DGRFave & Review: Joyless by Nyla K

JOYLESS
Series:
Alabaster Penitentiary #2
Genre: Dark, Erotic MMF Romance
Author: Nyla K
Release Date:
September 30, 2021

Alabaster Penitentiary, Volume 2

Correctional officers get a bad rep. But in our case, it’s fully justified.
We’re not ???? people… We’re guard dogs. As twisted as the inmates we patrol, courtesy of the monster who created us.

Prisoners ourselves on an island of manipulation, we’ve spent years drowning in vices to dull reality. If these walls could talk, I’m telling you… they’d scream.
They call me Velle, but that’s ??????? ???????? to you. Hands dirtier than my mind, I have no qualms with staying ruthless to keep these creatures in line.
And I’m not alone.

??? ??????? is my partner in crime, and my ex. Together we rule Alabaster Isle like Bonnie and Clyde, only prettier and far more dangerous. It’s the two of us against this wicked, secluded world.
Until he shows up…

Although we need him, the rookie is a problem. Flipping me upside down, using my own hidden desires to tempt me.
????… with his green eyes and country boy smile…
He has no business luring me into something that will get everyone hurt.

Let it be known, denying myself and dominating this role is my default setting. But with him in the picture, I’m struggling to keep it intact.
The mask is slipping, control I can’t lose wavering as we welcome our newest psycho to the roster.

Let’s hope, for all our sakes, ?????? #101 doesn’t do anything stupid.

**Joyless is a MMF romance with its own HEA, and while it explores new characters, it is highly recommended that you read Volume 1 first, as the timeline mirrors that of Distorted and there will be references to Distorted in Joyless that could spoil book 1.**

AMAZON 

 

You’re like a rollercoaster, baby. Scary as fuck, but just the best shot of adrenaline.”

Holy.
Fucking.
Shit.

This book. I don’t even have the words right now. Gimme a minute here.

Being a self professed erotic romance addict for many years, I went on record a few years ago to state that I have steel plated ovaries. Like a book can be hot, but it’s not going to get me that hot because I’m desensitized to it. Ok. It’s what I thought. So what did I do? I read this fucking book in public. I was cocky and I miscalculated. Bite me.

So there I was. Squirming uncomfortably in the waiting room while getting my oil changed. Paranoid as fuck that everyone in the room and also outside of it knew exactly what I was reading. With my loins burning and my ovaries hurting, rethinking my stupid steel plated ovaries statement to hell and back. But I digress. Let’s talk about the fuckery that is this book for a hot second, kay?

Welcome to Hell, rookie.”

Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT read this as a standalone. Yes it has different characters from Distorted, but just trust me. You want to appreciate what is Nyla K’s deeply twisted, depraved, evil genius mind by reading this series in order. The time lines overlap and you will miss some huge plot nuances and do yourself a big disservice by not reading Distorted first.

So what’s this book? It’s a super sizzling, super fucked up, super dirty and deliciously kinky MMF menage. And this bitch? I WAS SO HERE FOR IT.

The second Velle made an appearance in Distorted, I knew I had to have his story. The big, bad, tatted and pierced prison guard that takes no shit just had to have a good story arc, right? Wrong. It wasn’t just good, it was fucking amazing. MY GOD. But I digress again.

So what can I tell you without spoiling anything? This book brought it, ok. It bought it big time. The revelations. The secrets. The backstories of Velle and Joy and how they came to be guards at Alabaster Penitentiary really lays the foundation. We get more glimpses at the mysteriously evil Warden, and when I say I never thought I’d hear myself say that I’m desperate for that man’s book, well let’s just say I’m still shocked as shit. But here I digressed again. FOCUS. GOD. OKAY.

One of my favorite things about this story was the dynamic between Rook, Joy, and Velle. How neither one of them are what they seem on the surface. I loved Joy’s sexual freedom and how she just owns her sexuality. This is a woman that’s not shy about her sex drive, her body, or her desires, and we need more heroines like this in romance. But Velle. Oh my baby Velle. He was the most dynamic, multi-layered of the three. Velle with his dark secrets and darker desires. He completely stole my heart.

A-are you gonna… lick me?” My breathing is truly out of control. “No.” He bites his lip. “I’m gonna eat you alive.”

Now this is not a story for the faint of heart. And what I appreciate about Nyla’s story telling is that she’s not afraid to go there. She’s not afraid to really dive right into the pits of true depravity if it’s what her characters demand, and it just WORKS. This is a book that if anyone else wrote it, I’d say had way too much sex. But when I tell you that EVERY SINGLE sex scene added something to the story, well that’s talent, folks. Because there was a lot of sex. A LOT. It was hot. It was incendiary. Seriously. It was fucking sizzling as hell. My loins are still burning.

There’s also nuances that get revealed from Distorted, and hints dropped about future characters. And just OMG. I FUCKING LOVED THIS BOOK.

It’s dark. It’s fucked up. It’s seriously fucked up. And I loved every depraved page of it. And the set up for the next one? HOLY SHIT!!!

So if you like your book dark as hell, sizzling enough to set ovaries on fire, and fucked up enough to make you uncomfy while reading it? READ THIS FUCKING BOOK.

That is all. I’m now off to calm my tits. And I thank you,

Review: The Architect by Nikki Sloane

THE ARCHITECT
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Nashville Neighborhood #3
Author: Nikki Sloane
Release Date: February 23, 2021

He’s drafting plans to seduce you.

The Architect by Nikki Sloane is now live!

On the surface, my new boyfriend is a stiff, buttoned-up architect. He plans every detail of his life while carefully maintaining the walls he’s built around his heart. But when the biggest project of his career pulls him away, Clay’s solution is both temporary and unconventional. It even comes with a name–Travis.

This handsome stranger is sweet and thoughtful. He’s only meant to be a stand-in, to fulfill my sexual needs under Clay’s watchful direction, yet these two men couldn’t be more different. The one thing they share? Well, I guess that would be me.

One gets off on my pain, the other on my pleasure, and it awakens a desire none of us knew existed. But it can’t last.

Eventually I’ll have to choose.

And it’s going to destroy us all.

 AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

You want to be punished, don’t you?”
When I nodded, he grinned.
“I hope you’re not fragile.”

Is it hot in here or am I getting menopause early? I’m having hot flashes. My ovaries tingle. They tingle, I tell you!

Nikki Sloane is the queen of smut. The woman writes some of the hottest erotica, but she manages to infuse it with just the right amount of feels and story to make it that much more satisfying. Now if you’re looking for some fade to black, this is not the book for you, my pearl clutching friend. But if you’re looking for some hot and I mean HOT and kinky f*ckery, well better get some ice for those ovaries. Because hot damn! I say HOT DAMN.

You know what I love in my romance novels? A woman that can own her sexuality. Enough with the blushing virgins and ingenues. I’m over it. But a woman that knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it and has no shame in her game? Bring it on.

Lilith is not a girl that settles. And when she sees her sinfully sexy neighbor, she knows she wants him. He may be buttoned down, but she sees the dark sexuality that brews so close to the surface. But don’t let the glasses and orderly life fool you, because still waters definitely run deep with Clay. He’s got kinks that run a mile long, and the man is really fitting for his job. He’s an architect by day, and an architect of pain and pleasure by night. When he brings the mysterious Mr. E into their dynamic, things really take a turn for the dark and spicy and I was so here for it.

I love a good poly dynamic, and this one was delicious. There’s just enough angst and push and pull to make it incredibly intriguing. The spice? Scorching! The romance? SO satisfying. The story? Incendiary. READ IT!

USA Today bestselling author Nikki Sloane landed in graphic design after her careers as a waitress, a screenwriter, and a ballroom dance instructor fell through. For eight years she worked for a design firm in that extremely tall, black, and tiered building in Chicago that went through an unfortunate name change during her time there.

 

Now she lives in Kentucky, is married and has two sons. She is a three-time Romance Writers of America RITA© Finalist, a Passionate Plume winner, a two-time HOLT Medallion finalist, and couldn’t be any happier that people enjoy reading her sexy words.

Connect with Nikki

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Review: Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

RUTHLESS CREATURES
Series: Queens & Monsters #1
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Suspense
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: February 19, 2021

An explosive new novel of love, lies, and obsession from bestselling author J.T. Geissinger

Five years ago, my fiancé disappeared. Left me with a wedding dress I’d never wear. Left me with the kind of scars that can’t be healed. The man I built my future on vanished like a ghost. All that remained were my broken heart and unanswered questions.

Until a mysterious stranger arrives in town.

Tall, dark, and dangerous, Kage is as full of secrets as he is sex appeal. Though I know he’s hiding something, I’m drawn to him like a moth to flame.

The intensity of our connection is addictive, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Heat crackles between us with every look, desire flares into passion, and I fall hard, helpless to resist.

But when I discover how he’s tied to the darkness in my past, I learn what happens when you fly recklessly into fire:

You get burned.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON | AMAZON PAPERBACK

People say time heals all wounds, but those people are assholes. Wounds like mine don’t heal. I’ve just learned to control the bleeding.

I have an obsession with JT Geissinger’s words. The woman has created some of my absolute favorite alphas and some of my favorite heroines. She’s the queen of banter and uber alphas. And I love me some uber alphas.

Ruthless Creatures is the start of her brand new Queens & Monsters series and I was so here for it. Mafia bad boys meet their match with fierce heroines? Yes please and thank you!

