Book Review: Rogues (Brook Street #3) by Ava March

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: May 7, 2012
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
82 Pages

London, 1822

Two of London's most notorious rakehells, Linus Radcliffe and Robert Anderson, are the best of friends. They share almost everything-clothes, servants, their homes, and even each other's bed on occasion. The one thing they don't share: lovers. For while Linus prefers men, Robert prefers women...except when it comes to Linus.

As another Season nears its end, Robert can't ignore his growing jealousy. He hates watching Linus disappear from balls to dally with other men. Women are lovely, but Linus rouses feelings he's never felt with another. Unwilling to share his gorgeous friend another night, Robert has a proposition for Linus.

A proposition Linus flatly refuses-but not for the reasons Robert thinks. Still, Robert won't take no for an answer. He sets out to prove a thing or two to his best friend-yet will learn something about the heart himself.

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18. 

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Review:

I really, really liked this book! The entire series was very enjoyable. 

Rogues is the third and final book in the Brook Street Trilogy. With as much as I loved the first two books, I was worried that the finale would not live up to the prequels. My doubt was in vain, Rogues did not disappoint!

The second book is still my favorite, but this one was wonderful as well. It had a great, realistic plot and characters that you could really fall in love with. In book two, I loathed the character Linus Radcliffe, but he really stepped up to the plate in this novel. He turned out to be a sweet, emotion-filled character unlike the ogre I had perceived him as. His love interest, Mr. Robert Anderson, was also very sweet and a misguided man. To read as they realized their feelings, deepest desires and hopes for the future, I couldn't help but to swoon!

The writing is just as good as in the previous novels. It's very simple, but not in a way that will make you hit your head against a wall. Ms. March writes the story as if painting a picture. The imagery is wonderful and she has a real knack for creating beloved characters. I had no real problems with this book, it just wasn't my favorite. I couldn't point out anything wrong, but nothing was. The author is a phenomenal storyteller.

The book wasn't as angst-ridden as I had hoped after reading the blurb, but I enjoyed it none the less. In fact, I again couldn't put the book down. Every time I planned to stop, something drew me back in. I ended up reading this very quickly (not a big surprise with my reading habits) and was sad to see it end.

I'm pretty sure I stated this in my review of book two, but I love cameo appearances. And there were a couple mentions of past characters, but I was surprised to find a specific couple played a large role in this book. I didn't remember reading them before, but I thought it was odd that Ms. March would bring them up and not give them a story. Then I discovered that it is the very beginning to the entire Brook Street Trilogy. Their story is the prequel to the series, also known as "Brook Street #0.5." So while I am sad to be finished with Ben, Cavin, Oscar, Julian, Linus and Rob, I'm happy I'll have one more story to read!

I have only read three of Ava March's stories, all of them from the same series, but if they are anywhere as near as wonderful as this series was, I will definitely have an interest in them!

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.

Book Review: Trial (Appearances Trilogy #1) by Etienne

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: February 10, 2012
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
294 Pages

A Buckhead Tale

Appearances Trilogy: Book One

Attorney Charles Barnett thought it was all over for him and his heart. In the three years since his partner died, he hasn’t felt so much as a spark of attraction to another man. That suddenly changes when Charles is assigned a new case and meets his new client. Recent widower Philip d’Autremont has been traveling in all the same circles as Charles, but somehow they’ve never managed to meet. Now that they have, both men find themselves falling hard and fast.

But there’s more than one hurdle to Charles and Philip beginning a love affair, much less maintaining it: Philip is on trial for murder, a politically ambitious and homophobic district attorney is determined to convict him, and Charles is responsible for Philip’s defense.

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18. 

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Review:

Trial was a very mature gay romance novel. Not just in content, but in writing style and phrasing as well. The author uses complex words to make the story seem more mature. In my opinion, it just made the story seem condescending and unenjoyable. I don't want to read a story where I have to look up a word every other page.

Charles' perspective reads coldly and distant, as does Philip's. I felt like I was reading as a complete outsider. I couldn't connect to the characters because they didn't seem to have any real emotion. It got annoying very quickly.

In the beginning, Charles is very depressed - or he says he is - and then almost overnight, he changes. The writing was so bipolar. He never seems to be one person. He has a very unsteady personality. At one point, he's distant and another moment, he's playful. It gave me a headache.

Trial also has a hardy serving of "insta-love." Just add boiling water. The main characters meet and fall immediately in love. Sorry for the spoiler, but seriously. It's horrifying. Very unexpected.

The plot progresses quickly. If insta-love isn't proof enough, during the duration of the story, Charles and Philip go on vacation together three times. It made no sense. There are some parts that make sense and others are totally unrealistic. The entire book spans over months - maybe a year. I couldn't keep up with the timeline. It's also strange that the timeline goes by so fast when they literally tell you every little thing that they do every single day. Even if they do the same thing, they repeat it. Guys, I don't need a rundown of what you, when you always do the same thing.

I skimmed most of the story. Honestly, I couldn't help it. I was getting so bored that my eyes just wandered all over the page. I got the gist of the story though even though I probably read a total of forty percent of the book.

The thing that bothered me most - more than the insta-love and the too-fast plot - was the fact that the actual trial didn't begin until seventy-five percent into the story, but the arrest is issued in the very  beginning. Plus, Charles solves another case before finishing or really getting started on Philip's case. Really? The blurb and the title of this book make you think that the book is about a Trial. Overall, it's not. I don't even know what I'd name this book because it's all over the place.

I have books two and three, but I won't be picking them up.

I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.