Books like “Linked” are difficult for me to review. It’s not a matter of length or even quality, it’s more a matter of genre. Paranormal erotica (and I use the term “erotica” loosely with Linked – it only skirted the edge) is a big seller these days. Where women used to bury their heads in Harlequins; they now turn to books like “Blood Lust” by Zoe Winters or the “Riley Jensen” series by Keri Arthur. Ladies like “juicy bits” and there are more than enough authors willing to provide it for them.
I’m not saying I dislike this genre. Hell, I like the “Oh, God…Take me NOW!” just as much as the next girl, I just have a problem talking about it. Give me sword fights or even decapitated heads and I’m golden. Hand me a plate of yummy and ask me to break it down? I panic. So, instead of focusing on the obvious (sex) I’ve decided to venture into the “unknown”…aka “the rest of the story.”
Tara has had a bad couple of months, and while yes… the “suicide” of her mother was sad, and unexpected, nothing could prepare her for what was about to happen. Awoken (quite frightfully) from a dream she quickly discovers she’s not alone. Gathering her wits (and forcing herself to keep it together) Tara does the only thing she can think of; she jumps out the window. Hauling ass with her intruder only steps behind she finally sees her out… another man. Can Cole help keep her safe when it’s so damn obvious someone is after her? Why does all of this seems so eerily familiar, and will the real Cole scare or excite Tara?
All “lust-fest” qualities aside, “Linked” was…well… surprisingly action packed. The handful of fights, and glimpses into both of the main characters background added depth to a read that under normal circumstances could have been pawned off as fluff, and Welsh (although quick to throw her characters into bed) managed to form a pretty decent plot.
Is this read for everyone? Well no, of course not. Even though it was executed well for its genre; the fact remains that it was a quick read, with little character development, and a whole bunch of snuggly time. 50 more pages and a little more push/pull could have done this little ditty a world of good, but if you like books that (uh hum) get to the point, with a dash of suspended reality then knock your lights out. It IS only $.99.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Furry friends need love too.
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[Rating:3/5]
I was laughing with relief that you didn’t go into detail about the “naughty bits” – not that I mind reading a story that has a little bit of that going on if fits in the story (as opposed to BEING the story) but I would not be able to blog about it either. I tried to write it into a piece of flash fiction once and found I couldn’t lol. I kept thinking about people I knew would be reading it and felt too much like the dream where you show up at school naked…I’ve been married for thirty years and have two kids in college and the idea made me blush! Sheesh, thanks for this humorous review. It is funny to me that paranormal romance has become the new guilty pleasure…I was fairly late to the paranormal table. Do you think it started with the Twilight craze or has this been a thing for longer than that? Is that why so many of us are leaning towards YA books? I have to have a good story and characters I can care about and if a little sex gets thrown in, its okay but there has to be substance (and a little romance before the characters fall into bed – please) there or I am quickly bored.
I know right! What was I supposed to say “the author was brilliant in her description of the male anatomy!” luckily it had a story line or I would have been screwed.
As for it being a new thing… I don’t think so. There has been a rash of paranormal “pleasure” books for years, but I think the sudden acceptance of the occult as mainstream literature has boosted their position in peoples eyes. The same women that used to be content with husky pirates and dr. McHottie have found a new way to fantasize.
And as for YA, yes… I think that character development is a huge part of why readers are turning to adolescent lit. The “generic” genres offered to women 30 and over these day are chick lit or blazen romance. Both of which cover very little ground. YA has been the genre lately to capture the bulk of elements needed to make a book shine. From building intricate story lines to extensive characterization.