Author Interview, Review & #Giveaway: ★Toxic★ by @authorkimkarr

Interview & Giveaway

Last week I read this book that made me want to rip my hair out and throw my kindle at the wall. If I could have done both at the same time, I’m pretty sure I would have. I was enraged…and I was entranced. Phoebe and Jeremy together was a train wreck that you just couldn’t tear your eyes away from. I loved each agonizing, made me want to curl into a ball of rage and scream to the ceiling second. I have the super fabulous Kim Karr on the blog today for an interview where I got to pick her brain about all things Toxic. Read on to read that along with my full review below. And don’t forget to scroll to the bottom to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a paperback of Toxic!
About The Book
TOXIC
Author: Kim Karr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 7, 2015
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The New York Times bestselling author of the Connections novels turns up the heat in a sexy new romance about money, power, danger, and passion…

Sometimes you have to wonder if your life is just too good to be true.
Is it real or just an illusion?
Does the man lying beside you really love you like he says he does?
If the answer is yes, you’re meant to live happily ever after.
If the answer is no, you’re living my life…
and nothing will ever be the same.

I know I should walk away, but I can’t.

I’ll take whatever I can get for as long as it lasts.
I know when it’s over…
I’ll never find another man like him.

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Author Interview

If you haven’t added this deliciously angsty book to your TBR yet, I’m pretty sure this interview just may convince you 😉

DGR: Can we start out with a quick introduction for any readers out there that haven’t heard of you yet (if those even exist?)

KK: I’ll be 49 soon and can’t believe I’m one year away from 50. I don’t feel old at all and I hope to stay that way. I grew up in Rochester, NY and now live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I have always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I write romance books because I love to watch love blossom.

DGR: I’m a HUGE fan of the second chance romance. Do you have a favorite trope to write? Or is it more about when inspiration strikes you?
KK: I love second chance romances as well. That feeling you get in your stomach when it flips the first time they see each other again—it’s priceless.

DGR: Did you have any inspiration behind the story and/or the characters of Toxic?

KK: I’d read an article about underground nightclubs and thought it was such a cool idea. People show up in the oddest of places to party and then move to another. That transformed into Jeremy’s business in a more legit way. As for Phoebe and friends, I wanted to create a group that was somewhat against the grain of how we think of socialites.

DGR: Jeremy McQueen. The blurb describes him as a sexy, intense, sometimes brooding entrepreneur that goes after what he wants. I have to admit I was sold on the book from that alone. What else can you tell us about the brooding Jeremy?

KK: He was always the hired help’s son. A guy from the wrong side of the tracks so to say that turned his life into something good. He, like everyone, has issues and his stem from his childhood, from believing he was a bastard and then learning that wasn’t the case. All he wants is for someone to believe in him. However, sometimes his darkside makes it hard to do that. I just love him. Can you tell?

DGR: If you had to describe Phoebe St. Claire in 6 words or less, what would they be?

KK: As bold and delicate as a rose. I think that’s 7, oops.

DGR: What was your favorite part about writing this book?

KK: The intensity these two characters felt for each other. I felt it on every page. They were meant to be together.

DGR: Now without giving away any spoilers, what was one of your favorite scenes from Toxic?

KK: When Phoebe sees Jeremy after 5 long years. Here’s a peek: “Someone stepped between us. The distressed leather was the first thing my eyes were focused on when my skin started to tingle with a sense of familiarity. The tingling quickly turned into trembling as my gaze lifted and I saw the bluest of blue eyes.”

DGR:  If you had to describe the book to us in a twitter size type sum-up, what would you say?

KK: #Toxiclove I’m so not good at twitter. Sorry.

DGR: Any little teasers or excerpts you can entice us with? Pretty please?

Phoebe St. Claire
————————
Feeling a bit drunk and overwhelmed with so many and so few choices at the same time, I needed some time alone and snuck off toward the beach path.
I ran toward the ocean and twirled in the sand as the wind blew around me. Once I started to feel dizzy from twirling, I still wasn’t ready to head back to the party, so I took the path that would lead me to the large Olympic-sized pool. I tugged my sandals off with thoughts of putting my feet in the water to rinse the mud and sand away. As I approached the pool, I noticed how it glowed like it was lit by small pale fires. Lost in the enchantment of it, the sudden movement beneath the surface startled me.
A fair-haired boy emerged from the water. He pulled himself up and out so quickly that I was momentarily stunned. And then when he drank me in with his eyes, I shuddered.
I couldn’t help it, the way he looked at me just made me shiver. No one had ever looked at me like that before and I found myself gazing back into his intense eyes.
He was utterly beautiful. His bare chest was sculpted but not overly bulky like Danny or Jamie. They worked out every day pumping obnoxious amounts of iron to look the way they did. In contrast, the boy standing before me had a swimmer’s build.
He stood stoic and a cautious look crossed his face. He was long and lean in a pair of bright green neon swim trunks.
Right away I could tell he didn’t care what anyone thought about him.
I loved the idea of that.
So I smiled at him.
He shook his head and his hair fell into his eyes.
I wanted to reach out and push it away. It wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short. It was perfect.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing a towel off the ground.
It didn’t belong to the club. It was small, beige, and a bit worn—not the large hunter-green fluffy ones monogrammed in white I’d always gotten when I used to come here to swim as a kid.
“Hey,” I said back, swinging my sandals nervously.
He grabbed a pair of jeans that lay next to where the towel had been and walked right by me.
I turned to watch him as he strode into one of the cabanas and dropped his trunks. I froze and squeezed my eyes shut, thinking I shouldn’t be watching him but then opened them quickly when I couldn’t resist maybe catching a glimpse.
“Didn’t your parents ever tell you it isn’t polite to stare?” His voice was low and sexy, and it tugged me out of my own head.
I put my hands on my hips. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to get dressed in mixed company?”
He pulled his jeans on and laughed. “My mother might have mentioned that once or twice but I’ve never been good at following the rules.”
And it didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t put any underwear on first.
Hot. Totally and completely hot.
I didn’t see anything I shouldn’t have seen, it was too dark, but something inside me electrified at the thought of seeing him naked and I stepped closer. That’s when I noticed the scuffed-up black work boots on one of the lounges with a T-shirt thrown next to them.
I raised a brow. “Is this your changing room?”
He laughed again but this time added a smile and put his hands up. “Okay you caught me. I better get out of here before anyone else does.”
He was adorable and charming and my heart skipped a beat or two.
Then I stepped even closer and entered the cabana entrance, effectively blocking his way. “Why? You’re not doing anything wrong.”
He shrugged but he didn’t try to move around me. “I usually swim in the ocean but when the water is too rough, like tonight, I come here.”
I bit my lip in contemplation before speaking. “Does it really matter if you get caught?”
He crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Let’s just say it’s not just the swimming. It’s more that I’ve been caught doing a few too many things that I shouldn’t have been doing in the past.”
A bad boy.
The thought made my pulse thunder. “So you’re not a member at this club?”
He cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot. “No,” he laughed but his laugh was anything but genuine. “Are you?”
I hesitated as I considered my answer. “No, I was just walking the beach and wanted to rinse my feet. I’m Phoebe,” I said extending my hand. Technically, I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t a member, my parents were. I hadn’t even been here in years. And I was out for a walk.
Amusement danced in his blue eyes. “Jeremy,” he said back.
When I chewed on my lower lip, I noticed how his eyes focused on it.
Mine focused on the entirety of his mouth—his strong, firm jaw, his sensuous lips, and his tongue that had snuck out to lick his lips.
That mouth.
It was almost too much.
Almost.

