Taking Control Book 4 After-Glow (Contemporary Romance)

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From the opening scene to the shocking ending this book was one thrill ride. I look forward to the next book in this series. Apr 09, Cindy rated it liked it.

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I was a little disappointed with this follow up to Hush. I was expecting to have my socks blown off but it just didn't happen. If it wasn't for the suspense of a set up, I would not have finished the book. The hero was OK but I didn't really care for the heroine at all.

She needed to stand up for herself long before she finally did. The romance and the sex weren't all that good either. Cherry Adiar is capable of so much more, but not this time. I loved the chemistry in this book. The couple had been engaged and their relationship ended on a horrible note with a lot of hurtful accusatio Review posted: Rand said some horrible things to Dakota during their huge fight. Little did both of them know that they were being played by a man who is sick in the head and wants this drug mass produced which will end up netting him billions of dollars.

The drug when given in very small doses, makes people lose all their inhibitions and amps up their sexual need to the highest level. When the drug is given in a slightly higher dose, it causes death, within mere minutes of being either ingested or inhaled. The first part of the story really left a bad taste. He never gave her the chance to explain her side of what happened and it kills her to see his hate for her as plain as day in his eyes.

Then they get a hit of the drug in airborne form and end up having sex, high on the drug and unable to stop themselves. The middle of the story, when the plot picked up and the leads actually started talking about their past and things that were assumed but never discussed, the action really got good and I was pulled into the suspense of who the mastermind behind wanting to produce this drug was.

He kissed the side of her throat, stroking his tongue around the shell of her ear. He remembered her body so well. His arms surrounded her, his breath blew hot against her throat. His heartbeat syncopated with hers. This, she thought, choking back a sob, was the Rand she knew. Nothing frustrates me more than when a hero and heroine will not talk about the things that need talking about.

Once they finally cleared the air, their relationship took on a sweet note, protective in the case of Rand to Dakota, and it was nice to see these two reconnect after outside forces were the reason they were torn apart. My one other small issue — this book needed an epilogue…I needed an epilogue! With all that Rand went through with his security company employees and how they were all divided and dragged into the whole drug mess, I needed to know what happened to him and his business at the end.

I like to think that he and Dakota head to Seattle, but the book ended abruptly and I needed a few extra pages to wind their story down. When Rand broke up with her over misinterpretations and lies she never could get him to see the light and she long ago gave up trying. Now the drug she helped to engineer has resurfaced with horrible complications.

Only Dakota can track it down, whether Rand wants to admit it or not. All Rand knows is his sexy ex fiance is a liar. One ultimately responsible for his mothers death and the imprisonment of his father. Now the drug she helped make makes a appearance at a wedding his security firm is heading up?

With the clock ticking, a sadistic underground community afoot and a vicious drug set to take over anyone who dares try it, Dakota and Rand will have to put their differences aside in order to stop the production and maybe along the way realize that past mistakes can be made right. After reading the first book, Hush, and loving it I was eagerly awaiting this one. Ms Adair is a author that can transport me to another place.

Make me live along side the characters and breathe with them. Afterglow starts with a bang…and by bang I mean multiple orgasms…from everyone. Rapture, a highly experimental and subsequently banned and destroyed drug has popped back up and at a Hollywood starlets wedding no less.

What was engineered as a anti depressant has some dangerous side effects. Zero inhibitions, ravenous sex drives and highly addictive to the point of death. People basically hump till they die. Where can I get me some of that? Rand is the head of security firm that had been hired to work the wedding and reception. Having the drug smuggled in under his nose made this very personal to him and he seemed determined to figure it out and place the blame on ex-flame Dakota who had been sent to investigate. Dakota worked for the drug company before she was fired when they shut down.

Unbeknownst to him Dakota was involved in the explosion that rocked the lab and she had ended up in the hospital just weeks after he accused her of being a liar and a whore who provided his scientist father with the drugs that killed his mother. Call him a ASS! While I found Rand to be a stubborn jerk I also found him hot. Explain that one Freud.

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I loved how even though he was ticked at Dakota for reasons that were WRONG but I digress he was still protective and looked out for her. He knew he needed her ability to track. When they get dosed with Rapture themselves I liked how he seemed to be able to control himself but he let his inner desires finally take over and treat Dakota with the intensity which she deserved. Plus, halfway mad sex is always hotter.

She felt responsible for the drugs creation and so she needed to see this through no matter how much Rand may have hated her. I envied her ability to let go and forgive him for the way she was treated. Afterglow again deals with a slightly paranormal aspect. This seems to be popping up more and more in romantic suspense books lately. In Hush the main character could track someone using a string of coordinates that ran through his mind.

Dakota can do that and track someone using just a personal item of theirs. Is it typical romantic suspense? Undoubtedly someone will though. Cherry Adair will take you on a thrill ride every time. Always gaurenteed to keep me coming back for more! I give Afterglow by Cherry Adair 4 stars! Kimber's review posted on Guilty Pleasures The premise of this book had me laughing and intrigued at the same time, and because I enjoyed the first Lodestone story, I jumped at the chance to read this one too.

I finished the book in a day because I literally could not put it down. Though not so good for Rand, there were several laugh out loud moments for me while everyone is trying to figure out why they were ripping their clothes off and humping the person closest to them. Call me cruel, but the fact that these high society people were mortified once the effects of the drugs wore off only added to the humor. Dakota North is a Lodgstone agent with her own sixth-sense sent to help Rand. To say they have a rocky past is an understatement. Since Rand never wanted to lay eyes on her again for what she did to him two years ago, sparks fly and not of the good variety.

Dakota realizes immediately her feelings for Rand never went away and even though Rand ended their engagement, he never truly got over her either. He toggles back and forth and wonders whether or not she is actually the person trying to sabotage him. Again, the writing is superb, the hero is a yummy alpha, the heroine strong and likable, lots of steamy sex, and non-stop action.

Jul 04, AndreaH rated it it was ok Shelves: Somebody gave me a bunch of Adair books and I've been plowing through them. I must say this is better than the earlier books, but suffers from what I think are the same problems. Adair is a bestseller, and I understand why: But I also didn't fall in love with a lot of these books because: I don't feel a lot of romance, but there is a truckload and more of lust.

Chemistry does not equal romance in my book; every chemica Somebody gave me a bunch of Adair books and I've been plowing through them. Chemistry does not equal romance in my book; every chemical reaction fizzles at some point. Like I said, a lot of nonstop action, but not a lot suspense. Plus the bad guys are kinda of caricatures.

This book was a lot better than some of the earlier ones, but there were a few glitches, and I keep getting stuck on them. Former lovers Rand and Dakota, whose relationship ended very badly, mostly because of a lack of trust, must reunite to stop the street marketing of Rapture — a drug that causes imbibers to f--k like bunnies anywhere they are. Rand is a total black-white kind of guy, a bit of a hothead. Dakota is a chemist, who's addicted to Rand. Needless to say she doesn't have much of backbone when it comes to him, and Adair quickly gets awkward makeup sex out the way by accidentally exposing them to Rapture.

Having uninhibited sex while high is not romance I don't think it even qualifies as lust. The whole beginning was just yucky and left me feeling dirty. The plot and action mostly highly improbable starts speeding along after, but it isn't till the last third, that these two start communicating and connecting. Mar 22, Sobia rated it liked it. I wasn't particularly tired, and generally if I'm really into whatever I'm reading it wouldnt matter if I was exhausted I'd still keep going The story wasn't bad, just irri I fell asleep.

The story wasn't bad, just irritating Not til we find out who the big bad is, did I really get into the story, but even that bit was too short and quickly resolved I had to double and triple check that where it ended was actually the ending, after all the crap they go through, that's what we get? A generous 3 stars. Mar 03, Lauren rated it liked it Shelves: Afterglow 3 Stars A disappointing sequel that does not live up to the potential established in the first book.

Aside from the fact that the heroine, Dakota North, works for Zak Stark, there is no connection between the books, which is unfortunate as it would have established a continuity that is sorely lacking. The hero, Rand Maguire, is a complete jerk and almost ruins the book. Dakota, however is intelligent and engaging although the fact that she still wants to be with a man who called her a "m Afterglow 3 Stars A disappointing sequel that does not live up to the potential established in the first book.

Dakota, however is intelligent and engaging although the fact that she still wants to be with a man who called her a "money grubbing whore" kind of puts a damper on her character. The plot, while fast-paced and action packed, it exceedingly far-fetched.

In fact, the elaborate conspiracy and ridiculous progression of events makes the identity of the villain completely obvious. Moreover, the paranormal element adds nothing to the plot or characterization. Hopefully the next installment will be better. Sep 07, Darcy rated it it was ok Shelves: I think I would have liked this one better had the main characters not had a past together. Each one was still mired down in how the other wronged them that they had a hard time working together facing this new threat. By the end of the book I was tired of each of them bringing up the past, even when they realized how the other was mislead.

I didn't care that they managed to get past it all. Then the big reveal of who was the big bad I wish there had be I think I would have liked this one better had the main characters not had a past together. I wish there had been more of Zak and the creation of Lodestone instead of it being a done deal and it being years later. Jul 31, Michelle rated it really liked it. Another great suspenseful read in the Lodestone series from Cherry Adair. Afterglow had the right amount of nail biting, gut clenching action that I love to read with a small bit of paranormal thrown in.

I loved both characters, Rand and Dakota, and felt so much emotion when Ms. Adair was breaking down the relationship between the two. There were a few tears but only the good kind. Again, there were some deaths that I was pretty bummed about but a Happily Ever After makes it worthwhile. Mar 27, Paraphrodite rated it liked it Shelves: When I began this book, it felt like there should have been a prequel since there was so much history being hinted at between the protagonists.

Fortunately, their history was gradually revealed in the book. At the start though, I thought it was a romantic comedy rather than a romantic suspense - who would think of an aphrodisiac being a weapon of terrorism? But it does get serious very quickly and the finale is suitably climatic and surprising. A good read overall. I'm giving this a 2. It started off slow and I was annoyed at the idiocy of both Rand and Dakota.

Later you do actually see that both of them had reasons to mistrust and not explain themselves, but people who don't commit to finishing all their books the way I do would dnf it. Sep 10, Bianca rated it really liked it Shelves: If you can suspend your disbelief this was a pretty fun read! Completely ridiculous plot, didn't always make sense But I still enjoyed reading it! They were also both very like able! I totally enjoyed it! Sep 06, Cindi rated it liked it. Not one of my fave Cherry books but I enjoyed.

Nov 25, Diane L. Too long Excellent plot points but the zigzag over Europe was a bit too long. Minor things but annoying.

Jul 29, JM rated it it was amazing. Mar 17, Nicole rated it really liked it Shelves: Review originally posted here: Dakota lost everything she had going for her in a short amount of time, her fiance left her, she lost her job and was caught in an explosion that put her int he h Review originally posted here: Dakota lost everything she had going for her in a short amount of time, her fiance left her, she lost her job and was caught in an explosion that put her int he hospital for months. Now that she is being called in on a case to look into the appearance of a very deadly drug she worked to develop, she will be thrust back into the world that she lost all those years ago.

When he calls in for help, the last person he expects to see is his ex Dakota. The two of them soon find themselves on a wild goose chase across Europe, hunting the men who released the drug and are now trying to kill them. But when the truth begins to unfold, will these two be able to get past their history together and face the uncertain future? First let me begin by saying that usually I am not a huge fan of paranormal aspects in my contemporary settings. Instead, it was sort of like an unexplained phenomena that came across to me as believable and real within the world.

Just as I was getting a feel for Rand and really enjoying his character, Dakota is introduced and Rand does not paint her in the best light. It was painfully obvious they split on horrific terms, and Rand describes her as this horrible person. But once the POV switches to Dakota and more of the story unfolds, I found myself quickly siding with Dakota, and hoping she would knock Rand down a few notches. Their history, as it unfolds, is almost on the level of soap-opera dramaish, and creates for a lot of tension between them.

Despite all that tension though, the two are quick to fall into bed together. These two lacked any kind of real communication between them, and once it did all come out, it was painfully obvious that a simple conversation would have done leaps and bounds for their relationship. I really did enjoy the aspect of these two coming back together and re-kindling their romance. One thing that occasionally irritates me in romantic suspense books is that the hero and heroine only get a few short days to meet, allude the bad guys and fall in love.

But with Rand and Dakota, it was obvious the two still had intense feelings for one another from the start. While they were constantly on the run, I felt as if they really did have the time to get over their past and move forward with the life they both wanted. I just wish that Dakota would have made Rand apologize a bit more for their past.

One thing that I think Adair does so incredibly well is weave in such intricate plot lines and subplot lines. I was never really sure who the bad guy was, or how all the players wove together. When the big reveal happened at the end, I had my suspicion on who the bad guy was, but was absolutely floored by how it all came together.

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It was crazy and insane and something that came from so far in left field that my head literally spun around a few times. It was such a great ending to a fast paced and high-octane read. All in all I was floored by Afterglow. The suspense was off the charts, the plot twisted and turned all over the place and the romance was sweet and sexy and fulfilling. I could have used a little more groveling from Rand, but was pleased with how this story wrapped up.

Now my slight problem Rand Maguire - this one was ok Dakota North - Uhhhh. Too much of a play on words Monk - Duh Are these like all indian names? He was a former policeman.

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Play on the "Pig" term This was a little bigger. His ass would be grass! We are talking butt kissing buy me the moon if he wanted to seperate me from my panties anytime soon. They share a past. Why would you tell him he missed out because you offered? You need a 2x4 to work it out over his head! One last slight problem I have is the cover. Some features are covered on the first so I can't say for sure, but I seriously think so. I am a cover Nazi! I had to read over a few times At one point it said Paul was in prison for Dakota's murder, but Dakota was standing there.

It was Catherine's murder To me it just comes across as an author not really knowing how to explain things away or rationalize what's going on. Thank God I am done with this book. I won't continue the series. Apr 03, Bookaholics rated it really liked it. Afterglow by Cherry Adair Paranormal Romance —March 20th, 4 stars Afterglow is a hot contemporary romance with lots of excitement and betrayal and a touch of magic!

It is the second in her Lodestone adventure series. Afterglow features strong characters and sizzling hot chemistry! The tension between the main characters is off the charts as the hero begins the book feeling the heroine has betrayed him. Dakota North sent to help him. Rand believes that Dakota is responsible for the death of his mother.

Distrustful but still half in love with her, he fights his attraction and reminds himself of her duplicitous nature. When Dakota is assigned to aid a call from help by her former boyfriend Rand, she is hesitant but knows she is the only one with knowledge to help him. She feels responsible, for she was crucial in the making of the drug which was used to poison the guests at the wedding. But working with Rand is difficult.

Not only did he not believe in her innocence but he broke her heart. I also liked Melanie Lydia's friend. This is an interesting world, and I'll continue reading the series. Dec 20, Jacob Proffitt rated it really liked it Shelves: This one was a clear improvement on the first. I think Castle has a better idea of where she's going with the books and it made a difference in the setting, particularly the side characters.

Lydia and Emmet were both better, too, and their relationship was as or more fun. So yeah, a clear step up. As with most series, I'd definitely read the first one before this one; you really need the details of their relationship and Lydia's professional life. That this book is better is something to look for This one was a clear improvement on the first. That this book is better is something to look forward to. Not that this book is a clear win. The beginning has long expository pieces that felt awkward, at best. The information was needed for the story, but the clumping was noticeable.

Oh, and the mystery was the weakest element again, though stronger as well. I really enjoyed the continuance of the romance from the first, and that surprised me a little. Their relationship is pretty strong right from the beginning and while they make some amateur for the characters, not the author mistakes, they're honest mistakes and they recover gracefully enough. Starting that strong didn't give the relationship that much room to grow, though, which is why it surprised me I was as interested as I was. I mean, each individually knows they're in love with the other at least, internally almost from the beginning.

From there, all that's left is making things explicit. That I enjoyed that journey speaks for how much I connect with Castle's style, I suppose. I'm a little torn on the final rating. The book is a solid 3. It's better than a three, but not quite a full-on four. I think I'll round to four, though, if only because I liked Fuzz so much and loved the role he played. A note about Steamy: Middle of my range, but on the low side. There are three explicit scenes, but the last one is uber short and the other two aren't that long, either.

The middle one after Emmet defuses a large ghost was rather fun, though And so I want my hour or four back! Nauseous, I tell you! How did she go from giving her stepson hungry glances in the first book to a benign helpful maternal presence in this book. And with the H finally called his p Contd. And with the H finally called his parent 'Dad', I'm sure 'Mama' is not far off! The mystery and its solving was a big bore too. Fuzz has a lesser role here. Only good point was the h going territorial on the H. I liked this one a lot. Good story with a fun paranormal thread.

I'm a happy reader! Oct 25, Pam Baddeley rated it liked it Shelves: This is the second in the series set on the remote planet of Harmony, which was colonised from Earth before being cut off by the closure of the energy cloud called the Curtain, which had enabled such far distant travel. Two centuries later, Harmony has returned to about the level of 20th century Earth technology, but with various important differences, due to the development of psychic abilities among the colonists. The sequel to 'After Dark', this book stars the two main characters of the first This is the second in the series set on the remote planet of Harmony, which was colonised from Earth before being cut off by the closure of the energy cloud called the Curtain, which had enabled such far distant travel.

The sequel to 'After Dark', this book stars the two main characters of the first volume, Lydia Smith and Emmett London. A couple of months have passed and they are dating, though not totally over the prickliness which marked their relationship previously. This isn't helped by the attempted assassination of Mercer Wyatt, head of the ghost hunter Guild, early in the story, and Emmett's temporary appointment as acting Guild head. Given Lydia's grudge against ghost hunters - the testimony of two of them after she was lost underground for two days was instrumental in getting her fired from a career she loved - she worries that Emmett will be pushed into taking the job permanently, and has graver concerns that he will be the next target.

As with the first story, this begins with them finding a dead body, this time of an ex- professor who had phoned Lydia saying he had important information about what happened to her during her Lost Weekend as she calls it. Conveniently, he has died of a drug overdose, but evidence eventually emerges which convince both Lydia and Emmett that someone wanted to silence him. Bodies start to pile up, with a strange connection to the supposed deaths of some rather odd people a decade or more previously, as well as to the century ago rebellion, led by a man called Vance, who tried to use his own private army to take over Harmony.

It was that conflict which led to the setting up of ghost hunter Guilds in each city and town, as private militia. These days, the Guilds handle training of youngsters - mostly boys - who exhibit the ability to deresonate the dangerous green energy clouds which form a hazard to anyone exploring the catacombs under the alien ruins each city and town has been built around, and also rents out the services of adult ghost hunters to protect official expeditions like the one on which Lydia was lost.

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As with book 1, the murder mystery and the characters' own conflicts are interwoven, plus the appearances of a cute furry animal - known as a dust bunny - which has adopted Lydia. The final scene which stars him and a female of the species is the most cute in the book. I did find though that the shopping scenes were a bit tedious - Lydia has a friend who guides her in what to buy for her various social occasions - and slowed down the story.

There are misunderstandings between Lydia and Emmett who turns out to have a romantic side she didn't appreciate. As the relationship has now been consummated, there is a little too much low level description of plumbing for my taste; less is more really or sex scenes can become farcical. A good read on the whole, but not spectacular, so it merits 3 stars from me.

I love this story. This is not to say that the first book, After Dark , ended in a cliffhanger. It didn't even end in an open-ended fashion. I was very satisfied after finishing it, years before this sequel was even published. What I love about this story is that it was dedicated to me and my fellow dust-bunny aficionados. And it ended with view spoiler [ I love this story.

And it ended with view spoiler [a lovely scene showing a meeting between Fuzz and a lady dust bunny. She was right in thinking it was a conspiracy, but wrong about the conspirators. And what fun it was to find out who was truly behind it! I loved every word of this story, of course, but these next four items are worthy of special note: Melanie lost her patience. She scowled at Mrs. Davies and the assistant. I LOVE this scene.

Melanie seems rather flaky and she's a confirmed flirt, but she established herself as my BFF in that moment. Chapter 13 is from Emmett's POV and gives us his perspective of the phone call Lydia makes to tell him of the trouble she's landed him in. What I love about this scene, and it never fails to make me laugh a little, is that, on page , Emmett view spoiler [hangs up the phone and says to Verwood, his chief of security, who was waiting to continue a conversation, "Congratulate me.

I'm getting married this afternoon. Verwood seems like the strong and silent type. But given the opening, he goes on and on about Lydia's good points and it rather takes her aback. I really love this scene. Emmett view spoiler [is searching for Lydia with Verwood and they're at her office: Emmett went through the desk drawers quickly.

Wyatt told me that once or twice, too. I loved it, blah blah blah. But then there's the end, where we see a bit of view spoiler [Lydia's Covenant Marriage ceremony with Emmett. As it was, I came pretty close. And also as it was, it was pretty darn perfect. We have a highly satisfying final scene with Lydia and Emmett, and then that wonderful moment with Fuzz out on the balcony, where he meets with a lady dust bunny. But I just have to say - once more - that I really loved it.

I also liked the continuity of having the same narrator for both books. Joyce Bean did a pretty good job. And I also just enjoy Harmony as a world. Sep 05, Carol rated it liked it. I found the book to be less exciting than the selling description indicates but it did have it's moments I thought the characters were mostly "common" Not an bad series I read the book for a challenge and it served that purpose well but I think I'll skip the remainder of the series.

After I listened to the audiobook of the first book in this series, I looked at the icon for the second book on my computer and figured it was as good as anything to listen to while doing other things. So I queued it up. I do silly things like that now and then. And there they all were, the issues that annoyed me in the first book: Hey, look, I can do a search through Google Books: Oh, and rez-tea, for heaven's sake.

It's as though instead of actual world-building the author decided to just add "rez-" to everything. Dinner rezzes on the stove. Characters rez a lock or the ignition of the stand-in for a car or the stand-in for a tv. The latter two things are absolutely indistinguishable from plain old televisions or cars. Again, what's the point?

All the rezzing irritated me more in this outing. The word "munch" is wildly overused, too. Somebody needs to use a word cloud or something. The writing in general annoyed me more in this one.

After Glow

Dialogue is simultaneously stilted — how many people really say things like "I clutched it"? And yet someone names an off-limits place "Area 51"… and as I mentioned in my review of the last one otherwise the whole thing could easily take place in Milwaukee with just a few simple changes. Characters have a habit of asking questions that were answered about a minute ago — "They found [so-and-so's] body…" "Dead?

And Captain Obvious is an unbilled star … as, for example, when the explorers come across thousand-year-old skeletons. They were here last time. So — you were there within the last thousand years, then? There's no point in arguing the finer points of writing with these books; they're meant as pure popcorn. As someone in a podcase I listen to said a while ago, "popcorn fare" keeps the muscles warm, but doesn't give your brain a workout.

My mistake is trying to make things make sense — like why this is supposedly set so far away in space and time when the writer obviously doesn't feel like making much effort at incorporating that into her world or writing. Or why characters are so insta-jealous with absolutely no cause — they just are, maybe because the author finds it entertaining.

I must remember to put these books on my just talk to each other shelf, because the diffident "I'm not worthy" nonsense coming from the heroine and the primal "my woman, other men must stay away or I will kill them" crap coming from the hero is … nonsensical crap. So these two books killed a few hours, and perhaps a few brain cells, and my patience.

I don't quite regret the time spent listening to them. But they are sure as sure can be the last books by this author I ever try. Feb 18, Cheri rated it liked it. The beginning of this book contradicted the end of the previous book.. It kinda irritated me that several things through out the story did as well. I liked that it had the same pretense as the other harmony books and of course the dust bunny! In the first book, readers were introduced to the earth colony of Harmony where humans have developed paranormal abilities.

Lydia last her job when she had a lost weekend where she has 48 hours of memory loss. Lydia and Emmett began arelationship in the first book. In this book, the relationship is finally resolved. This book feels more personal because the two are moving forward with their relationship. The questions that were raised in the first book about what happened to Lydia are also answered. This book really needs to be read in conjunction with the first book because knowledge of that book is assumed. This book also gives readers more information about Harmony and the rules that apply in this world.

The real conflict in the story is the external ones about the mystery of Lydia's experience and whether or not someone is trying to kill Emmett. The characters themselves have already resolved most of their personal conflict and while there is a little angst over marriage, from the beginning it is clear Lydia and Emmett are a team.

Fuzz, the dust bunny, has an important role here. Oct 29, Christine rated it it was ok Shelves: As I mentioned in my review of "After Dark," the first half of this duet, I was kind of annoyed that I had to read another book in order to get the rest of the story.

My feelings didn't really change after I finished this. I continue to feel that this is one of Jaynce Castle's weaker stories by any psuedonym and her weakest under this one. I'd say it took her a couple of books to get into writing science fiction, but with the possible exception that she didn't lay the groundwork very well in th As I mentioned in my review of "After Dark," the first half of this duet, I was kind of annoyed that I had to read another book in order to get the rest of the story.

I'd say it took her a couple of books to get into writing science fiction, but with the possible exception that she didn't lay the groundwork very well in the first book, she told us so little about the world that if I hadn't read later books, I can't imagine it would hae made sense and in this book, she started some seroius information dumping , the world building and speculative elements were sound. My biggest problem with these two books is that the chemistry between Emmett and Lydia didn't work for me.

In this book, they both start out already knowing they love the other and the big climax is that they finally admit it -- what I call a quest for the three magic words romance not my favorite. I found the sex scenes tedious and largely irrelevant. I hate being so hard on this book, especially because if my fairness meter were on, I couldn't give this below 3 stars -- I've given 2 stars to much worse books -- but I've come to expect more from this author and life's not always fair.

Sep 20, Eliza Leone rated it really liked it Recommended to Eliza by: Captivating and thrilling, full of unsuspecting plot twists. Harmony 2, Ghost Hunter 2, Curtain 4 Characters: Alien planet, Old Cadence Mature Themes: Sex, Drug references Picking up a few weeks after the events in After Dark, Lydia and Emmett are still feeling their way through their relationship with one another.

Lydia's private consulting is picking up and with a new client, her job at the museum, and the ongoing investigating she's doing into her Lost Weekend.

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The plot was full of twists and unsuspecting information doled out by the author in bite sized pieces, my attention kept through the whole read. Small revelations, secrets and even long planned lies fill the story and keep you reading long into the night. The dynamic between Lydia and Emmett has also evolved into more stable and trusting relationship and continues to grow as the book progresses.

Lydia always has plan when a situation gets rough, even if she's holding out hope for Emmett to come and save her. She's a strong woman who can fight for herself and yet knows that she and Emmett have something special enough that he'll always have her back. A sweet and sinister mix of love and deception, Lydia and Emmett take the reader on an even more wild ride than book one and scratch the itch of both a great paranormal and light romance genre.

May 25, Kari Chapman rated it liked it Shelves: I felt that "After Glow" was a stronger book than the first book in the series, "After Dark". Which is good, as "After Dark" was enjoyable, but had room for improvement. The characters established in the previous book are back again in book 2. They are just as enjoyable to read about this time around, and there was some good growth on both Lydia and Emmett's parts. We got to see both of them shine in their areas of expertise at various points in the book.

The magic system in this book was clearer I felt that "After Glow" was a stronger book than the first book in the series, "After Dark". The magic system in this book was clearer this time around. Not sure if that's anything to do with the author's writing, or if by the third book I've read in this world I read "The Lost Night" before backtracking to "After Dark" I'm just finally getting a hang of the terminology.

We got some good answers to questions left open at the end of "After Dark", and brought the main arc of Lydia and Emmett's story to a good conclusion. Looking at the synopsis for book 3, we move onto other characters there, and I'm ok with that given how things wrapped up in "After Glow". It's still not the most amazing book I've read, but it's enjoyable and that all I really look for.

Feb 26, Carrie rated it liked it Shelves: Quarter 2 Choice 3 — Rounding Out the Family — Listen to a romance where a child under 18 or pet plays a significant role. I generally enjoy JAK in all her permutations, but this isn't one of her best. Lydia and Emmett skirted around actually talking about their true feelings for most of the book. Instead, the tension basically was allowed to fizzle in one half-hearted conversation. The suspense plot was decent, but convoluted, and there were too many plot holes.

Lydia got out once through a series of tunnels not involving the big trap, is it reasonable that someone hadn't stumbled on the chamber from that direction before? Mar 10, An Odd1 rated it it was ok. A 'hunter' can tune thought waves through amber to gather or disperse 'ghost' energy radiating from crystal. The series suffers from excess amber and jargon such as 'rez' for power.

If her heroines believe hunter Guilds are criminal mobs, why do they date 'thug' bosses and manipulate marriages? Action seems jerky, fits and starts, such as two pages dress payment argument, instead of building and exploding tension. In chapter one, curator Lydia, finds a body, and boyfriend newly promoted Guild chief Emmett finds them. In two, we meet her savior after the amnesiac hours, adorable pet dust-bunny Fuzz, and hot human tongues tangle.

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