Review: Church. by Stylo Fantome

July 20, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

CHURCH.
Series: Church #1
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Author: Stylo Fantome
Release Date: July 20, 2018

A broken girl.

An unusual boy.

A beautiful face that hides a dark secret and an ugly past.

Sealed lips which hide wicked words and dangerous thoughts.

She would kill for him to love her.

He just wants to kill.

Maybe, if Emma Hartley prays hard enough, Church Logan can make both their wishes come true.

Fuse, meet match.

warning: if you have triggers – this story will touch on a lot of them. This book is a psychological thriller, 65,000+ words.


AMAZON

Maybe this whole time, I should’ve been looking for someone as fucked up as me. Maybe two broken pieces can be glued together to make a whole.

Holy hell. I mean holy hell! These might be the most fucked up characters I’ve read in a long while. Or ever. I’m still trying to figure out how I felt about them. But what I do know? Is days after finishing, I’m still thinking about it. And that certainly stands for something.

First of all, this is a psychological thriller. So if you’re going into this expecting a dark romance with an anti-hero that you’ll love to hate but still has some redeeming qualities and it’ll be sunshine and unicorns shitting rainbows at the end? Well, my friend, I’d check your delicate sensibilities at the door and forget about it. You won’t be finding it here.

What you will find are characters that are definitely missing their moral compass. As a matter of fact, they don’t even know what a moral compass is.

He’s magic. He’s the devil. He’s inside me now, in my blood, in my brain. Why isn’t he always talking to me? Why isn’t he always looking at me? Why aren’t we together right now? He’s it. He’s my moment that I’ve been waiting for. He’s the greatness I’ve been missing.

I don’t want to tell you too much about the plot or the characters, because I don’t want to ruin the suspense of it. And let me tell you, this book is full of it. It’s twisted and full of twists with an undercurrent of something so dark, you’re almost afraid to name it. It’s like Charles Manson meet Natural Born Killers sort of twisted.

Church was an enigma that I wanted to peel the layers off until I got to the very twisted core of him and knew all of his secrets. This is a character unlike any I’ve ever read if I’m being perfectly honest. And I flip flopped between being intrigued by him and being seriously disturbed…and then back to intrigued. This book fucked with my damn head. Which certainly speaks to the author’s talent for creating characters that will do that.

So why a lower rating? As much as I was intrigued by these characters, I also struggled to connect with them. I can’t even put my finger on what it was exactly, but something kept me from being truly invested in them. But even with that, I couldn’t stop myself from reading, and that definitely says something. With this being the first book in what I’m assuming will be a duet, perhaps that additional foundation will come a bit later, and this was just setting the scene and throwing the hook before the reader is reeled in. I fully reserve the right to change my rating once I see how it all concludes. But for now, I’ll tell you that it’s one hell of a unique story unlike any I’ve read before. If you’re looking for something dark and twisted, this is definitely that.

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Geri’s Review: Scoring the Player’s Baby by Naima Simone

July 4, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SCORING THE PLAYER’S BABY
Series: WAGS #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Naima Simone
Release Date: July 9th 2018

 

After a divorce from her cheating football player ex, PR whiz Kim Matlock would rather drive a pine tree through her walled-off heart than work at the Seattle Wedding Expo.

And the last thing she expects is to be grabbed and kissed breathless by a hot giant of a man looking to fend off a stalker.

She doesn’t want emotional entanglements, but she can’t say no to one scorching night with the sexy stranger.

To her shock, she finds out afterward that a) he’s a pro football player, aka her kryptonite, and b) she’s pregnant.

But nothing could have prepared her for his response…

 

AMAZON

I’ll give you whatever you ask for. Use me in any way you need to erase those shadows in your eyes.”

One of the things that I really like about Naima Simone’s books are her characters. She writes hot-as-sin heroes and gorgeous, accomplished heroines. Scoring the Player’s Baby is no different. It’s a fun, sexy read with a lot of heart.

Ronin Palamo is living a life most men could only dream of. He’s playing for a championship caliber team and he doesn’t lack female companionship. He has it all. But it doesn’t take long for readers to notice that Ronin is hiding a deep wound. One that makes him wary of love and relationship. He doesn’t want it or need it. Or so he thought.

His resolve was tested when he meets Kim Matloc. Like Ronin, Kim is hiding wounds of her own. She was cheated on by her ex-husband who also happens to be a football player. She also issues with her birth father who basically abandoned her and her mother as a child. This makes Kim not trust men in general. She armored herself so no one could ever hurt her again.

I liked Ronin a lot, but I LOVED Kim even more. She’s a successful woman who is constantly underestimated by people. Except for her half-brother, Kim has been hurt by the men in her life and I did not blame her a bit for disbelieving Ronin.

It took me awhile to warm up to Ronin. This is mostly due to personal preference. While I enjoy sexy, gregarious heroes, I don’t really gravitate to them all that much. I prefer a grumpier type hero and Ronin is the exact opposite of that. He’s full of personality which can be overwhelming at times. It was when he shows his vulnerable side that he shines as a character. I also didn’t really like the constant reference to ‘being a pussy’ or the ‘man card’ in his POV. It was very distracting.

Despite those things, I enjoyed the banter between Kim and Ronin. I liked how they resolved their issues, and the grand gesture towards the end was really cute. Although, I must say that Ronin’s come-to-Jesus moment felt a bit rushed considering he seemed hung up on his dead ex-girlfriend. The epilogue, however, leaves little doubt in your mind as to Ronin’s devotion to Kim.

Overall, Scoring the Player’s Baby scored a 100 on the hotness scale. If you’ve enjoyed Naima Simone’s books before, you will find plenty of things to enjoy here.

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Review: Stripped by Tara Wyatt

May 18, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

STRIPPED
Series: Blue HEAT #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tara Wyatt
Release Date: May 15, 2018

Detective Sawyer Matthews isn’t just having a bad day—he’s having the worst day. His hunt for the criminal who killed his team member has stalled and now… he’s got to play nice with his new, totally unwanted partner. It’s not that she isn’t qualified, or that he doesn’t like her—it’s because he knows what she looks like naked. So very, very naked.

Brooke Simmons finally landed her dream job working for H.E.A.T, an elite undercover detective squad, and she’s not giving up simply because she had a one-night-stand with her sullen—but undeniably sexy—new partner. They’ll just have to keep it professional. Easier said than done, considering their first case requires Sawyer to infiltrate a drug cartel operating out of a male strip show. Watching him do his best Magic Mike impression every night isn’t just hot—it’s torture.

Sawyer doesn’t need any distractions, yet his attraction to Brooke is explosive and he can’t resist going for round two. Or three. Or four. But as their investigation progresses and danger mounts, they’ll have to put their jobs, hearts, and lives on the line to fight… for each other, for survival, and for justice.

AMAZON

When a hot one night stand turns out to be your new partner for an elite crimefighting unit you’ve been waiting to get a spot on for your entire career? Awwwwwwwkward.

When a very bad date sends Brooke to lick her wounds at a local bar, she doesn’t expect to pass her night with a man that makes her stop thinking about everything. But she certainly doesn’t expect for this man to turn out to be her brand new partner at HEAT, and less than thrilled to see her again. After losing his best friend and partner on duty, Sawyer Matthews’s entire world becomes revenge and catching the criminal responsible for it. Being forced to work with another partner is bad enough, but when it’s a woman he’s fighting an undeniable attraction to? It’s even worse.

Now I’ll be honest, the whole undercover male stripper totally sold me. But this book was so much more than that. As a matter of fact, it was barely a blip on the radar of the entire story. So if you’re planning on reading it hoping it’ll be a whole lot of male stripper action a la Magic Mike, think again. I’m also admittedly not a fan of the MCs having sex so early in the book because often times I find I lose interest in their connection. Luckily that never happened here. There was enough of a slow burn following their initial hookup that kept me fully invested. Even though I wanted to kick Sawyer in the balls a whole lot of times. The man gives brooding and hardheaded a new meaning.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and the suspense part of the story. If I’m being truthful, that kept me more engaged than the romance for the majority of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed Brooke and Sawyer together. But I also couldn’t help but feeling like something was missing for me that I couldn’t quite get my finger on.

Blue HEAT was definitely an exciting start to what looks to be a promising new series, and I for one am hooked. I’ll be on the lookout for book two, and also eagerly anticipating the book for a certain character that had the best hook for ever at the end of this book. I won’t spoiler it for you, but I will say I’m pretty much salivating for his story.

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Review: Knotted by Pam Godwin

May 3, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

KNOTTED
Series: Trails of Sin #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: May 1, 2018

I try to forget her.
It’s impossible.

Growing up together, Conor and I shared all our firsts.
First love, first kiss, first…
Not all our firsts.

We were sixteen the night she was violently assaulted while I helplessly watched.
I’ll never forget the sounds of her suffering.
Or my inconsolable agony when she left Oklahoma.

Years later, she returns to honor our teenage pact.
Except the boy she loved is gone, replaced by a ruthless cattle rancher knotted with secrets.
She doesn’t know my dark cravings or the trails of sin that lead to her.

I don’t deserve her, but one truth remains.
She’s mine.

TRAILS OF SIN series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Knotted #1 – Jake and Conor
Buckled #2 – Jarret and Maybe
Booted #3 – Lorne and Raina

AMAZON

With a hand in my hair and the other on my hip, he bends me into his heat and sets fire to my world.

No matter what she writes, Pam Godwin never fails to bring her signature grit to the stories that make them simply unputdownable. When I saw she’ll be coming out with a brand new series revolving around kinky cowboys, I’m not even sure I took a moment to blink before adding these bad boys to my TBR. And while I should be used to her knack for knocking me on my ass with her brand of emotional grit, I still wasn’t quite prepared for what this story will bring.

I made her believe I let her go. God, if I only could. Nothing will stop me from watching over her, but I can’t have her. I’ll protect her with my life, but I must forget her.

Jake and Conor were childhood sweethearts. The best of friends with an undeniable connection that leads to an unforgettable love. Their fathers frown on their relationship, with Conor’s father forbidding it, but nothing could keep them apart. Along with Conor’s older brother, and Jake’s brother, they’re as thick as thieves. Until what should have been a nigh of stolen kisses and lost innocence turns into a thing of nightmares that irrevocably changes the course of all of their lives.

Forced to watch the love of his life brutally get her innocence stolen while he can do nothing about it breaks something inside Jake. When her father takes her away to Chicago, he knows the best thing he can do is let her go, even if she leaves with his heart and doesn’t know it. Their bond may be broken, their connection now ravaged, but the pact they form after the violence of their evening will never be forgotten.

Years later, Conor returns to the small to honor their pact, but nothing is the same. Jake isn’t the boy she remembers, and their teenage connection is in tethers from the choices he made over the years. But Jake is determined to right his wrongs, and he’s even more determined to protect Conor from a danger that she never even knew existed. He’s going to break through all her walls, even the one she’s built to protect around her heart.

Something clicks inside me, like a turning key. I’ve been wandering aimlessly, so lost and far away from myself. But I just found the door the leads me back. He’s the other half of me, and he holds the pieces that will make me whole again.

