SOMBRA
by LESLIE McADAM
Everything in moderation. Including virtue.
I step off the plane in Madrid and meet his warm eyes. His crooked smile. His devastating charm.
Worse, he’s courteous. Honorable. Sensuous. Impossibly attractive.
Tavo awakens my desires—my body—without even touching it.
I don’t want to be attracted to him. I’ve made my promises.
My future has already been determined. I'm wearing a ring.
But I can't control this pull to him.
He wants to explore my shadows.
I want to get out of the light.
I shouldn't feel this way...
Problem is, I can't restrain my heart.
REVIEW: 2 STARS
THIS ONE STARTED OUT so promising.....so very promising, but the delivery seriously ruined it for me. I wanted sensual. I wanted hot and heavy. I wanted mind-blowing, nail biting sexy. I guess I just expected more. I mean, he is an olive maker and he has a deep need to dominate her, and she is feeling such intense emotions with him. It should have read as sensual, but it was comedic. And I mean that with all due respect. I was taken in at first, I will admit. But once I got deeper and some of the different nuances started to become the norm, I then realized it was the writing and not the story.
While I feel a bad story can be written beautifully, sometimes a good story can be written horribly, and that's where I sit with this one. Her analogies? They were nothing short of.....interesting, for the lack of a better word. For such an amazing storyline, the writing in this one was quite awkward, to say the least. I was just hoping for a heavy, warm and sensual read and I just didn't get that. I am not entirely sure I would necessarily recommend this book, because while I was frustrated with the way it played out and was written, I laughed long and hard at a lot of the things that were written/said. I know that sounds horrible, but it was not my idea of a great read. It had it's rare moments of brilliance, but the awkward severely out-shined those brief moments. This one felt like two teenagers falling instantly in love and playing house, and that is not a visual I wanted when the idea behind it was not that intention.
This book was FULL of some verbiage that just made this more juvenile and comedic than it should have been - like, I seriously shook my head or laughed way too hard. For a story that was supposed to be sexy, this one seriously missed the mark in many places. These are the ones I highlighted that made me shake my head. Again, completely awkward:
I could see where the author was trying to take this book, but the words.....were just words. They didn't play out as emotional words, leading me to side-eye a lot. Kim's "darkness" was not really dark AT ALL, at least...that's what I got out of it. She complained of these tethers, yet if you broke them down, there was either a lack of communication or confidence in her own voice. It played out a lot differently for me than intended, and it came across as forced emotional talking points. His shadows were not really of the magnitude that they needed to "explore each other's shadows" and that made me roll my eyes more than I should have. Again, the delivery missed the mark for me on this one and I'm honestly sad about that.
This author literally writes in the opportunities for any sort of action or consequence, not allowing the story to progress naturally. I know that sounds stupid for me to say, because DUH, she's a writer, but it was forced. It was almost as if she was willing things to happen. I am not entirely sure if I am going to read her again, because while I see she has the ability to tell a story, she doesn't exactly flow for me and she makes even the sexiest of things weird with her word choices. It was just....awkward. Comedic. Weird. Unfortunately, this kind of read is what scares me for trying new to me authors. That synopsis screams sexy. It just didn't play out that way.
I will say this much. I loved Tavo and his passion for his dreams, as well as Kim. He was a compassionate man and it definitely showed in the way he wanted to take care of Kim. He was so good to her. He was romantic, respectful and in tune with her. There was a sensual side to him that peeked out every now and then. I really did like him. Kim, not so much. She was dry and boring, and overtly annoying. What 20 year old has never pet a cat, or needed to be shown how to hold a knife for cutting vegetables? Or tries to smokes because she never has and wanted to? She tried to 'break out of her shell' and become this other person, but every single action felt like a cry for attention. She was a complete ditz for me, jumping up and down clapping her hands in excitement like a 12 year old? Come ON! I felt like screaming, "Don't make her out to be a bimbo just so he can help her!!!" It was rough and I really had a hard time making it through the last 60% of the book because of her and her actions, but at 84% I was mentally screaming at her and her immature reasonings for leaving him. Yes, this book made me ragey a few times, but here's the deal. I liked the story itself. The female; meh. The male; yessss! I know....I'm shaking my head too. I know this sounds mean, but this one did NOT work at all. Not even a little bit. And that sucks, because I really wanted it to. It is never my intention to be rude, ever, and I know this comes across as such, but it is my honest opinion. My favorite part was the sexy as hell cover she slapped on this one.
I make good on all my promises. If you would like to win a copy of this book, ENTER HERE.
"Wishing things were different is a fool's desire."
~BEE
Everything in moderation. Including virtue.
I step off the plane in Madrid and meet his warm eyes. His crooked smile. His devastating charm.
Worse, he’s courteous. Honorable. Sensuous. Impossibly attractive.
Tavo awakens my desires—my body—without even touching it.
I don’t want to be attracted to him. I’ve made my promises.
My future has already been determined. I'm wearing a ring.
But I can't control this pull to him.
He wants to explore my shadows.
I want to get out of the light.
I shouldn't feel this way...
Problem is, I can't restrain my heart.
THIS ONE STARTED OUT so promising.....so very promising, but the delivery seriously ruined it for me. I wanted sensual. I wanted hot and heavy. I wanted mind-blowing, nail biting sexy. I guess I just expected more. I mean, he is an olive maker and he has a deep need to dominate her, and she is feeling such intense emotions with him. It should have read as sensual, but it was comedic. And I mean that with all due respect. I was taken in at first, I will admit. But once I got deeper and some of the different nuances started to become the norm, I then realized it was the writing and not the story.
