Review: Pageant by Lilith Vincent

May 11, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

PAGEANT
Series: Pageant #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance
Author: Lilith Vincent
Release Date: May 11, 2022


One woman. Three mafia men. A twisted marriage game…
 
The dangerous life I escaped has seized hold of me again. Three men have snatched my freedom and they’re playing a twisted game of power, hearts, and blood.
 
My captors glitter like diamonds in the dark, each one more handsome and ruthless than the last. Konstantin, the scarred and heartless ringleader, and mastermind of my fate. Elyah, the demon from my past who once craved me and now covets my demise. Kirill, a bloodthirsty maniac with depraved needs who thrives on misery and mayhem.
 
Sixteen women are forced to compete in their twisted pageant, and one by one we’re eliminated until there’s only one jewel left. My captors’ desire burns as hard as their cruelty, but the true torment only begins when the pageant ends.
 
Heavy is the crown that glitters on the winner’s head.
 
Author’s note: Pageant (Pageant, 1) is the first book in a Russian mafia reverse harem duet and ends on a cliffhanger. The heroes only have hearts, eyes and dicks for the heroine. It contains captive themes, violence, and a Why Choose romance with ruthlessly possessive men. The story is dark and potentially triggering, so please read responsibly.
 
ADDITIONAL CONTENT WARNING: There is an on-page miscarriage in Chapter Four. This book contains captivity, mild torture, dubcon, gun play, knife play, group sex scenes and other deviant sexual activities (Bonus downloadable content: non-con somnophilia, non-con drug use)
 

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ALSO AVAILABLE 
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Download here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/pnm7hm58b6 
 
COMING SOON 
#2 Crowned – Releasing September 30
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She can have my entire soul. Every last drop of me.

Well now, this was a doozy. And here I am, desperate for more. Am I sorry?? Not even a little.

If you know me or follow my reviews, you already know I love the f*cked up ones. And it doesn’t get more f*cked up than these three. Elyah, Kirill, and Kostya was like the unholy trifecta and I was here for every depraved moment of it.

Now going into this book, as with most dark romance, suspend your disbelief. I had to turn off the logical part of my brain that questioned a woman running from her past, ‘hiding’ in plain sight as a runway fashion model. But then, I just couldn’t care less because the story completely sucked me in.

I love when a story catches me off guard and manages to surprise me, and this one did that and more. Lilia was this perfect mix of unpredictable and fierce, and she still caught me by surprise at the end in all the best ways. Here’s a woman who gets captured by three psychopaths and forced to participate in a barbaric pageant of a completion that none of the women truly want to win. The crown to belong to the men. But unlike the other women in captivity, she refuses to bow down. She’ll go down swinging, even if it costs her everything. She’s survived hell before, and she’ll do it again. What she doesn’t expect is that blast from her past to be one of her three captors and for his fierce hatred of her.

The history between Elyah and Lilia is an interesting one that skated almost a bit on the insta love scale for me, which isn’t usually my favorite. But the dynamics of their present was enough to buffer that for me. I did find their back and forth to be quite sudden, but it didn’t bother me because the other two men added enough spice to keep it lively.

This book is dark, brutal, and downright depraved. And this girl? Gobbled it right up!

Lilith Vincent is a steamy mafia reverse harem writer who believes in living on the wild side! Why choose one when you could choose them all.
 
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Review: The Reluctant Bride by Monica Murphy

April 19, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE RELUCTANT BRIDE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Monica Murphy
Release Date: April 19, 2022

Everyone’s for sale, including me.

One moment I’m the forgotten daughter of one of the most wealthy families in the country, and the next I’m the blushing bride in an arranged marriage.

My fate is sealed in my wedded union with a complete stranger.

In public, Perry Constantine is the life of the party.

Easygoing.

Adored.

In private, he’s brooding.

Dark.

Angry.

But so am I.

It’s a contest of wills to see who will break in the bedroom first, and while I try to remain strong, I find myself craving the very man I swore to hate.

My husband.

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I could fall in love with this man. And that’s the last thing I should do.

I love a good crossover, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating this installment in the Midnight Dynasty universe.

If you’ve read Monica’s Things I Wanted To Say and A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime then you’re already familiar with the Lancasters. Charlotte is Crew’s sister from A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime. If you’ve read that book and remember the quick mention of her arranged marriage to a man she barely knows, this is the story.

Perry Constantine is the fun loving Constantine who will do anything to please his mother. And while a marriage to a woman he doesn’t know may be stretching it, he’d do that too. If you’ve read Stroke of Midnight then you’ve already met his older brother. But where Winston was intense and overwhelming, Perry is the more light hearted brother, though no less intense.

When you’re not even 25, marriage is the last thing on your mind. Especially when that marriage is essentially a business deal put in motion by your mother and your bride wants nothing to do with you. But as with all things Midnight Dynasty, nothing is at it seems.

This is a slow burn romance that really lays the foundation to the story. There’s a lot of development that happens here, along with the budding relationship. And behind the traded insults and barbs, there’s plenty of chemistry. I loved Perry’s intensity almost as much as I love Charlotte’s sassyness. She may look like the sheltered virgin, but she has plenty of secrets. I loved that she gave as hard as she got and really gave Perry a run for his money.

I can’t wait to see what the next installment brings!

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.

 

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

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Review: King of Spades by Alta Hensley

April 5, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

KING OF SPADES
Series: trilogy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Alta Hensley
Release Date: April 5, 2022

Nick Hudson has a dangerous reputation.

That’s what I need if I’m going to survive.

Desperation makes me seek out a ruthlessly powerful billionaire.

I need protection.

He demands my virtue as payment.

I’m falling into a world of luxury and sin.

With every twist and turn, I need more.

Except this is not a man to love.

This is a man to fear.

His obsession grows. So does the threat, until I’m trapped in a world of depravity. I’ll need more than Nick’s strength to survive. I’m going to need his heart.

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There isn’t a part of him that isn’t absolute perfection. He’s raw, he’s edgy, he’s dark, and his madness is everything I’ve ever wanted.

When I tell you I will never get tired of the craziness that is the Morelli/Constantine drama, I mean I will never get tired of it. Give it all to me!

And with a brand new cross over trilogy from Alta Hensley, we now meet the bastard daughter of Bryant Morelli and she’s no blushing ingenue for the virgin she is. I immediately loved this woman. I mean the second she appears on the pages, stewing in her jealousy, sneaking into a party she has no business in with her cousin Sasha Morelli. The rest of the Morelli brood know nothing about her. And Lyriope is the epitome of the family black sheep. Her parents risky decisions and irresponsible nature leave her on the receiving end of a debt to the Russians that she has no hope of ever repaying and they want blood.

The only hope she has is a man whose reputation precedes him, Nick Hudson. But Nick doesn’t do anyone favors, and his protection comes with a price…her body and her virginity. And while it sounds cliche, it just worked here, people. Maybe it was Lyriope’s fiery nature to Nick’s blatant and dangerous sexuality. I don’t know and I don’t care, I gobbled it right up.

The way I see it is,” I say as I close the distance between us, so close I can smell the sweetness of the bourbon on her breath. “You either have a gun in your mouth by the end of tonight or my cock. I don’t want to see your pretty little face blown off. But I do want to see those lips around my dick. So, choose wisely.”
… Most women would be scared at the honesty and the reality I painted of their mortality. But Lyriope shows me she is not most women.
“I’ll choose the gun,” she purrs as she darts out her tongue and licks my lips in one long and sensual swipe.

I’ll be honest, at times, I was wondering how this story can stretch over three books. But by the end, I was convinced, even while I cursed that cliffhanger to hell and back.

I loved the nods towards Alice in Wonderland and Nick’s mad hatter vibes. I loved the banter, the danger, and the sizzling chemistry. I also loved Nick’s obsession because you know I love the crazy possessive types.

A delicious start to what’s sure to be a fantastic trilogy!

 

Alta Hensley is a USA TODAY bestselling author of hot, dark and dirty romance. She is also an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author. Being a multi-published author in the romance genre, Alta is known for her dark, gritty alpha heroes, sometimes sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission.

She lives in a log cabin in the woods with her husband, two daughters, and an Australian Shepherd. When she isn’t battling the bats, and watching the deer, she is writing about villains who always get their love story and happily ever after.

Connect with Alta

Website: www.altahensley.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alta-Hensley/e/B004G5A6LI

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

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Review: Last Resort by K. Bromberg

March 29, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

Series: S.I.N. #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: March 29, 2022

I was never supposed to see him again. Him being the man wearing the perfectly tailored suit who oozed an intoxicating mixture of wealth, rebellion, and sex appeal.

One night.
No strings.
No names.
Great sex.

Still riding the high from last night, I walk in to meet my new client, and he’s wearing that same dangerous smirk that reeled me in hours ago.

Yes, I’m consulting for Callahan Sharpe. And yes, he’s thatCallahan Sharpe.

Billionaire heir apparent who abides by no rules, bucks convention, and is determined to complete one final project to honor his late father’s legacy before walking away from the family business for good. Luckily and unluckily for me, I’ve been tasked to go to the Virgin Islands to help accomplish his goal. Callahan has no problem breaking his company’s no fraternization rule, but not me. There’s too much at stake.

What could possibly go wrong when you’re forced to work—and live—side by side with a man you can’t resist?

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Narrated by: Stella Hunter and Aaron Shedlock

 

Cute, but rest assured, I don’t beg, and I’m far from interested.” Who the hell is this girl right now?
“Is that a challenge?” he asks, those eyes of his freezing me in my place as a ghost of a smirk plays on his lips.
“It’s a fact.”
“Everyone begs. When it’s good enough . . . you beg.”

This series introduces not one, not two, but three to die for heroes. And they’re brothers…and identical twins. Catch your attention? I bet I did. But I get ahead of myself, so let’s talk about this book.

Sutton is a woman who recently lost herself to a toxic relationship with a selfish, domineering man. She’s given up everything, until enough is enough. She finally puts herself first by accepting the promotion of her dreams, and then dumps the baggage of her ex. Out with her friends to celebrate, the last thing she wants is another complication of a man. But when a sinfully sexy stranger says all the right things offers her a sizzling night of passion the likes of which she hasn’t felt in years, she gives in.

Your ex may have allowed you to be silent, but that’s because he was a selfish prick. I want to hear you say what you want. I want to know I’m making you feel how you want to feel. I want the neighbors on either side of these walls to call the front desk because you’re screaming so loud one minute and begging me for more the next. Is that understood?”

So imagine her surprise when she walks into work to meet her new clients from her promotion, and sees triple. As in the mysterious stranger from her one night stand and his two carbon copies, and she has no idea who her stranger is. Then to complicate matters even more, we add in some forced proximity when she has to travel to the virgin islands with one of them to turn around their failing investment of a luxury resort…still having no idea if this man is the one she spent the night with, or if it’s one of his brothers.

This is where things get really interesting. There’s a ton of character development that happens in the next part of the book. I really loved seeing Sutton’s backbone. Even when Callahan throws every seduction tactic her way, she doesn’t give in and makes him work for it. The chemistry between them crackles with all of the passion, but it’s a slow burn to beat all slow burns.

Callahan’s layers get peeled back with each new revelation and flashback to his history with his father. Seen as the irresponsible one who just cars about chasing women by his father, the tension between him and his brothers is intense. There’s so much resentment, judgement, and pain hidden under all of the love they clearly have for each other. I loved watching his slow decent from lust to realizing it’s so much more to what he feels for Sutton. It was an interesting take to see them go from o to 60 back to 0 in the first third of the book, but all of it was deliciously entertaining.

Last Resort is a great start to what shows to be a promising and sizzling new series from K Bromberg and I’m so here for it!

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

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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: What Lovers Do by Jewel E Ann

March 24, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

WHAT LOVERS DO
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jewel E Ann
Release Date: March 24, 2022

From bestselling author Jewel E. Ann comes a hilarious secret lovers story that redefines the meaning of friendship.

Shep’s found the female version of himself … and he thinks she’s perfect—perfectly unavailable.

Everyone loves Shep, the charismatic employee at Scottsdale’s newest pet store. He has shared custody of his two dogs with his annoying ex-wife and a smile that can disarm most women.

Except … Dr. Sophie Ryan.

What starts out as a disastrous first meeting, involving a coffee catastrophe and mistaken flirting, turns into an unconventional friendship.

Fake phone sex.
Dog park dates.
And eighteen holes of golf.

The problem? Sophie’s taken herself out of the dating pool for a mysterious reason, imprisoning Shep in the friend zone for eternity.

As their competitive personalities hit a boiling point, the gloves come off and so do their clothes. When Sophie’s “real” life threatens their relationship, can Shep let go of his past to chase the one that might get away?

AMAZON 

This is messy. We are tangled in every way, and it’s going to be hard to untangle from this mess we’re creating without pieces of my heart ripping, without exposing all the parts I don’t want him to see.

Jewel E Ann books are my happy place. And while I’m not usually a romcom girl, this one sure changed my tune. It was this lovely combination of laugh till you have tears humor, incredibly relatable characters, emotion, and a slow burn romance that was simply to die for. I adored it. I adored it beyond reason.

Sophie is my friend. A friend who I love. She’s taken up residence in my head and all four chambers of my heart.

When a meet cute is so uncomfortably embarrassing that you experience second hand embarrassment from reading it, you know you’re in for a fun read. And the way Sophie and Shep meet was anything but forgettable.

Having just broken up with, if you can even call it that, with her boyfriend, Sophie’s life is…complicated. Her ex boyfriend refuses to accept the break up or leave her house, and she has a secret that she’s keeping from him and her family. When she meets the charismatic dog store employee with a flirty smile and dreamy eyes, the last thing she needs is that complication.

Shep is a recent divorce that didn’t let his divorce turn him bitter. He’s instantly drawn to the beautiful and awkward Sophie and refuses to take no for an answer. When I tell you that I loved the way he came at her, it’s like she never sees him coming until he’s full embedded under her skin. He doesn’t ask her for anything more that friendship, and the way it all develops is both heartwarming and hilarious. Admittedly I did have my moments when I wanted to shake Sophie to get her to wake up and just have a conversation. But it was also super fun to watch the awkward. I also spent many a pages yelling at Jimmy through my kindle because no fictional character should be that thick headed. But even that was fun.

Then there’s one particular scene where I thought I would pee myself laughing that was so relatable, I don’t think I’ll forget it so long as I live. All I will say is Chapter 29. Just trust me on this.

I fell for these two so hard. I loved their unconventional friendship turned romance. Sophie fights it so hard, but Shep is just that irresistible. It was this endearing combination of laugh out loud humor, swoony romance, and life drama. And that epilogue? Sheer perfection. If you’re looking for something a little different, packed with laugh out loud moments, do yourself a favor and read this book.

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Review: Falls Boys by Penelope Douglas

March 21, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

FALLS BOYS
Series: Hellbent #1
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Penelope Douglas
Release Date: March 21, 2022

The HELLBENT Series—a spin-off to the Fall Away series—is coming!

“The kids are growing up—different from their parents but the same in so many ways…”

ARO
Hawken Trent. So polite. So sweet. Such an upstanding young man.
A virgin, too, I hear. He never gets naughty with a girl. Probably because Jesus told him not to. And now here he is, trying to be the hero by protecting another girl from me.

He calls me a bully. Irrational. Unreasonable. A criminal. He can call me anything he wants, I’ve heard worse.

And he can try to stand between me and my money, but he’s never had to fight for food. That rich, clean, school boy doesn’t have what it takes.

HAWKE
I surprised her. You should’ve seen her face.

Just because I don’t have a record, honey, doesn’t mean I’m clean. It just means I’m better at not getting caught.

That is until I realize I might’ve actually gone too far this time.

She’s there. I’m there. The scene of the crime.

It’s dark. The police show up.

We have no choice. We run. Down High Street, into Quinn’s bake shop, and I pull her through the entrance to the old speakeasy that everyone forgot was here decades ago.

The door locks, the cops circle the building, never knowing we’re right here, and I’m hidden in plain sight, indefinitely, with someone’s who’s awful.

Mean. Rough. Dirty.

A thief. A delinquent.

Until one night, lost in all of these rooms together, I don’t see any of those things anymore.

She’s smart. Daring. Soft.

Hot…

Everything’s changing. It’s this place. It does something to people.

We have a silly urban legend in Shelburne Falls about mirrors. They’re a gateway.

Don’t lean back into them.

But we came through front first.

I don’t care what the county records say. This was never a speakeasy.

It’s Carnival Tower.

*FALLS BOYS is a standalone New Adult romance suitable for readers 18+. Reading the Falls Away series first is helpful but not necessary.

AMAZON 

My name is Aro Marquez,” she says. I meet her eyes. “Aro Teresa Marquez,” she tells me. “And you may not remember me years from now, and maybe no one will think of me and no one will want to, but I was fucking here.”

Penelope Douglas starts this series off with a bang, and I am so here for it!

I fell so hard for this world back when Bully first came out. And when I read The Next Flame, I was pretty much rabid for this spin off. Funny enough, I don’t usually enjoy the next generation thing. There’s a very select few authors I’d change my tune for, and Douglas is one of them. I was salivating for this series and these characters, dying to see that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

This book really switched up the usual formula, and was so different from what I’m used to with Douglas books. Why? Well, we get the quintessential good boy meets bad girl, and the vibes were FIRE.

Hawke is Jaxon’s son Falling Away but he’s not your stereotypical 18 year old male. He’s a good guy, a guy with a plan for his future, and a virgin. It was so refreshing to read about a guy who has his own hangups with sex and not shy to open up about it.

Yeah, everyone assumes,” he fires back. “Why can a woman be picky, but a man’s sexuality is questioned if he’s not diving into every short skirt like an animal who can’t control himself?”

Aro and Hawke’s story is full of chaos. Aro hasn’t had had easy a day in her life, forced to do whatever she needs to survive and take care of her foster siblings, she’s stuck in a life she fears she’ll never escape from. Then chance and circumstance lands her into Hawke’s fancy world, and everything gets turned on its axis.

…you’ve taken over my head, and I haven’t thought about anything else since. You’ve either had me pissed off or naked, so I’ve been distracted.”

Hawke spends the majority of the story trying to save Aro from one thing after another, and I loved his savior complex. While we get just enough development for Hawke to make him endearing, at times he did feel like a secondary character to Aro, and I’m not even complaining about it. Aro was just a complex, multilayered character, and I couldn’t get enough of her. My heart hurt for everything she’s been through. She never stops fighting for every piece of goodness she can get. And I loved the way that Hawke began to thaw her hard pieces.

I want to crawl inside of you sometimes,” I whisper. “Sometimes I want you to be all that I can see and hear. So that nothing exists in the world to me but the feel of you.”

There’s so much that happens in this book, some of it without full closure or answers. So of course I’m already rabid in my need for the next book. There’s just a taste given for Dylan, and damn, I’m so desperate for her book that I can’t deal.

This was the start of what’s sure to be another addicting New Adult series from one of my absolutely favorite authors. It was a character driven story full of emotion and a splash of heat. A tale of two opposites who crash each other’s worlds and make it shine brighter.

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next!

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.

     
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
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Review: Devil’s Redemption by Natasha Knight

March 15, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE DEVIL’S REDEMPTION
Series: Devil’s Pawn Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: March 15, 2022

Isabelle

Just when I was beginning to trust my husband, he betrayed me.

Just when I thought I was falling in love he showed me the beast he truly is.

I understand his thirst for revenge. But I don’t want to play this game of pawn and puppet master.

No matter how his hands make my heart race and my body crave his devil’s touch, I won’t give in.

I love his daughter.

But I can’t let myself fall in love with her father.

Jericho

I have exactly what I want. Revenge.

Soon everything the Bishops have will be mine.

But it will cost me more than I bargained.

Isabelle Bishop hates me. As she should.

I know what I am. And now she does too.

But falling in love with my wife was never part of my plan.

AMAZON 

I know the monster I am. I’ve always known it. I’ve just never cared. Until now.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in book one, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. After everything Jericho puts Isabelle through, I needed this man to grovel, even though I knew he’d do so in his own way. I still needed him to work to get back into her good graces.

The second installment also brought all of the steam, and more than made up for the slow burn in book one. We get to learn about Jericho’s family history, and the truth behind the point of contention between him and his brother. I got to say that while I had a feeling about what it was, it was still a revelation. I really hope that we get Ezra’s book next, because he was one of the most memorable secondary characters. I loved the way he protected his brother and tried to protect Isabelle too…even if at times it was from his own brother.

Isabelle was a character I had to constantly remind myself of her age in this book. As much as she grew into her own, her naiveness when it came to her own family was almost jarring to watch unravel. I also got frustrated with how easily she forgave Jericho his numerous continuous screw ups. I wanted her to make him work for it, but at times her easy acceptance of his mistakes was frustrating.

The story itself was entertaining, fast paced and full of twists. Like any Natasha Knight romance it read like the book crack that it was. To be honest, the small quibbles I had barely blipped on my radar because this book completely sucked me in. Knight books just do it for me. What can I say, her brand of alphaholes just hit the mark each and every time and Jericho was no different.

