Complete Me (Stark Saga, #3)

by J Kenner and Julie Kenner

[Cocktails and Books]

3.5 stars
I was DYING to see what was going to happen to Damien in German and how that would affect Nikki. With the way CLAIM ME ended, Nikki was finally stepping up and claiming her spot beside Damien. Which made me happy, because despite Damien's dominance in the bedroom, Nikki needed to step up and prove that she was just as strong as Damien when it came to their relationship and the obstacles they were going to face. But as I read COMPLETE ME I found the storyline was less about Damien and Nikki dealing with the events in Germany and their aftermath, and more about sex.

Don't get me wrong, I love a book that has some very streamy, down and dirty sex in it. Books 1 and 2 had a lot of sex, but the sex represented the way these two damaged character communicated with each other. Damien needed to control things to try and lessen the emotional impact of what happened to him with his coach. Nikki needed it as a physical way to release all the pent up feelings that would have otherwise lead to her cutting. I got all that. But I thought the relationship between the two of them had evolved and now that everything was out on the table, they would be able to communicate with words a little bit better and not have to resort of sex for every little thing that went wrong for them. Unfortunately, for me, all the sex just seemed to take away from the story and had me screaming at them to "use your words!"

I also felt like things were still a little unresolved between some of the characters. The whole Nikki, Jamie, Ollie friendship felt off through the third book and just left hanging out there. There was kind of a resolution between Ollie and his fiance, but we never find out if Ollie knew that. Then there was the relationship between Ollie and Jamie. You know there is more there, but nothing is said. And finally, Ollie and Nikki. So much had happened between the two of them because of his jealousy over Damien, but none of it was ever resolved. Either they're friends or they're not. I needed that to be spelled out so I could know if I should like Ollie or not (because poor Ollie had issues and I think she should be his friend).

In the end, this was my least favorite of the series. Damien was such a strong character in the first two books. Despite everything that had happened to him, he had this presence that leaped off the page at you. In this installment, I didn't feel Damien the same way and I missed him and his domineering ways.