Review: Playing By The Rules by Monica Murphy

March 30, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

PLAYING BY THE RULES
Series: The Players #2
Author: Monica Murphy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: March 30, 2023

What happens when you fall for your brother’s best friend? Find out in this upcoming sports romance by New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy…

Camden Fields is the star quarterback of our college football team.

Quiet.

Smart.

Absolutely gorgeous.

He’s the man all the women on campus rave about. And while he’s had a few casual hookups over the years, it’s never anything serious. Cam doesn’t do serious.

He also doesn’t do me.

See, I’m his best friend’s little sister, and whenever we’re around each other, he’s always warning me that I’m off limits. That nothing can ever happen between us.

But I see the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching. The heat in his gaze. The hunger. He can deny it, but that man wants me.

I want him too.

I’m tired of always being the good girl and doing what everybody expects. For once, I’m going to break all the rules that have restrained me my entire life.

I’m going after Camden Fields.

And no one can stop me.

AMAZON

Camden Fields, hotshot quarterback at Colorado University, best friend to my overprotective big brother Knox, fuel for my filthiest sexual fantasies and dreams, is my secret.

The second that Monica Murphy hinted at these two in Playing Hard to Get, I was desperate for their book. Desperate. I love the brother’s best friend trope, and when said brother is the crazily overprotective Knox Maguire, and the best friend is the hotshot quarterback and player Camden Fields? I am ALL OVER IT.

Pull my hair and call me baby, and I’ll be yours forever,” she whispers.

Same, girl. Same.

Blair was a heroine I wasn’t sure I’d like at first. She’s not one that immediately jumps from the pages at you. She’s like a sneak attack who slowly but surely grows on you. Until you’re at the final page and a little in love with her. I love a woman who’s not afraid to go after what she wants. And Blair somehow had this unique blend of vulnerability, sass, and assertive. She’s not so in your face, but she isn’t shy about getting her feelings to Cam out there. She’s also not afraid of his hesitancy. Their push and pull doesn’t last long until Cam can no longer resist. The man puts up a good fight at first, but his feelings for Blair simply burn through his bro code of not going after his best friends sister. Knox pretty much warns the entire team off of her anyway.

Cam was impossible not to love; he may be a player, but the second he accepts his attraction to Blair, he only has eyes for her. I loved their friendship almost as much as I loved their sizzling chemistry. They just made so much sense and their road to a HEA was so satisfying. I’m simply obsessed with this series! Now bring on Ace and Ruby!

 

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.

 

Connect with Monica

Website | Goodreads  | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Bookbub | Pinterest | Verve Romance | Tik Tok 

 


 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Marrow by Trisha Wolfe & Brynne Weaver

March 24, 2023 by ·

MARROW
Author: Trisha Wolfe & Brynne Weaver
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: March 23, 2023

Two rival serial killers.
One common enemy.

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Jack Sorensen is the perfect serial killer. In the bright lights of his public persona he’s a respected scientist, a leader in the field of human decomposition. But in his shadowed secret life he’s a ruthless and elusive killer, unseen by the authorities who have failed to follow his faint trail of destruction. Beautifully cold, brilliant and cruel, Jack wants nothing more than to keep his life captured in his vise-like grip of control. And Jack Sorensen never makes mistakes…

…until he underestimates Dr. Kyrie Roth.

Wildlife biologist Kyrie is the enemy Jack never noticed, another murderer in his midst. A killer with equal cunning and stealth as the great Jack Sorensen, she knows all his darkest secrets, even the pieces of a past he might have forgotten. Kyrie has created the perfect habitat for her favorite research subject, but she’s finally had enough of being bitten by the beast that lives at Jack’s core. Pushed past her breaking point, Kyrie has decided to do whatever it takes to make Jack suffer. But when Kyrie’s traumatic past descends on her broken oasis, the only person who can help Kyrie banish her painful shadows might just be her greatest enemy.

History can’t always be left to decay in a cold grave. Time has a way of thawing secrets, leaving them to shine as bright as bleached bones in the sun. Can Jack and Kyrie set aside their battle and survive a world built to hunt them? Or will they kill each other first?

AMAZON

This twisted love nurtured in the dark belongs only to us.

What.
Did.
I.
Just.
Read?

But the most important questions is why did I like it as much as I did? Ok so rhetorical question really. I do tend to read some pretty dark and f*cked up books, and this one certainly fit the bill nicely. I’m not even a little surprised that I loved it as much as I did. But on a darkness scale of 1 to f*cked up, this one was on a FUBAR level. And I’m obsessed.

Is this your weak attempt at seduction, Jack?”
He leans a fraction closer, his arm mere millimeters from my shoulder. “If I wanted to seduce you, I’d have you on your knees right now in the cold room with that treacherous little mouth of yours wrapped around my cock, begging me for more,” he whispers.

How do I even describe this book to you? Imagine if Dexter and Mindf*ck had a love child, then it would be this book. I’ve read my fair share of dark serial killer romance, but it’s not often you get not one but two in the mix. And Kyrie was the other half to Jack.

You’re not a girl,” I say, my tone bordering on lethal. “You’re an irritating inconvenience that is begging to have her ass reddened.”
Her pupils dilate. “And don’t you just hate how much that excites you.”

Kyrie is a brilliant wildlife biologist who is sick of trying to prove her worth to the renowned forensic anthropologist who seems to find her no more than a nuisance. But Kyrie knows something about Jack that no one else does; his darkest secret. Their paths so interwoven, they walk the same path. But where Jack’s was one he was born into, Kyrie was made into hers.

When I tell you I devoured this book, I’m not even kidding. I cringed, I sweated, I lusted, I was entirely obsessed. And don’t even get me started on Jack’s piercings, because GOD DAMN. But I digress. This combined two things I love most, dark romance and a psychological thriller. It was brilliantly interwoven into a fast paced, dark and twisty tale that I couldn’t seem to get enough of. These two authors are absolutely brilliant together and I need, no I demand, more from this duo. Because I am so hooked. And if you’re a fan of super dark romance, then you seriously cannot miss this one.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Black Rose by Karina Halle

March 24, 2023 by ·

BLACK ROSE
Series: Dracula Duet #2
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: March 18, 2023

 

From the New York Times best-selling author of River of Shadows and Black Sunshine comes a new dark gothic romance duet about how love can transcend the ages, but at a deadly cost.

Is it her destiny to love him?

Or is it her destiny to die?

Valtu Aminoff is no stranger to tragedy. Though many know him as the enigmatic vampire that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Valtu’s complex life is far more horrific than any fiction could imagine. When you lose the love of your life over and over again, it can do more than break your heart—it can corrupt your soul.
It’s up to his new lover to decide if Valtu’s damaged soul is even worth saving.

But destiny isn’t done with Valtu yet. And tragedy is always around the corner.

Black Rose is the sequel to Blood Orange and is not a standalone. Snap up this completed dark gothic vampire romance duet if you like:

  • High spice
  • Dark Academia
  • Gothic Setting
  • Vampires vs Witches
  • Spooky vibes
  • Reincarnated love
  • Dracula re-telling
  • Fantasy romance

Please check inside the book for content warnings.

AMAZON

My heart found his again. But his heart doesn’t know mine.

After the jaw dropping conclusion of Blood Orange, I have been on pins and needles waiting for the conclusion of this duet. Suffice it to say I devoured it in my eager anticipation.

The darkness in me calls to the darkness in you…”

I love an epic fated mates story and it doesn’t get more fated that na love story that defies the ages through reincarnation. I felt like these two books were like two sides of a coin, different perspectives but same world. What I’m saying is, that if you expect a similar style of story to Blood Orange, this wasn’t exactly it. It was different. Not in a bad way, but different nonetheless.

While Blood Orange had me in a fiery chokehold, this was more of a sizzling burn. Valtu is not the Valtu of book one, he’s a vampire who lost his humanity to his pain. He lost himself to his grief and. willingly lost himself in the process. When he and Rose see each other, it’s a different journey. We really get to see Rose unending love for him and his redemption and I was so here for it.

