Review: ★His Lover to Protect★ by Katee Robert

Review- His Lover To ProtectHis Lover to Protect
Series: Out of Uniform #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: September 7, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

26029757-4He’s never met a challenge he couldn’t take…

Alexis Yeung did everything right….only to watch everything go horribly, horribly wrong. Broken and angry, Alexis high-tails it to Europe, determined to face the world on her own terms and without consequence. Which includes a mind-blowing night with a sexy, scarred stranger.

Except, embittered former pararescuer Luke Jackson isn’t exactly a stranger. He’s supposed to keep an eye on Alexis without her knowing. Ending up in bed together was definitely not the plan. Now he’s chasing her (admittedly hot) ass across Europe, a game of cat and mouse that always ends with the two of them tangled up in the sheets.

Something in their scarred, damaged souls calls to each other. And God help them, the sex in unbelievably hot. But if Alexis discovers who Luke really is, he’ll lose the one thing that makes him feel whole…

Buy LinksAmazon / iBooks

Review

HLtP-Dirty Girl Romance

It’s not going to be nice, and it’s not going to be sweet. If you want romance, you’ve got the wrong fucking guy.

I’ve been waiting impatiently for Alexis to get her book ever since I finished Falling for His Best Friend. I really wanted that HEA for her. It broke my heart knowing what the two Yeung sisters have been through, but Alexis in particular. Losing their mother to cancer, having the same cancer looming all of them and Alexis paid the ultimate prize with her choice. Even though her choice saved her life, it changed it irrevocably as well. Watching her sister in her pregnancy glow is the final straw that sends her to Europe to find herself. While backpacking through all the places she’s always wanted to visit she also hopes to lose herself a little too.

Luke Jackson is sent by the Ryan Flannery to keep an eye on Alexis since she took with barely a word to anyone. The broody, wounded, and grouchy former pararescuer thinks his job is to keep an eye on the entitled princess, but one chance run in and a sizzling night after later he begins to realize that Alexis is so much more then he initially though.

I really enjoyed this installment to the series, even more so than the last one. Then again I do have a weak spot for the broody and tortured heroes. Luke may have mostly physically recovered from the injury that almost cost him his life, but the emotional scars he still carries from that injury costing him the career he loved never vanished. But beneath the gruff and tatted exterior, is a wounded soul and I loved watching Alexis slowly bring him to his knees.

In usual Katee Robert fashion the sex scenes were smoking hot and Luke was no slacker on the dirty talk. I think what I enjoyed the most was the emotional connection between these two broken characters that somehow heal each other. I also loved reading about all the places they visit together. Katee did a wonderful job truly allowing the reader to experience all those sights along with the characters.

If you enjoyed the other books in this series, you’re sure to enjoy this one. An emotional and sexy read with two imperfect characters that are perfect together. I loved it!


THE REST OF THE SERIES

Launch Day Blitz & Review: ★Making A Play★ by Victoria Denault @ForeverRomance

Making-a-Play-Launch-Day-Blitz MAKING A PLAY
Series:
Hometown Players #2
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Author:
Victoria Denault
Release Date:
September 8, 2015
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Denault_Making a Play_E-Book

He’ll do whatever it takes to winon and off the ice.

Luc Richard is the hottest player in the NHL and it has nothing to do with hockey. His racy relationship with his supermodel ex set the tabloids on fire but nearly put his career on ice. To avoid being traded, Luc agrees to take a break from the spotlight and from women and spend the off-season at home in Silver Bay, Maine. It’s the perfect plan… until he reconnects with Rose.

Rose Caplan is tired of being shy, sweet, and safe. She’s ready for passion, romance and Luc. Having loved him longer than she can remember, she’s finally ready to prove she’s not the same innocent little girl he once knew. Off the ice Luc doesn’t do games, but this new Rose makes him feel like playing a little dirty. If he’s really got a shot at her heart then he’s not just playing to win. He’s playing for keeps.


Buy-Links10
Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Google Play / Kobo / BAMExcerpt

Luc is out back when we get there, positioning Adirondack chairs around the crackling firepit. The weather is slightly cool, with a strong breeze off the lake. He’s wearing a black v-neck t-shirt with a pair of beige shorts and a dark plaid shirt tied around his waist. He looks like a hipster model or lead singer for a grunge band from the 90s and as usual, it’s fucking hot.He smiles welcomingly as we all pile onto his deck, but as his eyes land on me they flare and I swear to God I see a little spark there. The smile vanishes than reappears a little softer, a little darker.

Jordan speaks, breaking the moment into dust. “So! Be a good host and get me a beer.”

“Get it yourself, bitch,” Luc snarks with a smile and Jordan gives him a playful punch on the shoulder as he walks back into the house to retrieve his beer.

He comes out with beers for everyone and we settle in around the fire and start planning. Luc takes notes on his iPad balanced on his knee. We decide which NHL players and alumni to invite, which weekend to have the event, when to put tickets on sale and what to sell them for. But with every detail that’s decided comes a bigger list of everything that needs to get done, and Luc’s sexy face starts to turn into a grimace of stress. And the one thing none of us can help him with is picking the cause.

“It has to come from you, bro,” Jordan says. “You have to pick something that really means something to you.”

He nods and I catch a glimpse of his tongue resting on his bottom lip as he thinks and I feel that hot tingle of lust between my thighs. I shift in my chair.

“I have to think about that one,” he admits and his voice is low, like it’s some kind of failure.

Jordan gets up to grab another beer and Jessie leaves to use the bathroom. I lean over from my chair and place a hand on his. “It’s okay. We can book the venue and the arena and figure out the cause after. You’ve got a little time.”

He smiles at me gratefully and then he glances down. He runs his fingers over my forearm. “You’ve got goose bumps.”

He stands up and unties the plaid shirt from his waist and then walks around my chair and drapes it across my shoulders. He rubs them gently as he places it there and leans down to whisper in my ear. “You look beautiful tonight, Fleur.”

I tip my head and gaze up at him. KISS ME! I silently beg him. Jessie comes bouncing down the deck stairs and Luc pulls away and the moment disappears into the dark night.

Still, I feel a little flutter of victory inside my heart. There was a glimmer of something in those light brown eyes that I’ve never seen directed at me before. He looked at me like I was something new he hadn’t seen before. Something special. Something desirable. I swear it’s not just wishful thinking.

After two and a half hours of planning and an hour of just goofing off we call it a night. As we drive home Jessie keeps giving me curious glances in the rear view mirror. There’s a smirk on her lips and I know she’s got something to say so when we get inside the house and Jordan heads into the living room I stop her in the kitchen. “Say it.”

“What?”

“Whatever it is you’re thinking.”

She smiles again. “I’m thinking that you’re making a play for Luc.”

I feel defiant and self-conscious at the same time and can’t seem to look her in the eye. “So? Is that bad? And… is it that obvious?”

She shakes her head, auburn hair swinging. “Not incredibly obvious but I know you and normally you’d leave the house in overalls and a sweatshirt for a night drinking beers in someone’s backyard.”

I blush, embarrassed at having my plan exposed, and she walks over and gives me a hug. “All I have to say is good for you.”

“Really?”

“Rosie, it’s now or never,” she tells me giving me a tight squeeze before pulling back and holding my by the shoulders. “You’ve finished college and you’re trying to figure out your future and I’ve known forever that you see Luc in your future. So take the shot. See if it works. If it doesn’t, then at least you can move forward without wondering.”

She walks to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water and then heads towards the living room. She stops in the archway and smiles at me encouragingly. “For the record, Rose. I think it’s going to work.”

I drop down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Oh God, I hope she’s right.

Review
4 stars
Making A Play- Dirty Girl Romance

 

Your life will be beautiful because you, Flower, are beautiful. And you will find someone who will love you for it.”

When I first read One More Shot earlier this year, I was hooked on this series. Hot hockey players, angst, and steam, what else could I possibly ask for? Now if you haven’t read One More Shot yet, I highly recommend you do, because it’ll give you a much better background on the Caplan sisters and the dynamic they have between them. While you can easily read Making A Play as a standalone, I think you’d enjoy it more reading in order. Rose is first introduced in One More Shot as the youngest Caplan sister. Admittedly she’s not exactly the type of heroine I enjoy reading about; she’s shy, introverted, a little mousy and has been pining away for her Luc Richard as long as she’s known him.

Luc Richard is a successful hockey player. He’s basically grown up around Rose since her and her sisters were like family to the Garrison family who were like his family as well. While an attraction was always there, Luc always knew that Rose was just too good for the likes of him and so he friend zoned her. Now he’s in town to lick his wounds after his ex almost cost him his career and attempt to stay away from the spotlight and the gossip column. Rosie is determined to get him out of the friend zone while Luc is just as determined to keep them solidly there.

The relationship between these two was both sexy and frustrating. There were many a time when I wanted to reach through my kindle and knock some sense into The French Disaster. I also wanted Rose to grow a bigger backbone and really stand up for herself and show some growth. She may not have been the sassy and smart mouthed woman like her sisters, but she does grow into her own and she did grow on me.

If angst isn’t your thing, this book will probably frustrate the living hell out of you because it takes a good chunk of it (if not 3/4) for Luc to finally get his head out of his ass. I personally gobbled it up like the angst whore that I am.

I loved getting more of Jessie and Jordan in this one. It was great to get that continuation of their HEA and see where they are now. Then there was Callie; the oldest and the wild one of the three sisters.

Can you please say something snarky and inappropriate because if you get all sentimental and mushy, my heart will break for the millionth time in a week.
“Does he have a big dick?”
I laugh. “Thank you.”

I’m not sure what it is about her, but I’m just so intrigued by her story. She almost comes off borderline brash at times, but I can’t help but like her. There’s just something about her that screams that she’s hiding something. And that peek into what happened between her and Devin those years ago certainly whetted my appetite for the next book.

If you’re a reader that enjoys some angst with your sports romance then you definitely need to get acquainted with this author. Was this book perfect? Not quite. I could probably nitpick a few things but at the end of it I truly enjoyed the book so why bother? I think I enjoyed book 1 a little bit more but this was still a fantastic addition. But the book I’m REALLY looking forward to is still to come. I simply can’t wait to see how THAT turns out.


THE SERIES
Denault_One More Shot_E-Book

ONE MORE SHOT (Hometown Players #1) by Victoria Denault (June 2, 2015)

They say you only get one shot at making your dreams come true.  Jordan is determined to take two.

Drafted by the NHL at eighteen, Jordan Garrison was headed for fame, and there was only one person he wanted to share it with Jessie Caplan. He was crazy in love with her, and had finally told her so. They shared an amazing night . . . and then everything fell apart.

Jessie tries not to think about the night she gave herself to Jordan-or how he broke her heart. She tries not to think about it, but she does. Especially now, when she’s staring into his sky-blue eyes for the first time in six years. After so much time and torment, she can’t tell if she loves him or hates him. But Jordan has learned enough to know a connection like theirs is rare. He was lucky to find Jessie once. No way will he lose her again.

Buy-Links10
Amazon / B&N / iBook / GooglePlay / Kobo / BAM

Denault_The Final Move_E-Book

THE FINAL MOVE (Hometown Players #3) by Victoria Denault (December 8, 2015)

Hockey legend Devin Garrison thought he blew his shot. But his relationship with Callie Caplan just went into overtime.
Sexy, rich, and one of the biggest stars in the NHL, Devin Garrison has always been the one who had it all. That is until his marriage falls apart and he realizes he has to start over. If he’s honest, there has only been one woman who ever really excited him—Callie Caplan. They shared a night that was hotter than the late-summer sun, but in an instant Callie was gone, pretending it never happened.

Callie Caplan isn’t the wild child people think she is. It’s true she’s avoided relationships, but only because she’s seen how crazy love can be. And her messy, imperfect life is crazy enough without opening her heart to a man—even one as picture perfect as Devin. But when fate brings them back together—just as they need each other most—Devin is determined to convince Callie that what she’s feeling is real. And this final play may be their chance at forever…


About the Author

Victoria Denault loves long walks on the beach, cinnamon dolce lattes and writing angst-filled romance. She lives in LA but grew up in Montreal, which is why she is fluent in English, French and hockey.

New Release, Excerpt & Review: ★Hollywood Dirt★ by Alessandra Torre

HD- Release blitz Hollywood Dirt
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alessandra Torre
Release Date: September 7, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

HD EBOOK

Cole Masten. Abandoned by his superstar wife, Hollywood’s Perfect Husband is now Hollywood’s Sexiest Bachelor: partying hard and screwing even harder. Watch out Los Angeles, there’s a new bad boy in town.

Summer Jenkins. That’s me, a small town girl stuck in Quincy, Georgia. I cook some mean chicken and dumplins, can bluff a grown man out of his savings in poker, and was voted Most Friendly my senior year.

We were from different worlds. Our lives shouldn’t have collided. But then Cole Masten read a book about my small town. And six months later, his jet landed on our dusty airstrip, and he brought Hollywood with him.

From the start, I knew he was trouble. For our town. And for me.

Sometimes, opposites just aren’t meant to attract.

Stand-alone Contemporary Romance

Buy LinksAmazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU / B&N / iBooks / KOBO 

Excerpt

When the door to the production trailer burst open, it brought with it a wave of heat and beauty. Cole looked up from the storyboards and locked eyes with Summer, who blew across the room at him like a tornado on tilt.“There’s no love story between Ida and Royce.” Summer snapped, throwing down the script, pages fluttering down between them. In the small trailer, conversations stalled and he could feel the attention turn their way. “I’ve read the book. Three times!”

It was good to know that someone had read the damn book. Cole glanced down at her temper tantrum of a mess and back up, raising his eyebrows mildly. “It’s a movie,” he said, turning back to the storyboards. “The writers are adding some excitement. It’s normal. You’d know that if you were in this business.” The dig was unnecessary but he couldn’t help it. This woman turned him into the devil.

“I read the first script. The one you sent over with my contract. Ida and Royce hated each other. Why would Royce…” she snatched up a page from the ground and read out a line. “pushes Ida against the file cabinet and kisses her passionately.” She balled up the page and threw it down to the ground and he could see, in her eyes, the panic. Panic. An unexpected reaction.

“We’ll use that,” Don made the dangerous move of stepping in, putting a soft hand on her shoulder. “You don’t understand. The passion from their hatred will make it hotter.”

“No.” Summer said, her face hard, her eyes on Cole. “It doesn’t make it hotter. It makes it stupid.”

“Aww… come on, Summer.” Cole chided, stepping closer, his hand reaching out to pull at her wrist. She fought him, yanking it back and the moment of their bodies meeting didn’t happen. He leaned down and whispered, right against her ear, the smell of her apple-scented lotion enough to make him want to empty out the production trailer right that moment. “Sure it does.”

She jerked back and twisted away. “If he kisses me on camera I’m going to lose it.” She shot at Don, pointing an accusatory finger in Cole’s direction.

“I know you will,” Cole laughed, crossing his arms to fight from reaching out. “You’ll fall apart under my mouth, baby.”

Summer screamed in response, her hands thrown up in frustration, and spun to leave, her script left behind, the slam of the exit door loud in the full production trailer.

“That went well,” Cole mused. He linked his hands and rested them on his head, rolling his shoulders back. Panic. She’d had panic in her eyes. Fuck.

“What do you expect?” Don said. “You threw this on her without warning. I told you we should have met with her this morning, gone over the changes to prepare her. But no – you just wanted to dump it on her via call sheets and sides.”

“Dump it on her? I was People’s Sexiest Man last year. She’s not mentally adjusting to a war camp for God’s sake. How hard is it to kiss me?”

“It’s actually three kisses,” a dark-haired PA to his left pointed out. “And a grope.”

He gave her a hard look and she withered a little.

“I’ll go talk to her,” Don said. “Eileen, you shoot #4 and I’ll talk to Summer. I want to try to get #14 shot at eleven so let’s get our asses in gear and get this done.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Cole stepped in. “You shoot #4 and I’ll talk to her.”

“No,” Don snapped. “With my luck you two would make up and any authenticity to the scene would disappear. Just stay away from her and be ready at eleven.”

Cole chewed on his cheek, then nodded. “Fine.” Don was right. He should stay away from her. Far. Far away.

KISS SUMMER


Want to read the first pages of Hollywood Dirt?

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Review4 starsHollywood Dirt- Dirty Girl Romance

 

Now I knew why they said you FELL in love. I plummeted with no parachute, and hoped like hell he would catch me when I hit the bottom.

Have you ever read a romance novel and it was like a movie reel in your head? Like you could actually imagine the actors playing out every line? Picture the town and it’s residents exactly as they’re being described? Actually notice absolutely every single minute detail inside your mind? That’s what Hollywood Dirt was for me. At times I felt like I was reading a movie script more so than a book. At first I thought that maybe that’s not really a good thing since it was a slower pace than what I’m used to. But after taking some time to think about it, I can say that it was refreshingly different. If you’ve read any of the other books by this author, Hollywood Dirt is nothing like them. There’s no crazy twists, it’s certainly not as erotic as her other books have been, and it’s not evocative. It’s a light, feel good, pure contemporary romance about a country girl and a hollywood star. An unlikely one, but still a romance that will capture your heart.

For him, flirtation was nothing, a country girl finding him attractive normal. For me? Falling for the unattainable Cole Masten might just break all of my bones upon impact.

HD teaser- Dirty Girl RomanceDon’t except a quick paced story here, the romance between Cole and Summer is very much a slow burn, and it wouldn’t be fitting any other way. They’re from two different worlds and they see themselves in two different places entirely in the future, but chance and circumstance brings them together and what starts off as pure snark with hate soon begins to show the undercurrent of unadulterated lust that slowly begins to evolve into something much deeper.

Jesus, Summer. I want to taste you so badly…
I want to flip you over and bury my face between your legs and fuck you with my mouth. I want to make you scream my name and come underneath my mouth and taste the moment you fall apart for me.

Cole is coming off of a bitter divorce and putting everything he has into the movie that he’s now bankrolling. When he comes to the small southern town and meets Summer, he knows there’s no one better suited to play the main role of Ida than her. Summer is hoping to take the money she earns from the movie and finally put the town she grew up in and the memory of her mistakes made in it 3 years ago behind her. But when she begins to see the man beneath the hollywood layers, she sees there’s much more to Cole than first meets the eye and she begins to fall for him.

In that moment, that push, I lost every hold I had on myself and became his.

Fans of Alessandra’s Innocence series will get a VERY big surprise in this book in the form of Brad DeLuca. He plays a fairly big secondary role and man oh man but I loved his unexpected cameo. He’s still as intense and overpowering as ever and it only added to the enjoyment of it. But for me, it was always all about Cole. There was just something so endearing and…real…about him.

Summer was a different heroine from anything I’ve read from Alessandra in the past, and while she has her faults and hang ups this is still a woman that knows her worth and stands up for it.
HD teaser 2- Dirty Girl Romance

It was beautiful, fucking heaven, his hands tight on my ass, his pumps fast and quick and barely controlled, the perfect, rapid rhythm pushing me to a place I had never been from just sex, a completion that took me by surprise and caused my body to tighten, my breath to gasp out, my fingers to dig into the mattress, and my world broke, around his heaven and to my hell.

Honestly, I struggled a little going into it simply because it wasn’t quite what I had expected. It’s slow paced, but the pace was perfect for the book and the story. Upon thinking about it, it really was perfectly suited for this story. It was different but lovely. If you’re looking for a light and feel good contemporary romance, this is a book you should definitely try. Alessandra Torre is an incredibly talented writer, and this book shows how multi-faceted she is. She can pull off different genres and it truly translates. Each of her books has been different in their own right, and this one is no different. While different from the rest, I think that’s what I enjoyed the most about it. There was nothing crazy, no silly drama or overdrawn angst. Just two imperfect characters finding a perfect love together.

 

About the Author

AT headshot - red dress

Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of ten novels. Her books focus on romance and suspense, all with a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, co-hosted Dirty Sexy Funny with Jenny McCarthy, as well as guest blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

You can learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com, or you can find her on Twitter (@ReadAlessandra) or Facebook.

 

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Hold On★ by @KristenAshley68

HOLD ON BlogTour Graphic Hold On
Series: The ‘Burg #6
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Ashley
Release Date: September 1, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

25664796-3

Since she was young, Cher Rivers knew she was not the kind of girl who got what she wanted. A girl who could hope. A girl who could dream. She knew a happily ever after just wasn’t in the cards for her.

In love for years with the last bastion of the ‘burg’s eligible bachelors, Garrett Merrick, Cher worked hard at making him laugh. Being one of the guys. Having him in her life the only way she could. All this knowing he was in love with another woman.

The Merrick Family is known for loving deep. So when Cecelia Merrick was murdered, it marked the Merricks in a way none of them recovered. Both Cecelia’s children found love. Both turned their backs on it. But Garrett “Merry” Merrick knew in his soul the woman he divorced years ago was the one for him.

Until the night when Cher took Garrett’s back and things changed. The Merrick family loves deep. They also protect fiercely. And with his eyes finally open, Garrett sees the woman who truly is for him and he goes after her.

Buy-Links10 Amazon / B&N / iBooks

Excerpt

Through this, my leg hit an end table and I adjusted. We cleared the couch, I shifted again too soon, both my calves hit the coffee table, and my ass went down on it.

I looked up. Cell flat to the table, I braced my hands to push up, but Merry was there, chin in his throat, eyes on me, and when he spoke again, his mind was clearly on my location.

“Tried to get your mouth on me more than once when we tore at each other up last Friday, but I was in the mood to use mine. Lookin’ forward to learnin’ what you can do with yours, but like I said, baby, right now, don’t got the time.”

My only response that he couldn’t twist was to glare at him, which was what I did.

“But got time before I go for a kiss,” Merry informed me.

“Only kiss I’ll give you is tellin’ you to kiss off,” I informed him.

“Who knew warm brown eyes like the ones you got could spark that kind of fire,” he muttered as if he wasn’t even talking to me.

“Step back,” I demanded.

“No,” he denied.

I continued to glare up at him, then I realized I was not the kind of woman who sat on her ass, glaring up at a man towering over her and pinning her in. So I stood, which put me smack in Merry’s space, my breasts brushing against his abs and up his chest on my way.

They kept brushing when he didn’t move back, but I didn’t attempt escape, even to get away from the shafts of electricity this all caused at my nipples, shafts that headed south.

I glared at him from closer.

He stared into my eyes, his gaze moving down to my mouth then back up as one side of his lips curved.

He was getting off on this.

I didn’t get that and I didn’t want to get that.

I wanted this done.

“In the mood to play, Officer?” I whispered.

“Told you, sweetheart, don’t got the time.”

I shook my head but held his gaze. “Not what I mean. Single mom, all alone. Switch out her storms. Offer info to help her out of a jam. Been a while since I was in the know about these things, so tell me, what’s the price for all that? You mentioned a blowjob. You got stamina, but I got talent. Balance that out, I’m thinkin’ it’ll take more than the usual ten, fifteen minutes. We’ll give it twenty. So I can manage my time, is there more?”

I wasn’t even done talking before I learned his eyes could spark fire too.

I also learned he was in the mood to play, that being, playing me at my own game.

And doing it better.

He dipped his face close, his voice low. “Storms get me the blowjob, brown eyes. I get the intel you need, that buys me sinkin’ deep in wet pussy.”

I felt my nipples get harder at the same time something else happened to me that, if he was of a mind to take his payoff right then, he’d get what he wanted.

I hid this reaction and asked, “You want this all in one go, or you wanna spread payback out for a while?”

“Keep plenty of time open, Cher. I intend to earn a fuckuva lot more and draw it out collecting.”

I nodded, still keeping a lock on his eyes. “I get it. Girl like me, only payback expected for me to be able to give.”

That didn’t get me fire.

That got me ice.

“I hear you talk down about yourself one more time, Cher, shit will get extreme.”

That made me ice over.

“Do not hand me that crap, Merry. You come into my home and got no problem talkin’ about wet pussy right to my face tells me the woman you know me to be.”

He dipped his face even closer, to the point it felt like if I blinked, my lashes would sweep his in a butterfly kiss.

“Do not hand me your shit, Cher,” he growled. “That hang-up is yours, not mine. And how I know that is I made you come just finger fuckin’ you and talkin’ dirty in your ear, and it was the talk and not what my fingers were doin’ that took you there. I like that, a woman who can let go and let me give her that without gettin’ uptight and closin’ down on me. You liked it too, a fuckuva lot more than me. So don’t stand there handin’ me your shit when I know you’re wet for me now and I haven’t fuckin’ touched you.”

I refused to reply to that because he was right and I had no intention of confirming that information.

But it was then he hit me with a verbal blow, the intensity of which, not in my whole shitty-ass life I’d ever received.

“Christ, if I didn’t know you were worth it, I’d walk out the door and this would be done—all we got, over.”

I could stand.

I could stare.

But I couldn’t breathe.

Merry could.

He could also speak.

“Hope like fuck no one takes off with those storms while I’m gone. You think they will, move ’em into garage and leave the key under the mat. I’m switchin’ ’em out, Cher. I come back tonight and they’re done, I’ll find you, and I won’t be collectin’. I’ll be dishin’ it out, but you won’t get it until you beg for it and do that shit for a really long time.”

His words were lost on me.

I continued to stand.

I continued to stare.

But my lungs had started burning.

If I didn’t know you were worth it…

“When’s Ethan’s next sleepover?” Merry bit out.

“Friday,” I whispered. “But his friend’s comin’ here.”

“Fuck,” Merry clipped. “Find a time, babe. You don’t, payback’ll stack up and I’ll have to take personal days and hole up in a hotel with you for a week. And there’s not a doubt that stick-up-her-ass church lady your ex tied his shit to won’t appreciate you bein’ gone from your kid for a weeklong fuckathon.”

That was kind of funny as well as hot.

I still said nothing.

Merry fell silent and stared at me.

Then he dealt the second biggest verbal blow I’d ever received in my life.

“Christ, you’re pretty, even standin’ there plotting my murder.”

After that, he lifted a hand, grabbed me gentle but firm at my neck, yanked me up so my mouth hit his hard but brief, then he let me go.

“Later, babe,” he said, strolling to my door. He stopped in it, turned to me, and bid his farewell by saying, “You touch those storms only to put them in the garage.”

He closed the door on that.

I stood where he left me.

If I didn’t know you were worth it…

What was I worth?

What was I worth to Merry?

Review5 starsHold On-Burg 6- DirtyGirlRomance

It happens. For people like us, baby. It happens, eventually. Just as long as we hold on.

What an incredibly bittersweet book this was for me to read. I first discovered this amazing series back in 2012 when I read For You. And I’ve been wanting and slowly dying for Merry’s book ever since. He’s been through a hell of a lot throughout the entire series and all of it finally truly coming to a head in Golden Trail. I had always assumed when I read those books that he would end up with his ex, but after finishing Hold On, I can’t be happier with the direction that the fabulous Kristen Ashley took it. I adored absolutely every single page.
Hold On teaser2- Dirty Girl RomanceNow if you’ve read the entire series, I’m sure there one huge question on your minds which I’d like to answer for you right now. Yes, Cher’s boobs are indeed real. Alright then. Moving on…

The only thing I know is, what’s at the end of the road we’re on is unknown. Along the way, I break through that fortress you’ve built around you and manage to extract your head from your ass, it’ll be worth the trip.

If there’s one thing I learned is that expectations are the bane of my existence. i built them up so high for some characters, only to be let down. But I can honestly tell you that Merry was everything I had hoped he would be and so much more. As a matter of fact, I’d go so far as to say that he’s not my second favorite in this series right after Joe. That’s high praise, people, because it simply doesn’t get any better than Joe. I loved everything about this man; his stubbornness, his protectiveness, his possessiveness, and his all around KA alpha male-ness. *swoon*

The romance between him and Cher is a slow build filled with plenty of bumps along the way, but when both the MCs are as endearing as these two, I didn’t even mind the bumps. Sure they have their moments where you want to knock some sense into them, but at the same time they stay true to themselves so it’s hard to judge.

Cher is one of those KA heroines that was impossible not to like. To be honest, I didn’t feel one way or another for her throughout the series. I wasn’t sure what to make of her. She’s a wild child and I was almost afraid she’d be borderline brash in her own book, but that was simply not the case. Kristen Ashley managed to endear her to readers so completely, you can’t imagine not liking her. She’s an amazing mother and while she has her hangups with men for very good reasons, she’s not a doormat. This is a woman that has her own breed of strength and she uses it to go to bat for her family. I loved that about her. I also loved how vulnerable she was when it came to Merry.
Hold On teaser- Dirty Girl RomanceBeing a victim of that psycho Danny, she certainly has her demons and emotional scars a’plenty. That doesn’t simply disappear when her and Merry get together. But watching her heal Merry’s wounds for him in turn to heal hers was easily one of my favorite things about this book.

Need you to get this, Cher. I wanna kiss you. But right now, I wanna kiss you because you’re standin’ in my arms, lookin’ up at me the way you’re lookin’ up at me. I definitely wanna kiss the girl who loves to make me laugh. And I wanna kiss the girl who put that dress on for me. I also wanna kiss you because after I kiss you, I’m gonna take you to my bed and I’m gonna fuck you. But you need to know, in this instant, I wanna kiss you because you’re the girl you are right now, the way you are right now, lookin’ up at me.”

You know how I was sure I had a 5 star read on my hands? I didn’t skim even one page. Not. A. One. Not any of the descriptions of the clothes, the furniture, the rooms, the clouds in the sky, nothing. I was enthralled in the characters and their romance from beginning to end and absolutely devoured every page.

I cannot picture a better book to end this amazing series with. If you were slightly disappointed with Frankie and Benny’s book like I was, this book will more than make up for it. Trust me. If you’re thinking of reading this as a standalone, don’t. I mean, you can definitely do so, but you’ll be missing out on the development of both these characters’ stories and why would you want to do that anyway?

That brings me to my final point: The epilogue. Hands down. Bar none. THE best epilogue KA has ever written. Period. And I’ve read practically her entire backlist so me saying that says a lot. I cried like a lunatic. Tears of joy. It was so incredibly perfect. Beautiful. Emotional. Ugh. Just…GAH. The most wonderful way to close the final pages on the characters I’ve slowly fallen in love with through the years. It was that perfect cherry on top and I simply adored it.


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#NewRelease, Excerpt & Review: ★Stripped Down★ by @loreleijames

STRIPPED DOWN RDL bannerSTRIPPED DOWN is a Blacktop Cowboys Series Novella brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. add-to-goodreads-button3

STRIPPED DOWN - cover

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lorelei James, a new steamy story of the Blacktop Cowboys…

Never challenge a cowboy to a little naughty competition…

A flirty game of sexual truth or dare between best man, Wynton Grant, and maid of honor, Melissa Lockhart during their BFF’s wedding reception results in a steamy hookup.

But their plans for a one and done change when a family crisis leaves Wyn shorthanded at the Grant Ranch. Experienced horsewoman Mel volunteers to help out and gets way more than she bargained for living under the same roof as the sexy rancher. Playing house has never appealed to Wyn…until now.

But the feisty redhead is keeping secrets and Wyn’s not above stripping her bare—body and soul—to get to the bottom of it…

Buy-Links10Amazon eBook / Amazon PaperbackSTRIPPED DOWN - Teaser - RDL

Excerpt

Mel, you are in deep with this man and you’ve known him less than half a day.

She watched Wynton Grant amble off. And she couldn’t help but notice other women sizing up the rancher hottie too.

From the moment she’d set eyes on him she had that overwhelming punch of want—a feeling that happened to her so rarely lately. So seeing the identical look of lust sizzling in his eyes? The balls to the wall woman of action who’d been in hiding for the past six months had awakened with one thing on her mind.

Sex.

Lots of it.

Hot and dirty sex.

Fast sex.

Slow sex.

And it turned out the very sexy best man was more than happy to oblige.

This was turning out to be the best wedding ever.

The object of her lust stopped to speak to an older woman, giving Mel ample opportunity to study him. The man had it going on. His shoulders were so broad that he blocked the view of the woman entirely. Pity he hadn’t taken off his western cut suit coat so she could check out his ass; she’d bet his buns were grade A prime beef too. Not only did he have a big physical presence, he carried himself with confidence. He had an easy smile—which was a sexy-as-his wicked grin. From the back she noticed his dark hair brushed his collar and held more than a little curl. The groom and groomsmen had removed their cowboy hats as soon as the wedding pictures were done. As much as she appreciated a man in a hat, Wynton looked better without it.

Hands landed on the back of Mel’s chair and a soft rustle of fabric tickled her neck.

“Staring at him that intently won’t make his clothes disappear,” London murmured in her ear.

“That obvious?”

“Yes. But if it helps, my brother-in-law is staring back at you the same way.”

“Then maybe I’ll get lucky on your wedding night too, Mrs. Grant.”

Review4 starsStripped Down -Dirty Girl Romance

…call me Mel.”
“Mel? Nope. Sorry. No can do.”
“Why not?”
“Mel is the name of a line cook. Saying, ‘Suck harder, Mel,’ or ‘Bend over, Mel,’ brings totally different images to my mind than I’m gonna fuck you through the wall, Melissa.”

Can you get a highly satisfying and enjoyable steamy romance in just a short 120 pages? In the case of this book; also-fucking-lutely. There’s a reason I’ve read practically every book in Lorelei’s backlist and this book is the perfect example why. It’s wonderfully smutty but with a great story and fantastic characters. I love this author’s dirty talking cowboys, and Wynton Grant was utter perfection.

If you haven’t read the rest of the Blacktop Cowboys series, I highly recommend you do simply because it’s fantastic. But if you’re thinking of starting with this one to get a taste for it, you can easily do that to since it does read well as a standalone. So what does this book have?

1. An awesome heroine that owns her sexuality and isn’t ashamed of her sexual history. This is a woman that enjoys sex for sex’s sake. How amazingly refreshing and rare to find in most romances these days. I loved Melissa. She’s certainly no blushing virgin, but she was never brash. She was such a fun heroine to read about.

2. A hot as sin cowboy. pervy swoon. Gawd but I loved him.

3. Super hot cowboy lovin’. No one writes the sexy times quite like Lorelei James and you’ll get no complaints from this pervert reader.

4. A great story. In just a few pages the author managed to pack in a great story. It wasn’t just sex and I loved all the secondary characters. Dare I hope that we’ll soon be getting a book for Sres and Mick? *waggles brows*

In short, I love it. If you’re a fan of this author, this is a no-brainer must read. And if you haven’t discovered her yet, this is the perfect book to start with. Short, sexy, and fun. What else can you possibly ask for?


About the Author

Lorelei James

Lorelei James is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary erotic western romances set in the modern day Wild West and also contemporary erotic romances.

Lorelei’s books have been nominated for and won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s choice Award, as well as the CAPA Award. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota with her family…and a whole closet full of cow girl boots.

Website / Twitter / FacebookGoodreads

 

 

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Thick Love★ by @EdenButler_

Title: Thick Love
Series: Thin Love #2
Author: Eden Butler
Genre: NA | Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 31, 2015
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THICK_LOVE_COVER

 

He doesn’t ask their names.
He doesn’t
 deserve to know them.

Ransom Riley Hale’s friends think his life is charmed: first string as a freshman on a championship-winning college football team. A father with two Super Bowl rings. A mother with platinum albums and multiple Grammies under her belt. But that brilliant shine on the surface hides the darkness beneath; it’s all Ransom has ever known.

Despite the shadows he walked in, once there was a blinding light fracturing the darkness. It brought the promise of hope and happiness. He’d been careless, filled with pride and stupidity and lost that light. Ripped it from the world.

Now, the shadows are dimming again. Aly King surges into his life threatening to pull him from the darkness. She is everything Ransom can never be again. Her light feels too warm, promises him that there is more waiting for him beyond the shadows.

But the shadows are relentless, resurfacing when he thinks he is safe, and Ransom knows he must keep Aly from them too before he pulls her down into the darkness with him.

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TL Teaser #3Excerpt

“Dance with me,” I said. He only stared up at me blankly.“I don’t feel like practicing.”

“I’m not asking you to practice. I’m asking you to dance.”

Ransom’s body stiffened when I picked up his hand, but he didn’t fight me. “Just be here with me. Me and you and the music.”

We came together in the center of my living room with that slow, soothing music wrapping around us. There was no Kizomba, no prequel to a seduction we both wanted to avoid. There was just Ransom bending low, arms around me, hand taking mine to hold against his chest. After a few seconds, the tension lessened, and his body did not feel as rigid. It felt peaceful, and safe, and simple—just two people, holding each other, swaying to the music.

His mouth hovered near my forehead and as we moved together with no form or practiced steps, Ransom’s grip on my waist got tighter. “I wish I could breathe again. I want that so bad.” The words were whispered, low.

I closed my eyes, reminding myself that I couldn’t touch him.

“Ransom. You can.”

He looked down at me and right then I saw just how lost he was. This realization didn’t come from flippant comments he made to me or desperate excuses I overheard him make. It was all there right in his eyes—the loneliness, the pain, as though each mistake he’d made was etched into the rise of his cheekbones and the worried, faint lines on his forehead. He was still drifting; he had been drifting for so damn long.

The pain in his eyes drew me in. There was nothing I could say that would make his hurt lessen. There was nothing that would take him from the lingering sorrow he’d created for himself. So I didn’t speak, didn’t give him advice I knew he’d never take. I just watched Ransom’s eyes, and felt the slow way he moved. And then with my hand on the back of his neck, I pulled his face towards me, I took his lips, kissing him, pouring into that kiss everything I’d held back from him since we first met.

This is who I am. This is what I want. That voice came from someplace hidden and secret inside me.

It was minutes, minutes of nothing but my mouth on his, nothing but two people finding solace in each other, before I realized I’d messed up.

He didn’t seem to want me to pull away, but didn’t stop me when I did. Shaking my head, I smoothed the collar on his shirt, unable to look at him. “I’m…modi, Ransom, I’m sorry.”

Ransom pulled my chin up and smoothed his thumb over my cheek, down the slope of my chin before he returned his attention to my eyes. “I don’t think I am.”

It was a moment I thought I’d always wanted. Him looking at me like I was real, like he saw me, finally saw me. I’d seen that look once before, just as Ransom whispered my name and kissed me over and over the first time. It wasn’t the look of someone hopeless. It was open and raw and I realized right then that I’d give anything for Ransom to never stop looking at me.

But this was against our rules. This wasn’t how we were supposed to be. I took his hand, thought of pulling it away from my face but didn’t have the strength, liked how it felt on my face too much. “Friends don’t kiss, Ransom.”

A small nod, and his eyes narrowed. His grip around me tightened. The music around us swelled. “No, they don’t,” he said, still touching my face, inching closer and I knew, right then, he was definitely not my friend.

 Review4 starsThick Love-Dirty Girl Romance

Thick love is best. Thick love is…it’s when you KNOW.”
“It’s when you know what?”
“It’s when you know you’ve found the one that can pick up the pieces when you let your heart get broken.

Before I get to my review, let me get a few things out of the way with first.

(1) If a hero that you will want to strangle, then run over with your car, then back him the fuck over for good measure, then rush to him to fix all his boos boos because you can’t help but still love him in spite of everything doesn’t appeal; this book isn’t for you.
(2) If a hero being with other women (in explicit detail) before he meets the heroine isn’t something you can look past; this book isn’t for you.
(3) If angst that’s so THICK it’s borderline rage inducing sounds like it would cause you to stroke out; this book isn’t for you.

Eden Butler took a subject matter that is almost impossible to pull off and yet she did, and she did it effortlessly. Here’s the thing, it’s not often you’ll read about a first love lost where that love isn’t undermined in some way. Ransom never once devalues it and mourns it with his entire heart and soul. On the other hand, Aly never felt like his consolation prize. This, I believe, is the hardest to pull off. Aly was quite possibly my favorite part about this book. She’s not perfect and yet she has this undercurrent of strength. She wants to heal Ransom, but she’s no doormat.

In front of him, hidden behind that mask, the music, the sensation conjured by the dance, the rhythm of that melody ripped away my reason. It was an echo of who I was, one that I’d never let anyone see but who nevertheless lurked below my carefully controlled exterior.

I think that covers most bases here, so let’s get onto the review. Ever since I read Thin Love, I have been impatiently waiting for Ransom to get his book. I knew his story wasn’t going to be any easier than Keira and Kona’s, albeit in a much different way. I’ve been agonizing over my rating for a couple days now and I finally settled on one and I’ll explain it later in the review.
Thick Love teaser2-Dirty Girl RomanceNow look, I can sit here and pick apart every single one of Ransom’s stupid decisions, but at the end of the day I have to remind myself that I’m reading about someone that’s only 18 years old. Someone that’s dealing with a loss and guilt that he’s ill equipped to deal with properly at his young age. This is someone that punishes himself in hopes of atonement that he doesn’t think he deserves. He’s not an easy character to get, but for me, he was still easy to love. Sure, there are moments in this book that will make you want to reach through your kindle and cockpunch him so hard that he finally sees reason. But what’s a good redemption without some pain in the meantime?

She had some kind of effect on me that I didn’t understand. When I was near her, close to her, I forgot that she wasn’t my type. I forgot that I didn’t want her. I forgot that I didn’t deserve her.

The first half of the book is very much a slow burn, but it never drags. The angst and emotions truly have you riveted to the pages, it certainly did for me. My heart broke for Ransom and yet in the same breath I wanted to curse him to hell and back for his behavior. It was frustrating, it was maddening, it was disturbingly enrapturing.

With every note, Ransom poured whatever he kept to himself, all the things he would not say to the world into each strum.

I don’t want to give much away about the book because it’s just one of those things you need to experience for yourself. What I can say is I loved the route that Eden took with book and I was shocked as shit about it that I was. See, here’s the thing, I HATE a drawn out story that I think could have ended in one book. Cliffhangers drive me to drink and induce near homicidal thoughts when I finish reading it. Thick Love is part 1 of 2 books, and you know what? It’s best that way. This book was not about the epic love between Aly and Ransom. It was more about Ransom coming to terms with his guilt, healing his heart, and learning to move on. Both these characters have a lot of growing to do still and there’s no way this book would have been the same had it been all crammed into one book.

What’s the difference between past and present? It isn’t just time. It isn’t that memory haunts, that it can cripple. It’s the WAY we remember that marks the change.

As much as the bumps on the road to Aly and Ransom’s relationship drove me out of my ever loving mind, it also made me feel. This entire book, everything about it will do one thing, guaranteed; evoke emotion. Whether that be rage, tears, it will make you feel.

I’m not the bad boy who needs saving, Aly.”
“Non, cheri…
You’re a good man who needs to forgive himself.”

Thick Love teaser 2- Dirty Girl RomanceThe book was a solid five stars for me…until that damn epilogue. I’m not going to lie, my initial reaction was wanting to chuck my damn kindle out the nearest window than stomp to a corner and scream in rage. I felt like in just one short chapter, that epilogue managed to undermine the entire book and experiences that Ransom and Aly went through. But then I had some time to think about it…and think about it…and think about it some more.

What you do to my body, to the noise in my head, it makes me feel again. I can’t NOT feel what you do to me.”

He made music with his body, demanding I surrender. He kissed me like someone who always reached for something to hold onto and only ever got something that made him spin further out of control.

And I’ve managed to calm my tits about it…mostly. It helps knowing that this was a story meant to be told in 2 parts. There’s really no way around it. Most of the time you can see when an author throws a twist at you just for the sake of stretching out the story, and that’s not what I got here. Even Ransom himself said their love wasn’t epic….yet. So the bar is certainly set pretty high for the next book, that’s for sure. And while I still think that the story could have done without that epilogue and maybe leave it for the beginning of next one, I also have a feeling that there’s a reason to Eden’s madness. I also think there’s a lot more than what meets the eye and the roller coaster is still to come. While I can’t lie and say that the epilogue didn’t dour my enjoyment of the book slightly, I’m not going to judge it on that and I reserve the right to go back and change my rating to this book once I read the next one. I’m holding on to my judgment until I read the next book and confirm that what it seemed to be is truly what is was.

It’s okay to let someone love you.”
“I don’t deserve it.”
“I’m still gonna love you anyway.”

You may wonder if this book is as good as Thin Love and the answer is no. Not because it wasn’t but because it WASN’T Thin Love. Ransom’s story is different from Kona’s and so it’s impossible to compare. While it may not work for everyone, this angst whore enjoyed the hell out of it. I may have had a slight urge to stalk Eden down after that ending and demand answers, but I’ll attempt to be patient and see what the next book brings. And by that I mean I’ll give the woman 3 months and then I’m coming at her ass for answers LOL!

About the Author

 

Eden Butler Pic

Eden Butler is an editor and writer of New Adult Romance and SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-times great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. Her debut novel, a New Adult, Contemporary (no cliffie) Romance, “Chasing Serenity” launched in October 2013 and quickly became an Amazon bestseller.

When she’s not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden edits, reads and spends way too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football.

She is currently imprisoned under teenage rule alongside her husband in southeast Louisiana.

Please send help. 

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FOLLOW THE THICK LOVE BLOG TOUR

GiveawayEden is offering up the following prizes. The giveaway ends Sept 8th at 11:59 PM CST.

  • (1) $20 gift card (Amazon or B&N) (Intl)
  • (1) Signed set of Thin Love series (US only)
  • (1) eBook set of Thin Love series (Intl)

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Review, Author Interview & #Giveaway: ★Sustained★ by @EmmaChse

Spotlight Sustained

If you follow me on social media, then you may have already seen me gushing and raving about Jake and this absolutely FABULOUS book. Whenever I need sexy romance and laugh out loud scenes, Emma Chase is my go-to and she hasn’t let me down yet. But this book? Oh I think I may have my favorite one by her yet with Sustained. Drew from Tangled may be my number one still, but Jake Becker is now standing right there alongside with him. If this book isn’t on your TBRs, it NEEDS to be. Trust me on this. You’ll thank me for it after 😉

I’m super excited to have the awesome Emma Chase on the blog today answering all my (intrusive) but still totally fun questions. And don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of the post to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a paperback copy of Sustained (US/CAN residents)


About The Book SUSTAINED
Series: Legal Briefs #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: August 25, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

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Emma Chase, New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled series, returns with the second installment of the Legal Briefs series!

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.

Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will get you off. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.

Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy & Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and am knee deep in a damn compost pit.

Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, and defend her…and the kids.

And that—that, I know how to do.

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Emma Chase interview

DGR: Can we start out with having you introduce yourself?
 
EC:  Hi, I’m Emma Chase, author of the Tangled Series and the Legal Briefs Series. I live in New Jersey with my highly entertaining husband, two brilliant kids and two badly behaving dogs, whom I love to the moon and back (all of them – not just the dogs). 
DGR: You have written some of my favorite male POV books, hands down. How are you able to channel the male perspective as well as you do?
EC: Thank you! Growing up with a rowdy, raunchy group of boys as my best friends probably had a lot to do with it. Their voices, all their opinions and advice are definitely running around in my head. But there’s also a freedom for me, in writing from the male POV. And I think that’s because my guy characters have such confidence – so much swagger – that they believe pretty much no matter what they say or do, readers are going to love them anyway. So in their voices, there’s no self-doubt, very little indecision. That makes for some very fun writing.
DGR: Let’s talk Sustained. I don’t know if you remember, but I met you at a Vegas signing (I was the chatty redhead LOL). And when you talked about Sustained with the passion that you had for it, I swear right then and there that was going to be my next read. Clearly this book holds a special place in your heart, can you tell us about it?
EC:  Yes – I actually do remember you! Sustained is definitely very special to me – for a few reasons. There’s something so heartwarming about Jake and Chelsea, an amazing mix of strength and vulnerability – it’s beautiful to see their journey, to watch them find their place with each other. And the kids are just so fun and entertaining – I knew even before I wrote it that much of the humor would come from the kids (my own children are two of the funniest people I know). 
I think another reason Sustained is so dear to me, if I’m being honest, is, for a long time I never thought I’d be able to write something as special as Tangled. I’ve loved all my stories, but there was something different and so entertaining about that first book. And I was okay with it possibly being the best thing I’d ever write. But then Sustained came along and though they are different stories – it has that same special quality to it – that same feeling of a book that will make readers really happy and characters that will stay with them in the best kind of way long after they finish.
It’s rewarding to read reviews that feel this is my best work – to know that I’m improving in my craft and able to give readers fun, sexy stories that are just as good as the book that made them start reading my work in the first place.  
DGR:  What was your favorite part about writing Sustained? And don’t say everything, because that’s all I loved about it and couldn’t pick. I’ll put you on the spot though LOL
EC: Haha! You took my answer! I really did love every scene, lol! But beyond that, I loved the experience of writing these characters, of watching them grow, change, find themselves and their place with each other. They deserved each other, they deserved that happiness, so much! And because I adored them, writing Sustained was a beautiful journey to take.  
DGR:  If you had to describe Jake Becker in 5 words or less, what would they be?
EC: Honorable, gorgeous, protective, shrewd, loving 
DGR:  I think one of my favorite parts about this book were the kids and then Jake’s relationship with them. I think I actually cried myself laughing at the One Direction concert scene. Did you have any inspiration for the kids when you were writing them?
 
EC: Yes! So much of my own children’s energy and humor went into the McQuaid’s personalities. And so many hilarious memories (things I can laugh about now, that I didn’t laugh about then) of moments with my kids growing up inspired Jake’s interactions with the kids. The way he talks to them, treats them with respect and honesty but also gentleness was such a joy to write.
DGR: Do you have a favorite scene in Sustained? 
EC: My favorite scene is when Jake and Chelsea are in bed, having a deep, revealing talk. There’s something so moving about that scene for me – and it’s a pivotal moment for Jake and Chelsea. I also love the scene when Jake and the kids are waiting for Chelsea to get home and kind of ambush her when she does.
DGR: Any little teasers you can give us to whet the reader’s appetite for Jake?
EC: Does this work?
Chelsea is drawing. Me. 
“Am I gonna have to pay you a dime, Jack?” My voice is gravelly with sleep and sex.
She smiles. And it’s beautiful. “This one is on the house, Rose.” 
Yeah. Time to remind her I’m definitely not a Rose. I throw back the covers, sit up, swing around to sit on the edge of the bed, feet on the floor. I lower my hand, wrap it around my dick, and bring him back to life with just a few rough strokes. And Chelsea’s drawing suddenly stops short. 
“I’ve never done an X-rated sketch. Are you auditioning to be my first?” she asks lightly. 
“I wasn’t sure what the focus of the piece would be. I wanted to make sure it’s to scale.” 
“That’s so helpful of you.” 
“How about you? You in a helpful mood?”
DGR: Jake’s friend Brent is up next. Any hints about what we can expect for his book? 
EC: What’s great about this series is each of the guys have very distinct personalities. Stanton is the southern charmer, Jake is the more serious protector, and Brent is definitely the carefree playboy. There’s a lot of quick banter, sexy sexual-tension, and clever arguing in Brent’s story – he and Kennedy argue really well. Theirs is a story about first crushes and second chance love that’s light and pure fun! 
DGR:  Anything you’d like to add to leave the readers with?
EC: Just that I’m super excited for everyone to read Jake and Chelsea’s story. It’s very special to me and I hope it will be just as special to all of you!

Review

5 stars
Sustained- Dirty Girl Romance

 

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

No one, and I mean no one gives male POV quite like Emma Chase. The woman is the queen of male POVs and nothing beats her. While Drew from Tangled is still my number one, Jake is now right there alongside with him. I want to tell you that I liked this book, but that’d be an outright lie. Because I didn’t just like it. I fucking loved it. Hard.
Sustained teaser-DirtyGirlRomanceI had the immense pleasure to meet Emma at an author signing earlier last month, and hearing her talk about this book alone let me know that I’m in for a heck of a treat. Why? Because when an author is clearly so passionate about a character and book that her entire face lights up when she talks about it, you just know that it will be transferred to the writing. And you know what? It’s so true. The writing and the characters practically leap off the pages at you. The romance, the MCs, the secondary characters, the story, the kids, EVERYTHING about this book just did it for me. It was absolutely fabulous.

You don’t have to be an asshole.”
I shrug. “I don’t HAVE to be…it’s just easier that way.”

Yep. That’d be Jake and he’s one of those. You know the type I’m talking about. The womanizing, successful types that thinks that relationships are for suckers. But then again you also know what they say about “the bigger they are.” And when Jake falls, he definitely falls hard.
Jake was a character that I fell for hard in just the first chapter. The man is a successful defense attorney but there’s just something so sardonic about him that he endears you to him straightaway.

Criminal defense really isn’t so different from proctology. In both fields, it’s one asshole after another.

He’s the asshole at work and outside of it and he’s just fine with that. But then a chance meeting with a woman tilts his entire world on it’s axis, especially when the woman’s six orphaned nieces and nephews steal his heart right along with her. I have to say that Jake’s “manny” relationship with those kids absolutely melted my heart. It was easily one of my favorite parts of this book. His banter with them never failed to put a goofy smile on my face. I honestly couldn’t get enough of it.

Riley, boys your age….are really not worth your time. They’re selfish and stupid. It’s not their fault; they’re just programmed that way- but they’re still a lost cause. I think you should stay away from all of them until you’re at least…twenty-five. Or…have you considered being a lesbian?”

The romance, while almost secondary to the story, was perfectly balanced with it though. I’m not sure if that makes sense but it does in my head. What I mean is, it wasn’t ALL romance, but there was just the right amount of it to bring this book from good to absolutely fantastic. There’s nothing better for me than to watch the “asshole” fall and fall heard for a woman when he least expects it, and watching Jake fall for Chelsea was perfection.

Now I’m going to make you come. And it’s going to be ever bit as fucking good for me as it is for you. Probably better.”

Don’t get me wrong, both Chelsea and Jake are far from perfect and I wanted to shake them for their stupidity more than a few times. But at the same time it just worked. I adored these two together. It wasn’t instant and I loved the burn of their sexual chemistry until they finally ignited together.
Sustained-DGRSustained was just one of those laugh-out-loud, feel good romances that I never wanted to end. It was funny, and sweet, and oh so sexy. It reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Emma Chase’s writing and heroes to begin with. In a word, it was perfect. It was everything I’ve come to expect from this incredibly talented writer and yet so much more. I loved the absolute hell out of it. I can’t recommend this book enough. You will fall in love with Jake, you will absolutely fall head over heels for the kids, and you’ll adore Jake and Chelsea together. It’s simply impossible not to. Now I’m anxiously awaiting Brent’s book in Appealed.
Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of Sustained HERE

Review: ★Hard To Fight★ by Bella Jewel

Review- Hard To Fight HARD TO FIGHT
Series: Alpha’s Heart #1
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Author: Bella Jewel
Release Date: August 11, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

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Grace is a bounty hunter who wants to be taken seriously, but her boss refuses to believe that a woman can bring down a dangerous criminal. She finally gets a chance to prove herself when she’s given the case of a lifetime: capture Raide Knox and bring him to justice.

Raide is a dangerous fugitive on the run…and the sexiest man Grace has ever met. Catching Raide won’t be easy. He’s not the kind of man to go down without a fight. Raide is more intense and frustrating than any man she’s ever had to deal with, and the instantaneous attraction that sparks between them is undeniable. One thing is for sure…it’s going to be a case they will never forget.

**Hard To Fight is a full-length standalone romance with a HEA**

 

Buy LinksAmazon

Review1.5 Stars

I tried to like this book, really, I did. But the plot had more holes in it than a dead guy from The Godfather. I loved the premise of it, unfortunately when I finished, that was also the only thing about it I liked. For once it wasn’t the hot cover the sucked me in (what? Like that hasn’t happened to you? Judge not, my judgey friend, judge not), but the synopsis. I love me a badass heroine and it doesn’t get any more badass than a female bounty hunter. Unfortunately for me, there was absolutely nothing badass about Grace. The only thing that she managed to do is annoy the ever loving hell out of me.

See Grace is supposed to be sassy. You know she’s sassy because she reminds you of it every other bloody paragraph. Nothing like subtlety to drive the point home, right? Sorry Grace, but I think you missed your ship to sassy land, and took a detour there somewhere
So Grace here is a bounty hunter but her boss won’t give her the big cases because she’s a woman and women are weak and blah blah blah
Finally her big break comes in the shape of big bad and uber sexy Raide, who she happened to have met the night before finding out he’s a fugitive and shared some snarky sexual banter with. Raide is wanted for aggravated assault and suspected murder. Grace needs to prove herself so while being on a team of bounty hunters, she’s going to go after him herself because…badass. But since Raide is all big and bad she can’t bring him in physically. So what’s a girl to do? Seduce him, of course. That’s a sure way to prove to your boss and team that you’re a woman to be reckoned with.
Anyway the rest of the book goes something along the lines of this…

I need to seduce him, but oh my, how do I do that when he doesn’t seem interested? I know, I’ll stalk him! He goes to a club, I’ll go to that club. He goes to a coffee shop, I’ll go to that coffee shop. He goes to a gun shop, I’ll go to that gun shop…because badass!
What’s that? He notices me every single time I follow him because subtlety and subterfuge isn’t my strong suit? No worries, because I’ll just use my sassy to get me out of it!

Hi there, handsome.”
“You following me?”
“I like coffee.”
“We done playin’ games long enough for you to have one with me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just here having coffee. What are these games you speak of?”

Subtle, real subtle there, 007.

Hmm..this seduction business isn’t going well. I need to stalk him some more. What’s that? HE followed me home twice and I didn’t notice it? No worries! I’m still badass. Operation seduction is still on. But I have my limits, there will be no kissing. Damn, I just made out with him! No worries, operation seduction is still on. But I have my limits, there will be no sex. Damn, I just had sex with him. But I think he’s innocent. I still need to bring him in though.

Blah blah blah other stuff happens blah blah.

I think I’m falling for him. But now I really believe he’s innocent. Screw my job and proving myself, nothing beats good sex. I’ve known him for a whole month, he’s worth it! What’s that? We’re in danger and being held captive while Raide is severely wounded? What should we do? I know! Have sex!
I mean for fuck’s sake! Don’t even get me started on the fact that Raide’s endearment for her was “lady”. And all I can hear in my head as I was reading it was “hey laaaaddyyyy!”. Or the fact that after a month of knowing each other she tries to get him to give up his revenge (view spoiler) because it’s selfish of him to continue with it knowing he’s putting himself in danger and she’s in his life. All the while she STILL hasn’t come clean with him about her motives.
Then there was an additional random POV toward the end and then everything was wrapped up in a pretty little bow to rival a disney fairytale. Suffice it to say this book did not work for me in any way. The characters were flat and I really didn’t feel there was much character or relationship development. It was all just meh.

Will I read other books in this series? Maybe? This could have been a total fluke since I’ve read and enjoyed a few other titles by this author. Unfortunately Hard To Fight was a book I actually had to push myself to finish and then was kicking myself for not DNFing it at 25% as I had originally wanted to. Ah well. You lose some, you win some. I suggest you read it and see what you think. Different strokes for different folks and all that jazz.

Review: ★Undesired Lust★ by Eden Summers

Review Undesired LustUndesired Lust (Mason Lynch)
Series: Reckless Beat Series #3
Author: Eden Summers
Genre: Contemporary Rockstar Romance
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They used to be the perfect team.

Two years ago, songstress Sidney Higgins ruined her life by sleeping with not one, but two of the famous Reckless Beat men, Mason Lynch and Sean Taiden. Their night of intimate celebration turned into a worldwide sensation when the video Mason vowed to keep private was uploaded to the internet, destroying her squeaky-clean reputation and turning the orld against her. Now she’s broken and left without hope, trying to find the one thing that can get her back on her feet.

A mistake neither one of them is willing to forgive.

When the sex tape went viral and his best friends held him accountable, Mason bore the stigma of asshole with pride. Now, bitterness has destroyed him, driving away his muse and making him worthless in the industry he loves. There’s only one option left to reclaim his creativity, but that would mean collaborating with a woman who wants to castrate him with a plastic knife.

A palpable chemistry even hate can’t diminish.

Forced to work together, neither one of them is prepared for the undesired lust which immediately takes hold. The lies fade away, exposing the truth; however, it also awakens a threat from their past. The person responsible for tearing them apart is back to ensure they don’t rekindle a spark. With their safety in the balance, Sidney and Mason need to determine what they’re willing to risk to reclaim a relationship they wish they’d never lost.

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Review
3.5 stars
Undesired Lust-DirtyGirlRomance

The guilt at destroying her was nothing to his need to have her. She was an obsession. An addiction.

A musical collaboration that wins a grammy serves for a night of celebration. The pull between Reckless Beat’s front man, Mason Lynch and Sidney Higgins has always been there. One night of celebration and alcohol leads to a sizzling threesome between Signey, Mason, and Mason’s best friend and Reckless Beat’s drummer, Sean Taiden. But then a video recorded on Mason’s phone meant to capture the moment to forever remember in private gets leaked, it ruins everything and completely shatters Sidney. She lost everything; her career, her self-worth, and the man she thought she trusted.

Two years later, Mason is still paying the price for what everyone had assumed were his actions. Having completely lost his muse and the respect for his band mates that were quick to think the worst of him, he’s lost…and desperate. So when his band’s manager offers to bring back Sidney, he jumps at the chance, even though he knows she still can’t stand the sight of him. What happens when two people that have two years worth of damage and a never diminished chemistry? Well, let’s just say the books is very appropriately titled.

The damage faded away. There were no more lies, no humiliation, no lack of hope for the future. The slate was clean, her heart was full, and she would cling to the thrill of being alive again, until she had no choice but to return to reality.

I’ve had this series on my radar for what feels like ages and the promise of some sweet delicious angst in this one finally sealed the deal for me to read it. Jumping into book three without reading the first two books, however, feels like I’ve done this series a disservice, and may explain my slight disconnect throughout the story. While I never felt confused or lost, it does feel like I missed out on the history behind the band. But this is a mistake I plan on rectifying immediately by going back and reading the rest of the series. Eden Summers is a new to me author but one that I know I’m not going to hesitate to read in the future. I highly enjoyed her writing style and Undersired Lust was a perfect blend of steamy romance with a dash of angst.

I did see the twist at the end coming pretty much from the very first page, so that did diminish thing a bit for me. I also found myself growing a little bored through parts of the story where I found I could easily pause the book and get back to it later. Mason and Sidney together were angsty perfection. Though there were parts where I wanted to shake Sidney were her blindness and failure to see certain things that I felt were pretty obvious. The biggest highlight of the book for me, besides Mason of course, was Sean. my heart absolutely broke for him. It helped set the stage for his book perfectly (ha! see what I did there?), and I can’t wait for him to get his HEA in the next book which luckily is already out. All in all, Reckless Beat is a series that I will definitely be hooked to from now on, but perhaps I should have started from the beginning and not book 3. If sexy and angsty rock star romance is your thing, this is a series you need to have on your TBR.


 Other Books in the Reckless Beat Series   

Blind Attraction
(Reckless Beat #1)

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Passionate Addiction (Reckless Beat #2)

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Reckless Weekend
(Reckless Beat #2.5)

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Sultry Groove
(Reckless Beat #4)

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Reckless Rendezvous (Reckless Beat #4.5)—> Coming Soon

Release Blitz & #Giveaway: ★Where We Belong★ by J. Daniels

RB Banner  Where We Belong
Series: Alabama Summer #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J Daniels
Release Date: August 21, 2015add-to-goodreads-button3

ecover WWB

From NY Times and USA Today bestselling author, J. Daniels, an Alabama Summer series novella.

Ben and Mia Kelly can’t seem to catch a break.

Grueling night shift and opposing schedules have left the passionate couple geared up and ready for some much needed alone time. There’s only one thing standing in their way.

Parenthood.

With two curious boys who have mastered the art of cock-blocking roaming the house, Ben and Mia, sexually frustrated beyond reason, quickly resort to surprise sexcapades and naughty little trysts whenever and however they can get them.

Who said anything about keeping things legal?

Assume the position. Things are about to heat up in the south.

Warning: This book is recommended for readers over the age of 18 due to strong language and explicit sexual content.

Buy-Links10Only $.99

Amazon US / Amazon UKTeaser 3

Review4 starsWhere We Belong-Dirty Girl Romance

My mind loves Ben. My heart loves Be. My body loves Ben. He’s the warmth in my blood. The roar of my pulse.

First of all, if you’re reading this as a standalone, how dare you?! If you haven’t yet met Officer Ben “OMG Nine Inches” Kelly in Where I Belong, you read right this second! Right now, you hears me?! FFS! LOL! But if you want to seriously miss out, you can also read this as a standalone. But why would you? I’d highly recommend reading the whole series in order so you may truly appreciate all the secondary characters that make an appearance here like; Tessa and Luke, Reed and Beth, CJ and Riley.

You know when you create the perfect cake and it’s already multi-layered and filled with yummy deliciousness? But then you go and add this even better icing ON TOP of the cake and it just makes everything that much better? That’s what Where We Belong was to Where I Belong. It was the perfect extended epilogue that I was craving when I finished Where I Belong. There was no drama, unnecessary angst, stupid miscommunication, NOTHING of that sort.
WWB teaser- Dirty Girl RomanceWhere We Belong gave the reader a wonderfully realistic relationship progression for a couple that still can’t get enough of each other and I can’t get enough of. While Reed is still my number one in this series, Officer Ben Kelly is certainly no hardship…with his nine inches and all…to read about. I adore him and Mia together, I adore their cute little cockblockers…erm…kids, and I adore the relationships they have with their friends.

We choose to believe what we want to believe. I choose Ben. He is my truth.

While there was no drama here, there was a hell of a lot of sexual frustration. I swear to gawd, I actually wanted to message J. Daniels to let her know my ovaries were going on strike if Ben didn’t finally give Mia the D. It hurt, people! Hurt so bad! They’d get so close to doing it and then BAM! Interruption. I swear it made me question having a second kid myself because I felt their pain so bad LOL! It was as hilarious as it was frustrating. I was also glad to see the closure to Ben and Angie that I felt missing in the first book. I was happy to see that the author addressed that here.

If you’ve been wanting a peek at CJ’s story, J gives a hell of a teaser here. And by hell of a teaser, I mean it felt like that masochist dangles a carrot in front of rabid fucking bunnies! I am foaming at the mouth for his book and this only served as making me even more crazed for it.

I can’t recommend this book enough for fans of this series. Think of it as that bonus extended epilogue for a fantastic fucking couple.


ALSO AVAILABLE

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#3 When I FallWhen I Fall CoverUS:  http://amzn.to/1PCI7jd
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About the AuthorJ. Daniels is the NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Addiction series, and the Alabama Summer series. She loves curling up with a good book, drinking a ridiculous amount of coffee, and writing stories her children will never read.

J grew up in Baltimore and resides in Maryland with her family.

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