Cameron DaneCritiques

I have been tripping down memory lane and visiting old friends. Cameron Dane is an author who I do enjoy even though their characters can be overly into the drama one minute and then just accept some real boundary-pushing behaviors the next. (Translation for my musings - The character's behaviors and reactions are not always believable).
This series is entertaining as it mixes m/f, m/m, and m/f/m books while mixing contemporary with fantasy in the same setting and making it work. If I could buy all the way in on the characters, this would be a 5/5 but it is what it is.
This was a favorite in the series for me as the story's MCs are three very different people who become a unit.

Nate Jordan and former Detective Logan Jefferies have been fighting their attraction for one another ever since they met. But when they have to partner up on a missing persons case at Quinn Security, their control is sorely tested.

I loved the two books featuring Adam and Rhone so I was pretty confident I'd enjoy this one and I wasn't wrong. But I wasn't entirely right either. There were a few problems. The first one was the length. It was much too long. The second was the ridiculous sex scenes. It was steamy at times but any book that uses the word chute has me cringing. The third problem was the amount of sex. It overtook the plot and it started to drag. And it's a shame because the mystery plot was the best part of the book.

Logan and Nate were super sweet together and I loved that Nate didn't take any of Logan's crap. I really liked that he was willing to compromise and be reasonable but he also wasn't willing to buckle under every demand Logan had. It was a nice change. The relationship between them develops slowly allowing the investigation into the missing girl to take center stage. That worked really well, until they do get together and then it's kind of a mess. Once they were together the narrative seemed to struggle to find a balance between sex and the plot.

So that sucked, but the ending was pure brilliance. I loved how it all unfolded and how they worked to piece the clues together. Although the ending made me sad - I had really hoped that Daria was alive and well.

A steamy m/m romantic suspense with an interesting mystery let down only by the length and some ridiculous sex scenes. 4 stars.

Abby Gaines, Rodrigo Santiago and Braden Crenshaw have been circling around each other for months. Braden knows exactly what he wants but in order to make a relationship between the three of them work, he'll have to convince Abby and Rodrigo they're all exactly what each other needs.

I wasn't really sure about this one. I loved the first book with Christian and Jonah and I did like Abby, Rodrigo and Braden - but I'm not big on threesome or harem romances. But I felt like reading something different and I generally love all of Cameron Dane's books - so I figured this was the one to try.

And it was good. I'm still not sold on threesomes or harem romances but if I like the existing characters in a series I could see myself picking one up in the future. The relationship between them was sweet and sexy and well written. There was a little bit of preachiness at the end about faith, but for the most part it was just advocating for love no matter what form that takes - and it's hard to argue with that. It might not be what I want but I have no issues if other people do. My biggest issue with their relationship was the speed of the relationship development. It felt very fast - (I mean obviously they've been circling around each other for months but specifically regarding this book) it didn't feel as if they were together very long but apparently it was weeks and weeks and I felt that wasn't really conveyed very well.

In terms of the plot it was mainly wrapped up in the romance and the sex but it did detour to tackle Rodrigo reconnecting with his father and an investigation into the deaths of Abby's parents. Rodrigo's father, Henry was a great addition - I loved that he was so understanding and accepting and genuine. And I also loved Braden's aunt, Ida who was only surprised it took him so long to get his act together and start dating them. The murder investigation was weak but then it's mainly a romance. The reveal was kind of ridiculous. I mean I get that it's a threesome - but did the killer have to be sleeping with Abby's mother and father separately - without the other one knowing? Like really? I mean there is such a thing as too much and this definitely was. Separate affairs or something or Abby mishearing her mother saying baby would've been more believable.

