Book Review: My Fallen Saint

I feel like the rest of this week is going to be bananas so I'm starting a new book (a thriller) tonight and maybe I'll finish it for Friday. We'll see. Today though? You're going to like it. 

My Fallen Saint - J. Kenner

His touch is her sin.

Her love is his salvation.

Charismatic. Confident. Powerful. Controlling.

A brilliant investor with a Midas touch, Devlin Saint turned a modest inherited fortune into billions, and now operates one of the world’s foremost international philanthropic organizations. He’s a man determined to help the underprivileged, to fight injustice, and to make the world a better place. And that, at least is true.

It’s not, however, the full truth.

Because Devlin Saint is a man with a dangerous secret. One he’ll do whatever it takes to protect. And when investigative reporter Ellie Holmes turns her attention to an unsolved murder, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and passion as Devlin draws her closer and closer. But as the intensity and sensuality of their relationship grows, so do Ellie’s suspicions. Until she is no longer certain if the heat between her and Devlin is real, or only a facade he constructed to hide his dark and twisted secrets.

Do you remember forever ago when BDSM books became a thing, and suddenly the romance genre in general kind of blew up and got super popular again? We were all looking for our next author that could do it well, and of all of them, J. Kenner was at the top of my list. It isn't whips and spreader bars but it's equally hot but also has the emotional pull to it, and I discovered her with Release Me. I feel like a lot of us did, so when I saw she had a new series coming, I absolutely jumped on board because I knew this would be good and IT WAS. 

In this book we have Ellie, she's a reporter now but she used to be a cop and that was because she has an entire history of people dying or taking off on her. Her dad and her uncle were both murdered, and the love of her life took her virginity and then disappeared. She's gone over a decade not handling the trauma of any of it, and she spends a lot of time thinking about Alex and wondering why he would just up and leave. 

Fast forward to now, she's having to go back to the city it all began, the one she ran away from, to do an article on this charitable organization with an elusive man at the helm. I'm just going to leave you there because I am 99% sure anyone with a brain already knows where that story line is going. The story doesn't end there, Ellie is also there to find out more about her uncle's death and see what he got himself involved in before his death. A whole LOT of secrets come tumbling at her throughout the book, let's put it that way. 

I have to talk about the good and the bad. The good, I loved Devlin Saint, he's good and he's a tough cookie to crack but it is very clear he has it bad for Ellie. I loved his organization and the work they are doing, even though I think they maybe have something else going on and I'm not sure that I'm going to love that, but we'll see. The bad, I really don't like Ellie. I shouldn't say that. It's not Ellie so much but she is coming of as a little over the top. She's obsessive, she's terrible at reading between the lines, she's completely oblivious to the potential danger for her. I can't tell if she's actually that stupid and haven't watched enough Law & Order or if she's just stubborn with a death wish. I mean, jury's out there I suppose. The rehashing of what Alex did and how she felt about that got to be a little bit much, by mid-book WE KNOW what he did, I don't need a reminder every time she's feeling some kind of way. 

Overall though? I really enjoyed it. Enough that I am really excited and anxious for book two. I felt like we had conclusions, but there is a bit of a cliff hanger here, enough that made me say, "WHAT NOW?!" out loud. The book had the right amount of suspense, we've got a dangerous undercurrent going through it, we have a solid best friend in Brandy, plus the intimacy between Devlin and Ellie is pretty great and worth the read. Nobody is being whipped but someone is tied to the bed, how's that for a rating scale? 

Thank you to Social Butterfly PR for having me on this tour! 

This post contains affiliate links.

Book Review: Down on Me

I don't know what it says that I'm starting to recognize the models on the cover of books. Like this guy? His name is Jake. Jake is Meghan March's husband. She is a lucky, lucky gal.

Down on Me - J. Kenner

Tight muscles. Vibrant Ink.

Meet Mr. January. Winter’s never looked so hot…

Certified bachelor Reece Walker wants two things — to save the local bar he manages and to get Jenna Montgomery into his bed.

He has a few ideas for the bar. But Jenna... well, he’s going to have to rely on cold showers, because she’s been his best friend for years, and that’s a line he just can’t cross.

Until one wild kiss on a dark night changes everything. Now Reece is certain Jenna’s meant to be his.

And with long nights in bed, sensual caresses, and deep, lingering kisses, he sets out to thoroughly convince her that friends can be lovers, too.

I haven't read a book from J. Kenner in a long time and while this does have a couple of hot scenes, it was really different than what I've read from her before. Previous books were steamy and this one is lighter fare and sets up the rest of the Man of the Month series. Each book will feature a different man and this one was Reece.

Reece is a pretty nice guy though at the beginning I wasn't so sure, but you quickly realize he's in love with his best friend Jenna and he's trying like hell to ignore it. She also is in love with Reece and again, she's terrified to ruin the friendship trio (her, Reece, and Brent) so she's avoiding the very clear issue she's having.

The book was actually really short, even if it was 250 pages. The pages go quick and I felt at times this story was a bit rushed and we could have done for more drama or secret rendezvous, something, so it's almost like they had no story at all. My second meh moment is Reece supposedly hasn't slept with anyone the entire time Jenna was gone but the night she comes home? He's in bed with a nobody? What? That just felt like a major eyeroll and kind of pointless? I mean, I get a random hookup but why that night and not any other night she was gone? It was just weird and it almost felt like the author forgot she has that as the beginning when she threw in the "haven't slept with anyone this whole time". I don't know if it's just a weird part of the story or a big editing miss.

Regardless, this was a 3 star for me. I didn't love it, but it gave me just enough to be mildly interested in the rest of the series.

⭐⭐⭐

   

If you aren't following me on Instagram  you really should be because I've got cover reveals, new releases, and freebies happening more and more often so come find me (@sarastrand9438)! This post contains affiliate links.