the uncompromising series – The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange

Hi, there! Unfortunatelly, today’s review isn’t very promising 😦 You may remember that I received an advanced reader’s copy of Talon, by Sybil Bartel, from Xpresso Book Tours. While I’m very grateful for this wonderful opportunity, I’m also very sorry, as it seems that I’m not the right audience for Talon…

The Story

(Goodreads’ blurb)

I surf.

I fuck.

I pretend to smile.

Two years ago my life was perfect, until it wasn’t. I scattered my wife’s ashes then walked away from the Marines. I didn’t think I had anything left to lose.

I was wrong.

The blonde showed up on my doorstep beaten and stabbed. I did what I was trained to do—I stitched her up. I didn’t have a clue who she was and I told myself I didn’t care. Until they came looking for her.

I swore I’d take my last breath before I let anyone else hurt her, except I didn’t know she was keeping a deadly secret. Now I had two choices, her life or mine.

Marriage and combat taught me the same thing—I was no one’s hero. And I was about to prove it.

The Analysis

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

So, I’m sorry to say that I was the wring audience for Talon. This book had everything that I don’t appreciate in books in general: first person narrative style, forceful males, dependent females, tons of meaningless sex scenes and so many whining on Talon’s part… It wasn’t for me at all, so I rated it two stars and will keep this review short as I don’t believe in bad mouthing books.

As I mentioned, the narrative style in the book is first person, from Talon’s point of view. I didn’t like him, so the book was kind of doomed to me from there.

The plot, in the other hand, was very good and mysterious. I really was pinning hard to know what had happened, if things were going to be all right. It’s the strongest point in the book, along Bartel’s really good writing style, that made the never-ending sex scenes way more bearable.

The characters were very deep and complex, but I couldn’t relate to anyone in the book. I really disliked Talon and his rotten personality – I’m not the kind of girl that appreciates forceful males in any way. In my opinion, Talon was forceful. But of course that it is only my perspective. I think people usually classify his type as dominant and confident. Anyway, I also didn’t like Nicole and the rest is history.

Also, I don’t really like meaningless sex scenes on books. I like when it involves desire and willingness, a deep need from the couple to be around each other. You see, I didn’t say love; but I need something. To have sex only because you can? No, thanks. If I wanted porn, I’d go and watch some online; I wouldn’t read a book. That’s why I like my scenes with purpose and emotion. Needless to say that several of the scenes of Talon lacked my basic requisites.

But I shall insist: if you like hot and sexy romances, dominant and confident males and a WONDERFUL mystery to try to solve during the book, you HAVE TO read Talon!

Once again, thanks so much to Xpresso Book Tours team for the ARC and I hope I can read other books by Sybil sometime. Maybe on other genres, haha!

And, of course, thank you for reading! ❤

Hi, there! Welcome to a steamy hot blog tour, hosted by my delightful person what and Xpresso Book Tours! Our star of the day is the first book in The Uncompromising Series, from Sybil Bartel: Talon!

Talon, by Sybil Bartel
(Uncompromising Series, #1)
Publication date: March 1st 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance

Summary

I surf.
I fuck.
I pretend to smile.

Two years ago my life was perfect, until it wasn’t. I scattered my wife’s ashes then walked away from the Marines. I didn’t think I had anything else to lose.

I was wrong.

The blond showed up at my surf shop, beaten and stabbed. I did what I was trained to do—I stitched her up. I didn’t have a clue who she was and I told myself I didn’t care. Until they came looking for her.

I swore I’d take my last breath before I let anyone else hurt her except I didn’t know she was keeping a deadly secret. Now I had two choices, her life or mine.

Marriage and combat taught me the same thing—I was no one’s hero. And I was about to prove it.

Sounds hot, right?? This is my current read for now – thanks so much for providing an ARC copy, Xpresso Book Tours! – and I can already attest that it is indeed hot, haha! But the best part is that you don’t have to believe in me: I brought an excerpt! ❤

EXCERPT

Siren strolled over next to me. I wrapped an arm around her neck and kissed her temple. She leaned into me and warmth spread through my chest. I trailed my hand through her soft hair and brought my lips to her ear. “You got another coupla hours, darlin’. Why don’t you go back to bed?”

She set her coffee down and snaked her hand across my bare stomach. Her breasts pressed against my chest, her scent filled my lungs and suddenly the air between us was so fucking charged, I couldn’t see past it.

Eyes stormy, cheeks flushed, her face tipped up. “I want to be with you,” she said softly.

My dick strained against my boxers. I didn’t know how much of her sentence was literal and how much was insinuation but I sure as shit was going to find out.

I pushed my hands into her hair. “I love hearin’ those words pass your lips, but you need to tell me what’s goin’ on.”

Despite me holding her head firm, she managed to look away. “Do I have to?”

“No games.”

Her hands gently braced on my chest. “Last night I felt safe. It felt good…being next to you.”

My muscles tensed, my jaw ticked and I shut everything down. “I’m no fuckin’ hero, I told you that.”

“I like you,” she whispered.

The weight of her words went straight to my heart and for one second I let myself breathe it in. Her quiet strength pushed out all the shit in life and filled the voids with her unassuming resilience. That alone should’ve had me running in the other direction but three words and I was sinking. I wanted to drag her into my arms and never let go but she deserved better. If she knew what I’d agreed to last night, she wouldn’t be standing here. “You don’t know me.”

Her hands dropped and she stepped back. “I’m sorry. Forget I said anything. My mistake.”

I was on her before the last word left her lips. I slammed my mouth over hers and sank my tongue into her heat. Pulling her against me, I gripped her hair, pressed her sweet little ass into my hips and kissed the motherfucking word mistake out of her mind.

You can find Talon at our favorite book buying places:

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Bellow, you can learn more about Sybil Bartel, the author 😀

Sybil Bartel grew up in Northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of storytelling. She loves the New Adult genre, but any story about a love so desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes her swoon.

Sybil now resides in Southern Florida and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she isn’t writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer…

But Seriously?

Here are ten things you probably really want to know about Sybil.

She grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform. She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask). The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks her out. Her favorite word is desperate…or dirty, or both—she can’t decide. She has a thing for muscle cars. But never reply on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book boyfriend every week—don’t tell her husband.

To find out more about Sybil Bartel, be sure to follow her on Twitter (she loves to hear about your favorite book boyfriend!), visit her website, like her on Facebook or join her Facebook group Book Boyfriend Heroes for exclusive excerpts and giveaways.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Facebook Book Boyfriend Heroes group

Okay, cutting the crap: GIVEAWAY TIME!

GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon gift card

To enter and join me on the giveaway fever, just click here: GIVEAWAY!

If you just knew how big my giveaway obsession is, haha! Well, if you follow me on Instagram, you know, oops!

That’s it, thank you for reading! I shall have my review for Talon up on this Sunday, so stay tuned 😀 And, once again, thanks to Xpresso Book Tours team for including me on this tour and sending me and ARC of Talon!