Scarlet BlackwellReseñas

I can't give a better review than the one below by SheReadsALot. This was Ms Blackwell's best.

Flat, one dimensional characters with no real story to prop them up. I need to give up on Scarlet Blackwell.

Homeless at Christmas is set in Manchester, England. It’s the story of lonely office worker Neil and homeless Kai. This is told in first person through Neil’s pov.


Well this was a short read. Really, short. So short in fact there wasn’t any character development, more like a brief character reveal.

The following is what the story is about. Neil is wandering around Manchester trying to decide what to do for Christmas, since he’ll be alone. He finds Kai outside a grocery store begging for money. Feeling sorry for Kai, Neil invites him back to his place. Kai thinks it’s for sex which wasn’t Neil’s intention, but the idea grows on Neil. They have sex, hot sex. Kai is going to leave the next day, but Neil breaks down when Kai asks him who he’s going to spend it with. Kai stays, they become a couple, end of story.

That’s it! There’s no character development. We don’t know why Neil has been alone for the last few years and we don’t know why Kai is out on the streets. We get a hint that Kai is a very good cook. Other than they get along very well in the sexual arena, we learn nothing.

I’m disappointed the story wasn’t longer and more fleshed out because the characters seemed interesting, especially Kai. Instead the story is pretty much centered on them having sex and that’s it. Very short, fast read. I can’t give more than 3 Stars because there wasn’t much to the book. Would I read it again? Maybe if the author turned this into a novella, but not as it’s written now.

0.99$ at Silver today only - 22/10/13

Cracky as all crack. The wooing exchange was excellent. (A bouquet of phallic vegetables! Priceless.)

FYI. High sex content to page count. For me anyway, your mileage may vary.

Jade Archer – Cupid's Beau ★★★★✩
J.P. Barnaby – It's the End of the World As We Know It ★★★✩✩
Sarah Black – Sucker-Punch ★★★★✩
Scarlet Blackwell – Breaking Waves ★★★✩✩
Penny Brandon – Wanting Jack ★★★✩✩
Lee Brazil – Be a Bad Boy ★★★★✩
Cardeno C. – Woman With a Dildo ★★★★✩
L.C. Chase – Open Tackle ★★★★✩
Kim Dare – Masochism 101 ★★★✩✩
S.J. Frost – A Little Bit Country ★★★✩✩
Jeanette Grey – Heart and Soul ★★✩✩✩
Jambrea Jo Jones – Wild Blue Yonder ★★✩✩✩
Pender Mackie - Dog Days of Summer ★★★★✩
KM Mahoney - Show & Tell ★★★★✩
JL Merrow – Bear Naked ★★★★✩
M.J. O'Shea – Bridges ★★★★✩
Neil S. Plakcy – Photo Booth ★★★✩✩
D.A. Rhodes – Storm of Passion: A Short Story ★✩✩✩✩
Jaime Samms – Mourning ★★★★✩
Justin South – Reflections ★★★✩✩
Zach Sweets – Luscious Love ★★★✩✩
Piper Vaughn – Wanting ★★★✩✩
Silvia Violet – Time to Tell ★★✩✩✩
Deanna Wadsworth – Unscheduled Maintenance ★★★★✩
Stuart Wakefield – The Elements of Love ★★★✩✩
Alex Whitehall – Hold Me Tight ★★★★✩
Lisa Worrall – Just One Kiss ★★★✩✩
Connor Wright – Gone to Pieces ★★★✩✩

Very mixed feelings about this one.

Sweet!

Pure and utter drama. That is what this poor wedding was! lol
I have to say that throughout the series, Daniel had such insecurities that at times it made me wonder how he became a food critic in the first place but I love his relationship with Luc. The wedding seemed a bit unrealistic to me (I mean, really--who has food fights at an upscale wedding) but that added to the charm of it all.
Glad to see a great ending for this series.

Cute story. I liked the dynamic between Luc and Daniel. Two hot tamales. Looking forward to the sequels.

Really liked this story. Great story about regret and getting the chance to fix what you have wanted to fix for so long.

3.5*

0.99$ at Silver today only - 22/10/13

Cracky as all crack. The wooing exchange was excellent. (A bouquet of phallic vegetables! Priceless.)

FYI. High sex content to page count. For me anyway, your mileage may vary.

Even if I don't have any direct experience of the life of inmates I think that the author showed a realistic picture of it while making her characters very likable and real in their imperfections and wrongdoings.

The love story between the two main characters it's obviously not an easy one but that's what gives it so much more value and made me like this book so much!

The only reason I didn't give 5 star to this book is that it's just too short!!! I'm really hoping there will be a sequel (a long one) to Io and Blake's story

This was my first book by Scarlet Blackwell and it shall not be my last. I enjoyed the writing style and found the plot moved along nicely. The premise was interesting and the MCs were well drawn and developed. I did feel that the issue of Ryan's attraction to Harley was resolved much too easily for a straight 30-something with some homophobic tendencies.

Oh...and I loved the cover!

Shame it ended so abruptly.

3.75 Stars

This book had everything going for it - rent-boy, WW1 vet - and while it was very well written, it just didn't quite gel for me. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I just didn't feel connected.

I love a guy with attitude and Luc has it in spades! This was a light, fun read!

Frustrating, I can't remember reading a book where I so intensely disliked the characters and their behavior. I wanted to kill Matt, or at least hurt him badly. His behavior was inexcusable and yet everyone excused it; and James, after being repeatedly hurt in truly despicable ways, both verbally and at one point physically by Matt, still lets him back in and allows him to keep hurting him. I was very close to DNF this, if the book had been poorl written I wouldn't have. I have enjoyed other books by Ms. Blackwell, but this one just did not work for me.

Like the other books in the Clear Water Chronicles series, this third volume does not shy away from tackling the (in this case ongoing) difficulties of its main characters. This volume returns to Finn and Brandon, from book 2, picking up about 6 months after the end of book 1. On the one hand the story id brutal, contains nail-biting levels of tension, and is definitely not for the fainthearted. On the other hand, it is about survival, hope, and one man's unwillingness to knuckle under in conditions that would make a weaker man give up.

Finn has come out of an abusive relationship that lasted ten years. is initial steps toward recovery are done, but, as I said in my last review, this sort of recovery isn't fast or easy. This story shows some of the ongoing difficulties Finn has - especially when Brandon discovers traces of Finn's ex's criminal activity. Finn's flashbacks are brutal, hide nothing, and are the reason for the 'excessive violence' warning in the blurb. That warning is definitely justified.

Brandon is as protective as ever, and is determined to help Finn not just by loving him, but by finding and apprehending the man who caused Finn so much pain. Brandon does get the job done, but it is a close call on several occasions.

This book is not a fun read, but I am glad Scarlet Blackwell gave us this glimpse into the 'after' of Finn and Brandon's discovery of love. She shows the effort it takes to keep a relationship going under very tough conditions, ones that definitely test Finn and Brandon to the limit. I loved the message of hope this gives, without glossing over the stark realities that abuse victims may have to face on their road to a new life.