Hers To Choose (Cannon Cousins #1) by Lizzie Ashworth {Review}

Genre: Adult/Erotic Romance

Publication Date: June 20th 2013

Series: Cannon Cousins #1

Pages: 268

Format: Mobi/Kindle

Source: provided by author for review

Bryn McClure is running out of time. With foreclosure in the last stages, she’s about to lose the beloved twelve-hundred acre Ozark farm she inherited from her grandparents. Her desperate last hope is to sell hunting rights for deer season. Alex Cannon is running out of options. After a humiliating discovery about his wife, Alex’s cousin and property development business partner Dan has spiraled into a life-threatening depression. Alex hatches a brilliant idea of what might help Dan, and on advice from an old friend, contacts Bryn. A hunting trip might be the perfect route to a new outlook for Dan, especially with the extra touch Alex wants from Bryn. When Bryn agrees to Alex’s special request, she’s thrilled not only with the promise of badly needed income, but also with the prospect of bondage and discipline. Her appetite for kink has sharpened during her lonely year of rural living. It seemed like such a good idea when she agreed to it. But standing on her porch watching these two gorgeous men climb out of their truck and walk toward her, she thinks maybe she hadn’t fully appreciated how complicated things could become. Alex stuns her with his warmth and charm, but the cold and angry Dan is the one she’s supposed to submit to. By the second day, when the first spanking sparks her passions, she realizes she may be in for more than she expected.

My Review:

My first impression of this book was that the story sounded really interesting. A woman about to lose her farm and getting an offer she can't refuse. I'm not much into the BDSM scene but I thought "Ok this could be hot with two guys and a girl". Hers To Choose was a surprise delight in more than one way. This is probably the only book to make me laugh until no sound came out, tears streamed from my face and honestly peed myself a little if I'm being honest. Before I get into the reasons behind the laughter I will start by saying the story was actually really well done. 

So Bryn McClure is about to lose her farm. Her beloved family farm that has been in her family for a long time. After a tumultuous marriage to a man who controlled almost every aspect of her life, she moved back to care for this piece of her history. She lives in a small town and there isn't very much work to be done. She puts an ad online for a cabin on her land for people looking to hunt. When the Cannon cousins come calling she offers a little bit more than just her land as they strike a deal where Bryn offers herself up. Alex and Dan Cannon are cousins but as close as brothers. Dan is trying to overcome a really bad breakup and Alex approaches Bryn to be his Sub and let Dan "Discipline" her in order to work out his frustrations.

This was an absolute crazy situation and I still have mixed feelings about the story. I liked Bryn even though she was a little wishy washy at times. She develops feelings for Alex but because of her past with men she doesn't want to chance giving herself up completely again. I could totally understand where she was coming from I just wish she would have said what she felt and talked to Alex instead of dragging her feet so long. Alex was such a great guy. He was sweet, sexy, and kindhearted. He loved Dan so much and worried about him that he set up this deal with Bryn. Losing his parents when he was a child and having to move in with Dan's family was hard for him but he gained a brother out of it, in Dan. These two have a seriously icky past together. Seems they like to share women after Dan basically stole Alex's girlfriend and is the current problem Dan is trying to get over. I never really developed a liking for Dan. He was too forceful, off putting and basically an asshole. I know he had issues to work out but he was just too much of an alpha dick hole. He seemed to not have any regard for how Alex felt for Bryn. Even though it wasn't eluded to that Alex discussed how he felt I just couldn't grasp that Dan grew up with him and they were so close for him NOT to know. He still went for Bryn. I just never believed Dan cared for Alex. 

So now we get to the part that made me laugh profusely, the sex portion of the story! Hers To Choose had several steamy sex scenes. Why is that a problem you ask? That wasn't the problem, the way they were written WAS. I spent two whole days tweeting several HILARIOUS quotes from this book because I just couldn't keep this kind of joy from the world..

Not only was there kinky sex and hot guys but this was the first book I joked about so hard on social media that I actually FINISHED! See when I find something ridiculous about a book I have to share the craziness with my followers and friends and usually end up marking it "Did Not Finish" and moving on from it. Hers To Choose had some really laughably  written sex scenes. There are some words you should avoid when you are trying to write a dramatic and steamy sex scene. Words to avoid are: Squishy, Pubic Hair, Testicles, Vagina, Clitoris, Cream and the Coup De Grace of bad sex words....CROTCH! This is a word that should honestly be banned from the English language because it's so terrible.

There were so many uses of the word CROTCH I started a count both on Facebook and Twitter and ended up finding 31 uses of the offending word. NO I am NOT bashing the author or her story. Far from it actually. She knows how to format a story and keep the reader's interest enough to make you keep reading. Plus she has managed to do what no other author has been able to make me do and I am actually proud of her for writing such an intriguing story underneath what I found wrong with the book. 

The strange thing about the oddly written sex was that while some of the descriptive wording was just too much, I found myself completely turned on by some of it. There were some REALLY hot moments that didn't go overboard with the badly written sex words, especially a hot scene between all three characters fulfilling a fantasy for Bryn and leaving me breathless. I didn't like Dan and hoped she wouldn't end up actually sleeping with him and just let him Dominate her but she ended up helping him by doing so and even though I hated it, I think it worked out for the best.

Everyone kept asking me why am I even reading this book with all the hilarious quotes I posted and my answer was simply "The Story". There was such amazing chemistry between Bryn and Alex but the added tension between her and Dan and their arrangement made for some exciting angst. The whole story centered around which guy will Bryn choose? Will she choose Dan, the Dominate alpha male who challenges her and fills a need or will she choose Alex? The sexy, charming and bighearted cousin? I found myself riveted to the plot. I knew exactly who I wanted her with and the suspense of who she would be with was delicious. I loved how well the author fleshed out each character. Bryn was equal parts soft and strong. Even though she infuriated me at times with her back and forth feelings I did like her and understood her. Alex was a devoted guy who wanted to help his cousin overcome a tragic event in his life and even though he was feeling intense emotions for Bryn he was willing to step back and give Dan the comfort he needed. 

Overall Hers To Choose was a well paced and plotted story with deep characters and some sexy elements involving the BDSM lifestyle. While I had issues with the writing in some of the sex scenes I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading this. In all honesty if the author were to tighten up these scenes and rework them with words that weren't so silly this would be hands down a five star read. I can't hate a book that gave me some of the best laughs I think I have had in my life and would recommend you give this one a try for the simple fact that I fell the story was worth it. Crazy Sex words and all.

Quotes:

About The Author:

I love to write! Which is a good thing, because no matter what I'm doing, my brain edits sentences, selects or discards words, equivocates over paragraph formation. My file cabinet is stuffed with folders full of ideas, scenes, and half-finished work. My favorite part of writing is description. I want my readers to see, smell, hear, and feel what is going on in the story as if they are there. I can't think of many things as wonderful as those hours when words are pouring through my head and spilling out onto the page, creating a physical world full of passionate people! Other pursuits have taken up parts of my life--a technical profession for a career, children, questionable progress in learning to watercolor. I enjoy cooking, gardening, and time at the Pacific coast. Sunrise and sunset create special moods for me, the twilight between two worlds--fully of creative energy. I love snuggling up with a good book most of all.

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