Review: The Lawyer by Marni Mann

September 28, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE LAWYER
Series: The Dalton Brothers #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Marni Mann
Release Date: September 28, 2021

A sexy, new stand-alone in the Dalton Brothers Series from USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann …

 

I’m not the type of girl who picks up a man on a rooftop bar.

Not the kind of girl who lets a man’s hands roam my body, discovering I have no panties on.

Never the girl who has hours’ worth of o’s from a smoking-hot one-night stand.

 

But Dominick makes it so easy to say yes.

His body, his moves, and his oh-so-wicked tongue have me saying it over and over again.

Yes, please.

Yes, more.

Yes, right there.

 

He worships every inch of my body, and I’m still sore the next morning when I meet him again.

 

This time, he’s Mr. Dalton, my sister’s cutthroat entertainment lawyer.

And he has a proposition for me.

 

He wants to make me famous.

 

Of course, that means sharing a screen with my wildly jealous sister.

It means giving up my career.

It means the whole world will suddenly know everything about me.

 

Which presents one catastrophic problem—Dominick doesn’t date famous people.

 

So, do I take a chance at becoming a Hollywood star, or do I pass up the opportunity to be with the man who gave me a taste of forever?

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

Get over here.” My eyes narrowed as I took her in, deciding that if she didn’t move closer in the next few seconds, I was going to lift her myself.

Well, wasn’t this just the spicy little number. Ovary approved!

The Lawyer is an erotic romance in the brand new Dalton Brothers series, and after this book, I am so here for it!

She was soon going to be a client, and that was something I wouldn’t mess with. “Not going to happen, man.” I shook my head to emphasize the point. “Trust me.” He tapped his fist on the wood. “What do you want to put on it?” “Your plane.” He laughed again. “It’s a bet I’m not going to lose, so why don’t you tell me what I’ll get if I win?” “Name your prize—one of my cars, a trip to fucking Fiji, a hundred grand, whatever you want.” He stretched his hand in my direction. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Now generally, I don’t love when a book starts with an immediate bang, if you catch my drift. I like the burn. I want the anticipation of it. I want the feels. But damn it all if I minded for even a second that we get right to the good stuff here. The very second that Dominick appears on the pages with his dominant, alpha male energy that’s just oozing sexual appeal, I couldn’t care less what happens. And when the man lays his eyes on a beautiful stranger at a bar, he’s not shy going after her. But what both anticipate to be a one night stand turns out to be much more.

Kendall moved from home to work for her reality star sister, or as I like to call her, the wicked witch of blah. Because my GOD did I hate that woman. But I digress. Kendall never wanted the stardom like her sister does, but her beauty and charisma is exactly what Dominick is looking for in a new reality star. He can shut off their chemistry for a second and look at it as business only. HA!

This was one of those books that I didn’t really care about the plot but more about the romance, if that makes sense. The Hollywood thing in books isn’t my cuppa, but I didn’t mind it here. I did wish I got to see a bit more of Kendall’s backbone when it came to her selfish sister, but it didn’t fully come until the very end. I also loved seeing the ultimate playboy and self professed womanizer fall for the girl and become her biggest defender.

All in all it was a fun, fluffy but steamy romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.


USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Marni was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts unique stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotions. A New Englander at heart, she now lives in Sarasota, Florida, with her husband and their yellow Lab. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop, working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling, or devouring fabulous books.

Connect with Marni

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Review: Just Like Heaven by Trilina Pucci

September 21, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

JUST LIKE HEAVEN
Series: The St. Simeon Prep Series #1
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Trilina Pucci
Release Date: September 20, 2021

??’? ? ????????—?? ???????????.
??’?? ????? ?? ????? ???.
If only I could’ve convinced my heart.

We were gorgeously young and desperate for one another.

His lips whispered promises of all the stars in the sky. While I dreamt of a love that would last forever.

But we’re star-crossed.
Fate had decided our course.
Leaving us to cling to each other as we crumbled to ash.

His need became possession.
My innocence turned jaded.
Our families declared war.
All that remained was hate.

But Calder was raised by wolves. The rules didn’t apply. I was his until he said otherwise—for better or for worse.

Our love story’s bathed in crimson and drenched in bullets.
Because sometimes, Romeo comes with tattoos, guns, and a taste for blood.

