dark_siren's review against another edition
5.0
Even though this is the 15th book of the series it is actually the first one I have read. Despite this I wasn't confused and really enjoyed the book. I actually plan to read all the previous books eventually just to get even more details about the rest of the couples.
The story was fun and fast paced. There was a lot of great humor. Good romance and sexy times ;). Wonderful family and friends in the story. The kids were great, "naked boy-naked girl" LOL.
Erin Barton lost her twin brother in 9/11 and since then hasn't been able to fly, struggles with periods of bleakness, OCD, and constantly worrying something bad will happen. Despite her struggles she and Slim get closer and closer.
Tobias "Slim" Jackson is a pilot that lives on Gansett Island during the summer and in Florida during the winter. He and Erin have been talking daily for months while he has been in Florida and now he will be back on Gansett for 12 days.
A lot can happen in 12 days and Slim and Erin intend to make the most of the time they have.
Disclaimer: I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. The opinions I expressed are entirely my own.
The story was fun and fast paced. There was a lot of great humor. Good romance and sexy times ;). Wonderful family and friends in the story. The kids were great, "naked boy-naked girl" LOL.
Erin Barton lost her twin brother in 9/11 and since then hasn't been able to fly, struggles with periods of bleakness, OCD, and constantly worrying something bad will happen. Despite her struggles she and Slim get closer and closer.
Tobias "Slim" Jackson is a pilot that lives on Gansett Island during the summer and in Florida during the winter. He and Erin have been talking daily for months while he has been in Florida and now he will be back on Gansett for 12 days.
A lot can happen in 12 days and Slim and Erin intend to make the most of the time they have.
Disclaimer: I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. The opinions I expressed are entirely my own.
emilyhei's review against another edition
4.0
Erin Barton met Tobias "Slim" Jackson last summer, during that time they have been exploring the chemistry via texts and phone calls. Now Slim has arrived in Gansett Island and they plan to see if there is more to be explored. Slim is like a hurricane coming into Erin's life, for the first time since she lost her brother she is stepping outside of the carefully erected wall she has surrounded herself with. Slim wants Erin to travel back to Florida with him to see how far their relationship can grow, but Erin is not sure she can let go of her fears and follow her heart.
Quickly paced, the chemistry between Erin and Tobias is immediate. I thought this was a whirlwind romance that never let up. I liked Erin a lot, felt for her and understood where she was coming from with her fears. Another great read from Marie Force.
Quickly paced, the chemistry between Erin and Tobias is immediate. I thought this was a whirlwind romance that never let up. I liked Erin a lot, felt for her and understood where she was coming from with her fears. Another great read from Marie Force.
taisie22's review against another edition
5.0
Erin Barton, the lighthouse keeper on Gannett Island, has fallen for Slim Jackson, resident pilot, in a big way. But Erin is still dealing with the aftermath of the death of her twin brother in 9-11 and is unsure that she wants to commit to the free-and-easy pilot.
Slim finds the woman in Erin that he's been looking for all his life, but she has a lot of issues to deal with, first of all her fear of flying.
I love the Gannett Island community and almost everyone appears in this book. A few scenes had me laughing until I cried. Marie Force knows how to write romances and this is one of her best.
Slim finds the woman in Erin that he's been looking for all his life, but she has a lot of issues to deal with, first of all her fear of flying.
I love the Gannett Island community and almost everyone appears in this book. A few scenes had me laughing until I cried. Marie Force knows how to write romances and this is one of her best.
bfdbookblog's review against another edition
4.0
Maid for Love – book 1 in this series – was the first ebook I ever read. I was not a fan of ebooks and only bought paperbacks and hardbacks. It was free so I figured…why not? I’m so glad I took a chance on this series. I, like many others, have fallen in love with Gansett, the MacCarthy’s and all their friends and family. I love all the characters and their stories of life on this island.
Erin and Slim’s story is just as good as the rest of the stories. I loved their fun, easy, entertaining banter. And who doesn’t love a pilot that used to be an EMT??? Erin's story is heartbreaking and Slim helps her work through some of her struggles so they can have a happy life together.
