Review: Loving The Liar by Lola King

September 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LOVING THE LIAR
Series: Silver Falls University #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Lola King
Release Date: September 12, 2024

An angsty, secret society, dark romance from best-selling author, Lola King

He lost her once. Now he will do anything to have her back. Anything.

Welcome to Silver Falls University, where the elite comes to thrive.

My life as a queen bee was always traced for me. I’m rich, I come from an influential family, and I constructed my personality to become the girl everyone wants to be. I rule Silver Falls University with bright smiles and the pretense of being everyone’s friend.

But in a place where toxic rich kids love to see others fall, no one is safe.
Especially when my family loses its power and someone threatens to spill all my secrets.
In the blink of an eye, my life as I knew it crumbles, and to save the people I love, I’m forced to initiate into the one place I thought I’d never be—the same Secret Society who betrayed my family.

Powerless, I’m thrown into a world of men who want nothing but to use and break me, and only one person can save me.

My ex.

He wants to take care of me even though I hate him.
He wants to protect me when he’s not allowed.
And he wants to make me his even if it puts us both at risk.

I have no hope of surviving a secret society.

But if Christopher Murray makes me his…I have no hope of surviving him.

Loving The Liar is a dark romance intended for readers over 18. Please, read the CW in the book.
This is the first book in a series of 3 interconnected standalones.

AMAZON 

God, I hate that man so much it feels a lot like love.

Well now. This book? Finger licking good. And this series? Simply delicious. Because no one, and I mean no one, writes an unhinged morally gray MMC better than Lola King. Fight me on this.

Ella,” he rasps. His gaze bounces between my eyes, and his eyebrows pinch. “I’m so sorry for the things I will do to get you back.”

As someone who has read and thoroughly enjoyed Lola’s North Shore series, I’m so happy to now get this spinoff. The North Shore series focused on the have nots on the wrong side of the tracks and this series gives us the haves and the rich and entitled side. If you’ve read Heartless Beloved, then you’ll remember Alex’s best friend, Ella, the FMC of this book. But nothing prepares you for the unhinged possessiveness that is her ex boyfriend, Chris.

Chris hides his depravity down deep, made it his. His brand of evil. Nothing can compete with that.

Now if you know me or follow my reviews, you know how much I love me an unhinged MMC. But Chris? The man is playing chess while those other morally gray men are playing checkers. Because he is a whole other universe of unhinged and positive with a splash of daddy kink. Yep. You read that right.

Ella and Chris broke up years ago, but neither seems to have moved on. Ella can’t seem to get over Chris and Chris? Well he simply refuses to let her go, even though he’s with someone else.

You will go to bed one night, and it will be me you sleep next to. You will wake up, and it’ll be my cock deep inside you. You will live, because I’m the one who allows oxygen into your lungs.” He shifts, grazing my lips with his, and I don’t dare move an inch. I’m incapable of taking a step back. “And my hand will be so far inside your chest, your heart won’t beat without feeling my grip around it.”

Now if you’re already clutching your pearls and thinking there’s cheating, calm your tatas. There is no cheating here but you’ll have to read to find out why I say that because I will not spoil the details for you. But just trust me when I tell you, you will be fully fine with Chris chasing Ella. But if you’re expecting a possessive anti hero with morals, well probably skip this book. Because Chris is one brain f*ck away from being full villain and a manipulation and gaslighting genius. The lengths he goes to in order to get Ella back is….questionable at best and criminal at worst. But I digress.

And did I happen to mention that Chris is also Ella’s older brother’s best friend? Yep. Now there is so much delicious plot packed into this novel; think dark academia and secret society vibes. So when combined with their unhinged romance, it’s simply unputdownable. And if you’ve read the North Shore series than you will absolutely love the cameos here. For reference, Chris is the best friend of Rose from A Game of Hearts.

And if you haven’t read any of those books, not to worry, you’ll definitely be able to enjoy this fully. But of course I highly recommend you read the North Shore simply because it’s that good and you’ll appreciate this series that much more.

Ella is tortured heroine in her own right. This girl does not have it easy, even when she lives in the affluent town and is the most popular girl in her school. She hides some dark demons. But she’s no pushover and even though she’s the fly caught in Chris’s master web, she’s no pushover either and the girl definitely has a spine of steel.

This story was f*cked up in ways that only Lola King can write and I devoured every page. A huge rec for all my fellow dark romance lovers out there because WOWZA. I can’t wait for the rest of this series! 

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Review: Taking What’s Mine by Siobhan Davis

September 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

TAKING WHAT’S MINE
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: Siobhan Davis
Release Date: September 10, 2024

A brand-new interconnected stand-alone dark mafia romance from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Siobhan Davis.

The moment I lay eyes on Valentina Ferraro, I know I have to have her.

There’s just one teeny problem—her husband.

So, I do what any red-blooded, possessed made man would do and I proposition him.

Five million dollars for one weekend with his beautiful young wife.

He agrees, like I knew he would, because he needs the money and he wants his secrets kept hidden from Don D’Onofrio.

Valentina is livid, but I like my women stubborn and fiery and the more she resists, the more I crave her.

One taste of those lush lips is all it takes to seal my fate.

I’m not giving her back.

I don’t care about the existing bad blood between New York and Florida or how this will start a war.

Men have gone into battle for less.

Valentina is the first woman I have wanted to keep, and no other man is ever touching her again.

She is going nowhere, consequences be damned.

I am taking what’s mine.

This is a dark romance and some scenes may be triggering. A full content warning list is available on the author’s website.

AMAZON 

I am usually not an insta anything girly, but this book went and proved me wrong. Because it just hit the spot for me so right, despite some of the things that I would normally nitpick on.

Now for an avid dark romance and mafia reader, I will say that while this had some dark subject matter and undertones, it fell in the more gray category for me because a lot of the darker details are just referenced or take place off the pages. But also, considering the somewhat softer start of insta chemistry and lust, this definitely has darkness to it.

This was not my first book by the author, but it was my first in this world. However, I had no issues diving head first into the story and quickly wrapping my head around all the different side characters. Though I’m super intrigued and will definitely go back to read some of the secondary character couples referenced here.

This was Fiero’s story, and if you like unhinged, OTT possessive and jealous alpha males, this one is IT. The man lays his eyes on Valentina, and not even her husband will prevent him getting what he wants. Her. This man was determined to have her, so what’s a little blackmail along with millions of dollars to get what he wants? And Valentina’s fiery anger won’t determine him either.

Valentina is not exactly in a happy marriage. Her husband was an abusive POS who I was immediately rooting against. She’s a beautiful young woman whose life unfortunately took a dark turn when she caught the eye of the wrong man, and she’s still paying the price these years later. In an arranged marriage, the last thing she wants is to be sold to the handsome mafioso, even though she’s not ignorant to the instant chemistry between them.

Fiero will stop at nothing to get her and I loved the way he pursued her with a single minded intent. But I particularly loved the way he also fought for her. Now this book definitely takes a very dark turn the more you learn about Valentina, and my heart broke for everything she’s been through. But man oh man how I appreciated the way that the author ended it. I won’t go into details, but I love when a process can rescue herself and Valentina is a fierce survivor. I loved the way she also fought for herself.

This was a deliciously dirty and spicy read with plenty of sizzle to go along with the dark.

Siobhan Davis™ is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Top 5 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold over 2 million books, and her titles are translated into several languages.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She lives in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

Join the author’s mailing list to receive a free e-book plus tons of bonus content. Refer to the official author website.

Connect with Siobhan Davis:

https://linktr.ee/siobhandavisauthor 

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Review: Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

September 3, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WILD EYES
Series: Rose Hill #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Elsie Silver
Release Date: September, 2024

A rugged mountain town seemed like the perfect escape from a life in shambles. But on day one I ran full tilt into the world’s hottest single dad and now all my plans are ruined.

As a chart-topping country singer with a recent streak of bad press it’s hard to find any peace. But I find it in Rose Hill. With a little boy and a little girl who steal my heart just as thoroughly as their dad.

Weston Belmont.

The man is a shameless flirt. He oozes confidence and masculinity in a way that’s downright distracting. And in bed? He’s addictive.

Everything with him is wild and impulsive and I’m desperate to regain some control.

But no one has supported me like West does. And no one has ever made me feel as loved as he does either.

So, while my brain says settling down with a small-town horse trainer is impossible… my heart says I’m right where I belong.

Still, my life as a celebrity haunts me. It has the power to pull us apart.

I can see in his eyes that wants me to stay. And I want that too.

But I know better than anyone that we don’t always get what we want.

AMAZON 

Breathing is overrated. I’d rather be drowning in you.”

This series just continues to get better and better! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Elsie Silver books are my happy place. And this swoony romance is a perfect example why.

I’m done pretending that being your friend is enough.” I grip her thighs. “Now spread your legs.”

I just knew that I would be fully obsessed with West the second he was introduced as a secondary character and Rosie’s brother in Wild Love. But to say that I fell head over ovaries for him as a main character is a mild understatement. I fell so hard for this cinnamon role eternal bachelor and single dad with a heart of gold and a filthy mouth.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Skylar considering she’s introduced. I mean, it’s not every day a singing superstar stops in the middle of a road for a selfie with a grizzly. Suffice it to say that their meet cute was more than memorable.

That’s a goddamn grizzly bear. You need to get back in your car,” I hiss, hiking a thumb over my shoulder toward her car.
She shakes her head and continues glaring. “You know what I’m fucking sick of?”
“Is it living?” I bite out as instinct takes over and I step out of my truck.

But man oh man did this woman grow on me and fast. The more the layers were peeled back on Skylar, the more I loved her. But what I loved more was seeing the budding friendship between her and West that was amplified by their fiery chemistry.

Skylar is a music superstar who has never known life outside of fame. Desperate to bring together the shambles of her life, she makes the drive to Rose Hill, hoping that Ford Grant, the famous producer, will be the answer to what she needs. The last thing she expects is for her temporary room to be in the house of the handsome stranger who rescued her on the side of the road.

Weston Belmont. GOD. This man. The eternal town bachelor who doesn’t do serious but is the most amazing single father with a super healthy coparenting relationship stole my heart. He fights his attraction to Skylar with everything he’s worth. But man oh man did I love not only his inevitable fall but I also loved the budding relationship Skylar formed with his two adorable kids.

The chemistry as always was through the roof and I absolutely loved the slow burn. The personal growth of both of these characters was amazing, but there was something so completely satisfying about Skylar’s specifically. I loved watching her come into herself, outside of her Hollywood image. And I loved the way that West was a part of it without being the entire part of it.

I simply adore this series and already chomping at the bit for the next book. 

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Review: Torrid by Abbi Glines

August 27, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

TORRID
Series: Judgement #2
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 27, 2024

“My Mama D used to say that mistakes happen, and cryin’ a bucket of tears over them is silly. Because wisdom is built from a pile of mistakes.”

Liberty

Thing is, my Mama D never had a one-night stand with an older man who never told her his last name and left behind a souvenir that was gonna be life changing – but I had.

My life had started as a fairytale, then morphed into a nightmare by the time I was ten years old. From the moment I’d been kicked out at eighteen, I had found a way to survive. Anything was better than the home I’d left behind. At some point, everyone gets a break, right? You would think so, but fate keeps tossing things at me, trying to see how much I can take.
Looks like it won because I’m stuck right back where I started. Living in my sister’s house, who hates me, with the clock ticking until I’m homeless again.

Liam

It was time I settled down. Found a woman I could grow old with because, let’s face it, I was so close to fifty I could reach out and touch it. The daughter I hadn’t got to raise was now in my life. Grown, married, with two little boys. I wanted to be someone she could be proud of and respect. I recently started dating a doctor, she was gorgeous, smart, and independent. It all looked good when you checked off the list. My daughter couldn’t wait to meet her. I wished like hell I felt something for her. A spark, a pull, anything at this point would do.

Then, one night, when I’m leaving her bedroom, I see a familiar face looking back at me from the other end of the hallway. The sexy bartender I should have left alone six weeks ago and couldn’t get out of my head shouldn’t be here. But she is. Which means she’s the doctor’s spoiled, selfish brat of a younger sister. This was not going to end well.

AMAZON

… if we all had our kryptonite, then Liam Walsh was mine.

As a self proclaimed lover of fictional red flags, you best believe this book hit the spot for me. Now if you’ve read ANY Abbi Glines book than you know she has a formula. She writes toxic, possessive, red flags uber males and the females that they dickmatize. It’s her thing, ok? And I for one, happen to find it finger licking good. And don’t you judge me for it either. It’s a bookish kink of mine and I will never get enough. The more toxic they are, the better. But I digress.

If you’ve read Abbi’s Smoke series, than you may already know daddy Liam, the 47 year MC prez and Madeline’s father from Fireball. Liberty is a thirty one year old bartender that he meets one night and after instant chemistry, they spend one unforgettable night together. Believing himself too old for her for it to be anything serious, Liam leaves the next morning, but fate has other plans for these two.

Liberty is the definition of a fighter. This poor woman has been through hell after losing her beloved father and being left with a stepmother and half sister who hate her guts. With the odds all stacked against her, she’s a hard worker but can’t seem to catch a break at any turn.

In a desperate act, she calls her half sister for help, who begrudgingly agrees. Only to soon realize that the sexy biker who walked away from her, is dating her older half sister and now looks at her like the dirt under his shoe.

Now look, did I want to cock punch Liam for over half of this book? Yes, yes I did. He was stubborn, hot headed, hypocritical, and OTT jealous. Did I also secretly love him for these things? Also yes. Did I want to shake Liberty for giving in too easy to Liam whenever he lowered his zipper and tell her to get her dickmatized self together? Yes, yes I did. But did I also understand her? Also yes. It was a vicious circle of feelings I tell you.

Much like most Abbi books, I devoured this in one sitting. It was a toxic hot mess of a book and I couldn’t read it fast enough.

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Review: Heart of Frost and Scars by Pam Godwin

August 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HEART OF FROST AND SCARS
Series: Frozen Fate #3
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: August 26, 2024

I’m the silent ache, the shadow that lingers, the present from your past, the knife in your heart.

In the chilling finale of the Frozen Fate trilogy, Frankie enters a world far deadlier than the one she escaped.

A sinister threat lurks in the shadows, hunting her with a dark obsession as her savage protectors battle the rules of society.

Thrust into the civilized world, they spiral into violence and refuse to conform, their wild natures threatening to tear apart their bond.


Amid these struggles, her seductive billionaire husband fights to reclaim her love.


Caught between possessive men, a deadly stalker, and a legacy of pain, she must decide her fate.


Choose wrongly, and she’ll lose everything to a monster with a heart of frost and scars.

Tropes: Adult Romance, Age Gap, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Boy Obsessed, Close Proximity, Fish out of Water, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Heroine in Danger, Menage, MFM, One Bed, Poly (3+ people), Protector, Romantic Suspense, Scars, Stalker, Starting Over, Taboo, Touch Her And Die, Tragic Past, Troubled Marriage, Unrequited Love, Why Choose, Will They or Won’t They

AMAZON 

She was my only source of light in the hills of shivers and shadows.

You ever spend hours being lulled into a false sense of security only to be hit with a mother of all twists that sneaks up on you with the impact of a two by four when ? Yeah, that was me reading this book. And the funny thing is I should have known better. Having read Pam’s entire backlist, I should know how that devious mind of hers works. And yet still, reading, waiting for the other shoe to drop, she still managed to catch me by surprise and leave me with my jaw on the floor. MY GOD.

I’m a monster on the cusp of insanity. A stalker in the night. Her silent ache, haunting her from the darkness.

This trilogy has had me in an absolute chokehold since book one. I would even go as far as to say that Frankie is one of my favorite heroines I have EVER read. This woman is STRENGTH personified. Heck, I want to BE her. Well, minus the trauma, because that was crazy. But I digress.

Frankie has been through hell and survived the devil himself. Now, together with Leo and Kody, she’s back at her home and struggling to get back to the life she once knew. Her husband, who refuses to let her go, on one side and the men she loves at her other. Monty is still madly in love with Frankie and fights for her at every turn, even if everything changed.

I’m not afraid of vulnerability. So if you think I’ll slink off with my tail between my legs rather than face what I’ve done, you’re wrong. I’ll show up for her, one hundred percent, even on my worst days when I’m stripped and gutted with my jealousy and guilt hanging out of the holes in my chest.”

But even though she’s home, there’s a shadow lurking that threatens the safety of everything she loves. And that, my friends, is all I will tell you about this book.

I love her madly, immeasurably, incomprehensibly, beyond the point of pain.

For the two days it took me to read this THICK beast of a book, it owned me. Fully and completely. Each word wrapped around me and sucked me deeper into the dark abyss of this story. And man oh man did I love it.

My love for her is not some petty jealousy.” I lean into the space between us. “It’s primal, clawing, and fucking ruthless. You get me?”

In true Pam Godwin fashion, she keeps you guessing until the very end. Not knowing which end is up, not trusting anything, questioning everything. I was a ball of anxiety by the time I got to the last page and let me just tell you, I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT.

She’s my prey, but more than that, she’s my world. I’ll never let her go.

No one writes a dark romance quite like this woman. And this trilogy just moved up to one of my top favorite dark romances I’ve read and most definitely top read of the year. Holy hell! If you are looking for a truly captivating, gripping and chilling dark romance, this is simply not to be missed. PERIOD.

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

August 24, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

ALONE WITH YOU
Author: Aly Martinez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2024

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of From the Embers comes a new jaw-dropping standalone romance.

Pain trapped me in this house. Can love set me free?

Death had been chasing me my entire life. I survived the horrors of war, but it was the aftermath that truly destroyed me.

People called me a recluse, but the only time I didn’t feel like I was suffocating was inside that house.

For my daughter, I kept some semblance of normalcy by implementing a rigid routine. Once a week, I forced myself to walk to the diner at the end of the block—a ritual I despised but relied on as my last anchor to the real world.

Until the day a “Closed” sign on the door shattered my fragile existence. Worse, the new owner was the most haunting ghost from my past.

It had been years since I’d laid eyes on Gwendolyn Pierce. She hated me—and rightly so. But when a film crew arrived in town to dig into my past, she became my only ally.

With my secrets threatened, I leaned on Gwen, forging a connection neither of us could deny. But with a past as dark as ours, I feared it would eclipse any hope for a future.

I always said that when Death finally came for me, I would be ready, eager, and alone.
Always alone.

But for Gwen, maybe I could face the world again as long as it meant I could be alone—with her.

AMAZON

My life started that day when I slid my ring on her finger. And years later, when she dropped that same ring at my feet, my life ended.

This was, hands down, one of my favorite books of 2024. It was everything I’ve come to expect from the phenomenal talent that is Aly Martinez; poignant, emotional, unputdownable, and completely unforgettable.

Have you ever read a book and thought this NEEDS to be a movie? Because when I tell you that this story unrolled like a movie reel behind my eyes, I mean it. If this isn’t made into a movie, I will downright riot. But I digress.

I will go so far as to say this is one of my favorite second chance romances I’ve read to date. I don’t remember the last time a book wrung this level of emotion out of me, but I SOBBED my way through the last 30% of this story and still can’t stop thinking about it.

I would have loved you for the rest of my life. But, now I will hate you for the rest of yours.”

Gwen is recently divorced from her toxic and narcissistic ex and finds herself starting over. She buys a diner in town with the hopes of renovating it to be her dream. The last thing she expects is to find a blast from her past, playfully coined “the hot gargoyle” sitting in the diner’s booth.

Truett has been a shell of man, living in his past, unable to move on in his present. As the full extent of his past comes to light, you find yourself both completely enraptured, heartbroken and devastated for this man. And when you learn the full extent of his history with Gwen, you find yourself fully invested in their present. I loved everything about them; their chemistry especially so.

This story deals with some very sensitive subject matter and I found myself living it right along with these characters. The book had me in a chokehold from cover to cover. And Aly seriously knows how to give a twist, because let me just tell you, this one had my jaw on the floor with one I never saw coming.

I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”

If there is one book that you need to read this year, make it this one. If you want to feel every emotion that the characters experience, read this book. If you want a book that completely enraptures you and keeps you glued to the pages until the end, read this book.

It was, in a word, unforgettable. I will be thinking about these characters and this story for moths to come and this book will be my Roman Empire because WOW. Just WOW.

Notice how I barely tell you anything about this story? Trust me when I tell you that you need to experience it completely blind.

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. 

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.


Connect with Aly Martinez:

https://linktr.ee/AuthorAlyMartinez 




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Review: Forged by Shadows by Maddison Cole

August 22, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

FORGED BY SHADOWS
Series: Shadowed Souls #1
Author: Maddison Cole
Genre: Dark, Why Choose Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2024

Avery thought her suffering had ended.

She thought wrong.

After a traumatic start to life, being adopted was Avery‘s saving grace. She finally had parents who loved her and an entire mansion to call home. Her days were spent reading in the library and exploring her passion for ballet. Until a fateful accident changed everything, and left her at the mercy of her step-brother.


Transferred to his boarding school, Avery’s solace comes to an abrupt end. Especially as the moment she stepped through the gates, her stepbrother and his gang of tormented souls branded her as fresh meat. He hates her, they want her. Whoever prevails, Avery refuses to surrender her mind or body without a fight.

AMAZON

I swear,” he seethes, leaning over so our foreheads touch. “I’m going to break you.”

This was my first Maddison Cole book and I am well and truly hooked, desperately anticipating the next book in this series because OHMYGAWD.

The second I read the blurb and saw the tropes for this book, I knew I had to read it. Fierce FMC, RH with MM, enemies to lovers, and a dark romance with a delicious mystery? Sign. Me. Up.

Avery is no stranger to the hostility of her adopted brother who avoids her at all cost. Ever since Wyatt’s parents adopted Avery as a child and saved her from a fate worse than hell, Wyatt has resented her and made it known just how much he hates her. But when her adopted mother dies and her adopted father instructs Wyatt to keep her safe, suffice it to say his hate only grows.

Suddenly Avery finds herself thrust into Wyatt’s world and the target of his misplaced hate, along with his friends. I have to say as much as I wanted to jock punch Wyatt in parts of this book (and I wanted to do it a lot), I was so intrigued by his character. There is something so profoundly broken about this man, even though his hate for his adopted sister is seriously misplaced and he takes his “revenge” a step too far more often than not. It doesn’t take long for his best friends to grow intrigued by Avery and I loved watching their chemistry build and build.

The romance is a bit of a slow build and most definitely a very slow burn when it comes to Wyatt and I can’t be mad at it because the tension hurt so good. Admittedly, the story does slow in parts, but it still didn’t take me very long to finish. Avery was a girl that I clicked with right away. She’s a survivor and doesn’t take any punches lying down. She gives as good as she gets and from her flashbacks, I can’t wait to learn more about her dark past.

The guys are all broken in their own way, though no one tugged at my heart strings more than Axel. I especially loved the unique bond he has with Garrett. These two are incendiary together, but when Avery is added to the mix, they’re even more so.

The cliffhanger was painfully torturous and I’m desperately waiting for some answers with the next book.

Maddison is a married mum of two, and a serial daydreamer. As a huge fan of all romance tropes herself, it was time to pen the stories which consume her mind most hours of the day.

As a child, Maddison was a jet setter and has lived all over the world, only to return to the south east of England, where she is now happily settled. With a double award in applied arts and art history, Maddison is a creative with a dark passion for feisty females and spicy stories.

Author Links:

www.facebook.com/Maddison.Cole.314

www.facebook.com/groups/colesreadingmoles

www.instagram.com/authormaddisoncole

www.tiktok.com/authormaddisoncole




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Review: The Hunted Heir by Holly Renee

August 20, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Me, along with half of the rebellion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMAZON

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: Learning Curve by Max Monroe

August 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

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

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

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

Green flag, right?

Wrong.

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

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

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

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

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




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

AMAZON

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

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

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

You know you’re in for a good time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: Of Heartbreak and Harmony by Brit Benson

August 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

AMAZON

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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