Review: Heist by Tate James

November 8, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

HEIST
Series: Valenshek Legacy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tate James
Release Date: November 8, 2022

Every four years, the criminal underworld engages in a game. The Game. The challenges range from the impossible to the deadly to the truly insane. Things that only a crazy person would tackle.

I’ve won the game 5 times. This time will be no different.

I’m at the top of my field now, the best of the world’s thieves. There’s nothing I can’t steal, and this time, the game is all about theft, subterfuge, and sleight of hand. Starting with a legendary painting of poppy flowers.

It’s a painting that disappeared into the blackmarket decades ago, but I know where to find it. The only person standing in my way is her.

Nothing will stop me winning the game, not even the sultry, quick witted brunette who lures me into her painting studio with the most irresistible bait.

I have no option to fail at The Game. It’s my legacy.

The Valenshek Legacy.

♥♥♥

HEIST is book ONE of THREE in the Valenshek Legacy series. This M/F romance is set in the Shadow Grove world but can be read independently of the other Shadow Grove books. Character cameos from other series are minor and inconsequential.

AMAZON

I wished she would trust me, and that was the most selfish thing I could possibly ask…because I had every intention of taking her trust and using it for my own gain.

I have clearly been living under a rock, because I only discovered Tate James books this year. I know! I know! I’m kicking myself, trust me. I started with her Madison Kate series and proceeded on an immediate binge of Tate’s backlist. And now here we are and desperately addicted to her words.

You think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you Tris?” His question was sharper than teasing, and it made me pull up short.
I whirled around to glare at the big, handsome prick.
“Yes, John. I do. It’s called confidence and self-respect. If that’s a problem for you, absolutely no one is making you continue this conversation. In fact, I’m actively trying to leave.”

One thing I absolutely love about Tate’s books are her sassy, witty, and sex positive heroines. They’re not blushing wallflowers and I can’t get enough of them. Tristian was no exception.

I loved everything about this heroine, including the way she made John work. She’s not interested in anything from men beyond scratching an itch. And lately, the men she meets can’t even do that right. So when the infuriating and handsome newcomer at her college turns out to be the new professor who she will be TA’ing for… Well, let’s just say sparks fly. The chemistry between these two is sizzling. And the banter! Oh dear lord the banter! I couldn’t get enough of it.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, John…but yours isn’t the only dick in town.” Her leg flexed, pushing me away far enough that she could hop off the desk. She picked up her bag and tucked the strap over her shoulder as my brain frantically processed what she’d said.
“Venus, you better not be saying that—”
“Sorry, Casanova, I can’t chat. I have a date.” Her wink fucking slayed me, and then she was sashaying out of the class with that short skirt swaying like a red flag in a bull pen.

John is mysterious, enigmatic, and practically oozes BDE (big d*ck energy for those not familiar). But John is also not who he makes himself seem and his cover at the school is his way on his mission to win the “game” that pits the most infamous thieves against each other. I loved peeling back the layers on this guy. I loved watching him fall for Tris as unwilling as it was. And he did fight it at every turn.

And then the cliffhanger hits you and holy mother. I should be used to these jaw droppers from Tate considering I binged 6 books of hers in a row. But I also wasn’t in a situation where I had to wait for the next book. And now that I do? I think I’m slowly dying inside until May 2023l

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#DGRFave & Review: Happenstance by Tessa Bailey

November 7, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

HAPPENSTANCE
Genre: Contemporary, Why Choose Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: November 7, 2022

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer comes a romantic comedy about an accidental relationship between three smitten men…and one commitment phobic woman.

Elise Brandeis has never won a Pulitzer—and she never will. At least not while she’s delivering sandwiches at the Gotham Times, instead of working there as an actual reporter. Her only shot at seeing her byline in print is to prove to the no nonsense managing editor that she has a nose for news. And she’s got just the story to grab her elusive attention.

Right after she delivers this turkey on ciabatta.

Chasing down leads brings Elise to Roosevelt Island, but just when the trail of clues begins to take shape, she gets stuck. Literally. On a cable car with three strangers who couldn’t be more different. An uptight rugby coach, a construction worker and a former adult film star she pretends not to recognize a little too well.

At first, Elise wants nothing more than to be rescued ASAP.

