Review: Wild Card by Ashley Munoz

August 14, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

WILD CARD
Series: Rake Forge University #1
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Ashley Munoz
Release Date: August 12, 2021

This was it…I could see it in my editor’s eyes.

This was the last straw. One more misstep and I was going to lose my coveted internship.

I decided right there in my room, lime-flavored tortilla chips in hand, that I would do whatever it took to write the story of the century.

And I had my target in sight—the undefeated Devil’s baseball team. They were RFU royalty, and completely untouchable.

Their parties were impossible to get into unless you were handpicked, and I was not.

Even still, I had a solid plan.

I would not get caught, definitely not seduced, and absolutely wouldn’t die. That is until I was stopped and rendered totally speechless by a pair of mossy eyes.

He lured me in, close enough to feel the press of his mouth against my skin and the heat of his hands on my body. Undoubtedly, I was a sheep headed straight for the slaughter, which only proved true when he called my bluff. 

With him holding all the cards for my future success, and in order to salvage what remained of my dream, I did the only thing I could.

I made a deal with a devil.

AMAZON



…he was mine and I was going to be his. Even if it broke me to let him in, even if it ruined me. There wasn’t much left of my heart, but whatever there was I’d shove into his massive palm. Then I’d just let him decide what to do with it. Maybe he’d realize that our tattered pieces matched.

Clearly I have been sleeping on Ashley Munoz, because after reading this book, I’m an insta fan. I’m a sucker for a steamy college sports romance, and this one hit all of the spots I had and some I didn’t even know of.


When I look at you, you’re not just some girl I like. You look like you’re already mine.

What I liked about it most was that it wasn’t exactly your typical sports romance. There was a bit of suspense and mystery, a dash of angst, and a romance so good that I was immediately hooked.

Mallory is the sort of heroine that sneaks up on you. She’s a bit reserved and unassuming, focused on her dream internship and the article she needs to write that will either make it or break it for her chances. Refusing to rely on her rich and successful father, she’s determined to make it on her own. But when the article idea she had is torn to shreds by her editor, she’s desperate for a story and her stepsister just may hand it to her on a silver platter. A secret game that’s held by the college baseball team that involves cards, pre-arranged hookups, and willing females is just the thing she needs. And when her step sister is invited for the ultimate place on the totem pole, gets sick, and allows her to go in her place? Well, how’s a girl to pass that up.

I have to say, I loved Mallory. She knows who she is but she’s still vulnerable in her own hang ups. She’s tough and not afraid to go after what she wants. I also seriously loved her friendship with her two besties and how they’re there for each other.

As for Decker? My god. I died for this man and his poor, tortured soul. Decker is desperate for revenge and will go after it at the expense of everything in order to make the person that stole his dream from him pay. As we get his story, piece by piece, you can’t help but fall further for him. The chemistry between him and Mallory was immediate and incendiary. I loved the slow burn and I especially loved their frustrating push and pull. He fights his attraction to her with everything he’s got because he can’t afford a distraction and Mallory holds the key to his revenge.

My one quibble with the book is the twist at the end seemed a bit…far fetched. I struggled to fully wrap my mind around it and all of the messiness of it. But then once I did, I was all in, even if I didn’t fully buy it. Which is strange but true.

Wild Card was everything I love in a sports romance; angsty, steamy, and a hero with a heart of gold and a dirty mouth. I devoured this book in one sitting and desperately waiting for more in this series. I loved the step sister’s redemption and can’t wait to see how her story plays out. Talk about your HOOK LINE AND SINKER at the end there. Dang.

Ashley resides in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her four children and her husband. She loves coffee, reading fantasy, and writing about people who kiss and cuss.

AUTHOR LINKS

FB Author Page | ReaderGroup | Instagram | BB | GR | AMZ Author Page | Newsletter Sign up | TikTok

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, New Adult · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Acquisition by Celia Aaron

August 3, 2021 by · Leave a Comment
LUCIUS
Series: An Acquisitions Series Novel #4
Author: Celia Aaron
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: August 3, 2021

Lucius Vinemont ruined my life.

It was a long time ago. It feels like yesterday.

