Photo credits: jplenio (pixabay), Free-Photos (pixabay) Edited by Vaishali Title: Rocky Ride Series: Thompson and Sons #1 Author: Vivian Arend Publisher: Self published Year of Publication: 2014 Format: E-book/kindle app Genre/Themes: Contemporary romance, Adult fiction, Women's fiction, Erotic romance, novella Review... Rocky Ride is my second plunge into Vivian Arend territory, and let me tell you, the second standalone novella in the spin off Thomson and Sons series is unafraid of being sex shy. Libidinous from the outset, this story opens with a sexually charged, smutty escapade from page naught. We've got a policewoman heroine who's unfazed by her blossoming sense of sexual freedom and a bad boy, tatted biker hero who's game to live up to every fantasy on her list. As professed, this is my second book from the author and I've discovered that she really loves to relish in the kink factor. Her hero has a bit of a reputation for trouble, but one that's wholly based on how he looks and the way he lives his life. He's a good guy - with naughty intentions - who essentially has a bad rep and isn't well-received by his Rocky neighbours. He works as a mechanic at his family owned automotive trade. On the flip side Anna Coleman's a Constable on the law-abiding fringe of the law. On the surface, it looks like an opposites attract struggle, but both Mitch and Anna are easily matched In many ways. It's been a while since I've indulged in a biker romance and I think it's because they're a bit of a hit and miss for me. While this prioritises steam over plot and a sexual appetite over character development, it does have a believable social commentary on love, acceptance, sexual freedom and prejudice. The slice of life accompaniment was nicely presented and the mini conflict was nicely placed. I especially loved the twist with the hero being the one to chase exclusivity with the heroine. As the story begins, it's revealed that Mitch and Anna have sustained a raunchy sexual relationship bordering on a few months. Anna's the one who wants to keep it that way, in the shadows, uncomfortable as she is with how they'd look, or more importantly, how she'd look. It's a risk to her professional respectability and she's not ready for that. Mitch has reached a position that has him wanting a lot more than just a physically fulfilling relationship so he sets out to make out his own list via his own expectations. It took me some time to warm up to Anna's character and her characterisation - she wasn't particularly easy to connect with and her POV felt more 'show over tell'. I was constantly trying to get a position on her, whereas Mitch was instantly likeable. Anna did gradually grow on me though, and I think my initial Indifference might have had something to do with her being more impersonable. She's a strong heroine, and due to the quick length of the story, it doesn't take long at all for her to decide to go all in, realise their potential together as a couple and expose her relationship with Mitch. It's all a very speedy process. I'm also very much in favour of the fact that Anna didn't have to compromise her professional nor her personal life to find some personal freedom in who she is. The two most important sides of her got to have a place in her life. I did find it a bit strange that their separation period lasted almost half a year - that felt a bit drastic to me but I think the author intended for that to establish a commitment to the end goal for them. A sort of 'if they can survive that much time apart for the sake of her career and for the sake of possibly being together again, then it's worth it'. Just to gauge a rounded sense of a character's place in life, I do like to have the knowledge of how old the protagonists' I'm reading about are; I know how many older/younger siblings Mitch and Anna have, but we're not really prepped with how many laps they've had around the sun. Rocky Ride's definitely on the shorter side with this being a novella. In the short story spirit, the storytelling did feel rushed and swiftly developed in places but it does still manage to have a mild storyline involving a meddling colleague and a subtle development. And there are a few softer and more intimate moments between our couple. Superficially, Anna and Mitch are really only opposites in a perceived way, interconnected with what they do for a living. When Anna visibly gleans the judgment that Mitch always seems to be subjected to, she comes to some realisations about herself and Mitch, and dares to be out and proud with a man she only sees the best in. I'm glad she did, because Mitch Thomson's a keeper. As we know, it doesn't take either Mitch or Anna too long to get hot and heavy (and that very potent chemistry even gets them in a few sticky situations). I've since picked up on the precedent that, as well as dropping in and out of each others' stories, the southerners that populate Vivian Arend's stories love to dip their toes in the neighbouring sex lives of their people. Anna's the cousin to the boys of the Six Pack Ranch, and it was Jaxi and Blake Coleman's romance in Rocky Mountain Heat that I read. It had a lot of flaws but equalled in the same level of heat. Just like that particular book, there's the theme of sexual liberation and bed hopping as the author likes to engage in those multiple partner situations. The thing is, I don't like being surprised by multiple partner situations when it's something I'm not anticipating. A swinging sex life tends to be a part of her stories, and It's all very consensual and respectful. But just to clarify, there isn't any partner sharing or swinging in this book. The group sexual scenario serves a more voyeuristic role to fulfill a desire Anna has to be 'watched.' So the main couple and partnering couple get steamy watching each other do the deed. I have to admit though, the smut steamed up much more than just my spectacles. It was nicely done with heaps of the good stuff. I did go back and forth between a 2.5 and three star rating for this one. In some ways, it carries the story well for what's being served, and in other ways it wasn't as well-balanced or plot-dedicated as it could have been. Something I do want to bring up is the grovel scene - which still makes me smile as I remember it. After reading a few books that lacked the level of grovelling I was looking for and hence had some unsatisfactory reconciliations, this heroine knows how to bring her hero to heel. I honestly couldn't help but laugh and have the respect for Anna for actually showing and telling Mitch how she felt and what she expects. She really pushes into the power role, and It might have been a smidge over the top, but I'm taking it because I fully appreciated the spirit of a grovel scene that channelled some good grovel energy. Rocky Ride is a short, high-heat, light erotic steamer with sexcapades, sexual experimentation and a quick and heady romance between a bold copper and her sweet - dirty talking - bad boy biker. Told in the third person POV (which did take me a bit of getting used to), this is a short, smutty, erotic read with some slivers of familial engagement and a slight storyline. I gave this book 3 stars - Content Warning: Mentions drugs. Some swearing. Mentions a past cancer battle and bereavement of a parent. Some violence. Kink, some light BDSM, multiple descriptive sex scenes, (inside and outdoors) and with some voyeuristic fun. --------------------------------------- M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read --------------------------------------- I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below! SHARE ON FACEBOOK Leave a comment and let's talk about |
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