Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Yours Tonight★ by @JoyaRyanAuthor

Yours Tonight (Reign #1)
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Author: Joya Ryan
Release Date: March 5, 2015

For fans of JC Reed, J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Jessica Clare comes an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story that will leave you breathless and wanting more

He will give her everything she’s ever wanted . . .

Jack Powell’s confidence is matched only by his intensity. The darkness in him comes from years of secrets and memories he’d rather forget. Lana has an exotic innocence that draws him in and Jack wants a taste of her. She’s a light in the darkness of his world – and she needs help, which he agrees to.

The only rule? He makes the rules.

Lana gives up her control, letting Jack take her body however he needs, while she works her way into his heart. But Jack’s past catches up to them and Lana finds herself wrapped up in a scheme that will expose every secret she’s worked so hard to keep. She clung to Jack once when her world was crashing down, but this time, she loves him. She’ll continue to reach for him – her only fear is if he’ll reach back, or go on his way, taking her soul with him . . .

Addictive and unforgettable, Jack and Lana’s story will seduce, surprise and stay with you. A brand new romance by the #1 bestselling author of Break Me Slowly, this is an emotional roller coaster you’ll want to keep riding forever.

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You know why I like control?” he said with venom in his voice. “Because, without it, little girls like you would get scared off.”
“I’m not scared of you,” I breathed.

Having read Joya Ryan’s Brazen series and absolutely loving it, I jumped on the chance to read this new trilogy by her. This book was definitely very different from her other series, and if I’m being honest, very different from what I expected…and not at all in a bad way. It’s an erotic, all-consuming, and emotional start to what looks to be an extremely intriguing trilogy that I am absolutely dying to see how it all comes together.

I wished for the thousandth time that I could just be someone else. Somebody braver. Somebody who mattered.

Lana is hoping to make associate at her father’s firm; a father that doesn’t seem to give her the time of date since his recent new marriage. She yearns for her father’s affection, but more than that she yearns for his understanding and acceptance.

When she allows her friend to talk her into a blind date that doesn’t end up showing up, she finds herself stranded at a bar. And when someone from her past that continues to haunt every waking minute of her present walks into the same bar, Lana is trapped. Not knowing where to run or hide and absolutely terrified, she finds herself enraptured by a pair of dark eyes and the enigmatic man that seems to affect her every living cell…

Those dark depths were drinking in everything I was, like he could see straight to the soul of me…

One of my very favorite things about this book had to have been Jack’s completely intensity. The author does such an amazing job building that aspect that the pages practically vibrate with the undercurrent of everything that he is. And everything that is, is very much intense
The connection between them is pretty instantaneous and crackling with electricity. While typically I’m not a fan of the instal-anything, in the case here, it just worked.

He didn’t stop. Didn’t let up. Just took me. And I felt his power- wanted to drink it down like a potion, in hopes that maybe I would walk away with some myself.

Lana is a broken and damaged character in every sense of the word. But then at the same time there is also that’s very endearing about her. You can’t help but feel for her and what she’s been through. Her father and step-family are absolutely atrocious. At times I couldn’t even understand how a father could be so callous and cold towards his own daughter. It was maddening to read.

While the relationship between Lana and Jack is one that burns hot pretty much right away, I equal parts loved it and yet always found myself questioning certain aspects. Jack is intense in and out of the bedroom, and he is one swoon worthy hero…

The world around me seemed to close in until I was dying to have just a moment with him- to share in the same space, the same breath.
HE’S MY CATALYST.

But at the same time, I found myself questioning their quick connection, especially given Lana’s past. I just couldn’t connect to how someone that’s been through what she has would be willing to lose almost every inhibition with a man that she barely knows. But then again, the author did an incredible job with showing the reader the intensity of their connection. At times I almost found myself feeling like I was inside Lana’s head and can see how she would get so wrapped up in a man like Jack.

You agree to be with me and give me what I want, which is you. To fuck, to hold, to pleasure. I won’t be gentle or soft or relaxed. I will expect you to obey and respond to me. I want your trust and I want your body and you will enjoy it.”

There is one element of the story that I certainly didn’t expect, or better yet (view spoiler)[ the addition of another man (hide spoiler)] This is a ploy spoiler, though you can read about it in the synopsis of book 2, but I’ll spoiler tag it anyway. (view spoiler)[There is a secondary love interest for Lana that appears in the book. While Yours Tonight focuses mostly on Lana and Jack’s relationship, this character is most definitely very clearly in the background. I didn’t know what to make of this. Is it the making of a love triangle? I wouldn’t classify this book as one but it’s definitely leading up to that for the next book. (hide spoiler)] The shocking thing is that as much as I HATE reading about something like that usually, I’m actually invested so much in the story that I’m very curious to see it play out. (view spoiler)[Though to be honest, unless this other person gets a love interest of their own or it becomes some sort of menage relationship, I just can’t see myself being happy with how it resolves. (hide spoiler)] But I definitely can’t wait to see how it all resolves.

About the Author

brit author 0041  (1)National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

 

 

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★Ask Me Nicely★ by Amy Andrews

Ask Me Nicely 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Amy Andrews
Release Date: March 3, 2015

She craves what only he can give her. But he’s not giving in without a fight… Veterinarian Sal Kennedy’s lost her mojo and is desperate to get it back. In fact, as the anniversary of the tragedy that destroyed her life looms large, she’ll do anything to erase the painful memories, including overdoing the tequila and making a pass at the most annoyingly inappropriate man on the planet.

Fellow veterinarian Doyle Jackson is her flatmate and her employee and therefore strictly off-limits. Unfortunately, Doyle knows how to bring the goods and make her mojo sit up and beg. Doyle is only too happy to oblige Sal in her hour of need, but then she demands more, and she’s perfectly happy playing dirty to get it. He wants more, too—more than just sex, that is, and it’s something Sal’s not willing to give.

But Doyle is in this for the long haul now, and he’s prepared to fight even dirtier to get what he wants. Even if that means they both keep losing all their clothes in the process…

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Review

2.5 stars


Either kill each other or just get naked and do the wild thing already. You’re scaring the animals.”

As much as I loved No More Mr. Nice Guy, I was really looking forward to Mack’s sister and Josie’s best friend getting her own book. She was such a fun and sassy secondary character in their book that she just HAD to be even better in her own one, right? Sadly that wasn’t the case here


There was something very broken about Sal Kennedy…

I am all for a heroine that owns her sexuality and makes no bones about it. Unfortunately there is that very delicate line between owning it and being brash, and for me, Sal kind of crossed that line. She was just too much in her own book. Clearly she’s hiding a deep rooted issue that causes her to be as detached as she is with men now.


