Contemporary Romance

Review: Turbulence by Whitney G.

November 17, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Turbulence
Series: Turbulence #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Whitney G.
Release Date: August 29, 2016

Strap yourself into the cockpit for the ‘flight of your life’ via the latest standalone erotic romance from New York Times bestselling author Whitney G….

Fuck me recklessly
Kiss me harder.
Take me again and again…

He and I met under a cloud of clichés:
Boy meets girl. Boy charms girl. Boy fucks girl.
Our story was supposed to end right after the orgasms, right after we went our separate ways.

But then we saw each other again…
And neither of us could walk away.

Our rules were simple.
Our passion was scandalous.
Our hearts were supposed to be safe…

But when you find something so all-consuming–something so intoxicating and inescapable, you’ll risk everything you’ve ever had, even if you’re destined to crash and burn.

This is us.
This is our messed up love.
This is turbulence.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Look, I don’t typically do one night stands.”
“Then we won’t call it a one-night stand.”
“A night of meaningless sex, then?”
“A night of fucking,” he said, his voice low. “A night of me owning your pussy on every single surface in my hotel room. If we make it past the alley, that is.”

If you like them brooding, mysterious, completely relationship phobic, mercurial, dirty talking and beasts in the sack…meet Jake Weston. Your next BBB. Broken Book Boyfriend. I’m totally coining that phrase by the way. So fitting. But I digress…

To say that I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book would be a mild understatement. There’s something about Whitney G’s alphaholes that simply do it for me. And Jake Weston? He may be her best alphahole yet. He’s a successful pilot that goes far beyond the capabilities of a man his age, he’s mysterious, and he’s clearly hiding a past that he wants nothing to do with but continues to haunt his present.

In my world, a connection was a temporary lull in an itinerary, a short-term flight that eventually led to a final destination and nothing more. The word itself was fleeting, never final, and it never applied to relationships.

Gillian Taylor moved to New York with stars in her eyes and with hopes of her dream career to finally prove her family of overachievers, that never fail to remind her that she’s the black sheep, wrong. Years later, she finds her dream job gone, her boyfriend cheating on her, and her hopes and dreams slowly circling the drain. Working as a flight attendant isn’t what she wants, but it’s all she has right now. A cocky, smooth talking pilot is the last distraction she needs…even if this particular distraction proves far too tempting.

If I agree to this,” he said, his jaw clenched. “There will be no late night emotional talks, no mentions of the words ‘more’ ‘us’ or ‘relationship’, and I won’t be taking you out on any dates.”

Turbulence is filled with enough sizzle to set your kindles on fire. Jake is deliciously sexy, and Gillian certainly has enough sass in her to give as good as she gets. Though I did find at times she gave into him way too easily.

I wanted to deny that even though she was the exact type I should stay away from, I couldn’t seem to get close enough. She was getting under my skin, slipping into my marrow, and that was a problem.

So you may be thinking to yourself, if I enjoyed this as much as I’m saying, why only 3.5 stars? Well, a couple things really. For one, this didn’t really strike out at me as anything different. I feel the story, while hot, wasn’t developed as well as it could have been. Jake’s character is mysterious until the very end, and when the secrets of his past do come out…they don’t really make sense. The why’s of it just didn’t add up for me. I wish there was more time spent on the development of that particular part of the story. As it was, it felt entirely too rushed for me. And while Jake and Gillian set the pages on fire, there wasn’t much more to them than the hot sex. I just didn’t feel that connection to them aside from a sexual one. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy them together, I did, but I also had a hard time truly buying the feelings of love at the end. I didn’t feel they had enough of a foundation outside of sex.

The book was entertaining and sexy, don’t get me wrong. There was just enough emotion weaved in that made it more than just a hot romp between the page sheets, but I just needed more. So as much as I love the concept and the characters, it wasn’t enough to bring it up to a solid 4 for me. Do I recommend this book for any fan of this author or any reader that enjoys an erotic romance with a broody hero? Abso-freaking-lutely. Is it anything I’d ever come back to? Probably not.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dirty Talkers, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: alphaholes, Book Reviews: 3.5 stars, Whitney Gracia

Review: Sweet Cheeks by K. Bromberg

November 14, 2016 by Lana · 1 Comment

SWEET CHEEKS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Standalone
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Day: November 14, 2016

An all new second chance love story by the New York Times Bestselling author of the beloved Driven series.

It all started with the invitation. To my ex-fiance’s new wedding.

I should have ignored it. Thrown it away. Set it afire. But I didn’t. I replied.

With a plus one.

And then my assistant accidentally mailed it.

Enter Hayes Whitley. Mega-movie star. The man who has captured the hearts of millions. But I gave him mine years ago. He was my first love. He was my everything. Right until he up and left to chase his dreams without so much as a simple goodbye.

When he showed up out of the blue ten years later, I should have known to steer clear of him. I should have rejected his offer to take me to my ex’s wedding. I should have never let him kiss me.

But I didn’t.

And now we’re left wondering if the pieces of the life we once shared still fit together somehow. First loves are hard to forget. The question is, do we want to forget? Or do we risk the chance and see what happens next?

AMAZON | iBooks | B&N | KOBO

Hayes Whitley twists me up like a Rubik’s cube. He did way back when and still does now. He’s changed me. Turned that naïve, solid-color blocked puzzle I once was and left me scattered all over the place. I’m a mix of emotions when it comes to him. And no matter how hard I’ve tried to get back to that solid state I was before him, I know I never will. He’s left his fingerprint on me, marking me with invisible ink.

Oh the swoons of it all! What a delicious little treat this book was, sure to satisfy every romance sweet tooth out there. Sweet Cheeks was the ultimate second chance romance fantasy. It had the swoons, the steam, the banter, the angst, the emotion, and absolutely everything else I’ve come to love and expect from this author. All with a sassy heroine and one of the swooniest heroes that sweet talks just as well as he dirty talks. Let’s face it, K. Bromberg gives good romance.

The funny thing is most people would want to sow their wild oats. And maybe in time I will, but for now, I’m still trying to settle the ever-shifting world beneath my feet.

Who doesn’t wish their high school sweet heart that’s now a famous actor will come back to town to make your selfish ex and his spoiled family see that you’ve not only moved on but to much greener pastures at that! But that’s exactly what happens when to Saylor.

Saylor was such a lovable heroine. She’s sassy and independent and gives as good as she does. After leaving her fiance right before their wedding, getting an invitation to his wedding to someone else only 9 months later isn’t as shocking as the fact that’s it’s identical to the wedding she planned. Not only that, but now she finds out that his family has been badmouthing her business that she’s been pouring her blood, sweat and tears into. When the Hollywood heartthrob and her blast from the past and first love is back in town and offers to take her to the wedding, she wants nothing to do with it…or him. After all, Hayes broke her heart when he walked away without a word over ten years ago. Now he’s back, a famous actor, and offering her the answer to all her problems. But can she trust herself not to fall for him all over again?

I have a plan. I have my world. My perfect, chaotic, surreal, fucking awesome world and there’s no room for error. She fits nowhere in it. That’s what I told myself when I left. That’s what I’m standing by now.

Hayes was amazing. God but I adored him. I loved the chemistry and that sweet burn of unfulfilled sexual tension between them. It burned so good. Hayes was not your typical cocky alphahole. This was a man that gave a good measure of swoons right after he made your ovaries thump.

My pace, Saylor. Not yours. I’m in control now. You may own pieces of me you never even knew, but right now, I’m going to own you. Every single part of you.”

This was such a sweet romance, with the perfect amount of steam, endearing characters and a lovely romance that you can’t help but root for. I adored it. The perfect sweet treat to spend a weeknight with. Just you, a glass of wine and a side of Hayes. Yum!

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, and Down Shift), and a novella (UnRaveled). She is currently finishing up Sweet Cheeks a standalone novel out November 14^th.

Her plans for 2017 include a sports romance duet (2 books: The Player, The Catch) and the Everyday Heroes series (3 books: Cuffed, Combust, and Cockpit). She’s also writing a novella for the 1,001 Dark Night series that will be out in February 2017.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media.

1 Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, K Bromberg, Second-chance-romance

Jennifer’s Review: Royally Screwed by Emma Chase

November 11, 2016 by Lana ·

Series: Royally #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: October 18, 2016

Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook, Crowned Prince of Wessco, aka His Royal Hotness, is wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, and unabashedly arrogant; hard not to be when people are constantly bowing down to you.

Then, one snowy night in Manhattan, the prince meets a dark haired beauty who doesn’t bow down. Instead, she throws a pie in his face.

Nicholas wants to find out if she tastes as good as her pie, and this heir apparent is used to getting what he wants.

Dating a prince isn’t what waitress Olivia Hammond ever imagined it would be.

There’s a disapproving queen, a wildly inappropriate spare heir, relentless paparazzi, and brutal public scrutiny. While they’ve traded in horse drawn carriages for Rolls Royces, and haven’t chopped anyone’s head off lately, the royals are far from accepting of this commoner.

But to Olivia, Nicholas is worth it.

Nicholas grew up with the whole world watching, and now Marriage Watch is in full force. In the end, Nicholas has to decide who he is and, more importantly, who he wants to be: a King… or the man who gets to love Olivia forever.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Everyone knows that Emma Chase is the queen of the male point of view. Almost all of her books are all written from the male pov alone. So color me surprised when I reached the female pov in this book. And I really liked it!

”My dignity isn’t for sale.”

Nicholas leans forward, eating me up with his eyes. “I don’t want to put my cock anywhere near your dignity, love.”

This book is a modern fairy tale. It is quick read and I really enjoyed it. Emma always manages to pull the laughs out. Yes, the story is border-lined cheesy, but I swooned and giggled the whole way. There wasn’t one part of this book that I didn’t like.

My Nicholas & Olivia:

Nicholas is the prince. THE prince. The next in line for the throne, and his grandmother, the queen, has given him 5 months to find a wife. He decides to use those 5 months to live-it-up. Little does he know that he will be put in his place by a feisty, raven-haired New Yorker. Nicholas is searching for his younger brother, who seems to have fallen off the earth. During the search, he find Olivia is a small coffee shop in the middle of New York on a snowy day.

Olivia is trying to keep the family business afloat. She makes pies every day for the coffee shop and she struggles to keep it running. I loved how feisty and strong she was, the perfect match for Nicholas.

“She straightens, and runs her finger over her lips, gazing down at me. “Did you feel that?”

The spark, the electricity. The desire that feeds on itself, relishing the relief of contact but always wanting more.

“Yes.”

She takes my hand and places it over her breast – where her heartbeat throbs wildly in her chest. “And do you feel this?”

My own chest pounds with the same rhythm.

“Yes.”

“Some people go their whole lives without feeling that.”

I love that Nicholas and Olivia were so easy, especially at the beginning. Nicholas is all smirks and charm and I just ate him up! I wish I had my own prince to devour! Nicholas tries to convince Olivia to go out with him, and I love that she didn’t just give in, even after she found out he was a prince.
There is a little drama, but not too much. I love how Olivia is hardly ever serious. She is this boisterous character who lives loud. I have to say that I saw the ending coming, but I didn’t care at all because I enjoyed every part of the journey. I am uber excited about Henry and Lenora’s book! They seem like opposites, which is my jelly! And Lenora seems like nerd….Eeeeee!

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Emma Chase, Jennifer Reviews

Review: Hang Tough by Lorelei James

November 6, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

HANG TOUGH
Series: Blacktop Cowboys #8
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lorelei James
Release Date: November 1, 2016

In the new Blacktop Cowboys® novel from the New York Timesbestselling author of Wrapped and Strapped, one woman learns that when it comes to cowboys, looks can be deceiving…

When Tobin Hale stepped in to stop Garnet Evans’s son from railroading her out of her own home, he knew moving in with his favorite Mud Lily could be seen as strange. But nothing prepared him for the arrival of Garnet’s fiery, beautiful granddaughter, Jade—or her assumption that he’s up to no good…

While Tobin might be the hottest man Jade Evans has ever seen, his physical attributes won’t distract her from protecting her grandma from his sweet-talking ways. But the stubborn cowboy digs in his boot heels and refuses to leave. Stuck in close quarters together, Jade learns Tobin is the real deal—a hardworking, fiercely loyal man and she’s the one in danger of losing her heart.

And just when he was prepared to leave Muddy Gap behind, Tobin may have found the kind of woman worth sticking around for…

AMAZON | iBOOKS

We are together and that makes you mine. I take care of what’s mine. From the smallest things to the biggest. Now close your eyes and pucker up, baby, ’cause I am gonna rock your world.”

Nice guys don’t always finish last.

Tobin Hale has always been known as the nice guy in his small town, the boy scout that’s perpetually friend zoned by women that crave someone with more edge. Leaving town to seek the career he wants may be his answer to everything, but before that he has one last duty.

When Tobin moves in with Garnet Evans’s in order to stop her son from forcing her out of her home, what he didn’t expect is Garnet’s beautiful and sassy granddaughter to test every ounce of his ironclad control.

The stubble on his jaw wasn’t affected like the city guys she knew who didn’t shave in an effort to appear more manly. This guy probably scared his razor away. He probably hadn’t shaved because he had important manly stuff to do and didn’t waste time with trivial stuff like running a blade over that beautifully chiseled face.

Jade may need a break from the hustle and bustle of NYC and working three part time jobs, but she’d never admit it. But when her father asks her to look in on her grandmother that seems to have a hustler that recently moved in looking to hone in on her belongings, Jade knows what she needs to do. But she doesn’t expect the tempting cowboy that greets her or the immediate sparks that fly between them

Say yes.” He brushed his lips across hers. Just once. “Admit you want to be a dirty little rule breaker too.”
“I do,” she said breathlessly. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”

I loved the banter between these two. It starts out with a little hate/lust that soon begins to turn into something much more. Neither Tobin nor Jade deny their chemistry when they finally give into it. Their relationship is a tease at first, the sexual tension spanning over half the book. But when they finally give in? Yowza!

Tobin may be a nice guy, but that man sure has a dirty mouth on him. I loved that he had both sides to him, the dirty and the uber sweet.

Tobin?” she said softly. “What are you doing?”
“Memorizing you.”
“Why?”
Tobin forced his gaze back to hers. “Because when I close my eyes at night, I want to recall with perfect clarity every nuance of this face.”

Garnet and the Mud Lilly’s were the perfect comedic relief. Their colorful personalities never failed to put a smile on my face. And while I love the bad boys, it’s a nice change of pace to read about a nice guy every now and then.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a touch too sweet for me at times and I found myself getting restless in the second half. There wasn’t much tension going and even though Tobin and Jade burn up the sheets together it just wasn’t enough to keep me riveted to the pages. The story was a great balance of sweet and sexy, and if that’s what you’re in the mood for, this will surely fit the bill.

BLACKTOP COWBOYS SERIES

: Corralled (Blacktop Cowboys, #1)

: Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys, #2)

: Wrangled and Tangled (Blacktop Cowboys, #3)

: One Night Rodeo (Blacktop Cowboys, #4)

: Turn and Burn (Blacktop Cowboys, #5)

: Hillbilly Rockstar (Blacktop Cowboys, #6)

: Wrapped and Strapped (Blacktop Cowboys, #7)

: Hang Tough (Blacktop Cowboys Novel, #8)

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Cowboys · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3.5 stars, Lorelei James

Review: Looking Inside by Beth Kery

November 5, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

LOOKING INSIDE
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Author: Beth Kery
Release Date: November 1, 2016

Are you just going to stand there and watch?

Eleanor Briggs just can’t help herself. Every night, the sight of the man in the high-rise across the street is driving her wild. She longs to feel his touch up close and personal. To win him over, she’ll need to shake off her wallflower sensibilities and become the seductress she never imagined she could be. The only trouble will be finding the perfect way to meet him…

Or are you going to join in?

Sex is easy for millionaire entrepreneur Trey Riordan. Finding something of substance, however, seems impossible. That is until a simple night of reading at a local coffee shop becomes something far steamier when a beautiful brunette comes by and leaves a note telling him to look out his bedroom window at midnight. But when the time comes, neither of them will be truly ready for what follows…

AMAZON | iBOOKS

She’d fantasized incessantly about what it would be like to be with him. But she hadn’t prepared herself to be owned by him.

Why have I not read more books by this author? I’ve enjoyed the few that I’ve read so I’m not sure what the answer to that question is, but I know I’ll be rectifying that mistake immediately! I love a romance that’s set in my hometown of Chicago, especially one that’s as vivid as this one. I could practically see everything described in my mind’s eye as I was reading.

Looking Inside is an incredible sensual tale of one woman finally gathering the strength to be comfortable in her own skin and own her sexuality. After the death of her beloved older sister that she’s idolized all her life, Eleanor Briggs makes a decision to change her life. She moves into her sister’s condo in the city, begins to changer her mousy librarian wardrobe for her sister’s more sultry sophisticated one, and then she decides to seduce the object of her temptation…the intensely sexy neighbor that she sees from her apartment window. After watching the stranger bed one woman after another, Eleanor knows that she wants him…and she’s not above seduction games to grab his attention.

After one too many disastrous relationships, Trey Riordan decides that celibacy is his answer. Calling off women seems like the right thing to do, until a mysterious beauty tempts him beyond reason.

I wasn’t sure what I expected when I began to read this book, but I loved every sensual page of it. It’s romantic and sexy. There’s no crazy drama or angst, just two people fighting their own personal issues finding love where they least expected it. I really enjoyed both the characters and I appreciate that while it was incredibly steamy, the sex never took away from the relationship development or the story, merely added to it. If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy story to pass an evening with, I highly recommend this one.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Beth Kery, Book Reviews: 4 stars

Jennifer’s Review: The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely

October 28, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

THE SEXY ONE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Lauren Blakely
Release Date: October 17, 2016

Want a romance guaranteed to make you melt? Get ready to fall in love with THE SEXY ONE!

From the NYT Bestselling author of MISTER O, comes a sexy new standalone romance…

Let me count the ways why falling into forbidden love is not my wisest move…
1. She works with me every single day.
Did I mention she’s gorgeous, sweet, kind and smart?
2. She works in my home.
Playing with my five-year-old daughter. Teaching my little girl. Cooking for my princess. Which means…
3. She’s the nanny.
And that makes her completely off-limits…But it doesn’t stop me from wanting her. All of her.

***

The other nannies in this city don’t call him the Sexy One for nothing. My boss, the amazingly wonderful single father to the girl I take care of every day is ridiculously hot, like movie star levels with those arms, and those eyes, and that body. Not to mention, the way he dotes on his little girl melts me all over. But what really makes my knees weak are the times when his gaze lingers on me. In secret. When no one else is around.

I can’t risk my job for a chance at something more…can I? But I don’t know how to resist him much longer either…

With all the heat, heart and humor readers have come to expect, this newest standalone will make you laugh, swoon and feel like you’re falling in love!

Amazon | Amazon Paperback | iBooks | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

If neither one of us says a word, this won’t be a foolish risk. If we just stay here, existing in this moment, me searching his face and him studying my eyes, we can pretend there’s nothing between us.

But that would be a lie.

My Simon & Abby:

I liked it. I really did. I can’t really say anything bad about this book or these characters. I liked the characters. I liked the story. This is a good book! There are no ifs, ands, or buts (*giggles…..buts).
Simon is a dad…..a great dad. The only reason he has a nanny is because he works, but not too much. He rearranges his schedule all the time to be with this daughter. He is pretty much the hottest, most perfect dad. He’s like sexy kryptonite.

Must. Rein. In. Desire. To. Launch. Self. At. Simon.

Abby loves Simon…..secretly. Who wouldn’t? She is so afraid of showing her feelings. She is a blushing mess. Every time she is around him, she is constantly giving herself a pep-talk to keep herself from getting closer. Little does she know that Simon has the same feelings.

I love that Blakely mentions how cliché this story can be, because it could have been worse if she didn’t come out and say it, but it wasn’t cliché at all. Neither of them want to be the cliché. It’s a dance that they play around each other because they are afraid of ruining a good thing. They are both thinking of the Simon’s daughter and putting her first. They are choosing to be selfless, but they cannot escape the slippery slope for too long.

If loving that amazing, vibrant, talented, brilliant woman is a cliché, then I’ll gladly slap the sign on my chest. I’m a cliché, and I’m okay with it.

Simon and Abby are so cute together. I loved how they bonded over nature videos (LOL!). This story is sweet, and I truly enjoyed it.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3 stars, Jennifer Reviews, lauren blakely

Jennifer’s Review: Baiting the Maid of Honor by @mstessabailey

October 25, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

BAITING THE MAID OF HONOR
Series: Wedding Dare #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 9, 2014

He’ll own her from the very first touch.

Julie Piper and Reed Lawson have nothing in common. She’s a people-pleasing sorority girl hiding behind her perfect mask. He’s a take-no-prisoners SWAT commander who isolates himself from the world. But when they’re forced together at their friends’ posh destination wedding, one thing is clear—Reed wants Julie more than he wants his next breath. Which is why he’s not about to stand by when she’s dared to seduce another man.

Julie wants neat, tidy sex, so she could get back to what she does best—making everybody else happy. She never expected to slip into a dark bedroom and have her mind blown by rough, demanding hands, and a sinfully filthy mouth—neither of which belong to the best man.

One night should have been all Reed needed to get the blond temptress out of his system, but when one taste is nowhere near enough, he’ll be forced confront the effects of his hellish past. One that may push Julie away forever… just when he realizes he can’t live without her.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tessa, I’m just gonna hire you to be my word slave and tie you up in my basement and never let you out except to write more words…..Bwahahaha! Ok, the crazy fangirl is coming out and scaring everyone so I’m gonna reign it in a little.

Mother….effing…..Reed. It’s like he jumped out of my dreams and into this book. Dark, Tattoos, Broody, Mean, Bossy. Ugh. Gimme. He is from the other side of the tracks. The bad boy. He is a SWAT team leader, so he used to bossing everyone around. Everything is black and white to him. He barely even made it to the wedding. The first time he sees Julie, she is letting her hair down, literally, and he knows he has to have her. Reed…..I want him for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and especially for dessert.

My Reed & Julie:

She switched her hips from a circular motion to a gentle front-to-back tease that allowed her to ride his length base to tip. “You like that, sugar?” she whispered, barely audible among the bass-heavy music.

He released a strangled growl against her neck. “Enough teasing. Sit down all the way and work my cock with your beautiful ass.”

Julie is the perfect southern girl. She is the maid of honor and the wedding planner. She is organized and put together. And Reed wants to mess…her…up. She doesn’t understand why she attracted to the bad boy, but her insta-lust is undeniable. She barely tries to keep away from him, and when she does let herself just let go, she becomes a brazen hussy. Lol. Reed doesn’t expect her to loosen up, but she exceeds his expectations in many creative ways. Hehehe. Reed and Julie get…it…on. Pixie-style (His nickname for her is Pixie. Lol.)

He gripped her chin and lifted her head so it faced the mirror. “Watch me. Watch me finish, baby. You need to see what you did.” When she nodded, his movements grew jerky, yet somehow even more determined. Ever so slightly, he tightened his grip on her jaw until her mouth opened from the pressure. He pushed his fingers inside. “Suck.”

That ladder scene?! Tessa, how do make a ladder scene so erotic?!!! Because I will never look at a ladder the same way again!

”Reed. I’m…I’m going to fall.”
“No. You will not fall. You will stay right there until I’m finished.”

Once again, Tessa goes above and beyond. The whole setting of this book takes place before the wedding as they groomsmen and bridesmaids are gearing up for the big event. I knew this would be a quick read, but I didn’t expect the character development to impress me so much. I absolutely loved all of the characters and enjoyed trying to figure out which groomsman will end up with which bridesmaid. I am super excited to read the other books in this series, even though they are written by different authors.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, brazen, Jennifer Reviews, Tessa Bailey

DGR Favorite & Review: Punk 57 by @PenDouglas

October 23, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

PUNK 57
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: October 21, 2016

“We were perfect together. Until we met.”

Misha

I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.

In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.

It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…

And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.

Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.

We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?

Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?

F*ck it. I need to meet her.

I just don’t expect to hate what I find.

Ryen

He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.

Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his number or picture or something.

He could be gone forever.

Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.

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We were perfect together. Until we met.”

Ever since I read Bully, I became an instant Penelope Douglas fan. The woman speaks right to my inner angst junky. It certainly doesn’t hurt matters that she also manages to create the perfect alphahole heroes in every book I read by her. Having loved her Falling Away series and all the others as well, to say that this book is right up there with Bully for me is a lot. Because Bully continues to be one of my top favorites by her. But there was also an underlying message to this book that I loved. That in addition to the incredible writing, the fantastic characters, the delicious angst, and the oh so sexy romance combined to be one of my top reads for the year.

He’s a jerk whose only kick in life is to make mine miserable.

I think we all have a point in our life where we didn’t feel comfortable in our own skin; where being accepted even if it means suppressing your real self a little feels like the easiest thing to do. A time where your peer’s opinions of you feel like the most important thing and acceptance is everything. No one is born full comfortable with themselves and being able to do what’s right even if that means going against the grain, but the road to getting there is the most interesting one.

Ryen is not a heroine that you want to like. What I mean is, here’s someone that’s the exact opposite of your usual heroine. She’s popular, she’s quiet when the weak are being picked on, and she suppresses her real self for the warmth of acceptance that she gets from people that aren’t even truly her friends. But there’s also something about this character that clicks with you. You can’t help but connect with her and understand her on some level, because at one time or another we’ve all been in her shoes.

Ryen and Misha have been pen pals for years, and while they know each other’s deepest and darkest thoughts, they have no idea who the other really is or what they look like. That doesn’t stop them from developing an incredible connection through their letters…until Misha gets a real peak at who Ryen is and everything changes.

We’re all ugly, Ryen. The only difference is, some hide it and some wear it.”

Misha is a grade A asshole in the beginning and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love every page of it. Douglas has this gift for writing some of the sexiest alphaholes I’ve ever read. Yes, they’re mean and you want to slap them at times, but you also understand what drives them to be that way and you can’t help but love them anyway.

I want everything about you, Ryen, and I know you want me.” Her body shakes a little, and I lean in, kissing her on the cheek. “But I love the way you lie.”

The angst is off the charts good. For those that are like myself and enjoy that burn of sexual tension with a bit of hate/lust, you will devour every page and beg for more. And the sexual chemistry?
This is so much more than a sexy NA romance, however. It’s a story of learning to love and accept yourself. A story of learning to stand up for what you believe is right even if no one stands up with you. It’s a story of friendship and love. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that you never want to get off of and a romance between two people that don’t make sense together on paper but couldn’t be more right for each other. It’s dark and light, it’s love and hate. It’s complete and utter perfection.

I miss you every day, I write. You’re my favorite place.

If you’re a fan of Penelope Douglas and you enjoyed her Fall Away series and you want another taste of her Devil’s Night world, this is an absolute must read. If you love angsty NA romances with a H/h that you will love to hate and just flat out love, this is an absolute must read. If you’re a fellow angst whore like me, then this is an absolute must read. Basically, what I’m trying to tell you here is READ THIS BOOK!! You won’t regret a second of it.

You’re not alone. It gets better. You are important, and you can’t be replaced. Hang on.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, New Adult · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, Penelope Douglas

Jennifer’s Review: Between Here And The Horizon by @_callie_hart

October 20, 2016 by Lana · Leave a Comment

BETWEEN HERE AND THE HORIZON
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Callie Hart
Release Date: October 18, 2016

“You think you know me. You think you want to know me. But trust me, Miss Lang. Pursuing me will be the worst mistake you ever make. I’m broken beyond repair…

…and I take great pleasure in breaking everyone else around me.”

Ophelia Lang needs money, and she needs it bad. Her parent’s restaurant is going under, and ever since she lost her job teaching third grade elementary, scraping enough cash together to pay the bills has proven almost impossible. Her parents are on the brink of losing their home. The vultures are circling overhead. So when Ophelia is offered an interview for a well-paid private tutoring gig in New York, how can she possibly say no?

Ronan Fletcher is far from the overweight, balding businessman Ophelia expected him to be. He’s young, handsome, and wealthy beyond all reason. He’s also perhaps the coldest, rudest person she’s ever met, and has a mean streak in him a mile and a half wide. A hundred grand is a lot of money, however, and if tolerating his frosty temperament, his erratic mood swings and whatever else he throws at her means she’ll get paid, then that is what Ophelia will do.

Her new boss is keeping secrets, though. Awful, terrible secrets.

The ghosts of Ronan Fletcher’s past are about to turn Ophelia’s future upside down, and she can’t even see it coming.

Note: Between Here and The Horizon is a brand new standalone contemporary romance novel from USA Today bestselling author, Callie Hart. Between Here and the Horizon does contain some scenes of violence and sexual content, and so is directed at audience 18+

AMAZON | iBOOKS

Please excuse me as I make sure my heart is no longer in pieces……
The way this story builds up is nothing but true perfection. You fall in love with each word they say to each other. Out of hatred or out of love, it doesn’t matter. You are enthralled in this journey with them wondering what the hell is really going on sometimes, as if you are missing something and just waiting for it to happen.

He was a man posseded. I was a woman lost. Together, we were two halves of something fragile and delicate, beautiful in its complexity.”

Sully & Lang:
Nothing is better than two people hating each other and avoiding each other in every way just to find themselves in each others company far to much and learning their inner workings even though they find each other insufferable….It’s seriously the BEST!!!!

Sully is pretty much the biggest jerk you will ever meet. So of course you are going to love him. You can’t help yourself. At one point I literally looked ahead to see when we was coming back into the picture because I just wanted to read about him again(NO I did NOT skip ahead, I just had to know when I could read about his hotness again!)

I needed him. I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anybody, and I couldn’t wait any longer.

Lang. Whew. I just lover her. She wasn’t anything specactular. She wasn’t the heroine that made a great impression or was submissive. She was just Lang. And all the little pieces that made her up, made her a character that was worth while! When I was reading her POV it was like we were sitting down for tea and she was just telling me her story. Lang is beautiful.

We breathed as one, our bodies mirroring each other as we finally came back into ourselves.

Words cannot express the love I now hold and cherish for this book. I find Callie Harts writing so deep that it tears me open, rips my heart out and then puts me back together. I love that she writes a story, where the people are so real that I find myself thinking about them days later wondering what they are doing and if they are fighting or fucking. It is not just about the romance. She captures my heart with the story. She wins me every time, and this book is just another explain of her expertise and skills!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, Callie Hart, Jennifer Reviews

Excerpt & Review: Tonic by Staci Hart

October 17, 2016 by Lana · 1 Comment

TONIC
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Staci Hart
Release Date: October 13, 2016

Joel Anderson doesn’t take anything seriously.

Not his relationships, which have been few and far between since his brutal divorce. Not the drama of working in a tattoo parlor, which seems to be around every corner. When things get him down, he smiles and cracks a joke. But he’s not the kind of man you cross, or you’ll find yourself at the wrong end of his fists.

Annika Belousov takes everything seriously.

Like her job as a reality television producer, given that she typically has something to prove. Or her love life, which is defined by a series of requirements — affluent, ambitious, accomplished, to name a few. Definitely her family, who worked their whole lives to afford her every opportunity, a sacrifice she doesn’t take lightly. When she’s tapped to produce a reality show at Joel’s shop, she doesn’t think twice, just goes in for the kill, as if there were any other way.

The second Annika walks into Joel’s shop, he makes it his mission to crack her open, but she’s not having it. He’s all wrong — too crass, too hairy, too un-serious. But it doesn’t take her long to find out there’s more to him than smirks and tattoos. And what she finds could put her career and his heart on the line.

Not that Joel cares. Because for the first time in a long time, he’s found his tonic.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
FREE on Kindle Unlimited

“Let me see it.”

“What?” I blustered, caught off guard.

“Stand up and turn around. I want to see it.” I was too surprised and caught up in the moment to refuse, so I stood and turned, laying my palms on the armrests as I faced the back of the chair.

One hand rested on my hip.

My heart stopped as I wondered what the hell I’d gotten myself into.

I glanced over my shoulder, my gaze bouncing between his face —turned down too much to read —and his reflection in the speckled, antique mirror, which I couldn’t see much of either. His free hand moved to the waistband of my tailored pants, and his fingers hooked and tugged, pulling the band down low.

His thumb ran over where I knew the tattoo was, and I felt his breath. Every place where we connected spoke to me of ownership.

“You got this done here? In New York?” His voice was rough.

Mine wasn’t much better. “Yeah. In Brooklyn.”

“Let me cover it up for you. Give you something you’re proud of. Your skin …” He paused, and I wished I could see his face, read his mind. “This shouldn’t be here, not on you. Let me … I want to …” He had moved closer, his hand on my hip pulling me back into him slightly enough for me to not have noticed that the backs of my thighs were touching his, my back arched just enough, his breath hot.

And then, he disappeared. I stood, finding my hands were trembling, wondering where I was and how I’d gotten there. The shop was mostly empty —no one had seen, not that it would have looked like much from the outside. But from where I stood, I felt every single deliberate move like a telegraph, telling me exactly what he wanted to do without him having to finish the sentence.

His back was to me when I turned around, his face down —I couldn’t see it in the mirror over his cabinet of ink and needles as he dug around in the drawers, seemingly for nothing in particular.

“Let me know if you want me to draw something up.”

“Okay, I will.” I paused, not knowing what else to say, feeling like I should say something. But there was nothing that I could say. “Well, have a good night, Joel. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nodded, glancing at me in the mirror. “See you, Annika.”

I tried not to bolt out of the shop, but once outside, I admit it —I took off. I hauled up the stairs and into the office to grab my bag, grateful that Laney was already gone, and I texted my driver, asking him to pick me up a few blocks away so I could walk, put some distance between me and Joel, get the energy out of my body, through my legs and feet, into the pavement.

My heart! Staci, what have you done with my heart?! And my cheeks…..I’m going to need my cheeks back because they have melted off my face with all of the smiling. I’m just a pile of goop.

…his dark skin against my white, the ink of him against the cream of me, the marked and the blank…

Staci….effing…..Hart. Where have you been all my life?! This is my first Staci Hart book, and I am never looking back. I will be purchasing this gorgeous paperback and keeping it on my bookshelf forever. This review might be a little random, but I just FEEL so GOOD after this book that I’m a little crazy right now. Staci’s words. All of Staci’s words. It’s not just the story or characters that I loved so much….it’s her words.

This book killed me….with BEAUTIFUL WORDS. I loved this so much, I literally grabbed a napkin while reading it and started writing down notes for my review.

Joel & Annika:

Joel (aka Hairy) is a tattoo artist….a hairy tattoo artist. He owns the tattoo shop, Tonic, which is getting its own reality tv show. He isn’t excited about it, but he realizes he would rather be the show on tv than the competition to get the show. When he first meets Annika…..FIRE! I LOVED the animosity between the two right away. Annika tries to give him the cold, but his fire is so hot that she cannot resist him. I’ll take a little bit of THIS and THAT.

”I’m not supposed to want you. You…you make me mad and you make me laugh and you make me crazy, and I’m not supposed to want you, but I do. What am I supposed to do? What do you want? You want me to throw away my career? How about you? Should I use you up and toss you out too? Or maybe you’ll do the same to me. I don’t know, because I don’t know you. But that hasn’t stopped me from wanting you, not since the first time I ever saw your stupid, hairy face. I hate you, and I want you, and I hate that I want you. But I do.”

Annika is the ice queen, known for her ability to scare men away with a glare, but Joel is resistant to her ice. Annika is a producer of the reality show, so she know it would not be a good idea for her to get involved with Joel. He is all hairy smirks and jokes. He knows right away that he wants Annika, wants to figure her out and break through that ice.

Her eyes finally snapped to mine, and I tried to melt her panties off with my mind.

I loved that there was low drama, despite the reality show setting. I loved loved loved all of the side characters. I cannot wait wait wait to read MORE OF STACI HART. Always more Staci Hart.
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey.

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Website

1 Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Excerpts · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, Jennifer Reviews

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