Review: Mouth To Mouth by Tessa Bailey

November 23, 2018 by ·

MOUTH TO MOUTH
Series: Beach Kingdom #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: November 12, 2018

A man with a prison record has no place around a fresh faced college student.

Tell that to Rory Prince.

He should stay the hell away from Olive Cunningham.

There’s one small problem, though. She won’t stop almost getting killed—and with this too-smart, too-sweet girl holding his heart in her hands, Rory is powerless to do anything but keep saving her.

Homeschooled from a young age, Olive is now out on her own and discovering the world, one milkshake flavor at a time.

Until recently, she has experienced life through books.

She’s walked in a million sets of shoes while flipping pages—enough to know that Rory gives her once-in-a-lifetime feelings.

If only he would stop trying to protect her…from himself.

AMAZON

He was so fucking deep in love with her, he was never going to reach the bottom. The rest of his life would consist of sinking, down, down, down, further into love with this girl. Olive. His Olive. 

Two things that are typically a lady-boner killer for me in books:
1. Insta-love
2. Virginal, sweet and innocent heroine

Two things that this books had:
1. Insta-love
2. Virginal, sweet and innocent heroine

I’m pretty sure that only Tessa Bailey is capable of throwing that at me and making me love it. I’m questioning my entire existence right now because of how much I loved it. Not that I’m going to be binging on insta-anything immediately after. But, if Tessa Bailey writes it? You best believe I’ll be reading it.

Mouth to Mouth is a New Adult romance that’s a deliciously fast paced read. It’s your steryotypical bad boy falling for the good girl trope, but with a Tessa Bailey twist on it. What does that mean? It means that while the heroine is most definitely a good girl, she’s also quirky, spunky, and witty. And the bad boy? A dirty talking god. What else do you expect?

Olive and Rory come from two entirely different worlds. A home schooled book worm that’s out in the real world for the first time on her own meets a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks with a prison record under his belt doesn’t exactly make sense on paper. But when Rory saves the beauty with her nose stuck in her book from getting hit by a car, both their worlds get tilted on their axis. Olive is sweet and innocent. A college student out on her own for the first time ever. Rory is no good for her, but he also can’t keep away from her. He’s drawn into her orbit. And when he saves her life for the second time, all bets are off.

This was such a fun and sexy romance full of Tessa’s signature dirty talk and hot as sin scenes. It also have two incredibly endearing characters that you can’t help but fall for. Both Olive and Rory have their own demons of self worth that they’re fighting, but you root for the the entire way.

It also sets the scene for the other Prince brothers and man oh man does it sound delicious. Especially the MM one. I can’t wait!

If you enjoy a sweet and sexy light-hearted romance, this one is not to be missed!

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

Review: In The Land of Gods and Monsters by Carmen Jenner

November 22, 2018 by · 2 Comments
In the Land of Gods and Monsters
Series: Gods and Monsters #1
Author: Carmen Jenner
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: November 20, 2018
In the land of Gods and Monsters, she was a toy.
A plaything.
A pet.
His pet.
Taken, stolen, beaten, used.
Pet remembers nothing before his touch, and afterward, she craves nothing more.
Sinful and merciless, Ares is her God now.
He alone says when to beg, when to come, and when to kneel, but he never said anything about
leaving.
AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS
99c for a limited time!!

Ares leads me into the darkness, and I have no choice but to follow blindly.

The second I saw the blurb for this book, I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my grabby little hands on it. If I know one thing from my love affair with Carmen Jenner’s other books, the woman knows how to write some dark and gritty stuff. And this reader is RAVENOUS for it!

Now, I feel it fair to warn you that this book is most definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s not just dark, it’s DARK. It skates right past the edge of black and white and right into the gray void of human depravity.

Told in dual POVs, it throws you right into the deep end of the dark waters where pain and pleasure blur, and consent is not a thing that comes to mind. A famous ballerina, her career is all she cares about…until the night she’s taken and her identity is stripped from her along with her memory. She’s left stripped down to her basest urges and questioning everything she thinks she knows. Her captor is a violently captivating enigma. He’s not gentle or nice, but somewhere in the pits of his darkness we get a glimpse into someone else. But it never quite comes out. He’s the master and she’s the pet and their “relationship” is violence and sex.

One day, I’ll escape. I’ll be free, but my freedom will come at a price—Ares’ life. It seems a worthy exchange. After all, he stole my life. It’s only fair that I should take his.

I loved the first 40% of the book. I was at the edge of my seat and a ball of anxiety, both eager and terrified to turn the page. But then somewhere along the line, all of the punishments and sex scenes began to blur into each other. I felt like a good half of them could have been removed, and the story wouldn’t have suffered without them. I wanted more development on the story and the characters, and while that was definitely still there, I couldn’t help wanting more. I’m positive the next installment will ultimately bring the answers and more development, so I can’t wait for that. This installment felt a little stretched out, more so than necessary. It begins strong and ends with a bang. But the parts in the middle felt somewhat unnecessary. There were parts that were shocking, almost too much so. But you have to know to expect that. This felt more like dark erotica than romance, but there’s an undercurrent of something more. Something I’m sure we’ll get in the next book.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to rock myself in a corner in my wait for book two.