I haven’t let it go, and I won’t. Not until he’s dead. Lucius is the bogeyman, the shadow under my bed, the nightmare that wakes me in my sleep.

I loved him once, in the foolish way of a teenage girl. Those feelings are buried deep, soaked in blood and covered in a fine ash. Because Lucius was never just a bad boy, he was so, so much worse.

When you shoot a man through the heart, he’s supposed to die. But Lucius isn’t a man. He’s a monster. One who promises pleasures wrapped in pain.

But the closer I get to him, the more I realize he’s not the only evil lurking in my past. . .


“Don’t lie to me, Evelyn.” His nostrils flare. “Never lie to me. The devil always knows.” His smirk returns as I try to push him away.
His other arm goes around my waist and he holds me tightly against him.
“Your heart is beating faster than a rabbit’s. Afraid?” He grips my jaw, his gaze darting to my lips.
“I’m not afraid of you.” I feel the tension in my body, but it’s different now. Not the sick, sinking feeling from what happened on the elevator. Lucius makes me feel more. He always has, ever since I saw him when I was still a girl, when Red was still alive. Handsome and oh-so-bad, the cocky Lucius Vinemont was my teenage fantasy. Because I didn’t know what bad was back then. Not really.
I do now. I know evil. I’ve seen it. And right now, the most evil man I’ve ever known has me crushed to his chest, his gaze darting to my lips. No, this fear is not the same as in the elevator, but I wish it was. I wish I had only fear and revulsion for him.
I wish I’d never set eyes on Lucius Vinemont.
“Not afraid of me?” He tsks. “If that’s true, then you aren’t as intelligent as you seem.” He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “Because I will find you out, Evelyn Delacroix. I will learn your secrets and use them to destroy you. Soon enough, you’ll be begging me for mercy, but I won’t give you any.”
“If you’re done threatening me, I’d like to leave now.”

“You sure?” He slides his hand to my throat and rests it there like a collar. “My offer from last night still stands. That prim little suit you’re wearing would look even better on my bedroom floor.”

This woman—fuck, the brass balls she has. She wants me dead, and I want to know what she tastes like.”

Did I read the blurb to this book and know immediately this would be my first Celia Aaron book?
Did I want to read it bad enough that I decided to dive right into it without having read the rest of the series?

Do I regret this decision?

Because spank my @ss and call me Rosy, this was a delicious little story that I simply inhaled.

I mean, the story begins with our heroine shooting the hero in the chest. With zero regrets. Thinking she killed him and being proud of it.
Actual footage of me reading it?
I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers book. And when you throw in revenge and a secret society? I’m putty in your hands. PUTTEH I tells ya.

Now clearly I missed a continuing story arc regarding The Acquisition, but we’re given just enough details in this book that you don’t feel like you missed much. Also, kindly suspend your disbelief here, because it’s all kinds of OTT and almost crazy at times, but man I loved that about it.

Evelyn is desperately craving revenge against the man that took everything away from her in the most brutal of ways. All she’s known for the past years is her drive for her vengeance and she won’t rest until Lucius is dead.

Lucius is just the kind of anti hero I love; he’s an irreverent manwh@re who seems like he gives zero f*cks yet has all of the intensity. He’s a rich businessman and a ruthless killer all in one. And when he discovers the stunning woman who wants him dead? Well, let’s just say he wants other things.

I loved the banter, the chemistry, and the crazy OTT story. These characters were nuts. Truly. Especially the villain. Dude was NUTS. Like kaka for coco puffs sort of crazy. But I devoured it. I did feel like the love entered the chat a little soonish. But Evelyn and Lucius do have a connection that spans years. All the same, it did feel a bit too quick for me considering they quite literally go from “want to kill you” to “paint me like one of your French girls” in the span of a few chapters. Do I hate that? Absolutely not. But I would have wanted more of a burn there. That aside, I inhaled this story and I’m completely hooked. I need more of this series and I’m also really hoping Teddy, the younger brother gets a book next because NEED.

