Katy, My Impact

I loved Damon’s character I vaguely remember him popping up in the other books and I loved all of the siblings in it so I knew this character would be no different. I loved him, he was so protective of his family and friends, I loved the interaction with his family especially as he was forced by his little nieces to build them a tree house, I loved the fact he always had time for his family. I think it showed when it came to interacting with Bee (Katy’s daughter). The only thing I can really complain of is that we don’t really know much of his past, the moment he meets Katy that’s all he is, I would have loved to know more about that.

Katy, I really liked her. I loved that she was willing to do whatever it took to keep Bee safe. Although they were squatting in houses she still taught her that it was wrong and that you had to work hard to get anywhere in life. I loved Bee. My problem with Katy is that anyone who tried to help her she was very suspicious of everyone, I get she was running from her past but she overreacted so many times when it came to somebody tried to help her. I also thought she was passing along some really terrible traits for Bee in terms of depriving her of people who love her and having that trust net to fall back on. Especially when Katy pulled her away from Damon when she found out he had a camera in his show home. I just didn’t agree with that when Katy did it. Also the fact that when things did begin to get romantic with Damon she didn’t try to tell him about her squatting in his show home. I know that sounds more bad about Katy but I loved how hard working she was and even when she got pregnant at 17 she refused to take the easy way out and support herself and her daughter.

I didn’t like Katy’s parents or how fast she seemed to forgive them for how they treated her. It didn’t sit well with me, I feel like there should have been more grovelling in that aspect.

The kidnap plot really wasn’t that well executed it kind of got lost in amongst the Damon and Katy love drama, it would have been better if it was more expended on. Other than that I loved the plot of Damon and Katy and I was on the side of my seat wondering when they were going to confess this secret to each other.

I love the big Greek family. I think this is one of my favourite things about these stories is that we see that big Greek family aspect!

5 Impacting Stars!!

Danielle’s writing is just superb, she pulls me in and I can’t put the book down! Impact is the 3rd installment in the Iron Orchids series and it’s just as good as the other two.

First I have to say I was so happy to Bee come back into this story!!! Her character touched my heart in book 2 and wanted to know more about her. Danielle delivered and then some.

Damon may be my favorite brother yet! His heart is nothing but pure gold.

Secrets, lies, love, lust, suspense and will make you laugh out loud! This story has it all and has definitely left an Impact on this reader!

“Real men will break her bed but never her heart”

The synopsis gives the impression of something a little more…erotic romance?…and what we get is effing amazing. Instead of being a hot alpha dude doing a little creeper viewing on the curvy hottie with a kid in a model home we get a hot alpha dude finding his heart’s home in a beautiful single mother struggling to raise her daughter with morals, safety, and love.

Katy is the world’s most awesome mom. Her fire, her fierce nature, her humor, her devotion to Bee, all of it made me love her so hard. She’s navigating a tricky situation but instead of putting her daughter in danger because she can’t think of a better option, she breaks into a model home and lives there temporarily. But it’s what she teaches her daughter as they make use of the safe home that floors me. The way she works, cleans, and educates Bee about hard work, not taking advantage or stealing, all things she could shirk because she has good reason to, and she doesn’t. She breaks my heart and gives me something to aspire to as a mother.

When Damon sees her and becomes protective, enamored, and enchanted with this little family I couldn’t have been more shocked or pleased. He’s obviously attracted to her, but the initial attraction deepens and strengthens the more he watches them from the safety of his iPad. And when they finally meet he’s even more fascinated.

Together they could be a force to be reckoned with. But it’s the patience and slowness that they evolve from co-workers to friends to more that makes me believe in them. Katy is cautious to a fault at times but Damon’s whole family gives her no choice but to be loved and appreciated. There’s no better safe place than in their circle of love, trust, and companionship.

Going through my own difficult situation at the moment makes me yearn for a circle of friends as awesome, hilarious, and genuine as the Iron Orchids. I’m absolutely reading this whole series!! When the bad stuff goes down between them there’s a whole huge heaping of overreactions and running from all that’s best for them, which is kind of predictable, but it’s the way they swallow their pride, apologize, grovel, and open themselves to complete honesty and love that annihilates me. There’s no better romance than one that has its downs followed by unaffected, honest ups. Impact has all that and incredible passion to boot.

“Impact” (Iron Orchids Book 3) by Danielle Norman is a great read. I loved Damon and Katy’s story. This is a great addition to the Iron Orchids Series, packed with close family and friends, passion, humor, some moments that make you tear up, entertaining characters, and more. Several times I cracked up laughing while reading. I’m excited to read what happens next in this great series. Highly recommend to all fans of romance, entertaining characters, family, and series.

~WRITING – PLOT – PACE~
So I LOVED book one in this series but wasn’t a huge fan of book two. That made this book the make it or break it book of the series. And I liked it. Not quite as much as book one but WAY more than I did book two. The writing was fantastic. The pace was very good. It was humorous <-- I think this author excels at writing funny scenes. The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. I had a tiny bit of an issue with the mystery aspect feeling underdeveloped. The climax just sort of came out of left field. It didn't have enough buildup or background info laid out to support it. Because of that it just felt like the author threw it in at the last moment for extra drama. Last, this was all wrapped up in a sweet if somewhat confusing epilogue. We get a look at this couple (and everyone else) three years on. The slightly odd part was that we hear about two of the brothers and their wives who haven't gotten books (or heroines) yet. Personally, I just think epilogues like that are better suited for the final book of a series than the middle of one. That's just ME though. ~HERO~ DAMON...I don't have much to say about the guy. He was a good hero. He was sweet. He was sexy. I loved his relationship with Bee. I loved his interactions with his family. I have NO idea if he was a manwhore or not (I felt not) but there is next to nothing said about his sexual past. He was all about Katy right from the start. ~HEROINE~ KATY...sigh. Katy was pretty much the sole reason I didn't love this one more. I had a bit of a like-hate thing going on with her character. Sometimes she came across really warm and sweet especially in her interactions with Bee. But a lot of the times (especially in her inner thoughts) she just sounded like a cold grade-A bitch. She just had such a nasty attitude towards anyone trying to help her. I don't know. I am having a hard time expressing why I didn't like her. I just never totally warmed up to her. ~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~ As with the first two books, the best parts are the secondary characters. I love all the brothers. I love the wives. The mothers. The fathers. The friends. I ADORE Ringo. I love the kids. I just love the whole BIG FAT GREEK FAMILY feel these books have. ~HEAT LEVEL~ Low. This was super slow burn in my opinion. No sex until 70% into the book. That said, the few sex scenes we got were suitably hot. That couple had OK on page sexual chemistry. I'm chalking my OK feelings about it up to me not loving the heroine (lol). ~ANGST LEVEL~ Low. I didn't find this one particularly angsty. The relationship is pretty intsta. There are a few bumps in the road, but nothing HUGE. There was also no OW or OM drama. ~IN THE END~ I liked it. There were a few things that kept me from rating it higher but all in all, it was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Therefore, yours truly is giving this one two thumbs up and I am excited to see which brother is going to get his HEA next < -- I vote for Tristian!

Katy Nichols would do anything for her daughter Bee. When she became pregnant in high school, her parents kicked her out when she refused to have an abortion. She’s been on her own ever since. As a single mother, she struggles to make ends meet. In an effort to save enough for permanent housing, Katy and her daughter have been sneaking in to and staying in the model homes in a new housing development. She’s not proud of this, but does what she can to make amends by cleaning the homes they stay in.

When Damon Christakos finds a child’s sock and drawings in one of the model homes for his construction company, he decides to install surveillance equipment to find out what is going on. When he sees a mother and child living in the home, he can’t quite stop watching and listening to them interact. With no intentions of turning them in, Damon instead finds a way to offer Katy a job without her realizing he knows who she is or where she has been living.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, but Damon truly wants to give this woman and her daughter a chance at a better life. He never expected to fall for both of them as quickly as he did and now he wants to make them a permanent part of his life. Katy is not up to taking a handout for anyone, but the job offer seems to be a godsend when she needs it most. What she didn’t expect to come with it was a large Greek family that immediately takes her and Bee in making them a part of their large and loving family with no questions asked.

What happens, however, when the truth finally comes out . . . as a secret this big can’t stay hidden forever. Katy’s past is also coming after her and Bee with a vengeance and the only thing standing between her and the biggest mistake of her life is Damon. Will it be enough to not only keep Katy and Bee safe but also keep them in his life?

While Impact part of a series, it could easily be read as a standalone – it was actually my first book I have read in the series and I had no issues jumping right in. I immediately fell in love with this story and the characters. Katy is an awesome mom and has raised a very special little girl. I loved how close the two of them are and was thrilled when they suddenly found themselves surrounded by family, even if it wasn’t theirs, for the first time in Bee’s life.

Damon is a gem of a man. He really wanted to do the right thing by Katy and Bee even before he knew who they were and just how important they would become to him. Even though you knew the secret would eventually come out, you could see just how genuine his feelings were for both Katy and Bee. The entire Christakos is also amazing. I love how easily the incorporated Katy and Bee into their family, even if things with Damon don’t last forever.

I found this to really be a sweet and feel good story and want more from this series! 5 stars!

I really enjoyed this third book in the Iron Orchids series. The theme of family is really strong in Impact, but the humor, love, and The Gang #notagang are all here in the excellent writing I loved in the first two books. The only thing stopping me from giving this five stars was the crazy surprise toward the end of the book. No spoilers but I felt like it came out of left field and would have liked a bit more backstory.
Damon is my favorite Christakos family member so far. He’s sexy, kind, extremely caring, and has carpenter’s hands, one of my personal favorite attributes on a man. He’s also strong and quite literally sweeps Katy off her feet. Katy is snarky and has a damaged heart, but she also has so much love to give. I loved these two together and I especially like them as parents for Bee. Bee steals your heart in this book. I adored the ending and cheered for all of them.
If you enjoyed either of the first two books in the series you won’t want to miss this one. It’s also a stand alone novel so you don’t need to have read them in order to enjoy this book.
I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Danielle’s words!

Impact is amazing. I was laughing non stop through this whole read. I started to fall in love with the Christakos family, the ladies of Iron Orchids and lets not forget Ringo from the very first book. I fell further with the whole lot in this third book. Damon is totally swoon worthy. Seriously after finding the evidence left in his houses he could have done something totally different then he did. But no he fell for Katy and Bee at first video footage. Katy and Bee may be homeless but they are a strong surviving mother and daughter duo. Their antics will keep you in stitches the whole read. Bee is an absolute delight. You will fall in love with them all. I laughed and cried at times. I want to be a member of this family. The Iron Orchids series just keeps getting better and better and I really can’t wait for more to come.

Impact is the 3rd in the Iron Orchids series. This is one of my favorite series. I love that Impact surrounds some previously hinted at characters. For those who have read the first two books, maybe you will remember the cute, cloud watching girl named Bee. Her and her mother are the heroines of Impact. Although the story surrounds Katy, Bee wins my heart even more. Impact shows the hardships of life and how strong people overcome. The dynamics of the Christakos family shines even more in Impact as they draw together to help each other and those outside the circle. The Iron Orchids acceptance of new members and their humor in situations makes this series worth the read. Danielle Norman mixes real life situations with humor and finesse and Impact is no different. Remember ladies, real men will break your bed but never your heart.