Review: Damage by Natasha Knight

October 15, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

COLLATERAL
Series: Collateral Damage #2
Genre: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: October 15, 2019

We’re a match made in hell, Stefan and I.

He took me to exact his revenge. I went from being a pawn to my father to being a pawn to Stefan. The only difference is I have a ring the size of a boulder on my finger and a husband I don’t want.

And the hardest part is I thought he was different. I thought I was falling in love.

I guess my father was right. I’m not a very smart girl.

Stefan is a powerful man. He doesn’t play nice, not if you’re his enemy. But I’ve learned one thing about my husband.

He takes care of what’s his.

And I am his.

His enemies have become my enemies, but he’ll never let anyone hurt me. He’s fiercely protective. It’s the predator inside that scares me.

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It’s midnight when we’re back at the house and I carry her to my room. She doesn’t resist when I strip off her clothes, her underthings still damp, and put her in the shower under a flow of hot water. I strip too and step in beside her and there’s no resistance when I kiss her. When I take her in my arms and kiss her as the water washes sea salt from us.

She opens to me and I cup the back of her head. I don’t ever want to stop kissing her. Don’t ever want to stop holding her like this.

When the water begins to cool, I switch off the shower and dry her then myself before lifting her up and carrying her to my bed. I lay her down and lie down beside her, shifting so I’m on top of her but keeping most of my weight on my forearms so I don’t crush her.

I slide one hand down and cup the mound of her breast. I run my fingernail over her nipple, and she moans into my mouth. When I pull away, it’s to look at her.

She licks her lips, reaches up to touch my cheek, slides her hand down to my chest and sets it against my heart.

We don’t talk. We don’t say a single word. Not for a long while. We just kiss and kiss and look at each other. And I can’t get enough of touching her. Tasting her. Can’t get close enough to her.

“Christ, Gabriela,” I start. “I want you.” I roll off her and onto my side to slide my hand down over her belly.

She cups my cheek, touches her mouth to mine. “Kiss me again.”

I do.

But she is who she is. The devil’s daughter. And I just brokered my own deal. I’ve stolen her. And I’m not finished yet.

I’m pretty sure I almost had a damn heart attack after the cliffhanger in Collateral. I was absolutely hooked on the story and salivating for more. There was something so intense and addicting about this enemies to lovers romance. It was especially delicious considering how slow burn the romance was. Stefan and Gabriela burned up the pages together with their chemistry, and we didn’t even get a taste for the romance yet. So to say that I was anticipating the second and final book would be a mild understatement.

Damage starts off with a bang and is a non-stop, twisty, page turner full of dark secrets and betrayals. I was riveted to the pages and couldn’t wait to see how everything comes to a head. And let me tell you, people, there’s some real whoppers of twists in this one that had my head reeling. I love a good mafia romance, and this one spared no details on the dark underbelly of the world. I may have set the romance up too much in my head, because I was a little disappointed with how it concluded here. I just didn’t click with Gabi and Stafan here as much as I did in the first book. It seemed like they went from 0 to 60 in a turn of a page, and I had a hard time buying into it. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because I did. But I think my own personal bias was at play here and I just set up my expectations too high. This was still one high-octane and sizzling read, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance, Natasha Knight specializes in dark, tortured heroes. Happily-Ever-Afters are guaranteed, but she likes to put her characters through hell to get them there. She’s evil like that. 

Connect w/Natasha:

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Review: Getting Played by Emma Chase

October 8, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

GETTING PLAYED
Series: Getting Played #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: October 8, 2019

A magnificent new romance by New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase.

Dean Walker is all about keeping life simple. He’s effortlessly talented and intelligent—spending his summers playing drums in the local band and the rest of the year teaching high school in the same Jersey town where he grew up. He likes his love life simple too, enjoying the commitment-free hook-ups his good looks and sexy charm have always made oh so easy.

Then he meets Lainey Burrows. And his simple, easy life gets turned upside down.

One wild one-night stand was all it was ever supposed to be, so Lainey is shocked when she discovers that her sizzling summer fling is also her son’s new math teacher. But that’s nothing compared to the most unexpected twist of all—their hot hook-up left Lainey knocked up, and now they’re about to become parents. Together.

What ensues is an addictive, insatiable, sweet and tender romance that won’t be simple, but it will be more than worth the fight.

AMAZON

I want to be her everything. Because somewhere along the line—Lainey, Jason, our baby—that’s what they’ve become to me. Everything.

You GUYS.
*flails happily*
GUYS.
*laughs giddily*
GUYS!!!!
*sighs dreamily*

I am on book cloud nine right now. This is just one of those swoony, lighthearted, and feel good romances that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face and butterflies in your tummy. It’s ice cream on a hot summer day. It’s a cozy sweater and a fireplace on a cold winter day. It’s the perfect cup of hot cocoa. It’s one of those books that just hits the spot, no matter what mood you’re in and makes your day better.

Now look, I’m not typically a reader that enjoys a sweet romance. Being the angst addict that I am, it’s just not typically my cuppa. But this book? Oh my swoon. It was everything I didn’t know I wanted. There’s just something about Emma Chase’s writing that’s pure magic. She creates characters that you can’t help but fall head over heels for, and it doesn’t just stop with the main characters.

Dean was pure perfection. He’s a hero that’s guaranteed to tug at every heart string you have. Dean has a history liking things loose and easy. He was a player in high school and while he may have outgrown that part of his life, he still doesn’t like complications beyond a steamy night in the sheets. But then he spends one night with a woman that changes something in him irrevocably. Months later he can’t stop thinking about her but has no idea how to find her since he didn’t get her number. As fate would have it, months later they meet again and not only is the woman’s son in his high school class, but surprise of surprises, their one night stand left her pregnant.

Dean Walker is going to be a father. Holy fuck me sideways. When you start referring to yourself in the third person in your own mind—that’s when you know you’re screwed.

Now let me tell you guys, the blurb doesn’t even begin to do this book justice. The chemistry between Lainey and Dean is absolutely sizzling. There’s this instant connection they share, and I sweat it only amplified when they finally meet again. Lainey is a lifestyle blogger and her new project lands her in the same small town where Dean lives and teaches. She’s such a sweet soul that you can’t help but love her. And her teenage son is one of the most endearing secondary characters I’ve read to date. I loved watching the connection between Dean and Jason, almost as much as I loved it between Dean and Lainey. There’s just something so magnetic about them. And watching this sexy former playboy become total goo at the hands of a woman, their unborn baby, and her son was so stinking SWEET.

This was such a sweet and satisfying romance. I adore all things Emma Chase, and the woman can write enemies to lovers like no other, but there’s something about her sweet, angst free romance that just DOES IT FOR YOU. I can’t recommend this one enough.

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New Release & Review: The Play by Elle Kennedy

October 7, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE PLAY
Series: Briar U #3
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: October 7, 2019

A brand-new standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Briar U series!

What I learned after last year’s distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate…no matter how hard that makes things.

But there’s nothing in the rulebook that says I can’t be friendswith a woman. And I won’t lie—my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she’s got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her.

Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound.

And she’s making a play for me.

Avoiding her is impossible. We’re paired up on a yearlong school project, but I’m confident I can resist her. We’d never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren’t aligned, and her parents hate my guts.

Hooking up is a very bad idea. Now I just have to convince my body—and my heart.

AMAZON 

You’re a fun date.” “This isn’t a date.” She tips her head in challenge.
“Then why are you giving me the Penis Eyes?”
“I’m not.”
“I know Penis Eyes when I see ’em.”

Elle Kennedy knows how to hit the spot just right when it comes to her addictive NA Sports romance. She’s able to combine quirky humor with deliciously steamy romance and create page-turning books that seems to get better with each new one in this series. I know I said this when I finished the The Risk, but I really mean it now when I say that this was my favorite in the series!

Hunter has been a character that’s been on my radar since The Chase. My heart went out for the guy after he lost the girl he was interested in to his buddy who swore up and down that he wasn’t interested in her. We got to see Hunter spiral from that let down and turn into a quite an indiscriminate manwhore. The guy went through a stage where any woman that looked his way was game, and it almost cost him more than he bargained for. Now he’s determined to rid himself of temptation by saying no to sex. Sex is what got him in trouble so sex is what he’ll cut out. The answer? Celibacy. The problem? It’s easier said than done.

When Demi and Hunter first meet in class, Demi thinks he’s just like every other hot jock; vapid and vain. But when an assignment together forces them together, she soon discovers that there’s many more layers to Hunter than meet the eye. He’s sweet, funny, and soon becomes a friend and confidant. So who better to turn to when she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her and needs a rebound to move on? Her new buddy, of course. Unfortunately Hunter is a lot more stubborn when it comes to his celibacy that she thought.

This guy is funny. And he’s much cooler than I’d thought, definitely not the arrogant asshole I expected him to be. I’m not gonna lie—Hunter Davenport is growing on me.

This was such a fun story. I love a strong and confident heroine, and Demi was definitely that. She’s sassy, with a fiery temper, and a super sharp mind. I couldn’t help but like her immediately. This is not a girl that plays game or doesn’t speak her mind. She says what she means and she means what she says. You can’t help but appreciate that. Hunter was wonderfully multi-layered. You get to peel back the layers and truly see what makes him tick, and when you begin to get to the true depths of him, you can’t help but love the guy. There’s just something so wonderfully endearing about him. I think I loved the friendship between him and Demi almost as much as their budding romance. I loved that Demi wasn’t afraid to push his buttons to get what she wanted but she didn’t play games with him either. She’s extremely straight forward in what she wants.

The romance was a perfectly paced slow burn. These two start off as friends with fiery chemistry and it soon turns into something neither of them saw coming. I loved seeing the gang from the previous books and catching up with Garrett, Dean and Logan. Then there’s my favorite crazy duo, Hollis and Rupi, and all of the other wonderful secondary characters. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we get Connor’s book next. I seriously can’t get enough of this series!

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Review: War Of Hearts by S. Young

October 4, 2019 by ·

WAR OF HEARTS
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: S. Young
Release Date: October 1, 2019

New York Times Bestselling author Samantha Young writing as S. Young.

Thea Quinn has no idea what she is. All she knows is that her abilities have been a plague upon her life since she was a child. After years of suffering at the hands of a megalomaniac, Thea escaped and has been on the run ever since.

The leadership and protection of his pack are of the utmost importance to Conall MacLennan, Alpha and Chief of Clan MacLennan, the last werewolf pack in Scotland. Which is why watching his sister slowly die of a lycanthropic disease is emotional torture. When Conall is approached by a businessman who offers a cure for his sister in exchange for the use of Conall’s rare tracking ability, Conall forges an unbreakable contract with him. He has to find and retrieve the key to the cure: dangerous murderer, Thea Quinn.

Thea’s attempts to evade the ruthless werewolf are not only thwarted by the Alpha, but by outside dangers. With no choice but to rely on one another for survival, truths are revealed, intensifying a passionate connection they both fight to resist. At war with themselves and each other, Conall and Thea’s journey to Scotland forces them to face a heartrending choice between love and betrayal.

War of Hearts is a standalone paranormal romance.

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Stepping back inside the motel room, Thea halted as Conall came out of the bathroom. His height caused a logistical problem for her next move.Although his color hadn’t fully returned to normal, the wolf was looking much stronger. She didn’t know if she could take him in a fight when he was at full strength, which was more than a little concerning. As if he’d read her mind, he cut her an expressionless look. “You should have left me to die, lass.”

“Probably. I guess I’m just going to have to take the chance you were bluffing.”

He frowned and opened his mouth to question her, but Thea had already made her move.

Before he could comprehend it, she was on the bed behind him and reaching for his head before his weakened reflexes could catch up.

The crack of his neck echoed around the room, causing a sick lurch in Thea’s stomach.

For some reason, stupid tears stung her eyes as she watched his body hit the ground with an almighty thud. Why should she care? It wasn’t like he was dead. She’d knocked him out. For … however long he took to heal.

And he had stuck her with that goddamn injection.

Speaking of …

Thea jumped off the mattress, avoiding Conall’s body. Earlier when she’d been treating his wounds, she’d spied the syringes in the first aid kit. Grabbing them, Thea hurried out of the motel room and toward the fields beyond. Quickly she dug a hole with her bare hands and buried the syringes. Hurrying back, she avoided staring at Conall because he looked very much dead.

She grabbed his wallet and as she took his money, leaving him his credit cards, a folded-up photograph caught her attention. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled it out. Smoothing her fingers across the picture, she spotted who she thought was Conall only to realize it wasn’t. The man who looked like him was standing next to a much younger Conall, and Thea deduced it was his father. The younger Conall had his arm around the waist of a small, redheaded girl buried into his side. And beside the man she’d mistaken for Conall was a beautiful redheaded woman.

Was this Conall and his family?

They were standing on a rocky beach, a beautiful lake and mountains behind them.

Thea wondered which one of them was sick. Which of these people was he willing to sacrifice her for?

Memories of her own parents swelled in her throat, burning and screaming to get out. But Thea shoved them back down as she shoved the photograph into his wallet.

There were times she pulled those memories out and let herself swim in the pain because it was worth it to remember the happy moments.

But now was not the time.

With a ruthless supernatural sure to wake up from a broken neck wanting to kill her, and some unknown entity out there hunting her too, now was very much the time to go.


Holy…WOW. I am HOOKED. Line and sinker on all of the words. On this amazing world. On what I’m desperately now hoping will be a series. Because this book seriously blew me away.

I’m a HUGE PNR fan, and so it goes without saying I’m also ridiculously picky when it comes to the genre. But considering how much I adore Samantha Young’s contemporaries, I knew without even reading the blurb to this book that I had to have it. And when I finally read the blurb? I was frothing at the mouth to get my hands on it.

If there’s one thing that is especially hard for PNR books to do, is the world building. All too often I’ll read a PNR story that ends up being a data dump of epic proportions or there’s just not enough world building to truly grasp or understand. This was none of those things. This felt like a movie reel unraveling behind my eyes as I was turning the pages. A magic, fantastical world that I couldn’t get enough of.

Thea Quinn is on the run but she’s no weakling. As a matter of fact, she’s frightfully strong. But the most frightening thing is she has no idea what she is or where her strength comes from. She’s been on the run for years from something that threatens everything for her.

Conall MacLennan, is the Alpha and Chief of Clan MacLennan, and one of the most fearsome and strong werewolves there is. When a man comes to him and offers him a deal to save his terminally ill sister in exchange for him hunting down a dangerous fugitive, it doesn’t take him long to make up his mind. Being one of the best trackers, it doesn’t take him long to track down Thea. Unfortunately it also doesn’t take him long to figure out that neither Thea or everything else surrounding their situation is what it seems.

The story was an action packed page turner. There’s nothing I love more than a strong heroine, and boy did Thea check that box for me. The woman is fierce. At times, her power overshadows even that of Conall. But what I loved the most is that it never diminished Conall’s intensity. If anything, watching the way he handles it just added to his appeal.

The romance is a slow burn, and while it’s a little tamer that what I’m used to from this author, it was no less satisfying. I loved these two together, but I especially loved the unraveling of their unique world and learning more about many of the mysterious secondary characters. There’s enough of a hook at the end to make me think that there will be more to come in this world and I can’t wait! If you’re looking for an addicting and unique PNR, look no further. This will check all of your boxes!

Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha’s first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Fight or Flight. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.

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· Filed Under: All Reviews, PNR · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Perfect Strangers by J.T. Geissinger

October 3, 2019 by ·

PERFECT STRANGERS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: September 29, 2019

“These kisses of his…they’re demanding and possessive. They’re hungry and deep. They’re the kisses of a man who wants more of a woman—who wants everything—and isn’t going to stop until he gets it.”

Author Olivia Rossi hasn’t been able to write a word since tragedy struck two years ago and ripped her world apart. Heartbroken and still haunted by the past, she accepts an offer to spend the summer at a friend’s apartment in Paris in search of healing and her lost muse.

What she finds instead is James, an enigmatic stranger who ignites in her an unexpected and all-consuming passion.

Agreeing to tell each other nothing more than their first names, Olivia and James embark on a torrid affair. But the more time they spend together, the more Olivia begins to realize her summer fling is turning into a powerful connection…and that the magnetic man she’s falling in love with might not be what he seems at all.

AMAZON 

Just feel me. Just feel me and breathe.”

I… So… Well… And then… Yeah… I got nothing. Seriously. NOTHING. I’m too busy still picking my jaw off of the floor because this story just blew my ever loving mind! I can’t even. I don’t even know where to begin to review this book. How do I even tell you about what I just read if even I’M still figuring it out. My brain needs to phone a friend or poll the audience. Sweet baby jesus I don’t know what is happening!!!

Our existence is measured in minutes. Seconds. Heartbeats. Time is the most valuable commodity we have, because it can never be replenished. Once it’s gone…it’s gone forever. And so are we.”

If you’re looking for a book that’s uniquely different, take you out of your comfort zone, and make you feel, you need to read this book. Seriously.

Olivia and James were absolutely electric together. There’s just something about reading Olivia’s inner monologue that made you feel like you were getting a peek into the author’s own psyche. It was fascinating. The connection between her and James is instant and no less potent as they continue on their affair. Olivia is in Paris for a short time only and knows that whatever they have will come to an end. They agree to a short but fiery affair but no more. No last names. No personal information. Nothing to tie them down. But you know what they say about those best laid plans, right? It’s not long before the lines get blurred and secrets begin to unravel.

Man oh man, I don’t even know where to start with this story. I will definitely advise you to avoid reviews until you read it, because there’s so much about this story that’s a HUGE spoiler. I won’t give you any hints in terms of what that spoiler is, but let me tell you, it’s seriously HUGE. Like mind blowingly huge. Like questioning everything you thought you knew huge. All I know is I spent an entire ten minutes after I finished with my jaw on the floor and my mind reeling. This story was a unique and unexpected surprise from someone that’s become an absolute must read author for me. I cannot recommend this one enough!

 

J.T. Geissinger is a bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold more than one million copies and been translated into several languages.

She is the recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book, the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and is a two-time finalist for the RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America®. She has also been a finalist in the Booksellers’ Best, National Readers’ Choice, and Daphne du Maurier Awards.

Her first novel was published in 2012. Since then she’s written eighteen more novels. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking wine, surfing the internet, and daydreaming about all the things she’s going to be when she grows up. She lives near the beach in Los Angeles with her husband and deaf/demented rescue kitty, Ginger.

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JTGeissinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jtgeissingerauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jtgeissinger/

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2NaBT2c

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Website: http://www.jtgeissinger.com

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: ,

Review: The Stopover by TL Swan

October 3, 2019 by ·

THE STOPOVER
Series: The Miles High Club #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: TL Swan
Release Date: September 26, 2019

A memorable night of passion refuses to stay just a memory in this sizzling and scandalous romance from bestselling author T L Swan.

I was upgraded to first class on a flight from London to New York.

The food, champagne, and service were impeccable.

The blue-eyed man sitting next to me, even better.

He was suave and intelligent.

We talked and laughed, and something clicked.

Fate took over and the plane was grounded, and we had an unexpected stopover for the night.

With no plans, we made our own.

We danced and laughed our way around Boston and had a night of crazy passion that no woman would ever forget.

That was twelve months ago, and I haven’t heard from him—until today.

I started a new job and met the CEO. You can imagine my surprise to see those naughty blue eyes dance with delight when he saw me across the mahogany desk.

But I’m not that carefree girl anymore. My life has changed, I have responsibilities.

I just got an email.

He wants to see me in his office for a private meeting at 8:00 a.m.

Naughty blue eyes have no place in the workplace.

What kind of private meeting does he have in mind?


