Review: Burn Down The Night by @MollyOKwrites

Burn Down The Night- ReviewBURN DOWN THE NIGHT
Series: Everything I Left Unsaid #3
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Molly O’Keefe
Release Date: August 9, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Burn Down The Night

A battle for control turns explosive as a beautiful con woman takes a bad-boy biker hostage in this edgy, seductive novel set in the world of Everything I Left Unsaid (“Toe-curlingly sensual.”—Katy Evans) and The Truth About Him (“Absolutely one-click worthy”—J. Kenner).

The only thing that matters to me is rescuing my sister from the drug-cooking cult that once enslaved us both. I’ve run cons my whole life, and I’ll use my body to get whatever I need. Max Daniels is the last connection I have to that world, the one person reckless enough to get involved. Besides, now that his brothers have turned on him, he needs me too.

The deal was supposed to be simple: a place to hide in exchange for rescuing my sister. Now he’s my prisoner. Totally at my mercy. But I’m the one captivated. Enthralled. Doing everything he asks of me until I’m not sure who’s in control.

We both crave the heat. The more it hurts, the better. But what if Max wants a different life now, to leave the game . . . to love me? I thought I knew better than to get burned. Now I’m in too deep to pull away. And the crazy thing is . . . I don’t want to.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR5 starsBurn Down The Night-DGR teaser

You want to fuck, let’s do it. Let’s burn down the fucking place. We got that in us…between us. But when it’s over…all I’ll leave you are bruises.”

If I had a dollar for every time I read about an anti-hero that falls head over balls for the heroine and all of a sudden his switch is flipped form bad to good faster than you can say “golden vag”, I could happily retire in my land of many books. So when I first met Max as the baddie MC prez brother of Dylan in The Truth About Him suffice it to say I was intrigued. Then when Joan carted him off wounded and passed out in her car in the end of that book, suffice it to say I was ready to sell an ovary to get my hands on his book. But I was also fearful that it would be another one of those books that I mentioned above. Joan was an interesting character to say the least in the first two books and I was beyond curious how these two very broken people would fit together. I wasn’t sure what I expected when I started Burn Down The Night, but I can tell you that I certainly didn’t expect it to absolutely blow me away. (Pun definitely intended).

My entire life I’ve been at the epicenter of crazy. I am the hurricane’s eye.

THIS. This is what grit feels and tastes like. This is what angst is. This is what true tension feels like. This is what a slow burn feels like when it builds and builds to a flame so hot, it will explode everything in sight. I could actually taste the tension, it was so thick. And man, it was delicious.

If you haven’t read the first two books, I highly recommend you do that before this one. While this is a standalone with a new couple and there’s plenty of background given to make sure that a reader new to this series wouldn’t be lost, I also feel like you lose a bit of the background going into this without the previous two books.

Burn Down The Night begins around where The Truth About Him ended. You get all the details that led to the events at the end of the book and a few puzzle pieces will definitely click together.

She had a chip on her shoulder so big and so hard it was like armor, hiding something so hot, so fucking needy, I could barely stand to look at her not bend her over something.

Joan is on a mission to rescue her sister from a mad men. Everything she has done up until this point has been for her sister. Her job as a stripper, her hiding in plain sight, the lies, the lies…and the lies. Now she’s one step closer to the man that has her sister, and the wounded MC president, Max Daniels, is her answer to everything.

Max knew that coming back for his bother would mean certain death, and he was not wrong. Shot and left for dead by his brothers, he’s kidnapped by a crazy woman that’s apparently a lot more than she seems to be. Biding his time to exact his revenge on the men that should have been his loyal brothers, Max doesn’t plan on the connection that slowly begins to build between him and Joan.

Save your act for other people. The lies and the show- I don’t want it. I want you. Fucked up and crazy. I want you.”

This book was the definition of a slow burn. Oh man but I loved it. The build up between Max and Joan is filled with tension and enough sexual sizzle to burn your fingers flipping the pages. It was so well developed, it was so amazingly written, that you can’t but root for them from the very beginning. I loved how believable the author made their relationship. These two people have lived their entire lives on survival and lies, and anything quick would not fit. Molly O’Keefe wrote it in such a way that you truly understand what ties them together and bonds them.

With Joan- I wanted her to peel back her armor. Her skin. I wanted to see her beating heart. Her ragged should.

The writing was pure poetry. It some of the best I’ve seen from this author, and quite honestly some of the best I’ve read in a long damn while. It was lyrical, gritty, violent and erotic. And it all flowed together so well, and blended into a something that was purely addicting to read.

We were like magnets that had been flipped and as hard as we’d repelled each other-that’s how hard we came together.

It’s not a traditional romance, and if you’re looking for that, you should look elsewhere. If you recall Joan’s bisexual nature, you should also know that there are a few f/f scenes in this book. This was just another layer into the depth that is her character, however, and it only served to add to the story. Nothing was gratuitous about this story or these characters. Every scene, every word, every development served a purpose. There wasn’t one wasted word.

I loved every single page of this book. I loved the characters, I loved the slow build romance, I loved the grit, I loved the realistic development and timeline, and I absolutely loved the end. For those that read The Truth About Him, the ending here will only serve to whet your appetite for the book that I”m hoping and praying will be next.

If you’re looking for an action packed, gritty read filled with plenty of suspense, this book is an absolute must read!


EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID Series

EVERYTHING I LEFT UNSAID (book 1)
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM (book 2)
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

Review: Sinner’s Revenge by Kim Jones

Sinner's Revenge- reviewSINNER’S REVENGE
Series: Sinner’s Creed #2
Genre: Erotic Romance, MC
Author: Kim Jones
Release Date: July 19, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

sinners-revenge-2

The sizzling second book featuring the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club, bikers bent on riding chrome and meting out mayhem…

Shady has spent the last eight years of his life dedicated to the Sinner’s Creed Motorcycle Club. But after losing the man who was both his brother and his best friend, he has a new purpose—to avenge the death of the greatest nomad in Sinner’s Creed history.

