Review & Excerpt: The Secret Thief by Nina Lane

April 8, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

THE SECRET THIEF
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Nina Lane
Release Date: April 3, 2018

Behind his beautiful eyes

Lay a thousand secrets and lies.

But my own secrets are all laid bare

The twisted reality of a disgraceful affair.

I once deciphered the mysteries hidden in art
Then mistakes and desire tore me apart.

Now I’m shipwrecked at the end of the earth
Desperate again to prove my worth.

The lighthouse keeper is a stranger to me

Yet one night with him sets me free.

We find ourselves united by the stars above
Both of us needing the salvation of love.

Until our secrets and shame continue to build

And what was flourishing will soon be killed.

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The minute Flynn opens the workroom door, my whole body zings with excitement and anticipation. Even with his dark frown, the remoteness surrounding him like an aura, the clipped tone of his voice, I react to him as if he were stroking my hair and whispering sweet nothings in my ear.Jeremy hadn’t come close to eliciting anything even close to this…which is exactly the reason I’ll go out with him again, if he asks me. Jeremy is solid, grounded, honest. Everything about Flynn is a mystery and a fantasy. I’d gotten caught up in a fantasy with David—whose “mystery” had been a lie—and I’d paid the price.

Never again.

“How was your weekend?” I set my satchel and lunch bag on the desk.

“Fine. Yours?”

“Great.” I give him a once-over, looking for evidence of an encounter with a chick, but while he looks edible in his worn jeans and T-shirt, like a warm, rumpled bed I could nestle right into, his demeanor is as impassive as ever.

Does he ever smile? Every now and then I’ve caught a glimpse of amusement, a twitch of his mouth, but I’ve yet to see him fully smile.

“Any special instructions for today?” I turn on the laptop computer and open my notebook.

“Stay away from Jeremy King.”

Shock bolts down my spine. I jerk my head up to stare at him. He’s watching me with a narrowed gaze, his mouth set in a stern line.

“Um…what?” I can’t get another word out.

“Stay away from him,” Flynn repeats. “He’s not good for you.”

Irritation breaks past my shock. “How would you know who is or isn’t good for me? You’ve barely said twenty words to me the whole week I’ve been working here.”

“I don’t need to say anything to know the facts.” His tone hardens. “I don’t want you around him.”

“Well, you have no right to tell me that,” I retort. “How did you know I went on a date with him anyway?”

His jaw tightens. “You think people around here don’t take notice when their favorite son is out having dinner with the new girl in town?”

Christ. I experience a sudden longing for the cold anonymity of a big city.

“I know people are talking about me,” I snap. “But I refuse to let gossip dictate what I can and can’t do. And for your information, Jeremy knows about what happened to me, and it didn’t seem to bother him.”

“That’s not the point. You can’t work for me and see him.”

My shoulders tense. I focus on the computer, hitting the key to bring up the database software.

“My date with Jeremy has nothing to do with my work here,” I reply stiffly. “I didn’t, and won’t, tell him anything about the job or the fact that you’re my employer. You don’t need to worry about breach of contract.”

“This isn’t about the damned contract.” His voice is suddenly sharp.

He steps closer to me, his soapy, warm scent filling my nose. I hold my ground, not wanting him to see me weaken even though I’m melting inside at his nearness. Impassive though he is on the exterior, I can almost feel the energy coursing through him, his heavy strong heartbeat, the rush of his blood.

“I don’t want you around King,” he repeats.

“Does your animosity have something to do with him wanting to sell the lighthouse?”

“I’m not answering questions.” His gray eyes turn the color of metal. “I’m telling you to stay away from him.”

My pulse races. “You don’t have that right.”

“I’m your boss.”
“That doesn’t mean you can make that demand.” The words snap out of my mouth without thought. “And if you think you can threaten to fire me over this, then step back, mister, because I’ve been through the worst wrongful termination I can imagine. And even though my employer fucking won that battle, I still have plenty of fight left in me. I’ll put on my gloves and go another round with you, if I have to.”

Wow. Go, Eve.

I’m breathing fast, and my knees are quaking with sudden fear that he’ll make me prove my bold statement. I dig my fingernails into my palms. The air between us sparks with electricity. I force myself to hold my ground, to look directly at him and—

Admiration flashes in his eyes, like a silver comet streaking across the sky. His stern expression doesn’t change, but that brief glimpse of warmth eases the tension knotting my shoulders.

“I’m not going to fire you.” His voice is measured and controlled. “But I will not have you seeing King.”

“You don’t like him, so that means I have to stay away from him?” I ask. “Sorry, no. He’s one of the few people in this town who has been nice to me, and I enjoyed our date. I refuse to discount the possibility of Jeremy being my first real friend here.”
Flynn’s jaw clenches. “He wants to be more than your friend.”

“I know.” I put my hands on my hips and look him in the eye. “He even kissed me.”

Anger crashes over his features, and a vein throbs in his forehead. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was jealous.

But I do know better. He’s mad because I’m refusing to do something he wants me to do. Despite, or maybe because of, his isolated lifestyle, Flynn is clearly a man accustomed to getting what he wants.

“He kissed you.” The word grind out of his mouth like broken glass.

“Yes. And I kissed him back. Like our date, it was nice. Nice hasn’t been the norm in my life lately.”
“I could kiss you,” Flynn retorts, his hands fisting. “But it wouldn’t nice.”

“Oh yeah?” My heart kicks into gear, blood rushing through my veins. “What would it be, then?”

He pulls in a breath, his gaze settling on my mouth. “Hot.”

“Prove it.” Borne of my endless nighttime fantasies, the dare flies out of me without thought of the potential repercussions.

Before I can take another breath, he grabs my shoulders and pulls me against him. I freeze, stunned by the reality of a moment I’d imagined more times than I can count—the sensation of his body against mine. And God, he feels exactly the way I’d imagined, a solid wall of heat and muscle pulsing with life. Rock-hard arms that could wrap around me so tightly nothing would get past them.

He stares down at me, his steel-like gaze sparking with intent like iron striking stone. I can’t move, can’t breathe, can’t think.

Then his mouth crashes down on mine, an onslaught, a possession, a claiming. Hunger bursts through me, a desire so sharp and intense it destroys all my defenses in one fell swoop. I moan, everything inside me weakening and aching for more. He slides a hand to my lower back, fitting our bodies together. I yield everywhere, my curves softening against him, any thought of resistance dissolving in a haze of disbelief and craving.

I part my lips tentatively, let him inside. My head spins with the taste of him—something decadent and forbidden. Our tongues touch, breath mingling. Arousal floods me, swift and hard, as if all the fantasies in which I’ve indulged have primed me for this moment. I bring my hands up to his face, his stubble coarse against my palms, slide them down to the sides of his neck where his pulse throbs heavily. He’s like the sea—mysterious, unpredictable, powerful. I could get lost in him, drown, let him sweep me away to a distant land where no one knows who I am and what I’ve done.

He lifts his head, breaking our kiss and stepping away from me at the same time. Heavy breaths saw from his chest, and his eyes are darkened to black. I bring a shaking hand to my mouth, suddenly unsure if the kiss just happened or if I’m like Alice in Wonderland, spinning downward, lost in my intricate imagination.

 

When I first came to Castille, I’d thought I was running away. But now, my body and soul reawakened, my intellect inspired, my heart open… maybe all along, I was simply coming home.

What a perfectly swoony and incredibly written treat this book was. Having never read a Nina Lane book before, I had no idea what to expect. And now I’m seriously kicking myself for waiting so long to experience this talented author. The Secret Thief was a beautifully crafted tale that kept me riveted to the pages, desperate for more, and incapable of setting it down for even a second.

My impenetrable, stern lighthouse keeper. My mysterious crush. My hot fantasy. My beloved lover. My secret thief.

When a mistake costs her almost everything; her career, her self worth, her respect and life as she knows it, Eve finds herself back in the small town of Maine where her beloved uncle left her his house upon his passing. Desperate to start over, she never expects for her life to take an entirely different turn when she meets a mysterious stranger.

I honestly don’t want to give too much away about this book, because it’s an almost out of body experience to discover the story’s mysteries on your own. The author wove so much beauty into this romance, and being a huge fairy tale fan myself, I absolutely adored the added history that she indulged the reader with.

The plot was perfectly balanced with bits and pieces of some of my favorite fairy tales and their history, along with a well paced, slow burn romance that I simply couldn’t get enough of. I was desperate for more and more tidbits of knowledge about the mysterious Flynn. His history, his broody exterior, and the secrets that he was so clearly hiding kept me glued to the pages well into the night.

The Secret Thief wasn’t just a book. It was also so much more than a romance. It was an experience. A beautifully crafted, incredibly developed, and perfectly paced experience unlike any I’ve read before. If you’re looking for a story that’s different, sexy, and will keep you up all night reading, then look no further. Because this is an absolute must read!

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances about professors, bad boys, candy makers, and protective alpha males who find themselves consumed with love for one woman alone. Originally from California, Nina holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she’s that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.

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Review & Giveaway: Getaway Girl by @mstessabailey

March 14, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

GETAWAY GIRL
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: March 26, 2018

This unlikely getaway driver never expected to help the mayor escape…

After a six-year absence, Addison Potts is back in Charleston to stir things up. And what better place to make her villainous return than her estranged cousin’s wedding? Only, the nuptials hit a snag when the bride doesn’t show, leaving Addison to play getaway driver for the jilted groom. A groom whose heartbreaking smile and deep, southern drawl she should not be noticing…

Elijah Montgomery Du Pont is the future mayor of Charleston. From his military career to city hall, every detail of his life has been meticulously planned. Until now. His only respite from life’s sudden upheaval is Addison, his new, improbable best friend. She makes him happy. Grounds him. And public disapproval be damned, he’s not willing to give her up. But with an election on the line and public pressure rising, Addison—and the cruel hand of fate—might not give him a choice.

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My best friend, my roommate, my conscience. The lines around our relationship blur immediately and fade into nothing. God. She’s nothing I’ve ever experienced.

And this book right here, is exactly why I’m so obsessed with everything that Tessa Bailey writes; her ability to create characters that I fall head over heels for and can’t get enough of. And Elijah and Addison were two amazing characters!

I just realized you always untuck your dress shirt before walking in my front door. Have you been hiding a GIF-worthy ass from me, Elijah Montgomery Du Pont?”
“Addison Potts, this conversation is indecent.”

When Addison decides to crash her cousin’s wedding, she never expects an unlikely best friend that she makes to be the jilted groom. With a history rooted in scandal, Addison isn’t exactly thrilled to be back in the town of Charleston. But after her grandmother passed and left her business and apartment to her, she’s determined to make it work. Being the getaway driver to the groom her cousin stood up at the altar and the town’s golden boy and future mayor isn’t exactly on her to-do list, but there’s just something about Elijah’s sweet smile and gentle eyes that call to her.

What begins with a ride soon turns into the unlikeliest of friendships. Addison and Elijah become an escape for each other. Their friendship is brimming with sexual tension and suppressed desire, but they both have too much to lose if they give in. After all, Elijah has his image to uphold and the last thing Addison needs is to be tabloid fodder. She wants to lay low and he’s always in the public eye. But the connection between them is too incendiary to ignore, and it doesn’t take long before they give into the inevitable.

You shouldn’t be allowed in polite company with this big thing dangling between your thighs, Elijah. Especially when it gets hard. Shame on you, Captain Du Pont.” I bite down on his nipple, laving it with my tongue. “You better apologize.” The muscles of his body bunch head to toe. “Addison.” I stop moving. “Fuck”

One of my favorite things about this book was the banter. Tessa Bailey is the QUEEN of witty and sexy banter. And this book brought it in spades. Elijah was this fantastic combination of sweet and caring but with a hidden layer of dirty talking caveman. I seriously couldn’t get enough of it, and man did I love that Addison managed to bring it out in him the way she did.

It reminds me of you.”
“Does it?”
“Mmmhmm. Old-fashioned and charming…” She squints at my backside. “With a big old kitchen.”
“It’s not polite to make ass jokes about your tour guide.”
“Oh come on. You know I love that thing.” When she crosses to the window and looks down, I ask, “What are you looking at?”
“Just checking to see if your milkshake brought all the boys to the yard.”

Getaway Girl was a light hearted and super fun romance full of swoon and sizzle. With plenty of banter, endearing secondary characters, and a deliciously entertaining plot, it clicked every box for me.

Want to win all the goodies below plus a SIGNED PAPERBACK of Getaway girl?!

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Review: Ruin by Samantha Towle

March 6, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

RUIN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Towle
Release Date: March 6, 2018

From Samantha Towle, the New York Times bestselling author of Wardrobe Malfunction and Breaking Hollywood, comes a dramatically powerful and passionate new contemporary romance.

And the new heavyweight champion of the world is…

Those are the words that Zeus Kincaid has been waiting to hear since he first put on a pair of boxing gloves. He just didn’t think they would come with a tragedy that would change how he viewed the sport forever.

