Review: ★Going Long★ by Cari Quinn

Going Long (Boys of Fall)
Author: Cari Quinn
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 19, 2015

This time, he’ll need to hit all the right notes to win the woman he’s always loved…

Wade Bennett is used to coming in second to his seemingly perfect older brother. In high school, Colt was a star linebacker while Wade was the punter, an important job without all of the glory. When Charlene Martinez—the only girl Wade ever truly wanted—fell for Colt, Wade decided to take his chances with music and went on the road. Leaving behind his family, his best friend, Rafe, and Charlene, who had feelings for Wade she never allowed herself to feel.

Years in Nashville quickly hardened the dreamy guy who just wanted to sing and hang out with his dog. His success has given him more than enough money, even if he knows he’ll never be able to compete with his hometown hero big brother. But after Coach Carr’s heart attack, Wade comes home to help the man who helped him make the decision to chase his dreams all those years ago.

Now Wade wants to chase a new dream in his old hometown, especially since Charlene is single again after divorcing Colt. And Wade is no longer a boy unwilling to fight for what—and who—he needs.

Buy Links

This was either his worst idea or his best mistake. There was no way it could be anything but a disaster on some level.

I love Cari Quinn’s books. Whenever I’m in the mood for a romance that has a great story and manages to pack in the feels right along smoking hot sex, she’s my go to. The woman does angsty and does it well. But her straight contemporary are just as great. I haven’t read a book by her I haven’t loved yet, and this was no exception. I was intrigued the second I read the blurb. Childhood friends, unrequited romance, wanting your brother’s ex wife; consider me sold.

She’d told herself she’d never take a chance again, and she’d kept that promise. Only Wade made her want to break the rules. To test the boundaries.

The last place that Wade Bennett wants to come back to is the small town that he grew up in. Now a successful country star, he wasn’t always the star of the show. Growing up in the shadow of his older brother, he’s used to coming in second both on the football field and in love. When his brother started dating the girl that he fell in love with when he was just a small boy, he knew that he needed to leave. The fact that his brother later married her ensured that he also stayed away. But a call from his childhood best friend letting him know that their beloved high school football coach had a heart attack and needs them, he knows that he’s going to come back to help. He’s no longer the boy living in is brother’s shadow, and his childhood love is no longer married to his brother. If ever there was a time to make his move, this is it.

Charlene Martinez may have married the older Bennett brother, but unbeknownst to them both she’s always been in love with Wade. Unfortunately Wade had always placed her firmly in the friend zone. Any hope that she may have had after one stolen kiss back in high school, shattered the very next day when Wade moved away. But now Wade is back, and no matter how hard she tries to resist, if the boy was tempting to her, the man is downright irresistible.

In a small town where everyone knows each others business, can these two keep the heat between them under wraps? Can they finally make things between them work? Guess you’ll have to read to find out.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that Charlene actually had an amicable divorce and was so friendly with her ex husband. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel guilty about being with Wade, but Cari handled this plot line very well. Charlene and Wade definitely burned up the pages together. This author knows how to write one steamy as hell scene. I love books with the small town element, so of course this one really fit the bill for me. Between all the secondary characters and the story I never once found myself bored. I also loved how she managed to work in a guest appearance by Gray and Jaz from Twisted. That was a huge highlight of the book for me.

As much as I enjoyed it, it was also just missing a certain something to bring it up to a solid 4 stars for me. I can’t really place my finger on exactly what it was, but there was just a missing oomph. I loved the story and the characters, but at the same time I had no problems setting the book down. I wasn’t ever bored, but it just failed to grip me as much as Cari’s other books have. Nonetheless it was still a fantastic read and one I’d recommend to any lovers of contemporary romance. A perfect afternoon read with just the right amount of steam and story.

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Blog Tour & Review: ★Hard★ by Cheryl McIntyre

HARD
Author: Cheryl McIntyre
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: March 20, 2015
HARD is a full-length stand-alone erotic romance novel (approximately 50,000 words).  

I have been staring at her for three months. Watching her. Memorizing her.For ninety-two days, I’ve looked into those lifeless green eyes.

And for ninety-two days she has inspired me in ways I never knew possible. A muse, unbeknownst to her. Motivating me. Encouraging my darkest desires.

I’m a man who knows what he wants. And what I want is the beautiful and broken Holland Howard.

My name is Jensen Payne—photographer, autocrat, lecher, Scopophiliac. I am who I am and I will not—cannot—change.

*This is an Erotic Romance. Recommended for readers 18+ ONLY.

WARNING: This book contains possible emotional triggers.

Buy Links
Review
3.5 stars

Nobody can take your misery away, that’s yours to keep all your own. Find the person who can make you forget you were miserable in the first place.

If I wasn’t completely sold by the synopsis of this book, the prologue alone was enough to suck me in completely. I mean, talk about starting things off intense. That first chapter will grip you by the heart and hit you straight in the feels. Holy hell.

Hard is told in alternating POVs from Holland and Jensen. Jensen, having lost everything that meant anything to her is now an empty shell of the woman that she once was. She no longer cares…about everything. Having experienced one devastating loss after another, the final loss is just the straw that finally breaks the camel’s back. She picks up the meager belongings she cares about and moves away from everything she knows. She doesn’t want any connection or memory to her old life. But the one thing she does take with her is her grief.

I’ve been told there are five stages of grief.
Just five.
Then you’re fine. You move on. Live your life. Everything goes back to normal.
I must be doing something wrong because I seem to be repeating them over and over again. I’m on a wheel of misery, running as hard as I can and getting no closer to my end goal.

Jensen Payne is a photographer and Scopophiliac. A collector and appreciator or beautiful things. And if there’s one thing that he loves more than looking at beautiful things it’s capturing them on his camera. The recent object of his obsession is the beautiful but broken Holland, a waitress at a pub that he frequents. Unable to get her out of his mind or spend his lust with any other woman but her, he propositions her…and isn’t shocked when she simply accepts.

Women typically have one of three reactions to my fervent perusal. They either want to slap me, fuck me, or run from me.

Jensen is definitely a man that likes his sex dirty. Now when this synopsis tells you that this is erotic, it really means EROTIC. Holy panty change, batman. A good 65% of this book is pure sex. There’s dirty fuckery, kinky fuckery, rough fuckery. Lots of fuckery is what I’m trying to tell you here.

That moment when her body becomes all nerves and sensations, consumed with pure and utter bliss.
I want to witness that.
I NEED to witness that.
I have to CAPTURE that.

If there’s one way that Jensen and Hollan connect, it’s on a physical level. Both of them have their dark secrets and neither is looking for anything other than a physical connection. But somewhere between panted breaths and sweat soaked sheets, something begins to form between them. Something…more.

I always expected I’d be alone in darkness. I never dreamt I’d find light near the end. It hurts to hope. It hurts to care. To want. To need. I shouldn’t feel this way. I CAN’T.

While I like a hot sex scene as much as the next girl, at times it was almost overwhelming here. I could have done with a little less sex and a little more story. Shocking. I know. I’ll give you a moment to absorb that.

This book was unique in it’s own right because I can’t say I’ve ever read a book with Jensen’s particular affliction and I’ve never even heard of Scopophilia ever before so that was something new. Holland’s story was heartbreaking to read (Highlight to view spoiler)especially as a mother myself (End Spoiler), and sometimes I felt that the abundant amount of sex almost overshadowed the emotional story that the book also had. I did enjoy it quite a bit, and I absolutely loved the epilogue. I wish there was a little more time spent on the emotional connection between Holland and Jensen, beyond just the obvious physical one, but I can’t complain too much. It was still a unique, sexy and different read.

About the Author

Cheryl McIntyre is the author of the bestselling Sometimes Never series, as well as the Dirty series, Infinitely, and Dark Calling.

She calls Ohio home, though she secretly dreams of living somewhere much warmer–preferably near a beach. She is a mother, author, and insomniac, as well as a reader, self-proclaimed movie critic, and incredibly bad singer. Her life revolves around four things: family, music, books, and really bad scary movies.

You can follow her author page on Facebook where she lives part time. On Goodreads—which is like crack for avid readers. On Twitter, though she has still not yet mastered the art of tweeting. On tsū. Or on her website.


Stay up to date on all of Cheryl’s new releases by joining her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/1C2azm3

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★If★ by N.G. Jones

Title: If

Author: N.G. Jones
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: March 16, 2015
goodreads

If CoverIf…
Someone hadn’t scarred my face.
I hadn’t followed my dreams to LA.
That tweaker hadn’t attacked that homeless guy.
I hadn’t invited a stranger over for Thanksgiving.
I hadn’t fallen in love.If I hadn’t lost him.
——
If…
I hadn’t gone for that drive.
I saw the world like everyone else.
My “genius” wasn’t slowly destroying me.
I had just walked away before I could ever know her.
She hadn’t ignited the spark.

If the spark didn’t ignite the madness.

Buy Links

Review

3.5 stars

Most people’s souls hide inside of their minds and bodies, but Bird is inside out. Her dancing, with the sweeping transparent ribbons of color that followed, was the embodiment of a divine gift. Her dancing was the closest I could get to heaven without dying.

With Debt being the only other book I’ve read by this author, this book couldn’t be more different. So if you’re going into this expecting a mindfuck or steam, think again. It’s neither of those. It’s an emotional and touching story about two broken souls finding some solace in each other. If truly showcased Nina’s range as an author for being to give her readers stories that are so different from one another. If is a book unlike any other I’ve read lately, and kudos to the author for broaching a subject that isn’t touched on enough in the romance genre and not only doing it well but truly bringing some light to something that mainly gets glossed over.

Bird was tempting a live wire and she didn’t know it. She stood there, her finger on the switch, without even knowing how close she has come every time we met. She’s tempting me…she’s triggering me…

Bird is a talented young dancer trying to chase her dreams of becoming professional after moving away from her family home and parents that wanted her to have a more suitable career. While her skill as a dancer is unquestionable, her facial scarring prevents her from landing any starring role. It’s truly a source of shame for her and something that she has a difficult time living with….the stares, the whispers, the pity. All she wants is to dance and all she needs is a chance…

Ash is a talented young artist that has given up on his dreams and barely keeping his head above water. Leaving behind his career after a terrible tragedy, he lives on the streets and has long since forgotten about his aspirating in the art world. He just wants to disappear. But in the shadows of his street corner, there’s a woman whose colorful aura that calls to him and draws his eye like a magnet. He’s perfectly content to just watch her, until a night where the brave girl stands up for him while he’s being attacked by a tweaker and he’s forced to come out of his shadows to save her life.

I knew no one, not even Jordan could understand what Ash and I had going on. People only saw us on the outside. My scars, his situation. We saw each other inside out.

Bird and Ash form an unconventional friendship from that day forward. Ash paints her while Bird dances for him, and their presence seems to soothe the other. But Ash is hiding a secret; a secret about who he is and his past, that just may cost them everything.

You don’t want me, Bird. You want the idea of me. The quiet artist. The guy who saved you, painted you. But I am a mystery you don’t want to solve. I am a question you don’t want to answer. It was simpler when it was just you dancing, and me painting.

This is a slow paced love story about two very unique individuals. I really appreciated how different this was from anything else I’ve read lately. But at the same time, there was also something missing for me to really make this the captivating read that it could have been. Maybe the fact that (view spoiler)[Bird’s scarring is never explained. She doesn’t know who gave them to her or how she got it. (hide spoiler)] I understand that it may have done that way on purpose, but I think having a WHY or WHO to it really would have helped me connect to her more as a character. There was also an event at the very end that seemed to be really unnecessary for the story and was just too much. The book is already emotional enough on it’s own, and that particular event didn’t seem necessary for the plot or the characters. It was incredibly sad but empty. I really don’t understand WHY it needed to happen since it just completely came out of the blue for me.

I did enjoy the story as a whole and the unique situations of both the characters. I didn’t even find myself missing the steam since the emotions of it all were perfectly enough on their own, the steam never felt missing. If you’re looking for something different from your everyday romance that you find lately, definitely give this one a try. I don’t think you’d be disappointed.

About the Author
Nina

Nina G. Jones is the author of the bestselling novel DEBT, the Strapped Series and the erotic romance, Gorgeous Rotten Scoundrel. She wants to say something clever here, but all her good material goes into her characters.

Nina currently resides in Milwaukee, WI with her husband and two crazy Boxers.

Her first new adult romance, If, releases on March 16th, 2015 under the moniker N.G. Jones.

Nina LOVES connecting with readers. You can connect with her via Facebook, Twitter, or email her through her website, NinaGJones.com.

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Review: ★Genie★ by Kitty French

Genie
Author: Kitty French
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Length: 201 pages
The queen of the sex scene is back. USA Today bestselling author Kitty French gave you Lucien Knight in the smash hit Knight Trilogy, and she returns now with a brand new, smokin’ hot story.
One complete story. No cliffhanger. Hold onto your corset strings, we’re going burlesque!

Feathers. Lies. Glitter. Secrets. Lust.
Meet Genie Divine, the wise-cracking London show-girl on a hell-bent mission to save her beloved family theatre.

Now meet Abel Kingdom, the australian gym mogul determined to buy it out from underneath her.

On paper they have nothing in common, and when they meet, they have even less.

The only thing they DO have is chemistry.

Undeniable, rip-my-clothes-off-and-do-me-now-against-the-wall chemistry.

He wants her theatre. She wants him dead.

The stage is set for an explosive summer…

3.5 Stars

I don’t like him, he doesn’t like me, and then every now and then we meet in the middle and rip each other’s clothes off.

I adore Kitty French and there is no other trope I love more than the hate-to-love. So this book should have been a guaranteed winner for me, right? And right up until the halfway mark it really was. But I’ll get to that in a bit…

Abel is in London for a business transaction and nothing else. He’s there to watch the infamous Burlesque performance of the debilitated club he plans on buying and reinventing as part of his chain of gyms. He’s not a plan to pay fair and he’s also a man who has a past that made sure that his hate for anything he views as a woman essentially whoring herself out as deplorable. He doesn’t care if it’s a stripper, and a gorgeous burlesque dancer is no better. But then the redhaired beauty on stage gyrating against a genie lamp manages to completely enrapture him…or at least one part of his anatomy.

