JB & Mac

[melissa]

Okay - so I came onto Darkfever unexpectedly. I was wondering through the bookstore ( a very rare occasion, since I live three hours from the closest one!) and saw a book with Karen's name on it. Having read her Highlanders, I bought it without even reading the cover. I hate the paper covers on hardbacks and so had thrown it away. Imagine my surprise while reading Darkfever that the Highlander I was expecting never popped up! And without the cover - there was no synopsis and so no explaination. Soooo, I went to the internet to find out about the book. It was interesting, but not IMO on a level with KMM's other books.

So I found Karen's interview about Darkfever and got my explaination - things were beginning to make more sense! But then I got side tracked by the forums. Once I started reading all of your posts, I got confused again. I didn't pick up on a lot of the things you all were talking about, soooo back to the book for a re-read. I must say it makes much more sense when you have a point of reference to begin with:happy0194: And the re-read changed my opinion of the book as well.:anim_headbang-vi:

But I have to say - Mac & JB :7x-vi: I just really don't get that vibe. To me it seems more a teacher/student relationship, and like JB only tolerates Mac - not has the hots for her. I know, I know - he makes the comment about her mouth being too busy for her to talk :65:, but in the context of where they are when he says it - it seems more like a guy comment, than any real interest in Mac's mouth becoming aquainted with his privates.

As for the comments about Mac and V'Lane - really?? Can't see that one either.

Okay - so you all probably think I am nuts about now, and I haven't read the Bloodfever booklet, so maybe you all know something I don't. Either way - I am among the hoardes eagerly awaiting October:2v-vi:

[claudia celestial girl]

You know I wasn't impressed with the book either, as I was reading the first few chapters. In fact I just hated Mac at first. I wrote something similar to Jo on a different thread. I had a terrible reaction to Mac at first. I was screaming at her for being a moron. And I would not have finished the book except that I had nothing else to do at the time.

But as soon as JB appeared, the book took off for me. I sense the chemistry between JB and Mac right away. As soon as he grabbed her credit card and called her 'just Mac.' Then the scene at the Clarin hotel at 2 am ... I was 'in!'

That scene is classic! As soon as he shows up, and Mac is slammed away like she was hit upside the head with mom's cast iron frying pan, you can feel the tension. As a reader you're wondering how he got there? How did he track her down, and how dangerous is he? And the tension mounts from there. IMHO. She, like, has to put her bra away, under the bed after he walks in, and she *Knows* he saw it lying there. I'm right there with Mac, as she's playing Alina's message for him, watching his face wondering if he knows anything about her sister. I"m 'there' wondering if he is going to kill her, and when he doesn't, I'm starting to wonder if there is a warm heart under all that arrogance. I start re-thinking how he reacted to seeing her through the cracked door. :anim_naughty-vi:

It's interesting because as a writer, and I don't know how KMM does it, you have to not 'tell' what is going on. And you have to leave it to your readers to 'read' things into a scene that aren't explicitly there. Yes, I think the student teacher vibe is there, but also I read a lot of sexual tension into each and every scene. Especially when subsequent scenes build on it. Like the scene when Mac is wearing the beautiful, short, sexy dress that Fio 'procured' for her, and JB's mood is completely different. :65:

I think the genius of this series is how the relationship is being allowed to develop, instead of like in a standard romance, how it starts off with a (superficial) bang. I love it, and I wish more romance novels were like this one. You Go, KMM!!! :2v-vi:

[Cheryle]

I have to agree with Claudia, and correct me anyone if I am wrong, in one of KMM's newsletters there is a kiss between JB and Mac a hot one. I could be wrong though that could have been the one where we don't know wether it is V'Lane or JB.

I have to say though I am pretty sure there will be a relationship between Mac and JB and Mac and V'Lane before the series is over. I am not sure who she will end up with my vote is JB. I am very interested in seeing how this will all play out as the series developes.

[miss lulu]

I have to agree with Claudia, and correct me anyone if I am wrong, in one of KMM's newsletters there is a kiss between JB and Mac a hot one. I could be wrong though that could have been the one where we don't know wether it is V'Lane or JB.

I have to say though I am pretty sure there will be a relationship between Mac and JB and Mac and V'Lane before the series is over. I am not sure who she will end up with my vote is JB. I am very interested in seeing how this will all play out as the series developes.

You are right, here:

"Damn you, Barrons!" I shouted.

He gave me a smile that chilled my blood: inhuman, cold, savage. The kiss he followed it with made my head spin and my skin burn.

Then his mouth was gone and he was walking away. "I'm afraid someone already beat you to that, Ms. Lane," he said, and laughed.

But something may happen with V'lane:

I was terrified he would touch me. I was terrified he would never touch me, and I would have to live the rest of my life without ever knowing what it felt like. A sidhe-seer has no greater enemy than a Fae--yet here I was desperate for the forbidden touch of Faery skin against mine.

"Come here, MacKayla," he commanded.

Oh, God, he was going to touch me.

And the reason I say it is V'lane is not only because Mac says Fae, but because JB does not call her by MacKayla, so far only Ms.Lane...........my vote goes to JB:drool-vi:!!! At least he tells her how it is!

[Cheryle]

lulu, I like how you think girl! JB all the way :anim_naughty-vi:

[snakecharmer]

Hey there Ladies,
When I first read Darkfever I kept in mind that Karen had stated that it wasn't going to be like her other romance 1 a piece novels. That it was a saga of sorts. She said that there will be romance in the series just not in Darkfever. I have to say I loved it!! We get to experience relationships forming and a character growing and maturing as a woman. Also there are so many questions that aren't answered that it leaves you begging for the next book. I personally love book series. This series will have the same characters but they will seem different as the series progresses on. Mac (transforming from an innocent small town southern belle into a well knowledgeable Unseelie fighting machine. Barrons from an unfeeling brute of a mystery man to something more. So yeah I loved it. Cant wait to read more.

[ImAddicted]

I feel theres a connection with JB and Mac, granted, it's not full blown yet, but...Theres definetly a "tension" of sorts between them. I love the "love/hate" (if you can call it that) relationship between them. I love how he just turns up at the right times and saves her bacon. But, boy all mighty is he mean to her. I hope like she says in DF that one day she'll push him (oh, maybe it was the BF teaser in the end of DF) to the breaking point just to see what he'll do. *shivers in anticipation* I can't wait for that storm. I thought Karen did a good job with this book, it was different from her usual but still wonderful. I must confess that I too disliked Mac a little in the beginning. She seems very superficial and worldly, ie her fashion obsession and self-absorbsion. But, I think that was done on purpose so that we can see how her character is going to grow from these experiences, that we can watch her transition from girl to tough, hard, woman.

[Astaroth]

I loved the book from the first page........and it was shocking to me how Jericho in the first few chapters seemed so hostile and he actually hurt Mac..........but then i understood why later on.............although I would not mind if he manhandled me.......LOL