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From the Trade Paperback edition.
FranJessca
Posted Wed Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2013
"Claim Me" is the second installment to J. Kenner's Stark Trilogy and it definitely answered a few questions that I had from the first book. The second book picks up from where the first book left off at, so if you have not read the first book, I definitely recommend it.
Nikki Fairchild is obsessed with Damien Stark and in the second installment the obsession has become even worst for her. In fact, Damien has now become her pain reliever and Nikki has become his source to let out some stress. They both are amazing together though. Damien is finally opening up on what is going on in his life in "Claim Me" and Nikki is proving to be the strongest of the two. I have come to admire Nikki even more in this book. Here the woman is put through a whole lot of mess and she overcomes it all. She almost stumbles, but she has proven she can overcome anything thrown at her.
If you have read "Release Me", you probably had a lot of questions on what was happening in Damien's head and what made him have so many secrets. Slowly, but surely he begins to open up in the second installment.
He showed his possessive side more in this book as well, which could be found to be annoying to some people, but his motive behind it all will make your realize his intentions are for the greater good.
I loved everything in the second installment and now I look forward to even more the final book. J. Kenner leaves you hanging at the end which makes me wonder what is going to happen next. Are the characters going to ever have a happily ever after?
I want to know who is causing all the issues and I have a funny feeling I know who it is.
Poor Nikki not only goes through so much in this book, but her best friend, Jamie did as well.
Her other best friend, Ollie, I cannot figure him out, but in this book I did not like him. I feel he is up to no good.
I loved how J. Kenner made Nikki stronger though in this book and made me hate Damien at points in the book where I wanted to hurt him for Nikki. Damien though is nothing like Gideon Cross from the Cross novels by Sylvia Day. In fact, Damien, is not one who plays games, he admires and loves Nikki. He just has a very particular way of showing it. I cannot compare him to Christian since I have not read the FSoG books and really tend not to read them anytime soon so I will not compare Damien to him.
J. Kenner's writing style is definitely different from other contemporary authors I have read, which makes me adore her even more. She has a way of describing in detail that will make you feel you are there. She also makes you feel the emotions of the characters. That is one writing style that makes it more appealing for me to read since I feel like the characters are real.
This book has a lot of angst, friendship blow ups, and lots, lots of HOT sexual scenes between Nikki and Damien. The purple scarf on the cover of the book plays a very significant role in the book. =)
I give this book 4.5 full moons and highly recommend it to contemporary romance and erotica readers out there. This book is intended for 18+ mature audience though...just to warn you.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This is the second book in the series about Damien and Nikki.
You don't need to have read the first to get emotionally involved with this couple.
Yes, there are several erotic scenes but there are also a few strong personal issues going on.
Nikki continues to grow as a confident woman in this book.
Damien is a little disappointing because he struggles with sharing and opening his life to her.
They have some issues to work out between them. And most importantly, I want to know how this turns out, so am looking forward to reading the third book in this trilogy.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.A wonderful middle book that improves on its excellent predecessor
Nikki Fairchild and Damien Stark began their relationship as a game, where in return for one million dollars, Nikki agreed to not only
pose for a nude portrait but to also belong to Damien, body and soul, for the span of time it takes for the portrait to be completed. But
now that the time, and presumably the game, has ended, is their emotional connection strong enough to continue?
“Release Me”, the first book in the Stark trilogy, was the story of how two reinvented people found the one person who could help heal
past emotional wounds. “Claim Me” shows what happens after the artificial boundaries of their original agreement fall away and how
what remains will either make their love stronger or break them apart forever.
We found out in “Release Me” how Nikki had been emotionally and physically scarred by her mother’s relentless pursuit of molding her
daughters into vessels for her own ambition. That ambition had killed Nikki’s sister, and had taken all of Nikki’s determination and will
to survive on her own. As she became more open and trusting with Damien, he was able to show her that love didn't have to hurt, at
least not permanently. As “Claim Me” begins, we see how Damien’s past secrets are even more damaging and painful to him, and by
extension, to Nikki as their relationship becomes public. Secrets this awful can’t stay buried forever, and as they emerge, it will be Nikki
who provides her hard-won strength to Damien in a way that neither he nor the reader could have possibly predicted.
Once again, J. Kenner has moved the Stark trilogy well beyond the BDSM Billionaire trope into something more compelling and
meaningful. “Claim Me” is a tale of two strong willed personalities who may have come together under somewhat less than noble
circumstances but have since cemented a mutual love partnership where each holds the other up when they fall, no matter what.
The previous foreshadowing of terrible events to come was nothing compared to what Damien and Nikki suffer, yet the growing
strength of their love and trust kept me confident that they would ultimately prevail. I especially loved how the author handled the one
giant moment of doubt that I could see coming toward the end of the book, and she earned every one of my sad/happy tears by the final
page.
“Claim Me” is that rare and wonderful middle book that actually improves on the excellent predecessor in a romantic trilogy. Once
again, J. Kenner pulls off the unlikely feat of providing a cliffhanger with closure, where the reader is still keen to know what happens
next, but not angry at being left hanging in the middle of an incomplete scene. I’m fully vested in Damien and Nikki’s future, and trust
that the final book “Complete Me” will provide the Happy Ever After ending they and we deserve.
Ratings:
Overall: 5
Sensuality level: 4 (light BDSM, semi-public sex, discussion of child sexual abuse)
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Mich_Mc
Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This is the second instalment in the Stark Trilogy and it was just as good as the first one, I can't wait to find out what happens in the next one - thankfully the release date has been moved forward a little so I don't need to wait.
Yes this is another trilogy that fits into the deviant billionaire being paired with a more innocent female, dark pasts & lots of angst and commitment issues. To me, this is one of the good ones!
Damien is sexy and rich with a dark and troubled past - in Claim Me we get to know him a little better, his secrets are starting to unravel and to be honest I enjoyed getting to know him a bit better. Nikki, is a very bright girl who has mastered the art of hiding herself behind a mask. Her perfect mask is starting to crack thanks to all the hits she has been taking publicly, in private she is starting to crumble a little too, it's nice to see her backbone strengthen a little.
I did enjoy this one, there was a good amount of character development and I love the way the plot is going. It will be interesting to see what happens in book 3, I have a few idea's about who may be behind recent goings on and I can't wait to see if Julie can surprise me!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Thu Apr 25 00:00:00 EDT 2013
When I first read Release me, I thought it was going to be another, more cheap version of Fifty Shades.
I was so wrong. It was so much more. Then I had to wait what felt like forever for Claim Me to be release.
My world stopped for about day and half while I devoured this book. I so enjoyed the story between Damien
and Nikki. There was NO boring parts in this book. It was well written, well developed and very detailed.
The sex scenes were hot and erotic and to me, not too outlandish. I can't wait for the next book. Ten thumbs up!!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sandy-thereadingcafe
Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
A sensual story of love and hate/betrayal and trust: REVIEW: Claim Me is the second storyline in J.Kenner’s erotic romance Stark Trilogy focusing on billionaire Damien Stark and his obsession and need for Nikki Fairchild. In the previous storyline, Damien had offered Nikki one million dollars to pose for an erotic portrait that was to be kept in the privacy of his home, but Damien’s need and passion for the beautiful but scarred woman turns his private and public world upside down. Where once he offered Nikki one week of exclusivity he now wants a lifetime of promises that neither one may be able to keep. And when the art world is turned on its head with innuendo and rumors, Nikki and Damien will become the center of controversy and tabloid fodder filled with lies, deceit, murder and revenge.
Throughout Claim Me, we follow as the relationship between Damien and Nikki fast approaches a need so strong that Damien fears that without his Nikki he is less than worthy. But there are secrets from each of their pasts that threaten the relationship. Nikki accepts that Damien needs time but time is not necessarily on their side. When the walls begin to crumble, Damien will reveal that there is much more to his life than acquisitions and mergers. The pain and anguish from his childhood continue to haunt him and will become the focus of an international investigation that could spell the ruin of Stark Industries and the end to Nikki and Damien.
J. Kenner brings together a storyline in the similar stylings of E.L.James, Sylvia Day and Lisa Renee Jones. The bad boy billionaire with a secret life of family problems and abuse; and a heroine who is scarred both inside and out will again be familiar to fans of this genre. We are pulled into a fairy tale of the rich and famous only to discover that being rich and famous comes with more heartache and sorrow than anyone could ever have imagined. A beautiful mask does not necessary hide a broken heart and proves that no one is safe from the ugliness of abuse and greed. Everyone deals with pain in a different way.
Plenty of background information into Nikki and Damien’s lives is revealed as they are both forced to confront the demons from the past. Sometimes it is better to say goodbye than to allow family to bring you down. But it may be too late for Damien when his father sets into motion a blackmail scheme that will force a face to face confrontation between father and son, open up a decades old investigation and necessitate a last minute confession that takes Nikki by surprise.
J. Kenner has written a sensual story of love and hate, betrayal and trust, revenge and greed. Claim Me will pull the reader into a storyline of dark family secrets, vengeful parents and open our eyes to the truth about what goes on behind the scenes when a successful child becomes a parent’s key to fame and fortune. It is a story of love between two people so badly damaged that no matter what you are rooting for them to stay together-forever.
“You are my blood.”
“Without you, I’m nothing but a shell.”
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Tue Apr 23 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Claim Me, the second book in the Stark Trilogy has officially hooked me on this series!! I love how we are slowly getting to know Damien's secrets and in this book we get a HUGE secret revealed and it leads the way for a great opening to book three, which I will have to wait (not so patiently) for. One of the things I am enjoying the most about this series is how Damien and Nikki's relationship is solid. There is really no back and forth/on again off again with them. Yes, they have their fair share of problems but they for most part stand side by side and face them, like a couple in a real relationship should. On a side note, I also want to mention that while most of the secondary characters in this book are pretty easy to like, Evelyn is my absolute favorite!!! I love her and would love to have someone like her that I could talk to!
Definitely, definitely recommend that you give this series a try, but make sure you start with book 1, Release Me!!! I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2013
The characters in this secondbook lacked story, it was all repetative sex. It never got back on track until 3/4 through the book. Book one was so good building there characters.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Apr 27 00:00:00 EDT 2013
It was a little slow going for me at first, but then the story took off. Part of the reason it felt so impersonal was that I just couldn't feel a strong enough love connection with the characters. Plus, Nikki came across as weak unless she had a Damien.Towards the middle and end, I finally felt it, although I would've liked even more. In the next novel, I hope Kenner rewards Nikki's fierce loyalty and I hope Nikki's strength extends to herself as well. Because while I loved that Nikki stood by her man,many people have wronged her too. I'd like to see Nikki kick a little ass of her own in the final novel. I'd also like to see her own successes, without the help of Damien. A little girl power would impress me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Thu May 02 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Better than the first but the sex scenes became a little repetetive but HOT! I would have hoped for a little more character development but it looks like the 3rd book is going in that direction, I hope. I am starting to like Damien more as the story developed. He was a lot darker in the 1st book. Overall a good read and looking foward to book 3.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Enjoyed this 2nd book far better than book 1. Glad I continued. Looking forward to book 3 impatiently. Hopeing for a "Happily Ever After."
LA-TXN
Anonymous
Posted Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013
Lets stop trying to put more sex in a book then Fifty Shades of Grey. 75% of this book was about wild sex. They couldn't finish breakfast without having sex. This would have made one great book. Good story but you keep turning the pages waiting to find it. I love a steamy romance but enough is enough. Book one was better and the story could have ended in book two. I won't buy book three. If she screams Damien, Damien one more time I will scream.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I am not sure where to start with this review...
I liked the first book in this series, Release Me. I really enjoyed it! But I am actually having a hard time finishing this second installment. I like the characters and the storyline but its just repeating the same stuff. I have not finished it yet, this is my 3rd and final attempt to finish this book. Sooooo disappointed because the story and characters are amazing and fun! I love Nikki, she is such a great "real" character. I am so burned out on the fake female characters... Nikki is a breath of fresh air, I could not only relate to her but she makes the entire book worthwhile. Really wish this 2nd book was better, cause it had all the aspects of being an amazing sequel. Maybe it will get better??? I sure hope so!
Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I definitely enjoyed this book more than the last. The sex was hot but a little repetitive. I loved how we see this couple going through the motions with every painful turn and triumph. Can't wait to see what happens in the final story!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This book was so much more adventurous than the first one. Love the characters!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
What a great story! How I could not stop reading... cannot not wait to see damien and nikki's love n the next book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I have to say this was a great book, but it was the same thing over and over for over three fourths of the book. The story didn't really start till the book was almost finished. That part didn't take long for me to read at all. As I said it was still a good book.
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Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
A heartwarming & heartbeating read. I really enjoyed the continuation of damien and nikki in this second installment. These are likeable characters that you want to root for. Although, at times, I found myself thinking enough already with the amount of times damien aroused nikki in a teasing, leave you hanging kinda way. I Loved how nikki didn't stay down and stood strong next to damien. I am looking forward to the completion of this story, I wonder if it will end the way I think it will or if j. will surprise me.
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Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait until the 3rd in the series comes out. I love the fact that there seems to be much more character development than in other series I've read. I started reading this book on Saturday morning and just could not put it down. I will have to pick up other books by J. Kenner in the future.
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Posted Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2013
FABULOUS!! I absolutely love Damien and Nikki - their story is hot, sexy and intriguing. I cannot wait until Complete Me! Thank you thank you thank you J Kenner, becasue the first two installments of this trilogy were not "cliff hangers"! Obvioulsy there is more to come, but the reader is satisfied until the story resumes! Great work -- great story -- I can only hope GREAT LOVE!
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Overview
For Damien, ...