Knotted was a slow burn second chance romance with plenty of hidden danger and suspense to keep the reader glued to the pages. It would have easily been a 5 star for me if not for the way Conor’s therapy was handled. I struggled to wrap my mind around the fact that someone that gets brutally raped is able to heal at the hands of her lover that did nothing more than research her condition, as quickly as she did. Yes, Conor has her triggers, and yes it takes her a while to move past them with Jake. But I still found it difficult to suspend my disbelief enough to buy into her being able to move past them through Jake’s form of sexual and mental therapy. I could see it in the long run, maybe, but not as quickly as it happened here.

That aside, I absolutely devoured this story. I was desperate to turn the pages to learn more and more about the mysterious danger, and the Dallas sized drama with Conor and Jake’s families. There’s a delicious hook for Jake’s brother’s story here, but I’m downright salivating for Conor’s brother to get his book. I have a feeling his book will pack one heck of a punch.

Jake and Conor were sizzling together. And while I wanted to hate Jake for how he chose to drive Conor away, I also couldn’t help but understand his reasons behind it. I loved Conor’s strength even after everything she’s faced and forced to endure in her young life.

This is us, wild and incendiary, dancing in the open air like a campfire. Galloping through the pasture against the wind. Soaring over the ridge with falcon wings and marveling at the glory of our life together.

Knotted was a gritty and suspenseful read full of sizzle and mystery. It wasn’t Pam’s typical dark, but it was certainly no walk in the park either. I can’t wait for more in this series!

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Review: Siren Enslaved by Lexi Blake

April 24, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SIREN ENSLAVED
Series: Texas Sirens #3
Genre: Erotic, BDSM, Menage
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: April 24, 2018

Re-released in a second edition with new scenes.

Julian Lodge has everything a man could want. He’s rich, successful and owns the most exclusive club in Dallas. But something is missing.

Finn Taylor has worked his way up in the world from humble beginnings in Willow Fork, Texas. The only thing he still loves in his hometown is Danielle Bay. He never told her he was actually bisexual, and he never confessed his love for her. Now she’s getting married, and Finn is sure he’s lost his chance with the only person he’ll ever love.

Julian’s vacation to the Barnes-Fleetwood ranch brings them all together. After Dani jumps into Julian’s car while fleeing her wedding, Julian knows he has to have her. But nothing is easy in Willow Fork. A danger from Julian’s past threatens them all.

Julian will have to convince both Dani and Finn that being his will be the best decision they ever made.

AMAZON | B&N

Dani was his. Oh, they might yet belong to someone. To Julian. But she belonged to Finn. Always.

These re-releases have seriously become my crack. And Lexi Blake is my favorite dealer. I can’t get enough. I loved finally getting Julian’s story, even if I did want to throttle him for most of the book.

Ever since I got a good peek into Julian’s kinks, I’ve been downright salivating for his book. He’s such a closed off mystery that I couldn’t wait to peel away the layers and find out the true man underneath. He’s also so controlled, downright cold, that you can’t help but know that this front hides something extremely painful and hot blooded. And I was so happy to realize I was not wrong. Julian is an enigma, but he’s not one without a weakness, and he certainly found that when what he planned as his vacation turns into him harboring a runaway bride and the bisexual man that’s been in love with her since they were kids. Sounds delicious? That’s because it is.

Finn has been in love with his best friend, Danielle, for as long as he can remember. Danielle shares those feelings, but has also been convinced that he’s gay since he never disclosed his desire for both sexes to her. When Danielle realizes that the man she’s about to marry is not the one she’s meant to be with, she makes a run for it. Literally. Right into the arms of the first available stranger and his car.

Being the imposing Dom that he is, it doesn’t take Julian long to realize Danielle’s true submissive nature. And when Finn comes after her and finally admits his feelings, it also doesn’t take him long to figure that two submissives does not a happy couple make. But Julian is also too broken to offer anything permanent. And then there’s the added danger of someone clearly being after him.

Siren Enslaved was a deliciously kinky romance full of suspense and sizzling hot MMF loving. I loved Finn’s determination and love for Danielle and Danielle’s backbone and ability to give as good as she got. She may be timid at times, but she’s no pushover. Though I couldn’t help but want to slap her sister each time she made an appearance on the pages. Julian’s aloofness bothered me, however. While I get his reasoning for being how he is, it didn’t make it any less frustrating to experience for the entire duration of the story. I wanted to shake the man and make him finally see reason.

All in all, the ending was satisfying and left me with a craving for the next book. I’m totally addicted to this series and already salivating for Lucas and Lexi’s book.

 

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Review: HOT Angel by Lynn Raye Harris

March 13, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

HOT ANGEL
Series: Hostile Operations Team #12
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Lynn Raye Harris
Release Date: March 13, 2018

A new standalone romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Lynn Raye Harris. Sexy, action-packed, and thrilling!

She’s damaged…

Brooke Sullivan’s carefully ordered existence is spiraling out of control. Two years ago, she was violently abducted by a terrorist group and nearly killed. She’s worked hard to get her life back on track–moving to a new house, changing careers, going on a couple of dates. When she witnesses a murder, she’s plunged into a new nightmare. And as the past threatens to repeat itself, she’s not sure she’ll survive this time.

He’s ruthless…

Cade “Saint” Rodgers never forgot the beautiful girl he talked to at the wedding of his commanding officer. Now she’s in trouble, and he’s the one tasked with protecting her. Brooke is terrified of men like him–a Black Ops soldier for whom violence is a way of life–which makes falling for her a terrible idea. But that won’t stop Cade from using every sensual trick he’s got to make her believe anything is possible if only she wants it badly enough.

Together, they’re combustible…

As danger draws closer, it’ll take all of Cade’s strength–and all of Brooke’s determination–to learn how to let go of the past and trust each other. But it might not be enough. To keep her safe, he may have to let her go forever…

The Hostile Operations Team is a covert military Black Ops unit. Their motto is Where None Dare. H.O.T. operators come from all branches of the military. The only criteria for membership: they must be the best of the best!

AMAZON | iBOOKS

He didn’t know what this woman was doing to him, but he was as helpless to fight it as she was.

I swear, it doesn’t matter how many books are in this series, I will never get tired of it. Lynn Raye Harris is a master at crafting high octane and action packed tales that are brimming with passion and heat. I’m seriously obsessed with her words!

You’ve been nothing but decent to me.”
It was work to contain the inner beast that wanted out. The one who wanted to conquer and pleasure this woman until she couldn’t stand. Until she couldn’t think a single thought except his name. “Just so you know, Brooke… You’re my favorite dirty thought. The first dirty thought of my day and the last in the evening. I imagine you naked, beneath me, surrounding me. What I’m thinking is anything but decent.”

HOT Angel finally brings the story of Cade “Saint” Rodgers and Brooke Sullivan, who you may remember as Grace Campbell’s best friend who gets kidnapped for her association in Hot Ice. Years later, Brooke is still dealing with everything about her ordeal and the internal and external scars it left behind. Her attraction to a lethal soldier like Cade both enthralls and terrifies her. But Cade isn’t at all like the dangerous men that kidnapped and held her. He may be lethal, but all that skills is focused on her protection.

Their connection was a sweet one. At times almost a little too sweet for my personal tastes, but it fit the characters and their romance. Admittedly, the overuse of the Angel endearment grated on me at times, but I also loved how sweet, attentive and caring Cade was to Brooke. I loved watching Brooke slowly but surely get some of her confidence back. The pacing of the story is slow to start, but really picks up towards the end. There’s some action and suspense thrown in to give it that added that bit of spark.

In usual Harris fashion, she gives you a satisfying HEA while also whetting your appetitive for the next book with the last chapter. I’m already salivating after reading that set up, because YUM! All in all, another fantastic addition to one of my favorite romantic suspense series!

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

HOT PURSUIT
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT MESS
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT PACKAGE
AMAZON

DANGEROUSLY HOT
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT SHOT
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT REBEL
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT ICE
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT & BOTHERED
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT PROTECTOR
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT ADDICTION
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

HOT VALOR
AMAZON | MY REVIEW

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Blog Tour, Excerpt & Review: Sky’s The Limity by Elle Aycart

January 19, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SKY’S THE LIMIT
Series: Doomsday Preppers #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Elle Aycart
Release Date: January 16, 2018

Tired of waiting for her big break in the fashion industry, Sky Gonzalez, eternal part-time student and overworked retail drone, quits her job, sublets her New York apartment, and embarks on a semester abroad study program in Paris. Paris! Time to throw caution to the winds and jump-start her dreams. What’s the worst that could happen?

How about getting sent to the wrong Paris? As in Paris-frigging-Minnesota?

Bye-bye career dreams. Bye-bye glamour and haute couture. Hello flannel shirts, mind-numbing cold, zero bars on the cell phone, and socially challenged mountain men with tons of unruly facial hair.

So yeah, let the truck barreling her way hit her, please. Less painful.

Logan should have dodged the little lost waif and kept on driving. Who in their right mind walked in the middle of the road, dressed in white from head to high heels, during a snowstorm? Clueless city girls, that’s who. Sky is all that Logan has gladly left behind: stylish, cosmopolitan, and a massive pain in the butt. He wouldn’t trade a single day in his quirky little corner of the woods for all the high-maintenance beauties the city can offer.

Too bad this beauty has been deemed a health hazard and quarantined in his house. Damn his doomsday-prepper neighbors and their paranoid emergency protocols. Now he has to keep Sky in and the pandemic squad out until the roads are clear. The question is, will that happen before or after Sky realizes she’s under house arrest?

Ah, the best-laid plans…

AMAZON | iBOOKS | KOBO

Logan addressed the pandemic squad up on the platform. “Sorry to break it to you. This is a free country. You can’t go quarantining people at will.”

“Wrong. Exactly because this is a free country, we can.”

There were some mumbles of agreement from the crowd, “That’s right” and “You got it” and “Try to stop us.”

“We live in a democracy. Let’s take a vote,” Carol suggested. “All in favor of quarantining Patient Zero, please raise your hands.”

Everyone, including a smirking Ty, raised their hands.

“Oh, come on,” Logan grumbled. “Really? You serious?”

“Motion accepted,” Carol said, wrestling the gavel from the mayor and banging it on the podium.

“Besides, Patient Zero doesn’t have to know she’s been quarantined. Just keep her indoors by any means necessary until she gets better.”

“Or she kicks the bucket,” somebody chimed in.

Nuts. The whole bunch of them. Down to the very last one.

“She’s not Patient Zero, people. Her name is Sky and she’s got the flu, damn it. Not Ebola. Just a common, garden-variety flu.”

“By our calculations, Patient Zero has been here almost twenty-four hours. We’re late on containment,” Carol said.

Logan shook his head in dismay. Man, like talking to a wall.

“You had her hidden away for a whole day?” Ty asked impishly.

“She was just sleeping on my sofa.” Logan realized his mistake right away and turned to Carol and the rest. “You are not burning my sofa. Are we clear?”

Whether it was clear or not, Logan didn’t know, because Carol ignored his words. “And we’ll be monitoring you,” she added while the rest nodded. “At the slightest indication you’re sick—”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll quarantine me too, and if I don’t get better fast enough, you’ll shoot me and cremate my remains.” Along with the damn couch, of course.

Carol rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly.”

“Yeah, don’t be silly,” someone interjected. “We’ll autopsy you before that. Dissect you into tiny pieces.”

Jesus fucking Christ. Why couldn’t his neighbors have been the gearheads prepping for solar flares that would fry the grid? More kumbaya. Less ready to dissect.

“This is all your fault, Megan,” he said to his sister, who was sitting two rows behind him. “Couldn’t you have moved somewhere else? A normal fucking place?”

She just laughed. “You heard the lady. Keep Patient Zero indoors—by any means necessary.”

“Ha. Ha.”

“What? Skills too rusty to keep a woman indoors?” she asked.

“I can help,” Ty added. “Is she pretty?”

Gorgeous, actually. Big, dark eyes. Olive-colored skin. Delicate features. But that was beside the point too.

“Fuck off, both of you,” Logan muttered. Raising his voice, he addressed the crowd again. “You’re certifiable. All of you.”

“I totally agree,” Carol said. “We give you far too much leeway. Look at how flexible we’ve been about your toxic contaminants.”

I knew you were kinky. Bearded men always are.”

Sky’s The Limit was a quirky, cute and sweet romance with just the right amount of sizzle and plenty of laughs. It was nothing like I expected and a total step away from what I’m used to from this author, but an entertaining and satisfying read nonetheless.

Where had she gone wrong? She’d had a nice, comfortable city life. Friday meant cosmopolitans, sexy clothes, and a fancy date with dinner and dancing. Hot sex if she was lucky. Now? She was in the middle of nowhere, getting ready for an evacuation drill, her mascara down her chest, her hair a mess, and her clit hurting like a bitch from not coming. No dinner. No dancing.

A paperwork error switching Sky Gonzalez’s Paris, France internship to Paris, Minnesota is bad enough. But then her car breaks down in the middle of No Name, Minnesota in a snow storm and lands her smack dab into survivalist territory. Meeting a bunch of kooky people prepping for the end of the world is one thing. But living amongst them as she tries to figure out her next step? Well that’s a whole different thing entirely.

Enter bearded sexy guy that offers her a solution to her problems by allowing her to crash at his house. But how can she trust a man that the locals refer to as the Alchemist? And the inconvenient attraction between them certainly doesn’t help matters.

This was a slow paced, character driven story that admittedly didn’t keep me riveted to the pages. Don’t get me wrong, it was cute and entertaining, but it also wasn’t something I had a problem putting down. I enjoyed the kooky side characters and the even kookier town. I enjoyed the slow burn romance between Sky and Logan. I even found myself googling all the beauty hacks Sky had up her sleeve throughout the story. Logan was an equal amount of sweet and sexy. He’s definitely got his share of baggage courtesy of his pretentious ex wife, but he was still the perfect amount of swoony.

While I can’t say this was my favorite book from the author, it was definitely intriguing enough to have me read the rest of the series. If you’re looking for something different, light hearted, and with plenty of bearded sizzle, definitely pick this one up.

After a colorful array of jobs all over Europe ranging from translator to chocolatier to travel agent to sushi chef to flight dispatcher, Elle Aycart is certain of one thing and one thing only: aside from writing romances, she has abso-frigging-lutely no clue what she wants to do when she grows up. Not that it stops her from trying all sorts of crazy stuff. While she is probably now thinking of a new profession, her head never stops churning new plots for her romances. She lives currently in Barcelona, Spain, with her husband and two daughters, although who knows, in no time she could be living at the Arctic Circle in Finland, breeding reindeer.

Elle loves to hear from readers!

elleaycart@gmail.com

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub

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New Release & Review: Small Town Siren by Lexi Blake

January 9, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SMALL TOWN SIREN 
Series: Texas Sirens, Book 1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Menage
Author: Lexi Blake writing as Sophie Oak
Release Date: January 9, 2018

Re-released in a second edition with a prologue and three new chapters.

Two cowboys looking for love…

Jack Barnes and Sam Fleetwood met in foster care. Over the years, they’ve become best friends and partners. They share a business as cattle ranchers and a house. There’s only one thing missing: a woman to share. The men are sure they’ve found that woman when Abigail Moore arrives in their small town, Willow Fork, TX.

A woman trying to find her place in the world…

Abby left her hometown twenty years before under a cloud of scandal. She’s raised a daughter, forged a new life for herself, and is ready for the next phase when she meets the handsome cowboys.

One small town that’s ready to explode…

They’re a dream come true—Jack is the sexy Dom, and Sam the playful lover. It’s everything she’s ever fantasized about. There’s only one problem. She’s still not welcome in Willow Fork, and someone is willing to kill to keep her away.

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The door to the women’s room slammed open. Abby practically jumped, ready to beg whoever was walking through to give her some privacy. Jack filled the doorway with his presence.“You can’t come in here, Jack.” She smoothed down her uniform and swept back her hair, trying to retain as much dignity as she could.

“Why not, darlin’? I am going to admit that I’m not a man who tends to let things like social conventions keep me out of a place I really want to be in.” Jack walked right up to her. The man really wasn’t big on personal space.

Sam walked in and closed the door. He leaned with his back against it. One boot rested negligently against the painted pink door.

“Sam, tell him he can’t come into the women’s room.”

“You’re the one who chose the venue for this particular conversation, Abigail.” There was nothing vaguely resembling a joke in Jack’s voice now. Abby looked to Sam for help.

Sam shook his head. He was grinning like an idiot. “Hell no, honey. You’re gonna have to learn that when Jack gets that hard edge to his voice, he means business. Besides, I’m happy with the way things went. Thank you, baby. You made this so much easier. Jack was talking about dating you and treating you like a lady. That was gonna take forever. It’s much simpler this way.”

“What’s simpler?” Abby was unable to keep the trepidation out of her voice.

“Taking you home, taking you to bed, and showing you where you belong,” Sam replied with a wink.

“Where do I belong?” Abby couldn’t take her eyes off Jack. There was a simple smile on his face that held a wealth of arrogance. He’d been serious. He really had been playing the gentleman. Abby got the feeling she was about to get a full dose of Jack Barnes, and damned if she wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Always between me and Sam.” Jack reached out and put his hands on her shoulders, his expression intense. “Tell me you don’t want us, Abby, and I’ll walk away right now. I won’t bother you again.”

“Don’t give her ultimatums.” Sam sounded a bit desperate. “I thought we’d give her a taste before we forced her to make a decision. Baby, why don’t you let us play around a little? I promise you’ll want us.”

She looked up into Jack’s forest-green eyes. They were very serious as he stared at her. His hand came up to cup her face. He forced her to look at him and Abby felt his will. It should scare the crap out of her, but she found it amazingly sexy. This was a man who would always keep his promises, no matter what it cost him.

“She already wants us.” Jack brushed his thumb across her mouth. It was all she could do to not open her mouth and suck his thumb in. “She just needs to admit it. Can you tell me you haven’t spent the last few weeks thinking about this? Thinking about you and me and Sam coming together in bed?”

“No,” she said. Jack’s eyes flared, and she felt compelled to continue. “I have thought about it, but I’m scared.”

The time for honesty was here. She could run, and they would probably accept her decision. She could give in and enjoy the sex and walk away. Or she could ask for what she wanted. She could be brave and tell them what she needed and what she was scared of. If she did that and it all fell apart, then she would have to forgive herself. She’d learned that one of the great joys of maturing was learning how to forgive herself.

“What are you scared of?” A deep crease appeared in Sam’s forehead. He walked up to her and leaned forward. “Honey, we want to take care of you. We don’t want to hurt you.”

She felt tears pricking at the edge of her eyes. Everything in her was screaming for that to be true. She wanted them. She craved them.

“You could be lying to me. You could want to make me look bad.” She could hear her teenaged self in the statement. She felt every bit as vulnerable as she had then. The last month she’d spent with these two disparately different men had been one of the best of her life. Every evening they’d spent together over the last month had made her want them more. More than once, she’d fantasized about them sweeping into the diner and carrying her away. Lately, when things went wrong, her first thought was to call Jack. Now that her fantasy seemed to be coming true, she didn’t trust fate.

Jack’s hands came out and soothingly rubbed the back of her neck. He hadn’t stopped touching her once. “Sweetheart, why would you say something like that? Why would we want to make you look bad?”

“Because the Echols family wants me out of town.” Her heart soared when she saw the complete confusion on their faces. They couldn’t make that up.

“Are you talking about that crazy old biddy who runs the church socials?” Jack seemed to struggle to place a name with a face. “She always looks at me funny.”

“Ruby. That’s her name.” Sam frowned. “She’s real unpleasant to me. Why would we do anything for her? For that matter, why would she care that you’re in town?”

Hope swelled inside her. They really weren’t gay, and they really weren’t working for Ruby Echols. If that was true, then she had to assume they wanted her. It suddenly didn’t matter that they were in a bathroom in a public place. She couldn’t wait to feel their mouths pressed to hers. It wasn’t forever. The universe didn’t work that way, but she could have this moment. She could have a few weeks with them.

“It doesn’t matter. Kiss me.”

“Which one?” Sam asked.

Abby continued to smile, looking from gorgeous man to gorgeous man. “It doesn’t matter, but one of you should kiss me.”

Jack’s eyes never left her face. “Sam, take care of that door. We wouldn’t want anyone walking in.”

Sam cursed and bemoaned his fate, but he walked back and took his previous position.

Jack took Abby’s face in both his hands. “I’m completely crazy about you, Abigail Moore.” He leaned over and finally, after what seemed to Abby like a lifetime of wanting, pressed his mouth to hers.

Abby felt helpless against the onslaught of desire that rocketed through her as Jack took her mouth. He plundered it, his tongue gently forcing its way in and dancing strongly around hers. She held on to his lean waist for dear life as he slanted over her mouth again and again. He poured his will into her and everything inside her responded. She felt that kiss in her pussy and already she was slick and warm. Jack’s hands reached up and pulled at the band that held up her hair. He set it free and pulled back to look at the mane of auburn locks he’d unleashed.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Jack breathed almost reverently as he stroked her hair. In that moment, with Jack’s green eyes looking at her like she was some goddess he was worshipping, Abby felt gorgeous.

“Why don’t we take this home, people?” Sam’s voice was tight. Abby looked back at Sam, and his blue eyes were dark with passion.

He wanted to go home so he could join in. He wanted to have his turn. The thought should have turned her off, but all it did was get her hotter.

Jack’s lips turned up in a lazy smile. “You’ll have to forgive Sam, darlin’. He’s always so impatient. Always has been.” Jack suddenly lifted her up and set her on the counter. He looked back at his friend with great affection. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve told him that anticipation is the best part?”

Jack’s hands pushed up the skirt of her uniform.

“Anticipation is damn frustrating, Jack. And I’ve been anticipating for weeks,” Sam complained.

She wanted them, wanted them in a way she hadn’t wanted anything in a long while. It was like someone had flipped a switch and her black and white world had suddenly shifted to vibrant color.

As a long time fan of Lexi Blake, I’m ashamed to admit I never read her books published under Sophie Oaks. So when I saw that she’ll be revamping these books for a re-release, I eagerly jumped at the chance to read them. I live for this woman’s words. She writes some of the most addicting and sizzling erotic romance and I’ll never get enough.

A sexy menage romance? SIGN. ME. UP.

I love the small town setting and the set up is certainly intriguing. A beautiful young girl from the wrong side of the wrong tracks falls for the wrong boy and it costs her everything. Shunned from the town she grew up in, forced to leave her beloved mother, pregnant and alone, Abigail Moore makes a life for herself outside of her hometown. Twenty years later, she’s back, but she’s not the same scared girl she once was. And while many of the town folks are less than thrilled to see her again, two men are more than intrigued.

Jack and Sam may have had a similar life, but they couldn’t be more different. Sam is sweet, with a quick smile and his heart on his sleeve. Jack is broody, intense, and a man of few words. Sam falls for the beautiful Abby as soon as he sees her but Jack takes some convincing to realize that Abbi wants exactly what they have to give.

In a small town setting, you’d get exactly what you’d expect; nosy towns people, a snooty matriarch that despises Abbi beyond reason and will stop at nothing to drive her out again, and plenty of great secondary characters.

The menage hints towards an MMF though it never quite….gets there. I’m assuming we’ll get more in the future books. While I loved Sam’s character and easy going nature, I found him to be a little underwhelming sexually. He wasn’t quite beta, though he was definitely not an alpha. Jack certainly balances things out with his quiet intensity and I loved the notes of BDSM we get in the story.

Now admittedly, had I read this even two years ago, I probably would have rated higher. As it was, I enjoyed this story immensely but it’s not something that blew me away. It was good, if not slightly predictable, and sizzling hot. I wish we would have gotten more of the MM relationship in this one, but I’m thinking that may be further fleshed out in the next book.

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 

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Review: A Cruel Kind of Beautiful by Michelle Hazen

December 12, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

A CRUEL KIND OF BEAUTIFUL
Series: Sex, Love, and Rock & Roll #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Michelle Hazen
Release Date: December 4, 2017

If you can’t get to the Big O, can you get to the happily ever after?

Jera McKnight loves music, swoons for hot guys, but sucks at sex. Jacob Tate is her perfect storm: a pun-loving nude model with a heart as big as his record collection.

When a newspaper-delivery accident lands him in her living room, he’s almost tempting enough to make her forget she’s never been able to please a man—in bed or out of it. Sure, he laughs at her obscure jokes, and he’ll even accept a PG-rating if it means he gets time with her, but he’s also hiding something. And it has everything to do with the off-limits room in his apartment.

Jera pours all her confusion and longing into her drum kit, which pays off when her band lands the record deal of their dreams. Except just like Jacob, it might be too good to come without a catch.

She doesn’t know if her music is good enough to attract a better contract, or if she’s enough to tempt a man like Jacob to give up his secrets, even if they could fix her problems between the sheets. But if this rocker girl is too afraid to bet on herself, she might just end up playing to an empty house.

Fans of Alice Clayton’s Wallbanger or Kylie Scott will love this addictive new series because of its quick sense of humor and adorable found family. Click now if you want to instantly escape into the world of Jera and Jacob’s romance.

AMAZON

I let all the air slide out of my lungs. When his scent rides in on my next indrawn breath, I let go for the first time in a long time.


This was a new to me author that hooked me with the blurb. I’m a sucker for a good rocker romance, especially if it has quirky writing and humor to beat. After finishing, I can tell you three things:

1. This author is clearly immensely talented and I’ll most definitely be checking out all of her future releases.

2. The plot was incredibly unique and unlike anything else I’ve read. I love a story that’s different from the norm, and a cookie cutter romance this is not.

3. The blurb did this book a disservice by comparing itself to Kyle Scott or Alice Clayton. I found nothing quirky or overly humorous about the story. But the thing of it is, it isn’t a bad thing. It WORKED for this story. But it’s also unfair to compare this book to the work of those two authors because it’s not similar in the least. At least in my opinion. I wouldn’t go into this expecting laugh out loud moments, goofy situations, and quirky moments.

Energy floods through me, and I can’t remember a thing about playing it safe. I don’t know if the beat grounding me is his heart, or mine, or maybe just the bass from the speakers. Right now, I love them all.

What I really appreciated about this story, is the realness of the characters. Jera and her “issue” is sure to strike a cord with plenty of women, myself included. Who hadn’t thought there was something wrong with them because they couldn’t reach that pivotal moment easily during sex? Jera’s problems seemed so genuine and real to me, I felt for her. Even when she was frustrating the hell out of me and I wanted to shake some sense into her, I felt for her. I loved her camaraderie with her band members and their tight bond. But most of all, I loved watching her slowly melt for the boy that she never saw coming.

Jacob was….well he was….EVERYTHING. This is no typical cocky alphahole. He was just a genuinely nice, sweet guy. But even though he wasn’t your usual alpha flavor, he was still all alpha. Just a nice one. He cared for Jera. He wanted to take care of her, to be with her, and he had no problems working to prove it. I adored this man. Everything that he’d been through and everything that he’s still going through formed him into one incredible person and I couldn’t get enough of him.

While I didn’t find the story all that humorous, it was very engaging, though at times slow paced. It’s a character driven story, so the slow pace makes sense. I didn’t have that glued to the pages feeling, but I also was engaged enough to keep reading and curious to see how it all comes together.

If you’re looking for something different and unique, you really can’t go wrong with this story. I know I’m definitely hooked and will be reading the rest of the series when it releases.

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Blog Tour Review & Excerpt: Cherish Hard by Nalini Singh

November 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

CHERISH HARD
Series: King Of Code #1.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: CD Reiss
Release Date: November 14, 2017

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh kicks off her new Hard Play contemporary romance series with a sizzling story that’ll leave you smiling…

Sailor Bishop has only one goal for his future – to create a successful landscaping business. No distractions allowed.

Then he comes face-to-face and lips-to-lips with a woman who blushes like an innocent… and kisses like pure sin.

Ísa Rain craves a man who will cherish her, aches to create a loving family of her own. Trading steamy kisses with a hot gardener in a parking lot? Not the way to true love.

Then a deal with the devil (aka her CEO-mother) makes Ísa a corporate VP for the summer. Her main task? Working closely with a certain hot gardener.

And Sailor Bishop has wickedness on his mind.

As Ísa starts to fall for a man who makes her want to throttle and pounce on him at the same time, she knows she has to choose – play it safe and steady, or risk all her dreams and hope Sailor doesn’t destroy her heart.

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ÍSA WONDERED WHAT THE HELL she was doing.

Being a devil woman, she reminded herself. Having fun for a change. Not being a grandma at twenty-eight years of age.

Still, she couldn’t stop second-guessing herself as Sailor led her out of the house through a side entrance that opened out into a small, manicured garden. “I’ll have to take off my heels,” she whispered when she saw the pebbled path snaking through the garden.

“Want a piggyback ride?” A playful grin. “I promise not to molest your thighs.”

Goose bumps broke out over Ísa’s skin, her nipples tight. Reckless as she was feeling tonight, she might just have taken him up on his offer if she hadn’t been worried her damn dress would split in two. “Maybe when we’re naked,” she said instead, Devil Ísa in full flower.

Groaning, he doubled over as if she’d punched him.

Her lips twitching despite the melting sexual heat liquefying her bones, she leaned down to slip off her heels.

Sailor waited, his hand firm around hers, until she was done. Taking the heels from her, he carried them in his other hand as Ísa padded beside him on the grass that lay on this side of the pebbled path. The path ended at a weathered wooden gate, which, when opened, put them at the top of a narrow walkway that led down onto a beach Ísa couldn’t yet see but could hear.

Her heart crashed in time with the waves as they made their way down to the beach while the mansion behind them pulsed with light and music. But she didn’t turn and run away, she didn’t stop and talk herself out of it, she didn’t attempt to be a sensible adult. She followed a gorgeous, blue-eyed man down a dirt pathway to an effectively private beach.

The sand that had been tracked onto the path was gritty under her feet, the air coming off the sea cool but not cold.

“The water’s going to be icy, isn’t it?” she whispered to his broad back.

“Don’t worry, spitfire. I’ll keep you warm,” was the deep-voiced response. “Stop here.” Jumping down to the beach, he reached up to grab her by the waist, swinging her down as if she were a featherweight.

Something fluffy and mushy came to life inside Ísa. “Here?”

Shaking his head, he said, “Raj told me there’s like a little cove area—not a proper cove, but caused by— There.”

Ísa saw it at once. A huge tree had fallen into the water at some point and smashed up against some rocks where it appeared to be stuck. Between the jutting rocks on either side and the fallen trunk was a naturally created pool. The water within it was pretty calm, and it looked as if they could get to it by clambering over some rocks that didn’t appear too sharp or slippery.

Of course, she’d be walking over those rocks naked.

Ísa looked up at the moon. Imagined it shining on the stark white of her body. Gulped. “Will you close your eyes while I go in the water?” Even Devil Ísa wasn’t up for blinding him with her glow-in-the-dark form.

A glance back. “What’re you going to bribe me with?”

Ísa scowled. “Not pushing you into the water right now.” It was a toothless threat given his muscles and her lack of them.

Rubbing his jaw, he said, “Three tongue kisses. That’s my price, and I’m not budging.”

Ísa wanted to pounce on him all over again. “Two,” she countered.

“Nuh-uh. Three. Or I’m keeping both eyes wide open.” Leaning in, he pressed his nose to hers. “I really want to keep my eyes wide open.”

And Ísa really wanted to kiss him and run her hands all over that sculpted chest. “Three,” she whispered.

 

Copyright © 2017 by Nalini Singh

Cherish Hard is an insanely sweet but very sexy romance between an older heroine and younger hero, which I loved!

Nalini Singh has always excelled in writing great heroes-in-pursuit tropes, and in this book, Sailor is a great example of a hero in pursuit of a woman who caught his eye. He is easily the best part of this book for me.

He’s determined to not only prove that he can get his business off the ground but to prove that his love for Isa isn’t just a passing fancy.

Sailor Bishop is Gabe’s brother but this story took place before the events of Rock Hard so we see a bit of Gabe during his rugby playing years, which I appreciated. A lot.

But the star of the book is Sailor. He’s an amazingly sweet and considerate alpha hero. And I would recommend this book base on that alone.

That said if you’re looking for a high-conflict, angsty romance, then this book won’t be for you. Cherish Hard is light on conflict and drama but it doesn’t skimp on the sexy times. The sexy times in this book is A grade, and I was a huge fan of it.

I would’ve rated this book higher if not for one huge issue for me. I didn’t find Isa particularly interesting. Don’t get me wrong. She’s very sweet and nice and a really good person. She sacrificed so much for her family. And despite being born rich and privileged, her childhood was lonely which contributed to her insecurities and fears. She is on paper, the perfect heroine but I was personally bored with her character. I found her best friend, Nayna, a lot more interesting.

I don’t dislike Isa, it’s just that she didn’t really capture my attention. She’s okay but her character didn’t wow me.

Despite that, I did enjoy this book and I’m looking forward to reading more of this series. I’m hoping we’d get a Nayna book and maybe another Bishop brother? God, I hope so.

Nalini Singh is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series. She lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing.

If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts and free short stories on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. The Rock Kiss books are all stand alone and can be read in any order.

 

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