Review: Morally Corrupt by Veronica Lancet

November 1, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

MORALLY CORRUPT
Series: Morally Questionable #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Veronica Lancet
Release Date: November 1, 2020

The first time I saw him I knew he was mine.

I pretended to be innocent, sweet, pure.

It couldn’t be further from the truth.

I lied to him. I married him.

And now he knows.

Hooker. Assassin. Junkie.

I am rotten to the core.

I am morally corrupt.

Bianca Ashby, a certified sociopath with an obsession for her husband, tries to juggle two lives – the demure NYPD Chief Commissioner wife, and the perfect Bratva assassin; all the while keeping her husband safe and blissfully unaware.

But when high-level corruption and a personal vendetta raise the stakes, no one is who they say they are; least of all Bianca’s perfectly dull husband Theo.

From glitzy New York ballrooms and charity events to underground sex rings, drugs, and illegal fights, the best pretender wins it all.

Morally Corrupt is book one of the Morally Questionable series but can be read as a standalone.
Warning: This book explores questionable moral behaviors and includes graphic violence and adult situations that may trigger some readers. Please proceed with caution

 AMAZON

Sometimes, maybe even monsters deserve some redemption.” 

I’m what you’d call trigger shy when it comes to new to me or debut authors. (See what I did there? Assassin? Trigger? Ha! Whatever, it was funnier in my head). I’m such a picky reader, that I’m always hesitant to try a new author for fear that my nitpicking brain will kick in and won’t shut off. Yes, I’m one of those. I own it. But when I read the blurb to Morally Corrupt, I knew that blurb was simply too delicious for me not to give it a try. And you know what? I am so happy I did because I just may have found myself a new author to follow.

I’m a sucker for a dark and gritty read, and when you add into the mix incredibly unconventional characters? I’m putty in your hands. PUTTEH I tells ya! And it just doesn’t get more unconventional than a certified sociopath heroine who is obsessed beyond reason with her husband and happens to moonlight as a Bratva assassin behind his back.
Bianca Ashby was a character that’s vivid and multi-layered. Her quirks hook the reader immediately. Here’s a woman that grew up in glitz and glam, with some daddy issues on the side, and is one of the deadliest assassins out there with absolutely no moral compass. And the only thing beyond her job that she’s more obsessed with is her NYPD Chief Commissioner who treats her like spun glass when all she wants him to do is the opposite. Then you have her husband Theo, who is not quite all that he seems. GAH. Delicious.

Now that’s about all you’ll get out of me regarding this story, because you simply need to experience it for yourself.

What I will tell you, is while this is an author to watch out for. For a debut, this blew me away. It was an action packed thrill ride full of intrigue, secrets, murder, and suspense. Warring mafia families, twisted bonds, a sizzling romance, all of it cleverly crafted to keep the reader at the edge of their seats from beginning to finish. There were some parts that were a bit drawn out, and some details that felt a bit much at times. However, I wasn’t going into a debut book expecting it to be perfect, so it did nothing to distract from the story. I was obsessed. I was obsessed not only with the main characters, but with some of the most intriguing secondary characters. Luckily we’re getting the book for one of them next, but I’m pretty sure if we don’t get Vlad’s book right after that, I may cry a little.

What can I tell you. This book was deliciously morbid. It was dark, gritty, and sucked you right into the dark underbelly of NY’s crime underbelly. The romance was the exact icing on the cake the story needed and I devoured it! Simply devoured it. Told in dual first person POV, it was filled with enough twists and turns to leave her head reeling. Do yourself a favor and read this. Trust me on this. This is one debut you’ll want to check out.

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Review & Excerpt: Deliver Us by Pam Godwin

October 30, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

DELIVER US
Series: Deliver
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: October 27, 2020

Deliver Us, an all new dark, intense and gut-wrenching boxed set from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Pam Godwin is now available and perfect for a binge read!

Are you ready to fall in love with a villain?

Van Quiso’s chilling gunmetal eyes will shiver your blood and torment your heart. You’ll fear him and crave him, for behind the cruel mouth lurks a jealous, possessive devil who will sacrifice everything to protect the woman he loves.

Each standalone is a different couple with its own dark love story, all interconnected in a dangerous underworld of murderers, kidnappers, and cartels. Forget your comfort zones. This world isn’t pretty. But it’s oh-so-delicious and twisty.

With over 1000 pages of passion and suspense, this is your next binge read.

More than 200,000 copies sold and thousands of 5-star reviews. No cliffhangers. Available in digital, print, and audiobook.

 AMAZON | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

The chains fell off his chest and arms and pooled around his waist. His freedom swept through him in ragged breaths.  

She gazed at him with stiff lines of determination on her face, an expression he’d seen a hundred times, the unwavering glare that tortured him, aroused him, conjured his nightmares, and filled his dreams.  

