Review: Dare To Stay by Jen McLaughlin

August 10, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Review-Dare to StayDARE TO STAY
Series: Sons of Steel Row #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Jen McLaughlin
Release Date: August 2, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Dare To Stay

Fans of Katie Ashley, Joanna Wylde, Kristen Ashley, Sophie Jackson and Katee Robert will be thrilled by this dark, steamy series, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Out of Line novels, where one gang of criminals knows just how being bad can be so good…

Bruised and bloodied on Boston’s mean streets, Chris O’Brien is reeling from the loss of his childhood best friend. But after barely escaping a hit placed on his head, Chris is desperate to live. A safe haven comes to mind – the home of the perfect girl from his childhood, Molly Lachlan. Before he has fully considered what it would mean to involve her in his mess, he finds himself on her doorstep.

When Molly agrees to let Chris inside her home, she realizes she’s also letting him into her life. Danger and desperation are coming off him like steam, and yet she can’t bring herself to turn him away. His bad boy charm always had a hold on her, but now there’s a soulfulness and sorrow in him that she’s never seen before. And despite the heart-stopping risk of helping him, she hopes against all reason that he’ll stay…

The stakes are dangerously high…and the passion is seriously intense. Follow the exploits of the Sons of Steel Row in Dare To Run and Dare To Stay.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR3.5 starsDare To Stay-DGR Teaser

My life didn’t need to be all murder, guns, and meaningless sex. It could’ve been more- if I’d been born into another family. Another life. But I hadn’t been.

When I saw that Chris would be the hero in the second installment of The Sons Of Steel Row series, I’ll admit to having doubts. After all the events at the end of Dare to Run, I wasn’t sure how the author would redeem him enough to make me feel for the man. After all, Chris not only betrayed his best friend, he tried to kill him and the woman he loved in order to go after a power position within The Sons. How do you come back from something like that? Will the author be able to justify his decision? Make it believable? Make the reader connect with an anti-hero like that? Well I’m happy to report that the answer to all of those is a resounding YES.

He was more monster than human. All men like him were. Deep down, beneath his acts of neighborhood friendliness and that devastatingly handsome smile…He was a killer.

Dare To Stay picks up immediately where book 1 left off, with Chris bleeding in the alley, waiting for certain death. If you haven’t read Dare To Run yet, don’t worry, you can easily jump into this book first and the author gives plenty of background to ensure you won’t be lost for even a minute.

Molly Lachlan lost her beloved father to the violence of street crime and gangs. Chris and her grow up next door to each other in the same nice neighborhood, but their upbringing couldn’t be more different. Now Chris is a deadly killer and she’s a kindergarten teacher and they may as well live worlds apart. But when Molly finds a wounded Chris, all she can think of is fixing the broken man.

While I liked this book a whole lot better than the first, there were still a few things that kept it from being a solid 4 star read for me.

I had an issue with Molly’s personality at times. After all she’s been through and the way she lost her father, her connection to Chris never quite clicked for me. He should be everything she wants to stay away from, yet she’s willing to put her life on the line from the very beginning for him. I understood their history goes back many years, but I just didn’t feel that connection between them right away. She was just too self sacrificing at times.

Chris’s never ending back and forth of ‘I want her’ but ‘I’m not good for her’ started to grate on me too. I understand that he’s not a good man, but I just didn’t need it repeated at every turn. Or at least it felt that way at times.

I knew, even after all the blood, dirt, and sweat washed away, I would still be dirty. I’d never be clean.

The story itself was gritty and sexy. There was just enough to make me connect to the characters and keep reading curious to know what happens next, yet not quite enough to make it feel like an unputdownable read.

The romance was great and I definitely liked Molly and Chris a whole lot more than Lucas and Heidi. Heidi also had a lot more self preservation than Heidi did, which was a huge issue for me in the first book. I really liked Chris and her together, and there were definitely plenty of sizzle added into the mix.

I kissed her like I was a dying man and she was my last chance at salvation. And she was.

I had a hard time with the believability factor of the ending, but I can understand that Chris couldn’t have the same options as Lucas did. What I do know for sure, is the set up for the third book sounds utterly amazing. And I can’t wait to finally get my hands on Scotty’s book.

SONS OF STEEL ROW SERIES

DARE TO RUN (book 1) 
MY REVIEW | AMAZON

DARE TO LIE (releasing February 7, 2017)
PRE-ORDER

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Review: Bound To The Bounty Hunter by Hayson Manning

August 4, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Review-Bound To The Bounty HunterBOUND TO THE BOUNTY HUNTER
Series: Bound #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Hayson Manning
Release Date: July 18, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Bound_to_the_Bounty_Hunter-Cover-Hayson-Manning

Harlan Franco, Colorado’s busiest bounty hunter, and security expert, lives by his rules: be in control, be detached, and never touch the asset. These rules are tested when the asset he’s being paid to secretly guard is none other than his rival, sexy, unpredictable, pain in the butt, Sophie Callaghan––a woman determined to stay away from him. If she finds out he’s in her life on an assignment, he’ll never get the info he needs. But those lips, those curves, that attitude, he bets he’ll have her for one night where she’ll play by his rules.

He didn’t expect his heart to have an opinion.

Freedom loving private investigator Sophie Callaghan is on a mission. The daughter of a con-artist is not going to be used by a man again. What she doesn’t need is hot, broody and controlling Harlan barging into her life and digging into her past. Her brain may say no, but her body craves this bad boy. After a night where both live their darkest desires, Sophie must fight their explosive chemistry because one wrong move could destroy her. She bets he has to stay far, far away.

As the stakes ramp up and secrets explode around them, both are determined to win the bet.

But there can only ever be one winner.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR3.5 starsBound To The Bounty Hunter-DGR teaser

Number one rule of being on a guard and intel job:
Be detached.
Rule number two:
Be professional at all times.
Rule number three:
Don’t fuck the asset.

