#DGRFave & Review: Bane by LJ Shen

May 9, 2018 by · 1 Comment

BANE
Series: Sinners of Saint #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: May 10, 2018

A COMPLETE standalone and a Sinners of Saint spin-off.

Bane
Naked surfer. Habitual pothead. A con, a liar, a thief and a fraud.
Last I heard, he was extorting the rich and screwing their wives for a living.
Which is why I’m more than a little surprised to find him at my threshold, looking for my friendship, my services, and most puzzling of all—looking humbled.
Thing is, I’m on a boycott. Literally—I cut boys from my life. Permanently.
Problem is, Bane is not a boy, he is all man, and I’m falling, crashing, drowning in his sweet, perfect lies.

Jesse Carter
Hot as hell, cold as ice.
I wasn’t aware of her existence until a fat, juicy deal landed in my lap.
She’s a part of it, a little plaything to kill some time.
She is collateral, a means to an end, and a side-bonus for striking a deal with her oil tycoon stepdad.
More than anything, Jesse Carter is a tough nut to crack.
Little does she know, I have the teeth for it.

AMAZON

We weren’t a boy and a girl. We were two lonely, fucked-up souls. It made wanting Bane in my life acceptable. I wanted him to fix me.

The queen of angst has done it once again. She’s given me a hero that I have fallen head over ovaries for, and I can’t stop thinking about. Bane is so different from the heroes we’re used to from LJ Shen, but he’s no less potent. He’s not the typical alpha-hole that she writes oh-so-well. But he’s also not quite a nice guy either. Bane is that somewhere in the middle, that gray zone of sex appeal and criminal. This book was EVERYTHING.

You’re poisoned. Sheltered. Yet, you’re no Snow White. Wanna know why?”
“Why?”
“Snow White waited for the prince. You’ll be the one saving yourself in this story.”

Jesse may have been one of my favorite LJ Shen heroines to date. This girl is so broken, yet her spirit shines through even through her shattered pieces. And I absolutely loved that Bane is one of the few people in her life that sees it. He sees beyond the frumpy clothes she tries to hide behind. He sees the fiery woman behind the disguise; a woman with scars but one that will fight with the ferocity of a tiger if ever cornered. Man but I loved their immediate chemistry and dynamic. This is a slow burn, and boy does Shen make you burn. She makes you crave every stolen look, every secret touch, every forbidden erotic moment. GAH. It was so freaking delicious.

He was cracking my heart with every touch, shattering it with every smile, and it didn’t make any sense, because how could he break something that was already broken?

Bane is not a nice guy, but he’s not quite a bad guy either. This is a man with many layers that are full of depth beyond what his bad boy appearance gives off. I was turning the pages well into the night, ravenous for another layer to be revealed. The tumultuous connection that he has to Jesse had me sitting at the edge of my seat just waiting for the other shoe to drop. You experience him unwillingly and unexpectedly fall for a girl that was supposed to be a tool in his arsenal. She was only supposed to be a pawn but soon began to turn into so much more.

I survived many things, but Roman Protsenko was probably not going to be one of them.

Bane was a delicious slow burn full of depth and emotion. It was a story of survival and finding love in the darkest most unexpected corner. It was angsty, sexy, and a page turner from beginning to finish.

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Review & Excerpt: Jock Row by Sara Ney

May 7, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

JOCK ROW
Series: Jock Hard #1
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: May 3, 2018

Scarlett is always the sensible one: The sober driver. The planner. The one holding your hair back while you’re worshiping the porcelain gods.

Week-after-week, she visits Jock Row with her friends—the universities hottest party scene and breeding ground for student athletes. And if keeping her friends out of trouble, and guys out of their pants, was a sport, she’d be the star athlete.

Being a well known jock-blocker gets her noticed for all the wrong reasons; just like that, she’s banned from Jock Row. NO GUY WANTS A GIRL AROUND WHO KEEPS THEIR JOCK FRIENDS FROM GETTING LAID.

“Rowdy” Wade is the hot shot short-stop for the university’s baseball team—and the unlucky bastard who drew the short straw: keep little Miss Goody Two-Shoes out of the Baseball House.

But week-after-week Scarlett returns, determined to get inside.

AMAZON

Jesus Christ, she has a dimple in her damn cheek.I’m a sucker for those.

She shoots me a tentative smile, ass parked on the stoop, back propped against the wooden siding of the house.

It’s obvious that she’s blushing by the way she ducks her head, glancing down at the floor, the soft glow from the two busted lamps illuminate the crown of her head.

The porch lights are busted and rusty, needing their bulbs changed, one flickering—the other just about to burn out. It makes the entire place look like a goddamn Halloween fun-house, casting a weird glow on the girl’s smooth, pale skin.

And her pretty dimple.

Stop staring at it, dipshit.

I cast my glance at her outfit, doing my best to analyze her under the dim lights; she must have been sweaty inside the house; I got a good look at her before convincing her to follow me, but still study her as if seeing her for the first time.

Both of her boots are tucked under her legs, and she sits, cross-legged on the ground. Blows out a frustrated puff of air that translates into a billowing stream of steam.

“So.” She wraps her puffed sleeved arms around her knees, hugging them tight. Shivers. “Now what?”

Her prim ponytail is jaunty, bobbing when she tilts her head to gaze over at me.

“Now I babysit you.”

“Lovely. We can bond.”

I position my large body against the railing, giving it a gentle shake to make sure it’s sturdy before supporting all my weight on it. It’s solid and secure and is going to get real uncomfortable real fucking fast if I have to stand here all night.

The girl raises her brows at me. They appear black in this light; full and arched expertly. “Have you babysat anyone before?”

“No one I managed to keep alive,” I joke. “A few cousins my parents forced me to watch a few times; never would feed them but would occasionally throw out a dog bone so they wouldn’t get hungry.”

She smiles, dimple denting the smooth right side of her face. “Is that what you have planned for me?”

I raise my empty hands. “I’m fresh out of Scooby snacks. Guess we’ll both have to starve.”

“Sorry you have to sit out here.”

“Really?” I sound hopeful. “No one is forcing you to sit out here.”

Her light laugh is quiet. “Fine. I guess I’m not that sorry.” She bites down on her lower lip. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying your discomfort—just a little bit.”

“Gee, thanks.”

I’m an athlete—a champion. I play hard and jock harder, and these little games I’ve started with her? I’m playing to win.


I read this in one delicious sitting. Stayed up WAY past my bedtime to finish, and I don’t even care because it was SO FREAKING CUTE!! Such a fun start to what looks to be another addicting series from one of my favorite authors.

Jock Row introduces another New Adult sports series from Sara Ney, this time about baseball. We get the ball rolling *giggles* (sorry couldn’t help myself) with the story of Rowdy and Scarlett.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the sizzling slow burn of their romance. What starts as an unlikely friendship full of banter and laughs, soon begins to develop into something much deeper. When Rowdy is picked to kick Scarlett out of a party on Jock Row for being a bit of a cockblock to his friends, the last thing he expects is the immediate connection he forms with a girl wearing a bulky sweater and a mischievous grin. This was a deliciously character driven story and I think that’s what I enjoyed most about it. I loved the banter between these two and I’ll never think of Never Have I Ever without thinking of this couple.

Rowdy may be a jock, but he’s not an a-hole. He’s cocky, but rightfully so. He IS the captain of the baseball team and worked hard to get where he is. Scarlett was a breath of fresh air. She’s sassy and sharp witted and isn’t as boy crazy as her college friends even if Rowdy does make her keep showing up to a party she has no intention of going inside for. I seriously adored the way their connection formed. Watching their feelings develop and the chemistry between them go from sparks to incendiary proportions.

Jock Row was an adorably sweet and super cute romance full of laughs and sizzle. It had me glued to the pages from beginning to finish and totally head over heels for this couple by the end. If New Adult sports romance is your thing, this series is your new catnip!

Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

She lives with her husband, children, and her ridiculously large dog.

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New Release, Review & Giveaway: Lead Me Home by AL Jackson

May 7, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

LEAD ME HOME
Series: Fight For Me #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: AL Jackson
Release Date: May 7, 2018

Fourteen years ago, my life changed forever.

My sister disappeared. That day I was selfish. That day I chose myself over her. And that day, I lost everything.

Including Nikki Walters.

She’s the girl I’ve loved my whole life. She’s gorgeous. Caring. Every single thing I’ve ever wanted but denied myself. She was my sister’s best friend, and I destroyed any chance of keeping her.

When her safety is threatened, I have a second chance to do the right thing. But as soon as she moves in, I want her in all the wrong ways.

All it takes is a brush of her hand, and I’m losing all control.

The fire between us is only burning hotter.

But neither of us saw what was coming.

And it just might be Nikki Walters who destroys me in the end.

The highly anticipated sexy, suspenseful stand-alone second-chance romance from NYT Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson.

AMAZON PAPERBACK | AMAZON EBOOK

Oliver Preston was armor and stone. Bitterness and venom.
Broken fragments. Shrapnel waiting to bust. He was the bullet that pierced right through the center of me.

AL Jackson sure knows how to sucker punch her readers with some feels. And while I felt like the entire series has been leading up to this conclusion for me, nothing could have prepared me for the potency of emotion it brought. Each book in the series focuses on a different couple, but I highly recommend reading the previous two books to truly appreciate this one to its fullest.


I had always belonged to Oliver Preston. The problem was, he’d never fully belonged to me. I owned his gazes. His protection. His regret.

Ever since you learn Ollie’s heartbreaking past, you’re left craving for this man to finally have some light in his life. Nikki Walters has been in love with Ollie for as long as she remembers. And he’s been her biggest heartache almost just as long. Lead Me Home details their full connection, starting from the time they were just children, leading up to the tragedy that changed both of their lives, and all the ways it ripped them apart in the aftermath.

He was an enigma. A veiled mystery. A cliffhanger waiting to be written

After years of heartache and hope, Nikki is done taking a chance on Oliver. She can’t settle for the little scraps of himself he has to give and she refuses to stop her life right along side his. Oliver is a shell of the person he once was, refusing to move on and blaming himself for the tragic disappearance of his sister and Nikki’s best friend. While the events of that night inevitably changed every person in their group of friends, no one took it harder than Ollie. And while he knows he has nothing left to give Nikki and she deserves more, when a mysterious threat appears, he knows he’ll stop at nothing to protect her. Even if it means being faced with their undeniable connection that has only grown through the years.

This girl was a wave getting ready to take me under. And I didn’t think she’d ever let me up for air.

This was definitely the most emotional book in the series for me, and it was most definitely my favorite. I adored Nikki and Ollie together. Even when Ollie was too blind to see what was right in front of him, he didn’t stop fighting for her. And I loved how solid and determined Nikki was when it came to him. She doesn’t take any of his bull, but she’s still there for him. She still cares. As you get a closer look at the potency of their connection, you fall harder and harder for them. I loved their push and pull. I loved their chemistry. I simply loved everything about this couple. Their light and their dark, their love and pain, their tragedy and happiness.

My whole life, all it took was a glance from you, and I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.” 

Lead Me Home was a poignant, emotional, and unforgettable story of loss and pain. It was a story of an undeniable love and heartbreak. It was beautiful and the writing was stunning. I love AL Jackson’s way with words. The woman’s writing is lyrical and almost poetic. I couldn’t imagine a more captivating conclusion for a series that has grabbed me from the very beginning.

THE SERIES

SHOW ME THE WAY | HUNT ME DOWN | FOLLOW ME BACK | LEAD ME HOME

Don’t miss the amazing giveaway going on to celebrate the LEAD ME HOME Release!! Grand prize includes signed SHOW ME THE WAY and FOLLOW ME BACK and the entire BLEEDING STARS SERIES Paperbacks!!

Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e42d6b41113/

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Review: Knotted by Pam Godwin

May 3, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

KNOTTED
Series: Trails of Sin #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: May 1, 2018

I try to forget her.
It’s impossible.

Growing up together, Conor and I shared all our firsts.
First love, first kiss, first…
Not all our firsts.

We were sixteen the night she was violently assaulted while I helplessly watched.
I’ll never forget the sounds of her suffering.
Or my inconsolable agony when she left Oklahoma.

Years later, she returns to honor our teenage pact.
Except the boy she loved is gone, replaced by a ruthless cattle rancher knotted with secrets.
She doesn’t know my dark cravings or the trails of sin that lead to her.

I don’t deserve her, but one truth remains.
She’s mine.

TRAILS OF SIN series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Knotted #1 – Jake and Conor
Buckled #2 – Jarret and Maybe
Booted #3 – Lorne and Raina

AMAZON

With a hand in my hair and the other on my hip, he bends me into his heat and sets fire to my world.

No matter what she writes, Pam Godwin never fails to bring her signature grit to the stories that make them simply unputdownable. When I saw she’ll be coming out with a brand new series revolving around kinky cowboys, I’m not even sure I took a moment to blink before adding these bad boys to my TBR. And while I should be used to her knack for knocking me on my ass with her brand of emotional grit, I still wasn’t quite prepared for what this story will bring.

I made her believe I let her go. God, if I only could. Nothing will stop me from watching over her, but I can’t have her. I’ll protect her with my life, but I must forget her.

Jake and Conor were childhood sweethearts. The best of friends with an undeniable connection that leads to an unforgettable love. Their fathers frown on their relationship, with Conor’s father forbidding it, but nothing could keep them apart. Along with Conor’s older brother, and Jake’s brother, they’re as thick as thieves. Until what should have been a nigh of stolen kisses and lost innocence turns into a thing of nightmares that irrevocably changes the course of all of their lives.

Forced to watch the love of his life brutally get her innocence stolen while he can do nothing about it breaks something inside Jake. When her father takes her away to Chicago, he knows the best thing he can do is let her go, even if she leaves with his heart and doesn’t know it. Their bond may be broken, their connection now ravaged, but the pact they form after the violence of their evening will never be forgotten.

Years later, Conor returns to the small to honor their pact, but nothing is the same. Jake isn’t the boy she remembers, and their teenage connection is in tethers from the choices he made over the years. But Jake is determined to right his wrongs, and he’s even more determined to protect Conor from a danger that she never even knew existed. He’s going to break through all her walls, even the one she’s built to protect around her heart.

Something clicks inside me, like a turning key. I’ve been wandering aimlessly, so lost and far away from myself. But I just found the door the leads me back. He’s the other half of me, and he holds the pieces that will make me whole again.

Knotted was a slow burn second chance romance with plenty of hidden danger and suspense to keep the reader glued to the pages. It would have easily been a 5 star for me if not for the way Conor’s therapy was handled. I struggled to wrap my mind around the fact that someone that gets brutally raped is able to heal at the hands of her lover that did nothing more than research her condition, as quickly as she did. Yes, Conor has her triggers, and yes it takes her a while to move past them with Jake. But I still found it difficult to suspend my disbelief enough to buy into her being able to move past them through Jake’s form of sexual and mental therapy. I could see it in the long run, maybe, but not as quickly as it happened here.

That aside, I absolutely devoured this story. I was desperate to turn the pages to learn more and more about the mysterious danger, and the Dallas sized drama with Conor and Jake’s families. There’s a delicious hook for Jake’s brother’s story here, but I’m downright salivating for Conor’s brother to get his book. I have a feeling his book will pack one heck of a punch.

Jake and Conor were sizzling together. And while I wanted to hate Jake for how he chose to drive Conor away, I also couldn’t help but understand his reasons behind it. I loved Conor’s strength even after everything she’s faced and forced to endure in her young life.

This is us, wild and incendiary, dancing in the open air like a campfire. Galloping through the pasture against the wind. Soaring over the ridge with falcon wings and marveling at the glory of our life together.

Knotted was a gritty and suspenseful read full of sizzle and mystery. It wasn’t Pam’s typical dark, but it was certainly no walk in the park either. I can’t wait for more in this series!

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Excerpt & Review: Rome’s Chance by Joanna Wylde

May 1, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

ROME’S CHANCE
Series: Reapers MC #6.6
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Joanna Wylde
Release Date: April 24, 2018

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joanna Wylde comes a new story in her Reapers MC series…

Rome McGuire knew he was in trouble the first time he saw her.

She was sweet and pretty and just about perfect in every way. She was also too young and innocent for the Reapers Motorcycle Club. He did the right thing, and walked away.

The second time, he couldn’t resist tasting her.

Gorgeous and smart, fun and full of wonder, she jumped on his bike and would’ve followed him anywhere. Still, she deserved a shot at happiness somewhere bigger and better than a town like Hallies Falls. Walking away wasn’t so easy that time, but her family needed her and he had a job to do.

When she came around a third time, he’d had enough. Randi Whittaker had been given two chances to escape, and now it was time for Rome to take his.

This time, the only way Randi would be leaving Hallies Falls was on the back of Rome’s bike.

AMAZON

Chemistry.

This was pure chemistry, and we’d had it from the very first. Our eyes had met across that keg and it was all over… Now Rome’s eyes found mine again, and that same spark I was feeling flared in their depths.

“F*ck, you’re beautiful,” he said, his face softening. I blinked, every bit as mesmerized as I’d felt at the grocery store. He leaned forward, still sitting on the bike, and caught my hand, pulling me toward him. “I’m gonna kiss you.”

“Yes, please,” I whispered, brain fully disengaged. His hand came up and caught the back of my head, then our lips met and I died a little.

He’d kissed me twice before, years ago. Those kisses had been soft. Devastating and intense, but very gentle. Sweet.

This was totally different. This came hard and fast, his mouth overwhelming mine with a powerful, masculine hunger I hadn’t expected. His tongue thrust against the seam of my lips, and when I didn’t immediately open, his teeth followed, nipping just enough to startle me. I gasped, and then he was inside.

There was nothing sweet about him right now.

Rome’s hand twisted in my hair, holding my head captive as his tongue pushed inside my mouth. Fire exploded through me, a deep well of heat settling between my legs. My hands reached up to catch his shoulders and then I was all in, giving as good as he gave me.

His other arm came around my waist, crushing me against him. This wasn’t nearly as awkward as it should’ve been, considering he was still on the bike. Maybe we could just skip dinner. Go straight to the fun part of the date…

A loud honking and the sound of someone screaming “Wooohooo!” from a passing car jolted me out of the moment. I pushed against his shoulders. Rome let me step back, although he kept his arm around my body. His eyes were smoky with lust, and I thought I saw the hint of a flush showing underneath the tan of his cheeks.

Yup, the feeling was definitely mutual.

This isn’t about getting laid, Randi. I just want it clear—I’m staking my claim. I missed out the first time we met. I won’t let it happen again.”

Man but does it feel good to be back in Wylde’s Reapers MC world. And while this novella is set in the series, you can easily read it as a standalone. While you do see some cameos from earlier books, it’s not too engrained in the the MC world, so you don’t miss many nuances not having read the books. Though, I’d still highly recommend them simply because they’re awesome! But I digress.

Rome’s Chance is set several years after the events in Reaper’s Fire. The first time Randi and Rome meet, he was only a prospect for the club and she was too sweet and innocent for him. The fires tearing through their town took the majority of his attention. But when they run into each other again, he knows he’s not letting her a second time. He’s ready to stake his claim, whether she is or not.

Chemistry. Pure chemistry. I’d felt it when he’d kissed me. I’d known we’d be incredible together. But Rome wanted more than sex—he wanted me. Whatever this was, it was just the beginning.

Randi has always been the caretaker of her family. With a mother that never took her responsibilities seriously, she’s been taking care of her younger siblings. Now back in town to take care of her ailing mother, she doesn’t think she’ll be sticking around for long. But Rome changes everything. Even if she tries to fight things between them.

Rome’s Chance was a quick albeit an entirely satisfying read full of chemistry and heat. It hit the spot just write and whet my appetite for more Reapers. If you’re looking for a sexy novella to spend a weekend afternoon with, look no further!

Joanna Wylde started her writing career in journalism, working in two daily newspapers as both a reporter and editor. Her career has included many different jobs, from managing a homeless shelter to running her own freelance writing business, where she took on projects ranging from fundraising to ghostwriting for academics. During 2012 she got her first Kindle reader as a gift and discovered the indie writing revolution taking place online. Not long afterward she started cutting back her client list to work on Reaper’s Property, her breakout book. It was published in January 2013, marking the beginning of a new career writing fiction.

Joanna lives in the mountains of northern Idaho with her family.

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Jenn’s Review: Disturbing His Peace by Tessa Bailey

April 29, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

DISTURBING HIS PEACE
Series: The Academy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: April 24, 2018

She’s got probable cause to make her move . . .

Danika Silva can’t stand Lt. Greer Burns. Her roommate’s older brother may be sexy as hell, but he’s also a cold, unfeeling robot. She just wants to graduate and forget about her scowling superior. But when a dangerous mistake lands Danika on probation—under Greer’s watch—she’s forced to interact with the big, hulking jerk. Call him daily to check in? Done. Ride shotgun in his cruiser every night? Done. Try not to climb into his giant, muscular lap and kiss him? Umm…

Greer doesn’t let anything—or anyone—distract him from the job. Except lately, all he can think about is Danika. He’s wanted the beautiful, cocky recruit since the moment he saw her. But she’s reckless and unpredictable, and Greer is painfully aware of what can happen when an officer doesn’t follow the rules. Probation seemed like a good idea, but now Danika’s scent is in his car and he’s replayed her voicemails twenty times. Christ, he’s a goner.

Danika’s melting Greer’s stone-cold exterior one ride-along at a time. Being together could have serious consequences… but breaking a few rules never hurt anybody, right?

AMAZON

I’ve been dying for Greer’s book from the moment I opened the first book in this series, Disorderly Conduct. Of course, I will read Tessa’s grocery lists, so I’m a little biased.


Greer is grumpilicious, which I just made up to mean grumpy and grouchy and growly…..and delicious! This is my favorite type of hero. Greer is the lieutenant in charge of training the up-and-coming officers in the police academy. He is straight-edge and doesn’t give an inch when training. But Greer has been hurt and lost too many people in his past. In his mind, everyone leaves, so he doesn’t get attached to anyone. His kind of brokenness is not for Danika.

Danika is the heroine who helps everyone. She is the glue that keeps everything and everyone together. If any family or friend needs her, she will bend over backwards to help. Which is why she is in the police academy because it is in her blood to automatically help people. Her and Greer are automatically drawn to each other. This also means that no one is there to help her, which is why Greer is perfect for me….I mean her. Danika gets in trouble, and Greer puts her on probation….and punishment is needed. I’d like Greer to punish me a little bit. Too much?

I have 2 words for you, Tessa. Elvis. Stamps. Because this part made me swoon 3 ways to Sunday!!

Tessa, you little sneaky dog, you. I see what you did. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone, but the bedroomness is yu…mmy. Danika needs to give up…control…in the bedroom, if you know what I mean. Yep, you know what I’m talkin’ about.

And I can’t do a Tessa review without mentioning The Dirty Talk….because if you don’t know already, Tessa Baily is the Queen of The DT!

THE SERIES

DISORDERLY CONDUCT | INDECENT EXPOSURE | DISTURBING HIS PEACE

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Geri’s Review: Hurts to Love You by Alisha Rai

April 26, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

HURTS TO LOVE YOU
Series: Forbidden Hearts #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alisha Rai
Release Date: March 27, 2018

Being bad never felt so good, in the third novel in Alisha Rai’s sexy Forbidden Hearts series!

Well-behaved women don’t lust after men who love to misbehave.

Heiress Evangeline Chandler knows how to keep a secret . . . like her life-long crush on the tattooed hottie who just happens to be her big brother’s friend. She’s a Chandler, after all, and Chandlers don’t hook up with the help. Then again, they also don’t disobey their fathers and quit their respectable jobs, so good-girl rules may no longer apply.

Gabriel Hunter hides the pain of his past behind a smile, but he can’t hide his sudden attraction to his friend’s sheltered little sister. Eve is far too sweet to accept anything less than forever and there’s no chance of a future between the son of a housekeeper and the town’s resident princess.

When a wedding party forces Eve and Gabe into tight quarters, keeping their hands off each other will be as hard as keeping their clothes on. The need that draws them together is stronger than the forces that should shove them apart . . . but their sparks may not survive the explosion when long-buried secrets are finally unearthed.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

 

Hurts to Love You, the final book in Alisha Rai’s Forbidden Hearts series, puts the youngest Chandler and Gabe Hunter. It also ties up some story threads from the previous books in the series. It also gave readers all the answers that we’ve been asking ourselves about one particular event that started the Kane-Chandler fued all those years ago.

Gabe Hunter has secrets. Secrets that he has to keep because it could change everything from his standing among the Kanes and his relationships with Jackson and Livvy. And his attraction to Eve complicate things. So he tried to stay away but with Nicholas and Livvy’s upcoming destination wedding coming up, his plans of staying away from Eve became even more challenging.

Eve is shy, a bit timid but not lacking in courage despite growing up emotionally abused by her father. Her long time crush on Gabe is just that: a crush. She doesn’t think he feels that way for her. But Eve is tired of being held back by her past. She has plans and one of those plans involve Gabe. And her brother’s upcoming wedding is the perfect opportunity for her to convince Gabe that she’s not the little girl he once knew.

I felt for Evie’s unrequited feelings for Gabe. I was rooting for her to get the guy. And it was so satisfying when everything finally lined up for her and for him as well. Alisha Rai took her own sweet time with these two characters but the payoff was well worth it. The romance, once it got going, was hot. Gabe was definitely hiding his growly, dirty talking, alpha self underneath his man-bun. The things he said to Eve during their sexy times will make your toes curl.

Overall, I liked how this book brought everything full circle for these two families. After all the betrayals and secrets, it’s nice to see these characters win especially Gabe! His secret was quite obvious to those who have read the previous books, at least to me they are. And that’s quite okay because this book isn’t really about the “secret.” It’s more about the characters and their journey.

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Review: Iron Princess by Meghan March

April 25, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

IRON PRINCESS
Series: Savage Trilogy #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Author: Meghan March
Release Day: April 24, 2018

He’s a mystery. An enigma.

 

His very identity is a secret buried beneath layers of deception.

 

He’s also an addiction I can’t shake. An attraction I can’t fight.

 

And then I found out exactly who he is—a man more dangerous than the devil himself.

 

Now I need him in order to save everything that matters to me.

 

I have to pull back. Protect myself from the danger that haunts his every step.

 

Which would be easy . . . if I could stop myself from falling in love with him.

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He’s big and forbidden, but somehow, that makes him infinitely more striking. And he’s struck me so hard as to knock me completely off-balance.

Sweet mother of god! I feel like I need a xanax, a hug, and a room with padded walls after that ending. How? HOW?! How does Meghan March continue to come up with these mind blowing cliffhangers? Every time I think it was crazy in one book, the next one comes along and BAM! Head exploding!

I should have signed a damn waiver before reading this book. Warning: cliffhanger may cause early labor. Proceed at your own risk. Swear to gawd! I can’t even right now. Can’t. Even. The woman is an evil genius. Clearly.

As for this book? Where do I even begin? You fall deeper down the rabbit hole with Temperance and for every answer you get, you’re left with ten more questions.

He’s a dangerous man. A man I shouldn’t be drawn to. Shouldn’t want more than I want to breathe right now. But I do. And as much as I want to throw my control at his feet, I hang on to a thread, telling myself it matters.

What I love about Meghan’s books is she always creates these extremely tough heroines that are the perfect balance to the immensely intense males that she never fails to hook her readers with. And man oh man, it doesn’t get more intense that this man. I thought Mount was dangerously sexy, but this man? He’s something else entirely. He’s demanding, protective, dangerously lethal, and completely unpredictable. Luckily a good chunk of the story takes place in his POV, and it was one twisted ride being inside his head.

Of course in true Meghan March fashion, it was action packed, suspenseful, and sinfully sexy. And just when you’re lulled into a semblance of control in thinking you know what’s coming, she hits you with the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers! So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to console myself with a tub of ice cream as I rock myself in a corner until the final installment in this twisty and addicting trilogy.

GRAB THE REST OF THE TRILOGY

SAVAGE PRINCE 

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IRON PRINCESS

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ROGUE ROYALTY

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A New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels, Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had.

Sign up for Meghan’s newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers: http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe

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

Review: Locked Box by Eve Dangerfield

April 22, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

LOCKED BOX
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: April 15, 2018

Julia Bennett isn’t having a great day.

Funding for her video game is low, her day job is sucking her dry, and to cap it all off she’s locked in a police station with the very handsome, extremely married guy she’s been avoiding at all costs.

Max Connor isn’t having a great year.

He’s getting divorced, his best friend is squatting in his house, and his inappropriate crush on the IT girl is getting way out of hand.

And that was before he locked the two of them in an evidence room.

Surrounded by three decades’ worth of drugs, guns, and floppy disks, Max and Julia are forced to confront the heat that lies between them with dangerous, funny, and occasionally toe-curlingly sexy results.

AMAZON

Going to punish me, Max? Going to make me suffer?”
“Baby, you are gonna get fucked so hard. Once you’re wet enough, I’m gonna turn you over and drill you ’til that smart mouth can’t say anything but my fucking name.”

Stop what you’re doing!!

Right now!

Do you hear that?

That’s the sound of BOTH of my ovaries exploding. Because sweet baby Jesus this book. THIS BOOK. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Eve Dangerfield never fails to make my ovaries happeh.

She serves up deliciously kinky alpha males and sweat inducing dirty talk, and somehow blends it together with a sizzling story and hooks her readers from beginning to finish.

You wanna play this game, sweetheart? You wanna make my dick hard and turn me into a fucking animal? Then you need to understand I can make pleasure hurt twice as bad as pain and I love making horny little brats beg for mercy, so you need to watch what you say to me. Is that clear?”

What happens when you get accidentally locked in the evidence room with a man you’ve been crushing on for years? A whole lot of sexy times, is what. Julia Bennett has been lusting after Max Connor for longer than she cares to admit. But he’s very much hands off, and also very taken. But what she doesn’t know, is Max is also as taken with her and is about to be very divorced. Forced to finally confront the feelings that have been brewing between them for years, Max and Julia give into the undeniable chemistry between them in what turns out to be some of the hottest sex scenes I’ve read in a while. As much as Max tries to reign in his dark desires, they come out full force with Julia and man are they delicious.

But there’s a lot more to their attraction than you’re first led to believe. As you peel back the layers of their history and their connection, puzzle pieces begin to click in place. And what seems like a sizzling office hookup at first, soon turns out to be something much more.

I couldn’t get enough of these two. Julia’s quirkiness was the perfect balance to Max’s intense brooding. Their chemistry was off the charts hot, and the story was addicting. I devoured it in one sitting and then got to enjoy the bonus novella at the end as the icing on top.

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#DGRFave & Review: Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

April 21, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

BIRTHDAY GIRL
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: April 17, 2018

JORDAN

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go.

He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He doesn’t treat me like I’m nothing, take me for granted, or make me feel unsafe.

He remembers me, laughs with me, and looks at me. He listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.

I have to stop this. It can’t happen.

My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable.

Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one.

I am.

PIKE
I took her in, because I thought I was helping.

She’d cook a few meals and clean up a little. It was an easy arrangement.

As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to.

The more I find my path crossing hers, though, the more she’s becoming a part of me.

But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight.

And her boyfriend’s father.

Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

*BIRTHDAY GIRL is a stand-alone, contemporary romance suitable for ages 18+.

AMAZON

You make my heart pound so hard it hurts, Jordan. You, your mouth, and who you are, it all makes me want to touch you. It makes me not want to stop this.”

When I saw that Penelope Douglas was coming out with a surprise release, I didn’t even blink before adding the book. When I read the blurb, I think a small part of me cringed, while a bigger part of it was screaming GIMME!! See, I love a forbidden romance. But there’s something about the whole father thing that just gives me the blehs too. It takes an immensely talented author to pull off a story like this without making it torrid, pervy and cringe worthy. Luckily for me, Penelope Douglas is that rare unicorn of authors that can not only pull it off, but make you fall in love with it too.

And that’s what I am. Her boyfriend’s father. Nothing more. But deep in my heart, the small ember growing bigger and bigger every day knows that’s a lie.

Jordan is a heroine that’s impossible not to like. Mature beyond her years due to the way she grew up, this is not your typical 19 year old. With a mother that left years ago and a deadbeat trailer trash father, it’s been her and her older sister fending for themselves. With an adorable adoration of all things 80s, Jordan was easy to connect with. While her sister has no problem supporting herself and young child by being a stripper, Jordan wants more. Moving in with her boyfriend’s father rent free will allow her to save up enough to put herself on her feet and to get that more that she craves. But it also brings a whole lot more complications in the form of an interaction to her boyfriend’s young father that seems to only intensify over time.

I think what really made me connect with Jordan is how well Douglas handled this character’s development. There’s glimpses into a teenage girl; enough to make you remember her age. But at the same time, she’s not sheltered and naive. This is a woman that knows what she wants. She’s not shy and afraid to go after it. She’s solid. She’s mature beyond her years. But yet she’s still a young woman.

I simply adored the way the romance unraveled and developed between her and Pike. There was something so real and raw about it. It wasn’t torrid, even though it was forbidden. You understand their attraction. You believe in it. You yearn for it. The tantalizingly slow build makes it even better.

I know everything we’re doing is wrong, and I don’t know how I’m going to explain this to anyone, but right here—right now—I don’t want to be anywhere else. I wish I could die as happy as I am right now.

Pike is a man that was forced to grow up fast when he became a father at 19. Giving up on his dreams to support his new son was not something he ever gave a second thought about. This is clearly a man that wants a relationship with his son but due to circumstances, it’s a struggle. I don’t want to give too much away about the dynamics, but trust me when I tell you that you will understand. You’ll even root for him.

The romance and age difference is handled with tact and done incredibly well. The situation with the boyfriend is as well. There was simply nothing about this book that I didn’t love. This was clearly a book the author wanted to write and was meant to, and it came across vividly clear in the writing. I fell so hard for this story and these characters.

Birthday Girl is a story of forbidden romance, yes. But it’s so much more than that, too. It’s a story of strength and forgiveness. Of making mistakes and learning how to write them. It was raw, and sexy, and unique. I loved every single page of it and cannot recommend it enough.

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