While I feel a bad story can be written beautifully, sometimes a good story can be written horribly, and that's where I sit with this one. Her analogies? They were nothing short of.....interesting, for the lack of a better word. For such an amazing storyline, the writing in this one was quite awkward, to say the least. I was just hoping for a heavy, warm and sensual read and I just didn't get that. I am not entirely sure I would necessarily recommend this book, because while I was frustrated with the way it played out and was written, I laughed long and hard at a lot of the things that were written/said. I know that sounds horrible, but it was not my idea of a great read. It had it's rare moments of brilliance, but the awkward severely out-shined those brief moments. This one felt like two teenagers falling instantly in love and playing house, and that is not a visual I wanted when the idea behind it was not that intention.
This book was FULL of some verbiage that just made this more juvenile and comedic than it should have been - like, I seriously shook my head or laughed way too hard. For a story that was supposed to be sexy, this one seriously missed the mark in many places. These are the ones I highlighted that made me shake my head. Again, completely awkward:
"Circling my O zone like I was a delicacy" No words....
"My body releases wetness into my panties. I'm so turned on." Literal description....thanks?
"My lady bits flooded with sensation." Lady bits?
"I come, semen gushing out" Well, when you come....it's semen. Surprise!
"Why did you slap me?" "Because I want you. I want you so bad." (WTF!!?)
"My tongue dances flamenco with his. Sevillanas, tango, cha-cha. A dance of devotion which becomes frenzied. I kiss him back like no one knows I'm kissing him. No one does. It's my little secret." Again, what??
"While his ramrod cock strains in his jeans and butts against my bare legs." Umm....ok?
"He grunts as I unzip him and feel his cock over his underwear. It must be perfect. Not porn star huge, but plenty big." Oh gosh....I'm at a loss for words.
"And he keeps going and thrusting and somehow it makes my body come even more alive. I can feel the atoms move. I can feel the electrons swirling around." Really....?
"He's wrung me out like a wet cloth, and I'm now limp and needing to gather up my power so we can connect again." Not gonna even.
"....licking my newly bare bits." FFS....if you can say cock, you can say pussy.
"...since my now-weeping erection doesn't like to be rejected." Oh my....
And last but not least: "Having her in my bedroom makes my heart soar up into the clouds, become one with the atmosphere and evaporate into the heavens."
I could see where the author was trying to take this book, but the words.....were just words. They didn't play out as emotional words, leading me to side-eye a lot. Kim's "darkness" was not really dark AT ALL, at least...that's what I got out of it. She complained of these tethers, yet if you broke them down, there was either a lack of communication or confidence in her own voice. It played out a lot differently for me than intended, and it came across as forced emotional talking points. His shadows were not really of the magnitude that they needed to "explore each other's shadows" and that made me roll my eyes more than I should have. Again, the delivery missed the mark for me on this one and I'm honestly sad about that.
This author literally writes in the opportunities for any sort of action or consequence, not allowing the story to progress naturally. I know that sounds stupid for me to say, because DUH, she's a writer, but it was forced. It was almost as if she was willing things to happen. I am not entirely sure if I am going to read her again, because while I see she has the ability to tell a story, she doesn't exactly flow for me and she makes even the sexiest of things weird with her word choices. It was just....awkward. Comedic. Weird. Unfortunately, this kind of read is what scares me for trying new to me authors. That synopsis screams sexy. It just didn't play out that way.
I will say this much. I loved Tavo and his passion for his dreams, as well as Kim. He was a compassionate man and it definitely showed in the way he wanted to take care of Kim. He was so good to her. He was romantic, respectful and in tune with her. There was a sensual side to him that peeked out every now and then. I really did like him. Kim, not so much. She was dry and boring, and overtly annoying. What 20 year old has never pet a cat, or needed to be shown how to hold a knife for cutting vegetables? Or tries to smokes because she never has and wanted to? She tried to 'break out of her shell' and become this other person, but every single action felt like a cry for attention. She was a complete ditz for me, jumping up and down clapping her hands in excitement like a 12 year old? Come ON! I felt like screaming, "Don't make her out to be a bimbo just so he can help her!!!" It was rough and I really had a hard time making it through the last 60% of the book because of her and her actions, but at 84% I was mentally screaming at her and her immature reasonings for leaving him. Yes, this book made me ragey a few times, but here's the deal. I liked the story itself. The female; meh. The male; yessss! I know....I'm shaking my head too. I know this sounds mean, but this one did NOT work at all. Not even a little bit. And that sucks, because I really wanted it to. It is never my intention to be rude, ever, and I know this comes across as such, but it is my honest opinion. My favorite part was the sexy as hell cover she slapped on this one.
I make good on all my promises. If you would like to win a copy of this book, ENTER HERE.
"Wishing things were different is a fool's desire."
~BEE
PURCHASE
~MEET LESLIE McADAM~
Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance, Little Dude, and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two small children. Leslie always encourages her kids to be themselves - even if it means letting her daughter wear leopard print from head to toe. An avid reader from a young age, she will always trade watching TV for reading a book, unless it's Top Gear. Or football. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men you fantasize about. She's unapologetically sarcastic and notoriously terrible at comma placement.
Always up for a laugh, Leslie tries to see humor in all things. When she's not in the writing cave you'll find her fangirling over Beck, camping with her family, or mixing up oil paints to depict her love of outdoors on canvas.
~CONNECT WITH LESLIE~
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