Review: His Royal Secret by Lilah Pace

Review-His Royal SecretHIS ROYAL SECRET
Series: His Royal Secret #1
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance
Author: Lilah Pace
Release Date: July 19, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

His Royal Secret

The first in an enchanting new male/male romantic duology from Lilah Pace, author of Asking for More and Begging for It….

James, the handsome, cosmopolitan Prince of Wales, is used to being in the public eye. But he’s keeping a king-sized secret…James, next in line for the throne, is gay.

He’s been able to hide his sexual orientation with the help of his best friend and beard, Lady Cassandra. Sometimes he feels like a coward for not coming out, but he daren’t risk losing the crown. If he did, the succession would fall on his deeply troubled younger sister, Princess Amelia. To protect her, James is willing to live a lie.

While on holiday, he meets Benjamin Dahan—a rugged international reporter with a globe-trotting, unattached life—who catches far more than James’s eye. And when Ben is transferred to London, it seems fate may finally be smiling on James.

But what began as a torrid fling grows into something far more intimate and powerful. Soon James will have decide who he is, what he wants from life and love, and what he’s willing to sacrifice for the truth…

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR2.5 stars

Take your clothes off.”
“Yes, your Royal Highness.”

I was an instant fan of Lilah Pace the second I read Asking for It. Her writing phenomenal, the story provocative, and the characters multi layered. When I saw that she has a bran new MM romance in the works with a dash of the forbidden (a secretly gay Prince of Wales? *gasp*)
My ovaries were all, sign us up for that right meow!

Then I started reading it and they were all

“when does this pick up?”
“That was pretty hot, but I barely popped a lady boner at it.”
“Alright, I’m over the sex, what about more story?”
“How much longer?”
“Really? We’re not even at 65% yet?”
“Huh. Maybe the next book will bring more”

Clearly my ovaries are fickle bitches. Le sigh. What can I say? This story very sadly left me quite a bit underwhelmed.

While I loved Ben and James individually, together they were barely lukewarm for me. Perhaps that was because I kept wishing for more story development that kept getting overshadowed by all the sex? Perhaps it was because the book read fairly mundane even if it did have a forbidden romance thing going for it. I just wasn’t feeling it.

I was pushing myself to finish…and pushing myself…and pushing myself some more. Eventually this began to feel like the longest short book.

Now don’t get me wrong, in usual Lilah Pace fashion, it was clearly well researched and extremely well written. The author is immensely talented, and that’s clear in her words. What I found lacking here was simply a true connection to the story. But that’s more a personal taste issue than anything truly wrong with the story. Maybe it was my mood, maybe it was something else. But while I didn’t love this one, I will definitely be continuing with the next book because I was intrigued enough by everything going on and the secondary characters to want to know what happens next.

If you’re looking for sizzling hot MM, this book has it. If you’re looking for great secondary characters, this book has it too. If you’re looking for multi-layered characters, this book definitely has it. Who knows, perhaps it will work better for you than it did for me.


Look out for the conclusion

HIS ROYAL FAVORITE

Releasing August 16, 2016

Jennifer’s Review: ★Reckless Hearts★ by Melody Grace

Reckless Hearts reviewRECKLESS HEARTS
Series: Oak Harbor #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Melody Grace
Release Date: June 27, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

reckless-hearts-by-melody-grace

“When you’re ready for a real man to show you what it feels like, you just let me know.”

It should be the offer of a lifetime: sexy craftsman Will Montgomery wants to rock my world, and boy, does he know what to do with his hands – and that filthy, delicious mouth of his…

Only problem is, I don’t believe in relationships. And Will has ‘boyfriend material’ written all over his chiseled, hunky abs. He was supposed to be an impulse fling, but now he’s shown up in Oak Harbor, NC, to put down roots, and he’s determined to make me com…mit.

Love always ends in tears and tequila, but Will seems different. He’s charming, and funny, and did I mention that miraculous mouth of his? Despite all my better judgment, I’m falling. Hard. But can something this good turn out to be true? Or will old scars keep us from building a future together? For the first time ever, maybe I want to be proven wrong…

The new heartfelt, sexy stand-alone with a happy ending from New York Times bestselling author, Melody Grace.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR2.5 stars

2.5 a-little-less-gentlemanly Stars

This book is super sweet. Like, my teeth hurt, sweet. It was a little too much sugar for me (2 cubes, please), but a lot of people will probably love this story. If you’re looking for a cute beach read, this book is for you.
19580970Will & Delilah….

Delilah & Will….

They were cute. Their meet-cute was cute. Their conversation was cute. Ok, I will admit that he has some dirty talk going on, so that was niiiiice.

