Review & Giveaway: Heart Of The Devil by Meghan March

March 12, 2019 by · 2 Comments

DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
Series: The Forge Trilogy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: March 12, 2019

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes the stunning conclusion to the Forge Trilogy. In this final volume, ruthless billionaire Jericho Forge faces his toughest challenge. To emerge victorious, he’ll have to give up the one thing he’s never offered a woman—his heart.

It started as a game. She was nothing but my pawn.

But I was quick to see the error in my ways, and now she is everything I never knew I needed.

The value of a woman like India Baptiste is beyond measure.

But the problem with being a man like me? I’ve already screwed this up, and there’s no guarantee India will take me on for one last bet.

I’ll do whatever I have to do. Drop to my knees and offer her the only thing I have left. The one thing that’s only ever been hers—the heart of the devil.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

Jericho Forge doesn’t have a single clue what it’s like to be the center of someone’s world. He’s about to find out.

The pulse pounding trilogy conclusion is here and in true Meghan March fashion, it goes out with a bang!

The Forge Trilogy is like a good piece of chocolate, you can’t have just one. And three books is just enough to hook, reel, sinker! This has easily been two of my most favorite characters from March to date.

She’s a siren, and I’m the sailor she’s trying to lure in. I’ve never wrecked a ship, but she could tempt me to do anything.

There is nothing more satisfying to watch than a man that’s ultimately a fortress of hidden feelings fall hard for a woman he never saw coming. Indie was supposed to be a chess piece in the ultimate game of revenge for him. Just another pawn in an intricate and dangerous game with some very dangerous players. Pun most certainly intended.

Indie is definitely one of my most favorite heroines March has ever written. I love a heroine that has an effortless sort of strength to her. This is a woman that is ready and willing to fight for what she wants, and I loved getting to watch her show Forge exactly why he fell for her in this book.

There’s plenty of action and even more plot twists that will keep you riveted to the pages from beginning to end. If ever there was a binge read, this book was it. A delicious conclusion to a perfectly paced and scintillating trilogy that’s going straight to my favorites list. My only quibble is a certain revelation in the end. While it totally caught me unaware, I found it just a little lackluster. I don’t know why. I suppose I had it built up in my head, and it worked against me here. So it is very well a case of me here. But that VERY small quibble aside, this book was the perfect conclusion and it’s become one of my favorite trilogies from this author.

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

You can find her online at: MeghanMarch.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Giveaways · Tagged With: , ,

#DGRFave & Review: Wicked Sexy by @JTGeissinger

March 7, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

WICKED SEXY
Series: Wicked Games #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: September 25, 2018

A badass ex-Special Ops officer and a smartass hacker fight a dangerous enemy…and a blistering attraction to each other.

Connor Hughes is an ex-special ops officer, CEO of Metrix Security, and bonafide badass. His private security firm is renowned for its effectiveness. He’s renowned for his lethal precision and iron self-control. But when the former Marine meets a gorgeous young hacker with a mouth as smart as her brain, his control unravels in ways he never could have predicted.

Tabitha West is a genius MIT dropout with a bad attitude, an obsession with Hello Kitty and piercings in unmentionable places. Tabby amuses herself by outwitting the most secure technology systems on the planet. Known in hacker circles as Polaroid due to her photographic memory, she’s as secretive as she is accustomed to working alone. So when Connor decides she’s the only one who can help him catch a cyber criminal intent on taking down one of his clients, she tells him exactly where he can stick it.

But when the cyber criminal turns out to be the Hannibal Lecter of computer crime—and a dark presence from Tabby’s past—Tabby and Connor are drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. They quickly find themselves fighting not only their common enemy, but also an explosive desire that threatens to consume them.

When the stakes are this high and the game this deadly, will falling in love be the most dangerous move of all?

AMAZON

Should I jump to the ending? Spoiler alert: the hero saves her.”
Tabby looks over at me, her eyes shining like gems in the dark. “A real hero would teach the princess how to save herself.”

Where has this book been all my life?! I mean, you GUYS! The amount of love I had for this completely unputdownable story is so ridiculous, I lost count. It had everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING. A badass, take no prisoners, sharp witted and sassy heroine. Banter that will make your life. Sexual tension that will make you shiver. And a total badass, dirty talking hero that’s a doppelgänger for Dwayne Johnson
YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

Hacker extraordinaire and just overall badass, Tabby, was easily one of my favorite heroines.

