#DGRFave & Review: The Mindf*ck Series by S.T. Abby

THE MINDF*CK SERIES
Series:
The Minds*ck Series (entire collection)
Genre: Dark, Romantic Suspense
Author: S.T. Abby
Release Date: November 29, 2016

They took too much.
Left too little.
I had nothing to lose…until him.
*****************
~Lana~
I didn’t expect him.
I didn’t want to fall in love.
But I can’t let him go.
Logan Bennett makes the world a safer place.
He’s brilliant.
He’s a hero.
He locks away the sick and depraved.
But while he’s saving lives, I’m taking them. Collecting the debts that are owed to me.
Ten years ago, they took from me. They left me for dead.
They should have made sure I stayed dead.
Now I’m taking from them.
One name at a time.
I’ve trained for too long.
I’ve been patient.
I can’t stop now.
Revenge is best served cold…
They never see me coming, until I paint their walls red.
Logan doesn’t know how they hurt me. He doesn’t know about the screams they ignored. He doesn’t know how twisted that town really is.
He just knows people are dying.
He doesn’t know he’s in love with their killer.
No one suspects a dead girl.
And Logan doesn’t suspect the girl in his bed.
They’re looking for a monster.
Not a girl who loves red.
Not a girl in love.
I’m a faceless nightmare.
At least until I tell them the story they’ve pretended never happened.
But in the end, will Logan choose them? Or will we watch them burn together?
**Graphic
**Adult language
**Some triggers could be too much for the easily disturbed reader
**Sexual content
**Fucked up moral compass; read at your own risk.

AMAZON

It’s all cloak and dagger right now. That’s what happens when you’re a serial killer dating a FBI profiler who hunts serial killers.

Have you ever had someone recommend a book to you and think, there’s no way this is as good as they say it is? No? Just me, then? Because I wear the cone of shame for letting the covers to these books sway me for entirely too long. Considering how much hype this story gets, you’d think that may sway me? But nope. I’m leery of surer popular books because I’m so tired of them not living up to their promise for me. But after losing the entirety of my day to binge reading this entire series in a day, I will tell you that I’m not seriously kicking my own ass for not believing what everyone was trying to beat me over the head with. This book doesn’t just live up to the hype, it blows it out of the water.

There’s a certain high you get from fooling the world into thinking you’re the lamb instead of the rabid wolf.

First of all, if you look at my shelf, you’ll see I’ve read a lot of romance, and dark is where it’s at for me. So please take that into consideration when I tell you that Lana Myers is easily my favorite FMC I have read. Ever. Period. No competition.

I’m a 5’4 package of vengeance that no one sees coming.

I was completely sucked into this story from the very first chapter. And after I finished the first book?

Oh.
My
GOD
Are you kidding me?

A female serial killer with a vendetta she’s plotted for years falls for an FBI profiler who hunts serial killers and is actively investigating her victims? Yes, please, and thank you. This is like the sexy love child of Criminal Minds and Dexter and I was so here for it, it physically hurt to put the book down for anything. Like I will now refer to things as life before Minfuck and Life After Mindfuck, because this story changed me. I don’t think I’ll stop thinking about it for years to come.

It’s one thing for the burn the world down if you hurt her trope, but when it’s reversed and she’ll burn the world down for him? GAH. And don’t get me wrong, Logan is no beta. This is a man who crackles with intense energy himself. But what made this book for me is not even the romance, which was absolutely epic. No. It was the actual plot. The mystery of Lana’s past that slowly gets unraveled with each book. The flashbacks of a night ten years ago that unequivocally changed the entire course of her life. And with every new kill she makes, more of those details become unraveled to paint a grizzly tale that’s full of corruption, evil, and revenge.

This is not your typical morally gray character. Lana is not an anti-heroine in my opinion. This is a woman who takes justice into her own hands knowing that the legal system won’t. And she’s who I want to be when I grow up. *dreamy sigh*

But I digress. I can talk about the brilliance of the plotting, the story telling, the clues hidden in plain sight, and the clues that get unveiled in time. I can talk about the incredible romance. I can talk about the friendship between Lana and Jake and all the amazing secondary characters like Hadley and Leonard, but I won’t. You need to discover it for yourself.

So if you’re an idiot who like me left this book skate right under your radar, get your life together immediately and read it. You can thank me after.

Review: The Night Blossoms by Leylah Attar

THE NIGHT BLOSSOMS
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Author: Leylah Attar
Release Date:
July 28, 2022

 

New York Times bestselling author Leylah Attar returns with a page-turning romantic suspense/thriller that careens down an emotional highway toward a chilling finale. Dark, thrilling, and ingeniously unpredictable.


“Do you ever really know someone, or do you just know the parts they want you to see?”

When her husband goes missing after a heated argument, Vee Roza finds herself caught in a dangerous web of deceit.

Not only must Vee clear her name and uncover the truth about Rafael, but also survive a high-risk pregnancy while guarding secrets of her own.

Is Rafael’s disappearance the ultimate betrayal or the ultimate sacrifice?

A full-length standalone based on a supporting character from the New York Times bestseller, The Paper Swan.

AMAZON

Memories had teeth, and sometimes they took a big chunk out of you.

Years ago, I read The Paper Swan and fell in love with Leylah Attar’s words. When I saw she’ll be releasing another standalone in this world, to say I was giddy with excitement is an understatement. I was desperate for this book.

Now if you’re expecting a book in the same vein of Paper Swan, this isn’t it. While it has dark undertones, it felt all encompassing for a completely different reason. This is a romantic thriller with a mystery that has you questioning your sanity, gripped to the pages, and not knowing up from down. It’s a suspense that leaves you with your heart in your throat, an erratic pulse, and desperately turning the pages to figure out how it all ends. And when the end comes? You’re left absolutely reeling.

Leylah Attar masterfully crafted a page turner of a thriller full of twists and turns you never see coming and a love that spans years. It jumps between past and present, giving you morsel by morsel of details. It’s perfectly paced and it’s incredibly written in a way where it gives you not enough and yet just enough. It was sucked me in from beginning to end.

If you’ve read The Paper Swan, you’ll remember Rafael. And if you haven’t, I highly recommend you do. Interestingly enough, where the Paper Swan felt all encompassing for the romance, The Night Blossom felt all encompassing for the mystery. As much as I loved both Rafael and Vee as individual characters, their romance didn’t fully reel me in. I loved it, don’t get me wrong, but it also didn’t feel like the romance is what took center stage. Which is funny to say, because the romance was there. I think for me, I just didn’t feel that same gravitational pull to the romance as I did the story itself, if that even makes sense.

Did I love it? Absolutely. Will it stay with me? Without a doubt. Do you need to read it? Right now! My one recommendation? Do yourself a favor and go in absolutely blind!

Leylah Attar is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. A recipient of the Writer’s Digest Award (for Moti on the Water) and the Indie Reader Discovery Award (for Mists of The Serengeti), Leylah writes unique, emotionally compelling stories that range from rom-com to dark romantic suspense.

 

Connect with Leylah

Website: https://www.leylahattar.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8126161.Leylah_Attar
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Review: Beyond My Darkness by RC Boldt

BEYOND MY DARKNESS
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: RC Boldt
Release Date: July 12,  2022

USA Today bestselling author RC Boldt delivers a seductively unique romantic suspense with a paranormal twist in Beyond My Darkness…

Twelve years ago, I fled, vowing to never again use my power. But everything changes when I break that vow and bring two bodies back to life in the morgue.

It sends me spinning directly into his orbit.

Arrogant. Menacing. Enigmatic. That’s Bronson Cortez, the notoriously violent gang leader who remains elusive to authorities.

He breaks the law at every turn and answers to no one. But when he offers me an alluring glimpse of what lies beneath that iron-clad exterior, I realize there’s more to him than meets the eye.

The man who fiercely guards his heart somehow manages to claim mine.

But he doesn’t know the truth about me.

I wonder if he could be the first to accept me for who I am—what I am.

I wonder if he’ll be the first to see beyond my darkness.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

I’m prepared to rain down hell on anyone who tries to hurt her.

