Down The Aisle

Down The Aisle
by Christine Bell
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

My Review:
Definitely don't try to read this one if you haven't already read Galen and Lacey's first book: Down For The Count. You'll miss out on way too much of who these characters are if you read this one first. I loved Galen and Lacey in their initial story and I was really happy to see more of them in this short novella.

This was still a sex-filled story, definitely explicit. For a short novella (that does have a prominent storyline), this book has a lot of sex. Galen and Lacey are really hot together, but this time in their lives was rather heartbreaking.

The story really centers around their infertility battle as they get ready to walk down the aisle. I felt the issues and emotions were presented in an authentic manner, but I didn't quite think the story lived up to the back cover. I expected something a little different. The back cover implies that Galen shows Lacey how it doesn't really matter if they have a baby or not, he really wants to be with her no matter what. I understood that throughout the story (because we're in Galen's head a bunch too) and I never felt any doubt about it, but I felt like they got another happy-for-now ending without dealing with the depressed feelings that especially Lacey was having and would have continued if things didn't work out just right.

Not that it was a bad ending or anything. I felt satisfied and confident that they were happy together and that they love being able to journey through life together. It's just didn't seem to actually deal with the sadness in a way the back cover implies.

I was happy for Lacey and Galen that they were able to work things out, but felt like they could have worked through some of the issues they were having as a couple before everything wrapped up so tidily. I felt like they got to a solution without having to grow as a couple. But it was great to revisit them and see their wedding. I'm looking forward to seeing snippets of them in future books set in this world.

Down For The Count

Down For The Count
by Christine Bell
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

My Review:
Luckily this one wasn't too long because I just couldn't put it down. It's always nice when you find a great book that you can't leave but you still finish it at a reasonable hour. I think this one took me 2-3 hours, so I only had to stay up a little past midnight.

I had been pretty iffy on this book when I read the blurb because I'm not really into the fighter books that are so popular right now. Galen is a boxer and I don't know, I just don't tend to see the appeal of someone who makes it their job to beat people up and get beat up in return. I know lots of people must have a different opinion because of how popular that trope is in romance novels right now, but oh well. I just finished up my first Christine Bell book and knew that I had to get another hit.

Lacey starts out the book finding her 2-hours-old marriage voided when she catches her new hubby cheating with a bridesmaid. She's heartbroken and angry, but man does she seem strong and in control. She was a force to be reckoned with, even as she looked at herself as weak. She's got quite a code of ethics and her internal systems keep her toeing the line all the time.

She's a control freak and I think she was most upset because her honeymoon was supposed to be her time to let go. After a night of drinking her pain away, Galen convinces her to take the honeymoon anyway to relax. It takes her a while, but she does start relaxing. She's able to look at her life a little and start looking for what would make her happy.

Galen is in between fights so he has some free time. There's some sense of obligation for him starting out. He has to take care of his little sister's friend. But then he starts realizing he's not doing it because he has to. He's hot and knows what he wants, and yet gives Lacey space to come to terms with her life.

Galen and Lacey have a shared history. Years and years of little-sister's-friend banter. They have an comfortable, if slightly awkward, friendship. Secretly, Lacey's had a crush on him forever. So in the process of letting go, in paradise, with her secret crush, Lacey lets some of her inner sexuality come out too. It was awesome to see Lacey and Galen start figuring each other out. It all progressed so organically that you just knew they were at the right point to take their relationship further. The sexy-times were pretty scorching, but also sweet.

They still had their bumps and bruises along the way. Lacey's mom was a piece of work and things were not magically better because Lacey stood up for herself. It's always sad to be in that part of a story, but the book also had a good dose of sexy romance and some humor too. I had lots of feelings for these two; good, fun, sexy feelings as things were going well, and sad, depressed feelings as they had to deal with setbacks and problems. Now I can't wait to read the follow up novella for these two and see what else they've been up to. Then I'll have to move on to Galen's sister's book too.

Dirty Trick

Dirty Trick
by Christine Bell
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

My Review:
This was a scorching hot book. I loved it. Grace and Trick were wonderful characters and I really liked Christine Bell's voice. I ended up getting some unexpected laughs when I went back and forth between reading this one and one of the 50 shades parodies. Not that there was something spoof-like in this book, but going back and forth makes you realize some of the phrasing that we normally just skim through is actually pretty silly if you look at it expecting a parody. I had to remind myself that this was a more serious book and snuggle in for the fun, sexual fantasy ride.

Grace is a matchmaker who gets “tingles” whenever she meets a set of soul mates or compatible people. She doesn't feel like trusting that instinct for herself, seeing that her tingles are for her best friend, Trick, who she considers a player. Grace had a lot going for her; she's pretty, intelligent, has a job she loves and she's got some great friends too. She's got some relationship hang-ups from her ex that are really wearing her down. But she seems pretty happy with where her life is. I didn't feel like she was missing anything at the start of the book. It's just her sense of sexuality that's missing. When she starts exploring her sexuality with the disguised Trick, she blossoms so much and seems to just explode with light inside.

Trick is another great hero. He's got the whole SWAT team toughness, but underneath he's been in this vulnerable place waiting for Grace to see what they could have together. It's always so nice to see a hero who's not scared and running away as the heroine gets close to him. He seems to know exactly what Grace needs and while his choice seems a little shady to Grace, it's somehow exactly what she needs in order to open up. And Trick is totally happy being with her. He hasn't been “on the market” and you know, if something comes up he'll go out with her. He's already settled down with Grace, she just hasn't realized it yet.

The story moved very quickly and never felt boring or dragging. The characters were articulate and intelligent. Each of the characters that Grace and Trick interact with were good, solid personalities in their own right. We get just enough of a taste of Serena and a couple others, that I know I'll have to look up the other books in this series because I liked who they were here.

I'd say almost half of the book was sexual in nature. Mostly expected in a Entangled Brazen book. The sex scenes were very hot and well-articulated. These were two characters who were totally involved and enthusiastic to be with each other sexually.

If there was one thing I felt was missing on this one, it's just that it was too short. I wanted more Grace at her job, more Trick being awesome, and more of the two of them together. As it was, I felt like I barely got a taste and then the book was over. I mean, the taste was totally wonderful, but I really wanted more.

This is one that I will definitely read again and I'll be looking for more by this author.