Review: Blood Orange by Karina Halle

December 29, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BLOOD ORANGE
Series: The Dracula Duet #1
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 16, 2022

From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes a dark and delicious Dracula retelling filled with secrets and lies, dangerous liaisons and a forbidden, student-teacher, second chance love story with a twist.

“My heart will always find yours.”

Dahlia Abernathy has only known revenge. When her parents were killed at an early age by vampires, Dahlia spent the rest of her life under the thumb of the Witch’s Guild being trained to kill them. Her latest mission sends her undercover to a prestigious music academy in Venice, Italy. Her goal? To kill Professor Valtu Aminoff, her teacher and the notorious vampire who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

But getting close to a dangerous vampire like Professor Aminoff is one thing. Falling for him is another. With Dahlia’s appearance disguised under a glamor spell, Valtu has no idea that the woman who has become his new dark obsession is actually the reincarnation of the woman he loved and lost twice before.

And Dahlia doesn’t remember that the very man she has been sent to kill is the love of her life.

Will their love come through and transcend time once again? Or are the fated lovers destined to let history repeat itself?

Blood Orange is a modern-day Dracula retelling about the “real-life” Dracula that inspired Bram Stoker. This is a dark vampire romance with plenty of content warnings (please check interior of book for extensive list as it is +++++spicy) and while it is a spinoff of The Dark Eyes Duet, you do not need to read any other books before Blood Orange.

AMAZON

To forget her would be to forget what it’s like to be human, and I’m dangerously close to losing myself all together at times. And so I will write down all I remember of her, in hope that our love might bring about my humanity.

I have a confession and I don’t need you judging me for it, okay?

…This is my first Karina Halle book…
I said not to judge me! What are those judgy eyes? I see them! But anyhoos

I was in the mood for a spicy PNR and boy did this deliver. A fresh take on the story of Dracula, this brought together two of my favorite things; soulmates and dirty talk. *dreamy sigh* Oh and a bit of my Buffy/Angel fetish with the whole vampire, and vampire slayer thing. *another dreamy sigh* But I digress again.

Dahlia Abernathy is in Venice on a mission. Posing as a student, she’s determined on her mission to kill the elusive Dracula…who happens to be her new professor. Oh and he’s also sexier than sin. Dahlia is a witch, who after the gruesome death of her parents by vampires, has killed many in her search for revenge. But nothing prepares her for her encounter with Dracula, Valtu Aminoff.

For my girlies who love their MCs kinky and with plenty of dirty talk, prepare yourself for the experience that is Valtu. I’m obsessed with this man…erm…vampire. Unwillingly, Dahlia finds herself quickly drawn to the one she’s been sent to kill. He’s not at all who she thought he was. She also soon finds herself questioning everything she’s been told her entire life and just how clearly she sees things.

This was an addictive page turner that I devoured in two days. And that cliffhanger? Painful! Desperately need the next book.

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Review: Brutal Obsession by S. Massery

December 27, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL OBESESSION
Author: S. Massery
Genre: Dark, Bully Romance
Release Date: November 30, 2022

He shattered my leg, and now he wants to ruin the rest of me.

Greyson Devereux is a menace–but only to me.
To everyone else, he’s charismatic.
He’s the son of a senator and the star of the university’s hockey team.

When all I want is to be invisible, he drags me into the spotlight.
He wants my blood, my fear, my attention.

Resisting him only worsens his obsession.
Fighting solidifies it.

He’s brutal, and he draws out a sick darkness in me that enjoys it.
But I’ll be damned if I let him become my downfall.

AMAZON

She’s breathing hard, although I’m not sure if she realizes it. Her chest rises and falls rapidly. It’s an elixir I didn’t know I needed, so I open my mouth and give the only order she’ll listen to. “Run.”

If you know me even a little then you already know that I love my fictional men mean. Like MEAN. Ya know? I want to hate them for the majority of the book and then I need them to change my mind irrevocably at the end. And Greyson Devereux is a menace to my ovaries if I ever found one. I am OBSESSED. Completely obsessed. And if you’re a fan of the bully romance trope, this book is not to be missed.

So let’s see. Greyson is a cocky, rich and privileged with some extreme daddy issues. Coming home one night he gets into an accident that causes a severe injury to the other car’s occupant. So what’s a guy to do? Put his date in the driver’s seat, check to make sure the other occupant is alive, call his dad, and then escape the scene of the crime. Suffice it to say he’s not a good guy.

Now look, if this already sounds like it isn’t your cup of tea, then I suggest skipping this one. This girl? Needed a good redemption arc and happy to report I got one.

Violet Reece is back at school following an accident that took the dream of dancing from her. So imagine her surprise when the guy behind the wheel of the other car that night of the accident is at her school, and looking at her like she did something wrong.

Thu begins their back and forth dance of hate lust, pure hate, blackmail, bullying, and unwanted attraction. I saw the author mention that this is the darkest book she’s ever written, and while I didn’t find it to be particularly dark, I can see it won’t be for everyone. There’s dubcon, blackmail, and bullying. And while I love my MFC with a backbone and thought Violet gave in too easily in some parts, I did love the way she fought back in others. One scene of blackmail in a locker room particularly comes to mind. But I digress.

Was this book a sweet romance? Not even a little. Did I find it dark? No, but it certainly had dark undercurrents. Was it addictive? Very much so. Do I need to read everything else by this author immediately? Absolutely.

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Review: Tangled in Tinsel by Trilina Pucci

December 8, 2022 by ·

TANGLED IN TINSEL
Author: Trilina Pucci
Genre: Why Choose Romance
Release Date: December 8, 2022

Imagine being snowed in with four hot successful men.

P.S. they’ve all played the hero in too many of your naughtiest dreams.

​​​​​​​Problem is, you work for them, and that makes them off-limits.

Except now they’re looking at you like you’re Santa’s cookies.

And they definitely want to take a bite.

Talk about making you reconsider your life choices.

These four are aiming for Santa’s naughty list, and I’m pretty sure I’m getting:

Jace
Reed
Alec
…and Cole

for Christmas.

It might’ve started as a decorating job.

But it ended Tangled in Tinsel.

AMAZON

Three’s a crowd, four’s a party.”

If you’re looking for a smutty holiday romance that will make you laugh till you pee and squirm at the same time, look no further.

You forgot to say please, Samantha.” The deep gravel in his voice makes me shiver. “‘Tell me I’m a good girl’…Please. Now, use your words, baby, and ask me nicely.”

One thing I can say after finishing this book, is that Trilina needs to write more romcoms. The woman is hilarious and how you can pull off something that’s this hot and filthy and instill this much easy humor into it is pure talent. It’s fine line between funny and cheesy and this was laugh till you cry hilarious.

If you’re expecting a well rounded novel with lots of plot and character development, you probably didn’t read the book blurb. But if you’re looking for something super spicy, hilarious, fast paced, with not one, not two, not three, but four super hot leading men and the sassy woman that gets to have all of them…welp. This has it. This has all of it.
See what I did there?

But I digress. This is forced proximity dirty hotness. Samantha is an interior designer who gets snowed in on her current project, along with her four super hot bosses. Good times follow, obviously.

This book had me giggling incessantly. Between the hilarious banter between Samantha and her sister, along with her men. Then it had me squirming uncomfortably because hot damn.

Sometimes a girl needs a find and fluffy read that delivers on the steam and the laughs, and this one sure did.

Trilina is a former professional dancer (you may have even seen her on the MTV Music Awards) and a USA Today Bestselling author who loves cupcakes and bourbon.

When she isn’t writing steamy love stories, she can be found devouring Netflix with her husband, Anthony, and their three kiddos. Pucci’s journey into writing started impulsively. She wanted to check off a box on her bucket list, but what began as wish-fulfillment has become incredibly fulfilling. Now she can’t see her life without her characters, her readers, and this community.

She’s known for being a trope defier, writing outside of the box and creating fictional worlds her readers never want to leave.

AUTHOR LINKS

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Review: Power by Cassandra Robbins

November 4, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

POWER
Genre: Forbidden Age Gap, Contemporary Romance
Author: Cassandra Robbins
Release Date: November 4, 2022

From USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Robbins comes her most forbidden romance to date. An explosive age-gap, complete stand-alone love story about infamous attorney Jett Powers and the woman who brings him to his knees.

Jett Powers is brilliant, nasty, and forbidden.

He takes what he wants, has no regrets, and makes no excuses.

Not to mention he’s tall, dark, and irresistible.

From our first secret encounter, I’m addicted.

He’s the last man that should be making my stomach flip, and heart pound.

Unfortunately, my mind and body are not in sync.

Because Mr. Powers is not mine.

He can’t be.

He’s my mother’s fiancé.

AMAZON

Look, you’re my mom’s fiancé. I should never—”
“That’s right, Raven. I am your mother’s fiancé. Who was just inside you.”

Well then, wasn’t this just the most deliciously kinky little romp of a book.

If you’re looking for something quick, dirty, with spice oozing from every page, but yet with just enough plot thrown in, look no further. Daddy Powers is here and nasty is an understatement for the shock and awe factor this man brings. He’s dirty charisma personified. How does a character make you feel both dirty and swoony at the same time? I don’t know but I want more of it.

This is a forbidden romance with a delicious age gap. Jett Powers is a man engaged, though theirs is not a relationship based in love. More like power, ambition, and sex with zero emotion. He’s made peace with the fact that the only love of his life is his successful law career. But then his fiancé’s 18 year old daughter comes for a visit, and let’s just say that things get interesting.

The spice starts almost immediately and the story is riddled with it. Not that you’ll hear me complaining. That sh*t was hot. I think my one and only quibble is I wanted the burn of the forbidden angst. That’s my favorite part of a forbidden romance, the we want to but we can’t feels. The angsty burn. This story didn’t really have it. These two pretty much jump straight into the deep end without much thought. Not that I’m complaining. Because, again, that sh*t was hot. But you get me.

And though I felt there was more sex than plot at times, that’s not to say there wasn’t plot. There was just enough thrown in, actually. There was still great character development and the romance development was delicious. I loved watching the notorious Mr Powers fall for Raven. But my favorite part? The epic grovel at the end. MY GOD. I lived for that grovel. The man messed up big time and he wasn’t afraid to crawl for his woman. GAH. So good.

If you’re looking for a spicy forbidden romance with a delicious dirty talker and an even more delicious grovel, look no further.

Cassandra Robbins is a USA Today, Amazon Top 100, KDP All-star and International bestselling author. She threatened to write a romance novel for years. Robbins finally let the voices take over with her debut novel, The Entitled. She’s a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic driven to create obsessive, angst-filled characters who have to fight for their happily ever after. Cassandra resides in Los Angeles with her hot husband, two beautiful children, and a fluffy Samoyed, Stanley. Her family and friends are her lifeline but writing is her passion.

Connect w/Cassandra: 

Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest  | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon | Newsletter Signup

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Review: Empire of Hate by Rina Kent

October 5, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

EMPIRE OF HATE
Series: Empire #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Rina Kent
Release Date:  March 3, 2022

My boss. My enemy.

I escaped my life.
Leaving everything behind wasn’t easy, but I did it.
I turned the page and flew over the ocean.
This is my new beginning.
My new chapter.
My new book.
Or so I hoped before I met my new boss.
Daniel Sterling.
Rich as sin, illegally attractive, and the face of every magazine cover.
Oh, and the reason why I escaped in the first place.
I made his high school life hell.
He won’t stop until he gives me a taste of my own medicine.

Empire of Hate is a complete STANDALONE. No book should be read prior to this.
Note: This is NOT a dark romance.

AMAZON

You’re the only woman I wanted with a desperation that bordered on both pleasure and pain. The only woman who drives me fucking insane but I still can’t look away from.

Rina Kent’s books are easily some of the most recommended to me. Sadly, her books are also really hit or miss for me, mostly a miss from the few I tried lately. After DNFing Empire of Sin, I decided to give this series one more shot after seeing someone talk about a particular plot device in this story which left me drooling for it. And damn am I grateful I gave it a shot, because I devoured this.

If you read even some of my reviews, you know my undying love and devotion for all things enemies to lovers. You also know that I love my heroes mean. Like make me hate to love them and c*ck punch them at the same time sort of mean. I want to hate them for almost the entirety of the book and then I need them to irrevocably change my mind and forgive them in the last chapters. What? I have peculiar tastes, mkay? *buffs nails* But I digress.

If you’ve read Rina’s Royal Elite series , you’ll recognize these characters. This book features the “evil” stepsister from Cruel King which sadly I remember barely anything from. As a matter of fact, I had a hard time seeing the girl for the reputation she had because outside of one particular scene, I didn’t see one mean part of her, but I’m guessing that was featured in Cruel King and I just don’t remember it.

Nicole has been obsessed with Daniel since they met as children. But while she can’t see anything else but him, he wants nothing to do with her. And after years of obsession, Nicole left London to live a life that barely resembles the one of privilege that shattered when she left. Desperate to take care of herself and her family, she needs a job, and she lands at the desk of her biggest tormentor and obsession she thought she left behind.

Daniel remembers Nicole all too well and he’s determined to make her pay for every wrong he things she made. When I tell you I wanted to jock punch this man for the better part of the book, I’m not lying. What I loved about Nicole is while she has no choice but to take his abuse to keep her job, she still has a spine of steel. You also get flashbacks of their past that shows what led up to Nicole ultimately running from London to US. And when you get the full picture, you realize just how epically Daniel fucked up. And when he finally realizes it too? GAH. I admit his cold shoulder after the revelation was a bit much. I do get his beating himself up and blaming himself, but I wanted him to grovel. I wanted him to work for his forgiveness. And while he gave enough to be satisfying, it still felt a touch lacking.

All in all this was still a super addictive read.

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Review: Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

October 4, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BAD GIRL REPUTATION
Series: Avalon Bay #2
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: October 4, 2022

When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion… which she’s trying desperately to forget.

But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there.

Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out.

Bestselling author Elle Kennedy returns to Avalon Bay in this sexy second chance story about two exes who can’t stay away from each other, Bad Girl Reputation.

AMAZON  | PAPERBACK 

…a year gone, and I’d finally trained myself to stop thinking about her every time this thing or that reminded me of another time when. So of course, just when I’ve almost got her out of my system, she’s back. A fresh, unfiltered shot straight into my bloodstream when I was damn near clean. Now all I taste are her lips. I feel her nails down my back every night while I’m lying in bed. I wake up hearing her voice. It’s infuriating.

Know what I love more than a second chance romance? A second chance romance written by Elle Kennedy. *dreamy sigh*

I have been eagerly anticipating the story of the other Hartley brother ever since I greedily devoured Good Girl Complex. As much as I loved Carter, I couldn’t wait to get to the heart of the more reckless twin, and boy did he deliver.

Ever since Evan was old enough to notice girls, the only one he noticed was Genevieve. And growing up, these two were like fire and gasoline. Their toxic back and forth only fueled by the undeniable chemistry between them and their reckless behavior. So much so that everyone knew their reputation in high school. Evan, the heartbreakingly handsome bad boy, and Gen, the stunning bad girl who caused havoc together until the day Gen suddenly left town without so much as a goodbye. Now she’s back for her mother’s funeral, and Evan is like a moth to a flame.

But Gen is no longer the reckless bad girl who left the small town. She’s grown up, she’s changed, or at least she’s working on it. But tough to prove yourself in a town that remembers you at your worst and an ex that you can’t seem to stay away from.

We don’t get enough bad girls in romance, and Gen is one FMC I could really get behind. I love a good redemption arc, and this is a girl that hit a low and now working on bringing herself up and staying away from her triggers, like her reckless ex. But chemistry like theirs is impossible to ignore.

I can’t place my finger on exactly why, but I didn’t quite devour this one as quickly as I did book one. And while I really enjoyed it, it still took me 4 days to finish. There was nothing specific either, I just didn’t get as enraptured in this story as I did the previous one. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely! Did I adore Gen and Evan together? Without a doubt. Do I recommend this for fans of steamy second chance with a bad boy and reformed bad girl? YES. I really loved Evan’s growth in this story as much as I did Gen’s. And while I can’t say it was my favorite, it was still a super satisfying fun read and I can’t wait for more in this series

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Review: Final Proposal by K. Bromberg

October 4, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Series: S.I.N. #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: October 4, 2022

Fall in love with billionaire, Fordham Sharpe, and sassy businesswoman, Ellery Sinclair, in this all-new wrong place at the right time, forced proximity, office romance by New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg.

One stormy night.
One hotel bar full of stranded travelers.
One available chair next to a charming, mysterious, and sexy-as-hell man.

There was something about him and our conversation that made me feel alive. That made me feel heard. That sparked a fire within me.

When our paths crossed again, I never expected the stranger to be Fordham Sharpe, one-third of the sinfully rich and ridiculously successful Sharpe International Network brothers. Nor did I expect we’d become partners—fifty-fifty—in a hotel transformation that dreams were made of.

My dreams, anyway.

To him, I was off limits. He was my venture partner, and we knew better than to mix business with pleasure. But we had one thing in common—we were both hiding. From our pasts. From unresolved family conflicts. From what really mattered—our hearts.

But as each day passed, our mutual attraction became harder to resist.

We agreed to the partnership to prove our worth to our families, but perhaps we’d only prove our need for something else. Each other.

Are you ready to fall for the Sharpe brothers in K. Bromberg’s sexy, contemporary, billionaire romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but can be enjoyed as a series as well . . .

Last Resort (Book #1)
On One Condition (Book #2)
Final Proposal (Book #3)

AMAZON |  iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

You . . . you are the biggest pain in my ass and the greatest love of my life.”

The third and final Sharpe brother is here and he was definitely worth the wait. Ford has been the rock of the Sharpe brothers, the stable one, the hardworking one. And now on the cusp of his father’s book coming out after his passing, he’s also the one spiraling. Need to get away from it all lands him at a hotel where a bout of bad weather locks him in for the night. There in the bar he meets a woman who changes everything, only he has no idea who she is and doesn’t expect to see her again.

Ellery Sinclair has everything to prove. Her step brothers take constant credit for her ideas, and it’s almost impossible to prove her worth to her stepfather. All she wants is something of her own. And then she finds the perfect opportunity, with the perfect hotel renovation, with the unlikeliest of business partners, Ford Sharpe.

If you’re a fan of forced proximity, this one brings it in spades. Locked together for their business venture these two try as hard as they can to deny and avoid their incendiary chemistry. But it doesn’t take long for it to finally get the best of them. I loved the way these two build each other up and bring out each other’s best and worst. They challenge each other. They fight and they make up and I was so here for it. And even though I’m not usually a big fan of sweet contemporary, this one just hit the spot just right when it brought all the feels. And I particularly loved Ellery’s love for romance books feature some very steamy scenes from Bromberg’s previous books. That’s a steamy cameo I couldn’t get enough of.

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary romance novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes who we love to hate but can’t help to love.

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

Since publishing her first book on a whim in 2013, Kristy has sold over one and a half million copies of her books across eighteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over thirty times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by the streaming platform, Passionflix, with the first movie (Driven) out now.

With her imagination always in overdrive, she is currently scheming, plotting, and swooning over her latest hero. You can find out more about him or chat with Kristy on any of her social media accounts. The easiest way to stay up to date on new releases and upcoming novels is to sign up for her newsletter (http://bit.ly/254MWtI) or follow her on Bookbub (http://smarturl.it/KBrombergBB)

Connect with Kristy

Website: www.kbromberg.com

Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/Kbromberg_GR

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/KBrombergAmz

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/KBrombergFB

Facebook Group: http://smarturl.it/DrivenFB

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Other: http://smarturl.it/DrivenMoviesFB

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Text Kbromberg to 77948 to stay up to date on all things Driven movies and new releases

 

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Review: Devil of Dublin by B.B. Easton

September 22, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

DEVIL OF DUBLIN
Genre: Dark, Mafia Romance
Author: B.B. Easton
Release Date: September 22, 2022

From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the Netflix Original series Sex/Life) comes a dark mafia romance steeped in Irish folklore.

I can’t remember anymore if my grandfather’s eyes were blue or green, but I’ll never forget the way they wrinkled at the corners when he laughed at one of his own jokes. Or the way they sparkled with mischief when he told me tales about the magical creatures that dwelled in the forest behind his humble Irish sheep farm—shy fairies who liked to eat tea biscuits, cruel witches who liked to eat children, a moody lake spirit with a taste for expensive gifts.

As a child, I believed every fantastical word. But when he warned me about the mute boy who also lurked in those woods, the one the priest had declared to be the spawn of Satan himself, I refused to listen. Kellen wasn’t evil. He was kind, and beautiful, and special, and hurting. He was my friend. And with every summer I spent stolen away with him in those enchanted woods, he grew to become so much more.

But when I return to Glenshire as an adult, grieving and engaged to someone else, all those legends quickly morph into nightmares.

My grandfather had been right about everything, especially the boy.

If only I had listened.

WARNING: If you are a sensitive reader or find certain topics to be emotionally triggering, please exercise self-care and select a different book. Devil of Dublin is intended for mature audiences who enjoy dark subject matter, tortured anti-heroes, explicit adult content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. If that sounds like you, then welcome to Glenshire!

AMAZON

I was no longer human or demon or even fucking breathing. I was simply hers—mind, body, and cursed black soul.

Now look, did I bother to read the blurb before adding this book to my TBR? Absolutely not. If the author wasn’t enough to convince me, this cover sealed the deal. So did I know what I was getting into when I started it outside that it’s a dark mafia romance? Absolutely not.

This story caught me completely unaware in all the best of ways. Funny enough, had I knew the direction it would take, I probably wouldn’t read it. I don’t typically love the sweet soulmates vibes. But did that one ray of sweet light help brighten the sheer darkness that was the rest of this story? Absolutely.

BB Easton wrote an incredible story with two tortured characters who are simply made for each other. You know what I love in dark romance? It’s when it makes me feel. I don’t want the shock value of graphic scenes, it’s the chills it gives you. And the mere alluding to the past these two characters had was enough to have chills going down my spine. Darby and Kellen met as children. Kellen was already in his own particular hell, while Darby was the sunny and sweet girl that befriended the town’s pariah. And when they meet again years later, Darby is not the girl he knew, but she also is.

Now I’m not generally a fan of the insta thing, and while I wouldn’t necessarily categorize this as insta love, it wasn’t not insta love either. It was full of depth, emotion, pain, and healing. It was unlike any other mafia romance I’ve read, and that’s saying quite a bit.

Wall Street Journal bestselling author BB Easton lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her long-suffering husband, Ken, and two adorable children. A few years ago, she quit her job as a school psychologist to write books about her punk rock past and deviant sexual history full-time. Ken wasn’t super excited about that, but now that he’s appeared in three of her books and inspired a TV show character, he’s incredibly supportive.

BB’s debut memoir, 44 Chapters About 4 Men, went on to inspire the Netflix original series, Sex/Life, which was viewed by 67 million households worldwide within the first month making it the 3rd most-watched Netflix original series of all time. Because she had so much fun writing 44 Chapters, BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly autobiographical books, one for each man in her memoir—Skin, Speed, Star, and Suit.

The Rain Trilogy—a dark, immersive, end-of-the-world romance—was BB’s first work of fiction. Or at least, that’s what she thought when she wrote it in 2019. Then, 2020 hit, and all of her dystopian plot points started coming true. Hoping to fix everything, BB returned with a fun, feel-good romantic comedy called Group Therapy, but alas, the world is still on fire … and so is BB’s desire to write intense, us-against-the-world romances. Her next release, Devil of Dublin, is a dark Irish mafia romance steeped in folklore and family secrets.  

You can find BB procrastinating in all of the following places:

Website: www.authorbbeaston.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/author.bb.easton

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

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bbeaston

#TeamBB Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/BBEaston

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bb_easton

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/artbyeaston

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/bbeaston

Goodreads: https://goo.gl/4hiwiR

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bb-easton

 

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Review: Pieces of a Life by Jewel E Ann

September 13, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

PIECES OF A LIFE
Series: Life Series Duet #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jewel E Ann
Release Date: September 13, 2022

The summer before fourth grade, Colten Mosley moved into the house across the street from mine, and we became inseparable.

He played the piano and baseball.

I had a penchant for dead things while at the same time imagining what it would be like to kiss Colten.

We were filled with curiosity and overly active imaginations.

We were also forbidden to be more than friends.

But that didn’t stop us.

Weeks before graduation, he annihilated my heart, and it’s been seventeen years since the day I knew I’d hate him forever.

Now he’s back in my life—a single dad and a homicide detective looking over my shoulder while I perform autopsies as one of Chicago’s most gifted forensic pathologists. Then fate throws us a curveball.

Colten saves my life, but he can’t erase the images that now keep me awake at night. And I can’t explain them.

Am I still the girl he’s always loved? Or nothing more than pieces of that life?

*This story contains sensitive and graphic content.

AMAZON

I don’t remember falling in love with Josephine Watts. I just remember the day we met and the day I let her go for good. For me, she wasn’t really my girlfriend. She was my everything.

There are three things I love; second chance romance, suspense, and Jewel E Ann books. So when those three things combine into one addictive read, you know I’m here for it. And what a ride this one was!

Certain feelings, deep emotions—the haunting kind—can’t be outrun. Colten has been the unshakable shadow of my existence since the day I met him.

First, I love a sex positive heroine, who doesn’t spend the years away from the hero in a second chance romance pining in celibate sorrow. Josephine spend more years away from Colten than they ever did together, but she’s never managed to move past the heartbreak. They grew up together, and had a tumultuous on again off again teenage relationship, until he broke her heart. She’s now a successful forensic pathologist, who isn’t interested in any entanglement outside of the satisfaction of a warm body next to hers. She’s not interested in marriage or happily ever afters. She has her career and that’s enough. Until the man who so thoroughly broke her heart makes a sudden reappearance in her life as the detective on a case she’s also working on.

I lived wholly, eternally, unequivocally for Josephine Watts. Why didn’t I tell her when it mattered the most?

The story is told in a combination of past and present. I’m not a reader that loves too many flashbacks, and while the pacing was great, the flashbacks did still take me out a bit. Perhaps the way they transitioned? That aside, I loved getting more details on how these two fell together and then fell apart. I loved that Josephine was a bit of a hard ass and didn’t just forgive and forget. She made Colten work for it and boy did he work for it.

Colten was this wonderful combination of alpha and cinnamon roll. He worked so hard and lays himself bare for her. At times I almost found Josephine to be too much of a hard ass, but it just worked. But the show stopper was definitely that ending. Holy mother of plot twists, that ending. I think my heart may have stopped beating when I read that last sentence. If I don’t have the next book in my hands immediately, I’m going to riot!!!

Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author 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. 

Connect with Jewel

Website: https://www.jeweleann.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7505427.Jewel_E_Ann
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jewel-E-Ann/e/B00IJYHDIG/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjeweleann
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/485996228236493
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjeweleann/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JewelE_Ann
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jewel-e-ann
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jeweleannauthor/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeweleannauthor

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Review: No Time To Lie by Lexi Blake

September 13, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

NO TIME TO LIE
Series: Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded Book 4
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: September 13, 2022

A grandmaster of lies and deception

Drake Radcliffe has spent half his life in the shadows. Recruited by the CIA when he was barely out of high school, Drake doesn’t know how to have a normal life. While most people his age were playing sports or video games, he was playing spy games with the world’s most dangerous adversaries. It has been a life filled with thrills and adrenaline, but it’s also been lonely. All that might change when a mistake from Drake’s past rears its ugly head and he’s forced to face the only woman he ever loved—the one he pushed away.

A beacon of love and compassion

Taylor Cline committed the cardinal sin for an analyst—she fell for the operative she was working for. Drake was everything she wanted in a man, until he broke her heart. She had one unforgettable night with him and then he never looked back. Her career threatened, she shut down and moved on, hoping to never see him again. Just as she is beginning to put it all behind her, a critical assignment puts her under his authority and right back in his arms.

A deadly mission that brings them together

From the wilds of Wyoming to the glittering cities of Europe, Drake and Taylor must race against time to uncover the truth and expose an evil organization. The stakes couldn’t be higher. If they fail, the world could crumble. If they succeed, they could finally have everything their hearts desire.

AMAZON

 

I won’t bottom for you. I’ll probably walk into this dungeon when it opens tonight because I need a session given the amount of stress I’m dealing with and maybe I’ll pick out some hot cowboy top to help with my stress relief, but it won’t be you.”
“And what do I win if it is?”
“You’ll win my dead body because that’s what it would take.”
“I like a challenge, Taylor.”
“I’m not a challenge, Drake.”

I feel like I’ve been forever for Drake’s book. He’s been a vivid secondary character for so many books and a complete and utter mystery. I’ve been eagerly anticipating every morsel of detail about this enigmatic CIA operative and I just knew that his story would be a juicy one. And you know what? I was not wrong.

I love a good second chance romance, especially when that second chance romance has a good grovel. And when said grovel lasts for almost the entirety of the book? GAH. Delicious.

Taylor Cline is no stranger to the life of a spy. After all, her father is one of the most notorious agents there were, and he taught her everything there is to know since she was a kid. Sliding into the role of being her father’s handler was not a difficult one and she’s d*mn good at her job.

When a mission gone wrong lands Drake at the safe house he thinks should be empty, he has a hard time understanding how Taylor is there. Taylor takes care of the injured Drake and then quickly bond over their life and it doesn’t take long for the chemistry between them to burn too hot to ignore. They share one night together before it all goes catastrophically wrong and Taylor realizes that Drake is not the man she thought he was.

Years later, a critical mission lands these two together and while Drake is thrilled for the second chance he’s been craving, Taylor wants nothing to do with him. And when Drake learns just how epically he screwed up with Taylor based on some wrong intel? Well, the juicy parts start.

I loved how Taylor makes him work for it, and boy does he. This is no meek woman. She may not have as much experience, but she’s so fierce in her own right. She’s set on revenge and she has no intention of letting Drake break her heart again. But the mission can’t be done without both of them, because the target they’re hunting has a shared link with them both.

My favorite parts of this series is all of the cameos from my favorite characters and every bit of Big Tag’s inappropriate humor. I love this man and will never get enough of him and his ball busting and matchmaking ways.

This was a high octane, thrilling page turner with a sizzling second chance romance full of heart and a delicious grovel. And this girl? Devoured every page.


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