#NewRelease & Review: ★Rock My Heart★ by @JeanHaus

Rock My Heart 
Author: Jean Haus
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: June 6, 2015
25518962-3

Raised in poverty and violence, Gabe Reed wears a could-care-less attitude like a shield. He expects life to suck. It always has, and he is usually the one to screw it up even more. Drumming for the college band Luminescent Juliet started as a way to release the built up rage inside of him. But when the band signs with a label, Gabe begins to envision a different life. He just needs to stay out of trouble and follow the court orders of his probation.


April Tanner knows most people view her as perfect. From her icy looks to her college four point, she cultivates the persona since it helps keep people at a distance. Because behind her perfection, April constantly struggles with a past that she is trying to atone for but can’t face.

Though Gabe and April seem worlds apart, fate throws them together and forces them to see beyond the fronts they each present. But even an emerging friendship mixed with a growing lust might not be able to overcome the walls built of guilt and insecurity and abuse that stand between them.

This story can be read as a standalone.

*New Adult for language and sexual situations.*

This intensity, this desperation, this is what I want from him. His fierceness send music in my veins, the notes a fast, rhythmic crescendo that exposes his need for me, and drives my need to equal the wildness of his. Together, we’re a flying, building tempo, our sensual energy changing to prestissimo- the fastest tempo- in an instant.

Ever since I was first introduced to this fantastic series a couple years ago, I’ve been waiting for Gabe’s book. Something about the silently brooding and manwhorish drummer has always called to me. And after finishing his book, I gotta say that Jean Haus has definitely saved the best for last. I absolutely loved it!

While you may technically read this book as a standalone, I highly recommend you read the series in order to truly get the appreciation for all the side characters. The author does a fantastic job of giving all the background without making it be redundant for those that have been following the series; but it’s definitely best read as a series. Jean Haus is one of those authors that I wish more readers knew about. Her ability to weave music into her writing always gives an additional layer to her books. It’s actually one of the things I’ve grown to love most about her writing. She doesn’t just write a rockstar romance, she gives you the music element to go along with it.

Gabe Reed is the drummer for Luminescent Juliet. He’s a man of little words and barely contained violence. His less than favorable childhood pretty much assures this…

His band is on the route to true fame, but his position in it isn’t quite as guaranteed. His anger issues and short fuse to violence has given him a record. And although he’s not quite as threatened by Romeo’s girlfriend for the position of a drummer that he had originally lost to her now that she has her own band, he’s still filled with doubt. The last thing he needs is the presence of the ice princess at his court mandated group meetings…

April Tanner isn’t what she appears. Keeping a tight reign on her facade is the only thing that keeps her from coming apart at the seams.

I have issues. Tons of them. Most people do. I’m just far, far better than most at hiding them. The root of my issues, the real reason, the burden I live with every day, will never come out…Not in the future. Just not ever.

While she may understand that the perception of what she seems to be is what causes the look of contempt on Gabe’s face every time he sees her, it doesn’t help her fight her attraction to him any more. When Gabe walks into her group therapy meetings, she’s forced to deal with the tension between them head-on and it’s not long before the spark between them fly.

As different as Gabe and April are, somehow together they make perfect sense. Their road to a relationship is rocky at best and filled with dark secrets and tragic pasts. But it’s also beautiful and emotional. As cold as April comes off on the outside, inside is she’s shattered.

Her friendship with Romeo and ties to the band hurt her as much as they help her for reason that are trickle fed to the reader. She keeps such a tight control on her life and her emotions, and yet at the same time she’s punishing herself for a tragic past and attempting to atone for it.

Gabe has issues of his own. He definitely doesn’t make it easy on April with his assumptions of good girls like her being too good for the likes of him. As much as he fights it, he also can’t help the bond he soon begins to feel for her. When he offers to complete a bucket list from April’s cousin that passed away tragically young is the catalyst for their unlikely relationship.

I have to say that I absolutely loved these two together. As much as neither of them are perfect, together they made perfect sense. Rock My Heart was the perfect combination of emotional and sexy. It’s everything I’ve come to love about NA and wish more books in the genre had. It’s not the typical cliche ridden romance. The characters and their stories have so much depth; and that goes even more so for this book. I absolutely loved it and would recommend for any lovers of NA or rockstar romances.

New Release & Review: ★Rush★ by @GordonGina

 
Author: Gina Gordon
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 12, 2015

In this edgy, sizzling romance for fans of Monica Murphy and Abbi Glines, a bad boy shows a straitlaced law student how to slow down and savor the good things.

Everly Parker is about to graduate from law school, always busy, and can’t stop rushing through life. Her late grandmother left her a bucket list of meaningful, can’t-miss experiences, but she hasn’t completed a single one. Then searing-hot Max Levin bursts into her world. As a casting director for a porn production company, Max is loaded, cocky, and all wrong for Everly. Still, she’s tempted enough to cross the first item off her list: Go out with someone you’d never give the time of day.

Inheriting a porn empire isn’t every guy’s dream (well, actually, it probably is), but Max isn’t complaining. It’s just that until he meets Everly, he has no idea what he’s been missing. As the pressure mounts to take over the family business, Max can’t help wondering what would happen if he chose Everly instead. So far, his life has been a wild ride, but only Everly promises the greatest rush of all: love.

Buy LinksAmazon / B&N / iBooks

Review

4 stars

He might not be the man I should want, but maybe Max Levin was exactly the man I needed.

What a pleasant surprise this book was. If you’re looking at the blurb and thinking this is yet another fluffy book about bad boy meets straitlaced good girl, think again. This story and the characters had so much more depth to them than the cover and blurb leads you to believe. Having loved all of Gina’s Brazen titles, I didn’t think twice before deciding to read this book and what a great decision that was!

She was the exact opposite of what I thought I wanted, but I wanted her anyway.

Everly Parker is the quintessential good girl. She’s as straitlaced as they come. Having grown up in the shadow of her parent’s success and constant pushing for perfection, she doesn’t know how to be any different. She’s pre-law and on her way to follow in her parent’s successful law footsteps. But deep down inside, in a part of her that she rarely listens to, something niggles her. Something that points to unhappiness and to question if law is what she really wants and what makes her happy. Having lost her nan, who was the only lively spirit in her family, she’s a little lost now. Especially since her nan left her one final letter before her passing; a letter that lists all the things that Everly should do. Something that would take her out of her comfort zone and perhaps leads her to the happiness that she truly craves.

Max Levin is the prince to a porn empire. But don’t let that description fool you. While he has the sizzling good looks, the charming personality, and enough money to keep him in designer clothes for years to come, there’s much more to his character. Max is the son to porn royalty. His mother was a famous porn star while behind the scenes she was an amazing mother, friend and wife. I loved the way that she was portrayed. There was nothing wrong with her and she was never ashamed of who she was. His father is the famous producer of one of the most successful porn production companies and Max stands to inherit it all. But while something like this should be every hot blooded man’s wet dream, Max isn’t fulfilled by it. He longs for something…more. And when he meets the beautiful but straitlaced Everly in a coffee shop while interviewing “talent” for his company’s next movie, he knows just what that something is. And when he spots Everly’s list, he knows just how to get it. He volunteers to help her complete it, starting with number 1, going out on a date with him, someone who she wouldn’t normally give the time of day to.

We fell to the bed in a tangle of limbs and I lost myself in her kiss. In her touch. In everything that was real. I didn’t know this strange feeling creeping into my chest, creeping into every part of me, but it rushed through me like a freight train, obliterating everything in its wake- my rules, my senses, and I feared, my heart.

This was so much more about the sex, though. Max and Everly certainly don’t fall into bed together right away or even soon. Gina builds up enough sexual tension to really make it burn, and I for one, loved it. You really get to know both the characters before the sex enters the picture. You get to care for them, understand them and what makes them tick. That’s not to say that these two don’t burn up the sheets together once they finally get together.

She sank down on my cock, and it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. I might be invading her body, but she was invading my soul.

It was absolutely fantastic.

This was so different from anything I’ve read by this author before, and I loved it. I enjoyed everything about it; the story, the secondary characters, the romance. While it wasn’t that unforgettable all encompassing 5 star read, it was the perfect light and steamy and solid 4 star one. I really hope to see a book for Ben next because that set up was absolutely delicious.

If you’re looking for a NA romance that’s full of heat but never lacking on story, you need to check this one out!

#NewRelease & Review: ★The Friend Zone★ by @Kris10Callihan

The Friend Zone (Game On #2)
Author: Kristen Callihan
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 5. 2015

Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.
The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.

Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…
Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.

Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to get himself out of the friend zone and into Ivy’s heart. Game on

Buy Links

 Excerpt

The backs of his fingers skim up my arm, raising goose bumps on my skin. “Nice top.”
Even though it’s thirty degrees out, I chose a black silk tank that hugs my waist but gathers loosely over my breasts. A tie around my neck holds the top secure. That I am braless is not lost on him. He stares at my stiff nipples as his fingers drift to the bow at the back of my neck and give it a little flick. “Take it off.”“W-what?”“Let me see those sweet tits you’ve been teasing me with since you walked in the bar.”“I—” My breath catches. “No. I’m not taking my clothes off for a stranger.”

He doesn’t look away. “But you want to, don’t you? You want me to look at you.” He bends his head until his lips are at my ear. “You’re dying to expose yourself, to let me see those pretty pink nipples.”

My skin draws tight. I struggle not to sway into him.

He leans back, his attention on my top again. “Untie the bow.”

“Someone might come in.” Despite our play, my fear of getting caught is real, though not completely unwelcome.

“They won’t. I took care of it.”

I believe that. Gray would cover all the bases. In his own way, he’s as much of a planner as I am. But I can’t think of him as Gray now, not when he’s doing this for me.

His fingers are back, skimming over my inner arm, teasing the edges of my top. “Just a little peek.”

My breasts ache so badly, they’re hot, heavy, the silk covering them an irritant. With shaking hands, I reach up. The fabric tugs against my neck then comes free. It slithers over my skin like a caress.

He sucks in an audible breath as my breasts are exposed. I see myself through his eyes, sitting half-naked in this dim back room, my nipples puckered, my breasts quivering with each shallow breath I take. The vulnerability of it feels naughty, forbidden, and I nearly whimper.

A noise of pure satisfaction leaves him. Not bothering to lift his gaze from my breasts, he reaches out, runs the tips of his fingers over my nipple. I’m so sensitized now the touch sends a bolt of pure, searing lust straight through me. I flinch, clench my teeth to keep still.

He hums, strokes me back and forth as if he owns me. “So pretty.” He grazes me again.

“You like that, sweetheart?”

Eyes closed, I bite my lower lip and nod.

I feel him move. The wet flat of his tongue drags over my nipple. My eyes fly open on a strangled cry. He grins up at me, his mouth hovering at my breast. It isn’t his usual cheeky grin but something more wicked. “Mmm. Delicious.”

He takes a step closer, and I swallow convulsively. Gray’s voice lowers. “I wonder where else you taste good. You want to show me, sweets?”

I’m practically panting now. My hair swings as I give my head a hard shake. He leans in, trailing the blunt tip of his finger up the curve of my breast. I nearly yelp when he gives the stiff peak a quick, crude pinch.

His smile is pure male smugness. “Lift up your skirt and show me where you’re wet.”

Review5 stars


You are the happiness I never realized I needed.

Have you ever started a book and from just the first few pages known that you have a 5 star on your hands? You know what feeling I’m talking about. The permanent goofy smile, the warm and fuzzies in your stomach, the I’ll-just-read-one-more-page-and-before-you-know-it-you’re-done, book butterflies kind of feeling. That’s exactly what happened to me. Now I loved The Hook Up and I was equal parts dying and dreading this book. Why? Because it’s hard to follow up on a book that you loved. But honest to gawd, I think I loved this one even more. Why?

1. There was Gray

If you love the manwhores but hate about reading all their conquests and about them generally being a giant douchebag for most of the book until they hit their epiphany, well my picky friends, meet your holy grail hero. Gray was absolute perfection from the very start. Well, don’t get me wrong, he’s not perfect perfect. But there were NO other women. None. Not even flirting. But oh was there texting. Which brings me to my next reason.

2. The banter/texting.
Oh. My. Gawd. The texting!

If you don’t have a goofy grin on your face reading each of the texts between Ivy and Gray, we’re not reading the same book. Seriously.

3. Ivy
I loved her. No seriously. I loved her. She was sassy, sharp-witted, 6ft of awkward dancing awesome. I just loved all her quirky imperfections and the fact that she wasn’t your typical dainty tiny heroine.


And, God help me because the truth is Ivy has become a craving in my blood, racing through me hot and thick.

Clearly Gray had no issues with that.

4. The friends-to-lovers trope
Gah. Just gah. I think this may have been my favorite friends to lovers romance I’ve read this year. That slow burn, that sizzling sexual tension. Perfection. I loved that their friendship was what developed first but with a clear underlying of attraction. And if you follow my reviews than you know I love me my slow burn. Why? Because when it finally implodes, it’s bound to be delicious…

And for my curious fellow perverts out there, yes there’s a verra good dose of steam here. I got two words for you: Bar. Scene. You’ll see.

So in case my list of feels wasn’t clear enough, I loved this book. I loved everything about it. Even the little thing that happens towards the end. To me, it fit the story and just added a little more depth to the characters and their romance.

Kristen Callahan hit it out of the ballpark once again. (Get it? Sports metaphor. Ha!) And I absolutely cannot wait for more in this series. Like maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed, Dex? I do love me those lumbersexuals.

Would I recommend this book? Hell yes! Read it, fall in love with the characters, laugh like a loon, and not regret a perfect second of it.

 

New Release & Review: ★The Mistake★ by @ElleKennedy

The Mistake (Off-Campus #2)
Author: Elle Kennedy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release: April 28, 2015

He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.


He absolutely makes me nervous. He’s John fucking Logan, one of the most popular guys at this college. And I’m Grace fucking Ivers, one of thousand of girls who are crushing on him.

You know what I love? A sexy bad boy. Know what I love even more? A good grovel. What else? A sassy and sharp witted heroine that makes the sexy bad boy work for it. So this book? My golden trifecta.

If you’ve read The Deal, then you remember Logan, Garrett’s best friend and roommate and also the poor bastard that manages to get a crush on Garrett’s girlfriend. Seemingly Logan has it all; his choice of girls, a promising hockey future and infamy on campus. But deep down everything is not quite so perfect. His promising hockey future? A mirage that he perpetuates to his friends because of a secret he hides. His pick of girls? Irrelevant because he can’t have the one he wants. But then knocking on the wrong door changes the course of his life when he meets Grace Ivers.

Grace Ivers is an introverted freshman with a mild case of OCD that’s as endearing as she is quirky. Prone to babbling when she gets nervous, I knew just after a few short lines that I’d love her. Her internal dialogue never failed to bring a goofy smile to my face.


I’ve given handjobs before, plus a few blowjobs that I know were a huge success because…well, semen and all that. but I don’t have enough experience to consider myself an expert penis-wrangler or anything.

What starts out as an unlikely friendship quickly turns into something more. Unfortunately before Logan realizes just how perfect Grace is for him he manages to fuck things up so perfectly there may be no fixing it.

I’d say this book is split in two halves; 1. Pre-monumental fuck up and 2. Post-monumental fuck up. And in between those two there’s one deliciously perfect grovel. As much as I liked Grace in the first half of the book, I absolutely loved her in the  second half. She’s a lot more assertive and self-assured in the second half. She really grows into her own and becomes that much more endearing.

To be honest seeing how Logan was crushing on Hannah in the last book and beginning of this one, I was afraid that he’d be “settling” for Grace. But that was never the case, not at all. As a matter of fact, I loved how the author handled that situation. I seriously loved every page of this book. The humor and banter between the guys (and my beloved manwhore Dean) was pure gold.


Just out of curiosity, what constitutes a ‘nice cock shot’? I mean, is it the lighting? The pose?”
“Well, the trick is, you’ve gotta keep the balls out of it.”
“Seriously,” Dean insists. “Balls aren’t photogenic. Women don’t want to see them.”

As for Logan, let’s just say my lust love for Logan never wavered. Well it may have shaken slightly at one point but boy did he make up for it.


Trust me, baby, you’re the only woman I want. The only one who gets me going.”

Everything the man said and did had me feeling all warm and lusty inside.

There was the one “friend” of Grace’s, Ramona, that I wanted to punch in both ovaries and then not-so-gently push her off a bridge because hello twat alert! I was glad to see that Grace wasn’t such a pushover with her later in the book as she was in the beginning, but hopefully Ramona never gets a book. I swear every time I read her name all I could think of was crazy Ramona from Real Housewives and I wanted to reach through my kindle and throttle her.

True story 😉

Aside from that, I really loved this. Logan was absolutely swoon worthy. I loved him and Grace together. I loved him in general. Sure you get another hero with “daddy issues” but I couldn’t find it in me to care.


Belonging. It’s the only way to describe the exquisite rush of sensation that washes over me. His lips BELONG on mine.

If you loved The Deal, I’m almost positive that you’ll love The Mistake. I know that I sure as hell did and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book. I’m hoping it will be my manwhoring Dean. If the set-up in this book is what I think it is then his book is sure to be one verra interesting read.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Crushed★ by @_laurenlayne

Crushed
Author: Lauren Layne
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 14th, 2015
Loveswept: Flirt
Lauren Layne’s latest novel about the healing power of redemption tells the story of a crush gone wickedly wrong, proving that what you want isn’t always what you need.Growing up in New York, Michael St. Claire never expected to spend his twenties wearing cowboy boots. But that was before he learned about his real father, a total stranger with a family in Cedar Grove, Texas. Once in the Lone Star State, Michael meets Kristin Bellamy, who is exquisitely refined and everything Michael always thought he wanted in a woman. The only problem is that Kristin is dating Michael’s new half-brother, Devon.Kristin’s mouthy, curvy sister Chloe has always been in love with Devon Patterson. So when Michael offers to help Chloe break up Devon and Kristin, Chloe agrees to a deal that seems too good to be true. Before long, Chloe finally gets her man, only to make a startling discovery: She no longer wants the guy she had to fight for—she wants the one who stood by her side.

After all he and Chloe have been through, Michael swears he’s damaged goods. Can Chloe convince him that love is worth the risk?

Buy Links
Excerpt

I’ve been in love with Devon Patterson since I was eight.

And I know what you’re thinking . . .

That I didn’t have hormones when I was eight, so it wasn’t real love, or even real attraction.

You’re wrong.

I love him.

And I know he could love me back, if only he’d look at me.

But ya know? I can’t even blame Devon for not seeing me.

It’s probably hard for him to be aware of his surroundings when my Disney Princess sister has her tongue in his mouth.

I mean, why would you want the funny sidekick when you can have the heroine?

And that’s the type of person Kristin is. Or at least thinks she is. She’s the heroine in every story.

Even other people’s.

As if he reads my mind, Devon slowly pulls back from his reunion kiss to join the land of the living where the actual people do not have eyelashes the size of small bats and a waist the size of a toddler’s.

But, actually, it’s not fair to pick only on Kristin for her blinding good looks.

Of the four of us here on this godforsaken tennis court, I’m the only one that’s not outright beautiful.

Take Devon, for example. Blond. Blue-eyed. Chiseled jaw. Tall, but not too tall, muscular but not bulging. Yummy.

As for the new tennis instructor . . . I don’t even know what to make of him.

My first thought? Beefcake. It’s obvious why he was hired, and it’s not because he can make contact with a tennis ball ten times out of ten.

Nope, it’s definitely the way his biceps strain the requisite Cambridge Country Club polo, and the way his tanned skin contrasts perfectly with the crisp white fabric.

That and the sulky bad-boy gaze that I’m pretty sure he’s aware of. Maybe even practiced.

New guy is definitely gorgeous. And Kristin’s definitely noticed.

I shift my gaze to where Devon is tucking a lock of Kristin’s ever-silky hair behind her ear. We both have curly hair, but Kristin’s is the kind that can be blown out into all kinds of satiny shine. Unlike my corkscrews, where each curl is like its own rebellious teenager.

It’s clear which version Devon prefers.

And Beefcake, too, given the way he was practically undressing Kristin with his eyes when he thought she wasn’t looking.

I liked that about him. The way he didn’t let her know he was looking. He was playing games, but by his own rules.

But, anyway, who cares about tennis boy.

Tall, dark, and brooding isn’t my type.

I like them blond, smiley, and kind.

I like them like Devon Patterson.

Did I mention I love him?

Review

3.5 stars

I don’t think it’s about who loves you first. It’s about who loves you best.”

There’s a reason that Lauren Layne has become one of my favorite New Adult authors. There’s just something about her writing and her characters that never fails to reel me in and keep me glued to the pages. It also never fails to give me that warm and fuzzy feelings right in my tummy that I’ve come to adore about New Adult. There’s no insta anything and her characters are far from perfect and watching that progress and develop through the story is the best feeling in the world. I have to admit that I wasn’t too keen on Michael after first meeting him in Isn’t She Lovely. But then right around Broken that changed. My heart hurt for him and I couldn’t wait for the guy that fell in love with his best friend’s girlfriend only to be devastatingly rejected by her in the end to get his HEA.

Michael’s world changed forever right around the time his heart was shattered into a million pieces. First he gets rejected by the girl he’s been in love with for years. A girl that just so happened to be his best friend’s girlfriend at that he cheated with. So in the span of one kiss, he lost the girl AND his best friend. Then his world gets rocked when he finds out that his whole life has been a lie and his father isn’t his father. In the hopes to get to know the man that is his true father, he moves to Texas, but he’s no longer the boy that he was. He’s broody, he’s disenchanted and jaded. He no longer believes in love, but working as a tennis pro for the rich and the bored, he has no problem being the boy toy to the spoiled housewives. But he has ulterior motives to working there. He has his eye on a girl that happens to be his half-brother’s girlfriend. A half-brother that has no idea he exists. And while Michael has his eye on Kristin, the gorgeous and spoiled rich girl, her frumpy sister is in love with Devon.

On a good day I’m curvy. On a bad one, I’m plump.
Most of the days are bad ones.

Chloe is honestly what truly made this book for me. Her ability to laugh at herself and this lighthearted presence she had to her was a breath of fresh air. She’s so fun and quirky and just this girl next door that could be anyone’s best friend. Being the frumpy sister to the perfect skinny one is no easy feat. It’s also twice as hard being in love with her boyfriend for as long as she remembers. But Chloe knows she has no chance. So when Michael offers her a chance to make Devon “notice” her, she may be hesitant at first, but she takes it. What ensues is an unwilling friendship that slowly begins to turn into much more.

Michael might be sick of being “second choice.” But the rejected-woman part of me?
SHE’S tired of being the platonic sidekick.

These two were polar opposites but yet made perfect sense together. And the banter between them? Absolute perfection.

So, what’s the problem?” he asks.
“I just…it’s never like it is in the movies.”
Michael makes a strangled noise and turns toward my nightstand, opening a drawer.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Looking for a gun,” he mutters, before shutting it again. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re one of those girls waiting for the movie kiss?”
I scrunch my nose at his disbelieving face. “They do exist.”

But then somewhere between the personal training and just hanging out together, their plans shift and it begins to turn into something much more.

With Chloe, it’s easy to forget that I’m nobody. Because she makes me feel like somebody.

I loved the slow burn element to the story. It’s truly brilliant when the reader discovers things right along with the characters. Chloe and Michael didn’t lust for each other at first sight, and that was evident. But somewhere along the way their feelings shift, and you get to experience that with them.

It was perfection.

It’s not often that this self proclaimed smut slut enjoyed a story that basically has zero sex this much. But to be honest, anything more would have been plain filler. The one and only scene is filled with so much feeling that it’s satisfying all on it’s own. Immensely so.

Did I also happen to mention the fantastic banter?

…at the lesson, the other day, she was…forward.”
“FORWARD? I swear to God, Beefcake, every now and then you slip in a word that makes me think you’re a nineteenth-century butler.”
“Yeah? You like? What if I slip a British accent in there?”
“Don’t you dare. I’ll swoon. I mean it.”

I adored this book. My only quibble was the somewhat cheesy-ish reunion at the very end, but then at the same time I was hoping for one, so I can’t complain much.

If you’re a fan of New Adult that has a witty heroine, a broody hero, a slow burn romance and incredible writing, this book is simply a must read!

About the Author

Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & #Giveaway: ★Nice Girls Don’t Ride★ by @roniloren

 
 NICE GIRLS DON’T RIDE
Author: Roni Loren
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 21, 2015

Natalie Bourne thinks she has the perfect night planned for her twenty-first birthday. But when her car breaks down and her boyfriend bails on her, she’s left stranded in an auto shop dealing with a way too cocky, way too hot mechanic, who seems to be intent on pushing every button she has.Monroe Hawkins knows he shouldn’t be messing with a girl from the uppity private college. Especially when he can tell she sees him as the help. But he’s having trouble resisting the redhead with the smart mouth and the killer legs. So when Natalie’s night goes from bad to worse, there’s no way he’s letting her spend her birthday alone. He makes her a deal—he’ll take her home but not until the sun comes up.Ten hours, one motorcycle, and the city of Austin at their fingertips…things are about to take a major detour. And soon, there may be no U-turn in sight.

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ExcerptChapter One

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, dear…

I groan and lean back against the guardrail, shielding my eyes from the piercing sunlight. How exactly should I finish that?

Girl who currently smells like sweat and roadkill?

Girl about to go broke paying for this mess?

Girl whose boyfriend will not answer his goddamned phone?

My fingers move over the screen as I text Caleb again. Where r u???

I stare at my phone, willing a response out of it, but the screen goes black before there’s any answering ding. Caleb had warned me that he was going to be cutting it close for our date tonight. And I know his internship at the local campaign office sometimes runs late when they’re prepping for a rally, but he should be out by now.

My fingers move over the screen again. R U secretly Superman in ur off hours? Come on, u can tell me. If ur saving the world, I’ll understand.

Of course, there’s still no response. And now my neck is prickling with not just sweat but anxiety. What if something happened to him? What if he was in an accident? What if—?

I stop myself before the thoughts spiral, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. Cool it, Nat. But that little exercise only gets me a lungful of the dead skunk that’s roasting in the heat a few yards away from me on the side of the highway. Blech. I press my fingers over my mouth, fighting a wave of nausea.

I check the clock on my phone for what seems like the hundredth time. The roadside-assistance lady said they would contact a local garage and get me a tow right away. But it’s been over an hour, and the only cars that have passed by have either ignored me or sent catcalls flying my way. Because, of course, my piece-of-crap car had to break down when I’m all dressed up in a low-cut dress and heels for my birthday dinner. Yay for timing.

One guy had at least offered to help and had seemed nice enough, but I’ve seen how those horror movies end. Girl on the side of the road accepts help from a seemingly harmless stranger, only to have her organs carved out later that night. No, thanks.

A grinding of tires on gravel draws my attention upward. A black tow truck rolls past me on the road and pulls to the side, sending a cloud of dust in its wake. I keep my phone clutched in my hand, quickly check the can of Mace in my purse, and then push off the guardrail. The side of the truck says Billy’s Custom Cycles and Auto Repair. There’s a tattoo-style logo of a motorcycle on fire, and I know that it’s definitely not the name of the repair shop the roadside assistance service gave me. It had been some big chain—AutoPlus or something like that. A little shimmer of nerves goes through me and I stop where I am, my heels sinking into the gravel.