If I could describe a book to you in one gif, well…you’re welcome. You may now skip my entire review.

But dang it, I keep telling myself that I’ll stop setting high hopes for books with hot covers only to be let down. And yet I keep doing it. Again. And again. And again.

Admittedly it wasn’t just the sexy cover that hooked me here, but the blurb as well. It reminded me a little of a crossover between Whitney Gracia’s Turbulence and Reasonable Doubt. Sadly, the story just didn’t deliver on the promise of the eye catching cover. Frankly, it was pretty much a hot mess.

First of all, this was not a story meant for a full novel. It was a novella that had an eye rolling amount of filler in the form of the constant back and forth between the hero and heroine. These two were like a merry-go-round of relationships. They’re up, they’re down, they’re up, they’re down. Over and over in a seemingly never ending circle. It was funny and cute in the first 20% but then it just got tiresome and unnecessary. For characters in their 30s and mid 20s, they argued like jealous teenagers. Now I’m a reader that typically loves good enemies to lovers vibe and some deliciously heated barbs traded in the way. But this was not that. This was just…I don’t even know. Frustrating? Rage inducing?

I started out loving the characters, only to get so annoyed with them after the 25% mark that I barely forced myself to finish. It was a stretched out story without much holding it together, patched together with bouts of sex, and slapped with a HEA at the end. This would have been a hot 100 page novella, but for a full length book it only served as an exercise in frustration.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: ,

Review: Butterfly In The Frost by Sylvia Day

October 2, 2019 by ·

BUTTERFLY IN FROST
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sylvia Day
Release Date: August 27, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Once, I would never have imagined myself here. But I’m settled now. In a place I love, in a home I renovated, spending time with new friends I adore, and working a job that fulfills me. I am reconciling the past and laying the groundwork for the future.

Then Garrett Frost moves in next door.

He’s obstinate and too bold, a raging force of nature that disrupts the careful order of my life. I recognize the ghosts that haunt him, the torment driving him. Garrett would be risky in any form, but wounded, he’s far more dangerous. I fear I’m too fragile for the storm raging inside him, too delicate to withstand the pain that buffets him. But he’s too determined…and too tempting.

And sometimes hope soars above even the iciest desolation.

 

We don’t talk about next week. We exist only in the now and tomorrow, right here.


I’ve missed Sylvia Day’s writing immensely. So when I saw she has a book coming out, I jumped on it quicker than you can blink. I barely spared the blurb a glimpse, if I’m being perfectly honest here.

I was immediately enraptured in Day’s words and the quick paced story line. This is tied in the Crossfire world, and you get come cameos of Eva here. I don’t remember much of the series beyond the first book, and I didn’t read 3-5, so I can’t say how much of this heroine is introduced in those books. I will say, with the way the heroine and some of the secondary characters are introduced and written, it felt like we should already know who they are.

Unfortunately, right around the 40% mark I began to find myself disengaging more and more. The character development felt lacking. I struggled to truly connect to the heroine. There were also just one too many plot holes. And then the plot twist hits you right over the head I was at a complete loss. Granted, the plot twist is what saved the story for me. I was fairly bored right up until that point and the twist revived it for me. But, and this is a big BUT, it simply wasn’t fleshed out enough to truly pack the punch it was meant to.

This should have been a full length novel. As it was, with the page count, there just wasn’t enough to truly give that amazing twist justice. The ending was too sudden and completely glossed over. This was a story meant for a full length novel. As a novella, it felt lackluster and unfinished.

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Review: White Knight by Meghan March

October 1, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

WHITE KNIGHT
Series: Dirty Mafia Duet #12
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: October 1, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Meghan March continues the story of untold truths and one man’s redemption in the Dirty Mafia Duet.

I never expected to be anyone’s white knight. That’s not a role I’ve ever played.
But when the Casso crime family shifts into uncharted territory, they’re looking for a new hero, and they’re looking for me—Cannon Freeman, the black sheep.

But my time in disgrace is at an end.

It’s my turn to rise up and save the people who matter most to me.

Even if my family has never given a damn about me, I will not let them fall.

More than anything, I will not let her fall.

White Knight is the second book in the Dirty Mafia Duet and should be read after Black Sheep, book one.

She’s worth the fallout.


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I excelled at hiding who I was from the world. Even more, I excelled at hiding my fears and my demons from myself. So, how in the hell did Cannon Danger Freeman find my heart anyway?

Well, dang. I did not see that coming. Meghan March has seriously brought her a game with the twists in this book, and my head is still spinning.

I was excited to take a step away from the trilogy side of March with a sexy duet, and White Knight certainly delivered one heart pounding conclusion. The story of Drew and Cannon was full of so many twists and turns, no way one book could have contained it. But it did make for a perfect duet.

I will say I was a little worried with the pacing of this installment starting off a bit slow for my liking. So much so that it took me 2 days to get through the first 40%. But boy did it bring the bang in the second half.

I don’t even know how to begin to review this without spilling any of the spoilers, because like pretty much every Meghan March book I’ve read, everything is a dang spoiler. The woman can’t help it. Her evil genius mind just spins a heck of a tale. But what I will tell you, is I fell even harder for Cannon in this book. Where we get the intense and mysterious side of him in the first book, we get the devastatingly devoted and protective side of him here. I couldn’t get enough of this multi-faceted character. His fierce and protective side and his boyish vulnerable side that still yearns for a connection with his half sibling and father that always seemed to allude him. There’s a lot that happens here and a lot of it is one twist after another. Year old vendettas are settled and truths are revealed, and all of it wrapped around one heart stopping conclusion.

I especially loved the way that Meghan was able to bring so many of our previous characters together and tie it all up with a glorious bow in this book. If you love cameos, you’ll love this.

And then she introduces the mother of all alphas that will leave you a drooling and trembling mess in your wait for Legend’s book. Because holy mother of GAH!
 

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

 

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Review: Goalie Interference by Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn

September 30, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

GOALIE INTERFERENCE
Series: Hat Trick #2
Genre: Contemporary, MM Romance
Author: Avon Gale & Piper Vaughn
Release Date: September 30, 2019

It’s goalie vs. goalie in this brand-new enemies-to-lovers hockey romance from Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn…

Ryu Mori has had a stellar season as goalie for the Atlanta Venom. So when he’s called into management’s office, he’s expecting to hear he’s the new starting goalie for the team, not that some new guy—an incredibly hot, annoyingly bratty rookie—is here to compete for his spot.

Not everyone gets to play in the best league in the world. Emmitt Armstrong knows that, and he’s not about to waste the opportunity after grinding his way from the bottom to the top. If the Venom is looking for a meek, mild-mannered pushover, they’ve got the wrong guy.

Ryu doesn’t want to admit the other goalie’s smart mouth turns him on. Beating Armstrong at practice feels good, sure, but there are other, more fun ways to shut his rival up.

In this league, it’s winner takes all. But there’s more to life than winning, and if Emmitt and Ryu can get past their egos and competitive natures, they might just discover they work better as partners than they ever imagined possible.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

AMAZON 

 

Ryu was in love—head over skates in love—with his teammate. His competition.

If it’s enemies-to-lovers, color me all over it. This trope is my catnip, and when it’s a smokin’ hot MM and hockey romance to boot? Stick a fork in me, I’m done for.

The premise to the story is seriously finger licking good; two goalies after the coveted spot on the team. Emmitt is the rookie with everything to prove, and Ryu is the seasoned player fighting to keep his spot. Sound delicious? Because it was. What made it even more enticing was the fact that both characters were not white. In a white bread world of sports romance, this was such a refreshing change of pace of not just one but both of the characters adding diversity into the mix.

The rivalry between these two is almost as hot as the undercurrent of attraction that runs between them. But where Emmitt doesn’t hide the fact that he’s bi, no one knows that Ryu is gay, not even his parents. This was a sizzling slow burn that was a bit diluted by too much internal monologue at times, but I still loved it. I loved Emmitt’s vulnerable and playful side almost as much as I loved Ryu’s grumpy and temperamental one. Talk about your opposites attracting. And you know what they say about the quiet ones, right? Because when you finally get a peek into Ryu’s intensity in the bedroom, it makes you think twice about the man’s quiet and unassuming personality out of it.

I really enjoyed this and it was a solid 4 stars for me until the ending. It felt a bit abrupt and rushed and gave me none of the resolution I was hoping for. It was a satisfying HFN on the one hand, but I was desperately wishing for an epilogue too. I have a feeling we may be getting more of these two in the next book of this series, but I still couldn’t help but feel a little of my enjoyment fizzle. But that aside, this was still a fantastic and enjoyable read and I’m definitely hooked on the series.

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New Release & Review: Collateral by Natasha Knight

September 23, 2019 by ·

COLLATERAL
Series: Collateral Damage #1
Genre: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: September 23, 2019

Gabriela

Stefan Sabbioni showed up uninvited in my bedroom on my sixteenth birthday. He stood in the shadows smelling of whiskey and death and wrapped a broken, blood-crusted necklace around my neck. I thought he’d strangle me with it.

That night, he left a message for my father. He said he’d be back to take something precious.

I never delivered that message, though. I wonder if things would be different if I had because now, two years later, he’s back. And he’s not hiding in any shadows.

He’s come to make good on his promise.

He’s back to take that something precious.

Me.

Stefan

Marchese is the manipulator of my family’s tragedy. I won’t just bring him to his knees. I’ll bury him for what he did.

Taking his daughter is only the beginning. I’ll do it knowing I’m starting a war. I’ll do it knowing my enemies will become his allies. They’ll stop at nothing to destroy me and he’ll stop at nothing to get her back.

I’ve never shied away from war, though. I’m not one to play nice and I don’t share my toys. I’ll demolish you if you touch what’s mine.

And she is most definitely mine.

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You’re in my world now. And in my world, I make the rules and you obey them. I. Own. You.”

The second I read the blurb to this book, I knew I had to get my grabby little hands on it as quickly as possible. I’m a sucker for a good arranged marriage trope, and when you add in a dark and gritty mafia romance, I’m practically frothing at the mouth in my need.

I’m ridiculously picky with my dark romance reads as of late. There’s just too many books out there  masquerading as dark, when they’re anything but. There’s just something about a well written dark romance that has a feeling to it, an electric current that transfers to the reader. And this book? Oh this book had it in spades. It practically vibrated with a dark electricity that made my fingers tingle with every turn of the page.

What I loved most about it was the utterly slow burn of the developing romance. Gabriela and Stefan are not exactly a love match. They’re a marriage of convenience, a convenience suitable only to Stefan. With years of bad blood between their families, there’s enough dark and hidden secrets that ensure everything ends in bloodshed. Gabriela has always been one thing in her life; a pawn. She was a pawn that her mafioso father used as needed and no one cared of her feelings about it. She’s been hidden away, but she’s not sheltered. She may only be 18 years old, but she’s no where near naive. She know who and what her father is and she’s made peace with her life. When she finds out that her father agreed to give her to Stefan in an agreement she doesn’t quite understand the intricacies of, she’s non too pleased. She may do as she’s told, but she won’t take her fate lying down.

I loved the dueling parts of vulnerability and strength that Gabriela has. It made for an incredibly enchanting and endearing character. This is a woman that has been through so much in her short life, and it certainly sharpened her edges and her tongue. I loved her fierceness. She fights for supremacy with Stefan, even while knowing that’s it’s a failing battle against his dark intensity.

While the romance is a pulse through the story, it doesn’t quite flesh out in this book, and I really loved that about it. It made it that much more believable. There’s just enough to make the reader feel the brewing chemistry between them and give enough of a taste to leave you begging for more.

I’m seriously itching to get my hands on the next book to see how it all comes to a head. BRING IT ON!

USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance, Natasha Knight specializes in dark, tortured heroes. Happily-Ever-Afters are guaranteed, but she likes to put her characters through hell to get them there. She’s evil like that. 

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