Craving Constellations by Nicole Jacquelyn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Raw, gritty, and completely captivating stars

“I know, baby. I know you need control. But with me, you aren’t gonna get it.”

In my head I reminded myself that he was taken, but I couldn’t get over the feeling that he had always been mine.

I went into this book with absolutely zero expectations. I’m a sucker for MC books, but after a recent string of very mediocre reads, I wasn’t expecting much from a debut novel.

Holy shit was I wrong. This book blew me away! It was raw, gritty, painful, emotional, dark, passionate, and unputdownable until the very last page.

Five years ago Brenna made the decision to leave the only life she’s ever known behind, in the hopes of building a different future for herself. Being the daughter of the vice president of a MC that runs guns is not exactly what she wants to be know for. What she doesn’t expect is to run back to her old life when the new one she though she was building comes crumbling down on her. Leaving behind a brutally abusive husband, she takes her daughter and runs back to the only family she’s ever been able to rely on.

Dragon is the Aces new lieutenant. When he first met Brenna at a club party he had just gotten his cut, and had no idea that the enticing woman that he felt such a pull to was his VP’s daughter. They share a night of passion only for her to take off and then reappear in his life with one huge secret.

Fuckin’ gone for five years. No one hears from you. Now, you come back, and I find out you had my daughter and didn’t tell me FOR FIVE FUCKIN’ YEARS?”.

Dragon is devasted that he was kept from his daughter for 4 years, and as much as he may blame Brenna for the decisions that she’s made and her betrayal he can’t seem to make himself stop wanting her.

Nicole Jacquelyn took two imperfect and fucked up characters and wrote them in such a way that you just couldn’t help but love them.

I am not typically a fan of heroines that are overly emotional but yet I felt for Brenna. Her life hasn’t been an easy one, and although she has made some mistakes she still struggles to bring back the strong woman that she once was. She left behind her life because she didn’t want to be the old lady on the sidelines while her man came home smelling like club whores. Dragon may not be perfect, but the magnetic pull between them is impossible for her to deny.

I went into the thing with Dragon looking for a little escape from reality, and I’d gotten way more than I bargained for. He wasn’t charming like Tony. He didn’t tell me sweet things. He was gruff and rude, and the things he said to me made me blush.

Brenna and Dragon are attempting to mend things between them, but
will the secrets that she still hold on to threaten to break them once and for all?

Their relationship was gritty, painful, emotional, but real.

We weren’t making love. It wasn’t sweet or soft. We were fucking, hard. Every movement was rough and needy, and for once, Dragon wasn’t talking me through it. We just needed to be as close as we possibly could before the world came tumbling around us again.

I loved how the relationship between them, while having it’s fair share of bumps and turns, felt real. Dragon may have been a rough around the edges, says what he wants with no holds barred Alpha man, but the way he felt pain broke my heart.

His pain bled through the pages to me. And even though Brenna was the sole reason behind this, I couldn’t bring myself to blame her. They were both broken and tortured souls, and my heart went out for both of them.

He was like a wounded animal, and I was the hunter who’d wounded him. I didn’t know if he would ever forgive me.

There was a point in this book where Dragon did something that I would usually not be able to tolerate or understand in a hero. The fact that I not only forgave him for it, but understood his pain and remorse for it after the fact speaks volumes for the writing.

If you’re looking for an emotionally charged, beautifully written MC book then you really need to give this one a try. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series (hopefully it will be Grease?)

Taken by Him by Red Garnier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sex appeal oozed from his pores so powerfully Peyton almost felt assaulted. He was all Greek god, do-me-now-or-kill-me-now sexy.

I went into this novella with very little expectations. I mean what can you really expect from 112 pages? When it’s written by Red Garnier, quite a bit actually.

I wanted a quick and steamy little read and I got that. What I also got was great characterization, an interesting story, HOT AS HELL sex scenes, and even a few laughs.

I don’t usually enjoy novellas too much simply because they are too quick for me to get any sort of feel or liking for the characters. I was so happy to see that when it came to sexy as hell Luke and the serious yet craving some spice Peyton, that was not the case. I really enjoyed this one.

Anyone that follows my reviews knows that I have a thing for the arrogant, slightly assholish, sexy manwhores. I can’t help myself. They just do it for me. And Luke was the manwhore to beat all manwhores. The man managed to get shot because he got caught having sex with a woman he shouldn’t have been having sex with. He’s not exactly discerning when it comes to women.

Everyone knew he was a cad – clearly, the heart in his chest was just for pumping blood to his cock. Not for feelings and shit.
Hell, he could probably live without one.

Luke has it all; good looks, success, money, and women seem to just flock to him. His ego also knows no bounds.

He was a sexy man. Everybody wanted him. His famed and acclaimed advertisements for one of his own male underwear companies were fit for a Playgirl cover; he was every woman’s wet dream and they went wild for his big, thick cock perfectly delineated under those damned white briefs.

Something about this egotistical bastard just worked for me

I’m like the fucking holy pope of sex. A night with me is like the pinnacle Of a lot of these women’s sexual lives.”.

While the man that shot him still hasn’t been caught, and his friends practically force him to get out of Chicago for the time being, Luke decides that Cancun will be the perfect place for him to regroup.

Peyton Lane is a successful business woman, a partner in a big invesment firm. She is always the responsible one, the serious one. So when she spends a week in an exotic resort in Cancun she plans to get lose. And what better way to do that then to have a steamy affair with a man she will never see again. When she first lays eyes on the sinfully sexy Luke, she knows she found just the man.

If there had been a god of pure lust and sex in Greek mythology- without the love aspect attached to it, like with Eros- the she had no doubt that his name would be Luke Fucking Preston.

Peyton Lane has always been serious and responsible and she’s determined to have some fun for once in her life. And that means a deliciously, sexy affair with a stranger while she’s on vacation. So when a blond Adonis named Luke crosses her path at the Cancun resort, she’s determined that he will be the one. What takes place is a 3 night scorching hot affair.

Peyton discovers that she doesn’t quite get what she bargained for with Luke, she gets more. She gets passion the likes of which she has never experienced.

For a quickie novella, this one packed quite a punch. I am not usually a fan of a quick relationship development, particularly with a renowned manwhore like Luke was. I am not sure if it was the writing, or the fact that I really enjoyed both the characters, but in this story it really worked. It wasn’t instantaneous, but it was believable.

And when Luke does fall, he falls hard.

This was a short, steamy, and extremely satisfying read. I read it in one sitting, and will definitely be reading the rest of the books in the series.

ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Fatal Strike by Shannon McKenna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

That radiant smile scared him to death. All that “mine” bullshit. No longer an issue. Probably never had been. He was hers. After all his arrogant posturing. All hers.

Finally, 10 books into the series, we get a book for Miles. I’ve been intrigued by his character ever since he was introduced back in book 2. Taking into consideration how much I’ve absolutely hated Cindy, his then love interest, I’m so glad that he got a heroine totally worthy of him with Lara.

I love a good romantic suspsense, and Shannon McKenna can definitely deliver one hell of an action filled punch. But if you’ve been keeping up with the series, you have probably come to realize then when you read this series, you really must prepare yourself to leave the realm of believable. The villains in her book have been getting progressively more crazy…or actually

While enough background information is given to be able to read this as a standalone, many of the previous characters make an appearance. It’s hard for me to say whether it would get confusing, as I had read all the books. But Shannon McKenna does do a very good job with characterization and background without it being boring or repetitive.

Miles Davenport has always been a bit of a nerd in the earlier books. For those that have that image of him in their mind while reading, will have a hard time seeing him as the super sexy commando that he is in this one. I had no such problems. I thought that his journey from basement computer nerd to kickass hero is a very smooth and believable one.

Fatal Strike finds Miles still trying to recuperate after his ordeal in the previous book. After undergoing a horrendous torture, he wakes up from his coma as Miles 2.0.

But this is not happy news for him. He struggles with how to deal with his new psychic abilities, thinking that he must be going crazy. Especially when he begins getting very carnal visits in his mind’s fortress from a woman he can’t stop thinking about, or her failed rescue attempt.

Lara Kirk is being held captive by a psychopath for the past 6 months, undergoing experiments on her mind with a new drug that is supposed to increase her psychic ability. The experiments are slowly causing her to lose track of what’s fantasy or what’s reality; combining both into one shadowy world.

But when her mind leaves her body, it only knows of one safe place to hide; with a man whose virile presence is able to offer a calming and sensual escape from her reality.

When Miles realizes that his phantom visitor is in fact real, and Lara is still alive, he knows that he will stop at nothing to rescue her this time around.

I enjoyed how Miles wasn’t the typical arrogant and jaded Alpha male. Don’t get me wrong, he was still sexy as sin, but still somewhat unsure of himself. It was incredibly endearing.

Lara, although she went through hell for the past 6 months was a great heroine as well. She was strong, and tough, and I loved the connection between her and Miles.

If you’re expecting a realistic relationship progression, you’re definitely reading the wrong book. Expect to have sex scenes right after an ordeal or struggles with bad guys. I had no problem with this, since I knew in advance what I was getting into. And to be honest, I’ve grown to enjoy that in this series.

Why only 4 stars? Well I found myself getting a little bored at some parts. Fatal Strike is action packed, filled with suspense and super steamy erotic scenes. But certain parts were a bit too lengthy for me, and I had to skim pages.

We got a few peeks into Sveti and Sam’s budding “relationship”. And I’m really looking forward to their book. I’ve really liked Sveti’s character, ever since she was first introduced as a young child in Extreme Danger.

I do hope that the next book finally takes a step back from this psychic plot line that seems to be recurring ever since book 7. It is starting to feel slightly played out.

Overall, this was a great addition to the series, and I am definitely looking forward to the next book. Really hoping that it will be Sveti and Sam’s book.

ARC courtesy of Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Uncommon Passion by Anne Calhoun
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Beautifully Erotic Stars

My God, he was broken. So broken, this frightening vulnerability protected only by pieces of bulletproof vest held together with razor wire, attitude, and a smile that broke her heart every time he flashed it.

He was in too deep, she was too deep for a man like him, and he didn’t have anything left inside to give her.

Anne Calhoun has this way with writing that is captivating yet understated. It’s erotic and beautifully passionate. The book draws you in from the first page, and the words will weave their way all around you, making sure you experience everything along with the characters; every smell, every feeling, every sound, every passionately erotic moment. Anne doesn’t write simple erotic romances.

I have fallen in love with her writing since reading Liberating Lacey, my first book by her. And I have been singing her praises every book since. I have yet to read a book by Miss Calhoun that I haven’t enjoyed, and this one was no exception. Dare I say this was her best book yet? Well it was definitely a favorite of mine.

I loved everything about this book; the story, the characters, the writing.

What I have grown to love most about Anne’s writing, is the way that she is able to write a heroine that strong, but in this incredibly endearing and understated way. This is how Rachel was.

Rachel has recently left the only life she has ever known inside a restrictive religious community. She may be sheltered and a virgin, but she knows what she wants and she goes after it. She wants to experience life without limitations, she wants to feel. She’s was like this butterfly taking flight after leaving the strict cocoon that was her upbringing.

The first thing she wants to experience is passion. When she meets the sexy Swat Officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, she knows that he is the perfect man to give her what she wants.

Ben is a broken and jaded man, trying to bury his pain in an endless haze of adrenaline jags at work, drinking, and sex.

He’s not looking for forever, he’s not even looking for next week. All he cares about is the here and the now. But when he learns that Rachel is a virgin after their one night together, he sets out to make amends. He knows he can’t offer her much, but what he can offer her is a no string attached sexual education and not lose her heart in the process.

Everyone was worried Rachel would get her heart broken if she didn’t get a ring and a vow and a happily ever after right out of a movie. But Rachel needed something more, something he didn’t know if he could give her. She had no shields whatsoever to protect her from anything.
Including him. The only thing he could teach her was how to harden her heart.

Rachel never imagined that this is what she was missing; this lust, this burning hot passion that sets them both on fire.

Ben may have been detached in his life and relationships, but he was certainly not detached when it came to teaching Rachel the darker parts of passion.

Just say cock.”
“I don’t use language like that.” He paused as if he were going to pull out, but then didn’t. Ensnared in need, she moaned and squirmed again. “Try ride me. Pound into me. Make me scream. Or go for the one that means all three. Try fuck me.”

The sex scenes in this book, while beautifully written, were also scorching hot.

Ben was definitely rough around the edges and loved things dirty and hot.

You should have…” she began, but that finger circled again and the words trailed off.
“Should have what, Rachel? Should have fucked you on the steps while they stumbled around? Should have made you be quiet while you took my cock deep inside?” She shook her head, as much response to the tumultuous cascade of sensation his words set off as negating his interpretation.
“Should have stopped?” The whisper was dark, taunting. “Not gonna stop, Rachel.” Two fingers slid inside her when he spoke, and a breathless little cry escaped her lips. “I want it right now, right the fuck now, against this wall now.”

All Ben wanted to do was to teach Rachel about sex, and have a little fun with her while staying his jaded and detached self. But he begins to see that she is not quite what he expected

People assumed virgin meant weak, naïve, insecure, even ashamed. Not Rachel. She was aware, thinking about what she did and why she did it, and strong enough to ask questions, plan, execute a course of action that left her alone in the world.

Rachel may have been sheltered, but she was not your typical virgin that you might read in a book. She had a backbone, she stood up for what she believed. But the way she went about doing it is what made her so endearing to the reader. She had a quite intensity to her. She didn’t scream, she didn’t cry, she didn’t make stupid decisions. She remained true to herself and her desires for life throughout the whole story, and I absolutely loved that about her.

Ben begins to see that there is a whole lot more to Rachel then the naive virgin he first thought her to be.

Rachel was wrong with him. Rachel and her dark hair and golden eyes and her ability to shine a light on the protective shield he held up between himself and the world. Just showing him it was there, let alone what it meant, or how thin it really was. Making him feel things he didn’t want to feel.

Can Rachel get past his defenses to the beautifully broken man inside? But will Ben allow her past his walls and into his heart without breaking hers in the process?

Loved, absolutely loved this book. If you have never read a book by this author, this is the perfect one to start with. You will fall in love with the characters and the story.

Purchase Uncommon Passion here: Amazon