The front door of the tow truck opens and a tattooed arm appears before anything else. For some reason, my eyes lock onto pieces of the man instead of the whole—like I can’t handle the entire view quite yet, only snapshots. That muscular arm as the driver slides out of the truck. The worn black motorcycle boots that hit the ground. I force myself to look up, tracking along the faded jeans and fitted black T-shirt, until I collide with a dark blue gaze.

“Looks like you need a ride.”

The deep voice startles me for a second and snaps me back into the moment like a slingshot. Ping! Pay attention, Nat. Now is not the time to let my guard down. “No, thank you, I don’t. I already have another shop on the way.”

His gaze tracks over my dusty dress, slow and lazy like, before he lifts a dark brow. “How long have you been waiting? It’s pretty hot out here.”

The once-over makes me more than a little self-conscious. He can’t be all that much older than me, early twenties for sure, but something about him is intimidating as hell. “I don’t know. Not long. I’m sure they’ll be here any second.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and eyes my car, which has chosen this moment to start smoking from under the hood—as if it senses help in its midst and is crying out for it. “What shop is coming?”

I brush at the skirt of my dress, trying to give my nervous hands something to do. I don’t want to look worried or scared or show him that I’m melting in this brutal Texas heat. “AutoPlus, AutoMart . . .”

He scowls. “Autoland.”

“That’s it.”

“You might as well set up a tent then. They take forever to get to calls, and they’ll charge you twice as much as we would. Plus, they close at six. They’re just going to tow you in and then lock up for the night.”

“Says the guy who wants to make a buck on a girl stranded on the side of the road.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “Hey, princess, I’m just trying to be a nice guy and get you to your”—he looks me up and down again—“sorority party on time. I get paid the same either way.”

Princess? Sorority party? My eyes narrow and I give him my own head-to-toe look, taking in the messy dark hair, the tattoos, the heavy boots, the finely shaped . . . I snatch the thought back before I can go there. “Look, Son of Anarchy, I appreciate the nice guy offer, but how do I even know you’re legit?”

He snorts. “You think I drive a tow truck around for fun? Call the number on the side of the truck if you want. But otherwise, I’ve got better stuff to do than stand here in the heat, smelling roadkill. Two minutes, princess. I’ll be in the truck. You want a tow and a ride? You get in. If not, good luck with Autoland.”

He turns to go, and I feel a little dart of panic at being left alone again—even if he’s not exactly the company I want. This isn’t the best part of Austin, and the sun is on its way down. “Wait, what’s your name? You know, so I can verify.”

He doesn’t turn around but calls back. “Monroe.”

I dial the number to the shop and, of course, they verify that Monroe works for them and is driving the truck today. The guy on the phone sounds amused by my questions. And his reaction makes me realize that I’m being paranoid, that my nerves are officially frayed, and it’s making me act like a bitch. I thank the guy on the phone, hang up, and take a steadying breath. This is going to be okay. Not everyone is out to take advantage. Some people actually do things to be helpful without ulterior motives.

My mother would laugh her ass off at that logic. Everybody’s got an agenda, Nattie.

I straighten the neckline of my dress, hike my purse up my shoulder, and walk over to the tow truck with as much dignity as I can muster for a sweaty girl in a dusty dress. Monroe hasn’t climbed back into the cab, but is instead leaning against the front bumper and watching the cars zoom by on the overpass up ahead. He doesn’t look my way. “Verified that I’m not a serial killer?”

“Verified that you work for Billy’s. The serial-killer part is yet to be determined.”

He smiles out at the horizon. “Want to check the backseat for weapons or body parts?”

“I have a feeling you’d be too sneaky to leave such obvious evidence lying around. And if you aren’t that clever, I’m going to be seriously disappointed in myself if I fall victim to a dumb serial killer.”

He chuckles and it changes his whole face, warming it. When he turns his head, his blue eyes meet mine and my stomach tightens a little. I do my best not to let my reaction show on my face. Last thing I need is him thinking that I’m interested in him. Because, of course, I’m not. I’m totally not. If there’s an opposite of my type, it’s this guy. And plus, I have Caleb. Cute, smart, on-his-way-to-big-things Caleb.

Caleb, who won’t answer his goddamned phone.

Monroe pushes himself off the bumper. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult, princess, but I’ll take it you’re going to ride with me.”

“Yes. But only because I can’t handle the dead-skunk smell for another minute.”

“I’m preferable to skunk guts? The flattery just rolls off you, doesn’t it?”

The jab lands squarely. I press my fingers to the space between my eyes and rub. “Sorry. I’m really not trying to be a bitch.”

“It just comes natural, then?”

My eyes snap open and I’m ready to hurl an insult back, but I find him wearing a playful grin and clamp my lips shut.

He angles a thumb toward the truck. “Get in . . .”

“Natalie,” I supply.

“Natalie. And kick the A/C on. Getting your car hooked up is gonna take a few minutes. You may want to call someone for a ride, too, because there’s no guarantee we can get this fixed tonight. I’m assuming you have plans.”

I glance down at my outfit, suddenly self-conscious about the sexy getup. It’s not my typical style, but tonight was supposed to be special, and I had wanted to knock Caleb on his butt. He’s been so wrapped up in work and school lately that I’ve felt a little like furniture. So I borrowed my roommate’s dress with its plunging neckline and treated myself to the new risqué lingerie I’m wearing beneath. I’m not exactly Ms. Vixen normally, so Caleb would’ve never seen it coming. Now it’s all a waste.

“I have a date with my boyfriend,” I say to Monroe.

“Right. So, he can pick you up?”

“He’s not answering his phone. But I’m sure I’ll get him soon.”

Monroe makes some noncommittal noise and nods. “I’m going to get to work. You go and cool off. There’s bottled water in the ice chest in the backseat.”

“Thanks.”

Before getting in the truck, I find myself watching Monroe walk back toward my car. He’s easily over six feet tall but doesn’t move in that awkward, hunched way that most of the taller guys on campus move. There’s an easy confidence to him, like he’s fully grown into his body and taken ownership—a man’s walk. My eyes follow him as he pops the hood of my car and leans over. The hem of his shirt lifts as he bends, exposing a strip of tanned, muscular lower back. I find myself wondering what it would feel like beneath my fingers and if he has any more ink hidden under there . . . I force my eyes away.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t have random illicit thoughts about complete strangers. Especially not strangers who have tattoos and call me princess.

I shake my head and pull open the door on the passenger side. Maybe I have heatstroke or something.

I lay my head back against the seat and close my eyes. But all I can see is the image of my new mechanic pulling his shirt all the way off, sweat dripping off him, me putting my hands . . .

I sit straight up.

Yep, definitely heatstroke. Has to be.

Review
3.5 stars

Never have I been so bold. I don’t make first moves. I’ve been the nice girl behind closed doors just like I have been in the rest of my life. But right now, all I want is a whole lot of bad.

I barely bothered to read the blurb when I saw this title. I’m a huge fan of Roni Loren’s, so what the woman writes, I’ll read. This was definitely very different from anything that I’ve read from her in the past. It’s not BDSM or angsty. It’s a light, steamy and quick NA romance that it just perfect for a quick afternoon read. This is not a long book (under 100 pages I think), but it still packs a steamy punch and I loved the story. Typically with short novellas I find it hard to truly get invested in the characters or their romance, but that wasn’t the case here. Sure I wish it was a little longer simply because I enjoyed it, but it was the perfect length for what it was.

Remember, birthdays are like trips to Vegas. Whatever happens doesn’t go on your permanent record.”

So you’re broken down on a deserted road, on your 21st birthday, in suffocating heat. You call a tow truck company but they may take over 2 hours to reach you. You have a fancy restaurant booked for a date with your boyfriend and no way to get there. Oh and your boyfriend is completely unreachable. What’s a girl to do? That’s precisely the predicament that Natalie Bourne finds herself in. But then a tatted up and sexy stranger proves to be her savior and biggest temptation. Natalie is the stereotypical good girl. Her childhood and drunk of a mother ensured that she keep herself in line…a very narrow one. She does what she’s told, she doesn’t make a scene, she dates the nice boys. Basically the exact opposite of the girl that would be interested in the bad boy mechanic that pulls over on the side of the road to help her out.

Monroe Hawkins is not into uptight and rich sorority girls, and Natalie absolutely screams uppity with her appearance. But there’s also something about her that tempts him. As circumstances put them together and Natalie finds her inner bad girl, the attraction between them soon proves too much to ignore.

Because when Monroe braces his arms alongside me and holds my gaze while he moves inside me, I feel like this is bigger than a hookup. This is what sex is supposed to me like. Not just a whole-body experience, but a whole mind one.

Don’t worry, Natalie’s douchebag of a boyfriend isn’t in the picture long and there’s absolutely no cheating or love triangles. This is a super light but steamy read that’s sure to hit the spot for any lovers of NA.

I loved the chemistry between Natalie and Monroe and seeing more and more of Natalie’s true personality coming out with Monroe’s presence. It was fantastic. I read this in one sitting and loved every page. So why not 5 stars? Well, as great as it wasn’t anything that blew me away. It was an entertaining albeit a fairly forgettable read. But definitely one I’d highly recommend.

About the Author

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son.

If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that’s it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Places to find Roni Loren:

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#NewRelease & Review: ★Tool★ by @SabrinaPaigeRom

Tool: A Stepbrother Romance (A Step Brother Romance #2)
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Sabrina Paige
Release Date: April 7, 2015
I call him “Tool” because he’s a dick.Gaige O’Neal is nicknamed “Tool” because of what he’s packing. Rumor is, he’s well equipped.I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had the pleasure.

He’s a cocky, entitled, insufferable a**hole who’s as reckless with women as he is with that stupid motorcycle he races.

He’s also my stepbrother. Lucky me.

It’s been four years since I’ve seen him. Four years since he’s made me so frustrated I could scream. Four years since he’s given me that look, the one that makes me instantly wet.

So it’s just f**ing fitting that the first time I see him in four years, he’s buried beneath three scantily clad blondes.

Now I’m stuck here under the same roof with him while he recovers from a racing injury. An injury that clearly hasn’t affected the use of his tool.

The problem is, as much as I despise him, I just can’t help myself. I want to find out what kind of tool he’s working with.

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Review
4 stars

 

Motorcycle racer, womanizer, asshole extraordinaire. Four years ago, he was the bane of my existence. And my best friend, my confidant, my first love.
My stepbrother.

So here’s the deal, I’m not a fan of the stepbrother romance thing…at least I don’t go seeking it out. I like the taboo as much as the next pervert reader, but the stepbrother thing doesn’t really do it for me. That is, unless Sabrina Paige writes it. A few months ago I read Prick, my first book by her, and I was absolutely hooked. After finishing Tool, I can tell you that this is just one of those guilty pleasures authors for me. Her books are super smutty but with a great story too. Because let’s be honest, even us perverts romance connoisseurs want a story to go with our smut.

If you haven’t yet read Prick, I highly recommend you get right on that. Pun most definitely intended. But if you haven’t, no worries, because you can very easily read Tool as a standalone. Now onto the review…

Gaige O’Neal is nicknamed “Tool”. A very appropriate nickname too, considering what he’s packing if you catch my drift. And if you’re slow on the uptake, the man has a giant

OK? Great! moving on.

Delaney has spent four years away at college. Mainly she took the opportunity to run from her feelings for her exasperatingly sexy stepbrother. But now she’s back and looking to start working at her father’s company, which also lands her on babysitting ‘handling’ duty with her stepbrother, a professional motorcycle racer. She gets to travel with him to Japan to negotiate the company’s sponsorship deal. Too bad that all those feelings she ran from four years ago have not gone away in the least and Gaige is just as determined to get in her pants now as he was then.


I didn’t come back here to restart something with you, Gaige.”
“You and I are the fucking definition of unfinished.”

Now being a HUGE lover of the hate/lust thing, I gobbled this book right up. Delaney and Gaige are absolutely sizzling together. The snark, the banter, the sexual tension. Gaige is a cocky asshole and Delaney is a good girl with no small amount of sass. The sexual tension between them practically sizzles. I thought my ovaries would just about explode until they finally got together. It hurt, I tells ya. But in the most delicious of ways. Now a good 50% of this book is super hawt sex.

And you sure as hell won’t find me complaining. A lot of times I find that a lot of sex can dilute the story, but that wasn’t the case here. While it was super hot and smutty, I was always engaged in the story too.


Manwhore- check. Past history with him- check. Professional relationship- check. Stepbrother- double fucking check.

It was fantastically smutty!

If you’re looking for a super hot read and haven’t read anything by this author yet, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for. Trust me, your ovaries will thank me 😉

Don’t miss the first book in the series!

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★A Perfect Ten★ by @lindakage

A Perfect Ten
Author: Linda Kage
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: March 30th, 2015
Self-Published

Let your hair down, Caroline, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.I know I’ve closed myself off in a major way in the past year, ever since “the incident” where I messed up my life completely. It’s past time I try to live again or just give up completely. But this is quite possibly the craziest thing I’ve ever done. In a last ditch effort to invigorate myself, I’m standing outside Oren Tenning’s bedroom, I just peeled off the sexiest pair of underwear I own, and my hand is already raised to knock.

My brother would disown me for doing anything with his best friend, and he’d probably kill Oren. But if I play my cards right, no one will ever know about this. Not even Ten.

Maybe after tonight, I’ll finally get over this stupid, irrational crush I hate having on the biggest jerk I’ve ever met. Or maybe I’ll just end up falling for him even harder. Maybe I’ll discover there’s so much more to my crude, carefree hunk than meets the eye.

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Excerpt
She was Noel Gamble’s one and only sister; I could not fuck her. No matter what.
Ergo, I needed to take drastic measures to keep her at arm’s length. I needed to…okay, fine. Fuck. I just needed to be me. Not really so drastic once you think about it, even though it probably seemed that way to her.
So I let her have the full intensity of Ten. I stopped watching what I said when she was around, and I let all my base, disgusting thoughts bleed out of my mouth like I usually did. I stopped smiling at her, stopped paying her special attention with little courteous things like holding doors open for her or asking her how her day went. I completely stopped being a nice guy. I backed off and pretty much ignored her, unless I could think up something crude to say in her direction. I made sure to chase other women when she was around. And I felt like shit every night I lay in bed, unable to get to sleep, because I’d relive every awful thing I’d done to her that day.
No matter how deeply my actions ate at me, though, it didn’t stop me from making her hate me and killing any soft feelings she’d ever had for me.
It should’ve been easy to accomplish. Everyone who knows me knows how fast I can piss off a woman.
But nothing about Caroline has ever been easy.
That’s the curious thing about temptation. It festers and grows. You feed that bitch enough and she morphs into craving, and then craving turns into obsession. Pretty soon, nothing in your life is as important as that one thing you want but can’t have.
I wanted her and I couldn’t have her, so I fed the temptation, I flooded the craving, I would’ve fucking nursed the obsession from my own tits if I could’ve. I made sure I got little doses of her here and there. Except something incredibly enlightening happens when you spend enough time in one woman’s company. You start noticing shit about her, little useless shit that actually begins to mean everything, like how she brushes the hair out her face—even if there isn’t any in her eyes—whenever she’s unsettled, or how she chews on the end of a pen during class whenever she’s listening to something that captivates her attention. You learn all her different laughs and know what each one means. You learn what pisses her off the most, or what makes her the happiest. You discover how smart and witty and sarcastic she is, and that her mind is almost as dirty as yours. You see how passionate she becomes when she defends those she loves, and you start to fall. Hard.
So, this is my Pathetic Loser’s confession: I am Oren Tenning and I have fallen. Hard.

Review

5 stars

So this is my Pathetic Loser’s confession: I am Oren Tenning, and I have fallen. Hard.

Have you ever started a series and fallen so hard for a secondary character you were equal parts itching to finally get your hands on their book and dreading it at the same time? Dreading it because after 3 books of building his story up in your head, there is no possible way the author can do him justice. That is, unless that author is the brilliant Linda Kage. Because OH MY GOD. I loved this book so hard, I don’t even have the words. When Oren Tenning first came on the scene as Noel’s loud mouthed and manwhoring best friend in To Professor, with Love I just knew his story had to be a good one, especially when you could practically see the fireworks go off the first time he laid his eyes on Noel’s younger sister…Noel’s very VERY hands off sister.

Didn’t he know that forbidding me only made me want to crowd in as close as I could until I was fucking INSIDE her?

Book by book Linda built him up to our hearts, where finally in With Every Heartbeat he truly shined for everything that he truly is. Where early in the series you just get to scrape the surface of everything that is Ten, seeing the way he was with Quinn and Zoey you truly get to see the heart beneath his manwhoring and potty mouthed ways. And oh, be still my beating heart.
Caroline has been lusting after Oren for months. After having her young girl heart crushed by a man that cared nothing for her, she moves in with her brother and his now wife. But unfortunately her relationship past has turned Noel into an overprotective ogre, especially when it comes to warning off his best friend. Too bad that no matter how many times Noel tells her and no matter how many times she’s slapped in the face with who Oren is, Caroline can’t turn her feelings off…

My stupid, idiotic heart that had no sense of decency or self-preservation whatsoever. Seriously, what kind of heart fell for an annoying, obnoxious, loud-mouthed male-slut?

Can I just say how much I loved the humorous banter in this book? Because it was just filled with it. Between Ten’s smart mouth, and Caroline and Zoey, and all the other fantastic secondary characters, I think I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time reading this.

I can’t text him saying, ‘Your dick is now mine. Get it near any other woman, and I’ll physically remove it from you and keep it in a jar by my bedside.’ That would sound a bit creepy.”
“Actually, I was thinking it sounded A LOT creepy.

But of course at the center of everything was Ten and Coraline. If ever there were 2 people that couldn’t be more perfect for each other, it’s these two. They just fit. I don’t know else to better describe it. Their chemistry together was just through the roof. And speaking of chemistry, this may just be THE hottest book Linda Kage has written yet. I thought my Kindle may catch fire through certain parts because let me just say that Oren has quite the mouth on him…

What the fuck have you done to me, Caroline?

I never wanted this book to end. I honestly can’t tell you one thing about it I didn’t absolutely love. It was funny, it was sexy, it was os so addictingly good.
I adored Ten. Who would have guessed that the dirty mouthed manwhore would have such a heart of gold. Gah! I’m in total gush mode here.

Why couldn’t I stay away from you?” he demanded with another long, slow thrust. “Why can’t I get enough of you?” Thrust. “Why do I want to own every fucking piece of you?” Thrust.

As much as I never wanted it to end, I absolutely LOVED the epilogue. What a perfect conclusion to the series. I absolutely cannot wait to see what Linda has in store with us next, and hopefully Asher will be getting his turn soon because the little peak we get of his story in this book sounded absolutely delicious.
About the Author

Linda grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now she lives in Kansas with her husband, daughter, and nine cuckoo clocks. Her life’s been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing’s always been a major part of her world, and she is so happy to finally share some of her stories with other romance lovers.

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$25 Amazon Gift card, 1 Print copy of A PERFECT TEN, or 5 digital copies of A PERFECT TEN

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★If★ by N.G. Jones

Title: If

Author: N.G. Jones
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: March 16, 2015
goodreads

If CoverIf…
Someone hadn’t scarred my face.
I hadn’t followed my dreams to LA.
That tweaker hadn’t attacked that homeless guy.
I hadn’t invited a stranger over for Thanksgiving.
I hadn’t fallen in love.If I hadn’t lost him.
——
If…
I hadn’t gone for that drive.
I saw the world like everyone else.
My “genius” wasn’t slowly destroying me.
I had just walked away before I could ever know her.
She hadn’t ignited the spark.

If the spark didn’t ignite the madness.

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Review

3.5 stars

Most people’s souls hide inside of their minds and bodies, but Bird is inside out. Her dancing, with the sweeping transparent ribbons of color that followed, was the embodiment of a divine gift. Her dancing was the closest I could get to heaven without dying.

With Debt being the only other book I’ve read by this author, this book couldn’t be more different. So if you’re going into this expecting a mindfuck or steam, think again. It’s neither of those. It’s an emotional and touching story about two broken souls finding some solace in each other. If truly showcased Nina’s range as an author for being to give her readers stories that are so different from one another. If is a book unlike any other I’ve read lately, and kudos to the author for broaching a subject that isn’t touched on enough in the romance genre and not only doing it well but truly bringing some light to something that mainly gets glossed over.

Bird was tempting a live wire and she didn’t know it. She stood there, her finger on the switch, without even knowing how close she has come every time we met. She’s tempting me…she’s triggering me…

Bird is a talented young dancer trying to chase her dreams of becoming professional after moving away from her family home and parents that wanted her to have a more suitable career. While her skill as a dancer is unquestionable, her facial scarring prevents her from landing any starring role. It’s truly a source of shame for her and something that she has a difficult time living with….the stares, the whispers, the pity. All she wants is to dance and all she needs is a chance…

Ash is a talented young artist that has given up on his dreams and barely keeping his head above water. Leaving behind his career after a terrible tragedy, he lives on the streets and has long since forgotten about his aspirating in the art world. He just wants to disappear. But in the shadows of his street corner, there’s a woman whose colorful aura that calls to him and draws his eye like a magnet. He’s perfectly content to just watch her, until a night where the brave girl stands up for him while he’s being attacked by a tweaker and he’s forced to come out of his shadows to save her life.

I knew no one, not even Jordan could understand what Ash and I had going on. People only saw us on the outside. My scars, his situation. We saw each other inside out.

Bird and Ash form an unconventional friendship from that day forward. Ash paints her while Bird dances for him, and their presence seems to soothe the other. But Ash is hiding a secret; a secret about who he is and his past, that just may cost them everything.

You don’t want me, Bird. You want the idea of me. The quiet artist. The guy who saved you, painted you. But I am a mystery you don’t want to solve. I am a question you don’t want to answer. It was simpler when it was just you dancing, and me painting.

This is a slow paced love story about two very unique individuals. I really appreciated how different this was from anything else I’ve read lately. But at the same time, there was also something missing for me to really make this the captivating read that it could have been. Maybe the fact that (view spoiler)[Bird’s scarring is never explained. She doesn’t know who gave them to her or how she got it. (hide spoiler)] I understand that it may have done that way on purpose, but I think having a WHY or WHO to it really would have helped me connect to her more as a character. There was also an event at the very end that seemed to be really unnecessary for the story and was just too much. The book is already emotional enough on it’s own, and that particular event didn’t seem necessary for the plot or the characters. It was incredibly sad but empty. I really don’t understand WHY it needed to happen since it just completely came out of the blue for me.

I did enjoy the story as a whole and the unique situations of both the characters. I didn’t even find myself missing the steam since the emotions of it all were perfectly enough on their own, the steam never felt missing. If you’re looking for something different from your everyday romance that you find lately, definitely give this one a try. I don’t think you’d be disappointed.

About the Author
Nina

Nina G. Jones is the author of the bestselling novel DEBT, the Strapped Series and the erotic romance, Gorgeous Rotten Scoundrel. She wants to say something clever here, but all her good material goes into her characters.

Nina currently resides in Milwaukee, WI with her husband and two crazy Boxers.

Her first new adult romance, If, releases on March 16th, 2015 under the moniker N.G. Jones.

Nina LOVES connecting with readers. You can connect with her via Facebook, Twitter, or email her through her website, NinaGJones.com.

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Review: ★With Every Heartbeat★ by Linda Kage

With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men #4)
Author: Linda Kage
Genre: New Adult Romance
Length: 408 pages
Release Date: March 2, 2015

I used to think everything was black and white, truth or lie, easy or hard, that if I could just escape my strict, overbearing, abusive father, my life would be perfect. But since I’ve found a reason to risk his wrath and leave, to help a friend in need, I’ve come to realize everything I thought I knew is wrong.Friends have their own agenda, honesty comes with a dosage of lie, easy doesn’t even exist, keeping secrets sucks, and love…love is the most painful thing of all.Maybe if Quinn Hamilton hadn’t asked me to skip classes for the day and help him pick out an engagement ring for my best friend, I wouldn’t have fallen for him so completely on that sunny Tuesday afternoon and I wouldn’t feel so conflicted. But I did, and I can’t take it back, no matter how hard I try. So I have to deal with the fact that even I’m not as good, or honest, or caring as I’d always thought I was, and no matter what I do next, someone’s going to get hurt. Probably me.

-Zoey Blakeland

*Don’t worry! The hero and heroine are not cheaters.*

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Review
3 stars

We came together, and it was the biggest biology lesson of my life.


Have you ever read a book where you absolutely adored the hero, found the heroine incredibly endearing, loved the story, and yet…you hated a side character so much that it completely overshadowed most of the enjoyment you got from the book? That is exactly what happened to me here. I’ve been impatiently waiting for shy Quinn to get his book especially after his heroic actions in Be My Hero. I’ve adored him for 2 books straight as a side character and couldn’t wait for him to get his HEA and just hoped that the heroine would be deserving of everything that he is. Was Zoey that? Oh absolutely!

Usually sheltered, super shy, and introverted heroines are not my thing. But in the case of Zoey, you couldn’t help but not like her. Scratch that, I absolutely loved her character. This is a young girl that didn’t have an easy life. She had a domineering, extremely abusive and controlling father that she was finally able to escape when she started college. While she may have been shy and naive, she was so sweet and the way she cared for others around her endeared you to her so completely. You also couldn’t help but draw the parallels between her and Quinn and think how perfect they would be together. Unfortunately here my friends, is where the book took a very rapid decline for me; Cora.

To say that I hated her would be a gross understatement. I have never in my life wanted a side character to be killed off more than this vapid and sociopathic person. She drove me up the wall crazy. And just as I’d think she couldn’t be any worse, she’d go and do or say something that would leave me ripping my hair out and screaming at the ceiling.

I was curious to see how Linda Kage would make the relationship between Zoey and Quinn play out considering that Quinn is dating Cora for a large part of the book. Luckily, I was very satisfied with how this was handled. Well…aside from one particular part where Quinn decided that (Highlight to view spoiler)[it would be a good idea to ask Zoey to go ring shopping considering the feelings that he knows are brewing between them](end spoiler) . But I suppose he played ignorant or was just too naive to know better? I’m not sure.

My heart went out for Quinn in this book and everything that he’s been through. I never questioned what he would see in someone like Cora because given his inexperience and age you can see how he would get attached and turn a blind eye to all her faults. And oh dear gawd were there faults! SO MANY FAULTS!!!

But I digress.

My one big saving grace and comedic relief in all of this was Ten. Thank goodness for Ten and everything that he is. If I loved him in all the previous books, I absolutely fell head over heels for him in this one. There was one shower scene in particular that had me in tears from laughing so hard. Sigh. I just loved him so much.

But unfortunately, I found the parts with Cora to just last too long. Sadly, that also made the book feel dragged out for me and caused me to get frustrated even more. But really Cora,

There was also just a little too much drama packed into the end for me too. Between Cora, and then a continuation of Noel’s drama, and Zoey’s revelation I found myself finding it way too much. While I can’t say it was OTT, I think that the extremity of Cora would have been more than enough.
The love story was wonderful, and I loved the additional bits of Coraline and Ten’s story. I cannot freaking wait to read their book. Sadly, when something begins to bother me as much as Cora did, I tend to zero in on that and it will take away from everything else. However, if you’re a reader that can overlook something like that, perhaps you wouldn’t feel quite as extreme as I did.

I still adore Linda Kage’s writing, and I love this series, so I’m really looking forward to reading Ten’s book next and getting a little bit more of Quinn and Zoey hopefully.


With every beat of my heart, I am yours, Zoey Alaina Blakeland.


Don’t miss the rest of the FORBIDDEN MEN

Price of a Kiss (Forbidden Men #1)
To Professor, with Love (Forbidden Men #2)
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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