Review: Smooth Sailing by Kristen Ashley

February 4, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

SMOOTH SAILING
Series: Wild West MC #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Ashley
Release Date: February 4, 2025

She lives life to the fullest.

He doesn’t know what hit him. 

Smooth Sailing, an all-new page-turning forced proximity, opposites-attract MC romance from New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley is available now!

When the Chaos Motorcycle Club came to call, Harlan “Hugger” McCain wasn’t ready to be welcomed into the fold. They said he was a legacy. He felt like an outcast. 

But he patched in anyway.

And he was all in to be a part of their not-quite-outlaw missions. 

This takes him down to Phoenix, right into the orbit of Diana Armitage, a beautiful, green-eyed woman with a heart of gold and a scarily honed tendency to sacrifice for pretty much everyone she cares about, and some people she barely knows.

Hugger has been existing. Life has never given him much, now, he expects even less.

Diana lives life to its fullest. And she doesn’t keep it a secret she wants to drag Hugger right along with her.

But Hugger is certain he’s got bad blood. He’s got one foot in Chaos, one foot out. One foot in Diana’s life, one foot out.

Diana and his brothers in Chaos have their work cut out to show Hugger who he is.

That he belongs.

And he’s worthy to be loved.

 

AMAZON | B&N | iBooks | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

We doin’ this, baby?” he whispered against her lips.
“If we don’t do it right now, I think I’ll never forgive you.”

UGH. The feels of it all. The way I teared up reading this book and loved every emotionally impactful part of it. It was so much more than an MC romance in a way that only KA can write. But I digress.

Now if you haven’t yet read her Chaos series, I can’t recommend it enough. And I love that her OG characters will always get a cameo. Heck, who am I kidding? I live for these cameos. But I digress again.

Now we all already know that no one writes an alpha quite like Kristen, and Harlan was no exception.

Why would he do that?”
“Babe,” was all he said.
“Is that an answer to my question?”
“Uh… yeah.”

But she also writes some of the most amazing FMCs and boy did I fall fast and hard for Diana. Like all KA heroines, she’s feisty and sassy but she was also incredibly courageous and fierce. There are some very sensitive topics (particularly SA) referenced in this book and KA does it flawlessly. Diana and Hugger come from two different worlds, when a mutual danger puts them in each other’s past.

I absolutely loved the way that Diana lives her life to the fullest. This is a woman who paved her own way and cares so deeply. In her effort to help, she lands in the crosshairs of a dangerous criminal who is also on MC’s target list. So now she has herself some fierce bearded bodyguards and she’s not exactly mad at it.

Hugger’s past always made him feel like he’s less than and so he fights his connection and attraction to Diana something fierce. But it doesn’t take long for her charm and sunny personality to work its way past all his defenses. I loved the slow burn element of the romance that allowed us to know and understand these characters separately and I absolutely loved the relationship development.

I especially loved the journey between Diana and her father. But I’d be lying if I tell you that Pig Petey didn’t steal most of the show for me. Man but I loved this character.

The story was beautiful, gripping, and oh so emotional. It reminded me all over again why I fell in love with KA’s writing to begin with. Definitely recommend for all my MC romance loving friends out there.


For more information on Kristen Ashley, visit: 

https://www.kristenashley.net/

 

Connect with Kristen Ashley

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/44hqxyI

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3U1PKYY

Instagram: https://bit.ly/49MgbIi

TikTok: https://bit.ly/49LMg2L

Bluesky: https://bit.ly/3ZKTHW5

Pinterest: https://bit.ly/4aKmmxM

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3UbHWE3

BookBub: https://bit.ly/3vUbQoz

 

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

Review: Vengeful Lies by T.L Smith & Kia Carrington-Russell

February 1, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

VENGEFUL LIES
Series: Vengeful Lies #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: T.L Smith & Kia Carrington-Russell
Release Date: February 1, 2025

Dear Kitten,

Marry me and I’ll give you the world.

Refuse, and I’ll burn yours to the ground.

Sincerely,
Your soon-to-be husband



It started out as a hit. One bullet. One man.

My orders are clear—get close to the mafia heir, Eli Monti, play with his head, and wait for the signal to end it. End him.

I thought he would be my easiest mark yet. But somehow I’m the one being played.

Eli always gets what he wants and now, he wants me.
His vengeful proposal isn’t a request. It’s a demand.

When you play games with a man who’s been mastering them all his life, you learn some new tricks.

Top of the list: Find the best way to kill my fake fiancé.

From USA Today and Amazon Top 25 Best Selling Author duo, a new Standalone Dark Romance in the same world as the Lethal Vows

AMAZON 

Vengeful lies will have you winding up dead, Kitten…”

Know what I love more than a morally gray antihero? An equally morally gray FMC. Make her an assassin for hire and I am putty in your hands. PUTTEH I tells ya!

Oh God.” The words tore out of me, and I shook from the thought of it.
“That’s right. I’m your god. I take care of all your needs. You just have to be my good girl.”

Eli Monti is the cold and ruthless heir to the Monti criminal empire. And Jewel is a woman hired to get close enough to toy with him, right before she kills him. Except when Eli catches wind of this plot, he has better plans; demand she marry him instead and be his fake fiancé. Sound delicious? Well that’s because it really was.

The back and forth with these two was so good, it had a gleeful manic smile on my face the entire time. I loved their antagonism and their cat and mouse game. I loved that the more Eli pushed, the harder Jewel pushed back. And this is no weak FMC. Oh no. This is a woman after my own heart and I loved her sass almost as much as I loved how much hell she gave Eli. But I especially loved when she gave into the chemistry between them because these two were practically incendiary together.

The spice was definitely spicing in this one and the story was fun and action packed. And the twist? Suffice it to say that I never saw that coming and my jaw was on the floor. This was a fun and deliciously steamy mafia romance that I enjoyed from beginning to end. 

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

Review: Savage Reign by Monica Kayne

January 31, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

SAVAGE REIGN
Series: Bratva Kings #2
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Author: Monica Kayne
Release Date: January 31, 2025

Bratva kingpin Nikolai Zhukov is the devil in a tailored suit—lethal, ruthless, and utterly irresistible.

Once, he saved my life. Now, he owns me. As his wife. As his prisoner.

He tore me from my world and branded me with his touch, a wedding ring inked into my skin.

Trapped in his gilded cage, I’m nothing but a pawn in his brutal war—a means to an end in his deadly game against a rival syndicate.

But he doesn’t just want my submission. He wants to consume me—body, mind, and soul.

I swore I’d fight him, that I’d never give in. But with every heated glance, every forbidden touch, I’m losing ground.

Because monsters like Nikolai don’t just steal hearts.

They destroy them.

*Savage Reign is a forced marriage mafia romance. It has no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Can be read as a complete standalone.

AMAZON 

Savage Reign (Bratva Kings, #2)Savage Reign by Monica Kayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 STARS

She’s ruined me, this woman. And I don’t think there’s any way to come back.


Monica Kayne quickly shot up my goto mafia romance authors and this book is a perfect example why. It was gritty, sexy, with multilayered characters, action, and a story that had me turning the pages well past my bedtime.

Nikolai Zhukov isn’t just under my skin—he’s in my veins. And the scariest part is I’m done fighting it.


I am an absolute sucker for a forced marriage trope and this one hit so good that I never wanted it to end. Now I did my usual back@sswards thing and read book two before I read book one. And I am not sorry, okay! Though I will definitely be reading book one, I can also say that this easily reads a standalone and I had no issue being fully immersed in the story even though there’s clearly some carry over from the first book.

Five years ago, Sofiya’s parents sold her into a fate she couldn’t imagine, to be married to a brutal mafia man. Only to be rescued by the most unexpected savior in the most unconventional ways. Now five years later, Sofiya’s sister is married to the love of her life while she’s trying to figure out what to do with hers. It took her years to heal from the events of 5 years ago and she’s finally getting her life together. Only for it to take a turn when she meets a handsome stranger who isn’t quite what he seems.

Nikolai is the pakhan of the Zhukov Brava. To grow his power, he wants the contract to operate casinos across russia. The problem is that he needs the approval of the Roman from the Belov Syndicate to operate in Moscow, and considering that Nikolai’s brother almost killed Roman five years ago and there is no love lost between their fragile truce. So what’s a man to do to ensure his success? Kidnap Roman’s sister in law and lock her in a marriage whether she wants it or not.

I loved the chemstry between Nikolai and Sofiya. Even though Sofiya is younger, 22 to his 34, she’s no naive girl. She gives as good as she gets and doesn’t take anything lying down. Well, I mean, she does, but she enjoys those things immensely. But I digress.

There is tension galore and plenty of banter between these two and I loved watching them fall for each other no matter how much they try to fight it. The chemistry was hot and the steam was steaming. I devoured this story and enjoyed it immensely. I definitely need more in this series but for now I will appease myself by going back and reading book 1.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:
Follow me on facebook Follow Me on Twitter blog

View all my reviews

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

Review: Texting Dr. Stalker by Pepper Winters

January 16, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

TEXTING DR. STALKER
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Pepper Winters
Release Date: January 16, 2025

From New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters, comes a green-flag stalker standalone romance

Now a #1 bestseller in Medical Romance!

I have a stalker.
A masked man who watches me from the shadows. A guardian who says he’s there to protect me—to help me heal from almost dying at the hands of another man.
He says he’s willing to do anything to help me move on. That I needn’t be afraid of him.
I agree to keep him my secret and share how much I’m truly struggling.
In return, he guards me. Even if it means guarding me from himself.


I’ve known her my entire life.
She’s the girl next door who I share a childhood betrothal with thanks to our two grandmothers wishing to turn their lifelong friendship into family.
I’m also the doctor who tended to her in the ER after her ex tried to kill her. I want to help her in any way I can, but I also know she’ll never accept my help because I’m the reason he tried to kill her in the first place.
But I can’t stand by and see her suffer, so…I come up with a plan.
A highly illegal plan that ends with me breaking laws, rules, and my own heart…

Doctor/girl next door, childhood friends to lovers, green-flag stalker, hidden identity, lots of texts, masked protector, would do anything to keep her safe, standalone, he has a motorcycle, he does things to her in the dark…

AMAZON 

I wasn’t just falling for this girl. I’d fallen. And I was petrified of losing something I’d never had.

I am so used to Pepper Winters brand of dark romance and morally gray antiheroes that I was wholly unprepared for the green flag that was Dr. Alexander North. And you know what makes a green flag better? Make him wholly obsessed with the heroine, with a dirty mouth and a penchant for some kinky fun. But we’ll get to that part in a second.

This was very much a slow burn romance and I loved that about it. Alex “Zander” and Sailor have been neighbors since they were kids, and their grandmothers were obsessed with matchmaking them and planning their future marriage when they get older. Of course, as kids they laughed it off. But they remained neighbors. When Sailor’s boyfriend goes on a psycho jealous rampage and tries to kill her, she lands in the hospital that Zander works for. Unbeknownst to Sailor, Zander is completely obsessed with her and is determined to help her heal from the super traumatic event. But he knows that she’d never give him the time of day and needs a faceless hero, so what’s a guy to do? Why dye his hair, put in colored contacts, don a deliciously sexy mask, and stalk the shit out of her to make her feel safe. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but it worked. Just trust me on this.

Mine. She’s always been mine. My voice lowered to a growl. “Or I’ll take you into the house and show you exactly how furious I am.”
She quaked with a full-body shudder then shoved my hands off her. Her eyes flooded with heat. “No, you won’t. You would never lay a finger on me and that’s the damn problem!”
“I remember laying three fingers on you if I’m not mistaken,” I hissed, uncontrollable lust arcing through me. “And a tongue.”

I loved the way that Zander is just a quintessential good guy and tries to resist his need and desire for Sailor to help her. Even when she begs and makes it impossible for him to say no. But when he does finally give in? EXPLOSIVELY good.

This book was such a good time. It was emotional, sweet, and when the spice finally hits BOY WAS IT SPICING. I loved Zander and Sailor together. And I loved Sailor finally find herself again with his help. I also loved the way she takes the power back towards the end.

If you’re looking for a hero who would do anything for the woman he’s obsessed with, including disguising himself so he can help her heal anonymously, look no further. This was deliciously good.

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

Review: Phantom by H.D. Carlton

January 14, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

PHANTOM
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: HD Carlton
Release Date: January 14, 2025

The married woman of the manor. The stranger outside. An intoxicating novel of dark temptation and dangerous desire by the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Cat and Mouse Duet.

November 12, 1944. This house holds on to souls for a lifetime. I thought I had given it to my husband when I vowed to love him until the end of time. I lied. Nothing could have prepared me for the day my phantom appeared outside my window. He was terrifying, yet hypnotizing, and I couldn’t deny my intrigue. I never intended to fall into a whirlwind romance with my stalker. Especially because he’s so much more than that. A criminal. A mobster. The man who offers me solace from the monster in Parsons Manor. There are many that haunt these halls, yet it’s only my husband I fear.

AMAZON 

I want you so badly, it hurts to breathe without you near,” he whispers softly…

If you’ve read the Cat & Mouse duet then you’re definitely familiar with Gigi and Ronaldo. And if you haven’t read the duet yet, I highly recommend reading that first. Gigi is Adeline’s great grandmother and the owner of the diaries that Adeline discovers as she slowly unravels the mystery of Parsons Manor.

Having read the Cat & Mouse duet I was both excited and nervous for this story having known hot it all ultimately ends. But I absolutely loved the way that HD Carlton chose to write this story and also the way she chose to end it. But I digress.

Now while I didn’t absolutely LOVE this the way I did Cat & Mouse, I definitely still enjoyed the story. However, there were just a few things that made me lower my rating to what it is. The first, is that while this book is set in the 1940s, it doesn’t really read that way. It read like a modern contemporary with some 40s lingo thrown in like “sauced”. I wanted to be fully immersed in that world and this slightly dulled the experience for me. And while I loved the all encompassing romance between Gigi and Ronaldo, it was also a bit too insta for my particular taste. I had a hard time buying into it, but I will admit that I was fully enraptured by the end.

Now look, we all know how subjective books are and just because it felt this way to me, doesn’t mean it would for you. I very much enjoyed the story and ended up reading it in one sitting. And I highly recommend it for all fans of HD and Cat & Mouse. Especially if you’re a fan of Cat & Mouse. There’s just something so special about having this story that just makes it feel complete, you know? And that is especially so with the epilogue, but I won’t spoil it for you.

If you were on the fence with this book like I was, knowing how their story unravels, I’m here to tell you that you definitely need to read and experience it. Trust me on this. And while I didn’t love it quite as much as I loved Cat & Mouse, it was still a great and entertaining read as all HD’s books are.

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

Review: Misfire by Rachel Robinson

January 8, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

MISFIRE
Genre: Dark, contemporary Romance
Author: Rachel Robinson
Release Date: January 6, 2023

I never wanted to rule an empire. I was a housekeeper. A hooker. A wrecked woman with a past full of scars and secrets. A chance encounter with an Astor swept me into the hurricane of their glamorous, organized crime world. Then, I met the other Astor brother, and nothing will ever be normal again.

One brother saved me but under false pretenses.

One brother is madly in love with me, but it’s complicated.

I’ve fallen for both men for different reasons, but there’s only one way this can end—in messy, tragic destruction.

Everyone tells you playing with fire is dangerous, but they never said it would be this intoxicating.

For readers 18+

AMAZON 

I feel like all I’ve seen you do is kill people.” He laughs. “Sometimes I paint in between.”

I’ve been eyeing this author for some time and when I saw the blurb to this book, I just knew it would be my first from her. And after finishing, I can definitely tell you that it will not be my last.

As a long time romance reader, it’s hard to find something that is truly unique. Not just different but unique, and boy was this story unique. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read and it had me on pins an needles from beginning to finish constantly trying to figure out where it’s going and always being wrong. It was unlike any other mafia romance I’ve read.

Now you may be thinking this is an MFM, which I will tell you that it isn’t. But it also isn’t a love triangle either. What it is, is a very complex and unique relationship that one woman has with two men.

Drew “Destiny” is a woman who has never had it easy in life. With nothing else available to her, she is forced to sell her body to survive as she watches the talented painter next door to escape reality. Then one chance encounter gives her an opportunity she could never so much as dream of but lands her in the middle of the dangerous world of the Astor brothers.

Jesse and Riley are not brothers by blood, but they are brothers by choice. They are two sides of a coin; one dark and dangerous, and the other sunny but with a hidden danger. Neither is safe to Drew’s heart.

I won’t tell you much more about this because you really need to experience this book blind. Trust me on this and don’t seek out spoilers. I will say that I spent the majority of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop but nothing could prepare me for the moment that it did. The twists and turns had me reeling, never knowing which end was up. The ending was satisfying in a way I couldn’t imagine and I keep finding myself thinking of the story days after finishing.

If you’re looking for something that’s a bit different with plenty of danger and steam, definitely give this one a try!

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

DGRFave & Review: All The Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles

January 7, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

ALL THE MISSING PIECES
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Catherine Cowles
Release Date: January 7, 2025

Sometimes the last thing you expect is exactly what you need, the final missing piece. And sometimes it comes in the form of a towering, broody sheriff, determined to get in your way at every step.

Ridley Sawyer knows what it’s like to miss someone, to feel like a piece of her vanished—because it happened to her the night her twin sister disappeared.

Now, Ridley channels that loss into hope, traveling the country covering cold cases for her true crime podcast. She might not have found justice for her sister but that doesn’t stop her from finding it for others.

Until Sheriff Colter Brooks gets in her way.

Colt knows what it’s like to have reporters descend on his town in the wake of a tragedy, and he’s not about to let a fiery podcaster stir up trouble. It doesn’t matter that her haunting blue eyes tell him there’s more to Ridley’s story or that he can’t stop imagining what it would be like to touch her.

But when Ridley’s cold case turns hot and she’s thrust into the crosshairs, Colt has no choice but to step in. Suddenly, Ridley’s living at his house, drinking his whiskey, and stealing his dog’s affections. But she’s also proving that she’s so much more than his first impression.

And as they get closer to the truth, the game they’ve been playing might just turn deadly…

AMAZON 

As if Ridley had a radar for my emotions, her gaze cut to me. “Law Man,” she started cautiously. “You okay?”
“Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?”

When a book brings you to tears at just the dedication, you know you’re in for a 5 star. And you know what? I was not wrong. This book had me in a full chokehold from the minute I picked it up and to the minute I finished it. I loved every bit of this story, from the main characters, the small town, the suspense, the fun secondary characters, the sweet pets, and everything in between.

I knew from the second Ridley appeared on the pages that I would love her. This woman is the epitome of strength and I loved how she used the most unimaginable tragedy to drive her to help others find peace. For the past 5 years, her paid has fueled her purpose. And her latest purpose drives her to a town that she is convinced holds the missing piece to finally unraveling a 5 year old tragic mystery.

Colt is the town sheriff who from the second he meets Ridley, manages to put his foot in his mouth at every turn. I loved the antagonistic chemistry between these two almost as much as I loved their bickering. And boy was there bickering. This was only made better by Ridley’s adorable three legged cat with a penchant for biting her affection.

Don’t be a baby,” I said, grinning. “It’s just one of her tooth hugs.”
Colt stared at me, jaw going slack. “Tooth…hugs?”
I nodded. “It’s how she shows affection.”

I loved the slow burn chemistry between Colt and Ridley. I love Ridley’s tenacity and Colt’s protectiveness. And god did I love them together.

I tore my mouth away from hers, taking in those wild blue eyes.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
“It’s a bad idea,” I rasped. “We’d be playing with fire.”
Those ocean eyes sparked. “Then let’s watch it burn.”

The romance was seamlessly woven into the suspense plot and it was sheer perfection. It amplified everything about the story and I couldn’t get enough of these two together. The story kept me glued to the pages, eager for answers but also dreading to be done. I was instantly enraptured by this town and its citizens and I was so sucked into the mystery that I was completely incapable of setting the book down for even a minute.

If you’re looking for a romantic suspense with just the right amount of spice, you need to check this one out.

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

Review: Heart of Thorns by S. Massery & S.J. Sylvis

January 6, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

HEART OF THORNS
Series: Shadow Valley U #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S. Massery & S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: December 27, 2024

As the number one quarterback in college football, my only dream is to make it to pro.

My richer-than-sin parents have a different goal.

Their plan is for me to score a trophy wife whose trust fund can hold its own against mine, then join the family empire after graduation. The latter half of that plan means giving up my dream of professional football. The first part means sitting through excruciating dates with girls who already have their wedding vows written.

In an attempt to free myself from one of my perpetual nightmares, I announce that I’m already in a serious, long-term relationship.

Which is a great excuse to get out of a date–if it were true.

To save the lie, I talk the intriguing campus black cat, Briar Hart, into pretending to be my girlfriend. She has a prickly heart, and she’s made it clear that she hates jocks.

But after I offer her something she can’t refuse, we’re suddenly faking our happily-ever-after to everyone.

If I’m not careful, I may start to believe it too.

AMAZON 

Now I need to convince the girl with the heart of thorns to pretend to date me.

Know what I love more than a fake dating trope? A fake dating trope written by two of my favorite authors!

I love a black cat FMC and Briar Hart is black cat vibe personified. Her promising hockey career was ripped away from her in one terrifying moment when she was forced to escape a fire by jumping out of a second story window. And her life hasn’t been the same since. All she remembers from that fateful night is a guy locking her in and the realization that faceless stranger is on the school’s football team. Her dreams of hockey have faded to a dull ache and she keeps herself occupied with her art.

Thorne may look like the quintessential rich boy from the outside, but still waters run deep with him. He may be the school’s star quarterback, but with demanding parents that are basically planning his life out and the women he should be with, he struggles under the pressure. And when the dates get to be too much, he decides that a girlfriend is a solution…a fake one that is. And what better girl to proposition to fake date you than the one who can’t stand the sight of you. I mean, it is rather refreshing when the rest of the school’s female population falls at your feet.

You can stick to your guns, kitten. Pretend you hate me, claw my back, run just so I’ll chase after you—” My head flies backward with a harsh tug on my hair. “Because I will, Briar. I’ll fucking chase you.”

This was a slow burn with all the tension and I loved the chemistry between Briar and Thorne. I loved the way they healed each other’s broken pieces and their unwilling falling for each other.

There’s the whodunnit mystery that keeps you turning the pages while the romance keeps you glued to them. I devoured this in a day and if you like the fake dating trope and sports romance, this will hit the spot for you too!

S. Massery:

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

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

Author Links:

Website: http://smassery.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/smassery

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/smassery

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsmassery

Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/groups/smasserysquad

Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorsmassery

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@smassery

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/author/s-massery

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorsmassery

S.J. Sylvis:

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her angsty new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and dog. She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book!

Author Links:

Instagram: @authorsjsylvis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjsylvisbooks/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorsjsylvis

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

Review: Oh, Hell No by Abbi Glines

December 31, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

OH, HELL NO
Series: Mississippi Smoke #3
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Release Date: December 29, 2024

Taking her was a means to an end. The task was to weed out the man who had stolen millions from us. He may have succeeded, but he’d pay with his life. Hiding from us was a grave error he’d regret soon enough because once he found out that we had taken the one thing he cared for as repayment- he’d show up. When a man had a weakness, it was foolish to make a mistake like this. He would come for her, and when he did, he wouldn’t walk away unscathed, nor would the sister he adored.

This was my fault. I hadn’t seen his scheme. It was my mistake, so I had to fix it. However, it seemed the joke was on me. What I had thought would be an easy job proved more difficult than I’d imagined. I had underestimated the power of her big brown eyes, full lips, and sweet, sultry voice. Keeping my focus on torturing information from her- when what I really wanted to do was touch her, have her, own her- would not only be a painful obstacle but possibly my biggest failure.

Except she hated the sight of me.
But I couldn’t blame her.
I’d walked out of her nightmares as her own personal monster.

 

AMAZON

I had always enjoyed art, and she was a masterpiece. One that I needed to see every night.

I don’t know what sort of crack Abbi laces her books with but I gobble them up each and every single time. Southern mafia? Yes, please and thank you. And this 3rd installment of the series spinoff may have been my favorite so far. I absolutely loved Oz and Winslet!

Now if you’ve read any books in this series, then you already know Abbi’s formula of sweet souther females with their absolutely unhinged and morally grey men. And you know what? It works and it works well. If this series is 10586 books with 209485 spinoffs, I will never tire of it. But Oz? I think Oz just flew straight to my favorite MMCs of Abbi’s.

Winslet may be the quintessential good girl, but she’s not a pushover. This is woman who cares about others and does so deeply. But she doesn’t allow herself to be stepped on either. Growing up with an abusive alcoholic of a mother, her life has been anything but easy. She’s spent years protecting her younger brother from her mother’s drunken wrath, even at the expense of her own safety.

Perry, her younger brother, and now an entrepreneur genius is apparently not all who he seems. And when his counterfeit money lands him on the wrong side of the souther mafia, Winslet finds herself kidnapped and held in a basement for answers. And her kidnapper being the sexiest man she’s ever seen certainly doesn’t help matters.

Now when I tell you I loved Oz, I was obsessed. Sure, he kidnapped her. But when he was forced to torture her for answers, the man just couldn’t do it. The way he struggled to so much as withhold food from her and then gave her all the chocolate cake was seriously the most endearing thing. And then when he lets her go and essentially stalks her for weeks as he waits out her to have the time to forgive him was just adorable. He was this perfect combination of sweet and crazy, and I loved his unhinged possessive behavior towards her.

The story was quick paced, addictive, and a slow burn that sizzles so hard. I do recommend you suspend your disbelief with this series and just accept it for the good time that it is.

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

Review: Bourbon & Secrets by Victoria Wilder

December 8, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BOURBON & SECRETS
Series: The Bourbon Boys #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Victoria Wilder
Release Date: December 6, 2024

In Fiasco, Kentucky, there is one rule: never fall for a Foxx brother.

Any woman who did, ended up dead. It wasn’t just a rumor. It was my reality. I buried my wife along with too many secrets surrounding the night she died.

Now, I’m a single dad with two priorities above everything else: raising my two girls and making great bourbon.

But when Faye Calloway returns after I ran her out of my small town—looking like a fantasy on stage and nothing like the cop she was trained to be—I know for a fact that she’s hiding more secrets than the one she blackmailed me to keep.

While everyone is focused on the teasingly beautiful burlesque dancer, I’m distracted by the woman with a hidden agenda. The smart-mouth, who says what she wants. And the instigator, who prefers a very specific way to drink her bourbon.

But as secrets begin to unravel, I realize she’s fiercely protective of the ones she loves. When she puts herself in danger to right the past, the rules stop mattering.

Only two things have the power to keep my family from falling apart and losing the woman I love—bourbon and secrets.

Romantic Suspense
Single dad
Small town
Secrets & Blackmail
Hate-to-love
Returning home
Found Family
Bourbon “Tasting”

AMAZON 

I started falling in love with Faye Calloway on the edge of a cornfield, on a stage, over a bottle of bourbon, and every time she’s been in my arms since.

Did I add this book for the cover aline? Absolutely I did. The intriguing blurb was just the cherry on top. Did I also do things in my usual back @sswards way and read book 2 in the series before reading book one? I did indeed and I have no regrets! But also, I will immediately be reading the first book. But I digress…

You sound so pretty when you’re pissed off and moaning for me.”

As a lover of small-town romance, suspense, dirty talking MMCs, kickass FMCs, single dad and hate to love tropes, boy did this book hit the spot for me. And it hit it so hard!

The second Lincoln and Faye appear on the pages together, I was instantly sucked in! And when Faye comes back to the town she grew up in and no longer welcome in for a secret job, I was completely enraptured. This woman was so fascinating with her sass and strength. She was impossible not to love. And even though there was no love lost between her and Lina, he couldn’t stay out of her orbit for too long either. No matter how he tried to fight it.

Oh my god,” I moan. He smiles up at me. “Yeah, Peach, I can be that for you too.”

The suspenseful plot and the mystery that unravels in parallel to the romance was perfectly paced. And the romance was perfectly sprinkled in so you get a great dose of both story and spice. And let me just tell y’all, the spice was SPICING.

Don’t you fucking stop, Foxx. I want to hear you moan like a man.”

Did I mention that I absolutely loved Faye?

I really enjoyed this story and especially the secondary characters of Linc’s daughters. The family dynamics are fascinating and the story managed to also take me by surprise in parts, which rarely happens to me these days.

I’m definitely hooked hard on this series now and can’t wait for Ace’s book next. These Foxx boys are so addictive!

Connect with Victoria Wilder:
https://beacons.ai/authorvictoriawilder

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dirty Talkers · Tagged With: , , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: