Bang By E.K. Blair

Is it wrong that I am currently more interested in seeing what other people think of this novel than I am sharing my views? It's not that I don't know, i'm more itching to find out what every one else think because this is one for a book club.

It's hard to explain how I really feel because I don't really know what I am feeling. I just spent the last 3 days reading this novel and I am just as confused as when I started and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't pissed with this ending -_-

This book is one big mess and only E.K. probably knows how to clean it up. The story line is solid and never waving but at the same time, the story isn't constant and the characters, except for maybe Declan and Bennett, are extremely damaged and the biggest douche canoe of them all is our guide.

But guess what? ... I loved it!

It takes a steadfast state of mind to like the narrator of this story and the men are all pawns in a scheme that is bred from pure misfortune turned abuse. It might not be a bad story but when you can't trust the narrator, you will have some problems when you just wanna escape her deceit.

Bennett was the biggest player in this novel but he was also the most absent. He spent more time in Dubai than he did in Chicago so I didn't get to know him like I did Nina, Pike and Declan. He seems like a good guy who got caught in a web that's laced with more poison than a snake and we don't even find out his purpose until the end of this novel and by then his fate is sealed. By the time Bennett gets some sense and I feel like we might have a good battle of wills, it's bang and we are left waiting to see who if any one survives part two.

Pike and Declan got a lot more light but I spent so much time focusing on the con in this novel that I didn't get the time to focus on Declan;'s character as much. He is passionate I will give him that and he is quite the understanding kind; sexy as hell in the kitchen and one of the nastiest and most possessive men I have ever read about. I am NOT down with that waste matter life. Piss somewhere else Mister, I am not a toilet!!!

Pike as a kid could make any woman fall to their knees. I loved that little boy to the point of obsession from we saw him coming out of that truck with Carl. I even loved him some when they grew up. He was constant, dependable, damaged and fighting for the worse live that was dealt him from the age of 2. I know you will all think I am crazy but I still love him. He got a ray of light after spending all of his formative years in terror and abuse and it's becoming a little hard for him to let that go. His actions? ... undesirable. His light was snatched from him and he retaliated like an angry abused man would. The years would wear on anyone.

Unfortunately, his anger brought this whole story to it's knees. I keep wanting to rewind because I am confused as to how a situation can tank to these levels in such a short time. If they get away with this it will have to be on a much more complex level than Pike and Elizabeth's reasoning.

I empathized with a young Nina because she had it hard and to hear her first introduction to sex would chisel any cold heart a little. The abuse in this novel was raw and painful but Nina erased those feelings to the point where I was unable to stand her inner monologues anymore. The chick is crazy and needs some help. I had a difficult time deciphering her emotions because just as I feel like I know what she is feeling, she reveals her real thoughts and I feel just as manipulated as every one else in this novel.

It's either hot or cold no lukewarm. I can't trust any one in this book because everybody has an agenda and their moral compass is all over the place. This is a complicated story and it is impossible for you to put a definitive name or emotion to the final body of work. It's a struggle from beginning to end so don't expect to ever understand or pick a side. There is no side, it's every one for themselves!

I can't say much without giving this book away but I am also a bubbling mess because I need someone to discuss what it is I just read. I truly believe Pike and Elizabeth could have a different path but is that eve possible now?

E.K. Blair has written emotional novels before but I never expected this level of emotional from her. The story, formatting, editing is impeccable and you can see the time and effort placed in creating the final published work but it's also so confusing that she will either end up giving us one of the most splendid stories in this genre for the year or it will tank and leave us gaping. The complications and web can lose even the best of authors.

I commend her though because this story had me even when I wanted to skip the wavering sex scenes to get to the necessary points. It was like a video game as you tried to get up to the next level. I might have dislike the narrator and remained in the dark for 90% of this novel but I won't discount that E.K. Blair wrote another spectacular piece and I really hope Carnegie helps her out in the end with this one because she is gonna need all the help she can get and he seems to have all the answers.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22065449-bang-black-lotus-1

Then Came Alexandra By E.L. Todd

First off, I don't know in which world Blaise was and can be a playboy. He is too sensitive and too much of a push over to the point where his behavior disgust. Maybe it's a Southern thing but this man was more sentimental than all the women of this novel combined. Grow a spine man!

Gabe was ridiculously annoying and I continued to roll my eyes at the intensity with which these men fought for Alexandra. It was like answering to a siren's call with how they behaved. I actually think that Blaise needs some anger management classes and is one upset away from being a woman beater, even if Danielle is infuriating and deserves it.

Speaking of which, why does Danielle have so much power in this story? I believe the conflict of this story can easily be solved with a good ol' fashion conversation between all parties involved. Her secret isn't much of a secret and at the price of my happiness? Sorry, can't do it! Especially if I loathe you the way he "claims" he loathes Danielle. At this point, he doesn't deserve Alexandra because he isn't man enough to put Danielle in her place and give Alexandra a reason to forgive him and see past this betrayal.

Then in comes Paul. He is a douche. I say this, because he is. There is no justification for cheating and emotional cheating is way worse than physical cheating. Still, there is something about him I like. He shows up at the literal beginning and end of this novel but I'd give him a chance over Blaise because he is honest and man enough to clear the air and try to make it work. Right now, he is the better candidate.

Martha is hilarious and I think she adds that wise, parental aspect to this novel, without any one feeling like a disappointment. She seems to be the glue that ties every one together and I love her blunt one on one conversations with both Blaise and Alexandra.

This was my first real Southern novel. I didn't know what to expect, so I expected nothing. It's kind of sweet and it's not the culture shock I assumed it to be. Their ideologies and time frame was quick but it worked for them. They don't beat around the bush or waste time. Except for the very irresponsible Blaise -_-

I am comfortably with them as a couple, for however long it was, but I am not crazy about them either. As I said, Blaise needs to grow a pair! Dual POVs can have their advantage but every time I switched to Blaise I just wanted to pummel him. The wording of his POVs from most conversations, outside of the ones with Martha and Alexandra, came of rather feminine and left me rolling my eyes with their delivery. It was so melodramatic and sappy. I wanted a strong country male perspective, not this whiny, ungrateful, sap of a man.

You might be thinking that I hate him but I don't. I just think that his behaviour, after his major screw up that could be seen a mile away, knocked him down a notch in my book. His confidence in his sexual prowess baffles me, because it was also very sweet and tame sex. You are not a sex God Blaise. Please repeat this to yourself!

The more time Alexandra spent in Savannah, the more she started to seem less mature than the raging NYC girl who showed up in the middle of the night with issues a mile long. She was strong, independent and witty in the opening of this novel and to the end I saw some more of that. Maybe it's Paul who brings out the rugged in her.

We only had one interaction with Abby but I love it! She is hilarious and I can see how Alexandra could have all those tough city chick traits because her sister and aunt is no different. Lana and Hannah are the epitome of Southern girls and all the cotton rearing was done in just the right amount as to not overwhelm this story. It's a short read and I got it done in a couple hours while doing the laundry.

I think this was a good, solid story that carries just the right Southern sway. I am not a fan of cheating novels, as my last was 'Thoughtless' by S.C. Stephens, over a year ago, so I am tentative to read the next novel in this series.

Despite all the grammatical, spelling and editing errors, as well as, the lack of balls on Blaise, I enjoyed this installment and would read the next in the series.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21472825-then-came-alexandra