A Review by Carol
Series – St. Martin Family Saga #1-5
Author – Gina Watson
Publication Date – December 6, 2013
Type – Novella Romance
Genre – Stand Alone Series
Overall Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Books provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Book - Score (St. Martin Family Saga #1)
Rating – 3 out of 5 Stars
Cal and Chloe’s story – Cal and Chloe have been next door neighbors since childhood. Chloe has had a crush on Cal but he does nothing but torture and bullies her while growing up.
Once in college, Cal turns into a “man-whore” and Chloe goes her own way until one day they are all in Las Vegas to support Cal’s brother in a poker tournament. Chloe has too much to drink – Cal bets his brothers that he can boink Chloe that night.
Chloe wakes up the next morning next to Cal and has a shit fit – he is the last person she expected to have sex with but days later, Cal is still thinking about Chloe and realizes that the reason why he picked on her so bad was because he didn’t know how to handle his emotions about how much he really liked her.
They go through a few traumatic experiences in their relationship and continue to try to make things work especially since things are so powerful in the bedroom between them.
OK story, hot sex, fast read but in some ways – too fast. There wasn’t enough back story and there wasn’t much climatic periods during the parts which were supposed to be the angst in the story. Too easily forgiven – too fast to forget – too quick to end. I would have liked to have read more about Cal and Chloe in the present and in the past.
Book - Shameless (St. Martin Family Saga #2)
Rating – 3 ½ out of 5 Stars
Cory and Brook’s story - Cory is the veterinarian in town and is also a “man-whore”. He don’t care who he has sex with or where. Brook brings her dog in to the clinic to be euthanized and Cory suddenly has a heart and takes Brook and her dog to his estate in order to be more comfortable and helps Brook morn.
They get stuck in a thunderstorm and have mind-altering sex which neither of them can get out of their heads. Cory finds ways to see Brook but by this time Brook is hooked – she knows Cory’s resolve about NO MARRIAGE, NO LOVE, NO CHILDREN.
She agrees to just sex between them without the relationship but Cory finds himself always at Brook’s without always wanting sex. Things progress between them until uh-oh an unseemly accident happens and Brook questions what will happen with her and Cory.
This story was a bit more intense than the first and seemed to have substance to it. Yeah, there were times it was a bit over the top but all in all – it was a fast and enjoyable read.
Book - Shatter (St. Martin Family Saga #3)
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Logan and Jessica’s story. Logan owns a brewery in town naming each of his concoctions after parts of the body which seems fitting since he is licensed to be a doctor. He is looking to be a supplier of his brews to a local restaurant and that is how he meets Jessica.
Jessica owns an Italian Restaurant which she runs on her own as a widow and is raising a son. On meeting, Jessica automatically takes a dislike to Logan with his carefree attitude and remembers that she has a boyfriend. A boyfriend who she isn’t sexually attracted to but she needs a man for a good role model for her son.
Logan is the farthest in her mind as the perfect role model, but looks may be deceiving. Logan loves Jessica and everything about her and her son, but he is battling demons of his own. See, Logan isn’t a true St. Martin; he was adopted after his parents were murdered.
But again – I will repeat…looks may be deceiving.
I enjoyed this story much more than the first two – there was more of a storyline to this one and didn’t revolve around – let’s get naked – do the dirty – have second thoughts – fall in love – get married – live HEA.
Book - Suited (St. Martin Family Saga #4)
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Cash and Isa’s story. Cash is a professional gambler, covered in tattoos and the complete opposite from the rest of his family. He always wanted his father’s approval but always seem like such a disappointment. Cash agrees to return home after his twin, Camp, begs him for help with the business.
Camp sets up a business meeting for Cash with the engineer on-site knowing full well that it is Cash’s ex-girlfriend he will be meeting with. Cash and Isa immediately feel the pull of each other without even seeing who it is on the other side of the door.
Isa is leery about starting up another relationship with Cash because of the past when he took off for close to 8 years without a word. She was left broken-hearted and with other disasters and no one to help her pick up the pieces.
Read about Isa’s secrets from the past and Cash’s promises to be everything that Isa needs. But at the first sign of trouble will Cash be able to keep his promise?
You can see how the author continues to get the stories more complex within the novella. The words and meetings aren’t as hasty but there were times in this book that it seems a bit rushed.
Book - Smolder (St. Martin Family Saga #5)
Rating – 4 ½ out of 5 Stars
Camp and Jenny’s story. Jenny is the designer to one of Camp’s new casinos and angry passion automatically spark between them. Camp being divorced and currently engaged has never felt this strongly about another woman in his life. He has a loveless girlfriend who acts more like his sister than a future wife.
Clay, Camp’s oldest brother, gives him a few pointers on how to ensnare Jenny into agreeing to try a relationship between the two of them. What Camp doesn’t expect is how receptive Jenny is to these ploys where she can actually thrive on them.
Unfortunately for Camp, Jenny has other problems in her life that consume her emotions and time, but Camp won’t be easily swayed and vows to have Jenny by his side for life.
Out of the 5 stories, this one was my favorite because the story grew from the beginning to the end. It wasn’t rushed and the characters developed throughout the story.
Overall Review
You can see how the author’s style is developing and growing through each of these books. The first book doesn’t flow through chapters like the last one does. The awesome thing about reading these books is that I feel like I have watched this author grow up through her writing.
There were a few inconsistencies from story to story but not noticeable enough to put anyone off from the general gist.
I did cringe when I read that “her pussy tasted like honey”….ummm NO….I know it’s probably used as a simile or a metaphor….but now when I put honey in my tea….I’m gonna be wondering if I’m drinking pussy juice! Nah…J/K
Another one was “her nipples were as hard as steel” that I would love to see…and again I know it’s an analogy and a figure of speech….but it made me giggle picturing her nipples turning into Madonna bullet cones!!
Overall, I had a great time with this series and the author has found a fan in me. I love that the books were short novellas and full of some really steamy sex!!!
I’m wondering though….are there going to be books for Clay and the little sister?? I would love to read Clay’s story….a big hulking fireman who is into the “kink” sex clubs!!! Oh yeah….that’s my kind of story!!
Author Bio
I have spent the past several years working as a university instructor. My students are young adult females so I’m constantly running plot lines and book covers by them. They make a great beta team! I love my job at the university but there is something I love even more. . . romance novels. I'll read any genre as long as there are steamy sex scenes and the standard issue HEA ending. Initially I was drawn in by the escape and sweeping emotion of it all, so much so, I began to create my own fictional world.
Since I worked during the day my nights were consumed with writing. I was powerless to stop the stories that wanted to be freed from my mind. I actually started to get mixed up. I would think something I wrote at night was something I had said during the working day and vice versa. My friends were worried for my sanity but I assured them I had not gone mad, I was just writing. Once I started I wrote upwards of 3,000 words per day.
It was in the early millennium when I became brave enough to share my stories with others. I began to post my stories on fiction websites and then something marvelous happened—I was followed by hundreds of eager readers. I loved my followers and their kind words helped motivate me.
These days I am writing books and I’ve learned some things about myself during the process. I like to write series novels because I have trouble letting go. I like a little plot with my romance, erotica, contemporary. Call it what you will, but I have to have a good story in which to sink my teeth. If I start writing a story I have to finish it, even if it’s terrible.
My dog is my muse and when he tilts his forehead at me and blinks his large black eyes questioningly at me, I think he is worried I've been sucked into the wormhole of the very fiction that I write. I appreciate his concern but I have yet to fall down the rabbit hole. Here's to everyone else in my boat, may our voyage become a permanent destination.
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