Book Review: Pierson (Meager Boys Story, #1) by J Kahele

Synopsis: 

After his father's passing, Pierson Meager is left with much responsibility, undertaking the running of the family business and the fathering of his three younger brothers. For all the changes in his life, things are comfortable, uniform, and exactly how Pierson likes it—until an agreement with a stranger turns it upside down.

Susan Coyle is a driven woman, so when the position of Marketing CEO opens up at her company, she will do whatever it takes to land that job, even if it means cutting a deal with an absolute stranger. What Susan doesn’t realize is that this stranger will not only show her the real importance of life, but he will also unearth a tragic past she fought so hard to forget.

Review:

Pierson is arguably J Kahele's best written novel to date. The lives, loves and lows of Pierson unfold in her latest adult romance. What's especially pleasing to see here is a strong focus on story, not sensationalism. The cool erotic scenes are there aplenty, but it's arguable that the titular Pierson and 'woman of interest' Susan are the most rounded out characters here.

The dynamic between Pierson and his brothers is well done and anyone who has a brother (or is a brother) will understand how that relationship works. Again, Paxton, Phoenix and Preston all have their own ways about them, but Pierson is by far the most interesting.

"Few writers can write with such authority on mature relationships." 

Another huge step in the author's mature storytelling is in the relationship between Pierson and Susan. She is no weak willed woman, but neither is she an over the top facsimilie of annoying feminist heroines. Susan actually feels real...like the kind of woman anyone could walk into but rarely do in real life.

I also liked the reintroduction of character's from the author's other stories, including some self-deprecating humour when talking about a character (Chain) 's name.

"Chain? What kind of name is that? What's next? Link?"

Loved that, along with the insightful thoughts on why Blu (another character) swears so much. Fans of Miss Kahele's works can have a lot of fun joining up the dots.

As to the primary story, wow - few writers can write with such authority on mature relationships. That's why I hope some male readers will take a punt and have a go at Pierson. It's important to behave like a gentleman in a relationship, guys. It's good to let the woman of your dreams really be the woman of your realities. Love is never boring, weak, or for the faint hearted, and in this electrifying tale in an all-new series, we get it all. Boy, do we.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: Blu (Violet Chain, #3) by J Kahele

Synopsis

Pearl has lived under the hard hand of a vicious man for years and when she finally makes her escape, she is hit by a car and wakes up in the hospital. She doesn’t remember anything from the night before, except for the comforting touch, of a beautiful man named, Christopher Blu.

Blu learns that Pearls life has been a circle of degradation, hurt and pain and he wants so bad to help her through it, that it completely envelopes his life. He cares for her and there is a mutual attraction between the two. But he's not sure if what he feels for her is real, or if it is just his compassion for a woman who has been so brutally scarred by her life.

This book is intended for mature audiences only.

Review

“What are you doing? We don’t stop here.”

Rita / Camille, on the issue of stopping a car dead in the road whilst another is coming in the opposite direction. – Mulholland Drive, 2001

Each of the Violet Chain books have upped the ante in terms of drama and sexual liaisons. Blu is strikingly different from its predecessors, so much so that it can be viewed as a standalone piece. But reading the other stories first will serve to make reading Blu a more enriched experience.

My initial interest as a male reader tipped unsurprisingly towards Pearl, who in a well constructed sequence is found to be the victim of a car accident, but that is only the start. With the chapter focus on a specific character, readers can get to know both Pearl and Christopher (the eponymous Blu of the title) with ease.

"Pearl feels like a real character to me." 

That is not to say Pearl’s back story is easy to stomach, but it is certainly an interesting take in a hot romance genre, and I especially loved these scenes, even though I felt a lot of empathy for Pearl as a character.

Like all of Miss Kahele’s female protagonists, they are strong willed and courageous, but never one trick ponies, nor do they lapse into cliche. It’s easy to overlook flaws in men and women when we read such characters in books, but Pearl feels like a real character to me and so I think this is possibly the author’s best work to date.

Some readers may find the profanity and very strong sex scenes offputting. In another way, one can consider this story as packaged – for mature audiences only.

Miss Kahele knows how to reward her fanbase, and Blu is no exception, offering a sneak peak at book four in the series. What I really like about the Violet Chain series is how certain characters appear again and again – it is storytelling at its most seamless and takes an author of merit to pull it off. 

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: Hidden Truths by J Kahele (Violet Chain, #2)

Synopsis: Violet and Chain are trying to build a loving and trusting relationship, but life has a few more obstacles to throw at them. 

Violet wants to know more about Chain's rocky past with his father, whilst Chain is more interested in getting Violet to commit to their relationship in a more permanent way: marriage.