I’m not weird. I’m limited edition.”

This woman made the book for me. Everything from her extremely quirky sense of style and love of hello kitty, to her piercings, and topped off with her sassy mouth just DID things for me. She’s a total ball buster and I couldn’t get enough of the way she gives as good as she gets.

When she first meets Connor in Wicked Beautiful, it’s (lusty) hate at first sight. Now, three years later, she’s no more thrilled to have the man breaking into her room and propositioning her with work. She hates everything about Connor, starting from his all black wardrobe, to his unnerving ability to get a rise out of her, and topped off with his ridiculous sexiness, she wants nothing to do with the man.

Let me tell you, the sexual tension between these two is so potent, I thought MY ovaries would explode. I’m talking fireworks here, people! These two together were everything. JUST EVERYTHING. I couldn’t get enough of their back and forth insults. Mainly because of the heavy underlaying cloak of lust that was in every sarcastic bard they threw at each other. God. GOD. It was utterly delicious.

Connor’s dirty mouth was almost as amazing as the incredibly sizzling love scenes and the slow building and potent romance.

With convulsions that shake the bed, she orgasms in my mouth.
Thunder booms. Lightning flashes. The first of the rain begins a soft, drumming song against the roof.
And for the first time in my adult life, I discover the true meaning of the word yearning.

Then you have the page-turning suspense that will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very last page, and you’ve got yourself one amazing read. I loved the mystery of Tabby’s past and the big baddie hacker that you’re practically ravenous to learn more about. This was an incredible fast-paced, action packed and damn near incendiary read that I can’t recommend enough. Chock full of passion, emotion, with fascinating multi-layered characters and a story that you never want to end, Wicked Sexy was absolutely everything I love about romance.

You’re beautiful, jarhead,” I say brokenly.
He pants, “I’m yours, princess.”

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: , ,

Review: The Scoundrel In Her Bed by Lorraine Heath

March 6, 2019 by ·

THE SCOUNDREL IN HER BED
Series: Sins for all Seasons #3
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Lorraine Heath
Release Date: February 26, 2019

The bastard son of a nobleman, Finn Trewlove was a shameful secret raised by a stranger.

As Finn came of age he had secrets, too–the clandestine nights spent with an earl’s daughter.

But her promise of forever ended in betrayal.

Driven by a past that haunts her, Lady Lavinia Kent seeks redemption in London’s underworld, engaged in a daring cause inspired by the young man to whom she gave her innocence, and who then proved himself a scoundrel by abandoning her.

When their paths cross again, they can’t deny the yearning and desire that still burns.

As they discover the truth behind the deceptions that tore them apart, Finn and Lavinia must fight to reclaim what they’ve lost, no matter how dangerous—because love is worth the risk….

 

AMAZON

How could he be happy when all he’d ever wanted was her, and all she now wanted was the freedom to do as she pleased?

I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance, and this book definitely delivered on that front. Vivi and Finn’s story spans the course of several years. They meet when Vivi is just fifteen, fall in love when she’s seventeen, and fall apart in a devastating fashion only for their life to cross paths eight years later. But neither of them are the people they once were.

I loved the set up of the story. Finn, the bastard son of a nobleman meets and falls for a woman far beyond his poor reach. Vivi may be the daughter of an earl, set to marry a duke almost from birth, but titles mean nothing for her when she first lays eyes on Finn. The story unfolds in alternate flashes of past and present, allowing the reader to see how they met while they anxiously wait to see what caused them to ultimately fall apart.

Years later, Finn is no longer the starry eyed boy that fell in love with a girl beyond his standing. And Vivi is no longer the naive young woman that thought as long as she and Finn were together, nothing could harm them. Vivi has dedicated her life to hunting down of baby farmers and rescuing the young children and babies from a fate sometimes worse than death. I really loved her singleminded focus on finding these children. There’s a wealth of secrets hidden beneath the eight years they spent apart, but when their paths cross again, it doesn’t take long for those secrets to unravel and for the connection that was between them years ago to spark back to life. The mystery of what happens is stretched out in tiers, which I really enjoyed. You get one part of it fairly quickly, while the other part continues to unravel chapter by chapter.

I really loved the story and the characters, but ultimately I struggled to feel the chemistry between them. I just never fully bought into it. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it was a struggle from the moment they met to when they finally reconnect. I felt like I’m being told that they have this incredible connection rather than truly feeling it. And while I loved the two of them together, I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted something a little…more.

Did I enjoy this book? Absolutely! It was a page turner from beginning to finish. And while I did wish that I felt a little more of the passion, I still thoroughly enjoyed the romance.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Historical Romance · Tagged With: ,

Review: Pure Bliss by Lexi Blake

March 5, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

PURE BLISS
Series: Nights In Bliss #6
Genre: Erotic Romance, Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: March 5, 2019

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

The town of Bliss, Colorado, offered Hope McLean a second chance at life, a gift she cherishes every day. Her past was dominated by dark secrets and regret, most of which centered on a man named Christian Grady. All of that was behind her now, years of horror distilled down into the occasional nightmare or a random feeling of being watched. Surrounded by new friends, she tried hard to leave the past where it belonged—in the rearview mirror.

Raised together, James Glen and Noah Bennett were the best of friends. They dreamed of growing up in Bliss, finding love, and settling down to share their lives on the Circle G ranch. James would manage the day-to-day operations of the ranch while Noah served the town as the resident veterinarian. Everything was perfectly planned out, until a woman came between them and their future shattered. Noah left Bliss for New York City and James was left to struggle to keep the Circle G alive on his own.

Noah returns to Bliss on a mission to rebuild his life. When he sees Hope, he knows his return home was meant to be. Hope’s kindness shines like a beacon calling him to her. Unfortunately, he isn’t the only man interested in Hope. James is also interested in the beautiful girl with a mysterious past. He can’t be forced to choose between the woman of his dreams and his best friend again.

As romance begins to bloom, a dark specter from Hope’s past returns to claim her. To save Hope, and themselves, James and Noah will have to rebuild the relationship they lost and fight for their future with Hope together.

AMAZON

She’s going to learn her place.” Hope gasped, an irritated sound. “And where is that?”
“Between us, baby,” James said, taking over where Noah had left off. “Always between us.”

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, this series is one of my favorite guilty pleasure reads. It packs emotion with sizzling hot MFM romance, wonderfully broken and multi-layered characters, and a perfectly paced suspenseful underlayer to make for one page-turner of a read!

James has been a character that I’ve been curious about since he first made an appearance in the series. I loved the fact that James himself was the son of a triad family dynamic. Sharing is pretty much in his blood. And while Noah isn’t his brother by blood, their fathers shared their stepmother, and showed them that a happy relationship with three people is possible. Noah and James are brothers in all ways that count. That is until a woman comes between them and severs a bond that they thought was unbreakable.

Years later, James is still not over the wound his brother’s leaving left. None of his relationships have been more than a night spent between the sheets. Which is also why he’s been avoiding Hope, because he knows without even trying, that she’d be so much more. But when a promise to keep her safe puts him fully in his crosshairs, he knows he can’t stay away. Then the sudden reappearance of his brother throws everything for a loop, especially when he seems to want Hope as much as he does.

I really loved Noah, even more than James at times. This man had his heart and trust broken by a gold digger, and yet he doesn’t let that color his future. He still believes in love and happily ever after, and while his ex wife left a stain, she didn’t ruin him. I adored him for this. James is definitely the cynical one in this relationship. I loved the push and pull he and Noah have with Hope. They truly fought like two siblings only could over a desired possession. But Hope was having none of it. I loved that she gave as good as she got. She’s not afraid to put either brother in his place.

There’s the added layer of suspense with Hope’s past and the mystery of what happened. I couldn’t wait to unravel all of her secrets and to see what happened to make her run so fast and hide.

Pure Bliss was everything I’ve come to expect from Lexi Blake; sexy, suspenseful, emotional, and a total page turner. I can’t wait for more in this series!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Lost And Found by @authorlexiblake

February 26, 2019 by · 2 Comments

LOST AND FOUND
Series: Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: February 26, 2018

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

AMAZON

Somehow this woman had invaded his soul and taken up all the empty spaces. 

The mistress of sexy espionage strikes again! Lost and Found was one deliciously action-packed ride that was full of twists and turns and brimming with passion!

I’ve been looking forward to Owen’s book for a long time. Owen has been a character that I’ve been curious about ever since Submission is Not Enough. A man that was dealt with an impossible choice; save his mother and sister by betraying his team. Unfortunately not only does he betray his team, he loses his family anyway, right along with his memory. Now driven by the need to right the wrongs that he can’t remember, Owen is determined to do anything his team needs to get the job done. This is a hero that’s impossible not to fall for. There’s something so vulnerable and raw about him. How do you recover from making a choice that leads to the ultimate betrayal but not remember what led you there?

Rebecca is a brilliant doctor and researcher. She’s dedicated her life to finding the cure to degenerative neurological diseases and their effect on memory. With the possibility of a connection to the evil Dr. McDonald, she also may hold the key to many of the answers that Ezra and his team are desperately seeking.

I’ll admit, at first I was afraid I wouldn’t like Rebecca. I thought she may be the stereotypical brainiac that’s shy, introverted, and awkward. Yes, I know, apparently I can be judgy. But she was none of those things. Yes, she was adorably quirky, but not in the way you’d expect. This is a woman that’s trying to get herself out there after a bitter divorce. She’s eager to experience everything life has to offer and say yes to things one small experience at a time.

She’s supposed to be just a mission to Owen, but the minute that he comes face to face with the beautiful doctor, the chemistry between them is instant. He and his team have subtly inserted themselves in her life and her building. Owen refuses to believe the lively woman could have knowingly made the drug that cost them all their memories. But nothing is ever what it seems in the word of Lexi Blake.

I devoured this book, y’all! I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I was at the edge of my seat, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And as Owen and Rebecca grew closer, I was anxiously waiting for the time that she’d realize that Owen is not at all who he seems to be. I loved the two of them together and the way they seemed to bring out a certain strength in the other. They were both such multilayered characters that held so much depth. I couldn’t get enough of them together.

The plot certainly begins to thicken with more revelations of Tucker’s connection to Dr. McDonald, Green’s ultimate plan, and other tidbits of the lost boys. I loved getting more Ari and Robert, and can’t wait for their book next. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t foaming at the mouth for both Tucker and Ezra’s books. As more details unravel about “Dr. Razor”, my fascination with him is turning dang near rabid.

Lost and Found was everything I’ve come to love about Lexi’s books. The woman knows how to draw the reader in, hook them and keep them riveted to the pages. She effortlessly combines espionage with action, suspense, and just a touch of BDSM to make you addicted to the series. I never thought I’d say that I love a spin-off series more than my beloved Masters and Mercenaries series, but here we are!

2 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, BDSM, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: , , ,

Excerpt & Review: Devil’s Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

February 25, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

DEVIL’S DAUGHTER
Series: The Ravenels #5
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Release Date: February 25, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn’t…

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he’s a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband’s life a misery, and she’ll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself…as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire…not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn’t bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She’s the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil’s daughter knows…

AMAZON | IndieBound | B&N | B-A-M | iBOOKS | GOOGLE PLAY

“If you have any misguided thoughts about taking me into your bed, you would find it a vastly mediocre experience. I’d be on you like a crazed rabbit, and half a minute later the whole thing would be over. I used to be a proficient lover, but now I’m a burnt-out libertine whose only remaining pleasure is breakfast food. Speaking of which—”

Phoebe reached for him, brought herself up hard against him, and interrupted him with her mouth. West flinched as if scalded and held very still in the manner of a man trying to withstand torture. Undeterred, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as passionately as she could, touching her tongue to his stiff lips. The feel and taste of him was exhilarating. Suddenly he responded with a primitive grunt and his mouth clamped on hers, wringing sensation from her with demanding pressure. Forcing her lips apart, he searched her with his tongue the way she remembered, and it felt so good, she thought she might faint. A whimper rose from her throat, and he licked and bit gently at the sound and sealed their mouths together in a deep, insatiable kiss that involved his lips, breath, hands, body, soul.

Whatever it might be like to go to bed with this man . . . it would be anything but mediocre

He kissed like a man who had lived too fast, learned too late, and had finally found the thing he wanted.

I feel myself fall into a perpetual state of bliss each time I crack open a Lisa Kleypas book. And this time was no different. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book, and now that I’ve finished it, quite frankly, I don’t know what to do with myself. Devil’s Daughter was everything I had hoped it would be, and trust me when I tell you that I hope a GREAT DEAL.

Devil in Winter was my very first historical romance. So of course Sebastian will forever hold a special place in my heart not only because of that, but because he also happens to be one of my favorite historical heroes. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book to see his daughter get her HEA. And my what a ride it was!

There’s nothing wicked about you, except your kisses.”

Phoebe, Lady Clare was a phenomenal heroine. She has a sweet and caring disposition, but beneath all that is one incredibly strong woman. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew that she’d marry Henry. Even knowing that their time together would be short, it was worth it. After losing her beloved husband to his illness, Phoebe is left to their slowly crumbling estate with their two children.

West Ravenel was a name she was all too familiar with, since he was the boy bully that made Henry’s life miserable at boarding school. Meeting the man is nothing what Phoebe expects. West is no longer the bullying scoundrel but a man that tempts her at every step. I adored the slow burn between Phoebe and West. It was a perfectly paced, swoony, and angsty ride that I couldn’t put down for even a second. West was everything that Phoebe needed and nothing what she expected. He was sweet and caring, protective and playful, and effortlessly charming.

And while you see Phoebe’s slow decent into love with West, he struggles with his feelings. Not because he denies it, but because after his past he feels himself underserving of someone like Phoebe. My heart ached for him and everything he’s been through. And I simply adored the way that Phoebe and her sons slowly but surely thaw his heart.

Of course one of my favorite parts of the books were getting more of Sebastian. I loved seeing him as a husband, father, and grandfather. Age does nothing to diminish his intensity and playfulness.

I, meddle?” His brows lifted, and he looked positively indignant. “Evie, what can you be thinking?” “That you’re meddling.”
“From time to time, I may adjust a situation to achieve a desired outcome for the benefit of my children, but that’s not meddling.”
“What do you call it, then?”
“Parenting,” he said smugly, and kissed her before she could reply.

This book had everything; romance, emotion, angst, and humor. It was everything I’ve come to expect from this incredibly talented author. I love getting snippets of some of my favorite characters from previous books. And of course I love the way she’s able to weave the Ravenels and the Wallflowers together.

West was this amazing combination of vulnerability with a side of broken. This is a man that continues to struggle with the demons of his past and it takes a strong woman to get him to see beyond what he thinks he deserves. And some meddling from her well-meaning father doesn’t hurt either.

I loved this book from start to finish and I’m already itching for my next fix in this series.

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She’s a RITA award-winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Connect with Lisa

Website: https://lisakleypas.com/

Facebook: @LisaKleypas

Twitter: @LisaKleypas

Instagram: @LisaKleypas

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Historical Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Overture by Skye Warren

February 19, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

OVERTURE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Forbidden
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: February 19, 2019

Forbidden fruit never tasted this sweet…

The world knows Samantha Brooks as the violin prodigy. She guards her secret truth—the desire she harbors for her guardian.

Liam North got custody of her six years ago. She’s all grown up now, but he still treats her like a child. No matter how much he wants her.

No matter how bad he aches for one taste.

Her sweet overtures break down the ex-soldier’s defenses, but there’s more at stake than her body. Every touch, every kiss, every night. The closer she gets, the more exposed his darkest secret.

She’s one step away from finding out what happened the night she lost her family. One step away from leaving him forever.

OVERTURE is the first novel in a brand new series from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren.

AMAZON

It’s an exquisite torture, wrong on every level, and I never want it to end.

An underage music prodigy, her fierce protector, taboo romance, and a sweet sizzle of a slow born that’s expertly crafted made Overture one delicious page turner!

I love the sweet torture of a good slow burn, and this book definitely delivered on that front. It sets the stage for what I could already tell is going to be one epic romance. The heroine is a musical prodigy on the cusp of her eighteenth birthday and desperately in love with her legal guardian. Samantha has never been what society would consider normal. Her violin has been her closest companion and all she knows. She lives and breathes for her music. I was almost a little afraid that I’d get frustrated by her because she’s so sheltered, but there’s something so fierce about her that I just loved. Yes, she’s young. Yes, she’s inexperienced. But she’s certainly not sheltered, no matter how much Liam tries. This is a girl that lived a hard life and never truly felt the warmth of a parent’s love. She knows abandonment and pain. She also knows what she wants, and that’s Liam.

I’m the one who made the overture. He’s the one who will retreat.

Liam is everything I love in Skye’s heroes; he’s fiercely protective, broody and broken. And while he’s not related to Sam by blood, their age difference alone is reason enough to keep his hands off of her. No matter how much he yearns otherwise. There’s such a deliciously torturous back and forth dance of seduction and retreat that these two go through and I couldn’t get enough of it. Liam fights his feelings for Sam with everything he’s got. He’s a soldier first and her protector. He can’t imagine a world where he can be her lover. He’s to broken to offer her his heart. And he doesn’t want to hold her back from her potential.

If you’re looking to dip your toes in the taboo genre without totaling immersing yourself in the waters, this is the perfect book! I love a good forbidden romance, but this one is like a three on a ten scale. I wanted that taste of forbidden and that slightly uncomfortable feeling of rooting for something oh so wrong. The romance here didn’t quite feel like that. Perhaps because it WAS such a slow burn that it allows the reader to truly understand both of these characters and get comfortable with their differences. I can’t help but wish it was a touch more taboo-ish, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: The Risk by Elle Kennedy

February 18, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE RISK
Series: Briar U #2
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: February 18, 2019

A sexy standalone novel from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy. THE RISK takes you back to the world of hot hockey players, feisty heroines, bro banter, and steamy scenes…

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take.

AMAZON

It’s official. I’m hot for this girl. 

Reading an Elle Kennedy book is like eating your favorite ice cream; it’s a sweet treat that feels slightly naughty and you just love every minute of it. So what can I tell you about The Risk? I loved it! It was enemies to lovers goodness that I devoured from start to finish with a goofy smily on my face the entire time!

Ever since Jake and Brenna immediately caught my attention the second they appeared on the pages of The Chase. I love me a sassy heroine, and boy does Brenna tick all the boxes for me. It’s not often you read a perfectly endearing bad girl that oozes self confidence, has a razor sharp with, and doesn’t shy away from being a ball buster when necessary. Suffice it to say, I LOVED Brenna. She’s not perfect by any means, but she’s funny, is comfortable in her own skin, and has no problem speaking her mind. This is also how she finally gets on Jake’s radar.

Jake is the captain of the rival hockey team in Harvard. And when Brenna proves to be a distraction to one of his teammates, he’s not shy about warning her off. But no one tells Brenna what to do, so the only thing it accomplishes is stocking a fire that soon threatens to consume them both.

Jake is a bad boy in his own right. He’s on the path to the pros and nothing and no one will stop him. He doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t do repeats. He has no time for the distraction that a woman can bring. He certainly doesn’t see Brenna coming, but boy does she leave an impression. And once she’s on his radar, he can’t stop thinking about her.

This was a slow burn to beat all slow burn. The delicious push and pull between these two was EVERYTHING. Their banter and chemistry was like a fire that just burned hotter and hotter with each chapter.

Want to make out some more before we go?” Jake’s tone is boyishly hopeful.
“Nope.”
His gaze turns devilish. “How about a blowjob?”
“Aw, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t have a penis.”

There were the secondary characters that I’ve come to love; and I’m seriously hoping we get Hunter’s book next. But the two that really stole the show for me here were Rupi and Hollis. Of all the hysterical and dysfunctional relationships, this one took the cake. And oh my god, I couldn’t get enough of these two. They were absolutely nuts.

And while you get the funny and sexy, there’s also a good dose of serious here. There’s some things in Brenna’s past that continue to haunt her present, and I really loved the way that Elle Kennedy handled this particular subject matter. There’s also a really uncomfortable but honest look at gender inequality and misogyny that I wished we got a more satisfying conclusion for, but alas, that’s not how life works. So I suppose I’ll be happy with what we got.

Ultimately, The Risk was a fantastic second installment in another addicting NA series from one of my favorite authors. It was a perfect enemies to lovers romance with a slow burn and plenty of laughs. It had wonderful secondary characters and perfectly developed and multilayered main characters. I loved both Jake and Brenna and I especially loved seeing their growth throughout the book. A must read for any sports and hockey romance fans out there!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Passion & Ink by @Naima_Simone

February 17, 2019 by · 2 Comments

PASSION & INKY
Series: Sweetest Taboo #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic, Taboo
Author: Naima Simone
Release Date: February 18, 2019

Blackballed from my job.

Moved back to my hometown with my tail between my legs and family issues crushing my back.

Slinging drinks in a dive bar.

Yes, the past year has been hell.

So when a man who’s temptation wrapped in golden skin and sin offers me one night of no-holds barred, dirty sex, I’m all in.

I deserve it.

But now those few unforgettable hours have me facing blackmail from my own father: He’ll pay for my mom’s medical bills, but only if I never again touch the man who has quickly become my obsession.

Because the man? My obsession?

He’s my stepbrother.

AMAZON

I want to be consumed by him until there’s nothing left but ash and the fragrance of sex, of us, left.

It’s no secret that I love a good forbidden/taboo romance but the stepbrother trope has never really been my thing. But after loving every other book by Naima Simone, I couldn’t help but give this a chance. The cover had nothing to do with that decision either (*ducks for lightning to strike*). What? It’s a hot cover. Get off mah tits, here!

So what can I tell you about this book? Naima Simone can write some hot, and I mean HOT, sex scenes. Holy mother of ovaries, people. The chemistry factor of this book is downright incendiary. Yes, the characters get together pretty much right away, but it does nothing to diminish their growing chemistry. If anything, it only stokes the fire.

Cypress is back in Chicago with her tail tucked between her legs after her dream job goes down in flames. Slinging drinks in a bar is how she’s making ends meet while she puts together her plan B. Cypress is not a longterm relationship sort of girl, but she’s not opposed to one night with a sexy stranger that seems to ignite her blood and send shivers down her spine with just a look. She’s all set never to see him again, until she finds out that the man that rocked her body is also the stepbrother that she hasn’t seen in over ten years. They have every reason to stay away from each other, but the chemistry between them proves impossible to resist.

The dynamic between the two families is a crazy one to say the least. Both Cypress and Jude have enough emotional baggage to fill up the Grand Canyon. There’s crazy stalker ex girlfriends. There’s family drama and codependent mothers. There’s also plenty of drama between the three brothers. Suffice it to say, if you don’t like crazy family drama, this book may not be for you. But me? I gobbled it right up.

I loved the connection between Jude and Cypress. They’re both very broken in their own ways, but I absolutely loved the way that they unknowingly hold the other up. There’s plenty of emotion packed into the romance, not just with Jude and Cypress, but with their family dynamic as well. And while I’d normally find the stepbrother thing to be a touch tawdry, it really worked here. Maybe because they didn’t grow up together and didn’t even recognize each other when they run into each other ten years later? Maybe because both of these characters have an incredible amount of depth and plenty of layers to really connect the reader to their romance. Whatever the case may be, I couldn’t get enough of them.

I devoured this book in practically one sitting. I loved everything about it; the drama, the emotion, the sizzling hot romance, and the splash of angst. It was deliciously addicting and I’m so hooked on this series now. I can’t wait to see what Simon’s book will bring but if it’s anything like this one, I know we’re in for one hell of a ride!

2 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dirty Talkers, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,

Review & Giveaway: Luck of the Devil by @Meghan March

February 12, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

LUCK OF THE DEVIL
Series: The Forge Trilogy #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: February 12, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Meghan March continues the story of ruthless, calculating billionaire Jericho Forge in Luck of the Devil. 

 

My poker face has always been one of my greatest assets, along with my grit and determination. I was beholden to no one. Asked permission for nothing.

Then Jericho Forge took my life by storm.

I traded my freedom for something infinitely more precious, but I didn’t realize he was holding an unbeatable hand.

Now, all I have to do is survive the high-stakes game that is my life—with my heart intact.

But not falling in love with Forge? That will take the luck of the devil.

 

Luck of the Devil is the second book of the Forge Trilogy, and should be read following Deal with the Devil. The Forge Trilogy concludes in Heart of the Devil.

AMAZON

India wasn’t supposed to affect me like this. She wasn’t supposed to get under my skin and into my blood.

It’s official; I’m Forgestruck and I will never be the same!

Luck of The Devil continues the sexy and thrilling tale of Forge and India as more secrets continue to unravel.

Brick by brick, the wall around my heart is crumbling.

With each chapter, Meghan March sucks you deeper and deeper into Forge universe. I don’t think I ever want to leave. Where book one brought the cold, ruthless, and enigmatic man with plenty of secrets, this book begins to peel back the layers. You get more and more peeks into the events that made him into the man he is today. You also begin to get some pretty big revelations about what put India on his radar in the first place. I didn’t think it was possible to love this man any harder than I already did, but seeing him fall for India made me fall even harder for him.

India still continues to be one of my favorite heroines. The woman has sass for days and a pair of balls on her. I can’t get enough of her.

There are some pretty big revelations that happen in this book with plenty of plot twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages. But of course, in typical March fashion, she leaves you with more questions than answers at the end and salivating for the final installment to see how it all ends.

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret.

With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world.

A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

 

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Giveaways · Tagged With: , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: