Review: Chasing Shelter by Catherine Cowles

July 22, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

CHASING SHELTER
Series: Sparrow Falls #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Catherine Cowles
Release Date: July 22, 2025

I came here seeking sanctuary, I never meant to fall for the broody single dad next door.

I’ve spent my life hiding in plain sight, burying my past beneath layers of carefully constructed lies. Moving to Sparrow Falls was supposed to be a fresh start. A place to lay low. But when I end up living next door to the single dad who just happens to be one of my brother’s best friends, everything changes.

Trace Colson sees too much, asks too many questions, and his protectiveness is as infuriating as it is alluring.

And when danger comes calling, it’s Trace who stands between me and the darkness.

But being close to him is its own kind of risk. Because with every heated glance and every stolen touch, Trace tempts me to open my heart, to dream of a life I’d long since given up on. The only problem? Trace has his own demons, and when they collide with mine, the fallout could destroy us both.

Forever.

AMAZON 

You breaking the rules for me, Chief?”
“I knew you were going to be a bad influence.”

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Catherine Cowles books are my happy place. PERIOD. And her MMCs are the blueprint. Because every time I think I meet my favorite, she goes ahead and introduces the next one and I’m swooning head over heels. And Trace? Oh the swoon was so real.

I lifted a hand to her face, my thumb tracking under her eye, the same one that had been bruised yet hidden beneath coats of makeup. “Who hurt you?”

After the events of Beautiful Exile, I was so excited for Linc’s sister to get her story. Her character growth and journey to finding herself and her strength was one of my favorite things about this book. Right after her sassy mouth and immediate connection with Trace’s adorable daughter, Keely.

Don’t worry, Chief, I won’t tell.”
“It’s Sheriff,” I ground out.

Is it really frenemies to lovers when the attraction is there but the stubborn man just refuses to admit it?

Trace is determined to avoid the much too tempting Ellie. Not only does he not have time for women when he’s busy with his job as sheriff and raising his daughter, but she’s also Linc’s sister. But then as fate would have it, Ellie becomes his neighbor and bis impossible to resist.

Can I tell you something?” I asked.
“Anything.”
“I like when you say fuck.”
A low chuckle sounded over the speaker. “Fuck, baby.”

Ellie is determined to find herself outside of her despicable father’s influence and her abusive ex fiancé’s hold. She wants to make a life for herself around what she wants, not what she’s told. But while the small town is a perfect place to start, not every person is welcoming her into the fold. Her father’s legacy is not a pretty one. And when danger starts to nip at her heels, Trace is determined to protect her. And oh Trace, the man you are.

You deserve to be in your power.” His mouth trailed lower, featherlight touches until he reached my lips. And there he stayed, speaking against them. “You deserve someone on their knees for you, not someone forcing you to yours.”

The romance was a delicious slow burn that I loved oh so much. Although there was a point where I thought that if they were going to be interrupted one more time, I may riot. But the burn was so worth it because when they do finally get together, it was deliciously satisfying.

As always, the suspense was a gripping layer that built on top of the romance and made this one unputdownable read. The ending did catch me a bit by surprise and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it for a minute there. But then I love when something manages to surprise me, so can’t complain there.

And did I mention Loli? Because this hilarious grandma is one of my all time favorite secondary characters, EVER.

Hey, what’s wrong with my place?” Cope pouted.
Sutton patted his chest. “You built that monster mansion in the middle of nowhere, Hotshot. It would take twenty officers to surround it.”
“I hope that doesn’t mean you’re insecure because you’re lacking in other departments,” Lolli said, arching a brow.
Cope’s jaw went slack and then his face screwed up like he was a little sick to his stomach. “Did my grandma just insult my dick size?”

I gobbled it up and can’t wait for more. If you haven’t read this series yet, you’re seriously missing out!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: A Royal Mile by Samantha Young

June 19, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

A ROYAL MILE
Series: Return to Dublin Street #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young 
Release Date: June 19, 2025

A steamy enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young.

It’s hard to stay in the friend zone when the attraction is this hot…

Going into my senior year of university at war with a member of the British royal family wasn’t in my carefully laid plans. Sebastian Thorne might be the grandson of a princess, but it’ll take more than a royal pardon to get me to forgive him for pretending to be someone he’s not.
 
But Sebastian is determined to be my friend. Even if it means signing up to a psych experiment just to get me to talk to him. Who knew a sincere apology and him saying my name in that posh English accent would make me weak in the knees?
 
This year was supposed to be about my dissertation and graduate school. Only, Sebastian has thrown my ordered world off kilter. He makes me bolder, more confident. A braver version of me.
 
Yet every lingering glance and stolen touch has me realizing one thing…
 
I’m falling for my best friend.
 
There’s just one problem. Sebastian has demons, ones that make him determined to keep me in the friend zone no matter the cost.
 
And even when temptation sends his walls tumbling down, the beauty we’ve found might not survive against the will of powerful outside forces…

AMAZON

Are you incapable of concentrating?” “I am very capable of concentrating.” He opened the note’s app on his tablet. “I’m going to prove it by staring at your mouth for this entire session as you talk.”

It’s official, I am completely and utterly obsessed with this series. Sam’s Dublin Street series is one of my all time favorites so of course I’m going to be just as obsessed with the second generation spinoff. A Royal Mile features Lily Sawyer, the daughter of Nate and Olivia from Before Jamaica Lane, which is my favorite book from the series. So to say that I was super excited for Lily’s book is a mild understatement.

If you’ve read On Loverose Lane, then you already got a peek into Lily. She’s the painfully shy and introverted to her younger sister’s boisterous personality. But as shy as she is, she’s no pushover, and I loved that about her. We start the book partially into Lily and Sebastian’s story. We know that Sebastian deceived her and she’s not giving him the time of day to apologize. But we don’t yet know why. That gets revealed as the story goes on and I loved the way those flashbacks were interwoven into the story. I also loved the nods and parallels to her parents’ story and I swear you would appreciate it so much having read their book as well. Trust me. But I digress.

Sebastian is determined to get Lily’s forgiveness and once he finally breaks down her defenses, they begin an amazing friendship. But no matter how amazing they are as friends, Lily can’t swallow her feelings for him. Feelings that she believes are not reciprocated.

I’d met my unicorn. The guy who made me feel so comfortable I could talk to him about anything. And yet whom I was so attracted to, I felt like every fiber of my being came alive in a way it never had until him. A bloody unicorn. Yet he didn’t feel the same way. Of course not.

I loved the way Sebastian was with Lily, even when I wanted to shake him for his hard headedness when it came to anything between them. Though, the more the layers get peeled back from him, the more you understand his fierce avoidance of anything beyond a friendship. I also loved Lily’s quiet and unassuming strength. She isn’t shy about putting Sebastian in his place and I loved the way she understood him and his behavior more than he understood himself.

They definitely had their moments when I wanted to shake them both to see reason, but I did love the way they find their way to each other. It was a delicious slow burn full of emotion and angst and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I also loved the way that Lily stood up for herself with her sister, because she had moments where I wanted to shake her too. Though I cannot wait to see the man that is January’s perfect match.

If you’re looking for a swoon, steamy, and highly emotional friends to lovers romance, this one will check every box. The series is now a favorite and I cannot wait for more!

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.

She resides in Scotland.

 

Connect with Samantha

Website: http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/2FWgYdn

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2H47kEP

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSamanthaYoung/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1520019958258238/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsamanthayoung/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorSamYoung

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2D241eO

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/samyoungauthor/

Verve: https://www.ververomance.com/app/authorsamanthayoung

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Just Say Yes by Lena Hendrix

May 12, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

JUST SAY YES
Series: The Kings #5
Author: Lena Hendrix
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
Release Date: April 25, 2025

Getting tangled up with an Olympic rugby player seems like the perfect way to forget about how my life is falling apart. Until I discover he’s my ex-boyfriend’s best friend.

Logan Brown walked into my small town with a charming grin and mischief in his eyes. He’s a world-class flirt and his confident masculinity is almost as distracting as those rugby thighs.

Given my inexperienced history, I’m no match for our undeniable chemistry. I vow to keep him at arm’s length. But with Logan, every lingering stare—every forbidden touch—awakens something inside of me I thought I had buried for good.

We both know we shouldn’t cross that line, but I have spent my entire life being a good girl, and suddenly I’m tempted to be very, very bad.

Especially when Logan tells me to just say yes.

AMAZON

It hit me like a punch to the gut that I wanted to be the only one who ever got to see her like this.

Save a horse, ride a mustached professional rugby player. Or, you know, however that saying goes. Just be prepared to fall and fall hard for the greenest flag that is Logan Brown. And I couldn’t imagine a better match for MJ. Oh the swoon of it all.

You can take from me whatever you want.” My cock. My heart. Fuck, I would have given MJ anything she asked for in that moment.

I have been waiting for MJ’s story and while my expectations were already high, her story still blew them away. I loved the journey to her HEA and it honestly couldn’t have been with a better man than Logan.

When I tell you that this had the cutest and funniest meet cute, I mean it was EVERYTHING. The sparks were instant and Logan definitely manages to step into it with MJ when they first meet. Nothing better than a man who can easily admit when he’s wrong and not afraid to apologize. And I loved the way that Logan pursued her.

MJ is still working through the broken pieces left behind the damage of her ex. But man oh man did I love how Logan showed her what a real man is supposed to treat a woman like. He’s a gentleman in the streets and a beast in the sheets, and I loved him HARD. I also loved the way he handled every challenge, including the surprising connection they find of Logan being the best friend of the ex that put MJ through the wringer.

The book deals with some heavy themes and I loved the way that Lena wrote it with her signature humor without taking away from the darker themes. I loved the growth that both of the characters go through and I loved their journey to a much deserved HEA. A big rec to all my small town romance lovers out there!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged With: , ,

Review: No More Spies by Lexi Blake

April 14, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

NO MORE SPIES
Series: Masters & Mercenaries: New Recruits #4
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: March 18, 2025

Kala Taggart has known she was in love with Cooper McKay since she was a young girl. But her wild-child ways sometimes clashed with Coop’s apple pie, all-American persona. After the worst night of Kala’s life, she decided to give up on having any kind of normalcy. She focused on her future and let the idea of Cooper go.

Cooper knows he screwed up with Kala when they were young, but the adult Cooper is unwilling to let their past rob them of a future. He joins her CIA team not for the thrill of the job but to be close to the woman he’s always loved. He spends night after night with her at the club, trying to fulfill her needs, to prove he doesn’t need some perfect partner. All he needs is her.

When Cooper and Kala are assigned to a mission, they find themselves locked together and forced to face their problems. As the truth of that long-ago night slowly comes to the surface, Cooper has to admit that Kala might be further from him than ever. And all his plans come crashing down as the elusive terrorist they’ve been hunting makes a move no one is expecting, but the real threat might come from within.

AMAZON

I want to be the man you come to when you need, Kala.”
“When I need sex?”
“When you need anything.”

Truth be told, I wasn’t sure how I would like Kala as an FMC. She’s a fun secondary character, but I was worried she may feel like she would be too much as an FMC. I am now humbly eating my own words, but this may have been my favorite book in this series so far.

He’s not the one who constantly gets told he’s too much. Cooper is the athlete golden boy everyone loves, and Kala is the weirdo everyone thinks will go psycho one day. Do you have any idea how hard it is to be the kid no one understands? You don’t have enough, Cooper? It’s not enough to be the most popular kid in school? You have to have her, too? But on your terms.”

Kala has loved Cooper since they were just teenagers. She knew at 15 that he was the guy for her. But the fateful night that Cooper broke her heart is also the night that changed everything for Kala. It titled her world on its axis and years later, she’s still fighting the demons it formed.

But Cooper is no longer the boy she knew. He’s a man who knows what he wants and is prepared to fight for it. And after watching Kala almost die in Sweet Little Spies, he knows that he refuses to waste any more time and he will do anything to get Kala to be his. Even if she fights him at every turn and only agrees on a guise of it being physical only.

But you should know what you’re risking, too.” Every word threatened to shred all her plans.
“What am I risking, Coop?”
“Me winning. You can try to fuck me out of your system, but the whole time I’ll be plotting and planning to find a way that I’m so burrowed in, you won’t ever be able to leave me behind. I’m going to make you love me, Kala Taggart. I’m going to be the one thing you can’t ever compromise on.”

I adored Cooper and the way he fought for Kala. But I especially loved his dynamic with daddy Ian. Ian is a forever favorite character of mine, but him as a protective dad is something else entirely. I just gobble it up.

Tell me you wore a condom.”
Sometimes it was best to be upfront with the man. He sank back into his seat, too. “Nope. I know my last tests came back healthy, and quite frankly, if she wants to baby trap me, I’ll walk right into it. I’ll happily provide logistics for her ops with one of those baby carriers strapped to my chest.”
“Damn it. I want to hate you,” Ian admitted.

There is so much that happens and is revealed in this book that took me completely by surprise. Some of the twists were absolutely jaw dropping. If you were hoping for more Zach like I was, this will make you happy because you get a whole lot insight on the mystery that is Zach. I can’t wait for his book next.

I adored Kala and Cooper together and I devoured this book in two days. It was a fast paced thrill ride with plenty of sizzle and a friends to lovers romance that had a splash of unrequited pining that I absolutely loved.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, BDSM, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Under An Endless Moon by A.L. Jackson

February 10, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

UNDER AN ENDLESS MOON
Series: Moonlit Ridge #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: February10,2025

I should have known I’d break the oath I made when I offered to let my best friend’s little sister move in with me…

She’s the sweetest woman on the face of the planet.

And to my great misfortune, the sexiest one, too.

She’s been living under her brother’s roof her entire life, and she’s ready to spread her wings.

And I’m the masochist who offers she stay at my place until she can find an apartment.

When I hear her having a nightmare, the only thing I can do is go to her. Hold her so she knows she’s safe from her demons.

The second she’s in my arms, the attraction I’ve tried to hide sparks to life. I know better than to push past the boundaries I’ve set for us, but when she begs me to touch her in a way she’s never been touched, I can’t resist.

And with my name on her lips as I send her soaring for the first time, I know there’s no going back.

I’m willing to break every rule and oath I’ve ever made to keep her.

Accept every consequence.

Only she and I have a dark, dangerous history that no one knows about.

And I’m afraid the consequences of loving her have just caught up to us…

AMAZON

You are the light inside of me, Raven. Only thing that could ever lead me out of the dark. Gonna love you through it all. Under every endless moon. And when dawn finally breaks, I will watch you rise.”

Oh Otto, the man you are. This fictional man right here is the reason I read romance. I don’t know how AL Jackson does it, but the woman weaves absolute poetry with her words. She has written some of my favorite fictional men to date, and Otto just jumped all the way to the top of my list.

He’s a man who can bring the sweet:

Gonna write myself on every inch of you.” My teeth clamped down on my bottom lip. “That’s where I want you. Everywhere. In every way. Forever.”

And then follow it up with the spicy:

Good girl,” he choked. “Such a fucking good girl with my cock stuffed down your throat. Like you were meant to do it.”

This is a deliciously gritty and suspenseful brother’s best friend romance and oh the forbidden angst of it all. I loved Raven and Otto’s relationship. Yes, Otto is River’s best friend. But he’s also been Raven’s shelter from the storm. A constant in her life for as long as she can remember and a forbidden fruit for just as long. These two have some painful history and as you get morsels of their backstory fed in flashbacks, you begin to realize just how interwoven these two are.

Raven has wanted Otto for as long as she was old enough to recognize the feeling. And Otto has been fighting it for just as long because he knows he’s not good enough for Raven or what she needs after everything she’s gone through. I loved his quiet support of Raven. The way he just knew exactly what she needed when she needed it. And I loved the way that she fought for him just as hard.

The romance was absolutely beautiful with just the right amount of spice to add the perfect cherry on the top.

There was no forgetting Raven Tayte because no matter how painful it was, this woman was carved on my heart and written in my soul.

Their story was a gorgeous and painful thrill ride of loss and redemption and man oh man did I gobble it right up.

If you’re looking for a book to hook you on Jackson’s writing, you can’t go wrong with this one.

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME, CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART, FALLING STARS, and REDEMPTION HILLS novels. Get her latest enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, NEVER LOOK BACK, available now!

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter https://geni.us/ALJacksonBookClubB  or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Newsletter: https://geni.us/ALJacksonBookClubB

Facebook: https://geni.us/ALJacksonFBB 

Reader Group: https://geni.us/AmysAngelsB 

Amazon: https://geni.us/ALJacksonAmznB 

Bookbub: https://geni.us/ALJacksonBookBubB 

Twitter: @aljacksonauthor 

Instagram: @aljacksonauthor

TikTok: @aljacksonauthor

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: ,

Review: Smooth Sailing by Kristen Ashley

February 4, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

SMOOTH SAILING
Series: Wild West MC #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Ashley
Release Date: February 4, 2025

She lives life to the fullest.

He doesn’t know what hit him. 

Smooth Sailing, an all-new page-turning forced proximity, opposites-attract MC romance from New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley is available now!

When the Chaos Motorcycle Club came to call, Harlan “Hugger” McCain wasn’t ready to be welcomed into the fold. They said he was a legacy. He felt like an outcast. 

But he patched in anyway.

And he was all in to be a part of their not-quite-outlaw missions. 

This takes him down to Phoenix, right into the orbit of Diana Armitage, a beautiful, green-eyed woman with a heart of gold and a scarily honed tendency to sacrifice for pretty much everyone she cares about, and some people she barely knows.

Hugger has been existing. Life has never given him much, now, he expects even less.

Diana lives life to its fullest. And she doesn’t keep it a secret she wants to drag Hugger right along with her.

But Hugger is certain he’s got bad blood. He’s got one foot in Chaos, one foot out. One foot in Diana’s life, one foot out.

Diana and his brothers in Chaos have their work cut out to show Hugger who he is.

That he belongs.

And he’s worthy to be loved.

 

AMAZON | B&N | iBooks | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

We doin’ this, baby?” he whispered against her lips.
“If we don’t do it right now, I think I’ll never forgive you.”

UGH. The feels of it all. The way I teared up reading this book and loved every emotionally impactful part of it. It was so much more than an MC romance in a way that only KA can write. But I digress.

Now if you haven’t yet read her Chaos series, I can’t recommend it enough. And I love that her OG characters will always get a cameo. Heck, who am I kidding? I live for these cameos. But I digress again.

Now we all already know that no one writes an alpha quite like Kristen, and Harlan was no exception.

Why would he do that?”
“Babe,” was all he said.
“Is that an answer to my question?”
“Uh… yeah.”

But she also writes some of the most amazing FMCs and boy did I fall fast and hard for Diana. Like all KA heroines, she’s feisty and sassy but she was also incredibly courageous and fierce. There are some very sensitive topics (particularly SA) referenced in this book and KA does it flawlessly. Diana and Hugger come from two different worlds, when a mutual danger puts them in each other’s past.

I absolutely loved the way that Diana lives her life to the fullest. This is a woman who paved her own way and cares so deeply. In her effort to help, she lands in the crosshairs of a dangerous criminal who is also on MC’s target list. So now she has herself some fierce bearded bodyguards and she’s not exactly mad at it.

Hugger’s past always made him feel like he’s less than and so he fights his connection and attraction to Diana something fierce. But it doesn’t take long for her charm and sunny personality to work its way past all his defenses. I loved the slow burn element of the romance that allowed us to know and understand these characters separately and I absolutely loved the relationship development.

I especially loved the journey between Diana and her father. But I’d be lying if I tell you that Pig Petey didn’t steal most of the show for me. Man but I loved this character.

The story was beautiful, gripping, and oh so emotional. It reminded me all over again why I fell in love with KA’s writing to begin with. Definitely recommend for all my MC romance loving friends out there.


For more information on Kristen Ashley, visit: 

https://www.kristenashley.net/

 

Connect with Kristen Ashley

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/44hqxyI

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3U1PKYY

Instagram: https://bit.ly/49MgbIi

TikTok: https://bit.ly/49LMg2L

Bluesky: https://bit.ly/3ZKTHW5

Pinterest: https://bit.ly/4aKmmxM

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3UbHWE3

BookBub: https://bit.ly/3vUbQoz

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Savage Reign by Monica Kayne

January 31, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

SAVAGE REIGN
Series: Bratva Kings #2
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Author: Monica Kayne
Release Date: January 31, 2025

Bratva kingpin Nikolai Zhukov is the devil in a tailored suit—lethal, ruthless, and utterly irresistible.

Once, he saved my life. Now, he owns me. As his wife. As his prisoner.

He tore me from my world and branded me with his touch, a wedding ring inked into my skin.

Trapped in his gilded cage, I’m nothing but a pawn in his brutal war—a means to an end in his deadly game against a rival syndicate.

But he doesn’t just want my submission. He wants to consume me—body, mind, and soul.

I swore I’d fight him, that I’d never give in. But with every heated glance, every forbidden touch, I’m losing ground.

Because monsters like Nikolai don’t just steal hearts.

They destroy them.

*Savage Reign is a forced marriage mafia romance. It has no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Can be read as a complete standalone.

AMAZON 

Savage Reign (Bratva Kings, #2)Savage Reign by Monica Kayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 STARS

She’s ruined me, this woman. And I don’t think there’s any way to come back.


Monica Kayne quickly shot up my goto mafia romance authors and this book is a perfect example why. It was gritty, sexy, with multilayered characters, action, and a story that had me turning the pages well past my bedtime.

Nikolai Zhukov isn’t just under my skin—he’s in my veins. And the scariest part is I’m done fighting it.


I am an absolute sucker for a forced marriage trope and this one hit so good that I never wanted it to end. Now I did my usual back@sswards thing and read book two before I read book one. And I am not sorry, okay! Though I will definitely be reading book one, I can also say that this easily reads a standalone and I had no issue being fully immersed in the story even though there’s clearly some carry over from the first book.

Five years ago, Sofiya’s parents sold her into a fate she couldn’t imagine, to be married to a brutal mafia man. Only to be rescued by the most unexpected savior in the most unconventional ways. Now five years later, Sofiya’s sister is married to the love of her life while she’s trying to figure out what to do with hers. It took her years to heal from the events of 5 years ago and she’s finally getting her life together. Only for it to take a turn when she meets a handsome stranger who isn’t quite what he seems.

Nikolai is the pakhan of the Zhukov Brava. To grow his power, he wants the contract to operate casinos across russia. The problem is that he needs the approval of the Roman from the Belov Syndicate to operate in Moscow, and considering that Nikolai’s brother almost killed Roman five years ago and there is no love lost between their fragile truce. So what’s a man to do to ensure his success? Kidnap Roman’s sister in law and lock her in a marriage whether she wants it or not.

I loved the chemstry between Nikolai and Sofiya. Even though Sofiya is younger, 22 to his 34, she’s no naive girl. She gives as good as she gets and doesn’t take anything lying down. Well, I mean, she does, but she enjoys those things immensely. But I digress.

There is tension galore and plenty of banter between these two and I loved watching them fall for each other no matter how much they try to fight it. The chemistry was hot and the steam was steaming. I devoured this story and enjoyed it immensely. I definitely need more in this series but for now I will appease myself by going back and reading book 1.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:
Follow me on facebook Follow Me on Twitter blog

View all my reviews

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Heart of Thorns by S. Massery & S.J. Sylvis

January 6, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

HEART OF THORNS
Series: Shadow Valley U #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S. Massery & S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: December 27, 2024

As the number one quarterback in college football, my only dream is to make it to pro.

My richer-than-sin parents have a different goal.

Their plan is for me to score a trophy wife whose trust fund can hold its own against mine, then join the family empire after graduation. The latter half of that plan means giving up my dream of professional football. The first part means sitting through excruciating dates with girls who already have their wedding vows written.

In an attempt to free myself from one of my perpetual nightmares, I announce that I’m already in a serious, long-term relationship.

Which is a great excuse to get out of a date–if it were true.

To save the lie, I talk the intriguing campus black cat, Briar Hart, into pretending to be my girlfriend. She has a prickly heart, and she’s made it clear that she hates jocks.

But after I offer her something she can’t refuse, we’re suddenly faking our happily-ever-after to everyone.

If I’m not careful, I may start to believe it too.

AMAZON 

Now I need to convince the girl with the heart of thorns to pretend to date me.

Know what I love more than a fake dating trope? A fake dating trope written by two of my favorite authors!

I love a black cat FMC and Briar Hart is black cat vibe personified. Her promising hockey career was ripped away from her in one terrifying moment when she was forced to escape a fire by jumping out of a second story window. And her life hasn’t been the same since. All she remembers from that fateful night is a guy locking her in and the realization that faceless stranger is on the school’s football team. Her dreams of hockey have faded to a dull ache and she keeps herself occupied with her art.

Thorne may look like the quintessential rich boy from the outside, but still waters run deep with him. He may be the school’s star quarterback, but with demanding parents that are basically planning his life out and the women he should be with, he struggles under the pressure. And when the dates get to be too much, he decides that a girlfriend is a solution…a fake one that is. And what better girl to proposition to fake date you than the one who can’t stand the sight of you. I mean, it is rather refreshing when the rest of the school’s female population falls at your feet.

You can stick to your guns, kitten. Pretend you hate me, claw my back, run just so I’ll chase after you—” My head flies backward with a harsh tug on my hair. “Because I will, Briar. I’ll fucking chase you.”

This was a slow burn with all the tension and I loved the chemistry between Briar and Thorne. I loved the way they healed each other’s broken pieces and their unwilling falling for each other.

There’s the whodunnit mystery that keeps you turning the pages while the romance keeps you glued to them. I devoured this in a day and if you like the fake dating trope and sports romance, this will hit the spot for you too!

S. Massery:

S. Massery is a dark romance author who loves injecting a good dose of suspense into her stories. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.

Before adventuring into the world of writing, she went to college in Boston and held a wide variety of jobs–including working on a dude ranch in Wyoming (a personal highlight). She has a love affair with coffee and chocolate. When S. Massery isn’t writing, she can be found devouring books, playing outside with her dog, or trying to make people smile.

Author Links:

Website: http://smassery.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/smassery

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/smassery

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsmassery

Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/groups/smasserysquad

Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorsmassery

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@smassery

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/author/s-massery

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorsmassery

S.J. Sylvis:

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her angsty new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and dog. She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book!

Author Links:

Instagram: @authorsjsylvis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjsylvisbooks/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorsjsylvis

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Oh, Hell No by Abbi Glines

December 31, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

OH, HELL NO
Series: Mississippi Smoke #3
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Release Date: December 29, 2024

Taking her was a means to an end. The task was to weed out the man who had stolen millions from us. He may have succeeded, but he’d pay with his life. Hiding from us was a grave error he’d regret soon enough because once he found out that we had taken the one thing he cared for as repayment- he’d show up. When a man had a weakness, it was foolish to make a mistake like this. He would come for her, and when he did, he wouldn’t walk away unscathed, nor would the sister he adored.

This was my fault. I hadn’t seen his scheme. It was my mistake, so I had to fix it. However, it seemed the joke was on me. What I had thought would be an easy job proved more difficult than I’d imagined. I had underestimated the power of her big brown eyes, full lips, and sweet, sultry voice. Keeping my focus on torturing information from her- when what I really wanted to do was touch her, have her, own her- would not only be a painful obstacle but possibly my biggest failure.

Except she hated the sight of me.
But I couldn’t blame her.
I’d walked out of her nightmares as her own personal monster.

 

AMAZON

I had always enjoyed art, and she was a masterpiece. One that I needed to see every night.

I don’t know what sort of crack Abbi laces her books with but I gobble them up each and every single time. Southern mafia? Yes, please and thank you. And this 3rd installment of the series spinoff may have been my favorite so far. I absolutely loved Oz and Winslet!

Now if you’ve read any books in this series, then you already know Abbi’s formula of sweet souther females with their absolutely unhinged and morally grey men. And you know what? It works and it works well. If this series is 10586 books with 209485 spinoffs, I will never tire of it. But Oz? I think Oz just flew straight to my favorite MMCs of Abbi’s.

Winslet may be the quintessential good girl, but she’s not a pushover. This is woman who cares about others and does so deeply. But she doesn’t allow herself to be stepped on either. Growing up with an abusive alcoholic of a mother, her life has been anything but easy. She’s spent years protecting her younger brother from her mother’s drunken wrath, even at the expense of her own safety.

Perry, her younger brother, and now an entrepreneur genius is apparently not all who he seems. And when his counterfeit money lands him on the wrong side of the souther mafia, Winslet finds herself kidnapped and held in a basement for answers. And her kidnapper being the sexiest man she’s ever seen certainly doesn’t help matters.

Now when I tell you I loved Oz, I was obsessed. Sure, he kidnapped her. But when he was forced to torture her for answers, the man just couldn’t do it. The way he struggled to so much as withhold food from her and then gave her all the chocolate cake was seriously the most endearing thing. And then when he lets her go and essentially stalks her for weeks as he waits out her to have the time to forgive him was just adorable. He was this perfect combination of sweet and crazy, and I loved his unhinged possessive behavior towards her.

The story was quick paced, addictive, and a slow burn that sizzles so hard. I do recommend you suspend your disbelief with this series and just accept it for the good time that it is.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Legacy of Chaos by Larissa Ione

December 3, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LEGACY OF CHOS
Series: Demonica Birthright #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Larissa Ione
Release Date: December 3, 2024

The legacy continues…

It’s a gritty new world.

Three decades after the events of REAPER, the world is a different place. The secret is out. The existence of demons, vampires, shapeshifters, and angels has been revealed, and humans are struggling to adapt. Out of the chaos, The Aegis has risen to global power on the promise of containing or exterminating all underworlders, even if that means ushering in the End of Days.

Standing in their way is the next generation of warriors, the children of demons and angels and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

See how they become legends in their own right.

Legacy of Chaos

Stryke, son of Shade and Runa, grew up a happy, well-adjusted incubus alongside his four brothers. A supergenius, he took an interest in science and technology at an early age, with a dream of joining NASA…until a moment of carelessness resulted in the death of his little brother. Unable to forgive himself and desperate to prevent a similar tragedy from happening to others, he started up his own anti-demon tech company and sequestered himself behind its walls. Now he’s a household name and one of the wealthiest people on the planet.

Cyan, a technomancer who works as a cybersecurity expert for DART, lost her best friend to a weapon designed by Stryke’s company. She’s hurt, angry, and wants revenge. So when an opportunity to work with Stryke on a project arises, she jumps at the chance to help DART and make Stryke’s life miserable.

At first, Cyan and Stryke butt heads about everything. But she soon finds that deep down, he’s desperately wounded and willing to sacrifice everything, including his family, to achieve his goals. Can she help him heal before he destroys himself—and everyone around him?

AMAZON | B&N | APPLE BOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

“What do I need?” His throaty voice vibrated through her, making her hormones dance. “I need to f*ck you, Cyan. And, gods help me, I don’t just need it. I want it.”

OH
MY
GOD!

How am I going to survive the wait for the next book? I have no idea what to do with myself right now.

Now if you’ve read Legacy of Temptation, then you already know Stryker. And if you haven’t, then definitely read that first. While the story features different couples, the story arc continues, and it just wouldn’t hit the same if you start with this book. Trust me.

I have been desperately awaiting the story of Styker. As a secondary character in the first book, he came across as a cold genius businessman. But when you got the sneak peek into his story, you realized that he can also add tortured to his repertoire. Stryke also happens to be the son of one of my favorite Demonica couples, Shade and Runa from Desire Unchained. After the violent loss of his baby brother, Styker hasn’t been the same. He pulled away from his family and especially from his Seminus demon ways. It’s been years and he still blames himself for the loss and punishes himself in a multitude of ways. My heart broke for this tortured man so hard.

After the tragic and violent loss of her best friend to a weapon made by Stryke’s company, Cyan is not exactly his fan. But when she gets assigned to work at his company for a shared mission, things start to shift. She begins to see the tortured soul beneath the demon.

Now if you’ve read the Demonica series, then you’ll really appreciate the story arc of this spinoff. There are so many favorites that are featured in this book, including Gabriel and Azagoth. And man oh man, am I desperate for Gabriel’s story. But knowing Larissa, she’ll tease us with him until the end. There is so much that is happening with this book and all of it had me absolutely glued to the pages; the opening of hell that is quickly letting in dangerous demons, the mystery of Harvester, and through it all the emotional romance between Stryke and Cyan.

I love the strong and kickass heroines that Ione writes and Cyan is no exception. I love the way that she fights with Stryke as much as fights for him. And I absolutely loved their romance and the full circle it brought things. I did hope to see Stryke get to really bridge his relationship with his brother Blade, but we may have to wait until Blade’s book for that I’m thinking.

In any case, this was a high octane, action packed, steamy romantasy in a world that I am completely enraptured with and never want to leave. I cannot recommend it enough.

And if you haven’t read Ione’s Demonica series yet, this is definitely your sign to do so immediately.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Fantasy, PNR, Uncategorized · Tagged With: , , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: