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DGR’s Ultimate List of Anti-Heroes

December 19, 2015 by Lana · 12 Comments

If you know me or read my reviews then you already know I tend to have a type of book I gravitate to: the gritty and fucked up sort. It’s no secret that I love an alphahole, but what I love even more is the anti-hero. The baddie that you just can’t help but love, and you do end up loving them. Hard. He may hero that may be inherently good but does bad things. Or he may be downright bad, but there will be a woman out there that is just perfect for him. Or he may be something of a cross between those two. Whatever or whoever he is, it’s pretty much guaranteed that I will be shaking in pervy glee to be reading about them. Does that make me slightly screwed up? Nah. Just makes for one kick-ass read. Though the years I’ve read my fair share of anti-heroes, but the ones I’m about to list below are my ultimate favorites. They’re the ones I recommend blindly whenever someone asks me for a rec. You’ll notice I’m going to be spotlighting my very favorites, and below I will also give you a few other worth mentioning. That’s not to say I didn’t love those books either, I loved each book on this list. But the ones spotlighted are hands down, bar none, some of my very favorites.

So let’s get right into it, shall we?

THE DARK DUET by CJ Roberts

What kind of list would this be without the book that first began my obsession? Caleb was the anti-hero that first popped my cherry, and damn what an anti-hero to start with. This man is utterly FUBAR. If you’ve read this series, you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven’t? Umm…I’m fairly certain you must have been living under a rock somewhere. No joke. Climb on out of there and come join us on the dark side. We have cookies. Or is it cockies? I get confused…

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

CAPTIVE IN THE DARK | SEDUCED IN THE DARK | EPILOGUE

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

In the Company of Killers by J.A. Redmerski

In the theme of going by reading order, let’s talk about Victor Faust. When I first read Killing Sarai, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. All I knew is that I read and loved The Edge of Never and then went, “Oh look! A new book by J.A.!” Boy did I step into it… LOL! Here I went from angsty NA to gritty romantic suspense. As far as dark books, this one barely bleeps on the scale. It’s more thriller and suspense, but Victor is all baddie. A contract killer and a girl that’s desperate to escape nine years of captivity. This book was AMAZING! I haven’t read past the second in this series, but I hear they’re just as good as the first! Reviving Izabel is the continuation of book 1, but the rest are different characters.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

KILLING SARAI | REVIVING IZABEL |
THE SWAN & THE JACKAL | SEEDS OF INIQUITY | THE BLACK WOLF

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

BLOOD & ROSES series by Callie Hart

Zeth fucking Mayfair. Does he even need an introduction? If you haven’t read this series yet, prepare yourself for a binge. They’re impossible not to read back to back. The story of Zeth and Sloane is gritty and so erotic, you may need to keep some ice on standby for your ovaries.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

And you need to check out Callie’s spin off series, DEAD MAN’S INK. Rebel is another favorite of mine, though slightly different from Zeth he’s still just as much of a badass. The series focuses on the Widow Maker’s MC of which Rebel is the President and the heroine is Sloane’s sister, Sophia.

Rebel | Rogue

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

Consequences series by Aleatha Romig

Mr. Anthony Rawlings. The man who pretty much guaranteed that you will never look at a cocktail napkin the same again. The man who fucked with your head almost as much as he did with Claire’s. If you’re looking for a mindfuck and a half, this is a series that you need to read…and probably be rolled straight to your local loony bin. Not even kidding.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

CONSSEQUENCES | TRUTH | CONVICTED

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UNFINISHED HEROES series by Kristen Ashley

It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite in this series, so I won’t. I’ll just tell you about the one that started it all. Knight “Daddy” Sebring. Le sigh. Now I have a love hate relationship with this book. I loved the story to pieces, but the daddy thing downright creeped me out. Yeah. I’m one of those perverts with some limits apparently and the daddy thing is that one limit. BUT if you can overlook that, the story is absolutely amazing and so is the entire series. I was lucky enough to read an advanced reader’s copy of Sebring and I can tell you it’s just as good if not the best in the series. These are milder on the dark and gritty scale. The heroes in these books are inherently good men that just happen to do some bad things but for good reason. If you haven’t read these yet, they’re currently on sale for only $1.99 in anticipation of the release of Sebring on January 11.

CAN BE READ AS STANDALONES

KNIGHT | CREED | RAID | DEACON | SEBRING

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

DESTROYED by Pepper Winters

This was my first Pepper Winters book and it absolutely blew me away. I ugly cried myself through the ending and couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after. Having read all of Pepper’s books since then, I can definitely tell you that on Pepper’s particular scale of dark, this is gray. But in its own right? It’s not easy read. It was gritty and emotional but yet wonderful all at once. An underground fighter and the woman who wants to heal him and yet they heal each other. *dreamy sigh*

Destroyed is a standalone title.

ADD IT ON GOODREADS | PURCHASE

THE BUTCHER series by Francette Phal

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Captive in the Dark and Dexter had a love child? This fucking book is what! My. God. Do you like a dark romance with a redeemable hero that slowly succumbs to his inevitable love for the heroine? Perhaps an anti-hero that has what you’d like to think is a semblance of a conscience? Well fuck that and your delicate sensibilities! Because you sure as fuck won’t find it here! DOn’t say I didn’t warn you. This book is fucked the fuck up. I’m not even kidding. But it’s also seeeeew gewd. Like ridiculously addicting good. Oh and it also ends on a motherfucker of a cliffhanger, so…yeah. I’ve been stalking Francette for news on book two and she’s working in it but there’s no definitive release date just yet.

FLAWED | CARNAGE

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

PRISONER by Annika Martin & Skye Warren

This book had one of the most intense first meetings I have ever read. Period. It may have had something to do with the hero being led down the prison hall as an inmate when it happened? Yeah. That could have been it. But really, this is probably my favorite Skye Warren book I’ve read to date. It’s gritty, sexy and completely unputdownable. While part of a series, each book will be a different character and this one had a fully finished HEA. I’m absolutely salivating for any news that these authors will be writing more in this series but so far nothing. So I’ll just be in my corner…rocking and crying.

ADD IT ON GOODREADS | PURCHASE

KING by T.M. Frazier

I have yet to read a book by this author that I haven’t devoured in one sitting. This woman knows how to write one dark and utterly fucked up romance. King and Doe’s story was no light read but man was it delicious. Their story spans over two books; King and Tyrant. We now also got Bear’s book in Lawless and I’m eagerly anticipating the continuation of that with Soulless.

KING | TYRANT | LAWLESS | SOULLESS

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

MONSTERS IN THE DARK by Pepper Winters

So no surprise that Pepper Winters heroes make numerous appearances on my list. But there’s just something about Q from Monsters in the Dark that never left me. Quintessentially Q gutted me. That book touched me on a visceral level and I still think about it to this day. One of the best dark romances I’ve read to date and one of my favorite couples. Simply unforgettable. If you haven’t met Tess and Q yet, you haven’t lived.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

TEARS OF TESS | QUINTESSANTIALLY Q | TWISTED TOGETHER

PURCHASE ALL 3 IN A BOXSET

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

VANQUISH by Pam Godwin

Now here’s a baddie for you. Vanquish is book 2 in Pam’s Deliver series but you can also read it as a standalone. Van was first introduced in Deliver and he was ALL bad. This was a straight up villain. And yet, when you took a deeper look, you’d notice something just below his surface. Something…vulnerable. Now don’t get me wrong, this is a dark romance and Van is no good guy. Hell, he basically stalks the heroine in the beginning. But there’s also something much deeper to him that makes you fall for him. I adore Pam’s writing and this book shows you exactly why.

CAN BE READ AS STANDALONES

DELIVER | VANQUISH

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

DEBT by Nina G. Jones

You know the phrase “uncomfortably aroused”? You will after reading this book. I guaran-fucking-tee it. Sweet baby jesus and all that’s holy, I don’t know how and if my ovaries survived this book. It’s taboo, gritty, and so freaking hot, you’d be surprised that your kindle doesn’t burn in flames. And if you haven’t read it, I don’t even want to talk to you until you do. That’s it. Run along now and don’t come back until you’ve read it.

This is a standalone title.

ADD IT TO GOODREADS | PURCHASE

SAVAGE SAINT MC series by Carmen Jenner

You may see this author pop up on a lot of my ultimate lists. Well that’s because the woman is a fucking rock star and can write the hell out of a book. She’s also the jack of all trades; rock stars, angst, and gritty as fuck MC are all part of her repertoire now. While I loved Kick, book 1 in her Savage Saint MC series, Tank was in a category of his own. This book was downright amazing. I can’t name any other author that can take a heroine that’s a drug addict and MC whore, and completely redeem her. Tank you will fall for right away, without a question. His and Ivy’s journey isn’t an easy one or filled with rainbows and unicorns, but it’s completely unforgettable.

SHOULD BE READ IN ORDER

KICK | TANK

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

INDEBTED series by Pepper Winters

Another Pepper Winters book? *Le gasp* I know, I know, try to contain your shock here, will you? What can I say, the woman writes some of my favorite anti-heroes and Jethro is definitely right up there. Indebted is a serial, but don’t get confused because these are not serial length books. They’re full length novels, so this is definitely one lengthy serial. But you’ll be gobbling it up like the crack that it is. That I promise you.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

CORRUPT by Penelope Douglas

Michael Crist. *lusty tingles* I can’t even think his name without getting those. If you haven’t seen this book popping up all over your social media, I honestly have no idea where you’ve been. Even those living under a rock have heard about it and it’s for good reason, too. This book is just that good.

Corrupt is a standalone title.

ADD IT TO GOODREADS | PURCHASE

RICOCHET by Keri Lake

Oh man, this book. Easily one of my top 3 books I’ve read this year. I love Keri Lake’s writing and I’ve been a huge fan of her PNR series, Sons of Wrath. But when I hear she’ll be writing a dark romance, I knew I’d be all over it. What I didn’t know is how much this book will absolutely blow me away. If you haven’t read this yet, you need to. Ricochet is what would happen if The Punisher and V for Vendetta had a love child. This is a must read. Period.

Ricochet is a standalone, but a book focusing on different characters set in the same world will be releasing next year; Backfire.

ADD IT TO GOODREADS | PURCHASE

But wait! There’s more! You didn’t think that was it, did you? Here are a few more of my favorite anti-heroes that made the list that you should definitely check out too!

12 Comments · Filed Under: DGR Favorites · Tagged With: antihero, DGRUltimate, Feature

Series Spotlight: ★Dirty Billionaire trilogy★ by Meghan March

December 17, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Dirty Billionaire
Series: The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: December 8, 2015

I’ve got a big dick and an even bigger bank account. That’s pretty much where my bio ends. Honestly, I don’t need to say anything else. I’ve just sold 99% of women on going home with me.

