Review: The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy

March 10, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE CHARLIE METHOD
Series: Campus Diaries #3
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: February 25, 2025

The third in the steamy, hilarious Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy, set in the same world as Off Campus and Briar U.

College senior Charlotte Kingston is living two lives―and she’s nailing both of them. By day, she’s the perfect sorority girl, a STEM student in biomedical engineering, and the adopted daughter of an overachiever family. At night, she’s Charlie: a risk-taking daredevil looking for fun who finds herself chatting on a dating app with two anonymous hotties.

Will Larsen may seem like the breezy boy next door, but his congressman father is a constant thorn in his side. After a scandal hits another Division 1 hockey program, Will’s dad is determined to distance his son from it, hiring a journalist to prove how squeaky-clean Will and his team are. Which means the last thing Will wants is for anyone to find out he and his best friend Beckett Dunne―a laidback Aussie shielding secret heartache―sometimes share girls in the bedroom.

When Charlie finally meets them in person and realizes she’s been chatting with two gorgeous Briar U hockey players, things get steamy―fast. But all their messy secrets are piling up, and real life soon threatens to shatter the fantasy. With Charlie, Will, and Beckett all coming to terms with what they want and what others want for them, difficult decisions will need to be made.

Especially when lust starts to look a lot like love.

AMAZON

Because… falling for one guy? Fine. But two? That’s a mess I’m not ready for.

Ummm…I beg your finest pardon? We have a hockey romance from one of my favorite authors with not one but TWO hot hockey boys? Yes, please and thank you! This reader loves a good MFM and this one hit the spot like nothing else!

I am and will forever be an obsessive nerd. Yet I also hook up with football players in parking lots.

Now if there’s something I love more than two hot hockey men, it’s a sex positive FMC. It’s just always such a refreshing change of pace when you get a heroine who not only enjoys sex, she’s not ashamed of it. Petition for more heroines like Charlie. But I digress.

Charlie is the perfect student, the perfect daughter, and the perfect sorority sister. She also likes to hook up with hot jocks. Nothing wrong with that. Girl likes to release her tension in the best of ways. While swiping on the campus hookup app, she stumbles on a profile that instantly catches her attention because of the two hot and faceless bodies and the joint profile is simply too intriguing to pass up. And when she matches them? Game. On.

The fun part is that Charlie has no idea who the two men are or their close proximity to her. Because one is the hockey jock she loves to hate in one of her classes, and the other is her hot new project partner. And the boys have no idea either. So when they finally figure it out, fireworks!

I loved the banter and the dynamic between the three of them. Will is a politician’s son who bears the weight of his father’s high expectations. Beckett is the fun loving one who’s quick with a joke. And Charlie is their perfect fit. I simply loved the three of them together.

Considering that this is Elle’s first MFM, I was wondering how she’d pull it off and she did so seamlessly. The three of them just fit. While I do love me some Elle Kennedy steam, it did seem quite a bit here for the story and while I can’t say that it overpowered it, it did come close to being that at times. I really enjoyed the story but I did want a bit more from the end. I wanted to see more with Charlie and her family and a few other things that I found myself wishing were a a bit more fleshed out. However, it was still a fun and super steamy read that I enjoyed thoroughly and highly recommend for any hockey romance lovers.

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Review: The Misfit by JL Beck

February 28, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE MISFIT
Author: J.L. Beck
Series: Oakmount Elite #5
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult
Tropes: Misunderstood hero / He falls first / Dark romance / Fake dating / “Who hurt you” / Playboy VS Grumpy heroine / OCD/ADHD REP / Frienemies to lovers
Release Date: February 28, 2025

Golden boy. Party king. Trust fund brat.

That’s what they call me – Lee Sterling, Oakmount University’s favorite disaster.

Everyone thinks they know me, but they only see what I let them.

I’m the guy who can charm his way out of anything and never takes life seriously. But it’s all a ruse. They don’t see the mask I wear or the cage of family expectations slowly threatening to suffocate me.

Three months. That’s how long I have to find someone “suitable” to present at the Sterling New Year’s Gala, or it’s over.

I tell myself I can handle it, like I handle everything else – with a smile and a shot of bourbon, but deep down, I know I’m inching closer and closer to the edge.

