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.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

 

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.

Connect with S. Young:

Facebook | Website | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Email | Amazon | Goodreads | Bookbub  

· 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

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2oAkodD

Join Geissinger’s Gang Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2Oj7iMg

Stay up to date by joining J.T.’s mailing list: http://www.jtgeissinger.com/vip-mailing-list/

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.

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

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.


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

 

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.

 

Sign up for Meghan’s newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers: http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe

To get the inside scoop on a daily basis, search Meghan March’s Runaway Readers on Facebook and join the fun!

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

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

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.

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

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.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

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. 

Connect w/Natasha:

Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon | NL Signup

 

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

Review & Giveaway: The Royal Arrangement

September 19, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE ROYAL ARRANGEMENT 
Series: The Rebel Queen Duet #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jeana E. Mann
Release Date: September 17, 2019

A billionaire prince searches for a new wife in this intriguing tale of power and seduction from USA Today bestselling author Jeana E. Mann.

When I walk into a room, people look twice. Once because I’m the Crown Prince of Androvia, and twice because I’m that guy—the one who makes your panties wet with just a smile. My life is grand until the unexpected death of my father. To claim the throne, I’ve got to find a wife in twenty-four hours or be forced to marry the woman who cheated on me.

A chance encounter with the daughter of my sworn enemy changes everything. The first time I saw her, she was chained to a dungeon wall. The second time I saw her, I took her to my bed. The third time, I proposed marriage. If she accepts, I’ll rule her body the same way I intend to rule my kingdom—with an iron hand and no mercy. The stakes are high for both of us. If she turns me down, I could lose the throne to my traitorous uncle. Even worse, if she accepts, I might lose my heart.

Lies, seduction, and the struggle for a kingdom will heat up your e-reader.

 

Grab this page-turning contemporary royalty romance today.

AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO 

He picks me up by the waist, pushing me into the wall behind us, crashing me into the paneling. I wrap a leg around his hip and grind against the steel rod inside his trousers. A primeval growl rumbles from his lips. Hot, wet kisses trail down the column of my neck. I dig my fingers into his short hair.

“I take it things didn’t work out between you and your wank of a boyfriend.” He slips the straps of my gown over my shoulders, baring me to the waist, trapping my arms with the delicate fabric. The breath behind his words burns against my collarbone.

I want to control you. To guide your desires. To make you want things you never knew you wanted. Make you do things you never thought you could do. I want you to beg for mercy and forgiveness. All while I use your body to pleasure my own.”

Sweet.
Baby.
Jesus.

Why is this my first Jeana E. Mann book? Have I been living under a rock? Why has it taken me this long to climb out from underneath it? Seriously, people! I’m kicking my own butt right now and damn if I’m not completely hooked on this author.

When the blurb tells you that this is a page turner, it’s no lie. I binge read this in one sitting. It was so quick paced and sinfully hot, that I couldn’t put it down for even a second.

If there’s one thing that I love in my alphas, it’s intensity. And Henry oozes it from every port. The man is sin on legs and I couldn’t get enough of him. The story is not your stereotypical royal romance; there’s a delicious layer of grit with even a splash of something a little dark to it. There’s also a touch of suspense that adds to a one page-turning read.

We get a good taste of each character that feeds your curiosity and yet leaves you begging for more. I’m absolutely dying for the next book and to see how this all concludes. Welcome to my auto-buy list, Jeana!

The author is giving away a GRAND PRIZE to one winner to include an Echo Dot and a signed book and a $50 Amazon Gift Card (open international).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Jeana is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author from Indiana. She gave up a career in the corporate world to write about sexy billionaires and alpha bad boys. With over twenty books and several awards beneath her belt, she’s never regretted her choice to live out her dream. She’s a free spirit, a wanderer at heart, and loves animals with a passion. When she’s not tripping over random objects, you’ll find her walking in the sunshine with her rambunctious dogs and dreaming about true love.

 

You can follow Jeana here:

Website:http://jeanaemann.net

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

Twitter:https://www.twitter.com/JeanaEMann

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/JeanaEMann

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Jeana-E.-Mann/e/B00HI4KQB4/ref

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jeana-e-mann

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeana.e.mann/

Text Alerts: Text the word “Jeana” without quotations to 21000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Review: Frost and Flame by Gena Showalter

September 18, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

FROST AND FLAME
Series: Gods of War #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: September 17, 2019

From Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author of the Lords of the Underworld saga, comes Frost and Flame , the second book in the scorching paranormal romance series Gods of War.

Bane of Adwaeweth is the most feared immortal warrior in All War history. Possessed by a bloodthirsty beast, he will stop at nothing to win. Then he meets irresistible Nola Lee. He hates the power she wields over him, but she alone can rain vengeance upon his wife’s killer.

Unaware of her destiny to rule as queen of beasts, Nola battles illness, addiction and vulnerability. With Bane, however, she experiences pleasure for the first time, and only wants more. But being with him comes with a terrible price.

