Taking Control by Jen Frederick | Rating: ★★★☆☆

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

When you’ve got a book as fun as Losing Control, a sequel can often be a tricky addition. It isn’t always easy to navigate through a second installment when the one that came before it was such a fun experience. You’re often left wondering how the author could possibly top it and expand on their story, if it’s at all possible to add on without watering down its original content.

The Kerr Chronicles started off solid in its first book; heartbreaking, tension filled, smutty goodness with a seriously soft and intelligent side. It could easily have you hot and bothered one moment, tearing up the next or basking in the warm fuzzies from cuteness. Jen Frederick is a talent to be able to portray each of these, and more.

Each character is developed and comes to life right before our eyes.

Tiny and Ian are both something else: phenomenal characters in all the ways that make reading enjoyable. And while these two continue about their way in this second installment, I can’t help but wonder if Jen Frederick’s gotten in a bit of a slump when it comes to continuing their story.

Losing Control by Jen Frederick | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

In book one of the Kerr Chronicles, Losing Control, we open with a promise of love scenes and passion to indulge in. And although the blurb of information is misleading, Losing Control is a fast paced, addictive, romance filled with some serious smutty goodness and will be tugging on your heartstrings in no time.

The plot contains much of the same for releases in new adult and erotic fiction: rich, pushy, brazen and attractive man pairs up with an otherwise ordinary, down on her luck woman. It’s in this that can make the story itself tiring and may convince you not to bother picking up a copy. And I get that.

Really, I do. And while I’m incredibly tired with the cliches in these so-called romance novels, Jen Frederick manages to keep readers interested purely on the likeability of our leading lady and man. She keeps characters relatable, realistic to their very core, and doesn’t let us walk away without at least sympathizing with one of them.

Victoria “Tiny” Corielli makes due with a job as a courier in the busy city; making just enough money to scrape by and spends a good deal of her time caring for her mother who’s sadly just been diagnosed as out of remission when it comes to the cancer they thought she beat once before. Times are tough for the Corielli women, who are obviously very close, and you can’t help but to hope for a small miracle for the both of them even if we know life isn’t always generous.