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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
An enjoyable start to this new series. It wasn't what I was expecting but that turned out to be a good thing and I will definitely be continuing with this series and would recommend it to others, especially if you like your stories with little angst, hot guys and strong women.
Really enjoyed this one. Sexy, feminist novel. Central plot is about proving one's worth as a young, attractive woman in a male dominated industry, but also about setting healthy personal boundaries. Some BDSM but not what I would classify as a BDSM book; I like that when PJ told Asa she wasn't into something he respected her for it and didn't push her. The characters have great chemistry and banter and the comic best friends were actually funny. Compelling plot. Fun book, will definitely read on in the series.
4.5 Opening Up
I am a huge fan of Lauren Dane’s work. And I was so excited for this series. Let me tell you it is freaking HOT... I am talking scorching. I have listened to this series more than once but I am just now getting to the point of reviewing.
I love that PJ is her own woman, and yes she is young but she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I think she might be one of the best Heroines Lauren has ever written.
Asa is all kinds of manly smoken' hot; I would be drooling at a guy like him. His cool swagger, but it is the gruff exterior it’s just so damn hot. This is just one of those stories you have to experience for yourself.
I loved that he rejects her yep I loved that why because it was real. I know it is fiction but it is real too he had hang-ups about her age and she was awesome and showed him what he was missing.
I really liked how he was just so supportive of PJ but it was more than that she was right there supporting him right back she didn’t try and change him she just embraced him for who and what he was.
I LOVED the narration no joke it was perfect the male voice damn she made me have shivers!! The only voice I wasn’t a fan of was the one she did for PJ’s mother but other than that I loved all the voices!! She brought each character into the story in a way that was so unique.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
I am a huge fan of Lauren Dane’s work. And I was so excited for this series. Let me tell you it is freaking HOT... I am talking scorching. I have listened to this series more than once but I am just now getting to the point of reviewing.
I love that PJ is her own woman, and yes she is young but she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. I think she might be one of the best Heroines Lauren has ever written.
Asa is all kinds of manly smoken' hot; I would be drooling at a guy like him. His cool swagger, but it is the gruff exterior it’s just so damn hot. This is just one of those stories you have to experience for yourself.
I loved that he rejects her yep I loved that why because it was real. I know it is fiction but it is real too he had hang-ups about her age and she was awesome and showed him what he was missing.
I really liked how he was just so supportive of PJ but it was more than that she was right there supporting him right back she didn’t try and change him she just embraced him for who and what he was.
I LOVED the narration no joke it was perfect the male voice damn she made me have shivers!! The only voice I wasn’t a fan of was the one she did for PJ’s mother but other than that I loved all the voices!! She brought each character into the story in a way that was so unique.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
🎧 Audio Review 🎧
I loved this book! The characters are real, flawed, and emotional. I want my very own Good Bad boy like Asa! He was hot, sweet, smart & protective.....everything I love in a male lead! PJ was strong, snarky and knew what she wanted. I loved her snark in the beginning so much! The sex was SUPER HOT and it had a great ending too! The narration on the audiobook was awesome, Sasha Dunbrooke really did Asa well too! If you love the Brown Siblings Series, I highly recommend this one too!
I loved this book! The characters are real, flawed, and emotional. I want my very own Good Bad boy like Asa! He was hot, sweet, smart & protective.....everything I love in a male lead! PJ was strong, snarky and knew what she wanted. I loved her snark in the beginning so much! The sex was SUPER HOT and it had a great ending too! The narration on the audiobook was awesome, Sasha Dunbrooke really did Asa well too! If you love the Brown Siblings Series, I highly recommend this one too!
I only started reading Lauren Dane books a few months ago and can’t believe I’ve been missing out for so long. After reading her Brown Family series, Delicious, and The Hurley Boys, I was excited to start her Ink and Chrome series. The other series I had read by her were all interconnected so I’m a little happy that this series is independent of the others and I don’t have to figure out who is related to who. In general, I just want to take a moment and gush about Lauren Dane book covers. Holy accuracy Batman! I love that most of the characters are tattooed and that the tattoos they have are depicted on the book cover! And this cover is gorgeous and detailed too. I love PJ’s lotus flower!
Dane’s previous series introduced the readers to tattoo shops and rock-star lifestyles. In this book, she takes the reader in the world of custom car designs and racing. To be honest, I was a little hesitant. I’ve read Erin McCarthy’s Fast Track series and that’s about all the car related books I read. My dad loves to watch all those custom car shows but they usually bore me out of my mind. However, my fears were for naught. Dane introduced the reader to an interesting world, centered on the Twisted Steel shop, run by Asa and his best friend Duke. In the end, I found one of my dislikes about the book was that it didn’t focus enough on the shop! I ended up doing a total 180. I wanted to see more of the shop and a little less of PJ’s family drama, even though they were in the car world. I do hope that some of her siblings get books.
I really liked watching the relationship between PJ and Asa build throughout the book. It actually took a few months before they gave into the attraction between them. One of the issues addressed was the age difference between the couple. Asa was 12 years older than PJ, who was 25. In terms of historical romances, age differences are usually brushed over. In contemporary romances, they are given a bit more light. I didn’t feel like the age difference was creepy. PJ was a mature adult who decided she wanted to be in relationship with Asa. Their relationship hit other bumps aside from just the age issue. There was the usual lack of communication problems but they didn’t grow out of the control and wreck the relationship. What I liked even more was that falling in love was the make or break point. Neither ran scared when the other confessed their love. They continued to support each other and have a mature relationship. This book, like most Lauren Dane books, was extremely sensual. There were hints of BDSM, mostly floggers and the like. However, that is intertwined but doesn’t overtake and define their relationship. There’s also humor twisted in with the steam, i.e. PJ quoting Arthur C. Clarke in the middle of sex.
Overall, I really like the direction of Lauren Dane’s new series. Her books combine the right amount of sensuality with likeable characters, humor, and plot.
Favorite Quotes:
“Tenderness flooded her to near bursting. How did she get so lucky that she found this? She never expected that love would be something so utterly certain. Asa had called to her from the start and now he fit in her life in a way that lightened her heart and made her feel grounded all at once.”
“This was making love. It didn’t have to be sweet in a traditional sense. It was sweet for Asa and PJ. He loved her and cherished her, and the way he touched her, like he’d never get enough, humbled her to her toes. Love did that. Laid you bare, broke you open and opened you up. It made you want to be better.”
Opening Up Review
Dane’s previous series introduced the readers to tattoo shops and rock-star lifestyles. In this book, she takes the reader in the world of custom car designs and racing. To be honest, I was a little hesitant. I’ve read Erin McCarthy’s Fast Track series and that’s about all the car related books I read. My dad loves to watch all those custom car shows but they usually bore me out of my mind. However, my fears were for naught. Dane introduced the reader to an interesting world, centered on the Twisted Steel shop, run by Asa and his best friend Duke. In the end, I found one of my dislikes about the book was that it didn’t focus enough on the shop! I ended up doing a total 180. I wanted to see more of the shop and a little less of PJ’s family drama, even though they were in the car world. I do hope that some of her siblings get books.
I really liked watching the relationship between PJ and Asa build throughout the book. It actually took a few months before they gave into the attraction between them. One of the issues addressed was the age difference between the couple. Asa was 12 years older than PJ, who was 25. In terms of historical romances, age differences are usually brushed over. In contemporary romances, they are given a bit more light. I didn’t feel like the age difference was creepy. PJ was a mature adult who decided she wanted to be in relationship with Asa. Their relationship hit other bumps aside from just the age issue. There was the usual lack of communication problems but they didn’t grow out of the control and wreck the relationship. What I liked even more was that falling in love was the make or break point. Neither ran scared when the other confessed their love. They continued to support each other and have a mature relationship. This book, like most Lauren Dane books, was extremely sensual. There were hints of BDSM, mostly floggers and the like. However, that is intertwined but doesn’t overtake and define their relationship. There’s also humor twisted in with the steam, i.e. PJ quoting Arthur C. Clarke in the middle of sex.
Overall, I really like the direction of Lauren Dane’s new series. Her books combine the right amount of sensuality with likeable characters, humor, and plot.
Favorite Quotes:
“Tenderness flooded her to near bursting. How did she get so lucky that she found this? She never expected that love would be something so utterly certain. Asa had called to her from the start and now he fit in her life in a way that lightened her heart and made her feel grounded all at once.”
“This was making love. It didn’t have to be sweet in a traditional sense. It was sweet for Asa and PJ. He loved her and cherished her, and the way he touched her, like he’d never get enough, humbled her to her toes. Love did that. Laid you bare, broke you open and opened you up. It made you want to be better.”
Opening Up Review
To be honest I feel guilty giving Opening Up such a rating. It had one of the best female leads with PJ. I adored her, she was the type of lead I want to see more of in the romance genre. In fact, she's the main reason I read well past when I should have. Problems is I just got done reading some great books. Most importantly great books with amazing sexual chemistry, and they weren't even romance central books.
Sad truth is that Opening Up reads slow. It never really picks up and just plods along. Asa is the male lead and he could have been swapped out with any other male alpha out there. When he finally develops I had already checked out. Not to mention that Asa and PJ's chemistry would turn off and on for me. Most of the time it never reached the heights I needed it to.
Plus the writing and I did not get along. I had to reread some of the dialogue. I couldn't tell which alpha male was speaking. The flow of what some characters were saying was off, and I don't think it was slang. Not to mention that the writing is a little barren to me. For a while I kept thinking that Asa had a beard. Well over halfway it was confirmed and I kept wondering what kind of beard? The writing didn't create enough of a visual, emotions, and other key things to suck me in.
PJ interested me. I LOVED her! Not only her but her best friend and sister. I enjoyed how Opening Up addresses how being a woman, and being young, is used against you in the work environment. Working in the car industry makes it even worst. (Or a lot of other industries that are male "only".) PJ handles her self well and I love that she knows what she wants. When Asa tries to think for her, she shuts him down and tells him what's what. She knows how far she's willing to court him, and when she needs to move on. She's not afraid to tell him no. Even in the bedroom. There was an awesome scene about saying no to back door action! Ha-ha!
Fact is I would give PJ a 5/5. She's amazing, and if the book was about her and her career I would have been on board. Sadly it's a romance and Asa did not interest me. Which led to a lack of chemistry as a couple. I've read plenty of romance where the alpha male could have been swapped out for another one, but they had burning chemistry! For PJ I read this way past my quitting point. I dare say that many romance fans are going to love this book. If you are a big romance reader I insist that you give this book a try. For me though I'm tired of the genre and I need MORE. In the end I wanted to quit, but I couldn't miss experiencing more PJ. Sadly the rest of this book was boring and uninteresting.
Sexual Content: Plenty of humor. Yes, sex. Sadly I found that pretty flat except for a few comedic points that were put in. The two had no chemistry.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
Sad truth is that Opening Up reads slow. It never really picks up and just plods along. Asa is the male lead and he could have been swapped out with any other male alpha out there. When he finally develops I had already checked out. Not to mention that Asa and PJ's chemistry would turn off and on for me. Most of the time it never reached the heights I needed it to.
Plus the writing and I did not get along. I had to reread some of the dialogue. I couldn't tell which alpha male was speaking. The flow of what some characters were saying was off, and I don't think it was slang. Not to mention that the writing is a little barren to me. For a while I kept thinking that Asa had a beard. Well over halfway it was confirmed and I kept wondering what kind of beard? The writing didn't create enough of a visual, emotions, and other key things to suck me in.
PJ interested me. I LOVED her! Not only her but her best friend and sister. I enjoyed how Opening Up addresses how being a woman, and being young, is used against you in the work environment. Working in the car industry makes it even worst. (Or a lot of other industries that are male "only".) PJ handles her self well and I love that she knows what she wants. When Asa tries to think for her, she shuts him down and tells him what's what. She knows how far she's willing to court him, and when she needs to move on. She's not afraid to tell him no. Even in the bedroom. There was an awesome scene about saying no to back door action! Ha-ha!
Fact is I would give PJ a 5/5. She's amazing, and if the book was about her and her career I would have been on board. Sadly it's a romance and Asa did not interest me. Which led to a lack of chemistry as a couple. I've read plenty of romance where the alpha male could have been swapped out for another one, but they had burning chemistry! For PJ I read this way past my quitting point. I dare say that many romance fans are going to love this book. If you are a big romance reader I insist that you give this book a try. For me though I'm tired of the genre and I need MORE. In the end I wanted to quit, but I couldn't miss experiencing more PJ. Sadly the rest of this book was boring and uninteresting.
Sexual Content: Plenty of humor. Yes, sex. Sadly I found that pretty flat except for a few comedic points that were put in. The two had no chemistry.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out.
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
2.5 stars
I don't normally go for books like this but it looked interesting so I checked it out from the library. I'm not a car person and didn't relate to that aspect of the culture. More importantly, the book was just too long. There were plot points that could have been eliminated completely.
I don't normally go for books like this but it looked interesting so I checked it out from the library. I'm not a car person and didn't relate to that aspect of the culture. More importantly, the book was just too long. There were plot points that could have been eliminated completely.
ARC received from Forever (Grand Central) via Netgalley for an honest review
I have read quite a few Lauren Dane books in the past, so it was great to get in early with the first book in her new Ink and Chrome series.
PJ is my kind of woman. Tattoos, piercings, pretty much the black sheep of her family.
Asa is the sexy, older man who fills her thoughts and dreams. Work keeps their paths crossing, and as much as he wants her too, he keeps telling himself - and PJ - that he is not the man for her.
It took me a little while to really warm up to Asa, but when I did, I could completely understand PJ's attraction to him, and could see the heart he is trying so hard to hide.
Oh Asa, why did you even try to fight things?
Every time PJ and Asa are in the same room, you could cut the UST with a knife! I swear, everyone within a mile could see it, could feel it.
I adored how they tried to keep their relationship all "friends without benefits". Blind Freddy could see that this was never going to be an option!
So, can PJ and Asa have their HEA? Nope, you are going to have to read for yourself.
Ms Dane has a way of writing a sweet, sexy romance. There are no huge OMG twist and turn moments. I loved the writing, the story was evenly paced and flowed well. We kind of know what we are going to get in the end, and it is an enjoyable ride to take.
I have read quite a few Lauren Dane books in the past, so it was great to get in early with the first book in her new Ink and Chrome series.
PJ is my kind of woman. Tattoos, piercings, pretty much the black sheep of her family.
Asa is the sexy, older man who fills her thoughts and dreams. Work keeps their paths crossing, and as much as he wants her too, he keeps telling himself - and PJ - that he is not the man for her.
It took me a little while to really warm up to Asa, but when I did, I could completely understand PJ's attraction to him, and could see the heart he is trying so hard to hide.
Oh Asa, why did you even try to fight things?
Every time PJ and Asa are in the same room, you could cut the UST with a knife! I swear, everyone within a mile could see it, could feel it.
I adored how they tried to keep their relationship all "friends without benefits". Blind Freddy could see that this was never going to be an option!
So, can PJ and Asa have their HEA? Nope, you are going to have to read for yourself.
Ms Dane has a way of writing a sweet, sexy romance. There are no huge OMG twist and turn moments. I loved the writing, the story was evenly paced and flowed well. We kind of know what we are going to get in the end, and it is an enjoyable ride to take.
Some say I'm hard grader (looking at you, you know who), but really I'm not. Really. Two stars means the book was ok.
The last quarter of this book was so boring. Each new chapter brought on an 'ugh' from me. The couple is set and there's no real conflict between them from at least the half way point. Honestly I never felt a real solid conflict between them, and I thought the conflict in the beginning was so thin.
After the 75% mark, the conflict is with her family which was not that interesting because it was so one sided, so obvious. The book may have been better as 1st person women's fiction because of the conflict with her family was the main issue of the book.
All that said, I still think Dane is a good writer. This was my first of her books and I'll definitely read her again. There's some good writing here, the main characters are interesting and well developed, hot sex scenes, competence porn (if you like that kind of thing). I get why people love her writing when I look at those elements. But the story was just boring.
The last quarter of this book was so boring. Each new chapter brought on an 'ugh' from me. The couple is set and there's no real conflict between them from at least the half way point. Honestly I never felt a real solid conflict between them, and I thought the conflict in the beginning was so thin.
After the 75% mark, the conflict is with her family which was not that interesting because it was so one sided, so obvious. The book may have been better as 1st person women's fiction because of the conflict with her family was the main issue of the book.
All that said, I still think Dane is a good writer. This was my first of her books and I'll definitely read her again. There's some good writing here, the main characters are interesting and well developed, hot sex scenes, competence porn (if you like that kind of thing). I get why people love her writing when I look at those elements. But the story was just boring.