All Reviews – Page 123

DGR Top Fave & ARC Review: ★Paper Princess★ by @authorerinwatt

March 23, 2016 by Lana · 2 Comments

Paper Princess
Series: The Royals #1
Genre: YA/NA Romance
Author: Erin Watt
Release Date: April 4, 2016

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

PRE-ORDER

iBOOKS | AMAZON PAPERBACK

You should know whatever game you’re playing, you can’t win. Not against all of us.
If you leave now, you won’t be hurt. If you stay, we’ll break you so bad that you’ll be crawling away.”

Let’s talk about things that trigger my one-clicker for a second here, shall we?

Authors: we have a book that’s basically an angst filled love child of Cruel Intentions and Gossip Girl. There’s YA kind angst but with NA kind scenarios. There’s hate lust, an incredible tough as nails heroine, a bunch of sexy rich and entitled brothers that have enough issues to fill up Grand Canyon, a broody as hell alphahole hero that you’ll love to hate but secretly mainly love, and all of it is wrapped up in a story that’s more addicting than crack.

Me:

That about sum it up for you then? Good. Because if ever there was ever a book that was custom written for me, this is that book. At first the YA tag turned me away because I’m not a reader that enjoys YA. But the only thing YA about this book are the characters’ ages; the heroine is 17 and the setting is in high school. However, the events that take place are focused towards a more mature NA, which just happens to be my catnip.

Some kids dream of traveling the world, owning fast cars, big houses. Me? I want my own apartment, a fridge full of food, and a steady paying job, preferably one that’s as exciting as paste drying.

Ella Harper is exactly the kind of heroine I love to read about. She’s led a hard life in her young 17 years. Her mom may have been flighty and jumping from one boyfriend to the next all her life while struggling to support the both of them, but she’s all she’s ever known. Now that her mother has passed away, Ella has nothing and no one and struggles to make ends meet just to make it through high school so she can go on to college. When a man shows up at her school claiming to be her legal guardian and her father’s best friend, she’s rightful skeptical. But Callum is determined to help once he sees the way Ella’s been living and it’s not long before she arrives on the Royal doorstep much to the disgruntlement of Callum’s five sons.

The Royal boys are not what I expected. They don’t look like rich pricks in preppy clothes. They look like terrifying thugs who can snap me like a twig.

To say they’re not happy to see her, is an understatement. The Royals rule the school Ella now goes to and what they say goes. They’re determined not to go easy on the new girl, especially one that clearly doesn’t belong in their world. But Ella is no wilting wallflower. This girl gives as good as she gets and boy does that make for some entertaining reading.

This will never be my home. I don’t belong in splendor, I belong in squalor. That’s what I know. It’s what I’m comfortable with because squalor doesn’t lie to you. It’s not wrapped up in a pretty package. It is what it is.

This book was the perfect combination of angst with a slow burn of hate/lust all wrapped around an undercurrent of a slow burn sexual tension. Reed Royal is a character that you can’t help but love even while you love to hate him. He’s not nice to Ella, not at all, but yet the way that he’s written you can’t help but know there’s something beneath the surface of what he lets you see.; something dark and deep and you’re just itching to scratch at it to know what it is.

Here’s the deal,” he says. “My brother and father are off-limits to you. If you have an itch, you come to me. I’ll take care of it.

I absolutely devoured this book, and by devoured I mean I couldn’t put it down for even a second. It’s been a long while where a book has managed to suck me in as much as this one did. It’s filled with teenage angst and drama and characters that you can’t help but fall for. The authors did a phenomenal job creating these characters that are so real they practically jump off at the pages. I was enamored with the story. I was hooked on each page like a junky craving their next fix and angst just happens to be my drug of choice.
As for that ending? Well let’s just say I may or may not be rocking myself in a corner as we speak while I wait for July 25 to finally get here

2 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, DGR Favorites, New Adult · Tagged With: Book Crack, Book Reviews: 5 stars, DGR Fave, Erin Watt

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Finley★ by @EllaFrank2012

March 21, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Title: Finley
Author: Ella Frank
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 22nd, 2016

It’s time to come home, Finn.

It’s been seven years since Daniel Finley left his hometown in Florida for the hustle and bustle of Chicago’s city life.

Since then, he’s worked hard for his position at the prestigious law firm Leighton & Associates, even when it’s caused distance and isolation from his family and friends. But that’s all about to change.

On his thirtieth birthday, he receives the one thing he never dared hope for. Something that was promised to him years earlier—a note. One simple sentence from the man he’s never been able to forget.

Six words will forever change the course of their lives.

Brantley Hayes has it all. Or so he thinks. When he first made the decision to take a job down in Florida, his family thought he was crazy. But, after years of living in the quiet beach town, he finally feels a sense of community. He’s surrounded himself with friends who are like family, has a job he loves, and owns a spectacular beachfront property that is his sanctuary.

Yet he still feels unfulfilled, as if a piece of the puzzle is missing, and he knows exactly which piece it is. On an impulse, he follows through with a promise he made years earlier. A promise to call home the one he sent away.

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

After years of separation, the former lovers are reunited, but Brantley wasn’t expecting to encounter the high walls now guarding Daniel’s heart.
Daniel may not be the same person he was when he left, but he knows that the first step to healing is the note in his hand.

AMAZON

BRANTLEY KEPT A discreet eye on the final student to leave for the morning as Mr. Finley strode down the stairs to the front of the classroom. They were three weeks into the semester and he was ashamed to admit that, with every day that passed, his fascination with the young man grew.At first, he’d tried to convince himself that it was purely academic. The kid was smart. He’d aced all the weekly quizzes, and Brantley was more than aware of the way he watched him lecture with keen, intelligent eyes that never strayed from him.

Oh, he was fascinated, all right, but he made sure to tell himself at the end of every class that it had nothing to do with the mischievous grin Daniel would flash at his friends or the easygoing laugh that would bubble up out of him at any given moment. But he knew he was lying. Daniel was quite possibly the happiest person he’d ever met, and his joy of life lit up the room and everyone in it. Including him.

When Daniel stopped in front of him and dropped his paper on the desk, Brantley acknowledged him with a glance before returning his gaze back to the notes he was going over.

“Any big plans this weekend, Professor?”

The question had been so unexpected that he didn’t think to catch himself before he replied, “Nothing too big. Just going out with some friends. You?”

Daniel smiled at him as he shoved his arms through the loops of his backpack, and Brantley couldn’t help but look at his shirt as it stretched across his broad chest.

“I’m going to hit the beach. Such great waves right now.”

“Ahh, you like to surf. That explains it.”

When the side of Daniel’s mouth crooked up, the effect was charming as hell. The kid was a knockout.

“Explains what?”

Annoyed that he’d made such a stupid slipup, he looked back at the papers in front of him, hoping Daniel would get the message and leave. No such luck.

“Explains what?” he asked again.

Brantley sighed and rested his arms on the desk as he studied Daniel’s inviting face. “It explains your hair.”

“My—oh,” he said, touching the ends of it. “Do you like it?”

Stunned by the direct question, he sat back in his chair and fought the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Do I like your hair?”

“Yeah.”

“Does it matter?” Jesus, fuck. Stop it. Stop flirting with him.

But it was too late. Daniel put his hands on the desk and leaned forward, Brantley toed the ground, shoving his chair back.

“It could…”

“No. No, it couldn’t,” he said as he got to his feet, shaking his head.

Daniel straightened and tucked his thumbs into the straps of his backpack, no doubt to taunt him. His eyes were too knowing for someone his age, and when they held his longer than was acceptable, Brantley’s heart skipped a couple of beats.

“Was there something else, Mr. Finley?”

“You said you were going out with friends this weekend…”

Shit, did I? “Yes, that’s right.”

As Daniel ran his thumb down the left strap of his bag, he admonished himself for noticing every little move he made. He needed to get a fucking hold of himself.

“Are any of them more than a friend?”

If he hadn’t been watching Daniel quite so closely, he wouldn’t have believed the words that had just come out of his mouth. But he had been. So he did.

“I don’t believe that’s any of your business. You better hurry or you’ll miss your next class.”

Satisfied that he’d firmly dismissed Daniel, he sat down and made a show of focusing on the books lining his desk and didn’t dare look and see if he had left this time or not. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he was still standing there.

He reached up to adjust his tie, which suddenly felt a little too tight around his neck, and with each passing second that he was consciously not checking to see if he was alone, he swore that it was getting tighter.

“Professor Hayes?”

His head snapped up at his name, and when Daniel had his attention, he continued.

“Are you gay?”

Brantley’s eyes widened, and he wondered how his mouth hadn’t fallen open at the blunt question. Instead, he went with, “Excuse me?”

“I asked if you were—”

“I heard what you said. But I don’t see how that is any business of yours, either. You should think before you speak, Mr. Finley. I’m your teacher, and it’s time for you to leave. This conversation is over.” He flipped open one of the books on his desk and shook his head. He couldn’t believe the audacity of the kid—or the fact that he was so damn forthright. As he sat there, grinding his teeth in an effort not to look at his student—who was still standing in front of his desk—a bead of sweat ran down his collar and he cursed the fact that his nerves were getting the better of him.

“I only asked because, well, I am too. And I thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

Well, hell. He couldn’t fault him for that. The only problem was…talking wasn’t what sprang to mind when he was around Daniel Finley.

He clasped his hands on the desk and stared into the anxious face peering down at him. Daniel was worrying his lower lip with his teeth, and he suddenly looked very much the young man he was.

“Are you?” he asked again, and there was no way he could deny that hesitant curiosity.

“Yes, Daniel. I am.”

As his words drifted between them, Daniel’s mouth slipped into a smile. “Oh.”

Brantley laughed at that. He wasn’t sure what Daniel was thinking right then. He’d thought for sure with the way he’d been looking at him earlier that, if he’d admitted this, he would be fending off—or at least putting up a good show of fending off—an unwanted pass. But, instead, Daniel appeared thoughtful.

“Does that bother you?”

Daniel adamantly shook his head. “No.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed, and the look that entered Daniel’s eyes then was so hot that he thought he may overheat.

“Yes. I’m very sure.”

Oh, fuck. Okay. Where the hell did the nervous guy disappear to? One minute, Daniel was endearingly awkward, and the next, he was looking at him like he wanted to strip him out of his clothes and—“Stop right there,” he said, and he wasn’t sure if he was telling himself that or the contradiction eyeing him with newfound knowledge. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop thinking it.”

“Why?”

Yep, he was fucked. That wasn’t a word he generally used, but in this case, he was well and truly fucked. He should’ve just stuck to the run–along–now speech.

“Because I’m your teacher.”

“This isn’t high school. I’m an adult.”

He sighed. “That may be true. But I’m your professor and this conversation is inappropriate.”

“How? I just asked if you were gay and you said yes. I don’t see what the problem is.”

When Daniel aimed a mischievous grin at him, Brantley knew he was very aware of what the problem was.

“Out,” he said, pointing to the door. “Time to leave, Mr. Finley.”

This time, he made sure to watch Daniel so he knew he was actually leaving. He walked to the door, but at the last minute, he turned around to look back at him. Not willing to back down and show weakness, Brantley kept his eyes on his student as Daniel ran his tongue along his lower lip.

“You should call me Finn. Everyone else does.”

Christ. The kid was going to drive him to an early grave, but damn if he didn’t laugh at his audacity.

“Out,” he said again, and this time Daniel pushed out the door and disappeared into the hall.

Their past and present collided spectacularly, and as they collapsed onto the rug in a tangle of arms and legs, he wondered if they would ever be able to disentangle themselves long enough to find a new place to begin.

Did you know that Ella Frank is an ovary whisperer? It’s true. The woman can make them rev from 0 to 60 in just one chapter and keep them roaring the entire book.
And if there’s one thing that I’ve come to love from her it’s her incredibly sexy MM that she somehow manages to pack full of so much feeling, it practically jumps off the pages at you. And this book? This fantastically written, utterly unputdownable book may be my favorite book by her yet. I never thought I’d say this, but Finley and Brantley took my number one spot from Tate and Logan, and let me just tell you that I LOVED Tate and Logan.

And since we’re on the subject of Tate and Logan, while those that read The Temptation series with remember Daniel Finley, this book is a spin off and a full standalone. You don’t have to have read Temptation to enjoy this, but I highly recommend you do because it’s so worth the read. Now onto the review…

Daniel Finley is a successful Chicago attorney. He’s left behind his home and everything he knew to make it in the Windy City, and he’s certainly earned his success. But there’s always been something missing for him, and when he gets a note from someone in his past that he’s never forgotten or gotten over, he doesn’t think twice before packing his stuff and taking a vacation to his home town where everything started…

Brantley Hayes is a successful professor, but seven years ago he watched his heart leave with the man that still holds it. The years have done nothing to diminish those feelings, but he also knows that it’s done nothing to diminish Finley’s anger over how everything went down as well. But now Finley is back, and their time together may be on a timer, but Brantley knows that he’ll take anything for another chance. Daniel is not the same young man he left, he’s guarded, jaded, angry, and a whole lot more potent than he remembers. But that only serves to make the tension and chemistry between them that much hotter.

I want you. And I’m selfish enough to keep you for as long as you let me.”

The chemistry between Daniel and Brantley was palpable, as was their emotional connection. I absolutely loved the way that Ella Frank managed to flawlessly weave very well times flashbacks to work with the story. I’m a picky reader when it comes to flashbacks and I can easily say the way they were written here was my absolute favorite. They were well paced and perfectly timed to work with the story and drive the plot.

I adored Daniel and Brantley together. I loved the flip of their roles considering they first met as professor and student and Brantley was the more experienced one. That’s not to say Daniel ever paled in comparison. Oh no! He was just as dominant, but a lot more easy going and flirty in nature. The Daniel of today is…intense…to say the least and man did I gobble that up!

Now I’m right back where I was before I left.”
“And where’s that?”
“Tangled up in you,” he whispered against his ear. “It’s always been you.”

This book had everything I love in a romance; a touch of angst, emotion, and enough sizzle to set your kindle on fire! It was perfection with two of the most endearing alpha males I’ve read in a while. It was swoony and sexy and totally addicting. I tried to pace myself because I simply didn’t want it to end. I only hope Ella continues this (possible series?) with a secondary character she introduced in this book because I NEED IT!!!

Ella Frank is the author of the #1 Bestselling Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite erotic serial, A Desperate Man. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

A life-long fan of the romance genre, Ella writes contemporary and erotic fiction and lives with her husband in Portland, OR. You can reach her on the web at www.ellafrank.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ella.frank.author

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Excerpts, Giveaways, MM · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, DGR Fave, Ella Frank

DGR Top Fave Review & Giveaway: ★The Enforcer★ by @Kele_Moon

March 20, 2016 by Lana · 2 Comments

THE ENFORCER
Series: Untamed Hearts Book 3
Author: Kele Moon
Genre: Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 22, 2016

They are the lost boys.

Sons of mafia mistresses expected to keep their fathers’ sins in the shadows. The lucky ones are forgotten.

Unfortunately for Valentino “Tino” Moretti, his brother Nova was too smart to be forgotten, and too valuable to risk when he resists a life of crime. So they punished Tino instead. Forced into the cruel world of the Sicilian Mafia at twelve, Tino was broken before he was old enough to know the man he was supposed to be. Now he’s what the mafia made him.

The enforcer.

A trained killer forbidden to love, but he did anyway. He’s loved Brianna all along.

Raw and beautiful, their romance was all consuming and far too dangerous. They were ripped apart a long time ago. It’s not until the borgata puts out a hit on her that Brianna falls back into Tino’s arms, churning up their dark past and unraveling all the Moretti brothers’ closely guarded secrets.

This isn’t the end of the story. It’s only the beginning, and it is brutal.

There’s a reason enforcers are considered too deadly to love.

“We have to be better than them. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. Lost boys have to fly.” ~Carlo Moretti, original lost boy

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Loose ID

I was utterly obsessed with everything about this book, but what truly made the experience was reading it along with this incredible playlist! If you want an extra punch in the feels, you need to check it out!

THE ENFORCER SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Together they were like a firework.
Beautiful in the night. A dusty smear of ash in the morning when reality crashed in and ruined the high. They just weren’t ever meant to be more than one brief, amazing explosion of memories that should’ve been enough to sustain them. But it hadn’t been. Not even close.

Powerful.
Emotional.
Gut wrenching.
All consuming.
Gritty.
And so raw it’ll make your heart bleed.

I say this each and every time I finish a book by Kele Moon, but unbelievably she only continues to get better and better. And that’s saying a lot considering how much I loved The Slayer. But Tino’s book? This was something else entirely. Kele truly takes you to the dark and violent underbelly of the New York mafia. She spares no details. None. You’ll read it with your gut twisted and your heart in your throat the entire time just like I did.

Prepare for much darker undertones than the previous books. Tino’s story is not for the faint of heart. It’s incredibly gritty and at times almost unbearably difficult to read. There are no parts that the author glazes over. When she gives you a story, she gives you everything.

I fucking love you, Brianna…
I wouldn’t just bleed for you… I’d bleed motherfuckers out for you.”

In case you didn’t know already, The Enforcer will be part 1 of 2, and with good reason. Tino’s story is not one that could be told in two books, nor should it be. I think it would almost be too much to handle. There is not one small dose of filler here. Each tiny detail is a plot driver and I am beyond blown away at the forethought this author gives every single one of her characters. If you want my advice, you’ll appreciate it so much more if you read the series this was a spin-off from, Battered Hearts.

The Enforcer will take you back to the very beginning. To the years when Tino, Nova and Romeo were just small boys. It will take you step by devastating step through the events that made them into the men that they are today. It will tell the story of how Tino and Brianna met. It’s incredibly powerful and easily one of the best books I’ve read not only from Kele but period.

I don’t remember the last time a book effected me on such a visceral level, but I swear I felt this in my bones, my blood, my very being. These characters are so real to me, and I’m beyond invested in their stories. I cannot wait for you all to fall in love with Tino even more, just like I did.

The Enforcer takes you back to the very beginning. To the days and the events that set everything in motion and what made Tino and Nova Moretti into the men that they are today. There are parts that will gut you; there are parts that will make you laugh, and through all of it you’ll be glued to the pages unable to focus on anything else.

Gino’s story was equal parts tragic and beautiful; tragic in terms what he’s been trhgouh and beautiful in terms of his love for Brianna. I cannot describe to you just how much this man loves Brianna. He’d do anything for her; sacrifice anything…even his own happiness to make sure she’s safe. Young Tino was a gut wrenching to read about. His story is so tragically brutal. He yearns for a different life but he lives in a nightmare of his father’s making…
Kele did such an incredible job navigating the reader through the years. So much so that you feel everything right along with the characters and by the time you get to the end, you’re yearning for their HEA as much as they are. God, it was amazing!

Their love had been wild, unpredictable, and so unbelievably raw and sensual it would likely never stop haunting her.

I adored Brianna. She’s such strong heroine but in an understated way. She truly understands Tino and everything that he is and accept and love him in spite of it. She’s the perfect match for his light and especially his dark sides.

I love you. Please remember that, okay?”
“I know….
I know, baby. It’s okay. I’m good…
I’m strong, remember?”
He did remember. So he fucked the shit out of her.
Hard. Angry.

You get not only Tino and Bri here; you get more Chu, a whole lot more Nova and a few other secondary characters that will capture your hearts.

Prepare for one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. This is a book you don’t just read you experience it.

Never forget that. You take from whores. Use them. Don’t love them”
“Why?”
“‘Cause they’re love starved. They’ve been hurt and beaten for so fucking long they are desperate for kindness. Love them, really love them, and they’ll die for you. They’ll bleed for you.

One of the best books I’ve read all year. If you haven’t yet discovered the talent that is Kele Moon, you are seriously missing out. This series is an absolute must read for any lovers of true anti-heroes with hearts of gold. I can’t recommend it enough!

Learn to fight your own battles. We have to be better than them. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. Lost boys have to fly.”

ARC provided by author

UNTAMED HEARTS Series

The Viper (Untamed Hearts Book 1 )
Marcos Rivera is a fighter. A gang member. Someone who has seen the dark side of humankind and survived. He has lost family and gained enemies. He has stolen cars and destroyed hearts, stripping one for money and the other for pleasure. His past is haunted and his future is bleak.

Until her.

Katie Foster is a high school history teacher. Smart, strong, and sexy. She is a woman Marcos shouldn’t want. Shouldn’t touch. Shouldn’t love. He met her in Garnet, a backwards, hick town that’s the last place in the world he wants to be, but he finds himself going back, all for a taste of the forbidden.

Katie represents all that is good in the world, and Marcos knows he’s nothing but trouble for her perfect life. He fights and he screws. He commits crimes and he breaks the rules. He will never change and he will never escape his gang lifestyle.

Or can he?

What happens when two different people from two very different walks of life risk it all by giving into the passion that threatens to consume both of them? Can a woman who only knows how to play it safe give her heart to a man who lives hard and loves harder?

Can she survive The Viper?

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Loose Id | All Romance Ebooks | B&N

The Slayer (Untamed Hearts Book 2)

To Chuito the apartment was a self-imposed prison for a lifetime of sins. To Alaine, the girl next door, it was salvation from her overbearing, religious father.

He was a devil.
She was an angel.

Two people who should’ve never met, let alone become friends, but it’s not until they give into the dangerous passion that’s been simmering under the surface for five years that things go to hell.

On the outside, Chuito ‘The Slayer’ Garcia is on top of the world. He’s successful. He’s wealthy. He’s a champion MMA fighter surrounded by friends who support him, but they don’t know what he was before he came to Garnet.

A gangster.

A thief.
An addict.
A murderer.

Now his past is churning up demons he can’t ignore. Chuito knows he needs to go back to Miami to end it, but there’s something holding him back, a single temptation he can’t resist before leaving.

Alaine.

She’s the one drug he can’t give up…even if it destroys them both.

“To me you’re coke. Fine. Smooth. Perfectly white. Very bad for me, but so fucking sexy I don’t give a shit. It’s worth going down for.” – Chuito Garcia

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Loose Id | All Romance Ebooks | B&N

The Enforcer is quite easily one of my most favorite books I’ve ever read. Period. And when I find a gem like this, I have to shout it from the rooftops. So I want to give a chance for one lucky follower to win an ebook of this incredible book. You can enter the GIVEAWAY on my Facebook page HERE.

2 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, DGR Fave, Mafia

ARC Review: ★Nobody But You★ by Jill Shalvis

March 18, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Nobody But You
Series: Cedar Ridge #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jill Shalvis
Release Date: March 29, 2016

SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN…

After an overseas mission goes wrong, Army Special Forces officer Jacob Kincaid knows where he must go to make things right: back home to the tiny town of Cedar Ridge, Colorado. All he needs to scrub away his painful past is fresh mountain air, a lakeside cabin, and quiet solitude. But what he discovers is a gorgeous woman living on a boat at his dock.

Sophie Marren has nowhere else to go. She’s broke, intermittently seasick, and fighting a serious attraction to the brooding, dishy, I’m-too-sexy-for-myself guy who’s now claiming her dock. Something about Jacob’s dark intensity makes her want to tease—and tempt—him beyond measure. Neither one wants to give any ground . . . until they realize the only true home they have is with each other.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N

I’m not really into hurrying,” he said.
“What are you into?”
“Slow. Long. Hard. Hot. Dirty…” His teeth sank into her earlobe. “You still in?”

Sometimes a girl just needs a sweet, light and steamy romance with a quirky heroine and a broken but swoony heroine, and this book definitely delivered! It had the feels, the swoons, and the laughs. I enjoyed every single page of it!

Now I went into this a little backwards as I hadn’t read the previous two books in the Cedar Ridge series. That being said, I had absolutely no problems jumping right into the story and the book is easily read as a standalone. Though I do plan to rectify my mistake by going back and reading the other two books because I fell hard for the Kincaid siblings.

He’d been a lot of things in his lifetime: brother, son, friend, Army Special Forces officer. He was none of those things at the moment, though he intended to change that.

After years of being away, Army Special Forces officer Jacob Kincaid is back in the town of Cedar Ridge with the intent of making things right with his siblings and his mother. Fresh off a mission gone wrong overseas, he’s still dealing with the crippling grief and all the things that sent him packing overseas to escape in the first place. Jacob was such a great character. He’s broken and slightly broody, but at the same time he’s perfectly swoony. He was incredibly endearing and I loved how the author was able to get across his emotional wounds to the reader but yet he wasn’t an a-hole. He was just a regular man with issues. Nothing overboard, nothing crazy, and yet it worked oh so well.

Sophie Marren quite easily made this book for me. Here’s a woman that’s been married for years to the a-hole of the century. She gave up everything for him and yet after their divorce all she has to show for it is a boat she never wanted in the first place and a whole lot of justified bitterness. But she was such a breath of fresh air at the same time. While her marriage was anything but happy and she’s definitely bitter about how everything went down, she’s also incredibly quirky. I adored her sense of humor and the way she bantered with Jacob. When these two meet, the sparks fly right away and I simply couldn’t get enough of the two of them together.

They just made so much sense together and were this perfect combination of great banter and sizzling chemistry.

Nobody But You was everything I love about Contemporary Romance. It was written with feeling and packed in plenty of swoon and steam. The characters are incredibly endearing and I fell in love with all the secondary characters as well. This book is exactly why I’m such a big fan of Jill Shalvis. It’s just one of those feel good romances you’ll never want to put down. It will make you smile and it packs in just enough steam to make you pant. Simple romance perfection. I can’t recommend it enough!

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

Graphic is stock purchased and created by me for DGR blog. Please don’t share without permission

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, Jill Shalvis

Review Tour: ★Rough Rhythm★ by @mstessabailey

March 15, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Rough Rhythm
Series: Made in Jersey #1.5
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: March 8, 2016

God help the woman I take home tonight.

Band manager James Brandon never expected to find the elusive satisfaction he’d been chasing, let alone stumble upon it in some sleezy Hollywood meat market. Yet the girl’s quiet pride spoke to him from across the bar, louder than a shout. Troubled, hungry and homeless, she’d placed her trust in him. But after losing the grip on his dark desires that one fateful night, James has spent the last four years atoning for letting her down.

This time I’ll finally crack him.

Rock band drummer Lita Regina has had enough of James’s guilt. She wants the explosive man she met that night in Hollywood. The man who held nothing back and took no prisoners—save Lita. And she’ll stop at nothing to revive him. Even if it means throwing herself into peril at every turn, just to get a reaction from her stoic manager. But when Lita takes her quest one step too far, James disappears from her life, thinking his absence will keep her safe.

Now it’s up to Lita to bring James back…and ignite an inferno of passion in the process.

Reader Advisory: ROUGH RHYTHM contains fantasies of nonconsensual sex, acted upon by consenting characters. Readers with sensitivity to portrayals of nonconsensual sex should be advised.

AMAZON

“Oh, goddamn you.” Lita plucked the card from his fingers and hurled it back into the hallway with a muffled scream. “Four years leads to this, huh? You’re just going to dump me in this fucking…”—she waved her hands to encompass the hotel—“…rock star purgatory and bail? If you’re doing this to teach me a lesson, I will never forgive you, James.”“I’m not.” He cleared the cobwebs from his throat. “That’s not what this is.”

Without looking at Lita, he knew she’d be chewing her bottom lip, leaving teeth marks that would take until nighttime to fade. “I guess we really meant a lot to you if it’s this easy. No notice. Just…peace out, suckers.”

James swallowed the urge to shake her. “I think you know this is the furthest thing from easy.”

“No. I don’t know anything,” she shouted, before several silent beats passed. “Except that you’re a coward. You can’t even look me in the eye.”

He surged forward, pushing her back against the doorjamb. Going to break. Too much. I shouldn’t have come up here. He’d made the mistake of looking down into green eyes swimming with moisture, calling her bluff. “Does the thought of you hurting yourself to get my attention make me a coward? Yes? So be it, Lita.” His fingernails dug into the flesh of his palms. “If something happened to you, I wouldn’t make it to the next sunrise.”

Lita’s body deflated, head falling back. “You can’t say something like that and leave,” she said, lips hardly moving. “It’s cruel.”

“I’m a cruel man.”

“No.” Lita moved into the elegant room, booted feet dragging. A miniature hurricane in a gilded cage. He’d chosen the room himself, another sign of his madness, his need to control her surroundings. Have knowledge of everything she touched. His neck grew hot when she turned, sliding a gaze down his front.

Turning and leaving was imperative at that moment, but he couldn’t resist hearing what she would say next. Delaying the good-bye.

“Remember what you called me the first night we met?” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Before you leave, call me that one more time.”

“No.”

I want bad things…Need them.”
“Bring it.”

Well hot damn! The queen of dirty talk is at it again and I’m not sure any ovary within a 100 mi radius will survive this one. As a matter of fact, say goodbye to those suckers right now or put them on ice. Even my steel plated ovaries had a meltdown here because DAMN! Seriously though. Stick a fork in me, I’m done! I think I fertilized like 10 eggs while reading this one. If you could get pregnant by a book, this one should come with a damn warning! You could have run an entire city block on the electric chemistry James and Lita had. But enough about my reproductive process…

I’ve wanted to fuck you all day, every day, since you showed up.
Goddammit, you little tease.”

Fans of Dub-con are in for a treat, because Rough Rhythm is certainly skating that delicious edge. I’ve been looking for a novella similar to Willing Victim, and I do believe I found me one at long last! James is a dirty, dirty man, and I loved every filthy thing he said and did.

Now admittedly, I was not a huge fan of the first book in this series. But the one thing that caught my attention right away? The apparent chemistry between James and Lita! There’s this pent up sexual tension to them. Lita is constantly going out of her way to get into trouble so that her band’s grumpy manager can get her out of it and finally notice her. James and Lita shared one unforgettable night four years ago, but since then it’s been business only. James’s baser desires scare even him, and he’s determined not to unleash them onto Lita. There’s no way that she wants the same thing as him…right?

Sizzling is an understatement for what this book was. It was hot as hell! It skates that fine edge and deliciously so. It’s surprisingly well developed for a short novella. So much so, that you connect with both characters right away and truly understand them. You understand why James is so scared to unleash his true nature; the demons of his past that still haunt him. Lita was a fantastic heroine. She says what she means and means what she says, and she’s not afraid to go after what she wants. She may submit so sweetly to James’s dark desires, but she’s no pushover. She gives as good as she gets and you can’t help but root for her.

Look how agreeable I’m being.”
“Don’t make a habit out of it. I like when you fight me.”
“I like the way you get even.”

The only quibble I had is that I wished we got the full flashback of their night together four years ago. We get a snippet in the beginning and I was hoping we’ll get the full story further into the story. But aside from another short snippet, alas, that never happened. It alludes to what happens, but sadly for this pervert, never quite got down to the dirty details.

If you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey’s dirty talkers, you definitely don’t want to miss her dirtiest one yet! Make your ovaries happy and one-click this deliciousness!

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Excerpts · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, Tessa Bailey

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Hooker★ by @BrookeBlaine1

March 11, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Title: Hooker
Series: L.A. Liaisons, #2
Author: Brooke Blaine
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 9, 2016

Whoever said singles were missing out by not finding true love and getting married before the age of thirty had never experienced the sheer pleasure of nightly romantic comedy viewings in their underwear while eating one of Licked’s famous Crazy Cat Lady sundaes. Because life just doesn’t get better than that.

At least, it doesn’t for Shayne Callahan. It didn’t take more than a handful of broken hearts after college to solidify that she was better at pairing up those around her than herself. As a matchmaker at the elite HLS—Hook, Line, & Sinker Matchmaking Company—in the City of Angels, she has a knack for finding the other halves of even the most eccentric clients:

Sugar daddy with a foot fetish? Gross, but no problem.
A severe case of nudophobia? Match made before lunch.

But even the most happily independent of women can find their best-laid plans screeching to a halt when they meet that guy. For Shayne, that guy comes in the form of boyishly handsome, suspender-lovin’, dimple-poppin’ Nate Ryan on a pantsless (we’ll get to that later) Metro ride.

Of course, relationships can never be easy. Before the destined lovers can ride off into the sunset, they must overcome a power-hungry and sexual-punning boss, a celebrity scandal and cover-up, and let’s not forget Shayne’s dreadful foot-in-mouth disease—with which there can never be a happily ever after.

Will fate throw Shayne a freakin’ bone? Or will she be destined to live out her life as sexy(ish), single(ish), and L.A.’s finest Hooker (upper)?

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK

“Hi,” I managed to say.
Nate nodded toward my legs. “Your pants are making me hungry.”Aaaand that was the point where I stopped breathing. Except to say, “What?”His eyes trailed down my body and rested on my thighs. Self-conscious, I looked down, almost sighing with relief when I realized my lower half was indeed covered this time, but that feeling went away pretty fucking fast when I saw the ice cream cones on my pajama pants practically flinging themselves at him.

Yes, I’d gone out in public in pajamas, so sue me. I hadn’t counted on running into…well, anybody.

“Oh. Oh yeah, um…I like ice cream,” I mumbled. “Especially from Licked, my friend Ryleigh’s store, although I have to say, her boozy shakes are unreal, especially the Make Me Quake Shake, which has these amazing pieces of those Ferrero Rocher balls in them, and they just give it the perfect amount of crunch so that you—” I stopped and took a breath when I noticed his grin getting wider. I swallowed and then said, “Not that I go there all the time or anything. Because I don’t. I mean, I’ve only been once or twice. You know…to taste test. Actually, I never eat sweets.”

He laughed then, and those penetrating eyes, tinged with more green than brown today, made their way up my body once more, pausing with what looked like amusement at my full hands. Then his gaze was on me and those dimples were out in full force.

“That’s too bad,” he said. “I’ve got a helluva sweet tooth.”

Wait…was he flirting with me? Was that a come-on? Or just stating a fact?

“Yeah, well, in that case your dentist probably hates you,” I said, readjusting the cold-ass meals in my arms. I’d be damned if I let those suckers go now. I’d tied my jacket around my waist, and my thin tank top would reveal a tit-bit more than I needed him to see.

He chuckled at that. Hmm. He had a nice chuckle. And a husky laugh. Both of which made my eyes zoom in on his throat. I wondered if it was as warm as it looked. He must’ve caught me staring, because he coughed, bringing my attention back to his face. His eyes were twinkling something wicked.

“You might be right about that,” he said. “Maybe I don’t like people telling me what to do. Or dictating what I can and can’t put in my mouth.”

My mouth dropped open, but I quickly snapped it shut. This guy was obviously a charmer, and after dealing with guys like him all day, the last thing I would do was fall prey to another arrogant playboy. Nope. Not me. Not gonna happen.

There was only one thought on my mind as I watched him walk to his car and drive away. I was in trouble. Big, dirty, delicious trouble.

#HappyFeels

Brooke’s L.A. Liaisons series is my happy place. The books are guaranteed to put a smile on my face and make me feel like I’m frolicking through a field of rainbows and kittens. Too much? My point is, they’re the perfect feel good romances. They’re steamy, funny, fantastically developed and fabulously written. I’m hooked and I never want it to end!

I highly recommend reading this series in order since you really get a better feel for the girls’ friendship and get to know the characters before their books and it just heightens the enjoyment that much more. We met matchmaker extraordinaire, Shayne, in the previous book. Shane is the Aussie import of the group that works for a successful matchmaking company but unfortunately has a real c u next Tuesday for a boss. I was eager to get my hands on her story because 1. I love matchmaking plots and 2. I was hoping Shane would grow a spine and give as good as she gets when it comes to Val.

I can tell you I was beyond satisfied on both those ends.

I love how each book begins with a certain state of undress with the characters, and we get a bit of pantless action here since Shayne first lays her eyes on hottie, Nate, at a Pantless Metro Ride. A sexy man wearing suspenders and dimples would have caught my attention, too. I loved the added element of Nate being younger and yet he’s not your typical hero that you’d read. This is not a manwhore or a serial dater; this is a man that knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after and show his sensitive side.

Oh, Dimples, who would’ve thought that such a sentimental sap was underneath those sexy suspenders? Should I start taking you to chick flicks and forcing you to read love stories?”
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a good love story.”

I simply adored Nate and the way he pursued Shayne, even while Shayne was doing her utmost best to resist him.

While the romance was fabulous, what I’ve come to love the most about this series is the friendship that the girls have. It’s like this perfect rom-com where you have genuine friendships. There’s no backstabbing or cattiness, I can’t praise it enough for that. I love the friendship that they have and their banter. It reminds me of movies like The Sweetest Thing, which is still my go-to when I need a pick-me-up.

Brooke Blaine certainly knows how to give good romance and she delivers it flawlessly. She also sets up quite a story for Paige and Richard aka “Dick”. I for one can’t wait for Pita and Dick.

If you’re looking for a light romance to put a smile on your face and a chest full of swoons, you need to be adding this one to your TBR like yesterday!

You could say Brooke Blaine was a book-a-holic from the time she knew how to read; she used to tell her mother that curling up with one at 4 a.m. before elementary school was her ‘quiet time.’ Not much has changed except for the espresso I.V. pump she now carries around and the size of her onesie pajamas.

She is the author of the international bestselling romantic comedy series, L.A. Liaisons (“Licked” and “Hooker), as well as Flash Point and The Desperate Man series. The latter, co-authored with Ella Frank, has scarred her conservative Southern family for life, bless their hearts.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for ten years.

DON’T MISS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE L.A. LIAISONS SERIES!

Licked (L.A. Liaisons, #1)

Amazon US | Amazon UK

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, Brooke Blaine, humorous

Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: Sparrow by @lj_shen

March 10, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Sparrow
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: L.J. Shen
Release Date: March 8, 2016

Troy Brennan

Every Southie in Boston knows that name. The son of a dead mobster. The heart-throb with steel-blue eyes. “The Fixer” who can make or break you in this city.

Oh, and my new husband.

Sparrow Raynes

That’s me. No one seemed to remember my name up until he barged into my life.
But then he caged me.
Kidnapped me.
And killed every chance I had to run away from the place where we grew up.
Put simply, Troy Brennan clipped my wings.

I have dreams, big ones, but I doubt he’ll ever let me chase them. I have no idea why he decided to take me as his wife. But I do know this: pissing off this man will not do me any good. At all.

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

AMAZON

“What do you do for a living?” I asked, more proof of how little I knew my husband.“Money,” he answered. “I make it.”

“What do you do for this money?” I pressed.

“I have a grocery store, a restaurant and a few private poker joints. Your dad is a bouncer in one of them. You know this shit.”

“The grocery store in Dorchester was losing money even before it opened. The poker joints are small and people always owe you money. That’s not how you pay for a Maserati and a penthouse the size of a football field.”

He arched an eyebrow, giving me a slow once-over with those frosty baby-blues. “She’s sharp, too.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” I croaked.

“There’s one thing I do know, and it keeps me from spilling my shit in your ears—you hate my guts, Red.”

“I don’t hate your guts.” It took all the effort in the world to say it. Because I did. I hated Troy Brennan for marrying me, caging me, owning me and chaining me to his grim life and destiny for no reason other than because he could.

“Anyone ever told you that you’re a terrible liar?” His nostrils flared, but he kept his cool. He jerked me closer, wrapping his hand around the nape of my neck, his breath falling on my face with a whisper. “You wear the truth on your sleeve.”

I tiptoed my hand up to his face, my heart picking up speed as I stroked his bruise. Ballsy move, but I was afraid of him. Afraid that his frustration with me would swell and that he’d send me off back to the bedroom.

Fear is a prison, and in prison you played by different rules to survive.

Troy’s eyes narrowed on mine skeptically. The epitome of ruthless, his lips turned into a challenging smirk. “Prove you don’t hate me.”

And I did. I leaned up and pressed my lips against his softly.

I kissed him.

I kissed the husband I hated so much. Against reason, against logic, against everything my heart was telling me.

I kissed him because I wanted something from him. A job. A chance at happiness. Some freedom.

He fisted the hem of my nightshirt and in two big steps shoved me to the nearest wall, slamming me against it. My back felt the impact, and I arched to soothe the pain trickling down my spine. It felt different than the usual ache of flesh hitting concrete. Made my body buzz with something unfamiliar. Desire bit at my insides, and just like that, I got lost in his touch again.

His lips searched for mine angrily as he took one of my thighs and wrapped it around his waist, lifting me off the floor, only him and the wall supporting my weight. His erection pulsated beneath the fabric of his suit pants, and I resisted the instinct to grind against him. I lifted my arms to touch his smooth hair, running my hands down his slick mane.

He was a cheater.

A criminal.

A murderer.

And I was…fascinated.

My father had sinned. But I was to be punished.

Sparrow Raynes grew up the daughter of a drunken father who happened to work for one of the most feared men in the Boston underground. But now that man is dead, and his son who’s known to be even more ruthless is to be her husband…and she has no idea why other than it’s been arranged and her father agreed to it. So she’ll do it, but she won’t like it. In her eyes it’ll be a marriage in name only because no way can she give her heart to the devil with the steel-blue eyes that’s known as The Fixer. He’s ruthless, he’s cold-blooded, but she refused to cower from him like even the most deadly of the deadly underground seem to…
Troy Brennan doesn’t hold any allegiances to anyone. His father may have been top dog in the Irish mob, but he’s dead now. There’s a reason Troy is know as The Fixer. He’s the one the rich and powerful call on to “fix” things. He’s infamous in the Boston underground for his ruthlessness and just as feared. But now he’s stuck marrying a girl he wants nothing to do with out of an obligation that she’s doesn’t know of. But the woman that he thought is a demure tomboy has a whole lot more spark to her that begin to slowly change the way he wants things to be…

Love and hate are similar in a lot of ways.”
“Is there a way to love you away from me?”
“No, but you could hate-fuck me all you want.”

Sparrow was exactly the kind of gritty anti-hero that I needed. L.J. Shen was not afraid to stick true to her characters and pulled no punches to do so, and I respect the hell out of her for this. Yes, Troy did some things that may not sit right with some readers, but for this reader, I loved to hate it. See I love when an author takes risks to stay true to the characters and that was definitely the case here. This is no insta lust, insta-love, or insta-anything. Troy and Sparrow’s connection formed over time and it felt authentic because of that. Considering how Troy is and where he came from, I wouldn’t have bought it any other way.

I’m saying if I can’t eat it, fuck it or kill it I have no interest in it.”

It was entertaining as hell to watch Sparrow really come into her own throughout the story. She has a backbone to begin with, but I just loved watching her give as good as she gets and she just gets stronger with the progression of the story. What was even better was that she wasn’t stupid. She doesn’t instigate or make silly decisions out of spite, she’s smart about it, which is a refreshing change of pace. She doesn’t want to like her husband, but watching him unknowingly get under her skin and grow on her was so entertaining to read. As for their chemistry? That was though the roof hot!

My monster, my capturer, my corrupter. My lover.

L.J. spared no detail to make her story gritty and real. It was action packed, super sexy, and filled with twists and turns. It was enough to keep me at the edge of my seat the whole time and eagerly turning the pages to see what will happen next. The romance was sizzling hot and together with the plot it all came together perfectly.

…the rumor is you like it kinky.”
“I like it interesting…
I like it delicious…
I like rough…
But most of all, I like it with you.”

My only minor quibble with the book was that it went a little much and too creative with the analogies at times. But that was such a minor thing compared to everything that I loved about it that I barely batted an eyelash at it.

The story was quick paced and kept me reading well into the night. I couldn’t seem to put it down until I finished. It’s not often when an author can surprise me with a hell of a twist but boy this one did! I loved every page of it.

This was my first book by this author, but I can say with utmost certainty that it will definitely not be my last. L.J. Shen clearly has a talent to write one hell of a punch with her romances and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. If you’re looking for an anti-hero read with a great heroine to boot and a believable romance, you need to be one-clicking this one right meow.

Graphic is stock purchased and created by me for DGR blog. Please don’t share without permission

L.J. Shen is a former entertainment and music journalist and your average typical girl. She enjoys the simple things in life, like coffee, wine, traveling, spending time with her family and internet-stalking Chris Hemsworth.

She lives in Northern California with her husband, son and chubby cat and spends her days reading and her nights writing.

She is 29, lived in three continents, speaks three languages and thinks bras should be outlawed.

Feel free to contact her on Twitter and Facebook:

If you follow me on Facebook or Goodreads, then you already know how much I’ve been gushing about this book! I loved the absolute fuck out of it. I’m a reader that gravitates towards the dark and gritty and this one sure as hell brought it! I’m so excited to be able to spotlight this book on the blog today! But not only that, LJ Shen has been generous enough to donate a SIGNED PAPERBACK for the occasion! So I’m hosting a giveaway for that and one lucky US dirty bird will win this pretteh! Make sure to scroll to the bottom of post for the giveaway link 😉

ENTER HERE for a chance to win a SIGNED PAPERBACK of SPARROW!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, DGR Favorites, Erotic Rom, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: antihero, Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, LJ Shen

New Release & Review: ★Tyrant★ by Nashoda Rose

March 7, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

TYRANT
Series: Scars of the Wraiths #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance with erotic elements
Author: Nashoda Rose
Release Date: March 7, 2016

“I don’t do nice. Period.” -Kilter (nickname: Off-Kilter)

Kilter is crass, reckless and stubborn. He has alienated everyone—just the way he likes it. Until the day he meets Rayne and emotions he buried long ago reawaken.

“I was nothing but a science experiment.” -Rayne

Rayne has been locked away and used for research ever since she was a child. The abuse caused her to withdraw into a tomb of numbness where she’s found a safe place to hide. But her safe place isn’t safe at all, it’s slowly killing her.
When Kilter rescues her and she is unexpectedly drawn to his raw honesty, Rayne must decide whether to trust him and fight for what she can’t see or drown into the depths of darkness.

For some Scars, it’s the story of healing and redemption, for others it’s the beginning of a tortured existence. Which will it be for Kilter and Rayne?

A band of fierce warriors walk in the shadows of the human world with capabilities derived from the senses: Trackers, Sounders, Healers, Tasters, Visionaries and the rare Reflectors. They are known as the ‘Scars.

*Stygian must be read first. 18+

Scars of the Wraiths Series
Stygian (Scars of the Wraiths, Book 1)
Tyrant (Scars of the Wraiths, Book 2)
Take (Scars of the Wraiths, standalone)
Credo (Scars of the Wraiths, Book 3) (coming 2016)

AMAZON | iBOOKS

My emotions had been sealed, hidden and buried in a tomb for years. I was numb; I liked being numb, but Kilter dug up the top and ripped off the lid, and now my emotions were tearing through my veins like missiles.

I’m a huge Nashoda Rose fan. Whatever this woman writes, I’ll read. But there’s just something about her Scars of the Wraiths PNR series that has hooked me to the point of addiction. Each time I finish a new installment, I find myself rabidly salivating for the next. I’m absolutely hooked on this unique world that Nashoda built with her characters. Her writing maintains it’s signature grit and if possible her alphas are even more alpha in this one. Something to do with the PNR aspect, I’m sure, and I eat it all up with a squirming sort of glee.

Now if you haven’t read Stygian, you must before going into this book. While each book in the series focuses on a different couple and their HEA, the story arc continues throughout the series. And while the author gives you a jolt of memory here about what happened in book 1, you would still be slightly lost having not read Stygian first.

Those that have, you’ll definitely recall Rayne; a waif of a woman that you don’t quite know is a friend or foe. She’s the wife of one of the most brutal enemies of the Scars, and also the man responsible for the death of one of their mate’s. But she’s also the woman that helped Kilter escape the compound when he went for a rescue mission, and now he can’t stop thinking about the woman he left behind. Is she paying for letting him escape? Is she actually an unwilling prisoner? Kilter knows only one thing, he needs to go back to her and he’ll stop at nothing to do it.

Rayne was a bit of an enigma. You know what she’s suffered and you know that she’s valuable to the people holding her captive…but you don’t know why. Years of abuse has reduced her to a shell of a woman. She’s dangerously thin, emotionally stunted and scarred. She doesn’t know why this dangerous warrior wants to help her, but she’s trying her hardest to accept his help now that he’s rescued her from the hell she’s known practically all her life.

Tyrant was a bit different from the other books in the series, where there was quite a few more POVs in the form of Delara, Waleron, Jedrick, Kilter and Rayne, and two more side characters that you’ll get to know later in the book. But there is not one wasted page. Where usually I would be bothered by so many POVs, it really worked for the story here. Each POV drove the plot, and I couldn’t see it working without it.

There’s quite a lot of story that happens here too; outside of just what’s going on with Kilter and Rayne. The story that truly kept me glued to the pages was Waleron and Delara. There’s some mind reeling revelations that left me both shocked and impatient to finally get their full story.

As for Kilter and Rayne? They were absolute perfection. Kilter has been angry at the world for years. Ever since the horrific torture he suffered at the hands of people he trusted the most, he’s lost his trust not only for the rest of his fellow Scars but everyone. He’s withdrawn, angry, vengeful. But there’s something about Rayne that soothes him and so his behavior towards her was so wonderful to read. He may be rough around the edges, but this man is uber protective of Rayne. Not to mention their chemistry was incredibly hot.

Our chests heaved, hearts pounded, and our skin was heated as we both stilled and stared at one another for a minute, taking in what we shared, knowing it was special.
And, yeah, knowing this was more. We were more. And it was endless.

While the romance between Rayne and Kilter is the primary focus, there’s a lot happening around that. So much so that at times they almost came in second. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because everything that was happening was incredibly entertaining. Though having said that, they did get a little bit lost in the shadow of everything else that was going on at times.

I found my focus to truly be centered on the happenings between Waleron and Delera. I was practically rabid for any new details about their past, and there were some really juicy details that were revealed in this book.

Nashoda Rose is a masterful story teller and she weaves one hell of an addicting story within a unique world of The Scars. I’m sitting on pins and needles until the next book!

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THE REST OF THE SERIES

TAKE
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

STYGIAN
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, PNR · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

Review: Madame X by Jasinda Wilder

March 5, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

MADAME X
Series: Madame X #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jasinda Wilder
Release Date: October 6, 2015

Madame X invites you to test the limits of control in this provocative new novel from New York Times bestselling author Jasinda Wilder.

My name is Madame X.
I’m the best at what I do.
And you’d do well to follow my rules…

Hired to transform the uncultured, inept sons of the wealthy and powerful into decisive, confident men, Madame X is a master of the art of control. With a single glance she can cut you down to nothing, or make you feel like a king.

But there is only one man who can claim her body—and her soul.

Undone time and again by his exquisite dominance, X craves and fears his desire in equal measure. And while she longs for a different path, X has never known anything or anyone else—until now…

AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS

I belong to one man and one man alone, and he does not share.”

I’ve been sitting here for two days trying to put all my convoluted thoughts in words. Did I like this book? I don’t know. Did I DISlike it? I don’t know. I really just have no idea how I feel about the book, the characters, or the story. None. And isn’t that a bitch? The entire story is one mystery hidden behind another, and there’s quite a few things at work here that managed to leave me with more questions than answers now that I finished. Am I curious enough to read the next book to see where the story is going? I AM curious. But it’s more of a “I wish someone else would read it and tell me” sort of curiosity. It’s just that middle of the road book that I really don’t know how I even feel about. But I’ve digressed. Allow me to try to sum-up my thoughts somewhat in a semblance of a spoiler free review here…

Silence breathes truth; solitude breeds introspection.”

Madame X is a highly sought after and exclusive trainer to spoiled sons of the rich and entitled. Named after Jon Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X, she whips inept and spoiled boys into men. She’s stunning, beguiling, cold, and incredibly good at her job. Her services are expensive and she has a waiting list 2 years long. She is THE person to go to for the rich to educate their sons how to be men enough to eventually take over their fathers’ empires. Her job is also all she knows and all she’s known for over six years now.

Is she a willing victim or the prey of something much more sinister? Therein lies the rub and that’s what the reader is left questioning for the entirety of the book.

So what didn’t work for me?

The writing style for one…
I couldn’t quite wrap my mind around it. Is it present tense? Past tense?

Your mouth, X.”
I sink to my knees. Unzip. Free the slide-and-hook clasp of custom-tailored trousers. Taste flesh. Smoky essence. My hands and mouth on firm, clean, masculine flesh….

Madame X refers to her clients as “you”. ‘You sit at a table and wait for me. I look at you’. But then the other main character in the story gets referred to as almost something more…almost like an entity if that even makes sense

I am pulled upright, a broad, hard palm cupping the back of my neck. Eyes bore down on me, pierce me, dark and still furious.

Caleb is an enigma in every essence of the word, so perhaps that particular descriptive writing of his scenes are the reasons behind it. To build on that perception? But if I’m being honest, it mostly just flew over my head and managed to confuse me.

The writing style and dialogue is almost ostentatious at times with the words and descriptions used. Madame X is extremely cultured, and it certainly gets across in her inner monologue, however, I just found it to be excessive. Her referring to her nether regions as “privates” didn’t help either.

So focused on the man in front of me, am I, that I’ve noticed nothing of the space around me.

Do you see what I mean though? It was just entirely too much considering I’m reading a contemporary erotic romance…

My other issue was Caleb

Caleb Indigo was created by an artist for the express purpose of ravishing women. Specifically, in this moment, this woman.
And I hate my body for it.”

Is he a bad guy? A good guy shrouded in mystery that’s simply misunderstood? Who is he? What is it he does? Do I care? The answer to all of those questions is I don’t know. I couldn’t connect to him for the life of me. I’m all for questionable characters, but I do have my limits and I do think that this man was that. I found nothing endearing or captivating about him. Perhaps this was the point and the second and third books will put things in better perspective. The problem is that my perception of him is already skewed and I don’t think it’ll be changing.

I feel shame, embarrassment, revulsion. Hatred. I fell for the sorcery again. Caleb has some way of weaving a spell over me, of making me forget all my objections and all my thoughts and everything that is logical or rational.

Now as for the story itself? I can see how people would enjoy it. It is somewhat spellbinding if you can connect to it. The mystery, the secrets, it all weaves together into quite a tale. Perhaps if I enjoyed the writing style and developed a better connection to X, that would have been the case for me as well.
I couldn’t understand X’s behavior or decisions. She’s a strong and captivating woman, but at times her naivety was a bit too much. Yes, I understand that since this is all she’s known for over 6 years that mostly rules her actions…but to a point. This is particularly true for the direction the ending of the book took. I was not at all a fan of that particular direction. While I do plan on reading the second book to see what happens, I’m not exactly anxious at a chance to jump into it either.

I suppose I’ll save my ultimate judgement of the series until I finish book 2, so we’ll just wait to see what happens.

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THE TRILOGY

MADAME X | EXPOSED | EXILED

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3 stars

Review: ★Searing Ecstasy★ by Setta Jay

March 4, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Searing Ecstasy
Series: Guardians of the Realms #7
Genre: Erotic PNR
Author: Setta Jay
Release Date: October 7, 2015

Drake, the powerful dragon and leader of the Guardians, has spent his long life protecting all inhabitants of the four Realms, but fails to save the one who matters most. His mate. In the month since finding her feral, he’s been slowly losing control of his beast and soon he fears the dragon will reign free unleashing it’s fury upon the Realms.

Delia has changed. No longer a carefree young woman, she is now a nightmare in the making. After her abduction and torture she unwillingly houses two beasts and more power than she can ever contain on her own. She can never be released. Nor can she have the male who gives her any semblance of sanity in her new world, the one she craves more than her own freedom.

With unknown enemies on the horizon and yet another God awakened will they lose themselves in the madness of an impossible mating? Or will they come together in searing ecstasy, bonding them in a way that sets them both free?

Warning: Sexually explicit content (beds actually get burned down) and alpha males and females with bad language.

Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

She was obsessed with a dream, because having Drake was a beautiful illusion.

Seven books. Seven erotically charged and deliciously addicting books. All of it leading up to this glorious moment; Drake. I’ve been anxiously anticipating for the leader of the Guardians and constantly growling and smoke billowing dragon shifter to get his book, even before his heroine was introduced. And when the author did reveal who the heroine would be in one of the biggest twists ever? Let’s just say on a scale of 1 to ten, I was somewhere around rabid. I wanted it BAD is what I’m trying to tell you here.

Her beauty called to his dick, her scent claimed his dragon, but it was her strength that sealed his fate.

Searing Ecstasy had a slightly different feel to me then the rest of the series. For one, the mating frenzy was accepted by both Drake and Delia right away and there wasn’t so much in the form of relationship development to be had. Primary the struggle was wrapped around Delia’s aftereffects of the torture she endured at the hands of the sadistic Cyril. Being the host to not one but two beasts; one of which has lost it’s intended mate is slowly draining her and mating with Drake just may set both of them over the edge. So the majority of the time is spent trying to find a cure for Delia’s shadow beast and allowing her to safely mate with Drake.

The secondary story bring the conclusion of Nastia and Sander’s story. They first captured my interest in Binding Ecstasy and I couldn’t wait to see how things turn out between Nasty and her phoenix. I have to admit that they’re story actually almost overshadowed the one of Drake and Delia for me.

There’s also the addition of a brand new character that’s sure to bring quite a few twists of his own. Luckily his book is next so I don’t have to wait long.

I enjoyed this book just as much as I’ve enjoyed every other book in this series. It’s erotic, action packed and filled with plenty of twists and turns. Admittedly I didn’t find Drake and Delia as a dynamic enough couple as I had anticipated. This may be due in part to me setting my hopes fairly high for their story. I suppose I just crave a little more relationship angst in my stories, so this very well may be just me. Readers that enjoy the instant spark will enjoy the heck out of it! I also lost count on the amount of times Sander growled. The man did that a lot. I’m not sure if he could even speak normally if he tried lol. But then again, it was pretty hot, so can’t complain too much.

Setta Jay has become synonymous for me with erotic PNR. The woman weaves a hell of an addicting story with this series and I hope it never ends. It’s my go-to when I need something super fun and sexy but with a touch of grit. I highly recommend reading the series in order because there is typically a secondary romance that continues throughout two books parallel to the main couple.

If you’re a fan of super sexy PNR, this series is an absolute must read!