Review: Unforgiven by Jay Crownover

February 25, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

UNFORGIVEN
Series: Loveless, Texas #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jay Crownover
Release Date: February 25, 2020

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes an irresistible and suspenseful romance between a tough Texas Ranger and his first love–a woman in danger who insists she doesn’t need his protection.

Hill Gamble is a model lawman: cool and collected, with a confident swagger to boot. Too bad all that Texas charm hasn’t gotten him anywhere in his personal life, especially since the only girl he ever loved has always been off-limits. But then Hill is assigned to investigate her father’s mysterious death, and he’s forced back to the town–and the woman–he left behind.

When Hill left Loveless, he broke Kody Lawton’s already battered heart. And now that he’s working on her father’s case, avoiding him is impossible. She can handle Hill and her unwanted feelings–until he puts his life on the line to protect her. Suddenly, Kody realizes that Hill could be taken away from her…for good.

Includes the bonus novella Cowboy to the Rescue by A.J. Pine!

AMAZON

It was my unfortunate luck that fate was determined to have love, death, and Kody Lawton pulling my strings for an eternity.

There is nothing more delicious than the sweet, sweet angst of unrequited love. And when that love is for your brother’s widow? I am SO HERE FOR IT.

The second Hill made his first appearance at the end of Justified, sparks flew. I’ve been practically salivating in my wait for his and Kody’s book. So the second this landed on my kindle, I jumped on it faster than you can say GIMME!

She always wanted space, and I was always running after her. It was like an adult game of tag, only I never managed to catch her.

Hill has been in love with Kody since they were teenagers. He was always the quiet reliable one to Kody’s fiery storm. Kody is the wild Lawton. She’s got sass for days and a wild streak that always keeps her on the skirt of trouble. Her entanglement with the local biker club and their prez is just one example. But Kody is also a broken soul. She lost the man she loved and she’s still trying to recover from all of it.

Loving him forced my icy heart to thaw. Losing him froze it right back up and shattered the brittle block of ice into a million pieces. I was certain I was never going to be warm.

And now the man that she least expects or wants to see is back to investigate her father’s murder and she’s forced to deal with all the feelings she thought she buried long ago.

I loved Hill’s quiet intensity and how he was this wall of reliability to Kody’s fire. He’s been in love with her since they were teens. But when she started dating his brother, he forced himself to back off. Kody knows that the blame she’s placed on Hill all these years is wrong, but she’s struggling. She’s struggling with her father’s death, even if he was a terrible father and a corrupt man. She’s struggling with her feelings for Hill. And she’s struggling with the threat against her family with the murderer still out there.

I fell so hard for Hill in this book. As much as I love me an alphahole, I love a good man, too. And Hill was as good as it gets. His love and protectiveness to Kody is incredible. My heart ached for him.

There’s so much that happened in this book that made for one page turner. There’s the suspense element with a couple of new characters that are introduced that I was immediately intrigued by. I’m slowly dying for Shot’s book and after the set up at the end of this book, I’m pretty sure I’ll die of anticipation. Hill and Kody’s romance was so incredibly satisfying. The mystery of Kody’s father murder continues while we get some of the puzzle pieces revealed and holy moly were those juicy! I can’t wait for the next book already!!

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Review: Not Your Shoe Size by Eve Dangerfield

February 19, 2020 by · 2 Comments

NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE
Series: Act Your Age #1.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: January 21, 2020

Kate McGrath knows the daddy situation has changed. For one thing her kink’s gone mainstream (what up, internet!) For another, her relationship with Ty, AKA Daddy, has growing pains. After years of protecting herself with faux-girliness, Kate finally feels like a woman. She wants Ty to treat her like a grown up (bedroom excluded, obviously), but emancipation is the first fantasy her daddy doesn’t seem able to fulfil…

Tyler Henderson is happy with things the way they are. And if they have to change, why can’t Kate marry him? That would be nice. And make him look like less of a dirty old man. He’ll fight to keep Middleton where she is, but he isn’t counting on a daddy rival, a man from Kate’s past who would be more than happy to take her off his hands…

Jealousy combines with mistaken identity to throw the status of one of Romancelandia’s top five D/LG couples (at least!) into turmoil. Ty and Kate need to find common ground, but love is a dangerous game, no matter what your age.

AMAZON

People weren’t nice, family wasn’t safe, home wasn’t a refuge, and love could twist until you felt like your partner was the biggest thing holding you back.

Confession time: I’m not a reader that gravitates towards books on additional books for a couple that’s already had a HEA. Why? Because I feel like every time I have, it always ruins the first book for me. Something happened that completely takes away from all the warm and fuzzies that I had with the first book and I end up hating myself a little in the end. So yeah. I don’t do it. Unless, Eve Dangerfield writes one. AND she writes it for one of my most beloved couples EVAH. Then I’m going to put on my big girl panties, suck it up, and take the plunge.

This was the perfect icing on the cake for this couple. It takes you through the struggles of their relationship and age gap after they’ve been together 5 years. It shows you the vulnerabilities that both Ty and Kate still continue to work through. It takes you into the true heart of them and I loved every second that I got to spend there. They’re still desperately in love and as kinky as ever, but they have broken pieces they’re trying to mend too. I don’t want to tell you too much so not to detract from the experience, but I will tell you that it was immensely satisfying and I especially loved the cheeky way it was all brought together. I see what you did there, Eve 🙂

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Review: A Worthy Opponent by Katee Robert

February 16, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

A Worthy Opponent
Series: Wicken Villains #3
Genre: Erotica, Erotic Romance
Author: Katee Robert
Release Date: February 1, 2020

Once upon a time I was a girl who believed in love and happily ever afters.

Now the only thing I believe in is revenge.

Unfortunately for me, there’s only one man willing to help me.

Hook.

I should have known it wouldn’t be out of the goodness of his heart.

He doesn’t have one.

No, Hook wants his ring on my finger and me on my knees before him—and he won’t take no for an answer.

 

I’m willing to pay any price in order to bring Pan down…even if it means I lose my soul in the bargain.

AMAZON

My soul hates Hook. My body hasn’t gotten the memo. But then, my desires always did get me into trouble.

This series has quickly become one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It’s deliciously wicked and sinfully hot. Katee Robert manages to merge together some sizzling hot erotica with an addicting story and characters that you can’t help but love. Think has been a character that I’ve been intrigued with since the beginning of the series. She’s feisty, sassy and has this live wire spark to her that shines bright even as a secondary character. Now we finally get her story and you come to find out that there’s some dark secrets behind that smart mouth of hers. And it’ll take a sexy villain to offer her a bargain with the devil in order to survive.

Here are the updated terms. I will not negotiate further. You marry me. I kill Peter. When you decide you’re tired of playing hard to get, you’ll crawl to me and beg for my cock. I’m all too happy to give it to you any way you like. Every way you like.”

Hook has wanted Think for years and he’s not above playing dirty to finally get her in his bed. He’ll protect her from a man she fears and in exchange she’ll give him the one thing he craves, her begging.

If you’re expecting a traditional MF here, you’ll be sorely disappointed. This book is sizzling hot and one of the things I love most about this series is the different kinks each one explores. Hook’s kink just so happens to be voyeurism and I’ll let you use your imagination on that. There’s some MMF and MFM and all of the hot f*ckery!!! I’m saying HOT here people! Now I’m desperate for Beast’s story because holy hell, that set up!!!

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Review: Conceal by Ava Harrison

January 25, 2020 by ·

CONCEAL
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Ava Harrison
Release Date: January 11, 2020

From USA Today bestselling author Ava Harrison comes a billionaire romance full of witty banter and a jaw-dropping twist!

I ran.
Escaped the man who wanted to hurt me.

I got in my car and drove.
No destination. No direction. No help.

I hid in the one place I would never be found.
Now in New York with no job, I didn’t know what to do.

Then I met him.
Jaxson Price.
The enigmatic devil who wasn’t only above the law, but played it like a puppet.

He might be the answer to all my problems.
Too bad he’s asking for something in return for his help….
My heart.

He tells me with no words, I’m his. That he owns me with every move of his hips. He tells me he will make sure I’m okay. I feel the truth in it. And I believe him.

This is the kind of story that sneaks up on you slowly. It’s not an in your face, slam bam sort of suspense and romance. It’s a slow burn, with plenty of layers, incredible character development, and a romance that’s as intense as it is satisfying.

I’ve been waiting for Jaxson’s book for what feels like ages. He was the light tempered, easy to laugh, and first to joke sort of man. But beyond the easy smiles and good-natured temperament, you just knew there’s another layer to this man. Conceal shows us those layers, and let me just tell you, they’re deep. There’s so much more to Jax than meets the eye. He’s desperate for his siblings approval. His older brother seems to think he’s more of a party boy that never took running the family business seriously. And while the Price empire isn’t his passion, he’s determined to prove to them he can do it.

But more than that. Max has a heart of gold. This is a man that’s always ready to help those in need, even if he gets nothing out of it. So when he stumbles into a beautiful woman that seems to be running from something. He’s determined to learn her secrets as much as he’s determined to get to her heart. What starts an unlikely friendship soon begins to turn into something so much more.

Willow is on the run, but you don’t know from who or from what. She keeps her secrets well hidden, but her fear is obvious. Admittedly, it took me a bit to get into this story. It’s definitely a slow burn sort of read. It has many different layers that take time to unravel. And while I wasn’t exactly bored, I also wasn’t riveted to the pages. Then when the puzzle pieces began to come together, I was completely sucked in.

This is my second Ava Harrison book and I’m definitely hooked on her brand of story telling.

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

Review: Kingpin’s Property by Julia Sykes

January 22, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

KINGPIN’S PROPERTY
Series: Captive #4
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Julia Sykes
Release Date: January 21, 2020

Carmen Ronaldo is my enemy, an influential player in a rival cartel. She’s also been the object of my twisted obsession for years. Her wickedly sharp mind and fierce demeanor have fascinated me for over a decade, but it’s her carefully concealed, sweetly innocent nature that I’ve come to covet. The thorny contempt she displays for me is nothing more than armor, a means of protecting her gentler soul from the monsters that inhabit our cruel criminal underworld.

Monsters like me.

When I decimate her organization, I’m not merciful enough to spare her. For too long, my ruthless instinct to possess Carmen has been denied. I want her sweetness all for myself, and I will mercilessly employ the most deviant methods to earn her surrender.

She’s my trophy, my prize of war. I intend to cage her and tame her; a symbol of my absolute victory and dominion over my newly conquered territory.

Carmen is no longer my enemy. She’s my pet, my plaything.

She’s just mine.

Note: Kingpin’s Property can be read as a standalone dark romance novel.

AMAZON

I won’t stop, not even when you beg me to. You will weep for mercy, and you’ll find that I have none. I will shatter you.” 

This series has quickly become one of my favorite guilty pleasures. There’s just something so satisfying about Julia Sykes intensely possessive antiheroes. And I mean INTENSELY POSSESSIVE. Kingpin’s Property is the story of Carmen and Stefano’s story.

Now I will say that pretty much every antihero in the Captive series is almost borderline sociopath with their lack of empathy and violent streaks, there’s just something so charmingly enigmatic about Stefano. While the previous men in the series have been dark, broody, and utterly terrifying, Stefano is different. Well, he’s still dark, broody, and utterly terrifying. But he’s also charming, in a borderline sociopathic way. Does that even make sense here? Roll with me on this. What I mean is, the man knows how to layer on the charm, while still being the violent and menacing cartel boss that he is.

This story picks up immediately where Pretty Hostage ended, with the siege of the Ronaldo cartel. Carmen thought that in exchange for her help to get Sofia away from the clutches of her cruel brother, she’d make a deal with the devil. She promised Adrián to help his men access their territory, allow them to kill her brother so that she may take over as the head of the cartel. Unfortunately, Adrián’s got a deal of his own with Stefano. And Stefano? He wants Carmen. To take her. To have her. To own her. But Carmen will not go easy.

What I really loved about this book was how fierce Carmen was. Faced with impossible odds and having survived horrors that still haunt her, the woman is a fighter until the bitter end. She gives as good as she gets and she’s not afraid to goad and torture Stefano, even if she thinks it’s to her death. Stefano is a bit of an enigma. He lacks empathy allowing him to be the deadly cartel boss that he is, but his feelings for Carmen confound him.

This was a delicious game of cat and mouse. Reaching the push and pull between these two was incredibly entertaining. There’s also two new secondary characters that are introduced and I’m so excited to get their book next. But as for this one? Satisfying to the last page.

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Review: Descent by Natasha Knight

January 20, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

DESCENT
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: January 20, 2020

Persephone Abbot is in my debt.
Exactly the way I want it.

The sins of the father should not be inherited by the daughter. It’s unfair, I know, but since when has life been fair?

The events that brought us here began on Halloween night more than five years ago in that chapel ruin. I saved her that night. Carried her home through the storm that was the omen warning of what would come.

I didn’t know it then, but I do now.

Her father destroyed something precious. Someone innocent.
I don’t believe in an eye for an eye. I won’t just balance the scales of justice, I’ll tip them so far in my favor his legacy will topple.

I’ll take that which is most precious. His daughter. I’ll own her. Make her mine.

But I’m not the only monster lurking in the dark corners of her world. She’ll sleep in the bed of the beast but I’ll keep her safe. Protect her fiercely.

And maybe I’ll keep her.

Set in the Benedetti Mafia World, Descent is a brand new Standalone Enemies-to-Lovers Romance.

AMAZON

Persephone Abbot belongs to me. She always has. And now, she belongs in my bed, too. And I’ll make sure she stays there no matter what I have to do.

Natasha Knight books are like crack for me. I devour them in one sitting and can never get enough. Her stories are sexy and addictive, and Descent was no exception. It was deliciously sinful, gritty, and with a dark undercurrent that I was immediately hooked on.

Hades.
He was my savior once.
Twice.
Now he’s become my tormentor.
And I don’t ever want him to let me go.

Persephone is reeling in the aftermath of her beloved father tragic accident and trying to hold together the pieces of his crumbling empire. Hayden “Hades” is a boy that she was enraptured by in her past, but is now the man that threatens everything she holds dear. He now holds the key to her father’s company, house, and he’s not above making her beg for it. A deal is struck, Persephone, in exchange for her continuing to live in her family house that Hades now owns, and keep the name of her father’s company that now lies in Hades’s ownership as well.

Hades has a clear axe to grind with the Abbots, and Persephone is a convenient collateral. He’s wanted her for years, and now he intends to have her. Even if he has to buy her to do it. He knows something that Percy doesn’t about her father. But Percy also has secrets of her own. Dark secrets that could unravel everything.

Descent was a page turner full of secrets, plot twists, and sizzling romance. It was sinfully sexy and deliciously dark. There’s plenty of secrets that get unraveled here, but it also left me with quite a few questions. I’m not sure if the plot just wasn’t finished and may be continued in the next book, or if it was meant to be that way. It felt a little…rushed towards the end and there were some gaps that I had hoped would be addressed. But that aside, I enjoyed this story thoroughly. And can’t wait for more in this world!

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Review: The Fight For Forever by Meghan March

January 18, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

THE FALL OF LEGEND
Series: Legend Trilogy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: January 14, 2020

New York Times bestselling author Meghan March concludes the Legend Trilogy.

You can only keep what you can protect.

That’s all I’ve ever known.

It’s the way I’ve lived my life.

Now, everything I never knew I needed is at risk, and I’m not letting anyone take it from me.

I won’t let anyone take her from me.

They say love is a battlefield, so I’m ready for war.

This time, it’s the fight for forever.

 

The Fight for Forever is the third book in the Legend Trilogy and should be read after The Fall of Legend and House of Scarlett

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


You aren’t broken. You never were. You don’t need me, Scarlett. But it’s the greatest privilege of my life to be with you.”

How does she continue to do this? How does she create an immensely satisfying conclusion for a story while leaving me a salivating mess for more with intriguing secondary characters? I don’t know and I don’t care. All I know is that I need it all! ALL OF IT!

I live for Meghan March alphas, but Legend’s book was different for me. Having read her entire backlist, I can attest that no one can create a sinfully sexy alpha male quite like March. And Gabriel Legend was definitely an alpha male. And while he’s got that edge that all of her male characters always have, he also had a softer side to him which I adore. You know that saying about the bigger they are, the harder they fall? Well, that saying couldn’t fit Legend any better. Because when this man loves, he loves HARD. And the way that he loves Scarlett made my heart happy. I love how supportive, sweet, and protective he is with her without also losing that delicious edge that he always has.

The conclusion of the trilogy brings with it plenty of intrigue and many answers. I was at the edge of my seat turning each page because I was desperate for answers. The mysterious Moses gets his page time here, and I’m so conflicted with his character it’s not even funny. Only Meghan can give us a villain while also leaving her readers desperate to know more about him.

There were plenty of secondary characters introduced in this trilogy that I’m desperately hoping will be getting their own books. *Cough* Q *cough*

But beyond that, it was a thrilling and riveting conclusion to a deliciously addictive trilogy. While answering plenty of questions, it also left one big one wide open. Which leaves me thinking that March will definitely be doing a spin off where we may get those answers. Or at least I’m being hopefully optimistic because I NEED THAT BOOK. But I digress. This was the perfect conclusion to Scarlett and Legend’s story, and I couldn’t have hoped for a more satisfying ending for them.

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

Sign up for Meghan’s newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers:
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FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

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Review: The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori

January 8, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

THE SWEETEST OBLIVION 
Series: Made #1
Genre: Contemporary, Mafia Romance
Author: Danielle Lori
Release Date: June 20, 2018

She’s a romantic at heart, living in the most unromantic of worlds . . .

Nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature, Elena smiles on cue and has a charming response for everything. She’s the favored daughter, the perfect mafia principessa . . . or was.

Now, all she can see in the mirror’s reflection is blood staining her hands like crimson paint.

They say first impressions are everything . . .

In the murky waters of New York’s underworld, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat—even measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and wide and is darker than his black suits and ties. After his and Elena’s first encounter ends with an accidental glare on her part, she realizes he’s just as rude as he is handsome.

She doesn’t like the man or anything he stands for, though that doesn’t stop her heart from pattering like rain against glass when he’s near, nor the shiver that ghosts down her spine at the sound of his voice.

And he’s always near. Telling her what to do. Making her feel hotter than any future brother-in-law should. Elena may be the Sweet Abelli on the outside, but she’s beginning to learn she has a taste for the darkness, for rough hands, cigarettes, and whiskey-colored eyes. Having already escaped one scandal, however, she can hardly afford to be swept up in another.

Besides, even if he were hers, everyone knows you don’t fall in love with a Made Man . . . right?

This is a standalone forbidden romance.

AMAZON

I wanted to fuck her and ruin her for anyone else. I wanted to crush her wings and then put them back together again so she’d become dependent on me. I wanted her to need me. That dark, possessive, and dangerous feeling crawled through me every time she crossed my path. Elena Abelli was my vice, and fuck if I’d let it kill me.

How is this the only time that this book is hitting my radar? I’m very hesitant with new to me authors, because let’s face it, I’m a picky asshole. So I’m always scared to step out of the comfort zone of my tried and true authors. But boy am I kicking my own ass for waiting this long to read this. This book was recommended to me several times by someone in my Facebook group, so I finally took the plunge and one-clicked. And the rest, as they say, is history. I was immediately enraptured in this world and completely hypnotized by the words.

His presence soaked through my skin with each inhale. His touch and taste and smell sank so deep they filled the cracks of my heart. He was becoming a drug, an addiction I would have to feed every day.

I’ve read my fair share of mafia romance, so believe me when I say it takes a lot to hook me. I need those feels. The intensity. An alpha that will give me goosebumps. And this story had all of it. In spades!

Elena grew up in the mafia. She’s no stranger to the dark underbelly of made men and everything this life means for the women in their life. She’s the oldest daughter in a highly traditional family, but a mistake caused her to fall from grace. Now her younger sister is being promised to one of the most notorious and brutal dons while secretly in love with someone else. Elena is supposed to hate everything Nico means to her and her family now. But beneath the illusion she puts on, Nico makes her burn like no one else. His indifference and cold looks hide a sultry and dominating nature, but it’s a dangerous game they play with their intricate dance they play around each other.

Nico is just….GAH. Intense is an understatement. He may look indifferent to Elena, but he’s anything but. She tempts him and he hates her for it because he can’t have her. That doesn’t mean that he’d allow anyone else to have her, either. The man is possessive with a capital P. I loved his intensity almost as much as I loved the way he oozes sexuality from his every pore.

I wasn’t expecting to like Elena as much as I did. Docile heroines aren’t particularly my jam, but looks are deceiving with Sweet Abelli, because she’s certainly not as sweet or docile as she lets on. She’s not quite a tigress, but she’s not passive either. She gives as good as she takes when it comes to matching Nico barb for barb.

I suddenly knew I would lie, cheat, and steal for this man. I would burn the world for him. He was King of the Cosa Nostra. And he was all mine.

The sexual tension is off the charts here. A slow burn to beat all slow burns. GOD. It hurt so good. What I loved the most is that the author didn’t shy away from giving a dark and captivating view into her mafia world. The romance only added an intricate layer of appeal to an already captivating story.

The only quibble I had was a little too much repetitive internal dialogue from the heroine for my particular taste. But that aside, I was complete enraptured in this book. I am hooked, line and sinker on this series, and will be diving right into book two!

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Review: In Peace Lies Havoc by Amo Jones

December 29, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

IN PEACE LIES HAVOC
Series: Midnight Mayhem #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Amo Jones
Release Date: November 5, 2019

My name is Dove Hendry.

???? ?? ???????? ?????.

I was captured by darkness.

??? ??? ?????? ???? ????…

They groomed me for Midnight Mayhem. Like a trained possession, weak against their control.

??? ??? ???? ??????????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ?????. ??? ???? ?????’? ???? ?? ???…

But Midnight Mayhem was the stained glass that concealed a very dark culture.

? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ??.

The Brothers of Kiznitch come in fours, and they’re not happy about me being hustled into their acts.

?? ??? ??? ???????, ?????? ????. ? ??????? ?? ? ??????? ??? ? ??????…

Mind-tricks.

Stunts.

Deceit.

?????.

But there’s something uglier that has been haunting me for years upon years. So ugly that I have never seen it’s face. I never had to. I’d hear his whispers through my internal screams, feel his shadow brush against my nightmares. He was my the monster that tormented me.

??? ????? ????? ????? ???? ???…

When I started Midnight Mayhem, his presence faded.

His whispers were silenced.

His shadow dissolving without a trace.

I wondered why that was.

??? ????’? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ????…

AMAZON


This is neither a circus nor a carnival. This is what happens when the clock strikes twelve and all of the monsters you thought never existed expose themselves.”

Well, hot damn, I did not expect this. I’ve been eyeing Amo Jones books for too long, and the blurb of this one just spoke to me. The second I read the blurb for this book, I knew this would be my first book by this author. And you know what? I’m completely hooked.

The story was so completely out of left field, and everything I never knew I wanted. I don’t even know how to begin categorizing this story. Dark? Fantasy? A total and complete mindf*ck? All of the above? Suffice it to say I spent the better part of the first half asking myself what the hell I was reading and what in the ever loving hell was happening. The first half was one convoluted mindf*ck, but yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I was completely captivated and riveted to the pages.

Love is a battlefield, and my knight is a villain.

Dove has been through plenty in her young love. After brutally losing her parents, she’s coasted from foster home to foster home, and is now making ends meet as a stripper. Dance has always been a love of hers, and this is the one form of it she can allow herself. But her living and waking nightmare has been haunted by a shadow; a presence that’s as threatening as it is alluring and mysterious.

You see, when I was a little girl, a shadow chased me. An entity. Instead of stepping out from behind it to feel the sun against my skin, this shadow ruined every expectation I had of seeing the light.

Then suddenly the presence that she’s felt in the dark corners constantly watching her isn’t just a figment of her mind. It’s all too real, when she finds herself taken and thrown into the dark and mysterious world of Midnight Mayhem. It’s not a circus, it’s not a carnival, it’s something altogether other, and at the heart of it are The Brothers of Kiznitch. All four are darkly handsome and hauntingly dangerous, but only one of them makes her heart beat a different rhythm every time he glares in her direction; King.

Now here’s the thing, at first I questioned the connection between these two. Dove was too much of a pushover for my particular tastes. She would cave at the simplest push when it came to the brothers. There was a backbone somewhere there, and I was desperately hoping that she would let it show sooner rather than later. But as the puzzle pieces began to click in place around the 70% mark, I began to have one ah ha moment after another. All of the questions I had in the first half began to get answered and I couldn’t tear myself way.

Now I will say that because I’m ultimately a picky shit, I did come across one too many continuity issues that bothered me. There were parts that also just didn’t make sense. Like in on one page we learn that Dove barely speaks due to trauma in her past and in the next breath she’s revealing this trauma and explaining her symptoms in perfect detail to a perfect stranger…and then it never comes up again. It’s like she never had it to begin with.

But here’s the thing, at the end of the day, I just couldn’t bring myself to care less about any of this because I was completely enraptured by this story. Amo Jones is clearly one devious mind, and knows how to weave one screwed up tale. And for this reader? It’s absolute catnip.

King was the ultimate villain and the anti-hero that I loved to hate. He runs hot and cold. He’s dangerous and brimming with barely restrained violence. I couldn’t get enough of him. There’s plenty of secondary characters that were equally enigmatic that I can’t wait to learn more about in the next books.

As for this one, while it may not have been prefect, it was entertaining AF! With every detail that was revealed, I fell further and further under the spell of Midnight Mayhem. Now if total alphaholes aren’t your thing, this book probably won’t hit all the right spots for you. But it sure as hell did for me. Dove came more out of her shell in the last part of the story and her behavior in the beginning certainly made more sense.

Amo Jones, you’re an evil genius, and I for one can’t wait to see what that devious brain of yours will think up next!

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Review: Stealing Beauty by Julia Sykes

December 27, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

STEALING BEAUTY
Series: Captive #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Julia Sykes
Release Date: January 15, 2019

Valentina loathes me as much as I despise her. That doesn’t stop me from kidnapping her, stealing her away for myself.

She was brought into my home when we were teenagers, her virgin body sold to my father to pay a debt. She was meant to be his plaything, but I claimed her innocence for myself.

Now, ten years have separated us, and hatred has festered in my heart. The girl I once loved is a stunning woman, and she thinks she belongs to someone else.

As the most notorious, sadistic drug lord on the west coast, I thrive on power and control. Her defiance tempts and torments me, and I’ll never tire of devising devious punishments to keep her in line. She can’t escape my cruel touch and harsh discipline.

No one will take her from me. I’ll kill anyone who tries.

Valentina was always meant to be mine. Nothing will stop me from possessing her, body and soul.

Note: Stealing Beauty can be read as a standalone dark romance novel.

AMAZON

I could be sadistic, but that didn’t mean I loved her any less. If anything, my love for her was so obsessive that it drove me to the brink of madness.

Oh, this was so deliciously dark and captivating. I’ll admit that I really read this series backasswards, like I normally do. I started with Pretty Hostage (book 3) and then dove into this one. And everything that I felt was missing for me in book three, this book had in spades.

Adrián was EVERYTHING. He was intense, brimming with barely restrained violence, and positively oozing sex. I loved everything about this man. His possessiveness and protectiveness that goes right along with his rough edges and anger. Adrián and Valentina have a history of love and betrayal, but he knows just one small piece of everything that Valentina has been through and survived at the hands of her “husband”.

Valnetina has lived through hell over the last few years. Given as payment for a debt to a violent and brutal man, the only peace she knew was in the company of handsome boy. But then that boy was gone and she was left with a monster. Now Adrián is back, he’s kidnapped her from her captor, but he’s determined to make her pay for sins that she hasn’t committed.

I really loved the way that this story played out. I loved watching Adrián fall harder and harder for Valentina. I loved that Valentina is still a warrior and survivor even after everything she’s been through. I loved the two of them together. And I loved the dark edges of this story. Everything weaved together perfectly to make this an absolute page turner. It was dark and dangerous, sexy and turbulent. It was everything I enjoy in a dark romance and I can’t wait for the fourth book in this sinfully addictive series!

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