Celia Aaron is a USA Today bestselling author and recovering attorney who loves romance. Dark to light, angsty to funny, real to fantasy–if it’s hot and strikes her fancy, she writes it. Thanks for reading.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: https://www.celiaaaron.com
Newsletter: https://www.celiaaaron.com/newsletter.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Celia-Aaron/e/B0129AR52O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorceliaaaron
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celia_aaron
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorceliaaaron
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/celia-aaron

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dark, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: ,

Review: Devil In Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

July 27, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

DEVIL IN DISGUISE
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Ravanels #7
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Release Date: July 27, 2021

New York Times bestseller Lisa Kleypas returns with an enthralling and steaming romance between a Scot with a mysterious past and strong-willed lady looking for adventure—and love. 

“The devil never tries to make people do the wrong thing by scaring them. He does it by tempting them.”

Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed young widow who’s running her late husband’s shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.

From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.

So far, neither of those is going well.

Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals the secret of his mysterious past. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt.

Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves . . . even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.

AMAZON

Your name is carved so deep in my heart, a million years could no’ erase it.”

Oh Lisa, I see what you did with the title there, you genius you, and I love it!

With just a few words, she had taken ownership of him from head to toe.

Lisa Kleypas was THE author that began my obsession with historical romance, and it all started with Devil in Winter. So the particular plot twist in this book seriously hit the spot for me and just brought things a full circle. Also helps that we’ve had quite a few books in between, because I’m not sure I would have felt the same had I read this sooner. *sheepish grin* But I digress.

Now look, I’m not typically a reader that enjoys insta anything; insta love/connection mostly. And this book had it. In spades. But much such is the genius that is Lisa Kleypas writing, because just when you think you’re neck deep in a super syrupy sweet romantic story, she turns it on its head. And this girl? I was so here for it.

It’s impossible not to love Merritt from page one. She’s a widow who now runs her late husband’s shipping business and does so well. She’s strong willed, smart, and has a heart of gold. It’s hard not to love that about her. Keir MacRae is a rough around the edges whisky distiller who feels he’s not good enough to be the dirt beneath lady Merritt’s feet.

What I loved about this story was Merritt. This is a woman who knows what she wants and even though she has a skittish Scott who’s determined to fight the attraction between them, she doesn’t shy away from going after it. I loved this. But just when you think this is all there is to a book, an attempted murder and some amnesia get thrown into the mix and suddenly you have the plot twists to beat all plot twists. Someone wants Keir dead, my beloved Sebastian makes a lengthy cameo, and I can’t put the book down.

The first 30% of this book was a bit slow, but then it took a twist and I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. There’s a mystery, a stunning love story, and an epic revelation that I simply inhaled. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this world or the spin offs. If you loved Lisa’s Wallflowers series than you’ll definitely appreciate the cameos here. And if you loved Devil In Winter, you definitely don’t want to miss this one.

It was a dreamy romance with steam and heart and I can’t recommend it enough.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Historical Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Exposed by Kristen Callihan

July 13, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

EXPOSED
Series: VIP #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Callihan
Release Date: July 13, 2021

Brenna

There are some people in life who know exactly how to push your buttons. For me, it’s Rye Peterson. We can’t spend more than ten minutes together before we’re at each other’s throats, which makes working together that much harder. Rye is the bassist for Kill John, the biggest rock band in the world, and I am his publicist. It doesn’t help that the man is gorgeous, funny, talented, and…never takes anything seriously. Avoidance is key.

But everything changes when he overhears something he shouldn’t: a confession made in a moment of weakness. Now the man I’ve tried so hard to ignore is offering me the greatest temptation of all—him.

Rye

Brenna James is the one. The one I can’t have. The one I can’t get out of my mind. Believe me, I’ve tried; the woman loathes me. I managed well enough—until I heard her say she’s as lonely as I am. That she needed to be touched, held, satisfied. And I could no longer deny the truth: I wanted to be the one to give her what she craved.

I convinced her that it would just be sex, mutual satisfaction with nothing deeper. But the moment I have her, she becomes my world. I’ve never given her a good reason to trust me before. Now, I’ve got to show Brenna that we’re so much better together than we ever were apart.

Things are going to get messy. But getting messy with Brenna is what I do best.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO 

“I’ve spent my entire adult life either wanting you or wanting to forget you.”

