Review: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

July 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE AU PAIR AFFAIR
Series: Big Shots #2
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 16, 2024

A sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny…

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah. 

AMAZON

One measly lunch had led to months of staring off into space trying to remember the exact shade of her eyes.

An MC who is singular and wholly obsessed with the FMC? yes, please and thank yew! Sign me up immediately.

Why should you read this book? Let me tell you
Burgess, who is:
– A single dad who is trying to navigate raising a preteen
– a Pro hockey player
– A big ole’ marshmallow who is wholly obsessed with Tallulah after one meeting
– A dirty beast in the sack with a dirty mouth to beat
– Still maintains cinnamon role status throughout

The inked skin/thick butt/muscle trifecta was really bringing home the fact that she was not simply working for a single father. She was working for a snack. A DILF. A big boy. The most eligible of bachelors. How was this man—this hot


Oh and I did I mention the pining? And the age gap? And OMG the pining!

The weekend starts tomorrow,” he said, his focus very intent on her mouth. “What do we have planned?”
“Me and my bodyguard?” she murmured.
“That’s me.” He looked her up and down. “I’ll guard it well.”
“Better than you guard your goalie?” she managed choppily.
“Yes. And that’s saying something, considering I’m a beast on defense.” He dragged his bottom lip through his teeth, a low sound leaving him. “I’m a beast everywhere, Tallulah.”

Oh and let’s add heartwarming, laugh out loud funny, and deliciously sexy to the mix too, mkay?

But also, the pining! THE PINING, people!

When you’re ready to call me your man, I’m going to spit on this hot little c*nt and call it mine before I f*ck it. Go ahead. Lie and tell me you don’t want that.”

No one likes a liar, Tallulah. But I digress once more.

Tallulah gets the job of a lifetime as an au pair for a pro hockey player. A big, giant hockey player who intimidates her with all his bigness. Still reeling from a traumatic event in her past makes her skittish but she’s determined to work through it. The instant chemistry and undeniable attraction to the man certainly doesn’t help things. She wants to experience life and Burgess wants nothing less than a commitment and determined to break through all her walls for it. And who doesn’t love a determined man.

What starts of as Burgess volunteering to be her buddy as she experiences the thrills of her bucket list, soon veers into some dangerous territory. Well, if banging your hot boss is dangerous anyway. But I digress once more.

This was such a cute, funny and deliciously sexy romance that I simply couldn’t get enough of. I loved Burgess and his big teddy bear ways. Almost as much as I loved his dirty mouth and beastly tendencies in the bedroom. There was plenty of laughs along the way and a yummy grovel to boot. And who doesn’t love a good grovel, I ask you?

Anyhoos, if you’re looking for a fun read with plenty of steam and terrific characters, look no further.

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Review: If You Want Me by Helena Hunting

July 13, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

IF YOU WANT ME
Series: The Toronto Terror #2
Author: Helena Hunting
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 11, 2024

There’s no one more off limits than my best friend’s daughter.

Peggy Aurora Hammerstein. The Toronto Terror’s unofficial team princess. I would never do anything to mess with our team dynamics this late into the hockey season, but seeing her work in the front office changed something for me.

I see her as she is now: a powerful woman with ambition for miles. When I hold her against me, she fits perfectly.

Her little flirts and taunts push my buttons, if she doesn’t stop–my control just might break. But I can never cross that line. I can never know what it could be to call her mine.

I’ve never wanted anyone more than Aurora and no one can ever know.

* This is Hollis Hendrix’s standalone novel. If you want to meet Hollis before you read this book, check out If You Hate Me, Rix and Tristan’s story.

AMAZON

 

I’ve never wanted anyone more than Aurora and no one can ever know.

If there is one thing I love more than a hockey romance, it’s a hockey romance with an age gap/forbidden element added. And nothing is more forbidden that your father’s best friend, eh?

If she was five years older, if she wasn’t still in university, if she wasn’t my best friend’s fucking daughter. If I wasn’t more than a decade older than her with enough relationship baggage to fill a dump truck.

