That's What I'm Talking About
I generally review romance, paranormal and urban fantasy. I tend to pick review books that I want to read, so generally my reviews will be positive. I always give my honest opinion: good, bad, and indifferent.
Note: on my blog I use a letter grading system. I've listed the ratings below. For sites with stars, I have listed the equivalent rating. If I didn't finish the book, I will not rate it with stars.
A+ Personal Favorite (5 stars)
A Loved It (4.5 or 5 stars)
A- Enjoyed A Lot (4 or 4.5 stars)
B+ Liked It A Lot (4 stars)
B Liked It -- Recommend (4 stars)
B- Liked It -- But I had a few small issues (3 or 3.5 stars)
C+ Liked It -- But I had issues (3 or 3.5 stars)
C Finished It -- Liked some, didn't like some (3 stars)
C- Finished It -- Liked a little, didn't like a lot (2 or 2.5 stars)
D Not A Big Fan (2 stars)
E Don’t Waste Your Time (1 star)
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TW: Reading this book was like watching a Train Wreck
DNF: Did Not Finish
updated July 9, 2015
Currently reading
Review: SEALed at Midnight by Cat Johnson
Thom Grande, age 28 and divorced father of two, feels broken and alone. His ex really messed him up, and he’s not been with a woman in 18 months. To top that off, all of his buddies are getting out of the military, leaving Brody as his only friend left on his SEAL team. Then, on a dangerous mission Thom is injured and suffers temporary memory loss.
Virginia Starr has had no luck in the dating department. Alone and introverted, she takes a house-sitting job for the winter, moving away from family at Christmas time. One night, Ginny finds a stranger, frozen and clearly distraught, hiding in the barn. Bringing him inside to warm him up, the pair find themselves inexplicably drawn to one another.
I have mixed feelings about SEALed at Midnight. After loving the first two books in the series, I had high hopes for this one. And while the story moved quickly and the romancing was sexy, I had some issues with the plot.
First, I was a bit disturbed at how Virginia and Thom meet… he clearly has psychiatric issues, and Ginny not only just lets him into the house that she doesn’t own, but cuddles up to him. I don’t care how frostbitten the boy was or how cute he may be, this just doesn’t sit well with me.
Second, the pair spends very little time together, yet by the end of the book, they are ready to try a long distance relationship. I felt it was too soon, in that the author hadn’t truly established a strong connection between the pair. I needed a few more scenes with Ginny and Thom together, talking, smexing, whatever, but something more.
Overall, SEALed at Midnight is a steamy story, but left me unsatisfied. This story is full of promise and easily could have been a B+ or better, but while I enjoyed reading the novella, the story felt cut short and left me hanging. I don’t know if I would even classify the book as an HFN (happily for now), due to the fact that the couple didn’t even meet until after 50% mark and shared only a handful of scenes together. I’m hoping that Ms. Johnson takes the time to finish Thom and Ginny’s story in a future title.
My Rating: C+ Liked It, but I had issues
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
 - Cat Johnson)