SPOILERS: Entwined with You Overall Discussion

[Fayeth]

HI ... agree that G & E set the bar really high !!

 

I read there is going to a 3rd Gabriel book maybe sometime this year.  I haven't read the On Durbin Street, but read On London Road by same author.  

 

Also, Sylvia's Historical series are good sexy if you go to her site and see the order to read them.  All separate stories but linked with characters from book-to-book.    Also liked her Dream Guardian (2) books.  Not into paranormal much but those are good.  

 

Enjoy

 

 

You should read On Dublin Street.  I really liked it, but maybe it is because I read all three books by Samantha Young in the order they were released.  Typically in series like hers where it starts with one set of characters in the first book and each subsequent book is about different charcters we were previously introduced to, I typically like the first set the best and want to read more about them, but that could just be a quirk of mine.   

[Mam2e]

HI Mam2e, 

 

first of all I do like your nickname. Has it something to do with the fact that you are the mother of nice and cute children?

 

And regarding the Diana Gabaldon Series ... I am reading this series since almost twelve years! In the beginning I was so much rereading and interested to discuss but this changed totally. 

 

Yes, the volumes of these books are challenging. But then you have so much reading matter to devour! And you don´t need to leave these character (each of them is so interesting and I´ve learnt so much during reading this series!). 

 

For my personal taste a book can´t be long enough. The more pages the better for me. Allows me to live longer in this world! And the series is still going on, the author is posting every day lines of upcoming books or short stories of these books on her FB-page (but I don´t read them, I want to be surprised) and this amazing book forum where you could discuss all kinds of aspects of these books! And deeply!

 

Maybe I could convince you to start with....?

 

SME

Hi SME and welcome to the forum

I am the mother to four lovely children and they all call me mam2me .

Thank you so much on the advice on the books .I have been thinking of starting them especially since we have a bit of a wait until CBY I find that it's a bit difficult to make a break from the Crossfire series and start something new because its so consuming and you end up reading them over and over but starting a new series will make the time go faster .

Like you I love long books if only you didn't have to hold it in your hand for hours .

I've enjoyed your posts you go into great detail which is wonderful .

Thank you.

[fsumom]

You should read On Dublin Street.  I really liked it, but maybe it is because I read all three books by Samantha Young in the order they were released.  Typically in series like hers where it starts with one set of characters in the first book and each subsequent book is about different charcters we were previously introduced to, I typically like the first set the best and want to read more about them, but that could just be a quirk of mine.   

Thanks!   I read that London Road without knowing there was one before but I will check it out .

 

I agree about reading in order because they generally give you a look at what has happened to the characters in the previous 

books.

[julie54]

I do not neccesarily think that Monica would say anything if the cheating with Victor was truly a one time thing, which I REALLY hope that it was.  I think for her it was a temporary lapse in judgement, which I really hate that happened.

 

I think that something like that, their marriage could survive.  I am not sure if their marriage (or my heart) could handle if it happened again.

Hi Fayeth

One thing about Monica. It seems she loves/d her husbands, but is not in love with them. That is reserved for Victor. All these passing years haven't changed anything.

[Sarah]

Barb, that's it exactly! 

 

I too enjoy Gabaldon's Outlander series.  But I also read epic/high fantasy so the really long novels aren't an obstacle. 

[Sharonm745]

I was just wondering. Does anyone think Monica may need the divorce lawyer, whose ad campaign, Eva and Mark are working on?

Do you think Monica and Victor will get back together? Whatever this thing is that Monica is keeping secret,it involves Victor. Come on girls, get those thinking caps on! What could it be?

 

No.  I just don't see that happening. 

 

I re-read some of Monica's parts and I see Stanton (megafinancier) as a man who loves his wife.  He loves her so much that he indulges her way too much to try to keep her happy.  He buys Eva & Cary gifts, not because he wants to give them presents but because it makes Monica happy.  “Money was something my mother needed to be happy, and I was glad Stanton…was able to fill that need for her and all her many others as well.† I can’t believe the Monica can live without sex.  That has to be a need Stanton fills.

