Romantic Suspense

Review: ★Master No★ by Lexi Blake

August 11, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Master No
Series: Master & Mercenaries #9
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: August 4, 2015

Disavowed by those he swore to protect…

Tennessee Smith is a wanted man. Betrayed by his government and hunted by his former employer, he’s been stripped of everything he holds dear. If the CIA finds him, they’re sure to take his life as well. His only shot at getting it all back is taking down the man who burned him. He knows just how to get to Senator Hank McDonald and that’s through his daughter, Faith. In order to seduce her, he must become something he never thought he’d be—a Dom.

Overcome by isolation and duty…

All her life, Dr. Faith “Mac” McDonald has felt alone, even among her family. Dedicating herself to helping others and making a difference in the world has brought her some peace, but a year spent fighting the Ebola virus in West Africa has taken a toll. She’s come home for two months of relaxation before she goes back into the field. After holding so many lives in her hands, nothing restores her like the act of submission. Returning to her favorite club, Mac is drawn to the mysterious new Dom all the subs are talking about, Master No. In the safety of his arms, she finds herself falling head over heels in love.

Forced to choose between love and revenge…

On an exclusive Caribbean island, Ten and Mac explore their mutual attraction, but her father’s plots run deeper than Ten could possibly have imagined. With McKay-Taggart by his side, Ten searches for a way to stop the senator, even as his feelings for Mac become too strong to deny. In the end, he must choose between love and revenge—a choice that will change his life forever.

Amazon / iBooks / B&N

I unfortunately don’t have the time to write this the full and glowing review this amazing book deserves, but I can’t just give it 5 stars and call it a day either. This was easily, hands down, the best book in the series. I had some high hopes for Ten “Master No” Smith, and all I can say is they weren’t met, they were exceeded. The amazing thing is that nine books into the series, it just keeps getting better and better, which is no easy feat.

First, I would recommend not reading this as a standalone even though plenty of background is given for you to do that easily. This series always has a suspense element arc that is carried on through each book while having it’s own individual HEA. While Mr. Black was taken care of in Ian’s book (Love and Let Die, there is now a new baddie and they’re even more powerful. You get the full gist of this in Jessie’s book in You Only Love Twice. So I highly recommend reading these books in order to truly appreciate what’s going on beyond the romance and all the secondary characters (from past books and new ones just introduced)

What I can tell you is this was so much more than just a romance and also much more than suspense. It was captivating, emotional, heart-pounding, erotic, suspenseful, gut-wrenching. In 2 words? Un-fucking-believably good. I knew Ten had quite the history to him but nothing prepared me for the full dose of what he’d been through.

Faith “Mac” McDonald was his perfect equal and balance in every way. I loved her quiet and unassuming strength. Considering the family she comes from, she was definitely a pleasant surprise. Even though it feels like their “courtship” is quick, it also wasn’t. I’m not sure how Lexi Blake managed to pull that off, but she did. How you can formulate such an intense and believable connections through emails and conversations and a few meetings short after, I have no idea. But not only did she pull it off, she did it flawlessly. I loved it.

Nothing and I mean nothing prepared me for that last 25%. I cried my damn eyes out. I’m talking ugly crying, sniveling, whole body shaking kind of crying. It fucking gutted me. I loved every miserable second of it. The set up for a certain character in this book is nothing short of incredible. I’m pretty sure I’d part with an ovary if not both to get my hands on his book. I mean, OH MY GOD! Are you fucking kidding me? GAH! And his book isn’t even the next one. I think the wait just may kill me. I’m not even kidding. Kill me dead.

If you haven’t yet discovered this phenomenal series yet, you are really missing out. Espionage, heart-pounding suspense, scorching sex, and unforgettable love stories all combined for an absolutely unputdownable read. I can’t recommend it enough. If this book doesn’t make you a die-hard fan of this author, I don’t know what will.

Don’t Miss The Rest of The Series!

The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters & Mercenaries #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

The Men With The Golden Cuffs (Masters and Mercenaries #2)

Amazon / Goodreads

A Dom is Forever (Masters and Mercenaries #3)

Amazon / Goodreads

Sanctum (Masters and Mercenaries #4.5)

Amazon / Goodreads / My Review

Love and Let Die (Masters and Mercenaries #5)

Amazon / Goodreads / My Review

Dungeon Royale (Masters and Mercenaries #6)

Amazon / Goodreads / My Review

A View to a Thrill (Masters and Mercenaries #7)

Amazon / Goodreads / My Review

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, BDSM, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, Lexi Blake

Author Interview, Review & #Giveaway: ★Flash Point★ by @BrookeBlaine1

July 23, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Flash Point
Author: Brooke Blaine
Genre: (Standalone) Romantic Suspense Novel
Release Date: July 12, 2015

The first time I saw her, I knew I’d have to kill her.

It’s been five years since the brutal death of her mother, and Katherine Shaw still relives the nightmares of that night.

She escaped.

The danger should’ve been over.

She couldn’t have been more wrong.

When her father, a prominent judge, receives a chilling death threat, her past comes hurtling into her present.

The warning is clear: They’ve got unfinished business, and they’re coming for her.

Katherine Shaw.

Rich girl? Check.

Spoiled and obstinate? Check.

A beautiful fireball who pushes every button he has? That was not listed on the dossier Jason Garrett receives when he’s assigned as one of her bodyguards. The last thing he ever expected was that his tempting client would prove to be more dangerous than those he’s protecting her from.

Their attraction would be forbidden even under the best circumstances. But as the threat draws near, the tension between the two of them rises, culminating in an explosive flash point that will blindside them both.

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DGR: Hi Brooke! Thanks so much for being her at DGR. I got some verra interesting questions lined up for today! I hope you left your delicate sensibilities at the door 😉

Brooke: Thank you so much for having me! You know I only signed up for this for the naughty questions, right?

DGR: Let’s start easy; can you introduce yourself to readers that may not be familiar with you yet?

Brooke: Absolutely not.

Oh, all right, twist my arm. My name is Brooke Blaine, and I’m a bookaholic, chocoholic, 80’smovieandmusicaholic, and coffeemugcollectoraholic. I also like to write stories and make ridiculous dubsmash videos for my friends. No, you won’t find those on YouTube unless my phone gets hacked. Flash Point is my first solo novel, and I’ve also co-written a naughty, naughty serial with my best friend.

DGR: You co-wrote A Desperate Man with Ella Frank, and now you have your very own debut novel, how’s it feel?

Brooke: Fan-flippin-tastic. Actually, it was great to co-write with Ella too (we’re writing ADM 3 right now and have more collaborations up our sleeves), but it feels amazing to have my own book out. It’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure.

DGR: A Desperate Man was erotica and Flash Point is a sexy Romantic Suspense, do you have a genre you prefer to write in?

Brooke: Um. My next book is a Romantic Comedy. I know, I know. I’m doing this all wrong. But I’m the kind of reader that switches up my genres with every book I read, and my writing reflects that as well. I tend to write based on what I’m feeling and where my head is at…for instance, with A Desperate Man, I had some frustrations that just needed to be channeled, and Evan James and his sex addiction came out. My first solo book was actually intended to be the comedy I’m working on now, but I just wasn’t in the right mindset for it. That hot bodyguard was adamant he be the one you met before the others. Bossy bastard.

DGR: So you ARE at DIRTY girl romance, so how’s about some hard hitting questions? Sex scenes. What are some no no words you will never use in your writing. (please say lady flower or pearl? LOL)

Brooke: Oh God, I never would’ve THOUGHT lady flower or pearl. You’re just trying to gross me out now. I’d never say flicking the bean either, though it was funny when Gerard Butler said it. Ella is my critique partner, and she is SO PICKY about her sex scenes, so she would never ever let me write the words “baby arm,” “mayo shooting hotdog gun,” or “soft-shelled tuna taco” unless I was writing something intended to be crude or for shock value. And um, I’m not currently doing that, so I think we’re good.

