RIDING STEELE BY OPAL CAREW

BLP REVIEW by REBECCA

6 INSTALMENTS OR 1 BOOK?

HOW CAN PUBLISHERS CHARGE $1.99 FOR 30 PAGES?

HOW CAN THOSE 6 INSTALMENTS, IF PURCHASED SEPARATELY, BE $12 YET IF YOU PURCHASE THE BOOK IN ITS ENTIRETY, THE PRICE IS LESS THAN $9?

I HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING A HIGHER PRICE FOR A QUALITY BOOK, J R WARD AND SHELLY LAURENSTON FOR EXAMPLE ARE AUTOMATIC ONE CLICKS FOR ME BUT THE LENGTH AND QUALITY I WILL BE GETTING FOR MY DOLLARS MEANS I AM HAPPY TO DO SO. I’VE SAID BEFORE THAT I DISLIKE THIS GROWING TREND FOR SPLITTING BOOKS INTO INSTALMENTS, PERSONALLY I FEEL IT’S JUST A CON TO GET READERS TO PAY EXTRA TO GET THE BOOK EARLIER RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE PRODUCT IN FULL, CHEAPER BUT LATER AND 30 PAGES IS, IN MY OPINION, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE – A SLIGHT TASTE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BECOME INVESTED IN THE STORY OR THE CHARACTERS.

AT THE END OF THE FIRST INSTALMENT I WAS JUST FRUSTRATED AS IT FELT LIKE A COUPLE OF CHAPTERS ONLY AND THEN BOOM, THE END. I NEVER PURCHASE BOOKS SOLD LIKE THIS AND HAD THESE NOT BEEN ARCS I WOULD NOT HAVE READ, AS A FULL EBOOK $9 FOR UNDER 200 PAGES IS RIDICULOUS BUT THAT’S JUST ME……

THE REASON I CHOSE TO REVIEW THE ARCS WAS BECAUSE I HAVE READ OPAL CAREW BEFORE AND ENJOYED HER BOOKS, SWING IS AN OLD FAVOURITE. AS A REVIEW IT’S DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE INSTALMENTS – AS AN OPAL CAREW IT’S NOT A BAD ONE, AS AN MC BOOK IT’S NOT A BAD ONE, AS AN EROTICA IT’S NOT A BAD ONE, BUT IT LACKS THAT SPECIAL SOMETHING, THE X-FACTOR IF YOU LIKE, THAT WOULD MAKE IT A FAVOURITE OR A REREAD.

RIDING STEELE:

In the arms of an outlaw, she found the freedom to live out her wildest fantasies. Don’t miss this scorching new six-part mini-series from New York Times bestselling author Opal Carew!

When Laurie is kidnapped by bikers, she has no idea her life is about to change forever. From the moment she meets Steele—their sinfully sexy leader—she can’t deny their fierce attraction. Even though she’s completely at his mercy, his eyes soften when he looks at her, and the others in his gang know she’s strictly hands off. But the more time she spends with Steele, the more her body insists she wants his powerful hands all over her.

Now she’s about to discover a new life on the open road…and what it means to be part of a gang that shares everything. At first their wonton lifestyle shocks her senses—but once she’s had a taste of life on the edge, will she ever want to leave?

Riding Steele #1: Kidnapped

Being kidnapped by bikers is a harrowing experience, but for some reason, Laurie doesn’t feel as terrified as she should. The leader’s steely eyes soften when he looks at her, and the others in his gang clearly know she’s hands off. But does that include Steele’s hands? Her brain resists him, but her body insists she wants those big hands all over her.

Steele doesn’t know how he wound up in this mess–with a kidnapped woman on his hands and the police hot on their trail. Now he and Laurie are in hiding at an isolated cabin, and Steele has to figure out how to extricate himself . . . and steer clear of his accidental captive whose tight, slinky clubbing attire is making him think all kinds of dangerous thoughts…

IN THIS FIRST INSTALMENT WE MEET STEELE AND THE REST OF HIS CREW HAVING DRINKS AT A BAR ON HIS BIRTHDAY WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON LAURIE AS A FAVOUR FOR AN OLD FRIEND. LAURIE IS OUT WITH HER BOYFRIEND DONOVAN WHO SHE IS INTENDING TO BREAK UP WITH. HIS DOMINEERING, CONTROLLING WAYS AREN’T SITTING WELL WITH HER AND THE RECENT ESCALATION IN ROUGH PLAY MEANS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
STEELE VETOES KIDNAPPING HER TO KEEP HER SAFE AND LEAVES THE BAR WITH JUST ONE MEMBER LEFT BEHIND TO WATCH HER. UNFORTUNATELY CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE THAT LAURIE DOES IN FACT END UP KIDNAPPED AND IN A HOUSE FULL OF BIKERS.
AS A START THIS IS REALLY JUST A SETTING THE SCENE. WE SEE INTERACTION BETWEEN STEELE AND THE MEMBERS, LAURIE COMES ACROSS AS QUITE WEAK IN THIS ONE AND LITTLE TO NO SEXUAL CONTENT.

Riding Steele #2: Untamed

THE STORY CONTINUES WITH LAURIE ATTEMPTING AN ESCAPE THAT RESULTS IN A NICE LITTLE VOYEURISM SCENE AS WELL AS A THREESOME. OPAL CAREW DOES GOOD SEX! A MISTAKEN IDENTITY ISSUE RAMPS UP THE TENSION BETWEEN STEELE AND LAURIE AND SO ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FOLLOWS.

Riding Steele #3: Collide

THIS WAS A DISAPPOINTING ONE. STEELE AND LAURIE FINALLY GET IT TOGETHER BUT I WAS SO ANNOYED BY HER WEAK AND INCONSISTANT BEHAVIOUR THAT I JUST DIDN’T CARE BY THAT POINT. LAURIE FINALLY DID ESCAPE ONLY FOR A TWIST TO END UP WITH HER BEING RETURNED TO STEELE. LOTS OF BACKGROUND INFO AND SETTING THE SCENE AGAIN BUT THAT JUST MEANT IT FELT LIKE NOTHING OF INTEREST HAPPENED.

Riding Steele #4: Wanted

THIS IS THE OPAL CAREW I EXPECTED FROM THE EROTICA ASPECT, MUTIPLE PARTNERS, MUTIPLE ORGASMS AND EVERYONE WATCHING EVERYBODY ELSE! HOWEVER, ONCE AGAIN THE CHARACTER INCONSISTENCIES SPOILT IT. LAURIE IS A WEAK WOMAN WHO RUNS AWAY, AFRAID FOR HER SAFETY, BUT THEN DROPS HER KNICKERS FOR STEELE….. OH, AND THEN THE REST OF THE BOYS ALL TOGETHER, WITH RAVEN WATCHING AS WELL??
TOO FAST A TIMELINE WITH TOO LITTLE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TO BE BELIEVABLE – WHILE I ACCEPT THIS IS FICTION IT STILL HAS TO BE WITHIN THE REALMS OF BEHAVIOUR YOU WOULD ACCEPT AS POSSIBLE. I FOUND THE END DEVELOPMENTS TO BE ANNOYING AND STEELE’S ACTIONS CHILDISH.

Riding Steele #5: Crossroads

THIS INSTALMENT IS A TAD PREDICTABLE, THE STORYLINE IS NOT GRAPHIC ENOUGH TO SHOCK OR SURPRISE AND WITHOUT ANY SEXUAL CONTENT TO REDEEM IT AS AN EROTICA IT ALMOST STRUGGLES TO HAVE A COHESIVE DIRECTION THAT MAKES SENSE.

Riding Steele #6: Aftershock

THIS IS THE FINAL PART OF THIS STORY BUT ENDED AGAIN WITH TOO MANY INCONSISTENCIES FOR ME TO CARE OR BE EXCITED. THE TYING UP OF THE LOOSE ENDS FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS FELT RUSHED AND LUKEWARM. LAURIE, HAVING SPENT HER ENTIRE LIFE DESIRING STABILITY AND FINANCIAL SOLVENCEY, THROWS IT ALL IN THE WIND TO RUN OFF TO BE WITH STEELE WHO HAS NO EMOTIONAL STABILITY UP TO THIS POINT, THROWS CHILDISH STROPS AND IS HAPPY FOR ANY AND ALL OF HIS MEN TO FUCK LAURIE BUT HEAVEN FORBID YOU CUDDLE OR CONSOLE HER. I FEEL HE’S TARZAN LIKE – BEATING HIS CHEST, ALL ‘MY WOMAN’, BUT HAS NO MATURITY TO HAVE AN ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP.

A DISAPPOINTING OFFERING IN MY OPINION THAT DOESN’T QUITE DELIVER ON ANY LEVEL.
A 3 STAR MAYBE BUT, IN VIEW OF THE PRICING, A 2.5 STAR AT BEST.

About the Author

Hi. I’m Opal Carew, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. I write erotic romance for St. Martin’s Press and Samhain Publishing, and I self-publish stories. I also write romance as Amber Carew.

So why do I like writing erotic romance? I like being able to push beyond traditional boundaries. I like dealing with a female character who is growing and evolving – questioning her sexual boundaries and pushing past them. My stories usually include menage a trois. It is great fun to write a heroine choosing between two equally appealing heroes… or more.

These aren’t women who just jump into bed with anyone. They find themselves in an unusual situation – something exciting and erotic – but a situation where they have to push themselves beyond their comfort level. As a result, they grow as a person. So often fear holds us back – of what others will think of us, of what we will think about ourselves – and we don’t follow our hearts. These women push past that fear.

To learn more about me and my books:
http://www.OpalCarew.com
http://www.facebook.com/OpalCarewRomanceAuthor
http://twitter.com/OpalCarew