Review: Love in Plain Sight by Susan Laine

Love in Plain Sight (Senses and Sensations #2) by Susan Laine
Dreamspinner Press
Novella: 89pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
A Senses and Sensations Story

What does love look like? If you see it, will you give it the attention it deserves?

Police volunteer Sebastian Sumner may be deaf, but he’s strong and capable. He’s been involved with Detective Jordan Waters for a year now. Their relationship hasn’t been smooth sailing, but their love is on solid ground. Too bad their work lives are on shakier soil—Jordan’s is, anyway, as he sets out with his partner to investigate Aldous Henley, a shady art dealer suspected of forgery and smuggling. But proving these crimes and bringing the man to justice is more challenging than Jordan expected.

Before long, Henley isn’t just a work problem. The case consumes Jordan’s attention, and he’s struggling to balance his busy professional life and his equally important private life—especially with a significant anniversary approaching. Love may be in plain sight, but that doesn’t mean it should be taken for granted.

Short Review:
I wanted to give this story a chance because I did not really like the first book. It annoyed me due to one of the main MCs, and so I wanted to try this book in hopes of a redeem. Although I didn't love this one, I did like it more than the first.

Sebastian and Jordan are back and completely solid in their relationship. The first book was them getting to know each other and trying to build life in their hectic world. Sebastian being deaf and somewhat fragile proved challenging but Jordan being the charmer that he is captured Sebastian's heart. Now one year later they share a home and is surrounded by the people that are important them.

This book offered up a bit more plot, with Jordan chasing an art thief and sleaze ball. The blurb is a little misleading because I really thought there would have been problems within the relationship caused by the onset of work or by Jordan ignoring Sebastian. I found Jordan to be less annoying this time around, but that could be because the story was all in Sebastian's Pov.

Overall, a lot better than the first book (my opinion). Still needs to tone down on being overly descriptive. I get it already, Jordan is so awesome and Sebastian is so beautiful with all that snowy white skin (been there). I haven't given up on Susan Laine and will attempt another of her stories a little less worried now.

Review: Book #1 Sounds of Love

3 Pants Off

Review: Sounds Of Love by Susan Laine

Sounds of Love by Susan Laine
Dreamspinner Press

Novel: 220pgs

2.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
What does love sound like? If you hear it, will you heed its call?

Police officer Jordan Waters is recovering from a shooting by moving to a new apartment in a new town and taking a new job. In other words, he’s lonely. His first instinct is to relieve his anxiety through uncomplicated sex—until he meets a man so far out of his league and experience that he stumbles for the first time.

Police volunteer Sebastian Sumner may be deaf, but his spirit, openness, and sense of humor give him the strength to get through anything—even the emotional defenses of Jordan Waters. But it’s his own family history that poses the biggest challenge. Can he learn to trust Jordan with his heart, or will his upbringing blind him to the sounds of love?

Review:
I was so very disappointed in Sounds of Love I feel like crying. I wanted to like it so much, based on the blurb and that very pretty cover but in the end, it just did not work for me. Mostly it all comes down to one of the MC’s annoying the crap out of me. So whenever he opened his mouth, or rambled on internally I pitched a fit.

Jordan Waters is a cop and he has just moved to a new city after suffering a gunshot wound. He has new partner in the fraud division and he’s all-good at his job. When his partner invites him over for a Friday night poker game, he meets Sebastian a beautiful man that shakes his foundation and having wanting things he’s even scared to dream of.

A night of flirting with Sebastian leads Jordan to the realization that landing his prey comes with a cost, and he will never settle for just being a one-night fuck. Sebastian’s handicap of being unable to hear doesn’t hold him back in any form and Jordan is attracted to his strength while facing adversity. The two begin a tentative relationship and slowly make their way into building a family.

I believe 2 years ago I would have loved the crap out of this book. There’s the angst, the beautiful sexy characters, and the drama. The writing is very good if very descriptive and repetitive at most, I still liked it. The thing character who ruined my whole reading experience was Jordy. He was extra, over dramatic, and a preacher. His title says cop but I don’t know… dude can go on and on and on.

“This very well-maintained SUV of mine became a fountain of dreams and aspirations and wants and desires because it was the first place where he had touched me.” 

=_= the note I wrote in the Kindle “Are u fucking kidding me right now. It’s just a freaking car”. Seriously Jordan aspirations, dreams?

“Hey grumpy old man, I’ll be sixteen in three months. Then I’ll kick your ass.”
I laughed wholeheartedly. “Yeh, I’d love to see that.” So I had a black belt in judo. So I knew teakwondo, and jujutsu, and Krav Maga. I wasn’t about to let Bro know that. His uninformed challenge at me would just make his epiphany that much sweeter.

Seriously, Jordan it’s a figure of speech your Krav Maga and other lethal skills isn’t needed here. I am surprised he didn’t answer back in one of the seven languages he knows.

There were moments that I really enjoyed the book, but then you know who would get into one of his rants which tells how awesome he is, then how broken he is, and then how awesomely broken he is. I did like the slow burn that Jordan and Sebastian relationship offered. They didn’t just jump in to bed together, and some of their scenes together were cute.

I liked Bro, Sebastian’s little brother he was very cute (though I have no clue why Bro likes Jordan so much. He said a lot of douchy things to him). Liked some of the supporting characters. Not really on board with the second hook-up in the book, seems pointless and too much.

Overall, I really wanted to like this book more but in the end eye roll numerous was out in full force. I really cannot stand Jordan and feel Sebastian deserves someone better. It won’t be my last time reading Susan Laine because I did enjoy some of the writing, and can’t completely rule the author out. Just couldn’t make a connection with this one.

2 1/2 Pants Off