Review: A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole

July 31, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

A DUKE BY DEFAULT
Series: Reluctant Royals #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alyssa Cole
Release Date: July 31, 2018

Award-winning author Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series continues with a woman on a quest to be the heroine of her own story and the duke in shining armor she rescues along the way

New York City socialite and perpetual hot mess Portia Hobbs is tired of disappointing her family, friends, and—most importantly—herself. An apprenticeship with a struggling swordmaker in Scotland is a chance to use her expertise and discover what she’s capable of. Turns out she excels at aggravating her gruff silver fox boss…when she’s not having inappropriate fantasies about his sexy Scottish burr.

Tavish McKenzie doesn’t need a rich, spoiled American telling him how to run his armory…even if she is infuriatingly good at it. Tav tries to rebuff his apprentice, and his attraction to her, but when Portia accidentally discovers that he’s the secret son of a duke, rough-around-the-edges Tav becomes her newest makeover project.

Forging metal into weapons and armor is one thing, but when desire burns out of control and the media spotlight gets too hot to bear, can a commoner turned duke and his posh apprentice find lasting love?

AMAZON

“You’re my liege. You’re the person I’m fighting for.”

Alyssa Cole delivered another sweet and heartfelt romance with A Duke by Default! She continues to be one of my go-to contemporary romance authors these days. There’s just something about her stories and her characters that speaks to me as a reader. And this book, is a great example of what this talented author can do!

Portia Hobbs might be my favorite Alyssa Cole heroine to date. When she was introduced, she was a bit of a hot mess. She has a truckload of issues that made her an interesting character to me. I didn’t like her that much in A Princess in Theory but I was curious about her. And I knew that Alyssa Cole is going to do her story justice.

She was done with fuckboys, and fuckbosses for that matter, no matter how sexy their accents were.

I was so right. Alyssa Cole not only made me sympathize with Portia, she made me love her. I wasn’t even halfway in when I knew without a doubt that Portia would become one of my favorite contemporary romance heroines. No joke. Cole did a fantastic job exposing all of Portia’s wounds, her hopes and dreams, and things that make her what or who she is. And I loved everything I read about her.

But it wasn’t just Portia who made this book for me. The hero, Tavish MacKenzie was Portia’s boss, and he’s grumpy and hot as hell. And if you’ve been following me for long enough, you’d know that I have a weakness for hot, grumpy heroes. Tav is a world-class grump, and he is perfect for Portia. Oh, he did some knuckleheaded things and had put his foot in his mouth a couple of times but he is a great hero.

Her boss acted like a gruff, annoying jerk, but dammit there was something about a man who could casually mention Middle Cornish at dinner conversation without sounding pretentious that Portia found irresistible. It didn’t matter—she would resist.

I loved these two characters individually and as a couple. Their romance was emotionally rich and compelling. It tugged at my emotions without being manipulative. The interaction between Tav and Portia is taut with sexual tension and chemistry, I had to stop and fan myself a couple of times because their chemistry was off the freaking charts.

But it wasn’t just their chemistry that drew me in. It was also the fact that these two characters genuinely liked and respected each other. Their banter and how they related to each other was just as satisfying as their red-hot chemistry.

Not only that, I also loved the way Alyssa Cole wrote the secondary characters in this book. None of them felt like throwaways. Even that librarian who was in the book for like two pages, made me smile. Cole makes you notice them. She has a knack of elevating secondary characters that makes you genuinely interested in reading about them. I adored Jamie and Cheryl as well as Tavish’s parents. His interactions with them is probably my favorites, outside of his interactions with Portia, of course.

“We were attracted to each other, we kissed, you humped my leg a little, and everything’s fine now.”

We also get to know Portia’s accomplished twin, Reggie. Although, I wish there was more of her. Two other standout characters that I really liked was Nya and Johann. Eeep! Oh my gosh, there’s so much I want to learn about these two. Again, I don’t want to spoil anything but, you guys, I’m even more excited to read the third book in this series. I cannot wait!

My only gripe about this book was the lack of epilogue. I mean, it doesn’t even have to have an epilogue but I wish the ending was longer. It felt abrupt to me and there were some confrontations that I wanted to happen. I’m going to spoiler tag them, so enter at your own risk:

[su_spoiler title=”Spoiler” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=”” class=””]

One, I wish Portia get to confront her parents! I was really upset about the things they said, albeit they don’t realize how hurtful they were. But still, they really did a number on Portia.

Two. I wish Portia had told Tavish and Reggie and her parents about her ADHD diagnosis. I understood why Portia might have reservations but still, I wish she had told someone.

[/su_spoiler]

However, those things did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. Overall, A Duke by Default was fabulously charming read. You really won’t want to miss this one. I know some readers are worried about Portia because of the things she did in the first book, but guys, trust. Alyssa Cole made me love this imperfect character and if she can do that to me, I reckon, she has a chance of making you love Portia as well.

“You can think what you want about yourself, but I’ve two eyes and a brain in my head and the view right now? It’s bloody brilliant.”

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New Release & Review: Someone Else’s Ocean by Kate Stewart

July 29, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SOMEONE ELSE’S OCEAN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kate Stewart
Release Date: July 31, 2018

The first time I met Ian Kemp in the sparkling blue waters of St. Thomas, I was six years old and we shared a summer beneath the stars.

The second time I met Ian Kemp, he was a shell of the boy I once knew.

Turbulent and infuriating, he refused my friendship at every turn.

Like me, he was a casualty of life’s cruelty, but we were planets apart.

We’d both sought refuge on the island, hoping to find our anchor.

Instead, we found each other and managed to reclaim our stars…until we both got swept away.

AMAZON

We’d become magnetic and inseparable and I let it happen in my selfish haze knowing it would rip us to shreds to lose it.

Someone Else’s Ocean will not be a book you read, it’ll be a book you experience. It’s a book that’ll take you on an emotional journey filled with heartbreak, hope, and second chances. It will tug at your every heart string, it’ll make you feel, it will break you, and it will put the broken pieces back together again. It was a beautiful romance that was brimming with emotion and I loved every heart wrenching page of it.

The man was pure venom and anger and he was dragging me down with him.

Koti moves to the beautiful island of St. Thomas to escape; escape a life she had but where she wasn’t really living. But even though she’s now in paradise, it doesn’t mean that she’s moved on.
Ian goes to St. Thomas for an escape of his own. Reeling from a devastating discovery, he’s full of rage and scorn. While Koti and Ian grew up together and were childhood friends, there’s nothing left of that connection now. Koti sees the heartbreak in his eyes and tries to soothe the pain he feels, while Ian pushes her away with hard words and cold stares at every chance he gets.

The somewhat enemies to lovers start that Ian and Koti have definitely whet the appetite for the slow burn romance that begins to form between them.

She was dangerous for me in every way. I was addicted to her warmth, her kiss, her body.

The pacing of the romance was absolute perfection! What starts as bitter neighbors, leads to an almost unwilling friendship, and soon to something so much bigger. The story is character driven and incredibly written. Set on the gorgeous backdrop of St Thomas, these two go through plenty of up and downs both together and individually. Ian and Koti are both fighting their own demons but in different ways. Their romance is doomed from the start. They live different lives and while St Thomas is an escape for Ian, it’s become Koti’s salinity. They know that they don’t have a future, but their connection is simply too fiery to resist.

I loved watching them heal each other’s wounds. I loved watching their romance blossom into something much more that the fling they thought they were having. I loved the emotionally charged story and the wonderful secondary characters. But what I loved even more is the INCREDIBLE epilogue. It was, hands down, one of my absolutely favorite epilogues I’ve read. Kate Stewart never disappoints, and she’s delivered once again with a gripping romance that was full of feels and plenty of sizzle.

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Blog Tour: Dirty Sexy Player by Laurelin Paige

July 27, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

 

DIRTY SEXY PLAYER
Series: Dirty Games Duet #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Laurelin Paige
Cover Designer: Laurelin Paige & Tom Barnes
Release Date: July 23, 2018

A New Duet in the Dirty Filthy Universe from NYT Bestselling Author, Laurelin Paige.

Weston King knows how to play. But wild nights and owning an extensive collection of women’s panties don’t carry the thrill they once did, so when his business partner Donovan suggests an outrageous plan to allow them to take over their competition, Wes takes him up on the offer. The crazy idea? Marry the competitor.

Elizabeth Dyson, the bride-to-be in question, is on board with the plan. She wants access to her trust fund and can only get it once she marries. Each has something the other wants – all they have to do is pretend to like each other well enough to tie the knot.

Only trouble is, playing fiancé to Elizabeth isn’t quite that simple. Wes finds her sexy and brilliant…and soon wishes their engagement wasn’t fake at all. Not that he’d ever tell her that.

But a lover boy like Wes can only stand an empty bed for so long…and even the best of players has to put down his cards eventually.

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

I looked at the windows past him, trying to distract myself. Lights flashed and swirled around the dance floor in time to the beat, the only part of the music which made it into the sanctuary of the bubble room. I could tell it was crowded, but I couldn’t make out faces the way they could probably make out ours. “I don’t know if anyone’s looking,” I said.

“Don’t worry about them. Just focus on what you’re doing.”

Easy for him to say. He wasn’t facing them. He was only looking at me.

Nope. I couldn’t think about that either. Just had to focus on the task at hand.

I closed my eyes. “So just pretend that I… That we are… That under my dress…” I couldn’t even say it.

Weston leaned forward and murmured near my ear. “Yes, pretend that under your dress you are not wearing any panties. I have my dick out. I’m working you, and you are showing me exactly how you like it. Now go.”

Just like that, my panties were damp.

I didn’t know if he was saying those things to loosen me up or to get a rise out of me, either was possible.

Whatever his intent, it did the trick. He set the scene. I felt my face flush like the women in the videos as I imagined him rubbing his crown against my slit before nudging his tip inside and then burying himself to the hilt.

I opened my mouth in a silent gasp, acting out how I was sure it would feel. Good. It would feel so good.

This was so…weird. So hot and sexy and arousing and weird.

I wondered if he was feeling it too, feeling turned on, or if it was just me. It wasn’t like I could ask though, and knowing probably wouldn’t help my performance anyway.

So I concentrated on me. Focused on the task.

“Do I move or something?” I bucked my hips forward and felt the friction against my crotch as it rubbed the fly of his pants.

Mmm.

“Yeah,” he said breathlessly. “That’s good. That motion. Just like that.”

“Okay. Okay.” I rocked against him again, and again, my hips tilting back and forth, my clit brushing against his fly. Every time, stroking and kindling a fire in a fireplace I hadn’t had cleaned for some time. I spread my thighs a little wider and braced my knees against the bench so I could swing my pelvis all the way forward, in and out, in and…

Oh.

I froze. “Is that—?” But I didn’t have to ask. There was most definitely a fat, thick ridge pressed against the crotch panel of my panties. I guess that answered the question of whether he was feeling it too.

My eyes flew open. “Oh my God!”

“Look,” he said, ready to defend himself. “There’s an extremely attractive woman sitting on my lap. I cannot help what happens to my cock. It has a mind of its own.”

A really big mind of its own.


READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE

 

 

With over 1.5 million books sold world wide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

 

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Review: Dirty Sexy Player by Laurelin Paige

July 24, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

DIRTY SEXY PLAYER
Series: Dirty Games Duet #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Laurelin Paige
Release Date: July 23, 2018

A New Duet in the Dirty Filthy Universe from NYT Bestselling Author, Laurelin Paige.

Weston King knows how to play. But wild nights and owning an extensive collection of women’s panties don’t carry the thrill they once did, so when his business partner Donovan suggests an outrageous plan to allow them to take over their competition, Wes takes him up on the offer. The crazy idea? Marry the competitor.

Elizabeth Dyson, the bride-to-be in question, is on board with the plan. She wants access to her trust fund and can only get it once she marries. Each has something the other wants – all they have to do is pretend to like each other well enough to tie the knot.

Only trouble is, playing fiancé to Elizabeth isn’t quite that simple. Wes finds her sexy and brilliant…and soon wishes their engagement wasn’t fake at all. Not that he’d ever tell her that.

But a lover boy like Wes can only stand an empty bed for so long…and even the best of players has to put down his cards eventually.

AMAZON

Something in that indifferent stare of hers made me want to eat her up. Tear her apart. Find her heart and see what made it beat faster.

Weston King initially got my attention in Dirty Filthy Rich Men, by the time I got to Dirty Filthy Rich Love I was desperate for his book. I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope. Add a marriage of convenience into that mix and I’m putty in your hands. Putty, I tells ya!

Weston was my favorite sort of bad boy; irreverent, cocky, and sexier than sin. If you’ve read the Dirty Duet, then you already know a good chunk of this story. But what you don’t know, is the nitty gritty details of this deliciously sexy set up between Weston and Elizabeth.

He kissed the way he fought—mean and hot, bordering on explosive.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Elizabeth because I wasn’t a huge fan of her in the previous book. But getting to be inside her head in this one definitely helped to endear her to me. She’s still not my favorite heroine of this author, but she did manage to grow on me. She’s one tough broad, and even if I found her to be a touch abrasive at times, I appreciated her backbone and ambition.

The push and pull between her and Weston was like being on a rollercoaster. These two spend a good chunk of the book fighting with each other, then fighting to rip the clothes of each other, and then back to fighting. They were so hot and cold, it made me want to drink or rip my hair out. But I also gobbled it right up. I love me some battle of wills with a heavy undercurrent of sexual tension, and these two had it in spades.

To be quite honest, this book was a solid 4 stars, if not higher for me. But then I got to the end and one small plot device managed to kick me a bit off of my book high. Now this may work for a large chunk of readers, but for this reader? I didn’t care for it. But I do have faith that the amazing talent that is Laurelin Paige just may make me change my mind with book 2. Perhaps this will serve a bigger purpose or drive the plot forward. But as far as this book goes, it simply didn’t work for me. I was very bummed because I was enjoying it immensely up until that point and then it kind of hit a brick wall. Don’t get me wrong, I still liked the book, but I could have done without that one particular twist.

Will I read the next book? Abso-freaking-lutely! I’m beyond invested in this couple and can’t wait to see how it all concludes.

PRE-ORDER 

DIRTY SEXY GAMESRelease Date: November 12, 2018

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#DGRFave & Review: Kiss An Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

July 21, 2018 by ·

KISS AN ANGEL
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Release Date: 1996

Wedding Day

Pretty, flighty Daisy Devreaux can either go to jail or marry the mystery man her father has chosen for her.

Arranged marriages don’t happen in the modern world, so how did the irrepressible Daisy find herself in this fix?

Alex Markov, as humorless as he is deadly handsome, has no intention of playing the loving bridegroom to a spoiled little feather-head with champagne tastes.

He drags Daisy from her uptown life to a broken down traveling circus and sets out to tame her to his ways.

But this man without a soul has met his match in a woman who’s nothing but heart.

Before long, passion will send them flying sky high without a safety net…

risking it all in search of a love that will last forever.

AMAZON

5 BILLION ZILLION GAJILLIONTY STARS

I take thee… to be my awful wedded husband” 

I have NO idea how I missed this book by one of my all time favorite authors, considering I’ve practically read her entire backlist. But I did. And I’ve been kicking myself for days for taking this long to do it. Because this book? THIS BOOK WAS MAGICAL! It is hands down my favorite contemporary romance, not only from this author, but period. Yes. It was THAT good. Actually, no. It wasn’t just good. It was brilliant. It was enchanting, sigh inducing, heartwarming, funny, swoony, PERFECTION.

His fists clenched at his sides. “Damn it! Where’s your pride?”
“Pride? It’s in my heart, of course.”
“You’re letting me demean you!”
She smiled. “You can’t do that. I can only demean myself.”

If you love the arranged marriage trope, you will LOVE the story of Alex and Daisy. Put against a rock and a hard place, Daisy agrees to her father’s choice of husband, even if she’s only meets him the day of her wedding. Alex has his own reasons for agreeing to the arrangement, but he’s keeping a tight lid on those.
Suddenly sweet and somewhat sheltered Daisy that’s used to globe trotting and dining with celebrities with her flighty and selfish past model mother, finds herself thrust into circus life, with a husband that’s determined to prove to her that she can’t hack it. Put to the test on just how much of the ordinary life she can endure, Daisy soon finds that there’s something almost magical about the circus, and more than meets the eye to her husband.
Daisy was the sweetest, most endearing heroine I’ve ever read. I loved all of her vulnerabilities and insecurities. I loved her soft sort of strength and the way she finds herself in a place she last expected.

Alex was an outright bastard to her. Yet there was something so intriguing about him. I couldn’t get enough of him. I wanted to hate him for his treatment of Daisy, but then reading about her method of dealing with him gave me too many laughs to care.

Good news!” she chirped. “The doctor says this time it’s triplets!”

I loved the way that Daisy’s sweet nature eventually began to win over everyone around her. I loved the incredible cast of quirky and unique secondary characters. My absolute favorite part had to be the animals, though.

This book was simply EVERYTHING. It was phenomenal, unputdownable, page-turner, smile-inducer. It had THE MOST DELICIOUS GROVEL I have ever read. It had the swooniest romance. It had the quirkiest humor. IT WAS EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING! An absolute must read! My favorite book of the year and hands down my favorite SEP book to date!

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites · Tagged With: , ,

New Release & Review: Because You’re Mine by Claire Contreras

July 12, 2018 by ·

BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Claire Contreras
Release Date: July 12, 2018

From New York Times best-seller Claire Contreras comes a new, sexy stand-alone novel . . .

When you grow up in the most feared mafia family, it’s easy to identify the kind of men that are bad news.

They’re the ones with experience.

The ones with secrets.

The ones that exude sex just by saying your name.

From the moment I laid eyes on Lorenzo, I knew he wasn’t just bad news.

He was the headline.
But my head and my heart are at war.
He’s too mysterious, too gorgeous, too wild, and now, he wants me.
I should run far away. So why am I racing toward him?
I’m totally going to get burned. I know it. A man like Lorenzo won’t leave me unscathed.
He’ll make ashes of me.

AMAZON

I stare at this infuriating, gorgeous man. This liar, thief of a man, because that’s what he’s done. He’s stolen my senses entirely. 

When I saw that one of my favorite authors will be writing a mafia romance, I was all over it like white on rice. I didn’t even bother reading the blurb before adding it. And then when I saw the cover? I was basically frothing at the mouth to get my grabby little hands on it. Admittedly, it’s not often where a book can live up to a ridiculously hot cover for me. But not only did this book do it, it exceeded them!

Some men pretend they want control. They play with handcuffs and floggers and remind you continuously that you’re theirs. Men like Loren don’t need to play games to remind you that you’re at their mercy.

Because You’re Mine was a page turner from beginning to finish. It was a sizzling, aciton-packed thrill ride full of twists and turns. I was immediately enraptured with these characters and their story.

Catalina grew up in the mafia world, but when tragedy struck, she ran from it. For ten years, she’s run as far as she can from everything to do with it and focused all her energy on her career as a ballerina. With her father still deep in the life, her sister and her brother are the only ones that she has any relationship with. But then a favor for her sister tilts her world on its axis.

He silences me with a kiss. It’s not a soft kiss that’s asking for anything, but a hard, demanding kiss. One that speaks of a loyalty I haven’t asked for, blood that hasn’t yet spilled. 

Lorenzo oozes danger from every pore and screams heartbreak waiting to happen. But there’s something about him that draws her like a moth to a flame, and it’s not long before the fiery passion between them begins to consume them both. But they each hide dangerous secrets from each other, and it doesn’t take long before Cat’s past catches up to her in the most deadly of ways.

To say that I devoured this book would be an understatement. Loren was a hero that I was starving for every morsel of information about. There was something just so darkly captivating about him that I couldn’t get enough of. He’s an enigma wrapped in danger and cloaked in erotic magnetism. In a word, he was utterly delicious.

Catalina was a heroine that I clicked with right away. While she has her vulnerabilities, she has a great core of steel to her as well. She has no problem giving as good as she gets, even if she is completely incapable of resisting Loren even when she should.

The romance is wrapped flawlessly around an action packed suspense. There’s secrets to be revealed, revenge, and blood feuds to be paid. I eagerly devoured every page. There’s also a slew of secondary characters that are introduced that were just as captivating; Catalina’s sister and brother being the front runners. And since this looks to be the start of a series, I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on their stories. The foundation for it was already set with this book, and damn does it sound to be a good one.

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

#DGRFave & Review: Buckled by @pamgodwinbooks

July 10, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

BUCKLED
Series: Trails of Sin #2
Genre: Dark Cowboy Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: July 10, 2018

I protect what’s mine.
The ranch, my family, our buried secrets.

Nothing will stop me from reassembling the life that went terribly wrong.
Not the law.
Not our enemies.
Not even Maybe Quinn.

The gorgeous, quarrelsome journalist shouldn’t have meddled.
I shouldn’t have let her stay.
But she’s hiding something in those deceptive blue eyes.
Something deeper than her thirst for a news story.

I make a deal with her to buy time.
To unravel her lies. To play with her. To satisfy my darker appetites.
When she buckles beneath my belt, I’ll send her away.
Unless I buckle first.

AMAZON | Other Retailers 


Wild and molten, wet and volatile, her fight is beautiful, but her surrender is goddamn exquisite. I consume it with everything inside me, feeding on it and fueling a desire that has never felt this out of control.


Dark and sinful with story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to finish, Buckled was one addicting ride!

Ever since Maybe and Jarret first met in Knotted, sparks flew, and I was instantly hooked. I couldn’t wait for their book. I knew it was going to be good, but I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I devoured this story in one sitting. It kept me squirming on the edge of my seat, starved for each new revelation and totally captivated by the story. It was this magnetic combination of mysterious and kinky with a dark edge that Pam Godwin is oh so good at weaving into her writing.

There’s attraction. There’s sexual desire. Then there’s this. It’s curiosity and gravity and some kind of illogical magnetism that makes my heart beat with the impulse to claim and possess.

I love a good enemies to lovers trope, and this one delivered it in spades. The hate lust was strong with these two and their chemistry was electrifying. Maybe is probably one of my favorite heroines this author has written. She’s strong, sharp witted and has no problem giving as good as she gets. This is a woman that’s not afraid to stand up for herself, yet she also has this hidden vulnerable side to her that seems to come out in Jarret’s presence. She was an incredibly multi-layered character that I couldn’t get enough of. And did I mention the sass?

Where are you taking me?”
“To my office.”
“I can walk there on my own. Put me down.”
“No can do, sweetheart.”
“This is bullshit.”
“What you’re smelling is horse shit. The bulls are in the west pasture.”
She makes a frustrated sound in her throat. “How the fuck are you the sperm that won?”
“I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.”
“I really wish I had more middle fingers right now.”

Jarret delivered on the kinky cowboy promise that I was hoping for in book one. This man has a presence to him, let me tell you. He’s downright sinful. And when he sets his eyes on Maybe, he’s determined to get her beneath him even when they both know she’s hiding something for him.

Maybe comes to their ranch in search of answers. She knows about the dark past and secrets that the Holsten family has hidden and she’s convinced it somehow ties into her own. She’s determined to get to the bottom of it no matter what she has to do, but she doesn’t expect the magnetic connection she feels with Jarret or for it to suck her into his orbit as much as it does.

He’s a torrent of brutal force and sensual precision, fluctuating between violent bites and gentle kisses, rough hands and expert caresses. His passion is explosive, his touches methodical. Nothing about him is tame.

There are a lot of secrets that get unraveled here. And while we get answers to some things, we’re also left with even more questions. The blood feud between father and sons and the secrets that they have buried are all coming to a head and it’s bound to be on hell of a conclusion.

I absolutely LOVED the chemistry and banter between Jarret and Maybe. Their relationship was a sizzling slow burn full of spark and erotic undercurrents. When these two finally give into the pull between them? Holy hell! This book had one of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read. I have two words for you: rain and lightning. HOT. DAMN.

All I can do is hold on, shredding my vocal chords as I scream. I scream his name. I scream for a god. Maybe they’re one and the same. He looks like a warrior god. He fucks like a sex god. I’ll happily worship him, and I do.

We also finally get to meet the heroine of book 3 and let me just tell you, I’m practically salivating for that story.

While I enjoyed the first book, I was completely blown away by this one. I cannot wait to see how it all concludes in what’s bound to be an explosive final chapter of this trilogy.

 

TRAILS OF SIN Series

KNOTTED Book #1
Available Now
Amazon | Other Retailers

BUCKLED Book #2
Available Now
Amazon | Other Retailers

BOOTED Book #3
Releases Sep 18, 2018
Amazon | Other Retailers

Pam Godwin Books GrayScale

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
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Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
Join my Facebook Reader Group: here

Other Books by Pam Godwin

Tangled Lies Series
ONE IS A PROMISE (#1) – FREE
TWO IS A LIE (#2)
THREE IS A WAR (#3)

Deliver Series
DELIVER (#1) – FREE
VANQUISH (#2)
DISCLAIM (#3)
DEVASTATE (#4)

Trilogy of Eve
HEART OF EVE – FREE
DEAD OF EVE (#1)
BLOOD OF EVE (#2)
DAWN OF EVE (#3)

Stand-alones

DARK NOTES

DIRTY TIES

BENEATH THE BURN

INCENTIVE

 

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New Release & Review: Scoring The Player’s Baby by Naima Simone

July 9, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY
Series: WAGS #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Naima Simone
Release Date: July 9th 2018

 

After a divorce from her cheating football player ex, PR whiz Kim Matlock would rather drive a pine tree through her walled-off heart than work at the Seattle Wedding Expo.

And the last thing she expects is to be grabbed and kissed breathless by a hot giant of a man looking to fend off a stalker.

She doesn’t want emotional entanglements, but she can’t say no to one scorching night with the sexy stranger.

To her shock, she finds out afterward that a) he’s a pro football player, aka her kryptonite, and b) she’s pregnant.

But nothing could have prepared her for his response…

 

 

AMAZON

Jesus. The man should come with a warning label: Causes Severe Case of Anal Agoraphobia. Or in layman’s terms, causes severe case of not being able to get your head out of your ass.

Well, hello there, Naima Simone, and welcome to my auto-buy list.

Firstly, I am seriously kicking myself for waiting this long to try this author because I have been missing out! Her writing is sexy, fun, lighthearted, and I couldn’t get enough of it! If you’re a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope, this will be your catnip. It was full of humor, delicious dirty talk, a little bit of angst thanks to two stubborn main characters, and some swoon mixed in.

What I want,” he murmured, “is to hear that sexy moan again. The one you made while sucking on my tongue like you tasted something real good. “I want you to use that beautiful, tight control you got going on to dance and twist on my dick. Then I want to see you lose it, see that control crack right down the middle as you come so hard, I don’t have a choice but to go with you. And after that? I want to do it again and again all night until I limp home in the morning.”

Kim was not a character I’d usually enjoy. While this is one strong alpha female, she has quite a bit of baggage that gives her judgmental tendencies. Burned by her pro-football player, cheating ex-husband, Kim has sworn off professional athletes. So when she finds out that her sizzling one-night stand is actually the wide receiver for the Washington Warriors, she doesn’t hesitate before lumping him in with the rest. But Ronin is nothing like her ex. While he has some commitment issues for reasons of his own, he’s caring, sweet, and doesn’t hesitate to take responsibility when he learns that their one night together has resulted in a pregnancy neither of them expected.

Can I just tell you how much I adored Ronin. Let’s set aside the fact that the man is sinfully sexy and has a mouth on him that will set any ovary aflame. But he also has a hidden sweet side to him that I loved seeing come out more and more with the bristly Kim. I loved the way he soothed her rough edges. And though Kim did frustrate me at times with the way she pushed Ronin away, I understood why she did.

Admittedly, what really brought it together for me was the ridiculously sweet ending and I particularly loved the twist to the typical romance grovel. I can’t believe I just discovered this series and this author, but I’m also thrilled because now I have her entire backlist to binge one; starting with the first two books in the WAGs series.

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Review: Devoted To Pleasure by Shayla Black

July 6, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

DEVOTED TO PLEASURE
Series: Devoted Lovers #1
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Suspense
Author: Shayla Black
Release Date: July 3, 2018

The first in an all-new sexy contemporary romance series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shayla Black.

BOUND BY DUTY…

Bodyguard and former military man Cutter Bryant has always done his duty–no matter the cost. Now he’s taking one last high-octane assignment before settling down in a new role that means sacrificing his chance at love. But he never expects to share an irresistible chemistry with his beautiful new client.

…TEMPTED BY PLEASURE

As the star of a steamy television drama, Shealyn West knows fame well, but it has come at the expense of her heart. With a blackmailer watching her every move and the threat of career-ending exposure looming, Shealyn hires Cutter to shore up her security and keep her safe, never imagining their attraction will be too powerful to contain.

As Shealyn and Cutter navigate the scintillating line between business and pleasure, they unravel a web of secrets that threaten their relationship and their lives. When danger strikes, Cutter must decide whether to follow his heart for the first time, or risk losing Shealyn forever.

AMAZON

Drowning in her would be a singular pleasure that would be worth whatever the price—even his heart.

A dangerous secret, a deadly blackmailer, a bodyguard that’s as dangerous to the heart as he is lethal, and a romance that’s packed full of feels and sizzle all wrap seamlessly together in this brand new series from Shayla Black. If you’ve read her Wicked Lovers series, you’ll definitely recognize quite a few characters in this one, and I’m thrilled to have this series carry them over. I’ve been curious about Cutter’s story ever since Holding on Tighter, and it didn’t disappoint.

When his best friend is in trouble, Cutter is about to give up his chance at true love by helping her. But before he settles into his new role, he takes on one more assignment; famous actress Shealyn. Shealyn stands to lose the career she’s put everything into at the hands of a blackmailer that knows a secret she’d do everything to keep out of the public eye. The plan is simple; hire a bodyguard to protect her, give the blackmailer the money they demand, and move on with her life. Unfortunately nothing ever goes as planned, and what should have been a simple money drop, turns into a deadly and dangerous game with her life on the line.

Cutter has given his word to his best friend and he’s settled into what’s to be his life. The last thing he expects when he’s given up any thoughts of true love is the instantaneous connection with his gorgeous new client.

The chemistry between Cutter and Shealyn was instant and scorching. Both of them fight the inevitable, but they can only ignore what’s burning between them for so long before letting the flames consume them.

I’m going to savor you,” he told her. “I’m going to learn your body. I’m going to spend all night wringing one orgasm after another from you until you’re limp and wearing the sort of smile tomorrow that makes everyone wonder what you’ve been doing.”

Cutter was a delicious mix of protective and demanding. He has a hidden soft side to him beneath all the hard edges. I adored his devotion to his best friend, and my heart pitter pattered with his treatment of Shealyn. They may be hiding secrets from each other, but their connection was still full of depth and emotion that I couldn’t get enough of.

He’d fallen in love with the one woman he couldn’t have beyond this assignment and didn’t deserve forever.

Shealyn was a great heroine. She was an endearing combination of strength and vulnerability and I loved the way that Cutter balanced it all.

There’s characters that carry over from Shayla’s Wicked series along with plenty of new faces that are introduced. Though non are as enigmatic and One-Mile, whose story I’m practically salivating for.

Devoted To Pleasure was an action packed and sizzling read that brought the swoons and the sizzle I’ve come to expect from Shayla Black. It was deliciously satisfying with twists and turns that kept me at the edge of my seat and eagerly turning the pages. I can’t wait for more in this series and already crossing my fingers that Black will put me out of my misery and have it be One-Mile’s.

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Geri’s Review: It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday

July 1, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

IT TAKES TWO
Series: Bridesmaids Behaving Badly
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jenny Holiday
Release Date: June 26, 2018

In this hilarious romantic comedy, USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday proves that what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas…
 
All’s fair in love and war
Wendy Liu should be delighted to be her best friend’s maid of honor. But after years spent avoiding the bride’s brother – aka the boy who once broke her heart – she’s now trapped with him during an endless amount of wedding festivities. Luckily she’s had time to perfect her poker face, and engaging Noah Denning in a little friendly competition might just prove that she’s over him for good…
Noah Denning is determined to make his little sister’s wedding memorable. But it seems Wendy is trying to outdo him at every turn. Challenging each other was always something he and Wendy did right, so when she proposes they compete to see who can throw the best bachelor or bachelorette party in Sin City, Noah takes the bait – and ups the stakes. Because this time around, he wants Wendy for keeps. And when you’re fighting for love, all bets are off.

AMAZON

Was this what being in love was like—being in a musical?”

Jenny Holiday is a new to me author that I started reading a couple of months ago. Her new series, Bridesmaids Behaving Badly centers around a group of friends who are bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. I really liked the first book in the series, One and Only, and of the standout characters I enjoyed in the book was Jane’s best friend, Wendy and her unrequited feelings for Jane’s older brother Noah. It Takes Two is their story. And let me tell you: I swooned and cried and smiled all the way because this book was fabulous.

It Takes Two has everything I want in my romance:

Firstly, it features a stubborn, prickly heroine who is hiding a soft gooey center. Wendy has abandonment issues and a slew of other issues that made me want to give her a hug. She’s also smart, loyal, and a good friend to her girlfriends.

Secondly, Noah is a caretaker hero who is endearing and solid, and just an all around great guy to have in your life. Sure, he was a bit clueless in the beginning (hello! He’s a guy!) but I never got the idea that he was hurtful or mean towards Wendy.

Thirdly, and my most favorite of all, is the strong bond between these 4 female friends. I LOVE female friendship in books. Seriously. Romance books should feature more women supporting other women. This book is filled with so much love and affection between female friends. I just loved reading about these girls and their devotion to each other.

And last but not the least, it has two of my favorite tropes: unrequited love and in-love-with-bestfriend’s-brother. I, a seasoned romance reader who loves her tropes, am predisposed to like this book. No question about it. This book was written for readers like me.

My only gripe about this book, and this is a minor one and it’s probably just me, is that the middle and towards the end lagged a bit in terms of pacing. It rebounded with the ending but I just noticed how the story slowed down a bit in the middle. While it didn’t affect my enjoyment for the book that much considering I still really enjoyed it, I’m mentioning it here to give other readers a heads up.

Other than that, It Takes Two was everything I was hoping for. I enjoyed it and if you like the things I mentioned above, you might enjoy this one, too!

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