Will was an adorable, sexy, gentleman….I just prefer my men a little less….gentlemanly.
19580971I would still recommend this book to readers who love a sweet story. There is nothing wrong with it. There just wasn’t anything that stood out to me.

It just wasn’t my cuppa tea.
19580972

Review: ★The Ending I Want★ by Samantha Towle

review-TEIWTHE ENDING I WANT
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Towle
Release Date: May 10, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

The-Ending-I-Want-ebook-cover

Taylor Shaw had the perfect life—until she was sixteen. That was when everything changed. From that moment on, life went from bad to worse…to the worst.
After recovering from a brain tumor, months later, she suffers the tragic loss of her whole family.
Since that fateful day, she’s been coasting through life.

Now, the brain tumor has returned, and Taylor decides she’s had enough. She’s going to take her fate into her own hands.
No more hospitals. No more surgeries. No more anything.
She’s going to join her family.
It’s her decision.
What she longs for.
The ending she wants.

She just has a list of things to do before she goes.
First, go to England.
Second, kiss a stranger…

Only, Taylor didn’t expect Liam Hunter, the stranger—with his handsome face, his six-foot-three of gorgeousness, and his oh-so-hot English accent—to change things.
To change her.
To change the ending she wanted.

What is a girl, who is standing on the edge of nothing, to do when offered the chance of everything?

Buy LinksAmazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes |KoboReview2.5 starsThe Ending I want-DGR

Recently, I’ve found myself wishing for a lot of things. Things I have no right to wish for. But the heart can be a selfish and foolish thing. And mine is certainly both.

I have been sitting here for days trying to figure out how to rate this book. I adore Samantha Towle’s books. The Mighty Storm is still one of my all times favorites. When I first read the blurb to The Ending I Want, I knew I had to read it. It sounded like exactly the highly emotional reads I love that would tug at every heartstring. Unfortunately, that’s not quite what I got and what I had to sit and think on is expectation vs. reality. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it wasn’t just reality not living up to expectations for me, it was my lack of connection with the characters and their story that ultimately brought my rating down. So what do I rate it? Ultimately I had to go with a 2.5 because it just didn’t feel like a full 3 stars for me because aside from the first 15% and final 20%, I felt no emotional connection to the story whatsoever. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate it. Not by any means. But I didn’t quite like it either. I had to push myself to finish, and that’s what my rating reflects.

You’re mine, Boston, in every way that matters,” he whispers.

I loved the first 15%. The buildup, the chemistry between the characters, and then it progressively began to lose steam for me. The H and h connection was super quick, but still believable. I applaud the author in pulling that off because it’s not easy considering they get together pretty much right away.

I struggled with my connection to both Taylor and unfortunately even Liam. Taylor just never clicked for me. I didn’t buy her reason for choosing to die. I wanted to feel her reasons and never did. This holds especially true with the decision she made at the end because it just didn’t add up with what she kept saying for the entire book. I didn’t buy it. It felt….dare I say…shallow. There’s quite a bit of sex that happens in the book and ultimately it began to take away from the possible emotion it could have had. 15-20% the characters spend going on dates and having sex and I just wanted more. I wanted to feel Taylor’s plight. I wanted the emotion, the angst. And yet it never came. Not really.

Liam was incredibly sexy and enigmatic, but I struggled even with him. As much as I hate to use the word cliche, at times that’s what he read like. A billionaire with a tragic past. Nothing really new for me here. I wanted more. (view spoiler). It was all too much. I’d almost rather he was an average Joe. I simply didn’t need all that.

I also found some of the dialogue, especially the sex talk, to be forced and stilted at times. It almost felt like those parts were written by someone else. I don’t even know how to explain it, but it just felt…off.

You’re a little exhibitionist. I fucking love it. Just as much as I love your tight little pussy.

One of these days, I’m going to fuck you where everyone can see. Where they can watch me fuck your hot, tight pussy.”

Don’t get me wrong, it was really hot at times, but at other times it was almost cheesy in an OTT way.

That’s it, babe. Fuck my finger. Just like I’m going to fuck you with my cock. God, I want to fuck you now- so bad.

….

I think we we both know that you and I are more than friends. I think my thumb up your arse while I was fucking you with my cock earlier on should have confirmed that fact to you.

I spent the majority of the book waiting to be hit with the emotion that the blurb promises, and I barely got that in the last 20%. Unfortunately for me, by then it was simply too little too late.

Now to be fair, the author does an amazing job with Liam. I truly felt for him and I loved getting his POV.

I’ll beg if I have to. If that’s what you need to change your mind. I’ll get down on my fucking knees and beg.”

I may not have fully connected with him in the story, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy him. Because I really did.

Don’t let my rating deter you from reading this and judging for yourself. Sometimes you click with a book and sometimes you don’t, and sadly this fell into the latter category for me. Many people loved it; I’m simply getting too picky for my own good. I will without a doubt read any and all future books from this wonderful author. You can’t love every book, even from your favorites, and this was my one fluke. I look forward to what miss Towle will write in the future.

Review: ★Too Hot To Handle★ by Tessa Bailey

review-THTHTOO HOT TO HANDLE
Series: Romancing the Clarksons #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: May 17, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

p.txt

When rescue looks like a whole lot of trouble…

The road trip was definitely a bad idea. Having already flambéed her culinary career beyond recognition, Rita Clarkson is now stranded in God-Knows-Where, New Mexico, with a busted-ass car and her three temperamental siblings, who she hasn’t seen in years. When rescue shows up—six-feet-plus of hot, charming sex on a motorcycle—Rita’s pretty certain she’s gone from the frying pan right into the fire . . .

Jasper Ellis has a bad boy reputation in this town, and he loathes it. The moment he sees Rita, though, Jasper knows he’s about to be sorely tempted. There’s something real between them. Something raw. And Jasper has only a few days to show Rita that he isn’t just for tonight—he’s forever.

 

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS

Review2.5 starsTHTH-DGR

This is what’s going to pass for conversation tonight. Small talk will be my tongue flicking against your clit until you cry out my name like a swear word. My headboard slapping the wall is going to be our heart-to-heart. And that gorgeous body riding my dick is going to be our nighttime prayers. You with me, Rita?”

Ladies, guard your ovaries, because the Queen of Dirty Talk is back at it with her brand new series featuring the four Clarkson siblings and their journey to a HEA.

The Clarkson siblings have been almost estranged for many years. They love each other but their camaraderie has been strained at the very least. When Rita reads her mother’s journal upon her passing and finds out that her last wish was for all four siblings to travel to NY and jump into the ocean as she did many years ago with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, she’s not exactly sold on the idea. Then a fire burns down her mother’s award winning restaurant and with insurmountable guilt over it causes her to re-evaluate it. And while her siblings begrudgingly agree to accompany her, the road trip is not smooth sailing. Having their suburban break down in the middle of New Mexico is certainly not something they need to help their bickering even more.

A random good samaritan pulling over his motorcycle to help them wasn’t in their plan either. And neither was the instantaneous connection between him and Rita.

What is this about for you? What do you want from me?”
EVERYTHING. This acquintance with Rita was no longer some test of his worth. It was something bigger. He could feel it. “Time. I need more time with you, Rita.”

Jasper Ellis used to be the town’s bad boy. But he’s looking for more from his life now than simply the owner of the local watering hole and bad boy rep. It takes just a glance at the brown eyed beauty on the side of the road for him to know he wants more than just a good time with her. But Rita is only passing through, so it’s up to him to convince her that their connection deserves more than just a few hours spent between the sheets.

If you’re looking for Tessa’s signature dirty talk, you’ll certainly find that here…in spades.

Welcome to show-and-tell. You’re going to slide those sexy legs apart and show me where I’ll have the privilege of putting this hungry cock. And I’ll tell you tons read them wider.

Jasper delivers on that promise and more!

What I unfortunately found lacking here for me, was a connection with the characters. As much as I wanted to love the two of them together, their instant connection just didn’t work for me. There was definitely plenty of sexual tension and push and pull between them, but I wanted more. I just didn’t buy it, I suppose. For some reason they just fell flat for me. Perhaps it was because the entirety of their relationship in the book spans only three days and I’m just too cynical of a reader for that? Perhaps because at times it wasn’t only their relationship that fell flat for me but the characters themselves as well. I just didn’t connect with them or their romance. The sex was hot, as always, but I wanted more emotion. I also found myself thinking that some of the dirty talk was a bit too much at times, as well. Personally it does nothing for me when I read the hero referring to the heroine’s clit as “sweetheart” and having an actual conversation with her. But then again, since I didn’t have much of a connection with the story, I did nitpick quite a bit.

The pacing of the story was slow yet never boring, but ultimately my lack of connecting did force me to skim certain parts. Don’t get me wrong, it was still entertaining, but I supposed I simply wanted more from it.

I did love the relationship between all the siblings and getting a deeper peek at that with this story. It was enough to hook me to want to read the next three books.

If you’re a fan of this author, I definitely recommend the book. No reader is the same, and this may just be a winner for you! As much as I wish I could rate this a bit higher, it just didn’t hit me as much as I wished it would. This is one of those times where I really wish that GR had half stars, because while it wasn’t quite a 3 stars it wasn’t exactly a 2 either. To be fair, I’ll rate it a 3 here because ultimately I did still enjoy it for what it was. Perhaps it was my mood and coming off another book that blew me away and so my expectations were higher than normal. Read it and judge for yourself 😉

 

Review: ★Dirty Together★ by Meghan March

Review-Dirty TogetherDirty Together
Series: The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy #3
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: January 12, 2015add-to-goodreads-button-2

DT FOR WEB

My wife.

I love saying those words.

She’s mine, and if she thinks I’m going to let her run without tracking her down and bringing her back to where she belongs—with me—then she’s about to be introduced to a new reality.

Because I’ll fight dirty to give her the happily ever after she deserves.

Buy LinksAmazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo


Review2.5 stars
Unpopular Opinion Alert

This series started out so strong for me; I loved the first book. It was enticing and deliciously smutty. But then somewhere around book two, it began to regress. I began to need more than simple smut. I wanted more character development, I wanted more relationship development. After not really getting much of that in the second book either, I set my hopes that the third may pack some in, but sadly that was not the case.

Dirty Together was still deliciously smutty, but at this point I needed more. I was tired of Holly’s Houdini acts at the end of every book. It seems like Crey was the one that kept having to explain himself and Holly would act like a sullen child half the time. The begging of Dirty Together really solidified that to me. I was a not a fan of her behavior. Luckily she does have a come to Jesus moment and gets her act together by the halfway point, but 3 books in, it was too little too late for my judgy and picky self.

Instead of the relationship development that I was so craving, this book packed on drama after drama. And in just under 200 pages, it became too much. Between Holly’s crazy mother and Crey’s crazy uncle and everything that comes to light around that, my head spun. You have all this happening and then the HEA happens and wraps everything up in a tidy little bow but it felt rushed.

Sadly the serial really regressed for me. It started off so strong but ended on quite a weak point. I adore Meghan March’s alphas and her writing, so I will without a doubt be reading all her future books. They can’t all be 5 stars, and all authors have that one book that just doesn’t quite work for you. This was that book for me.

I am, however, in the minority with my opinion. So keep in mind that just because it didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. If you’re looking for a smutty serial with a dirty talking alpha, The Dirty Billionaire just may fit that bill.


THE SERIES

DIRTY BILLIONAIRE | DIRTY PLEASURES | DIRTY TOGETHER

Review: ★The Closer You Come★ by Gena Showalter

The Closer You Come (The Original Heartbreakers #1)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: March 31, 2015

Just released from prison, Jase Hollister has a dark and twisted past. And now, he has only one goal: stay out of trouble. Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, sounds like the perfect place for him and his two brothers-by-circumstance to settle down and live a nice, simple life. But model citizen isn’t exactly this rugged bachelor’s default setting—especially when it comes to a certain hot-blooded Southern beauty…

Brook Lynn Dillon has always been responsible. Not that it’s done her much good. The down-on-her-luck waitress is broke, single and fun-deprived. Until Jase comes along. He is dangerous, stunningly protective, breathtakingly sexy and as tempting as sin, and the passion sizzling between them is undeniable. But can it melt her resistance? After all, the right kind of trouble might be just what they both need.

Buy Links
Review
2.5 stars


Once wasn’t going to be enough. He realized that now. He wanted her countless times in countless ways. Underneath him. On top of him. Beside him…

When I saw that Gena was coming out with a brand new contemporary romance series, I was thrilled! I loved Catch a Mate and I’ve been dying for her to write more in this genre. Having read both of her PNR series, I already knew I love the snarky and humor characters she creates and the synopsis sounded right up my alley. Three bad boys, one small town, a guaranteed recipe for enjoyment, right? Well…kind of.

Unfortunately the book managed to start off on the wrong foot with me. See I’m one of those ridiculously picky readers that when something bothers me enough in the very beginning, it will set the tone for the entire book. It’s terrible really, but something I can’t change. And the fact that when Brook Lynn first meets Jase is when she walks in on him as he’s getting dressed after sleeping with her sister?

Yeah, not exactly the best way to start. Now it’s very clear that he’s not interested in Brook Lynn’s sister from the beginning and their night together was anything but spellbinding, but still. I just kept thinking in my head, ‘her sister? really?’. Suffice to say that I had a tough time moving on from that.

I’m a big fan of the small town settings in books, and this was definitely no exception. Strawberry Valley had this really endearing quality to it that I really loved. Brook Lynn was also a fantastic heroine. She grew up in the small souther town, and it’s all she’s ever known. Having lost her parents at a young age and then a conman uncle leaving them broke and alone, she’s come to rely on herself. With a dream of one day owning the town’s small jewelry store, Brook Lynn works her butt off on two jobs, trying to support herself and her party loving sister. This brings me to another thing that didn’t quire work for me; Jessie Kay. I’m pretty sure I spent the majority of the book wanting to hit her in both ovaries. Her constant irresponsible behavior constantly leaves Brook Lynn paying the price, while she’s off either partying or sleeping with another man. It does give the reader a little insight later on about the why’s of her behavior, but it just wasn’t enough for me. That, along with her penchant for the word “dude” pretty much made me want to throttle her. The girl straight up drove me batty.

Now Jase was a character I was equal intrigued with and slightly put off (see my sleeping with the sister comment above). Intrigued, because this is clearly a tortured man. Having spent the last 9 years in prison because he also covered for his 2 best friends has left him with plenty of scars; externally and even more internal. He’s no longer the young boy that he went to prison as. He’s harder, more jaded, but he’s trying to move on. A gorgeous and bubbly blonde that tempts him beyond reason is the very last thing he needs.


Feel nothing. Want nothing. Need nothing.

But there’s just something about Brook Lynn that draws him in, and the chemistry between them soon proves too strong to resist.

As much as I loved Jase and Brook Lynn together, there was always something that nagged me about them too. There was the ghost of sister’s past. Then there was the annoying overuse of the “angel” endearment. But that aside I was really enjoying this book still. It had a little of Gena’s signature snark and humor, or what I’ve come to refer to as Gena-isms. Though at times you can definitely see a little of a mix between her contemporary and PNR voice. I doubt this is something most would spot unless you’ve read her other work. Or maybe I was just nitpicking since I was already starting on the wrong foot? I’m not sure. But I can’t say that it still wasn’t good.

What ultimately ruined it for me was the last 30%. Until then, I found the book to be moving at a fairly slow pace. It wasn’t boring by any means, but just slow. Then the last 30% you get one drama after another. First with [su_spoiler title=”Click to view spoiler” style=”fancy” icon=”chevron”]Jase’s ex girlfriend showing up together with the daughter he never knew.[/su_spoiler] Say what? Maybe it was just me, but I really felt the book could have done without that. It added nothing to the story for me. Then there was a whole different drama that actually fit the story. But the combination of the two in the last 30%? Meh. It just felt too much.

I thought Strawberry Valley had become my home,” he said. “But it’s you, You are my home, angel. You’re where I’ve put down roots.

I really wanted to love this book, but sadly it was just OK.

On a positive note, I absolutely loved Jase’s two best friends; West and Beck. Beck with his manwhorish ways and hilarious come-ons completely sucked me in. I can’t wait for his book, especially after getting that small peak into the heroine that will be bringing him to his knees. The polar opposites definitely have all the ingredients for an amazing read. I also really loved the broken and tortured West. As much as I want to read his book, I am a little afraid since it looks like he’s going to be with Jessie Kay. Hopefully the girl will do a 180 in the next book and manage to endear me to her, because that certainly didn’t happen in this book.

This was a light contemporary romance with quite a bit of steam, and quite a bit of cheese. While I could have done with less cheese and the last 30%, I’m definitely hooked on the series and can’t wait to see what the next book brings.

★Ask Me Nicely★ by Amy Andrews

Ask Me Nicely 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Amy Andrews
Release Date: March 3, 2015

She craves what only he can give her. But he’s not giving in without a fight… Veterinarian Sal Kennedy’s lost her mojo and is desperate to get it back. In fact, as the anniversary of the tragedy that destroyed her life looms large, she’ll do anything to erase the painful memories, including overdoing the tequila and making a pass at the most annoyingly inappropriate man on the planet.

Fellow veterinarian Doyle Jackson is her flatmate and her employee and therefore strictly off-limits. Unfortunately, Doyle knows how to bring the goods and make her mojo sit up and beg. Doyle is only too happy to oblige Sal in her hour of need, but then she demands more, and she’s perfectly happy playing dirty to get it. He wants more, too—more than just sex, that is, and it’s something Sal’s not willing to give.

But Doyle is in this for the long haul now, and he’s prepared to fight even dirtier to get what he wants. Even if that means they both keep losing all their clothes in the process…

Buy Links

Review

2.5 stars


Either kill each other or just get naked and do the wild thing already. You’re scaring the animals.”

As much as I loved No More Mr. Nice Guy, I was really looking forward to Mack’s sister and Josie’s best friend getting her own book. She was such a fun and sassy secondary character in their book that she just HAD to be even better in her own one, right? Sadly that wasn’t the case here


There was something very broken about Sal Kennedy…

I am all for a heroine that owns her sexuality and makes no bones about it. Unfortunately there is that very delicate line between owning it and being brash, and for me, Sal kind of crossed that line. She was just too much in her own book. Clearly she’s hiding a deep rooted issue that causes her to be as detached as she is with men now.


She kissed like the devil, she came like a nymphomaniac who’d been celibate for a decade, and she shattered like a little girl who’d lost her best friend.

I think because the reader wasn’t privy to what her issues are until the last 15% of the book it made it really difficult to connect to Sal. I spent most of the book frustrated with her constant back and forth with Doyle. Especially since Doyle was such a nice guy and extremely tolerant and understanding of Sal’s behavior.
While Sal has no problem sleeping around, Doyle doesn’t want to be just another one-night stand. Living with Sal, he’s come to know her routine and he’s not enabling it. Of course he wants to have sex with her, but he just wants one thing first; a date.

Sal is having none of it. With over five years of using no strings sex as her form of therapy, she’s not looking to get tied down. But ever since the sexy vet moved into her apartment, he’s also seemed to have stolen her orgasms. Easy fix to that, right? Just have HIM give them to her. If only he didn’t want that damn date…


Fine. Let’s do it your way, then. Let’s go on a bloody date. Satisfied?”
“Ah…you want to try that again? NICELY?”
Sal almost chocked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Ask me nicely.”
“You want me to ask you nicely?”
“Sure. A guy likes to feel like he’s being romanced.”

While I get that the author wanted to leave the reason for Sal’s detachment for the big reveal towards the end, unfortunately it had a backfiring effect for me. This could have been a great emotional and sexy read, and it turned into an exercise in frustration. I never connected and Sal, and Doyle, no matter how sexy he was, just kind of fizzled out in the background of all her “issues”. I’m still a fan of this author and look forward to her next installment of this series. Sadly this book just didn’t quite do it for me.

Review: Tied With Me (With Me in Seattle, # 6) by Kristen Proby

“At once wildly sensual and heart-clutchingly tender, this series gets better with every book.” – Christina Lauren, New York Times Bestselling authors of BEAUTIFUL BASTARD 

A man whose lifestyle is so different from her own… 

Nic Dalton’s cupcake bakery is thriving. She serves both rock stars and locals alike, content with her growing business. But one adventurous night out with her best friend, Bailey, turns her life upside down. She meets a handsome stranger who makes her skin sizzle and her heart race. Their one night together is explosive and unexpected, but when he has to suddenly leave without taking her phone number, Nic resigns herself to never seeing him again. 

…What will it take to trust and submit to his every desire? 

Matt Montgomery is one of Seattle’s finest. He works hard, loves and protects his family fiercely, and is loyal almost to a fault. 

And he has a penchant for bondage. 

Matt enjoys the way a woman looks wrapped up in his ropes, and makes no apologies for his preferences. When he meets Nic at a fetish festival, the small, beautiful woman catches his eye, drawing him to her. His one night with her was everything he’s ever looked for in a partner, but is cut short because of a family emergency. Even before he sees her again weeks later, he knows he’ll never get her out of his system. 
And he’ll do whatever it takes to make her his. 

“Give in to this, Nic. Let me prove to you that I will be one of the best decisions you ever make.” –Matt Montgomery 

2.25 Underwhelming Stars
What I expected:
What I got:
Moral of the story?

This series has been hit or miss for me. While I loved
Rock with Me (With Me in Seattle, #4)
, I wasn’t particularly fond of the rest of the books. I suppose I need to be in the mood for a fluffy read and sometimes it works…and other times it doesn’t. But here’s the thing; BDSM and Fluffy? NOT a good mix.

I originally DNF’d this at 50%, but then some newly formed OCD (I blame you Mirjana and Crystal!!!) and a hint of masochism forced me to finish this.

Here’s the thing, just because BDSM has been mainstreamed doesn’t mean that every author is able to write it. And if you are going to write it? Don’t gloss it over or tip toe around it, do the genre some justice. Now maybe I’m a kinky bitch, maybe I’m a picky bitch. Whatever the case may be, as much as I was anticipating this book after the sneak peek in the last one, I was left grossly disappointed.

WARNING: Rage-y spoilers below

So we have Nic. Nic is a straight laced vanilla girl. Nic doesn’t do kinky. Nic is certainly not submissive. But Nic goes to an Erotic Ball (of the BDSM variety) with her friend. And within a few minutes, straight laced Nic allows a total stranger to tie her up in a demonstration. Said stranger then tells her he’d like to fuck the shit out of her. So she lets him take her home still tied up in the ropes!! Oh, but it’s OK, because he tells her he’s not an ax murderer.

In case you’re curious, said stranger is good old kinky Matt. He likes his sex dirty with a bit of bondage mixed in. Oh and Matt is a Master Dom. A TRAINED Master Dom. Matt also says this


In clubs, safe words are mandatory, so if we ever go to one together, your word will be ‘red.’ The second you say ‘red,’ everything stops, no questions asked. But, honestly, the way I feel about safe words is, you shouldn’t need one with me. It’s my job to learn what you can handle and what you can’t, and I’m a firm believer in ‘no means no.’”

No shit? Really?

Apparently Master Matt is also a mind reader on top of his Shibari skills. Oh and of course, scening only happens in BDSM clubs. No need for a safe word when you’re doing a scene outside of one…

Now Matt is not exactly a hearts and flowers forever type of guy. His other family members may have married off, but he’s not planning on changing his status any time soon.

But then a few short days and some awesome sex later…BAM! The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and the hills are alive with the L-words. Does he really know her? Not really. So I just have 2 questions here

As for Nic. Nic was the most contradictory character I’ve ever read about. She says that she’s vanilla and straight laced, but lets a total stranger tie her up and then take her home. She says she’s shy, but then on another occasion lets Matt strip her in front of strangers at a BDSM club and then tie her up again.

All the while Master Matt decides he’s too possessive of her to have others see her naked or touch her, so no more BDSM club for them. He’ll still tie her up and shit and maybe throw in a spanking here or there.

Matt was not a Dom in my opinion. He was a man with a kink for bondage. I think had this book not brought the whole BDSM factor into it, it would have worked much better. The character’s actions did not match the way they’re described.

Nic is brooding away because for some mysterious reason she doesn’t think she’s good enough for Matt. Little by little we find out what that reason is. But does she tell Matt? Fuck no. She loves him too much to hurt him and doesn’t think she’s good enough for him. So what does she do? Leaves him without saying one word.

Of course they work it out in the end and there’s flowers and rainbows shooting out of unicorn asses all that jazz. As for my thoughts at this point?

I can tell you I will very likely be in the minority with my opinion. I know a lot of my Goodreads friends really loved this one. But this particular kinky bitch has been spoiled by the Cherise Sinclair’s, Lexi Blake’s, Kallypso Masters’ and the likes. So suffice it to say, this book did not do it for me.

If you like fluffy romances with a little kink thrown in, you’d really enjoy this one. As for me, I think I’m done with this series.

Review: Carnal Secrets by Suzanne Wright

A pack Alpha and his estranged, true mate wrestle with painful secrets, ruthless enemies, and their own irresistible attraction, in the sexy third book of the Phoenix Pack series.

Half-shifter Shaya Critchley may hold a submissive role in her pack, but she’s done taking orders. After her Alpha wolf mate refused to claim her—but committed to interfering in her life—she took off. Now she hides from him, posing as a human in a town full of anti-shifter extremist groups. She thinks he’ll never find her again, and that suits her just fine. But she’s wrong.

Nick Axton can barely control his feelings for Shaya, but he could never claim her—not if he truly cares for her. The degenerative brain condition he keeps secret would ultimately leave her with a burden rather than a mate. But when Shaya runs away, Nick can’t bear the thought of never seeing her again. After tracking her down, he discovers Shaya’s feisty and passionate side in the process…a side he’d never seen before.

Under the menacing gazes of territorial local packs and violent human extremists, Nick vows to finally claim the spirited Shaya…and despite her initial resistance, Shaya just might find his fiery determination to be the ultimate aphrodisiac

2.5 Nothing Carnal about these Secrets Stars

Dear book title,

Because there was nothing carnal about this book. You were barely somewhat steamy. To put it bluntly,

Because I expected some hot sex, some smut, some domineering alpha goodness. And I got some mediocre loving and a few fade to blacks. For serious? I expected

and instead what I got was

I’d say it’s safe to say that this book was a huge disappointment for me. I have been waiting for what feels like forever for Nick and Shaya’s book. Maybe this was the case of setting me hopes too high? Who knows? What I do know, is this was nothing like the first 2 books. It felt like I was reading an entirely different series altogether.

I absolutely loved the first book. The second book was really good, though not as good as the first. This one?

The first half was a whole lot of angst. I was happy to see that Nick was not claiming Shaya not only due to her being a submissive wolf. I was also looking forward to him groveling when he finally got his head out of his ass and went after her. But I did’t expect him to be as mushy as he was. What happened to the domineering, super alpha from the previous books? It was sweet at first, but then I found myself growing tired with his constant “baby” this and “baby” that.

I also really liked Shaya at first. She was sassy, and feisty, exactly the type of heroine I like reading about. But sadly this didn’t last long either. I was tired of the constant push and pull of their relationship. Enough already! She wasn’t sassy anymore, but plain bitchy. Then she does something around the 40% mark and

I was over it!

Luckily around the half way mark, Shaya gets her shit together. But by that time I was just done. The second half of the book dragged. I skimmed pretty much at every chapter. The only highlight was getting more of Taryn, Trey, the grandma, and their snarky bickering.

The suspense and mystery of the second half of the book didn’t do much for me either. At that point I was so bored with the story that it was a whole lot of skimming.

But more than anything, where the hell was the super hot sex scenes? The smut that I’ve come to expect with this series? I’d barely call the 3 sex scenes we get here lukewarm.

There was a twist at the end. It should have been interesting?

I hope to get Dominick’s book next, and I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that this series will go back to what it once was with the next installment. Because this one left a lot to be desired, at least for me. Hopefully you all will enjoy it more than I did.

I really love this author, so I definitely plan to continue with the series. But I guess you can’t love them all…

Review: Hell’s Knights (MC Sinners #1) by Bella Jewel

Hell's Knights (The MC Sinners, #1)Hell’s Knights by Bella Jewel

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Book Synopsis

Sex. Who really knows sex? I mean, we’ve all had sex, great sex even but when you get down to the details, how many of us actually see sex for the raw, primal act that it is?
I thought I knew sex. I’ve had sex. Heck, I’ve felt lust. Once, I’ve even felt love. I thought I knew exactly what sex was. 
Until I met Cade.
He’s the meaning of sex. 
He’s a biker.
He’s dangerous.
He’s powerful.
He’s dominant.
He wants me.
My world is about to change, for the better? I don’t know. But here’s my story, I hope you’re ready for it because it’s not the beautiful, heart wrenching story most people have to tell. It’s passionate, forbidden, morally incorrect and downright, fucking beautiful
2.5 Meh stars

One day, a man is going to come along and sweep you away. He’s going to give you that feeling you can’t go back on, that feeling that will change your world.

Damn my clicker finger. She sees the words MC and a markdown to $.99 and she just HAS to one click. The compulsive bitch! Last time I allow her to make a decision for me.

I believe that the author had all the right ingredients for a fantastic book. But unfortunately I don’t think she mixed them right, and the end result was a bit…well…meh. At least it was for me. The book didn’t work for me for a number of reason. What are the reasons you ask? Well I’ll tell you.

100
The amount of times that Cade called Addison “sugar”. Yes I fucking counted. It drove me out of my ever loving mind. I was willing to overlook the “babe” and the overused “yeah” ending sentences, yeah? But the sugar thing. Gah! It was every other sentence. C’mon. Switch it up a bit here, Cade. There’s honey, baby, sweetheart, twat. Freaking anything but sugar!! I’m pretty sure I got to a point where every time I read “sugar” I just wanted to

20
Number of eye rolls I had over the at times juvenile dialogue. Addison was only 21 years old, so I can excuse some instances. But her behavior really didn’t endear me to her. She’s been through hell, and I wanted to feel for her. I truly did. But she just drove me crazy at times with her childish tantrums and behavior.

3
Number of times I almost DNF’d this book. As much as I wanted to like this book, the negatives definitely outweighed the positives for me. The story flow seemed choppy at times. The jumping between Past and Present would have worked if it was just with Addison. But when it had the same thing of an event from Cade’s past, it didn’t really work. The progression of the relationships between Cade and Addison, and Addison and Jackson weren’t believable. At least not in the time frames it happened in.

What worked for me


Cade. Well aside from the “sugar” business, he was sexy as hell. I seem to have a soft spot for the dirty talkers, and he really delivered on that end.


Sugar, if I wanted my dick wet, I could get it wet anywhere, with anyone. I             don’t want my dick wet. I want it fuckin’ drenched, drippin’ and surrounded           in you.”

Spike
I love me an asshole. The only thing better than an asshole, is a tatted and pierced asshole. And Spike is rumored to have some interesting “spikes” in some VERY interesting areas.

The sex
At least I think it was. Maybe? I got so frustrated with so many parts of this book that I skimmed through a lot of it. Sex included.

While the book didn’t quite work for me, I will gladly pick up Bella Jewel’s next book because I think this may have been the case of a debut novel and working out the “new book” kinks.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to get intimately acquainted with Spike’s spikes. Well, maybe not intimately intimately. But I have a VERY good imagination. I’ll make do. And I thank you

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