Well hot damn! Looks like I got myself a brand new series to stalk! Bound To The Bounty Hunter had a little bit of everything; broody and tortured hero, kick-ass sassy heroine, a little suspense and a whole lot of sexy!

I first fell in love with Hayson’s writing when I read Winning the Boss’s Heart a few years ago. I simply adored that book and I kept waiting (pretty impatiently) for this amazingly talented author to write another book. When I saw she’s coming out with this series, I was sold. When I saw the cover for it? I was drooling. But that’s neither here nor there.

So why is Sophie Callaghan sitting in a dark lit club watching a stranger have kinky sex with two blondes while thinking how to properly bug his table? She has a damn good reason. The daughter of a con man that left her with a lot of debts and even more guilt, Sophie is determined to write all of her father’s wrongs. But first she needs to figure out why the name of an infamous criminal was in the notebook her father left behind. The last person she needs to run into while on her stakeout is the ridiculously sexy bounty hunter that enrages her almost as much as he turns her on. Their brief history doesn’t help matter any either…

Harlan Franco is a successful bounty hunter. But what Sophie doesn’t know, is she’s his newest assignment. Sparks fly when these two go head to head!

I have to say I was super intrigued by the mystery and suspense at play here. I loved the chemistry between Harlan and Sophie and I loved all of the fun secondary characters that were introduced…especially the men Harlan works with (yum!)

Sophie is a tough chick, even if at times she’s too stubborn for her own good. At least she can back it up with her skills and take care of herself when she runs from Harlan determined to solve her own problems. Harlan is a broody, domineering, dirty talker. So basically exactly as I prefer my heroes.

This was a lot different from the other books I’ve read by Hayson. It’s a whole lot sexier and a little bit edgier. She’s definitely heading into some unchartered waters with this series and I can’t wait where it all leads. Admittedly, I got the sense that the author was a bit out of comfort zone while writing some of the sex scenes because they didn’t have a flow to them. Some of the encounters weren’t exactly awkward, but they felt rushed and almost stunted at times.

That being said, I still enjoyed the book immensely. And with the preview at the end of the mysterious character that will be getting his book next? NEED IT. While it may not have been the perfect 5 star read I was hoping for, it was a wholly satisfying one. It was exactly enough to hook me on the series and guarantee that I’ll be reading all the future books to come. I have a feeling once this author really comes into her own with this series, it’ll just get better and better! And I for one, can’t wait!

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Review: Retribution by Natasha Knight

August 3, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

Review-RetributionRETRIBUTION
Genre: Dark, Romantic Suspense
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: January 8, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

retribution2-ebook-2

Adam

Payback’s a bitch — or it would be for Elle.

Fifteen years ago, my sister was kidnapped. For months, she’d endured hell. Somehow, she’d survived it. Someway, she’d escaped her captors. But it hadn’t mattered. In fact, it had been like losing her twice, because six weeks after she came home, she was dead, and the man responsible was alive and well, oblivious to her fate, ignorant to what he had coming.

Fifteen years I’d been waiting for this moment, all that time, planning, preparing, readying to put things into motion. To finally make the SOB pay for what he’d done.

Killing him was too easy. Too quick. No. There was a much better way to exact revenge.

Take what he loved best.

Break it.

Break her.

I just didn’t realize that in the process of destroying the girl, I’d destroy myself.

Elle

“I only want your pain.”

I hadn’t understood what those words meant, not really. Not until he made me understand.

I noticed Adam the very first day he moved into my building. He was a badass on a bike in a thousand-dollar suit. When he looked at me, it was with a hunger just this side of obscene.

Our meetings were strange, accidental. Too coincidental. There was something about Adam. Something I couldn’t put my finger on.

Something I couldn’t resist.

He told me I didn’t know him. He warned me to run as far from him as I could. He was moody. Dark. I’d found it romantic. I didn’t know, and I wouldn’t realize until it was too late that he’d meant for me to heed his warnings. That some part of him had hoped I would run, that I would escape him.

For too many years, vengeance had fueled him. It had taught him hate. The object of that hate? My father. And me? I was the means to my father’s end. Adam would destroy my father by destroying me.

I accused him of being a monster, of being no different than those who took his sister, but even in the harshest moments, all I could see in his eyes was pain. And like a fool, all I wanted was to touch that darkness.

To make it light.

Retribution is a full-length, complete Dark Romantic Suspense novel. No Cliffhanger. Intended for mature readers. Contains BDSM content.

Buy LinksAMAZONReview-DGR3.5 starsRetribution Teaser-DGR

I had one plan, one goddamned thing to do. Break the girl. That was all.

Retribution marks my second book by this author and it definitely confirmed what I knew after the first; I’ll definitely be reading all her future books. The woman can write one hell of a tortured, brooding, anti-hero alpha. This was a dark and twisty tale of revenge and pain and second chances. It was gritty, violent, and erotic as hell!

I’d seen the darkness in his eyes before today, but it had been a suggestion, a hint.
Tonight, it had taken command of him. Tonight, he’d given himself over to it.

Adam Smith is a man with one goal on his mind for the past 15 years; revenge. All he wants is retribution against the man who was responsible for his sister’s kidnapping, torture and eventual death. And what best way to make the man pay than to take something dearest to him and break her just like he broke his sister. His target? Elle Vega

The man had kidnapped me, kept me prisoner, tortured me, and yet, I felt cold without him. Empty, alone, and cold.

The story gripped me from the very beginning. Adam was exactly the sort of alpha I love to read about; intense with a touch of depravity. Elle was a touch naive for my tastes but oddly enough it didn’t grate on me like it usually would in any other book. I found it hard to wrap my mind around exactly how naive she was considering her father and what she grew up around, but again, it wasn’t enough to ruin the story for me.

What do you want?”
“What do I want?
I want your pain.”

