DGR’s 2017 Favorites: Lana’s Picks

December 16, 2017 by · 2 Comments

Another year gone in the blink of an eye and the turn of many book pages. And did we have a lot of book pages between us. We had one hell of a 5 star year between the three of us and we can’t wait to share our favorites with you all. Oh wait…we’re not waiting. Well, can’t say suspense was ever a forte of ours.

But let’s get to the post, shall we? My (Lana’s) picks for 2017 favorite is below, and this was one of the hardest posts I’ve done all year. It was impossible to chose my favorites this year because I had so many. I had over 30 five star reads. I call that a damn good year. I was finally able to narrow it down to my top 20. These are my unforgettable, my favorite, my absolute top recs.

LANA’S FAVORITES OF 2017 

DRIVE by Kate Stewart

This book. This was quite possibly one of the most unique, memorable, and captivating romances I’ve read in a long while.

There are a few authors I would break my no love triangles rule for, and Kate Stewart happens to be one. Though, I feel it’s fair to say, this is unlike any other love triangle I’ve ever read. It almost didn’t feel like one because as you read the story, you feel in your heart who Stella belongs with. I’m not sure how it’s possible that you feel her love for the other man as well, but you do. No one is a consolation prize. This was such a powerful and emotional story of love, growing up, and chasing your dreams to that one minute past desperation.

If you’re a fan of unique, angsty, and captivating romances, this is a book that’s an absolute must read. It will be a story that I won’t forget any time soon and I’ll recommend blindly to ANYONE. .

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

ACT YOUR AGE by Eve Dangerfield


Confession time: I hate the daddy thing in books. HATE IT. It’s ruined way too many books for me. I avoid it like a bad case of the clap. As in, I don’t touch it with a ten foot pole or a stranger’s vagina. No go. No way. No how…. Unless Eve Dangerfield writes it. Know why? Because this author has a knack for giving me some of the most unique, quirky, unconventional characters and making me fall head over ovaries!

This book was magic. Flawlessly written, make you squirm uncomfortably and laugh out loud magic. Eve Dangerfield is a phenomenal author. She has this signature quirky and endearing quality to her writing that makes the story not only unique but fun. She writes completely unconventional characters that I really don’t think any other author but her can pull off. And boy does she pull it off!

Act Your Age is a book that will take you out of your comfort zone and make you enjoy every kinky second of it. It’s a book that will put a goofy smile on your face and then make your ovaries burn with the fire of a million sexual fires. It was flawlesly written, completely unique, and totally unforgettable. And did I mention RIDICULOUSLY HOT?!

AMAZON | GOODREADS | MY REVIEW

GHOSTED by JM Darhower

EVERYTHING. This book was EVERYTHING. All of the things. Of the angsty, second chance romance feels variety.

You know when you see a book on your feed and find yourself wondering if it’s really worth all of the hype? I can tell you with total conviction, that this book is. It’s a huge step away from Darhower’s other books, pure contemporary, and downright magical.

So what is it about this story that enraptured me so completely? Aside from the multi-layered characters that are full of depth and you can’t help but fall for immediately, it was the writing. The way that this second chance romance unravels and the way the author gives the reader the POV from the past? Pure literary magic.

Ghosted is perfectly paced, phenomenally written, and completely enrapturing. It was full of emotion and a beautiful romance that’ll stay with me for a long, long time.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

GOODBYE PARADISE by Sarina Bowen


When was the last time you read a romance that was so powerful and sweet that you felt it touch your very soul? For me, that was today and this romance was this book. THIS BOOK. My god. I sobbed my way through almost the entire thing. I couldn’t help myself. It wrecked me and it owned me all at once. I don’t have enough praise to describe everything that was this story. All I know is that Caleb and Josh’s story is one that will stay in my heart forever, and as a voracious romance reader, I don’t make that statement lightly. It was just that good.

This book is exactly why I’m such a huge fan of this author. It was romantic and powerful, sweet and emotional, it was touching and poignant and everything that I love about romance. It was one of the most unforgettable romances I’ve read in a long while and I simply can’t recommend it enough.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

WICKED ABYSS by Kresley Cole


I’m obsessed with this series and it just gets better and hotter with each new installment.

King of Hell meets his match with a smart mouthed and wily fey princess in the 18th installment of this incredible series. It was everything I’d hoped and so much more. Sexy, funny, with Cole’s signature snark and wit mixed in.

Kresley’s Immortals After Dark series has been one of my top favorite PNRs for years and it continues to hold the mark. I swear, I absolutely devoured this book and dreaded it ending. I could read a book from this author every day and nothing else, and I’ll never get bored. EVER. If I can recommend you read one PNR this year, you NEED to make it this one. Trust me on this.

GOODREADS | AMAZON 

MIDNIGHT TARGET by Elle Kennedy


Midnight Target was the perfect conclusion to easily one of my all time favorite romantic suspense series. Talk about high octane action! The bullets were flying, the suspense was spine tingling, and the romance was toe curling! So much love!

There’s so much happening in this book that it was completely impossible to put down. This series reminds me of some of my top favorite RS series from Lora Leigh, Stephanie Tyler, and Pamela Clare. I love the secondary romance storyline we get in each book but I have to say this one was my absolute favorite in the series. Between Sully and Liam, and Ash and Cate, I thought my kindle would catch on fire from the sizzling chemistry.

This series couldn’t have ended with a better book. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I was kept on the edge of my seat from beginning to finish.

Did I mention Sully and Liam? Because SULLY AND LIAM!!!!!

Don’t tell me you’re that type of bloke, all old-fashioned and shit.”
“Hey, I’m not saying I need hearts and flowers, but make an effort, man.”
“Sure thing, Boston. I’m going to effort you so hard tonight that you’ll be crying for mercy.”

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

RUCKUS by LJ Shen

Confession time: I was equally ready to part with an ovary to get my grabby little hands on this book and dreading it. I know! I know! Quit looking at me like I’m crazy, I’ll splain everything. I was excited as hell for this book because I live for LJ’s words. LIVE for them. But a part of me was dreading it because Dean happened to date Rosie’s older sister in the previous book, Vicious, and even though their relationship was nothing big and happened when they were young, the last time I read that particular plot device, I absolutely hated it. I should have known better than to doubt the magic that is LJ Shen’s writing, though, because not only did she pull it off, she did so FLAWLESSLY.

Ruckus was everything I’d hoped it would be and yet so much more. It was angsty deliciousness filled with enough chemistry you felt like your fingers will burn just from turning the pages . It was packed full of feeling and so much depth, you can’t help but fall into the vortex of the story. It was beautiful. It was tragic.
It.
Was.
Everything.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

WALK OF SHAME by Lauren Layne

Where has this book been all my life?!! Where?!! I don’t have the words to describe all the love I had for this story! It was addictingly delicious and wickedly funny! Walk Of Shame is a book that will leave you with a full heart and a goofy smile on your face. It will make you swoon and make you laugh. It’s a book that you’d be incapable of reading without smiling the entire time. It was, in a word, PERFECTION.

I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers and this was utterly delicious! Witty banter, snarky sarcasm, ah-mazing characters, and enough chemistry to zap your finger with electricity each time you turn the page. So. Dang. Good.

I adored every single page of this book. Every. Single. Page. The friendships between Georgie and her girlfriends, the witty banter between her and Andrew, the slow burn, the crackle of attraction, EVERYTHING. Everything just flowed effortlessly to make for one unputdownable read that left me with a goofy grin from beginning to finish. I can say with utmost certainty that this may have been my favorite book by this author to date. If you’re looking for a witty rom com with a dash of enemies to lovers, you seriously can’t go wrong with this book!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT VALOR by Lynn Raye Harris

This. Book. GAH! It was worth every single second of the wait. Mendez was everything. EVERYTHING.
Harris can write a hot military hero like no one else. Is it any wonder why I’m addicted to this series. It’s become my crack. Pure and simple.

Lies, scandals, secrets, and espionage. All of it explodes in this incredibly powerful second chance romance. It was a heart pounding, action packed, sizzling story of love lost and found. I don’t even have words for how much I loved it.

HOT Valor was absolutely explosive! It was the perfect blend of action, suspense, and sizzling hot romance. It was delicious. Addicting. A non-stop action packed ride from beginning to finish. If you’ve been eager for more of Ian Black, you’ll be salivating with this book because the mystery finally gets revealed and it’s a doozy! I think I’ll go insane waiting for his book.

If you’re a fan of this series, you simply cannot miss this book. It’s an absolute must read. Mendez lives up to every single promise and then some.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

THE FAILING HOURS by Sara Ney

I feel like an absolute idiot, because I only discovered this author this year.

And then I BINGED on her entire series.

I love a good NA Romance, but with my picky self, a good one is hard to come by. I want the feels. I want the sexual tension. I want the snark and the banter. I want witty characters. I want an endearing alphahole and the smart heroine that brings him to his knees. I want all of that in an effortlessly written story full of humor and steam. OK, so I want a lot. But the thing is, this book had all of those things. ALL OF THE THINGS.

Zeke was the assholiest asshole I’ve read in a while. But he was also full of depth and so incredibly endearing that even when you wanted to, he was impossible to hate. If college romance is your cuppa, you simply need this series and ESPECIALLY this book on your TBR.

GOODREADS | AMAZON 

THE DUCHESS DEAL by Tessa Dare


Is it possible for my swoons to have swoons? Because I’m pretty sure they all mated together in a swooning frenzy and had swoon babies. I mean all of the swoons! ALL OF THEM!!!! This book was everything. EVERYTHING. It was romance perfection. I think my goosebumps had swoons, for goodness sake. No really. I’m not exaggerating even a little. This book was a little peace of romantic heaven. It was everything I love about a great romance; great banter, humor, sizzling steam, and two main characters that you can’t but help and fall head over heels for.

This book is why I read romance. I can’t believe this is my first Tessa Dare book and I plan on rectifying this immediately. I loved every chapter, every page, every word. If you’re a fan of swoony and steamy historical romance with incredibly vivid and multi-layered characters, this is simply not to be missed!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

BEHIND THE CURTAIN by Beth Kery

Shivers. I have honest to god shivers. This author is simply incomparable. She writes such raw, emotional, sensual stories that are unlike any I’ve ever read. What makes them so memorable is that they’re just so…real. They’re immeasurably satisfying but without having to be wrapped up in a perfect little bow at the end. I truly believe that Behind The Curtain is Kery’s best book to date and easily my favorite by her. It was such a beautiful and poignant second chance romance that was packed with as much heat as it had feeling. I love every page of it.

I absolutely LOVED the way the story unfolded. The author did an incredible job with transitions of past to present. It was flawless. You start in the present, then get the entire flashback to the past, to then continue in the present. There’s no back and forth. It’s fluid and perfect and utterly spellbinding.

If you haven’t read a book by this author yet, you can’t start with a better book than this one. It was so much more than just a romance. I loved every page of it and simply can’t recommend it enough.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

ROYALLY ENDOWED by Emma Chase

Oh.
My.
Swoons.

I can barely form a coherent thought right now. I’m a melty pile of swoony goo at the hands of Emma Chase. The woman is incapable of writing a book that I devour in one sitting with a goofy grin on my face for the entire time. As much as I adored Royally Matched, I think this book totally topped it. I don’t have the words to describe all the ways I loved it. And oh my god, you guys, how I loved it!!!

If you love an incredibly written slow burn romance with a hero that’s simply to die for and a heroine you’ll want for your best friend, this book will be going straight to your top favorites shelf. GUARANTEED. It wasn’t just swoony, it was EPICALLY swoony. Logan owns my heart AND my ovaries. I don’t ever want them back. EVER.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

ONE IS A PROMISE by Pam Godwin

It doesn’t matter what this woman writes, she manages to hook me with just the first page alone. Her words are riveting, crackling with so much intensity, you feel like her characters are going to jump right out of the pages. They’re living, breathing things that are so real, it’s hard to believe you’re reading fiction. Her stories are live wires full of so much chemistry, it crackles and burns. And this book? It was all of those things and more. So much more!

The story itself is addicting; full of angst and sizzle. You spend the entire time waiting for the other shoe to drop. There’s not one calm moment. It keeps you at the edge of your seat the entire time, absolutely riveted to the pages. And when the secrets begin to unravel? You’ll be picking your jaw off of the floor.

This is book one in a trilogy that’s already all released. Each book is just as good and the entire trilogy is simply amazing and a huge rec from this girl!

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

P.I.T.A. by Brooke Blaine

Brooke Blaine, or as I loving refer to as a dirty hooker (She loves it. Swears! She even wrote a book titled Hooker. She knows what’s up), seriously knocked it out of the park with this book. I’m telling you guys, P.I.T.A. may have been my favorite romantic comedy I’ve read to date. I have all of the love for this book!! Besides being laugh until you pee funny, it also had some of THE best banter I’ve read. Now you all already know I love me my enemies to lovers and this book delivered on that front SO HARD. So hard I tells ya! Also, I adore the fact that Brooke writes about such a deep female bond friendship in this series. It’s so rare to find books with true female friendship, a la Sex and the City. It deserves 5 stars for that alone. Did I also mention that Paige was my spirit animal? We’d be total BFFs in real life. Why? Because of conversations like this

“You know, this is a perfect example of why I call you Pita.”
“Why? Because I stick up for myself? Because I call people out when they’re assholes? Because I have fucking balls of steel?” One of the bellhops we passed stopped in his tracks at my admission, and stared at me with wide eyes. “What?” I asked. “You wanna see my steel balls? Dawson, put me down so I can show him.”

Mmmm hmm. See?! She’s full of awesome! So let’s catch up here…

Awesome banter? Check!

Seriously hot sexy times (even involving Nutella *scandalized gasp*) Check!

Hot hero? Check!

Amazing heroine and a gang of girlfriends that will make most anyone jealous? CHECK.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

REAPER by A. Zavarelli

Holy.
Hell.

I do believe I just read one of the most tortured anti-heroes ever. And let me tell you, I’ve read A LOT of dark romance. I’ve read the violent, broody, alphahole bad boys, but all of them pale in comparison to Ronan Fitzpatrick.

This was such a dark, captivating story. I was glued to the pages, completely enraptured. My heart hurt for everything that Sasha went through and I wanted her to feel just a little of happiness. It made a dark sort of sense that she would find it in the arms of a ruthless killer that’s a borderline psychopath.

Ronan was just…GAH. This man. His training ensured that he feels almost nothing. No empathy. No sympathy. Most human emotions are far beyond his realm of understanding. But you see more and more of his humanity peak out with each minute he spends with Sasha.

I loved this gritty and sexy dark mafia romance. The story was completely unputdownable and the characters vivid and unforgettable.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

RIPPLE EFFECT by Keri Lake

Ripple Effect was one twisty, dark and erotic mind f*ck.

It was toe curling.

Spine tingling.

Addicting.

Violent.

Keri Lake simply outdid herself with Ripley. This is an anti-hero that I won’t be forgetting for a long damn while. An anti hero that’s so dark, you don’t know if he’d be the start of the biggest fantasy…or nightmare.

All I know is I salivated for each and every episode and couldn’t get enough.

GOODREADS | AMAZON 

THE BRIGHTEST SUNSET by Aly Martinez

How do you even begin to talk about a book that touched you on such a visceral level that you don’t think you’ll ever forget it? How do you put those feelings into words that can even begin to do a book the justice it so deserves? How do you attempt to relay everything that this book was without giving anything away? You don’t. Because it’s impossible.

The Brightest Sunset was a stunning, emotional, unforgettable story of second chances and love beyond all odds. It was phenomenal. It was beautiful. It was everything.

This is the conclusion of what was a simply stunning duet. It needs to be on your TBR. It’s an absolute must read and a story I cannot recommend enough.

One of the most memorable stories I’ve read this year.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

THE HOT SHOT by Kristen Callihan

So were going to…What? Be friends.”
He looks almost boyish then. “Yeah. We are.” His eyes spark. “Fair warning. I’ll still be picturing you naked half of the time. So get used to a bit of leering.”
I snort. “You just had to go and ruin the moment, didn’t you?”
“Probably should get used to that too.”

Do you know why I love that one quote up there? Because it’s the perfect summary of this book. It’s this incredibly endearing combination of humor, emotion, and passion. I seriously couldn’t get enough of it! Opposites attract in this sweet and sexy sports romance and I was absolute putty reading it. A happy pile of swooning goo. Can goo swoon? Hmm…no matter. What’s important is how much I seriously loved this book!

From bickering, to unlikely friendship, to roommates, to lovers, Chess and Finn stole my heart…and I never want it back

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

THE CASTLE by Skye Warren

Alright, confession time.

True story. And usually the mere thought of a trilogy is enough to make me break out in hives. Why? Because I’ll usually find book two to be more filler, and I’m pretty much bored and uninterested by book three. So you may be asking yourself, why on earth did this crazy heifer read a trilogy then? And to that, my doubting friend, I only have one answer for you. Skye Warren wrote it. It doesn’t matter what this woman writes. She can write the damn alphabet and I’ll read it.

If I can describe this trilogy for you in one word, it’ll be intense. And not only does it start that way in book one, but it only gets more and more intense as the story progresses.