Though it sounds worse than it is because the age gap is only 13 years. Aurora is 20 and Hollis is 33. Aurora’s father was a teen dad, and Hollis is a bit younger than him, but I digress. I read this in my usual back-asswards way, which is to say that I hadn’t read book one first. But look, in my defense, the blurb to this one was calling my name and I couldn’t help myself. So get off my back, gawd!

I want things I shouldn’t. Things I should erase from my brain, but I don’t. I can’t. Won’t.

Have you ever read a scene that gave you second hand embarrassment that your entire body feels? Because wowza was that the opening scene for me. Aurora looks after Hollis’s kitties (like the actual cats, ok? get your mind out of the gutter) while he’s away for hockey. She’s also had the hots for him for a while and so she decides that it’s a good idea to have a bit of a self help sesh with her vibrator in his bed…and then forgets her vibrator on his night stand. Yes, he finds it. Oh and I did I mention he also has kitty camps in his bedroom? Awkwaaaaard. But I digress again.

The chemistry and tension between these two was through the roof. I loved watching Hollis try and fail at fighting their growing attraction. Especially when he encourages her to date and then his possessive and jealous side rears its head when he walks in on said date. Aurora is also not shy about going after what she wants. She had her moments where she definitely showed her age, but she was also easy to like. And when these two finally give into the inevitable? SIZZLING.

It did take me a hot minute to wrap my head around all the secondary characters and even the main ones with all the different names. It almost felt like too much at times. Like Aurora is Peggy (Aurora is her middle name). Her dad call her Peggy and Hollis calls her Aurora and Princess, but then she’s also called Hammer, which is short for Hammerstein (her last name). Same for some of the other characters and I found myself quickly losing track of who is who. But I also have the attention span of a rodent, so do take that with a grain of salt.

In any case, I really enjoyed this sizzling hockey romance. It brought the laughs, the swoons, a little bit of the cringey, and plenty of the spice. It put a smile on my face and kept it there until the end. Definitely recommend for all my hockey romance loving readers out there.

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Review: Storm by Abbi Glines

June 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

STORM
Series: Georgia Smoke #4
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 26, 2024

Briar

Falling in love with a man you can’t fully trust isn’t just unwise, it’s a constant battle. Storm Kingston had busted into my life, shattering my well-maintained walls. He claimed I was his, promising to fulfill all my dreams. But I had already caught him in a lie that I couldn’t confront him about. To do so would mean the death of an innocent person. One would think that knowing his deceit and manipulation would be enough for me to shield my heart, but it wasn’t.

I was afraid the man also owned my soul.

The lies I don’t know… they’re the ones that will shatter me, the ones that could be my undoing.

Storm

Most might consider me unhinged, possibly psychotic, but Briar wasn’t someone I was willing to lose. Ever. I did what needed to be done to protect, take care of, and keep her. She loved me and wanted to be with me. If I had to do some frowned-upon things to make sure she didn’t leave me, then I’d do them. Besides, not everyone deserves to live. Especially those that did anything to make her life less than perfect.

I would keep my secrets because the truth wouldn’t be pleasant for her. And I wanted to keep my girl smiling. She wouldn’t understand the things I’d chosen to do to protect her. If she ever found out, she would try to leave me. Try being the operative word.

She had no idea the twisted things I would do to make sure that day never came.

AMAZON

We weren’t perfect, but in all the wrong, there was this intense perfection that would either save me or ruin me.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t know what sort of book crack Abbi laces this series with but I am obsessed and I will never get enough!

This is the conclusion of Storm and Briar’s book and you absolutely need to read Sizzling first as their story is a duet. If you don’t love your fictional men walking red flags, fully unhinged, possessive and jealous than this ain’t the series for you. As for me? I will devour it whole and lick every finger.

“I think the word you’re looking for is unhinged,” I said.
“Oh, it is. It’s also real.”

What’s funny is that I could probably sit here and pick apart Briar’s easy giving in to Storm at every turn but I just can’t find it in me to care. The series before this and this spinoff have become comfort reads to me that just hit the spot. They’re one of those stories that you can shut off your brain and just enjoy. Ya know? It’s just pure book crack with toxic men and the women that fall for them and I am so here for it.

Storm definitely stays on brand with his stalker tendencies and crazy possessiveness of Briar and I spent the entirety of the book just waiting for the other shoe to drop and Briar to see the extent of his secrets. And while I wanted Briar to make him work for it a bit more, I still love that she gave it back and made her feelings and boundaries known…even though Storm continues to steamroll right past them.

The spice was spicing as only Abbi knows how. I love her brand of dirty talkers. But can we just talk about my absolute FERAL need for Thatcher’s book? because if Storm is unhinged, Thatcher is an absolute psychopath and I’m half in love with him already.

The story as the rest of this series was a binge read in one sitting; satisfying, spicy, and so much fun! I love this series!

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Review: So This is War by Meghan Quinn

June 25, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

SO THIS IS WAR
Series: The Agitators #5
Author: Meghan Quinn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 25, 2024

Did I think I was going to fall for my coach’s daughter?

The answer would be no.

I’m still unclear on how I got into this predicament in the first place. A year ago, I was a man with one thought on his mind, the redhead I met at a hotel bar. Twelve months later, I found her.

Unfortunately for me, she not only happens to be my very off-limits coach’s daughter, but also . . . my new assistant and roommate.

I don’t even need an assistant, but Coach Wood doesn’t take no for an answer. Add in him writing up tasks for his daughter, Wylie, to complete for me? Well, it’s his own form of sweet torture. We are talking tasks that I would never ask her to do.

Tasks that make her despise me.

Hate me.

That make her utter four words that cause a shiver to crawl up my spine . . . Posey, this is war.

A coach’s daughter, workplace, forbidden standalone sports romance featuring the hockey men you can’t get enough of. This steamy, roommates-to-lovers romantic comedy will bring all the laughs while burning up the pages at the same time.

AMAZON

Her eyes bore into me, the same fucking eyes as her father, but whereas his are scary . . . hers are mesmerizing.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, sweet and swoony romcom, look no further. This book was everything I didn’t know I needed and I spent the entirety of it with a goofy grin on my face.

Quite the vibration,” she says as the vibrator’s buzzing fills the silence. “Feels strong yet not too powerful where it could cause your innards to turn inward.”
I look up at her. “Is that a thing?”
She shrugs. “Feels like it could be. Is that supposed to hit the G-spot?”
I glance down at the flat side that is, in fact, supposed to massage the G-spot. It’s currently massaging the tip of my toe. “Yes,” I answer.
“Fascinating. And that piece on the end there, is that for the clit?”
“The one that is currently sucking my pinky toe?” I ask.
“Yes, that one.”
“Yeah,” I answer. “That’s for the clit.”

When I tell you the banter was on fire, I mean it was EVERYTHING.

I did myself a bit of a disservice by reading this first but I plan on rectifying that mistake by reading the rest of the series immediately. In my defense, the blurb to this book was simply too good to pass up NOT reading it first. And I am not sorry! Also to add, it is easily enjoyed as a standalone to which I am a true testament of.

Levi Posey and Wiley first meet at a bar and have instant chemistry. But while he has no idea who she is at the time beyond his wild attraction to her, she knows exactly who she flirts with. Flash forward a
year later and these two cross paths in the most interesting of ways. Wiley is determined to prove to her dad that she can pursue her dream career vs the one he claims she needs and they strike a bargain. She works a regular job and if she can survive it, he’ll support her. But he’s not about to let nature take its course. Nope. He’s determined to make her job a living hell. So what’s a hockey coach to do? Bully one of his star players to be the employer from hell for his daughter who will work as a personal assistant. Enter Levi Posey and the shock of a lifetime.

But the fun doesn’t really start until Wiley figures out the game and is determined to drive the man out of his ever loving mind and use their chemistry in her favor. I loved this woman and her take charge attitude. And Posey? OMG. The man is an absolute cinnamon roll and I loved him for it. He’s also a dirty talking beast in the sack and definitely knows how to take charge in the bedroom. But when Wiley makes him suffer, he definitely breaks a sweat and it was hilarious.

The humor was humoring and the steam was steaming. I loved their banter and I loved the slow burn. Admittedly I did want to junk punch Wiley’s father for basically the entirety of the book. The man was a tyrant and while he did take a positive turn, it was difficult to digest by then. But Levi and his friend gang is really what made this book for me. I love the friendship he has not only with his teammates but their women. And I absolutely loved the banter of their group text messages.

If you want a fun, steamy romcom, this is sure to hit every spot, even those you didn’t know you had 😉 

SA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.

Never miss another NEW RELEASE, text READ to 474747.

Connect w/ Meghan:

Website: https://authormeghanquinn.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghanquinnbooks/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn

 


 

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#DGRFave & Review: Honey Cut by Sierra Simone

June 21, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HONEY CUT
Series: Lyonesse  #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, MMF
Author: Sierra Simone
Release Date: June 18, 2024

I have one job in this arranged marriage, and that’s to seduce my husband.

It should be easy; I’m the heiress to a transatlantic fortune, bred and raised to make a good match. I’ve spent a lifetime building up my endurance, my discipline, my dedication to my god and my church. The danger lies in falling for the devil who put his ring on my finger—a mistake I made years ago, and can’t afford to make again.

There is one more danger: handsome and green-eyed, emotionally wounded. Tristan Thomas, former soldier and my new husband’s bodyguard. A hero who stole my heart with salt-soaked kisses on the sea.

But Lyonesse is not like other places, and this isn’t like other marriages. Soon Tristan, Mark, and I are tangled in a knot of vicious jealousy and gorgeous wickedness, where suspicion is an aphrodisiac and secrets and vows are one and the same.

And there is something far darker at play than my real purpose, than the machinations of the Church I serve. Darker even than the twisted longings of my own heart. Because my husband has secrets of his own, and the reason he’ll stop at nothing to possess me could slice my soul deeper than the honeysuckle-hilted knife he gave me once upon a time.

Because when it comes to Mark Trevena and his games, the first cut is more than the deepest—it’s the sweetest.

And he always leaves you begging for more…

Honey Cut is the second book in the Lyonesse Trilogy.

AMAZON 

You will be mine until you no longer wish to be so; I will be yours forever.”

Masterful, poignant, erotically sinful, and full of twists and turns. I thought I loved Salt Kiss but this book? Wow. This book completely blew me away. So much so, that I can also say that it has taken the place of Camelot Trilogy as my favorite of this author. And really, this is now easily my favorite MMF romance to date, period. And that’s not spoken lightly.

In this installment, we get a peak into the enigma that is Isolde. She’s a character that only gets introduced in the first book, and in this one we get immersed in her POV and what a POV it was. Even the POV is masterfully written to unwind a tale full of twists and turns. We now add Isolde’s POV in addition to Tristan, while desperately awaiting a deeper peek into the dark abyss that is Mark.

I want him as wild as he was on the sea; I want to see, over and over again, the rupture between his inherent goodness and his surrender to sin.

When we last left Tristan, he was chartering a yacht with Mark’s fiancé, Isolde. What we learn is that during that time at sea, he falls hard for her and she for him. But of course, when she’s engaged to his boss who he is still in love with, let’s just say that things are messy.

On one side of me, I have a hero; on my other side, a devil. One I want to fuck. The other I’ll have to.

Isolde and Mark’s union is not one of love but of business and partnership. Though knowing all that didn’t stop Isolde from loving the untouchable man either. And Isolde is an enigma in her own right. The second her POV is introduce, you’re instantly sucked into her world and it was impossible not to immediately connect with this broken but fierce woman.

because even though they have meant for you to be made of gold, you are made of shadows and glass instead, and I am too.

The feel of the forbidden of being in love with two men; one who is your husband to be but offers nothing of himself beyond surface level, the other with a heart of gold who is forbidden to you. But Isolde is no simple woman and she’s not a prize in the arrangement. She has a plan of her own and the more than unwinds, the more obsessed it made me to learn more details.

His voice is his devil’s voice tonight, seductive and cruel. Oh, how he makes us fall in love with him. We should hate him for it.

What I will tell you is that no one, and I mean absolutely no one can write such erotic filth like Sierra and fill it with so much poetry and gorgeous prose. It’s deliciously sinful and masterfully written. It’s not purple prose by any means, but it’s just perfectly written. I don’t even know how to describe it to you, you simply need to experience it for yourself.

Oh God. Oh my God.” Mark licks my mouth, like he wants to eat the words off my lips. He’s still smiling, evil and tyrannical and amused. “Sir will do for now.”

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time; loving Tristan, loving Isolde, and desperate for more details of Mark. The man is a dark and erotic enigma that I will never get enough of. It’s this amazing balance of the sweet cinnamon roll Tristan and the dark storm that is Mark, with Isolde at the center of it all.

Because it hurts, loving Tristan. And I’ve always craved things that hurt.

And that ending? I’m not even sure how I can survive the wait for book three. Talk about your jaw dropper! 

Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.

Connect w/Sierra Simone:

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Review: My Royal Showmance by Lexi Blake

June 4, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

MY ROYAL ROMANCE
Series: Park Avenue Promise #2
Author: Lexi Blake
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 4, 2024

From New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, discover The Park Avenue Promise Series…

Three young women make a pact in high school—
to always be friends and to one day make it big in Manhattan.

My Royal Showmance

Anika Fox knows exactly where she wants to be, and it’s not on the set of a reality TV dating show. She’s working her way up at the production company she works for and she’s close to achieving some of her dreams. The big boss just wants one thing from her. She’s got a potential problem with the director of The King Takes a Bride and she wants Anika to pose as a production assistant and report back.

As the king of a tiny European country, Luca St. Marten knows the world views him as one of the pampered royalty of the world. It couldn’t be further from the truth. His country is hurting and he’s right there on the front lines with his citizens. When he’s asked to do a dating show, his counselors point out that it could bring tourism back to Ralavia. It goes against his every desire, but he agrees.

When one of the contestants drops out at the last minute, Anika finds herself replacing the potential princess. She’s sure she’ll be asked to leave the first night, but Luca keeps picking her again and again. Suddenly she finds herself in the middle of a made-for-TV fantasy, and she’s unsure what’s real and what’s simply reality TV.

AMAZON

After midnight I become a raccoon with smudgy eyes and a desperate need to eat some trash. I can hear my stomach growl. It’s not cute.

This series is not what I’m used to from Lexi but it still never fails to hit the spot. This series is a combination of sweet and steamy and with a female friend group that you’ll absolutely fall in love with.

This book brings Anika Fox’s story and man did I love this woman. She’s career driven but not a pushover. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself and she doesn’t mince any words doing it. A night at a bar with her friends, she meets a stunning man who she spends the evening getting to know. But when she hopes it will end in a memorable night, he bids her farewell. So imagine the surprise of a lifetime that Anika has to find out that the endearing Luca she met at a bar is actually Luca St. Marten, the eligible royal bachelor on a brand new reality show that she’s an assistant for. And to add another fun surprise to the mix, when a contestant drops out suddenly she finds herself thrust into a much different role as a contestant herself.

This was such a cute and fun story. I loved Luca’s reason for doing the show was an altruistic one. He hoped the publicity will bring the much needed publicity to increase tourism in his small country. But when he sees Anika on the show, no other woman would do. There’s a poignant story that runs parallel to the romance that hit on a dose of reality with a powerful punch. I loved the way it was resolved and the way it was written.

If you’re looking for a sweet contemporary romance with a hero who falls hard and a fierce heroine, look no further. There’s just a touch of spice to make it that much more satisfying. I can’t wait for the next installment in this series.

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Review: Inescapable by Natasha Anders

June 4, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

INESCAPABLE
Author: Natasha Anders
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 4, 2024

Trystan Abbott is one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Voted sexiest man in the universe four years in a row, he’s also one of the hottest men on the planet.

But—after a life-altering accident—Trystan has fallen off the grid, nobody knows where he is. So when Iris Hughes, a young reporter with no real experience, lands the opportunity to interview him, she jumps at the chance. After all she has everything to prove and nothing to lose.

But when Iris finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a broken beast of man who in no way resembles the so-called international sex symbol, she realizes that she does have quite a lot to lose after all.

Things like her life, her sanity, and her heart.

AMAZON

I’m just a man. A weak, dumb, often foolish, human male. I’m smaller than my fame, more ordinary than my legend, and I’m fucking nothing without you, Iris.”

My whole heart right now. This tugged at every heart string I never knew I had and I fell hard and fast for Trystan and Iris’s story. It was everything; emotional, romantic, heart breaking, and with the most epic grovel I have read in a really long while.

If you love a grumpy/sunshine, modern beauty and the beast vibes, with a fierce heroine and a tortured grump of a hero, you need this book.

Iris gets the chance of a lifetime when she lands an interview with a movie star turned recluse, Trystan Abbott. But when she stumbles to his doorstep after her car breaks down, welcoming is the last thing that Trystan exudes. In fact he’s downright rude, dismissive, and colder than the icy wind outside. She may be there for a legitimate reason, but he doesn’t believe her and doesn’t need her breaking his sulking reclusively. Trystan takes every opportunity to kick Iris out of his house, but when a bad storm hits, he begrudgingly allows her to stay until it passes.

When I tell you I absolutely loved Iris. This is a woman who has a heart of gold, integrity, and isn’t shy about holding her ground and standing up for herself. The connection between these two is a slow build, but when it hits, oh man does it hit good.

One of my top favorite books by this author is The Unwanted Wife, and this gave me such similar vibes but in a very different way. I love when an MMC makes a huge mistake and then has to grovel, and oh my god does Trystan mess up. The man makes a mistake that you want to hate him for. But when he grovels, he GROVELS. And Iris doesn’t just let him off the hook with a simple apology. Oh no. She makes him work for it. But not because she’s vindictive. Simply because she’s a woman who knows her worth and isn’t about to settle for less. I loved that about her so much.

This story was EVERYTHING and I devoured it in one sitting. An angsty, emotional punch of a story with an unforgettable romance that owned my heart from beginning to finish.

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Review: Rewriting Grey by L.A. Ferro

June 3, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

REWRITING GREY
Author: L.A. Ferro
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 5, 2024

“Bad choices make epic stories. Write one with me.”

Iverson Grey wasn’t supposed to be my happily ever after.
He wasn’t even on my radar.

I came to Copper Falls, expecting to settle my sister’s estate and learn about the woman I never knew existed until I was notified of her death. Little did I know that stories about her weren’t the only thing that awaited me in the small town.

The first time I met the enigmatic Iverson Grey, my car broke down on the side of the road. The second time, he spilled his coffee on me, and by the third, I was letting him have his way with me behind a bar. It was only supposed to be one time, a quick summer hookup in a town I was passing through with a man I’d never see again.

But a week after arriving at the Blackthorn Estate, a twist of fate reveals the home I thought was my sister’s belonged to the one man I haven’t been able to forget. Our chemistry is intense, all-consuming, and utterly wrong.

He was my dead sister’s ex—forbidden.

However, the more time we’re forced to spend together, the more I discover nothing is what it seems. The lines between right and wrong get blurry, and not all perfect endings are black and white. Sometimes, they’re grey, and somewhere in the grey lies the truth, and when it comes out, there’s no predicting the ending.

AMAZON

Some people believe their destiny is written in the stars. I believe it’s written on our hearts, and I’m pretty sure the one inside you holds mine.”

This story took me completely by surprise. The author definitely knew what she was doing when she wrote that blurb and that is all I will say on that.

I place a soft kiss on her lips before saying, “Bad choices make epic stories. Write one with me.”

As a reader who is forever in my walking red flag era, it’s not often I fall for a total cinnamon roll. But Iverson Grey was impossible not to fall for. And while Quinn took me a minute to warm up to, she quickly grew on me.

Quinn comes to the small town of Copper Falls to settle a family estate for a sister she didn’t even know she had. Raised by a single mom, Quinn is shocked to find out she has a sister she knew nothing about. And she’s even more shocked to learn about it because her sister’s mysterious death named her as her next of kin. She plans on this being a quick in and out and has no plans on staying. So the handsome stranger that saved her broken down on the side of the road and is determined to make their passionate one night into something more is the last thing she needs.

While their push and pull would have bothered me in any other book, it just worked for me here. I loved Quinn’s fierce independence. And when I learned more about her past and the relationships that made her, I understood it that much more. But boy did I love the way that Grey pursues her. The man is determined to break down her every defense and he’s not above using his filthy mouth to get her closer. And oh my god his filthy mouth. The man may be a sweet cinnamon roll but he was a beast in the bedroom. *heart eyes*

The story has a mystery element to it which kept me turning the pages. It’s hard to take this reader by surprise, but this story totally blew me away. I didn’t see any of the twists and turns coming. As a matter of fact, I thought it was one thing and it couldn’t be further from it. And I love when a book can take me by surprise like that.

There’s intriguing secondary characters that just added a little sprinkle of more to the already satisfying story. The steam was steaming and the suspense was the perfect addition. If you love a steamy small town romance with a splash of reverse grumpy sunshine, tortured characters, and a page turner of a story, this one is sure to hit the spot!

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Review: Sizzling by Abbi Glines

May 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

SIZZLING
Series: Georgia Smoke #3
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 26, 2024

Briar

Running. It seems that’s all I ever do. I’ve been running since I was fifteen. Some days I wonder if I’ll ever be able to stop. Would I even know how to live a normal life if I could? Doubt it. No reason to waste good time thinking on it either. Sitting around wishing for something never did anyone a favor. If you want it, then you go and get it. By any means necessary. And I was an expert at using my strengths. I’d been born with beauty, and it had been a curse that haunted me until, one day, I grabbed it and used it to my advantage. Don’t judge. You have no idea the demons I’ve fought… and the ones I still do.

Storm

Sure, I was raised to kill when needed and to protect the family. However, my momma also taught me to open doors for women and respect them unless they prove they’re not ladies. It was a damn shame the sweet little piece I’d been unable to get out of my head had never been a lady a day in her life. That gorgeous face and mouthwatering body were real nice wrapping paper to distract men. Briar Landry was a liar, a thief, a cheat, and a very talented gold digger. She disgusted me. The more I was forced to be around her, the more I hated her. I knew the evil inside her and I had enough twisted darkness of my own. Treating her with cruelty, I hadn’t known I possessed, was the only way to keep from letting her pull me inside her web.

AMAZON


Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and I’ll cut your dick off.

Look, I don’t know what Abbi puts into these books, but they are the best form of book crack that I devour in one giddy sitting. And you know what the funny thing is? I could sit here and probably nitpick at plenty of things, and maybe if it was written by anyone else, I would. But when Abbi writes it, it just works.

That wasn’t the kind of woman you got out of your system. She was the kind that took your soul.

This is the next couple’s story in Abby’s Smoke series spinoff, Georgia smoke. And if you want to appreciate the story that much more, I highly recommend reading in order, because many characters are introduced early on and their story arc continues until their book. Such is the case of Briar, who we learned about in Slay King. Briar is a bit different from the other heroines that Abbi has written in these two series, because she’s self assured. She’s gorgeous and she knows it, and she uses it to survive. It was a refreshing change of pace to read. Having said that, while she puts up a good fight, sort of, she is still not able to resist the chemistry and attraction to Storm even when she should.

Storm thinks Briar is a gold-digger and takes every opportunity to judge her loudly for it. But even that judgement doesn’t lessen his attraction and pull to her. It’s also ironic that a man firmly rooted in the opposite side of the law would judge anyone, but here were are. As hard as he tries to fight the pull, he’s irrevocably drawn to the beauty and it doesn’t take long for their sizzling chemistry to finally implode.

What’s funny is that I would usually want to junk punch someone like Storm, but his hot and cold attitude just worked for me here. I would also want to judge how easy Briar gives into their pull no matter how crappy Storm treats here, but here were are. I just couldn’t seem to care because it just worked. Don’t ask me how or why, but I enjoyed the heck out of their dynamic. I could also nit pick into Storm’s sudden about face when it comes to Briar, but I couldn’t even bat an eye lash at it.

It was just one of those perfect, shut off your brain and enjoy sort of reads and I loved the heck out of it for it. It’s not a standalone and their conclusion will be with the next book, but it also doesn’t leave you on a painful cliffhanger. It ends at a satisfying point where you want the next book but you also get just enough of a good ending to be able to tolerate the short wait until the next installment.

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Review: So Hectic by Eve Dangerfield

May 24, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

SO HECTIC
Series: Silver Daughters Ink #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: May 23, 2024

A Super Spicy, Enemies to Lovers, Playboy, standalone romance from critically acclaimed author Eve Dangerfield

Tabby DaSilva’s life sucks. Her dad’s AWOL, her Prosecco-themed music festival ‘Sparkling Whine’ bombed and her big sister’s pregnancy means she’s officially transitioning from ‘youngest kid’ to ‘weird aunt.’
But hardest to take is her best friend Toby Tennant going pure evil.
Taking his virginity was supposed to seal their alliance. Instead, Mr. Nice Guy vanished only to resurface as a full-blown finance douche, complete with Lamborghini and a podcast shilling creatine every five minutes.
Frankly, it’s a fate worse than death.
But Tabby has the perfect solution; run away! All she needs is enough cash to start a new life in Colombia and since Toby’s petitioning for her to tattoo him, what’s a girl to do but slowly inject ink into her enemy’s rippling Ken doll torso?
Little does she know that her ex-best friend doesn’t really want a tattoo. Toby wants her, mind, body, and soul. He’s spent the last two years becoming the Sugar Daddy of Tabitha DaSilva’s dreams and he’s finally ready to show her that he can take care of her, and dominate her, in the ways she’s only ever imagined…

SO HECTIC is a full-length contemporary novel and is the third and final book in the Silver Daughters Ink Series.

AMAZON

She was an agnostic, but she’d happily praise at the altar of Toby Tennant’s God complex.

Ok so two things.
#1. If you haven’t read this series yet, you’re seriously missing out and
#2. This was the most fund I had reading a book in a long while.

Now for a serious question to Eve. Ma’am, can you kindly explain how it’s possible to create an MMC who is both a simp golden retriever and an uber possessive, dirty talking BEAST of an alphahole at the same time? Because I am unwell. UNWELL. And head over ovaries for Toby.

Tabitha,” he said slowly. “Either admit you want a fuck and come upstairs and sit on my dick or get the hell out of my house.”
She gasped, her bag strap sliding off her shoulder, the whole thing hitting the floor. “You’re such a cunt!”
“Yeah, and that’s got you soaking, hasn’t it? So, what’ll it be?”

Now the DaSilva sisters are a riot in their own right. Admittedly I wasn’t sure if I’d like Tabby’s book because she’s always seemed like the craziest of the three but oh how I am humbly eating my words. Because Tabby just so happened to be my favorite DaSilva sister of the series. I love her brashness that hides a soft center that is her heart. I loved her sassy mouth. And I also loved her journey back to Toby.

Toby and Tabby (hehehehehe I love saying that out loud by the way. But I digress) were best friends until one drunken night where Tabby offered to take Toby’s virginity and everything came to a screeching halt. Well, not the sex. that was hot, but the friendship. I’m not sure why but I really connected with Toby and his plight to be the man he thinks he needs to become for Tabby even when I wanted to junk punch him for it too. It’s a conundrum, what can I say.

Toby reappears in Tabby’s life two years later an entirely new man; a self made millionaire with a dirty talking mouth and only one agenda, to get her back into his bed. But Toby also has ulterior motives and has every intention to use the opportunity to weave his way into Tabby’s heart, not matter how hard she fights him or the connection that still tethers them together.

Shall I sit next to you?” Toby leaned back in the booth, and she noted how powerful his thighs looked in his blue suit pants.
“You’ll sit right here,” he growled. “And if I don’t?” He eyed her up and down as though considering whether it was even worth answering. “I’ll tear your fucking dress off.”

Now if you like your MCs mean and I mean MEAN, Toby is going to hit every spot. He’s mean only in bed and beneath the dirty talking exterior with bossy tendencies and a penchant for D/s is a heart of gold and a man who is obsessed with his woman. But holy mother was their role playing hot. I feel like I burned my fingers just turning the pages on my kindle kind of hot. Ya know what I mean? WOWZA

I loved seeing all my favorites from the previous books. And if you really want to enjoy this story to the fullest, I highly recommend reading them in order. This book had everything; emotion, humor, sizzle, and all the feels. It was Eve’s signature sort of delicious chaos and I loved it! Her characters are just so incredibly colorful and memorable and I enjoy the hell out of them, these two in particular. If you’re looking for something fun and super spicy but with a wonderful story and plenty of heart, you need this book.

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