Review: Saint by Sierra Simone

September 9, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

SAINT
Series: Priest #3
Genre: Contemporary, Forbidden Romance
Author: Sierra Simone
Release Date: September 7,  2021

 

I can’t have Elijah Iverson.

I can’t have him because he’s my older brother’s best friend. I can’t have him because I broke his heart five years ago; because he’s now engaged to someone else—someone kind and dependable who deserves his whiskey eyes, his soft mouth, his fierce intellect.

I can’t have Elijah because I’ve chosen God instead.

The Bell brothers, though . . . well, we don’t exactly have the greatest track record with vows. But I’m determined to do this monk thing right—to pledge myself to a cloistered life and spend the rest of my years in chastity and prayer. But now Elijah’s here. He’s here and he’s coming with me on my European monastery road trip, and between the whispered confessions and the stolen kisses and the moments bent over an ancient altar, my vows are feeling flimsier by the day.

And vows or not, I know in my heart that it would take more than a good and holy monk to resist Elijah Iverson right now. It would take a saint.

And we all know that I’m no saint.

(This is the third full-length standalone in the Priest Collection, featuring Father Bell’s brother, Aiden Bell. You do not have to read Priest or Sinner to read Saint.)

AMAZON

I can’t stop the tender shoots and slender, seeking roots of him, and I am his garden, his soil, his place, and it would be wonderful if I wasn’t supposed to be the garden of my god instead.

I live for the Bell siblings. We’ve met Tyler Bell, the priest. We’ve met manwhore extraordinaire, Sean Bell who fell for a nun and his best friend’s younger sister. And now it’s Aiden’s turn. If you’ve read the previous two books, then you remember Aiden is the wild younger sibling. And if you’ve read Sinner, then you’d also remember the shocker of learning that he’s been having a secret affair with his brother’s best friend. That was definitely a delicious plot twist when I read it.

And now we meet Aiden Bell five years later, as a monk but also a man that never got over the love of his life.

Aiden,” he says softly, and I relish hearing my secular name from him, because it was the name that belonged to him, to his lips and thoughts and even his fingers when he was scolding or flirting over text or email.

If you’ve read anything by Sierra Simone than you know this author’s incredible ability to pack a heck of an emotional story that’s interwoven into scorching romance. This book was no different. The sexual charge between Aiden and Elijah is woven into every page, especially because it’s forbidden. Elijah may have loved Aiden once and had his heart broken by him, but he’s now an engaged man. And Aiden has given himself to god.

It was clear the amount of research that Sierra put into this book with her detailed story telling. However, I also felt like parts of the book did drag a bit for me and had a little more detail than needed. I found myself skimming a bit about midway through the book.

The romance, in typical Sierra Simone fashion, was EVERYTHING. It was packed with emotion, it was erotic, it was sensual, it was beautiful, and it was so satisfying. I found myself hurting with them. I found myself grieving their relationship with them. And I found myself loving with them.

This was easily my favorite book in the series so far. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, prepared me for the twist and reveal at the end. And now I’m desperately hoping that we get a certain someone’s book next because OMG!!

Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City

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Review: Hard To Love by K. Bromberg

September 7, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

HARD TO LOVE
Series: Play Hard #5
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: September 7, 2021

New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg, is back with a heartfelt, enemies to lovers romance and a hero who redeems himself to steal your heart . . .

He was the one-night stand that didn’t exactly go as planned. Now he’s standing before me as if he’s never seen me naked, telling my manager he’ll take the job. Reluctantly.

Finn Sanderson.

Sports agent extraordinaire. Handsome as hell. The man who just signed on to control my every move.

Sure, I’m to blame for my recent bad press, but when your whole life has been so regimented, isn’t it normal to want to live it up a little?

But when the partying stops and the grief I’m running from has nowhere else to hide, reality sets in. Turns out, Finn’s the only person I have left to help pick up the pieces. The only person to call.

Staying with him is a temporary thing. But when our fighting turns into laughter and our friendship turns into something more, will I fight for a man who swears he’s hard to love? Or is it wiser to walk away? To follow the plan?

* * *
Offering to help with a client is a way to repay a long overdue IOU to my mentor. Little did I know she was the woman who left my hotel room at four in the morning.

Stevie Lancaster.

Top-seeded US tennis player. Good girl gone bad. The woman currently about to throw her career away. And now my problem.

The compensation to “babysit” her is great, but she isn’t worth my trouble.

But when her world falls apart and she has no one else to turn to, I try to be a good guy by gathering her up and hiding her from the media’s eye.

Now she’s in my house, in my space, and even though I’m enjoying the side benefits of this unexpected arrangement, surely she’s better to leave when the time comes and follow her destiny. Because I’m not the man she needs. Not the man she could love. Right?

Are you ready to fall for the Kincade sisters and then men who love them in K. Bromberg’s sexy, contemporary, sports romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!

Hard to Handle (Hunter & Dekker’s story – hockey romance)
Hard to Hold (Rush & Lennox”s story – soccer romance)
Hard to Score (Drew & Brexton’s story – football romance)
Hard to Lose (Gunner & Chase’s story – baseball romance)
Hard to Love (Finn & Stevie’s story)

 

AMAZON

You’re a bully.”
I hate you. I want you. Why does it have to be you?
“And you’re a rebel.”
“Well, aren’t we quite the pair…”

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this book!! Finn has been a secondary character that I had loved to hate in books 1-3, and when we finally saw his human side in Hard to Lose, he became a character I couldn’t wait to get a book for. Finn is a too handsome for his own good and cocky successful sport agent who has been going head to head with the Kincade sisters for years. And his romantic history with one of them painted him for the one and done player that he is. This is a man that doesn’t believe in love and I couldn’t wait to see him brought to his knees by the right woman.

I don’t care because it feels like we’ve been doing a slow dance of seduction for weeks and goddamn, I’m ready to get pulled under.

I loved being inside Finn’s head and seeing what made him into the man and playboy he is today. I also loved finally seeing a female athlete in this series.

Stevie Lancaster is a tennis superstar who’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved father. A spitfire and a wildchild in one, she’s been spiraling dealing with her grief. A drunken game with her friends lands her in the hotel room of a handsome stranger. And the shock of a lifetime is when that stranger turns out to be the last resort of her agent to bring in the big guns. Finn is there to reel in the wild child and help get her back on track with her sports career.

Man, the banter between these two was…on…point. I was so here for their arguments that were loaded with sexual tension so good I felt I might burst. Stevie is sass personified. She’s not afraid to give as good as she gets and boy does she make Finn work for it. The sexual tension and chemistry was *chefs kiss* so good. Like you can practically taste it every single time these two fought. But what I loved most is seeing Finn’s soft side come out. I loved seeing how he was there for Stevie in a way no one else could have been. And I loved watching his heart thaw for her.

This was the perfect book to end this series with. Highly recommend for any sports romance fans!


New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary romance novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes who we love to hate but can’t help to love.

A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow and her mind scattered in too many different directions.

Since publishing her first book on a whim in 2013, Kristy has sold over one and a half million copies of her books across eighteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over thirty times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by the streaming platform, Passionflix, with the first movie (Driven) out now.

With her imagination always in overdrive, she is currently scheming, plotting, and swooning over her latest hero. You can find out more about him or chat with Kristy on any of her social media accounts.

Connect with K. Bromberg:

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Subscribe to her newsletter: http://bit.ly/254MWtI

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Review: Ruined Sinner by Becker Gray

September 2, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

RUINED SINNER
Series: Hellfire Club #4
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Becker Gray
Release Date: August 24, 2021

It’s no secret that I hate Phineas Yates, but what most people don’t know is that I have a very good reason why.

One hot summer, he broke my heart in the worst way, and I promised myself then and there that I would never fall prey to the sinner of Pembroke Prep again.

Even if it meant re-inventing myself into a girl I barely recognized.

There is a fine line between duty and desire.

I’m not just any girl, I’m a princess. When my family begs me to get engaged to save the family name, I’m trapped with no way out.

In a panic, I blurt out the ultimate lie and create myself a fake boyfriend.

Which means I need someone to foot the bill immediately.

The problem? The only person willing to help me is the one person I never want to see again: the careless, heartless, hot-as-Hellfire playboy himself.

Phineas Yates.

The even bigger problem? His help doesn’t come for free. And this sinner won’t be satisfied with anything less than my absolute ruin.

AMAZON

The way I saw it, Aurora Lincoln-Ward owed me. She owed me for the two years we’d spent apart. And I wasn’t going to let her get away with making amends with her body, oh no. She was going to pay with her heart.

Well, here I am, in my typical way of doing things backasswards, reading book 4 first. What?
In my defense, I have the first three books and have every intention of reading them. It’s just that when I saw the blurb to this one, my impatience got the best of me. And…well…I have zero impulse control, okay? God! Get off mah tits!

But I digress. New Adult is my jam. I live for a good NA romance with a good splash of enemies to lovers and hate lust. So it’s no surprise that I read this in one sitting. I enjoyed the writing style and I liked the concept of the book. Girl has crush on boy who seems to crush on her back, boy screws up so the girl spends two years hating him and making him pay. Then girl is in a bind with her family pushing an arranged marriage on her and the boy blackmails her into a fake relationship by giving her the appearance of a boyfriend she needs for her family, while asking for her time and maybe her body in return. And don’t get it twisted, the girl is quite eager to give him her body, so there’s that.

So why 3 stars? A few reasons. The conflict was just too childish for me. Now look, I realize that I’m reading about teenagers her. I get it. But that doesn’t take away from the main conflict being too childish for me. Aurora spends two years making Phin pay for his mistake. And while I get the emotion, her reaction was SO extreme to the point of changing herself. I could have dealt with all that, but then the main conflict at the end was just too much. It was not only childish but just came out of nowhere. It was my least favorite conflict to read about and this is entirely a personal preference thing, so don’t take my feelings as gospel. But I suppose for me, I wanted more character development. Aurora just felt a bit two dimension for me. It was difficult to connect with her and her reasons because of it.

Obviously I still enjoyed it, my quibbles aside. And it certainly hooked me on the series and has me wanting to read the rest. So if you’re looking for a steamy NA with some hate lust, this may do the trick quite nicely.

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Review: Give Me A Reason by A.L. Jackson

August 30, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

GIVE ME A REASON
Series: Redemption Hills #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: August 30, 2021

From NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a single-dad, enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance about a jaded club owner and his son’s teacher…

Eden Murphy came into my club looking to make some extra cash.

A girl like her didn’t belong in a place like this.

She’d get ripped to shreds.

Most likely by me.

There’s nothing but sweetness dripping from her sexy little body, and I’m the monster who’s salivating to get a taste.

Trent Lawson is the last man I should want.

Dark.

Dangerous.

So wickedly gorgeous he makes my knees weak.

He’s also an arrogant jerk who happens to be my new boss.

When I discover his adorable son is also in my kindergarten class, I know I have to keep my distance.

But neither of us can ignore the attraction that flames.

One glance, and our hearts race.

One touch, and we’re aching for what we can’t have.

One night, and we’re falling fast.

Dragging her into my sordid world is wrong.

It doesn’t matter.

Eden Murphy is mine.

AMAZON

You are everything I didn’t know I needed.” Her words were panted into the thick air. That connection a glimmer in the room. Throbbing. Consuming. Binding us whole. I burrowed my face under her chin. My confession was pressed to her skin. “And you are everything I will never deserve.”

If you’ve read this author before, then you already know her lyrical writing style. I’m not a reader that enjoys prose, yet somehow when A.L. Jackson writes it, I can’t seem to get enough of it.

I’ve been salivating for this book ever since she announced it. The premise for the series sounded amazing, and now that I’ve been introduced to the Lawson brothers, I’m completely hooked. I’m so here for this gritty and emotional series.

Now as for this book, well it had me at enemies to lovers. And then sealed the deal with single daddy and son’s teacher. Trent is a MC that’s impossible not to fall for. Trent first meets Eden when she comes to his club for an interview. But he can smell her innocence a mile away and refuses to give her the chance, even when there’s an underlying attraction that simmers beneath the surface. Eden may look sweet as sunshine, but this is also a woman with a backbone. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself, even if it’s with the tatted and jaded club owner who refuses to give her the time of day. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and she needs the money to help her father.

I loved the dynamic between these two. Eden is sweet and wholesome, but she’s also a woman with a past. I loved the relationship she develops with Trent’s sweet son. And his son! Oh man. He may have been my favorite secondary character with his burst of sunshine, chatty demeanor, and sweet nature and open heart.

Trent is the definition of tortured. This is a man who is still running from his past and feels that it continues to taint him. He’s the son of a ruthless MC president and a man with blood on his hands who had to do what he needed to ensure his brothers’ safety and his own. Right now, all he cares about his protecting his son, and he can’t let any woman distract him. He doesn’t have anything left to give. Especially to a woman like Eden.

The enemies element of this book didn’t last long, though I wish it was a bit longer. It went from one to the other fairly quick, though I didn’t mind too much. I loved their chemistry and connection. I suppose I just wanted a bit more burn. Having said that, their relationship development was so organic and felt so right. I loved the way that Trent couldn’t stay away from her and the way that Eden sees past his dark and broody exterior to the tortured soul beneath.

There’s also a suspense element that I lived for and a twist at the end that I never saw coming. I’m completely hooked and desperate for more. I cannot wait till the next book!!

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Review: The Don by Serena Akeroyd

August 29, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE DON
Series: The Valentini Family Book 1
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: Serena Akeroyd
Release Date: August 26, 2021

Blood stains my hands, my soul, my heart, yet I’ll shed more to keep her safe.

A chance meeting brings Jen MacNeill into my life—the woman born to reign at my side.

She just doesn’t know it yet.

How could my Lady be anything other than a silken promise taunting me with every breath she takes?

A new Don reigns over Manhattan.

But though I won the war, peace isn’t easily brokered.
Over a decade of avenging my father’s death, I made many enemies.
To each and every one, Jen’s a target.

But I’ll paint NYC red before I let them harm her.
I just never imagined I’d be in the line of fire first…

A heart broken by grief can feel no guilt or shame with the brutality in which vengeance is delivered.

This is the first part of ‘The Oath’ duet in The Valentini Family series.

AMAZON

She was a witch… A witch who’d enchanted me. Bedeviled me. Tormented me. I was more than okay with that, so long as I enslaved her in return.

So…real talk. When a book starts off with the butt stuff and still manages to deliver on the sexual tension, you know I’m all over it, right? Right.

But really, I’m a sucker for a good mafia romance. I got introduced to Serena’s writing with Storm and became an insta fan. The second I saw the promotion of this duet, I was itching to get my grabby little hands on it. I already knew the woman can deliver some grit and I needed my fix.

The Don is book one of The Valenti Family duet and interconnects with her Five Points series. Now I haven’t read that series yet, but had no problems understanding the nuances of the various relationships here. Jen is Aoife’s best friend from Filthy. This was a heroine I instantly connected with. And not just because she has the balls to barge into a Don’s office and demand butt stuff, but because the woman is simply kick ass. She’s a self professed gold digger and daughter of a whore, who has had to fight for everything she has. A chance meeting with Luciu inevitably changes the course of her life. She knows he’s mafia, she knows he’s dangerous but yet she can’t stay away from him.

Now I’m not usually a fan of insta anything. And there’s definitely some insta lust here that skates the edge of insta love, which isn’t usually my cuppa. And when I tell you that, I mean Luciu falls first which is my cuppa. So I’m invested here.

The majority of this book focuses on their budding relationship, which admittedly did feel a bit too lengthy for me. Don’t get me wrong, the sexy times were hot, but I wanted more meat to the bones of this story too, which only began to take place at the end. And then the cliffhanger hits you with all the subtlety of a ten by four and I’m dying for book 2. Did I enjoy this? Absolutely. Do I need book two? Desperately! Should you read it? Yes m’am. If you love a good mafia romance, check this out.

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Review: The Bastard’s Betrayal by Katee Robert

August 27, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE BASTARD’S BETRAYAL
Series: Scandalous Scions Book 1
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: August 25, 2021

She thought it was love.

Rose Romanov is a mafia princess, and everything that entails. Violently over-protective parents. A giant extended family, all ready to kill anyone who looks at her wrong. Learning to run a business that isn’t exactly on the right side of the law. So, naturally, when she meets a nice guy who isn’t in the life, she falls hard… Right up until the she discovers her new boyfriend isn’t a civilian at all.

But he betrayed her.

When Dante Verducci was sent on an undercover mission to evaluate the Romanov family for weakness, he never expected to have an instant connection with their unlikely heir. There’s something fierce and feral about Rose that calls to him. They’re alike, even if they’re both lying to each other during the months they date. Before he could figure out a new plan, Rose finds out who he really is, dumps him, and immediately enters an engagement with the heir of a rival family. Yeah, no, that’s not going to work for Dante.

Now he’ll do anything to reclaim her. Even go to war.

AMAZON

His gaze flicked to the gun in her hands. “You really think you’re going to shoot me? You were coming around my cock twenty-four hours ago.”
Fury nearly made her black out. Maybe she wouldn’t regret this after all. He was so fucking sure of her, of this situation, as if the gun in her hand didn’t mean a single damn thing. She’d prove him wrong. Rose steadied her stance, reaching for the one thing she could that would hurt him a fraction of as much as he’d hurt her.
“I faked it.” She pulled the trigger.

When a book starts with that quote, you know you’re in for a good time. I love me some Katee Roberts, and when I saw she’s releasing a spin off from The O’Malleys series, I was all over it. I love a good mafia romance, and throw in a bit of betrayal and hate lust into the mix and I’m done. STICK A FORK IN ME. I love it.

I loved the first half of this story. Rose Romanov is a heroine that you instantly love. The woman is a badass. She’s a mafia princess and the daughter of Dmitri and Keira from The Bastard’s Bargain. If you haven’t read that book, don’t worry, you can easily pick things up with this one as it is the launch of a new series.

Rose can’t seem to do right by her family. She knows that having a relationship with a sexy bartender who she recently met isn’t meant to be because of her family responsibility. But when she finds out that the bartender isn’t who he says he was and he happens to have ties to a rival mafia? Suffice it to say she’s pissed.

Boy meets girl. Boy betrays girl. Girl get pissed and shoots boy. Boy is determined and kidnaps girl on her wedding day (of her arranged marriage) and will stop at nothing, including plying her with orgasms to make her his.
Having said that, I loved the first half of this book. The kidnapping, the push and pull, the hate lust, the second chance romance vibes. All of it just did it for me. But then the story lost a bit of steam for me. I wanted more mafia action, but most of it was a bit on the meh side. Outside of a few brief glimpses and instances, not much else happens. I began to grow bored and to skim. I also found myself wishing we got some glimpse of how these two got together. That all takes place off the pages, and I would have loved a bit more fleshing out of their original connection. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved their chemistry, I just also wished for at least a flashback or two.

And then there’s the set up for the next book? GIMME! It sounds utterly delicious.

If you’re looking for a super spicy mafia romance, definitely read this. It’s not the usual grittiness that I prefer in my mafia romance, but the spice made up for it and I still enjoyed it quite a bit.

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Review: Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione

August 24, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

BOND OF DESTINY
Series: Demonica #20
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Larissa Ione
Release Date: August 24, 2021

Sold into slavery mere hours after his birth to werewolf parents, Tracker spent decades in service to cruel underworlders. Then the fallen angel Harvester transferred his ownership to a human woman who gave him as much freedom as the unbreakable bond would allow. Still, thanks to his traumatic past, he’s afraid to trust, let alone feel love.

But when an acquaintance shows up at his door, injured and in need of help, he finds himself longing for a connection. For someone to touch. For someone to care.

Stacey Orr has had it bad for Tracker since the day her best friend, Jillian, was forced to hold his unbreakable slave bond. At first, the fact that he’s a werewolf seemed weird to Stacey, but hey, her best friend was married to one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, so weird is definitely a matter of perspective. Stacey knows the depths of Tracker’s trauma, and she longs to help him even as he helps her, but breaking through his walls isn’t easy.

And it only gets harder when the only blood family he has, the pack that gave him away, lays claim to him… and everything he loves.

AMAZON

Do you know how obsessed I am with this series? No, but do you? DO YOU?! Because Ione can write 40 more books in it and I’ll be desperately awaiting each new one. Not often you can say that 20 books in, but this series just hits the spot each and every single book.

This is a story I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for. If you’ve read Rogue Rider and Reaver, then you already know exactly who Tracker is. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been desperately waiting for his HEA because to say that this man has been through hell and back (literally) is a mild understatement. His own parents sold him into slavery when he was just born. As a born werewolf, he knows nothing of his customs. As a born slave, he’s known nothing but misery and still can’t acclimate to life of limited freedom. Even though his slave bond was transferred to Jillian, he’s still not free. And even though Jillian tries to give him everything he was missing in life, it’s tough to accept that life for him.