Do I sound like an asshole to you?

That’s because I am.

And guess what? It works for me just fine.

Or at least it did.

Until I met her.

Books talk about sparks flying. Fuck that shit. With her, it was like emergency flares mixed with jet fuel. Or maybe just straight up napalm.

Only one problem.

She didn’t leave her name or number when she disappeared from the hotel room after the hottest fucking night of my life. Now I’ve had a taste of unicorn pussy—the sweetest, rarest of all pussy—and I need it again.

So what’s an asshole to do?

I took this problem to the street. A missed connection gone viral.

And when I find her? I’m keeping her.

Amazon / B&N / iBooks

READ MY FULL REVIEW

Holly

COUNTRY STAR JC HUGHES CAUGHT BETWEEN A COCK AND A HARD PLACE

How is he going to explain this one away to girlfriend Holly Wix and his fans?

“That two-timin’ son of a . . .”

I hiss under my breath as I stare at the headline—and the compromising picture accompanying it—splashed in vivid color across the front page of the gossip rag displayed prominently in the checkout line at my supermarket. For the second time in two months, it’s a picture of my “boyfriend” locked in an unmistakably passionate embrace with another woman, except this time she’s wearing a giant black strap-on.

The edges of the paper crumple in my sweaty grip, and I fight the urge to tear it to shreds, along with every copy sitting on the rack in front of me.

He’s going to destroy my career before it even has a chance to become a reality.

One year, they said. One year in this joke of a “relationship” and I’d earn my stripes, be all set in the world of country music. Judge me all you want for agreeing, but when your brand-new record label puts something like that in the contract that will jet you out of the backwoods town you’re dying to escape, you don’t ask questions. You sign on the dotted line.

But reality is a cold slap in the face, and some days it hits you when you’re standing in line at the grocery store. What happens when they finally catch JC with a guy? His habit of swinging both ways, but preferring men to women, is about to become the worst-kept secret in Nashville.

I’m Holly Wix, winner of a make-me-a-star TV show, and handpicked by the label to buoy JC’s once-impressive but now flagging career. It didn’t seem like a big deal when they slipped it into my contract in the beginning. What starry-eyed girl wouldn’t be thrilled to have her name linked to a country star?

Instead of the one-way ticket to stardom I naively expected, I’m becoming the butt of every industry joke faster than the guys back home can spend their paycheck on twelve-packs and scratch-offs. But I’ve got one shot at keeping this dream career alive, and honestly, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to save it. So this situation with JC needs to get settled before things spiral further out of control.

More from the Dirty Billionaire Series Coming Soon!

Dirty Pleasures: Releasing on 12/29

I did it. I married a billionaire.

My reasons are my own, but the last thing I expected was to feel owned.

I may have taken vows, but I’m still determined to be me.

Now his rules are taking over my world, but I’m not the kind of girl to just obey.

There’s only one problem: I might actually be falling for him…

I have no idea how this marriage is going to go, but holding onto a piece of myself while succumbing to his dirty pleasures is shaping up to be the ride of a lifetime.

Amazon/ B&N / iBooks

Dirty Together: Releasing on 1/12

My wife.

I love saying those words.

She’s mine, and if she thinks I’m going to let her run without tracking her down and bringing her back to where she belongs—with me—then she’s about to be introduced to a new reality.

Because I’ll fight dirty to give her the happily ever after she deserves.

Preorder Now:

Amazon / B&N / iBooks

Top 3 reason why people will love Creighton Karas.

1. He’s dirty.

2. He’s 100% alpha.

3. He won’t stop until he gets everything he wants.

About the Author

Meghan March is the author of contemporary and erotic romance novels.

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

Website / Mailing List / Goodreads / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Author Spotlight & interview, Excerpts · Tagged With: Guest Post

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Steal Me★ by Lauren Layne

November 23, 2015 by Lana ·

Steal Me
Series: New York’s Finest #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: November 24, 2015
Forever

IN HOT PURSUIT

Being a cop might be in Anthony Moretti’s blood, but protecting and serving the city of New York has always been more than just the family business. If that means his love life stays locked up, well then that’s just another sacrifice made in the line of duty. That is, until he sets eyes on the gorgeous new waitress at The Darby Diner and suddenly Anthony’s morning coffee is leaving him a whole lot more hot and bothered than usual.

Though waitressing at The Darby isn’t exactly Maggie Walker’s dream job, it pays the bills and gives her time to work on her novel. Now if only she could stop fantasizing about gorgeous Anthony Moretti every time he sits down at her table, she’d really be in great shape. But when he needs her help identifying a criminal threatening The Darby—and Maggie recognizes her ex-husband—she fears her fresh start might be a pipe dream. Faster than a New York minute, Maggie and Anthony find themselves in one perilous pursuit that only gets hotter with each and every rule-breaking kiss.

Amazon | B&N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

“So what did you mean, you don’t want to talk about it?,” Tony Moretti repeated, glancing down at Anthony’s plate, and scowling to see the bacon supply completely depleted.Anthony scooped a mouthful of Swiss cheese omelet into his mouth before sitting back and reaching for his coffee. “It means that Ma doesn’t like cop-talk at the table.”

“Riiiiight,” Elena Moretti said from Anthony’s left side. “Because you guys always respect Mom’s no-cop-talk rule.”

Anth took another sip of coffee and exchanged a look and a shrug with Luc across the table.

Their sister made a good point.

In a family where four out of five siblings were living in New York, and three out of those four were with the NYPD, cop-talk was likely.

And when the family patriarch was the recently retired Ppolice Ccommissioner?

Cop- talk wasn’t just probable, it was inevitable.

Still, it was worth a shot to throw up his mother’s token rule of “no cop- talk.” Especially when he didn’t want to talk.

About any of it.

It had been a long time since he’d been the one in the hot seat, and he wasn’t at all sure that he cared for it.

Scratch that. He was sure.

He hated it.

But his father could be like a dog with a bone when it came to his sons’ careers. And today, like it or not, it was Anthony under the microscope.

He surrendered to the inevitable.

“Dad. I told you. It’ll get handled.” He went for another cup of coffee, only to find it was empty. Diner fail.

He scanned the dining room for the waitress, partially because he wanted more coffee, partially because he wanted a distraction. Partially because—

“You’ve been saying it’lls getbe handled for weeks,” Tony said, refusing to let the matter drop.

“Yeah, Captain. You’ve been saying that for weeks.” This from Anthony’s other brother Vincent. Two years younger than Anth, Vin was a homicide detective and the most irritable and irreverent member of the family. And the one least likely to kiss Anth’s ass.

If Anthony was totally honest, he was pretty sure that most of his younger siblings respected him, not only because he was the highest- ranking active family member, but simply because he was the oldest. He was the one they’d come to when they needed to hide that broken vase from Mom, or when they were scared to death to tell Dad about that D in Cchemistry, or in the case of his brothers, when it was time to learn their way around the female anatomy.

But Vincent had authority issues and was always the first to jump at the chance to gently mock Anthony’s status as Captain.

A title that had been hard -earned, and still felt new. As though it could be ripped away at any time.

Which was exactly the reason his father was on his ass right now. Anthony had passed his Ccaptain’s test three months ago, and his father had every intention of him climbing the ladder all the way to the top. The very top.

It was a path Anth had never questioned. A path that, up until recently, had been remarkably smooth.

And then…

And then Smiley had happened.

His eyes were wild as they looked down on her, and the last thought Maggie had before his mouth slammed against hers was that Anthony Moretti completely out of control was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.

I have a rule when it comes to Lauren Layne books: she writes them, I read them. Period. It doesn’t matter what she writes, because each and every time I know I’ll be in for a treat. Her New York’s Finest series has quickly made its way onto my favorites list as well. I loved Frisk Me, and after the little peek that we got at the end of it into Anthony Moretti, I couldn’t wait to see what the police Captain will bring.

The character that immediately caught my attention was the middle Moretti, Vincent. What can I say? I love the broody grumpy assholes, and Vincent sure fits the bill. What I didn’t expect was for Anthony to give him a run for his money. The newly promoted Captain has no interest in relationships ever since a tragedy changed his outlook on mixing his career aspirations with a woman. He knows the two will never mix and he doesn’t even want to try. So what if the beautiful waitress at the diner his family frequents instantly catches his eyes. It helps that she can’t seem to help but dump food on him each time she sees him, bringing out his temper and loosing his filter so he can’t help but be a grade a asshole.

Maggie Walker has dreams, and a waitress at a diner isn’t it. But it pays the bills while she tries to make her dream of becoming an author come true. Having left everything behind to move to NY, she’s starting over fresh. In her tiny apartment, with her adorable dog, she doesn’t mind that it may not be the lap of luxury, because for once in her life it’s all hers. But she can barely seem to do her job when the intimidating Captain Moretti seems to bring out her inner klutz. But when she just may be the witness to help him with a career making case, Anthony has no choice but to get to know the little waitress better. And that’s when things get interesting…

He pulled back, just slightly, his breath hot and heavy against her face. “Say you want this.”

I loved Maggie’s sweet but sassy personality. At first I thought she’d be another introverted little mouse, but she really grew into her own as the book progressed. Anthony was the epitome of an a-hole for much of the book, which is actually, what ultimately brought my rating down slightly. It took him a bit too long for my taste to finally remove his head from his ass. And let me tell you, when it came to relationships, it was very firmly planted up there. You have to know it’s bad when Vincent was giving him relationship advice.

The chemistry between Maggie and Anth was scorching. What I love about Lauren Layne, is nothing is instant. No insta-love or insta-lust to be found here. She really makes it stretch and burn, and it makes it that much more delicious when the sparks finally ignite. So as frustrating as Anthony was for me at times, it took barely anything away from the book. I enjoyed it thoroughly and can’t wait until the next one….ESPECIALLY after that sneak peek at the end.

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

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.

Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Print Set of FRISK ME & STEAL ME, $5.00 Starbucks Gift Card and a Writers Gift Set)

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· Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, Lauren Layne

★DGR Recs★

Looking for a book recommendation in a particular genre? I’ve got you covered.

Every second Saturday of each month, I’ll be posting my favorite book recommendations in various genres. You won’t just be getting the name of the book, but why I loved it and why I think you will too. My reading tastes are extremely eclectic and I read pretty much everything except for Historical. Which basically means I’ve read a crap ton of books, mkay? LOL! I’ll be posting voting each month on my FACEBOOK page allow you all to pick the category for the following month’s genre, so make sure you keep an eye on that.

DGR’S Ultimate List of Rockstars

November 21, 2015 by Lana · 12 Comments

A little over two months ago, I did my first feature with my Ultimate List of Dirty Talkers and I was beyond thrilled to see how much you guys loved it! Since then, I’ve made this into a monthly feature that you’ll find me post on the 3rd Saturday of every month. Each month I’ll be bringing you a new Ultimate List in your most voted categories; bikers, anti-heroes, cops, cowboys, etc. You name it, I’ll do it.

