Review: Legacy of Chaos by Larissa Ione

December 3, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LEGACY OF CHOS
Series: Demonica Birthright #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Larissa Ione
Release Date: December 3, 2024

The legacy continues…

It’s a gritty new world.

Three decades after the events of REAPER, the world is a different place. The secret is out. The existence of demons, vampires, shapeshifters, and angels has been revealed, and humans are struggling to adapt. Out of the chaos, The Aegis has risen to global power on the promise of containing or exterminating all underworlders, even if that means ushering in the End of Days.

Standing in their way is the next generation of warriors, the children of demons and angels and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

See how they become legends in their own right.

Legacy of Chaos

Stryke, son of Shade and Runa, grew up a happy, well-adjusted incubus alongside his four brothers. A supergenius, he took an interest in science and technology at an early age, with a dream of joining NASA…until a moment of carelessness resulted in the death of his little brother. Unable to forgive himself and desperate to prevent a similar tragedy from happening to others, he started up his own anti-demon tech company and sequestered himself behind its walls. Now he’s a household name and one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

Cyan, a technomancer who works as a cybersecurity expert for DART, lost her best friend to a weapon designed by Stryke’s company. She’s hurt, angry, and wants revenge. So when an opportunity to work with Stryke on a project arises, she jumps at the chance to help DART and make Stryke’s life miserable.

At first, Cyan and Stryke butt heads about everything. But she soon finds that deep down, he’s desperately wounded and willing to sacrifice everything, including his family, to achieve his goals. Can she help him heal before he destroys himself—and everyone around him?

AMAZON | B&N | APPLE BOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

“What do I need?” His throaty voice vibrated through her, making her hormones dance. “I need to f*ck you, Cyan. And, gods help me, I don’t just need it. I want it.”

OH
MY
GOD!

How am I going to survive the wait for the next book? I have no idea what to do with myself right now.

Now if you’ve read Legacy of Temptation, then you already know Stryker. And if you haven’t, then definitely read that first. While the story features different couples, the story arc continues, and it just wouldn’t hit the same if you start with this book. Trust me.

I have been desperately awaiting the story of Styker. As a secondary character in the first book, he came across as a cold genius businessman. But when you got the sneak peek into his story, you realized that he can also add tortured to his repertoire. Stryke also happens to be the son of one of my favorite Demonica couples, Shade and Runa from Desire Unchained. After the violent loss of his baby brother, Styker hasn’t been the same. He pulled away from his family and especially from his Seminus demon ways. It’s been years and he still blames himself for the loss and punishes himself in a multitude of ways. My heart broke for this tortured man so hard.

After the tragic and violent loss of her best friend to a weapon made by Stryke’s company, Cyan is not exactly his fan. But when she gets assigned to work at his company for a shared mission, things start to shift. She begins to see the tortured soul beneath the demon.

Now if you’ve read the Demonica series, then you’ll really appreciate the story arc of this spinoff. There are so many favorites that are featured in this book, including Gabriel and Azagoth. And man oh man, am I desperate for Gabriel’s story. But knowing Larissa, she’ll tease us with him until the end. There is so much that is happening with this book and all of it had me absolutely glued to the pages; the opening of hell that is quickly letting in dangerous demons, the mystery of Harvester, and through it all the emotional romance between Stryke and Cyan.

I love the strong and kickass heroines that Ione writes and Cyan is no exception. I love the way that she fights with Stryke as much as fights for him. And I absolutely loved their romance and the full circle it brought things. I did hope to see Stryke get to really bridge his relationship with his brother Blade, but we may have to wait until Blade’s book for that I’m thinking.

In any case, this was a high octane, action packed, steamy romantasy in a world that I am completely enraptured with and never want to leave. I cannot recommend it enough.

And if you haven’t read Ione’s Demonica series yet, this is definitely your sign to do so immediately.

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Review: Wrath of an Exile by Monty Jay

October 29, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

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

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

Jude Sinclair is West Trinity Falls’ favorite exiled loner.

Cocky. Insufferably hot. Family foe.

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

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

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

Betray my family? Or betray my heart?

AMAZON

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We’re not made for soft endings. We’re made for catastrophe, for the kind of connection that leaves scars, the kind that haunts you long after the final page is turned.
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DGRFave & Review: Alone With You by Aly Martinez

August 24, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

ALONE WITH YOU
Author: Aly Martinez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2024

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of From the Embers comes a new jaw-dropping standalone romance.

Pain trapped me in this house. Can love set me free?

Death had been chasing me my entire life. I survived the horrors of war, but it was the aftermath that truly destroyed me.

People called me a recluse, but the only time I didn’t feel like I was suffocating was inside that house.

For my daughter, I kept some semblance of normalcy by implementing a rigid routine. Once a week, I forced myself to walk to the diner at the end of the block—a ritual I despised but relied on as my last anchor to the real world.

Until the day a “Closed” sign on the door shattered my fragile existence. Worse, the new owner was the most haunting ghost from my past.

It had been years since I’d laid eyes on Gwendolyn Pierce. She hated me—and rightly so. But when a film crew arrived in town to dig into my past, she became my only ally.

With my secrets threatened, I leaned on Gwen, forging a connection neither of us could deny. But with a past as dark as ours, I feared it would eclipse any hope for a future.

I always said that when Death finally came for me, I would be ready, eager, and alone.
Always alone.

But for Gwen, maybe I could face the world again as long as it meant I could be alone—with her.

AMAZON

My life started that day when I slid my ring on her finger. And years later, when she dropped that same ring at my feet, my life ended.

This was, hands down, one of my favorite books of 2024. It was everything I’ve come to expect from the phenomenal talent that is Aly Martinez; poignant, emotional, unputdownable, and completely unforgettable.

Have you ever read a book and thought this NEEDS to be a movie? Because when I tell you that this story unrolled like a movie reel behind my eyes, I mean it. If this isn’t made into a movie, I will downright riot. But I digress.

I will go so far as to say this is one of my favorite second chance romances I’ve read to date. I don’t remember the last time a book wrung this level of emotion out of me, but I SOBBED my way through the last 30% of this story and still can’t stop thinking about it.

I would have loved you for the rest of my life. But, now I will hate you for the rest of yours.”

Gwen is recently divorced from her toxic and narcissistic ex and finds herself starting over. She buys a diner in town with the hopes of renovating it to be her dream. The last thing she expects is to find a blast from her past, playfully coined “the hot gargoyle” sitting in the diner’s booth.

Truett has been a shell of man, living in his past, unable to move on in his present. As the full extent of his past comes to light, you find yourself both completely enraptured, heartbroken and devastated for this man. And when you learn the full extent of his history with Gwen, you find yourself fully invested in their present. I loved everything about them; their chemistry especially so.

This story deals with some very sensitive subject matter and I found myself living it right along with these characters. The book had me in a chokehold from cover to cover. And Aly seriously knows how to give a twist, because let me just tell you, this one had my jaw on the floor with one I never saw coming.

I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”

If there is one book that you need to read this year, make it this one. If you want to feel every emotion that the characters experience, read this book. If you want a book that completely enraptures you and keeps you glued to the pages until the end, read this book.

It was, in a word, unforgettable. I will be thinking about these characters and this story for moths to come and this book will be my Roman Empire because WOW. Just WOW.

Notice how I barely tell you anything about this story? Trust me when I tell you that you need to experience it completely blind.

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. 

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.


Connect with Aly Martinez:

https://linktr.ee/AuthorAlyMartinez 




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Review: Unholy Vows by Mila Kane

November 8, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

UNHOLY VOWS
Series: Original Sin Series #1
Author: Mila Kane
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Release Date: November 8, 2023

Forgive me father, for I’m about to sin…

Renato
 
We never should have met. She wandered like an innocent lamb into my world, and the door slammed shut behind her.
 
Leaving her alive and free was a risk no capo would take.
I’ll let her live, for a price.
Her freedom.
 
She isn’t what she seems, but it’s already too late.
I’m obsessed, and nothing, and no one will keep her from me.

A forced marriage, age gap dark mafia romance with a jealous, possessive Italian boss anti-hero and the feisty young nurse that wandered unwillingly into his dangerous world.

Unholy Vows is a standalone dark age-gap romance with a guaranteed HEA and no OWD.
 
This is a dark mafia romance and as such contains themes which some readers may find triggering. Please read with caution.

AMAZON

I don’t need or want a white knight to sweep in and take care of me.” A chuckle left me at that comparison. “I’m no white knight, Miss Burke, as I’m sure you realized last night. I’m the dragon who guards the maiden in the keep and will swallow you whole if you try to escape me.

I have a new addiction and it’s name is Mila Kane books. I’m a self proclaimed mafia romance connoisseur. But I’m also a picky sh*t and truly good mafia romance is hard to find. Either the heroine is insufferable, it’s shock value for the sake of shock value, or it’s not even remotely dark. But this one? This was deliciously dark, with an antihero who was to die for and a heroine who never lost an ounce of her fierceness or backbone. And this girl was so addicted that I’m immediately planning a binge of Mila’s mafia backlist. But I digress. Let’s talk about this book.

She was an intriguing mix of contradictions. Good and pure, and mercenary as hell.

Charlie has been taking care of her troublesome younger sister since losing their parents years ago. When she follows her sister and her new boyfriend, she lands in deeper trouble then she ever expected when they witness something that they never should have seen. Suddenly Charlie finds herself in the sighs of a devil of a man who’s as alluring as he is dangerous. Renato De Sanctis, King of Atlantic City, and the capo dei capi of New Jersey. And Rentato will take nothing less than her soul in exchange for not killing her sister and her for what they saw. Better yet, he’ll take her unwilling hand in marriage to keep her quiet. The pesky attraction to the man doesn’t stop her healthy fear, but it also makes it that much more fiery.

“Have you ever been properly fucked?”
“Are you asking me if I’m a virgin? I’m twenty-six.” “I’m not talking about a little piece of inconvenient skin. I didn’t ask if you’d ever been pawed by some sucker who was punching above his weight. I meant have you ever been fucked properly… Have you ever seen stars behind your eyes while some lucky bastard pumped his cum into you? Have you ever come so hard, you forgot how to talk… how to breathe?”
“You can’t expect me to answer that,” she muttered.
“I don’t need you to, bambina; it’s obvious. But don’t worry…We’ll remedy that soon enough.”

I loved the development their relationship goes through. Charlie doesn’t just fall into lust and forgets her whits. She knows that she made a deal with the devil and she doesn’t disillusion herself that he’s a good man.

“You tell me to let it go, and I don’t have to worry about paying the bills. Do you think seriously that’ll comfort me? A woman who has worked her entire life to be independent and free? You think I’ve just been waiting for a man like you to come along and save me?”
“I told you already that I’m no white knight, Charlotte. I’m the villain in your story, and no one is coming to cut you free from the belly of this beast. No one.”

Ren was everything I love in an anti hero. He’s dark, dangerous, and as possessive as he is protective. The story is fast paced and addictive. I binged on this story and can’t wait for more in this series.


I’m obsessed with cats, coffee, and anti-heroes just the right side of insane.

I write dark and dirty romance with the alpha-holes of your most filthy nightmares.

While I like my heroes obsessed and powerful, I like my heroines smart and independent. My headstrong, capable women will bring their own personal demons to their knees, and capture their hearts at the same time.

I only write SAFE stories, there is never a place for another woman in my heroes sights, once he’s caught the scent of the heroine, and there will always be, no matter how dark and twisted the story might be… a HEA guarantee xx

 

Connect with Mila

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

Amazon | https://amzn.to/44E1nt6

Facebook | www.facebook.com/MilaKanewrites

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/3NOGG6C

Instagram | www.instagram.com/milakanebooks/

TikTok | www.tiktok.com/@milakanebooks

Pinterest | www.pinterest.co.uk/MilaKaneWrites/

 

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REVIEW: Heresy by Lily White

April 30, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

HERESY
Genre: Contemporary Romance Romance
Series: Antihero Inferno #4
Author: Lily White
Release Date: April 26, 2023

Sixth Circle
Heresy
Also Known as Shane Carter

There are no rules with this man.
No courtesies.
No acceptable behaviors he’ll conform to in order to be accepted.

He marches to his own beat.
Gives the finger to expectations.
And does whatever pleases him because nobody can control him.

Arrogant.
Aggravating.
Absolute Chaos.
Shane is the last person you want walking into your world.

It’s too bad he walked into mine.
Now I can’t get rid of him.
Not that I’m sure I want to.