DGR: Where do you get the inspiration for them? *waggles brows*

Brooke: For my sex scenes? I should say porn or movies or books, but the truth is, I just make them up depending on what’s going on. That’s such a boring answer. Let me give you a better one—

From my real life wallbanger boyfriend!

That’s not true, but let’s pretend it is.

DGR: Coffee, tea, or COCKtails?

You can’t make someone choose between coffee and cocktails. They are both crucial to my survival. Tea, on the other hand…well, I tried Twinings for Ana Steele, but it just didn’t work for me. Even my sink protested when I dumped it out.

DGR: Tell us something most people don’t know about you.

Brooke: My real identity. Where I live.

Oh, wait, you wanted me to tell you?

Um…I sleep with the TV on in another room when I’m at home by myself. Yeah, I’m a big chicken. I have no idea why I decided it was a good idea to write a suspense book. NIGHTMARES.

OK, now let’s talk Flash Point.

DGR: I love how assertive Katherine was. She had just the right amount of confidence without being brash. What are your thoughts on whiny or insecure heroines?

Brooke: Thank you! I have a pretty strong opinion on whiny and insecure heroines. I do enjoy flawed characters, but I prefer to read and write about the kind of women I surround myself with in real life. Yes, we all have our insecurities, and yes, I whine when I go too long without chocolate of some kind, but I don’t particularly care for women who have to be saved by a man or who put their lives on hold to do whatever it is they want her to. There’s nothing wrong with those kinds of books, and I’ve read and enjoyed them on occasion, but I’m a super independent single female, and I choose to reflect that in my writing.

DGR: Jason was (pause for lusty thoughts…..and I’m back) YUMMY! I may have taken a peek at your Pinterest board. Was Jason Statham your inspiration for his character?

Brooke: He definitely was! When you think badass, hot bodyguard who could kill you with a look…I mean, there was only one guy that fit that criteria for me. He’s so smooth even when he’s kicking ass. That’s what I was going for. I may or may not have binged on his movies.

DGR: If you had to describe Flash Point for us in 5 words, what would they be?

Brooke: BEST DAMN ROMANTIC SUSPENSE EVER!

Of course. 😉

DGR: Did you have a favorite part to write in the book?

Brooke: Yes! The end. Always the end. It was the same with A Desperate Man too. I get so excited to hurry up and get to that part that I end up writing it before the middle section is done.

DGR: Flash Point is quite a bit different from A Desperate Man. It’s definitely one sizzling romantic suspense. Are you planning on writing more in this genre or something totally different next?

Brooke: I will definitely write more romantic suspense in the near future. I’m thinking a certain character from this book should tell their story in a separate standalone, but the pieces are still coming together so it won’t be next. I anticipate that book will come in the first half of 2016. DGR: Any delicious little tidbits you can share with us? (Spoiler free, of course)

One of the characters in Flash Point was quite a bit older until the last week of writing. There is a HUGE thing that happens at the end of the book that was not part of the original draft. It was changed the day before the rest of my critique readers received their copy. Katherine’s father looks like a local judge from my hometown who is also grade school friend’s father. Many of the character names and places are Easter eggs for my family if/when they read it. Actually, that goes for all of my stories.

DGR: So what’s up next for you?

Brooke: Next up is my romantic comedy, Licked. Is that a dirty enough title for you? It will be the first in a series focusing on a group of girlfriends, but I can’t tell you toooooo much more yet. I’ll be announcing the release date/blurb/cover reveal in the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled on my website, (www.brookeblaine.com) subscribe to my newsletter (http://eepurl.com/brxPkP) or hang out with me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BrookeBlaine.Writer) so you don’t miss it. Dammit, I wish I could show you now!

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

Brooke: I’d leave them with a copy of my book and a shot of whiskey if I could, but since my smart computer is not quite that smart, a simple thank you will have to do. I appreciate all of you who have picked up/will up my books. There are so many choices out there, (my TBR is insane too!) and I’m so appreciative of everyone who takes a chance on a newbie. Many spanks for that!

Thanks so much for having me, Dirty Girl! <3

Here are my links again, in case you want them:

Flash Point Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1OfkYmk

Amazon Non-US link: myBook.to/FP

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://bit.ly/1ULDQxR

Apple iBooks: http://apple.co/1LYP4LD

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1HvHIZO

A Desperate Man (Read for FREE exclusively on KU through August 2015)

ADM 1 Link – http://amzn.to/1OflpNs

ADM 2 Link – http://amzn.to/1Hz7U6Q

Brooke’s Contact Links

Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/brxPkP

Website: http://www.brookeblaine.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrookeBlaine.Writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrookeBlaine1

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+BrookeBlaine

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/BrookeBlaine

Instagram: www.instagram.com/BrookeBlaine1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brookeblaine11

He’d made a decision tonight. One that would ignite the world around him, but he was willing to scorch it to the ground to get what he wanted.

So here’s the thing, when it comes to my romantic suspense, I’m one picky girl. It’s the first genre that originally got me into reading and I read a lot of it. So suffice it to say it takes quite a bit to impress me. What? I said I was picky. Having had a bit of a taste of Brooke Blaine’s awesome in A Desperate Man: Volume 1 that she co-wrote with Ella Frank, I already had a feeling that her own debut would rock my world, and I wasn’t even a little bit wrong. I freaking loved this book! Suspenseful, sexy, and with twists and turns that will leave your mind reeling, this book kept me up well into the night because I couldn’t put it down.

He always asked her what she wanted, but it was never clearer than now. This. Him. That was what she wanted.

Have you ever read about a character that felt so alive in your head he practically jumped off the pages? That’s how you know the true talent of an author, when she’s able to accomplish this with her MCs. And let me just tell you, if Jason was that character for me. You could hear his voice and feel his intensity from the very first page. Man but I gobbled that up.
Katherine Shaw witnessed the brutal murder of her mother five years ago. Powerless and unable to do anything but watch, she’s still dealing with the nightmares of that night. Having the killers responsible never been caught certainly doesn’t make her sleep any better. But now it seems like the threat is back and this time they’re after her and they won’t stop until she suffers the fate she was meant to along with her mother.

Jason Garrett is a bodyguard and part of the team hired by Katherine’s father to protect her. Intense would be an understatement for what he is. He lives, breathes and sleeps his job. Just because the little spitfire that is his client is determined to seduce him doesn’t mean he’ll lose sight of what he was hired to do and succumb to her advances.

It was the first rule in the handbook: “Thou shalt not have fucking relations with a client, current of former.”

Katherine was a badass in her own right. It’s not often you meet a heroine that’s not shy about going after what she wants but doesn’t come off as brash while doing it. Katherine was no wilting wallflower, that’s for damn sure. The girl was determined to get Jason in her bed and she went at him with all the arsenal she had. Have to respect her game.

She cried out his name and dug her nails into his back as he held her close, her body bucking, and pleasure, vicious and exhilarating, tore through her.

After finishing Flash Point I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Brooke Blaine has definitely got a new fan in me. I can’t wait to see what else the woman has up her sleeve with her future books.

There was a few things that I was left to assume (which was definitely the author’s intent). There were a few things that took place that I would have liked more detail for and explanation. It left several questions in my head, and maybe that’s not a bad thing since I’m still thinking about it. The book ends on a HFN, however, for a romantic suspense, the ending did justice to the kind of story it was. I don’t think it would have been as believable had it ended any other way. If you’re on the fence about reading it, I highly recommend you do. You won’t be sorry. If sexy romantic suspense is your cuppa, this is definitely a must read. Cleverly written, packed with humor and action, and unpredictable until the very end, Flash Point was one hell of a debut from the fabulous Brooke Blaine.

You could say Brooke Blaine was a book-a-holic from the time she knew how to read; she used to tell her mother that curling up with one at 4 a.m. before elementary school was her ‘quiet time.’ Not much has changed except for the espresso I.V. pump she now carries around and the size of her onesie pajamas.

Flash Point is her debut solo novel, and she is the co-author of the erotic serial, A Desperate Man, with Ella Frank. The latter has scarred her conservative southern family for life, bless their hearts.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find – just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for ten years.

Contact Links

Newsletter / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google+ / Goodreads / Instagram / Pinterest

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Author Spotlight & interview, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, Brooke Blaine

Review: ★Chance Encounter★ by Christy Reece

July 15, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Chance Encounter
Series: LCR Elite #2
Author: Christy Reece
Release Date: June 29, 2015

She’s the face of innocence whose secrets, if uncovered, could destroy her carefully crafted life.

On the cusp of achieving every goal she’s set for herself, Kacie Dane is one step away from superstardom. The hell she endured five years ago is a nightmare of the past. With a new name and a new life, no one would ever recognize her as the ravaged victim she’d once been. Her secret is safe…or so she thinks.

He’s a disgraced former sports star looking for redemption, determined to stay in the shadows.

Once the golden boy of the NFL, Brennan Sinclair’s fall from grace was witnessed by the entire world. Determined to stay out of the limelight and make his life count for something, he joins the Elite branch of Last Chance Rescue. Brennan never expected his first assignment would draw him back into the life that almost destroyed him.

Some secrets should never be kept. Some sins can never be forgiven.

Someone knows exactly who Kacie Dane is and will stop at nothing to destroy her. Brennan is sure that he, along with his LCR Elite partners, can keep Kacie safe and unmask the evil trying to destroy her, but he never expected to lose his heart to the one woman he couldn’t have.
A killer bent on revenge. A woman who refuses to be broken. A man in need of redemption.

No one is safe.

Link to Follow Tour

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

This man who both fascinated and frightened her made her more aware of herself than she’d ever been.

I have been a huge fan of Christy Reece since first discovering her LCR series years ago. I binged on those books and never wanted to end. This is my first book by her in the new LCR spin-off series, LCR Elite, and I can’t say that I ever felt lost or confused not having read the previous book in this series. I did, however, read every single one of her LCR ones. I got a little nostalgic seeing some of my favorite characters making an appearance here, like Gabe Maddox and Skylar from No Chance and of course the head of LCR, Noah McCall. If you haven’t read that series yet, I highly recommend you do.

While I enjoyed Chance Encounter, it also failed to grab me like the other books by this author had. For a romantic suspense, it was pretty slow-paced and mostly uneventful. While there was the mystery behind who was after the heroine, not much was really happening on that front until practically the very end. A good chunk of the book is focused on the developing of feelings between Kacie and Brennan.

Brennan Sinclair was a character I really loved. But then again, I always do seem to love the broken ones, and Brenna’s history is an absolutely heart-breaking one. I appreciated that there was no insta-love here even though both characters had an undeniable chemistry from the very beginning. I also really appreciate the way that the author handled Kacie’s character. This was a woman that went through hell at the hands of a monster five years ago, and the lingering effects of her experience haunt her to this day. There was no instant healing with the hero’s penis (oh you know exactly what I mean). It was written in a very realistic matter that allowed you to truly connect to the heroine and what she’s feeling. It may have been a slow burn towards Kacie and Brennan finally being together, but once they did, the fireworks definitely flew.

Kacie?”
“Yes?”
“Who’s inside you?”
She smiled dreamily. “Brennan Sinclair.”
“Who’s going to make you come again so hard that your eyes will cross?”

This was a solid four star read for me up until that last twist at the end. It was just so OTT that I found myself losing interest in the story. It served as the catalyst for Brennan finally getting his head out of his ass, but it was still mostly eye-roll inducing.

If you’re looking for an action packed romantic suspense, this is not it. It’s a slow burn and a bit on the fluffy side. In all fairness it was probably my least favorite book by this author. But considering her previous books were mostly 5 stars for me, that’s not exactly an insult. I’m just saying it was a little too fluffy and slow for me. That being said, I’m still looking forward to the next installment and will gladly continue with this series.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: bodyguards, Book Reviews: 3 stars

Review: ★HOT Seal★ by Lynn Raye Harris

July 14, 2015 by Lana ·

HOT Seal
Series: A Hostile Operations Team #9/ Hot SEAL Team #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: July 7, 2015

Sex with the ex… It shouldn’t be this good the second time around.

Navy SEAL Dane “Viking” Erikson has sworn off women—or at least he’s sworn off one woman: DEA Agent Ivy McGill. His ex-wife.

But when they’re forced to work together on a critical military mission, Dane can’t help but notice how the one woman he shouldn’t want is the only one he can’t stop thinking about.

Ivy knows what it’s like to fall for a SEAL’s hard muscles and killer smile—and she knows what it’s like when everything falls apart. So why is she naked against a wall and begging Dane for more?

—–

Originally included in the SEALs of Summer 2: A Military Romance Superbundle box set, Hot SEAL will be available as a standalone novella by autumn 2015.

AMAZON

Because one thing he knew after a night with her was that he hadn’t stopped being addicted. Not at all.

This series is my crack. No joke. Lynn Raye Harris has become synonymous for me with sizzling hot romance and heart pounding and action filled suspense. Her books are a guaranteed winner for me every single time and just get better as the series progressed. When I learned that she’ll be adding a SEAL division to her addicting HOT series, to say I was excited was a mild understatement. Not that I didn’t already love her military men, but SEALs! C’mon! Who doesn’t love a good SEAL? Add into that a second chance romance and what you got yourself is a book you won’t be able to put down from beginning to finish. Guaranteed.

This book is a novella to introduce the new SEAL division of HOT, and while you may enjoy it as a standalone, I think you’d enjoy it even more reading the series in order. Each book has it’s own story arc that gets concluded with a HEA, the characters from each book, however, do continue in the series.

Dane was a complication, but she could handle him. Even if seeing him again made her heart ache and her body light up in ways she really didn’t appreciate.
Damn his handsome face and spectacular body anyway.

DEA Agent Ivy McGill is one tough chick. She can take down bad guys without even batting an eyelash, but the memory of her ex-husband still has the ability to bring her to her knees. She was devastatingly in love with him 5 years ago but for reasons unknown to the reader yet, their marriage fell apart. But while she hasn’t seen him since, she still thinks of him to this day. So when a mission to track down a missing missile brings them together all these years past, suffice it to say that sparks will fly.

When he and Ivy touched, the world faded. It had always been that way.

What I love most about this series is that every heroine is tough as nails. Even if they’re not an operative themselves, they still hold their own. You won’t find any damsels in distress here. Ivy was certainly no exception. This was a heroine I liked from page one.

As for Navy SEAL Dane “Viking” Erikson? Well if the man doesn’t melt the panties off of you, I just don’t know if we’re reading the same book. The man was hotness personified. You can feel his internal struggle of knowing it’s over and yet being unable to fight his never fading feelings for a woman he loved with his entire being.

He was buried inside hi ex-wife, her taste still on his tongue, her legs wrapped around him, and he couldn’t think of another damned thing except what it felt like to move his hips and pull out of her before slamming back inside her again.

He was protective with a dash of possessive and downright delectable.

In the midst of the scorching romance and two people finding love again in the unlikeliest of places, there’s lots of actions as is the norm with this series. If you haven’t read these books yet, I’d liken them to Cindy Gerard’s Black Ops or Maya Bank’s KGI series. They’re entertaining as hell, action packed, and super SUPER steamy. If you haven’t discovered this fantastic series and author yet, I’m not sure what you’re doing with your life. If you enjoy sizzling romantic suspense, this series is simply a must read. A MUST READ. And now with a team of SEALs joining the HOT team, I already know that it will only continue to get better and better and I for one, cannot freaking wait!

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, Lynn Raye Harris, Navy SEALS

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Ricochet★ by @KeriLake

July 13, 2015 by Lana · 1 Comment

Title: Ricochet

Author: Keri Lake

Genre: Dark Romance

Release Date: July 9, 2015

The only sure way to destroy a man is to take what he cannot live without.

Three years ago, I had everything.

A beautiful wife.

A son.

A reason for living.

Until a ruthless task force, assembled under Mayor Michael Culling, with a brutal strategy to make the streets of Detroit ‘safe’, ripped away everything I loved in a deadly hunt called The Culling.

They tried to kill me, too. I wish they had. Now I’m cursed by the memories of that night, and the words I whispered to my dying wife.

A promise—to avenge the wrong and set it right.

I’m no longer Nick Ryder. I’m a masked vigilante. Faceless. Loveless. Fearless. A man with nothing left to lose—one who’s seen the dark and violent truth behind the city’s flawless veneer.

Michael Culling doesn’t know who I am. Or what I want. All he knows is that I’ve kidnapped his beautiful wife.

An eye for an eye—isn’t that how the saying goes? And Aubree Culling is the perfect pawn to destroy him.

If she doesn’t destroy me first.

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA /Amazon AU / B&N / Kobo / iTunes

What Others Are Saying:

“Holy. Fucking. Hell. Mind is blown and I’m left reeling. I’ve pulled myself together and can now write the review this book deserves.” ~ Sam’s Ramblings

“Ricochet was my first foray into the world of Keri Lake and if I could describe her writing style based on this alone, the words Evil Genius come to mind.” ~ Smokin’ Hot Book Blog

With my right hand, I pinned her flailing fist, then released her throat and seized the other. She stilled, flat against the wall, with my body pressed into hers.

“You had everything to do with it.” I pushed harder, my muscles steeled. “He didn’t just wrong me, he annihilated me. And there you were, stroking his cock, smiling beside him all the while.”

“All you saw was a smile, then. You should’ve looked deeper. So what? I’m your revenge? Your ticket to hurting him?” She sneered. “Guess what? He doesn’t give a shit about me. He never did. So, go ahead, Nick. Kill me.” She lifted her head away from the wall, only inches from my face. “Snap my fucking throat, if that’s what you plan to do. You’d be doing him and me a favor.”

Her body pulsed with tension, the tremble beating against me, through me, inside of me. Anger. Hate.

So much hate.

With one quick twist of my hands, I could’ve snapped her neck, been done with the whole plan and exited my miserable fucking existence on the wings of a bullet to my skull.

Instead, I slammed my lips against hers. Loving the struggle of her body trying to push me away. Hating the fact that her lips tasted like sweet salvation, beckoning me to whatever web of deception she’d been weaving since I’d taken her. Her delicious smell pervaded my senses—water on the flames burning inside of me, steaming up my mind.

Three years.

The last time I’d devoured a woman’s lips was three years ago, and that had been out of love. Kissing Aubree was something else entirely. Not gentle or tender. I kissed her violently, with all the fury locked inside of me, our frantic breaths clashing with one another.

Her moan vibrated inside my skull, as her hands clenched to fists, trying to break free from my grasp.

She opened her mouth wider, dragged my lip between her teeth, and bit me.

Aggression surged through my body and rattled the cage of something dark inside of me.

I wanted more. More pain. More rage. I wanted to tear into her while cursing her name. Purge myself of the hate until it was spent.

I broke the kiss, breaths heaving, as I glared down at her. “What do you know about Brightmoor?” I rasped.

“I don’t know anything about Brightmoor,” she gritted out.

Lies. “Yeah? Then, why did you have the fucking blueprints tucked in your purse? Devil’s Night plans safe and sound, beside your goddamn lipstick and compact.”

Her chest rose and fell as I kept her captive against the wall, her stare deadpan. “I didn’t—”

“Don’t lie to me.” I pressed harder, lips to her ear. “I fucking hate liars,” I whispered, inciting a shudder in her that brought a smile to my face. “Why did you have the chip?”

“I stole it.”

“You stole it.” I wanted to laugh at the stupidity of such a thought, but my voice lacked any ounce of humor or inflection. “I don’t think you did, Pistol Lips. I think he gave it to you. His little pet.”

“I fucking hate you.” Venom laced her words as she stared back at me, those golden eyes blazing with vehemence.

I licked my lips and glanced down at her pert breasts, and smiled. Squeezing her captured wrists with one hand, I reached up under her dress, only grazing the patch of lace that kept my finger from being inside of her, knowing everything she was too stubborn to admit.

Her lids turned heavy, as drunken eyes riveted on my lips.

“Tell me how much you hate me.”

“Don’t,” she warned, and I caught the scrape of her tongue across her teeth.

Grabbing a handful of hair, I tugged her head back until her neck stretched taut, and like a creature of night, I wanted to bite down into that supple flesh and rip her throat out. Dragging my tongue along her shoulder, I made my way to the base of her neck and bit her collarbone. She let out a gasp and I released her wrists. Lust blazed through my veins, when her fingers tangled in my hair and her leg curled around my hip, drawing me against her.

“You know what, Aubree? I fucking hate you, too, but goddamn … you taste so good.”

Hell was having her skin against mine and craving her so badly I wanted to crawl out of my own body…

But that’s what happens when you shoot at something impenetrable.
It ricochets.

Gritty, captivating, unpredictable and completely and utterly unputdownable. Ricochet will suck you into the dark vortex of depravity and vengeance.

This book is what would result if The Punisher and V for Vendetta ever had a baby. A super fucked up but incredibly awesome baby.
It’s dark, gritty, and in your face. It will break you, make you bleed, make you cry, shatter you into a million pieces. This is not a story for the faint of heart. The violence is graphic and the story is no rainbow and unicorns kind of read. But if you’re a fan of the dark and gritty romance, you will devour this and beg for more.
I will not give you a full review here simply because you need to experience this book by going into it absolutely blind.

Nick’s story will break your heart. It will make you feel. It will grip you by the throat from the very first page and keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time. I’m not a reader that easily cries in books (if at all) and I was ugly crying my damn eyes out like a crazy person reading this. It deserves 5 stars for that alone.

It’s a story of revenge. But it’s also so much more. It’s a story of second chances. But that’s not to say the road to it is an easy one.

It’s violent, erotic, unapologetic.
But at the heart of it, it’s an incredible love story.

Keri Lake is a master of her craft and she wrote a sexy, dark and twisted tale filled with unpredictable plot twists that will make your head spin. I’m a huge fan of her Sons of Wrath series, but clearly she’s got the contemporary thing down too. And that’s all you’ll be getting from me.

Keri Lake is a married mother of two living in Michigan. By day, she tries to make use of the degrees she’s earned in science. By night, she writes dark contemporary and paranormal romance. Though novels tend to be her focus, she also writes short stories and flash fiction on the many occasions when distraction sucks her in to the Land of Shiny Things.

She loves hearing from readers …

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1 Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Dark, Giveaways, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 5 stars, DGR Fave, Keri Lake

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Chasing River★ by K.A.Tucker

July 5, 2015 by Lana ·

CHASING RIVER is a Suspenseful Romance novel, and the third novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. CHASING RIVER is set to be released July 7, 2015! If you haven’t already, be sure to grab BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN, the first two books in this thrilling series!!

Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’d want to catch.

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So…Where’d you meet this guy?”
“At the park one day. He kind of…ran into me.”
“Sounds romantic.”
“It was, in a way.” If pipe bombs could be called romantic.

I’m not sure why I didn’t realize from reading the synopsis that Amber Welles is the twin sister of Jesse Welles from Burying Water. Although I was hoping this book would have one of the 2 characters that were introduced in the previous one, I have to say I was excited when realized out who Amber was. Always the good girl to her troublemaking twin brother, I couldn’t wait to find out what her story will bring. I have to say,
while I enjoyed this book, comparing to the first two it was probably my least favorite in the series. That’s not to say it wasn’t good, because it really was. I adore KA Tucker’s writing style and her ability to bring her words to life. With the previous two books being in Oregon, it was a great change of pace to get the beauty of Ireland in this one.

Amber Welles is coming off a break up. She’s always been the good girl, the good daughter, popular girl and all around perfect. She has a great job as a nurse, she has great friends (or so she thinks), but she’s yearning for more. So she makes herself a bucket travel lists and sets off for sights unseen. But when she gets lost in Dublin, a run in with a guy with piercing green eyes leaves her rattled in more ways than one.

River Delaney has been on the wrong side of the law before, mostly thanks to his criminal older brother and his ties to the IRA. He’s not looking to be caught there again. When he follows his recently out of prison brother and catches him laying a pipe bomb in the middle of St. Stephen’s Green, he’s not exactly shocked. But when he sees a lost American tourist about to run right into the bomb’s path, he knows he has to do something. So he saves her and takes off before he can be tied to anything.

Amber can’t seem to get the man that saved her life out of her mind and when she’s able to track him down to his family’s pub, she knows that she needs to get to know him. He affects her like no other man has in her life. He’s also the exact opposite of any man she’s ever dated, and yet she’s inexplicably drawn to him.

Although I wasn’t sure what to expect from Amber with her good girl thought process, she really pleasantly surprised me. I really enjoyed her character and the way she chased River even though it wasn’t in her comfort zone. River was a hero that I liked straight away. He’s sweet and caring but with a little edge to him. I loved the relationship he had with his brother Rowen. Though I was shocked at the development between Ivy and Rowen. (Wonder if this book is the last we’ve seen of him?)

So why not more stars? I felt that for the type of reader I am there was a little too much concentration on history and suspense than the romance. While that may work very well for other readers, I found it added a certain disconnect for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was interesting to read about but not something I would typically turn to, if that even makes sense. This series isn’t too heavy on the romance and it’s not the HEA endings I usually like. It’s suspenseful and gives the reader a very satisfying HFN. I just found the previous two books to be a little more enjoyable. The Burying Water series isn’t heavy on romance or steam. If I had to rate the steam on a scale of 1-10, I’d say it’s a 3. That’s not why I read this series, though. It offers something different from the usual mainstream romance you’d find. It has suspense and mystery with the added element of romance. I just felt a slight disconnect with this one for reason I can’t quite put my finger one. That being said, I’d definitely recommend this book for fans of the series.

I like that while the characters are interconnected, the books can easily be read as standalones. So if you haven’t read the previous two books, you wouldn’t be even a little lost jumping right into this one. I would recommend the other two books simply because they were fantastic and it does give the reader a better understanding of some of the secondary characters that make an appearance.

ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
And don’t forget BURYING WATER and BECOMING RAIN, the first two books in this thrilling series…

BURYING WATER

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BECOMING RAIN

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Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

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· Filed Under: All Reviews, All Reviews, Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, Giveaways, New Adult, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 3.5 stars

Review: ★Behind Your Back★ by Chelsea M. Cameron

June 6, 2015 by Lana ·

Behind Your Back

Series: Behind Your Back #1

Author: Chelsea M. Cameron

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 26, 2015

To get to him, I need to use her.I’ll play her like a violin and have her falling in love with me before she even knows what’s happening.

It will be easy. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again.
She’s just a girl.
A tool to get what I want.When I’m done with her I won’t think twice about walking away.
At least, that was what I thought.

Until I met her.

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Warning: slight rant to follow
I’ve loved and I mean LOVED Chelsea’s Fall and Rise series. So when I heard she’s coming out with a new book and I read the blurb for Behind to Back, I didn’t even have to think twice jumping at the chance to read it. Then I started reading it…and I swear I kept checking the cover to make sure I was reading a book by the same author.

This book puts Kristen Ashley’s descriptiveness to shame. I have never read so much mundane and unnecessary details in a book before. But while KA’s descriptiveness somehow works in her books, here it was just empty and pointless. I mean for gawd’s sake, I knew what the hero ate, what he wore, what he thought about wearing, what he drove, what he thought about driving. I swear, if I had to read about his bowel movements; (1) I actually wouldn’t have been surprised given everything else that’s described and (2) I would have chucked my kindle out the window.

I originally DNF’d this at 35% because I had no connection with the story or the characters. None. How could I? Let me give you a cliff notes version of the first 30%.
Spoiler alert: nothing happens.

We meet the protagonist. He has a name, but it’s not his real one. He shares this with you through his internal monologue at least 5 times. He goes into a coffee shop and notices the heroine, who’s wearing a disguise…but you have no idea why. (Cue intrigue)

He goes out and does a bunch of stuff while having a lot more internal thoughts.
He gets home. Goes to sleep. Oh and he has a cat named Leo.

He wakes up. Talks about his mission to punish all the bad men for the bad things they did through their money, but you have no idea why. He has a team of people that do this with him, but you have no idea how they work. Oh and one of them is gay and the other is a manwhore….because every book needs those.

He wakes up the next day. Has a shave. Thinks about what he’s going to wear. Decides on the Briani. (my uncultured self had to look up Briani). Thinks about whether to take the Royce or the Ferrari. Goes out. Does stuff… But you still have no idea what he does aside from his “day job”. Comes home. Goes to sleep.

He wakes up. Eats something. Thinks about his cat. Hangs out with his friends who also work with him, they talk about a bunch of stuff. Goes home because he has a migraine and goes to sleep.

He wakes up. Talks to his friend/”team mate” about what to wear to better attract the heroine. Goes out. Does a bunch of stuff. Comes home. Goes to sleep.

Bla bla bla next 20% bla bla bla.

He’s still looking for the heroine. But you have no idea why. Because her daddy did a bad thing but you have no idea what. He goes home again because he has a headache. Cuddles his cat. Goes to sleep.

Wakes up the next day. Goes looking for the heroine. He has a coffee. Can’t find the heroine. Goes home. Talks with his teammates about updates…though at this point I just don’t care..

Wakes up the next day. Sets up another failed attempt to meet the heroine. Flirts with a girl at a bar. Takes his fancy suit and fancy car home. Goes to sleep…his cat is also home. Because…you know…he has a cat and stuff.

Wakes up again. Meets with his teammates to complain how he can’t seem to set up the “accidental” meet with the heroine. Thinks about more mundane stuff. Oh he also does some work and stuff. Goes home and goes to sleep.

7 weeks later, 7000 mundane details later and he still hasn’t met the heroine.

Oh but wait, when he finally DOES meet her, all it takes is their eyes to connect for him to burn for her. (Cue eye roll)

At this point I was actually forcing myself to keep reading in hopes something, anything would happen. But any connection I could have had for the characters or their story was lost somewhere between the hero’s metrosexual percolating over his car and wardrobe choices and the really bad analogies.

Analogies like this

She’s…fragile. Like a glass holding a bouquet of beautiful flowers that would shatter if you bump it too hard.

or this

She tastes like fire. Hot and sweet.

And cheesy lines like this

My heart always seems to know when Saige is in range and speeds up. It’s not something I can help. It’s just a bodily response to a beautiful and funny and sexy woman. My biological need to mate and continue the species.

or this…

You’re like a walking piece of art. And I really, really like art.

I felt like the entire story was being told to me as opposed to shown. There really wasn’t any depth to the characters, aside from the hero’s internal monologue of details that have no added value to the actual story.
The only saving grace for me was the twist at the very end. Unfortunately by then it was just a little too late. I don’t care enough about the couple to be curious as to what happens with them in the next book. I don’t like the hero, and I’m simply not intrigued enough by the heroine.

Will I read future books by this author? Absolutely and without a doubt. Even the best of authors can write a book that won’t work for you once in a while. I don’t expect them all to be winners, and just because I didn’t enjoy this particular book, doesn’t mean other readers won’t. I’ve loved her other work, and I’d never judge an author’s talent by one book alone. So if this is your first book by this author and you didn’t enjoy it, please don’t let it stop you from reading her other work because it really was fantastic, as I’m sure her future books will be.

· Filed Under: Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 1 Star

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Total Surrender★ by @RebeccaZanetti

April 5, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Total Surrender

Sin Brothers # 4

Author: Rebecca Zanetti

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 31, 2015; Forever Mass Market

A fight he must win . . .

Piper Oliver knows she can’t trust him. They warned her that the tall, dark, and sexy black-ops soldier Jory Dean would try to win her over with his steel-gray eyes and deadly charm, but she won’t be conned by this man they call a traitor. All she has to do is figure out the science necessary to save his life, and she’s done. Something isn’t adding up, though, and she won’t rest until she uncovers the truth-even if it’s buried in his deep, dangerous kiss.
A passion she can’t resist . . .

Jory will do anything to reunite with and save his brothers-even kidnap the gorgeous woman who’s working to deactivate the deadly chip in their spines. But the forces determined to destroy his family won’t let them go so easily. Keeping Piper alive is more than he bargained for-and so is his burning desire for her. But with every second bringing him closer to certain death, can he afford to lose himself in her hot and willing embrace?

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If she screamed, they were screwed.

Jory pivoted and put her against the wall, covering her mouth with his before she could let out a sound.

Warmth and woman. An electric shock flared his entire nervous system alive. Soft and sweet, she breathed in as he pressed against her. He’d meant to subdue her, to throw her off balance, but shock ricocheted through him.

Need compelled him. He shot both hands into her hair, tilting her head so he could go deeper. So fucking deep he could get lost.

The second he tasted her, all cinnamon and woman, hunger slaked him. Devastating in its intensity, a demand he couldn’t deny. Her smooth, velvety lips softened under his, and for once, he lost himself.

Strands of her silky hair caressed his hands as he held her jaw, nearly lifting her up to meet his mouth. There was nothing but getting . . . more.

She stilled against him, her mouth parting. He swept his tongue against hers, taking in a primitive claim too powerful to deny.

Her gasp mingled with his low groan. She pressed harder against him, her mouth curving under his, and he forgot . . .everything. Who he was, where they were, the fire and danger. Only the woman against him, warm and willing, sweet and sexy, filled his mind.

He clasped her tight, forgetting any gentleness. Any seduction, any mission. Only this woman and this moment mattered. Letting go of himself, he allowed the creature inside, the one so rarely let loose, to take over. To push deep, to demand more. To take.

And give everything.

His mouth overtook hers, memorizing every groove, every small nuance. His free hand gripped her butt, hauling her up against his steel-hard erection. Heat from her core nearly dropped him to his knees. Pain and sparking pleasure flared along his skin, and he deepened the kiss, tightening his hold.

He needed to get inside her. Now.

A siren trilled on the lower street, and he jerked his head free.

Danger.

She blinked, her eyes the green of a rain-filled meadow. Desire burned there, hot and bright. Somehow sweet.

Possessiveness gripped him with a chokehold. One kiss. One kiss and she’d changed him. He had to get her out of the parking lot before guns fired again.

That quickly, realization crossed her face. Then shock, as she tried to take a step back. Her hands rose and shoved against his chest.

Denial gripped him to be quickly quashed with cold, hard training. So he grabbed her wrists and hauled her closer, his face lowering to hers. He wiped away any expression and shoved down all emotion. “Those men don’t care who they shoot. They’re scrambling and might kill you—or innocent bystanders.” He spoke low, commanding.

She blinked, her mouth opening but no sound coming out.

“If you fight me, they’ll find us, and they might shoot. Collateral damage doesn’t mean a thing to them.”

She shook her head and looked around.

He pulled her closer and lowered his voice to pure, no‑bullshit command. “We’re getting in that four-door Jeep, and we’re leaving here quietly. Your only choice is alert or unconscious? Decide now.” He let conviction ring in his tone. If he believed he could knock her out, then she’d believe it, too.

No fucking way could he knock her out. Scaring her held little appeal, but he didn’t have a choice if they were to both live through the night.

She quickly nodded. Gulping air, she relaxed her body as two teenagers giggled while walking by.

He knew full well she agreed to keep bystanders safe and not because the kiss had changed anything for her. She had no reason to trust him, and she’d never really know him. Why that pierced his chest with the cleanness of a sharpened dagger, he’d figure out later. For now, they had to run.

There was a demand in the way he touched her, in the way he kissed. One she should run the hell away from, if she had any sense of self-preservation. The sexy soldier wanted everything she had to give, and she knew better.

It’s been almost a year since I finished Blind Faith and not once in my months of waiting has my anticipation for this book even slightly diminished. If anything, with every month I came closer to finally getting my hands on Jory’s story I just got more and more excited. So with anticipation like that, a girl builds up some high hopes that would be practically impossible to live up to, right? Well, maybe if you’re anyone BUT Rebecca Zanetti it may have been. But she managed to finish off the series with a hell of a punch that will only leave you begging for more. In short, I loved it!

What are you doing?”
“Picking up your challenge.” Smooth as silk, his lips brushed her cheek. “Didn’t you think I would?”
“No…I, ah, didn’t.”
“That was your first mistake.” His voice rumbled so close to her ear, the tenor vibrated just under her skin. Oddly, soft, and intriguingly gentle.
“Wh-What was my second?”
“I’m hoping you make that soon.”

Jory Dean is the youngest Dean brother that has been thought dead by his brothers after they saw a video of him being shot in the chest. Although almost two years have passed, even when his brothers were fighting for their own lives, they never forgot him or stop digging into the events that led up to his death. This all came to a head in the last book where finally a video surfaced that show the possibility that the shots that went through Jory’s chest may not have been fatal.

Unbeknownst to his 3 brothers, Jory spent the last 2 years in a coma inside the very military facility that they had escaped from all those years ago. Back in the evil grasp of the commander, Jory spends his days locked in a cell while a beautiful computer hacker attempts to save his life by accessing the kill chip that’s embedded in his spine that has been damaged in his shooting.

Piper Oliver is a talented young hacker. Working for a facility that she believes does good, she’s attempting to do the job she’s been hired for while a man with gray eyes and an intense presence seems to steal her every thought. It soon becomes clear that everything that Piper had once believed may not quite be as black and white as she thought. The enemy that she believes she’s fighting against may just be her only ally and the one person she believed had her best interest at heart just may be the biggest threat to her life.

All intelligence and masculinity rolled up into an explosive package.
The possibility of that explosion, of that detonation, had been hinted in him since the beginning.
She knew, without a doubt, that was the exact characteristic of his that attracted her. She wanted to detonate with him.
God help them both.

Total Surrender was an explosive, action-packed and super sexy final installment in the series. Piper and Jory burned up the pages together. What starts as the bantering between two enemies soon begins to turn into something so much more. When Jory provides Piper with more and more proof that he’s telling the truth, Piper knows that she has no other choice but to help the man that she’s slowly but surely finds herself falling for.

A week with a Dean brother is like a year with anybody else. You know. With the shooting, the espionage, the fighting for their lives.

I loved the reunion between the brothers that has been 4 books in the making. There was not one dull moment in the entire book. It was an entertaining, non-stop ride from beginning to end.

I loved getting more of the other 3 couples from the series. It was so great getting their own final pieces of HEA at the end of the book. Of course it’s not all cut and dry, and Miss Zanetti definitely leaves just enough room for a possible (or I’m hoping) spin-off. While she gives you just enough answers and conclusion to satisfy, she also gives you that much more question to whet your appetite for more. I really hope to see a spin-off series with secondary characters that were introduced here. I won’t tell you who, since it’ll spoil the experience, but let’s just say the set up is absolutely perfect.

While Total Surrender is perfectly written so you’d be able to enjoy it as a standalone, I’d highly recommend reading this series in order to truly appreciate the story and all the characters.

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day-or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, Military-men, Rebecca Zanetti

Release Blitz, Excerpt, Review & #Giveaway: ★Becoming Rain★ by @kathleenatucker

March 3, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

I am dying to share this Release Blitz with you all to celebrate K.A. Tucker’s BECOMING RAIN! BECOMING RAIN is a New Adult Romantic Suspense novel, and the second novel in K.A. Tucker’s Burying Water Series, published by Atria books, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster. I hope you’re ready for this!

BECOMING RAIN US BUY LINKS:

UK BUY LINKS/BECOMING RAIN:

Luke Boone doesn’t know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it-the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he’s finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set-one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it’s not exactly legal, Luke’s never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain.Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game-at only twenty-six years old, she’s one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington D.C. major crime unit, and she’s just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the west coast’s most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she’ll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she’ll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she’ll even want to.

“Let us know if you have any more problems.” Luke flashes that wide, charming smile that stalls my feet just a little.

Still no mention of connecting again. In fact, I’d say Luke has gone out of his way to skirt the subject. He’s just not interested. That’s all there is to it. Or maybe he’s waiting for me to bring it up again. But if he’s not, then bringing it up will make me look desperate. I’m guessing he doesn’t like desperate women.

Luke Boone has me in a tailspin. No target has ever had me second-guessing myself this much, this early. It’s just the pressure of the case, I remind myself. “I’m sure I will.” I take long, slow steps, ensuring my movements are sleek and appealing, the opposite of my frantic thoughts, as I desperately search for another hook, since nothing I’m casting has caught so far.

“So, when did you say you’re cooking dinner for me?”

I fight the urge to groan with relief but I can’t keep the smile from exploding across my face. “Whenever you call me.” I turn to regard him, to see his smug face—like he knew I was waiting for it all along, like he was toying with me—and nod to the sheet on his desk. “You have my number.”

“I do.” His eyes twinkle. “I’ll call you soon.”

Thank fucking God.

I wait until I’m in my car and around the corner before turning off my wire and squealing like a fourteen-year-old who just got asked out to the movies. I dial Warner to debrief, my heart still racing. It’s standard protocol to call in after every meeting with my target. Up until now, I’ve had nothing but failure to report. And, while this may not seem like much . . .

I think I’m finally in.

Such a precious sun it is, the one that shines after a cold, harsh rain.

I’ve been a huge fan of this author since she first released her Ten Tiny Breaths series. Her first book in the Burying Water series was definitely quite a bit different from that and I absolutely devoured it. Burying Water was emotional, suspenseful, and with a wonderful love story at the core of it. Burying Water is also where we were first introduced to Luke Boon, Jesse’s somewhat wayward best friend. Luke was always a bit of a question mark as far as some morals go. While you knew he has a heart beneath all that bluster, he was also in the thick of things with trying to finally truly get inside his uncle Rust’s business, knowing that not everything he does is legal. But Luke also liked the money that went along with the questionable life style, so what’s shaking hands with some criminals. He’s grown up around this life, starting with his grandfather.

But while he’s trying to gain trust and grow within his uncle’s organization, he’s being watched. The beautiful blue-eyed brunette in the building across from him is no admirer, however. She’s a tough as nails undercover officer, Clara Bertelli, determined to bring an end to Rust Miller’s illegal business and everyone that’s tied in with it, including his connection with the Russian mob. Her looks allow her for an easy in; attract Luke’s attention since research clearly shows she’s his ‘type’, and then try to get the information out of him though their relationship. While Rain may not be her real name, it’s certainly fitting…

It’s not so much that I love rain. I just have a healthy respect for what it does. People hate it, but the world needs rain.”

Luke is not at all what he appears to be, and it’s not long before Rain begins to discover the amazing man that he is and feelings begin to enter the picture. The relationship is definitely a slow burn, considering the forbidden element of it. As Rain begins to see the true man beneath, her focus begins to shift and she lines begin to get crossed. Can she still bring his uncle and his organization down, even at the cost of Luke?

Guilt and happiness go to war inside of me as I fall.
I wonder which one will win.

The developing relationship between Luke and Rain was probably my favorite part of the story, even if it wasn’t quite the main focus of it.

I found the real focus of this story to be more on the plot more so than the romance. Don’t get me wrong, the romance, while slow building, was certainly still there. But I didn’t find that the story centered around it. There is that element of suspense and the additional key players of Elmira, the Russians, and Warner.

While I was questioning Luke in the previous book, I completely fell for him in this one. There was so much depth to his character, and the author did a fantastic job in truly bringing that out.

She’s everything I’m used to and yet she’s completely new.

I also really loved Rain’s character. She was a tough girl without coming off too harsh. It’s refreshing to read about a female officer, and an undercover one at that. She was driven and good at her job, and though she was focused on her goal, her feelings for Luke began to shift her focus.

I give in. He’s not ready to divulge everything to me. This is just the beginning.
The beginning of a true “us” in his eyes.
And the beginning of the end for Luke Boon

Her internal struggle with her decisions while seeing Luke fall more and more for her was almost bittersweet to read, because you just know that it will not end well.

…I’ve broken one of the most basic rules of undercover work: don’t get emotionally attached to your targets.

This was another engrossing installment for the series and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I do wish that we got perhaps an epilogue at the end of it, but at the same time the ending was extremely fitting. I loved how their ending fit in with how they first met. I did find myself wishing for just a little more romance, but at the same time I really enjoyed the suspense and the story, so it never really took away from my enjoyment of the overall book.

There are quite a few loose ends that I’m thinking will be addressed in the next book and I’m really hoping to get a book for 2 particular characters since they really grabbed my attention in this one (view spoiler)[Warner and Elmira (hide spoiler)]. I also really loved being able to catch up with Jesse and Alex and get a few more peaks at their HEA continuation.

And don’t forget BURYING WATER, the first book in this thrilling series…

The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.

The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.

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Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.

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Release Blitz & Review: ★Hell’s Kitchen★ by @_callie_hart & @LiliStGermain1

March 3, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Hell’s Kitchen (Hell’s Kitchen #1)

Author: Hart Saint Germain

Release Date: March 3, 2015

*From International Bestselling authors Callie Hart and Lili St. Germain comes a tale of two families co-existing in a melting pot of violence, murder and drugs in the seedy underbelly of New York City*Hell’s Kitchen
Theo and Sal Barbieri are brothers, tasked by their Mafioso father Roberto with a very clear purpose: kidnap Kaitlin McLaughlin. The beautiful daughter of Roberto’s Irish enemy. It’s high time Kaitlin was punished for her father’s sins—not to mention, her own.

And Operation: Kidnap Kaitlin is a roaring success… until it isn’t. When Kaitlin escapes into the busy streets of New York City, it’s a race against the clock to find her before Sal and Theo become the hunted.

Zeth Mayfair has traded his life as a hitman for a quieter existence, but it isn’t long before the past catches up with him in the form of Roberto Barbieri. Will he succumb to the lure of power that Roberto is offering? Or will he retaliate by killing every last Barbieri in New York to get them off his back?

Jason Ross is running. Woken in the night by a tip that the Gypsy Brothers are coming for him, he packs a bag and gets his girlfriend the hell out of dodge. Arriving in New York City in the midst of a heatwave is one thing, but being tailed by an entire drug cartel is another.

Worlds collide in Hell’s Kitchen as secrets come to light and sins are punished. Because we might be different in the light of day, but in the darkness, we’re all connected somehow.

Hell’s Kitchen is a serial comprising three volumes: Hell’s Kitchen, Tribeca and Bleecker Street. Volume One releases on March 3rd with a limited-time sale price of 99 cents

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon Aus / iBooks / B&N / Kobo / Smashwords

“When he lunges for me, I’m ready. I deflect the hand he was going to grab me with, slapping it downward, and then I grab onto his wrist, pulling him off balance. He seesaws forward but then rips his wrist out of my hand. I don’t expect him to turn his slight fumble to his own advantage, but he does. Dropping to the floor, he rolls and kicks out, landing a solid strike to my leg. I have less than a second to brace myself before I’m hitting the concrete.

Then he’s on top of me. “Oh, this is fun, sweetheart. But I don’t really have time to be playing games with you right now.”

He’s reaching for my arms, about to pin me to the ground, but I jab, landing a solid hit with my extended fingertips right in the base of his throat, in his windpipe. He chokes, his body falling sideways, and then I’m on top of him. Through watering eyes and a clearly sore throat, the guy grins up at me, shaking his head.

“Well, if you wanna fuck me, I guess I could make some time.” Thrusting upward, he tries to unseat me, but I know this is what’s coming and I’m ready again. I compensate, leaning forward, pressing my gun into the guy’s neck.

“Who are you?”

His body goes still, his hands lifting so they’re palm up in front of him. “You know who I am, sweetheart. I’m the enemy.”

“My boss has quite a few enemy camps. Which one do you belong to?”

“The biggest one,” the guy says, smiling. “The Italian one.”

“So you work for Barbieri?”

“I am a Barbieri.” Lightning fast, he snaps his hand out and clamps it around my throat. The move catches me off guard, has me panicking for the first time. My gun is gone, then, knocked to the ground, skittering away across the blacktop. The guy’s hand tightens around the column of my neck, threatening to squeeze even harder. “What’s wrong?” he asks. “Feeling a little lightheaded?”

We’re kidnapping a teenager. We should be wearing balaclavas and overalls, not fucking Armani suits.”

What happens when the genius minds of Lili Saint Germain and Callie Hart combine? This entertaining as fuck book. These ladies are on my auto buy list with their individual work, but as a team? They’re an absolute powerhouse. I have loved both Blood & Roses and the Gypsy Brothers series. But when these two worlds collide? It’s sure to be one epic fucking ride.

Before I get to my review, allow me to address a few key points if you’re planning on reading this book…
1. If you have not read the Gypsy Brothers series, this book does have several plot spoilers from it that may be lost on you.

2. If you have not read the Blood & Roses series, this book does have several plot spoilers that may also be lost on you.

3. If you haven’t read BOTH of those series, there are quite a few crossovers and plot intricacies that may also be lost on you.
Essentially, what I’m trying to tell you here is that you would enjoy this series a hell of a lot more if you read those 2 series first. While you wouldn’t necessarily be lost, you just wouldn’t have quite as much appreciation for the characters or their connecting stories if you haven’t read them yet.

Hell’s Kitchen has quite a few POVs packed into a little over 100 pages. Where usually I’d find that to be way too much and convoluted, the fact that the authors not only made it work here but it actually added to the story is certainly no small feat. EVERY single POV added something into the story and allowed to tie into the next one. It was so intricately woven together that I never once found myself confused or annoyed but simply enjoying the ride. So who are the key players in Hell’s Kitchen? Let’s do a roll call…

The Barbiery brothers The sons to the current Italian mafioso of New York, Roberto. Roberto is a cold hearted and ruthless kingpin that spares no one in his gain for power and vengeance, not even his sons. When his Irish enemy does him wrong, what best way to get revenge than to kidnap his daughter, Kaitlin, and to charge his two sons with it.

Kaitlin McLaughlin has a very short POV that gives the reader just enough insight into her vapidness and better understanding of her character. This is definitely no 17 year old girl you’ll find yourself sympathizing with. She’s one spoiled and vicious little bitch.

Gracie; Kaitlin’s bodyguard and all around bad bitch. Now you know I love me a snarky and kick-ass heroine, and Gracie was that and so much more. She was taken into the McLaughlin fold at an early age and feels a bond with Kaitlin’s father even though babysitting his spoiled little princess is not what she wants to be wasting her time on. The last thing she expects is to be caught in a chase with the sons of their Italian enemy.

Scarlett Winchester (Oh and I see what you did with her last name there, you clever girls. I love that!) Is a down on her luck actress that is currently attempting to put together the tatters of her previous life. Lost in a constant haze of drugs and alcohol if only to drown out the demons of the past and a mistake from 9 months ago that cost her everything.

In short, the woman is one hot mess. But while she may be broken, she still has a mouth on her and she can use snark as her weapon of choice, which definitely made for some awesome banter.

Zeth motherfucking Mayfair. Does the man even need an introduction. Zeth is trying to move on with his life together with Sloane. While he will never exactly live on the straight and narrow, he certainly has no desires to answer to anyone else now that he is no longer under the thumb of Charlie, his past ’employer’. Too bad that Roberto wants to take over Charlie’s old territory, and he’s very aware of Zeth’s reputation and has no issues trying to get him back into the fold…and when a proposition doesn’t do, a threat will suffice.

Jason Ross. Dealing with the fallout of what happened with his father and the MC, Jason and Juliette are on the run from the Columbian Cartel. Their current hiding place? Non other that New York. And you just KNOW that when all these worlds combine, it’s going to be one hell of a ride. There’s also the mention of Elliot, though he never has a POV here…at least not yet.

So there you have it, the seven key players of Hell’s Kitchen, though I would say that the Barbiery brothers, Scarlett and Gracie are the main focus. I absolutely loved how the authors managed to tie together all of these POVs into one intricately woven story. If you’re looking for the grit of GB, you won’t find that here, but it doesn’t really advertise to be that. What it is, is an entertaining, humorous, action-packed and thrilling ride that combines the worlds of B&R and GB along with some new players to give you another addicting series. I read this in one sitting, completely incapable of setting it down for even a second. I’m already practically salivating for the next installment and can’t wait to see what happens next with all these characters.

Callie Hart

Callie has experienced many changes throughout her life, and gone through many ups and downs that have all worked towards shaping and molding her into the person she is today: fun loving, active, social, and hard working. The only thing that has remained a constant throughout her life is writing. Creating characters who will tear your conscience in two is a favorite pastime of Callie’s. There are few real saints and sinners in her books; more often, the denizens of her stories are all very human. Broken, flawed, and always with the potential for redemption.

Despite the subject matter being markedly hot and heavy in comparison to the stories she wrote in elementary school, there will always be an element of fairytale to her work.

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Lili Saint Germain

Lili writes dark romance, suspense and paranormal stories. Her serial novel, Seven Sons, was released in early 2014, with the following books in the series to be released in quick succession. Lili quit corporate life to focus on writing and so far is loving every minute of it. Her other loves in life include her gorgeous husband and beautiful daughter, good coffee, Tarantino movies and spending hours on Pinterest.

She loves to read almost as much as she loves to write.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, Erotic Rom, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, Callie Hart

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