AMAZON

Why are you here?”
His hand comes up, fingers brushing my hair from my eyes before he answers, making the world come back into focus. “I’m here because you are.”

A modern day Romeo and Juliet retelling that will tug at every heartstring you have and leave you reeling in your feels.

Calder isn’t an empty threat—he’s a promise.

Now look, I’m not generally a reader that enjoys insta anything; particularly of the insta love variety. But somehow, Trilina Pucci has made a liar out of me in this book. Maybe it was because there was enough tension to build everything up that the somewhat insta love really flowed into the story? Maybe it was the Romeo and Juliet vibes of star crossed lovers who are doomed from their first glance. Whatever the case, it just worked for me here.

Sutton and Calder couldn’t be more different. Sutton is the good girl, daughter of a senator. Calder is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and son of a ruthless criminal. Their love is doomed from the start, but they’re drawn to each other like moths to a fire.

Seconds that feel like minutes tick by as Calder says nothing, eyes locked on mine, stealing all my rational thought. Because he has that same storm behind his eyes. And as strange as it sounds, it makes him beautiful, like an exquisitely broken soul at war with himself and everyone else around him.

A fated love. A chance meeting. A stolen glance. It all gets set in motion the second Sutton lays eyes on the new bad boy in town. Their fathers are mortal enemies. Sutton’s father being a ruthless and driven senator determined to eliminate crime in their town. And Calder’s father being a ruthless criminal with mafia ties who’s bringing the crime to it. Calder was born into a life of crime and knows he’ll die knowing nothing different.

The only reason I’m rating this a four is as much as it worked for me here, I still like a bit of tension between the MCs and Sutton’s fall for Calder was instant. Not that I blame her. The man oozes sexual chemistry the second he appears on the page. And I appreciate that while their connection is instant, them getting together wasn’t. There was tension, the odds stacked against them, and I lived for their stolen moments together.

The spice in this book was EVERYTHING. That confessional and holy water scene? Holy hell.

And then there was the cliff. I was prepared for a cliff, don’t get me wrong, it’s a duet after all. But I was NOT prepared for this one. It ripped my heart from my chest and left me with bated breath until the next installment.


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: Cruel Prince by A. Jade

September 15, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

CRUEL PRINCE
Series: Royal Hearts Academy #1
Genre: New Adult, Bully Romance
Author: Amelia Wilde
Release Date:  August 20, 2019

Welcome to their kingdom…

I never thought I’d step foot in Royal Manor again.
But five years later, here I am…back to finish my senior year at Royal Hearts Academy.

And forced to face Jace Covington.
My first friend. First crush. First kiss.
The one I left behind.

Only—he isn’t the same boy I gave my heart to.

This new Jace is as cruel as he is gorgeous.
And he’s determined to make my life a living hell.
Along with the rest of his glorified family and crew of tyrants.

They expect me to worship the ground they walk on like everyone else, but I’d rather eat dirt.

If Jace Covington wants me gone…he’ll have to try harder.
Because I’ve never been the kind of girl to play by the rules.

WARNING: Royal Hearts Academy is a New Adult/High School series of standalones filled with drama, a touch of angst, and boys who are bad to the bone.
This series is recommended for mature readers due to graphic language and sexual content.

AMAZON 

No one in the whole wide world has the power to make me feel both love and hate simultaneously the way Jace Covington does. He’s the yin to my yang. The down to my up. The crazy to my normal. The damaged pieces to all my broken parts.

Did this spend entirely too long on my TBR? Yes.
Did I randomly pick it up last night expecting to try the first few pages? Yes
Did I binge read it in one sitting and stay up till 3 am to finish? Also yes
Actual footage of me at work today:
Do I have regrets? Not. A. One.

Now first of all, all of my friends who have read this book and didn’t wallop me over the head with their kindle to get me to read this sooner? Friendship over! You hear me? FRIENDSHIP OVER.

If you know me then you know that bully romance is my crack of choice. The meaner the hero, the better. I want the angst so thick I can taste it. I want the feels. I want to hate to love it and love to hate it. And when you spend 80% of the book wanting to cock punch the hero, well you know you’re in for a good time.

But the heart doesn’t choose who we love by their worth. Because love isn’t a choice. It’s an illogical, all-consuming consequence that results from someone stealing a vital piece of you.

Jace and Dylan became an obsession. I love the story here of childhood friends turned bitter enemies. Dylan is back in her home town after her father’s fall from grace, of the lock up variety. She’s expecting things to change, of course, but nothing prepares her for the sheer venom directed at her by the boy who was once her everything.

Jace was cruelty personified. He’s determined to make Dylan pay for the past, though you don’t quite know what it is that happened. That is slowly unraveled by small glimpses into the past.

Now if there’s one thing I need in my bully romance, is a good reason for the hero to be the utter douchebag that he is. And boy did this have it. My heart broke for this tortured boy. There is so much emotion, pain, and heartbreak that’s packed into this story that it sucks you right into the dark depths of it. I also want a fierce heroine and Dylan definitely gave as good as she got. This is a girl that gets pushed down but comes up swinging and I loved her for it. She definitely has a weak spot for Jace, and loves him unconditionally no matter how cruel he is. Their sexual chemistry being her particular weakness. Can’t say I blame her though lol. My one quibble is I wished for a longer grovel at the end, but it was still immensely satisfying so I can’t complain much. Now on to the next book because I NEED Oakley’s book. My poor tortured boy.

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Review: Saint by Sierra Simone

September 9, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

SAINT
Series: Priest #3
Genre: Contemporary, Forbidden Romance
Author: Sierra Simone
Release Date: September 7,  2021

 

I can’t have Elijah Iverson.

I can’t have him because he’s my older brother’s best friend. I can’t have him because I broke his heart five years ago; because he’s now engaged to someone else—someone kind and dependable who deserves his whiskey eyes, his soft mouth, his fierce intellect.

I can’t have Elijah because I’ve chosen God instead.

The Bell brothers, though . . . well, we don’t exactly have the greatest track record with vows. But I’m determined to do this monk thing right—to pledge myself to a cloistered life and spend the rest of my years in chastity and prayer. But now Elijah’s here. He’s here and he’s coming with me on my European monastery road trip, and between the whispered confessions and the stolen kisses and the moments bent over an ancient altar, my vows are feeling flimsier by the day.

And vows or not, I know in my heart that it would take more than a good and holy monk to resist Elijah Iverson right now. It would take a saint.

And we all know that I’m no saint.

(This is the third full-length standalone in the Priest Collection, featuring Father Bell’s brother, Aiden Bell. You do not have to read Priest or Sinner to read Saint.)

AMAZON

I can’t stop the tender shoots and slender, seeking roots of him, and I am his garden, his soil, his place, and it would be wonderful if I wasn’t supposed to be the garden of my god instead.

I live for the Bell siblings. We’ve met Tyler Bell, the priest. We’ve met manwhore extraordinaire, Sean Bell who fell for a nun and his best friend’s younger sister. And now it’s Aiden’s turn. If you’ve read the previous two books, then you remember Aiden is the wild younger sibling. And if you’ve read Sinner, then you’d also remember the shocker of learning that he’s been having a secret affair with his brother’s best friend. That was definitely a delicious plot twist when I read it.

And now we meet Aiden Bell five years later, as a monk but also a man that never got over the love of his life.

Aiden,” he says softly, and I relish hearing my secular name from him, because it was the name that belonged to him, to his lips and thoughts and even his fingers when he was scolding or flirting over text or email.

If you’ve read anything by Sierra Simone than you know this author’s incredible ability to pack a heck of an emotional story that’s interwoven into scorching romance. This book was no different. The sexual charge between Aiden and Elijah is woven into every page, especially because it’s forbidden. Elijah may have loved Aiden once and had his heart broken by him, but he’s now an engaged man. And Aiden has given himself to god.

It was clear the amount of research that Sierra put into this book with her detailed story telling. However, I also felt like parts of the book did drag a bit for me and had a little more detail than needed. I found myself skimming a bit about midway through the book.

The romance, in typical Sierra Simone fashion, was EVERYTHING. It was packed with emotion, it was erotic, it was sensual, it was beautiful, and it was so satisfying. I found myself hurting with them. I found myself grieving their relationship with them. And I found myself loving with them.

This was easily my favorite book in the series so far. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, prepared me for the twist and reveal at the end. And now I’m desperately hoping that we get a certain someone’s book next because OMG!!

Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City

Connect with Sierra Simone:

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Review: Hard To Love by K. Bromberg

September 7, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

HARD TO LOVE
Series: Play Hard #5
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Author: K. Bromberg
Release Date: September 7, 2021

New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg, is back with a heartfelt, enemies to lovers romance and a hero who redeems himself to steal your heart . . .

He was the one-night stand that didn’t exactly go as planned. Now he’s standing before me as if he’s never seen me naked, telling my manager he’ll take the job. Reluctantly.

Finn Sanderson.

Sports agent extraordinaire. Handsome as hell. The man who just signed on to control my every move.

Sure, I’m to blame for my recent bad press, but when your whole life has been so regimented, isn’t it normal to want to live it up a little?

But when the partying stops and the grief I’m running from has nowhere else to hide, reality sets in. Turns out, Finn’s the only person I have left to help pick up the pieces. The only person to call.

Staying with him is a temporary thing. But when our fighting turns into laughter and our friendship turns into something more, will I fight for a man who swears he’s hard to love? Or is it wiser to walk away? To follow the plan?

* * *
Offering to help with a client is a way to repay a long overdue IOU to my mentor. Little did I know she was the woman who left my hotel room at four in the morning.

Stevie Lancaster.

Top-seeded US tennis player. Good girl gone bad. The woman currently about to throw her career away. And now my problem.

The compensation to “babysit” her is great, but she isn’t worth my trouble.

But when her world falls apart and she has no one else to turn to, I try to be a good guy by gathering her up and hiding her from the media’s eye.

Now she’s in my house, in my space, and even though I’m enjoying the side benefits of this unexpected arrangement, surely she’s better to leave when the time comes and follow her destiny. Because I’m not the man she needs. Not the man she could love. Right?

Are you ready to fall for the Kincade sisters and then men who love them in K. Bromberg’s sexy, contemporary, sports romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!

Hard to Handle (Hunter & Dekker’s story – hockey romance)
Hard to Hold (Rush & Lennox”s story – soccer romance)
Hard to Score (Drew & Brexton’s story – football romance)
Hard to Lose (Gunner & Chase’s story – baseball romance)
Hard to Love (Finn & Stevie’s story)

 

AMAZON

You’re a bully.”
I hate you. I want you. Why does it have to be you?
“And you’re a rebel.”
“Well, aren’t we quite the pair…”

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this book!! Finn has been a secondary character that I had loved to hate in books 1-3, and when we finally saw his human side in Hard to Lose, he became a character I couldn’t wait to get a book for. Finn is a too handsome for his own good and cocky successful sport agent who has been going head to head with the Kincade sisters for years. And his romantic history with one of them painted him for the one and done player that he is. This is a man that doesn’t believe in love and I couldn’t wait to see him brought to his knees by the right woman.

I don’t care because it feels like we’ve been doing a slow dance of seduction for weeks and goddamn, I’m ready to get pulled under.

I loved being inside Finn’s head and seeing what made him into the man and playboy he is today. I also loved finally seeing a female athlete in this series.

Stevie Lancaster is a tennis superstar who’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved father. A spitfire and a wildchild in one, she’s been spiraling dealing with her grief. A drunken game with her friends lands her in the hotel room of a handsome stranger. And the shock of a lifetime is when that stranger turns out to be the last resort of her agent to bring in the big guns. Finn is there to reel in the wild child and help get her back on track with her sports career.

Man, the banter between these two was…on…point. I was so here for their arguments that were loaded with sexual tension so good I felt I might burst. Stevie is sass personified. She’s not afraid to give as good as she gets and boy does she make Finn work for it. The sexual tension and chemistry was *chefs kiss* so good. Like you can practically taste it every single time these two fought. But what I loved most is seeing Finn’s soft side come out. I loved seeing how he was there for Stevie in a way no one else could have been. And I loved watching his heart thaw for her.

This was the perfect book to end this series with. Highly recommend for any sports romance fans!


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.

Connect with K. Bromberg:

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Subscribe to her newsletter: http://bit.ly/254MWtI

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Review: Give Me A Reason by A.L. Jackson

August 30, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

GIVE ME A REASON
Series: Redemption Hills #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: August 30, 2021

From NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a single-dad, enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance about a jaded club owner and his son’s teacher…

Eden Murphy came into my club looking to make some extra cash.

A girl like her didn’t belong in a place like this.

She’d get ripped to shreds.

Most likely by me.

There’s nothing but sweetness dripping from her sexy little body, and I’m the monster who’s salivating to get a taste.

Trent Lawson is the last man I should want.

Dark.

Dangerous.

So wickedly gorgeous he makes my knees weak.

He’s also an arrogant jerk who happens to be my new boss.

When I discover his adorable son is also in my kindergarten class, I know I have to keep my distance.

But neither of us can ignore the attraction that flames.

One glance, and our hearts race.

One touch, and we’re aching for what we can’t have.

One night, and we’re falling fast.

Dragging her into my sordid world is wrong.

It doesn’t matter.

Eden Murphy is mine.

AMAZON

You are everything I didn’t know I needed.” Her words were panted into the thick air. That connection a glimmer in the room. Throbbing. Consuming. Binding us whole. I burrowed my face under her chin. My confession was pressed to her skin. “And you are everything I will never deserve.”

If you’ve read this author before, then you already know her lyrical writing style. I’m not a reader that enjoys prose, yet somehow when A.L. Jackson writes it, I can’t seem to get enough of it.

I’ve been salivating for this book ever since she announced it. The premise for the series sounded amazing, and now that I’ve been introduced to the Lawson brothers, I’m completely hooked. I’m so here for this gritty and emotional series.

Now as for this book, well it had me at enemies to lovers. And then sealed the deal with single daddy and son’s teacher. Trent is a MC that’s impossible not to fall for. Trent first meets Eden when she comes to his club for an interview. But he can smell her innocence a mile away and refuses to give her the chance, even when there’s an underlying attraction that simmers beneath the surface. Eden may look sweet as sunshine, but this is also a woman with a backbone. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself, even if it’s with the tatted and jaded club owner who refuses to give her the time of day. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and she needs the money to help her father.

I loved the dynamic between these two. Eden is sweet and wholesome, but she’s also a woman with a past. I loved the relationship she develops with Trent’s sweet son. And his son! Oh man. He may have been my favorite secondary character with his burst of sunshine, chatty demeanor, and sweet nature and open heart.

Trent is the definition of tortured. This is a man who is still running from his past and feels that it continues to taint him. He’s the son of a ruthless MC president and a man with blood on his hands who had to do what he needed to ensure his brothers’ safety and his own. Right now, all he cares about his protecting his son, and he can’t let any woman distract him. He doesn’t have anything left to give. Especially to a woman like Eden.

The enemies element of this book didn’t last long, though I wish it was a bit longer. It went from one to the other fairly quick, though I didn’t mind too much. I loved their chemistry and connection. I suppose I just wanted a bit more burn. Having said that, their relationship development was so organic and felt so right. I loved the way that Trent couldn’t stay away from her and the way that Eden sees past his dark and broody exterior to the tortured soul beneath.

There’s also a suspense element that I lived for and a twist at the end that I never saw coming. I’m completely hooked and desperate for more. I cannot wait till the next book!!

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Review: The Don by Serena Akeroyd

August 29, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE DON
Series: The Valentini Family Book 1
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: Serena Akeroyd
Release Date: August 26, 2021

Blood stains my hands, my soul, my heart, yet I’ll shed more to keep her safe.

A chance meeting brings Jen MacNeill into my life—the woman born to reign at my side.

She just doesn’t know it yet.

How could my Lady be anything other than a silken promise taunting me with every breath she takes?

A new Don reigns over Manhattan.

But though I won the war, peace isn’t easily brokered.
Over a decade of avenging my father’s death, I made many enemies.
To each and every one, Jen’s a target.

But I’ll paint NYC red before I let them harm her.
I just never imagined I’d be in the line of fire first…

A heart broken by grief can feel no guilt or shame with the brutality in which vengeance is delivered.

This is the first part of ‘The Oath’ duet in The Valentini Family series.

AMAZON

She was a witch… A witch who’d enchanted me. Bedeviled me. Tormented me. I was more than okay with that, so long as I enslaved her in return.

So…real talk. When a book starts off with the butt stuff and still manages to deliver on the sexual tension, you know I’m all over it, right? Right.

But really, I’m a sucker for a good mafia romance. I got introduced to Serena’s writing with Storm and became an insta fan. The second I saw the promotion of this duet, I was itching to get my grabby little hands on it. I already knew the woman can deliver some grit and I needed my fix.

The Don is book one of The Valenti Family duet and interconnects with her Five Points series. Now I haven’t read that series yet, but had no problems understanding the nuances of the various relationships here. Jen is Aoife’s best friend from Filthy. This was a heroine I instantly connected with. And not just because she has the balls to barge into a Don’s office and demand butt stuff, but because the woman is simply kick ass. She’s a self professed gold digger and daughter of a whore, who has had to fight for everything she has. A chance meeting with Luciu inevitably changes the course of her life. She knows he’s mafia, she knows he’s dangerous but yet she can’t stay away from him.

Now I’m not usually a fan of insta anything. And there’s definitely some insta lust here that skates the edge of insta love, which isn’t usually my cuppa. And when I tell you that, I mean Luciu falls first which is my cuppa. So I’m invested here.

The majority of this book focuses on their budding relationship, which admittedly did feel a bit too lengthy for me. Don’t get me wrong, the sexy times were hot, but I wanted more meat to the bones of this story too, which only began to take place at the end. And then the cliffhanger hits you with all the subtlety of a ten by four and I’m dying for book 2. Did I enjoy this? Absolutely. Do I need book two? Desperately! Should you read it? Yes m’am. If you love a good mafia romance, check this out.

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Review: Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione

August 24, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

BOND OF DESTINY
Series: Demonica #20
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Larissa Ione
Release Date: August 24, 2021

Sold into slavery mere hours after his birth to werewolf parents, Tracker spent decades in service to cruel underworlders. Then the fallen angel Harvester transferred his ownership to a human woman who gave him as much freedom as the unbreakable bond would allow. Still, thanks to his traumatic past, he’s afraid to trust, let alone feel love.

But when an acquaintance shows up at his door, injured and in need of help, he finds himself longing for a connection. For someone to touch. For someone to care.

Stacey Orr has had it bad for Tracker since the day her best friend, Jillian, was forced to hold his unbreakable slave bond. At first, the fact that he’s a werewolf seemed weird to Stacey, but hey, her best friend was married to one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, so weird is definitely a matter of perspective. Stacey knows the depths of Tracker’s trauma, and she longs to help him even as he helps her, but breaking through his walls isn’t easy.

And it only gets harder when the only blood family he has, the pack that gave him away, lays claim to him… and everything he loves.

AMAZON

Do you know how obsessed I am with this series? No, but do you? DO YOU?! Because Ione can write 40 more books in it and I’ll be desperately awaiting each new one. Not often you can say that 20 books in, but this series just hits the spot each and every single book.

This is a story I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for. If you’ve read Rogue Rider and Reaver, then you already know exactly who Tracker is. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been desperately waiting for his HEA because to say that this man has been through hell and back (literally) is a mild understatement. His own parents sold him into slavery when he was just born. As a born werewolf, he knows nothing of his customs. As a born slave, he’s known nothing but misery and still can’t acclimate to life of limited freedom. Even though his slave bond was transferred to Jillian, he’s still not free. And even though Jillian tries to give him everything he was missing in life, it’s tough to accept that life for him.

Stacey was absolutely awesome. She’s a female that owns her sexuality and doesn’t feel ashamed of her history with men. She’s also tough and fierce, which I loved as well. A massive snow storm causes her car to crash and her to be rescued by Tracker. A little forced proximity for the win. Tracker fights his attraction to her, and Stacey feels like Jillian has warned her off of Tracker because of his tragic past and her instability with men. I loved the way these two just clicked. Their chemistry was through the roof and the build up was delicious.

Larissa Ione never disappoints and this story just hit the spot for me. I loved the suspense, I loved the action, and I absolutely loved the romance. The cameos by some of my favorites was also fantastic. I loved getting more of Harvester. I do wish we’ll get a full length novel from Ione soon because as much as I love the novellas, I can’t help but yearn for more.

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.

 

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Review: Ruthless Crown by Amanda Richardson

August 17, 2021 by · Leave a Comment
RUTHLESS CROWN
Series: Ruthless Royals Duet #1
Author: Amanda Richardson
Genre: Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance
Release Date: August 17, 2021
Their names are whispers in the hallways.
Hunter, Ash, Ledger, and Samson.
The Kings.Four of the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen, with cruel agendas and an even crueler reign over Ravenwood Academy.Wreaking havoc in our small, New England town, no one asks questions.
For the most part, people ignore or avoid them.
After all, they’re royalty here.Because one of them—the cruelest one—is the headmaster’s son.
And my new stepbrother.They can try to torment me.
They can try to break me.
But they have no idea what I’ve endured.They’re used to getting whatever their ruthless, little hearts desire.
Maybe I should keep my mouth shut.
Maybe I should let them win.But I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty.
Lord knows I’m used to it by now.My name is Briar Monroe, and these Kings are about to find out just how fucked up this Queen can be.

Part Mean Girls, part Cruel Intentions, Ruthless Crown is full-length high-school bully reverse harem romance. It is book one of the Ruthless Royals duet, and while it doesn’t end with a true cliffhanger, there are unanswered questions. Book two will be releasing in a month. It is advised to read them in order. *Please note Ruthless Crown contains explicit language, bullying, and flashbacks of abuse/trauma. It also features four hot AF guys who would do anything to protect their feisty Queen. The duet will have a HEA.

AMAZON
 
Free in Kindle Unlimited

“Shit,” Jack whispers, glancing at the row of lockers in front of us. “We have company.”
I look up and notice Hunter leaning against a locker, glaring at me.

Something fiery shoots through me at that gaze, and I notice Ash, Ledger, and Samson against the other wall of lockers.
“Let me guess,” I murmur to Jack. “That’s my locker?”

“I told you,” Scarlett hisses. “They’re not going to leave you alone.”

I grind my teeth together and clench my fists. “This is ridiculous,” I whisper. “I’m putting my foot down.”

I stalk over to where Hunter is standing, arms crossed. “Excuse me,” I order, not breaking eye contact. There’s truly nothing kind in his expression, and his jaw ticks ever so slightly. A few people stop to watch us, their expressions stunned.

“You’re excused,” he muses, his face dripping with disdain.

My pulse speeds up, and anger flares through me. “This is my locker.”

He tilts his head, and his eyes flash with amusement for a split second. “Yeah. I thought that was obvious.”
Looking over his shoulder, I see his friends watching me haughtily. Okay, so they truly think of themselves as the rulers here, then? They have the arrogance to match it.

“What do you want, Hunter?” I sigh, crossing my arms.

He chuckles, and the sound is both terrifying and thrilling. He reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a few folded pieces of paper. Handing them to me, he gives me a monstrous smile before I look down and take them. Willing my hands not to shake, I open the paper, and then my heart thumps against my ribs, and a flush works its way up my neck.

Snapping my eyes up to him, I narrow my eyes. “You went through my diary?”

My diary—detailing the inappropriate dream I had about him the other night.
He crosses his arms and shrugs. “If you wanted me so badly, why didn’t you just

Oh, the nerve…
“You wish,” I growl, getting ready to turn and walk away.

Just as I move, he grabs the hand with the papers and tugs me into his hard body. Leaning down, I feel his breath fan against my forehead.

“Tell me, just how wet did you get for me in that dream of yours?” To my horror, he raises his other hand, a pair of pink, lace undies dangling on one of his fingers.

My mouth goes dry, and my heart wallops against my chest as I close my eyes.

No. No, no, no.

Grabbing my underwear, I twist away from him and turn to walk away. Tears prick at my eyes, but I take a deep breath.

I refuse to give them the satisfaction of knowing they got to me.

COMING SOON

#2 Ruthless Queen – Releasing September 14

AMAZON

We used to be the Kings of Ravenwood. I guess I never realized until Briar Monroe showed up that we needed a Queen.

I don’t generally read a lot of New Adult RH. But when I saw the blurb to this book, I knew I’d be changing that.

This being my first book by this author, I didn’t go into the story with any expectations. What I definitely didn’t expect was to binge read this in one sitting. But binge read it I did.

People are still terrified of the Kings, but I’m about to pull a checkmate. Hunter, Ash, Ledger, and Samson are about to witness how this Queen attacks—slow, premeditated, and lethal.

Briar has just moved to a new city after her mom married her stepfather. Suddenly she’s thrust in a world of wealth and privilege, attending the prestigious Ravenwood Academy where her stepbrother rules with an iron fist along with his 3 best friends.

Briar may have a dark past but she’s no pushover. She’s fierce and takes no shit. And when she first arrives, Hunter is determined to drive her out. Public humiliation, bullying, there’s no lines there. And this girl? I was so here for it.

Now look, this is a read you have to suspend your disbelief for. There are some plot developments and character developments that could have used a little more fleshing out or just didn’t make sense. But did I care? Nope. Because it was also deliciously smutty while also having an addictive plot. There’s a bit of suspense with a splash of dark mystery and secrets. Each of the guys have their own unique personalities. You have the sweet quiet one, the tortured bad boy, the tatted one, and the ring leader. So suffice it to say it checked all of the boxes for me. It also happened to be hot as all get out, and I was so here for that too.

Bottom line, is this was an entertaining, guilty pleasure sort of read that I thoroughly enjoyed even while it wasn’t perfect. Will I be reading the second one? You’re damn right I will. I need more in this world!

Amanda Richardson writes from her chaotic dining room table in Los Angeles, often distracted by her husband and two adorable sons. When she’s not writing contemporary and dark, twisted romance, she enjoys coffee (a little too much) and collecting house plants like they’re going out of style.

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Review: The Sinner by Emma Scott

August 15, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE SINNER Genre: Paranormal Romance Author: Emma Scott Release Date: August 15, 2021

Shy, introverted Lucy Dennings lives a quiet little life in New York City, working for a nonprofit and keeping to herself. Every afternoon, she goes home to her empty apartment and Edgar, her houseplant, and every night, she loses herself in the pages of her beloved romance novels. Her lonely heart seeks solace in tales of passionate, enduring, all-consuming love, but more and more, Lucy feels she’s not just reading for pleasure but searching for a lost piece of herself in the pages. As if she once touched something beautiful but it’s been ripped away. Until one day Lucy discovers a dead body in the alley behind her apartment. Even if it’s too late, her first instinct is to help. Her second is to run. Because the dead body isn’t so very dead, and suddenly, her little world isn’t so little but one in which dreams feel like memories, “inner demons” actually lurk in dark alleys, and a beautiful creature of darkness with amber eyes and wings like night might hold the key to what her heart has been aching for…if she doesn’t fall down the path of eternal damnation first. From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Emma Scott, comes an emotional paranormal love story of passion, sacrifice, and the soul-deep love of a lifetime…more than one

AMAZON

I should stop inflicting myself on her, but I can’t. She is my weakness. The sweetest vice.”
This was one of the most beautiful, touching, and all encompassing paranormal romances I’ve read in a long while. I’m ashamed to admit it was my first Emma Scott book. I know! I know! Stop glaring at me. I clearly see what I’ve been missing out on. PNR was my first love. It was the genre that got me hooked on romance. So to say that I’m picky when it comes to it is putting it mildly. For that reason, I’m usually weary of contemporary authors trying their hand at paranormal. Because more often than not, world building turns into a data dump. But this was the furthest thing from the truth with this story. It was like a movie rolling behind my eyelids as I was reading it. I loved this world of demons and angels. And the set up of this story was absolutely delicious. You have a beautiful introvert, who is still dealing with the grief of losing her beloved father. When she finds a naked man with wings outside her apartment, she thinks she may be dreaming, but is actually something closer to her nightmares. Lucy is impossible not to love. She’s shy, sweet, and would give the shirt off her back to a stranger. She lives vicariously through her romance novels while wishing her handsome coworker would notice her. But she’s a wallflower that doesn’t mind fading in the background. Caz was….gah. EVERYTHING. The ultimate tortured hero…or anti hero. Whatever. The man was a demon, and not just a demon, but the ultimate demon. His secrets are dark and they run deep, and the more that gets revealed about him, the more desperate I was to learn more. I loved the way they just fit. Like light to dark, ying to yang, they were like two puzzle pieces that just fit. And the more you learn, the more epic it becomes. This was the ultimate story of soulmates and love everlasting. It was beautiful, emotional, and completely unforgettable.

Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in five languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today’s Happy Ever After. She writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels. Visit www.emmascottwrites.com RECENT RELEASES Someday, Someday (M/M standalone) A Five-Minute Life (standalone) Bring Down the Stars (Beautiful Hearts #1) Long Live the Beautiful Hearts (Beautiful Hearts #2) “At Santa Cruz Central High, we called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys.” The Girl in the Love Song (Lost Boys #1) : http://bit.ly/2MLnYhU

When You Come Back To Me (Lost Boys #2) : http://bit.ly/37BsCHh

The Last Piece of his Heart (Lost Boys #3) : http://bit.ly/2QeVlfa

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