Review: ★Break for Me★ by Shiloh Walker

Author: Shiloh Walker
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 22, 2014

Jensen Bell had twelve happy years before her her mother disappeared and her whole world went to pieces. Since then, she’s become a cop—one who takes great pride in her work, and in helping keep others safe. The saving grace in her own life has been Dean West, the only man who can make her burn with desire and help her through her burdens. But when a shocking discovery turns her life upside-down, even being wrapped in Dean’s arms might not be enough to keep her out of harm’s way…

I have to say, for an 80 page novella, I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of it. After reading Burn For Me, I wasn’t exactly sold on the couple in that book but I was definitely hooked on the suspense arc of it. So of course I dove straight into Break For Me to see all the secrets unravel.

Twelve years ago the Bell siblings lost their mother and they have also spent twelve years wondering what happened to her. While the older brother, Tate, always blamed their father for her disappearance and withdrew into himself and his hatred until a woman opened his eyes, his sisters always knew otherwise. They knew that their father had nothing to do with it, but the mystery behind her disappearance ate away at them just the same. Each sister took their own focus and Jensen turned to law enforcement.

Now a take-no-prisoners (ha! see what I did there?) cop, the bane of her existence becomes the too sexy for his own good and cocky ADA, Dean West. Dean has always wanted Jensen, but her hands off attitude never gave him the invite he needed. But then one night that all changes and the passion between them finally ignites and burns.

This is a short, quick paced and very sexy novella that I finished in one sitting. To be honest, considering just how short it was I was surprised that I was able to connect to the couple as much as I did. I loved reading about the further unveiling of the missing mother, and boy does the set up for the next book look to be a juicy one.

Burn For Me, Break For Me and Long For Me are all part of the same story arc but introduces a different couple in each book. Next is Guy and Christina’s story, and I just know it’s going to be a good one. The set up sounds like one angsty and emotional read which is exactly right up my alley.

Though it wasn’t a story that completely blew me away, it was a very solid 3.5 star read that I’d recommend for anyone looking for a sexy and suspenseful story to spend an afternoon with.

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

 

 

 

Blog Tour & Review: ★Adored★ by Lexi Blake

ADORED is a Contemporary Erotic Romance novella in Lexi’s Masters and Mercenaries Series! Check it out below and grab your copy today!!

 Adored - coverA man who gave up on love

Mitch Bradford is an intimidating man. In his professional life, he has a reputation for demolishing his opponents in the courtroom. At the exclusive BDSM club Sanctum, he prefers disciplining pretty submissives with no strings attached. In his line of work, there’s no time for a healthy relationship. After a few failed attempts, he knows he’s not good for any woman—especially not his best friend’s sister.

A woman who always gets what she wants

Laurel Daley knows what she wants, and her sights are set on Mitch. He’s smart and sexy, and it doesn’t matter that he’s a few years older and has a couple of bitter ex-wives. Watching him in action at work and at play, she knows he just needs a little polish to make some woman the perfect lover. She intends to be that woman, but first she has to show him how good it could be.

A killer lurking in the shadows

When an unexpected turn of events throws the two together, Mitch and Laurel are confronted with the perfect opportunity to explore their mutual desire. Night after night of being close breaks down Mitch’s defenses. The more he sees of Laurel, the more he knows he wants her. Unfortunately, someone else has their eyes on Laurel and they have murder in mind.

3.5 Stars

He was in deep and he was fairly certain that this time he would drown

I love this series. Lexi Blake never fails to deliver a sexy and suspenseful romance in her Masters and Mercenaries series. Though these novellas are a part of the series, they’re slightly different from the actual books. The characters in each novella are not predominant characters in the series story arc. They’re secondary characters that mainly stand on their own, so you can easily read these novellas out of order even if you haven’t read the rest of the series. As a matter of fact, you’re better off reading the novellas in order as those are closer tied together than they are to the full length books, if that makes sense.

Adored is the story of Mitch and Laurel. Laurel Daley is the younger sister of Will from Cherished and Mitch is his best friend. Now I love me that falling for the older brother’s best friend trope, so I was really looking forward to this. And while it may not have packed the same punch as the full length books for me, it still gave me my fix of the M&M series.

Laurel has been in love with Mitch for years, but unfortunately for her, Mitch doesn’t see her that way. She’s too young for him and he’s too jaded. Two failed marriages under his belt, he’s not looking to add another one. He can’t give Laurel what she needs, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t tempt him. So one night where the passion between them burns too hot to resist, they give into the temptation. Only for Mitch to completely go back into his jaded shelf immediately after and forcing Laurel to completely give up hope on any sort of future with him.

But not everything is so simple. When an unexpected turn of events after their one night of passion forces them together, it allows them to further explore the passion between them.

Of course it wouldn’t be a M&M book without an appearance by some of my favorite characters (cough Ian cough). But this really focused more on the romance with a side of suspense. I really enjoyed this story, though it was missing that extra oomph that Lexi Blake’s books usually carry for me. But this is mainly because I’m not a big novella fan. They are just too fact paced and short for me to truly get invested in the characters. But I can never pass up a book by this author, so I couldn’t miss this one. So while it may not have a blow me away kind of read, it was a very enjoyable one. Quick, steamy, suspenseful. The perfect book to spend a sexy evening with.

Author PhotoNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. She began writing at a young age concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

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New Release & Review: ★Rush★ by @GordonGina

 
Author: Gina Gordon
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 12, 2015

In this edgy, sizzling romance for fans of Monica Murphy and Abbi Glines, a bad boy shows a straitlaced law student how to slow down and savor the good things.

Everly Parker is about to graduate from law school, always busy, and can’t stop rushing through life. Her late grandmother left her a bucket list of meaningful, can’t-miss experiences, but she hasn’t completed a single one. Then searing-hot Max Levin bursts into her world. As a casting director for a porn production company, Max is loaded, cocky, and all wrong for Everly. Still, she’s tempted enough to cross the first item off her list: Go out with someone you’d never give the time of day.

Inheriting a porn empire isn’t every guy’s dream (well, actually, it probably is), but Max isn’t complaining. It’s just that until he meets Everly, he has no idea what he’s been missing. As the pressure mounts to take over the family business, Max can’t help wondering what would happen if he chose Everly instead. So far, his life has been a wild ride, but only Everly promises the greatest rush of all: love.

Buy LinksAmazon / B&N / iBooks

Review

4 stars

He might not be the man I should want, but maybe Max Levin was exactly the man I needed.

What a pleasant surprise this book was. If you’re looking at the blurb and thinking this is yet another fluffy book about bad boy meets straitlaced good girl, think again. This story and the characters had so much more depth to them than the cover and blurb leads you to believe. Having loved all of Gina’s Brazen titles, I didn’t think twice before deciding to read this book and what a great decision that was!

She was the exact opposite of what I thought I wanted, but I wanted her anyway.

Everly Parker is the quintessential good girl. She’s as straitlaced as they come. Having grown up in the shadow of her parent’s success and constant pushing for perfection, she doesn’t know how to be any different. She’s pre-law and on her way to follow in her parent’s successful law footsteps. But deep down inside, in a part of her that she rarely listens to, something niggles her. Something that points to unhappiness and to question if law is what she really wants and what makes her happy. Having lost her nan, who was the only lively spirit in her family, she’s a little lost now. Especially since her nan left her one final letter before her passing; a letter that lists all the things that Everly should do. Something that would take her out of her comfort zone and perhaps leads her to the happiness that she truly craves.

Max Levin is the prince to a porn empire. But don’t let that description fool you. While he has the sizzling good looks, the charming personality, and enough money to keep him in designer clothes for years to come, there’s much more to his character. Max is the son to porn royalty. His mother was a famous porn star while behind the scenes she was an amazing mother, friend and wife. I loved the way that she was portrayed. There was nothing wrong with her and she was never ashamed of who she was. His father is the famous producer of one of the most successful porn production companies and Max stands to inherit it all. But while something like this should be every hot blooded man’s wet dream, Max isn’t fulfilled by it. He longs for something…more. And when he meets the beautiful but straitlaced Everly in a coffee shop while interviewing “talent” for his company’s next movie, he knows just what that something is. And when he spots Everly’s list, he knows just how to get it. He volunteers to help her complete it, starting with number 1, going out on a date with him, someone who she wouldn’t normally give the time of day to.

We fell to the bed in a tangle of limbs and I lost myself in her kiss. In her touch. In everything that was real. I didn’t know this strange feeling creeping into my chest, creeping into every part of me, but it rushed through me like a freight train, obliterating everything in its wake- my rules, my senses, and I feared, my heart.

This was so much more about the sex, though. Max and Everly certainly don’t fall into bed together right away or even soon. Gina builds up enough sexual tension to really make it burn, and I for one, loved it. You really get to know both the characters before the sex enters the picture. You get to care for them, understand them and what makes them tick. That’s not to say that these two don’t burn up the sheets together once they finally get together.

She sank down on my cock, and it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. I might be invading her body, but she was invading my soul.

It was absolutely fantastic.

This was so different from anything I’ve read by this author before, and I loved it. I enjoyed everything about it; the story, the secondary characters, the romance. While it wasn’t that unforgettable all encompassing 5 star read, it was the perfect light and steamy and solid 4 star one. I really hope to see a book for Ben next because that set up was absolutely delicious.

If you’re looking for a NA romance that’s full of heat but never lacking on story, you need to check this one out!

New Release & Review: ★Filthy Dirty Alpha★ by @gracemauthor

Filthy Dirty Alpha (Filthy Dirty series)
Author: Grace Morgan
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 10, 2015

I own Second Circle, the hottest underground sex club in Texas. And as hard as it is, pun intended, I’ve learned better than to fuck with the playthings at my club. It only leads to trouble. But being twenty-seven, well-hung, and a millionaire, coupled with a brand of kink that makes most romance novels look like nursery rhymes, it’s a magnet for pussy.The one exception to that rule seems to be the tight-assed reporter named Lola who joins Second Circle seeking answers about the girl who went missing from my club last year.

Her only objective is to solve a mystery, while mine is to fuck her senseless.

Good luck, pet, you’re going to need it.

Filthy Dirty Alpha is book 1 in a hot new series.
Book 1 – May 11
Book 2 – May 18
Book 3 – May 25

Buy Links
Review
4 stars

I want you. Thirty nights- and you’re mine for every one of them.”

My, my, my; what a dirty little gem this turned out to be. Bravo, Grace Morgan, on a debut book well done. This pervert reader is definitely hooked on this serial and can’t wait for more.

I had no idea what to expect when starting this book aside from the fact that the title was practically calling my name. Give me a dirty talking alpha, mix in a heroine that’s just begging to be shown the dirty side of things, throw in a little kink with a side of mystery, and I’m on pervy cloud nine.

Lola is reporter that’s determined to find out what happened to a woman that disappeared that frequented a very kinky and private sex club owned by an enigmatic and even kinkier man. But going undercover isn’t quite as easy as she thought it’d be…

What aspects are you most interested in, Miss…Lola?”
“Penis.”
“We’ll get to that later, sweetheart. Promise.” He winked.
Snatching my eyes away from the impressively large bulge at the front of his pants, horror set in as I realized what had just come out of my mouth. Oh dear God.

And nothing prepares Lola for when she finally comes face to face with the owner of Second Circle, Burke. The dominant, too sexy for his own good, Burke, that’s definitely hiding quite a few secrets that Lola is determined to unearth. Burke can see through Lola’s lies right away and calls her on it. But he also makes her a deal; he’ll let her have carte blanche in his club for her investigation, if she agrees to thirty days with him. And it sure as hell will not be platonic or professional.

Now admittedly, I’m always hesitant with new authors that attempt BDSM elements because I don’t handle red room of pain fluff type BDSM well. I was very pleasantly surprised how it was here. It’s just the right side of kinky to satisfy us seasoned BDSM readers while being light enough for those that are just dipping their toes in the genre. It was also sexy as all hell. I loved the build up of sexual tension between Lola and Burke. It burned so good.

I also liked that there was something else driving the story aside from the lust between the MCs. The developing details about the disappearance of Hope was just that added icing on the cake that made this for an even more entertaining read.

Burke was everything the synopsis promised he’d be; kinky, cocky, and just the right side of mysterious and broody. Lola was a great heroine too.

This was definitely a great start to what looks to be a promising three part series, and I for one am definitely hooked.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Yours Forever★ by Joya Ryan

yours-forever-rdl-banner
Yours Forever (Reign #3)
Author: Joya Ryan
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 7, 2015

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes the final book in the Reign trilogy. This is an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story that seduces, surprises and stays with you.
Playing at forever is a dangerous game…

Torn between two men and surrounded by secrets, Lana is forced to make an agonising choice. But what – and who – does she really want?

Buy Links
YOURS FOREVER
YOURS COMPLETELY: 
YOURS TONIGHT:
Review
4 stars
Hot, raw, angry lust surrounded the three of us. Surrounded them. And I had no idea what to do. How to feel. Other than higher than any drug could ever take me. But, like any drug, there would be a crash. And this time it would be hard.

So here’s the thing; I do not do love triangles. At all. Like ever. The mere mention of them has me twitching. It’s impossible for me to enjoy them because somebody always gets hurt and almost always it’s the person I was rooting for. And if I happen to be rooting for both people? FAHGETABOUTIT

So I don’t read them…until this book. See, Joya Ryan sucked me in with her gripping story telling and her enigmatic characters. Each book in this trilogy I found myself completely unable to put down. The story captivated me from the very first paragraph and the ride took me places I never imagined it going but I enjoyed every second of it.

Note: if you haven’t read the first 2 books, my review WILL contain minor spoilers (though not much more than you can find in the synopsis). It will be completely spoiler free for this book though.
Two men, one woman, and one choice that is sure to leave devastation in it’s wake. Lana Case didn’t expect to completely lose her heart to Jack Powell, but she fell completely under his dark spell. He snuck into her heart unexpectedly and then shattered it into a million pieces when he left.
He was the cure to the poison that had been a part of me for so long. Only now, Jack was a special kind of drug, one that held its own side effects.
Left alone with a broken heart, Lana was left vulnerable to deal with her sadistic step-brother and his mother and further devastated by her father’s disregard. But the Jack’s best friend Cal came along and helped her heal. He didn’t help her move on, because Jack would always be in her heart, but he helped her move…toward him.
But his ultimate betrayal in the form of a heartbreaking lie completely broke Lana. So she ran. She ran away from Cal, from Jack, and her feelings for them both. But when her life is threatened, both men refuse to relent. They want to protect her from the danger, yes, but they also want her.
I couldn’t tell him I was done with him, because honestly, maybe I never would be. I loved the prick. Loved him so much I hated him for it. But I loved Cal. So much it tore every time I took a breath.
I devoured this book. Even though it left me a nervous ball of anxiety. I equal parts dreaded Lana’s ultimate choice and needed to know what it was. Joya Ryan did such an incredible job making the reader fall unequivocally for both men. It was such an evenly tipped scale, it was impossible to choose.
When you’re just as unable to chose which man you want just as much as the heroine, you know you’re heading for one hell of an ending. Especially when both men pull no punches in their determination to win her for themselves.
You broke me, Jack,” I said with anger-laced sadness.

 

“And I fucking hate myself for that! You’re the one in control. Always have been. And you’re holding my God damn soul in your fist, Lana. So just this once, stop squeezing.
In the midst of this erotic and emotional love triangle is the mystery of the danger against Lana and who’s threatening her life. All that added up makes for one unputdownable read.

As for the ending? Well, I can’t tell you much about it but I will tell you this: I wish all love triangles I read ended this way. Was I satisfied with it? Fuck. Yes. A fantastic conclusion to an amazing trilogy.
About the Author

brit author 0041  (1)National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

 

 

Giveaway

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Yours Forever★ by @JoyaRyanAuthor

Yours Forever (Reign #3)
Author: Joya Ryan
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 7, 2015

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes the final book in the Reign trilogy. This is an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story that seduces, surprises and stays with you.
Playing at forever is a dangerous game…

Torn between two men and surrounded by secrets, Lana is forced to make an agonising choice. But what – and who – does she really want?

YOURS FOREVER
YOURS COMPLETELY: 
YOURS TONIGHT:

Amazon  | B&N | Goodreads

4 Stars

Hot, raw, angry lust surrounded the three of us. Surrounded them. And I had no idea what to do. How to feel. Other than higher than any drug could ever take me. But, like any drug, there would be a crash. And this time it would be hard.

So here’s the thing; I do not do love triangles. At all. Like ever. The mere mention of them has me twitching. It’s impossible for me to enjoy them because somebody always gets hurt and almost always it’s the person I was rooting for. And if I happen to be rooting for both people? FAHGETABOUTIT

So I don’t read them…until this book. See, Joya Ryan sucked me in with her gripping story telling and her enigmatic characters. Each book in this trilogy I found myself completely unable to put down. The story captivated me from the very first paragraph and the ride took me places I never imagined it going but I enjoyed every second of it.

Note: if you haven’t read the first 2 books, my review WILL contain minor spoilers (though not much more than you can find in the synopsis). It will be completely spoiler free for this book though.
Two men, one woman, and one choice that is sure to leave devastation in it’s wake. Lana Case didn’t expect to completely lose her heart to Jack Powell, but she fell completely under his dark spell. He snuck into her heart unexpectedly and then shattered it into a million pieces when he left.
He was the cure to the poison that had been a part of me for so long. Only now, Jack was a special kind of drug, one that held its own side effects.
Left alone with a broken heart, Lana was left vulnerable to deal with her sadistic step-brother and his mother and further devastated by her father’s disregard. But the Jack’s best friend Cal came along and helped her heal. He didn’t help her move on, because Jack would always be in her heart, but he helped her move…toward him.
But his ultimate betrayal in the form of a heartbreaking lie completely broke Lana. So she ran. She ran away from Cal, from Jack, and her feelings for them both. But when her life is threatened, both men refuse to relent. They want to protect her from the danger, yes, but they also want her.
I couldn’t tell him I was done with him, because honestly, maybe I never would be. I loved the prick. Loved him so much I hated him for it. But I loved Cal. So much it tore every time I took a breath.
I devoured this book. Even though it left me a nervous ball of anxiety. I equal parts dreaded Lana’s ultimate choice and needed to know what it was. Joya Ryan did such an incredible job making the reader fall unequivocally for both men. It was such an evenly tipped scale, it was impossible to choose.
When you’re just as unable to chose which man you want just as much as the heroine, you know you’re heading for one hell of an ending. Especially when both men pull no punches in their determination to win her for themselves.
You broke me, Jack,” I said with anger-laced sadness.

 

“And I fucking hate myself for that! You’re the one in control. Always have been. And you’re holding my God damn soul in your fist, Lana. So just this once, stop squeezing.
In the midst of this erotic and emotional love triangle is the mystery of the danger against Lana and who’s threatening her life. All that added up makes for one unputdownable read.

As for the ending? Well, I can’t tell you much about it but I will tell you this: I wish all love triangles I read ended this way. Was I satisfied with it? Fuck. Yes. A fantastic conclusion to an amazing trilogy.

brit author 0041  (1)National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

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#NewRelease & Review: ★The Friend Zone★ by @Kris10Callihan

The Friend Zone (Game On #2)
Author: Kristen Callihan
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 5. 2015

Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.
The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…
Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to get himself out of the friend zone and into Ivy’s heart. Game on

Buy Links

 Excerpt

The backs of his fingers skim up my arm, raising goose bumps on my skin. “Nice top.”
Even though it’s thirty degrees out, I chose a black silk tank that hugs my waist but gathers loosely over my breasts. A tie around my neck holds the top secure. That I am braless is not lost on him. He stares at my stiff nipples as his fingers drift to the bow at the back of my neck and give it a little flick. “Take it off.”“W-what?”“Let me see those sweet tits you’ve been teasing me with since you walked in the bar.”“I—” My breath catches. “No. I’m not taking my clothes off for a stranger.”

He doesn’t look away. “But you want to, don’t you? You want me to look at you.” He bends his head until his lips are at my ear. “You’re dying to expose yourself, to let me see those pretty pink nipples.”

My skin draws tight. I struggle not to sway into him.

He leans back, his attention on my top again. “Untie the bow.”

“Someone might come in.” Despite our play, my fear of getting caught is real, though not completely unwelcome.

“They won’t. I took care of it.”

I believe that. Gray would cover all the bases. In his own way, he’s as much of a planner as I am. But I can’t think of him as Gray now, not when he’s doing this for me.

His fingers are back, skimming over my inner arm, teasing the edges of my top. “Just a little peek.”

My breasts ache so badly, they’re hot, heavy, the silk covering them an irritant. With shaking hands, I reach up. The fabric tugs against my neck then comes free. It slithers over my skin like a caress.

He sucks in an audible breath as my breasts are exposed. I see myself through his eyes, sitting half-naked in this dim back room, my nipples puckered, my breasts quivering with each shallow breath I take. The vulnerability of it feels naughty, forbidden, and I nearly whimper.

A noise of pure satisfaction leaves him. Not bothering to lift his gaze from my breasts, he reaches out, runs the tips of his fingers over my nipple. I’m so sensitized now the touch sends a bolt of pure, searing lust straight through me. I flinch, clench my teeth to keep still.

He hums, strokes me back and forth as if he owns me. “So pretty.” He grazes me again.

“You like that, sweetheart?”

Eyes closed, I bite my lower lip and nod.

I feel him move. The wet flat of his tongue drags over my nipple. My eyes fly open on a strangled cry. He grins up at me, his mouth hovering at my breast. It isn’t his usual cheeky grin but something more wicked. “Mmm. Delicious.”

He takes a step closer, and I swallow convulsively. Gray’s voice lowers. “I wonder where else you taste good. You want to show me, sweets?”

I’m practically panting now. My hair swings as I give my head a hard shake. He leans in, trailing the blunt tip of his finger up the curve of my breast. I nearly yelp when he gives the stiff peak a quick, crude pinch.

His smile is pure male smugness. “Lift up your skirt and show me where you’re wet.”

Review5 stars


You are the happiness I never realized I needed.

Have you ever started a book and from just the first few pages known that you have a 5 star on your hands? You know what feeling I’m talking about. The permanent goofy smile, the warm and fuzzies in your stomach, the I’ll-just-read-one-more-page-and-before-you-know-it-you’re-done, book butterflies kind of feeling. That’s exactly what happened to me. Now I loved The Hook Up and I was equal parts dying and dreading this book. Why? Because it’s hard to follow up on a book that you loved. But honest to gawd, I think I loved this one even more. Why?

1. There was Gray

If you love the manwhores but hate about reading all their conquests and about them generally being a giant douchebag for most of the book until they hit their epiphany, well my picky friends, meet your holy grail hero. Gray was absolute perfection from the very start. Well, don’t get me wrong, he’s not perfect perfect. But there were NO other women. None. Not even flirting. But oh was there texting. Which brings me to my next reason.

2. The banter/texting.
Oh. My. Gawd. The texting!

If you don’t have a goofy grin on your face reading each of the texts between Ivy and Gray, we’re not reading the same book. Seriously.

3. Ivy
I loved her. No seriously. I loved her. She was sassy, sharp-witted, 6ft of awkward dancing awesome. I just loved all her quirky imperfections and the fact that she wasn’t your typical dainty tiny heroine.


And, God help me because the truth is Ivy has become a craving in my blood, racing through me hot and thick.

Clearly Gray had no issues with that.

4. The friends-to-lovers trope
Gah. Just gah. I think this may have been my favorite friends to lovers romance I’ve read this year. That slow burn, that sizzling sexual tension. Perfection. I loved that their friendship was what developed first but with a clear underlying of attraction. And if you follow my reviews than you know I love me my slow burn. Why? Because when it finally implodes, it’s bound to be delicious…

And for my curious fellow perverts out there, yes there’s a verra good dose of steam here. I got two words for you: Bar. Scene. You’ll see.

So in case my list of feels wasn’t clear enough, I loved this book. I loved everything about it. Even the little thing that happens towards the end. To me, it fit the story and just added a little more depth to the characters and their romance.

Kristen Callahan hit it out of the ballpark once again. (Get it? Sports metaphor. Ha!) And I absolutely cannot wait for more in this series. Like maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed, Dex? I do love me those lumbersexuals.

Would I recommend this book? Hell yes! Read it, fall in love with the characters, laugh like a loon, and not regret a perfect second of it.

 

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Trust★ by Ella Frank

Trust (Temptation #3)
Author: Ella Frank
Genre: Erotic, MM Romance
Release Date: May 3, 2015

TRUST – verb: to believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of another.Up until now, Logan Mitchell has never had much of a reason to trust anyone.Having struggled with a self-identity crisis throughout college, he’s spent the years since then creating a sophisticated facade to present to the world.

It’s an armor he thought was impenetrable—until he met Tate Morrison.

The gorgeous, headstrong bartender he’d sat across from only months ago has taken a tight hold of his heart, and Logan is discovering that it’s time to let go.

It’s time to let someone inside.

After years of placing his dreams on hold for his family, Tate has finally chosen to do what makes him happy and follow his heart.

The one thing he never would’ve imagined was that it would lead him into the arms of a man—and not just any man—the striking, never-takes-no-for-an-answer Logan Mitchell.

Tate has fallen hard, and as his world is turned on its axis and they move forward together, he finds his life becoming more entwined with the confident, successful lawyer.

Even though neither man expected the other, it’s time to trust in their relationship—but not everything comes so easily…

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Excerpt

“What’s wrong with my hair? Are you saying I need to cut it?”

“No, I’m fucking not,” Logan said as he fingered the curls by Tate’s ear. “And you know it.”

“What would you do if I did shave my head?”

“Kill you? And likely get away with it since I have connections to a very reputable law firm.”

Tate chuckled and shoved Logan until he was on his back beside him. “Be serious.”

Logan turned his head on the pillow and ran his eyes over Tate’s full head of hair. Then he returned his gaze to the eyes watching him. “I would quite possibly cry. For days.”

“Over my hair? It does grow back, you know.”

“Yeah, but not for months,” he grumbled. “Can you please stop talking so calmly about this? You’re making me nervous.”

Tate shifted until his long, lean body was stretched out above him, and Logan widened his legs to allow him to settle in between.

“Don’t worry,” Tate assured him as he lowered his head to kiss the corner of his mouth. He then moved those teasing lips to Logan’s ear and whispered, “I like your hands in it too much to cut it off.”

Logan threaded his fingers through the thick waves and asked, “Like this?”

With a groan, Tate rocked his hips against him, and Logan twisted his fingers tighter.

Exactly like that.”

“Good,” he said as he wound his legs around Tate’s. “Because this way, I can have a tight hold on you when you’re trying to distract me. I’m onto you, Mr. Morrison. Don’t try to use your body against me.”

He almost lost his willpower when Tate, the cocky fucker, placed his hands on either side of his head and rubbed their erections together.

“You don’t want me to use my body on you?”

“Fuck you,” Logan said, knowing full well that, if he didn’t change the subject or get Tate the hell off him, he was going to roll him over and cease talking altogether.

Usually he’d love nothing more, but right now, he wanted to know why Tate had reacted so strongly to his question from last night—well, early morning .

“We need to talk.”

Review
4 stars
…I didn’t know you were essential for me to feel alive.

Ella Frank’s books are like a one-two punch. One to the ovaries and the other straight to the feels. She has this incredible ability to combine heart wrenching emotion with panty-melting eroticism. It makes each and every single one of her books unputdownable reads. When I first read Try I knew I had one of those books on my hands. I was head over heals for Tate and Logan. Hell, who am I kidding? I was basically all

Their story has been an exercise in control for me. While each book in this trilogy had a satisfactory ending it also always left you begging for more and the wait for the next book was absolute torture. So to say I was anticipating the conclusion to their story would be a HUGE understatement. I was downright dying for it.

His motto of “try, take, and top” had changed.
Oh, he’d tried Tate all right, and they’d both done a helluva lot of taking, but for once in his life, Logan didn’t feel the desire to win. He didn’t need to come out on top.
What he wanted was Tate’s trust- his ABSOLUTE trust.

If you’re going into this expecting that same ovary devastating chemistry, let me put you at ease because boy will you get that. A whole lot of it. Logan will melt every panty within a 20 mile radius. Guaranteed.

The man who was plowing into him over and over had lost any decorum his suit and tie afforded and had morphed into a man who was taking exactly what he wanted, HOW he wanted- and Tate fucking loved it.

But this was not just a whole lot of hot sex. Well, don’t get me wrong, because there was still plenty of that. But beyond that it was an incredibly emotional story and you get much more depth to both these characters in the process. Now I would advise you to read as little reviews of this book as possible before reading it because you really want to be heading into it as blind as you can. And for that reason, my review will also be quite vague in terms of details.

I devoured, absolutely devoured the first half of this book. It brought out such a wide array of feelings in me, from lust to heart wrenching emotion. I couldn’t put it down.

Frustrating?” he mocked. “No, you know what’s frustrating? When you see someone you really want to fuck and can’t because they keep saying no. I’ve been frustrated. This….this is agony. Torment beyond anything I’ve ever felt before.

Get ready for a roller coaster of emotion with this one. And that’s all you’ll be getting from me.

So why am I not rating this as highly as the first two books? Well, a couple of reasons. The main one, is even though I really enjoyed it, I just didn’t love it as much as the first two books. Somewhere around the second half I found myself growing a little bored. I still read it in one sitting because I just had to know how it all came together, but it just didn’t grab me as much as the first half. See I’m one of those ridiculous readers that has terrible book ADD when it comes to reading about the same couple in several books. So perhaps that may have been the biggest reason for my disconnect? There were a lot of things addressed that I had hoped would be and I was extremely satisfied with that. But there was also a character that made an appearance in this book that quite frankly I wasn’t quite sure of the purpose of. This character made an appearance, stirred some shit up (kinda), and then left. I’m not even sure their appearance was necessary at all really. But that’s just me.

Aside from those reasons, I truly did enjoy this conclusion to this incredible romance. Tate and Logan are definitely going to remain in my top favorite list of MM couples I’ve read for a long while. I fell in love with these boys in the very first book, and I just fell for them all over again if not harder in this book. So while it may not have been a 5 star read for me, it was still a fantastically solid 4 stars and one I’d definitely recommend to any lovers of MM romance. You just haven’t lived until you’ve met Tate and Logan. Trust me. Your ovaries will thank you.

About the Author

Ella Frank is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. She writes both contemporary and erotic fiction and is best known for her Exquisite and Temptation Series.

The minute she began her love affair with reading, she became and avid supporter of the romance genre and has never looked back.

Ella is Australian born and bred but currently resides in Hillsboro, Portland with her husband.

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New Release & Review: ★Kane’s Hell★ by Elizabeth Finn

Kane’s Hell
Author: Elizabeth Finn
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Note: Trigger warning
Release Date: May 1, 2015

Kane and Helene were the best of friends until a nightmare devastated them… Hopes were destroyed, dreams shattered, a budding teenage love torn to pieces. Eleven years later their lives are nothing like they once were. Time has changed them … and not for the better.Helene is smart, driven, and accomplished—her education and achievements a smoke screen hiding the frigid and fragile child wounded long ago.Kane is equally obsessed with his coping mechanisms—fighting … drinking … screwing … compulsively destroying himself one vice at a time.When their paths collide again, their past becomes an obstacle no coping mechanism in the world can protect them from. But confronting the past so they can heal in the present is no easy task. Can Kane reach Helene and recapture what used to burn so warmly between them, or will his own self destructive demons pull her into his hell?

A woman determined to look forward. A man always looking back. A love desperate to be restored.

“You’re the brightest, warmest star in my universe. You’ll never be less than everything to me.”

WARNING: This book contains darker subject matter and violent content that may be difficult for some readers.

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Review
4 stars

 

I need to be near you, and I DON’T know what that looks like. But I DO know I need it. Please give me another chance.

Fans of second chance romance prepare to get your hearts ripped out. I’m talking ‘reach through your throat, make you ugly cry in a corner and fuck you up’ kind of ripped out. It’s no secret that this author writes some ANGST, but nothing prepared me for this book. Let me start off with a disclaimer here; I don’t think this book is for everyone. There’s a particular scene in this book that’s a potential trigger and if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing, well, be advised. Being a huge fan of dark romance I’m fairly desensitized to most things, but this scene even made me cringe. It was very difficult to read even if it wasn’t overly descriptive. It broke my cold and black little heart dammit. I actually had to pause the book right after it just to get my shit together. Yeah. It was that effective.

Kane and Helene were best friends in high school and had a budding romance going which Kane was always hesitant to act on. But then one night and one event changed the course of their lives irrevocably. Prepare yourselves for one gut-wrenching read because this event? It was BAD. You don’t know what it is and it will be retold through present to past flashbacks in the first third of the story.

I needed you, and you left me. You left me in this place to deal with…everything on my own.

What happened made Helene a shell of the woman that she once was. It took her years to wade her way out of the pain and nightmares especially since Kane left right after it, but she did it through her focus on school. Now eleven years later, she’s teaching and working on her dissertation, using her education and her career to push back the devastating memories. The last person she expects to walk into her classroom is the only person that knows what happened those years ago and shared the nightmare with her.

Can’t we just forget about the monsters,” he whispered….
“All I want is to remember us.”

The last place Kane wants to be in is the one that reminds him of everything that he lost and the nightmares he barely keeps at bay. Where Helene uses her education and career to mask her pain, he uses self punishment in the form of fights, alcohol and sex. He craves the pain to punish himself. Back to care for his ailing father, he’s determined to finally get the only girl that’s ever had his heart.

I’m not good at much in this world. But I’m good at loving you.”

If you’ve come to love Elizabeth’s dirty talkers, Kane definitely delivers on that end. He also has that dash of asshole that you’ve come to expect from this author, though not overly so.

The story is told in 3 parts; the first third is told in alternating flashbacks of present to past, slowly retelling the nightmare that Hell and Kane shared together 11 years ago. The reader is given one small piece of the puzzle in each flashback until all the pieces begin to fit together into one devastating picture. The 2nd and 3rd part doesn’t have the flashbacks and is told all in the present and focuses on Hell and Kane attempting to put their broken pieces together again.

Everything about us is fragile- our relationship, the way we communicate, the way we fuck. I always feel like I’m two seconds away from letting you slip through my fingers. It’s all so very fucking fragile.

I did find the story dragging a little somewhere after the 40% mark and I found myself skimming through quite a few sex scenes. I can’t say that it read like a filler, not at all. But it was slower paced after the jaw dropping events of the first third.

I love you, Helene. I want you to know that. You’re the only person I have ever and will ever love in this lifetime. I’m so good at loving you. It’s the one thing I can safely say I will never falter at.

This was NOT a dark romance, but it certainly had much darker undertones than anything I had previously read by this author before. It had plenty of her trademark angst, dirty talk and hot as hell sex scenes. But beyond that it also had a beautifully painful second chance romance about two very broken people that slowly learn how to heal themselves and put back together their shattered pieces.

You are EVERYTHING to me,” I said emphatically.
“Sometimes nothing is enough- not even everything.”

It’s not an easy read for sure, but it’s certainly worth the pain for the beauty of their HEA at the end.

Review: ★Taking What’s His★ by @DianeAlberts

Taking What’s His (Shillings Agency #4)
Author: Diane Alberts
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 28, 2015

Some lines are meant to be crossed…
One explosive device was all it took to turn Holt Cunningham from ass-kicking Marine to IT technician. Hell, he’s still not over it. So when the cute little strawberry blonde at the bar asks him to kiss her, Holt can’t resist the temptation of a sexy distraction. Before he knows it, she’s blown his mind…and then skipped out the next morning.

Lydia Thomas never expected things with Holt to go quite that far, but oh, it was worth it. After being far too good for way too long, she was ready to be bad. Except that there’s that tiny detail that Lydia kept to herself-Holt just spent the night doing naughty things…with his best friend’s little sister.One night isn’t nearly enough. But with his friendship on the line, how far will Holt go in order to claim what’s his?

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Review4 stars

She’d known that underneath those glasses was a bad boy who knew exactly what to do with a good girl like her.

Well, well, well, Diane Alberts. How DO you keep doing it? Giving us one hero after the other that just gets better and better. I think that Holt Cunningham just may be my favorite Shillings Agency man yet. There’s just something so vulnerable and broken about him and yet with this darker edge that you just wouldn’t expect. All of it combined together just makes for one deliciously sexy read.

So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want to bring you home and fuck you until you stop thinking about other guys. I want to claim you, Own you. Make you come more times than ever before.”

Lydia is the quintessential good girl. After her latest boyfriend of two months dumps her because she wouldn’t put out, she’s determined to shake up her life a bit. When she spots her her ex at the bar, the dark, broody and sexy stranger proves to be a welcome distraction. And when she asks him to kiss her, she certainly doesn’t expect the type of sparks to fly as they do,

Holt may work in IT now, but he’ll always be a Marine at heart. But he’s not the man that he once was. He’s more broken, inside and out. A devastating IED explosion on his latest tour caused him everything, his military brothers and his own wounds. Suffering from the repercussions of that and his crippling PTSD, all he’s able to satisfy himself with is booze and one-night stands.

That’s all he’s good for anyway. But the beautiful and innocent woman at the bar tempts him for so much more. And c’mon, who can resist and sexy and dirty talking nerd anyway? Well, he’s not really a nerd. But the glasses do certainly add to his appeal. But I digress…

He didn’t want to be this guy with her. He wanted to be the guy who blew her mind with amazing orgasms. The guy she missed when he was gone. The guy she needed…
Not the guy who needed HER.

But Lydia is not just another woman. She also happens to be his best friend and co-worker’s little sister. She may know this going into their one-night deal, but he sure as hell doesn’t. Too bad by the time that he finds out he’s already hooked.

I really loved this latest installment in the series. Lydia and Holt were the perfect dying and yangs for each other. Holt is broody and tortured and Lydia is the lighthearted and sweet side. And together they’re absolutely sizzling! But this was also so much more than simple chemistry, I found the characters to have so much depth (Holt in particular). His struggle with his mental and physical repercussions after his injury broke my heart to read. As stubborn and pigheaded as he was sometimes, he never frustrated me. My heart just hurt for him and for Lydia. I was rooting for them the entire time. This series just continues to get better and better for me. I really hope to get Steve’s book next. Definitely a rec for fans of this series and even those that haven’t read it yet. This is the perfect book to start with since it’s easily read as a standalone. Though I highly recommend the rest of the series too since it’s also fantastic.

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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