Review, Spotlight & #Giveaway: #EcstasyUnbound by @SETTAJAY_

As one of the twelve Guardians of the Realms, Urian has spent the last several centuries in a constant battle to keep the inhabitants of Earth’s Realms under control. Humanity needed to evolve, hell beasts needed to die, and Immortal races needed mates. Unfortunately, he found that he cared less about duty, and more about when his sexy voyeur would again grace the shadows to watch as he and his brother Guardian shared one of the human females frequenting the club. All Guardians were forbidden contact with the little goddess and her brothers, but his need for her was escalating. He found it more difficult than ever to keep from pinning her face down on the nearest surface, and making her his.

Alexandra and her brothers have avoided exile from the human Realm for centuries, ever since the Creators sent the Gods to sleep for their sins against humanity, and banished the Immortals. She has always known that she was needed on Earth. Only once had she gone against her instincts and the price she paid will forever haunt her. It is for that reason she forces herself to stay away from the only male that has ever truly enticed her. The only one that has ever made her flesh heat, and her stomach quiver with desire.

In desperate need to help her beloved brother, she will have to go to the enthralling Guardian, her dark obsession. He is her best hope to get the help she needs, even though he would surely attempt to exile her. She won’t go easily…

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And grab the prequel novella : Hidden Ecstasy for free on Smashwords
I’m always excited when i find a new PNR author that I like. PNR is the genre that got me reading, so I hold a special place in my heart for it. It also means I’m picky as shit when it comes to my books LOL! I was really blown away by this debut novel by Setta Jay. I’m completely sucked in and cannot wait for the next book in the series. Huge rec from me 😉
 Review
3.5 stars
3.5 Stars
Keep eating me up with those eyes, little goddess, and I’ll be so deep inside that hot little pussy you won’t remember what you came her for.

With a title and cover like that, you have to wonder how well a book will deliver on the erotic element that’s promised. In the case of this book book, no worries are needed. Ecstasy Unbound starts out with a bang, and concludes with one too. I’m sure you get my drift here…

But dirty in the most delicious way, of course.

Being the first book in a series, it’s always a concern for me if the world building and story will suck me in enough to keep me interested to continue with the series. In the case here, the answer would be a resounding HELL YES. Setta Jay takes a new and very interesting spin on the Greek gods lore. You get a little bit of everything, gods, demons, hell hounds, immortals. And while there is quite a bit of world building that takes place, it never got too wordy for me. It did take a while for me to wrap my head around all the different details and gain an understanding, but that’s to be expected with the first book in a series.

If you’re expecting a PNR novel with some steam, that’s not quite what you’ll get here. This is an EROTIC novel, and being that there are some HIGHLY erotic scenes; menage, voyeurism, the works. Which was right up my pervy little alley. I love me my smutty smut.

I do have to warn you that there is a rape scene that some may be uncomfortable with. It was detailed and quite graphic, yet the way it was done left me unsure how I feel about it. I’m not sure how to best describe it, but while it was rape, it wasn’t a violent one.

There was the “mate” element that you get in most PNR books. But what I enjoyed here, is neither Alexandra nor Uri fight their connection. Setta managed to throw in some undeniable sexual tension, steam, and build a believable connection between two characters without settling for a case of insta love or an overly drawn out angsty “she may be my mate but I don’t want her” situation.

There were several characters that were introduced, but it wasn’t overwhelming or too wordy. It was just enough to give the reader a little crumb and leave you wanting to know more about them.

Of course this being a first in a series, it wasn’t without a few kinks. (Pun intended)

But I digress…

So what didn’t I like?

The overuse of words like ‘ liquid heat’ and ‘core’. I don’t mind it a few times, but it does tend to grate on me when authors get too creative with the sex scene lingo. It’s an erotic novel, ‘pussy’ will do 95% of the time.

The very graphic rape scene. It left me feeling confused. I seriously didn’t know how to feel after reading it.

The fact that the 2 men were obviously not big on the rape thing and attempted to make Sam enjoy it…I don’t even know. I’m still trying to figure out how I felt about it. (UPDATE: the new version of the book has a different version of his scene)

Other than that, I did enjoy this. I’m definitely hooked enough to continue with the series, especially with that little teaser in the end for Gregoire.

I’m also hoping to get more of Sam and Alexandra’s brother, Erik in the next book too. Their story really tugged at my heart strings, and I’d love to see them get their HEA.

So if you’re a fan of erotic PNR, with fantastic world building, sexy Guardian warriors, and enough action to keep you reading well into the night…then definitely give this book a try.

I’m already in pervy anticipation for the 2nd book. Fingers crossed it will be Gregoire’s.

***ARC courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review***

About the Author
The sad truth is that I’m not nearly as entertaining as fiction. Sigh. I am a thirty-six year old stay at home writer, thanks to my incredibly supportive husband. We’ve been together for twelve years and I still love waking up next to that sexy man. We lost our furry child recently, so we are childless at the moment. Our whole world revolved around her. Needless to say, I love animals, especially dogs. Okay, maybe not all animals, I’m not a super big fan of monkeys. Any animal that throws their feces kind of eeks me out. I may, or may not, have a problem with candy. I love any research that leads to Neiman Marcus’ online shoe department. Spreadsheets give me way more happiness than they should. I love to read, the dirtier the better. It all started with the naughty historical romances by Judith McNaught that I devoured as a teenager. I love reading about hot, sexy alpha males and heroines that are smart enough to live.
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ARC Review: Marine for Hire by Tawna Fenske

She thought she’d sworn off military men for good…

Sam Kercher is every inch a wickedly hot Marine. Tall. Sexy. Lethal. When his best friends call in a favor, Sam is forced to face an entirely new line of duty—playing nanny for their newly divorced sister and her squirming seven-month-old twin boys. If Sam can dissemble an M16 in his sleep, diaper duty should be a cakewalk…right?

Unfortunately, Operation Nanny isn’t quite that simple. Sheridan has sworn off overbearing military men, so Sam must protect her from her dirtbag ex without revealing just how much he has in common with her brothers. Or that he’s been ordered not to touch her. Ever. Problem is, Sheri’s one hell of a gorgeous woman, capable of making this hard-bodied marine even harder. And Sam wants her bad.

Protect the girl. Care for the babies. Hide his identity. And keep his handsoff. But even the most disciplined Marine has weaknesses…and Sheridan is one Sam might not be able to resist.

3.5 Fun and Sexy Stars

Ladies, meet Sam Kercher

A rough, rugged, handsome Marine…
and manny?
Yep, you read that right. A sexy marine manny is what you’ll be getting here.(That’s a male nanny, if you’re not familiar)

Tawna Fenske is a new to me author, and after reading this book, she is going straight to my authors to look out for list. I was in the mood for something a little sexy and cute and this definitely delivered. The entire time I was reading it was like a Romantic Comedy was playing in my head, and I loved that. This book had everything, great characters, sexy marines, funny best friends, laugh out loud moments, and steam steam STEAM!

One of my favorite parts was the banter between Sheridan and her best friend Kelli. I was giggling like an idiot through most of their conversations.

Sheridan is recently divorced after her douchebag of a husband cheated on her with a stripper.

And I’m especially glad your douchebag ex is gone.” She frowned. “Was that too insensitive?”
“Please. I spent three years married to Captain Insensitive. At this point you could tell me to go fuck myself and I’d feel giddy someone’s talking dirty to me.

Being a mommy of twins isn’t easy. So when her brother Mac offers to help her find a nanny, she’s quick to agree. Struggling with being a working mom, Sheridan fears that she’s not quite up to par as the other “normal moms”. What if the nanny ends up being better with her kids than she is?

What if they love the nanny more?”
“Impossible. You’ve got great tits.”
“Thank you. Exactly what every woman wants to be appreciated for.”
“You know what I mean. For-uh-nursing and stuff. Not that your nanny won’t have tits, but yours are dinner. You win.

So the last thing she expects when the nanny shows up is that there are no tits, but a great set of pecs. And the body and face to be attached to it is sexy as hell. Can’t say I blame you, Sheridan. The more I read about Sam, the more my libido would go

Sam has been attracted to the gorgeous brunette ever since he first stumbled into her at a party years ago. He’s not surprised she doesn’t remember him from back then. But the attraction between them now is certainly simmering.

Are you trying to drive me insane, or do you genuinely want me to throw you across this table and fuck you ’till neither of us can stand?”.

Hmm..let me think on that for a minute, Sam.

I appreciated the slow build that the author gave to their attraction. I’m glad that they didn’t jump into bed together right away. Rather the sexual tension was built to the point of boiling and when it finally did happen? Well damn. No complaints from this girl.

There were many laugh out loud moments, particularly a part when Sam has to change one of the twins but doesn’t have diapers. There was even a little suspense thrown into the mix with Sheridan’s ex harassing her.

This was an entertaining read, though nothing I would see myself going back to. I did enjoy it, but there were some parts that had my interest waning a bit.

The set up for Mac’s book already has me sold. I’m already hoping that it will be Kelli that brings this sexy and mysterious Marine to his knees. I’m definitely looking forward to all future books from this author. And if you’re looking for a fun and sexy read, you really can’t go wrong with this one.

**ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Lisa’s Review: The Fine Line by Alicia Kobishop

High school senior Liv Evans has one rule: No attachments. She’s lost enough in her life and has vowed to do whatever it takes to make sure she never again feels the emptiness of losing someone she loves. Boys are a fun distraction, but a serious relationship is something she’d rather live without. Her determination for a future free of pain and heartbreak is put to the test when she meets–and quickly forms an unexpected bond–with Logan Tanner.

Logan has always been a free spirit, but ever since a life-changing event took place, which left him doubting the integrity of those who are closest to him, he’s taken that term to a whole new dangerous level. Learning the hard way that life is too short for worries or work–and that women can’t be trusted–Logan has exchanged steady work for street racing. When Liv walks into his world, everything he thought he knew about life and women is challenged.

In The Fine Line, Liv and Logan will discover if it’s possible for true love to have a future, or if history is destined to repeat itself

Lisa’s Review

3.5-4 RACING STARS.

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What a roller coaster ride, if you’re looking for a story with plenty of up’s and down’s then look no further, this story has more drama than your average day time soap opera. I think I may have a bad case of romantic whip lash. Call me silly but this book was actually beyond addictive it certainly had it’s fair share of eye roll worthy moments but I’m actually looking out for more from this debut author … Here are the rest of my ‘The fine line’ book thoughts …

What’s it all about?
Olivia Evans has seen it all; heart ache, pain, death and relationship misfortune. From an early age she knew she didn’t have any choice but to protect her heart from the one thing that could break her. Olivia does all that she can to stay away from relationships and the possibility of love. This lifestyle choice suits her well until she meets Logan Tanner, a dangerously attractive car racer who instantly grabs her attention and threatens to break down those walls around her heart. Logan and Olivia quickly become firm friends but when friendship starts to feel like it could be more, Olivia has to learn how to follow her heart and allow herself to break her own rules.

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What did I like?
This author certainly knows how to deliver on the edge of your seat drama and enticing high school first love, I have to say I didn’t find this story the least bit predictable. The twists and turns were enjoyable, albeit a little over the top but the story from beginning to end had me glued to my kindle anxiously awaiting what would happen next to Olivia and Logan. The characters certainly had their own shining moments Logan and Olivia were interesting to say the least and I was drawn in by their attraction and chemistry, I enjoyed the car racing theme to Logan’s character development and the additional tidbits of history of the characters slotted in well running alongside the main love story theme. One thing I can say is hand on heart I fell in with with Logan he is unforgettable. The storyline had a well thought out and interesting beginning, an upside down, back to front, round and round middle and a heartwarming, perfect conclusion ending. I read this book in one sitting and not once did I want to put it down.

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Why not five?
As with some similar books in this genre the plot tended to verge on the slightly ridiculous, the drama teetered towards over the top and yes, sadly I had some issues with the heroine, Olivia. I can already predict that for some readers this plot will drive them crazy with it’s back and forth drama and relationship indecision but for me overall the author played it well. It was well written and strangely addictive but didn’t have that unforgettable feel of a five star read.

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Final thoughts …
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I will always reach out for a stateside high school drama, I just have a thing for reading about this story type. Alicia Kobishop has delivered a well written NA genre book that I’m convinced will keep most lovers of this genre entertained. If you like drama mixed with a push and pull love story then this might just be your next fix … Go grab it readers. Enjoy, kisses.

Review: Love and Lists by Tara Sivec

Love and Lists (Chocoholics, #1)Love and Lists by Tara Sivec

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Love and Lists is the first book in the Chocolate Lovers spinoff – Chocoholics: The foul-mouthed offspring tell their stories.
Twenty-five-year-old Gavin Ellis has always had the love and support of his family ever since he was a little boy and couldn’t stop talking about his penis. He’s also always had their unsolicited advice and uncanny knack of embarrassing him at all costs. Now that he’s an adult and trying to convince the love of his life to love him back, things haven’t changed very much from when he was younger.
When Gavin’s best friend Tyler suggests he make a to-do list of items that will ensure he wins the girl, Gavin is one-hundred-percent on board: after a few six packs.
After puking in the shrubs, a bad experience with Viagra, a Sex-Ed course gone wrong, and a slew of other mishaps courtesy of his family and friends, Gavin is pretty sure this list will be the death of him.
Sometimes, trying to make someone love you with a list isn’t always the best idea. Especially when “Show her your penis” is the first “to-do” item…

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She has no idea that every time I’m within three feet of her my penis perks up like a meerkat when it hears a noise. It’s fucking Meerkat Manor in my pants.

So have you ever sat there and thought to yourself, I wonder how many times the word penis can be used in a book? No? That’s just me? Really? Huh. Well I’ll bet you’re curious about it now. Let me appease your curiosity then. 83.

So remember the mouthy little shit, Gavin, from the Chocolate Lovers series? Well, he’s now a grown up mouthy little shit. He’s also secretly in love with his best friend, Charolette, who happens to be the daughter of his mother’s best friend. There’s just a few tiny problems with that. Biggest one being that every time Gaving gets near Charlotte

But not to worry, because he has plenty of help from his family and friends.

There’s his mom and her friend, Liz


“You should buy her flowers.”
“Or jewelry. Women love getting jewelry.”
“I never cared much for jewelry. I was happy if he just remembered to put the toilet seat down.”
“True. Put down the toilet seat. Ooooh, make her a mix tape! Those are always fun.”
“Nineteen-eighty-five called, they want their idea back.”
“Suck my dick.”

There was Gavin’s best friend, Tyler

I’m pretty sure I’ll never look at My Little Pony the same after him.

Then there was my favorite, Drew

 


Quick, what are the ten erogenous zones on a woman? GO!”
“GAAAAH! Fuck! Um, neck, lips, feet, inner thighs—”
“BZZZZZZZZZZ. WRONG, FUCKER!”
“What? Those were totally right. And I wasn’t done yet,” I argue. “Those are wrong. Want to know what the ten erogenous zones on a woman are? Number one: vagina. Number two: it doesn’t fucking matter if you’re touching her vagina right!” Uncle Drew shouts. “You are a disgrace. Your mother should have swallowed.”