Admittedly, I felt the most riveting part of the book was also a bit rushed and saved for the final 10%. I would have loved to spend more time on this part of the story because this what the previous book was ultimately leading up to. It felt like there was some open ended answers and gaps that weren’t fully filled. This may be intentional with a set up for what I’m hoping are more books in this world. Don’t get me wrong, it was satisfying and the couple get a beautiful HEA. But there were things that were merely glazed over that I would have loved to get deeper into.

All that aside, I still greatly enjoyed this book. I loved seeing the darker side of Valtu and Rose’s healing touch. I loved watching Valtu fall for her all over again and I loved the way they fought for each other.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, PNR · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Devious Obsession by S. Massery

March 23, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

DEVIOUS OBESESSION
Author: S. Massery
Genre: Dark, Bully Romance
Release Date: March 23, 2023

“If you want to stay, you have to play the game…”

Steele O’Brien is everything I hate in hockey players.
He’s cocky, brooding, antagonistic.

I played his game, learned his secrets.
But that was before I found out he’s my new stepbrother.

Now we’re at college together, and I can’t escape him.
Or his demons.

It seems that, for him, the game isn’t over.
He says I’m his to play with. His to torment.
And he’s determined to not only get under my skin, but carve his name into it.

AMAZON

I’m going to give you a two-minute head start,” I say softly, still pinching her hair in my fingers. “And then I’m going to hunt you down. You’ll know I’m coming. When I catch you, you fight me. Do your worst…
…What are you waiting for?” I bark, my voice suddenly loud and cruel. “Run.”

What sort of magical crack does S Massery sprinkle into her books that make me so obsessed with them? Because I swear, it’s like she dug straight into my head and took out every single trope I love and put it into this book.

CNC? Check
Alphahole? Check
Bully/Enemies to Lovers? Check
Primal Play? Check
Completely addictive NA romance with a deliciously deviant college hockey star? Check and CHECK.

It’s an awkward position to be in, caught between wanting to knee him in the balls and suck on them.

Same, girl. SAME.

I thought I loved Brutal Obsession but that was simply because I hadn’t met Steele O’Brien yet. Because this man is the epitome of still waters run deep. You know what they say about the quiet ones, right? Because wowza! Steele is a man of some interesting tastes. As in no holds barred, anything goes sort of vibes. And I was so here for it!

Steele and Aspen first meet at a party and share an unbelievably hot encounter. Steele is not prepared to meet a stranger who seems to be as into what he likes as the beautiful girl whose name he doesn’t even bother to get. So imagine his surprise when he sees her again 6 months later at his school, only to discover she’s his new stepsister. Well, suffice it to say he doesn’t take it very well.

Every day you stay at CPU, your life will get worse.” I run my finger down her jaw, and a spark of pleasure goes through me when she jerks her head away. “If you leave, it all stops. But if you stay… I’m going to have so much fun tormenting you, sweetheart. Fucking count on that.”

But Steele isn’t the only one with dark wounds from his past. Aspen hides some of her own demons that haunt her waking hours. And when these two get together, sparks definitely fly.

They hate lust between them was deliciously incendiary. I couldn’t get enough of their hot and cold. Now if you don’t like your fictional men borderline unforgivable, you may not like Steele. But I happen to love depraved ones that haven’t met a boundary that they bend to. Boundaries? Who even is she? Steele doesn’t know her. He gets off on making Aspen’s life at school hell, and there is nothing too dark and depraved that he’s above not doing. I mean, the man does some pretty unforgivable things. Though he does make up for it at the end.

Aspen certainly gives as good as she gets and doesn’t just take his sh*t lying down. And while I do wish she fought him more at times, I simply couldn’t find myself caring. I devoured and I mean DEVOURED this book. I cannot wait for the next one. I’m a total S Massery addict now and I have zero regrets.

S. Massery is a dark romance author who loves injecting a good dose of suspense into her stories. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.

Before adventuring into the world of writing, she went to college in Boston and held a wide variety of jobs–including working on a dude ranch in Wyoming (a personal highlight). She has a love affair with coffee and chocolate. When S. Massery isn’t writing, she can be found devouring books, playing outside with her dog, or trying to make people smile.

Connect with S. Massery
Website | http://smassery.com
Goodreads | https://bit.ly/smassery-gr
Amazon | https://amzn.to/3T64F2s
Facebook | https://bit.ly/3fRud4N
Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/3T3kl6C
Instagram | https://bit.ly/3edBQCp
TikTok | https://bit.ly/3RKdoWW
Bookbub | https://bit.ly/3edBVWJ
Pinterest | https://bit.ly/3edBYBT
Newsletter | https://bit.ly/3RM1Rqb



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Review: Brutal Billionaire by Laurelin Paige

March 22, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL BILLIONAIRE
Series: Brutal Billionaires #1
Author: Laurelin Paige
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 22, 2023

He’ll get what he wants—even if I’m already taken.

Holt Sebastian is royalty in our world.

As CEO of the Sebastian News Corp, he’s the man with all the power. The man who decides if I’ll always just be a local television anchor or if I’ll be the rising star of my own show.

I make it my mission to be noticed. Make him see my potential. But soon, it’s clear he’s the one in charge.

His possessiveness is brutal.

His eyes own everything they touch. I feel his gaze on me when he’s in the room. The heat of them as they rake down my body, taking me in, marking me as his. He doesn’t just want me on the screen—he wants me in his bed.

And Holt Sebastian gets what he wants.

No one will stop him, no one will get in his way.

No one can protect me from his desire.

Not even the man who promised nothing would come between us and his ambition—my husband.

Laurelin Paige delivers a twist on Indecent Proposal in this billionaire workplace standalone romance featuring elements of fake relationship, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and a new alphahole readers will love to hate.

AMAZON

I don’t know what pisses me off more—his amusement or his abs. Either way, the curse slips from my lips without thinking. “Fuck you.”
“I’d love that.” He winks. “But first, how about some wine?”

Well, wasn’t this just the yummiest start to what’s sure to be a fire series!

I love Laurelin’s brand of alpha holes, and Holt Sebastian had me in a chokehold the very second he appeared on the page.

There has to be something you care about.”
“I care about getting you off and making you feel morally uncomfortable about it when you do.”

Brystin is a local journalist who dreams of having her own show one day. She’s lived and breathed her work, but never expected herbage shot to be at a cost she wasn’t aware she was prepared to pay.

Holt has spent his entire life trying to prove his worth to his father. And he has spent his entire adult life trying to show him he can run a successful network. The second he lays eyes on Brystin, he wants her, but not just for a show. So he proposes an arrangement; her body for his network contract.

Never has my feminism left my body so quick then when this indecent proposal took place. And while Brystin is married, it’s a marriage in name only. So if you’re worried about the cheating element, it wasn’t much of one. Then again, I’m not a reader who minds affairs or cheating, so I suppose I’m the wrong pulse check for those of you who do. But I digress.

I loved Brystin. You would think that a woman who essentially sells herself to get what she wants wouldn’t be as strong willed and fiercely independent, but she was so much more. She made Holt work for it and by the final 20% I couldn’t be rooting for her any harder. I loved how she took her life in her hands and did what she knew had to be done and was right. This is a girl’s girl and I loved that about her.

Holt is your typical no entanglements sort of man. He goes for married women because he knows there’s little risk of hearts being involved. But he was sorely unprepared for the effect that Brystin would have. The chemistry between them was incendiary. They simply burned up the pages together. And that grovel at the end? *chefs kiss* Sheer perfection.

I devoured this book and already dying for my next fix in this series.

With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. 

When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Killing Eve or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. 

She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Connect w/Laurelin:

Facebook | Amazon | Bookbub | Instagram | Facebook Fan Group | Website | TikTok

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Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LaurelinNews




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Review: Rogue by Elle Kennedy

March 16, 2023 by · 4 Comments

ROGUE
Series: Prep #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: March 7, 2023

From New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy comes the return to Sandover Prep, where secrets lurk in the dark and no one is safe when they come into the light.

It’s been a long time since Casey Tresscott has felt like her life was her own. After the car accident that nearly cost her everything, she’s used to her family’s coddling and the relentless whispers at school, no matter how much they sting. After all, she’s found a safe harbor in her budding relationship with Sandover’s golden boy, Fenn Bishop…or so she thinks.

