Review: Church. by Stylo Fantome

CHURCH.
Series: Church #1
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Author: Stylo Fantome
Release Date: July 20, 2018

A broken girl.

An unusual boy.

A beautiful face that hides a dark secret and an ugly past.

Sealed lips which hide wicked words and dangerous thoughts.

She would kill for him to love her.

He just wants to kill.

Maybe, if Emma Hartley prays hard enough, Church Logan can make both their wishes come true.

Fuse, meet match.

warning: if you have triggers – this story will touch on a lot of them. This book is a psychological thriller, 65,000+ words.


AMAZON

Maybe this whole time, I should’ve been looking for someone as fucked up as me. Maybe two broken pieces can be glued together to make a whole.

Holy hell. I mean holy hell! These might be the most fucked up characters I’ve read in a long while. Or ever. I’m still trying to figure out how I felt about them. But what I do know? Is days after finishing, I’m still thinking about it. And that certainly stands for something.

First of all, this is a psychological thriller. So if you’re going into this expecting a dark romance with an anti-hero that you’ll love to hate but still has some redeeming qualities and it’ll be sunshine and unicorns shitting rainbows at the end? Well, my friend, I’d check your delicate sensibilities at the door and forget about it. You won’t be finding it here.

What you will find are characters that are definitely missing their moral compass. As a matter of fact, they don’t even know what a moral compass is.

He’s magic. He’s the devil. He’s inside me now, in my blood, in my brain. Why isn’t he always talking to me? Why isn’t he always looking at me? Why aren’t we together right now? He’s it. He’s my moment that I’ve been waiting for. He’s the greatness I’ve been missing.

I don’t want to tell you too much about the plot or the characters, because I don’t want to ruin the suspense of it. And let me tell you, this book is full of it. It’s twisted and full of twists with an undercurrent of something so dark, you’re almost afraid to name it. It’s like Charles Manson meet Natural Born Killers sort of twisted.

Church was an enigma that I wanted to peel the layers off until I got to the very twisted core of him and knew all of his secrets. This is a character unlike any I’ve ever read if I’m being perfectly honest. And I flip flopped between being intrigued by him and being seriously disturbed…and then back to intrigued. This book fucked with my damn head. Which certainly speaks to the author’s talent for creating characters that will do that.

So why a lower rating? As much as I was intrigued by these characters, I also struggled to connect with them. I can’t even put my finger on what it was exactly, but something kept me from being truly invested in them. But even with that, I couldn’t stop myself from reading, and that definitely says something. With this being the first book in what I’m assuming will be a duet, perhaps that additional foundation will come a bit later, and this was just setting the scene and throwing the hook before the reader is reeled in. I fully reserve the right to change my rating once I see how it all concludes. But for now, I’ll tell you that it’s one hell of a unique story unlike any I’ve read before. If you’re looking for something dark and twisted, this is definitely that.

DGR’s Ultimate List of Romantic Suspense

I have been a huge fan of romantic suspense since I first started reading romance. There’s just something so thrilling about a sexy romance with the action of heart pounding suspense. I absolutely love the combination! I’ve binged on so many series in this genre, I have to warn you in advance that this list is going to be HUGE! Because I’ve read so many amazing romantic suspense books that need to be mentioned. Many of these are set in a series, so to avoid having a list that goes on FOREVER, I’ll mention some by series rather than individual book and then tell you what my favorites were within the series. I hope you enjoy!

And if you’re new to my blog,  previous features here:

★ULTIMATE LIST OF MC/BIKERS★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF DIRTY TALKERS★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF ROCK STARS★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF FIGHTERS★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF ANTI-HEROES★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF HATE TO LOVE ROMANCE★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF MAFIA ROMANCE★

★ULTIMATE LIST OF ANGSTY ROMANCE★

As always, I’d love to hear from you all in comments if you don’t see one of your favorites listed. You know I love me some book recs 😉


TEMPTING NAVY SEALs series by Lora Leigh

“My money’s on the lady,” he drawled. “You don’t tame a vixen, you just travel in her wake.”  – Hidden Agendas

Lora Leigh was my first foray into erotic romance. She was also my first intro into the dirty talking über alphas, and I was instantly hooked! Her Romantic Suspense books are deliciously sexy with some horrible baddies and plenty of action. This Tempting SEALs series has a few novellas and full length books (The novellas are Reno’s Chance, Real Men Do It Better anthology features a novella from Leigh in this series, and Atlanta Heat). Dangerous Games, Hidden Agendas, and Killer Secrets are full books. These are all interconnecting standalones, though I highly recommend reading in order for ultimate enjoyment. My favorite two books in the series was Hidden Agendas and  Killer Secrets. Killer Secrets features one kick ass heroine who’s an undercover agent and it just didn’t get more delicious than Ian Richards.

STEAM FACTOR: 10 out of 10

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

RENO’S CHANCE | DANGEROUS GAMES | FOR MAGGIE’S SAKE (Novella in RMDIB) | HIDDEN AGENDAS | KILLER SECRETS | ATLANTA HEAT


WILD CARD by Lora Leigh

“No” she jerked back, stared up at him.
Her eyes were like thunderclouds. He’d never seen them like that. Shock and fear filled them. Her face was paper white. Her body shuddering.
“Don’t you leave me!” She gripped his shirt and tried to shake him, tears falling from her eyes. “Don’t you leave Noah.”
His head lowered. He touched her lips with his and knew this woman held the best part of him. The memories of the husband he had been, the man he had been. He couldn’t destroy that. He refused to.
He pushed her to Jordan slowly, loath to let her go. To release her. Knowing that releasing her was the only way to save the memories she held.
“Don’t you leave!” She screamed the order, eyes blazing, her lips trembling as tears fell and hysteria threatened to overwhelm her. “If you leave me, Noah Blake, if you don’t come back when this is over, don’t bother coming back at all.
He touched her cheek. Ran his thumb over her lips. “You are the best part of me,” he whispered. “Always remember that, Sabella. The best part of me.”
Before she could grab him, hold him to her, he pulled away, grabbed one of the rifles Mike had set on the table across the room. And left.

Wild Card is the first book in the Elite Ops series, which is a spin-off from the Tempting SEALs series I mentioned earlier. It’s also my all time FAVORITE Lora Leigh book evah! Nathan Malone is a happily married Navy SEAL, who goes on what’s supposed to be a routine mission. But then he’s captured and life as he knows it is done. He’s no longer the man he once was when he’s finally rescued. And his wife thinks he’s dead.

Nathan is forced to take on a new identity, but nothing will keep him away from his wife. She thinks her husband is dead. He knows he is, and in his place is more monster than man. He’s not the man she once knew. But that’s enough about the plot. What you need to know is this book was AWESOME! It had plenty of action, and sex scenes SO HOT, it’ll burn your kindle. Plus I LURVE me a plot like this.

There are 5 books in the series, though Wild Card and Maverick were the only two I really liked. The rest is good, but not my favorite.

STEAM FACTOR: 10 out of 10

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

WILD CARD | MAVERICK | HEAT SEEKER | BLACK JACK | RENEGADE


The Mccloud Brothers Series by Shannon McKenna

“You use your tits the way a ninja assassin uses nunchuks.”- EXTREME DANGER

If you love über alphas and I mean UBER alphas. The crazy possessive, protective, dirty talking kind. The borderline domineering but still sexy kind. You know what I mean, here, right? Well, if that’s your thing, you need to check this series out. McKenna has some of the most twisty and intriguing suspense with some true baddies. And in case you’re wondering, YES, they’re VERY steamy. While each book is a standalone, there are bad guys that have story arcs that continue through the series. However, if you want to read them out of order, you wouldn’t be lost because the author gives plenty of background. My favorites in the series were Extreme Danger, Ultimate Weapon, Fatal Strike, and In For The Kill.

STEAM FACTOR: 9 out of 10

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS | STANDING IN THE SHADOWS | OUT OF CONTROL | EDGE OF MIDNIGHT | EXTREME DANGER | ULTIMATE WEAPON | FADE TO MIDNIGHT | BLOOD AND FIRE | ONE WRONG MOVE | FATAL STRIKE | IN FOR THE KILL


KGI Series by Maya Banks

“I know this woman.”
“Who the hell is she?”
He stared both his brothers down. “She’s mine.” – NO PLACE TO RUN

If you haven’t met the Kelly family yet, you, my friends, are sorely missing out. The first 6 books in this series were AMAZING. I’m talking heart-pounding deliciousness with some HOT military men and some HOTTER romance. Just check out this description:

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

If that doesn’t scream ‘yum’, I don’t know what does. And in case you’re wondering, yes, what’s inside totally matches these hot as sin covers. Each book may be enjoyed as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading in order for even better enjoyment!

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

THE DARKEST HOUR | NO PLACE TO RUN | HIDDEN AWAY | WHISPERS IN THE DARK | ECHOES AT DAWN


THE BULLET CATCHERS Series by Roxanne St Claire

This was one of the first Romantic Suspense series I’d read when I originally got hooked on the genre, so of course it holds a special place in my heart….and my ovaries. What? It’s true *sheepish grin*

I actually own all of this series in paperback (along with the spin-off I’ll mention right after)

If hot bodyguards, high-octane action, kick ass heroines and even better heroes are your thing, well, you need to be adding this series to your TBR. It centers on a company of elite group of bodyguards and security specialist, that’s run by one kick-ass female, Lucy Sharp. (She gets her story in Now You Die)

The series is 8 books, and each book is easily read as a standalone, though some characters are introduced in previous books so you’d definitely enjoy it more reading in order. If you noticed, some of the titles have a theme (Kill Me Twice, Thrill Me To Death, Take Me Tonight) and (First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die). The first are still standalones, but they do have a story arc that continues through the books. The second is actually still standalones, but has a murder mystery arc that runs through the three books, so you definitely want to read those in oder.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

KILL ME TWICE | THRILL ME TO DEATH | TAKE ME TONIGHT | FIRST YOU RUN | THEN YOU HIDE | NOW YOU DIE | HUNT HER DOWN | MAKE HER PAY


THE GUARDIAN ANGELINOS Series by Roxanne St Claire

This romantic suspense trilogy is a spin-off from The Bullet Catchers, and focuses on the Angelino family that launches a security and investigation firm in Boston. Each book focuses on a different couple and is a standalone. However, similar to The Bullet Catchers, it does have a mystery story arc that continues throughout the trilogy, so they’re best enjoyed in order.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

EDGE OF SIGHT | SHIVER OF FEAR | FACE OF DANGER


DEADLY Series by Cynthia Eden

I’ve loved every book I have ever read by this author (and I’ve read a good share of her backlist), but there’s just something about this sizzling series that has always stayed with me. The books are sexy, addicting, and edge of your seat sort of reads. This is a story trilogy; meaning each book is a standalone, but the story arc runs through each book.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

DEADLY FEAR | DEADLY HEAT | DEADLY LIES


MINE Series by Cynthia Eden

The “Mine” books are dark and sexy romantic suspense novels that focus on the fine line between love and obsession.

Another addicting RS series that I loved from this author is definitely the Mine series. These are all full standalones and have some of the hottest alphas ever. Cynthia writes the best possessive heroes that are always sexy and never domineering and this reader can’t get enough of it! Best news? You can try the series with book 1 for FREE!! Eeep!

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

MINE TO TAKE | MINE TO KEEP | MINE TO HOLD | MINE TO CRAVE | MINE TO HAVE | MINE TO PROTECT


LAST CHANCE RESCUE Series by Christy Reece

Series revolves around Last Chance Rescue, Inc., an organization that employs some of the most highly skilled and ruthless mercenaries in the world, with only one goal and purpose. These brave men and women do whatever it takes, no matter the cost, to rescue the innocent. And in the midst of rescuing victims, the heroes and heroines find their true love. The LCR stories include pulse pounding suspense, thrilling, sensual romance and a happy ending.

