Review: The Sainthood (The Complete Series) by Siobhan Davis

THE SAINTHOOD SERIES
Series:
The Sainthood – Boys of Lowell High
Genre: New Adult, Reverse Harem Romance
Author: Siobhan Davis
Release Date:
November 29, 2020

A complete dark romance trilogy from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis. Includes Revere, a BONUS NOVELLA set twelve years after the end of Reign.

Everything changed the night my dad died.

The night I met Saint, Galen, Caz, and Theo. Those manipulative a-holes set out to ruin me after our hot night together, but they didn’t realize you can’t destroy something that’s already broken. And it only works if the victim cares.

Which I don’t.

Because I’ve been in hell for years, and nothing penetrates the steel walls I’ve erected.

Until The Sainthood decides I belong to them and cracks appear in my veneer. Their cruel games, harsh words, and rough touch awakens something inside me, and now, I’m in trouble.

They draw me deeper into their dangerous world, until I’m in the middle of all the violence and gang warfare, tangled up in all the secrets and lies, and there’s no turning back.

Because they own me.

And nothing has ever felt so right.

I’m exactly where I should be.

But with enemies on all sides, survival becomes a deadly game with no guarantees.

And, sometimes, saints become sinners.

This box set is over 1,000 pages of binge-worthy dark romance and it is a complete story with an HEA. It contains the following titles:

Resurrection – #44 in the entire store
Rebellion – #21 in the entire store
Reign – #8 in the entire store
Revere (Bonus Novella) – 21k words in length

Due to mature content, this box set is recommended to readers aged eighteen and over. Contains enemies-to-lovers/bullying themes. May contain triggers for some readers. Please read the note at the start of the book. This version of Revere does not contain the Valentine’s Day bonus chapter contained in the individual release.

AMAZON 

Welcome to senior year, angel,” he growls, his dark eyes unleashing wave after wave of fury, an unspoken promise that he’s never letting this go. “It’s going to be your own personal version of hell.”

Well don’t I feel sheepish here. The first book in this series was recommended to me back in May of last year. I DNFd it 10% in. Don’t @ me dammit! I know, ok! And I am prepared to eat crow here. But let me splain myself. I had…reasons. I don’t remember what they were. But I swear I did. I also feel it relevant to mention that never in my entire reading history have a I ever gone back to a DNF and felt anything more than hating it even more. Like ever. Seriously. If I know a book isn’t for me, no amount of forcing myself to finish will make it better. Ever. Except in the case here. I was a judgy asshole and I own it. See not even 5% into the first book and the female MC sleeps with all of the mens. Yes, I know mens isn’t a word, just go with it. So she does the nasty with the mens, and I was like WTF. This chick is crazy. Who sleeps with 4 men at the same time after just meeting them? What’s the rest of the book like if they already bang. Where the tension? Where’s the angst?
Meanwhile Siobhan Davis be like

I don’t know what got me wanting to give this another go. It was hot Sunday eve. My loins were burning. And KU was calling. So there we were. But I digress.

Since the series was now finished, I figured what the hey. I don’t remember why I DNFd and the cover is good and I want some smutty RH, so let’s do it.
Meanwhile Siobhan Davis be like:
So there I was, two days later, sleep deprived, over caffeinated, coming off of a book high and kicking my own ass for taking this long to appreciate the amazingness that is this series.

So here’s my summary:
Resurrection (The Sainthood – Boys of Lowell High, #1)- 5 stars
Rebellion (The Sainthood – Boys of Lowell High, #2)- 5 stars
Reign (The Sainthood – Boys of Lowell High, #3)- 4 stars

The only reason I rated book 3 a bit lower is I really wish the MM element was better fleshed out. We spent so long waiting for these two to come together, and most of it was off the pages and I felt a bit gipped on it. I wanted more. I wanted more than the very few pages at the very end of the series on them. But alas, it is what it is.

As for the rest, it was pure crack. I love a sex positive heroine, and it doesn’t get better than Harlow. This is a female who knows what she wants and isn’t ashamed about it. If a man can separate feelings from sex why can’t a female. It’s ironic that was originally turned me off the series is the one thing that made me love it so much at the end.