With enemies lurking around every corner, Bane and Nola must fight to survive. But time is running out, and neither can resist the sizzling attraction blazing between them. Will their romance save the beast and his beauty, or destroy everything they’ve come to love?

AMAZON 

You are my salvation and my damnation, rolled into one beautiful package.”


Well hot diggity damn, this was great! I’m so happy I gave this series another shot after not quite connecting with the first book, because this one officially hooked me. The connection and chemistry that I found lacking in the first one was absolutely incendiary in this one. Pun intended.

I was so curious about Bane and Nola’s book from the second they appeared in Shadow and Ice. The story here runs parallel to the one in the first book. But I will say that if you haven’t read the first, you may struggle in parts. This story doesn’t go as much into depth into some of the background given in the first, so I’d definitely recommend giving that a read before diving into this one.

Bane was a hero that was impossible not to love even if his hot and cold behavior did make me want to jock punch him more often than not. A dragon shifter, he’s a fierce warrior that is bound to the command of an evil queen that he’s sworn vengeance on. Determined to win the third All War in order to achieve his goal, he knows immediately that Nola plays an intricate part in his revenge.

Nola and Vale are foster sisters and tight as thieves. And while I liked Vale’s character, I absolutely loved Nola. There’s just something so endearing about a woman that’s dealing with an opioid addiction due to her fibro and lupus yet is still fierce as hell. This is not a woman that takes her situation lying down. Her body may be weak, but not her spirit. And I absolutely loved watching her fierceness grow with each chapter. She’s definitely much more than a simple mortal.

The connection between Nola and Bane is instant, even though Bane fights it tooth an nail. Knowing what Nola’s destiny is doesn’t help this matter. Bane already loved and lost, and he’s not looking to let another soon to be evil loyal get her hooks in him. But the more time they spend together, the more he sees just how different Nola is.

As per usual Showalter fashion, the quips and zingers are on point. With a splash of her signature humor and banter, the romance was everything I needed! I loved the internal monologue and I absolutely loved the two of them together. There’s a secondary character introduced that I can’t wait to learn more about, especially with the twist you learn in the end. I’m happy to report that while I felt overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information and too many characters in the first book, this was nothing like it. There was just enough story and plenty of romance to make this an absolute page turner. I did wish we got a little more in the end there because it did feel like it wrapped up much too quick for all of the build up, but it was still satisfying. I’m thinking we’ll be getting a little more on these two in the next book, but even if we don’t, there’s still a satisfying enough conclusion.

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

Review: Entice by Ava Harrison

September 17, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

ENTICE
Genre: Contemporary, Forbidden Romance
Author: Ava Harrison
Release Date: September 16, 2019

Eight years ago, I gave Grayson Price a piece of my heart.

To him, I was the strange girl whose mom had just abandoned her.

To me, he was a savior, an anchor, someone who stood beside me on that beach.

The next time I saw him, I was twenty, and he was thirty-six.

He didn’t remember me.

And when he flirted…

I didn’t tell him.

By the time he found out, it was too late.

We tried to deny our desire, but our attraction was too enticing.

Eight years ago, I gave Grayson Price a piece of my heart.

Too bad he’s my dad’s best friend.

AMAZON 

 

She was an itch I needed to scratch, an addiction I needed to kick, but I needed a few more fixes before I gave her up.

The second I read the blurb to Entice, I knew this would be my first Ava Harrison book. I’m a sucker for a forbidden romance, and it just doesn’t get more forbidden than your father’s best friend.

An age-gap romance is not always an easy one to pull off, but Ava Harrison handled this effortlessly. With fifteen years between them, there’s something about the connection that River and Gray share that just makes sense. Even though River is only twenty-one, she’s definitely mature beyond her years. Having the childhood that she had with a flighty hippy mother and a teenage father that she didn’t know until she was over 12 years old guaranteed that. River struggles with plenty of abandonment issues, but she’s not some spoiled brat, even though she had all the luxuries when she came to live with her father.

Gray is her father’s best friend. Even though they had a falling out years ago, Gray and Tyler are attempting to build their friendship back. Gray is assisting Tyler with a business deal that can make or break Tyler’s life. This added element adds an additional deliciously forbidden layer to River and Gray’s connection.

This is a slow burn since Gray spends a good chunk of the story fighting his attraction to River but ultimately not being strong enough to resist the pull between them. I loved his brooding intensity, even though he had plenty of moments that I wanted to shake him for his stubbornness and cold and hot demeanor.

I really enjoyed the story, though I did feel for how slow and somewhat dragged out the relationship development was, the ending felt a bit rushed and glossed over. I would have loved for the family dynamic and some other things at the end to be further fleshed out. But as it was, it still made for one enticing read. Ha!



Ava Harrison is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author.

When she’s not journaling her life, you can find her window shopping, cooking dinner for her family, or curled up on her couch reading a book.

 

Connect w/Ava:

Website: http://avaharrisonauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/avaharrison333

Instagram: http://instagram.com/AvaHarrisonAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13857011.Ava_Harrison

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2POWs37

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ava-harrison

NL Signup: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/m7k3s9

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

%d bloggers like this: