Review: Vicious Little Snakes by Trilina Pucci

March 27, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

VICIOUS LITTLE SNAKES
Series: Hillcrest Prep #2
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Trilina Pucci
Release Date: March 25,  2021

Caroline Whitmore is cunning, inconsiderate, and ruthless.

Despite that, I can’t recall a day when I haven’t thought about her at least once. On paper, we’re a perfect match—Only on paper.

In real life, we’re a disaster.
She hates me. Hates the way I dress—everything I say.
My basic existence.

But what I hate is more complicated.
Because I’m a moth to a gorgeous, petite, brunette flame.

I hate that I still remember what she wore the day we sat together in sixth grade.

And that I would move mountains for her smile.

I hate every guy that gets too close.
And that one of them gets to stay.

I hate that I want her so bad that I used my best friend to make her jealous.

But most of all, I hate that Caroline Whitmore is the one that got away.

AMAZON

How is it that I can love you and hate you with the same heart?” 

Oh. My. GAWD.

First of all, how have I not discovered this series sooner? Like seriously. What rock have I been living under that I haven’t read Filthy Little Pretties yet? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? But also, I completely did myself a disservice by reading book two before book one, because clearly there’s a legacy element in the story. So don’t be a Lana, read book one first. Because if you don’t, you’ll spend a good chunk of the first 40% looking like this
Seriously. I was confusion. All of the confusion. But it did click at the end. But I digress. Can we talk about this book now? Because GAH.

Remember Kathryn Merteuil from Cruel Intentions? Well imagine someone giving her a soul, a backstory, and making her a redeemable villain. Because Caroline Whitmore was basically a mashup of Katrhyn meet Blair Waldorf and I was SO HERE FOR IT. She was the ultimate misunderstood bad guy, or girl if you will. And my heart just bled for her and all of her jagged pieces.

When I tell you that this story is crack, I mean it’s CRACK. The tension, the angst, all of the teenage drama, the slow burn relationship. ALL OF IT. It was so freaking delicious, I wanted to lick my fingers when I was done turning the last page. But I didn’t. Because, well, germs, and also COVID. But I seriously thought about it. But I digress again.

Liam and Caroline’s story was full of heart, drama, and did I mention the drama? I have to say, if we didn’t spend time in Caroline’s head, it would be easy to hate here. Because the girl is a vicious little beoch. And gosh, but I loved that about her. She’s the ultimate hurt them before they hurt you sort of vicious. She lashes out to hide the pain no one sees her go through.

Liam hasn’t forgiven her for a stunt she pulled in book 1, and their friendship never recovered that blow. He spends his time secretly pining for her while hating her with the same breath. She spends her time wishing things were different but knowing they can’t be. Together they’re absolutely toxic and I loved every minute of it.

My one and only quibble is what I mentioned above. I did walk into the book thinking it would a standalone in a series, but it didn’t quite start that way. There was a lot of carry over from the previous book and events mentioned off the pages that took place in book one. This was a bit confusing to wrap my mind around and I wish we got a little flashback to that in this book. Now don’t start coming for me, because I fully admit it’s my bad and already grabbed book one to rectify this. But I also know myself and know even if I read it when it released, my puny brain would forget it, so the refresher would have been good. But I digress again.

If you’re looking for the ultimate angsty read with all of the teenage prep school rich kid drama you can handle, look no further. Welcome to your new addiction!

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Review: Complicate by Pam Godwin

March 9, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

COMPLICATE
Series: Deliver #9
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: March 9, 2021

The heart-pounding conclusion of the DELIVER series.

Cole Hartman is a mystery.
He works alone, sleeps alone, and satisfies his aches…alone. He hasn’t touched a woman in seven years.
No one will ever compare to the one who broke his heart.
Until he stares into the seductive eyes of his enemy.

He finally meets his match in the redheaded Russian spy.
But she’s a dangerous risk. His obsession with her leaves him only one choice.

If you love something, let it go.
If it doesn’t kill you, hunt it down and take it.

——

This is Cole Hartman’s story.
But it’s not his beginning.
The saga of Cole, Danni, and Trace starts in the TANGLED LIES trilogy.

You don’t have to read TANGLED LIES, but if you want to read it, do so before reading this book.

RECOMMENDED READING ORDER
ONE IS A PROMISE (#1) (FREE)
TWO IS A LIE (#2)
THREE IS A WAR (#3)
DELIVER (#1) (FREE)
VANQUISH (#2)
DISCLAIM (#3)
DEVASTATE (#4)
TAKE (#5)
MANIPULATE (#6)
UNSHACKLE (#7)
DOMINATE (#8)
COMPLICATE (#9)

The books in the DELIVER series are standalones, but they must be read in order.

AMAZON

 

I’m addicted to you,” she breathed.
“I don’t want to be an addiction. I want to be the love of your life.”

Reading this book was the most bittersweet moment. I’ve spent years completely obsessed with this series. And I’ve spent what feels like forever waiting for Cole Hartman’s book.

Now if you haven’t read the Tangled Lies trilogy yet. I highly recommend you do it before reading this book. Trust me. I remember the devastation of Tangled Lies and also the sense of understanding with how it ended. I also remember hoping beyond hope for a HEA for Cole, even though it didn’t seem there would ever be a woman that would help him move past the love of his life. So I was equally excited for this book and utterly terrified that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations.

The second Lydia appeared on the page, I knew I was in for a hell of a ride. It is no small feat to take a love like what Cole had for Danni and give him a HEA that feels right. What’s even harder, is keeping that love for Danni but giving him a woman that is so much more fitting for him without diminishing what he had with Danni. For that alone, I bow down to the brilliance of Pam Godwin.

Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m going to fuck you. I’ll fuck you so completely that shit on your face will smear and drip off. You’ll lose the fake eyelashes like the piercing in your lip. I’m going to fuck you until there are holes in your stockings, tangles in your hair, and bite marks marring those creamy tits. I’m going to ravage you, ruin you, and I’ll do it all while my hands are still bound in rope.”

Now I will say that the romance really took centerpiece of this book for me. This being the final book in the Deliver series, of course there’s a dark suspense element that also plays out. And in true Pam Godwin fashion, it was filled with plenty of jaw dropping plot twists that bring the story to a full circle.

Lydia and and Cole’s story spans over quite some time and full of pain and heartache. And I was so here for it! I will say that the ending did feel a little anticlimactic to me as a lot of it happened off the pages. However, the romance was so satisfying, that I couldn’t really find it in me to care. And the epilogue? SO. STINKING. GOOD.

In all my expectations, I didn’t think of a HEA this satisfying for Cole. If you’re thinking of reading this as a standalone, do yourself a favor and don’t. This series is meant to be read in order for the truly fulfilling experience. And you absolutely should read the Tangled Lies trilogy for the true one two punch of feels.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
Join my Facebook Reader Group: here

Other Books by Pam Godwin

Tangled Lies Series
ONE IS A PROMISE (#1) – FREE
TWO IS A LIE (#2)
THREE IS A WAR (#3)

Deliver Series
DELIVER (#1) – FREE
VANQUISH (#2)
DISCLAIM (#3)
DEVASTATE (#4)
TAKE (#5)
Manipulate (#6)
UNSHACKLE (#7)
DOMINATE (#8)

Trilogy of Eve
HEART OF EVE – FREE
DEAD OF EVE (#1)
BLOOD OF EVE (#2)
DAWN OF EVE (#3)

Stand-alones

? STUDENT-TEACHER ROMANCE ?
DARK NOTES

?️ ROMANTIC SUSPENSE ?️
DIRTY TIES

? ROCK-STAR DARK ROMANCE ?
BENEATH THE BURN

? CELEBRITY ROMANCE ?
INCENTIVE

 

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Review: Private Property by Skye Warren

March 9, 2021 by ·

PRIVATE PROPERTY
Series: Rochester Trilogy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Skye Warren
Release Date: March 9, 2021

Private Property by Skye Warren is now live!

 

When I signed up for the nanny agency, I didn’t expect a remote mansion on a windswept isle.

Or a brooding billionaire who resents his new role.

 

His brother’s death means he’s now in charge of a moody seven year old girl.

She’s lashing out at the world, but I can handle her.

I have to.

I need the money to finish my college degree.

 

 

As long as I can avoid the boss who alternately mocks me and coaxes me to reveal my darkest secrets.


AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

It isn’t right for a man so hard to look almost beautiful.

Every single time I tell myself I’m done with trilogies, Skye Warren makes a liar out of me. And you know what? I’m not sorry. Well, actually, I am slightly sorry. Because that cliffhanger was PAINFUL. Like what in the ever loving sanity?! How am I supposed to be patient after that? But I digress.

I am a sucker for dark, broody, and mysterious heroes. And Beau Rochester is all of those things and more. A brooding and reclusive billionaire playboy that I was dying to get more details on but who remained elusive until the very last page.

Jane Mendoza arrives to the gloomy town in Maine for a year long nanny contract. But nothing prepares her for the man of the manor or the broken little girl he has become the guardian for after the tragic death of her parents. Jane is the sweet and innocent to Beau’s hard and jaded. A product of the foster system, she’s seen the worst of humanity in her young years, but still managed to hold onto this endearing air of innocence. She doesn’t hesitate to stand up to Beau and his mercurial mood swings, even if at times she did give in too easily to the sexual chemistry between them.

The story is told in dual POVs with more time spent in Jane’s head, though I’m hoping that will change in book two because I’m dying to know more about Beau. There’s a dark mystery that slowly unravels about Beau’s family history, but just as you think you know, Skye hits you with a cliffhanger to beat all cliffhangers. I’m pretty sure I sat there in a numb stupor for a solid five minutes, attempting to go to the next page, before finally accepting that there WAS NO MORE. GAH. But I digress again.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to stare longingly at Goodreads, hoping that the second book will magically appear with a release date immediately. *deep sigh*

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

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

Review: Dotted Lines by Devney Perry

March 2, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

DOTTED LINES
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Runaway #5
Author: Devney Perry
Release Date: March 2, 2021

Clara Saint-James is completing a journey started by an old friend. She’ll return a Cadillac to California, a place she’s avoided for more than a decade. But it’s time for closure and to put old ghosts to rest. And it’s time to find out if the feelings she’s cherished for the boy from her past are just fanciful memories—or if there’s a chance they are real.

Timing was never on her side, especially when it came to Karson Avery. The two of them lived in a junkyard as runaway teens, and though she wanted more than his friendship, he always belonged to another—until that one night when he was hers.

When Clara finds Karson living in a small, coastal town, she’s not surprised the beautiful boy from her past grew into a stunning man. His smile is as captivating as ever. His eyes have the same roguish glint. But timing is still working against her.

Clara must decide how far she’s willing to go to battle for Karson’s heart. Or if it’s time to let him go and surrender to the dotted lines that have always kept them apart.

 AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

The boy I’d loved before his life had gone one direction and mine had gone the other. And between us streaked those dotted lines.

It was such a bittersweet thing to read this book. I fell so hard for this series and as much as I was anticipating Karson’s story, I hated to see it come to an end.

She made me feel like I could move mountains. Like I could swim across the ocean and back.
She was . . . she was my Clara.
Maybe that was why it had been so easy to fall for her, even when I’d known I shouldn’t. Twelve years ago. Today. Here I was, still hanging on her every step. Clinging to every word. Every smile.

Now I’m not usually a reader that loves sweet romance, but something about this one just grabbed me. Maybe it was the emotional punch of the second chance romance? Maybe it was the innocent love that formed between two teens that have been through hell and found safe haven in one another. Whatever it was, it just worked. And I devoured it.

It’s finally Clara’s turn with the Cadillac in this book and her journey takes her back to Karson, the boy that she once shared a tent in a junk yard with. Clara loved Karson as a young girl but she never thought he’d return her feelings. I loved getting a glimpse into young Karson and Clara and watching their sweet friendship bloom to something more.

Older Clara hasn’t changed much. She’s a little wiser, and now with an adorable son. But one thing that hasn’t changed, was her feelings for Karson. But their reunion doesn’t go as she planned and timing has never been on their side. It seems like their reunion still isn’t the right time.

There’s so much emotion that’s packed into this book. I especially loved the deeper insight into Lou through the memorabilia and notes. I cried like a baby at one part in particular. Karson is not my typical alphahole. He’s sweet and caring, and he loves DEEP. He’s just a genuinely nice guy that never stopped loving Clara but their timing just never seemed right. I loved their slow burn journey to a HEA. And that epilogue? OMG it was perfection!

Devney is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her family. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she’s discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop.

Connect with Devney

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

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Review: Once We Were Starlight by Mia Sheridan

March 1, 2021 by · Leave a Comment
ONCE WE WERE STARLIGHT
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Mia Sheridan
Release Date: March 1, 2021

A bed posed on a stage under a dazzling spotlight. An audience of hungry eyes. And him, the other half of my soul, our supple bodies moving as one . . .

 

Sundara: the lush and forbidden oasis in the desert where men travel to watch acts of sexual deviancy, and the only existence seventeen-year-old Karys has ever known. But despite a life where secrets and sin are in high supply, and freedom remains far beyond their reach, Karys and her partner Zakai find safety in each other, their passionate love the light that helps them both survive the darkness.

 

Very suddenly, Karys and Zakai find themselves in the bright and confusing world of New York City, navigating separation, school, and relatives who are all but strangers. If they’ve been found, why do they still feel so lost? As their new lives threaten to drive them apart, and Zakai spins out of her grasp, Karys must figure out who and what can be trusted in this strange city, seemingly filled with more venom than the desert they once called home.

AMAZON 


We are two halves of the same beautiful star, broken in the heavens. We fell to earth, separate, yet yearning to be together.”

Once We Were Starlight was an incredibly poignant, beautiful, and captivating story that I don’t think I’ll be forgetting any time soon.


Once we were starlight. But now, now we were a universe.

The story is told in separate parts of past and present and nothing prepared me for the emotional roller coaster that was this story.

At one point Zakai and Karys were each other’s everything. The desert setting of Sundara, all young Karys having ever seen. She’s sheltered, uneducated, and with her wings clipped but without really realizing it. Zakai is older and seems more jaded. He understands what the outside world holds while Karys has no knowledge of anything outside of Sundara. As the story progresses, you’re taken on an emotional journey of Karys realizing what her life really is. It covers incredibly poignant subjects like sex trafficking and handled flawlessly. Karys and Zakai are as much in love as two young people who only have each other could be. They’re also part of a sex show for rich visitors of Sundara. But Karys doesn’t realize just how wrong this is for her. Yet she yearns to be with Zakai, while Zakai dreams of escape.

When they’re rescued from Sundara and thrust into a brand new world in New York, their lives have a ripple effect that pulls them both in separate direction. You’re taken on the journey to witness ultimately how they tragically fall apart, only to be reunited years later.

Mia Sheridan is a master with crafting one incredibly emotional and unforgettable story. I spent parts sick to my stomach and in tears. Most of the book is spent with their time in Sundara and focused on their lives when they fall apart. Having said that, I would have loved to get more time from their reunion at the end. If you’re looking for a beautiful and emotional story of second chances and survival, this is an absolute must read.

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Review: The Architect by Nikki Sloane

February 23, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE ARCHITECT
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Nashville Neighborhood #3
Author: Nikki Sloane
Release Date: February 23, 2021

He’s drafting plans to seduce you.

The Architect by Nikki Sloane is now live!

On the surface, my new boyfriend is a stiff, buttoned-up architect. He plans every detail of his life while carefully maintaining the walls he’s built around his heart. But when the biggest project of his career pulls him away, Clay’s solution is both temporary and unconventional. It even comes with a name–Travis.

This handsome stranger is sweet and thoughtful. He’s only meant to be a stand-in, to fulfill my sexual needs under Clay’s watchful direction, yet these two men couldn’t be more different. The one thing they share? Well, I guess that would be me.

One gets off on my pain, the other on my pleasure, and it awakens a desire none of us knew existed. But it can’t last.

Eventually I’ll have to choose.

And it’s going to destroy us all.

 AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

You want to be punished, don’t you?”
When I nodded, he grinned.
“I hope you’re not fragile.”

Is it hot in here or am I getting menopause early? I’m having hot flashes. My ovaries tingle. They tingle, I tell you!

Nikki Sloane is the queen of smut. The woman writes some of the hottest erotica, but she manages to infuse it with just the right amount of feels and story to make it that much more satisfying. Now if you’re looking for some fade to black, this is not the book for you, my pearl clutching friend. But if you’re looking for some hot and I mean HOT and kinky f*ckery, well better get some ice for those ovaries. Because hot damn! I say HOT DAMN.

You know what I love in my romance novels? A woman that can own her sexuality. Enough with the blushing virgins and ingenues. I’m over it. But a woman that knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it and has no shame in her game? Bring it on.

Lilith is not a girl that settles. And when she sees her sinfully sexy neighbor, she knows she wants him. He may be buttoned down, but she sees the dark sexuality that brews so close to the surface. But don’t let the glasses and orderly life fool you, because still waters definitely run deep with Clay. He’s got kinks that run a mile long, and the man is really fitting for his job. He’s an architect by day, and an architect of pain and pleasure by night. When he brings the mysterious Mr. E into their dynamic, things really take a turn for the dark and spicy and I was so here for it.

I love a good poly dynamic, and this one was delicious. There’s just enough angst and push and pull to make it incredibly intriguing. The spice? Scorching! The romance? SO satisfying. The story? Incendiary. READ IT!

USA Today bestselling author Nikki Sloane landed in graphic design after her careers as a waitress, a screenwriter, and a ballroom dance instructor fell through. For eight years she worked for a design firm in that extremely tall, black, and tiered building in Chicago that went through an unfortunate name change during her time there.

 

Now she lives in Kentucky, is married and has two sons. She is a three-time Romance Writers of America RITA© Finalist, a Passionate Plume winner, a two-time HOLT Medallion finalist, and couldn’t be any happier that people enjoy reading her sexy words.

Connect with Nikki

Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads | Joining her mailing list

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Review: When We Met by Marni Mann

February 9, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

WHEN WE MET
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Moments In Boston
Author: Marni Mann
Release Date: February 9, 2020

If you knew beyond all doubt that one chance encounter would change the course of your future, what would you choose?

There’s nothing like a spring day in Boston to make your heart sing. I’m out with my girls, having drinks in a bar, enjoying the bright pulse of our beautiful city, when I see Caleb. The second my eyes meet his, I know this is the moment when everything will change. All I have to do is choose him.

I meet Whitney on the worst day of my life. I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie, but I never knew how fast things could change. Her soft gaze melts my cynicism, makes me forget the bitter man I was becoming. She makes me want to be the version of myself that I see in her eyes. All she has to do is choose this life.

When We Met takes Whitney and Caleb on the ride of their lives, hitting every note on the scale of beauty and tragedy along the way. USA Today best-selling author Marni Mann will make you question everything you thought you knew about love and fate, and this unforgettable story will leave you certain that destiny always finds a way.

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

Narrated by: Aiden Snow, Savannah Peachwood, and Ava Erickson

Even though there was only silence in the room, words were being shared between us, ones that I’d never felt so loudly before.

How have I not read this author since Seductive Shadows. Seriously. Like what on earth is wrong with me? Because after reading this book, I went and one-clicked on pretty much her entire backlist. My GOD. I’m seriously kicking my own @ss right now. But I digress.

This book is told in three parts and I can some them up for you in the following emotions:

1. Part I: I am emotion

2. Part II: I am confusion

3. Part III: I will cut you if you interrupt my reading

Having said that, that is the entirety that you’ll be getting out of me about the plot. My advise is that you go in absolutely blind. Trust me on this. Whitney and Caleb’s story is full of pain and heartbreak and was one of the most unique plots I’ve read in a while. It was unlike anything else I’ve read lately, and I love a book that can take me there like this one did. I devoured this in one day because I simply couldn’t wait to turn the next page and understand everything.

A major part of the timeline happens during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and while I rarely get emotional in books, there’s a part where I was weeping like a baby. I won’t tell you where or when and I won’t tell you how it all ties together, but just prepare yourself for this story to wring emotion and tug on heartstrings you didn’t even know you had.

I devoured the first part, and then Part II was a tad bit slower. I found myself skimming some parts though I was still 100% invested in the story. The first part was a solid 5 stars and the second part was along the lines of a 4. I really wanted a bit more at the end to really bring it all together, though. I really felt like I needed more than the chapter at the end to really close this out. Don’t get me wrong, it was still highly satisfying. It was an incredibly story about fate, choices, and timing. If you’re looking for something different, gripping and full of emotion, definitely give this a read.

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

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Amazon | Bookbub | Website | Sign up for her newsletter 

 

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Review: Don’t Kiss The Bride by Carian Cole

February 7, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

DON’T KISS THE BRIDE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Carian Cole
Release Date: February 1, 2020

I guess you could say I was a damsel in distress, and he was my knight in shining armor.

But more accurately, I was a girl with a lot of bad luck, and he was a guy with a lot of muscles and tattoos.

Jude “Lucky” Lucketti wasn’t just a sexy, brooding construction worker. He was my own personal hero who seemed to be in all the right places at the right times. Like when my car broke down and I needed a ride home, and when I face planted on the sidewalk right in front of him and had to be taken to the emergency room.

Those weren’t exactly my best moments, but they were his.

We became friends, and it didn’t matter that he was sixteen years older than me. We had a lot in common—like our love of old rock music and vintage fast cars, and our aversion to relationships.

When he approached me with a crazy idea to help me out, I couldn’t say no.

The arrangement was supposed to be temporary. A marriage on paper and nothing else.

It should’ve been easy, but it wasn’t.

Because here I am, eighteen years-old, still in high school, and married to a man I was never supposed to fall in love with.

We had just one rule—no kissing the bride.

But we broke that rule, and it sealed our fate forever.

AMAZON

Somehow, she’s squirmed her way under my skin, and surprisingly enough, I don’t want to dig her out.

Carian Cole is one of those authors for me that I don’t even bother to read the blurbs of her books. There’s no point because it’s an auto read for me no matter what. She’s the master of writing poignant, beautiful and emotional romance that sticks with me. As an avid romance readers, I can’t say I remember every book I read, but somehow, each Carian Cole book I’ve read, does. And this one certainly won’t be the exception.

Now if you love a good age gap romance, you won’t want to miss this one. Age gap for me can be a tricky one, because when you have a pretty young heroine, there’s a line where it can skate on the line of…well…meh. Ya know? And considering the heroine here is 18, I knew that I wouldn’t have to worry about that because this author just manages to hit the mark every time.

Skylar is an 18 year old high school senior who hasn’t exactly had it easy in life. Her home life is anything but happy and her living situation even more so. She makes the best out of the crappy hand she’s been dealt, but luck has never really been on her side.

Jude is a thirty four year old, tatted up construction worker and high school drop out. His teenage years are riddled with plenty of regrets, but when he sees Skylar lose consciousness and learns of her situation, he knows he needs to help her. So he offers her a solution; marriage, but in the most nutritional sense. She gets his insurance and puts herself on her feet, and he gets to know that he helped her. Nothing more and nothing less. But the feelings between them and the chemistry is not easy to deny.

Now admittedly, I struggled a bit with the first half of this book. It was very slow paced and quite detailed in parts that I felt maybe shouldn’t have been. I found myself skimming some chapters, waiting for things to pick up. It was most definitely a SLOW burn. But then when things pick up? I couldn’t put it down. I loved the progression of Lucky and Skylar’s relationship. I love how he struggles with his feelings for her and I love how Skylar fought for him. The age gap is significant, but I never felt Skylar’s age. Outside of her being in high school (though fair to note she was held back a year so she’s a touch older senior), her age never felt like 18. She’s wise beyond her years because of the life she’s lived. She was forced to grow up fast and I loved her strength. Lucky’s past comes back to really haunt him here and my heart broke for him in so many ways.

This was such a beautiful, gripping story full of emotion and romance. I adored Lucky and Sparkles together. Theirs was one of the most satisfying slow burns I’ve read in a while and I can’t recommend it enough. And there’s a surprise cameo by a certain character that I absolutely LOVED but won’t give away because it’s the best surprise.

Carian Cole has a passion for the bad boys, those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles, and of course, the sweet girls who try to tame them and win their hearts.

Born and raised a Jersey girl, Carian now resides in beautiful New Hampshire with her husband and their multitude of furry pets. She spends most of her time writing, reading, and vacuuming.

 

Connect with Carian

Website |  Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Bookbub | Pinterest | Book+Main | Newsletter | 

Text COLE to 31996

 

 

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Review: The Bluff by Willa Nash

February 5, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE BLUFF
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Calamity, Montana #2
Author: Willa Nash
Release Date: February 4, 2020

From USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry writing as Willa Nash comes a small town Montana romance.

As Calamity’s newest resident, Everly Christian thought life in small-town Montana would be dull and tame—and she needs a little mundane after the last few chaotic years. But one night, boredom drives her to the local bar, where she finds herself sitting beside a handsome and mysterious artist.

The man is anything but dull and tame, especially in the bedroom, and when she steps out of his shower and overhears his conversation, life gets interesting again.

Reese Huxley needs a wife.

And why shouldn’t Everly be the bride?

She’s got her reasons for agreeing to the hasty nuptials—reasons she’s keeping to herself. As long as she can stop herself from falling in love with her husband, she’ll make it out of this sham marriage in one piece. But Everly has a weakness for wayward men, and the more Hux pushes her away, the more she realizes this bluff is anything but a lie.

AMAZON

I surrendered to his kiss. I dropped my guard. I let myself pretend. For tonight, I was his. For tonight, he was mine.

Is it too soon to announce that I’m completely in love with this series? Because while I really liked the first book, I seriously adored this one. I mean, what’s not to love?

A grumpy hero? CHECK!
A heroine that owns her sexuality and confidence? CHECK
A marriage of convenience? CHECK AND CHECK
Wonderful secondary characters? CHECK
Small town setting? CHECK

The second the quiet and intimidating Hux made an appearance in the The Bribe, I was immediately curious about this brooding artist. The man clearly had some demons and I couldn’t wait to unearth them all. He’s a successful artist with a painful history, trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter after she was taken from him by his vindictive ex. The last thing he needs is another entanglement after his disastrous marriage.

Everly is still dealing with the aftermath of what happened with the stalker in book one. She’s looking for something in her life, but still hasn’t found it. She struggles with her own place and finding who she is outside of who her parents always expected her to be. Hux was only supposed to be a one-night distraction. Soon it turns into a recurring night with no strings attached, until an offer changes everything. Marriage. One that may help him with his reputation in the small town and fight the legal battle to get visitation rights to his daughter.

Man but I loved these two together. They’re so imperfectly perfect in their own way. Hux is jaded and broken, and Ev is lost. But yet together, they make so much sense. Hux fights his connection to her at every turn but of course soon the inevitable happens and feelings are involved.

I loved the budding romance with Ev and Hux almost as much as I loved the connection between him and his daughter. There were some red herrings that were thrown in about his ex that I was almost thinking we’d get more of a resolution with, but it was still satisfying. And while the plot twist at the end was not my favorite and a touch predictable, I loved the grovel that followed it.

Yet another fantastic book in what’s come to be an addictive series and I can’t wait for more!

Willa Nash is USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry’s alter ego, writing contemporary romance stories for Kindle Unlimited. Lover of Swedish Fish, hater of laundry, she lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons. She was born and raised in Montana and has a passion for writing books in the state she calls home.

Devney loves hearing from her readers. Connect with her on social media!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

 

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Review: Dominate by Pam Godwin

January 26, 2021 by ·

DOMINATE
Series: Deliver #8
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: January 26, 2020

There are many reasons to jump off a bridge, but Rylee Sutton only needs one.
Her husband’s betrayal.
Just before she leaps, she receives an email from a stranger.
The boy’s message is meant for his dead girlfriend, but his anguish speaks to Rylee.
It saves her life.

Over the next decade, Tomas Dine continues to email his dead girl. As he evolves from a teenager into a hardened, vicious criminal, Rylee is there, reading every intimate word.
He doesn’t know she exists.

When she comes forward, he despises her, his cruelty unforgivable. But she doesn’t back down. In a carnal battle of punishment and passion, hatred dominates.
Until he loses her.
Amid looming danger and unsolved murders rises a devotion forged in strife.
Love is lethal in his ruthless world. To survive it, they must fight for answers—and each other.

DELIVER series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Deliver #1
Vanquish #2
Disclaim #3
Devastate #4
Take #5
Manipulate #6
Unshackle #7
Dominate #8
Complicate #9

AMAZON

 

Lethally gorgeous. Impossible to look away. He was violence and sex and salvation.
Salvation for trafficked women, not for her.
For her, he was corruption.
Damnation.
Death wasn’t off the table.

This series has quickly become an obsession for me. I live for Pam’s dark and gritty words. Tommy’s book has been a much anticipated one for me. Partly because it’s an age gap with an older woman, and partly because I’m not THIS much closer to Cole’s story.

Interestingly enough, I found this book to be the least dark out of the entire series. And considering how dark the rest of this series is, don’t think this one is sunshine and butterflies. It had just the right amount of intensity to it, but without the pit in the stomach feeling I normally get.

Before Tommy was a ruthless vigilante, he was a 17 year old boy that lost his beloved girlfriend and broke in a way only a teenage boy could break. The only thing that kept him going through it all were the secret emails that he kept sending to his long dead girlfriend. The last thing he expected was for those emails to end up in the possession of another woman, but fate had other plans. Rylee was older and reeling on the betrayal of her husband. About to take her life, the email of a then 17 year old Tommy made her realize that maybe it’s not all bad. Years later, those emails have kept her going but she’s never been foolish enough to give her heart away again. She’s ready to make contact, determined to help Tommy in his mission. And while she expects his anger and resistance, nothing could prepare her for his response.

The one thing that I love about Pam’s writing, is that all of her alpha males have this electric sort of intensity to them. They practically crackle on the pages and Tommy was no exception.

This virile, handsome devil was a dangerous vigilante and killer. He was also a sexual deviant, a kinky freak with an insatiable appetite, who’d lured hundreds of unsuspecting women into his bed.

Pam is also the queen of redeeming the irredeemable. And what Tommy does in this story could surely be just that. Completely irredeemable. He puts Rylee through hell in his search of answers. But through it all, there’s a sexual tension that sizzles between them. And the fourteen year age gap just adds a little spice to the mix. Because while Tommy may be the younger man, he more than makes up for it in dominance and intensity.

I struggled with my rating on this one in all honesty. Like all of Pam’s books, this was a book I devoured in one sitting. It kept me turning the pages well into 3 am and I couldn’t stop. The one quibble that I did have was the relationship development. It went from one extreme to the other in what seemed to be the blink of an eye. Truth be told, I struggled with this a bit. I couldn’t fully buy Tommy’s turnaround. He went from being her captor to being in love and there just didn’t seem enough progression in between to land him there. Rylee also forgave him way too quick for everything that happened.

But ultimately, even with my quibble, I could barely find enough in me to care. Because I was simply that invested in this story and all of the revelations that happened. There’s so many secrets that get revealed, and if you’re a die hard Cole fan like me, you’ll be foaming at the mouth by the end. And the preview into his book? I. AM. DYING.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
Join my Facebook Reader Group: here

Other Books by Pam Godwin

Tangled Lies Series
ONE IS A PROMISE (#1) – FREE
TWO IS A LIE (#2)
THREE IS A WAR (#3)

Deliver Series
DELIVER (#1) – FREE
VANQUISH (#2)
DISCLAIM (#3)
DEVASTATE (#4)
TAKE (#5)
Manipulate (#6)
UNSHACKLE (#7)

Trilogy of Eve
HEART OF EVE – FREE
DEAD OF EVE (#1)
BLOOD OF EVE (#2)
DAWN OF EVE (#3)

Stand-alones

? STUDENT-TEACHER ROMANCE ?
DARK NOTES

?️ ROMANTIC SUSPENSE ?️
DIRTY TIES

? ROCK-STAR DARK ROMANCE ?
BENEATH THE BURN

? CELEBRITY ROMANCE ?
INCENTIVE

 

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