The suspense arc kept me glued to the pages and the romance guaranteed I couldn’t set it down. If you’re looking for an addictive reverse harem romance, this is it, friend.

Review: There With You by Samantha Young

THERE WITH YOU
Series: Adair Family #2
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: August 23, 2021

For Regan Penhaligon, there’s no better place to run to than the exclusive Ardnoch Estate in the remote Scottish Highlands. Her impulsive behavior has finally caught up with her and Regan’s visit with her sister, Robyn, is an opportunity to hide from someone who has grown dangerously obsessed with her.

Determined to make amends for her mistakes, Regan plans to repair her relationship with Robyn by staying close. And when an offer of help comes from Thane Adair, Regan gratefully accepts.

Widower, Thane, needs a new nanny housekeeper for his two young children and when they bond with Regan Penhaligon, he offers her the job. But as the weeks pass and the complex American reveals who she really is, Thane struggles with his growing attraction to her.

Regan never expected to feel so intensely for Thane, but she can’t deny her passion for him or her love for his children. When someone from Thane’s past threatens his family, Regan wants to be his pillar of support. However, his continued inability to trust her might just destroy their chance at future happiness… and the person who drove Regan to Ardnoch might snuff out her chance for any future at all.

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Regan Penhaligon had seduced him past the point of no return.

I had mixed feelings about this book if I’m being honest. While I couldn’t wait to read about
widowed daddy Thane, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Regan. But at the same time, I needed her redemption and to understand her reasons. I’m happy to report that not only did I get that, I loved her even more than I did Robyn, which I didn’t think was even possible. I highly recommend reading this series in order to truly experience the full effect of the story and all of the secondary characters. And while I can tell you that I really enjoyed Here With Me, I loved this one even more.

His nanny. His brother’s soon-to-be sister-in-law. His employee, thirteen years his junior.

That up there is basically a summary of all of my favorite things. Forbidden romance, age gap, brooding grumpy alpha and sunshine heroine. GAH. Give it to me.

Regan was relatable the second you meet her on the pages. She has a sunny and fluffy shell, but beneath that fake exterior is a bit of a damaged soul. My heart hurt for her. And even though I wanted to judge her for leaving her sister at a time she needed her the most, I also understood it from her perspective.

Regan shows up unannounced, hoping to mend fences with her sister. Falling in love with the absolutely adorable kids of her sister’s fiancé’s brother give her the opportunity to stay. She has to do some convincing to Thane to talk him into being the nanny. Thane is desperate for a nanny but also hesitant to take on who he originally thought is Robyn’s flighty sister. But his kids absolutely adore her, he’s desperate and has no time to waste, so an arrangement is made.

The sparks between these two were immediate. And while Regan has no problem going after what she wants, Thane fights it with everything he’s got. His way of fighting it make him be a brooding, intolerable a-hole, and I ate it right up. I loved the push and pull dynamic between them. I loved watching Thane screw up over and over, Regan give him the cold shoulder, and him trying to get into her good graces again. I loved Thane’s adorable children, who were my favorite secondary characters. But most of all, I loved watching the chemistry between Thane and Regan get too incendiary to fight off.

Go wait for me in the annex,” he demanded. Her eyes widened slightly. “Clothes off. Keep your underwear on because I want to take it off. And lights on so I can see you. When I get there, I expect you on the bed with your legs spread.”

There was a bit of a suspense element to this book, which I also enjoyed, though it was a touch predictable. But the romance was so delicious and the main characters were so good, that I just couldn’t find it in me to care.

I’m so gone for this series, it’s not even funny. It just keeps getting better and better with each book and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.

Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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Review: Bound To Her Fake Fiancé Boss by Hayson Manning

BOUND TO HER FAKE FIANCE BOSS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Bound #2
Author: Hayson Manning
Release Date: February 28, 2021

Faking it never felt so real…

I’m a happy workaholic. She’s my sassy assistant. When I need a fake fiancée, she’s the perfect choice. What could go wrong in ten days…

I don’t do ‘I-do.’ Don’t believe in happy-ever-after. But to convince my grandmother I’m about to take the plunge, I must bring a “fiancée” to Montana. My heart might not be open, but my checkbook is. I agree to pay my sexy assistant, Asia Brown, to pose as my bride-to-be. She’s a level-headed professional who will get the job done. Or so I thought. When she openly flaunts my no-public-displays-of-affection rule, my grandmother’s not the only one convinced it’s the real deal. Every part of me from the neck down is totally sold.

When my broody billionaire boss offers me a six-figure bonus to pretend we’re engaged, I can’t refuse the opportunity to secure the funds to get my sister into rehab. And if there’s a little something left over to help me open my own dress shop, it’s a win-win. Determined to charm the grump out of him, I’m caught off-guard by how different Jason is away from spreadsheets and profit margins. And how real it feels when I’m in his arms.

When the stakes ramp up, can two opposites take a chance on love, or is faking it the only reality they have?

AMAZON 

I’m falling for my bossy, broody boss. What the hell have I done and become?

Office romance? CHECK
Grumpy, billionaire hero with a tortured past not looking for love? CHECK
Sassy, quirky heroine not afraid to speak her mind? CHECK
A swoon, sexy, feel good romance that had me turning the pages from beginning to end? CHECK AND CHECK

Now I’ll be the first to admit, reading the above summary makes the story sound a bit cliche, right? WRONG. You know when you have a story that can be like every other in the genre, but then there’s just a little magic to it that makes it different? Yep. This had it in spades. There was just this sizzle and spice to this that had me glued to the pages.

Jason Johnson is stone cold. He runs his business with an iron fist and doesn’t stop to count the casualties. Romance is the last thing he needs and his women never seem to make it past the 3 week mark with him even when they try.

Asia is his quirky assistant that somehow has made it where others have not and been tolerating his grumpy @ss. Though the paycheck certainly helps the crazy hours and lack of social life. She needs every dime she makes to get something her heart yearns for.

Jason doesn’t believe in love but needs to sell it to his grandmother who will sell his childhood home unless she sees him in a happy relationship. So what’s a man to do? Fake it and buy your secretary, of course.

What I absolutely loved about this story is the opposites attract vibe. Asia is vivacious and lovely and caring to Jason’s cold, unfeeling and brooding. Now in stories with a tortured hero who doesn’t believe in love, I really have to buy the why. And Jason’s past certainly did it. I understood why he was the way he was. I also loved watching him slowly but surely and unwittingly fall for his beautiful assistant.

The romance was sizzling and the story was addictive. And the grovel at the end? DELICIOUS!

If you’re looking for a marriage of convenience trope that will put a smile on your face from page one and keep it on there until the last one, READ THIS. And the set up for the rest of the brotherhood? GAH! SO GOOD. I love the friendship these men have and kept through the years that are full of dark secrets and pain. I NEED MORE!!

Review: Mafia King by CD Reiss

MAFIA KING
Series: The DiLustro Arrangement #2
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Author: CD Reiss
Release Date: June 15,  2021

Santino is my king.
My lover.
My husband.

 

He’s the head of the Cavallo crime family and the moment he choked my vows from me, my life was bound to his.

 

I’m done fighting my fate, until I hear two rumors, and I’m shaken to the core.

 

One rumor about the past—that I wasn’t the first bride Santino took.

 

Another about the future—a new bride is about to be taken.

 

Changing the old ways is like dousing the flames of hell with tears.

 

But I married the devil himself, and when I vowed to obey, I lied.

 

Book two of three in the The Dilustro Arrangement.

AMAZON

I hate him for letting me love him almost as much as I hate him for loving me.

Holy. Mother. Of. Cliffhangers!!! CD Reiss, you sadist! And the below is actual footage of me at the end of this book.
Where book one was a slower paced climb, this was roller coaster plummeting from the highest high to the lowest low, with my heart in my throat from beginning to finish. After the cliffhanger at the end of Mafia Bride, I wasn’t sure how I felt. The story could have taken a really rapid turn into my no bueno territory. But I should have known better than to doubt the brilliance that is CD Reiss. Because she took everything I thought I knew and understood and tilted it on its axis. Mind. Blown.

Violetta made my head spin. I loved her growth as a character. I loved seeing this almost child bride who was thrust into a world of strict tradition, hard men, and harder secrets. And I loved watching her glow and the way she slowly made her way into her own. I was also beyond frustrated with the way she forgets what world she’s in at times with her self-righteousness and unknowingly throw her and Santino into further danger. I wanted to slap a sense into this woman numerous times, not even going to lie.

Santino is everything I’ve come to love from Reiss’s alphas; he’s fiercely protective, borderline domineering, dominant, and with a filthy mouth you want to lick clean. Uhem. His dark secrets begin to unravel here, and when they come to light, it’s enough to leave your head spinning.

Every day I pray to God and the devil answers. You want me to rot in hell, but I don’t have to rot to know where my death will lead.”

The story is quick paced, and I spent the entire time waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it did, my jaw dropped right along with it. MY GOD. That cliffhanger.

I’m desperate for book three. Absolutely desperate! If you’re looking for a dark and sizzling arranged marriage mafia romance, this is going to hit spots you didn’t even know you had.

Review: Mafia Bride by CD Reiss

MAFIA BRIDE
Series: The DiLustro Arrangement #1
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Author: CD Reiss
Release Date: March 16,  2021

 

An epic mafia romance trilogy that sets a new bar for just how dark a hero can get, from NY Times Bestselling author CD Reiss.

 

Some girls dream of marrying a prince, but I never imagined I’d be sold to a king.

Santino DiLustro.

The king.
The monster.
The keeper of secrets.

When he forced me to marry him, I cried for love I’d never know.

When he locked me away, I cried for the freedom I lost forever.

Every other tear I’ve shed is for my soul, because I’m falling for the devil himself.

AMAZON

I’m a prisoner of a man too beautiful for human eyes and more evil than I can comprehend.

This was the book that I never even realized I was waiting for CD Reiss to write. My obsession with all things CD began with her Songs of Submission series waaaay back. And while I’ve loved all of her books since, they haven’t quite given me the tingles of SoS variety. Until this one. THIS ONE. GAH. This is how you write a mafia romance. You know those traditional mafia romances with the virgin heroine that’s essentially sold to her husband? The books that I don’t typically care for because well…virgin heroine. I am happily eating my words when it comes to this story. Because this story? SO STINKING GOOD.


He is a predator. I am his prey. I am his property, and he is my master.

This story was utterly delicious. Violetta Moretti is a 19 year college student that suddenly finds her life turned completely upside down. Having lost her family at a young age, she’s lived the last few with her aunt and uncle in America. But suddenly finds herself thrust into her Italian roots and the bride of the mafia king, Santino DiLustro, whose mere name sends fear shivering down men’s spines.

A debt that’s to be paid.

A marriage that she never wanted.

A husband that’s determined to own her and her submission.

And a deliciously twisted story full of mystery and secrets.

The story was a bit of a slow start, and I found myself skimming through a few details. But then when it took off, it really took off. I was hooked. Completely captivated. Santino is the ultimate alpha hero. He’s magnetic. Domineering. Uber protective. And has sexual chemistry basically oozing from his every pore. GOD but I loved this man.

Violette for being a young and somewhat sheltered heroine was FIERCE. I loved this woman and her spine. She was spitting fire the entire time and never backed down. You seriously gotta love a female like that.

As for the rest? It was one of the most delicious slow burns I’ve ever read. And when that cliffhanger hits you? MOTHER OF ALL SANITY! I’ll go crazy waiting until the next book.

Review: I Thee Take by Natasha Knight

I THEE TAKE
Series: To Have and To Hold Duet #2
Genre: Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: February 23, 2021 

Scarlett

Cristiano is my enemy. He’s also the only man with whom I’ve ever felt safe. Protected.

But I have to remember that he married me with one purpose in mind. Revenge. I would be the bridge to his real enemies.

I can’t let myself forget that he isn’t the hero of this story. His hands are covered in blood. I saw that with my own eyes.

Cristiano

I thought I knew Scarlett’s past, but I didn’t know anything.

I thought I knew the worst of monsters, but I hadn’t seen anything yet.

Sometimes you have to lie to yourself to survive.

Sometimes it’s those closest to you who will bury their knives in your back.

Too many times it’s the innocents who pay for your mistakes. For your refusal to see.

I can’t let Scarlett pay for mine.

But I may be too late to stop it.

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ALSO AVAILABLE

#1 With This Ring


He pulls the blankets around us and I feel safe for the first time in too long to care that I’m lying in the arms of the man who should be my enemy.

Talk about ending on a bang! This was a heart racing, non stop thrill ride that I devoured in one engrossing sitting.

I Thee Take was the epic conclusion to what’s come to be my favorite duet from Natasha Knight! Revenge, betrayal, secrets, and a marriage of convenience? Yes, please and thank you!

I fell hard for Scarlett and Cristiano in book one. Cristiano spent the majority of the first book as the hard and untouchable surviving member of a rival mafia family. And he really showed his ass at the end of the book only to regret it severely in this one.

In this one, we finally get to see his softer, fiercely protective side towards Scarlett. When her life is in danger, he stops at nothing to save her. His single minded intent and devotion towards her really explodes here, and I couldn’t get enough of it. There’s just something about a hard and ruthless mafia boss that has a soft side for the woman he loves that just does it for me. And what I love is seeing that softer side towards Scarlett without having him lose any of his edge. Because he never did.

Scarlett was even better in this book than the first one. The woman is a survivor. SHe’s been through hell and she never stopped fighting, even when all of the odds are stacked against her.

There’s so much to unpack with this book. But while I saw the ultimate reveal coming a mile away, there’s a plot twist that came out of left field that left me reeling and hoping we get more in this world. Because holy hook batman!

If you’re looking for a steamy and thrilling mafia romance, look no further. This one had it all!

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

 

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Review: With This Ring by Natasha Knight

Title: WITH THIS RING
Series: To Have and To Hold Duet #1
Author: Natasha Knight
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Release Date: February 2, 2021

When I rescued Scarlett De La Cruz from her tower it’s not like her prospects were looking so great. 

You’d think she’d show a little gratitude. Thank me for putting my ring on her finger and marking her as mafia property.

My property.

I’ll keep her safe. And the trade-off isn’t so bad. Most women would jump at the chance to sleep in my bed. 

Not Scarlett, though.

My Cartel Princess has a big mouth and an even bigger attitude. But it’s her furious caramel eyes that keep me coming back for more. That and the way her body bends to mine like it already knows it belongs to me.

Scarlett is my enemy. She’s also the one woman I can’t keep my hands off. 

But if I don’t keep my head on straight, everything I’ve worked for all these years will have been for nothing. 

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Lace falls across my face. It’s yellowed over the years and the smell that clings to it is musty. Old. But it’s my mother’s. The one she wore on her wedding day. Baby’s breath and discarded lilies litter the stone floor as the woman grumbles behind me. She’s annoyed at having to work with the old veil when a brand new, prettier one sits unused in its box. I move my foot, crush the delicate baby’s breath, impaling the fallen petal of a pale pink lily with my heel. 

Funeral flowers for a wedding. An omen. 

Not that I need one. 

The stink of them turns my stomach. This isn’t how I imagined my wedding day. 

“Finished,” the woman announces. 

I stand, the petal sticking to my heel. I don’t care. I look up to meet my reflection in the mirror. 

“He won’t like the veil,” she says. She’s a blur beside me. 

I shift my gaze, letting my eyes focus on her. She’s plump and short and has a wart on the side of her face with a thick black hair growing out of it. Don’t judge a book by its cover has nothing on this one. She is as much a bitch inside as she looks on the outside.

“I guess he’ll have to get over it.” 

“You should wear the one he sent.”

I don’t bother to answer her, although I agree. The veil was a gift from my brothers. 

Gift. 

No, not a gift. 

Just another cruelty to make me wear my mother’s veil for this sham wedding. 

She snorts, turns to gather up the dress, the keys jangling on her belt. I could take them. Overpower her. That part would be easy. It’s the men with the guns outside the door who’d be the problem. 

Noisy footsteps on the hundred stairs announce the approach of soldiers to my tower room. 

A tower. They locked me in a fucking tower. My own fucking brothers. 

From the sound of things, they’re expecting me to put up a fight. They’ll take me kicking and screaming if I do. Besides, I know better than to waste my energy on them. I’ll need it after. For the wedding night. 

A man says something, another one laughs, just before I hear a loud crash, like something smashing hard against the wall.

It’s then that it happens. Gunfire explodes just beyond my room. A bullet splinters its way through the thick wooden door and shatters the mirror, breaking my reflection into a thousand pieces, sending me backward into the stone wall.

The woman with the wart screams.

I right myself. Touching the back of my head with one hand, I somehow still manage to keep hold of the lilies. Suddenly, the door is kicked in, banging against the wall as heavily armed men in military fatigues raid my room. A cloud of smoke follows behind them, seeping into my circular tower.

They fan out, a dozen of them and I don’t recognize a single one. These aren’t my brothers’ men. 

The woman is on the floor blubbering something, sobbing. 

I just stare at the door as another set of footsteps approach, quieter now. This one isn’t in a hurry.  And I know the instant he steps into my line of vision that he’s in charge. 

He’s the one to worry about. The only one who’s masked. 

He stops just inside the room, surveys it, eyeing every soldier, every stone, every cobweb. And when deep blue eyes land on me, a weight drops in my belly, a hundred-pound cement block. 

The woman with the keys stands, tripping over her words as she walks toward him. He looks down at her like he’s irritated, and she doesn’t get far. An echo of bullets shuts her down, splattering blood like paint on my neck, my face. The shots put her back on the floor. 

Fuck.

I don’t spare her a glance. I don’t need to, to know she’s dead. 

The man’s eyes return to mine. They narrow. And when he takes a step toward me, I take one back, knocking the chair behind me to the floor, panicking then. Animated then. 

I turn to run but see a dozen sets of eyes staring back at me. The masked intruder, the biggest of them all, blocks the only exit. I can’t even jump from the window. They’re barred. Suicide was never an option, not for my brothers. They needed me.

But something’s gone wrong. 

And before I can decide what to do, before I can make up my mind to try to charge him, to risk bullets putting me down like they did the woman on the floor, he’s got my wrist in his right hand and he’s squeezing it. 

My hand opens. Flowers scatter to the floor. I watch them, then watch him lift my hand to his face. His thumb comes to my ring finger where the hideous diamond catches the waning sun. For a moment I think he’s going to break my finger. But he twists and forces it off. It’s tight but he manages. He pockets the ring then shifts his gaze to mine again. 

I swallow hard. 

He cocks his head to the side, one hand still locked around my wrist. He spins me around.

I scream as he jerks me to him, his body a solid wall at my back. 

He releases my wrist and bands his arm beneath my breasts. With the other, he pushes the veil off my neck, his hand rough against my skin, fingers digging, bruising. I think he’s going to snap my neck. One quick twist is all it would take. He’s a fucking giant. 

But he doesn’t.

Instead, the moment I turn my face up to his, he squeezes and instantly, my knees give out. My arms drop uselessly to my sides. He shifts his grip and as I slip, he lifts me up, hauling me over his shoulder, turning the room upside down before it goes black.

Are you afraid of me?” he asks more quietly but no more gently. “Yes.”
He leans in close, inhales deeply. “Good. Because you should be,” he says, his lips brushing my cheek, the corner of my mouth when he does. “Because you don’t know what I want to do to you.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; Natasha Knight books are my crack. She writes some of the most sizzling and addictive mafia romance and this one may be my favorite of hers to date!

Cristiano is a man set on bloody revenge and Scarlett the beautiful woman that gets caught in the crosshairs of a year old war in the making.

What I love about Knight’s duets, is the way she really sets the stage with book one. The slow burn, the tension, the secrets, the questions that are burning through your brain. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Scarlett has been collateral for ruthless man for almost all of her life. Being forced to marry a man she hates by her vicious brothers is one thing. But being rescued out of the marriage only to see another guided cage is another thing.

Cristiano has been waiting to avenge the murder of his family for years and now the cards are finally falling into place for him. Even if it means a marriage to the woman whose family took center stage in the ruination of his. It doesn’t matter that she’s an innocent. He’ll use her for what he needs.

There’s just enough character development in this book to get you completely hooked on both characters while still leaving you burning with questions on their past. The tension between Cristiano and Scarlett is so thick, you can practically taste it. This is the ultimate enemies to lovers catnip. Scarlett may be young, and her past may be riddled in pain and demons that she tries to forget, but she’s a fighter through and through. She protects her youngest brother with a type of ferocity that a mafia princess should have. But she’s no princess. She’s been through hell, even if we haven’t fully learned the extent of it.

THis story had me eagerly turning the pages well into the night only to be slammed with a cliffhangers to beat all cliffhanger and desperate for my next hit. I can’t wait to get my hands on the conclusion. This had everything I love in a mafia romance; grit with just enough dose of darkness, sexual tension, plenty of action, secrets and betrayal. I need the final book IMMEDIATELY!


COMING SOON

#2 I Thee Take – Releasing February 23

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Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

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Review: Silver Lining by Skye Warren

SILVER LINING
Series:
Diamond Trilogy #3
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Author:
Skye Warren
Release Date:
December 15, 2020

Silver Lining by Skye Warren is now live!

 

Elijah North has survived starvation and torture.

 

Now he faces his darkest challenge: the possibility of life without Holly Frank. The woman he loves hangs in the balance.

 

 

The family he found mourns in the distance.

 

And the future he built crumbles in the wind.

SILVER LINING is the final book in Elijah and Holly’s story!

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His eyes are a match, and I’m kindling. I’m ready to burn into a massive flame.

Talk about going out with a bang. I couldn’t have hoped for a better conclusion to this trilogy than Silver Lining.

You can’t fight the demons I fight when you have something to lose.

Since the major cliffhanger in Gold Mine, I’ve been waiting on the third and final book with bated breath. And it delivered on everything I had hoped and so much more. It was an intense thrill ride that I couldn’t put down for even a second. I binge read it in one sitting and was left with a goofy smile on my face.

If you loved Elijah in the previous two books, prepare to seriously fall head over ovaries for the man in this one. Because OMG! Nothing beats an uber protective alpha that will protect his woman at any cost. The only thing better is when that woman is a fierce warrior in her own right. And Holly was FIERCE. Her introduction to Elijah’s world was a baptism by fire, but nothing could have prepared her for everything that was to come. This story really brought everything to a head and then wrapped it up with a bow flawlessly.

I fell hard for Elijah and Holly all over again. There was not one chapter that dragged. And y’all, this never happens to me in a trilogy. Usually either book 2 or book 3 has some slower paced parts. Not this book, though. It was a thrill ride from cover to cover. And the fact that you get a two for one with the conclusion of Adam’s story? Icing on the top!

I live for Skye Warren’s books and this one is the perfect example of why. The woman is a master of combining sexy suspense with just the right amount of grit to make for one unputdownable read.

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance such as the Endgame trilogy. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

 

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Review: Not What I Expected by Jewel E Ann

NOT WHAT I EXPECTED
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jewel E. Ann
Release Date: December 6, 2020

Are humans meant to mate for life?

After four kids and an unfortunate but fateful end to her twenty-two-year marriage, Elsie Smith meets the new guy in town.

Kael Hendricks is … a little younger, a lot sexy, and too confident for his own good. He also doesn’t believe in marriage and all that goes with it.

And …

He’s just opened a new business that threatens the livelihood of Elsie’s family’s store—just in time for the holidays.

The problem?

There’s an undeniable attraction that leads to out of control situations, a loss of inhibitions, and a lot of small town gossip.

As Elsie tries to redefine herself and convince her family she isn’t having a midlife crisis, she’s forced to answer the biggest question of all …

Can she love an enemy who will never surrender?

 AMAZON 

He made me feel like a horny teenager. He made me feel drugged without a reason to ever be sober again. He just made me feel

Wow. I’m going to get super corny for a second and just say, this book was not what I expected. Ha! See what I did there? Oh whatever! My humor has a COVID delay. Leave me alone. GOD!

It’s charmingly unique, realistically poignant, and triggering in a way any married person would relate to. As a matter of fact, I recognized myself in so many of the hilarious and sometimes hard to swallow situations depicted here. If you’re a female, this book would speak to you in a way that will make you feel both understood and uncomfortable. I loved that Jewel actually pulled from readers actual experiences and you really recognize that here. This was unlike anything I’ve read in a long while. It was so different but yet so relatable. A charming, emotional, and unforgettable story of falling out of love and finding yourself again. It’s about personal growth and inner strength. It’s all of the things and so much more. It’s definitely not your typical older woman younger man sort of romance. Add a little bit of spice to that, and that’s what you get here.

Elsie Smith is a heroine that’s impossible not to relate to or love. Her quirks and insecurities are something any woman has experienced at least once in her life. After her marriage of 22 years comes to an end, she’s left discovering herself. She’s been a mother and a wife, but somewhere along the way she lost herself and her needs and desires took a backseat to her life. She’s a wonderful mother and a loyal friend. But as a woman, she’s discovering she’s grown in what she wants.

Kael is younger and a free spirit. He’s been the complete antithesis to what Elsie’s life has been. He doesn’t believe in marriage. He doesn’t settle in any one place for too long. And he doesn’t deny himself. When he sets his eyes on Elsie, she fights their connection with everything that she’s got…until she can’t deny it anymore.

He willingly became my addiction—the needle, the narcotic.
He fed it. He jumped off every cliff with me. He was my highest high … and my lowest low.

This was not your typical romance. It was more. It was a little raw and a lot real, and oh so good. It’s a bit out of the box and I loved it for that reason. Jewel painted a romance as messy and real as life is, and my god, it just spoke to me.

I loved the banter between these two and their push and pull. I loved Elsie’s inner strength and seeing her grow into her own and allow Kael to help her discover herself. She’s independent and fierce and so relatable. Kael is charming and sweet. Everyone in town loves him. He’s a free spirit and cares deeply, and it’s impossible not to fall for him. I loved watching him bring Elsie out of her shell.

If you’re looking for something unique and different, look no further. This book will speak to you in a way not many others could.

Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author a with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.

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Review: Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli

PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES
Series: Black Mountain Academy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: A Zavarelli
Release Date: October 23, 2020

Your first kiss is supposed to be sweet. Ours was baptized in fire.

I was the new girl trying to find her place.

Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.

I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.

I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.

But I fell for him before I knew those things.

To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.

And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.

I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.

He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.

The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.

 AMAZON

I guess it’s true what they say about forbidden fruit. Kailani is the sweetest poison.

Do you have authors that you don’t even bother to read the blurb from? A Zavarelli is one of mine. No matter what the woman writes, I know I’ll be gagging for it. Because she never fails to create some of the most captivating and memorable characters. And this installment in the Black Mountain Academy series was finger licking good. No joke. I honestly wanted to lick my fingers when I turned the last page. It was that delicious.

An angsty and gritty romance set in high school where the only thing the students have more than money is spite and crazy. GAH. Yasss girl. This was right up my alley. After an incident that turned her world upside down, Kailani ran back to Hawaii. She never quite fit it with the rich and entitled students of Black Mountain Academy. She’s a talented dancer whose mother married into money but for love. Now she’s back to exact revenge on all who took part in the events of that night, including the boy she never got over.

Landon is the infamous bad boy with a reputation that proceeds him. A child actor turned teenage heartthrob, all Landon has ever known is people’s dark sides. Everyone wants something from him, including his own family. He has deep rooted trust issues and a chip on his shoulder that’s a mile long. He’s also deliciously enigmatic, mysterious, and oh so sexy. He once fell hard for his beautiful and shy neighbor, but even she turned out to be not who he thought she was. And now that she’s back, he has a revenge of his own to exact.

This story was a delicious entanglement of drama and angst and I devoured every page of it. Suspend your disbelief here and prepare yourself for Cruel Intentions on crack. These teenagers are CRAZY. Revenge, secrets, and lies run rampant through the halls of Black Mountain. And while Landon and Kailani have their agenda, someone else has theirs, and that amounts for some insane twists and turns. Yes, some of them were high on the realm of believability, but I couldn’t seem to care less. I lived for the drama here. When drama is done right, it can be absolutely delicious, and it was here.

I loved the tension and chemistry between Kailani and Landon. I loved their push and pull and I especially loved the way Kailani gave as hard as she got. The girl spared no punches when it came to her enemies. She certainly wasn’t the naive girl she was before she came back. This girl had claws and she wasn’t afraid to use them.

If you’re looking for an angsty and gritty high school romance with plenty of steam and no shortage of drama, look no further. This will tick every box and leave you wanting more.

A Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies. 

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