It’s official: I’m addicted to RC Boldt’s romantic suspense. Her stories are pure book crack, full of action, mystery, and incredible multilayered characters. But this book? Well, this book may have been my favorite of hers to date.

I do want a nice guy.”
“Yeah?” There’s a hard edge to his voice that sends unease tiptoeing along my spine. “I can be nice.” He dusts his lips over mine in the barest caress, and I know when he says the word nice, his meaning differs greatly from mine. “I can be real nice.”

This, while in a similar vein to her romantic suspense, packed a paranormal gritty edge. It was unique and completely unputdownable.

If you like anti heroes, prepare to fall fast and hard for Bronson Cortez. This is a dangerous man with blood on his hands, but with a heart of gold. He’s a man that does bad things to protect his community and his people. And he’s a man with a lethal reputation that is justly earned.

Georgia Danvers is a medical examiner with a dark secret. She’s a woman with a painfully dark past and a secret that haunts her present. Her job in the morgue is where she feels most comfortable. People are complex, but the dead aren’t, and she loves what she does. But Georgia carries a dark secret that could cost her everything like it once almost did. When a body that ends up in her morgue sends her in the path of the town’s most dangerous man, she doesn’t try to overthink it. She just needs to give him a message and move on. But you know what they say about best intentions?

Bronson and Georgia together were absolutely incendiary. The chemistry between them is just as fiery as it is dangerous. These two were INTENSE. But nothing was more intense than Bronson. God but this man had me by the throat in the best possible way. He practically oozed danger and crackled with electricity off the pages. I couldn’t get enough of him. And while Georgia is a little awkward and quirky, she’s not a pushover. This is a woman full of sass and passion. She’s a woman that gives as hard as she gets, and doesn’t let Bronson steamroll her. There’s just this endearing quality to her that I couldn’t get enough of.

Now this isn’t your typical romantic suspense, and I personally loved the paranormal element to this. I was glued to the pages from beginning to end and devoured it in one sitting. And when I saw that Bronson’s friend is getting a book next? Beyond excited.

If you’re looking for something unique and addictive, you need this book in your life.

RC Boldt is a USA Today bestselling author currently living in part of the Costa Rican jungle with the love of her life and her mini-me.

If you’re in the mood for some killer mojitos or can’t recall the lyrics to a particular 80s song, she’s your girl.

Connect with RC Boldt 

Website: http://www.rcboldtbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14543027.R_C_Boldt

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Kq1H9C

Facebook: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtFB

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BBBReaders/

Instagram: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtIG

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtBB

Verve: https://bit.ly/3jEf18z

Review: Black Heart by Lynn Raye Harris

BLACK HEART
Series:
Black’s Bandits #5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Lynn Raye Harris
Release Date:
January 25, 2022

He’s untouchable. Unbreakable.
She plans to destroy him.


Former CIA agent Ian Black has done terrible deeds. Sacrificed his honor and reputation for God and country. He’s a fighter and a survivor. His mission is to rid the world of scumbags who prey on innocent people.

No price is too high, and no one crosses him. Not for long, anyway.

But then Natasha Oliver walks in, threatening to expose the one thing Ian thought dead and buried: his heart.

Natasha’s innocence was ripped away years ago when she was thrown into prison for crimes her parents committed. Now, as the assassin Calypso, she intends to hunt down those responsible for what happened to her.

Including Ian Black. Getting involved with him is madness, but she made a vow – and she will do whatever it takes to keep it.

Until she discovers that the line between hate and love often stands on a razor’s edge…

**Start reading the Black’s Bandits Series today and enjoy an action-packed, seriously romantic and steamy-good-fun military romantic suspense. Each book can be read as a standalone. No cliffhangers or cheating and a guaranteed happily-ever-after ending!

AMAZON  | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

Ian Black was an addiction. A dark, dangerous addiction that would get her killed if she didn’t escape. Except she didn’t want to escape. She wanted to stay.

I have been waiting YEARS for this book. YEARS! The second Ian Black appeared on the pages of HOT as a secondary character, he completely stole the show. I was desperate for every morsel of information on this enigma of a man. And the second we meet Natasha in Black List, I knew I needed her story desperately. After all, does it get any better than a redemption book for a female baddy? I think not.

Now I highly recommend that you read this series in order. I’ve loved every spin off since Lynn’s HOT series. But to really understand the dynamics and complexities of this book, you really should read Black’s Bandits in order. Or at the very least have read Black List. This is the book where Natasha is first introduced as Jace’s sister who he thought was long dead, having been executed along with their parents. Now Natasha is known as Calypso, the deadly assassin for the Russian syndicate, and the woman that’s enemy number one for Ian’s team.

When her brother deflected, Natasha and their parents paid the price. While her parents were executed, she was thrown into a prison, soon to become a deadly trained assassin. But in this story, the layers finally peel, and you get to see what’s truly been driving her all this time, and my heart melted and broke for her at the same time. Her and Ian have had a connection that they finally fully give into. And while I’m not usually a fan of the couple getting together in the beginning of the book because it looses a bit of the tension, it quite worked here.

Now admittedly, because this was my most anticipated book in all of the series, I built it up a bit. So it may have been my expectations getting ahead of me here, but I did find myself wishing it had a bit more edginess, considering who both Natasha and Ian are. This read a bit harlequin-y for me, and while that’s not a bad thing, I had hoped for more. But that minor quibble aside, I still devoured this story and loved the super satisfying conclusion with its multiple epilogues. If you like romantic suspense with plenty of steam, you simply can’t go wrong with this series.

Review: Washed Away by RC Boldt

WASHED AWAY
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: RC Boldt
Release Date: December 7,  2021

USA TODAY bestselling author RC Boldt brings us a sizzling romance chock-full of intrigue and deceit in this brand new romantic suspense…

All that’s forgotten isn’t always gone…

I’m at death’s doorstep when my body washes up on shore in Panama.

My memory is a blank slate.

I can’t even remember my name.

I don’t know who shot me and left me for dead–or why.

Patient and kind, the lone doctor there mends my body while offering me refuge.

But as tiny flashbacks of my past occur, I wonder if there’s anyone I can trust.

It’s up to me to discover whether I’m in danger or a danger to others.

Whether I’ve actually found love or if it’s all been a lie.

I need answers to find out who I really am.

If only I could remember…

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

I’m so goddamn fucked. All over a woman with no recollection of her own name.

There’s simply nothing more satisfying than a twisty, romantic suspense from RC Boldt. The woman just knows how to deliver a one two adrenaline punch like no other. And this reader is so here for it.

I’m not going to tell you much about the story, because you’d simply not enjoy it unless going into it absolutely blind. So you won’t get more than the blurb offers from this review.

When a wounded woman washes up on shore in Panama near his small practice, Dr Liam King knows he has to help her. Barely clinging to life, it’s a miracle the woman survives. And given the wounds she suffered, it’s no surprise when she wakes up with absolutely no recollection of who she is.

The story is told in first person POV, alternating between Liam, the mystery woman, and journal entries that hint at a life no longer remembered. As time goes by, she remembers small snippets of her past and the reader gets each kernel of information as she does, desperate for more clues as you try to put the pieces together. You also see her fall for the handsome and equally mysterious doctor, who harbors plenty of his own dark secrets. Admittedly, while the pacing is good, the first half of the book felt a bit slow. But the second half more than makes up for it. It’s high octane, full of twists and turns, and incendiary romance.

The twisty story kept me glued to the pages from beginning to finish. And the ending was sheer perfection. I’m also hoping a certain secondary character gets their own book, because I’m desperate for their HEA now. But if you’re looking for a twisty and steamy romantic suspense, look no further.

RC Boldt is a USA Today bestselling author currently living in part of the Costa Rican jungle with the love of her life and her mini-me.

If you’re in the mood for some killer mojitos or can’t recall the lyrics to a particular 80s song, she’s your girl.

Connect with RC Boldt 

Website: http://www.rcboldtbooks.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14543027.R_C_Boldt

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Kq1H9C

Facebook: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtFB

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BBBReaders/

Instagram: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtIG

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/RCBoldtBB

Verve: https://bit.ly/3jEf18z

Review: Far From Bliss by Lexi Blake

FAR FROM BLISS
Series: Nights In Bliss, Colorado #12
Genre: Erotic Romance, Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: November 16, 2021

Shattered by the past

Michael Novak was a US Marshal with his whole life figured out. Right up until the woman he called partner betrayed him. He’s been hiding in Bliss, CO, trying to pull himself out of the darkness. The only bright light is Lucy Carson. Something about Trio’s favorite waitress calls to him, but he can’t trust his instincts anymore.

Yearning for the future

Lucy has loved Tyler since they were kids, but he never seemed to feel the same way. She worried she would never want a man the way she does Ty, and then Michael grumbled his way into her world. Beyond the broody exterior she sees a burning fire in his eyes, and she is drawn to that flame.

The time is finally right

Ty knows Lucy is the one for him, but Lucy wrote him off romantically long ago. If he could get her to see him in a different light, he knows she would realize that they’re perfect for each other. His obstacle is the town’s reclusive former lawman, Michael. But this is Bliss. A rival can turn into a partner for the right woman. And Lucy is definitely the right woman.

Ty approaches Michael with a plan to get Lucy between them. A bargain is made, and Lucy is their target. But Lucy is already in much more dangerous crosshairs. Murder has come to Bliss, and Lucy is at the center of the investigation.

AMAZON

He wanted Lucy, and he liked having Ty around. They were almost too good to be true. He’d learned it was dangerous to want things.

I don’t care how many books are in this series, I will never grow tired of it. The only thing I love more than Lexi’s MFM menage are her MMF menage. This was the former, and it happened to feature one of my most anticipated characters; the damaged Michael.

WARNING, SPOILER FOR PREVIOUS BOOK

Ever since we saw the fallout of Michael’s relationship in the previous book, you just knew his road toward his HEA would be a good one. This is a man who was betrayed by the woman he loved who turned out not to be who he thought she was and it cost him everything. Now, two years later, he’s still bitter, angry, and punishing himself for not seeing the signs of her betrayal.

Ty and Lucy are best friends, but Lucy never thought they’d be anything more since Ty turned her down back in high school. She’s been lusting quietly after Michael, but she doesn’t think he’s interested in her either. Unbeknown to Lucy, Ty has been in love with her for years. He regrets all the time they’ve wasted, but now that he’s ready to confess his feelings for her, she doesn’t buy it because the man has spent years sowing his wild oats with every female within vicinity. I gotta say, I loved this about Lucy, that she doesn’t just accept his feelings and fully calls him on his BS. Michael has wanted her too, but of course he no longer trusts or believes in love. Cliche? A bit. Did I care? Not even a little.

If I can take one quote that describes this book to perfection…

One of the things he’d started to suspect was that Ty was an overgrown Golden Retriever. Handsome. Athletic. Looked like he could take down the world if he wanted to, but he almost never wanted to. Sometimes that dumbass loyal Golden needed a Rottweiler best friend.

I laughed so hard at that quote, because it describes Ty to a T. He really is like an overgrown puppy. At times almost a little too much so. But he was also the light and sweet relief to Michael’s brood. I loved how they balanced each other and how each brought something different to Lucy. There were even hints to something more than friendship for these two, but sadly it never got there. I’m just a little bitter about it.

In true Bliss fashion there’s a suspense plot with a murder and mystery, which I really enjoyed. Overall another fun installment in one of my guilty pleasure series.

Review: Kingdom Come by Aleatha Romig

KINGDOM COME
Series:
An Underworld Kings Series Standalone
Author: Aleatha Romig
Genre: Mafia Romance
Release Date: November 16, 2021

They say the price of freedom is learning that you have nothing left to lose.

There was a time when I had it all. Money. Power. Love. And in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

Along the road to my new life, I have a chance meeting with Cecilia Abernathy. Born to greatness, this American princess is out of my league. That doesn’t mean I don’t see her for the woman she is behind the headlines. In a rare glimpse I see not only her outward beauty but her inner determination. I’m moved by her in ways I don’t allow myself to ponder.

Time passes and I’m moving forward, persevering beyond my loss, and making a new name for myself. And then I’m given an assignment.

One job.
One quest.

If I succeed, my kingdom will be at hand.
If I fail, there will be no more chances.

Men like me aren’t saviors, and that isn’t my assignment. My mission is to find the daughter of one of the most powerful men in New York, in the country, and maybe the world. Find her and deliver her to her family’s rival.

Cecilia Abernathy has been kidnapped. All I have to do is exchange her current hell for another. And then I can walk away and claim my reward.

Has my taste of freedom made me willing to sell my soul for a kingdom?

Find out the answer in KINGDOM COME, a dangerous forced-proximity stand-alone romance by New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig.

AMAZON

My kingdom would never come. A man didn’t fuck two of the most dangerous families and get rewarded.

Now it’s been a hot minute since I last read an Aleatha book. Since Consequences actually. And you know what? I have no idea why. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that this author can write one hell of a romantic suspense thriller. And this book? Oh what an intricate web it was.

Tell me you’re sorry that you woke the monster within me, the one that died when I died. Tell me to back away, Cecilia.”
My breasts throbbed against his hard chest. “I’m not sorry, Greyson.”
Releasing my hair, he reached for my wrists and pulled them over my head. “Oh, you will be.”

This was a slow burn romance full of intricate plot twists, action and suspense. Greyson is a character that’s easy to fall for. This is a broken man with plenty of demons in his past. I will say I feel like I did myself a disservice by not reading Devil’s Deal first. There is definitely some carry over from that story, and I couldn’t help but feel I was missing details of Greyson that would have been covered there. But having said that, there are still plenty of details given here to make sure the reader understands.

Greyson is a man running from his past. He’s an interesting dynamic of unassuming alpha. There’s this quiet intensity to him which I really loved. Cecilia was easily my favorite character in this story. This is a woman that’s grown up in privilege and money, but there’s a strength to her that gets unveiled with every new chapter. The woman is kidnapped, abused, and held to be sold. When all hope seems lost by her, she’s rescued by a handsome stranger. Only she doesn’t quite realize he has an agenda of his own.

There’s a strong mystery, thriller element to this story, which I loved. I couldn’t wait to peel back the layers of this this intricate web of lies and betrayal. Greyson does his best to keep Cecilia at arm’s length, but there’s only only so much he can do to avoid the temptation of the brewing chemistry between them.

My only quibble with the story is I felt like I was missing a large chunk by not having read the Devil’s duet first, but that’s on me. While this did feel like a standalone, I still think I would have enjoyed it even more had I read that duet first. But nonetheless, this was a story I devoured and enjoyed the hell out of. I now need to rectify my mistake of waiting so long to read another Aleatha book and binge on her backlist.

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams and bring your imagination to life!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.

In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.

In the spring of 2017, Aleatha released her first stand-alone, fun, and sexy romantic comedy with PLUS ONE, followed by the sweet stand-alone, ONE NIGHT.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America.  She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Connect with Aleatha Romig:

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Review: The Dom Identity by Lexi Blake

THE DOM IDENTITY
Series:
Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded Book 2
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date:
September 14,  2021

A man with everything

Michael Malone seems to have it all. A wealthy, loving family. A job that fulfills him. Friends he can count on. But something is missing. He’s spent years watching his brother and close friends get married and start families, but it hasn’t happened for him. When an assignment comes up to investigate fallen Hollywood star Vanessa Hale, he jumps at the chance. She’s gorgeous and potentially deadly. Playing the spy game with her might be just the thing to take his mind off his troubles.

A woman with nothing left to lose

Vanessa Hale had big dreams that ended in scandal. She returned home with nothing but heartache and the desire to find her mother’s killer. The trail points to someone at Lodge Corp, so taking a job with Julian Lodge’s mysterious company is her best option for finding the truth. While she hunts for a killer during the day, she hopes to find some solace at night in The Club. Meeting the gorgeous, sexy and seemingly kind Michael Malone, their chemistry sparks in a way she’s never felt before, and Vanessa thinks maybe her luck has finally changed.

A love that might save them both

When Michael’s true motives are revealed, she will have to find a way to forgive his betrayal. The killer has made Vanessa their next target. Working together and stopping this monster is the only chance for them to have the real love they both deserve.

AMAZON

He’d gone still, the tiniest bit predatory, and she hated the fact that it did something for her.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I will never get enough of this world. No matter how long the series, no matter the amount of spin-offs, this world and these characters will always be my favorite comfort.

This is book two in the new Masters and Mercenaries spinoff. If you haven’t read that series, you’re seriously missing out. But you can also dive into this one if you’re intimidated by the amount of books in the M&M series. Though I highly recommend you at least read Treasured before this one to get a bit more Malone. And if you want to be fully engrained in this world, I recommend you also read Siren Enslaved to meet Julian, Finn and and Dani.

Now let’s talk about this book. This was absolute trope candy for me and no one delivers on this quite like Lexi Blake.

Michael did what all my idiot employees do and fell for the client. Trust me. I’ve seen it a thousand times. Operative walks in, thinks he’s the big man and the bad girl will give up all her secrets because his dick is so special. But let me tell you, special dick always gives it up for a magical pussy…
Gay, straight, bi, it’s all the same. Suddenly big bad operative is all The bad girl isn’t so bad and if she did something wrong, my penis will fix it.”

I love when a story sets the scene to a major betrayal that everyone but the MCs see coming. You know it’s coming. You know it’s going to be good. You’re foaming at the mouth until it happens because you know there will be a grovel to beat all grovels and you’re so here for it. GOD. When I tell you this was utterly delicious. I mean it was FINGER LICKING GOOD.

Now I also love a good cross over, and this had the mother of all cross overs between M&M and Texas Sirens and Sanctum meets The Club. Vanessa Hale is a fallen Hollywood star with an infamous reputation. Painted by media as a difficult star and gold digger who married an old man for his money, she finds herself in the small town working for Julian’s wife. She’s also interested in finding out about the D/s lifestyle and wants to join The Club. But Julian doesn’t trust that her reasons for being there are genuine, and so he hires Ian to get to the bottom of it. And so Michael Malone is assigned to be her Dom in training with an agenda to get to the bottom of the real reason Vanessa is there.

I don’t have the words to describe to you how much I loved this story. Both Vanessa and Michael have their own demons from their past. Vanessa is used to no one seeing past what the gossip magazines and rumor have painted her image to be. The vain, gold digger. Michael is used to no one seeing past his family’s money. Michael definitely judges a book by it’s cover when it comes to Vanessa. But it doesn’t take long for him to question himself when he starts to see the woman beneath the infamous Hollywood image. Of course being the stupid man that he is, he doesn’t tell her anything and continues on with his mission while sleeping with her…because chemistry. And I couldn’t wait for that other shoe to drop.

When I tell you I loved this book, I mean I LOVED this book. I devoured it in one sitting. Between the cross over, we also get a little more insight into the mysterious and tortured Kyle and GAH, I cannot wait for his book. But I digress. This book had everything; the suspense, the romance, the chemistry, the feels. ALL OF THE FEELS. I loved Michael and Vanessa together and when inevitably Michael screws up, I loved the grovel and how Vanessa made him work for it. Then of course in usual Lexi fashion she drops a chapter at the end that leaves you salivating for the next book.

If you’re looking for a pulse pounding romantic suspense with a dash of sizzling BDSM and a story that’s going to suck you in from page one and keep you at the edge of your seat until the end, READ THIS BOOK!

Review: The Silencer by RC Boldt

THE SILENCER
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Author: RC Boldt
Release Date: May 18. 2021

Sometimes, it takes becoming a monster in order to kill one.

USA Today bestselling author RC Boldt brings us an unforgettable tale of betrayal, vengeance, and redemption in her new romantic thriller, THE SILENCER…

No one wants to admit that sometimes only evil can extinguish other evil.
Each time I drain the life from their bodies, I inch closer to purging my past.
Then a by-the-book FBI agent–one as astute as he is handsome–threatens my plans…and what’s left of my heart.
He doesn’t believe there are exceptions to breaking the law. That’s where we differ.
They once silenced me and countless others, but now I’ve reversed our roles.
Because, this time, it’s my turn to be the silencer.

**The Silencer is a dark and gritty romantic suspense that deals with sensitive topics which may not be suitable for all readers.

 
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I do bad things for very good reasons. Because some people need saving and some need killing. I do both.

Wow. Just wow. This book…wow. It caught me completely unaware and hit me over the head like a two by four full of emotion and depth. I’m absolutely blown away.

Now I will say, as a survivor, this story hit a bit different for myself. It dealt with an incredibly dark and difficult subject matter and was handled absolutely flawlessly. Reading about an elite ring of pedophilia is a subject that hits home for several reasons, especially in our world reality. It had a dark undercurrent without going into shock value or gory details, which I appreciated, because it lost none of the impact.

If there’s one thing I love its a badass heroine, and it simply doesn’t get more badass than Dr Kennedy Alexandre, a forensic anthropologist by day and vigilante by night. A survivor who experienced the depths of human depravity and hell, she’s put everything into making sure she protects innocents and punishes the vile and untouchable elite when the system fails. A new case brings her head to head with a handsome FBI agent who does everything by the book.

The chemistry was immediate and so incendiary that I couldn’t get enough of these two. Kennedy is a closed off loner who dedicates herself to her job and saving innocents. Landon is a charming FBI agent who doesn’t play well with others when it comes to getting his job done but never above the law. They clash epically, but beneath their banter is a chemistry and I thought their slow burn just may kill me. There’s just something so boyishly charming about Landon, yet he still has alpha vibes a mile long. He’s sweet, protective, and impossible not to love.

The story was a twisty thrill ride of epic proportions and even though I saw the big twist coming, it never took anything away from the story. RC Boldt gave one crumb after another so you spend each minute and each page turn just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it does? WOWZA!

If you’re looking for a romantic thriller that packs a heck of a punch with a heroine impossible not to root for and a hero that you’ll fall head over heels for, you need this book in your life.

RC Boldt enjoys long walks on the beach, running, reading, people watching, and singing karaoke. If you’re in the mood for some killer homemade mojitos, can’t recall the lyrics to a particular 80’s song, or just need to hang around a nonconformist who will do almost anything for a laugh, she’s your girl.

 

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Review: Here With Me by Samantha Young

HERE WITH ME
Series: Adair Family #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: May 11, 2021

Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner –ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair–and it’s poised on the edge of a dark scandal.

After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she’s long resented. Lachlan Adair. Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she’s not yet ready to give up on her father.

Determined to ensure Mac’s safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path.
While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future … if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn’t do the job first.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

She’d lit up under his hands. He tasted her fire on his tongue and, goddamn, it ignited something inside him.

I was immediately sucked into this story from the very first chapter. A fiery, tough as nails former Boston cop meet broody and reclusive former Hollywood star? Sign me right up!

If there’s one thing that I love when Samantha writes, it’s an enemies to lovers romance. There’s just something so sizzling ingrained into the chemistry of her characters that I’ll never get enough of.

Robyn was a heroine that I loved from the very first page. Hard not to love a fierce heroine that isn’t afraid to speak her mind. After a nigh on the job nearly costs her her life, she finds herself looking for answers. And for her, a log of her unanswered questions lie with her estranged Scottish father; a man who left her when she was just a little girl for an illustrious career protecting a Hollywood star.

Robyn finds herself in the remote Scottish Highlands, at Ardnoch Estate, going head to head with the reclusive owner, Lachlan and also in the center of an escalating stalker case.

If you love a good romantic suspense, this one brought the mystery and action in spades. Between the escalating hate lust going on with Robyn and Lachlan, and the whodunit mystery of the stalker case, I found myself incapable of putting the book down. The romance is a slow burn, a bit tamer on the steam but no less satisfying. What kept me absolutely riveted to the pages were all of the secondary characters, particularly the Adairs. I can already tell that I’m going to be hooked on this series because the set up for each of them is utterly delicious.

I love a good suspense when I can’t see the ending coming and this one definitely caught me unaware. I never saw any of it coming and it heightened the enjoyment that much more.

Lachlan definitely took his sweet time to extricate his head from his nether region, but man did I love to hate his broody, a-holish side. I particularly loved to see Robyn constantly put him in his place. I’m so excited to have another series to obsess over from one of my favorites. Hopefully we get Mac’s story next.

Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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