The Castle was the perfect conclusion to a series that captivated me from the very first. The Endgame trilogy was a story that kept me glued to the pages. The intensity built with each new book. With each secret that gets revealed. With each depravity that comes to light. It was addicting. It was heart pounding. It was completely unputdownable.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

Check out Jenn’s list HERE

Check out Geri’s list HERE

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DGRFave & Review: Defiant Queen by Meghan March

November 17, 2017 by ·

DEFIANT QUEEN
Series: Mount Trilogy #2
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: November 14, 2017

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt.

I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment?

They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body.

But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy.

I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules.

I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact.

But he has other plans . . .

 

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira’s story concludes in Sinful Empire.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO 

Every time I think I have her figured out, I realize none of my normal barometers apply when it comes to Keira Kilgore. She’s the exception to everything I thought I knew.

Dear mother of GAWD. I’m obsessed! OBSESSED with this trilogy. It’s like it was custom written for me. I want to slap someone with my kindle right now, it was so good. Yes, this is perfectly normal. Quit side-eyeing me.

I have the worst book ADD when it comes to trilogies. Never has one kept me as completely riveted as The Mount Trilogy. Never. I thought I was hooked after Ruthless King but that was nothing compared to what I was feeling after finishing Defiant Queen. I devour and I mean devour these books in one sitting. I cling onto every morsel of information about the mysterious and deadly Lachlan Mount. And I fall even more for the hard-headed, independent, and sassy Keira.

Defiant Queen was just as perfectly paced and action packed as the first book, if not more. We get more details of Mount’s past that helps paint the picture of why he’s the man he is today.

If there were a scale to determine the purity of a person, I would send one side crashing to the ground with the weight of my sins, and laugh while I watched.

Meghan March has written an anti-hero to beat all anti-heroes with this man and I will NEVER get enough of his domineering and sexy ways. Secrets are revealed, twists and turns come out of nowhere, and what started off as a debt, soon turns into something much more complicated for both Keira and Mount.

I finally understand the reason it’s called power exchange, but with Mount and me, it’s more accurately termed a power struggle.
He takes. I fight.
He threatens. I rebel.
He taunts. I argue.

The heat is downright incendiary with this installment. And I mean INCENDIARY. The story was downright addicting. And the ending? ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING.

So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to rock myself in a corner somewhere until the release of Sinful Empire.

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | PINTEREST

 

DON’T MISS THE REST OF THE MOUNT TRILOGY 

RUTHLESS KING

Mount Trilogy Book 1

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

Goodreads | AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS

Sinful Empire

Release Day December 19, 2017

Mount Trilogy Book 3

The Mount Trilogy concludes with Sinful Empire!

What’s mine, I keep, and that includes Keira Kilgore.

It’s no longer enough to have her in my debt. No longer enough to own her body.

I want something more.

She can try to resist, but I’ll never give her up.

Nothing will keep us apart.

Not her. Not my enemies. No one.

Her debt will only be paid one way—with her heart.

Sinful Empire is the third and final book in the Mount Trilogy.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

 

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, Dirty Talkers, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,

Audio Blitz & Review: The Learning Hours by Sara Ney

November 3, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE LEARNING HOURS 
Series: HOW TO DATE A DOUCHEBAG #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: September 26, 2017

He’s not a douchebag; but that doesn’t stop his friends from turning him into one.

MY FRIENDS WANT ME TO GET LAID.

So much so that they plastered my ugly mug all over campus, in bold printed letters:

Are you the lucky lady who’s going to break our roommate’s cherry?
Him: socially awkward man with average-sized penis looking for willing sexual partner. You: must have a pulse. He will reciprakate with oral. Text him at: 555-254-5551

The morons can’t even spell. And the texts I’ve been receiving are what wet dreams are made of. But I’m not like these douchebags, no matter how hard they try to turn me into one.

THIS ISN’T THE KIND OF ATTENTION I WANT.

One text stands out from hundreds. One number I can’t bring myself to block. She seems different. Hotter, even in black and white.

However, after seeing her in person, I know she’s not the girl for me. But my friends won’t let up–they just don’t get it. Douchebags or not, there’s one thing they’ll never understand: GIRLS DON’T WANT ME.

Especially her.

 AMAZON | AUDIO | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO


He’s seated at a table in the far corner when I spot him from the door. He’s not hard to miss—not with his purple t-shirt in a sea of black and yellow, and wavy mussed hair.

He’s slouching, hunched over his table.

Defeated. Tired.

My stomach rolls with nerves, nerves that have me rooted to the spot in the doorway, watching him.
Just watching.

For the entire four minutes I stand here, he sits immobile, studying his laptop, eyes moving along the screen, completely transfixed by whatever he’s reading.

Learning.

“Just go over there,” I whisper to myself, blowing out a puff of pent-up air.

I put one foot in front of the other and begin toward him, spine ramrod straight, steeling myself, prepared for another argument.

Twenty feet.

Fifteen.

Eight.

Two.

“Hi.”

No reply.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” I lay my hand on the back of the wooden chair across from him, intending to pull it out.

He stiffens but doesn’t lift his head. “Yes I mind.”

“Would you mind if I sat at the table next to you?” I’m pushing his buttons, looking for a reaction, but he only spares me a brief glance.

Shrugs. “Free country.”

I bite my lip to hide a smile, glad he didn’t tell me to take a hike…

I’m quickly learning that Rhett Rabideaux isn’t most guys”

This is quite possibly the happiest my ears have ever been. Because this audio? This audio book was EVERYTHING.

Now this particular picky reader doesn’t typically like audio books. Either the pacing annoys me or the narrators do. There’s too much monotone, too much overacting, and all the more nitpicking on my end. But this book? This was the icing on the already perfect cake. As much as I adored reading this book, listening to it made me fall in love with it even more.

Rhett Rabideaux may not be prince charming but he’s something else entirely: he’s real. He is who he is, and makes no apologies. He’s polite and sincere.”

Josh Goodman’s delicious voice in my ear narrating the part of Rhett was pure perfection. And here I thought it will never get better than Rhett.

I’m a huge fan of NA romance, but the good kind are getting harder and harder to find. This is the book that tops all NA books I’ve ever read to date. This story was incredible. It was sweet, and touching, and so different that I simply couldn’t help but swoon super hard over it.

Muffy Newtown is now easily one of my favorite female narrators. She did this heroine so much justice. It was like listening to a movie while having the scene roll through your mind’s eye. I simply don’t have enough good things to say about it. This was, hands down, my favorite audio book to date.

And this book was, hands down, my favorite NA romance to date. I love a book that mixes things up and isn’t afraid to go out of the typical cookie cutter formula, and that’s exactly what Sara Ney did here.

This was the happiest 10 hours of my giddy ears’ life. Truly.

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

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

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

Review & Excerpt: Drive by Kate Stewart

October 24, 2017 by ·

DRIVE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kate Stewart
Release Date: October 17, 2017

Music . . . the heart’s greatest librarian.

The average song is three and a half minutes long; those three and a half minutes could lead to a slow blink, a glimpse of the past, or catapult the soul into heart-shattering nostalgia.

At the height of my career, I had the life I wanted, the life I’d always envisioned. I’d found my tempo, my rhythm. Then I received a phone call that left me off key.

You see, my favorite songs had a way of playing simultaneously. I was in love with one man’s beats and another’s lyrics. But when it came to the soundtrack of a life, how could anyone choose a favorite song? So, to erase any doubt, I ditched my first-class ticket and decided to take a drive, fixed on the rearview.

Two days.

One playlist.

And the long road home to the man who was waiting for me.

AMAZON EBOOK | AMAZON PAPERBACK

Breathe. Breathe. This is in the bag, Stella. You can do this, so do it.
I clicked on the camera and quickly glanced at my notes.One minute.


Electricity shot through my veins and seeped through every pore, reminding me that this was it.

Thirty seconds.

I took a sip of water and set it beside my laptop as I waited.

Ten seconds.

A flicker of doubt processed for mere seconds before I wiped it away.

Five.

I expelled a stressed breath, clicked Go Live, and addressed the camera.

“Womanizer, bully, genius, recluse, and the world’s greatest MC. Even with all those labels, Phillip Preston, also known as Titan, is still a bit of an enigma. Despite the universe he’s constructed with storytelling lyrics, he’s always left it up to us to decipher his truth from his fiction. He burst onto the music scene fifteen years ago, an underdog in the belly of rap, with chaotic and desperate rhymes that resonated and pushed him into an unexpected level of stardom. With one hundred and eighty million records sold, he still holds his title as heavyweight and remains a household staple for his die-hard fans, collecting an army of new followers over the past two decades. I must admit, I was a bit intimidated when I sat down with him this past weekend in his Chicago fortress. I, like millions of others, am a huge fan of his genius. The simplicity of our surroundings in his home studio was shocking, to say the least. The feeling was a bit clinical and there were no platinum records on his walls, no personal photos, and there was no hint of the history he’d made as the world’s most notorious rap star. He sat in a leather chair next to his soundboard, water bottle in hand, and spoke about his love of rap, while subtly redirecting questions about his personal life—though we know he recently broke up with his long-time girlfriend, Jordan Wilson.”

My eyes nearly watered as I watched the live view box tick to a hundred thousand. I had a hundred thousand people watching my podcast in a matter of minutes. I took a deep breath.

“But it seemed my reputation had preceded me because when I sat down with the rap mogul, Phillip appeared ready for the firing squad. We dueled well as I asked the hard questions—the questions of a fan. Questions I know so many of his loyal listeners want answers to, and I think you’ll be surprised to hear his answers. So, without further ado, take a look at my exclusive with the man behind the myths. Feel free to form your own opinions, but above all, remember it’s the music that matters most.”

I linked my pre-recorded interview and watched the ticks explode as soon as his face hit the screen.

That was the moment my career peaked.

With pride, I watched my interview with the white whale, the Moby Dick of the music industry. Gorgeous, brilliant, and highly elusive, Phillip Preston was the hardest artist to get personal with in an interview. And I was the woman he reached out to, to break his silence about his road to success, his parents, his ex-wife, and finally—after some careful eggshell coaxing—he spoke about his recent relationship. He had delivered to me, on a silver platter, highly personal details about his life where so many other journalists had failed, and it was nothing short of miraculous.

It was my greatest accomplishment as a music journalist. I was flying, soaring as my phone began to blow up with message after message. I hadn’t told a soul, not a single person about my exclusive. I was high on adrenaline when the notifications began to ping on my phone. A hundred, two hundred messages, and then I saw the viewer ticks had jumped drastically to half a million. Half a million! I laughed out nervously and checked Phillip’s social media. He had just posted my podcast link to our interview. My jaw dropped. He had over eighty million followers on one forum alone.

And the viewer counts just kept rising. I had done it. I gasped when the ticks went past a million.

A million people were watching my podcast.

A million people were watching my podcast!

“AHHHHHH!” I screamed to no one as I looked around the vacant room. I raised both hands in the air when the ticks rolled past two million. “Oh my GOD!” I shot up from the desk, my eyes full of incredulous water.

I’d never had more than a million views. Ever. And those took months to accrue. It was the greatest career high of my life. I looked back down at my phone, anxious to talk to someone, anyone. Lexi’s middle finger popped up on the screen, and I couldn’t resist answering her call.

“AHHHHHHHH!” I screamed into the phone..

“Stella?”

“Yes! Is it good? You think I asked the right questions? I edited for like nine hours.”

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? Titan’s interview.”

“You interviewed Titan?”

A small amount of my excitement dispersed. “Yours was the wrong call to answer.”

“You fucking interviewed Titan?”

“Yes. I wanted to surprise everyone.”

“And you didn’t bring me?”

“Sorry. I’ll feel guilty later.”

“Yeah.” Her voice dropped. I heard a toilet flush. “Yeah, Stella, that’s so cool.” Another toilet flushed.

“Where are you?”

“I’m in the bathroom at the Marquee.”

“Okay. Well, I’m buzzing right now, woman. Like, literally, my phone is exploding. Five million hits, Lexi. Five million!”

“I’m so happy for you, Stella.”

I frowned. “Yeah, with that amazing monotone, I can tell.”

“I’m so sorry.” And then her voice broke. My best friend doesn’t cry. Ever.

“Oh, shit. What’s up?”

“I’ll call you back, okay? I don’t want to ruin this.”

“You aren’t ruining anything. You couldn’t ruin this. I promise. I’ll be high for days. So, tell me. Why are you in the bathroom?”

“I’m on a blind date. He took me to a wedding.”

“Okay. You need an excuse? That’s not like you. You’re ballsy. Just give him your usual, it’s not me, it’s you.” I chuckled because she’d used it in front of me on a bass player with a cowlick and halitosis.

“Stella.”

I knew that tone. That tone was the bearer of bad fucking news.

“What? Say it.”

“It’s his wedding.”

I eyed the clock while I zipped my suitcase. I had an hour and a half before my flight. I was cutting it close. “Whose wedding?”

“Stella.”

“I know my name. Damn, who—” Realization struck and my heart met the floor. I stayed mute while she rambled on nervously.

“What are the odds? What are the goddamn odds? I don’t know what to do. Do you want me to leave? There’s no handbook for this. Did you even want to know this? That he’s married? I can’t believe I just watched him get married! Who in the hell ends up at their best friend’s ex-boyfriend’s wedding? I couldn’t not tell you.” She sniffed as the toilets repeatedly flushed around her.

“Stella, please say something.”

I pressed the sting back. “I’m alright, of course. I’m fine. Why are you crying?”

“I don’t know.” She sniffed. “Ben called me last night, and things are just so fucked up, and today this shit happens, and I know you’re happy. I know you are. But . . . I mean, this is—”

I put my hand up as if she could see it. “Don’t tell me anything else, okay? I’m good.” I looked at my reflection in the mirror from the bed into the adjacent bathroom. Nothing had changed. I wasn’t leaking. I was fine. “I’m okay. I’m glad you told me. I have to leave for the airport now, or I’ll miss my flight.” A slew of questions was on the tip of my tongue. Did he look happy? Was she beautiful? And more questions I hated myself for that Lexi would never be able to answer. Still, my head and heart refused to keep those questions bottled.

Was she prettier than me? Did he look at her the same way? Did he propose to her with half his heart? Did he think of me when he did it? Was any part of him thinking of me now? Was I in his dreams the way he drifted through mine sometimes?

All my thoughts were selfish. All of them. And of all the thoughts I could have had that day, self-loathing was not the one I expected to nudge its way front and center. I forced myself to speak.

“Stay.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, of course. I’m fine.”

“This freaky shit always happens. Always with you.”

“I know.”

“It’s like karma or God or someone hates you. It’s so fucked.”

I laughed ironically, though inside my heart was pounding.

Silence passed over the line as we both waited for some sort of solution that wasn’t coming.

“Stella, God, I’m so sorry.”

“About what? Stop. You know I would have told you if the situation were reversed. I should go. Love you.”

“Love y—” I hung up the phone before she could finish, frozen in the middle of the hotel room.


He was my song, my soul, my everything, and his love had propelled me forward into the woman I wanted to be. And that woman would burn out with the man who was made to keep her warm.

Wow. WOW. Seriously, wow. This book. This was quite possibly one of the most unique, memorable, and captivating romances I’ve read in a long while. I have no idea how to even go about reviewing this book because I feel like you really need to go into it completely blind to get the full effect, but I’ll do my best.

I used to think I was cursed for having fallen in love with two men. But, in hindsight, I realized what a gift it was. They were my lovers, my teachers, my best friends, and I would love them both until I took my last breath.

There are a few authors I would break my no love triangles rule for, and Kate Stewart happens to be one. Though, I feel it’s fair to say, this is unlike any other love triangle I’ve ever read. It almost didn’t feel like one because as you read the story, you feel in your heart who Stella belongs with. I’m not sure how it’s possible that you feel her love for the other man as well, but you do. No one is a consolation prize. This was such a powerful and emotional story of love, growing up, and chasing your dreams to that one minute past desperation.

The story is cleverly told in alternating past to present, though the majority takes place in the past. It’s interactive with each chapter tied to a song you can play. This made the story that much better.

Young Stella moves to Dallas to chase her dreams as an entertainment journalist. Moving in with her older sister, she experiences life from the bottom up. She works the dead end jobs to make ends meet, she barely has two dimes to rub together, but that never stops her. She’s passionate in all things, including chasing her dreams. Along the way she meets two men that irrevocably change her life. Each owning a different piece of her heart equally, though one does it in an overwhelming way. She experiences the rock and roll culture from both sides of the stage. And you experience it right along with her.

It took three seconds to close the distance between us, two seconds to lock together like we’d been doing it our entire lives, and that last second . . . that last second when his lips devoured mine was the second I lost a piece of myself I could never get back. 

Stella was such a captivating heroine. Her emotions just roll off of her. She’s this combination of strength and fear, love and indecision. You see her grow from a naive girl that knows what she wants to a strong woman that goes after it. You see her fall in love and have her heart shattered. You feel it right along with her.

This isn’t a book you read, it’s a book you experience. It’ll frustrate you, it will anger you, it will make you laugh, cry, and swoon. I have experienced such a myriad of emotions, I was almost exhausted when I got to the end.

You exhaust me. You make me tired, Stella, so fucking tired. I want you and I want to do it right, but I’m so annoyed right now. All I want to do is make you wet and fuck you until it hurts.”

I’ll admit, it took a bit to fully get into it. Kate Stewart really takes her time to set the scene with this story, and it was a touch slow going at first. But after the 40% mark, it was completely unputdownable.

If you’re a fan of unique, angsty, and captivating romances, this is a book that’s an absolute must read. It will be a story that I won’t forget any time soon and I’ll recommend blindly to ANYONE.

I couldn’t say anything. I was too far gone. Doused in gasoline with no match in sight, the aching, the longing, and the burning all there.

Kate Stewart lives in Charleston, S.C. with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. A native of Dallas, Kate moved to Charleston three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, and declaring it her creative muse. Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it’s what she loves as a reader. A lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap, she dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity only and does a horrible job of playing the ukulele. Aside from running a mile without collapsing, traveling is the only other must on her bucket list. On occasion, she does very well at vodka.

Contact Kate- Email-authorkatestewart@gmail.com

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

Review: Ruthless King by Meghan March

October 19, 2017 by · 3 Comments

RUTHLESS KING
Series: Mount Trilogy #1
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: October 17, 2017

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.

You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.

My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.

I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.

To have her in my debt.

She doesn’t know she caught my attention.

She should’ve been more careful.

I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.

It’s time to collect what I’m owed.

Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

AMAZON | PAPERBACK | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

When was the last time you were fucked by a real man? Someone who knows what you need. Someone who’ll take control from you and give you what you’ve been dying for.

Um, may we just have a moment of silence for my ovaries? Because they fought the good fight, but those suckers completely combusted in the mere presence of Lachlan Mount. I’m talking total ovary obliteration here, people, and mine were steel plated for goodness sake!
HOLY. FREAKING. SHIT.
I LOVED this! This brought back all the originals feels that I had with the beginning of the Beneath series but EVEN BETTER.

Meghan’s Beneath series was easily my favorite of hers. It was a bittersweet moment reading the last book in that series. But then she went and introduced an anti-hero to beat all anti-heroes set in the same world and I. Was. Hooked.

Mount is the king of the New Orleans underground. Equally feared and respected, nothing happens without his knowledge or order. When Mount wants something, he gets it, and no one stands in his way.

Keira is still reeling from the unexpected death of her cheating husband and barely keeping her head afloat running her beloved family whiskey business. When the boogeyman shows up at her door and tells her that she owes him a five hundred thousand dollar debt, she’s shocked. When he tells her that he’ll take her in exchange for the money her husband apparently loaned from Mount, she’s livid. But a debt is a debt, and you don’t say no to the most feared man in NOLA. And the fact that the fan enrages her as much as he brings out all her primal urges? Definitely inconvenient.

I own your orgasms. I decide when you come. Not you. Learn it. Live it. Because you’re going to fucking love it by the time I’m done with you.”

I devoured this book. Absolutely devoured it. Hanging on every word and erotic interlude. Mount has such an enigmatic and utterly sexual presence to him, that you don’t just read about him, you feel it. March knows how to write one delicious alpha, but she seriously outdid herself with this one. He’s cold, ruthless, dominant, and the sexiest anti-hero I’ve read.

I loved that Keira is the only one that has the balls to stand up to him. This is no cowering wallflower. This is a woman that gives as good as she gets. And let me tell you, she gets it HARD. Uhem. She’s smart, head strong, and not afraid to tell the domineering man where to stuff it. OK, seriously, I need to stop handing myself sexual innuendos here. I’m dying. But seriously though, I am HOOKED. Line and sinker. I’m desperately salivating for the next book in this series. If you’re a fan of sizzling romance with an anti-hero that’s to die for and a story that’s as captivating as the romance, this is a trilogy you need in your life!

She may have marked me tonight, but I marked her first. Keira Kilgore needs another lesson in what it means to be owned by Lachlan Mount.


Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

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3 Comments · Filed Under: All Reviews, DGR Favorites, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,

Jennifer’s Review: From The Ruins by @JanineBosco

October 6, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

FROM THE RUINS
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic, MC, Romantic Suspense
Author: Janine Infante Bosco
Release Date: September 26, 2017

“Pipe”
In every man’s life there comes a day of reckoning. It’s the day darkness is exposed and sinners are punished for their trespasses.
A day when loyalty is destroyed and a man is left in ruins.
When he walks away from his club and loses his religion.
Whoever said from the ruins they will rise again never walked a mile in my shoes or the pair of red ones I was left holding.

“Layla”
He’s bitter, cold and angry.
He’s seen his share of heartache.
Lived through tragedy and despair.
He’s my neighbor.
The man I know should stay away from.
The man who will destroy what’s left of me if I get too close.
He’s Lee Jameson, and I’m Layla Milano.
This is our story.
The story of two people left in ruins forced to rise again.

AMAZON

Janine’s books have my heart by the balls….if my heart had balls…you know what mean.


So, me and Janine were talking the other day over a glass of wine. Well, Janine wasn’t there, but my kindle was…same thing. And Janine was like, “Hey, girl! I’m gonna make you cry your eyes out!” and I was like, “Girl, nah uh!” and then she was like, “Cry, Bitch!” and I was like, “Leave me, alone, Janine!”…and then I’m already crying by 10%. I am NOT a girl who likes to read sad books. I wouldn’t call her books sad. I would call them REAL. She always includes some type of real issue, and it doesn’t matter what “issue” she is including in the story, she always pulls and pulls until my heart breaks from her words alone.

Pipe is struck with tragedy several books ago, in the worst way. He already didn’t have a shiny life before, but he was given a glimpse of happy before another tragedy. He’s known way too much loss for one person. He escapes and leaves the only family he’s ever know. Who can blame him? He lost everything. He is a broken man who has no idea how to deal.Layla. She is a single mother of three. These kids. Love ‘em. I’m super picky about kids in books, and these kids had so much character and were essential in pulling Pipe from the ruins. Layla is also just trying to get through each day. She has been through a not-so-great marriage which ended in divorce. Bitter against all men, she is not ready for Pipe….at all.

Pipe and Layla are neighbors who hate each other (love this trope!). Neither of them are in a good place. They are just trying to stumble through life. Layla has a few more smiles left, so she isn’t afraid to give those smiles out to those who deserve them, and Pipe starts to crave her smiles. When Pipe rescues her and the kids from a couple of household disasters, the ice begins to thaw between Pipe & Layla. They eventually find solace in each other in the form of hot, crazy sex (yes, please!), forgetting their issues for even a brief amount of time.The only way to describe how Janine’s books make me feel is by sharing this memory. One of my favorite memories that will stay with me forever…I was on the back of my Dad’s Harley. We were riding in the dark on the way home from an outside concert at a winery, and we were listening to one of our favorite songs. At the time, we thought my dad had cancer. Little did we know a couple weeks later, we would find out that by a miracle, he did not have cancer. Anywho, the wind was in my hair. The rumble of the motorcycle beneath me. The stars above me. This memory is SO MUCH. And THAT feeling is Janine’s books.

Janine is THAT author. That author that you don’t know is AMAZING. That author who will make you FEEL. Will make you LIVE through her characters. Will make you CRY. Will make you LAUGH. And you will regret not reading Janine’s books. Don’t regret it. Read her books.

Thank you, Janine, for sharing a part of yourself in this book. I will never grow tired of your words. One day, I will hug you (maybe for an awkward amount of time) and thank you personally.

 

Janine Infante Bosco lives in New York City, she has always loved reading and writing. When she was thirteen, she began to write her own stories and her passion for writing took off as the years went on. At eighteen, she even wrote a full screenplay with dreams of one day becoming a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Janine writes emotionally charged novels with an emphasis on family bonds, strong-willed female characters, and alpha male men who will do anything for the women they love. She loves to interact with fans and fellow avid romance readers like herself.

She is proud of her success as an author and the friendships she’s made in the book community but her greatest accomplishment to date would be her two sons Joseph and Paul.

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#DGRFave & Review: Reaper by A. Zavarelli

September 10, 2017 by ·

REAPER
Series: Boston Underground #2
Genre: Dark Romance, Mafia
Author: A. Zavarelli
Release Date: May 19, 2016

Sasha.

He’s dark and mysterious. Quiet and lethal.
An Irish mobster.
Pure sin wrapped up in a beautiful package.
But there’s also something off about him.
He doesn’t feel anything. He shows no emotions.
Sometimes I question his humanity.
He hasn’t spoken to me in two years. Not a single word.
But we share a secret, he and I.
And if it ever comes out, I have no doubt in my mind…
He won’t have a problem killing me too.

Ronan.
I’ve slain for her. I’ll do it again.
When it comes to Sasha, there isn’t a line I won’t cross.
I watch her. She doesn’t know it.
She thinks I hate her. Sometimes, I think I might too.
But I’m always there, lurking in the shadows.
Craving her. Trying to keep the beast within at bay.
I’ll keep her safe. I’ll slaughter anyone who tries to hurt her.
The only thing I can’t do… is protect her from myself.

****This is a full-length standalone novel full of hot Irish guys with accents. Dark mafia themes throughout. HEA included.****

AMAZON

I’ve never believed in fairytales. There is no white knight in my story. Only me. And I’m not the girl who gets the prince. I’m the girl he bangs because he can.

Holy.
Hell.

I do believe I just read one of the most tortured anti-heroes ever. And let me tell you, I’ve read A LOT of dark romance. I’ve read the violent, broody, alphahole bad boys, but all of them pale in comparison to Ronan Fitzpatrick

I’ve been called a sociopath. A monster. But I don’t fancy myself one. I’m simply a man doing a job that needs to be done. If it wasn’t me doing it, someone else would be. The men that I kill, they’ve all had it coming. They knew what they were getting themselves into. They’ve either done Niall wrong or threatened the syndicate in some way. And threats have to be eliminated, just like vermin. One of the few moral codes I still abide by. I will protect my brethren at all costs.

Cross the MacKenna syndicate, and you’ll find yourself in front of The Reaper. He’s the man that handles all of the delicate and painful jobs. When someone needs eliminating, they find themselves in Ronan’s basement, their screams forever becoming a part of the cement walls. A brutal upbringing that knew only pain, Ronan doesn’t function like any other man. He’s numb. Unfeeling. He only feels rage and breathes punishment. There’s only one person that ever stirred a different reaction in him, but she’s forever off limits to a man like him.

Damaged souls have their own beauty. A dark, terrifying beauty. The same type of beauty I recognize in Ronan. 

Sasha hasn’t had an easy life herself. Taking care of her ailing mother and protecting her younger sister put her in the crosshairs of a man that changed her life irreparably. Forced into a life she never wanted and doing whatever she can to survive, she’s tired. All she wants is to leave, move to a different place where no one knows her or her past. There’s just one problem with that; Ronan is not about to let her go.

He nudges my legs apart and pushes his palm between my legs like he owns that part of me. Who am I to argue? He does fucking own me. He’s polluted my mind so that I can only ever think of him. Only ever want him.

Their relationship is a turbulent one. Both of these characters are so completely messed up, it’s a wonder how they go through the motions at times. But yet together, they made a messed up sort of sense. They offered each other a calmness that they never found on their own. They were like violent waves on a rocky coast.

I’ve seen him kill. I’ve tasted his rage too. Tasted it so fiercely that some of it spilled over onto me, tainting me with the mark of the animal that lives inside of him. I crave that animal. I crave everything about this man with his perfect suits and his complete lack of human emotions. Maybe, just maybe, I envy him too. What it must be like not to feel anything. Anything at all.

This was such a dark, captivating story. I was glued to the pages, completely enraptured. My heart hurt for everything that Sasha went through and I wanted her to feel just a little of happiness. It made a dark sort of sense that she would find it in the arms of a ruthless killer that’s a borderline psychopath.

Ronan was just…GAH. This man. His training ensured that he feels almost nothing. No empathy. No sympathy. Most human emotions are far beyond his realm of understanding. But you see more and more of his humanity peak out with each minute he spends with Sasha.

Nobody else gets to see you like that,” he declares. “Ye’re claimed.” His words douse me in gasoline. His eyes light the match. And when he grinds himself against me, all that’s left to do is burn for him. 

I loved this gritty and sexy dark mafia romance. The story was completely unputdownable and the characters vivid and unforgettable.

THE SERIES

CROW | REAPER | GHOST | SAINT

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

Author Interview & DGRFave Review: Disorderly Conduct by @mstessabailey

August 29, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Series: The Academy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: August 29, 2017

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone…

Police academy cadet Charlie Burns can’t believe his luck when the gorgeous blonde he meets in a bar murmurs those magic words: “Nothing serious, ’kay?” Mind-blowing, no-strings sex with Ever Carmichael—it’s the holy grail of hookups for a guy who’s too busy following in his law enforcement family’s footsteps to think about getting serious. Charlie’s all about casual…that is, until Ever calls it quits and his world tilts on its axis.

Ever knows that when you control the relationship game, you can’t get played. But for the first time, she wants more than short-term satisfaction. Step one: end her fling with commitment-phobic Charlie. Step two: sacrifice herself to the ruthless NYC dating scene. Yet everywhere she turns, there’s Charlie, being his ridiculously charming self. No online match or blind date compares to the criminally hot cop-in-training, but they’re over. Aren’t they?

If love is a four-letter-word, why does the idea of Ever seeing someone else tie Charlie up in knots?  Now he’s desperate to win her back…and a little date sabotage never hurt anyone, right?

AMAZON | iBOOKS

If you follow my blog, you already know what a HUGE Tessa Bailey fan I am. And the fact that I’m salivating for every single one of her releases is pretty damn hard to miss. Well I was downright flailing with excited glee when I saw she’ll have more of her dirty talk hot cops for us with her brand new Academy series and I fell head over ovaries with this series immediately after finishing Disorderly Conduct. I’m so excited to have the queen of dirty talk today with an interview with DGR and I’m even more excited for you all to discover this AMAZING new series!

DGR: For those that haven’t read Disorderly Conduct and seen your acknowledgment, can you tell us about your inspiration for The Academy series?

TB: Yes! I would love to! I’ve never had a story idea come to me in dream format before, but I woke up one morning with a fresh memory that literally made my chest ache. A man on his way to a lover’s apartment, so obviously in love with her (but in complete denial) and no idea she’s about to break it off to go look for something “real.” I was in the middle of another project, but immediately set it aside to write the first chapter of DISORDERLY CONDUCT.

DGR: Disorderly Conduct had equally the cutest and sexiest meet cute ever! Did you picture it before you even wrote the book?

TB: Thank you! I love it, too! Charlie and Ever made magic in that rainy day pub. Originally, the book didn’t include the meet-cute! It started with Charlie walking to Ever’s apartment (like in my dream), but my editor correctly decided people would want to see that first meeting. And thus, the Mistress Test was formed, with a little help of my vast Titanic movie knowledge!

DGR: I LOVED Ever Carmichael. For all her quirks and issues, she’s such a solid person who owns their sexuality and makes no excuses for it. What’s your favorite thing about Ever?

TB: I think I loved her compassion most of all. Even when Charlie was being an absolute idiot, she saw through to his inner turmoil and wanted to be his friend, as well as his lover. But I can’t help but include her snappy sense of humor as a close second. I mean, she did threaten to shoot lasers out of her eyeballs at Charlie.

DGR: Charlie Burns. GAH. The man makes my ovaries burn. Ha! See what I did there? But I digress. I loved his playfulness in the story. He’s also such a lost boy at times, which was so endearing. What’s your favorite thing about Charlie?

TB: Exactly that. I love nothing more than writing a cluelessly endearing hero. There’s just something about a man who is confused and knocked over sideways by his own feelings. “Wait…she loves me? I…love her? Oh, God. I LOVE HER SO MUCH”. What makes us want to excuse Charlie’s lack of clarity is the fact that he’s also super protective and capable. Sigh.

DGR: What was your favorite scene to write for this book?

TB: There is a scene when Charlie arrives to help Ever cater a party. They haven’t really spent any time together as “friends”—and when he shows up and sees her in her element (spinning circles around the kitchen), he realizes how much he doesn’t know about her. How dynamic she is. And the seeds are planted in his mind that he screwed up big time by letting her go.

DGR: Now you know I have to ask this, because you ARE at Dirty Girl Romance after all, but sweet jesus, woman! How do you keep coming up with hotter and hotter sex scenes and the most sizzling dirty talk? Share your dirty secret. It’s tumblr, isn’t it? Oh wait…that’s my dirty secret…

TB: HA! Well, thank you very much! I’m not sure where the inspiration comes from, but I like to give every couple their unique flavor. Whenever Charlie got his hands on Ever, he kind of just became an animal and Ever fed off of it, that male desperation fulfilling something inside her. When you have a good foundation for what turns your characters on, you can make the booty original every time.

DGR: What are you most excited about with this new series?

TB: This series feels like coming full circle. I started my writing career with NYC cops and now I’m back—and it really just felt like coming home. I know this type of man and they’re SO fun for me to write! Law enforcement heroes are my kryptonite and I’m most excited to be back in my happy place. Not to mention getting to share it with everyone who loved my original cops!

DGR: If you had a dream cast for Charlie and Ever, who would they be?

TB: Well. I watch a lot of Disney Channel because I have a six year old. And there’s an actress named Dove Cameron who is in a few shows. She’s funny and sexy and relatable. I totally envision her as Ever. As for Charlie, there’s an actor named Sean Faris that is mega adorable and plays a cop on television. He would be my ideal Charlie.

DGR: What do you want readers to know about the Academy series?

TB: I want readers to know they’ll have a lot of fun and probably sweat beneath their clothes during the sex scenes. The characters are deep, but the angst doesn’t overshadow the fun.

DGR: Can you give us a little taste of what we can expect from Disorderly Contact with a favorite scene from the book?

Ever Carmichael is salvation.I’m not just saying that because she calls me big man when we’re fucking.

I’m already unbuttoning my uniform shirt, even though I haven’t even reached her building’s lobby yet. My cock is so stiff, I think I might black the fuck out before I get it inside her. Here’s the thing, though. Ever will understand. She’ll take one look at the tented fly of my standard issue, police academy pants and let her slinky, bad girl panties drop.

This woman. You just can’t fathom the magic she wields.

I don’t want anything serious, ’kay?

She said those words to me the rainy afternoon we met. At which point angels filled the bar and started singing. I’ve had women tell me before they didn’t want entanglements or relationships, too. My long line of law-enforcement ancestry, however, has honed my ability to differentiate between truth and fiction. And Ever is the first woman who actually meant those words. Nothing. Serious.

I’m right across the street from her building now—a four-story tenement on the Lower East Side. She works nights running her start-up catering company and sleeps late, so at noon on my lunch break, she’ll still be soft from bed. Freshly showered. I’m going to fuck her lights out, I swear to Christ. As soon as I walk in the door.

In the month since we met, the urgency to be inside Ever has only skyrocketed. The need to get my hands on her smooth skin, my tongue inside her bare pussy. You don’t understand—I’m a fiend for this woman.

And guess what? That’s perfectly fine, because I can have Ever any time I need her. Now, hear me out before calling me an arrogant prick—although I admit to being one on occasion. Ever can have me, too, when she needs me. This arrangement works both ways. After a Maroon 5 concert two weeks ago, she showed up at my apartment around midnight, high on Adam Levine—or whatever he’s called—and we didn’t even make it inside. I hiked up her tiny, leather skirt and gave it to her right there in the hallway. We weren’t quiet about it, either, not that I heard the neighbors complaining.

My point being, this arrangement I’ve made with Ever is what most men don’t dare dream about or even deserve at age twenty-three. For my species, it’s usually a choice between empty hookups or committed relationships, complete with updating your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram bios, but only after deleting from all of the above any photographic evidence that you ever used your dick. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about commitment. Right now, though, my entire reserve of commitment juice is being poured into becoming a cop. A lieutenant, specifically, just like my older brother, Greer. And eventually a bureau chief like my father, his father before him . . . and back about four generations.

This thing with Ever? It’s neither empty, nor committed. It’s a fucking unicorn. It has made me a believer in life on other planets, Bigfoot and even the Jets winning the Super Bowl again someday. Apart from the Levine Incident, we haven’t spent any time at my place, because Jack or Danika are usually home. Not to mention, I covet this little slice of heaven I’ve carved out, and I worry my roommates will make some crack to Ever about wedding bells—which is never happening—and blow the whole perfect situation to hell. Plus . . . they don’t need to know a damn thing about Ever. She’s mine. I’m hers. We’re ours.

Unofficially, of course.

The deeper I fall into friendship with Charlie, the deeper I sink into the point of no return.

The queen of dirty talk strikes gold with her newest series! A sexy and humorous romp, Disorderly Conduct was an entertaining read from start to finish. It was the perfect blend of humor and Tessa’s signature steam. It was smart and sassy and oh so cute! I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time. It was utterly delicious with a sexy meet cute and a ridiculously swoony grovel at the end. This book was exactly why I love romance!

…this arrangement I’ve made with Ever is what most men don’t dare dream about or even deserve at age twenty-three.

A sexy meet cute leads to the unicorns of all relationships for Charlie and Ever; a mutually agreed upon and satisfying friends with benefits (heavy on the benefits). Coming from a long line of cops, Charlie has focused everything on getting through the Police Academy. It’s all he’s ever wanted for himself; to make his bureau chief father and lieutenant brother proud. Relationships have never been on his radar. He has no time for them. But when he spots a stunning blonde at a bar giving him the eye, he can’t stay away. And when she murmurs every man’s dream words, “nothing serious,” in his ear? He’s a goner.

If I texted him right now, he would meet me. He would give me the Adam Levine sex and ask me no questions, tell me no lies.

Ever comes from a long line of mistresses. Her mother is a serial dater of married men. A relationship is just as much of a pipe dream to her as a reliable and trustworthy man; they don’t exist in her life. Charlie was only supposed to scratch an itch for one month. Sex and nothing else. But then everything changes for Ever and she realizes that she no longer wants the bare minimum. She wants the pipe dream. She wants love. Only problem? Charlie is determined to make her see the error of her ways, even if he has to sabotage her every attempt at seriously dating after she gives him the boot.

I’m becoming her friend in the hopes of knocking every other dude out of the running and graduating to friend with benefits. So I can slide in there real smooth. Like a snake.

I cannot tell you how much I adored Charlie and Ever. Their “relationship” was romantic comedy gold. Charlie is hopelessly lost. He doesn’t want Ever to date but he doesn’t realize that his yearning for her is something beyond just needing their friends with benefits status back. Ever is determined to move on but her feelings for Charlie are a messy distraction. Watching their back and forth was as entertaining as it was frustrating and I loved every second of it.

And did I mention the dirty talk? Because oh my god the dirty talk!!!

I will get between those legs if I have to kill, steal or sacrifice to get there. And you’ll be a sweating, moaning, crying tangle of sex in the sheets by the time it’s over. I know you don’t doubt me, because I’ve done it. I’ve done it.”

Man but I missed Tessa’s hot cops. I haven’t been this enamored with a series since her Line of Duty boys. And with the secondary characters introduced here, I’m already salivating for more.

But as for Ever and Charlie? Loved. Them. Yes, they both made some frustrating decisions and choices that had me wanting to slap them. But considering their age, I found my anger didn’t last. I just loved watching them mess up too much. It was adorable and endearing and frustrating and GAH. Did I mention I loved it?

I love first person POV and being in both Charlie and Ever’s heads was a true treat. Especially Charlie. He reminded me a little bit of Drew from Tangled. His inner monologue was just so much fun. Even if the poor guy was completely clueless at times.

I’m hooked, line and sinker, on this series and I can’t wait for more. If you were a fan of Tessa’s Line of Duty series, this one is simply not to be missed. It was everything I’ve come to love from her and made me giggle and swoon all at once.

Her hands are still locked together on top of her head, making her look like a prisoner. My prisoner. Except, I’m hers. This whole time I thought our lack of commitment was setting me free, but in truth, she’d thrown away the key to my freedom the minute she opened her mouth. She didn’t mean it, my Ever, but I’m imprisoned forever, just the same.

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

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Geri & Lana’s Review: Royally Endowed by @EmmaChse

August 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

ROYALLY ENDOWED
Series: The Royally Series Book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: August 14, 2017

Logan St. James is a smoldering, sexy beast. Sure, he can be a little broody at times—but Ellie Hammond’s willing to overlook that. Because, have you seen him??

Sexy. As. Hell.

And Ellie’s perky enough for both of them.

For years, she’s had a crush on the intense, protective royal security guard—but she doesn’t think he ever saw her, not really.

To Logan, Ellie was just part of the job—a relative of the royal family he’d sworn to protect. Now, at 22 years old and fresh out of college, she’s determined to put aside her X-rated dreams of pat-downs and pillow talk, and find a real life happily ever after.

The Queen of Wessco encourages Ellie to follow in her sister’s footsteps and settle down with a prince of her own. Or a duke, a marquis…a viscount would also do nicely.

But in the pursuit of a fairy tale ending, Ellie learns that the sweetest crushes can be the hardest to let go.

***

Logan St. James grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, in a family on the wrong side of the law. But these days, he covers his tattoos and scars with a respectable suit. He’s handsome, loyal, brave, skilled with his hands and…other body parts.

Any woman would be proud to bring him home to her family.

But there’s only one woman he wants.

For years he’s watched over her, protected her, held her hair back when she was sick, taught her how to throw a punch, and spot a liar.

He dreams of her. Would lay down his life for her.

But beautiful Ellie Hammond’s off-limits.

Everybody knows the bodyguard rules: Never lose focus, never let them out of your sight, and never, ever fall in love.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N 

Ellie

But then the mood shifts, as if the air becomes thicker, weighted, more . . . sultry.

Because slowly, Logan sinks down to one knee in front of me—looking in my eyes the whole time. In this position, I could touch his shoulders, comb my fingers through his thick, dark hair. He’s the perfect height for me to bend down and kiss his mouth—the perfect height for him to kiss me back . . . in a lot of places.

My breath hitches. And I wonder he feels it too.

There’s a sound of tearing Velcro, and Logan takes something off his ankle—a holster, with a small silver knife, about three inches long.

“Keep this on you all the time,” he says seriously. “Just in case. If you wear a skirt, the strap will fit around your thigh.”

And I almost laugh. Most girls get a ring from a guy on his knees. I get a murder weapon. But still, it makes me feel safe . . . watched over. Like I’m something precious that deserves to be protected.

I take the knife from him, testing the surprisingly solid, heavy weight of it in my hand. I press my index finger to the tip.

Logan grabs my wrist tightly. “Careful. It’s sharp.”

There’s a small, painless nick, a tiny bead of blood, so I put my finger in my mouth, sucking.

And Logan’s watching me again.

Watching my mouth.

His chest seems to rise just a little faster, and his throat ripples when he swallows. He bends his head, curves his strong back, and then I feel his hands on my ankle, securing the strap. His touch is warm and self-assured. It’s the way he always moves—confident and experienced. Logan knows his body and he knows how to use it, in every way possible.

I almost moan. The sound is in the back of my throat, but I keep it trapped. I never knew the ankle was an erogenous zone, but it sure as hell is now. A hot pulse of pleasure streaks from Logan’s fingers on my bare skin, up my thigh, between my legs.

And I throb there, growing swollen and heavy as he keeps his hands on me.

Can he tell? Does he know? He’s so aware of everything, always so attuned, I wonder if he can sense my arousal . . . feel it in the air that clings between us.

LANA’S REVIEW

Hey Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“One of these days . . . I’m going to save you back.”

Oh.
My.
Swoons.

I can barely form a coherent thought right now. I’m a melty pile of swoony goo at the hands of Emma Chase. The woman is incapable of writing a book that I devour in one sitting with a goofy grin on my face for the entire time. As much as I adored Royally Matched, I think this book totally topped it. I don’t have the words to describe all the ways I loved it. And oh my god, you guys, how I loved it!!!

Somebody once told me a slow-burning fire is the hottest—and it must be true. Because Logan and I are a fucking inferno.

If you love an incredibly written slow burn romance with a hero that’s simply to die for and a heroine you’ll want for your best friend, this book will be going straight to your top favorites shelf. GUARANTEED. It wasn’t just swoony, it was EPICALLY swoony. Logan owns my heart AND my ovaries. I don’t ever want them back. EVER.

I don’t know if I’ll be any fucking good at love. I’m not quite sure how it’s done. But, for her, I’ll learn. And I’ll do my damnedest to get it right.

You may remember Ellie Hammond as Olivia Hammond’s baby sister in Royally Screwed. Ellie has always been a bit of a free spirit. Sassy, a little quirky, optimistic and a bit naive in her youth, her brother in law feels like she needs someone to protect her when they’re not around. And the only man he trusts for the job is royal guard, Logan St. James.

They first meet when Ellie is a senior in high school. The chemistry is there, but it’s on a low simmer. Then over the years as Logan sees Ellie grow into a beautiful woman, that low simmer begins to turn into a sizzling inferno that proves almost impossible to resist.

I love a good slow burn romance, and this was easily one of my favorites. I love the playful nature that first forms between Ellie and Logan. I love the way he tries to deny his feelings for her while still falling in love with her. I love the way that Ellie goes after what she wants and I loved the way that Logan finally gives in. These two were some of the most endearing characters I’ve read in a while and I just couldn’t get enough of them.

This book had everything you’d expect from the incredible talent that is Emma Chase; humor, witty dialogue, fantastic characters, and a romance that’s so swoony, it may leave you in a pile of melty goo! This series is just perfection. It’s my indulgence when I need a light and easy romance that will give me the warm and fuzzies and leave me with a smile on my face. Suffice it to say that I. LOVED. IT.

GERI’S REVIEW

Life changes us, with its twists and turns, in ways we don’t always see coming. It changes what we want, what we dream, lays blessings in our hands better than anything we could’ve imagined.”

Emma Chase did it again. Royally Endowed is wickedly sexy, funny with loads of heartfelt moments and characters that you can’t help but root for.

Logan St. James is the dutiful royal bodyguard tasked to guard Princess Olivia Hammond’s baby sister, Ellie. Since her sister married into the royal family, Ellie’s life changed. Part of that change is the stable of bodyguards following her every move and keeping her safe. And provide Ellie with some eye candy along the way.

Logan is the hot, heroic, silent type and unsurprisingly, Ellie developed a crush on him from the get go. As Ellie grew older, that crush developed into something more. But Logan has always been a loyal and dutiful bodyguard. He wouldn’t jeopardize his job or his relationship with the royal family. So even though he started to see Ellie as someone other than the princess’ younger sister, he can’t be with her the way Ellie wanted to. Or so he thought.

Royally Endowed is probably the most romantic of all the books in this series. And that’s because Logan is just something else. He might not be a prince but man oh man, he gave Nicholas and Henry a run for their money. And for me, he’s my favorite hero in this series. Don’t get me wrong. I love Nicholas and Henry but there’s just something about Logan that puts him above the rest.

His loyalty and dedication to his job, not to mention the way he handled Ellie’s crush on him was endearing. I never felt like he took advantage of her especially since she’s way younger than him and basically still in high school when the story started.

Ellie is just as endearing. She’s a free-spirit and even though people see her as nothing but an airhead, she’s more than that. She displays a maturity that’s unexpected considering how young she is. She’s loves her family and is loyal to a fault. I love how she loves Logan in her own way, at a distance at first and then up close.

For the first time since I met him, my hero looks lost, my guardian angel has a broken wing. And I want to mend him, save him the way he’s always saved me. I want to love him until he feels found.

Their relationship was never easy because of the difference of their status. Ellie is the sister of the princess of Wessco, while Logan is just the lowly bodyguard. But their differences is superficial. At the heart of it, Logan and Ellie have more in common than anyone else. I really enjoyed the way their relationship unfolded.

And Logan…*swoon He made this book for me. He had so much too lose with pursuing Ellie but once he decided that she’s it for him, he’s there 100%. And I loved him for it.

You see the good in people, Ellie. You trust. That’s a good way to be, a brave way. I’ll watch more closely from now on; I’ll make sure this never happens again. You just be who you are. Leave the rest to me.”

Emma Chase has another winner in her hands. If you’re a fan of her writing, then this book is a must read. And if you’re looking to be swept away by romance, yes, this book is for you.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER | GOODREADS | READER FAN GROUP

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#DGRFave & Review: The Brightest Sunset by Aly Martinez

July 24, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE BRIGHTEST SUNSET
Series: The Darkest Sunrise Duet
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Aly Martinez
Release Date: July 27, 2017

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Bullshit.
Words destroyed me.
“I’m sorry. She didn’t make it.”
“Daddy, he can’t breathe!”
“There’s nothing more we can do for your son.”
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Lies.
Those syllables and letters became my executioner. I told myself that, if I didn’t acknowledge the pain and the fear, they would have no power over me. But, as the years passed, the hate and the anger left behind began to control me.
Two words—that was all it took to plunge my life into darkness.
“He’s gone.”
In the end, it was four soft, silky words that gave me hope of another sunrise.
“Hi. I’m Charlotte Mills.”

AMAZON

he’s shown me that there doesn’t have to be light for something to be beautiful. Love can grow in the darkness

How do you even begin to review a book that touched you on such a visceral level that you don’t think you’ll ever forget it? How do you put those feelings into words that can even begin to do a book the justice it so deserves? How do you attempt to relay everything that this book was without giving anything away? You don’t. Because it’s impossible.

The sun still hung bright in the sky, but midnight fell all the same. And, in that moment, I feared I’d never escape it again. The darkness was going to be my executioner. It was going to crush me, suffocate me, and then devour me.

The Brightest Sunset concludes The Darkest Sunrise duet and man did it go out with a bang. Prepare for a story that will keep you up well into the night and I hope you have plenty of tissues handy because Aly Martinez will not just tug at your heart strings, she’ll rip them to shreds like the sadist that she surely is.

I won’t tell you what happens, because if you haven’t read the first book, my review will be one giant spoiler. But what I can tell you is that Porter Reese stole my heart and I never want it back. Here was a hero that had none of the typical frills. He wasn’t an overbearing alpha. He wasn’t intense or demanding. He was just an amazing man. A man that loves fiercely. A man that will make any sacrifice for the ones he loves. A man that isn’t afraid to feel and show those feelings. A man that’s an alpha but not in the obvious way.

If you were on the fence with Charlotte in book one, you won’t be in this one. You really get to see the soft beneath the cold front exterior. You get to see a woman that finally finds her voice and the way to use it. A woman that finally discovers what love means and how to fight for it. A woman that’s every bit deserving of an incredible man like Porter.

Aly puts this couple through hell and back. I was in hell right along with them. I have never had so much anxiety reading a book. I bit my nails to shreds. I sobbed my way through the entire last third. I was a sobbing, sniveling pile of goo and I loved every devastating second of it.

The Brightest Sunset was a stunning, emotional, unforgettable story of second chances and love beyond all odds. It was phenomenal. It was beautiful. It was everything.

He’d made the darkness a beautiful place filled with understanding and acceptance.

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