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.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknightromance

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Review: A Million Kisses In Your Lifetime by Monica Murphy

March 10, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

A MILLION KISSES IN YOUR LIFETIME
Author: Monica Murphy
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: March 10, 2022

Wren Beaumont is many things.

Beautiful.
Smart.
Sweet.
Innocent.

At Lancaster Prep, the girls love her. They all want to be her friend. Only I see Wren for who she really is.

A repressed little virgin who keeps her feelings locked up so tight she’s probably close to bursting. She thinks she’s above us all.

Even me.

I shouldn’t be drawn to her. She’s not my type.

Until we’re forced to work together in class and realize we might have more things in common than we originally thought. Soon enough I find myself completely obsessed. I will do anything for this girl to make her fall in love with me.

Anything.

AMAZON

Crew Lancaster is too much. Too moody and too dark and too quiet. Too handsome and magnetic and smart. I don’t like how I feel when his eyes are on me.

After devouring and absolutely loving Things I Wanted To Say, I was giddy in anticipation of more books in the Lancaster Prep world. I love Monica’s brand of angst and broody and tortured heroes. But this one caught me a bit by surprise, admittedly, because it was like nothing I expected, and not in a bad way.

Now if you’re expecting the same level of angst as Things I wanted to Say, this isn’t it. Crew Lancaster may be broody, but he’s not Whit Lancaster broody. He’s basically the broody cinnamon roll to his cousin, and I loved that in him.

Wren is the untouchable girl at Lancaster prep. Her family is almost the same level of rich as Crew, but their morals are world apart. She’s the beautiful and untouchable virgin, who can do no wrong, and barely spares Crew a look. He’s determined to get her attention, so when a class projects puts them together, he knows this is his moment.

What’s interesting is Wren is the exact type of heroine that I tend to gravitate away from. She’s too sweet, super sheltered and naive. She’s also the super innocent virgin who’s never been kissed. But there was just something so endearing about her, that where I would get annoyed by a heroine like this in any other book, it somehow worked for her here.

Crew goes from broody to full on cinnamon roll. And again, cinnamon roll is not usually my cuppa, but it also worked for me here. I just loved these two together and watching their avoidance grow to an unlikely friendship which soon bloomed into romance. I absolutely loved them together.

My only minor quibble, is there was little to no conflict in the story, outside of what was happening with secondary characters like with Wren’s father, or the teacher, and some friends. All of these things added tension to their relationship, sure, but I wanted more. I suppose I just expected a touch of angst, or at the very least some conflict between the two considering their difference, but that wasn’t present. Though the woo is super strong with Crew. This guy can teach romance to men double his age. I loved that about him.

I also wish we got a bit more closure with some of the secondary characters like Natalie and Maggie, but perhaps that may come with later books? I’m super curious about the grumpy and broody Marcus, so fingers crossed we may get a book for him too.

All in all this was a bit lighter than I expected, but still hit the spot just right.

 

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.

 

Connect with Monica

Website | Goodreads  | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Bookbub | Pinterest | Verve Romance | Tik Tok 

 


 

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Review: The Man From Sanctum by Lexi Blake

March 8, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE MAN FROM SANCTUM
Series: Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded Book 3
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: March 8, 2022

A painful past

Deke Murphy and Maddie Hall should never have worked as a couple in high school. She was the class valedictorian and he the jock who took nothing seriously…except her. Together they formed an amazing team, and young love blossomed into something that strengthened them both. Until tragedy struck and Deke made a sacrifice that split them up forever.

An unexpected reunion

Seventeen years later, Maddie is living her dream working for a brilliant tech guru in the beauty of Southern California. She’s made a life for herself and it’s first class all the way. She rarely thinks of the jock who dumped her all those years ago. But when Maddie realizes her boss might be part of an international conspiracy, she can’t deny Deke might be her best bet to solve the mystery. Her one-time sweetheart works for one of the world’s premiere security and investigative firms. She’ll hire him and prove to herself their relationship could never have worked.

A dangerous future

As Maddie and Deke begin to uncover her boss’s secrets, they can’t deny the chemistry that has reignited. But before they can explore the connection growing between them, they must survive the deadly forces hunting them down.

