Review: Hot Witness by Lynn Raye Harris

HOT WITNESS
Series: Hostile Operations Team #9.5Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie Family Collection Two
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Lynn Raye Harris
Release Date: March 21, 2016

New York Times bestselling author Lynn Raye Harris adds her unique twist to Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie family with HOT WITNESS… 

Eva Gray has a secret. Eight years ago, her sister entered the Brothers of Sin Motorcycle Club and never came back. Seven years ago, she vowed revenge, even if she had to change everything about her life to do it—her look, her name, her face.

Now she’s stalking the Brothers and looking for weakness. She’s close to achieving her goal, so close she can taste it. But a prominent federal judge is now in ICU, and Eva’s the only one who can prove the club hired the hit.

Jake Ryan was once a Brother, but he got his life together when a judge gave him a choice: prison or the military. He took the military and he’s never looked back. Now, as a member of the lethal Hostile Operations Team, he’s accustomed to working on the side of justice.

So when Declan MacKenzie comes to Washington DC and asks him to infiltrate his old gang to protect a witness and get evidence, he doesn’t hesitate to do his duty. But little does he suspect that Eva Gray is a girl he once knew or that she’s on a mission of her own. A mission that could see them both dead before they’re through.

When the warrior meets the vengeful virgin, nothing and no one is safe…

AMAZON | iBOOKS 

Having been a huge fan of this author for years, this is just a small taste of all the awesome that is her HOT series. Don’t let the series number intimidate you because this is easily read as a standalone. Neither of the MCs ever made an appearance before this book so you won’t be lost on any of the backstory.

This novella is a crossover of Harris’s HOT series set inside Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie family world. Liliana is an author I haven’t read yet and I fully intend to rectify this immediately, as well as reading the rest of the crossover novellas that are a part of this.

As for the story, it’s a quickie but no less potent. Lynn Raye Harris manages to pack in just enough character development along her typical heart pounding suspense and wrap it all around a sizzling romance. The end result is one sexy romantic suspense novella.

Jake Ryan is a member of the elite HOT team. But that wasn’t always the case. Years ago he was on the opposite end of the law as a Brothers of Sin Motorcycle Club member. The military saved him and the HOT team has become his new family. Now he’s been assigned to infiltrate his old gang to save a woman caught in the middle…a woman with plenty of secrets of her own.

Eva and Jake were perfect together. There’s just enough sexual tension to truly skyrocket their chemistry. Eva is exactly the heroine I’ve come to expect from this author; strong and willful. She may be a virgin because she’s dedicated herself to her revenge and love has never entered the equation…until Jake.

If you’re looking for a hot read to spend the afternoon with that will give you a perfect taste of the talent of this author, I can’t recommend this enough. Prepare yourself to binge on her entire HOT series after. Don’t say I didn’t warn you 😉


GRAB THE REST OF THE NOVELLAS 

Spies & Stilettos: A MacKenzie Family Novel, Book 18 by Liliana Hart

Wicked Hot: A MacKenzie Family Novella by Gennita Low

Hot Witness: A MacKenzie Family Novella by Lynn Raye Harris

Avenged: A MacKenzie Family Novella by Jay Crownover 

Never Surrender: A MacKenzie Family Novella by Kaylea Cross

Review: Dirty Doctor by Whitney G

DIRTY DOCTOR
Series: Steamy Coffee Collection #2
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Whitney G
Release Date: March 7, 2017

“Lean back on the table and spread your legs for me…” 

Being a doctor in New York City has never been easy. Especially for someone like me who has a private practice and an incompetent staff who insists on leaving me to fill in for them.

Over the past six months, I’ve performed one too many pap smears, three too many “breast exams,” and scrubbed in on several reconstructive surgeries. (This would be acceptable if I was still interested in general medicine, but I’m not. I’m supposed to be a goddamn therapist…)

When my team finally came to their senses and decided to bring someone more competent into the practice last month, I was actually elated.

Until I realized that our new “doctor” was none other than the woman I was supposed to meet over dinner two weeks ago. The same woman who stood me up with nothing more than an “I can’t meet you anymore, sorry,” after we agreed to move our online talks into reality.

I haven’t forgotten any of the filthy fantasies she told me about, and I never deleted our dirty messages. And if she thinks that I’m going to act like a “professional” and pretend like that shit never happened, she has another thing coming…

AMAZON

The door opened and he entered with a clipboard in his hands.
“Miss Madison,” he said, looking at me as if I was actually a patient. “I’m Dr. Ashton and I’ll be taking care of your pussy today.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not the script…”
“It is today.”

When I’m in the mood for a short, sexy but entirely satisfying read; Whitney G has become my go-to. She never fails to disappoint with witty banter, a fun enemies to lovers vibe, plenty of development to connect you to the characters in a few short pages, and enough sizzle to set your kindle on fire.

Dirty Doctor was a book that I devoured over my morning coffee in one delicious sitting. I couldn’t put it down until I finished. And now for something you’ll never hear another woman say EVER, I was extremely satisfied for the short size that this was. Yeah. I said it.

Conversing through an anonymous professional dating site, D-Doctor and JerseyGirl7 have been going back and forth with innocent flirting. She tells him about her horrible dates, and he gets the witty interaction that he’s missing in his daily life. Doctor Garrett is too hot for his own good. He’s too focused on his job to date seriously and with the amount of female patients throwing themselves at him isn’t exactly appealing. But when his anonymous online chat buddy finally agrees to meet him for a date and then stands him up, he’s not exactly thrilled. And then he gets a distractingly gorgeous new resident…who come to find out is the sexy little flirt that stood him up. And now he’s determined that he’ll have her…no matter how much she may deny wanting him.

I loved the slow burn between Garrett and Natalie. Their witty banter with a heavy underlay of lust was perfectly paced. I thought my ovaries may explode if they didn’t do it soon. And when they finally did?
I also loved that we got an epilogue with this book to tie things up perfectly. That’s the only thing I thought was missing for me with the previous installment Naughty Boss and I was thrilled we got one here. If you’re looking for a fun and sexy shortie to spend a steamy afternoon with, you can’t go wrong with this one.


DON’T MISS THE FIRST STEAMY NOVELLA IN THIS SERIES!

PURCHASE | READ MY REVIEW

Review Blitz: What I Need by J. Daniels

WHAT I NEED
Series:
Alabama Summer #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J.Daniels
Release Day: March 5, 2017

From New York Times bestselling author, J. Daniels, comes a sexy new STANDALONE novel.

Riley Tennyson has made a huge mistake.

At least, that’s what she keeps telling herself.

Showing up to her brother’s wedding pissed off and newly single, Riley seeks comfort in solitude and an open bar, until the gorgeous and irresistibly charming CJ Tully makes her a better offer―a wild night with the master of smooth-talking where nothing is off limits.

Riley does what any single woman would do, and a connection is made. One neither one of them can ignore. But when she comes home to the boyfriend she no longer thought she had, Riley buries her secret and begs CJ to do the same.

Forget about each other. It was a mistake. That’s all it was… right?

Desires are hidden. Distance is kept. Until one night CJ makes the ultimate sacrifice, and Riley can no longer avoid the man she can’t stop thinking about.

Not with him sleeping down the hall…

AMAZON | iBOOKS | KOBO | B&N

Tell me a secret,” she whispers.
I close my eyes.
I want this so fucking bad, I don’t say.

Alabama Summer happens to be one of my favorite J Daniels series. These characters have become like family to me. Well…the women anyway. I have an unhealthy desire to molest every single hero in this series, and I suppose that’s not very “family” like….right? Uhem. Anyways. Moving on.

CJ Tully has been a character who I’ve been rooting for since the moment I met him. He’s a well-rounded, sweet guy that you just can’t help but love. But man, I didn’t expect to lust after him the way I did here. Having him end up with Reed’s sister was deliciously fitting too. But I digress once more.

More than she knows. Riley Tennyson got under my skin at that wedding and fucking stayed there.

One sizzling hot wedding hookup didn’t go quite as planned for Riley and CJ. Riley thought her and her boyfriend were broken up, and CJ thought it was the beginning of something more for them. But when Riley realizes that her and her ex weren’t quite as broken up as she thought, it makes for an awkward morning after. Can past lovers now be friends and keep their one hookup a secret from everyone including her brother?

Now I have to admit, I struggled with the first half of this book. Quite a bit actually. I had a hard time truly connecting to Riley. I wanted to shake her to see reason. But then I’d have to remind myself that this one messed up relationship is all she’s ever known. She didn’t know better existed until CJ. And boy did I love watching her realize just how amazing a man Tully truly is and seeing him crumble all of her walls. And don’t worry, my conservative friends, there’s no cheating here. So calm your tits. It’s just a well paced romance.

This is why I’m addicted to sex now—CJ Tully is the world’s dirtiest charmer.

The other thing I have to admit I struggled with was CJ’s voice. This may have been a case of totally me, but he sounded different. Not in a bad way. Just not how I’ve come to know him in previous books. His speech pattern was just…different. But then somewhere along the way, I also stopped caring. Because somewhere along the way, this man totally captured my heart AND my ovaries with his sweet talk and big heart and dirty mouth.

Yes,” she pants. “God, yes.”
“All night, gorgeous girl,” I promise. “All fucking night, I’m worshiping this body. Every inch.”

The second half of this book totally won me over. I was putty in this author’s hands. PUTTY. Everything that seemed to have stuck out at me previously no longer mattered. All that mattered was CJ and Riley. Their banter, their sweet, and their dirty. EVERYTHING. Riley grew on me more and more as she grew as a character. She matured, she knew what she had in CJ and she never doubted it. Sure she had her insecurity with her brother finding out about their relationship, but I could also understand her fear. Irrational as it may have seemed at times.

And when he rasps, “Darlin’,” I know that’s mine. Only mine.

I loved seeing all my previous favorites make a cameo here. And we also get introduced to a new character that I’m already salivating like a mad woman for.

If you’ve been anticipating CJ’s story even half as much as I half, you won’t be disappointed. He’s EVERYTHING you thought he was, and MORE. SO. MUCH. MORE.



J. Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Addiction series, the Alabama Summer series, and the Dirty Deeds series.

She would rather bake than cook, she listens to music entirely too loud, and loves writing stories her children will never read. Her husband and children are her greatest loves, with cupcakes coming in at a close second.

J grew up in Baltimore and resides in Maryland with her family.

Follow her on facebook: www.facebook.com/jdanielsauthor

Twitter: @JDanielsbooks

Instagram: authorjdaniels

Sign up to receive her newsletter and get special offers and exclusive release info: http://authorjdaniels.com/newsletter/

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Blog Tour & Review: For His Eyes Only by Lexi Blake

FOR HIS EYES ONLY
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #13
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM, Erotic Romance
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: February 28, 2017

A night he can’t forget

Five years ago, Nick Markovic found himself consumed by his quest for vengeance. The one time he managed to find peace was in the arms of Hayley Dalton. Being with her was like bathing in sunlight, and he ached to feel that again, but he couldn’t. He gave his oath to Hayley’s cousin Desiree, his partner at McKay-Taggart and Knight, that he’d never let his darkness infect Hayley’s innocent world.

A spark she can’t put out

It was years before that Hayley offered everything she had to Nick. After that one amazing night, all she wanted was to be his forever. Unfortunately, Nick’s reaction was to walk away from her and never look back. The warm and caring man she’d discovered was gone, and after Des’s death, he’d only grown colder. But when Hayley finds herself in mortal danger, she’s forced to seek protection from the man who broke her heart.

A flame that threatens to consume them both

Haunted by the women he failed, Nick can’t allow himself to grow close to Hayley again. Running to stay ahead of the powerful forces that endanger their lives, they travel from the lush Garden in London to the glittering lights of Rio. As the threat against her becomes clearer, he realizes that to keep her safe he must confront the demons from his past, even if it costs him a future with the woman he loves.

Amazon | Amazon UK | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble

I missed you. God, how I missed you.” She’d been a hole inside him and only now could he see it. For years she’d been a friend, maybe his only real friend. He’d ruined it all.

Why is it that every single time I finish a Lexi Blake book and feel so satisfied to get another hit of her awesome, I’m STILL left a drooling and twitching mess in anticipation of the next one?! It’s not fair! NOT FAIR I TELLS YA!

This series is my crack and I will never, EVER, grow tired of it. It’s high-octane suspense with sizzling romance in a way that no other author but Lexi Blake could pull off.

This series is one giant tease of what’s to come. The amount of forethought this author puts into all of her characters is downright mind-blowing. She begins to develop their stories long before they get their own book and this couldn’t be more true than with Nick. I’ve been anticipating his story ever since Master No. The moody Russian badass that lost his lover in a mission gone wrong has been lost in a cloud of regret and grieving since. I couldn’t wait to see who the heroine will be. I was also a little afraid that whoever she’ll be wouldn’t quite live up to what he had with Des. This book definitely disabused me of that fear. It was so much juicer than anything I could have hoped for. We already got a peak into the beginning of this story in the end of Submission is Not Enough but the true reality of the connection between Nick and Hayley is so much better than the small taste we initially got.

She wasn’t here to fix what had gone wrong with Nick. She wasn’t here to rekindle some stupid flame. She was here to take him up on his offer and to make sure she survived the next few days. That was all.

Nick and Des’s relationship was a volatile one filled with more lies than truth. Nick has never stopped pining for the woman that he walked away from, Des’s cousin, Hayley. She was too young, too naive, too sweet for him five years ago. Having her show up on his door step three years after Des died and demanding his protection from an unknown threat is not something he expected. He’d give his life to protect the woman he never stopped caring for, even if the chemistry between them is just potent as it was five years ago, he’s still not good enough for Hayley. He’s seen too much, done too much, and still carries the stain of his mistakes and actions.

I wasn’t good for you then. I’m toxic now. What you need, I’m not the man who can give these things to you.”

The push and pull between Nick and Hayley was equally delicious and frustrating. At times I wanted to shake him for being a stubborn ass.

I loved watching Hayley come into her own. She’s not the naive girl Nick left all those years ago. She’s a woman that knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to tear down his walls to get to it.

They were both damaged. Her by her childhood and him by so many things he wouldn’t talk about. Could she find some small healing for them both?

Of course all my favorites are back for this book, and can we even have a Masters and Mercenaries novel without Ian freaking Taggard?!

Bugger off, you useless cock.”
Taggart pointed. “See. That’s what I’m talking about. I don’t know why you people are so concerned with bugs, and my cock is totally getting used tonight. Big time used.”
Owen simply stood and dropped his towel, turning and giving Taggart a view of his naked backside. He slapped it. “Bite me arse, Tag.”
“That’s very Braveheart of you.”

I’ve come to think of these characters as family after all these books. I’ll never get enough of them.

As for Nick and Hayley, I loved these two together. I was afraid that Hayley may be drowned out a bit by the memory of Des, but the author did a fantastic job in weaving her in perfectly. She never felt like a consolation prize. She always felt like exactly what she was, his first and only choice.

Yes, we’ll get to this eventually. We’ll get to the part where I touch you in places you never imagined. There won’t be any part of your body that you don’t cede to me. You’ll allow me everywhere. You’ll crave my touch. The touch of my hand, my mouth and tongue, my cock.”

For His Eyes Only was everything you’ve come to expect from this author; non-stop action, twisty suspense, sizzling hot romance, and a gang of characters that you only love more with each new book. I can’t wait for more. I hope this series never ends!

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Review: Sweet Victory by Gina L. Maxwell

SWEET VICTORY
Series: Fighting For Love #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic
Author: Gina L. Maxwell
Release Date: February 27, 2017

Sophie Caldwell might not like asking for help, but help is what she needs if she’s going to save her family business from her uncle. Her grandma left one rule for Sophie if she wants to gain sole ownership before she’s thirty–get married. Yeah, fat chance of that happening since she hasn’t had a boyfriend in years, and now she can’t get her uncle off her ass.

British-born MMA fighter Xander James has never lost a fight, and he’s not about to start now. He’s on the brink of a comeback that could make him a UFC champion, but his landlord wants to take away his last chance by shutting down his gym. Hell, no. Fortunately, his landlord’s niece has a problem of her own. Time for a proposal she can’t refuse.

Each book in the Fighting for Love series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Seducing Cinderella
Book #2 Rules of Entanglement
Book #3 Fighting For Irish
Book #4 Sweet Victory

AMAZON

God, had any woman ever tasted so good, felt so perfect, so soft and strong and absofuckinglutely amazing? No way. At least none that he’d had. Sophie Caldwell left them so far in her dust that new rating systems would have to be invented. One through ten was a joke.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since I first read the book that began my love affair with all things Gina L Maxwell, Seducing Cinderella. This book was slightly bittersweet for me to read since it concludes what’s been one of my favorite series. But damn, Gina, way to go out with a bang!

So Xander James…
Yeah. What’s better than a ripped MMA fighter? Give him a British accent. I mean….*drools*. I know, I know, I’m easy. But I can’t help myself. I loved the man.

Xander is training for his comeback fight. He’s supposed to be focused on nothing but that, but the green haired pinup beauty and owner of the cupcake bakery nextdoor to his gym proves to be a distraction he can’t resist. When he sees an opportunity to save her bakery and his gym from a sale planned by her greedy uncle, he takes it. The terms? A marriage.

Now, I’m a sucker for the fake marriage trope, and this story fully delivered on that end. Sophie was a sassy, tatted and pierced ball of awesome. She’s had her heart broken by every man she’s ever trusted and it’s hard to believe what the sexy MMA fighter is offering her. It’s even harder when the lines blur and the sexual chemistry between them proves to be too much to resist.

She was a visual addiction that only got stronger with each passing day.

I LOVED the banter between these two. LOVED IT.

Jesus Christ, Xander. I don’t know whether I should try to have sex with that thing—and I emphasize try—or use it to roll out dough.
What the hell am I supposed to do with that weapon of mass vagina destruction?”
“Now you’re just trying to play to my ego,” he said with a wicked grin…

The chemistry between them was through the roof. I loved the slow build and the high sizzle.

I also loved seeing all my favorites from the past books make a cameo.

Sweet Victory was a deliciously satisfying conclusion to one of my favorite series. It was sexy and sweet. It was entertaining and scorching hot. It was everything I’ve come to expect from this author and exactly what made me a fan of hers to begin with.


THE FIGHTING FOR LOVE SERIES

SEDUCING CINDERELLA | RULES OF ENTANGLEMENT | FIGHTING FOR IRISH

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Review: If You Were Mine by Melanie Harlow


If You Were Mine
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 28th, 2017

Theo MacLeod wasn’t supposed to be the one.

Tall, dark and handsome suits me just fine, but the cocky grin, know-it-all attitude, and mammoth ego? No thanks. I only hired him so I wouldn’t have to sit at the singles table again. It was just pretend.

He wasn’t supposed to kiss me.

My heart wasn’t supposed to pound.

We weren’t supposed to spend the night together—the hottest night of my life.

One night turns into a snowed-in weekend away, and even the blizzard of the century can’t cool the fire between us. I can’t get enough—of his smile, of his body, of the way he makes me feel.

We’re nothing alike. He’s a daredevil, and I’m a nervous Nellie. He’s a drifter, and I want to put down roots. He’s an opportunist with a checkered past, and I’m a Girl Scout volunteer.

But none of it matters when I’m in his arms.

I know he’s made mistakes. I know his wounds are deep, and he doesn’t trust easily. I know he doesn’t believe he could ever be enough to make me happy, but he could.

All he has to do is stay.

Amazon US |Amazon UK | iTunes | Nook

A guy in a black leather jacket set a coffee cup down on the table and sat opposite me.

I looked over at him, feeling slightly awkward since I’d have to tell him he couldn’t sit there. He was handsome, with warm brown eyes and short dark hair, but he wasn’t Fred. “I’m sorry, I’m waiting for someone,” I said. “But I can move.”

To my surprise, he smiled confidently. “Claire, right? I’m Fred.”

I screwed up my face. “You can’t be. Fred has blond hair and blue eyes. I saw his picture.”

He laughed, almost condescendingly. “I don’t use my real picture, Claire. People are crazy.”

What? This made no sense. “I don’t understand. How can you advertise yourself with someone else’s photo? Don’t women get mad when you show up?”

He shrugged, his grin turning a little cocky. “Haven’t had any complaints so far.”

Actually, he was more attractive than the photo he’d used online—more rugged and masculine, with his scruffy jaw, big shoulders, and brawny chest. Meeting the real Fred was kind of like ordering the chicken piccata and being brought the Porterhouse, which hadn’t even been on the menu.

But that wasn’t the point.

(And I’d described someone completely different to Elyse.)

“So, what, you use a fake photo to lure potential clients and then you set up the coffee meeting to check them out first?” I asked indignantly.

“Wouldn’t you?” He shrugged out of his jacket. “It’s a scary world out there.”

I crossed my arms, sitting up tall. “No! That’s a scam. I don’t like scammers.”

“No, it isn’t. I don’t take any money from them. I don’t even talk to them, I just leave.”

Frowning, I said, “That doesn’t seem right to me. These people are willing to pay you to hang out with them and probably feel bad enough about themselves already, and you just walk out without even giving them a chance?”

He shrugged. “Look, if it makes you feel any better, I’ve only walked off a job once, and that was because I thought I recognized the woman. I prefer to keep my personal and professional identities separate. That’s fair, isn’t it?”

Professional identity? He was a rent-a-date! I shook my head in disbelief. “Is your name even Fred?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “How am I supposed to know what to call you?”

He grinned as he leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “Call me anything you want. You’re the boss.”

Was he flirting with me or making fun of me? I cleared my throat and pressed my knees tighter together. “I’d like to call you by your actual name, please. Bad enough I have to pay someone to play my fake boyfriend. I’d like something to be real, at least.”

He held his eyes steady on mine for a moment. I felt like he was sizing me up, trying to decide if he could trust me, so I stared right back without blinking. If anyone at this table was trustworthy, it was me.

“Theo,” he said quietly, his eyes dropping to my lips for the merest fraction of a second. “My name is Theo.”

There. Was that so hard? I smiled at him before picking up my latte.“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Theo.”

“What, you’re just going to believe me? You’re much too trusting, Claire. I bet people take advantage of you.”

I set the cup back down on the saucer with an angry clank. “Is your name Theo or not?”

“Shhh, it is, it is,” he said, laughing. Then he glanced over his shoulder like he was in the fucking CIA. “But I don’t give that out to just anyone. You should feel special.”

Tall, dark, and handsome was fine, but Theo was the kind of guy who thought he knew everything, and furthermore, he was going to enlighten you on it, whether you asked him to or not. I liked his smile, but not his smirk.

Melanie Harlow never disappoints. With a perfect blend of angst and humor, If You Were Mine hit all the right spots for me. A delicious blend of swoony and sexy, it was everything I’ve come to expect from this super talented author.

Theo MacLeod.

*shivers*

This. Man.

*shivers*

How does Melanie keep doing it? How does she keep coming up with a hero that’s even better than her last? And let me just tell you, I’ve LOVED every hero this woman has written to date. But man, something about Theo just spoke to me. The mysterious past, the broken soul, and the pure magnetism that’s his mere presence…it all just did it for me. It did it for me SO HARD.

But I want to touch you.” I moaned as he kissed his way up one trembling leg.
“I’m going to let you.” His lips and tongue traveled up the other leg. “But not until I make you come.” My breath caught as I felt his tongue stroke up my center and circle slowly over my clit. My fingernails scraped at the upholstery on the couch. “Not until I make you scream.” He slid two fingers inside me, so deep I gasped. “Not until I make you beg.”

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And when you’re facing the dreaded singles table at a wedding and no hope of getting a date the real way, you find yourself scouring the inter webs for a fake one. Hotties4Hire seemed like a good idea to Claire after a desperate internet search and a glass of wine. But with the clarity of morning, she finds herself confirmed for a date with a man promising to be her “platonic” date and it’s too late to back out now.

Theo is not at all what she expected when going to meet her fake date. Neither of them ever expected for a fake date to soon turn into something real. Something that’s almost too good to be true for self-depcriciating Claire, and something Theo is simply not good enough for.

I loved the balance of angst and humor in this story. It all wove together so flawlessly. Theo was sexy and moody. Claire was sweet and funny. Together they shouldn’t make sense, but yet, they really do. I loved how Theo brought out her confidence. And I loved how Claire unknowingly kept breaking down all of Theo’s walls.

As I moved deep within her, I vowed to myself that I would honor that trust. That I would keep my promises. That somehow I would become the man she saw when she looked at me, rather than the one I saw when I looked at myself.

Theo was such a complex character. It’s difficult not to fall for the bad boy here, especially a reformed one. His history is filled with mistakes and regrets. He doesn’t think he deserves Claire, but the chemistry between them is simply too strong to deny.

The push and pull between them added a delicious level of angst to this sexy romance. While at times I wanted to shake Theo or slap him for the decisions he makes, I still couldn’t help but feel for him. His decisions are rooted in self doubt that stems from his past. Your heart hurts for him.

I loved seeing my past favorites from Man Candy and After We Fall make an appearance here. If you’ve read those books, you’ll definitely appreciate their cameos. And if you haven’t, I highly recommend you do.

As for this one? You’re looking at one satisfied reader. Because Claire and Theo was pure swoony perfection.

I just had to figure out who he was. And how to make him stay.

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

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Review: Wait For It by @MollyOKwrites

WAIT FOR IT
Series: Everything I Left Unsaid #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Molly O’Keefe
Release Date: February 28, 2017

In a blistering novel of raw emotion and desire, a tormented woman teaches an alpha male that money can’t fix everything . . . but love can.

Tiffany : After fighting for a new life, I don’t want to play the victim anymore. However, with three kids to raise, I’m getting desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. My estranged brother-in-law, Blake, says he just wants to help, but he’s been trouble since I met him. I don’t know if I can believe this kinder, gentler Blake, and there’s a friction between us that has turned into the sweetest chemistry. He could be my salvation . . . or my downfall.

Blake : I haven’t always had Tiffany’s best interests at heart but I’m ready to make up for my sins. Besides, I can’t help admiring her: The girl’s a genuine survivor, tough and lean, with eyes of steel. But the more I get to know Tiffany, the more I want her. Every inch of her. Which means I’m about to make a bad situation a hell of a lot worse.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

I wanted her. Every bit of her. And every thorn between us. I wanted the sharp corners and the deep shadows.

Ever since Blake first hit my radar in The Truth About Him I’ve been itching to get my hands on his story. It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for the assholes, and let’s be frank, there’s no other word better to describe the man. He’s cold, ruthless, and will spare nothing and no one to get what he wants.

While you could technically read this book as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it. The author does an incredible job giving the reader plenty of backstory that you wouldn’t be lost, however, the intricacies of these characters that was slowly developed as the series progressed would be lost on you. I just don’t think you’d have the same appreciation for who they are and what they’ve been through without at lease reading the first two books.

Tiffany was a woman I didn’t click with until this book. While a part of me felt sorry for her and her situation, her actions at times made her easy to dislike. But somewhere beneath that loathing and pity, there was also a small beacon of hope that this is a woman that’s hiding her deeper layers, and boy did I get them here.

He stood there with the street lights throwing an icy light across him. He was beautiful. In a perfectly cold way.

Having survived an abusive marriage and having no one to turn to for help has turned her into a shell of the woman she once was. But even though she’s frail, she’s no where near broken. And when her husband’s estranged brother questions her morality and the paternity of their kids, she doesn’t hesitate to give as good as she gets.

To say that these two get off to a rocky start would be an understatement.

And I deserved both. Her want and her hate. It was the currency I’d dealt with. It was the currency I’d created. Because I could not figure out what to do with anything else.

Molly O’Keefe is a master of serving her readers up with characters that are almost irreparably broken and twining it all around a raw emotion that’s so gripping, it’s as riveting as it is heart rending. She really brought her A game with the story of Blake and Tiffany.

These two are as far from perfect as it gets. Both have a troubled past and demons that they hide from. They should be toxic together, and yet, there’s something about their individual broken pieces that almost…just barely…makes something whole.

I kissed her like she was the solution. My solution. Like she was everything I needed. And right now that was the truth. And I longed with my naked soul to be her solution.

Their means of getting together aren’t exactly orthodox, but knowing their backstories, it also made a certain kind of sense.

This is not a story of black and white, it was somewhere deep in the gray and it certainly wasn’t a light hearted read. It was painful, emotional, raw, gritty, everything I’ve come to expect from this amazingly talented author.

Wrapped in all of that was a sexual chemistry that was so hot, it was damn near explosive.

I can’t wait to fuck you,” he said. “I can’t wait to put my cock inside this hot greedy little body. I can’t wait to feel every inch of you against me, your pussy milking my cock until I can’t give you any more. I want you to scream and bite and claw. I want you to come so hard it hurts.”

There’s so much depth to both of these characters and their story is one of many layers that at first shouldn’t make sense, but yet, they do. It’s a story that may not click with every reader, but it definitely did with this one.

I would have loved for the hate lust between them to last longer, but that’s because I’m a glutton for punishment and loves me some angst.

If you’re looking for a romance full of raw emotion and sexual chemistry, this is one series you need to check out. I’ve been waiting a long time for Blake and Tiffany’s story, and I can say it was very much worth the wait.


READ THE REST OF THE SERIES

EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID 
Purchase | Read My Review

THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM
Purchase | Read My Review

BURN DOWN THE NIGHT
Purchase | Read My Review

Release Tour & Geri’s Review

PUCKED OFF
Series:
Pucked #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Author: Helena Hunting
Release Date: Feb 21, 2017

***A Standalone novel in The Pucked Series***

I’m NHL defenseman Lance Romero, AKA Lance “Romance.”

I’m notorious for parties and excess. I have the most penalty minutes in the league. I get into the most fights. I take the most hits. I’m a player on and off the ice. I’m the one women with no inhibitions want.

Not because I like the notoriety, but because I don’t know how to be any other way.

I have secrets. Ones I shared with the wrong person, and she used them against me. Sometimes she still does. I should cut ties. But she makes it difficult, because she’s the kind of bad I deserve.

At least that’s what I believed until someone from my past gets caught up in my present. She’s all the good things in this world. She lights up my dark.

I shouldn’t want her.

But I do.

I should leave her alone.

But I won’t.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO 

For the first time in my entire life, I understand what it means to be with someone who will give and not just take.” 

Full disclosure: This my first Helena Hunting book ever. And I know it’s already the 5th book in the series and all that but this was marketed as a standalone. Not only that, the blurb/summary for this book spoke to me. This is my kind of book.

Lance is an NHL defeseman known for his excesses and hotheadedness on and off the field. Despite being successful at hockey and surrounded by people everyday, Lance still feels lonely and isolated. It’s a theme throughout his life.

His pain and loneliness was exacerbated when he got into an ill-advised relationship with their team trainer. The relationship crashed and burned and it left Lance more broken than ever.

I kept hoping she’d decide I was enough. Stupid, huh?”
“It’s not stupid, Lance. Sometimes it’s hard to tell your heart not to want someone, even if all they do is hurt you.”

Enter Poppy, a woman who shares a history with Lance. For Poppy, Lance is her “what could have been.” She has this idealized version of Lance that is far from who he is now. The problem is Lance doesn’t quite remember her.

What I really loved about this book is the way Lance and Poppy’s story sort of came full circle. Not just their love story and how that developed but also with their character arcs. Poppy is the perfect foil for him. She’s light to his dark. She’s everything that Lance craved and wanted for in so long but never succeeded in attaining.

There’s something about a broken hero who strives to be good but fails most of the time. He’s also the kind of hero who made mistakes and has to pay for those mistakes. Lance embodies that perfectly.

You’re all the good things I didn’t know I was missing.”

My only complaint–and this is probably because I’ve never had a chance to meet her before this book–is Tasha. She’s bordering caricature villain. The only perspective we got is from Lance, which isn’t flattering to say the least.

Again, maybe those who’ve read the book will have deeper understanding about her character but for me, meh. Despite all the “bad” things she’s done to Lance, her character is uninteresting. And while her presence served as a conflict at the beginning of the story, it got weaker and weaker towards the middle and through the end.

Despite my issues, this was a book that captured and held my attention from beginning until the end. Lance and Poppy’s HEA was well earned and well deserved. And that sweet epilogue was just icing on top.

My darling girl. I’ve never had someone who was just mine, body and soul—mine to protect and hold and love. And that’s what Sarah is . . . she belongs to me now. We belong to each other.

Armed with my clipboard, I walk down the hall to the waiting room. Lance is impossible to miss. Despite the fact that he’s wearing a sweatshirt and the hood is covering half of his face, he’s more than six feet of broad, hockey-playing man.

He’s so wide his shoulders encroach on the chairs on either side, which would explain why no one is sitting next to him. He’s slouched down so his head rests on the back of the chair, and his hands are clasped in his lap, a baseball cap hanging off one knee. His lips, plush and soft—I know since I’ve had them on mine; it might have been a decade ago, but I remember it clearly—are parted. He looks like he’s asleep.

I clear my throat. “Lance Romero?”

He doesn’t move.

Bernadette, the receptionist, gives me a meaningful look.

I clear my throat again and call his name a second time. He jolts awake and the hood falls back, exposing his face. It’s not in good shape. He has a black eye and bruises on his left cheek. There’s a fly bandage across one eyebrow.

Sadly, he’s still hot.

He blinks a few times, yawns, and smacks his lips, his tongue touching the split in the bottom one. His gaze sweeps the room and finally lands on me. Heat explodes in my cheeks and courses through my limbs, warming me from the inside out as he starts at my sneaker-clad feet and roams up over my yoga pants to my company-issued T-shirt before stopping at my face. I can’t look directly at him for more than a couple of seconds. I sincerely hope he doesn’t remember me. I cannot go there and also be professional.

I’m sure the smile he gives me has melted many a panty off a slutty bunny. Mine stay right where they’re supposed to, wedged up my ass.

I force a polite, professional veneer. “I’m ready for you now.”

NYT and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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Review: Sin For Me by Lisa Marie Perry

SIN FOR ME
Series: The Devil’s Music
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Lisa Marie Perry
Release Date: February 21, 2017

Fans of Empire will love Lisa Marie Perry’s stylish, addictive novels of passion, drama, and seduction. The high-powered men and women behind Devil’s Music have made their fortunes building the hottest label in hip hop, but it’s the action behind the scenes that’s seriously steamy.

For Dante Bishop, music died the night he found his father’s body next to a syringe of lithium. Ditching Atlanta, Dante jumped on his Harley and left the family business to his sister. She became the heart and soul of Devil’s Music—until the board, including Dante’s ex, masterminded a takeover. Years later, Dante’s doing something he never thought he’d do: returning to Georgia to put his songwriting skills to good use. Reuniting with Chelsea Coin only sweetens the deal.

As the perfectionist COO of Devil’s Music, Chelsea doesn’t dwell on the past. If she did, she’d never forgive herself for betraying the Bishops in a corporate power grab. Now Chelsea needs help to save the company, and Dante’s a nonnegotiable part of the arrangement. Still brooding and hot as hell, Dante wastes no time stirring up unfinished business—and carnal memories Chelsea would rather keep buried. She’s come too far to risk everything on a man. But for desire this intense, she might just enjoy the sexiest mistake of her life.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

You can’t beat the devil unless you play his game.

I have no idea what I just read.
I’m pretty sure every single character in this book is completely and utterly screwed up.
I’m also pretty sure that I liked that more than I should have.
It was like an urban soap opera.
It was like (a hotter) book version of Empire.
I was ready to chuck my damn kindle at the wall with that ending.
I’m read to commit some sort of a sin to get my grabby little hands on the next book.
I’m going to go calm my tits now….
Oh you want a review, do you? Well then! Let me try to give you a semblance of one here.

So this book was…*scratches head*
A romance? *scratches chin*
A soap opera with some crazy drama, music, crazy as hell characters, multiple POVs of said crazy as hell characters, and some hot sex. *nods head enthusiastically*
Yes. That about sums it up.

The story centers around the Devil’s Music record label. Once upon a time, Delilah Bishop was set to inherit her father’s legacy, her beloved label. But a betrayal from the people she least expected ripped it all away from her. But she’s back and she wants revenge and she’ll spare no one in her way; not her past best friends. They are, after all, the ones running her label now.

Dante Bishop walked away from everything after he buried his father. He wanted no part of the label or the toxicity that came from the backstabbing life style it called for. That was his sister’s thing. Never his. Having his heart broken by the woman he thought he’d spend the rest of his life with only solidified his decision. But now opportunity has come knocking and he’s forced to come back into the lion’s den to help save the label and possibly get Delilah her legacy back. It also gives him the opportunity to get his revenge on the woman he once loved, Delilah’s ex-best friend and current COO of Devil’s Music.

Would I call this a romance? Not at the heart of it. There was so much MORE going on. The romance was certainly there but it wasn’t the focus for me, more like the cherry on the top. Lisa Marie Perry weaves a hell of a twisted tale here and it definitely sucked this reader in. The story is complex and multi-layered. So much so that it took me almost half the book to really get my head around ALL of it. Because there was A LOT. It was seriously like watching a super hot episode of Empire. It was completely different from anything I’ve read in the past and that hit the spot just right.

Add in the complex relationship between Chelsea and Dante and I was in hate lust heaven. There are a few more interweaving story lines that flow along with theirs and I’m practically salivating to get their stories.

As for that ending? Well, let’s just say if I don’t get the next book in my grabby little hands soon, I just may have to cut someone.

Review: Holding On Tighter by Shayla Black

HOLDING ON TIGHTER
Series: Wicked Lovers #12
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Erotic
Author: Shayla Black
Release Date: February 7, 2017

Jolie Quinn is a woman in charge. Her no-nonsense attitude has made her a rising star in the fashion world and her brand a household name among the Dallas elite. Nothing will stop her from achieving her goals—not even the gorgeous British security contractor who seems just as interested in seeing her personal assets as he is in protecting her professional ones.

After a tragedy left him broken, Heath Powell made a rule of staying unattached. But Jolie challenges him in a way he can’t ignore, and he isn’t used to backing down from a confrontation—especially when the reward for winning could feel so good. As passion blazes between them, the stubborn, confident beauty arouses more than his desire. She touches his heart.

When a mysterious enemy threatens Jolie and her company, Heath is the only person Jolie can trust to help. But working with him to save her business might put her dangerously at risk of falling in love…

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Consider this fair warning: I’m coming after you and I intend to have you underneath me. I won’t rest until I do. So shore up your defenses and work yourself up tightly. That way when I seduce you, it will be even sweeter.”

*happy pervy shudder*

*sigh*

It’s hard to believe that this is now the twelfth book in this series. Seems like it was just yesterday first discovered and binged myself on this deliciously sexy series. I’ve been a huge fan, eagerly anticipating each installment. And now twelve books into it, it still doesn’t disappoint.

Heath Powell first caught my attention as the bodyguard in Wicked for You. Even as a secondary character, there was something so arresting about him that I simply couldn’t help but crave this story. After finishing this book, I can tell you that he definitely didn’t disappoint.

Heath is no stranger to tragedy in his life. Having lost his wife to tragic violence, he’s never moved on and never made the effort to heal. He’s been moving through life, one unattached hookup at a time. While he fancied himself in love with Mystery, he’s lost her to Axel and he’s ok with that. Now a stunning beauty that wants nothing more from him than his protection and professional opinion has captivated him beyond reason…if only he can convince her how hot they can burn.

Jolie Quinn is a take no prisoners business woman. The last thing she wants to do is end up liker her flighty mother, moving on from one failed marriage to the next. She doesn’t need a man to define her. She’s focused on one thing only; her career. So why is the sexy Brit determined to protect her from a threat to her life and business suddenly makes her want to give in, if only just once?

Heath Powell was like a beacon she couldn’t help but home into.

I’ll admit that I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t click with Heath and Jolie’s connection at first. Having lost his wife so tragically and then knowing of his feelings for Mystery, I was afraid that I’d feel like he was settling. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I love the way the author pulled it off. Their relationship was certainly on a fast track, but I was invested from start to finish.

Jolie was exactly the sort of heroine I gravitate to. She was tough, doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and has a quick wit with a sharp tongue. There’s also something so vulnerable about her that seems to come out only when she’s around Heath.

With a whimper, she melted, clinging, in desperate need of an anchor. She’d worry later about how she would recover from this total breakdown of her defenses. Right now, his touch felt once-in-a-lifetime. This thing between them engulfed her, consumed her whole. She craved even more.

Holding On Tighter was a sexy, action packed, thrill ride that had me glued to the pages from beginning to finish. I loved seeing all my past favorites and a few new faces that I can’t want to learn more about. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this series.


WICKED LOVERS SERIES


WICKED TIES | DECADENT | DELICIOUS | SURRENDER TO ME | BELONG TO ME | MINE TO HOLD | OURS TO LOVE |
THEIRS TO CHERISH | HIS TO TAKE | WICKED FOR YOU |
FALLING IN DEEPER | HOLDING ON TIGHER

 

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