Review: Lies Like Love by Eva Simmons

May 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LIES LIKE LOVE
Series: Twisted Roses #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eva Simmons
Release Date: September 29, 2023

 

I made a mistake.

Hearts are the most fragile part of the body, and I trusted mine with Jude Carlisle.

My villain. My weakness. My stepbrother.

Fairytales have a way of turning the most innocent things wicked.

Jude lied through his teeth, and I fell for every word. Then he burned both our families to the ground in a sick game of revenge and never looked back.

When I see him again years later—tattooed, pierced, as vicious and lethal as ever—I should know better. Except this time, I’m not the girl looking for a hero. And I’m tempted to let Jude eat me alive if it means I’ll finally be his.

I thought I knew the truth.
I thought I unmasked all the monsters.
I thought I understood how our story would end.

But the trouble with wolves is they’re always lying. And what big lies mine told.


Lies Like Love is an emotionally twisted, dark, fairytale inspired romance with a morally grey hero, heavy subject matter, mature content, and explicit scenes. Content/TWs (which contain spoilers) can be found on author’s website. 18+ only.

AMAZON

Hearts aren’t born broken. They’re carved in the hands of those who aren’t careful with fragile things. And Jude is an expert at ripping holes in mine. He’s ruthless. Brutal.

This was my second Eva Simmons book, and y’all! I. Am. Shooketh. First of all, if you haven’t read this author yet, take my advice and have this one be the first one. Especially if you love suspenseful twisty plots with sassy MFCs and obsessed dirty talking MMCs.

Oh, god,” she moans, as I shove a finger inside, and her p*ssy tightens. “Cute.” I shove another finger in and appreciate how she loses her breath with my touch. “But I promise no one hears you like I do. So if you want your prayers answered, you better fucking pray to me, Red.”

Indeed. But I digress.

Jude and Felicity have a convoluted history. When they were teens, Felicity had a crush on Jude until she discovered he’ll be her new stepbrother and became the ultimate forbidden. But then Fel’s life tilted on its axis. Now eleven years later, Fel is trying to make a life for herself outside the influence of her wealthy family. In the hopes of selling her body jewelry, she allows her best friend to talk her to take a meeting with a popular tattoo parlor. But the last thing she expects is to see the blast from her past, only he’s not the same 17 year old boy she once knew. Jude is harder, darker, and he’s no longer her stepbrother.

This was such a deliciously entertaining story, told primarily in the present with glimpses into the past that are intricately woven in to peel back the layers of the mystery of why Fel hates Jude and what he’s ultimately hiding from her. The story definitely is true to its title and that’s all I’ll say because I don’t want to ruin it for you. Jude is a part owner in the successful Twisted Rose tattoo parlor along with his friends and he happens to get his kicks by fighting in an underground club. So obviously I was obsessed with him. Felicity may seem like a princess who was born with everything, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. And the more you learn about their past, the more you fall for these characters. Their romance was absolutely sizzling and their chemistry was incendiary. I loved the two of them together.

And that ending?! Holy wow! I love when a story manages to catch me by surprise and boy did it. I am officially obsessed and diving immediately into Crew’s book now!

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Review: Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young

May 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

SKIES OVER CALEDONIA
Series: The Highlands Series #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young 
Release Date: May 9, 2024

 

He’s a down-to-earth highland farmer. She’s the rebellious daughter of Hollywood royalty. They might seem like they’re from different worlds, but that won’t stop them from engaging in a marriage of convenience…

It’s been five years since Jared McCulloch’s grandfather Collum passed away and he inherited his farm in the Scottish Highlands. After his grandad saved him from his past life, Jared is determined to honor Collum’s legacy. But not only has a series of bad luck put him in danger of losing the farm, his estranged father is disputing the will. In a desperate situation, Jared realizes he’ll do just about anything to save the land.
Even marrying Allegra Howard, a woman he’s avoided at all costs.
A woman who tempts him beyond reason.

There’s only one place that makes Allegra Howard feel safe; one place that feeds her artist’s soul. Allegra wants to settle down in Scotland and expand her business. But there’s a hitch: immigration intends to return her to US soil.
Panicked, Allegra finds the one person just as desperate as she is. The same person she’s lusted after for years. In exchange for marrying her, she’ll invest financially in Jared McCulloch’s farm.