The writing was engaging and the story was fast paced, yet somewhere around the 25% mark, it began to lose some of the intensity for me. Adam starts off so strong, but soon enough becomes almost wishy washy in his drive for vengeance. He wants to make her pay, yet his conscience gets the best of him. I suppose I just didn’t feel as much connection to his character to truly understand the why’s of it.

Hate had taken over every cell of my body, every ounce of my being. It fueled me.

The other thing that kept it from being a solid 4 star for me was Elle. While her naivety wasn’t enough to bother me, I did have a hard time understanding her easy acquiescence to Adam. Considering everything the man does to her, I found it hard to wrap my mind around how easily she gives into the sexual chemistry between them. She barely puts up a fight and while there are hints of a strong woman somewhere in there, it just wasn’t enough for me to truly ever connect with her.

That being said, around the 60% mark it really started to pick up for me and I couldn’t put it down until the end. There were some twists thrown in that added to the appeal of the story and I really enjoyed the epilogue. I wished the intensity was more than it was and I hoped that I’d connect to the characters more, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly.

If you’re looking for a sexy and gritty revenge plot with a dash of depravity, definitely give this book a shot. I’m looking forward to whatever this author has in store next.

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: No Pants Required by Kim Karr

July 14, 2016 by ·

NPR-SBPR-RT (1)No Pants Required
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kim Karr
Release Date: July 11, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

NPR_ebook cover

I, Makayla Alexander, am on a mission to reinvent myself. So when a super hot guy boards the plane and flashes his rock hard abs, I pay attention. When he sits next to me and offers me his nuts, I can’t resist. But when I choke on them and he tells me I need to work on my gag reflex, I realize I might be in over my head.

Before I know it we’re in the lavatory and attempting to join the Mile High Club. Let me just say this…anyone who tells you it’s easy to get it on at 37,000 feet isn’t telling you the truth. After the flight attendant busts us for getting frisky in the air, the only thing that can ease my total and complete mortification is the simple fact that I am never going to see him again.

Hours later, I can’t help but wonder if fate will ever allow me to become a new version of myself.

Because Fate, she’s a fickle bitch.

Case in point…my seatmate is my new next-door neighbor.

Even with the whole fate thing we have going on, we are so not meant to be together. He’s all cool and sexy in that make love not war kind of way. Guys like him are dangerous. With that bring-you-to-your-knees body, that handsome-as-hell face, and that dirty, dirty mouth, I guarantee one glance from him wets every girl’s bikini bottoms.

And then there’s me…the quirky girl looking to find herself in California. All I want to do is learn to let loose. Say words like peace and groovy. Bury my toes in the sand. Who knows, maybe even have sex on the beach.

Unable to get him out of my head, I entertain the thought of being more than just friends. I know the idea is absurd. And yet, I go with it. You see Camden Waters gets me. Really gets me. Like no other guy has before.

On this 7-mile stretch of paradise, I decide to keep things simple and just have fun…that is until fate decides to screw with me, again.

Can two people hell-bent on finding themselves realize the search should have ended the day they met? Find out in No Pants Required—a sexy, funny, romantic stand-alone, that will have you hurrying to grab your bathing suit and rushing to the beach to check out every lifeguard on duty.

Buy LinksAMAZON | KOBO | B&NNPR-Boost

Review-DGR3.5 starsNo Pants Required-DGR teaser

You don’t love someone and set him free to see if he comes back to you. You hold on tight and never let go.”

If you’re looking for a perfect beach read to spend an afternoon with, look no further than this book! No Pants Required was full of quirky humor and heavy steam. It’s a light, feel-good sort of romance that will leave you with a smile on your face.. and at times uncomfortably aroused. Because let’s be honest here, people, Camden Walters is one deliciously sinful dirty talker and if you’re not uncomfortably aroused through parts of this book, I’d say there may be something broken with your downstairs regions. Uhem.

I read this practically in one sitting because it reads very quickly. The chemistry between the two MCs is instant and only burns hotter with each page. I loved Makayla’s quirkiness. When she sets out to put a check mark on her “to-do” list, she doesn’t expect that the stranger she set out to check off her mile high club membership will be none other than her brand new neighbor.

Camden “Cam” Walters left behind the hustle and bustle of New York City to spend his days as a life guard. But there’s so much more to his character too. I absolutely loved the two of them together. They’re the perfect balance to each other and I loved watching Makayla really come into her own become less stiff. Both Cam and Makayla had their share of hurts from a previous relationship that rolled into their present, but somehow they seemed to bring out the best in each other.

The story is light on the angst and heavy on the steam. At times I almost thought it was too much steam, but then I’d slap myself and remind myself there can’t be too much steam when it comes to anything Cam Walters.

There were a few parts of the story that I had wished were more developed; especially Cam and his father. I also got a little restless in the last 30% of the book because it felt a bit stretched out at times. As always with any book I’ve read by Kim Karr, I loved all the secondary characters. I’d love to get a book for Maggie and Brooklyn. I really clicked with them in the story and devoured any tidbits about them.

Aside from a very few minor quibbles, I enjoyed this thoroughly. It was exactly what I was in the mood for this Saturday afternoon and it hit the spot just right. I definitely wouldn’t say no to more books like this from Kim! A great, feel-good, steamy beach read!

About the Author

kim karr bioReader * Writer * Coffeelover * Romantic

Kim is a daydreamer. So much so that if daydreaming could be a hobby it would be her favorite. It’s how her stories are born and how they take root. An imagination that runs wild is something to be thankful for, and she is very thankful. 🙂

She grew up in New York and now lives in Florida with her husband and four kids. She’s always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, she wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. She went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise her family. Kim currently works part-time with her husband and with the rest of her time embraces one of her biggest passions–writing.

Kim wears a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of her family. However, she always finds time to read.

She likes to believe in soul mates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. She loves to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart.

 

Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Website

Giveaway

Kim Karr is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card in celebration of No Pants Required’s release!

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, Giveaways · Tagged With: ,

Review: All The Rage by TM Frazier

July 14, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

All The Rage-Review Dirty Girl RomanceALL THE RAGE
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: T.M. Frazier
Release Date: June 7, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

All the Rage

They call me Rage.
My real name is like a shadow, always close behind, but never quite able to catch up.
I fly under the radar because no one ever suspects I’m capable of the kind of brutal violence I commit each and every day.
You see, I’m a girl. I’m nineteen.
And I’m a killer.
This life is all I know. It’s all I want to know. It keeps the s**t buried that I need kept buried. It allows me to live without thinking too much.
Without dwelling on the past.
Until him.
It all changes when an ordinary boy becomes my next target.
And my first love.
I have to choose.
The only life I’ve ever known has to die, or he does.
Either way, I’ll be the one pulling the trigger…

All the Rage is a STANDALONE.

Buy LinksAMAZON Review-DGR3.5 starsAll The Rage-DGR

I’d never seen anything like the girl in my arms. Beautiful. Strong. Fierce and fiery. A force greater than any storm and twice as destructive.

Well hot damn! I need more anti-heroines in my life because Rage? Rage was freaking kick-ass! If you’ve read any of my reviews then you already know I’m usually a total heroine hater. If they’re weak, sniveling doormats, it’s a recipe for disaster for me. But not Rage. Nope! This woman was killer. Pun intended.

Sometimes the anger came on like an attack and sometimes it simmered under the surface until it exploded.

I was super curious to see how the author would handle Rage falling in love considering she’s describe as essentially a borderline sociopath. As hard as it was for me to shut off my logical brain, I took the character for what she way…a whole lot of gray area. Is she a sociopath that has no feeling of empathy? A cold blooded killer that gets her rocks off on death and destruction? Someone that has barely restrained rage that she can only control by giving in and feeding? Heck if I know. Basically she’s something in the middle, and that’s where I left it.

She didn’t know it yet, but Rage was about to become mine. In every way.

Rage gets sent on a bit of a babysitting mission to keep an eye on Nolan Archer. She knows nothing more about him other than he’s seemingly normal and is a person of interest to a man that basically mentored her how to channel her rage. But what happens when the seemingly normal Nolan is hiding secrets of his very own?
All The Rage-DGR teaser 2All The Rage starts off somewhat slow but then quickly picks up steam right around the 70% mark and boy do things escalate quickly from there.

…we didn’t just kiss, we tore each other apart. It wasn’t just passion. It was a fucking war. An all out fight for a piece of one another.

In typical T.M. fashion, the author crafts a twisted and gritty tale that packs a whole lot of surprises that you never see coming. Nolan is certainly not at all what he seems to be and I loved it when he lets that inner bad boy out. The man can dirty talk the panties off of anyone within a 50 mi radius.

So why not rate higher? A few reasons. One, no matter how much I tried to shut off my disbelief it was still hard to wrap my mind around how someone like Rage could actually feel love. Considering the woman can barely feel empathy or any emotion of any kind, it was difficult to believe that she’d fall for Nolan. Yes, he was exactly the sort of man she needed and he understood her and accepted her for what she was, but still, my logical brain wouldn’t shut off. This was really a minor thing though. What ultimately caused me to lower my rating was one particular scene at the end. I won’t spoiler it for you, but I will say that I didn’t find it necessary at all for it to go THERE. Not for the plot and not for the characters. It only served to take away a little bit of Rage’s bad-ass for me. I felt like it could have gone an entirely different direction all together and it just left me with a weird taste in my mouth. I suppose it may have set up the plot for a future book, but again, for my personal tastes I didn’t feel it needed to go there. Not like that.

All things considered, I did still really enjoy the story. T.M. is one of my go-to authors for dark romance because the woman can write one hell of a twisty and gritty tale and I love her for it. If a sexy dark romance with a kick-ass heroine and a bad-ass hero is what you’re in the mood for, you can’t go wrong with this one. And if you read Bear’s book, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the parallel running story line.

I’m going to fuck the anger out of you.”

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Jennifer’s Review: ★Devil In Disguise★ by Cynthia Eden

July 1, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

review-Devil in disguise DGRDEVIL IN DISGUISE
Series: Bad Things #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Cynthia Eden
Release Date: June 28, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Devil In Disguise cover

Don’t make the devil angry…

Luke Thorne loves having one hell of a good time. As the ruler of every dark creature to walk the earth, he certainly has more than a bit of a bad side. He lives for danger and isn’t the type to lose his heart—mostly because he doesn’t have one. Then she walks into his life.

Mina James is seduction in the flesh, a perfect temptation that the devil himself couldn’t pass up. Too late, Luke realizes he’s let a real siren into his life, a woman who is bent on using his dark powers to free herself from hidden enemies. Since Luke isn’t the type of man to be used, he should walk away from her, but…something about Mina draws him close.

Soon he’s realizing that she isn’t who she appears to be. Not dark and cold, but burning red hot. Mina is a woman fighting for her life—and the Lord of the Dark suddenly finds himself in an unlikely role…hero. Luke isn’t going to let her enemies destroy Mina. He will fight heaven and hell to keep her. But in the end, the secrets they both carry may just rip apart a love that should never have been…

There are Bad Things in the world…very, very bad. Are you ready for them?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR3.5 stars

This book is the perfect mix of fantasy and paranormal. I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.

”Are you the devil?”
“Only if hell’s on earth.”

My Luke:

Are you tempted? Lol. I didn’t mean for this pic to be so…revealing…but his…face…was just perfect to me. LMAO!
,.: Luke is the devil, the darkness. He encounters Mina when she tries to manipulate him and seeks him out in a time of weakness. After he discovers her true motive, he is still determined to keep her. I loved that Luke’s character wasn’t too serious. He was laid-back, yet powerful, with a sense of humor.
à la Mode St. » fashion

Luke caught Mina’s chin in his left hand and turned her face toward him. “Guess what, sweetheart?”
“What?” The one word came out worried, fearful.
He grinned. “I’m keeping you.”

à la Mode St. » fashion
My Mina:
Elix: Mina can manipulate people with the sound of her voice. She uses this ability but doesn’t like using it. She initially comes across as a strong, sultry woman, but she is vulnerable and hurting at the same time. She doesn’t like her ability because her enemy has exploited her ability for their gain. She is running from someone who wants to hurt her, so she seeks out the devil himself to try to steal an item that will take away her power so that her ability cannot be used for evil any longer.
à la Mode St. » fashionMy sweet embrace.:

”Tell me what you want most in the world, right now. Tell me…and I’ll give it to you.”
Disbelief rocked her. “Why?”
“Because I can still see the tears on your cheeks. Because they still hurt me.” Each word was growled. “Because I did this to you.”

à la Mode St. » fashion

I really liked this story, a mix of fantasy and paranormal. I even liked the supporting characters, Julian and Rayce, who were Luke’s security and also shifters. There are some hints of Julian’s past and Rayce’s past that I hope Cynthia will continue and write both of their books.

The only down side to this book is I want to know more! I found myself reading with all kinds of questions and I hope that Cynthia continues to write more and develop this fantasy/paranormal world in more depth.

 

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Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Dirty Sexy Cuffed★ by Carly Phillips & Erika Wilde

June 28, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

CUFFED BT BANNER (1)Dirty Sexy Cuffed
Series: Dirty Sexy #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Authors: Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde
Release Date: June 21, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

CUFFED cover

Are you ready to get Cuffed?

As a cop, Levi Kincaid is all about discipline and control . . .in the bedroom, and out of it, and he’s always been very careful about choosing women who abide by his rules.

Hot sex and intense pleasure?

No problem.

Emotional commitment and forever promises?

No way.

But he never anticipates falling for a blue eyed angel who makes him want to cuff her to his bed and do dirty, sexy things to her. And that control of his? It doesn’t stand a chance against Sarah Robins, the one woman he can’t resist . . .

 

Buy LinksAmazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | GooglePlayExcerpt

“When are you going to face the fact that this chick just isn’t into you?”Levi Kincaid glanced across the dark interior of the unmarked SUV to his partner, Nick Catalano, who was alternating his attention between navigating the road and making sure Levi saw his smart-ass smirk. It wasn’t the first time his friend had given Levi shit about his request to stop by Circle K on their way back to the station after their shift ended.

For the past two months they’d been assigned to the DUI Strike Force in the area, which made stopping by the mart convenient. Seeing and flirting with Sarah Robins was just an added bonus.

“She’s totally into me, so that’s not the issue,” Levi refuted confidently, not at all bothered by Nick’s ribbing. There were many times he’d caught the tempting way Sarah looked at him when she didn’t think he was aware of her. And there was no mistaking the attraction between them she was so determined to fight. He just hadn’t figured out why yet. But he would.

“Then what’s the problem?” Nick persisted—this from a man who was all about instant gratification when it came to women, while Levi was more . . . selective.

“I’m not sure yet,” he replied honestly.

Truthfully, he was having a hell of a time getting past that wariness of hers, which only made him more curious about who Sarah Robins was— and where she’d come from. Admittedly, his interest in her had nothing to do with him being an inquisitive cop, and everything to do with him wanting her, in a deeper way than any female had gotten to him before. He just had to get her on the same page as him.

Levi wasn’t normally the type of guy who’d continue to pursue a woman who’d already turned him down half a dozen times. A smart man would have cut his losses after the first rejection, but from the moment he’d looked into Sarah’s sweet, soulful blue eyes, he’d felt a connection that only seemed to grow stronger every time he saw her.

And he certainly didn’t miss the irony of that realization, when he was a man adept at maintaining strict control of his emotions—in all aspects of his life.

“This is a shit part of town,” Nick said, stating the obvious, which brought Levi’s thoughts back to the present. “As soon as we’re off this DUI task force, I don’t want to drive through this part of Englewood unless it’s for a call, so close the deal with Sarah already.”

“Winning a woman over takes time, Catalano,” Levi said easily—especially one as wary as Sarah. “Though that’s something I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“Hell, no,” he agreed with a quick, player’s grin. “That’s too much fucking work when there are plenty of women who take one look at this uniform and are instantly willing and eager to bend over and drop their panties. Trust me, getting laid, and regularly, is not an issue for me.”

Levi had plenty of offers; he was just more particular about his bed partners. He didn’t do one night stands, but he didn’t do long term committed, either. The few women he’d dated and allowed into his private life were looking for the same thing he was—a mutually satisfying physical relationship without any emotional involvement. More importantly, they were willing to let him be in control during all aspects of sex.

And Sarah, from everything he’d learned so far, didn’t strike him as the type looking for long term either. Which made his pursuit easier for him to justify … and live with.

Arriving at the Circle K, Nick turned the SUV into the deserted lot. He drove past the gas station area and stopped in front of the convenience store instead of parking the vehicle.

“I noticed the back tire was low at the DUI check point,” Nick said, explaining why he hadn’t pulled into one of the many empty spaces in front of the mart like he normally did. “While you run inside and do your thing, I’m going to drive around back and fill the tire up with air. I’ll meet you out front when you’re done.”

“Sounds good.” Levi released his seat belt and opened the door. “You want anything?”

Nick grinned. “Yeah, I’ll take a root beer and a Snicker’s bar.”

“You got it.” Levi hopped out of the truck, and while his partner drove off and disappeared behind the building, he headed toward the store.

Out of years of habit, he glanced around the area, looking for anything, or anyone, who might be out of place. Especially in this part of town. But it was a quiet evening, and there weren’t any other cars or people around, which wasn’t unusual for a late Tuesday night. He walked into the store, and to his immediate left was the main counter and two registers. Sarah was sitting on a stool reading a magazine, and as soon as she heard someone enter, she looked up.

Her bored expression immediately transformed to one of pleasure as a genuine, happy-to-see-him smile curved her soft, lush mouth, which never failed to make him think about slowly licking his tongue across that full lower lip before kissing her, or how that mouth would feel sliding down the length of his cock as she looked up at him from a kneeling position on the floor at his feet.

Heat and desire mingled in his belly, and lower, as he strolled toward the counter. Yeah, he’d stored up five long week’s worth of the hottest, most sinful fantasies of Sarah, in some of the most erotic scenarios he could imagine. Those dirty thoughts had come in handy when he’d lain in bed, hard and aching and needing relief. With his hand wrapped tight around his dick, those decadent visions playing through his mind never failed to alleviate his lust.

But the relief was always temporary. He wanted the real thing. He wanted Sarah, her body soft and warm beneath his, and her willing to give herself over to him in all the ways he desired. And that kind of trust took time. And patience. Both of which he had in abundance.

CUFFED AN

Review-DGR3.5 starsDirty Sexy Cuffed-DGR teaser

…this went beyond simple attraction. She was the first woman to stir something deep inside of him when he honestly thought that part of him was damaged beyond repair.

I’ve been looking forward to Levi’s book for a long while now. There’s always been something about him that showed hints towards a certain intensity that I love in my alphas. Still waters run deep with that one, that’s for sure. Because Officer Levi is not the quiet man he seems to be at first sight. This is a man with some dirty dirty kinks, and it hit the spot just right for me.

If you’ve read the previous books, you already know that Kincaid brothers had a difficult childhood. And while you got to see Mason and Clay’s sides of it, you never quiet know Levi’s and this book will delve into that. I knew it had to be pretty dark but I never imagined what poor Levi had been through.

Sarah is the pretty clerk at a convince store that Levi has been frequenting just for the chance to see her. There’s something about Sarah that catches Levi’s interest and he knows that while she’s been admiralty yet sweetly turning him down for a date, she wants him just as much as he wants her. Levi is relentless in his pursuit, but when he puts himself in the line of danger to save her life things really take off between them. But Sarah is running from something that Levi has no idea about. Sarah’s childhood hasn’t been any easier than his but unlike Levi, her present continues to be rough. Levi’s protective instincts kick in with her and all of a sudden a man that’s never been interested in relationships begins to crave just that.

This is where I belong, Sarah,” he said raggedly, slamming his body against hers, again and again. “Right here, with you. Inside you.”

I really liked both these characters. Levi is so sweet and protective with Sarah and yet he still maintains that dominant edge to him throughout without coming off as domineering. Sarah has been through so much in her young life and yet she never has a woe is me mentality. She’s strong in her own right and determined to fight her own battles. But what I loved is she wasn’t hesitant in letting Levi in and there was no unnecessary drama spanning from secrets here.

So what didn’t quite work for me? Well, I felt like this book lacked a certain intensity that seems to fit Levi. There wasn’t really a major conflict at the end which I’ve come to expect in most romance, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just different. The one thing that I did have trouble with is the way Levi handled a particular thing at the end; especially with him being a cop. I was a little surprised that it was handled the way that it was considering a good portion of the book built up to that scene. I suppose it left me craving a little bit more. But that’s simply a matter of my expectations getting the best of me because Dirty Sexy Cuffed is certainly a fun and sexy installment in what’s come to be one of my favorite series. I’ve fallen hard for the Kincaid brothers and was dreading this book because it may mean the end of it. So boy was I happy when the authors thew in a crazy surprise at the end and I’m beyond thrilled to be getting a 4th book because of it.

If you like sweet heroines, protective heroes with a sexual edge, and a wonderful romance tying it all together, this is definitely a book you’ll want to check out. I highly recommend the entire series, even though you could easily read this as a standalone as well. But I appreciated Levi’s story that much much more knowing his backstory with his brothers.

Check out the other Dirty Sexy books!

Each can be read as a Standalone

Dirty Sexy Saint
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Dirty Sexy Inked
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About the Author

Meet Carly Phillips:

Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels, including the Indie published, Dare to Love Series. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

Connect with Carly Phillips:

Sign up for Carly’s Newsletter at: http://www.carlyphillips.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Sign up for Blog and Website updates at: http://www.carlyphillips.com/blog
Sign up for Text Updates of New Releases: http://tinyurl.com/p3upm5s
Friend Carly on Facebook: www.facebook.com/carlyphillipsfanpage
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Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlyphillips
Website: www.carlyphillips.com

Meet Erika Wilde:

Erika Wilde (aka Janelle Denison) is the USA Today bestselling author of over 50 contemporary romances for multiple print publishers.

Connect with Erika Wilde:

Sign up for Erika’s Newsletter at: http://smarturl.it/ErikaWildeNewsletter
Join Erika’s Private Fan Page – Books & Exclusive Giveaways! http://smarturl.it/ErikaWildeFanPage
Friend Erika on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ErikaWildeAuthorFanPage/
Twitter: www.twitter.com@erikawilde1
Erika’s Website: www.erikawilde.com

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Review: ★Stealing His Thunder★ by Sparrow Beckett

June 23, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

DGR Review- Stealing His ThunderStealing His Thunder
Series: Masters of Adrenaline #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Sparrow Beckett
Release Date: June 21, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

9780451488350

From the author of the Masters Unleashed series, Sparrow Beckett revs things up with two lovers on a collision course in the first Masters of Adrenaline novel. 

Nothing gives Addison Kennedy a rush like stealing cars. The Lexus was the perfect target, but before she can get its engine purring, she’s cold-cocked unconscious. When she comes to, she finds herself on a bed with a blonde, tattooed god standing over her.

Fox Larson is shocked to discover the thief he knocked out is actually a hot girl. Bringing her home may not have been the smartest move, but he wasn’t about to leave an unconscious and defenseless woman in a parking garage. Besides, if she’s part of an auto theft crew infringing on his territory, he needs to pump her for information.

However, Addison has personal drive that won’t be denied and she’s desperate to prove Fox’s group needs her skills. Submitting to his kinks in the bedroom is a hot yet complicated bonus. When a big job goes bad, and Addison finally gets her chance, will she succeed in stealing his thunder?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR3.5 starsStealing His Thunder-DGR

God, he was going to break her, but she wanted to be broken.

Readers, are you ready for the kinkiest guilty pleasure book ever? Because Stealing His Thunder is sure to hit every spot you have. No joke. Think Fast and the Furious meets BDSM in funny, easy, and light romance. You have your Dom uber alpha, you have your slightly OTT sassy heroine, all wrapped up in a super sexy BDSM romance that’s sure to please every palate.

This is book one in the brand new Masters of Adrenaline series, but I did read a few familiar names from Beckett’s Masters Unleashed series. And while this is the beginning of the series, I found myself thinking that I may be missing certain backstories on a few secondary characters because it read like I should already know about them. Perhaps there’s a little crossover from the other series that flew over my head as I’ve only read book one.

Firstly, allow me to give you a visual for the hero:
Mmmm hmmm. Not a bad visual to have while reading, let me just tell you. Beard, tattoos, and a penchant for kink. Delicious.

This is one of those books that you take for what it is: a little fluffy, a lot sexy, and definitely entertaining. You can just shut off your brain and enjoy it. No thinking required. Which is exactly what a girl needs sometimes. Fox Larson is a domineering, dirty talking uber alpha. Addison Kennedy is an overly sassy engineer turned car thief. There’s nothing she won’t do for her family. When her ailing grandfather is forced to live in a senior home because her grandmother can’t take care of him at home, she’s determined to get them money to help support them. Trouble is, a college student doesn’t earn much. So why not put her engineering knowledge to boost some cars on the side? And when she gets in the crosshairs of car thief extraordinaire, Fox, she’s determined to join his team…even if he’s having none of it.

The writing reminds me a little of Jaci Burton; fluffy smut for lack of a better description. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Nothing at all. It’s an entertaining read through and through, and if light and fluffy kink is what you’re craving, this will hit the spot just right.

THE SERIES

STEALING HIS THUNDER (Masters of Adrenaline #1)
FUELING HIS HUNGER (Masters of Adrenaline #2) (Releasing Oct 18, 2016)

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Review: ★Ramsay★ by Mia Sheridan

June 20, 2016 by · Leave a Comment

review- ramsay by mia sheridanRAMSAY
Series: Sign of Love
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Mia Sheridan
Release Date: June 19, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Ramsay- Dirty Girl Romance

Lydia De Havilland is shocked when Brogan Ramsay suddenly reappears in her life. Several years before, Brogan was the son of her family’s gardener, and the boy she hurt and betrayed. But Brogan is no longer the quiet, sensitive boy she remembers. Now he’s a man—gorgeous, powerful . . . and seeking vengeance.

Brogan Ramsay can’t let go of the memory of Lydia tricking him cruelly, leaving his heart shattered and his family penniless. And now he’s back to destroy her family the way his was destroyed. There’s only one problem . . . the girl who wounded him so badly years ago is now a woman who still has the power to render him breathless.

Ramsay is the story of betrayal and wrath, of the strength of regret and the power of forgiveness. It is the story of the thin veil between love and hate, and how more often than not, when we seek to inflict pain on others, the heart we wound is our own.

THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY ARIES. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Buy-Links10AMAZONReview3.5 starsRamsay-DGR teaser

Forgiveness isn’t an emotion. Forgiveness is a choice. And sometimes it’s one you have to choose again and again.


I’ve been sitting on my rating for several days now and if I’m being perfectly honest, I still have no idea how to rate this fairly. On the one hand, I absolutely loved the writing style and the premise of the story. I loved the emotion, the feeling, the vividness with which Mia Sheridan wrote the characters. I’m a sucker for the revenge plot and a second chance love story and this book had it in spades. It was written with plenty of emotion to grip the reader and make the characters’ struggles their own. On the other hand there were some things about the story and the direction some things took and decisions made that left me conflicted and frustrated. This is really one of those times where I NEED a half star, because while this book wasn’t exactly a three star, it just wasn’t quite a solid four for me either.

She was everything soft and beautiful and feminine, and she made me want in a way I both loved and hated.

Seven years ago, the son of the gardener fell in love with a princess. She was everything unattainable and what he couldn’t have. But that love led to a betrayal that cost him and his family everything. Leaving him destitute, heart broken, and knowing one thing; he’ll never beg for anything again. But the burn of that betrayal never left Brogan and left him craving revenge more than his next breath.

I hated them-hated the whole lot of them. And now they’d pay. And I’d enjoy every minute of it. I wouldn’t allow anything else.

Now the tables have turned. Lydia is barely keeping her father’s once thriving company afloat. Her brother is deep in gambling debt and alcohol and the only answer to keeping her father’s company is to beg the man that wants to make her pay for everything. Brogan Ramsay. The same man that still leaves her breathless just as the young boy did all those years ago. But Brogan is no longer that boy she once knew. The Brogan of today is cruel, cold, and determined to make her pay for everything his family suffered from her foolish mistake those years ago.

But not everything is as it seems and both Lydia and Brogan harbor secrets of their own. Lydia’s may heal their wounds, but Brogan’s may rip them to shreds.

Ramsay is a powerfully emotional story of forgiveness and the cost of revenge. I absolutely loved Brogan, it’s impossible not to. Being able to be in his head and know his internal struggle over the things he does, his guilt over doing them, and his anger that he just can’t shut off just helped connect with him fully. You truly understand why he does the things he does even if at times you want to hate him for it.

Lydia is a heroine that will be a bit of a crap shoot for some. Some readers may not fully understand her easy acceptance of things her brother does and her even easier forgiveness of them. Family is a tricky thing and as much as I wanted to shake some sense into her some times, a part of me did understand how difficult it was for her considering her brother was her only living family left. She wanted to believe the best in him, almost to the point of delusion. At times her jumping to conclusion of Brogan and the choices she made soon after left me frustrated beyond belief. She was almost naively susceptible to bad thing. But then again, she is young and led a bit of a sheltered life, so I couldn’t judge too harshly.

Ultimately what led to my lower rating was the last 30%. There was just a little too much happening. Between Lydia and Brogan’s relationship and trust issues, their guilt and anger, her brother, Courtney, and a few other things I won’t mention due to spoilers, it just felt a bit OTT for my tastes. Maybe if they were dispersed throughout the book, it would have been a little easier to swallow. but the quick succession of these things taking place just left my head reeling.

I absolutely loved the secondary characters; Fionn and Eileen were like the glue that held everything together. Instead of distracting from the story they added a little something to it that made it just that much better. I don’t remember the last time I read a book where I loved the secondary characters almost as much as the main ones, but that was definitely the case here.

One thing is for sure, Mia Sheridan is an incredible story teller. Her characters are some that will stay with you for a long time to come. And while my rating is not what I’d hoped, I still enjoyed this story. Sure, it left me frustrated at times, but it’s not one I regret reading and I’d certainly recommend it to any fans of this author and those that love a little revenge with their romance. I’m definitely a huge fan of this author and I look forward to anything she may release next.

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Review: ★For 100 Days★ by Lara Adrian

June 11, 2016 by ·

review-For 100 DaysFOR 100 DAYS
Series: 100 Series #1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary
Author: Lara Adrian
Release Date: May 24, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

100Days_highres

Pleasure has a price . . .

Just when everything in my life is falling apart, I find a chance to turn it around–to step into someone else’s glittering world, if only for a little while. I become someone new, no longer the woman defined by an ugly past, but a woman freer and bolder than myself. A woman who isn’t afraid to explore every passion, even at its darkest, with a mysterious and seductive man who believes my mask is real.

Handsome and commanding, enigmatic and irresistible, billionaire Dominic Baine is an obsession I cannot afford and should not risk. He ushers me into consuming new pleasures and addicting new desires, until the line between my real life and the fantasy one I’ve stolen with him begins to blur.

I know I cannot keep my truth from him. I know my past will not stay buried forever. But before I can make it right, everything comes crashing down. I have deceived this powerful, dangerous man . . . and now there is a price to be paid.

* * * * * * * *
FOR 100 DAYS is the first novel in a passionate new contemporary romance trilogy from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Lara Adrian. Coming soon: FOR 100 NIGHTS and FOR 100 REASONS.

Buy LinksAMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO

Review3.5 starsfor 100 days

With Nick, all I know is need. It’s pure, untainted. Primal and raw.

As a long time fan of all things Lara Adrian, when I saw she’s releasing an erotic romance trilogy, I was all over it. I’ve been obsessed with her Midnight Breed series, so I already know this woman can write. So all it took was a quick glance at this synopsis to know that I need to read this book.

I learned a long time ago that help never comes without a price tag, hidden or not. And even the people who claim to care about you the most can turn against you in the blink of an eye.

Avery is the definition of a tortured artist. She left everything behind to start a new life in New York and make something of herself as an artist.

I haven’t known disease, but I do know pain. I know corrosion- the kind that comes from within and from without. I’ve survived both.

For the time being, she’s barely making ends meet working as a bartender at a popular restaurant and selling a few of her paintings at a renowned gallery. Unfortunately her job comes with a douchebag of a manager, her rental apartment is being converted to condos forcing her to move out, and her paintings may no longer be good enough for the gallery. The answer to her salvation comes from an opportunity to house sit an apartment in New York’s most luxury buildings…and this is where Avery comes face to face with the enigma that is Nick Baine.

Nick is magnetic with a capital M. The man draws your interest from the first look and he keeps it with his dark intensity. He’s easily what kept me turning the pages eager to find out the secrets that are brewing beneath the surface.

I’m a reader that appreciates a slow burn in my romance. I want to practically taste the tension between the characters, but unfortunately I didn’t get that here. Avery and Nick are thrown into bed together quite literary after the second time they lay eyes on each other. While I can sort of understand Avery’s reasonings behind this, I also couldn’t. Her attraction and pull to Nick is so instant, that given her history I had a hard time wrapping my mind around it.

What begins next is a number of erotically charged encounters that practically make up the majority of the book. While on the one hand, the steam factor was though the roof, on the other hand I was hungry for something more. It seemed like sex was the primary factor driving this book and ultimately it began to feel like mostly filler.

Now if you’re a reader that enjoys trilogies, this will certainly hit the spot for you. For me, trilogies are a hit or miss. I have to be involved in the story on a certain level, and I had a tough time really getting that here in the midst of all the sex. Avery went from a damaged but strong heroine, to someone that left all her responsibilities in the wind for a few hot encounters with someone that’s ultimately a stranger. It wasn’t until the very end that we’re given a taste of what her past really contained, but by then it was a case of too little too late…at least for me. I have to feel a need for a story to be told in 3 parts, and to be honest, I didn’t get that here. There was a lot in the way of sex, but not much in the way of true story development. Perhaps that will be something we get in the next book, but I needed something to hook me here. While the revelation at the end was intriguing, I’m not sure if it was enough to leave me panting for the next one. Will I read the next two books? Sure. Will I be eagerly jumping to them on release day? Probably not.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,
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