And of course what would it be without Jenny


Gavin, you have a girlfriend?! Oh my gosh that’s so exciting! I have condoms in my purse if you need them. They’re the kind with insecticide so they totally work,”

I laughed like a crazy person throughout the entire book. But while I thought it was cute and funny read, I never really found myself connecting all that much with Gavin and Charlotte. I think maybe the two of them as a couple kind of got lost in the hilarity that was the rest of this book. That’s what ultimately made this less than 5 stars for me.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, hilarious read, you know you can never go wrong with a Tara Sivec book.

ARC Review: Jagged by Kristen Ashley

Jagged (Colorado Mountain, #5)Jagged by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars







Book Synopsis

An old flame rekindled . . .
Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn’t interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara’s lost her business, her marriage, and she’s barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara’s plight, he’s on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.

Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham’s faced his own demons, and he’s learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he’s meant to live. So when he hears that Zara’s having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he’s a changed man.

My Review

3.5 Why am I craving ham all of a sudden stars

I’d walked away from the love of my life. And he let me.

“Cookie, pay attention. I’m gonna give you everything.”

 
See that fidgety crazy person twitching away in that gif? Well that’s me right now (well, minus the penis and the cartoonish look; but you get the idea). Why am I like this? Because this is my least favorite kind of review to write; a book I neither loved nor hated. It was just OK.

I’ll be honest, when I saw that Graham will be getting a book next, I wasn’t exactly crazy excited

Don’t get me wrong, I will read anything that Kristen Ashley writes. I mean the woman can probably smear poop on a page and I’d buy it. I’m THAT much of a fan. Maybe it’s because I’ve been dying to finally get Frankie and Benny’s book so any book that gets priority before them is going to upset me? I dunno. But the point is, I really went into this book with zero expectations, except for the fact that it’s a KA book and that is enough for me.

So what did I think? Well Therein lies the rub, I’m not really sure what I though. I didn’t love it, nor did I hate it. There were things that I liked, and then again things that I didn’t. So let’s start with the good.

What I liked

Graham Reece. It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for the assholes. So of course at Graham’s first asshole speech to Zara, my first thought was

I swear, my happy place would get a tingle at his every scowl, growl, and general assholishness. Then he would have these incredibly sweet moments, and I just loved him all the more. Plus this description of him just sealed the deal for me.

Yeesh, didn’t know a bear matin’ with a human could create somethin’ that divine but there it is. Proof.”

The steam. No one can write a love scene quite like KA. And let me tell you, when Graham got down to business…he got it done.

What I didn’t like

The friggin nicknames. I am all for endearments, I love them, they’re cute, sweet and just add to the mood. But when I’m reading a book, or more specifically a love scene, the last damn thing I wanna be thinking about at the same time is food. So explain to me, why every single time I would crave cookies or honey glazed ham. Seriously. I’ve read a lot of different nicknames in book, some bad, some good, some plain awful. But I’m pretty sure that takes the cake. No pun intended…well maybe a little.

The man’s name is Graham Reece, and he goes by Reece to his friends. Why not stick with that? Why in the hell would Zara call him Ham? Does that instill sexy thoughts for you? So safe to say that this nickname did NOT work for me.

So what did Graham call Zara? Well, I guess we are sticking to food groups because she was Cookie. Now maybe if Graham had a different nickname, then I wouldn’t have batted an eyelash at Zara’s…but as it was, all I could think of every time I read it was

Don’t ask me why. I’m weird like that. But I guess I felt that Zara got the short end of the stick on the endearment department considering that Graham called Feb “Beautiful”. ‘Cookie’ just sort of paled in comparison for me with that.

I feel like people going into this book with great expectations will not really enjoy it as much. It did not feel like a typical Kristen Ashley book, or at least not to me. I went into it expecting nothing, so I did enjoy it. Aside from the few aforementioned things. I’ve seen a few reviews touch on the fact that the past few KA books have been shorter in length. I don’t really have an issue with this. Yes, they are shorter in comparison to some of the books she released when she self-published, but she’s releasing books at an amazing pace. So I have zero complaints. Plus it had KA’s amazing epilogues, which I have come to absolutely love.

Did I like it? Yes. I got my KA fix, although a slightly watered down one. Will I be re-reading it? Probably not.

So I believe I’m done with my rant here. I’m off to stalk Kristen Ashley’s website for more updates on Frankie and Benny’s book. I’m pretty sure I’d be willing to part with an ovary at this point to get their book sometime soon. And I thank you.

ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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ARC review: Game for Trouble (Game for it #2) by Karen Erickson

Game for Trouble (Game for It, #2)Game for Trouble by Karen Erickson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Book Synopsis

He’ll play dirty to get what he wants… 
Willow Cavanaugh would be happy if she never saw cocky football star Nick Hamilton again. Sure, their fling was the hottest she’d had, but he’s way too much of a playboy to settle down with one woman. Plus, she’s got her heart set on a piece of real estate for her catering business—and Nick owns that property. 
Nick may be at the top of his game, but all he wants is a second chance with Willow. When he offers to sell her his commercial space if she agrees to a series of dates with him, their chemistry is so scintillating that jumping back into bed seems like an inevitability. But Willow’s decided all’s fair in sex and blackmail. 
Little does she know, Nick’s playing to win…and she’s the prize.

My Review

3.5 stars
For once in her life, she wasn’t going to weigh the risk. She was going after what she wanted. And what she wanted more than anything was Nick.

For those that don’t know, Karen Erickson is the pen name for the fabulous Monica Murphy. And while I love, absolutely LOVE Monica Murphy books, her writing under Karen Erickson is quite different. Not that that’s a bad thing. It’s what I like to call Brazen-y. 🙂
I truly enjoyed Game for Trouble, I just didn’t LOVE it.

When I initially read the book synopsis, I pictured Nick a bit different in my head. I read ‘cocky playboy’ and my mind just goes off on a tangent. Don’t get me wrong, he was still sexy as sin, but not so much cocky as he was almost mopey for parts of the book.

Years ago Nick and Willow were a couple that burned up the sheets. Then something happens, and Nick leaves her with a broken heart to pursue his football career.

Now he’s back and Willow is fining him hard to escape what with his friend and team member, Jared, being married to her best friend.

Nick knows that he made a huge mistake leaving Willow, and all he wants now is a second chance and he’s not above blackmail to get it.

Willow was a character that I liked at some parts and wanted to shake in others. She was spunky and wasn’t afraid to tell Nick where to stuff it. But I thought she was almost a bit too hard on him at times. I realize that she was hurt when he left, but Nick was obviously trying his hardest to make it up to her and she would always jump to the worst conclusion with him.

I read this book in one nigh, though I did find myself skimming through some parts I got slightly bored with.

It was a cute romance, but for me it was missing that something extra. That little oomph to make it a 5 star read. My 2 biggest quibbles were with the ending. BE AWARE: SPOILERS BELOW, highlight to see.

  1. 1. The marriage proposal after such a short courting came off a bit cheesy for me. I understand that Nick and Willow already had history together. But they were only “together” now for a just a few weeks (if not less?) And it was rocky at best. It just didn’t seem very realistic to me. But then again, I always have a problem with instant engagements.
  2. 2. I wanted a little more closer with Willow, her father, and Nick. It didn’t feel finished to me. I wanted some sort of resolution. Especially with what her father did to Nick in the past, and Nick proposing to her now.

[The marriage proposal after such a short courting came off a bit cheesy for me. I understand that Nick and Willow already had history together. But they were only “together” now for a just a few weeks (if not less?) And it was rocky at best. It just didn’t seem very realistic to me. But then again, I always have a problem with instant engagements. (hide spoiler)]

Aside from those two things, I did enjoy the book. It was a quick, cute, and steamy, although predictable and fluffy read. And while it wont be going on my keeper shelf, I still liked it.

If you like sport romances with sexy heroes, steamy love scenes, and spunky heroines, definitely give this one a go.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Madeline Abducted by M.S. Willis

Madeleine Abducted (The Estate, #1)Madeleine Abducted by M.S. Willis

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Book Synopsis

She was meant to be his destruction…
A pawn played in a perilous game between father and son…
Yet, her strength was more than either man could imagine. 
As Maddy learns to save herself… 
She becomes the one thing that could set the son free.
Madeleine Clark was raised to become a concert cellist. Sheltered and naïve, she remains hidden behind her music, a protection from the world around her. On the night of her first solo performance, Maddy accepts the admiration of a stranger and finds herself captive in a cruel and twisted power struggle between a sadistic father and his son, Aaron.
Seemingly dangerous and uncaring, Aaron manages the business operations of his father’s estate. Wanting nothing to do with the slaves kept at the Estate, Aaron refuses to take part in the deeper depravities of his father. Despite his resistance, Aaron’s father ‘gifts’ him with a petite, brunette woman he can’t refuse. 
A bond forged in conspiracy and deceit, Aaron struggles to save Maddy by teaching her to survive in the world in which he’d been raised. An unlikely union, Aaron soon learns that great strengths can exist within small packages, while Madeleine learns that love and light can exist in the darkest of places.

My Review

3.5 Very Dark Stars

There was light in him, one so bright it could illuminate the entire night sky if only it wasn’t covered over by the shadow of his darkness.

Well…hell. This book…Damn. I struggled with my rating on this one. There were things I loved, things that disturbed the ever loving fuck out of me, and a few things I could have gone without. I love a dark romance, and this book definitely delivered on that front. This is not an easy read by any means. It’s dark, gritty, disturbing, somewhat erotic, and not a book I’ll be forgetting any time soon. The author does not play around. She tells you exactly what you’re in for with the epilogue.

Madeline is a talented yet an incredibly sheltered young cellist. When her talent catches the eye of a certain man, her life takes a dark twist. She is taken from the only life she knows, and is thrown in to a den of vipers where depravity, violence, and brutality become her new surroundings.

Taken by a madman and given as a gift to his son for his 25th birthday, Maddy finds herself in the middle of a deadly game of power. While her new Master might not be quite as evil as the man that kidnapped her, she knows that he’s just hiding a different type of darkness.

Aaron is The Estate executioner. While he doesn’t blink an eyelash when meeting out death, he’s inexplicably drawn to Maddy’s innocence. While his brutality is the key to keeping her alive


I promised you pain for pain, Madeleine, and it only makes my cock harder when you fight back. Keep writhing beneath me, it’ll only help me along as I fuck your body and as I fuck your mind.”

The man that he hides beneath the violence and death seems to come out in her presence.


Dream of me, Maddy. See me as I want to be; not the nightmare who torments you, but the devoted and mystified man who worships at your feet.”

I loved Aaron. While he was not a white knight, he still had this soft side to him. It didn’t come out very often, but when it did…*sigh*


I’m not a good man, Maddy. I’ll never be a person worthy of you, of the beauty and light you provide to this world. I kill, I steal, I lie and I cheat. I take pleasure when I bathe in the blood of another man’s demise, when I watch the life drain from their eyes as they die. I enjoyed you as well, Maddy, not when I had to hurt you, but when I took things from your body that weren’t mine to take. I’ve done nothing for you, Mouse, nothing but what I wanted to do.”

But then again, I always do seem to go for the tortured and broody ones.

I loved the author’s writing style, it was almost poetic at times. There was a flip side of it for me though. I felt it was a bit much at times. There was almost too many descriptive sentences. I lost count of the many different ways that Aaron’s green eyes came across. It was a bit much for me. At times it almost read like a historical to me. I struggled to remember that this is set in a modern setting.

The brutality. I am not a virgin to dark and gritty reads, but some of the scenes in this book disturbed even me. The event that takes place at 89% for instance. It takes A LOT, and I do mean A LOT to truly disturb me, but fuck…that scene still fucking haunts me.


The romance. This took a while to really get into. It took a backseat to a lot of other things that were developing in the first half of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting instant Stockholm here. This is not really a complaint, but I do feel it necessary to mention.

Aaron’s background. We didn’t get much except for little hints and words. This is a continuing series, so maybe it will be covered in the future books.

Aaron’s father. Holy shit! Holy fucking shit! I have never…and I mean never spent so much time picturing killing a fictional character in quite such brutal fucking detail as I did here. The man was a sadistic asshole. The things that he did…Holy shit…just holy fucking shit. This book had some of the most brutal and descriptive scenes I have read in a while (And I’ve read and loved Captive/Seduced in the Dark, SKALS, and all of Madeline Sheehan books. I’m not exactly a fucking innocent here). I was left gaping, reeling, and so fucking disturbed I almost felt like I needed to take a break after reading those scenes. FUCK!

On a lighter note, I loved that even though Maddy was innocent, sheltered, naive, and in an impossible situation, she still came across as strong. Aaron was a great hero as well. My heart broke for him and his struggle. He tries so hard to protect Maddy from the brutality of The Estate, and when he failed at certain times, it was heart breaking.

In short, although this wasn’t quite the amazing 5 star read it was to many of my GR friends, I still enjoyed it thoroughly. With the little peaks the author gave us of Xander, I cannot wait for his book next.

Buy Links

Spotling Tour and Review: Dangerous Desire by Annie Seaton

Dangerous Desire BCC:

A desperate search…
Schoolteacher Gracie James has never seen more danger than her Kindergarten classroom, but when she goes searching for her missing sister, she’s thrown into a world of sex, crime…and passion. Following a hot lead, she sneaks onto a stranger’s boat—and gets caught. Their one-sided conversation convinces her of two things. One: the guy is seriously sexy. Two: he knows something about her sister. Oh, yeah. And did she mention he’s sexy?

And a sizzling attraction…
Jake Alexander, former cop, is staking out a yacht brimming with criminal activity, for an insurance company, when a woman, dressed to kill and totally irresistible, stumbles into his dangerous undercover op. If he hadn’t tackled her, she’d have tottered straight onto the questionable yacht in those ridiculous high heels. Then she’d be dead. Or worse. As much as he’d like to kick her off his boat, he can’t risk her going off on some hare-brained scheme—but he can’t keep her around to muck up his job. Oh, yeah. And did he mention she’s distracting as hell?

Lead to dangerous desire…
Unfortunately, she has a keen mind of her own. And a body any man would die for. Jake’s attempt to keep Gracie safe quickly morphs into a reluctant alliance. And a whole lot more… But Gracie finds herself knee deep in more trouble than she bargained for, with secrets revealed and the criminals coming after her. Unless they find a way to trust each other, they’re finished. Oh, yeah. And did they mention they’re in love?

Book Excerpt:

In the dim light coming through the small hatch, sheer terror filled her expression. Wide-eyed, she lay on her back half under the table, pulling her dress down to cover her bared thighs. He held out his hand and she looked at it for a long moment, before placing her trembling hand in his. Pulling her to her feet in the narrow space, he braced himself on his good leg for balance. Her soft breasts pushed into his chest as he pulled her up and he jumped as a jolt of desire shot straight to his groin. 
He put his hand on her shoulders and tried to ignore the reaction of his body, disgusted with himself.
Christ, she’s got eyes as wide as rabbit caught in a spotlight and I’ve got a hard-on? I’ve been on this job too bloody long.
What he had to do was ignore his reaction and find out what she was doing on his boat. All his instincts were screaming she had something to do with what had been going down on the Midas and she wasn’t going anywhere till he found out.

My Review:

“I can’t get you out of my mind, Gracie. Ever since you stepped 

onto my boat in that sexy, red dress you’ve been in my blood. 

I’m a sucker for a steamy Romantic Suspense, and when I read the blurb to this book I was sold. Add in to that mix the gorgeous setting this book is set in, and you have a recipe for a fantastic story. Right? Well…almost.
Unfortunately, there were just a few things that kept this from being a 5 star read for me. Let me start with the things that I loved. 
Jake. He was just what I like in my heroes; broody, slightly broken, and sexy as sin. As much as he tries to fight his attraction to Gracie, I loved reading him inevitably fall for her.
The suspense. I’ve seen some reviewers call it a bit anti-climactic. I don’t agree. I had my suspicions, but the author managed to completely surprise me with where she took it. I did not see that ending coming at all. 
So what about it didn’t quite work for me? The heroine. I’ll admit, I tend to be extremely picky when it comes to MC. Particularly so with the heroines. Romantic Suspense is a genre I read quite a bit, and my expectations have been set pretty high at this point. Unfortunately, Gracie really did not rise up to the challenge here.
I wanted to like her, but never found myself connecting with her. I didn’t feel her actions matched her personality at all. She’s supposed to be somewhat boring and innocent, yet at one point in the book she comes on to Jake and uses sex to get what she wants. This did not add up to me at all. She was all over the place. She’s attracted to him, and stays with him yet at the same time thinks he might be a criminal? 
Because of my disconnect to Gracie, I never really connected to Gracie and Jake as a couple. As much as I loved Jake, I did not love them together. Gracie was all over the place with her behavior that she drove me up the wall. So the progression of their relationship didn’t seem natural to me. They have this instant attraction, yet she never fully trusts him. She has sex with him, but still thinks he’s involved in criminal activity. 
While the revelation in the end did catch me by surprise, I also felt that it wrapped up too quick. I would have liked to get just a little bit more.
As far as my rating:
Hero: 4.5 stars
Heroine: 2.5 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Steam: 3.5 stars
I will average my rating to a solid 3 stars. I think I would have loved this book had it not been my dislike of the heroine.
The one thing that really peaked my interest was Annie’s sister. I would absolutely LOVE to get a book for her. Given the information that we get at the end of this book, I feel like that would be a book I would be ALL over.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

Annie Seaton Bio:

Annie Seaton lives with her husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats in a house next to the beach on the east coast of Australia. She sits in her writing chair, gazing at the ocean and writing stories.  Their two children are grown and married and she loves spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling her two grandchildren. She has always been fascinated by all things romantic and has found her niche in life writing romance novels, ranging through contemporary, historical, suspense and paranormal…but all with romance of course.

Her love of reading and history began at an early age and she was a child who always carried a book (or two) no matter what she was doing. Several of her favourite books were confiscated from beneath her desk by teachers who had no understanding of her capacity to read while she was doing her schoolwork!

Her working life has seen her through several major career changes and Annie has now retired from the world of full time work and has fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a published author.

Annie’s debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and has been a best seller on both Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. The sequel Italian Affair was released in June 2013, and will be followed shortly by Outback Affair. Annie has more books being released in 2013 and 2014 with Entangled Publishing in the Bliss, Entangled Ignite and Covet imprints.

In appreciation of the supportive author community, Annie has written a book on promotion to share the secrets of her success: Promotional Tips and Tricks for Aspiring Authors in the Digital Landscape.

Author Links

Annie loves to hear from readers at: annieseaton26@gmail.com

Review: Consequences by Aleatha Romig

Consequences (Consequences, #1)Consequences by Aleatha Romig

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Book Blurb

Anthony Rawlings had a plan—to teach Claire Nichols to behave.
Claire Nichols had a plan—to survive!
In an unfamiliar bedroom within a luxurious mansion, Claire Nichols wakes to memories of a brutal abduction. All of her recollections have one common denominator, the man she just met—Anthony Rawlings. Unbeknownst to Claire, Anthony has had her in his sights for a long time. Every action has consequences—and his actions resulted in their chance meeting. 
Facing incomprehensible circumstances, Claire must learn to survive as she comes to terms with her new reality—every aspect of her livelihood is now dependent upon the tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed tycoon. Anthony may appear to the world as a prosperous, benevolent, kind businessman, but in reality Claire learns he is also a menacing, controlling captor with very strict rules: do as your told, public failure is not an option, and don’t divulge private information. Failure to follow these rules and more, are met with serious consequences.
In an effort to earn her freedom, Claire learns her lessons well and before long, she unknowingly captivates her captor. Anthony/ Tony reluctantly becomes enthralled with Claire’s beauty, resilience and determination. Their interaction instigates strong emotions, including—fear, anger, love, and lust—as their journey flows into uncharted waters of intrigue and passion. 
From the opening criminal abduction, through the twists and turns, to the unlikely romantic thrills, the suspense climaxes as Aleatha Romig utilizes vivid detail, allowing this novel to unfold like a movie. 
Can you put the pieces of the puzzle together? Claire Nichols abduction wasn’t a random act—did she learn her lessons well enough? Will these unlikely lovers remain true–or will she learn the truth before it’s too late?

My Review

3.5 I’m still questioning my sanity after reading this stars

She made a decision, and that decision would have consequences.

How do I even begin to review this book? What a dark, torturous, crazy, fucked up ride! I’m not sure I’m right in the head after finishing it. I’m not sure I’m right in the head for even starting it? I couldn’t put it down. I looked like one of those crazy people that talked to themselves through the whole thing. I must have been yelling and swearing in 5 different languages throughout the entire thing.

I was going to rate it differently, but after sleeping on it, I decided to go with a slightly higher rating. Why? Because I choose to rate this book as a psychological thriller. And as that…it was fucking fantastic! For those that are reading the labels and expecting an erotic romance or even a romance…well you’re in for one hell of a surprise…when you don’t fucking get it! How this got labeled is an erotic romance is really just beyond me. I will not give you a full review, because there is NO WAY to review this without revealing spoilers. So let me try to sum this up as best as I can without the multitude of book notes and highlights I made. Just straight, fucked up feelings.

TONY

“Good morning, Claire”

AHHH! You sadistic, fucked up, fucking asshole! I hate you! I hate you so much! How the fuck are people Team fucking Tony? HOW?! I’m Team Tony Should Have an Unfortunate Accident. Period. But I digress.

Let me take you on my Consequences experience

20% in

35%

45% in

50-80%-ish

80%

The ending?

Any questions??
Oh you DO have some?

The only reason I took off stars is I had to majorly skim many parts due to extremely lengthy and unnecessary descriptions of clothing brands, trips, things that weren’t too pertinent to the story. It just got way too wordy and lengthy and I found my interest waning in those parts.

This book fucked me up! I will never be the same. I may need intense vodka therapy after finishing it. I’m questioning my sanity for reading it. But what a ride! I’m really hoping for some answers in Truth…but somehow I’m doubting I’d get them…or even like the answers I get. Oh well. I’m off to cleanse my brain and read Truth.

And I thank you

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ARC Review: Bound by Night by Larissa Ione

Bound by Night (MoonBound Clan Vampires, #1)

A WOMAN OUT FOR BLOOD
Nicole Martin was only eight years old when the vampire slaves rose up in rebellion and killed her family. Now she devotes her life to finding a vaccine against vampirism, hoping to wipe out her memories—along with every bloodsucker on the planet. But there’s one thing she cannot destroy: her searing, undeniable attraction for the one man she should hate and fear the most . . .
A VAMPIRE OUT FOR REVENGE
A member of the renegade vampire MoonBound Clan, Riker is haunted by demons of his own. When he recognizes Nicole and remembers how her family enslaved his loved ones, his heart burns for vengeance. But when he kidnaps Nicole and holds her in a secret lair, his mortal enemy becomes his soul obsession, his greatest temptation, and, perhaps, his only salvation—a hot-blooded lover who could heal him with her touch . . . or bury him forever.


She was a human among vampires, but she felt far less alone than she had as a human among humans

I have been a HUGE Larissa Ione fan ever since I read the very first Demonica book, Pleasure Unbound. With her unique and rich world building, amazing characters, and incredibly steamy love scenes, she has quickly become one of my favorite PNR authors.

So when I saw that she plans on coming out with a new series, I didn’t even think before adding it to my auto-buy list. Now that I’ve read it, I’m at a little bit of a loss as to how to rate it. For those that have never read a book by Larissa Ione, I would not suggest starting with this one. I feel like her previous books were much stronger than this one, and you might get the wrong impression of this very talented author.

Bound by Night offers a very unique and different take on your typical vampire fiction. In this world humans have captured vampires for slaves. The vampires go through “reconditioning” and some even have their fangs removed. The non-captured, rebel vampires live in clans.

Nicole Martin’s family’s company is at the top of this particular hierarchy. Her farther owns the company that sells vampires. Until the day where everything in Nicole’s world changes when she is only 8 years old, her family is killed by the very vampires that have served them, and Nicole herself is brutally attacked and barely survives. Now Nicole lives in Paris, and devotes her life for finding a vaccinne against vampirism. She hates vampires with a passion, and her dreams are still haunted by a particular vampire that she has every reason to hate, yet still feels undeniable attraction to.
Riker is a member of the renegade vampire MoonBound Clad. Despising all humans, Riker is haunted by nightmares of his own past. When a mission to rescue a captured vampire brings him face to face with the woman whose family he holds responsible for taking everything he loved, all he wants in revenge.

The book had a bit of a slow start for me. I didn’t really connect with it until past the 50% mark. I really liked Nicole’s character, and Riker was a tortured soul. It took him quite a bit of time to get over his particular biases, where Nicole realized hers pretty early on.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters. Now is it just me or did Myne also remind anyone else of Wrath from the Demonica series? I loved that! I can’t wait for his book.

I enjoyed the world building and the unique take on vampire lore in this. There is one thing that Ione knows how to do well, and that is giving us rich world building.

Although I did not find this to be as strong as her previous books, this was a good start to what I think will be a great series.

I’m also very intrigued by the sneak peak we get into Hunter’s book. I can already tell I’m going to enjoy his book. The set up sounds interesting, and I already love the heroine.

So while I can’t say this was my favorite book by her, it was still a good one.

P.S
The sexy blue eyed hottie in my casting? That’s the actual cover model from the book. As you can see, I completely agree with that choice 🙂

 

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