| Title | : | Shane (Mallick Brothers, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 250 |
| Publication | : | First published September 10, 2016 |
And "trouble" was exactly what Shane freaking Mallick was. Knee-cap breaker, loan shark enforcer, panty-dropper. Trouble with a capital T.
And the absolute last thing I needed in my life...
* For possible triggers, please visit: http://www.jessicagadziala.com/trigge...
Shane (Mallick Brothers, #1) Reviews
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Cute.
Review later. -
IT'S LIVE!
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Amazon US*
Amazon UK*
I had high expectations for this book. But they weren't met. Oh no, they were surpassed! I knew this book would be nothing but the best, and I was right, I just didn't think it would be this good or that Shane and Lea would take me on such a journey. I'm pretty sure I've been excited for Shane's story sine I first heard his name in Reign and I could just kiss Jessica for going back to write his story. And now I have the rest of the Mallick's stories to look forward to!
The Mallick's are not your typical family. They're a family of loan sharks, each with their own personal set of skills. Shane is the enforcer of the group, when you owe his dad money, even after Shane's brothers have tried to get it out of you, you definitely want to pay before Shane gets to you. And after he's done with you and you still don't pay, well you'll really be sorry then.
Lea is used to being on her own and having no one step forward to help her. Now that she's finally left her past behind she has a plan to just lay low, get a job and food on her table, and move on. But then she meets Shane. Sexy as hell, want to lick him from head to toe, Shane. She really shouldn't get involved with him, especially not when she learns what his real job is...but damn if she can stay away.
I seriously loved all of these characters, especially Shane in all his sexiness. He had that bad boy swagger thing going on, but he also had a sweet side that was evident whenever he was around Lea. It was fun to see him go from a tough, badd ass, man to a man making my heart go all gooey as he's cute with his girl and worrying about her.
It was interesting how when we got to see all these characters we already know in this book, like Reign or Breaker, it was at a time when their stories actually haven't happened yet. It made me want to go back and re-read all of their stories again, so I see that happening sometime very soon.
Bottom line, all of the Navesink Bank books are fantastic and I will never stop saying that. This town that thrives off of crime is a enthralling one, and I can't wait to see what else Jessica Gadziala will deliver from it.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review. -
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a cute, pretty easy read for me. Is it going to be on my favorites list and one that I'll always remember? Probably not. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it either. I'm not even sure I know exactly what it was that didn't push it over into the "loving it" category. I liked the characters, I enjoyed their banter, it was fun seeing some characters from previous books, and I loved the epilogue....I guess I just felt something else was missing and I'm not sure what. Regardless -- I have come to appreciate this author and her storytelling skills, so I will continue to read her future works :)
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lea and Shane's story. Lea is on the run from an abusive ex, and she needs a job stat. She ends up working as a phone sex operator, and for some extra cash she offers to help Shane out. They are instantly attracted and feel a strong pull towards one another, so once they keep on bumping into each other they give in to their attraction. There are some sexy times, some ex drama for Lea, and some sweet moments...and they get a HEA.
POV: This alternated between Lea and Shane's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I read it quick, I never skimmed, and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of. They have an instant connection, and things move pretty fast for them. I didn't feel like the strong feelings were unjustified though.
H rating: 4 stars. Shane. I liked him. He was hot, alpha, and really cared for the h. He was a jerk at one point, but I felt like he made up for it by being upfront about his feelings for the h.
h rating: 4.5 stars. Lea. She was pretty bad ass, independent, and sweet on the inside. I really liked her!
Sadness level: Low. No tissues needed.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Moderate. They have some hot chemistry and scenes.
Descriptive sex: Yes.
Safe sex: Yes. Condoms are mentioned. I don't remember any mention of past practices.
OW/OM drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had great closure with a HEA ending.
How I got it: It was part of my kindle unlimited subscription.
Safety: I'd call this Safe for most readers. -
I want my very own Mallick brother! (but don't tell the hubby :-p) Shane is so darn sexy. I was definitely intrigued by his cameos in the other books in the series and wanted to know more. I was not disappointed <3 Lea was interesting herself. She comes with a past, as many of our heroines in this series do, but is snarky and fun. She goes through a stage that made me want slap some sense into her, but thankfully recovers. Their intimate moments are incredibly erotic yet they are tempered with a bit of sweet. It's awesome to see a softer Shane. What I like most about the Navesink Bank characters is that they are unapologetically flawed. They will do whatever it takes to protect their own. The Mallick family is in a class of their own. They have this magical balance between a kick in the ass and the nurturing and support you need. Sometimes both at the same time. You really have to read this to know what I mean lol I'm dying to read more. Jessica Gadziala really has a gift for writing. Safety: No others for the MCs. Ex drama. Yes to rape and abuse.
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*ARC provided by the author for an honest review*
I m in luv with this family
I 've been dyin for Shane's book for so long an I just fell for him straight away I luv a hot strong tattooed guy an Shane just fit that so good the Mallick's r a very close family an I think I fell for al of them in this book I just luv Charlie there dad he is cute if I could actually call him that haha but they r so bad ass I just luv them they r al so different in some ways but the some r the same but Shane is one of the more out goin brothers he wins the gym an if his Dad needs help with people who owe money Shane would b the one who goes when there still not handing over after a few warnings like I said family means so much to Shane an his brothers
Lea is a strong girl an as had a crappy few years an she has had to go an leave everything she as had an luvd behind she didn't have much money so she had to get a job an an get a cheap place to stay when she went for a interview as a late nite phone operator it wasn't her ideal job but she would do it for the money an it was good her boss was Fee Mallick her hubby is Hunter an he is just as sexy but they r al sexy so this is how Lea meet Shane an as soon as she seen him she liked what she was looking at
Shane an Lea's relationship doesn't come easy to bother of them but it's a lot harder for Lea with her past an Shane doesn't really do relationships but he wants it with Lea there is something about her that he just as to have but she secrets sometimes get in the way Shane is protective an the feelings he is getting for her makes him want to protect her an he won't let anyone get in the way
This book is just brilliant like I said I 've been dyin for this book for ages an I just luvd it everything about this book was great the characters the story an I dyin for more of this series an my of the Mallick's I m dyin to read of Fee an Hunter got together so I 'll b reading that soon I highly recommend this book I just could get enough xxx
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3.5 Stars
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Good read, but not my favorite by this author.
The heroine irritated me the whole time, the hero was meh-to-ok.
I didn't dislike them, but I also didn't like them.
Nothing really positive about their characters. He was a loan enforcer, not a job I respect. Well, he didn't harm women and children, but he also didn't make a difference in this world.
He wasn't a really bad guy, he fought bullies, he helped the others; but then he beat people for living, hmm...
But his mother -f*ck me sideways- badass woman!
Cute epilogue. -
4 "mother fuckin Shane" stars
Damn, I really fuckin liked this guy...
The story was okay but the main character topped like every single high point in this book!
He is the highlight, and the very essence of this crime/action/suspense romance drama!
Moving on to the next Mallick brother *wink*
Yeah, there are actually 5 of them...enough for each of us in a little/big girl's league, dont you think?😂
Damn, this was intertaining, steamy hawt and absolutely high on a full tattooed hunk of a dominant straight forward hardass, badass enforcer alpha!
Hawt damn... -
"4 Mr and Mrs Mallick stars"
I would like to start this review by saying that the Mallick family was misunderstood from the previous books that they were mentioned, at least from me!
So I would like to apologize for judging this great, loyal and strong family with badasses men and even stronger women...
Ok now that I got that out of my chest I feel so much better, and ready to share my love for Shane with my lovely friends!
This book was pretty pretty great for me. I enjoyed every second of it and tried hard to make it last as long as possible, you know to savor every word, every sentence...ok so you get the drift and eventually I had to finish it because some crazy shit was going on!
Shane Mallick was amazing, wonderful, hot, possessive, loyal and a BadAss!!!He knew what he wanted and he went for it with no care in the world.That is a HOT man my friends! GO Shane!!!
Lea was great, smart, open minded, sassy and HORNY!She had her skeletons from the past so she tried to stay away from people because you never know when you have to run and leave everything behind...
These two together were fire and gasoline ready to explode and set everything on fire...Shane was intrigued by Lea and how strong she was.He pursued her and got the biggest NO known to man kind!That was a first for Shane and didn't sit well with him, but he didn't give up.
I really enjoyed this reading. It was refreshing with some hot, funny moments. I also liked their family gathering and messing around. Some great future heroes are coming up....
Shane and Lea had the hottest, dirtiest, with steamy and rough scenes that had you pressing your thighs together...
Just warning you....
There was a lot of this...
Can't wait for the rest of the Mallick brothers...
Thanks Jessica for this lovely book!
Enjoy!xxx -
3.5-4 stars!!!
This was cute and quick read. I liked Shane and Lea, their chemistry was good but not overflowing. Kinda expected this to be darker, but it was light. This was a bit cliched, but still managed to be interesting and fun.
I'm not surprised that I'm hooked with the rest of the Mallick brothers. Can't wait to read the rest of their stories. -
Shane
By Jessica Gadziala
Shane is the enforcer of the family-Lea is running from her pass. These two have an instant chemistry that is Very Hot
I love this Jessica Gadziala & her writing. I really enjoyed this book. While I wasn't wild about Lea attitude at times, but once you found out what happen in her pass- you could be more sympathetic to her attitude
I did love Shane & his family. God how I cannot wait to read more about the Mallick”s Brothers. I believe Eli book is next
We also got special guests appearance by few characters that we love.
Remember Jessica said this book would be around Alex & Breaker book.
I know now that I want go back & read "For A Good Time, Call..." – so I can learn more about Hunter & Lea
I really don’t wanna tell you much more about this book, cuz you need to read it to truly experience it. No explanation will justify this book
Bottom line, you need to read this book -
***FIVE STARS***
Jessica blew me away with Shane's story. Just amazing. Lea was a real fire cracker. Gorgeous to the nines, fun as hell, with a bit of a smartass streak to her. But she also has a torturous past that she's trying her hardest to leave behind her and overcome.
Shane's the epitome of manly perfection. He's gorgeous, he emits sexual prowess, and he loves the ladies. He's not a one woman man though, until he meets Lea, and decides to make her his. Once Lea gets a taste of Shane, she cannot help but start to fall for him. He's sexy as hell and after time with him, he completely crumbles her resolve of never trusting men again.
Shane and Lea perfectly compliment each other. Because of Lea's brutal background she easily assimilated into Shane's life without fear, even the harsher side of his (family) business. Where Lea's trust had been obliterated in the past, Shane completely becomes her strength, and Lea finds it in herself to trust a man again. I absolutely adored watching these two slowly fall for each other. It was beautiful.
And the sex between these two (when Lea finally allowed it to happen between them) was scorching hot.
It was SO good to see Fee again. I adored For a Good Time Call, and Fee played an integral character in this story as well. She's her classic wise ass personality, but loyal to those she takes under her wing. I loved every scene she had in this story! I also adored all of Shane's family. The closeness and the bond they all shared, and the loyalty they all felt for each other was priceless. I was envious indeed. Everybody would love to have that kind of a family.
As always, it was so enjoyable seeing Paine, Shooter and Reign cameo in this story. I love that little “Aha!” feeling I get whenever I get to see people I know from JG's other stories. It's kind of like getting to see family members again after a long time away from them. And the Mallick boys are a power to be reckoned with in this story. I'm stoked to read their own stories when they come out. -
I was really enjoying this read - what's not to like in a hot alpha male, a strong and sassy heroine, a woman on the run, strong family bonds, brilliant side characters that I need to read more about, secrets ....
Yep, I really was loving this. Then my heroine, the strong and sassy one, pulls the mother of all TSTL moves at 85% when she thinks she's a Rambo-ette and I lost interest and finished the book just to see which of the brothers is getting their book next. It looks like it could be Eli, let's hope his heroine has no shit for brains moments.
3.25 stars. -
Yes! Yes! Yes! I fucking LOVE Shane!!!
I have fallen in love with every single man JG has written about but Shane is def in my top 3 so far!
I knew of him and Lea from early on in the Henchman and Savage books and, like always, I was so excited to get to know their history.
Lea is running from her past and desperate to hold on to her secret and Shane just happens to be in the right place at the right time. They have an instant chemistry that is toe curling hot.
Lea was total perfection-she didn't take shit from anyone, fiercely independent with a mouth like a sailor. Shane knew how to put her in her place without demeaning her or making her feel threatened. The only thing Lea had to fear with Shane was losing her heart.
