Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Vicious by LJ Shen

January 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

VICIOUS
Series: Sinners of Saint
Author: LJ Shen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 1, 2017

Emilia

They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true.

The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares.

He is a brilliant lawyer.

A skilled criminal.

A beautiful liar.

A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover.

Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious

She is a starving artist.

Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom.

Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down.

She paid the price.

Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate.

That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t.

So she hates me. Big fucking deal.

She better get used to me.

AMAZON

“You’re pissing me off,” she said quietly, her eyes still searching my face.“And that’s turning me on,” I retorted, my voice flat. “So you might wanna tone down the hate glares if you don’t wanna find yourself being fucked on this desk with the blinds still open.”

I was still staring at my screen, working on the merger deal I was eager to get signed before Christmas, but I could see from my peripheral that she had paled. I liked how—once again—I’d gotten under her skin. Quickly.

“You’re disgusting,” she muttered, still staring at me—but not in a way that suggested she was appalled.

I cracked my neck, opening my browser and checking the stocks on the screen, skimming through the greens and the reds. “That may well be, but I’m balls deep in your fucking head, Help, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Her eyes glittered with rage, and fuck, I was so hard, and fuck, she was so beautiful. This was so on. I was going to fuck Dean’s ex-girlfriend, use her for my personal needs, and toss her away when I was done.

And after choosing the wrong guy, there was no doubt in my mind, she deserved it too.

“You just gave Floyd a lecture about the inter-office fraternization policy. No mixing business and pleasure.” She leaned forward. Her elbow touched my finger accidentally, and she jerked it away.

I met her halfway, erasing the space between us across the desk. “Correction—guys like Floyd won’t give you pleasure. Men like me would. Besides, the man likes Arrow,” I drawled, as if this alone was a reason to fire him.

To me, it was.

“You know what your problem is, Vicious? You still haven’t decided if you hate me or like me. That’s why you act like this every time I’m around other men.” There wasn’t a trace of embarrassment in her voice. She owned up to this.

What she didn’t know was that I knew exactly how I felt about her.

I hated her, but was attracted to her. It was really that simple.

“You know what I feel right now, Ms. LeBlanc? I feel like you need to pack a fucking bag and start making the necessary arrangements. You’re coming with me to California, whether you like it or not.”

My obsession. My muse. My enemy.

It’s official. L.J. Shen is a witch. How else could the woman possibly crawl inside my mind and create a story that seriously felt custom written for me?
Uber angst? Check!
Hot alphahole hero? Holy hell, CHECK!
A heroine that’s the perfect blend of innocent but with a steel backbone? Check!
An enemies to lovers story that left me practically salivating? CHECK!
A sexual chemistry and a burn so good it makes you want to slap yo mama? CHECK!
An addicting, obsessive read from cover to cover? ABSOLUTELY FREAKING CHECK!!!

This guy is going to break my heart if I let him.

The Four HotHoles rule All Saints High. All the guys want to hang out with them and all the girls want to sleep with them. It doesn’t matter that women are more disposable to them than a pair of socks, they’ll gladly give up their dignity for a night…or a few hours in their bed. Vicious is the most brutal of the four. He’s a coldblooded asshole that practice bubbles over with barely surprised rage. And the target for the brunt of his anger is Emilia, his classmate and daughter of the hired help living at his father’s mansion.

Vicious was vicious. It was too bad that my hate for him was dipped in a thin shell of something that felt like love. But I promised myself I’d crack it, break it, and unleash pure hatred in its place before he got to me.

Emilia was a heroine you can’t help but like. They say the line is thin between love and hate and that’s definitely the case here. She wants to hate Vicious and he surely gives her plenty of reason to…and yet, he’s like a magnet drawing her in.

Shen did a phenomenal job with character development, that you don’t just read what they’re feeling, you feel it. That couldn’t be more true with Emilia. I clicked with her from the very first page. Here’s a heroine that’s down on her luck, down to her last penny, barely making ends meet working two jobs to support herself and her sick sister, but she still has this undercurrent of strength that you can’t help but respect.

Intersected with flashbacks to their high school years, the story develops in the present. Years after Emilia left All Saints High and Vicious behind. But circumstances soon bring her face to face once more with a man that made her teenage years a living hell.

I want to fuck you and watch your face while I do. To see how you drown in me as I hurt you as much as it hurts me to have to see your goddamn face every day.” 

Now if you’re an angst lover like me, you will gobble up everything about this book and be left begging for more. The sexual tension between Vicious and Emilia crackles with electricity. I loved that added burn of hate lust between them. The woman definitely gave him a run for his money and for all his thinly veiled insults that he throws her way, you can see just how much he craves her underneath it all.

You’re pissing me off,” she said quietly, her eyes still searching my face.
“And that’s turning me on,” I retorted, my voice flat. “So you might wanna tone down the hate glares if you don’t wanna find yourself being fucked on this desk with the blinds still open.”

The writing was absolutely brilliant. Shen simply gets better and better with each book she writes and she truly outdid herself with this one. She gave us four heroes that you not only click with but obsess over. Sure, this book is focused on Vicious and I loved every page of it. But I also loved the three other HotHoles and if the set up for two of them is anything to go by, I already know I need their books.

As for this book? This is what obsession is made of. This book. These characters. This romance. It was too delicious for words. Simply. Addicting.

This is not a relationship. It’s two people fucking the obsession out of each other.”

L.J. Shen resides in sunny California with her husband, son, chubby cat and wild, wild dreams.

Her passion is to write badass stories, sushi, UFC and her awesome family and friends (not in this order, though. Obviously, sushi comes before writing. Oh, and also the family part.)

She spend the first half of her twenties traveling the world and is now paying all the fun with extra shifts in front of her MacBook. Feel free to contact her on her Facebook page. She loves to hear from her readers.

https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/

Social Media links:

Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2jKBd1l

Pinterest ➜ https://www.pinterest.com/authorljshen/

Email ➜ msleighshen@gmail.com

Newsletter Sign up ➜ http://goo.gl/FwfMzr

Facebook➜ https://goo.gl/fKCSo4

Twitter➜ https://goo.gl/ceV3RQ

Goodreads ➜ https://goo.gl/T4YU71

Website ➜ www.ljshen.com

Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/authorljshen/

 

Also Available On Sale (Limited Time)

Tyed

Sparrow

Blood to Dust

 

Head over to LJ’s Facebook Page for multiple giveaways

https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/?fref=ts

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, DGR Favorites, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: ,

DGR’s 2016 Favorites

December 19, 2016 by · 3 Comments

Did 2016 fly by or what? Holy moly! Where did the year go?! Jennifer and I had such an amazing year in books it was almost impossible to pick our favorites. Of course there was one particular book that we’re STILL fighting about…

What? That husseh started it dammit! She wants my man Gabriel from THE PAWN. I’m having NONE OF IT!! He’s mine. MINE! You hear me, woman? But I digress. Let’s get back to our regularly scheduled programming, shall we?

LANA’S FAVORITES OF 2016

BACKFIRE by Keri Lake

No one and I mean NO ONE writes a gritty, dark romance quite like Keri Lake. The woman is a freaking rock star. But this book? It’s official; I had PTKD (Post Traumatic Keri Disorder). The woman has ruined me. This book? I hope you all have your big girl panties on, because a walk through the meadows with unicorns it. Is. Not.

Backfire is dark, gritty, and unapologetic. You’ll be reading it with your heart in your throat and your stomach twisted up in knots. It’s violent, a touch depraved, darkly erotic, action packed and absolutely, positively unputdownable. The story is filled with so many unpredictable twists and turns that it will make your head spin! It’s brilliantly written and I will even go so far as to say this was darker than Ricochet and that’s saying something, trust me.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

PERFECT RAGE by Nashoda Rose

You know when you spend years waiting for a certain character’s story. You build it up in your head. Your eager anticipation can really get the best of you. So I was equal parts excited and nervous for Connor’s book. It couldn’t possibly live up to all my expectations, right? I mean, at this point they were highly unrealistic. But leave it to Nashoda Rose to not only live up to it, but blow all my expectations out of the water. I loved and I mean LOVED this book.

This is not a book you can read out of order. You need to read the entire Unyielding series in order to understand the complexity of the story and especially the events that led to finding Connor. While the author does a fantastic job with a recap, you’d still lose a lot of info not having read the first two books.

After the scene at the end of Perfect Ruin, I’ve been practically salivating for this book. I had no idea what the tie between Catalina “Alina” Diaz and Connor was, but this book finally gave me that. Oh boy did it give me that. I think I must have been reading with a lump in my throat the entire time. Connor and Alina’s story is devastating and heart-wrenching. Pure gritty, angsty perfection!

AMAZON | GOODREADS | MY REVIEW

DISCLAIM by Pam Godwin

It’s no secret that I love dark romance, and it’s also no secret that I’m EXTREMELY picky when it comes to it. It’s easy to throw in some violence and shock value and call it a day. But at the end of the day, that’s not what makes a truly masterful dark romance. Only a few authors truly pull that off and there’s a reason Pam is my go-to author for dark romance; the woman writes some of my favorite anti-heroes.

Pam Godwin is the queen of dark romance and she crafted the perfect couple with Camilla and Matias. They were a ying and yang of dominance and submission. They were dark and darker. They were pain and pleasure. They were devastatingly perfect. I loved every single page of this book!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

THE ENFORCER by Kele Moon

When it comes to Kele Moon, I don’t have enough praise in the world to cover all of her talent. She writes some of the most emotionally gripping, enrapturing romances I have ever read. She’s a master of creating characters that burrow into your heart and stay there. They become part of your very being and no I’m not being even a little melodramatic. Her books are THAT good. But The Enforcer?

Powerful.
Emotional.
Gut wrenching.
All consuming.
Gritty.
And so raw it’ll make your heart bleed.

I say this each and every time I finish a book by Kele Moon, but unbelievably she only continues to get better and better. And that’s saying a lot considering how much I loved The Slayer. But Tino’s book? This was something else entirely. Kele truly takes you to the dark and violent underbelly of the New York mafia. She spares no details. None. You’ll read it with your gut twisted and your heart in your throat the entire time just like I did.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

THE PAWN by Skye Warren

Why are Jennifer and I STILL fighting over Gabriel? You’ll have to read this book to find out. And if you’ve read it, then you already know the answer. Gabriel is easily my favorite anti-hero that Skye Warren has written to date.

This powerful story sucked me in from the very first page. I’m STILL thinking about it weeks later.

The Pawn was easily my favorite by this author to date. Gripping. Captivating. Magnetic. Dark. Erotic. It was EVERYTHING I love about a dark romance. It’s not gratuitous violence and scenes thrown in for pure shock value. It’s a mind fuck. An incredibly written, twisty, and delicious mind fuck that I couldn’t put down from beginning to finish; with a heroine you’ll want to root for, and an anti-hero that you’ll want to hate only slightly more than you love him.

Now if you’ll excuse us, Jennifer and I are off to respectfully and peacefully discuss dibs of Gabriel once more…

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

BLACK SWAN AFFAIR by K.L. Kreig

So here’s the thing; I do NOT read love triangles. They make me cranky and stabby. True story. What? We all have our limits, mkay? But something about this blurb just sucked me in. My curiosity got the best of me. Then my lovely friend Nashoda told me that it had my name written all over it and I should check it out, I figured, I have to read it. And let me tell you, she was NOT wrong!

This book blew me away. It was masterfully written, multi-layerd and perfectly developed. I found myself kicking my own butt for not reading this author before. Because after this book? She’s on my auto-buy list. No. Questions. Asked.

If you’re thinking this is a typical love triangle, you couldn’t be more wrong. That blurb doesn’t even begin to do this book justice. It’s so much more than a woman who can’t have the man she wants so she settles for his brother. This is not a black and white story. It’s settled very firmly in the gray. It’s a must read. TRUST ME.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

UNBREAK MY HEART by Nicole Jacquelyn

The angst! THE ANGST! OMG THE ANGST. I love a good dose of the double A. Angst and alphaholes that is. Nom nom nom. And boy did this book have both of those in spades. I’m not even kidding. And it was SO delicious.

I picked it up and read it straight through because I couldn’t bear to put it down for even a second. I was an ugly crying, sniveling, raging mess the entire time and loved every painful second of it.

Unbreak My Heart is an unbelievably gripping story of love and loss and second chances. This book absolutely owned my heart. It was a compelling, angst-filled, emotional, and completely unputdownable read from beginning to finish. You will love to hate this hero and then you’ll just flat out love him.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

RETRIEVAL & TRANSFER by Aly Martinez

Since this is a duet, I’m counting it as one (What? You don’t expect me to pick one do you? It’s like picking your favorite child. Impossible) I loved both of these equally. Aly Martinez seriously outdid herself with this story. While it is a duet, each book is a story of a different couple, with the story line developing throughout both books.

This was Aly’s best work to date and I’ve loved the woman’s entire backlist. If you’ve read it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t, don’t miss a second more. You NEED to experience this gripping and emotional story. A story of two different couples whose lives intertwine in the most devastating of ways. Trust me on this, if you read any book of this author, make it these two. You won’t be sorry.

PAPER PRINCESS by Erin Watt

Book crack. That’s what this was. Complete and utter book crack. My god! Imagine if there was a love child of Cruel Intentions and Gossip Girl, because that’s what this was. While it’s marked YA, I’d say it’s more NA in the scenarios. It is a trilogy that you’ll want to read back to back because those damn cliffhangers will get you.

I don’t remember the last time I was THAT enraptured in a book. There was so much teenage drama and angst and I just gobbled it right up with a spoon. Yum!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

PUNK 57 by Penelope Douglas

Without fail, this author shows up on my favorites list each and every single year? Why? Because her style of writing just does it for me. She writes angsty NA with alphahole heroes and strong and witty heroines that give as good as they get. She writes some of my favorite enemies to lovers trope and some of the best angst I’ve ever read. Suffice it to say, she’s been on my auto-buy list since the first book I read by her.

If you’ve read Corrupt, you’ll definitely appreciate this book and a few connections that it has to the world and characters from Corrupt. As for the book itself? Pure Penelope Douglas book crack as always. I loved it!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

SPARKING THE FIRE by Kate Meader

If you follow my blog, then you already know my love for this author. She’s written some of my very favorite enemies to lovers trope books. Her Hot In Chicago series happens to be one of my favorites and she seriously hit the spot just right with book 3 in this awesome series!

If you haven’t read this series, you’re seriously missing out. If you haven’t read anything by this amazing author, you’re seriously missing out. And if you haven’t made plans to meet Wyatt Fox, then you’re SERIOUSLY missing out!

Kate Meader is going to spoil me with her awesomeness soon, but you won’t hear a peep of complaint out of this reader.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

FOUR LETTER WORD by J. Daniels

Oh the swoons! The swoons I tells ya! I adored this book. As much as I love all things J. Daniels, this was my favorite book by her to date. It had everything; a sassy heroine, a broody alpha, amazing banter, fantastic secondary characters, and a romance so sizzling it may set your kindle on fire.

Four Letter Word marks book 1 in J’s brand new Dirty Deeds series and I’m seriously in love. If you haven’t read any book by this author yet, I highly recommend you start with this one. You won’t be sorry.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

FIRST AND FIRST by Santino Hassel

Simply put, my top favorite MM romance I read all year. Period.

I loved everything about their romance; the raw sexuality, the realness, the slow burn and the tension. It wasn’t your typical, wrapped in a perfect little bow sort of story. But it was perfect nonetheless.

Santino Hassel introduces you to a world that’s hard to leave even once you finish the book. You find yourself thinking about these characters long after reading the final page. You crave more and yet you’re also surprisingly satisfied with how it ends. I’m not sure how this incredibly talented author had flown under my radar up until now, but I will be rectifying my mistake by reading his entire backlist and all future releases to come. I recommend this book to any MM fans out there. Seriously. This is an absolute must read. If you don’t fall in love with these characters when you read it, then we’re simply not reading the same book.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

LOVING YOU EASY by Roni Loren

Do you love well written BDSM romance?

Do you love broken and broody alphas?

Do you love seriously hot MMF menage romance?

Do you want all of those things in one incredibly satisfying read?

WHY HAVEN’T YOU READ THIS BOOK YET???

Even if you haven’t read any other book in this series, and you love an incredible well written MMF romance, this book is a must read. You can easily enjoy it as a standalone but I highly recommend the rest of the series because it’s just as good. I can’t believe this is already book 9, but I never want it to end.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

SOMEONE LIKE YOU by Lauren Layne

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve been both eagerly anticipating and dreading Lincoln’s book. Anticipating it because you love those irreverent playboys, and dreading because you’re afraid that you’ve been building up your expectations in anticipation. Lincoln’s story was the one I’ve been waiting for since Irresistibly Yours. It’s been a long, painful wait. But after finishing this book in one sitting, I can tell you that it was every single minute, hour, day, and month of the wait. It didn’t meet my expectation. Heck no! It blew them away. Lincoln Mathis took everything I had thought I knew about him and took me on a rollercoaster of emotion. I laughed, I cried, I freaking swooned! I adored everything about this story. EVERYTHING.

If you’ve enjoyed the rest of the Stiletto and Oxford series and you’ve been anticipating Lincoln’s story as much as I have, this is a must read. But have a box of tissues ready, because you won’t come out of it unscathed. Be ready to shed some tears and swoon over the perfect imperfection that is Lincoln Mathis.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

JENNIFER’S FAVORITES OF 2016

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Of all the books in the world, you should read this one. It is THAT BOOK. That book that you remember forever. That book that makes you laugh until your stomach hurts. That book that makes you cry in the best way possible. That book that you will keep on your bookshelf forever. That book that you want everyone to read. And YOU should.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Enemies to Lovers!!!! My favorite trope! This book checked all of my boxes. And it was so unique and so well written. I am still shocked that this is her debut novel. Because Sally Thorne needs to write all of the books. And I will read all of her books.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

The Pawn by Skye Warren

Uber-alpha-hole in the hizouse!!!! And I have licked him, so he’s miiiiiine! Lana are gonna have to have a throw-down because I don’t think either one of us are giving up on Gabriel.

And this is just the first book! Lol! We might combust when The Knight comes out.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

 

Tonic by Staci Hart

I have a confession. I am in love with Staci Hart. And this is the only book I have read of hers. I know! I am horrible person, but one of my New Year’s Resolutions is to read all of Staci Hart’s books! Another enemies to lovers (I have a problem! I know!). This books i full of FIRE and ICE, and I was just left a pile of goop in the end.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

 

Worked Up by Tessa Bailey

This book made all my dreams come true. My #pmb dreams. (That’s “Pouty Man Bear” for all you crazy people who aren’t obsessed with everything Tessa Bailey like me). This book can be summed up in One Word……Duke. I’m basically a Super Fan of Tessa Bailey, y’all. All I want for Christmas is Tessa Bailey locked in my basement. Is that too much to ask??!!!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

 

Wicked Sexy by J.T. Geissinger

Welcome to my favorites, J.T. Geissinger….we are all mad here. I was pleasantly surprised by this book because I had never read this author before. It was the perfect mix of everything. The witty dialogue….I ate it up. All the feels…I ate them up. And of course it is enemies to lovers (this is a common theme to my favorites). Ugh. I need to reread this book!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

CATEGORIED FAVORITES

Favorite MC Club

Fearless by Lauren Gilley

This book is like MC Club Literature, you guys. Lauren Gilley has such a way with beautiful words and I just get swept up in them. This was my first book I’ve read of her, and it’s definitely one of my favorite MC Club books and series. I am a fan for life of this amazing author, and I am begging that you give her a try.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

 

Favorite Young Adult

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell = Life-changer. I heard about this author, and this book sat on my TBR for the longest time, and I regret putting this book off. Because…..dayum. I haven’t jumped into her other books, but I know I will love them and they just won’t be enough because I will always want more Rainbow Rowell, more of her characters, more of her stories.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

 

Favorite Historical

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

Tessa Dare is one of my go-to favorite HR authors. I know that I will get lost in her books, and I definitely did with this one. It is witty and smart. This book is one giant SWOON. I love how unique Tessa’s stories are, and this one is definitely unique, putting a twist on James Bond and Clue.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

Favorite PNR

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Lana book-pushed Nalini Singh on me, and I finally caved and started this series this year, and I am so glad she did! Because WOW! I have stepped into the rabbit hole in this series. It is so creative with layers upon layers of awesome. I know that I haven’t even touched the surface of this series because there are SO many books in this series, but this was my favorite one in the series I read this year.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

 

Favorite Mafia

Sebring by Kristen Ashley

Bucket List Item #1 = Meet Kristen Ashley. This woman. I mean…..seriously. This book rocked me to my core. All the feels inside the feels are in this book. And of course, it is so hot it scorched my eyelashes from reading it. I adore Mafia Romance, and this one just surpasses all!

GOODREADS | AMAZON

 

Favorite Sports Romance

 The Baller by Vi Keeland

I love me a good Sports Romance, and this one mixes with my absolute favorite trope on top with whip cream (ok, I added the whip cream)…..Enemies to Lovers!!!! When the characters hate each other so much that the lust just builds and builds and it scorches them into loving each otherrrrr!!!

GOODREADS | AMAZON

 

Did we miss some of your favorites? We’d love to hear about them in comments below! Tell us about some of the favorite reads you had this year. As you noticed, not all of ours were necessarily released in 2016 but it was when we read them, so it counts 🙂

We didn’t get a chance to review all the favorites mentioned on our list, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t blown away by the book. Just that we were lazy or real life got the best of us. Each book mentioned on our list was a HUGE 5 star read for us and we can’t recommend it to other readers enough! Now bring on the awesome reads of 2017! WE’RE READY FOR YOU!!!

3 Comments · Filed Under: DGR Favorites, Features · Tagged With: , , ,

DGR Fave Review: Someone Like You by @_LaurenLayne

December 7, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

someone-like-you-reviewSOMEONE LIKE YOU
Series: Oxford #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: December 6, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

someone-like-you

Lauren Layne’s bestselling Oxford Series continues with the poignant, heartwarming story of New York’s most eligible bachelor, Lincoln Mathis, a man who’s living a lie—until his dream woman takes away the pain.

Lincoln Mathis doesn’t hide his reputation as Manhattan’s ultimate playboy. In fact, he cultivates it. But behind every flirtatious smile, each provocative quip, there’s a secret that Lincoln’s hiding from even his closest friends—a tragedy from his past that holds his heart quietly captive. Lincoln knows what he wants: someone like Daisy Sinclair, the sassy, off-limits bridesmaid he can’t take his eyes off at his best friend’s wedding. He also knows that she’s everything he can never have.

After a devastating divorce, Daisy doesn’t need anyone to warn her off the charming best man at her sister’s wedding. One look at the breathtakingly hot Lincoln Mathis and she knows that he’s exactly the type of man she should avoid. But when Daisy stumbles upon Lincoln’s secret, she realizes there’s more to the charming playboy than meets the eye. And suddenly Daisy and Lincoln find their lives helplessly entwined in a journey that will either heal their damaged souls . . . or destroy them forever.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR5 starssomeone-like-you-dgr-teaser

If I did it, Wallflower, if I felt that way again, it would be about someone like you.”

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve been both eagerly anticipating and dreading Lincoln’s book. Anticipating it because you love those irreverent playboys, and dreading because you’re afraid that you’ve been building up your expectations in anticipation. Lincoln’s story was the one I’ve been waiting for since Irresistibly Yours. It’s been a long, painful wait. But after finishing this book in one sitting, I can tell you that it was every single minute, hour, day, and month of the wait. It didn’t meet my expectation. Heck no! It blew them away. Lincoln Mathis took everything I had thought I knew about him and took me on a rollercoaster of emotion. I laughed, I cried, I freaking swooned! I adored everything about this story. EVERYTHING.

And tell me, Daisy Sinclair,” he said, “why is it that you’ve been dubbed off-limits?”
She batten her eyelashes, looking every bit the Southern belle she sounded like. “Isn’t it obvious? Divorced, damaged, and ever so fragile. You? Why is it that you’re to be avoided?”
He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.“Consummate playboy, intriguingly unattainable, with just a dash of dangerous secrets.”

If there’s one thing I can tell you is to go into this book ABSOLUTELY BLIND. You don’t want to know the smallest detail. Trust me on this. You’ll appreciate the emotional punch that much more. What I can tell you is that you’re expecting for this to be the typical playboy meets the right girl and changes his way sort of story, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Lincoln couldn’t explain how he knew it, but he and Daisy Sinclair got each other. Their respective walls had been acknowledged, a silent agreement passed that neither would try to scale the other’s.

Daisy is Emma’s (from THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE) twin sister. Coming off of a bitter divorce has left her a little cracked, but not broken. This was a woman with so much internal strength and it just took her a bit to get it all backed. Daisy was such a powerhouse of a heroine…in a perfectly understated way. She was exactly what Lincoln needed. She was patient, kind, understanding and never pushed beyond what she knew the boundaries were. She has her own past demons that she’s trying to recover from, and it just made her that much more endearing.

As for Lincoln? Man oh man, I never thought it’d be possible for me to love him even more than I already did. Still waters certainly run deep with this man and he’s so much more that what first meets the eye.

We’re all a little cracked, honey.”
“You ever wonder?”
“Wonder what?”
“What will fill your cracks? How to get better.”
“All the damn time.”

What you see is not at all what you get with him and soon the pieces begin to click together towards the heartrending secret that he keeps. My heart went through a ringer with him. It’s impossible not to fall for him, not to feel his pain, not to want to soothe and heal him. In between the easy friendship that Lincoln and Daisy instantly develop, there was such a deep emotion interspersed with a hidden craving. God. GOD but I loved these two together.

…I have nothing to give back, Daisy. Oh, I’d give you pleasure. We’d give each other that. But I’d take absolutely everything- I’d fucking consume you. You’d want something in return, and I’d have nothing. I’m hollow inside, and you deserve so much more.”

Someone Like You was an incredibly powerful, poignant and emotional romance. It was a story of second chances and healing. It was a stunning story of finding your strength again and moving on. It’s a story of courage and love. It was absolute perfection and reminded me all over again why I first fell in love with Lauren Layne’s writing. The woman can make you feel, laugh, and love all in 228 wonderful pages. If you’ve enjoyed the rest of the Stiletto and Oxford series and you’ve been anticipating Lincoln’s story as much as I have, this is a must read. But have a box of tissues ready, because you won’t come out of it unscathed. Be ready to shed some tears and swoon over the perfect imperfection that is Lincoln Mathis.

THE OXFORD SERIES

IRRESISTIBLY YOURS | I WISH YOU WERE MINE | SOMONE LIKE YOU

PRE-ORDER- Releasing June 13, 2017
I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites · Tagged With: , ,

New Release & DGR Favorite Review: The Pawn by @skye_warren

December 6, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

pawn_releaseblitzbannerTHE PAWN
Series: The Endgame #1
Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: December 6, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

thepawn-1600x2400

“Sinfully sexy and darkly beautiful, The Pawn will play games with your heart and leave you craving more!” – Laura Kaye, New York Times bestselling author

The price of survival…

Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.

There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.

My virginity.

A forbidden auction…

Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.

Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love. It’s the first book in the brand new ENDGAME series.

Buy Links Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

thepawn-teaser-v2Review-DGR5 starsthe-pawn-dgr-teaser

I’m the pawn, and he’s my triumphant captor.

This was easily my favorite by this author to date. Gripping. Captivating. Magnetic. Dark. Erotic. It was EVERYTHING I love about a dark romance. It’s not gratuitous violence and scenes thrown in for pure shock value. It’s a mind fuck. An incredibly written, twisty, and delicious mind fuck that I couldn’t put down from beginning to finish; with a heroine you’ll want to root for, and an anti-hero that you’ll want to hate only slightly more than you love him.

The Pawn reminded me all over again why I love dark romance. It’s that electric zing of the forbidden. That feeling of rooting for a man that’s supposed to be the bad guy, yet you know that someone deep inside is someone that may be just an ounce redeemable. It’s the flutter of butterflies in your belly when you watch a sweet, innocent and naive girl grow into a woman that’s much stronger than you think. It’s that delicious tingle you get watching the fly get trapped in the spider’s erotic web. It’s pure wickedness.

Soon, little virgin.”
“Don’t call me that.” My voice trembles only a little, revealing the turmoil inside me.
“What else should I call you? Princess? Darling?”
“You could call me by my name.”
He dips his head, his mouth right by my ear, his voice just a breath. “There’s only one thing I’m going to call you. Mine.”

Growing up in privilege and money, Avery had an enchanted life. She idolized her father, she looked forward to her future and starting college, she had a doting boyfriend that she suspected only wanted her for his status, she had little worries aside from questioning her relationship…until it all crashed down on her…

I look up at him, searching his eyes for some hint of kindness, of mercy. There’s none. I find only fire- and the thought that comes next makes me shudder: this is vengeance.

Losing everything she finds herself penniless and desperate, and desperate times lead to desperate measures. Which is how she finds herself in the Den, agreeing to sell her virginity and body and soul to the highest bidder for a month.

You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know I could make you come in two minutes.”
A step back, my calves bumping the small chair where I sat. “You wouldn’t.”
“No, but you wish I would.”
“I hate you.”

Gabriel Miller is an enigma. He’s not a good guy, but his golden eyes lure her deep into a tangled web that she doesn’t know how to get herself out of.

The story was incredibly written. I love mythology and getting bits and glimpses of it only heightened my enjoyment. Watching Avery slowly come more and more into her own was almost as satisfying as watching the shadows lift from the mystery that is Gabriel but only leave behind more questions.

There’s something feral about this man, a fire that burns inside him, untamed.

The plot it filled with twists and turns that keep you absolutely riveted to the pages. The characters are multi-layered and enigmatic. You find yourself at the edge of your seat, heart beating wildly in your chest, just waiting for that final shoe to drop. This is one of those books that you will read in one sitting and it will leave you craving for more. It’s darkly erotic and entirely addicting.

You don’t taste sweet,” he says, pausing. “You taste like I’m fucking dying and you’re the only water around. You taste like goddamn air.”

If you’re a fan of this author, and you love a well written dark romance, this is one book that you do NOT want to miss. I may go crazy in my wait for the conclusion, but I don’t regret a moment of it because I have the best book high after finishing this. All of the stars!

THE KNIGHT is now available for preorder!

theknight

The power of pleasure…

Gabriel Miller took everything from me. My family. My innocence. My home. The only thing I have left is the determination to get back what’s mine.

He thinks he’s beaten me. He thinks he’s won. What he doesn’t realize is that every pawn has the chance to become a queen.

And the game has only just begun.

* * * * * *

THE KNIGHT is book two in the Endgame series from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.

PRE-ORDER TODAY!

About the Author13680481_812207255582123_3040574096772318693_o

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance such as the Chicago Underground series. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, two sweet dogs, and one evil cat.

Contact Skye:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest | Website

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dark, DGR Favorites, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , , ,

New Release & Review: Mischief And The Masters by @CheriseSinclair

November 15, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

mischief-and-the-masters-reviewMISCHIEF AND THE MASTERS
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands #12
Genre: BDSM Romance
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Release Date: November 15, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

mischief-and-the-masters

She wants a short, sweet Master. One Master.

The two devastatingly dominant Drago cousins have other ideas.

Her life destroyed by a stalker, Uzuri Cheval starts anew in Tampa and joins the exclusive Shadowlands club. Unconvinced of her claims that she can overcome her fear of big men without help, Master Z gives her a time limit. And she is improving–until she hears the stalker is out of prison. Now her time limit is up, and the Masters will intervene, which is okay–as long as whoever helps her is short. Okay, sweet and gentle would be good, too.

But two Doms? Dangerously experienced and dauntingly powerful cousins? No way.

Having volunteered in every hellhole in the world, Dr. Alastair Drago is ready to settle down. Detective Max Drago has joined him and, once again, the cousins share everything. A house, lives, problems…and whatever submissive catches their interest. One mischievous submissive has definitely caught Alastair’s. However, having been burned by a woman, Max remains detached…until little mischief’s troubles turn deadly.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR5 stars

Kneel for us, princess.”

This series is by far one of my top favorite BDSM series out there. Cherise Sinclair has this knack for writing provocative mixed with emotional and gripping. Her romance is so far beyond simple eroticism and sex with BDSM. Her characters are multi-layered with so much depth that after 12 books in this phenomenal series, each time I pick up a new book it’s like coming home. These characters have become like friends to me. And even though you get a different couple in each book, you get to know each individual character well before. Enough so, that you yearn for the HEA and eager to get to the bottom of their secrets. This was exactly the case for me with Uzuri.

Uzuri was always such an intriguing character. You know she’s hiding some painful secrets from her past and she’s skittish in a way that can only imply something very dark. This is also a woman that’s a fierce friend, protector, and has a heart of gold. She’s a woman that’s damaged but not broken. This is someone that could have easily come through as a victim, but the way she’s written is more of a warrior and survivor. She’s strong in a highly understated way and that shines through more and more throughout the book.

Courage is endurance for one moment more.”

Now the Dragon Doms…*pervy shudder* Man oh man, these boys were something else. I’ve been curious about the Drago cousins ever since Servicing the Target. A Dom that’s a doctor with a British accent, and a badass Dom that’s a detective that like to top TOGETHER? I can’t even! Can’t even.

Could her life get any more confusing?She’d never felt this way about anyone—and now she was sliding right into…caring…for two men. Two Doms. No. No, this was insane.She couldn’t do this.

I absolutely loved the sexual tension and sizzle between these three. I loved the way that Uzuri’s true fierceness comes through more and more with each encounter she shares with them. I loved the way that they encouraged her to be her own woman fought for her at the same time teaching her to fight for herself. I loved that the Drago cousins were the perfect combo of intense and protective without ever crossing into domineering.

This was a touching, emotional, and emotional story of finding your own strength. It’s a story of learning to love past your fears. It was erotic and sensual. It was the perfect balance of romance and BDSM, all wrapped around an incredible plot. I loved every page of it. This series only continues to get better and better and I hope it never ends.

CLUB SHADOWLANDS | DARK CITADEL | BREAKING FREE |
LEAN ON ME | MAKE ME, SIR | TO COMMAND AND COLLAR |
THIS IS WHO I AM | IF ONLY | SHOW ME, BABY |
SERVICING THE TARGET | PROTECTING HIS OWN |
MISCHIEF AND THE MASTERS

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, BDSM, DGR Favorites, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,

DGR Favorite & Review: Punk 57 by @PenDouglas

October 23, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

review-punk-57PUNK 57
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: October 21, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

punk 57

“We were perfect together. Until we met.”

Misha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

F*ck it. I need to meet her.

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

Ryen

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

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

He could be gone forever.

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

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAYReview-DGR5 starspunk-57-dgr-teaser

We were perfect together. Until we met.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, New Adult · Tagged With: ,

DGR Fave & Review: Black Swan Affair by @klkreig

October 12, 2016 by · 1 Comment

black-swan-affair-dgr-reviewBLACK SWAN AFFAIR
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: KL Kreig
Release Date: October 17, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

black-swan-affair-ebook-cover

I’ve loved him as long as I can remember.

The gangly boy with big brown eyes and unruly hair who grew up into an intoxicating man. He wears scruff like he invented it and ambles with a swagger that makes panties drop.

Killian Shepard.

Shep.

We grew up together. We played Ghost in the Graveyard. Had our own rock band. It didn’t matter that he was five years older than me. It didn’t matter that he looked at me as a kid sister even as I grew into a woman. It didn’t even matter when he left me behind to go to college and start his adult life.

He’d be back.

He was always meant to be mine.

He came back, all right. But instead of smelling of promises, he stunk of betrayal. And he destroyed me—us—the day he married my sister instead of me.

So I did the only thing a girl like me in my position could do.

I got my revenge.

I married his brother, Kael.

Now we’re one big happy fucking family.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR5 starsblack-swan-affair-dgr-teaser

Pining after someone’s husband is one thing. Pining after someone’s husband when you’re now married- to his brother- is taking immorality to an entirely new level. But that’s me.”

It’s official. I’m ruined. Utterly and totally ruined by this incredible book, by these beautiful words, by the heart wrenching story, by the devastating angst…this…EVERYTHING.

How can I even begin to describe to you all what I read? Let me try…
Yep. That about sums it up.

Truth be told, I do NOT do love triangles. As a matter of fact I tend to avoid them like a case of the clap…by practicing love triangle abstinence. What? It’s totally a thing. But then my trusty book pimp Nashoda Rose told me this book had my name written all over it, and I was convinced (read= threatened bodily harm if I get a flashback to Thoughtless). But that’s neither here nor there. What IS here, is how much this book owned me, because GOOD GAWD did it!

When he walks past, he grabs my hand, telling me softly against my cheek, “He will never love you like I do.”

If you’re thinking this is a typical love triangle, you couldn’t be more wrong. That blurb doesn’t even begin to do this book justice. It’s so much more than a woman who can’t have the man she wants so she settles for his brother. This is not a black and white story. It’s settled very firmly in the gray.

The rope he has tethered to me is unraveling, thread after fraying thread. I hear them snapping, faster and faster now. Feel the stinging bite of each one against my tender flesh as they break apart.

Maverick is not a heroine you’d think you like, but with every page you grow to understand her more and more. The incredibly spellbinding writing will pull you into the story so well that it won’t be long before you’re just as conflicted about your feelings as she is.

Maverick is a woman that’s loved two men her entire life; one man with the love of passion and the second with the love of friendship. But then the man she always thought she’d end up with breaks her heart by marrying her sister. Try as she might, she can’t burn away her love for him, even if she is now married to his brother and her lifelong best friend, Kael.

I want to kiss these fucking lips, Maverick. And not a kiss of a boy who has been friends with a girl for almost thirty years. But as a lover. I want to bite and suck and own and devour. Whenever I want. However I want.”

Have you ever read a romance where you didn’t know which man to root for? Where your feelings were so up and down you felt like you were in a never ending spiral? Where you spend the entire time glued to the pages, utterly incapable of tearing yourself away for even a mere second? Because I just did.
black-swan-affair-dgr-teaser-2Mesmerizing, maddening, heart rendering; this book owned me to the depths of my dark soul. I devoured every page, I screamed, I cried, I raged. I was enraptured.

That’s how much I love you. That’s how wound around the very fucking center of my soul you are. It’s the same place you’ll be until I close my eyes and take my last breath. You are rooted in here”- he pounds his chest- “in the bowels of me so far I will never be rid of you. No matter how much I’ve tried.”

If you don’t read love triangles; read this book.
If you want a book that will make you feel; read this book.
If you want a book that will make your heart bleed; read this book.
If you want a book that will have you thinking about it days after you’ve finished it; read this book.

1 Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: ,

Jennifer’s Review: Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

October 9, 2016 by ·

caressed-by-ice-reviewCARESSED BY ICE
Series: Psy-Changeling #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Nalini Singh
Release Date: September 4, 2007add-to-goodreads-button-2

caressed-by-ice-psy-changeling-nalini-singh

The author of Shards of Hope and Shield of Winter presents a Psy/Changeling novel in which two people who know evil intimately must unlock the good within their icy hearts…

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins – cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted – and had her mind violated – by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | B&NReview-DGR5 stars

This book is BEYOND. That’s it. Just beyond. It has to be one of my favorite paranormal books ever. Definitely my favorite in this series so far.

à la Mode St. » fashion

“His eyes fixed on hers, the gold flecks darkening to amber. “An assassin who looks after his own skin? That’s exactly what I am, Brenna. I would rather die than harm you, but anyone else? I could kill them without blinking. It’s what I was born to do.”

à la Mode St. » fashionJUDD.
JUDD.
JUDD.

I am puddle on the floor because this man has melted all of my icicles. And I want to lick his giant icicle. Ok, I’m done.

My Judd:

Steaming hot:

My Brenna:


I LOVE assholes. And Judd was so cold to Brenna in the beginning that I ate him up. At the same time, he is unlike any hero I’ve ever read because he does not know or realize that he is being an ice man. As a Psy, he cannot FEEL anything. Not only is he a Psy, but he is an Arrow, which is the most lethal Psy assassin. They are so rare that they are the best kept secret among the Psy. He was trained to reject all pain and emotion, so his brain refuses to feel anything. I enjoyed the journey that Judd went through in order to let himself FEEL.

Brenna was kidnapped in the first book of this series. I was hoping that she was going to get her own book, and I am so happy that she did. Judd is her perfect other half. Because she was kidnapped and tortured by a Psy, she has lingering issues, and she feels a connection with Judd and only he can understand what she went through.
à la Mode St. » fashion

Brenna’s eyes widened. Raising a hand, she brushed his hair gently off his forehead.
“Why do I keep telling you things I swore I’d take to my grave?”

The contact shot electricity through his nerves. “Because you know I’ll always be your shield against the nightmares.”

à la Mode St. » fashionSingh is the queen of sexual tension. In books by other authors, I’ll be rolling my eyes if the couple hasn’t had sexy by the 50% mark, but with Singh, I don’t even care. I feel the sexual tension so much in her books that I don’t even think about the sex, and I’m pleasantly surprised when they get finally get their groove on.
à la Mode St. » fashion

“Aren‘t you going to get up?”

He put a hand on the curve of her hip, a possessive gesture that had already become
familiar.

“No. Let‘s have more sex.”

20606701à la Mode St. » fashionWith this book, Singh switched everything up. She threw a curve ball, and it worked so hard! In the first two books, the heroine was the Psy and the hero was the changeling, but this is the first book in the series where the hero was the Psy and the heroine was the changeling. I NEED more Psy men in my life because Judd was my type of man!

I’ve never read anything like this book. It is…..PHENOMENAL.

THE PSY/CHANGELING SERIES

SLAVE TO SENSATION | VISIONS OF HEAT | CARESSED BY ICE |
MINE TO POSSESS | HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE | BRANDED BY FIRE | BLAZE OF MEMORY | BONDS OF JUSTICE | PLAY OF PASSION |
KISS OF SNOW | TANGLE OF NEED | HEART OF OBSIDIAN |
SHIELD OF WINTER | SHARDS OF HOPE | ALLEGIANCE OF HONOR

· Filed Under: All Reviews, DGR Favorites, PNR · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Down Shift by @KBrombergDriven

October 6, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

review-down-shift-by-k-brombergDOWN SHIFT
Series: Driven #8
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: October 4, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

down-shift-by-k-bromberg

The New York Times bestselling Driven series continues with a standalone story about finding love where you least expect it…
 
Behind the wheel, racing champion Zander Donavan is at the top of his game. But after too much excess in his personal life, he’s forced to step away. He needs to accomplish something all on his own—outside of his famous father’s shadow.

Getty Caster is running away from the abuse that clouds her past. She thinks she’s found the perfect escape—until she discovers a stranger in the beachside cottage she’d been promised. He’s undeniably sexy, but she’s there to heal. Alone.

Before long though, fighting with each other turns into fighting their attraction. And giving into desire sets off a chain reaction that has their pasts colliding. With an unexpected love on the line, can they overcome the fallout to build a future?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR5 starsdown-shift-dgr-teaser

“Even if you gave me a hundred reasons why we shouldn’t be together, Getty, I’d still look for the one reason to fight like hell for you. Remember that.”

See that pile of goo right there?
No! Not there! That’s the melted ice cream I used to eat my feelings. I’m talking about the other pile. Yes, yes, that one right there. That would be me. Melted into an gooey pile of swoon filled goo. All at the hands of a man with a moody disposition but a heart of gold named Zander and the incredible talent that is K. Bromberg. Goo I tells ya!

His love roared loader than my demons.

A recent revelation from his past has unraveled Zander Donovan’s world. He’s spinning out of control, angry and bitter, and lashing out at those that love him most. When he makes one stupid mistake too much, he’s forced to take a step back from the racing world and his family, finding peace in quiet seclusion.

Everyone’s churning ocean is fueled by a different type of storm.”
“What’s your storm?”
“My storm?” he chuckles, self-deprecation in his tone and a look in his eyes he doesn’t give me a chance to read. “I don’t think it’s ever really stopped churning, but there’s definitely been a few surprise white squalls thrown in.”

Getty is looking for a fresh start. Running from a past of her own, her scars are of the hidden variety. A woman broken doesn’t mean a woman that can’t heal, and she’s looking to heal the woman she wants to be. Having a sexy stranger crash her own quiet seclusion isn’t what she expects, nor the undeniable chemistry that brews between them from the very first sarcastic barb they exchange.

What starts as an unwilling cohabitation soon turns into friendship and begins to turn into something much deeper.

I know you’re stubborn as hell and gorgeous as fuck. And that your kiss tastes like an aged whiskey: something I want to sip slowly, feel on my lips, savor on my tongue, and take my time with before I get drunk on it.”

Getty is not the heroine I typically enjoy. She’s a lot damaged and a bit withdrawn, but she’s also endearingly sweet and caring in spite of her past. She’s not naive or a wallflower, but she’s not a warrior either. She’s someone that’s incredibly relatable. She’s a woman with a past and hidden hurts, but she doesn’t chose to dwell on that. She wants to heal, she wants to move on.

Zander is fighting a different demon from his past, but it’s no less darker than Getty’s. Together, they just…made sense. They were the perfect halves of a whole. K. Bromberg did an incredible job painting a story of two broken souls finding a healing touch in one another. They weren’t emotional crutches for the other. They were complete opposites, but together they just made sense. I adored these two. I loved their banter, I loved their push and pull, and I couldn’t get enough of their chemistry.

And their chemistry? Off the walls hot!

Time passes in pure sensations. The bite of his fingers into my thighs. The mist of sweat on my skin. The groan he emits as he slowly comes undone. The tingle of ecstasy throughout my body.

Goo I tells ya!

The author manages to bring everything in a full circle. The writing was spellbinding and beautiful, the story was emotional and gripping, and the romance was heart wrenchingly good. If you’re looking for a book that packs just as much feeling as it does steam, THIS is the book that needs to be on your list! It was pure perfection and I loved every page of it!

DRIVEN SERIES

DRIVEN | FUELED | CRASHED | RACED | ACED | SLOW BURN |
SWEET ACHE | HARD BEAT | DOWN SHIFT

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites · Tagged With: , ,

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Sparking The Fire by Kate Meader

October 3, 2016 by · 1 Comment

blog-tour-banner-sparking-the-fireSPARKING THE FIRE
Series: Hot in Chicago #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kate Meader
Release Date: September 27, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

sparking-the-fire

Heating up reading lists this Fall will be Kate Meader’s highly anticipated Sparking the Fire, the “sexy and sassy” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux) steamy third novel in the Hot in Chicago series, where former lovers unexpectedly reunite for a sizzling affair that will have the director yelling, “Quiet on the set!”

Actor Molly Cade, America’s fallen sweetheart, finally has her shot at a Hollywood comeback with a dramatic new role as a tough-as-nails firefighter that promises to propel her back to the big time and restore her self-respect.

Wyatt Fox, resident daredevil at Engine Co. 6, needs a low-key job to keep him busy while he recovers from his latest rescue stunt. Consulting on a local movie shoot should add just enough spark to his day. Especially when in struts Molly Cade: the woman who worked his heart over good, and then left him in the Windy City dust.

Their story is straight out of a script: irrepressible, spunky heroine meets taciturn, smoldering hero. But these two refuse to be typecast, and when the embers of an old love are stoked, someone is bound to get burned…

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | S&S | BaM | GOOGLE PLAY

Review-DGR

Kate Meader’s blazing Hot in Chicago firefighter series has “everything you want in a romance” (RT Book Reviews, Top Pick)! The flames of desire burn out of control in this sexy third novel when ex-lovers unexpectedly reunite for a sizzling affair that will have the director yelling, “Quiet on the set!”

Actor Molly Cade, America’s fallen sweetheart, finally has her shot at a Hollywood comeback with a dramatic new role as a tough-as-nails firefighter that promises to propel her back to the big time and restore her self-respect.

Wyatt Fox, resident daredevil at Engine Co. 6, needs a low-key job to keep him busy while he recovers from his latest rescue stunt. Consulting on a local movie shoot should add just enough spark to his day. Especially when in struts Molly Cade: the woman who worked his heart over good, and then left him in the Windy City dust.

Their story is straight out of a script: irrepressible, spunky heroine meets taciturn, smoldering hero. But these two refuse to be typecast, and when the embers of an old love are stoked, someone is bound to get burned…

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKSReview-DGR5 starssparking-the-fire-dgr-teaser

He’d thought he could control himself around Molly, yet every second in her presence loosened the granite hold on his emotions one more slippery, dangerous inch.

That’s it! Stick a fork in me, I’m done! I am a pile of dead and melted goo, all at the hands of a broody, silent, former Marine turned firefighter. I would like my headstone to read that my ultimate demise came from the hottest BILF I’ve ever read, and I regret nothing. NOTHING.

What’s a BILF you ask?

She poked him in the chest. “Drunk, sober, any state, I would be doin’ you tonight, Mister. Lucky. That’s what you are. A total BILF.”
“BILF?”
“Beard I’d like to fuck.”

When I’m in a book funk, I know all I need is 5 minutes with a Kate Meader book and I’ll have an instant goofy grin on my face and the worst case of blue ovaries known to man kind. Why? Because the woman writes some of the best alpha heroes and I can’t get enough of it!

So what happens when a silent and socially awkward firefighter that likes to stay in the shadow of his infamous foster siblings meets a woman who’s in the very center of the spotlight? A. Whole. Lot. Of. Awesome.

Their lives did not mesh. She was Hollywood designer duds. He was Chicago Dumpster diving. And he wanted her more than his next breath. But since when in hell had he ever gotten anything he wanted?

Wyatt Fox is the quietest one of his siblings, the unassuming one, the one that sticks to himself. But for six nights years ago, he let his inhibitions fly with a woman that left him in the dust but he hasn’t stopped thinking about since.

Molly Cade is used to the media attention, but after an ugly divorce brought her on the wrong end of public scrutiny, she’s hoping the new movie she’s starring and producing will turn things around on her. Little does she expect that the new CFD consultant on the movie set is none other than the man that she never expected to see again. Suffice it to say that sparks fly and fires are set!
Sparking The Fire is written in Meader’s signature sassy style with plenty of sexy and a whole lot of banter which I’ve come to be addicted to.

She placed her palms on his shoulders. “You planning to glare me into orgasm, Marine?”
“I don’t glare. I smolder.”

I am head over ovaries in love with this series. I’d set my house on fire just to get my very own Wyatt Fox to come over and put out my fire…uhem.

The romance is full of sizzle and spark, and just enough sexual chemistry to set your kindle on fire. I loved the back and forth between Molly and Wyatt. The odds are stacked against them and they’re complete opposites, but yet they can’t stay away from each other.

Molly was absolute perfection. She’s sassy and funny and doesn’t let anything get her down. She has a backbone but still has this perfect amount of vulnerability to make her incredibly endearing. As for Wyatt? Wowza! I’m all about the BILF.

Nothing had ever felt this good. No one had ever felt this good. It had always been her.

If you haven’t read this series, you’re seriously missing out. If you haven’t read anything by this amazing author, you’re seriously missing out. And if you haven’t made plans to meet Wyatt Fox, then you’re SERIOUSLY missing out!

Kate Meader is going to spoil me with her awesomeness soon, but you won’t hear a peep of complaint out of this reader.

HOT IN CHICAGO SERIES 

REKINDLE THE FLAME | FLIRTING WITH FIRE | MELTING POINT | PLAYING WITH FIRE | SPARKING THE FIRE

About the Authorkatemeader

Kate Meader was raised on romance. An Irish girl, she started with Catherine Cookson and Jilly Cooper novels, and spiced it up with some Mills & Boon. Now based in Chicago, she writes romances of her own, where sexy contemporary alpha heroes and strong heroines match each other quip for quip. When not immersed in tales of brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, Kate lives on the web at katemeader.com.

 

GiveawayHOT TIP: Kate is also offering a $25 Amazon gift card during the Sparking the Fire release tour. It will run Monday September 26 to Friday October 7. Enter here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Comment · Filed Under: Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, Giveaways · Tagged With: ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: