#DGRFave & Review: Devastate by @pamgodwinbooks

DEVASTATE 
Series: Deliver #4
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: February 6, 2018

“What is the price you’re willing to pay?”
“Money isn’t an issue.”
“I’m not talking about money.”

Tate is on the hunt to find his best friend’s sister.

Eleven years ago, Lucia Dias was abducted.

Presumed dead. He never met her, so why does he care?

Some might call his efforts noble, but his motivation is more perverse, bordering on obsession.

When he follows a chilling lead to Venezuela’s Kidnap Alley, what he finds is neither a corpse nor a captive.

Amid poisonous lies and crippling depravity, the price of love is devastation.

And he pays.

With his body, his blood, and her life.

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The price of love is devastation.”

Holy.
Freaking.
SHIT.

It’s been a long LONG while since I read a dark romance so dark that I actually needed a mental health break after reading it. This book completely destroyed me. In the best way possible. But I still doubt I’ll ever be the same. I don’t remember the last time I read a story that had me riveted to the pages, with one eye closed, anxiety in the pit of my stomach, and an undeniable feeling of dread the entire time. It was one of those stories that you simply experience. And then find yourself in need of sunshine, unicorns, and rainbows immediately after. Because holy shit! Have I already said that? HOLY. SHIT.

What a cruel thing love was, silent and desolate in its torture. How ironic that loving someone was the thing that hurt the most.

First of all, while this book introduces a different couple, I really don’t recommend it out of order. A lot of the backstory would simply be lost on you. Do yourself a favor and read the series in order. Trust me. Tate is a character that I first became intrigued with in Vanquish, and was practically salivating for his story by Disclaim. I was dying to know who the woman would be that would get him over his unrequited love for Camila. But suffice it to say, I never saw coming just where Pam was going to take his story.

Long thought dead, the disappearance of Camila’s sister, Lucia has been a mystery. Determined to find proof of life or her death once and for all, Tate finds himself in the belly of the beast. Venezuela’s Kidnap Alley is not a place anyone goes to voluntarily. Certainly not anyone who doesn’t have a death wish. But going straight into the pits of hell that’s ran by a ruthless killer is exactly what Tate does. But nothing could prepare him for what he finds.

Sorrow existed to breed happiness. Pain gave rise to pleasure. Loss brought about exploration.

This book is almost impossible to review. I feel like every tiny morsel of a detail could be a possible spoiler. And the less you know about this story, the better.

What I can tell you, is that I fell head over heels for Tate. This man has been to the pits of hell and managed to climb his way out. And now he steps right back into danger voluntarily for his love of a woman that will never return his feelings. I was terrified that the woman he ends up with will feel like a consolation prize. But I should have known better than to doubt the brilliance of Pam Godwin. She pulled it off flawlessly. Because this depraved relationship that was built on hope and pain was nothing short of breathtaking.

She tasted like sin and paradise, a sweet combination that would never tire, never completely sate, because he would always want more.
More of her mouth.
More of her pussy.
More of this.

Lucia was this eerie combination of strength and pain. You want to judge her for who she is and what she does, yet it’s impossible. There’s so many layers to both of these characters, that by the time you’re done peeling them all back, you’re completely sucked into their story.

There’s a cameo by a certain character that many will appreciate. No, I won’t tell you who it is. But if you’ve read Pam’s Tangled Lies trilogy, you’ll love this appearance.

The story itself was absolutely spellbinding, in the most fucked up way ever. It’s violent, painful, incredibly emotional, beautiful in its depravity, and completely unforgettable. All I know is I’m left shaken, ruined, and awaiting the next release like a junky waiting for their fix. If you’re a fan of dark romance, no one writes it better than this woman. Do yourself a favor and read this book!


Deliver Series:

http://pamgodwin.com/book/deliver/

DELIVER | VANQUISH | DISCLAIM


DELIVER, Book #1

Deliver2500x1563

His name was Joshua Carter. Now it’s whatever she wants it to be.

She is a Deliverer.

She lures young men and delivers them to be sold. She delivers the strikes that enforce their obedience. She delivers the sexual training that determines their purchase price.

As long as she delivers, the arrangement that protects her family will hold.

Delivering is all she knows.

The one thing she can’t deliver is a captive from slavery.

Until him.

And her stubborn slave thinks he can deliver her…from herself.


Vanquish, Book #2

Her life is like a prison cell.
A self-made, to-hell-with-the-free-world existence that locks from the inside.
Stop judging. Her agoraphobia doesn’t define her. It simply keeps her safe.

He belongs in a prison cell.

The 6×8, make-me-your-bitch variety that locks from the outside.

But he’s free. To hunt. To take. To break.

And he just found a sexy new toy.

Capturing her is the easy part. Her fucked-up mind, however, makes him question everything he does next.

But he’s a determined bastard. If all goes his way, this will hurt like hell.


Disclaim, Book #3

Camila was seventeen when Van Quiso kidnapped her. Ten years after her escape, the shackles refuse to release her. Not while there are still slave traders preying on her city.
She will stop at nothing to end them.
Even if that means becoming a slave again.

Returning to chains is her worst fear—and only option. They won’t know who she is or what she intends to do. She’s prepared for every complication.
Except him.
The one who decimated her sixteen-year-old heart.

Matias is charming, gorgeous, and dangerously seductive. He’s also untrustworthy and enshrouded in secrets. After years of no contact, he finds her—on her knees, wrists bound, in the clutches of her enemy.
Will he sabotage her mission by needlessly saving her?
Or will he keep her in chains and never let her go?


Pam Godwin Books GrayScale

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
.
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

Books by Pam Godwin

Tangled Lies Series

ONE IS A PROMISE (#1) – FREE
TWO IS A LIE (#2)
THREE IS A WAR (#3)

Deliver Series:

http://pamgodwin.com/book/deliver/

DELIVER | VANQUISH | DISCLAIM

Trilogy of Eve Series:

http://pamgodwin.com/book/trilogyofeve/

DEAD OF EVE (#1) | HEART OF EVE (#1.5) | BLOOD OF EVE (#2) | DAWN OF EVE (#3)

Stand-alones:

DARK NOTES

DIRTY TIES

BENEATH THE BURN

INCENTIVE

New Release, Review & Giveaway: Follow Me Back by A.L. Jackson

FOLLOW ME BACK
Series: Fight For Me #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: February 5, 2018

My loves – I am so beyond thrilled to finally get to share Kale and Hope’s story with you in FOLLOW ME BACK! Writing this book was a labor of love, and after everything, I think it might be my favorite book I’ve ever written. It’s super sexy and swoony, sad and sweet, and just filled my heart up so full there is no chance I will ever forget the way these characters made me feel. I hope you fall in love with them the same way I did! 
Enjoy!
xoxo – Amy 

The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
Kale Bryant. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Commanding.
This ER doctor is married to his job. His only vice is one-night stands and short-lived flings. He learned a long time ago loving someone isn’t worth the risk.
Harley Hope Masterson. Beautiful. Brave. Sweet.
The owner of a small coffee shop knows what it’s like to struggle. Embroiled in a bitter divorce, she’s threatened with losing everything.
When Kale accepts a new position down the street from Hope’s shop, he begins to question every wall he’s built around his heart.
He wants her in a way he hasn’t wanted anyone.
One touch is fire.
One kiss, and he’s spinning out of control.
But taking her won’t come without consequences.
Hope is in for the fight of her life. One neither of them saw coming.
Now Kale must decide if loving her is worth risking it all.
She will fight with everything she has.
But sometimes even hope needs a hero . . .

My heart has always been hung on hope.

My feels. Oh my poor feels. This book tugged at absolutely every single heartstring I had. I sobbed my way through almost half of it. Follow Me Back was a beautifully written, gripping and highly emotional romance that was full of swoons and impossible to put down.

He looked like discord.
Chaos with an easy, arrogant smile.
A perfect, controlled disorder.

I was instantly hooked on all of these characters the second we were introduced to them in Show Me the Way. But I’m ashamed to admit that Kale wasn’t at the top of my list. He struck me as a character that wouldn’t hold my attention and I’m happily eating my words right now. Because this man? He didn’t just have a presence. He had a PRESENCE. With a past that haunts him daily and prevents him from truly opening his heart, Kale never saw it coming. But when he first lays his eyes on the beautiful redhead in a bar, it’s like he’s struck by lightning. The connection between them is immediate, even though Hope makes him work for it.

The girl was calm and a raging fire.
Peace and a hurricane.
Modest and demure with a straight shot of vixen.

Hope has secrets of her own. She’s a woman with too much to lose, and she doesn’t need more than five seconds in Kale’s presence to know that he threatens everything; her sanity but most especially her heart.

Hope simply made this book for me. As much as I loved Kale, he had moments toward the end of the book that had me wanting to shake him. Granted I understood the reasoning behind his fear, but I wanted to slap him nonetheless. But Hope? This woman was incredible. The fight in her. Her heart. her devotion to the single most important thing in her life. All of it just made me feel for her and connect with her on such a level that I felt like her pain was my own.

This author has such a beautiful, fluid writing style that’s almost lyrical. It just served to intensify every emotion that these characters were feeling. I couldn’t get enough of it.

The romance was incredible. It was so swoony that it made my heart ache. It was a slow burn with plenty of emotion and just a touch of angst. I absolutely loved it.

He fucked me exactly like I knew he would when I’d seen him that first time in the bar.
Arrogantly.
Confidently.
Relentlessly.

If you’re looking for a beautifully written romance with plenty of feeling and an incredible story that’s sure to touch your heart and stay with you for a long while, you can’t go wrong with this book. If possible, I’m even more excited for Ollie’s book. I’m so hooked on this amazing series!

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for A.L. Jackson’s upcoming novel, FOLLOW ME BACK, the second stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Newsletter | Facebook | Reader Group | Amazon | Bookbub 
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor
Kindle Fire HD 8 + Show Me the Way & Hunt Me Down Signed Copies + $25 Amazon GC 

Review: Hostage by Skye Warren & Annika Martin

HOSTAGE
Series:
Criminals & Captives #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Authors: Skye Warren & Annika Martin
Release Date: 
January 30th, 2018

I never knew when he’d come to me. Only that he would.

I’d never even kissed a boy the night I met Stone. The night I saw him kill. The night he spared my life. That was only the beginning.

He turns up in my car again and again, dangerous and full of raw power. “Drive,” he tells me, and I have no choice. He’s a criminal with burning green eyes, invading my life and my dreams.

The police say he’s dangerously obsessed with me, but I’m the one who can’t stop thinking about him. Maybe it’s wrong to let him touch me. Maybe it’s wrong to touch him back. Maybe these twisted dates need to stop. Except he feels like the only real thing in my world of designer labels and mansions.

So I drive us under threat, until it’s hard to remember I don’t want to be there.

Until it’s too late to turn back.

HOSTAGE is a dangerous standalone romance by New York Times bestselling authors Skye Warren and Annika Martin. It’s set in the same world as PRISONER, but can read separately!

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Read Prisoner for FREE! Limited Time Only

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It’s him or me. It’s stand here and let a man die, or do something—for once in my life, do something that’s not wearing a dress and smiling and getting it all wrong.

So I run out there. I watch myself do it, like a movie almost. “Stop it,” I yell.

The attacker just keeps on, a dark storm, all fists and fury. My presence means nothing to him. My words don’t touch him. It’s as if I’m yelling at thunder.

My heart beats out of my chest. I’ve risked everything, come out in the open, but it’s not enough. I stamp my foot to get his attention, crushing gravel beneath my mother’s Louboutins.

“The cops are coming,” I say.

The man stills and looks up. It’s a shock when it happens, even though I’ve been trying to get him to see me. His eyes seem to blaze into my chest, hot and bright.

Breathless, I back away.

He stands, leaving the man in a groaning, whimpering heap.

I retreat slowly, showing him my phone, as though that might protect me. “Cops are coming,” I say again. A lie. I couldn’t punch in the code.

He’s coming at me, expression unreadable. He’s a few years older than I am—late twenties, maybe.

My back hits something hard. The van.

He keeps coming. I try to spin and run, but he grabs my arm and slams me back into the van. “Where do you think you’re going, little girl?”

I stare up at him, panting.

His warm breath is a feather on my nose; the heat in his eyes invades me. He grabs my hair and tilts my head back, forcing me to stare into his face, as if he’s trying to read my eyes.

A moment later, he looks up at the night sky. He seems almost wolfish, and I’m conscious, suddenly, of my bare neck so close to his snarling mouth. I wonder if he’s staring at the moon. It’s like he’s going to howl or something.

Then I get it. He’s listening for sirens.

“You’re a little fucking liar.”

My bones turned to stone over a decade ago. My blood to dark sludge. I’m like the abandoned hotel we stand on top of. Some of the pieces are still here, but most of me is gone. I only have one purpose now, and that’s making sure all the guys get their revenge.

It’s been a few years since I read Prisoner, but I distinctly remember three things about that book.
1. I beyond loved it. Like 5+ star loved it
2. It had one of the most intense H/h first meetings ever
3. I became instantly intrigued by the gang’s leader, Stone.

So when I saw this book was coming out? I didn’t even bother to read beyond the fact that it’s Stone’s book before jumping at the chance to read it.

She’s this pure thing in my control, and I’m bloody and horny, and I want to devour her.

These two authors are a powerhouse together, and I can only hope that we’ll be getting more in this addicting series. Hostage was everything I had hoped it would be, and so much more. It was intense, emotional, brimming with dark undercurrents, and a romance that’s both sizzling hot and full of feels.

I’ll be honest, I was a tad bit concerned since the heroine was only 16 years old at the beginning. Not only because of the age difference, but I was afraid she’d be too naive and sheltered for my tastes. I shouldn’t have been concerned on either front, because the authors pulled it off flawlessly. One, the book spans over a few years, and two, the heroine was the furthest thing from naive. She was young, yes, but she knew exactly what she wanted and what she was getting into with Stone.

Stone was a character that my heart just bled for. He’s this eerie combination of deadly and determined with a hidden vulnerability that you couldn’t help but feel for.

No girlfriends, no families, no children, no white picket fences. We’re too far gone for that, too ruined, too twisted. We’re brothers to the end—out for vengeance.

If you haven’t read book 1 in this series, I highly recommend it. It will truly give you a more complex understanding of the boys and what they’ve been through. However, this book also gives you plenty of background so you never feel lost.

Stone has lived and breathed revenge for years. His life has become nothing but blood and memories in his never ending search to find those responsible for what he and his ‘brothers’ suffered and making them pay. One by one, he’s getting closer to finding the main players. But when an innocent girl stumbles into his warpath, the last thing he expects is for the connection that blooms between them.

He’s the man no boy can measure up to. He’s the moon lighting the vast, dark night of my life.

What first starts as a hostage situation ultimately grows into something more. But instead of dissipating over time, it grows into something much stronger and a lot more than either one of them were prepared for but can’t fight.

Take it all, I think. Whatever you want. All this time I was worried about ruining her. I never imagined she’d be the one ruining me.

I couldn’t get enough of these characters. Their connection was incredible and full of chemistry, but with plenty of suspense and twists to have readers glued to the pages. Definitely a strong follow up to the incendiary Prisoner, and I only hope with more to come!

Skye Warren:

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance such as the Endgame trilogy. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

Connect with Skye:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skyewarren
Twitter: https://twitter.com/skye_warren
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SkyeWarrenBooks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/skyewarren/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/skyewarrenbooks
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2CnW33B
Website: http://www.skyewarren.com
Newsletter: www.skyewarren.com/newsletter

Annika Martin:

Annika Martin loves fun, dirty stories, hot heroes, and wild, dramatic everything. She enjoys hanging out in Minneapolis coffee shops with her writer husband, and also likes birdwatching at her bird feeder alongside her two stunningly photogenic cats, especially when she should be writing. She’s heavy into running, music, saving the planet, taking long baths, and consuming chocolate suckers. She’s worked a surprisingly large number of waitressing jobs, and has also worked in a plastics factory and the advertising trenches; her garden is total bee-friendly madness and her most unfavorite word is nosh or possibly fob. A NYT bestselling author, she has also written as RITA award-winning author Carolyn Crane.

Connect with Annika:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnikaMartinBooks
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AnnikaMartinFabulousGang/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Annika_Martin
Stay up to date with Annika by joining her mailing list: http://www.annikamartinbooks.com/newletter/
Website: http://www.annikamartinbooks.com

Geri’s Review: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

THE WEDDING DATE
Genre: Contemporary
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Release Date: January 30, 2018

A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel.

Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn’t normally do. But there’s something about Drew Nichols that’s too hard to resist.

On the eve of his ex’s wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend…

After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she’s the mayor’s chief of staff. Too bad they can’t stop thinking about the other…

They’re just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century–or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want…

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Alexa Monroe found herself trapped at a hotel elevator with a handsome, charming Drew Nichols. The incident led to a wedding date, a pretend relationship which quickly escalated into something more.

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The Wedding Date charmed me from beginning to end. The best part about this book was easily the heroine! She’s gorgeous and competent as hell but also strong and vulnerable. Alexa Monroe was everything I love in my romance book heroines.

Another element I enjoyed about this book was the development of Alexa and Drew’s relationship. What started out as a disaster (getting stuck at an elevator) became so much more. That’s not to say there wasn’t some awkwardness between them at first because here was and it was charming and cute because you recognize it as part in real life. Loved their chemistry together.

I also loved the fact that both characters are competent at their jobs. Drew is a doctor and Alexa is a mayoral chief of staff. Their careers are part of who they are and I enjoyed reading those parts in the book.

Conflict wise, I thought that it was very well done. Drew and Alexa not only came from different backgrounds, but they also lived in two different cities which was a challenge to say the least. I normally do not like long distance relationships in my romance, but I liked how it was dealt with in this book. Drew and Alexa were very aware of its pitfalls and of course, its rewards. I thought their actions were very real, and it showed the characters’ flaws and redeeming qualities.

The Wedding Date met all my expectations, which I am so grateful for. It’s sweet, charming, lighthearted romance at its best. If you enjoy fake-dating-relationship stories, I highly recommend this book! This is only Miss Guillory’s first book and judging by how much I enjoyed it, I’m looking forward to more books from her in the future.

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Blog Tour, 5 Star Review & Giveaway: Say You’ll Remember Me by @katiemcgarry

SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME
Genre: Young Adult
Author: Katie McGarry
Release Date: January 30, 2018

“Doesn’t matter who did it. Not anymore. I did the time. It’s over.”

When Drix was convicted of a crime–one he didn’t commit–he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the Second Chance Program, the governor’s newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor’s daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn’t may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle’s parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix’s messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can’t imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves–Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence–and each other to finally get what they deserve.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Google Play | B-A-M | Kobo

Order SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME, register and you will receive AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER, a novella that features your favorite Pushing the Limits and Thunder Road characters!

From the Pushing the Limits series, Noah, Beth, Isaiah, West and Logan are all grown up. Catch up with your favorite characters as one of them finally says, I do.

Pigpen, Eli and Addison from the Thunder Road series: Three separate personalities who still needed to find love…and still had someone important to meet.

This is a limited time offer! So hurry! Registration ends on February 3, 2018! You must register your order to receive AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

https://a.pgtb.me/4tLZSM


Katie McGarry has my number. I don’t even like books with musicians….like I steer clear of them because I can’t think of one that I loved. I had no idea that one of characters was going to be a musician, but of course if there was a musician I would love, it would be one that Katie wrote.

à la Mode St. » fashionFeel the beat in my blood, the rhythm in my heart, the music filling an empty soul.

à la Mode St. » fashionDrix just got out of his special juvenile detention program. I love that mystery that we don’t really know what happened for part of the book. He was included in a special trial program that the governor is pushing for to help juveniles from getting caught in the system. It just so happens that the governor’s daughter is Elle. A relationship that is forbidden. He thinks she is out of his league, and I just love a bad boy who thinks he is too bad for the girl. Mmmmm. Yum.

à la Mode St. » fashion

I’m just a girl on a midway, he’s just a boy on a midway, and not everything has to end like a daydream.

à la Mode St. » fashionWhat is so different about this story is that we don’t experience Drix before he went to juvie. I think I would have loved to read that part of his life. But it was so unique how we just saw the new Drix because this is the Drix that is now.

Drix is struggling to stay on the straight and narrow. While Elle wants to burst out from the cage of her life and do something dangerous and risky. These two are going in completely opposite directions, and yet they seem to find each other in the middle. Drix and Elle are just perfect for each other. Each scene with these two I was grinning and giggling. They were so cute and hot.

What I love about Katie McGarry books is that she always seems to find that perfect grey area between good and bad. He’s not bad. He’s not entirely good either. He’s not really sure what he is. These are people trying to find the balance between who everyone expects them to be, who they are now, and who they want to be in the future. And I think this is something that not only teenagers struggle with but adults as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

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New Release & Review: Combust by K. Bromberg

COMBUST
Series: Everyday Heroes #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: January 29, 2018

From New York Times Bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes the second standalone book in the Everyday Heroes series. Just how hot will firefighter Grady Malone turn up the heat?

Songwriter Dylan McCoy has been burned.

By her boyfriend she found in her bed . . . with someone else.

By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete.

By her agent when she asked Dylan to keep their breakup on the down-low.

When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still . . . a rebound has never looked so good.

That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone.
Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart.

When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?

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Preoccupied with a text on my phone from my agent, I walk into the kitchen and suck in a breath when I come face to back with Grady. He’s standing with his hand on the refrigerator door, head leaned inside, and his back fully exposed to me. It’s broad and strong and scarred immeasurably.

I stare.

I can’t help it. The marks are a dizzying array of dark and light and ridged and smooth. And they’re undeniably burns. Goosebumps chase over my skin as I imagine the pain he must have endured when he got those. I think of his habit of wearing unbuttoned shirts but never going shirtless and the hint of scars just visible above his collar that I never could have imagined led to this roadmap to hell on his back.

A part of me instinctively wants to reach out to touch them, bring some kind of comfort. It sounds ridiculous, even to me, but that doesn’t abate the urge.

“Not pretty, huh? Get a good look while you can.” His voice is gruff as his spine stiffens and body stills, emotion woven through the words.

“Thank God not all of you is pretty. I was beginning to feel majorly insecure having to live with perfection like you,” I say off the cuff, trying to make this situation less awkward. My attempt to settle the sudden tension sparking in the air around us.

“Perfection?” he asks as he turns to face me with a smile that masks the emotion swirling in his eyes.

“Yeah. You have scars. I have mermaid thighs.”

“Mermaid thighs?” He laughs. “What in the world are you talking about?”

“Thighs that touch from the top all the way to my knees.” I shrug as if it doesn’t bug me, as if I’m not highlighting one of the insults Tara threw at me. It’s a whole lot easier to make fun of myself so long as it puts him at ease.

“Do you ever give yourself a break?”

Do you?” I ask the question, sparking a silent battle of wills as we stare at each other and wonder what to say next about the other’s insecurities. Coming up empty, I shift gears. “I think there is some type of rule about how many abs are fair for a guy to have when the rest of us are just struggling to find one of them.”

His smile rings more genuine as he steps toward me, and I step back, my hips leaning against the counter now.

“Is that so?” His voice lowers as his eyes flick to my lips and then back up. “I’m sure you have some under your shirt there.”

Why does the simple action make it seem so hard to swallow?

He takes another step.

“What are you building outside?”

“A playroom.”

A nervous chuckle falls from my lips as I think of all of the versions of playrooms I’ve read about in my romance books. My cheeks stain red as I imagine Grady with a flogger in one hand standing beside a St. Andrew’s Cross.

“A playroom?”

“Yeah.” He takes a step closer so we’re breathing the same air, his voice husky enough to cause every part of my body to grow alert. “A playroom. You know . . . a pool table. Foosball. A real man cave.”

I exhale a shaky sigh, suddenly more than aware that he’s so close, shirtless, sweaty, and smelling like sun and soap mixed together. But it’s his eyes that make my thoughts falter. There’s an intensity to them I don’t expect from the perpetually cheerful Grady Malone.

“Ah, that kind of playroom . . .” But my words trail off as he steps even closer and braces his hands on the counter on either side of me. I can hear his intake of breath. The music floating in from outside. The pound of my pulse in my ears.

“Hey, Dyl?”

“Yes?” Our eyes hold, my lips fall lax.

“I need you to open up.”

What?” I question as his hand brushes against my hip and his fingers pull on the drawer handle I’m standing in front of.

“I need the bottle opener. You’re standing in front of the drawer it’s in.” His lips spread into a full-fledged grin as I scramble away from the counter and, of course, run smack dab into the hardness, all six foot plus of him.

And then I rebound off him again in a flustered state that has him laughing and me stuttering. “Sorry. I wasn’t—I didn’t . . .” His arms hold on to my biceps to steady me, which prompts me to look up and meet his eyes.

“We need to stop meeting like this,” he murmurs, the heat of his breath hitting my lips.

“We do.” Brilliant, Dylan. Freaking brilliant response. “I’ve gotta . . . I’ve gotta get back to . . . to writing.”

There’s definitely something beneath the sexiness of Grady Malone. Question is, do I want to get invested enough to find out what?

Oh my word! I’m actually at a loss for them right now. And my ovaries? Those are too busy swooning over everything that is Grady Malone. I thought I loved this series after reading Cuffed, but as much as I enjoyed that story, it pales in comparison to the swoons and feels of this one. And the heat? So hot that only a firefighter can put out those flames. Too bad he’s the one causing them. YOWZA!

Every touch is a splash of gasoline on a smolder. Every kiss is the match being lit. Every groan a lick of flame searing both my skin and my soul.

Finding your boyfriend in bed with another woman is the last thing that Dylan needed in her life. But being held to her contract to finish their album together is the ultimate nail in the coffin of her sanity. She needs to get away and recharge, and her brother finds her the perfect retreat. With the sexy firefighter, Grady Malone. He’s her brother’s friend, an incorrigible flirt, sexy as sin, but also hiding demons that plague him nightly.

Stop staring at me like I’m going to fucking break. I’ve already broken, Dylan.

God but I loved Grady. I loved him so hard. This perfectly imperfect, endearingly broken man tugged at every heart string I had. The more you find out about the demons that haunt him, the more your heart bleeds for him. Watching his defenses crumble for the beautiful Dylan was all that much more satisfying because of it. He’s protective and sweet. He tries so hard to keep things light and easy and in the friend zone, but the chemistry between them is too hot to deny.

He takes without asking. He claims and seduces and demands without a single word. But the one thing that is constant is his anger. And just when I think I’m drowning in the swell of emotion his kiss evokes, he ends it abruptly. He shoves away from me as if he’s been burned.

Dylan’s insecurities were something that plague every woman at one time or another. I really connected with her on that level. Watching her gain her confidence back on her own and with Grady was incredibly satisfying. Watching her unwittingly fall for the broken man was EVERYTHING. I absolutely adored the two of them together.

K. Bromberg really knows how to write a romance that bring that feels, and she spares none with Combust. It was brimming with emotion and overflowing with heat. It was deliciously entertaining and totally addicting. I love these Malone men and cannot wait for more!

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.

A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow.

Since publishing her first book in 2013, Kristy has sold over one million copies of her books across sixteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by Passionflix with the first movie slated to release in the summer of 2018.

She is currently working on her Everyday Heroes trilogy. This series consists of three complete standalone novels—Cuffed, Combust, and Cockpit (late spring 2018)—and is about three brothers who are emergency responders, the jobs that call to them, and the women who challenge them.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales: http://bit.ly/254MWtI

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author | Driven Group

 

#DGRFave & Review: Indecent Exposure by @mstessabailey

INDECENT EXPOSURE
Series: The Academy #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: January 30, 2017

Is there a problem, Officer?

Jack Garrett isn’t a police officer yet, but there’s already an emergency. His new firearms instructor—the one who just dropped every jaw in the academy gym—is the same sexy Irish stranger Jack locked lips with last night. The Olympic gold medalist and expert markswoman is now officially off-limits, but Jack’s never cared much for rules . . .

Katie McCoy’s been cooped up in a shooting range for too long. A wild love affair is just what she needs to let loose, though she never imagined it would be with her smokin’ hot trainee. She cannot get involved with Jack—but a quick fling? Perfect. Falling hard for a charismatic recruit with an equal amount of sex appeal and secrets? Bloody stupid.

Jack’s charmed the pants off plenty of women (literally), yet few have ever looked beyond his perfect surface. Until Katie. He’ll do anything to keep her in his life . . . except tell her about his past. But a tiny lie of omission never hurt anyone, right?

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Jack Garrett. Superhero. Protecting New York City’s women from two-pump chumps one night at a time.

Love, love, LOVED this!!! I thought I was head over heels for this series after the first book, but that doesn’t even compare to the warm and fuzzies that I have after finishing this one. Full of quirky humor, incredibly endearing characters, an addicting story line and a sizzling romance, Indecent Exposure was one unputdownable read. I simply adored it and I simply adored Jack.

If you know me or follow my reviews, you know that those irreverent playboy heroes are my catnip. I can’t get enough of them. I love watching them fall hard and unexpectedly. I love their cockiness and dirty talking ways in the bedroom. And Jack Garrett was all of those things.

Damn right. When women see me coming, their hormones whisper my name. I’m a demon in the sack. And most important, I treat girls with respect. Why shouldn’t they want to go home with me at the end of the night?

Most definitely. But he was also so, SO much more! There’s a lot more to the man than first meets the eye; a depth that’s heartbreaking when you get to the core of it. The mindless drinking, the bed hopping, the never take anything serious attitude is an illusion for a man hiding some incredibly painful demons. But a beautiful redhead is determined to make him see his worth, and Jack is completely lost to her innocent charm

Tell me I can call this mine.
Tell me when we’re in this room tomorrow and everyone wants what I got, I’ll know this tight spot is for me. Only for me to treat so fucking good. Katie, tell me.”


Katie wasn’t the typical firecracker, sassy heroine that I love. There was something so endearing about her quiet and unassuming strength, though. I loved the way she fought for Jack even when he had given up on himself and made him see that he wanted more. I loved the way that Jack was drawn to her like a magnet and couldn’t stay away no matter how hard he tried. And man oh man did I love the dirty talk!

Feel this?” He slides his inches out of me and punches back in with a growl. “It’s yours for as long as you want it. You’ve got it locked down. The only reason I’ll take it out is to piss a circle around you.”

To say that I loved this book would be a sever understatement. I devoured it. I couldn’t get enough of the quirky humor and incendiary romance. That’s not to mention all the peaks into my favorite grumpy sergeant and the sassy recruit that never fails to put him in his place. GAWD but I can’t wait for their book.

Indecent Exposure kept a smile on my face from beginning to finish. Well, at least when it wasn’t making me squirm uncomfortably in my chair (because holy sizzle, batman!) It was swoony, sexy, and quirky humor. I loved it beyond reason!

#DGRFave & Review: Bad For You by @JDanielsbooks

BAD FOR YOU
Series: Dirty Deeds #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J. Daniels
Release Date: January 23, 2017

He didn’t want to be bad. He just didn’t have a choice…

Shayla Perkins isn’t the kind of girl who makes the same mistake twice, especially when it comes to Sean “Stitch” Molina. So when he gives her the world’s biggest rejection, that’s it–she’s done. Until the sexy, silent, unavailable Sean makes Shay a very personal offer. Of course, it still doesn’t mean he’s interested in her. Or does it?

Sean has done things in life. Bad things. And he’s paid the price. All he wants now is to make up for his past by doing good in the present. And no one deserves more good than Shay. Beautiful on the inside and out, Shay is the kind of woman who should be cared for and protected–especially from a man like Sean. He’s tried to keep his feelings for her in check, but a single, reckless impulse pulls them closer than ever before.

Soon the two are sharing their biggest dreams and satisfying their deepest desires. But what will happen if the only way to truly give each other what they want most…is to let each other go?

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS

I don’t remember the time between meeting you and loving you. I just know I love you and I can’t stop. That’s it.”

When J. Daniels gives you a hero so devastatingly broken, sweet, and endearing, that you sob your way through half the book and then sit there clutching your kindle to your chest once you finished, making moon eyes at the ceiling. I seriously can’t even right now. Stitch owns my heart and I never want it back

You put food in front of a starving man, he’s going to eat it. No matter if he thinks he deserves it or not. It was about survival. And Shayla was keeping me alive.

You know what I love more than a damaged hero? A damaged hero with an incredible amount of depth. And it just doesn’t get better that Sean. The previous two books hint at a dark pain that this man hides beneath his stoic and silent exterior, but it doesn’t even come close to the true demons he keeps hidden. I was torn between wanting to hug him and wanting to cry for him. He was just so incredibly broken that it made my poor little heart hurt.

I wanna be yours,” I panted, watching her eyes dilate and blink wider as she took in what I was saying. “You at my back, stickin’ up for me, and there when I’m fuckin’ terrified…I wanna go to you and I want you tellin’ me I can. I wanna be yours, Shayla.”

I couldn’t think of a better match for this broody and silent man than Shayla. She’s fun and quirky, sassy and opinionated. She also wasn’t afraid to fight for her man, even when what she had to fight was his own stubbornness. I loved her spine of steel and sweet core. This is a woman that cares and cares deeply, and that’s exactly what a guy like Sean needs. Even if he doesn’t realize it immediately.

This was madness. This was sex without thought, without pause, without question. Letting desire drive and leaving reason and all sense behind. Fuck stopping to think. Fuck wondering, Should we? Could we? What if we did? We were just feeling. Feeling and letting it all happen. It was the most beautiful, chaotic thing I’d ever experienced. 

This was very much a slow burn, and I loved it. I loved everything about it. I loved the emotion and the angst, I loved the romance and the sizzle. I loved the characters and the story. Absolutely everything!

I thought I loved Four Letter Word, but Bad For You is now my absolute favorite in the series.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to eat all of my feelings with chocolate. Because I have a lot of feelings.


J.Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Addiction series, the Alabama Summer series, and the Dirty Deeds series.

She would rather bake than cook, she listens to music entirely too loud, and loves writing stories her children will never read. Her husband and children are her greatest loves, with cupcakes coming in at a close second.

J grew up in Baltimore and resides in Maryland with her family.

Sign up to receive her newsletter and get special offers and exclusive release info: http://authorjdaniels.com/newsletter/

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New Release & Review: Siren In The City by Lexi Blake

SIREN IN THE CITY
Series: Texas Sirens #2
Genre: Erotic Romance, BDSM, Menage
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: January 23, 2017

Re-released in a second edition with new scenes.

Jack and Sam married Abby. It was supposed to be for forever, but lately Abby wonders where her alpha male has gone. Jack has retreated and life has become decidedly vanilla. It isn’t the true marriage she and Sam wanted. Sam and Abby know the time has come to fight for what they need.
A call from his mentor forces Jack to revisit the club where he discovered his sexuality. Jack’s half-brother is in the city and interested in a little blackmail. Can Jack handle two defiant subs and a brother in need of some tough love?
Sometimes all it takes to find the way home is a little love and a lot of mischief.

Come back to the beginning and revisit some of your favorite old characters or find new ones to love. Siren in the City has been revised and new scenes added. And if you look closely, you’ll find not only the beginnings of the Sophie Oak world, but also the seeds of how McKay-Taggart began….

AMAZON

Sam wanted more. He wanted to be loved and he was done waiting for it.

Oh man. I binge read Siren In The City. I remember sitting down on my comfy couch to start it and then I blinked and I was turning the last page. While I enjoyed Small Town Siren, Siren In The City absolutely sucked me in. It had all the feels and sizzle that I felt slightly lacking in book one and then some!

I’m not typically a reader that enjoys more than one book for a couple, but in the case of Jack, Sam, and Abby, I couldn’t get enough of it. Yes, you get the delicious sizzle of how they first met and fell in love with the first book. But this book gives you so much more. It fleshes out the development of their BDSM relationship and true MMF menage. And this reader was practically vibrating with glee.

After all the events in Small Town Siren, there are some changes; Jack’s moodiness and withdrawal, Sam’s unrequited sexual desires, and Abby’s need for a true Dom. Man oh man did this book give it to us and then some.

Add in all of the amazing secondary characters, including some of my favorite crossover cameos from Lexi’s Masters & Mercenaries series and I’m one happy camper.

If you read and enjoyed book one, you simply can’t miss this one. I’m officially hooked on this series and already craving more! Luckily I don’t have to wait that long with the second edition re-writes, but my grabby little hands are itching for the next one!

#DGRFave & Review: : Midnight Blue by @lj_shen

MIDNIGHT BLUE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: January 16, 2018

From bestselling author L.J. Shen, comes a new, standalone, contemporary romance.

It should have been easy.

I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.

I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.

The worst part is that I should have known better.

Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.

“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”

Guess what? I didn’t listen.

I signed the contract.

World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.

My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.

Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.

Then he took my heart.

Then he took my all.

AMAZON

Nat’s words came back and haunted me like a bad haircut from the eighties. An irrational need to check the goods took over me. It wasn’t like he minded. According to the rumors, his dick had seen more cameras than Kendall Jenner. Slowly—so painfully slowly—my eyes drifted down his sinewy body. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Whatever I had in mind, though, didn’t come close to the real thing. Thick, long but not atrocious. With thin veins running through its length.

“Nice view?” he groaned, tucking his junk back into his briefs. His profile was glorious. Strong jaw, pouty lips, eyes like sex…

My eyes snapped up when I realized he was talking to me. “I wasn’t…”

“Looking? Yes, you were. Next time take a picture. It lasts longer.” He rolled his zipper upward and flushed the toilet with the toe of his boot. He turned around and squirted soap into his palm, washing his hands almost violently—rubbing between each finger and scratching his knuckles like he wanted to shed his own skin. When he was done, he looked around for a towel.

I cleared my throat, scrambling to regain my wits. “Longer than the glimpse or longer than your performance?”

Casually—so unbearably casually—he wiped his wet hands over my purple dress. I gasped, moving sideways. It looked like he was about to open the door and get out, but before I had the chance to yell at him for using me as a human towel, he slammed me against the wall, bracing both his arms above my head and pinning me to my spot. I let out a shriek of surprise at the sudden proximity.

Alex Winslow is touching me. Willingly, my surprisingly pitiful brain squealed.

Heat rolled off his body, making my back arch and my breath catch in my throat.

“Let’s make one thing clear—I could fuck you to a point of numbness without even breaking a sweat if I wanted to. Now, careful, New Girl. If you don’t keep your distance from me, I think I just might.”

He was larger than life. A one-man show, even when he was off the stage.

Hands down my top favorite rockstar romance ever. Full of angst, beautifully broken characters, sizzling romance and a plot that keeps you glued to the pages from beginning to finish, it’s no wonder Midnight Blue is one of my first top reads of 2018. I loved it SO HARD.

Alex Winslow was beautiful in a way storms were—only from afar. Just like them, he had the power to sweep and ruin you, two things I was too busy surviving to entertain.

A British bad-boy rockstar? Sign me up, I say! Make that rockstar tortured, beautifully broken, and damaged almost beyond repair? I’m putty in your hands. I’m no stranger to Shen’s work, but this hero that she’s created with Alex Winslow, is easily my favorite of hers to date. This man was just so perfectly imperfect. A recovering addict, cynical and broken, and determined to throw pain at others to suffocate the pain he’s suffering deep down. The man was just so broken, I didn’t know whether I wanted to hug him or slap him half the time. Though, admittedly, I wanted to bang him ALL of the time.

You annoy me so much, sometimes I want to cry,” she gritted through clenched teeth.
“When I finally lay my hands on you—and make no mistakes, Stardust, I will—you will be crying, all right. My name. Over. And. Over. Again.”

Le sigh.

When his self destructive behavior threatens to destroy his career unless he gets back on track, his team hires him a babysitter in the form of the young, beautiful, and desperate to save her family from poverty Indigo Bellamy. Indie isn’t exactly thrilled to babysit a spoiled and tantrum spoiled rockstar by following him on tour for three months, but her family is in desperate need of money and Winslow’s team is offering her a ridiculous amount of money. The Brit is determined to seduce her, and she’s determined to resist his charm.

Slow down, heart.
Relax, heart.
Take a deep breath, heart.

The sexual tension and chemistry between these two is instant. The feisty barbs, the antagonistic arguments, the undeniable attraction, all of them blend together into a connection that practically burns through the pages.

I apologize in advance.” He cocked his head to the side. “For?” “Ruining you for any other man on this planet. I’m going to fuck you, Indie. So hard you’ll think about me years from now, when you lie under your boring, missionary-loving husband. I will own every orgasm

Though Indie is young and mostly inexperienced, she’s no blushing ingenue. This is a girl that gives just as hard as she gets, and Alex definitely gives it hard. This is a man that doesn’t mince words or shy away from being rude, crude, and offensive. I loved the way Indie stood up for herself and put him in his place.

When I look at you, I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I’m a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that’s been stolen from you. See, we’re all vases. And you’re the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I’ll let someone else pick you up. It’s really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue.”

This was a delicious slow burn full of angst and plenty of twists. I was glued to the pages from beginning to finish.

I’ve read a lot of rockstar romances, but this one felt like it was custom written for me. I loved absolutely everything about it; the characters, the romance, the writing. I swear, I had highlighted half the book with quotes. I couldn’t get enough of LJ Shen’s words.

I need to be inside you the way you’re inside me. So deep I want to peel my skin off just to get rid of you. I need to get rid of you,”

She’s written some amazing books in the past, but this is definitely my top favorite of hers. If you’re a fan of this author, Midnight Blue is simply not to be missed.

She was my muse. She was my life. She was my all.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Connect with LJ Shen:

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