Their back and forth was fantastic, they didn't fight the attraction and the book was mostly drama free. Like with JG other books, the pages turned easy for me. She writes in a way that leaves me happy and content, not too angsty, dark or emotional and just enough heat to scorch my Kindle.
I'm truly giddy with joy, this book really made me warm and fuzzy!!!
Thank you JG for my ARC!!!! -
It's been a while since I've read a book from this author and I've gotta say... it's good to be back!
Shane gave me:
✓ an uber-delicious alpha hero
✓ an amazing cast of supportive characters
✓ an intricate web of organized crime in Navesink
Shane's father is a loanshark and he and his brothers are enforcers. They have a system that's worked all of their lives and business is fantastic. Life is good. And when Lea shows up in their lives, she fits in like she's always been there. But there's something Lea is hiding - a past that is very much present. In the end, Shane proves just what he's willing to do to make sure his woman is safe."Whose opinion could possibly matter more than my own? If you try to bend yourself to fit other peoples’ molds, you realize real fast that it’s not possible to please everyone. So I do what I want; I talk how I want; I live how I want."
✓ loved loved loved loved loved Shane
✓ didn't much care for Lea
✓ I can't wait to find out more about the brothers
✓ their parents are amazing
I've learned that there's a reading order to this Navesink world (thanks
Paulette ❤) and while I'd love to do this properly, I'm already set to read Ryan. I guess I'll just read the books in order of series, not world. Who knows? If you love stories full of suspense and romance and great characters and family, you'll love this one! -
Another good installment. I liked how strong Leah was. I do kinda wonder about her name not being changed or what it was supposed to be. just a weird thing nagging me since she was on the run. Shane was a good hero. Not romantic in the typically sweet way but when he did show it you had to pay close attention to the words hidden in his actions and the meaning behind everything he did. I wish he was more possessive, I don't like that the heroine
I like my jealous heroes.. not ott stupid but a little.. that's my woman I don't like men involved in anyway with her. lol
but Jessica adds so many other facets to these books that suck you in and it's just so good. I absolutely love the familial bonds. I think Reign was still single here. I kinda was like are you serious? What an ironic twist on his future and how he found his woman.. I read out of order so it stood out.
Safe with exception
no ow or om (just heroines job) -
Not your typical All-American family, the Mallicks are still, undeniably gifted with god-like genes and family loyalty. The Mallicks are loan sharks, and Shane Mallick is about the LAST Mallick you want knocking down your door to collect.
Lea is strong, independent and trying desperately to leave her past behind. She is used to having no one to count on to catch her if she falls and men were creatures to be trusted. And then she meets Shane, broad-shouldered, brooding, and he represents everything she should run from, and fast, very fast, but that gorgeous face, the bad boy swagger and that hidden gentle side holds her captive, lock, stock and heart.
Lea does something to Shane, something he has never felt before and he will do anything to keep her safe, make her happy and be able to witness her sassy attitude and hear her razor-sharp banter. Can you say, trapped like rat in love? Turn on the fans, grab the ice water, and prepare to have these two raise the romance-o-meter several degrees!
If you think this sounds like something Jessica Gadziala would write, with anti-heroes, characters that make their own rules and are not afraid to police and protect their territory, you’re right. Shane is a man with a job to do, but his heart is getting in the way and he becomes about as tough as a teddy bear where Lea is concerned!
Once again, with her usual no nonsense, straightforward and bold style, Jessica Gadziala makes every woman want a bad boy, no matter how dangerous it can be! Take a walk on the wild side, with this latest tale from Jessica Gadziala! It's okay if it makes you a cougar. You won’t be sorry!
I received an ARC from Jessica Gadziala in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Mallick Brothers - Book 1
Publication Date: September 10, 2016
Publisher: Jessica Gadziala
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 235 pages
Available from:
Amazon
For Reviews & More:
http://tometender.blogspot.com
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-- Loved Shane.
-- Couldn't stand Lea.
-- Loved all the brothers and secondary characters.
-- Really want to know if Luca has a book of his own?
-- Enjoyed it overall.
-- Moving on to book two.
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You know what: It's final. This author can't write a male character that I can hate. Ever.
There's not a single, I mean a single man that she hasn't written perfectly. Female characters, sure, I haven't liked one or two but a man in her books? Fucking perfect.
