Review: Retribution by Natasha Knight

Review-RetributionRETRIBUTION
Genre: Dark, Romantic Suspense
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: January 8, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

retribution2-ebook-2

Adam

Payback’s a bitch — or it would be for Elle.

Fifteen years ago, my sister was kidnapped. For months, she’d endured hell. Somehow, she’d survived it. Someway, she’d escaped her captors. But it hadn’t mattered. In fact, it had been like losing her twice, because six weeks after she came home, she was dead, and the man responsible was alive and well, oblivious to her fate, ignorant to what he had coming.

Fifteen years I’d been waiting for this moment, all that time, planning, preparing, readying to put things into motion. To finally make the SOB pay for what he’d done.

Killing him was too easy. Too quick. No. There was a much better way to exact revenge.

Take what he loved best.

Break it.

Break her.

I just didn’t realize that in the process of destroying the girl, I’d destroy myself.

Elle

“I only want your pain.”

I hadn’t understood what those words meant, not really. Not until he made me understand.

I noticed Adam the very first day he moved into my building. He was a badass on a bike in a thousand-dollar suit. When he looked at me, it was with a hunger just this side of obscene.

Our meetings were strange, accidental. Too coincidental. There was something about Adam. Something I couldn’t put my finger on.

Something I couldn’t resist.

He told me I didn’t know him. He warned me to run as far from him as I could. He was moody. Dark. I’d found it romantic. I didn’t know, and I wouldn’t realize until it was too late that he’d meant for me to heed his warnings. That some part of him had hoped I would run, that I would escape him.

For too many years, vengeance had fueled him. It had taught him hate. The object of that hate? My father. And me? I was the means to my father’s end. Adam would destroy my father by destroying me.

I accused him of being a monster, of being no different than those who took his sister, but even in the harshest moments, all I could see in his eyes was pain. And like a fool, all I wanted was to touch that darkness.

To make it light.

Retribution is a full-length, complete Dark Romantic Suspense novel. No Cliffhanger. Intended for mature readers. Contains BDSM content.

Buy LinksAMAZONReview-DGR3.5 starsRetribution Teaser-DGR

I had one plan, one goddamned thing to do. Break the girl. That was all.

Retribution marks my second book by this author and it definitely confirmed what I knew after the first; I’ll definitely be reading all her future books. The woman can write one hell of a tortured, brooding, anti-hero alpha. This was a dark and twisty tale of revenge and pain and second chances. It was gritty, violent, and erotic as hell!

I’d seen the darkness in his eyes before today, but it had been a suggestion, a hint.
Tonight, it had taken command of him. Tonight, he’d given himself over to it.

Adam Smith is a man with one goal on his mind for the past 15 years; revenge. All he wants is retribution against the man who was responsible for his sister’s kidnapping, torture and eventual death. And what best way to make the man pay than to take something dearest to him and break her just like he broke his sister. His target? Elle Vega

The man had kidnapped me, kept me prisoner, tortured me, and yet, I felt cold without him. Empty, alone, and cold.

The story gripped me from the very beginning. Adam was exactly the sort of alpha I love to read about; intense with a touch of depravity. Elle was a touch naive for my tastes but oddly enough it didn’t grate on me like it usually would in any other book. I found it hard to wrap my mind around exactly how naive she was considering her father and what she grew up around, but again, it wasn’t enough to ruin the story for me.

What do you want?”
“What do I want?
I want your pain.”

The writing was engaging and the story was fast paced, yet somewhere around the 25% mark, it began to lose some of the intensity for me. Adam starts off so strong, but soon enough becomes almost wishy washy in his drive for vengeance. He wants to make her pay, yet his conscience gets the best of him. I suppose I just didn’t feel as much connection to his character to truly understand the why’s of it.

Hate had taken over every cell of my body, every ounce of my being. It fueled me.

The other thing that kept it from being a solid 4 star for me was Elle. While her naivety wasn’t enough to bother me, I did have a hard time understanding her easy acquiescence to Adam. Considering everything the man does to her, I found it hard to wrap my mind around how easily she gives into the sexual chemistry between them. She barely puts up a fight and while there are hints of a strong woman somewhere in there, it just wasn’t enough for me to truly ever connect with her.

That being said, around the 60% mark it really started to pick up for me and I couldn’t put it down until the end. There were some twists thrown in that added to the appeal of the story and I really enjoyed the epilogue. I wished the intensity was more than it was and I hoped that I’d connect to the characters more, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly.

If you’re looking for a sexy and gritty revenge plot with a dash of depravity, definitely give this book a shot. I’m looking forward to whatever this author has in store next.

Review: Worked Up by Tessa Bailey

Review- Worked UpWORKED UP
Series: Made In Jersey #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: August 1, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Worked Up

Factory mechanic Duke Crawford just wants to watch SportsCenter in peace. Unfortunately, living with four divorcee sisters doesn’t provide much silence, nor does it change his stance on relationships. But when a fellow commitment-phobe stumbles into his life, getting him good and worked up, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Samantha Waverly’s brother just put her in an impossible situation. The only way out? Marry huge, gruff, gladiator look-alike Duke—for show, of course. She doesn’t make promises—she knows too well how easily they can be broken—and this is no exception.

As the blistering attraction between them grows, the lines around the no-strings relationship blur. But Duke and Samantha’s marriage is only for show…or is it?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 starsWorked Up-Teaser DGR

We’re going to fuck tonight. Your bed. Mine. On the floor. In the shower. Against the window. All. Goddamn. Night. You’re going to know me from every angle when the sun comes up over New Jersey tomorrow.

Sweet.
Baby.
Jebus.
*pervy shudder*
I mean for the love of my ovaries! Holy cock this book was freaking hot! HOT I tells ya! Hands down my absolute favorite book in the series. #PMB for the win!

Firstly, I need to give Tessa props. Because let me tell you, people, it takes skill to take a man that’s the size of a mountain with the beard and temperament of a mountain man, NOT have him be the typical ripped hero, give him a deliciously hairy chest, even a little bit of a beer belly, slap a dirty mouth on him, and have him turn out to be one of my favorite Tessa Bailey heroes to date. And considering I’ve read the woman’s entire backlist, that’s saying something mkay?! And the best part? Even though he wasn’t the stereotypical romance hero with the ripped abs, he was still sexier than most of the ones I’ve read. Seriously. And his dirty mouth only had 1/8th to do with that.

That’s Duke’s clit between your thighs, Samantha. No one touches that clit but Duke. You need it polished, teased, banged, or just plain slapped, who’s the one you call?
Be a good girl when you answer and I’ll kiss it again later.”

See what I mean? Rarrrr!

But I digress. So back to the book. We’ve gotten to know Duke in Thrown Down as the poor man stuck with 4 divorced sisters and no time to himself for even 5 minutes of sports center. He doesn’t talk much. He doesn’t date much. And he’s not exactly looking to add a woman into the mix when his 4 hellion sisters give him enough estrogen to choke a man twice his size. But then he walks into a bar and sees a gorgeous newcomer and sparks fly…

She had him at the first pun
Samantha Waverly is a children’s book illustrator that’s hoping to finally make her business dream come true. Only thing standing between her and her dream? A ridiculous addendum put into her loan contract by her brother, Renner, that requires her to be married. Le sigh. What’s a girl to do? Take up the sexy mountain man on his offer for a marriage of convenience, of course! Doesn’t hurt that he’s possessive and a freaking rock star in bed that makes her body sing, right?

You’re going to have no doubt how much I appreciate being allowed to squeeze myself into your body. If I ever think you’re unsure, my tongue will service you between the legs until there’s no question. Until you scream the doubt free, along with my name.

Yeah.
As I was saying….

But this book was so much more than what that synopsis implies. Sure there was a heavy dose of insta in play, but it totally worked for these characters. I adored Sam and her quirky personality. Each time she pulled out another cheesy pun, I liked her even more. As for Duke? Hello? Did you miss all my pervy praising on all things Duke previously? Pay attention dammit!

We also got a little peek into Renner and the man that just may have caught the ruthless business man’s attention (le gasp). I’m pretty sure I’d part with an ovary to get my hands on that books already.

After being slightly disappointed by the previous two books in this series, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. I’m beyond happy I gave it a chance because I seriously loved it! It was swoony, entertaining, and sexy as all get out. The perfect read to spend a steamy afternoon with!

I don’t want to be another responsibility to you.
Let me be the place you lose yourself instead.”


MADE IN JERSEY SERIES

CRASHED OUT | ROUGH RHYTHM | THROWN DOWN

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Forbidden Fling by Skye Jordan

FF.TOURForbidden Fling
Series: Wildwood #1
Author: Skye Jordan
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Category: Hot Contemporary Romanceadd-to-goodreads-button-2

Jordan-ForbiddenFling-21747-CV-FT-V3

 

Delaney Hart has come a long way from her wild youth, dating tattooed bikers at her father’s bar, The Bad Seed. But when his death pulls her back to Wildwood, California, she must stay to renovate the dive he left her. And also face the lies and secrets that sent her running ten years before.

When Wildwood’s chief building inspector, Ethan Hayes, shows up on the property, Delaney doesn’t recognize him. The last thing he wants to do is save the bar where his cousin died in a brawl. But the good boy from her past is all too willing to remind her of the bad girl she used to be. And one night of passion leaves them both in a compromising position.

The last place Ethan should be is in Delaney’s bed. Guilt, family pressure, and plans for a brewpub of his own make shutting down The Bad Seed his top priority…until his feelings for Delaney interfere. Because her future depends on the success of the bar’s renovation and his dreams are rooted in its failure, their forbidden romance may be destined for heartbreak

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Excerpt

Delaney let one hand slide beneath his shirt, over his belly, his chest, and found a wall of muscle. “Good God. You’re ripped.” She pushed up and looked down at him again. “Handsome, you are hanging out with the wrong women. With your looks, this body, and that mouth, you could have women doing anything you damn well please as often as you damn well please.”

A growl started low in his throat. He grabbed her wrists, sat up, and flipped her to her back. Delaney squeaked in surprise. Then she hit the floor, and her breath whooshed out.

Ethan hovered over her, his eyes hot and intent. “And if the guys you’re with take their pleasure first and make you wait for yours, you’ve been hanging out with the wrong men. Because with this face”—he stroked her cheek gently—“this body”—his hand moved down, covered her breast, and squeezed, making Delaney’s breath catch—“and this mouth”—he lowered his head and traced his tongue over her bottom lip—“you could have men crawling over broken glass to please you.”

Delaney didn’t even have time to think of a response before his mouth covered hers, hot and demanding. He pinned her wrists to the floor above her head and licked into her mouth, tasting and teasing and taking. Then his lips were on her neck, her throat. He transferred both of her hands to one of his and used the other to pull at the hem of her blouse, freeing it from her skirt. He pushed it up her body, sliding his hands over the skin of her belly and the silk of her bra, his fingers lingering along the lace edge with a low, “So pretty. I should have let you undress for me. Should have let you give me a show.”

His heavy-lidded eyes came back to hers, and his fingers dipped beneath the edge to tease her nipple. She lifted into his touch. “Would you do that? Strip for me?”

His gaze was so open, so honest, as if he really wanted to know. She hadn’t done that in a long time. The thought spiraled a few nerves low in her belly, but his eyes were still holding hers, waiting for an answer, so she said, “Given the right incentive.”

His mouth kicked up on one side. He lay half on top of her, with most of his weight on the floor, his thigh between hers.

His fingers left her breast for her mouth and traced her lips. “Like what?”

“Stroke yourself as you watched me.” She held his gaze and licked his fingers as they passed. He made a pleasant sound in his throat as she went on. “Tell me what to do and how to do it. Have me pleasure you exactly to your liking while I was naked and you were fully dressed.” Her voice grew softer, his eyes sharper, and the intimacy of the moment seemed sharply intense. “Make me kneel between your legs. Make me say please.”

He slipped his hand around the back of her neck and searched her eyes for long, tense moments. “You’re so . . .” He shook his head as if he either couldn’t or didn’t want to put all his thoughts into words in the moment. “God. Am I caught in a dream? Am I going to wake up and find you gone? A remnant of a fantasy?”

She smiled. “I would make sure to fulfill your fantasies if you’d let go of my hands. Because I want to touch you really bad.”

He sighed and let his gaze and his touch drift down her body. “My turn to go slow.”

His fingers traced the outline of her bra again, then pop, it snapped open between her breasts. The backs of his fingers skimmed her flesh, brushing the bra cups away, teasing her nipples into tight, hypersensitive peaks and turning her skin to fire.

She squeezed her eyes closed to gather her control. She was panting, her pussy throbbing, and he hadn’t even—

His mouth closed over one nipple. Warm, tight suction shot a current through her chest and up her spine, and she arched beneath him. “Jesus.”

Delaney worked one hand free and gripped a handful of the shirt on his back, pulling toward his head. But he was focused on eating at her breast like a peach, grazing her with his teeth, licking and sucking. Then he moved to another area and started all over.

“I can’t take this foreplay.” She’d grown light-headed, dizzy. Supremely frustrated. “I need you in a seriously hard-core way.”

He closed his teeth firmly on her nipple. Delaney gasped, but the pain shot pleasure straight between her legs. Releasing the pressure, he licked at the burn, leaving Delaney’s entire body on fire.

“You’re talking my language, baby,” he murmured against her skin. “And the better I know your body, the better I can fuck you. Hard-core.

His free hand slid over her belly and slipped beneath the waistband of her skirt. Delaney wiggled beneath him, tilted her head to bring her mouth close to his ear. “Yes. Touch me.”

Review-DGR4 starsForbidden Fling-Teaser

She’d walked into town, and Ethan’s life had spun on its ever-loving axis.

As a long time fan of all things Skye Jordan, I was thrilled to see she has a brand new series in the works. Not only does she write some seriously swoony heroes, but she always matches them up with fantastic heroines. Delaney Hart may easily be my favorite heroine by this author to date. Here was a woman that while she may be damaged in her own way, still had a backbone of steel and never backed down from a challenge. She wasn’t brash, she wasn’t OTT, she wasn’t obnoxious about it. But there was just this understated strength to her to go along with the playful bad girl that added an irresistible vibe to her character that I absolutely adored.

She’d been back in town for only a couple of hours, and all the hurt and guilt that had run her out of town a decade ago had already clawed their way back into her heart.

Coming back to the small town that she grew up in that only carried with it memories of past pain and regret isn’t exactly Delaney’s idea of fun. But with her father’s death and her two sisters are in the wind, there’s no one else to take care of the decrepit old bar before it gets demolished on her dime. If it’s not enough that she carries the guilt of the past, there’s definitely a few people to remind her that she’s not welcome. Delaney is made of tougher stuff than to back down from a challenge though.

But then she spends one delectable night with a sexy stranger….that turns out not to be a stranger at all. Ethan Hayes. The good boy that’s always harbored a crush on her, but with their past and present still between them, Delaney is even more hands off than she was ten years ago.

I loved the small town setting of the story. I also loved that even though the characters do share a sizzling night together pretty early into the book, there is more than enough slow burn sizzle with the added element of the forbidden added in to make the romance more delicious. Ethan was absolute perfection and it was great to see him come into his own and finally start standing up to his family. But I have to say that Delaney was my favorite part. She definitely stole the show for me. I loved her quiet strength and playfulness. I loved how she doesn’t let anything tear her down and maintains her equilibrium at any cost. I also loved watching Ethan fall harder and harder for the reformed bad girl.

He’d never been addicted to anything, but just looking at her standing on his porch made clawlike craving sting in his gut. Made his mouth water. Made him want to take risks he’d never contemplated before.

My one quibble is I wished the ending didn’t fell quite so rushed. While it’s my understanding that the story will continue with the other two Hart sisters, I would have loved a little more in that ending. It felt almost rushed after all the build up leading up to it, but then again I’m just greedy for more when it comes to Skye’s books. Perhaps we’ll get more of this couple with the future installments in the series.

All I know is I definitely enjoyed this one and have a feeling I’ll enjoy the next two even more. Especially with that set up for who I’m hoping will be the next couple. Because…rarrr. Seriously.
About the Author

Joan Author PhotoSkye Jordan is a pseudonym for New York Times bestselling romantic suspense author Joan Swan. Skye’s novels are about enjoying that little wild streak we don’t let out often enough. About those fantasies we rarely get the opportunity to indulge. About stretching limits, checking out the dark side, and maybe even acting a little naughty. They’re about escape and fun and pleasure and romance. And, yes, even love, because while wicked-great sex is good, happily ever after with wicked-great sex is even better.

When she’s not writing, Skye loves to read, knit, craft, row, ride, and dabble in photography.

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Perfect Rage by @NASHODAROSE

perfectragebannerPERFECT RAGE
Series: Unyielding #3
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Nashoda Rose
Release Date: July 26, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

PERFECT-RAGE-NASHODA-ROSE-AMAZON-KINDLE-EBOOK-COVER

This is Connor’s story.

Unstable.
Unpredictable.
Consumed by perfect rage.
I was fighting who I’d become and what I’d done.

There was nothing I cared about except her.
She was mine.
But I’d forgotten her—my shutterbug.
And I lost her.

Until now.

I’d do anything to possess her again.
Anything to keep her safe.
Protect her against my biggest opponent.

The monster.

Me.

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Excerpt

Copyright © 2016 by Nashoda Rose2005

“They don’t like civilians around, especially journalists. Don’t take it personally,” Jaz whispered as we followed the lieutenant who had said no more than three words to us since we arrived on base. Two of which were ‘no photographs’.

He’d taken us directly to base commander, General Maunder, who reiterated the no photos rule, and that we, under no circumstance, were allowed to walk around base unsupervised. He also told us we’d leave for the orphanage at 0600. Then he ordered the lieutenant to take us to meet Corporal O’Neill.

The strict formality did nothing to help my nerves that had caused a perpetual churning of my stomach. I was in a war-torn country on a military base where I was obviously not welcome and would be traveling across perilous roads to an orphanage where I’d spend the next month.

Yeah, I was nervous as hell.

Jaz nudged my elbow and slowed. “It’ll be fine.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I know.” But I didn’t know. Jaz did because he’d been doing this for twenty or more years. I’d never been out of Colombia.

We passed row after row of enormous canvas tents when finally the lieutenant stopped abruptly at a clearing where six shirtless, muscled military guys jostled one another for a ball.

“O’Neill will be free in a minute. Wait here, please,” the lieutenant ordered, then spun on his heel and walked to a guy who stood watching the game. He said something to him, nodded in our direction, and then disappeared into a nearby tent.

“Get your camera, but discreetly,” Jaz said. “I can do a sideline story.”

“The commander told us no photos.”

“You want to be good at this, you need to take risks and get the shots no one else does.”

Jaz had reported all over the world in dangerous environments, whether it was from natural disaster or war. I was like a shiny new car who had never been driven off the lot and gotten her tires dirty. But the lot hadn’t exactly been safe and I’d been exposed to the elements. Those elements being a Colombian drug lord named Carlos Moreno.

I was here to escape the unwanted attention of Carlos and the only reason I obtained this position was because my brother worked for the magazine, and the photographer broke his leg the week before they were supposed to leave.

“I’m here at an army base in Afghanistan. That’s enough risk and I really don’t want one of these guys angry at me.” Besides, I wasn’t here to take photographs of hot military guys playing football or as they’d call it soccer. Still, I couldn’t help but look at the guy who currently had control of the ball.

He grinned as he volleyed it back and forth between his feet while making his way toward the makeshift goal. The grin was a little mischievous, a little cute and a lot cocky. His deep blue eyes were filled with amusement and I heard his raspy chuckle when one guy slid into the dirt attempting to kick the ball away from him, but Blue Eyes saw him coming and heeled the ball backward at the last second.

My eyes trailed over his hard chest to the tattoo down his left side, then to his flexed abdomen. Definitely an eight-pack and even though I couldn’t see his thighs because he wore cargo pants, it was obvious they were muscled, too.

But he wasn’t the only one. All the guys playing were in incredible shape.

“Deck, you bastard,” Blue Eyes barked, as a guy who I assumed was Deck elbowed him in the ribs and stole the ball. He then dodged a seriously built guy who attempted to block him. “Gate. Fuck. Take him out.”

I smiled when Blue Eyes’ grin was replaced by a fierce scowl as he ran after Deck who was close to the goal with no one on him.

Obviously, this guy was competitive and didn’t like to lose because any playfulness had turned to resolve as he darted left to avoid a guy trying to block him from reaching Deck.

“Riot!” a guy yelled. His back was covered in a tattoo of a bird, like a hawk or something.

Riot. The call sign suited Blue Eyes as he undeniably appeared like he’d be fun, but also dangerous with that aggressive determination.

Deck hitched his leg back to kick the ball into goal at the same time as Riot reached him. He body checked Deck to the left, then kicked the ball hard out of the path of the goal.

Out of the path meant toward the sidelines—where we were standing.

It happened in slow motion and my reaction time was non-existent as the ball flew through the air right at me.

“Ah, fuck,” Riot shouted just before the ball hit me in the forehead.

I staggered back from the impact and Jaz grabbed my arm at the same time as I put my hand to my head.

“Holy shit, you okay, Alina?” Jaz asked.

The loud smack vibrated in my head and there was a burning throb in the middle of my forehead. Hard, air-filled plastic hitting the skull hurt, but it was more shocking than anything. “Ah, yeah. Fine.”

“Shit. Sorry. Didn’t see you there, ma’am.” It was Riot and he stood in front of me, sweat dripping down his chest and his eyes no longer twinkling, but genuinely concerned. “You okay? Do you need to sit down?”

I stared at him, a little dazed, but I was uncertain if it was from the ball hitting me in the head or from the hot guy standing inches away from me. I went with a combo.

I breathed in and his scent wafted into me. It was all man, no cologne, just a natural earthy smell with a hint of mint, as if he’d just used one of those breath strips.

And he was tall. Like really tall and I was five foot five so I wasn’t tiny, but he still towered over me. With his broad shoulders and bulging arms, I felt like a pixie standing next to him.

“Ah, yeah… umm, no, I mean, I don’t need to sit. I’m good,” I finally sputtered. I didn’t normally sputter, but my nerves had already been sparking and now they were out-of-control fireworks.

I froze, eyes widening when Riot’s fingers gently caressed the spot where the ball hit me. It was so soft I barely felt it. Except I did and goose bumps rose and my belly flipped.

“It’s red, but I don’t think it will bruise,” Riot said, his gaze drifting from my forehead to land on my lips then slowly back to meet my eyes. “Corporal O’Neill.” He held out his hand and I took it, noticing how it completely engulfed mine. His palms were rough and his handshake firm. Not painful, but with purpose.

“Yo, O’Neill!”

He turned and I looked past him to see the guy Deck across the yard with his gear in hand and his shirt back on. “Bird landed. See you back in the world,” Deck called. “One month.”

Riot, or rather Corporal O’Neill, did a fist pump in the air.

Deck jogged off with the seriously scary built guy they called Gate.

O’Neill’s attention shifted to Jaz who had yet to say anything and I knew why when I looked at him. He was grinning ear to ear as his gaze moved from O’Neill to me and back again.

“Jaz Klein.” He offered his hand and they shook. “Journalist for the Miami Messenger Magazine. The girl you smacked with your ball is Alina, my brilliant photographer. I’m writing a story—”

“On the orphanage,” O’Neill finished and his eyes shot back to me, but there was a scowl now and it was a little scary because his square jaw clenched and his lips pursed.

“Yeah,” Jaz said. “Are you one of the guys giving us a ride?”

He didn’t answer him; instead, his intense eyes were on me and I shifted uncomfortably. “The magazine sends you to an unstable country to take photos? Not fuckin’ smart. And I don’t have time to babysit civilians.”

Jaz cleared his throat. “I understand your concern, Corporal O’Neill, but the public wants to read more than just about the war over here. And I plan to give it to them.” I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until O’Neill’s eyes moved from me to Jaz. “I’ve been to hundreds of unstable places and am very aware of the risk.”

O’Neill paused while looking him up and down. Jaz was in his forties, appropriately dressed, wearing black cargo pants with a snug, long-sleeved shirt, black combat boots and his head was buzz cut like the military guys, so he fit in.

O’Neill had about an inch of dirty-blond hair and two days scruff that gave him a rugged look.

“Yeah. Maybe.” O’Neill’s attention shifted back to me again and I stiffened. “But I wasn’t referring to you.”

Whoa. What? I looked down at myself. I had on dark green fitted pants with laced boots and a white blouse that I thought was appropriate considering the unbearably dry heat.

“I’ll speak to my staff sergeant and advise him that you’re both to be airlifted out of here at the first opportunity. The story on the orphanage needs to be told, but not now. PR was crazy allowing this. Come back in a few years when shit settles. Or when you find another brilliant photographer.” Then he added, “One that’s out of high school.”

Oh, my God. Did he just say that? He could only be a couple of years older than me.

I was too shocked to say anything and Jaz was having a coughing fit with his hand over his mouth, so I knew damn well the guy was laughing. Laughing.

“Jaz.” I kicked his ankle and he cleared his throat and said, “Umm… yeah, listen, don’t worry about her. She can handle herself.”

“It’s my call and I say she can’t.” Corporal O’Neill’s eyes lingered on mine for a second then he nodded. “Ma’am. Sir.” Then he walked away.

What the hell just happened? He was going to tell his sergeant to send us home? Could he do that? This story was not only my escape from Carlos Moreno, but my catapult into my dream job as a photographer.

And there was no way this guy was ruining my chances. I wasn’t being sent home with my tail between my legs.

I ran after him.

“Alina!” Jaz called out to me, but I ignored him.

I caught up to O’Neill who had managed to cover a large amount of ground with his long, lean legs and snagged his arm. “Wait,” I said, my fingers curling around his forearm. But they didn’t even come close to encompassing the span.

He stopped, his gaze landing on my hand and I saw a flash of heat flare in the depths before they darkened and there was that fierce scowl again that sent my heart racing. I suddenly wondered if I should’ve just let Jaz deal with this. But it was me he had an issue with.

I released his arm. “I need this job. It’s really important.”

He replied, “You won’t need it if you’re dead.”

“We’re going to an orphanage.”

“That we have to drive to. You know about roadside bombs, right? Suicide bombers? You do know what’s going on in this country?” God, he was being an ass. “You hear about the stories of reporters being held for ransom or even worse, terrorists torturing them for months before videoing their head being blown off? They’re all true. This isn’t a place for a young girl who probably hasn’t witnessed death, let alone heard a gun go off. Go home. Finish school and take photos of families with their dog.” He turned and started walking away again.

Jesus. What right did he have telling me how to live my life? I was good at what I did and I wanted to take photographs that told a story. “I know how to handle a gun and I’ve seen men die,” I blurted.

He stopped, broad back stiffening and then swung around and headed for me. Shit. I backed up a couple steps because he was really intimidating with that severe scowl and overly confident swagger.

I swallowed. “My father taught me to shoot when I was ten.”

He snorted. “A squirt gun doesn’t count.”

“Funny.” What a dick.

He leaned in closer. So close that his warm breath swept across my face. “Do I make you nervous? Because you sure as hell look it. Pulse throbbing in the curve of your neck, quick inhales, fingers curled in the sides of your pants and your teeth chewing on that plush bottom lip. How nervous do you think you’ll be if the Taliban gets a hold of you?”

I hastily released my lip and his eyes flicked to my mouth.

Bastard. But he read me perfectly. I was nervous. He made me nervous and I’d grown up around dangerous, powerful men, my father being one of them. He flew cocaine from Colombia to Miami for Carlos Moreno ever since I could remember.

I’d never personally met Carlos until three years ago, when I was sixteen. I’d been with my mother and father in the market when a Jeep slowed beside us. It was Carlos and his right-hand man, Diego. My father told me to go home, but Carlos already had his eyes on me and asked for an introduction.

The man was old enough to be my father and yet he stared at me with the corners of his lips curved up and his gaze lingering on my breasts. There was a gleam in his eyes that made my stomach lurch and my pulse race with fear.

My father was so nervous he stumbled over his words and kept looking from me to Carlos, his face pale. It was my mother who moved in front of me to block Carlos’s view of me, but it was too late. I had his unwanted attention.

But he never did anything about it for three years, then one night Carlos’s man, Diego, showed up unannounced at the house and he and my father had a huge argument. It was then my father contacted my brother, Juan, who lived in the States.

Last time I’d seen my brother, I was ten years old. He’d bought me my first camera, his goodbye present. He’d told me once he was settled and had enough money I would live with him in the United States. I soon realized why he left when he did—to escape Carlos Moreno’s grasp.

I straightened my shoulders as I faced off with Corporal O’Neill. “Then make sure the Taliban doesn’t get ahold of me,” I retorted. “And you can’t disobey orders.” I really wasn’t sure about all the rules, but I was pretty sure he couldn’t just refuse for the simple fact that he thought I was too young and obviously disliked me.

He grunted, shaking his head. Crossing his arms, a hint of a smile emerged. “I wasn’t ordered. I volunteered. Now I’m unvolunteering.”

“That’s not even a word.”

He produced a full-on smirk. “Sure it is. We’re in my world now and I’m sure I have lots of words you’re not old enough to understand.”

Review-DGR5 starsPerfect Rage-DGR teaser
Demons. Shadows. I fought them all until I couldn’t anymore.

Even before Perfect Chaos, but especially after, I’ve been anticipating Connor’s book. The damaged, tortured man that finally made an appearance in Perfect Ruin is barely recognizable from the memory that everyone has of him. Seven years of living in capture and daily torture will break any man, but The Vault also stole his memories. Now he’s out, his tormentor dead at his hands, and his memories a fragmented puzzle of painful reminders of what will never be whole.

I was treading water and with each ragged breath, I sank further and further into the darkness and despair.

This is not a book you can read out of order. You need to read the entire Unyielding series in order to understand the complexity of the story and especially the events that led to finding Connor. While the author does a fantastic job with a recap, you’d still lose a lot of info not having read the first two books.

After the scene at the end of Perfect Ruin, I’ve been practically salivating for this book. I had no idea what the tie between Catalina “Alina” Diaz and Connor was, but this book finally gave me that. Oh boy did it give me that. I think I must have been reading with a lump in my throat the entire time. Connor and Alina’s story is devastating and heart-wrenching.

I wanted uncontrolled and raw- unrestrained and powerful. That was what we were. A desire that conquered.

I haven’t read a Nashoda Rose heroine I haven’t loved yet, and Alina was certainly no exception. I loved her quiet strength. But most of all I loved her loyalty and adoration for Connor. The way she loved him is so pure and the sacrifices she made for him broke my heart.

Our teeth hit as he claimed my lips with a sweet desperation. And I surrendered. There was no other way. We’d never had a choice in us.

Perfect Rage-DGR Teaser 2Their love was the rose within a perfect storm. It was devastatingly beautiful. All the odds are stacked against them, Connor may never be the man he once was. He’s damaged, broken, a mass of rage and violence. But Alina is his reason and the one thing he can’t escape or stay away from.

I’m lost, baby. I’m so fuckin’ lost and you’re the only one to keep me from disintegrating.”

God. GOD! This book broke my heart into a million jagged pieces. Connor may have been one of my favorite tortured heroes I’ve read in a long while. I just wanted to reach through my kindle and hug him. This is a man that’s beyond broken; haunted by the demons of his past that he had no control over. A man that’s struggling to reach the surface but keeps drowning in memories. A man that’s so in love with a woman yet knows that he can never have her.

I’m dead,” I shouted as my control broke and the rage pumped through my veins. “I’m fuckin’ dead, damn it. There’s nothing left of me except raw, jagged pieces of a man I hate.”

Many years ago I read one of my favorite books, Wild Card, and since then I’ve always looked for something similar, but never able to find it…until this book.

Perfect Rage was everything. It was darkness and light. It was violence and pain. It was loss and forgiveness. But beyond everything it was an epic romance. I loved it beyond words!


UNYIELDING SERIES


PERFECT CHAOS (Unyielding #1)
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

PERFECT RUIN (Unyielding #2)
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW


About the Author

Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dogs at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction—books.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter | Instagram | Google+ | Pinterest

Giveaway

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Review: His Royal Secret by Lilah Pace

Review-His Royal SecretHIS ROYAL SECRET
Series: His Royal Secret #1
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance
Author: Lilah Pace
Release Date: July 19, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

His Royal Secret

The first in an enchanting new male/male romantic duology from Lilah Pace, author of Asking for More and Begging for It….

James, the handsome, cosmopolitan Prince of Wales, is used to being in the public eye. But he’s keeping a king-sized secret…James, next in line for the throne, is gay.

He’s been able to hide his sexual orientation with the help of his best friend and beard, Lady Cassandra. Sometimes he feels like a coward for not coming out, but he daren’t risk losing the crown. If he did, the succession would fall on his deeply troubled younger sister, Princess Amelia. To protect her, James is willing to live a lie.

While on holiday, he meets Benjamin Dahan—a rugged international reporter with a globe-trotting, unattached life—who catches far more than James’s eye. And when Ben is transferred to London, it seems fate may finally be smiling on James.

But what began as a torrid fling grows into something far more intimate and powerful. Soon James will have decide who he is, what he wants from life and love, and what he’s willing to sacrifice for the truth…

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR2.5 stars

Take your clothes off.”
“Yes, your Royal Highness.”

I was an instant fan of Lilah Pace the second I read Asking for It. Her writing phenomenal, the story provocative, and the characters multi layered. When I saw that she has a bran new MM romance in the works with a dash of the forbidden (a secretly gay Prince of Wales? *gasp*)
My ovaries were all, sign us up for that right meow!

Then I started reading it and they were all

“when does this pick up?”
“That was pretty hot, but I barely popped a lady boner at it.”
“Alright, I’m over the sex, what about more story?”
“How much longer?”
“Really? We’re not even at 65% yet?”
“Huh. Maybe the next book will bring more”

Clearly my ovaries are fickle bitches. Le sigh. What can I say? This story very sadly left me quite a bit underwhelmed.

While I loved Ben and James individually, together they were barely lukewarm for me. Perhaps that was because I kept wishing for more story development that kept getting overshadowed by all the sex? Perhaps it was because the book read fairly mundane even if it did have a forbidden romance thing going for it. I just wasn’t feeling it.

I was pushing myself to finish…and pushing myself…and pushing myself some more. Eventually this began to feel like the longest short book.

Now don’t get me wrong, in usual Lilah Pace fashion, it was clearly well researched and extremely well written. The author is immensely talented, and that’s clear in her words. What I found lacking here was simply a true connection to the story. But that’s more a personal taste issue than anything truly wrong with the story. Maybe it was my mood, maybe it was something else. But while I didn’t love this one, I will definitely be continuing with the next book because I was intrigued enough by everything going on and the secondary characters to want to know what happens next.

If you’re looking for sizzling hot MM, this book has it. If you’re looking for great secondary characters, this book has it too. If you’re looking for multi-layered characters, this book definitely has it. Who knows, perhaps it will work better for you than it did for me.


Look out for the conclusion

HIS ROYAL FAVORITE

Releasing August 16, 2016

Jennifer’s Review: Dark Mafia Prince by Annika Martin

dark mafia prince-DGR reviewDark Mafia Prince
Series: A Dangerous Royals Romance #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Annika Martin
Release Date: June 28, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

30264227-2

THE WAY HE USES ME IS PRIMITIVE. DEMEANING. AND ALL I CAN THINK IS, DON’T STOP!
*A Dangerous Royals romance with a standalone romance HEA!*

Aleksio
Don’t look at me like that. So trusting.
Like you think I’m not a monster.
Like I won’t wrap your hair in my fist and bend you to my will.
Like I won’t sacrifice you, piece by piece, to save my brother.
I’m the most dangerous enemy you’ll ever have because every time you look at me, you see somebody good. That friend who died.
And when you look at me like that, I die again.

Mira
I spent years making myself invisible.
A good girl, apart from the noise.
Then you came back, beautiful and deadly in your Armani suit.
Don’t look at me like you still know me, you say.
But I remember your smile and those sunny days.
Before they lowered your small casket into the ground.
Before they told us the prince was dead.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 stars

4 “Sleeping King” Stars!!!

Three brothers. Mmmm. My kinda series.

“the suits, the codes, cufflinks just so. The sleeping king…”

One brother is missing. Aleksio and Viktor are on a war path to rain down hell onto the leading mafia king to find their brother. Aleksio is determined to reunite his family and take over his empire.

My Aleksio:

mxm men:

Aleksio’s love is the dangerous kind of love that breaks all the rules. It’s him killing and kidnapping as he goes after his brother. It’s him pulling my hair and shoving his cock in my mouth. I shouldn’t think it’s beautiful.

My Mira:

.:
Mira is the daughter of the leading mafia king. Aleksio and Mira knew each other when they were kids, both children of mafia kings. Mira believes Aleksio to be dead, but she soon finds out that her own father is not what he seems. Aleksio kidnaps Mira (I LOVE kidnapping stories!), and holds her ransom in order to get information about his missing brother.

The story leads to many places to find the missing brother. At the same time, Aleksio and Mira grow closer to together. They are so hot together, and I love how Aleksio is with her. Dirty Talker = No Panties. Yes, please.

The way he uses me is violent. Primitive. Demeaning. And all I can think is, don’t stop.

7246821I am a sucker for mafia romance, but this book is more than just romance. It’s a story. I love books that tell a story in addition to the romance. Why do I love mafia romance so much?! Probably because there is almost always a guaranteed alpha, and Aleksio did not disappoint in this one.

This book had my attention from start to finish. It was an easy, quick read that I didn’t want to end. Thankfully, it continues in the next book in the trilogy. Viktor, here I come!


A DANGEROUS ROYALS ROMANCE SERIES

DARK MAFIA PRINCE | WICKED MAFIA PRINCE | SAVAGE MAFIA PRINCE

Jennifer’s Review: A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Review-A Week To Be WickedA Week to Be Wicked
Series: Spindle Cove #2
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Tessa Dare
Release Date: March 27, 2012add-to-goodreads-button-2

AWeekToBeWicked

When a devilish lord and a bluestocking set off on the road to ruin…Time is not on their side.

Minerva Highwood, one of Spindle Cove’s confirmed spinsters, needs to be in Scotland. Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake of the first order, needs to be…anywhere but Spindle Cove.

These unlikely partners have one week to

• fake an elopement
• convince family and friends they’re in “love”
• outrun armed robbers
• survive their worst nightmares
• travel four hundred miles without killing each other

All while sharing a very small carriage by day and an even smaller bed by night.

What they don’t have time for is their growing attraction. Much less wild passion. And heaven forbid they spend precious hours baring their hearts and souls.

Suddenly one week seems like exactly enough time to find a world of trouble. And maybe . . . just maybe . . . love.

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS 

Review-DGR5 stars

“FOR-THE-LOVE-OF-TITS” 

I’m in love with this book!!!
 photo tumblr_mje1sjIlMV1rkf2rso1_400_zps94ebb888.gif
I’m giggling like…a nerd!!!
Nerd Words Are Sexy!!!

And the way you pronounce all those polysyllabic words? Makes me rock hard, every time.


This book was MADE…FOR…ME. I’m a huge nerd, ladies. I’m obsessed with books (duh). I love math. I loved school and still love learning.
This book starts on page 1 and doesn’t stop until the last word. This story is full of adventure and imagination. It’s sexy, hilarious, and fast-paced. There isn’t a dull moment!!!

Colin and Minerva strike a deal. If he helps her journey to her geology symposium, she will marry him (temporarily) so he can receive the money for his birthright. Most of the story is their journey to Edinburgh. They are constantly pretending to be other people, and it is hilarious! Their relationship in the beginning is beyond entertaining. They are constantly bantering back and forth (Colin is always calling her by the wrong name, and I laughed every time!).

I didn’t recognize your face without the book in front of it.

Colin is a “jack of all trades.” He is funny, dry, sexy, witty…perfection. He is a spoiled rich guy on the outside, but very intelligent because he can maneuver through many different adventures.

My Colin:

“You are the most deceitful, horrid, shameless, contemptible man I have ever had the displeasure to know. How do you sleep at night?” His reply came just as she banged the door closed. “I don’t.”

Josh klossMinerva is a BADASS NERD….and one of my favorite historical heroines!!! She is a female geologist (studies rocks) who is determined to become recognized. She has discovered a rare fossil and because she is passionate about what she does, she wants the world to know about it.

My Minerva:

“I’m a woman who knows a great deal about rocks. I suggest you find the stones to deal with it.”

want: good square-ish glassesMin and Colin are perfect for each other! There is so much laughing in this book, and yet there is also so much tenderness. When Min and Colin fall in love, it is so beautiful!!!!! I didn’t expect my heart to stutter so much.

Certainty becomes you.

.

The story doesn’t end with defeat. It ends in triumph.

 This is my first Tessa Dare book, and I am sold for life. She does a fabulous teaser for the next book, and I am super excited to read it!
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THE SPINDLE COVE SERIES

A NIGHT TO SURRENDER (bk 1)
ONCE UPON A WINTER’S DARE (bk 1.5)
A WEEK TO BE WICKED (bk 2)
A LADY BY MIDNIGHT (bk 3)
BEAUTY AND THE BLACKSMITH (bk 3.5)
ANY DUCHESS WILL DO (bk 4)
LORD DASHWOOD MISSED OUT  (bk 4.5)
DO YOU WANT TO START A SCANDAL (bk 5)

Review: Sinner’s Revenge by Kim Jones

Sinner's Revenge- reviewSINNER’S REVENGE
Series: Sinner’s Creed #2
Genre: Erotic Romance, MC
Author: Kim Jones
Release Date: July 19, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

sinners-revenge-2

The sizzling second book featuring the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club, bikers bent on riding chrome and meting out mayhem…

Shady has spent the last eight years of his life dedicated to the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club. But after losing the man who was both his brother and his best friend, he has a new purpose—to avenge the death of the greatest nomad in Sinner’s Creed history.

His plan is flawless. His mission is simple: seek and destroy. There is no room for distractions—especially a distraction like Diem.

She’s infuriating. Demanding. Complicated. Impossible. And for some reason, Shady can’t stay away. But he only has space in his heart for one love: Sinner’s Creed. And the club always comes first. Always.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS Review-DGR4 starsSinner's Revenge-DGR teaser

Inside, I’m screaming in agony. But no one can hear me. My eyes are filled with sorrow and loss. But no one can see it. My chest aches with a thousand flames from the fiery sea of hell. But no one can feel it. No one but me. Shady. The man who was born with nothing, lost everything he’d gained, and has something he doesn’t deserve. Life.

I went through the emotional wringer back when I read Sinner’s Creed. It equal parts gutted me and left me yearning for more. I remember bawling like a baby at the end and thinking how tragically beautiful the ending was. And I also remember practically salivating to get my hands on Shady’s book. The death of his best friend and brother left Shady reeling. The only thing that burns in his veins is his need for revenge. He won’t rest until those responsible for the death pay for it in blood…rivers of it.

My anger is fueled by all that’s been lost. Fury blazes in my eyes. Rage consumes me. Revenge is my only thought. Killing is my ultimate goal. Death is the only justice.

Shady is as calculating as he is lethal, and his plan for revenge is thoroughly planned out. It’s what he sleeps, eats, and breathes. Nothing can distract him from his ultimate goal until a woman that’s as crazy as she is beautiful demands his attention in a way that he can’t ignore.

Diem, for lack of a better term, is batshit. *shrugs* No really. There’s something seriously wrong with this chick and it was equal parts entertaining and infuriating. There were times where she’d do something that left me reeling and scratching my head. I mean, the woman shows up randomly where he’s at, steals his truck, and basically moves into his house without so much as an invitation. But there’s always something to her. Something that’s just below the surface that constantly has you questioning if everything is as it seems…

He’s under my skin. He’s in my head. He gives me everything I never knew I wanted and then some. If I thought I was falling before, I’m sure of it now.

This was so much more beyond an MC romance. It’s the story of brotherhood and a bond that reaches beyond death. Shady’s unwavering loyalty to his MC and his love for his brother was evident in every page. I loved his connection to his fallen brother even if it was heartbreaking knowing what he’s going through. His inner turmoil was palpable.

I also loved that while there’s clearly sexual chemistry between Shady and Diem right away, it was almost a reluctant relationship. Both of them know they’re chaotic together and yet they can’t keep away from each other.

We’re scarring each other.
Hurting each other.
Torturing each other.
And it’s never felt so fucking good.

Admittedly, my one struggle throughout the book was Diem. I had a really tough time connecting with her character. She was just all over the place with her mood swings. She’s a tough bitch, but at times it was almost too much so. I felt like I needed a valium every time I’d read another one of her tantrums. In parts it was entertaining, and in other parts it was just draining. There was one part in the first half that I thought could go somewhere, especially after the big revelation, but didn’t. [su_spoiler title=”Click to view spoiler” style=”fancy” icon=”chevron”]Diem’s accident. Considering everything that comes to light soon after just seemed reckless and didn’t fit what we later learn about her character[/su_spoiler]

Kim Jones delivers one heck of a gritty tale with Sinner’s Revenge. Her writing seems to get better and better with each new book and I’m definitely a huge fan. No one delivers an MC book quite like her and this book is further proof of that.

There’s so much that happens here that I found myself practically incapable to put down my kindle until I finished. There are twists at every turn, some so completely mind blowing that it left my head reeling. And while I struggled with the first half with Diem, I devoured the second half with fervor. I highly recommend that you read Sinner’s Creed first in order to truly appreciate everything that happens with the story. But mostly, I recommend it so you truly appreciate the epilogue. Damn if the author didn’t get the waterworks from me yet again. I adored the epilogue here. It should have been slightly cheesy but it wasn’t at all. It was beautiful and touching and gave me that final sense of completion that I didn’t even know I was missing after the first book. Perfection.

Gritty, violent, dark, and brutal on the one hand, and full of emotion, brotherhood, and love on the other. This book was the perfect balance of all of those and more! I loved all of the secondary characters, I loved the intensity and I absolutely loved the ending.


DON’T MISS THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL!

SINNER’S CREED (Sinner’s Creed #1)Sinner's CreedGOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

Review: Blood To Dust by L.J. Shen

blood to dust-reviewBLOOD TO DUST
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: L.J. Shen
Release Date: July 17, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

blood to dust
His name is Beat, and I should hate him.

Bound, blindfolded and bruised, I’m tied in his basement, waiting for the men who stripped me from clothes and humanity to collect his debt to them. Me.

His name is Nate and I should hate him, but I don’t.

I’m not supposed to know his real name, even worse, I’m not supposed to care. He is nothing to me but means to an end. The plan is simple: break free, collect the pieces of my broken soul, kill the bastards and run away.

His name is Nathaniel Thomas Vela, and I’ve never seen his face, though I hear that it’s beautiful.

Behind the rugged and handsome exterior, there’s a quiet murderer, a killer who thinks guns are for pussies and ends people with his bare hands.

His name doesn’t matter, neither does his face, but what does matter is my heart. And right now, sadly, it’s his.

Blood to Dust is a standalone, full-length novel. It contains graphic violence and adult situations some may find offensive.

Buy LinksAMAZONReview-DGR4.5 starsBlood To Dust-DGR teaser

I look like the perfect victim. Scared. Beautiful. Innocent…Though, I’m anything but the latter.

Well slap my ass and call me Sally, what in the ever hell did I just read?
This.
Book.
Was.
Brilliant!

OK. OK. Allow me to get my thoughts together here
*deep breath*
*another deep breath*

Holy hell, people!

I already knew after reading Sparrow that L.J. Shen was a talented author, but after reading this book? She blew everything I thought I knew away! The woman is a genius. Everything, from the characters, the writing style, the chapter formation, the story, all of it I can describe in two words; brilliantly intense.

I’m picky with my dark romance. Some of it has become entirely formulaic for me; bad guy meets somewhat naive girl, some mundane detail, plot twist for shock value, and BAM! HEA! This book? This book was nothing like that. Not even close. It was unpredictable, violent, brutal, dark and twisted. You won’t have a book hangover after, you’ll have PTSD and you’ll love every depraved moment of it!

She’s hurt and broken in her own, fancy-ass country club way. And I’m hurt and broken in my own, broke-ass ghetto way.

Any other woman that finds herself bloodied, tied and locked in a dark basement waiting on certain death at the hands of men intent on collecting their debt from her, may be shaken. But not Prescott. Every minute in her captivity is another minute for her to plot and scheme and plan her escape. Because she will escape. Even if she has to use her unwilling captor to do it…

She’s going to ruin me…and I’m going to let her.

Beat is a nameless, faceless man in a mask. He’s a man that owes a debt himself. He’s the man with a price on his head and his own survival as his main concern. A prissy little princess tied up in his basement for some unknown debt of her own shouldn’t concern him. Yet there’s something about her that calls to his primal side and tempts his inner beast…

She’s aiming straight for my fucking heart, this chick. Shot after shot in the dark.
And sooner or later, I know, even in the pitch black, she’s going to hit her target.”

Blood To Dust-DGRThe story packs a hell of a one two punch. It’s deliciously dirty and anxiety inducing gritty. The characters are incredibly well developed, multi-layered, and impossible not to like. Prescott was one kick-ass chick. She’s a survivor and she never stops fighting. She maintains an almost morbid sense of humor even during the most dire of times which gives her this incredibly endearing quality.

As for Nate Vela aka “Beat”? Oh man. Man oh man. I loved him! I loved his inner struggle in protecting himself or doing the right thing. I loved his inner struggle in his attraction to Prescott. There was so much depth to him that you can’t help but connect with right away.

The chemistry between the two of them was deliciously depraved. This is no cookie cutter romance. Nate Vela is one vile, dirty, dirty man and I loved him for it. Both of them are survivors in their own right, and together they’re a force to be reckoned with. It was perfectly balanced with two incredibly strong characters and for this reader it was perfection! There’s nothing better for me than a heroine that can save herself, and Prescott was no damsel in distress.

There were parts of it that I spent laughing. There were parts of it I spent with a knot in my stomach and hands shaking. It was unlike anything I’ve read and I loved every twisted part of it!

I love her like a slave, I kneel in front of her like a subject, I crawl back to her at night like a drunk and I worship her like a believer. She’s my truth, my lie, my storm and my peace.

There was one particular detail at the end that confused me a little because I don’t remember it being explained. It could have been something I overlooked, but after re-reading the part several times, I’m still not sure. I’m not expecting everything wrapped in a pretty little bow, but given the detail was a pivotal one that set the plot in motion, I suppose I just wanted slightly more explanation on it. But that’s just one minor quibble in what was a truly amazing book, so I really can’t bother myself to complain about it much. If you’re looking for a dark read with strong characters and an unpredictable plot, READ THIS BOOK.

Jennifer’s Review: Backfire by @KERILAKE

Review-Backfire-Jenn reviewBACKFIRE
Series: Vigilantes #2
Genre: Dark, Contemporary Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date: June 9, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Backfire+FOR+WEB

This book is a standalone set in the same world as Ricochet.

No matter how unbreakable he may seem, every man has a weakness.

A year ago, my home became a bloodstained crime scene. That night marked the beginning of my hell—the same night I was tortured by my enemies and tossed into an underground prison to die.

They failed. I survived.

Now that I’m free, only one motive burns in my soul: revenge.

Lucky for me, they think Jase Hawkins is dead. Maybe I am. I’ve got nothing but a cold, merciless rage, and Black Betty, the sharp steel blade that never leaves my side.

Then she drifts into my life.

Lucia wants answers—so much so, she’s willing to fall into the darkness where my enemies lie in wait, to kill her for what she knows.

Or to take her for the depraved fantasies her body alone can rouse in a man’s mind.

Me? I want her for the fire in her touch that feeds my addiction, forces me to feel what has become numb, but my appetite for bloodshed runs deeper than flesh.

For my own sanity, I’ve vowed to stay away from her. Because she’s my only weakness, an obsession that leaves me craving more—one that could make even the most steadfast plan backfire.

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Review5 stars

This-book-chopped-me-up-and-had-me-for-dinner!!!

I feel like nothing I can say in this review will be enough. There is so much in this book that I am literally overwhelmed writing this review. The thought I keep coming back to is that it feels like a comic book, which sounds cliché, but this book is not cliché at all! It’s a book of evil, drugs, crime, danger. But it’s also a book of hope, light, love, sex. I felt like I was pulled into this world, and I just got lost. I LOVE getting lost in books.

Below the crime-lords, and all the shit people heard on TV, was a world that existed only in nightmares. A place where rules didn’t exist and the people who thrived there were faceless names who ruled themselves in anarchy. There, the most horrific crimes were bartered for and traded like a Sunday afternoon at Eastern Market.

19695337Jase is on a war path of vengeance. After being tortured for a year, he is given a second chance, and his only assignment is to kill someone, the very person who killed the only people he loved. He is haunted by his past. Nightmares and flashbacks are his friend. But then he meets Lucy. Little does he know that this isn’t the first time they’ve met.
19695338
My Jase:

 :
My Lucy:
Della. "Twisted Perfection" by Abbi Glines:

Lucy loves to take pictures of abandoned buildings in Detroit. This is something that Jace and Lucy share throughout the book, a love of photography.

Some called it ‘ruin porn,’ and for me, the more damaged, the more drawn to a place I seemed to be.

à la Mode St. » fashionWhile photographing an abandoned building, she sees something that she should not have seen, and especially should not have filmed on her camera. Evil men are after her, but she is determined to pursue truth and justice, putting her life at risk.

Jace and Lucy’s relationship is volatile, at first. Jace believes Lucy is part of the evil group he is pursuing. Lucy believes the same of him. They do not trust each other at all. I love this beginning of their relationship.

“You don’t let go of me, I’m either going to scream, or twist your balls so fucking hard that you scream.”

Feisty fucking thing. She had me so hard, I didn’t know whether to take her up on it, or knock her back and rip her panties off with my teeth.

Eventually, they learn that they are on the same side and begin working together. I love how their relationship progresses. Once they start working together, Jace becomes very protective of Lucy, but Lucy is a strong heroine (love that!) and she is determined to fight alongside Jace during this pursuit of evil.
à la Mode St. » fashionI loved how this book is centered around photography. It was a brilliant avenue to paint this book.

Something clicked. Like watching her through the lens, the aperture flicked and the light hit her face differently. She glowed. So goddamn beautiful, it hurt to look at her. Like an eclipse, I knew the longer I stared, the more fucked I’d be. Even so, I cupped her face, the dark ink of my tattoos against peaches and cream skin. Dark and light. Night and day. The moon and the sun. Mia Luce.

19695339That is all of the words that I can write about this book. Lol. Just read it.

If you enjoy dark romance, read this book. If you want to FEEL something, read this book.

More quotes below because I love the dialogue in this book! Jace is a dirty-talker, and Lucy is sassy!

“Not one for compliments, are you?”

“Was hot tits supposed to be a compliment?”

à la Mode St. » fashion

“What I wouldn’t give to nail you against this wall and smile when your morals come crumbling down.”

à la Mode St. » fashion

“I need you to know that I don’t hate you, Lucy, but I’m about to fuck you like I do. Ready for me?”

à la Mode St. » fashion

“I’ll have you know, I work hard for this ass, and I intend to keep working hard for it.”

“And I’ll keep working hard for a piece of it.”


DON’T MISS THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL

RICOCHET (Vigilantes #1)
READ LANA’S 5 STAR REVIEW HERE

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The only sure way to destroy a man is to take what he cannot live without.

Three years ago, I had everything.

A beautiful wife.
A son.
A reason for living.

Until a ruthless task force, assembled under Mayor Michael Culling, with a brutal strategy to make the streets of Detroit ‘safe’, ripped away everything I loved in a deadly hunt called The Culling.

They tried to kill me, too. I wish they had. Now I’m cursed by the memories of that night, and the words I whispered to my dying wife.

A promise—to avenge the wrong and set it right.

I’m no longer Nick Ryder. I’m a masked vigilante. Faceless. Loveless. Fearless. A man with nothing left to lose—one who’s seen the dark and violent truth behind the city’s flawless veneer.

Michael Culling doesn’t know who I am. Or what I want. All he knows is that I’ve kidnapped his beautiful wife.

An eye for an eye—isn’t that how the saying goes? And Aubree Culling is the perfect pawn to destroy him.

If she doesn’t destroy me first.

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Read Lana’s 5 Star review of Backfire HERE

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