Stacey was absolutely awesome. She’s a female that owns her sexuality and doesn’t feel ashamed of her history with men. She’s also tough and fierce, which I loved as well. A massive snow storm causes her car to crash and her to be rescued by Tracker. A little forced proximity for the win. Tracker fights his attraction to her, and Stacey feels like Jillian has warned her off of Tracker because of his tragic past and her instability with men. I loved the way these two just clicked. Their chemistry was through the roof and the build up was delicious.

Larissa Ione never disappoints and this story just hit the spot for me. I loved the suspense, I loved the action, and I absolutely loved the romance. The cameos by some of my favorites was also fantastic. I loved getting more of Harvester. I do wish we’ll get a full length novel from Ione soon because as much as I love the novellas, I can’t help but yearn for more.

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.

 

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Review: There With You by Samantha Young

August 23, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THERE WITH YOU
Series: Adair Family #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: August 23, 2021

For Regan Penhaligon, there’s no better place to run to than the exclusive Ardnoch Estate in the remote Scottish Highlands. Her impulsive behavior has finally caught up with her and Regan’s visit with her sister, Robyn, is an opportunity to hide from someone who has grown dangerously obsessed with her.

Determined to make amends for her mistakes, Regan plans to repair her relationship with Robyn by staying close. And when an offer of help comes from Thane Adair, Regan gratefully accepts.

Widower, Thane, needs a new nanny housekeeper for his two young children and when they bond with Regan Penhaligon, he offers her the job. But as the weeks pass and the complex American reveals who she really is, Thane struggles with his growing attraction to her.

Regan never expected to feel so intensely for Thane, but she can’t deny her passion for him or her love for his children. When someone from Thane’s past threatens his family, Regan wants to be his pillar of support. However, his continued inability to trust her might just destroy their chance at future happiness… and the person who drove Regan to Ardnoch might snuff out her chance for any future at all.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

Regan Penhaligon had seduced him past the point of no return.

I had mixed feelings about this book if I’m being honest. While I couldn’t wait to read about
widowed daddy Thane, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Regan. But at the same time, I needed her redemption and to understand her reasons. I’m happy to report that not only did I get that, I loved her even more than I did Robyn, which I didn’t think was even possible. I highly recommend reading this series in order to truly experience the full effect of the story and all of the secondary characters. And while I can tell you that I really enjoyed Here With Me, I loved this one even more.

His nanny. His brother’s soon-to-be sister-in-law. His employee, thirteen years his junior.

That up there is basically a summary of all of my favorite things. Forbidden romance, age gap, brooding grumpy alpha and sunshine heroine. GAH. Give it to me.

Regan was relatable the second you meet her on the pages. She has a sunny and fluffy shell, but beneath that fake exterior is a bit of a damaged soul. My heart hurt for her. And even though I wanted to judge her for leaving her sister at a time she needed her the most, I also understood it from her perspective.

Regan shows up unannounced, hoping to mend fences with her sister. Falling in love with the absolutely adorable kids of her sister’s fiancé’s brother give her the opportunity to stay. She has to do some convincing to Thane to talk him into being the nanny. Thane is desperate for a nanny but also hesitant to take on who he originally thought is Robyn’s flighty sister. But his kids absolutely adore her, he’s desperate and has no time to waste, so an arrangement is made.

The sparks between these two were immediate. And while Regan has no problem going after what she wants, Thane fights it with everything he’s got. His way of fighting it make him be a brooding, intolerable a-hole, and I ate it right up. I loved the push and pull dynamic between them. I loved watching Thane screw up over and over, Regan give him the cold shoulder, and him trying to get into her good graces again. I loved Thane’s adorable children, who were my favorite secondary characters. But most of all, I loved watching the chemistry between Thane and Regan get too incendiary to fight off.

Go wait for me in the annex,” he demanded. Her eyes widened slightly. “Clothes off. Keep your underwear on because I want to take it off. And lights on so I can see you. When I get there, I expect you on the bed with your legs spread.”

There was a bit of a suspense element to this book, which I also enjoyed, though it was a touch predictable. But the romance was so delicious and the main characters were so good, that I just couldn’t find it in me to care.

I’m so gone for this series, it’s not even funny. It just keeps getting better and better with each book and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.

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

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Review: Time Stamps by K.L. Kreig

August 17, 2021 by · Leave a Comment


TIME STAMPS
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Author: K.L. Kreig
Release Date: August 17, 2021

Time stamps.

Our life is marked by them.

Significant milestones to the seemingly mundane. All of them have a place. A purpose.

Moments and chapters stacking on each other, building scars and memories.

Creating stories that are only ours to tell.

But those stamps are finite, pre-determined. And eventually our allotment runs out.

This is our story. Our collection of time stamps. The culmination of our love, our struggles, our redemption and our heartbreak. This story isn’t always easy, but it is real.

A genuine account of utter devotion, where every page is crammed with pure emotion and truth and the gift of loving another person more than yourself.

Share with us in our dreams, our laughter. Cry with us in our sorrows, our pain.

Take this journey through our time stamps with Laurel and I, and I will meet you at the end.

~ Roth Warren Keswick

AMAZON

The love we have lights the darkest of spaces.

This review is brought to you from the comfort of my bathroom, where I have locked myself for the past 20 minutes, sobbing uncontrollably so that my family don’t think I’ve lost my mind.

Actual footage captured below
Now look, books like this are not my usual reads. I don’t gravitate towards stories that hurt my heart. But when I tell you this was one of the most beautiful, mesmerizing and unforgettable stories of love I’ve read, I mean it was IT. It was that book for me. It was a book that I will never forget and yet will never put myself through reading it again. Because it broke me. It was this ying and yang sort of dynamic. Beauty with pain. And you really can’t have one without the other.
KL Kreig sets the stage right away. This story doesn’t sneak up on you with the feels. It’s a steady build up and I’m not going to lie, I spent most of it in tears. Do I regret reading it? Absolutely not. Would I read it again? Absolutely not. Do I recommend it? ABSOLUTELY.

I love stories of a once in a lifetime love and this one was incredible. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. It was flawlessly written. Perfectly paced. Utterly magnificent. Laurel and Roth were two of my favorite characters. I loved Laurel’s sweet quirkiness and shy nature. And I absolutely lived for Roth and his big love. This is a man that loves with his entire heart. Everything from the day they met to their present just made me fall harder and harder for them. A story of such pure, selfish love that’s just beyond words. Laurel and Roth will forever stay with me because I swear, this book ingrained itself into my soul. I just cannot deal.

I simply cannot tell you anything else about this story because you just have to experience. Word of advise, have a box or 5 of tissues on hand and don’t read it in public unless you want people to think you’re having an emotional breakdown. Because here I am at the end, my hear hurting, my eyes burning, and so devastatingly in love with this book that it’s painful.

As a USA Today Bestselling author, K.L. Kreig writes stories that are deeply emotional with flawed characters, because humans are flawed and she loves experiencing the gratification of redemption.

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Review: Ruthless Crown by Amanda Richardson

August 17, 2021 by · Leave a Comment
RUTHLESS CROWN
Series: Ruthless Royals Duet #1
Author: Amanda Richardson
Genre: Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance
Release Date: August 17, 2021
Their names are whispers in the hallways.
Hunter, Ash, Ledger, and Samson.
The Kings.Four of the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen, with cruel agendas and an even crueler reign over Ravenwood Academy.Wreaking havoc in our small, New England town, no one asks questions.
For the most part, people ignore or avoid them.
After all, they’re royalty here.Because one of them—the cruelest one—is the headmaster’s son.
And my new stepbrother.They can try to torment me.
They can try to break me.
But they have no idea what I’ve endured.They’re used to getting whatever their ruthless, little hearts desire.
Maybe I should keep my mouth shut.
Maybe I should let them win.But I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty.
Lord knows I’m used to it by now.My name is Briar Monroe, and these Kings are about to find out just how fucked up this Queen can be.

Part Mean Girls, part Cruel Intentions, Ruthless Crown is full-length high-school bully reverse harem romance. It is book one of the Ruthless Royals duet, and while it doesn’t end with a true cliffhanger, there are unanswered questions. Book two will be releasing in a month. It is advised to read them in order. *Please note Ruthless Crown contains explicit language, bullying, and flashbacks of abuse/trauma. It also features four hot AF guys who would do anything to protect their feisty Queen. The duet will have a HEA.

AMAZON
 
Free in Kindle Unlimited

“Shit,” Jack whispers, glancing at the row of lockers in front of us. “We have company.”
I look up and notice Hunter leaning against a locker, glaring at me.

Something fiery shoots through me at that gaze, and I notice Ash, Ledger, and Samson against the other wall of lockers.
“Let me guess,” I murmur to Jack. “That’s my locker?”

“I told you,” Scarlett hisses. “They’re not going to leave you alone.”

I grind my teeth together and clench my fists. “This is ridiculous,” I whisper. “I’m putting my foot down.”

I stalk over to where Hunter is standing, arms crossed. “Excuse me,” I order, not breaking eye contact. There’s truly nothing kind in his expression, and his jaw ticks ever so slightly. A few people stop to watch us, their expressions stunned.

“You’re excused,” he muses, his face dripping with disdain.

My pulse speeds up, and anger flares through me. “This is my locker.”

He tilts his head, and his eyes flash with amusement for a split second. “Yeah. I thought that was obvious.”
Looking over his shoulder, I see his friends watching me haughtily. Okay, so they truly think of themselves as the rulers here, then? They have the arrogance to match it.

“What do you want, Hunter?” I sigh, crossing my arms.

He chuckles, and the sound is both terrifying and thrilling. He reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a few folded pieces of paper. Handing them to me, he gives me a monstrous smile before I look down and take them. Willing my hands not to shake, I open the paper, and then my heart thumps against my ribs, and a flush works its way up my neck.

Snapping my eyes up to him, I narrow my eyes. “You went through my diary?”

My diary—detailing the inappropriate dream I had about him the other night.
He crosses his arms and shrugs. “If you wanted me so badly, why didn’t you just

Oh, the nerve…
“You wish,” I growl, getting ready to turn and walk away.

Just as I move, he grabs the hand with the papers and tugs me into his hard body. Leaning down, I feel his breath fan against my forehead.

“Tell me, just how wet did you get for me in that dream of yours?” To my horror, he raises his other hand, a pair of pink, lace undies dangling on one of his fingers.

My mouth goes dry, and my heart wallops against my chest as I close my eyes.

No. No, no, no.

Grabbing my underwear, I twist away from him and turn to walk away. Tears prick at my eyes, but I take a deep breath.

I refuse to give them the satisfaction of knowing they got to me.

COMING SOON

#2 Ruthless Queen – Releasing September 14

AMAZON

We used to be the Kings of Ravenwood. I guess I never realized until Briar Monroe showed up that we needed a Queen.

I don’t generally read a lot of New Adult RH. But when I saw the blurb to this book, I knew I’d be changing that.

This being my first book by this author, I didn’t go into the story with any expectations. What I definitely didn’t expect was to binge read this in one sitting. But binge read it I did.

People are still terrified of the Kings, but I’m about to pull a checkmate. Hunter, Ash, Ledger, and Samson are about to witness how this Queen attacks—slow, premeditated, and lethal.

Briar has just moved to a new city after her mom married her stepfather. Suddenly she’s thrust in a world of wealth and privilege, attending the prestigious Ravenwood Academy where her stepbrother rules with an iron fist along with his 3 best friends.

Briar may have a dark past but she’s no pushover. She’s fierce and takes no shit. And when she first arrives, Hunter is determined to drive her out. Public humiliation, bullying, there’s no lines there. And this girl? I was so here for it.

Now look, this is a read you have to suspend your disbelief for. There are some plot developments and character developments that could have used a little more fleshing out or just didn’t make sense. But did I care? Nope. Because it was also deliciously smutty while also having an addictive plot. There’s a bit of suspense with a splash of dark mystery and secrets. Each of the guys have their own unique personalities. You have the sweet quiet one, the tortured bad boy, the tatted one, and the ring leader. So suffice it to say it checked all of the boxes for me. It also happened to be hot as all get out, and I was so here for that too.

Bottom line, is this was an entertaining, guilty pleasure sort of read that I thoroughly enjoyed even while it wasn’t perfect. Will I be reading the second one? You’re damn right I will. I need more in this world!

Amanda Richardson writes from her chaotic dining room table in Los Angeles, often distracted by her husband and two adorable sons. When she’s not writing contemporary and dark, twisted romance, she enjoys coffee (a little too much) and collecting house plants like they’re going out of style.

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook: http://facebook.com/amandawritesbooks
Instagram: http://instagram.com/amandawritesbooks
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/amanda-richardson
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hjHzv1
Website: https://authoramandarichardson.com

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