Cover Reveal & Giveaway: ★Finding North★ by Carmen Jenner

November 13, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Title: Finding North
Author: Carmen Jenner
Genre: Erotic Romance M/M
Cover Design: Be Designs
Expected Release Date: December 26, 2015

Red Maine’s blue-collared bad boy, North Underwood, has a dirty little secret—Will Tanner.

Friends since kindergarten, North had been the one to jump first, and his fall into Will’s bed ten years ago had been no exception. Will and North had been inseparable, but things change, people grow apart, and even a blazing flame can dwindle to a dying ember over time.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

After a run in with a bottle of Bundy rum, Will and North find themselves in a compromising and all too familiar position.

Blurred lines, bad decisions, and one wrong foot after another lead these two down a spiral of sarcasm, secrets, and sex, but when North’s hetero status is called into question he can’t figure up from down. And despite Will telling himself he wouldn’t fall again, he’s head over heels and wandering without a compass.

Love is love.

Love is truth.

Love … shouldn’t be this damn hard to figure out.

Pre-Order

iBooks / Kobo / B&N

BOOK TRAILER

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA TODAY and international bestselling author of the Sugartown, Savage Saints, and Taint series.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore MAC addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny north coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon:

Published titles to date:

Welcome to Sugartown (Sugartown Series #1)

Enjoy Your Stay (Sugartown Series #2)

Greetings from Sugartown (Sugartown Series #3)

Now Leaving Sugartown (Sugartown Series #4)

REVELRY (Taint #1)

KICK (Savage Saints MC #1)

TANK (Savage Saints MC #2)

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Cover Reveals, Giveaways ·

New Release & Review: ★Cruel and Beautiful★ by A.M. Hargrove & Terri E. Laine

November 12, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Cruel And Beautiful
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Authors: A.M. Hargrove,Terri E. Laine
Release Date: November 12, 2015

Cate Forbes, a dedicated college student with a carefully plotted future, doesn’t know the first thing about love. When she accepts a blind date with a rumored tasty piece of eye candy, she thinks she can get by with a night of fun. Cate’s plans quickly unravel when she gets one look at the sexy…

Drew McKnight.

The relentless hockey-playing medical resident knows what he wants—a career in Oncology and Cate. Although he’s heard the gorgeous brunette is a little relationship skittish, a single night out isn’t what he has in mind. Determined to have her—in every way possible—he shows her just what a future with him would hold.

Only life has other plans. The unthinkable happens and everything begins to shatter. Both in too deep, they will have to fight the cruel and hang onto the beautiful.

Cruel and Beautiful is a New Adult Contemporary Romance standalone, full-length novel based on true events, and includes mature content, not suitable for younger readers.

Amazon / iBooks / Nook / Kobo

…promise me you’ll live. Just live, Cate. Do it for me.

I have no idea how to even begin reviewing this book. After reading the prologue, I knew I was in for a tear jerker, and yet nothing could have prepared me for the full effect. Nothing. Cruel and Beautiful was unlike any book I’ve ever read before. Beautifully tragic and emotionally charged, it’s one of those books that will stay with me for a long while. I finished it last night and still find myself thinking about it. It’s just one of those stories that will touch you on a visceral level. It’s impossible not to have it effect you, it’s just that moving.

This is yours for as long as there are beats within it. Everything I have is yours. My love, my heart, my soul, and my life, for however short or long it may be.”

When Drew McKnight first laid his eyes on Cate Forbes, he knew he wanted her. Drew is older with his sights set on a career in Oncology, while Cate is still a college student with no plans on relationships or falling in love. But this isn’t an angsty college romance of boy meets girl. It’s a touching love story of two soul mates. It’s captivating, endearing, emotional, and interspersed with just the right amount of humor. You get to watch these two fall in love slowly. You get to experience all their first smiles, emotions, feelings, everything, right alongside with them.

Cate was probably one of the most adorably quirky heroines I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. I don’t think any other author could have pulled off a heroine that refers to her vagina as muffin or names it Louise, and actually have it be endearing instead of cheesy. But somehow these two authors did just that. Her lack of filter between her thoughts and what she says, her quirky Cate-ism, everything just worked for me. I fell for it, hook, line and sinker.

Okay. I’ll call them. Just so Louise can look pristine.”
“Who the fuck is Louise?”
I hold up my index finger and jab it toward Louise.
“Jesus C. You named it Louise? How did I not ever know that?”
“It’s a private thing.”

Her random thoughts and banter with her best friend and Drew never failed to bring a smile to face. I’m not sure what it was that kept it from crossing over that line to annoying or cheesy, but it was utter perfection. I was laughing my fool ass off at everything.

Don’t you laugh at me, Drew McKnight. I’m scared to pee in the woods and I hate snakes. Louise does too.”
“Louise loves my snake, Cate.”
“That’s not fair. This is real. I have to pee and I’m afraid.”

I love that the authors added that bit of humor to this emotional story. There was no unnecessary angst or drama. The book flowed flawlessly without any of it. It was a touching love story but it was also so much more. At 436 pages, it was definitely on the lengthy end, and I felt like it could have been cut down in certain parts. But the story never dragged for me either, so I can’t complain too much about it.

As for Drew? What can I tell you about Drew? He was perfection. Sweet yet with an incredibly sexy edge. He stole my heart and kept it, never to be the same again. This man was everything.

It’s told in alternating parts of Past and Present. Throughout the entire time the reader only begins to develop more and more questions. The connection behind everything kept me riveted to the pages from start to finish. I needed answers.

Say you won’t run. Say you’re in this as much as I am. Say you want me the same way I want you.”

This is one of those stories where the less you know going in, the better. Even the tiniest detail can be a spoiler. So I recommend going in absolutely blind.

What I can tell you, is this is a book unlike any you’ve read before. If you want a romance that will break your heart and melt it at the same time, this is simply a must read. It’s heart-breakingly good. One of the most unique books I’ve read all year. This was my first book by these authors, and I can say with utmost certainty that it will not be my last. I’m a huge fan after this and look forward to whatever they have next.

If you’re looking for an emotional read that’s guaranteed to make even the strongest hearts cry, this is that book. Once you meet Cate and Drew you’ll know exactly what I mean.

ABOUT A. M. Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager A. M. Hargrove realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss, and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).

So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author.

Her books include Adult, New Adult and Young Adult Romances, including, The Guardians of Vesturon Series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent, and the novella Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Death Waltz (The Praestani Novels); The Edge Series (Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, and Kissing Fire); The Tragic Series (Tragically Flawed and Tragic Desires); Exquisite Betrayal; Dirty Nights: The Novel; and The Hart Brothers Novels (Freeing Her, Freeing Him, and Kestrel).

Please find her at www.amhargrove.com.

ABOUT Terri E. Laine

Wife and mother of three, I’ve always been an avid reader. In my early years, my best friend and I would tell each other stories over the phone when we were bored. We called them our “soap operas” and generally revolved around whatever boy we liked at the time.

Over five years ago, I got this crazy idea to write a novel and try to publish it. And the rest is history. This journey has been a blessing, and a dream realized. I look forward to many more memories to come.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars

New Release & Review: ★Reap★ by Tillie Cole

November 9, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Reap
Series: Scarred Souls #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Tillie Cole
Release Date: November 10, 2015

Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva’s obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act, or live for himself; he’s his master’s perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six-foot-six, weighing two-hundred-and-fifty pounds, and unrivaled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, who rules the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.

Talia Tolstaia dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life. She dreams of another life–away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father and from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon, her criminal family’s underground death-match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family’s captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers. But sacrifices must be made–blood for blood…life for life…souls for scarred souls…

Amazon / iBooks

Our desperate gazes met.
He took a deep breath.
Then he whispered, “You are…for me?”

God. That one line. Who would have thought that my heart could melt and break at the same time from just 4 little words? But when 221; killing machine, savage with no memories of his previous life and raised to be a cold blooded killer, utters those four words to Talia….I was absolutely done for.

Reap is book 2 in Tillie Cole’s Scarred Souls series, and while you may read it as a standalone since it focuses on a different main couple and their HEA, I highly recommend you start with book 1. Because while Reap tells the story of Zaal and Talia, it also gives the readers a continuation of Luka through his POV. It builds up on what has begun in Raze and it would connect you to the story that much more having previously read that.

And in that moment I knew- I was losing my heart to the object of my family’s deepest hatred.

I have to admit that I was in the minority of not enjoying Raze as much as I’d hoped for so I went into Reap with no expectations and enjoyed it so much more! Most of what bothered me in the first book was not an issue here. The writing was much better; it flowed and the repetitiveness that bothered me in Raze was no where to be found.

I swallowed at the sight of him. I fought for breath at his savageness; his brutal, primitive presence, and I lost all sensibilities.

221 was raised as a prototype for the Georgian mafia’s obedience drug. He’s a stone cold killer with a bloodlust that only death can appease. He fails to thing, act, or live for himself. He lives for his master’s commands and doesn’t remember life before or beyond that.

Luka Tolstoi is continuing to deal with the demons of his past. But the thing that haunts him the most is the death of his only friend, at his own hands. When he figures out the connection between 221 and 362, he knows he will stop at nothing until he frees him from his sadistic captors. Having accomplished his task, he brings him to recover at his family’s estate where Talia is currently taking a break from the Bratva’s stifling leash.

He looked every inch the unpolished savage I’d believed him to be.

When Talia discovers 221’s true identity, she knows that he’s not only forbidden. He’s something else entirely. There’s a history there that he’s not aware of and she knows all too well. But that doesn’t stop her from being intrigued by the savage. During his recovery from the drug that stole his thoughts and memories, she cares for him….but something else begins to develop between them.
Reap is not quite as dark as it’s predecessor was. While still leaning on the side of gritty, it wasn’t as brutal. It was definitely a whole lot more emotional, however. I think this is in part due to the fact that I had a true connection to Talia and Zaal together. Talia isn’t exactly my favorite heroine, but she was much more memorable than Kisa. I loved how she cared for Zaal and the way she fought for him.

Zaal Kostava, you’ve stolen my forbidden heart.”

Reap was absolutely gut wrenching for me. What truly made it as emotional as it was was the connection between Zaal and Luka. There was a particular part at the end between them that actually brought a tear to my cold black heart. It was devastating to read about.

The story flowed smoothly and it was captivating from the very start. My picky self did get stuck on the incorrect translations once again, but luckily the story and the romance was enough for me to turn a (mostly) blind eye to it.

We’d bared our pasts, we’d fought our fates. And at the end, left over was only the purest form of love. Of need. Of US.

There was a tease at the end that has me practically salivating for the next book. So while I got off to a rocky start with Raze, I’m definitely now a fan of the series and can’t wait to see what’s in store next.

Don’t miss book 1 in the Scarred Souls series!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, dark

Review: ★Knockout★ by Cari Quinn

November 8, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance (Anthology)
Release Date: November 3, 2015

An anthology of novellas about hunky blue collar, hammer wielding heroes and the women who tame them. Stories are by USA Today Bestselling Authors Cari Quinn, Cathy Clamp, and Anna J Stewart, and featuring authors Jodi Redford, Amie Stuart, Leah Braemel, and Chudney Thomas.

Get down and dirty with this sexy blue collar bundle featuring seven original contemporary romance novellas that range from sweet to sizzling.

KNOCKOUT – Cari Quinn
All Emerson Knapp wants…is everything he shouldn’t have. When all his secrets come to a head, the only question left is how much he’s willing to lose.

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS – Cathy Clamp
Sophie Green is smart, gorgeous, and good with her hands. Can Gabe convince her to make her stay at the Starlight Motel a permanent one?

MARKED FOR LOVE – Anna J. Stewart
Overworked pub manager Regan Murphy is about to have her hands full with Lantano Valley newcomer and tattoo artist Brodie Crawford: a sexy single father who is far too distracting.
*this version of MARKED FOR LOVE is a spiced up version of the original sweet novella of the same title. Includes a never before published epilogue, available ONLY in this boxed set.

KNOTTY MAGIC – Jodi Redford
Hormones be damned, Tully Eastwood won’t succumb to her attraction for a sexy lumberjack—until she finds herself trapped overnight with him in the woods.

AGAINST THE WALL – Amie Stuart
Construction Supervisor Lexi Kimball is the one person everyone loves to hate. Everyone except a sexy foreman with an adventurous streak, that is.

UNASHAMED — Leah Braemel
Two sexy construction workers double Hayley O’Connell’s fun. But can they convince her the fun should last forever?

LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR – Chudney Thomas
Mica Lawson is a failure and a flake; at least according to her family. Then one stalled elevator, and a sexy repairman, change her life.

ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME! GRAB THESE HOT HUNKS BEFORE THEY’RE GONE (only $.99)

Amazon

Review only for Cari Quinn’s Knockout

I’ve been denying too much for too long.

Ladies and ovaries, allow me to introduce you to your next must read. If you’re looking for some smutty goodness wrapped up in a fantastic story, it simply doesn’t get better than this. Did I mention that it has one of the hottest MMF threesomes I’ve read in a while? Because….damn.

It’s no secret that I’m a shameless hussy when it comes to Cari Quinn’s books. So when she told me she was writing another MMF and it would be set in the Tapped Out world, which is one my favorite series by her, my ovaries were all
The beauty of this dirty little beauty, however, is you don’t have to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy it. While Carly and Geo from On the Ropes make an appearance here that will make fans of the series happy, you won’t be lost if you’re new to it either. The story mainly focuses on the romance between Lily, Emerson, and JC. It’s a friends to lovers story that’s sizzles to the point of scorching!

I felt completely ravaged. Consumed.
Lost.

Lily and Emerson have been best friends for years. Emerson has been in love with Lily for almost as long. But she’s always been hands off. Her father took him in when he was lost, and the last thing he wants to do to repay that is defile his beloved only daughter. So he concentrates on his fighting career and wards off any potential men with intimidating looks. After all, no one else can possibly be good for her.

But his carefully constructed world gets thrown for a loop when JC decides to take matter into his own hands. JC has been in love with Lily, but he’s also been lusting after Em. While JC is open with his sexuality, he’s not quite sure which way Emerson will swing. But he’s willing to take the chance.

Em has never been with another man before, but damn if JC doesn’t do it for him. He lusts after him, but no one will ever know. Until one night where all their carnal desires finally come to one fiery head. Pun most definitely intended.

Hate and love might be on opposite sides of a line most of the time. Right now, I was fucking straddling it with his dick in my mouth. And I adored every second.

This book was all kinds of deliciously dirty. It may not be a full length novel, but boy is it enough to satisfy. And satisfy it certainly did. There’s one particular locker room scene that practically melted even my steel plated ovaries.

GFY, threesome and friends to lovers all in one delicious little story. It’s like the holy trifecta for me. My ovaries were on cloud 9 here! If you’re looking for a steamy little number to spend the afternoon or the evening with, I highly recommend you give this a go. Trust me. Make your your ovaries happy.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Fighters · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

Review: ★Hard Beat★ by K. Bromberg

November 5, 2015 by Lana ·

Hard Beat
Series: Driven #7
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: November 3, 2015

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Ache comes a blistering new novel filled with danger, secrecy, and a desire that can’t be sated…

Foreign war correspondent Tanner Thomas is addicted to living on the edge. Needing the adrenaline rush of his job to help him cope with a personal loss, he throws himself back into the game, concentrating all his energy on getting the next big story.

But when he meets his new photojournalist, Beaux Croslyn, he can’t help but feel like he’s losing his focus—and maybe risking more…

With secrets she won’t address, Beaux is far from your ordinary woman. Determined to keep her distance, she’s willing to pull Tanner in closer and hide behind the sparks flying between them. But as Beaux’s past begins to put their relationship—and their lives—at risk, Tanner’s determination to find the truth puts them both in jeopardy.

He’s ready to chase her to the ends of the earth to find out if what they had was real, or if the danger surrounding them was just an exquisite heat fated to burn out…

Amazon / B&N / iBooks

She’s my little piece of Heaven in the land full of Hell.

It’s been quite a while since I read an all male POV that was this engrossing. Hard Beat was simply unputdownable from beginning to end. It was everything I love, and I really do mean everything. It managed to tick all my boxes.
A reedemable asshole hero.

Guilt is a goddamn vise squeezing out of me every ounce of emotion I never wanted to feel.

You may remember Tanner as Rylee Thomas’s older brother. Well now it’s his turn for a HEA and it’s going to be one bumpy road. Tanner is a famous foreign war correspondent. Now back to doing what he does best after a tragic loss that absolutely gutted him, he’s interested in one thing and one thing only; his career. No woman, especially not some newbie photographer that’s still green behind her ears will deter him from that. So when a dark haired beauty approaches him at a bar, he rejects her. But her appeal is just too much for him to fight, so when her flirtation turns into sarcastic insults after his treatment, a few heated words turn into something much hotter

You’re arrogant and-”
“You don’t have to like me to fuck me,” I say, cutting her off. “You just have to want me.”
“Fuck you!”

I chuckle against her lips before pulling back and looking straight into her desire-laden eyes. “That’s the plan.”
…. until he figures out that she’s his new photographer.

I think that had this been written in dual POV the effect would have been lost. I absolutely LOVED being in Tanner’s head. You get to experience every single emotion right along with him. So even when he’s being a downright asshole, your heart still breaks for him because you know what’s behind every word.

She wants to be a bitch? Well, I can be a grade A asshole. She has no idea who she’s messing with. We already started this relationship with a bang, so why not keep it going that way, right?

Utterly delicious hate to love trope
The relationship development here was phenomenal. The rocky start, the hate lust, all of which leads to inevitable feelings. But man oh man was it done well. I couldn’t get enough of Tanner and Beaux. These two seriously burn up the pages together. So much so that the tension between them sizzle and crackles so much it practically vibrates your finger with every turn of the page. Ugh. It was perfection.
A sassy and sharp witted heroine that gives as good as she gets
Beaux Croslyn is a mystery for a large portion of the book, but in that lies her appeal. You’re figuring out the puzzle that is her right along side Tanner. But what you do know, is this is a woman that doesn’t give in easily. For every asshole remark Tanner has, she gives it right back. She’s no pushover and she sure has a smart mouth on her.

Like I said, fuck off.”
“It seems to me your mouth needs to be washed out with soap. Not real classy for a lady to keep repeating words like that.”
“Oh, I’m a whole lot of classy. I just reserve all my fucks for assholes like you who deserve them.”

I simply couldn’t envision a better match for Tanner.
An unputdownable story filled with twists and turns
While the romance is emotional, erotic and oh so satisfying, what truly made this a 5 star read for me was the plot that tied it all together. It was fantastic! Then that last 30% happened and I was completely blown away. The twists and turns I never saw coming kept me riveted to the pages. I couldn’t put it down until I finished.

There’s not a single part about this book that I didn’t love. Quick paced, filled with action and even a little suspense, erotic, and emotionally charged made this the absolute perfect read. A must read!

Read the series in order

Driven (Driven, #1)

Fueled (Driven, #2)

Crashed (Driven, #3)

Raced (Driven, #4)

Slow Burn (Driven, #5)

Sweet Ache (Driven, #6)

Hard Beat (Driven, #7)

Coming 1/11/16

Aced (Driven, #8)

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, DGR Fave, K Bromberg

Review: ★Raze★ by Tillie Cole

November 4, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Raze
Series: Scarred Souls #1
Genre: Dark, Erotic Romance
Author: Tillie Cole
Release Date: December 29, 2014

To take back life, one must first face death…

One man stripped of his freedom, his morals…his life.

Conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, prisoner 818 becomes an unremorseful, unrivaled and unstoppable fighter in the ring. Violence is all he knows. Death and brutality are the masters of his fate.

After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge…bloody, slow and violent revenge.

Revenge on the man who lied.

Revenge on the man who wronged him.

Revenge on the man who condemned him and turned him into this: a rage-fueled killing machine. A monster void of humanity; a monster filled with hate.

And no one will stand in the way of getting what he wants.

One woman stripped of her freedom, her morals…her life.

Kisa Volkova is the only daughter of Kirill ‘The Silencer’ Volkov, head of the infamous ‘Triad’ bosses of New York’s Russian Bratva. Her life is protected. In reality, it’s a virtual prison. Her father’s savage treatment of his rivals and his lucrative and coveted underground gambling ring—The Dungeon—ensures too many enemies lurk at their door.

She dreams to be set free.

Kisa has known only cruelty and loss in her short life. As manager of her father’s death match enterprise, only grief and pain fill her days. Her mafia boss father, in her world, rules absolute. And her fiancé, Alik Durov, is no better; the Dungeon’s five-time champion, a stone-cold killer, the treasured son of her father’s best friend, and her very own—and much resented—personal guard. Unrivaled in both strength and social standing, Alik controls every facet of Kisa’s life, dominates her every move; keeps her subdued and dead inside…then one night changes everything.

While working for her church—the only reprieve in her constant surveillance—Kisa stumbles across a tattooed, scarred, but stunningly beautiful homeless man on the streets. Something about him stirs feelings deep within her; familiar yet impossibly forbidden desires. He doesn’t talk. Doesn’t communicate with anyone. He’s a man beyond saving, and a man she must quickly forget…for both their sakes.

But when weeks later, out of the blue and to her complete surprise, he’s announced as the replacement fighter in The Dungeon, Kisa knows she’s in a whole lot of trouble. He’s built, ripped and lethally unforgiving to his opponents, leaving fear in his wake and the look of death in his eyes.

Kisa becomes obsessed with him. Yearns for him. Craves his touch. Needs to possess this mysterious man…this man they call Raze.

Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains explicit sexual situations, excessive violence, disturbingly sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up.

Amazon / iTunes

He was as cold as an arctic winter… but he was a beautiful monster…

After so many friends raved to me about how amazing this book was, I was beyond excited to be finally reading it. Given that I’ve also spent quite a few months avoiding it. Why? Because my picky Russian ass has yet to read a book with the MCs being Russian and not having it be butchered to hell and back. So I get a little touchy.

I have to say, I was very impressed with the way the author accurately portrayed the Bratva and the true brutal underbelly of it. The concept and the story were intriguing, violent, intense, and gripping. The book kept my attention the entire time reading it. But unfortunately there were too many issues that I had along with it that ultimately killed my buzz.
Be warned….nitpicking galore to follow…

The character’s names.
First we have Kisa. But here’s the thing; I’ve never heard of a name like this in Russian. Ever. It is a very common term of endearment however. It loosely translates to “pussy cat” or “kitten”. Whatever your fancy. But here’s the issue, Kisa’s fiance likes to call her “Myshka”, which translates to little mouse.

The writing.
OK look, I know I’m picky here but this just didn’t work for me in the least. I found some parts of the book to be choppy. It goes from incredibly emotional and gritty to borderline cheesy.
Like this phrase here:
“Please, sit, papas.”
Why on earth would someone say, “Please, sit, fathers”? Unless you’re in church. But again, that’s neither here nor there. My main issue came with the dialogue, internal and external. The repetitive terminology, especially within the character’s dialogue managed to frustrate me enough to take me out of the story at times.
The overuse of endearments and names within one paragraph being my main issue.
Also, in Russian culture it’s com

The heroine Nothing about Kisa worked for me. She was bland to the point of blending in with the furniture. There was nothing about her that grabbed me as a reader or endeared me. She was weak and her simple acceptance of things just being what they are and such is life did nothing for me either. Don’t get me started on her vagina’s pavlov response to the mere presence of Raze. The woman would walk into a room, see his back without knowing it’s him, and already she’s raring to go?
Taking into consideration her borderline abusive psycho of a fiancé and their relationship, I’m shocked she had no emotional or mental scars. This is especially true towards the end. She moves on from all of it without so much as a bat of a eye lash. No lingering emotional trauma…just is what it is.

The overuse of the word “channel
Perhaps this is just me, but I have never once referred to my southern region as a “channel” during internal monologue during sex. So the fact the Kisa thinks how her clenching channel wrapped around his cock made me wonder if perhaps she was a victorian maiden in her past life.

The overuse of endearments
Considering the gritty and brutal subject matter of this song, I can understand why the author would want to dilute that with a beautiful love story. However, I just can’t picture any person in their late 20s referring to the other as “my love” on a constant and consistent basis. I’m talking about multiple times during one sex scene. Perhaps it’s my inner cynic kicking in, but this was just too much cheese for me.

The graphic sex scenes with Kisa’s fiance
I’m not a reader that has an issue of a graphic sex scene with a person that’s not the main love interest in a romance. Especially not when it fits the plot as it did here. That being said, it didn’t need to be as often or as graphic as it was here. After the first time, I didn’t see a reason for it. Yes, I get it, Alik is brutal and sadisctic. He feels that Kisa is his property and he goes absolutely batshit at another man so much as looking at her. I do NOT want to be reading about this more than I need to which was for basically (view spoiler)[over half the book (hide spoiler)]. Did it fit the plot? Sure. Could it have been toned down? Absolutely.
It could have easily been fade to black or just loosely mentioned. It simply didn’t need to be as graphic as it was past the first 2 times.

Having said all that, the story itself was unique and gripping enough to have me turning the pages. Sure it was a little predictable in places but I don’t think it was ever really meant to be a huge secret. I didn’t see a good part of the ending coming, so in terms of suspense and grit, it certainly fit the bill. Raze was the star of the book. I couldn’t help but fall for him right away. The violence was graphic and at times extremely difficult to read. But at the same time, it just didn’t effect me as much as some of the other gritty and dark books I read. While this may not have completely worked for me, I’m intrigued enough to continue with the series. Hopefully with the next book being traditionally published, some of the issues I had here may be ironed out.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3 stars

New Release & Review: ★Tough Enough★ by M. Leighton

November 3, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Tough Enough
Series: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: M. Leighton
Release Date: November 3, 2015

You seriously don’t want to miss MMA-champion-turned-Hollywood-superstar Rogan. Hotness!

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Bad Boys novels comes the second book in a dark, sexy contemporary trilogy.

He’s a fighter who never loses, but is he tough enough to win her heart?

There was a time when I had everything–a wonderful family, a bright future. Love. But all that was taken away in a single night, torn from me like flesh from bone. Since then, I’ve hidden away in my second-choice job as a makeup artist. But I prefer it that way, actually. I’m comfortable in the shadows, where no one can see my scars.

Kiefer Rogan literally took my breath away the moment I met him. MMA champion-turned-actor, notorious playboy, charming to a fault—he’s everything I vowed to avoid.

But he just wouldn’t stop until I opened up and let him in. Maybe I should’ve tried harder to resist him. Maybe I shouldn’t have fallen in love with him. Because I, of all people, know that everyone has secrets. Scars. And that they’re usually ugly and painful and destructive to the people we love most.

I just never guessed that they could be deadly, too.

Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo| Google Play

Get Strong Enough, the first book in the Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series
Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

Add Tough Enough†to your Goodreads TBR
Why me?”
He doesn’t hesitate with his answer. “Something tells me you’re worth the effort.”

Well, this was certainly…different. If you’re expecting Tough Enough to be on the same intensity level as Strong Enough, don’t. This was a complete change of pace from the first book. It’s an emotional journey that’s both beautiful and touching. The suspense element is not the predominant factor here as it was in the predecessor. As a matter of fact, it was barely present up until the very end. Which actually brings me to my minor dilemma. I’ve been waffling with my rating on this book for days now. Do I rate it on it’s own, or do I rate it based on the series it’s in? But I’ll get to that in a bit.

In true M. Leighton fashion, Tough Enough grabs the reader’s attention with just the prologue.

Katie Rydale is a woman with secrets; deep, painful secrets that she’s still learning to live with. It’s been years since the even that changed her life irrevocably, and yet she’s still just a shell of the woman she used to be. A meek kitten that hides behind the shadow of who she used to be. She’s more comfortable behind the lime light as a makeup artist to the stars that bask in it.

Kiefer Rogan is like champagne- undeniably delicious, deceptively light, and too easy to get drunk on. To lose your mind with. To make a mistake with.

Kiefer Rogan is the uber sexy MMA star turned actor and one fourth of the Delta 5 team that we were introduced to in the first book. Katie knows that men like him will only burn her. He’s just too everything; too sexy, too intense, too determined to get to know her.

We both fought to survive. But only one of us fought to live.

If you’re looking for a swoony alpha hero, you’ll certainly get that with Keifer. His slow and determined seduction of Katie was one of my favorite parts about this book. I love a slow burn romance, especially one that’s layered in ripe sexual tension. As protective as Rogan is, he understands Katie’s limits and doesn’t push them. For all his intensity, it’s so refreshing to see a hero that’s respectful of a woman’s boundaries. He was just so incredibly sweet but without ever losing that edge that he has to him.
Katie is not exactly the kind of heroine I prefer to read about. She’s very demure and tends to withdraw into herself at the slightest altercation. I would have loved to see her come into her own a little sooner than she did.

If you’ve read the first book, which I highly recommend you do, then you know there was a particular suspense element that was left in a cliffhanger. Clearly there was a story arc that would continue throughout the series. I was expecting for this book to bring some of that intensity with it as well, but it never quite went there. The main focus was the relationship between Rogan and Katie while the suspense was more of an afterthought. I don’t have a problem with this, and up until the final 10% of the book, this was a solid 4.5 star read for me. This could easily be a case of built up expectations, but I found the ending to be rushed and well…anticlimactic. After all the buildup in book 1 for everything to be resolved the way it was, it just wasn’t as satisfying as I had hoped. I would have loved for that part to be really fleshed out and not just glossed over as it had been. But then again, I don’t know what the third book will bring, so it is tough to judge without having finished the series.

For all the minor issues I may have had, this book had my full attention from beginning to finish. So while I wished it had a bit more of an edge to it like the first one in the series, I still definitely enjoyed it.

New York Times and USA Today†bestselling author M. Leighton is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction.

Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

Sign up for her newsletter here, and be the first to know about exclusive giveaways, new books, and awesome fan-only perks! And join Michelle in her superfan Facebook group, Laid Back with Leighton, right here!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

New Release & Review: ★The Game Plan★ by Kristen Callahan

November 1, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

The Game Plan
Series: Game On #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Date: November 1, 2015

A beard-related dare and one hot-as-hell kiss changes everything.

NFL center Ethan Dexter’s focus has always been on playing football and little else. Except when it comes to one particular woman. The lovely Fiona Mackenzie might not care about his fame, but she’s also never looked at him as anything more than one of her brother-in-law’s best friend. That ends now.

Fi doesn’t know what to make of Dex. The bearded, tattooed, mountain of man-muscle looks more like a biker than a football player. Rumor has it he’s a virgin, but she finds that hard to believe. Because from the moment he decides to turn his quiet intensity on her she’s left weak at the knees and aching to see his famous control fully unleashed.

Dex is looking for a forever girl, but they live vastly different lives in separate cities. Fi ought to guard her heart and walk away. But Dex has upped his game and is using all his considerable charm to convince Fi he’s her forever man.

Game On

AMAZON

I didn’t expect you, Ethan.”
His eyes search my face. “I’ve been waiting two years for you to see me.”

See that utterly pathetic pile of melted, swooning goo on the floor right now? Yep. That’s me. Who would have thought I’d meet my end at the hands of a bearded, pierced, and man-bun wearing virgin?
Because if anyone was going to make my manwhore and asshole loving self fall completely head over heals for a virgin, it had to be Kristen Callihan. Having read 2 other male virgin books before this and being mostly underwhelmed, third time was most certainly the charm for me. Because this book? I loved it. I beyond loved it. I want to marry it and have it’s babies. I want to rub myself in it and roll around basking in it’s pure awesome all day. I want to lick it. Alright, you get the point here I think.
Ethan “Dex” Dexter has always been he voice of reason. The calm and collected one. The unassuming lumbersexual. Sexy, sure. A little shy, maybe. But there was also always something clearly swimming under that calm surface and you just knew that it would come out when he got his own book. And if you haven’t? Clearly you haven’t read the Game On series yet. I suggest you rectify that immediately.

Dex has had his eye on Fionna since the first day he met her. Fionna happens to be his college teammates and best friend Drew’s sister in law. Two years ago she may have been too young for him. But now? All rules are off. As an NFL center, Dex is accustomed to assessing the defense and finding a way to run right through it. And it doesn’t matter what defenses Fi throws out at him; they don’t live in the same city, she’s not into professional athletes…because when Dex sets his eyes on her, all bets are off. Game on.

I’m insanely attracted to you. I want to fuck you. I want to know you. I want to be with you. If you want that from me too, I won’t let something as small as inconvenient living locations get in the way.

What I love particularly about this series, aside from the swoony heroes that somehow get better with each new book, is that the timeline progresses. What I mean is, with The Hook Up started when the boys were in college, and The Game Plan finds them as NFL professionals. The timeline for them progresses and isn’t just stagnant with each new couple, which makes the story that much better. Because with each new book, you always get a little more about the couples from the past ones and I will never have enough of that.

Ethan is quite easily my favorite hero in this series to date. It just doesn’t get any better than him. For once an author managed to give the readers a virgin hero, but actually have a good reason to go along with it. The character development is what makes this as good as it was. Dex is a character that you will fall for after just the first chapter, and continue to fall even harder with each new one. He’s this perfect balance of sweet and sexy. Dirty talker and romantic.

I see Ethan Dexter; he shines for me. And I burn hotter than the sun when I’m in his orbit.

Fionna was the perfect ying to his yang. She may fight anything serious with him for a hot second, but it doesn’t take Dex long to tear through all of her defenses. I really loved her personality and vulnerability. I really loved that she’s just as protective of him as he is of her. She’s not a perfect character, but she owns her imperfections. As a matter of fact she makes you like her for her imperfections.

Kristen Callihan has written yet another deliciously swoony romance in her addicting series. This book had a little of everything and all of it perfectly balanced; great story, incredibly sexy, swoon worthy romantic, all tied together with wonderful secondary characters that just bring it all together. I couldn’t get enough of it. There wasn’t one thing about this book that I didn’t love. But at the center of everything was Dex. *dreamy pervy sigh* Who would have ever thought I’d be raving this much about a male virgin. But this sweet guy had just the right amount of edge to him to appease even perverts like me. I loved him to absolute pieces.

If you haven’t yet discovered this series, you’ve been living under a rock and need to come out immediately and see the light. If sexy sports romances are your thing, it just doesn’t get better than Game On. Period. If you’ve read it and loved it, prepare to have your heart stolen by Dex. Considering each book just keeps getting better and better, I can’t wait to see what Kristen Calliahan has in store for us next.

Read the rest of the series

The Hook Up
Game On Series Book 1

The Friend Zone
Game On Series Book 2

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Sports · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars

Review: ★The Boss: Book One★ by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott

October 30, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

The Boss: Book One
Series: The Boss #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance Serial
Authors: Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott
Release Date: October 27, 2015

I’ve always been a good girl.

I’ve only done two really bad things in my life–secretly live in the maid’s quarters of my beloved grams foreclosed beach house and lie to get a job as a personal assistant to billionaire Blake Carson.

My enemy, my lover, my savior.

He’s only two out of the three, if only I can figure out which two before I end up on the streets or in jail.

Or worse.

AMAZON

He was every sin I never knew I’d wanted.

You know that decadent kind of ice cream? The one where even if you get a small serving of it, it’s oh so satisfying yet still leaves you craving more? The Boss is that ice cream for me, and it was absolutely delicious! It’s tough to find a serial romance these days that can perfectly combine sizzling sexual tension with a plot that hooks you just the same. So of course it figures that the powerhouse writing duo that is Cari and Taryn pulled it off effortlessly!

I’d come here looking for a miracle, and I was walking away with a job.

Grace Copeland walks into the den of the enemy prepared to fight. She’s prepared to lie and do whatever it takes to get her beloved grandmother’s house back from the billionaire that probably doesn’t even care what it means to her. What’s she’s not prepared for is to walk out with a job.

Blake Carson is a glass magnate that’s not exactly known for his sunny disposition. He goes through personal assistants like another man may go through socks. So why on earth does he offer Grace the job after she basically calls him on his shit? Such is the enigma of this man.

Like the storm coming off the water this morning, he was a cold front slapping into a warm. The thunder was his voice, and I was the rocks trying desperately to hold out against the waves.
And the water was rising.

The sexual tension between these two is instant and so deliciously thick you can almost taste it. There’s nothing I love more than a good buildup and this book serves that up perfectly. Cari and Taryn know exactly what they’re doing and these two sure know how to tease and entice.
Volume One is written solely in Grace’s POV which only serves to entice the reader with everything that is or isn’t Blake. He’s enticing, magnetic, and an all out mystery. Then again all this does is whet your appetite for more.

Grace is exactly the kind of heroine I love to read about. She’s sassy and smart mouthed. This is a woman that gets knocked down and comes right back up swinging. I can already tell these two are going to be absolutely delicious together and I’m absolutely dying for more!

I was swept into the breath-stealing undertow that was Blake Carson and the force of his kiss.

After that ending, I’m not sure whether to rock myself in a corner somewhere in my wait for the next installment or to hunt down Cari and Taryn and beat them until they give it to me. All I know, is I’m hooked and I want it. I need it. I have to have it.

If you’re looking for a deliciously sexy read that you’ll devour in one sitting, guaranteed, look no further than The Boss. Trust me on this. You’ll thank me when you meet Blake Carson. I have 3 words for you: Suit. Beard. Tattoos. You’re welcome.

Don’t miss the next installment in this scorching hot series!

Releasing November 19

Available for PRE-ORDER

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars

Review: ★Darkest Before Dawn★ by Maya Banks

October 30, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Darkest Before Dawn
Series: KGI #10
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Maya Banks
Release Date: October 27, 2015

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they’ve known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock’s true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty.

But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he’s been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She’s the only woman who’s ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he’s spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

Amazon / B&N / iBooks / BAM / IndieBound / Google

I’ve been such a huge fan of Maya Banks, but I’m finding that most of her recent releases have been slightly less than lackluster for me lately. While I loved the first five books in the KGI series, since book six it’s been taking a significant decline for me. The story lines are just OTT out there, the characters not quite what they used to be. But still I was holding out hope for Hancock to finally bring this series back to what it used to be. I’ve been eagerly anticipating his book for years, so I was beyond excited to get my hands on Darkest Before Dawn….only to be disappointed.

The first 25% of the book I struggled to get into it. It was repetitive to the point of redundancy. Hancock’s internal musings of him being the bad guy but for good intentions was repeated ad nauseam. I suppose this is good for readers coming into the series without having read the previous books. But for fans of the series that have been up to date? Well, let’s just say you’ll get a bit of a refresher.

The story really took off after the 25% mark and I found I couldn’t put the book down. The action and suspense really picked up. The budding romance begin…and then it all crashed down after the 60% mark.

The heroine was idealistic and naive to the point of being OTT about it. It’s almost cheesy for me to say that Honor was just too honorable, but that’s what it is. While I really liked her in the beginning, her internal monologue and reasoning after the 60% mark was just beyond anything I could wrap my mind around. I don’t care how much you want the bad guys to get caught, no person in their right mind will reason with themselves that they’re OK with being betrayed and sacrificed for the greater good because it’s the “right” thing to do. She’s not a soldier. She’s a relief aid volunteer. When she finds out Hancock’s plans on using her, she’s not mad, crying, trying to escape. Nope. She accepts it all with the calmness of a woman that was just told that the purse she wanted isn’t in stock. Ah well, it is what it is. In Hancock’s defense, he never lies to her. Unless you consider lie by omission. He never confirms that he’s there to save her and doesn’t give her false hope. But he never point blank admits it either. This was just the beginning of the end for me. His epiphany came a little too late for me to sympathize with him or even like him.

Add into the mix that Honor is a (highlight to view spoiler)virgin (end spoiler), because it’s not enough with her personality fitting her name. Nope. You have to add the cherry on top. Pun intended.

But not only does she accept everything with an unbelievable sort of calm, she asks Hancock to (highlight to view spoiler)take her virginity (end spoiler). Why?(highlight to view spoiler) Because she doesn’t want her first time to be a rape, since that is inevitably what would happen to her once she’s handed over to the man that hired Hancock. Rape. Torture. Death. (end spoiler)
A man with the intentions of sacrificing me for the greater good does not exactly make me go all tingly in the nether regions. Add into the fact that she knows what she has in store for her and how horrific her (highlight to view spoiler) death(end spoiler) will be, and yet her line of thinking is (highlight to view spoiler)Oh, Hanckcock. You’re so brave and honorable for making such a hard decision. Please take my virginity. I want you to be the one. Yep. Not only does she forgive him, but she rationalizes it and praises him for it. (end spoiler)

After 60% the book just spiraled down faster than a junky on a bender. Hancock flipped a switch and pulled a complete 180; going from badass to p*ssy in 0 to 6 seconds. It was great to finally get the entire KGI crew, but unfortunately it was a case of too little too late. For all the hopes I had for this book, sadly after finishing it, I think I’m done with this series. I kept hoping that it will come back to what it once was, but after 4 books in a row that left me underwhelmed, I just don’t have it in me to continue.

I know what Maya Banks is capable of, and her earlier books are a true testament to that. Her Sweet series was one of my favorites. But sadly the releases she’s had lately seem to be missing a certain edge that her earlier work had. I’m still holding out hope, but not with this series.

Read the rest of the series

(KGI, #1)

(KGI, #2)

(KGI, #3)

(KGI, #4)

(KGI, #5)

(KGI, #5.5)

(KGI, #6)

(KGI, #7)

(KGI, #8)

(KGI, #9)

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 2 Stars

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