Review: Learn Your Lesson by Kandi Steiner

April 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LEARN YOUR LESSON
Series: Kings of the Ice #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: April 19, 2024

My mother only wanted me to learn one lesson growing up…
Men are trash.

Her father left her, and then my father left us. Being raised by her and my grandmother, I was surrounded by the reminder to be independent and guard my heart.

After my one and only experience with a boy in college fell flatter than a pancake, I realized they were right — and I was content to live the life of a twenty-six-year-old cat lady.

Until Will Perry blew my quiet world to smithereens.

Starting goalie for the Tampa Bay Ospreys and the kind of hot that scrambles your brain, all I was ever supposed to be to him was his daughter’s kindergarten teacher. Then, in a twist of events, his temporary nanny.

But temporary turns to permanent, and when I move into his pool house, everything changes.

He’s impossibly grumpy and focused on only two things: hockey, and taking care of his daughter. I’m only focused on using this new income to pay back my student loans.

But in that house, I feel his heated gaze beneath that permanent scowl, the way it lingers and warms my skin. And though I know my mother would lose her mind if she knew, my dreams have become midnight fantasies about my long-haired, muscle-lined mystery of a boss.

When the tension becomes too much, we break, and we make a deal.

He still needs a nanny. I still need a paycheck and for my matriarchy to not disown me. But Will agrees to teach me everything I’ve always wanted to learn, and I’m all too eager to be his student.

I can do this. I’m a grown woman. I can explore my sexuality with the hottest goalie on earth and still remain one-hundred percent professional. And I can definitely do it all without catching feelings.

I have to.

Otherwise, I’ll end up heartbroken in my mother’s arms while she shakes her head and asks me if I’ll ever learn my lesson.

___________________________________________

TROPES:
Pro Hockey Romance
Single Dad/Nanny
Forced Proximity
Spicy Lessons
Grumpy Sunshine
Age Gap
Opposites Attract
Found Family

___________________________________________

Learn Your Lesson is book three in the Kings of the Ice series: a series of interconnected standalones following a team of professional hockey players and the women who bring them to their knees. They do not need to be read in order, but you will gain glimpses of future characters/couples in each book.

AMAZON 

What do you want to learn?” he mused, skating the back of his knuckles along my neck before tracing them across my collarbone.
My eyelids fluttered, breath catching in my throat, nipples hardening to a point beneath my sweater. “Everything,” I breathed.

My. Whole. Heart. Right. Now.

OMG! This was the perfect combination of delicious spice with heart fluttering romance and I am in love with Daddy P and Chloe!!

“I’ll walk you to your car.” I waved him off as I stood upright again. “That won’t be necessary.” “I apologize if that came out like a question,” he said, and the way he was looking at me, I knew better than to argue.

Now first of all, I am wholly embarrassed to admit that this was my first Kandi Steiner book. And I plan on rectifying my oversight immediately by binging on her entire backlist, starting with the rest of this series. I am a sucker for a spicy hockey romance and this one just hit the mark at every turn of the page.

Will Perry, aka Daddy P stole my entire heart. This grumpy professional hockey player and goalie, widower, and single dad was tugging at every heart string I have. I fell head over heels from page one. There’s just something about his quiet brooding and closed off heart that just spoke to me. After losing his best friend and wife tragically, his little girl and his job are his world. He’s not looking to put himself out there again.

Chloe is a quirky and sweet school teacher who’s not looking for love either. Growing up with a single mother and grandmother who taught her to always rely on herself and that no man can be trusted or relied on, she’s learned to be a fiercely independent woman. But one very forgettable sexual encounter also made sure that she wasn’t all that curious either. Until a grumpy hockey player and her student’s father made her experience a yearning she’s never known.

Will has cycled through one unreliable nanny after another. So when Chloe comes to the rescue after yet another nanny leaves him high and dry, he decides to ask her for help, which she happily offers. She’s already enamored by his little girl, so becoming her nanny and the ridiculous pay that Will offers is definitely no hardship. But living in his house, seeing him every day, and the undeniable attraction she has to the man who couldn’t be more unavailable is not as easy to deal with. SO when he offers they give into their mutual attraction with no strings attached, she jumps at the chance. And finally experience what all the hype is about when it comes to sex and passion. And the silent and broody man? Has a dirty mouth of a sex god. MY GOD.