Then I meet Salem Masters in a dark pantry at a party, and suddenly, nothing feels simple anymore.

They call her crazy, and broken. The girl who wears latex gloves and counts her steps.

I call her beautiful, careful, haunted.

One encounter and I’m obsessed. I need to know more about her. I need to know if she’s just like me.

When I discover we share a common interest, I convince her to be my fake girlfriend. She could use the protection, and I need to convince my family I’m normal…but when our fake relationship turns real I discover just how close to danger I am.

Because for the first time in my life, I want something that I can’t have, that I don’t deserve.

AMAZON

Who knew obsession could ignite so quickly?

The way that I have been waiting for Lee’s book I cannot even describe to you. And considering that he was the broken troublemaker of the group, is it any wonder? I have a thing for those broken bad boys.

Now I do have to admit that I had hoped this would be an MM or an MFM. But the more I read, the more I connected to him with Salem. Two broken souls healing each other.

If you’ve read this series, then you already know Lee and the trouble he’s caused. You know that this is a guy with an easy smile and quick humor that he uses as a mask to hide something. And in this book we get to the true depths of what that something is.

Salem is dealing with her own trauma as she’s trying to get some semblance of her normalcy back after something tragic. A fateful meeting in the pantry of a party changes the trajectory for both of them when Salem lands in Lee’s sight. He feels an instant connection with the girl who for the first time seems to see behind his mask to the man beneath. And when his parents start breathing down his neck about settling down and finding an appropriate wife, he decides they have a mutual benefit. He’ll help her find her new normal and protect her on campus and she pretends to be his girlfriend. Only there’s not much to pretend with their chemistry.

There were definitely some heavy themes in this story that I found the author handled really well. Lee and Salem are both broken in their own way but Lee’s past damn near broke my heart. This was a fake dating trope with plenty of spice that I enjoyed quite a bit. The ending was satisfying though a touch heavy on the sweet, though I didn’t mind all that much. While this has dark themes, it was more of a gray romance. But if you’re looking to dip your toes in the genre, this is a great one to start with.

JL. Beck writes steamy romance that’s unapologetic, meaning it makes no apologies for the way it rips you open and makes you crave more. Her heroes are alphas who take what they want, and she pairs them with heroines that bring them to their knees.

She loves writing about darkness, passion, suspense, and of course, steam. Leaving her readers gasping and asking what the hell just happened is only one of her many tricks.

Her books range from morally grey to dark and spicy but always end with a happily ever after. She loves to write across numerous tropes, but her favorite is enemies to lovers.

She started her writing career in the summer of 2014 and hasn’t stopped since. She lives in Wisconsin and is a mom to two, a wife, and likes to act as a literary agent part-time.

Visit her website for more info:
www.beckromancebooks.com

Connect with JL Beck:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJLBeck/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjlbeck/
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjlbeck
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2srbge9
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2tOVZl8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8425041.J_L_Beck
Unapologetic Romance Book Club FB Group: http://bit.ly/2sWljZG

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Review: The Predator by JL Beck

November 11, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE PREDATOR
Author: J.L. Beck
Series: Oakmount Elite #4
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult
Release Date: November 11, 2024

What is a predator without his prey?

Elyse Silver was never mine to keep.

The day I saved her life, I ensured we would forever be enemies.

Hating her was easy.

Bullying her, as simple as breathing.

Stopping myself from falling for her… I had no idea how impossible that would become.

The harder I fought, the deeper I fell.

Love and happiness have never been part of my plan, but letting Elyse go isn’t an option, either.

Unfortunately, the truth always finds a way of revealing itself, and by the time she realizes who the real predator is, it’ll be too late for her to escape the trap I’ve put her in.

**This is NOT a standalone and must be read AFTER The Prey. This is a dark romance novel that contains numerous triggers.**

AMAZON

I’ve escaped one monster, only to be captured by another.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in The Prey, I have been absolutely rabid for the conclusion of Sebastian and Ely’s story. And this was worth every minute of what felt like an agonizing wait.

Shatter for me so I can piece you back together again.”

I love that we go to see deeper into Sebastian’s head and dark soul in the very beginning. Torturously, the book doesn’t begin in Ely’s POV as you would except, but the minutes before the ending of The Prey and in Sebastian’s. It’s the perfect way to set the scene and I was hooked from page one. I have absolutely loathed Tanya from book one, and the more you learn about her disturbing relationship with Sebastian, the more murderous the hate turns.

Elyse really came into her own. While Sebastian takes control of everything in her life in book one, she finally gets the reins back..well, within reason of course. But I do love me a girl who can stand up for and save herself.

When Sebastian comes for her, he’s determined to keep her and best way to do that? Force her to marry him, of course. Just par of the course for our Sebby here, so can’t be too surprised. But boy did I love his spiral down the ‘my wife’ path.

She slaps her palm down on top of the desk. “You’re an asshole.”
“Your darling asshole husband. Now be a good girl and say you’re my wife. Then I’ll let you come.”

There’s a lot that happens in this book and I loved the way that JL Beck gives a satisfying conclusion to every plot point. Nothing is glossed over and no detail forgotten. While it did take me a bit longer to read than book one, my weird reading mood these days may have had something to do with it. And ultimately, I loved this conclusion. But the set up for Lee’s book? Pretty sure I won’t have rest until I have it in my hands!

JL. Beck writes steamy romance that’s unapologetic, meaning it makes no apologies for the way it rips you open and makes you crave more. Her heroes are alphas who take what they want, and she pairs them with heroines that bring them to their knees.

She loves writing about darkness, passion, suspense, and of course, steam. Leaving her readers gasping and asking what the hell just happened is only one of her many tricks.

Her books range from morally grey to dark and spicy but always end with a happily ever after. She loves to write across numerous tropes, but her favorite is enemies to lovers.

She started her writing career in the summer of 2014 and hasn’t stopped since. She lives in Wisconsin and is a mom to two, a wife, and likes to act as a literary agent part-time.

Visit her website for more info:
www.beckromancebooks.com

Connect with JL Beck:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJLBeck/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjlbeck/
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjlbeck
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2srbge9
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2tOVZl8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8425041.J_L_Beck
Unapologetic Romance Book Club FB Group: http://bit.ly/2sWljZG

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Review: Wrath of an Exile by Monty Jay

October 29, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WRATH OF AN EXILE
Series: River Styx Heathens #1
Author: Monty Jay
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 28, 2024

In Ponderosa Springs, this version of Romeo and Juliet isn’t a tragedy. It’s war.

Jude Sinclair is West Trinity Falls’ favorite exiled loner.

Cocky. Insufferably hot. Family foe.

Raised across the tracks in a rival town, he reeks of trouble. Which is the one thing I’ve always had a problem avoiding and now that he’s just down the hall, it’s harder to resist the pull.

My father made one rule when Jude moved in, never trust a Sinclair.

The last thing I need is for my new foster brother to make me question my loyalty with his filthy smirks and poet tongue. But with every forbidden kiss and secret hookup, I quickly find myself faced with two options.

Betray my family? Or betray my heart?

AMAZON

The Capulets and Montagues may have been Shakespeare’s famous foes, but in Ponderosa Springs? It was the Van Dorens and Sinclairs.

I feel like I have been waiting for this book for my entire life. It was pure, dark tinged and grungy poetry and man but I loved every page of it.

Now if you haven’t yet read Monty Jay’s Hollow Boys series, do yourself a favor and read that series first. While you can definitely still enjoy this without having read that series, you would have a much finer appreciation for these characters having met the first generation. This is the next gen spinoff as it is. Plus Hollow Boys is simply a deliciously addictive series that I can’t recommend enough if you need another reason.

Now if you have read Hollow Boys, then you already know the history between Sinclairs and Van Dorens. Rook (The Truths We Burn) was one of my favorite characters and books in that series and I couldn’t wait to meet his daughter, Seraphina, who I just knew would be as lethal as her parents.

You see, I’ve got this thing. This appetite for boys’ hearts. It’s impossible to survive my brand of chaos. I like bad decisions. Fast cars. And sex. Anything that makes me numb.

Now as a self proclaimed enemies to lovers connoisseur, a true enemies to lovers romance is hard to come by. But boy did this one deliver. And if you love the whole star crossed, Romeo and Juliet vibe? Well, it’s extra delicious. Because Jude is not just the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. His last name carries a dark cross that isn’t his to bear but bear it he does. Jude just so happens to be the son of Easton Sinclair, who also happened to be Sage’s horrible ex from The Truths We Burn. But let’s talk about this book, shall we. Because when you highlight this much in a book, you just know you’re reading a five star. And the level of obsession I now have with these characters knows no end.

Phi’s misery tastes like it could sustain me for an eternity.
“I hate you.”
“Right back at ya, sweetheart.”

To say that there’s bad blood between the Van Dorens and the Sinclairs is putting it mildly. But the amplifier to that is the particular history between Phi and Jude personally. This is a mystery that slowly unravels during the course of the book and had me in a complete chokehold.

Seraphina is not known for her soft heart. She’s known for her love them and leave them mentality. But deep down, this is a girl who has some dark scars and even darker secrets. Jude is the quintessential tortured bad boy who I fell for instantly. He lived through hell with his father, and the stain of his family’s last name carriers into his every day. And when his father suddenly dies and suddenly he’s the foster of the Van Doren family, let’s just say things get sticky. And the hate lust between him and Phi certainly doesn’t get better when they’re living under the same roof.

You think you like it rough ’cause a few guys tugged your hair, Van Doren?” I whisper. “You’ll carry my bruises for a goddamn lifetime.”

And did I mention the hate lust? Because oh my god the tension between these two was everything. EVERYTHING.

How long do you think it’ll take before you give in and let me fuck those pretty little lies out of your mouth, sweetheart?”

I loved everything about this book; the characters, the pacing, the mystery, the secrets, the history. All of it was effortlessly and masterfully intwined for an absolutely unputdownable reading experience. And that’s what this book was; an experience.

You’re a goddamn tragedy, Van Doren. But fuck, you’re beautiful.”

I devoured the book in one sitting. I was both rabid for the ending and dreading it because I didn’t want this book to ever end. The story was perfectly paced with a haunting romance full of pain and second chances. And the new generation characters already have me rabid for their books…especially Ezra. If you’re looking for a dark and gritty new adult romance, you simply need to read this one. Full stop.

We’re not made for soft endings. We’re made for catastrophe, for the kind of connection that leaves scars, the kind that haunts you long after the final page is turned.
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Review: Brutal Game by Jo Brenner

October 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL GAME
Series: Kings of Reina University #1
Author: Jo Brenner
Genre: Dark, New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 10, 2024

I tried to get revenge against his team, and now he’s making me pay…

In public, Jack Feldman is king on hockey star, golden god, brother to a billionaire, admired and wanted by everyone.
In private, he’s my ruthless tormentor bent on destroying body, mind, and soul.

When he catches me trying to get justice against his team, he threatens to ruin everything I care about unless I give him whatever he wants.

But what Jack wants is me.

He’s obsessive, possessive, and determined to wreck me.
And as he drags me down to the depths of his depravity, he brings out a part of me that wants to be wrecked by him.

He’s made it clear he owns me and will never let me go. When I fight back, he fights harder. He’s playing a dark and twisted game, but I can’t let him win.

Or his dark obsession will destroy us both.

Brutal Game contains several dark themes that some readers may be sensitive to. For more information, please visit the author’s website at jobrenner dot com.

AMAZON

She’d stolen something from me, something I couldn’t entirely describe. My control? My equilibrium? Something worse? Maybe we were even now, since I was stealing her, but it didn’t matter. She’d pay. Forever, if I had a say.

Now if you know me, you know I love me a good bully romance. When that also happens to combine hockey and morally gray MMCs, stick a fork in me. I’m done.

Admittedly, I haven’t read anything by Jo Brenner yet. But when I saw the blurb to this book, I just knew this would be my first book from her. And having read it, I can tell you that it definitely won’t be my last. What a twisty and spicy number this was!

Aviva is a woman on a mission. She’s a recent transfer to Reina university with one goal in mind, revenge for her brother who was once a rising college hockey star. But when Aviva goes searching for answers and evidence, she lands smack dab in the middle of the crosshairs of the hockey team’s golden boy; Jack Feldman.

Jack won’t let anyone stand in his way of making it to the NFL. And a girl after his team and coach just won’t do. So what’s a guy to do? Blackmail her into being you sex slave, obvie. But all kidding aside, this man was all sorts of unhinged and deranged. So obmiouly I fell immediately head over heels. If you like your fictional men obsessed, you’re going to love Jack. The man will stop at nothing to get Aviva, even if he has to manipulate her into him. And manipulate her he does. But she’s also his willing victim.