To complicate matters, Chain's past holds a secret that could tear them apart forever, and he will do whatever it takes to keep the secret hidden.

Review: "I don't care what it costs." - Chain Alexander, Hidden Truths

In the context of his statement, and the scene in which it takes place, our MC Chain Alexander is a man that I believe many men would like to be like. Powerful, rich, good looking, great taste in women...he would appear to have it all.

He is a confident man who knows what he wants. In book one he comes across a little bullish and possesses the kind of self belief that would make people shrink in his presence. 

What was clear that this high flyer has fallen completely for our other MC, Violet, and it's a roller coaster ride as the book reaches its close. 

I think the series has to been viewed in the context that book one is really part one, so I was more excited at the prospect of a second book in the series rather than think the ending of #1 left me hanging. It did - but in a good way. There is nothing wrong with that.

The revelations about Chain unravel in a paced and measured way, ensuring we are gripped until the very end of the tale. 

I would suggest that author Miss Kahele knows what her fans want, and she delivers here in spades.

I still find Violet a likeable, enjoyable character. She doesn't play hapless waif to Chain - she is a strong character, a woman that also knows what she wants.

The mature scenes are exactly that - from the opening pages Hidden Truths is brutal but utterly realistic.

Let's see where book three takes us!

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: Violet Chain (Violet Chain, #1) by J Kahele

Synopsis (from the author): After catching her fiancé with another woman at their engagement party, Violet Townsend's world is turned upside down. 

Desperate to numb the pain, she falls into the arms of charming, young entrepreneur Chain Alexander. 

Chain, a notorious womanizer of Philadelphia, not looking for anything more than a night of pleasure with a woman, is drawn to Violet instantly. There is something about her that he needs and wants so desperately and it’s not just sex. 


But Violet is resistant. Can she open her heart again after having it broken so brutally? And more importantly, should she? 

Review: Easily one of my favourite authors, J Kahele once again gives us a strongly narrated adult romance, but with a heart. 

The opening scenes in the book show Violet being viciously and brutally dumped for a fleeting moment of sexual gratification by her ex-fiance Harrison.

He's an idiot, pure and simple. At this point in the story we don't know that much about Violet, but as the tale progresses it is clear that H made a mistake. Unfortunately for him, there is to be no second chance, as Violet becomes the focus of Chain, our main male of the piece.

There's also a wonderful scene featuring Violet's brothers, Vince and Victor - despite having the same initial which one might think leads to some confusion, it doesn't. I loved it, and it gave the book some light comedic relief.

It's fair to say that apart from Archie in Miss Kahele's Crazy on You, her male characters tend to be super rich, super good looking....something I can't relate to all that well! But Chain, for all his apparent good fortune, seems to be her best characterised male to date, and I for one am pleased to see this progression from the author.

The story it told from Violet's perspective, but also Chain's. This is something I am noticing in a lot of stories of late. If they are all as well written as this one, I won't be complaining.

Violet Chain works because the story - a broken heart, finds one to mend it. But this is the tale at its most basic level. It is much more than that, and ends strongly that will have you screaming for more.

Whilst fans of Miss Kahele await a possible third installment of the Mine series, this will do very nicely indeed!

Buy on Amazon

Book Review: Facade - Unveiling the Masquerade by J Kahele

It's starting to get a lot like Stephen King....

Okay, that's not a saying. But anyone who reads, then re-reads a favourite author will know where I'm coming from.

When I get a new SK novel, I pretty much know what I'm going to get - the standard is going to be good, very good, and with J Kahele, having read three of her other books, I can only see more greatness to come from her in the future.

Facade was a wonderful book, and was a break from the heady brutality of the Mine books, but if anything, Miss Kahele has upped her game once again, and in Facade: Unveiling the Masquerade, we have a pulsating thriller with a heart.

And I thought the bar had been well and truly reached and breached with Crazy on You!

Liam Sheldon is back, but so is Ally, Washington (I like him, he's great - want more of Wash in future stories please JK!) and Liam....rich, intelligent Liam is not a happy man.

He misses Ally so much, and wonders what he can do to repair the damage from when he last saw her. I can honestly say I didn't see THAT ending coming, so this is why Facade: Unveiling the Masquerade is such an utter delight.

Liam is a man on a mission. Well, I think we understood that from book one - he knows what he wants, and he'll go for it.

Ally is what and whom he wants.

When they finally meet, it is well done and superbly orchestrated. Most of all, it is believable because yes...Ally cares for him too. I don't think it's all about sex - though there's plenty enough here to satisfy readers who love those scenes. It's more about needing each other....not in a desperate way, and this is where I feel the book scores very high indeed. Now they are back together, I want them to stay together.

Most of all, I wanted to punch Stark, as I'm guessing Liam did, because he's a bit too much of a hugger. Back off dude...we're dudes!

Owen is relegated to the brotherly friend of Ally...obviously, in one rather painful scene, Ally demonstrates that she just doesn't see Owen in the way he would like her to see him. Fair enough....it doesn't stop him from squaring up to Liam at some point....but it's a bit like a hyena taking on a grizzly bear....utterly pointless.

The Caras dude - remember him, and the shady Shendoahs are never far away from the action, and you know....you just know they are going to wreck any happiness that Liam and Ally may have.

And this, even though this review is hidden because of spoilers, is where I must leave it, because the ending is truly terrific and the whole book is treasure...but those last few pages....wow...wow...and again...wow.

With each book I read of Miss Kahele, the standard just keeps on getting higher. Whatever will she come up with next?!

Buy from Amazon

Book Review: Crazy on You by James Duncan, J Kahele

If you hear a book described as a taut, tough sexy thriller, you could maybe think of a million books and films that have been described this way, but rarely - if ever - deliver.

Crazy on You is a co-authored work by J Kahele of the stupendous Mine series, as well as the superb Facade. James Duncan is a UK based author.

Both styles come together to work in devastating fashion. James writes from the London base, making his character Archie Pope real, cocky, and likeable. Isabella is created from the Italian-American side, and it would be easy to say that Miss Kahele wrote all her lines.

The thing is, this co-authored book is so masterfully put together, the two writers may have well have been sitting side by side as they wrote.

I really wasn't sure if I would like Archie, he of The Pope Crew, a rather unsavoury set of London gangsters, who made me think of Dexter Fletcher in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. That film absolutely rocked, but things in this story pick up when the Crew jet off to New York to negotiate a deal with the brutal head of the Commatra family.

Sounds like Goodfellas and Casino rolled into one, right? I love both of those films, and this story put me back amongst those wiseguys. What perhaps is not so wise is Archie falling - big time - for Isabella - our New York crime bosses daughter.

It's clear these two have a link, and it sets in motion a chain of events that could destroy both crews, and tangle their lives into a loop that cannot be unravelled. 

I'm not from Lahn-donn, but from Birmingham. We speak a bit differently here, although I don't really have a Brummie accent. Imagine if Toril from my Dark Winter series is told 'Toril bab, mind where yams putting that wand, yamorite love?'

That said, I was totally at home with the Cockney slang, and it's a fun part of the book to read. Perhaps where the book is at its strongest is in the writing of the Pope crew, who constantly 'take the mick' out of one another, whilst respecting each other (to a certain degree).

They arrive in the US, absolutely cock-sure of themselves. In US gangster films like GF and Casino, there is always that worry about upsetting another crew. 

Not the Popes. They are nasty, brutal, and cool with it.

The 'hot' scenes, as ever from the author of Mine and Facade, are tastefully done and you get the real love Archie and Isabella have for one another. 

Some may view the fact that Archie pretty much falls for Isabella the first moment he sees her as not for real - I can honestly say that some women can have that affect on men, and it's often more than just a lustful feeling.

From the start, Crazy on You has a different feel. Just how can one categorise this story? It's a gangster tale, a sexy romance, a suspenseful thriller (literally each page could have had someone blown away) and a comedy.

Some of the lines were truly laugh out loud:-

"He's got more front than Brighton."

"If Al Pacino and Joe Pesci had taken a leak or two, hundreds of lives would have been saved."

You should read the book for more!

So take a bow, Mr Duncan and Miss Kahele. I'm Crazy on this book!

Buy at Amazon US

Buy at Amazon UK

Book Review: Facade by J Kahele

In the best tradition of sexually charged thrillers, Facade introduces us to Ally and Liam, two characters that are literally like two asteroids colliding in space.

It can only create a big bang. Ally is a feisty heroine, and I found myself one the one hand cheering for her directness and tough attitude. On other pages pages I was like 'Ally, now why have you done that? It will only make Liam mad.'

Liam has a great relationship with his father, a successful business, and Liam knows too what he wants. Problem is, despite the many proclaimations of love for each other, Ally and Liam don't seem to want to go that bit further, or maybe...learn to back off.

Hence this is the Facade I saw in the title, and how it relates to the story.

Will they end up together, or not? You'll have to read and see. But it is so worth the read!

I think the author of the superb Mine and Mine 2, J Kahele, had a blast writing this tale. There's scope for more too - Caras is actually my favourite character - I know...my warped mind! Anyway, this is a great read that demands your attention. Now.