Review: Not A Hero by Cherise Sinclair

January 30, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

NOT A HERO
Series: Sons of the Survivalist #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance/ Suspense
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Release Date: January 29, 2019

In the Alaska wilderness, four streetwise boys became men—and brothers

Now the crazy ex-military survivalist who plucked Gabriel and three other boys from an abusive foster care home has died. But the sarge leaves them a final mission–to revive the dying town of Rescue.

Gabe is done with being a hero.

Wounded in body and soul, the retired SEAL simply wants to remain holed up in his isolated cabin. He sure doesn’t want to be chief of police in some defunct town. But he has his orders.

Audrey needs a place to hide

After the Chicago librarian discovers a horrendous crime, she wakes to an assassin in her bedroom. Injured and terrified, she flees, covering her trail every inch of the way. New name, new ID. New home. As Audrey learns to survive in Rescue, she begins to fall for the town…and the intimidating chief of police who protects it.

Can the shy introvert and the deadly police chief find a life together?

Despite the discord in town, Gabe is finding his own peace…with the quiet young woman who seems to have no past. She’s adorable and caring and so very lost. But how can he trust someone who lies to him with every breath she takes?

AMAZON

Ever since I met the four foster brothers in Defiance, I’ve been itching to get my grabby little hands on this brand new series. Four boys that grew up hard and were finally rescued by a tough as nails ex military survivalist and grew up into incredibly fascinating yet broken in their own way men? Yes, please, and thank you! Sign me right up for that! I will say that while it helps to read Defiance to get an intro into this series, you don’t have to. You can easily jump right into this book if you wish.

Gabe is the more serious and grounded of his brothers. After a mission gone wrong costs him his life and the life of almost his entire team and leaves him with as many internal scars as external, he retires from the mercenary life to live a peaceful existence away from everyone. But when his beloved foster father dies, he leaves his boys with a letter of request to revive the dying little town in Alaska that they grew up in. Now Gabe finds himself as the chief of police, begrudgingly serving the citizens of a town that enjoys their seclusion as much as he does.

Audrey has never been good with people. A shy introvert, her job as a librarian was everything to her. A skilled researcher, she finds herself running for her life when her research unearths a criminal underbelly that she never expected to target her. A secluded town in Alaska seems like the best place to hide when a ruthless hitman is after you. Too bad a grumpy and too observant for his own good chief of police now sets his eyes on her.

I have to admit, shy introverted heroines are not at all my cuppa. But there was just something so incredibly endearing about Audrey. She’s honest to a fault and so sweetly vulnerable that you can’t help but like her. But beneath the shy exterior is an understated strength and the soul of a warrior. I love seeing her unassuming personality turn fierce and protective when it came to those she cared about.

The relationship between her and Gabe was a slow burn filled with plenty of sizzle. If you’ve wanted to read this author but aren’t a fan of BDSM, you’ll definitely need to check this out. But while there’s no kink, there’s plenty of action, suspense, and steam to keep you turning the pages.

Not A Hero was a deliciously suspenseful read with a swoony romance tied in. I loved the slower pacing and the relationship development. I loved getting a taste of the other brothers (especially Hawk), and I loved the vividly quirky citizens of this little town. Everything together turned this into a perfectly blended contemporary and suspense romance. I can’t wait for more in this series.

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Review: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

January 29, 2019 by · 2 Comments

99 PERCENT MINE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sally Thorne
Release Date: January 29, 2019

Crush: a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that’s inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.

AMAZON

If I can just get Tom Valeska to lose his mind over me, I can die happy.

Alright. I have a confession to make before I dive into the review for this book.
*whispers*
I haven’t read The Hating Game yet.
*hides*
*pokes head back up*
Are you still judging me? Because quit it! I bought it immediately when I started this book, ok?! From this author’s magical writing style, I can clearly see what I’ve been missing. But I digress here. What I’m going to be doing, is reviewing my very first Sally Thorne book. And spoiler alert, I adored it!

I’m a scary bitch. He’s a bashful sweetheart with pink cheeks.

Now here’s the thing. Nice guys aren’t usually my thing. And there you go, judging me again. What did I tell you about that? Back to my review, though. So while the bad boy alphas are typically my thing, I couldn’t get enough of Tom Valeska, the alpha male with the beautifully wolfish eyes, sweet tenderness, and understated sexiness. I fell in love with this man through Grace’s eyes. The entire book is in the heroine’s POV, and yet you get such wonderfully developed characters through her eyes.

The first touch of his tongue loosens my knees and I’m grateful that he’s holding me up. I shudder a breath out. He breathes it, changes our angle, exhales it back to me. Air is better from his lungs. Life is better with his kiss. The word mine is now something I need to make him understand.

Darcy is spunky and enigmatic. This is a girl that doesn’t stay in any one place for long. She craves adventure and hasn’t dated any guy seriously. Admittedly, she can come across as brash at times. The way that she almost rabidly lusts after Tom was a touch much at times. She’s loved Tom since they were kids, but the one time she could have had him, her teenage thoughtlessness cost her that chance. And while he’s been as strong a staple in her life as her twin brother, he’s also been engaged to another woman. But now the renovation of her recently passed grandmother’s house that her and her twin inherited bring them together again, she’s not about to waste another opportunity with Tom. Especially since he’s now surprisingly single.

This was a deliciously character driven slow burn of a romance. I loved learning about Tom and seeing him through Darcy’s experience. He’s such a sweetheart that you can’t help but fall completely head over heels for him.

No one else is kissing you anymore,” he tells me in a conversational hush, not breaking our contact. “Your mouth is mine.”

I have to say that only being in Darcy’s head did get a bit exhausting at times. This is a girl that’s always at a ten, and I wanted her to bring it down to an 8 or 7 at times. But there’s also something oddly endearing about her. She loves her friends and she’s completely in love with Tom. I also loved the way that Tom cares for her. I struggled a bit with the relationship she had with her twin brother, but they did win me over in the end.

But one thing is for sure, I fell so hard for this wonderfully quirky and sweet romance. I adored Tom and Darcy together. I adored the friends to lovers trope. I loved their love and couldn’t get enough of it. 99 Percent Mine was a perfectly paced, feel good and lighthearted romance. It was endearingly sassy and swoony. A definite rec for any slow burn lovers out there that love their alphas sweet and their heroines edgy.

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Review & Giveaway: Deal With The Devil by Meghan March

January 15, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
Series: The Forge Trilogy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: January 15, 2019

“You can put that man in a suit, but he’ll never be tame.”

 

One look at Jericho Forge and I knew the rumors were true.

 

He was a predator, and he had set his sights on me.

 

I knew better than to bet more than I could afford to lose that night.

I knew better than to bet myself.

But desperation leads to bad decisions, and I thought there was no way I could lose.

I was wrong.

Now I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil.

AMAZON | KOBO | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY | iBOOKS

PRE-ORDER

LUCK OF THE DEVIL | HEART OF THE DEVIL

What do you want?”
One eyebrow rises. “From you? For $10 million? You should already know the answer to that.” The corners of his mouth lift until his expression is the picture of sheer triumph. “Every-fucking-thing.”

Sweet mother of ovaries, the woman did it again. Each time I think March wrote her best alpha yet, she outdoes herself with the next one. And Forge is sure to make ovaries flutter all over the world. Add into that one of the best heroines I’ve read in the longest time, and stick a fork in me. I’m on book cloud 9!

I’ve said this about Meghan’s books before, and now I’ll say it again: Welcome to your next addiction!

He’s a marauder, plundering just like the pirate I thought he was the first time I saw him. He takes without permission or apology. And I love it.

There is nothing I love better than an uber alpha. And let me just tell you all, Forge is that and more! This is a man that’s driven by forces that we only get a peek into. Driven by a revenge that he’s so close to having now that he can taste it. And the beautiful woman that has unknowingly stumbled into his web, will be the conduit for him to get it.

As always, Meghan gives just enough to tantalize the reader but also leave them with plenty of questions. Deal With The Devil was all of the things; suspenseful, and sexy. It was full of amazing banter, humor, and enough sexual chemistry to spark fire to your kindle. I absolutely loved the heroine, India. Here’s a woman that’s full of fire and sass. She doesn’t take things lying down and gives as good as she gets.

Blessed mother of all things holy. He’s naked. Totally, completely naked. And his dick is massive. And the ocean can’t be super warm. Which means . . .
“It’s like someone unleashed the Kraken,” I whisper as he moves toward me, his dick bouncing from side to side with each step.
…
“Are you going to look at my face or just stare at my dick?”
“I’ve seen your face before,” I tell him, not looking up. I got caught staring; I might as well make the most of it.

I’m hooked, line and sinker, and cannot wait for the next installment!

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

You can find her online at: MeghanMarch.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: Ruthless King by Maya Hughes

January 10, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

RUTHLESS KING
Series: Kings of Rittenhouse #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Maya Hughes
Release Date: January 10, 2019

A STANDALONE second chance, enemies to lovers romance.

My dick never got me in half as much trouble as my heart…

We were high school sweethearts. I was head over heels for her and no one could tell me we weren’t going to last forever. College? Going pro? My family’s money? None of it mattered. She was all I needed.

Then she ripped my heart out. But I’m not going to let that happen again.

She’s back. Invading my life and acting like she was the wronged one. The pain is still there, but I can’t keep my eyes off her. I can’t stop thinking about her and how much was left unsaid between us. Being this close is making me question everything I thought I knew about her.

This time everything will be on my terms. Everything…

AMAZON

I never stopped loving you. Even when I hated you with all of my being, even when I hated myself for it and wished I could carve my heart out of my chest, I still loved you.”

The second I read the blurb to this book, I knew this would be my first Maya Hughes read. I’m a sucker for a good second-chance romance, and this one checked all of my boxes.

Avery Davis had dismantled me and left me as a shell. Even knowing the pain she’d caused, every night I closed my eyes, it was her I dreamed about.

I dove into this book without having read the previous two in this series, and while I had absolutely no problem enjoying it as a standalone, I’ll definitely be reading the other books if only because I’m intrigued by the characters and loved the author’s writing style.

As for this book? It was a mildly angsty read with plenty of feels that I fell in love with from the very first pages.

Emmett and Avery were high school sweethearts. They were everything to each other, and even though they were young, their love was one that should have been a forever kind. The reader doesn’t know what happened to rip them apart, but you know it was enough to plant a seed of resentment into Emmett that even years later he can’t get over.

When fate and circumstance throws them together once more, they are forced to acknowledge everything that happened between them, though it’s certainly not a smooth road. I’m not typically a fan of the continuous misunderstanding plot device in my books, but it actually worked here. I understood why Avery was hesitant to shed light on everything that happened in high school. And while I wanted to smack Emmett for his reaction to the bumps on their path to a HEA, I also couldn’t help understanding him either. These characters are both flawed in their own way, but in a very endearing way. Avery is extremely loyal to her family and I loved her fierce protectiveness and care for her sister. I understood why she did what she did.

Emmett, while being a successful pro-hockey player and having his pick of any woman he wants, is like a lost boy when it comes to Avery. She was the only woman he ever loved and he never got over her breaking his heart. I loved this vulnerable side to him.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters and the pacing of this book. I wished there was a little more angst beyond the constant misunderstanding between Emmett and Avery, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Maya Hughes is a new to me author that is now going straight to my auto-buy list and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

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Review: Third Strike by BJ Harvey

January 10, 2019 by ·

THIRD STRIKE
Series: Chances #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: BJ Harvey
Release Date: January 10, 2019

Falling for your best friend’s sister has never felt so bad yet so damn right.

From USA Today Bestselling author BJ Harvey comes the third and final standalone in the Chance series, this time it’s the much anticipated story of Drew and Ashley.

***
I have a long history of acting first and thinking it through later. In fact, I’m the definition of a screw up.

Case in point – I’m having a baby with a woman I can’t stand, my ex is now my best friend’s wife, and I’m in love with a woman I can never have.

My biggest secret is falling for my best friend’s sister twelve years ago.

My biggest mistake is thinking I could live without her.

And now my biggest regret is the look on her face the moment I tell everyone I’m already married to the woman they hate most.

AMAZON

You’re my beginning, middle, and end, Ash. 

Oh.
Oh wow.
Oh my heart.
Oh the feels.
Oh the everything!
I simply loved this book.

There is nothing I love more than a flawed but completely redeemable hero. And it just doesn’t get more flawed than Drew. He’s so perfectly imperfect and with a heart of gold. The fact that you spend the entire book inside his head was one of my favorite things. You really get to see the heart of gold beneath the well-meaning intentions that turn out to be disastrous decisions.

Drew has always thought of his best friend’s family as his own after the loss of his mother. So he’s always known that Millen’s little sister is entirely hands off. There’s just one problem with that; he can’t stay away from her. The odds are stacked against them and there’s every reason why they can’t work, but sometimes love happens when you least expect it.

Third Strike is a romance that spans 12 years; through heartbreak and devastation, life takes Drew and Ash through the ringer. I have to admit, had I not been inside of Drew’s head, I probably would have not loved this book as much as I did. This is a man that makes his fair share of mistakes. But understanding the root of them and his intentions, you can’t help but fall for his bumbling ways. He’s successful, sexy and sure of himself in every aspect of his life…except when it comes to Ash.

This story is no walk in the park. It’s painful, and tragic, and downright infuriating at times. But it’s also beautiful and emotional and a book that sucks you right in and doesn’t let you loose until the very last page. It owned my heart. It made me cry, it made me rage, it made me swoon. And there’s one scene in particular that I’m fairly certain made me spontaneously ovulate…

But I digress. If you read the first book in this series, you may have some thoughts on Drew’s character. But let me tell you, if you have doubts that you’d like him, you need to read this. He struggles with loyalty to his best friend and his love for his best friend’s sister. Every painfully beautiful memory between him and Ash owned my hear.

I still haven’t forgiven BJ for bastardizing my name with the twat of a character that she decided to name Lana, but man, even dealing with her was worth it for the experience of this book.

I’ve loved BJ’s romcoms, but she’s definitely stolen my heart completely with this beautifully angsty read. I loved it from start to finish and didn’t want it to end. I devoured it in a day and can’t recommend it enough!

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#DGRFave & Review: The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen

January 9, 2019 by · 2 Comments

THE KISS THIEF
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: L.J. Shen
Release Date: January 10, 2019

They say your first kiss should be earned.

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage.

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.
Two men.
Three lives.
Entwined together.

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.

AMAZON

Our hearts were tarnished. Stained. And guilty. Unpredictable to a fault. And bound to break.

I got two words for you here: Must. Read.

I know I say this each time I finish a book of hers, but this was my favorite LJ Shen book to date.

I was born into a glided cage.

If you like a modern day arranged marriage trope, welcome to your next addiction. This book? GAH! It had an anti-hero that only Shen can write; brutal and hard but completely redeemable. This is someone you won’t be able to help rooting for! This was like if Vicious and Sparrow had a baby, and that baby threw down the gauntlet of delicious angst and grit. A clashing of a ruthless politician and the mafia, and a young beauty used as a pawn that gets caught in the crosshairs of political agendas and blackmail.

Francesca Rossi was such a breath of fresh air. For someone so young, she had this endearing naiveté to her that was beneath her hardened persona. She’s not a doormat, even when dealing with an extremely dominant man. This is not a woman that takes things lying down. She’s sharp-witted and smart-mouthed. I absolutely loved her.

The Kiss Thief was a book that kept me riveted to the pages from beginning to end. It was unlike any book I’ve read in a long damn while and it was absolutely everything. EVERYTHING, I tells ya!

I know you’re thinking, Lana, you’re being vague as hell right now. But trust me, you don’t need or WANT to know more. This is a book that you NEED to go into absolutely blind, or you’ll do yourself a great disservice. So, you’re welcome 🙂

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#DGRFave & Review: Faking It by K. Bromberg

January 8, 2019 by ·

FAKING IT
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: January 8, 2019

Faking it never felt so good in this red-hot new standalone by New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg—available in audio first!

Zane Phillips mistook me for his dog walker. It shouldn’t surprise me that the man with a suit more expensive than my rent would assume that I was there to serve him. The positive? I put him in his place. The negative? I missed my job interview because of it.

Now I find out he’s a rich Australian entrepreneur, and he wants to make up for tanking my interview. Yes, he’s impossibly hot – but he’s also an arrogant jackass—so . . . no thanks.

But after a little white lie I tell spirals out of control, I’m somehow offered the chance to play Zane’s girlfriend to help promote his new dating website – and the best part? He can’t say no because he’ll get caught in his lie too.

Little did I know this would entail sharing a tour bus with him for the next few months. The fact that the bus has just one bed isn’t the most ideal of circumstances, but this spokesperson gig might be the kick in the pants my career needs, so why not take a chance?

Famous last words.

Now I’m crisscrossing the country–and sharing that bed—with the one guy I can’t stand. And even worse, my traitorous body is wondering at every turn what it’s like to be down under the gorgeous Australian. But as the miles unfurl, so does our passion…and if I’m not careful, I might end up believing that fairytales really do come true.

AMAZON

Just face it, Harlow . . . you can’t resist me.”
“Resist you?” I laugh. “I can barely stand you.”

That hot cover and enticing blurb don’t even come close to doing this book justice. And that’s saying something because that cover and blurb are EVERYTHING. But this book is also so much more than just a relationship of convenience trope. It’s a swoony, humorous, perfectly paced, deliciously blended romance cake with plenty of sexual chemistry as the sprinkles on top! I loved the ever loving EVERYTHING out of this book. EVERYTHING!!!!

Harlow Nicks spells trouble for me in every sense of the word. She has my every wire crossed. And she’s made me hesitate to step over a line I thought would be a no brainer to cross: sleeping with her.

K. Bromberg has long been an automatic one-click for me, and Faking It just solidified why. The woman can write her heart out to deliver a bad boy hero that you can’t get enough of and a bold and smart-mouthed heroine that you’ll never stop rooting for. It’s an opposites attract romance that’s effortlessly developed and impeccably paced to deliver a one-two punch straight to the feels and have the reader hooked from beginning to finish.

Everything about Zane Phillips rubs me the wrong way. Even when I’m thinking about how good he can probably rub me the right way.

Now I love me a bad boy. Make that bad boy a self-made millionaire womanizer with a cockiness to boot? DROOLING! But then also make that bad boy something so much more? I’m putty in your hands. And that’s exactly what Zane was. He’s an irreverent womanizer. But there’s something more than meets the eye to him. There’s a depth to him that you only get glimpses of as the author sucks you deeper and deeper into his orbit. You begin to see there’s some much more to Zane than a bored playboy that’s trying to make his new business venture a success. A matchmaking site launched by a man that doesn’t believe in love? Color me intrigued.

As for Harlow? What’s not to love about a heroine that’s not afraid to put this bad boy in his place every chance she gets. This is a woman that doesn’t get played. She’s not afraid to throw the gauntlet and boy does she!

From their very first meeting, I was instantly hooked on this couple. I loved their banter, I loved the hate lust that was sparking out of every barb they threw at one another. I also loved the way that Harlow went after what she wanted. This is a woman that isn’t afraid to to play the player at his own game. But what starts out as a mutually beneficial agreement of a fake relationship until the successful launch of the business, soon begins to turn into something more. The lines get blurred and even when both of them do their best to try to ignore their feelings, it’s not long before they realize the chemistry that’s been slowly building between them from the start is about to become explosive.

I think the pacing was my absolute favorite part of this romance. It was a slow, delicious build up. The banter between Zane and Low serving as foreplay and I couldn’t get enough of it. I loved the fact that Harlow never shied away from being herself and saying what she wants. This is a woman that called Zane on all of his bull, and it was AWESOME.

If you’ve never read a K. Bromberg book before, you couldn’t find a better one to start with. Faking It was EVERYTHING! A light hearted, swoony romance with plenty of depth. It brought a goofy smile to my face for the entire time I was reading it, and I never wanted it to end. I devoured this book and loved every minute of it!!

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Review: Hate Notes by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

December 25, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

HATE NOTES
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland
Release Date: November 6th 2018

From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes an unexpected love story of secondhand hearts and second chances…

It all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress.

Something blue.

I’d gone to sell my own unworn bridal gown at a vintage clothing store. That’s when I found another bride’s “something old.”

Stitched into the lining of a fabulously feathered design was the loveliest message I’d ever read: Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.

The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, obviously the most romantic man who ever lived. I also discovered he’s the most gorgeous. If only my true-love fantasies had stopped there. Because I’ve since found out something else about Mr. Starry-Eyed.

He’s arrogant, cynical, and demanding. I should know. Thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after.

But that story is nothing compared to the one unfolding between us. It’s getting hotter, sweeter, and more surprising than anything I could have imagined.

Something new.

But I have no idea how this one is going to end…

AMAZON

I tried. I really did. I DNF’d but decided to finish it anyways despite my reservations.

Yeaaaahhh. It went over as expected lemme tell you.

The most interesting thing about this book was the blurb and the whole “found a wedding gown with a romantic personal note in it that touched me.” In theory. But the story was boring and contrived. Things happen because they had to and the characters react to them because the story needs them to no matter how confusing and illogical it is.

The heroine acted like a creep stalking the hero on his social media and then his job because she wants to believe that romance isn’t dead. I have so many things to say about this but I’m gonna refrain. For now.

The heroine is…incompetent but she’s pretty and cute. I guess her incompetence is supposed to be cute and endearing but it ended up really annoying. Like who the hell air types when they’re angry? I have no idea if the author was going for because if it was humor, then she failed.

Anyway, Ms. Incompetent was embarrassed after being thrown out by the hero (gee, I wonder why) and because she is the heroine, she meets a wonderful old lady who offered her a job because grandma apparently has a good feeling about her. *sigh

Guess who old lady actually is? That’s right. She’s actually a high-powered CEO who just happens to be the hero’s grandma.

Anyway, Ms. Incompetent suddenly becomes uber competent (don’t ask me when the changed happen because we weren’t exactly shown this in the book either) and indispensable to the hero because the story needs it, you see. No need for character development. There’s no need to show us either, I guess, just make her do stuff because the plot needs it. Easy peasy.

So yeah, this book is contrived as hell. The characters were bland with no personalities whatsoever. I can’t even remember the name of the hero or what he looks like. All I know is that he’s hot and rich and an asshole. The hero is exactly the same iteration as the other heroes these authors have written before. Different names but they’re essentially the same character.

These characters are there to serve the plot and the plot was to get them to fall in love despite his “secrets.” Which brings us to the worst thing about this book that I’ve really come to despise: the secret, or the nature of the secret. I won’t spoil it (unless you guys ask) but can we stop using illnesses as a plot device in the year of our Lord two thousand and eighteen? I mean, it’s great if you want to highlight an illness to bring awareness into it but this ain’t it.

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Review: The Wrong Man by Natasha Anders

December 20, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

THE WRONG MAN
Series: Alpha Men #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Natasha Anders
Release Date: September 4, 2018

No commitments. No expectations. No way this could possibly go wrong…right?

Former special-ops soldier Sam Brand is used to getting what he wants. What he wants is to unbutton the buttoned-down, sweet, and shy Dahlia McGregor. He’s hot to find her wild side. She’s eager to let him explore it. So he makes his proposition—no strings, no hurt feelings, and no promises—save for one: she’ll have the time of her life.

After a broken engagement, Lia’s looking to someday find the right man and settle down. That’s some day. Now it’s all about the night. A hot, meaningless fling with a magnificently weathered blue-eyed stud like Sam couldn’t hurt: he’s sexy, and sure he’s arrogant, but best of all, he’s here. In other words, he’s perfect…for now.

But when Sam is wounded in the line of duty and left in Lia’s tender loving care, all bets are off. Because the more time they spend together, the more it becomes clear: this “one night” deal is getting steamier and lasting longer than they counted on. It started as a fun little game. Is it possible they could be playing for keeps?

AMAZON

I was your rebound guy, now let me be your final fling guy. Let me be the last wild thing you do before you settle down.”.

I knew when Sam first graced the pages in The Best Man that he was going to be my favorite Alpha Man. After finishing this book, I can also tell you that it was my favorite in the series! I love a good unrepentant womanizing alphahole, and Sam definitely brought his A-game as the commitment phobic alpha with a sharp tongue and no small lack of insults. While I can see that he may not be a hero for everyone’s likes, he definitely did it for me and I couldn’t wait to see him fall for the sweet and proper Lia.

Dahlia was a heroine I wasn’t sure I’d like, but ended up absolutely loving. She’s sweet, thoughtful, innocent, but not overly naive. This was definitely a formula that worked for me. She’s the sweetest of the three McGregor sisters, and I was rooting for her from the very beginning.

After her engagement to an a-hole of epic proportions goes up in flames, Lia gives into something that’s completely out of character for her; a one-night fling with a womanizer that she never expects to see again. Sam makes no secret of his love-them-and-leave-them preferences, and he makes it crystal clear that he will never be Mr. Right. Lia is determined to find her forever man, and when a series of catastrophic (yet comedic) dates leave her disillusioned and giving up, seeing Sam again make her willing to pick right up where they left off.

Sam never expects to be back in the small town or to see Lia again. But when his job leaves him wounded and unable to fend for himself, what better way to heal that to hire the beautiful Lia to care for him and take the opportunity to try to lure her into his bed once more.

I loved the combination of Lia’s sweetness and Sam’s snark. These are two characters that don’t really make sense on paper, and yet their chemistry is off the charts. I loved seeing Lia slowly cave to Sam’s alluring nature and Sam slowly fall unwittingly for Lia’s sweet and endearing one. What starts off as a fling to scratch an itch soon begins to turn into something so much more for both of them. Natasha Anders crafted two incredibly well-developed characters with this book. As much as you want to hate Sam for the things he does and says, you simply can’t. You see just enough of his vulnerable side that he keeps cleverly hidden behind a smart-mouthed persona to know there’s a lot more to him than the initial playboy that meets the eye.

The Wrong Man had a little bit of everything; humor, steam, and plenty of emotion. It was incredibly satisfying. And even though I wanted Sam to work for it a little harder at the end, I couldn’t help but love their HEA. The epilogue was especially wonderful. It was the perfect conclusion to the series and it couldn’t have ended with a better book.

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Review: It’s Not Over by Grahame Claire

December 19, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

IT’S NOT OVER
Series: Paths to Love #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Grahame Claire
Release Date: August 3, 2018

Daniel

I have two lives.

One with the woman who owns me. The other tied to a past I can’t escape.

For eight years, I kept them separate, knowing one day their collision was inevitable.

That day has come.

She’ll have to accept it.

It’s over.

Vivian

He has two lives.

A beautiful one with me. Another shrouded in ugly secrets.

It didn’t matter, until now.

I don’t know why he’s destroyed us,

But fighting for him will be the battle of my life.
It’s not over.

AMAZON

Even if we never see each other again, it will never be over. Never.”

If you love powerful second chance romances and strong heroines, this book is not to be missed.

You want me to bare my soul? Tell you all my deepest, darkest secrets?” His voice was laced with sarcasm.
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “I won’t be with somebody who won’t let me know them. I want a partner. I don’t need a body to keep me warm at night. That’s what blankets are for.”

From the very first page that I read, I knew this would be a book I’d devour in practically one sitting. This author went straight to my auto-buy list. I’m addicted to her words!

I’m a sucker for a well-written second chance romance, and this one had all the ingredients for a phenomenal read! It was emotional, gripping, with a splash of suspense and a whole lot of sizzle. Told in alternating past and present, it painted a powerful story of a once in a lifetime love that stood the test of unimaginable odds.

Daniel and Vivian had a love that seemed to be unbreakable, until Daniel’s past clashes with his present and he cuts Vivian out of his life. Unable to imagine her life without him, Vivian isn’t one to sit back and watch it happen. She’s prepared to fight for him, if only he’d fight for her right back…

The book alternates from past to present to tell the story of how they met and the path that inevitably brought them to where they are now. I absolutely loved Vivian’s character. Here’s a woman that’s not afraid to state what she wants and owns it. She makes Daniel fight for her heart when they first meet. She isn’t satisfied to take the initial crumbs he offers and will take nothing short of everything. You really can’t help but be in awe of such a strong heroine. She’s just the right amount of strength and vulnerability. She’s hard-edged without being brash and I loved that about her.

I want a partner. I want trust and respect and honesty. Someone who will face life with me head on. Sometimes he’ll carry me, and sometimes I’ll carry him. We’ll laugh together, fight together, give each other everything. I don’t need a fucking white knight on a horse. I can save my own ass, and I can buy my own flowers. The only thing I want is you. If you can’t give me that, there’s no need to go any further.”

Daniel is a hero that captures your heart right away with his incredibly powerful and magnetic presence. There’s just the right amount of darkness that lurks under his handsome looks that lures you into his orbit. This is a man that has lived a hard life and will sacrifice everything to protect those that he loves.

I also absolutely adored the secondary characters of Miriam and Stone and cannot wait to dive into their story. As for this one? I enjoyed it cover to cover. It was perfectly paced, with a dash of grit, and a heavy dose of suspense. This was my first book by Grahame Claire and I know it definitely will not be my last.

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