Review: Unshackle by Pam Godwin

UNSHACKLE
Series: Deliver #7
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: November 30, 2020

No woman can resist Luke Sanch’s chiseled features, honed physique, auburn hair, and intense green eyes.
While deadly in combat, he’s an indomitable weapon in bed. He can coax an explosive release with only his mouth and annihilate with insidious, mind-blowing pleasure.

When he infiltrates La Rocha Cartel, he must seduce Vera Gomez to determine whether to rescue her.
Or kill her.

Nothing can distract his icy, lethal focus.
Except the cartel’s most feral captive.

The nameless, raven-haired beauty is his key to dismantling Vera Gomez. But the ferocious little fighter challenges him at every turn and unknowingly battles her way into his heart.
A battle that delivers him, physically and emotionally, into shackles.

DELIVER series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Deliver #1
Vanquish #2
Disclaim #3
Devastate #4
Take #5
Manipulate #6
Unshackle #7
Dominate #8
Complicate

AMAZON

He wanted this tiny little warrior with a ferocity that felt foreign. Inexplicable. Completely out of his depth.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. This is hands down, one of my favorite dark romance series to date. I’m absolutely obsessed with it and somehow it only keeps getting better and better with each book. Captivatingly dark and erotically charged, this story owned me. I read it with a pit in my stomach and a sense of dread with every turn of the page just waiting for the other page to turn. Because one thing about Godwin’s writing, is the woman is completely unpredictable and isn’t afraid to go to the very pits of human depravity and darkness. You never know what you’ll get, and this book is proof of that. Godwin is an evil genius and I will never be the same again.

His stare wasn’t a stare. It was a labyrinth. All high walls, dark corners, and confusing dead ends.

Unshackle is Luke’s story. As a secondary character, Luke was quite unassuming to me. He never really stood out as a character that I was dying to know more about. And then this book came around and tilted my world on it’s axis because his story completely owned me. Luke’s beauty and charm is widely known. This is why he’s the one that’s sent to infiltrate the La Rocha cartel and seduce answers out of Vera Gomez. If you’ve read Manipulate, then you’ll remember Tula’s lost sister, Vera.

Nothing is ever as it seems in this world, and soon Luke’s mission takes a turn when his attention is grabbed by a fierce captive forced to fight in the ring for everyone’s entertainment. He knows the dark reality of the captive women in the compound and knows he can’t save them all, but something about this nameless beauty draws him like no other.

The feelings she unleashed in him were unwieldy. Monstrous. Impossible to tame.

I won’t give you much more details about the plot, but prepare yourself for an all-nighter. Because this book is completely impossible to put down. With every twist and turn, with every new revelation and secret revealed, you get sucked deeper and deeper. My heart bled for these characters and everything they go through. Godwin spares no punches with her gut wrenching details that I found myself almost sick to my stomach reading parts of the story. It was devastating and never failed to invoke a sense of emotion; whether it was anger, lust, or absolute terror. I lived for these characters and I I live for this series. And the set up for the next one? I. DIE. I absolutely DIE. I need the next book BAD. Although not entirely as bad as the last book because OH MY GAWD. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for the enigma that is him and I need my HEA!!!

Pam Godwin Books GrayScale

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
.
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
Join my Facebook Reader Group: here

Other Books by Pam Godwin

Tangled Lies Series
ONE IS A PROMISE (#1) – FREE
TWO IS A LIE (#2)
THREE IS A WAR (#3)

Deliver Series
DELIVER (#1) – FREE
VANQUISH (#2)
DISCLAIM (#3)
DEVASTATE (#4)
TAKE (#5)
Manipulate (#6)
UNSHACKLE (#7)

Trilogy of Eve
HEART OF EVE – FREE
DEAD OF EVE (#1)
BLOOD OF EVE (#2)
DAWN OF EVE (#3)

Stand-alones

? STUDENT-TEACHER ROMANCE ?
DARK NOTES

?️ ROMANTIC SUSPENSE ?️
DIRTY TIES

? ROCK-STAR DARK ROMANCE ?
BENEATH THE BURN

? CELEBRITY ROMANCE ?
INCENTIVE

 

Review: Little Lies by H. Hunting

LITTLE LIES
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: H. Hunting
Release Date: November 16, 2020

I don’t want you.
You mean nothing to me. 

I never loved you.

I turned my words into swords.

And I cut her down.

Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.

I said I’d never hurt her, and I did.

Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.

Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.

I used to be the one who saved her.
Over and over again.

But I don’t want to save her anymore.

I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.


AMAZON | AUDIBLE

I want to save her from her demons, and me from mine. But they always catch up. No matter how hard we try to outrun them.

I love Helena’s contemporary romances, but I’m a sucker for some angst. So when I saw she’s realizing an angsty New Adult under a different pen name, well I’m pretty sure I left dust tracks in my rush to sign up for this book.
I’m also a sucker for a good spin-off, so the fact that these are the kids from Pucked and A Lie for a Lie was just icing on the cake.

Lavender and Kody’s story was deliciously angsty and heart wrenchingly emotional, touching on some very real issues that just endeared you to these characters that much more.

Lavender and Kody grew up together. They were each other’s everything and no one was closer than the two of them, not even Lavender and her twin. Something traumatic happened when they were children that drove them to their own particular neuroses that each of them dealt with in a very different way. And then when they were teens, something happened that set their friendship on fire. Kody and Lavender went from the best of friends, to being nothing.

Lavender grew up immensely sheltered and in the shadow of her brothers’ over protective nature. Now in college, she’s slowly gettin out of her shell but it’s hard to do when her biggest tormentor was once her best friend and confidant. She’s trying to move past her issues, but Kody is always there to remind her of her weaknesses.

The angsty and slow burn of this story dang near killed me. I lived for the back and forth that these two had. Kody was downright vicious, but beneath the rough hewn exterior, you can see to the vulnerable heart beneath. And I couldn’t wait to find out what made them fall apart so tragically. I also was itching to know where all of his aggression and anger towards Lavender stemmed from.

I loved the first 70% of this story. I seriously couldn’t put it down. Where it did miss a mark for me was on the big revelation. I suppose I thought it would be something different or…more than it was. It felt almost underwhelming, to be honest. But ultimately, it didn’t really detract from my love of this story. I loved Kody and Lavender so much, that even my small issue aside, I devoured the story. I seriously hope Helena makes this into a series because now I want a book for all of the other kids. And ESPECIALLY a book for Lavender’s twin. GAH. How utterly amazing it would be!!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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H. Hunting

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Review: Bound by Forever by S. Young

BOUND BY FOREVER
Series: True Immortality #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: S. Young
Release Date: November 17, 2020

New York Times Bestselling author Samantha Young writing as S. Young.

Niamh Farren has been burdened by knowledge for most of her life. As one of seven fae children born into the human world with the ability to open the gate to Faerie, Niamh’s mission is to guide her fae brethren to do what’s right. Because Niamh has seen what will happen to the human world if she does not protect the gate. Throughout the years, she’s traveled the world with her brother Ronan, using her psychic visions to find the fae-borne and convince them to stay on the path that will keep the gate from opening. She has sacrificed much … but when she loses her brother to the mission, Niamh begins to lose herself.

For nearly one hundred and fifty years, werewolf Kiyo has wandered the planet as a lost soul. Cursed with immortality, he spends his awful eternity as a mercenary for hire. When the powerful Fionn Mór confides the truth about the existence of Faerie and hires Kiyo to protect one of the fae-borne, he accepts the challenge out of boredom, not heroism. Yet Niamh is unexpected in every way the werewolf can possibly imagine.

Guarding Niamh from her enemies is nowhere near as challenging as protecting the fae woman from herself. If Kiyo is to succeed, he must help Niamh find herself again, and not just for her sake. Ignoring the fierce connection between them may no longer be an option. A new enemy is rising and threatening to rip open the gate between worlds. To remind Niamh of who she really is, Kiyo must make the choice to lower his defenses and give into their bond. Or safeguard his own heart … and in doing so lead the human world to the brink of war


AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

Protecting Niamh from her enemies was one thing. Protecting her from herself was a far greater challenge.

I live for a good PNR, and I was hooked on this series the second I read War of Hearts.

In this third installment an immortal werewolf is sent to protect a powerful fae with visions of the future from a revenge that may cost her her life. I’ve been anxiously anticipating this story ever since
Niamh first made an appearance as a nameless and mysterious secondary character in War of Hearts. Her story really came to a head in Kiss of Vengeance and I highly recommend that you read this series in order to truly get the full impact and experience. You definitely need to at least Kiss of Vengeance in order to fully understand Niamh’s plight and the introduction to Kiyo.

Now if you love your heroes grumpy and uber protective like me, you will fall head over ovaries for Kiyo the second you meet him. When Fionn hires Kiyo to protect Niamh, he’s not exactly thrilled. A loner by nature and one of the only immortal werewolf in existence, Niyo lives a life of secrecy and no attachments. A beautiful but tortured fae that tempts him at every turn is not a complication that he needs in his life. So suffice it to say that the two of them clash epically when they first meet. But then again, Kiyo does essentially kidnap her to protect her. And then she escapes him at every turn to run head first into danger. So this is certainly not a recipe for a smooth relationship.

The chemistry between them is instant even though the relationship is very a much a delicious slow burn. Kiyo fights his connection while Niamh yearns for something…more. I loved her sweet and vulnerable nature in comparison to Kiyo’s cold and ruthless one. I loved watching him succumb more and more to their connection and reveal bits and pieces of his past. I loved Niahm’s mixture of fierce strength and emotional vulnerability. These two were like the missing puzzle piece for the other.

The story was full of twists and turns with a layer of sizzling slow burn romance that I couldn’t get enough of. With each new installment in this series another layer gets peeled back and I can’t wait until the conclusion with book four. Bound by Forever was a wonderful combination of action, suspense, rich world building and swoony romance. I can’t recommend it enough for any PNR lover out there

 Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Connect with Samantha

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Review: Ruthless Savior by Julia Sykes

RUTHLESS SAVIOR
Series: Captive #5
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Julia Sykes
Release Date: November 17, 2020

My pretty little captive thinks she can run from me. She doesn’t understand how ruthless I truly am…

Guarding my lovely hostage has become my obsession. I protect Marisol from the vicious men in my brutal cartel, including myself. I’ve kept the promise I made to my boss on the night of her capture: No one touches her.

But she runs from me at the first opportunity, escaping the safe cage I built for her.

I’ve denied myself for far too long. She’s made the mistake of believing I’m gentle and forgiving. There’s nothing gentle about what I intend to do to her once I catch her, and she’ll have to beg for my forgiveness.

I’ve spent endless nights imagining so many delicious ways to torment her.

Now that she’s defied the cartel, I can indulge all of my twisted desires.

I’ll never let her escape me again. Marisol is mine


AMAZON 

My dark affinity for dangerous men would be my ruin.

The Captive series is one of my favorite guilty pleasure reads. I’m a sucker for a good captive romance, and Julia Sykes writes some of the most delicious antiheroes. They’re ruthless criminals that become borderline obsessive and uber protective when it comes to their females and I am so here for it.

Ruthless Savior is the story of Marisol and Ruel, who we met in Wicked King. Marisol was Carmen’s maid and a long time captive of the cartel. She yearns for freedom but seems to always get in the crosshairs of dangerous and ruthless men. This time her captor is Stefano’s right hand man, Raul.

Raul is fiercely protective of Marisol, but he’s no different than all other men in Marisol’s life; he wants to own her. She’s been planning an escape and when she finally takes it, she knows he’ll stop at nothing to bring her back. And when he does catch up to her, he won’t let her out of his sight again. She becomes his captive and even though he vows to protect her at all costs, she still knows that he won’t let her leave. Haunted by her past mistakes with dangerous men, Marisol can’t stop fighting for her freedom. her past haunts her and her dark urges for Raul terrify her.

If you like dark romance to dip your toe into the genre, this is the series. It has just the right amount of danger and darkness to be delicious, without being overwhelming. Raul is fiercely protective and dangerously lethal. But there’s enough characterization to humanize this cartel criminal that you also feel for him. I love how Sykes captures that in all her romances. This was a sexy romance full of grit and danger and just the right amount of suspense. I’m already salivating for my next fix in this series.


Julia Sykes is the USA Today bestselling author of the Impossible Series. She has always kept dark stories tucked away in her mind, so she was thrilled when she discovered that other people actually want to read them. Her books blend romance, suspense, and BDSM.

You can usually find Julia in Starbucks with a venti iced coffee clutched in her hand (two pumps of mocha, liberal half and half). If she’s not in Starbucks, you will find her with a glass of prosecco in hand, probably reading Harry Potter. Again.

Connect with Julia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjuliasykes/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julia-sykes
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LWBDzZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6469571.Julia_Sykes
Twitter: @JuliaSykes193
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjuliasykes/
Website: http://www.julia-sykes.com/
Subscribe to Julia’s newsletter: Julia-sykes.com/connect

New & Upcoming Releases: November 1-6

New releases coming at ya this week!


AVAILABLE NOW


VOWS IN NAME ONLY by Naima Simone

An arranged marriage neither wants, but both soon crave… from USA TODAY bestselling author Naima Simone!

Manipulated into a marriage of inconvenience,

until one sizzling kiss changes everything…

Devon Cole must marry Cain Farrell or lose everything. But she can never let her billionaire husband-to-be know why she agreed to her father’s dangerous machinations. Just as she’ll never know her father is blackmailing Cain to tie the knot, too. What kind of marriage can Devon even expect from a man with such cold eyes…and such hot kisses? She’s about to find out.

From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.

Billionaires of Boston


THE DIRECTOR by Renee Rose

NO ONE TAKES WHAT’S MINE.

The lovely attorney kept a secret from me.

A baby she’s been carrying since Valentine’s night.

The night we were thrown together by the roulette wheel.

She never contacted me. Meant to keep me in the dark.

She’s about to find out what happens when you cross a bratva boss.

Punishment is in order. Sequestering until the birth.

And I’ll use that time to win her surrender.

Because I don’t just plan to keep the baby—

 

I plan to make his mother my bride.

And it would be much better for both of us if she were willing.


BLOODY HEART by Sophie Lark

She Cut My Heart Open…

I only meant to steal a car. I didn’t know I was stealing a girl, too. Until the most gorgeous face I’d ever seen popped up in the rear-view mirror.

I fell hard, fast, and forever…

But she tore out my heart — left me alone and bleeding.

How can I forget her, when I have to see that damned perfect face on billboards and magazines?

It’s torture.

9 long years. I thought I moved on.

Then I saw her in the flesh…

And my heart started bleeding all over again…

“Bloody Heart” is the angst-ridden fourth installment in the “Brutal Birthright” series. It’s a standalone Second Chance Mafia Romance, with a HEA and no cliffhanger. Contains steamy scenes.

The Lark Notes:
At long last, Dante’s story! I know you guys were the most excited for this one. It’s my longest book yet — epic in story, timescale, heartbreak, and angst. And epically spicy too — be warned!!! There’s a scene with a belt that had me dragging Mr. Lark into my writing room. As an added bonus, you’ll meet Raylan, who will return as the hero of Broken Vow.


THE PRINCE’S BRIDE (PART 1) by J.J. McAvoy

He is a spoiled playboy prince whose family is in desperate need of money.

She’s an American heiress who can only get her inheritance through marriage.

According to their families they are a perfect match.
According to each other, arranged marriages have no place in modern times and this could not possibly work.

But Prince Galahad “Gale” of Ersovia is bound by duty to obey the crown anyway.

Odette Wyntor doesn’t give a damn, she doesn’t want to get married.

Can he change her mind?
Can she even handle what it means to be royal, if he did?

The Prince’s Bride is Part 1 of a 2 part series.
Part 2 arrives a month later.


MORALLY CORRUPT by Veronica Lancet

The first time I saw him I knew he was mine.

I pretended to be sweet, pure, unadulterated.

It couldn’t be further from the truth.

I lied to him. I married him.

And now he knows.

Hooker. Assassin. Junkie.

I am rotten to the core

I am Morally Corrupt

Bianca Ashby, a certified sociopath with an obsession for her husband, tries to juggle two lives – the demure NYPD Chief Commissioner wife, and the perfect Bratva assassin; all the while keeping her husband safe and blissfully unaware.

But when high-level corruption and a personal vendetta raise the stakes, no one is who they say they are; least of all Bianca’s perfectly dull husband Theo.

From glitzy New York ballrooms and charity events to underground sex rings, drugs, and illegal fights, the best pretender wins it all.

Morally Corrupt is book one of the Morally Questionable series but can be read as a standalone.
Warning: This book explores questionable moral behaviors and includes graphic violence and adult situations that may trigger some readers. Please proceed with caution!


