Geri’s Review: Roomies by Christina Lauren

December 5, 2017 by ·

ROOMIES
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Christina Lauren
Release Date: December 5, 2017

Marriages of convenience are so…inconvenient.

Rescued by Calvin McLoughlin from a would-be subway attacker, Holland Bakker pays the brilliant musician back by pulling some of her errand-girl strings and getting him an audition with a big-time musical director.

When the tryout goes better than even Holland could have imagined, Calvin is set for a great entry into Broadway—until he admits his student visa has expired and he’s in the country illegally.

Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him.

As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway.

In the middle of the theatrics and the acting-not-acting, what will it take for Holland and Calvin to realise that they both stopped pretending a long time ago?

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Come home and kick me in the teeth if you need to, but then kiss me.

Image result for swoon gif

This book isn’t just sweet & cute, it’s also full of charm and wit. It also has fantastic tension and conflict, not to mention a great chemistry between its main protagonists.

Roomies is told entirely in Holland’s point of view, which was great mainly because Holland is a character that you can’t help but love. She doesn’t have her shit together. One could say that she’s privileged, which she is, but the great thing again is that the book acknowledged her privilege. You just can’t help but root for her.  And her painful crush on the hero was not only endearing, it’s also very relatable.

Calvin was a crush-worthy hero that I honestly couldn’t blame Holland for crushing hard on him. What I really like about his character is that he’s not the quintessential ” alpha bad boy musician” hero I’m used to reading nowadays. He’s a theater nerd, and I personally find that refreshing. He’s very flawed, and his backstory is one that immigrants like me could relate to. And even if you’re not a US immigrant, you’d still feel for him.

I loved the marriage-of-convenience set up. Holland and Calvin started out as strangers and then friends until they inevitably became lovers. But things aren’t as straightforward as it may seem. There’s quite a bit of angst in this book. Not too much though, just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat and invested in these characters. You want them to work out so bad but since they’re not perfect characters, imperfect decisions were made.

One other thing that makes this book for me are the secondary characters, most especially Holland’s “uncles” Jeff and Robert. Their presence in this book was a grounding force for Holland. They’re her rock and she’d be lost without them. I loved these characters so much I wanted to read more about them, preferably in their own standalone book.

Roomies isn’t a perfect book but the emotion it evoked was undeniable. The romance, the banter, the sexy times…all of it worked. It’s a quick read, too. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. It was that readable.

So whether you’re a fan of the marriage-of-convenience trope or not, I highly recommend this book. It’s sweet and angsty with characters that you can’t help but fall in love with.

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Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway: So Over You by Kate Meader

December 4, 2017 by ·

SO OVER YOU
Series: The Chicago Rebels #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kate Meader
Release Date: December 4, 2017

Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels….

Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won Olympic silver, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then… let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.

Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.

That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice…

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“So we are agreed. You are looking for nice.”

“Most everyone is, Vadim. No one wants a creep.”

He inclined his head until it almost touched hers. “The opposite of nice does not have to be a bad thing. Not when it comes to certain areas. Sex, for example.”

“You can never stray long from that subject, can you?”

“Men think of it often, yes. I am just a slave to my gender. My offer is still open, you know.”

Oxygen was at a premium. He was far too close. “What offer?”

“To apologize. With my cock.”

Oh, she got it now. There was no apology on the table. This was purely Vadim Petrov trying to prove he was top dog, the man who could make a woman’s panties drop with a smile and a wink.

“You raging dingus! You’re not interested in ‘my disappointment’ or in making up for that first terrible time. All you care about is that there are women living in this universe who didn’t go off into the stratosphere when your dick made its debut inside their vaginas.”

“Only one woman, Isobel.”

She scoffed. “So sure.”

“I know.”

“You didn’t know back then. You just assumed tectonic plates shifted because, like all men, you imagine you’re the epicenter of the orgasm earthquake. As long as you feel the earth move, to hell with everyone else.”

Nothing but aristocratic hauteur from him now. “I am trying to be nice—”

“Nice? You just said you only recognize nice because you’re the opposite!”

He curled a hand around her neck, his touch shockingly sensual. “Then I shall be the opposite. I shall be very, very bad, Isobel.”

She wanted to say something about how “bad” wasn’t the opposite of “nice,” but this wasn’t an appropriate time for an English lesson. Her pulse stuttered, then gathered strength, a relentless pounding of yes, yes, yes. He must have heard it because, the next second, his lips crashed into hers, taking control as if it was his right.

But she knew better, didn’t she? She knew that Vadim Petrov was all smoke and mirrors, style without substance, a man whose only focus was his own pleasure.

Boy could he kiss, though.

This wasn’t your standard teenage fumbling. This was a man who knew exactly what do with his mouth. Probably all that practice over the years, she thought bitterly.

The bitterness melted in the face of a wildfire consuming her body. Pure, white-hot need. Maybe the owner of the lips didn’t matter. Maybe it was just a joining together of body parts that worked in this never-to-be-repeated moment.

He halted, his expression impossible to read in the shadows.

“It is bad, yes?” His breathing was labored.

“Terrible,” she murmured. “Again.”

She expected him to say something cutting, but he surprised her.

He did as he was told.

He didn’t taste like the boy she remembered. She thought she’d committed everything about that experience to her soul, both the bad and the good, yet Vadim’s mouth was different now. He was different.

This kiss . . .

. . . different.

Spicy and sweet, authoritative yet testing. It cracked open something. Not inhibition, because that had never been her problem, but reticence. With other men, she would hold back, waiting for the sparks to fly. If it didn’t ignite within a few seconds, she was already moving on, steeling herself for the disappointment that would come later.

Vadim’s kiss blew her wariness away. If it was this good, then the rest . . . No, that was not going to happen.

He was an employee, a coworker, a tabloid manwhore, sort of a dick, and the guy who took her virginity and did a piss-poor job about it. If none of these reasons were enough to put a halt to this nonsense, then she was in deep freakin’ doo-doo.

“Well?” he asked, though there was no missing the blink back to reality of his eyelids. He was just as affected as she.

“You want a score?” she panted. “Seven point four. The French judge marked you down. Too much tongue.”
This appeared to delight him, delight coming in the form of a lift at the corner of his decadent mouth.

“It seems we both have lessons to learn. Again.”

In a flash, he had pulled her across into his lap—okay, she may have helped because this couldn’t not continue. Strangely, the snark fired her up. That hadn’t been their thing before, but maybe his time in North America had improved his personality.

She liked this version of Vadim. She liked it very much.

She also liked his positioning of her core over his erection. His hands kneading her ample ass to bring her closer was another check in the “like” column. And, additionally, helping her improved opinion of him was his mouth back on hers, sucking, testing, exploring.

“Again,” he murmured.

“Again,” she sighed right back into his mouth.

Again.

Rubbing her center against him was divine.

His hands everywhere were divine.

That mouth . . . oh, God, that mouth was ten steps above divine.

And then that mouth was speaking Russian, rough, sexy, sweet nothings that drove her wild. Forced out all common sense. His mouth trailed her jaw, delivering little nips and hot licks to her neck.

“Bella”—something in Russian—“Bella”—more Russian—“Bella.” As if one language was inadequate to express how she affected him.

She heard the scrape of her track jacket zipper, felt tingles as he applied openmouthed kisses to newly exposed skin. Her nipples were on fire, sensitive and needy. Can’t stand this. Going to die. She ripped her bra strap off her shoulder and freed one aching breast.

“Suck me,” she begged, and then his mouth closed over her tit and suckled hard. His moan on tasting her sounded like he was in pain, but she didn’t care; all she cared about was this mindless grasp at pleasure.

The insistent pulse thrumming through her body beat louder, stronger, showing no sign of stopping and heading for the one place she’d never visited with this man. She rolled her hips and hiked her suggestive rubs into a dirty grind. He was huge against her, toting this hard, hot instrument of pleasure that stroked her just right.

Still not enough.

“Please,” she begged as she rode him harder. Faster. Dirtier.

“Da, da, da,” he said. Yes, yes, yes.

I would like to apologize. Properly.”
Her lungs went on hiatus. He couldn’t mean what she thought he meant. “Apology accepted,” she said cheerfully, though it came out chipmunk style. Alvin would be so proud.
“You choose to act clueless about what I mean?”
“Are you offering to apologize with your penis?”
“It is my most improved area.”

Is it any wonder I’ve been obsessed with all things Kate Meader ever since reading her first book? The woman is the queen of banter and she writes some of the most sizzling enemies to lovers romances I’ve ever read. I was immediately hooked on her brand new Chicago Rebels series, and it isn’t just because it’s based in my home town. Though it’s safe to say I may have been a tiny bit biased. But let’s be real, any author that can take three estranged sisters and make them the new owners of a sport that’s a boy’s only club and not only make them sassy and powerful, but totally endearing too is a total rockstar in my eyes!

So Over You brings the story of Isobel Chase. And while her sisters have had a connection to the game because of their famous and philandering hockey player father, no one was closer to hockey than her. She had her sights set on a professional career and a handsome Russian hockey player until both were ripped away from her in the worst way possible. While she may have licked her wounds over her lost hockey career, the man that made her first time the most ho hum affair and then disappeared from her life…not so much. Here a girl builds up losing her virginity to the most handsome boy she knows and it’s a wham bam, not even a thank you m’am affair. And now said man is back in her world as the newly traded player on her team and not only does she have to suffer his glares, but she has to coach him, too.

Can I just say how much I absolutely adored the banter and camaraderie between the Chase sisters in this latest installment. It feels like with each book, their bond just gets tighter and tighter, and I simply can’t get enough of it.

The man has only ever had eyes for you.”
“Yeah, the minute he laid those Cajun peepers on you,” Violet chimed in, “he was all, ‘Me Remy, you Remy’s baby mama. Take my seed. Take it all!’

But the center stage of the story was definitely the banter between Vadim and Isobel. There’s nothing sexier than a brooding and glaring Russian. Unless said Russian is also now determined to right the wrongs of the past and deliver on the missing orgasms. GAH! I loved this grumpy puss. So much. I don’t know how the author managed to take his grumpy and glaring ways and make him hilarious and endearing, but she totally did. Add in the secondary characters and the banter, and I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time!

Isobel!” Mia called out. “I’m bored, and Vadim doesn’t know how to entertain me.”
“Entertainment was not part of the deal. Neither was little dog with big shits.”
“Don’t call Gordie Howe that. He’s very sensitive.”

As always, the sexual tension was even hotter than the sexual chemistry. I was literary vibrating with glee to finally see the two of them give into the undeniable attraction and feelings that still run between them.

While I loved Isobel’s fierceness, admittedly her stubbornness at times wore on me. But Vadim was the perfect salve and together with her sisters, they gave her what she needed to get herself together.

I love a sexy second chance romance, and So Over You delivered on that end and then some! If you’re looking for a fun, quick paced, and sizzling sports romance, this book is not to be missed.

My woman is the North Star in my night sky, but also in her own. If she is not there to guide me, there is only darkness. For us both.”

DON’T MISS THE REST OF THE SERIES

AMAZON | MY REVIEW | ADD TO GOODREADS

Kate Meader was raised on romance. An Irish girl, she started with Catherine Cookson and Jilly Cooper novels, and spiced it up with some Mills & Boon. Now based in Chicago, she writes romances of her own, where sexy contemporary alpha heroes and strong heroines match each other quip for quip. When not immersed in tales of brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, Kate lives on the web at katemeader.com.

Kate Meader will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card during release week. To enter, please go here!

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: , ,

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Review: Villain by Samantha Young

December 4, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

VILLAIN
Series: Hero #1.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: December 5, 2017

 

The sexy and emotional companion novella to the New York Times bestselling romance HERO.

Nadia Ray is not just a broadcast meteorologist. She’s Boston’s morning television It Girl. Successful and independent, she’s put a past she’s ashamed of behind her and is forging a future she can be proud of. However, when her new boss discovers her secret he blackmails her, intent on using Nadia’s popularity to make them the number one morning show in Massachusetts. He wants her to be part of uncovering the city’s biggest scandal – a secret billionaire Caine Carraway is hiding.

Soon Nadia is thrown into the path of Caine’s best friend: sexy, wealthy bachelor Henry Lexington. But she doesn’t encounter the dashing high society gentleman Henry is purported to be. Instead she’s faced with an insulting and defensive villain who misjudges her at every turn.

When Henry finally realizes the truth, and decides to make amends, Nadia wants nothing to do with him. But she underestimates his determination and charm and soon they find themselves embroiled in an intense, passionate affair.

An affair Nadia knows must come to an end before their feelings grow any deeper and he discovers her secrets.

After all, Henry Lexington isn’t the only one who played the part of a villain once…

AMAZON | KOBO | iBOOKS

Henry got in next to me and threw me the kind of excited grin a child might at Christmas. “Ready?”“This is quite the car.”

“The words say impressed; your tone does not.” He observed as he pulled on his seatbelt. “Is it the top? Do you want it up so it doesn’t mess your hair?”

“I don’t care about that.” I frowned, annoyed that he’d think I’d be that concerned with my appearance. “I care about how weird this is.”

As we pulled into traffic, Henry slipped on a pair of aviator sunglasses. “What’s weird about two adults having lunch together?”

“Because forty-eight hours ago, we were enemies.”

“So melodramatic. We were merely mistaken about one another.”

“You were mistaken about me. I think I have you pegged accurately.”

“And that’s why we’re going to lunch because you don’t.” He shot me that sexy smirk. “You don’t know the good stuff.”

“Has anyone ever said no to you in your life?”

“Yes, frequently.”

“Have you ever listened to them?”

Henry chuckled. “Rarely.”

His laughter and the sight of him driving this beautiful car with lazy confidence, his strong hands lightly resting on the wheel, those ridiculously hot sunglasses—it all affected me. Greatly. A sensuous ripple fluttered in my lower belly.

Dear God, I really wanted him.

The realization caused my breath to escape from me in a shudder, drawing his attention. Quite abruptly, I made a decision. “I’m just going to put it out there in case you’re planning to take me to a stupidly overpriced restaurant for lunch.”

“Okay.” He drew out the word, sounding amused and wary at the same time.

“I don’t particularly like you. In fact, you have become one of the villains in my story so far. I don’t want to date you and I doubt very much that you are interested in dating me. However, I also doubt that you feel so guilty about your treatment of me that you merely want to turn around my opinion of you. No, sir. I’m here because you’re attracted to me. That’s okay because apparently, I’m attracted to you too. You’re hot and it’s obnoxious but I can’t deny it.”

Henry’s mouth twitched like he was trying to suppress a smile. “Okay.”

“We’re attracted to each other or you wouldn’t have asked me out and I wouldn’t have let myself be manipulated into saying yes. But let’s not pretend this is something that it’s not with chivalry and a date. You want to fuck me. And I’m amenable to the idea. So let’s cut all the bullshit and just do it.”

“Jesus.” Henry almost ran into the back of a car that had stopped at the light, slamming hard on his brakes. He looked at me and even though I couldn’t see his eyes, I knew his expression was incredulous. “You’re amenable to the idea of me fucking you? Did I hear that right?”

I flushed. “I’m sure you’re used to women with gentler manners but I’m a straight talker. I don’t believe in flowering up a situation so as not to offend delicate sensibilities.”

The traffic moved forward and Henry didn’t speak.

In fact, he stayed silent for a while.

So long that I began to feel my cheeks burn with humiliation.

I’d read him wrong. He really did only want to make amends.

I wasn’t his type.

Oh God.

This month had been really, really bad for me.

Finally, he pulled up outside a pizzeria on Tremont Street. Once he killed the engine he took off his sunglasses and turned toward me. His expression was surprisingly sober as he intently studied my face, as if he hoped to find answers there. “You’re right,” he said, his voice low, deep, “I want you. But I don’t consider anticipation bullshit. We’re going to have lunch. And you’re going to agree to have lunch with me on Thursday. And then you’re going to agree to be my date to the Delaney Charity Ball this Saturday. After which we’ll go back to your apartment and I will happily fuck you into satisfied exhaustion.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak because his last sentence turned me on, his words alone sparking delicious excitement deep in my belly.

What the hell would the rest of him do to me?

Of course, after a second or so of physical arousal, the rest of his words sunk in. “What?” I shook my head in confusion. “No. We don’t need to have lunch or go to a ball together.”

“No lunch dates, no date to the ball, no penis for you. And you don’t want miss out on my penis. It’s a good one.”

I acted like my story deserved a hero. But only a heroine deserves a hero. And I wasn’t a heroine.
I couldn’t be.
The truth was in someone else’s story …
I was a villain.


Now it’s been a hot minute since I read Hero, but it took me no time at all to dive right back into this world. As the fun-loving, easy going, and quick with a smile best friend and business partner to the growly and grumpy Caine, I wasn’t sure how Henry would follow. I live for the enemies to lovers trope, and it was hard to imagine someone that smiley pulling off the a-hole vibe. But I shouldn’t have worried, because Samantha Young really gave me the best of both worlds with him; the a-hole at first and then the endearing. I absolutely adored the man.

What?” I shook my head in confusion. “No. We don’t need to have lunch or go to a ball together.”
“No lunch dates, no date to the ball, no penis for you. And you don’t want miss out on my penis. It’s a good one.”

Nadia is not a stranger to unwanted male attention. As Boston’s morning television It Girl and broadcast meteorologist, it wasn’t her smarts that got the viewership. She’s tried to make peace with the fact that her curvy figure will always make men undermine and misjudge her. Or perhaps its just her recent history with them. So when an assignment from her smarmy boss lands her in the cross hairs of a very pissed off Henry Lexington, she doesn’t back down from putting him in his place. What she doesn’t anticipate is Henry’s interest as soon as he realizes his colossal screw up with her.

I loved the way that Henry pursued Nadia and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was determined to keep him in the sex only box and he was having none of it. Nadia was such an incredibly endearing heroine as well. For all that she’s been through, this is a chick with balls of steel and a spine that’s even stronger. She’s not about to back down or bow down to anyone, and I respected that so much in her.

Villain was this perfect combination of a delicious slow burn, with a splash of enemies to lovers, all wrapped up in a story that kept me glued to the pages until the end. It was entertaining, quick paced, and entirely satisfying. I absolutely loved these two together.

I wanted more. Everything. Now. I wanted to come. I didn’t want seduction. I wanted him to shatter me. Immediately.

There was a bit of drama that was thrown in at the end, but it wrapped things up quite nicely. If you’re looking for a sexy, short, but totally satisfying novella, Villain will do the trick quite nicely. The perfect read to spend the afternoon with.

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us was published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017. Play On is an adult contemporary romance and the first in a brand new series set in Scotland. Villain is a companion novella to the New York Times bestselling romance HERO.

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

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Review: Wrong To Need You by Alisha Rai

November 27, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

WRONG TO NEED YOU
Series: Forbidden Hearts #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alisha Rai
Release Date: November 28, 2017

He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with his brother’s widow…

Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Jackson Kane fled his home, his name, and his family. Ten years later, he’s come back to town: older, wiser, richer, tougher—and still helpless to turn away the one woman he could never stop loving, even after she married his brother.

Sadia Ahmed can’t deal with the feelings her mysterious former brother-in-law stirs, but she also can’t turn down his offer of help with the cafe she’s inherited.

While he heats up her kitchen, she slowly discovers that the boy she adored has grown into a man she’s simply unable to resist.

An affair is unthinkable, but their desire is undeniable. As secrets and lies are stripped away, Sadia and Jackson must decide if they’re strong enough to face the past…and step into a future together.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

What did you call your brother’s widow?
Off-limits.


It’s rare these days to find a romance novel with characters that are so authentic and real. Characters that are imperfect, but not for the sake of angst and drama. Characters that you feel like you may already know or run into on the street. This story, while slow paced, felt so vivid and genuine, that even though it took a bit to get into, I couldn’t put it down for even a second.

Sadia Ahmed has been through heartbreak in her life. The black sheep in her family, her shotgun wedding to her husband forced a rift with her very traditional parents. But she never regretted the choices she’s made. And while she lost her husband to a tragic accident, she has a beautiful son to remember him by.

Jackson Kane has been running from his past for years. Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he left the town he grew up in and his family and hasn’t looked back since. But it’s been a year since his estranged brother has passed, and he can’t fight the urge to check up on his widow that he’s always fought his feelings for.

This isn’t right.”
“You always do what’s right?”
“Lately, yes.”
“I’d be the safest wrong thing you could do.”

This is a character driven story, and with that, the character development is truly incredible. Jackson isn’t your stereotypical alpha. He’s shy, reserved, not good with words, and doesn’t shy away from putting his feelings right in the open. Ridden with guilt for his feelings for Sadia or not, he can’t stay away from her anymore. Not when the pull is this strong.

I have to admit, set ups like this always make me hesitant. Is the hero going to play second fiddle to the husband? Is he going to feel like a consolation prize. And the answer is a giant resounding no. The author did such an incredible job painting a picture of two people that share something that defines most boundaries, but feels real and authentic.

She wanted him. It was unwise and complicated, but she didn’t know how she’d survive if she couldn’t have him. She’d regret it forever, and she lived with enough regrets.

I loved that Sadia was primarily the aggressor in a lot of their interactions. She’s not shy, and that goes twofold in bed. The woman isn’t afraid to take the reins and Jackson is man enough to do her bidding eagerly. This was such an interesting dynamic that really fit the characters and I couldn’t get enough of it.

My shoulders are strong. I’ll help you carry your baggage.”

I love romances with interracial romance, and the mix that these characters had was so rare, it made me appreciate it all the more.

There’s quite a bit of the family dynamic that played a role in this story, that admittedly I was a little lost on at times and wondered if it was more discussed in the previous book. I have every intention of going back and reading the first book because I completely fell in love with this author’s writing style.
It wasn’t just a romance, there’s a slew of secondary characters that you can’t help but connect with as well. This is particularly true with Sadia’s adorable son. The Kane and Chandler ties were a touch confusing at times, but I have a feeling reading the first book will clear a lot of that up for me.

If you’re looking for a nice change of pace and a romance that’s full of depth and emotion, this is a book you need to check out. This author has gone straight to my auto-buy list.

THE SERIES

HATE TO WANT YOU | WRONG TO NEED YOU | HURTS TO LOVE YOU

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Blog Tour, Excerpt & Review: Dirty Filthy Fix by Laurelin Paige

November 26, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

DIRTY FILTHY FIX
Series: Fixed #5.5
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Author: Laurelin Paige
Release Date: November 21, 2017

I like sex. Kinky sex. The kinkier the better.

Every day, it’s all I think about as I serve coffee and hand out business agendas to men who have no idea I’m not the prim, proper girl they think I am.

With a day job as the secretary to one of New York’s most powerful men, Hudson Pierce, I have to keep my double life quiet. As long as I do, it’s not a problem.

Enter: Nathan Sinclair. Tall, dark and handsome doesn’t come close to describing how hot he is. And that’s with his clothes on. But after a dirty, filthy rendezvous, I accept that if we ever see each other again, he’ll walk right by my desk on his way to see my boss without recognizing me.

Only, that’s not what happens. Not the first time I see him after the party. Or the next time. Or the time after that. And as much as I try to stop it, my two worlds are crashing into each other, putting my job and my reputation at risk.

And all I can think about is Nathan Sinclair.

All I can think about is getting just one more dirty, filthy fix.

AMAZON

I wore satin that Saturday night, a long blue slip dress with slits up both sides. I never wore underwear to the parties. They were too much of an inconvenience, and the few times I had worn them, I’d just ended up giving them away as souvenirs. I liked nice lingerie. I preferred to keep most of it.

The shoes I wore—simple heels, easy to slip off—were also standard for an evening at the Open Door. But somehow I felt simultaneously more dressed up and more naked than I had in a long time. I left my hair down, and it fell long past my shoulders in dark, nearly black waves. It felt less like I was going to a weekly party and more like I was going on a date. A glamorous date.

It was a signal that I should not go.

But I went. Nothing could have kept me away.

I spent the beginning of the night as a voyeur, camped out on the settee watching as the Doms paraded their submissives around the room, entertaining everyone with their tricks and commands.
I had a few invitations to play from the regulars—Andrew, who’d shown up with a girl I’d never met before. Of course, Chuck Richard was there, wanting to fondle and stroke my skin. But I shooed them all away, feigning an introverted mood, when really I was just looking and waiting for one person in particular.

An hour went by. Then an hour and a half. After two hours, I kicked myself internally a bunch of times before realizing that I was in a place where people would gladly do that for me. So when Andrew suggested a game, an adult version of Spin-the-Bottle, I decided to join in.
An oddly shaped circle was created, some people choosing to sit on the floor, some on the furniture. I curled up with my knees to one side on the floor, and when I finished straightening my gown around me, I looked up to find that the man sitting on the ottoman across from me was Nathan.

And suddenly the room felt so much brighter than it had a few minutes before. Like there’d been too many plugs shoved into one outlet and finally someone had tugged one free, the power had surged, and the lights glowed.

Everyone disappeared around me and the only face I could see was his, handsome and rugged, his grin directed at me. His eyes lit up like they were the source of the glow, and they were the only things I could see.

Somehow I was sure I’d just broken one of my rules. I didn’t know which one, and I didn’t even care.

 

I was already addicted to his dirty, filthy ways.

Whatever you do, do not, I repeat, DO NOT read this book in public. Because holy sizzle of all of the fires, this one was downright incendiary.

Laurelin Paige has always been my go-to author for the unconventional, take-me-out-of-my-comfort-zone-but-in-the-best-way-possible-reads. And this story? It’s as unconventional as it gets. And boy do I respect this author that much more for having the confidence to write it. Dirty Filthy Fix combined an Eyes Wide Shut setting meet Laurelin Paige’s unique and kinky writing twists. And the end result? Dirty Filthy Brilliance.

If you’re expecting some sweet and hot tale of commitment avoiding girl meets the right boy that makes her swoon and change her entire life? FORGET ABOUT IT, snowflake. For reals. If that’s what you’re looking for, DO NOT read this book.

If you want a story of a woman that owns her sexuality, makes no excuses for her life and doesn’t feel remotely bad about it, Trish will be your spirit animal. As the secretary to Hudson Pierce, Trish is no stranger to handsome and rich CEOs and businessman lusting after her. She’s a beautiful woman, after all. But what they don’t know is that behind the prim and proper secretary is a dirty little secret. She serves them tea during the day, but may bring them to their knees at night.

Enter Nathan Sinclair. Rich, powerful, her boss’s business partner, and a man she can’t stop thinking about after his relentless and seductive pursuit.

Go home with me.”
My throat was dry, but I managed to stammer, “I can’t. I have rules.”
“Break them.”

And speaking of breaking rules, this novella certainly breaks all of the traditional ones. In the most sizzling and satisfying of ways.

This could have easily been a story that was overrun by sex and kink, and yet it wasn’t. This really speaks volumes of the author’s talent, that she can take filthy kinky sex like this and spin a captivating and hypnotizing tale of it without making it torrid or corny.

Dirty Filthy Fix proved once again why Laurelin Paige is a constant auto-buy for me. It was deliciously kinky, erotically charged, brilliantly written. It had just enough romance to satisfy delicate sensibilities without becoming disingenuous to the characters. And this reader? Loved every filthy page of it. My only complaint? I wish it was longer because I never wanted it to end!

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

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Review: Thirty Day Boyfriend by Whitney G

November 23, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THIRTY DAY BOYFRIEND
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Whitney G
Release Date: November 2, 2017

I should’ve never agreed to this arrangement…

Thirty days ago, my boss—Mr. Wolf of Wall Street, came to me with an offer I couldn’t refuse: Sign my name on the dotted line and pretend to be his fiancée for one month. If I agreed, he would let me out of my employment contract with a “very generous” severance package.

The rules were pretty simple: No intimate kissing, no actual sex. Just pretend to love each other for the press, even though I’ve secretly wanted to knock that sexy smirk off his face since the first day we met.

I definitely didn’t need to think twice about this. I signed my name and started counting down the seconds to when I would never have to deal with his special brand of ass-holery again.

I only made it to one minute…

We argued the entire four-hour flight to his hometown, failed to make a convincing impression with the welcoming press, and right when I was about to knock that arrogant look off his face in real life? He purposely dropped his bath towel in front of me, distracting me with his nine-inch cock to “show me who the bigger person was” in our relationship. Then he gave me his trademark smirk once again and asked if I wanted to consummate our marriage.

Tragically, this is only day one.
We still have 29 more days to go…

AMAZON

Subject: The Deal
I think it would be in your best interest to accept my offer. I highly doubt the man you eventually marry will be as endowed as me…
—Nicholas


Rich, cocky, handsome as sin business mogul?
CHECK
Smart, sharp witted, beautiful and sassy PA?
CHECK
An enemies to lovers trope with Whitney G’s usual fun banter?
CHECK
Enough sexual tension to make anyone squirm in their chair?
CHECK, CHECK AND CHECK!!

Thirty Day Boyfriend was essentially like a longer version of Naughty Boss, but with enough differences to make it a unique standalone. Though if you read Naughty Boss and found yourself craving a story that is a tiny bit longer, this will hit the spot just right. It’s not exactly a full novel length, but it’s certainly enough to read in one sitting and walk away entirely satisfied.

The trope is a fun one. A brilliant law grad working as a PA for New York’s most demanding and richest businessman. After putting in three grueling years of early mornings, late nights, and never ending demands, she’s had it. But the problem is, he’s not going to let her go so easy.

This was a fun, sexy read full of banter and heat. Whitney never fails to deliver with a sexy alphahole and the smart mouthed and sassy heroine that brings him to his knees. It’s witty, humorous, and with just enough heat to make it the icing on the top and not overtaking the story. Thirty Day Boyfriend was a satisfying afternoon read that left a smile on my face.

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Review: Perfect Pitch by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott

November 22, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

PERFECT PITCH
Series: Found In Oblivion #5
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott
Release Date: August 4, 2017

A lead singer, a professor, and another lead singer walk into a bedroom…

Molly McIntire loves her career as the lead singer of the band Warning Sign. Who she does not love?

The cocky, seductive lead singer of The Grunge, rockstar Luc Moreau, who through a series of misfortunate events ends up singing with her.

In her band. On her stage. Together.

It’s like getting naked, with a microphone between them. So is there any surprise they’re tempted to hate screw each other afterward?

But someone sees them with their tempers running hot. And open-minded Professor Ethan Haywood wants them both, in every dirty, decadent way. For a night or so much more.

Except he’s not the only one who’s watching them—and the band. Their every move is being monitored, and when the lights go out, not everyone will still be standing.

Suddenly it’s not just about falling into bed for Molly, Luc, and Ethan, but falling in love when everything they know and love is in danger.

Author’s note: This book contains mènage scenes, and while the men are always focused on the woman, they also focus on each other. With and without their clothes on.

Author’s note part deux: While the romantic relationship ends in a full HEA, there are ongoing events that will not be fully explained or resolved until the next book, Raw Rhythm.

AMAZON

A lead singer, a professor, and another lead singer walk into a bedroom…


I was honestly just going to end my review here. Because, c’mon! Sweet mother of ovaries, people. This book was so ridiculously hot, I still can’t even.

But beyond the hot cover and the ridiculously hotter set up, what truly sucked me in was the story. Being a longtime fan of all things Cari and Taryn, I love getting more of my Oblivion peeps in this spin off. And Jazz being one of my favorite heroines, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the story of her sister, Molly.

Molly is finally in a great place in her life. She’s the lead singer of a band, she has a great relationship with her once estranged sister, and she’s living on top of the world. Who needs a man to complicate things. Especially one impeccably dressed man that has a deliciously dirty mouth and a penchant for the kinky things in bed that she can’t seem to stay away from.

Professor Ethan Haywood is never lacking for a bed partner; male or female. But little Molly has been the star of his every fantasy lately and he knows he’ll stop at nothing to have her. Even if she thinks that they’re nothing but an itch to scratch. Another man coming into the picture should be a complication, but proves to be so much more.

Luc Moreau finds himself in a place he never hoped he’ll be back; rock bottom. Facing the potential boot from his band and his role as the lead singer is bad enough. But when a sexy little powerhouse blows into their recording studio and is convinced that she can sing him out of the water, he’s thrown for a loop. His attraction to her is inconvenient at best. But his pull to the man that already staked a claim on her, is even more so.

Thus begins a delicious game of sexual power plays and playing with fire. Luc and Molly have too much riding on their career to focus on anything besides it. But their connection proves to be too strong to resist. Where Ethan is open with his sexuality, Luc has been on the reserved side. But when Ethan calls him out on his urges, he can’t help but give in. What starts then is a whole lot of sexy.

Much in Cari and Taryn fashion, they leave us hanging at the end. The sadists. While the relationship is a resolved, there’s a terrible even that happens that leaves everything up in the air for the band. And I for one cannot wait to see how it all comes together in the next book.

THE SERIES

BEDDED BLISS | TRIPLE TROUBLE | DIRTY DUET | LOST LYRIC | PERFECT PITCH | RAW RHYTHM

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New Release & Review: The Rivalry by Nikki Sloane

November 21, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE RIVALRY
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: Nikki Sloane
Release Date: November 21, 2017

This tight end is at the top of his game.

He’s good with his hands, even better with his sexy mouth, and the best at making me forget my own name.

His—ahem—stats are perfect.

But I can’t fall for him.

He might be everything I want, all rolled into a glorious package of gridiron god, but there’s one teeny-tiny problem.

The vile, loathsome team I’ve spent my entire life hating—my beloved school’s arch-rival?

This guy is their star player.

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I shouldn’t have gotten in his car, but his mouth had been too convincing. He was the devil. The seduction of his lips could make me do anything.

I have a confession to make. When I first first started reading this book, I thought I’d hate it. Put down that rotten tomato for a second, killer, and hear me out, mkay? What I mean is, I thought I’d find this whole rivalry thing trivial, juvenile, and kind of…well…cheesy. *cringes*
I’m sorry! I can be a judgmental a-hole. This is nothing new. *shrugs sheepishly* Admission is the first step, isn’t it? Quit judging meh!

But I digress. And I’m also happily eating my words…or is it thoughts? *scratches chin* Whatever the case may be, I have never been more happy to be wrong about judging a book by the first few chapters. Because The Rivalry was a fun and sexy ride that I enjoyed with a goofy smile on my face and a burn in my ovaries. Wait… That came out wrong. But you get my drift here, right?

This girl was electricity. It sparked across my skin, crackling and demanding more.

Two rivaling schools. Two die hard football fans. One undeniable connection.

You can pretty much say that Kayla came into the world predisposed to love football. Her father is a coach and her mom is a downright fanatic. Her being an opinionated, die hard football junky is in her blood. As the head cheerleader for Ohio State university, she literally eats, lives and breathes football. Men? Forget about it. Not many can tolerate her opinionated hassling ways. Until one sexy stranger at her friend’s wedding changes everything…

Every shudder he made and every pulse of him, I was the cause. I’d let this gridiron warrior conquer me, but I’d done it right back to him.

But what happens when Kayla finds out that the first man to put a sizzle in her ovaries also happens to be the tight end for her school’s biggest rival team?
Indeed, Scooby. Ruh roh indeed.

But no matter how much Kayla tries to fight it, the chemistry between them is simply too hot to walk away from. And when Jay sets his sights on the girl he wants, he’ll stop at nothing to have her. And no one is more determined than this tight end. Ha! See what I did there?

But I digress again.

Kayla could have easily been on the annoying side, but yet she was entirely endearing and fun. Though admittedly she did have her moments, she ultimately won me over in the end. And as for Jay? I’m pretty sure I was ready to pee proprietary circles around him. Can you even do that with a fictional character? Because I totally would! With just the right amount of secondary character personalities, fast paced plot, and sexual chemistry, this book was a total winner for me.

If you’re looking for a sizzling sports romance with plenty of witty banter, strong characters, enough sexual tension to set your kindle on fire, and even more sexy times to make sure that it turns to ash, welcome to your next read! But we warned, spontaneous lusting for football may be a side effect. Especially tight ends. *giggles*

Nikki Sloane landed in graphic design after her careers as a waitress, a screenwriter, and a ballroom dance instructor fell through. For eight years she worked for a design firm in that extremely tall, black, and tiered building in Chicago that went through an unfortunate name change during her time there. Now she lives in Kentucky and manages a team of graphic artists. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, is married with two sons, writes dirty books, and couldn’t be any happier.

Stalk Nikki:

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Geri’s Review: Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

November 20, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

HOLIDAY WISHES
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #4.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jill Shalvis
Release Date: November 7, 2017

It’s Christmastime again in Heartbreaker Bay!

When Sean O’Riley shows up at the Hartford Bed & Breakfast for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, he’s just hoping to make it through the weekend.

What he’s not expecting is to come face to face with the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago—a woman he’s never really forgotten.

The last time Lotti Hartford saw Sean, she told him she loved him while he said nothing. Now, ten years later, she’s just looking for a good time.

For once, she wants to be the wild and free one, and Sean – the good time guy – is the perfect candidate.

But as the weekend continues, Sean realizes that after a lifetime of being the hook-up king, he’s ready to find happily-ever-after, and he wants it with Lotti. But will she open her heart to him again?

As Christmas sweeps through the little B&B, he can only hope love and magic are in the air.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO 

What makes a perfect holiday read?

For one, it has to be sweet. Nothing says holiday novella than a sweet, satisfying romance that make your toes curl. Holiday Wishes has plenty of romance, and yes, it’s sweet and satisfying, just the way I like it.

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Two, it has to be the right length. Look, holiday season often means, you’re pressed for time. You have to do a lot of shopping and cooking. And as much as you want to sit by the fire and read a fabulous 300+ page book for hours, you can’t. Not always. So a novella length book that packs in the romance in under 150 pages or so is a godsend.

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Three. It features familiar characters you already love. Sean O’Riley has been a familiar figure in the Heartbreaker Bay series. He started out as Finn’s younger, troublemaker brother. But as the series goes on, Sean grew up and matured. He’s proven himself a good brother and a loyal friend so reading about him getting his woman made me happy. Especially with a heroine as lovely as Lottie. Jill Shalvis always writes interesting heroines. They’re complex, flawed but inside they’re just full of love and loyalty.

Plus, we get to see the gang again. Nothing makes a reader’s heart happy than to see the characters she loves happy and content. Like do you know of anyone who wants to see their fave characters sad and miserable? No!

And last but not the least, the thing that makes a book a perfect holiday read is its ability to give you the warm fuzzies.

Look. Don’t me make me come at you with a 1,000 page dissertation of what constitutes warm fuzzyiness. All i know is that YOU’LL KNOW IT WHEN YOU FEEL IT!!!

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And yes, this book gave me all the warm fuzzies down to my toes.

Any questions? None? Good. Go forth and enjoy this book! <3

 

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.

Look for Jill’s latest, LOST AND FOUND SISTERS on shelves and e-readers now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold.

Visit Jill’s website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

 

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Geri’s Review: Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh

November 18, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

SOMEONE TO WED
Series: Westcott #3
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Mary Balogh
Release Date: November 7, 2017

A very practical marriage makes Alexander Westcott question his heart in the latest Regency romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Someone to Hold.

When Alexander Westcott becomes the new Earl of Riverdale, he inherits a title he never wanted and a failing country estate he can’t afford.

But he fully intends to do everything in his power to undo years of neglect and give the people who depend on him a better life. . . .

A recluse for more than twenty years, Wren Heyden wants one thing out of life: marriage. With her vast fortune, she sets her sights on buying a husband. But when she makes the desperate—and oh-so-dashing—earl a startlingly unexpected proposal, Alex will only agree to a proper courtship, hoping for at least friendship and respect to develop between them.

He is totally unprepared for the desire that overwhelms him when Wren finally lifts the veils that hide the secrets of her past. . . .

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It was not just her face that she had hidden from the world. It was the whole of herself. Her instinct was to hide behind veils within veils, and she had done it for so long that she did not know how to case those veils aside.

Someone to Wed is a story about two people who came together out of convenience but in the process, found not only affection but deep and abiding love for each other.

The romance was top-notch as is expected from a Mary Balogh book. Both characters are flawed, complex and relatable in a way that made you root for their happiness and their developing relationship.

Alexander has inherited a failing earldom and must marry for money in order to rebuild his estates. Wren has spent the better part of her adult life in isolation. She wants to get married and have a family but feels that her appearance (she was a huge port wine stain on her face) and time spent away from society made her less of an ideal candidate for marriage. The one thing she has advantage of is her wealth. She’s an independently wealthy woman and wealth is something that Alexander needs.

But he had glimpsed something tantalizingly fleeting behind the veil. Something – no, he could not find the word. But something that invited him to keep looking.

There’s plenty to love in Someone to Wed.

It’s a fantastic MOC story, something that Mary Balogh does really well. Great, well-developed characters. Wren is such a strong, layered character. She knows what she wants and while she presents this cold and aloof behavior on the outside, her heart is passionate. But years of self-imposed seclusion and loneliness did a number of her, which made her all the more endearing and likable in my opinion.

I really liked Alexander, too. I liked that at very beginning, there’s no feelings or even an attraction between them. Their relationship grew from chapter to chapter and I was swept away with the slow burn romance between these two characters.

If you’re a fan of both slow-burn romances and the marriage-of-convenience trope, I highly recommend this book.

Mary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.

Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling ‘Slightly’ sextet and ‘Simply’ quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.

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