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this book. But if there’s one thing that Kristen Callihan does well, is she makes every minute, month, and year of the agonizing wait for our next VIP fix super worth it when she releases the next one. And when I got my grabby little hands on this book, no sleep was had because I had to devour it in one sitting.

I’m good, Bren. I’ll do whatever you want, for as long as you want. I’ll make certain you’re taken care of, and I won’t tell a soul.”
Jesus. I can’t breathe. “So selfless,” I murmur. “And what do you get out of all of this?”
“You.” His fingers stroke my braid. “I get you.”

God. Brenna and Rye. These two just made my cold black heart feel all warm and fuzzy. They’ve spent years in an antagonizing back and forth of hate lust and forced proximity. Brenna is Killian’s cousin and Kill John’s publicist and Rye is the bassist and Killian’s best friend. Until one conversation that Rye overhears changes everything.

My power is in maintaining the illusion that nothing can get to me, and I accept that as part of doing business. But some days? Some days, I want to crumble. I want…comfort, touch, release.

Brenna is a power woman that always put her career first. But she can’t help but feel like something is missing. And when she spills to her friend what it is and Rye overhears? Well let’s just say he volunteers as tribute.

While Brenna is all hard edges and fearful avoidance, Rye is the sexy softhearted one that is willing to put it all on the line for her. I loved this man so hard. SO HARD. I loved that they’ve know each other for so long, but only start to get to know each other over the course of their arrangement. Seeing how they misinterpreted things about each other through the years was almost painful, if they didn’t fully talk it out when the subject came out. I loved watching them grow closer together. I loved their fiery passion. And I absolutely loved the tight bond of the band and their friendships and relationships. I live for cameos from Scottie, what can I say?

The story is told in dual POVs and I couldn’t get enough. I also loved the twist on the romantic conclusion. I loved seeing Brenna’s hard edges soften. And did I mention that I loved my bearded, dirty talking, and uber sweet bassist? Because GAH.

Control has always been mine, no matter the partner, no matter the situation. Rye is another story. Hell, he’s a whole other genre. I can’t control Rye. I can’t control my feelings when I’m with him. I’m on a Tilt-a-Whirl in the dark, terrified the harness might snap.

I did wish we got a little more fleshing out of Rye’s story. While Brenna got the focus here, which I get, we did spend a good chunk of the story on Rye’s issue, and I would have loved more on that.

But as it was, I still devoured this book. It was sexy, entertaining, and oh so satisfying. I’m already desperate for my next fix of VIP with Whip’s story.

Kristen Callihan is an author because there’s nothing else she’d rather be. She has written New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. Her debut book, Firelight, received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence and was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, Best Book of Spring 2012 by Publishers Weekly, and Best Romance Book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she’s not writing, she’s reading.

AUTHOR LINKS
WEBSITE | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: What If You & Me by Roni Loren

July 12, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

WHAT IF YOU & ME
Series: Say Everything #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Roni Loren
Release Date: July 6, 2021

The world can be a scary place. At least, that’s what Andi Lockley’s anxiety wants her to believe. It doesn’t help that she narrowly escaped a dangerous man years ago, or that every relationship since has been colored with that lingering fear. But things are better now―she’s channeling everything into her career as a horror novelist and true crime podcaster, and her next book may be the breakthrough she needs.

If only her grumpy new neighbor would stop stomping around at all hours of the night.

Former firefighter Hill Dawson can’t sleep. After losing part of his leg in a rescue gone wrong, he’s now stuck in limbo. He needs to figure out what he’s supposed to do with his life, and he can’t let himself get distracted by the pretty redhead next door. But when someone breaks into Andi’s place, Hill can’t stop himself from rushing in to play the hero. Soon, a tentative bond forms between the unlikely pair. But what starts out as a neighborly exchange quickly turns into the chance for so much more…if Andi can learn to put aside her fear and trust in herself―and love―again.

New York Times and USA Today bestseller Roni Loren blends heat and heart in this emotionally charged story.

AMAZON 

He listened. He hadn’t pushed or rushed her. He hadn’t cajoled. But more than that, he hadn’t made her feel wrong or broken for being the way she was. He’d simply been with her in that moment, meeting her where she was and seeming to enjoy what thye were doing as much as she did.”

When I read grumpy neighbor in the blurb to this, I had to read it. The grump/sunshine trope is catnip for me and I will never get enough of it.

Now my darling OCD reader friends, close your eyes for a second. Because I’m about to admit I didn’t read book one in this series. I said close your eyes and stop judging me. GOD! Where was I? Ah yes. This is shocking, considering I’ve read most of Roni’s backlist and I seriously have no idea how I missed book one in the Say Everything series. But I was so excited for this book after reading the blurb, I couldn’t wait to read book one first. So here we are. *grins unrepentantly*

If you’re looking for a swoony, emotional read with plenty of steam, look no further. This story seriously packed a punch of the feels. We have a heroine who’s a horror writer and a true crime podcaster. Quirky heroine lovers, you’ll want her for your bff. It’s impossible not to love Andi straight off the bat. Her dark and painful past is something you learn as the story progresses and I swear it made me love her all the more.

Andi is struggling to write her newest book, and her noisy neighbor stomping around in the apartment next door through all hours of the night doesn’t help. And can I just say I loved the way they meet? Because I didn’t know whether to laugh or swoon. But I digress again.

Hill is a former firefighter with a tortured past. Still reeling from the loss of his career from an injury that almost cost him his life, he broods in his apartment and avoids people. But when his sweet and beautiful new neighbor crashes into his apartment fearful that someone just broke into hers, he can’t quite avoid her.

This was a sweet, slow burn romance. I loved the friendship that Andi and Hill formed before the romance ever developed. The chemistry was always there but it took a bit to bubble to the surface. There’s also the added element of suspense which added another layer of interesting to the story.

While sweet romance isn’t typically my cuppa, this one did hit the spot. I loved Hill and Andi together. I loved that the author took such a heavy subject matter and managed to not weigh the story down with angst or drama. It was just two people dealing with the demons of their past and learning about themselves through each other. A truly satisfying, swoony romance with plenty of feels and a dash of suspense.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: ,

Review: Heartless by Gena Showalter

June 30, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

HEARTLESS
Series: Immortal Enemies #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 29, 2021

Vengeance is irresistible…

Kaysar the Unhinged One, fae King of Midnight, can drive anyone to madness with his song. A ruthless warrior forged in hate, he lives to force his enemies to their knees.

He will stop at nothing to succeed—even abduct and seduce his foe’s beloved bride, ensuring his own child one day sits on the male’s throne.

Except, his prize escapes to the mortal realm before the first kiss, her heart transplanted into a mortal beauty with dangerous secrets…

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a professional gamer girl great at trash talking, bad at peopling. After a long awaited surgery, she begins to morph into a powerful fae princess.

Catapulted into a strange land ruled by a cruel but seductive villain, she must battle flesh and blood monsters and navigate royal intrigues.

But the true danger is Kaysar, whose every wicked touch tempts her beyond reason. Should she run…or descend into the darkness with him?

AMAZON 

He struck her as a man who murdered without hesitation, breaking a sweat or regretting his actions.

As someone who’s read Gena’s entire backlist, it’s safe for me to say that this woman can write the alphabet on a sheet of toilet paper and I’d read it. So while I’ve been ravenous for Hades’s book and more of her LoTu, I will still jump at everything else she writes. And a brand new series that’s titled Immortal Enemies? Yeah you bet your patootie I’ll be all over it. No one writes enemies to lovers banter quite like Showalter. Then you add into it her sassy, sharp tongued, and bad@ss heroines meet tortured and uber protective heroes and I’m putty. PUTTY I TELLS YA.

Maybe you should let me go now?” she said. She needed a moment to think without him nearby.
Another chuckle. “Does my proximity bother you, sweetling?”
“Yes,” she burst out. “And I’d prefer an endearment like Machete or Chops. Now be a good boy, and let me go.”

The one thing I’ve come to appreciate about Gena’s stories, is the world building. We get a new world with fae, goblins, centaurs, and seers and I was so here for it. None of it felt like a data dump. All of it felt incredibly vivid, enchanting, and completely addictive.

Kaysar the Unhinged One is certainly appropriately known through the kingdom. The man is practically deranged in his need for revenge. The only thing that drives him is bringing all of the pain and suffering to his enemies who stole everything precious from him when he was just a small boy.

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a quirky gamer with a best friend who’s in her 60s and a cat to keep her company. She also has a bad heart and is looking at certain death unless she gets a heart transplant. Now I won’t give you a summary here because you can get everything you need from the blurb. But the second Cookie gets thrust into the world of Kaysar, I was totally and completely invested.

The tension and the relationship building between these two was utterly delicious. Their banter is hilarious and with a vein of sexual tension that’s so good, that by the time they finally give into you, you feel like you may go into flames yourself. There’s nothing better than that build up and man, I loved it so much here. Cookie is a bit of a nut herself. A gamer, she’s a bloodthirsty little thing herself. And when she gets a taste for battle in her new world, she finds she rather likes it. I couldn’t picture a better half for Kaysar’s particular brand of crazy. I loved watching him falling for her in spite of himself and I loved watching Cookie come into her own. I was afraid that having Lulundria’s heart and some of her memories may eventually morph her into someone else, but really it just gave her a boost.

There’s so much build up here that I can’t wait to read next with some secondary characters. Like a certain Frostline prince that lost his loved bride only to lose her all over again when her heart goes into the body of a woman that falls for his mortal enemy. GAH. How epic does that sound? Because NEED.

I will never complain about a new series from the queen of PNR. So even though I’m pretty sure I would go crazy until I get Hades’s book soon, this new series certainly helps. An entire series based on the enemies to lovers vibes? YES MA’AM! BRING IT I say.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, PNR · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Strict Confidence by Skye Warren

June 17, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

STRICT CONFIDENCE
Series: Rochester Trilogy #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: June 15, 2021

Forbidden.
Commanding.
Mysterious.
Beau Rochester has an entire house full of secrets. And those secrets are putting Jane Mendoza in danger.

She fell in love with the one man she can’t have.

She should leave Maine to protect her heart, but the thread refuses to be severed.

The brooding Mr. Rochester and his grieving niece are more than her job.

They’re her new family.

She races against time to find answers and protect the people she loves.

The cliffside grows dark with the misdeeds of the past.

Her heart and her sanity fight a battle, but they are both at risk.

Will Mr. Rochester learn to trust Jane? And will that trust destroy her?


AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

He told me his love was dangerous. Maybe he was telling the truth. It doesn’t start fires. It doesn’t start wars. It breaks hearts. Mine feels shattered.

This trilogy is going to be the death of me, I swear. I don’t know how many more twists I can handle. And even though the twist in this installment was made somewhat obvious in my opinion, it was no lesser impact. Because you know it’s coming, you spend every page waiting for that other shoe to drop. And when it finally does, you get the mother of all cliffhangers. KILL MEH.

I’m so invested in this story, it’s ridiculous. Jane is also starting to grow on me quite a bit, though I will say her demure personality is not my preference as a reader. She’s not naive or sheltered, but she forgives too easily and I suppose I just wanted her to make the mercurial Beau work for it a little. Especially in his hot and cold, back and forth of I want you but I can’t have you so I must push you away state of mind.

That aside, I devoured this book. I think this was an even quicker paced read than the first installment. There’s still so many secrets left to unravel and I was glued to the pages desperate for any morsel that was disclosed. Beau, like any other Skye hero I’ve read, I can’t get enough of. He’s damaged, moody, fiercely protective, possessive, and sinfully sexy. I anxiously anticipate the conclusion especially after that doozy of a cliffhanger.

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

Connect with Skye

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

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: , ,

Review: A Fate of Wrath & Flame

May 25, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

A FATE OF WRATH & FLAME
Series: Flate & Flame #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Author: K.A. Tucker
Release Date: May 25, 2021

Gifted thief Romeria has flourished from her days as a street kid pilfering wallets to survive. Now she thrives, stealing jewels from the rich under the involuntary employ of New York City’s most notorious crime boss. But when an enigmatic woman secures her services at swordpoint, Romeria is plunged into a startling realm of opposing thrones, warring elven, and elemental magic she cannot begin to fathom.

Her quest is straightforward: Steal a stone from Islor’s sacred garden without anyone discovering her true identity, which would earn her certain death. But the identity she has inexplicably assumed is that of the captured Ybarisan princess–an enemy to Islor after she poisoned their beloved king and queen on the day she was to marry the prince.

Her betrothed, the newly crowned King Zander, detests her with every grain of his handsome being. Fortunately for Romeria, she is more valuable to him alive than dead. Zander gives her a choice: life in a cell, or an acquittal of all charges in exchange for her help in exposing the growing plot against him.

Romeria sees no other option and embraces the tricky role of smitten queen-to-be until she can escape, a ruse that brings her far closer to the king than she anticipated and threatens more than her safety. As she digs deeper into this sacred garden and the ancient feud between Ybaris and Islor, she discovers monstrous truths that could spell ruin for all.

  AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

Why else does one kingdom fall but for another to rise?

I’ve been a devoted PNR reader for years, but fantasy has been a rare one for me. I don’t even know why, considering I’ve fallen in love with the genre. And what better way to read more of it than starting with a brand new KA Tucker series? And dang. I was no prepared for this story at all.

Admittedly it took me a hot minute to get into. I even put it down for a day because I knew this was a story that I have to be in the right mood to get into. There’s so much world building that takes place, and it took me almost 60% to fully wrap my head around all of it. Be prepared to be confused most of the story too. But that’s quite intentional as we spent the majority of the book in the heroine’s head, and she has no idea what’s going on and you get to experience that with her.

As for the story. It was absolutely magical. Pun intended. This is not a standalone and it’s looking to be one epic saga series. Rivaling kingdoms, elementals, gods, curses, and different worlds. The world building in this story was on another level. Romy is a skilled thief living in NY and just trying to survive. Her life is anything but ordinary but then it becomes otherworldly when a stranger with a secret agenda thrusts her into a realm that’s a different world entirely.

Romeria of this world is engaged to a king, who she is also responsible for the murder of his parents and seems to be persona non grata. But when you wear the face of the enemy, it’s tough to convince anyone you’re not her. Especially when you’re sworn to secrecy for fear of your life.

The chemistry between Romy and Zander is instant but the romance is very much a slow burn. As a matter of fact it felt almost secondary to the rest of the story, which I didn’t mind at all, because there’s just so much other things being revealed that the romance didn’t feel lacking. DOn’t get me wrong, it’s still there, just more of a zing in the background. Zander and the Romy of this realm are enemies, and even though Romy isn’t responsible for the monstrosities of the other Romy, she has to bear the brunt of the blame. She also has to struggle to understand because she has no memory of the other Romy or her agenda to fully grasp her current reality.

While the book took me about 40% to really get into, I couldn’t stop reading for the final 60%. I was slowly but surely sucked into this world and then hooked, line and sinker. I’m absolutely desperate for the next installment to see what happens next.

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.

She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.
 

Connect with Kathleen

Website | Newsletter Sign up | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook  | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Bookbub | Pinterest

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Fantasy, PNR · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Resurrection of the Heart by A Zavarelli & Natasha Knight

May 19, 2021 by ·

RESURRECTION OF THE HEART
Series: The Society Trilogy #3
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight & A. Zavarelli
Release Date: May 18,  2021

 

Santiago finally has what he wants. His baby is growing inside me.

I’ve rewritten her destiny, binding her to me for good.

Things are changing for us. I see beyond the monster he shows the world. See the scars he hides beneath the ink.

Love is a weakness men like me can’t afford. I’ve decided to keep her, but I’ll never forfeit my revenge.

His final betrayal proves his vengeance means more to him than our love.

I will have my pound of flesh, no matter the cost.

I made a mistake trusting him. I forgot how much he likes my tears.

When I am through, I’ll have what I thought I always needed.

I’ll run from him. I’ll have to.

I’ll bring her back when she runs. I’ll always bring her back. She belongs with me.

But it’s too late when I realize he’s not the only monster in my world. And that mistake will cost us both dearly.

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS | GOOGLE PLAY

START THE TRILOGY TODAY!!!

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY 

#2 Reparation of Sin

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

She is in love with me… and I am helpless to it.

The heart pounding and epic conclusion to The Society Trilogy is finally here and I’m still recovering after this wild ride.

There’s nothing more satisfying that watching the anti-hero of a story slowly melting heart. And when it comes to Santiago, he’s been one man that I’ve loved to hate. He’s a man that lived through the ultimate betrayal, knowing nothing but his drive for revenge. His new wife was supposed to be that tool for his bloody revenge, but soon proved to be his ultimate challenge. She’s fought him at every turn, and she never backed down. Ivy was one of my favorite heroines I’ve read. She’s tough yet vulnerable and impossible not to connect with. She falls for Santiago in spite of herself, but that doesn’t make her back down from her fight. If anything, it makes her that much stronger.

The story was a non stop thrill ride of secrets, betrayals and twists. Like the previous two books, I devoured it in one sitting, eagerly turning the pages just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And when it did? Jaw dropping.

This may be my favorite arranged marriage/enemies to lovers stories to date. There was just something so delicious about the long and painful push and pull between these two. They managed to take two steps back each time they took a step forward, and yet I couldn’t stop rooting for them.

I sincerely hope that there’s going to be more books in this world because I’m already salivating for a book for Mercedes and Judge. GAH. I needs it. And Marco. I just can’t seem to let go of this dark and twisty world. The story unraveled before me like a movie reel and hooked me from the very first book. It was quick paced, erotic, and deliciously dark and twisty.

About A. Zavarelli:

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

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

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

Connect w/A. Zavarelli: 

Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Mailing List | Website | Goodreads |Amazon | Bookbub

About Natasha Knight:

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.

Connect w/Natasha: 

Website: | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter  | Instagram | Pinterest |  Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon |  NL Signup 

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dark · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Here With Me by Samantha Young

May 11, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

HERE WITH ME
Series: Adair Family #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: May 11, 2021

Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner –ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair–and it’s poised on the edge of a dark scandal.

After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she’s long resented. Lachlan Adair. Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she’s not yet ready to give up on her father.

Determined to ensure Mac’s safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path.
While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future … if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn’t do the job first.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

She’d lit up under his hands. He tasted her fire on his tongue and, goddamn, it ignited something inside him.

I was immediately sucked into this story from the very first chapter. A fiery, tough as nails former Boston cop meet broody and reclusive former Hollywood star? Sign me right up!

If there’s one thing that I love when Samantha writes, it’s an enemies to lovers romance. There’s just something so sizzling ingrained into the chemistry of her characters that I’ll never get enough of.

Robyn was a heroine that I loved from the very first page. Hard not to love a fierce heroine that isn’t afraid to speak her mind. After a nigh on the job nearly costs her her life, she finds herself looking for answers. And for her, a log of her unanswered questions lie with her estranged Scottish father; a man who left her when she was just a little girl for an illustrious career protecting a Hollywood star.

Robyn finds herself in the remote Scottish Highlands, at Ardnoch Estate, going head to head with the reclusive owner, Lachlan and also in the center of an escalating stalker case.

If you love a good romantic suspense, this one brought the mystery and action in spades. Between the escalating hate lust going on with Robyn and Lachlan, and the whodunit mystery of the stalker case, I found myself incapable of putting the book down. The romance is a slow burn, a bit tamer on the steam but no less satisfying. What kept me absolutely riveted to the pages were all of the secondary characters, particularly the Adairs. I can already tell that I’m going to be hooked on this series because the set up for each of them is utterly delicious.

I love a good suspense when I can’t see the ending coming and this one definitely caught me unaware. I never saw any of it coming and it heightened the enjoyment that much more.

Lachlan definitely took his sweet time to extricate his head from his nether region, but man did I love to hate his broody, a-holish side. I particularly loved to see Robyn constantly put him in his place. I’m so excited to have another series to obsess over from one of my favorites. Hopefully we get Mac’s story next.

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

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Connect with Samantha

Facebook | Website | Instagram | Pinterest | Amazon | Goodreads | Bookbub | Pinterest | Book+Main

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: