#NewRelease & Review: ★The Friend Zone★ by @Kris10Callihan

The Friend Zone (Game On #2)
Author: Kristen Callihan
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 5. 2015

Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.
The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…
Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to get himself out of the friend zone and into Ivy’s heart. Game on

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 Excerpt

The backs of his fingers skim up my arm, raising goose bumps on my skin. “Nice top.”
Even though it’s thirty degrees out, I chose a black silk tank that hugs my waist but gathers loosely over my breasts. A tie around my neck holds the top secure. That I am braless is not lost on him. He stares at my stiff nipples as his fingers drift to the bow at the back of my neck and give it a little flick. “Take it off.”“W-what?”“Let me see those sweet tits you’ve been teasing me with since you walked in the bar.”“I—” My breath catches. “No. I’m not taking my clothes off for a stranger.”

He doesn’t look away. “But you want to, don’t you? You want me to look at you.” He bends his head until his lips are at my ear. “You’re dying to expose yourself, to let me see those pretty pink nipples.”

My skin draws tight. I struggle not to sway into him.

He leans back, his attention on my top again. “Untie the bow.”

“Someone might come in.” Despite our play, my fear of getting caught is real, though not completely unwelcome.

“They won’t. I took care of it.”

I believe that. Gray would cover all the bases. In his own way, he’s as much of a planner as I am. But I can’t think of him as Gray now, not when he’s doing this for me.

His fingers are back, skimming over my inner arm, teasing the edges of my top. “Just a little peek.”

My breasts ache so badly, they’re hot, heavy, the silk covering them an irritant. With shaking hands, I reach up. The fabric tugs against my neck then comes free. It slithers over my skin like a caress.

He sucks in an audible breath as my breasts are exposed. I see myself through his eyes, sitting half-naked in this dim back room, my nipples puckered, my breasts quivering with each shallow breath I take. The vulnerability of it feels naughty, forbidden, and I nearly whimper.

A noise of pure satisfaction leaves him. Not bothering to lift his gaze from my breasts, he reaches out, runs the tips of his fingers over my nipple. I’m so sensitized now the touch sends a bolt of pure, searing lust straight through me. I flinch, clench my teeth to keep still.

He hums, strokes me back and forth as if he owns me. “So pretty.” He grazes me again.

“You like that, sweetheart?”

Eyes closed, I bite my lower lip and nod.

I feel him move. The wet flat of his tongue drags over my nipple. My eyes fly open on a strangled cry. He grins up at me, his mouth hovering at my breast. It isn’t his usual cheeky grin but something more wicked. “Mmm. Delicious.”

He takes a step closer, and I swallow convulsively. Gray’s voice lowers. “I wonder where else you taste good. You want to show me, sweets?”

I’m practically panting now. My hair swings as I give my head a hard shake. He leans in, trailing the blunt tip of his finger up the curve of my breast. I nearly yelp when he gives the stiff peak a quick, crude pinch.

His smile is pure male smugness. “Lift up your skirt and show me where you’re wet.”

Review5 stars


You are the happiness I never realized I needed.

Have you ever started a book and from just the first few pages known that you have a 5 star on your hands? You know what feeling I’m talking about. The permanent goofy smile, the warm and fuzzies in your stomach, the I’ll-just-read-one-more-page-and-before-you-know-it-you’re-done, book butterflies kind of feeling. That’s exactly what happened to me. Now I loved The Hook Up and I was equal parts dying and dreading this book. Why? Because it’s hard to follow up on a book that you loved. But honest to gawd, I think I loved this one even more. Why?

1. There was Gray

If you love the manwhores but hate about reading all their conquests and about them generally being a giant douchebag for most of the book until they hit their epiphany, well my picky friends, meet your holy grail hero. Gray was absolute perfection from the very start. Well, don’t get me wrong, he’s not perfect perfect. But there were NO other women. None. Not even flirting. But oh was there texting. Which brings me to my next reason.

2. The banter/texting.
Oh. My. Gawd. The texting!

If you don’t have a goofy grin on your face reading each of the texts between Ivy and Gray, we’re not reading the same book. Seriously.

3. Ivy
I loved her. No seriously. I loved her. She was sassy, sharp-witted, 6ft of awkward dancing awesome. I just loved all her quirky imperfections and the fact that she wasn’t your typical dainty tiny heroine.


And, God help me because the truth is Ivy has become a craving in my blood, racing through me hot and thick.

Clearly Gray had no issues with that.

4. The friends-to-lovers trope
Gah. Just gah. I think this may have been my favorite friends to lovers romance I’ve read this year. That slow burn, that sizzling sexual tension. Perfection. I loved that their friendship was what developed first but with a clear underlying of attraction. And if you follow my reviews than you know I love me my slow burn. Why? Because when it finally implodes, it’s bound to be delicious…

And for my curious fellow perverts out there, yes there’s a verra good dose of steam here. I got two words for you: Bar. Scene. You’ll see.

So in case my list of feels wasn’t clear enough, I loved this book. I loved everything about it. Even the little thing that happens towards the end. To me, it fit the story and just added a little more depth to the characters and their romance.

Kristen Callahan hit it out of the ballpark once again. (Get it? Sports metaphor. Ha!) And I absolutely cannot wait for more in this series. Like maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed, Dex? I do love me those lumbersexuals.

Would I recommend this book? Hell yes! Read it, fall in love with the characters, laugh like a loon, and not regret a perfect second of it.

 

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Trust★ by Ella Frank

Trust (Temptation #3)
Author: Ella Frank
Genre: Erotic, MM Romance
Release Date: May 3, 2015

TRUST – verb: to believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of another.Up until now, Logan Mitchell has never had much of a reason to trust anyone.Having struggled with a self-identity crisis throughout college, he’s spent the years since then creating a sophisticated facade to present to the world.

It’s an armor he thought was impenetrable—until he met Tate Morrison.

The gorgeous, headstrong bartender he’d sat across from only months ago has taken a tight hold of his heart, and Logan is discovering that it’s time to let go.

It’s time to let someone inside.

After years of placing his dreams on hold for his family, Tate has finally chosen to do what makes him happy and follow his heart.

The one thing he never would’ve imagined was that it would lead him into the arms of a man—and not just any man—the striking, never-takes-no-for-an-answer Logan Mitchell.

Tate has fallen hard, and as his world is turned on its axis and they move forward together, he finds his life becoming more entwined with the confident, successful lawyer.

Even though neither man expected the other, it’s time to trust in their relationship—but not everything comes so easily…

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Excerpt

“What’s wrong with my hair? Are you saying I need to cut it?”

“No, I’m fucking not,” Logan said as he fingered the curls by Tate’s ear. “And you know it.”

“What would you do if I did shave my head?”

“Kill you? And likely get away with it since I have connections to a very reputable law firm.”

Tate chuckled and shoved Logan until he was on his back beside him. “Be serious.”

Logan turned his head on the pillow and ran his eyes over Tate’s full head of hair. Then he returned his gaze to the eyes watching him. “I would quite possibly cry. For days.”

“Over my hair? It does grow back, you know.”

“Yeah, but not for months,” he grumbled. “Can you please stop talking so calmly about this? You’re making me nervous.”

Tate shifted until his long, lean body was stretched out above him, and Logan widened his legs to allow him to settle in between.

“Don’t worry,” Tate assured him as he lowered his head to kiss the corner of his mouth. He then moved those teasing lips to Logan’s ear and whispered, “I like your hands in it too much to cut it off.”

Logan threaded his fingers through the thick waves and asked, “Like this?”

With a groan, Tate rocked his hips against him, and Logan twisted his fingers tighter.

Exactly like that.”

“Good,” he said as he wound his legs around Tate’s. “Because this way, I can have a tight hold on you when you’re trying to distract me. I’m onto you, Mr. Morrison. Don’t try to use your body against me.”

He almost lost his willpower when Tate, the cocky fucker, placed his hands on either side of his head and rubbed their erections together.

“You don’t want me to use my body on you?”

“Fuck you,” Logan said, knowing full well that, if he didn’t change the subject or get Tate the hell off him, he was going to roll him over and cease talking altogether.

Usually he’d love nothing more, but right now, he wanted to know why Tate had reacted so strongly to his question from last night—well, early morning .

“We need to talk.”

Review
4 stars
…I didn’t know you were essential for me to feel alive.

Ella Frank’s books are like a one-two punch. One to the ovaries and the other straight to the feels. She has this incredible ability to combine heart wrenching emotion with panty-melting eroticism. It makes each and every single one of her books unputdownable reads. When I first read Try I knew I had one of those books on my hands. I was head over heals for Tate and Logan. Hell, who am I kidding? I was basically all

Their story has been an exercise in control for me. While each book in this trilogy had a satisfactory ending it also always left you begging for more and the wait for the next book was absolute torture. So to say I was anticipating the conclusion to their story would be a HUGE understatement. I was downright dying for it.

His motto of “try, take, and top” had changed.
Oh, he’d tried Tate all right, and they’d both done a helluva lot of taking, but for once in his life, Logan didn’t feel the desire to win. He didn’t need to come out on top.
What he wanted was Tate’s trust- his ABSOLUTE trust.

If you’re going into this expecting that same ovary devastating chemistry, let me put you at ease because boy will you get that. A whole lot of it. Logan will melt every panty within a 20 mile radius. Guaranteed.

The man who was plowing into him over and over had lost any decorum his suit and tie afforded and had morphed into a man who was taking exactly what he wanted, HOW he wanted- and Tate fucking loved it.

But this was not just a whole lot of hot sex. Well, don’t get me wrong, because there was still plenty of that. But beyond that it was an incredibly emotional story and you get much more depth to both these characters in the process. Now I would advise you to read as little reviews of this book as possible before reading it because you really want to be heading into it as blind as you can. And for that reason, my review will also be quite vague in terms of details.

I devoured, absolutely devoured the first half of this book. It brought out such a wide array of feelings in me, from lust to heart wrenching emotion. I couldn’t put it down.

Frustrating?” he mocked. “No, you know what’s frustrating? When you see someone you really want to fuck and can’t because they keep saying no. I’ve been frustrated. This….this is agony. Torment beyond anything I’ve ever felt before.

Get ready for a roller coaster of emotion with this one. And that’s all you’ll be getting from me.

So why am I not rating this as highly as the first two books? Well, a couple of reasons. The main one, is even though I really enjoyed it, I just didn’t love it as much as the first two books. Somewhere around the second half I found myself growing a little bored. I still read it in one sitting because I just had to know how it all came together, but it just didn’t grab me as much as the first half. See I’m one of those ridiculous readers that has terrible book ADD when it comes to reading about the same couple in several books. So perhaps that may have been the biggest reason for my disconnect? There were a lot of things addressed that I had hoped would be and I was extremely satisfied with that. But there was also a character that made an appearance in this book that quite frankly I wasn’t quite sure of the purpose of. This character made an appearance, stirred some shit up (kinda), and then left. I’m not even sure their appearance was necessary at all really. But that’s just me.

Aside from those reasons, I truly did enjoy this conclusion to this incredible romance. Tate and Logan are definitely going to remain in my top favorite list of MM couples I’ve read for a long while. I fell in love with these boys in the very first book, and I just fell for them all over again if not harder in this book. So while it may not have been a 5 star read for me, it was still a fantastically solid 4 stars and one I’d definitely recommend to any lovers of MM romance. You just haven’t lived until you’ve met Tate and Logan. Trust me. Your ovaries will thank you.

About the Author

Ella Frank is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. She writes both contemporary and erotic fiction and is best known for her Exquisite and Temptation Series.

The minute she began her love affair with reading, she became and avid supporter of the romance genre and has never looked back.

Ella is Australian born and bred but currently resides in Hillsboro, Portland with her husband.

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New Release & Review: ★Kane’s Hell★ by Elizabeth Finn

Kane’s Hell
Author: Elizabeth Finn
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Note: Trigger warning
Release Date: May 1, 2015

Kane and Helene were the best of friends until a nightmare devastated them… Hopes were destroyed, dreams shattered, a budding teenage love torn to pieces. Eleven years later their lives are nothing like they once were. Time has changed them … and not for the better.Helene is smart, driven, and accomplished—her education and achievements a smoke screen hiding the frigid and fragile child wounded long ago.Kane is equally obsessed with his coping mechanisms—fighting … drinking … screwing … compulsively destroying himself one vice at a time.When their paths collide again, their past becomes an obstacle no coping mechanism in the world can protect them from. But confronting the past so they can heal in the present is no easy task. Can Kane reach Helene and recapture what used to burn so warmly between them, or will his own self destructive demons pull her into his hell?

A woman determined to look forward. A man always looking back. A love desperate to be restored.

“You’re the brightest, warmest star in my universe. You’ll never be less than everything to me.”

WARNING: This book contains darker subject matter and violent content that may be difficult for some readers.

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Review
4 stars

 

I need to be near you, and I DON’T know what that looks like. But I DO know I need it. Please give me another chance.

Fans of second chance romance prepare to get your hearts ripped out. I’m talking ‘reach through your throat, make you ugly cry in a corner and fuck you up’ kind of ripped out. It’s no secret that this author writes some ANGST, but nothing prepared me for this book. Let me start off with a disclaimer here; I don’t think this book is for everyone. There’s a particular scene in this book that’s a potential trigger and if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, well, be advised. Being a huge fan of dark romance I’m fairly desensitized to most things, but this scene even made me cringe. It was very difficult to read even if it wasn’t overly descriptive. It broke my cold and black little heart dammit. I actually had to pause the book right after it just to get my shit together. Yeah. It was that effective.

Kane and Helene were best friends in high school and had a budding romance going which Kane was always hesitant to act on. But then one night and one event changed the course of their lives irrevocably. Prepare yourselves for one gut-wrenching read because this event? It was BAD. You don’t know what it is and it will be retold through present to past flashbacks in the first third of the story.

I needed you, and you left me. You left me in this place to deal with…everything on my own.

What happened made Helene a shell of the woman that she once was. It took her years to wade her way out of the pain and nightmares especially since Kane left right after it, but she did it through her focus on school. Now eleven years later, she’s teaching and working on her dissertation, using her education and her career to push back the devastating memories. The last person she expects to walk into her classroom is the only person that knows what happened those years ago and shared the nightmare with her.

Can’t we just forget about the monsters,” he whispered….
“All I want is to remember us.”

The last place Kane wants to be in is the one that reminds him of everything that he lost and the nightmares he barely keeps at bay. Where Helene uses her education and career to mask her pain, he uses self punishment in the form of fights, alcohol and sex. He craves the pain to punish himself. Back to care for his ailing father, he’s determined to finally get the only girl that’s ever had his heart.

I’m not good at much in this world. But I’m good at loving you.”

If you’ve come to love Elizabeth’s dirty talkers, Kane definitely delivers on that end. He also has that dash of asshole that you’ve come to expect from this author, though not overly so.

The story is told in 3 parts; the first third is told in alternating flashbacks of present to past, slowly retelling the nightmare that Hell and Kane shared together 11 years ago. The reader is given one small piece of the puzzle in each flashback until all the pieces begin to fit together into one devastating picture. The 2nd and 3rd part doesn’t have the flashbacks and is told all in the present and focuses on Hell and Kane attempting to put their broken pieces together again.

Everything about us is fragile- our relationship, the way we communicate, the way we fuck. I always feel like I’m two seconds away from letting you slip through my fingers. It’s all so very fucking fragile.

I did find the story dragging a little somewhere after the 40% mark and I found myself skimming through quite a few sex scenes. I can’t say that it read like a filler, not at all. But it was slower paced after the jaw dropping events of the first third.

I love you, Helene. I want you to know that. You’re the only person I have ever and will ever love in this lifetime. I’m so good at loving you. It’s the one thing I can safely say I will never falter at.

This was NOT a dark romance, but it certainly had much darker undertones than anything I had previously read by this author before. It had plenty of her trademark angst, dirty talk and hot as hell sex scenes. But beyond that it also had a beautifully painful second chance romance about two very broken people that slowly learn how to heal themselves and put back together their shattered pieces.

You are EVERYTHING to me,” I said emphatically.
“Sometimes nothing is enough- not even everything.”

It’s not an easy read for sure, but it’s certainly worth the pain for the beauty of their HEA at the end.

New Release & Review: ★The Mistake★ by @ElleKennedy

The Mistake (Off-Campus #2)
Author: Elle Kennedy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release: April 28, 2015

He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.


He absolutely makes me nervous. He’s John fucking Logan, one of the most popular guys at this college. And I’m Grace fucking Ivers, one of thousand of girls who are crushing on him.

You know what I love? A sexy bad boy. Know what I love even more? A good grovel. What else? A sassy and sharp witted heroine that makes the sexy bad boy work for it. So this book? My golden trifecta.

If you’ve read The Deal, then you remember Logan, Garrett’s best friend and roommate and also the poor bastard that manages to get a crush on Garrett’s girlfriend. Seemingly Logan has it all; his choice of girls, a promising hockey future and infamy on campus. But deep down everything is not quite so perfect. His promising hockey future? A mirage that he perpetuates to his friends because of a secret he hides. His pick of girls? Irrelevant because he can’t have the one he wants. But then knocking on the wrong door changes the course of his life when he meets Grace Ivers.

Grace Ivers is an introverted freshman with a mild case of OCD that’s as endearing as she is quirky. Prone to babbling when she gets nervous, I knew just after a few short lines that I’d love her. Her internal dialogue never failed to bring a goofy smile to my face.


I’ve given handjobs before, plus a few blowjobs that I know were a huge success because…well, semen and all that. but I don’t have enough experience to consider myself an expert penis-wrangler or anything.

What starts out as an unlikely friendship quickly turns into something more. Unfortunately before Logan realizes just how perfect Grace is for him he manages to fuck things up so perfectly there may be no fixing it.

I’d say this book is split in two halves; 1. Pre-monumental fuck up and 2. Post-monumental fuck up. And in between those two there’s one deliciously perfect grovel. As much as I liked Grace in the first half of the book, I absolutely loved her in the  second half. She’s a lot more assertive and self-assured in the second half. She really grows into her own and becomes that much more endearing.

To be honest seeing how Logan was crushing on Hannah in the last book and beginning of this one, I was afraid that he’d be “settling” for Grace. But that was never the case, not at all. As a matter of fact, I loved how the author handled that situation. I seriously loved every page of this book. The humor and banter between the guys (and my beloved manwhore Dean) was pure gold.


Just out of curiosity, what constitutes a ‘nice cock shot’? I mean, is it the lighting? The pose?”
“Well, the trick is, you’ve gotta keep the balls out of it.”
“Seriously,” Dean insists. “Balls aren’t photogenic. Women don’t want to see them.”

As for Logan, let’s just say my lust love for Logan never wavered. Well it may have shaken slightly at one point but boy did he make up for it.


Trust me, baby, you’re the only woman I want. The only one who gets me going.”

Everything the man said and did had me feeling all warm and lusty inside.

There was the one “friend” of Grace’s, Ramona, that I wanted to punch in both ovaries and then not-so-gently push her off a bridge because hello twat alert! I was glad to see that Grace wasn’t such a pushover with her later in the book as she was in the beginning, but hopefully Ramona never gets a book. I swear every time I read her name all I could think of was crazy Ramona from Real Housewives and I wanted to reach through my kindle and throttle her.

True story 😉

Aside from that, I really loved this. Logan was absolutely swoon worthy. I loved him and Grace together. I loved him in general. Sure you get another hero with “daddy issues” but I couldn’t find it in me to care.


Belonging. It’s the only way to describe the exquisite rush of sensation that washes over me. His lips BELONG on mine.

If you loved The Deal, I’m almost positive that you’ll love The Mistake. I know that I sure as hell did and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book. I’m hoping it will be my manwhoring Dean. If the set-up in this book is what I think it is then his book is sure to be one verra interesting read.

Review: ★Taking What’s His★ by @DianeAlberts

Taking What’s His (Shillings Agency #4)
Author: Diane Alberts
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 28, 2015

Some lines are meant to be crossed…
One explosive device was all it took to turn Holt Cunningham from ass-kicking Marine to IT technician. Hell, he’s still not over it. So when the cute little strawberry blonde at the bar asks him to kiss her, Holt can’t resist the temptation of a sexy distraction. Before he knows it, she’s blown his mind…and then skipped out the next morning.

Lydia Thomas never expected things with Holt to go quite that far, but oh, it was worth it. After being far too good for way too long, she was ready to be bad. Except that there’s that tiny detail that Lydia kept to herself-Holt just spent the night doing naughty things…with his best friend’s little sister.One night isn’t nearly enough. But with his friendship on the line, how far will Holt go in order to claim what’s his?

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Amazon / B&N 
Review4 stars

She’d known that underneath those glasses was a bad boy who knew exactly what to do with a good girl like her.

Well, well, well, Diane Alberts. How DO you keep doing it? Giving us one hero after the other that just gets better and better. I think that Holt Cunningham just may be my favorite Shillings Agency man yet. There’s just something so vulnerable and broken about him and yet with this darker edge that you just wouldn’t expect. All of it combined together just makes for one deliciously sexy read.

So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want to bring you home and fuck you until you stop thinking about other guys. I want to claim you, Own you. Make you come more times than ever before.”

Lydia is the quintessential good girl. After her latest boyfriend of two months dumps her because she wouldn’t put out, she’s determined to shake up her life a bit. When she spots her her ex at the bar, the dark, broody and sexy stranger proves to be a welcome distraction. And when she asks him to kiss her, she certainly doesn’t expect the type of sparks to fly as they do,

Holt may work in IT now, but he’ll always be a Marine at heart. But he’s not the man that he once was. He’s more broken, inside and out. A devastating IED explosion on his latest tour caused him everything, his military brothers and his own wounds. Suffering from the repercussions of that and his crippling PTSD, all he’s able to satisfy himself with is booze and one-night stands.

That’s all he’s good for anyway. But the beautiful and innocent woman at the bar tempts him for so much more. And c’mon, who can resist and sexy and dirty talking nerd anyway? Well, he’s not really a nerd. But the glasses do certainly add to his appeal. But I digress…

He didn’t want to be this guy with her. He wanted to be the guy who blew her mind with amazing orgasms. The guy she missed when he was gone. The guy she needed…
Not the guy who needed HER.

But Lydia is not just another woman. She also happens to be his best friend and co-worker’s little sister. She may know this going into their one-night deal, but he sure as hell doesn’t. Too bad by the time that he finds out he’s already hooked.

I really loved this latest installment in the series. Lydia and Holt were the perfect dying and yangs for each other. Holt is broody and tortured and Lydia is the lighthearted and sweet side. And together they’re absolutely sizzling! But this was also so much more than simple chemistry, I found the characters to have so much depth (Holt in particular). His struggle with his mental and physical repercussions after his injury broke my heart to read. As stubborn and pigheaded as he was sometimes, he never frustrated me. My heart just hurt for him and for Lydia. I was rooting for them the entire time. This series just continues to get better and better for me. I really hope to get Steve’s book next. Definitely a rec for fans of this series and even those that haven’t read it yet. This is the perfect book to start with since it’s easily read as a standalone. Though I highly recommend the rest of the series too since it’s also fantastic.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Crushed★ by @_laurenlayne

Crushed
Author: Lauren Layne
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 14th, 2015
Loveswept: Flirt
Lauren Layne’s latest novel about the healing power of redemption tells the story of a crush gone wickedly wrong, proving that what you want isn’t always what you need.Growing up in New York, Michael St. Claire never expected to spend his twenties wearing cowboy boots. But that was before he learned about his real father, a total stranger with a family in Cedar Grove, Texas. Once in the Lone Star State, Michael meets Kristin Bellamy, who is exquisitely refined and everything Michael always thought he wanted in a woman. The only problem is that Kristin is dating Michael’s new half-brother, Devon.Kristin’s mouthy, curvy sister Chloe has always been in love with Devon Patterson. So when Michael offers to help Chloe break up Devon and Kristin, Chloe agrees to a deal that seems too good to be true. Before long, Chloe finally gets her man, only to make a startling discovery: She no longer wants the guy she had to fight for—she wants the one who stood by her side.

After all he and Chloe have been through, Michael swears he’s damaged goods. Can Chloe convince him that love is worth the risk?

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Excerpt

I’ve been in love with Devon Patterson since I was eight.

And I know what you’re thinking . . .

That I didn’t have hormones when I was eight, so it wasn’t real love, or even real attraction.

You’re wrong.

I love him.

And I know he could love me back, if only he’d look at me.

But ya know? I can’t even blame Devon for not seeing me.

It’s probably hard for him to be aware of his surroundings when my Disney Princess sister has her tongue in his mouth.

I mean, why would you want the funny sidekick when you can have the heroine?

And that’s the type of person Kristin is. Or at least thinks she is. She’s the heroine in every story.

Even other people’s.

As if he reads my mind, Devon slowly pulls back from his reunion kiss to join the land of the living where the actual people do not have eyelashes the size of small bats and a waist the size of a toddler’s.

But, actually, it’s not fair to pick only on Kristin for her blinding good looks.

Of the four of us here on this godforsaken tennis court, I’m the only one that’s not outright beautiful.

Take Devon, for example. Blond. Blue-eyed. Chiseled jaw. Tall, but not too tall, muscular but not bulging. Yummy.

As for the new tennis instructor . . . I don’t even know what to make of him.

My first thought? Beefcake. It’s obvious why he was hired, and it’s not because he can make contact with a tennis ball ten times out of ten.

Nope, it’s definitely the way his biceps strain the requisite Cambridge Country Club polo, and the way his tanned skin contrasts perfectly with the crisp white fabric.

That and the sulky bad-boy gaze that I’m pretty sure he’s aware of. Maybe even practiced.

New guy is definitely gorgeous. And Kristin’s definitely noticed.

I shift my gaze to where Devon is tucking a lock of Kristin’s ever-silky hair behind her ear. We both have curly hair, but Kristin’s is the kind that can be blown out into all kinds of satiny shine. Unlike my corkscrews, where each curl is like its own rebellious teenager.

It’s clear which version Devon prefers.

And Beefcake, too, given the way he was practically undressing Kristin with his eyes when he thought she wasn’t looking.

I liked that about him. The way he didn’t let her know he was looking. He was playing games, but by his own rules.

But, anyway, who cares about tennis boy.

Tall, dark, and brooding isn’t my type.

I like them blond, smiley, and kind.

I like them like Devon Patterson.

Did I mention I love him?

Review

3.5 stars

I don’t think it’s about who loves you first. It’s about who loves you best.”

There’s a reason that Lauren Layne has become one of my favorite New Adult authors. There’s just something about her writing and her characters that never fails to reel me in and keep me glued to the pages. It also never fails to give me that warm and fuzzy feelings right in my tummy that I’ve come to adore about New Adult. There’s no insta anything and her characters are far from perfect and watching that progress and develop through the story is the best feeling in the world. I have to admit that I wasn’t too keen on Michael after first meeting him in Isn’t She Lovely. But then right around Broken that changed. My heart hurt for him and I couldn’t wait for the guy that fell in love with his best friend’s girlfriend only to be devastatingly rejected by her in the end to get his HEA.

Michael’s world changed forever right around the time his heart was shattered into a million pieces. First he gets rejected by the girl he’s been in love with for years. A girl that just so happened to be his best friend’s girlfriend at that he cheated with. So in the span of one kiss, he lost the girl AND his best friend. Then his world gets rocked when he finds out that his whole life has been a lie and his father isn’t his father. In the hopes to get to know the man that is his true father, he moves to Texas, but he’s no longer the boy that he was. He’s broody, he’s disenchanted and jaded. He no longer believes in love, but working as a tennis pro for the rich and the bored, he has no problem being the boy toy to the spoiled housewives. But he has ulterior motives to working there. He has his eye on a girl that happens to be his half-brother’s girlfriend. A half-brother that has no idea he exists. And while Michael has his eye on Kristin, the gorgeous and spoiled rich girl, her frumpy sister is in love with Devon.

On a good day I’m curvy. On a bad one, I’m plump.
Most of the days are bad ones.

Chloe is honestly what truly made this book for me. Her ability to laugh at herself and this lighthearted presence she had to her was a breath of fresh air. She’s so fun and quirky and just this girl next door that could be anyone’s best friend. Being the frumpy sister to the perfect skinny one is no easy feat. It’s also twice as hard being in love with her boyfriend for as long as she remembers. But Chloe knows she has no chance. So when Michael offers her a chance to make Devon “notice” her, she may be hesitant at first, but she takes it. What ensues is an unwilling friendship that slowly begins to turn into much more.

Michael might be sick of being “second choice.” But the rejected-woman part of me?
SHE’S tired of being the platonic sidekick.

These two were polar opposites but yet made perfect sense together. And the banter between them? Absolute perfection.

So, what’s the problem?” he asks.
“I just…it’s never like it is in the movies.”
Michael makes a strangled noise and turns toward my nightstand, opening a drawer.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Looking for a gun,” he mutters, before shutting it again. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re one of those girls waiting for the movie kiss?”
I scrunch my nose at his disbelieving face. “They do exist.”

But then somewhere between the personal training and just hanging out together, their plans shift and it begins to turn into something much more.

With Chloe, it’s easy to forget that I’m nobody. Because she makes me feel like somebody.

I loved the slow burn element to the story. It’s truly brilliant when the reader discovers things right along with the characters. Chloe and Michael didn’t lust for each other at first sight, and that was evident. But somewhere along the way their feelings shift, and you get to experience that with them.

It was perfection.

It’s not often that this self proclaimed smut slut enjoyed a story that basically has zero sex this much. But to be honest, anything more would have been plain filler. The one and only scene is filled with so much feeling that it’s satisfying all on it’s own. Immensely so.

Did I also happen to mention the fantastic banter?

…at the lesson, the other day, she was…forward.”
“FORWARD? I swear to God, Beefcake, every now and then you slip in a word that makes me think you’re a nineteenth-century butler.”
“Yeah? You like? What if I slip a British accent in there?”
“Don’t you dare. I’ll swoon. I mean it.”

I adored this book. My only quibble was the somewhat cheesy-ish reunion at the very end, but then at the same time I was hoping for one, so I can’t complain much.

If you’re a fan of New Adult that has a witty heroine, a broody hero, a slow burn romance and incredible writing, this book is simply a must read!

About the Author

Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & #Giveaway: ★Nice Girls Don’t Ride★ by @roniloren

 
 NICE GIRLS DON’T RIDE
Author: Roni Loren
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 21, 2015

Natalie Bourne thinks she has the perfect night planned for her twenty-first birthday. But when her car breaks down and her boyfriend bails on her, she’s left stranded in an auto shop dealing with a way too cocky, way too hot mechanic, who seems to be intent on pushing every button she has.Monroe Hawkins knows he shouldn’t be messing with a girl from the uppity private college. Especially when he can tell she sees him as the help. But he’s having trouble resisting the redhead with the smart mouth and the killer legs. So when Natalie’s night goes from bad to worse, there’s no way he’s letting her spend her birthday alone. He makes her a deal—he’ll take her home but not until the sun comes up.Ten hours, one motorcycle, and the city of Austin at their fingertips…things are about to take a major detour. And soon, there may be no U-turn in sight.

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ExcerptChapter One

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, dear…

I groan and lean back against the guardrail, shielding my eyes from the piercing sunlight. How exactly should I finish that?

Girl who currently smells like sweat and roadkill?

Girl about to go broke paying for this mess?

Girl whose boyfriend will not answer his goddamned phone?

My fingers move over the screen as I text Caleb again. Where r u???

I stare at my phone, willing a response out of it, but the screen goes black before there’s any answering ding. Caleb had warned me that he was going to be cutting it close for our date tonight. And I know his internship at the local campaign office sometimes runs late when they’re prepping for a rally, but he should be out by now.

My fingers move over the screen again. R U secretly Superman in ur off hours? Come on, u can tell me. If ur saving the world, I’ll understand.

Of course, there’s still no response. And now my neck is prickling with not just sweat but anxiety. What if something happened to him? What if he was in an accident? What if—?

I stop myself before the thoughts spiral, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. Cool it, Nat. But that little exercise only gets me a lungful of the dead skunk that’s roasting in the heat a few yards away from me on the side of the highway. Blech. I press my fingers over my mouth, fighting a wave of nausea.

I check the clock on my phone for what seems like the hundredth time. The roadside-assistance lady said they would contact a local garage and get me a tow right away. But it’s been over an hour, and the only cars that have passed by have either ignored me or sent catcalls flying my way. Because, of course, my piece-of-crap car had to break down when I’m all dressed up in a low-cut dress and heels for my birthday dinner. Yay for timing.

One guy had at least offered to help and had seemed nice enough, but I’ve seen how those horror movies end. Girl on the side of the road accepts help from a seemingly harmless stranger, only to have her organs carved out later that night. No, thanks.

A grinding of tires on gravel draws my attention upward. A black tow truck rolls past me on the road and pulls to the side, sending a cloud of dust in its wake. I keep my phone clutched in my hand, quickly check the can of Mace in my purse, and then push off the guardrail. The side of the truck says Billy’s Custom Cycles and Auto Repair. There’s a tattoo-style logo of a motorcycle on fire, and I know that it’s definitely not the name of the repair shop the roadside assistance service gave me. It had been some big chain—AutoPlus or something like that. A little shimmer of nerves goes through me and I stop where I am, my heels sinking into the gravel.

The front door of the tow truck opens and a tattooed arm appears before anything else. For some reason, my eyes lock onto pieces of the man instead of the whole—like I can’t handle the entire view quite yet, only snapshots. That muscular arm as the driver slides out of the truck. The worn black motorcycle boots that hit the ground. I force myself to look up, tracking along the faded jeans and fitted black T-shirt, until I collide with a dark blue gaze.

“Looks like you need a ride.”

The deep voice startles me for a second and snaps me back into the moment like a slingshot. Ping! Pay attention, Nat. Now is not the time to let my guard down. “No, thank you, I don’t. I already have another shop on the way.”

His gaze tracks over my dusty dress, slow and lazy like, before he lifts a dark brow. “How long have you been waiting? It’s pretty hot out here.”

The once-over makes me more than a little self-conscious. He can’t be all that much older than me, early twenties for sure, but something about him is intimidating as hell. “I don’t know. Not long. I’m sure they’ll be here any second.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and eyes my car, which has chosen this moment to start smoking from under the hood—as if it senses help in its midst and is crying out for it. “What shop is coming?”

I brush at the skirt of my dress, trying to give my nervous hands something to do. I don’t want to look worried or scared or show him that I’m melting in this brutal Texas heat. “AutoPlus, AutoMart . . .”

He scowls. “Autoland.”

“That’s it.”

“You might as well set up a tent then. They take forever to get to calls, and they’ll charge you twice as much as we would. Plus, they close at six. They’re just going to tow you in and then lock up for the night.”

“Says the guy who wants to make a buck on a girl stranded on the side of the road.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “Hey, princess, I’m just trying to be a nice guy and get you to your”—he looks me up and down again—“sorority party on time. I get paid the same either way.”

Princess? Sorority party? My eyes narrow and I give him my own head-to-toe look, taking in the messy dark hair, the tattoos, the heavy boots, the finely shaped . . . I snatch the thought back before I can go there. “Look, Son of Anarchy, I appreciate the nice guy offer, but how do I even know you’re legit?”

He snorts. “You think I drive a tow truck around for fun? Call the number on the side of the truck if you want. But otherwise, I’ve got better stuff to do than stand here in the heat, smelling roadkill. Two minutes, princess. I’ll be in the truck. You want a tow and a ride? You get in. If not, good luck with Autoland.”

He turns to go, and I feel a little dart of panic at being left alone again—even if he’s not exactly the company I want. This isn’t the best part of Austin, and the sun is on its way down. “Wait, what’s your name? You know, so I can verify.”

He doesn’t turn around but calls back. “Monroe.”

I dial the number to the shop and, of course, they verify that Monroe works for them and is driving the truck today. The guy on the phone sounds amused by my questions. And his reaction makes me realize that I’m being paranoid, that my nerves are officially frayed, and it’s making me act like a bitch. I thank the guy on the phone, hang up, and take a steadying breath. This is going to be okay. Not everyone is out to take advantage. Some people actually do things to be helpful without ulterior motives.

My mother would laugh her ass off at that logic. Everybody’s got an agenda, Nattie.

I straighten the neckline of my dress, hike my purse up my shoulder, and walk over to the tow truck with as much dignity as I can muster for a sweaty girl in a dusty dress. Monroe hasn’t climbed back into the cab, but is instead leaning against the front bumper and watching the cars zoom by on the overpass up ahead. He doesn’t look my way. “Verified that I’m not a serial killer?”

“Verified that you work for Billy’s. The serial-killer part is yet to be determined.”

He smiles out at the horizon. “Want to check the backseat for weapons or body parts?”

“I have a feeling you’d be too sneaky to leave such obvious evidence lying around. And if you aren’t that clever, I’m going to be seriously disappointed in myself if I fall victim to a dumb serial killer.”

He chuckles and it changes his whole face, warming it. When he turns his head, his blue eyes meet mine and my stomach tightens a little. I do my best not to let my reaction show on my face. Last thing I need is him thinking that I’m interested in him. Because, of course, I’m not. I’m totally not. If there’s an opposite of my type, it’s this guy. And plus, I have Caleb. Cute, smart, on-his-way-to-big-things Caleb.

Caleb, who won’t answer his goddamned phone.

Monroe pushes himself off the bumper. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult, princess, but I’ll take it you’re going to ride with me.”

“Yes. But only because I can’t handle the dead-skunk smell for another minute.”

“I’m preferable to skunk guts? The flattery just rolls off you, doesn’t it?”

The jab lands squarely. I press my fingers to the space between my eyes and rub. “Sorry. I’m really not trying to be a bitch.”

“It just comes natural, then?”

My eyes snap open and I’m ready to hurl an insult back, but I find him wearing a playful grin and clamp my lips shut.

He angles a thumb toward the truck. “Get in . . .”

“Natalie,” I supply.

“Natalie. And kick the A/C on. Getting your car hooked up is gonna take a few minutes. You may want to call someone for a ride, too, because there’s no guarantee we can get this fixed tonight. I’m assuming you have plans.”

I glance down at my outfit, suddenly self-conscious about the sexy getup. It’s not my typical style, but tonight was supposed to be special, and I had wanted to knock Caleb on his butt. He’s been so wrapped up in work and school lately that I’ve felt a little like furniture. So I borrowed my roommate’s dress with its plunging neckline and treated myself to the new risqué lingerie I’m wearing beneath. I’m not exactly Ms. Vixen normally, so Caleb would’ve never seen it coming. Now it’s all a waste.

“I have a date with my boyfriend,” I say to Monroe.

“Right. So, he can pick you up?”

“He’s not answering his phone. But I’m sure I’ll get him soon.”

Monroe makes some noncommittal noise and nods. “I’m going to get to work. You go and cool off. There’s bottled water in the ice chest in the backseat.”

“Thanks.”

Before getting in the truck, I find myself watching Monroe walk back toward my car. He’s easily over six feet tall but doesn’t move in that awkward, hunched way that most of the taller guys on campus move. There’s an easy confidence to him, like he’s fully grown into his body and taken ownership—a man’s walk. My eyes follow him as he pops the hood of my car and leans over. The hem of his shirt lifts as he bends, exposing a strip of tanned, muscular lower back. I find myself wondering what it would feel like beneath my fingers and if he has any more ink hidden under there . . . I force my eyes away.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t have random illicit thoughts about complete strangers. Especially not strangers who have tattoos and call me princess.

I shake my head and pull open the door on the passenger side. Maybe I have heatstroke or something.

I lay my head back against the seat and close my eyes. But all I can see is the image of my new mechanic pulling his shirt all the way off, sweat dripping off him, me putting my hands . . .

I sit straight up.

Yep, definitely heatstroke. Has to be.

Review
3.5 stars

Never have I been so bold. I don’t make first moves. I’ve been the nice girl behind closed doors just like I have been in the rest of my life. But right now, all I want is a whole lot of bad.

I barely bothered to read the blurb when I saw this title. I’m a huge fan of Roni Loren’s, so what the woman writes, I’ll read. This was definitely very different from anything that I’ve read from her in the past. It’s not BDSM or angsty. It’s a light, steamy and quick NA romance that it just perfect for a quick afternoon read. This is not a long book (under 100 pages I think), but it still packs a steamy punch and I loved the story. Typically with short novellas I find it hard to truly get invested in the characters or their romance, but that wasn’t the case here. Sure I wish it was a little longer simply because I enjoyed it, but it was the perfect length for what it was.

Remember, birthdays are like trips to Vegas. Whatever happens doesn’t go on your permanent record.”

So you’re broken down on a deserted road, on your 21st birthday, in suffocating heat. You call a tow truck company but they may take over 2 hours to reach you. You have a fancy restaurant booked for a date with your boyfriend and no way to get there. Oh and your boyfriend is completely unreachable. What’s a girl to do? That’s precisely the predicament that Natalie Bourne finds herself in. But then a tatted up and sexy stranger proves to be her savior and biggest temptation. Natalie is the stereotypical good girl. Her childhood and drunk of a mother ensured that she keep herself in line…a very narrow one. She does what she’s told, she doesn’t make a scene, she dates the nice boys. Basically the exact opposite of the girl that would be interested in the bad boy mechanic that pulls over on the side of the road to help her out.

Monroe Hawkins is not into uptight and rich sorority girls, and Natalie absolutely screams uppity with her appearance. But there’s also something about her that tempts him. As circumstances put them together and Natalie finds her inner bad girl, the attraction between them soon proves too much to ignore.

Because when Monroe braces his arms alongside me and holds my gaze while he moves inside me, I feel like this is bigger than a hookup. This is what sex is supposed to me like. Not just a whole-body experience, but a whole mind one.

Don’t worry, Natalie’s douchebag of a boyfriend isn’t in the picture long and there’s absolutely no cheating or love triangles. This is a super light but steamy read that’s sure to hit the spot for any lovers of NA.

I loved the chemistry between Natalie and Monroe and seeing more and more of Natalie’s true personality coming out with Monroe’s presence. It was fantastic. I read this in one sitting and loved every page. So why not 5 stars? Well, as great as it wasn’t anything that blew me away. It was an entertaining albeit a fairly forgettable read. But definitely one I’d highly recommend.

About the Author

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son.

If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that’s it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Places to find Roni Loren:

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Third Debt★ by @PepperWinters

 
Third Debt (Indebted #4)
Author: Pepper Winters
Genre: Erotic, Dark Romance
Release Date: April 16, 2015
About The Book

“She healed me. She broke me. I set her free. But we are in this together. We will end this together. The rules of this ancient game can’t be broken.”Nila Weaver no longer recognises herself. She’s left her lover, her courage, and her promise. Two debts down. Too many to go.Jethro Hawk no longer recognises himself. He’s embraced what he always ran from, and now faces punishment far greater than he feared.

It’s almost time. It’s demanding to be paid.

The Third Debt will be the ultimate test…

 Review
4.5 stars
We were both destroyed. And the cure was to give in.

Oh. My. God.
Oh. My. Sanity.
Oh. Mylanta.
This. Fucking. Book. I’m speechless. I’m shocked. My mind is fucked the fuck up. What. Just. Happened?! Want me to describe my state of being the entire time reading this book?

Yeah. Exactly. I was an over-caffeinated, anxiety filled mess. There was not enough booze in the world to help me get through this. It’s a miracle I’m not a damn alcoholic after finishing it. Good grief. Intense doesn’t even begin to describe it.

I’d given my heart to my enemy.
I’d fallen
Fallen.
Fallen.
HARD.

Now if you haven’t read the previous 3 books, I have to warn you that this review will contain minor spoilers so stop reading right now. It will be completely SPOILER FREE for this book, however.

Nila had my heart. But my father had my very existence.

Nila and Jethro have been through 3 debt inheritences. It’s changed them, it’s broken them, it’s fused them together. Neither are the same people that they were first introduced to be. Book by book and chapter by chapter, Pepper Winters has been systematically building two characters that are filled with so much depth, you find something new with every book. Nila continues to grow into her own, a stronger woman, a woman that just may have the strength to survive the brutalities done to her and fight for herself and for Jethro to bring them out of their hell. Jethro is taking a different journey.

While first we were introduced to someone seemingly unfeeling, cold and dark, Nila has been chipping away at all of Jethro’s defense and walls. Now he is no longer able to hide his true self from her. But worse yet, he can’t hide it any longer from his father.

I was firstborn.
This was my legacy.
After weeks of preparation, i’d agreed once and for all to prove it.
By killing Nila Weaver.

Everything that Jethro has tried to hide through the years from everyone and especially from his father is being brought to the surface by Nila’s mere presence alone. He craves her and yet he has no way out of his duty to the Hawke legacy. A legacy he wants nothing to do with, but nothing short of death and blood would get him out of. He let Nila go to protect her but unfortunately it’s not so easy when the woman who was once his prey doesn’t want to stay away.

Nila may have suffered at the hands of her captor, but it didn’t stop her from falling for him. But ever since she left, Jethro isn’t the man she fell in love with. He seems lost in a cold fog and reverting back to the man she first met. A man she wants nothing to do with, but she’s determined to bring the man she knows is hiding inside him back to the surface. But can both of them survive the repercussions when all the secrets begin to finally unravel?

Now I’ll be first to admit that I have the worst case of series ADD ever. As in I barely find myself finishing any series past 3 books. Hell, even trilogies sometimes lose me. It’s just that after so many books, I begin to lose interest in the couple. How much can they possible go through before it gets boring, systematic, redundant or predictable? That is NOT the case here, which is remarkable considering each book is a novel length. Each piece is intricately woven into the next that leaves you begging for more every time. I never thought I’d say that of a cliffhanger, but that’s the same case with them. They’re not there for shock value. I actually like getting that break between each book (even though I slowly die inside waiting for the next to be released). These books are simply too intense to be read back to back. They’re perfectly paced to trickle feed you the story piece by devastating piece; answering one question only to leave you with a hundred more. So if you were like me and dying to know the secret behind Jethro’s condition, breathe ease because you’ll get your answers. But then you’ll be left with a cliffhanger from hell. One that will leave you screaming, crying, ripping your hair out, and considering parting with an ovary just to get your hands on the next book just to find out what happens. Oh yeah. It’s THAT bad. And that good at the same time. If you’re not completely hooked on this series after this book…well, let’s just say that you most definitely will be.

She is my salvation, my reason for existence, my queen.

It took me two days of rocking in a dark corner after that cliffy just to be able to write a coherent review. So now that I…mostly have, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off back to my corner.

Series Reading Order

Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1) FREE
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1yzNQ37

First Debt (Indebted #2) 

Second Debt (Indebted #3) 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1IN79vB
Third Debt (Indebted #4)
PRE-ORDER Fourth Debt (Indebted #5) NOW
About the Author

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:
Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)
Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Her Grey Romance books include:
Destroyed

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Review: ★Bulletproof Weeks★ by Taryn Elliot

Bulletproof Weeks (When You’re Gone #2)
Author: Taryn Elliott
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance (trilogy)
Release Date: Jan 13, 2015
Being a famous rock star for almost two decades means putting his life on display. But for the last two years Logan King has dealt with the uglier side of fame. When his stalker escalates to issuing veiled threats against the first woman he’s allowed in his life, Logan locks down and shuts Izzy out. His stalker isn’t just anyone—she’s as famous as he is with a financial reach that makes her infinitely more treacherous.Falling for Logan King wasn’t part of Isabella Grace’s plans and their spectacular public breakup didn’t make it easy to move on. Whispers and pitying looks from people in her small town send her fleeing from the first place that finally feels like home. Her solace becomes her travel for work, but the niggling sense that someone is watching her follows her from city to city. When she begins to unravel the secrets that surround the man she still loves, she discovers her personal security detail and demands answers. And they all point to Logan.

Letting him back into her life comes with many more challenges–and rewards–than she could’ve ever dreamed. But loving a man like Logan comes at a dangerous cost. One that has a lasting effect that could echo into all their tomorrows.

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3.5 stars

It didn’t seem fair that a week could do that much damage to her. That his touch had become a phantom tattoo with all the permanence that entailed.

Can you lose your heart to someone after spending just one week with them? One incredibly passionate, unforgettable week is all it took for Isabella to fall head over heels for the broody rockstar, Logan. What is it about Logan that made her fall as hard as she did?

That may have been it. But really it was his all encompassing presence that completely drew her in. But then he shattered her heart when he left her. But what Izzy doesn’t know, is it broke Logan even more to do it. In order to protect her from his deranged stalker that fancies herself in love with him, he had to sever all ties with her. That doesn’t mean he’s let her go…not in his heart and definitely not from his mind.

It’s been six months since that whirlwind week they spent together. Izzy is getting more and more successful business and tries to loose herself in the constant travel. When she notices someone watching her and figures out that Logan hasn’t stopped thinking of her either, she’s determined not to let him run anymore. Especially when she figures out the depth of his feelings.

He lived for the pain and the pleasure. And in the dark, where there was nothing but a tiny line of firelight in his room, he loved her with all that he had and finally felt alive.

As she slowly begins to unravel his secrets and Logan begins to open up to her more and more, the imminent danger draws near until it finally hits with a strike so devastating, you’ll never see it coming. All I know is thank gawd that i have book 3 already because if I had to wait for it after that cliffhanger, I’m pretty sure I may have cut a bitch. True story.

Bulletproof Weeks was just as sexy as book one, but for me it also fell into that middle-book-of-a-trilogy-itis syndrome. What I mean is, there were certain parts of it that felts stretched out and slow going for me. I tend to prefer my stories with just a little more meat, which is why for some reason this happens to me with pretty much any middle book of a trilogy that I read. But that just may be my book ADD kicking in too.

While I want to say that it could have been done in 2 books, I can also see why their story needed this one. It was like the calm before the storm. It gave the reader a little more depth into both characters and to truly get invested in their romance. It may have been slow paced and stretched out at times, but let me tell you, that cliffhanger will leave you begging for the next book. Guaranteed.

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Silver Bastard★ by @joannawylde

Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1)
Author: Joanna Wylde
Release Date: April 7, 2015

First in the new Silver Valley series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reapers Motorcycle Club Novels.Fourteen months. For fourteen months, Puck Redhouse sat in a cell and kept his mouth shut, protecting the Silver Bastards MC from their enemies. Then he was free and it was time for his reward–full membership in the club, along with a party to celebrate. That’s when he saw Becca Jones for the first time and set everything in motion. Before the night ended he’d violated his parole and stolen her away from everything she knew.

Five years. It was five years ago that Puck destroyed Becca and saved her all in one night. She’s been terrified of him ever since, but she’s even more terrified of the monsters he still protects her from… But Becca refuses to let fear control her. She’s living her life and moving forward, until she gets a phone call from the past she can’t ignore. She has to go back, and there’s only one man she can trust to go with her–the ex-con biker who rescued her once before.Puck will help her again, but this time it’ll be on his terms. No more lies, no more tears, and no more holding back what he really wants…

ExcerptIgnoring him, I settled back on my stool and surveyed the room. We sat in Becca’s section, and what I saw wasn’t making me happy. I knew she was a good waitress, but she’d just started here and it showed. Not only had she fucked up several orders, she didn’t quite seem to get the rhythm of the bar. That wasn’t my problem, though.

My problem was that despite these fuckups, nobody seemed to mind. I had a nasty suspicion this was due to her perky tits, friendly smile, and tight little ass that seriously just needed a bite taken right out of it.

She really, really needed to get a new job—every man in the place wanted her. Including me. Especially me. I hated them. All of them. I shifted uncomfortably, because just like every time I shared a room with her, my pants had gotten tight.

Torture. Becca was just so fucking fine on every level, and not just her looks. There was something about the way she carried herself . . . I couldn’t put my finger on it. Like she was dancing through life to some song nobody else could hear. Never met another woman like her—she wasn’t just sexy, she was a survivor and I admired that.

She’d grown up so much since the first time I’d met her. Bigger boobs, a nice fullness to her ass that was nowhere close to fat but would be perfect to hold tight while I fucked her. Her lips had plumped, too, and over the years she’d gained a sparkle in her eyes that turned her from pretty to 100 percent spectacular.

Not to mention how she’d tasted.

Nearly blew in my pants when I’d taken that mouth. Just the memory got me hard. Make that harder. Fucking basket case.

When I’d pulled up to find her sitting outside with Collins, a thousand murder scenarios ran through my mind. And yeah, I know I covered that already, but if anything ever deserved empha- sis, this was it. Collins needed to die. I didn’t care how nice he was. After that I’d throw Becca on the back of my bike and make a run for the hills . . .

Okay, so there were a few problems with the plan, the top one being she hated me. Or she should—I’d certainly given her cause. Boonie nudged me.

“Did I mention you’re pathetic? You want her, take her. Other- wise let it go because you’re an embarrassment to all men in general and to the Silver Bastards in particular.”

Review
4 stars

The man was my personal North Atlantic iceberg, lurking under the cold waters, just waiting to shred me wide open.
Fucking biker.

Ladies and ovaries, prepare to meet the bane of your existence (I’ll explain) and the object of your upcoming pervy dreams, Puck Redhouse. So why bane of existence? Because I honestly thought that my poor ovaries would die a slow and painful death by sexual frustration for a good 60% of this book. But damn, what a way to go. Joanna knows how to give good sexual tension. OH MY GAWD, the sexual tension! It burned with the fire of a thousand venereal diseases, I tells ya. Not that I know what that feels like, but I’d guess it would be like that. Just saying. Moving on…

Do not think for one minute that I’m the kind of guy who does the right thing. That’s not my style. I’m the guy who does what he wants when he wants, and trust me when I say I didn’t do nearly enough to you that night to get out out of my system.”

Five years ago, Puck saved Becca Jones and destroyed her all at once. It was the night that irrevocably changed everything for both Puck and Becca. For Puck, it was a night that gave him an angel after months of hell inside a jail cell, only to turn into something that can put him right back into it. And for Becca, it gave her a taste of something she never expected but with devastating consequences. But it was also the night of her salvation.

Now Becca is a different person five years later. She’s older, working on her career, has an amazing best friend. But the memory of the rough biker still continues to equal terrify and tempt her. Puck and Becca don’t cross paths much and have barely seen each other over 5 years, but she’s always known his there. Beck’s history makes her weary of bikers and the MC, and even though the Silver Bastards are nothing like what she grew up in, they still scare her. Worst of all is the scowling man with the burning brown eyes that continues to have a visceral reaction to.

I’m not your friend, Becca. I’ve never been your friend and I never will be. I can be the man that fucks you and owns you, or I can be the man who keeps an eye on you…”

Even though the chemistry between her Puck is so palpable it practically crackles with electricity, both Puck and Becca are determined to stay away from each other. Puck out of atonement from the past and knowing that Becca is too good for the likes of him, and Becca because she’s determined to stay as far away from the biker life as she can and not turn into her mother who is the worst kind of MC whore.

Puck is definitely no sunshine and rainbows kind of biker. He makes no apologies for who he is and what he does. His life is all about his brothers and his MC. He has no interest of allowing a woman into his life and screwing any of it up. The relationships between him and Becca is definitely not an easy or smooth road. Puck is certainly not celibate when they’re not together, and he doesn’t make an effort to hide that. But when he sets his sights on Becca, he knows that he won’t settle for anything less than everything.

Becca is extremely stubborn and is determined to not get her heart involved. She says some very vicious and unthoughtful things to Puck at times that had me wanting to slap her. But as frustrating as they were at times, I found them to be a perfect balance for each other.

All I felt was him, all I wanted was him. In me, on me, surrounding me.

Even though this focuses on Silver Bastard’s territory, we do get a peak at all our favorite characters from Joanna’s other series. There’s Picnic, Horse and of course Painter. Let me just tell you, if you were anxious for Painter’s story before, this book will have you absolutely dying for it. Puck and Painter formed an extremely tight bond while they served time together. Painter is not the biker I remembered from The Reapers. He’s a little more rough, a little more hard, and all the more tempting. I’m salivating, SALIVATING for his book dammit! That little tease of him we get in this book was pure torture.

There’s a lot that happens in this book that made it for one entertaining read. It was a steady pace full of action, a little suspense, and a whole lot of hot biker lovin’.

Becca Jones might be my property in the eyes of the club, but the reality was that she owned me and there wasn’t a damned thing I could do about it.

I also loved the inclusion of a secondary plot here. The second Rourk first appeared on the scene, i was completely fascinated with him. But then Joanna went and added that bonus epilogue and OH MY GAWD. Worst sort of tease ever! If Rourk and Shane don’t get a book soon, I’m pretty sure I’d cut a bitch. I’m not even kidding.

Silver Bastard was definitely another winner from Miss Wylde, and I can’t wait for more of the Silver Bastards. While this is a spin-off series and can be read a standalone, The Reapers do make an appearance here. If you haven’t yet read Joanna’s other series, I strongly recommend you do. Especially if you want to get the back story before Painter’s book will be released.

About the Author

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

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Signed Paperback of Silver Bastard (3 copies)

 

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