Review: Saint by Sierra Simone

September 9, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

SAINT
Series: Priest #3
Genre: Contemporary, Forbidden Romance
Author: Sierra Simone
Release Date: September 7,  2021

 

I can’t have Elijah Iverson.

I can’t have him because he’s my older brother’s best friend. I can’t have him because I broke his heart five years ago; because he’s now engaged to someone else—someone kind and dependable who deserves his whiskey eyes, his soft mouth, his fierce intellect.

I can’t have Elijah because I’ve chosen God instead.

The Bell brothers, though . . . well, we don’t exactly have the greatest track record with vows. But I’m determined to do this monk thing right—to pledge myself to a cloistered life and spend the rest of my years in chastity and prayer. But now Elijah’s here. He’s here and he’s coming with me on my European monastery road trip, and between the whispered confessions and the stolen kisses and the moments bent over an ancient altar, my vows are feeling flimsier by the day.

And vows or not, I know in my heart that it would take more than a good and holy monk to resist Elijah Iverson right now. It would take a saint.

And we all know that I’m no saint.

(This is the third full-length standalone in the Priest Collection, featuring Father Bell’s brother, Aiden Bell. You do not have to read Priest or Sinner to read Saint.)

AMAZON

I can’t stop the tender shoots and slender, seeking roots of him, and I am his garden, his soil, his place, and it would be wonderful if I wasn’t supposed to be the garden of my god instead.

I live for the Bell siblings. We’ve met Tyler Bell, the priest. We’ve met manwhore extraordinaire, Sean Bell who fell for a nun and his best friend’s younger sister. And now it’s Aiden’s turn. If you’ve read the previous two books, then you remember Aiden is the wild younger sibling. And if you’ve read Sinner, then you’d also remember the shocker of learning that he’s been having a secret affair with his brother’s best friend. That was definitely a delicious plot twist when I read it.

And now we meet Aiden Bell five years later, as a monk but also a man that never got over the love of his life.

Aiden,” he says softly, and I relish hearing my secular name from him, because it was the name that belonged to him, to his lips and thoughts and even his fingers when he was scolding or flirting over text or email.

If you’ve read anything by Sierra Simone than you know this author’s incredible ability to pack a heck of an emotional story that’s interwoven into scorching romance. This book was no different. The sexual charge between Aiden and Elijah is woven into every page, especially because it’s forbidden. Elijah may have loved Aiden once and had his heart broken by him, but he’s now an engaged man. And Aiden has given himself to god.

It was clear the amount of research that Sierra put into this book with her detailed story telling. However, I also felt like parts of the book did drag a bit for me and had a little more detail than needed. I found myself skimming a bit about midway through the book.

The romance, in typical Sierra Simone fashion, was EVERYTHING. It was packed with emotion, it was erotic, it was sensual, it was beautiful, and it was so satisfying. I found myself hurting with them. I found myself grieving their relationship with them. And I found myself loving with them.

This was easily my favorite book in the series so far. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, prepared me for the twist and reveal at the end. And now I’m desperately hoping that we get a certain someone’s book next because OMG!!

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 with Sierra Simone:

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Instagram | Website

Subscribe to Sierra’s newsletter:

https://www.subscribepage.com/sinner-sneakpeek

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, MM · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Hard To Love by K. Bromberg

September 7, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

HARD TO LOVE
Series: Play Hard #5
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: September 7, 2021

New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg, is back with a heartfelt, enemies to lovers romance and a hero who redeems himself to steal your heart . . .

He was the one-night stand that didn’t exactly go as planned. Now he’s standing before me as if he’s never seen me naked, telling my manager he’ll take the job. Reluctantly.

Finn Sanderson.

Sports agent extraordinaire. Handsome as hell. The man who just signed on to control my every move.

Sure, I’m to blame for my recent bad press, but when your whole life has been so regimented, isn’t it normal to want to live it up a little?

But when the partying stops and the grief I’m running from has nowhere else to hide, reality sets in. Turns out, Finn’s the only person I have left to help pick up the pieces. The only person to call.

Staying with him is a temporary thing. But when our fighting turns into laughter and our friendship turns into something more, will I fight for a man who swears he’s hard to love? Or is it wiser to walk away? To follow the plan?

* * *
Offering to help with a client is a way to repay a long overdue IOU to my mentor. Little did I know she was the woman who left my hotel room at four in the morning.

Stevie Lancaster.

Top-seeded US tennis player. Good girl gone bad. The woman currently about to throw her career away. And now my problem.

The compensation to “babysit” her is great, but she isn’t worth my trouble.

But when her world falls apart and she has no one else to turn to, I try to be a good guy by gathering her up and hiding her from the media’s eye.

Now she’s in my house, in my space, and even though I’m enjoying the side benefits of this unexpected arrangement, surely she’s better to leave when the time comes and follow her destiny. Because I’m not the man she needs. Not the man she could love. Right?

Are you ready to fall for the Kincade sisters and then men who love them in K. Bromberg’s sexy, contemporary, sports romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!

Hard to Handle (Hunter & Dekker’s story – hockey romance)
Hard to Hold (Rush & Lennox”s story – soccer romance)
Hard to Score (Drew & Brexton’s story – football romance)
Hard to Lose (Gunner & Chase’s story – baseball romance)
Hard to Love (Finn & Stevie’s story)

 

AMAZON

You’re a bully.”
I hate you. I want you. Why does it have to be you?
“And you’re a rebel.”
“Well, aren’t we quite the pair…”

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this book!! Finn has been a secondary character that I had loved to hate in books 1-3, and when we finally saw his human side in Hard to Lose, he became a character I couldn’t wait to get a book for. Finn is a too handsome for his own good and cocky successful sport agent who has been going head to head with the Kincade sisters for years. And his romantic history with one of them painted him for the one and done player that he is. This is a man that doesn’t believe in love and I couldn’t wait to see him brought to his knees by the right woman.

I don’t care because it feels like we’ve been doing a slow dance of seduction for weeks and goddamn, I’m ready to get pulled under.

I loved being inside Finn’s head and seeing what made him into the man and playboy he is today. I also loved finally seeing a female athlete in this series.

Stevie Lancaster is a tennis superstar who’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved father. A spitfire and a wildchild in one, she’s been spiraling dealing with her grief. A drunken game with her friends lands her in the hotel room of a handsome stranger. And the shock of a lifetime is when that stranger turns out to be the last resort of her agent to bring in the big guns. Finn is there to reel in the wild child and help get her back on track with her sports career.

Man, the banter between these two was…on…point. I was so here for their arguments that were loaded with sexual tension so good I felt I might burst. Stevie is sass personified. She’s not afraid to give as good as she gets and boy does she make Finn work for it. The sexual tension and chemistry was *chefs kiss* so good. Like you can practically taste it every single time these two fought. But what I loved most is seeing Finn’s soft side come out. I loved seeing how he was there for Stevie in a way no one else could have been. And I loved watching his heart thaw for her.

This was the perfect book to end this series with. Highly recommend for any sports romance fans!


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.

Connect with K. Bromberg:

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter | Bookbub | Website
Subscribe to her newsletter: http://bit.ly/254MWtI

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Give Me A Reason by A.L. Jackson

August 30, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

GIVE ME A REASON
Series: Redemption Hills #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: August 30, 2021

From NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a single-dad, enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance about a jaded club owner and his son’s teacher…

Eden Murphy came into my club looking to make some extra cash.

A girl like her didn’t belong in a place like this.

She’d get ripped to shreds.

Most likely by me.

There’s nothing but sweetness dripping from her sexy little body, and I’m the monster who’s salivating to get a taste.

Trent Lawson is the last man I should want.

Dark.

Dangerous.

So wickedly gorgeous he makes my knees weak.

He’s also an arrogant jerk who happens to be my new boss.

When I discover his adorable son is also in my kindergarten class, I know I have to keep my distance.

But neither of us can ignore the attraction that flames.

One glance, and our hearts race.

One touch, and we’re aching for what we can’t have.

One night, and we’re falling fast.

Dragging her into my sordid world is wrong.

It doesn’t matter.

Eden Murphy is mine.

AMAZON

You are everything I didn’t know I needed.” Her words were panted into the thick air. That connection a glimmer in the room. Throbbing. Consuming. Binding us whole. I burrowed my face under her chin. My confession was pressed to her skin. “And you are everything I will never deserve.”

If you’ve read this author before, then you already know her lyrical writing style. I’m not a reader that enjoys prose, yet somehow when A.L. Jackson writes it, I can’t seem to get enough of it.

I’ve been salivating for this book ever since she announced it. The premise for the series sounded amazing, and now that I’ve been introduced to the Lawson brothers, I’m completely hooked. I’m so here for this gritty and emotional series.

Now as for this book, well it had me at enemies to lovers. And then sealed the deal with single daddy and son’s teacher. Trent is a MC that’s impossible not to fall for. Trent first meets Eden when she comes to his club for an interview. But he can smell her innocence a mile away and refuses to give her the chance, even when there’s an underlying attraction that simmers beneath the surface. Eden may look sweet as sunshine, but this is also a woman with a backbone. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself, even if it’s with the tatted and jaded club owner who refuses to give her the time of day. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and she needs the money to help her father.

I loved the dynamic between these two. Eden is sweet and wholesome, but she’s also a woman with a past. I loved the relationship she develops with Trent’s sweet son. And his son! Oh man. He may have been my favorite secondary character with his burst of sunshine, chatty demeanor, and sweet nature and open heart.

Trent is the definition of tortured. This is a man who is still running from his past and feels that it continues to taint him. He’s the son of a ruthless MC president and a man with blood on his hands who had to do what he needed to ensure his brothers’ safety and his own. Right now, all he cares about his protecting his son, and he can’t let any woman distract him. He doesn’t have anything left to give. Especially to a woman like Eden.

The enemies element of this book didn’t last long, though I wish it was a bit longer. It went from one to the other fairly quick, though I didn’t mind too much. I loved their chemistry and connection. I suppose I just wanted a bit more burn. Having said that, their relationship development was so organic and felt so right. I loved the way that Trent couldn’t stay away from her and the way that Eden sees past his dark and broody exterior to the tortured soul beneath.

There’s also a suspense element that I lived for and a twist at the end that I never saw coming. I’m completely hooked and desperate for more. I cannot wait till the next book!!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: The Bastard’s Betrayal by Katee Robert

August 27, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE BASTARD’S BETRAYAL
Series: Scandalous Scions Book 1
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: August 25, 2021

She thought it was love.

Rose Romanov is a mafia princess, and everything that entails. Violently over-protective parents. A giant extended family, all ready to kill anyone who looks at her wrong. Learning to run a business that isn’t exactly on the right side of the law. So, naturally, when she meets a nice guy who isn’t in the life, she falls hard… Right up until the she discovers her new boyfriend isn’t a civilian at all.

But he betrayed her.

When Dante Verducci was sent on an undercover mission to evaluate the Romanov family for weakness, he never expected to have an instant connection with their unlikely heir. There’s something fierce and feral about Rose that calls to him. They’re alike, even if they’re both lying to each other during the months they date. Before he could figure out a new plan, Rose finds out who he really is, dumps him, and immediately enters an engagement with the heir of a rival family. Yeah, no, that’s not going to work for Dante.

Now he’ll do anything to reclaim her. Even go to war.

AMAZON

His gaze flicked to the gun in her hands. “You really think you’re going to shoot me? You were coming around my cock twenty-four hours ago.”
Fury nearly made her black out. Maybe she wouldn’t regret this after all. He was so fucking sure of her, of this situation, as if the gun in her hand didn’t mean a single damn thing. She’d prove him wrong. Rose steadied her stance, reaching for the one thing she could that would hurt him a fraction of as much as he’d hurt her.
“I faked it.” She pulled the trigger.

When a book starts with that quote, you know you’re in for a good time. I love me some Katee Roberts, and when I saw she’s releasing a spin off from The O’Malleys series, I was all over it. I love a good mafia romance, and throw in a bit of betrayal and hate lust into the mix and I’m done. STICK A FORK IN ME. I love it.

I loved the first half of this story. Rose Romanov is a heroine that you instantly love. The woman is a badass. She’s a mafia princess and the daughter of Dmitri and Keira from The Bastard’s Bargain. If you haven’t read that book, don’t worry, you can easily pick things up with this one as it is the launch of a new series.

Rose can’t seem to do right by her family. She knows that having a relationship with a sexy bartender who she recently met isn’t meant to be because of her family responsibility. But when she finds out that the bartender isn’t who he says he was and he happens to have ties to a rival mafia? Suffice it to say she’s pissed.

Boy meets girl. Boy betrays girl. Girl get pissed and shoots boy. Boy is determined and kidnaps girl on her wedding day (of her arranged marriage) and will stop at nothing, including plying her with orgasms to make her his.
Having said that, I loved the first half of this book. The kidnapping, the push and pull, the hate lust, the second chance romance vibes. All of it just did it for me. But then the story lost a bit of steam for me. I wanted more mafia action, but most of it was a bit on the meh side. Outside of a few brief glimpses and instances, not much else happens. I began to grow bored and to skim. I also found myself wishing we got some glimpse of how these two got together. That all takes place off the pages, and I would have loved a bit more fleshing out of their original connection. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved their chemistry, I just also wished for at least a flashback or two.

And then there’s the set up for the next book? GIMME! It sounds utterly delicious.

If you’re looking for a super spicy mafia romance, definitely read this. It’s not the usual grittiness that I prefer in my mafia romance, but the spice made up for it and I still enjoyed it quite a bit.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,

Review: There With You by Samantha Young

August 23, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THERE WITH YOU
Series: Adair Family #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: August 23, 2021

For Regan Penhaligon, there’s no better place to run to than the exclusive Ardnoch Estate in the remote Scottish Highlands. Her impulsive behavior has finally caught up with her and Regan’s visit with her sister, Robyn, is an opportunity to hide from someone who has grown dangerously obsessed with her.

Determined to make amends for her mistakes, Regan plans to repair her relationship with Robyn by staying close. And when an offer of help comes from Thane Adair, Regan gratefully accepts.

Widower, Thane, needs a new nanny housekeeper for his two young children and when they bond with Regan Penhaligon, he offers her the job. But as the weeks pass and the complex American reveals who she really is, Thane struggles with his growing attraction to her.

Regan never expected to feel so intensely for Thane, but she can’t deny her passion for him or her love for his children. When someone from Thane’s past threatens his family, Regan wants to be his pillar of support. However, his continued inability to trust her might just destroy their chance at future happiness… and the person who drove Regan to Ardnoch might snuff out her chance for any future at all.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

Regan Penhaligon had seduced him past the point of no return.

I had mixed feelings about this book if I’m being honest. While I couldn’t wait to read about
widowed daddy Thane, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Regan. But at the same time, I needed her redemption and to understand her reasons. I’m happy to report that not only did I get that, I loved her even more than I did Robyn, which I didn’t think was even possible. I highly recommend reading this series in order to truly experience the full effect of the story and all of the secondary characters. And while I can tell you that I really enjoyed Here With Me, I loved this one even more.

His nanny. His brother’s soon-to-be sister-in-law. His employee, thirteen years his junior.

That up there is basically a summary of all of my favorite things. Forbidden romance, age gap, brooding grumpy alpha and sunshine heroine. GAH. Give it to me.

Regan was relatable the second you meet her on the pages. She has a sunny and fluffy shell, but beneath that fake exterior is a bit of a damaged soul. My heart hurt for her. And even though I wanted to judge her for leaving her sister at a time she needed her the most, I also understood it from her perspective.

Regan shows up unannounced, hoping to mend fences with her sister. Falling in love with the absolutely adorable kids of her sister’s fiancé’s brother give her the opportunity to stay. She has to do some convincing to Thane to talk him into being the nanny. Thane is desperate for a nanny but also hesitant to take on who he originally thought is Robyn’s flighty sister. But his kids absolutely adore her, he’s desperate and has no time to waste, so an arrangement is made.

The sparks between these two were immediate. And while Regan has no problem going after what she wants, Thane fights it with everything he’s got. His way of fighting it make him be a brooding, intolerable a-hole, and I ate it right up. I loved the push and pull dynamic between them. I loved watching Thane screw up over and over, Regan give him the cold shoulder, and him trying to get into her good graces again. I loved Thane’s adorable children, who were my favorite secondary characters. But most of all, I loved watching the chemistry between Thane and Regan get too incendiary to fight off.

Go wait for me in the annex,” he demanded. Her eyes widened slightly. “Clothes off. Keep your underwear on because I want to take it off. And lights on so I can see you. When I get there, I expect you on the bed with your legs spread.”

There was a bit of a suspense element to this book, which I also enjoyed, though it was a touch predictable. But the romance was so delicious and the main characters were so good, that I just couldn’t find it in me to care.

I’m so gone for this series, it’s not even funny. It just keeps getting better and better with each book and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.

Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Connect with Samantha

Facebook | Website | Instagram | Pinterest | Amazon | Goodreads | Bookbub | Pinterest | Book+Main

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: ,

Review: Claimed by JR Ward

August 16, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

CLAIMED
Series: Laird of the Wolven #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: JR Ward
Release Date: July 27, 2021

A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself…

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted.

Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love… or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?

AMAZON

He’d gotten it wrong. She wasn’t his. It was the other way around. She owned him.

I have been sitting on my rating of this book for almost a week now, struggling to figure out how I felt. Ultimately, while there were definitely things about this book that didn’t really work for me, it did hook me enough to want to read the next one, but just not enough to rate the book any higher than I did.

Now for the story. If you haven’t read the BDB series, you may find yourself a little lost here. This is set in the same world as BDB with an overarching story line for Xhex from Lover Mine as well as events spanning from those that happened later in the BDB series. While you get some explanations, if you haven’t read BDB, you may find yourself a bit confused.

Additionally, this is not a standalone. This caught me completely off guard. I was expecting a standalone in an interconnected series, not a cliffhanger. I wish this was made clear to the reader and the cliffhanger here doesn’t catch you unaware.

But those things aside, let’s talk about the story. I love Ward’s brand of story telling. She’s written some of my favorite PNR books. When I saw she’s taking a step from the vampire world to dive into werewolves, I was so here for it. Now usually book one in a new world, does read slower. You have a whole new world to introduce. But while I expected slower paced, I didn’t quite expect to feel as disconnected from it as I did. I found myself bored, skimming the pages. The mystery is what kept me going, but everything else felt lackluster. I found myself struggling to connect to the romance. I never fully felt the chemistry here. It all just felt a bit…bla to me.

Now don’t get me wrong. While the story didn’t blow me away, it still kept me engaged enough to keep turning the pages. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It was just very bland compared to what I’ve come to expect from Ward. I will say that even though I didn’t expect the cliff, the last 20% off the story is what won me over slightly. That’s when the action really began to take place and the story began to pick up at least a little pace. It hooked me enough to want to read the next book and desperate to see how everything ends. Though it’s still not clear if the next book is the conclusion or if it will be a series focused on one couple.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Contemporary Romance, PNR · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Wild Card by Ashley Munoz

August 14, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

WILD CARD
Series: Rake Forge University #1
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Ashley Munoz
Release Date: August 12, 2021

This was it…I could see it in my editor’s eyes.

This was the last straw. One more misstep and I was going to lose my coveted internship.

I decided right there in my room, lime-flavored tortilla chips in hand, that I would do whatever it took to write the story of the century.

And I had my target in sight—the undefeated Devil’s baseball team. They were RFU royalty, and completely untouchable.

Their parties were impossible to get into unless you were handpicked, and I was not.

Even still, I had a solid plan.

I would not get caught, definitely not seduced, and absolutely wouldn’t die. That is until I was stopped and rendered totally speechless by a pair of mossy eyes.

He lured me in, close enough to feel the press of his mouth against my skin and the heat of his hands on my body. Undoubtedly, I was a sheep headed straight for the slaughter, which only proved true when he called my bluff. 

With him holding all the cards for my future success, and in order to salvage what remained of my dream, I did the only thing I could.

I made a deal with a devil.

AMAZON



…he was mine and I was going to be his. Even if it broke me to let him in, even if it ruined me. There wasn’t much left of my heart, but whatever there was I’d shove into his massive palm. Then I’d just let him decide what to do with it. Maybe he’d realize that our tattered pieces matched.

Clearly I have been sleeping on Ashley Munoz, because after reading this book, I’m an insta fan. I’m a sucker for a steamy college sports romance, and this one hit all of the spots I had and some I didn’t even know of.


When I look at you, you’re not just some girl I like. You look like you’re already mine.

What I liked about it most was that it wasn’t exactly your typical sports romance. There was a bit of suspense and mystery, a dash of angst, and a romance so good that I was immediately hooked.

Mallory is the sort of heroine that sneaks up on you. She’s a bit reserved and unassuming, focused on her dream internship and the article she needs to write that will either make it or break it for her chances. Refusing to rely on her rich and successful father, she’s determined to make it on her own. But when the article idea she had is torn to shreds by her editor, she’s desperate for a story and her stepsister just may hand it to her on a silver platter. A secret game that’s held by the college baseball team that involves cards, pre-arranged hookups, and willing females is just the thing she needs. And when her step sister is invited for the ultimate place on the totem pole, gets sick, and allows her to go in her place? Well, how’s a girl to pass that up.

I have to say, I loved Mallory. She knows who she is but she’s still vulnerable in her own hang ups. She’s tough and not afraid to go after what she wants. I also seriously loved her friendship with her two besties and how they’re there for each other.

As for Decker? My god. I died for this man and his poor, tortured soul. Decker is desperate for revenge and will go after it at the expense of everything in order to make the person that stole his dream from him pay. As we get his story, piece by piece, you can’t help but fall further for him. The chemistry between him and Mallory was immediate and incendiary. I loved the slow burn and I especially loved their frustrating push and pull. He fights his attraction to her with everything he’s got because he can’t afford a distraction and Mallory holds the key to his revenge.

My one quibble with the book is the twist at the end seemed a bit…far fetched. I struggled to fully wrap my mind around it and all of the messiness of it. But then once I did, I was all in, even if I didn’t fully buy it. Which is strange but true.

Wild Card was everything I love in a sports romance; angsty, steamy, and a hero with a heart of gold and a dirty mouth. I devoured this book in one sitting and desperately waiting for more in this series. I loved the step sister’s redemption and can’t wait to see how her story plays out. Talk about your HOOK LINE AND SINKER at the end there. Dang.

Ashley resides in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her four children and her husband. She loves coffee, reading fantasy, and writing about people who kiss and cuss.

AUTHOR LINKS

FB Author Page | ReaderGroup | Instagram | BB | GR | AMZ Author Page | Newsletter Sign up | TikTok

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, New Adult · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Acquisition by Celia Aaron

August 3, 2021 by · Leave a Comment
LUCIUS
Series: An Acquisitions Series Novel #4
Author: Celia Aaron
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: August 3, 2021

Lucius Vinemont ruined my life.

It was a long time ago. It feels like yesterday.

I haven’t let it go, and I won’t. Not until he’s dead. Lucius is the bogeyman, the shadow under my bed, the nightmare that wakes me in my sleep.

I loved him once, in the foolish way of a teenage girl. Those feelings are buried deep, soaked in blood and covered in a fine ash. Because Lucius was never just a bad boy, he was so, so much worse.

When you shoot a man through the heart, he’s supposed to die. But Lucius isn’t a man. He’s a monster. One who promises pleasures wrapped in pain.

But the closer I get to him, the more I realize he’s not the only evil lurking in my past. . .


“Don’t lie to me, Evelyn.” His nostrils flare. “Never lie to me. The devil always knows.” His smirk returns as I try to push him away.
His other arm goes around my waist and he holds me tightly against him.
“Your heart is beating faster than a rabbit’s. Afraid?” He grips my jaw, his gaze darting to my lips.
“I’m not afraid of you.” I feel the tension in my body, but it’s different now. Not the sick, sinking feeling from what happened on the elevator. Lucius makes me feel more. He always has, ever since I saw him when I was still a girl, when Red was still alive. Handsome and oh-so-bad, the cocky Lucius Vinemont was my teenage fantasy. Because I didn’t know what bad was back then. Not really.
I do now. I know evil. I’ve seen it. And right now, the most evil man I’ve ever known has me crushed to his chest, his gaze darting to my lips. No, this fear is not the same as in the elevator, but I wish it was. I wish I had only fear and revulsion for him.
I wish I’d never set eyes on Lucius Vinemont.
“Not afraid of me?” He tsks. “If that’s true, then you aren’t as intelligent as you seem.” He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “Because I will find you out, Evelyn Delacroix. I will learn your secrets and use them to destroy you. Soon enough, you’ll be begging me for mercy, but I won’t give you any.”
“If you’re done threatening me, I’d like to leave now.”

“You sure?” He slides his hand to my throat and rests it there like a collar. “My offer from last night still stands. That prim little suit you’re wearing would look even better on my bedroom floor.”

This woman—fuck, the brass balls she has. She wants me dead, and I want to know what she tastes like.”

Did I read the blurb to this book and know immediately this would be my first Celia Aaron book?
Did I want to read it bad enough that I decided to dive right into it without having read the rest of the series?

Do I regret this decision?

Because spank my @ss and call me Rosy, this was a delicious little story that I simply inhaled.

I mean, the story begins with our heroine shooting the hero in the chest. With zero regrets. Thinking she killed him and being proud of it.
Actual footage of me reading it?
I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers book. And when you throw in revenge and a secret society? I’m putty in your hands. PUTTEH I tells ya.

Now clearly I missed a continuing story arc regarding The Acquisition, but we’re given just enough details in this book that you don’t feel like you missed much. Also, kindly suspend your disbelief here, because it’s all kinds of OTT and almost crazy at times, but man I loved that about it.

Evelyn is desperately craving revenge against the man that took everything away from her in the most brutal of ways. All she’s known for the past years is her drive for her vengeance and she won’t rest until Lucius is dead.

Lucius is just the kind of anti hero I love; he’s an irreverent manwh@re who seems like he gives zero f*cks yet has all of the intensity. He’s a rich businessman and a ruthless killer all in one. And when he discovers the stunning woman who wants him dead? Well, let’s just say he wants other things.

I loved the banter, the chemistry, and the crazy OTT story. These characters were nuts. Truly. Especially the villain. Dude was NUTS. Like kaka for coco puffs sort of crazy. But I devoured it. I did feel like the love entered the chat a little soonish. But Evelyn and Lucius do have a connection that spans years. All the same, it did feel a bit too quick for me considering they quite literally go from “want to kill you” to “paint me like one of your French girls” in the span of a few chapters. Do I hate that? Absolutely not. But I would have wanted more of a burn there. That aside, I inhaled this story and I’m completely hooked. I need more of this series and I’m also really hoping Teddy, the younger brother gets a book next because NEED.

Celia Aaron is a USA Today bestselling author and recovering attorney who loves romance. Dark to light, angsty to funny, real to fantasy–if it’s hot and strikes her fancy, she writes it. Thanks for reading.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: https://www.celiaaaron.com
Newsletter: https://www.celiaaaron.com/newsletter.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Celia-Aaron/e/B0129AR52O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorceliaaaron
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celia_aaron
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorceliaaaron
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/celia-aaron

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dark, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: ,

Review: The Brazen by Willa Nash

July 15, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE BRAZEN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Calamity, Montana #3
Author: Willa Nash
Release Date: July 15, 2021

From USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry, writing as Willa Nash, comes a stranded together, small town romance.

Kerrigan Hale’s personal life is about as exciting as a bucket of tar. With hard work and hustle as her steadfast companions, who needs romance or adventure? Her empire in Calamity, Montana, isn’t going to build itself.

For years, her mentor—and investor—helped make her dreams come true. Until his unexpected death put her fate in his grandson’s hands. A brazen billionaire, he seems intent on ruining Kerrigan’s life.

But if Pierce Sullivan thinks she’ll go down without a fight, he’s sorely mistaken. Pushed to the extreme, she drives to his ritzy mountain lodge to force the arrogant You Can Call Me Mr. Sullivan to hear her out.

No sooner does she arrive than a snowstorm traps her with Pierce. Stranded together for days, she’s in for the battle of her life. Pierce is nearly irresistible by candlelight. Without his suits and fancy cars, he’s almost human.

Except only a fool would let down her guard. And Kerrigan can’t risk her future. Not when she doesn’t know if he’s out to pilfer her dreams . . . or to steal her heart.

AMAZON

Never in my life had I seen an angry woman I wanted to kiss so much.

The second I read about Kerrigan yelling at the sleek business man in The Bluff, I was immediately desperate for their story. I mean, can the set up sound more delicious? Small town romance, enemies to lovers, with a splash of force proximity. Yes, please, and thank you!

Kerrigan is exactly the type of heroine I love to read about. She’s intelligent, fiercely undefended though slightly down on her luck. She took a loan from a mentor to follow her dreams, but then the investor died in a tragic accident and his entirely too handsome for his own good grandson is in town to collect on the debt. Suffice it to say they clash at first sight.

I love this series and I simply adore this author, and while I enjoyed this installment, it wasn’t entirely my favorite. The romance was cute, but just a bit too insta love for my taste. Now, that’s not to say that they get all gooey eyes the second they meet, because let’s be clear, they hate each other, mostly. It takes months for them to get on the same page, but that happens off the pages, and so when they finally do get together, it feels quick. It was still highly satisfying, but I suppose I would have loved more of a burn.

That aside, I really enjoyed this one. Though I’d be lying that Pierce’s sassy assistant Nellie didn’t steal the thunder each time she appeared on the pages. And when we get more insight into her and Pierce’s best friend? GAH. ALL OF THE NEED. But I digress.

While I didn’t love every element of this story, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was swoony, emotional, with multi layered characters and plenty of heart. If you love small town romance, this series is simply not to be missed.


Willa Nash is USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry’s alter ego, writing contemporary romance stories for Kindle Unlimited. Lover of Swedish Fish, hater of laundry, she lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons. She was born and raised in Montana and has a passion for writing books in the state she calls home.

Devney loves hearing from her readers. Connect with her on social media!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Exposed by Kristen Callihan

July 13, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

EXPOSED
Series: VIP #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Date: July 13, 2021

Brenna

There are some people in life who know exactly how to push your buttons. For me, it’s Rye Peterson. We can’t spend more than ten minutes together before we’re at each other’s throats, which makes working together that much harder. Rye is the bassist for Kill John, the biggest rock band in the world, and I am his publicist. It doesn’t help that the man is gorgeous, funny, talented, and…never takes anything seriously. Avoidance is key.

But everything changes when he overhears something he shouldn’t: a confession made in a moment of weakness. Now the man I’ve tried so hard to ignore is offering me the greatest temptation of all—him.

Rye

Brenna James is the one. The one I can’t have. The one I can’t get out of my mind. Believe me, I’ve tried; the woman loathes me. I managed well enough—until I heard her say she’s as lonely as I am. That she needed to be touched, held, satisfied. And I could no longer deny the truth: I wanted to be the one to give her what she craved.

I convinced her that it would just be sex, mutual satisfaction with nothing deeper. But the moment I have her, she becomes my world. I’ve never given her a good reason to trust me before. Now, I’ve got to show Brenna that we’re so much better together than we ever were apart.

Things are going to get messy. But getting messy with Brenna is what I do best.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO 

“I’ve spent my entire adult life either wanting you or wanting to forget you.”

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this book. But if there’s one thing that Kristen Callihan does well, is she makes every minute, month, and year of the agonizing wait for our next VIP fix super worth it when she releases the next one. And when I got my grabby little hands on this book, no sleep was had because I had to devour it in one sitting.

I’m good, Bren. I’ll do whatever you want, for as long as you want. I’ll make certain you’re taken care of, and I won’t tell a soul.”
Jesus. I can’t breathe. “So selfless,” I murmur. “And what do you get out of all of this?”
“You.” His fingers stroke my braid. “I get you.”

God. Brenna and Rye. These two just made my cold black heart feel all warm and fuzzy. They’ve spent years in an antagonizing back and forth of hate lust and forced proximity. Brenna is Killian’s cousin and Kill John’s publicist and Rye is the bassist and Killian’s best friend. Until one conversation that Rye overhears changes everything.

My power is in maintaining the illusion that nothing can get to me, and I accept that as part of doing business. But some days? Some days, I want to crumble. I want…comfort, touch, release.

Brenna is a power woman that always put her career first. But she can’t help but feel like something is missing. And when she spills to her friend what it is and Rye overhears? Well let’s just say he volunteers as tribute.

While Brenna is all hard edges and fearful avoidance, Rye is the sexy softhearted one that is willing to put it all on the line for her. I loved this man so hard. SO HARD. I loved that they’ve know each other for so long, but only start to get to know each other over the course of their arrangement. Seeing how they misinterpreted things about each other through the years was almost painful, if they didn’t fully talk it out when the subject came out. I loved watching them grow closer together. I loved their fiery passion. And I absolutely loved the tight bond of the band and their friendships and relationships. I live for cameos from Scottie, what can I say?

The story is told in dual POVs and I couldn’t get enough. I also loved the twist on the romantic conclusion. I loved seeing Brenna’s hard edges soften. And did I mention that I loved my bearded, dirty talking, and uber sweet bassist? Because GAH.

Control has always been mine, no matter the partner, no matter the situation. Rye is another story. Hell, he’s a whole other genre. I can’t control Rye. I can’t control my feelings when I’m with him. I’m on a Tilt-a-Whirl in the dark, terrified the harness might snap.

I did wish we got a little more fleshing out of Rye’s story. While Brenna got the focus here, which I get, we did spend a good chunk of the story on Rye’s issue, and I would have loved more on that.

But as it was, I still devoured this book. It was sexy, entertaining, and oh so satisfying. I’m already desperate for my next fix of VIP with Whip’s story.

Kristen Callihan is an author because there’s nothing else she’d rather be. She has written New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. Her debut book, Firelight, received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence and was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, Best Book of Spring 2012 by Publishers Weekly, and Best Romance Book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she’s not writing, she’s reading.

AUTHOR LINKS
WEBSITE | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: