Hell Bent by Arlene Knowell w/Judith Noelle

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title:  Hell Bent
Author: Arlene Knowell with Judith Noelle 

Author Site

Buy Link

Publisher: Carnal Passions

Genre: Contemporary/Erotic Romance

Length: 96 pgs.
Other:  M/F

Reviewed by: Violet Harper

About The Book:

While living with her two Special Forces brothers, the last thing Mindy Austin expected was a stalker. After growing up in a military family, she wanted no part of a military man. So why was she naked on the California Cliffs with the military policeman assigned to her case?

The Review:

You know you’re enjoying a book when you argue with decisions a character makes, even when the decisions are stupid ones you can relate to because you’ve made the same mistakes yourself. Mindy is a woman trying to break free from an upbringing she wants to reject, but she can’t. Falling for Shane means she is consigning herself to the very life she doesn’t want. However, her objections must have been superficial because she sure got over the implications of loving Shane quickly. 

Knowell and Noelle have created four characters that are easy to like, which was a bit of a problem. I liked Mindy’s brothers Pat and Pete as much as the author intended for the reader to like them, but the story should have been told only from Mindy and Shane’s POV. During one point, the narrative shifts to Pat’s point of view, and while I’d love to read both Pat’s and Pete’s stories—this one isn’t it. An editor should have caught that.

In some parts, the order of events is confusing. I overlooked it in the first chapter because I figured that Mindy was so distraught she would be thinking in a random order, and so pertinent information made sense coming out of order. It was a little confusing at first, but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. However, it happens again when Pat confronts Shane, and then Shane describes getting the phone call that brought him face-to-face with Pat in the first place. This could have been solved by writing the entire scene from Shane’s point of view.

I liked the friendly writing style, and I laughed at some of the similes during sexual situations, like “hovered over her like a plane waiting for permission to land” and “The pressure building within her was intense. It would soon release like her grandmother’s pressure cooker on the stove.” Hell Bent is a cute tale full of romance and suspense, and it’s a great way to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 7-Two people embracing in front of a postcard view. It’s a pretty cover, but generic.

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