I also liked getting to see all our favorite island characters. Some of the best scenes were when all the MacCarthy’s and their extended families and friends get together. You feel like part of the group when you read those scenes.
This definitely can’t be read as a stand-alone. If you haven’t read this series, you can check out book 1 for free now and get started! You won’t be sorry!
Erin and Slim’s story is just as good as the rest of the stories. I loved their fun, easy, entertaining banter. And who doesn’t love a pilot that used to be an EMT??? Erin's story is heartbreaking and Slim helps her work through some of her struggles so they can have a happy life together.
I also liked getting to see all our favorite island characters. Some of the best scenes were when all the MacCarthy’s and their extended families and friends get together. You feel like part of the group when you read those scenes.
This definitely can’t be read as a stand-alone. If you haven’t read this series, you can check out book 1 for free now and get started! You won’t be sorry!
ki4eva's review
3.0
A good continuation of the previous book. I love Mac and Maddie and all the antics of the little kids. Cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
beckymmoe's review against another edition
4.0
A sweet romance and emotional read--this isn't my first Marie Force book, but it is my first from the The McCarthys of Gansett Island series. Book 15 probably isn't the one to start with--I'm pretty sure every single H/h from the series shows up here, multiple times--but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless, even if I did feel a little lost occasionally.
I loved Slim, even though his nickname is a bit odd. (Is it just me, or does "Slim" just scream "cowboy"?) He's pretty much a dream guy--romantic, understanding, patient, gorgeous, and a pilot--seriously, if he had any flaws besides eternal bachelor (which was pretty much a thing of the past when the book started, though he hadn't admitted it yet) I've completely forgotten them. I'm pretty sure if you looked up a definition for "sigh-worthy" you'd find his picture.
Erin, on the other hand, has issues. And then her issues have their own issues. I'm not saying they're not justified, because they pretty much are, but whoa. I spent a lot of time urging her to "just tell him already!" (that she's afraid of flying after her brother died in 9/11--she lives on an island and pilot BF Slim wants to fly her to lots of different places) before she finally did...when she absolutely had to. But still. She did work through a lot of her issues by the story's end--though not the OCD, I don't think--and it was rewarding seeing her finally embracing life (and Slim, LOL) more by the end.
There was a whole lot of scenes/side storylines from characters' POVs that weren't Erin or Slim--if I had to guess, I'd say about 1/4 to 1/3 of the book deals with past series characters. Though they added a lot to the story, I did feel a bit behind the times (not to mention slightly overwhelmed, trying to keep everyone straight!) because I didn't already know these people and know them well. I can imagine that people who've read most or all of the rest of the series will love these parts. I will admit that at least one of them had me tearing up, but there were times that I just wanted to get back to Slim and Erin already. My fault, though, for starting with book 15. Boy, do I have a lot of catching up to do! :)
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Slim, even though his nickname is a bit odd. (Is it just me, or does "Slim" just scream "cowboy"?) He's pretty much a dream guy--romantic, understanding, patient, gorgeous, and a pilot--seriously, if he had any flaws besides eternal bachelor (which was pretty much a thing of the past when the book started, though he hadn't admitted it yet) I've completely forgotten them. I'm pretty sure if you looked up a definition for "sigh-worthy" you'd find his picture.
Erin, on the other hand, has issues. And then her issues have their own issues. I'm not saying they're not justified, because they pretty much are, but whoa. I spent a lot of time urging her to "just tell him already!" (that she's afraid of flying after her brother died in 9/11--she lives on an island and pilot BF Slim wants to fly her to lots of different places) before she finally did...when she absolutely had to. But still. She did work through a lot of her issues by the story's end--though not the OCD, I don't think--and it was rewarding seeing her finally embracing life (and Slim, LOL) more by the end.
