New Release & Review: The Knight by Skye Warren

January 31, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE KNIGHT
Series: Endgame #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: January 31, 2017

The power of pleasure…

Gabriel Miller took everything from me. My family. My innocence. My home. The only thing I have left is the determination to get back what’s mine.
He thinks he’s beaten me. He thinks he’s won. What he doesn’t realize is that every pawn has the chance to become a queen.

And the game has only just begun.

 

THE KNIGHT is book two in the Endgame series from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.


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My voice is low. “What do you want?”
“Everything.” “I’ve already given you that.”
“Not even close.” He stalks around me, circling like a predator. “I want you bent over and broken. I want you bleeding at my feet, little virgin.”

*shivers*
What IS it about this man that just gives me tingles each and every time he opens his mouth? The intensity of him is almost unbearable, yet like a moth to a flame, he draws you in…

The story continues immediate where The Pawn left off. If you haven’t read that yet, this is a continuation and not meant to be read as a standalone. I’ll try to keep it as spoiler free as possible but some mild spoilers from The Pawn may slip in. So if you haven’t read that yet, be warned, you may want to stop reading this review.

And you’re the object of my depravity, the target of every dark wish, the canvas I want to paint. I won’t be satisfied until I’ve marked every inch of you, inside and out.”

*shivers*

Gabriel may have let Avery go after their night together, but his hold on her is far from broken. Penniless and all on her own, Avery is trying to make ends meet while taking care of her ailing father. This is a woman that doesn’t just lie down and take it, she’s a fighter, and I seriously loved that about her. Her desire for a man that she should hate is confusing but undeniable. Gabriel wants her for the 30 days they agreed to, and he’s not about to let her out of the arrangement so easy.

I always want him. In my dreams, in the dark. A secret desire I’m afraid to admit to myself.

Gabriel continues to be an enigma for a good portion of the book. The man is utterly unforgettable. I read book 1 weeks before and I couldn’t stop thinking about him. There’s just something about his presence that’s so completely captivating, he owns the pages.

I want you in every way and place and time. I want you so fucking bad I wish I could stop, because it goddamn hurts.”

We finally do get to see the vulnerable part of the impenetrable man that was hinted at in book one, and I can’t wait to see the final chess pieces fall. There’s a mystery that weaves around the romance that’s just as fascinating as Gabriel. The Knight is packed full of twists and turns I never saw coming and it’s a book that kept me riveted to the pages from beginning to end.

I love a dark romance that doesn’t turn to shock value and gratuitous violence to keep the readers glued to the pages, and Skye Warren truly blew it out of the park with this series. I just finished it and I already can’t wait for more. I’m hoping book 3 will bring us the conclusion to this story, because well, let’s be real, it’s a surprise my ADD has lasted this long. Trilogies are usually not my thing, but I’m gobbling this one up and eagerly anticipating the conclusion.

His features are severe, a sentinel by the door, keeping watch over me. My knight in dark armor.

Start the series today!

thepawn-1600x2400

BUY NOW: on sale for just $.99!!!
❧ Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fF2vn6
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“Sinfully sexy and darkly beautiful, The Pawn will play games with your heart and leave you craving more!” – Laura Kaye, New York Times bestselling author

The price of survival…

Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.
There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.
My virginity.

A forbidden auction…

Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.
Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love. It’s the first book in the brand new ENDGAME series.

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance such as the Chicago Underground series. 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, two sweet dogs, and one evil cat.

Contact Skye:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest | Website

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Review & New Release: Good Boy by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

January 31, 2017 by · 1 Comment

GOOD BOY
Series: WAGs #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Rom Com
Author: Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Release Date: January 31, 2017

A brand new stand-alone romantic comedy from the bestselling, award-winning team of Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy.

Hosting her brother’s wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning’s life. Already the family screw-up, she can’t afford to fail. And nobody (nobody!) can learn of the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. It was wrong, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. Even if he is the sexiest thing on two legs.Blake Riley sees the wedding as fate’s gift to him. Jess is the maid of honor and he’s the best man? Let the games begin. So what if he’s facing a little (fine, a lot) of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he’s really a good boy with a bad rap. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you’ve got to make an effort if you want to score.

But Jess has more pressing issues to deal with than sexy-times with a giant man-child. Such as: Will the ceremony start on time, even though someone got grandma drunk? Does glitter ever belong at a wedding? And is it wrong to murder the best man?

Caution: May cause accidental aspiration of tea or coffee. Do not read in a public place where loud laughter is inappropriate. Contains hot but hilarious hockey players, puppy cuddling and a snarky pair of underwear.

 

Blake doesn’t do anything half-assed. He laughs the way he lives his life—loud and fierce and without inhibition. He fucks that way, too.

To say that I’ve been eagerly anticipating this release from two of my favorite authors may be a miiiild understatement. But as excited as I was, I was also just a teeny bit worried too. See, I remember Blake from Us, and I was scared that a full book of his…well…personality…may be a bit much for me. But Cheezus! This man totally managed to grab me by the ovaries and the heart. Yes, he’s a little rabid at times. Like ADD tween sort of rabid. But at the same time, it totally worked for him. The authors managed to pull off what none have done for me in the past. They took a character like him and made him completely endearing. Think young Ryan Reynolds movies sort of endearing.
You may remember Jess, Jamie’s older sister, from US. I have to admit, she got off on the wrong foot with me in that book, but she totally won me over here. This is a girl that’s having a hard time finding herself. Forever viewed as the flaky one by her overachieving family, she wants to prove them wrong. That for once she can pick a career, and stick to it. That’s how she finds herself in nursing school in Canada, and once again facing the man she’s gone through great lengths to avoid.

What the heck are you talking about? Who’s wrong about what?” “You, about, well, everything.” I grin at her. “We’re way more than friends, Jessie.” “Blake—” She sounds exasperated. “But no worries,” I finish breezily. “I’ll just sit tight until you figure that out.”

Blake is just as determined to get in her pants as she is to make sure he keeps his on. Let’s just say Blakey has a thing for dick pics.

I loved the banter and back and forth between these two. Add in a few secondary characters to spice things up, and it was laugh out loud gold.

I’m Blake Riley,” I offer.
“Dyson Hart.”
“Dyson, like the vacuum?”
“That’s right.” He gives me a sidelong glance. “Want a demonstration?”
“Dyson,” Jess snaps. “What did we talk about?”

Blake was a total marshmallow. I loved how hard he cares for his friends. He may put on a good act with his breezy jokes and easy smiles, but this is a man with a heart of gold. He’ll do anything for those he cares about and when he loves, he loves hard. There’s a hidden depth to him beyond the pervy jokes and tween talk.

The story is written with a wonderful mix of humor and feeling. And man, did I love the humor

His gaze lowers to his crotch, and God help me, but I look down, too. Yep. He’s hard. It looks like he shoved a forty of beer down there and tried to smuggle it into the bar. Why does his dumb dick have to be so stupidly big?

I also loved that it didn’t follow the formulaic romance novel with the crazy misunderstandings in the end. It was perfectly paced and unfolded naturally.

If Good Boy is anything to judge by, we have ourselves a new series to obsess over. I’m already salivating for the next book. If a sexy, humorous contemporary romance with a hot hockey player with a heart of gold and a sassy heroine that’s as snarky as she is smart is your thing, then this is an absolute must read!

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Review: Fake Engagement Real Temptation by Joya Ryan

January 29, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

FAKE ENGAGEMENT REAL TEMPTATION
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Joya Ryan
Release Date: January 30, 2017

Oh. My. God. Carrie Morgan can’t escape her cheating ex fiancé. She goes on her Hawaiian honeymoon fantasy vacation to prove she’s over him—but he’s there with his mistress in tow. Good thing Carrie’s annoyingly over-protective friend Blake came with her. How’s she going to prove to her ex she’s over him? Easy. One… Two… Three… She grabs Blake and kisses him.

Blake Harris isn’t about to let anyone take advantage of his heartbroken friend Carrie. And that includes himself, even if she’s sexy as sin in that bikini. Then she kisses him—and he’s on fire. Damage done, but he can back off. Except he sees that broken look in Carrie’s eyes. No. Hell no. New plan. He intends to show her ex just what he’s thrown away.

The kisses? For show. The heat? Part of the performance. The private practice sessions? Uh-oh. Those are starting to feel a bit too real…

 

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This little excursion was temporary. It’d end. No attachment. He’d spend the week making sure she didn’t get caught up in a surfer douche with a lei drinking too much. She could get over her ex and then he’d be on his way. Protect her. Keep her safe. Not get involved.

I have a secret….
I have a girl crush on Joya Ryan.

No no. It’s true. The woman never fails to disappoint with a book that sizzles with sexual tension and a hero that I’ll be salivating over. I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read from her, and this spicy little number was no different. What’s not a secret is my love for the older brother’s best friend trope, so of course I was all over this.

Being left at the altar sucks. What sucks even more is being left at the altar for the personal trainer her fiancee met during their plan to get in bikini shape for their honeymoon. Whoops? But Carrie is determined not to let that get her down and wants to prove to everyone that she’s over him. Her solution, go on their honeymoon to Hawaii…alone. Too bad her childhood friend and older brother’s best friend is determined to go with her and “keep her safe”. What’s worse? He’s keeping his hands to himself, damn him.

Blake knows the worst thing he can do is give into the temptation of Carrie. He’s there to protect her from pervy men and herself. And that’s it…or so he thinks. When Carrie’s ex shows up at the same resort in tow with the woman he left her for, the plan changes. What’s the best way to stick it to her asshole ex? Pretend they’re a couple. But the chemistry between them is anything but fake.

This was a perfect read to spend a weekend afternoon with. It was steamy with just the right amount of sexual tension. Carrie was sassy to Blake’s broody and together it was the perfect mix. Sometimes a girl just needs a steamy little number with just the right amount of story and sizzle, and this hit the spot just right for me.

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Review & #DGRFave: Ruthless by @Gina_L_Maxwell

January 27, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

RUTHLESS
Series: Playboys In Love #2
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Gina L. Maxwell
Release Date: January 30, 2017

People call me Ruthless for a reason.

Whether I’m in the court room or in the bedroom, my reputation is well-earned. I’m either working hard, working out, or working my way into some woman’s panties. But none of them share my particular kink, and I walk away feeling unsatisfied.

Until I met her.

She’s a friend of a friend, which makes her off-limits in my book. But then temptation had me by the balls and I had her up against a wall. She literally fucked my world off its axis, but it can’t happen again.

My plan was avoidance, but that got blown to shit when my firm hired her as a new junior attorney. Now I’m her boss, and I’m supposed to act like I don’t want to bend her over my desk every five minutes.

But I’ve never held myself back with anything before, so consequences be damned, it’s time to show her how damn good it feels…to be ruthless.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

I’ve never met a woman I wanted to either fuck or strangle so much in my entire life.

Well, well, Miss Maxwell, you naughty naughty girl. If I knew this new series of yours was THIS hot, I’d have jumped on it way sooner than this. As it is, I’m kicking myself for taking this long to discover it. I’ve been a huge fan of this author since I first discovered her with Rules of Entanglement (which I absolutely adored). This series of hers is certainly a lot spicier, and you won’t find this girl complaining one bit!

This book checked all of my yaaaassss boxes. And I do mean ALL of them.

1. Hot as sin, tatted up and pierced for your pleasure bad boy stripper by night and all alpha hotshot lawyer by day hero?

I know fighting this battle is futile. The man is weaving a spell I’m hesitant to break free of.

2. A sassy, confident, take charge heroine that’s not afraid of going after she wants and makes no excuses for who she is while laughingly referring to herself as a honey badger?

3. A perfect amount of humor thrown in to take it from sexy to fun and back again?


His. Cock. Is. Glorious. You know in the movies, when a wide shaft of light pierces through parting clouds like a spotlight from God to illuminate the Magnificently Monumental Thing that everyone should be looking at? That’s what should happen every time Roman Reeves takes his dick out. It’s that amazing.


4. Enough sizzle to light up 30 city blocks?

Our lovemaking isn’t slow and romantic, it’s hurried and feverish. It’s not chick flicks with tissues, it’s office porn with sweat. It’s half-dressed and half-crazy, forceful thrusts and labored breaths. But this is how we started. This is us. This is perfect.


5. And if all that wasn’t enough to get your engine revving, it also has one heck of a hot MFM menage.

My gaze stays firmly rooted on the man in front of me, even as my body sings for the man behind me.


Suffice it to say I enjoyed this book. A lot. The heroine is sassy without being brash, which is not easy to pull off. I loved her easy confidence with an underlay of vulnerability. The banter between her and Roman “Ruthless” was off the charts hot. These two sizzle in and out of the bedroom and I couldn’t get enough of them.

He takes over my mind, my ability to reason, leaving me with nothing but my four remaining senses.

What I loved most of all is that wrapped into all the smoking hot sexy times was a fantastic hot story that only revved up the hotness factor of this book. I seriously loved every page of it and i’m already salivating for the next book. One of the guys happens to have a particular kink that happens to be my catnip. I won’t tell you who or what it is but OMG I NEED HIS BOOK!

Ruthless was a one two punch to the ovaries. It was entertaining and downright sizzling. It had everything; humor, steam, fantastic story telling, and a hero that you will lust after from cover to cover. Guaran-damn-teed.

DON’T MISS THE FIRST BOOK IN THIS SEXY SERIES!

SHAMELESSGOODREADS | AMAZON

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Review & #DGRFave: Crown of Lies by @PepperWinters

January 25, 2017 by ·

CROWN OF LIES
Series: Crown of Lies Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pepper Winters
Release Date: January 31, 2017

“I met the boy I wanted. But then he vanished and a new man claimed me instead. My father approved, my colleagues congratulated, and behind closed doors, I was bedded by a stranger.”

Noelle Charlston lived a fairy-tale life: a doting father, a powerful job, and a future blessed with financial security.

However, two meetings with two men changed her happy existence forever. First, she met the boy who made her heart sing. Second, she met the man who made her blood quiver.

Noelle’s freedom was no longer hers. It belonged to the man her father believed was the perfect match. The man who pulled his lies over everyone he touched.
Including her.

Seduced and manipulated, Noelle lives two lives. The one everyone sees on the outside and the one no one sees on the inside. The lies he spins, the truth he hides, the mystery he webs—it’s all enough to slowly erode the woman she’d been and turn her into something else.

Until her past collides with her present.
And it’s her turn to lie.
To everyone…including herself.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Thieves can become saints. Saints can become thieves. Most of us deserve a second chance.

Without fail, this woman’s writing managed to blow me away once again. Lies wrapped in truth. Truths wrapped in thinly veiled threats. A mysterious draw wrapped in animal magnetism. This book completely owned me. It hypnotized. It enraptured. It was pure literary magic, weaving a story so spellbinding, it was impossible to put down.

I don’t know if I’d been the one to seduce him, but he’d utterly decimated me.

It could be said that Noelle Charlston lives a charmed life. Growing up in luxury and set to inherit a retail empire, she wants for almost nothing…except a taste of normalcy. The youngest CEO in the history of the company, she may be rich, but she’s not a stranger to hard work. She barely leaves her office and her work is all she knows and all she does. Yearning for just a few hours of normal, she makes a decision that irrevocably changes the course of her life.

Now three years have passed since that fateful night that she’ll never forget. She’s a little older, a lot wiser, and even more disillusioned. Given up on love and finding a man that will want her for more than her money and empire, she’s lost herself in her work…until a man demands her attention in a way that’s impossible to ignore.

He hypnotized me. He corrupted me.

This man is pure animal magnetism wrapped in alluring confidence. He’s not used to hearing no and he won’t take it for an answer. The sparks fly between them; a mix of antagonism and undeniable chemistry. A hate lust so strong, it practically burns through the pages.

He wants to own her. She’s her own woman. He’s determined to break her. She knows no man ever will. He’s determined to mark her. She refuses to let him close enough. What takes place is a back and forth that’s so delicious, it was enrage you as much as it will captivate you.

The story is flawlessly written in Pepper’s signature fluid and lyrical style. It kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end, completely incapable of putting it down. I read this in one sitting while trying to savor every word because I didn’t want it to end.

This is book one in a duet, and I’m already vibrating to get my hands on the conclusion. If you’re a fan of this author, this book is not to be missed.

He fucked me. He took me. He consumed me.



The conclusion, THRONE OF TRUTH, is releasing on February 28

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

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Review: Raw Deal by @CherrieLynn

January 18, 2017 by ·

RAW DEAL
Series: Larson Brothers #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Cherrie Lynn
Release Date: January 24, 2017

Savannah’s brother was killed in a cage fight with Mike “Red Reaper” Larson after a savage punch to the head.

When Mike shows up at the funeral, he’s nothing like Savannah expected. Gone is the fierce, brutal beast she’s seen in the cage. In his place is a beautiful man torn with guilt, seeking forgiveness, and willing to do anything to ease her pain.

Her family doesn’t approve, but her heart doesn’t stand a chance. Irresistibly drawn together, neither of them can deny the intoxicating desire unleashed between them, turning their pain into the most exquisite pleasure.

But every time Mike steps into the cage, Savannah knows she could lose him too. She can’t go through that again, but how can she let go of the one man who sets her body and soul on fire?

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We have to take solace wherever we can find it, he’d said, and somehow, by some divine intervention or alignment of the stars or whatever the hell else determined their destinies…he was her solace.

Do you see that pathetic pile of emotional goo sitting there on the couch with her box of tissues and sniffling into her Ben & Jerry’s? Ignore her. She’s still trying to calm her tits after having her heart put through an emotional wringer that was this book. No really. She normally doesn’t cry through almost an entire book, and she definitely doesn’t refer to herself in the third person. So you know when all of this does happen, it’s definitely an unforgettable 5 star read. I’m talking have your tissues ready and prepare to have your hearts squeezed in a vice sort of read.

She didn’t know him, and no one would understand. But instead of letting go, she only squeezed his hand harder. The only anchor she had in this maelstrom of emotion was the hand that might very well have ended Tommy’s life.

What would you do if the man that may just be responsible for the single most devastating loss in your life is also the man that captures your heart and soul?

Losing her older brother is hard enough. Having to witness the blow to the head inside the MMA cage that caused his death is unforgettable. Savannah is the strongest link left in her family. Attempting to get through her own grief while consoling her parents and widowed sister in law is hard enough. But when the man that went head to head with Tommy in the fight that cost him his life shows up at the funeral, the last thing she expects is for him to enrapture her so thoroughly.

Mike Larson is the oldest of three brothers. Growing up hard, he’s made many sacrifices to support his brothers. He’s never hesitated to use his fists, after all, he’s made a successful career at it. Knowing that he’s responsible for a man’s death, no matter if it was a tragic accident, doesn’t ease his mind or heart. He’s haunted by his guilt and nothing will ease it unless he can make things right with the man’s family. Falling for his younger sister wasn’t in the plans, but their connection is simply inevitable.

He wanted her so fucking bad it terrified him, so bad it hurt.

Mike is a man wrecked by guilt and sorrow. He’s had a hard life, but nothing has been harder than living with the knowledge that it was his hit that cost a man’s life. He knows that falling for the guy’s sister is wrong, but he can’t stay away from her.

I cannot explain to you all just how much I adored Mike Larson. This is a man that is all alpha, but at his core he’s sweet, understanding, and as tender as he is devastatingly sexy.

He watched her, listening intently. No one had ever listened to her the way he did. Like every word was a treasure to be examined and considered.

This story was filled with so much emotion, it was impossible to read it with a dry eye. The connection between him and Savannah was incredible and undeniable. It was sizzling. It was utterly mesmerizing.

He could fall for this girl. So hard. So easily. Hell, he was fooling himself to think he hadn’t already begun that particular descent.

Savannah is woman that struggles with her own guilt. She knows her family and her sister in law will never accept her relationship, but she also sees a side of Mike that she knows not many have. The sweet and caring side. The side that will move mountains for the people he loves. A man that will do everything and anything at the drop of a hat just to be there for her and to make her smile.

Raw Deal is aptly titled because it certainly left me feeling raw. Raw with so much feeling, my heart near burst at the overwhelming emotion of it all. It was beautifully written, gripping, and poignant. It was a painful sort of beauty. A phenomenal story of love in the unlikeliest of places.

Of course it had Cherrie’s signature punch to the ovaries….

I want you begging, Savannah. Fucking begging me to come. If it takes all night, I’ve got it. If you have to miss your flight, I don’t care. Even if it has to be the last time, I don’t want you to ever forget.

I adored everything about this book. EVERYTHING. I think I was sniffling though the entire thing. I couldn’t stop. I’m beyond excited for this brand new series from one of my favorite authors. And if this book is anything to go by, I already know the other two Larson brothers will be well worth the wait. A rockstar and a poker king? Bring. It. On.

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

Review: Redemption by Karin Tabke

January 18, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

REDEMPTION
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Karin Tabke
Release Date: January 9, 2017

A bad boy cop bargains his way out of hell—and back into his ex-fiance’s heart—in Redemption, a novella from international bestselling author Karin Tabke.

After a fatal car crash, bad boy cop Zach Garret’s descent into hell is interrupted by an unusual deal for redemption. All Zach has to do is return to earth as a warrior sworn to defend his ex-fiancée Danica Keller, the unknowing keeper of a power coveted by the forces of darkness. But even harder than keeping Danica alive that long is convincing her to give a second chance to the man who once betrayed her.

AMAZON

 

God, she tasted sweet. His body ached for more, his heart for all. But he had nothing to give in return. He was a cold-blooded killer, and every time she looked at him he could see the horror of his deeds reflected in her eyes.

I’m a sucker for a second chance romance. There’s just something about it that does it for me every single time. Maybe it’s the angst. Maybe it’s the groveling? Whatever the case may be, I can’t get enough of it.

As a long time fan of Karin Tabke’s I was thrilled to see she has a new book coming out. And as a huge fan of PNR, I was even more thrilled when I read the synopsis. With an abundance of vampire and shifter books out there, I find myself craving something different in my PNR at times and this book definitely delivered on that end. The world building is an intriguing mix that I haven’t read before.

Zach was a hero you couldn’t help but love, even his broken pieces, and the man had plenty of them. He hadn’t exactly been a saint in his life or his career. He’s made his share of bad decisions and wrong choices, but none haunt him as much as what happened between him and his ex-fiancee, Danica.

When a choice after his death is to fall into hell or become the guardian for a woman that quite literary holds the fate of the world in her hands, it’s really no choice at all. But unfortunately for Zach, the woman also happens to be his ex-fiance whose heart he didn’t just break, but he destroyed her life. She wants nothing to do with him and now he has to prove to her that she needs him just as much as he’s always known he’s needed her.

For a novella, there was quite a lot of character development and plot expertly packed in. There are a couple secondary characters that piqued my interest quite a bit. So much so, I’m hoping this will be the start of a new series. The romance was equally satisfying, though I didn’t have quite enough time to truly get invested in it, hence my lower rating. I liked Danica’s strength. This is no damsel in distress, and I appreciate that in my books.

All in all, I enjoyed this one quite a bit and hoping there’s more to come in this intriguing new world.

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Vicious by LJ Shen

January 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

VICIOUS
Series: Sinners of Saint
Author: LJ Shen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 1, 2017

Emilia

They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true.

The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares.

He is a brilliant lawyer.

A skilled criminal.

A beautiful liar.

A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover.

Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious

She is a starving artist.

Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom.

Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down.

She paid the price.

Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate.

That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t.

So she hates me. Big fucking deal.

She better get used to me.

AMAZON

“You’re pissing me off,” she said quietly, her eyes still searching my face.“And that’s turning me on,” I retorted, my voice flat. “So you might wanna tone down the hate glares if you don’t wanna find yourself being fucked on this desk with the blinds still open.”

I was still staring at my screen, working on the merger deal I was eager to get signed before Christmas, but I could see from my peripheral that she had paled. I liked how—once again—I’d gotten under her skin. Quickly.

“You’re disgusting,” she muttered, still staring at me—but not in a way that suggested she was appalled.

I cracked my neck, opening my browser and checking the stocks on the screen, skimming through the greens and the reds. “That may well be, but I’m balls deep in your fucking head, Help, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Her eyes glittered with rage, and fuck, I was so hard, and fuck, she was so beautiful. This was so on. I was going to fuck Dean’s ex-girlfriend, use her for my personal needs, and toss her away when I was done.

And after choosing the wrong guy, there was no doubt in my mind, she deserved it too.

“You just gave Floyd a lecture about the inter-office fraternization policy. No mixing business and pleasure.” She leaned forward. Her elbow touched my finger accidentally, and she jerked it away.

I met her halfway, erasing the space between us across the desk. “Correction—guys like Floyd won’t give you pleasure. Men like me would. Besides, the man likes Arrow,” I drawled, as if this alone was a reason to fire him.

To me, it was.

“You know what your problem is, Vicious? You still haven’t decided if you hate me or like me. That’s why you act like this every time I’m around other men.” There wasn’t a trace of embarrassment in her voice. She owned up to this.

What she didn’t know was that I knew exactly how I felt about her.

I hated her, but was attracted to her. It was really that simple.

“You know what I feel right now, Ms. LeBlanc? I feel like you need to pack a fucking bag and start making the necessary arrangements. You’re coming with me to California, whether you like it or not.”

My obsession. My muse. My enemy.

It’s official. L.J. Shen is a witch. How else could the woman possibly crawl inside my mind and create a story that seriously felt custom written for me?
Uber angst? Check!
Hot alphahole hero? Holy hell, CHECK!
A heroine that’s the perfect blend of innocent but with a steel backbone? Check!
An enemies to lovers story that left me practically salivating? CHECK!
A sexual chemistry and a burn so good it makes you want to slap yo mama? CHECK!
An addicting, obsessive read from cover to cover? ABSOLUTELY FREAKING CHECK!!!

This guy is going to break my heart if I let him.

The Four HotHoles rule All Saints High. All the guys want to hang out with them and all the girls want to sleep with them. It doesn’t matter that women are more disposable to them than a pair of socks, they’ll gladly give up their dignity for a night…or a few hours in their bed. Vicious is the most brutal of the four. He’s a coldblooded asshole that practice bubbles over with barely surprised rage. And the target for the brunt of his anger is Emilia, his classmate and daughter of the hired help living at his father’s mansion.

Vicious was vicious. It was too bad that my hate for him was dipped in a thin shell of something that felt like love. But I promised myself I’d crack it, break it, and unleash pure hatred in its place before he got to me.

Emilia was a heroine you can’t help but like. They say the line is thin between love and hate and that’s definitely the case here. She wants to hate Vicious and he surely gives her plenty of reason to…and yet, he’s like a magnet drawing her in.

Shen did a phenomenal job with character development, that you don’t just read what they’re feeling, you feel it. That couldn’t be more true with Emilia. I clicked with her from the very first page. Here’s a heroine that’s down on her luck, down to her last penny, barely making ends meet working two jobs to support herself and her sick sister, but she still has this undercurrent of strength that you can’t help but respect.

Intersected with flashbacks to their high school years, the story develops in the present. Years after Emilia left All Saints High and Vicious behind. But circumstances soon bring her face to face once more with a man that made her teenage years a living hell.

I want to fuck you and watch your face while I do. To see how you drown in me as I hurt you as much as it hurts me to have to see your goddamn face every day.” 

Now if you’re an angst lover like me, you will gobble up everything about this book and be left begging for more. The sexual tension between Vicious and Emilia crackles with electricity. I loved that added burn of hate lust between them. The woman definitely gave him a run for his money and for all his thinly veiled insults that he throws her way, you can see just how much he craves her underneath it all.

You’re pissing me off,” she said quietly, her eyes still searching my face.
“And that’s turning me on,” I retorted, my voice flat. “So you might wanna tone down the hate glares if you don’t wanna find yourself being fucked on this desk with the blinds still open.”

The writing was absolutely brilliant. Shen simply gets better and better with each book she writes and she truly outdid herself with this one. She gave us four heroes that you not only click with but obsess over. Sure, this book is focused on Vicious and I loved every page of it. But I also loved the three other HotHoles and if the set up for two of them is anything to go by, I already know I need their books.

As for this book? This is what obsession is made of. This book. These characters. This romance. It was too delicious for words. Simply. Addicting.

This is not a relationship. It’s two people fucking the obsession out of each other.”

L.J. Shen resides in sunny California with her husband, son, chubby cat and wild, wild dreams.

Her passion is to write badass stories, sushi, UFC and her awesome family and friends (not in this order, though. Obviously, sushi comes before writing. Oh, and also the family part.)

She spend the first half of her twenties traveling the world and is now paying all the fun with extra shifts in front of her MacBook. Feel free to contact her on her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her readers.

https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/

Social Media links:

Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2jKBd1l

Pinterest ➜ https://www.pinterest.com/authorljshen/

Email ➜ msleighshen@gmail.com

Newsletter Sign up ➜ http://goo.gl/FwfMzr

Facebook➜ https://goo.gl/fKCSo4

Twitter➜ https://goo.gl/ceV3RQ

Goodreads ➜ https://goo.gl/T4YU71

Website ➜ www.ljshen.com

Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/authorljshen/

 

Also Available On Sale (Limited Time)

Tyed

Sparrow

Blood to Dust

 

Head over to LJ’s Facebook Page for multiple giveaways

https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/?fref=ts

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, DGR Favorites, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: ,

New Release & Review: Menace by @JMDarhower

January 16, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

MENACE
Genre: Dark Romance, Mafia
Series: Scarlet Scars #1
Author: JM Darhower
Release Date: January 16, 2017

Once upon a time, there was a guy who got so fed up with life that he resorted to murder and mayhem just to feel alive.

Lorenzo Gambini is bored. So fucking bored. Most people either annoy him or avoid him, afraid to face him. Figuratively. Literally. With his face partially disfigured, scarred, he looks every bit the monster the stories make him out to be: the notorious menace they call Scar. They say he’s a sociopath. Maybe he’s a psychopath. Whatever path he’s on, people tend to stay far away from it.

Until one day, a young woman bumps right into him–a woman just as fed up with life, but for much different reasons. With a Scarlet Letter inked on her wrist and secrets buried deep in her soul, Morgan Myers is running from something… or maybe somebody. Lorenzo isn’t quite sure.

You can bet your ass he’s going to figure it out, though.

AMAZON

He’s excitement. He’s adrenaline.
He makes my heart do stupid shit.
Shit my heart shouldn’t be doing.
Because everything that turns me on about him could also snuff me out.

Want to know a recipe for a whole lot of awesome?

Take one part heroine that’s snarky, sarcastic, as strong as she is broken, can stand her own with anyone, has enough sass and backbone to make her awesome from start to finish.

Take one part anti-hero that’s as hot as he is totally f*cked up. Make him have an internal monologue that will have your cringing one minute and cracking up the next. As a matter of fact take one part Deadpool sort of snarky humor…

I’m starting to understand what everyone says about you.”
“And what, pray tell, do they say? Don’t leave me in suspense here.”
“That there’s something seriously wrong with you.”
“Oh, well, I could’ve told you that. There’s a lot wrong with me.”

and mix that with some mafia bad*ss!

Mix in a part of mystery.

Add a splash of plot twist.

Sprinkle in some super f*cked up secondary characters.

Get the beyond amazing JM Darhower to blend it all together with her signature mix of grit and sex.

And now, my friend, you got yourself one addicting little cocktail. Uhem.

If you’ve read Target on Our Backs, you’re already familiar with Lorenzo and his particular brand of crazy. And make no mistake, the man is definitely NUTS.

I seem to forever exist in a gray area of life, caught in a web somewhere between homicidal and suicidal

He’s violent, screwed up, borderline sociopath. His past demons don’t haunt his present because they’re probably scared shitless of a man that doesn’t fear death. Does he have a backstory? Absolutely. And it’s as devastating as it is f*cked up. Will you be panting for him throughout the entire book even knowing all that? Abso-freaking-lutely!

He stares at me, not a flicker of emotion showing on his face. There’s almost something inhuman about it.

Morgan aka “Scarlet” was easily my favorite heroine that this author has written to date. This is a woman that’s running but with a purpose and using any means possible to get what she wants. She’ll pick pockets, lie, and use her body if she has to. She’s full of nails and vinegar. She’s sassy, sarcastic, snarky and everything I love. She’s broken but not defeated. If anything her weakness just make her that much stronger. She was a fascinating combination vulnerable and deadly.

This is not a story of insta lust or insta anything. These two have a rocky start and an explosive continuation. And by explosive, I mean that in all sense of the word.

Holy fuck. This man and those hands… he doesn’t play fair. At all. He presses buttons he’s got no business pressing.

I loved her internal monologue almost as much as I loved Lorenzo’s

He curves his fingers, hitting that sweet spot deep inside. The unicorn found the fucking Holy Grail.
Didn’t even need a map.
He navigated right there.

Yeah. See what I mean?
This was told in dual POV and I gobbled it up! It was violent and gritty, taking you right into the underbelly of the worst sort of criminal organizations. It’s sexy with just the right amount of humor mixed it. I loved it is what I’m trying to tell you here. I’m already itching for the conclusion. ITCHING I tells ya!!!

I just think about how fucked up it is to realize that heroes are make-believe but monsters are real. That’s the world we live in. There’s no knight in shining out there. It’s just me, trapped in a world filled with fire-breathing dragons.

GRIEVOUS, book 2 in the Scarlet Scars and the conclusion, releases in February

Add it to your Goodreads now!

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Review: Rival by Penelope Douglas

January 15, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

RIVAL
Series: Fall Away #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: August 26, 2014

From the New Adult sensation and New York Times bestselling author of Until You

Madoc and Fallon. Two estranged teenagers playing games that push the boundaries between love and war…

She’s back.

For the two years she’s been away at boarding school, there was no word from her. Back when we lived in the same house, she used to cut me down during the day and then leave her door open for me at night.

I was stupid then, but now I’m ready to beat her at her own game…

I’m back.

Two years and I can tell he still wants me, even if he acts like he’s better than me.

But I won’t be scared away. Or pushed down. I’ll call his bluff and fight back. That’s what he wants, right? As long as I keep my guard up, he’ll never know how much he affects me….

AMAZON | iBOOKS

That beautiful girl hated me, and I hated her, but – goddamn it – I loved how we hated, because it was raw and real. It didn’t make any sense, but yeah – it was real.”

Why the hell did it take me this long to read this book?! Why? WHY I ASK YOU?! I’ll admit that reading a few reviews made me a little nervous to pick this one up. I should have known better. Other people’s pet peeves tend to be my catnip. What? I never said I wasn’t a lot little crazy? But I digress.

As you may already know from my reviews, I love enemies to lovers. And you already probably know that my love for all things Penelope Douglas know no bounds. I LOVED and I mean LOVED Bully and Until You. So why did it take me so long to read this book? I have no freaking idea! But I’m so happy to rectify that grand error in judgement.

Madoc was everything I had hoped he would be. A goofball hiding a lot of depth beneath the easy jokes and quick smile. He’s a downright asshole to Fallon at first, and as more and more of their history comes to light, the puzzle pieces begin to click together.

Fallon is exactly the sort of heroine I love to read about; smart mouthed, sassy, and with a spine of steel. This girl sure knew how to dish it, and she could take it just as well.

You’ve always wanted me. You know why? Because I don’t try to kill your demons. I run with them.”

Her family life isn’t exactly ideal and her mother is downright kaka for coco puffs. Her father is the only solid influence she’s had in her life, and I’ll admit that I loved reading about their unconventional relationship.

Nothing that happens on the surface of the sea can alter the calm of it’s depths.”

Did I love this as much as Bully? No. But nothing compares to that book. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the hell out of this one. Because I did. I really REALLY did. It had everything I love in NA; great banter, hate lust, and the sexy times were downright SIZZLING.

I devoured this book in a day. It reminded me all over again why I love this woman’s writing. She does it for me every time. Every. Single. Time. Now to just finish the rest of this series!!!

But breaking was beautiful. It hurt, and it was an uphill climb back to sanity, but you came back stronger, fiercer, and more solid than you were before.”

THE FALL AWAY SERIES

BULLY | UNTIL YOU | RIVAL | FALLING AWAY | AFLAME | NEXT TO NEVER

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