DGR: Anything else you’d like to leave the readers with?

KK: I hope you read Toxic and fall in love with Jeremy and Phoebe’s world. Enjoy!

Review

4 stars

Toxic-DGR

Jeremy McQueen.
He wasn’t just any boy- he was “the boy”. The only one I never should have met, and the one I’d never trade meeting for the world.

It’s been over a week since I read Toxic and it’s taken me this long to be able to sum my feelings and clear my head enough to rate it. If I can describe this book for you in one word, it would be exhausting. I was absolutely emotionally spent when I finished it. I spent a good 40% of it feeling like I want to rip my hair out. And this is coming from a self-professed angst whore, mind you.
But then here’s the thing; I liked it. Even though the constant back and forth between Phoebe and Jeremy left me feeling like they’re going to give me whiplash, I still liked it and gobbled it up like the angst starved junky that I am. Was it delicious? Heck no! I thought I may choke on it. But god help me, I still liked it. My favorite trope is the second chance romance and Toxic delivers it in spades.

It was emotionally draining, erotic, touching, and rage inducing all at once. Yeah. Try wrapping your head around that.

I loved him once, even though I’d never told him I did. And as I looked at him, everything I’d ever felt for him came rushing back.

Toxic1-DGRPhoebe and Jeremy first met as teenagers years ago. Phoebe was the rich girl with the golden spoon in her mouth and Jeremy was the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Their connection was instantaneous and burned hot and bright, but then lies tore them apart. While Phoebe never got over the boy that once made her entire body and heart burn, she moved on. Now years later fate brings them together again, but he’s no longer the boy she once knew. He’s successful and rich but still invites everything in her like they never spent any years apart.

He took all my air away. I didn’t care- I didn’t need to breathe.

While both Phoebe and Jeremy know they may be toxic together, they can’t stay away from each other. Their chemistry practically crackles in electricity. There’s one thing that’s certain, Kim Karr can write some scorching sex scenes. But the lies between them are like poison that won’t leave. Much as they try to purge it from their relationship it remains that one toxic factor that brews the way for mistrust and mistakes. I think it would be safe to say that neither of these characters are perfect, far from it in fact. These two fuck up so many times it made me want to throttle them and chuck my kindle at the wall. It was rage inducing.

That’s the thing with jealousy- it festers and builds until there is nothing left.

There’s a wealth of secondary characters that were introduced that added to the story in a very significant way. Maybe that’s what helped dilute the angst between Jeremy and Phoebe? It made the book evolve like a movie in front of my eyes and it made me really connect to the characters’ lives. I’m not sure I’d be able to say the same thing if this happened in any other book, but in this one it just worked.

The focus of the story of course are Jeremy and Phoebe and their romance and road to forgiveness and maturity.

We were frantic for each other- time hadn’t done anything to quash what we felt physically for each other. In fact, it only fanned the flames and the fire was bigger than ever.

Toxic2-DGRI think I felt every emotion along with them and that really helped connecting with them. Kim Karr did an amazing job creating two imperfect characters that were imperfectly perfect together. Does that even make sense? In my head it does, but then again I’m still getting over this book. As much as I wanted to rip my hair out for the last 40% of the book, I also secretly loved it. I guess I’m just a masochist that way.

With my eyes closed, I felt the earth move and the sky shift. In my own darkness, I felt a million different things but I didn’t feel lost in him. I knew then for certain, I wouldn’t get lost in him. There was no way I could. Not when I had found myself in him.

If you’re looking for a book that will enrage you and enrapture you all in one, Toxic is that. It’s a make you want to rip your hair out while still rooting for the characters kind of second chance romance. It was far from perfect, but yet it worked. It may not be for everyone, but if you’re a reader that enjoys your angst in rage inducing proportions while getting an unforgettable second chance romance, Toxic is definitely a must read.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Chasing River★ by K.A.Tucker

CR Review Tour Banner_edited-1 CHASING RIVER is a Suspenseful Romance novel, and the third novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. CHASING RIVER is set to be released July 7, 2015! If you haven’t already, be sure to grab BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN, the first two books in this thrilling series!!

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Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’d want to catch.

Buy Links

CHASING RIVER US Links:

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CHASING RIVER UK Links:

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Review

3.5 stars

Chasing River-DGR


So…Where’d you meet this guy?”
“At the park one day. He kind of…ran into me.”
“Sounds romantic.”
“It was, in a way.” If pipe bombs could be called romantic.


I’m not sure why I didn’t realize from reading the synopsis that Amber Welles is the twin sister of Jesse Welles from Burying Water. Although I was hoping this book would have one of the 2 characters that were introduced in the previous one, I have to say I was excited when realized out who Amber was. Always the good girl to her troublemaking twin brother, I couldn’t wait to find out what her story will bring. I have to say,
while I enjoyed this book, comparing to the first two it was probably my least favorite in the series. That’s not to say it wasn’t good, because it really was. I adore KA Tucker’s writing style and her ability to bring her words to life. With the previous two books being in Oregon, it was a great change of pace to get the beauty of Ireland in this one.

Amber Welles is coming off a break up. She’s always been the good girl, the good daughter, popular girl and all around perfect. She has a great job as a nurse, she has great friends (or so she thinks), but she’s yearning for more. So she makes herself a bucket travel lists and sets off for sights unseen. But when she gets lost in Dublin, a run in with a guy with piercing green eyes leaves her rattled in more ways than one.

River Delaney has been on the wrong side of the law before, mostly thanks to his criminal older brother and his ties to the IRA. He’s not looking to be caught there again. When he follows his recently out of prison brother and catches him laying a pipe bomb in the middle of St. Stephen’s Green, he’s not exactly shocked. But when he sees a lost American tourist about to run right into the bomb’s path, he knows he has to do something. So he saves her and takes off before he can be tied to anything.

Amber can’t seem to get the man that saved her life out of her mind and when she’s able to track him down to his family’s pub, she knows that she needs to get to know him. He affects her like no other man has in her life. He’s also the exact opposite of any man she’s ever dated, and yet she’s inexplicably drawn to him.

Although I wasn’t sure what to expect from Amber with her good girl thought process, she really pleasantly surprised me. I really enjoyed her character and the way she chased River even though it wasn’t in her comfort zone. River was a hero that I liked straight away. He’s sweet and caring but with a little edge to him. I loved the relationship he had with his brother Rowen. Though I was shocked at the development between Ivy and Rowen. (Wonder if this book is the last we’ve seen of him?)

So why not more stars? I felt that for the type of reader I am there was a little too much concentration on history and suspense than the romance. While that may work very well for other readers, I found it added a certain disconnect for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was interesting to read about but not something I would typically turn to, if that even makes sense. This series isn’t too heavy on the romance and it’s not the HEA endings I usually like. It’s suspenseful and gives the reader a very satisfying HFN. I just found the previous two books to be a little more enjoyable. The Burying Water series isn’t heavy on romance or steam. If I had to rate the steam on a scale of 1-10, I’d say it’s a 3. That’s not why I read this series, though. It offers something different from the usual mainstream romance you’d find. It has suspense and mystery with the added element of romance. I just felt a slight disconnect with this one for reason I can’t quite put my finger one. That being said, I’d definitely recommend this book for fans of the series.

I like that while the characters are interconnected, the books can easily be read as standalones. So if you haven’t read the previous two books, you wouldn’t be even a little lost jumping right into this one. I would recommend the other two books simply because they were fantastic and it does give the reader a better understanding of some of the secondary characters that make an appearance.

ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
47891_ChasingRiver_QuoteCards_3And don’t forget BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN, the first two books in this thrilling series…

Burying Water

BURYING WATER

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Becoming Rain

BECOMING RAIN

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About the Author

Author PhotoBorn in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

 

 

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Review: ★Remind Me★ by Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers

Remind Me 
Authors: Ann Marie Walker, Amy K. Rogers
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 21, 2015

First in a tantalizing new trilogy about reigniting a forbidden desire from long ago…

As heiress to a media empire Alessandra Sinclair was raised to put family obligations first. But everything changes the night her first love walks back into her life and turns her whole world upside down. Haunted by the memories of a secret romance with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, she can’t seem to get Hudson Chase out of her mind. Once again torn between two worlds, Allie must decide how much she’s willing to risk to have the love she’s always longed for.

Ten years is a long time to wait, but billionaire Hudson Chase didn’t become CEO of one of the country’s fastest growing companies by giving up on what he wants. Now that he’s got Allie in his sights again, he’s determined to make her regret breaking his heart. And this time, he’s going to make damn sure he’s not so easy to forget.

Includes a preview of Release Me, book two of the Chasing Fire trilogy.

The road is paved in hard truths, Alessandra, not denials.”
“And you think I’m the on in denial?”
His gaze was rock steady. “I know you are. But fuck if I’ll let you push me away again.”

My my my, what a dirty little gem this book turned out to be. I was not expecting something quite so hot when I picked this one up. I’ll admit I’ve been eyeing this series for a few months now but knowing my book ADD tendencies, I knew I had to wait to read it until closer to the release of book 3 because I’d forget everything by the time it came out. Also, I’m ashamed to admit that since the cover reminded me too much of a certain other book, I was judgy and figured I’d be getting another jaded billionaire book . This was so much better than I expected and I’m seriously kicking my own ass for not reading it sooner.
I’m a sucker for a second chance love story, and Remind Me certainly hit the spot in all the right places.

Ten years ago, Hudson Chase was the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and Alessandra Sinclair was the heiress to a media empire. They were the unlikeliest of couples and yet for a few stolen days that one summer, they burned hot and bright together. Now ten years later, their paths cross once more and this time Hudson has the pull, the money, and the social standing and he knows that he won’t let Alessandra walk away quite so easily.
Hudson has spent the past years building up his company and becoming a self-made millionaire. Successful beyond his wildest dreams, he’s never hurting for company of the female variety. But when he sees the striking blonde from his past at a gala, all those feelings from before come firing right back; anger, lust, possession. He may not have been on the same path as her before, but he certainly is now, and he won’t let the fact that she’s engaged to a different man stand in his way.

Hot damn, she was wild and untamed. And he loved it. Loved watching her let go of her inhibitions and shamelessly give in to her own pleasure. She was wet and on fire around him. For him. He was beyond fucking her; she was under his skin, the very breath in his lungs.

As much as I fell hard and fast for Hudson (how can you not?), Alessandra was a heroine I never quite warmed up to. This may have been because most of the intriguing character development was focused on Hudson and we’ll get hers in the second book. Whatever the reason may be, I had a tough time connecting with her. I didn’t understand why she was such pushover with her parents and allowed them to basically structure her life to however they saw fit. I also tend to get judgy with a cheating heroine (it’s a terrible double standard of mine and one I’m never going to be cured of). Considering how obvious it was to the reader everything that her relationship was missing with her fiancé, it was almost unbelievable that it took what it did to finally wake her up and make her see reason. I would have preferred she cut things off with him before continuing her affair with Hudson, but she was engaged for pretty much the entirety of the book.

Luckily for me, Hudson was such a great character that between his erotic pull and captivating mysterious past, I found myself not caring much about the issues I had with Alessandra.
Hudson was just that enigmatic.

That being said, as sizzling as the chemistry between him and Alessandra was, I felt there was (brace for it) too much sex. I’m still reeling over my shock that I’m saying this. Ultimately, I just felt that it began to take away and overshadow the story. These two turned to sex at every opportunity, even when what I felt they needed to do more of is talk. Sex was the solution to every problem. Don’t get me wrong, it was hot as hell, but it was just a bit too much…even for this self-proclaimed smut slut.

All minor quibbles aside, the story of Hudson and Alessandra absolutely captivated me. The writing was engrossing and the romance was practically sizzling. I am definitely hooked on this trilogy and can’t wait to see what the next book brings. Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers are new to me authors that I will read any future books from without a second thought. There were just enough hints dropped about Hudson’s past that peeked my interest enough to guarantee I’ll be reading the next book. If you love dirty talking and possessive alphas, Hudson Chase is on hero that you NEED to meet.

Review: ★Taking What’s His★ by @DianeAlberts

Taking What’s His (Shillings Agency #4)
Author: Diane Alberts
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 28, 2015

Some lines are meant to be crossed…
One explosive device was all it took to turn Holt Cunningham from ass-kicking Marine to IT technician. Hell, he’s still not over it. So when the cute little strawberry blonde at the bar asks him to kiss her, Holt can’t resist the temptation of a sexy distraction. Before he knows it, she’s blown his mind…and then skipped out the next morning.

Lydia Thomas never expected things with Holt to go quite that far, but oh, it was worth it. After being far too good for way too long, she was ready to be bad. Except that there’s that tiny detail that Lydia kept to herself-Holt just spent the night doing naughty things…with his best friend’s little sister.One night isn’t nearly enough. But with his friendship on the line, how far will Holt go in order to claim what’s his?

Buy Links
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Review4 stars

She’d known that underneath those glasses was a bad boy who knew exactly what to do with a good girl like her.

Well, well, well, Diane Alberts. How DO you keep doing it? Giving us one hero after the other that just gets better and better. I think that Holt Cunningham just may be my favorite Shillings Agency man yet. There’s just something so vulnerable and broken about him and yet with this darker edge that you just wouldn’t expect. All of it combined together just makes for one deliciously sexy read.

So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want to bring you home and fuck you until you stop thinking about other guys. I want to claim you, Own you. Make you come more times than ever before.”

Lydia is the quintessential good girl. After her latest boyfriend of two months dumps her because she wouldn’t put out, she’s determined to shake up her life a bit. When she spots her her ex at the bar, the dark, broody and sexy stranger proves to be a welcome distraction. And when she asks him to kiss her, she certainly doesn’t expect the type of sparks to fly as they do,

Holt may work in IT now, but he’ll always be a Marine at heart. But he’s not the man that he once was. He’s more broken, inside and out. A devastating IED explosion on his latest tour caused him everything, his military brothers and his own wounds. Suffering from the repercussions of that and his crippling PTSD, all he’s able to satisfy himself with is booze and one-night stands.

That’s all he’s good for anyway. But the beautiful and innocent woman at the bar tempts him for so much more. And c’mon, who can resist and sexy and dirty talking nerd anyway? Well, he’s not really a nerd. But the glasses do certainly add to his appeal. But I digress…

He didn’t want to be this guy with her. He wanted to be the guy who blew her mind with amazing orgasms. The guy she missed when he was gone. The guy she needed…
Not the guy who needed HER.

But Lydia is not just another woman. She also happens to be his best friend and co-worker’s little sister. She may know this going into their one-night deal, but he sure as hell doesn’t. Too bad by the time that he finds out he’s already hooked.

I really loved this latest installment in the series. Lydia and Holt were the perfect dying and yangs for each other. Holt is broody and tortured and Lydia is the lighthearted and sweet side. And together they’re absolutely sizzling! But this was also so much more than simple chemistry, I found the characters to have so much depth (Holt in particular). His struggle with his mental and physical repercussions after his injury broke my heart to read. As stubborn and pigheaded as he was sometimes, he never frustrated me. My heart just hurt for him and for Lydia. I was rooting for them the entire time. This series just continues to get better and better for me. I really hope to get Steve’s book next. Definitely a rec for fans of this series and even those that haven’t read it yet. This is the perfect book to start with since it’s easily read as a standalone. Though I highly recommend the rest of the series too since it’s also fantastic.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Saving Jay★ by @EMAbel4

Saving Jayblogtour
Saving Jay 
Author:  E.M. Abel
Release Date: February 10, 2015goodreads

Saving JayJay
My life was a dark and desolate place. Consumed by work and full of regret, loneliness had become my closest friend. Ink and a tattoo machine were my therapy, a way to claim my own skin with the art that I loved.
The day I walked into her shop, I knew I’d found what I needed.
The light I’d been looking for.Jade
When I first looked into those blue eyes I saw a depth behind them that I wanted to explore. Jason “Jay” Clarke was more than a perfectly pressed suit and dimpled smile. He was a man with a heart of gold drowning in the weight of his world.
He wanted me to mark him.
I never expected him to soothe my aching heart.

When our worlds collide and Jay begins to fall apart, will my love be enough to save him?

**WARNING: Not recommended for younger readers due to sexual content and language.

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Excerpt
Letting go, Jay turned toward the table and pushed our dishes out of the way. My glass tipped over, spilling water onto the floor, but he didn’t seem to care.
“Sit down,” he told me, taking my hand and guiding me to the edge of the table.
I did as I had been told, getting up on my toes, before sliding my ass over the edge and sitting in front of him. His warm hands ran up my thighs, and his eyes were so dark and passionate that I couldn’t look away.
Kneeling down, Jay picked up one of the belts from our robes before standing up again. “Do you trust me?” he asked, holding the belt in one of his hands.
I glanced at it before meeting his gaze. I did. I probably trusted him more than I should. “Yes,” I whispered, keeping my eyes on his.
Jay’s lips lifted on one side, exposing one of his dimples. “Good,” he said before lifting the white belt and putting it over my eyes.
I gasped in surprise as everything went black. The soft material held my eyes closed as he tied it behind my head. I could feel his warm body in front of me, his thighs touching the insides of my knees. The rain sounded louder as it hit the deck outside. Licking my lips, I waited for Jay to make his next move.
“Lie back,” he whispered next to my ear.
I grinned and slowly leaned back, afraid I might knock something over. Jay’s hands helped guide me down, and once my head touched, I relaxed on the hard wood. Jay’s warmth left me, and I felt so exposed, lying there while blindfolded before him.
A few seconds later, I heard movement in the kitchen. The refrigerator door opened and closed, and I worked to control the rhythm of my breaths as I waited. I vaguely heard Jay’s footsteps as he came back into the room. It was hard to hear anything with the storm outside. Jay’s leg brushed mine before he moved to stand between my legs again. I had to fight the urge to talk. I wanted to ask him what he was going to do. I wanted to beg him to touch me, but I also knew the silence was only building the connection between us.
I have to trust him.

I felt Jay leaning forward, his hand moving to the table beside my shoulder. In the next second, something ice cold was on one of my nipples. I inhaled sharply as Jay’s lips wrapped around it, sucking it into his warm mouth. I sighed. The relief from the cold and the pure erotic feeling of having his mouth on me was almost euphoric.
Releasing me, I felt him move again before doing the same to my other nipple. A gust of wind blew outside, and I heard the rain pounding harder against the glass doors as I sucked in another breath. My legs drew in closer to Jay’s as my back arched off the table, my hands curling around the edges of it. I could feel the warmth of Jay’s chest as I drew closer to him, but he pulled away, and I relaxed back onto the table. I was breathing hard again, waiting to feel what he’d do next.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he said, his voice right above me.
Review
4.5 stars

 

It’s the dark moments that make the good ones shine.

I became a fan of E.M. Abel after reading Breaking Shaun, but finishing this book just solidified it. She has such a raw talent; giving you these characters that are very far from the mainstream and incredibly endearing. If you’ve read the previous two books in this series, you’ll find this one to be a definite change of pace. There’s no major drama, no crazy angst, no plot twists and crazy plot devices. It’s a story about two somewhat broken souls learning how to heal themselves and then each other. It’s a beautiful love story with perfectly imperfect characters. It’s emotional, it’s sexy, it’s touching, and it’s real.

If you’ve read Freeing Asia, then you’ve already met Jay. But if you haven’t then don’t worry because you can easily read this book as a standalone.

Jay is a man that on the surface seemingly has everything; wealth, a successful career, and his pick of any woman he wants. But beneath the surface of his suave exterior is the broken soul of a man that craves the things that he can never seem to get; his father’s approval and love and a woman that doesn’t just see him for what he can offer her.

I like women with tattoos. I like a woman who genuinely gives a shit about what I think and doesn’t care about what’s in my bank account. I enjoy fucking women like I won them, and as you probably already know, I only own the best of everything.

While he thought that Asia was the one that got away, now he realizes that it wasn’t so much her as the idea of her. He envies what Asia has with her husband, Marcus, but not because he wants her still but the love that they share. He’s tired of going on never ending dates with shallow women from his “circles” that bore him with their incessant talking about themselves and being seen as nothing more than a handsome wallet.

Often, the things we detested most in others were the things we feared becoming.”

Then one day, a chance meeting with an exotic beauty changes everything…

Jade is a talented tattoo artist that even got a chance to be on a popular MTV reality show. She’s built up quite a following for her work because of it, but after her relationship implodes, she leaves her life in Boston behind to start new.

When Jay walks into her new tattoo shop for his tattoo, she’s instantly drawn to the immaculately dressed man that covers his ink in designer suits. The chemistry between them is instant and they’re equally drawn to each other, though there’s no insta-anything to be found here.

I think the part that I truly loved about this book is that while both Jay and Jade are broken characters, they’re also equally as strong…especially Jade. I thought that E.M. did such an amazing job in giving the reader an incredibly realistic portrayal of people that fight their own demons instead of each other.

I know what it’s like to be broken. I’ve been that way for most of my life. It’s not easy, but sometimes, we have to let ourselves believe that we’re worth saving.” 

While Jade has trust issues because of her ex-boyfriends betrayal, Jay has his own demons that are left from his turbulent relationship with his father. But yet together, they make perfect sense. This is a fairly slow paced book, but that also makes the reader truly get invested into the relationship between Jay and Jade. You feel all their ups and downs and you find yourself falling right along with them.

Love is fearless. It has to be.

While at times I did find myself growing a little bored and turning the pages a little quicker in the hopes of something happening that would pick up the pace, I also appreciated the fact that there was nothing crazy or dramatic. It wouldn’t have been true to the characters or their story. It’s no small feat to portray a relationship that still has it’s ups and downs without making it be overly dramatic or angsty. I truly fell hard for both of these characters. Jade was still so strong even though her issues run deep, it was incredibly endearing. Jay was this perfect combination of demanding and sexy and vulnerable. There were two scenes that even managed to bring tears to my cold and black little heart.


You let me into your heart,” he murmured as he swept the backs of his fingers along my jaw. “You took my ugly dark piece of art and turned it into a masterpiece.” 

If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy romance that while it may be slower paced still packs a punch, this is definitely the book for you. I adored it and cannot wait to see what this woman writes next. As sad as I am that this series has come to an end, I also appreciate that it wasn’t necessarily dragged out. It ended on the perfect note and with the perfect couple. Just wonderful.

COVER MODEL SPOTLIGHT

 

Casey West 1

Photo by: TJ Dinch Photography

When did you decide you wanted to be a model?
I never decided I wanted to become a model I kinda just stumbled into it.
Was modeling something you thought about doing?
No, I was just asked to do some shoots and had fun with it.
Tell us 3 random things about yourself.
three random things about me..hmmm….
I am going to school for business to start a non profit organization dealing with orphanages in 3rd world countries, I suck at math and I will never drive another vehicle besides a jeep or ride another bike besides my Harley
How do you feel about being on the Cover of E.M. Abel’s book?
I was excited about the opportunity and I am all about helping people out, so when she hit me up I was completely down and excited about it.
What are your plans/hopes for the future?
Finish business school and I’ll continue bar tending through college but after I graduate I will start my non profit and spend most my life over seas after that.
Stalk Casey on Facebook and Instagram
SAVING ASIA (Breaking Free #1)
Freeing Asia
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BREAKING SHAUN (Breaking Free #2)

About E.M. Abel Button

My husband is awesome and also a Chief in the US Navy. This means crazy schedules, uncertainty and lots of nights spent alone writing on my computer.

I have two amazing kids who always know how to make me laugh.

I’ve been passionate about writing since I wrote my first poem in the 3rd grade and I’ve been using it as a means to express myself since.

 

I think because I hold my emotions so close and fear being vulnerable I use different forms of self expression- writing, drawing, painting, photography, tattoos- to show the world who I am.

The one rule I use everyday is the Golden Rule–“Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.” I believe karma is very real and sometimes she can be a bitch if you make her that way.

I love acting crazy, I love to laugh, I love making people laugh, I love the ocean, I love dancing like no one is watching, I love good music, I love good books… oh man I should probably stop there. I love a lot of stuff.

Please feel free to write me or send a friend request.

2 signed Freeing Asia paperbacks
2 signed Breaking Shaun paperbacks
2 signed Saving Jay paperbacks
5 ebooks of each (Freeing Asia, Breaking Shaun and Saving Jay)
$20 Amazon Gift Card
$10 iTunes Gift Card
2 Breaking Free series swag packs

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Review: ☆No More Mr. Nice Guy☆ by @AmyAndrewsbooks

 

He’s done playing the nice guy…Newly single school counselor Josie Butler just made herself a Sexy To-Do list (featuring Bad Boys only). To her mortification, her best friend’s gorgeous older brother Mack finds it…and laughs. But when Josie goes looking for some sexy fun, Mack’s nice guy side turns all hot bad-assery, and suddenly she’s pinned against an alley wall. Hottest. Sex. Ever.

Veterinarian Mack Kennedy can’t believe Josie wants to ditch her sweet, girl-next-door lifestyle. Even worse, that she’d consider doing it with anyone but him. When she leaves for London they’ll go back to being ‘just friends’ but until then, he’s going to show her just how bad nice guys can be.

And it’s the perfect plan, as long as no one finds out… and no one falls in love.

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Review
4.5 stars

He was going to hell for this. Guys-who-screw-their-little-sister’s-best-friends hell.

If you’re looking for a whole new and sexy spin on a trope that’s been done countless times but still an old time favorite? This is definitely the book for you. Yes you get the brother hooks up with his little sister’s best friend thing…and yet, it was also so much more.
Josie Butler is a good girl. Having just gotten out of long term relationship that had all the excitement of watching paint grow, and just as much passion, she decides that now is the time to add a little excitement to her life. Considering she leaves for London in two weeks, it gives her the perfect opportunity. First things? No more nice, safe, and boring guys. Nope! She needs passion, excitement, she needs a bad boy….she also needs a to-do list to keep track of this.

Gotta be organized when embracing your bad girl side, right? So imagine her surprise when her best friend’s older brother and nice guy, Mack, notices her list the night after.

Mack Kennedy is a nice guy. Considering his ex cheated on him with a bad boy because he was just too “nice” for her, it’s not exactly a title he holds dear. But when he finds Josie’s list, suddenly he stops seeing the sweet girl next door and his sister’s best friend. All of a sudden she’s a woman…with breasts…that his lower half is suddenly very happy to get to know better.

His belly clenched tight, his heart thundered in his chest, and he could hear Barry White playing in his head.
Barry goddamn White.
Sal’s words echoed around inside his head.
You need to get back on the bike, Mack.
And Barry said, Oh yeah, baby.

When he calls Josie’s bluff on the list, she’s more than happy to prove him wrong. And when he realizes this, all of a sudden his inner bad boy and caveman come roaring to life.

Thus begins their agreement. Mack needs to get back on the horse, so to speak, and he’ll happily help Josie check (almost) every item off her check list and when Josie is off to London, they’ll go back to being friends.

Hold on to my shoulders.”
“Wh-what? Why?”
“Because I’m about to number ten you, and at some stage you WILL lose the ability to hold yourself upright.

Mack may be a nice guy, but let me tell you, when he embraces his inner bad boy? Oh but he does it right.

I want you hot and wet and naked. I want you crying out my name when you come, and I want to be deep inside you when you do.”

This book was positively SIZZLING. The chemistry between Mack and Josie was scorching. It was also funny and sweet and everything I absolutely love in my romances.

…she bit down on her lip to stop the whimper as her senses infused with the smell of Mack.
Without a doubt, she’d put Oliver Twist to shame tonight.

If you’re looking for a new author to love, a heroine to root for, and a hero to pant over, this is the book for you.

I feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck. And I want to do it all over again.”

I absolutely loved this book. Amy Andrews caught me completely by surprise. While this was my first book by her, it certainly will not be my last. I really hope that she turns this into a series and gives us Sal’s book next. A sexy romance that I enjoyed from beginning to end.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: #StealingHisheart by @DianeAlberts

This is the 2nd book in the Shillings Agency series. Be sure to check out the contest below and enter to win a paperback of TEMPORARILY YOURS (Shillings Agency #1) and a $20 gift card.
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A sexy category romance from Entangled publishing’s Brazen imprint…

Shillings Agency employee Jake Forsythe is not happy to discover that the thief who he has to track down is none other than his ex-partner from his past. Now he’s forced to blackmail her into submission…or throw her in jail.

Tara Harris steals from the rich and corrupted, returning objects to their rightful owners one case at a time. When Jake shows up in her life, at first, she’s thrilled. But then when she finds out that she has to help the man she stole from or go to jail…it’s the choice between two evils.

These two can’t deny the burning passion between them, but when push comes to shove, they’ll have to lay their hearts and their lives on the line.

 

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Review
4 stars

I know you want me. Know you want to feel me moving inside of you, making you come so many times you lose count. I know you want me to dominate you. Take you. Fuck you. Own you.

Well slap my ass and fuck me sideways but Diane Alberts/Jen McLaughlin knows how to write one sinfully hot hero. Good lawd. You want a dominant hero with a filthy mouth then you NEED to meet Jake Forsythe. Did I also happen to mention the tats? Because that’s just the icing on top of the alpha cake here…

Jake is a security expert at Shillings Agency hired to lure a thief that managed to infiltrate a safe for one of the agency’s clients. There’s just one problem; the thief happens to be his childhood friend, almost lover, and constant temptation Tara Harris.

Get the code. Get rid of the girl. Simple.

Not quite, Jake. Not quite.

Tara is a thief. Hired by clients that are looking to reclaim their rightful property, she steals from the rich and corrupted. Call her a thief with a code of honor. The last person she expects to see while on a new op is her childhood friend and the man that almost took her virginity and then walked out of her life over eight years ago. And now he’s back…and blackmailing her into helping him. Combination for disaster or reigniting an old flame? How about a little of both?

Tara was sassy and smart mouthed, but I wished she made Jake work for things a little harder. Especially when he would royally fuck up (and boy did he), she let him off too easy in my opinion.

Jake is broody and domineering with a bit of kink thrown in.

When I fuck a woman, she needs to play by my rules. She needs to obey me. You’re not that woman.

Did I mention broody?

No one could have saved me because I didn’t need saving in the first place.”
“What about now?” she whispered.
“Now I’m beyond hope. Nothing can save me. Not even you.”

While I felt for him, I also felt like he was a straight up ass to Tara during the first half. Their first time? I wanted to jock punch him for how he handled it after.

While the dominating during sex was mostly hot, at times it didn’t quite work for me. The thing of it is, there’s a fine line between making a hero be dominant without having him be Dominant. You feel me? What I mean is, there’s a fine line of skating around the BDSM genre. I understand this is not a BDSM romance, but Jake had Dom-like kinks, sadly he didn’t quite come off as a Dom. More like a hot asshole with a control fetish. I felt that the lines were crossed for me a few times, and I really wasn’t a big fan of that.

He does soften up a little towards the second half…until his royal fuck up at the end. But no worries, because there’s also a verra nice grovel. The grovel most certainly won me over. Tara finally did what I wished she’d done more of throughout the rest of the book, she made him work for it. Hard.

But all that aside, let’s talk about Gordon (another character that was introduced here) for a hot second here. We have sexy, tattoos, mysterious and broken. Oh and when I stalked the author down she also said he’s a very very bad boy. Ummmm….SOLD! Cannot wait for his book.

About the Author
DianeA
Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She’s hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and Noble numerous times with numerous titles. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
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ARC Review: ☆Crave The Night (Midnight Breed, 12)☆ by @lara_adrian

Born and raised to be an emotionless killing machine, Nathan is one of the most lethal Breed vampires in existence. A key member of the Order—an elite group of warriors charged with protecting both mortals and vampires—Nathan executes each mission with flawless precision and a total lack of mercy. Now he must pursue a powerful, hidden enemy. But Nathan’s hard discipline and training are no match for the fierce pull he feels toward a young woman he has no right to desire—a woman of wealth and high social standing who has long been promised to another Breed male, and who may also prove to be the key to rooting out Nathan’s elusive quarry.

Jordana lives a life of glittering privilege as a member of a prominent Breed family in Boston. Surrounded by fine things and fawning admirers, Jordana wants for nothing—until she crosses paths with a dark, intense warrior from the Order and finds herself swept into an impulsive, sizzling kiss that neither of them will forget. As much as she tries to deny her deep feelings for Nathan, Jordana cannot resist the craving to be near him, to break through his forbidding walls and see the man he truly is. But getting close to Nathan will thrust Jordana into a treacherous new world, forcing her to risk all she has and all she knows about herself and her past. And loving this seductive man could be the most dangerous temptation of all.

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Review
4 stars

She was stepping off that ledge tonight, falling too fast.
Falling too hard for a lethal, untouchable Breed male who’d promised her nothing.
She knew this, the same way she understood that if reality waited for her at the bottom of this mad leap, it was certain to break her.

12 books into a series, and Lara Adrian is still going strong. This was another fantastic addition in the Midnight Breed series and seems to just get better for me. If you’ve been following the series, than just like me you have been itching to finally get the story for Nathan who we first meet as the long lost son of Corinne who was raised as a Hunter until his rescue at 13 in Deeper Than Midnight.

He was the fighting dog, rescued from the squalor and violence of the betting puts and brought into a kind, loving home to live a better life.

Knowing what his childhood was like and seeing his seemingly cold and hard exterior, you just knew that the man’s book will be good. And the best part? It wasn’t just good. It was better.

He chased.
He conquered.
He destroyed.

This is man that’s been honed to be a killer. He was bred to be unfeeling and cold, feeling never even coming into the mix for him…until a beautiful blonde changed everything with a simple kiss…

He fed and fucked because he had to, but he did it on his terms. Always under his strict control, in order to retain the edge of the honed, unfeeling weapon he’d been born and raised, mercilessly trained to be.
Jordana Gates had broken all of his rules.

Even though Jordana first comes off like a very demure heroine, she’s not at all what she seems to be. I love that every heroine in this series is fierce in their own right, and this definitely comes out in the story in one hell of a twist.

Among the action and twists and turns that are on constant in this book, in the center is the love story between a man that’s been bred not to feel and a woman that’s determined to bring out his lost humanity.

Jordana Gates was off limits for many reasons, but most of all this: Because she was pure. She was innocent.
He wouldn’t be the one to take that from her.
He couldn’t take that from anyone, not the way his hungers ran.

There was never a dull moment throughout the entire story and I couldn’t bring myself to put it down. While all the old characters are back, we also get a little bit more on the new ones. While I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the series being taken into the future and the previous characters’ kids coming into the mix, I’m certainly sold on it now. It was a super smooth transition and I’m just as interested in the new characters as I was in the old….especially Rune and Carys who I’m hoping will get a book next.

But of course, my favorite part of this book was the building romance between Nathan and Jordana.

When I’m near him, it’s as though I’m standing naked in the middle of a raging storm. He makes me feel as if I’m on the steepest cliff, about to lose my footing. That if I step too close to him, I might never get back on solid ground.

And then there was the scorching hot sex…

This book had everything. I love the twist and the new additions of The Atlanteans into the mix. This was and continues to be one of my favorite PNR series, and I cannot wait to see what Lara Adrian has in store for us next.

She’d captivated him with a kiss. She’d challenged him, gentled him. Now she owned him.

ARC Review: ☆Temptation☆ by @RobinCovington

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Burn up the sheets one page at a time with Robin Covington and her sizzling romance, Temptation!!
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She needs to be good.
Five years ago, Kit Landry was homeless and alone at sixteen. Determined to ditch her crappy life, she moved to Nashville with only $200, her guitar, and a notebook full of songs. She hit it big as America’s country sweetheart, but a year of living like a rock star plus a stint in rehab has killed any good will she had with her label. The suits have ordered Kit to shape up or ship out of the limelight. The last thing she needs is a hot, sexy distraction with a sinful smile.
He doesn’t know the meaning of the word.
Max Butler is as far from a celebrity as you can get and he likes it that way. A Nashville firefighter, he’s living the single life with a revolving door of parties, friends, and a different woman in his bed every night. When his normal life suddenly collides with the girl on his favorite Rolling Stone cover, he sees the perfect chance to fulfill his ultimate fantasy and see just how bad Kit can be.
Sometimes bad is so very good.
With three weeks until Kit leaves for her big tour, Max promises to give her a break from being the good girl–no strings attached. But when hot days lead to sultry nights, the lines get blurred and suddenly three weeks of bad might not be good enough.
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Review
4 stars

I had thought the fire was dangerous, but I was wrong. Max was the thing I needed to worry about.
“You’re no angel,” I whispered.
“I’m glad you finally figured it out.”

I have yet to read a Robin Covington book I didn’t enjoy, and Temptation was no exception. Steamy, a little angsty, entertaining and satisfying; it was the perfect NA contemporary read.

Kit Landry is America’s country sweetheart.

The guitar was more important to me than any lover, our connection elemental, and I respected the hell out of it.

But she wasn’t always the good girl she is today. After her stint in rehab and her bad girl ways landing her in every gossip magazine, her label is threatening to drop her. To keep her career on the up and up, she needs to keep her image good and focus on her music. So now Kit must be the epitome of good, and to do that the last thing she needs is a bad boy that will test her every resolve.

Max Butler is a bad boy firefighter. He may risk his life running into burning buildings, but he has no interest in risking his heart to giving it to another woman…ever.

But a little no string, no commitment fun between the sheets with his own personal fantasy? Sign him up. So when he gets the opportunity to get close to Kit after rescuing her from a fire, he doesn’t think twice about it.

I went at her again like I was starving.
And I was famished. For her. It was the craziest thing I’d ever experienced, but I wasn’t going to let a little insanity stop me.

While the chemistry between them was nothing short of scorching,

both Kit and Max are gun shy when it comes to anything more. Max from being burned by a woman in his past, and Kit from another reason from her past.

I really loved that this was written in dual first person POV, but that’s usually my preference. This did have quite a bit of back and forth between Kit and Max. There was that element of ‘I want you, but I can’t’, but it wasn’t overdone or OTT in my opinion. I could have done without that additional “drama” at the 90% mark, but then again it DID fit the story so it didn’t bother me too much.

I liked both Kit and Max…well that’s a lie. I liked Kit but Max is what made my pervy little heart go all pitter patter with his deliciously sexy dirty talking ways. This author definitely knows her way around a sex scene. Damn.

If you’ve never read a Robin Covington book before, this is the perfect one to start with. I promise you’ll be going to her back list immediate after.

P.S.
My casting has been gratuitously stolen from the author’s inspiration behind Max and Kit 😉

About the AuthorRobin Covington, who NYT Best Selling authors, Robyn Carr and Carly Phillips, said was their new “auto-buy author”, writes sizzling hot contemporary and paranormal romance.

A Night of Southern Comfort, her best-selling debut novel was a 2012 finalist in the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Awards, earned 4.5 stars and was touted by RT Book Reviews as bringing a “fresh, modern feel to the genre while still sticking to the things that get our adrenaline pumping — sex and danger”. When she’s not exploring the theme of fooling around and falling in love, she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Joe Manganiello.

Robin is a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Washington and Maryland Romance Writers, a faculty member at Romance University, a member of the Waterworld Mermaids, and a contributor to the Happy Ever After blog at USA Today. You can find Robin on her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter (@RobinCovington).

Robin lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, brilliant children, and ginormous puppy.

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ☆Falling For The Groomsman☆ by @DianeAlberts

A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…

She’s the one that got away. He’s the one she can’t forget.

Photojournalist Christine Forsythe is ready to tackle her naughty little to-do list, and who better to tap for the job than a hot groomsman? But when she crashes into her best friend’s older brother, Christine realizes her list needs updating. And fast. Tyler Dresco took her virginity during the best night of her life, then bolted. Now that they’re trapped together at a destination wedding, she’s going to get her revenge.

Tyler has never forgiven himself for how completely he lost control all those years ago. Being in Christine’s arms had felt right…until he realized what he’d taken from her in the hallway of a cheap motel. And oh, how she’s making him pay for it now. The insatiable heat between them has only grown stronger, but every time things heat up, Christine walks away.

With every encounter, things go a little bit further until Christine’s caught in her own trap of seduction. And before their time’s up, Tyler’s not the only one wanting more…

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Review
4.5 stars
She’s the one that got away. He’s the one she can’t forget.

To say that I have been greatly anticipating getting my hands on this series ever since I finished Dare to Resist would be a slight understatement. So needless to say when this little beauty arrived on my Kindle, there may have been a little bit of this going on

But here’s the thing, when you build your hopes up for a particular book, the reality can’t possibly measure up, right? WRONG

I BINGED on these and read all 4 books back to back. I highly recommend reading them all in order, and I’ll link my reviews to all 4 books at the end here. I loved how everything was intricately interwoven in each story and the connections in each book just added to the overall enjoyment. But that’s enough about that, let’s get to the review here shall we?

I’m a huge fan of the jilted lover from the past trope, so I was verra excited to find out that Tyler was the bad boy that crushed poor Christine’s heart over 8 years ago.

And now, here they were. Should he say something to her? Break the silence? But what was he supposed to say? Sorry for popping your cherry and not talking to you for eight years. But, hey, can I buy you a drink?” Somehow, that didn’t seem sufficient for the hatred she must feel for him by now.

Tyler knows what a huge mistake he made, he was young, stupid, and ran scared. So when he sees Christine at his sister Kady’s wedding after all the time that’s passed, he knows he has to fix it. But Christine isn’t the young and naive girl she was before, and she’s not interested in anything he has to say. And she’s not about to fall for anything he has to say again

Why are you here, talking to me of all people? Let me guess. You’re feeling sorry for kissing me, and you’re here to apologize again.”
“Fuck no. I didn’t do anything worth apologizing for, Red.”
“I don’t know about that. I mean, maybe you pictured me naked while we were kissing. You’d have to drop down on your knees and pray for my forgiveness if you did.”
“If I dropped to my knees, it wouldn’t be to beg for your forgiveness.”

I couldn’t get enough of these two. The sexual chemistry between them was absolutely palpable. Add into the mix a few snarky insults, a sassy heroine giving the hero hell, and did I mention the smoking hot outdoorsy loving?

This book had it all. I fell hard for Tyler. And is it slightly sadictic of me that I enjoyed the hell out of his groveling? That’s not to say that he came off as weak. Oh hell no. Tyler definitely brought the dirty

How come everyone says you’re so sweet and kind and quiet, but with me you’re so bossy…and…dirty?”
“I have no idea. I don’t act like this around other women. Maybe you bring out the worst in me.”

I simply didn’t want this to end.

And then there was that epilogue. Oh my god! Perfection. I was reading it with this big goofy smile on my face.

So to sum up, would I recommend this book? Are you kidding? Why aren’t you reading it already?!

But I will recommend getting all 4 of these bad boys, finding a comfy quiet corner, and spending some quality time with all the delicious groomsmen and bridesmaids of the Wedding Dare.

I can’t wait to see what the talented Diane Alberts has up her sleeve next.
Read the series in order:

Book 0.5:
Dare to Resist (Wedding Dare, #0.5) by Laura Kaye
(My Review)

Book 1:
Falling for the Groomsman (Wedding Dare, #1) by Diane Alberts
(My Review)

Book 2:
Baiting The Maid Of Honor (Wedding Dare, #2) by Tessa Bailey
My Review

Book 3:
Seducing The Bridesmaid (Wedding Dare, #3) by Katee Robert
My Review

Book 4:
Best Man With Benefits (Wedding Dare, #4) by Samanthe Beck
My Review

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She’s hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and Noble numerous times with numerous titles. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author.  Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
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