Author: Susan Andersen

Joint Review: No Strings Attached by Susan Andersen

Posted August 29, 2014 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Joint Review: No Strings Attached by Susan AndersenReviewer: Holly and Rowena
No Strings Attached by Susan Andersen
Series: Razor Bay #3
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: August 1st 2014
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 384
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Some mistakes are worth repeating… 
Tasha Riordan's one night with Luc Bradshaw was the best of her life. The following two—when he left her to be thrown into a Bahamian jail on bogus charges—were her worst. Now, seven years later, the undercover DEA agent is back. Invading her town. Her restaurant. Her fantasies. She can't trust a man who lied to her. Yet neither can she trust herself—not when their chemistry burns even hotter than before. 
Learning he has two half brothers shocks Luc. Discovering they live in the same town as Tasha—that's a different kind of thrill. Their mutual lust is still off the charts, but he can't get her to listen to his side of what happened on that long-ago night. Good thing he's got powers of persuasion that go deeper than words. Because nothing has ever felt this right….

 H: The blurb is pretty accurate, so no recap. I didn’t read the two previous books in the series, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything major. The main characters from those books play a large part in this one, only as they related to the hero and heroine of this book.

Holly:  Can I just say, I was all sorts of pissed at Diego/Luc on Tasha’s behalf. Even after we found out there were extenuating circumstances, I still held a grudge.

Rowena: I hear you. Can I just say that I’m glad that Tasha held a grudge against Luc? I mean, how often have we seen the heroine betrayed by the hero only to forgive him within two minutes of being together again? I’m glad that Tasha held that grudge and kept Lucas at arm’s length.  It took me a while to forgive Lucas too. I wasn’t happy with him at first. I think it took him too long to look into what happened back then. If I found out that the girl I spent a spectacular couple of days with went to jail after being caught with stuff the authorities found in MY hotel room, I would have found something out within the hour. I felt like he sat on it too long.  His answers came far too long.

Holly: I’m glad Tasha held the grudge too. His betrayal was too big for her to give in too easily.

I wasn’t as bothered as you about how long it took him to get that information. He asked for it right away, which won him some points with me. I really hate it in romantic suspense (which this isn’t, but still) when dude has answers within the hour, especially in a situation like this. It isn’t realistic for an agent to get answers like that immediately.

He called the agent in charge right away and asked for the information, but he was out of town. It was even explained later why his boss didn’t get back to him right away. Once he had the information he acted on it immediately.

Rowena: Yeah, I guess I can see that.  I just wish that he had been more adamant about the answers since he had that hinky feeling. I wish he would have stormed his boss’s office to find out what really happened since ultimately, Tasha was in that jail because of him. I wanted him to be more proactive about his answers, I wanted more than just a phone call for some answers.

Holly: Well have to agree to disagree about that. I liked the realism of it. Sure, the fantasy of him hopping on a plane and demanding answers RIGHT NOW is great, but that isn’t something that would likely ever happen. Just like a murder investigation being solved in an hour on TV.

Rowena: It’s a romance novel, not someone’s real life story. I can let a little non-realism slide…especially something like that.

Holly: Romance novel or not, I prefer the realism in situations like this.

I did like Luc, though. After everything is explained I was rooting for him. Just, you know, I didn’t want it to be too easy for him.

Rowena: I liked Luc too and I think it was because I liked him, I had higher expectations for him. But still, I liked the chemistry between him and Tasha and overall, really liked their romance.

Holly: I liked the family dynamic. I appreciated that Luc felt unsure of his place in the family. That felt more real to me than if he’d just felt immediately settled into the fold.

Rowena: I’m right there with you about Luc’s insecurity of his place in the family. I liked seeing him unsure of himself as a person in the family, I liked seeing the difference between his father’s betrayal to him (the son that had nothing but good memories of his Dad) and his betrayal to the other brothers, Max and Jake. I liked seeing Luc come into his own where his new found family was concerned.

I thought Tasha was pretty kick ass. To be so young and doing what she’s always wanted to do, not letting anything come between her plans was pretty great. I didn’t like Tasha nearly as much in the other books as I did in this book but man, I think she’s my favorite heroine in the series.

Holly: I, too, thought Tash was pretty kickass. I loved her honesty and how hard she worked to achieve her goals. I thought it was great that all the kids thought she was the bomb, and how surprised she was about it.

What did you think of the secondary story of Jeremy and Peyton, the teenagers who worked for Tasha? I thought they were really cute. At times I was more interested in them.

Rowena: I think I liked Jeremy and Peyton’s romance more…mostly because I’ve been a Jeremy fan since the last book. He’s from the wrong side of the tracks and is trying to build a future for himself. It’s not easy and you see that. People didn’t trust him. Hell, even Tasha wasn’t really big on hiring him on because of his past. She took a chance on him for Max and Harper’s benefit and I liked that he was making good for himself. He was learning about himself and he was learning to rise above the shit card he’d been handed. From the last book to this one, you really see him grow as a person.  Seeing him get the girl in the end was a treat for me. I heart him and Peyton!

Holly: I don’t know that I liked the romance more, since the romance aspect was pretty light, but I definitely enjoyed their individual stories. I wouldn’t mind a novella about them in the future.

I didn’t love the wedding epilogue. That’s a personal preference. I really hate it when we get head hopping/scenes from characters from past books. I may have felt differently if I’d read the other books.

Rowena: As for the wedding epilogue, I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. I didn’t feel it was needed and I did read the other books.

Other than that, I thought this book was good. It was my favorite book of the three Razor Bay books.  I almost didn’t read it because I just wasn’t blown away by the other books in this series but I’m glad that I did. I enjoyed Tasha and Luc grew on me. I really liked him in the end.

What would you grade this book? I think I’d give it a solid 4. I really enjoyed this book and while I had some minor gripes with Luc’s handling of the Tasha in jail because of him thing, I still really liked this one.

Holly: I’d probably grade it a 4 as well. I liked both Luc and Tash, plus the secondary romance. I did have a few gripes, but nothing too serious.

Final Grade

Holly:     4 out of 5
Rowena: 4 out of 5

four-stars


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Review: Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen

Posted July 13, 2011 by Holly in Reviews | 5 Comments

Review: Playing Dirty by Susan AndersenReviewer: Holly
Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen
Series: Sisterhood Diaries #3
Also in this series: Cutting Loose, Bending the Rules
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: August 1st 2011
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

When old enemies are thrown together, all bets are off…

Way back in high school, golden boy Cade Gallari publicly revealed he'd slept with "fat girl" Ava Spencer to win a bet. Now a decade older and a head turner with her own concierge business, Ava isn't the gullible dreamer she once was— and she plans to prove it when Cade, hotter than ever, breezes back into town with an offer she can't refuse.

A documentary film producer, Cade is shooting a movie about the mysterious mansion Ava inherited. And he wants her as his personal concierge. She's certainly professional enough to be at his beck and call without giving him everything he wants. Like another shot at having her in his bed. But Ava doesn't count on Cade's determination. Because he's never gotten over her— and he's not above playing dirty to score a second chance at a red–hot future…

I can’t tell you how excited I was to finally read this book. I’ve been waiting years for it to be released. Thankfully it lived up to my expectations.

What Cade did to Ava in high school was pretty unforgivable. High school is such an emotional, trying time anyway – and Ava constantly felt fat and out of step with everyone else. Her mother really fed into that. So his betrayal was even more devastating..because for the first time in her life, she actually felt beautiful. To know it was nothing more than a cruel bet to him was almost more than she could handle. I really felt her pain. Not only on the day it happened, but in the years since, as she tried to overcome her low self-esteem and become comfortable in her body.

She has, for the most part. But she still has flashes of insecurity, especially after she speaks to her mother. That really worked against her and Cade as they tried to work through their past issues. It was hard to read sometimes, knowing how the past shaded everything in the present.

I like that Andersen didn’t shy away from that aspect of their relationship. Ava was hurt by Cade and that played a large part in their current story. They had chemistry in spades, but lust isn’t everything. They also came to care for each other, but love isn’t everything either. They both had to learn to forgive in order to move on from the past.

I really liked that Ava wasn’t a stick figure in the present day. She might have been overweight in high school, but now she’s a healthy size 12. Which is pretty awesome in a world full of size 2 heroines.

This is a sweet tale with a lot of emotional depth. They’re journey from past to present wasn’t always easy to read, but it was compelling. I couldn’t put it down.

4.5 out of 5

The Series:

Cutting Loose
Bending the Rules
Playing Dirty
This book is available from HQN. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

four-half-stars


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Lightning Review: Just for Kicks by Susan Andersen

Posted September 16, 2010 by Holly in Reviews | 2 Comments

Lightning Review: Just for Kicks by Susan AndersenReviewer: Holly
Just for Kicks by Susan Andersen
Series: Vegas Showgirls #2
Also in this series: Just for Kicks, Skintight

Publication Date: May 1st 2011
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 384
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Las Vegas showgirl Carly Jacobsen keeps learning the hard way that her idea of fun differs radically from that of her neighbor Wolfgang Jones. Sure, he looks incredible, and he seems to have a thing for her legs, but the man's a robot. So what's with their chemistry?

Wolf has a plan for his life, and it doesn't include finding himself tempted by the freewheeling Carly…mile-high legs or not. Yet in a moment of weakness, the two discover at least one area where they do both have fun. But outside the bedroom the stakes are getting higher, and love might come down to a roll of the dice…

 

I’ve been a Susan Andersen Fangirl for awhile now. Her books are pretty light and fluffy, but they’re entertaining and they make me happy. Just For Kicks is no exception.

Carly Jacobsen has hit a dry spell in her love life, her newest dog won’t calm down and her new neighbor, the sexy security guard from her work, Wolfgang Jones, rubs her the wrong way. Wolf is just biding his time, gaining work experience before making a move to another state as a head security honcho and keeping a tight rein on his emotions. He doesn’t want to be known as one of the Wild Jones’.

But when his parents show up and tell him they’re leaving his 16-year-old nephew with him while then move – yet again – to Germany, he has a hard time adjusting. Especially since his neighbors dog irritates him and he’s fighting an attraction to her (the neighbor, not the dog). Of course, they end up kissing in the hall, and then battling back the attraction, while the sneaky 16-year-old tries to hook them up.

This was a cute story. I love that with SA the focus of her stories are the couple, not the plot. There’s a minor plot here with a stalker guy who’s after Carly, but it takes a backseat to the story of Carly and Wolf, which is refreshing. Watching Wolf come undone and Carly settle down was nice. And I liked the nephew, too.

I’m giving this one a 4 out of 5. It’s a light read, but good.

The series:

Skintight (Hqn)Book Cover

This book is available from Mira. You can buy it here.

four-stars


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Review: Skintight by Susan Andersen

Posted September 15, 2010 by Holly in Reviews | 2 Comments

Review: Skintight by Susan AndersenReviewer: Holly
Skintight by Susan Andersen
Series: Vegas Showgirls #1
Also in this series: Just for Kicks, Just for Kicks

Publication Date: June 1st 2010
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Professional poker player Jax Gallagher should have known better than to wager a World Series baseball that wasn't his to lose. Now the man who won the collectible is demanding his prize…or else. Trouble is, the ball is owned by his estranged father's widow—a flamboyant Las Vegas showgirl. Jax will do whatever it takes to get it back.

Yet Treena McCall is anything but the ruthless gold digger Jax expects. She's built a life for herself filled with good friends and hard work. And she's got enough on her plate trying to hang on to her job as a dancer without being wined, dined and seduced by sexy Jax Gallagher….

 

Skintight is the first book in Susan Andersen‘s Showgirls series. I wasn’t sure what to think when I started it. Not only is the heroine a Vegas Showgirl (the kind who dances without a top), but she’s also the hero’s stepmother. Creepy, right? Except..it works.I’ve always enjoyed Susan Andersen’s novels. I think she excels at writing fun, witty characters who deal with serious issues in a wonderfully warm way.This book is no exception.

Jax is a professional poker player who got drunk the night he found out his father was dead and bet the most valuable thing he doesn’t own – a signed world-series baseball. He tried to buy it outright from his father’s widow, but she wouldn’t sell. Now he has to figure out a way to get close enough to her to get the ball before the crazy Russian Elvis Impersonator he lost it too breaks his knee caps – or worse.

Treena is pretty much drowning in debt after taking time off to nurse her sick husband. Now she’s struggling to get back in shape for auditions for the next season of shows so she can replenish her savings. Her dream is to open a dance studio, and she was well on her way to having the down payment she needed, but she drained her savings to pay for her husband’s health care. She’d love nothing more than to sell his prized possession – an autographed baseball – but she promised she’d save it for his estranged son, Jackson.

When she meets Jax, the last thing on her mind is love. But the more time they spend together, the more she’s willing to risk it. Until Jax’s secret it revealed and it threatens to ruin them both.

I loved Jax. I have to get that out of the way right now. A professional poker player isn’t really my idea of hero material, but Andersen proved it’s just as sexy as a firefighter or cop. Jax was awesome. He was strong, caring and tough, but also vulnerable and in need of someone to care for him. He wasn’t irresponsible normally, so his feelings of guilt over losing the baseball made him that much more lovable. At first he thinks Treena is just a gold digger who married his dad for money, but the more time he spends with her the more he realizes that isn’t the case. It was great that he had to readjust his thinking about her.

I really liked Treena, too. She was a down-to-earth woman who just wanted to have a secure future. She didn’t think she needed a man for that, either, which was refreshing. I liked that her profession was something outside the box. I think Andersen did a credible job of showing us the demands of being a dancer, and also how respectable it is. Yes she danced topless, but it wasn’t a dirty stripper-like show.

Her reasons for marrying Jax’s dad seemed murky, though. If she didn’t need a man to make her future secure, why did she marry a man twice her age without having a passionate relationship with him (they were never intimate – he wasn’t able to)? It was kind of alluded to that she had a strained relationship with her parents and he acted as a father-figure for her, but it didn’t make sense to me that they had to marry to have that kind of relationship.

I didn’t like that Jax kept his reasons for seeking her out a secret. When he thought she was just a gold digger I kind of understood it, but he realizes pretty early on that he was wrong about her, so I’m not sure why he didn’t come clean.

I loved the two of them together though. It was sweet how they interacted. There was also some great humor laced throughout.

I really liked the secondary romance between an older couple that lives in Treena’s building. It was sweet and cute. I also liked the other secondary characters.

This is a great light read if you’re in the mood for something fun and fast.

4 out of 5

The series:

Skintight (Hqn)Book Cover

This book is available from Mira. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

four-stars


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Author Spotlight Review: Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen

Posted November 11, 2009 by Holly in Features, Reviews | 7 Comments

Author Spotlight Review: Bending the Rules by Susan AndersenReviewer: Holly
Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen
Series: Sisterhood Diaries #2
Also in this series: Cutting Loose, Playing Dirty

Publication Date: July 1st 2009
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Tall, dark and intense, Detective Jason de Sanges excites all kinds of fantasies in Poppy Calloway. But when she suggests the three teens caught spray-painting a Seattle neighborhood be given art-related community service and he just wants to see them pay—all bets are off.
With the men in his family always in and out of the slammer, Jase was raised in foster care. He knows what it takes to walk the line. And his number one self-imposed rule? Avoid his hunger for sexy, irresistible Poppy, who challenges him on everything. But it's a vow that's getting harder and harder to keep.…

 

 

I really enjoyed this book overall, but the hero annoyed me quite a bit in the beginning.

Because his father and brother are “bad guys” who’ve spent more time in jail than out of it, he figures he’s a bad seed too. At first I understood he had bad impulses, but as the story progressed I became increasingly annoyed with him. For more than 15 years he’d been on the straight and narrow. Seems like he should have given up on being an idiot long before he did.

I real…more The premise of the trilogy: Poppy, Ava and Jane are best friends. When they were young girls they befriended Agnes Wolcott, a rich old eccentric widow. When she passed away she left her mansion and all her collections (of which there were many) to the girls, with instructions on which ones to sell, which ones to keep and what to do with the mansion in the meantime. Each keeps a diary and the beginning of each chapter features an excerpt from them. I really liked that.

I wasn’t sure what I would think of this novel going into it, because I didn’t love Poppy in the previous book. I didn’t dislike her, I just didn’t love her. As it happens, she turned out to be a wonderful heroine. I really enjoyed this book overall, but the hero annoyed me quite a bit in the beginning.

Because his father and brother are “bad guys” who’ve spent more time in jail than out of it, Jase figures he’s a bad seed too. Especially based on some things he did in his misspent youth and the thoughts he often has now. At first I understood he had bad impulses, but as the story progressed I became increasingly annoyed with him. For more than 15 years he’d been on the straight and narrow. Seems like he should have given it up and stopped being an idiot long before he did.

I really liked Poppy. Her overall attitude was a good one and I like that though she tended toward being flighty, she wasn’t really. Although she was what many would consider a do-gooder, it wasn’t annoying in the least. She truly cared about the kids in her programs, and though her profession is an unconventional one, she made it work. Often characters who are artistic are written in an over-the-top way, but Poppy wasn’t. She was just a down-home girl who was passionate about her work. Her character was well written.

I liked Jase and Poppy together. Because Jase never experienced any kind of family life growing up, he really cherished the little things about his time with Poppy. Even though I was annoyed with him for most of the book, I couldn’t deny his appeal, or the attraction he and Poppy shared. They just clicked.

I loved the relationship between Poppy and her girlfriends. That was once again my favorite part of the novel. They acted like true friends do, calling each other out over silly things, supporting one another, and generally just being there – whether it be with tough love or understanding. Too often I think female relationships are talked about rather than shown, but that wasn’t the case here. We saw what great friends they were, we weren’t just told.

I also enjoyed the other secondary characters, especially the kids Jase and Poppy were working with. Andersen really excels at writing young characters, IMO. She seems to find the perfect balance between youth and maturity, especially considering their backgrounds.

It must be mentioned (again) how pissed I am that we won’t getting Ava’s book. So infuriating.

4 out of 5

The Series:

Cutting Loose
Bending the Rules
Playing Dirty

Book CoverBook Cover

This book is available from HQN. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

four-stars


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