Review: The Hunted Heir by Holly Renee

August 20, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE HUNTED HEIR
Series: The Veiled Kingdom #2
Author: Holly Renee
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: August 20, 2024

From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, comes the second book in the scorching romantasy series with enthralling secrets, impassioned enemies, and luring tension.

Verena was the lost princess of Marmoris, the very thing we had spent our entire lives looking for, and I had let her go.

The lingering taste of her mixed with the deep ache in my chest over her betrayal haunted my days and nights. I knew she was hiding something, but her secrets were far more treacherous than I could have imagined.

Though I wished my own betrayal hadn’t been so bitter on my tongue.

Now my dreams are haunted with the way her deep blue eyes looked up at me in shock when I revealed I knew her truth.

The way I crave for her to look at me now as I hunt for her.

Me, along with half of the rebellion.

If my father finds her before me, there is no telling what he will do to her.

And even though she’s the little traitor I’d always thought she was, I couldn’t allow him to find her.

But his orders were clear. The princess is to be taken by the rebellion or she would be taken by the gods. I don’t know which is worse.

She is the heir to our kingdom, the daughter of the cruel king who was responsible for my mother’s death, and the key to winning our rebellion.

I vowed to my father that I would find her, the one person I wish I didn’t have to.

Verena is the hunted heir. But more than anything, she is mine.

AMAZON

He was the son of the rebellion, and I was the daughter of everything they fought against. We were born and bred to be enemies, to never trust the other.

What sort of crack does Holly Renee sprinkle on these books that make them this addictive? Because when I tell you I binge read this entire book in one sitting, I mean I literally blinked and I was done and cursing Holly to the high heavens for leaving me on that cliffhanger. What sort of evil, sadistic f*ckery is this, Holly? Hmm? HMM?! But I digress.

Now for those of you that wanted Dacre’s d*ck on a spike after the ending of the last book, buckle up for some whiplash because you will be rooting for him and rooting for him HARD in this one. How do I know this? Because I too, wanted his d*ck on a spike at the end of the last book. But I digress once more.

Like salt in the sea, you have become ingrained in every part of me, and I have been drowning in my regrets.”

I love and hate the pacing of this story because it read so quick and I was dreading being done. But where I thought book one was addictive, this one was even more so.

This starts off immediately where book one left of, with Verena on the run with both the rebellion and the kingdom hunting her. And the son of the rebellion who called her ‘little traitor’ is suddenly drowning in the regret of his actions and his evolving feelings for her. GOD but it was delicious.

It was quick paced, action packed, steamy and unputdownable. And when I tell you I am prepared to offer Holly a kidney to get my hands on book 3, I’m only kidding a little…ok not kidding at all. But c’mon! How will I survive the wait until the conclusion being left like this. I feel like I’m slowly dying inside right now but I also have no regrets. It’s a complex feeling, stop judging me.

If you’re looking for a spicy romantasy with all the feels and enemy to lovers vibes, look no further!

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Review: Learning Curve by Max Monroe

August 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LEARNING CURVE
Series: Dickson University #1
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Max Monroe
Release Date: August 16, 2024

She’s the virginal cheerleader, and he’s the tortured bad boy. Their worlds are different, but college life at Dickson University brings them together in a passionate, angsty, fiery collision.

Finn Hayes is what girls my age would call “stupid hot.” He’s handsome, has brown eyes that remind me of warm chocolate chip cookies, and a tall, muscular build that makes marble sculptures jealous.

Green flag, right?

Wrong.

He’s also broody, closed off, and so complex that it feels like I need a decoder to crack him.

He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met and fights like he came out of the womb swinging, taking down both my ex-boyfriend and an ex-UFC fighter with ease.

But the underground society at our college known as Double C has nothing on him in the secrets department, and it’s that mysterious edge that keeps me coming back for more.

This is more than the story of how Finn and I fell in love.

This is proof that love has a learning curve. Sometimes you succeed, and sometimes…it destroys you.




Author Note: Learning Curve is a New Adult Romance standalone that is book one in the Dickson University Series. This highly-addictive series will follow the grown-up Billionaire Bad Boy kids and long-lost Winslow siblings as they navigate college life and relationships. Buckle up for all the college drama, romance, spice, angst, and humor. You do not need to have read the Billionaire Bad Boys Series or the Winslow Brothers Collection to read Learning Curve. It is a complete standalone.

AMAZON

Body and soul and mind, I’m so deep in Finn Hayes, I don’t know if I’ll ever dig my way out.

If you know me then you know that I love the drama and angst when it comes to my romance books. So when you see this author’s note:

Imagine… being wrapped up in the comfort of visiting a dear friend while simultaneously being lit on fire while season one of Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill (the most addictive seasons of both shows, in our opinion) and every episode of Friends play at full volume at the same time. But, like, you can concentrate?

You know you’re in for a good time.

If you’ve read Monroe’s Winslow Brothers series, you would really appreciate the connection in this book. But if you haven’t, don’t worry, because this is also a standalone in a new series. It’s also a bit different from Max Monroe’s usual more lighthearted romance with a bit more grit and angst. I didn’t find it to be overly angsty to be honest. It was mostly teenage drama with some grittiness, but I can’t be mad at it because it was definitely entertaining.

Keep in mind that the characters are college freshman so the drama is definitely matching the age, which I enjoyed. This is the bad boy meets good girl trope and I was here for it.

Scottie is a good girl who has been dating her douchebag boyfriend for two years. But then she literally tumbles into Finn’s life and things take an interesting turn. She begins to see that her boyfriend is not good to her and I loved that she wasn’t the cliché virgin heroine who takes her boyfriend’s bs constantly. She stood up for herself and knew her worth, and I loved that about her.

Finn is the quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks that fights their connection because he doesn’t think he’s good enough for Scottie. Their romance is a slow burn full of ups and downs that had moments where I wanted to slap both of them. But it was also quick paced considering the length and I enjoyed their dynamic and their friendship group so much.

I gobbled this up in the span of a day and definitely hooked on the series. Admittedly the last 15% of the book took me a bit off guard and I couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t super necessary to the story considering everything else that has already happened. But in the same breath, it did drive the plot in a direction I enjoyed so again, I wasn’t too mad at it.

I really connected with both Scottie and Finn and while I had some small frustrations they didn’t take away from my enjoyment of their story. It was emotional with some heavy subject matter, and while I didn’t find it super angsty, it definitely brought delicious drama which kept me more than entertained. But when I tell you that I am absolutely FERAL for Blake’s story, I mean this man stole the show for me as a secondary character. I cannot wait for his book!

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Review: Of Heartbreak and Harmony by Brit Benson

August 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

OF HEARTBREAK AND HARMONY 
Series: The Hometown Heartless #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Brit Benson
Release Date: August 16, 2024

He burned me once.
This time, I won’t be the one consumed by the flames.

Torren King is rock-and-roll’s broodiest bachelor.
Mysterious, moody, and coveted by nearly everyone.
But to me, he’s just the sad boy who set fire to my heart,
then reduced me to ashes in the desert.

For four sweltering nights, I burned for him,
and he conquered my heart one whispered lyric at a time.
But on the fifth night, he shattered me in the way only a flawless rock god can:
irreparably, and with devastating finesse.

Four years later, the last place I expect to be is sitting before him,
reading through a contract with a pen poised in my fingertips.
A favor for a favor, he says.
A US tour and a fake relationship in exchange for the answer to all my problems.

I hate him. I hate that I need him.
And what I hate the most?
He doesn’t remember me. At all.

But despite the burning chemistry between us,
the rapidly blurring lines and the suffocating attraction,
he’s still the rock star who ruined me,
and I refuse to let myself forget.

****

Of Heartbreak and Harmony is the second standalone in The Hometown Heartless series. It has a guaranteed HEA. It is not necessary to read Between Never and Forever before reading Of Heartbreak and Harmony.

AMAZON

He was my harmony when all I heard was dissonance. He’s my love song.


You know what I love about Brit’s books? Her unnerving ability to wreak havoc on my emotion. And this book? Was a two by four hit of emotion and angst that I devoured in two days with a mix of rage, tears, wanting to hug my kindle and then wanting to chuck it against a wall. Suffice it to say, I loved this story.

You intrigue me, Firebird,” he says finally, his voice a sensual rasp. “And I think I might be a bit of a pyro.”

Now, if you haven’t read Between Never and Forever, I highly recommend you read that first for the best experience. But if you haven’t, you can also easily read this as a standalone.

Torren and Callie’s story is not for the faint of heart. It’s brutal and painful, but it’s also beautiful and unforgettable. While I’m not a reader that reads many rockstar romances these days, Brit Benson is always a must. And this book reminded me everything that I love about a good rockstar romance; the angst, the feels, the absolute epicness.

Torren and Callie have a history that only one of them seems to remember. And I loved the way their story unraveled with strategic flashbacks to their past that is seamlessly interwoven into their present. Four years ago, Torren came into Callie’s world like lightning but these days she hates the mere thought of him. So when the man himself appears back in her life with a proposal that she can’t pass up and no memory of their time spent together, she’s conflicted. A PR relationship with a man who she hates is the last thing she needs. But the money he offers in exchange is too good to pass up for her struggling family. So she agrees. But nothing prepares her for the shock of being in his world again or the attention from the man she can’t seem to forget.

When I tell you this book put me through the wringer, I mean it. I wanted to hate Torren, and truth be told, at one particular part of the story, I absolutely did. But I also hurt for him and by the time the truth revealed itself, I was too deeply intwined in his web that I simply couldn’t care less. I loved Callie and her fierceness. This is a woman that is no groupie and no pushover. And I loved the way she was with Torren.

The romance is a slow burn, but when it ignites, it’s absolutely incendiary. I loved everything about this book; the story, the music, the romance, and did I mention the romance? Because oh my god, it was epic. Absolutely epic.

If you’re looking for an angsty and unforgettable rockstar romance with all the feels, look no further.

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Review: Broken by Serena Akeroyd

August 13, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BROKEN
Genre: Forbidden Romance
Author: Serena Aneroid
Release Date: August 1, 2024

Forgive me, Father, for I am undeserving when blood soaks these hands that hold Your gift to me.

I am broken and find solace in the darkness.

She is pure and basks in the light.

Did You send her to be my shelter?

I made a vow of celibacy.

She remained untouched.

Did You create her for me?

I am a sin eater, a purger of evil.

She is an angel, a guardian of good.

Did You know she would be my savior?

Thank You, Father, for she is the one sin I will willfully commit.

Broken is a forbidden, dark romance and a complete standalone.

AMAZON

He is my purpose. My reason. This goes beyond being soul mates. This is divine intervention.

If there is one thing I can tell you, it’s that Serena Akeroyd is an immaculate story teller. She has a way with her words that manages to spin you into the story and suck you into the characters. And this book was a true testament of her craft. It’s a polarizing type of story where you definitely want to read and heed the trigger warnings for. I wouldn’t call it dark, per se, but it definitely has dark and heavy undertones and subject matter.

It’s a painfully beautiful story of soulmates and healing, and it didn’t take me long to be wrapped up with these characters. Now admittedly, that is also the part that worked against me too. While I loved the intention behind it, I also found the romance to be almost too sudden. But do take my review with a grain of salt because I’m also a reader that isn’t a big fan when the FMC is the main pursuer in an almost mindless and aggressive way, and try as I might to look past it, it did impact my reading enjoyment.

I loved the different elements of the book, but for some reason the romance just didn’t click for me. I liked it, but I just didn’t love it like I usually do with Serena’s characters. I just couldn’t connect with either one of them on a level I needed to really click with the story.

But having said that, I still enjoyed the book. It was incredibly unique and while it covered some dark and disturbing subjects, the way that Serena wrote it was masterful. I wish I clicked with the romance more, but even then, it was still an enjoyable read that I would recommend for anyone looking for something different and unique.

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Review: Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas

August 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

FIVE BROTHERS
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: July 30, 2024

One woman learns the secrets of the five Jaeger brothers in the new romance from New York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas.

On the other side of town, in the dark glades, under the rain…

Macon is the oldest. Thirty-one. Ex-Marine. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile.

Army is twenty-eight. A single dad with the most beautiful green eyes. He has no idea who he is, if not a Jaeger brother.

Iron will be in prison soon. You’d never think it to meet him. He’s a nice guy, actually. But he can’t stop reacting to everything.

Dallas is the one I hate. Twenty-one, cruel, and selfish. He takes and then throws away whatever’s left.

And Trace is mine. Or he was for about two seconds. No one can tame him for long.

Not that I ever wanted to. It was fun, but now I need to go home. Back to my side of the tracks. Away from the swamps and these men. To my parents’ big house. On my clean street. Where I’m never dirty or messy or hot. And I will. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. I just want to crash on the couch tonight.

Their house is dark and quiet, everyone else is asleep. Except for one. He sees me crying and comes at me from behind. I let him wrap his arms around my body and hold me tightly. His breath is on my neck, his fingers are in my hair, and he doesn’t stop there.

I don’t think it was Trace.

AMAZON

Clay fell in love with Liv, the bad girl from the wrong side of town, and I fell into insanity with one of that bad girl’s brothers.

When I tell you that I have been rabid for this series and this book ever since I finished Tryst Six Venom would be a mild understatement. I was ready to part with a kidney for this story. True story. And did I love it? Absolutely. But did I also struggle with my rating, also yes.

Rich girl, poor girl,” I taunt her, kissing and biting her neck. “Y’all look the same when you’re naked.”

Now if you really want the full experience of this story, I highly recommend you read Tryst Six Venom first. While you do get the highlight reel of the background information, there’s also some story arcs that simply need to be experienced in Tryst. Trust me on this. Now as for this book, this was a bit different. I’ve seen people compare it to Credence and it certainly has that vibe. But as someone who has read Penelope’s entire backlist, the way it’s written reminded me a bit of their Devil’s Night series. As in, it reads very much like a saga. And while each character will have their own book, their story arc begins very early in the series. And as for this story, that was what I slightly struggled with as well.

I wanted you under my skin and your scent in my head. I couldn’t think. I did what we do when we’re dying. We rage, and I felt it on you, too. I had to hold you.”

I loved the first 20% and adored the last 30% of this book. But the middle was a bit different. What I mean by that, is that we get only abut 35% of the book with the actual main couple. Which isn’t a bad thing, because the development and story arcs of the other brothers were fascinating. But it’s also a struggle because the main couple themselves are so multilayered that I wanted more. Especially the MC. I could have easily read at least 200 more pages of him.

If you’ve read Tryst, then you remember Krisjen as Clay’s best friend. I was very intrigued by her character, but I also feel like we didn’t get to the full core of her. Admittedly, I struggled with her character in the beginning because while she was intriguing she was also coming across like a simp at times.

The story arc was fascinating in a way that only Penelope can do. These brothers definitely pack a heck of a punch. But I would have loved to spend more time with the main couple. As it was, I couldn’t help but feel we spent the majority of the book on the set up of the series rather than the romance. Now don’t get me wrong, I still devoured it, but it wasn’t quite what I expected.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Am I excited for the rest of the series? Without a doubt. So I supposed I wasn’t all that bothered with my minor quibbles because I still enjoyed the heck out of this story. 

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Review: The Bodyguard and the Bombshell by Lexi Blake

August 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE BODYGUARD AND THE BOMBSHELL
Series: Masters & Mercenaries: New Recruits #2.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: August 6, 2024

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…

The Bodyguard…

Nate Carter left Australia’s elite SASR unit after a tragic accident. Shattered by the experience, he thought taking a job in the States might be a good way to start over. His father’s former employer, McKay-Taggart, has a position for him in the bodyguard unit. He never imagined himself risking his life for celebrities and the wealthy, but it will do for now. It will also give him a chance to reconnect with old friends, including the girl who’d been like a little sis to him ten years before.

These days, however, his feelings for Daisy O’Donnell are anything but brotherly.

The Bombshell…

Daisy O’Donnell is a girl on a mission, and it does not include falling for one of her brother’s best friends. She has plans, and while chaos always seems to follow her, she’s determined to see this through. Daisy finds herself in need of a bodyguard when a job goes terribly wrong. She’s sure her dad will find someone suitable, but she didn’t expect a big, gloriously masculine Aussie to show up ready to take a bullet for her. Maybe spending some time with Nate Carter won’t be so bad after all.

An explosive match…

Thrown together by danger, Nate and Daisy can’t resist the insane chemistry between them. But when his past and her present collide, they must decide if they can hold it together or go their separate ways forever.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

AMAZON

The danger’s never over with you, love. I said you needed a keeper. Looks like it’s going to be me.”

This book was everything I didn’t realize I needed and hit every spot I didn’t know I had.

If you’re looking for a quick but vastly satisfying romance, this one is sure to please.

Now I am not usually a reader who enjoys bumbling, overly quirky heroines. And Daisy O’Donnell taking a selfie as she accidentally walks into a drug ring and posting it to her socials, is definitely on the quirky side. But her father is also Liam O’Donnell and one of my favorites. If you haven’t read his book, you must: A Dom is Forever. But I digress. Poor Daisy has grown up in the shadow of her overprotective father and brother and the proof is definitely in the pudding with this one. She’s too sweet and too innocent, almost naively so. But she’s also so incredibly endearing that I couldn’t find it in me to care.

Daisy has also spent her childhood crushing on her brother’s best friend, Nate Carter. And now Nate is back in the states and finds himself on bodyguard duty for the gorgeous woman he is suddenly noticing in an entirely different light. And I think what I loved the most about Nate, he doesn’t even bat an eye lash at this new revelation nor does he fight it for even a second. He is all in and he will stop at nothing and I loved that for Daisy. While it could feel a bit insta love, it didn’t. It was full of chemistry and humor and I enjoyed every page.

I simply adore this series and now I’m desperately anticipating Daisy’s brother’s book because I need answers!

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Review: The Prey by JL Beck

August 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE PREY
Author: J.L. Beck
Series: Oakmount Elite #3
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult
Release Date: August 9, 2024

Filthy rich. Monstrous. Vile.

He calls me prey.

I call him a bully.

Sebastian Arturo isn’t just cruel, he’s downright terrifying.

With piercing green eyes, a body made for doing very bad things, and a charming demeanor, it’s no wonder everyone thinks the world of him… everyone except me.

When I wake up with pieces of my memory missing he’s the only one who can give me answers.

But he doesn’t give me answers, instead he tells me to stop asking questions, or else…

I heed his warning and do my best to avoid him but since he’s my boss and I live in his house that’s kinda difficult.

Then one night his hate for me reaches its breaking point… and the lines blur.

Hate twists into lustful obsession.

His cruel words become seductive praises.

One touch sparks a raging inferno of desire, and I find myself burned to ash beneath his fingertips.

Just when I think I’ll finally find happiness my memories return bringing with them a vicious truth.

Turns out the man I’m falling for isn’t who I thought he was… and escape isn”t an option.

He has me right where he wants, caught in a trap, just like prey.

** This is a standalone, however for better reading enjoyment please consider starting with The Wallflower before reading The Prey. Again this is a dark romance novel, but does contain a happily ever after. It also contains triggering material, and adult content. Please do not start reading till you check the trigger warning at the beginning of the book. **

AMAZON

Sebastian isn’t the gentleman the world thinks he is…

Well, Elyse, I definitely already knew that much. Sebastian was a deliciously intriguing secondary character in The Wallflower & The Wildflower. But as an MC, this man is in a league of his own and I worship at his alter.

Now I definitely liked Drew and Bel’s book, but I went absolutely FERAL for Sebastian. When I tell you that the first chapter grabs you by the throat, I mean brace yourself. Because holy moly! But I digress. I loved seeing Sebastian’s protective big brother side in The Wildflower, but seeing his dark and deranged side in his own book wa s an experience unparalleled.

We don’t quite know the full details of how, but Elyse ends up working as a maid for Sebastian to work off her father’s debt. Her past is shrouded in mystery as are the full circumstance of how she came to work for Sebastian. All you know is that he hates her as much as he wants her, and the more he wants her, the harder he pushes her away with his a-hole behavior. And this reader was here for every second of it.

Now Sebastian is one fascinating, multilayered character that I couldn’t get enough of. He may be an entitled a-hole to Elyse, but beneath the suits and the money is the dark soul of a man who went through hell himself. And while we only get snippets of what made him the way he is, you. just know that when the full history is revealed, it will hurt so good.

Sebastian fights his attraction to Elyse at every turn, until it becomes unbearable and her past comes knocking on his door. There is still a lot of unknown and I ended the book with more questions than answers, but I can tell you that I absolutely devoured this story.

Elyse is a perfect dichotomy of silent strength and vulnerability. Her circumstance puts her in an impossible position where she will never come out the victor, but she is no pushover, and I loved that about her. When we finally get more morsels about her past, I was absolutely rabid for more. But in true JL Beck fashion, she leaves on a cliffhanger so painful that I dang near cried when I finish. So off to stalk her for the next book I go and I have no regrets!

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Review: Northern Twilight by Samantha Young

August 8, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

NORTHERN TWILIGHT
Series: The Highlands Series #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young 
Release Date: August 8, 2024

She’s the girl he left behind. He’s the boy she tried to forget. But after seven years apart, one passionately reckless night will tie them together forever …

As teenagers, Callie Ironside and Lewis Adair were inseparable. So much so, Lewis still can’t work out where it all went horribly wrong, or why he’s spent the last seven years in London away from the love of his life.
Callie knows exactly where it all went wrong and while she tried to move on—learning pastry techniques in Paris and dating French men—returning home to Ardnoch to work in her mother’s bakery only reminds her of the future she lost with Lewis.

But when a visit to London brings them unexpectedly together, the passion, pain and animosity between them leads to a one-night stand. For Lewis, it’s the beginning of winning Callie and his life in Ardnoch back. For Callie, it’s a mistake that’s shaken up the devastating heartbreak she fought hard to forget. However, Lewis is determined to fight for her, and proves it when their night together results in more than just unresolved feelings.

AMAZON

I was still in love with Lewis Adair. And it was terrifying because now I knew what it felt like to lose him.

You know, every time I finish a book in this series, I say that it’s my favorite in the series. And now, 5 books in, I get to say it for the 5th time. This was my absolute favorite in the series and the fact that it only just gets better with each book is a true testament of the talent that is Samantha Young.

What’s funny is this was also the story I was looking forward to the least and I don’t even know why. Maybe because Lewis and Callie seemed too fluffy for my taste? Boy was I wrong…

You’re too much of a gentleman for me, Lewis. I like my sex more adventurous now. A little rougher. I like …” I sucked in a breath as he closed the distance between us, his body touching mine.
“You like what?” His expression was fierce with fury. And desire.
“In…in bed… I like a guy to take control.”
Surprise lit Lewis’s eyes and then something darkened them. “Noted,” he growled. Then his hand was on my nape, bringing my mouth to his as he bent his head to take it.

A cinnamon roll with a filthy mouth and demanding tendencies in bed? Yes please and thank you.

Now if there’s one trope that I absolutely adore, it’s a second chance romance. But the reason for the separation has to work and that’s not always easy to do. Callie and Lewis were high school sweethearts until things fell apart and now they haven’t seen each other in 7 years. When fate brings them together again, Lewis knows that he will stop at nothing to get the love of his life back. And man oh man the way that he worked for her. The lengths that he went to. The absolute devotion and adoration that he harbors all these years later. I fell head over heels for him. I adored his father’s book but Lewis just went and topped even that book. GOD this was amazing.

I fell in love with you a long time ago, and I never got that part of me back.

Callie was a girl who loved Lewis with everything she had, until she lost him and never recovered. She’s been going through the motions ever since, refusing to give herself like that again. Their reason for falling apart was also so incredibly relatable and the way they come back together was heart meltingly beautiful.

To say that I loved this book was an understatement. I loved every word, every page and every chapter. It was romantic, beautiful, emotional, and completely unforgettable. And even this reader with the cold black heart found herself crying over numerous “it’s so beautiful” moments. If you’re looking for a beautiful romance with plenty of steam and all the heart, look no further!

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.

She resides in Scotland.

 

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Review: SALT by L.A. Ferro

July 28, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

SALT
Author: L.A. Ferro
Series: Summer Nights #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Age Gap
Release Date: July 25, 2024

At eight, he gave me roses. At fifteen, he gave me butterflies, and at seventeen, he gave me sanctuary.

I wasn’t a damsel in distress. He wasn’t Prince Charming waiting to whisk me off my feet. We didn’t meet by chance. He’s been part of my life for years, and for most of that time, I’ve been under his spell.

Everett Callahan isn’t just the most attractive man I’ve ever laid eyes on: stoic, tall, dark, and handsome, the stuff fantasies are made of. He’s more than that. Beyond his looks, he’s loyal to the core and wears virtues like duty, honor, and respect as armor. He’s the kind of guy you’d be proud to bring home to meet your dad.

If he wasn’t also your dad’s best friend.

I wasn’t just charmed. I was completely and utterly smitten, and he wasn’t interested.

That’s why I put aside childish things, like my crush on an off-limits man who could never be mine.

Until he fell into my tent on my twenty-first birthday, and I saw a man instead of the untouchable God, I’d made him out to be.

Men are flawed, even Everett Callahan, and now that I know he’s not immune to weakness, I plan to be a hellion ready to exploit it.

Publishers Note: This is a forbidden, slow-burn, age-gap romance with a happy ever after.
Author’s Note: This book is meant for readers 18 years and older.

AMAZON

You are the most beautiful gift I never saw coming..

I love an angsty age gap romance when it’s done right, and it definitely has to be done right when the age gap is 20 years. This one was definitely done right because I was instantly sucked in.

How do you just walk away from something that you want with your whole heart?.

Cameron Salt has been crushing on her father’s best friend for as long as she was old enough to recognize the feeling. Now twenty one, she’s living with Everett after the tragic death of both of her parents. Everett is forty six, divorced and fighting his attraction to Cameron with everything he has. Not only is she too young for him, but his best friend trusted her in his care so suffice it to say the guilt of their connection is eating him alive. Especially when Cameron takes every opportunity to push his buttons and push him to the limit.

I’m not the girl he took in five years ago. I’m a woman who knows exactly what she wants. HIM..

I have to say I loved Cameron. She’s a free spirit and mature beyond her years. I loved the way she pursued Everett but also didn’t take his sh*t when the uber grump came out. She pushed him until she wore him down and when he finally gives in, FIREWORKS.

I catch my breath and open my eyes to my new reality: obsession. My obsession is dangerous. My obsession is her..

It did take me a bit to get into the book because it felt like I was starting halfway into a series. There’s so many subplots and secondary characters that felt like I should have already known their stories of that it got very confusing. I should have definitely read Fade Into You (Everett’s son’s book) first because I feel like many of these subplots may have been introduced in that book. Don’t get me wrong, it was intriguing, but there was so much going on with so many people, that it took me a minute to wrap my head around all of it. I did ultimately figure it out at the end, but all of the details made it a bit of a slower read for me at times.

The romance was absolutely sizzling and I loved the angst, chemistry, and slow burn romance these two had.

My head drops to the crook of her neck as I fade in and out and let go. She’s it. This is it for me. It’s her, or it’s no one. I kiss her neck and pray. If it can’t be this life, let it be the next..

There is a heavy suspense element that added a little oomph to the romance with plenty of twists and turns that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you love slow burn, angsty age gaps, definitely give this one a read.

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Review: Meant For Her by Natasha Madison

July 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

MEANT FOR HER
Author: Natasha Madison
Series: Meant For #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 26, 2024

From Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Amazon Bestselling Author Natasha Madison comes new A billionaire, marriage pact, opposites attract romance.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Unless you end up married!
From The This is Series and the Southern Wedding series comes Meant For Love

Zoey
When I first met him, I got butterflies in my stomach.
I thought it was silly and pushed it aside. Avoided him.
Besides, I was taken—unavailable. Or so I thought.
That was before he hired me to take over his company’s PR.
Now that we were working with each other, that meant he was completely off-limits.
Until one night in Vegas.

Nash
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Unless you ask the woman of your dreams to marry you while you are both drinking tequila.
And she says yes.
She thinks it’s a mistake.
She’s wrong.
Now I have ninety days to show her we’re meant for love.

AMAZON

Give me ninety days for you to fall in love with me. For us to fall in love with each other.”

Now sweet romance with cinnamon rolls isn’t usually my cuppa but boy did it hit the spot for me with this book. It was one of those light hearted, feel good sort of romances that are easy on the drama and heavy on the swoon. This was my first Natasha Madison book and it certainly won’t be my last.

Now if you like the accidentally on purpose marriage trope, this one is sure to hit the spot.

Can we focus on one conversation at a time?” I tell him, trying not to get sucked into his charm.
“Yes,” he says, “we aren’t getting divorced because we are going to be dating.”
“Again,” I huff, “that makes no fucking sense.”
“It makes all the sense in the world, baby.” He bends to kiss my lips. “Besides, who dates their ex-wife?” He shakes his head. “Now that’s just weird.”

Nash has been obsessed with Zoey from the first time he laid eyes on her. But she’s taken great care to avoid him at every turn and had a boyfriend. So when Nash has a need for PR, there’s no one else he wants for the job, and he makes a call with an offer.

Zoey has just broken things off with her boyfriend only to get a call with a tempting job offer from a man who has tempted her from day one. So what’s a girl to do? Fly out to meet the man and let him try to convince her to take the job. But one night in Vegas suddenly has her waking up married. And her new ‘accidental’ husband refuses to take their Vegas marriage as anything other than dead serious.

I love a man obsessed and Nash was all those things and more. I love the way he pursues and fights for Zoey, even as she fights their connection. This book had a little bit of everything; humor, swoon, steam, and plenty of “my wife” vibes.

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