Category Archives: Dream Man

Wild Man (Dream Man, #2)

Dream Man, Genre, Romance, Series, , , ,

Wild Man4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

I heart Brock Lucas. Sigh.

So, Wild Man picks up maybe six months to a year after Mystery Man leaves off. Brock Lucas was left looking like a total douchebag at the end of that book. (Acting like a crazy drugged kidnapper does that even if you’re working undercover to bring the drug ring down.) Things have not changed at the start of this book. If anything, Brock’s a little bit douchier. He’s about to bring down another major drug ring. This time his cover is boyfriend to the drug boss’s ex-wife, Tess. The thing is, Tess is completely clear of that life, to the point that she doesn’t even know what her ex-husband of five years ago is a drug lord. Four months into the assignment, Brock takes his “boyfriend” duties way too far, just hours before DEA agents invade Tess’s house and take her into custody for questioning. Bastard, right? I know. Fast forward three months. Tess is getting on with her life sans Brock. He’s not happy with the situation, and like any true alpha male hero, he marches into her house and tells her they’re dating again. She’s not so sure, for like five minutes, then they commence building a life together for the rest of the book. There’s not much danger or mystery in this one (unlike the last), but impending doom definitely plays a major role. Tess and Brock have to deal with two psychotic exes, a dad dying of cancer, and a family in shambles before they can get to their happily ever after, which of course they do.

Here’s the deal. There’s not much plot to this book. Everything I described in the first 14 sentences of this review happens in the first two chapters. In a Kristen Ashley book, we know the first two chapters are seriously five percent of the book. The story falls into Ashley’s sweet romance category. You keep reading because you love the characters so much, not because you’re dying to know what happens next. Now at the end there was a liberal dose of scary mystery thrown in, which was good, but not necessary. I was rooting for Brock and Tess from the get go. I love when Ashley has more mature characters (read any character older than 36). Both had dealt with so much crapola in their lives that they were due for some squishy falling in love feelings. I do wish that Brock had to work a little harder to get back in with Tess. It seemed a little unrealistic that Tess fell back into his arms after three months and lots of heartache just because he told her to. Still, I guess it wouldn’t have fit her straight up honest personality if she made him jump through hoops. I loved this book. I love Brock and Tess, and I loved the crossover from the Rock Chick universe. Bottom line, totally read this book. It can stand alone as a fantastic story without reading Mystery Man, but I’d read that book too. (Mainly because I love Kristen Ashley and I’m a fanatic about reading things in order. Both are sort of literary diseases I have to deal with daily.)

Spoiler
First off, Damian does not leave Tess alone. He wants to “save” her from Brock. Second, Olivia is a spoiled brat. Her second husband, Dade, decides to divorce her. He helps Brock and Tess get full custody of Brock’s two boys. Finally, Josiah Burkett (Bree’s rapist) is released from jail unbeknownst to Brock. Burkett’s the one that makes the creepy call to Tess and shoots at Brock. In the end, he kidnaps Tess–Damian dies trying to save her.  The police have to lock Brock down so he doesn’t kill Burkett. Ultimately, Tess saves herself, and Cabe Delgado (Mystery Man) comes to her aid.
 

Mystery Man (Dream Man, #1)

Dream Man, Genre, Romance, Series, , , , ,

mystery man

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Good thing Cabe “Hawk” Delgado is the hottest guy on the fictional planet, or this book wouldn’t work at all.

Gwen is unlucky in love (huge understatement), so when a sexy stranger offers up a one night stand, she thinks it’s the perfect solution to her dry spell. Fast forward a year and a half, Mystery Man is still showing up for nights of spectacular sex, and Gwen still doesn’t know his name. (I know, right. It’s a tough set up, but it will be worth your suspension of disbelief, I promise.) Despite her X-rated nights, Gwen still lives her days as a regular person with a job and friends and family. Really, everything else about her life is normal, until her sister’s best friend shows up threatening to hurt Gwen if she doesn’t produce her sister. Unexpectedly, Gwen’s Mystery Man shows up in the daylight hours after this threat and decides he’s going to protect Gwen from the consequences of her sister’s dangerous actions. Gwen’s not so sure she wants Mystery Man’s (aka Hawk) help, especially since a handsome detective and a bad boy biker have are offering her their own brand of safety. What’s a woman to do?

Like I said, the initial premise is super hard to swallow. If some dude was sneaking into my house regularly with the intent of getting lucky, I’m sure the police would be on my speed dial. If you can get past that particular reading speed bump, this is a fast-paced, fun story. Hawk is hot and has maybe the saddest back story I’ve ever read. While he protects Gwen and her family from some serious bad guys, Gwen is the one really doing the heavy lifting trying to bring Hawk to the other side of a soul sucking tragedy. The ending is of course happy (or I wouldn’t recommend it). The novel sets up a fabulous series of stories which focus on scary dudes trying to keep the world a little safer and the women who can help them lighten that load. Read these books!!!

 

Plot: 4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

This book grabbed me by the throat about a chapter in and didn’t let go. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I got thrown for a loop. Gwen’s little sister is a perfect foil for Gwen’s do-gooder nature. The side plot of three men trying to win Gwen’s affection keeps the slower paced parts of the mystery moving. I did not want to put this book down.

Writing: 3 out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

This is your typical Kristen Ashley novel. There’s a bit too much verbiage about the decoration of Gwen’s home and what she chooses to where. Hawk uses the word babe as subject, verb, and adjective. Still, this lady knows how to tell a story.

Characters: 5 out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

Characters are where all KA books knock it out of the ball park. I loved the Hawk and Gwen, of course, but the side characters make the book sparkle. I love two of the three other “dream men” in the book. Gwen’s family is believable and tender. I especially love her step mom. She’s a breath of fresh air from the typical evil step mom script.

Spoiler
Hawk is a former soldier. His wife and child were murdered while he was on active duty in Iraq. The murder stemmed from his wife’s brother’s actions. He was involved in drug dealing or something. I’m not sure it matters. Gwen gets kidnapped, and Hawk breaks up with her the next morning because he can’t handle the similarities of the situation. Tack takes over as the romantic lead, until Hawk sees her kissing him. Then he decides to man up and figure out his way through the grief.