Short Take Reviews: Further to Fall (Catherine Cowles ) and Kiss of Snow (Nalini Singh)

 

Further to Fall

by Catherine Cowles

Pub: 10/24/2018

Format: Kindle

4 stars

An MMA fighter trying to take on the world. A teacher trying to make the world a better place. A friendship neither expected.

Until one night, one mistake tore them apart.

Losing her almost broke him. But he climbed his way out of the darkness and now he’s back and determined to battle for his girl.

But, from the sidelines, someone watches. Someone who’ll do just about anything to keep them apart. Their second chance might be over before it even begins.

  

What worked for me: Having read and loved so many from Catherine Cowles (a dozen or more), I decided to do a deep dive into her backlist. Further to Fall is her first published novel and while it won't go down as a favorite, I still enjoyed it. Carter was a sweetheart and I loved how dedicated she was to her job and her students. Her pining for Austin felt genuine and my heart hurt for her, wanting what she was sure would never be. The banter between the friend group was a lot of fun and a real highlight. But what really got me, was when the lightbulb went on above my head and I realized most of these characters were either featured or appeared in Cowles' Sutter Lake series. Getting a glimpse of them in the past so to speak, while knowing their future stories, put a big smile on my face.

But not so much: Austin had serious commitment issues after being burned in the past, so when he learned the depth of Carter's feelings for him he handled it in the worst way possible. He was intentionally cruel and hurtful and I seriously disliked him for that. Carter forgave him way too easily and I needed a lot more groveling from him to really redeem himself.

Kiss of Snow

by Nalini Singh

Pub: 5/1/2011

Format: Kindle

4.25 stars

Since her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness: "Hawke." Alpha and dangerous, he lost the woman who would've been his mate long ago. Now he walks alone. But Sienna stirs his primal heart, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf. Yet as they strip away each other's secrets, a deadly enemy is striking at everything the pack holds dear...but Sienna's darkest secret may savage the pack that is her home-and the alpha who is its heartbeat.

  

What worked for me: I'd been waiting for Hawke and Sienna's story for a long time and Kiss of Snow delivered that and more. These two characters have been dancing around each other, and clashing, for a long time. And while it took a while (a long while!) for Hawke to finally come to his senses, once he did the results were epic. I loved their dynamic and they way Sienna held her own against the alpha of the SnowDancer pack, letting him know in no uncertain terms that when it was just the two of them he was never to "pull rank" on her. The addition of the secondary romance between Walker and Lara was an unexpected surprise, and one that I was totally there for. The plot showcased the escalating friction between the Psy and the Changelings, and the growing threat of all-out war really amped up the tension. All in all, one of my favorite entries in the series so far.

But not so much: Sienna's Psy abilities, and her efforts to control them, were a large part of the story. There was a pivotal action scene where Sienna put her abilities to use and, unfortunately, it didn't make a lot of sense to me. The aftermath conflicted with the way the scene was described and what little explanation was provided afterward didn't really shed any light. I had to decide to just go with it. While confusing, it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story.

Have you read either of these books?