But this month it’s all about ROCKSTARS!

Now you’ll find I don’t discriminate on my list; I’ll have country stars, male rockstars, and some female ones as well. You know I like to keep things well-rounded 😉 So without further ado, let’s get into it! As always my list will contain all the books I’ve read and enjoyed, and at the bottom I’ll include the ones that were recommended to me but I haven’t had a chance to read just yet. And of course, I’d love to hear from you all in comments if there’s a favorite of yours that didn’t make my list. You know I love me my book recs!

The one that started it all...

Goodreads / Amazon

“He said I was his heart, and you don’t leave your heart behind. You can’t live without your heart.”

Truth be told I have a total love hate relationship with this book. This was the very first Rockstar that I read and it really doesn’t get much better than Kellan freaking Kyle. Unfortunately, I also spent a large chunk (read: all) of this book fantasizing about the heroine being killed off. I couldn’t help myself. I hated that woman with the fire of the worst type of venereal disease. True Story. And yet like a car wreck that you can’t look away from, I couldn’t stop reading. It was just one of those books. It was also the book that effectively turned me off love triangles for years to come…but we won’t talk about that now LOL.

I still haven’t brought myself to read the rest of the series, but I’m working on it. Especially since all my friends absolutely LOVED Griffin’s book, Untamed.

Books 1-3 are all Kellan and Keira. Thoughtful was basically Thoughtless but in Kellan’s POV. Untamed is Griffin’s book.

Thoughtless #1

#1.5

Thoughtless #2

Thoughtless #3

Thoughtless #4

The one with Jake Wethers...

Goodreads / Amazon

“Jake once said on stage that Jonny was the mighty in their storm, and now I see that Jake is my mighty storm. He’s broken and complex, and no one knows him like I do, or ever will. He needs me. He’s my storm to calm. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing just that.”

You’re probably thinking right now, another book where the heroine has a boyfriend when she meets the hero? And you liked it?! And the answer is yes indeed, dirty birds. I liked it very much. First, it’s this

It’s been twelve years since Tru Bennett last saw Jake Wethers, her former best friend and boy she once loved.

I love the mere set up of this particular trope. Jake Wethers, if you’re not acquainted, is the tattooed bad boy lead singer of The Mighty Storm and the man to get ovaries tingling the world over. This was yet another one of my earliest rockstar reads and I loved it! Would I rate it the same if I read it today, I’m not sure. But hundreds of books later and I still remember everything about this one, so that truly goes to show you something, right?

The Storm #1

The Storm #2

The Storm #3

Books 1 and 2 are Jake and Tru’s story. Though if you’d like to read The Mighty Storm, you easily can since it gives a very satisfying HEA. Book 3 in this series are new characters; Tom Carter and Lyla Summers. Tom is the manwhore bassist for The Mighty Storm, and Lyla is the lead singer of the band Vintage which just signed with TMS records.

The one with the kinky rockstars...

Goodreads / Amazon

He put his fingertips against her forehead.
“You must be at least this tall to ride The Beast…
Secure your belongings and keepy your arms and legs around the ride at all times.”

Holy mother of melting ovaries, this series! I don’t think any ovaries can survive these kinky rockers. There’s something for everyone; MMF, voyeurism, public sex, BDSM, and did I mention MMF threesomes? It’s fair to mention that one twice. I read these hot little numbers as they were being released, and for some strange reason they were released out of order. I still don’t know why, so don’t ask me. But the entire series is now released so you can read it in the order it’s meant to be read it. I loved each book in this series, though I’d say Sed Lionheart’s story in Rock Hard (I do love me a good second chance romance) and Trey Mills’s story in Double Time (Holy MMF threesome, batman) were my top favorites!

Sinners on Tour #1

Sinners on Tour #2

Sinners on Tour #3

Sinners on Tour #4

Sinners on Tour #5

Sinners on Tour #6

Each book in this series is a standalone with a different couple and their HEA. All except for Sinners at the Altar, which are four complete wedding stories, each about a different member of the rock band Sinners and need to be read after all the other books.

The Sinners On Tour spinoff...

Goodreads / Amazon

“What are you going to do to me?”
“Lamb, the question you should be asking is what aren’t you going to do to me?”

Exodus End is the rock band that we were first introduced to in Sinners On Tour and it’s also about that time that Olivia Cunning teased us with Dare. But sadly it looks like Dare’s book will probably be last in the series so we start things off with the bassist, Logan Schmidt. At almost 500 pages, this book is long, but I never wanted it to end. It’s laugh out loud funny and set your ovaries on fire hot.

No one writes a sexy Rockstar romance quite like Olivia Cunning.

Oh and in case you’re wondering, you can easily read this book without having read SoT first. I’d say the sexual escapades in this one are a touch tamer than in that series, but it’s just as hot!

The novella series...

Goodreads / Amazon

“My goal is to make you scream my name. Give me what I want, but make me work for it.”

Now I call this a spinoff but it really isn’t. This is yet another rockstar series from the awesome Olivia Cunning, but these are novellas of around 100 pages as opposed to the full length novels that the previous two series are.

Per Olivia Cunning’s own words about this series:

The Sole Regret series is an ongoing serial series. Each novella spans the course of one night and is about a different band member. All the band member’s stories weave together, so characters reappear in all of the stories. If you have a favorite band member or a favorite couple they will be revisited several times in the rotation of the books. I do hope you love them all!
The order of band member rotation is Gabe, Adam, Jacob, Owen, and Kellen.

ONwSR #1

ONwSR #2

ONwSR #3

ONwSR #4

ONwSR #5

ONwSR #6

ONwSR #7

ONwSR #8

The one with Leo Nash...

Goodreads / Amazon

“What are you doing later?”
“I won’t be doing you.”
“Uh, I wasn’t offering, honey.” I turn around to see Leo smiling smugly. “I was wondering if you’d like me to take you to have that stick pulled out of your ass.”

Admittedly, The With Me In Seattle has been an on and off for me. Some of the books in it were entirely too sweet for my particular tastes, and some of the books really worked for me. Kristen Proby tends to write sweet, but steamy, contemporary romance and that sometimes works for me and sometimes doesn’t.

In the case of Rock With Me it totally worked for me. I mean, how can you possibly not love Leo Nash. The man was absolutely drool worthy. From his tats to that filthy mouth of his, I loved everything about this. I won’t list the other books in this series as none of the others were rockstars. But if you’re looking for some steamy and sweet contemporary, give it a whirl. It just may work for you.

The one by Kristen Ashley...

Goodreads / Amazon

“I had to soften him up because, for whatever reason, all the Rock Chicks had an alternate Hot Bunch guy, Indy’s was Eddie. Roxie’s was Vance. Jules was Luke. Ava’s was Lee. Mine was Mace.”

It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of all things Kristen Ashley. And when I say huge fan, I mean borderline stalkerish. I adore everything the woman writes. Something about her alphas just does it for me. I don’t even care that they all speak in one word sentences that mostly consist of “Babe”. Nope. I will never have enough of them.

Now don’t let the Rock Chick title fool you, this series is not about Rock Stars. It’s about women that call themselves “Rock Chicks” but not in that band-y version, you hear? Rock Chick Reckoning was the one exception to this rule, because Stella is the lead singer and lead guitarist of The Blue Moon Gypsie. She was also madly in love with Mace…until he dumps her unexpectedly and breaks her heart. Now that her life is in danger, Mace needs to protect her and of course that ultimate leads him to know that he wants her back, only Stella is having none of that.

This book was everything I love about KA and one of my top favorites in this series (after Luke and Ava in Rock Chick Revenge, and Sadie and Hector “Oh My God” Chavez in Rock Chick Regret)

The one with the second chance romance...

Goodreads / Amazon

“I thought for sure we’d spend forever together. I thought our love was one of a kind. I would almost be okay if he had met someone else and fallen in love, but he didn’t. He just left. He said he was suffocating.”

Forever My Girl is book 1 in Heidi’s New Adult Romance, Beaumont Series. I haven’t had a chance to catch up with the rest of the books and have only read Forever My Girl but boy did I love this book. I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance and this one surely delivered. It was angsty, swoony, a touch of sexy, and I loved every page of it!

While each book in the series focuses on a different 4225 West band member, I highly recommend reading them in order. The final book in this series, My Kind of Forever, is the continuation of Liam and and Jojo’s story from book 1.

Beaumont #1

Beaumont #1.5

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Beaumont #2

Beaumont #3

Beaumont #4

Beaumont #5

The one with the angst...

Goodreads / Amazon

“I love you because I can be honest with you. I trust you. I love you because you’ve made me see I’m more than I thought.”

If you’ve read any book by Barbara Elsborg, then you already know she has this fabulous style of writing that combines some delicious angst with quirky humor and sizzling hot romance. Strangers is a standalone romance about two lost souls that meat each other during their absolute rock bottom. What happens when an attempted suicide brings two strangers crashing into each other and gives them a reason to live?

Why is this on my rockstars, you ask? Well because the hero just happens to be a very famous British pop-star and now movie star.

The one with the PNR twist...

Goodreads / Amazon

“His lips touched mine again, breathing me in like I was his air, then he tore his mouth from mine; panting. “Please Grace, whatever it is you’re going after, please try to find it here in me. I will try my best to be the man that you need me to be.”

A soulmates story unlike any you’ve ever read. Even if you’re not into PNR, you need to check this out. While a PNR element does exist here in the form of angels and such, but it’s very minimal and sure to please even those that don’t particularly like the genre.

Grace has been looking for her soulmate for years. Now home after the death of her brother, she finds home is very different. Her best friend has a new boyfriend, and that boyfriend has a friend; Shane Maxton: bad boy, tattooed rock god, eye candy extraordinaire. And he’s also New York’s city most arrogant asshole. So why is she drawn to him.

This is a series of three books that absolutely must be read in order.

Mad World #1

Mad World #2

Mad World #3

The one that caught me by surprise...

Goodreads / Amazon

“Love doesn’t always make sense. To the person in it or to the people around them. The falling can be an emotional, chaotic whirlwind. The landing jarring and eye opening. But if two people are really in love, there’s nothing in this world that can overcome it. Even if they can’t be together, love doesn’t cease.”

You know when you start a book by a new to you author and you have no idea what to expect, and it manages to completely blow you away? That’s been the entire Luminescent Juliet series for me.

Don’t let the covers fool you, some may look a little unappealing but the books are absolutely amazing! I’ve been a huge fan of this New Adult romance since book 1. Each book is a different member of the Luminescent Juliet band and their HEA, and while you can easily read them as standalones, I highly recommend you read them in order simply because you’ll get to know each member before their own book. It has just enough steam to appease this pervy reader, wonderful writing, a touch of angst, and a rock band! What else can you ask for?

Luminescent Juliet #1

Luminescent Juliet #2

Luminescent Juliet #3

Luminescent Juliet #4

The one with the boys of Oblivion...

Goodreads / Amazon

“We’re going to burn out,” she said against his mouth an couldn’t stop herself from tasting him again. “Nothing good will come of this.”
“Harper, nothing but good is going to come from this.”

I read this series by pure chance a couple years ago and I have been a rather rabid fan since. It’s everything I love in a romance. So much so that I swear it feels like it was custom written just for me. It’s angsty, with just that touch of gritty that I so love, super sexy, and freaking addicting!

Rocked, book 1 in the series is a complete HEA for the couple with a later follow-up novella in Rock, Rattle & Roll. But be warned, each book after is a full length novel that will end with a cliffy and a novella soon after that completes the couple’s HEA. Each book follows a different member of the boys of Oblivion and I do not recommend reading these books out of order. They are much more enjoyable read in order.

LiO #0.5

LiO #1

LiO #1.5

LiO #2

LiO #2.5

LiO #3

LiO #3.5

LiO #4

The one with the swoons...

Goodreads / Amazon

“You’ve got all this…this love – no, it’s louder than love. It’s passion and beauty built up inside you that deserves to burst out.”

Now I am not typically a reader that goes for sweet, but something about this amazingly written contemporary romance just worked for me. It’s swoony, it’s sweet, it’s a little emotional, and it’s incredibly realistic. Adrian “Digger” Graves is a down on his luck rocker who got his claim to fame in the 80s. Now he finds solace at the bottom of a bottle and still searches for his long lost muse.

Enter Katrina Lewis, a single mother and widower, that’s just trying to raise her little girl while still dealing with the tragic death of her beloved husband. The unlikeliest of couples made for the most unforgettable of romances. I simply adored this book. The novella, Deeper Than Dreams concludes the story of Kat and Adrian with the perfect bonus epilogue and not to be missed. Softer Than Steele, is a different couple. That book features Adrian’s former bandmate, Rick Rottenberg.

The one with the BDSM...

Goodreads / Amazon

He would show the lovely Ms. Easton exactly why she wouldn’t be able to walk away from him after one night.
Because that was definitely not an option.
One taste was supposed to satisfy the craving. But Oakley was wasn’t cake, she was heroin. And he was fucking hooked.

I’ve been a huge fan of Roni Loren’s Loving on the Edge series since first discovering it years ago. It’s a super sexy BDSM centered romance. But it’s not overwhelmingly so either. Meaning that while the characters do belong to a BDSM club called The Ranch, it’s not too heavy on the BDSM elements. But they certainly are there and Roni’s Doms are nothing short of swoon worthy.

This is book 8 in the series, but you can easily enjoy this as a standalone. I would recommend you read Not Until You (Loving on the Edge #4), because that’s the book where Pike was first introduced.

What happens when the bad boy drummer of a rock band sets his sights on a woman that wants nothing to do with the music industry? A whole lot of sparks and fireworks!

The one with the Stage Dive boys...

Goodreads / Amazon

Love isn’t always smooth or straightforward. It can be messy and painful. Doesn’t mean it isn’t still the most incredible thing that can ever happen to you.

Does this series even need an introduction or a reason for being on my list? If you haven’t heard of it, I’m pretty sure you’ve been living under a rock. But trust me when I tell you it’s an absolute must read. I’ve loved every book in the series, but of course the bad boy lead singer Jimmy in Lead was my very favorite.

This series is completed. Each book is a complete standalone about each member of the band and their HEA. I highly recommend reading in order, you’d enjoy it that much more 😉

Stage Dive #1

Stage Dive #2

Stage Dive #3

Stage Dive #4

The one that was dark and gritty...

Goodreads / Amazon

Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn’t feel flat or fake or hollow. It’s not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled.

Beneath the Burn is the book that I first discovered the amazing talent that is Pam Godwin. Categorized as a standalone romantic thriller, it’s certainly a book that has quite an edge. It’s a little dark and a whole lot gritty, but tying it all together is this incredible romance I’ll not soon forget.

Jay Mayard is a rock god and tortured soul. His demons and mysterious past is what kept me glued to the pages. If you haven’t read this sexy and gritty book, you need to check it out!

The one that was a Brazen...

Goodreads / Amazon

She’d built her whole world around him once, when he was the only person she could feel anything for. The only person she could trust. When he had left, it had shattered her.

It’s no secret that I’m a Brazen junky. I love these steamy little numbers and when all else fails, they always hit the spot. But like any category romance, sometimes they can all blend into one another. Not the case with Drive Me Crazy. This was a super entertain hate-to-lust trope about a classic pianist and the bad boy keyboardist for Shaken Dirty, the hottest rock band on the scene. And yes, it is as good as it sounds 😉

While it is book two in the Shaken Dirty series, you can easily read this as a standalone.

The one with the boys of Lush...

Goodreads / Amazon

I know almost instantly- this is it- I’m done. This woman will either be my salvation or the death of me. There is no question. I’ve lost control now that I’ve touched her. There’s no going back, and she’s the most spectacular thing I’ve ever experienced.

Holy angst, batman! This caught me completely off guard. I did not expect this to be as good as it was. To say that the guys of Lush are very much f-ed up would be a mild understatement. Each of these men have their own issues, but none quite as bad as Joss Jamison, the lead singer of the hottest rock bad, Lush. He’s made his share of mistakes through the years, but nothing as bad as the one that cost him everything; his band, his best friend, and his sanity. Drowning in a sea of regret, the last thing he expects is to meet the woman that will change everything for him.

Each book in this fantastic series focuses on a different band member of Lush and while you may enjoy them as standalones, I recommend reading in order. There is a story arc that builds from the first book and continues through the last, and you’d appreciate the books that much more.

Lush #1

Lush #2

Lush #3

Lush #4

The one that made me cringe and LOL at the same time...

Goodreads / Amazon

“In this nasty-ass strip club bathroom full of pissing dudes and possible rogue ejaculators, Shades is no longer some guy I love fucking. He’s some guy I fucking love.”

This fucking book was fucked the fuck up. Fucked. Up. I tells ya! I think I cringed, laughed, and threw up in my mouth a little…all at the same time as reading this. Romance? I don’t fucking think so. Well I guess it fucking is, since there is a couple and their HEA. But really, this is a satyrical romp about one very fucked up rockstar heroine with an overactive sex drive and the hero that plows through her meat curtains. Oh and if terms like cum spritzer, meat curtains, his pink soldier, and her pudding trench bother you, this book is sure as fuck not for you.

The one with the country star...

Goodreads / Amazon

With a synopsis like this, how could it not intrigue?

After Kylie’s dad dies in a freak accident, he leaves her with nothing other than her crazy step-mother, Darla, and the ability to play guitar. When Darla kicks Kylie out and she loses her job all in the same day, she hops a bus to Nashville determined to make her late father’s dreams come true. Waitressing and saving her pennies to record a demo, her big break comes when she’s asked to join a tour going down the tubes with once platinum album-selling country music superstar Trace Corbin. But touring with Trace is hardly a dream come true since he’s pretty much drinking his career down the drain. If Kylie can’t pull Trace out of his rut, he’ll pull her and her dreams down with him.

This New Adult romance completely enraptured me. I loved everything about it. It doesn’t have this overwhelming angst that most NA books these days. The characters are endearing and the romance is swoony. This is a series that follows the same two characters, so it’s not meant to be read out of order.

Kylie Ryans #1

Kylie Ryans #2

Kylie Ryans #3

The one that was a trilogy...

Goodreads / Amazon

Whisky beats and a hard rain save me tonight.
If you only knew what it cost me to fight.
The taste of your memory reminds me.
That you’re anything but mine.

You may know Taryn Elliot as half of the writing duo for the Lost In Oblivion series I mentioned above. When she’s not giving us deliciously angsty rockstars with her writing partner in crime, Cari Quinn, she also writes books on her own. Her When You’re Gone trilogy was one of those books.

If you’re looking for angst, sexy as sin rockstars, and some twists and turns that will leave you reeling, this is a trilogy you need to check out! Since this is a continuing story for the same two characters, it is not meant to be read out of order.

The one the love triangle I actually liked..

Goodreads / Amazon

I’m losing my mind. I’m sinking, drowning, and on fire all at once. I’m split down the middle, torn in half by two different men, two different bodies pushing and pulling me in all directions, breaking me down and then lifting me up again, shoving me into the fire and soothing my scorching flesh with their kisses that act as a balm.

Yes, you actually read that right. Me, the self professed love triangle avoider actually liked this one. I couldn’t believe it either. Maybe because this was written by the evil mastermind that is Carmen Jenner? Maybe because I didn’t have homicidal tendencies toward the heroine? But probably it had to do with the sexy as hell rockstars, the clever writing, the scorching sex scenes….and did I mention the scorching sex scenes?

The one that started an addiction...

“I’m scared.”
Logan stared at me with eyes that were cold, dark, and without a spark of…anything.
“You should be.”

This was so much more than a rockstar. Truth be told, while the men of this series are part of a famous rock band, Tear Asunder, that’s not the predominant part of the story. Oh no. It’s so SO much more. It’s gritty, and twisted, and dark, and deliciously sexy. It’s exactly the kind of dark romance I like and I gobbled this up like addict that I was. This was the book and series that made me discover the pure awesome that is Nashoda Rose and I haven’t looked back since. The woman is the queen of grit, and she writes some unforgettable alphas. If you haven’t met the boys of Tear Asunder yet, I highly recommend you get acquainted.

Each book is a different character with their HEA, but best read in order as each character is introduced in the previous books

Tear Asunder #1

Tear Asunder #2

Tear Asunder #3

The one with the bad boys of Generation Rejects...

Goodreads / Amazon

“I wanted to tell you that I couldn’t stop thinking about your face. That you had burrowed your way so deep into my veins that I would fucking bleed you. That if I died tomorrow, I could go a happy man for having felt your lips on my skin.”

Swoon. Just that line and I want to read this book all over again. I loved this sexy new adult romance. I accidentally stumbled onto Bad Rep back when it just released and devoured it in one sitting. I love me some angst and if you’re a fan of the NA angst, this certainly had the delicious kind.

Bad Rep #1

Bad Rep #2

Bad Rep #3

Bad Rep #4

The one that was the BDSM-y novella...

Goodreads / Amazon

It felt good to give in, to surrender. He rewarded her with more pleasure. Sex with him felt like embracing a thunderstorm, riding a wild bronc.

This is a novella that was a part of Shayla Black’s Wicked Lovers series, which is a super sexy BDSM romance series. This novella is part of the 1001 Dark Nights series and features a character that was first introduced in Decadent (Wicked Lovers #2), but you don’t have to have read any of the previous books to enjoy this one. It’s easily read as a standalone. It’s a sexy little quickie you can spend a great evening with!

Did I mention that the hero is an international pop star with a penchant for some kink? Oh. Yes.

The one with the boys of Reckless Beat...

Goodreads / Amazon

“He squeezed her neck and rested his forehead against hers, “What is it with you, Allie? Why can’t I take my mind off you? I can’t take a single breath without wishing I was touching you”

I discovered this series when I grabbed this book as a freebie a few years back. I did not expect it to be as good as it was. So of course I then had to go and buy the rest of the series and binge on them.

Reckless Beat #1

Reckless Beat #2

Reckless Beat #2.5

Close-up image of a cocktail drink with splash isolated in a white background

Reckless Beat #3

Reckless Beat #4

Reckless Beat #4.5

The ones I've been recommended but haven't read yet...

Listed by the first in each series, except for Ripped by Katy Evans (This was a part of her Real series, and the only rock star in the series)

That’s it for my list, dirty birds. See any favorites make it? Tell me about it! Have some favorites that I may have missed? Tell me about it! I love to hear from you all, so don’t be shy and drop me a comment below 😉

12 Comments · Filed Under: DGR Favorites, Rockstars, Uncategorized · Tagged With: DGR Fave, DGRUltimate, Feature, rockstars

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Reaper’s Fall★ by Joanna Wylde

November 19, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Reaper’s Fall
Series: Reapers MC #5
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Joanna Wylde
Release Date: November 10, 2015

The New York Times bestselling author of Reaper’s Stand is back in her “uber-alpha rough world of MCs”* as one woman’s future is rocked by the man whose hardcore past could destroy her…

He never meant to hurt her.

Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.

Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.

Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.

Amazon /B&N / iBooks

She wanted to play games? Perfect, because I loved to play, and she knew damned well I liked to play rough.

I want to tell you that I have been waiting for Painter’s book for forever, but that’d be a lie. Truth be told, he was pretty much on my shit list after Devil’s Game and everything that went down with Em. But then Picnic’s book happened and I was intrigued. Then I read Silver Bastard and I was practically salivating for his story. What I’m trying to get to here, is that while you can easily enjoy this as a standalone, I think you’d enjoy it best read in order. That way you can truly grasp the full history and backstory of these characters. The author does a fantastic job recapping the main details, but the connection would be better if read in order. At least in my opinion.

This was deep, almost painful in its unholy intensity. It was like she’d sent tendrils burrowing deep inside, binding us together so tightly I’d die if I ever tried to pull them out.
I was truly, deeply, and Utterly fucked, because I fucking LOVED this girl…and she wasn’t for me.

Know what I love better than a redemption story? An asshole redemption story. And Picnic has certainly not been a well behaved boy throughout the series. He thought he once had a connection with Em, Picnic’s daughter, but know he sees it for what it was…and what it wasn’t. This all thanks to Melanie, the woman that tempts him beyond reason while also driving him out of his ever loving mind.

Melanie was taken under the wing by London, Picnic’s old lady, so she’s no newbie to MC life. A product of a violent father and a mother that up and left her, she hasn’t exactly had things easy. Painter has always been a man that drew her, even when she knew he’s nothing that she needs. He infatuated her, but then he got sent away to prison. Writing him letters while he served his sentence, she hoped for a different reunion than the one she received when he came out.

Painter has always been reckless and wild. He’s never had an easy life, and the Reapers are the only family he has. His brothers have his unconditional loyalty, so what’s a two year prison sentence to protect them? Melanie is too innocent for the likes of him. Besides, he’s not exactly relationship material. His interest in women usually spans no longer than a week before he gets bored. But there’s just something different about Mel. Then the woman he thought was a meek kitten begins to show her claws, and temps his self control to hell and back.

What I want is to fuck you,” he said, his voice a hard, intense whisper. “I want to fuck your pussy, I want to fuck your face, and I’ve given some serious thought to fucking your ass, too. I want to lock you up and play with you…Sometimes I think about owning you, and what I’d do if you tried to get away. Christ, you have no idea.”

I love me some good sexual tension in a romance, and Reaper’s Fall certainly had that in spades. I was afraid after first meeting Mel in Reaper’s Stand that she may be too meek for my tastes, but the girl had a backbone to her. She gave just as good as she got. As a matter of fact, sometimes she almost gave too much. But she was exactly the woman to finally bring Painter to his knees. But it wasn’t all sexy banter and fights, there was so much more too! There’s this one particular scene in this book that involved some body painting and holy ovary overload, batman!
The relationship between Mel and Painter is filled with lots of bumps and spans five years in the book. This could be a good thing or a bad thing to some, depending on your tastes. Luckily for me, it mostly worked. Of course it can’t all be smooth sailing, and when Painter does screw up, he does it royally. I have to say that the events after that particular set up were a trial of patience for me. I wanted to throttle both him and Mel at one point for some of their decisions.

Having said that, we are reading an MC romance after all, so it can’t all be smooth sailing. What it is, however, is hot as hell.

This wasn’t sex.
It was a fight for dominance, a fight I knew I couldn’t win but I was dammed if I wouldn’t try.

I love that this series keeps getting grittier with each new book and we’re starting to get a whole lot more of the MC life and action. It’s definitely grown quite a bit from the first book, addictingly so. Reapers MC is probably one of my favorite MC romances to date, and Joanna’s writing only continues to get better. The characters aren’t always perfect, but who would expect them to be. I knew what I was getting into with Painter, and he didn’t let me down. When these men fall, they fall hard.

Now let’s talk about the bonus epilogue for a hot second here, mkay? Because I swear to god, Joanna Wylde is a freaking sadist with these. They’re the worst teases ever and this one had to have been the biggest tease yet I. WANT. THE. NEXT. BOOK. NOW!!! Oh my god! I can’t even with that..

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Bikers, Blog Tours, Giveaways · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

★Features★

What’s a review blog without some fun features, right? My sentiments exactly. All reviews all day every day can get a bit dry, and the last thing I want is my dirty birds bored. So I’m so excited to be starting two different feature posts that I’ll be updating monthly!

DGR Recs

Every second Saturday of each month, I’ll be posting my favorite book recommendations in various genres. My reading tastes are extremely eclectic and I read pretty much everything except for Historical. Which basically means I’ve read a crap ton of books, mkay? LOL! I’ll be posting voting each month on my FACEBOOK page allow you all to pick the category for the following month’s genre, so make sure you keep an eye on that.

You can find previous Recommended posts here:
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE SERIES & STANDALONES YOU NEED TO READ

DGR's Ultimate

This is a feature that spotlights my ultimate lists in various categories like Dirty Talkers, Rockstars, Bikers, Fighters, you name it, I’ll be doing it. You can find the previous ultimate lists here:

DGR’S ULTIMATE LIST OF DIRTY TALKERS

DGR’S ULTIMATE LIST OF FIGHTERS

DGR’s Ultimate List of Fighters

October 24, 2015 by Lana · 1 Comment

Let’s talk fighters for a hot second here, shall we? I love them. And the grittier and more emotional, the better. If you follow my reviews, you already know that I don’t do flowery, sweet, or insta-lovey, so you won’t find those books on my list. What you will find is a list of all my favorites. These are all books that I’ve read and loved. I’ll make sure to note some of the books that I’ve beed recommended but haven’t had a chance to read yet towards the end. And as always, I’d love to hear from you all in comments; which are your favorite, any I missed that I should read? Don’t be shy. I love discovering new books and making new book friends.

But now, without further ado, let’s get to my list, shall we?

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

"You can’t tell me what to do anymore, Travis! I don’t belong to you!”
In the second it took him to turn and face me, his expression had contorted into anger. He stomped toward me, planting his hands on the bed and leaning into my face.
“WELL I BELONG TO YOU!” The veins in his neck bulged as he shouted, and I met his glare, refusing to even flinch. He looked at my lips, panting. “I belong to you.”

It wouldn’t be a fighter list with Travis fucking Maddox. This is the book that started it all for me. Sure it was at a time where my pervi factor wasn’t quite as…uhem…strong, and lower steam level didn’t bother me much. But even then, I’ve reread this book at least 5 times. Maybe it’s the angst? Truth be told, I’ve attempted the other books in this series, but nothing beats this one. Nothing. If you want to keep liking Abby, I’d suggest perhaps giving Walking Disaster a pass. But then, I tend to be picky with these things. This was the book that really started my addiction. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend giving it a try 😉

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Real by Katy Evans

“I’m every woman’s adventure, damn you, and I don’t want to be yours. I want to be your fucking REAL. You get that? If I fuck you, I want you to belong to me. To be mine. I want you to give yourself to me – not Riptide!”

Remington Tate. *pervy shiver*

The man. The legend. The dirty talker. The sex god. Suffice it to say, my ovaries liked this book verra much. Remy is every ounce the alpha male that I absolutely love to read about.

Now there were a couple follow up novels to this couple, but for me, nothing beat the original.

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Rules of Entanglement (A Fighting for Love Novel #2) by Gina L. Maxwell

"Understand, Vanessa, that I never take my release before my lover. However," he continued, his gaze boring into her, "I also have the resolve to keep you on the edge like this for hours. I won't give in until you give me what I want."

She has seven rules. He has seven days to break them.

Oh yeah. Gina Maxwell outdid herself with this fabulous book. You have District Attorney Vanessa MacGregor, who lives her life by structured rules. Then you have Jackson “Jax” Maris who’s focused on surfing, training, and fighting…and breaking every single one of Vanessa’s rules. If that’s not a recipe for delicious sexual chemistry, I don’t know what is.

There’s three books total in this series, and I’ve enjoyed every single one of them. But nothing beats Rules of Entanglement for me. It was easily my favorite of the three.

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Seducing Cinderella
Fighting for Love #1

Also in the series

Fighting for Irish
Fighting for Love #3

Back In Black (SBC Fighters #5) by Lori Foster

A hot- headed sports club president and a take no prisoners, sassy PR expert. Put them together when Gillian is sent to work on Drew’s image and tone down his cussing and misogynistic ways and watch sparks fly!

I’m a huge fan of Lori Foster, but this is by far one of my favorite series by her. I’ve loved every single book in this series, but Back In Black was my favorite. It also had the biggest alpha-holish hero. Clearly you’re shocked right about now that I loved it, right? You know I love me the alpha holes. But Drew sure changes his tune not long into things. Gillian can be highly persuasive.

Now this book does have some mixed reviews, so it’s all subjective to tastes. I personally really enjoyed it when I read it when it first released.

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Also in the series

Causing Havoc
SBC Fighters, Book 1

Simon Says
SBC Fighters, Book 2

Hard To Handle
SBC Fighters, Book 3

Worth noting, there is a fourth book in this series, My Man Michael. I’m not including it in my list simply because it was a bit of a dud for me. I love all things Lori Foster, but this one was sadly a miss. If you’re reading order OCD, no worries because each book is easily read as a standalone and you’d have no problems skipping over book 4 and jumping right into book 5 if so chose. I’ve read books 1, 2, and 3 and loved them all!

Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

"I like fighting, and I like fucking. I don't care much for thinking."

Don’t let the size of this book fool you. At 132 pages this one packs a hell of a punch. Pun most definitely intended. It’s a little taboo and a whole lot dirty.

You have an underground fighter with a kink for rape fantasy role play. Don’t let this intimidate you because in true Cara McKenna fashion this is done very well, and as tastefully as a highly erotic romance can be. It’s deliciously naughty kind of read that you finish in one sitting. Big rec from this particular pervert 😉

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Hector (5th Street #3) by Elizabeth Reyes

“Unless I’m way off, and I have been in the past, unless you are this talented of an actor and the sincerity I’m feeling when you speak of your feelings for me—this trust that you’ve talked about taking so seriously isn’t all real—then I promise you that can’t imagine anything making me change my mind about you.”

Womanizer—check.
Cocky—check.
Dangerous—checkmate.

This is book 3 in Elizabeth Reyes’s New Adult Romance series, 5th Street, but it’s easily read as a standalone. I’ve skipped around with this series, and I have to say this book was by far my favorite.

I’m not typically a fan of extremely shy, too innocent to believe and awkward heroines. But Charlee turned out to be so much more. While she is shy, she has a backbone, and does show it at the opportune time. Also, turns out, she has quite an uhem…freaky side to her. She really gave new meaning to the adage that it’s the quiet ones that you gotta worry about.

Hector is as Alpha as they come. He is protective, possessive, and jealous. So basically he ticks off all my particular boxes LOL

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Love Hurts (Caged Love #1) by Mandi Beck

“I am a strong woman, Deac. I have overcome a lot in the past few months, but I don't think I can be strong enough to survive you."

Well angst me, why don’t you, Mandi Beck and then hit me over the head with a cliffhanger like a two by four. This uber sexy debut novel definitely caught my eye with the cover. What? It’s a hot cover dammit!

Deacon “The Hitman” Love was every inch the OTT alpha male that I adore. There may have been times that I wanted to slap the heroine with my kindle, but she managed to warm me up towards her by the end. Luckily for you all, book 2 and the conclusion of Deacon and Frankie’s story is already out (LOVE BURNS), so no worries of cliffys that may spike your blood pressure 😉

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Fighting Love (Love to the Extreme #2) by Abbi Niles

"No matter how hard either of them fought this attraction, and even if they succeeded, their relationship had changed forever.
The only question was...would they still be together in the end? Or would they both spend forever apart...and alone?"

Friends to lovers fans will definitely enjoy this second installment from Abbi’s Love to the Extreme series. If you haven’t read book 1, you can still read this one as each book is perfectly enjoyed as a standalone.

Julie Rogers has been in love with Tommy “Lightning” Sparks since she was 10 years old. But she knows that nothing will ever come of those feelings, since all Tommy sees her as is a sister. Their lives are too different, but that doesn’t stop her from still having feelings for him.

When Tommy loses not only his Middleweight champion title along with his professional MMA career, but his home goes down in flames, he turns to his best friend, Julie. Living together, all of a sudden Tommy starts to see that he might see Julie as something other than just his best friend…

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Also in the series

Extreme Love
Love to the Extreme #1

Winning Love
Love to the Extreme #3

Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter #1) by Vi Keeland

“You’re a beautiful, smart, strong woman who is used to being treated like a lady." I’m confused at his words and Nico sees it on my face. He pulls me to him and buries his face in my neck. His breath is so close to my ear when he speaks, I feel the words throughout my body as he speaks them. "But when I finally get you underneath me, I’m definitely not going to treat you like a lady."

I’m woman enough to admit that what initially drew me to this book was the cover. Shallow of me? Perhaps. But is it so wrong that I just want to lick it? I think not. Then I read this: tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and my inner dirty girl was all “READTHISRIGHTTHISSECOND” What can I say, she’s a demanding one.

This was the first book in Vi’s Worth The Fight series and was utterly delicious. Nico Hunter was absolute perfection. If you like steamy romance with MMA fighters and sassy heroines, this is definitely a must read!

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Also in the series

Worth The Chance
MMA Fighter #2

Worth Forgiving
MMA Fighter #3

I was highly anticipating Liv and Vinny’s story in book 2, and can say it was very much worth the wait for me. Ha! See what I did there? While book 3 wasn’t my favorite in the series, it was still an enjoyable read.

Knock Out (Billionaire's Club: New Orleans #1) by Mallery Malone

“I want you, Renata. I want you under me in my bed, above me on this weight bench, beside me in the sauna. I want to know if you still taste as sweet as I remember, if you still whimper when I fill you, or if you’ll pull my hair like you used to do when I buried my face between those thighs. I want you every way I can have you."

He is all about pleasure. His. His woman’s. Incredible, unrelenting, mind-blowing pleasure.

Heavy weight champion, Sebastian Delacroix knows how to handle pain.

But when he has a woman beneath him, in his bed, her softness in his hands, it’s all about hot, unforgettable satisfaction and all the ways he can take it and give it.

No one walks away from him…Except one woman: Renata Giordano. And now she’s back. Strong, sexy, irresistible Renata.

This time, she will not escape.

Sebastian is coming for her and he’ll fight as dirty as he has to.

She will be his.

If that synopsis doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about this sexy novella, I’m not sure what else I can tell you. Oh did I mention Renata is also a fighter? Yeah. It’s like that! I’ve loved the rest of this series as well, but this book was the only one that featured a fighter

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Beneath the Surface (Reluctance #1) by M.A. Stacie

"Every time I took a breath, the air was filled with you. I fought it, determined to ignore your siren call. But you kept dragging me under, and beneath my controlled surface, something was happening to me."

Having never read anything by this author, this was a total impulse read for me based on nothing more than the cover. Look, we’ve already covered the fact that I’m a total cover whore, so let’s not focus on that, mkay? Moving on…

While I can’t say that this book blew me away, it did provide for a light and sexy afternoon read. Kyran, the hero, was just the right amount of jaded and brooding that I typically like. Add into that mix his habit of bare knuckle fighting in the ring to relieve stress and I’m on Alpha cloud 9. It was a bit of been there, read that, but still an enjoyable read.

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Fight For Me by Bethany Bazile

"He was trouble, and I was the new toy he wanted to play with until it broke. I had no doubt it wouldn't take much for him to break me, but I didn't care. I'd be left with all the broken pieces with no clue how to put myself back together, but the trade-off might be worth it."

Ovaries, meet your next smutty indulgence. Fight For Me definitely has the sexy smut to match that unbelievably hot cover. But it’s not mindless smut either, there’s a good story in there too.

The heroine is grieving a tragedy that she blames herself for. Ryder has always wanted her but knew he wasn’t good enough for her until fate brings them together. Did I mention that Ryder is a heavyweight MMA champion with a penchant for dirty talk? Oh yeah. There’s some cheesy lines in here that I could have done without, but that aside, I enjoyed this one verra much.

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No Limits (Ultimate #1) by Lori Foster

"When need be, I can fight dirty, though usually I just fight for sport. But when it comes to you, I fight to win."

Considering how much I loved Lori Foster’s SBC Fighters series, I was thrilled to see her coming out with a new fighter series.

If you’re looking for a fighter romance but swoony is more your speed and you’d prefer a nice guy, No Limits is the perfect read. It was slower paced that I’m used to, but I still loved it.

Cannon was actually first introduced Getting Rowdy Love Undercover series and he happened to be my favorite part of that book. So when I realized the Cannon in No Limits will be THAT Cannon, I may have peed a little in excitement. I love Lori’s writing and her swoony heroes, and this was no exception.

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Also in the series

Holding Strong
Ultimate #2

Tough Love
Ultimate #3

Fighting Dirty
Ultimate #4

I’m behind on this series, so I haven’t had the chance to read the next 2 books just yet. But they’re all sitting pretty on my kindle waiting for me. Book 4, Fighting Dirty, is one of my anticipated releases since the hero is one I fell completely in lust with in No Limits. This book will be releasing on February 23, 2016

Crossing the Line (Battered Hearts #3) by Kele Moon

"Every story had an innocent beginning, even theirs, and Tabitha found herself wishing she had a chance to go back and relive it one more time, because she didn't want to let go any more than Wyatt did.."

An unforgettable second chance romance, a one in a million kind of love, tragedy, redemption and healing. All of this in one phenomenal, incredibly written, richly developed and emotional book. I loved this book. Absolutely everything about this book.

Wyatt Conner has loved Tabitha since 3rd grade. What started innocent and pure, soon grew into a more intense love over time as they both grew into young adults. Their growing romance through the years was one of my favorite things about this book. It was absolutely beautiful. There was no internal drama or angst (though plenty of it from outside forces). Wyatt was absolutely perfect. He was protective and sweet, and yet he also had an undercurrent of finely leashed violence when it came to protecting Tabitha. It truly added to his appeal, since it was just that added element that kept him from being too perfect. Tragedy rips them apart only to reunite them years later.

Wyatt isn’t technically a fighter, he’s a sheriff, but with a fighting past. This entire series was absolutely fantastic and one I can’t recommend enough. Though the spin off (which I’ll get to in a bit) was my ALL TIME FAVORITE.

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Also in the series

Defying the Odds
Battered Hearts #1

Star Crossed
Battered Hearts #2

I highly recommend reading these books in order. They keep getting better and better with each one, with Wyatt and Romeo being my favorite. I highly recommend all three.

Among the Echoes (Wrecked and Ruined #2.5) by Aly Martinez

"Our relationship was established on secrets and lies, but in the end it flourished through truths. Slate told me years ago that we all have scars, and our relationship is no different. It could have easily been ruined from the start, but he fought for me- even when I couldn't fight for myself."

A famous heavyweight boxer and a woman that’s running for her life. Just that link reels you in, doesn’t it?

Don’t let the .5 fool you, this is a full length, stand alone novel. As a matter of fact, it’s basically a standalone. The reason for the half number is that it ties into Aly’s Wrecked and Ruined series. But not from the previous two books. Among the Shadows introduces a secondary character, Leo, that is the hero of Wrecked and Ruined book 3, Broken Course. This book is the perfect set up for him and his heroine.

Having said that, you can easily AtS without reading the previous two books (though I highly recommend you read them anyway simply because they’re great).

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So the above are some great titles, and definitely books I recommend you check out. But the list I'm about to give you below are my absolute favorites. They're books I blindly recommend without a second thought to any fans of gritty and emotional fighter romance.

Destroyed by Pepper Winters

"His presence made me forget everything but him. He took over my world. He was an eclipse."

If you’ve read any Pepper Winters book then you already know this woman writes some dark romance. Deliciously dark romance. Destroyed is what Pepper called her Grey Romance. Now don’t get confused, there will be no fluffy kitties or butterflies here. This book will absolutely gut you and make even the coldest blackest cry ugly cry. But it’s not as brutal as her Dark stuff. Mostly.

This is also a complete standalone. So if you’ve wanted to dip your toes into dark but your ovaries still shrivel up in fear about dark romance, consider this your starting point.

Destroyed was simply unforgettable. A tortured hero, a woman that’s complicated but not broken, and the secrets that may cause them to lose everything is what makes this book an unputdownable read. Incredible writing, gripping story, multi-dimensional characters and enough feels to be absolutely heart wrenching. Prepare yourself for an ugly cry, because it will gut you. But I promise that it will hurt so good!

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On the Ropes (Tapped Out #3) by Cari Quinn

"He'd have me on my back in a minute and be inside me in twice that. And I'd let him...hell, I'd beg him. Because he was the only one who'd ever made me feel this way, like my skin and bones weren't strong enough to hold my heart inside. He was everything.
Too much."

I first discovered Cari Quinn though her sexy Brazen Romances. But this woman absolutely blew me away with her gritty writing in Shadowboxer (which FYI you can grab for FREE on amazon right now!)

After devouring Shadowboxer I knew I was hooked on this series. It’s gritty, sexy, emotional, basically ticks off every check box I have for my favorite romances. Now it’s fair to mention that it’s not for everyone, and certainly not for the faint of heart. But if you like your stories on the grittier side, you NEED to read this.

On The Ropes continues the story of the two secondary characters that were introduced in Shadowboxer. Giovanni, the bad boy sure to steal your heart, and Carly Anderson, the younger sister of the heroine from Shadowboxer.

This book had everything! Action, suspense, mafia, angst and grit, and enough sexual chemistry to set every ovary on fire within a 10 mi radius.

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Also in the series

Shadowboxer (FREE)
Tapped Out, #1

Body Shot (FREE on AMZ)
Tapped Out, #1.2

Takedown
Tapped Out, #1.5

Sneak Attack
Tapped Out, #2

Fighting Silence (On the Ropes #1) by Aly Martinez

"Turning his head, Till Page spoke words that solidified his claim on me for all eternity.
"I love you, Eliza."

The feels! Oh the feels! This incredible friends-to-lovers romance is still one of my all time favorite books, not to mention fighter romances. Oh my god, it was just so beautiful.

The three Page brothers will steal your hearts and wrap them around their fingers. Each broken in their own way, none more so than Till Page. Till is the oldest brother and the one that’s been raising his younger brothers when he was just a child himself because their deadbeat parents couldn’t care less, Till is no stranger to responsibility. He’s always been a fighter, but now he can do it to support his family. There’s just one problem, his hearing is slowly going. The one constant in his life is Eliza Reynolds. Through ups and downs, and there’s plenty of downs, these two stand by each other. It’s not an easy love, it’s not a perfect love, but it’s an unforgettable one!

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Also in the series

Don’t miss my second favorite book in the series, FIGHTING SHADOWS, the middle brother’s Flint’s book. This was just as good as the first book and best read in order. You’d enjoy it much more reading it after Fighting Silence.

The Slayer (Untamed Hearts #2) by Kele Moon

"His destiny always found him no matter how much he ran from it. As sure as Chuito knew the next breath would have to enter his lungs whether he wanted it to or not, he knew that Alaine couldn't be his forever."

Hands down. Bar none. My absolute favorite fighter romance book. Period.

Nothing past, present or current has come to equal the amazingness that was The Slayer for me. I’m a huge fan of Kele Moon as it is. But this book? I’m moving to pure stalker status.

Gut wrenchingly emotional, gritty and action packed, sensually erotic, and absolutely unforgettable. Untamed Hearts is the spin-off of Kele’s Battered Hearts series. The heroes are more anti-heroes bad boys but with hearts of gold. I highly recommend reading the Battered Hearts series first to really appreciate the Untamed Hearts as most characters first made an appearance in BH.

The Slayer is the story of Chuito ‘The Slayer’ Garcia, and it was Kele’s most emotional book yet. I loved it to absolute pieces. And trust me, this book is worth every penny, especially coming in at a length of 495 pages and not a page goes to waste. If there’s one book out of my entire list that I insist you read, let it be this one. This is one author I wish more people knew about because her talent deserves every one-click. I’m practically vibrating in anticipation of the next release!

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Since I regularly update this list, here’s a few memorable recent reads I had that are perfect additions to this list

Raw Deal (Larson Brothers #1)

We have to take solace wherever we can find it, he’d said, and somehow, by some divine intervention or alignment of the stars or whatever the hell else determined their destinies…he was her solace.

Raw Deal is aptly titled because it certainly left me feeling raw. Raw with so much feeling, my heart near burst at the overwhelming emotion of it all. It was beautifully written, gripping, and poignant. It was a painful sort of beauty. A phenomenal story of love in the unlikeliest of places.

I adored everything about this book. EVERYTHING. I think I was sniffling though the entire thing. I couldn’t stop. I’m beyond excited for this brand new series from one of my favorite authors.

SWEET VICTORY (MMA Fighters #4)

God, had any woman ever tasted so good, felt so perfect, so soft and strong and absofuckinglutely amazing? No way. At least none that he’d had. Sophie Caldwell left them so far in her dust that new rating systems would have to be invented. One through ten was a joke.

Sweet Victory was a deliciously satisfying conclusion to one of my favorite series. It was sexy and sweet. It was entertaining and scorching hot. It was everything I’ve come to expect from this author and exactly what made me a fan of hers to begin with.

Becoming a Legend (Kavanagh Legends #3)

“I want every single string, kitty. I want your heart.”

How have I not read anything by this author before? What is wrong with me? Why am I starting this series with book 3? Well, at least I know the answer to the third question there, and that’s because I like to do things back-asswards more often than not. As for the other two? I have no clue and I’m kicking myself for the mistake thoroughly because I seriously enjoyed this book.

As a reader that typically goes for the alphaholes and manwhores, it was a refreshing change of pace to get a nice guy. Kane Kavanagh has had the hots of his brother’s girlfriend’s best friend for some time and all he’s gotten in return is her snark and disinterest. But Kane is not the playboy and bad boy that he may come across as at first. Sure he’s focused on his professional fighting career, but he’s also loyal, sweet, and when the man sets his eyes on his goal, he’ll stop at nothing to get it…and what he wants is Nora. Nora has been trying to resist Kane for months, but when she finally gets to see the man beneath the sex appeal and show, she realizes that there’s a lot more to him than meets the eye.

So that's it for my ultimate list...as far as I've read anyway.
Below, are some of the fighter romances I've been recommended and have on my TBR. I'd love to hear from you if any of you read any of these. Loved it, hated it, tell me everything!

1 Comment · Filed Under: DGR Favorites, Fighters · Tagged With: DGRUltimate, fighters

New Release & Review: ★Nuts★ by Alice Clayton

October 20, 2015 by Lana ·

Nuts
Series: Hudson Valley #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alice Clayton
Release Day: October 20, 2015

The New York Times bestselling author of Wallbanger and Rusty Nailed is back with Nuts, the first in a brand new series set in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley.

Roxie Callahan is a private chef to some of Hollywood’s wealthiest, and nastiest, calorie-counting wives. After a dairy disaster implodes her carefully crafted career in one fell ploop, she finds herself back home in upstate New York, bailing out her hippie mother and running the family diner.

When gorgeous local farmer Leo Maxwell delivers her a lovely bunch of organic walnuts, Roxie wonders if a summer back home isn’t such a bad idea after all. Leo is heavily involved in the sustainable slow food movement, and he likes to take his time. In all things. Roxie is determined to head back to the west coast as soon as summer ends, but will the pull of lazy fireflies and her very own Almanzo Wilder be enough to keep her home for good?

Salty. Spicy. Sweet. Nuts. Go on, grab a handful.

I’ll see you around, I’m sure.”
“It’s a small town. Maybe you’ll show up at my backdoor with your nuts again.”

Adorably quirky, laugh out loud funny, and deliciously sexy, Nuts was the perfect escape read I’ve had in quite a while. Alice Clayton just gets better and better with each new book, but she simply outdid herself with this one. If the Nuts is anything to go by, we have quite a bit to look forward to in Alice’s new Hudson Valley series.

The eyes and the hair were a package deal, the hair was falling across his eyes in a careless way that said “Hey, girl. I’ve got peas on my shoes, but who cares, because I’ve got these eyes and this hair, and it’s pretty fucking great.”

Roxie Callahan is a celbrity chef in hollywood catering to the rich, famous and the entitled. She loves to cook…dealing with some of her clients? Not so much. So when an unfortunate butter incident costs her almost most of her clients, suddenly her kooky mother’s request for her to come back to the town she grew up in and run the restaurant while she’s away doesn’t sound so bad. Then a certain bearded farmer changes her outlook on the small town entirely…

You didn’t really bring me beets, did you?”…
“I did,” he murmured, his thumbs sliding underneath my T-shirt the tiniest bit. “I brought mad beets.”
“Oh man…Did you bring me anything else?”
He brought his face back to mine, tinged with the slightest of blush. “I hesitate to say it now.”
“What did you bring?” I asked, shaking his shoulders.
He buried his head once again into my neck. “A really big zucchini…”

And you know what the best part is? The entire book is filled with witty humorous dialogue like that. I must have read the entire book with a goofy smile on my face. My cheeks hurt I was grinning so much. Leo and Roxie together was pure gold. There’s enough sexual tension to truly make things sizzle. Alice Clayton definitely gives some good sexual tension. There’s just enough sexy to appease even the biggest pervies like me, but without being so much that it takes away from the book. It was the perfect balance of romance and humor.

It was also a refreshing change to get a heroine that’s the commitment phobe instead. Roxie is a strong, career oriented woman that’s not afraid to admit what she wants without any shame.

Pin 1. Don’t get involved.
Pin 2. Enjoy the penis. Engage no other organ,
Pin 3. Attachments are for suckers. See also Mom.
Pin 4. Falling in love sucks.

In addition to the fantastic secondary characters, the wit and the humor, the setting of the book is what really hooked me. The author did such a fabulous job truly engrossing the reader in this wonderful town. I couldn’t help but be transported there myself as I was reading it.

Rocie is probably one of my favorite heroines I’ve read in quite a while. And it has nothing to do with the fact that she shares my unreasonable fear of bees. They really are assholes. But everything to do with her quirky personality. All the characters in this book were so well developed that even the secondary characters jumped out at you in vivid clarity. The writing was simply luscious.

In a shell, this book was fantastic! If you’ve loved any of this author’s previous titles, you’re pretty much guaranteed a win with this one. I can’t wait for the next one in this series. Fingers crossed it’ll be the grouchy Oscar.

Are those nuts in your pocked, or you just glad to see me?”
“Both.”

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4.5 stars, humorous

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

October 7, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Irresistibly Yours
Series: Oxford #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Loveswept

Meet the men of Oxford magazine! In the first captivating spin-off of Lauren Layne’s Sex, Love & Stiletto series, a not-so-friendly battle of the sexes turns into a scorching office romance.

Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes—and write circles around them, too. Cole usually likes his women flirty and curvy, but he takes a special interest in his skinny, sassy rival, if only to keep an eye on her. And soon, he can’t take his eyes off her.

Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys. Since she’s learned that wanting more usually leads to disappointment, Penelope’s resigned to sitting on the sidelines when it comes to love. So why does Cole make her want to get back in the game? The man is as arrogant as he is handsome. He probably sees her as nothing more than a barrier to his dream job. But when an unexpected kiss turns into a night of irresistible passion, Penelope has to figure out whether they’re just fooling around—or starting something real.

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

“First game?” he asked.

Brown eyes flicked to him, barely. “What?”

“First baseball game?”

That got her attention. For the first time, she seemed to really look at him. Her eyes drifted over him slowly, before returning to his, her tone just slightly annoyed. “No. Not my first game.”

“Ah,” he said, already mentally maneuvering into a backpedal. “Bad assumption of me. You were just so into the game . . .”

“So you figured I must be trying to figure out how it all worked?” she asked. “That I must be trying to understand why some of the field is green and some is brown, and whatever could those white squares on the dirt be, and why-oh-why are those men running toward the white squares, but only sometimes . . .”

“All right,” Cole said with a laugh. “I’m an ass. You know baseball.”

Her smile was quick and easy, and he was relieved to see that she wasn’t one of those snippy, hold-it-against-him-forever types. “I know baseball.”

Is that what’s in your notebook? Baseball stuff?

She took a huge bite of her hot dog, completely unabashed at her bulging cheeks, and Cole hid a smile, pretending instead to be fixated on the game.

Hell. When had he ever had to pretend to be fixated on the Yankees?

“You were partially right,” she admitted, after swallowing.

He glanced at her. “Oh yeah?”

She grinned. “This is my first Yankees game.”

“I knew it,” he said, matching her grin full on. “I knew there was something virgin about you. But tell me, how come a baseball fan like you never made it to Yankee Stadium until now?”

“Well . . .” She licked a spot of mustard off her finger, but not in the slow, deliberate way that most women he knew would have done it. “It’s a long way from Chicago . . .”

Cole tore his eyes away from the way her lips closed around her thumb, sucking off that mustard. “You’re from Chicago?”

“From there, yes,” she said. “But let’s just say that as of two weeks ago, I’ll be spending a lot more time here than at Wrigley.”

“Ah. You’re new to New York.”

“Quite.”

“How do you like it?”

She hesitated. “It’s . . . intense.”

“Meaning . . . we New Yorkers are scary as hell?”

She smiled. “Well, it’s not as hostile as I’d been warned, but yeah. We Chicagoans are a bit more openly friendly than you New Yorkers.”

“I’m friendly,” he countered.

Tiny Brunette laughed. “No. You’re just incredibly charming. And a smidgen good-looking.”

He gave her his best bedroom look. “Am I?”

She smiled. “You know you are.”

Their eyes held for a moment, and Cole was startled to realize it was the most relaxed—the most himself—he’d felt around a woman in . . . hell . . . he didn’t know.

Mostly he was used to throwing out a couple of witty lines, a few slow smiles, and watching women counter with moves of their own.

There were no moves with this woman. She merely was.

Cole realized he didn’t even know her name.

“So tell me, as a Chicago baseball fan, are you Team Cubs or Team White Sox, Ms. . . .”

“Pope,” she said. “Penelope Pope. And both.”

Cole’s subconscious acknowledged that Penelope Pope was somehow exactly what this woman’s name should be. Perky and alliterative. His consciousness, however, latched on to another fact. “Both?”

It was not a typical answer. Most people had one baseball team, even if you were from a city with two teams, as Penelope was.

She shrugged. “Baseball’s not about who wins. It’s not even about who’s playing. It’s about the game. The consistent flow of it, the smack of the ball against the glove when you’re lucky enough to be sitting along one of the baselines, instead of stuck up here in this stuffy box—”

He stared at her. The words so closely echoed his own thoughts from just moments before that he wanted to kiss her.

She might just be his dream woman.

“That explains the hot dog,” he said.

“What?”

He nodded his chin at the last bite of hot dog, ignored in her left hand. “The hot dog. You’re in a luxury suite in Yankee Stadium with a whole buffet of gourmet foods, and yet you went and fetched the most basic hot dog you could find.”

She grinned. “Guilty.”

Cole turned his body all the way toward her now. “Tell me, Penelope Pope, what brings a Cubs and White Sox fan all the way to New York where you’ll face a whole new dilemma of choosing between the Yankees and the Mets . . .”

Tiny Brunette never got to answer.

The shadow of someone coming up behind their seats caused them both to turn. It was Alex Cassidy, Oxford’s editor in chief, looking down at them with a half-amused, half-worried expression.

“Cassidy,” Cole said. He lifted an eyebrow and silently added, Nice of you to show up.

“Sorry I’m late,” Cassidy said, not really sounding sorry at all. “I got held up.”

Automatically, Cole’s eyes scanned the luxury suite until he found the pretty woman he knew was likely to be somewhere around here . . .

Yup, there she was.

Emma Sinclair, Cassidy’s long-ago runaway bride, with whom he’d recently reconciled, was surreptitiously wiping smudged lipstick from the corner of her mouth.

His eyes returned to his boss, this time looking closer . . .

“Third button, dude,” Cole said wearily.

The always polished Cassidy glanced down, and without so much as wincing, fixed the misaligned buttons of his shirt.

Cole should have known. A naked Emma Sinclair was the only thing that could throw Alex Cassidy off his rigid timetable.

But Emma and Cassidy’s sex life was where the predictable part of the evening ended, because Cole was absolutely not prepared for Cassidy to reach out a hand to Tiny Brunette, a polite smile on his usually impassive face.

“Alex Cassidy. I’m so sorry I’m late, Ms. Pope.”

Cole glanced between the two of them. They knew each other?

“Not a problem,” she said, turning an easy smile on Cassidy. It was the exact same friendly smile she’d given Cole, and it very much made Cole want to punch his friend in the mouth.

“It’s refreshing to see you two playing so nicely,” Cassidy said with a droll look at Cole.

He narrowed his eyes at his boss, not sure what he was missing, but certain that he was missing something.

Cassidy answered Cole’s silent question with his usual professional businessman smile. “Cole, this is Penelope Pope.”

“We’ve met,” Cole said slowly.

“Excellent. So then you know that Penelope is our late-stage applicant for the sports editor role at Oxford?”

Very slowly, Cole turned toward Tiny Brunette. Took in her friendly smile even as he took in the sorry-not-sorry glint in her eyes.

This was his competition. This was the person standing between Cole and the job he so desperately wanted.

“I suppose I should have been more thorough when I introduced myself,” she said sweetly. “Penelope Pope. Sports editor.”

Plus side? At least now Cole knew what was in her damn notebook.

The downside? Everything else.

I will treat you with the respect you deserve at work, and then I will use your sweet body for sex AFTER work, but Penelope Pope, I give you my solemn promise not to fall in love with you.”

Lauren Layne is my go-to author whenever I’m in the mood for a light-hearted, sexy and witty romance, and this book is exactly why. There’s one thing that’s guaranteed when I read one of her books; I’ll read it with a happy smile on my face the entire time. While I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading her Sex, Love & Stiletto series, of which this is the spin-off, I had absolutely no problems keeping up with all the wonderful secondary characters or the story itself.

How had this happened? How was it this sweet, feisty tomboy could turn him on just as easily as she turned him completely inside out every time she looked at him?

Cole Sharpe is a sports editor that has been a freelancing for Oxford magazine for years. All his friends work there, and he happens to be friendly with the boss. So when a staff position opens up on the staff, he’s got it in the bag…or so he thinks…

Penelope had no illusions about her place in the world of men: the friend zone.

Penelope Pope has always been seen as one of the guys. Her slim, boyish figure and love of sports pretty much guarantee it. When a man breaks her heart and steals a job that she was dreaming of in Chicago, she runs to New York to start fresh. And what’s a better way than with the coveted position of sports editor at Oxford Magazine? She just has to beat out the devilishly sexy Cole with the position.

…what are you after?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m out to be an expert on Penelope Pope. Because, despite your efforts to prove otherwise, I don’t believe for one second that you don’t want me.

Penelope is nothing like Cole’s usual type; of the blonde and leggy variety. So why is it he can’t stop thinking of the petite beauty that seems to stir his blood just as much as she puts a smile on his face?

This is just one of those friends-to-lovers romances you can’t help but love. Cole and Penelope develop a friendship all the while having this undercurrent of lust that runs like electricity between them. I loved how he calls her “tiny”. And Penelope, although not a ravishing beauty and with her share of hangups was such a fantastic heroine. She’s witty, funny, and adorably endearing.

You should know…I’m not very good at this,” she said.
He smiled and ran a finger over her lower lip. “Don’t worry. Because I’m VERY good at this.”

All the secondary characters add to the story while the main focus remains on Penelope and Cole and their budding romance. We still get a taste for past characters, as well as Lincoln who I was clearly intrigued by (because I do so love me the broken manwhorish ones) but it never takes away from the story, only adds to it. It read like the perfect romantic comedy.

The chemistry between Cole and Penelope was utter perfection. Penelope doesn’t want long term because she doesn’t think Cole would be interested. Cole is adorably confused by the whole thing because his feelings for Penelope completely blindsided him. So they agree to be friends and coworkers on the weekdays, and work out their inconvenient lust for each other on the weekends. It doesn’t take long for both of them to realize that they’re far more than mere friends with benefits.

He didn’t know exactly what THIS was.
But whatever they decided to call it- or not call it- he could all too easily get used to it.

If you’re looking for a light, sexy, and witty romance, you can never go wrong with Lauren Layne. I’m hooked on this series and can’t wait for more (ESPECIALLY if it’s Licoln…because hello! Broken manwhore!)
A fantastic start to what’s looking to be an even better series. Me likey!

I thought you said you were no good at this,” he growled.
“Guess I just needed to do it with the right guy.”

Lauren Layne is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.

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