Stanton Adore (Stanton Series)

Where to begin? Well, I can honestly say that I was totally blown away by this novel. It really had me chomping at the bit from the very first chapter. The two main characters hit the sheets from the very first page, and it’s HOT!!! Smokin’ dirty talk from two teenagers that definitely set the stage for their intimate encounters. And, that whopper of a secret divulged from that first chapter leads me to believe that this is going to be one heck of a ride. I was so totally into the story and no way in hell was I ever bored. Man, it was just so heavy on the hurt and pain that these two caused each other. Back and forth, “let’s break up” , “this will never work”, “what are we thinking”. They just couldn’t seem to get it together as a couple until they both decided “f**k it, it’s our life”. Damn, what a dilemma that could have devastating consequences for all.

Natasha and Joshua have been in love since they were teenagers, but on that fateful day when Natasha broke Josh’s heart, they have not seen each other since. Josh just can’t forgive her for doing the unspeakable, but what he doesn’t realize is that Natasha was trying to save him. After seven years of no contact whatsoever, the two have no choice but to encounter each other again at a family wedding. Of course there’s friction and tense moments, but neither can forget that extreme feeling of love and infatuation that they felt for one another. What will happen in the coming weeks as both question their real feelings and ultimate choices?

This book was amazing! The characters were confident and compelling. Both main characters seemed to really want everything their own way, though, but when push came to shove they absolutely were in love with each other. Natasha really hasn’t been able to move on with anyone else. Sure she’s had other relationships, but nothing and no one can even come close to the intimacy and feelings that she had for Josh. And, Josh, just seemed to be trying to replace Natasha with every woman possible, but no one ever measured up to “presh”. Now there’s all kinds of things that go on here...jealousy, fighting, partying, drugs, alcohol, and sex. And, wow the sex was explosive!!! HOT and STEAMY! So, scorching between the two!!! These two definitely set the sheets on fire!!!

As the story moves along, the reader knows that something is going to either bring these two together permanently or pull them apart indefinitely. It’s drama and intrigue at it’s very best. Why does Josh have all these bodyguards around? Will their love be strong enough to keep them together? What happens when a distressing secret told to Natasha in desperation has her questioning the ability to destroy lives? The supporting characters has the reader entranced in some fun and entertaining dialogue as well. With some loyal and honest family members and friends, the story takes on a very protective balance. Both main characters know that they will be protected physically as well as emotionally by loved ones. It’s the secrets and lies that has everyone unsteady and questioning the two lovers' real connection. Wow! And, that ending!!! God, that was epic!!! Damn, that was shocking!!! Magnificent story telling! Carnal and passionate intimacy!!! Mind-blowing drama!! And, a profuse amount of secrets and lies!! Who’s to say what will happen next. Well, book two is out now, so it’s onto that I go!!! You will not be disappointed with this intriguing find!!!

Beautiful engaging cover as well!!

First let me say, that this book was very good, obviously with the high rating. I have now read several books by TL Sean and she's amazing! My favorite series so far was the Miles High Club. I literally laugh out loud at the snarky comments, they are so perfectly delivered! This is more like the Misters Series. While reading this, I torn between dying to know what was going to happen and completely terrified to continue because they would be ripped apart by each other or someone else. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and I will be thinking of this one for awhile. Instead of an ending though, we as readers have to read on into the next book to find out Natasha and Josh's fate, which is unexpected and normally I prefer a clean finish, with snippets of information about the previous main characters in the rest of the series. However, this is highly dramatic, and with everything that's going on, finishing up their story at this point would have been too rushed.

There's no guarantee that they will end up together and I will be just as devastated as the characters if they don't. I will read on in the series but this is so intense, I need a little break before continuing...

So good!

This is going to be one of the harder reviews I’ve ever written. I hate writing critical reviews, but with all of the glowing four and five star reviews I just need to put it out there of what to expect with this book.

But first, let’s talk about what worked…When Joshua Stanton returns to Australia after seven years away, he immediately crosses paths with Natasha, the one who got away. The two had a whirlwind romance over a couple of months as teenagers and neither was able to get over the attraction to the other. Joshua left Australia, bound for the States in order to pursue a prestigious internship that later made him a near billionaire. Joshua was willing to give it all up to be with Natasha, but familial pressure caused her to break it off with him, telling a lie that Joshua believed for years. But the two immediately pick up where they left off when Joshua returns, much to the disapproval of the families of the couple. They have a major secret, and it’s seriously taboo.

I loved the taboo and the second chance love aspect of the story. I caught on pretty early that things weren’t quite what they seemed, but soon I found reading the book nearly painful. If it was just the incredibly toxic relationship between Natasha and Joshua and juvenile behavior on both of their parts that would be one thing, but the biggest problem with this book is that I’m relatively certain that at no point has it crossed the desk of an editor, or even a proofreader.

This book is probably one of the most egregious offenders of "showing versus telling" that I have come across. The language is repetitive and superfluous, with the same words used over and over ad nauseum, instead of using descriptive language to express meaning. For instance, when doing a search of the words “wide” and “eyes” used together, there are forty-three results.

Examples:

I pull wide eyes at her… I do wide eyes at her… Abbie whispers, eyes wide… He does wide eyes to accentuate his point. He does wide eyes at me… I do wide eyes at him… Cameron does wide eyes to me…

You get the point. Not only do they have what comes across as the eyes of Muppets, but apparently when Joshua is aroused, he cracks his neck. He just so happens to crack his neck twenty-six times in the book; the poor guy has a perpetual hard-on. The author uses the word “deadpan” twenty times, most times in an awkward way. I don’t normally condone the use of a thesaurus to use words you might not normally use, but in this case, it would be beneficial. Stone-faced, straight-faced, expressionless…all provide the same meaning, yet provide a much more vivid picture than using the same word repeatedly. And:

“He nods and smiles as he drains his glass. He nods an over-exaggerated nod.”

That is a Creative Writing 101 offense right there. There are also other issues such as made up words (ordacity?) and using words incorrectly, such as inception.

“I know about the premeditated inception, you dumb f---!” I scream. He steps back in shock that I am onto him. “Inception?” he frowns. “Inception means to plant an idea in another’s mind. What are you trying to plant in my mind Joshua?”

No, the MOVIE Inception is about exactly that, however what he is doing is trying to plant a seed of doubt, or deception. It’s things like this that made this book painful at times.

Also of note is that the narration is all over the place, without much of an indicator when there is a shift, other than two fonts are used. I had to go back and read passages over more than once because I was trying to figure out who was talking. There is a dual-person POV from the hero and heroine, as well as third person from time to time. There is no delineation between the shifts like a header or graphic or anything, making it quite confusing.

But finally, it is the use of regional slang that truly put me off. I understand that the author is Australian, and I read a lot of books by authors who speak other dialects of the English language, so I am familiar and comfortable with most expressions, however there were some used in this book that were just plain hilarious.

He raises a brow. “Are you eating?” Is he deluded? I shake my head. He hunches his shoulders and starts to tuck into his breakfast. I scowl again. He’s so annoying. He doesn’t care I’ve got the s---s. I walk over and pour myself a coffee. I really am starving and he knows it, the a--hole. “Don’t you care that I’ve got the s--s?” I snap.

Or:

He grabs me on the a--, “I like witty brunette beautiful sl--s who are gagging for it.”

No. Just, no. While “the s***s” might mean she’s upset, it’s really not appropriate in an erotic novel, especially when they’d been practicing some back door action a couple of chapters previously. I'm concerned she has IBS or something, and there is nothing hot about that. And “gagging for it”, means she wants it, however there are several instances in which I’m picturing the poor woman retching, not becoming aroused.

So, it’s obvious this book didn’t do it for me and I won’t continue on with the series as it took me two weeks to get through this one to begin with (I can usually get through a book every day or two). An editor could cut half of this book and you’d never know the difference, other than to make it a lot easier to read. I thought the storyline had a lot of promise, but the writing read like a draft and the characters were unlikeable at best. I know a lot of people have liked this book and many more probably will, but I just needed to be honest in my assessment.