Cameron Reed was in her second year at Juilliard when her childhood sweetheart, Zeus Kincaid, walked away from her. A few months later, Cam realized that she would never fulfill her dream of dancing for the New York City Ballet.

Now working as a dancer in an upscale club in Manhattan, Cam is brought face-to-face with the man she once loved. And it’s her turn to walk away from him.

After five years of missing Cam, Zeus isn’t prepared to let her go again. But when he finds himself standing on her doorstep the next morning, things don’t go quite as he expected…

AMAZON

The man is my weakness. My downfall. My ruin. He always has been. And it seems that he always will be.


Samantha Towle brought the feels and the sizzle with this angsty second chance romance. I knew from the very first chapter that I’m going to fall in love with this story, and I definitely wasn’t wrong. It was a perfectly paced, emotional slow burn. A deliciously angsty story that tugged at every heart string.

Because, when you love someone—really love them—you fight for them. You fight hard and dirty, no matter the cost to yourself.

At first when all the details of Cameron Reed’s present came out, I thought, oh here we go, been there read that. I was afraid that the author was going to use this particular plot device to string the drama along until the end. I couldn’t have been more wrong. And I couldn’t love the way she handled this story line more. It was even more than I’d hope for.

Cam had her heart broken by Zeus and she’s not looking for a repeat when he comes blazing back into her life. But Zeus isn’t the same man that left those years ago. He’s determined to right all his wrongs, and he’s not afraid to fight dirty to prove to Cam that he deserves her heart back.

God,” I breathe.
His eyes lift to mine, his mouth glistening with me. “That’s what they say, baby.”
“Cocky bastard,” I mutter.


Zeus was not perfect, but he was perfectly endearing. He was possessive, protective, jealous and deliciously broody. God but I loved every facet of this man and he had a lot of them. Samantha Towle definitely created a multi-layered character with him that goes well beyond just a sexy undefeated heavyweight boxing champion. He never once stopped loving Cam and I couldn’t get enough of their sizzling back and forth game.

Cam never stopped loving Zeus, but she also doesn’t trust him. He shattered her when he walked away those years ago, and she refuses to go back to being that woman. I really loved Cam and her no bs attitude. She wasn’t afraid to put Zeus in his place and she took plenty of opportunity to do so.

Ruin was a page turner from beginning to finish. It was sexy and emotional and deeply satisfying. I can’t recommend it enough!

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Review: Degrees of Control by @Eve_Dangerfield

February 24, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

DEGREES OF CONTROL
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: February 9, 2018

Charlotte Bell is a typical yoga teacher. She’s friendly, earnest and has some slightly masochistic tendencies. After a painful break-up, she’s determined to address her long-denied kinks with the kind of man she’s always been too terrified to approach. Charlie’s friends select James Hunter, a male model turned suit who has some dark inclinations of his own.

After a ‘chance’ encounter at a party, James agrees to school Charlie in the harsher side of sex. He knows she’s too genuine, too kind, too everything for a guy like him but he won’t turn down the chance to break in a starry-eyed submissive like her. As Charlie and James attempt a strings-free sexual relationship they’re alarmed to discover a connection that runs deeper than either of them could have predicted.

This novel is a remastered version of the original released in 2015. It includes a new Degrees of Control of novella entitled ‘James and the Giant Dilemma.’

AMAZON

You were just aching to be f*cked hard, weren’t you, baby?”
“Yes. Yes.”
“And here I am, makin’ your dreams come true. So open that pretty mouth and thank me.”

Sweet baby jebus this book. THIS BOOK! And my ovaries! MY OVARIES! MY OVARIES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME…considering they even survived the inferno that was this book. I mean MY GAWD! MY. GAWD.
Do you know what I love about Eve Dangerfield? Her writing is a unique breath of fresh air. She writes these unconventional characters and makes you fall in love with them and her quirky brand of humor. I will never, and I mean, ever, get enough of it!

It felt like he was consuming her. The taste of his mouth, the press of his body. His scent was absorbing her like a black hole swallowing a minor planet.

Charlotte Bell is not exactly your typical heroine; she’s a vegan yoga teacher with a very particular kink. Charlie loves to be dominated, overpowered, and sexually controlled by a man. The only problem? She keeps finding the assholes and the man that she’s truly sexually attracted to absolutely terrify her. But with a pushy best friend and her manwhore cousin, the answers to Charlie’s kinky dreams appear in the form of one sexy blonde god with a kink for pretty, submissive yoga teachers.

Degrees of Control was so much more than just a RIDICULOUSLY sexy romance! It had incredibly well developed characters, a fantastic plot, all tied together in a flawlessly quirky writing style. Eve doesn’t just create characters, she makes them come to life and practically jump off the pages. Both Charlie and James are multi-layered with plenty of depth that you don’t just understand their kinks, you understand what truly drives them. You get why James is hesitant to put his heart on the line and hides behind a cold, brooding and unfeeling exterior. You understand why a woman that may not have all her life together but still knows what she wants out of it craves the things that she does. And ultimately, you completely understand what draws them to each other like magnets.

This book was deliciously kinky, entertaining, perfectly paced and absolutely unputdownable. I loved every ridiculously hot page of it. Eve Dangerfield has quickly become my go-to author for when I need a hit of something different and sexy. Do I recommend this book? Do bears shit in the woods? HELL YES!

Eve Dangerfield has loved romance novels since she first started swiping her grandmother’s paperbacks. Now she writes her own sexy tales about complex women and gorgeous-but-slightly-tortured men. Her work has been described as ‘the defibrillator contemporary romance needs right now,’ and not by herself, or even her mum, but by OTHER PEOPLE.  Eve lives in Melbourne with her boy, a bunch of semi-dead plants and a rabbit named Billy. When she’s not writing she can usually be found making a big ol’ mess. Act Your Age is her seventh novel.

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Geri’s Review: Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen

February 13, 2018 by ·

BROOKLYNAIRE
Series: Brooklyn Bruisers
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sarina Bowen
Release Date: February 12, 2018

A sexy new standalone from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.

You’d think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion on the Promenade would satisfy a guy. You’d be wrong.

For seven years Rebecca has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity.

I don’t know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard.

When Rebecca gets hurt, I step in to help. It’s what friends do. But what friends don’t do is rip off each others’ clothes for a single, wild night together.

Now she’s avoiding me. She says we’re too different, and it can never happen again. So why can’t we keep our hands off each other?

 

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I grab a towel off a waiting stack of them and toss it onto the edge. “You can sit and put your feet in.”

She’s wearing a short little knit dress that’s been making me crazy all evening, so it would be easy enough for her to strip off those stockings, sit on the towel, and drop both feet in.

And that’s what she does. She eases one stocking down over a smooth knee and tugs it off.

I don’t want to stand there staring like a middle-school boy. Okay, I do want to. But I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. So I go over to the sound system instead, and I set my phone on the speaker and cue up a really old playlist. One she’ll recognize.

When I turn around again, she’s seated on the towel, both legs hanging down into the churning water. “Ah. Wow.” She looks up at me, her eyes sparkling. “Nice place you got here.”

“Isn’t it?” I toe off my shoes and kick them to the side.

The first song comes on, and it’s a Macklemore tune that we used to play far too often in our first office. Rebecca laughs immediately. “You didn’t! I haven’t heard this playlist in forever. But I’ll bet I still know every transition. Lady Gaga is next.”

“She sure is.”

Rebecca kicks her feet, making a splash. “I have a little confession to make.”

“What’s that?” I loosen my tie and slide the knot out.

“Well…” She grins up at me. “I used to have a crush on you. Back in the early days.”

My hands freeze on the tie silk. “Get out of town. You did not.”

“No, I really did.” Her cheeks are pink. “That first year especially. But you were taken, and you were my boss. Those two things made it pretty easy to tamp down, when you’re a practical girl like me.”

I walk over and drop down beside her, my back to the water, though, because I’m still wearing trousers and socks. “So how does that work, exactly?”

“What?” She gives me a sidelong glance, but then looks away again and won’t meet my eyes.

“How do you stop wanting someone? I’m a practical person, but I don’t see how that makes it any easier. Nothing seems to mute the raging attraction I have for you.”

Her chin turns quickly toward me, and I seize the opportunity to kiss her. And it only takes one kiss—one slide of my lips over hers, and I’m on fire again.

We’re facing opposite directions, so it’s awkward as hell. But I don’t even care. I take greedy sip after greedy sip of her mouth, until she pulls back to stare at me. Her color is high and her eyes are bright and happy. “This is like Twister.”

“It’s better,” I correct. Lady Gaga comes on, just as Becca said she would. “Are we getting into this pool or what?”

Becca kicks a foot in the water. “I’m tempted. But I don’t have a bathing suit.”

“Oh, snap.”

She smiles and shakes her head. “Are you really getting in?”

“We don’t have to.” I’m never going to pressure her.

Her fingers trail across the surface of the bubbling water. “But this is an adventure, right?”

“Right.” I stand up and remove my socks. She’s watching me. And I can’t read her expression. “What?”

“Just wondering what else you’re going to take off.” She smiles.

“Come here.” The order rolls off my tongue.

But Rebecca doesn’t blink. She gets up and turns toward me, curiosity in her eyes.

“You tell me. What am I taking off?”

She puts two hands tentatively on my chest, and I make myself be patient. Everything I ever wanted is on the other side of this moment. I just need us to break through this awkwardness—the “will we or won’t we” tension.

Her fingers find the top button of my shirt. “I’m not getting in the water unless you are.”

That’s a compromise I can live with. I find my lower shirt buttons and work upwards, until we meet in the middle. She pushes the two halves of my shirt apart and runs a hand down my bare chest.

My inner caveman stands up and cheers.

 

I had high expectations for this book because it’s Nate! And Becca! I’ve been waiting for this book since I’ve read the first Brooklyn Bruisers book and Sarina Bowen did not disappoint. I adored this book with all of my heart.

Brooklynaire is a fun, all out swoon-worthy romance with Sarina Bowen’s trademark flair.

Nate and Becca had been in this perpetual will they won’t they sexual tension since the first book in this series. In case you haven’t been keeping up, Becca is the office manager for the Brooklyn Bruisers and Nate is the owner. He also happens to be a tech genius billionaire.

I adored their friendship. The transition from employee to friends and then to lovers was seamless. They shared a history together, and Becca was there from the very beginning of Nate’s company. They went through the usual ups and downs together as well. But one significant event — and this is not a spoiler since it has been revealed in the previous books in the series — stood out and that was the moment when Becca was transferred from Nate’s Manhattan office or basically his inner circle to the Bruisers facility.

To Nate it was self-preservation. To Becca it felt like a demotion, and it was sort shadowed their relationship ever since even though they remain good friends. We finally get to know the reason why this happened and the confrontation that followed was utterly satisfying to me.

Aside from my abnormally high expectation with the romantic aspect of this book, I was also curious about how Ms. Bowen will address the issue of the imbalance of power between these two characters. Nate is the all powerful billionaire and Becca is an assistant. Her livelihood depended not just on her skills but how she deals with people around her. And Nate’s romantic interest in her could potentially have a negative impact on her career and how people would perceive her.

I absolutely liked how the author was able to deal with this very real issue especially in light of the workplace harassment scandals that have now been brought to light. And if you say right now that you don’t want to read anything as controversial or political undertones in your book, then tough! ‘Cause you’re getting it here, and it’s wonderful.

The conflict, the banter, the secondary characters made this book a worthwhile read. I loved Lauren’s cameos. And yes, we do get more hockey talk in this book which is always a bonus. Aaaaand someone or something else gets introduced in this book that OMG made me nerd out so hard. Not only that, it added some comic relief. It was a very clever inclusion, Ms. Bowen. Very clever indeed.

Anyway, read this book, people! It can be read as a standalone yet but I highly recommend reading the first books in the series, just so you can get a feel for how other people sees Nate and Becca.

Sarina Bowen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She lives in Vermont’s Green Mountains with her family, six chickens and too much ski gear and hockey equipment.

In 2016, Sarina became a Rita Award winner! The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.

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New Release, Review & Giveaway: Follow Me Back by A.L. Jackson

February 5, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

FOLLOW ME BACK
Series: Fight For Me #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: February 5, 2018

My loves – I am so beyond thrilled to finally get to share Kale and Hope’s story with you in FOLLOW ME BACK! Writing this book was a labor of love, and after everything, I think it might be my favorite book I’ve ever written. It’s super sexy and swoony, sad and sweet, and just filled my heart up so full there is no chance I will ever forget the way these characters made me feel. I hope you fall in love with them the same way I did! 
Enjoy!
xoxo – Amy 

The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
Kale Bryant. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Commanding.
This ER doctor is married to his job. His only vice is one-night stands and short-lived flings. He learned a long time ago loving someone isn’t worth the risk.
Harley Hope Masterson. Beautiful. Brave. Sweet.
The owner of a small coffee shop knows what it’s like to struggle. Embroiled in a bitter divorce, she’s threatened with losing everything.
When Kale accepts a new position down the street from Hope’s shop, he begins to question every wall he’s built around his heart.
He wants her in a way he hasn’t wanted anyone.
One touch is fire.
One kiss, and he’s spinning out of control.
But taking her won’t come without consequences.
Hope is in for the fight of her life. One neither of them saw coming.
Now Kale must decide if loving her is worth risking it all.
She will fight with everything she has.
But sometimes even hope needs a hero . . .

My heart has always been hung on hope.

My feels. Oh my poor feels. This book tugged at absolutely every single heartstring I had. I sobbed my way through almost half of it. Follow Me Back was a beautifully written, gripping and highly emotional romance that was full of swoons and impossible to put down.

He looked like discord.
Chaos with an easy, arrogant smile.
A perfect, controlled disorder.

I was instantly hooked on all of these characters the second we were introduced to them in Show Me the Way. But I’m ashamed to admit that Kale wasn’t at the top of my list. He struck me as a character that wouldn’t hold my attention and I’m happily eating my words right now. Because this man? He didn’t just have a presence. He had a PRESENCE. With a past that haunts him daily and prevents him from truly opening his heart, Kale never saw it coming. But when he first lays his eyes on the beautiful redhead in a bar, it’s like he’s struck by lightning. The connection between them is immediate, even though Hope makes him work for it.

The girl was calm and a raging fire.
Peace and a hurricane.
Modest and demure with a straight shot of vixen.

Hope has secrets of her own. She’s a woman with too much to lose, and she doesn’t need more than five seconds in Kale’s presence to know that he threatens everything; her sanity but most especially her heart.

Hope simply made this book for me. As much as I loved Kale, he had moments toward the end of the book that had me wanting to shake him. Granted I understood the reasoning behind his fear, but I wanted to slap him nonetheless. But Hope? This woman was incredible. The fight in her. Her heart. her devotion to the single most important thing in her life. All of it just made me feel for her and connect with her on such a level that I felt like her pain was my own.

This author has such a beautiful, fluid writing style that’s almost lyrical. It just served to intensify every emotion that these characters were feeling. I couldn’t get enough of it.

The romance was incredible. It was so swoony that it made my heart ache. It was a slow burn with plenty of emotion and just a touch of angst. I absolutely loved it.

He fucked me exactly like I knew he would when I’d seen him that first time in the bar.
Arrogantly.
Confidently.
Relentlessly.

If you’re looking for a beautifully written romance with plenty of feeling and an incredible story that’s sure to touch your heart and stay with you for a long while, you can’t go wrong with this book. If possible, I’m even more excited for Ollie’s book. I’m so hooked on this amazing series!

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, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for A.L. Jackson’s upcoming novel, FOLLOW ME BACK, the second stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.

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 http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

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Kindle Fire HD 8 + Show Me the Way & Hunt Me Down Signed Copies + $25 Amazon GC 
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New Release & Review: Combust by K. Bromberg

January 29, 2018 by ·

COMBUST
Series: Everyday Heroes #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: January 29, 2018

From New York Times Bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes the second standalone book in the Everyday Heroes series. Just how hot will firefighter Grady Malone turn up the heat?

Songwriter Dylan McCoy has been burned.

By her boyfriend she found in her bed . . . with someone else.

By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete.

By her agent when she asked Dylan to keep their breakup on the down-low.

When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still . . . a rebound has never looked so good.

That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone.
Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart.

When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

 

Preoccupied with a text on my phone from my agent, I walk into the kitchen and suck in a breath when I come face to back with Grady. He’s standing with his hand on the refrigerator door, head leaned inside, and his back fully exposed to me. It’s broad and strong and scarred immeasurably.

I stare.

I can’t help it. The marks are a dizzying array of dark and light and ridged and smooth. And they’re undeniably burns. Goosebumps chase over my skin as I imagine the pain he must have endured when he got those. I think of his habit of wearing unbuttoned shirts but never going shirtless and the hint of scars just visible above his collar that I never could have imagined led to this roadmap to hell on his back.

A part of me instinctively wants to reach out to touch them, bring some kind of comfort. It sounds ridiculous, even to me, but that doesn’t abate the urge.

“Not pretty, huh? Get a good look while you can.” His voice is gruff as his spine stiffens and body stills, emotion woven through the words.

“Thank God not all of you is pretty. I was beginning to feel majorly insecure having to live with perfection like you,” I say off the cuff, trying to make this situation less awkward. My attempt to settle the sudden tension sparking in the air around us.

“Perfection?” he asks as he turns to face me with a smile that masks the emotion swirling in his eyes.

“Yeah. You have scars. I have mermaid thighs.”

“Mermaid thighs?” He laughs. “What in the world are you talking about?”

“Thighs that touch from the top all the way to my knees.” I shrug as if it doesn’t bug me, as if I’m not highlighting one of the insults Tara threw at me. It’s a whole lot easier to make fun of myself so long as it puts him at ease.

“Do you ever give yourself a break?”

“Do you?” I ask the question, sparking a silent battle of wills as we stare at each other and wonder what to say next about the other’s insecurities. Coming up empty, I shift gears. “I think there is some type of rule about how many abs are fair for a guy to have when the rest of us are just struggling to find one of them.”

His smile rings more genuine as he steps toward me, and I step back, my hips leaning against the counter now.

“Is that so?” His voice lowers as his eyes flick to my lips and then back up. “I’m sure you have some under your shirt there.”

Why does the simple action make it seem so hard to swallow?

He takes another step.

“What are you building outside?”

“A playroom.”

A nervous chuckle falls from my lips as I think of all of the versions of playrooms I’ve read about in my romance books. My cheeks stain red as I imagine Grady with a flogger in one hand standing beside a St. Andrew’s Cross.

“A playroom?”

“Yeah.” He takes a step closer so we’re breathing the same air, his voice husky enough to cause every part of my body to grow alert. “A playroom. You know . . . a pool table. Foosball. A real man cave.”

I exhale a shaky sigh, suddenly more than aware that he’s so close, shirtless, sweaty, and smelling like sun and soap mixed together. But it’s his eyes that make my thoughts falter. There’s an intensity to them I don’t expect from the perpetually cheerful Grady Malone.

“Ah, that kind of playroom . . .” But my words trail off as he steps even closer and braces his hands on the counter on either side of me. I can hear his intake of breath. The music floating in from outside. The pound of my pulse in my ears.

“Hey, Dyl?”

“Yes?” Our eyes hold, my lips fall lax.

“I need you to open up.”

“What?” I question as his hand brushes against my hip and his fingers pull on the drawer handle I’m standing in front of.

“I need the bottle opener. You’re standing in front of the drawer it’s in.” His lips spread into a full-fledged grin as I scramble away from the counter and, of course, run smack dab into the hardness, all six foot plus of him.

And then I rebound off him again in a flustered state that has him laughing and me stuttering. “Sorry. I wasn’t—I didn’t . . .” His arms hold on to my biceps to steady me, which prompts me to look up and meet his eyes.

“We need to stop meeting like this,” he murmurs, the heat of his breath hitting my lips.

“We do.” Brilliant, Dylan. Freaking brilliant response. “I’ve gotta . . . I’ve gotta get back to . . . to writing.”

There’s definitely something beneath the sexiness of Grady Malone. Question is, do I want to get invested enough to find out what?

Oh my word! I’m actually at a loss for them right now. And my ovaries? Those are too busy swooning over everything that is Grady Malone. I thought I loved this series after reading Cuffed, but as much as I enjoyed that story, it pales in comparison to the swoons and feels of this one. And the heat? So hot that only a firefighter can put out those flames. Too bad he’s the one causing them. YOWZA!

Every touch is a splash of gasoline on a smolder. Every kiss is the match being lit. Every groan a lick of flame searing both my skin and my soul.

Finding your boyfriend in bed with another woman is the last thing that Dylan needed in her life. But being held to her contract to finish their album together is the ultimate nail in the coffin of her sanity. She needs to get away and recharge, and her brother finds her the perfect retreat. With the sexy firefighter, Grady Malone. He’s her brother’s friend, an incorrigible flirt, sexy as sin, but also hiding demons that plague him nightly.

Stop staring at me like I’m going to fucking break. I’ve already broken, Dylan.

God but I loved Grady. I loved him so hard. This perfectly imperfect, endearingly broken man tugged at every heart string I had. The more you find out about the demons that haunt him, the more your heart bleeds for him. Watching his defenses crumble for the beautiful Dylan was all that much more satisfying because of it. He’s protective and sweet. He tries so hard to keep things light and easy and in the friend zone, but the chemistry between them is too hot to deny.

He takes without asking. He claims and seduces and demands without a single word. But the one thing that is constant is his anger. And just when I think I’m drowning in the swell of emotion his kiss evokes, he ends it abruptly. He shoves away from me as if he’s been burned.

Dylan’s insecurities were something that plague every woman at one time or another. I really connected with her on that level. Watching her gain her confidence back on her own and with Grady was incredibly satisfying. Watching her unwittingly fall for the broken man was EVERYTHING. I absolutely adored the two of them together.

K. Bromberg really knows how to write a romance that bring that feels, and she spares none with Combust. It was brimming with emotion and overflowing with heat. It was deliciously entertaining and totally addicting. I love these Malone men and cannot wait for more!

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow.

Since publishing her first book in 2013, Kristy has sold over one million copies of her books across sixteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by Passionflix with the first movie slated to release in the summer of 2018.

She is currently working on her Everyday Heroes trilogy. This series consists of three complete standalone novels—Cuffed, Combust, and Cockpit (late spring 2018)—and is about three brothers who are emergency responders, the jobs that call to them, and the women who challenge them.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales: http://bit.ly/254MWtI

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author | Driven Group

 

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

Review & Lana’s Binge Read: Victorian Rebels series by Kerrigan Byrne

January 20, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

THE HIGHWAY MAN, THE HUNTER, & THE HIGHLANDER
Series: Victorian Rebels
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Kerrigan Byrne

OMG, you guys! Did I have a binge of my dreams when I discovered this sizzling historical romance series! Anti-heroes, sexy romance, addicting stories and top notch writing, this series had EVERYTHING I love!

THE HIGHWAYMAN (Victorian Rebels #2)

The Highwayman (Victorian Rebels, #1)

 

They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster…

STEALING BEAUTY
Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of London’s wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who’ve wronged him…and will fight to the death to seize what he wants. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception—and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands…

COURTING DESIRE
But Farah is no one’s puppet. She possesses a powerful secret—one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe from those who would see her dead, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what the Blackheart of Ben More never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both. Could it be that the woman he captured is the only one who can touch the black heart he’d long thought dead?

AMAZON

In this quiet, unfettered moment, she knew him, truly saw him for what he was. Hard, ruthless tyrant. Abused, wounded boy. An empty heart full of promise, and a soul of shadows in need of sunlight.”

Ermahgerd.
My heart. MY HEART!!!!
ERMAHGERD.

First of all, I am seriously kicking myself for taking this long to start this series. Like SERIOUSLY kicking my ass. What the heck was I thinking? I was crazy! Nuts. Loony bins, I tells ya! Because this book? It was everything. All of the things! ALL OF THEM.

It combines my obsession with anti-heroes and sexy historical romance, and weaves it all together into a story that’s truly spellbinding. I couldn’t bring myself to set it down for even a second. I was immediately hooked from the prologue, and as I kept reading, I grew more and more addicted to the words of Kerrigan Byrne.

Dorian Blackwell. The Blackheart of Ben More. The deadliest, coldest, and most lethal king of the London underground. His name is whispered in the shadows and renowned in fear. He’s scarred, both in body and soul, and knows only revenge.
Be.
Still.
My.
Ovaries.

Alright. So maybe I sound slightly deranged, but work with me here. There’s a lot more depth to the man, and when you get to the heart of him, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Farah Leigh Mackenzie. Beautiful, sweet, and a woman with a spine of steel. My god but I loved her. The things she’s survived and the secrets she’s kept would have made a lower woman than her wither away. But she persevered and lost none of her steel core. This is a woman that gives as hard as she gets and she’s not about to back down to a man that’s kidnapped her and essentially propositioned her into a marriage of…convenience?

Enter my other favorite trope.

But I digress yet again.

What you need to take away from my incessant rambling is this; I LOVED THIS BOOK. LOVED it. The romance was swoon worthy, the story was deliciously addicting, the characters full of depth, mystery and secrets. I devoured it like a starving lunatic and couldn’t get enough.
I immediately jumped right into book two. I can’t recommend this book enough for any lovers of steamy historical romance. Period.

READ THIS BOOK.

THE HUNTER (Victorian Rebels #2)

 

They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the proper Victorian-era ladies who love them, a hint of danger only makes their hearts beat faster…

A scandalous proposal.

As one of London’t most elite hunters, Christopher Argent never misses his mark and always gets his man. But when his latest target turns out to be a woman—the popular, and stunningly beautiful, actress Millie LeCour—it turns his whole world upside-down. Overwhelmed by the heat that simmers between them, Christopher can’t complete his mission. On the contrary, he’ll do anything to save Millie’s life—even if it means risking his own…

A dangerous passion…

When she learns what Christopher was hired to do, Millie is torn between the fear in her heart and the fire in her soul. Putting herself in this dangerous man’s arms may be her only path to safety—but giving in to her desire may be the deadliest mistake she’s ever made. With both of their lives in jeopardy, Millie and Christopher must learn to trust the real feelings they’re hiding—to find the true love they’re looking for…

AMAZON

He didn’t fear death. Didn’t appreciate life. He was fond of nothing and therefore didn’t fear pain or loss.

Holy WOW! I’m obsessed with this series. I loved this book even more than the first and I freaking LURVED the first. If tortured anti-heroes are your thing, it just doesn’t get much better than Christopher Argent. A ruthless and cold blooded killer; his reputation is one of legend. But what happens when a killer for hire falls for his mark?

This must be what religious men felt as they fell to their knees at an altar. This unworthy rapture. This unholy desire. This need for redemption. Christopher became a pilgrim of her pleasure.

Millie LeCour is a talented London theatre actress. When she see Argent in the audience of her performance, she’s drawn to him like a magnet. Little does she know why he’s really there.

This story was utterly delicious. I loved watching the ice that is Argent’s heart slowly melt for the sweet and sassy Millie. Millie was such a wonderful heroine; full of spunk and courage. She was able to bring one of London’s most feared men to his knees.

He shut her door behind him, wondering to himself just what hour of the day she became less dangerous than him. He’d probably wake her then.

I read The Hunter in one gritty, action packed and delicious sitting. If you’re a fan of sizzling Historical Romance, this series is simply a must read.

THE HIGHLANDER (Victorian Rebels #3)

Can the fiercest master of battle conquer a woman’s heart?

They call him the Demon Highlander. The fearsome Lieutenant Colonel Liam MacKenzie is known for his superhuman strength, towering presence, and fiery passion in the heat of battle. As Laird to the MacKenzie clan, the undefeated Marquess has vanquished his foes with all rage and wrath of his barbaric Highland ancestors. But when an English governess arrives to care for his children, the master of war finds himself up against his greatest opponent… in the game of love.

Defying all expectations, Miss Philomena is no plain-faced spinster but a ravishing beauty with voluptuous curves and haughty full lips that rattle the Laird to his core. Unintimidated by her master’s raw masculinity and savage ways, the headstrong lass manages to tame not only his wild children but the beast in his soul. With each passing day, Liam grows fonder of Miss Mena—and more suspicious. What secret is she hiding behind those emerald eyes? What darkness brought her to his keep? And how can he conquer this magnificent woman’s heart… without surrendering his own?

AMAZON

He wanted all of it. All of her. He wanted to uncover her, body and soul. To lay her bare and wide and make a conquest of her. He wanted to own her. To claim her. To brand her skin with his mark.

Another amazing installment in what’s become my recent addiction of a series! Ever since Mena was first introduced in The Hunter, I’ve been eager for her story. After all the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her vicious husband and cruel family, I was yearning for her to know love. Who knew she’d find it at the hands of the one they call The Demon Highlander? Yum!

Laird Hamish Mackenzie had wanted to craft a monster out of his son and heir. Someone like him. But monsters were mythical, the figments of superstitious imaginations and farcical stories of centuries past. Liam decided he’d be no monster. Nay, he’d do one better. He’d become a demon.

This was a delicious slow burn of a romance. I loved watching the battle-scarred war hero fall harder and harder for Mena, as she tried harder and harder to stay away from him due to her secrets.

There was plenty of action to be had, with fantastic secondary characters, and a romance that will make you swoon. Another winner from my new favorite historical romance series!

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Geri & Lana’s Review: The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren

January 5, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

THE ONES WHO GOT AWAY
Series: The Ones Who Got Away #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Roni Loren
Release Date: January 2, 2018

Liv’s words cut off as Finn got closer. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she’d known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence.

It’s been twelve years since tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School.

Only a few students survived that fateful night—a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away.

Liv Arias thought she’d never return to Long Acre—until a documentary brings her and the other survivors back home.

Suddenly her old flame, Finn Dorsey, is closer than ever, and their attraction is still white-hot.

When a searing kiss reignites their passion, Liv realizes this rough-around-the-edges cop might be exactly what she needs…

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

GERI’S REVIEW

Broken glass still made art. Sometimes the most beautiful kind.”

My 2018 is off to a good start with The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren. This book packs an emotional punch, filled with complex characters and nuanced storytelling.

The Ones Who Got Away is about a group of friends who were survivors of a tragic school shooting. Finn Dorsey and Olivia Arias might have survived the shooting physically but the emotional wounds they carried had affected them profoundly. It is especially hard for both Finn and Liv because the shooting ended their burgeoning relationship back then.

I was a little wary going in because of the sensitive topic. At the same time, I was really looking forward to how that aspect of the story is handled. In my own opinion, it was handled well by the author.

That could definitely get messy.”
“We’ve always been messy, Livvy. That’s what makes it so good.”

The romance between Finn and Liv was beautifully done. I want to avoid spoilers as much as possible so I won’t go into the details of their romance while they were in high school and why they broke up. What I do want to mention was how mature their romance is in the present. There was no unnecessary drama between these characters. There’s tension, yes and obstacles they have to face but they deal with it like adults, which is really refreshing.

I love Liv so much. She’s a complex character with her own dreams and wants and issues. The way she dealt with the tragedy was heartbreaking. I love LOVE her friendship with the other female survivors. Their friendship and bond was featured prominently in the book, which I adored because I’m a sucker for female friendship in books.

Finn, like Liv, is another awesome character. He has his own way of dealing with the trauma. Except for his single-minded focus and devotion to his job, he’s basically stopped living. I liked how the author was able to succinctly present the hero’s arc and made us root for him despite his mistakes in the past.

Overall, The Ones Who Got Away was a poignant, character driven second-chance romance that will melt your heart.

LANA’S REVIEW

She’d been pretty in high school. Quirky cool. But now she was just flat-out beautiful. And successful. And hella smart. And offfuckinglimits.

Poignant, sensual, and truly unforgettable. I’m absolutely blown away by The Ones Who Got Away and can’t wait for more in this series!

I’ve been a huge fan of this author since I first read Crash into You years ago. There’s something about her writing that just wraps around you and…sticks. She wrote some of my most favorite sizzling BDSM romance. Yet nothing prepared me for this book. I expected it to be great, it’s Roni Loren after all. I simply wasn’t expecting it to effect me as much as it did. I give Loren so much respect for daring to take on such a sensitive subject matter and not turning it into fodder, but making it poignant and memorable. It was completely unforgettable.

How do you move on as one of the few survivors of a devastating and deadly school shooting? Twelve years later, Liv Morris is still struggling with the answer. Back in a town she swore she’d never come back to, she finds herself wandering the halls of her old high school. A documentary that will be sharing the proceeds with the families of victims and research to help prevent tragedies like that happening again are cause enough for her to come back. But what she’s not prepared for is to run into the love of her past.

Finn Dorsey was the golden boy of the town, a football superstar, son of an influential family, while she was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. They were polar opposites yet something drew them together only to be tragically torn apart due to impossible choices made in a terrible time that they both regret. But Finn isn’t the boy he used to be anymore. He’s hardened, changed, and full of regret. Olivia is also not the girl he used to know and it doesn’t take long for the sparks between them to reignite.

I hope you are selfishly using me right now to get off.” She laughed, breathless from his clever fingers. “Oh, I’m completely doing that. Have you seen you?” His expression went old-school Finn—all cocky and sly. “I have. I’ve been in an exclusive relationship with myself for a few years. I’m amazing in bed.”
“So I’ve heard. This morning, in fact. Glad I get to join in this time.”

Aside from their fantastic banter, there were plenty of other things to love about these characters. I loved the woman that Liv became. She’s a quiet sort of strength and while she’s not where she thought she’d be as a naive girl back in high school, she’s determined to change her life now.

Finn was simply devastating. Man but my heart broke for him. He has so much guilt over what happened to Liv during the shooting. And even though he’s dedicated his life to ensuring that what happened to them doesn’t happen again, he’s lost sight of the boy he used to be. All he’s known is his job and it’s slowly eaten away at his very soul. He’s not surprised that it takes the vivacious Liv to remind him of what he once craved and crave it all over again. The chemistry between them was completely incendiary but also quirky and sweet.

You okay, Batman?”
“No, you’ve killed me. I’m now speaking to you from the great beyond.” She laughed. “Is it nice there?”
“So nice.”
“Are there unicorns?”
He reached out and brushed his thumb along her lips. “You’re weird, Arias.”
“I know. You can be Oddly Hot. I’ll be Weirdly Sexy. We’ll be a crime-fighting duo.”

In addition to their romance, there were secondary characters introduced in the form of the other survivors that I was immediately hooked on. I can’t wait to get their stories; Rebecca in particular.

If you’re looking for a story that’s full of meaning and romance and a step outside of the typical, this is most definitely a must read.

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. She holds a master’s degree in social work and spent years as a mental health counselor, but now she writes full time from her cozy office in Dallas, Texas where she puts her characters on the therapy couch instead. She is a two-time RITA Award winner and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.

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New Release Review: Beautiful Lawman by Sophie Jordan

December 26, 2017 by · 1 Comment

BEAUTIFUL LAWMAN
Series: Devil’s Rock #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sophie Jordan
Release Date: December 26, 2017

From the wrong side of the tracks and with most of her family in jail or dead, Piper Walsh is used to everyone in town thinking the worst about her. It doesn’t seem to matter that she’s worked hard to build a good life for herself. So she isn’t surprised that when she comes into contact with Sweet Hill’s wildly irresistible, arrogant sheriff, Hale Walters, they’re instant adversaries. Piper has nothing in common with the town golden-boy-turned-lawman—and she refuses to be a notch on his bedpost.

Despite rumors, Hale avoids fooling around with the women of Sweet Hill, many of whom are hoping to get him to the altar.

But staying out of Piper’s path is proving near impossible.

The infuriating troublemaker clearly has no respect for his badge.

As she continues to push his buttons, it becomes clear to Hale that he must either arrest Piper—or claim her as his own.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

He wasn’t for her. She didn’t get nice things. Men like him went for the good girls of the world who went to college and took yoga classes and were raised by loving parents. Not girls who woke in the middle of the night from nightmares because the past could never release its grip.

Why has it taken me this long to read this series? Why? I read Jordan’s historical The Scandal of It All and became an instant fan. I’ve been eyeing this series for months, and I honestly don’t know why it took me this long to finally get to it. After finishing this book, I immediately went to amazon to one-click the rest of this series. I’m in love with this story and these characters. Simply in love!

Girl from the wrong side of the tracks falls for the sexy sheriff of the town that has never really accepted seems delicious enough. Add to that story a dash of enemies to lovers trope, plenty of angst and sizzling steam and if that doesn’t get you salivating, I don’t know what will!

She snuck a glance over her shoulder and the look on his face made her stomach dip to her toes. Blazing hot desire. The hands on his thighs were white-knuckled and clenched tight. 

Piper Walsh was a heroine I clicked with right away. Here’s a woman that’s lived anything but an easy life. Her family is the social pariah of the small town she’s grown up in. Her parents were addicts that are now dead, her brother is in jail, and she’s left on her own to raise her younger sister. Scrambling to make ends meet, unable to get an acceptable job anywhere else in a town that hates her, she’s forced to sling drinks at a strip club. Unfortunately her job does nothing to add to her already tarnished rep, especially for one particularly antagonistic sheriff that seems to think the worst of her along with the rest of the town.

But looks can be deceiving…

Hale Walters has always been on the right side of the law. The last thing he needs is to give into the sizzling chemistry that seems to blaze between him and Piper. But that chemistry soon proves to be too much temptation to resist, especially when he begins to see the woman beneath the reputation of her family’s last name.

Beautiful Lawman was a delicious slow burn that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I loved the angsty hate/lust thing that Piper and Hale had going between the two of them in the beginning. Though it certainly wasn’t as satisfying as seeing them unwittingly fall deeper and harder for each other. Talk about your opposites attracting. It just worked so well with these two characters. I couldn’t get enough of them.

My heart broke for Piper and everything that she’s gone through. I just wanted her to finally catch a break. I loved that she never lost her spark or sass. This is a woman that gives as hard as she gets and doesn’t let anything get her down. She has a spine of steel to her and I simply loved that about her.

Hale was just delicious. He was this mix of protective yet slightly reserved. He wants Piper but he also wants to shelter his heart. The man was all alpha though and when he finally decides to pursue Piper? Holy fireworks, batman!

There’s an added element of mystery about Piper’s past and why her brother is in jail that I absolutely devoured. Beautiful Lawman was a sizzling, entertaining, and unputdownable read from beginning to finish.

THE SERIES

ALL CHAINED UP | HELL BREAKS LOOSE | FURY ON FIRE | BEAUTIFUL LAWMAN

 

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