AMAZON

The girl he’d loved was now a woman in trouble. He wasn’t going to let her down. But she might not like how he did it.

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: I will never get tired of this series. Doesn’t matter how many books or spin offs, it’s like book crack and I can’t get enough.

Deke Murphy is a character that didn’t fully catch my attention in this series if I’m honest. But if there’s one thing that Lexi is good at, it’s throwing out one hell of a hook at the end of her book. And the hook at the end of The Dom Identity? Let’s just say I was salivating. I love a good second chance romance.

Maddie and Deke were high school sweethearts. She was the brainy one with a golden future, and he was the sexy jock. Maddie thought she’d spend her life with him until he broke her heart and broke up with her so she’d pursue her dream in Yale. Now it’s twenty years later, and Deke is the only person who can help Maddie, who finds herself in a deadly situation. Her tech giant boss may be doing something that could be behind something dangerous, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of it.

Now I have to say I like a bit more tension and angst in my second chance, and this didn’t quite have that. Though, if you like pining heroes, this will do the trick nicely. Because Deke knows exactly what he lost and he’s determined not to make the same mistake twice. I loved his growth and maturity of his character. He owns his mistakes. He doesn’t go all caveman on Maddie, though he is super protective of her.

Maddie was one it took be a bit to warm up to. She’s someone who’s too smart for her own good types. Like she’s so busy looking at things from a black and white perspective, that she misses the little obvious things.

The suspense here is what ultimately stole the show for me. Who is Jane and what secret is she hiding? And holy shit, y’all! When the truth is revealed, my jaw was on the floor. I didn’t see it coming at all. And the set up for Drake’s book? DELICIOUS.

All in all, this one hit the spot nicely, though it wasn’t all the things I hoped. I got my Ian banter, and steamy BDSM with some high octane suspense, so it’s a win.

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Review: Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells

February 23, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

RUN POSY RUN
Genre: Dark Adult Romance
Author: Cate C. Wells
Release Date: April 21, 2021

She’d better run…

Posy
When I fell for Dario Volpe, I thought he was Prince Charming, and I was the luckiest girl alive. He didn’t care about my past. The talk. The stain on my family’s reputation.

Then he saw something I never wanted anyone to see.

He cares now.

This isn’t a breakup, it’s a warning shot, and if I want to get out of this bad romance alive, I have to run and never look back.
Dario Volpe is no storybook hero. He’s a psychopath, and he can’t decide–kiss me? Or kill me?

Dario
I’m the man behind the curtain, the power behind the throne. I could have killed her, and no one would have blinked an eye. Posy Santoro isn’t exactly a mafia princess.

No one sees her as clearly as I can–the perfect mind hidden by that knockout body in the tight dress.

I made a mistake, running her off, but now I get to play one of my favorite games.

Posy can run, but she isn’t made to be free. She’s made for me. And when I catch her? Game over.

Run Posy Run is a standalone mafia romance with dark elements. Intended for adult readers.

HEA guaranteed.

AMAZON  

Dario and I aren’t a love story. It’s the other kind. Girl meets mysterious, brooding mafioso. Convinces herself they’re in love. Lets him take over her life. And in the end, mysterious is criminal. Brooding is cruel. And the mafioso is a monster.

And so my Cate C Wells binge continues. After devouring The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate, I immediately jumped on this book. Why? Well, because I love me a morally gray hero, and it doesn’t get more morally gray than Dario.

Now look, if sociopath mafioso heroes aren’t your cuppa, you won’t like this book. They happen to be my book crack so I devoured this in one sitting. Posy is not a heroine I’d generally like, but I really enjoyed her. She’s got issues galore; daddy issues, abandonment issues, looking for love in all the wrong places issues. When the man she thought she was going to marry thinks she cheated on him, he cruelly throws her out on her ass. When his protection is gone, her uncle’s betrayal in the mafia puts the target right back on her and so she runs. Except then her mafia boyfriend realizes his mistake and wants her back. But not in the traditional grovel for here back. Oh no. In the chase her, kidnap her, and force her to be his sort of way. And this girl? SO HERE FOR IT.

This book was a touch dark, and a lot fucked up and I enjoyed every page of it. Dario is a true sociopath, a man without feeling or emotion…except when it comes to Posy. I loved watching them rediscover each other but with their masks now fully off. A deliciously dark romance that I enjoyed form beginning to end.

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