Review: An Armored Heart by RC Boldt

AN ARMORED HEART
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: RC Boldt
Release Date: May 23,  2023

RULE #1: Do NOT catch feelings for the man who doesn’t believe in love.

Four months. That’s how long I’ll need to pretend to be Steele Cunningham’s doting girlfriend.


I agreed to this insanity only to save my restaurant. He’s doing it because he needs someone outside his “social circle” to stick it to his meddling parents and clingy ex.


Ruthless and emotionless in both his personal life and his career, Steele’s ego rivals his net worth.


Operating on joy and positivity—and a healthy bit of feistiness—I challenge him at every step.


He’s a tin man—heartless and cold. Falling for him would be a colossal mistake, because there’s no chance he’ll ever love me.


He can’t.


After all, he’s the man with an armored heart.


AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

 

Everyone should have a fake fiancé who has a magical penis. One who’s all prim and proper on the outside in those fancy suits but has a filthy mouth when you least expect it.

I love Boldt’s PNRish suspense and greedily awaiting the next one. But when I saw she’s releasing a contemporary fake relationship trope? I jumped on it faster than those seagulls can say ‘mine’
Admittedly, this wasn’t what I expected, because it was even better. I didn’t anticipate the level of banter, sass, and humor laced into this delicious fake dating romance.

Ella is a woman on a mission when the local millionaire developer sets his sights on tearing down her beloved restaurant for his new project. So what’s a woman to do? Why show up at his office unannounced and bribe him with carbs, of course. Except said millionaire doesn’t do carbs or feelings. So how is. it that they end up with a bargain of her pretending to be his girlfriend for four months in exchange for her keeping her restaurant? Well, you’ll have to read that part and see.

What I will say, is I fell hard for Ella. This is a woman with a heart of gold and a spine of steel. SHe’s this wonderful and endearing heroine who’s impossible not to love. Steele is prickly, grumpy, and definitely earns her nicknaming him Tin Man. The man is all work and no play but you just know there’s something fiery beneath that stuffy persona. And boy was I right. Yowza!

Admittedly his hot and cold lasted a bit too long for my liking, thought I still enjoyed it so can’t complain much. He knows how to right a wrong, but it just took hime entirely too long to get his head out of his anus. But I digress.

This is a slow burn full of sizzle, chemistry, and some family drama. Oh how I LOATHED Steele’s family. Luckily the friendship dynamic made up for their venom and balanced it out. This goes not only for Ella’s friends but also Steele’s. This is grumpy sunshine gold with a splash of fake dating and I devoured it in one sitting. Highly recommend for my lovers of sass and grump.

RC Boldt is a USA Today bestselling author currently living in part of the Costa Rican jungle with the love of her life and her mini-me.

If you’re in the mood for some killer mojitos or can’t recall the lyrics to a particular 80s song, she’s your girl.

Connect with RC Boldt 

Website: http://www.rcboldtbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14543027.R_C_Boldt

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Kq1H9C

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#DGRFave & Review: Liars Like Us by J.T. Geissinger

LIARS LIKE US
Series:
Morally Gray #1
Genre: 
Contemporary Romance
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: May 25, 2023

A young woman on the verge of bankruptcy.
 
A mysterious billionaire with an offer that will change her life.
 
An obsession so powerful, it could destroy them both.

Sex
Lies
Secrets
Passion

What Callum McCord wants, he takes.
 
No matter what he has to do to get it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s note: Liars Like Us is a standalone marriage of convenience romance with an obsessive & possessive morally gray hero and spicy bedroom scenes intended for mature readers only.
 

AMAZON 

You’re something much better than beautiful. And when we’re married, I’ll tell you what it is.”
The queen of sass and banter is back with a vengeance with a new series that will set your kindle on fire and make your ovaries tinge! When I tell you I devoured this book, I mean I devoured this book. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting with a ridiculous grin on my face the entire time.

If there’s one thing that JT always delivers, it’s amazing characters. She brings uber alphas, sassy heroines, and all the banter. Now the thing with the sass is it’s not easy to pull off. It can be over the top, annoying or brash when not done right. But Geissinger hits it out of the park each and every single time.
I say drily, “If you think that was interesting, wait until I tell you what he said to me in the car after the ceremony.”
“What?”
“That he wanted to spank my p*ssy until I squirted on his hand.”
After a moment of silence, Dani breathes, “There is a God.”

I loved everything about this book, starting from the friendships, to the romance, and to the surprise cameos (OMG the cameos!). Wait until you get to this plot twist. This woman’s mind is brilliant the way she brings everything together.

This is a marriage of convenience with a layer of suspense and man oh man did I love it.

Emery is a down on her luck business owner who is facing bankruptcy and having to close her family’s bookstore because of a string of bad luck and a competitor next door. Enter Callum, mysterious billionaire that needs a wife for his inheritance and offers her the deal of a life time. Only Emery is no pushover and she makes the man WORK to take him seriously. I loved that about her. This is no push over and even when facing bankruptcy and failure, she never loses her spark and tenacity.
That dress is incredible.”
“Oh, this old thing? I bought it with your ridiculous limitless credit card at some fancy boutique in Beverly Hills where the salespeople looked at me as if I’d given birth to Satan’s scaly, forked-tongue baby and was dragging it around by its bloody umbilical cord. So charming, those boutique ladies. They made me feel as if suicide was my only viable option.”

Of course in typical Geissinger fashion everything is not as it seems but that’s a whole experience so enjoy the ride spoiler free. Trust me.
His heated gaze rakes over my breasts. “Careful, wife.”
“No, you be careful. Because if you think you married a pushover, think again.”
“I know exactly who I married,” he says softly, his eyes piercing. “Do you?”
“Yes. A psychopath with too much money, too little patience, and too much
confidence for his own good.”

All I will tell you is that I’m practically vibrating in fingerling glee that this is the first in a series and we’re getting more. Because this set up? Delicious. Absolutely dellcious.

If you’re looking for a wild and sexy romp with plenty of witty banter, suspense, and heat, look no further. This is what they mean when they say book crack. This book was everything and entirely too addictive. I can’t wait for more in this series!

 

J.T. Geissinger is a #1 international and Amazon Charts bestselling author of thirty novels. Ranging from funny, feisty romcoms to intense erotic thrillers, her books have sold over ten million copies worldwide and been translated into more than twenty languages.

She is a three-time finalist in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book, the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and the HOLT Medallion for Best Erotic Romance.

 

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

Website: www.jtgeissinger.com

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Review: My Best Friend’s Dad by Sadie Black

MY BEST FRIEND’S DAD
Genre: 
Contemporary Romance
Tropes:
Age gap/Best friend’s dad/Forced proximity
Author: Sadie Black
Release Date: May 24, 2023

Ever meet the right guy at the wrong time?

I knew how it would end the minute I met him. Hayes was just a little too good-looking to be real, and just a little too old to be appropriate for me. Not to mention, he already has a girlfriend.

I never stood a chance.

I was fresh off the plane that had delivered me from my threadbare past into an uncertain future. Even in the luxurious world of our resort, his wealth was obvious. I couldn’t believe my luck that a man like him would only have eyes for me. But it was no coincidence we found each other under the stars outside that bar on that particular night.

Hayes Sterling is a name that means something. Generosity. Protectiveness.

Getting the job I so desperately need.

It also means he’s completely off limits. Forbidden. Taboo.
Not just because he owns the guesthouse I’m living in.
Because he’s my best friend’s dad.

A standalone new adult forbidden romance with no cheating and a HEA.

AMAZON 

 

Now look, I’m a sucker for the forbidden age trope okay? Hard to believe I used to shudder at the thought of daddy tropes and here we are. Greedily devouring everything in my sight. So of course when I saw the blurb to this, I knew this would be my very first Sadie Black book. And after finishing it, I’m happy to confirm it won’t be my last.

Generally I love my forbidden trope with a bit more angst. This one was more on the fluffier side. But you know what? I don’t even mind. It hit the spot just right with just the right dose of drama and just a touch of forbidden feels.

Piper and Lincoln have been best friends for years. When he invites her to Aspen to stay at his father’s resort. Hayes is Lincoln’s father who he just recently grew closer to following his divorce from his mother years ago. Hayes is. workaholic and barely has time for anything outside of his resort. I do want to highlight that if you’re thinking this has cheating, since Hayes has a girlfriend, it doesn’t. All is not as it seems there though I wouldn’t have minded the additional angst if it had it.

The chemistry with Hayes and Piper is instantaneous though they do try to fight it. It doesn’t take long for things to get steamy and boy does it get steamy.

If you like a good age gap that’s well written and not drowning in uber angst or drama, give this one a shot.

Sadie Black lives in her head as an ex-member of the British royal family, a current fashion icon, and couldn’t be more annoyed that she has to pay taxes on a job called “governess.”

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Review: King of Heartbreak by V.F. Mason

KING OF HEARTBREAK
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: V.F. Mason
Release Date:
May 18, 2023

Once upon a time she became mine. Mine to ruin.

I have it all. 

A loving fiancé who adores me. 

A prospering dancing career. 

And a future full of possibilities. 

My life is a perfect fairy tale that nothing can break. 

Until I’m charged with a murder I didn’t commit. 

All the evidence points at me, and the only person who can clear my name?

Is the one man who promised to hate me till his last breath for what I’ve done to him.

And now he craves revenge. 

He’s ruthless, cunning, and heartless. 

A handsome devil wrapped in a three-piece suit that destroys everything he touches. 

He gives me a choice. 

I can either marry him or rot in hell. 

Three months. 

That’s how long our fake marriage will last. 

Enough time for him to ruin me and make me atone for my mistake. 

Except danger lurks in the darkness, a monster hungry for my blood who won’t rest until he hurts me. 

And the only person who can protect me?

Is the powerful and dangerous man who calls me his wife. 

AMAZON 

It’s possible to love a man who brings you nothing but heartbreak. And it’s possible to crave revenge after you lost it along with yourself.”

King of Heartbreak was my first V.F. Mason book but will certainly not be my last. This is like Criminal Minds meets romance and I was so here for it.

As for the romance; age gap, revenge, and marriage of convenience (or blackmail)? Sign me up immediately.

Never apologize to me again, Emmaline. I don’t want your atonement. I want your ruin. And I shall have it.”

Before we go into what I enjoyed about this book, let me cover the few quibbles I had first. The main being I really didn’t feel this book was a standalone. The story was complete, yes. But there were so many cameos from previous books I haven’t read that I was constantly feeling I was missing important context. If I had read the other books, I’m sure I would have loved that here. But as it was, I found myself feeling like I was missing context cues that would have made me enjoy the story that much more.

The next being the overuse of ‘darling’. It got to the point that if I made a drinking game out of having a sip each time he called her darling, I would have be three sheets to the wind by chapter 5.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about what I liked. The romance. I love a good revenge plot and this one was a delicious mystery that goes years back. Rafael is such a complex, tortured character and I couldn’t get enough of him. This is man who lived and breathed nothing but his drive for revenge over the past 12 years and would stop at nothing to get it. Even if it means blackmailing the now full grown woman of the once young girl who told a lie and set his downfall in motion. What the lie was? Well, admittedly, I’m still not sure I understand. But dang was I invested.

There is a subplot of a mysterious serial killer and I loved being in their head through the unsub’s POV. The pacing was just right, the character development full of depth, and the romance all enrapturing.

One thing I know is that I will be immediately diving into The Land Where Sinners Atone because I need that story!

V.F.Mason always loved reading books and had quite a few fights with her momma over the genre she liked (romance, duh!) She studied filmmaking and thought that would feed her desire for stories, but that didn’t happen. Finally, when she was tired of all those voices in her head, she sat down and wrote a book. It was a huge decision to make and she thanks her friends and family for supporting her in it. When she is not writing, she can be found with her friends doing all sorts of crazy things or reading recent romance books that were written by her favorite authors.

To find out about V.F. Mason’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on V.F. Mason and her books visit: https://vfmason.com/

Review: I’ll Always Be With You by Monica Murphy

I’LL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU
Series:
Lancaster Prep #4
Author: Monica Murphy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 18, 2023

Weston Fontaine is the hottest senior at Lancaster Prep.

And he knows it.

He’s gorgeous. Confident. Smart.

Too smart.

Everyone loves him. He could have any girl on campus, except for one.

Me.

I’m a Lancaster, meaning I’m basically untouchable–or so I thought. It’s my family who owns this God forsaken private school that I don’t want to attend. But according to my parents, I have to endure my senior year at Lancaster Prep before I can return to what I love the most: ballet.

West doesn’t make my time here easy. He’s arrogant. Crude. Insufferable. He torments me in the worst way, to the point that I can’t stand him. Yet he’s the only boy I’ve ever let touch me…

You see, West and I? We share a secret. On a hot summer night in Paris, we hooked up. And I never do that. Ever. I revealed parts of myself to him I’ve never shown anyone else. He’s seen me at my most vulnerable. I told him my secrets. And he told me his. In Paris, he was sexy. Protective. Even dare I say…sweet.

Now he’s the villain in my story, yet I can’t help but chase after that feeling only West can give me. Despite our hatred for each other, we somehow burn brighter when we’re together. So what happens when you helplessly fall for the one person you know is bad for you?

If you’re like me, you go ahead and fall for him anyway.

AMAZON

 

I’ll make your life a living hell, if that’s what you want.”
“You already have,” she whispers.
“Right back at you, babe.”

I was unreasonably obsessed with Things I Wanted to Say, But Never Did. Like OBSESSED. And I was desperate for another couple that would give me similar vibes of Whit and Summer, so figures that his younger sister would check the box. I was yearning for angst and hate lust and this book delivered on every single thing.

I can’t get you out of my head, and it fucks with everything I try to do. Every decision I make. You fucking haunt my thoughts, Carolina.”

This is an enemies to lovers turned second chance romance and man did I devour this book. I mean, I DEVOURED this book. It gave me all the feels from rage to swooning and I couldn’t get enough of it.

If there’s one piece of advice I can give you is don’t read it as a standalone. Could you? Yes. Should you? It just won’t be the same unless you at least read Promises We Meant to Keep first. Just trust me on this one. You’ll thank me.

Carolina is the youngest of the Lancaster brood. She’s also lightyears different from her brother and sister. She’s standoffish and almost cold at first glimpse. But beneath the hard exterior is a girl that never felt comfortable around people or emotion. Her psychic mother may have a bit to do with that. All Carolina wants is a career in ballet. Everything she’s done has brought her to this pivotal moment. Meeting a boy who takes her breath away wasn’t on the agenda. Neither was spending one unforgettable night with him and her parents forcing her back to Lancaster prep and out of her beloved ballet school for the school year. The very last thing that she expects is for the mystery boy to be the new ruler of Lancaster prep and to hate everything about her.

Now West wasn’t quite the bully that Whit was but he was definitely up there. But beneath every mean barb and sharp look is an insecurity and deep rooted lust for the girl who acts like she doesn’t remember him or care about him in the very least. I loved the push and pull between these two. I loved that Carolina gave as good as she got. And I loved the way that West was absolutely powerless against her. My only quibble is how long they were separated before reuniting, but I also understand. And that reunion and the way West worked for her melted my cold black heart.

You scare me.” I open my eyes, wishing he knew just how badly he does. “I don’t know if you deserve me.” “I don’t.” He dips his head, his mouth brushing against mine when he speaks. “But I’m going to work hard to prove to you that I do.”

I loved everything about this book. The emotion, the angst, the romance, the steam, and especially West and Carolina. Easily one of my favorite books in the series and I cannot recommend it enough.

 

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

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

 

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Review: Contempt by A Zavarelli

CONTEMPT
Series: Sin City Salvation #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Dark
Author: A. Zavarelli
Release Date: April 25,  2023

From USA Today Bestselling Author A. Zavarelli comes an angsty forbidden romance about second chances, forgiveness, and a love that conquers all.

Before the world knew me as a rock god, I was just the angry boy who stole her heart.

She was a good girl.

The forbidden fruit I wasn’t meant to taste.

Our stars were crossed, and fate had doomed us from the start.

She was promised to someone else.

I had her secret smiles.

Moments stolen in dark corners.

But I couldn’t have her future.

Destiny tore us apart, and all that remained was the ghost of her memory.

When she died, I did too.

But when I catch a glimpse of her five years later, alive and well, that love turns to hate as the bitter truth emerges.

She left me.

She lied.

And now, I’m going to make her pay.

This book is a standalone dark romance about a military veteran turned rockstar hero and the girl who stole his heart and never let it go. 

AMAZON

Why the fuck did we have the misfortune of meeting if all we were going to do was drown each other?

I have spent years, YEARS, waiting for this book. I was enraptured in this world the second I read Confess. And then when I read Convict, I was totally obsessed. Kodiak is memorable enough as a secondary character, but in his own book? Mama. Stick a fork in me. I’m done.

She falls back against the counter, catching herself on her elbows and praying to a God that won’t grant her relief. In this house, I own her pleasure, and if she’s looking for a higher power, I’m the only one she’s going to worship.

This book had a considerably darker undercurrent to it in comparison to the previous two. And I devoured it in one sitting. It’s this addictive combination of second chance romance, amnesia, enemies to lovers, and a FMC thought dead. And yes, it’s as good as it sounds.

Years ago, Kodiak fell in love with the wrong girl. Theirs was a tumultuous and forbidden romance that ended in the worst sort of tragedy and cost Kodiak everything. All these years later, he is still a prime suspect in her alleged murder. Until one day, he sees a homeless woman busking on the street and he can’t believe his ears. Because even if the woman looks nothing like the girl he loved beyond reason, that voice is one he knows. So what’s a man to do? Why kidnap her until she confesses her evil scheme of course. But the woman he never stopped thinking about doesn’t remember him, or her life before 5 years ago.

The story is told in flashbacks from present to past. The author gives you morsel by morsel pieces to build a picture that when fully revealed, will rock you to the core. It’s full of angst, emotion, pain and heartbreak. The girl Kodiak knew as Bianca is now Lyric and he refuses to believe that she remembers nothing. But beneath the loathing and contempt, the chemistry between them is as strong as it was 5 years ago. No matter how much they both may fight it.

This doesn’t change anything,” she assures me when she sees the crazy look in my eyes. “I still don’t like you.”
“I’ve never hated you more,” I insist, plowing into her as I f*ck her so hard, she’ll feel me for days.

I thought I loved the first two books, but this one simply blew me away. The mystery of it, the slow building suspense, the heartache and angst. I couldn’t get enough of these two. Learning about what Bianca has gone through broke my heart. And I spent chapters waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Kodiak to get his blinders off. Let me tell you, when he finds out the truth, he’s ready to burn the word down. GOD but I loved this book. HARD. It was worth every single painful second, minute, and year of the wait that A Zavarelli put us through. I cannot recommend it enough.
A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

She loves writing about tortured heroes and the strong heroines who love them. When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching documentaries in the name of research.

She lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.
Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author.

She likes all things chocolate, books that come with warnings, and putting her characters through hell. Her tales have been known to flirt with darkness and sometimes court it unabashedly altogether. Revenge themes and tortured souls are her favorites to write and this gives her an excuse to watch bizarre and twisted documentaries in her spare time.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

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Review: Coach by Devney Perry

COACH
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Treasure State Wildcats Book 1
Author: Devney Perry
Release Date: March 2, 2021

A single dad, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.

Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.

Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.

Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.

Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.

 AMAZON

 

You have to stop kissing me.”
I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “No.”

I just love Devney Perry’s heroes and I knew I would love Ford from the very first chapter. Interestingly enough, I’m not a huge fan of single dad romances. But if Devney writes it, I read it. A rule is a rule, what can I say. And I’m so glad I did, because Ford and his adorable little girl absolutely stole my heart.

Ford is not your typical retired NFL hotshot. He’s down to earth and knows exactly what he wants. Ford and Millie were best friends once upon a time, until life pulled them apart. Now Ford is back to his hometown to coach the college team but the last thing he expects is the girl he never forgot about still being there. Millie was once in love with Ford, but it just wasn’t meant to be. He was with someone else, and then their one chance was ripped away. SHe’s moved on, or so she thought, until she sees the man she never got over again at the same college she works at.

Ford isn’t about to let a second chance at his dream girl slip through his fingers. God but I loved his sweet yet singleminded pursuit of Millie. Even the university’s no fraternization rule can keep him away.

I don’t tend to love single dad romances for the crazy exes, and Ford’s ex is definitely not a prize. But I loved the way that he doesn’t allow her to have any power over him. This is a man that fights for his daughter and for the woman he wants. He won’t let anyone stand in his way, not even Millie’s refusal to initially give him the time of day.

This was such a sweet romance, which again, isn’t my usual cuppa. But this was just one of those right moments, right books sort of things, because I adored it. I loved Ford’s no games approach. I loved his wearing his heart on his sleeve. I just loved him.

I really hope this will be a series because there’s a certain college football player I’m dying to read more about. But if you’re looking for a sweet and steamy single dad romance with a hot retired NFL player, look no further.

Devney Perry is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. 

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Review: Playing By The Rules by Monica Murphy

PLAYING BY THE RULES
Series: The Players #2
Author: 
Monica Murphy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: March 30, 2023

What happens when you fall for your brother’s best friend? Find out in this upcoming sports romance by New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy…

Camden Fields is the star quarterback of our college football team.

Quiet.

Smart.

Absolutely gorgeous.

He’s the man all the women on campus rave about. And while he’s had a few casual hookups over the years, it’s never anything serious. Cam doesn’t do serious.

He also doesn’t do me.

See, I’m his best friend’s little sister, and whenever we’re around each other, he’s always warning me that I’m off limits. That nothing can ever happen between us.

But I see the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching. The heat in his gaze. The hunger. He can deny it, but that man wants me.

I want him too.

I’m tired of always being the good girl and doing what everybody expects. For once, I’m going to break all the rules that have restrained me my entire life.

I’m going after Camden Fields.

And no one can stop me.

AMAZON

Camden Fields, hotshot quarterback at Colorado University, best friend to my overprotective big brother Knox, fuel for my filthiest sexual fantasies and dreams, is my secret.

The second that Monica Murphy hinted at these two in Playing Hard to Get, I was desperate for their book. Desperate. I love the brother’s best friend trope, and when said brother is the crazily overprotective Knox Maguire, and the best friend is the hotshot quarterback and player Camden Fields? I am ALL OVER IT.

Pull my hair and call me baby, and I’ll be yours forever,” she whispers.

Same, girl. Same.

Blair was a heroine I wasn’t sure I’d like at first. She’s not one that immediately jumps from the pages at you. She’s like a sneak attack who slowly but surely grows on you. Until you’re at the final page and a little in love with her. I love a woman who’s not afraid to go after what she wants. And Blair somehow had this unique blend of vulnerability, sass, and assertive. She’s not so in your face, but she isn’t shy about getting her feelings to Cam out there. She’s also not afraid of his hesitancy. Their push and pull doesn’t last long until Cam can no longer resist. The man puts up a good fight at first, but his feelings for Blair simply burn through his bro code of not going after his best friends sister. Knox pretty much warns the entire team off of her anyway.

Cam was impossible not to love; he may be a player, but the second he accepts his attraction to Blair, he only has eyes for her. I loved their friendship almost as much as I loved their sizzling chemistry. They just made so much sense and their road to a HEA was so satisfying. I’m simply obsessed with this series! Now bring on Ace and Ruby!

 

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

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

 

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Review: Brutal Billionaire by Laurelin Paige

BRUTAL BILLIONAIRE
Series:
Brutal Billionaires #1
Author: Laurelin Paige
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 22, 2023

He’ll get what he wants—even if I’m already taken.

Holt Sebastian is royalty in our world.

As CEO of the Sebastian News Corp, he’s the man with all the power. The man who decides if I’ll always just be a local television anchor or if I’ll be the rising star of my own show.

I make it my mission to be noticed. Make him see my potential. But soon, it’s clear he’s the one in charge.

His possessiveness is brutal.

His eyes own everything they touch. I feel his gaze on me when he’s in the room. The heat of them as they rake down my body, taking me in, marking me as his. He doesn’t just want me on the screen—he wants me in his bed.

And Holt Sebastian gets what he wants.

No one will stop him, no one will get in his way.

No one can protect me from his desire.

Not even the man who promised nothing would come between us and his ambition—my husband.

Laurelin Paige delivers a twist on Indecent Proposal in this billionaire workplace standalone romance featuring elements of fake relationship, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and a new alphahole readers will love to hate.

AMAZON

I don’t know what pisses me off more—his amusement or his abs. Either way, the curse slips from my lips without thinking. “Fuck you.”
“I’d love that.” He winks. “But first, how about some wine?”

Well, wasn’t this just the yummiest start to what’s sure to be a fire series!

I love Laurelin’s brand of alpha holes, and Holt Sebastian had me in a chokehold the very second he appeared on the page.

There has to be something you care about.”
“I care about getting you off and making you feel morally uncomfortable about it when you do.”

Brystin is a local journalist who dreams of having her own show one day. She’s lived and breathed her work, but never expected herbage shot to be at a cost she wasn’t aware she was prepared to pay.

Holt has spent his entire life trying to prove his worth to his father. And he has spent his entire adult life trying to show him he can run a successful network. The second he lays eyes on Brystin, he wants her, but not just for a show. So he proposes an arrangement; her body for his network contract.

Never has my feminism left my body so quick then when this indecent proposal took place. And while Brystin is married, it’s a marriage in name only. So if you’re worried about the cheating element, it wasn’t much of one. Then again, I’m not a reader who minds affairs or cheating, so I suppose I’m the wrong pulse check for those of you who do. But I digress.

I loved Brystin. You would think that a woman who essentially sells herself to get what she wants wouldn’t be as strong willed and fiercely independent, but she was so much more. She made Holt work for it and by the final 20% I couldn’t be rooting for her any harder. I loved how she took her life in her hands and did what she knew had to be done and was right. This is a girl’s girl and I loved that about her.

Holt is your typical no entanglements sort of man. He goes for married women because he knows there’s little risk of hearts being involved. But he was sorely unprepared for the effect that Brystin would have. The chemistry between them was incendiary. They simply burned up the pages together. And that grovel at the end? *chefs kiss* Sheer perfection.

I devoured this book and already dying for my next fix in this series.

With millions of books sold worldwide, 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 Killing Eve or Letterkenny, 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: Rogue by Elle Kennedy

ROGUE
Series: Prep #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date:
March 7, 2023

From New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy comes the return to Sandover Prep, where secrets lurk in the dark and no one is safe when they come into the light.

It’s been a long time since Casey Tresscott has felt like her life was her own. After the car accident that nearly cost her everything, she’s used to her family’s coddling and the relentless whispers at school, no matter how much they sting. After all, she’s found a safe harbor in her budding relationship with Sandover’s golden boy, Fenn Bishop…or so she thinks.

Beneath Fenn’s pretty, party-boy surface is a dangerous truth about the night Casey almost died. He thought lying to her was the right thing to do, but when the secret shakes loose, he just might lose her for good.

Because Casey is done being taken advantage of.

Grasping for the control she’s been missing, Casey finally snaps—telling off her bullies, gallivanting with rebels and playboys, and shirking her headmaster father’s strict curfews, despite the consequences. A desperate Fenn must ally with his stepbrother RJ and the other Sandover delinquents to uncover the full story of Casey’s accident and the ones responsible if he hopes to win her back.

But what happens if Casey is no longer the same girl he first fell for? Is there any hope for their future if she’s gone rogue for good?

AMAZON

I blink back the moisture coating my lashes. “Why’d it have to be you?” His answer is a kiss.

I have sat on my review for days, completely torn in how to rate this. As much as I loved Misfit, it pains me to admit that I struggled immensely with the second installment.

First, if you’re planning to read this as a standalone, stop right there. While each book is a new couple, the story arc continues throughout the series, as well as some character arcs. Rogue was similar to Misfit in which you get primarily the main characters POV in addition to some secondary characters.

Now as for my rating, this was tough. While I liked the drama and enjoyed the mystery of Casey’s accident unfold, the romance was completely lackluster. Honestly, I’d go so far as to say I didn’t really feel this was a romance at all. While I rooted for Casey and Fenn in book one, the second half of this book had me feeling no sort of way about them at all.

The jaw dropping ending of Misfit revealed a small snippet into Casey’s accident, and the entirety of this book is focused on the fall out and the further revelations. We also see Casey take a total personality change. She goes from quiet, demure, and timidly non confrontational to a total ball buster. I didn’t hate it, and loved seeing her finally stand up for herself. But it was also so sudden and such a 180, it was hard to buy it at times too.

RJ and Sloane took a turn too. There was a certain thing that Sloane convinces RJ to do that had me seriously judging him and how much he chess to his girlfriend’s dramatic flare. As for Sloane, I absolutely LOATHED her in this book. She became intolerable and I really hope we get some redeeming features for her in the next book.

As for Casey and Fenn? I was so disappointed with the romance of this book, I’m still mad. There was a particular event, which I won’t spoil, but it seriously ruined any semblance of romance between them. I understand that Casey was mad, but the decision that she made was just…UGH. I hated it. This was even more disappointing by the fact I felt more chemistry with Lawson and Casey than with Fenn. I didn’t understand why this had to happen. It felt unnecessary and outside of additional fallout, didn’t do much in driving the plot forward. It could have been the same effect had the decision not been as extreme as it was.

Sadly, this book took me 7 days to finish and when I was marinating on my rating, I understood there was more things I disliked than enjoyed. So while the story kept me entertained, the characters frustrated me to no end and the romance was almost non existent. I’m really hoping books three turns things around for me because I’m still super invested in this series.


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