This won't be for everyone but it's well written with lots of steamy sex and a mostly decent plot. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

4 stars

synopsis:
noah came out of the closet a year ago, after 20 years of marriage. unfortunately, the guy that he came out for had already found a guy. enter zane. zane has just been kicked out of his apartment and has no where to go. he's got custody of his younger half brother and sister, and fears losing them. noah witnesses his humiliation and offers to find him a place to stay, and eventually, a part time job.
zane has never really had time to question his sexuality, because he's had custody of his siblings since he was 18 or 19, and was looking after them before that.

what i liked: i liked the fact that zane didn't "go gay" for noah, that he really had no time to think about what he wanted; he was just trying to keep his head above water, but assumed that he was "normal". the attraction was immediate on both their parts, but they took time to build up to it. the relationship was believable, as was the pace of everything happening. a little villainy regarding them being together on the part of the aunt fighting zane for custody added some spice to the story.
i also liked that the kids weren't instantly best friends, that they had their squabbles.

what i didn't like: not much, actually. maybe a little bit more time spent with noah and zane as a couple, together, rather than just thinking about the other person.

I loved Christian and Jonah in A Fostered Love so I was super excited to see there was a novella with them set four years in their future. Like the first one, there's lots of swoon-worthy romance and wicked chemistry. Christian and Jonah are adorable together. But Snowfall has a pretty thin plot - this is mainly nonstop sex (hot sex to be fair) with the slightest hint of a story about a Valentine's Day weekend. Jonah getting the snow machine was cute af. There's not much about their lives or what they've gotten up to in the past four years - although they are still super over the top sweet and corny. It was enjoyable but not as good as A Fostered Love. 3 stars.

I loved the first book, so I had no doubt I would enjoy the sequel and I did. Rhone and Adam are still as sweet and swoonworthy as ever. I really liked the problems they kept getting caught up in. I think this mystery aspect worked better in this series than it did in [b:A Fostered Love|6235225|A Fostered Love (Foster Siblings, #1)|Cameron Dane|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1237874462l/6235225._SY75_.jpg|6417894] - probably because Adam and Rhone are actually private investigators so it's not right out of left field. I felt sorry for poor Wes. But I liked the whole subplot with Annie and Ford. They're in LOVE! 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for enjoyment.

Much like when I read [b:A Fostered Love|6235225|A Fostered Love (Foster Siblings, #1)|Cameron Dane|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1237874462l/6235225._SY75_.jpg|6417894], I loved this. Rhone and Adam were swoonworthy and it was a super sweet read. I liked the flashback aspect - well or time lapse? - I liked that I got to see their relationship develop at every stage from their first meeting. I loved the friendship they had - they really were best friends before anything else. 4.5 stars, rounded up because I really enjoyed it.

Okay the ending was corny - an angel wing for freedom? Jeez. But this was perfect. There was so much heat. Swoon-worthy romance. Chemistry off the charts. I loved both characters. Jonah was adorable. He was so awkward and it was endearing. Christian was so nice. The plot was lacking a bit (it was a bit clunky with the whole stalker angle) and the character depth was often off screen but the chemistry was insane.

A m/m cowboy romance with a slight age gap, over the top angst and an excessive amount of sex. Jed takes a chance on new hire Booker and they find themselves falling for each other over four years.

I've really loved the other Cameron Dane books I've read but this one was a total miss for me. The writing is still as good as always but the story just sucked. It started out alright then just steadily headed downhill. And I hated that instead of talking and having the conversation they needed to have they just kept having sex. I mean really, they'd be friends for all that time, they couldn't control themselves enough to have a freaking discussion? And Booker just kept pushing Jed to be with him and I didn't like it. 2 stars.

More like 2.5 stars.
I really really REALLY liked the idea, and the story itself is not quite what I had in mind but nevertheless good. If it weren't for the sex scenes, I'd probably give it 3.5 stars.
They were boring. The descriptions are almost clinical. Terms like 'quivering bud', 'stabbing his penis in X's hot wetness', 'Give it to me' and the like made me want to puke and laugh at the same time, and in this book, they were over-used. Some of them were about 10 pages long. I have rarely been so tempted to skip the sex and just read the plot.
Later I checked out the writer - Cameron Dane - and realized that I've only ever read one of her books before this one (Quinn Security #1) and I had problems with that book too, so I guess Ms. Dane's books just aren't my thing. I don't know if I'll be reading any more of them.

I loved [b:Aidan and Ethan|5967448|Aidan and Ethan (Seeking Redemption, #1)|Cameron Dane|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322345436s/5967448.jpg|6140382] so I was thrilled for the next book in the series. I thought it was a little weird that Devlin knew immediately even thought everything was different about Gradyn/Garrick but it ended up working out really well. This was very well written and I am glad I got to know more about these awesome boys.

OMG! TOO MUCH SEX!!! If you took out the pages and pages... and pages of sex you would only have a 20 page book! I love a hot sex scene or three in my books but this was ridiculously over the top.½

Review Wow, that was some intense...interaction! I loved watching Grey's walls crumble... how could they withstand Sirus' singleminded assault?!

This was a fascinating, albeit dark, read. I wasn't convinced about the emotional connection between the MCs (more tell than show) but the physical connection was sizzlingly clear. What bumped this book up to 4 Stars for me was the relationship between Alex and Mack. That was just plain wonderful!

While I found this a good read, the characters never really burrowed under my skin.½

This is the second book in the Seeking Redemption series and I actually liked it better than the first. Devlin and Garrick were great characters and I really liked how their past was slowly revealed in flashback so even when they weren't 'together' in the present, they really were. The one area where this book gave me some problem were the many sex scenes (gah, I can't believe I just wrote that)! Or perhaps they were just too long...or verbose... or... you get the idea. Less would be more IMHO. :)

I probably read The Sweetest Tattoo about 5 or 6 years ago--it was one of my first ventures into e-reads. We're talking LONG before I had my beloved iPad or a Kindle reading app--I actually had it saved to a thumb drive and used to read it on my computer. Nevertheless, a hot, sweet, quick little read. I've since uploaded it to the docs area on my Kindle and I still take it down from my "bookshelf" anytime I want something quick and utterly satisfying.

The love scenes between John and Kelsie are HOT like fire and friends-to-lovers (or frenimies-to-lovers in this case) is one of my favorite story-lines. There aren't many books that I can say I enjoy every time I re-read them but The Sweetest Tattoo is definitely one of them.

This book wasn't awful, but it wasn't the greatest either. I never thought I would say this, but there is such a thing as too much sex. Jeez, it wasn't even hot towards the end. The characters also fell into the cheesy category. I want alpha heroes who have a soft side but if an author isn't careful those alphas just come across as pussys. Not sexy. Just icky.

My real problem with this book is the writer's choice of words. Sometimes I run across a word that just makes me cringe. Usually that involves the use of "cum" vs. "come." For some reason I really dislike the word "cum." Silly, really, to let that bother me when reading, and I've actually gotten pretty used to it by now, but holy cow, this writer not only went with "cum" instead of "come," she just about included every one of my ICK words:

A cock is a cock, not:
1. Dick - Can't read that word without being reminded of my grandpa who everyone called Dick. And the time I told my nine year old son to get his shoes on so we could go get baseball gear at Dick's Sporting Goods store. "That just sounds wrong," he said as we got in the van. Yeah, try not to laugh at that.
2. Prick
3. Member - Hello? This is not a historical romance novel.
4. Penis - Yup, that's right, nothing gets me hotter than when my husband tells me he wants to engage in intercourse with his penis and my vagina. Eww. Not.

I already mentioned my dislike for number 5: Cum, but I also dislike the use of:
6. Seed - Must be back in that historical romance with all the "members" flopping around.
7. Pubes - Just no, gross.

But what REALLY inspired this review were the many words the writer used for, well, you figure it out:
8. Passage
9. Chute
10. Hind end
11. Channel
12. Rectum

I thought poor editing was the only thing capable of pulling me out of an otherwise enjoyable read but after all the seed, chutes, and pricks thrown around, I now know I was wrong.

I thought I'd eventually come back to this but I was done in by the carrot. DNF

I loved this story. It was mysterious and filled with tension, the characters and their backgrounds fascinated me and, not to forget, the sex scenes were really hot.

The format of the story and how it was told was also interesting: the memories of Devlin's and Garrick's first meeting five years prior to the story start was given from both characters' viewpoints and spread throughout the first two thirds of the book. Rather than annoy me (like flashbacks usually do), these were spaced very cleverly to explain aspects of today's story. It made them feel like additions rather than interruptions.

The intensity of Devlin's and Garrick's feelings for each other was touching and I felt for both of them throughout the book. If you like your romance with a bit of mystery and tension - this is a great book for you to read.

I loved this sequel to Finding Home. It gives more details of Adam's and Rhone's life together two years later.

Even though they are trying to focus on getting married, others' problems keep "interfering", which makes for a relaxing, fun read. The depth of emotions between the two lovers and Adam's struggle to come to terms with Rhone's bi-sexuality (although that label is never mentioned) give the story a deeper meaning which I really liked.

(I would definitely recommend reading the first volume before attempting this one, there are too many references you will miss otherwise.)

Deserves more than 5 stars! The emotional intensity of this story is simply breathtaking!

Before Reading: Say whaaaa?

The villain from A Fostered Love is the MC?

Oh, Ms. Dane...you just upped the game by writing one of my favorite themes.

I still want to tap dance on his nuts though. Just twice.

After Reading: I've been in a...mood lately.

I wanted to read about a certain type of hero. And I know I won't be finding it in my review pile so I went spelunking in the cavernous TBR mountains of SRAL's books. (It's DEEP) And cleaned up some of my Kindle space in the process. win-wn.

And this was not supposed to a long review but I have a feeling it will be. *sigh*

A Fostered Love is one of my favorite books. I reread at least twice a year. Jonah and Christian are my onions. And the villain from that book got his own romance novel. I'm still reeling.

Suicidal stalker David just has been released from prison and went back to his hometown of Coleman, Florida. Don't worry, Jonah has got something for him. In the form of Ben Evans, private investigator. Ben is hurting still from his break up, has a foster background of his own and hard life that adds to a mega chip on his shoulder. And though he tries to fight the attraction, David, his case, might the lucky man to break through the tough shell.

At first, I thought David would be up to his old tricks but the author had an excellent handle on him. She showcased the submissive facets of him to a T without going into kink. David isn't misunderstood. The greatest part about him is he knows his illness and he isn't magically cured. He continues to be a work in progress. So while working at a local animal shelter, he gets hate from various people in his hometown including his family and a stalker of own.

My, my how the tables have turned, huh David?

This novel is filled with sex, drama, angst, tears, purple prose, spit, cum and more fucking. And dub con. David is sill a butt virgin and learning to accept himself as a gay man. And mentally not ready for a relationship. Ben Evans doesn't care. He's the bigger villain, if anything. But most importantly...a level 7. *exhales*

A level 7.

I had a level 7 on my Kindle for over a year... *smh* I can only blame myself. I get so easily distracted. What is a level 7? The highest level on the SheReadsALot's Seven Levels of Cray in a Relationship (patent pending)

And not since Landry from Mary Calmes' "Mine" have I met another level seven. I've gotten close with a few and I'm not counting Steter (which is a fucking given when written correctly) or Sterek. And guess what? Not both men from Brokedown Hearts are 7's. David is maybe a 5 Oh no no no! That honor is bestowed to none other than Mr. Ben Evans.

He was a level 5 when he started all the smelling and non-shifter shifter shit: smelling his "mate" (I'll get to that soon).

Then he hit level 6 when he forced David when he knew David was not mentally stable to handle a sexual relationship. Ben knew the fucking score and did it anyway.

But the piece de resistance to enter him into level 7 upper top echelon? When he stated not once but multiple times, if David left him, he would kill him. I fucking believed it. And he even admitted it to David in tears while telling him, he's not allowed to leave. But their love is a level of cray that is golden, baby.

We're talking: I'll-fuck-you-TAKE-MY-DICK-it's-the-way-I-love-you-honey-you-just-have-to-learn-okay-you-serve-me-I'll-make-decisions-for-you-let-me-be-the-alpha-and-spit-on-your-bud-and-put-my-dry-dick-in-you. And they fuck for forever, the scenes are sooooooooo long. If anything, the book could've been shaved by 20-30% and it could have started with the sex scenes.

And while I'm rating this Four Stars, there are buckets of moments when I just:

1) Not my first nor last Cameron Dane, but I'll call it like I see it. All of the pretty, purple prose, the "honeyed salt" semen and skin, the "bud" anus, the "ass channel, rear passage, channel, chute, striated muscle", "webbing" and my new least favorite "tail end" which brings to mind tail pipe and all the videos of dudes fucking actual exhaust pipes on cars. (Don't Google search -trust.)

The too sweet words mixed with some solid parts made for some ridiculous sex scenes.



2) Sweden - Um...why even bother with that subplot? Just double eyerolls for all of that. Weak. Who the hell did Ben think he was aside from a non-shifter shifter? A superhero? Pokemon? Batman?



*squints* Why didn't he do that the first time around when he flew out there? Probably to make the plot stretch out. :/ Because then there wouldn't have been the 'OMG what the hell is going moment; that is 70% and beyond, hm?



3) Ben Evans - from what the story stated he's 1/2 Swede, 1/4 Native American and 1/4 Cuban. 6'5" of prime alpha human male. At no point in time was any sort of shifter mentioned. This was all contemporary. What was up with all the shifter qualities to him? I was waiting for him to come out of the closet and admit that his big secret wasn't his love of aggressive sex but that he was a full fledged shifter whose species has yet to be determined. A non-shifter shifter.





All he needed what some fangs and a cock that KNOTTED, I swear.

Listen all jokes aside, this couple in real life is not okay. But this is fiction. I get why there are 1 stars all over the place for this novel, it's polarizing and that kind story.

But if Cameron Dane actually made me:

1) sympathize with David (I actually called him sweet, the nutbag)
2) root for his HEA

There was something there, underneath the abundance of sex.

Sweet Cheesus, do they fuck all the time! How did their fuck parts not try to secede from their bodies, I don't know. Maybe that is the true mystery?

And there was a mystery, I figured out the villain but I still had to see how it all ended. Hint: full of cum, tears and DRAMA.

And I ate that all up.



To myself...and to Ben Evans. I hope to never meet you in real life. Actually, I wouldn't be afraid because David a level five would be there to keep him in check...with his striated muscle dripping with saliva.



This book definitely helped ease my mood of possessive as fuck alphas. Tenfold. "

Hooray!! We get a chance to see my onions in real time, four years in the future!

Onions, you wonder? What is this bitch talking about? See my review of this couple's first book here.

Thanks to Cameron Dane for letting me relive the Jonah & Christian hot frenetic love train again. They are seriously one of my favorite MM couples of all time (And that's saying something because do you see all the damn books I read?)

Snowfall is chock full of hot, alpha sex with a deliciously possessive Jonah. (He oodles my noodles, for real) All my favorite characteristics are revisited and it left me in a hot, happy Valentines daze. I'm happy there was no unnecessary drama thrown in.

Just Jonah & Christian doing their sexy thing.

So happy for my onions!!!"

Cameron Dane.

She's fabulous. I'm sure she hears this all the time. If not, Ms. Dane, kudos to you on this story.



Seriously.

How you can give such depth to these guys... Christian and Jonah?
Aw buddy. Both men, they were how I like my main characters to be. They were onions.

Onions?




*nods* Onions.

Do you see the wonderful layers? The unassuming textures? Onions might smell, might make you cry but damn it they are pretty awesome in my book.

I loved these two so much. It's quite a feat to write such damaged heroes without making them too depressing or annoying. Jonah is a good example of the quiet, strong yet socially awkward, possessive, alpha character. He's had a tough life but he got a gift in Christian. Both men deserved each other.

Plus they were not pink hearts and Lisa Frank unicorns kind of characters, you know. These were two men, who loved like men (oh boy, did they love) acted like men and had a believable HEA.

Eh, I could have done without the epilogue as I found the story ended pretty great anyway but I was happy with it. And the ending for the creepy stalker ex-boyfriend was not as satisfying (& felt a little random) but who cares?

I had my onions, they love each other and no one is pulling them part damn it!

This is Cameron Dane at her finest man, her fans will adore this one.

FOUR & A HALF STARS

It was:



"