Jennifer’s Review: Degrees of Control by @Eve_Dangerfield

June 24, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

DEGREES OF CONTROL
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: November 30, 2015

Charlotte Bell is a typical yoga teacher. She’s friendly, earnest and has some slightly masochistic tendencies…
After a painful break-up she’s determined to address her long-denied kinks with the kind of man she’s always been too terrified to approach. Charlie’s friends select James Hunter, a male model turned suit who has some dark inclinations of his own. After a ‘chance’ encounter at a party James agrees to school Charlie in the harsher side of sex.
James knows she’s too genuine, too kind, too everything for a guy like him, but he won’t turn down a chance to break in a starry-eyed submissive, especially not who can wrap her legs around her head. As Charlie and James attempt a strings-free sexual relationship they’re alarmed to discover a connection that runs deeper than either of them could have predicted. The only question is, where will it lead them?
Content Notes: Intense, D/s Elements, Spanking, BDSM, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary

AMAZON

4 I’m-boiling-after-this-book (in-a-good-way) Stars!!!

If you are looking for something off-the-charts HOT (Duh, aren’t we all?), then look no further. This is the book for you!

à la Mode St. » fashion

He was a wolf and she wanted to get eaten.

à la Mode St. » fashionEve Dangerfield. I feel like her name exploded, and I started hearing it from every single one of my favorite authors telling me to read her books in the same week! I was immediately intrigued when Tessa Bailey AND Skye Warren both recommended her books. When this book came up as the Buddy Read book in Skye’s Dangerous Book Club, I knew I had to jump on it.

James. He is the whole package. Sexy, southern drawl. He’s got the smile. He’s got the abs. He’s got the fingers…Got it? Good. He is the worst man-whore. And everything that Charlotte needs in a rebound. She recently escaped from a horrible relationship, and realizing that she needs a dominant male in the bedroom who isn’t afraid to give her some kink, chooses James to rebound her into oblivion. And yes. Yes, he does.
fan the voice christina aguilera fanning GIFCharlotte. She is the tiny, vegan yoga instructor with big eyes and big boobs, and James digs everything part of her right away. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to tell him exactly what she wanted. I really enjoyed her character, especially the witty dialogue with her friends. I usually don’t care for “girlfriend chat” in romance books, but this was different from the typical and I found myself smiling that this small group of friends that watch each other’s backs.

THE DIRTY TALK. This gets a whole paragraph of its own. Because it was scorching! Dirty talk is my #1, so if you screw it up, I will let you know. And Eve NAILED IT. This book has everything I could ever ask for to make me hot & satisfied.
à la Mode St. » fashion

”You wanna get off easy, sweetheart? Sit on a vibrator. I’m not feeling particularly charitable tonight.” James pushed inside her, urging her thighs wider with his big hands. “This is how I like you, sweetheart. Mouth shut, legs open, your tight little pussy full.”

à la Mode St. » fashionI’m just gonna be honest. Most of this book was hot, dirty sex (no complaints here), but the last quarter did not disappoint with bringing the feels. I loved how James redeemed himself. I couldn’t resist James during this whole book.

This was my first book by Eve, and I will be reading ALL of her books after this one.

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Review & Excerpt: Too Close To Call by Tessa Bailey

June 20, 2017 by · 1 Comment

TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Series: Romancing The Clarksons #3.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 13, 2017

All-American wide receiver Kyler Tate’s life is about to change. A fairytale college career skyrocketed him to the NFL draft. Adoration and opportunity are thrown in his direction wherever he goes, thanks to being chosen in the first round by the Los Angeles Rage.

None of the accolades mean anything, though, without his high school sweetheart, Bree Justice, by his side. Four years ago, she walked away from Kyler, choosing a quiet life over the flash and notoriety his career would someday bring.

Now he’s back in their Indiana hometown, refusing to leave for Los Angeles without her. Demanding she give their life together a shot.

Her heart never stopped bleeding for the love of her life, but Bree’s decision was final.

Too bad their wild attraction has only been amplified by their separation, and Kyler won’t quit until Bree is wearing his ring.

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“Bree.” Her blood snapped with electricity at the sound of her name, said in that low drawl. Kyler stepped to the forefront of the crowd. The green eyes that still graced her dreams zeroed in, raking over her like they couldn’t help it.Heaven above, four years looked incredible on him. Extra inches had been added everywhere. His height. The athletic breadth of his shoulders. The corded biceps that tested the stitching of his T-shirt sleeves. Even his thighs, which were wrapped up in faded denim, were exploding with muscle; thighs she’d spent a good portion of her youth perched on since Kyler never allowed her to sit anywhere but his lap, no matter where they were or whether it was appropriate. “Hello.”

“Hello,” she whispered. “You’re in town.”

His slow nod was so familiar a ripple moved through her. “Here for the week. Can I get you that coffee?”

“No.” She flushed over her own abruptness. “I meant to say, I can’t stay. I’m going to be late for an appointment.”

“Fine. I’ll walk you out.”

His expression dared her to say no. Challenged her. And for the first time since Kyler left, sexual awareness danced in her middle, sending a swift tremble down the length of her legs. Because her body hadn’t forgotten what often lay on the other side of those challenges. “Fine,” she breathed. “Suit yourself.”

For all his sexual energy, Kyler was a gentleman, straight down to the soles of his feet. So Bree wasn’t one bit surprised when his long gait ate up the distance between them. He reached over her head to push open the glass door, sending his scent crashing into her senses, the combination so familiar, Bree’s nipples tightened until she winced. Grassy fields and Nautica Blue aftershave.

Their gazes clashed, but Bree couldn’t decide if he’d worn the scent on purpose. His steady eyes gave nothing away. Before hers could betray her curiosity, Bree turned and passed through the door Kyler held open. And hell if it wasn’t the longest walk in history, his presence behind her looming larger than a mountain. Every eyeball in the diner was sure to be on them and the attention made Bree twitchy, her fingers yanking on the strings of her hoodie.

She needed to get this reunion over with as soon as possible. Being around Kyler would only make her wonder what might have been. That kind of thinking was pointless. Destructive.

Back in high school, the writing had been on the wall when it came to Kyler. Everyone knew he’d been destined for greatness. That he would shake off Bloomfield and put his name in the history books. She’d been selfish to stay with him for so long, absorbing his love and attention, all the while knowing she’d wave good-bye to him someday. The decision was a painful one, but it had been made and now she would stick to it.

What happens later?”
Kyler moved in and brushed his lips along her jawline. “Depends on how good of friends we want to be.” One hand lifted to squeeze her hip, slow and possessive, that low voice directly against her ear. “Me, Bree? All due respect, I want to be the kind of friend who takes your panties home in his pocket. The kind of friend who sucks your lower lip until your fingers start fumbling with his zipper. You need a friend like that?” His labored breath matched hers. “Because trust me when I say I’ll be your best fucking friend.”

All of the pervy shudders! ALL OF THEM! Tessa Bailey scores another touchdown with her latest installment in the Romancing The Clarksons series and I couldn’t be more satisfied. There is nothing better than a swoony second chance romance for me…unless that second chance romance is written by the queen of dirty talk! So color me one happy reader here, because GAH!

I’ve been hoping that Kyler will get a book ever since he was first introduced in Too Hard to Forget. The sweet southern boy with a heart of gold drafted into the NFL thanks to his college coach also known as The Kingmaker. But all that wasn’t what intrigued me about him. It was this echo of sadness that drew me to him. It was hints a man with a broken heart that completely sucked me in.

Back in high school Kyler Tate and Bree Sutton were inseperable; high school sweethearts with their entire life ahead of them…until it wasn’t. Bree broke Kyler’s heart but he’s never forgotten or gotten over the first and only girl that stole his heart. Now he’s back in town before he has to go to training and he’s determined that this time will be different. This time, he’ll get the NFL dream AND the girl and he’s not afraid to fight dirty to get it.

There’s only us, Bree.” He shook his head. “The rest is just noise.”

Kyler goes after Bree with singleminded intent. He’ll woo her into being his friend again and then he’ll slowly break it to her that he’s still madly in love with her. If only Bree wasn’t convinced that their dreams are too different and her life is meant for the small town while his is under the bright lights of a stadium; a light she doesn’t see herself sharing.

Too Close To Call was a ridiculously sweet and swoony romance. Kyler was everything I thought he’d be and yet so much more. With the perfect mix of dirty and sexy, this man was pure temptation with a heart of gold. He loved Bree fiercely and no matter how many years they spent apart, that never faded. You can practically cut the sexual tension between them with a knife.

This was the perfect read to spend a weekend with. It’s short yet incredibly satisfying; packed full of feeling and oh so steamy! I can’t wait for the next one but this was the perfect read to tide me over until Sage and Belmont’s book.

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

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New Release & Review: Lost Without You by M. O’Keefe

June 19, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

LOST WITHOUT YOU
Series: The Debt #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: M. O’Keefe
Release Date: June 19, 2017

ALL DEBTS MUST BE PAID

Tommy

Seven years ago, I thought I could save Beth, the girl I loved from the monster who was supposed to take care of us. I thought I could keep Beth and all the other kids at St. Jude’s Home for Court Placed Juveniles safe.

I failed. Badly. Now we all have blood on our hands and owe a dangerous man a very dangerous debt. We don’t know when he’ll come calling for payment, but when he does – we pay, or we suffer.

When my turn comes, I’m ready for anything.

Except seeing Beth again.

LOVE IS NEVER FREE

Beth

No one ever tells you that the cost of having your dreams come true is literally every single other part of your life. Yes, I’m a huge pop star these days, but I’m pretty much a mess, too.

I’ve spent my life hiding behind disguises, make-up and costumes, all to protect myself from the kind of pain that comes from revealing your true self to someone.

I did that once. With Tommy. The only person I ever loved. It didn’t turn out so well.

And now, with everything else falling apart around me, I’m suddenly in the backseat of his car.

Being kidnapped.

And the past we’ve both tried to run from is catching up with us.

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I wanted everything we never did. Everything I’d dreamed of. Everything I didn’t even know to dream about.

Molly O’Keefe is the queen of broken characters. She weaves incredibly poignant stories that never fail to hit you right in the feels and stay with you. She creates these beautifully broken characters that somehow burrow their way into your heart and you’ll find yourself thinking about them long after finishing the book. Lost Without You was just another reason why I’ve been obsessed with everything this author writes. It was emotional with just an edge of dark, full of feeling, and a book that you’ll read with a resounding feeling of dread as you wait for the other shoe to drop.

She was tourmaline and I was fucking concrete. But she always had been. And I’d always known it.

Seven years ago, Beth and Tommy were each other’s salvation in one the darkest parts of their childhood. An innocent, young love forged at a time when they needed each other the most. But then one night change the course of all their lives. A choice was made and a debt must be paid.

I tightened. I clenched. I became hard and solid and impenetrable. I made myself my own armor. And it hurt. And it ached. But it kept me safe.

In the present, Tommy is no longer the skinny starved boy he used to be. He’s reserved, closed off, and just as broken as he once was, if not more. But he’s grown into his body and can now stand his own. When the debt he owes finally comes calling, he finds himself facing a memory he’s spent the last seven years trying to forget; Beth, his Beth, but no longer the Beth that he knew.

Seven years has changed a lot for Beth. Now a famous pop star, Beth hides the girl she used to be behind a veil of fake armor and makeup. When faced with a blast from her past and the boy that she never got over, she finds herself chipping away at her own armor for the mere chance to get lost in him one last time.

We kissed like we were dying. Like an antidote for pain was in each other’s mouths. We kissed like it was the first time and the last time all at once.

But fate is not on their side, and circumstances are dire. Giving into feelings of the past can cost them both everything and for Tommy, it just might.

Lost Without You is no light read. It’s full of emotion and an undercurrent of grit. Both Beth and Tommy are broken characters. Life has dealt them different cards, but certainly not easy ones. I ached for these two and everything they’ve been through and continue to go through. Don’t expect much happy to be found in this book, though. As the first in the duet, O’Keefe lays the groundwork for what will certainly prove to be one satisfying HEA (or so I hope). You really get to the depths of these characters and see the hell that they’ve lived through. And while Tommy’s secrets are flayed open, Beth continues to be a bit of a mystery.

Consider me hooked, because I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book to see how everything gets resolved. You get a whammy of a cliff hanger at the end, but luckily the wait for book two isn’t too long.

PREORDER WHERE I BELONG – June 26th

THE GIRL I LOVED IS THE WOMAN I CAN’T HAVE

It was simple: Pay the debt and I stay out of jail. Pay the debt and I stay alive.

But I sacrificed it all for Beth.

I didn’t pay what I owed. I’m sure punishment is coming, but I can take it – as long as Beth is safe. Away from her mother and everyone else who would hurt her.

I gave it all up for two days with her. And it was worth it.

She always was.

THE SECRETS WE KEEP ARE WHAT TEARS US APART

We’re supposed to be done. Over. Tommy goes his way, I go mine. Cue the heartbreaking music.

I’m supposed to forget him, but I don’t think I can. And when the danger closes in on Tommy, we’re on the run again. From Bates. From my mother. From our past. And there are no safe places to hide.

Except one. And it’s the place that will hurt Tommy the most.

But maybe it’s time for me to face my past. My demons.

Maybe it’s time for me to save Tommy for once.

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Molly O’Keefe is an award-winning author of over 30 romance novels. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her family and the largest heap of dirty laundry in North America. Sign up for her newsletter to get release day news, exclusive excerpts, sale announcements and in-depth author interviews!

Connect with Molly:

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Review: The Darkest Promise by Gena Showalter

June 18, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE DARKEST PROMISE
Series: The Lords of the Underworld #13
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 13, 2017

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn’t allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him – until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they’ve forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever.

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He couldn’t get enough of her, this woman who’d enchanted him past all reason. She was passion and pleasure, suddenly his sole reason for breathing.”

Is it just me, or does the wait between releases in this series get more and more painful every time I finish another book? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve been rocking myself in a corner ever since we got teased with the possibility of Lazarus and Cameo back in The Darkest Touch. You’d think that after 13 books in a series, I’d find my enjoyment waning, but it’s the opposite. My obsession grows with each new character that gets introduced and I find myself wanting on bated breath until the next release.

Lazarus and Cameo were everything I’d hoped they would be and so much more! With Gena’s signature humor, plenty of steam, and a plot that only gets more riveting with every page you turn; The Darkest Promise was an unputdownable read from beginning to finish.

Did you know twenty-one percent of women are unable to achieve an orgasm?”
“Must be the twenty-one percent I haven’t slept with. I’m an orgasm donor.”

After Strider decapitated Lazarus back in The Darkest Surrender, I couldn’t wait to see how everything unraveled. How is Lazarus still alive? Is it just because he’s in the spirit realm. How could Cameo and him possibly make it work? How can he possibly see past Cameo’s demon of Misery to the woman that’s yearning for touch and love hidden beneath? Where is Pandora’s box? And how will the war between Lucifer and Hades effect the Lords and their friends.

While we get answers to plenty of those questions, the final one is still keeping us hanging, and I for one can’t wait to see what happens next. As for Lazarus and Cameo, I loved these two together. You truly get to see Cameo’s fierce side come out in this book. The side that’s so often veiled by the effects of Misery. I loved finally getting that piece of her, and Lazarus was the perfect man to bring it out.

A king by force. A drug dealer by choice. A lover by necessity.”

With plenty of secrets of his own, Lazarus “The Cruel and Unusual”, the only son of The Monster, is one intriguing character. Ruler of the Realm of Grimm and Fantica, he’s a man that’s as equally feared for his ruthlessness as he is for his sexual appeal. But Lazarus is hiding a deadly secret; one that can cost him everything at the hands of the only woman that he craves like no other.

Despite the demon, she was the light in Lazarus’s darkness. She was smart and she was…everything. Before her, he’d known rage. Somehow, she had filled him with joy.”

There’s a lot that happens in this book and there’s a couple of new characters that get introduced that I’m already salivating for. One of them happens to have a very intriguing connection to Hades that I absolutely cannot wait to read about.

I binge read this book and found myself dreading the end of it. I love Showalter’s humor and how she effortlessly manages to weave into her stories. Her characters may be tortured, but they don’t take themselves too seriously, and I love it.

I can walk into a room and ruin a party,” she snapped. “You can open your mouth and do the same.”
Not missing a beat—when did he ever?—he traced his white-hot tongue around the shell of her ear. “Speaking of a party… I’m inviting myself to the one in your pants.”

Despite Cameo’s demon, I loved her as a heroine. I was afraid that being inside her head would be…well…depressing. And while it wasn’t full of rainbows and unicorns, I loved her inner monologue.

Her pain was so strong, so shrill she could almost understand a man’s suffering when he had a cold.”

As for the rest, guess you’ll just have to read it to find out. But here’s a small hint about what you’ll find here:
1. William and his obsession with Ginny (we get a step closer and one HUGE twist into their story)
2. Hades. Holy mother of set ups but if what happens in this book is the possibility of what’s to come, I’m practically salivating already.
3. Viola. Man oh man but the plot thickens with this one. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

I’m pretty sure that I may throw a slight tantrum if William’s book isn’t next. So I’ll just be here on pins and needles, waiting to see just who Gena will give us with book 14.

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

THE DARKEST NIGHT | THE DARKEST KISS | THE DARKEST PLEASURE | THE DARKEST WHISPER | THE DARKEST PASSION | THE DARKEST LIE | THE DARKEST SECRET | THE DARKEST SURRENDER | THE DARKEST SEDUCTION | THE DARKEST CRAVING | THE DARKEST TOUCH | THE DARKEST TORMENT

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Release Blitz & Review: Torrid by Nikki Sloane

June 15, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

TORRID
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Nikki Sloane
Release Date: June 13, 2017

Vasilije Markovic is the prince of the Serbian mafia and one of the most powerful men in Chicago. His smile may be razor sharp, but he’s crueler than the devil.

I’m playing a dangerous game and betting my life I’m going to win. I pretend to be his pawn. I do as he says and move where he tells me, letting him think he’s in control as I position myself for revenge.

Every turn brings us closer. His grin doesn’t seem as evil when we’re alone. Behind closed doors, I welcome his unrelenting and vicious personality. He’s confessed all his secrets, but I’m holding one back and it’s a game changer.

If I survive the board, this pawn turns into a queen. I become the most powerful player and send all the other pieces running.

To get what I want, I must make sacrifices, but am I willing to draw the line at him?

 

Torrid by Nikki Sloane is NOW AVAILABLE!

The release week special edition features a BONUS BOOK of Sordid (previously banned on Amazon!)

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He looked like a guy who wanted to fuck me and throw me away, just like my father had done to my mother. The difference was I knew who I was dealing with. I might not outsmart the devil, but I was willing to deal with him.

If it’s dark, depraved, and with a splash of kinky…this girl is ALL over it. What? Why are you looking at me like that? It just so happens that I have a serious reader hard-on for the fucked up ones. And prince of the Serbian mafia, Vasilije Markovic? Oh he’s every single kind of fucked up. *pervy shudder*

His tongue tangled with mine as we battled for control over my mouth. I lost, of course. He was the devil and tasted like sin. Dark, delicious evil.

Pretending to be the pawn in the game of a devil is a dangerous game, but it’s exactly where circumstances find Oksana. Hiding a secret that can cost her her life and on a mission that just as may save it, she’s playing with a man that shouldn’t be toyed with. Vasilije is cold, ruthless, and for some depraved reason in the very dark part of her mind, draws her in. There’s nothing between them but power play and kinky sex, until something more begins to develop. But can either of them survive when all the secrets finally get revealed?

Her kiss was a fist wrapped in velvet. I kept my defenses down and let her deliver one blow after another. Kiss after soft, gentle kiss, lulling me in. I wouldn’t feel the damage until it was too late.

Torrid was a deliciously depraved read from beginning to end. It was just the right amount of dark with a splash of intrigue and a whole lot of sexy.

There’s nothing I hate more in my dark reads than a simpering weak heroine, so I’m thrilled at the way that Oksana was portrayed. This is no weak little butterfly. She’s a serpent in her own right and the more you find out about her the more her connection to Vasilije makes sense. This is a woman that’s not afraid to give as good as she takes, and man but does Vasilije make her take. *fans self*

As for Vasilije? The man is all kinds of messed up and I love him for it. Deep beneath the fancy suits and heart of a killer, there’s also something else. Something that beats only for Oksana. And I loved seeing that connection form throughout the story. This is no insta love story and I appreciate how believable the author made it seem. I didn’t have a chance to read the first book since it was banned from Amazon, but now I’m super intrigued with Luka after getting a peek into the Markovic brothers in this one. I’ve been a fan of this author since Three Simple Rules and I’m even more hooked on her words now. The woman can write dark just as well as she writes smutty and I can’t wait for more!

Torrid was dark, deliciously dirty, slightly depraved, and a lot addicting. If you’re a fan of gritty mafia romance with a whole lot of steam, you can’t go wrong with this book!

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 and manages a team of graphic artists. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, is married with two sons, writes dirty books, and couldn’t be any happier.

Stalk Nikki:

Website: http://www.nikkisloane.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikkisloaneauthor/?fref=ts

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorNSloane

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fsTzpI

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/NikkiSloane

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Review: Love In Transit

June 14, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

LOVE IN TRANSIT ANTHOLOGY
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 1, 2017

Find out what happens when you give six authors the SAME blurb and they write their OWN story.

The blurb:

You know those people that have a house full of motivational slogans? Embrace Every Moment, stamped on their coffee mugs. Always Kiss Me Goodnight painted above their perfectly made beds.

I’m not one of those people.

This morning I overslept, then slipped on a stray sock and banged my toe into the nightstand. The elevator in my building broke and I had to run down six flights of stairs. And then my local coffee shop was closed. For health code violations.

What’s that? Not the end of the world? You want me to suck it up?

Did I mention I’m wearing a wedding dress… on the subway?

It’s a Good Day for a Hot Mess.

Someone embroider that on a pillow.

AMAZON

One blurb. Six different authors. Six entirely different and unique takes. What does it add up to? A super entertaining read! My review is for:

(1) The Hammersmith & City Line by Kitty French= 4 STARS

and

(2) The Loop by BJ Harvey= 4 STARS

The Hammersmith & City Line by Kitty French

We’re going to go out there and be enemies for the purposes of the show, and I’m going to beat you this round. And then once the camera stops rolling, I’m going to get you out of this dress, spread your legs, and give you the fucking of your life. Your clit’s gonna remember me forever.”

What could possibly go wrong when you let your best friend and bridezilla convince you to don a tacky wedding dress to go head to head with two other women on a TV show for the chance to win a dream wedding? Well… a lot. One, the women you’re supposed to be competing against are actually two men. One is a future groom competing on his bride’s behalf, and the second is his BFF and the man you shared an intense moment of sizzling attraction on the subway. Sparks fly. Sassy TV show host snark. And passions ignite in this super entertaining novella.

This was so much fun to read. I adored these two characters together. I loved how well Kitty French managed to develop them in so few pages. There’s plenty of depth and a perfect amount of humor to go with this super cute story. If you’re a fan of Kitty French, this is not to be missed!

The Loop by BJ Harvey

If I’ve only got ten hours to change the course of her life—and mine—then I’m damn well going to make the most of it.

BJ Harvey delivers a sizzling second chance romance featuring Sarah and Cameron. They fell in love as teenagers and then Cam left her heartbroken when he broke things off and went off to the army. The last time he saw her was when he left his privileged life behind for basic training. But not all is at it seems for Cam and his family. Now having severed all ties with his philandering father, he’s back in Chicago and a chance meeting with his first love allows him to finally right a wrong and get her back.

I love a steamy second chance romance and this one certainly fit the bill. In usual BJ Harvey fashion, the heroine was full of sass and the book a mix of humor and steam. I have to admit that I struggled a bit to understand why Cam took so long to seek her out since he’s been back in town and his reasons didn’t mesh with me. On the one hand, I got it. On the other hand, it also didn’t. If that even makes sense.

Ultimately this was still a fun and steamy novella and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I plan on reading the rest of the stories in the anthology eventually as well, but being a huge fan of these two authors, I had to read their stories for. A definite rec from this girl!

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Review: Open Hearts by Eve Dangerfield

June 1, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

OPEN HEARTS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: April 25, 2017

Ash Bennett’s had enough. She’s not wasting any more time longing for Prince Charming and getting stuck with Prince ‘Babe, What’s For Dinner?’

If she can’t find a respectable, self-sufficient man to start a family with she’ll just do it by herself. It’s better than pinning all your hopes on a guy who’s never going to make you happy. Take Dean Sherwood, sure he’s stupid hot but that doesn’t pay the bills or remember to pick you up from the airport. No, they’re just having a little fun until Ash can find a donor. Right?
If only it was that easy…

Everyone loves Dean. He’s easygoing, a great footballer and always up for a beer or sixteen. He also has the attention span of a Cocker Spaniel on MDMA, but that’s never been a problem where the opposite sex is concerned. At least it wasn’t until he met Ash. Beautiful, driven and wild in bed; she’s all he’s ever wanted in a wife.

Unfortunately, he’s far from what she wants in a husband, what with his perpetually empty bank account and inability to cook anything other than bacon. When she tells him he’s not baby-daddy material, Dean vows to become the man she needs, whatever it takes.
Open Hearts is the sequel to Locked Box. It features angst, bogans, hot sex, naked snowboarding and the triumphant return of Max and Julia who are dealing with a romantic dilemma of their own.

AMAZON

 

She kissed Dean, no, she attacked Dean, sinking her fists deep into his hair and claiming him like she was a Viking warrior and he, a helpless English milkmaid.

If you were to tell me before I started this book that I would fall fast and hard for a lovable doofus ginger of a hero, I’d have laughed in your face. If you were to tell me that this lovable doofus also happens to have a VERY unorthodox kink in the bedroom, I’d have run for the hills. But I’m here to tell you that it’s exactly what happened. If there’s one thing I love, it’s out of the box characters. Characters that are different from the status quo of romance novels, and this story should be a how to on how to pull it off. Eve Dangerfield did a flawless job delivering main characters that have more flaws than I could count, yet are so incredibly endearing, you can’t help but love them.

God, he was something else. A big dumb sweetheart. Ash just wanted to take his hand, tell him everything was going to be okay, gently steer him towards a quiet room and fuck the shit out of him.

Ash is tired of dating losers. She doesn’t remember what it’s like to be on her own but one disastrous relationship after another has burned her out. After the rough upbringing in the slums that her and her sister had, all she wants is a family, a baby. And if she can’t find a man responsible enough to give one to her and hold down a job for more than a day, she’ll make it happen on her own.

Dean is her sister’s boyfriend’s best friend and as ditzy as they come. He hasn’t held the same job for longer than a year, has the attention span of a fly, and doesn’t take much seriously. The sparks fly between them right away, but where Ash knows he’s everything she’s sworn off and wants him anyway even for just a mutually satisfying tumble, Dean wants forever.

There was a sharp tug on his hair. “Red?”
“Yeah?”
Ash’s eyebrows were raised. “You just made a face. What are you thinking about?” She looked so stern he couldn’t help but blurt out the truth.
“My grandad.”
“What the fuck!” Ash pushed his head away from her. “Ew!”
“Sorry! I mean because he has these flowers that smell kinda like your pussy and I was wondering what they were called, but I can’t ask my grandad because he might be jealous and then I was thinking about him eating pussy. And then I kind of grossed myself out, but it was only thinking about other things I was trying not to bust in my—”

Dean was this adorable fluff of a man. He has a heart of gold and he means well, but he’s also like a rabid squirrel. Nothing keeps his attention for long and he’s in his middle thirties and still doesn’t have his own place or a job to support himself. He wants to be the man for Ash but Ash is determined that he’s everything she’s sworn she’ll never go back to.

Ash was a great heroine. Can I say how refreshing it is to read about a heroine that’s not a blushing near virgin. Here’s a woman that owns her sexuality and makes no qualms about it. She enjoys sex and doesn’t berate herself for it.

Her looks, mother and housing situation, meant she was getting called a slut before she’d so much as kissed a boy. Ash had decided not to bother trying to make anyone see her differently. Instead, she got on the pill, bought the Kama Sutra (the only sex book she’d heard of) and reinvented herself as the David Bowie of fucking. People waited for her to get pregnant or some nasty STD. Instead, she got her Kingswood, modelling campaigns, a nursing degree, and a collection of knobbish but undeniably attractive ex-boyfriends.

What made these characters so endearing is the amount of depth they had. They weren’t surface personalities, there was a reason for all of their personality quirks that ran deep into their past. The more you read, the more you connect with them, and the more you root for them. You want Dean to get his shit together and get the girl. You want Ash to get her baby and a man that loves her beyond reason.

This is a follow up book to Locked Box, which I haven’t read yet (but will definitely make a point to now) and I had no problem connecting with the secondary characters that starred in that book. I loved getting that continuation to Jules and Max’s story.

Thank you. And Connor?” “Yeah?” Max said hopefully. “You are in the doghouse. There will be no coming near my labia for a month. It’s total labial recall.” Max let out a howl of misery.

This book was nothing what I’d typically gravitate to but I loved everything about it. I’m so happy I took a chance on this new to me author because I’ve found myself a new author to read. This woman is going straight to my auto buy list and I’m going to stalk through her entire backlist now.

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Geri’s Review: When It’s Real by Erin Watt

May 30, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

WHEN IT’S REAL
Genre: Contemporary YA Romance
Author: Erin Watt
Release Date: May 30, 2017

From #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Erin Watt comes the addictive contemporary tale of a teen rock star in need of an image makeover and the teen girl hired to be his fake girlfriend.

Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley’s team decides it’s time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he’s settled down.

Enter seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett-devoted sister, part-time waitress, the definition of “normal.” Under ordinary circumstances she’d never have taken this gig, but with her family strapped for cash, she doesn’t have much of a choice. And for the money Oakley’s team is paying her, she figures she can put up with outlandish Hollywood parties and a team of publicists watching her every move. So what if she thinks Oakley’s a shallow, self-centered jerk? It’s not like they’re going to fall for each other in real life…right?

AMAZON | iBOOKS

When It’s Real by Erin Watt is the perfect, romantic, fluffy summer read.

Oakley Ford is a teen celebrity whose early rise to fame and penchant for trouble has attracted a slew of negative publicity. Desperate to rehab his image before he becomes a washed-up has-been at 19, his management suggested that he dates a normal girl to not only rehab his tarnished image but to also help him land the next producer for his album.

Vaughn Bennett may be a “normal girl” by Hollywood’s standard but her life hasn’t a bed of roses. Orphaned and desperately helping her sister raised her younger siblings made Vaughn’s decision to be Oakley Ford’s fake girlfriend a no-brainer.

Despite a rocky start, Oakley and Vaughn found themselves becoming friends. But paparazzies, jealous exes, Hollywood gossip, nosy publicists and crazy fans are just few of the things that Oakley and Ford had to contend with. They also had to deal with their growing feelings for each other, which makes things a little bit more complicated.

I appreciate how the authors didn’t just focus on the growing romance between Vaughn and Oakley. It also focused on Oakley’s growth from being a spoiled brat musician who had fame way too early in his life to a mature young man whose passion and love for music was unquestionable.

Even though this premise has been done a lot in the past, I still enjoyed this book immensely. I liked that this was different from their other series. Low drama and low angst but still in keeping with the Erin Watt tradition of having smart, capable teenage characters that would appeal even to older readers.

And what makes me even more excited was the fact that I could share this book with my nieces. This is a true YA book, not just because the characters are in their teens but also the way it’s written which means no explicit or overly sexy scenes. So yes, you could recommend this to a younger audience without fear of being accused of corrupting them.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers who are looking for smart, romantic YA reads.

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Review: The Story of Us by Tara Sivec

May 27, 2017 by ·

THE STORY OF US
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: June 13, 2017

From USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec comes an emotional, breathtakingly romantic new book about the power of first love and the promise of second chances.

How much can a man take before he breaks?

1,843 days. That’s how long I survived in that hellhole. They tried to break me, but I resisted. And I owe it all to the memory of warm summer nights, the scent of peaches, and the one woman who loved me more than I ever deserved to be loved. Now, I’ll do anything to get back to her.

Only Shelby Eubanks isn’t the girl I left behind all those years ago. She’s someone else, a stranger. My Shelby-my little green-eyed firecracker-would never give up her dreams, would never disappear into her mother’s ambitions. But I won’t give up on her. On us. I may be broken, and scarred, and not the man I used to be, but I will do whatever it takes to remind her of the story of us.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

I wonder if she still thinks of me as much as I do her. I wonder if she knows she’s the only reason I’m still breathing, still fighting, and still holding on.

It’s been a while since Tara Sivec wreaked havoc on my emotions with Fisher’s Light. Now she’s completely destroyed me with The Story of Us. And no, these stories are not connected by anything other then the fact that they both equally broke me. I mean, God. GOD! This story. This incredibly poignant and powerful story of love and second chances. This gripping, emotional, utterly heart wrenching story. My heart will never be the same. I was a complete and utter mess at the end. I love a good second chance romance, but when that also comes wrapped in a story that’s as powerful as it is emotional, I’m putty. Total putty.

How much can a man take before he breaks? When do the dreams stop giving him comfort and he has to accept that he’ll never see her again, touch her again or hear her say “I love you” again?

Eli has lived through hell for the past five years. The only thing that kept him going through the daily beating and torture as a POW are thoughts of his one true love. When he’s rescued and returns home where everyone mourned him and thought him long dead, the only thing on his agenda is to make things right with the woman that he walked away from due to circumstances out of his control.

I’m broken and scarred and half the man I used to be, but if she’ll let me explain, I hope to God she can put me back together again.

But the girl that he fell head over heels in love with before he left for his overseas tour, is not the woman he comes back to. Shelby is now completely under her mother’s thumb of political ambitions and image. She’s buried her dreams of dancing and moving away from this town to live in New York. She’s engaged to a man who has political ambitions that may be grander than her mother and someone she feels no passion towards. She’s a pawn in a game she wants nothing to do with, mourning a man that she believes dead, walking around a shell of the woman that she used to be.

Eli may be scarred as much inside as he is outside, but nothing will stop him from bringing back the sunny, beautiful girl that whose dancing stole his heart almost as much as her smile.

I hug him tighter, one last touch of his warm body against mine, one last second of feeling his heart beating with mine. I take it all in and shove it into the compartment in my brain reserved just for him, where I can take it out whenever I want and remember this moment. This one moment where I could pretend, for just a few seconds, that this could be my life. Wrapped up in this man who went through hell and found his way back to me.

There is a lot of things that happen in the story outside of this couple. THere’s so much going on that happened to set the gears in motion for a lot that happened to them. As they try to navigate to the truth, they also find peace again in each other’s arms.

He makes me feel whole, he closes up wounds while at the same time ripping them wide open…and I never want it to stop. 

I loved the letters that Eli wrote to Shelby and the way she experiences reading them. I love the way he fought for her and my heart absolutely broke for everything he’s been through.

I would do anything for Eli, anything he asks, and that includes breaking myself wide open and letting him see all of my scars, inside and out.

Nothing is as it appears and soon the puzzle pieces begin to click together. But can Eli and Shelby survive the truth when it finally reveals itself?

This was such an emotional and gripping story. The only reason that held it back from being a full 5 stars for me was the amount of almost soap opera like intrigue and drama at the end. It was one thing after another and while it all does come a full circle, I felt like it didn’t have to get that crazy to be just as powerful. That certainly didn’t diminish my enjoyment much, because I truly did love it. Tara Sivec is such a versatile author; she can write romcoms that make you cry laughing and then turn around and write something that will punch you right in the feels. If you’re looking for a powerful second chance romance with plenty of feeling and steam, you seriously can’t go wrong with this one.

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Review: Shacking Up by Helena Hunting

May 26, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

SHACKING UP
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Helena Hunting
Release Date: May 30, 2017

Ruby Scott is months behind on rent and can’t seem to land a steady job. She has one chance to turn things around with a big audition. But instead of getting her big break, she gets sick as a dog and completely bombs it in the most humiliating fashion. All thanks to a mysterious, gorgeous guy who kissed—and then coughed on—her at a party the night before.

Luckily, her best friend might have found the perfect opportunity; a job staying at the lavish penthouse apartment of hotel magnate Bancroft Mills while he’s out of town, taking care of his exotic pets. But when the newly-evicted Ruby arrives to meet her new employer, it turns out Bane is the same guy who got her sick.

Seeing his role in Ruby’s dilemma, Bane offers her a permanent job as his live-in pet sitter until she can get back on her feet. Filled with hilariously awkward encounters and enough sexual tension to heat a New York City block, Shacking Up, from NYT and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting, is sure to keep you laughing and swooning all night long.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

This man is like a nuclear bomb of sexy, just waiting to go off. I’m honestly surprised women aren’t super-gluing themselves to his body like in one of those men’s spray deodorant commercials. He may actually need women repellent.

Girl, you tell NO lie. Bancroft “Bane” Mills was a whole different level of hotness and I’d lick the hell out of him….erm…LIKE. LIKE. I mean like the hell out of him. OK. No. I didn’t. But whatever. Moving on.

Every time I pick up a book with a ridiculously hot cover, I’m always extra nervous. Is the story going to live up to the cover? Is it going to overwhelmed by too much sex with a hot half nekkid dude on the cover. Yes, I just asked that. Quit giving me the stink eye. Even us perverts have standards. For the most part. Anyway. Moving on again.

I’m happy to report that the story was even better than the cover, and that cover is pretty freaking spectacular. It’s full of zingers, hilarious banter, slow burn romance, adorable pets, and awesome chemistry.

Did you kiss him back?”
I shrug.
“You didn’t even know who he was!”
“I was caught off guard. He’s a good kisser. And have you seen him? That man could revive a corpse with his hotness.”
“Sometimes you’re very creepy, you know that?”

Ruby is determined to make her dream of starring on broadway happen. But being a triple threat and the daughter to the man running a pharmaceutical empire hasn’t given her a boost. She walked away from everything to chase her dreams, even her father’s financial support. Everything is riding on her making the audition the next day…until a sexy, drunken and sick stranger proceeds to kiss her and sneeze on her, effectively infecting her with the flu from hell.

When Ruby realizes that the sexy stranger is none other than her best friend’s finance’s cousin, uber rich, ex Rugby superstar Bancroft Mills, she’s not exactly thrilled. But she’s also now homeless with no roles in prospect and no job, and Bane happens to have her solution in his very sexy hands; move into his apartment to take care of his pets while he’s away on a business trip. Sounds simple, right? Until their shacking up leads into an unlikely friendship with a heavy underlying of sexual chemistry that’s so thick, it’s practically suffocating. Add into the mix Tiny the tarantula and an adorable ferret, an it’s a recipe for a laugh out loud romance.

I love a good slow burn and the one here was perfection. Ruby and Bane’s relationship goes from texts to FaceTime to something much, much more…

Bancroft shirtless is a vision. Bancroft naked is damn well fucking phenomenal. “Oh God, that is huge!” I say when I finally reach the visual destination of Erectiontopia.

With just the perfect amount of steam, Shacking Up was a laugh out loud, feel good romance sure to put a goofy smile on your face and a swoon in your heart. Helena Hunting effortlessly mixes humor with undeniable chemistry and endearing characters to create one delicious story that enjoyed from cover to cover.

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