His plan is flawless. His mission is simple: seek and destroy. There is no room for distractions—especially a distraction like Diem.

She’s infuriating. Demanding. Complicated. Impossible. And for some reason, Shady can’t stay away. But he only has space in his heart for one love: Sinner’s Creed. And the club always comes first. Always.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS Review-DGR4 starsSinner's Revenge-DGR teaser

Inside, I’m screaming in agony. But no one can hear me. My eyes are filled with sorrow and loss. But no one can see it. My chest aches with a thousand flames from the fiery sea of hell. But no one can feel it. No one but me. Shady. The man who was born with nothing, lost everything he’d gained, and has something he doesn’t deserve. Life.

I went through the emotional wringer back when I read Sinner’s Creed. It equal parts gutted me and left me yearning for more. I remember bawling like a baby at the end and thinking how tragically beautiful the ending was. And I also remember practically salivating to get my hands on Shady’s book. The death of his best friend and brother left Shady reeling. The only thing that burns in his veins is his need for revenge. He won’t rest until those responsible for the death pay for it in blood…rivers of it.

My anger is fueled by all that’s been lost. Fury blazes in my eyes. Rage consumes me. Revenge is my only thought. Killing is my ultimate goal. Death is the only justice.

Shady is as calculating as he is lethal, and his plan for revenge is thoroughly planned out. It’s what he sleeps, eats, and breathes. Nothing can distract him from his ultimate goal until a woman that’s as crazy as she is beautiful demands his attention in a way that he can’t ignore.

Diem, for lack of a better term, is batshit. *shrugs* No really. There’s something seriously wrong with this chick and it was equal parts entertaining and infuriating. There were times where she’d do something that left me reeling and scratching my head. I mean, the woman shows up randomly where he’s at, steals his truck, and basically moves into his house without so much as an invitation. But there’s always something to her. Something that’s just below the surface that constantly has you questioning if everything is as it seems…

He’s under my skin. He’s in my head. He gives me everything I never knew I wanted and then some. If I thought I was falling before, I’m sure of it now.

This was so much more beyond an MC romance. It’s the story of brotherhood and a bond that reaches beyond death. Shady’s unwavering loyalty to his MC and his love for his brother was evident in every page. I loved his connection to his fallen brother even if it was heartbreaking knowing what he’s going through. His inner turmoil was palpable.

I also loved that while there’s clearly sexual chemistry between Shady and Diem right away, it was almost a reluctant relationship. Both of them know they’re chaotic together and yet they can’t keep away from each other.

We’re scarring each other.
Hurting each other.
Torturing each other.
And it’s never felt so fucking good.

Admittedly, my one struggle throughout the book was Diem. I had a really tough time connecting with her character. She was just all over the place with her mood swings. She’s a tough bitch, but at times it was almost too much so. I felt like I needed a valium every time I’d read another one of her tantrums. In parts it was entertaining, and in other parts it was just draining. There was one part in the first half that I thought could go somewhere, especially after the big revelation, but didn’t. [su_spoiler title=”Click to view spoiler” style=”fancy” icon=”chevron”]Diem’s accident. Considering everything that comes to light soon after just seemed reckless and didn’t fit what we later learn about her character[/su_spoiler]

Kim Jones delivers one heck of a gritty tale with Sinner’s Revenge. Her writing seems to get better and better with each new book and I’m definitely a huge fan. No one delivers an MC book quite like her and this book is further proof of that.

There’s so much that happens here that I found myself practically incapable to put down my kindle until I finished. There are twists at every turn, some so completely mind blowing that it left my head reeling. And while I struggled with the first half with Diem, I devoured the second half with fervor. I highly recommend that you read Sinner’s Creed first in order to truly appreciate everything that happens with the story. But mostly, I recommend it so you truly appreciate the epilogue. Damn if the author didn’t get the waterworks from me yet again. I adored the epilogue here. It should have been slightly cheesy but it wasn’t at all. It was beautiful and touching and gave me that final sense of completion that I didn’t even know I was missing after the first book. Perfection.

Gritty, violent, dark, and brutal on the one hand, and full of emotion, brotherhood, and love on the other. This book was the perfect balance of all of those and more! I loved all of the secondary characters, I loved the intensity and I absolutely loved the ending.


DON’T MISS THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL!

SINNER’S CREED (Sinner’s Creed #1)Sinner's CreedGOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

Review: ★Falling In Deeper★ by Shayla Black

Falling In Deeper-ReviewFALLING IN DEEPER
Series: Wicked Lovers #11
Genre: Erotic Romance, Suspense
Author: Shayla Black
Release Date: July 5, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Falling In Deeper

A tragic past threatens to destroy a passionate future in this dangerously sexy new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Wicked for You.

After a violent tragedy nearly destroyed her, Lily Taylor ran away, changed her name, and started over. When her deadly nemesis resurfaces to eliminate his loose end, she turns to the last man she should trust—a stranger with a history of violence and an intoxicating sexuality she can’t refuse…

Though strong-armed into locating Lily to help put away a drug lord, ex-con Stone Sutter isn’t anyone’s snitch. When he finds the terrified beauty, he vows to keep her safe—but he isn’t sure he has the strength to shield her from his own desires.

As an unquenchable fire sparks between them, Lily’s tormentor stalks ever closer, and she must overcome her darkest fear to survive. Can she trust the bond she and Stone have formed as they’re falling in deeper?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | B&NReview-DGR4 starsFalling in Deeper-DGR

Why are you so patient with me?”
“Because you’re worth it.”

Swoon.
I just knew I’d end up falling hard for Stone Sutter, and I was definitely not wrong. He’s definitely going up there with my top favorite heroes of the series (though admittedly Logan Edgington is still my #1). But I digress…

It’s hard to believe that this is now book 11 in the series and it’s still just as good if not getting better with each book. Stone, definitely caught my attention in Wicked for You. There’s just something about this ex-con that piqued my interest and I knew that his book was going to be a good one. When I realized that his heroine will be none other than “Sweet Pea” aka Lily Taylor, I knew it was going to be even better than I thought. And again, I was not wrong.

Lily has a long standing history with Axel, but now that Axel is engaged to the woman he loves, she finds herself with a Dom she so desperately needs. But Lily is also hiding a devastating past. Going under a false name and running for her life, she doesn’t think anyone at Dominion is on to her, but she’s wrong. The men know who she is, and they know the danger she’s running from. Stone has been intrigued by the shy beauty from the very moment he saw her, and he’s not above using her dire situation to get closer to her and to protect her at the same time.

I don’t want you any way except willing, panting, and begging.”

This book packs quite an emotional punch compared to the last few in the series. Lily has been through so much devastation in her young life it’s a wonder how she’s even functional. She’s been through so much, but there’s still this inner core of strength beneath. She’s a survivor, not a victim and that certainly comes out more and more as the story progresses. This is not a woman that blinks and is suddenly healed by the magic penis like you’d find in so many others. Her issues are deep rooted and take a while to work through. But man oh man did I love the way that Sutter works though them.

You might have a hundred ways to fool yourself, but I don’t bother with that shit. I know better. You’re it for me, and what we just did in that bed together proved it. I’m smitten. Gone. And I can’t stand that you don’t trust me.

I adored Stone. Simply adored him. He’s not perfect but the way he pursues Lily gave me too many swoons to count. He was this perfect balance of sweet yet edgy. Everything that came out of the man’s mouth was pure perfection.


You just got out of prison. I’m not worth you risking your freedom.”
“You are to me. I would move mountains to give you happiness and peace.”

The story itself was definitely an enticing one. There’s a bit of everything intrigue, suspense, a little action and certainly a whole lot of steam. It wouldn’t be a Wicked Lovers book if there wasn’t. But it was so much more than that too. It’s a deeply emotional love story about healing and moving on. It’s about finding your own strength and fighting back. It has that signature sexiness that I’ve come to except from a Shayla Black book, but it was more than just a sexy romance. The ending was a bit a bit predictable but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

This series is a long running guilty pleasure of mine that I hope never ends. I can’t wait for the next installment.


WICKED LOVERS SERIES


WICKED TIES | DECADENT | DELICIOUS | SURRENDER TO ME | BELONG TO ME | MINE TO HOLD | OURS TO LOVE |
THEIRS TO CHERISH | HIS TO TAKE | WICKED FOR YOU |
FALLING IN DEEPER

Review: ★Dark Mafia Prince★ by Annika Martin

dark mafia prince-DGR reviewDark Mafia Prince
Series: Dark Mafia Prince #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Annika Martin
Release Date: June 28, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

30264227-2

THE WAY HE USES ME IS PRIMITIVE. DEMEANING. AND ALL I CAN THINK IS, DON’T STOP!
*A Dangerous Royals romance with a standalone romance HEA!*

Aleksio
Don’t look at me like that. So trusting.
Like you think I’m not a monster.
Like I won’t wrap your hair in my fist and bend you to my will.
Like I won’t sacrifice you, piece by piece, to save my brother.
I’m the most dangerous enemy you’ll ever have because every time you look at me, you see somebody good. That friend who died.
And when you look at me like that, I die again.

Mira
I spent years making myself invisible.
A good girl, apart from the noise.
Then you came back, beautiful and deadly in your Armani suit.
Don’t look at me like you still know me, you say.
But I remember your smile and those sunny days.
Before they lowered your small casket into the ground.
Before they told us the prince was dead.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 starsDark Mafia Prince-DGR teaser

I’m the most dangerous enemy you’ll ever have because every time you look at me, you see somebody who’s not there anymore. Because every time you look at me, you fool yourself about what I really am.

Well…hell. This was not at all what I expected, but damn if I didn’t devour it in practically one sitting. This was not my first Annika Martin book, so I already knew this woman could write. What I didn’t expect was for the story beyond the romance to suck me in so thoroughly. This book will come down to a matter of expectations, I think. If you’re walking into it expecting your typical dark romance with a dash of plot, you won’t get it. It’s beyond that. The romance almost felt secondary at times, and I didn’t mind it one bit. There was just enough of it to keep my interest and not overwhelm from everything else that happens. The story will span three books, each book focusing on a different Dragusha brother with their individual HEA. So don’t expect everything to be wrapped up with a neat little bow at the end of this one.

Aleksio’s love is the dangerous kind of love that breaks all the rules.

Aleksio Dragusha was a mafia prince well on his way to being the future head of the biggest Albanian mafia family residing in Chicago…until one bloody night when he lost everything. Now he only had two goals: reunite all three Dragusha brothers and make those responsible for what happened those years ago pay…in blood. And the center of his focus is the daughter of the man that’s set it all in motion. Mira is not at all the young girl he remembered when he was just nine. She’s different and that’s good, all the easier to forget what she used to mean to him…

Deep down you’re an animal who wants to be used by a twisted, bloodthirsty killer like me, aren’t you? Say it.

Mira recognizes the eyes of the boy that used to be her world, but she doesn’t recognize the cold and ruthless killer he turned into. A man that will do anything to find his baby brother and reunite the Dragusha brothers once and for all so that they can take back their rightful empire.

But soon lines begin to blur, and what was revenge begins to bleed into something much more…

He’s like a dangerous black hole- he’ll pull you in if you’re not careful. I can feel his pull working on me with every hour we spend together.

The story is told in alternating POVs; Mira, Aleksio, and a few snippets of Viktor, Aleksio’s younger brother. The primary focus seemed to be the backstory of the brothers and the search for the youngest Dragusha. It takes you deep into the underbelly of the violent mafia world and spares no detail. Aleksio is a true anti-hero. This man is no sunshine and rainbows. But while being the bloodthirsty killer he is, there’s still a semblance of redemption to him with the way he is with Mira. But he never quite loses his edge either…

The way he uses me is violent. Primitive. Demeaning. And all I can think is, don’t stop.

I was riveted to the action and building story arc, but at times I found the romance to be a little too rushed. I wanted a little more burn between Aleksio and Mira. Then again, considering their connection, it’s understandable that things would progress the way that they did.

I want him so bad I can’t think. I’m flying. Trembling. I’m completely his.

I did wish there may have been a little more time spent on the development on the romance, and the pervert in me wouldn’t have minded at least one more scene with Mira and Aleksio…uhem. But that aside, I enjoyed this thoroughly.

There’s quite a few secondary characters introduced, but the one that really stole the show for me here was Viktor. And then when his possible heroine was unveiled? Holy mother of intrigue! I can’t wait! Don’t even get me started on the youngest brother, Kiro, because I’m fairly certain I’d be willing to part with an ovary for his book.

Spotlight, Review & Author Interview: ★Downtown Devil★ by @caramckenna

DGR interview & spotlight with Cara McKennaDOWNTOWN DEVIL
Series: Sins In The City #2
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Cara McKenna
Release Date: June 21, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

2016-01-21-1453386051-6686005-Downtown_Devil_revised-2

From the author of Crosstown Crush comes the second sexy novel in the trilogy that explores the illicit pleasures of ménage à trois.

At the edge of thirty, Clare is feeling restless. Even though she’s gainfully employed and pursuing her passion for photography, she can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing. Then she meets Mica. A perfect subject for her portrait exhibit, Mica is sexy, exciting, and everything Clare desires.

One night with the charismatic stranger is all it takes to leave her craving more. But the intensity Mica brings isn’t confined to the bedroom, and Clare wonders if this summer fling might turn more adventurous than she anticipated—especially as a curious energy starts to simmer between the two of them and Mica’s handsome roommate, Vaughn.

As the three-way tension mounts, Mica makes a sinful proposal. It’s an invitation Clare can’t pass up, and an erotic encounter she’ll never be able to forget. Caught up between two irresistible men, Clare is about to get all the excitement she’s been looking for—and then some….

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | B&NReview-DGR4 starsDowntown Devil-DGR

Fuck, he was a maestro. The dirtiest, nastiest, most gifted conductor.

Sweet.
Baby.
Jesus.
This book needs to come with a warning label.

Warning. Content is extremely hot and may cause severe uncontrollable arousal. Read at your ovaries risk. Author is not responsible for spontaneous ovary CUMbustion, sudden need to hump everything in sight, and consistent molestation of significant others. May also cause hot flashes, squirming, and a mild case of side eye if reading in public.

The one thing I’ve come to rely on from this author is her ability to write characters that are so real, it feels like they’re someone you’d easily meet in your daily life. There’s no artifice, nothing over the top, no crazy drama, no extras that you may find in most other books…and the best thing is it’s not needed. McKenna’s writing is very erotically charged, and yet it’s so much more than pure smut.

…she had no doubt he’d fuck the same way he seemed to move through the world- with perfect, fluid instinct. No hesitation and no shame.

Downtown Devil is not exactly what I’d call a conventional romance, yet it certainly has the romance. It’s a sinful indulgence that’s perfectly crafted with a combination of depth and steam.

Clare is a heroine that’s impossible not to like. She owns what she wants and makes no appologies for it. It’s so rare to read about a woman that truly owns her sexuality and enjoys it without making excuses or shaming. When Clare meets the enigmatic Mica, his sexual lure proves to be too much to resist. But when Mica introduces her to a darker side of her desires, it opens up a whole new door that Clare only envisioned in her fantasies.

Mica’s sexuality was a brushfire; Vaughn’s was a smoldering hearth.

The character development is what takes this from an erotic indulgence to something much more. The characters just feel real. You feel like you truly know them and not only that but you get them.

What Mica wanted, he made you want right back. Made his kinks yours. Made your body, your bed, your desires his territory.

I may have squirmed uncomfortably the entire time reading this, but I enjoyed every page. And while it may not have had crazy drama or angst that I’ve come to expect from most romance I read, it still took a turn I never saw coming and enjoyed thoroughly. It’s anything but predictable.

The sexual chemistry practically crackles off the pages, and the sex? Holy…DAMN.

He rode that sharp edge bordering consent, but every time, she liked what she found on the other side.

I haven’t read the first in this series but I had no problems jumping straight into this one and I’m definitely looking forward to future installments. And while it had the typical Cara McKenna HFN ending, it was immensely satisfying. If you’re looking for something a little bit different and a lot hot, you may just have found your next read.


Author Interview

DGR: Hi Cara! I’m so excited to have you here today and pick your brain on Downtown Devil and all things Sins in The City series.

Can we start with a quick introduction for those that maybe haven’t read your books yet? (which I suggest they rectify right meow!)

CM: Sure! I write steamy romance on through to straight-up erotica, often featuring working-class heroes and kink and the occasional taboo. Sometimes gritty and grimy, sometimes hot and sweet. Boinking, though—always with the boinking.

DGR: Can you tell us a little bit about your Sins In The City series?

CM: It’s a series, but all of the books are standalones. They’re linked by place and theme, but that’s all, so there’s no reading order. Each book follows a different set of protagonists as they embark on three-ways—all with two men and one woman—but the trios are otherwise unique. Crosstown Crush is about a married couple who bring in a second man to satisfy the husband’s unusual kink, Downtown Devil is about a young woman who falls for the world’s hottest barista and winds up going to bed with both him and his roommate, and Midtown Masters (out this winter) is about a pair of lovers-to-friends who do web-camming and decide to invite one of their clients to do more than just watch.

DGR: I love how real all your characters are. It’s like reading about someone you could easily know or meet in your everyday life. There’s no artifice or craziness needed. They are who they are. Is that an intent or something you enjoy writing?

CM: Oh, thank you! I don’t write “real” people intentionally. I mean, I’m glad that I do, but I don’t really think about it. They just show up that way! I like to say I write about ordinary people having extraordinary sex.

DGR: It’s not often I read a good romance with characters of mixed ethnicity. Personally, I wish there were more. What inspired you to write these characters?

CM: It’s a boring answer—I set the books in Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh’s a pretty diverse city, so it felt both realistic and important to reflect that.

I’ve written a handful of characters of color over the years, but not a ton. I think before I was worried about “getting it wrong.” (I’m blindingly white.) But fear’s never a good reason not to do something, plus there’s room in every race and ethnicity for all types of personalities and experiences, so it’s a baseless worry to begin with. You can only get race wrong by not representing it, I think.

DGR: Personally, I had a very nice visual of a smaller version of Jason Momoa and Idris Elba as I was reading about Mica and Vaughn, the heroes in the book. Did you have a visual of these guys as you were writing them?

CM: Jesus, far be it from me to drive those two muses from your mind! Holy hell, sign me up.

I have a clear visual of Mica in my head, but not based on anyone in particular. Vaughn looks like Aml Ameen in my imagination, but I’m sure readers will picture whoever they like, and that’s awesome.

DGR: If I could describe this book in one word, it’ll be INCENDIARY. If you had to describe it in 5, what would they be?

CM: Oooh, let’s see… Hot, flirty, filthy, modern, fun.

DGR: Did you have a favorite scene to write in Downtown Devil?

CM: I think the most fun scene to write was the one where Mica gets Clare to have phone sex with him at ten a.m. in the middle of H&M.

DGR: You’re not afraid to cross certain boundaries in your writing, which I respect greatly. You always seem to push the envelope with each book. They’re erotic, but there’s so much depth to them…much like Mica. What can you tell us about his character?

CM: Not much more than made it onto the page! Mica was probably the least forthcoming character I’ve ever written. I knew exactly how he felt about everything that was happening, precisely how he’d react, the most basic details of his baggage, but that’s about it. I don’t even know his last name!

DGR: Mica and Vaughn are polar opposites, and yet together they’re the perfect balance. What would you say your favorite thing about each of these guys is?

CM: I like the fantasy that each of them offers. Mica’s that guy that you see in real life who’s simply too sexy to be real—you’d sell your mom’s kidney to somehow get taken home by him. And Vaughn is the other side of the coin. There’s no mystery with him, but sometimes a girl needs that. When the games get exhausting, you want someone you can just collapse against, and that’s its own kind of sexy.

DGR: Let’s not forget Clare. I love a heroine that isn’t ashamed of her sexuality and owns her decisions. If you had to describe Clare in a few words, what would they be?

CM: She’d floundering, but also driven. A little unsure, but mostly confident. A romantic and a realist. In short, she’s full of contradictions. Exactly how I remember feeling when I hit thirty—like you ought to feel like a grown-ass woman by now, yet there’s still so much you need to figure out.

DGR: Your books have some of the hottest sex scenes I’ve ever read. How on earth do you keep finding the inspiration to just keep writing them even hotter?

CM: Oh, thank you! And I have no idea. I was hugely pregnant for the first half of this book and fumbling my way through newborn-ownership with the second. I have no clue how I even finished it, looking back, let alone made it hot! But thank you all the same.

I always try to make sure there’s something edgy and uncomfortable and a little awkward built into a book’s sexual dynamic. I think that conflict is key to sex scenes that light up the page and push the characters to develop and grow. If a sex scene doesn’t change the characters involved in it, it doesn’t belong on the page!

DGR: Anything you’d like to leave the readers with?

CM: I guess just to say that this book’s for everyone who’s ever had a crush on the proverbial hot-barista. Maybe he’s a courier who comes by your office every day, or the bartender who leaves you woozy before your drink’s even mixed, or that blessedly shirtless jogger you always pass on your morning walk. Clare gets to do what most of us never will, and actually go home with that gorgeous stranger—and she winds up getting more than she ever bargained for!

Review: ★Stealing His Thunder★ by Sparrow Beckett

DGR Review- Stealing His ThunderStealing His Thunder
Series: Masters of Adrenaline #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Sparrow Beckett
Release Date: June 21, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

9780451488350

From the author of the Masters Unleashed series, Sparrow Beckett revs things up with two lovers on a collision course in the first Masters of Adrenaline novel. 

Nothing gives Addison Kennedy a rush like stealing cars. The Lexus was the perfect target, but before she can get its engine purring, she’s cold-cocked unconscious. When she comes to, she finds herself on a bed with a blonde, tattooed god standing over her.

Fox Larson is shocked to discover the thief he knocked out is actually a hot girl. Bringing her home may not have been the smartest move, but he wasn’t about to leave an unconscious and defenseless woman in a parking garage. Besides, if she’s part of an auto theft crew infringing on his territory, he needs to pump her for information.

However, Addison has personal drive that won’t be denied and she’s desperate to prove Fox’s group needs her skills. Submitting to his kinks in the bedroom is a hot yet complicated bonus. When a big job goes bad, and Addison finally gets her chance, will she succeed in stealing his thunder?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR3.5 starsStealing His Thunder-DGR

God, he was going to break her, but she wanted to be broken.

Readers, are you ready for the kinkiest guilty pleasure book ever? Because Stealing His Thunder is sure to hit every spot you have. No joke. Think Fast and the Furious meets BDSM in funny, easy, and light romance. You have your Dom uber alpha, you have your slightly OTT sassy heroine, all wrapped up in a super sexy BDSM romance that’s sure to please every palate.

This is book one in the brand new Masters of Adrenaline series, but I did read a few familiar names from Beckett’s Masters Unleashed series. And while this is the beginning of the series, I found myself thinking that I may be missing certain backstories on a few secondary characters because it read like I should already know about them. Perhaps there’s a little crossover from the other series that flew over my head as I’ve only read book one.

Firstly, allow me to give you a visual for the hero:
Mmmm hmmm. Not a bad visual to have while reading, let me just tell you. Beard, tattoos, and a penchant for kink. Delicious.

This is one of those books that you take for what it is: a little fluffy, a lot sexy, and definitely entertaining. You can just shut off your brain and enjoy it. No thinking required. Which is exactly what a girl needs sometimes. Fox Larson is a domineering, dirty talking uber alpha. Addison Kennedy is an overly sassy engineer turned car thief. There’s nothing she won’t do for her family. When her ailing grandfather is forced to live in a senior home because her grandmother can’t take care of him at home, she’s determined to get them money to help support them. Trouble is, a college student doesn’t earn much. So why not put her engineering knowledge to boost some cars on the side? And when she gets in the crosshairs of car thief extraordinaire, Fox, she’s determined to join his team…even if he’s having none of it.

The writing reminds me a little of Jaci Burton; fluffy smut for lack of a better description. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Nothing at all. It’s an entertaining read through and through, and if light and fluffy kink is what you’re craving, this will hit the spot just right.


THE SERIES

STEALING HIS THUNDER (Masters of Adrenaline #1)
FUELING HIS HUNGER (Masters of Adrenaline #2) (Releasing Oct 18, 2016)

Review: ★Last Kiss★ by Laurelin Paige

review-Last KissLAST KISS
Series: First & Last #2
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Laurelin Paige
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication Date: June 14, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Last Kiss

A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE FILLED WITH DARK DESIRES AND DANGEROUS SECRETS…

Emily Wayborn has made a decision.

She might not fully trust handsome and deadly Reeve Sallis, but he is the one person that gives her what she needs. With Reeve she can finally be herself. Submitting to him is the only thing keeping her grounded as the rest of her life falls apart. But the hotelier is a master at keeping secrets and as she continues her quest for answers someone is making sure she doesn’t find them.

Time is running out and she is questioning everything she thought she knew about friendship and love. She must now make an impossible choice that will determine if she will survive with her heart…or at all.

 

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 starsLast Kiss-DGR

 

Whoever had decided that damnation was fire and brimstone was wrong. Hell was cold and ice and emptiness. Hell was watching the one I’d grasped to so tightly slip through my fingers.

The heart stopping conclusion to the erotically charged story that began with First Touch is here and it’s filled with enough twists and turns to leave your head reeling. There’s one thing I can tell you after finishing this book and that’s that Laurelin Paige can write. I mean the woman can write. Holy hell but the woman can write.

I’d let him in, let him consume me and yet I’d still kept him at a distance, even when I knew he’d tried to let me in.

I read First Touch when it first released and have been stewing in my misery since. Of all the cliffhangers I’ve read, that one had to be one of the most painful ones. I’m talking I wanting to throw a tantrum and cry sort of painful. Suffice it to say, I’ve been immensely looking forward to the conclusion.

You feel me…
Right now you feel me, Emily. That’s where I am- inside you. All the time, I’m there. No matter whose bed you sleep in.”

All of Emily’s secrets seems to be unveiling. Just as she finally got to a relationship place with Reeve, the appearance of someone from her past shakes the foundation of it to the very core, leaving her questioning everything, including herself.

She may not have intended to fall for Reeve, but she barely had a choice in the matter. The man is everything she craves. His intensity calls for her submission and her submission is what he gets…

But, oh, how I craved any risk the man offered- including the danger of love.

Last Kiss2-DGRReeve is just as intense as ever. There’s something about the man that’s just so enigmatic, he practically crackles with the electric current of it. Reeve is easily one of the most memorable heroes I have read to date. This is not a man you would soon forget. He skates just on the edge of depravity but has no qualms diving right into the dark pits of it if that’s what Emily needs. It’s what he himself craves as well. If you thought First Touch was erotically charged, guard your ovaries with Last Kiss because DAMN. The fine line between dub con and D/s is certainly present but the book is entirely in the gray. I don’t know how I would categorize it but I can tell you that it’s hot as hell.

Then he was inside me- bruising me, breaking me. Tearing me into a hundred pieces that all belonged to him.

For those that read the first book and are afraid there may be a love triangle, don’t be. At least not quite. But that’s the most you’ll get out of me because I don’t want to ruin it for you.

What I can tell you, is that I read this book in practically one sitting. The anticipation of turning each page became an obsession. I was riveted. The story was intoxicating. I couldn’t bring myself to put it down until the end.

I was so completely taken with the man in front of me. He was the master of my heart and body. Maybe even the master of my soul.

My one source of frustration through parts of the book was Emily. As much as I loved her in the first book, it didn’t quite carry through to this one. Don’t get me wrong, the author gave every character in the story quite a bit of depth. The character development was beyond amazing. I supposed I just hoped that while Emily craves to submit to Reeve, she’d take charge in other aspects of her life…primarily her friendship. While I can understand her thought process after so many years, there were times where she was just a little too forgiving. It wasn’t until the very end when things truly come apart that she finally understood things that should have been somewhat obvious earlier. But at the same time, taking her past and what she needs/craves into consideration, you can also understand it as well.

I’d never thought I was fit to glimpse heaven until I put my head between your thighs…
The taste of you should be forbidden. It’s the fruit that causes gods to war.”

If you love a romance with a touch of taboo, your heroes intense enough to give you shivers, and a story captivating enough to leave you thinking about it weeks after finishing, this is definitely a must read. It’s certainly not a book I’ll be forgetting any time soon.

My love for you is so ferocious, so dominating that I’m possessed by it. It changes who I am. It makes me someone different and yet I’m more who I’ve always believed I am than I ever have been.


FIRST TOUCH (First & Last #1)
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW

first-touch

DESPERATE FOR THE TRUTH. OBSESSED BY DESIRE…

Emily Wayborn is finally her own woman.

After a string of shameful relationships and reckless partying with her best friend Amber, she’s now a successful voiceover actress, her wild past and everyone in it firmly behind her. Until she receives a cryptic voicemail from her former friend that sends her spiraling into the darkness she thought she had outrun. One thing is clear from the message, Amber is in trouble.

Determined to track down her friend, Emily follows a chain of clues that leads her to Reeve Sallis, a gorgeous and equally dangerous hotelier known for his power games and shady dealings. Now, in order to find Amber, Emily must return to her playgirl ways to uncover his secrets and track down her friend. But as she becomes more entangled with him, she finds she’s drawn to Reeve and his depravity despite her growing conviction that he may be the one responsible for Amber’ s disappearance.

Jennifer’s Review: ★Hold You Against Me★ by @skye_warren

review-Hold You Against MeHOLD YOU AGAINST ME
Series: Stripped #4
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: May 31, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Hold You Against Me Ebook Cover

Once upon a time the daughter of a mafia king fell in love with a foot soldier.

This fairy tale didn’t have a happy ending.

My sister and I barely managed to escape alive, and we’ve lived in relative hiding ever since. I’m safe now, but I can never forget the boy who gave his life to save mine.

Except there’s a chance that he’s still alive. And he’s fighting a war.

Even knowing the risks, I have to find him. I have to find some way to protect him, the way he protected me. But he isn’t the boy I left behind. He’s a violent man. A criminal. And he’s been waiting for me—the final pawn in a dark game of survival and love.

 

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS Review4.5 stars

Fairy tales aren’t for the girls who have a choice. They’re for the girls shoved into corners, trapped in darkness, bent over desks. Places where hope is an act of bravery. Where believing in love is an act of rebellion. Fairy tales are for girls who dream of happy endings, knowing they might not live to see tomorrow.

19396391._SY540_I loved the conclusion to this beautiful story. Tough Love, the prequel to this series is where we first meet Giovanni and Clara. It was also my first Skye Warren book, and I have not looked back! Skye includes the entire Tough Love prequel in this book.

My Gio:

It takes a monster to take down a monster.

My Clara:

He dragged me back into my worst nightmare and somehow made me want it.

19396392._SX540_The story begins in the prequel. Clara is a mafia princess who feels trapped in gilded cage. Her father is not a good man and means to make her marry a horrible man. Clara meets Giovanni, a foot soldier, when she is 15 and he is 17. She is able to escape her father’s evil clutches with the help of Giovanni. Hold You Against Me continues the story 3 years later, when Clara believes Gio to be killed for helping her escape.

Those are not his scars. They’re mine. He took them for me.

This is NOT your typical fairy tale. Skye Warren tends to write on the darker side, which is why I love her so much. She warned her readers that this book is on the lighter side of her darkness, but I still enjoyed it so much! She always makes me FEEL something in every single one of her books, and this one did not disappoint. Skye’s writing is sensual, beautiful, and smart. Her heroines seem real, trapped, trying to break free of some sort of struggle.

If you love mafia romance, this book/series is for you! I have a soft spot for mafia men. The danger, the tattoos, the darkness, the power, the broodiness, just do it for me!

I love Skye Warren to the moon and back.

I would read her grocery lists.

*Can be read as a standalone, but I recommend starting from the beginning because this series is worth it! Hold You Against Me is the 4th book in the series, but any of these books can be read by themselves.*


Stripped Series

Tough Love (#0.5) – Included in Hold You Against Me
Love Way You Lie (#1) – Love the Way You Lie
Heartbreak (#1.5) – Heartbreak
Better When It Hurts (#2) – Better When It Hurts
Even Better (#2.5) – Even Better
Pretty When You Cry (#3) – Pretty When You Cry
Caught For Christmas (#3.5) – Caught for Christmas

Review: ★For 100 Days★ by Lara Adrian

review-For 100 DaysFOR 100 DAYS
Series: 100 Series #1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Author: Lara Adrian
Release Date: May 24, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

100Days_highres

Pleasure has a price . . .

Just when everything in my life is falling apart, I find a chance to turn it around–to step into someone else’s glittering world, if only for a little while. I become someone new, no longer the woman defined by an ugly past, but a woman freer and bolder than myself. A woman who isn’t afraid to explore every passion, even at its darkest, with a mysterious and seductive man who believes my mask is real.

Handsome and commanding, enigmatic and irresistible, billionaire Dominic Baine is an obsession I cannot afford and should not risk. He ushers me into consuming new pleasures and addicting new desires, until the line between my real life and the fantasy one I’ve stolen with him begins to blur.

I know I cannot keep my truth from him. I know my past will not stay buried forever. But before I can make it right, everything comes crashing down. I have deceived this powerful, dangerous man . . . and now there is a price to be paid.

* * * * * * * *
FOR 100 DAYS is the first novel in a passionate new contemporary romance trilogy from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Lara Adrian. Coming soon: FOR 100 NIGHTS and FOR 100 REASONS.

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO

Review3.5 starsfor 100 days

With Nick, all I know is need. It’s pure, untainted. Primal and raw.

As a long time fan of all things Lara Adrian, when I saw she’s releasing an erotic romance trilogy, I was all over it. I’ve been obsessed with her Midnight Breed series, so I already know this woman can write. So all it took was a quick glance at this synopsis to know that I need to read this book.

I learned a long time ago that help never comes without a price tag, hidden or not. And even the people who claim to care about you the most can turn against you in the blink of an eye.

Avery is the definition of a tortured artist. She left everything behind to start a new life in New York and make something of herself as an artist.

I haven’t known disease, but I do know pain. I know corrosion- the kind that comes from within and from without. I’ve survived both.

For the time being, she’s barely making ends meet working as a bartender at a popular restaurant and selling a few of her paintings at a renowned gallery. Unfortunately her job comes with a douchebag of a manager, her rental apartment is being converted to condos forcing her to move out, and her paintings may no longer be good enough for the gallery. The answer to her salvation comes from an opportunity to house sit an apartment in New York’s most luxury buildings…and this is where Avery comes face to face with the enigma that is Nick Baine.

Nick is magnetic with a capital M. The man draws your interest from the first look and he keeps it with his dark intensity. He’s easily what kept me turning the pages eager to find out the secrets that are brewing beneath the surface.

I’m a reader that appreciates a slow burn in my romance. I want to practically taste the tension between the characters, but unfortunately I didn’t get that here. Avery and Nick are thrown into bed together quite literary after the second time they lay eyes on each other. While I can sort of understand Avery’s reasonings behind this, I also couldn’t. Her attraction and pull to Nick is so instant, that given her history I had a hard time wrapping my mind around it.

What begins next is a number of erotically charged encounters that practically make up the majority of the book. While on the one hand, the steam factor was though the roof, on the other hand I was hungry for something more. It seemed like sex was the primary factor driving this book and ultimately it began to feel like mostly filler.

Now if you’re a reader that enjoys trilogies, this will certainly hit the spot for you. For me, trilogies are a hit or miss. I have to be involved in the story on a certain level, and I had a tough time really getting that here in the midst of all the sex. Avery went from a damaged but strong heroine, to someone that left all her responsibilities in the wind for a few hot encounters with someone that’s ultimately a stranger. It wasn’t until the very end that we’re given a taste of what her past really contained, but by then it was a case of too little too late…at least for me. I have to feel a need for a story to be told in 3 parts, and to be honest, I didn’t get that here. There was a lot in the way of sex, but not much in the way of true story development. Perhaps that will be something we get in the next book, but I needed something to hook me here. While the revelation at the end was intriguing, I’m not sure if it was enough to leave me panting for the next one. Will I read the next two books? Sure. Will I be eagerly jumping to them on release day? Probably not.

Review: ★Engaging The Bachelor★ by Cathryn Fox

review-Engaging The BachelorENGAGING THE BACHELOR
Series: Pulse #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Cathryn Fox
Release Date: June 6, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

51J81vFOdKL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_

Hot, Southampton doctor, Carson Reynolds isn’t the kind of man Gemma Carr should be playing with. But his offer of a fake engagement comes with sexy, late night house calls, and despite her bad girl reputation, it’s been far too long since she’s taken two and called anyone in the morning.

When Carson sees Gemma at a charity event, he knows he has to have her. It’s been ten years since he’s had her in his arms, but that hasn’t lessened his intense need for her. To save her reputation and get his parents off his back, he makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

It’s the perfect set-up—until this fake engagement starts to feel a little too real…

 

 

 

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N

Review4 starsEngaging The Bachelor-DGR

…I have a date tonight.”
“Break it.”
“I can’t-”
“Doctor’s orders.”
“You’re not my doctor,” she argued.
A ghost of a smile played on his lips. “Not yet.”

Hubida hubida *fans self*
It’s been a long while since I’ve read a book by Cathryn Fox, and for the life of me I don’t know why. The woman can write one sizzling romance. I was in the mood for something fun, steamy and light, and this book delivered all of that in spades.

A hot Southampton doctor+ the town bad girl+ a fake engagement= sexy times ensue. Engaging The Bachelor marks book one in the brand new Pulse series and if this book is anything to go by, it’s bound to be crazy good. Think Grey’s Anatomy but hotter. Got your attention don’t I?

…I’m not having sex with you, Carson.”
“Say that again.”
“I’m not having sex with you, Carson.”
“No, just that last part.”
“Carson.”
“Yeah, that’s it. I want you to say it just like that when I’m inside you.”

Ten years ago, eighteen year old Carson shared one stolen night with a nameless girl that left a brand on his heart and took off running before he could learn her name. He’s been unable to stop thinking of her since, but has given up hope trying to find her…until he recognizes the sassy beauty at a bar holding a Bachelor Auction for the doctors of the local hospital. She may have gotten away from him once, but he’s not making it easy this time around. All he knows is that he has to have her, one way or another, and he’s not afraid to play dirty….very very dirty.

I’m going to kiss every inch of you, then I’m going to pound into you until you’re screaming my name. Tonight you’re mine, Gemma.”

Gemma plays up her bad girl image not to let anyone in. But one boy ten years ago stole past her defenses and she’s never forgotten him. But nothing prepares her for the potency of the man that he is right now.

I loved both Gemma and Carson. Gemma has her issues after a childhood with an alcoholic mother that jumps form one man to another. But something about Carson makes it impossible to stay away. And when he offers her a proposition of a fake engagement with benefits? Well, let’s just say she can’t say no.

What a super fun read this was. It offered just the right amount of steam and dirty talk to make for the perfect book to spend an afternoon with. The sex is dirty, the story engaging enough to make it more than just hot sex, and the characters were fantastic. Carson is swoony and sexy, Gemma is a great combination of tough and vulnerable. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and can’t wait for the future installments in this series.

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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