Clare JamesReviews

A mixture of second chance with love-hate between old best friends, this is my kind of book. Aria and Tristan have a history that neither of them have recovered from because of the residual bitter feelings but when their paths cross again, the chemistry reignites. They are both 21 years old even though Aria is a single mother and Tristan is a savvy minded tech businessman and professor so they seem older but they are really still quite young. Lots of great elements in the book -the sexual tension, the antagonizing of each other, the resurfacing of old feelings and the reality of the present. I liked this story because it was hot and the characters were likeable but it did lack some in the crucial parts where the characters were finally building up towards their true feelings, some of that didn't elaborate itself well enough. The conflict was always there internally between them but when it came time to hash it out in the open, that fell a little short in the delivery. Otherwise, I admired Aria's realistic view of herself and Tristan's development towards being more open minded compared to before. Although they were moving forward, I wasn't completely sure if they fully accepted the past and forgave each other. The ending left me wondering if there would be another book to follow or not.

Bring on the ice, Caught is a scorcher. It started with a bang and kept getting better. A misunderstood bad boy and a straight laced workaholic could end up being each others saving grace. Viv is tasked with cleaning up Jarod's image after a particularly embarrassing fiasco. What ensues gives new meaning to the words spin doctor. Clare James wrote a steamy, awkwardly amusing look at unexpected love. Received an ARC of Caught for an honest review.

Requested a copy of Played because in the past I had the chance to read Caught, another Elite PR novel and enjoyed it so much. Played fell short for me. I liked the characters separate but as a couple did not feel any chemistry. The concept of the story was clever, it could have been a really sexy read. The struggle for power between two people who love being in control. However, the story got off to a slow start for me and by the time it found it's legs again the story was almost at the end. Played has potential. Any female who can hold her own when dealing with a stubborn male is a plus in my book. I received Played in exchange for an honest review. My rating would be three stars.

READ AND REVIEW: CAUGHT BY CLARE JAMES  
 
REVIEW:  CAUGHT BY CLARE JAMES
 
Release Date:  June 30, 2015
 
 
Caught by Clare JamesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Bring on the ice, Caught is a scorcher. It started with a bang and kept getting better. A misunderstood bad boy and a straight laced workaholic could end up being each others saving grace. Viv is tasked with cleaning up Jarod's image after a particularly embarrassing fiasco. What ensues gives new meaning to the words spin doctor. Clare James wrote a steamy, awkwardly amusing look at unexpected love. Received an ARC of Caught for an honest review.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)
 
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Caught-Entangled-Brazen-Elite-PR-ebook/dp/B00YM40NCU/
 
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-clare-james/1122042366?ean=9781633753105
 
Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Clare_James_Caught_Entangled_Brazen?...
 
Itunes/Ibooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/caught-entangled-brazen/id1000567534?mt=11
 
Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/caught-entangled-brazen
 

I've been on a New Adult binge lately and this was just one of the many I have devoured in the last few weeks. Unfortunately it wasn't one of the best I have read, but I definitely enjoyed it.

What stopped me from giving it 4 stars was the fact that it seemed rushed in parts. Despite the book only being ~115 pages on my Kobo, it still felt like a full novel. It was just that in some parts, things I would have liked to have seen more developed were over quickly (mostly stuff with her mother) or appeared suddenly. The ending I thought was also a bit rushed and I would have liked to have seen a cleanier finish (maybe some more about Jules and Foster??) but I was satisfied with what was given.

I liked the characters and I liked the plot. Both Tabby and Noah were relatable and I could see the chemistry between the two. Their feelings weren't "love at first sight" which is a major bonus for me and it added to the realistic and believeable storyline presented. I could easily see how the situation Tabby was in could happen in today's society and I appreciated how it was handled.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick New Adult read filled with characters coping with their past and a cute couple. It reminded me a lot of [a:J. Lynn|699143|J. Lynn|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1360991177p2/699143.jpg]'s book [b:Wait for You|17314430|Wait for You (Wait for You, #1)|J. Lynn|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1363819713s/17314430.jpg|23981243] only shorter and lighter on the subject matter but I book I also recommend nonetheless.

(Find more book recaps and book series reviews on my blog: http://seriesousbookreviews.wordpress.com/)

Pretty good for a free book. I only noticed a few typos that I easily read over.

Read the book in one day. It's a sweet story of starting over.

As racy as this book is, it is actually quite a sweet love story. Jarod, the bad boy with a heart of gold, a handful of secrets and hidden enemies a plenty. All of which are hell bound on dragging the rising star down. Enter Vivian, the stereotypical career woman, married to her PR profession 24/7, her only focus is making it to the top. When she is tasked with cleaning up his image, sparks immediately fly. And no matter how much they try to resist it, the attraction is just too strong. This leads Vivian to wonder if there is more to life than just work and Jarod to see that life in the fast lane is not all that it seems. Maybe slowing down long enough to enjoy it is not such a bad idea after all.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really thought I was going to like this book. The description reminded me of The Virgin Romance Novelist, one of my five-star reads from last year. The book, though, couldn't have been more different.

VERY MILD SPOILERS AHEAD

As the book opens, Stevie finds out that her boyfriend, Max, has been cheating on her. Already feeling unsexy because Max could never satisfy her in bed, she now feels betrayed as well. She moves out, deciding to use her accumulated hotel points to get away and a Cosmo article to find her sexy again. When she steps into the hotel bar, she meets Gabe. Stevie instantly knows that Gabe is everything she never had with Max, and their connection is immediately apparent.

This part of the book was okay. Not amazing, but maybe three stars.

Then Gabe takes Stevie to a sex club. And at this point, if you were to look at my Kindle notations, you would see that I added "OH NO NOT ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE SEX CLUB BOOKS."

Note to any and all authors: If your book takes place in a sex club, this is something that should be disclosed in the blurb. And no, "Oh, you know where this is going" doesn't count.

I am not a fan of books about sex clubs. Especially when the main character is just taken there and expected to accept it and join in. But I have significantly less problems with them when I know what I'm getting into.

Still, it didn't start out so badly. Gabe introduces Stevie to the lifestyle slowly, and she's into all of it. She embraces her own sexuality, and you can tell that she's becoming a happier person. I started to take issue when Stevie was no longer enjoying what was happening, but felt that she had to do it to appease Gabe and earn her place at the club. This is played off as sort of humorous, but it's not. It's not funny when the characters feel forced into sex.

I haven't DNF-ed in over a year, but I probably would have with this one if it hadn't been so short. At 187 pages (probably closer to a true 150 given the unusual formatting), it only took me about two or three hours to finish. I see in the blurb that the book "now has 70% more content," but I can't help but wonder if that was a good idea. Of course, I never read the original online version, but what we get after a couple days at The Club just feels rushed and awkward. The ending is awful. Purposeful misunderstandings are one of my least favorite tropes, and they abound toward the end of this book. How hard would it have been for Stevie to check her voicemail or read her texts? I don't think I've ever been so upset with someone that I refused to read their texts.

Both the title and the blurb are misleading. There are no "dirty little lies." "Dirty little misunderstandings," maybe, but not lies, unless you want to count Max and the cheating? And like I mentioned before, there is no indication that this book takes place in a sex club. There really aren't any "romantic gestures," as promised by the blurb. Stevie doesn't even lose her bird!

And, you would think, at least, that a book published from an online version might undergo a bit of editing before people are expected to pay for it. This book came out two years ago, so I can't even brush it off as an ARC issue. There are multiple line breaks within a single sentence. Point of view changes within the same paragraph. Grammatical mistakes throughout the entire book. This is okay when you're reading some online smut. This is not okay in a published book.

Given the plethora of five-star rave reviews, clearly there is a demographic for this book. It's just not me. If you're reading my complaints and wondering what's wrong with me, because this seems like something you'd totally be into, I encourage you to pick this book up.

Overall, I'd give it about 1.5 stars, rounded up to 2 because of the entertaining beginning.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy.

Had an awesome adventure with Tabby & Noah...This was a great read...Well recommended for everyone! All the best in 2016 to the author and their family :)

I enjoyed this one a lot! It was a fun, very sexy read. Having the world of car racing as the backdrop was new and fresh for me so it definitely made it more interesting. The writing, pace, and overall story were great. The lead characters Viv and Jarod have sizzling hot chemistry that really cranked up the heat level. This is one I would definitely recommend.

An excellent read! Melody Sharp is definitely having a rough time. She's taken a demotion at PR firm she works for which of course cut her salary and now she's been locked out of her apartment since she hasn't been able to pay her rent. Even though she and her very hot neighbor got off to a bad start, he's kind enough to offer her a place to stay temporarily. Aaron Major is a country singer who hit it big a bit too young and couldn't handle the spotlight. Now though, he's ready to make a comeback and who better to get his image out there than his unexpected roommate??

This was really a fun read! I am so glad to have discovered Clare James. I truly enjoy her writing style and will be going through her back list. I think everyone would enjoy this book and I definitely recommend it.

I was looking forward to reading this book since I enjoy auto racing. I was very happy to find that the story is awesome! I loved it and was disappointed that it had to end. The characters are well written with depth and complexity. The story is fresh with secrets, surprises and steamy encounters. Mms. James is a new to me author and I look forward many more of her books.

ARC received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

A romantic, second chance short story at its finest. This book was offered as a read for review through GoodReads. Within minutes, Ms James had the gifted book waiting.

This is a straightforward feel good story with no tricks up its sleeves -- a quick, satisfying read. Good writing, good story line, cutie patootie little boy and supportive loving families to boot. Surprisingly, these 21 year old new adults didn't make this NA romance feel too young for a 40-something reader.

If you're looking for something to read in a day, something sweet without a lot of drama, especially unnecessary drama created by uncommunicative people, this will fit the bill perfectly.