Category Archives: Complications

Review: Complications by Cat Grant

Title: Complications by Cat Grant
Courtland Chronicles Book Three
Publisher: Cat Grant Books
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance, M/F, M/M, Light BDSM
Length: Novella/30,000 words
Book Rating: B+

Review Copy Obtained from Author

Summary:
Tired of taking a backseat to his lover Eric Courtland’s burgeoning political career, Nick Thompson decides to call it quits. A devastated Eric seeks consolation in liquor—and the arms of college friend Ally Taylor.

Their passionate rebound affair deepens into something more. Still, Ally’s thrown when Eric proposes marriage, with no mention of love. His wealth and connections would certainly help her career, but is their intense physical connection and Eric’s promise of fidelity enough?

Ally soon finds herself falling for her husband, and he for her. But the growing bond between the newlyweds is threatened when Nick re-enters the picture. Secrets, lies and betrayal will add up to heartbreak for everyone—unless Eric can bring himself to choose between the man he’s loved for over a decade, or the wife he can’t bear to hurt.

The Review:

Complications, Cat Grant’s third installment in the Courtland Chronicles, is aptly named. With his lover Nick Thompson out of the picture, Eric Courtland renews his friendship with old college friend Allison “Ally” Taylor. Their friendship quickly turns sexual and the two are soon dating. When Eric proposes to Ally, she has reservations about marrying Eric. But the benefits to becoming his wife along with Eric’s promises of fidelity and honesty convince her to say agree to the marriage. But will Eric honor his vows when Nick comes back into his life soon after their wedding?

In Complications, Eric seems to finally have his life together. He is still ambitious, but his head is finally in a good place and he is actively working toward his future political aspirations. While he appears to have genuine feelings for Ally, their romance and marriage feels more like a business arrangement than a true love match. Eric is still controlling and manipulative, but for the most part, Ally seems accepting of this part of his personality. They do have a few minor clashes, but Eric is able to smooth things over with Ally fairly quickly.

Ally is Eric’s match in many ways. While she does offer some objections to Eric’s assistance with her career, she gratefully accepts the opportunities presented to her. Ally is a shrewd businesswoman and she engineers a very advantageous career move when she finally agrees to marry Eric. She comes across as a little mercenary while bargaining with Eric and even though part of the story comes from her perspective, I am not sure exactly what feelings she has for Eric. She also appears spineless on a few occasions when she concedes too much power to Eric despite her uneasiness in certain situations.

The sex scenes between Ally and Eric are quite sensual. Early in the novella, the sex is quite tame, but Ms. Grant does eventually turns up the heat a bit. One of their encounters later in the story has a light BDSM theme. There is also one minor M/M scene that takes place as well.

Of the three installments in the Courtland Chronicles, Complications is the least angsty and the overall story flows much more smoothly. It is a nice change of pace to see Eric finally at peace with much of his past. But it is quite heartbreaking to see him give up the man he loves for his political future. I felt like he was marrying Ally to further his career goals and while she knew what she was getting into, I am sure there is future heartache in store for Ally, Eric and Nick.

The ending of Complications neatly sets the stage for The Arrangement, and I am quite eager to see what Cat Grant has planned next for Eric, Nick and Ally.

Read my review of By Chance & Strictly Business HERE.

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Filed under BDSM, Cat Grant, Cat Grant Books, Complications, Contemporary, Courtland Chronicles, Erotic, M/F, M/M, Rated B+, Review, Romance

Blog Tour Stop, Interview & Contest: Cat Grant’s Complications

Hello! Thanks for joining me on my mini-blog tour for Complications, the third book in my Courtland Chronicles series. Leave a comment and you just might win a signed paperback copy of By Chance, Strictly Business and Complications, the first 3 Courtland books!

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Niiice cover, huh?

Thanks for inviting me here to chat, Kathy! On to the questions…

Kathy: What book do you recommend everyone should read? Why?

Ms. Grant: Lord of the Rings and John Steinbeck’s East of Eden are two of my all-time faves – I try to re-read them every couple of years. They’ve got such amazing world-building, I can curl up on the couch and sink into them for hours on end.

Every now and then I go on a mystery-reading binge. If you want a crash course in how to plot a novel, read mysteries.

Kathy: What is your guilty pleasure?

Ms. Grant: Watching my fave TV shows while curled up on the couch with my cat. Usually while I’m drinking tea and eating Lindor peanut butter truffles.

Kathy: Favorite meal?

Ms. Grant: It’s a tossup between the fish and chips at the English Ales Pub in Marina or Sea Harvest’s salmon bisque soup.

Kathy: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Ms. Grant: Even more depressed than I am now. LOL!

Kathy: If you could time travel, what time period would you visit?

Ms. Grant: Either the Italian Renaissance or the Regency – but only if I get to bring a flush toilet. 🙂

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Tired of taking a backseat to his lover Eric Courtland’s burgeoning political career, Nick Thompson decides to call it quits. A devastated Eric seeks consolation in liquor—and the arms of his and Nick’s college friend Ally Taylor.

Their passionate rebound affair quickly deepens into something more. Still, Ally’s thrown when Eric proposes marriage. His wealth and connections would help her career, but is their intense physical connection and Eric’s promise of fidelity enough?

Ally soon finds herself falling for her husband—and he for her. But the growing bond between the newlyweds is threatened when Nick re-enters the picture. Secrets, lies and betrayal will add up to heartbreak for everyone—unless Eric can bring himself to choose between the man he’s loved for over a decade, or the new wife he can’t bear to hurt.

Now available on Kindle, All Romance ebooks, and Nook. Coming to Kobo shortly!

Read my review of Complications HERE. Click HERE for my review of By Chance and click HERE to read my review of Strictly Business.

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Filed under Blog Tour, Cat Grant, Complications, Contest, Interview