Beneath Fenn’s pretty, party-boy surface is a dangerous truth about the night Casey almost died. He thought lying to her was the right thing to do, but when the secret shakes loose, he just might lose her for good.

Because Casey is done being taken advantage of.

Grasping for the control she’s been missing, Casey finally snaps—telling off her bullies, gallivanting with rebels and playboys, and shirking her headmaster father’s strict curfews, despite the consequences. A desperate Fenn must ally with his stepbrother RJ and the other Sandover delinquents to uncover the full story of Casey’s accident and the ones responsible if he hopes to win her back.

But what happens if Casey is no longer the same girl he first fell for? Is there any hope for their future if she’s gone rogue for good?

AMAZON

I blink back the moisture coating my lashes. “Why’d it have to be you?” His answer is a kiss.

I have sat on my review for days, completely torn in how to rate this. As much as I loved Misfit, it pains me to admit that I struggled immensely with the second installment.

First, if you’re planning to read this as a standalone, stop right there. While each book is a new couple, the story arc continues throughout the series, as well as some character arcs. Rogue was similar to Misfit in which you get primarily the main characters POV in addition to some secondary characters.

Now as for my rating, this was tough. While I liked the drama and enjoyed the mystery of Casey’s accident unfold, the romance was completely lackluster. Honestly, I’d go so far as to say I didn’t really feel this was a romance at all. While I rooted for Casey and Fenn in book one, the second half of this book had me feeling no sort of way about them at all.

The jaw dropping ending of Misfit revealed a small snippet into Casey’s accident, and the entirety of this book is focused on the fall out and the further revelations. We also see Casey take a total personality change. She goes from quiet, demure, and timidly non confrontational to a total ball buster. I didn’t hate it, and loved seeing her finally stand up for herself. But it was also so sudden and such a 180, it was hard to buy it at times too.

RJ and Sloane took a turn too. There was a certain thing that Sloane convinces RJ to do that had me seriously judging him and how much he chess to his girlfriend’s dramatic flare. As for Sloane, I absolutely LOATHED her in this book. She became intolerable and I really hope we get some redeeming features for her in the next book.

As for Casey and Fenn? I was so disappointed with the romance of this book, I’m still mad. There was a particular event, which I won’t spoil, but it seriously ruined any semblance of romance between them. I understand that Casey was mad, but the decision that she made was just…UGH. I hated it. This was even more disappointing by the fact I felt more chemistry with Lawson and Casey than with Fenn. I didn’t understand why this had to happen. It felt unnecessary and outside of additional fallout, didn’t do much in driving the plot forward. It could have been the same effect had the decision not been as extreme as it was.

Sadly, this book took me 7 days to finish and when I was marinating on my rating, I understood there was more things I disliked than enjoyed. So while the story kept me entertained, the characters frustrated me to no end and the romance was almost non existent. I’m really hoping books three turns things around for me because I’m still super invested in this series.


4 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, New Adult · Tagged With: ,

Review: The New Guy by Sarina Bowen

March 12, 2023 by ·

THE NEW GUY
Series: The Hockey Guys #1
Genre: MM Romance
Author: Sarina Bowen
Release Date: February 28, 2023

A new male / male hockey romance from 24-time USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen!

My name is Hudson Newgate, but my teammates call me New Guy.

That was my nickname in Chicago, too. And Vancouver. That’s what happens when you keep getting traded. Brooklyn is my last chance, especially after my poor performance last season.

But I can make this work. The new guy knows to keep his head down and shoot the puck. The new guy puts the game first.

What he doesn’t do is hook up with the other new guy—a hot athletic trainer who lives in my building. Gavin needs this job with my team. He’s a single dad with responsibilities.

We can’t be a couple. My arrogant agent–who’s also my father–will lose his mind if I’m dating a dude. And my team needs me to score goals, not whip up a media circus.

Too bad Gavin and I are terrible at resisting each other…

AMAZON

Good boy,” he says, and the words slide like butter along my overheated skin.

Truth be told, I’ve sat on my rating of this book for days. Why? I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to rate it. On the one hand, I enjoyed it enough to finish. It was cute, albeit a touch underwhelming. On the other hand, there was nothing unique or incredibly memorable about it. It was your average, run of the mill, middle of the road sort of read. Entertaining? Sure. But not unlike any other romance I’ve read either.

I love a good hockey romance, especially an MM hockey romance. Hudson is desperately trying to find permanence. He’s been traded one too many times and it’s left its mark on him. Now finding himself once more on a new team, he’s desperate to make this one stick, even if it means hiding who he is.

Gavin is the team’s athletic trainer, and a widowed single father. Hudson and Gavin first meet at a bar and sparks fly before they know who the other is. But when Hudson realizes Gavin is also his new neighbor, he runs. Much to his surprise he runs into his almost one night stand the next day at work. Fighting his attraction and desperate to pretend nothing happened.

As much as I wanted to love them together, the romance felt a touch underwhelming to me. Did they have chemistry? Yes. But was it something that really grabbed me and immersed me in them? Not particularly. It didn’t feel forced, but I wasn’t burning in their chemistry either. It’s hard to describe or even fully out my finger on, but it was just ok.

The plot itself felt kist ok and somewhat formulaic. Nothing about it ever fully grabbed me. Ultimately, it was a cute albeit not entirely memorable romance. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Is it something I’d ever come back to? No.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, MM · Tagged With: , , ,

DGRFave & Review: For The Fans by Nyla K

February 23, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

FOR THE FANS
Genre: MM Romance
Author: Nyla K
Release Date: February 23, 2023

Kyran Harbor is everything I’m not.

Rich. Popular. A superstar football player who’s awfully broody for someone who has it all. Basically, he’s a preppy jock who hates me. Oh, and he’s also my stepbrother.

That’s right. We’re stuck together, sharing a school, a house… A bathroom. Honestly, I wouldn’t care… If he wasn’t such an uptight control-freak who messes with me just because we’re different.

I had every intention of avoiding him when we got to college… Until abrupt misfortune forces us both into a compromising position.

Now the grouchy jerk I was hoping to evade might be the only person who can help me out of it.

Avi Vega is everything I despise.

A dreamer. A flake. An artist who smokes too much weed and thinks aliens exist. And by some sick cosmic joke, he’s now my stepbrother, following me on what should’ve been my escape plan.

It was already a disaster. Add a sudden financial disruption to the mix, and let’s just say my options are heavily limited.

If I want to stay an all-star quarterback on the way to the NFL, I’ll need to do something drastic. Unfortunately for me, and my desperate desire for control, the perpetually smiling stoner has a plan.

Maybe we can stop hating each other just enough to pull this off. As long as we remember we’re only doing it… for the fans.

** For The Fans is a full-length standalone MM forbidden romance with an HEA. This book contains sensitive subject matter that could make some readers uncomfortable. Please heed foreword warnings and proceed with caution.

AMAZON

This is for the fans, right?”
He nods again. “For the fans.”
Moaning softly, he whispers, “Suck on my ear.”
A slightly triumphant smirk tugs at my lips while I move them up to his ear. “Say please.”

I am shooketh! SHOOKETH! This was, hands down, my favorite Nyla K book to date. But it was so much more than that, too. It was emotionally charged, packed with feels, banter, and romance so sizzling it was incendiary. And easily one of my favorite enemies to lovers romances I’ve read. It was everything.

This always seems to happen to us. It’s like something about our molecules in close proximity melts hate into desire, and I just don’t get it. It makes no sense, but it feels good. And I hate that it does, because he’s such a raving jerk.

Kyran and Avi are as polar opposite as they get. Avi is the easy going stoner, who loves art and has no interest in most things school related. After losing his father at a young age, his mom became his best friend, and the relationship Avi had with his mom was easily one of my favorite things. Then Avi’s word gets turned upside down when he learns his mom is engaged and he’s going to have a stepbrother. Except the second they lay eyes on each other, the hate and animosity between them is instant.

Kyran is a typical jock. The popular kid, the people pleaser, the one with daddy issues that hide a dark pain. He’s a football star who is well on his way to his NFL dreams and his new stoner stepbrother is the last thing he needs, with his stupid backwards cap, ever present smirk, and irreverence.

They meet in high school but then fate puts them in the same college, still hating on each other. Until a family revelation leaves them reeling and desperate to make ends meet. And Avi decides to put his good looks and chemistry with his stepbrother to use on his OnlyFans.

Fuck, I don’t know what it is about his dominant side that destroys me so damn good. Maybe it’s because he’s not like that in regular life… So it’s like there’s a side of him that only I get to see. His regular cockiness is turned up to the max when we’re alone, and he becomes this demanding, growly, filthy-talking beast with a huge dick who orders me around. And something about it calls to my submissive side I never let out… For anyone but him.

I loved watching these two guys discovered themselves in their on way. Avi who embraces his bisexuality with the easy nature that he has, and Kyran who has a more troubled road to his own sexuality.

While Nyla knows how to write one heck of a sizzling love scene didn’t hold back on the emotion and boy did this story pack it. Kyran may be the football college superstar, but his wounds run deep. And the more you learn, the more your heart hurts for him. The more his animosity and hate to his stepbrother makes sense too.

Maybe the reason I’ve been fighting this so hard is because I knew it was inevitable… The chemistry of hate was never strong enough to overpower the hunger of want.

Yes this book is long. Like super long. Like crazy long. But there’s not one wasted page. I devoured this book and dreaded finishing it because I didn’t want to leave these two.

I fell so hard and fast for Kyran and Avi. There was something so vulnerable about Kyran beneath his typical jock persona. And the way Avi loves him and helps him melted my cold black heart. I swooned, I sweated, and I cried. I loved absolutely every single page of this book and cannot recommend it enough. And if Nyla doesn’t give us a book for Theo and the coach next, I will riot. That is all.

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Review: The Dom Who Came In From The Cold by Lexi Blake

February 21, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

THE DOM WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Series: Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded Book 5
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: February 21, 2023

Kyle Hawthorne once believed his future would be a job in the private sector—a simple, normal life. Fate had other plans and he wound up in the military. Some newly discovered talents caught the eye of the CIA, and in no time he was working with a covert team. He found himself in a relationship with fellow operative, Julia—until she turned out to be the enemy. When her betrayal was uncovered, things got bloody and Kyle returned home broken, searching for a chance to walk the road not taken.

MaeBe Vaughan has never been interested in normal. Her happy place is a dark corner of the Internet, where she disrupts all the bad guys. She has a great circle of friends and a full life. She doesn’t need a man. Until Kyle Hawthorne walked into her life. He’s all wrong for her. Surly. Damaged. His uncle is her boss. But she couldn’t help getting close to him. When his past threatened her safety, Kyle walked out without saying good-bye.

Kyle will do anything to keep MaeBe safe. He faked his death, hid in the middle of nowhere, and watched over her from afar. But when Julia resurfaces, he knows that to protect MaeBe, he’ll have to get close. So close that if they manage to survive, he will never let her go.

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You are not an itch I want to scratch, MaeBe Vaughn,” Kyle said, his eyes solemn on her. “You’re a blanket I want to pull around me because I think you might be able to keep me warm for the rest of my life.”

I have spent years waiting for this book. YEARS. Kyle has been a predominant secondary character for far too long and I couldn’t wait to finally get my hands on his book. Particularly after the way No Time to Lie.

And while this book is technically a standalone with a new couple, I highly recommend you read the series in order because the story arc for this couple begins early in the series and you really need to understand all the nuances between them through the year to really appreciate this book. It does cover most of the basics, but glosses over some that have been covered in previous books (like the pining. GOD but I loved the pining)

People in love discuss their problems. Dumbasses fake their deaths.

Kyle has been in love with MaeBe from the moment he saw her. He may have fought their connection but his fall was inevitable, no matter what his inner demons said. But when Kyle’s psycho double agent ex comes back from the dead, he knows he’ll do anything to protect MaeBe, even fake his own death. Though his “death” is honestly like the worst kept secret and everyone pretty much knows he’s on a mission to catch Julia, including MaeBe.

When circumstances allow him to reveal himself to MaeBe, she’s no longer the woman he left behind. Her edges are sharper, and she’s also not afraid to drop him on his ass. And she does.

I really liked parts of this story, but admittedly, parts of it did drag a bit for me. The suspense plot sort of overrode the romance for me. I would have loved to read more about these falling for each other to appreciate their reunion even more. But on the flip side, I loved the progression of their relationship. I loved the way Kyle cares for Mae and the way he finally proves it with his unwavering trust. I loved watching Mae grow into a field agent in her own right. And while this wasn’t my favorite book in the series, it still hit the spot just right.

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Review: A Stop In Time by RC Boldt

February 21, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

A STOP IN TIME
Genre: Romantic Suspense, PNR
Author: RC Boldt
Release Date: February 21,  2023

I’ve been an outcast my whole life. If my scars don’t scare people away, my attitude certainly will.

I don’t know what I am or how I got the power to stop time. What I do know is, there are far too many questions I need answers to.

When I cross paths with a local gang member, his presence unravels a part of my past I never knew existed.

At every turn, danger leaps closer, and I realize that stopping the killer will mean losing everything—including the first man I’ve ever loved.

But I should’ve known better. We were never meant to be anything more than a brief stop in time.

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Damn him. No man has ever made me want to punch him in the junk while simultaneously turning me on.

I have been obsessed with RC Boldt’s romantic suspense for years. There’s just something about her stories that immediately grab me and suck me right in. But this new world that she created that combines a spark of paranormal with the suspense? I cannot get enough.

While this book shows to be a standalone (and it is), you’d do yourself a favor by reading Beyond My Darkness first. While each book is a standalone, they are set in the same world, and you get the introduction to each character throughout the series. We get introduced to Daniel Madrano in Beyond My Darkness as a secondary character, best friend and second in command to the notorious leader of the gang, Scorpions. We also get a sneak peek into the beginning of his journey at the end.

I’m not gonna sugarcoat this for you; I’m losing my patience with you, Danny.”
The edges of his mouth twitch. “It’s Daniel.”

When Daniel’s sister gets violently murdered, he’s left desperate for answers and vengeance. The final words shared with him through the help of his friend’s woman who speaks with the dead helps guide him in a vague direction with nothing but a name…Mac.

The way this book is written reminded me a bit of the movie Memento. Not in the way that it goes backwards, but there’s a vein of intrigue there that I also felt with the movie. Mac suffers black out episodes where she wakes not remembering anything that happened. She’s left deeply scarred from a traumatic event that skirts the edges of her memory, but never making themselves knows. She finds mysterious notes that hint at the truth and written in her own handwriting but she has no idea what it means. Desperate for answers of her own, she undergoes hypnosis therapy in her search for answers. But the answers are more troubling than she suspects.

Suddenly, Daniel ends up at her door with questions that she doesn’t have answers to. But something about him draws her in. Mac is not a woman that wants a relationship, and Daniel has never sought one out himself. And yet they’re drawn to each other like moths to a flame. But neither of them are prepared for the incendiary flame that the truth will bring.

I binge read this book as desperate for answers as these characters. It was magnetic, suspenseful, mysterious, and completely captivating. You know those books that seem to be like a movie reel behind your eyes as you read them? This was definitely it. Spine tingling good and unputdownable. Everything about it worked; the story, the romance, the chemistry, the mystery, and the jaw dropping ending. I was a woman obsessed. Now I’m desperately hoping we get a mysterious someone’s book next because OH MY GOD!

RC Boldt is a USA Today bestselling author currently living in part of the Costa Rican jungle with the love of her life and her mini-me.

If you’re in the mood for some killer mojitos or can’t recall the lyrics to a particular 80s song, she’s your girl.

Connect with RC Boldt 

Website: http://www.rcboldtbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14543027.R_C_Boldt

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Kq1H9C

Facebook: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtFB

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BBBReaders/

Instagram: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtIG

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtBB

Verve: https://bit.ly/3jEf18z

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