I loved Aviva’s fiery temper and backbone almost as I loved watching Jack try to bend her to his will. The chemistry between them was incendiary. I was immediately hooked on this story and these characters. I was also so intrigued by Jack’s best friends and teammates. There are some cameos from characters from previous books (related to Jack) that I will also be checking out immediately.

This was such a fun read and going right up there with my S Massery obsession. If you like mean MMCs with a degradation kink and FMCs that give as good as they get and don’t just take anything lying down (pun intended), you’ll definitely want to check this one out! I can’t wait for more in this series!


Meet Jo Brenner:
A lover of dogs, mountain adventures, and HGTV, Jo Brenner writes romances that are little
bit twisted, a lotta bit sexy—and always have an HEA.

Connect with Jo Brenner:
https://authorjobrenner.carrd.co

 




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Review: Wicked Dreams by S Massery

September 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WICKED DREAMS
Series: Fallen Royals #1
Genre: Bully Romance
Author: S. Massery
Release Date: September 19, 2024

He once swore he’d marry me—but now he’s desperate for my ruin.

Caleb Asher has everything he could ever want. He’s rich, hotter than sin, captain of the hockey team and king of the school.

My return to Emery-Rose Elite derails him.
I am the walking reminder of everything that went wrong in his childhood and mine.

While I long to be invisible, to slip through school unnoticed, he forced the opposite.
He wants my fear, my fight, my pain, all out in the open.

The more I resist, the worse his obsession becomes. He won’t stop until even my dreams are filled with him.

But even royalty have their weaknesses, and Caleb? He’s just been reintroduced to his.
Me.


Author note: this book was previously published, and has since undergone major edits and changes while remaining true to the original story.

AMAZON 

How can he destroy me and make me feel better at the same time? We’re fucked up.

Having had read the original version, I was so excited to see S Massery announce that she will be releasing a revamped version of this story. And oh boy, it hit just as well the second time around, if not better.

Now if you don’t like bully romance, this is not for you, my friend. But if you’re a self professed bully romance addict, you will gobble this one right up. And while I prefer college bully romance, if S Massery writes it, I’ll read it. So a high school bully romance it was.

Also, fair warning, if you don’t like deranged MMCs who hate the heroine as much as he wants her and you especially don’t like teenage drama, this is definitely not for you. But me? Finger licking good. But I digress.

This was a wild ride of a story. We have Margo, who finds herself back in the town she grew up in after a new foster family takes her in. But to say that she’s excited about being back is certainly a stretch. The town comes with memories of everything she lost; her family and her reputation being a few. And the boy who was once her best friend wants to make her pay for something that she doesn’t understand or remember.

She really is like a lost lamb, standing waiting for a predator to devour her. Me. I’m her biggest predator.

Caleb is the king of the campus. He and his best friends rule the school. And I love that Massery switched him from Lacrosse to hockey star in this version. Caleb is determined to make Margo pay for everything she cost him. We just have no idea what it is, and seems like Margo doesn’t either. But Margo doesn’t take any of it sitting down, even when no one but her new friend Riley seem to be on her side. I loved her backbone and tenacity.

The story is crazy and I loved every deranged page of it. The more the layers get peeled back, the more questions I had. And thet cliffhanger? Thank goodness the wait for the next book isn’t long because I need it! 

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Review: Learning Curve by Max Monroe

August 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LEARNING CURVE
Series: Dickson University #1
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Max Monroe
Release Date: August 16, 2024

She’s the virginal cheerleader, and he’s the tortured bad boy. Their worlds are different, but college life at Dickson University brings them together in a passionate, angsty, fiery collision.

Finn Hayes is what girls my age would call “stupid hot.” He’s handsome, has brown eyes that remind me of warm chocolate chip cookies, and a tall, muscular build that makes marble sculptures jealous.

Green flag, right?

Wrong.

He’s also broody, closed off, and so complex that it feels like I need a decoder to crack him.

He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met and fights like he came out of the womb swinging, taking down both my ex-boyfriend and an ex-UFC fighter with ease.

But the underground society at our college known as Double C has nothing on him in the secrets department, and it’s that mysterious edge that keeps me coming back for more.

This is more than the story of how Finn and I fell in love.

This is proof that love has a learning curve. Sometimes you succeed, and sometimes…it destroys you.




Author Note: Learning Curve is a New Adult Romance standalone that is book one in the Dickson University Series. This highly-addictive series will follow the grown-up Billionaire Bad Boy kids and long-lost Winslow siblings as they navigate college life and relationships. Buckle up for all the college drama, romance, spice, angst, and humor. You do not need to have read the Billionaire Bad Boys Series or the Winslow Brothers Collection to read Learning Curve. It is a complete standalone.

AMAZON

Body and soul and mind, I’m so deep in Finn Hayes, I don’t know if I’ll ever dig my way out.

If you know me then you know that I love the drama and angst when it comes to my romance books. So when you see this author’s note:

Imagine… being wrapped up in the comfort of visiting a dear friend while simultaneously being lit on fire while season one of Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill (the most addictive seasons of both shows, in our opinion) and every episode of Friends play at full volume at the same time. But, like, you can concentrate?

You know you’re in for a good time.

If you’ve read Monroe’s Winslow Brothers series, you would really appreciate the connection in this book. But if you haven’t, don’t worry, because this is also a standalone in a new series. It’s also a bit different from Max Monroe’s usual more lighthearted romance with a bit more grit and angst. I didn’t find it to be overly angsty to be honest. It was mostly teenage drama with some grittiness, but I can’t be mad at it because it was definitely entertaining.

Keep in mind that the characters are college freshman so the drama is definitely matching the age, which I enjoyed. This is the bad boy meets good girl trope and I was here for it.

Scottie is a good girl who has been dating her douchebag boyfriend for two years. But then she literally tumbles into Finn’s life and things take an interesting turn. She begins to see that her boyfriend is not good to her and I loved that she wasn’t the cliché virgin heroine who takes her boyfriend’s bs constantly. She stood up for herself and knew her worth, and I loved that about her.

Finn is the quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks that fights their connection because he doesn’t think he’s good enough for Scottie. Their romance is a slow burn full of ups and downs that had moments where I wanted to slap both of them. But it was also quick paced considering the length and I enjoyed their dynamic and their friendship group so much.

I gobbled this up in the span of a day and definitely hooked on the series. Admittedly the last 15% of the book took me a bit off guard and I couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t super necessary to the story considering everything else that has already happened. But in the same breath, it did drive the plot in a direction I enjoyed so again, I wasn’t too mad at it.

I really connected with both Scottie and Finn and while I had some small frustrations they didn’t take away from my enjoyment of their story. It was emotional with some heavy subject matter, and while I didn’t find it super angsty, it definitely brought delicious drama which kept me more than entertained. But when I tell you that I am absolutely FERAL for Blake’s story, I mean this man stole the show for me as a secondary character. I cannot wait for his book!

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Review: The Wildflower by JL Beck

April 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE WILDFLOWER
Series: Oakmount Elite Book 2
Author: JL Beck
Genre: Dark, New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 26, 2024

Lies. Betrayal. Loss.

They’re all I know, see, and feel.

I don’t know what is true, or a lie. I don’t know who to believe or who what is real.

Broken and grieving I find refuge in an unlikely foe.

A man who claims to be my brother, who vows to protect me, and destroy those that hurt me.

But not even he can’t protect me from the nightmare that is Drew Marshall.

Deranged. Psychotic. Immoral.

He broke my heart, and publicly humiliated me. Leaving me shattered and broken when I needed him most.

I should hate him, and I do, but a sick twisted part of me craves him as well.

The harder I fight to escape him, the deeper he digs his claws into me.

They say the truth will set you free, but ours didn’t do that.

It locked us inside the cage, and tossed away the key.

AMAZON

Hard-edged and cutting, or soft and sensual, it doesn’t matter… I’m always his willing victim somehow. His voice ignites the embers of desire deep in my gut.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in book one, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on the conclusion. And it did not disappoint! Because even groveling Drew is still in top form and while he may have caught feelings, he didn’t lose any of his edge.

You want me to take it from you so you don’t have to admit how much you wanted me in the first place, and that’s fine. You can hate me for it, hate me as you come all over my cock, because to me, your hate and love taste the same.”

There is quite a bit that happens in this book and I found myself falling even harder for Sebastian, seeing him as the uber protective older brother. I also really enjoyed Bel’s growth in this book. She went from unassuming and shy to fierce and fiery with a backbone and a mouth to go along with it. It felt like a switch was flipped for her and I was totally here for it.

The story itself was fun, steamy and entertaining. The ending, while I thought I knew what was coming, managed to catch me by surprise, which I really appreciate.

And the set up for the next book? Utterly delicious.

If you read and enjoyed the first book, you’ll definitely appreciate the fiery conclusion. Bel and Drew are incendiary together and while their romance is all kinds of toxic, that’s what I loved most about them.

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Review: Puck Block by SJ Sylvis

April 25, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

PUCK BLOCK
Series: Bexley U #3
Author: SJ Sylvis
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Release Date: April 25, 2024

Ford Collins is my brother’s best friend and Bexley U’s favorite defender on the ice. Unfortunately, he feels the need to block much more than the puck.

Namely, ME and any chance I have with a guy.

Encouraged by my older brother, Ford has ruined every single date I’ve ever had. With his hot smirk and sly maneuvers, he has made it his mission to make me the most unattainable female college student in the world—that is, until I have a brush with death, and I beg him to help me.

After all, he owes me. And I’ve come to collect.

Determined to rid himself of the guilt, Ford promises to help me score a boyfriend—or two—and swears he won’t interfere.

But the more time I spend learning from one of Bexley U’s most desirable playboys, the more I start to question the real reason why he’s been sabotaging my dates over the years.

With the lingering touches, heated stares, and sizzling chemistry between us, we both know we’re playing with fire. What happens when our game of “practice” and Ford’s spicy lessons become something real that we not only need to hide from my older brother, but from each other?

Puck Block is book #3 in the Bexley U series and CAN be read as a standalone in this interconnected series.

AMAZON

because tonight you’re not my best friend’s little sister.” Her wrists are trapped in my hand, and I pin them to the pillow. “Tonight, you’re mine.”

Best friend’s little sister trope is one of my favorites. And when you combine that with a steamy hockey romance? I. Am. PUTTEH.
This was Ford and Taytum’s story, Taytum being Emory’s sister. And when I tell you that Ford was impossible not to fall in love with, I mean I was obsessed with this man.

She has me in the palm of her little hand, and I’m not even sure she knows it.

The way he cares for Taytum and the way he takes care of her even when she fights him tooth and nail on it was perfection. But Taytum took me a minute to warm up to admittedly. While I understood her struggle with the Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, I couldn’t understand her petulant and almost blasé attitude to it at first. She does everything, it seems, to not take it seriously at first. Until a hospital visit forces a much needed dose of reality. And Ford comes to the rescue.

What begins as Ford helping Taytum experience college dating outside of her brother’s strict sheltering, soon turns to something much more. But boy did I love their fumbling through this experience. Taytum is desperate to get out from the shadow of her big brother’s overprotectiveness that has foiled all male interest and dating prospects in high school. She doesn’t want her diabetes to stop her life and she wants to experience going out and getting guys and hooking up. Her brother’s best friend is her unlikely partner in crime. The only problem? The chemistry that just so happens to brew between these two.

Why her? Why now?” I peer over my shoulder at my best friend. “How could there be anyone else when she exists?”

And while I’m not usually a fan of seeing the MCs dating others, it just worked for me here. Yes Tay had some chemistry with a certain secondary character who I hope will get a book later in the series, but it was nothing in comparison to what sizzles between her and Ford. And the more each of them fought it, the more invested I became.

This was a slow burn that had me wanting to shake both Ford and Tay at times, but when it finally happened, WOWZA. It was worth every agonizing minute of the wait. I’m seriously so obsessed with this series and can’t wait for the next book!

 

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her angsty new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and dog.

She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book! 

 

Connect with SJ

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

Goodreads | https://bit.ly/40mP8yW

Amazon | https://amzn.to/40riM5R

Facebook | https://bit.ly/3JT0SUh

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/42pdvhj

Instagram | https://bit.ly/3lvTcOt

TikTok | https://bit.ly/42se4Xv

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Review: Pirate Girls by Penelope Douglas

April 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

PIRATE GIRLS
Series: Hellbent #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: April 12, 2024

She’s the daughter of Jared Trent. He’s the son of Madoc Caruthers…

Kade and Hunter Caruthers.

Brothers. Twins.

My cousins.

In a way, they’re my family. Protective. Indulgent. My best friends. But there was something else there, too. That ever-present whisper that reminded me more as I got older that we didn’t actually share any blood.

They used to be inseparable. We all were, but not anymore. I don’t know why Hunter left or why he joined a rival team in Weston—that Rebel town across the river—to stand on the opposite side of the field from his brother, but Kade is out for blood now and Hunter has finally decided to engage.

Rivalry Week.

Parades. Parties. Pranks.

And the Prisoner Exchange.

Weston will send a hostage to our school, and they’re taking me. I’m Hunter’s for two weeks. In a dilapidated brownstone on a nearly abandoned street with almost no supervision.

Ten days in an enemy school. Fourteen nights in a town full of bullies with no curfews and no rules.

And Hunter has no intention of protecting his little cousin anymore.

The Pirates will come for me. How can they not? A Pirate never sits out on the fun.

But I never needed protection or rescue, because a Pirate never runs, either.

*PIRATE GIRLS is a new adult romance suitable for readers 18+

AMAZON 

 

You were never anyone else’s but mine,” I tell her.

What is it about Penelope Douglas books that always feel like coming home? I loved Falls Boys but I was head over heels with Pirate Girls.

Now if you haven’t read Falls Boys yet, trust me and read it first. This is a series that absolutely must be read in order because while each couple has their own book, there is an overarching story arc that continues throughout the series, much like Penelope’s Devil’s Night series. But better yet, do yourself a favor and read the Fall Away series first. You would appreciate the spinoff that much better. Trust me on this.

So considering that Jared Trent (Bully) and Madoc Caruthers (Rival) were my favorite guys from Fall Away, you better believe I couldn’t wait to get to their kids stories. Watching Jared Trent go through the trials of being a girl dad? Delicious. But I digress.

All Dylan dreams of is following her father’s racing footsteps. But her overprotective father wants none of it. And is it any surprise that Jared’s daughter is just as hard headed as her father and as spirited and tenacious as her mother? I think not. All of her life, she’s loved the Caruthers twins. Kade and Hunter may be identical in looks, but they couldn’t be more different. When Hunter leaves to join a rival school, Dylan doesn’t understand why. She’s been trying to get in touch with him for months, for Hunter to leave her on read. But when Rival week rolls around, suddenly Dylan finds herself as the captive in the game and on Hunter’s new stomping grounds.

This book was THICK but when I tell you I binge read it, I couldn’t stop. The slow burn with Dylan and Hunter was absolutely everything. I love the two of them together. Dylan’s fierceness with Hunter’s sweetness was perfection. I adored Hunter and his heart of gold. He feels everything so deep, including rivalry, revenge, and the love he tries to deny for Dylan. It’s a breath of fresh air to get an MMC who isn’t a f-boy, though his twin will surely make up for that in his book.

I want her in my arms, smiling at me. She’s the place I feel most alive.

I love the combination of sweet and dirty talker. I cannot gush enough about Hunter. He was absolute perfection.

My gaze darts between him and the vibrator. “What are you doing?”
“I owe you a birthday present.” He runs the vibrator under the scalding hot water, and maybe he’s warming it, but he’s definitely sanitizing it. Is he…? My mouth falls open.
“And what are you giving me?”
He turns off the water and uses the towel to dry off the shaft. Then he closes the distance between us. “A really good memory.”

There is an overarching mystery that continues from book one and when the plot thickens, it thickens. And omg does Pen drop a plot twist with this one. My jaw was on the floor reading it.

For those who have read Credence, you’ll appreciate the cameo of Noah in this book and I sincerely hope his book will be part of the series because I need it. But I digress.

If you’re looking for an addictive New Adult romance with multilayered, incredible character, an unputdownable story, and a romance that will own your heart from page one, read this book. Pen’s books are my crack and the sneak peak into the next book? I’m not sure how I’ll survive the wait because I’ve been waiting for this story for years. YEARS. 

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next!

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.

     
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/natasha-knight
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknightromance

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