Stepbrother, Mine

I enjoyed this read, it was a good fast plot with the love and hotness we all crave. Opal always spins a good story that leaves you breathless.

I felt like it dragged out. but the plot was good

Steamy as always!!

I pre-ordered this book ages ago (just getting to it due to my work schedule) because I've been on a stepbrother romance kick and I've heard this author's work is fabulous. I feel like I was lied to.So, this girl gets cut off by her rich spoiled horrible mother. She's now broke and can't get her masters in poetry. Um...she has her bachelors. Not like she can't find *some* kind of work. Although, what on earth did she think she could do with a degree in poetry?? Ugh.Anyway. Her dream is to study in France. Except, money. If mommy dearest is footing the bill, then she shouldn't have debt. Do what we all do and take out a student loan. But she listens to her (later very judgy) friend and auctions her v-card online.I read a serial about a similar situation, but the guy was her friend not her stepbrother. So, I was willing to go with it since I liked the other book(s) so much.Except it's a huge train wreck from there.He took her virginity (okay, she sold/gave it to him, whatev) but he has certain "needs" so of course afterwards he tells her they can't be together. Then she begs/demands to prove to him that she can handle it. So he immediately collars her and demands that she NOT COME on his first command. I know I'm not an...active... participant in the lifestyle, but I'm pretty sure it takes a bit of training to learn O denial. He's thrown her into this with no idea what to do or expect. Doesn't do any after care and hasn't given her a safe word. Every red flag I have was waving so frantically, I wanted to give up.Later, he leaves her alone in The Dark Room (FSoG, anyone?) for 2 hours because he forgot she was in there...he forgot. Seriously. Then he tried to push her away by bringing in someone else to be with her while he watches despite his just having taken her v-card. And now she's excited to do the new guy AND asking him to take her back door virginity. Almost an exact quote. I giggled like a maniac because WHO SAYS THAT? No mention of any kind of birth control throughout the book, and the stranger blows inside her. Guess stepbrother isn't as possessive of her as he claims.At this point, I started skimming. I was doing to DNF it, but I wanted to see if the evil father (her former stepfather) actually does anything evil. Of course, he does. Sends a text to her supposedly from her stepbrother with instructions on how/where to meet. She goes and gets handcuffed and then the stepfather is there ready to take her (literally, figuratively, whatever). My eyes roles so far into the back of my head, I think I saw behind me. The new stepmother, the former maid who somehow introduced him to this lifestyle by making him take her forcefully, has conspired against the father and they get him arrested somehow. I didn't care so I didn't pay attention. He still sends stepsister away though, "for her own good."She finds herself studying whatever she's going to school for in Paris and of course, he comes to her because he can't live without her. And then turns the tables and becomes her sub (FSoG again??) despite the fact that he's never been a sub before.Ugh. Wish I would've DNF'd this one rather than spending hours of my life I'll never get back.

Opal Carews books have been a favorite of mine for some time. She draws you into her stories and it's difficult to put my kindle away. Her erotic scenes are hot, hot hot.

Did not like

First off, I didn't know that Stepbrother, Mine actually started out as a serial. Yeah, it was a serial. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of serials. Fortunately, St. Martin press actually combined the volumes together to form a book.So, we have a taboo kind of read, but here's the thing: I didn't think it was all taboo. I actually have a valid reasons: 1. They were only 10 years apart in age, and he was technically out of the house by the time they met. So, that would be more of a reason why it's taboo. 2. They were only step-siblings for 2 years. Now had they been step siblings when she was 6 and he was 16, and they lived in same house for more than 5 years. That would have been more an ick factor. I guess for some it would have been taboo, but then again I would think of it like terms of the movie Clueless. I mean Josh and Cheri did get together in the end. Enough of why I didn't think it was all that taboo.Since Stepbrother, Mine was originally a serial, it's actually broken down into three parts. I actually like the flow of the parts. They flow into one another very nicely. Part one focuses on Dana and Mason reconnecting. They both find that they like one another. However, Mason is trying to keep Dana safe, and Dana wants a more from Mason. After all they both feel this connection that goes deeper. Part 2 focus on Mason and Dana explore passions together. Part 3 when everything implodes, and the reunite.Overall, I liked Stepbrother, Mine. However, a lot of this story is pretty unrealistic. If you are one of those people that is going to nitpick on the impracticality of the story, you are going to want to steer clear of this one. Dana is willing to sell her virginity to the highest bidder. Okay, I think it's pretty genius idea in some ways. Opal goes into detail why she had. Sometimes, you can't get grants after a certain point of educations, and she didn't want to get a student loan. Being a virgin she's probably unlikely to jump into BDSM shortly after losing that card. There's some impracticality. If you are willing to overlook those kind of factors you might enjoy this how steamy read. I gave you my reasons why it's not really taboo. Especially, when they actually hooked up they are 10 years older, she's 26 and he's 36. It was a pretty good read.Rating:4 1/2 Stars

This was a short smutty novel. It was okay but I wanted and needed more.