Susan Sey
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- Sey, Susan
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- Seyfarth, Susan
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- St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Picture Me and You: A Devil's Kettle Romance, #1 von Susan Sey
I am normally a fast reader. This book took me a long time to finish as I just couldn’t get into the characters. Too much angst from everyone. Addy desperately wants to be part of a family, but feels trapped into keeping the love of her dead husband’s family. Too many loose ends in the story. I wanted to finish to see if Addy and Jax get together, but the book leaves many unanswered questions and I do not like the rest of the characters enough to read any more in the series to find out.
My third book by this author, fourth work when including the short story. Everything read falling within the Blake Brothers series.
This is a vaguely strange series in that it kept bouncing around genres/themes/etc. First one involved celebrities, athletes and sports agents. Well, more the reality tv angle I’m going for here. Second introduced ghosts, the paranormal and ghost busters. Third introduced spy or crime caper or thriller.
This story barely made it to 3 stars. I was quite certain it’d end up getting only 2. This is strange as there were some good interesting parts. And it began strong. I stopped shortly after beginning to go back and read the ‘prequel’ short story, since I felt like I was ‘missing’ stuff. And I liked the short story. And the characters in it. Despite involving the same characters, Meg and Drew, I didn’t really like the characters in this one. Oh, and yes, I do think reading the short story first greatly enhances this here book.
I mean, that whole ‘Meggy – don’t call me Meggy! – you know she doesn’t like to be called that right? – that’s why I do it! I know she hates it! *giggles insanely*’ thing was super annoying. It wasn’t cute it wasn’t fun(ny). It was just downright creepy. Personally, I preferred when Drew kept calling her Pretty Meg. Instead of, you know, Meggy.
It’s strange looking back on the series, but the brother I like best of all, at least by the end of it, was Will. I never really got a good handle on James – that or by the end, I’d forgotten what exactly made him tick. I assume I had a better handle on him earlier, and that it was more than ‘smart-alacky, smarmy, lazy, super-star’. Will was, and still is to a certain extent, mostly a mean bastard. But he’s up front about it. He kind of has a rage-y shell over a raging asshole. While Drew, well, I’ll be wordier as he’s the star of this here book.
Drew is a man-child. He lost his parents at really young age, ten, and was warped by it. Not desiring to ‘lose’ anyone ever again, he developed a shell. People in this situation tend to go in two directions. The one I normally see in popular entertainment is the other path/direction. The direction/path in which the person ‘hurt’ at a young age puts on an angry grimace and glares at the world around them. That’s their mask, their shell over whatever is beneath. Drew went the other direction. He put a happy go lucky smile on his face. Bounced around all cheery like. This is a mask/shell over a mixture of numbness and rage. The outside shell mostly included crap that is quite off-putting to me personally. Including the outward appearance of never being able to take anything seriously. His need to say ‘I love you’ to everyone around him at every opportunity. And not really meaning it. Mostly.
Will and Drew sure can’t read women. Will’s a strong dominant type who is kind of rough. And knows it. So he was freaked when he ‘let himself out’ and ‘hurt’ Audrey when they had their sex scenes in the second book. And completely misread Audrey’s reactions to it. For example, she was moaning in pleasure, and he thought she was crying in despair. Will kept trying to stop himself. The woman in his life kept having to, basically, beg him to continue. And Drew? The opposite, to a certain extent.
During a sex scene with Meg, he got really creepy. Verging on rape-y creepy. It’s a good thing Meg actually wanted him, eh? Because . . . otherwise his actions could have landed him in the hospital and possibly jail (what, Meg’s strong, able to knock someone out with one punch . . . or something like that). Why do I say all of this? Because of how everything broke down. Gah, every fucking time. More or less.
Meg’s freaking out about a situation; he can barely hear her for his need to pounce on her. So he does. Forcing himself onto her with a kiss. To which she replies in kind. So he continues. When she tries to push him away, when she indicates she wants him to stop, what does he do? He thrusts his hands into her, now open, shirt to grope her. To fondle her breasts. Why? What were the thoughts going on in his head? That he might never have another opportunity, and fuck the consequences, he just needs to touch her, fondle and grope her. That’s . . . you know, super creepy.
Luckily for him, she was trying to get him to stop not for the sake of stopping their amorous activity, but to rearrange them into a more fuckable position. So, yeah, Will couldn’t read that Audrey loved what was going on and was horrified by it, and Drew couldn’t read that Meg also loved what was going on, and was, basically, turned on by it. So you might see why Will ended up being my favorite brother. James was so memorable that I can’t remember what he was like. Drew was a perv-y creep, and Will was a strong dominant type who cared what others felt.
The other star of this show, Meg, is also something like ‘damaged goods’ because of her family background. She’s a twin. In that when her mother gave birth, two daughters came out. Not in that she has someone who looks like her like a clone. Meg got the legs. Clara got the looks. Meg thought she got the brains, but Clara, once she applied herself, proved that she was quite intelligent as well. So, Meg got the legs. And that kind of warped her. Because when the two were standing next to each other, men drooled over Clara and didn’t give Meg a second look. And her parents kind of thrust their attention towards Clara. Making Meg something of an outsider in her own family. Though more because Clara had a mental illness issue and would go on psychotic episodes. So, Meg was damaged by that. Shown in this book by her constant mentioning to herself how unattractive she is to others. (That whole no underwear thing was kind of weird, but I do not wish to express any additional thoughts on the matter).
So, the book itself. Or, less on the characters now. The book opens with Drew and Meg in a bar. About 8 years after the second book. Drew spots Meg talking to a ‘very handsome man’ and becomes enraged. Charges across the room, grabs the man and thrusts him into a table. For it is Ian, the guy who Drew had watched die 12 or so years ago. They then proceed to drink a lot then go on a crime caper. That whole crime caper thing was just plain stupid. Mostly in how easily Drew and Meg were talked into it. Into doing it right then and there. Granted that Meg didn’t really want to do it, but she did. For such a smart guy, Drew sure did a lot of dumb shit. And based on various comments/thoughts here and there, he knew it too.
It’s unfortunate, but this is how the series ends. With a book I’d probably rate 2.8 stars.
December 24 2015… (mehr)
This is a vaguely strange series in that it kept bouncing around genres/themes/etc. First one involved celebrities, athletes and sports agents. Well, more the reality tv angle I’m going for here. Second introduced ghosts, the paranormal and ghost busters. Third introduced spy or crime caper or thriller.
This story barely made it to 3 stars. I was quite certain it’d end up getting only 2. This is strange as there were some good interesting parts. And it began strong. I stopped shortly after beginning to go back and read the ‘prequel’ short story, since I felt like I was ‘missing’ stuff. And I liked the short story. And the characters in it. Despite involving the same characters, Meg and Drew, I didn’t really like the characters in this one. Oh, and yes, I do think reading the short story first greatly enhances this here book.
I mean, that whole ‘Meggy – don’t call me Meggy! – you know she doesn’t like to be called that right? – that’s why I do it! I know she hates it! *giggles insanely*’ thing was super annoying. It wasn’t cute it wasn’t fun(ny). It was just downright creepy. Personally, I preferred when Drew kept calling her Pretty Meg. Instead of, you know, Meggy.
It’s strange looking back on the series, but the brother I like best of all, at least by the end of it, was Will. I never really got a good handle on James – that or by the end, I’d forgotten what exactly made him tick. I assume I had a better handle on him earlier, and that it was more than ‘smart-alacky, smarmy, lazy, super-star’. Will was, and still is to a certain extent, mostly a mean bastard. But he’s up front about it. He kind of has a rage-y shell over a raging asshole. While Drew, well, I’ll be wordier as he’s the star of this here book.
Drew is a man-child. He lost his parents at really young age, ten, and was warped by it. Not desiring to ‘lose’ anyone ever again, he developed a shell. People in this situation tend to go in two directions. The one I normally see in popular entertainment is the other path/direction. The direction/path in which the person ‘hurt’ at a young age puts on an angry grimace and glares at the world around them. That’s their mask, their shell over whatever is beneath. Drew went the other direction. He put a happy go lucky smile on his face. Bounced around all cheery like. This is a mask/shell over a mixture of numbness and rage. The outside shell mostly included crap that is quite off-putting to me personally. Including the outward appearance of never being able to take anything seriously. His need to say ‘I love you’ to everyone around him at every opportunity. And not really meaning it. Mostly.
Will and Drew sure can’t read women. Will’s a strong dominant type who is kind of rough. And knows it. So he was freaked when he ‘let himself out’ and ‘hurt’ Audrey when they had their sex scenes in the second book. And completely misread Audrey’s reactions to it. For example, she was moaning in pleasure, and he thought she was crying in despair. Will kept trying to stop himself. The woman in his life kept having to, basically, beg him to continue. And Drew? The opposite, to a certain extent.
During a sex scene with Meg, he got really creepy. Verging on rape-y creepy. It’s a good thing Meg actually wanted him, eh? Because . . . otherwise his actions could have landed him in the hospital and possibly jail (what, Meg’s strong, able to knock someone out with one punch . . . or something like that). Why do I say all of this? Because of how everything broke down. Gah, every fucking time. More or less.
Meg’s freaking out about a situation; he can barely hear her for his need to pounce on her. So he does. Forcing himself onto her with a kiss. To which she replies in kind. So he continues. When she tries to push him away, when she indicates she wants him to stop, what does he do? He thrusts his hands into her, now open, shirt to grope her. To fondle her breasts. Why? What were the thoughts going on in his head? That he might never have another opportunity, and fuck the consequences, he just needs to touch her, fondle and grope her. That’s . . . you know, super creepy.
Luckily for him, she was trying to get him to stop not for the sake of stopping their amorous activity, but to rearrange them into a more fuckable position. So, yeah, Will couldn’t read that Audrey loved what was going on and was horrified by it, and Drew couldn’t read that Meg also loved what was going on, and was, basically, turned on by it. So you might see why Will ended up being my favorite brother. James was so memorable that I can’t remember what he was like. Drew was a perv-y creep, and Will was a strong dominant type who cared what others felt.
The other star of this show, Meg, is also something like ‘damaged goods’ because of her family background. She’s a twin. In that when her mother gave birth, two daughters came out. Not in that she has someone who looks like her like a clone. Meg got the legs. Clara got the looks. Meg thought she got the brains, but Clara, once she applied herself, proved that she was quite intelligent as well. So, Meg got the legs. And that kind of warped her. Because when the two were standing next to each other, men drooled over Clara and didn’t give Meg a second look. And her parents kind of thrust their attention towards Clara. Making Meg something of an outsider in her own family. Though more because Clara had a mental illness issue and would go on psychotic episodes. So, Meg was damaged by that. Shown in this book by her constant mentioning to herself how unattractive she is to others. (That whole no underwear thing was kind of weird, but I do not wish to express any additional thoughts on the matter).
So, the book itself. Or, less on the characters now. The book opens with Drew and Meg in a bar. About 8 years after the second book. Drew spots Meg talking to a ‘very handsome man’ and becomes enraged. Charges across the room, grabs the man and thrusts him into a table. For it is Ian, the guy who Drew had watched die 12 or so years ago. They then proceed to drink a lot then go on a crime caper. That whole crime caper thing was just plain stupid. Mostly in how easily Drew and Meg were talked into it. Into doing it right then and there. Granted that Meg didn’t really want to do it, but she did. For such a smart guy, Drew sure did a lot of dumb shit. And based on various comments/thoughts here and there, he knew it too.
It’s unfortunate, but this is how the series ends. With a book I’d probably rate 2.8 stars.
December 24 2015… (mehr)
A quick short story by an author I've read two previous books in this series.
Book doesn't actually start immediately after the previous book, it actually starts in a police station with Drew and Meg sitting there. Telling a cop why they are there. Then book flashes back to near the end of the last book. With Hildy racing in her car to an unknown, to Drew, location, and Drew in his car chasing Hildy. Meg's sitting next to him dodging his questions, and flirtations.
As I believe I read in a review, this is less a romance and more a look at Meg's family. Sure Drew flirts with Meg and makes her feel things she didn't expect to feel from such a young guy, one who seems unable to be serious, but she 'friend-zone''s him hard.
Heh. I was just thinking to myself, while staring at the cover, about what to write next (I knew, but my mind wandered), and the thought crossed my mind about how the covers, all of them in this series, show legs. A series about brothers. Cover's show women's legs. Started to think why that might be when it hit me that I already knew why this one had that on the cover. Drew is very fascinated by Meg's legs. Her long long legs. So . . ..
Before I distracted myself - so, yeah, this is a book about family. Specifically Meg's family. And less about Drew and Meg. Interesting story. Hildy being the mother. And 'special' - as in she works as something of a . . . hmm, not sure correct word, I'll call her a ghost buster for the heck of it. Joe, Hildy's ex, is described as an alpha male. Hates the very idea that his wife, ex-wife, is a con artist (in his view). Meg - the 'sane' twin. Quite good with electronics. Doesn't believe anyone when they say she's 'pretty'. Believes anyone interested in her would instantly turn their affections towards her sister, Clara. Clara's the 'insane' twin. I'd say something like - at least when she doesn't take her medication, but no, she's 'insane' even on her meds. So, that's the Wise family.
It's a short story - it's a short review. Heck, I didn't even mean to read this here story, but I'd started on the third book in the series (this story being considered 2.5), and realized that the book was opening too far forward in Meg and Drew's 'relationship', so I needed to go back and read the short story. So I did. The short story was entertaining. Had a bit of humor. And stuff. Off to the third book I go.
December 22 2015… (mehr)
Book doesn't actually start immediately after the previous book, it actually starts in a police station with Drew and Meg sitting there. Telling a cop why they are there. Then book flashes back to near the end of the last book. With Hildy racing in her car to an unknown, to Drew, location, and Drew in his car chasing Hildy. Meg's sitting next to him dodging his questions, and flirtations.
As I believe I read in a review, this is less a romance and more a look at Meg's family. Sure Drew flirts with Meg and makes her feel things she didn't expect to feel from such a young guy, one who seems unable to be serious, but she 'friend-zone''s him hard.
Heh. I was just thinking to myself, while staring at the cover, about what to write next (I knew, but my mind wandered), and the thought crossed my mind about how the covers, all of them in this series, show legs. A series about brothers. Cover's show women's legs. Started to think why that might be when it hit me that I already knew why this one had that on the cover. Drew is very fascinated by Meg's legs. Her long long legs. So . . ..
Before I distracted myself - so, yeah, this is a book about family. Specifically Meg's family. And less about Drew and Meg. Interesting story. Hildy being the mother. And 'special' - as in she works as something of a . . . hmm, not sure correct word, I'll call her a ghost buster for the heck of it. Joe, Hildy's ex, is described as an alpha male. Hates the very idea that his wife, ex-wife, is a con artist (in his view). Meg - the 'sane' twin. Quite good with electronics. Doesn't believe anyone when they say she's 'pretty'. Believes anyone interested in her would instantly turn their affections towards her sister, Clara. Clara's the 'insane' twin. I'd say something like - at least when she doesn't take her medication, but no, she's 'insane' even on her meds. So, that's the Wise family.
It's a short story - it's a short review. Heck, I didn't even mean to read this here story, but I'd started on the third book in the series (this story being considered 2.5), and realized that the book was opening too far forward in Meg and Drew's 'relationship', so I needed to go back and read the short story. So I did. The short story was entertaining. Had a bit of humor. And stuff. Off to the third book I go.
December 22 2015… (mehr)
My second work by this author. And second in this series.
The first book in this series was a straight forward contemporary romance that was, I believe, chick-lit. This book here, despite being in the same series involving many of the same people, is something else. I’m not exactly sure who the target audience for this book might be.
I knew going in that the second book was ‘different’, so, even though I had gotten the book roughly at the same time I had gotten the first book in the series, it still took me a month and a day to try it. What was my hesitation? What do I mean by ‘not sure about the target audience’?
Before reading this book I knew it involved the Blake brothers, had the impression that it involved Will (my least favorite of the brothers, at the time), and had some mystical/spiritual/supernatural element to it. A fantasy element which was not in the first book. So this is a chick-lit contemporary romance involving fantasy elements, ghosts, possession, and the meanest, angriest man in creation (that’d be Will).
Oh, and it also would involve Audrey. This is also something of a change from the norm. Most of the time cotemporary romance series (and here I’m talking about both straight romances and lesbian romances, of which I have reading experience), move from one couple to another. Likely one of the two main people in the coupling appeared in the prior book. Then some new person would come in and boom, another coupling. Move on to next book. And someone from the second book would be the main character for the third. Repeat as desired. Which is and isn’t what happened this time. Is in that one of the two people in the ‘new’ coupling was in the prior book. Isn’t because the other part of this coupling was also in the prior book. And both knew each other. And, largely, either hated each other (Audrey hating Will) or hated themselves (Will hating himself).
So, a couple that requires two books to become a couple – both were side characters in the first book, but they didn’t have cameo roles, they had pretty significant roles. And a series that switches from normal contemporary chick-lit romance to that plus fantasy elements.
I’m someone who reads anything and anything (within reason), though I’ve found certain things I just can’t get into (Steampunk for instance). And lately I’ve found myself bouncing between genres, sometimes actually going from romances set in fantasy worlds (or just fantasy books) to contemporary romances. And yet, I was hesitant to attempt this specific book. I liked the first book. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read another book that included Will, nor if I wanted to read one with fantasy elements.
Well, took me a month but I eventually tried the book. James and Bel, the stars of the first book, have a much reduced role in this second book, while Drew’s role is roughly at the same level as the first book. Audrey and Will took central stage.
Book starts roughly immediately after the ending of the first (I’ve some vague recollection that there might even be a certain level of overlap between the books). Audrey’s taking down Christmas Decorations, and is finding herself in a much happier place, mentally, than she expected to be. This, naturally, doesn’t last long. As a car pulls up and out steps . . . one of the people she’s been running from.
Well, it’s kind of the basis for the book so – Jem Bing has turned up and he wants his granddaughter – Jillian. It had already been established in the first book that Jillian wasn’t Audrey’s natural child, but was her sister’s child. So, some kind of custody battle, eh? It gets weirder than that. Because with Jem is Hildy – a . . . um, I forget what word is specifically used, but she’s a spirit world psychic type. And they are there to free Jem’s wife, Audrey’s mother, and Jillian’s grandmother from Jillian.
A weird, interesting story. Romance between William and Audrey was a lot better than I expected. The ghost part was weird. The alpha hole (alpha asshole hero) conversation/mention/story-line was more interesting than I’d expect. I’m not really into alpha males but this worked well for me.
December 18 2015… (mehr)
The first book in this series was a straight forward contemporary romance that was, I believe, chick-lit. This book here, despite being in the same series involving many of the same people, is something else. I’m not exactly sure who the target audience for this book might be.
I knew going in that the second book was ‘different’, so, even though I had gotten the book roughly at the same time I had gotten the first book in the series, it still took me a month and a day to try it. What was my hesitation? What do I mean by ‘not sure about the target audience’?
Before reading this book I knew it involved the Blake brothers, had the impression that it involved Will (my least favorite of the brothers, at the time), and had some mystical/spiritual/supernatural element to it. A fantasy element which was not in the first book. So this is a chick-lit contemporary romance involving fantasy elements, ghosts, possession, and the meanest, angriest man in creation (that’d be Will).
Oh, and it also would involve Audrey. This is also something of a change from the norm. Most of the time cotemporary romance series (and here I’m talking about both straight romances and lesbian romances, of which I have reading experience), move from one couple to another. Likely one of the two main people in the coupling appeared in the prior book. Then some new person would come in and boom, another coupling. Move on to next book. And someone from the second book would be the main character for the third. Repeat as desired. Which is and isn’t what happened this time. Is in that one of the two people in the ‘new’ coupling was in the prior book. Isn’t because the other part of this coupling was also in the prior book. And both knew each other. And, largely, either hated each other (Audrey hating Will) or hated themselves (Will hating himself).
So, a couple that requires two books to become a couple – both were side characters in the first book, but they didn’t have cameo roles, they had pretty significant roles. And a series that switches from normal contemporary chick-lit romance to that plus fantasy elements.
I’m someone who reads anything and anything (within reason), though I’ve found certain things I just can’t get into (Steampunk for instance). And lately I’ve found myself bouncing between genres, sometimes actually going from romances set in fantasy worlds (or just fantasy books) to contemporary romances. And yet, I was hesitant to attempt this specific book. I liked the first book. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read another book that included Will, nor if I wanted to read one with fantasy elements.
Well, took me a month but I eventually tried the book. James and Bel, the stars of the first book, have a much reduced role in this second book, while Drew’s role is roughly at the same level as the first book. Audrey and Will took central stage.
Book starts roughly immediately after the ending of the first (I’ve some vague recollection that there might even be a certain level of overlap between the books). Audrey’s taking down Christmas Decorations, and is finding herself in a much happier place, mentally, than she expected to be. This, naturally, doesn’t last long. As a car pulls up and out steps . . . one of the people she’s been running from.
Well, it’s kind of the basis for the book so – Jem Bing has turned up and he wants his granddaughter – Jillian. It had already been established in the first book that Jillian wasn’t Audrey’s natural child, but was her sister’s child. So, some kind of custody battle, eh? It gets weirder than that. Because with Jem is Hildy – a . . . um, I forget what word is specifically used, but she’s a spirit world psychic type. And they are there to free Jem’s wife, Audrey’s mother, and Jillian’s grandmother from Jillian.
A weird, interesting story. Romance between William and Audrey was a lot better than I expected. The ghost part was weird. The alpha hole (alpha asshole hero) conversation/mention/story-line was more interesting than I’d expect. I’m not really into alpha males but this worked well for me.
December 18 2015… (mehr)
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