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

Excerpt & Review: Control by K. Bromberg

November 21, 2018 by · 1 Comment

CONTROL
Series: Everyday Heroes #3.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: November 13, 2018

“Sometimes love happens unexpectedly…”

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K Bromberg, comes CONTROL, a new novella in her Everyday Heroes Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today!

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author K. Bromberg comes a new story in her Everyday Heroes series…

Control is something Desi Whitman abhors. Why live life in black and white perfection when you can messily color outside the lines?

But when she comes face to face with SWAT officer Reznor Mayne, he’s about to show her just how good control can feel.

Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.

AMAZON

 

“That ego of yours is going to be sore tomorrow.”“Why’s that?” he asks.

“It’s working out right now, flexing its muscles and doing some heavy lifting.” It’s pretty damn hard to be sarcastic when the man still touching you is making you want to lean in and kiss those sexy lips of his and prove just how right he is.

And just how wrong you are.

A sheepish smile paints his lips. “Ah, but you like the muscles.”

I like a whole lot more than the muscles.

“Mmm.” It’s all I trust myself to say.

He leans in closer. I can feel his breath feather over my lips and the look in his eyes—one that says his interest is as strong as mine: hungry and aroused as hell—is enough to make every part of me want to step forward and into him.

But I don’t.

I want to.

But I also want to slow down whatever the hell this is.

“Hey, Desi,” he murmurs as he leans in close enough that both of our eyes flicker down to the other’s lips as we breathe the same air.

“Hmm?”

“You look gorgeous in that color.”

Oh sh*t.

I just swooned.

First flutters.

Now swooning.

Both are things I never do.

“Thank you.” My voice is barely audible when I finally swallow around the lump of desire clouding in my throat.

“For?” he asks, the rumble of his voice a seduction all in itself.

“For fixing my sprinklers.”

“And?”

“And for the compliment.”

His tongue darts out to wet his lips. “No need to thank me.”

Time feels like it slows as we stand like this in the afternoon sunlight on my patio—me in a bright yellow sundress and him in mud-soaked jeans. The birds chirp above. My heart pounds in my ears. My nipples harden in anticipation.

Jesus, just kiss me already, will you?

“Desi?”

“Yeah?”

Just as I get my synapses to fire and lean in and take the initiative myself, he takes a step back and says, “I need to take a shower.”

I draw in a shaky breath as his eyes remain on mine and their corners crease with his smile.

“It’s a good look for you though.” Nice recovery, Des. At least outwardly it is, because inside I’m kind of a wreck with more want than I care to admit to.

“I don’t need to have mud on me to get dirty.”

He winks, gives me one last once-over with eyes that relay every single thing they want to do to me, before he turns on his heel and heads in the direction of his house.

 

Control (Everyday Heroes #3.5; 1001 Dark Nights, #92)Control by K. Bromberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 STARS


There was no softness, no tenderness—just stripped-down necessity in that first kiss.


I’ve loved sassy and quirky Desi ever since we first met her as the bff in Cuffed. And I couldn’t wait to meet the man that will shake up her world.

Demi doesn’t believe in forever. At least not with a man. Dogs? Absolutely! As the owner of Doggy Style, she loves her furry companions. But she hasn’t had much luck with men. They lie, they cheat, and what’s the point of forever when you can have the now? Her bestie may be happily settled down, but that’s not in her cards. When a home invasion leaves her seeking self defense classes, she stumbles on a man that won’t take anything less than everything she has to give.

Reznor is a SWAT commander that’s recovering in Desi’s small town after a job went terribly wrong. A change of pace is what he needs and teaching women self defense is the perfect escape. He doesn’t expect the mouthy beauty that steals all of his attention. And he certainly doesn’t expect to work so hard for her to take a chance on them. But that’s exactly what he does.

I loved Rez and Desi together. I loved the way that Rez pursues her with a singleminded intent. I love how Desi really makes him work for it. Their chemistry is absolutely incendiary and I couldn’t get enough of them. I did with for slightly more background on Desi to truly understand and connect with her fear of commitment. However, for a short novella, this was still entirely satisfying. It was fun, sexy, and quick paced. I devoured it in one sitting. A fantastic addition to a great series!

New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, and Down Shift), and a novella (UnRaveled).

 Website | Facebook | Twitter

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#DGRFave & Review: Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart

November 19, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

HEARTBREAK WARFARE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart
Release Date:

Briggs,

Remember when we parted ways in Germany? It was the day I broke your heart. What you didn’t know was that I was breaking mine too.

I thought they’d be enough–my husband and my son. That I’d get home and everything would go back to the way it was . . .

Before the war.
Before the ambush.
Before you.

But, no matter how hard I try, I can’t erase the trauma we shared. I can’t seem to forget the way my heart beat in time with yours.

The truth is I’m lost without you.