However, living together only forces them to acknowledge their searing mutual attraction. And with it comes an undeniable emotional connection Jared’s not sure he’s ready for.
Yet, blurring the lines of their arrangement is the least of his concerns when someone begins terrorizing the farm.
Allegra and Jared came together to save what matters most and now that might just be each other. And unless they can figure out which of their pasts has returned to torment them, they could lose their chance at a real future together…

AMAZON

Jared was the first man I’d ever met who I just wanted to jump because I was attracted to him on a level I couldn’t explain. I didn’t know him or what his thoughts were on the world. I just wanted him. And for a few exhilarating moments, he’d wanted me too.

This was, hands down, my absolute favorite book in the series. And I’ve loved every book, including the one it spins off from, so that’s saying something. Jared and Allegra’s story was both beautiful and unforgettable. I fell hard and fast and was so thoroughly sucked into their story that I never wanted it to end.

Allegra is Aria’s younger sister from Among the Heather. Stunningly beautiful but highly misunderstood, Allegra is painted to be the spoiled vagabond in comparison to her sister. With a problematic past, she seems to flit from one place to another. But oh, Allegra is so much more than that and when this story begins to peel back the complex, multifaceted layers of her character, I was riveted. My heart broke for her but I also connected with her because she was easily one of the most endearing characters I’ve ever read. Allegra has had a crush on Jared for over 5 years, and at one point, their instant connection at a bar almost led to something. That is, until Jared found out who she was, and has dutifully avoided her with a cold aloofness since.

When faced with being forced to leave the place she’s fallen so deeply in love with because she needs a visa, she only sees one answer. Knowing that Jared is on the verge of losing his beloved grandfather’s farm, she offers him a deal. He marries her for her to get her visa, and in exchange she’ll help him financially with everything he needs to save his farm. What starts as a lie, soon turns into something more because while Allegra thought her feelings were one sided, Jared has been doing his hardest to suppress his attraction to her for years. But forced to live together soon makes hiding their mutual attraction impossible.

My skin flushed hot at the dark, hungry look he threw my way. No one had ever stared at me with such abject longing and desire. I whispered his name. His nostrils flared. “Fuck it,” he snarled as he charged me. He hauled me against his body as his lips crashed down over mine.

I loved their journey as a fake couple to real friendship and then to something so much more. I loved watching Jared’s unwillingly fall harder and harder for his fake wife. And I absolutely loved the realness and vulnerability that was Allegra. This is a woman who has been through so much, yet she fiercely hides it to protect those she loves. And oh my god did I love watching Jared fight for her and stand up for her. GAWD. They were perfection.

You’re on my mind all the time. You’re all I can think about. Your smile, your laugh, your body. I want to fuck you hard every minute of every day so you know who you belong to and who belongs to you.”

Their chemistry was incendiary and their romance was heart wrenchingly beautiful. The story was perfectly paced and I absolutely devoured it cover to cover. I am so in love with this series and this book proves exactly why Samantha Young is one of my auto buy authors. Perfection. Just sheer perfection. And I cannot recommend it enough.

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.

She resides in Scotland.

 

Connect with Samantha

Website: http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/2FWgYdn

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

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1520019958258238/

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Review: The Accidental Siren by Lexi Blake

May 1, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE ACCIDENTAL SIREN
Series: Texas Sirens: Legacy #1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: April 30, 2024

Joshua Barnes-Fleetwood is the prince of Willow Fork, Texas, but not all is right with his world. He’s the heir to a multimillion-dollar company, has a family he adores, and his best friend at his side. He can’t figure out what is missing until Nicole takes a job at Christa’s Café. The pretty waitress is a mystery he needs to solve. He’s never been so attracted to a woman, and after one night in her company, he’s sure she can handle his needs. Unfortunately, he’s also sure she’s lying to him.

Jared “Grim” Burch found a home with the Barnes-Fleetwood family when he desperately needed one. With support from his newfound family, Grim beat all the odds and became a veterinarian. In Willow Fork, however, there are still people who are suspicious of him and his past. When he sees Nicole, he knows she’s the perfect woman for him and Josh, but he wonders if he has the right to bring her into his sometimes dangerous circle.

For Nicole Mason, Willow Fork is nothing more than a pit stop. Once she can save up the money to fix her car, she’ll do what she’s been doing for the last several years. Run. Framed for her husband’s murder, she can never stop looking over her shoulder. There’s always someone on her trail, and she can’t let them bring her back to the real killer. Getting to know Josh and Grim makes her dream of the life they could have together. If only she could trust them with her secrets.

When their past catches up to them all, they’ll find out that even a small town can be big trouble.

AMAZON

I don’t care what I call you as long as I get to call you mine.”

I love a good spinoff and Lexi’s Texas Sirens series is one of my favorite sexy series. So when I saw we’re getting new generation spinoff, I was so excited! And boy did this deliver with brand new amazing characters and cameos from some of my older favorites. Plus a surprise few cameos from Lexi’s Masters & Mercenaries series.

Nicole is on the run after her abusive husband is killed and she’s set up to take the fall. With no one to help her and nothing to her name, she barely stays at one place long enough. But when she lands in the small town of Willow Fork, she finds herself the attention of two handsome men who are determined to make her his.

Josh Barnes-Fleetwood is the town royalty and the center of all gossip with his parent’s unconventional relationship. Having the same proclivities of wanting a poly relationship with his best friend/adoptive brother makes him just as infamous as his two fathers. Jared “Grim” Burch is the definition of a tortured hero. Growing up with an abusive, uber religious zealot of a stepfather wasn’t easy. And when that step father kicks him out, it’s a blessing in disguise because he lands in the loving hands of the Barnes-Fleetwood and quickly taken into the family fold. Josh and Grim are best friends and brothers with the same desire of finding a woman who can accept them both. They’re instantly drawn to the town’s newbie, Nicole and she’s just as drawn to them. They know she’s hiding something but they’re determined to make her theirs and protect her. Nicole thinks she’s committing to just one night, knowing that she can’t stay long and put them in danger. But nothing goes to plan when feelings get involved.

While this was a touch too insta love for me, it still hit the spot. I loved the chemistry between these three and I loved how Josh and Grim cared for Nicole. There’s a suspense element and I absolutely loved the addition of a cameo here that absolutely made the book for me. I thought I knew how it would end, but it still managed to throw me for a loop and I love when a story can surprise me like this.

This was a sexy little romp with wonderful characters and a a quirky small town that I will never get tired of. I can’t wait for the rest of the characters to get their stories! 

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Review: A Vengeful Occasion by Kristy Marie

April 27, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

A VENGEFUL OCCASION
Series: The Fallen Kings of Eden #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristy Marie
Release Date: April 26, 2024

Urban legend.
Ruthless Attorney.
Hateful Billionaire.

Tobias Hale is surrounded by rumors, most of which are true. Underneath that three-piece suit is a cold, callous man who rules the courtroom with an iron tongue. Judges hate him with the same passion he hates me.
He hasn’t always been that way, though.
We were once star-crossed lovers who sat by the water’s edge—me wearing his jacket and him dreaming about a future far away from my family—a place where I wasn’t American royalty, only his queen.
I never thought I would see him again.
Years later, a chance encounter brings us face to face.
The sweet and compassionate man I once knew is long gone. The man before me now is a vicious and calculated billionaire.
Once upon a time, he was my fairytale prince.
Now, he has become the legend everyone knows as Tennyson—my husband, my killer.

A Vengeful Occasion is a second chance, romantic suspense standalone.

AMAZON 

They say the sins of the father are the debt of his children. For Spencer Pemberton, that’s exactly the case—plus more.

I was immediately intrigued by these brothers in A Vicious Proposal but when we got a sneak peek into Tobias Hale, suffice it to say I was feral for his book. This series just keeps getting better with each book! I live for a second chance romance trope, and when you throw in suspense, revenge, and a lovers to enemies to lovers vibe? I am SOLD.

I’m sorry, what? Did you say that your wife is in your trunk?” Maybe calling Van—or Alistair, as most people know him—wasn’t such a great idea.
“Don’t get all righteous on me, brother. As I recall, you kidnapped your wife, as well.”
“Blackmailed,” he corrects. “I blackmailed her into marrying me. I didn’t toss her in my trunk the second I saw her.”
“I didn’t take her the minute I saw her,” I retort. “I grabbed her after I stalked her for a week!”

This is the story of Tobias and Spenser, and as much as I loved Tobias, I was absolutely obsessed with Spencer and her sassy fierceness. Twelve years ago, Tobias was her escape and love of her life. But when her life tilted on its axis because of her dangerous family, the last thing Spencer expected is to see the man again. Even though she never stopped loving him.

Spenser was a firecracker. This is a woman who survived hell at the hands of her family and never stopped fighting. She also never stopped trying to escape her circumstances and the life that she never wanted. But when the latest attempt suddenly lands her in front of the only man who ever meant anything to her, it’s not exactly a happy reunion. Spencer has secrets she can’t share and an agenda that is life or death for her. And Tobias is determined to make her pay for what he thinks was her role in ruining his life all those years ago.

We were a cliché poem, fighting for the past we had lost in a future we didn’t trust.

The chemistry between these two was incendiary. Theirs is a slow burn but when it fires up, it crackles!

I’m going to fuck you out of my system,” I warn. “I’m going to fuck you how you make me feel: unhinged.”

I absolutely loved this book. It brought a bit of everything; suspense, action, a fiery romance, and so much hate lust. And you know that I love me some hate lust. My only quibble is that the ending felt a bit rushed after all the build up and I would have loved to see the impact on the pages rather than off. But it was still seriously satisfying and was an absolute page turner of a read.

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Review: Where We Promise by Ashley Munoz

April 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WHERE WE PROMISE
Series: Stone Riders MC #3
Author: Ashley Munoz
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 26, 2024

In a tangled mess of betrayal and chaos, I was moved almost overnight onto rival territory under the protection of the one man I never wanted to be a burden to.

Jameson King.

In order to keep me safe, he handed me a ring and told me I’d become his wife. It’s a marriage made of convenience, but there’s a thread of truth neither of us want to examine. The past we’re ignoring, the almost we could have had if our lives were different.

If I hadn’t chosen wrong.

I keep trying to convince myself it doesn’t matter, not when we hold hands, or sleep in the same bed. Because Jameson has always held me at arms length, and my ex is coming for me…we’re just biding our time before this all comes to a messy end.

This is where we promise to hold, to honor and cherish…but what are vows made from lies?

Jameson will stay long enough to ensure I’m safe, and then he’ll let me go, just like he always did before.

AMAZON

He’d given me the world today, only to remind me it was manufactured and on loan. One day he’d belong to someone else, and I would simply be a fulfilled promise, checked off a list.

Truth be told I had conflicting emotions starting this book; equally anticipating a new installment in what’s come to me a favorite series of mine and also dreading it because I wasn’t sure this trope would hit for me. I am not a fan of a baby with another character trope. I love the single parent trope, but something about the baby with another character who’s still very much in the picture just never worked for me. That is, until this book.

You’re a tragedy in your own way, just hanging around in my chest like a poison, slowly infecting my heart.”

One word of advice is that you definitely want to read this series in order. Because while each character has their own standalone romance per book, there is very much an overarching story arc throughout each book that you would appreciate much more reading in order. We get a good peak into Jameson and Penny’s story in Where We Belong as secondary characters and they absolutely stole my heart with their own story.

Penelope and I had a complicated past. One full of unspoken truths, missed chances, and stolen moments. I’d hurt her. She had hurt me. It was fate’s twisted sense of humor that we were now thrown together in some odd, domesticated role. The irony was cruel.

Penelope has been in love with Jameson for as long as she’s known him. He went from the alluring teenage boy to strong and brooding man, but in all of those forms, he’s never given her the time of day. He struggles with his own emotions and so he pulls hot and cold, until Penelope finally has enough and gives up on any hope of anything with him.

There, on a cold October night, Jameson King stole my first kiss in the middle of the street. I wish he hadn’t.

But when her boyfriend and Jameson’s former club VP throws her out when he learns she’s pregnant, she’s left with nothing but tatters of her former life. And Jameson is determined to help her and protect her from his old club. Best way to do that? A marriage in paper only so she has his protection. The problem? He’s been secretly in love with Penelope as long as she has, but he’s been fighting his feelings just as long. Until he is not able to and gives into the fiery chemistry between them.

Admittedly, at first I struggled to understand why Jamie was so adamant to push Penny away when they were young. But the more I read and the more layers that were peeled back, the more I understood the heart of this man. And oh my god, he was everything. The way he loves fiercely and protects fearlessly. This book packed an absolute punch in emotion and good dash of grit that just hit the spot so right.

I devoured this book in a sitting and couldn’t believe that a trope I once hated, I loved oh so much in this story. And the set up for the next book? OH.MY.GOD. The desperate level of need I have for that story is unreal!

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Review: The Wildflower by JL Beck

April 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE WILDFLOWER
Series: Oakmount Elite Book 2
Author: JL Beck
Genre: Dark, New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 26, 2024

Lies. Betrayal. Loss.

They’re all I know, see, and feel.

I don’t know what is true, or a lie. I don’t know who to believe or who what is real.

Broken and grieving I find refuge in an unlikely foe.

A man who claims to be my brother, who vows to protect me, and destroy those that hurt me.

But not even he can’t protect me from the nightmare that is Drew Marshall.

Deranged. Psychotic. Immoral.

He broke my heart, and publicly humiliated me. Leaving me shattered and broken when I needed him most.

I should hate him, and I do, but a sick twisted part of me craves him as well.

The harder I fight to escape him, the deeper he digs his claws into me.

They say the truth will set you free, but ours didn’t do that.

It locked us inside the cage, and tossed away the key.

AMAZON

Hard-edged and cutting, or soft and sensual, it doesn’t matter… I’m always his willing victim somehow. His voice ignites the embers of desire deep in my gut.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in book one, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on the conclusion. And it did not disappoint! Because even groveling Drew is still in top form and while he may have caught feelings, he didn’t lose any of his edge.

You want me to take it from you so you don’t have to admit how much you wanted me in the first place, and that’s fine. You can hate me for it, hate me as you come all over my cock, because to me, your hate and love taste the same.”

There is quite a bit that happens in this book and I found myself falling even harder for Sebastian, seeing him as the uber protective older brother. I also really enjoyed Bel’s growth in this book. She went from unassuming and shy to fierce and fiery with a backbone and a mouth to go along with it. It felt like a switch was flipped for her and I was totally here for it.

The story itself was fun, steamy and entertaining. The ending, while I thought I knew what was coming, managed to catch me by surprise, which I really appreciate.

And the set up for the next book? Utterly delicious.

If you read and enjoyed the first book, you’ll definitely appreciate the fiery conclusion. Bel and Drew are incendiary together and while their romance is all kinds of toxic, that’s what I loved most about them.

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Review: Puck Block by SJ Sylvis

April 25, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

PUCK BLOCK
Series: Bexley U #3
Author: SJ Sylvis
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Release Date: April 25, 2024

Ford Collins is my brother’s best friend and Bexley U’s favorite defender on the ice. Unfortunately, he feels the need to block much more than the puck.

Namely, ME and any chance I have with a guy.

Encouraged by my older brother, Ford has ruined every single date I’ve ever had. With his hot smirk and sly maneuvers, he has made it his mission to make me the most unattainable female college student in the world—that is, until I have a brush with death, and I beg him to help me.

After all, he owes me. And I’ve come to collect.

Determined to rid himself of the guilt, Ford promises to help me score a boyfriend—or two—and swears he won’t interfere.

But the more time I spend learning from one of Bexley U’s most desirable playboys, the more I start to question the real reason why he’s been sabotaging my dates over the years.

With the lingering touches, heated stares, and sizzling chemistry between us, we both know we’re playing with fire. What happens when our game of “practice” and Ford’s spicy lessons become something real that we not only need to hide from my older brother, but from each other?

Puck Block is book #3 in the Bexley U series and CAN be read as a standalone in this interconnected series.

AMAZON

because tonight you’re not my best friend’s little sister.” Her wrists are trapped in my hand, and I pin them to the pillow. “Tonight, you’re mine.”

Best friend’s little sister trope is one of my favorites. And when you combine that with a steamy hockey romance? I. Am. PUTTEH.
This was Ford and Taytum’s story, Taytum being Emory’s sister. And when I tell you that Ford was impossible not to fall in love with, I mean I was obsessed with this man.

She has me in the palm of her little hand, and I’m not even sure she knows it.

The way he cares for Taytum and the way he takes care of her even when she fights him tooth and nail on it was perfection. But Taytum took me a minute to warm up to admittedly. While I understood her struggle with the Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, I couldn’t understand her petulant and almost blasé attitude to it at first. She does everything, it seems, to not take it seriously at first. Until a hospital visit forces a much needed dose of reality. And Ford comes to the rescue.

What begins as Ford helping Taytum experience college dating outside of her brother’s strict sheltering, soon turns to something much more. But boy did I love their fumbling through this experience. Taytum is desperate to get out from the shadow of her big brother’s overprotectiveness that has foiled all male interest and dating prospects in high school. She doesn’t want her diabetes to stop her life and she wants to experience going out and getting guys and hooking up. Her brother’s best friend is her unlikely partner in crime. The only problem? The chemistry that just so happens to brew between these two.

Why her? Why now?” I peer over my shoulder at my best friend. “How could there be anyone else when she exists?”

And while I’m not usually a fan of seeing the MCs dating others, it just worked for me here. Yes Tay had some chemistry with a certain secondary character who I hope will get a book later in the series, but it was nothing in comparison to what sizzles between her and Ford. And the more each of them fought it, the more invested I became.

This was a slow burn that had me wanting to shake both Ford and Tay at times, but when it finally happened, WOWZA. It was worth every agonizing minute of the wait. I’m seriously so obsessed with this series and can’t wait for the next book!

 

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! 

 

Connect with SJ

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

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Review: Cage of Ice and Echoes by Pam Godwin

April 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

CAGE OF ICE AND ECHOES
Series: Frozen Fate #2
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: April 23, 2024

Frankie’s story continues in this second book in the Frozen Fate trilogy by Pam Godwin.

Frankie and her ruthless protectors conquered unspeakable evil. But their fight to escape the hills of shivers and shadows is far from over.
Stranded in Alaska, survival becomes paramount against starvation, hypothermia, and the dangerous predators lurking outside their isolated cabin.
Sharing precious body heat with her viciously possessive men presents another challenge. She must navigate not only the brutal arctic tundra but also the intricacies of polyamorous love to ensure they make it out alive.
Tensions rise as the ice thickens, and their only hope rests on a plane they can’t fly.
Unless they unlock the secrets hidden beneath its wings in a cage of ice and echoes.

Tropes: Adult Romance, Age Gap, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Boy Obsessed, Close Proximity, Enemies-to-lovers, First Love, Fish out of Water, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Heroine in Danger, Menage, MFM, One Bed, Poly (3+ people), Protector, Romantic Suspense, Scars, Stalker, Starting Over, Stranded Together, Survival, Taboo, Touch Her And Die, Tragic Past, Troubled Marriage, Unrequited Love, Virgin Hero, Why Choose, Will They or Won’t They

AMAZON 

I’m bound by heartstrings to two souls, brothers in name, family in blood, rivals in love, united in their resolve to protect one thing. Me.

How? How does Pam Godwin do this? Every. Single. Time. She manages to weave pure addictive magic into her words and fully captivate her readers in a story that’s as gripping as it is unforgettable.

After the painful cliffhanger in book one, I was itching to get my hands on the second installment of this trilogy. I think my hands were legit shaking when I started this book because I was both eager for answers at the same time that I almost dreaded them.

Made by God and raised by the devil, he’s a formidable force of nature, devastatingly handsome, looming over me, stealing all my air.

Now book one was thick, and I mean THICK. And this book was no shorter. And yet, every word packed a meaning. There wasn’t one wasted sentence, page, or chapter. All of it weaving an intricate tale of survival, love beyond all odds, and a dark undercurrent that practically vibrates with the energy hidden within these pages.

Here, in their embrace, I have the entire world wrapped around me. Because my entire world is them.

There is an additional POV added into this book that I am wholly obsessed with. But I also have no idea what end is up any longer. Every time I think I fugue out something, I’m left with even more answers. The intricate details of this story are simply unparalleled. Kody, Leo and Frankie are stranded, starving, and in a desperate bid to survive the brutal elements of the arctic. Amongst the frozen and bare land, desperation, and starvation, the bond between these three continues to grow. And god but I loved the fierce protectiveness these men have for Frankie. Almost as much as I loved how fierce Frankie is in everything she survives and does for these men.

When I tell you I love you, it isn’t out of habit or because I think you need to hear it. I say it to remind the world that you’re irreplaceable, and it will suffer my eternal goddamn wrath if anything happens to you.”

As long as this book was, I devoured it. I couldn’t put it down for even a minute. I was desperately turning the pages only to get to the end with my jaw firmly rooted to the floor. I am shooketh. I am unwell. I am DESPERATE for the conclusion.

If you’re looking for an incredibly well written dark romance that is weaved with suspense, beautiful propose, and a story so additive that you will actually see it unravel behind your eyes as you read, you need this in your life. TRUST ME.

New York Times 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 Reader Group: here
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Review: The Villains We Make by Natasha Knight

April 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE VILLAINS WE MAKE
Series: Heroes & Villains Duet #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: April 23, 2024

You can’t marry him if you’re already married to me.

That was how Silas Cruz proposed to me—more like demanded, really. He didn’t exactly give me a choice.

He’s dark, jealous and incredibly possessive.

And he’s just one of the villains in my story.

I used to think he was my hero.

Still, there’s one thing I know for sure. Whenever I need him, whenever I’m in danger, he comes for me. He’s proven that time and time again.

Now, the game has changed, the stakes life and death.

But loving Silas may be the most dangerous thing for me. Because he’s the man who holds my heart in the palm of his hand.

AMAZON 

I don’t need you to rescue me anymore, Silas.”
“I will always rescue you, Ophelia.”

I couldn’t think of a more perfect conclusion to this stunning duet. Natasha Knight is forever and always the queen of the “my wife” romance. Fight me on it.

The Villains We Make takes off immediately where the jaw dropping cliffhanger of The Heroes We Break ended. Silas is determined to protect Ophelia at all costs, even if it’s from herself and she believes him to be the villain in her story. The way I fell head over heels for this fiercely protective man is not surprising. Silas may have a dark and brooding intensity to him that makes him dangerous, but the man also has a heart of gold that makes him irresistible. The way that he fights for Ophelia melted my cold black heart.

Ophelia really came into her own in this book. She may be younger than Silas but she’s not naive or foolish. She’s fierce and protective in her own right. And the way she rides for her man made me love her so much more, especially with that ending.

The mystery of Ophelia’s past finally unravels and while parts I was able to predict, a particular plot twist caught me completely by surprise and left me with my jaw on the floor. This duet was addictive with enough steam to set my kindle on fire. I binge read it in one sitting, both needing all the answers and dreading being done with these characters.

This duet is exactly why Natasha is my auto buy author; absolute book crack!

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Review: Learn Your Lesson by Kandi Steiner

April 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LEARN YOUR LESSON
Series: Kings of the Ice #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: April 19, 2024

My mother only wanted me to learn one lesson growing up…
Men are trash.

Her father left her, and then my father left us. Being raised by her and my grandmother, I was surrounded by the reminder to be independent and guard my heart.

After my one and only experience with a boy in college fell flatter than a pancake, I realized they were right — and I was content to live the life of a twenty-six-year-old cat lady.

Until Will Perry blew my quiet world to smithereens.

Starting goalie for the Tampa Bay Ospreys and the kind of hot that scrambles your brain, all I was ever supposed to be to him was his daughter’s kindergarten teacher. Then, in a twist of events, his temporary nanny.

But temporary turns to permanent, and when I move into his pool house, everything changes.

He’s impossibly grumpy and focused on only two things: hockey, and taking care of his daughter. I’m only focused on using this new income to pay back my student loans.

But in that house, I feel his heated gaze beneath that permanent scowl, the way it lingers and warms my skin. And though I know my mother would lose her mind if she knew, my dreams have become midnight fantasies about my long-haired, muscle-lined mystery of a boss.

When the tension becomes too much, we break, and we make a deal.

He still needs a nanny. I still need a paycheck and for my matriarchy to not disown me. But Will agrees to teach me everything I’ve always wanted to learn, and I’m all too eager to be his student.

I can do this. I’m a grown woman. I can explore my sexuality with the hottest goalie on earth and still remain one-hundred percent professional. And I can definitely do it all without catching feelings.

I have to.

Otherwise, I’ll end up heartbroken in my mother’s arms while she shakes her head and asks me if I’ll ever learn my lesson.

___________________________________________

TROPES:
Pro Hockey Romance
Single Dad/Nanny
Forced Proximity
Spicy Lessons
Grumpy Sunshine
Age Gap
Opposites Attract
Found Family

___________________________________________

Learn Your Lesson is book three in the Kings of the Ice series: a series of interconnected standalones following a team of professional hockey players and the women who bring them to their knees. They do not need to be read in order, but you will gain glimpses of future characters/couples in each book.

AMAZON 

What do you want to learn?” he mused, skating the back of his knuckles along my neck before tracing them across my collarbone.
My eyelids fluttered, breath catching in my throat, nipples hardening to a point beneath my sweater. “Everything,” I breathed.

My. Whole. Heart. Right. Now.

OMG! This was the perfect combination of delicious spice with heart fluttering romance and I am in love with Daddy P and Chloe!!

“I’ll walk you to your car.” I waved him off as I stood upright again. “That won’t be necessary.” “I apologize if that came out like a question,” he said, and the way he was looking at me, I knew better than to argue.

Now first of all, I am wholly embarrassed to admit that this was my first Kandi Steiner book. And I plan on rectifying my oversight immediately by binging on her entire backlist, starting with the rest of this series. I am a sucker for a spicy hockey romance and this one just hit the mark at every turn of the page.

Will Perry, aka Daddy P stole my entire heart. This grumpy professional hockey player and goalie, widower, and single dad was tugging at every heart string I have. I fell head over heels from page one. There’s just something about his quiet brooding and closed off heart that just spoke to me. After losing his best friend and wife tragically, his little girl and his job are his world. He’s not looking to put himself out there again.

Chloe is a quirky and sweet school teacher who’s not looking for love either. Growing up with a single mother and grandmother who taught her to always rely on herself and that no man can be trusted or relied on, she’s learned to be a fiercely independent woman. But one very forgettable sexual encounter also made sure that she wasn’t all that curious either. Until a grumpy hockey player and her student’s father made her experience a yearning she’s never known.

Will has cycled through one unreliable nanny after another. So when Chloe comes to the rescue after yet another nanny leaves him high and dry, he decides to ask her for help, which she happily offers. She’s already enamored by his little girl, so becoming her nanny and the ridiculous pay that Will offers is definitely no hardship. But living in his house, seeing him every day, and the undeniable attraction she has to the man who couldn’t be more unavailable is not as easy to deal with. SO when he offers they give into their mutual attraction with no strings attached, she jumps at the chance. And finally experience what all the hype is about when it comes to sex and passion. And the silent and broody man? Has a dirty mouth of a sex god. MY GOD.

When I tell you that devoured this book and yet tried to savor every page, I mean I equally couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and yet dreaded being done. I loved these two together. I absolutely adored Ava and seeing her relationship with Chloe and seeing her coming more and more out of her shell. I love watching Chloe break through Will’s hard shell and seeing him smile and open up. And I absolutely loved watching Will unwillingly fall harder and harder for Chloe.

If you’re looking for a spicy hockey romance with plenty of depth, emption, and a sizzle, this is sure to hit the spot. 

She had to know I was holding back. She had to understand that I wanted her so fucking badly I was making myself sick trying to refrain from giving in. And if she didn’t know, if she was waiting for me to say it… How could I tell her the truth, when I wasn’t even ready to admit it to myself?
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