Tag Archives: The List

The List by Chantal Fernando-Review and Book Tour

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THE LIST by Chantal Fernando-Review and Book Tour

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THE LIST
by Chantal Fernando
Release Date: May 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, stand alone

The List

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / ibooks /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 2017

On a random night out with her girlfriends, Taye experiences something she hasn’t before.

Instant attraction.

Between vodkas and dance moves she probably shouldn’t be doing in public, never mind on a podium, she meets him.

She’s never had a one night stand before, and to have one is on her list of things to experience in her life.

Not only that, but the chemistry is off the charts.

Decision made.

She’s going home with this man, and she’s not going to regret it when she leaves him in the morning.

Or at least that’s what she thinks

••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LIST by Chantal Fernando is a stand alone, erotic romance story line that follows a few years in the life of our leading couple –Taye and Eli.

Told from first person point of view (Taye) Taye wants to be a romance author but our heroine is a bit of an introvert when it comes to men and relationships. A night out with friends finds Taye focusing on the sexy Eli, a man who is only in town for a short time, but a man who is everything that Taye has been looking (for). Hoping to check off her sexual bucket list of things to do, Taye opts for a one night stand that turns into something more. What ensues is the on again, off again relationship between two people on differing paths, and with different expectations in life.

THE LIST follows our heroine as she struggles to keep her feelings in check when it comes to the man that calls to her heart. Eli never promised forever, in fact, he never promised more than a one-night stand, but attraction is what it is, and our transient and world traveling hero continues to make an occasional appearance in our heroine’s life rendering Taye pining for a man who isn’t capable of anything more. The $ex scenes are intimate; the attraction is immediate but something felt off in the story line presentation-a story that was ‘told without an invitation to come inside’

The first person perspective faltered with THE LIST. The presentation felt more like a series of journal entries; a recounting of events such that the emotion was absent, and the reader is but a remote viewer of events. There are too many details missing; we know very little about the leading characters; the lack of information left me wanting….more.

I am a big fan of the author’s Wind Dragon MC series but THE LIST missed the mark. Chantal Fernando states that some of the events in the book are fictional although loosely based on a real story. I always have difficulty with books based on real-life events because the ‘background information’ and the colorful events are likely to be altered such that they are no longer recognizable and the real emotion is missing. I am hoping the real-life heroine did find her HEA with or without her Eli.

Copy supplied for review.

Reviewed by Sandy

About The Author

New York Times, Amazon & USA Today Bestselling Author Chantal Fernando is thirty years old and lives in Western Australia.

Lover of all things romance, Chantal is the author of the best selling books Dragon’s Lair, Maybe This Time and many more.

When not reading, writing or daydreaming she can be found enjoying life with her three sons and family.

Chantal loves to hear from readers.

Follow Chantal: Website/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Goodreads

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The List (The List #1) by Tawna Fenske-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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THE LIST (The List #1) by Tawna Fenske-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

The List Banner

THE LIST
The List #1
by Tawna Fenske
Release Date: January 30,2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

The List

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 30,2017

As the millionaire owner of a chain of computer shops, Simon Traxel isn’t normally hands-on with mundane repairs. But when a fretful brunette shows up with her fried laptop and killer green eyes, he makes an exception. And as it turns out, she needs more hands-on help than Simon imagined.

Brainy soil scientist Cassie Michaels has spent her whole life feeling like a grungy tree trunk beside her delicate flower sisters. To make herself more interesting, Cassie invented stories about her wild sex life—stories she’s expected to retell in vivid detail at a bachelorette party. Cassie’s attempt to catalog her biggest whoppers goes awry when she spills wine on her laptop and lands in Simon’s shop with her sexy list frozen on the screen.

But Simon’s interest is piqued, and the two strike a deal to make Cassie’s make-believe sexploits a reality. From steamy public romps gone hilariously awry, to sexy antics with kitchen utensils, their quest to conquer The List is equal parts scorching hot and adorably awkward.

As they near the end of The List though, Cassie and Simon second guess their pledge to shake hands and say goodbye when they cross off the last item. But will Simon’s big secret make that the one fantasy that can never come true?

••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LIST is the first installment in Tawna Fenske’s contemporary, adult THE LIST erotic, romance series. This is soil scientist Cassie Michaels, and millionaire businessman / computer geek Simon Traxel’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Simon and Cassie) THE LIST focuses on a bucket list, of sorts, for Cassie Michaels. Cassie is the brain of the family; while her sisters afford the opulent and rich lifestyle of which they are accustomed, our heroine spends her time researching soil samples and the beauty of nature. But there is a competitive nature to Cassie Michaels as she continues to one-up her sisters in the kinky and wild sex department-a department that is not as entertaining as she leads her sisters to believe. Enter Simon Traxel, a millionaire who owns a string of computer stores across America, and the man who will help Cassie cross off the items on her ‘f*cket list’. What ensues is the building relationship between Simon and Cassie, and Cassie’s heartbreak when she discovers that Simon isn’t the man she thought him to be.

The relationship between Cassie and Simon is one of mutual benefit. Simon volunteers to help Cassie complete her ‘f*cket’ list of sexy things to do but is unwilling to reveal anything about himself or his past. Cassie understands that her relationship with Simon is purely for fun and excitement but her heart begins to fall for a man she knows nothing about. The $ex scenes are fun, erotic and seductive with a little bit of spanking, sex games as well as some girl on girl action.

Throughout the story line we begin to learn a little bit of Cassie’s life but Simon is reluctant to reveal his true identity to the woman with whom he will fall in love. Simon is a millionaire who has a difficult time trusting the women in his life, but his secrets will destroy Cassie when the truth is revealed.

We are introduced to Cassie’s sisters Missy and Lisa, as well as Simon’s younger sister Junie- a young woman that is the center of Simon’s world.

THE LIST is a fun, romantic story line. There is romance, love, heartbreak and betrayal although the angst is short lived. Simon keeps secret the truth about who he is and what he does, and in this our heroine is all but destroyed by his lies of omission. The premise is entertaining and imaginative; the characters are heartwarming; the romance is energetic and explorative. THE LIST is a quick read to enjoy on a lazy, Sunday afternoon.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

About the Author yellow

Tawna FenskeTawna Fenske is a USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Her offbeat brand of romance has received multiple starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, one of which noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”
Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband, step-kids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year.

Connect with Tawna:

Author Website: www.tawnafenske.com
Author Blog: http://tawnafenske.blogspot.com/
Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/tawnafenske
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TawnaFenskeBooks/

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The List by Anne Calhoun-a review

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THE LIST by Anne Calhoun-a review

The List

Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 3, 2015

Matchmaker and stationery shop owner Matilda Davies brings people together. For those on her list, Tilda will find the man or woman of their dreams—whether it’s for an hour or a lifetime. But due to a painful past, the British expat has never put her own name on the list. Instead, she limits herself to emotionless and commitment-free hookups. Then she meets Daniel, who wants not just her body, but also her heart…

Daniel Logan hides the soul of a poet under the suit and tie of an FBI agent. Specializing in financial crimes, he pieces together stories of greed and ensures justice is done. He plays by the rules—until he meets Tilda. He’s drawn in by her passion as well as her mysteriousness. Daniel knows that no matter her secrets, he’s the perfect match for Tilda. But even pleasure doesn’t come with a guarantee…

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LIST is a contemporary, adult storyline that follows a year in the life of FBI agent Daniel Logan and stationery shop owner Matilda Davies. THE LIST is a story of romance, learning to love, and forgiving oneself for the sins of the past.

Told from third person point of view, alternating between the present and the recent past, THE LIST focuses on the unexpected and unlikely relationship between Tilda and Daniel, and Tilda’s need to hold on to the past.

Tilda is a bit of a matchmaker whose successful unions have left a pleasant but envious mark upon our heroine’s soul. Tilda is an enigma to others and to herself. Her relationship with Daniel is quick to develop; she is a sexually passionate woman yet comes across uncaring, withdrawn, self absorbed and without emotion; and she is vulnerable to her past. Her bond with Daniel is tentative and fragile; her need to succeed and be noticed is all encompassing. Saying that, her likability as a heroine is provisional upon the outcome of the story-I found it difficult to understand Daniel’s attraction and connection to Matilda Davies.

The relationship between our leading couple is highly sexual, provocative and intense but herein lies the issue-Daniel and Tilda have nothing in common but a deep desire to be needed and belong. Their love story is often painful, intimate and moving but is built upon a shaky foundation-a happily ever after is not always a guarantee. Daniel, on the other hand, is an amazing man who supports and nurtures Tilda through her numerous levels of self absorption and emotional withdrawal-it is almost a codependent relationship. Tilda outwardly appears strong and self assured but inside something is missing and the little girl, she once was, is still waiting for recognition and love.

Throughout the novel I found myself at odds with my enjoyment due to the heroine’s underwhelming and less than welcoming persona; the narrative was, at times, unusually dry and subdued, and I, once again, blame the heroine’s lack of empathy and emotional range throughout much of the story. Tilda hides behind a façade; a mask of her own making but in doing so hides away from herself.

THE LIST is an interesting and well written storyline but I think it fell short in its’ ability to draw me in. Perhaps it was the author’s writing style or the method used to convey the overall mood. If there was ever a metaphor for their relationship-Daniel was first introduced to Tilda as they sat upon a ledge, twenty one stories above the ground; on the precipice of life and death; the past, the present, and the future; on the edge of an abyss going nowhere-fast.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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