She kissed like the devil, she came like a nymphomaniac who’d been celibate for a decade, and she shattered like a little girl who’d lost her best friend.

I think because the reader wasn’t privy to what her issues are until the last 15% of the book it made it really difficult to connect to Sal. I spent most of the book frustrated with her constant back and forth with Doyle. Especially since Doyle was such a nice guy and extremely tolerant and understanding of Sal’s behavior.
While Sal has no problem sleeping around, Doyle doesn’t want to be just another one-night stand. Living with Sal, he’s come to know her routine and he’s not enabling it. Of course he wants to have sex with her, but he just wants one thing first; a date.

Sal is having none of it. With over five years of using no strings sex as her form of therapy, she’s not looking to get tied down. But ever since the sexy vet moved into her apartment, he’s also seemed to have stolen her orgasms. Easy fix to that, right? Just have HIM give them to her. If only he didn’t want that damn date…


Fine. Let’s do it your way, then. Let’s go on a bloody date. Satisfied?”
“Ah…you want to try that again? NICELY?”
Sal almost chocked. “I beg your pardon?”
“Ask me nicely.”
“You want me to ask you nicely?”
“Sure. A guy likes to feel like he’s being romanced.”

While I get that the author wanted to leave the reason for Sal’s detachment for the big reveal towards the end, unfortunately it had a backfiring effect for me. This could have been a great emotional and sexy read, and it turned into an exercise in frustration. I never connected and Sal, and Doyle, no matter how sexy he was, just kind of fizzled out in the background of all her “issues”. I’m still a fan of this author and look forward to her next installment of this series. Sadly this book just didn’t quite do it for me.

Review: ★This Heart Of Mine★ by @Brenda_Novak

This Heart of Mine (Whiskey Creek #8)
Author: Brenda Novak
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit
Length: 400 pages
Release Date: March 31, 2015

First love. Second chance?
As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next!
Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob’s father isn’t exactly welcoming.
Riley doesn’t trust Phoenix, doesn’t want her in Jacob’s life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he’s about to find both—if they can forgive the mistakes in their past…

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Review

5 stars

She’d wanted him so badly seventeen years ago. And now that he wanted her, regardless of what anyone said, she wouldn’t come near him.

This book. This wonderfully written, poignant, emotional and beautiful book. This Heart Of Mine reminded me exactly what made me fall in love with contemporary romance in the first place. I cannot believe that I am just not discovering this fantastic author and 8 books into a series no less. And I’m sure some of my OCD friends are twitching right now over the fact that I started with book 8 in a series. But breathe easy, concerned friends, because this book was easily read as a standalone and I am not planning on going back and reading the 7 books that came before it.

Phoenix Fuller grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. A daughter to an overweight hoarder, she’s never had an easy life, so when handsome and popular Riley Stinson becomes her boyfriend, she thought her life was finally starting to look up…until he broke up with her. Being young and having no support, she didn’t know how to deal with her heartbreak. Her extreme behavior after the breakup led her to be incarcerated for a crime she was innocent of simply because she was the most likely suspect.

Now after spending the past 17 years in prison, Phoenix is back to the small town of Whiskey Creek with a new outlook on life. She wants to help take care of her mother and she wants to get to know her son, a son she had with the boy that stole her heart all those years ago and then ripped it to shreds.

Don’t let your pride stand between you and the things you need, Phoenix.”
“Pride? All I have left is my self-respect. You want to take that away, too?”

I think that Phoenix was probably one of the best heroines I have read in quite a long while. You would think that going through what she’s gone through, she’d be angry at the world, cynical and bitter. But she was none of those things. She had this charmingly unassuming quality to her that made her both vulnerable and yet strong. She’s broken in a way that she no longer believes herself worthy of love or kindness of others. She’s accepted that about herself and she doesn’t blame anyone or holds any animosity towards the people that have done her wrong. She simply takes it for what it is and tries to live her life and provide for her son even if his father isn’t exactly welcoming and she has to live on her last cents just so she can go to bed at night knowing that she gave something to him.

Riley is still trying to set his feelings in order now that Phoenix is back. He loved her when he was 18, but he was too immature to truly recognize it for what it was and not give into the pressure of his family about being too good for the town’s trailer trash. The unanswered questions still burn between Riley and Phoenix, as well as the lack of closure for their failed relationship makes for some angst. The author did such an incredible job writing these two characters that you can’t help but feel every emotion they feel. Riley is definitely a man that feels guilt and he doesn’t know what to do with it. He knows that he’s one of the many that has wronged Phoenix, but as much as he wants to right it he also knows he may never get her forgiveness. This was just so incredibly palpable the story practically vibrated with it. I can’t even begin to describe in words all the feels that this book brought out in me.

It’s not fair, I know. I don’t understand why everything went the way it did. But since you came home it feels…it feels as if you’re what I’ve been waiting for.

Phoenix was by all accounts a heroine that I probably would have hated in any other book. Her insecurities and her experiences truly made for a broken woman, and yet…she wasn’t. There was always just something so endearing about her that you can’t help but have your heart break for her and everything that she’s been through.

I fell in love with Riley and Phoenix, and even more so with their son Jake. This was not the typical teenager that you’d expect to read about. He was wise beyond his years, so down to earth and kind. I just adored him and how he was always this part that kind of filled in the holes between Riley and Phoenix and made them whole. I loved all the secondary characters as well.

While this book wasn’t very steamy, I never even found myself missing it. I loved the story so much that I think anything more than what it had would have been too much. The budding relationship between Riley and Phoenix was realistic. Brenda Novak did a great job building it around everything that they’ve been through and giving both their experiences justice without taking anything away.

I’m happy to do all the fighting, for both of us. But I have to have YOU on my side. I have to know I’m fighting for something I can actually win.”

My only minor complaint is how a few things wrapped up. I guess I wanted apologies and repercussions. But at the same time, it was realistic and played true to the story and the characters. So as much as I would have loved to have something…more, I understood why it was the way it was. I also would have loved an extended epilogue, but again, the ending was satisfying enough that I didn’t focus on that too much.

The mere fact that I was so thoroughly engrossed in the story I couldn’t bear to put it down for even a second. If that’s not a 5 star read, I don’t know what is. If you’re a fan of chick lit, second chance romance, and amazingly written characters with a poignant story, this book is an absolute must read. I can’t recommend it enough.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Fighting Silence★ by @AlyMartinezAuth

Meet Till & Eliza in Aly Martinez’s newest fighter series!
It’s no secret that I adored this book. I’ve been singing it’s praises all over the place. Now you get to see exactly why. Scroll down to read my review and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
About The Book

Sound is an abstract concept for most people. We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it’s the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to?I’ve always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn’t a single night that I didn’t hear her voice.

You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one.

They both happened anyway.

Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.

Fighting for my career.

Fighting the impending silence.

Fighting for her.

Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her.

I think that’s the sound I’ll miss the most.

Review
5 stars

I’d never had anything I could call my own, but Eliza Reynolds would always be mine.

If ever there was a book that everyone has to add to their TBR, this is that book. This incredible, emotional, beautiful, simply unforgettable book. This is Aly Martinez’s best book to date and quite honestly one of the best books I’ve read in a while. It was also probably my favorite friends-to-lovers romance I’ve ever read. Period.

…I had already been drowning in the ocean of life. Every gasp of air was a struggle. Just as I would breach the surface, filling my lungs with hope and determination to make it through another day, I was forced back under- harder every time.

Till Page met Eliza Reynolds when they were just 13 years old, and they each became an escape for the other. An escape from their glum reality. An escape from their problems. An escape from the real world. A fantasy built from the innocence of young hearts that built into an indescribably love as they got older.

Till’s life has never been easy. Forced to raise his two younger brothers from the time he was just a child himself because their parents couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. Till struggles to make ends meet, all the while knowing that he’s facing a future of silence. A future in which a genetic condition may cause him to lose his hearing. A future that’s he’s absolutely terrified to face. When he climbs though a window of an abandoned apartment, looking to escape his reality, he comes crashing into a pair of blue eyes that irrevocably changes his life forever.

Eliza Reynolds grew up always fending for herself and never knowing the warmth of the love of her parents. But when a scrawny boy with tears in his captivating hazel eyes comes into her life, nothing is ever the same. She knows exactly who Till is, they go to school together after all. But he’s never acknowledged her, and that doesn’t change after they meet. But under the shadow of the night, in that abandoned apartment, they became the world for each other.

It was more than a friendship, but there wasn’t romance or sex. There was definitely love though. Immeasurable amounts of it. I knew Till had this grand fantasy about me. But what he didn’t realize was all that he gave me in return. He was the only thing I’d ever had that I honestly thought I couldn’t live without.

As they grow older, their friendship begins to turn into something much stronger. Something that Eliza knows is love unlike any she’ll ever feel for any other man, and a love that Till is absolutely terrified to acknowledge as more than that for a friend in fear of losing Eliza.

Turning his head, Till Page spoke words that solidified his claim on me for all eternity.
“I love you, Eliza.”

The book spans from the time Till and Eliza are 13 until they are 21, but it’s such a perfect progression that you can’t help but fall harder for them with every chapter. The author did such an incredible job infusing their romance with just that right amount of angst and emotion. It was absolute perfection.

There was nothing, NOTHING that I didn’t like about this book, and that’s a rare thing to happen to me. You feel everything right along the characters; their struggles, their pain, their love. I was an emotional wreck reading the second half of this book. And then that last 30%? Forget about it! I down right ugly cried.

I absolutely loved how Aly Martines was able to tie in characters from her previous books (Leo, Slate and Caleb make an appearance). But she does this giving readers that have read her previous books a little bonus, but allowing new readers to get to know these characters without ever feeling lost.

This book was so much more than just a romance though. It was also more that a fighter romance. It was a story or perseverance, of strength in the truest meaning of the word. Till’s story will absolutely break your heart. His relationship with his two brothers will also melt it. And his love for Eliza? It will warm it.

Eliza was a fantastic heroine. She was the perfect match for Till. Her strength, her maturity that’s well beyond her young years was so refreshing to read. This book truly had everything. It was emotional, it was a little angsty, and of course it was oh so sexy.

I may’ve been the first, but this time when I make you come I want to know I’ll be the last. Now,  fucking tell me it’s forever.

God, I just loved it so much. I don’t want to give you more of the plot because I don’t want to ruin the experience of reading it for yourself. Take my advice and go into this book without reading many reviews. You’ll just enjoy it that much more.

One of the most touching and unforgettable romances I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I absolutely cannot wait for Flint’s book next. Aly Martinez has given me a fighter romance that is a not only an auto-buy, it’s a MUST buy. I simply can’t recommend it enough. If you’ve loved her previous books, you will flat out adore this one. And if you haven’t discovered this phenomenal author yet, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll become a fan after reading Fighting Silence.

About the Author

Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.

After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Floored★ by @MelanieHarlow2

Title: Floored (Frenched Series Book #3)
Author: Melanie Harlow
Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance, Humor
Release Date: February 5, 2015

Erin Upton is too embarrassed to tell the cops what she was really doing while her townhouse was burglarized, especially since the first officer on the scene is former nuisance next door Charlie Dwyer. Where’s the justice in the world when a neighborhood know-it-all grows up to be six-foot-three inches of solid muscle with gorgeous green eyes and a slow, sexy please-arrest-me-now-officer smile? It’s bad enough she’s wearing her robe and slippers—did he have to notice her fuzzy hand cuffs on the bathroom sink?

He’s arrogant as he ever was, which is fine by her—she’s too busy with her dance studio’s grand opening to make time for a man. But they keep crossing paths, and when Charlie offers to help her put in new flooring at the studio one night, things go from hammering nails to hammering each other in a hurry. And about those hand cuffs…

They agree it’s a one-time thing. But when that becomes a two-time thing, then a three-time thing, Erin starts to wonder if maybe she and Charlie could be a life-time thing. Her best friends Mia and Coco found love in unexpected places. Is it finally her turn?

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Review
5 stars
This is wrong.
Please. Can you not?
You need to stop.
No fucking way. This is happening.
Tell him to leave.
I can’t talk right now.
Tell him you don’t want this. You’re not like this.
But I do. I am.

If you’re looking for a feel good, laugh out loud, and super sexy contemporary romance, meet your holy grail. This book was fantastic! I’m pretty sure I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time reading it. I don’t think there was one thing about it that I didn’t like. If that synopsis doesn’t hook you, the first chapter will surely seal the deal.

What’s worse than realizing that you have an uninvited visitor while you’re in the shower?

Having said visitor be a burglar and your shower be a very VERY dirty fantasy reenactment with Brad Pitt in a starring role. As if Erin’s night couldn’t possibly get any worse, the cop that shows up on her doorstep is her childhood tormentor. The boy that held up her lemonade stand with a water gun. The boy that kidnapped her hamster and held him for ransom. The bane of her childhood existence. But boy oh boy has Charlie grown into one sexy specimen. Damn him!

There is nothing more I love than a hate to love trope, and combine that with a quirky heroine and a dirty talking cop and I am putty in your hands. I’m pretty sure Erin’s inner monologue alone deserves 5 stars. She was hilarious. I found myself laughing like a loon at some of the things that would come out of her mouth.

…I was irritated. It wasn’t the note, either. It was the fact that Charlie had come over here, tempted me with his whiskey and his cologne and his cuddling, and then kept his word not to touch me. How dare he!

The chemistry between them is instantaneous and absolutely sizzling. But that’s not to say there was insta lust here because Erin fights her attraction to him with everything she’s got. Charlie isn’t exactly the settling down type, and she’s only dated good guys (boring as they may have been). But Charlie is like a magnet that Erin gravitates to…or maybe it’s all the orgasms that he seems so skilled at wringing from her?

Charlie is absolute sex on a stick; a dirty talker and take charge in bed…and when those handcuffs come out? Ho boy! Panties will be melting everywhere.

I simply adored this book. It was such a light and steamy read with no stupid drama or manufactured angst in sight. Sure Charlie fights his connection to Erin and it becomes obvious that he’s hiding something from her. But Erin has a few tricks up her sleeve too…

Confession: I actually said a little prayer here, something along the lines of Dear God, I hope you’re not watching this but I’d really, really be grateful if I could get through this without gagging or choking, and also it would be great if this was the best blowjob he ever gets in his entire life. OK thanks, go away now.

I was hoping that the reason for Charlie’s behavior would be good enough to truly get why he is the way he is, and it was that. Melanie Harlow truly delivered a hero that’s perfectly imperfect. I loved it!

Then there was that epilogue and an extended sneak peak at the rest of the couples. It was absolutely adorable!I can gush to you on and on just how much I loved this book, but you simply must experience it for yourself. If you’re hesitant after the last 2 books and don’t like too much drama, worry not, there’s none of that here. It was a perfect light read and exactly what I needed to spend a Saturday afternoon with. A highly recommended read to all lovers of humorous contemporary romance!

Don’t miss the rest of the FRENCHED series

Frenched (Frenched Series Book #1)

When Tucker Branch, playboy heir to Branch Bolt and Screw, screws and bolts a week before their wedding, Mia Devine wants nothing more than to crawl under her newly monogrammed sheets and plan a funeral for her dignity. But her friends convince her that bitter tastes better when it’s drowned in Bordeaux, so Mia grits her teeth and packs her bags, determined to make the best of her luxurious Paris honeymoon—alone.She never planned on meeting Lucas Fournier.

The easygoing bartender’s scruffy good looks and less-than-sympathetic ear annoy her at first, but when she takes him up on his offer to show her around the city, she discovers that the romance of Paris isn’t just a myth.

Nor is the simultaneous O.

The last thing Mia needs is another doomed love affair, but since she only has a week, she figures she might as well enjoy la vie en O with Lucas while she can. But each day—and night—with Lucas is better than the last, and suddenly her heart is telling her this is more than a rebound fling.

Is it just the seduction of Paris…or could this be the real thing?

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Yanked (Frenched Series Book #1.5)

Mia Devine fell hard for Lucas Fournier after their magical week in Paris. But eight months later, the free-spirited half-French musician still hasn’t made any promises about their future. And as magnifique as long-distance phone sex is, nothing compares to the real thing.Fed up with stolen weekends and lonely nights, Mia flies to New York armed with a list of reasons why they should take the next step, but an unexpected guest in Lucas’s apartment derails her plans. He’s been keeping secrets–worse, he claims he’s happy with the way things are.

Without the magic of Paris, can their mismatched love survive?

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Forked (Frenched Series Book #2)

Twenty-eight year old Coco Thomas knows the recipe for disaster:1) Agree to plan last-minute engagement blowout for spoiled Mafia princess before you realize her choice of caterer is Nick Lupo, a despicably gorgeous young chef with a hot new restaurant in town, a reality TV show victory, and a romantic past with you—one that did not end well.

2) Strike a deal with Nick in which you agree to spend a weekend with him in exchange for his services, under the strict conditions there will be no talking about the past, no second chances, and definitely no sex.

3) Violate all three conditions within 24 hours and spend two glorious days remembering what made you fall for the sexy, egotistical bastard in the first place, and why it hurt so much when he broke your heart.

Add one road trip, plenty of good scotch, and endless spoonfuls of chocolate cake batter drizzled over your body and licked off inch by oh-my-God-yes-right-there inch, then just admit it.

You’re totally FORKED.

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About the Author

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. She lifts her glass to readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI.

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Chasing Desire★ @joyaryanauthor

Chasing Desire (Chasing Love #3)
Author: Joya Ryan
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release: February 16, 2015
Publisher: Brazen/Entangled Publishing

It’s her best friend’s wedding, and Autumn Lane is trussed up in a pink bridesmaid dress with a big “everything is great” smile plastered across her face. She’s not going think about her life imploding, or spending the next two weeks housesitting in the ridiculously small town of Diamond. No, she’d rather think about the tattooed hottie in the wedding party…and how to turn the wicked way he’s looking at her into a night of intense pleasure.

Huck Galvin is fiercely attracted to his mystery woman’s no-BS attitude, but their one-night-no-strings plan backfires when Huck discovers that Autumn is the out-of-towner he’s “chaperoning” for the next two weeks. Outside the bedroom, the two can’t stand each other, yet Huck can’t deny how much he wants one more night with her. But Autumn isn’t going to make it easy for Huck. Not by a long shot…

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Lost.
This was the lost she was looking for. A lost she’d never felt, because somewhere in her foggy mind, she realized she was losing herself TO a man. That had never really happened. She’d never clung so hard to anyone. In any sense.

I’ve been a huge fan of this series since the very first book, and Joya continues to hold the mark with her swoon worthy and sexy heroes, fantastic heroines, and sizzling hot sex. Every book she seems to give one unforgettable scene to the readers. In Chasing Trouble there was the forest scene, Chasing Temptation was pretty much every scene with Bass. And after reading this book, you’ll never look at mechanic’s shop the same again. Trust me on this.

You like it hard, woman?” he said between gritted teeth, fucking her with- she was sure– all his strength. And she gave all her strength back, taking everything he had.
“Yes. Hard. Deep. Don’t hold back.”

While I can’t say this was my favorite in the series, it was still a fun and sexy read that enjoyed from beginning to finish.

Autumn is down on her luck. Her father’s gambling habit lost her her beloved shop, and her boyfriend just broke up with her because she wasn’t ‘doing it for him.’ She knows that she’s not a girly girl and she’s usually not self conscious about the fact that she’d rather spend her time under a car then in front of a mirror preening. She’s no longer looking for forever. And sitting at her best friend’s wedding, surrounded by so much happy, she needs something to take her mind off her own misery…or someone.

Huck, the tatted and pierced bad boy with the good ol’ boy souther charm is just the distraction she was looking for. But what she thought would be one night of nameless and sizzling hot sex, turns out to be so much more when Autumn realizes that Huck is also a groomsman in her friend’s wedding.

Autumn was just the type of heroine I love to read about. She had just that right amount of confidence and vulnerability to her that made her extremely endearing. She’s a tough girl but with a soft center that hasn’t had the luxury of being able to rely on anyone but herself since she lost her mother all those years ago.

Huck is taken with the dark haired beauty right away. But he’s also a man that suffers from his own demons. When his finance broke his heart by walking out on him 3 years ago, he swore never to be the one left again. The last thing he wants is to get attached to any woman and give her the power to break him again, but there’s no harm in spending hot and sweaty nights between the sheets with a woman that tempts him like no other, especially since she plans on leaving in two weeks anyway.

Only Autumn WAS the wind. No, she was the storm. The one that came out of nowhere, kicked his ass, and then left soft little rays of sunshine behind in her wake.

But it’s not long before the sizzling hot passion between them begins to turn into something so much…more.

This book, much like the first 2 in the series, was incredibly sexy. Huck and Autumn definitely burn up the pages together.

He didn’t give her false hope. He just owned what he wanted. Admitted it. And let her accept or push away.
“Who do I want, Autumn?” he rasped.
“Me,” she whispered.
He slapped her ass with his free hand and thrust hard again. “I couldn’t hear you.”
“Me, you want me.”

My only complaint is how quickly things progressed with them in the 2 weeks. But then again, it did fit the characters and their story.

I’m really looking forward to Ryder’s book next and can’t wait to see more from Joya. She’s quickly become an auto buy author for me, and deservedly so.

About the Author

National and International Bestselling Author.
Break Me Slowly: #1 Bestselling book in Contemporary Fiction and Women’s Fiction! by a long shot…

 

About Brazen/Entangled

If you like your heroes hot, the sex hotter, and a swoon-worthy romance to swoop in and save your happily ever after, Brazen has the story for you. Sinfully sexy soldiers. Alpha cops who demand control. Sweet guys with a naughty side in the bedroom. At Brazen, we’ve got the hero destined to melt your… heart.

STALK US HERE: Facebook / @BrazenBooks / Pinterest

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(1) Color changing Brazen Mug and (1) Print copy of CHASING TEMPTATION and CHASING TROUBLE

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Review: ★Driven by Fate★ by @mstessabailey

Driven by Fate (Serve #5)
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 16, 2015

The first rule is obey… and she already broke it.

Francesca “Frankie” De Luca always pays her debts. Even when it means stepping inside Serve, the sensuous Manhattan club that caters to particular adult desires. For Frankie, it’s a taste of something she’s always wanted—and never received. Until a sharply dressed Brit orders her into his room, and instructs her to undress before delivering the carnal punishment she so desperately needs…

She wasn’t the woman Porter Evans was expecting. Not this wild thing with the pale, silvery eyes. And such cheek. But she violates Porter’s strict rules of control. Temptation is a dangerous thing indeed. Yet everything about Frankie cries out for schooling about the tantalizing interplay of pleasure and pain. So Porter offers Frankie a deal she can’t refuse—and the only thing she owes him is submission…

Nothing about this was familiar. Nothing controlled or simple. Just messy, chaotic need, and relief was short-lived because he already wanted her again. And he couldn’t foresee a time when he wouldn’t.

I am convinced, fully convinced that Tessa Bailey must have an army of pervy elves working overtime in her head. This is the only explanation I have for how the woman can keep giving up better and better dirty talkers. I mean, for the love of gawd! I need to invest in stock in Victoria Secret if my undergarments are going to survive her books. God. Damn.

So ladies and ovaries, allow me to introduce you all to Porter Evans.

…I want to secure you face down on my bed, prop your temptress backside in the air, and introduce you to my cock. You won’t remember WHAT the fuck to call me by then. You’ll only know two words. MORE and PLEASE. MORE and PLEASE…
Do we understand each other so far?”
Her nod was shaky. “Yes, my lord.”

Got your attention now, didn’t I? You dirty birds

While this is part of the series, the beauty of it is that each book is also perfectly written to be read as a standalone. Though I would highly recommend reading in order, you’d enjoy it that much more.

You may remember meeting both Porter and Frankie in Exposed by Fate. Porter made for some hot competition for Oliver and Frankie was the unwilling recipient of a college grant given by Oliver. Now fate has thrown these 2 very unique personalities together and boy do the sparks fly.

What do you mean? You mean you’ll MAKE me submit?”
“I mean, I will chase you down, overpower your, and ram my cock as deep as you can take it. I’m going to leave your innocent white panties on while I do it, too. I want a reminder that I’ve got an eager young beginner spreading her legs for me.”

Francesca “Frankie” De Luca is fiercely independent and the furthest you can get from a grily girl. She drives a cab for a living, scrapes up her knees playing hockey with her guy friends, and refuses any handout no matter how much she may need it. But beneath this tough girl exterior runs a strictly submissive curiosity. A curiosity that she’s only dreamed of assuaging until she’s in the wrong place at the exactly right time…

You don’t like me. You HATE me, in fact. Is that right?
These are playground games, Francesca. Punching the male who you’d actually like to fuck. I don’t usually play games, but I’m so hungry for your pussy after that little challenge, I can’t think past fucking the hate right out of you.”

Porter Evans is all about control. He thrives on it, feeds on it, craves it. So when a gorgeous tomboy with ripped jeans and a spark of wonder in her eyes walks into his room at Serve, he knows right away that it’s not the woman that he’s set up to meet. But damn if he can resist the lure of the tempting little beginner. He may not be a man that seek permanence in his relationships, but one night with this woman will never be enough and he knows it. So he proposes a solution; she’ll work for him from 9 to 5 but after 5? All bets are off…

I loved the banter and chemistry between these two. Porter is mercurial and broody, and Frankie is tough as nails and a firecracker. And suffice it to say that the sex scenes were absolutely, burn the panties right off of you, sizzling hot.

I have to say that at times both Frankie and Porter were almost too stubborn in their own hangups that it was almost too much. I understand their individual histories leading them to be the way that they are, but not quite to the extremes that they take it too. Porter’s inability to truly believe himself worthy of a relationship and Frankie’s inability of accepting any form of financial support (even in the form of a grant) did get a bit much for me at times. I suppose I just didn’t understand why it was as extreme as it was.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed this one. As a matter of fact, I think this may have been my favorite Tessa Bailey book in the Serve series. Porter does fuck up royally a couple of times in the book and even though I wanted his grovel to be a little bit more, he definitely made up for it all in the end. I loved the epilogue and I really can’t wait for more from this deliciously sexy and kinky series.

There’s a space beside you and I need to fill it to survive.



Don’t miss the rest of this sizzling hot series!

Owned by Fate (Serve #1)
Exposed by Fate (Serve #2)

Mistaken by Fate (Serve #3)
Betting on Fate (Serve #4)

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Obligation★ by @auroraroseR

Obligation 
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 11, 2015

[ob-li-gey-shuh n]
An obligation is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral.At six years old, Myla was sent to a family her father and mother had chosen for her when they knew their time on earth was almost up. What they were unaware of was what they thought would be her safe haven would become her living hell.

Kai has been watching Myla from afar since he took over the family business from his father and inherited the responsibility of keeping her safe. When word gets back to Kai that Myla is not only in danger, but that his assets are being compromised, he immediately jumps into action and does the only thing that can be done at the time by marrying her.

Neither Myla nor Kai would have thought that something that started off as a farce would become the most important thing either of them could’ve ever done.

Review
4.5 stars 

Sometimes, the things that seem the most difficult end up being the most extraordinary.

It’s no secret that Aurora Rose Reynolds books are a guilty pleasure of mine. They may not always be perfect, but for some reason that I can’t even explain, they just hit the spot for me. I’m not sure I can tell you any other author that can pull off insta-love, OTT alphas, and a little cheese thrown in and make it into a book that will leave you with a goofy smile on your face while reading it. But this woman does it and I think Obligation may have been her best book yet.

If you’ve read Assumption, then you’ll remember Kai as Kenton’s friend and the sexy bad ass. You’ll also remember the little shocker he threw at everyone where he revealed that he was married. But while you knew who he was married to, you don’t know the how’s, the why’s, or who Myla actually is. This book will give you that.

Myla and Kai knew each other as children. But when Myla was just a little girl, she was forced to leave her loving parents and her home because of a situation she never knew the full details to. Her parents thought that they were giving her to a safer place and loving arms. But her new haven also turned out to be her hell because of a person she last expected. At the first opportunity she got, Myla took off to start a new life for herself. But now her past is catching up with her and her life is in danger, and only the boy from her past that first swore to protect her can do it now. Kai will do anything to protect, even marry her. But while their vows may have been made with an ulterior motive, their feelings for each other are anything but fake.

While in any other book it may have felt like Myla and Kai’s relationship progressed too quickly, it wasn’t the case here. I really loved these two together. Kai was just this perfect combination of softie when it comes to Myla and badass when it comes to protecting her. I know there’s lots of authors out there that have attempted to emulate that Kristen Ashley vibe, and I think Aurora has definitely found that perfect formula in her books. She gives you that KA vibe but in her own voice and with her own recipe. It just works and I was eating it right up.

Even just holding Myla eased something within me, brought peace I thought was long gone.
She was my peace in a world I knew was fucked up beyond most people’s understanding.

This book was great from start to finish. There was a little angst, a lot of sexy, and even a little bit of cheese. But together it all just worked.

Myla was a great heroine. She had this vulnerability to her that made you see why she brought out Kai’s protective instincts out, but she also had a backbone without being too OTT about it. There are some time jumps through the chapter which typically wouldn’t work for me either. But once again, it just worked here. I really found the pacing to be good, even though it did progress quickly.

Kai and Myla are my favorite couple of ARR to date, and this is definitely my favorite book by her. Although I have a feeling that Sven will soon be replacing Kai for me 🙂

If you’ve enjoyed Aurora’s other books, then you will absolutely love this one. If you felt a little underwhelmed by the first book in this series, then this one will definitely make up for it. It was sexy, entertaining, sweet and perfectly fluffy with just a touch of edge. A perfect afternoon read.

Don’t miss the first book

Assumption (Underground Kings #1)
as·sump·tion:
a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proofThey say when you assume that you make an ass out of you and me. Kenton Mayson learned this lesson firsthand when he made assumptions about Autumn Freeman and the kind of woman she is based on what little information he had. What he finds out is she’s not only beautiful, but also smart, funny, a fighter, and exactly the kind of woman he wants to share his life with. Autumn made assumptions of her own about Kenton, and now he needs to prove her wrong in order to protect her and their future.
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About the Author

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who’s husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She’s married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires it’s beauty.

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Saving Jay★ by @EMAbel4

Saving Jayblogtour
Saving Jay 
Author:  E.M. Abel
Release Date: February 10, 2015goodreads

Saving JayJay
My life was a dark and desolate place. Consumed by work and full of regret, loneliness had become my closest friend. Ink and a tattoo machine were my therapy, a way to claim my own skin with the art that I loved.
The day I walked into her shop, I knew I’d found what I needed.
The light I’d been looking for.Jade
When I first looked into those blue eyes I saw a depth behind them that I wanted to explore. Jason “Jay” Clarke was more than a perfectly pressed suit and dimpled smile. He was a man with a heart of gold drowning in the weight of his world.
He wanted me to mark him.
I never expected him to soothe my aching heart.

When our worlds collide and Jay begins to fall apart, will my love be enough to save him?

**WARNING: Not recommended for younger readers due to sexual content and language.

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markedmeteaser

Excerpt
Letting go, Jay turned toward the table and pushed our dishes out of the way. My glass tipped over, spilling water onto the floor, but he didn’t seem to care.
“Sit down,” he told me, taking my hand and guiding me to the edge of the table.
I did as I had been told, getting up on my toes, before sliding my ass over the edge and sitting in front of him. His warm hands ran up my thighs, and his eyes were so dark and passionate that I couldn’t look away.
Kneeling down, Jay picked up one of the belts from our robes before standing up again. “Do you trust me?” he asked, holding the belt in one of his hands.
I glanced at it before meeting his gaze. I did. I probably trusted him more than I should. “Yes,” I whispered, keeping my eyes on his.
Jay’s lips lifted on one side, exposing one of his dimples. “Good,” he said before lifting the white belt and putting it over my eyes.
I gasped in surprise as everything went black. The soft material held my eyes closed as he tied it behind my head. I could feel his warm body in front of me, his thighs touching the insides of my knees. The rain sounded louder as it hit the deck outside. Licking my lips, I waited for Jay to make his next move.
“Lie back,” he whispered next to my ear.
I grinned and slowly leaned back, afraid I might knock something over. Jay’s hands helped guide me down, and once my head touched, I relaxed on the hard wood. Jay’s warmth left me, and I felt so exposed, lying there while blindfolded before him.
A few seconds later, I heard movement in the kitchen. The refrigerator door opened and closed, and I worked to control the rhythm of my breaths as I waited. I vaguely heard Jay’s footsteps as he came back into the room. It was hard to hear anything with the storm outside. Jay’s leg brushed mine before he moved to stand between my legs again. I had to fight the urge to talk. I wanted to ask him what he was going to do. I wanted to beg him to touch me, but I also knew the silence was only building the connection between us.
I have to trust him.

I felt Jay leaning forward, his hand moving to the table beside my shoulder. In the next second, something ice cold was on one of my nipples. I inhaled sharply as Jay’s lips wrapped around it, sucking it into his warm mouth. I sighed. The relief from the cold and the pure erotic feeling of having his mouth on me was almost euphoric.
Releasing me, I felt him move again before doing the same to my other nipple. A gust of wind blew outside, and I heard the rain pounding harder against the glass doors as I sucked in another breath. My legs drew in closer to Jay’s as my back arched off the table, my hands curling around the edges of it. I could feel the warmth of Jay’s chest as I drew closer to him, but he pulled away, and I relaxed back onto the table. I was breathing hard again, waiting to feel what he’d do next.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he said, his voice right above me.
Review
4.5 stars

 

It’s the dark moments that make the good ones shine.

I became a fan of E.M. Abel after reading Breaking Shaun, but finishing this book just solidified it. She has such a raw talent; giving you these characters that are very far from the mainstream and incredibly endearing. If you’ve read the previous two books in this series, you’ll find this one to be a definite change of pace. There’s no major drama, no crazy angst, no plot twists and crazy plot devices. It’s a story about two somewhat broken souls learning how to heal themselves and then each other. It’s a beautiful love story with perfectly imperfect characters. It’s emotional, it’s sexy, it’s touching, and it’s real.

If you’ve read Freeing Asia, then you’ve already met Jay. But if you haven’t then don’t worry because you can easily read this book as a standalone.

Jay is a man that on the surface seemingly has everything; wealth, a successful career, and his pick of any woman he wants. But beneath the surface of his suave exterior is the broken soul of a man that craves the things that he can never seem to get; his father’s approval and love and a woman that doesn’t just see him for what he can offer her.

I like women with tattoos. I like a woman who genuinely gives a shit about what I think and doesn’t care about what’s in my bank account. I enjoy fucking women like I won them, and as you probably already know, I only own the best of everything.

While he thought that Asia was the one that got away, now he realizes that it wasn’t so much her as the idea of her. He envies what Asia has with her husband, Marcus, but not because he wants her still but the love that they share. He’s tired of going on never ending dates with shallow women from his “circles” that bore him with their incessant talking about themselves and being seen as nothing more than a handsome wallet.

Often, the things we detested most in others were the things we feared becoming.”

Then one day, a chance meeting with an exotic beauty changes everything…

Jade is a talented tattoo artist that even got a chance to be on a popular MTV reality show. She’s built up quite a following for her work because of it, but after her relationship implodes, she leaves her life in Boston behind to start new.

When Jay walks into her new tattoo shop for his tattoo, she’s instantly drawn to the immaculately dressed man that covers his ink in designer suits. The chemistry between them is instant and they’re equally drawn to each other, though there’s no insta-anything to be found here.

I think the part that I truly loved about this book is that while both Jay and Jade are broken characters, they’re also equally as strong…especially Jade. I thought that E.M. did such an amazing job in giving the reader an incredibly realistic portrayal of people that fight their own demons instead of each other.

I know what it’s like to be broken. I’ve been that way for most of my life. It’s not easy, but sometimes, we have to let ourselves believe that we’re worth saving.” 

While Jade has trust issues because of her ex-boyfriends betrayal, Jay has his own demons that are left from his turbulent relationship with his father. But yet together, they make perfect sense. This is a fairly slow paced book, but that also makes the reader truly get invested into the relationship between Jay and Jade. You feel all their ups and downs and you find yourself falling right along with them.

Love is fearless. It has to be.

While at times I did find myself growing a little bored and turning the pages a little quicker in the hopes of something happening that would pick up the pace, I also appreciated the fact that there was nothing crazy or dramatic. It wouldn’t have been true to the characters or their story. It’s no small feat to portray a relationship that still has it’s ups and downs without making it be overly dramatic or angsty. I truly fell hard for both of these characters. Jade was still so strong even though her issues run deep, it was incredibly endearing. Jay was this perfect combination of demanding and sexy and vulnerable. There were two scenes that even managed to bring tears to my cold and black little heart.


You let me into your heart,” he murmured as he swept the backs of his fingers along my jaw. “You took my ugly dark piece of art and turned it into a masterpiece.” 

If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy romance that while it may be slower paced still packs a punch, this is definitely the book for you. I adored it and cannot wait to see what this woman writes next. As sad as I am that this series has come to an end, I also appreciate that it wasn’t necessarily dragged out. It ended on the perfect note and with the perfect couple. Just wonderful.

COVER MODEL SPOTLIGHT

 

Casey West 1

Photo by: TJ Dinch Photography

When did you decide you wanted to be a model?
I never decided I wanted to become a model I kinda just stumbled into it.
Was modeling something you thought about doing?
No, I was just asked to do some shoots and had fun with it.
Tell us 3 random things about yourself.
three random things about me..hmmm….
I am going to school for business to start a non profit organization dealing with orphanages in 3rd world countries, I suck at math and I will never drive another vehicle besides a jeep or ride another bike besides my Harley
How do you feel about being on the Cover of E.M. Abel’s book?
I was excited about the opportunity and I am all about helping people out, so when she hit me up I was completely down and excited about it.
What are your plans/hopes for the future?
Finish business school and I’ll continue bar tending through college but after I graduate I will start my non profit and spend most my life over seas after that.
Stalk Casey on Facebook and Instagram
SAVING ASIA (Breaking Free #1)
Freeing Asia
AMAZON
BREAKING SHAUN (Breaking Free #2)

About E.M. Abel Button

My husband is awesome and also a Chief in the US Navy. This means crazy schedules, uncertainty and lots of nights spent alone writing on my computer.

I have two amazing kids who always know how to make me laugh.

I’ve been passionate about writing since I wrote my first poem in the 3rd grade and I’ve been using it as a means to express myself since.

 

I think because I hold my emotions so close and fear being vulnerable I use different forms of self expression- writing, drawing, painting, photography, tattoos- to show the world who I am.

The one rule I use everyday is the Golden Rule–“Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.” I believe karma is very real and sometimes she can be a bitch if you make her that way.

I love acting crazy, I love to laugh, I love making people laugh, I love the ocean, I love dancing like no one is watching, I love good music, I love good books… oh man I should probably stop there. I love a lot of stuff.

Please feel free to write me or send a friend request.

2 signed Freeing Asia paperbacks
2 signed Breaking Shaun paperbacks
2 signed Saving Jay paperbacks
5 ebooks of each (Freeing Asia, Breaking Shaun and Saving Jay)
$20 Amazon Gift Card
$10 iTunes Gift Card
2 Breaking Free series swag packs

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ARC Review: ★HERO★ by Samantha Young

HERO
Author: Samantha Young
Genre: Contemporary Romance (standalone)
Release Date: February 3, 2015
Length: 384 pages

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren’t his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets,. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they’re on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

Buy Links
PRE-ORDER HERO
Review
4 stars

The only thing I was starting to predict was that if I did by some miracle find a way to make Caine see who I really was, I was almost positive that I wasn’t going to come out of it unscathed.

There is nothing better for me than a hate to love trope. Nothing. I eat it up and ask for seconds and thirds. I will never get enough of it. Add into that equation a brooding business man and a fantastic heroine and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a terrific read!

If you’re a fan of Samantha Young’s writing, I can almost guarantee that you will love this standalone novel for her about finding love in the most unlikely of places.

…sometimes you’ve got to let yourself be vulnerable even when it’s the scariest thing in the world.

Alexa Holland is a succesful assistant to a photographer. She knows her job and she does it well. But her mother’s death recently has left her reeling, and the dirty family secret that it unearthed even more so. She idolized her father as a little girl, so to learn about the dirty details of his shameful past mistakes was a shock. To learn that his actions also ruined the lives of another family was even more so. So she writes her father out of her life and tries to live her life even though she still continues to feel like she’s living in the shadow of his sin.

This becomes glaringly obvious to her when she runs into the one person that her father hurt the most with his actions. A man whose life he ultimately ruined but still turned around to make himself an immensely successful and rich business man; Caine Carraway.

Even though she had nothing to do with her father’s decisions, Lexie wants to explain to Caine who she is and that she’s nothing like her father. Unfortunately her impulsive decision doesn’t quite pan out the way she wants when the only reaction she gets from Caine is disgust and the loss of her job in the process.

Lexie is definitely one tough cookie. This was the thing that I really loved about her character. She never crumbles under the weight of her troubles, she faces them head on. And that’s precisely what she does when she pushes her way into Caine’s office the next day and demands he hears her out. She’ll beg if she has to if it gets him to call her boss and get her job back and to see that she’s nothing like her father.

But Caine has a different plan in mind. He refuses to see past the sins of Lexie’s father, and he can make her pay for it…in the form of a job. She’ll no longer be jobless, but she’ll work for him…

Caine is a very intense character and he definitely doesn’t shy away from making Lexie feel like she’s below him. Luckily Lexie has a backbone and never fails to give as good as she gets.

Tomorrow you’ll receive your employment contracts. Once you sign those I’m your boss.” When I didn’t answer he said, “That means you act the way I want you to act. That means you shelve your attitude and the twenty questions.”
“Should I shelve those next to ‘personality’?”

Thus begins their intricate push and pull. I think this may have been my favorite part of the book. The banter between Caine and Lexie was fantastic. Caine was a straight up asshole at times, and Lexie always pushed his buttons right back. But beneath the obviously anger there was also this undercurrent of lust. Samantha Young did such a fantastic job writing that in without making it be too obvious or too sudden. The chemistry between them, though felt right away, is still a slow burn. And when they finally give into the inevitable?

Caine doesn’t thaw right away, not even close. The push and pull continues for a very large chunk of the book. There are times where even though you see that he’s drawn to Lexie, he’s still an asshole

I don’t know what this is you’re trying to do, but you and I are not the same.” He took another step back from me. “And I am not for you. I’m not your white knight. I’m just the guy who wanted to fuck you.”

I really enjoyed that part of the book, though. The progression of their relationship, considering their past, is a very realistic one, and I appreciated that. It takes Caine a while to really see Lexie and who she truly is and Lexie never gives up on him. The chemistry between them is absolutely sizzling. Miss Young can definitely write one incredibly sexy love scene.

This would have been a solid five star read for me if not for one small thing; Caine’s ‘secret’. There’s a lot of build up to why he is the way he is and why he doesn’t believe he can be the man for her. He continuously pushes her away because of this. But I have to say when the entire thing was finally revealed…I was left underwhelmed. It was this feeling of ‘that’s it? That’s what it was?’. For lack of a better word, it just seemed a little lame. Luckily that was such a small part and it didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the books as a whole. I definitely really enjoyed this one and highly recommend to any fans of sexy contemporary romance that like their heroes a little intense with a dash of asshole

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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