An hour later, everything has changed. By pure happenstance, four separate journeys have collided in an intense, meaningful way. Suddenly, disentangling their lives feels more impossible than winning that Pulitzer. Good thing Elise is too busy proving herself at work to consider three boyfriends. Nobody has time for that—even if they make giving in feel oh so right. But three heads are better than one and these loners will teach themselves to work together to win Elise over forever…

And more importantly, keep their dirty socks off her floor.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N 

“Just a brief rundown. You’ve come here to ask for a foursome.” I look each of them in the eye. “In broad daylight. Stone cold sober.” They trade glances and nod.

This cover is the Trojan horse of smut. You look at it and think, oh look, a cute little rom com. Or you would, if Tessa Bailey didn’t write it. But she did. And the woman is the queen of dirty talk for a reason. But this book? Oh this one may be her hottest yet. And having read her entire backlist, that’s saying something.

“You’re staring, love,” taunts the British man.

He’s right. I’ve been staring at him in the glass reflection. Because there is something familiar about him. Something I can’t quite put my finger on. Did he bartend at that hotel where I trained as a concierge three years ago before getting bored and throwing myself into the natural deodorant space? No, that’s not it. Where do I know him from?

“Porn,” he says from his elegant lean against the interior wall of the tram. “You know me from pornography, darling,” he drawls, his mouth spreading into a grin. “The good shit.”

Happenstance was the most fun I’ve had reading in book, like ever. It had everything you could possibly want; laugh till you cry humor, amazing characters, romance hot enough to singe your fingers when you turn each page, and a story fun and gripping enough to keep you glued to the pages from beginning to finish.

“My God,” Tobias says on an exhale, his hair in disarray. “I’ve seen it all, but I’ve never seen anything like you.”

We have Elise, a commitment phobic heroine who becomes the sheer obsession of not one, not two, but three men. And each of them was EVERYTHING.

We have Tobias, the British porn star who hides his pain be behind smarmy sexual jokes. Gabe, the sweet cinnamon roll construction worker who is obsessed with Elise from first sight and with debilitating confidence issues from his previous marriage. And Banks, the quiet and intense rugby star turned locally famous rugby coach with mommy issues.

“Gabe makes me wish for lazy Sunday mornings in bed with coffee and the smell of cinnamon in the kitchen. Sweet. Tobias is Saturday night. Strobe lights and moaning and…that tipsy feeling, like if you have one more drink, you’ll be sorry.” “And me?” “You are…” I swallow. Being open and honest to someone about how I feel on the inside is harder than I remember. I’ve been out of practice so long. “You’re real life. The place where I’m in my pattern and feel safe. You’re not a detour, you’re a path forward.”

I went through a ringer of emotion reading this star of a book; I laughed, I swooned, I squirmed uncomfortably, I simply devoured it.

The pacing, the humor, the romance, the character development, all of it was utter perfection. It was one of those reads where you can just shut your brain off and enjoy something that just absorbs you completely. And no one delivers that better than Tessa Bailey.

If you’re looking for sizzling hot romance with three men and one woman who they are utterly obsessed with but still packs humor and even a splash of suspense, you need this book in your life.

These men are desperate to praise me. And I let them, because my heart demands it.
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Review: Ruined Kingdom by Natasha Knight

November 1, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

RUINED KINGDOM
Series: Ruined Kingdom Duet #1
Author: Natasha Knight
Genre: Dark Mafia/MFM Romance
Release Date: November 1, 2022

I never imagined my first trip to Italy would be to bury my father. But there I was in the beautiful cathedral, alone, with my father’s casket and a handful of soldiers to keep me safe.

It didn’t occur to me that anyone would disrupt the sanctity of the church. Would march in, weapons in hand and turn my world upside down.

But the Caballero brothers have no regard for the church and even less for my family.

They destroyed the peace of that sad occasion.
They desecrated my father’s body.
And they took me for themselves.

I’m a princess in a tower in a breathtaking villa.
My bedroom overlooks the turquoise sea but the door is locked.

And I have to contend with not one but two dragons.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

COMING SOON
 
#2 Broken Queen – Releasing November 15

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I wonder who you will hate more, me or yourself, when you lie beneath me. When you beg for release.”
“I will never beg you.”
He draws back, bringing his forehead to mine, our eyes locked. “Won’t you?”

It’s official, Natasha Knight is simply not capable of writing a book that I won’t obsess over and make my entire personality. And now she served us with some mafia MFM goodness that combines a fierce heroine, captive trope, forced proximity, and all of the hate lust. And this girl? I was SO HERE FOR IT.

You’re going to be our little fuck toy. A perk. Do you understand that, Dandelion? Because that’s all you are. A weed. Something to be trampled on without a thought and eventually plucked out of existence entirely.”

Vittoria Russo is the beloved daughter of a now deceased mafia boss, who gets caught in the crosshairs of a revenge years in the making that was set in motion by her father and brother. Bastian and Amadeo are brothers who will stop at nothing to make the Russo family pay for the sins of their past that cost their family everything. Ruthless, cold, calculating, nothing is beneath their vengeance. Even kidnapping the Russo daughter during her father’s funeral and forcing her to marry one of them, willing or not.

This was such a ride. Like most Natasha series, the romance is very much a slow burn, with bits and pieces of sizzling hate lust and unwilling attraction. Vittoria fights the Caballero brothers at every step. She’s a fighter through and through, even when all the odds are stacked against her. I loved her so much. She gave as good as she got, and this is a woman who got a lot. The brothers are cruel and vicious, but there’s an undercurrent of lust that gives it a crackle. Though there was a bit of a misbalance because Bastian fought the attraction at every turn while Amadeo freely gave into it. And then there was that cliffhanger!!! MOTHER OF GAWD. Thank god the wait for book two isn’t long or else I would have thrown hands.

 

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknight13

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Review: Ace of Diamonds by Alta Hensley

October 7, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

ACE OF DIAMONDS
Series: Wonderland #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alta Hensley
Release Date: October 4, 2022

The winner takes all…

I had her. She was mine. They took her away.

Lyriope Morelli is the dream I’ve been chasing. My obsession isn’t gone, my hunger’s not satiated. I won’t rest until I find her and claim her again. I won’t rest until I’ve dragged her safely back to Wonderland.

Villains don’t get the happily ever after written for them in the story. And I’m the villain of this story–vicious and calculating, terrifying in my whims. Which is why, when it comes to my queen of hearts…

The game has just begun.



Welcome to the Midnight Dynasty… The warring Morelli and Constantine families have enough bad blood to fill an ocean, and their brand new stories will be told by your favorite dangerous romance authors.

WARNING: This book is intended for readers eighteen years old and over. It contains material that some readers could find disturbing. Enter at your own risk…

AMAZON 

You may be used to dancing with the devil in your life, but you’ve never tangoed with a madman. The devil has nothing on me.

This is the fiery conclusion to the Wonderland trilogy. I’ve been absolutely dying to get my hands on this ever since the jaw dropping cliff hanger in Queen of Hearts. So of course I binge read the book in one sitting eager to see how it all comes together and ends.

Lyriope Morelli is desperate for her father’s acceptance. The bastard child of the Morelli family, all she’s ever wanted is to rightfully claim her name. So when everything falls apart and she’s forced to marry a stranger in a business deal for her father, she unwillingly accepts. She has no choice, no matter how desperately she wants to stay with Nick. Nick, meanwhile, will burn the world to the ground to get her back.

If I thought I couldn’t hate Bryant Morelli more, he proved me wrong in this book. I seriously wanted the man to get hit by a bus. Nick and Lyriope burn up the pages together, which was a needed distraction from wanting to bludgeon the eldest Morelli, but I digress.

Ultimately, while this was an entertaining read, I had a hard time staying in the story. I think this could have been a duet, and found parts of this book a bit stretched out. I also wanted a bit more of a satisfying wrap up to things like everything around Cora, which felt unfinished. I also think this was entirely my own puny brain working against me too. Because when I have to wait too long between books, I do ultimately forget most of what I read and what had me riveted to the story and eventually just lose interest. But it was still a fun read that packed a steamy punch.

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Review: Wall by Cate C. Wells

October 6, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

WALL
Series: Steel Bones Motorcycle Club #4.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Cate C Wells
Release Date:  June 30, 2020

What’s more dangerous than a second chance?

Wall

I want my wife back, but I lost the right to go after her one drunken night four years ago. She’s moved on, but I’m not going anywhere. I’m gonna be right here. And when she finally comes to me? I ain’t letting her go again.

Mona

John Wall wrecked my life, but I’ve put myself together again. I’m not the broken woman whose husband betrayed her. I can fight my own battles.

Then a favor for a friend backfires, and I run into more trouble than I can handle. I need backup, and John is still the biggest man I know. But he won’t help me for free. He wants something in return.

I thought I knew what tore us apart, but when I let John back in, I realize the past isn’t always how you remember. And second chances? They can heal you–or break you forever.

Wall is a 43,000-word novella set in the Steel Bones Motorcycle Club World. It takes place before the action of Charge and Nickel’s Story, and it can be read as a standalone. Wall is a second chance, redemption romance that deals with infidelity and pregnancy loss.

HEA guaranteed.

AMAZON

And so we’re clear. This ain’t me leaving.”
“It’s not?”
“Nope. ‘Cause I guess you don’t know this, but my heart’s right there.” He nods to where I sit on the bed. “Has been since I first laid eyes on you.”

Alright, so elephant in the room, this book is certainly not for everyone. But as a reader that loves a good redemption and the angst of cheating, I was all over it. Cheating in romance is hard to pull off. It has to be a reason where you can buy the redemption arc. And as ridiculous as it is for me to say, note I’m talking about fiction. So please don’t come at me with morality lectures, kay? But anyhoos.

I first discovered Cate with her PNR series and then her mafia Run Posy Run. This was my first MC read of hers and yes I know I read it out of order, but I had no issues diving right in. John (Wall) and Mona have been together since they were teens, but then life and tragedy happened and John made a decision that cost him his marriage and the love of his life. When he fessed up his one night mistake, Mona kicked him out. Now it’s been four years and neither have moved on. Wall protects her from afar while Mona has been in a state of limbo.

This was an entertaining read albeit a little fluffy for my taste. I wanted more grit considering the subject matter but it packed more sweet. I also can’t say I loved Mona. She didn’t annoy me but she wasn’t a memorable FMC either. So while it didn’t blow me away, I did read it in one sitting and plan on reading the rest of the series.

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Review: Empire of Hate by Rina Kent

October 5, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

EMPIRE OF HATE
Series: Empire #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Rina Kent
Release Date:  March 3, 2022

My boss. My enemy.

I escaped my life.
Leaving everything behind wasn’t easy, but I did it.
I turned the page and flew over the ocean.
This is my new beginning.
My new chapter.
My new book.
Or so I hoped before I met my new boss.
Daniel Sterling.
Rich as sin, illegally attractive, and the face of every magazine cover.
Oh, and the reason why I escaped in the first place.
I made his high school life hell.
He won’t stop until he gives me a taste of my own medicine.

Empire of Hate is a complete STANDALONE. No book should be read prior to this.
Note: This is NOT a dark romance.

AMAZON

You’re the only woman I wanted with a desperation that bordered on both pleasure and pain. The only woman who drives me fucking insane but I still can’t look away from.

Rina Kent’s books are easily some of the most recommended to me. Sadly, her books are also really hit or miss for me, mostly a miss from the few I tried lately. After DNFing Empire of Sin, I decided to give this series one more shot after seeing someone talk about a particular plot device in this story which left me drooling for it. And damn am I grateful I gave it a shot, because I devoured this.

If you read even some of my reviews, you know my undying love and devotion for all things enemies to lovers. You also know that I love my heroes mean. Like make me hate to love them and c*ck punch them at the same time sort of mean. I want to hate them for almost the entirety of the book and then I need them to irrevocably change my mind and forgive them in the last chapters. What? I have peculiar tastes, mkay? *buffs nails* But I digress.

If you’ve read Rina’s Royal Elite series , you’ll recognize these characters. This book features the “evil” stepsister from Cruel King which sadly I remember barely anything from. As a matter of fact, I had a hard time seeing the girl for the reputation she had because outside of one particular scene, I didn’t see one mean part of her, but I’m guessing that was featured in Cruel King and I just don’t remember it.

Nicole has been obsessed with Daniel since they met as children. But while she can’t see anything else but him, he wants nothing to do with her. And after years of obsession, Nicole left London to live a life that barely resembles the one of privilege that shattered when she left. Desperate to take care of herself and her family, she needs a job, and she lands at the desk of her biggest tormentor and obsession she thought she left behind.

Daniel remembers Nicole all too well and he’s determined to make her pay for every wrong he things she made. When I tell you I wanted to jock punch this man for the better part of the book, I’m not lying. What I loved about Nicole is while she has no choice but to take his abuse to keep her job, she still has a spine of steel. You also get flashbacks of their past that shows what led up to Nicole ultimately running from London to US. And when you get the full picture, you realize just how epically Daniel fucked up. And when he finally realizes it too? GAH. I admit his cold shoulder after the revelation was a bit much. I do get his beating himself up and blaming himself, but I wanted him to grovel. I wanted him to work for his forgiveness. And while he gave enough to be satisfying, it still felt a touch lacking.

All in all this was still a super addictive read.

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Review: Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

October 4, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BAD GIRL REPUTATION
Series: Avalon Bay #2
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: October 4, 2022

When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion… which she’s trying desperately to forget.

But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there.

Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out.

Bestselling author Elle Kennedy returns to Avalon Bay in this sexy second chance story about two exes who can’t stay away from each other, Bad Girl Reputation.

AMAZON  | PAPERBACK 

…a year gone, and I’d finally trained myself to stop thinking about her every time this thing or that reminded me of another time when. So of course, just when I’ve almost got her out of my system, she’s back. A fresh, unfiltered shot straight into my bloodstream when I was damn near clean. Now all I taste are her lips. I feel her nails down my back every night while I’m lying in bed. I wake up hearing her voice. It’s infuriating.

Know what I love more than a second chance romance? A second chance romance written by Elle Kennedy. *dreamy sigh*

I have been eagerly anticipating the story of the other Hartley brother ever since I greedily devoured Good Girl Complex. As much as I loved Carter, I couldn’t wait to get to the heart of the more reckless twin, and boy did he deliver.

Ever since Evan was old enough to notice girls, the only one he noticed was Genevieve. And growing up, these two were like fire and gasoline. Their toxic back and forth only fueled by the undeniable chemistry between them and their reckless behavior. So much so that everyone knew their reputation in high school. Evan, the heartbreakingly handsome bad boy, and Gen, the stunning bad girl who caused havoc together until the day Gen suddenly left town without so much as a goodbye. Now she’s back for her mother’s funeral, and Evan is like a moth to a flame.

But Gen is no longer the reckless bad girl who left the small town. She’s grown up, she’s changed, or at least she’s working on it. But tough to prove yourself in a town that remembers you at your worst and an ex that you can’t seem to stay away from.

We don’t get enough bad girls in romance, and Gen is one FMC I could really get behind. I love a good redemption arc, and this is a girl that hit a low and now working on bringing herself up and staying away from her triggers, like her reckless ex. But chemistry like theirs is impossible to ignore.

I can’t place my finger on exactly why, but I didn’t quite devour this one as quickly as I did book one. And while I really enjoyed it, it still took me 4 days to finish. There was nothing specific either, I just didn’t get as enraptured in this story as I did the previous one. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely! Did I adore Gen and Evan together? Without a doubt. Do I recommend this for fans of steamy second chance with a bad boy and reformed bad girl? YES. I really loved Evan’s growth in this story as much as I did Gen’s. And while I can’t say it was my favorite, it was still a super satisfying fun read and I can’t wait for more in this series

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Review: Final Proposal by K. Bromberg

October 4, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Series: S.I.N. #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: October 4, 2022

Fall in love with billionaire, Fordham Sharpe, and sassy businesswoman, Ellery Sinclair, in this all-new wrong place at the right time, forced proximity, office romance by New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg.

One stormy night.
One hotel bar full of stranded travelers.
One available chair next to a charming, mysterious, and sexy-as-hell man.

There was something about him and our conversation that made me feel alive. That made me feel heard. That sparked a fire within me.

When our paths crossed again, I never expected the stranger to be Fordham Sharpe, one-third of the sinfully rich and ridiculously successful Sharpe International Network brothers. Nor did I expect we’d become partners—fifty-fifty—in a hotel transformation that dreams were made of.

My dreams, anyway.

To him, I was off limits. He was my venture partner, and we knew better than to mix business with pleasure. But we had one thing in common—we were both hiding. From our pasts. From unresolved family conflicts. From what really mattered—our hearts.

But as each day passed, our mutual attraction became harder to resist.

We agreed to the partnership to prove our worth to our families, but perhaps we’d only prove our need for something else. Each other.

Are you ready to fall for the Sharpe brothers in K. Bromberg’s sexy, contemporary, billionaire romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but can be enjoyed as a series as well . . .

Last Resort (Book #1)
On One Condition (Book #2)
Final Proposal (Book #3)

AMAZON |  iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

You . . . you are the biggest pain in my ass and the greatest love of my life.”

The third and final Sharpe brother is here and he was definitely worth the wait. Ford has been the rock of the Sharpe brothers, the stable one, the hardworking one. And now on the cusp of his father’s book coming out after his passing, he’s also the one spiraling. Need to get away from it all lands him at a hotel where a bout of bad weather locks him in for the night. There in the bar he meets a woman who changes everything, only he has no idea who she is and doesn’t expect to see her again.

Ellery Sinclair has everything to prove. Her step brothers take constant credit for her ideas, and it’s almost impossible to prove her worth to her stepfather. All she wants is something of her own. And then she finds the perfect opportunity, with the perfect hotel renovation, with the unlikeliest of business partners, Ford Sharpe.

If you’re a fan of forced proximity, this one brings it in spades. Locked together for their business venture these two try as hard as they can to deny and avoid their incendiary chemistry. But it doesn’t take long for it to finally get the best of them. I loved the way these two build each other up and bring out each other’s best and worst. They challenge each other. They fight and they make up and I was so here for it. And even though I’m not usually a big fan of sweet contemporary, this one just hit the spot just right when it brought all the feels. And I particularly loved Ellery’s love for romance books feature some very steamy scenes from Bromberg’s previous books. That’s a steamy cameo I couldn’t get enough of.

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary romance novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes who we love to hate but can’t help to love.

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

Since publishing her first book on a whim in 2013, Kristy has sold over one and a half million copies of her books across eighteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over thirty times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by the streaming platform, Passionflix, with the first movie (Driven) out now.

With her imagination always in overdrive, she is currently scheming, plotting, and swooning over her latest hero. You can find out more about him or chat with Kristy on any of her social media accounts. The easiest way to stay up to date on new releases and upcoming novels is to sign up for her newsletter (http://bit.ly/254MWtI) or follow her on Bookbub (http://smarturl.it/KBrombergBB)

Connect with Kristy

Website: www.kbromberg.com

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Text Kbromberg to 77948 to stay up to date on all things Driven movies and new releases

 

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Review: Promises We Meant to Keep by Monica Murphy

September 23, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

PROMISES WE MEANT TO KEEP
Author: Monica Murphy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 22, 2022

Spencer Donato.

My brother’s best friend.

My dirty little secret.

We fell for each other at Lancaster Prep. Sneaking around. Not wanting anyone to find out. He was my first love, my protector, my knight in shining armor. We were made for each other, and I truly believed he was my forever.

But then I did the unthinkable, and betrayed him in the worst possible way. I thought I lost him for good…

Until I saw him at my brother’s wedding. Now he’s older. Crueler. Unbearably handsome. We’re drawn to each other still, but will Spencer be there for me when I need him the most? Or did I ruin us once again?

AMAZON

I have been in love with you for so long, I don’t know how to stop. I will do whatever it takes to make this work.

Sylvie was a character I equally loved and hated in Things I Wanted to Say, But Never Did. She was such a complex character who I couldn’t wait to peel back the layers in her own book. So I have been eagerly anticipating her story.

He was my respite. A way for me to forget. Until I made myself forget him.

Spencer is Sylvie’s brother’s best friend and her most sacred secret. He was her everything when they were at Lancaster Prep, but then she broke them in the most irrevocable way. Years later she’s a different Sylvie but with more scars, and her scars run deep. When she sees Spencer again he’s not the same boy that allowed her to toy with him in her hot and cold persona back in the day.

I think this is the part that I wanted a little more angst in. There’s nothing I love more than the angst of second chance romance, and considering the history and betrayal between these two, I was eagerly anticipating some angst…which never came. They worked past their differences pretty quick. And I think my masochistic heart yearned for something more here.

I absolutely adored Spencer. And as much as I was back and forth with Sylvie in her brother’s book, being in her head really endeared me to her here. She’s such a broken, tortured soul. You couldn’t help but love her.

The ending felt a little rushed, but was ultimately satisfying. And while the story wasn’t fully what I had hoped for, it still hit the spot.

 

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.

 

Connect with Monica

Website | Goodreads  | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Bookbub | Pinterest | Verve Romance | Tik Tok 

 


 

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Review: Devil of Dublin by B.B. Easton

September 22, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

DEVIL OF DUBLIN
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Author: B.B. Easton
Release Date: September 22, 2022

From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the Netflix Original series Sex/Life) comes a dark mafia romance steeped in Irish folklore.

I can’t remember anymore if my grandfather’s eyes were blue or green, but I’ll never forget the way they wrinkled at the corners when he laughed at one of his own jokes. Or the way they sparkled with mischief when he told me tales about the magical creatures that dwelled in the forest behind his humble Irish sheep farm—shy fairies who liked to eat tea biscuits, cruel witches who liked to eat children, a moody lake spirit with a taste for expensive gifts.

As a child, I believed every fantastical word. But when he warned me about the mute boy who also lurked in those woods, the one the priest had declared to be the spawn of Satan himself, I refused to listen. Kellen wasn’t evil. He was kind, and beautiful, and special, and hurting. He was my friend. And with every summer I spent stolen away with him in those enchanted woods, he grew to become so much more.

But when I return to Glenshire as an adult, grieving and engaged to someone else, all those legends quickly morph into nightmares.

My grandfather had been right about everything, especially the boy.

If only I had listened.

WARNING: If you are a sensitive reader or find certain topics to be emotionally triggering, please exercise self-care and select a different book. Devil of Dublin is intended for mature audiences who enjoy dark subject matter, tortured anti-heroes, explicit adult content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. If that sounds like you, then welcome to Glenshire!

AMAZON

I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.

Now look, did I bother to read the blurb before adding this book to my TBR? Absolutely not. If the author wasn’t enough to convince me, this cover sealed the deal. So did I know what I was getting into when I started it outside that it’s a dark mafia romance? Absolutely not.

This story caught me completely unaware in all the best of ways. Funny enough, had I knew the direction it would take, I probably wouldn’t read it. I don’t typically love the sweet soulmates vibes. But did that one ray of sweet light help brighten the sheer darkness that was the rest of this story? Absolutely.

BB Easton wrote an incredible story with two tortured characters who are simply made for each other. You know what I love in dark romance? It’s when it makes me feel. I don’t want the shock value of graphic scenes, it’s the chills it gives you. And the mere alluding to the past these two characters had was enough to have chills going down my spine. Darby and Kellen met as children. Kellen was already in his own particular hell, while Darby was the sunny and sweet girl that befriended the town’s pariah. And when they meet again years later, Darby is not the girl he knew, but she also is.

Now I’m not generally a fan of the insta thing, and while I wouldn’t necessarily categorize this as insta love, it wasn’t not insta love either. It was full of depth, emotion, pain, and healing. It was unlike any other mafia romance I’ve read, and that’s saying quite a bit.

Wall Street Journal bestselling author BB Easton lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her long-suffering husband, Ken, and two adorable children. A few years ago, she quit her job as a school psychologist to write books about her punk rock past and deviant sexual history full-time. Ken wasn’t super excited about that, but now that he’s appeared in three of her books and inspired a TV show character, he’s incredibly supportive.

BB’s debut memoir, 44 Chapters About 4 Men, went on to inspire the Netflix original series, Sex/Life, which was viewed by 67 million households worldwide within the first month making it the 3rd most-watched Netflix original series of all time. Because she had so much fun writing 44 Chapters, BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly autobiographical books, one for each man in her memoir—Skin, Speed, Star, and Suit.

The Rain Trilogy—a dark, immersive, end-of-the-world romance—was BB’s first work of fiction. Or at least, that’s what she thought when she wrote it in 2019. Then, 2020 hit, and all of her dystopian plot points started coming true. Hoping to fix everything, BB returned with a fun, feel-good romantic comedy called Group Therapy, but alas, the world is still on fire … and so is BB’s desire to write intense, us-against-the-world romances. Her next release, Devil of Dublin, is a dark Irish mafia romance steeped in folklore and family secrets.  

You can find BB procrastinating in all of the following places:

Website: www.authorbbeaston.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/author.bb.easton

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bbeaston

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bbeaston

#TeamBB Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/BBEaston

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bb_easton

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/artbyeaston

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/bbeaston

Goodreads: https://goo.gl/4hiwiR

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bb-easton

 

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