Review of Unattainable by Charity Parkerson

Unattainable by Charity Parkerson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Unlike the previous books in the series, I feel like the storyline in Unattainable weaves in with that of the previous book, Unbalanced, far more than we have seen to this point. While you can read each of the books as a stand-alone, I feel that in the case of Unattainable, your enjoyment of the story will be increased significantly if you take the time to read book four first because there are nuances to the relationships between McKenna, Kurt, Brian and Terry that are lost to readers who skip Unbalanced (as I almost did). Not to mention, you really need to stock up on the laughs book four provides before starting book five – and be sure to keep your tissues handy.

Brian and Terry met in Unbalanced and the attraction was instant. However, Brian did not know that his attraction was NOT one-sided and was left wanting something he couldn’t have. Terry wasn’t in the closet, but he didn’t feel like his sex life should be the public’s business. Despite his attraction to Brian, Terry manipulated Brian into agreeing to train with him and because of his secret, Terry placed himself in an unenviable situation in which he had to hide his feelings from Brian. The more time they spent together, the harder it was for Terry to do. However once McKenna informed Brian that Terry was gay, all bets were off as Brian refused to take no for an answer (in the good way) any longer. I enjoyed the chemistry between Terry and Brian. They are both dominant personalities, yet they never really grappled for control over the relationship. It was as if they each knew when the other needed to their strength and they stepped up at that moment. That they loved each other just made the sex that much hotter – and as we are talking about two MMA fighters (one active, one recently retired), all that muscle means I was already imagining some rather steamy scenes.

I thoroughly loved this book, despite the emotional rollercoaster ride it took me on. As I stated previously, I strongly recommend reading book four first as I believe it will enrich your reading enjoyment of Unattainable, including the tears you are bound to shed. Ms. Parkerson has made an excellent addition to the No Rival series. The supporting cast of characters is as endearing as ever, including the new additions. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and can only hope that Kip will be its focus.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Review of Unequaled by Charity Parkerson

Unequaled by Charity Parkerson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



In Unequaled we return to Rhys and how he has focused on his MMA career with a single-minded focus designed to block out everything he feels is lacking in his personal life. But a phone call from his brother brings Rhys back home and forces him to focus on everything he’s missing – friends, family, and love. While Rhys is dealing with all of the overwhelming emotions that accompany his trip home, he is not at all confused by his ever-present need to needle Kerry. And said needling is what sets the stage for the best thing that has ever happened to Rhys … Asher.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scene that Kerry sets up between Rhys and Asher. HOT does not even begin to describe it. My enjoyment of the set-up is magnified toward the end of the book when Kerry reveals her true motives to Asher and gives him the proper kick in the a$$ he needed. Admittedly, based on the blurb, I thought I was going to get some hot MFM action and although I did not, I am NOT complaining. The relationship that develops between Rhys and Asher is far better than a brief ménage encounter. Rhys and Asher are two very passionate men and that makes for some freaking hot sex scenes. But as the two are falling in love, the intimacy between the men ratchets up the heat and makes for some extremely stimulating reading. And while the two must navigate relationship speed-bumps, doing so only serves to strengthen their bond.

Somehow I missed reading Undaunted and while Unequaled definitely seems to follow that story, I didn’t feel lost as the author focuses on Rhys and his inner dialogue provides enough insight that reading book two is not a requirement. That said, I do plan to go back and read it when I get the chance as I enjoy Ms. Parkerson’s writing style and the novellas she weaves around Drew’s MMA club, No Rival. I also look forward to future books in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Review of Undaunted by Charity Parkerson

Undaunted by Charity Parkerson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Somehow I got my reading order mixed up and read Unequaled (book 3) before reading this, so I went in knowing which brother Mandy winds up with. Did this knowledge reduce my enjoyment of Undaunted at all? That would be an unequivocal NO! This was a great story and knowing who gets the girl didn’t make it any less enjoyable, or any less heartbreaking.

Mandy has been in love with Rhys for years. While Rhys loves Mandy, he’s never felt like he was good enough for her and they’ve kept each other firmly in the friend-zone deciding that having the other as a friend was better than not having him or her in their life at all. Unfortunately for Mandy, this means she has to witness the parade of women that Rhys indulges in and as an MMA fighter, there are a LOT of them. Her torture is worsened when, in a moment of grief coupled with alcohol, Rhys reveals his love and claims her physically but fails to remember it the next day. After Rhys’s brother Dane manhandles Mandy in a drug-induced state while looking for Rhys, she realizes that she has to let Rhys go – she can no longer deal with the destruction and heartbreak his presence in her life brings with it. This opens the door for Knox to step up and be the friend and stabilizing presence in her life that Mandy so desperately needs. Because they all feel that Mandy is Rhys’s girl, Knox fights his feelings for her until she makes it known that HE is what she wants. Let me just say that Ms. Parkerson certainly knows how to write sex scenes – whether it be M/F, M/M, or M/F/M, she writes extremely stimulating sex scenes.

There are definitely some twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting that made the story that much more intense. Even knowing some of the events that would play out after having read Unequaled before this took me by surprise. As I have read all three books in the series and read them out of order, I can confirm that you can indeed read them as stand-alone books and you can read them out of order without any problems. However, I do recommend reading them in order as it makes for a richer reading experience. I am looking forward to more books in the series and hope that Dane and Kerry get their own book soon (hint, hint).

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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Review of Unsurpassed by Charity Parkerson

Unsurpassed by Charity Parkerson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I want to start by saying that while I enjoyed the book, I feel like the author tried to put too much into the story and it actually took away from how good the book could have been. To me, it appears that in an effort to appeal to a wider audience, Ms. Parkerson included sexual elements that actually interfered with the story. If you've read my reviews, you know I love ménages, with MFM being my preferred. That said, the ménage scenes were underwhelming and really didn't add to the book. They felt rushed and I found the one-on-one foreplay interactions between Aubree and Ryan and Aubree and Max far more stimulating than their actual sex scenes. I feel the inclusion of the scene at the end between Ryan and Max falls into the same category - being included to simply to appeal to a wider reading audience. Unless the sequel is about Max and Ryan exploring this new facet of their relationship, this scene, too, was unnecessary to the storyline and didn't live up to the level of hotness the "Inside Scoop" warning promised. While these elements of the story didn't work for me that does not mean that I didn't enjoy the book.

The relationship between Drew and Aubree is great. As a successful championship MMA fighter, Drew can have his pick of women ... that is, women who want something from him, whether it be his money, his fame, or his body. Having grown up around the fight world, Aubree recognizes Drew for the player he is and effortlessly deflects his advances. Of course this means that Drew must have her, but not in the typical "I'm a famous alpha male and I get what I want" mentality, but rather a "this is a woman who wants nothing from me so I have to get to know her better" mindset. As Drew knows who Aubree's father was, he knows that she knows who and what he is and finds her lack of exploiting interest refreshing. As an added benefit, Drew finds Aubree beautiful and fun to be around, so he decides that she will be his. It is this relationship that makes the book. The interactions between Drew and Aubree are real and their banter is entertaining because they are comfortable with one another and feel free to be themselves. This level of trust is even more obvious when they're intimate and it makes for some really hot sex scenes (the intensity of which is why I found the ménage and M/M scenes lacking).

Unsurpassed is an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick read with a sexy alpha fighter. However, if you're looking for a book with hot MFM ménage scenes or steamy M/M scenes, you may be disappointed. Based upon this book, I would say that Ms. Parkerson's talent lies in writing MF sex scenes and romances because she writes them VERY well. I'm looking forward to the next book in her No Rival series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

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