He wants something from me.
He’s playing a game.
And every time we come together, I can’t help feeling like I’m dancing with the Devil.

It all started with a chance meeting.
With the exchange of a few angry words.
And now that I’m trapped in this man’s maze, I fear I won’t be strong enough to resist being seduced.

*** Each novel in the series depicts a unique romance, but the plots through each book connect in one world. For the best experience, read the series in order.

Nine Ruthless Men. Nine Unrepentant Sinners. Nine Irresistible Manipulators.

 AMAZON

 

In the Series (Kindle Unlimited)

Treachery (Book 1) – FREE APRIL 26-30, 2023

Series Links (Kindle Unlimited):

Fraud (Book 2)

Violence (Book 3)

 

I’ve known him for less than five minutes, and already I know I want nothing to do with him.

When I saw Lily announce that she’s back to writing, I was thrilled. When I saw that she’ll finally releasing book 4 in her Antihero Inferno, I was damn near rabid. So you best believe that I was on this book immediately after it hit my kindle. And while it’s over 500 pages, I devoured this in one sitting. And it was worth every painful second of the wait.

He truly is a drug, this man. A high so damn addicting that I’ll never recover if I lose him.

Now did I remember anything from the previous books? Absolutely not. So I did have to reread the last few chapters of Violence to jog my memory. So when I tell you that you need to read this series in order, believe me. As I’ve come to learn in the previous book, the author is ending us with her endings. This is a continuing story arc that you simply need to read in order to understand.

Heresy is Shane’s story. Shane was the bad boy that instantly caught my attention with his irreverent ways in Treachery. I was dying to meet the woman that would bring this playboy to his knees. And Brinley definitely delivered. This was a woman that was no pushover. Growing up, her private investigator father raised her to trust no one and always watch her back. As a grown woman desperately looking and whose father dissapeared, the last thing thing she needs is a complication in the form of Shane. What starts with barbs and banter when they randomly run into each other, soon turns to something else entirely when Shane realizes who she is. And then what he has to do to get answers that she holds to the Inferno’s plans.

As always, it was packed with a layer of suspense in along the steamy romance. And while we get a little satisfaction with the romantic HEA, the story leaves you with more questions than when you started. And the tease at the end for Damon’s book? BRING. IT. ON.

 

Lily White is a romance writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. She is most known for her Masters Series, Target This, Wishing Well, and Asylum. In addition to dark romance Lily writes contemporary romance, taboo romance, and psychological thrillers. Lily enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.

Social Media Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

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REVIEW: The Kiss List by Maya Hughes

March 11, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE KISS LIST
Series: STFU #1
Author: Maya Hughes
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 3, 2022

If I were on fire, she’d break out the marshmallows.

It’s not that we don’t like each other, more like hate with the fury of a thousand suns. But it wasn’t always that way.

I still remember how her lips tasted. How they felt pressed against mine. How I wanted more.

How I still crave her. Our disastrous night together ended with her storming out, me wondering if I’d ever be able to show my face on campus again and us as bitter enemies.

When a campus competition is announced to find the most in love couple, she’s the last person I thought I’d turn to for help. But the prize could change both our lives. An internship for her and a chance to finally connect with my father. It’s too hard to resist. Just like her heated glares and tempting curves.

To win, we’ve got to prove to everyone we’re a couple. Head over heels, can’t keep our hands off each other in love. Fake the hell out of it for our chance at glory.

Maybe we’re a little too good at selling it to the whole campus because the lines haven’t just been blurred, they’ve gone up in flames.

Can I convince her I want us to be together for real and keep the prize? Or will I lose them both?

A Fulton U rivals standalone. Explore a whole new campus with the rivals in this enemies to lovers, fake relationship romance.

AMAZON

COMING SOON IN STFU SERIES

ADD BOOK 3  – EVERY LITTLE KISS – COMING SOON

GOODREADS https://bit.ly/EveryLittleKissSTFU

I wanted her. I craved her. I needed her.

The second these two appeared on the pages of Kiss and Tell I was itching to get my hands on their book. I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and antagonistic banter laden in sexual tension and these two had it in spades. I was dying to figure out their history, because clearly they had one. I was so excited for this book, so truth be told I wasn’t fully expecting to like it less than book one.

And though it took me a minute to really get into this story, the second we get the full truth of Cole’s secret, I was all in. Cole and Kennedy have history that turned in the matter of one night. Now they hate each other, though we don’t know why. I have to say kudos to the author for writing a subject matter that you won’t often find in romance, and doing so realistically. I really appreciate having a hero with faults like this simply because you don’t often see it. It was refreshingly different.

Kennedy took a bit to warm up to. She clearly has trauma from watching her parents volatile relationship and has let it define who she is when it comes to men. This is why she’s not interested in anything beyond a casual hookup.

The whole premise of the puppy love competition and fake dating to win it wasn’t my favorite, but it was cute. I loved watching these two fall for each other. This was really a solid four star read for me, until the last third of the book. To have these two fall apart for the same reason for the second time was just too much. It was over the top dramatics for me and took me out of the romance entirely. And while I loved Cole’s grand gesture, considering all of their issues, it wrapped up entirely too quick to be believable or satisfying.

The other thing is Coach Mikelson. At this point the man is basically a villainous caricature and I’m entirely over him. Honestly I was over him in book one, but to continue to have him as the main driving force of the drama in each book is tiresome at this point. I hope that we can move past this in book three, because if I have to keep reading about this man, I don’t think I’d be able to continue with the series. I love Maya Hughes books, and I adore her sports romance. I didn’t dislike this book, but I also didn’t love it either. It took me a few days to finish, and that’s telling in itself. Was it cute? Sure. Is it something I’d ever come back to? No.

 

Maya Hughes, that’s me!, can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids! 🙂 I’m a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.

I love writing stories that capture the possibilities of the paths less travelled and enjoy experiencing life through my characters’ eyes.

I’m the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I can’t breathe, traveling with my family and Jeff Goldblum. 

AUTHOR LINKS 

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayahugheswrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayahugheswrites

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maya-hughes

 



 

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Review: The Man From Sanctum by Lexi Blake

March 8, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE MAN FROM SANCTUM
Series: Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded Book 3
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: March 8, 2022

A painful past

Deke Murphy and Maddie Hall should never have worked as a couple in high school. She was the class valedictorian and he the jock who took nothing seriously…except her. Together they formed an amazing team, and young love blossomed into something that strengthened them both. Until tragedy struck and Deke made a sacrifice that split them up forever.

An unexpected reunion

Seventeen years later, Maddie is living her dream working for a brilliant tech guru in the beauty of Southern California. She’s made a life for herself and it’s first class all the way. She rarely thinks of the jock who dumped her all those years ago. But when Maddie realizes her boss might be part of an international conspiracy, she can’t deny Deke might be her best bet to solve the mystery. Her one-time sweetheart works for one of the world’s premiere security and investigative firms. She’ll hire him and prove to herself their relationship could never have worked.

A dangerous future

As Maddie and Deke begin to uncover her boss’s secrets, they can’t deny the chemistry that has reignited. But before they can explore the connection growing between them, they must survive the deadly forces hunting them down.

AMAZON

The girl he’d loved was now a woman in trouble. He wasn’t going to let her down. But she might not like how he did it.

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: I will never get tired of this series. Doesn’t matter how many books or spin offs, it’s like book crack and I can’t get enough.

Deke Murphy is a character that didn’t fully catch my attention in this series if I’m honest. But if there’s one thing that Lexi is good at, it’s throwing out one hell of a hook at the end of her book. And the hook at the end of The Dom Identity? Let’s just say I was salivating. I love a good second chance romance.

Maddie and Deke were high school sweethearts. She was the brainy one with a golden future, and he was the sexy jock. Maddie thought she’d spend her life with him until he broke her heart and broke up with her so she’d pursue her dream in Yale. Now it’s twenty years later, and Deke is the only person who can help Maddie, who finds herself in a deadly situation. Her tech giant boss may be doing something that could be behind something dangerous, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.

Now I have to say I like a bit more tension and angst in my second chance, and this didn’t quite have that. Though, if you like pining heroes, this will do the trick nicely. Because Deke knows exactly what he lost and he’s determined not to make the same mistake twice. I loved his growth and maturity of his character. He owns his mistakes. He doesn’t go all caveman on Maddie, though he is super protective of her.

Maddie was one it took be a bit to warm up to. She’s someone who’s too smart for her own good types. Like she’s so busy looking at things from a black and white perspective, that she misses the little obvious things.

The suspense here is what ultimately stole the show for me. Who is Jane and what secret is she hiding? And holy shit, y’all! When the truth is revealed, my jaw was on the floor. I didn’t see it coming at all. And the set up for Drake’s book? DELICIOUS.

All in all, this one hit the spot nicely, though it wasn’t all the things I hoped. I got my Ian banter, and steamy BDSM with some high octane suspense, so it’s a win.

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Review: Wait for Me by Tia Louise

January 9, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

WAIT FOR ME
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tia Louise
Release Date: December 17, 2019

Dear Taron,
I should have told you this a long time ago…

Dear Taron,
Is there a time-limit on forgiveness?
If there is, I haven’t reached it…

Dear Taron,
I still love you…

A letter never sent.
Heck, I never even finished it.

Taron Rhodes was my brother’s best friend.
He was sexy as sin.
But he was more than that…
He was ponytail-pulling, ice down your shirt teasing, throw you in the lake screaming…
Strong, tanned arms and blue-green eyes over a heart-stopping, naughty grin…
Did I mention his tight end?
I gave him my first real kiss, my heart, my everything.
I said I’d wait for him…

I’m still waiting, because Taron Rhodes is still the man of my dreams,
And I have a secret that has his blue-green eyes.

Noel LaGrange stole my heart when she was only eighteen —pushing me off a flatbed and calling me a city slicker.
Her brother Sawyer would kick my ass if he knew how many times we made out that summer, how close we got.

Everything changed when Sawyer and I joined the military.
We were honorably discharged, but I didn’t go to her.
Instead, I went back to the city… where no amount of money, no amount of pills can heal this wound.
Only her whiskey eyes and dark hair, her slim arms and her sweet scent, give me hope.
I broke her heart just as surely as I broke mine, but I’m going back to make it right.
If she’s still waiting…

(WAIT FOR ME is a STAND-ALONE small-town, second-chance romance with a guaranteed HEA. No cheating. No cliffhangers.)

AMAZON

Heaven is finding the thing you can’t live without and being able to hold it. Hell is knowing you’ll have to let it go.

I love an emotional second chance romance, and when I read the blurb to this book, I was immediately hooked. Tia knows how to pack one heck of an emotional punch in her writing, so I knew I was in for plenty of feels.

Wait For Me is told in two halves; the first half telling the sweet and steamy story of Taron and Noel meeting and falling in love. Taron is best friends with Noel’s older brother and finds himself in their small town in the short interim before he takes off for the Marines. Noel is eighteen years old but really has an old soul to her. It doesn’t take long for these two to fall head over heels with Noel promising to wait for Taron. But unfortunately fate has other plans for them, and as beautifully as things first came together for them, they fall apart in a devastating and fiery crash.

As much as I loved the premise of the story and both Taron and Noel, I found myself wishing parts of both the first and second half were further fleshed out. I couldn’t help but feel like I was getting a very surface level of what this story could have been. I loved the first half of this book, but also wished for Taron’s characterization to take me a little deeper. Yes, they’re both young, and I can totally buy into their quick connection because of it. But I also wanted more. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly, but something felt missing.

The second half is ultimately where it really fell short for me, though. The story moved quickly and I wanted parts to be more fleshed out; Taron’s issues being the epicenter of this. I felt like this was really just grazed over and couldn’t help but wish we got a deeper dive into what he went through. The second half of the story ultimately felt rushed and too quick paced. I wished it were flipped and we got to spend more time with them in the present rather than their past. This was such an emotional and touching part of their story, that I really wanted more from it. Ultimately, I still really enjoyed this story that still delivered on the emotional punch I was hoping for. There was plenty of steam and feels to make it for a page turning read.

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Spotlight: Fall of Legend by Meghan March

November 18, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE FALL OF LEGEND
Series: Legend Trilogy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: November 12, 2019

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes a new deliciously dangerous alpha hero in The Fall of Legend, the first book in the brand new and utterly addictive Legend trilogy.

We come from two different worlds.

I’m from the streets. She might as well live in an ivory tower.

I made my living with my fists. I doubt she could even throw a punch.

Our paths never should have crossed.

We never should have met.

That doesn’t change the facts.

I would sell my soul to taste those red lips.

Fight the devil himself to hear her laugh.

Burn in hell to have a single night.

Scarlett Priest shouldn’t even know men like me exist, but sometimes temptation is stronger than will.

If this is how I go down, it’ll be worth every second of the fall.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY


Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

Sign up for Meghan’s newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers:
 http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe

To get the inside scoop on a daily basis, search Meghan March’s Runaway Readers on Facebook and join the fun!

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

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Review: Good Guy by Kate Meader

August 1, 2019 by · 2 Comments

GOOD GUY
Series: Rookie Rebels #1
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Author: Kate Meader
Release Date: July 30, 2019


He’s a Special Forces veteran making his pro hockey debut. She’s a dogged sports reporter determined to get a scoop. She’s also his best friend’s widow…

Fans can’t get enough of Levi Hunt, the Special Forces veteran who put his NHL career on hold to serve his country and fight the bad guys. So when his new Chicago Rebels bosses tell him to cooperate with the press on a profile, he’s ready to do his duty. Until he finds out who he has to work with: flame-haired, freckle-splashed, impossibly perky Jordan Cooke.

The woman he should not have kissed the night she buried her husband, Levi’s best friend in the service.

Hockey-stick-up-his-butt-serious Levi Hunt might despise Jordan for reasons she can’t fathom—okay, it’s to do with kissing—but her future in the cutthroat world of sports reporting hangs on delivering the goods on the league’s hottest, grumpiest rookie. So what if he’s not interested in having his life plated up for public consumption. Too bad. Jordan will have to play dirty to get her scoop and even dirtier to get her man. Only in winning the story, she might just lose her heart…

AMAZON

he was head over skates for her.

I adored Kate’s Chicago Rebels books and was super bummed to see that series come to an end. It became my go-to when I wanted a fun and sexy hockey romance. So when I saw that she’s writing a spin-off series I jumped on it quicker than you can say “puck”. What? Too cheesy? Whatever. You get what I’m saying here, ok?! But whatever. I digress. My point here is I was uber excited for a brand new sports series from one of my favorite authors. Plus have you SEEN that book blurb? Talk about your book crack.

I just so happen to love the broody grumps. And just when I thought no grump could out grump Bren St. James from Hooked On You, in skates Levi Hunt. The man was the most endearing grump I’ve read in a while. The man is a retired veteran, a Green Beret with battle scars and a heart of gold. With his military career behind him, he’s now become hockey’s oldest rookie. And just when he thinks he’s finally got things together, a blast from his past blows it all out of the water.

Jordan is a sports reporter that’s working her tail off in order to prove that a woman is just as deserving of a coveted reporting spot as a man. So when she sees a chance to use her history with Levi as an in to get the chance she’s been waiting for in her career, she’s not above using it. Jordan also happens to be the widow of Levi’s service teammate and best friend. But worse than that she’s always been the woman he coveted from afar but never allowed himself to get. At first she was his buddy’s wife and then she was his widow, so she’s always been hands off.

Levi wasn’t hard to love. The man just tugs at every heart string you have. And the more you learn about his connection with Jordan and peel back the grumpy layers, the more you fall for him. Jordan, admittedly, was a little harder to love. While I love that the relationship with her husband was never diminished, I also struggled with seeing her as a widow. She loved her husband, yes, but I struggled to feel that connection to her. And yes, it’s been 5 years since the loss, but I just never felt that grieving for her. Perhaps that makes it easier to see her move on, but I wished that I got little more emotion from her. She seemed almost standoffish to me at times. And I get that she put her career on the backseat for her husband’s military career those years ago, she was almost a little too…hard…with her career aspirations here. She reminded me a little bit of Harper when it came to how hard she was in order to prove herself, but I just had a tough time connecting to her. She did ultimately win me over, but it did take some time.

If you’ve read the Rebels series, you’ll definitely appreciate all of the cameos in this book. And if you haven’t, I highly recommend you check it out.

Good Guy was a sweet romance that shined a spotlight on several issues like gender inequality in sports, which I really enjoyed. And though the story wasn’t my favorite of Kate’s, it definitely did the trick of hooking me on a new series.

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