When I tell you that devoured this book and yet tried to savor every page, I mean I equally couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and yet dreaded being done. I loved these two together. I absolutely adored Ava and seeing her relationship with Chloe and seeing her coming more and more out of her shell. I love watching Chloe break through Will’s hard shell and seeing him smile and open up. And I absolutely loved watching Will unwillingly fall harder and harder for Chloe.

If you’re looking for a spicy hockey romance with plenty of depth, emption, and a sizzle, this is sure to hit the spot. 

She had to know I was holding back. She had to understand that I wanted her so fucking badly I was making myself sick trying to refrain from giving in. And if she didn’t know, if she was waiting for me to say it… How could I tell her the truth, when I wasn’t even ready to admit it to myself?
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Review: Pirate Girls by Penelope Douglas

April 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

PIRATE GIRLS
Series: Hellbent #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: April 12, 2024

She’s the daughter of Jared Trent. He’s the son of Madoc Caruthers…

Kade and Hunter Caruthers.

Brothers. Twins.

My cousins.

In a way, they’re my family. Protective. Indulgent. My best friends. But there was something else there, too. That ever-present whisper that reminded me more as I got older that we didn’t actually share any blood.

They used to be inseparable. We all were, but not anymore. I don’t know why Hunter left or why he joined a rival team in Weston—that Rebel town across the river—to stand on the opposite side of the field from his brother, but Kade is out for blood now and Hunter has finally decided to engage.

Rivalry Week.

Parades. Parties. Pranks.

And the Prisoner Exchange.

Weston will send a hostage to our school, and they’re taking me. I’m Hunter’s for two weeks. In a dilapidated brownstone on a nearly abandoned street with almost no supervision.

Ten days in an enemy school. Fourteen nights in a town full of bullies with no curfews and no rules.

And Hunter has no intention of protecting his little cousin anymore.

The Pirates will come for me. How can they not? A Pirate never sits out on the fun.

But I never needed protection or rescue, because a Pirate never runs, either.

*PIRATE GIRLS is a new adult romance suitable for readers 18+

AMAZON 

 

You were never anyone else’s but mine,” I tell her.

What is it about Penelope Douglas books that always feel like coming home? I loved Falls Boys but I was head over heels with Pirate Girls.

Now if you haven’t read Falls Boys yet, trust me and read it first. This is a series that absolutely must be read in order because while each couple has their own book, there is an overarching story arc that continues throughout the series, much like Penelope’s Devil’s Night series. But better yet, do yourself a favor and read the Fall Away series first. You would appreciate the spinoff that much better. Trust me on this.

So considering that Jared Trent (Bully) and Madoc Caruthers (Rival) were my favorite guys from Fall Away, you better believe I couldn’t wait to get to their kids stories. Watching Jared Trent go through the trials of being a girl dad? Delicious. But I digress.

All Dylan dreams of is following her father’s racing footsteps. But her overprotective father wants none of it. And is it any surprise that Jared’s daughter is just as hard headed as her father and as spirited and tenacious as her mother? I think not. All of her life, she’s loved the Caruthers twins. Kade and Hunter may be identical in looks, but they couldn’t be more different. When Hunter leaves to join a rival school, Dylan doesn’t understand why. She’s been trying to get in touch with him for months, for Hunter to leave her on read. But when Rival week rolls around, suddenly Dylan finds herself as the captive in the game and on Hunter’s new stomping grounds.

This book was THICK but when I tell you I binge read it, I couldn’t stop. The slow burn with Dylan and Hunter was absolutely everything. I love the two of them together. Dylan’s fierceness with Hunter’s sweetness was perfection. I adored Hunter and his heart of gold. He feels everything so deep, including rivalry, revenge, and the love he tries to deny for Dylan. It’s a breath of fresh air to get an MMC who isn’t a f-boy, though his twin will surely make up for that in his book.

I want her in my arms, smiling at me. She’s the place I feel most alive.

I love the combination of sweet and dirty talker. I cannot gush enough about Hunter. He was absolute perfection.

My gaze darts between him and the vibrator. “What are you doing?”
“I owe you a birthday present.” He runs the vibrator under the scalding hot water, and maybe he’s warming it, but he’s definitely sanitizing it. Is he…? My mouth falls open.
“And what are you giving me?”
He turns off the water and uses the towel to dry off the shaft. Then he closes the distance between us. “A really good memory.”

There is an overarching mystery that continues from book one and when the plot thickens, it thickens. And omg does Pen drop a plot twist with this one. My jaw was on the floor reading it.

For those who have read Credence, you’ll appreciate the cameo of Noah in this book and I sincerely hope his book will be part of the series because I need it. But I digress.

If you’re looking for an addictive New Adult romance with multilayered, incredible character, an unputdownable story, and a romance that will own your heart from page one, read this book. Pen’s books are my crack and the sneak peak into the next book? I’m not sure how I’ll survive the wait because I’ve been waiting for this story for years. YEARS. 

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next!

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.

     
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/natasha-knight
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kg2fRX
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknightromance

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Review: The Heroes We Break by Natasha Knight

April 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE HEROES WE BREAK
Series: Heroes & Villains Duet #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: April 9, 2024

She doesn’t belong to me.

I am the illegitimate son, unwanted and despised.

Ophelia Hart is the girl next door. I’ve watched her grow up. And rescued her countless times from my half-brother.

I’ve been gone from her life for two years and when I run into her again, she’s no longer a girl.

Only problem is, she’s wearing his ring on her finger.

But there’s always been something between us. I’ve always been her protector. Especially when it comes to him. And that pull is stronger than ever.

She no longer thinks me the hero of her story, though.

But I know something she doesn’t. A secret from her past. And she’s in danger.

She’ll fight me.

I’ll fight for her.

If she hates me for what I have to do, so be it.

Because there is no way in hell I will let my half-brother have her.

AMAZON 

“I used to think you were some kind of hero growing up, you know that?” she says, voice sad, tears streaming. “But heroes break. And you’re broken, Silas. You’re so broken that you’ve become the villain of your own story.”

What is it about Natasha’s writing that is total book crack each and every single time? And this book was certainly no exception. I devoured it in a matter of hours and am now at a loss of what to do with myself until the conclusion.

At first I was a little worried after reading the blurb that this would be a love triangle. But it’s the furthest thing from it and I’m so invested.

Ophelia Hart is the sweet girl next door. When her family moves next door to the Fox’s, two boys come into her life; Ethan Fox, the toxic, selfish, rich boy and Silas Cruz, his illegitimate half brother that the family doesn’t claim. The tension between the two boys is evident, and it only grows worse through the years. The story is told in numerous flashbacks from present adult Ophelia, to the progression of her relationship with the two boys over the years from her teens.

The adult Ophelia finds herself in a strange situation of being engaged to a man who doesn’t love and her beloved father behind bars for what she never imagined him doing. And Silas Cruz? He’s determined to save her despite the mysterious animosity he carries for Ophelia from years past. As the reader turns the page, you learn more about what took place between these two and you fall more and more for them even when the odds are stacked against them.

Adult Silas is no longer the boy who was willing to take abuse from his father to protect his beloved mother. He’s a man who found success and money on his own and is so desperate for revenge against those who wronged him, that he can practically taste it. And Ophelia? She’s the key to it all.

The chemistry is incendiary and the story is suspenseful with a splash of grit and I am wholly obsessed! I can’t wait for the conclusion because that cliffhanger was absolutely painful.

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Review: Wild Love by Elsie Silver

April 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WILD LOVE
Series: Rose Hill #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Elsie Silver
Release Date: April 9, 2024

Rosie Belmont has been driving me wild for years. The good kind of wild. The bad kind of wild. But mostly the kind of wild that comes with wanting your best friend’s little sister and knowing you can’t have her.

After living in the city, she comes blasting back into Rose Hill like a storm. Beautiful, messy, and chaotic.

And one wide-eyed desperate plea for a job is all it takes for me to hire her.

Forbes may have labelled me the World’s Hottest Billionaire but all I care about is opening my new recording studio. Something that comes to a screeching halt when I end up face-to-face with a young girl who claims I’m her biological father.

Now I spend my days balancing business with parenting a sullen twelve-year-old all while trying desperately to keep my hands the hell off my best friend’s little sister.

I vow to keep Rosie at arm’s length. I try to stick to scowls and grumpy one-liners. But with her verbal sparring is merely foreplay—friction that turns to blistering heat.

I know damn well I shouldn’t cross that line.

But shouldn’t and can’t are two very different things.

And the only thing I truly can’t do is resist her.

AMAZON 

I’m unaccustomed to not getting what I want. And I want Rosie Belmont. It has become downright torturous pretending I don’t.

The way I have been waiting for this spinoff and I can hardly believe it’s in my grabby little hands. Did I love it? YES. Am I already dying for more in this series absolutely!

Now if you’ve read Elsie’s Chestnut Springs series, you’re going to be obsessed with this spin off. And the MMC is Willa’s brother from Heartless (my favorite in that series) so obviously I immediately loved him. This is a bit of a different and unique spin on the single dad trope but I’ll get to that in a second.

Ford is the quintessential nice guy. A boy who took his awkward teenager years and made himself a successful billionaire in adulthood without losing any of the wonderful qualities about himself. Rosie is his best friend’s little sister and his teenage crush. He hasn’t seen her in years but when she shows up in his town, it brings all those feelings right back for him. And oh my god the pining! The pining was so good.

Rosie moved to the city to make herself a success. But when she stands up for herself to her grabby boss, she finds herself jobless and licking her wounds in the small town she grew up in. I absolutely loved Rosie. I loved her tenacity, her perseverance, and her sass. She things that her and Ford hate each other and no one knows about her pining. But turns out the pining is quite mutual and their chemistry is incendiary. I loved their sassy fighting almost as much as I loved when they gave into the inevitable.

Stop playing that game with me. We’re not kids anymore.”
“What game?”
“The one where we pretend to hate each other.” S
he tips her chin up defiantly. “You do hate me. That’s our safe place. You have to hate me. It’s easier that way.”
I shake my head, molars grinding. “I definitely don’t hate you, Rosie. Not even close. But I can fuck you like I do if that’s what you need.”

When Ford offers Rosie a job at his label, this only brings them closer together and suddenly their sassy barbs turn into something so much more.

The single parent part of this book was rather unique and I really loved the way that Elsie wrote it. I adored Cora; she was such an endearing secondary character who brought everything together so flawlessly. She was the perfect addition to an already wonderful story and I loved it!

If you’re an Elsie fan and enjoyed her Chestnut Springs series, you will certainly fall in love with Rose Hill. And if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading this author yet, this is a perfect book to start with. A sassy heroine, a sweet and caring man with a dirty mouth and a heart of gold, wonderful secondary characters, small town feel, and a swoony romanced with plenty of sizzle. What more could you want?

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Review: The Witch Queen of Halloween by Kresley Cole

March 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE WITCH QUEEN OF HALLOWEEN
Series: Immortals After Dark #18.5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Kresley Cole
Release Date: March 26, 2024

Take a spooky Halloween tour of the mysterious Lore in this stand-alone installment of the Immortals After Dark series by #1 New York Times best-seller Kresley Cole.

A demon soldier of fortune . . .
Rök Kours dives into a dangerous mission, only to cross swords with the one woman who bewitched him.

A cursed Wiccan mercenary . . .
Poppy Dyer has never let her uncontrollable magic interfere with her work, but she can barely withstand one demon’s charms.

Trapped in a terrifying lair.
If the two rivals can defeat Halloween’s worst nightmares to escape a haunted castle, can they overcome their pasts to claim a spellbinding future together?

AMAZON  | PAPERBACK | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE

You are all temptation, aren’t you?”
“I am a demon.”
“And in exchange for your protection you only asked for a mere kiss.” She was playing with him, and he was going to let her! “Maybe I could give you a down payment.”
“I should have asked for more.”
“Then earn a tip.”
“Fucking hell, witch, you drive me crazy.”

It’s embarrassing the level of giddiness that a new Kresley Cole book gives me. And oh how I’ve been craving another installment in the IaD series. This may not have been the full length novel I had hoped for, but it was an immensely satisfying longer novella that hit the spot just right.

This would have been a perfect Halloween read, and if you’re craving something spooky and steamy, this is not to be missed. If you’ve read the series, then you would be familiar with Rök and Poppy; the smoke demon mercenary and the witch. If you haven’t read this incredible series, this is the perfect way to introduce yourself because you can easily enjoy it as a standalone. However, it really is the most enjoyable read in order. And considering this is still one of my absolute favorite PNR series, I will never stop trying to get everyone to read it. But I digress.

Woman, understand me: I’ll take on hell for you.”

Poppy is a mission that lands her in a haunted mansion alongside with the demon who she can’t seem to stop thinking about even two years after their failed date. Now they have to rely on each other to survive the spooky inhabitants and forced to work through the unresolved issues left from their ill fated date and feelings. Suffice it to say that the slow burn was extra delicious here. I loved the way that Rok pined for Poppy and the way that Poppy made him work for it. Their chemistry was incendiary. And for a novella, this was still chuck full of action, laughs, and passion.

If you’ve wanted to try this series but may be intimidated by the amount of books in the series, this is a perfect way to start. I can’t recommend it enough!

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Game Maker series, and five award-winning historical romances. Her books have been published in 23 countries and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

A master’s grad and former athlete, Kresley has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. 

She lives in Florida with her family and too many pets. 

Subscribe to Kresley’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/KresleyNews

Kresley’s website: https://kresleycole.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KresleyCole

Instagram: https://instagram.com/kresleycole/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kresleycole

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kresleycoleafterdark

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Review: Slay by Abbi Glines

March 25, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

SLAY
Series: Georgia Smoke #1
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 25, 2024

Rumor

There are moments in life when you make a decision. Accept who you are. What you have become. This was one of those times…The fairytale I thought I’d found had become a nightmare so quickly after I said, “I do.” Which was the reason I ran when I had the chance. Not thinking about the consequences. Just knowing I had to get free before it was my life that was taken.

I never expected to end up finding a haven. A place where people were willing to help me hide. It was as if I had walked into my own perfect daydream.

King

“Don’t believe every pretty face you meet, sweets. You should know by now that’s a terrible f—-g idea.”

She was my job. I was to make her feel safe and do whatever I had to in order to make sure she didn’t run. Underneath the abused and broken exterior, there was a fighter. It was in her eyes. I lived for the moments when she let me see that spark.

I had been headed straight to Hell years before I met Rumor, but letting her fall in love with me was going to reserve me a room in the darkest pit available. One day soon, she was going to find out I was the monster she was running from and the family she had come to trust was the mafia that had killed her husband.

*Please be advised that this is book one in a duet and is a standalone in the Georgia Smoke Series.

AMAZON

Monsters could come in pretty packages. I knew that only too well.

Abbi Glines has been an auto buy author for me since 2012. There’s just something about her stories that are total book crack for me. The Georgia Smoke series is a spinoff of her Smoke series. Think mafia meet Yellowstone. And yes, it is as delicious as it sounds. This is the Georgia branch of The Family, and while you can easily start with this series, I highly recommend the Smoke series first, especially now that the series is all on KU. But I digress.

Abbi has a winning formula that just does for me each and every singe time, and it starts with her uber alphas and the sweet souther belles that they fall for. She writes some of the most deliciously borderline toxic alpha men and it just hits every time. Slay brings the story of King and Rumor.

Rumor has been stuck in a marriage to her abusive husband with no way out. With no family and no resources, she has has no choice but to survive one day at a time. But then an opportunity she never saw coming presents itself, and she doesn’t think twice before running, leaving her life in the rearview mirror. But with barely enough money to get her through the week, she doesn’t have a lot of choices at her disposal. So when a kind stranger offers to drive her to a bus station with a stop at his grandmother’s house along the way for meal, she takes it. Rumor is skittish but she’s a survivor through and through. She’s lived through so much in her young life but it doesn’t take away her sweet demeanor or generous nature. It was impossible not to fall for her.

And King? Sweet baby Jesus. This man. The hints towards his dominance and kinky penchants was enough to make me giddy with excitement. And the secret and ulterior motives that he hides from rumor made me eager to turn the next page. Rumor thinks she’s found a temporary safe haven, but King and his family are much more than they seem.

I devoured this in one sitting, just waiting for that other shoe to drop. Because I just knew that when it did, the story would take an exciting new turn. After years of abuse, it takes Rumor some time to warm up to King and even longer to accept the chemistry between them. The romance is a slow burn, but when it finally burns, it IGNITES. And I was so here for it.

The story was a delicious page turner with plenty of cameos from some of my favorites from Smoke. And that cliffhanger? Jaw droppingly painful. I need the next book immediately and luckily the wait isn’t long because I have zero chill for this conclusion.

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Review: The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee

March 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE VEILED KINGDOM
Series: The Veiled Kingdom #1
Author: Holly Renee
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: March 19, 2024

From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, author of the Stars and Shadows series, comes a scorching new fantasy romance that ignites the pages with relentless danger, forbidden passion, and the intoxicating allure of enemies to lovers.

Fleeing my father’s cruelty, the wicked king who robbed me of a future, I face death in the streets, caught between a rebellion and a tyrant’s reign.

Captured by those sworn to kill me, the rebels remain blind to my true identity—the missing daughter of the despised king. Faced with an impossible choice, I stand before them: join the rebels or face their blades.

Yet, Dacre, the son of the ruthless rebellion commander, becomes torn between suspicion and a desire that mirrors my own. He allows no one to touch me, tries to protect me, yet threatens me at every turn.

As secrets are weaved beyond our hidden realm, a fierce battle unfolds within me. As I get closer to the rebels, and their cause, my loyalty to my kingdom clashes with my undeniable devotion to Dacre and the burning connection between us.

In a world where love and hate are two edges of the same blade, I find myself caught in a delicate dance between forbidden desire and my looming destiny.

AMAZON

What do you want?” I asked, my voice barely audible. He turned his head, a glint in his dark eyes as they raked over my features with a predatory intensity. His lip curled into a sly smirk, and I couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down my spine. “Drop that bow and get on your knees.” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, and I almost fell to them at that one movement. “Then I want you to crawl to me and beg.”

I’ve read and enjoyed Holly’s contemporary romances and now I’m seriously kicking myself for not reading her fantasy sooner. Because this book? OHMYGAWD.

I binge read this book in one nail biting sitting and I am not sorry! This is what enemies to lovers fantasy romance dreams are made out of!

Are you wet, little traitor?” he whispered in my ear, and a moan passed through my lips that I couldn’t stop.

Now generally, I struggle with the first installment in a fantasy romance because I lose myself in the world building and data dump. It’s no simple feat to create a unique and vivid world without overwhelming the reader. But Holly Renee did that so flawlessly, that I felt like I was watching it like a movie reel behind my lids as I read.

I’m a sucker for a forbidden romance and nothing screams more forbidden than a princess on the run and the leader of the rebels whose mission is to overthrow her father’s tyrannical rule. In a desperate attempt to escape her cruel father, princess Nyra runs from her kingdom, only to unwittingly land in the hands of the rebels who are working to overthrow her father. Rebels who would just as soon kill her if they knew who she really was.

The leader of the rebels, Dacre, was animal magnetism personified. When I tell you I was feral for this man, I mean I was completely obsessed. He’s mean, vicious, so obviously I fell head over ovaries for him. This was a delicious slow burn and I loved watching both Nyra and Dacre fight their chemistry. But when they give into the inevitable? YOWZA!!

This is not a standalone and that cliffhanger is going to leave you desperate for the next book. I’m still trying to get over it days after finishing. If you’re looking for a captivating, enemies to lovers fantasy romance, look no further.

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Review: Brutal Arrangement by Laurelin Paige

March 13, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL ARRANGEMENT
Series: Brutal Billionaires #3
Author: Laurelin Paige
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 13, 2024

He can have any woman he wants.
He wants his brother’s.

Alex Sebastian is the billionaire who knows exactly how to re-launch the pop career I walked away from to raise my little sister.

He knows everything, apparently, about what’s good for me. For my image. Even for my lingerie. Everywhere I turn, he’s there, smirking. I cannot stand him.

So why can’t we stop sneaking around?

Maybe it’s his filthy, bossy mouth that does things more wicked than his insults.

Maybe it’s that he does know what’s good for me when he uses it—backstage before my show, during a black tie event, in another man’s living room.

Because maybe deep down, I’ve never been the good girl the world sees, and the dirty, shameful things he makes me do are exactly what I crave.

The problem? Alex isn’t the Sebastian billionaire I’m dating––I’m dating his brother.

Brutal Arrangement is a complete standalone enemies to lovers, forbidden, age-gap, brother’s girl, set in an intriguing world of billionaires, power, and scandal. While it is recommended to read Brutal Billionaire and Brutal Secret first for best reading experience, it isn’t necessary to thoroughly enjoy the story.

AMAZON

 

Alex Sebastian wasn’t just being mean for the kink of it—the guy is legitimately a fucking asshole.

Look, if you know me, then you know I love the mean MMCs. Like super mean. Like I want to hate them for a solid part of the book, mean. What? I have kinks too, mkay? Fictional ones anyhow *smirks*

If you’ve read any book by Laurelin, then you know she’s a master of the mean ones. She has written some of favorite alphaholes to date. But Alex Sebastian? May have just taken my number one spot of her heroes to date. Well, at least until she gives us the redemption arc of the biggest a-hole Sebastian, Alex’s brother Hunter. But I digress.

Alex grabs both sides of my head and holds me in place. “Breathe,” he says softly. “Breathe. Through your nose.” Then he calls out. “She needs five minutes.”
“She has three.” The sound of heels clicking down the hallway follows, and I practically melt in relief.
“We better hurry then because the only way you’re singing that song the way it needs to be sung is with my cum coating your throat.”

Got your attention now, don’t I. Now the premise of this book is deliciously forbidden because Mariah is dating Alex’s older brother. But that relationship is not all as it seems so if you’re thinking it’s a cheating trope, it’s not really. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but trust me when I say you won’t be rooting for Hunter in this book.

Mariah is a rising pop star who is trying to find her image that isn’t cookie cutter and decided on by her team. Desperate to break through, she’s willing to take risks she’s never taken before, including a vixen image that she most definitely connects with. Alex is her boyfriend’s brother and a man that gets under her skin like no other. And when he’s put in charge of her re-launch, it’s not long before the chemistry they’re both trying to suppress bubbles over. And OMG the sexual chemistry between these two is out of this world.

Alex is deliciously mean for the majority of the book. I loved to hate him and boy did I hate him in parts. But then you get a peak into the layers that he hides, and you can’t help but fall for him as hard as Mariah does.

This had so much heat! Alex is bossy, there’s a degradation kink, and all sorts of sexiness. Trust me when I tell you, you probably don’t want to read this book in public. It was a sizzler of a read that I binge read in one sitting and still find myself thinking about. Highly recommend!

With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. 

When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Killing Eve or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. 

She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Connect w/Laurelin:

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Review: Rival Hearts by Maggie Rawdon

February 29, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

RIVAL HEARTS
Author: Maggie Rawdon
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 29, 2024

Pro football might see me as their favorite underdog, but Madison Westfield would rather see me six feet under.

My ex-best friend’s little sister has every reason to hate me. I took her boyfriend’s spot on this team, her brother might lose his too, and our short-lived engagement years ago is part of the reason our families are locked in a grudge match that has the whole league on edge.

Ruining me would fix most of her problems, but she’s stuck trying to work a PR miracle with my career instead.

Making my way through her build-a-better-image checklist is the kind of torture I’ll gladly sign up for, especially if I get to help her prove everyone wrong.

But it means we’re spending a lot of time alone together, and when it comes to Madison, I’ll take any chance she gives me. Even if it means there’s hell to pay—on and off the field.

AMAZON

I’ll jump through all the hoops you want me to.” He closes the distance between us, so close his lips are at my ear, and his body ghosts over mine. “But you should know I have ulterior motives. There’s only one thing I want.”

I’m a sucker for a second chance romance, sucker I tells you. What I’m usually not a sucker for, though, is a cinnamon roll hero. It’s no secret I love the mean ones. What? We all have our kinks, ok? But I digress. When I tell you it took me all of two pages to fall in love with Quentin, I mean I am entirely obsessed with this man. Why? Let me paint you a picture, shall I?

Then let me watch.”
“Excuse me?”
“I want to watch you come while you think about another man, Madison. Let me see it. It can cure me of this sick fucking obsession I have over you for good. Remind me why I can’t ever have you because you want fucking Ivy League cock instead of me. You won’t forgive me. Fine. Punish me then, and let’s get this fucking over with.”

I mean, C’mon. This man. THIS MAN is just perfection. The pining. The obsession. Ten years apart did nothing to dilute his absolute obsession with Madison. Now if you haven’t read the prequel, I highly recommend you read Before the Chaos first. It’s the story that takes place 10 years before this one and gives you all the delicious details of how they first got together and ultimately fell apart. Can you read this book without the prequel, sure. But you’ll enjoy it that much more if you do. But back to my love of Quentin.

Do you love her?” He gives me a pointed look.
“Always have. Always will.”
“You won’t deserve her, you know. Ever—no matter what you do. Guys like us never do.”
“I know. But I’d rather spend the rest of my life trying and failing than not have her in my life.”

C’MON! Is everything that comes out of this man’s mouth perfection. ABSOLUTELY. Not only does he pine hard, but he has a dirty mouth to boot. And he enjoys being a good boy. And what a good boy he is. Don’t get me wrong, the man is pure alpha. But he also doesn’t mind giving his woman control and I loved him for it. But what I loved most about this man is his heart. His sweet, romantic heart that had me swooning at every turn.

My fingers make their way down his chest as the water falls over both of us, and I pause at a set of tally marks that sit directly over his heart.
“What are these?”
“A reminder.”
“Of?”
“You.” My heart skips in my chest, and I look up at him. His eyes meet mine and they go soft as he studies my face.
“One for each year we were apart. All because I fucked up. I was giving myself until ten to do something about it. The last one would have been added when the season started this fall.”
“The last one?”
“I figured if I had ten years to fix my shit, find you, and make up for it and couldn’t do it, that I deserved to live without you.”

Madison is the perfect boss girl and she definitely knows how to boss. I loved seeing her growth from the shy insecure girl in the prequel to the boss babe she is in this book.

If you love an incredibly romantic second chance romance with plenty of heat, swoon, and all the feels then you need this in your life. Trust me. You need a Quentin in your life.

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Review: Where We Belong by Ashley Munoz

February 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WHERE WE BELONG
Series: Stone Riders MC #2
Author: Ashley Munoz
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 23, 2024

An Enemies to Lovers Romance

They call him the Wolf.

His club, his brothers, and even my best friend Callie.

I didn’t really care what they called him, not when the only name I had ever called him was, coward.

Because three months ago he snuck under my resilient heart, like the thief he is, and stole it.

Then he broke it.

Going home wasn’t an option, not when I promised Callie I’d stay. She swore I’d eventually feel like I belonged in this small town.

The club ensured I had a job, and a place to live which reluctantly earned my loyalty.

Until I discovered their little caveat.

The apartment technically belonged to the new president.

I was welcome to stay…as long as I understood it meant sharing.

And my new roommate?

The very man who turned avoidance into an Olympic sport.

AMAZON

What do you want from me, Killian?” His glare softened the smallest bit before hardening again. “I want you to stop being a complication. You’re a flicker in my peripheral vision, a glare, a goddamn floater that corrective lenses would fix. I want to erase you.”
Killian stepped closer. “But… I also want to wrap your soul around mine, feel the beat of your heart in my neck as I breathe, and carry you with me everywhere I go, all at the same fucking time.”

It’s been a hot minute since I read a book by Ashley and I have no idea why. But I know that I’ll be binging on her backlist immediately. Especially since I did myself a bit of a disservice by reading this book first. There is a lot of overflow from the first book in this series. And while it’s still an easy standalone read, you can clearly tell it would be an even better one if you read in order. So don’t be like me and read Where We Started first.

Now if you know me, then you know that I like my heroes mean…and I mean MEAN. Like I need him to hurt all the feelings before he makes everything right, ok? And Killian. This man was the perfect combination of mean and a heart of gold. You don’t know if you want to hug him or punch him but I absolutely fell in love with him.

You don’t care.” He stepped closer, so close my back was pinned to the truck. “I care about every eye that lands on you. Every breath that’s inhaled your scent. Every smile given to you, every hand that’s ever touched you. I care, Daisy. Too fucking much if we’re being honest.”

Killian always knew he can have only one love and focus, his club. Laura is a distraction he doesn’t need and he doesn’t shy away from reminding her of the fact. But Laura also doesn’t shy away from giving as good as she gets. The chemistry between these two was everything. I couldn’t get enough of them.

I craved his destruction, the devastation I knew he promised. I had some sick and twisted desire to hurt.

I loved their antagonism and back and forth almost as much as I loved when they gave into the inevitable. I spent my time equally wanting to throttle Killian and wanting to hump his leg. The man is sex personified but there are so many layers to him that makes him own all your attention. Every time you peel back a layer, he gets further and further under your skin and I loved having him there.

Laura was a great heroine and the perfect balance to Killian’s intensity. There was just enough grit to this MC romance that made it for one delicious page turner without getting too dark and I enjoyed every page of it. I’m hooked on this series and already salivating for the next book.

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