Lara Zielinsky

Thank you to NetGalley.

Noone under 18 should read this book. It's very graphic and erotic. I enjoyed it though and never thought I'd be reading about swingers in a swingers bar/club. Elena and Eric are married and have been swinging a long time with other couples. They meet Jess at the club, where she is a bartender, and they all get involved (if you know what I mean). Not every page was sex but close enough. More with Elena and Jess than with Eric but he gets in the action too. They treat each other with respect.

The only thing that drove me crazy is that the author kept saying the blonde and the brunette (meaning Jess and Elena) when in the sentence before or after she used their names. Of course they mean them… (lisätietoja)

This book is more like the conclusion of rather than the sequel to Turning Point. The characterization of Mitch, Cass' ex-husband is a bit over-the-top and caricaturish, but other than that, I like everything else about it--angsty, lots of melodrama and a satisfactory but realistic ending.

Sorry, but I can't help comparing this series to one of lesfic's most popular ever--'And Playing the Role of Herself...'. They are both about TV actresses falling in love. But this is a richer, more mature and complex tale, and much better-plotted. Compared to these 2 books by Ms. Zelinsky, that one reads a lot like fanfiction.

And speaking of fanfiction, a few times throughout the book, I could have sworn Brenn and Cass looked just like Janeway and Seven. I wonder if this series was a fanfic in a previous life? :)… (lisätietoja)

I've always thought of Hollywood actresses as being vain, self-absorbed, insecure narcissists. And I almost gave this book a pass because the blurb seems to imply it's all about these beautiful but shallow creatures. But wow, did the author prove me wrong. Or rather, her characters are anything but shallow and self-absorbed.

Brenn is the lead actress of a sci-fi series and stars as the commander of a group of time-traveling operatives. A few seasons in, Cass was brought into the series, presumably because of her sex appeal, to boost the ratings of the show. Brenn understandably feels threatened and resents the newcomer. This is the main premise that attracted me to the book. How our ladies cross the wide gulf from bitter rivals to inseparable lovers.

The author takes her time to develop the relationship, which is as it should be. For the first third or so of the book, while they tiptoe around each other, we read a lot about their daily grind, their families, and some interesting tidbits about TV filming. This part was a bit rambling at times, and there were a couple of scenes (like the dialogue from the tv series) that we could have done without. But once the two women start to feel a more-than-friends attraction, the tension, the action and the hotness kicks up a notch and doesn't waver till the end.

Everything about the book felt very realistic, from the details about the daily grind of TV actresses, to the various characters' actions and reactions. The plot was very well thought out. Imagine two top TV actresses, both straight, with underage children, and one still married, falling for each other. The complications are headache inducing. The potential fallout may be career ending for both. I was totally absorbed not just in the romance, but in their plight as well. The author takes no shortcuts or easily solutions here. Unfortunately, this meant that things are left hanging at the end of the book. Good thing though, this book is just half the price of a regular ebook. :)

4.5 stars.… (lisätietoja)

Turn For Home follows up after the holiday break for Time Trails, the sci-fi series that both Cassidy and Brenna star on. Trying to find time to continue building their relationship is full of pitfalls: not only do Brenna's sons give her the cold shoulder, but as well-known actresses, trying to hide from reporters and photographers is all but impossible. When Cassidy's abusive ex-husband Mitch arrives on the scene, the doors are thrown wide-open, leaving the women to face the challenge of surviving under the microscope of Hollywood.

Compared to its prequel, Turning Point, Turn for Home moves at a much faster clip. This is an action-and-reaction based storyline, as opposed to the relationship discovery of the first book. When their relationship becomes public, Brenna and Cassidy must both face shocked and angry people in their lives. When Brenna is forced to give a statement to the press by the show's producers, she experiences first-hand the animosity that some have toward gays and lesbians. For Cassidy, it hits even closer to home as she once again must deal with her conservative, self-righteous father and passive mother. Zielinsky demonstrates that with the bad comes the good, as support comes at the hands of not only cast and crew on the show, but in smaller figures such as a patient rights advocate. Brenna's relationship with her sons and their activities is another focus of this book. While it becomes a nice plot device to bring Cassidy back into the boys' good graces by having her act as the go-between for Brenna and her younger son, James, I found the sequence of events served more to tie the characters together neatly towards the end than any other reason. The active storylines overshadow most of the romance and emotion that was evident in Turning Point, but I believe the book still presents a relationship that is being built in the face of adversity and self-recognition for both Cassidy and Brenna.

Turn for Home is an fast but engaging read. While not as romantic as its predecessor, it is one that will pack a punch for those who pick it up. It is a book about a new relationship that has to survive many obstacles, and many will recognize the love - or the pain - to connect to from their own experiences.… (lisätietoja)