Let’s start with what I loved. Nat and Sloane. I am a sucker for a sassy and fiercely loyal BFF dynamic, and these two had it in spades. I couldn’t get enough of them.

He said that?”
“Verbatim.”
“Holy shit.”
“That was pretty much my reaction, too.”
Sloane pauses. “And you didn’t throw yourself to your knees, rip open his zipper, and latch onto him like a sucker fish?”
Rolling my eyes, I sigh. “And they say romance is dead.”

I lived for glimpses of Sloane in all her sassy, maneater glory. I love a female that owns her sexuality and is not one to settle. I can’t wait to meet the man to bring her to her knees. But I digress.

Nat met the love of her life, only for him to disappear on their wedding day. Five years later, she’s still moving on from the loss. The worst of it is the not knowing what happened to him and whether he’s alive or dead.

She’s been living in limbo all these years, keeping her heart in check, and not able to commit to any man. Until a mysterious stranger with an aura of danger changes everything.

Kage was absolutely DELICIOUS. When I tell you that the man has presence, I mean he has PRESENSE. He practically oozes sexuality and badass. But he’s also hiding something dark and dangerous with Nat in the front and center of it. He tries to deny their chemistry for as long as he can (which wasn’t that long) until his need for her turns desperate. Now I’m not one for the insta-love vibe, but it actually worked for me here.

What kept this from being a five star were a few things. One, while the sex was hot, there was just too much of it. I found myself skimming sex scenes, and when I admit to doing this, you know it’s a lot. This was a lot more erotic than what I’m used to from JT’s other books. And don’t get me wrong, I’m a girl that loves a good sex scene. But when it begins to detract from the plot, it’s too much. I wanted more character development. I wanted more meat to the story. I felt like the focus was on the sexy times rather than the seriously intriguing plot. There’s so much to unpack here with the rival mafia families, and I would have loved to spend more time with that. As it was, I found the primary focus to be on the sex. The other, because the focus was primarily on the plot, the characters were more forgettable then what I’m used to from this author as well. I won’t find myself going back for a re-read of this one.

Now that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because I really did. I finished it in one sitting. Did I love it? No. But I did like it quite a bit. I’m complete hooked on the series, and the set up for the next book? I’m drooling.

If you’re looking for a super spicy book with a bad boy, mafia, suspense, and the hottest dirty talk, you need to check this one out.


J.T. Geissinger is a bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold more than one million copies and been translated into several languages.

She is the recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book, the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and is a two-time finalist for the RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America®. She has also been a finalist in the Booksellers’ Best, National Readers’ Choice, and Daphne du Maurier Awards.

Her first novel was published in 2012. Since then she’s written eighteen more novels. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking wine, surfing the internet, and daydreaming about all the things she’s going to be when she grows up. She lives near the beach in Los Angeles with her husband and deaf/demented rescue kitty, Ginger.

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |  Pinterest | GoodReads |  BookBub |  Join Geissinger’s Gang Reader Group |  Stay up to date by joining J.T.’s mailing list | Website 

Review: Abel by Katee Robert

ABEL
Series: Sabine Valley #1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Menage, MMF
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: January 5, 2020

Seven Brothers. Seven Brides. A revenge seven years in the making.

Eight years ago, my family was betrayed by those closest to us.

Now we’re back in Sabine Valley, staging our return during the feast of Lammas, where I step into the ring and ensure we’re given what we’re owed. Who we’re owed.

Our enemies send their seven best warriors against me.

With each victory, I win a Bride for each of my brothers.

And for me? I’m saving the best for last.

My Bride is Harlow, the woman claimed by the man I used to call friend—the one responsible for our exile. Eli.

And if Eli has a problem with it? Well, then I’ll take him as my Bride, too. All the better to enact my revenge…and bring Sabine Valley to its knees.

The Paine brothers are back, and we’re here to stay.

AMAZON

They look like mine.

Oh.
My.
OVARIES.

Dis. Book.
If you’re looking for some trope candy, how about a sinfully sexy mix of revenge, marriage for convenience, and enemies to lovers? And did I mention it’s an MMF? Because GAH.

The second I saw Katee post about this series, I was instantly drooling. 7 Brothers set for revenge after their faction betrayed them. A little pagan, a little mystery, a lot of revenge and sexy times to be had. Now admittedly, I could have used a little more background on the universe here. Perhaps a little more development on the brothers past? I was confused on all the different factions at first and what differentiates a mystic from a radar? But I ultimately began to get the gist of it. I also got a little confused trying to wrap my mind around all of the characters, because there’s a bit of a data dump with this.

The romance was SO good. It was insanely hot with just the right touch of angsty feels and I was so here for it. The push and pull between these three was delicious. Hawlow and Eli have the angst of a relationship that’s falling apart because Eli just doesn’t see Harlow for who she really is. Then there’s the hate lust between Eli and Abel who used to be best friends until Eli’s father murdered Abel’s father and ran the brothers out. Abel is set on revenge, even if it means keeping his enemies close. When he wins his battle, not only does he choose Harlow as a Bride, but Eli as well. To say that these three have some unresolved issues is an understatement. But I loved the development of their relationship.

While I felt like we got a lot of development for Eli and Abel, it was a little lacking with Harlow. We hear about her difficult past, we never learn what it was. Perhaps that’s going to be revealed in the future books? I hope so because I was so intrigued by her character.

If you’re looking for a crackilicious read with plenty of sizzling hot scenes, you’ve found your next read.

#DGRFave & Review: Cruel Paradise by J.T. Geissinger

CRUEL PARADISE
Series:
Beautifully Cruel #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: October 1, 2020

Anti-hero (noun):
1) A powerful and charismatic man lacking moral character
2) A magnificent bastard
3) Killian Black

You don’t know me.
You think you do, but you don’t.
The only thing you know is my name, and even that’s a lie.

I’m king of Boston, lord of criminals, ruler of an underworld empire. Or am I?

Only one thing’s for sure: I operate alone.

Until I cross paths with a brazen little thief who sets my whole kingdom on fire.

Just as two wrongs don’t make a right, two villains don’t belong together. Especially since she’s the daughter of my most deadly enemy.

Taking her would start a war.
Keeping her would be suicide.
Making her mine would break every code of honor and defy all common sense.

Then again, where’s the fun in following the rules?

AMAZON 

Start the series of standalones BEAUTIFULLY CRUEL with here!

AMAZON

I climb into the car. The driver shuts the door behind me. In a moment, we pull away.All heat and coiled tension, Liam simmers in the seat beside me.

After we’ve gone three blocks, he says, “How long are you going to make me wait until you look at me?”

“I’m working on regulating my breathing so I don’t pass out. Maybe ten minutes?”

His chuckle is low and sensual, raising my blood pressure by at least two hundred points.

“You’re tougher than that. I’ll give you ten seconds.”

When the seconds have ticked by, I turn my head and glance at him warily from the corner of my eye.

He stares at me with such blistering intensity that for a moment, I can’t breathe.

His voice husky, he says, “Hullo again.”

Holy mother of god, he’s handsome. How can someone so evil be so hot?

My exhalation comes out in a burst. It’s accompanied by a shudder. Then I clear my throat and pretend I’m a mentally functioning adult. “Hi.”

He lets his gaze drift over me, head to toe, taking in every aspect of my clothing, posture, and expression.

“You still don’t trust me.”

I make a sound that’s supposed to be a laugh, but it sounds more like a small animal being strangled. “Trust? I’m sorry, did you just say trust?”

“I did.”

He’s serious. I stare at him in astonishment. “Of course I don’t trust you! You’re…you!”

The driver pipes in from the front seat. “That’s hardly fair, lass. You’ve only just met.”

Through gritted teeth, Liam says, “Declan.”

“Right. Sorry.” Falling silent, he turns his attention back to the road.

Liam smiles reassuringly at me. “It’s so hard to find good help these days.”

I look back and forth between them, gobsmacked by the whole situation. I could be hallucinating. Maybe that hipster bartender put something into my drink.

I’m still pondering that when Liam leans over and settles his huge, hot hand around my throat.

I grip his thick wrist in both hands, gasping and shrinking back into the seat.

Looking into my eyes, he murmurs, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

My voice comes out high and panicked. “This is a shitty way of proving that.”

“I’m not trying to choke you, lass.”

It’s true, the pressure of his hand on my throat is gentle, but still. “Then what the hell are you doing?”

He slides his thumb back and forth over the throbbing vein in my neck. “Feeling your pulse.”

Heart hammering, I stare at him. “Why?”

“Because I want to see how fast it gets when I kiss you.”

I freeze. “Don’t you dare.”

He quirks one dark brow. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you to.”

He leans closer, his eyes burning into mine, his body heat and the warm scent of his skin surrounding me. He growls, “If you were telling the truth, little thief, I’d honor that request.”

I blurt, “I’m not ready for that!”

Instantly, he stills. His dark gaze searches my face. Then, slowly, his full lips lift into a smile. “Then I suppose I’ll have to wait until you are.”

He stares hungrily at my mouth for a moment before releasing me.

I remain where he left me, frozen and wide-eyed, slumped against the door, staring at him and trying to convince myself of several important facts.

One, that I should be afraid. Because, two, that there’s at least a fifty-fifty chance he’s going to snap my neck. And three, that I really didn’t want him to kiss me.

Especially that I didn’t want him to kiss me. Because what would it say about my sanity if I did?

Adjusting his tie and looking straight forward, he says, “Don’t overthink it. But thank you for being honest. If this is going to work, we have to be honest with each other.”

My laugh is weak and disbelieving. “This? There is no ‘this!’”

He turns his head and sears me with his gaze. “Aye, lass,” he says, his voice thick. “There is.”

Do you always talk like you ate a dictionary for breakfast?” He puts his mouth close to my ear and lowers his voice. “No. Sometimes I talk like I fuck: dirty.”

You all don’t even understand the level of addiction that I have for Geissinger’s alpha males. The woman has created not only some of my most favorite and memorable heroes, but she can write a sharp witted and kickass heroine like no one else. I thought I died for her Wicked Games series, but that was nothing compared to her Beautifully Cruel series.

Now if you’re like me and have also read the Dangerous Beauty trilogy then you definitely remember Killian Black as one of the most dynamic secondary characters and have been slowly dying for him to get his own book. And if you haven’t read that trilogy, it’s an absolute must read.

Having said that, I do not recommend reading Cruel Paradise without having first read Beautifully Cruel. There are too many details and slight nuances that would be lost on you if you don’t read that first. And besides, that book was another HUGE 5 stars for me, so it’s worth the read for that alone.

There are some things I don’t know about you.”
I say tartly, “Like what? Which utensil I’d most like to gouge out your eyes with?”
He stares straight into my eyes. “Like how you sound when you come.”

Nothing can prepare you for the full force of Killian Black as the leading character. NOTHING. The man is potent with a capital P. And if you’re not reading the double entendre there, then you clearly don’t know me *evil grin*. But enough about me, let’s talk about this book. Because this book? This book was EVERYTHING. It was worth every agonizing minute, hour, and month of waiting because Killian Black is jumping straight to my number one.

If you’re a fan of sassy and sharp witted heroines, Juliette is going to be a favorite too. The woman is tough as nails and is full of sharp barbs and witty zingers. The banter between these two was some of the best I’ve read in a while. Killian is single focused on having her and she’s intent on resisting. The chemistry is utterly incendiary.

Cruel Paradise was a slow burn full of heat, suspense, and so much chemistry I thought my kindle would set on fire.

If it meant I could have you for good, I’d light my whole life on fire and walk away from the ashes.”

Killian is the head of the Irish mafia, but he’s not at all what he seems. And if you’ve read the first book, then you already know that. You know this man has secrets that run deep and a past that’s riddled in pain and shadows. Juliette is a bit of a female robin hood. She and her merry band of sassy girlfriends steel from the rich and morally corrupt and give to the poor. But when they steel from Killian, he’s not about to let it go. And when he sees who his little thief is, he knows he has to have her and pursues her with a singleminded intent to wear her down.

This book was completely unputdownable. The chemistry, the utter dominance that oozes from Killian was addictive as all get out. I couldn’t get enough of the man. Juliette definitely puts up a fight in her feelings and at times it almost grated on me, but I simply couldn’t care less because I was so riveted and invested in their story. I lived for these characters. I died for their romance. I couldn’t get enough of it. And I swear on all things holy if JT Geissinger doesn’t prolong this series by giving Fin, Max, and Diego a book, I will die. DIE I tell you. And I don’t even care if I’m being dramatic. I need it.

And as for this book? Cruel Paradise is a must read if you love a protective and possessive uber alpha and a sassy heroine that loves to give him hell! Read it. Thank me later.

J.T. Geissinger is a #1 internationally bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into several languages, including German, Hebrew, French, Czech, and Japanese. The film & TV rights to her Night Prowler series have been optioned by the BAFTA-winning studio that created VFX for movies such as Avatar, X-Men, and The Avengers.

She is a three-time finalist in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book and the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy.

She’s a Southern California native currently living in Nevada with her husband and rescue kitty, Zoe.

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

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Review: Gabriel Fallen by Nina West

GABRIEL FALLEN
Genre: Erotic Romance, Mafia
Series: Dirty Empire #2
Author: Nina West
Release Date: May 23, 2019

From internationally bestselling author K.A. Tucker, writing as Nina West, comes the dark and steamy Dirty Empire trilogy.

Mercy Wheeler and Gabriel Easton’s sordid tale continues in Gabriel Fallen as Mercy finds herself heading down a dangerous path.

Gabriel has made an art of dangling what I’m most desperate for in front of me, what he knows I can’t refuse, no matter the cost. In this case, that cost continues to be me.

He is still a scoundrel, but I’m starting to see something more.

And while our bargain is proving advantageous in ways I never anticipated, the risks that come with being associated with a man like him are becoming painfully clear.

But how much longer before this arrangement with Gabriel costs me everything I am?

This is the second book in the Dirty Empire series and should be read after Sweet Mercy.

 AMAZON 

I’m falling for this woman, and I’m falling hard.

This trilogy is the best sort of book crack. I can’t get enough of Gabriel and Mercy.

You know that saying about the bigger they are? Well nothing is more satisfying than watching the biggest bad boy fall hard for a woman, especially when that woman is a spitfire that gives as hard as she gets.

The dominoes continue to fall in Gabriel’s world in this second installment. More secrets are revealed about his family and they’re jaw dropping. Gabriel went into his affair with Mercy hoping to work her out of his system but he definitely got a lot more than he bargained with her. He finds himself falling for her, even if he doesn’t quite realize that’s what’s happening.

Mercy is one of my favorite heroines. The woman has all of the odds stacked against her and still she fights. She essentially sold her soul to the devil to help her father. She can’t possibly fall for Gabriel when he’s the antithesis to everything she should want, right? I gotta say I absolutely love the live wire dynamic between these two. Their chemistry is incendiary. But the progression of their relationship is absolutely magnetic. I can’t get enough of them.

I’m salivating for the conclusion. I needs it. If you’re looking for a sexy, fast paced trilogy, you need this one in your life. Gabriel is an antihero that needs to be experienced.

Review: Sweet Mercy by Nina West

SWEET MERCY
Genre: Erotic Romance, Mafia
Series: Dirty Empire #1
Author: Nina West
Release Date: March 27, 2019

From internationally bestselling author K.A. Tucker, writing as Nina West, comes the dark and steamy Dirty Empire trilogy.

One visit to my father in prison—convicted for a murder he didn’t commit—and I’ve attracted the attention of the last man I’d ever want knowing that I exist.

Gabriel Easton.

Son of an infamous crime boss. Deplorable womanizer. Scoundrel to the core.

Worse, he has figured out how desperate I am to protect my father from brutality behind bars. He has the power to grant that protection, and he has offered it … for a price.

Me.

I am to become a “guest” in his mansion, to live with him until he tires of having me around.
I’ll do anything for my father, including agree to Gabriel’s cruel game. But I won’t comply with his every whim and wish.

Not when he taunts me with that ruthless spark in his cold blue eyes.

Not when he requires that I share his bedroom at night.

Unfortunately for me, I think my loathing for him is what he’s enjoying most.

That’s fine. By the time I’m through with him, he’ll be crying my name.

Mercy.

 AMAZON 

My name on this woman’s lips will be my downfall.

First of all, if we’re friends and you’ve read this book and didn’t scream at me that I need to read it immediately? Yeah. I’m reevaluating our friendship. You are no friend of mine. Because if you were and you read this, then you’d know that this was so much my catnip, I’d want to name both of my ovaries Gabriel.
This is book one in one of the most addictive trilogies I’ve read in a long time. And I’m not a reader that gravitates to trilogies? But having devoured this book in one sitting, I can already confirm that book two is giving me the same vibes.

Gabriel is the ultimate bad boy. The man is the son of an infamous gangster whose mere name makes grown men quake. He and his brother have lived a life of debauchery and no expense spared but don’t exactly what to be in their father’s shadow.

Gabriel is also used to getting any woman he wants to fall at his knees at the snap of a sexy finger.

Mercy has had her entire world turned upside down when her father gets sent to prison for the murder of a man that attacked her. She’s desperate to get him out and fight his unfair conviction. Especially since his life is in constant danger. Gabriel lays his sights on the beauty while visiting his own father and is determined to have her. But he doesn’t exactly make a convincing argument when he offers his protection in exchange for her dropping to her knees.

Now if you’re not a fan of alphaholes, you won’t like this. But if you’re like me and like them mean and extra cocky, prepare for ovary explosion, friends. Because Gabriel is all of the things. And I think what makes this as good as it was was watching his fall for Mercy. Mercy may be a good girl, but she takes no sh*t and isn’t afraid to put Gabriel in his place and makes him work for it. The sexual tension is UNREAL You can practically taste their chemistry.

I devoured and I mean DEVOURED this book. It was deliciously dirty and completely addictive.

New Release & Review: Black Knight by Rina Kent

BLACK KNIGHT
Series:
Royal Elite #4
Genre:
New Adult, Mature YA
Author:
Rina Kent
Release Date:
May 21, 2020

Love is impossible. Hate is an open game.

Kimberly

He was once my best friend, now he’s my worst enemy.

Xander Knight is heartbreakingly beautiful.

Ridiculously popular.

Brutally cruel.

He’s a knight but won’t do any saving.

 

Xander

We started as a dream, now we’re a nightmare.

Kimberly Reed is pathetically fake.

Terribly innocent.

Secretly black.

She can hide but never from me.

AMAZON

BINGE THE SERIES

CRUEL KING | DEVIANT KING | STEEL PRINCESS | TWISTED KINGDOM

 

I can’t have her, but that doesn’t mean I can’t play with her. Love is impossible, but hate is an open game.

This was my sort of book crack! Full of angst, crazy drama, plot twists, and did I mention the angst? ALL OF THE ANGST. Now if you follow my reviews, you already know I love my heroes mean. Like MEAN. I want to hate them while simultaneously wanting to have their babies. Not that I want to have Xander’s babies. The guy is in high school. That’s illegal, dammit! What? It’s fiction, stop judging me. GOD. But I digress. I’ve been waiting for this book since being introduced to Kim and Xander in the beginning of the series. And dare I say, I think this may have been my favorite book in the series so far!

Xander is the fire and I’m the gasoline waiting to burn.

I knew going into this and from the author’s foreward that this wouldn’t be a light read. Still waters run deep, as they say, and Kim definitely had a lot more layers to her than first meets the eye. This girl is so broken. My heart hurt for her. And at the same time, kudos for Rina for daring to go there and spare no detail.

Xander and Kim used to be each others everything. Until they weren’t. And when they weren’t, it wasn’t just bad. It was borderline toxic. He hates her for something that happened in their childhood and he punishes her for it every chance he gets. And while Kim may have been the super quiet and introverted in the previous books, she truly grows into herself here. She begins to slowly come out of her shell and doesn’t just take things lying down anymore.

This book reminded me quite a bit of Broken Knight, so if you loved that one, you’ll definitely enjoy this one. It’s similar but still different enough to stand on it’s own. So when I say it reminded me, I mean in a ‘if you liked that, you’d like this’ sort of way. But I digress again.

There’s a lot of drama that happens here, so if that’s not your thing, this may not be for you. I gobbled it up with a spoon. It was crazy, OTT, and borderline ridiculous, but it was SO GODDAMN DELICIOUS that I didn’t even care. It fit. Like everything just fit, you know? It didn’t feel excessive but fit the story, which I definitely appreciate.

There’s one particular plot twist that made me scratch my head a little bit and is the reason for the lower rating here, but I’m also a picky beoch. So don’t mind me. This was entirely personal preference here.

The deliciousness of the angst. The finger-licking drama. The sizzling and oh so dirty romance. All of it hit every box for me. Rina Kent knows how to write an asshole, and this girl is so here for it. I cannot wait for more in this series!

Rina Kent is an international bestselling author of everything enemies to lovers romance.

Darkness is her playground, suspense is her best friend, and twists are her brain’s food. However, she likes to think she’s a romantic at heart in some way, so don’t kill her hopes just yet.

Her heroes are anti-heroes and villains because she was always the weirdo who fell in love with the guys no one roots for. Her books are sprinkled with a touch of mystery, a healthy dose of angst, a pinch of violence, and lots of intense passion.

Rina spends her private days in a peaceful town in North Africa daydreaming about the next plot idea or laughing like an evil mastermind when those ideas come together.

Don’t forget to Sign up to Rina Kent’s Newsletter for news about future releases and an exclusive gift.

AUTHOR LINKS

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To celebrate the release of Black Knight, Rina Kent is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Head to her Facebook page to enter: https://www.facebook.com/rinaakent/

Review: A Worthy Opponent by Katee Robert

A Worthy Opponent
Series: Wicken Villains #3
Genre: Erotica, Erotic Romance
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: February 1, 2020

Once upon a time I was a girl who believed in love and happily ever afters.

Now the only thing I believe in is revenge.

Unfortunately for me, there’s only one man willing to help me.

Hook.

I should have known it wouldn’t be out of the goodness of his heart.

He doesn’t have one.

No, Hook wants his ring on my finger and me on my knees before him—and he won’t take no for an answer.

 

I’m willing to pay any price in order to bring Pan down…even if it means I lose my soul in the bargain.

AMAZON

My soul hates Hook. My body hasn’t gotten the memo. But then, my desires always did get me into trouble.

This series has quickly become one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It’s deliciously wicked and sinfully hot. Katee Robert manages to merge together some sizzling hot erotica with an addicting story and characters that you can’t help but love. Think has been a character that I’ve been intrigued with since the beginning of the series. She’s feisty, sassy and has this live wire spark to her that shines bright even as a secondary character. Now we finally get her story and you come to find out that there’s some dark secrets behind that smart mouth of hers. And it’ll take a sexy villain to offer her a bargain with the devil in order to survive.

Here are the updated terms. I will not negotiate further. You marry me. I kill Peter. When you decide you’re tired of playing hard to get, you’ll crawl to me and beg for my cock. I’m all too happy to give it to you any way you like. Every way you like.”

Hook has wanted Think for years and he’s not above playing dirty to finally get her in his bed. He’ll protect her from a man she fears and in exchange she’ll give him the one thing he craves, her begging.

If you’re expecting a traditional MF here, you’ll be sorely disappointed. This book is sizzling hot and one of the things I love most about this series is the different kinks each one explores. Hook’s kink just so happens to be voyeurism and I’ll let you use your imagination on that. There’s some MMF and MFM and all of the hot f*ckery!!! I’m saying HOT here people! Now I’m desperate for Beast’s story because holy hell, that set up!!!

New Release & Review: Hate Crush by A. Zavarelli

HATE CRUSH
Genre: Forbidden, Erotic Romance
Author: A. Zavarelli
Release Date: November 21, 2019


They call him the devil.

When I crash-landed into him on my first day at Loyola Academy, I was sure that couldn’t be true.

He was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in real life.

Little did I know he was also the cruelest.

I went from starstruck to stunned the moment his cynical eyes cut through me.

I can’t tell you what it was that made him want to punish me. But from that day forward the brooding recluse of a man made it his goal to torment me.

I want to loathe him, and some days, I do.

But good or bad, nobody’s attention has ever tasted so sweet.

What do you do when you have a hate crush on your bully?

Worse yet, what do you do when he’s also your teacher?

AMAZON


There’s something about Stella that makes me believe she will always go the extra mile to seek approval from those with authority. I can see it every time she looks at me. And before the end of the hour, I’ve made up my mind. In the past, I picked easy, obvious targets for my projects. Without fail, they failed me. They couldn’t withstand the expectations of their peers and their family and the machine that is Loyola Academy.

But Stella won’t fail. I feel it deep in my gut. A spark of hope that I haven’t had with any of the others. A want I haven’t experienced since my own college days. I will push her harder than I’ve pushed anyone else before her, and she will cling to hold onto herself in the face of any storm I might bring her way. I will open her eyes to the realities of this world. And in the end, she will despise me for my ruthlessness, but she will be grateful.

Stella LeClaire, welcome to my final project.

I want to eat her alive and right now, she can sense that. But I’ll never admit it. I’ll never admit that she gets to me. I just need her to know that she’s mine toy with for as long as I want, and that’s all there is to be said about it.

I love me some A. Zavarelli. The woman knows how to right books that just hit the spot for me each and every single time. There’s something about her writing that’s like catnip for me. I don’t even bother to read the blurbs to her books, they’re an auto add for me. But when I read the blurb for this one, I just about had a heart attack in my desperate need to get my hands on it. Forbidden, student/teacher romance with a splash of enemies to lovers and Zavarelli’s signature dark grit? GOD YES. Sign me up!

I was so conflicted with my rating on this one, I sat on it a full two days trying to make up my mind. On the one hand, I binge read it. Like completely incapable of putting it down sort of binge read it. On the other hand, there were elements and parts that just didn’t quite do it for me. Did I enjoy it? Hell, yes!!! Was it perfect for me? Not quite. Would I recommend it? Totally!

So what worked for me? The set up. GAH! Delicious. Sebastian is a teacher in a prestigious boarding school. His reputation for being a tough a-hole on his students is almost as big as the one for his looks. He’s the a-hole of Loyola Academy and he has no problems with that. Stella is the sweet and innocent fly that’s about to step into the spider’s web, thought she’s not quite as innocent as she looks. A product of two barely functioning parents, she just got transferred to the prestigious school because that’s what her parents decided was best to her. With a functioning drunk of a mother and a father barely seeing day light in order to keep them in the moneyed life style her mother has become accustomed to, Stella is surprisingly functional. But when she gets on the radar of the ruthless teacher and batting off the vicious verbal attacks from her fellow students, she can’t help but show a vulnerable underbelly. The spark between her and Sebastian is instant, but their connection is completely forbidden. While Sebastian fights it with everything he’s got in his a-hole artillery, Stella is determined to break his iron control.

Admittedly, the characters felt a little underdeveloped. I wished they were further fleshed out, because I would have been HERE FOR IT. As it was, I felt like I was getting a small snippet of who they were with a lot of the development and backstory happening off the pages. I also struggled with Stella being as passive as she was. She forgave Sebastian and everything he did so easily, I wanted to shake her at times. I wanted her to make him WORK for it. And while I love me a domineering and dominant alpha man as much as the next girl, Stella’s passiveness kinda killed the buzz for me a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, I really did enjoy this book. It wasn’t perfect, but it was still an addictive read. I just can’t help but wish it had another 100 pages to it. It was still a fun read and one I’d certainly recommend it.

A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author.

She likes all things chocolate, books that come with warnings, and putting her characters through hell. Her tales have been known to flirt with darkness and sometimes court it unabashedly altogether. Revenge themes and tortured souls are her favorites to write and this gives her an excuse to watch bizarre and twisted documentaries in her spare time.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Connect w/A. Zavarelli:
Website: https://www.azavarelli.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AZavarelli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AZavarellibooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azavarelli/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-zavarelli
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13549895.A_Zavarelli
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2S3zrKS
Newsletter Signup: http://www.azavarelli.com/#!mailing-list/c46c

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