She looked like a girl who smoked cigarettes and bathed in champagne, who knew every dirty word in the dictionary and a few more besides.

Genie Devine doesn’t know that her uncle’s club that she’s fallen in love with over the years is in financial trouble. She’s also less than pleased to find the moody man that wants to buy it out right from under them. She’s determined to do everything to save the place, even if she has to use her feminine charms to do it…

She wanted to make him come so hard his knees would buckle, yet at the same time she wanted to clamp her hands around his throat and stop his breath.

Abel is definitely a man that makes his presence known and his opinion even more so.

Now if you follow my reviews or know me that you know that I love me my assholes. And boy did Abel fit that to a T. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to jock punch him or lick him most of the time. Luckily his internal struggle managed to keep him well balanced on that line between pure asshole and redeemingly broken

He didn’t want to want that woman, that dangerously powerful, knowing siren. He didn’t want to want Genie Divine at all.

I also love a hot angry sex scene, and of course Kitty French knows how to write one hell of a sex scene. You also begin to get small tidbits about what makes Abel tick and why he has so much hate towards the club and what he believes Genie does. His internal struggle was evident

She stirred memories in him he’d rather keep buried, and she stirred emotions in him that left him feeling betrayed even by his own body. Right at that moment his head hated her, his cock loved her, and his heart was plain confused.

But then he’d go and slap you over the head with his asshole tendencies and I’d find myself forgetting that I should feel bad for him.

You’re a woman, I’m a man. You want to tempt me into fucking you? Go ahead. Throw yourself at me. But know this. I’ll fuck you and then I’ll fuck you over.

Unfortunately, this is exactly where the story began to lose me. This never ending back and forth between Genie and Abel began to quickly wear me down. Abel was just plain cruel to her at times, and I thought Genie was way too understanding and forgiving with him. Now don’t get me wrong, she was NOT a doormat in any sense of the word. She was super kind, understanding and sweet. But then I began to think she was too good for Abel. I get that he has his demons, but I needed the man to grovel. G-R-O-V-E-L. And while he finally gets his shit together at the end it was too little too late for me. Maybe if he got his head out of his ass a little sooner and actually worked to get Genie to forgive his treatment of her throughout the entire book, I could have connected to their HEA more. As it was, it just seemed too sudden. While I didn’t fully love this one, I wouldn’t even think twice about picking up another book by this author. Whatever fault I may have found that caused me to not enjoy this one as much, it was still sexy and I loved the first part of the book and the epilogue was wonderful.

Review: ★A View To Thrill★ by Lexi Blake

A View To Thrill
Author: Lexi Blake
Genre: Erotic Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Length: 410 Pages

A Spy without a CountrySimon Weston grew up royal in a place where aristocracy still mattered. Serving Queen and country meant everything to him, until MI6 marked him as damaged goods and he left his home in disgrace. Ian Taggart showed him a better way to serve his fellow man and introduced him to Sanctum, a place to pursue his passion for Dominance and submission. Topping beautiful subs was a lovely distraction until he met Chelsea, and becoming her Master turned into Simon’s most important mission.

A Woman without Hope

Chelsea Dennis grew up a pawn to the Russian mob. Her father’s violent lessons taught her that monsters lurked inside every man and they should never be trusted. Hiding in the shadows, she became something that even the monsters would fear—an information broker who exposed their dirty secrets and toppled their empires. Everything changed when Simon Weston crossed her path. Valiant and faithful, he was everything she needed—and a risk she couldn’t afford to take.

A Force too Strong to Resist

When dark forces from her past threaten her newfound family at Sanctum, Chelsea must turn to Simon, the one man she can trust with her darkest secrets. Their only chance to survive lies in a mystery even Chelsea has been unable to solve. As they race to uncover the truth and stay one step ahead of the assassins on their heels, they will discover a love too powerful to deny. But to stop a killer, Simon just might have to sacrifice himself…

Buy Links

Review

3.5 stars

From the moment he’d seen her all those months ago, he’d been utterly fascinated. She was a mystery to him. Closed off, with more barricades around her than he could count, she still pulled him in the minute she walked inside a room.

When I think of romantic suspense with some kinky hot BDSM thrown in and some scorching romance and sex, the only series that comes to mind is Masters and Mercenaries. No one does that sexy little combination better than Lexi Blake. While each book can probably be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it as each book builds off of each other. The characters of this book (like all the rest) are first introduced in the previous 2 and their story continues until their own book. It just wouldn’t be the same to jump straight into this book without first reading the last 6. Besides, each book has been great, so why miss out? Now on to Simon and Chelsea.

Chelsea is many things; she’s Charlotte’s younger sister, Ian’s (or as she calls him The Satan) sister in law, the daughter of the head of the biggest mob syndicate in Moscow, and The Broker. She’s one of the best hackers in the world and she’s definitely made quite the name for herself since her and her sister escaped their father’s brutal and sadistic hold. Now she uses her powers for good…mostly. Weary of men in general due to her history, she’s not looking for any entanglements. Especially not with a certain British Dom and past MI6 agent in a 3 piece suit that now works for Ian’s firm.

But when Chelsea’s life is on the line, no matter how hard she’s avoided Simon in the past, he’s the only one she can turn to for help. But he’s not going to be easy on her. He has a requirement of his own, one he’s been waiting for the right opportunity to take.

What?”
“That’s my requirement for protecting you. I don’t want money. You’ll sign a contract making me your Master or I can call your brother-in-law back. How is the broccoli beef? I’ve never tried it before. Would you like some wine?”

Simon’s combination of protective and demanding definitely worked for me. He was very sweet and understanding with what Chelsea needed. He’s been halfway in love with her since he first met her and now he just needs to convince her that they’ll be good together.


…I’m not going to take your virginity because you’re curious. I’ll take it when you can’t think about anything but me. I’ll take it when you cry out my name and tell me there’s no other man you’ll ever love the way you love me. Then and only then will I take what belongs to me.

This book wasn’t as heavy on the BDSM or the sex either to be honest. The suspense and the emotional relationship development between the H/h took center stage. The romance was still in the center of the story, of course, but it wasn’t quite as steamy as the previous books in the series. But don’t get me wrong, while it may not have been as frequent, when it did happen it was definitely HOT.

Oh, my god.”
“No. You say my name when I’m fucking you, love. Say it. Say ‘fuck me hard, Simon.”

In usual Lexi Blake fashion there were lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end, plenty of action, and lots more Ian and the rest of the team.

Unfortunately there was just something about the romance between Simon and Chelsea I never fully connected with. I can’t even put my finger on what it was exactly, but it was probably my least favorite in the series. There was almost too much of a focus on their emotional issues and triggers than there was on the actual romance, at times even during the sex scenes.

I would still recommend this book for fans of the series. And if you’ve been curious about Jesse’s story, you’re definitely in for a treat here. That last chapter? Oh my GAWD. I don’t think I’ve been that excited to read a book since Ian’s story. This book really introduces Jesse and all his fucked up glory and I can’t wait to get my hands on his book in February.

Don’t Miss The Rest of The Series!

The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters & Mercenaries #1)
The Men With The Golden Cuffs (Masters and Mercenaries #2)
A View to a Thrill (Masters and Mercenaries #7)

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★In For The Kill★ by Shannon McKenna

In For The Kill 
Author: Shannon McKenna
Release Date: January 27th, 2015

 The risks ex-cop Sam Petrie has taken have turned his life into a train wreck. So he has nothing to lose by doubling down as the elusive Svetlana Ardova’s unwanted bodyguard on a potentially deadly trip to Italy.Ever since the McClouds rescued Sveti from certain death, her crusade against modern slavery has blazoned a bulls-eye on her chest, but when one of the threats against her almost hits the mark, Sam’s protective instincts go into overdrive. Every lethal obstacle and trap they encounter ups the stakes—and the undeniable heat between them.

Now they’re spiraling in on a deadly and explosive secret—one that could either redeem them or destroy them . . . and the closer they get, the shorter the fuse . . .

 

Buy Links
 Amazon | B&N | iTunesKobo

 Review3.5 stars

He wished he could crawl into her dreams and do battle with the monsters there. She deserved a champion, even inside her mind. Hell, especially inside her mind.

I’ve been a fan of this series since I first discovered it a few years ago. Shannon Mckenna has this knack for writing heroes that are just the right side of domineering and oh so sexy. If you’ve read any of her work before, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a formula that she has, and it works. She also writes some heart-pounding suspense and some of the most twisted bad guys I’ve read. Whenever I’m in the mood for sexy romantic suspense, she’s been my go-to author. I’ve also been waiting for Sveti to get her book ever since we met her as a little girl in Extreme Danger.

There’s a lot of plot and secondary character development that takes place throughout the series, so this is not a book I’d recommend reading as a standalone. You just wouldn’t enjoy it as much. That being said, onto the review…

Svetlana had a rough introduction into adulthood. Having violently lost her father and mother and then sold into human organ trafficking at the young age of 12 she had to grow up quick. If it wasn’t for Nick rescuing her, she would have died. Now she’s dedicated her entire life to helping any and all victims of such crimes, even at the risk to her own safety.

Sam has been completely enthralled with Svetlana the second he first laid eyes on her. And that one kiss they shared in Fatal Strike? Holy shit! I was dying for more of that. To say that Sam had an obsession with her would be an understatement. He’s basically in love with her and would give anything for just a scrap of attention from her. I have to say, I adored Sam even though his constant mood swings did make me dizzy. The man could flip a switch and go from sweet and sexy to angry in the span of a second. But I suppose their relationship was anything but normal, so that goes with the territory.

Svetlana (or Sveti)…(Pause for minor quibble here)
Now my full name is Svetlana, and I have never in my life known any Svetlana wanting to go by Sveti. Sveta, yes. I read Sveti and I hear ‘sweaty’. I swear, if I didn’t love Shannon McKenna’s writing this would have driven me absolutely batty…well…more than it did anyway. Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Moving on.

Svetlana has been just as intrigued by Sam but she’s determined to stay away from him at any cost. She knows that he can seduce her into what he wants, and he’s just too much for her. But chemistry like that can only be denied for so long before it ignites to a burning passion…

Sam, while being the dirty talking alpha that he was, had an incredibly sweet side to him too. Which just made me want to shake Sveti to see reason when it came to him at times.

You thought you were going to die. But you won’t. I’ll take care of you. You won’t fall to pieces. Or if you do, it’ll only be for a few seconds, and I’ll hold you all together. I’ll hold you so tight. I’ll keep you so safe.”

When an old enemy resurfaces and her life is in danger Sam is determined to be the one to keep her safe. So he enlists to be her bodyguard during her work trip to Europe. And of course he wants a chance to explore their newly found…uhem…arrangement.

If you’ve read any book by this author before, then you know that her heroes more or less tend to sound the same when it comes to the sexy times. If terms like “muff” and “girl juice” bother you…well…just saying.

As deliciously sexy as Sam and Sveti were together, it was almost too much for me at times. I’d say a good half of the book was them going at it…everywhere. I also had a hard time believing one particular scene where Sam takes her virginity and immediately after they have sex like 4 more times. I was actually cringing for her poor muff. True story.

It’s not long before something that started out as a purely physical thing, at least for Sveti, begins to turn into something so much more.

She’d been so stupid. So superficial, to act as if sex with Same was some country she could visit like a tourist and come back unchanged. She was inside out, exploding with feelings she didn’t know how to manage…

Although you can say that the books are borderline formulaic, there’s one thing you can’t take away from them. They’re entertaining as hell. They’ve been my guilty pleasure for as long as I can remember. I love Shannon’s alphas and while some of the terminology they like to use sounds the same, they still stand out from one another. I’ve certainly had my favorites throughout the series and Sam is definitely up there.

The second half of this book (or the last 30%) I couldn’t put down. There was one particular scene where I wanted to shake Sveti for her borderline TSTL choice of action. But I was too engrossed in the story to mind it too much. There was one particular twist that while I mostly saw it coming, did still throw me for a loop.

An entertaining and sexy read from beginning to end.

 

About the Author

Shannon McKenna is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous romantic thrillers and several novellas. After a bizarre assortment of jobs, from singing cocktail waitress to medical secretary to strolling madrigal singer, she decided that writing hot romantic suspense suits her best. She lives with her husband and family in a small seaside town in southern Italy.

Write to Shannon at her website www.shannonmckenna.com
Giveaway
3 Print copies of IN FOR THE KILL

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour, Review: ★Three Simple Rules★ by @AuthorNSloane

Three Simple Rules 
Author: Nikki Sloane
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Length: 238 pages
Release Date: January 26, 2015

I would do anything for my dream job. Now I have to. In order to save my skin at the office, I’m forced to sell it at an exclusive and illegal blindfold club. He paid thousands of dollars for one night to own me, but when my blindfold comes off, I want more. More nights, more rules, and more from this unavailable and uncompromising man.

Rule number one, no questions. Rule number two, no lies. But, rule number three? That’s the hardest one to obey.

This book contains strong sexual content and is intended for mature audiences only.

Buy Links
Excerpt

“Would you like a taste?” Tara asked him. What did that mean? Then her breath was warm on my neck. “I’m going to touch you now.”

I jumped when her fingers dragged across the skin of my stomach. Lower, and lower. Was she going to–? Soft, delicate fingers stroked me. I tried to jerk away, but the straps kept me in place. I’d never fooled around with another woman. I could appreciate the beauty of the female body, but I never had any desire to explore anything outside of my own. I liked good, ole-fashioned sex, and knew I still had a lot to learn there. Adding women into the mix seemed overwhelming

It didn’t matter. Her fingers were stirring my folds where I was shamefully wet, and the slightest of moans slipped out before I could choke it back.

She drew her hand away from in between my legs, and there was a noise I couldn’t place, like a kiss. No, I figured it out. He was sucking on her fingers.

“Does she taste good?” Tara asked. Heat poured through my body.

“I’d like to drink straight from the tap,” he said. Oh god. Oh my god.

“There’s a fee for that, but I’ll waive it if we reach a deal.” I assumed that was acceptable to him because Tara again leaned over me and whispered in my ear. “Slide down near the edge of the table, and enjoy.” She sounded envious.

I did as asked, my trembling body gliding over the leather. When I was down far enough and my feet dangled awkwardly over the side, Tara’s warm hand closed around an ankle and lifted it, setting my foot on the flat surface of the tabletop so my toes curled over the edge. She guided the other ankle so I was laid out before him, my knees bent up in the air. Sliding down had also forced my arms to be bent up by my head.

The pads of his fingers were cold when they touched the inside of my knee and gently urged it to the side, opening me to him. My bottom lip quivered. No, my whole body quivered. The fingers dragged across the inside of my thigh until they reached the hollow where my legs joined my body. I wanted him to say something. I wanted him to—

“Fuck,” he said in a low, deep voice when his finger brushed over me where only a few men, and now Tara, had touched me, making me shudder. “You’re so wet.”

His touch was gone and replaced by warm air as his mouth hovered over my sensitive flesh. He kissed the hollow there, then just above my slit, then the inside of my thigh on the other side. Teasing me. Delicious anticipation grew and strangled my breath.

I bucked hard on the table when his tongue grazed me. One of his large, cold hands clamped down on a hip to hold me in place. The sensation wasn’t like anything I’d felt before. The blindfold focused everything on the pleasure that was spreading outward through my body from his indecent kiss. He licked me again, starting at the bottom of my entrance and all the way up to my clit.

“Oh my god,” I said out loud, and then went wooden. I wasn’t supposed to speak until spoken to, according to the contract.

“You like that?” He didn’t wait for me to answer, he just did it again. And again. The beginning of an orgasm developed off in the distance and then was right upon me when he eased a finger where I was soaking wet.

“She’s yours for twenty thousand,” Tara said.

 Review

3.5 stars


I have rules,” he said. “You don’t get to ask question, no matter what..
Rule two is you answer my questions, and you have to answer them honestly.
The last rule is your body belongs to me, so that means your orgasms are mine. You don’t come without my permission.”

Well, well, well, Nikki Sloane. Where have you been all my pervy life? Did you know that your debut book made my ovaries happy? I hope your next one is just as good because you definitely got me hooked.

Allow me to sum up over half the book for you in one gif…

In short? Make sure your ovaries are prepared. Luckily mine are steel plated at this point, so I had no problems.

I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I read the blurb but that really only grazes the surface of the entirety of this book. Beyond the hot sex there is most definitely a great story, a sexy romance, fantastic writing…and hot sex. What? There was a lot of it, it’s worth mentioning twice.

Evelyn loves mostly everything about her job as a designer in a prestigious Chicago firm. Well mostly everything. Her extremely anal and dickhead manager definitely leaves something to be desired. He doesn’t shy away from criticism and he doesn’t exactly sugar coat it. So when Evelyn’s oversight results in a mistake that could cost the firm $10,000 she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. At the risk of losing the job that she loves, she promises Logan that she’ll pay for her mistake…now she just has to figure out where to get the money.

Evelyn’s best friend is a free spirited and tell it like it is woman that loves her sex hot and the men to pay for it. She’s an escort at a highly exclusive escort agency, so when she hears of Evie’s problems she offers her a way out: one night working at the club. While Evie’s logical self screams at her that what she’s about to do is crazy, her dire situation and her impulse is telling her she has no choice and she agrees. This is also where she meets him


Do you want my cock?”
“Say it.”
“I want your cock,” I said on a broken, shuddering breath.
“Where? Here?” He shoved a finger inside me, unapologetic. His face was shocking and dark, like a predator, and I was his cornered prey. “Beg me for it.”
“Please…”
“Not good enough. Make me believe.”

Now I feel I have to warn you that there are 2 very descriptive MFF scenes. While I found the first one to be fairly hot and felt that it fit the situation, I was a bit iffy on the second one. While MFF isn’t my preference (I much rather prefer MMF), if it fits the story, I don’t mind it. But if it’s not your cuppa, just be warned.

I don’t want to give you much more on the story since it’s really best experience blind, just like Evie did 😉

I really enjoyed Nikki Sloan’s writing style. She wrote two very relatable characters with Evie and Logan. While I didn’t feel their connection at the very beginning, she truly made me believe it in the most realistic way. Logan has that touch of an asshole to him, but he quickly changes his tune when he’s with Evie. (Almost a little too soon for my tastes)

The story itself was quick paced and entertaining. And the sex was truly sizzling

There was a lot of mention of Logan’s big cock, which grew tiresome eventually. I think dirty talk can go beyond “do you want my big cock in your pussy” but he definitely made up for it with everything else.

There was also that second MFF scene that just never clicked with me. Maybe it was who it was with? I just couldn’t understand the reasoning of either of the women. It kind of came out of left field for me to be honest. While it was super hot, I really think I could have done without it.

For a debut novel, this was fantastic and Nikki manages to throw an evil hook in at the end that will leave you dying for the next book. But if you’re concerned about a HEA, rest easy because this book has a perfect one. The hook happens for Evie’s best friend, and I got one can’t wait to see the man that brings that little spitfire to her knees.

About the Author

Nikki Sloane fell into graphic design after her careers as a waitress, a screenwriter, and a ballroom dance instructor fell through. For eight years she worked for a design firm in that extremely tall, black, and tiered building in Chicago that went through an unfortunate name change during her time there. Now she lives in Kentucky and manages a team of graphic artists. She is married and has two sons, writes both romantic suspense and dirty books, and couldn’t be any happier.

 

Review: ★Bound by Rapture★ by Megan D. Martin

Bound by Rapture 
Author: Megan D. Martin
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: October 24, 2014
Length: 254 Pages

The third and final installment in the Rapture Trilogy.

I’m in love with him. My stalker.He isn’t perfect. He’s something dark. Something broken. He’s mine, but someone wants to take him from me.

They tried to kill me.
I bled out onto dirty, cracked pavement, and something changed inside me. They can’t have him.

Not Elaine. Not his mother. Not anyone. And when they come for him… I’ll be waiting.

Buy Links
Review
3.5 stars

Our past wasn’t perfect. Our future wouldn’t be, either. But we would be together, bound by the rapture of our flawed loved.

Bound By Rapture is the conclusion of Julia and Cole’s story; and what a fucked up, twisted mess that has been. It’s also been completely enrapturing. (Pun intended) These two characters are so screwed up in their own right and yet together…they just make sense. How did THAT happen?

I had watched her for over two years. I had pined for her. Since the moment I saw her I hadn’t been inside another woman, no matter how much I tried. She had been it for me. It was that simple.

Cole, you stalkerish mess you. How is it that I still like you even after this book? You were an utter asshole for a large chunk of it. Oh wait! That would be why. I do love me my assholes.

There’s quite a bit happening in this story, all of it surrounding the events of how the 2nd book ended. Cole and Julia are still trying to figure out who is out to hurt her and continues to threaten her life. Cole really lets his crazy out here. If you didn’t think he can get any crazier, just you wait. This is also the largest part of my lower rating. The full revelation of his big secret that we’ve been waiting to find out since book one? Yeah. It’s a fucking doozy that one. Here’s the thing, I knew that it had to be something big, and it was. Oh my god it was. I guess I just wasn’t prepared for my feelings about it. (highlight to view spoiler)[I just can’t seem to justify his actions in my head. At all. I understand it was a shock to find it out, but such brutality? And then he only spends 3 years in jail due to a technicality? What? WHAT?! I really needed more information on this. I felt that it was just a little too glossed over. I needed something more to justify what he did and his current relationship with his mother. (hide spoiler)]. [I just can’t seem to justify his actions in my head. At all. I understand it was a shock to find it out, but such brutality? And then he only spends 3 years in jail due to a technicality? What? WHAT?! I really needed more information on this. I felt that it was just a little too glossed over. I needed something more to justify what he did and his current relationship with his mother. (end spoiler)
Which actually brings me to my other point. Cole’s relationship with his mother.

Sorry…finger slipped.
But back to my point. I don’t understand the dynamic between them. This whole love/hate thing just didn’t completely make sense to me. Maybe that was the point?

There are plenty of twists, some I had a feeling about, some I never saw coming. Megan D. Martin is an incredibly talented author. To weave a tale of two such completely fucked up characters and yet manage to make the reader fall in love with them is no small feat.

Julia was a lot more endearing for me in this book. She really let her emotions show here and you really get how she can fall for someone like Cole that basically stalked her for years and then deceived her.

I could taste his love. It wasn’t clean or pristine. It was messy and broken. But I was okay with that. I knew the love I had to offer him wasn’t much better. It was fractured. But it would be enough.

Even though it wasn’t a perfect 5 star conclusion, it was still a great book and one I enjoyed a lot. I read it in one sitting after all. Maybe I wasn’t digging as much for clues or paying close enough attention, but I did NOT see that twist at the end coming at all. Caught me completely unaware. Megan leads you to believe one thing for the entire book, only to hit you with a two by four of that twist at the very end. Holy shit!

This was a gritty, dark, slightly fucked up and erotic story that had my attention from beginning to end. It’s definitely not the book for everyone, but if you loved the first 2 books, then you’ll definitely like this one. I can’t wait for more from this author. I truly enjoy her writing style and know I’m in for a fucked up but addicting read when I crack open one of her books.

I wanted to consume every part of him with my love. I wanted to drown him in it until he was so deep he would never question true love again, because it would surround him

Don’t miss the first 2 books in the Rapture trilogy

Drowning in Rapture (Rapture bk 1)
FREE
Clinging To Rapture (Rapture bk 2)
ONLY $.99

Release Blitz, Review & #Giveaway: ★Playing With The Drummer★ by @RobinCovington

GUEST POST FROM AUTHOR

Friends –

I love a good Hollywood romance. The glamour. The sexy vibe of the opulent life. Add in the edgy, exciting world of rock-n-roll and I jump from “yes, please.” to “gimme, gimme” at the speed of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar riff on “Hot for Teacher”.

So writing about a broody, Alpha, reclusive drummer from the world’s most popular rock band and an entertainment journalist hell bent on getting her own TV show¼was a ton of fun. Add in the fact that they have a combustible history and you’ve got a story I hope you cannot put down.

Warning: This book contains a sexy, Alpha rock star who just wants to be left alone and the gorgeous, super talented reporter who thinks that is the worst idea ever. When they are thrown together and forced to play nice, the competition begins in the bedroom but ends on the front page. The author is not responsible for spontaneous combustion of the reader.

To celebrate my release, I’m giving away a $50 giftcard and 5 SWAG packs! Enter the rafflecopter for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Entertainment journalist Lita Matthews is on the verge of making it big. As in her-own-TV-show big. She just needs amazing inside scoop on the year’s hottest celebrity wedding. Instead, her big break is becoming a big nightmare—all thanks to rock star Rocky Cardano. Who apparently hasn’t gotten over what happened between them four years ago…

Rocky is pretty damn familiar with just how far Lita will go for a “scoop.” Hell, their unbelievably hot hook-up in Mexico years ago was the story of a lifetime. Rocky’s learned his lessons. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep her from the story—even if he has to seduce her to the point of distraction! But Lita has always had a way of getting under his skin. Only this time, he won’t be able to just walk away…

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Other Links

Book Page on website with trailer, playlist and more: http://bit.ly/1A30act

Pinterest Board: http://bit.ly/1wE7hHm

They were still touching, from shoulders down to their thighs, bodies trading warmth in the slight chill of the night next to the lake. She was close enough to kiss, close enough for him to caress, and he bit back a groan when he recalled her curves. She was smooth muscle, silky skin, lush breasts that filled his palms with their delicious heavy weight. Rocky broke eye contact, taking the chicken-shit way out for a moment.

He should move, get up and walk around, but he wasn’t going to do it. The big, horny bastard who made poor decisions was super-powered by tequila shots. That guy was like the Hulk, except that poor schmo in the movie couldn’t fuck without losing control, and when you were green with anger-management issues— that was a big problem. But Lita loved it when he lost control, and he enjoyed it when she took everything he had and begged for more.

The silence between them wasn’t awkward, and it wasn’t empty. The drumbeat of what they were both contemplating was in time with the pounding of their hearts. His cock ached, strained against the fly of his jeans; his mouth salivated with the desire to taste her. Lita’s nipples were tight under the flimsy fabric of her tank top; they rose and fell like she’d been running. He was waiting for some sign that she was on board for them to both make a poor drunken decision.

“I’m really sorry about Mexico…after Mexico,” Lita whispered as she looked up at him again, her breath warm against his mouth. He licked his lips, disappointed that he couldn’t taste her there.

“Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

“Do you believe me?”

Rocky sighed slightly, cataloging the hope in her eyes that maybe they could put this behind them. He reached out a hand, allowing his fingers to trace the arc of her cheek, the side of her neck, dipping into the hollow of her throat and coming to rest on the curve of her breast.

The tension was strung taut between them, but through it all, he realized that he owed her an answer before this went any further.

“I’m just tired of fighting about it.”

She closed her eyes briefly, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of his words or the effect of his gentle stroke against her flesh.

“That’s not a great answer,” Lita said, opening her eyes again.

She studied his face, her eyes processing each assessment she made, every calculation of pros, cons, and the absolutely insane. Rocky expected her to pull away, to end this detour and frolic into madness. He needed her to do what he could not do. He wanted her under him, around him. Wanted her in every way he’d had her those three days in Mexico, wanted to refresh those living memories with warm flesh, wet kisses, and pleasure. But he wouldn’t lie to get it.

“It’s the best I can do,” he whispered.

“I know for a fact that isn’t true.”

“You’re right,” he said as he slid his other arm between them and around her waist. He tugged her upward, and the movement put her eye-to-eye, mouth-to-mouth with him. This was without a doubt the dumbest thing he’d ever done, drunk or sober, but it felt incredible. He’d dreamed about this, woken achy and hard from his subconscious fantasies that involved Lita, a hammock on the beach, and not a stitch of clothing in sight. “You are so goddam beautiful.”

She inhaled quickly, her breath catching before stuttering out. “You’re drunk.”

“Yep. Enough to tell you what I want.”

“And what do you want?” Her eyes told him she knew what his answer would be. Her expression dared him to say it out loud.

He ran a thumb over her lips, dipping in when she opened, a shiver racking him when her tongue swirled around the digit. “I want you.”

Lita shifted, swinging a leg over him until she straddled his waist. On instinct, he moved his hands, cupping her ass and touching the sweet heaven of bare skin where her tiny skirt had shifted up. She leaned over him, mouth within kissing distance, one hand wrapped around his neck and the other around a long hank of his hair.

“You don’t even like me.”

“I’m good at pretending.”

She smiled, her eyes dark, smoky, tinged with mischief and softened by the tequila buzz. “For how long?”

Rocky leaned closer, a gentle brush against her lips catching her laughter and then stopping it altogether with a deep, hot kiss. He sank into her mouth, using his tongue and his lips to coax her first moan of pleasure. He pulled back, making sure she saw how very serious he was.

“For as it takes to make you come.”

3.5 Sweet & Sexy Stars

Four years hadn’t cooled down any of the feelings he brought out in her. They were wrapped up in the freedom of their beginning and the death spiral of how they ended. 

I haven’t read a Robin Covington book I haven’t enjoyed yet, and this was definitely no exception. There’s only one thing that can make a lovers reunited trope better for me and that’s make them jilted lovers. Now make the guy a sexy, bearded and tatted up drummer? And I’m done for.

Four years ago Lita met Rocky on a getaway in Mexico and spent 3 unbelievable and erotic nights with him. Three nights that were just enough to fall head over heels for him, and three nights that were enough for him to break her heart. And you know what they say about a woman scorned… In her heartbroken haze, Lita did a spiteful thing that forever broke Rocky’s trust in her. Even though their circles are closely intertwined, they’ve managed to skirt around each other and avoid any interaction. But now Lita’s friend is marrying Rocky’s bandmate AND she’s agreed to report on it with a positive spin that her friend so desperately needs. Too bad it will also bring her face to face with the one man that she’s never been able to move on from. But Rocky isn’t exactly over her himself…

Lita had been the brightest part of his life for those few days. And she still glowed on his periphery, minimized but never dimmed.

I really loved the first half of this book. The mix of hurt feelings with sexual tension hot enough to burn the pages definitely makes for a VERY interesting read.

It’s obvious that both Lita and Rocky were equally to blame for the misunderstanding that happened those four years ago. Rocky thinks that Lita is a cut-throat reporter that will sell out her friends for the right scoop. And Lita just wants Rocky to see her for the woman beneath the career. And when these two finally give into the scorching hot chemistry that still runs between them? PHEW!

Rocky is this wonderful combination of sexy and yet just the right amount of sweet.

And Lita was a great heroine; tough as nails and yet endearingly vulnerable underneath the tough persona. The two of them together was fantastic as well.

So why not 5 stars? To be honest, it was more a personal bias than anything truly wrong with the book. I just found the last half of the book to be a little too predicable and at times too sweet and borderline cheesy for my tastes. I found the progression of their relationship to be too quick at the end as well. I understand that they have that history from 4 years ago, but it’s still tough to believe the whole (view spoiler)[marriage as soon as they finally decide to be together (hide spoiler)] thing.

But I’m pretty sure that readers that enjoy sweet and sexy contemporary romance will love this. I just tend to be pickier than most 😉

Robin Covington’s books are always an auto-read for me, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll have in store next.

Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her bestselling books. When she’s not writing sexy, sizzling romance she’s collecting tasty man candy pics, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and obsessing over Dean Winchester. Don’t send chocolate . . . send eye candy!



Newsletter sign up: http://eepurl.com/qjFcz

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: Easy Virtue by @miaasherauthor

Are you ready for Blaire? 

Love is selfish…

My name is Blaire.
I’m the bad girl.
The other woman.
The one who never gets the guy in the end.

I’m the gold digger.
The bitch.
The one no one roots for.
The one you love to hate.

I hate myself too…

Everyone has a story. Are you ready for mine?

Amazon / B&N / iTunes

With champagne and caviar inundating my every sense, I slither through the light wooden floors of the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing in The Met. As I walk, I pretend to admire the expensive jewelry being showcased tonight by a famous designer whose name I can’t remember. A multicolored diamond butterfly sparkles to my left and a cobra made out of black stones glistens to my right. Rows upon rows of precious gems twinkle under the soft lights of the room, flooding the space between the walls with the glow of a thousand stars. Furtive glances. Secrets gossiped. Beauty criticized. Lofty music fills the atmosphere as the über rich mingle and pretend to like each other, yet you can almost taste their conceit and derision for one another in the air.

This is Walker’s world, and I love it.

Standing across the room, where the crowd is thinner and the music fainter, I spot Walker’s blond head in the corner of the room, talking to a group of his colleagues and their wives. He looks polished and worth every penny of his trust fund in his sleek black tuxedo, perfectly starched white shirt and black bowtie. His long golden hair parted to the side shines like the sun. He is truly flawless.

I smile because it’s hard to picture that this is the same guy who likes to snort coke off my tits as he fucks me while hardcore porn plays in the background. He looks untouchable and so cool, but his searching eyes, scanning the crowd for me give him up. He’s wondering where I am. He did tell me not to go too far, after all. Soon after we arrived at the party, I gave him some space to talk to his friends and do his thing while I did mine. I hate clingy people, so I avoid being one.

I grab a third flute of champagne from a passing waiter, and try to decide which of the different displays to check out first when my eyes land on a spectacular piece of jewelry. On a bed of black silk, similar to my hair color, lies an extravagant necklace made of diamonds and rubies—a small heaven within one’s reach as long as you can afford the price.

I bridge the space between the glass protecting the necklace and me until it’s within my reach, fighting the urge to touch the cool surface. As if under a spell, I observe how the rows of diamonds embedded in platinum form leaves and thorns. At its center is a rose made out of red diamonds almost as big as my palm.

I feel someone walk up and stand next to me, but I don’t give him or her a second thought as I continue to admire the way the light hits the gems, making them shine.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

His voice is smooth and commanding, dripping absolute power. I keep my eyes locked on the display. Call it sixth sense, but somehow I know that under no circumstance should I make eye contact with the stranger who speaks like the ruler of the world.

“Yes,” I say simply.

“I wonder how much it is?” the man asks.

“I don’t think it matters … I highly doubt anyone can afford it.”

He chuckles, and the sound is more delicious than his voice. Lusher. “Oh, but I can.”

I smile at his self-assurance. I love cocky assholes. “I still doubt it.”

“You shouldn’t. I only speak the truth,” he retorts coolly. His voice is nonchalant yet his words leave no room for disbelief—a demand and a statement all in one.

Suddenly, the noises of the room become distant. People talking and laughing amongst friends and the orchestra playing all fade away until all I hear is him speaking.

And at this moment, that is all that matters.

“The truth is very subjective, sir.”

“The truth may be subjective but money isn’t. Money can buy anything.”

His answer is like an electroshock, jumpstarting my brain from a champagne-induced haze. My pulse begins to accelerate, excitement making it hard to take a deep breath. Don’t look at him … don’t.

“Oh really,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. He’s right, though.

“Of course. I believe everything,” he pauses, “and everyone has a price.”

Curiosity winning the battle against curiosity, I turn to face him, and what a fucking big mistake that is. When our eyes meet, I feel incapacitated of all sense and movement. The sight of him takes my breath away. This man gives the term “lust at first sight” a whole new meaning.

In my short twenty-three years, I’ve been with extremely handsome men, perfect even, but to classify the man standing next to me in any kind of category would be a disservice to him, and not really fair to the others. Longish, light brown hair wildly framing his face, vacant eyes the color of dollar bills, a slightly crooked nose, and a mouth that begs to be buried deep within your thighs. His beauty is as harsh as it is stunningly perfect. Dressed in a simple black tuxedo and unbuttoned white shirt, the man exudes innate virility and grace, reminding me of a black panther stalking his prey. And just like a panther, it’s the pure raw and powerful energy emanating from within him that I find most attractive. Because just by standing next to him, I get the sense that his word is always the last spoken and his wishes the first ones to be fulfilled. He doesn’t ask, he demands. He doesn’t hope, he expects.

He’s quiet for a moment; his uncanny eyes hold me captive as though they are baring my soul to him and I hate it. I tighten my hold on the crystal flute. I want to look away, but I can’t. The way he’s staring at me makes me want to squirm.

“I wonder … do you have one?” he asks softly before turning to examine the piece of jewelry once more.

“A what?” I ask, momentarily stunned.

He smiles. “A price.”

“For the right amount … I just might,” I say quietly, my heart beating so fast it feels as though it wants out of my chest. As soon as the words leave my mouth, there’s no shock coursing down my body, no rolling waves of shame pulling me down for having said that to a complete stranger—nothing.

And why should there be? I am who I am.

I’m staring at his profile, waiting for him to acknowledge my answer, when a breeze of cool air floats past us, making me shiver. About to chase the goose bumps on my arm with my hand, I watch as he slowly turns to look at me, catching me staring at him. Time stands still as I watch him raise his large tanned hand and touch my bare shoulder, his fingertips lightly grazing the temporary small bumps covering it. Then he smiles as if he knows that my skin is tingling from his scalding touch, and looks away.

“I thought so.”

We remain standing next to each other for another minute or so, the distance between us almost nonexistent. It would be so easy to reach out and hold his hand. The sound of an incoming call breaks the silence, bringing us back to reality.

He takes his cell phone out of the inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket and ignores the call after noting the name of the caller. He lifts his gaze to meet my own.

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. I should go … I’m here with someone,” I reply, not really wanting to leave him just yet.

“Yes, that’s probably a good idea.”

I frown. He didn’t have to be quite so blunt. The stranger extends a hand toward me, holding something in his fingers.

“Here … ”

I open my hand as I feel the edges of what I assume is his business card poke the skin of my palm. “What’s this?” I ask stupidly.

“My business card, of course.”

“Obviously … but why?”

He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Let’s just say that I’m an interested buyer.”

And then he’s gone.

He turns and walks away from me, disappearing into a sea of colorful gowns and black suits. As the sounds of the party infiltrate my ears once more, I lower my gaze to stare at the simple cream-colored card in my hand. Its simplistic and elegant design draws attention to the name printed in bold black letters on the paper.

Lawrence Rothschild.

I smile and let my fingertips trail his name. It depends on what you’re willing to pay, Mr. Rothschild.

Published by Mia Asher

Copyright © 2013 by Mia Asher
3.5 Stars

This is me taking control of my life. This is me becoming whatever I need to be in order to achieve my goals. And, most importantly, I don’t care because when this is over; all my sins will be paid for…and very well.

Allow me to preface my review by saying that I absolutely fell in love with Mia Asher’s writing style. The woman truly has an incredible gift with words. I was captivated by the story with just the first few sentences and I knew it would be unlike anything I’ve read before…and boy was it.

I am selling my soul.
And the sad part is…
I don’t care.

See here’s the thing, my dislike for a heroine is a guaranteed way to ruin the book for me. I have yet to read a book where that didn’t hold true…until this one. The blurb painted an anti-heroine of sorts and that was the main reason I picked this up. Did it deliver on that promise? Well, pretty much.

I’m a gold digger, but I’m also smart. Love fades…or it’s selfish…or unkind…but a diamond, a diamond will last forever.

The blurb is incredibly vague, and that’s a good thing…and also a bad one. Because had I known this was not a standalone and would have the possibility of a love triangle (of sorts), I would never have picked this one up. The mere thought of a love triangle sends me into a cold sweat, and it’s always hard limit for me. Even an implied love triangle makes me stabby

After finishing it, i can definitely tell you that I’m GLAD I didn’t know about that because I would have missed out on an AMAZING book and a fantastic author! The reader isn’t really introduced to a love triangle here, but I have a feeling that come next book it will definitely be there and be a hell of a whammy. Let me clear up what I mean by love triangle, though. There are NO dual love interests. It is very clear who Blaire truly has feelings for. There is also no intermingling of relationships and no cheating. One happens right after the other. However, for me, when a heroine has more than one sexual interest in a man, meaning there’s 2 men vying for her “attention”, I view it as a LT. Though not in a traditional sense. So if you’re like me and hate LT, I highly recommend you give this one a try because it’s not all it appears to be.

Love is selfish.
Love is unkind.
Love hurts.

Blaire is a gold digger. She’s gorgeous, shallow, and almost soulless but at the same time intelligent and highly intriguing. She is a product of her childhood and has learned the tough lesson early on that love isn’t for everyone nor is it forever. And who needs love anyway when money can give you so much more?

To say that Blaire is unlikable wouldn’t be true. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not exactly going to give you the warm and fuzzies but there’s also a redeemable factor to her…it’s just buried very deep. Used to sending men to their knees with her beauty and opening her legs to the right wallet size, she never sees it coming when a man that is the polar opposite of what she looks for manages to capture her attention…

I adored Ronan. He’s sexy and sweet and one of the most endearing heroes I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. But this is also where the book took a negative turn for me; the introduction of someone else.
But that is all I can tell you about the plot. You’ll have to read it yourself to learn the rest.

So why not 5 stars?
The ending
This is a short, read it in one sitting, type of read. Personally, I didn’t feel that a cliffhanger was essential to the story at all. It could have easily all been resolved in one longer book. There are some stories you read and you can clearly see why it needed the cliffy and the extended story, but this just wasn’t the case for me here.

While, I understand that the way Blaire constantly describes herself and justifies her decisions that it was all leading to that. And I suppose that’s also part of what didn’t quite work for me? The predictability of it. I saw it coming a mile away, and yet like a train wreck I just couldn’t seem to look away.

At this point however, I have no idea where the story may head. And that equal parts intrigues and enrages me. And I’m hoping for the sake of my sanity that the wait for book 2 isn’t too long.

But my small quibbles aside, this was still a great read. Mia Asher is definitely an incredibly talented author and it’s clear with every word that the woman can write a book that will grab you by the throat and make you feel. Whatever that feeling is, is objective to the reader, but any book that manages to bring out such a range of emotion is definitely one to take note of.

My name is Mia Asher.

I’m a writer, a hopeless romantic, a wanderer, a dreamer, a cynic, and a believer. And, oh yes…I might be a bit crazy – but who isn’t?

Win a Signed Set of A Broken Love Story (Arsen & Easy Virtue)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: