Lana – Page 169

★The Final Move★ spotlight & interview with author Victoria Denault

December 12, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

The Final Move
Series: Hometown Players #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Victoria Denault
Release Date: December 8, 2015

Hockey legend Devin Garrison thought he blew his shot. But his relationship with Callie Caplan just went into overtime.

Sexy, rich, and one of the biggest stars in the NHL, Devin Garrison has always been the one who had it all. That is until his marriage falls apart and he realizes he has to start over. If he’s honest, there has only been one woman who ever really excited him-Callie Caplan. They shared a night that was hotter than the late-summer sun, but in an instant-Callie was gone, pretending it never happened.

Callie Caplan isn’t the wild child people think she is. It’s true she’s avoided relationships, but only because she’s seen how crazy love can be. And her messy, imperfect life is crazy enough without opening her heart to a man-even one as picture perfect as Devin. But when fate brings them back together-just as they need each other most-Devin is determined to convince Callie that what she’s feeling is real. And this final play may be their chance at forever . . .

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I’m so excited to have Victoria Denault on DGR today and she’ll be answering all my questions about her Hometown Players series, The Final Move and what’s to come next!

Hi Victoria! Thanks so much for stopping by DGR today!

DGR: Can we start by having you introduce yourself?

Victoria: Hi! I’m Victoria Denault very happy to chat with you. I’m the author of the Hometown Players series. I’m Canadian but I live in Los Angeles with my husband and our two chubby Chihuahuas who like to try and lie on my laptop while I write. LOL

DGR: Now can you introduce your Hometown Players series to those that may not have read it yet?

Victoria: Hometown Players started off as an idea about three essentially orphaned sisters who, in their twenties, have to go back to the small town in Maine when the cold-hearted grandmother who raised them passes away. Heading back to Silver Bay has them reconnecting with their childhood best friends – the Garrison brothers and their friend Luc Richard and it reignites a whole lot of unresolved feelings towards these boys (now men).

DGR: Was One More Shot your debut novel? And what inspired you to write it?

Victoria: Yes, One More Shot was my debut. I wrote it several years before I tried to have it published. I have always dabbled in creative writing, and was an avid romance reader. I’ve also always been a hockey fan. Those passions collided when I watched the first HBO Road to the Winter Classic series. It was the first time I saw an in-depth glimpse of hockey players lives off the ice – the small towns they came from, their families’ sacrifices and commitment, etc. – and I thought, this kind of lifestyle would make a great background for a romantic story. That’s when Jordan and Jessie’s story started to grow in my head.

DGR: You write about some sinfully hot hockey players, is it safe to assume you’re a fan of the sport?

Victoria: I adore hockey. I was born and raised in Montreal where hockey is a religion and so I’ve been a fan since I was young. But I don’t have loyalty to one specific team. I have favorite players I follow and they are on a variety of teams so I cheer all of them. For example Jeff Carter (LA Kings), Kris Letang (Pittsburg Penguins), Carey Price (Canadiens), Alex Burrows (Canucks), Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes). When they play each other it’s kind of like a game of Survivor in my head and I have to vote one of them off (temporarily). It annoys people that I cheer multiple teams, but oh well.

DGR: Did you have a favorite book to write in the Hometown Players series?

Victoria: Each one was my favorite until I wrote the next and then that was my favorite. The Final Move was the easiest to write. Callie’s boldness and snarky attitude came easily. 🙂

DGR: If you had to pick your favorite scene out of any of the three books, which would it be?

Victoria: Oh boy… just one scene? I have favorites in all the books but if I had to pick just one it would be Callie kicking out Devin’s random hook-up. I like the humor in it, when the hook-up assumes she’s the wife, and I love the passionate fight between Devin and Callie and, of course, the resulting shower scene.

DGR: You write some delicious angst, but I think that Devin Garrison’s book was probably the angstiest for me. Was his book difficult for you to write?

Victoria: It was. I wanted to make sure Devin took time to really move on from Ashleigh, emotionally. I didn’t want him to just jump to Callie because I didn’t want anyone to see her as a rebound. But at the same time, it’s a book with only so many pages, and I needed to get them together, I mean that’s the point? LOL. I struggled a little with that balance – letting him move on without rushing it but still keeping the story moving.

DGR: If you had to describe Devin in 5 words, what would they be?

Victoria: Driven. Proud. Passionate. Loyal. Sexy.

DGR: Callie Caplan is one tough cookie. Out of the three Caplan sisters she’s always come across as the toughest. But she also has some inner demons that she tries desperately to hide, doesn’t she?

Victoria: Oh yeah! Of the three sisters Callie is the one who latched onto the worst possible coping mechanism to deal their childhood trauma. She put a protective shell around herself and tried to be a protective shell for her sisters. She honestly feels that she can never open her heart up because she can’t risk being hurt because her sisters have risked it – and one of them needs to keep their heart in once piece. The idea of letting someone in after all the people who have abandoned her in the past is more terrifying than death for Callie.

DGR: Did you always know that you’d have Devin and Callie end up together?

Victoria: Honestly, no. I thought One More Shot was a one-off novel and that Callie, Rose, Luc and Devin were just supporting characters. But halfway through One More Shot, I realized Rose and Luc’s story needed to be told. And as soon as I started their story I knew that a book about Callie had to happen – ripping down her defenses would be so much fun. I didn’t want to introduce a new person for Callie and Devin was the only Hometown boy who would have the strength to knock down her walls. Plus, I could give him an issue (his wife cheating/marriage ending) that Callie could help him through because Callie lives for helping/protecting her loved ones.

DGR: What was the most difficult part for you to write in The Final Move?

Victoria: Writing the end of Devin’s marriage. Even though Ashleigh cheated I wanted the real reason the marriage fell apart to be about more than that. I don’t know how the hockey lifestyle, with the extended absences and raising kids essentially alone, affects a marriage first hand so I did a lot of research on that. There are blogs and articles written by hockey wives that talk about it which were helpful.

DGR: And how about the most favorite?

Victoria: Any scene with Devin and Conner. I don’t have kids and I didn’t think I would really enjoy writing a child but I loved writing scenes between Devin and Conner, like when Devin tries to explain how Callie will live with them now.

DGR: Now that the Caplan girls are all paired up, and the Garrison brothers all seem to be settled, what’s up next? Any chance the sexy Sebastian may be getting a book?

Victoria: Sebastian should get a book, shouldn’t he? He’s so much fun! I can’t confirm anything yet, but there may be more Hometown Player books coming in 2016.

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

Victoria: A giant heartfelt thank you. I am so happy with the reaction to this series! It’s been a dream come true. And I fully intend to give you some more angsty, hockey romance so stay tuned…

Victoria Denault loves long walks on the beach, cinnamon dolce lattes and writing angst-filled romance. She lives in LA but grew up in Montreal, which is why she is fluent in English, French and hockey.

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Author Spotlight & interview · Tagged With: Author Interview, hockey players

Blog Tour & Giveaway: ★This Girl’s Got Secrets★ & ★Silent Scars★

December 11, 2015 by Lana · 1 Comment

The Girl’s Got Secrets
Series: Forbidden Men #7
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Linda Kage
Release Date: November 28^th, 2015
Self-Published

Here’s the same old “girl posing as a boy” story but with a rock-n-roll twist.

Remy Curran dreams of one day being in a band, except the group she wants to join refuses to hire a girl drummer. So, she auditions as a guy…and makes the cut.

Becoming “Sticks,” a member of Non-Castrato, isn’t quite what she dreamed it would be, though. She spends most of her time keeping up the subterfuge and learning how to walk, talk, act, and drink like a man.

But what’s even harder to deal with is acting oblivious when the band’s heartthrob lead singer, Asher Hart, treats her like one of the guys and not a woman. She never imagined he’d be so much more than a pretty face with a nice voice. But he’s better than perfect. He’s perfect for her.

When love and lies combine, Remy must keep up the act or lose everything. But who knew lying to reach one dream could prevent you from attaining an even bigger dream?

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Remy and I bent at the same time to turn on the karaoke machine.“Sorry,” we murmured together when we nearly bumped foreheads. Then we shifted an inch apart but still both going in to get the machine up and running.

“Holy shit,” she murmured under her breath, turning toward me slightly. “You smell really good.”

I didn’t want it to, but my body reacted, remembering every touch, lick, and kiss she’d ever given me. I glanced at her face, and her eyes flared as if she was in trouble for saying such a thing.

“Sorry.” She lifted both hands in some kind of surrender. “It’s just…it’s new. You’ve never smelled like that before.”

Lust stirred through me. I tried to bite it back, tried to cling to the fact I was mad at her, but a need unlike any I’d ever experienced with any other person roared through my blood.

I had to shake my head and blink myself back to the present, remind myself where I really was and what I was doing. And that was most definitely not Remy Curran.

“It’s, uh…Eva gave it to me as the best man gift. I figured I should wear it today.”

She nodded, agreeing. “Well, it’s amazing. I think I just got pregnant.”

“…You look just perfect. I would so throw you down on your bed and ride you right now if I didn’t know you were really a girl in there. Hell, I’m tempted to, anyway.”

I rolled my eyes but chased it with a smile. “Thanks. I think.”

“Now practice your man walk,” she demanded, waving out her hand.

I faltered. “My what?”

She sighed. “You’re not going to pass for a dude if you stroll in there with your hidden girl hips swaying and flattened tits pooched out on display.”

My mouth fell open. “Excuse me. I do NOT walk like that.”

She snorted. “Oh…own it, puta. You’re a hot piece of ass, you can’t help the girly swagger.”

“But I don’t—”

“Hunch your shoulder over a little more, concentrate on keeping your hips in line, and try to jut your cock forward when you strut.”

“Do…what?”

“That’s how hot guys walk, like they’re leading with their junk.”

I could only shake my head. I had honestly never seen a guy walk as if he were trying to poke his pecker out ahead of him. “Where do you come up with this shit?”

“Just do it, puta.”

I sighed but used her suggestions, trying to overdramatize the cock-and-go strut, as I was thusly dubbing it.

“What do you think?” I asked.

She purred out a promiscuous growl and clawed the air in my direction. “How do you say ‘I want to sit on your face’ in Spanish?”

“…You look just perfect. I would so throw you down on your bed and ride you right now if I didn’t know you were really a girl in there. Hell, I’m tempted to, anyway.”

I rolled my eyes but chased it with a smile. “Thanks. I think.”

“Now practice your man walk,” she demanded, waving out her hand.

I faltered. “My what?”

She sighed. “You’re not going to pass for a dude if you stroll in there with your hidden girl hips swaying and flattened tits pooched out on display.”

My mouth fell open. “Excuse me. I do NOT walk like that.”

She snorted. “Oh…own it, puta. You’re a hot piece of ass, you can’t help the girly swagger.”

“But I don’t—”

“Hunch your shoulder over a little more, concentrate on keeping your hips in line, and try to jut your cock forward when you strut.”

“Do…what?”

“That’s how hot guys walk, like they’re leading with their junk.”

I could only shake my head. I had honestly never seen a guy walk as if he were trying to poke his pecker out ahead of him. “Where do you come up with this shit?”

“Just do it, puta.”

I sighed but used her suggestions, trying to overdramatize the cock-and-go strut, as I was thusly dubbing it.

“What do you think?” I asked.

She purred out a promiscuous growl and clawed the air in my direction. “How do you say ‘I want to sit on your face’ in Spanish?”

Favorite Scene to Write

I’d have to say my favorite scene to write in The Girl’s Got Secrets was where Asher catches Remy in the shower. He still doesn’t know girl-Remy exists yet, so for him, he thinks he’s meeting a new person completely. I have no idea if I wrote it well enough for everyone else to feel the sparks, but I certainly felt them when I was writing. It was fun and entertaining for me to create as it was steamy too, which totally made my day. When Asher went and flirted with her, I just melted. I’d never seen him in flirt mode before, and I just gotta say, I like it! So does Remy…though she had to try to hide it.

Here’s a little peek into that scene:

I jogged to the hotel and retrieved my key card from my pocket as I approached my room.

The light was still off as it’d been when I’d left a few minutes earlier, but the bathroom door had changed. It was shut most of the way so only an inch of a crack showed, revealing the light was on inside. The sounds of a shower and singing filtered out into the hotel room.

“…And a hug around the neck. A hug around the neck…,” a clearly feminine voice serenaded from the bathroom.

I froze, frowning hard, as the lyrics to Doris Day’s “A Bushel and a Peck” continued. At first, I wigged out, afraid I’d just entered the wrong room. I began to backpedal, afraid to be caught in someone else’s room, but then I wondered why my key had gotten me in. So I flipped on the light.

My laptop sat on my bed and the blankets on Remy’s side were rumpled and unmade. Plus his familiar suitcase and my duffle sat on the floor, so I knew I had the right room.

But who the hell was in our shower? From the sound of it, I would’ve thought Sticks had snuck in a woman, except he wasn’t into women.

Wrinkling my brow, I inched cautiously toward the crack in the bathroom door. Using the tips of my fingers, I reached out, standing as far back as possible, and gently nudged the entrance open. Steam exited, clouding around me as the woman’s voice grew louder.

“…You make my heart erect,” she continued to wail with a pretty decent set of pipes. I lifted my eyebrows, intrigued.

I have no idea why, but I said, “Remy?” I already knew that wasn’t him in there.

In answer, the woman screamed.

“What the—” Confused as all get-out as to what was going on, I reached for the shower curtain and yanked it open.

Inside, the naked, wet woman yelped again, instantly shoving one arm over her breasts and splaying her free hand between her legs to cover herself.

“Holy shit!” I gasped.

We gaped at each other, the water spraying down on her and forcing her long dark hair to clog into her face.

Rationally, I knew I should turn away, but yeah…for some reason, I’d kind of lost the ability to think rationally. Instead, I shook my head, and demanded, “Who’re you?”

She shoved her hair out of her face so she could see me, probably forgetting that she had to uncover her breast to use her hand, because suddenly, I was being flashed some very nice tits indeed.

My gaze instantly dropped to her chest, and she gasped, slapping her arm back over herself. A split second later, she snatched the shower curtain and wrapped it around her, concealing all the best parts.

“No hablo inglés,” she panted in this super-hot sexy voice that had my hormones raging even harder.

Ah, shit. I shook my head, still completely flabbergasted. “You don’t know English?”

“No.” She shook her head. “No hablo inglés.”

“Fuck.” I wiped my hand over my face, glad I hadn’t started drooling or anything, because…wow. There was a very hot Spanish-speaking chick in my shower. “Well, I know crap Spanish.” Glancing behind me, I muttered to myself, “Where the hell is Remy when you need him?”

Behind me, shower girl repeated, “¿Remy?” I spun back to her and she babbled something in Spanish, her hand waving the entire time.

I blinked, understanding absolutely nothing. But she’d said Remy’s name, so I slowly asked, “You know Remy?”

She nodded, her eyes lighting with recognition. “Sí. Remy.” Then she spouted off something else. I was sure I caught the word amigo in there, so I snapped my finger.

“Amigo,” I repeated. Yes, a word I understood. “Friend. Okay. So…he let you in to take…a shower…alone?”

I squinted because there was no way that sounded as if it were even plausible.

“Dios,” she moaned, clutching the shower curtain closer to her breasts. Then she bit her lip and waved me away with a free hand, sputtering something in Spanish that went way over my head. But the shooing motion and desperation on her face made her plea obvious enough.

“Shit, sorry.” I suddenly realized how badly I’d been gawking. Lifting my hands, I backed up a step toward the half closed bathroom door behind me until I nudged it with my spine. “I’ll…let you finish.” But I couldn’t seem to take my gaze off her. She was just…stunning. “And I swear, I’ll look away…soon. Once the blood stops rushing to my dick and returns to my head and I can think rationally again, because…wow.”

Linda grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now she lives in Kansas with her husband, daughter, and nine cuckoo clocks. Her life’s been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing’s always been a major part of her world, and she is so happy to finally share some of her stories with other romance lovers.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Silent Scars
Series: Surviving Series #4
Author: Ada Frost
Release Date: November 28, 2015
Self-Published

Her Man.

Their Hero.

His Pain.

What happens when you pray for death and you’re ignored?

You have to live.

You have to survive.

But what if the last thing you want is to take your next breath?

To the world, Ryan is a hero, an ex-marine, brother, son and protector. He has devoted his life to keeping others safe. He will do anything and everything to ensure his loved ones are protected, even if that means destroying his very own soul. After an explosion on the battlefield ends his career in the Marine’s, Ryan is sent home with an honorable discharge. But the war hasn’t ended for him.

He is home, he is free and he’s breathing, but he’s dead inside.

He wants nothing more than peace, but the nightmares in his mind will not grant him that. They taunt him, tease him and torture his waking moments. The darkness within him is slowly consuming him, blackness has seeped into his veins and is rotting his core. Ryan is a man on the edge of destruction. For once he is the one in need of saving. He needs a saviour.

He needs her.

Ryan is commissioned as a bodyguard to Aloura Cavendish. When he initially meets her, he believes her to be a spoiled rich brat, wasting his time. But the fire inside her astounds him. When he pushes, he never expects her to push back. When he runs, she chases. For the first time in his life, Ryan has a protector willing to fight his demons. The only problem – he is too afraid to release them.

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That’s when I heard the music, the loud angry tones of Green Day’s “American Idiot” I grinned because it appeared Aloura wasn’t a fan of having us invade her life.“Gentlemen, I may not require your services. It appears I will just strangle my daughter myself.” Graham, uttered sarcastically as we headed towards the loud music. When we reached the open doorway he strode through, leaving Will and I to follow. My douche of a brother paused causing me to walk into his back. I peered around the doorway and froze. There was no other way to describe it – her – other than absolute perfection. She was dancing around the room, her body moving with such fluidity that she almost floated. The music died immediately and she stopped. Her attention fixed on her father who had stopped the music. She slapped her hands down over her hips and breathed up at the ceiling. Her shoulders lifted and fell with each breath she pulled in. She glared at her father’s back again as he came towards us and then she caught sight of Will and I standing at the door gawping at her like two morons. I straightened and smoothed my hands over my head. It’s a habit I developed after I was discharged from the hospital. I hate the constant reminder marring my skin that I fucked up. That people died because of me.

“Sweetheart,” Graham gritted out through his teeth. “These are the gentlemen I was telling you about.”

“The ones with tight arses and buns you want to bite?”

I spluttered a laugh as her father turned crimson. The silver in his hair glistened against his skin. Will glanced at me, trying to hide his smirk.

“That’s what you said this morning isn’t it?” She asked batting her eyelashes at him. She headed over to a black piano in the corner of the room and picked something up from the top, when she held them up to her face I realised she was putting glasses on. She turned and blinked a few times in our direction and her cheeks turned a really beautiful shade of pink. She ran her hands over her black hair, which was pulled back in a messy knot type thing. Then she trailed them down her body, tugging at the hem of her t-shirt. It was fascinating watching her assessing us.

“I should have punished you more as a child.” He glared at her, but there was no mistaking the small curl of his lips of the undeniable love shining in his eyes.

“So this is my horrible little brat, Aloura.”

Hi! What to say about myself…I don’t really have anything interesting to offer other than I love to read, and create stories for others to enjoy. I’ve always been told I have a vivid imagination, I just lacked the confidence to pursue putting it onto the the written page. But finally I embarked on making a single dream come true.

I love to read, and write. I only read romance, any genre really, but it has to have a beautiful romance. I also demand a HEA, even if it takes two or three books to get there. Reality is too broken and jaded without having to live through the trauma and angst in a book for it to end unhappily.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/10/the-girls-got-secrets-by-linda-kage.html

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Lots of Chances to Win! $20.00 Amazon eGift Card (x1), $10.00 Amazon eGift Card (x1), $5.00 Amazon eGift Card (x2), a Paperback copy of THE GIRLS’S GOT SECRETS and a Paperback copy of winner’s choice from the Surviving Series by Ada Frost)

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Blog Tour, Character Interview, Review & Giveaway: ★Corrupt★ by @PenDouglas

December 10, 2015 by Lana · 5 Comments

Title: Corrupt
Author: Penelope Douglas
Genre: Dark | Erotica | Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 17, 2015
Tour Hosted by: As the Pages Turn

Erika

I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.

His name is Michael Crist.

My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.

But I noticed him.

I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid…For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.

Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.

Because he’s finally noticed me.

Michael

Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.

My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.

Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.

In my city.

Unprotected.

The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.

We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.

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Michael

I enjoyed the fright of not knowing what was coming and from where.
“When we used to wear the masks,” Michael said, dropping his voice to a near whisper, “you liked it, didn’t you? It scared you, but it turned you on.”I raised my hesitant eyes and tried not to let out a laugh. What was I supposed to say? That the fact that they’d looked like monsters got me hot?I shook my head clear and stood up, saying in a quiet voice. “I’m going to bed.”

I grabbed my phone and took a step, but Michael’s voice stopped me.

“Come here,” he said softly.

I turned my head, narrowing my eyes. Come here?

He sat up, resting his forearms on his knees and waiting, while I shifted on my feet.

He was always playing games. I didn’t trust him.

But the temptation to engage was too great. He was right. I was getting good at it, and I kind of liked it, too.

I took slow steps, holding up my chin to steel myself.

When I reached him, he placed a hand on my hip and pulled me in between his legs. I gasped as he fell back against the sofa again, pulling me in with him. I shot my hands out, planting them on both sides of his head on the back of the couch, keeping myself upright as I leaned into him.

“Say it,” he breathed out, holding my hips with both hands now. “It turned you on.”

I closed my mouth and shook my head, looking down at him with a challenge.

“I know it did,” he maintained, a fire in his eyes. “Did you think I couldn’t see how tense your body would get or how your nipples got hard through your shirt when you saw me wearing it? You’re a little twisted. Admit it.”

I folded my lips between my teeth, turning my head away.

But then he tipped his chin up and caught my nipple between his teeth through my tank top, and I closed my eyes, letting out a small cry.

Oh, God!

The heat of his mouth swooped into my stomach as he released my nipple and then snatched it up again, dragging it out between his teeth.

“I’ve got the mask upstairs,” he taunted, kissing and nibbling on me through my shirt. “I can get it if you want me to.”

No. No, I wasn’t like that.

I pushed away from him, but he held me firm.

“Michael, let me go.”

But then I felt my phone vibrate in my hand, and I quickly glanced at the screen, seeing no name with the number. Reading the number, though, I noticed that it was his mother’s. That’s strange. I thought I had her number saved in my Contacts.

But I let it go, remembering that my mom was with her. I needed to take this call.

Planting my fists on Michael’s chest, I shoved him away. “Get off me. Your mom’s calling.”

All he did was laugh, though, and my face fell.

He grabbed my arm and threw me down onto my stomach and came down on my back, pinning me to the couch.

I breathed hard and fast, feeling his cock press against my ass as he snatched my phone out of my hand.

I stared wide-eyed as he placed it a few inches in front of me, his finger hovering over the green Answer button.

“Michael, no,” I rushed out, panic making my lungs ache.

But he swiped the screen anyway. The ringing stopped, and I heard silence as she waited for me to say something.

“Say hi,” he whispered in my ear.

It’s testosterone overload at Dirty Girl Romance today, because not only do I have THE Michael Crist, but also Kai Mori. Let’s just say that I’m just a little excited to have both these men with me tonight to answer some of my most pertinent questions. So without further ado, let’s do this!

DGR: Michael, can you introduce yourself by telling us a little about yourself?

Michael: I think before I act, but you won’t see me coming. That’s all you need to know.

DGR: What would you say is your biggest strength? And your biggest weakness?

Michael: Rika. On both accounts. She makes me better, happier, and more alive, but she’s also almost always the center of every decision I make.

DGR: You grew up with quite a bit of wealth and prestige, has that affected the man that you are now?

Michael: I’m sure. I don’t know what it’s like on the other side, but I would assume that when you don’t have to worry about where your food and rent is coming from, the world is full of possibilities.

But it’s also full of restraints, people watching you, and having an opinion about your life and future…

I was lucky to get a basketball scholarship to Westgate, because there’s no way my father would’ve paid for me to go there when he had other expectations. It’s a conundrum, isn’t it? You can grow up poor and quite possibly have no future and few, if any, opportunities. Or you can grow up wealthy, with Evans Crist as a father, and have your future already planned from the day you graduate college to the day you enter the grave.

I took option C: free fall.

DGR: Let’s be blunt here, you’re hot as hell, why are you still single?

Michael: Probably because I’m only 23. And probably because I was waiting for Rika to grow up. 😉

DGR: How would you describe your ideal woman?

Michael: Smart, clever, she owns the room….Rika.

DGR: Let’s deviate to Kai for a minute. Kai, you and Michael have been friends for many years, how did you first meet and did anything in particular strengthen your bond through the years?

Kai: We first met in high school, first year, at basketball tryouts. I’m not sure how it happened, but Will, Michael, Damon, and I just all found each other on the court. When it was time to pass, one of them was there. We read each other, and we were always in sync. Immediately, we began hanging out, and after the rigid workout schedule, the games, and the practices we eventually became inseparable. We found that ability to be in sync transferred over to life as well.

So yeah, it was basketball. Even after we got out, it was the first thing we all did together. It felt normal.

DGR: (For Kai) If you had to describe yourself in 5 words, what would they be?

Kai: To define is to limit.

DGR: (for Kai) Now what about your single status, any ladies in particular you have your eye on?

Kai: No.

DGR: (For Kai) Let’s address the elephant in the room, you’ve been gone for 3 years and I know you don’t want to talk about where you’ve been, but can you tell us if the past three years changed who you are?

Kai: *laughs* Yeah, we know exactly where I’ve been. The thing is…I deserved what I got. When I thought Rika, someone we trusted, had turned us in, that was a different matter, but I know I broke the law, and while I’m not sorry I did it, I’m not angry I got punished.

I just…I don’t see the world the same way I did. Things changed, and I feel different. Stronger, maybe. I’m wearing a new skin now, and I kind of like it.

DGR: (For Kai) You, Michael, Damon and Will are all thick as thieves. Is there anyone in particular that you’re closest to, and why?

Kai: I think Michael and I were closest. We trusted each other’s opinions more. But I’m not so sure that’s true anymore. He trusts her opinion now, which I’m happy for him, but like I said…things changed.

DGR: (Michael) Same question

Michael: We’re all close. Take out Damon, and insert Rika, and it’s still the four of us.

DGR: (For Kai and Michael) Who are the four horsemen?

Death, Famine, Conquest, and War. The four riders brought forth by God to bring about the Apocalypse. We got the name during high school, because the sight of us on the court was certain death for the opposing team. It was hype, but it worked.

DGR: (For Kai and Michael) You both seem to have a very…interesting…relationship with Erika Fane. Anything in particular that you can say is drawing you to her?

Michael: Her wit, her fight, her dark side…she’s part of me.

Kai: She knew me, what I’d been through, and it felt comfortable. She soothes me.

DGR: Let’s close it up on an interesting note and get really personal for a second. Because let’s face it, you are at DIRTY Girl Romance, Michael, if you had to describe your perfect sex, what would it be? Missionary? Doggy style? Something more…kinky?

Michael: The position isn’t as much of a turn on as the location and situation. I like the danger of almost getting caught. Like last week when all the players and their girlfriends and wives took a limo bus to a party at some mansion in the country. Rika and I were way in the back seat, it was dark, she was in my lap, and…we didn’t go all the way but far enough to make it a very frustrating night until we could find somewhere private.

DGR: Kai, same goes?

Kai: Something more…kinky.

Three years ago, curious little Erika Fane wanted to play with the boys, so we indulged her, and she betrayed us. There was no way we’d forget.

How in the ever loving hell do I even begin reviewing this book?! Honestly. I’m completely at a loss for words. So my only way out is to be vague as shit and trust me when I tell you you’ll thank me for it. You want to know absolutely nothing about this book. Even the very minute detail can be a spoiler. If you want my advise, avoid reviews altogether and go in absolutely blind. Hell, don’t even read the blurb.
First of all, while this book is categorized dark, I wouldn’t agree with that. It’s a heck of a lot darker than anything Penelope Douglas has written and surely a leap away from anything she’s written in the past. But dark? Well, on my scale, I’d rate it a light gray. It was erotic, and very edgy, but if you compare to the Pepper Winters, CJ Roberts, or the like, it’s not quite on the same scale. It’s also not for everyone. Penelope took some risks with this one and there are some scenes and occurrences that may not agree with everyone. But this girl? Devoured it like the crack that it was.

I’d always been scared of him. The thrilling kind of scared that got me turned on.

Erika Fane has been in love with Michael Crist. He captivated her with his brooding intensity, drew her in with his aloofness, and completely disregarded her. But something about him, something behind his eyes drew her to him like a moth to a flame. Erika was too young to really know. Too naive to really see. And she was also dating Michael’s younger brother. Now she’s single, in a new city by herself for college, and fully in Michael’s crosshairs….
Michael Crist is a force to be reckoned with. He’s enigmatic, rich, and used to not playing by the rules. Erika may have had the run of his house growing up, but now she’s finally where he wants her. No longer under the protection of his family, no longer dating his brother. She’s alone…and his to do with what he wants. And what he wants is revenge. He won’t rest until she’s paid restitution for what she did to him and his friends those fateful three years ago. He’ll make her pay, even if he has to corrupt her fully to do it…

Such a good girl…
Say it, Rika.”
“I’m a good girl,” she panted, her voice shaky.
“And I’m going to fuck you up.”

I don’t remember the last time a book kept me up all night reading. I inhaled it in one sitting, completely enraptured. It was positively spellbinding and unlike anything I’d have ever expected from this author. There’s one thing to say for Penelope’s writing, it’s absolutely captivating. She knows how to draw her readers in, how to make her characters so alive they practically leap off the pages at you. Michael was that character for me. He was so intense, in a way that equal parts terrified and seduced. The fact that you get both his and Rika’s POV only serves to draw you in fully into the story. Even when he does something that you want to hate him for, even when Rika does something you want to throttle her for, you can’t put it down. It was like an addiction. I had to have a hit. I simply couldn’t stop until I knew what was going on. And Penelope keeps you hanging on that edge of suspense until the last page. They mystery behind everything is what really captured my interest. It’s told in flashbacks of three years ago and present, but it’s weaved together flawlessly. I know some readers don’t enjoy the flashbacks from past to present, but it truly worked it. It’s what drove the plot and the mystery. It whetted the appetitive for more.

What if I’d completely corrupted her? What if she’d begun to like playing games too much, and the lust to play- and to win- overpowered her need for me?

I read this 2 days ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. There was one particular scene that really threw me and made me wonder if it was really necessary. However, after giving it some though, it was barely a blip on my radar. I also wished for a bit of something from Michael at the end (I won’t say what because I’m a teasing bitch like that) but you’ll see what I mean once you read it. But once again, thinking on it some more, Penelope stayed true to his character, and having him handle it any other way would not have been that. So I can respect that.

While young Rika frustrated me at first, I loved seeing her grow that backbone and truly come into her own throughout the book. She certainly gave as good as she got, and she got plenty. Michael is the epitome of an anti-hero that you’ll love to hate.

Corrupt is much sexier than any of Penelope’s other books that I can’t even compare. The woman can write the hell out of a sex scene, let me just tell you. But everything about her writing just worked for me. Get ready to be Corrupted, because after reading this, you will never be the same.

Penelope D

Penelope Douglas is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Fall Away series.

She dresses for autumn year round, loves anything lemon flavored, and believes there is too much blood in her Coca Cola stream. Or too much Coca Cola in her blood stream. Or…

You know what? It doesn’t matter. She loves Coke. Now you know.

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Goodreads

The following goodies are up for grabs!

(1) Signed copy of Corrupt + $100 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner’s choice (Intl)
(2) $20 Amazon or B&N gift card, winner’s choice (Intl)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, Author Spotlight & interview, Dark, DGR Favorites, Erotic Rom, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, character interview, excerpt

Cover Reveal: ★Isadora★ by Ella Frank

December 10, 2015 by Lana ·

Title: ISADORA (Masters Among Monsters, #2)
Author: Ella Frank
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Series
Publication Date: January 12, 2016
Cover Design by Hang Le

A TRAGIC BEGINNING…

Isadora Nikitas understands what it means to be betrayed. That lesson was taught to her in the prime of her life, and when she is offered a chance to exact revenge, she finds it difficult to refuse.
Instead, she entrusts her survival to a mysterious vampire known only as Diomêdês, a male who wants nothing in return but to watch over her—in every way imaginable.

Gifted with speed, strength, and immortality, she determines that her life will no longer be governed by the needs and wants of a mere man. She has cowered for the last time, and with her Ancient by her side, she thrives and blossoms into the most formidable female vampire in existence.

But, once upon a time, like all little girls, Isadora believed in love. She believed it because she once had it. So, when it comes along a second time, she knows that it’s possible—but when you love someone, they become your weakness. Unless, in fact, they become your enemy instead…

A MYSTERIOUS PAST…

Fulfilling your life’s prophecy should be empowering. At least, that’s what Elias Fontana always believed. But, as he stands guard over the beautiful vampire he’s taken hostage, his convictions start to crumble. Made to believe by his creators that he and two others have been designed to destroy a dangerous race, he has difficulty connecting his current reality to the woman he once loved.

A TANGLED TALE TO UNRAVEL…

When friends become enemies and enemies become lovers, who can you trust in the webs of lies and despair? And, when your life is at stake and blood has been shed, how much are you willing to sacrifice to fulfill your destiny?

Don’t miss book 1!

ALASDAIR (Masters Among Monsters, #1)

A DANGEROUS ALLURE

Bestowed with eternal life by the Ancient Vasilios, Alasdair Kyriakous is one of the most feared and ruthless vampires in existence. His name carries weight across all of the seven continents.

But he is a mystery to his kind, an anomaly among the self-indulgent. While he enjoys the pleasures of the flesh, he is exceptionally particular in his choice of partners and prides himself on his ironclad self-control.

Yet with one look his control will become a thing of the past, and Alasdair will discover that eternal life doesn’t always last forever…

A DEADLY ATTRACTION
Thrust into a world he could never have imagined, Leo Chapel awakens in his worst nightmare. Taken hostage by the dangerously mesmerizing vampire, Alasdair, Leo must rely on his intelligence to escape before he reveals a secret he isn’t even aware he’s hiding.

A FORBIDDEN DESIRE
Unaware that they’ve been brought together by an outside force and are little more than pawns to a higher power, Alasdair and Leo spend time trying to uncover the other’s secrets, the attraction between them growing stronger all the while.

But enemies are watching and preparing to act against them. When decisions that will alter lives and destinies have to be made—can a dead, grey heart learn to beat again?

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, A Desperate Man. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary, M/M romance and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author

· Filed Under: Cover Reveals ·

Review: ★Forgetting August★ by JL Berg

December 9, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Forgetting August
Series: Lost & Found #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J.L. Berg
Release Date: December 1, 2015

She can forgive, but can she forget?

Some days, Everly still thinks she sees him. In the food court at the mall, or in a car speeding past as the light changes. It only lasts a second, but when it happens, she slips back to a time when she was ruled-and nearly ruined-by August Kincaid. And it doesn’t matter that she’s moved on, that she’s about to marry another man. In those moments the only thing she can do to regain control is take a deep breath and remind herself that August can’t hurt her-because he’s in a coma. Except that he’s not anymore.

August is awake. With no memories, he sets out to solve the mystery of his lost life. He unearths a photograph of a beautiful redhead named Everly and knows instinctively that she’s the key. But when he finds her, the August she describes is more monster than man.

Tortured by the thought of having hurt her, August wants only to become the man Everly deserves. As the new August emerges, Everly glimpses the person she first fell in love with. But can she trust that this August is real? When the final secret of their shared past is revealed, one of them will make a choice that changes their future forever…

Amazon / iBook / B&N / Kobo

Because life really didn’t move on from a person such as August Kincaid.
No, you simply learned to adapt and above all, you survived.

When you read about a book a day, they all sort of begin to blend into each other. So when I stumble upon a book that’s as unique as Forgetting August, it’s a treat. This was unlike anything I’ve read in the past and I was immediately drawn into the story. It was just that good; the writing, the mystery, the angst, the romance, all of it wrapped together into one spellbinding unforgettable read.
Everly is happily engaged and planning a wedding to a wonderful man that loves her fiercely. But with one phone call and three little words, her carefully constructed world crumbles into chaos. He is awake.

August Kincaid awakes from a two year coma that no one expected him to wake up from with absolutely no recollection of who he is or who he was.

My former life was an endless tunnel of oblivion, where there was no beginning or end.

When a gorgeous redhead shows up at his hospital bed, he hopes that her clear knowledge of him may help him piece together the memories that he no longer has. But then only thing he sees in her eyes is pure unadulterated hate. Hate for the man that he once was, and hate for the man that clearly hurt this woman beyond repair.
August took everything from her once; her love and her heart, and then he shattered it. Everly wants nothing to do with the man, even if he doesn’t remember who he is. She’s happy in her life now, but his memory continues to haunt her and she just can’t bring herself to look the other way. August is clearly struggling to put the pieces of his life back together, and if she can give him the missing puzzle pieces, she’ll do that. But she will never give him a piece of her heart.

Maybe sometimes love isn’t pure. Maybe sometimes it’s toxic- so toxic it consumes a person until they would do anything to have it.
Like a drug.

The story is told entirely in the present with quick memory lapses into the past. It’s not a past/present type thing. It’s written in such a way that you feel like you’re experiencing those flashes of memory right along Everly.

But the heart is a fickle thing. You can’t help who you fall for and once upon a time August was her everything. Now in the midst of helping him regain his memory by taking him to places he loved and hoping to ignite at least a spark of something, the one thing is manages to do is re-ignite the flame in her heart for August that never quite burned out.

Could the heart remember what the mind couldn’t?

Forgetting August is full of angst and emotion. It’s wonderfully written that left me wondering how I haven’t read anything by this author before. The mystery of the past and what ultimately led to August going into a coma is something that stretches for the entire book.

While I’m not usually one for love triangles, the one here simply worked for me. I think that had a lot to do with Everly and clearly seeing her struggle of moving on from her past and attempting to face her future. She loves her fiancé, but August was something else for her entirely.

Loving me destroyed you…”
“Loving you brought me back to life.”

If I gave my heart over to a man who then turned into my worst nightmare…?
Who would be there to pick up the broken pieces?
No one, because there would be nothing left to find.

Forgetting August is sexy but without the need for super gratuitous sex scenes, if that makes sense. I absolutely loved this story and the characters. But most of all, I loved the mystery behind everything. I was just as desperate for those flashes of memory as August was. And when one of the biggest puzzle pieces get revealed, the author hits you with the mother of all cliffhangers that had me howling at the ceiling.

They say time heals all wounds. But can it forgive?

If you’re looking for something different, this duet needs to be on your TBR. I usually avoid cliffhangers like a religion, but in the case here I’m glad I read it. Even as I die a little each day in my wait for the conclusion in Spring.

Releasing April 5, 2016

PRE-ORDER

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: angst, Book Reviews: 4 stars, Second-chance-romance

Review: ★Binding Ecstasy★ by Setta Jay

December 9, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Binding Ecstasy
Series: Guardians of the Realms #6
Genre: Erotic PNR
Author: Setta Jay
Release Date: May 28, 2015

A Beautiful Weapon Contained.

Natasha and her sister were created with sinister purpose. They were Apollo’s most deadly and potent weapons. After finally escaping the evil God long ago, they made a secret life concealed among humanity in Earth Realm. There, Tasha has spent her nights watching the mortals at her club engage in erotic scenes that leave her aching… desperately longing for someone with the power to dominate her, to provide the pleasure she craves. For her own safety she knows she’s destined to live her life in the shadows, but when she sees a male who sparks an insatiable hunger she is unable to remain hidden.

A Powerful Guardian Restrained.

Bastian and his fellow Guardians have spent the last month in a fruitless search for Apollo. They know that something dangerous is on the horizon and it is imperative they lock away the corrupt God immediately. After recently witnessing a number of his brethren find their fated mates, Bastian never considered that he would also be blessed. But when the calm and controlled Guardian sees his alluring and seductive female he learns just how wild and consuming the mating frenzy can be. However, his mate is incredibly powerful and at risk of being caged by his own brothers if he doesn’t do everything, including lie, to protect her.

Immovable Object, Meet Irresistible Force.

It’s a battle that both will win if they can survive the deadly forces, both friend and foe, that surround them.

Warning: This novel is intended for a mature audience. You will find kick-ass females, explicit sex, voyeurism and alpha males with bad language.

Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

…I need fuck you so hard you won’t be able to take a step without knowing you’re mine.

I swear to all things holy, if my ovaries haven’t cumbusted by the 3rd book in this series, surely they’re steel plated right now. Because this book? I can’t even with how hot it was. No seriously. There’s hot, and then there’s Setta Jay Guardians hot. It’s a category all of it’s own and ovary survival is not guaranteed. As a matter of fact, say goodbye to those bitches right now because no way can they make it through this book.
But let’s be real here for a moment; I may be a pervert but I’m a pervert with standards. I want a great story to go with my book porn and this has it in spades. If anything, each book in this series continues to be better than the last. They’re my crack of choice and I’m not planning on rehab anytime soon.

Meet Bastian…
Guardian, badass and sporting some enviable hair. Along with his fellow Guardian brothers, he’s been on the hunt for Apollo who has been recently been released from his stasis prison and wreaking havoc in the earth realm. They’re determined to bring him down and also find the answers about how to deal with Drake’s mate who seems to be pained at his mere presence. Those questions lead them to a club…

Meet Natasha
Natasha used to be Apolo’s secret weapon until she escaped his prison along with her twin sister and has been hiding out in the earth realm ever since. But when a sinfully sexy Guardian steps foot in her club, she doesn’t understand her instant carnal reaction to him. Being in the earth realm for as long as she has, she has no idea about matings or Tetartos. But what she does know is her hunger for a long haired guardian seems to only get hotter with each encounter.

What I love about these books is how flawlessly Setta manages to write two parallel story lines. You get Tasha and Bastian, you also get her twin sister Nastia and the phoenix Guardian Sander. Along the way you also get a tantalizing peek at Drake and his mate. But the two main stories are Natasha and Nastia. It’s more like 70/30, but it just works. What’s even better, is that the secondary romance is even more tantalizing than the main one. They typically stretch over two books and manage to keep the reader panting for the next book for the conclusion of the story, which is exactly where I’m at right now. I loved this spicy little number and can’t wait for more. If you haven’t discovered this series yet, you’re seriously missing out. Fair warning though, if you don’t have a significant other on hand as you’re reading side-effects may incur…

Read the series in order

Guardians of the Realms #0.5

Free

Guardians of the Realms #1

Amazon / My Review

Guardians of the Realms #2

Amazon / My Review

Guardians of the Realms #3

Amazon / My Review

Guardians of the Realms #4

Amazon / My Review

Guardians of the Realms #5

Amazon / My Review

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dirty Talkers, PNR · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars

Review: ★The Girl’s Got Secrets★ by Linda Kage

December 9, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Series: Forbidden Men #7
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Linda Kage
Release Date: November 28^th, 2015

Here’s the same old “girl posing as a boy” story but with a rock-n-roll twist.

Remy Curran dreams of one day being in a band, except the group she wants to join refuses to hire a girl drummer. So, she auditions as a guy…and makes the cut.

Becoming “Sticks,” a member of Non-Castrato, isn’t quite what she dreamed it would be, though. She spends most of her time keeping up the subterfuge and learning how to walk, talk, act, and drink like a man.

But what’s even harder to deal with is acting oblivious when the band’s heartthrob lead singer, Asher Hart, treats her like one of the guys and not a woman. She never imagined he’d be so much more than a pretty face with a nice voice. But he’s better than perfect. He’s perfect for her.

When love and lies combine, Remy must keep up the act or lose everything. But who knew lying to reach one dream could prevent you from attaining an even bigger dream?

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Asher Hart didn’t need some fancy seduction to draw a woman in. He just had to be himself for me to want him. Bad.

I’ve been waiting for the lead singer of Non-Castrato to get his book since he first made an appearance in Be My Hero. My intrigue with him has only grown with each following book in the series. Asher may be the lead singer of a popular band and has females throwing themselves at him, but you could always see him yearning for something more…a deeper connection. This is not a typical indiscriminate manwhore that you’d find in most other New Adult books. Asher Hart was refreshingly different and I absolutely loved him for it.

This Girl’s Got Secrets focuses on a trope that’s just not done enough and happens to be one of my all time favorites. Just One of The Guys and She’s The Man were two of my favorite movies growing up. Did I just age myself? And if you haven’t seen those movies, I don’t even know who you are right now. But I digress. The trope is simple enough; girl wants in on an activity where only men are allowed. Girl dresses up as boy to prove a point but ends up falling for one of the men she’s deceiving. Sound delicious? That’s because it is.

Now fair warning, because at over 450 pages, this book is long. And I mean it’s looooong. But at the same time, I never once felt like I was reading something that was filler or unnecessarily stretched out. I did feel like my ovaries may explode if these two didn’t do it finally at some point, but that’s a different matter entirely.

All Remy Curran has ever wanted was to be a drummer in a band. When she hears that one of her all time bands, Non-Castrato, has an opening for a drummer, she knows that she’s just as good as in. She’s a kickass drummer after all. Too bad that it’s no girls allowed, and they don’t so much as let her addition. So what’s a girl to do? Why have your friend dress you up as a boy, so you can go an audition and show they what’s what!
But things rarely go as planned, and while the plan was to rip her mask off as soon as she rocked her addition, she ends up with a chance of a lifetime that she just can’t pass up. But when she begins falling for the lead singer, things get a whole lot more complicated…
Asher still remembers the woman that sang karaoke and stole his breath all those months ago and then disappeared, but he’s long since lost hope of ever finding her. He’s desperate for something meaningful like his half brother and his friends. He doesn’t want another band groupie that only wants him for what he is and not who he is. He’s also terrified of losing his little family of friends once they really get to know all his secrets. But somehow, he has no problem spilling his deepest secrets to the new drummer. There’s just something about him that bonds them almost instantly. He doesn’t care that Remy is gay or that he may have feelings for him. But Remy is hiding even bigger secrets that may ultimately cause everything to come crashing down.

I absolutely loved Asher. He was such breath of fresh air from the stereotypical manwhores I’ve read lately. The way he yearns for a real relationship and isn’t about one-night stands. He’s incredibly sweet but there’s an added edge to him from everything that he’s been through with his past and his father.

I love that smile,” I admitted. “I want to steal it for myself so you’ll never be able to smile at anyone else the way you’re smiling at me right now.”

Even though the progression of the story flowed incredibly well and felt natural, I did find it too be a little too lengthy. Especially with such a large chunk of the book being the deception, it just dragged a little too long for me. I’m a little conflicted with my feelings on that simply because while I felt it was too long, it didn’t feel stretched out either. Maybe that’s just my book ADD kicking in? I’m not quite sure.

I really liked Remy as well. Her internal struggle of falling for Asher and trying to stay away from him as her “girl” part was difficult. You could tell that she wanted to come clean but was so afraid of losing him after she began to fall for him. And let’s be honest, how do you not fall for Asher?

Her eyes were like brown pools of temptation and I was a drowning man. I tried to resist, I even pressed my forehead to hers, but I already knew it was too late.
This woman owned me.

Precisely.

Pick and Ten are still my top two forbidden men, but Asher Hart is now up there with them. While this wasn’t my favorite in the series, it was still a fantastic addition and I enjoyed it thoroughly. There was only one thing that left me scratching my head at the end there. Asher’s dad does something but yet I have no idea where he got the knowledge to be able to pull something like that off. It just didn’t add up for me.

Read the series in order

Forbidden Men #1

Amazon

Forbidden Men #2

Amazon / My Review

Forbidden Men #3

Amazon / My Review

Forbidden Men #4

Amazon / My Review

Forbidden Men #5

Amazon / My Review

Forbidden Men #6

Amazon / My Review

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, New Adult · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

New Release & Review: ★Dirty Billionaire★ by Meghan March

December 8, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Dirty Billionaire
Series: The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: December 8, 2015

I’ve got a big dick and an even bigger bank account. That’s pretty much where my bio ends. Honestly, I don’t need to say anything else. I’ve just sold 99% of women on going home with me.

Do I sound like an asshole to you?

That’s because I am.

And guess what? It works for me just fine.

Or at least it did.

Until I met her.

Books talk about sparks flying. Fuck that shit. With her, it was like emergency flares mixed with jet fuel. Or maybe just straight up napalm.

Only one problem.

She didn’t leave her name or number when she disappeared from the hotel room after the hottest fucking night of my life. Now I’ve had a taste of unicorn pussy—the sweetest, rarest of all pussy—and I need it again.

So what’s an asshole to do?

I took this problem to the street. A missed connection gone viral.

And when I find her? I’m keeping her.

Amazon / B&N / iBooks

I’m going to own this woman- body, heart, and fucking soul.

I have three words for you to describe the absolute hotness that is Creighton Karas.

Hubba hubba hubba
Meghan March has written some deliciously dominant alphas in the past, but damn, I think the woman simply outdid herself with the smutty awesomeness that was Dirty Billionaire. And it is smutty. SO smutty. So deliciously, ovary obliteratingly smutty.

*pause for dirty thoughts*
And I’m back….

Dirty Billionaire is the first of three installments in the Dirty Billionaire trilogy with a sinfully dominant and dirty talking billionaire and the country music hopeful that may submit to him in the bedroom but won’t stand for his shit outside of it.

Holly Wix is a singer with stars in her eyes. In the hopes of making it big, she tried out for a make-me-a-star TV show and was handpicked by the label to be the next big thing in Nashville. Only problem? She signed a deal with the devil and didn’t realize quite what the label would expect her to do. And their recent demand? Just may cause all her dreams to crumble before they even begin. So what’s a girl to do? Look for one night of escape inside a handsome stranger’s bed…

Judge me all you want; I don’t give a fuck what you think about me. Because I own half this town, and the other half isn’t worth having.

Enter Creighton Karas stage right. Billionaire, asshole extraudiaire and a man that’s conquered so much he’s become bored of it. It’s not about money for him anymore, it’s about winning. He’s tired of the debutantes with money in their eyes gracing his bed. He’s craving something…different. And when a shy beauty in a bar captures his attention, he knows that he’ll do just about anything to have her.

You know what I do with naughty girls? Whatever I want.

Uh…yeah. Wait…what were we talking about here?

*pause for dirty thoughts*
And I’m back….

The first installment in this delicious trilogy is heavy on the smut and a bit light on the story and this particular pervert didn’t mind it one bit. I did, however, have a little bit of trouble truly understanding the extremes to which Creighton was willing to go to in order to get Holly for one more night. For a billionaire that seemingly has it all, it was just a bit OTT. I can understand Holly acceptance of the bargain considering her alternatives, or lack there of. But I suppose we may get the answer to this in the next book.

I liked that while Holly may have been fully submissive to Creighton in the bedroom, she doesn’t take his shit outside of it. And let’s be honest here, I wouldn’t complain either considering the mouth this man has on him when it comes to all things dirty. Holy mother of ovaries! Now I’m eagerly anticipating what’s to come after the doozy of a cliffy in this book. Luckily I won’t have to wait long.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dirty Talkers, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, millionaires, trilogy

Review: ★Silent Scars★ by Ada Frost

December 7, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Silent Scars
Series: Surviving #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Ada Frost
Release Date: November 28, 2015

Her Man.

Their Hero.

His Pain.

What happens when you pray for death and you’re ignored?

You have to live.

You have to survive.

But what if the last thing you want is to take your next breath?

To the world, Ryan is a hero, an ex-marine, brother, son and protector. He has devoted his life to keeping others safe. He will do anything and everything to ensure his loved ones are protected, even if that means destroying his very own soul. After an explosion on the battlefield ends his career in the Marine’s, Ryan is sent home with an honorable discharge. But the war hasn’t ended for him.

He is home, he is free and he’s breathing, but he’s dead inside.

He wants nothing more than peace, but the nightmares in his mind will not grant him that. They taunt him, tease him and torture his waking moments. The darkness within him is slowly consuming him, blackness has seeped into his veins and is rotting his core. Ryan is a man on the edge of destruction. For once he is the one in need of saving. He needs a saviour.

He needs her.

Ryan is commissioned as a bodyguard to Aloura Cavendish. When he initially meets her, he believes her to be a spoiled rich brat, wasting his time. But the fire inside her astounds him. When he pushes, he never expects her to push back. When he runs, she chases. For the first time in his life, Ryan has a protector willing to fight his demons. The only problem – he is too afraid to release them.

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In a world of chaos and pain, you are my silence.”

Silent Scars was my first book by this author and I can say with certainty it will not be my last. I do think I did myself a disservice by jumping into book 4 in this series without having read the previous books. Don’t get me wrong, this works well as a standalone and I was never confused, but it’s clear there’s a history with the secondary characters that I was missing. Ryan’s relationship with his brothers is something I would have loved to have read first before jumping into this book, but it is what it is. I definitely plan on going back and reading the rest of this series now.

…I needed to know how you healed silent scars.

This was an extremely poignant and emotional read that was almost difficult to experience at times. Ryan’s history is absolutely devastating. Everything that he’s been through and the memories that continuously haunt him to this day made my heart bleed for him. This is not an easy story to swallow. It’s dark, it’s emotional, and it’s a story of survival.

I’m not broken, Aloura. That would imply I could be fixed. There is nothing left inside me.”

After a devastating injury on his last tour in the Marines, Ryan is out. And while he may have his share of physical scars, none are as debilitating as his silent internal ones. The scars of his past and what he’s survived is what haunts him. The guilt of what he’s been through continues to eat at him. He’s a shell of a man that doesn’t believe he’s worth anything, let alone the attention of a beautiful woman he’s hired to protect.

I don’t want to be someone’s possession, Ryan. Belongings can be expandable, thrown away when they are old and dirty. I want to be a part of you. I want to wake up each morning with a feeling of completeness because I know you’re near. I want your soul to greet mine. Show me all of you. Give me your pain and I will give you my joy.

Aloura was an interesting character. She’s a bit quirky and introverted, she’s shy and unsure of herself. As the daughter in an unorthodox family, the quirkiness is basically guaranteed. Her father is the owner of a medical research company that’s been working on trialling a new cancer treatment drug and controvercially they test their drugs on human patients. When the threats turn to his beloved daughter, he hires security, and Ryan just so happens to be the unwilling bodyguard. Aloura is non too happy about the shadow, but when she meets Ryan, there’s something about his brooding intensity that calls to her. She wants to find his secrets and she wants to heal his deepest wounds.

How was it possible to know someone for only a few hours and feel so connected to them?

The story itself was an exercise in frustration for me. Ryan runs hot and cold so frequently it’s enough to give a girl whiplash. He yearns for a true connection and love, but in the same breath he doesn’t think he deserves it. And he certainly does his utmost best to push Aloura away in the cruelest of ways. While a part of me completely understood his behavior given everything that he’s been through, it’s Aloura’s that I had trouble connecting with. Ryan is a flat out asshole to her at times, he’s intentionally cruel and his words to her were sharp enough to cut at times. Yet she takes it all and wants to fix him. It just seemed like her connection to him was much too quick for me to really connect to. Ryan doesn’t give much for Aloura to be as invested as she is and at times I had a tough time swallowing his treatment of her and her acceptance of it.

Tiny dancer, I am not a fairytale prince. I’m not one of your heroes from those romance novels. I’m fucked up, inside I have nothing worthy of you.”

I struggled with my rating for days. I want to rate it highly simply on the poignancy of the story, but at the same time I just didn’t connect with it as much as I wish I did. I loved Ryan, but something about Ryan and Aloura never quite grabbed me. The story is angsty as hell and filled with plenty of bumps along the way. It kept me reading well into he night but there was always also something missing and while I can’t quite place my finger on what it was, it prevented me from enjoying the story as much as I’d hoped.

I needed her like oxygen, she was becoming my reason to breathe.

I have to say that I loved the author’s writing style, and I absolutely loved the setup behind the series. I will definitely be reading all the books before this one and the future ones after. While Silent Scars wasn’t quite what I had expected, it’s still a beautiful story of perseverance and survival that I’d highly recommend to any readers that enjoy that sort of thing.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3.5 stars, Military-men

Review: ★Say You’re Mine★ by Diane Alberts

December 7, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Say You’re Mine
Series: Shillings Agency #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Diane Alberts
Release Date: December 7, 2015

Navy SEAL Steven Thomas has only ever been able to count on three things: waking up in the morning, going to sleep sometime during the night, and Lauren Brixton. She’s been his best friend since grade school, and what they have is the only relationship he’s managed not to ruin.

Until one drunken night puts that all in jeopardy.

Lauren’s watched Steven flit from one-night stand to one-night stand, seemingly not interested in something more. So when the long-ignored attraction between the two of them blows up in their faces, she does the only thing she can—she pretends she doesn’t want him. But all’s fair in love and war, and Steven’s not about to lose the only person in his life who matters…

Amazon / B&N / iTunes / Kobo

He’d die for her. Kill for her. Fight for her. But not love her. He didn’t do love. Didn’t want it. Hell, he didn’t deserve it. Guys like him didn’t get to be loved.

Diane Alberts remains one of my go-to authors in category romance for constantly delivering on the swoony and panty-melting romance with deliciously stubborn heroes. Her Shillings Agency series has been a favorite of mine from the beginning. I’ve been itching to get my hands on Steven’s book since a little peek of him in Taking What’s His. While this is book 5 in a series, it is also easily read as a standalone.

Steven Thomas is exactly the kind of hero I love to read about; a lot broody, broken, with a strong penchant for dirty talk. Still suffering from the remnants of his last tour as a SEAL, Steven turns to alcohol and women to heal him. But lately he’s become almost too numb for even the strongest alcohol to do the trick. But one night after too many shots, he gets a whole new perspective on life…when he realizes that his best friend of over twenty years, Lauren may be open to more than friendship with him.

She was his one constant, in a world full of chaos.

Lauren has had feelings for Steven that she’s tried to deny for years. She’s been there for him though it all; his tours and the rock bottoms he hit after. But she’s never seen him quite like this and she knows if she doesn’t do something drastic soon it may be too late. So she tells a little fib to keep him close. But no good deed goes unpunished, and all of a sudden the fiery chemistry that’s been brewing between them comes to a head and becomes too much for either one of them to deny.
But what happens when the man that despises lies above anything else finds out that the person closest to him has been deceiving him?

This was a sexy little friends-to-lovers romp. I love me my dirty talkers and Steven certainly didn’t disappoint on that end. I enjoyed this thoroughly and read it in one sitting. I knew from the very beginning where everything was leading up to, but my issue with the book wasn’t the predictability. I just failed to see the main conflict as being much of a…conflict. It just seemed a little contrived and blown way out of proportion for what it was. While I can understand Steven’s issues, it just didn’t add up for me I suppose.

That being said, I most definitely enjoyed this recent addition to the series and would gladly recommend it to any lovers of a sexy friends-to-lovers trope. It’s a quick and entertaining read that’s bound to leave you satisfied.

Let me be your lover. Your friend. The person you come home to at night, the one who holds you when you’re upset. The guy guy who needs you as much as you need him. Let me be yours, and say you’re mine.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3.5 stars, Navy SEALS

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