There was a whole lot of scenes/side storylines from characters' POVs that weren't Erin or Slim--if I had to guess, I'd say about 1/4 to 1/3 of the book deals with past series characters. Though they added a lot to the story, I did feel a bit behind the times (not to mention slightly overwhelmed, trying to keep everyone straight!) because I didn't already know these people and know them well. I can imagine that people who've read most or all of the rest of the series will love these parts. I will admit that at least one of them had me tearing up, but there were times that I just wanted to get back to Slim and Erin already. My fault, though, for starting with book 15. Boy, do I have a lot of catching up to do! :)
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
maria_nanci's review against another edition
3.0
Erin Barton is the lighthouse keeper on Gansett Island and is still reeling from the death of her twin brother during 9/11. Her life went into a tailspin, leading her to deal with emerging OCD and anxiety issues. She has tried to steer clear of any relationships since and wants to keep her life as simple as possible. That is...until Slim.
In a previous book, Erin met "Slim" Jackson, a local pilot. The two sent months talking on the phone and texting. Slim is home for the holidays and Erin surprises herself by suggesting that he stay with her. Slim has also steered clear of romantic entanglements, but there is something about Erin that draws him in. Will the time Slim plans to spend in Gansett be enough for them to figure out if their relationship is worth the risk?
This is the 15th book in the "McCarthys of Gansett Island" series. In my opinion, I don't feel like this was easy to read as a standalone book. There are an incredible number of characters who now have several offspring. Also, with being a small town, it seems that everyone is related to everyone, so it was difficult to keep those relationships straight in my head.
Overall, a sweet story that I would recommend to readers who don't like their romance too hot and spicy.
Received from Sullivan & Partners in exchange for an honest review.
In a previous book, Erin met "Slim" Jackson, a local pilot. The two sent months talking on the phone and texting. Slim is home for the holidays and Erin surprises herself by suggesting that he stay with her. Slim has also steered clear of romantic entanglements, but there is something about Erin that draws him in. Will the time Slim plans to spend in Gansett be enough for them to figure out if their relationship is worth the risk?
This is the 15th book in the "McCarthys of Gansett Island" series. In my opinion, I don't feel like this was easy to read as a standalone book. There are an incredible number of characters who now have several offspring. Also, with being a small town, it seems that everyone is related to everyone, so it was difficult to keep those relationships straight in my head.
Overall, a sweet story that I would recommend to readers who don't like their romance too hot and spicy.
Received from Sullivan & Partners in exchange for an honest review.
bookbae96's review against another edition
5.0
Although I am a huge fan of Marie Force, loving every book of hers that I've read, I had not actually read any of the books in her McCarthys of Gansett Island series. Crazy, I know, to think that it has taken me until DESIRE AFTER DARK, the 15th book, to start.
Now, sometimes, coming into an existing series of books this far in would make it difficult to feel any sort of chemistry with characters or with existing plot threads and storylines, but believe me when I say that it did not make one bit of difference in this case. I started and finished DESIRE AFTER DARK in one day, because, as with all of Marie's books, I was immediately drawn in. It took me no time at all to fall completely, absolutely, head-over-heels in love with Slim, Erin, and all of the McCarthys, and to pick up the gist of the various stories from previous books.
I am not a fan of insta-love, and have a difficult time suspending my disbelief, even in romance novels. Call it lust, call it desire, but, love, no. Even though Slim and Erin have not spent a lot of time together at the start of this book, they have known each other, and forged a long-distance but constant friendship. They've already begun to know and appreciate each other, so that, when Slim arrives on Gansett Island, there is a history there. I love everything about the burgeoning love story between Slim and Erin, the way that they relate to each other, the dialogue, the passion. All of it fits right in with the tone of close friendships turned into love stories that are a constant in Marie's books, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them.
I'm not sure that many other authors could take the serious subject that is such a big part of Erin's background and weave it into the fabric of a love story, but Marie has done a wonderful job. Erin is written as a real woman whose past has left her with issues, but who is open, still, to the possibility of growing beyond the things that have held her back. And Slim, I'm in love with Slim, and pretty much all of the men in this book. His sensitivity, commitment to family, friends, and Erin, make him the realistically perfect book boyfriend.
Now that I've read and adored this book, I'll be making it my business to go back and start at the beginning of the series, and in the meantime, I'm giving DESIRE AFTER DARK 5 romantic, steamy, feel-great stars. If you're a fan of Marie, of books full of family, friends, love, passion, and humor, move this one right up to the top of your TBR; you will not be sorry.
***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
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