Reviews by SoCalReader

Yay! So, I've liked this series, but I could never rate it more than Average in the past because I felt like the stories lacked conflict, that everything was too easy and instantly happily ever after. I wanted more drama and I'm SO happy to say I finally got it! I liked that the heroine was a potential shifter, that Jason didn't accept her initially (with dire consequences) and that there was a real villain (or 2) who posed a threat that wasn't easily neutralized. This is the best in the series so for IMO. There was more nuance and emotional turmoil which made the ending more satisfying. Kudos to the author who I think has steadily gotten better with each book.

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I love Doris O'Connor's books. She just has a wat of writing...the characters are always well developed and she always goes beyond the surface, to explore deeper emotions. In this story, I loved the brothers' relationship. They acted like REAL brothers. They gave each other crap, there was a bit of jealousy, etc. It was really nice and refreshing. I enjoyed Lily too, but it was Sloan and particularly Cyrus that made the book for me. Good story, with a mystery throw in and a dark overtones. I'd recommend it.

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I liked this book a lot. Loved all the characters, particularly Luke and Zack who seemed the most fleshed out and complex of the trio. I do wish though, that the story had been longer and more.....dramatic, if that makes sense. The pacing was a little off for me. The first half, or maybe 2/3 of the book focused on Luke wooing Serena and Zack and their finally being together. Immediately after that (the final 1/3) there was a "sort of " profession of love and then a "misunderstanding" that was wrapped up quickly and then HEA. It happened too fast IMO. I wanted to see more of the threesome's relationship AFTER sex but BEFORE the misunderstanding to understand why/how they could fall in love. I wanted to watch their development. Instead, it felt like they had sex once, fell in love instantly, had a misunderstanding that lasted a week, then decided to commit forever. Don't get me wrong, I lovec the characters, I just waned MORE. Needed more fleshing out of feelings and motivations in the last 1/3 of the story. Still though, I enjoyed the book, just wished it had been longer to explore everything.

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This book was OK. The premise was intriguing but the execution was a little off. It was a little too simple. All of the things that you'd expect would be difficult for the heroine due to being transported to another world were fairly glossed over. I liked all the characters, but didn't feel like I got to know their personalities, except for on the surface. Particularly the men, who, despite being described as having slightly different personalities, seemed mostly interchangeable. This was not a bad book by any means. As I said, it was OK. But this author can be so good sometimes, that this one felt a little superficial compared to some of her other.

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Loved the heroes (Adrian and Oliver). They were HOT, warm, loving, and totally devoted to each other and Holland. Unfortunately, Holland was awful. I was OK with her in the beginning. She'd lost her parents, she apparently felt betrayed by the men for falling in love behind her back, etc. But once the trio faced beach other again, it became clear to EVERYONE (even her friends) except Holland that the guys were madly in love with her and she with them. But instead of listening to the for one second, she just keeps having sex with them and then runs away. UGH. Her reasons? I have no idea. The whole thing was just strange and contrived, and most importantly, really, really MEAN to the heroes. So much so, that I wanted the guys to just walk away already. She really didn't deserve all their chasing and patience. Maybe the author should have created a better reason for Holland running the 1ts time--something with more drama b/c all she did was validate what the heroes 1st thought. That she was too young. And apparently 6yrs later still is/was b/c she's just as dumb now. Finally, did I miss the reason Adrian was sometimes called "Ian"?? At 1st I thought it was a typo but it kept happening throughout, and a one pt. it was implied it was a "nickname"?? Confusing. Overall I'm disappointed but I'll give this author another try b/c I loved everything about the book except Holland.

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So, I really liked this book. Something about the author's writing style is kind of breezy and pleasant. I liked all the characters, despite the fact that they weren't very fleshed out. Overall, I think the story concept is good, but there needed to be much more world building. Who are these aliens from Zorn, what is their culture, why is Sarah so easily accepting of her situation and the reality that aliens actually exist? A lot of things that could have been used to add drama were inexplicably eliminated. For example, Sarah seemlessly adjusted to her new life b/c the men "downloaded" info about themselves into her consciousness. So, it was pretty much HEA from day one. There was a bit of drama toward the end, not much. Also, little details like....um.......just exactly how can Sarah go from partner to partner and the author only had only one reference to her showering. Not exactly something I wanted to think about but if I'M thinking it, that means the author probably should have too. Anyway, I know I'm listing a lot of issues, but I truly did enjoy the book. I bring up these things up b/c I do like the author's voice and style and think she can be really good if she addresses them in her next book. And I am hoping to read more from her.

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I couldn't really connect to the characters. Dakari was the most fleshed out of the characters, while Joaquin was the most interesting. Nex was just...there. Claire was OK but hard to connect to. She was haunted and yet still came across as kind of whiny. I think the author threw I in too many things--there was a haunting, possession, exorcism, something with skeletons, a centuries old curse, bloodlust, shape shifters, etc. etc. Way too many things going on and none of them very compelling--probably because there was no time to focus on 1 or 2 things and do so well. I think what I missed the most was the the emotion that the author usually has in her stories. There were Couple emotionally deep scenes but they felt very fleeting. I wasn't convinced by the end of the book of their HEA. Oh, I believed they all loved each other, but as a reader I didn't feel it.

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Good, because of the author's usual, capable writing. However, there wasn't much of a plot or any drama aside from the initial kidnapping at the beginning of the book. The story was basically about the heroine recovering from her injuries and falling in love. I'm used to more dramatic, emotional stories from this author. I'd give the plot a 3 (there really wasn't much of one) but the overall writing (flow, language, descriptive emotion, etc) a 4.

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Sigh.... This. Book. I can't even..... I LOVED IT. So dark, and yet so compelling. Seeing Greyson finally find salvation due to Melanie's and Diego's love was so beautiful. My only teeny tiny quibble was the whole town "curse" thing. It didn't bother me, I just think the series didn't need it. There was so much emotion and turmoil and love in the series that felt so real and present, that the supernatural element felt slightly out of place. Overall, though, this was was a completely satisfying and wonderful ending. And to think, I was iffy on the series in the beginning but the author sort of revealed more and more layers as the books progressed, each one getting better and better. That's a pretty tough and rare feat IMO. In my experience, 90% of the time, the 1st book in a series tends to be the best, and then it sort of goes slowly downhill from there. This series is the complete opposite. Kudos to Zoey Marcel for bucking the trend LOL and delivering a FANTASTIC book and series---or I should say, this portion of the series. I can't wait for future books with the Huntingtons and other members of McKenna Downs!

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Loving this series! Books 1-2 started off slow for me--they were OK, but I wasn't sure I was going to really, really like it. Then the series too a darker turn starting with Book 3, and drama cranked up a few notches. Now with this book...wow, love it! The interaction between Greyson and Diego is off the charts HOT. It's positively electric. I can't wait to see Mellie finally get thu to Greyson in the next installment. And I love the twist with the stalker, which ups the drama even more. I'm so glad I continued with the series after books 1-2 b/c I MUCH prefer the increasingly darker tone of 3-5. Pretty slick move by the author to slowly build the suspense in that regard. Or crazy, cuz some people could've stopped after book 1-2 LOL. Either way, I'm glad I didn't!

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Wow. This book was incredibly HOT! Truthfully, I'd rate the storytelling a 3, because, as in the previous books, the writing can be choppy at times and sometimes disjointed. But the heat level is off the charts and there are some really compelling aspects to the story that I was really drawn to, so overall, I gave it a 4. Emmett, Diego, and most importantly Greyson are AWESOME. So complex and dark. A warning to those that don't like dark characters or storylines---this book is not for you. Frankly the darkness of Greyson and to a lesser extent Emmett and Diego is what made this book for me. I LOVED their scenes and was kind of shocked in a few places. The other brothers--Hunter and Jake were fine, but so different. There is no darkness in them. That's OK and I appreciate that the author balances the light and the dark aspects in the book. I'm more intrigued by the dark side, which is why this is the 1st time I've given a book in this series a 4 rating. I can't wait to read the next installment!

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Not bad, but there were quite a few scenes that felt very disjointed. Like the reason for Hunter's vow and how that is just accepted in their town. Also the sudden attacking on Amelie's sister. Those moments were very WTF in that they came out of nowhere. I was intrigued by Greyson though. I'm really looking forward to his story as well as Emmett and Diego's. Hunter and Jake's stories were sweet but I felt the writing could have been tighter.

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This book was super hot, but at the end of the day, just OK. The men are sent by their boss Gabriel, who owns a security compant specializing in helping/protecting women. The set up was good, with Maria being harassed by an anonymous stalker. The night they meet, 1 of the men sleepers with her, with the other 2 soon to follow. I thought that was a little too quick--Maria didn't enen know these guys. And yet pretty instantly, the men fall in love. That was especially far fetched to me. I did appreciate that Maria was a bit more hesitant to utter the L-word b/c it added some realism. I did really like their boss Gabriel and am intrigued by his backstory (dead wife, Dom, etc) I'm looking forward to his book. Overall I liked all the characters, but wanted a little better story. I would definitely try another book in the series.

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Hmmm. Interesting book. I'm intrigued by the universe the author has created. I'm still a little unclear on the facts and customs going on. For example, there is no language barrier despite the fact that the heroine, heroes and other characters seem to be of many different species. The world building is good, but could be tightened up in a few places. I'm looking forward to finding out about Shayane and of the Alpha Dendrik and his mates. I wonder if the are connected? Overall, a heed book and I'm looking forward to the next book.

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This book is fine. Having read the first book in the series (Melanie's story) I was prepared for the overarching theme of "these men are my mates, I accept this immediately, let's live happily ever after!" Which is OK but.....it basically eliminates all the romantic suspense from the story. I'm not questioning the HEA (we all know 99% of books will end that way) just HOW it gets there. The author makes an interesting choice in this series to basically forgo the usual push/pull between the characters b/c they all accept their fate/bond instantly. In a way, it's kind of brave---why bother writing in doubts or romantic conflict when we all know how that will end up? On the other hand, as a reader, part of me wants to watch how the characters' emotions and feelings evolve. So, as with Book 1, I think I prefer to read books with more emotional conflict. But I will say, I wouldn't be opposed to reading more of this series. If you accept it for what it is, and not look for anything more, it's a perfectly simple, acceptable book.

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Good but a little too overloaded with stalkers. The heroine essentially had 3 which... eh, was a bit of overkill IMO. I liked the book, but didn't feel as connected to Gia as I have with heroines that appear in later installments of the series (I did not read the series in order). She was fine, but I was more drawn to the heroes, especially Mac.

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This story was OK. It started off really well but sort of faded a bit once the trio got together. I felt like the "mystery" part of the story was just thrown in to meet a "threat" quota. And I'm generally OK with that but this threat was not very interesting. Also, the heroes' aversion to "smal" women and the reason why was roll your eyes worthy. Because of all that, I didn't fully connect with the characters.

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An OK revisiting of Sloan, Dane, and Merlin's story.

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Here's the thing. I really, really like Sam Crescent's books. She's on my fave authors list. There's something about her writing that I just enjoy. Can't really out my finger on exactly why. BUT the author can be very hit or miss IMO. And this book.....well it wasn't a miss per se, but it was not a hit. It was just "eh." First, the brothers leaving anon gifts for 5 yrs, including lingerie(!) was just creepy IMO. The heroine even addressed it in a convo with her mom but neither thought it was scary or weird which was like, WTF? Second, I liked the brothers, but they weren't very "alpha". It bothered me that the Markus's friend Donald was mor alpha than the heroes of the book. Granted Donald is a practicing Dom and the brothers aren't, but I felt like Donald presence, because he was so strong, diminished the brothers a bit. Now, the synopsis did mention a secret that the bros "couldn't protect her from" so that should have clued me in that the brothers were less proactive and more reactive. Don't get me wrong, they weren't wimps, lol. They just felt like bystanders in their own story. So, like I said, this story was "meh" for me. Good concept, ould've used more emotion and depth.

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Pretty good book. The story was a little too unbelievable for me in that all the men basically fell in love with Elodie instantly. It just seemed too cute considering how she felt about herself and how the town viewed her. From the very beginning, it was TOO fairly tale and neat IMO which is why I rated it down a notch. Aside from that, the writing was good and I'd probably read the next book in the series (all signs point to at least 2 more involving their cousins).

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Book 2 in the Golden series. I think I liked book 1 better, but this was still a good read. I was glad to get insight into how Evie came to be captured---something that wasn't fully exlpained in Book 1 (Kylie's story) and it was nice to see the author address her life on earth (her parents, etc). I enjoyed the budding relationships between the trio and contine to be intrigued by the customs in this alien world. I'd like to see more action in subsequent books--the plotlines have so far revolved solely on the relationships, which results in lulls in the stories that are often filled with less interesting details (dress fittings, dinners, etc). I'd love to see the author add some kind of intrigue or secondary storyline to keep the plot moving apart from the sex, lol. Overall, a good book, and I look forward the the next one in the series.

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Good, but not as good as Book 1. I didn't fully connect with the trio until about halfway or 3/4 of the way thru the book. Not sure why...perhaps it was the fact that (without giving any spoilers away) we didn't get the whole backstory between the heroes until very late in the book The result was that I felt emotionally distant from them characters. Like, I got the mechanics of the story (which were good), but I didn't FEEL it. Once the backstory was fleshed out it was like all the characters got to open their emotional floodgates and I really got into the story. I just wish it had come sooner. Overall, it's a well written book and I look forward to more in the series.

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Just OK. For some reason I couldn't get into the characters. They were all OK, just not that compelling. I didn't connect with them.

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The author definitely has promise. The story was good but needed to be fleshed out more.....it was a little too "by the numbers". There was a lot of telling, but not enough feeling, if that makes sense. I didn't fully connect with the characters, particularly Melanie. For example, what is her backstory, why has she she been emotionally hurt in the past? Why is she so easily accepting of these men? I know it's because of the mating bond, but it's such an easy, quick way out. Surely anyone would be somewhat conflicted? Her whole life has turned upside down and I wanted more from her point of view. Anyway, I am intrigued by this author and would consider reading more from her, particularly if this becomes part of a series.

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Meh. Didn't really care for this. The tone was very light hearted which I didn't expect and didn't feel right in a book about dominance and submission. The intensity just wasn't there. Disappointing, since I've read this author before and have liked her previous work.

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