Review Blitz & #Giveaway: ★Revelry★ by @CarmenJAuthor

Title: Revelry
Series: Taint #1
Author: Carmen Jenner
Genre: Erotic Romance
Release Date: May 25, 2015

Cooper Ryan is living the dream. Between the parties with rock royalty, booze, groupies and performing to crowds of thousands with his band Taint, life seems pretty sweet. There’s just one thing missing: the feisty little red-head that took his baby and ran off with his heart. Throwing himself into music is the only thing keeping him sane.

Until a run-in with a nonplussed, package-wielding PA throws everything off balance.

Ali Jones is having a craptastic life. Her grandmother died, leaving her homeless, penniless, and alone, and her boyfriend left her for a tramp who takes her clothes off for money. That’s why when she lands her dream job at a record company it seems like it’s too good to be true.

Because it is.

Slapped with an ultimatum, Ali must decide if facing the horror of the unemployment line is a fate worse than going on the road with four rowdy rockers hell-bent on making her life misery.

He’s adored by millions.

She’s not even loved by her cat.

Can they ignore their hatred long enough to survive the tour from hell? Or will their chemistry force everything to come crashing down around them?

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My vision is partly obstructed by Ali, but the sight of her head bobbing as she takes him in her mouth is all I need to know what’s going on. Levi meets my gaze across the limo. There’s gloating there—that much is obvious—but there’s also understanding. When you spend as much time together as we do, you come to know your bandmates pretty well. For all his talk, he’s not as big of a douche as he claims to be. He may not ever sleep with the same woman more than once—with the exception of Ali, I guess—but I know he’s not immune to the loneliness our lifestyle creates. It’s strange how you can be adored by millions and yet completely alone all at the same time.

He slides his hand into her hair and closes his eyes, throwing his head back against the seat.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” he whispers, and then he gathers her hair to the side and shifts her body so that my view is completely unobstructed. I watch as she works her hands up his shaft in time with her mouth. He doesn’t attempt to fuck the back of her throat and make her choke on it, the way we both had that first night we fucked her. Instead, his touch is gentle. Reverent.

It makes me crazy, and hot as fucking hell. I shift uncomfortably, adjusting my cock within my jeans. I don’t make a move towards them, though I want to. I want to bury myself inside her and mark her as mine, but at this point the lines are so fucking blurred it doesn’t matter whom she belongs to. Him. Me. The both of us, or neither one.

I lean forward, taking a glass from the shelf and a crystal decanter filled with amber liquor, and I pour myself a drink, and then I slide back into the leather to watch.

“Play with yourself, Red,” he whispers.

“No.”

“Do it,” I say, and she turns around to glare at me. I can’t tell if she’s disappointed I’m not joining in, or if she forgot I was even here.

“I don’t want—”

“Why are you suddenly so embarrassed?” I say sharply, swigging back more of the scotch than I should.

“I’m not embarrassed. I’d actually rather that you joined in.”

“I’m watching,” I say, eyeing her coolly over my glass. She scowls at me a moment and then she kneels up, steadying herself with one hand on Levi’s thigh. She wriggles her skirt up over her hips and bends over. Everything is on display as she takes him in her mouth again. I close my eyes, not wanting to watch her on her knees in front of him, her head bent low, her full fuck-me lips wrapped around Levi’s cock. I feel as if I’m on a ride that’s spinning out of control and I can’t find a way off. I can’t make it stop. And I so badly want it to stop.

I’m losing my mind. I’m sinking, drowning, and on fire all at once. I’m split down the middle, torn in half by two different men, two different bodies pushing and pulling me in all directions, breaking me down and then lifting me up again, shoving me into the fire and soothing my scorching flesh with their kisses that act as a balm.

I hope you’re sitting down as you’re reading this because what I’m about to tell you will shock the hell out of you. You ready? IjustreadalovetriangleandIactuallylikedit. Did you get that? Because after all my blustering about never reading it, I think I just died a little inside admitting it. But holy shit, leave it to Carmen Jenner to make me love it. Somewhere right now, my friends, hell is surely freezing over.

I wish I could tell you I was shocked by the fact that it was this author that made it happen, but considering just how much I love her writing, it really isn’t all that shocking. Carmen’s characters are anything but conventional. Her heroines are sassy, sharp-witted, potty mouthed little hellions. And her heroes are to die for alphas with just that right touch of vulnerability. She’s not afraid to go outside the conventional lines with her stories. She thinks outside the box and that’s what makes me love her books as much as I do. She’ll go there. Where most authors will shy away from certain scenarios, she charges into these things like a bull and knocks it out of the fucking park. I love it! But enough about my fangirling and lets get onto the review, shall we?

This feisty little ranga is going to own my balls and store them in her handbag, and I’m going to let her, because I was a fucking goner the second I saw her glaring up at me from the floor of that conference room. I just have to hope like hell she doesn’t realize it.

If you’ve read Enjoy Your Stay, then you’ll remember Cooper Ryan; the sexy rockstar that lost his girl and his child to man from his woman’s past. (And if you haven’t read it, no worries because this book and series stands on its own). Left broken hearted and jaded, Cooper never wants to feel that way again. He’ll never let himself get that vulnerable again. But when a sexy redhead literary comes stumbling into their meeting he seizes the opportunity to make her one of his contract demands. He wants her as the band’s PA, even if she’s glaring daggers at him at the mere mention of it.

Ali Jones hasn’t exactly had the best year. Her boyfriend cheated on her with their stripper roommate. She’s lost her grams and is now living out of her car with her grandmother’s cat that clearly hates her guts. As much as she loves the industry and dreams of managing big names one day, the last thing she wants is to get on a tour bus with the too cocky for his own good rockstar. Even if he makes her nether regions go all aflutter.

You’re one of those Alpha-holes, aren’t you?”
“What the fuck is an Alpha-hole?”
“You know, one of those bossy dicks. Everything has to be my way and I’ll blindside you with how fucking sexy I am so you won’t see it coming when I slap you upside the head with my big cock, and my bullshit about how I own your pussy, and you belong to me and blah, blah, blah.”

The banter in this book alone is worth 5 stars. I was laughing like a loon the entire time reading this and couldn’t stop. Carmen Jenner really brought her A game with this series. Holy shit! It was hysterical. There was a certain circle jerk incident, then there was a certain waxing incident, and through it all I was laughing so hard I had honest to gawd tears in my eyes.

Because Cooper is inebriated, and I’m not. I need to back away…right after he gropes my boob. I mean, his hand is already under my shirt, it would be rude not to let him.

In case you haven’t caught on yet, yes this book is a love triangle. For a reader that avoids the mere mention of LT like a bad case of the clap, believe me when I tell you that it was handled well. Well enough that even this picky bitch loved it. There was no leading the reader around by the nose about who she might pick. There was no leading on of both men and wishy washy twatty heroines. Hell no! If more authors wrote love triangles this way, I’d probably read them a whole lot more.

As much as I loved Cooper, Levi, the rockstar with the giant cock heart of gold stole my heart just the same. I simply couldn’t get enough of him and his BOD. What’s BOD you ask? Allow me to clarify

All clear now? Great!

Fuck, Red. I been wanting to bend over the sweet arse and fuck you for weeks now.”
“I think your giant cock might break me.”
“It’s not gonna break you.”
“Well that’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who might spend the rest of your life in a wheel chair because all your lady parts fall out when you stand up after having that monster of a thing inside you.”
“You’re really hurting his feelings now.”

The story is told in alternating POVs from Cooper and Ali and it really allows to fall for these characters, no matter what their faults or quirks may be.

There’s plenty of other things that happen aside from the romance between them, but the romance was definitely the focus. It never deviated from it and even though another man was involved, it never took away from the main couple. What it did do, was add an absolutely sizzling touch to an already hot as fuck romance. Did I mention there’s some hawt MFM scenes? Oh yes, my pervy friends, this book had it all. The only reason I’m not giving it a full 5 stars was because I wanted just a little bit more from that ending. It’s definitely satisfying enough, but I still wanted more. I guess I’m just greedy like that. I’m not sure if their story will continue in the next book or Ali and Coop will just be featured in it, but whatever it is, I’ll take it! 

If you’re looking for your next rockstar romance that’s anything but conventional and will keep you laughing hysterically one minute and panting in lust the next, you just found your next read. I’m seriously in love with this series and cannot wait for more on the boys of Taint.

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA TODAY and international bestselling author of the Sugartown, Savage Saints, and Taint series.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore MAC addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny north coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?


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Review: ★Falling★ by @BarbaraElsborg

Genre: Erotic, Contemporary MM Romance
Release Date: March 24, 2015

Falling is easy. Landing without breaking your heart? Impossible.
Harper is no longer behind bars, but it doesn’t feel like it. Ten years serving time for a crime he didn’t commit have left him shut down, numb, and a frozen wreck over the simplest of choices.

He’s acutely aware of the dark-haired young man checking him out in the supermarket, but he’s too deep in panic mode to even meet the guy’s gaze. Afraid the slightest move will trigger a fall that will never stop.

Fresh off a long-term relationship with a controlling man, Malachi is stuck living with relatives who think he’s a waste of oxygen. The tall guy in the long, gray coat is the first bright spot he’s glimpsed in a long time…though the man’s unblinking stare at a bottle of shower gel is a touch alarming.

Hard experience tells both of them to turn away before lust turns to hopeless attraction, and inevitably to disaster. But once their sparks connect, the arc of electricity is too strong to deny. Even if the cost is too much to bear.

Warning: Contains an ex-con with disaster written all over him, a boy toy who’s trouble with a capital T, a damp old British house, compulsive meddling, and enough hot sex to cure the severe case of nervous babbling.

How many times can a heart break before there’s nothing left to mend.

Barbara Elsborg has this incredible ability to make me fall head over heels for absolutely every single character she writes. Whether they’re alphas, broody, broken, sweet, sheltered, jaded…it doesn’t matter. Her signature writing style of dry wit mixed in with heart breaking angst, panty melting eroticism, and an added element of suspense never disappoints me. If you’ve read any of her other books, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t and that sounds like something you may enjoy, I cannot recommend a better author for you.

Twenty four year old Malachi is struggling to get by. After leaving a relationship with a man that controlled every aspect of his life, he longs to make it on his own. But life has different plans for him. Unable to get a job, unable to afford a place of his own, he’s barely making ends meet living with his sister and her homophobe asshole of a husband. When Malachai notices a beautiful man standing at a supermarket and looking as lost as he feels, he feels an instant connection…and a strong surge of lust. When his brother-in-law actually does him one act of kindness and helps him get a job with a contraction company, Malachi’s first day of work brings him face to face with the man who’s been a constant presence in his nightly fantasies.

Thirty four year old Harper has spent the last ten years of his life behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. Shunned by everyone he once knew, they all turned away from him when he was sentenced, including his father. Harper felt the stare of the beautiful young man with the face of a fallen angel that day at the store, but he’s terrified that his past will continue to taint his future.

He closed his eyes. Please let me sleep. Please don’t let me dream. Please give me my life back.
No one was listening. No one ever had.
He was still falling.

Malachi was a character that you fall for right away. He has such a caring heart even after everything he’s been through. But he also has a dry wit and a sharp mind that makes him endearing even though he may not be the alpha male I’m used to reading about. The way that he soothes Harper and breaks down his walls bit by bit was equal parts emotional and beautiful to read.

I’m…”
“What?”
“Afraid of wanting this too much. Afraid of hurting you. Afraid of falling. Afraid of landing.

My heart absolutely broke for Harper and everything that he’s been through, especially when the details behind his arrest and sentencing begin to come to light. You’d have to be cold and dead not to feel for him.

The attraction between them is instant and solid. The chemistry is absolutely sizzling. I absolutely loved these two together.

Harper’s hips shifted faster as he plunged in and out, driving Malachi against the wall, fucking him at a crazy speed, thrusting into tight slick heat, compelled to fuck him until he fell, and the world ended.

Amidst the romance there’s also the suspense of the mystery behind exactly what happened with Harper and who may be responsible. Add it all together and this was an absolute page turner. Harper and Malachi together were absolute perfection. They healed each other’s broken pieces. It’s like they were two halves of a whole; they fit. It was sexy, sweet, emotional. I couldn’t get enough of them.

Of course it just wouldn’t be a Barbara Elfsborg book without all shit hitting the fan in the last 15%. I love that added bit of angst and suspense. Knowing that Malachi ex, Conrad’s, book is next, I also really liked getting that little peak inside his head. For a character that I wanted to hate for most of the book, I have to say he really made me question everything I thought about him at the end. I can’t wait to read his story.

If you’re looking for a sizzling hot and emotional MM romance, then this book is a no brainer pick. I loved it!

You are what’s important in my life. Freedom tastes like you. Without you, I’m nothing.

New Release & Review: ★The Mistake★ by @ElleKennedy

The Mistake (Off-Campus #2)
Author: Elle Kennedy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release: April 28, 2015

He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.


He absolutely makes me nervous. He’s John fucking Logan, one of the most popular guys at this college. And I’m Grace fucking Ivers, one of thousand of girls who are crushing on him.

You know what I love? A sexy bad boy. Know what I love even more? A good grovel. What else? A sassy and sharp witted heroine that makes the sexy bad boy work for it. So this book? My golden trifecta.

If you’ve read The Deal, then you remember Logan, Garrett’s best friend and roommate and also the poor bastard that manages to get a crush on Garrett’s girlfriend. Seemingly Logan has it all; his choice of girls, a promising hockey future and infamy on campus. But deep down everything is not quite so perfect. His promising hockey future? A mirage that he perpetuates to his friends because of a secret he hides. His pick of girls? Irrelevant because he can’t have the one he wants. But then knocking on the wrong door changes the course of his life when he meets Grace Ivers.

Grace Ivers is an introverted freshman with a mild case of OCD that’s as endearing as she is quirky. Prone to babbling when she gets nervous, I knew just after a few short lines that I’d love her. Her internal dialogue never failed to bring a goofy smile to my face.


I’ve given handjobs before, plus a few blowjobs that I know were a huge success because…well, semen and all that. but I don’t have enough experience to consider myself an expert penis-wrangler or anything.

What starts out as an unlikely friendship quickly turns into something more. Unfortunately before Logan realizes just how perfect Grace is for him he manages to fuck things up so perfectly there may be no fixing it.

I’d say this book is split in two halves; 1. Pre-monumental fuck up and 2. Post-monumental fuck up. And in between those two there’s one deliciously perfect grovel. As much as I liked Grace in the first half of the book, I absolutely loved her in the  second half. She’s a lot more assertive and self-assured in the second half. She really grows into her own and becomes that much more endearing.

To be honest seeing how Logan was crushing on Hannah in the last book and beginning of this one, I was afraid that he’d be “settling” for Grace. But that was never the case, not at all. As a matter of fact, I loved how the author handled that situation. I seriously loved every page of this book. The humor and banter between the guys (and my beloved manwhore Dean) was pure gold.


Just out of curiosity, what constitutes a ‘nice cock shot’? I mean, is it the lighting? The pose?”
“Well, the trick is, you’ve gotta keep the balls out of it.”
“Seriously,” Dean insists. “Balls aren’t photogenic. Women don’t want to see them.”

As for Logan, let’s just say my lust love for Logan never wavered. Well it may have shaken slightly at one point but boy did he make up for it.


Trust me, baby, you’re the only woman I want. The only one who gets me going.”

Everything the man said and did had me feeling all warm and lusty inside.

There was the one “friend” of Grace’s, Ramona, that I wanted to punch in both ovaries and then not-so-gently push her off a bridge because hello twat alert! I was glad to see that Grace wasn’t such a pushover with her later in the book as she was in the beginning, but hopefully Ramona never gets a book. I swear every time I read her name all I could think of was crazy Ramona from Real Housewives and I wanted to reach through my kindle and throttle her.

True story 😉

Aside from that, I really loved this. Logan was absolutely swoon worthy. I loved him and Grace together. I loved him in general. Sure you get another hero with “daddy issues” but I couldn’t find it in me to care.


Belonging. It’s the only way to describe the exquisite rush of sensation that washes over me. His lips BELONG on mine.

If you loved The Deal, I’m almost positive that you’ll love The Mistake. I know that I sure as hell did and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book. I’m hoping it will be my manwhoring Dean. If the set-up in this book is what I think it is then his book is sure to be one verra interesting read.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Crushed★ by @_laurenlayne

Crushed
Author: Lauren Layne
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: April 14th, 2015
Loveswept: Flirt
Lauren Layne’s latest novel about the healing power of redemption tells the story of a crush gone wickedly wrong, proving that what you want isn’t always what you need.Growing up in New York, Michael St. Claire never expected to spend his twenties wearing cowboy boots. But that was before he learned about his real father, a total stranger with a family in Cedar Grove, Texas. Once in the Lone Star State, Michael meets Kristin Bellamy, who is exquisitely refined and everything Michael always thought he wanted in a woman. The only problem is that Kristin is dating Michael’s new half-brother, Devon.Kristin’s mouthy, curvy sister Chloe has always been in love with Devon Patterson. So when Michael offers to help Chloe break up Devon and Kristin, Chloe agrees to a deal that seems too good to be true. Before long, Chloe finally gets her man, only to make a startling discovery: She no longer wants the guy she had to fight for—she wants the one who stood by her side.

After all he and Chloe have been through, Michael swears he’s damaged goods. Can Chloe convince him that love is worth the risk?

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Excerpt

I’ve been in love with Devon Patterson since I was eight.

And I know what you’re thinking . . .

That I didn’t have hormones when I was eight, so it wasn’t real love, or even real attraction.

You’re wrong.

I love him.

And I know he could love me back, if only he’d look at me.

But ya know? I can’t even blame Devon for not seeing me.

It’s probably hard for him to be aware of his surroundings when my Disney Princess sister has her tongue in his mouth.

I mean, why would you want the funny sidekick when you can have the heroine?

And that’s the type of person Kristin is. Or at least thinks she is. She’s the heroine in every story.

Even other people’s.

As if he reads my mind, Devon slowly pulls back from his reunion kiss to join the land of the living where the actual people do not have eyelashes the size of small bats and a waist the size of a toddler’s.

But, actually, it’s not fair to pick only on Kristin for her blinding good looks.

Of the four of us here on this godforsaken tennis court, I’m the only one that’s not outright beautiful.

Take Devon, for example. Blond. Blue-eyed. Chiseled jaw. Tall, but not too tall, muscular but not bulging. Yummy.

As for the new tennis instructor . . . I don’t even know what to make of him.

My first thought? Beefcake. It’s obvious why he was hired, and it’s not because he can make contact with a tennis ball ten times out of ten.

Nope, it’s definitely the way his biceps strain the requisite Cambridge Country Club polo, and the way his tanned skin contrasts perfectly with the crisp white fabric.

That and the sulky bad-boy gaze that I’m pretty sure he’s aware of. Maybe even practiced.

New guy is definitely gorgeous. And Kristin’s definitely noticed.

I shift my gaze to where Devon is tucking a lock of Kristin’s ever-silky hair behind her ear. We both have curly hair, but Kristin’s is the kind that can be blown out into all kinds of satiny shine. Unlike my corkscrews, where each curl is like its own rebellious teenager.

It’s clear which version Devon prefers.

And Beefcake, too, given the way he was practically undressing Kristin with his eyes when he thought she wasn’t looking.

I liked that about him. The way he didn’t let her know he was looking. He was playing games, but by his own rules.

But, anyway, who cares about tennis boy.

Tall, dark, and brooding isn’t my type.

I like them blond, smiley, and kind.

I like them like Devon Patterson.

Did I mention I love him?

Review

3.5 stars

I don’t think it’s about who loves you first. It’s about who loves you best.”

There’s a reason that Lauren Layne has become one of my favorite New Adult authors. There’s just something about her writing and her characters that never fails to reel me in and keep me glued to the pages. It also never fails to give me that warm and fuzzy feelings right in my tummy that I’ve come to adore about New Adult. There’s no insta anything and her characters are far from perfect and watching that progress and develop through the story is the best feeling in the world. I have to admit that I wasn’t too keen on Michael after first meeting him in Isn’t She Lovely. But then right around Broken that changed. My heart hurt for him and I couldn’t wait for the guy that fell in love with his best friend’s girlfriend only to be devastatingly rejected by her in the end to get his HEA.

Michael’s world changed forever right around the time his heart was shattered into a million pieces. First he gets rejected by the girl he’s been in love with for years. A girl that just so happened to be his best friend’s girlfriend at that he cheated with. So in the span of one kiss, he lost the girl AND his best friend. Then his world gets rocked when he finds out that his whole life has been a lie and his father isn’t his father. In the hopes to get to know the man that is his true father, he moves to Texas, but he’s no longer the boy that he was. He’s broody, he’s disenchanted and jaded. He no longer believes in love, but working as a tennis pro for the rich and the bored, he has no problem being the boy toy to the spoiled housewives. But he has ulterior motives to working there. He has his eye on a girl that happens to be his half-brother’s girlfriend. A half-brother that has no idea he exists. And while Michael has his eye on Kristin, the gorgeous and spoiled rich girl, her frumpy sister is in love with Devon.

On a good day I’m curvy. On a bad one, I’m plump.
Most of the days are bad ones.

Chloe is honestly what truly made this book for me. Her ability to laugh at herself and this lighthearted presence she had to her was a breath of fresh air. She’s so fun and quirky and just this girl next door that could be anyone’s best friend. Being the frumpy sister to the perfect skinny one is no easy feat. It’s also twice as hard being in love with her boyfriend for as long as she remembers. But Chloe knows she has no chance. So when Michael offers her a chance to make Devon “notice” her, she may be hesitant at first, but she takes it. What ensues is an unwilling friendship that slowly begins to turn into much more.

Michael might be sick of being “second choice.” But the rejected-woman part of me?
SHE’S tired of being the platonic sidekick.

These two were polar opposites but yet made perfect sense together. And the banter between them? Absolute perfection.

So, what’s the problem?” he asks.
“I just…it’s never like it is in the movies.”
Michael makes a strangled noise and turns toward my nightstand, opening a drawer.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Looking for a gun,” he mutters, before shutting it again. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re one of those girls waiting for the movie kiss?”
I scrunch my nose at his disbelieving face. “They do exist.”

But then somewhere between the personal training and just hanging out together, their plans shift and it begins to turn into something much more.

With Chloe, it’s easy to forget that I’m nobody. Because she makes me feel like somebody.

I loved the slow burn element to the story. It’s truly brilliant when the reader discovers things right along with the characters. Chloe and Michael didn’t lust for each other at first sight, and that was evident. But somewhere along the way their feelings shift, and you get to experience that with them.

It was perfection.

It’s not often that this self proclaimed smut slut enjoyed a story that basically has zero sex this much. But to be honest, anything more would have been plain filler. The one and only scene is filled with so much feeling that it’s satisfying all on it’s own. Immensely so.

Did I also happen to mention the fantastic banter?

…at the lesson, the other day, she was…forward.”
“FORWARD? I swear to God, Beefcake, every now and then you slip in a word that makes me think you’re a nineteenth-century butler.”
“Yeah? You like? What if I slip a British accent in there?”
“Don’t you dare. I’ll swoon. I mean it.”

I adored this book. My only quibble was the somewhat cheesy-ish reunion at the very end, but then at the same time I was hoping for one, so I can’t complain much.

If you’re a fan of New Adult that has a witty heroine, a broody hero, a slow burn romance and incredible writing, this book is simply a must read!

About the Author

Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Third Debt★ by @PepperWinters

 
Third Debt (Indebted #4)
Author: Pepper Winters
Genre: Erotic, Dark Romance
Release Date: April 16, 2015
About The Book

“She healed me. She broke me. I set her free. But we are in this together. We will end this together. The rules of this ancient game can’t be broken.”Nila Weaver no longer recognises herself. She’s left her lover, her courage, and her promise. Two debts down. Too many to go.Jethro Hawk no longer recognises himself. He’s embraced what he always ran from, and now faces punishment far greater than he feared.

It’s almost time. It’s demanding to be paid.

The Third Debt will be the ultimate test…

 Review
4.5 stars
We were both destroyed. And the cure was to give in.

Oh. My. God.
Oh. My. Sanity.
Oh. Mylanta.
This. Fucking. Book. I’m speechless. I’m shocked. My mind is fucked the fuck up. What. Just. Happened?! Want me to describe my state of being the entire time reading this book?

Yeah. Exactly. I was an over-caffeinated, anxiety filled mess. There was not enough booze in the world to help me get through this. It’s a miracle I’m not a damn alcoholic after finishing it. Good grief. Intense doesn’t even begin to describe it.

I’d given my heart to my enemy.
I’d fallen
Fallen.
Fallen.
HARD.

Now if you haven’t read the previous 3 books, I have to warn you that this review will contain minor spoilers so stop reading right now. It will be completely SPOILER FREE for this book, however.

Nila had my heart. But my father had my very existence.

Nila and Jethro have been through 3 debt inheritences. It’s changed them, it’s broken them, it’s fused them together. Neither are the same people that they were first introduced to be. Book by book and chapter by chapter, Pepper Winters has been systematically building two characters that are filled with so much depth, you find something new with every book. Nila continues to grow into her own, a stronger woman, a woman that just may have the strength to survive the brutalities done to her and fight for herself and for Jethro to bring them out of their hell. Jethro is taking a different journey.

While first we were introduced to someone seemingly unfeeling, cold and dark, Nila has been chipping away at all of Jethro’s defense and walls. Now he is no longer able to hide his true self from her. But worse yet, he can’t hide it any longer from his father.

I was firstborn.
This was my legacy.
After weeks of preparation, i’d agreed once and for all to prove it.
By killing Nila Weaver.

Everything that Jethro has tried to hide through the years from everyone and especially from his father is being brought to the surface by Nila’s mere presence alone. He craves her and yet he has no way out of his duty to the Hawke legacy. A legacy he wants nothing to do with, but nothing short of death and blood would get him out of. He let Nila go to protect her but unfortunately it’s not so easy when the woman who was once his prey doesn’t want to stay away.

Nila may have suffered at the hands of her captor, but it didn’t stop her from falling for him. But ever since she left, Jethro isn’t the man she fell in love with. He seems lost in a cold fog and reverting back to the man she first met. A man she wants nothing to do with, but she’s determined to bring the man she knows is hiding inside him back to the surface. But can both of them survive the repercussions when all the secrets begin to finally unravel?

Now I’ll be first to admit that I have the worst case of series ADD ever. As in I barely find myself finishing any series past 3 books. Hell, even trilogies sometimes lose me. It’s just that after so many books, I begin to lose interest in the couple. How much can they possible go through before it gets boring, systematic, redundant or predictable? That is NOT the case here, which is remarkable considering each book is a novel length. Each piece is intricately woven into the next that leaves you begging for more every time. I never thought I’d say that of a cliffhanger, but that’s the same case with them. They’re not there for shock value. I actually like getting that break between each book (even though I slowly die inside waiting for the next to be released). These books are simply too intense to be read back to back. They’re perfectly paced to trickle feed you the story piece by devastating piece; answering one question only to leave you with a hundred more. So if you were like me and dying to know the secret behind Jethro’s condition, breathe ease because you’ll get your answers. But then you’ll be left with a cliffhanger from hell. One that will leave you screaming, crying, ripping your hair out, and considering parting with an ovary just to get your hands on the next book just to find out what happens. Oh yeah. It’s THAT bad. And that good at the same time. If you’re not completely hooked on this series after this book…well, let’s just say that you most definitely will be.

She is my salvation, my reason for existence, my queen.

It took me two days of rocking in a dark corner after that cliffy just to be able to write a coherent review. So now that I…mostly have, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off back to my corner.

Series Reading Order

Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1) FREE
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1yzNQ37

First Debt (Indebted #2) 

Second Debt (Indebted #3) 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1IN79vB
Third Debt (Indebted #4)
PRE-ORDER Fourth Debt (Indebted #5) NOW
About the Author

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:
Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)
Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Her Grey Romance books include:
Destroyed

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Review: ★Before Jamaica Lane★ by Samantha Young

Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 7, 2014
One simple lesson in seduction between two friends can turn into so much more…
Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left broken-hearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever…

Lines were being blurred, and other lines were actually being crossed. There were a whole lot of lines and none of them were of a solid consistency.

I only have one question after finishing this book: WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! I have no idea why I didn’t continue with this series after reading On Dublin Street when it just came out. I’ll blame my mile long TBR. But after hearing all about Nate from gushing GR friends, I figured it was way past time we get introduced. I was a little bit hesitant starting this since I read On Dublin Street such a long time ago, I remember a sum total of nothing from it. Oh and I kinda sorta mighta skipped book 2. (What? I’m a rebel like that) But I digress. My fear was since I couldn’t remember any of the secondary characters introduced in ODS that I’d feel lost jumping straight into book 3. And while it took a bit for me to get everyone straight, I never did find myself confused. I was totally enraptured in this wonderful book in just a few paragraphs.

Olivia, even though she’s not my preferred type of heroine, was easily one of my favorite characters I’ve read in a while. She’s so quirky in her nerdiness that her insecurities never bothered me. As a matter of fact, I found absolutely everything about her endearing, especially her insecurities. After losing her mother to cancer, Olivia moved to live with her father in Scotland. Having been taking care of her ailing mother, Olivia never really had a chance to experience the things that most teenagers do; going on dates, fooling around. So despite her outgoing and quirky personality, the second she’s around a guy she’s attracted to, she gets shy and absolutely tongue-tied. Meeting Nate when she first moved to Scotland, she would have been just as shy around him, had he not immediately put her directly in the friend zone. Now they’re the best of friends. So who else can Liv come to to help her get over her shyness with men so that she can catch the eye of a super cute graduate student she meets in the Library where she works?

Nate is the biggest manwhore of the group. His gorgeous looks and charismatic personality guarantee that never spends the night alone. But Liv gets something that the women don’t get… his true self. So when she comes to him for help, he knows that he’ll help her. If the constant zing of attraction that runs between them is any indication, it certainly won’t be a chore either.

Liv?” his brows creased. “Just say it.”
It rushed out in a burst of geek. “It’s size is a little problematic because despite my tendency to ramble, my mouth is pretty small and it won’t all fit in it and I have a gag reflex that might be a problem so I don’t know how-”
“Liv-” Nate was choking on laughter. “Take a deep breath.”

OK…so maybe it won’t be all serious either.

I have to say how much I loved Liv and her personality. Her nerdy sayings, her and Nate’s movie nights and “would you rather” games were so adorable. I honestly couldn’t get enough of it. Also, it’s so refreshing to read about a shy and awkward with the opposite sex girl that isn’t a virgin. And despite her insecurites, Liv was anything but weak. This is a woman that had no fear speaking her mind and standing up for what she wants and is right.

Then there was the electric connection between her and Nate that only continued to get hotter and hotter with each new “lesson”

God…Nate…”
“That’s right, babe…
I’m taking you straight to heaven.”
“Heaven. Hell,” I panted, my fingers raking the wall. “Who cares as long as I ride there on an orgasm.”

Nate is not the simple manwhore that he appears. Having had an experience in his teenage years that have forever put him off of love, he has reasons for his sleeping around. And for once in my reading history, I thought they were ones that make sense. Nate was just this perfect combination of sexy and adorable. The way that he’s with Liv makes you completely fall in love with him.

Does this feel like I don’t want you?”
I reared against him, silently begging for more. “No.” I shook my head, and then arched back as he thrust into me. Just like that, Nate began to screw the mortification right out of me.

There was also the sex. Did I mention the sex? Because oh my god, the sex.

Even though you know right away where these lessons will lead, it was still fun as hell watching both Liv and Nate fall for each other. Liv being strong and accepting of it, while Nate? Not so much. I wanted to throttle him for the way he handles everything. And then I wanted to hug Liv for not being the pushover that she could have been and standing up for herself…no matter how stubborn she may have been about it later. This was one of the best grovels I’ve read in a long time. It was, in a word, perfection.

You’re not ready to hear this yet,” he concluded. “But I do need you to know that I’m going to fight for you. I’m not making the mistake of walking away from you again. The only man in your future is me, Liv. The only kids in your future are mine.

If you’re a fan of the friends to lovers trope, this book is simply a must read. Don’t be an idiot like me and keep pushing off reading it. Drop whatever you’re doing right now, and read it immediately. Trust me. You won’t be sorry.

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Yours Completely★ by @JoyaRyanAuthor

Yours Completely (Reign #2)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Joya Ryan
Release Date: April 2, 2015

For fans of J Lynn, Jodi Ellen Malpas and Sylvia Day comes Yours Completely, an all-consuming, raw and powerful love story . ..

Lana Case knows what it feels like to be tossed aside – first by her family and then by the man she naively believed was her true love. But when Jack leaves, reconfirming that she isn’t worthy of love, her world shatters. The last person Lana thought to find refuge in is an adrenaline-junky firefighter, let alone Jack’s best friend. Yet Callum Malone’s easy-going, playboy persona is just what she needs.

When Lana finds herself the target of a stalker who isn’t going away, Callum not only welcomes her into his home, but also into his bed. Unable to deny the chemistry between them, Lana gives in and after a night of fiery passion discovers what it finally feels like to not only be cherished – but safe. Lana and Callum are falling fast, knowing they’re both far out of their depth. And then Jack returns to claim the woman he left behind . . .

Addictive and unforgettable, Lana’s story will seduce, surprise and stay with you. A brand new romance by the #1 Bestselling author of Break Me Slowly, the Reign series is an emotional roller coaster you’ll want to keep riding forever.

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Review

4.5 stars

What do you see when you look at me?”
“I see my next mistake.”

Wow. I’m honestly shocked at how incredibly much I enjoyed this book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the previous book too. But something about this one managed to suck me in so completely, I read the entire thing in one sitting. Let me address one major key point here first: I am NOT a reader that likes love triangles. They send me into a stabby and ragey mess that takes me weeks to wade through. I don’t touch them with a ten foot pole. If love triangles were a vagina, I wouldn’t fuck it with someone else’s dick. Are you seeing what I’m getting at here? I don’t do them. Period. Unless they’re written like they are here. Would I categorize this as a love triangle? Yes and no. Are there two love interests for the heroine? Yes. Are they both present in her life at the same time? No. And you know what, I think that’s what I loved. Miss Ryan allowed the reader to truly get to know each man, Jack and Callum, individually in their own books without relationship crossover and angst. She made you feel exactly what Lana is feeling for each man and understand the depths of it, without making it feel one is getting the short end of the stick. These two men were two halves of a whole and such complex characters, that you can’t help but be drawn to both of them in their own right.

In the previous book Lana Case fell fast and hard for the mysterious and enigmatic Jack. When Jack leaves her after finding out the full depth of her history with her father and stepbrother, she’s devastated. He leaves her picking up the pieces of her hear, unsure whether she’ll ever be able to piece herself together. The last man that she expects to come back into her life is the sexy firefighter and Jack’s best friend, Callum, who she shared one intense kiss with in the previous book.

I know Jack hurt you, and yes, he’s my best friend. I know what’s ahead of me when it comes to you, and it’s not going to be easy. If you want to hide, I can’t help with that or allow it. But if you want to run? Fight? Feel something? That’s my department all day long.”

While the book is told entirely in Lana’s POV, you can see through her eyes exactly what Cal wants and feels.

You want a place to hide? That was Jack. And you’re right. He’s gone. But I’m the place you can run to. I’m also the one you run from…So go ahead and run, Kitten. But don’t think I won’t catch you.”

Cal is so different from Jack and yet the same. He may not have that all encompassing intensity to him, he definitely has a few demons of his own. He’s a man that has no desire for anything longer than a night with a woman, and yet he’s enraptured by Lana. He doesn’t try to take Jack’s place and he doesn’t want her to move on; he knows she never will. Jack had too much of her heart. But he does want her to move. He wants her to move to him, he’ll help her pick up the pieces. All he wants in return is the place Lana still has in her heart.

I loved how natural the progression of their relationship and feelings for each other went. You never feel like Lana is trying to replace Jack with Cal. Nor do you get the feeling that Cal is some sort of substitute. They may be best friends, but they’re also very different men. Cal is by no means anything less than alpha, but his corners are slightly smoother than Jack. He’s calmer. But that certainly doesn’t mean the man is any less intense in the bedroom.

I kissed him, soft and slow, so contradictory to the way he was taking me. Fast and hard and completely.

I spent the entire book waiting for that other shoe to drop, because you just know that Callum is keeping something from Lana. There’s also the continued threat from Lana’s psychotic step-brother. As much as I hated her father in the first book, I loathed him in this one. The added element of suspense with whoever is trying to hurt Lana only made for a more interesting read. The romance between Cal and Lana was center stage at all times though…

…I was falling hard for the man that seemed to have a way with picking me up and carrying me when I needed him the most.”

Then came that damn cliffhanger. Holy mother of GAH but does this author know how to leave you begging for more. Holy shit!

I am absolutely dying to see how everything resolves in the 3rd book. If you haven’t read this amazing author yet, you need to give this a try. I’m completely sucked in!

Don’t miss the first book in the Reign trilogy

About the Author

National and international bestselling author Joya Ryan is the author of the Shattered Series (Break Me Slowly, Possess Me Slowly and Capture Me Slowly), the Sweet Torment Series (Breathe You In, Only You), and The Chasing Love Series (Chasing Trouble, Chasing Temptation, Chasing Desire).

Passionate about both cooking and dancing (despite not being too skilled at the latter), she loves spending time at home color coding things. She resides in California with her husband and her two sons. Visit Joya Ryan online

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Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ★Total Surrender★ by @RebeccaZanetti

Total Surrender
Sin Brothers # 4
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 31, 2015; Forever Mass Market
A fight he must win . . .

Piper Oliver knows she can’t trust him. They warned her that the tall, dark, and sexy black-ops soldier Jory Dean would try to win her over with his steel-gray eyes and deadly charm, but she won’t be conned by this man they call a traitor. All she has to do is figure out the science necessary to save his life, and she’s done. Something isn’t adding up, though, and she won’t rest until she uncovers the truth-even if it’s buried in his deep, dangerous kiss.
A passion she can’t resist . . .

Jory will do anything to reunite with and save his brothers-even kidnap the gorgeous woman who’s working to deactivate the deadly chip in their spines. But the forces determined to destroy his family won’t let them go so easily. Keeping Piper alive is more than he bargained for-and so is his burning desire for her. But with every second bringing him closer to certain death, can he afford to lose himself in her hot and willing embrace?
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Excerpt

If she screamed, they were screwed.

Jory pivoted and put her against the wall, covering her mouth with his before she could let out a sound.

Warmth and woman. An electric shock flared his entire nervous system alive. Soft and sweet, she breathed in as he pressed against her. He’d meant to subdue her, to throw her off balance, but shock ricocheted through him.

Need compelled him. He shot both hands into her hair, tilting her head so he could go deeper. So fucking deep he could get lost.

The second he tasted her, all cinnamon and woman, hunger slaked him. Devastating in its intensity, a demand he couldn’t deny. Her smooth, velvety lips softened under his, and for once, he lost himself.

Strands of her silky hair caressed his hands as he held her jaw, nearly lifting her up to meet his mouth. There was nothing but getting . . . more.

She stilled against him, her mouth parting. He swept his tongue against hers, taking in a primitive claim too powerful to deny.

Her gasp mingled with his low groan. She pressed harder against him, her mouth curving under his, and he forgot . . .everything. Who he was, where they were, the fire and danger. Only the woman against him, warm and willing, sweet and sexy, filled his mind.

He clasped her tight, forgetting any gentleness. Any seduction, any mission. Only this woman and this moment mattered. Letting go of himself, he allowed the creature inside, the one so rarely let loose, to take over. To push deep, to demand more. To take.

And give everything.

His mouth overtook hers, memorizing every groove, every small nuance. His free hand gripped her butt, hauling her up against his steel-hard erection. Heat from her core nearly dropped him to his knees. Pain and sparking pleasure flared along his skin, and he deepened the kiss, tightening his hold.

He needed to get inside her. Now.

A siren trilled on the lower street, and he jerked his head free.

Danger.

She blinked, her eyes the green of a rain-filled meadow. Desire burned there, hot and bright. Somehow sweet.

Possessiveness gripped him with a chokehold. One kiss. One kiss and she’d changed him. He had to get her out of the parking lot before guns fired again.

That quickly, realization crossed her face. Then shock, as she tried to take a step back. Her hands rose and shoved against his chest.

Denial gripped him to be quickly quashed with cold, hard training. So he grabbed her wrists and hauled her closer, his face lowering to hers. He wiped away any expression and shoved down all emotion. “Those men don’t care who they shoot. They’re scrambling and might kill you—or innocent bystanders.” He spoke low, commanding.

She blinked, her mouth opening but no sound coming out.

“If you fight me, they’ll find us, and they might shoot. Collateral damage doesn’t mean a thing to them.”

She shook her head and looked around.

He pulled her closer and lowered his voice to pure, no‑bullshit command. “We’re getting in that four-door Jeep, and we’re leaving here quietly. Your only choice is alert or unconscious? Decide now.” He let conviction ring in his tone. If he believed he could knock her out, then she’d believe it, too.

No fucking way could he knock her out. Scaring her held little appeal, but he didn’t have a choice if they were to both live through the night.

She quickly nodded. Gulping air, she relaxed her body as two teenagers giggled while walking by.

He knew full well she agreed to keep bystanders safe and not because the kiss had changed anything for her. She had no reason to trust him, and she’d never really know him. Why that pierced his chest with the cleanness of a sharpened dagger, he’d figure out later. For now, they had to run.

Review

4.5 stars

There was a demand in the way he touched her, in the way he kissed. One she should run the hell away from, if she had any sense of self-preservation. The sexy soldier wanted everything she had to give, and she knew better.

It’s been almost a year since I finished Blind Faith and not once in my months of waiting has my anticipation for this book even slightly diminished. If anything, with every month I came closer to finally getting my hands on Jory’s story I just got more and more excited. So with anticipation like that, a girl builds up some high hopes that would be practically impossible to live up to, right? Well, maybe if you’re anyone BUT Rebecca Zanetti it may have been. But she managed to finish off the series with a hell of a punch that will only leave you begging for more. In short, I loved it!

What are you doing?”
“Picking up your challenge.” Smooth as silk, his lips brushed her cheek. “Didn’t you think I would?”
“No…I, ah, didn’t.”
“That was your first mistake.” His voice rumbled so close to her ear, the tenor vibrated just under her skin. Oddly, soft, and intriguingly gentle.
“Wh-What was my second?”
“I’m hoping you make that soon.”

Jory Dean is the youngest Dean brother that has been thought dead by his brothers after they saw a video of him being shot in the chest. Although almost two years have passed, even when his brothers were fighting for their own lives, they never forgot him or stop digging into the events that led up to his death. This all came to a head in the last book where finally a video surfaced that show the possibility that the shots that went through Jory’s chest may not have been fatal.

Unbeknownst to his 3 brothers, Jory spent the last 2 years in a coma inside the very military facility that they had escaped from all those years ago. Back in the evil grasp of the commander, Jory spends his days locked in a cell while a beautiful computer hacker attempts to save his life by accessing the kill chip that’s embedded in his spine that has been damaged in his shooting.

Piper Oliver is a talented young hacker. Working for a facility that she believes does good, she’s attempting to do the job she’s been hired for while a man with gray eyes and an intense presence seems to steal her every thought. It soon becomes clear that everything that Piper had once believed may not quite be as black and white as she thought. The enemy that she believes she’s fighting against may just be her only ally and the one person she believed had her best interest at heart just may be the biggest threat to her life.

All intelligence and masculinity rolled up into an explosive package.
The possibility of that explosion, of that detonation, had been hinted in him since the beginning.
She knew, without a doubt, that was the exact characteristic of his that attracted her. She wanted to detonate with him.
God help them both.

Total Surrender was an explosive, action-packed and super sexy final installment in the series. Piper and Jory burned up the pages together. What starts as the bantering between two enemies soon begins to turn into something so much more. When Jory provides Piper with more and more proof that he’s telling the truth, Piper knows that she has no other choice but to help the man that she’s slowly but surely finds herself falling for.

A week with a Dean brother is like a year with anybody else. You know. With the shooting, the espionage, the fighting for their lives.

I loved the reunion between the brothers that has been 4 books in the making. There was not one dull moment in the entire book. It was an entertaining, non-stop ride from beginning to end.

I loved getting more of the other 3 couples from the series. It was so great getting their own final pieces of HEA at the end of the book. Of course it’s not all cut and dry, and Miss Zanetti definitely leaves just enough room for a possible (or I’m hoping) spin-off. While she gives you just enough answers and conclusion to satisfy, she also gives you that much more question to whet your appetite for more. I really hope to see a spin-off series with secondary characters that were introduced here. I won’t tell you who, since it’ll spoil the experience, but let’s just say the set up is absolutely perfect.

While Total Surrender is perfectly written so you’d be able to enjoy it as a standalone, I’d highly recommend reading this series in order to truly appreciate the story and all the characters.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day-or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

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Release Blitz & Review: ★Hell’s Kitchen★ by @_callie_hart & @LiliStGermain1

 
Hell’s Kitchen (Hell’s Kitchen #1)
Author: Hart Saint Germain
Release Date: March 3, 2015

*From International Bestselling authors Callie Hart and Lili St. Germain comes a tale of two families co-existing in a melting pot of violence, murder and drugs in the seedy underbelly of New York City*Hell’s Kitchen
Theo and Sal Barbieri are brothers, tasked by their Mafioso father Roberto with a very clear purpose: kidnap Kaitlin McLaughlin. The beautiful daughter of Roberto’s Irish enemy. It’s high time Kaitlin was punished for her father’s sins—not to mention, her own.

And Operation: Kidnap Kaitlin is a roaring success… until it isn’t. When Kaitlin escapes into the busy streets of New York City, it’s a race against the clock to find her before Sal and Theo become the hunted.

Zeth Mayfair has traded his life as a hitman for a quieter existence, but it isn’t long before the past catches up with him in the form of Roberto Barbieri. Will he succumb to the lure of power that Roberto is offering? Or will he retaliate by killing every last Barbieri in New York to get them off his back?

Jason Ross is running. Woken in the night by a tip that the Gypsy Brothers are coming for him, he packs a bag and gets his girlfriend the hell out of dodge. Arriving in New York City in the midst of a heatwave is one thing, but being tailed by an entire drug cartel is another.

Worlds collide in Hell’s Kitchen as secrets come to light and sins are punished. Because we might be different in the light of day, but in the darkness, we’re all connected somehow.

Hell’s Kitchen is a serial comprising three volumes: Hell’s Kitchen, Tribeca and Bleecker Street. Volume One releases on March 3rd with a limited-time sale price of 99 cents

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Excerpt
 “When he lunges for me, I’m ready. I deflect the hand he was going to grab me with, slapping it downward, and then I grab onto his wrist, pulling him off balance. He seesaws forward but then rips his wrist out of my hand. I don’t expect him to turn his slight fumble to his own advantage, but he does. Dropping to the floor, he rolls and kicks out, landing a solid strike to my leg. I have less than a second to brace myself before I’m hitting the concrete.
Then he’s on top of me. “Oh, this is fun, sweetheart. But I don’t really have time to be playing games with you right now.”
He’s reaching for my arms, about to pin me to the ground, but I jab, landing a solid hit with my extended fingertips right in the base of his throat, in his windpipe. He chokes, his body falling sideways, and then I’m on top of him. Through watering eyes and a clearly sore throat, the guy grins up at me, shaking his head.
“Well, if you wanna fuck me, I guess I could make some time.” Thrusting upward, he tries to unseat me, but I know this is what’s coming and I’m ready again. I compensate, leaning forward, pressing my gun into the guy’s neck.
“Who are you?”
His body goes still, his hands lifting so they’re palm up in front of him. “You know who I am, sweetheart. I’m the enemy.”
“My boss has quite a few enemy camps. Which one do you belong to?”
“The biggest one,” the guy says, smiling. “The Italian one.”
“So you work for Barbieri?”

“I am a Barbieri.” Lightning fast, he snaps his hand out and clamps it around my throat. The move catches me off guard, has me panicking for the first time. My gun is gone, then, knocked to the ground, skittering away across the blacktop. The guy’s hand tightens around the column of my neck, threatening to squeeze even harder. “What’s wrong?” he asks. “Feeling a little lightheaded?”

Review
4.5 stars

We’re kidnapping a teenager. We should be wearing balaclavas and overalls, not fucking Armani suits.”

What happens when the genius minds of Lili Saint Germain and Callie Hart combine? This entertaining as fuck book. These ladies are on my auto buy list with their individual work, but as a team? They’re an absolute powerhouse. I have loved both Blood & Roses and the Gypsy Brothers series. But when these two worlds collide? It’s sure to be one epic fucking ride.

Before I get to my review, allow me to address a few key points if you’re planning on reading this book…
1. If you have not read the Gypsy Brothers series, this book does have several plot spoilers from it that may be lost on you.

2. If you have not read the Blood & Roses series, this book does have several plot spoilers that may also be lost on you.

3. If you haven’t read BOTH of those series, there are quite a few crossovers and plot intricacies that may also be lost on you.
Essentially, what I’m trying to tell you here is that you would enjoy this series a hell of a lot more if you read those 2 series first. While you wouldn’t necessarily be lost, you just wouldn’t have quite as much appreciation for the characters or their connecting stories if you haven’t read them yet.

Hell’s Kitchen has quite a few POVs packed into a little over 100 pages. Where usually I’d find that to be way too much and convoluted, the fact that the authors not only made it work here but it actually added to the story is certainly no small feat. EVERY single POV added something into the story and allowed to tie into the next one. It was so intricately woven together that I never once found myself confused or annoyed but simply enjoying the ride. So who are the key players in Hell’s Kitchen? Let’s do a roll call…

The Barbiery brothers The sons to the current Italian mafioso of New York, Roberto. Roberto is a cold hearted and ruthless kingpin that spares no one in his gain for power and vengeance, not even his sons. When his Irish enemy does him wrong, what best way to get revenge than to kidnap his daughter, Kaitlin, and to charge his two sons with it.

Kaitlin McLaughlin has a very short POV that gives the reader just enough insight into her vapidness and better understanding of her character. This is definitely no 17 year old girl you’ll find yourself sympathizing with. She’s one spoiled and vicious little bitch.

Gracie; Kaitlin’s bodyguard and all around bad bitch. Now you know I love me a snarky and kick-ass heroine, and Gracie was that and so much more. She was taken into the McLaughlin fold at an early age and feels a bond with Kaitlin’s father even though babysitting his spoiled little princess is not what she wants to be wasting her time on. The last thing she expects is to be caught in a chase with the sons of their Italian enemy.

Scarlett Winchester (Oh and I see what you did with her last name there, you clever girls. I love that!) Is a down on her luck actress that is currently attempting to put together the tatters of her previous life. Lost in a constant haze of drugs and alcohol if only to drown out the demons of the past and a mistake from 9 months ago that cost her everything.

In short, the woman is one hot mess. But while she may be broken, she still has a mouth on her and she can use snark as her weapon of choice, which definitely made for some awesome banter.

Zeth motherfucking Mayfair. Does the man even need an introduction. Zeth is trying to move on with his life together with Sloane. While he will never exactly live on the straight and narrow, he certainly has no desires to answer to anyone else now that he is no longer under the thumb of Charlie, his past ’employer’. Too bad that Roberto wants to take over Charlie’s old territory, and he’s very aware of Zeth’s reputation and has no issues trying to get him back into the fold…and when a proposition doesn’t do, a threat will suffice.

Jason Ross. Dealing with the fallout of what happened with his father and the MC, Jason and Juliette are on the run from the Columbian Cartel. Their current hiding place? Non other that New York. And you just KNOW that when all these worlds combine, it’s going to be one hell of a ride. There’s also the mention of Elliot, though he never has a POV here…at least not yet.

So there you have it, the seven key players of Hell’s Kitchen, though I would say that the Barbiery brothers, Scarlett and Gracie are the main focus. I absolutely loved how the authors managed to tie together all of these POVs into one intricately woven story. If you’re looking for the grit of GB, you won’t find that here, but it doesn’t really advertise to be that. What it is, is an entertaining, humorous, action-packed and thrilling ride that combines the worlds of B&R and GB along with some new players to give you another addicting series. I read this in one sitting, completely incapable of setting it down for even a second. I’m already practically salivating for the next installment and can’t wait to see what happens next with all these characters.

About the Author

Callie Hart

 Callie has experienced many changes throughout her life, and gone through many ups and downs that have all worked towards shaping and molding her into the person she is today: fun loving, active, social, and hard working. The only thing that has remained a constant throughout her life is writing. Creating characters who will tear your conscience in two is a favorite pastime of Callie’s. There are few real saints and sinners in her books; more often, the denizens of her stories are all very human. Broken, flawed, and always with the potential for redemption.

Despite the subject matter being markedly hot and heavy in comparison to the stories she wrote in elementary school, there will always be an element of fairytale to her work.

Lili Saint Germain

 Lili writes dark romance, suspense and paranormal stories. Her serial novel, Seven Sons, was released in early 2014, with the following books in the series to be released in quick succession. Lili quit corporate life to focus on writing and so far is loving every minute of it. Her other loves in life include her gorgeous husband and beautiful daughter, good coffee, Tarantino movies and spending hours on Pinterest.

She loves to read almost as much as she loves to write.

Review: ★Driven by Fate★ by @mstessabailey

Driven by Fate (Serve #5)
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 16, 2015

The first rule is obey… and she already broke it.

Francesca “Frankie” De Luca always pays her debts. Even when it means stepping inside Serve, the sensuous Manhattan club that caters to particular adult desires. For Frankie, it’s a taste of something she’s always wanted—and never received. Until a sharply dressed Brit orders her into his room, and instructs her to undress before delivering the carnal punishment she so desperately needs…

She wasn’t the woman Porter Evans was expecting. Not this wild thing with the pale, silvery eyes. And such cheek. But she violates Porter’s strict rules of control. Temptation is a dangerous thing indeed. Yet everything about Frankie cries out for schooling about the tantalizing interplay of pleasure and pain. So Porter offers Frankie a deal she can’t refuse—and the only thing she owes him is submission…

Nothing about this was familiar. Nothing controlled or simple. Just messy, chaotic need, and relief was short-lived because he already wanted her again. And he couldn’t foresee a time when he wouldn’t.

I am convinced, fully convinced that Tessa Bailey must have an army of pervy elves working overtime in her head. This is the only explanation I have for how the woman can keep giving up better and better dirty talkers. I mean, for the love of gawd! I need to invest in stock in Victoria Secret if my undergarments are going to survive her books. God. Damn.

So ladies and ovaries, allow me to introduce you all to Porter Evans.

…I want to secure you face down on my bed, prop your temptress backside in the air, and introduce you to my cock. You won’t remember WHAT the fuck to call me by then. You’ll only know two words. MORE and PLEASE. MORE and PLEASE…
Do we understand each other so far?”
Her nod was shaky. “Yes, my lord.”

Got your attention now, didn’t I? You dirty birds

While this is part of the series, the beauty of it is that each book is also perfectly written to be read as a standalone. Though I would highly recommend reading in order, you’d enjoy it that much more.

You may remember meeting both Porter and Frankie in Exposed by Fate. Porter made for some hot competition for Oliver and Frankie was the unwilling recipient of a college grant given by Oliver. Now fate has thrown these 2 very unique personalities together and boy do the sparks fly.

What do you mean? You mean you’ll MAKE me submit?”
“I mean, I will chase you down, overpower your, and ram my cock as deep as you can take it. I’m going to leave your innocent white panties on while I do it, too. I want a reminder that I’ve got an eager young beginner spreading her legs for me.”

Francesca “Frankie” De Luca is fiercely independent and the furthest you can get from a grily girl. She drives a cab for a living, scrapes up her knees playing hockey with her guy friends, and refuses any handout no matter how much she may need it. But beneath this tough girl exterior runs a strictly submissive curiosity. A curiosity that she’s only dreamed of assuaging until she’s in the wrong place at the exactly right time…

You don’t like me. You HATE me, in fact. Is that right?
These are playground games, Francesca. Punching the male who you’d actually like to fuck. I don’t usually play games, but I’m so hungry for your pussy after that little challenge, I can’t think past fucking the hate right out of you.”

Porter Evans is all about control. He thrives on it, feeds on it, craves it. So when a gorgeous tomboy with ripped jeans and a spark of wonder in her eyes walks into his room at Serve, he knows right away that it’s not the woman that he’s set up to meet. But damn if he can resist the lure of the tempting little beginner. He may not be a man that seek permanence in his relationships, but one night with this woman will never be enough and he knows it. So he proposes a solution; she’ll work for him from 9 to 5 but after 5? All bets are off…

I loved the banter and chemistry between these two. Porter is mercurial and broody, and Frankie is tough as nails and a firecracker. And suffice it to say that the sex scenes were absolutely, burn the panties right off of you, sizzling hot.

I have to say that at times both Frankie and Porter were almost too stubborn in their own hangups that it was almost too much. I understand their individual histories leading them to be the way that they are, but not quite to the extremes that they take it too. Porter’s inability to truly believe himself worthy of a relationship and Frankie’s inability of accepting any form of financial support (even in the form of a grant) did get a bit much for me at times. I suppose I just didn’t understand why it was as extreme as it was.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed this one. As a matter of fact, I think this may have been my favorite Tessa Bailey book in the Serve series. Porter does fuck up royally a couple of times in the book and even though I wanted his grovel to be a little bit more, he definitely made up for it all in the end. I loved the epilogue and I really can’t wait for more from this deliciously sexy and kinky series.

There’s a space beside you and I need to fill it to survive.



Don’t miss the rest of this sizzling hot series!

Owned by Fate (Serve #1)
Exposed by Fate (Serve #2)

Mistaken by Fate (Serve #3)
Betting on Fate (Serve #4)
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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