KATE by Tate James

Madison Kate is a new adult/college age dark romance with enemies to lovers/hate to love themes. This is a reverse harem series, meaning the leading lady has several love interests and she doesn’t have to choose between them for her happily ever after. If this isn’t your cup of tea, then this isn’t the series for you. ♥

KATE is book 4 of 4 in the MADISON KATE series. The blurb below may contain spoilers for previous books, and I urge you not to read it until you’ve finished HATE, LIAR and FAKE. 

◆◆◆

“I never miss.”

Riot Night changed my life.

Coming back to Shadow Grove turned it on its head.

I’ve been hunted, stabbed, stalked, tormented, and used. Hate fueled me, lies tore me apart, and in the end everything I thought I knew turned out to be fake.

Except… Riot Night also brought Archer, Kody, and Steele back into my life. No matter how much I’ve fought it, hated it, been lied to or discovered the deceptions—I want them in my life.

No one owns me.

No one is taking them away.

This is my life, dammit, and these guys are mine to keep.

If a war is what it takes, then a war is what they’ll get.


ON THE SIDELINE by JB Salsbury 

Waking up in Bex’s bed is a horror I’ll never forget.

Now she seems to pop up everywhere I turn. And the more I get to know her, the more I like her. How had I never noticed her before? She shoves off every attempt I make to get close, and I don’t blame her. When I met her I was after her cousin.

I’m stuck on the sideline waiting for my chance to get back in the game with the right girl.

Jocks suck.

Does Loren really expect me to believe he wants to be my friend? If he thinks he can use me to get closer to my cousin, he’s a fool. She’d step over my dead body to get to better selfie lighting.

He doesn’t let up, and his attention confuses me. Because guys like Loren aren’t attracted to girls like me. I’m already an outcast. Giving Loren a chance would mean social suicide.


WILD CHILD by Audrey Carlan

The newest sizzling romance from Audrey Carlan, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Calendar Girl series.

Twice my life changed in a single day.

The first was when I lost my parents. Hand in hand I walked with my big sister up the steps of Kerrighan House, a foster home for girls. We were lucky to be met with open arms and a house filled with children just like us. Children who’d lost everything. From that day forward, we were raised as one big family. Our bonds of sisterhood were strengthened through shared experience, pain, sacrifice, and love. Sisters not by blood, but by choice.

Soul sisters.

The second day my life changed was on the worst day of my adult life. My boyfriend broke up with me via text. My sleazy boss hit on me, forcing me to quit a job I desperately needed. And the cherry on top, was getting pulled over by an FBI Agent. Little did I know, he’d also save my life that night.

From the moment we met, Agent Fontaine wouldn’t dare let me out of his sight. And between his alpha ways, kind brown eyes, and heroism, I was lost to the man who hid behind his job. But this agent had a rule: never fall for a woman you’ve saved.

Yet I wasn’t just any woman. I was known among my sisters for taking risks and dreaming big. I was the wild child of the group. We were raised to appreciate every day as the gift it was, and not let anything stand in our way. The more I got to know the brooding, serious FBI man, the more I realized maybe it was my duty to save him.


RELEASING NOVEMBER 4


THE TEST by Elena Monroe- Buy link TBA

I woke up to my roommate and best friend missing. In her place was a note on my bedside table that read: You can only find me with your eyes closed.
No one thinks a note like that is meant for them.
I knew it was meant for me, a clue, a way to seek Justice.
Whoever left me that note was hoping I didn’t let my parent’s legacy die when they did. They wanted to see what kind of warfare I was capable of.
Justice before starting a war with the man who wrote the rule book…

I woke up everyday to the same nonsensical bullshit that was my life.
They say only bad things only happen after dark but I was the exception to every rule. I was bad and I happened whenever I wanted.
I wanted someone to challenge me, put me in my place, force me to be better than war strategies and hold the audacity to traipse across enemy lines.
A pink haired receptionist wasn’t my first choice for shaking my resolve.
I can still smell her but I wanted to know if she’d taste like Victory.
Death before dishonor meant not losing to her…


RELEASING NOVEMBER 5


CONCEPTION by Tessa Teevan

It’s the summer of 1980, and a sweltering heat wave plagues much of the South. To get over a recent breakup and find some much-needed cooling down, Amelia Halloway escapes the city to spend the next three months at her grandparent’s secluded lake house. Even though she craves isolation, it doesn’t last long thanks to an irritatingly handsome intruder.

The man from across the lake; the cocky, arrogant, and completely irresistible Knox Wellington– one who isn’t used to hearing the word no. She’s running; he’s chasing, and it’s one hell of a relay. Inevitably, as most Wellingtons do, he breaks down her barriers and raises her temperature higher than any heat index. They embark on a carefree, no strings affair that intensifies the flames of their passion with every passing day.

What’s meant to be a summer fling turns into so much more, but even the harshest of infernos eventually burn out, leaving nothing but ashes and destruction in its wake.

Life may tear them apart, but even hundreds of miles away, Knox can’t forget the beautiful brunette who set his soul on fire, consuming his every waking thought until he has to seek her out. When he returns to Crystal Cove, he’s in for the surprise of his life.

About to face the ultimate test, Knox must decide… can he stand the heat?


FIGHT FROM THE HEART by LB Dunbar

When a snowstorm forces two working-friends together in this small town, one night might blossom into something more than either ever expected.

Pam Carter loves all things bright and beautiful, but as manager of the local gardening center and moonlighting as a personal assistant, life isn’t always blooming lilacs. Especially when she has a crush on the one man she shouldn’t…the ruggedly handsome, horror writer she assists. His demons haunt more places than the page, but she doesn’t scare easily.

Jacob Vincent loves all things dark, especially his home – a mansion in the woods. His Elk Lake City retreat brings inspiration but also temptation in the form of his curvy, quiet, and hardworking assistant. She’s fun to flirt with but he knows his limits. Love doesn’t exist within his black heart, but could he be persuaded to turn the page for a new adventure?

When a shadowed heart clashes with blooming desire, love fights to be set free.

Author note: An author in the woods, his feisty assistant and a snowstorm cause this office romance to melt ice in this small town.

** Previously published as Fragrance Free – now with new content


THE CHRISTMAS BLANKET by Kandi Steiner

From bestselling author Kandi Steiner comes a cozy second-chance romance about love, loss, and adventure…

When I decided to surprise my family in Wellhaven, Vermont for Christmas, I never could have known that I’d get a surprise of my own — in the form of an unexpected blizzard.

I haven’t been home in four years, not since I left this town with my eyes set on adventure.
And my heart set on forgetting the only man I’ve ever loved.

River Jensen — my ex-husband.

I don’t plan on seeing him during my visit. I definitely don’t plan on him saving me when my little rental car slides off the icy road. And the last thing I could have ever prepared for is being stuck in a tiny cabin with him, waiting out the storm.

Four years have passed since I’ve seen him — the boy I loved, now a man I don’t know at all.

But being stuck inside with him leaves us nothing but time together.

Everything about him has changed, and yet, he still has the same forest green eyes that have haunted me since I left. Back then, we were at an impasse. Back then, there was nothing left to talk about, nothing left to fix. Back then, the only choice I had was to leave and start anew.

But the more I re-discover the man I left behind, the more I question why I ever left at all.

And if I’m too late to find my way back home.

The Christmas Blanket is a stand-alone holiday novella set in a snowy small town in Vermont.


DATE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT by RS Grey- BUY LINK TBA

I’m good at hiding my feelings.
Having to pretend I’m not in love with my best friend?
Pfft. That’s child’s play.

Here’s how I do it: I avert my eyes when he walks out of his room, shirtless in all his toned glory. I squash the butterflies that fill my stomach every time he slowly unfurls a dimpled smile. And, most importantly, I keep an arsenal of “personal massagers” in my bedside drawer. Wink.

Not to brag, but Aiden Smith isn’t hard to resist if you’ve been doing it for as long as I have. In fact, we might have continued as best friends forever if not for the fact that I needed him to play the part of my fake boyfriend.

Date me like you mean it, I told him. Nudge nudge. C’mon, just go along with a little lie, help a girl out, and then we can all return to life as we know it.

Except he veered from the plan.

He crossed the line.

Flirting with me when no one else was around? Pinning me down and kissing me like that? Okay, how exactly is taking off my bra part of the ruse, Aiden?!
I’d ask him about it if I could, but well…things got ugly and we’re not best friends anymore.

In fact, we’re the exact opposite.

Now, I have to play nice even though I want to crush his heart in the palm of my hand.

Pretending not to love Aiden was the easy part.
Pretending not to hate him?
Well…I might need a little more practice.


RELEASING NOVEMBER 6


A DEAL WITH THE ELF KING by Elise Kova

Perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and Uprooted, this stand-alone, fantasy romance about a human girl and her marriage to the Elf King is impossible to put down!

The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death.

Three-thousand years ago, humans were hunted by powerful races with wild magic until the treaty was formed. Now, for centuries, the elves have taken a young woman from Luella’s village to be their Human Queen.

To be chosen is seen as a mark of death by the townsfolk. A mark nineteen-year-old Luella is grateful to have escaped as a girl. Instead, she’s dedicated her life to studying herbology and becoming the town’s only healer.

That is, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives… for her.

Everything Luella had thought she’d known about her life, and herself, was a lie. Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King. Once there, she learns about a dying world that only she can save.

The magical land of Midscape pulls on one corner of her heart, her home and people tug on another… but what will truly break her is a passion she never wanted.

A Deal with the Elf King is a complete, *stand-alone novel*, inspired by the tales of Hades and Persephone, as well as Beauty and the Beast, with a “happily ever after” ending. It’s perfect for fantasy romance fans looking for just the right amount of steam and their next slow-burn and swoon-worthy couple.


READ MY MIND by Natasha Preston

The pursuit of happiness is never easy when the person you love already has a significant other. Someone who isn’t you.

Mila, desperate for passion in any way she can get it, is back with her boyfriend Liam, despite everyone knowing they’re wrong for each other. Epic loves can’t be forced, but Mila would rather be with someone than no one at all.

Reid, her sexy neighbour, has been in love with Mila for years. If only she knew that, behind this editor’s brooding stare, was a man who could be everything she needed in her life. Unfortunately, for a man who plays with words for a living, he seems incapable of stringing a sentence together to tell Mila how he really feels.

When the two are finally thrown together, and fate lends a hand, entwining their lives in a way that forces them to face their true feelings for each other, Reid finally has his chance to make her see him.

It’s just a shame Mila is already taken…

Reid is running out of time to leave more than just a red pen mark on her heart.

Review: Morally Corrupt by Veronica Lancet

MORALLY CORRUPT
Series: Morally Questionable #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Veronica Lancet
Release Date: November 1, 2020

The first time I saw him I knew he was mine.

I pretended to be innocent, sweet, pure.

It couldn’t be further from the truth.

I lied to him. I married him.

And now he knows.

Hooker. Assassin. Junkie.

I am rotten to the core.

I am morally corrupt.

Bianca Ashby, a certified sociopath with an obsession for her husband, tries to juggle two lives – the demure NYPD Chief Commissioner wife, and the perfect Bratva assassin; all the while keeping her husband safe and blissfully unaware.

But when high-level corruption and a personal vendetta raise the stakes, no one is who they say they are; least of all Bianca’s perfectly dull husband Theo.

From glitzy New York ballrooms and charity events to underground sex rings, drugs, and illegal fights, the best pretender wins it all.

Morally Corrupt is book one of the Morally Questionable series but can be read as a standalone.
Warning: This book explores questionable moral behaviors and includes graphic violence and adult situations that may trigger some readers. Please proceed with caution

 AMAZON

Sometimes, maybe even monsters deserve some redemption.” 

I’m what you’d call trigger shy when it comes to new to me or debut authors. (See what I did there? Assassin? Trigger? Ha! Whatever, it was funnier in my head). I’m such a picky reader, that I’m always hesitant to try a new author for fear that my nitpicking brain will kick in and won’t shut off. Yes, I’m one of those. I own it. But when I read the blurb to Morally Corrupt, I knew that blurb was simply too delicious for me not to give it a try. And you know what? I am so happy I did because I just may have found myself a new author to follow.

I’m a sucker for a dark and gritty read, and when you add into the mix incredibly unconventional characters? I’m putty in your hands. PUTTEH I tells ya! And it just doesn’t get more unconventional than a certified sociopath heroine who is obsessed beyond reason with her husband and happens to moonlight as a Bratva assassin behind his back.
Bianca Ashby was a character that’s vivid and multi-layered. Her quirks hook the reader immediately. Here’s a woman that grew up in glitz and glam, with some daddy issues on the side, and is one of the deadliest assassins out there with absolutely no moral compass. And the only thing beyond her job that she’s more obsessed with is her NYPD Chief Commissioner who treats her like spun glass when all she wants him to do is the opposite. Then you have her husband Theo, who is not quite all that he seems. GAH. Delicious.

Now that’s about all you’ll get out of me regarding this story, because you simply need to experience it for yourself.

What I will tell you, is while this is an author to watch out for. For a debut, this blew me away. It was an action packed thrill ride full of intrigue, secrets, murder, and suspense. Warring mafia families, twisted bonds, a sizzling romance, all of it cleverly crafted to keep the reader at the edge of their seats from beginning to finish. There were some parts that were a bit drawn out, and some details that felt a bit much at times. However, I wasn’t going into a debut book expecting it to be perfect, so it did nothing to distract from the story. I was obsessed. I was obsessed not only with the main characters, but with some of the most intriguing secondary characters. Luckily we’re getting the book for one of them next, but I’m pretty sure if we don’t get Vlad’s book right after that, I may cry a little.

What can I tell you. This book was deliciously morbid. It was dark, gritty, and sucked you right into the dark underbelly of NY’s crime underbelly. The romance was the exact icing on the cake the story needed and I devoured it! Simply devoured it. Told in dual first person POV, it was filled with enough twists and turns to leave her head reeling. Do yourself a favor and read this. Trust me on this. This is one debut you’ll want to check out.

Review & Excerpt: Deliver Us by Pam Godwin

DELIVER US
Series: Deliver
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: October 27, 2020

Deliver Us, an all new dark, intense and gut-wrenching boxed set from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Pam Godwin is now available and perfect for a binge read!

Are you ready to fall in love with a villain?

Van Quiso’s chilling gunmetal eyes will shiver your blood and torment your heart. You’ll fear him and crave him, for behind the cruel mouth lurks a jealous, possessive devil who will sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves.

Each standalone is a different couple with its own dark love story, all interconnected in a dangerous underworld of murderers, kidnappers, and cartels. Forget your comfort zones. This world isn’t pretty. But it’s oh-so-delicious and twisty.

With over 1000 pages of passion and suspense, this is your next binge read.

More than 200,000 copies sold and thousands of 5-star reviews. No cliffhangers. Available in digital, print, and audiobook.

 AMAZON | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

The chains fell off his chest and arms and pooled around his waist. His freedom swept through him in ragged breaths.  

She gazed at him with stiff lines of determination on her face, an expression he’d seen a hundred times, the unwavering glare that tortured him, aroused him, conjured his nightmares, and filled his dreams.  

He memorized each twitch of her lashes, the delicate point of her raised chin, every faltered breath. He was consumed with having her and terrified to lose her.  

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” He reached up to brush his fingers through her thick dark hair. 

She recoiled before his hand made contact. A blank mask fell over her face, a wall of ice slamming between them. She moved to the driver seat and faced forward. 

His momentary calm burst into a roaring fire. Hands fisting, heart pounding, he didn’t know what to do with the fury burning through his veins. He tagged his jeans and boots from the floorboard and jumped out. 

He dressed as he walked, jerking on his boots, kicking branches out of his path. His muscles heated, and sweat slicked his bare chest, chilling in the night air. He wasn’t angry at her. He was angry for her. The abuse done to her body. The helplessness of her situation. His inability to free her. 

He slammed a fist into the nearest tree trunk. Again. Again. Pain ricocheted through his hand, down his arm, and fed his breaking heart.  

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her silhouette standing a few yards away. A slender shadow, shrouded by darkness. And in her raised arms, she held a gun, trained on him.  

He threw another fist. Absorbed the burn. Expelled the rancor. He knew she was holding a gun on him to prevent him from running and putting her family at further risk. Regardless, she wouldn’t shoot him. Not because she needed a slave, but because she loved what was hers with a self-destructing passion.  

He faced her and held out his arms. “I’m yours.”  

The girl and the gun didn’t move. 

“Lose the damned mask and stop hiding from me.” He raked his throbbing hands through his hair. “Scream, cry, hit something. Hit me. But for God’s sake, let it out.”  

The shadowy lines of her body wavered. The gun lowered, returned to her boot. 

He stretched out his arms, savoring the cool breeze brushing over his unrestrained skin. “I stand here without rope or chains, Liv, tethered to you by my own will.” His blood beat with the ferocity of his words. “I won’t be free until you are.” 

Her head jerked back, her body rigid. Then she walked straight to him and unleashed her fists on his chest. She clobbered him over and over, her gasps accelerating with each fall of her hand. 

The lashing didn’t hurt. Not like the whimpers rising from her chest. She was hurting, lashing out for the wrongs that had been done to her. A sharp pain swelled in his throat. The only thing he could do was take it in, try to bear some of it for her.  

He held his arms out and his body open. When her hits ebbed into weak slaps, she stumbled back, hugging herself and clutching her elbows.  

His heartbeat slogged through the ache in his chest. He kept his arms outstretched and whispered, “I’m here.” 

Disbelief widened the whites of her eyes, and her breath caught. He waited. 

In two running steps, she launched at him, climbed up his chest, and curled her hands in his hair. He lifted her, pinning the curves of her thighs around his hips, and took her mouth. His knuckles burned with fever, but the heat from her lips was overriding. She whispered kisses over his jaw, around his mouth, caressing, assuring.  

He angled his head, deepening the reach of his tongue and drinking her in lick by lick. Her hands in his hair, the sweetness of her breath filling his mouth, there will never be another kiss like hers. She knew how to suck his lips and trap his tongue in a way that stroked every nerve ending in his body. More than that, she knew how to reach inside him. She found him, her ferocity defying the odds and pivoting them into place, perfectly interlocked. 

Her thighs squeezed around his waist, her breasts soft against his chest. He palmed her backside with a cautious gentleness, and chased her tongue, spiraling, stretching deeper, falling heart-first into an existence where only she mattered. 

First of all, if you haven’t read this series yet, it’s time to crawl out from under that rock you’ve been living under and see the light. Because this series is LIFE CHANGING. No one, and I mean NO ONE writes a redeemable anti-hero quite like Pam Godwin. They’re beyond anti-heroes, they’re straight out villains that you grow to love despite their darkness. Or is it because of their darkness? I don’t know and I don’t care, but I will say that this series is an absolute must read.

If you haven’t read it yet, now is the chance to get the first three books in one bundle. These are not meant to be read as standalone. You really need to do yourself a favor and read them in order. The characters are all introduced early in the series, so to understand the complexity, it’s best to read each book.

Deliver starts the series with a bang, and we get an anti-heroine. How often do you read that? And nothing will prepare you for the story of Van and Matias. GAH. I loved those books.

If you want to read my full detailed reviews you can find them here:
VANQUISH
DISCLAIM

Now do yourself a favor and jump on these!

 

Pam Godwin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author

Pam Godwin lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.

Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Amazon | Goodreads

Review: Blacklisted by Jay Crownover

BLACKLISTED
Series: Loveless, Texas #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
Author: Jay Crownover
Release Date: October 27, 2020

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes an irresistible and suspenseful romance between a doctor who plays by the rules and the outlaw who breaks them in order to protect her.

Dr. Presley Baskin has always lived a quiet, calm life. Unfortunately, nothing about her life in Loveless, Texas—especially not the wild, rowdy, and impossibly close-knit Lawton family who’ve claimed her—is quiet or calm. Which is how loner Presley finds herself roped into patching up local bad boy Shot Caldwell against her better judgment. Presley wants nothing to do with the dangerous, brooding leader of the local outlaw motorcycle club. But when someone starts stalking her, Shot is the only person she trusts to help. Plus he owes her one…

Palmer ‘Shot’ Caldwell has always known his life isn’t made for relationships. At least until shy, secretive, Presley reluctantly pulled a bullet out of him. He’s oddly protective of the pretty doctor, so when she comes to him for help, hard-hearted Shot suddenly realizes there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

 AMAZON

I’d never been able to walk away from the search for retribution. My soul was restless until the proper price was paid.

I feel like I’ve been waiting FOREVER to finally have my hands on Shot’s book, and after the ending in Unforgiven, that need went dang near rabid. Now first of all, if you’re reading this as a standalone, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. Read the first two books. Even though each book focuses on a new couple, there’s a continuing story arc that continues through each series and is concluded here. Everything that was set in motion in Justified finally gets brought to a head here.

If you’ve read the first two books, then you’re already familiar with the suspense of the murder of Lawton patriarch. Presley is the half sister that her three siblings had no idea they had. After finding out that her best friend is a psychopath that’s responsible for making her life a living hell and losing her mother, Presley’s quiet existence imploded in a fiery blaze. Her stalker is still out there and wants her dead, and the Sons of Sorrow are in her debt for saving Shot’s life.

After the peeks we get into SoS and Shot Caldwell, I was dying for more of the MC. However, if you’re expecting a biker book, this is not that. The author made it clear that biker romance is something that she struggles with, so this book is in the same tone as the rest of the series. However, Shot is very much a biker and not a cowboy. He’s the epitome of a bad boy. An outlaw that lives his life on his own terms and answers to no one. Presley is the opposite of him in every way, but he can’t seem to stay away from here. Their chemistry is incendiary. These are two characters that always felt like outsiders in their own life, and their bond on that is strong. I loved the way they were there for each other.

There’s quite a bit of suspense happening here with both Shot and Presley’s life in danger by different people. Presley is still trying to figure out having siblings for the first time in her life and a man that’s pursuing her that is the epitome of everything that she doesn’t go for.

While I had hoped for more time and focus on the MC and the characters there, I still enjoyed this one quite a bit. I may have set my expectations on the MC a bit high, but I can’t say I’m disappointed. This still hit the spot quite nicely and was a satisfying conclusion to a series that I’ve been invested in for some time.

Review: Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli

PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES
Series: Black Mountain Academy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: A Zavarelli
Release Date: October 23, 2020

Your first kiss is supposed to be sweet. Ours was baptized in fire.

I was the new girl trying to find her place.

Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.

I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.

I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.

But I fell for him before I knew those things.

To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.

And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.

I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.

He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.

The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.

 AMAZON

I guess it’s true what they say about forbidden fruit. Kailani is the sweetest poison.

Do you have authors that you don’t even bother to read the blurb from? A Zavarelli is one of mine. No matter what the woman writes, I know I’ll be gagging for it. Because she never fails to create some of the most captivating and memorable characters. And this installment in the Black Mountain Academy series was finger licking good. No joke. I honestly wanted to lick my fingers when I turned the last page. It was that delicious.

An angsty and gritty romance set in high school where the only thing the students have more than money is spite and crazy. GAH. Yasss girl. This was right up my alley. After an incident that turned her world upside down, Kailani ran back to Hawaii. She never quite fit it with the rich and entitled students of Black Mountain Academy. She’s a talented dancer whose mother married into money but for love. Now she’s back to exact revenge on all who took part in the events of that night, including the boy she never got over.

Landon is the infamous bad boy with a reputation that proceeds him. A child actor turned teenage heartthrob, all Landon has ever known is people’s dark sides. Everyone wants something from him, including his own family. He has deep rooted trust issues and a chip on his shoulder that’s a mile long. He’s also deliciously enigmatic, mysterious, and oh so sexy. He once fell hard for his beautiful and shy neighbor, but even she turned out to be not who he thought she was. And now that she’s back, he has a revenge of his own to exact.

This story was a delicious entanglement of drama and angst and I devoured every page of it. Suspend your disbelief here and prepare yourself for Cruel Intentions on crack. These teenagers are CRAZY. Revenge, secrets, and lies run rampant through the halls of Black Mountain. And while Landon and Kailani have their agenda, someone else has theirs, and that amounts for some insane twists and turns. Yes, some of them were high on the realm of believability, but I couldn’t seem to care less. I lived for the drama here. When drama is done right, it can be absolutely delicious, and it was here.

I loved the tension and chemistry between Kailani and Landon. I loved their push and pull and I especially loved the way Kailani gave as hard as she got. The girl spared no punches when it came to her enemies. She certainly wasn’t the naive girl she was before she came back. This girl had claws and she wasn’t afraid to use them.

If you’re looking for an angsty and gritty high school romance with plenty of steam and no shortage of drama, look no further. This will tick every box and leave you wanting more.

A Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies. 

Connect w/A. Zavarelli:

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Review: The Bribe by Willa Nash

THE BRIBE
Series:
Calamity Montana #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Willa Nash
Release Date: October 15, 2020

Duke Evans didn’t expect to interrupt a beautiful woman in a staring contest with a bison on his favorite hiking trail. He also didn’t expect to see her again after rescuing her from the surly beast. As the sheriff in Calamity, Montana, he’s had his fair share of surprises but none as pleasant as pulling over a shiny black car and finding his mysterious hiking companion behind the wheel.

Only, she lied to Duke. She gave him a name as fake as her hair color. According to her driver’s license, her real name is Lucy Ross, the famous country music singer whose sudden disappearance has been a hot topic in the media over the past two weeks.

He’s not sure why Lucy lied about her identity or why she’s in Calamity. And she’s not talking. Instead, she offers him a bribe to keep her secret.

But Duke doesn’t want her money. He wants to know why this woman is on the run. And as long as the star shines on his badge, he’s going to find out.

 AMAZON 

In public, you’re Jade. But behind closed doors, you’re—”
“Lucy?” she breathed.
I shook my head. “Mine.”

I have a love affair with all things Devney Perry, so when I saw she’s releasing a new series under a pen name, I was beyond thrilled. I live for her small town romances. The Bribe was a sweet romance with a swoony hero and a country singer in hiding set in the charming town of Calamity and plenty of amazing secondary characters.

I was a woman running through a storm, searching for a haven against the onslaught of rain.

Lucy is a famous country singer that left her entire life behind in Nashville to disappear as Jade in Calamity. She first runs into Duke when he rescues her and her BFF on a hiking trail. She never expects to run into the handsome stranger again, especially not as the sheriff in the small town where she’s trying to hide. And this sheriff won’t let her hide and is determined to get her every secret.

Duke was….*swoony sigh*. Gosh. This man was everything. I love me an alphahole, but every now and then a girl needs a dose of a good guy, and Duke hit the spot just right. The man is protective, loyal, and persistent. He’s determined to get all of Jade’s secrets, even if he has to pretend to take a bribe to keep them. The sparks between these two were instant and potent. I loved the tension between them as much as I loved their instant connection. There’s a dash of suspense that’s thrown in that helped spice things up a little which really comes to a head at the end.

Jade and Duke’s romance wasn’t full of angst. It wasn’t easy either but there were no games, no stupid misunderstandings. It was just so immensely satisfying watching these two fall in love. Duke, the quintessential nice guy, and Lucy the famous singer just made sense together. The Bribe was a butterflies in your tummy sort of romance that you finish with a smile on your face. I love me some angst, but I never missed it here. The suspense gave it just the right amount of zing that the story needed. And the preview of the next book? I die for it. DIE FOR IT. I can’t wait for Everly’s book next.

Willa Nash is USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry’s alter ego, writing contemporary romance stories for Kindle Unlimited. Lover of Swedish Fish, hater of laundry, she lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons. She was born and raised in Montana and has a passion for writing books in the state she calls home.

Devney loves hearing from her readers. Connect with her on social media!
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