I thought the nightmare was over when they pulled us from that hole in the ground, but nothing could have prepared me for the war I’d face at home.
I know it’s selfish of me to ask, but, please, I have to see you one last time. . .

All my love,
Scottie

AMAZON

She’s handed my heart back to me, and I’m unsure of how I’ll handle its new broken rhythm. 

Oh.
My.
Heart.

It hurts. It hurts so good. This book WRECKED me. It absolutely wrecked me. It owned me, shattered me, and put me back together. It was one of the best books I read this year. PERIOD.

There are only two things in life I’m sure of: my love of this country and my love for you, only one can I do anything about.

I love a story that can take me out of my comfort zone and make me feel. And Heartbreak Warfare is certainly a book that will make you feel. It’s a gut-wrenching, rip-your-heart-out, cry like a baby, unforgettable story that owned me from beginning to finish.

As a reader, I don’t like love triangles. I don’t enjoy fabricated angst and drama for the sake of drama. I hate rooting for the guy that turns out not to get the girl in the end. I just don’t do it. It makes me ragey. But in the case of this book? Man. I’m speechless. It totally worked here.

Katy Scott is leaving her beloved family to be deployed. As an army medic, she’s seen it all. But nothing prepares her for what she’s about to experience. While on tour she meets Briggs, an infantry soldier that doesn’t seem to take much seriously. The connection between them is immediate, but Katy loves her husband and will never betray him. And then the unspeakable happens…

I don’t want to give too much away about this story, but I will tell you that it’s not for the faint of heart. What Katy and Briggs go through du is absolutely devastating. The authors spare no detail and you can’t help but experience the earth shattering losses along with them. It was GUT WRENCHING to
read.

Katy comes back a different woman. Her adjustment to life as a civilian is full of darkness and pain. I think what made this book as compelling as it was, was the fact that you get all three POVs; Katy’s, Brigg’s, and her husband Gavin. Kate doesn’t set out to fall in love with another man. But her experience also changes her and the only one that truly knows and understands what she went through is Briggs.

This is not a story that’s black and white. It’s rooted in the gray area of pain and loss. Katy’s character was such a powerfully written one. This is a woman that’s been through hell and it’s changed her. You understand her. You can’t help but experience all of her pain along with her. It connects you with her on a whole different level. I love the fact that no one is villainized. Both Briggs and Gavin are amazing. AMAZING. And I think that’s what made this story as difficult to read and incredible as it was. You want to root for both of them, but you ultimately know where Katy’s heart will lead. And it makes sense. It really REALLY does.

There is nothing gentle about his kiss. This is passion, doused in kerosene and set on fire. It’s a declaration of war, and I’m nowhere near ready for the feel of it, but I take it all as he hungrily sweeps my mouth with his tongue. 


I respect the hell out of these authors for handling certain subject matters the way that they did without shying away from giving the reader the gritty details. And while it was absolutely devastating to read at times, it was also incredibly powerful.

I feel like I’ve been through the wringer after finishing this book, but it was an experience unlike any other. An intensely emotional, one of a kind sort of read that I recommend EVERYONE needs to experience. I’m blown away, gutted, and simply captivated by this story. It will own my heart for a long time because I just don’t see myself forgetting even one little detail any time soon.

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Review: Bloodstained Beauty by Ella Fields

November 8, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

BLOODSTAINED BEAUTY
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Ella Fields
Release Date: November 6, 2018

Fresh out of college and headed straight for my dream job, I didn’t think things could get any better.
Then I met my dream man.

In an instant, my happy ever after had begun.
The life I’d stumbled into was beautiful, and the man I loved was perfect.
But perfection comes at a cost, and I’d slumbered through all the alarms.

Then I met my nightmare.
The man whose bright eyes held untamed darkness.
The man who disarmed me with his peculiar behavior.
The man whose cold, merciless hands shook me awake.
In an instant, questions started to dismantle my happy ever after.

But whoever said the truth would set you free was wrong.
It wasn’t going to repair the cracks in my naive heart.
It wasn’t going to caress my face with comforting hands and reassure me it was all just a dream.
No, the truth shoved me down a rabbit hole, and I landed in the lair of a real-life monster.

AMAZON

Fairy tales, those perfect happy endings, were indeed for suckers. Suckers who could very well wind up dead.

I’m going to keep it real with you all here and admit that I didn’t even bother to read the blurb before adding this book for two very simple reasons:
1. It’s Ella Fields. She writes it, I read it.
2. That cover. Don’t you judge me either! Tell me you didn’t want to lick it when you saw it. TELL ME!

But I digress as usual.

This book? Nothing like what I expected. It was like a dark and gritty take on Beauty and The Beast. It sucked me in with the prologue and kept me riveted to the pages until the end. I was on the edge of my seat with every twist and turn. You only thing you know what’s happening when the author takes a sudden u-turn and everything you thought you knew is left in ashes.

Benevolent tenderness oozed from his heart even as blood and violence tainted his soul.

This story truly breaks the mold to the typical romance formula. It’s nothing like I expected and it owned me from beginning to finish. I’m used to the fact that Ella Fields will always bring me out of my comfort zone as a reader, and she definitely didn’t disappoint here.

While I’d love to tell you exactly what this book is about, I’d be doing you a disservice. You need to experience this story blind. And that’s exactly what you’ll do; you’ll experience it. That blurb is vague and for good reason. That’s precisely how my review will be, too.

Jemima is a heroine that’s unique in her own right. She’s a little naive and a tender heart. She hasn’t really experienced heartbreak, deceit, or betrayal in her young age. But then a chance encounter tilts her entire world on it’s axis. You know the pivotal moment that comes with her choices, because you experience it with the prologue. But instead of putting you at ease because you know what’s coming, it does the exact opposite. The story lulls you into a false sense of security, as you wait for that other shoe to drop. You think you know how and when it happens, but you really don’t.

As for the other main character, or the anti-hero really? I’m not going to tell you much. But what I will say is that he’s one of the most magnetic and intense characters and you know next to nothing about him for the majority of the story. I was salivating for just the tiniest hint into the back void that is him. And this man is dark. There’s not much gray there, trust me.

Bloodstained Beauty was one deliciously gritty read. If you’re looking for a read that’s as unique as it is riveting, this is a must read!

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Review: Siren In Bloom by Lexi Blake

November 6, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SIREN IN WAITING
Series: Texas Sirens #6
Genre: Erotic Romance, Menage, MFM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: November 6, 2018

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

For psychologist Leo Meyer, peace and comfort come through strict discipline and order. It’s one of the reasons he was chosen by Julian Lodge to be the Dom in residence at his club. His time there has been a near-perfect existence filled with a daily routine free from the chaos of emotional attachment. With the exception of his brief relationship with Shelley McNamara, that is. She may have been the only woman he ever truly loved, but he was confident he had put her out of his mind until she walked into his club on the arm of another man.

Shelley McNamara is tired of waiting for her new life to begin. After finally finding freedom from an abusive marriage, she is eager to discover who she really is. After her encounter with Leo Meyer, she knows that the first thing she wants to explore is the lifestyle he exposed her to during their brief time together. She’s been promised her new Dom will be an excellent fit, but she can’t imagine anyone could fill the hole left by Leo. Until she sees Master Wolf.

After a devastating injury forced his retirement from the Navy SEALs, Wolf has been restless and lost. Hoping to reconnect with his estranged family in Dallas, Wolf accepted a new job working for Julian Lodge. His first assignment is training a beautiful woman named Shelley. Her fiery nature unlocks feelings he didn’t know he was capable of after a life spent in combat. The closer they become, the more certain he is that she is his ideal mate. The only catch is that her relationship with Leo may not be as resolved as they both believed.

Just when Shelley believes the looming shadow of her deceased husband has finally cleared away, a dangerous killer arrives at her door seeking retribution. Leo and Wolf will have to put their grievances aside, leverage all their training, and work together to keep her safe and claim her heart.

AMAZON

This series has a formula that just does it for me each and every single time. It just works. Lexi sure knows how to write one deliciously sinful menage, and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. I also loved the crossover of series here between the Texas Sirens and Bliss. For those that love Bliss like I do, you’ll be excited to see Logan make an appearance here. But of course the stars of the story are Leo, Wolf and Shelley.

Leo has always had a thing for Shelley. Unfortunately Shelley has always been the woman that he wanted but couldn’t have. Shelley may not be happily married, but she’s still taken. When he finally puts his heart on the line and takes a chance, she turns him down and changes the course of their relationship. Now her husband is out of the picture, her life has been tilted on its axis through everything she’s been through, and she’s still desperately in love with Leo that looks right through her. Enter Julian with his solution; a Dom to introduce her to the lifestyle…who also happens to be Leo’s younger brother.

I love the relationship development in these books. There’s always the one man that’s all in and then there’s the broody one. Wolf was all in the second he laid eyes on Shelley. He knew she was the one and he’s determined to make things work. He also knows that the only future they have is if his stubborn brother finally sees the light. Shelley was a wonderful heroine. She certainly gives as well as she takes. And with two Doms like Leo and Wolf, let’s just say she takes a lot. Uhem.

There’s also the added element of suspense with the plot against Shelley’s life and plenty of action to spice things up. That made this already deliciously addicting read a quick paced page turner. Another fantastic addition in what’s now become my guilty pleasure series. Huge rec if you enjoy a well written MFM.

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Review: Beautiful Sinner by Sophie Jordan

November 3, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

BEAUTIFUL LAWMAN
Series: Devil’s Rock #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sophie Jordan
Release Date: October 30, 2018

Locked in with the town bad boy . . .

Most women would be scared, but Gabriella’s only worried about resisting Cruz Walsh, who’s even hotter than he was back in high school. Cruz was wrongly accused of the high-profile crime for which he was imprisoned; Gabriella’s desperate for the scoop that will get her career off the ground and get her out of Sweet Hill, where everyone still remembers her as “Flabby Gabby.” Being stuck in a supply closet with Cruz is the perfect opportunity to land an interview. What Bri doesn’t count on is Cruz taking “up-close and personal” to a whole new level.

If there’s a silver lining to the hell Cruz went through, it’s that losing his freedom put everything in perspective. Maybe starting over someplace new would be easier, but after years locked up, Cruz values his family—and his true friends—more than ever. So he’s back home, facing the gossip, dodging reporters . . . and face-to-face with Gabriella Rossi. They’ve both changed: Bri wants a story and Cruz just wants her. Another thing he’s learned? Don’t let a good thing slip away.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Remembering him was easy. Forgetting less so.

I’ve been dying for Cruz’s book ever since I read Beautiful Lawman. There’s just something so deliciously angsty about a man that spends years in prison for a crime he didn’t come back only to come back to the small town in which he’s always been the boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Then the heroine is the cousin of the woman he was accused of murdering. Sign. Me. Up.

Admittedly Gabriella took a while for me to warm up to. She’s not my particular cuppa when it comes to heroines. She has deep rooted insecurities that date back to her high school years that even as an adult she hasn’t been able to kick. She allows everyone to walk all over her, ranging from her sister, to her a-hole ex and current boss, to the random mean girls from her high school days that still act like they’re sixteen. This wore on me at times.

But then somewhere around halfway through the book things took a turn for the better. Gabriella began to grow a spine and truly come into her own. She began to see her own appeal and not seek validation in any compliment thrown her way by Cruz.

Now Cruz.
*pervy sigh*
This man made the book for me.

So you have to realize that I’m going to ruin you for any other man. When we fuck, Rossi, it’s going to feel like the thing you need most in your life. Forget about food and water. Me. Between your legs. You’re going to need it like air to survive.

He was a sinful combination of intense, broody, and vulnerable. I absolutely adored him. My heart broke for what he endured to spare his sister and what he continues to endure in the small minded town he lives in. I loved his singleminded intent when it came to Gabriella. I also really enjoyed their connection that dates back to high school and a certain mysterious encounter.


He was the dream she never forgot.

The romance between them was a slow burn and perfectly paced. I really enjoyed watching Gabriella finally grow into a woman that can stand up for herself. And I especially loved the way she stood up for Cruz even when others didn’t. There was something almost childishly innocent about her, and yet it worked for me.

And while the romance was a slow burn, the story certainly wasn’t. I enjoyed the pacing and the way things unraveled even if I did find there to be a tad too much small town drama at times. Between the sister, the sister’s ex, the mean girls from high school, Gabriella’s self esteem issues, Cruz’s reputation, and everything with Gabriella’s boss, I couldn’t help but feel all of it wasn’t necessary. But it also didn’t bother me to take away from the story, so I can’t complain too much. Though I think the story would have still been solid enough with just half of those things.

Beautiful Sinner was a delicious slow burn romance of second chances and love against all odds. If you enjoy a good convict romance, this one will fit the bill quite nicely.

THE SERIES

ALL CHAINED UP | HELL BREAKS LOOSE | FURY ON FIRE | BEAUTIFUL LAWMAN

 

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Review: Royally Yours by Emma Chase

October 31, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

ROYALLY YOURS
Series: Royally #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: October 30, 2018

New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase returns with a sweet and sexy standalone in the Royally Series.

Princess Lenora Celeste Beatrice Arabella Pembrook had an unusual childhood. She was raised to be a Queen—the first Queen of Wessco.

It’s a big deal.

When she’s crowned at just nineteen, the beautiful young monarch is prepared to rule. She’s charming, clever, confident and cunning.

What she isn’t… is married.

It’s her advising council’s first priority. It’s what Parliament is demanding, and what her people want.

Lenora has no desire to tie herself to a man—particularly one who only wants her for her crown. But compromises must be made and royals must do their duty.

Even Queens. Especially them.

**

Years ago, Edward Langdon Richard Dorian Rourke, walked away from his title and country. Now he’s an adventurer—climbing mountains, exploring jungles, going wherever he wants, when he wants—until family devotion brings him home.

And a sacred promise keeps him there.

To Edward, the haughty, guarded little Queen is intriguing, infuriating…and utterly captivating. Wanting her just might drive him mad—or become his greatest adventure.

**

Within the cold, stone walls of the royal palace—mistrust threatens, wills clash, and an undeniable, passionate love will change the future of the monarchy forever.

Every dynasty has a beginning. Every legend starts with a story.

This is theirs.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N 

Making a life with you will be my greatest adventure, Lenora.”


If you’re anything like me, then there’s been one character throughout this entire series that has absolutely captivated you. When I saw that Queen Lenora will be getting a book, I just about squealed in excited glee.

This book is a slight step away from the tone of the rest of the series. Yes, it’s a wonderfully swoony royal romance told in a way that only Emma Chase can write, but it’s also more. So much more. Royally Yours is Lenora’s story. It’s not just the story of how she fell in love. It’s the story of how she became queen. The life events that shaped her into the strong and independent woman that she is. It’s a story of her hidden vulnerabilities and devastating losses. It’s a story of how her duty became her greatest joy. And it’s a story of how life’s saddest moments also led her to her heart’s greatest joy. It’s also a story that begins in the 50’s.

While the book read super fast, I’ll admit it took a minute for me to get into. Unlike the others in this series, the romance doesn’t quite begin right away. But after sitting back and thinking on my rating, I don’t think it would have been right to write Lenora’s story any other way. The reader needed this background to connect with her. We needed to see the vivacious woman behind the icy exterior. Lenora’s story isn’t an easy one. It’s one that made me laugh and had me breaking down in tears. It was real. It wasn’t sugar coated. And it completely sucked me in.

The last thing the song queen wants, is to stand in the shadow of a man. But when her crown is at risk, she agrees to an arranged marriage.

Edward left his title behind to travel the world. An adventurer at heart, he never thought he’d find himself back in the place he couldn’t wait to leave behind. Lenora’s ice queen presence almost fools him at first, but then he gets a glimpse at the girl that she hides beneath the queen front, and he can’t help but fall.

The romance is easy, without any angst or added drama to take away from the heart of the book. While I wish there was slightly more development with the romance, as much as we had with Lenora’s backstory, it was still satisfying. You can’t help but feel 100% connected to this couple. There’s just something about them that simply draws you in without any added flare. I adore this series, and this book was the perfect icing on the cake. A must read for all Emma Chase fans.

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Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

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#DGRFave & Review: Ballistic by @KeriLake

October 30, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

BALLISTIC
Series: Vigilantes #3
Genre: Dark, Contemporary Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date: October 30, 2018add-to-goodreads-button-2

A life for a life.

On the streets of Detroit, it’s the code we live by. You take from me, I take from you. A balance of power, and a ceaseless war between rivals.

As a foster kid from the projects, I never had much, besides an unshakable addiction to women and drugs. Only took one glance into the amber eyes of a slave for me to realize my two worst vices could be one and the same.

And the woman behind those eyes quickly became my obsession.

Nicoleta is more than she seems. An enigma I’m determined to crack before time runs out and our enemies hunt her down. Except, she moves by her own trajectory, an unstoppable bullet on the warpath to track down the men who murdered a girl from her past.

Me? I’m the rogue whose path is less predictable. A junkie, fiending for the one thing I shouldn’t want: the only woman who gets me high. I want to keep her for myself, but when the unstoppable bullet finally hits her mark and secrets begin to unravel, another life must be paid.
A heart for a heart.

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Review5 stars

We were as tragically beautiful and fragile as a dead rose. Two souls, broken beyond redemption.

If you’ve read any book by Keri Lake, then you already know that the woman can write a dark, gritty and captivating story like no other. She has this amazing ability to suck the readers into the dark abyss that are her books and keep them at the edge of their seat from beginning to finish. She’ll throw twist after twist your way until you don’t know which side is up. But one thing you’ll know for sure is that you didn’t just read a book of hers, you experienced it.

I silenced his argument with a kiss, feeling his fingers curl into my flesh. His mouth tasted like whiskey and sorrow, wrapped in guilt. A familiar cocktail.

I’ve been waiting for Dax’s story for what feels like forever. Ever since he watched helplessly as a young girl was driven away by one of the criminals he’d been after. He’s been searching for her ever since, only to hit one dead end after another. Until finally he finds her. But Nicoleta is not at all what she seems. And Dax definitely never saw a storm like her coming.

…my Nicoleta. The embodiment of fortitude and resilience. A brand of beauty that couldn’t be replicated because one would have to walk through absolute hell to acquire it.

While this is set in the Vigilantes series, you can easily read it as a standalone. Though I highly recommend the other two books as some of the story arcs do carry over. Ballistic was a whole different beast in this series with Nicoleta being the one seeking revenge. I loved the way that Keri Lake balanced the scales with the two characters. Nicoleta really took the driver’s seat in a lot of the story, but Dax never blended into the background. He was no less alpha and no less intense in his need to be the tool she uses to mete out her punishment. I LOVED this delicious turn of roles.

Nicoleta was a mystery wrapped in nightmares; nightmares of a hell that she’s lived through and a past she barely remembers. This is a woman that’s absolutely shattered, but she’s not weak. She’s vengeance and hell, pain and retribution. She’s a fiery ball of hatred and passion, and she was the perfect balance to Dax’s intensity.

This was a dark and twisty page turner of a story filled with blood, vengeance, and a love amongst the ashes. It sucked me in right into the dark underbelly of the worst sort of underground crime imaginable and those that rose out of the ashes of the pain it brought. It was deliciously twisty. It had me a ball of anxiety with my heart in my throat the entire time. It made me cringe. It made me cry. It made shiver in anticipation. In a word? It was UNPUTDOWNABLE!

DON’T MISS THE REST OF THE SERIES

RICOCHET (Vigilantes #1)
READ MY 5 STAR REVIEW HERE

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The only sure way to destroy a man is to take what he cannot live without.

Three years ago, I had everything.

A beautiful wife.
A son.
A reason for living.

Until a ruthless task force, assembled under Mayor Michael Culling, with a brutal strategy to make the streets of Detroit ‘safe’, ripped away everything I loved in a deadly hunt called The Culling.

They tried to kill me, too. I wish they had. Now I’m cursed by the memories of that night, and the words I whispered to my dying wife.

A promise—to avenge the wrong and set it right.

I’m no longer Nick Ryder. I’m a masked vigilante. Faceless. Loveless. Fearless. A man with nothing left to lose—one who’s seen the dark and violent truth behind the city’s flawless veneer.

Michael Culling doesn’t know who I am. Or what I want. All he knows is that I’ve kidnapped his beautiful wife.

An eye for an eye—isn’t that how the saying goes? And Aubree Culling is the perfect pawn to destroy him.

If she doesn’t destroy me first.

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BACKFIRE (Vigilantes #2)
READ MY 5 STAR REVIEW HERE

Backfire+FOR+WEB

This book is a standalone set in the same world as Ricochet.

No matter how unbreakable he may seem, every man has a weakness.

A year ago, my home became a bloodstained crime scene. That night marked the beginning of my hell—the same night I was tortured by my enemies and tossed into an underground prison to die.

They failed. I survived.

Now that I’m free, only one motive burns in my soul: revenge.

Lucky for me, they think Jase Hawkins is dead. Maybe I am. I’ve got nothing but a cold, merciless rage, and Black Betty, the sharp steel blade that never leaves my side.

Then she drifts into my life.

Lucia wants answers—so much so, she’s willing to fall into the darkness where my enemies lie in wait, to kill her for what she knows.

Or to take her for the depraved fantasies her body alone can rouse in a man’s mind.

Me? I want her for the fire in her touch that feeds my addiction, forces me to feel what has become numb, but my appetite for bloodshed runs deeper than flesh.

For my own sanity, I’ve vowed to stay away from her. Because she’s my only weakness, an obsession that leaves me craving more—one that could make even the most steadfast plan backfire.

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#DGRFave Review & Excerpt: Fall by @Kris10Callihan

October 26, 2018 by ·

FALL
Series: VIP #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Date: October 23, 2018

The first time I met Jax Blackwood things went a little sideways.

In my defense, I didn’t know he was Jax Blackwood—who expects a legendary rock star to be shopping for groceries? More importantly, a blizzard was coming and he was about to grab the last carton of mint-chocolate chip.

Still, I might have walked away, but then he smugly dared me to try and take the coveted ice cream. So I kissed him. And distracted that mint-chip right out of his hands.

Okay, it was a dirty move, but desperate times and all that. Besides, I never expected he’d be my new neighbor.

An annoying neighbor who takes great pleasure in reminding me that I owe him ice cream but would happily accept more kisses as payment. An irresistible neighbor who keeps me up while playing guitar naked–spectacularly naked–in his living room.

Clearly, avoidance is key. Except nothing about Jax is easy to ignore—not the way he makes me laugh, or that his particular brand of darkness matches mine, or how one look from him melts me faster than butter under a hot sun.

Neither of us believes in love or forever. Yet we’re quickly becoming each other’s addiction. But we could be more. We could be everything.

All we have to do is trust enough to fall.

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Stella Button, the moment you ripped that ice cream out of my hand, you knocked me off-balance. All I could do was fall.”

This book.
THIS. BOOK.
*flails happily*

This is, hands down, my favorite Kristen Callihan book to date. A poignantly written, slow burn, friends to lovers romance that was brimming with emotion; Fall owned my heart from beginning to finish. It sucked me in from the beginning and kept me glued to the pages with two incredibly multi-layered, raw, and endearing characters. Jax and Stella were everything. Simply everything!

Oh how I loved this book. Let me count the ways!!!

1. One broken yet devastatingly swoony rockstar.

I want her under me, over me, beside me. I want to dedicate hours memorizing the pattern of her freckles, each curve and dip of her body. I want her body against mine until her scent is in my skin. I want to taste her, to fuck her, to laugh with her. I want everything.

Jax is a man that has been to the dark bottom of emotion, and almost didn’t make his way up.
I really have to applaud the author in just how well she handled such a sensitive matter as depression and suicide. There was just something so real and raw about Jax that you couldn’t help but love. He captivates the reader from the very first page, and you only fall harder and harder under his magnetism and charisma the more you read. As one of the front man of a famous band, Jax is no stranger to all the women that his fame brings. But one quirky redhead that’s set to kiss him out of his ice cream at a grocery store manages to tilt his world on his axis.

2. Stella
She was just so perfectly imperfect. She was completely extraordinary in her ordinariness. Without giving much away, this is a heroine that just wins you over with her quirky, selfless, and loving personality. And then she makes you fall in love with her strength, perseverance, heart, and hints of vulnerability.

Stella works some of the oddest jobs, yet they make her happy. And when her job as a pet sitter land her one rockstar neighbor that she stole ice cream from with a kiss and never expected to see again? Well, let’s just say, things get interesting. Which brings me to the next thing…

3. The banter. OMG! THE BANTER!!

Oh my cock—god. My cock—godcockgod…” She flails her hands. “God. I meant God. God-cock. Argh!”
Her flustered blather ends in a gurgle and a new tide of rapid hand flapping. Even though her sudden appearance scared the shit out of me—until I realized it was Stella and not some stalker who’d gotten in—a laugh escapes me.
“My cock is godlike, so I can see the confusion.”
Her face flames bright red. “Dick.”
“It goes by that name too.” I wink at her.

4. The delicious, and I mean DELICIOUS slow burn romance. It hurt SO GOOD.

I meet her blue eyes and call out—God knows what. Sound tears from my throat, but I don’t hear it past my pounding ears. I look at Stella and fall into the abyss. I. Am. Wrecked.

5. The secondary characters. I love the brotherly camaraderie the band shares. I love the friendship between Jax and Killian. I NEED a book for Whip and Rye.

This book was sheer perfection. It captivated and ruined me. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me swoon. I absolutely loved it. I loved everything about it. Everyone needs to read this book. I just can’t recommend it enough.

The air between us shifts. I’m filled with a strange giddiness, wanting to laugh for the fun of it, but I’m also too warm, my limbs oddly heavy as if simple movements might be too much for me.His tone turns soft and cajoling, teasing the truth out of me. “Are you going to tell me what you do?” When I say nothing, the corners of his eyes crinkle. “I see. You’re going to torture me a bit.”The warm, fuzzy feeling grows as I shrug. “Torture feels apropos in this scenario.”

He hums again, taking another step toward me. “What makes you think I won’t like being tortured by you?”

The heat of his body and the scent of his skin makes my head light and my pulse pound. How did it get to this point where the highlight of my day is flirting with Jax Blackwood? Despite the thrill, I know I’m in over my head. I haven’t gone out on a date in months because I form attachments, I get emotional, and then I hurt when they inevitably leave. And this man will leave. He is as bright and fleeting as a camera flash. I’ll be left with the image of him seared into my memory and nothing more.

I tell myself all of this, the voice in my head as stern as possible. But it doesn’t make me back away. It doesn’t stop my body from somehow straining toward his without even moving. Because it might be stupid of me, but I want to feel something that isn’t planned. Something, for however briefly, that’s real.

He’s too attuned to me not to notice. John’s lids lower as his attention slides down my body before easing back up to my face. Slowly, he rests his forearm on the wall beside my head. “Tell me, Stella,” he murmurs.

“No,” I whisper back, flirting, even though I shouldn’t.

His biceps bunch as he leans in, a smile dancing on his lips. “Tell.”

My breasts graze his chest, and I feel it in my toes.

“You’re crowding me.” I hate how breathy I sound.

“Can’t help it.” His voice is a rumble, the heat of his breath playing over my skin. He ducks his head, drawing close until our lips nearly brush, and when he speaks again, his tone is almost conversational, except for the husky quality that touches deep within my core. “You smell like strawberries. Fucking delicious.”

My lids flutter, and I swallow hard. “Ordinarily, I’d call you out on that cliché but since I’ve been eating strawberries, you aren’t exactly wrong.”

His chuckle is slow and easy, as he eases back and his gaze slowly travels over my face. “Were they sweet, Stella Button?”

He’s looking at my mouth like he might try to find out. My lips tremble in response, and John tracks the movement, his breathing getting deeper, faster. “You have two freckles on your lips. One on the top lip and one on the bottom corner.”

Those damn freckles. They were the bane of my adolescence. I hid them with lipstick and silently cursed whenever someone mentioned them.

Freckles don’t have any feelings, but I swear it’s as if he’s touching them.

“You’re just noticing this?” I try to make it sound like a joke, but it comes out weak and thready.

His own lips quirk. “Oh, I noticed. It’s distracting as hell. They’re like two little dots of butter toffee. Makes me want to lick them, get a taste.”

Oh, God. Lick them, please. I can almost feel it. I want to feel it.

No. Bad Stella. Behave.

John’s lips part a fraction like he just might take that taste.

“Back off,” I whisper. And yet somehow my traitorous hands find their way to his sides, running over the waistband of his jeans, holding him there.

John makes a sound deep in his throat and tilts his hips, pressing them against mine. A distinctly thick bulge nudges my belly. Both of us lose a breath, and then he’s closer, his cheek touching my temple. “You’ll have to let me go first.”

My thumbs slide under the edge of his shirt and find smooth, taut skin. A tremor goes through his body. I try to think, search for what the hell we’ve been talking about.

His lips brush the crest of my cheek as he murmurs against my skin. “Tell me what you do, Stella. You know you want to.”

My smile feels illicit. Somehow the action is directly tied to all my happy parts, making them draw hot and tight. “I don’t think I do.”

Another hum. “Liar. You’re dying to.”

 

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

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