.
Leigh's 3.75 star review
Gay Marine Doms (drops mic).
I wish it were that easy. Because with a new series that is based on an outdoor adventure company run by a group of gay ex-marine dominants, I want to run screaming into the woods, yelling “Take me now!” The premise seems rugged and sexy and I’m all on board that whitewater raft. Sadly though, while it was still a good solid story, The Harder He Falls just didn’t hit all the right buttons for me.
The story focuses on Grady Kelley, a new rafting guide that is involved in a fatal accident on a trail. His guilt is overwhelming and he continuously blames himself for what was truly an accident. He meets Micah Swaine at the hospital and Micah seems the perfect way to keep his mind off of his guilt.
Micah does a good job of hiding it, but has issues of his own which have kept him from looking for someone long term. But when Grady and he get together, they are a perfect fit.
Grady’s past has kept him rebelling against the label of being a sub. Although he desires a strong partner, his earlier relationships have soured him on any sort of BDSM generalizations. Micah, for his part, does not desire a BDSM relationship (despite working at a BDSM bar), but does enjoy the dominant role during sex. His explanation is that he enjoys controlling the sex, not the person or the relationship. These needs of these two men match up perfectly. I could see it!!! So why couldn’t they!?
Micah was a perfectly portrayed flawed hero. He was strong and sensitive and caring and I adored him. I found his problems to be unique and fascinating. But I could not understand for the life of me why he put up with Grady!
I get it, that Grady carried around a lot of baggage. Micah was sensitive to it and did everything right. And still Grady fought against him. I found Grady to not be that sympathetic a character, and the constant sniping and rudeness that he displayed to someone that was trying to help him and truly cared about him frustrated me. I wanted Micah to find someone that deserved him.
All in all, I did enjoy the story, and as I have loved Ms. Aicher’s books in the past, I look forward to seeing more of the Doms in this series. I just hope that the angst is a bit less in these future books and the likability of the characters comes about earlier in the story.
Review copies provided for an honest review.
Slick's 5 star review
Sometimes reviews can be so hard to write and that is the case with this review. Please don't misunderstand, I loved The Harder He Falls but I'm not sure if I can fully express everything I feel about this book or the complexity of these characters. As a new to me author, I was sure what to expect from Lynda Aicher's work, but she impressed me beyond reason and I look forward to discovering more from this talented writer.
This is the story of two men; two men who have some big time baggage and who meet under unusual circumstances. I refuse to sugar coat anything about these two, they are both dealing with issues and scars and honestly, they can be their own worst enemy at times.
Grady Kelley is in a bad place. A white water rafting trip he was guiding has left one man dead and his cousin and the only real family he has left in a coma and to top it off the accident is under investigation and could result in criminal charges. He is upset, he is angry and he blames himself although no one else does and he just really, really want it all to go away or someone to make it go away.
A coma changed Micah Swaine's life forever in many ways including the people he allows into his life when he meets Grady he feels a connection, but he's not sure if it's because Grady is dealing with a loved one in a coma or if it is more but finding out might prove to be one of the hardest things he's ever done including his recovery from coma.
Both these men have trust issues for different reason and yet they gravitate towards one another from the start. That's not saying it was easy, it was far from that with often one, the other, or both saying or doing something that send the other one reeling. I appreciated the fact that there wasn't an easy solution for them or their issues that it took some time, some long, hard soul searching and a few very bold moves for them to even begin to understand that the connection they had was worth opening themselves up and learning to trust. I loved seeing these men grow, change, accept and begin to understand that their wants and needs and their vulnerabilities were safe in the hands of the other. So many, many intense and special moments for these two that I still get goose bumps thinking about them.
While this book did contain some elements of BDSM and takes place partially in a leather club, that is a very small piece of the story. Yes, they have sex and one could even argue that they scene together, but there is way more going on between these two and watching them both figure it out was a thing of beauty.
Intense, complex, emotional and undeniably sexy I loved every minute of The Harder He Falls.
Leigh's 3.75 star review
Gay Marine Doms (drops mic).
I wish it were that easy. Because with a new series that is based on an outdoor adventure company run by a group of gay ex-marine dominants, I want to run screaming into the woods, yelling “Take me now!” The premise seems rugged and sexy and I’m all on board that whitewater raft. Sadly though, while it was still a good solid story, The Harder He Falls just didn’t hit all the right buttons for me.
The story focuses on Grady Kelley, a new rafting guide that is involved in a fatal accident on a trail. His guilt is overwhelming and he continuously blames himself for what was truly an accident. He meets Micah Swaine at the hospital and Micah seems the perfect way to keep his mind off of his guilt.
Micah does a good job of hiding it, but has issues of his own which have kept him from looking for someone long term. But when Grady and he get together, they are a perfect fit.
Grady’s past has kept him rebelling against the label of being a sub. Although he desires a strong partner, his earlier relationships have soured him on any sort of BDSM generalizations. Micah, for his part, does not desire a BDSM relationship (despite working at a BDSM bar), but does enjoy the dominant role during sex. His explanation is that he enjoys controlling the sex, not the person or the relationship. These needs of these two men match up perfectly. I could see it!!! So why couldn’t they!?
Micah was a perfectly portrayed flawed hero. He was strong and sensitive and caring and I adored him. I found his problems to be unique and fascinating. But I could not understand for the life of me why he put up with Grady!
I get it, that Grady carried around a lot of baggage. Micah was sensitive to it and did everything right. And still Grady fought against him. I found Grady to not be that sympathetic a character, and the constant sniping and rudeness that he displayed to someone that was trying to help him and truly cared about him frustrated me. I wanted Micah to find someone that deserved him.
All in all, I did enjoy the story, and as I have loved Ms. Aicher’s books in the past, I look forward to seeing more of the Doms in this series. I just hope that the angst is a bit less in these future books and the likability of the characters comes about earlier in the story.
Review copies provided for an honest review.
August 13, 2017
Di certo interessante l'idea di coniugare sesso particolare (BDSM, pratiche estreme) con la disabilità derivante da una malattia. Però il rapport passa dall'essere troppo cerebrale all'essere troppo fisico, e nel mezzo mi sono un po' annoiata.
June 8, 2016
I’m gonna just dive right in to this thing, and give you guys a one-word reason to read this book.
MICAH.
I loved Micah. He was awesome from the fabulous scene where we meet him—Scene: hunky bartender from the local leather bar reading BDSM erotica to a coma patient. Amazing, right?!? Ha!—right on through to the epilogue. He’s strong, kind, patient, and sexy as hell. And, his story is fascinating. There were a couple of times where he allowed Grady to treat him like shit unfairly, and I wished he would have let him have it, but mostly he was pretty perfect.
Grady, on the other hand, had to grow on me. There were several things about him I sincerely liked, his loyalty to his cousin, for one—his concern for Finn definitely ran way deeper than guilt. I also loved how passionate he was about his job. And, I loved how vulnerable he sometimes let himself be when he was with Micah. Unfortunately, Grady didn’t always make a great impression. He could come off as extremely whiney. And, even though he had a rough backstory—the damage done to him by his father and then his former Dom, James, coupled with his guilt over the accident, I’m sure felt insurmountable to him—I have to admit that some of his self-flagellation and doubt got a little repetitive and long-winded at times.
So, yeah, Grady on his own was a tougher sell. But Grady and Micah together? The two of them together are reason number two to read this book. These guys were on FIRE. They were seriously intense together. And not just physically—though they were definitely extremely compatible in that regard—but emotionally as well. I loved how Grady just accepted Micah, even given his “disability.” In fact, they were both so kind and loving with each other, truly from the beginning. I adored those things about their pairing, but it also made it even more frustrating, given Grady’s easy acceptance of Micah, and the fact that he would have never regarded him as weak, that he couldn’t accept himself in the same way.
I found it hard to relate to the amount of shame and self-doubt Grady carried around with regard to his past, and his insistence that he was NOT a sub since my previous experience with BDSM relationships in books was that it was always made clear that the sub really has all the power. However, taking into context his previous abusive relationship and then bullying by his former co-workers, I guess it makes sense that those lines would have been blurred. Grady had a major complex regarding his needs, and though both Grady and Micah swore up and down that they “weren’t into BDSM,” both of their desires definitely suggested otherwise. I understand them not necessarily wanting the labels of Dom and sub, but their needs seemed to run a little deeper than just kink; especially the type of grounding that Grady craved so badly.
As far as the rest of the storyline, and all of the things going on in Grady’s and Micah’s worlds, I had some mixed feelings, though again, they were mostly positive. I mentioned admiring Grady’s devotion to Finn, whose coma and current status were a large part of the story; as a reader I became invested in his prognosis. Unfortunately, in the end, his storyline got rushed and his situation was reduced to a few sentences in the epilogue. Then there were the sex scenes, which, as I said, for the most part were so hot, but then maybe there could have been fewer of them. See? Mixed feelings. There were some things I really, really liked—and then a couple of things that didn’t work quite as well.
Minor complaints aside, the story kept me engaged the entire time, and I was completely invested in these guys and their journey. Overall, The Harder He Falls was good erotica and a solid read. And, I’m absolutely looking forward to the future books in this series! It looks like there are three books planned so far… Can’t wait to see what all of these Doms running Kick are gonna get up to!
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
MICAH.
I loved Micah. He was awesome from the fabulous scene where we meet him—Scene: hunky bartender from the local leather bar reading BDSM erotica to a coma patient. Amazing, right?!? Ha!—right on through to the epilogue. He’s strong, kind, patient, and sexy as hell. And, his story is fascinating. There were a couple of times where he allowed Grady to treat him like shit unfairly, and I wished he would have let him have it, but mostly he was pretty perfect.
Grady, on the other hand, had to grow on me. There were several things about him I sincerely liked, his loyalty to his cousin, for one—his concern for Finn definitely ran way deeper than guilt. I also loved how passionate he was about his job. And, I loved how vulnerable he sometimes let himself be when he was with Micah. Unfortunately, Grady didn’t always make a great impression. He could come off as extremely whiney. And, even though he had a rough backstory—the damage done to him by his father and then his former Dom, James, coupled with his guilt over the accident, I’m sure felt insurmountable to him—I have to admit that some of his self-flagellation and doubt got a little repetitive and long-winded at times.
So, yeah, Grady on his own was a tougher sell. But Grady and Micah together? The two of them together are reason number two to read this book. These guys were on FIRE. They were seriously intense together. And not just physically—though they were definitely extremely compatible in that regard—but emotionally as well. I loved how Grady just accepted Micah, even given his “disability.” In fact, they were both so kind and loving with each other, truly from the beginning. I adored those things about their pairing, but it also made it even more frustrating, given Grady’s easy acceptance of Micah, and the fact that he would have never regarded him as weak, that he couldn’t accept himself in the same way.
I found it hard to relate to the amount of shame and self-doubt Grady carried around with regard to his past, and his insistence that he was NOT a sub since my previous experience with BDSM relationships in books was that it was always made clear that the sub really has all the power. However, taking into context his previous abusive relationship and then bullying by his former co-workers, I guess it makes sense that those lines would have been blurred. Grady had a major complex regarding his needs, and though both Grady and Micah swore up and down that they “weren’t into BDSM,” both of their desires definitely suggested otherwise. I understand them not necessarily wanting the labels of Dom and sub, but their needs seemed to run a little deeper than just kink; especially the type of grounding that Grady craved so badly.
As far as the rest of the storyline, and all of the things going on in Grady’s and Micah’s worlds, I had some mixed feelings, though again, they were mostly positive. I mentioned admiring Grady’s devotion to Finn, whose coma and current status were a large part of the story; as a reader I became invested in his prognosis. Unfortunately, in the end, his storyline got rushed and his situation was reduced to a few sentences in the epilogue. Then there were the sex scenes, which, as I said, for the most part were so hot, but then maybe there could have been fewer of them. See? Mixed feelings. There were some things I really, really liked—and then a couple of things that didn’t work quite as well.
Minor complaints aside, the story kept me engaged the entire time, and I was completely invested in these guys and their journey. Overall, The Harder He Falls was good erotica and a solid read. And, I’m absolutely looking forward to the future books in this series! It looks like there are three books planned so far… Can’t wait to see what all of these Doms running Kick are gonna get up to!
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
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