(Slater Brothers #2)
Publication date: August 17th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Synopsis
Keela Daley is the black sheep of her family. She has always come second to her younger cousin Micah. Even in the eyes of her mother, Micah shone bright, and Keela faded to black. Now, in adulthood, Micah is a bride-to-be and the spotlight is solely on her. Keela is a low priority…or so she thinks.
Alec Slater is a bachelor, never one to bed the same woman, or man, twice. He is a free agent who does what he pleases and answers to no one; that is until a fiery Irish redhead with a temper to match her hair colour knocks him on his arse. Literally.
She hates to admit it, but Keela needs a favour from the cocky Slater brother, a huge favour. She needs him to not only escort her to Micah’s wedding, but to also pose as her boyfriend. Alec agrees to help Keela, but has certain conditions for her to abide by. He wants her body and plans to have it before anyone can say I do.
What he doesn’t plan on is losing his heart as well as the possibility of losing his family when someone from his past threatens his future.
Alec owns Keela, and what Alec owns, Alec keeps.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20737459-alec?ac=1
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MSVERYE
B&N – http://tinyurl.com/pafmnlm
iTunes – http://tinyurl.com/qj5fvfr
Kobo – http://tinyurl.com/orqh79s
Review
Let me start by saying that even though I didn’t love Alec, there are many things about the storyline and the characters that I enjoyed, and I definitely don’t regret reading it. Ever since I finished the book, I’ve gone back to it and contemplated why I’m left a bit unsatisfied with it. I guess it has a lot to do with the fact that I have a hard time connecting with the characters as a couple, and I can’t understand how their dynamics lead to a relationship as quickly as it does, especially due to the information that comes to light and Alec’s actions afterwards. Looking at Alec and Keela separately, I see their intrigue and why readers would be pulled to Alec’s good guy demeanor underneath his playboy appearance and Keela’s smart mouthed, tell it like it is personality. Those things work for me as well. They are both dynamic characters who have grown up in less than stellar circumstances and have still managed to make a life for themselves and develop into pretty well balanced individuals despite the bullshit of their past/present. Even the conditions that bring them together is at least somewhat plausible, but the disdain that Keela feels for Alec throughout a lot of the text makes it hard for me to see their connection as anything more than sexual desire. I get that their time together and close quarters living helps to evolve what they are to each other, but there’s still a divide between them when it comes to Alec’s past and his connection to a world that Keela knows nothing about. Even when everything is explained and the explanations offer some of the insight I needed to get a clearer picture of everything, I still couldn’t align myself with that being enough to put Alec and Keela in the place that they are at the end of the story.
I do have to say, though, that I love the Slater brothers. They are quite the crew of caring characters and readers can’t help but fall in love with them and be awed by their commitment to protecting each other and staying together. They’ve all been through hell and back in dealing with their parents and the fallout of a number of situations beyond their control. It will be interesting to see as the series continues what comes of the bond between them and if anything or anyone can break it. I’m going to speculate that the Slater brothers will remain solid despite the hell that L.A. Casey is likely to put them all through; it’s clear that their connection is far beyond blood.
I also think that L.A. Casey writes some pretty kickass heroines. They may have their insecurities, but they are also confident women who refuse to bow down to their man or for any man for that matter. Their mouths rival their counterparts, which makes for some interesting dialogue amongst them and keeps each of them on their toes. Keela is a spitfire who was burned once by a man and refuses to allow that to happen again. She carries herself as a rather self assured woman despite her bitch of a mother trying to bring her down. I love that by the end of the story, she seems to come into her own and doesn’t cower to her mother or her bitchy cousin who has always felt superior to Keela.
I’m hoping with Keela’s novella that I’ll gain some of the insights I need to see Keela and Alec as a real couple, who even though they might have gotten together under less than stellar circumstances, it only endears them to each other more and allows them to see how lucky they are to have found one another.
A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
3/3.5 poison apples
Other Books in the Series
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00J1SP9FI
B&N: http://bit.ly/1zdWIx7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/ZwwMMI
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1yI3EBqBronagh:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00MQMWX2I
B&N: http://bit.ly/1suNmqx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1F6freD
iBooks: http://bit.ly/1wcbMWF
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
$100 Amazon gift card
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AUTHOR BIO
Not connecting with the characters or the romance always makes it harder. I’m glad you still liked it overall though I love how character driven this sounds!
By Giselle (@XpressoReads) on November 4, 2014 at 9:15 am