Also, the story picked up a good pace in the latter part but the ending felt too rushed.
But apart from that I liked it enough to read further (and because I want to read Eli's story which just so happens to be the last among the brothers, not that I mind). -
3.5 - 4 stars
I liked this one because of the KA vibe. While it had it's gritty and rough moments, it was an otherwise cute romance between a non-committal H and a h running from her past and an abusive, psychotic ex. H was pretty awesome and I want to read more of the series and the series with the MC. I can't believe I picked this one up for free - SCORE!!!! -
I absolutely loved “For a Good Time Call” and “Dissent” by this author, and when we were introduced to the Mallick Brothers in that series, I became invested in the family. I absolutely loved this book!
The author writes such dynamic and bad a$$ heroines, and I genuinely loved Lea and her story. This book is suspenseful and romantic and there’s humour. It’s brilliant!
There are some triggers, but this isn’t quite as dark as the other two books I’ve read by her.
Trigger warnings:
HEA? -
I loved Shane! The book and the man.
If I was forced at gunpoint to have to choose to marry one of Jessica Gadziala’s male heros I would probably be shot because it would take me too long to choose. Most likely I would end up screaming out Shane’s name at the last minute because he is … well, he’s Shane.
Shane is the poster boy of tall, dark, and handsome. Though he is all man, extremely protective, hottie badass, and the enforcer in a large family of loan sharks. I absolutely fell in love with the Mallick family! Though they make their money from underground dealings, that doesn’t matter so much as they’re tough guys with heart, close knit, love for each other absolves their unconventional ways.
As Shane is our heartbreakingly handsome but lovable tough guy and of course I loved him, I also really loved Lea. She is very likeable, strong and independent trying to get herself out of a situation. I have said this before in other reviews about Jessica’s books but I’m gonna say it again...Jessica has a very amazing ability to write unique and likeable characters and Shane and Lea are no different. I especially love how Jessica’s female characters never act like silly damsels in distress, though they may have emotional moments they are strong in spirit and woman you would want to get to know. Lea is the kind of chick I would hang with.
I loved Shane and Lea together and really looking forward to reading more about the Mallick family! -
Once again, I have enjoyed another book by this author! This is the beginning of the "Mallick Brothers series" and I have to say it holds a lot of promise. On top of all the black haired, blue eyed studs that are the Mallick brothers, we get glimpses of the Henchmen MC's from Jessica's other series. They all exist in the same town; but it is two different series! The Mallick Bro's aren't from an MC, they are Loan Sharks...not sure if that is the right terms...basically their father loans money to people, and if it isn't paid back within the allotted time, then the Bro's come a calling! Each bro has a different job within the family business. Shane's job is to beat the person who hasn't paid when he was supposed to.
Needless to say, these guys are not "good guys." They are more like bad boys who have good in them; but they live just on the other side of the law...Just how we seem to like our heroes lately! As long as they treat their women well, then I am happy!!! LOL
In this story, Shane meets his match when he comes across a lady who is starting to work as a phone sex operator within Shane's sisters business.
I loved the family dynamics in this new series. I can't wait to read the other brothers books as they come out! I still maintain that as long as Jessica keeps writing, I will keep reading. I love her alpha males, they all have a tough outer shell; but when it comes to their women...they love hard.
I can't wait for Ryan's book; which I'm reading next!!! -
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Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Lea): 2/5
Hero (Shane): 3/5
Plot: 2/5
Grovel: none
Cheating: none
HEA: yes with cute babies
Triggers: h had a fucked up childhood, h was raped multiple times by her abusive ex (no explicit details)
Average score: 2.5/5
Best Line: “I wasn’t raising boys,” Helen said with an unapologetic shrug. “I was raising men. Men who would become husbands and fathers one day. No woman wants to marry a man who can’t stick to boundaries. And no father can do a good job if he doesn’t learn about laying down the law.”
Worst Line: “I stayed…”
Personal Review:
This romance had a great start but had a fairly lacklustre middle and ending. The epilogue with the kids was great though.
Random Ramblings
•Again, thanks to the author for the list of triggers on her website
•I am in love with Helen!!
•I have to say, I was a little disappointed that Shane owned the property but pleased when he fixed it up for her
•I enjoyed the family banter
•I am not ashamed to say that I judge people who stay in abusive relationships – the h disappointed me with this considering she was always talking about how strong and independent she was
Overall Feeling:
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& 1/2 stars easily!
So what I'm saying is, this shit with you and me? I'm in."
Oh, Shane - stop with all your flowery prose.
I have an unhealthy love for anti-heroes. Clearly you have it, too, or you wouldn't be looking at books like this. Shane is that in all it's violent, vengeful, rough, growly, foul-mouthed, dirty talking goodness. He is also a family man, a protector, a good brother, a business man, and a good dresser. He's really practical, too, and not as OTT jealous as some of these guys can get. Delicious.
Lea. She's got a pretty messed up past. She's been abused, she's got someone after her, hurting the people she cares about. Ok - side note. The people she cares about suck ass. Anyway, so despite all the bad in her life, she's a sensible, hard working, suck-it-up-buttercup-and-grab-life-by-the-balls heroine that I just adored. She didn't sit back and lick her wounds and let Shane handle her life for her - and she totally could have. He was absolutely the provider type. But she faced up to her problems when the time came, she didn't do that stupid thing that some heroines do when shit hits the fan. You know, when they try to sneak off, lie and act TSTL to "protect" the new people they love, and because of their crap plan they end up dragging everyone into their problem and putting all the people at risk? That stupid thing. She doesn't do any of that. She's honest. She's up front. She's a big girl. I loved her. I slept, ate, showered, shopped, I everything'd alone. It was nice to be around people."
The Mallicks & Fee. What a cool family. I loved Helen & Charlie, and all Shane's brothers. Obvs, because yum. Is Eli getting a story? I so want to know more about him! But I loved the underlying family vibe to this story - their loyalty, their support of one another, their love for Fee & Hunter's babies. Also, you know, they kick ass.
And hello my beautiful Henchmen!I have an unhealthy obsession withI've read everything in Ms Gadziala's Henchmen MC series, and Shane obviously fits into the Navesink Bank universe somewhere back before Reign and all his fine ass brotherhood met their women. So it was amazing to even get a glimpse of them way back in the day. Except that bit where Reign is going to give Lea a ride home. I was so pissed for Summer when that happened - luckily, Summer didn't actually exist yet. Whatever. I already warned you my obsession isn't healthy.
This story deals with rape. That's not exactly something I love in a story, but I did love the way it was handled, and that it wasn't in my face. I wasn't in the mood to see that all play out, and I'm grateful that Ms Gadziala didn't put me through that.
Lea's treatment of the waitress. Why did that bother me so much? The waitress was a bit of a dick, but I just felt like Lea bullied her by calling her out in front of the whole family.
Lea's loved ones, pre-Mallick family. Not sure if this is a spoiler so what the hell
I don't want to book-curse myself, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to love this series. Shane's story is such an awesome start!
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I liked this story but didn't love it. Shane freaking Mallick was appealing, though.
This is a great story if you're looking for romance with a scant amount of dark content, but mostly this is a fluffy read with a Kristen-Ashley vibe. If you're looking for a dark hero and a story riddled with action and darkness, then this book will not satisfy that need. It's a fairly predictable read: boy meets girl, boy pursues girl hard and girl gives in, they have sex, boy initiates exclusive relationship status, boy fixes girl's problems.
This book was underwhelming until the 70% mark, then the pace of the story picks up a bit. I had a hard time picturing the Mallicks as tough and hardcore, but the author has a way of making secondary characters shine.
What's hilarious about this book is how NOT covert all of the criminals are! It's a reoccurring theme throughout the Henchmen MC and Savages series and it knocks the reality of the stories down a few notches. All of the criminals know each other (naturally) but then they also air each other's dirty laundry. They tell on themselves all the day long, too. For example, Barney states in one scene:
“Now, I’ve made fake IDs for every kid in this area. And I’ve made passports to get crime lords out of the country before they get hauled off to jail.”
There are no secrets about the town's criminal rings and Lea (the heroine) is immediately brought up to speed when she becomes tight with Fiona. The men from the Henchmen series make an appearance in this book but you don't have to read that series in order to dive into this one. Fiona's euphemisms for sex were cute and silly at the beginning and it was nice to see Shooter make an appearance in this story. Ultimately, my favorite part of this book was the epilogue. Favorite line spoken by Shane freaking Mallick to Lea:
“You have fun faking orgasms all night. When I get home, I’ll give you real ones.” -
I can’t believe it took me this long to read about the Mallick brothers. Shane is absolutely yummy and doesn’t allow Lea to push him away. He just knows there’s something special about her. Lea was a bit feisty and standoffish in the beginning (and middle), but she had good reason. Heroines like this can be iffy for me but I truly ended up loving her. Throw in the amazing secondary characters, whose stories I can’t wait to read and this book had me flipping the pages until it was over. I will also say that this author writes awesome epilogues that let us see how the future pans out for the couple without spoiling other books in the series. It can be done.
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#KUBinge
Gah! These reviews will be short and sweet as I can't wait to dive into Reign! After reading The Woman With The Ring I decided to go on a Jessica Gadziala binge and started with Shane!
Shane and Lea were amazing. Sexy, steamy with an emotional twist that hit me right in the feels. I loved meeting the Mallick men and how protective each of them were. I loved this story and can't wait for more! I am obsessed! 4 stars! ~Ratula -
It's been so long since I had a BBF you'd think I was a virgin.
And a 5 star read too. Swoon.
This was so good, it was like one of those unbelievable NA scenes where the 18yo h has her cherry popped by a 20yo manho and she comes like 5 times in the process. But here, the characters are unexpectedly awesome...and he still delivers on the 5. Sigh.
Ladies, the yummy that is Shane:
"I fought the urge to sigh, to let her know that those words, however innocent she may have intended them to be, had a lot deeper meaning than she realized. Because women you were interested in, who you were dating, when you brought them back to your place, went down on them, fucked them, fed them, then slept with them, yeah…they didn’t fucking 'thank you for letting them crash'. Whether she was aware of it or not, that was her guard slowly going back up."
“Stop,” I said, shaking my head. “This hasn’t been casual and you know it. It’s more. I might have been a little slow at realizing it at first myself too, but Lea…I fucking built a fence and installed a security door for you. I barely fucking knew you but I wanted you to be safe. Now, I’m not romantic. I won’t be writing you poetry or sending you sappy texts or shit like that. That’s not me. But I’ll show you I give a shit in my own ways: keeping you safe, making sure you have what you need, fucking you until you can’t see straight. That’s what I have to offer you. Take it, leave it, that’s your decision. But don’t call this casual because there is nothing casual about it.”
Yeah...I want one too.
Does anyone have a catalog of men like this I can order from?
Seriously. There's money to be made in that shit.
I might even buy the Colton King version, too. He sure the fuck better get his own book, Ms. G. My mind cannot process a reading life without him.
I even liked the h. A lot. And for those that love her...Fiona is back. Another kickass heroine from Gadziala. Sigh. I want those two for my besties. (Yes, Zo, you're still my favorite IRL bestie.)
The push-pull here is well tensioned. She's damaged, on the run, and prickly. He's rough, an enforcer, and a protector. The "plot" is secondary to the romance and that's ok cuz the book delivered on that alone. Or maybe cuz it didn't really kick in until the 70% mark. I think I just read this at the right time for me. It was definitely in the top 10% of novels I've read in the last few months. Or maybe it's cuz Ms. G writes my kind of men ;)
Jesus, I did it again.
I fan-girled.
I hate that shit.
Oh, and SG Ladies, this is totally safe. I know, right? Fucking swoon, right there. The H is hooked from the beginning, but it's not insta. No sex with OW/OM. Some OM ex drama that the H takes care of for the h. -
5 STARS AREN'T ENOUGH!!
Dirty, sexy, meaningful, heartfelt, passionate and exciting with yet another perfect Alpha male and strong female lead, just the way I love it!!
I wasn't ready for this one to end, it was awesome and all but unputdownable, I devoured it!
Jessica's books are never overwritten, there are no rambling passages or incoherent Alphas, they're well paced and executed - completely drop everything reads for me.
It honestly made my day a happier one curling up and having this in it - can't wait for the rest of the series, it'll be terrific if Eli is next!!! Sqeeeeeee!!!
If you haven't already grab For a Good Time, Call (#1)
,
then this one and...
