Craving

Publisher's Summary

After being left at the altar, Jade Roberts seeks solace at her best friend's ranch on the Colorado western slope. Her humiliation still ripe, she doesn't expect to be attracted to her friend's reticent brother, but when the gorgeous cowboy kisses her, all bets are off.

Talon Steel is broken. Having never fully healed from a horrific childhood trauma, he simply exists, taking from women what is offered and giving nothing in return...until Jade Roberts catapults into his life. She is beautiful, sweet, and giving, and his desire for her becomes a craving he fears he'll never be able to satisfy.

Passion sizzles between the two lovers...but long-buried secrets haunt them both and may eventually tear them apart.

©2016 Helen Hardt (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

No Ending=Unsatisfied Reader

What would have made Craving better?

The problem is and has been for a while now, the authors as of late never finish a book. So From now on I'll rate it poorly and never buy anything this authors does again.

What about Sebastian York and Neva Navarre ’s performance did you like?

Sebastion York gets the 4 stars.

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

MY HEART ACHES....

Here's what I'm comfortable saying without giving anything away.......

The description tells of a bride being left at the alter so she goes to her best friends ranch. Bride being left at alter isn't the premise of the story it's actually a non-issue.

The story is full of suspense, mystery, angst, tears, and OMG's and What the f**k. There's also romance and hot sex.

I was driving when the cliffhanger hit and I almost had to pull of the road. Once I regained my composure I called my daughter who also listens.

Sebastain York and Neva Navarre gave a fantastic performance. Sebastain as Talon broke my heart and I hung on every word.

Absolutely worth the credit or $$.

35 of 37 people found this review helpful

Great Narration - Hated the Cliffhanger ending!!

If you could sum up Craving in three words, what would they be?

Disturbing, Sad, Erotic

What other book might you compare Craving to and why?

Can't think of one that compares. The sadness of the tragedy and the hope that could be makes for a powerful story.

What does Sebastian York and Neva Navarre bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

You truly felt the pain and ecstacy flowing from their lips.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Twisting Road to Recovery

Any additional comments?

Absolutely HATE when these authors leave a story hanging like this one was left. It creates an unfinished feeling and after all we read for enjoyment and to leave some of our own life behind for a while. The stories should leave you with a feeling of fulfillment not one of loss and longing.

32 of 34 people found this review helpful

✫✫ 4 Stars ✫✫

I really enjoyed this book. From the very beginning I felt the heat between Talon & Jade. I loved the chemistry between then, I loved the relationship between Jade & Marge and I loved the super hot sex scenes. The story line had it's ups & downs and the plot...well I really can't say since the book ended in a cliffhanger. Now, I hate cliffhangers but this one wasn't terrible, it didn't just stop in the middle of a scene, it more just left everything open for the next book. Although I do think the ending felt abrupt. The mystery behind the dark secrets for this family will have me waiting for then next audiobook for sure!

The narration was great, Neva Navarre was really good with the different characters and well Sebastian York is always perfect!

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Not just a cliffhanger...

More like it just stopped in the middle of the story. It's not a horrible book but I'm not even sure that I'm interested enough to get the next book.

14 of 15 people found this review helpful

Would A Little Buildup Have Hurt?

The two main characters go from being total strangers who start off alternately ignoring each other or bickering. That lasts about 30 seconds. Then they are amazingly drawn to each other and can't stay out of each other's arms or bed. There is no time spent on getting to know the characters, understanding what their attraction is or why it is so all consuming. The fact that they hooked up so quickly made no sense. Nor did it make sense that they were evidently keeping the torrid affair from his sister/her best friend. She was either an idiot or in a coma. I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to Talon when he was a boy. (Note: Isn't the hero's name "Talon Steel" completely over the top? And the author evidently blew through her entire imagination on that single name. The best she could come up with for his sister was Marge?)

I kept at it until Jade landed a job, told her new employer who she was living with and then he gave her a file with her first case. Totally ridiculous at this point. That is when I looked ahead, saw there were several other books in the series, so god knows when the big secret would be revealed. And suddenly I didn't care enough to keep reading.

The narrators do a good job of bringing really poor writing into some semblance of real life. But they couldn't save this stinker

24 of 27 people found this review helpful

not sure who all the ratings came from

Unless all you are after is soft porn, not sure why this book has the ratings it does. No personality, no reason to like either of the main characters and no way to identify with them.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Ridiculous Cliffhanger to Sell Series

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Story ok, but main characters connection seemed contrived and somewhat unnatural. The ending of the book was an unnatural cliffhanger seemly contrived to sell the series. That type of writing is manipulates the reader into purchasing the next book just to finish the story. So in reality the 2 or 3 books is really one book or story, broken into several to force reader to spend more money.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

A manipulating cliffhanger, purposely set up to sell the "next book" which is really just the next chapters in the first book since the story is obviously not finished.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Narrators were ok. They're not my favorites but they did a decent job.

What character would you cut from Craving?

Not sure. Obviously some secrets are in background of the Steel family, but of course the subject is just skimmed in this first "book." I assume the continuation of this story in the next book with reveal more, but I'm not falling for it.

Any additional comments?

I really don't like the way this series has been set up. Helen Hardt needs to take some cues from authors like Tillie Cole, Mariana Zapata, or A. Zavarelli on how to structure books with series. These authors have books within series that stand on their own, meaning each book has its own storyline and standalone as individual books. You can be satisfied reading the one book, but the series add other dimensions to develop a storyline that still can standalone without readying any of the other books. You are not manipulated into purchasing the next book in series to find out what happens to the characters. Your open to purchasing the next book because you want more about the side characters in the previous book thus developing a full cast of characters once the series is complete.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

MOTHERF&@$$@ CLIFFHANGERS

This book was not bad but not great. Hey at least let me have the big O when you have one. She was falling In love and tooooo understanding for me. Talon had some dark secrets that are hard for anyone with a heart. I say if you can handle the heat, this kitchen is for you😳😳😳

20 of 24 people found this review helpful

Unbelievably Boring

Having read in excess of 200 romance novels, this was one of the most agonizing books I’ve encountered in a long time. So much so that I stopped listening after chapter 8. There was no hint of classy, slow burn eroticism, instead the sex scenes were crude in both description and action. Child rape scenes and eternally brooding characters (who remain so even at the end of the book) are not what I’m looking for in steamy romance. As much as I love Sebastian York, the continuously chopped up, 5-6 word sentences didn’t even give him a chance to shine and, honestly, how much longer can you describe a grilled cheese sandwich. I hate to say that I found no redeeming qualities in this one.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Half a story

You think your going to get all the clues to the background but nope completely left hanging.. was really enjoying book till the erupt end. Total cliff hanger ending with nothing resolved. I'm buying next book and if there's no conclusions there either I'm certainly returning books. Don't you just hate it when a good story is broken into three books to sell more books grr. Should come as a box set or notify you in advance there's only half a story here.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Raunchy with a good story

Very racy and sexy.
However, I found the sections about child abuse a little distressing and found it a little distasteful in an erotic book - didn't seem right. I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had realised.
The story however was very good and I was compelled to listen on.
Very explicit and maybe a few too many sex scenes for me.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A little predictive but, enjoyable

This was fine, ok, Kind of knew what was going to happen as it went along. It's very familiar to another Sex franchise I've already watched/read. The voice actors are good, easy to listen to.
I rolled my eyes a few times, how many orgasms can one woman have, so easily?!
The perfect bodies, The big cock, jeeeeez!, I'm too experienced to fall for all that but, i carried on hoping for a more realistic story.
I'm intrigued for the next book but not too hopeful.

Hooked

Great first book of the saga, I was hooked straight away with Jade and Talon's characters, some steamy sex scenes, bring on book number 2!

Unfinished book

This book is unfinished, disappointing really, will the author write another saga to continue the book?
I shore hope so because the book as it is, is disappointing.

emotional story

cliff hanger leaves you wanting more. full of emotion fabulous want the next chapter can't wait

fantastic

fantastic book , very addictive, can't wait to listen to the second one in the series

craving

well read and a good listen, going to get the next book
kept you interested

great reaf

loved it cant wait to start next one. xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xx xx xx

Disappointing

Warning this is the first part of a continuing story - I was disappointed that it didn't have an ending at all. Story not the usual standard from Helen.