 

Stanton invested money in remolding & security of Parker’s studio.  This is a man he didn’t even know and the only connection he has with him is that his step-daughter wants to workout via self-defense lessons.  Stanton wants his wife secure that her daughter is safe. 

 

Stanton spent a fortune paying people to keep the abuse quiet so Eva wouldn’t be embarrassed or exposed.  He did this for Monica (her guilt) not Eva. 

 

I think all of Monica's husbands loved her.  I don’t think Monica loved all of them because love isn’t important to her.  Barker hates his son because he hurt Monica.  I think he was more concerned about Monica than Eva the person his son abused.  We don't know a lot about #2 except that he was a gambler and Eva doesn't gamble because of him.  I think he gambled to try to get enough money to hold Monica. He wanted to keep Monica and knew money was the key.

 

Finally Monica has Stanton a man who can give her everything she needs.  I don't think he is gay.  I think he is exactly what Monica needs. I’m not sure their love is the love she has for Victor but it is the kind of love that makes her happy and secure.  That is the kind of love Monica needs and she won’t give it up.

[Sharonm745]

Dear Sharon and Gigi!

 

Just wanted to say I´ve read two new books of Maya Cross herself which I did enjoy! FEVER and RUSH. With the KG Series I do not have any experience! Even though I do like the writing style of her a lot  (there I do agress with you, Sharon)  the sex scenes are sometimes very hard for me to digest!  So I stopped reading any further books of her. But maybe the KG Series is not so hard core.

 

sme

 

The KGI series (at least the ones I've read so far I'm up to 5) don't have the intense love scenes like her other books.  This series is more the story of finding/saving a woman and how love grows out of that initial and often dangerous meeting.  They are great books if you like a thriller with a lot of love mixed in. 

[Sharonm745]

 DEAR SHARONM,

 

yes, go ahead and read the timeconsuming books of DIANA GABALDON. The story of Jamie and Claire is so fantastic! And the series is still not over. It is a mixture of Romance, Time Travel, Contemporary (it´s starts sometimes after the second war in Scotland at a stone circle!), history of Scotland and U.S. States and has a side line history with one of the greatest gay british man I´ve met in the books. 

 

And there is this fabulous Forum http://outlanderbookclub.freeforums.org where you can discuss in every possible way all the 8 books of the main series and the side line series of the british gay officer names John GREY! It is not only historical! Nature, time travel, medicine takes a role, too!

 

Regarding your family roots. Wow, so you have German roots a lot! How nice! I do feel a little closer to you! Hope your plan regarding visiting Europe again works and you all get the time free as you like and need it! 

 

Well, some day I will travelling again to the STATES to meet these family members of my mum! I already know a few places of the States (Florida, New York and Virginia with the cities of Washington, Philadelphia etc, and IOWA due to the participation to an exchange programm as I was 16 years old). If these mentioned family connections are for real, I wanna go and maybe we go all, my parents, my sister and her family and me! We will see!

 

Sme

 

I will check out the books.  I have so many to read right now but I'm moving through them quickly.  I expect I'll need another series to start soon. 

 

I hope you get to visit the U.S.  the places you've mentioned have a lot to see and do, except maybe IOWA.  I've been there a couple times but I don't remember to much except family time. 

[Sharonm745]

GiGi ....  You know my theory on Brett and s*e*x tape so wanted to throw these books in the pile for everyone.  

 

Oliva Cunning's Sinner Series, 4 books about a heavy metal rock back, their loves and their groupies.  Read them right before Entwined came out so when the TAPE scenario came out I thought of these books.   Interesting look inside a rock band and sexy too

 

They re-enforce my thinking that ...

a. Brett knows, watched and enjoyed all of Sam's secret tapings 

b.  Any publicity for the band is good - even if he presents an 'outraged' front to Eva 

c.  and he may be older but he's still a MALE     LOL 

 

I'm going to try these.  A woman I met at book bash mentioned this series when we were talking about the Crossfire books.  I was arguing that Brett is a scumbag, immature, little boy (that might be too mean but still) who wants to get in Eva's pants and drop her like a hot potato to rebuild his ego.  One of the other women in our group was a pro-Brett fan trying to convince us that Brett still loves Eva.  My theory is based on personal experience with boy bands and coincides with what you've posted above.  We will know for sure by the end of the year.

[Sharonm745]

I do not neccesarily think that Monica would say anything if the cheating with Victor was truly a one time thing, which I REALLY hope that it was.  I think for her it was a temporary lapse in judgement, which I really hate that happened.

 

I think that something like that, their marriage could survive.  I am not sure if their marriage (or my heart) could handle if it happened again.

 

I agree.  I think Victor and Monica happened because they both hurt for their daughter and they let their defenses down.  Victor admitted to Eva that Monica could never be happy with the life he has to offer.  In the end, if Monica chose Victor, it wouldn't last because she wouldn't be happy and Victor would be in pain because he couldn't make her happy.  Getting together and breaking up would hurt Eva something I don't think either of them is willing to do.  They both know their strengths and weaknesses in their relationship.

[Fayeth]

Hi Fayeth, 

I agree with you.  I don't think that Martin and Michael are the same.  Eva knows Martin (he is indirect family) so she has been around him in the past.  Eva has a pretty good gut instinct and as such if Martin wasn't a nice guy she would have gotten a feeling about him. I also don't think that she would have introduced him to her friend's friend (just my opinion).

 

As for Megumi, I think that something isn't right with that situation.  I am suspicious because no one has spoken to her other than the HR Department.  We haven't been introduced to Daphne (is it?) and as such we can't assess whether Megumi is actually sick or whether something more is going on. 

 

The other thing that made me suspicious is the fact that Eva left a messages for Megumi and thus far, neither Megumi nor Lacey have returned her calls.  Asides from that I have no idea what has happened.  I could potentially see something being written for the next book but as to what that is, I have no idea. 

 

I think that there are several other characters that Sylvia could develop successfully and we would probably love them too.  I hope you have a great weekend! 

 

Gigi,

 

As always thank you for your response.  I think that Martin is a good guy and I hope that I am not wrong.  I am concerned about who this Michael guy is.  You are right about Daphne too, although I had not thought about that.  She could be making this all up.  I hope that Lacey and Megumi are not both in trouble, being sick is not that big of a deal, however not returning the calls is what I think has everyone's detective skills working hard. 

[GLH]

Please do read ON DUBLIN STREET. It is really good. I agree it is important to read books in order and I did like ODS better than the second book but I liked that also.  Haven't read the third yet.  Not sure I am interested in those 2 characters.

 

I do not read fantasy or paranormal things.  Not into them at all.  Vampires and such do nothing for me.

 

I do love Sylvia's historical characters.  There is one guy---I forget his name but he is super hot---that kind of reminds me of Gideon.  Same hair and eyes.  He is repeated in a couple of the books.  Love him.

 

Trying to read other stuff so I stop obsessing about CROSSFIRE.  

[Barb55]

I agree.  I think Victor and Monica happened because they both hurt for their daughter and they let their defenses down.  Victor admitted to Eva that Monica could never be happy with the life he has to offer.  In the end, if Monica chose Victor, it wouldn't last because she wouldn't be happy and Victor would be in pain because he couldn't make her happy.  Getting together and breaking up would hurt Eva something I don't think either of them is willing to do.  They both know their strengths and weaknesses in their relationship.

 

Wow I never thought about the fact that they might have hooked up because of the pain they were feeling for their daughter and had let their defenses down!!  

 

Love that this forum makes you really think about things deeper!!  

[fsumom]

I'm going to try these.  A woman I met at book bash mentioned this series when we were talking about the Crossfire books.  I was arguing that Brett is a scumbag, immature, little boy (that might be too mean but still) who wants to get in Eva's pants and drop her like a hot potato to rebuild his ego.  One of the other women in our group was a pro-Brett fan trying to convince us that Brett still loves Eva.  My theory is based on personal experience with boy bands and coincides with what you've posted above.  We will know for sure by the end of the year.

Sharon 

A tip when you read these, read #4 before #3.  I think it fits better is the #3 spot because there are some things in #3 that took

place in #4.   Very sexy, not vanilla but more neopolitan so to speak.  

[Sharonm745]

Sharon 

A tip when you read these, read #4 before #3.  I think it fits better is the #3 spot because there are some things in #3 that took

place in #4.   Very sexy, not vanilla but more neopolitan so to speak.

 

 Thanks for the tip.  I'm almost finished the KGI series and I have a couple Shayla Black books to read then I'll start this series.  I'm coming into our busy season and my reading time will be limited so I'm trying to get as much read as possible while I have time.

[Angelmine]

No.  I just don't see that happening. 

 

I re-read some of Monica's parts and I see Stanton (megafinancier) as a man who loves his wife.  He loves her so much that he indulges her way too much to try to keep her happy.  He buys Eva & Cary gifts, not because he wants to give them presents but because it makes Monica happy.  “Money was something my mother needed to be happy, and I was glad Stanton…was able to fill that need for her and all her many others as well.† I can’t believe the Monica can live without sex.  That has to be a need Stanton fills.

 

Stanton invested money in remolding & security of Parker’s studio.  This is a man he didn’t even know and the only connection he has with him is that his step-daughter wants to workout via self-defense lessons.  Stanton wants his wife secure that her daughter is safe. 

 

Stanton spent a fortune paying people to keep the abuse quiet so Eva wouldn’t be embarrassed or exposed.  He did this for Monica (her guilt) not Eva. 

 

I think all of Monica's husbands loved her.  I don’t think Monica loved all of them because love isn’t important to her.  Barker hates his son because he hurt Monica.  I think he was more concerned about Monica than Eva the person his son abused.  We don't know a lot about #2 except that he was a gambler and Eva doesn't gamble because of him.  I think he gambled to try to get enough money to hold Monica. He wanted to keep Monica and knew money was the key.

 

Finally Monica has Stanton a man who can give her everything she needs.  I don't think he is gay.  I think he is exactly what Monica needs. I’m not sure their love is the love she has for Victor but it is the kind of love that makes her happy and secure.  That is the kind of love Monica needs and she won’t give it up.

Hi Sharon,

I agree with everything you say. I feel that Stanton gives Monica everything she needs and wants and she is not going to give that up. She is happy with Stanton but she also needs to resolve her issues with Victor and vice versa so they can both move on and be in a better place.

[Sharonm745]

Hi Sharon,

I agree with everything you say. I feel that Stanton gives Monica everything she needs and wants and she is not going to give that up. She is happy with Stanton but she also needs to resolve her issues with Victor and vice versa so they can both move on and be in a better place.

 

I agree.  Monica has internalized so much pain and I think that is why she missed Eva's signs of abuse.  I believe Monica has beaten herself up for years over what happened to Eva.  I contend that Monica thought she brought Eva into a place where they both would be safe.  It never dawned on her that Eva would be hurt. 

 

Monica had to be in her early 20s when she married Barker.   I think she was relieved she didn't have to worry about money, food, housing, etc.  If it turns out she was a call girl she was even more relieved because she didn't have to sell herself anymore.  She looked at her life through rose colored glasses.  Like Eva said the help didn't send up any flags.  Monica didn't have any point of reference and, most likely thought Eva was going through a phase like many pre-teens/teens. 

 

I know it is hard to believe and we all think we would catch symptoms if it were our child but children try to protect their parents and they hide abuse because they are ashamed. 

[Peachies]

Hi Julie,

I just thought of something after having read everyone's comments and theories. What would make Gideon take off that quickly when he found out that Eva was at the Garden Party? We know that his abuser is no longer present so it couldn't have been an actual matter of physical safety. Was it emotional for Gideon? Or is there something more that we the reader haven't found out about yet? What do you think?

Personally I think it is emotional safety. He told Eva in the library the Vidal home is what's in his night mares. He probably didn't want his safe place tanted with the location of his past .

[Peachies]

Personally I don't think anything would make Angus happier than doing this. I cannot tell you how much I love and respect Angus. He has been so many different things and played so many different roles in Gideon's and now Eva's life and for him to see his boss and pseudo son happy and being a father...I think that would mean so much to Angus to be there to see another generation of Cross' grow.

I totally agree. And it would be awesome to picture Angus securing a baby seat in the back of the bentley :-)

[Angelmine]

Hi Angelmine, 

 

welcome on board!

 

And thank you much for sharing your personal history! I can understand and respect your point of view completely and in your shoes I would propably feel the same! How much you must have suffered! 

 

I do have a personal question you don´t need to answer. But I am curious.

 

Doesn´t the story of EVA and GIDEON triggers a lot of your old experiences? How you deal with them or is it like this that this story helps you in some ways or on some levels?

 

Hope these questions are not to personal. If there are - pls feel free not to answer them! I would not be offended!

 

I am asking because this story of E & G triggers a lot of my vulnerable aspects of my life/my past and at the same time helps me to see clearer or to learn to believe that two very hurt people can have a nourishing and long future/ relatinsship with each other  together. 

 

SME

Hi SME,

No they don't trigger any of my old experiences I was 12 - 13 yrs old when I went through what I went through and I got help directly after my experience was over and mine wasn't as traumatic as E or G's experience. my mother didn't find out til I was 22 and my father still doesn't know so I know how Eva felt when she didn't want her father to find out. My father already hates my abuser and if he knew what happened he would kill him. I would not like to have to visit my father in prison so I don't want him to find out. After I read BTY the first time I had a nightmare but that is all. Their story intrigues me and I love reading it. I know how Eva feels when it comes to her being ashamed of how she acted when she was younger. There are a lot of things that I am not proud of in my past but I learned to accept them and move on. My past is my past I learned from it and I am stronger today because of it.

[Angelmine]

I agree.  Monica has internalized so much pain and I think that is why she missed Eva's signs of abuse.  I believe Monica has beaten herself up for years over what happened to Eva.  I contend that Monica thought she brought Eva into a place where they both would be safe.  It never dawned on her that Eva would be hurt. 

 

Monica had to be in her early 20s when she married Barker.   I think she was relieved she didn't have to worry about money, food, housing, etc.  If it turns out she was a call girl she was even more relieved because she didn't have to sell herself anymore.  She looked at her life through rose colored glasses.  Like Eva said the help didn't send up any flags.  Monica didn't have any point of reference and, most likely thought Eva was going through a phase like many pre-teens/teens. 

 

I know it is hard to believe and we all think we would catch symptoms if it were our child but children try to protect their parents and they hide abuse because they are ashamed. 

Hi Sharon,

 Yes I believe that she has beaten herself up also. Guilt ate at her like acid. My mother didn't find out til long after the abuse stopped. When she did find out she felt so guilty and remorseful that it ate at me. To this day I can't watch tv shows or movies with a molestation in the storyline with her because she gets this look on her face that tears me apart. I was naturally a shy and sensitive person any way so my mother didn't think anything was wrong when I kept to myself. I don't blame her for not noticing, and you are right we try and hide the abuse because we are ashamed. In Eva's case Nathan threatened her. In my case my abuser said if I told everybody would blame me and say that I was a bad person and it was my fault so with that said we try and protect our parents from what is going on and ourselves. Once Monica found out what was going on she did everything in her power to right the wrong.

[Sharonm745]

Hi Sharon,

 Yes I believe that she has beaten herself up also. Guilt ate at her like acid. My mother didn't find out til long after the abuse stopped. When she did find out she felt so guilty and remorseful that it ate at me. To this day I can't watch tv shows or movies with a molestation in the storyline with her because she gets this look on her face that tears me apart. I was naturally a shy and sensitive person any way so my mother didn't think anything was wrong when I kept to myself. I don't blame her for not noticing, and you are right we try and hide the abuse because we are ashamed. In Eva's case Nathan threatened her. In my case my abuser said if I told everybody would blame me and say that I was a bad person and it was my fault so with that said we try and protect our parents from what is going on and ourselves. Once Monica found out what was going on she did everything in her power to right the wrong.

 

I understand.  I had polio when I was little and did my best not to show any pain or anxiety around my parents because they thought it was their fault I caught the disease.  My dad took a job that moved us from Montana to Maryland and thought if we stayed in Montana I would have been ok.  

 

I can relate to the TV shows.  I was a victim of a violent crime as an adult and sometimes my husband would look at me like "I should have been with you" when we watch some TV shows that struck close to home.  There was no way that he could have known something would happen so there was no way that he could protect me.

[fsumom]

Dear FSUMOM and Fayeth and any other Ladies you are looking for other books: 

 

I do agree with you. The On DUBLIN Streets is good.

 

May I recommend something other?

 

 

Well, I´ve read the e-book series  "THE PEARL TRIOLOGY" from Arianne Richmonde. First book: 40 shades of Pearl! All books of the trilogy are out.

 

The main characters have also difficult pasts! What I did find great the female is around 40 years old who falls in love with a much younger Billionaire!

 

The erotic scenes and the hot sex stuff is really great, can compete with Sylvia Day´s writing, in my eyes.  There is suspense, crime and very well developed main and side characteres. The trilogy plays in NEW YORK, but the man comes from France and they are travelling to Europe and within the States.

 

The background stories are not so deeply complicated like EVA and Gideon´s story but the writing style I do like very much! And there is an end what makes you happy!

 

And then there is the JUST ANOTHER NIGHT Series (3 books, e-books) of Kyra Davis. It is the first erotic triology from the author and her writing is great, the plot is good and the end I do like. The Erotic scenes are great, sometimes only fantasies are described. Okay, each volume has not many pages but the author is able to create with only a few words a complexe story line.

 

To read something similar to Crossfire (which all the twists and turn), I do think,  is difficult because the Crossfire are about 5 books and is not yet finished. I do think most of the series (erotic genre) are not able to compare with each other!

 

So I do like FSOG (Fifty shades) really, too. But I discovered them when the last book was ready. I reread them and I will reread them again. But this is not stuff to be discussed a lot. 

 

So, that my recommandations ....

 

Have fun ... !

 

SME

Thanks

 

Got them all written down to look at shortly.  Always looking for good reads.   I like the idea a 'mature' heroine  (LOL)  and with a younger gentleman - French at that -  WOW.    

 

I also like FSOG - it has a complete story and epilogue, plus Christine POV and his younger story too.   And it lead me to Crossfire !

[Sheens263]

Love this, Sheens! You should have given it to us sooner, I could have chosen any number of phrases from it - it seemed like Angus only said a few words, so I just guessed. I'm particularly fond of, "may the mousie never leave your pantry with a teardrop in his eye."

I never even thought about it Nrock, sorry, yes I love this phrase as well, simple but well stated

[Sheens263]

I'm safe but I have some crazy neighbors who set off fireworks around 1 a.m. after the rain stopped.  My sleep was interrupted so I'm not a happy camper this morning.   Actually if they had regular fireworks it wouldn't have bothered me because I sleep like a rock but they fired off a couple of M80s close to my bedroom window.  The sound scared me  and I bolted upright in the bed.  It took me a couple minutes to get my bearings.  Once I was awake it took me till 3 to fall back to sleep.

Not so good, how come you always get people like that, my neighbours like to play their music when their parents are out.  They sometimes play it all until 4am in the morning, nightmare, Stuart is ok he sleeps through anything but I am such a light sleeper that anything wakes me up.  

 

I am glad the rain stopped for you though.  I hope you had a good time anyway