The above is the description of this addicting series, and it’s spot on. I binged on these books and loved every page and minute of it. You’ll notice some titles have a theme, and that’s because they introduce the characters and continue their stories throughout the books, though each book is a standalone. I highly recommend reading in order: (Rescue Me, Return To Me, Run to Me) then (No Chance, Second Chance, Last Chance) and finally (Sweet Justice, Sweet Revenge, and Sweet Reward) to truly appreciate the characters’ build up.

There’s also a spin-off series called LCR Elite, which I recommend as well.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

RESCUE ME | RETURN TO ME | RUN TO ME | NO CHANCE | SECOND CHANCE | LAST CHANCE | SWEET JUSTICE | SWEET REVENGE | SWEET REWARD | CHANCES ARE


THE BODYGUARDS Series by Cindy Gerard

No assignment is too big, too difficult, or too dangerous for E.D.E.N. Inc., a West Palm Beach security firm. But in these novels of romance and suspense, when it comes to their own personal relationships, the forces of E.D.E.N., Inc. soon find themselves in deep water and sinking fast. These bodyguards will not only guard your body: they’ll steal your heart and fulfill your deepest desires.

Cindy Gerard was THE author that got me hooked on military heroes and Romantic Suspense. She’s one of my favorites and her Bodyguards series is what ultimately introduced me to her writing. After binging on these books, I then went on to binge and fall even more in love with her Black Ops series (a series that follows The Bodyguards that I’ll talk about below).

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

TO THE EDGE | TO THE LIMIT | TO THE BRINK | OVER THE LINE | UNDER THE WIRE | INTO THE DARK


BLACK OPS Series by Cindy Gerard

Black Ops, Inc. is a covert paramilitary team that “unofficially” works for the U.S. government, taking on missions that are too hot for the sanctioned government agencies to handle.

This series was AMAZING! Ah-mazing, you guys! It just doesn’t get any better than these special ops military men. The action was non stop and the romance was SCORCHING! I loved every book in this series! Though I have to admit, when I’m looking for a re-read, I do have a tendency to lean towards Whisper No Lies. There’s just something about Johnny Duane Reed that DOES it for me 🙂

I also highly recommend her One-Eyed Jacks series that follows the Black Ops.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

SHOW NO MERCY | TAKE NO PRISONERS | WHISPER NO LIES | FEEL THE HEAT | RISK NO SECRETS | WITH NO REMORSE | LAST MAN STANDING


PASSION FOR DANGER Series by Nina Bruhns

This yummy trilogy was what first introduced me to Nina Bruhns. While each book is a different couple, the story arc of the bad guy isn’t resolved until the third book, so you definitely need to read these in order.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

SHOOT TO THRILL | IF LOOKS COULD CHILL | A KISS TO KILL


SHADOW FORCE Series by Stephanie Tyler

If you like special ops military romance, this series is definitely worth checking out. Each book is a standalone, though characters are introduced early in the series and there’s also secondary romance story arcs that continue through the series.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

ADD TO GOODREADS

LIE WITH ME | PROMISES IN THE DARK | IN THE AIR TONIGHT | NIGHT MOVES | LONELY IS THE NIGHT


MEN WHO WALK THE EDGE OF HONOR Series by Lori Foster

If you’ve never read romantic suspense and looking for a great transitional series, you can’t go wrong with these steamy contemporaries. There’s plenty of action to keep you gripping your kindle while swooning over the romance!

Another fantastic contemporary/romantic suspense from Lori Foster that I highly recommend is her Love Undercover series.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD TO GOODREADS

WHEN YOU DARE | TRACE OF FEVER | SAVOR THE DANGER | A PERFECT STORM | WHAT CHRIS WANTS


SIN BROTHERS Series by Rebecca Zanetti

There was a demand in the way he touched her, in the way he kissed. One she should run the hell away from, if she had any sense of self-preservation. The sexy soldier wanted everything she had to give, and she knew better. – TOTAL SURRENDER

Genetically engineered soldiers on the run from the evil black ops military unit that are responsible for their unique power? Um, yes please! And in their quest to bring down the corrupt unit they also find love. In a word? AWESOME!

You also don’t want to miss the spin-off series, Blood Brothers.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

FORGOTTEN SINS | SWEET REVENGE | BLIND FAITH | TOTAL SURRENDER


BURYING WATER Series by KA Tucker

“He said the truth is like that water: it doesn’t matter how hard you try to bury it; it’ll always find some way back to the surface. It’s resilient.”- BURYING WATER

This series was deliciously suspenseful. If you’re a fan of this author and like New Adult Suspense, you definitely want to check this one out!

STEAM FACTOR: 4 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS


THE EVAN ARDEN Series by Shay Savage

“What the hell are you doing?” she cries.
“I’m going to tear your clothes off and fuck you so hard you won’t walk right for a week,” I respond. “You want me to stop?”- OTHERWISE ALONE

I read these books when I thought they were a trilogy, since there is a satisfying ending at the end of book 3. However, the author has since added another 2 books. I can’t speak for those two, since I haven’t read them. But the first three books in this series were seriously awesome; sexy and with a sinfully hot anti-hero. If you want to read the first three, it easily reads as a complete story.

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

OTHERWISE ALONE | OTHERWISE OCCUPIED | OTHERWISE UNHARMED


FLASH POINT by Brooke Blain

“It was the first rule in the handbook: “Thou shalt not have fucking relations with a client, current or former.”

If you’re looking to dip your toes in the genre, but don’t want to commit with a series, here’s a fantastic standalone! Best part? The hero is a total Jason Statham lookalike (or at least he was in my head LOL). Either way, I loved this steamy romantic suspense standalone from the fabulous Brooke Blaine!

He swore to protect her body, but he never promised to protect her heart.”

 

 

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS


DGR FAVORITES


I’ve highly enjoyed all of the series mentioned above, but the ones I’m about to list are my TOP favorites. They’re my go-to recommendations and I figure it’s only right to give them a special place on this list!


I-TEAM Series by Pamela Clare

“It’s not so much where I want you,Sophie, as it is how. Nothing tastes quite like a woman, and no woman tastes like you.” – UNLAWFUL CONTACT

This series! This series is EVERYTHING! The series follows a close-knit team of investigative journalists (mostly women), whose reporting takes them into some dangerous places, and the alpha heroes that they meet along the way. What I love most about this series are the fierce heroines that Clare writes. These are not women that are shy to take matters into their own hands. And while the men will protect them, they also hold their own. Each book is easily enjoyed as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series because it’s AMAZING! Though I have to admit, that UNLAWFUL CONTACT is my go-to re-read in this series. Once you meet Hunt, you’ll see exactly why.

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

EXTREME EXPOSURE | HARD EVIDENCE | UNLAWFUL CONTACT | NAKED EDGE | BREAKING POINT | STRIKING DISTANCE | SOUL DEEP | SEDUCTION GAME | DEAD BY MIDNIGHT | DEADLY INTENT


KILLER INSTINCT Series by Elle Kennedy 

His eyes narrowed as he advanced on her. Like a predator. Because he was a predator. A ruthless soldier, lethal and impassive, and yet right now, she didn’t mind being the prey. If she were being honest, she preferred it. – MIDNIGHT REVENGE

I’ve had a long love affair with all things Elle Kennedy. And while I can’t get enough of her contemporary romance, this sizzling hot romantic suspense series is still one of my favorites of hers. It’s a series that I wish more people knew about it, because it’s absolutely addicting in a way that only Kennedy can write. It’s steamy, heart-pounding, edge of your seat sort of reads that you devour in one sleepless sitting. SO. GOOD. The final book in the series is still one of my all time faves and one of the best series conclusions I’ve ever read.

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

MIDNIGHT RESCUE | MIDNIGHT ALIAS | MIDNIGHT GAMES | MIDNIGHT PURSUITS | MIDNIGHT ACTION | MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE | MIDNIGHT REVENGE | MIDNIGHT TARGET


HOSTILE OPERATIONS TEAM Series by Lynn Raye Harris

She was an itch beneath his skin. A mosquito buzzing in his ear. A compulsion that threatened to tip across the line into addiction. – HOT VALOR

If you like hot military romance that’s equally steamy as it is a non-stop thrill ride of action and suspense, this series is an absolute no-brainer. I was an insta-fan of Harris from the moment I read her first HOT book and I’ve been a goner since. And if possible, the book just keep getting better and hotter with each new installment! If you haven’t read this series yet, welcome to your new addiction, because these books are bingeworthy!

There’s also a seriously yummy spin-off with some hot SEALs (see what I did there?) You definitely want to check out her HOT SEAL TEAM series too!

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

HOT PURSUIT | HOT MESS | HOT PACKAGE | DANGEROUSLY HOT | HOT SHOT | HOT REBEL | HOT ICE | HOT & BOTHERED | HOT PROTECTOR | HOT ADDICTION | HOT VALOR | HOT ANGEL


BENEATH Series by Meghan March

…she didn’t have to like me to fuck me; she just had to want me more than she hated me.- BENEATH THESE SCARS

Meghan March became an auto-click author for me the second I discovered her Beneath series. There was only 3 books in the series then, and I may have resembled a rabid squirrel, foaming at the mouth and vibrating in my wait for each new installment. If you’ve never read romantic suspense, this is a great series to start with as it’s mostly contemporary elements with just the right amount of action and suspense to add to the exhilarating buzz. You can still grab the first book in this awesome series for FREE!!

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

BENEATH THIS MASK | BENEATH THIS INK | BENEATH THESE CHAINS | BENEATH THESE SCARS | BENEATH THESE LIES | BENEATH THESE SHADOWS | BENEATH THE TRUTH


MASTERS & MERCENERIES Series by Lexi Blake

“I want that connection. I want to feel you, and not only in a physical way. This isn’t playing. Playing is a silly word for what I want from you.”
“What word would you use?”
“Everything. I want everything.” – LOVE ANOTHER DAY

OH. MY. GOD. This series! GAH! I am obsessed, absolutely obsessed with this series. It’s my crack. Crack, I tells ya! Lexi Blake combines scorching hot BDSM with some espionage and edge of your seat, glued to your kindle, heart-pounding suspense and action. It simply doesn’t get better than this series. IT JUST DOESN’T! I will never tire of it and I hope it never ends. Best part? You can grab the first book in this series for FREE! Even better part? Some of these books got a STUNNING facelift with some gorgeous new covers!

STEAM FACTOR: 9 out 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

THE DOM WHO LOVED ME | THE MEN WITH THE GOLDEN CUFFS | A DOM IS FOREVER | ON HER MASTER’S SECRET SERVICE | LOVE AND LET DIE | DUNGEON ROYALE | A VIEW TO THRILL | YOU ONLY LOVE TWICE | MASTER NO | FROM SANCTUM WITH LOVE | DOMINANCE NEVER DIES | SUBMISSION IS NOT ENOUGH | FOR HIS EYES ONLY | LOVE ANOTHER DAY | NOBODY DOES IT BETTER


DIRTY TIES by Pam Godwin

The strongest love begins from a place of conflict. It’s a volatile journey of committing and fighting and recommitting, but the effort is resolute and evolves into something so consuming the heart aches just thinking about it.

Now if you follow my blog, you already know my obsession with all things Pam Godwin. She writes THE best dark romance! And her Tangled Lies trilogy freaking broke me, it was SO GOOD! But when someone asks me for a sexy romantic suspense standalone, THIS is the book that I blindly recommend. I loved and I mean LOVED everything about it! If you haven’t read this one yet, it’s an absolute must read!

He wasn’t a man women said no to. The way he carried himself, the way he fought. Built like a warrior, he knew how to manipulate torque and power between his legs.

STEAM FACTOR: 9 OUT OF 10

ADD IT TO GOODREADS


Welp, that’s it for the list. Loved it? Tell me in comments! Did I miss one of your favorites? Tell me about it in comments! I love to hear from you all, so don’t be shy <3

Till next time, dirty birds!

New Release & Review: Siren Beloved by Lexi Blake

SIREN BELOVED
Series: Texas Sirens #4
Genre: Erotic Romance, Menage, MMF
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: July 17, 2018

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

Aidan O’Malley walked away from his fiancée, Lexi, and their best friend, Lucas, after a night of passion left him shaken to his core. When Aidan returns home from Iraq, he’s haunted by all he has lost. The enemy broke his body, destroying his dreams of a career in music. Worse still, he lost Lexi and Lucas. That damage he’d done all by himself. While he can’t restore what combat took from him, he’s determined to reclaim the two loves of his life.

Lucas Cameron is a changed man. After connecting with his brother, he found the discipline to get his life on track. His legal career is flourishing, but his love life is a train wreck. The woman he loves is spiraling out of control. After Aidan abandoned them, Lucas and Lexi clung together but no matter how hard he tries, Lucas can’t find a way to heal the wounds that Lexi carries.

Lexi Moore feels like a jigsaw puzzle with too many missing pieces. Losing Aidan was hard, but the true reason for her shattered spirit is a secret she only shares with her beloved Lucas. She knows she is drowning and the time has come to heal, but the holes in her heart hold her back from moving on. Shedding the burden she carries is her only hope for a happy future, but she fears she will never have the strength to reveal her secret.

When Aidan walks back into their lives, Lucas and Lexi know everything is about to change. But as they fight to reconcile their past and reclaim what they lost, a vicious predator stalks Lexi. In order to stop the killer, all three must confront the secrets they’ve carried…before they’re buried by them.

AMAZON

There would be a conqueror and a conquest. It was only a battle. Aidan knew Lexi had already won the war. He was her slave. He’d do anything for her, except let her go. 

My favorite installment so far in the Texas Sires series! This book had it all; an emotional and angsty second chance romance, a sizzling MMF menage, a delicious grovel, and three people with deep emotional scars from their past finding that love really can cure all wounds. I adored this book! Simply adored it! I devoured it in one sitting and it made me fall in love with Lexi Blake’s writing all over again. This author has this incredible ability to write the most emotional stories, wrap around them some incredibly hot romance, and then tie it all off with a dose of suspense. The result is a completely unputdownable book that only gets better with every page.

I highly recommend reading this series in order. Even though each book focuses on a different couple, there are story arcs that continue through the series, and would only make you appreciate the characters that much more.

If you’ve read the first three books in the series, you’ll remember Lexi is Abigail Moore’s daughter from Small Town Siren, and Lucas Cameron is Jack Barnes’s younger brother. Aidan is the man we heard about but now officially meet in this story, and boy did I fall hard for the man.

Years ago, Aidan and Lexi were engaged. An unexpected night between her, Lucas, and Aidan made him leave, also leaving Lexi with a broken heart that she’s never recovered from. Lucas has tried to put the pieces back together in the years since, but him being a switch and Lexi a submissive, they feel the missing piece of a Dom.

Now Adian is back and determined to right the wrongs of the past. He knows that he’s what Lucas and Lexi both need and he intends to stop at nothing to prove it to them.

I fell so hard for Aidan in this book. There was simply something so endearing about the broken pieces of this man and his enigmatic presence that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved the way he fought for both Lucas and Lexi. I loved how sweet he was out of the bedroom, and a hardcore Dominant inside it. And while this book has one spicy MMF menage, it’s so much more than that, too. It was incredibly emotional, particularly when Lexi finally deals with the demons of her past. There’s a suspense plot that runs seamlessly through the story, with the added element of danger that only serves to up the wattage. Lucas was another man that I fell hard for. Gone is the lost boy that we’re first introduced to in Small Town Siren. Lucas is all man. He’s no longer hiding his true self behind an illusion. This is a man that loves and loves hard, and will protect those he cares for with everything he’s got. The dynamic between the three of them was absolutely perfect. This is a menage that had incredible depth and plenty of emotion. All three characters are multi-layered and together they just balance each other out.

If you’ve enjoyed the first three books in this series, you’re going to absolutely love this one. I’m already itching for my next fix with this series.

New & Upcoming Releases: July 16- 20

Ready for another awesome week of new releases? I know I am!


AVAILABLE NOW


LOVE MACHINE by Kendall Ryan

A best-friends-to-lovers standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Kendall Ryan.

She says she needs some help … in the bedroom.

Come again? No, really come again.

Sweet, nerdy, lovable Keaton.

She’s my best friend and has been for years. Sure she likes numbers and math, and thinks doing other people’s taxes is fun. And I like … none of that stuff. She’s obsessed with her cat and reads novels I’ll never understand, and yet we just click. There’s no one I’d rather share breakfast burritos with or binge watch hours of Netflix. She’s my person. And so when she takes off her glasses and asks me to help her improve her skills in the bedroom, I barely have to think about it.

Of course I’ll help her. There’s no one better for the job.

I’ve been there for her through everything, why should this be any different?

But what happens when she’s ready to take her new-found confidence and move on?


LOVING IN THE LIGHT by Alexandria Bishop

The Dating Trilogy concludes with Loving in the Light…

He came into her life when she least expected it.

Stopping her from watching her life pass her by to loving every minute of it.

She got everything she didn’t know she wanted but now it’s all being threatened.

Now she’s left in a world of uncertainty with more questions than answers.

Loving in the Light is the third and final book in The Dating Trilogy.

It should be read after Dating in the Dark and Sinking in the Shadows.


RELEASING JULY 17


SIREN BELOVED by Lexi Blake

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

Aidan O’Malley walked away from his fiancée, Lexi, and their best friend, Lucas, after a night of passion left him shaken to his core. When Aidan returns home from Iraq, he’s haunted by all he has lost. The enemy broke his body, destroying his dreams of a career in music. Worse still, he lost Lexi and Lucas. That damage he’d done all by himself. While he can’t restore what combat took from him, he’s determined to reclaim the two loves of his life.

Lucas Cameron is a changed man. After connecting with his brother, he found the discipline to get his life on track. His legal career is flourishing, but his love life is a train wreck. The woman he loves is spiraling out of control. After Aidan abandoned them, Lucas and Lexi clung together but no matter how hard he tries, Lucas can’t find a way to heal the wounds that Lexi carries.

Lexi Moore feels like a jigsaw puzzle with too many missing pieces. Losing Aidan was hard, but the true reason for her shattered spirit is a secret she only shares with her beloved Lucas. She knows she is drowning and the time has come to heal, but the holes in her heart hold her back from moving on. Shedding the burden she carries is her only hope for a happy future, but she fears she will never have the strength to reveal her secret.

When Aidan walks back into their lives, Lucas and Lexi know everything is about to change. But as they fight to reconcile their past and reclaim what they lost, a vicious predator stalks Lexi. In order to stop the killer, all three must confront the secrets they’ve carried…before they’re buried by them.


ALL YOUR PERFECTS by Colleen Hoover

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us—whose writing is “emotionally wrenching and utterly original” (Sarah Shepard, New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series)—delivers a tour de force novel about a troubled marriage and the one old forgotten promise that might be able to save it.

Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.

All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?


ROCK LEGEND by Tara Leigh

Fans of Kristen Callihan, L.J. Shen, and Kylie Scott will scream for this sizzling bad boy rock star romance!
I’m no Prince Charming.
 
Most people know me as the drummer for Nothing but Trouble. Depending who you ask, I’m also a playboy, a loner, the life of the party, a screw-up, or according to my fans, “The Sexiest Rock Star on the Planet.” Apparently, I’m a legend.
Am I surprised? Hell, no. It’s a reputation I’ve earned behind my drum kit and behind closed doors. No one thought foster kid Landon Cox would become famous. Infamous, maybe. Notorious, probably. But successful? Never. No one except Piper Hastings. But I had to make a choice: my woman or my career. I picked fame and fortune… and spent every damn day since pretending I don’t regret it.
Now fate’s dropped Piper back into my life. I want to believe it’s a second chance for me – for us. But while I can give her a few great nights, I can’t give Piper a future.
Because there’s a difference between a legend and a fairy tale…
Only one of them ends happily ever after.

MOTIVE by Kennedy Layne

The Office Roulette trilogy continues with an epic battle between blame and forgiveness…

Rye Marshall had it all—wealth, prominence, and the love of his life. But nothing lasts forever, and his perfect world came crashing down around him. When the dust settled, he found himself alone and starting from a clean slate.

Grace Dorrance had made many mistakes in her life, but one stood out above the rest—an epic ending to a complex and passionate relationship. She left her former lover’s life in complete ruins and tried her best never to look back at the wreckage.

Seconds chances are hard to come by, but even more difficult when Grace is arrested for a murder she didn’t commit. This gives Rye the perfect motive to forgive and forget, allowing for new beginnings. Unfortunately, someone is playing a game of office roulette with everyone’s lives.


ME & MR. JONES by Christie Ridgway

Welcome to the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach, where newlyweds come to honeymoon, where anniversary couples celebrate milestones, and where broken hearts find a place to heal.

Jilted bride Audra Montgomery wants to reset her life at the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach. A good girl for far too long, Audra has penned a list of must-do experiences she’s sure will change her. When the hotel’s maintenance guy, a “Mr. Jones,” knocks on her door, she wonders if the sexy handyman might just come in handy when enacting some of the spicier items on her agenda.

Kane Hathaway, general manager of the resort, didn’t set out to deceive his guest when he performed a minor repair. But it’s freeing to imagine life without the responsibilities of the family business. Then there’s the whole “Heartbreak Hotel” designation—cynical Kane doesn’t believe for a minute that a stay on site can heal the wounds left by bad romance. But every moment in Audra’s company sparkles with magic—can this be love?


GIOVANNI by Natasha Knight

I’m the right-hand man of the mafia king.
She’s a girl with a past she’s desperate to hide.

But I need something from her.
And I know she won’t help me. Not willingly.
She’ll need some persuading.

Lucky for her, I can do that.

Something about this girl makes me curious, though, and it’s more than the scars that line her back. She’s on the edge of something. Something bad. She’s like a perfect, beautiful doll coming apart at the seams. And the last string is about to snap.

She thinks I’ll hurt her. Break her. But thing is, she’s already broken. And she and I, we’re two peas in a pod. She’s my match, the perfect opponent. She’ll fight me to the finish, but I’ll win. I always do.

Because I’m a man used to getting what I want. And what I want is her.

Author’s Note: Giovanni is a STANDALONE dark mafia romance set in the Benedetti Brothers Mafia World. It’s an emotionally gripping enemies-to-lovers romance with a hard-earned HEA.


PLAYING HURT by Kelly Jamieson

Chase: The last thing I’d ever want to do is let my team down. After overcoming my bad-boy reputation, I was dominating on the ice. But things aren’t going so well this season, and even my parents think I’m partying again. Now I’m really worried about my career. The only bright spot in my life is the Twitter flirtation I’ve struck up with pop princess Jordyn Banks. Turns out she’s a huge hockey fan—and she’s willing to wager a date on her favorite team. . . .

Jordyn: Even though I’m an L.A. fan now, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Aces, since I grew up in Chicago. Then I lose a bet to Chase Hartman, and suddenly I’m up close and personal with a pro athlete who’s anything but soft. Not only is Chase the hottest guy I’ve ever met, he’s secretly super sweet. As if I had time for a relationship . . . yeah, right. But when I suddenly have nothing but time on my hands, he’s the only one who understands. Now, with both of our careers at stake, Chase is tempting me to put my heart on the line too.

Kelly Jamieson’s USA Today bestselling Aces Hockey series can be read together or separately:
MAJOR MISCONDUCT
OFF LIMITS
ICING
TOP SHELF
BACK CHECK
SLAP SHOT
PLAYING HURT


STRENGTH ENDURING by Carrie Ann Ryan

In the penultimate novel of the Talon Pack series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan, an Enforcer must make the ultimate choice when it comes to a human woman with a secret she doesn’t know she holds.

Kameron Brentwood has only one thing on his mind: defeating the enemy. He doesn’t have time for a human woman who sets his teeth on edge and makes his wolf prowl. It shouldn’t matter that she’s his mate because he’s always thought that mating is a distraction. Yet as soon as he gets to know the woman, he figures out that there’s no hiding from the attraction he feels for her.

Dhanielle Coburn has always been on the outside looking in when it comes to the Talon Pack, but she’s not about to let fate and the moon goddess decide her path for her. If and when she takes Kameron as a mate, it will be her choice. Yet when she suddenly finds herself in the Pack’s inner sanctum, deeper than she ever thought possible, she has to fight not only her need for the man in front of her but also a hidden secret about her family she didn’t even know she had.

When the choice is pulled from both of their hands, the two will need to learn who they are apart, and who they can be together. Because there’s more to mating than a mark and a prophecy that has come back to haunt them. And even though they may be fated, the ultimate sacrifice just might take them both in the end.


HEARTLESS by Willow Winters

From USA Today bestselling author W Winters comes an emotionally captivating and thrilling, romantic suspense.

At first, his words were harsh and his touch cold.
I knew he was a dangerous man and he could destroy me if only he wanted to.

That’s not what he wanted though. It’s not what he needed.
It’s not what I desired either.

It’s so easy to get lost in the touch of a man who’s powerful and unattainable.
A man who wants for nothing … except me.
Soft touches and stolen glances made my blood heat and my heart beat in a way I never knew it could.

Yes, it’s easy to fall into a haze of lust and desire.
But there’s a reason his reputation is one of a heartless man.
And I should have known better.


DARE ME ONCE by Shelly Alexander

Love is a risk worth taking in this sizzling romance about secrets and second chances…

Scarlett Devereaux’s life on the Gulf Coast went from riches to rags so scandalously fast that she barely had time to kiss her Jimmy Choos goodbye. Now, with a new alias (Lily Barns), a new budget (tighter than a pair of Spanx), and a new job on the vacation island of Angel Fire Falls, she’s daring to reinvent herself.

Single dad Trace Remington is devoted first and foremost to raising his young son, who has Asperger’s. With flying his floatplane and salvaging his family’s island resort too, he has time for little else. His brothers think he needs a break from his all-work-no-play lifestyle, so they goad him into action. In response to their dare, Trace asks a sexy tourist for her number, only to discover afterward that she’s the resort’s brilliant new hospitality manager.

The sparks of flirtation soon ignite into a flame too hot to ignore. But Lily and Trace both have pasts that threaten to tear them apart. Now, they’ll need to admit their secrets to each other…or risk ending their relationship before it really begins.


RELEASING JULY 18


MEMORIES OF US by Fabiola Francisco

A new country music romance from Fabiola Francisco

The life I’m living was supposed to be ours, not just mine, and without her it means nothing.

I couldn’t climb on stage and sing to a crowd, knowing the one person my songs were meant for was miles away from me.

Writing songs about her is the best I can do until she comes back because I know we’re not over.

 

We’re just on pause, like your favorite song when you need a moment to take it in.

But as soon as I find her, I’m pressing play on our love story.


EVERYTIME WE FALL IN LOVE by Bella Andre

Harry Sullivan has always put his family first, even when it meant losing Molly—his one true love. He’s never been able to forget her, even after fifteen years. Now that his siblings are all blissfully happy, Harry hopes it’s not too late for his own happily-ever-after. But then his doorbell rings…and one look at the teenage girl standing on his doorstep changes absolutely everything.

Molly never thought she’d see Harry Sullivan again, so she’s beyond stunned when her fifteen-year-old daughter brings him back into her life. At eighteen, Harry was already strong, sexy, and honorable. And now that he’s even more handsome, more brilliant, more loyal and caring? Molly can’t stop herself from falling in love with him all over again. Especially when his kisses and the sizzling attraction between them are hotter than ever.

But with more at stake now than they ever thought possible, will they be able to move beyond the mistakes they both made in the past, and fall in love forever this time?

EVERY TIME WE FALL IN LOVE is part of Bella Andre’s New York Times and USA Today #1 bestselling series about The Sullivans. While it can easily be read as a stand-alone story, you’ll likely enjoy reading the other books, too.


SAVING BECK by Courtney Cole

Reminiscent of the beloved novels by Mary Kubica and Jodi Picoult comes a chilling portrayal of a son’s addiction and its harrowing effects on both him and his mother from New York Times bestselling author Courtney Cole.

There comes a time when offering your life for your child’s doesn’t work, when you realize that it’ll never be enough.

The cold needle in his warm vein was a welcome comfort to my son at first. But then it became the monster that kept us apart.

Heroin lied, and my son believed. It took him to a world where the last year didn’t happen, to a place where his father was still alive. What Beck didn’t understand was that it couldn’t bring his father back from the dead. It couldn’t take away his pain, not permanently.

You think it can’t happen to you, that your kids, your family, will never be in this situation.
I thought that too. But you’re wrong.

Step into our world, and see for yourself.
Watch my golden boy become a slave to this raging epidemic. Watch me try and save him.

Drug addiction comes with a price.
Trust me, you’re not equipped to pay it.

Don’t miss this heartwrenching, evocative, yet hopeful novel—it will leave you forever changed.


RELEASING JULY 19


PERFECT VISION by LM Halloran

Hindsight isn’t 20/20.

When London flees to Los Angeles, she isn’t interested in making a new life from the ashes of her old one. All she wants is to survive. But with her reputation and career as a journalist in shambles, surviving alone in the city is easier said than done.

After struggling for months to make ends meet, she unknowingly applies for a bartending position at an exclusive sex club. The pay is incredible—more importantly, no one expects her to participate.

At the infamous Crossroads, London finds more than an a crash course in kink. She finds a life. Friends. Laughter and excitement. And a man who infuriates her, challenges her, and mercilessly batters at the walls around her heart.

Dominic Cross is everything London doesn’t want. But when ghosts of the past appear with a vendetta?

He’s everything she needs.

Author’s Note: Perfect Vision is dark, romantic suspense and contains themes which may be difficult for some readers. 18+ only, please.


ALL THE LITTLE PIECES by Roisin Black

He saved her once. Now he has to put everything on the line, including his heart, to do it again.

Angelo Broussard, or Snake, as he is known to his SEAL team, is plucked from elite sniper training to go on a top secret C.I.A. operation. The goal is to capture the one man on the planet he most wants to put a bullet in but the op involves the one woman he can’t forget.

Dr. Ruby Obermeier, mega rich heiress and abduction survivor, has returned to her job as an E.R. doctor in Miami but is haunted by the events that took place on the day of her rescue from terrorists in Somalia. She works extra shifts so she doesn’t have to spend too much time alone in her apartment. That’s when her demons find her and drag her back to the Somalian outbuilding where she was battered and broken. She knows she needs to heal but she doesn’t know how. She needs to find someone who will help her find her way back to herself and the last person she expects that to be is the sexy new security guard at the hospital.

Ever since Snake held Dr. Ruby Obermeier in his arms in Somalia, he hasn’t been able to get her out of his mind. He can’t believe he now gets to spend his days (and nights) watching over and protecting her. The only thing is, he can’t tell her who he is, who he really is, and how much danger she’s in.

The weeks turn into months and sizzling attraction turns into something much deeper. However, the threat against Ruby grows every day. Snake vows to keep her safe, even if it means he risks losing her forever.


SURRENDER by Amy Daws

One night of complete surrender is all it takes.

Gareth Harris is Manchester United’s reclusive star defender. He has control over all aspects of his life. But a lifetime of supporting his siblings and filling in for an emotionally absent father has taken its toll.

Sloan Montgomery is a clothing stylist whose world was turned upside down when she found herself pregnant and moving to Manchester with a man who was never supposed to be her forever. Now recently divorced and struggling with shared custody of her daughter, control is a fleeting concept for this American living in England.

Both Gareth and Sloan are in need of a release.

A moment in time where they can forget about their pasts and family pressures…and just…

…surrender.

No one could predict what happens when both of their defences are down.

Surrender is part one of the Final Harris Brother Duet and concludes with Dominate. This duet reads great on it’s own, but to maximize enjoyment, check out the first three brothers’ books in Challenge, Endurance, and Keeper


RELEASING JULY 20


QUIT YOUR PITCHIN’ by Lani Lynn Vale

What’s wrong with my butt?

She means those words to be directed toward the woman beside her, not him. But he can’t stop himself from answering. Not when her ass is the most magnificent thing he’s seen in his life.

Apparently, answering her with ‘not a damn thing’ wasn’t what she was expecting.

She likely wasn’t expecting the baseball she took to the face at his next at bat, either.

All it takes is one ill-fated foul ball, and George Hoffman, Lumberjacks center fielder, falls head over heels in love with Wrigley Field—and yes, that is her real name.

From that point forward, George and Wrigley fall into a fast whirlwind love that ends with them eloping to Vegas. And he has his potty mouth, titty bar owning, pain in the ass grandmother to thank for it.

Not that he’s complaining or anything.

Who wouldn’t want to be married to a woman that made his heart race like he was in the final game of the World Series?

The only problem is trying to convince her of that.


FILTHY LIES by Raine Miller

On the day I turned fifteen years old I knew I loved James Blakney. There was a look in his eye that told me he’d finally noticed I existed in a realm beyond best-friend’s-much-younger-off-limits-don’t-even-think-about-it-little-sister. Call it womanly intuition, despite the fact I was barely qualified for being an actual woman at just fifteen—and only in the biological sense—but still, I knew I loved him.

What I never expected from him was a proposal of marriage nearly eight years later. I know it’s not supposed to be a real marriage, but James is certainly making it feel that way.

He’s also hiding something from me.

But I’ve hidden the truth from him as well.

Lies.

So many filthy lies.

~Winter Blackstone


ROCK FREE by Virna DePaul

Point Break’s lead guitarist, Wes Shaw, is all about living free—free career choices, free to do as he pleases, free love. As the band’s remaining bachelor, he gets his pick of women and men. But when Wes gets stuck in an elevator with a gorgeous, innocent vixen ready to test her wild side, everything changes.

Sara Crawford is the daughter of a famous TV evangelist getting to know her true self in New York City. Normally, she hides her passionate nature, but when she’s trapped with her favorite rock guitarist, she finds a sensual way to keep her mind off her claustrophobia.

The moment they’re rescued from the elevator, however, Sarah flees. Normally, Wes would move on, but now that he’s met Sara? He can’t let go. Can Wes convince Sara that she rocks a part of him he never knew existed?

And will Sara risk alienating her family to stand by her bad boy’s side forever?


CHURCH by Stylo Fantome – Buy links TBA

A broken girl.

An unusual boy.

A beautiful face that hides a dark secret and an ugly past.

Sealed lips which hide wicked words and dangerous thoughts.

She would kill for him to love her.

He just wants to kill.

Maybe, if Emma Hartley prays hard enough, Church Logan can make both their wishes come true.

Fuse, meet match.

warning: if you have triggers – this story will touch on a lot of them. This book is a psychological thriller, 65,000+ words.


TWO WEEKS NOTICE by Whitney G. – Buy link TBA

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter to formally announce my resignation from Parker International (& the arrogant, condescending CEO) effective two weeks from today.

This was a VERY EASY decision to make, as the past two years have been utterly miserable. I wish his next executive assistant all the luck in the world (she’ll need it) and if my boss should need me to do anything over the next two weeks, kindly tell him that he can do it [his] goddamn self…

Sincerely (Not Really),
Tara Lauren

That’s the version of my two weeks’ notice I should’ve sent to my boss, because the more professional version—the one where I said I was “grateful for all the opportunities,” and “honored by all the rewarding experiences” over the years?

That letter was rejected with his sexy, trademark smirk and an “I highly suggest you read the fine print of your contract…”

So, I did.

And now I’ve realized that unless I fake my death, poison him, or find a way to renegotiate my impossible contract, I’m stuck working under one of the cockiest and most ruthless bosses in New York.

Then again, I thought that was the case until he called me late last night with an emergency proposition…

New Release & Review: Because You’re Mine by Claire Contreras

BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Claire Contreras
Release Date: July 12, 2018

From New York Times best-seller Claire Contreras comes a new, sexy stand-alone novel . . .

When you grow up in the most feared mafia family, it’s easy to identify the kind of men that are bad news.

They’re the ones with experience.

The ones with secrets.

The ones that exude sex just by saying your name.

From the moment I laid eyes on Lorenzo, I knew he wasn’t just bad news.

He was the headline.
But my head and my heart are at war.
He’s too mysterious, too gorgeous, too wild, and now, he wants me.
I should run far away. So why am I racing toward him?
I’m totally going to get burned. I know it. A man like Lorenzo won’t leave me unscathed.
He’ll make ashes of me.

AMAZON

I stare at this infuriating, gorgeous man. This liar, thief of a man, because that’s what he’s done. He’s stolen my senses entirely. 

When I saw that one of my favorite authors will be writing a mafia romance, I was all over it like white on rice. I didn’t even bother reading the blurb before adding it. And then when I saw the cover? I was basically frothing at the mouth to get my grabby little hands on it. Admittedly, it’s not often where a book can live up to a ridiculously hot cover for me. But not only did this book do it, it exceeded them!

Some men pretend they want control. They play with handcuffs and floggers and remind you continuously that you’re theirs. Men like Loren don’t need to play games to remind you that you’re at their mercy.

Because You’re Mine was a page turner from beginning to finish. It was a sizzling, aciton-packed thrill ride full of twists and turns. I was immediately enraptured with these characters and their story.

Catalina grew up in the mafia world, but when tragedy struck, she ran from it. For ten years, she’s run as far as she can from everything to do with it and focused all her energy on her career as a ballerina. With her father still deep in the life, her sister and her brother are the only ones that she has any relationship with. But then a favor for her sister tilts her world on its axis.

He silences me with a kiss. It’s not a soft kiss that’s asking for anything, but a hard, demanding kiss. One that speaks of a loyalty I haven’t asked for, blood that hasn’t yet spilled. 

Lorenzo oozes danger from every pore and screams heartbreak waiting to happen. But there’s something about him that draws her like a moth to a flame, and it’s not long before the fiery passion between them begins to consume them both. But they each hide dangerous secrets from each other, and it doesn’t take long before Cat’s past catches up to her in the most deadly of ways.

To say that I devoured this book would be an understatement. Loren was a hero that I was starving for every morsel of information about. There was something just so darkly captivating about him that I couldn’t get enough of. He’s an enigma wrapped in danger and cloaked in erotic magnetism. In a word, he was utterly delicious.

Catalina was a heroine that I clicked with right away. While she has her vulnerabilities, she has a great core of steel to her as well. She has no problem giving as good as she gets, even if she is completely incapable of resisting Loren even when she should.

The romance is wrapped flawlessly around an action packed suspense. There’s secrets to be revealed, revenge, and blood feuds to be paid. I eagerly devoured every page. There’s also a slew of secondary characters that are introduced that were just as captivating; Catalina’s sister and brother being the front runners. And since this looks to be the start of a series, I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on their stories. The foundation for it was already set with this book, and damn does it sound to be a good one.

#DGRFave & Review: Buckled by @pamgodwinbooks

BUCKLED
Series: Trails of Sin #2
Genre: Dark Cowboy Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: July 10, 2018

I protect what’s mine.
The ranch, my family, our buried secrets.

Nothing will stop me from reassembling the life that went terribly wrong.
Not the law.
Not our enemies.
Not even Maybe Quinn.

The gorgeous, quarrelsome journalist shouldn’t have meddled.
I shouldn’t have let her stay.
But she’s hiding something in those deceptive blue eyes.
Something deeper than her thirst for a news story.

I make a deal with her to buy time.
To unravel her lies. To play with her. To satisfy my darker appetites.
When she buckles beneath my belt, I’ll send her away.
Unless I buckle first.

AMAZON | Other Retailers 


Wild and molten, wet and volatile, her fight is beautiful, but her surrender is goddamn exquisite. I consume it with everything inside me, feeding on it and fueling a desire that has never felt this out of control.


Dark and sinful with story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to finish, Buckled was one addicting ride!

Ever since Maybe and Jarret first met in Knotted, sparks flew, and I was instantly hooked. I couldn’t wait for their book. I knew it was going to be good, but I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I devoured this story in one sitting. It kept me squirming on the edge of my seat, starved for each new revelation and totally captivated by the story. It was this magnetic combination of mysterious and kinky with a dark edge that Pam Godwin is oh so good at weaving into her writing.

There’s attraction. There’s sexual desire. Then there’s this. It’s curiosity and gravity and some kind of illogical magnetism that makes my heart beat with the impulse to claim and possess.

I love a good enemies to lovers trope, and this one delivered it in spades. The hate lust was strong with these two and their chemistry was electrifying. Maybe is probably one of my favorite heroines this author has written. She’s strong, sharp witted and has no problem giving as good as she gets. This is a woman that’s not afraid to stand up for herself, yet she also has this hidden vulnerable side to her that seems to come out in Jarret’s presence. She was an incredibly multi-layered character that I couldn’t get enough of. And did I mention the sass?

Where are you taking me?”
“To my office.”
“I can walk there on my own. Put me down.”
“No can do, sweetheart.”
“This is bullshit.”
“What you’re smelling is horse shit. The bulls are in the west pasture.”
She makes a frustrated sound in her throat. “How the fuck are you the sperm that won?”
“I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.”
“I really wish I had more middle fingers right now.”

Jarret delivered on the kinky cowboy promise that I was hoping for in book one. This man has a presence to him, let me tell you. He’s downright sinful. And when he sets his eyes on Maybe, he’s determined to get her beneath him even when they both know she’s hiding something for him.

Maybe comes to their ranch in search of answers. She knows about the dark past and secrets that the Holsten family has hidden and she’s convinced it somehow ties into her own. She’s determined to get to the bottom of it no matter what she has to do, but she doesn’t expect the magnetic connection she feels with Jarret or for it to suck her into his orbit as much as it does.

He’s a torrent of brutal force and sensual precision, fluctuating between violent bites and gentle kisses, rough hands and expert caresses. His passion is explosive, his touches methodical. Nothing about him is tame.

There are a lot of secrets that get unraveled here. And while we get answers to some things, we’re also left with even more questions. The blood feud between father and sons and the secrets that they have buried are all coming to a head and it’s bound to be on hell of a conclusion.

I absolutely LOVED the chemistry and banter between Jarret and Maybe. Their relationship was a sizzling slow burn full of spark and erotic undercurrents. When these two finally give into the pull between them? Holy hell! This book had one of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read. I have two words for you: rain and lightning. HOT. DAMN.

All I can do is hold on, shredding my vocal chords as I scream. I scream his name. I scream for a god. Maybe they’re one and the same. He looks like a warrior god. He fucks like a sex god. I’ll happily worship him, and I do.

We also finally get to meet the heroine of book 3 and let me just tell you, I’m practically salivating for that story.

While I enjoyed the first book, I was completely blown away by this one. I cannot wait to see how it all concludes in what’s bound to be an explosive final chapter of this trilogy.

 


TRAILS OF SIN Series

KNOTTED Book #1
Available Now
Amazon | Other Retailers

BUCKLED Book #2
Available Now
Amazon | Other Retailers

BOOTED Book #3
Releases Sep 18, 2018
Amazon | Other Retailers


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.
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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)

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

Stand-alones

DARK NOTES

DIRTY TIES

BENEATH THE BURN

INCENTIVE

 

New Release & Review: Scoring The Player’s Baby by Naima Simone

SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY
Series: WAGS #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Naima Simone
Release Date: July 9th 2018

 

After a divorce from her cheating football player ex, PR whiz Kim Matlock would rather drive a pine tree through her walled-off heart than work at the Seattle Wedding Expo.

And the last thing she expects is to be grabbed and kissed breathless by a hot giant of a man looking to fend off a stalker.

She doesn’t want emotional entanglements, but she can’t say no to one scorching night with the sexy stranger.

To her shock, she finds out afterward that a) he’s a pro football player, aka her kryptonite, and b) she’s pregnant.

But nothing could have prepared her for his response…

 

 

AMAZON

Jesus. The man should come with a warning label: Causes Severe Case of Anal Agoraphobia. Or in layman’s terms, causes severe case of not being able to get your head out of your ass.

Well, hello there, Naima Simone, and welcome to my auto-buy list.

Firstly, I am seriously kicking myself for waiting this long to try this author because I have been missing out! Her writing is sexy, fun, lighthearted, and I couldn’t get enough of it! If you’re a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope, this will be your catnip. It was full of humor, delicious dirty talk, a little bit of angst thanks to two stubborn main characters, and some swoon mixed in.

What I want,” he murmured, “is to hear that sexy moan again. The one you made while sucking on my tongue like you tasted something real good. “I want you to use that beautiful, tight control you got going on to dance and twist on my dick. Then I want to see you lose it, see that control crack right down the middle as you come so hard, I don’t have a choice but to go with you. And after that? I want to do it again and again all night until I limp home in the morning.”

Kim was not a character I’d usually enjoy. While this is one strong alpha female, she has quite a bit of baggage that gives her judgmental tendencies. Burned by her pro-football player, cheating ex-husband, Kim has sworn off professional athletes. So when she finds out that her sizzling one-night stand is actually the wide receiver for the Washington Warriors, she doesn’t hesitate before lumping him in with the rest. But Ronin is nothing like her ex. While he has some commitment issues for reasons of his own, he’s caring, sweet, and doesn’t hesitate to take responsibility when he learns that their one night together has resulted in a pregnancy neither of them expected.

Can I just tell you how much I adored Ronin. Let’s set aside the fact that the man is sinfully sexy and has a mouth on him that will set any ovary aflame. But he also has a hidden sweet side to him that I loved seeing come out more and more with the bristly Kim. I loved the way he soothed her rough edges. And though Kim did frustrate me at times with the way she pushed Ronin away, I understood why she did.

Admittedly, what really brought it together for me was the ridiculously sweet ending and I particularly loved the twist to the typical romance grovel. I can’t believe I just discovered this series and this author, but I’m also thrilled because now I have her entire backlist to binge one; starting with the first two books in the WAGs series.

New & Upcoming Releases: July 9 – 12

New releases coming at ya this week!


AVAILABLE NOW


OFFICEMATE by Katie Ashley

Thorn

From the first time I played army as a kid, the military has been my life. As an Airborne Major, I’d led my men through two tours in Afghanistan. But when my father was elected president, I became an even greater target for the enemy—a prize for someone to take out. To ensure not only the safety of myself, but of my men, I got stripped of my cammies, shoved into an Armani suit, and placed into a management position at my father’s company. After years of trekking through the desert with an assault rifle, I was way out of my area of expertise, which my transition coordinator was more than happy to let me know on a daily, if not hourly basis. The brunette bombshell would be the death of me in more ways than one, especially since I hadn’t been with a woman since my last deployment. She’s turning out to be one of the greatest foes I’ve ever done battle with.

Isabel

In the backwoods Georgia town I was born in, you either married right out of high school or got the hell out of town. I chose the second and never looked back. After graduating top in my class, I started working for The Callahan Corporation. Fast forward five years and I was about to become the youngest female manager in the history of my department. And then all the blood, sweat, and tears I’d put into my career were for nothing when the boss’s billionaire son was handed my position on a silver platter. Not only that, I was expected to help transition him into the job that was supposed to be mine. Sure, he’s easy on the eyes with his chiseled good-looks and impossibly built physique, but I’m not going to let that distract me. I hope soldier boy is good at military strategy because sabotage is the name of the game I’ll be playing.


THE ARMY RANGER’S SURPRISE by  Donna Michaels

Army brat Kaydee Wagner gets twitchy if she stays in one place for too long. But when her grandfather needs someone to stay with him for a bit and his home needs a lot of repairs, she steps up to the plate.

Lucky for her, help arrives from their neighbor’s gorgeous grandson, former Army Ranger Leo Reed.

Leo’s desperate to rise above his dark past and enjoy life again. He’s already made a lot of progress, so when the woman he can’t stop thinking about needs a handyman, he volunteers. But after a very…wet incident involving deadly dance moves and a wayward sink hose, their clothes hit the floor faster than a stack of tile.

He doesn’t want forever—that would mean revealing his past, which he’s not ready to do. She only wants right now, because any other option would require sticking around.

And then Kaydee discovers she’s pregnant.

Each book in the Men of at Ease Ranch series is STANDALONE:
* In a Ranger’s Arms
* Her Secret Ranger
* The Right Ranger
* Army Ranger with Benefits
* The Army Ranger’s Surprise


FIGHT FOR YOU by Nina Crespo

In this second of the Kingman Brothers series, Aiden Kingman is reunited with the woman he mistakenly wronged seven years ago…and this time around, he’s determined to make things right.

Seven years ago, Aiden Kingman had to choose between betraying Delanie Clark and her father or staying loyal to his father’s company. He chose his father—losing Delanie in the process—and he’s regretted it ever since. Now as CEO and partner in Kingman Partners International, he needs to finalize buying a retreat property, but there’s one major hold up: Delanie is the contract negotiator for the owner, and she doesn’t trust him.

Delanie and her father lost everything when Aiden’s father lied about his intentions for buying her family’s mountain retreat. She swore that she would never have anything to do with Aiden Kingman again. But now she’s facing him across the negotiating table, and sparks that had previously been stamped out reignite between them. When tragedy places the deal on the line, will they put their history behind them? Or will the deal cost them both their second chance at love?

Nina Crespo, author of the charming and sexy Forget You, is back with a sizzling romance that will have you believing in second chances, forgiveness, and learning to love despite the past.


TIGHT QUARTERS by Annabeth Albert

Petty Officer Bacon, a navy SEAL and ace sharpshooter, has been on the front lines of more than his fair share of dangerous ops. Yet when a minor injury relegates him to the beta team, he’s tasked with what may be his riskiest assignment yet: the silver fox journalist he’s babysitting is the hottest, most charismatic man he’s ever encountered.

Award-winning journalist Spencer Bryant may have been named one of Pride magazine’s most eligible bachelors of the year, but he’s not looking to change his relationship status. He’s a consummate professional who won’t risk his ethics or impeccable reputation by getting involved with a source. Even a sexy-as-hell military man. But while Spencer can resist his physical attraction to Bacon, he has less control over his emotions—especially when the mission goes sideways and the two men are trapped alone.

Getting out of the jungle alive turns out to be easy compared to facing the truth about their feelings for one another back in the real world. And whether or not they can build a future is a different story altogether.

This book is approximately 82,000 words


SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY by Naima Simone 

After a divorce from her cheating football player ex, PR whiz Kim Matlock would rather drive a pine tree through her walled-off heart than work at the Seattle Wedding Expo.

And the last thing she expects is to be grabbed and kissed breathless by a hot giant of a man looking to fend off a stalker.

She doesn’t want emotional entanglements, but she can’t say no to one scorching night with the sexy stranger.

To her shock, she finds out afterward that a) he’s a pro football player, aka her kryptonite, and b) she’s pregnant.

But nothing could have prepared her for his response…

Each book in the WAGS series is STANDALONE:
* Scoring with the Wrong Twin
* Scoring Off the Field
* Scoring the Player’s Baby


MADDOX by Melanie Moreland

Brought up in chaos and fear, Maddox requires order and control to cope with life.

He has his career and two closest friends. That is all he needs.

Until Dee enters his life.

She brings forth feelings he has denied himself his entire life—and threatens his control.

He wants to hold.

Keep.

Love.

Live.

Damaged by her past, Dee cannot admit her feelings for him, fighting him at every turn.
Is he strong enough to show her—to prove love is worth the risk for both of them?


PRIVATE PRICK by Ember Cole

I was only supposed to be a distraction…

When I get the call that a tenant is trapped in the building’s decrepit elevator, I climb down the shaft, drop in through the ceiling…and come face to face with Bekka Zoler, the sexy little redhead who’s starred in more than one of my fantasies.

And she’s pissed.

Turns out her dickwad of a boyfriend failed to mention he had a fiancée, and now she’s feeling all sorts of vulnerable…and claustrophobic. I have to do something to distract her while we wait for the repairman to get her out of this metal box.

So I kiss her.

It’s either the best or worst idea I’ve ever had, because next thing I know, I have her pinned to the wall and I’m doing wicked things to her body.

Bekka’s not even remotely ready for a relationship, and I can’t blame her. Problem is, the chemistry is insane between us, and I know she feels it, too.

It’s time to convince the gorgeous spitfire that I’m the man for her, and this thing between us willlast longer than one night.

PRIVATE PRICK is a hot as hell standalone M/F romance with a very…dynamic, dirty-talking hero. As with all my books, there is no cheating, and a HEA is guaranteed!


RETURN ON INVESTMENT by Aleksandr Voinov

Martin David, an eager but inexperienced financial analyst, is the newest member of the investment team at Skeiron Capital Partners in London. His boss is an avowed financial genius, but he’s also overbearing and intense. Despite his erratic behaviour, Martin can’t help being drawn to him both professionally and personally.

Too bad his boss doesn’t seem to feel the same. In a firm where pedigree and connections mean far more than Martin’s newly-minted business degree, Martin feels desperately inadequate—at least until he meets the enigmatic investment manager Alec Berger, who promises to help Martin establish himself in the financial community. Martin is so charmed by Alec’s sophistication and wit that he gives him data that should have stayed confidential.

Then the financial crisis hits. Banks burn, companies teeter on the brink, and Skeiron’s survival is at stake. Martin is pushed into the middle of the fight for Skeiron—against both the tanking economy and a ruthless enemy who’s stepped out of the shadows to collect the spoils.

Return on Investment is the new gay financial thriller from EPIC Award winner and Lambda Award finalist Aleksandr Voinov.


RELEASING JULY 10


THE ACCIDENTALS by Sarina Bowen

A YA novel from USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen.

Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth.

I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my mp3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face.

My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong.

When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of – not at this cost.

Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul.

There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love.

My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.

“With intense, honest depictions of hope and rejection, The Accidentals will break your heart. Highly recommend.” – Miranda Kenneally, author of Catching Jordan


BROKEN EDGE by CD Reiss

You think you’d go far for love?

Think again.

———

She really knows how to push a man.

She finds the cracks and she goes right for them. She’ll travel across the world just to break me apart, piece by piece, until every last secret is exposed and every weakness revealed.

I swear to God, I love her so much I’ll let her do it.

I’ll let her do anything.

But when she hurts herself to protect me?

That’s a line in the sand.

——–

The Edge

Cutting Edge (free prequel)

Rough Edge

On the Edge

Broken Edge

Over the Edge


BUCKLED by Pam Godwin 

I protect what’s mine.
The ranch, my family, our buried secrets.

Nothing will stop me from reassembling the life that went terribly wrong.
Not the law.
Not our enemies.
Not even Maybe Quinn.

The gorgeous, quarrelsome journalist shouldn’t have meddled.
I shouldn’t have let her stay.
But she’s hiding something in those deceptive blue eyes.
Something deeper than her thirst for a news story.

I make a deal with her to buy time.
To unravel her lies. To play with her. To satisfy my darker appetites.
When she buckles beneath my belt, I’ll send her away.
Unless I buckle first.

TRAILS OF SIN series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Knotted #1 – Jake and Conor
Buckled #2 – Jarret and Maybe
Booted #3 – Lorne and Raina


FREED by Carly Phillips

Juliette Collins is privileged and isolated from the world by her over-protective father. She thinks she knows the truth about her history until a file in her father’s safe reveals she has sisters she never knew about. A family she’s never met. Betrayed, she realizes there’s a life waiting for her outside the walls of her daddy’s New York City penthouse and Juliet is determined to live it. Against her father’s wishes, she heads to a small beach community to meet her siblings… and finds herself way out of her depth instead.

In the personal protection business, Braden Clark thinks nothing of taking on a job to watch over a city girl in town for the summer. If her father wants to know his daughter is safe, it’s no problem and an easy way of earning a paycheck. Except Braden doesn’t count on falling for the sheltered Juliette. Watching her experience her firsts, getting an apartment, finding a job, meeting up with her lost sisters, soon Braden’s brand of protection becomes a little too personal. He’s mixing business with pleasure and lying to a woman he’s coming to care deeply about.

Sexual attraction burns bright between them and Braden is by her side as she finds herself, her family, and what it means to love… but what happens when she discovers his secret? That he’s been paid to watch over her all along?

A Standalone Novel


HEART OF GLASS by Nicole Jacquelyn

The next standalone novel from Nicole Jacquelyn about love, friendship, and forgiveness.
 
Henry Harris was living his dream as a staff sergeant in the Marines. When he’s killed in action, his devastated family is in for one more shock: he had a daughter they never knew about.
Morgan Riley has been raising Etta on her own, and that’s always been fine by her – until Henry’s brother Trevor arrives on her doorstep, willing to do anything to help and make up for his brother’s mistakes. Their attraction feels wrong, but Morgan can’t seem to turn him away.
Trevor is suddenly in too deep. He has always wanted a family, but Etta and Morgan come with complications. Yet as Etta brings them closer together, Trevor begins to imagine giving Morgan and Etta the life his brother never could. But he wonders if Morgan will ever learn to trust another man with her heart, especially a man whose last name is Harris.

I THINK I LOVE YOU by Lauren Layne

A game of seduction between two best friends goes deliciously wrong in an irresistible Oxford Novel that brims with wit and sexual tension. Library Journal hails Layne’s work as exemplary contemporary romance.”

Brit Robbins knows that dating in New York City is hard—she just hoped to have it mastered by age thirty. But after yet another promising suitor says they have no sparks, Brit decides it’s time to torch her dating game and try a new plan. And who better to coach Brit through the art of seduction than the guy who first gave her the “let’s be friends” card?

Hunter Cross has always figured there’s nothing his best friend Brit can do to surprise him. But Brit’s request is a surprise he doesn’t see coming—and one he’s definitely not prepared for. Hunter and Brit have always been careful to keep things perfectly platonic, but the fake dates and faux flirting are starting to feel like the real deal. And soon Hunter realizes he has taught Brit too well. Not only has she become an expert at seduction, the man becoming thoroughly seduced is him.


KISSING JENNA by Kristen Proby
From New York Times Bestselling Author Kristen Proby comes the newest installment in her beloved Big Sky Series…

Jenna Hull owns and manages vacation rentals in her hometown of Cunningham Falls, Montana. She’s just completed the construction of her most exhausting project, the one she’s put her heart and soul into. The inviting, opulent Snow Wolf Cottages are the first ski in/ski out tree houses in the world.
Her biggest dream is about to come true, and she can’t let anything distract her.

Christian Wolfe is Hollywood’s it actor. If the magazines are to be believed, he’s the sexiest man on earth. He’s preparing for the biggest movie role of his life, and his agent has booked him in a hot new ski lodge in Montana, tucked away from crazy fans. He can’t wait for the break.

But what Christian isn’t prepared for is Jenna. With a face that could easily co-star with him in a movie and her ambition to put her stamp on Cunningham Falls, he can’t stay away. But even more intriguing than her beauty is the fact that she’s not at all impressed with his celebrity status, only turned on by the man behind the fame.

The love they’ve found is perfect—but time is running out before real life intrudes. Can they survive with both their dreams—and hearts—intact?


WHEN WE FOUND HOME by Susan Mallery
#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery masterfully explores the definition of a modern family—blended by surprise, not by choice—and how those complicated relationships can add unexpected richness to life.

“Heartwarming…this book is sweet and will appeal to readers who enjoy the intricacies of family drama.”—Publishers Weekly

Life is meant to be savored, but that’s not easy with no family, limited prospects and a past you’d rather not talk about.

Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister—Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise twelve-year-old. Despite her trepidation, she moves into the grand family home with her siblings and grandfather on the shores of Lake Washington, hoping just maybe this will be the start of a whole new life.

But starting over can be messy. Callie and Keira fit in with each other, but not with their posh new lifestyle, leaving Malcolm feeling like the odd man out in his own home. Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love. But love isn’t Malcolm’s strong suit…until he learns that an open heart, like the family table, can always make room for more.


CHARMED AT FIRST SIGHT by Sharla Lovelace
A hot mess runaway bride and a smokin’ hot biker lock eyes at a red light. Lord have mercy . . . is our little town of Charmed, Texas ready for this?

Never one to do things by the book, Micah Roman couldn’t just chalk it up to bridal jitters, or even quietly call off her wedding to her long-time fiancé. No, she has to high-tail it out of the church sporting a dress that cost more than her car, and jump on the back of a smoking-hot stranger’s motorcycle. Her knight in all-black is headed to a town called Charmed, so that’s where she’ll go and try to lay low. Except their appearance raises plenty of eyebrows . . . and a sudden, intense attraction she has no business exploring.

Who knew picking up a damsel in distress would lead to lust at first sight? Leo McKane headed to Charmed prepared to deal with some family secrets–including his status as long-lost brother. This runaway bride is an unexpected distraction his set agenda and loner lifestyle doesn’t include. She’s everywhere he turns, getting under his skin with her quirky, headstrong ways and eyes he can’t forget. But when Micah’s jilted ex comes looking for her and opens up his shady past, Leo knows he has a choice to make.

They both do.

Run to safer ground again? Or take a leap that their untrusting hearts are wary to take.


DARLING DUKE by Scarlett Scott

An untamable hellion
Lady Boadicea Harrington is a scandal waiting to happen. She’s too outspoken, too opinionated, and far too much of a flirt to ever land a good match.
But that doesn’t concern her. The last of her sisters on the marriage mart, she isn’t about to settle down. In fact, she doesn’t plan to marry at all. If only she could tone down her wild streak and force herself to behave…

A rigidly proper man
The Duke of Bainbridge is one of the most powerful men in England, so frigid that it’s rumored his own wife committed suicide to escape him.
When Spencer learns his madcap younger brother is pursuing the unsuitable Lady Boadicea, he’s determined to put an end to their ill-advised flirtation. But his best intentions go awry when he discovers his own baffling inability to resist her.

Ice meets fire
Spencer never meant to so thoroughly compromise her that he’s duty-bound to wed her. Bo certainly never intended to enjoy being in his arms or to find him so wickedly tempting.
Can her passionate fire prove enough to melt his icy heart, or are they forever doomed to a cold marriage of convenience?


MURDER GIRL by Lisa Renee Jones
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones returns with the second book in her electrifying series featuring Lilah Love, an FBI profiler who doesn’t fight her dark side—she embraces it.

It’s Lilah Love’s job to inhabit a killer’s mind. The unapologetically tough FBI profiler is very comfortable there. But her latest case is making her head spin. It’s a string of brutal assassinations carried out across the country, each tied to a mysterious tattoo. Body by body, she’s followed the clues all the way back to her hometown. And every step of the way, the killer has been following her.

Here, beneath the glamour of the privileged Hamptons community, is a secret long buried but never forgotten. It’s bigger than Lilah. It’s powerful enough to escape the reach of the FBI. And it’s more personal than anyone can imagine. Because it’s hiding in Lilah’s own past. To fight it, she’s forced to turn to her lethally tempting ex, Kane Mendez. He’s an expert at bringing out Lilah’s darkest impulses. If she plans to survive, she’s going to need them.


WALK THE LINE by J. Kenner
Elena is too young for me, not to mention she’s my boss’s daughter and my babysitter.

That’s beyond complicated. And I’m not even looking for a relationship—but I can’t deny the attraction that sizzles between us.

I need to ignore it. A single dad, all I want is to take care of my little girl, do my job, and enjoy my friends. Anything more is asking for complications I can’t afford. Asking to be hurt again.

Trouble is, I want her, too. And when our flirty sparks turn to flames, I give in to temptation. Our secret fling is scorching hot, better than I’d even imagined.

But secrets get out, and I could lose my job and my reputation.

And I’m starting to realize she’s the one thing I’m not willing to lose.

Each novel in the series is a STANDALONE romance with a guaranteed HEA!

And don’t miss Bar Bites: A Man of the Month cookbook featuring recipes, slices of life, and an all new short story!


Once beloved by London’s fashionable elite, Hartley Sedgwick has become a recluse after a spate of salacious gossip exposed his most-private secrets.

Rarely venturing from the house whose inheritance is a daily reminder of his downfall, he’s captivated by the exceedingly handsome man who seeks to rob him.

Since retiring from the boxing ring, Sam Fox has made his pub, The Bell, into a haven for those in his Free Black community.

But when his best friend Kate implores him to find and destroy a scandalously revealing painting of her, he agrees.

Sam would do anything to protect those he loves, even if it means stealing from a wealthy gentleman.

But when he encounters Hartley, he soon finds himself wanting to steal more than just a painting from the lovely, lonely man—he wants to steal his heart.


FREE FALL by Emmy Curtis 
From the author of the Alpha Ops series comes an action-packed, super sexy military romance.
 
A legend among black ops teams, Col. Duke Cameron can’t wait to get back in action again–no matter how high the risk. Two of the world’s best military pilots are missing after a midair collision, and he’s made it his job to find out why.
U.S. Air Force veteran Casey Jacobs loves working for a cutting-edge, high-tech company – until she suspects their newest design might have caused a horrible plane crash. But after a few “accidents,” it’s clear no one wants her asking too many questions. The only person she trusts to help her is Duke, the sexy secret crush from her flying days who still turns her on like no one ever has.
But someone is watching their every move, making sure they don’t uncover the truth. And when the danger turns physical, it’s not just their love that’s on the line. It’s their lives.

AWAKEN THE DARKNESS by Dianne Duvall

Return to the “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews), “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly) world of New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall’s Immortal Guardians.

He awakens encapsulated in dirt with no knowledge of how he came to be there. Riddled with injuries, he can remember neither his past nor who he is. Nor can he remember what he is. But surely no mortal man could survive being buried deep beneath the earth. All he knows with certainty is that the soothing voice and presence of the woman moving around above enables him to endure the agony of his wounds. And he will do whatever it takes to be with her.

When Susan first sees the old two-story house for sale, such warmth and longing fill her that—against all reason—she makes an offer. It will take years of hard work and money she frankly doesn’t have to fix up the place. So she can’t explain why she bought it. She also can’t explain what compels her to spend hours one night, digging in the basement until she unearths a man. A man who still lives and breathes despite having been buried alive. A man whose intense brown eyes glow amber with pain, declaring him far more than ordinary. Susan knows she should keep her distance. He has no memory and possesses gifts that would make most fear him. But as the two work together to unravel the mystery of his past, she finds herself drawn in by his teasing nature and tender touch. So much so that she loses her heart to him even as they find themselves hunted by unknown enemies who are ruthless in their quest to capture them.


BROKEN LOVE STORY by Natasha Madison
When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.

Samantha

I had the perfect life; a husband who loved me, and two kids who were my world.
Until someone else answered his phone and my perfect life shattered.
When he died, I was left with answers he couldn’t give me and a box full of lies.
He left me broken.

Blake
I fell in love when I was fifteen, knowing she was the one.
For five years, she was my everything—my every breath, every heartbeat, every thought.
She made me promise to move on, promise to find love again, but I broke those promises because I can’t move on.

Two broken souls brought together by tragedy and heartbreak.
Can a broken love story be fixed?


THE REAL DEAL by Lauren Blakely 

Get ready for your next favorite romantic comedy, THE REAL DEAL!

April Hamilton wants you to know she hasn’t been on GigsForHire since that time she sold her futon after college. She doesn’t even spend that much time online. And even if she did, she would not be looking up personal ads. But going home alone for her family’s summer reunion is an invitation for every single relative to butt into her personal life. She simply can’t handle another blind date with the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker from her hometown. So when she finds the GigsforHire ad for a boyfriend-for-hire, she’s ready to pay to play.

Heading Home and Need a Buffer? I’m the REAL DEAL.

Theo Banks has been running from the past for years. He’s this close to finally settling all his debts, and one more job as a boyfriend-for-hire will do the trick. He’s no gigolo. Please. He’s something of an actor, and he knows how to slip into any role, including pretending to be April’s new beau — the bad boy with the heart of gold.

Even if it means sleeping in close quarters in that tiny little bed in her parents’ inn. Even if it means spinning tales of a romance that starts to feel all too true. What neither one of them counts on is that amid the egg toss, the arm wrestling, and a fierce game of Lawn Twister that has them tangled up together, they might be feeling the real deal.

She only wanted to show her family once and for all that she had no need to settle down.

He didn’t expect to have the time of his life at her parent’s home.

They didn’t plan on loving every single second of the game.

But can a masterful game of pretend result in true love?


MODEL BOYFRIEND by Stuart Reardon & Jane Harvey-Berrick

A powerful contemporary romance set in the fast-moving world of international modelling.

“What’s it like dating one of the most beautiful men in the world? A man whose face is on every magazine and ad campaign?

Not as much fun as it sounds, as Anna Scott is about to find out.

Retired from rugby at the age of 33, injured and bored, Nick is given the chance to enter the high stakes world of fashion photography as a model.

But behind the glittering façade lies an ugly reality: drugs, alcohol, all the deadly sins, and people willing to sleep their way to the top.

It’s a tough life and tougher on relationships.

Nick needs to learn to navigate the treacherous path quickly or risk losing it all—including the woman who has become his reason for living.

In this glamorous world, there is no room for error. Being a MODEL BOYFRIEND has never been harder.

Can nice guy Nick find his way through, or will he be tempted to risk it all? Because the one thing he despises is failure.

He’s a lot more than a pretty face.”

This story continues where UNDEFEATED left off, although it can also be read as a stand-alone story in its own right.


KNUCKLE DOWN by Chantal Fernando
A single father struggles to change for his daughters and the woman he loves in this second book in the Cursed Ravens Motorcycle Club series from New York Times bestselling author Chantal Fernando.

As a single father of two girls and the sergeant at arms for the Cursed Ravens Motorcycle Club, Jack “Knuckles” Chester doesn’t have much free time. And having earned his road name from his reputation as a fighter, Knuckles isn’t one to back away from a challenge.

But what he’ll never admit out loud is that his two daughters have changed him irrevocably, softened him even. And these two girls are the only women who will ever hold his heart forever. That is, until he meets Celina.

Celina is nothing like the women Knuckles used to date. She’s a journalist for the local newspaper, and basically just has her life together. And the last thing she wants is to be involved with a Cursed Raven. But when the ripped, badass biker worms his way into her heart, she has trouble remembering all the reasons they would never work.

But when a shocking story is published her newspaper, it breaks the thin trust she has with Knuckles. Will she lose him forever? Or will Knuckles fight to keep Celina in his life?

When my manager assigns me the task of finding a new wake up call service for our CEO, I think, how hard can this be?

Answer: practically impossible. It turns out that no wake-up call company in the world will take him on as a client. They’ve all had enough of his surly personality.

So in an effort not to lose my job, I secretly start making the calls myself, every day at 4:30 am sharp. OMG yes you read that right–four freaking thirty in the morning.

Confession: I’m not the nicest wake-up-call girl at that hour. Hello! Who wakes up before the roosters are even crowing? Luckily he doesn’t seem to mind my get-your-ass-out-of-bed attitude.

Day by day we’re becoming closer, and the calls start turning hot, like pay-by-the-minute hot and oh-so-wild. Snuggled under the covers with the moonlight streaming in the windows, we divulge our secrets to each other, but the one thing that he can never find out is that the sexy vixen who wakes him up every morning is just the lowly assistant who wears frumpy dresses. I can only imagine his disappointment.

Now he wants to take me out on a date and he’s scouring Manhattan to find me. He’s an overachieving billionaire bent on a mission. How much longer can I keep up this charade?

***A romantic comedy standalone by NYT bestselling author Annika Martin!***


RELEASING JULY 12


BREAKING MR. CANE by Shanora Williams

The gripping, steamy follow up to the bestselling forbidden romance, Wanting Mr. Cane…

KANDY
I was left broken, my heart beating a little bit harder in order to survive. I’d tried picking up the pieces, but when it came to Cane, it was hard to let go.
The way we touched was special and we promised to never forget one another. I had him right in the palm of my hand—thought everything was perfect—but in the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving me with no choice but to pretend that what we had never existed.

CANE
She was off-limits to me, but I pushed the boundaries anyway. Now, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, my career slowly but surely slipping out of my grasp, and ghosts from my past returning to make things much more complicated.
My love life had never meant so much to me until I met Kandy.
After being knocked down and left stranded, any sane man would have stayed far away, but I wasn’t sane—not by a long shot.
I knew reality was harsh, and the universe had all the odds stacked against us. Despite it all, nothing was going stop me from making her mine again.
And if someone tried, they were going to have to go over my dead body first.


BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE by Claire Contreras (Buy link TBA)

When you grow up in the most feared mafia family, it’s easy to identify the kind of men that are bad news.

They’re the ones with experience.
The ones with secrets.
The ones that exude sex just by saying your name.

From the minute I laid eyes on Lorenzo, I knew he wasn’t just bad news.
He was the headline.

My opinion didn’t change on our second meeting.

Or our third.

But my head and my heart are at war.

He’s too mysterious, too gorgeous, too wild, and now, he wants me.
I should run far away.
So why am I racing toward him?
I’m totally going to get burned.
I know it.
A man like Lorenzo won’t leave me unscathed.
He’ll make ashes of me.

*****


 

Excerpt & Review: The Darkest Warrior by Gena Showalter @HarlequinBooks @InkSlingerPR

 

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST WARRIOR, a searing Lords of the Underworld tale featuring a beastly prince and the wife he will wage war to keep.


THE DARKEST WARRIOR
Series: Lords of the Underworld #14
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 26, 2018

He is ice…

Puck the Undefeated, host of the demon of Indifference, cannot experience emotion without punishment, so he allows himself to feel nothing. Until her. According to ancient prophecy, she is the key to avenging his past, saving his realm and ruling as king. All he must do? Steal her from the man she loves—and marry her.

She is fire…

Gillian Shaw has suffered many tragedies in her too-short life, but nothing could have prepared the fragile human for her transition into immortality. To survive, she must wed a horned monster who both intrigues and frightens her…and become the warrior queen she was born to be.

Together they burn.

As a rising sense of possession and obsession overtake Puck, so does insatiable lust. The more he learns about his clever, resourceful wife, the more he craves her. And the more time Gillian spends with her protective husband, the more she aches for him. But the prophecy also predicts an unhappily-ever-after. Can Puck defeat fate itself to keep the woman who brought his deadened heart back to life? Or will they succumb to destiny, losing each other…and everything they’ve been fighting for?

Grab your copy of THE DARKEST WARRIOR here!

Amazon | Kindle | Nook | B-A-M | Kobo | Book Depository | Audio

Puck eased into the room, silent, and padded forward. Wait. Had he remembered to dress today? A quick glance down revealed his sheepskin pants had been torn so much they resembled a loincloth. No matter. Barbarian chic really made his horns pop and fit the whole romance-novel-hero mystique he’d hoped to convey. He might even pass for Prince Charming—well, a prince in need of true love’s kiss.

Puck’s pulse points spun into a wild rhythm when he reached the side of the bed and spied his future bride. He wasn’t the only fairy-tale character in the room. Sleeping beauty lies before me.

Dark ribbons of hair spilled over the pale pink of the pillow. Her eyes were closed, long black lashes throwing shadows over her cheeks. A rosy flush spread over her delicate features as she parted her lips.

Practically begging for my kiss.

Focus! Keep this short and sweet. No telling when William would return.

“Gillian,” he rasped, surprised by the husky tone of his voice.

A sweet fragrance wafted from her. Breathing in, he detected a note of poppiberries, and his head fogged. His blood heated. The butterfly tattoo sizzled on his torso, surely melting his skin.

Indifference snarled with more force and slashed at his mind. Trouble brewed.

Fortify ice. Regain control.

Gillian turned her head toward him and blinked rapidly before focusing on him. Panic filled her whiskey-colored eyes before she looked away—anywhere but Puck. Her mouth opened wide, as if she was trying to scream. Only a squeak escaped.

“There’ll be none of that now.” To prove himself harmless, he tucked the covers around her, as he’d seen William do. “I’m not here to hurt you.” Truth.

The movement caused the razors woven into his hair to clink together, drawing her attention. Her gaze darted to him and darkened with shock and dismay. He swallowed a curse. Romance novel heroes didn’t usually smuggle weapons in their hair.

Must proceed anyway. Puck wouldn’t part with his razors; they were his saving grace. Anytime he was challenged, and had no sword or dagger, he plucked a razor free and started slashing.

Tears rained down Gillian’s cheeks, and her chin trembled. So vulnerable. So broken. A pang of…something lanced his chest.

As gently as possible, he wiped her tears away. Skin as soft as silk and hotter than the sun.

The action helped relax her, even as it hardened muscle after muscle inside him. Her panic began to fade—until her gaze snagged on the loincloth. Or rather, the erection underneath the loincloth. With a whimper, she began to thrash atop the bed in a desperate bid to escape.

Thought he would take what she had not offered? Never. “Eyes up here, lass.”

Her gaze lifted up, up…she gasped, as if she’d noticed his face for the very first time. Confusion contorted her features before a deeper shade of rose spilled over her cheeks.

Did she like what she saw?

He hadn’t known it at the time, but he’d waited for her, had craved her. Only her. A woman strong enough to feel when he could not. A woman unwilling to let him shut down his own emotions, who knew the rarity of joy, who would settle for nothing less.

Before I get into my review, let’s address the pink elephant in the room, shall we? The pairing for Gillian in this book has been a polarizing one, to say the least. Many readers, myself included, were waiting for a Gillian and William book…finally…after so many books in this series that has been hinting at it. When I read the blurb for Darkest Warrior, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I mean, Gillian and Puck? What about all the relationship development that happened throughout the series that led us to believe it will be Gillian and William’s HEA. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but I decided to put my trust into Gena and reserve my ultimate judgement until I read the book. And after finishing? I’m one hundred percent #TeamPuck. Because when I thought about it, throughout the series that are hints of why William wasn’t the perfect match for her and after seeing her with Puck, I totally get why he’s a much better match for her.

Three things happened for me in this book:
1. I ended up loving Gillian even more
2. I’m completely re-hooked on this series
3. I fell head over hooves for Puck

Deep down, he had a secret, shameful desire to keep a woman all to himself, to learn every little detail about her past, all her hopes and dreams. He dreamed of spending weeks, months, years pampering her and her alone, branding himself in and on her. Being branded by her. He yearned to have a “mine.” Maybe one day he could.

I’ll admit, I struggled with the first 15% of the story. There’s a lot of inner monologue that happens and I found my interest waning in and out. Some of it may have been my own bias against anyone other than William taking up Gillian’s attention. But then somewhere around the 20% mark, something happened. Something just clicked for me and I began to fall more and more for Puck. The lethal warrior set on a quest to take back his kingdom and the host of the demon of Indifference. Let me tell you, it’s no small feat to pull off a connection like the one between Gilly and Puck with Indifference as your demon. But not only did that happen, but the chemistry between them was through the roof hot.

He kissed her as if his survival depended on it, demanding total surrender. Surrender she happily ceded.

Gillian has always been the wounded bird of the group. With her tender age and scars from her childhood, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about her as a heroine, especially compared to the typical Showalter sassy heroines. I’m happy to report that the development that happened with Gilly in this story turned her into one heck of a badass. And it felt so right. I loved and I mean loved the direction that the author took with her and I couldn’t get enough of it.

The chemistry between Gillian and Puck is instant and potent. As you read the development of their relationship, something clicks, and you just get it. You understand why Gilly couldn’t have ended up with William and why Puck is such a better match for her. Was it disappointing? Maybe in the beginning. But by the time I was finished, I totally got it, and I was wholeheartedly behind it.

He had an entire solar system in those irises, and she felt like she was the sun.

There’s a lot of story that happens here. Plenty of loose ends that get tied up and plenty of development that leave you with even more questions. A lot of the things that happened in the previous books all led to the events in this one. There’s plenty of Hades, Keely, and William developments that take place here that only serve to whet your appetite for more. And this reader couldn’t get enough of it.

The Darkest Warrior was a deliciously addicting read full of action, plot twits, and a sizzling romance. I loved every page of it. Fourteen books into this series and I’m still hooked and can’t wait for more. If you’re wondering about what happens to William, there’s a heck of a hook that we get in the development of his story by the end of this one. And I for one cannot wait to see how it all unfolds. As for this book, I’m completely satisfied with how everything resolved. While I wasn’t 100% behind this pairing at first, I simply can’t imagine Gillian with anyone other than Puck after I was done. So if you’re anything like me and find yourself unsure how you feel, I say take a chance and you just may end up loving it as much as I did!

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Review: Devoted To Pleasure by Shayla Black

DEVOTED TO PLEASURE
Series: Devoted Lovers #1
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Suspense
Author: Shayla Black
Release Date: July 3, 2018

The first in an all-new sexy contemporary romance series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shayla Black.

BOUND BY DUTY…

Bodyguard and former military man Cutter Bryant has always done his duty–no matter the cost. Now he’s taking one last high-octane assignment before settling down in a new role that means sacrificing his chance at love. But he never expects to share an irresistible chemistry with his beautiful new client.

…TEMPTED BY PLEASURE

As the star of a steamy television drama, Shealyn West knows fame well, but it has come at the expense of her heart. With a blackmailer watching her every move and the threat of career-ending exposure looming, Shealyn hires Cutter to shore up her security and keep her safe, never imagining their attraction will be too powerful to contain.

As Shealyn and Cutter navigate the scintillating line between business and pleasure, they unravel a web of secrets that threaten their relationship and their lives. When danger strikes, Cutter must decide whether to follow his heart for the first time, or risk losing Shealyn forever.

AMAZON

Drowning in her would be a singular pleasure that would be worth whatever the price—even his heart.

A dangerous secret, a deadly blackmailer, a bodyguard that’s as dangerous to the heart as he is lethal, and a romance that’s packed full of feels and sizzle all wrap seamlessly together in this brand new series from Shayla Black. If you’ve read her Wicked Lovers series, you’ll definitely recognize quite a few characters in this one, and I’m thrilled to have this series carry them over. I’ve been curious about Cutter’s story ever since Holding on Tighter, and it didn’t disappoint.

When his best friend is in trouble, Cutter is about to give up his chance at true love by helping her. But before he settles into his new role, he takes on one more assignment; famous actress Shealyn. Shealyn stands to lose the career she’s put everything into at the hands of a blackmailer that knows a secret she’d do everything to keep out of the public eye. The plan is simple; hire a bodyguard to protect her, give the blackmailer the money they demand, and move on with her life. Unfortunately nothing ever goes as planned, and what should have been a simple money drop, turns into a deadly and dangerous game with her life on the line.

Cutter has given his word to his best friend and he’s settled into what’s to be his life. The last thing he expects when he’s given up any thoughts of true love is the instantaneous connection with his gorgeous new client.

The chemistry between Cutter and Shealyn was instant and scorching. Both of them fight the inevitable, but they can only ignore what’s burning between them for so long before letting the flames consume them.

I’m going to savor you,” he told her. “I’m going to learn your body. I’m going to spend all night wringing one orgasm after another from you until you’re limp and wearing the sort of smile tomorrow that makes everyone wonder what you’ve been doing.”

Cutter was a delicious mix of protective and demanding. He has a hidden soft side to him beneath all the hard edges. I adored his devotion to his best friend, and my heart pitter pattered with his treatment of Shealyn. They may be hiding secrets from each other, but their connection was still full of depth and emotion that I couldn’t get enough of.

He’d fallen in love with the one woman he couldn’t have beyond this assignment and didn’t deserve forever.

Shealyn was a great heroine. She was an endearing combination of strength and vulnerability and I loved the way that Cutter balanced it all.

There’s characters that carry over from Shayla’s Wicked series along with plenty of new faces that are introduced. Though non are as enigmatic and One-Mile, whose story I’m practically salivating for.

Devoted To Pleasure was an action packed and sizzling read that brought the swoons and the sizzle I’ve come to expect from Shayla Black. It was deliciously satisfying with twists and turns that kept me at the edge of my seat and eagerly turning the pages. I can’t wait for more in this series and already crossing my fingers that Black will put me out of my misery and have it be One-Mile’s.

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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