The year 2015 has been extra good to me. I’ve discovered some new to me authors and reconnected with some past favorites. I’ve had amazing reads in every category, and considering how eclectic my reading tastes are, that’s a lot of categories. Even with as picky as I tend to be with my favorites, it was still tough to choose and narrow these down for you guys. So really, it came down to my extra EXTRA favorites. The 5 star reads that I will blindly recommend to anyone. The reads that blew me away and stayed with me for the entire year. Those books that I still think back to and compare others to.
I’m doing things a bit different this year, though. I’ll break it down into two parts; first part will be my favorites uncategorized, and the second I’ll give you with my favorite in particular categories. Make sense? It will once you read it, I promise 😉
So here they are, in no particular order!
FISHER’S LIGHT by Tara Sivec
What an incredible and emotional second chance romance! A military hero with PTSD struggles with the falling apart of his marriage and working to get his wife, the love of his life, back. And the best part, it’s just as good as it sounds if not better!
Fisher,
I guess this is it, huh? After fourteen years together, starting a life of our own on this island, five deployments and countless letters I’ve written you through it all, I finally go out to the mailbox and see something I’ve always dreamed of: an envelope with your handwriting on it. For one moment, I actually thought you’d changed your mind, that all the awful things you said to me were just your way of coping after everything you’d been through. I was still here, Fisher. I was still here, holding my breath, waiting for you to come back even though you told me you never would. You always said you’d find your way back to me. Out of all the lies you’ve told me, this one hurts the most. Enclosed you will find the signed divorce papers, as requested.
I hope you find what you’re looking for. I’m sorry it wasn’t me.
LucyTo get the ending they want, Lucy and Fisher will have to go back to the beginning. Through the good and the bad, they’ll be reminded of why they always made their way back to each other, and why this time, one way or another, it will be the last time.
SHATTERED BY YOU by Nashoda Rose
If you follow my blog then you already know what a huge fan I am of this author Her Tear Asunder series was the first one I tried and what made me first fall in love with her writing. Shattered By You is book three in this series and quite possibly my favorite to date. It was emotional and raw and incredibly touching. I absolutely loved it!
What started out as a deal quickly became a friendship that conquered monsters.
I killed, but I escaped hell.
Emotionless. Disconnected. Cold. A mannequin. It’s what I’d become in order to survive the years held in captivity. I was able to endure the abuse and devastating loss as long as I remained detached.But he wouldn’t let me.
Crisis, the bass guitarist in my brother’s rock band, Tear Asunder. He’s cocky, rude, a total man-whore. But the rock star has far more beneath the surface of his inked skin, and he’s determined to make me laugh again.
He made me a “deal”, but really, it was blackmail.
His terms were simple. Until his playful honesty became the building blocks to something unexpected. Something strong enough to pull me from the eye of the storm.Because even though I escaped years of abuse, it didn’t mean I was free.
For mature audiences only.
Shattered by You is written as a standalone, however, it is recommended you read the Tear Asunder books in order.
*Contains spoilers for “Overwhelmed by You”
THE FALL UP by Aly Martinez
I simply adored this contemporary romance from one of my favorite authors. Sam Rivers is easily one of my favorite swoony heroes I’ve read this year. This man was utter perfection. He’s the boy next door type but with an edge. If you don’t fall hard for him after just the first chapter, I’ll eat my shoe. I’m not even kidding.
I wanted to jump.
He made me fall.As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.
Until he found me.
Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.
But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.
Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?
Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.
DIRTY TIES by Pam Godwin
I love this author’s deliciously dark romances, but Dirty Ties was something very different from her. For one, it was a standalone, and it wasn’t dark. Oh it was still gritty and erotic, but a romantic thriller. It was also so good that I stayed up all night reading it and couldn’t put it down! Don’t let the cover fool you, this book is absolutely amazing!
Revenge.
I race to finance it.
I evade to protect it.
I kill to attain it.
I planned everything.Except her.
The alluring, curvaceous blonde at the finish line.
With sapphire eyes that cheat and lie.
Whose powerful family murdered mine.I hate her.
I want her.I know she’s hiding something.
But so am I.
FLOORED by Melanie Harlow
If you’re looking for a romance that’s laugh out loud funny, deliciously sexy, and entertaining as hell, THIS is your next read! A feel good light-hearted read that I’d recommend to any romance lover!
OK, fine. I’ll confess.
While my house was being robbed, I was in the shower indulging my favorite Brad Pitt fantasy (the one with the Troy costume and the handcuffs.)
But where is the justice in the world when the first cop on the scene is the former bully next door? How dare that arrogant jerk grow up to be six-foot-three inches of solid muscle with gorgeous blue eyes!I can’t stop thinking about him. Or his handcuffs. Or his dirty mouth. Or the way he still likes to boss me around these days, only with a lot less clothing.
(Another confession—I like it now, too.)
But we’re totally wrong for each other…aren’t we?
WHEN I FALL by J. DANIELS
Every time I read a new book by J Daniels I say the same thing; this may be my favorite hero by her. But seriously though, this may be my favorite hero by her. I loved Reed. I loved him so hard its not even funny. Easily my favorite book in her Alabama Summer series!
For the past nine years, I’ve kept my heart as far away from my dick as possible.
Those two can’t be anywhere near each other. They don’t play nice, and one of them undoubtedly winds up getting hurt.Not my dick. My dick is good.
The women I take home know exactly what they’re getting from me—sex. Nothing more. At least, that’s what’s supposed to happen. The sweet brunette from Kentucky I set my sights on tonight shouldn’t have been any different. I had her right where I wanted her. Where I needed her. But when my past comes walking into McGill’s pub, the woman in my arms decides to take things to a whole new level, putting me into a situation I never saw coming.
My heart is about to get fucked. My dick can sit this one out.
HARD BEAT by K. Bromberg
I’ll admit, this was my first book by this author and man, am I kicking myself for that now! Nothing beats a hate to love trope for me, and this book had it in spades. Did I mention it’s written entirely in male POV? Because that just served to make it that much better!
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Ache comes a blistering new novel filled with danger, secrecy, and a desire that can’t be sated…
Foreign war correspondent Tanner Thomas is addicted to living on the edge. Needing the adrenaline rush of his job to help him cope with a personal loss, he throws himself back into the game, concentrating all his energy on getting the next big story. But when he meets his new photojournalist, Beaux Croslyn, he can’t help but feel like he’s losing his focus—and maybe risking more…
With secrets she won’t address, Beaux is far from your ordinary woman. Determined to keep her distance, she’s willing to pull Tanner in closer and hide behind the sparks flying between them. But as Beaux’s past begins to put their relationship—and their lives—at risk, Tanner’s determination to find the truth puts them both in jeopardy.
He’s ready to chase her to the ends of the earth to find out if what they had was real, or if the danger surrounding them was just an exquisite heat fated to burn out….
MISCONDUCT by Penelope Douglas
What is it about this woman’s writing that just does it for me? Every. Single. Time. It probably has something to do with the fact that she writes some of my favorite hate-to-love tropes or that her heroes are the most delicious kind of alphaholes that I love to read about. Whatever the case may be, I simply love her books, and Misconduct is one you don’t want to miss!
Former tennis player Easton Bradbury is trying to be the best teacher she can be, trying to reach her bored students, trying to forget her past. What brought her to this stage in her life isn’t important. She can’t let it be. But now one parent-teacher meeting may be her undoing…
Meeting Tyler Marek for the first time makes it easy for Easton to see why his son is having trouble in school. The man knows how to manage businesses and wealth, not a living, breathing teenage boy. Or a young teacher, for that matter, though he tries to. And yet…there is something about him that draws Easton in—a hint of vulnerability, a flash of attraction, a spark that might burn.
Wanting him is taboo. Needing him is undeniable. And his long-awaited touch will weaken Easton’s resolve—and reveal what should stay hidden…
TAKE by Nashoda Rose
Clearly I’m a huge fan of this author. The woman writes my favorite dark and gritty books, but she also writes some kick-ass PNR and Take is part of her new Scars of Wrath series. It has amazing world building, richly developed characters, and sexy romance!
MAX
Feelings are a luxury I can’t afford. Hidden behind a shield of quiet placidity, I keep my secret safe from those who’d use it against me. Until him—the tatted up, self-centered Scar assassin hired to protect me.
He takes pleasure in tormenting me, chipping away at my defenses as if I’m a toy to be played with. I hate that he continuously reminds me that I’m nothing more than a job. I hate that my body responds to his touch. I hate him.
JASPER
I’m not a good guy and I don’t pretend to be. Condemn me if you want, I don’t give a fuck. You’re nothing to me. No one is … except her—Max. She’s my target. And I was hired to do a hell of a lot more than protect her … I was hired to kill her.
It should’ve been simple, but it was complicated as hell.Full-length novel. Come meet the Scars.
CORRUPT by Penelope Douglas
Did you not read what I wrote above about Penelope’s books? Corrupt and Misconduct were published just weeks apart and put me on bookie cloud 9. They couldn’t be more different so they each hit a different spot for me. Corrupt was deliciously erotic and gritty with a splash of dark. There’s one scene in particular that’s guaranteed to melt any ovary within a 100 mi radius.
Erika
I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.
His name is Michael Crist.
My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.
But I noticed him.
I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid…For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.
Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.
Because he’s finally noticed me.
Michael
Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.
My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.
Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.
In my city.
Unprotected.
The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.
We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.
FIGHTING SILENCE by Aly Martinez
This book had everything; a beautiful friends-to-lovers romance, second chance romance, emotional story that’s sure to tug at every heart string, and a sexy romance to tie it all together. This is the book hat made me fall completely head over heals for the Page brothers and one I can’t recommend enough!
Sound is an abstract concept for most people. We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it’s the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to?
I’ve always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn’t a single night that I didn’t hear her voice.
You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one.
They both happened anyway.
Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting for my career.
Fighting the impending silence.
Fighting for her.Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her.
I think that’s the sound I’ll miss the most.
Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.
INSIDER by OLIVIA CUNNING
Irreverent, laugh out loud funny, and ridiculously sexy. Those are just 3 of the reasons why I loved this spin-off series from the super fabulous Olivia Cunning. The boys of Exodus End are finally here to set those ovaries a-fluttering and flutter them they shall.
Toni wants to be an insider.
Logan just wants inside her.She’s finally ready to rock…
Toni Nichols set aside her dreams to raise her little sister, but now she’s reaching for the stars as the creator of a revolutionary interactive biography about Exodus End. She’s on tour with the rock band to immerse herself in their world, but how will she ever gain the trust of four veteran superstars who’ve been burned by the media before? Nobody said this was going to be easy. Then again, good things can come in hard packages.He’s always ready to roll…
Adrenaline junkie Logan Schmidt lives for the rush of playing his bass guitar before thousands of screaming fans. When he’s not performing onstage or in the bedroom, he’s looking for his next thrill in extreme sports. So why does a sweet, innocent journalist get his heart pumping and capture his full attention? Is Toni the real deal or just digging up dirt on his band? Logan’s eager to rock Toni’s world and roll her in the sack, but when she starts to get too close to his heart, she takes her insider look to a place he may never be willing to go.
SEDUCTION GAME by Pamela Clare
Pamela Clare has become synonymous with sizzling hot romantic suspense for me. I’ve loved the entire I-Team series but I’ve been eagerly anticipating Holly’s book. I was not surprised when not only did I love it but it completely blew me away. Such is the awesome of this author.
The acclaimed author of Striking Distance returns with more danger, intrigue, and I-Team action . . .
CIA officer Nick Andris wants revenge. His last mission failed after a Georgian arms smuggler killed his lover. He’s been tailing a woman for three weeks hoping she will lead him to his target. But there’s a problem with the intel. Holly Elise Bradshaw is nothing more than an entertainment writer with a love for sex and designer clothes. Clearly someone at Langley made a mistake . . .
When Holly finds herself in trouble, the only weapons at her disposal are her brains and her body. But they won’t be enough to handle the man who’s following her. He’s going to turn her world upside-down.
SERVICING THE TARGET by Cherise Sinclair
Now if we’re talking about authors synonymous with sizzling hot BDSM romance? Hands down Cherise Sinclair is it. As much as I love this genre, I’m not typically a fan of female Dommes. And I say typically because I’m pretty sure only this author has the ability to pull it off well enough to make me love it as much as I did in this book. I adored Ben, I loved the romance, and I loved Mistress Anne. Even if you’re not a fan of the Dommes, I recommend you give it a shot. Cherise will definitely convert you.
GOODREADS | AMAZON
A discharged Army Ranger, Ben considers his job as a BDSM club security guard to be an excellent hobby. He’s never been tempted to join in. But everything changes when the notorious Mistress Anne inadvertently reveals the caring heart concealed beneath her Domme armor.
Now, he’s set his sights on the beautiful Shadowlands Mistress. Maybe he’d considered himself vanilla, but she can put her stiletto on his chest any day, any time. He’ll trust her delicate hands to hold his heart. And if she wants to whip his ass on the way to an outstanding climax, he’s just fine with that too.
Sure, he knows she likes “pretty boy” slaves. And he’s older. Craggy and rough. And six-five. Minor hindrances. The mission is a go.
HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
I’ve been obsessed with all things Elle Kennedy this year. After all, this is the woman who writes one of my favorite New Adult series, Off-Campus. So when I heard she’ll be collaborating on an MM romance with Sarina Bowen, I was ALL in. I can’t describe all my feels for this book, but I can tell you this: it’s an absolute must read!
GOODREADS | AMAZON
They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?
Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.
Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.
Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—
can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend…and a big one to learn about himself.
Warning: contains sexual situations, hotties on hockey skates, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.
TANK by Carmen Jenner
Tank is book 2 in Carmen’s Savage Saints MC series. It’s gritty, it’s violent, it’s sexy and it’s so fucking good. I loved Kick but man, Tank was just something else. This is no light fluffy read, so if dark and gritty isn’t your thing, this book is definitely not for you. But if you’re like me and like them gritty, you need to check this one out!
Killer. Criminal. Sociopath.
All of these words have been used to describe me, and for the longest time I believed that that’s all I was.
I’m the man you call in to clean up your mess, assuming your mess is a guy who needs a bullet to the head. I’m the man the MC calls when they want their dirty work done.
I’m the man who doesn’t feel.Until now.
Until her.Now my mess is a woman who won’t save herself. I’ll fight like hell to save her, but at what price to the club? And at what cost to me?
Warning: TANK contains graphic violence, profanity, drug use, and explicit sexual situations that may be a trigger and cause some readers emotional discomfort. Intended for an 18+ audience only. Not intended for pussies.
A PERFECT TEN by Linda Kage
Oren “Ten” Tenning. *Lusty sigh* I’m a huge fan of Linda’s Forbidden Men series. It’s one of my favorite New Adult series. As much as I loved the rest of the books in it, Oren is without a doubt my absolute favorite. This book was EVERYTHING: funny, swoony, and easily one of the sexiest books Linda has written to date. I loved it hard.
GOODREADS | AMAZON
Let your hair down, Caroline, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.
I know I’ve closed myself off in a major way in the past year, ever since “the incident” where I messed up my life completely. It’s past time I try to live again or just give up completely. But this is quite possibly the craziest thing I’ve ever done. In a last ditch effort to invigorate myself, I’m standing outside Oren Tenning’s bedroom, I just peeled off the sexiest pair of underwear I own, and my hand is already raised to knock. My brother would disown me for doing anything with his best friend, and he’d probably kill Oren. But if I play my cards right, no one will ever know about this. Not even Ten.
Maybe after tonight, I’ll finally get over this stupid, irrational crush I hate having on the biggest jerk I’ve ever met. Or maybe I’ll just end up falling for him even harder. Maybe I’ll discover there’s so much more to my crude, carefree hunk than meets the eye.
RICOCHET by Keri Lake
If you follow my blog or my Facebook page, then you’ve already seen me go all gaga over this book. What more can I possibly tell you aside from read it, read it, READ IT! Keri Lake is a master of her craft and she weaved a dark and erotic tale of vengeance and love.
GOODREADS | AMAZON
The only sure way to destroy a man is to take what he cannot live without.
Three years ago, I had everything.
A beautiful wife.
A son.
A reason for living.Until a ruthless task force, assembled under Mayor Michael Culling, with a brutal strategy to make the streets of Detroit ‘safe’, ripped away everything I loved in a deadly hunt called The Culling.
They tried to kill me, too. I wish they had. Now I’m cursed by the memories of that night, and the words I whispered to my dying wife.
A promise—to avenge the wrong and set it right.
I’m no longer Nick Ryder. I’m a masked vigilante. Faceless. Loveless. Fearless. A man with nothing left to lose—one who’s seen the dark and violent truth behind the city’s flawless veneer.
Michael Culling doesn’t know who I am. Or what I want. All he knows is that I’ve kidnapped his beautiful wife.
An eye for an eye—isn’t that how the saying goes? And Aubree Culling is the perfect pawn to destroy him.
If she doesn’t destroy me first.
EVEN THE SCORE by Kate Meader
Kate Meader first appeared on my radar this year with Even The Score and I’ve been obsessed with everything she writes since. If you like sexy fire fighters, make sure to check out her Hot In Chicago series, which is a big favorite of mine as well. As for this book? Oh man! If you like hate/love, fake relationship sort of trope, you will gobble this right up! My favorite Brazen category romance this year!
GOODREADS | AMAZON
He’ll make her an offer she can’t refuse…
Actress Tess McKenzie is performing in the Tenth Circle of Showbiz Hell-dinner theater. All she really wants is to start a theater of her own. Then Tess receives an offer she can’t refuse. She’ll get her funding…if she pretends to be the fiancée to her nemesis, Texan property tycoon Hunter Dade. If she’s going to pull this off, she’ll need all the luck she can get. Break a leg, indeed.
On the verge of a big business deal, Hunter needs to hire a fiancée. He hasn’t quite forgiven Tess for ruining his wedding, but when their chemistry goes from combative to straight-up lust, the “no sex” clause in their mutually beneficial arrangement is tested. Which is a serious problem, because if Tess isn’t careful, she’ll go from breaking a leg to breaking her heart…
THE FRIEND ZONE by Kristen Callihan
Kristen’s Game On series is a huge favorite of mine. I LOVED The Hook Up, which was the first book in the series. The Friend Zone was yet another hit for me and it came as no surprise!
Gray doesn’t make friends with women. He has sex with them. Until Ivy.
The last thing star tight-end Gray Grayson wants to do is drive his agent’s daughter’s bubblegum pink car. But he needs the wheels and she’s studying abroad. Something he explains when she sends him an irate text to let him know exactly how much pain she’ll put him in if he crashes her beloved ride. Before he knows it, Ivy Mackenzie has become his best texting bud. But then Ivy comes home and everything goes haywire. Because the only thing Gray can think of is being with Ivy.
Ivy doesn’t have sex with friends. Especially not with a certain football player. No matter how hot he makes her…
Gray drives Ivy crazy. He’s irreverent, sex on a stick, and completely off limits. Because, Ivy has one golden rule: never get involved with one of her father’s clients. A rule that’s proving harder to keep now that Gray is doing his best to seduce her. Her best friend is fast becoming the most irresistible guy she’s ever met.
Which means Gray is going to have to use all his skills to win Ivy’s heart. Game on.
DEEPER THAN DREAMS by Jessica Topper
*Dreamy sigh* I simply adore this couple. Louder Than Love was one of my favorite books last year, and Kat and Adrian became one of my all time favorite couples. When I heard that Jessica will be giving them an extended epilogue in the form of a novella, I was beyond thrilled. What I didn’t expect was to love this book even more than the first one. An amazing, emotional and swoony romance that I recommend to any reader!
Will wedding bells rock out for Louder Than Love’s most beloved couple in this Love and Steel novella?
Falling in love with rock star Adrian “Digger” Graves was a dream come true for former librarian Kat Lewis. But with a little help from friends and family–including Kat’s adorable daughter, Abbey–Adrian has planned an evening and a proposal beyond her wildest dreams.
The night before, Kat witnessed the triumphant reunion of Adrian’s rock band at Madison Square Garden. Tonight, he will escort her to the elegant, ultra-exclusive Library Lion’s benefit. It seems like a fairytale, but even fairytales have a deeper, darker side. When old habits return to tempt her knight in shining heavy metal armor, will Kat’s happily ever after come crashing back to reality?
THIS IS AN EPILOGUE NOVELLA THAT PICKS UP THE DAY AFTER LOUDER THAN LOVE ENDS. This novella is intended to be read after Louder Than Love.
THE BOSS (A HOT BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE) by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott
Another hot billionaire, you ask? Hell no! Not when it’s written by the power house duo that is Cari and Taryn. I’ve been addicted since book one and even though I threaten murder after each painful cliffhanger, I jump at the next release like a bitch in heat. True story.
I’ve always been a good girl.
I’ve only done two really bad things in my life–secretly live in the maid’s quarters of my beloved grandmother’s foreclosed beach house, and lie to get a job as a personal assistant to billionaire Blake Carson.
My enemy, my lover, my savior.
He’s only two out of the three, if only I can figure out which two before I end up on the streets or in jail.
Or worse.
A SIX PART SERIAL with dual points of view, lots of bad words, the creative use of glass-walled rooms, and a beach house that holds a whole lot of secrets. There are all sorts of cliffs in these books, some even include actual rocks. You have been warned.
PAPER HEARTS by Claire Contre
I cried, I swooned, I fell in love so hard with this book I can’t even describe it. I love a second chance romance, but this book was so much more than that. It was an epic love story.
GOODREADS | AMAZON
I lost her.
No. I threw her away.
She was my best friend.I was never supposed to fall in love with her.
I was careless.
She was heartbroken.I thought I was doing fine. But here she is, years later, forced to work with me, reminding me why I fell in love with her in the first place.
And this time I’m going to do everything in my power to never let her go.
SWEET RUIN by Kresley Cole
Ask me who my favorite PNR author is, and Kresley Cole will be the first name on my mind. You know an author is good at what she does when 16 books into a series she can still manage to keep the same momentum going. She has a penchant for snarky and sassy heroines and broody, tortured heroes and I love her for it. Sweet Ruin was a huge winner for me!
An immortal assassin is caught between desire and duty in this sizzling new novel from Kresley Cole’s #1 New York Times bestselling Immortals After Dark series.
A foundling raised in a world of humans
Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was—just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Protecting her baby brother Thaddeus became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl…to would-be superhero…to enchanting villain.A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission
Whether by bow or in bed, archer Rune the Baneblood never fails to eliminate his target. In his sights: the oldest living Valkyrie. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty mesmerizes him. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, stealing his forbidden blood—and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin…
Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.
HOLD ON by Kristen Ashley
Have you ever read an epilogue that was so good you actually ugly cried your way through it? An epilogue that was so good that not only does it tie the book together flawlessly but the entire series as well? Yeah. That was Hold On for me. Easily my second favorite in the series and that’s only because no one will ever beat Joe from At Peace.
GOODREADS | AMAZON
Since she was young, Cher Rivers knew she was not the kind of girl who got what she wanted. A girl who could hope. A girl who could dream. She knew a happily ever after just wasn’t in the cards for her.
In love for years with the last bastion of the ‘burg’s eligible bachelors, Garrett Merrick, Cher worked hard at making him laugh. Being one of the guys. Having him in her life the only way she could. All this knowing he was in love with another woman.
The Merrick Family is known for loving deep. So when Cecelia Merrick was murdered, it marked the Merricks in a way none of them recovered. Both Cecelia’s children found love. Both turned their backs on it. But Garrett “Merry” Merrick knew in his soul the woman he divorced years ago was the one for him.
Until the night when Cher took Garrett’s back and things changed. The Merrick family loves deep. They also protect fiercely. And with his eyes finally open, Garrett sees the woman who truly is for him and he goes after her.
LICKED by Brooke Blaine
If you haven’t yet heard of this author, I suggest you get acquainted. Because I guarantee you’ll become a fan after this book. A lighthearted romance with quirky humor, steam, and characters so endearing you’ll wish they were your BFFs.
As the owner of Licked, an eclectic ice creamery and bar, Ryleigh Phillips doesn’t have time for that love stuff. Serving up Nibble My Nuts sundaes and Drunken Sailor boozy shakes are as close to an orgasmic affair as she’s had in months thanks to her expanding empire—until the night of her ten-year high school reunion.
When Ryleigh’s crush, gorgeous ex-football god Cameron Mathis, comes streaking into her life (literally—streaking), she begins to wonder if she really can have it all.
Wouldn’t it just figure that the moment you think life is perfect is when it falls spectacularly apart?
Enter Hunter Morgan, the contractor in charge of Licked’s renovations. Devastatingly handsome, and a smartass to boot, he’s got his eyes on Ryleigh from the moment he finds her passed out on his couch (yeah, that’s a long story). There’s just one tiny complication—he happens to be Cameron’s best friend.
When the lines between relationships and friendships blur, and it’s impossible to choose between two delicious flavors, what’s a girl to do? Taste a sample of each? Or go out and get LICKED?
SUSTAINED by Emma Chase
Jake Becker. *dreamy sigh* If you’ve read any book by this author then you already know that Emma Chase can write some of the best male POV romances. But she simply outdid herself with Jake. This man…UGH. I can’t even describe all the swoons. He’ll make you laugh and he’ll make you swoon and he’ll make your ovaries flutter. That’s a guarantee.
A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.
When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.
Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will turn you on. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.
Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy and Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and arguing cases in the principal’s office.
Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, defend her…and the kids.
And that—that, I know how to do.
MASTER NO by Lexi Blake
This book. I can’t even. No really, I really can’t even. This book broke my cold black heart. The mother of all plot twists comes at you like a damn two by four and hits you like a mac truck. Holy shit! I’m obsessed with this Lexi’s Masters and Mercenaries series, and they seem to just get better and better with each new book. But Master No? It was in a category all of its own. Espionage, BDSM, suspense and a story that will suck you right in are just some of the reasons I recommend this series. And I highly recommend reading the books in order to enjoy them to their fullest.
Disavowed by those he swore to protect…
Tennessee Smith is a wanted man. Betrayed by his government and hunted by his former employer, he’s been stripped of everything he holds dear. If the CIA finds him, they’re sure to take his life as well. His only shot at getting it all back is taking down the man who burned him. He knows just how to get to Senator Hank McDonald and that’s through his daughter, Faith. In order to seduce her, he must become something he never thought he’d be—a Dom.
Overcome by isolation and duty…
All her life, Dr. Faith “Mac” McDonald has felt alone, even among her family. Dedicating herself to helping others and making a difference in the world has brought her some peace, but a year spent fighting the Ebola virus in West Africa has taken a toll. She’s come home for two months of relaxation before she goes back into the field. After holding so many lives in her hands, nothing restores her like the act of submission. Returning to her favorite club, Mac is drawn to the mysterious new Dom all the subs are talking about, Master No. In the safety of his arms, she finds herself falling head over heels in love.
Forced to choose between love and revenge…
On an exclusive Caribbean island, Ten and Mac explore their mutual attraction, but her father’s plots run deeper than Ten could possibly have imagined. With McKay-Taggart by his side, Ten searches for a way to stop the senator, even as his feelings for Mac become too strong to deny. In the end, he must choose between love and revenge—a choice that will change his life forever.
THE HOTTER YOU BURN by Gena Showalter
I love Gena’s PNR, so I was beyond thrilled when I saw she’ll be coming out with a contemporary romance series. The Hotter You Burn is book 2 in her Heartbreakers series but can be enjoyed as a standalone. It’s everything I’ve come to love about Gena’s writing; snarky, sarcastic, witty and humorous, with a steamy romance to boot!
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter is back with a sizzling Original Heartbreakers story featuring a troubled playboy and the woman he can’t resist…
Beck O’ckley is ruthless in the boardroom…and the bedroom. He’s never been with the same woman twice, and vows he never will. With a past as twisted as his, meaningless sex keeps the demons at bay. His motto: One and done. No harm, no foul.
Harlow Glass is the most hated girl in town. The beautiful artist is penniless, jobless and homeless. When she sneaks into Beck’s home—her ancestral estate—for food, she’s shocked by his early return…and her immediate, sizzling and intense attraction to him.
For the first time in Beck’s life, he can’t get a woman out of his mind. All too soon, friendship blooms into obsession and he’ll have to break her heart…or surrender his own.
THIS HEART OF MINE by Brenda Novak
This was my first book by this author and I was absolutely blown away. This Heart of Mine was a highly emotional second romance and redemption. It wasn’t filled with gratuitous sex scenes, and it didn’t need them because the story and romance were so amazing. This was so different form anything I’ve read this year and I still think about it all these months later. While it’s book 8 in the series, it’s easily read as a standalone.
First love. Second chance?
As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next.
Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob’s father isn’t exactly welcoming.
Riley doesn’t trust Phoenix, doesn’t want her in Jacob’s life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he’s about to find both!
THE SLAYER by Kele Moon
Hands down bar none, my favorite book I’ve read this year. If you haven’t read anything by this incredible author yet, you’re seriously missing out. And if there’s one thing I can promise you, it’s that you will be a huge fan after reading this book. Though I highly recommend reading the series in order and starting with The Viper first. I also recommend reading Crossing The Line as well since you get more of Chuito in that book as well. Kele’s Untamed Hearts is her spin-off series from her Battered Hearts series. It’s gritty and sexy tale of a more anti-hero kind of alpha. As much as I loved all her other books, there’s no doubt in my mind that The Slayer was her best yet and I can’t recommend it enough. A must read if there ever was one!
To Chuito the apartment was a self-imposed prison for a lifetime of sins. To Alaine, the girl next door, it was salvation from her overbearing, religious father.
He was a devil.
She was an angel.Two people who should’ve never met, let alone become friends, but it’s not until they give into the dangerous passion that’s been simmering under the surface for five years that things go to hell.
On the outside, Chuito ‘The Slayer’ Garcia is on top of the world. He’s successful. He’s wealthy. He’s a champion MMA fighter surrounded by friends who support him, but they don’t know what he was before he came to Garnet.
A gangster.
A thief.
An addict.
A murderer.Now his past is churning up demons he can’t ignore. Chuito knows he needs to go back to Miami to end it, but there’s something holding him back, a single temptation he can’t resist before leaving.
Alaine.
She’s the one drug he can’t give up…even if it destroys them both.
“To me you’re coke. Fine. Smooth. Perfectly white. Very bad for me, but so fucking sexy I don’t give a shit. It’s worth going down for.” – Chuito Garcia
Want more? Check out some of my blogger friends’ lists:
FEEDING MY ADDICTION BOOK REVIEWS
I’d love to hear some of your 2015 faves so tell me about them in the comments below!
