Bookworm Brandee: #Undone

Showing posts with label #Undone. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

#OctobeRecFest New Release Review #6 ~ Taken ~ Jennifer Dawson #2017NewRelease #TravelingtotheTerminus

Taken by Jennifer Dawson
Undone Series #4
Release Date: October 24, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, BDSM
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease, #OctobeRecFest, #TravelingtotheTerminus
Recommended by: Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Goodreads

Synopsis
Brandon Townsend III

Rich, beautiful and entitled, once upon a time he was king of the trust fund babies. He took anything and anyone he wanted, until one day, he walked away without explanation. Now, he's an untouchable mystery, one I'm determined to crack. And I'm not talking about anything mundane like his bed. No, I want something far more valuable.

I want into this head.

Veronica Westwood has blown into my life creating chaos in her wake, and I don't know quite what to do with her. Rich, beautiful and entitled, she represents everything I've sworn off in life, and her being unexpectedly clever doesn't change that. Instincts warn me to stay away, and that's just what I intend to do, no matter her attempts to wear me down. I'm good at saying no, or at least I was until I met her. I don't understand it, but she's like a weakness, and a man like me can't have weakness.

I simply won't allow it.

The Undone Series is one I've enjoyed immensely. Getting to know all these characters as well as seeing how they incorporate a BDSM lifestyle with their everyday life has been fascinating and a pleasure. The series wouldn't have been complete without having Brandon's story.

Brandon is a character whose story I was anxious to get. He's a bit of an enigma but I'd so delighted in seeing him on occasion in the previous installments - always doing his part to ensure the happiness of his friends but never letting anyone get too close to him. Needless to say I was eager to see him fall and find his own bit of happiness.

Brandon is from a wealthy Chicago family - a trust fund baby who left that life to find his own way. He shuns that life and the people who inhabit it, having made friends who know the real him. But in deference to his parents, he attends one social engagement a quarter, which is where he is cornered by Veronica.

Veronica is also from an old-money Chicago family. She knew of Brandon so when she decides to blow up her life by walking away from the expectations of her family, she knows he'll be the one to understand her. In her determination to earn a job under him, she finds Brandon understands her on an even deeper level than she imagined.

Veronica was the perfect yang to Brandon's yin. They challenged each other, snarked at one another, and Veronica couldn't have asked for a better guide as she began her exploration of the domination she desired and Brandon was eager to deliver. Their chemistry was visceral. However, I'd have liked a bit more on-page time where they built on that chemistry. It happened - it just wasn't all on-page and I felt that because of the trust needed in this sort of relationship, the building of that foundation of trust is something I'd have liked to witness. It's an element I appreciated in the previous installments so I felt its absence in this one.

Overall though, I was pleased. Seeing Brandon meet his match as well as watching Veronica learn more about herself and make friends who were real and that she could be real around was heartwarming. Getting to spend time with Michael and Layla, Leo and Jillian, and Chad and Ruby was also a pleasure. Mostly though, I appreciated that Brandon, and Veronica too, found the happiness they deserved.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Blog Tour Review & #Giveaway ~ Debauched ~ Jennifer Dawson

I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour for Jennifer Dawson's Debauched. I'm a big fan of this series. Below you'll find the details for the book, my review, and a giveaway. Enjoy!

Debauched by Jennifer Dawson

Undone #3

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

Source: I received an ARC as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5 Bookworms

Challenges: #2016NewRelease

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Synopsis
One night in a moment of sheer madness I confessed my secrets to him. All my life I’ve been pretending. Pretending to be the woman I thought I should be instead of the woman I really am. I’ve been faking it and I am good. No one has ever guessed. Except him. He just looked at me and knew.

Chad Fellows is not the man I want, but he’s fast becoming the man I need.

One night in a moment of sheer madness I held her in my arms and let her cry. I did the right thing, letting her walk away, no matter how much she calls to the part of me that wants to rescue her. We are nothing alike, and she’s a mess of complications in a life I’m trying to keep simple. But then I touched her and made her tremble and now I can’t turn away.

Ruby Stiles is not the woman I want, but she’s fast becoming the woman I need.

If you've been following me for the last six months or so, you know I'm a fan of this series. JDawson sucked me into these characters' lives and into the scene with aplomb. And while I know D/s stories aren't for everyone, I'm going to try to explain why Debauched is my favorite in the series so far and why this series is worth a look.

I have no experience with this lifestyle outside of books but what I think JDawson does so well, and I mentioned this in my review of Unraveled, is explain the psychology behind the relationship dynamics and all the elements required for it to be successful. This was even more acute in Debauched as Ruby was vehemently against the D/s relationship. The ways in which JDawson had Chad and Ruby explore her perceptions and feelings was brilliant and enlightening. It also demonstrated the depth of feeling, honesty, commitment and trust a D/s relationship requires.

It'd always liked Ruby but getting a deeper glimpse of her in Unraveled had me eager to get to know her better. Because on many levels I identify with Ruby so the thoughts she had, the way she was stifling herself professionally and personally by trying to be what she thought others wanted/expected her to be without realizing it, was something I can relate to. She had certain ideas about what she thought her life should look like but those ideas/beliefs were coloring her perception of things - things that could unlock, for lack of a better word, all her potential. Meeting Chad, realizing he was a Dominant, knowing he was stable, staid...those things all flew in the face of what she envisioned for herself. And yet she couldn't deny the magnetic pull between them.

Chad, for his part, couldn't stay away from Ruby. She truly was a complication he didn't feel he needed in his life but there was something about her that spoke to him. Watching as he slowing, patiently broke through all the barriers Ruby placed between them was awing. It showed so much about his character that he took the time to help Ruby understand and accept something so elemental in her makeup. I fell for him just as hard as Ruby did. Maybe it's because he's not as alpha as Michael or Leo (the other men of this series)...I'm not sure. Maybe it's just because Chad is more my idea of the perfect guy. Whatever it is, I connected with him on a deeper level.

I wanted to say something about the smexy scenes as well. Debauched doesn't have any bondage or voyeurism scenes. Not one of the scenes is gratuitous. They each show Ruby working through something with Chad's help. And this is one of the hottest books I've read!

If you don't like stories with a D/s foundation, there's probably not much I can say that will convince you to give the Undone series a try. But I hope you do. Debauched made me thing without my realizing it was making me think. It resonated deep with me because I'm completely invested in these characters. And it's a story that's going to stay with me for quite some time.

Previous Books in the Undone Series

Entry -Form

Jennifer Dawson is the author of the popular Something New series; spicy, small town romance released with Kensington, and pens the dark and edgy contemporary romance series Undone. Jennifer grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from DePaul University with a degree in psychology. She met her husband at the public library while they were studying. To this day, she still maintains she was NOT checking him out. Now, over twenty years later, they are married and living in a suburb right outside of Chicago with two awesome kids and a crazy dog. These days Jennifer can be found sitting behind her computer, writing her next novel, chasing after her kids, keeping an ever-watchful eye on her ever-growing to-do list, and NOT checking out her husband. Jennifer loves connecting with her readers and invites you to check out her website, Facebook page, and join Dawson’s Darlings, her private Facebook Fan group. Sign up for her monthly Newsletter for exclusive insider peeks, new release information and more.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway ~ Unraveled ~ Jennifer Dawson

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Jennifer Dawson's Unraveled. Below you'll find all the details on the book, my review, a teaser, and a giveaway. Enjoy! :)

Unraveled by Jennifer Dawson
Undone Series #2.5
Release Date: January 19, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Source: I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease, #COYER B2B
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Synopsis
Valentine's night. Three women. A hot new club where anything can happen.

After a life changing tragedy Layla Hunter is finally happy. Michael Banks has pulled her back from the dead and given her a love she'd thought was lost to her forever. Now, all she wants is to return the favor and give him the one thing she swore she'd never do again.

Jillian Banks is up for absolutely anything and her smoking hot fiance, Leo Santoro, is determined to give it to her. After exploring her fantasies in the privacy of her own home, Jillian's read for more and Leo is going above and beyind to make her happy. In return, she'll do anything to make him proud.

Ruby Stiles isn't sure what she's doing at a sex party at one of Chicago's most anticipated new clubs. Currently she's blaming it on curiosity. All she wants is to disappear into the background, only her emotions have decided to go on a roller coaster ride and the last thing she expects is for Chad Fellows to pick up the pieces.

Sometimes even the best laid plans unravel...

*While Unraveled can be read as a standalone for fun, it is best read after reading CRAVE and SINFUL.

Oh-hohoho - sooo good! Unraveled was the perfect fix while I'm waiting for the next in the series - as well as the perfect setup for Debauched.

Unraveled takes place in one night - Valentine's Day - and we spend the night with Brandon (whose story I'm anxious for), Layla and Michael, Leo and Jillian, and Ruby and Chad (who I'm not gonna lie - I was hoping for more from him!). They're all attending the private opening of Brandon's newest club. The Lair. And that, in itself, is an experience. But what Unraveled really gives us is this:

a deeper look into and a deeper understanding of the relationships between Layla and Michael, and Jillian and Leo. I loved this. It is said that a D/s relationship is all about trust with the D knowing exactly what the s needs. Dawson, in my opinion, brilliantly conveyed exactly that between these couples. Layla and Jillian thought they knew what they wanted - what they needed - but Michael and Leo gave them what they *knew* was really desired. The even that occurred served to strengthen both relationships on an even deeper level.
an introduction to BDSM and the beginning of a deeper introspection for Ruby. She's always been curious about her best friend, Layla's lifestyle choices but has sworn it isn't for her. Spending the evening being up close and personal with the lifestyle, and in the company of Chad, has Ruby's brain spinning - especially since Chad seems to be so observant and insightful towards her.

I delighted in getting updates on Layla and Michael, and Jillian and Leo - seeing their bonds strengthen. But with Unraveled, Ms. Dawson whetted my appetite for Debauched. I'm anxiously awaiting its release and the continuation of Ruby and Chad's story.