He memorized each twitch of her lashes, the delicate point of her raised chin, every faltered breath. He was consumed with having her and terrified to lose her.  

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” He reached up to brush his fingers through her thick dark hair. 

She recoiled before his hand made contact. A blank mask fell over her face, a wall of ice slamming between them. She moved to the driver seat and faced forward. 

His momentary calm burst into a roaring fire. Hands fisting, heart pounding, he didn’t know what to do with the fury burning through his veins. He tagged his jeans and boots from the floorboard and jumped out. 

He dressed as he walked, jerking on his boots, kicking branches out of his path. His muscles heated, and sweat slicked his bare chest, chilling in the night air. He wasn’t angry at her. He was angry for her. The abuse done to her body. The helplessness of her situation. His inability to free her. 

He slammed a fist into the nearest tree trunk. Again. Again. Pain ricocheted through his hand, down his arm, and fed his breaking heart.  

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her silhouette standing a few yards away. A slender shadow, shrouded by darkness. And in her raised arms, she held a gun, trained on him.  

He threw another fist. Absorbed the burn. Expelled the rancor. He knew she was holding a gun on him to prevent him from running and putting her family at further risk. Regardless, she wouldn’t shoot him. Not because she needed a slave, but because she loved what was hers with a self-destructing passion.  

He faced her and held out his arms. “I’m yours.”  

The girl and the gun didn’t move. 

“Lose the damned mask and stop hiding from me.” He raked his throbbing hands through his hair. “Scream, cry, hit something. Hit me. But for God’s sake, let it out.”  

The shadowy lines of her body wavered. The gun lowered, returned to her boot. 

He stretched out his arms, savoring the cool breeze brushing over his unrestrained skin. “I stand here without rope or chains, Liv, tethered to you by my own will.” His blood beat with the ferocity of his words. “I won’t be free until you are.” 

Her head jerked back, her body rigid. Then she walked straight to him and unleashed her fists on his chest. She clobbered him over and over, her gasps accelerating with each fall of her hand. 

The lashing didn’t hurt. Not like the whimpers rising from her chest. She was hurting, lashing out for the wrongs that had been done to her. A sharp pain swelled in his throat. The only thing he could do was take it in, try to bear some of it for her.  

He held his arms out and his body open. When her hits ebbed into weak slaps, she stumbled back, hugging herself and clutching her elbows.  

His heartbeat slogged through the ache in his chest. He kept his arms outstretched and whispered, “I’m here.” 

Disbelief widened the whites of her eyes, and her breath caught. He waited. 

In two running steps, she launched at him, climbed up his chest, and curled her hands in his hair. He lifted her, pinning the curves of her thighs around his hips, and took her mouth. His knuckles burned with fever, but the heat from her lips was overriding. She whispered kisses over his jaw, around his mouth, caressing, assuring.  

He angled his head, deepening the reach of his tongue and drinking her in lick by lick. Her hands in his hair, the sweetness of her breath filling his mouth, there will never be another kiss like hers. She knew how to suck his lips and trap his tongue in a way that stroked every nerve ending in his body. More than that, she knew how to reach inside him. She found him, her ferocity defying the odds and pivoting them into place, perfectly interlocked. 

Her thighs squeezed around his waist, her breasts soft against his chest. He palmed her backside with a cautious gentleness, and chased her tongue, spiraling, stretching deeper, falling heart-first into an existence where only she mattered. 

First of all, if you haven’t read this series yet, it’s time to crawl out from under that rock you’ve been living under and see the light. Because this series is LIFE CHANGING. No one, and I mean NO ONE writes a redeemable anti-hero quite like Pam Godwin. They’re beyond anti-heroes, they’re straight out villains that you grow to love despite their darkness. Or is it because of their darkness? I don’t know and I don’t care, but I will say that this series is an absolute must read.

If you haven’t read it yet, now is the chance to get the first three books in one bundle. These are not meant to be read as standalone. You really need to do yourself a favor and read them in order. The characters are all introduced early in the series, so to understand the complexity, it’s best to read each book.

Deliver starts the series with a bang, and we get an anti-heroine. How often do you read that? And nothing will prepare you for the story of Van and Matias. GAH. I loved those books.

If you want to read my full detailed reviews you can find them here:
VANQUISH
DISCLAIM

Now do yourself a favor and jump on these!

 

Pam Godwin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author

Pam Godwin lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.

Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Amazon | Goodreads

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Review: Blacklisted by Jay Crownover

October 27, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

BLACKLISTED
Series: Loveless, Texas #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
Author: Jay Crownover
Release Date: October 27, 2020

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes an irresistible and suspenseful romance between a doctor who plays by the rules and the outlaw who breaks them in order to protect her.

Dr. Presley Baskin has always lived a quiet, calm life. Unfortunately, nothing about her life in Loveless, Texas—especially not the wild, rowdy, and impossibly close-knit Lawton family who’ve claimed her—is quiet or calm. Which is how loner Presley finds herself roped into patching up local bad boy Shot Caldwell against her better judgment. Presley wants nothing to do with the dangerous, brooding leader of the local outlaw motorcycle club. But when someone starts stalking her, Shot is the only person she trusts to help. Plus he owes her one…

Palmer ‘Shot’ Caldwell has always known his life isn’t made for relationships. At least until shy, secretive, Presley reluctantly pulled a bullet out of him. He’s oddly protective of the pretty doctor, so when she comes to him for help, hard-hearted Shot suddenly realizes there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

 AMAZON

I’d never been able to walk away from the search for retribution. My soul was restless until the proper price was paid.

I feel like I’ve been waiting FOREVER to finally have my hands on Shot’s book, and after the ending in Unforgiven, that need went dang near rabid. Now first of all, if you’re reading this as a standalone, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. Read the first two books. Even though each book focuses on a new couple, there’s a continuing story arc that continues through each series and is concluded here. Everything that was set in motion in Justified finally gets brought to a head here.

If you’ve read the first two books, then you’re already familiar with the suspense of the murder of Lawton patriarch. Presley is the half sister that her three siblings had no idea they had. After finding out that her best friend is a psychopath that’s responsible for making her life a living hell and losing her mother, Presley’s quiet existence imploded in a fiery blaze. Her stalker is still out there and wants her dead, and the Sons of Sorrow are in her debt for saving Shot’s life.

After the peeks we get into SoS and Shot Caldwell, I was dying for more of the MC. However, if you’re expecting a biker book, this is not that. The author made it clear that biker romance is something that she struggles with, so this book is in the same tone as the rest of the series. However, Shot is very much a biker and not a cowboy. He’s the epitome of a bad boy. An outlaw that lives his life on his own terms and answers to no one. Presley is the opposite of him in every way, but he can’t seem to stay away from here. Their chemistry is incendiary. These are two characters that always felt like outsiders in their own life, and their bond on that is strong. I loved the way they were there for each other.

There’s quite a bit of suspense happening here with both Shot and Presley’s life in danger by different people. Presley is still trying to figure out having siblings for the first time in her life and a man that’s pursuing her that is the epitome of everything that she doesn’t go for.

While I had hoped for more time and focus on the MC and the characters there, I still enjoyed this one quite a bit. I may have set my expectations on the MC a bit high, but I can’t say I’m disappointed. This still hit the spot quite nicely and was a satisfying conclusion to a series that I’ve been invested in for some time.

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Review: Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli

October 23, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES
Series: Black Mountain Academy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: A Zavarelli
Release Date: October 23, 2020

Your first kiss is supposed to be sweet. Ours was baptized in fire.

I was the new girl trying to find her place.

Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.

I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.

I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.

But I fell for him before I knew those things.

To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.

And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.

I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.

He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.

The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.

 AMAZON

I guess it’s true what they say about forbidden fruit. Kailani is the sweetest poison.

Do you have authors that you don’t even bother to read the blurb from? A Zavarelli is one of mine. No matter what the woman writes, I know I’ll be gagging for it. Because she never fails to create some of the most captivating and memorable characters. And this installment in the Black Mountain Academy series was finger licking good. No joke. I honestly wanted to lick my fingers when I turned the last page. It was that delicious.

An angsty and gritty romance set in high school where the only thing the students have more than money is spite and crazy. GAH. Yasss girl. This was right up my alley. After an incident that turned her world upside down, Kailani ran back to Hawaii. She never quite fit it with the rich and entitled students of Black Mountain Academy. She’s a talented dancer whose mother married into money but for love. Now she’s back to exact revenge on all who took part in the events of that night, including the boy she never got over.

Landon is the infamous bad boy with a reputation that proceeds him. A child actor turned teenage heartthrob, all Landon has ever known is people’s dark sides. Everyone wants something from him, including his own family. He has deep rooted trust issues and a chip on his shoulder that’s a mile long. He’s also deliciously enigmatic, mysterious, and oh so sexy. He once fell hard for his beautiful and shy neighbor, but even she turned out to be not who he thought she was. And now that she’s back, he has a revenge of his own to exact.

This story was a delicious entanglement of drama and angst and I devoured every page of it. Suspend your disbelief here and prepare yourself for Cruel Intentions on crack. These teenagers are CRAZY. Revenge, secrets, and lies run rampant through the halls of Black Mountain. And while Landon and Kailani have their agenda, someone else has theirs, and that amounts for some insane twists and turns. Yes, some of them were high on the realm of believability, but I couldn’t seem to care less. I lived for the drama here. When drama is done right, it can be absolutely delicious, and it was here.

I loved the tension and chemistry between Kailani and Landon. I loved their push and pull and I especially loved the way Kailani gave as hard as she got. The girl spared no punches when it came to her enemies. She certainly wasn’t the naive girl she was before she came back. This girl had claws and she wasn’t afraid to use them.

If you’re looking for an angsty and gritty high school romance with plenty of steam and no shortage of drama, look no further. This will tick every box and leave you wanting more.

A Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies. 

Connect w/A. Zavarelli:

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Review: The Bribe by Willa Nash

October 17, 2020 by ·

THE BRIBE
Series: Calamity Montana #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Willa Nash
Release Date: October 15, 2020

Duke Evans didn’t expect to interrupt a beautiful woman in a staring contest with a bison on his favorite hiking trail. He also didn’t expect to see her again after rescuing her from the surly beast. As the sheriff in Calamity, Montana, he’s had his fair share of surprises but none as pleasant as pulling over a shiny black car and finding his mysterious hiking companion behind the wheel.

Only, she lied to Duke. She gave him a name as fake as her hair color. According to her driver’s license, her real name is Lucy Ross, the famous country music singer whose sudden disappearance has been a hot topic in the media over the past two weeks.

He’s not sure why Lucy lied about her identity or why she’s in Calamity. And she’s not talking. Instead, she offers him a bribe to keep her secret.

But Duke doesn’t want her money. He wants to know why this woman is on the run. And as long as the star shines on his badge, he’s going to find out.

 AMAZON 

In public, you’re Jade. But behind closed doors, you’re—”
“Lucy?” she breathed.
I shook my head. “Mine.”

I have a love affair with all things Devney Perry, so when I saw she’s releasing a new series under a pen name, I was beyond thrilled. I live for her small town romances. The Bribe was a sweet romance with a swoony hero and a country singer in hiding set in the charming town of Calamity and plenty of amazing secondary characters.

I was a woman running through a storm, searching for a haven against the onslaught of rain.

Lucy is a famous country singer that left her entire life behind in Nashville to disappear as Jade in Calamity. She first runs into Duke when he rescues her and her BFF on a hiking trail. She never expects to run into the handsome stranger again, especially not as the sheriff in the small town where she’s trying to hide. And this sheriff won’t let her hide and is determined to get her every secret.

Duke was….*swoony sigh*. Gosh. This man was everything. I love me an alphahole, but every now and then a girl needs a dose of a good guy, and Duke hit the spot just right. The man is protective, loyal, and persistent. He’s determined to get all of Jade’s secrets, even if he has to pretend to take a bribe to keep them. The sparks between these two were instant and potent. I loved the tension between them as much as I loved their instant connection. There’s a dash of suspense that’s thrown in that helped spice things up a little which really comes to a head at the end.

Jade and Duke’s romance wasn’t full of angst. It wasn’t easy either but there were no games, no stupid misunderstandings. It was just so immensely satisfying watching these two fall in love. Duke, the quintessential nice guy, and Lucy the famous singer just made sense together. The Bribe was a butterflies in your tummy sort of romance that you finish with a smile on your face. I love me some angst, but I never missed it here. The suspense gave it just the right amount of zing that the story needed. And the preview of the next book? I die for it. DIE FOR IT. I can’t wait for Everly’s book next.

Willa Nash is USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry’s alter ego, writing contemporary romance stories for Kindle Unlimited. Lover of Swedish Fish, hater of laundry, she lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons. She was born and raised in Montana and has a passion for writing books in the state she calls home.

Devney loves hearing from her readers. Connect with her on social media!
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· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: I Promise You by Ilsa Madden-Mills

October 13, 2020 by ·

I PROMISE YOU 
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Release Date: October 12, 2020

New adult football romance! Complete standalone!

WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with an all-new swoony romance between the football hottie and the mystery girl he kissed years before.

Dillon McQueen: Babe. I promise. You want me.
Serena Jensen: Um, who are you?

There’s a legend at Waylon University: the first girl you kiss freshman year at the bonfire party is the one you’ll never forget. She’ll crawl under your skin and never leave. She’ll spark a passion so fierce you’ll burn the world down to possess her.

You might even put a ring on it.

As in all things with fate, timing is everything. That kiss can go horribly wrong. She might run in the opposite direction. And boy, did Serena run.

Dillon is Waylon’s hotshot quarterback with something to prove. All he wants is to graduate and make it to the NFL. What he doesn’t need is to finally meet the mystery girl he kissed at the bonfire freshman year. Isn’t it enough that she’s haunted his dreams for more than a thousand nights?

Fate laughs in his face when he runs into the quirky girl at the Piggly Wiggly. Surrounded by his entourage, he’s got all the Oreos in his cart; she gets revenge by buying every six-pack of his favorite beer.

Obviously, that legend is a curse. She’s not his type. She hates him. Worst of all, how can she not remember him when she left a Serena-shaped hole in his heart for the past three years?

So why can’t he stop trying to win her?

Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?

 AMAZON 

He’s part smooth charmer, part uncertain college boy, and it ticks all my boxes.
Help.

Same, girl. SAME.

First of all, I am kicking my own @ss right now because how am I just discovering this series? Ok so maybe it’s not a series since it’s not marked as one. But if you haven’t read I Bet You, I Hate You, and I Dare You, you haven’t lived. Just saying.

It seems I’m always on the search for the perfect New Adult sports romance that can combine all of the feels with perfectly dozed steam and this book checked all of my boxes. I fell so hard for these characters, both the main and the secondary. I fell SO HARD.

If you’ve read the other books I mention, you’ll remember Dillon McQueen as the party loving, quick to smile golden boy. I just knew this boy was going to have more layers than an onion, but I simply wasn’t prepared for just how many there were. This is one character that has so much depth, that with every layer you peel back, you’re simply ravenous for more. On the surface he seems like a party boy that likes to sleep around and has no problem using his good looks to get what he wants. But beneath that is the heart of someone that’s still figuring himself out. He’s unsure. He’s vulnerable. And he’s so damn adorable in his uncertainties, that you just want to hug him.

People see me as some kind of, I don’t know, hotshot guy, but deep down there’s only a few things I want: football, my dad’s approval, and someone authentic.

Serena has been there, done that, and has the t-shirt. Literally. She’s a little older and a lot wiser, so when the college golden boy sets her in his sights, she’s having none of it. The banter and bickering between the two of them was FIRE. I lived for their back and forth. Serena has her own insecurities but this is a woman that gives as hard as she gets and I loved her for it. She made Dillon work for it.

I adored this story, simply adored it. The swoon, the feels, the hilarious banter. All of it effortlessly woven together to make for one addictive read that I never wanted to end. I immediately went back and read the other three books because I simply had to meet the three secondary characters that make an appearance in the beginning of this book. If you’re looking for that perfect NA sports romance, look no further! Welcome to your next addiction.

Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect with Ilsa:
Amazon | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Book+Main | Website 

Stay up to date with Ilsa by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2ZWaTYh

Join her Unicorn Girls Group on FB, the best way to keep up: http://bit.ly/37B6Nay

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Review: Muses & Melodies by Rebecca Yarros

October 7, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

MUSES & MELODIES
Series: Hush Note #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Release Date: October 6, 2020

If I can keep Hush Note’s leading guitarist, Nixon Winters, on the straight and narrow for the next six months, I’ll finally get my own band to manage—assuming we don’t kill each other first.

The egotistical, irritating rock star is fresh out of rehab, but it’s obvious his demons followed him home—and now I’m sleeping down the hall. I’ve watched him self-destruct every summer, and with album deadlines and tour dates looming, I can’t let it happen again. My career is in his hands.

But tattoos can’t cover every scar, and I’m starting to see through his trademark, irresistible charm to the damage beneath.

Everyone wants the rock star.
I’m falling for the man.

If he doesn’t let me in,
he’ll never break the cycle—
And when these six months are up,
I might be the one left broken.

 AMAZON | iBOOKS | KOBO | NOOK

…he kissed like he played guitar—like nothing else mattered on the planet, and in that moment, nothing else did. He wiped away the rest of the world and altered the universe so it centered around.

An emotional and highly poignant story to end a fantastic series with. Muses & Melodies really closes it out with an emotional bang. Nix’s story was everything I had hoped for and so much more.

I wanted the only woman on the planet I couldn’t have.

The lead guitarist of Hush Notes has been spiraling for years. In and out of rehab, Nix’s favorite brand of self medication is sex, drugs and alcohol. You know that there’s something dark in his past that not even his closest friends know, but it’s not until the layers begin to be peeled back that you realize the full impact of his hidden pain.

Zoe is eager to make a name for herself in the music industry. But where Nix is center stage, she likes to be the talent behind the screen. She loves music and she loves the industry. And now her big break relies on her ability to keep Nix out of trouble. Babysitting a rockstar isn’t quite what she had in mind, but she’ll do it. It’s not just about the job for Zoe. She truly cares for Nix, which truly makes their journey to each other that much more potent.

Zoe has always been in the background of Nix’s world but now their forced proximity is making him deal with an attraction he didn’t even realize was there. The sparks between these two were so deliciously hot. But it was so much more than chemistry. I loved how Zoe gives as good as she gets, and a defensive Nix gives quite a bit. Zoe is always there for him no matter how angry he gets or how he lashes out. But you can see the pain he hides beneath that rockstar exterior and that just makes him that much more endearing no matter how broken he is.

This was a story that was full of passion and emotion. There was so much feeling packed in that just made me that more invested in this. A perfect romance to end the series with.

Rebecca is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, and is always ready to bring on the emotions. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.

She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for eighteen years. She’s the mother of six children, ranging from kindergarten to law school, and is currently surviving the teenage years with two of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time. She lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, and a feisty chinchilla. Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.

Visit her website at www.RebeccaYarros.com for more!

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Review: Crowne Rules by CD Reiss

October 5, 2020 by · 2 Comments

CROWNE RULES
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: CD Reiss
Release Date: September 29, 2020

There’s a house in Cambria with no phone, no internet, no connection to the outside world.

Dante and Mandy are stuck there together.

He needs a live-in assistant.

She needs a place to hide.

If she gives him total obedience, he’ll do everything in his power to clean up the mess she made back home. Anything less than unquestioning compliance, and she goes back to LA humiliated.

Those are the rules.

Take them or leave them.

Mandy figures she can do Dante’s menial tasks for awhile. Do what he says until the heat dies down.

She has no idea how hot it’s going to get until he tells her she has to do them on her knees.
—-
This is a STANDALONE.

 AMAZON 

I’m going to ruin you, and you’re going to let me.”

God but I love me a grumpy and domineering men. Make them ooze sexual dominance and depravity and I’m putty in your hands. The second Dante’s energy so much as appeared on the pages of this book, I was already a goner. The man simply has a way with words and I was so here for it.

If you were my whore, you’d be kneeling at my feet, naked with your ass up, offering it up for my pleasure, hoping I’d hurt you. Afraid I wouldn’t. You’d sleep at the foot of my bed to please me. You’d open your legs when I told you and take my cock down your throat to thank me. You’d let them call you a whore if I asked you to, because with every orgasm I let you have, you’d know you were only mine.”

Yeah.
See what I’m saying?

Mandy is dealing with the fallout of a very public and very ugly breakup. Caught in the middle of hollywood’s best kept secret she’s painted as the other woman and a home wrecker. Her heart broken, she’s desperate for a small piece of serenity. When Logan allows her to use his secluded house, the last person she expects to see there is Logan’s older brother, Dante.

Dante doesn’t hide his contempt for Mandy. He sees her as the public does, a vapid little rich girl. And even though they’ve known each other for years, he’s never made much of an effort to see the real woman beneath his assumptions. But forced in close proximity, the sexual tension between them is hard to ignore.

If there’s one thing I love, is watching men like Dante fall and fall hard. Mandy came off as a bit of a love crazy female in the previous books, but I really connected with her in this one. You can see her spine of steel really come out here and I loved the way she gave back as hard as she got. And Dante didn’t really spare his venom at times. Admittedly, he was almost hard to like in the beginning. And when his anger would unleash with Mandy, even more so. But the more the layers get peeled back on his past, the more I found myself connecting more and more.

You’re fearless,” he continued. “And I’ve lived in fear. You’re everything I’ve been too afraid to become, and without you, I’ll never be more than I am.”

This was deliciously dirty with just the right amount of steam to make it addictive. I do wish we got a little more fleshing out on the things from Dante’s past, but it was still satisfying. I love a man that can grovel, and Dante definitely worked for it here. This was probably my favorite Crown brother so far.

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Connect with Christine

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#DGRFave & Review: Cruel Paradise by J.T. Geissinger

October 5, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

CRUEL PARADISE
Series: Beautifully Cruel #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: October 1, 2020

Anti-hero (noun):
1) A powerful and charismatic man lacking moral character
2) A magnificent bastard
3) Killian Black

You don’t know me.
You think you do, but you don’t.
The only thing you know is my name, and even that’s a lie.

I’m king of Boston, lord of criminals, ruler of an underworld empire. Or am I?

Only one thing’s for sure: I operate alone.

Until I cross paths with a brazen little thief who sets my whole kingdom on fire.

Just as two wrongs don’t make a right, two villains don’t belong together. Especially since she’s the daughter of my most deadly enemy.

Taking her would start a war.
Keeping her would be suicide.
Making her mine would break every code of honor and defy all common sense.

Then again, where’s the fun in following the rules?

AMAZON 

Start the series of standalones BEAUTIFULLY CRUEL with here!

AMAZON

I climb into the car. The driver shuts the door behind me. In a moment, we pull away.All heat and coiled tension, Liam simmers in the seat beside me.

After we’ve gone three blocks, he says, “How long are you going to make me wait until you look at me?”

“I’m working on regulating my breathing so I don’t pass out. Maybe ten minutes?”

His chuckle is low and sensual, raising my blood pressure by at least two hundred points.

“You’re tougher than that. I’ll give you ten seconds.”

When the seconds have ticked by, I turn my head and glance at him warily from the corner of my eye.

He stares at me with such blistering intensity that for a moment, I can’t breathe.

His voice husky, he says, “Hullo again.”

Holy mother of god, he’s handsome. How can someone so evil be so hot?

My exhalation comes out in a burst. It’s accompanied by a shudder. Then I clear my throat and pretend I’m a mentally functioning adult. “Hi.”

He lets his gaze drift over me, head to toe, taking in every aspect of my clothing, posture, and expression.

“You still don’t trust me.”

I make a sound that’s supposed to be a laugh, but it sounds more like a small animal being strangled. “Trust? I’m sorry, did you just say trust?”

“I did.”

He’s serious. I stare at him in astonishment. “Of course I don’t trust you! You’re…you!”

The driver pipes in from the front seat. “That’s hardly fair, lass. You’ve only just met.”

Through gritted teeth, Liam says, “Declan.”

“Right. Sorry.” Falling silent, he turns his attention back to the road.

Liam smiles reassuringly at me. “It’s so hard to find good help these days.”

I look back and forth between them, gobsmacked by the whole situation. I could be hallucinating. Maybe that hipster bartender put something into my drink.

I’m still pondering that when Liam leans over and settles his huge, hot hand around my throat.

I grip his thick wrist in both hands, gasping and shrinking back into the seat.

Looking into my eyes, he murmurs, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

My voice comes out high and panicked. “This is a shitty way of proving that.”

“I’m not trying to choke you, lass.”

It’s true, the pressure of his hand on my throat is gentle, but still. “Then what the hell are you doing?”

He slides his thumb back and forth over the throbbing vein in my neck. “Feeling your pulse.”

Heart hammering, I stare at him. “Why?”

“Because I want to see how fast it gets when I kiss you.”

I freeze. “Don’t you dare.”

He quirks one dark brow. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you to.”

He leans closer, his eyes burning into mine, his body heat and the warm scent of his skin surrounding me. He growls, “If you were telling the truth, little thief, I’d honor that request.”

I blurt, “I’m not ready for that!”

Instantly, he stills. His dark gaze searches my face. Then, slowly, his full lips lift into a smile. “Then I suppose I’ll have to wait until you are.”

He stares hungrily at my mouth for a moment before releasing me.

I remain where he left me, frozen and wide-eyed, slumped against the door, staring at him and trying to convince myself of several important facts.

One, that I should be afraid. Because, two, that there’s at least a fifty-fifty chance he’s going to snap my neck. And three, that I really didn’t want him to kiss me.

Especially that I didn’t want him to kiss me. Because what would it say about my sanity if I did?

Adjusting his tie and looking straight forward, he says, “Don’t overthink it. But thank you for being honest. If this is going to work, we have to be honest with each other.”

My laugh is weak and disbelieving. “This? There is no ‘this!’”

He turns his head and sears me with his gaze. “Aye, lass,” he says, his voice thick. “There is.”

Do you always talk like you ate a dictionary for breakfast?” He puts his mouth close to my ear and lowers his voice. “No. Sometimes I talk like I fuck: dirty.”

You all don’t even understand the level of addiction that I have for Geissinger’s alpha males. The woman has created not only some of my most favorite and memorable heroes, but she can write a sharp witted and kickass heroine like no one else. I thought I died for her Wicked Games series, but that was nothing compared to her Beautifully Cruel series.

Now if you’re like me and have also read the Dangerous Beauty trilogy then you definitely remember Killian Black as one of the most dynamic secondary characters and have been slowly dying for him to get his own book. And if you haven’t read that trilogy, it’s an absolute must read.

Having said that, I do not recommend reading Cruel Paradise without having first read Beautifully Cruel. There are too many details and slight nuances that would be lost on you if you don’t read that first. And besides, that book was another HUGE 5 stars for me, so it’s worth the read for that alone.

There are some things I don’t know about you.”
I say tartly, “Like what? Which utensil I’d most like to gouge out your eyes with?”
He stares straight into my eyes. “Like how you sound when you come.”

Nothing can prepare you for the full force of Killian Black as the leading character. NOTHING. The man is potent with a capital P. And if you’re not reading the double entendre there, then you clearly don’t know me *evil grin*. But enough about me, let’s talk about this book. Because this book? This book was EVERYTHING. It was worth every agonizing minute, hour, and month of waiting because Killian Black is jumping straight to my number one.

If you’re a fan of sassy and sharp witted heroines, Juliette is going to be a favorite too. The woman is tough as nails and is full of sharp barbs and witty zingers. The banter between these two was some of the best I’ve read in a while. Killian is single focused on having her and she’s intent on resisting. The chemistry is utterly incendiary.

Cruel Paradise was a slow burn full of heat, suspense, and so much chemistry I thought my kindle would set on fire.

If it meant I could have you for good, I’d light my whole life on fire and walk away from the ashes.”

Killian is the head of the Irish mafia, but he’s not at all what he seems. And if you’ve read the first book, then you already know that. You know this man has secrets that run deep and a past that’s riddled in pain and shadows. Juliette is a bit of a female robin hood. She and her merry band of sassy girlfriends steel from the rich and morally corrupt and give to the poor. But when they steel from Killian, he’s not about to let it go. And when he sees who his little thief is, he knows he has to have her and pursues her with a singleminded intent to wear her down.

This book was completely unputdownable. The chemistry, the utter dominance that oozes from Killian was addictive as all get out. I couldn’t get enough of the man. Juliette definitely puts up a fight in her feelings and at times it almost grated on me, but I simply couldn’t care less because I was so riveted and invested in their story. I lived for these characters. I died for their romance. I couldn’t get enough of it. And I swear on all things holy if JT Geissinger doesn’t prolong this series by giving Fin, Max, and Diego a book, I will die. DIE I tell you. And I don’t even care if I’m being dramatic. I need it.

And as for this book? Cruel Paradise is a must read if you love a protective and possessive uber alpha and a sassy heroine that loves to give him hell! Read it. Thank me later.

J.T. Geissinger is a #1 internationally bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into several languages, including German, Hebrew, French, Czech, and Japanese. The film & TV rights to her Night Prowler series have been optioned by the BAFTA-winning studio that created VFX for movies such as Avatar, X-Men, and The Avengers.

She is a three-time finalist in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book and the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy.

She’s a Southern California native currently living in Nevada with her husband and rescue kitty, Zoe.

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Review: Rifts & Refrains by Devney Perry

October 1, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

RIFTS & REFRAINS Genre: Contemporary Romance Series: Hush Note #2 Author: Devney Perry Release Date: September 29, 2020

From the moment Quinn Montgomery sat behind her first snare and cymbal set, she was destined for fame and glory. As Hush Note’s infamous female drummer, she sets the rhythm for the band’s chart-toppings hits. When people tap their feet to their music, it’s to her pulse. Quinn is content to live in a world away from her family and the cage of her youth. Her only regret is leaving Graham Hayes behind without a goodbye. No matter how many sold-out stadiums she plays, no matter how many crowds sing her songs, his voice haunts her when the music stops. When a family tragedy forces her to return home to Montana, she plans to leave the second she’s paid her respects. But seeing Graham again turns her life upside down. As a boy, he wasn’t able to make her stay. As a man, he might be her future. If they can mend their rifts and find solace in the refrains.

 AMAZON 

You were supposed to let go when your first love ended. You were supposed to look at the past and smile at the memory. You weren’t supposed to hold it so close that it wound into your very existence, making every moment impossible to forget.
I’m a sucker for a second chance romance, and no one delivers on those feels quite like Devney Perry. A refreshingly different take on the rockstar second chance, Quinn and Graham’s story stole my heart. Unlike the typical rockstar books, we get a female rockstar that walked away from her love this time around. But Quinn didn’t walk away. Her path was riddled with plenty of pain. Growing up a preacher’s daughter was never easy for Quinn. Not when her dreams were bigger than the small town she lived in and not when her parent’s stifling expectations boxed her in. She ran to pursue her dreams but it cost her her family and the boy she loved. Now a famous rockstar, she’s forced back home for the funeral of her beloved Nan and the only family that kept in touch with her while she was away. Her only connection and person who always believed in her now gone, she’s forced to deal with the resentment and anger left behind. Facing her family may be hard, but facing her childhood sweetheart and his anger is almost impossible. Graham never forgave Quinn for leaving and he never moved past not being enough for her to stay. But the longer they’re forced together by the wishes of her nan in her will, the more they’re forced to realize things. Graham begins to see beyond his own anger. The connection between them is just as potent, even after all of these years. Neither Quinn nor Graham ever got over the other. But there’s plenty that was left unsaid. This book was a one two punch straight to the feels. I spent the entire time reading going from tearing up, to goofy smile, to tearing up again. There was so much depth and emotion that’s packed into this story, I never wanted it to end. I loved the small town setting but I loved Quinn and Graham even more. Quinn and Nix’s connection was so incredible too. I love these two friends. The way Nix is so messed up but is always there for her just melted my heart. I can’t wait for his book next. As for this one, if you love an emotional and steamy second chance romance, you need this book in your life!
Devney is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her family. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she’s discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop.

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