Dangerous Grounds (Seattle Steam, #1)

by Shelli Stevens

Yeah this wasn't very good. There is romance here, but it's mainly just sex with a slight plot. The suspense plot was alright - it was straightforwards enough, if mostly background - it's more a plot device to get them together than anything else. The sex was problematic. Some of it's hot. A lot of it's rapey. Madison does everything up to and including handcuffing him to get him to sleep with her. Gabe ignores every actual invitation and instead feels her up while she's sleeping. It just seemed very very wrong.

Madison is okay - she wavers between decent human being, spoiled brat and mean girl. I really didn't like the aggressiveness with which she pursues Gabe. At some point - maybe take a hint that's he's not interested. I really hated the bit where she is in lingerie and squeezing the robber's butt because she thinks it's Gabe. Maybe I'm just not adventurous - but frankly it sounded fucking stupid. She knows there's been a robber in the area - was it really a stretch it just wasn't Gabe?

Gabe has a major chip on his shoulder about money and spends a lot of his time judging her for it. To be fair, some of the stuff he thinks is true - she is an idiot regarding the coffee shop, for instance. She has only one person who can make coffee in her shop - and it's not her?! It defies belief. But he also judges her for ordering takeaway and not being able to cook. And for not knowing that he got the bus to school or that the cabin he takes her to isn't his. I mean jeez, she asks a few innocent questions and he jumps down her throat. It was ridiculous and annoying.

Some of it was vaguely amusing but mostly it felt too long. 2 stars, closer to the 1.5 mark.