Book Reviews: 4 stars

Review: ★Keeping Secrets★ by Lisa Eugene

November 20, 2015 by Lana ·

Keeping Secrets
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lisa Eugene
Release Date: October 22, 2015

Is that how a little girl sits?
No, Daddy.
How should a little girl sit?
Shoulders back and tummy in.
And how should a little girl look?
Always neat and pretty
That’s my girl.

Twenty-four-year-old Alexa Kennedy is beautiful, sharp as a whip, and at the top of her medical school class. She’s also been waging a war in her head for as long as she can remember. Depression. Hatred. Self-loathing. These feelings feed the pain inside her, fueling her quest for a perfection that she can never achieve.

In one life-changing moment, Dex Blakewell crashes into her world. Dex is funny, gorgeous, and irresistible. He chases away the darkness and fills her with light and laughter. An unusual friendship blossoms, making no demands or expectations.

Friendship turns into an unexpected love and a delicious passion. Alexa realizes that the only thing tethering her to sanity is their connection. But even Dex’s strength can’t keep her demons at bay forever.

When life overwhelms her, the outside world starts to mirror her inner turmoil. And when Dex discovers she’s been keeping horrible secrets, will she finally shatter or find a way through the darkness? Will the promise of love be enough to save her from self-destruction?

***WARNING: This book is for mature audiences and deals with topics and situations that some readers may find deeply emotional. That being said, I hope that many may find inspiration from these words. ***

Amazon

The need I had for her was consuming, irrational. She was as necessary as my next breath, as vital. It was not only baffling, but somehow unsettling.

I’ve been a fan of Lisa Eugene’s since my first book of hers, Steal My Heart. And with each new book she’s released since then she shows immense growth as an author. Her romances are not ordinary, and I can appreciate that as a reader. Reading romance, after a while most books begin to blend into each other. Unless there’s a certain edge to them that makes them stick out. This book had that in spades. Lisa took on an incredibly raw topic and she managed to weave it flawlessly inside a romance. Now considering the subject matter here, that’s no small feat. And props to her for pulling it off as well as she did.

Our gazes held and locked. There was a storm in her eyes and the force of it ripped through me.

Alexa Kennedy is a final year medical students, well on her way to becoming a doctor. She’s motivated, driven, smart, and completely lost to the war inside her mind. She’s her own worst critic and she never fails to rip into herself. A highly competitive medical school with entitled students just looking to overthrow her potential position as a valedictorian and scholarship to the Medical student are just a few of the things messing with her head. Then a child in the oncology wing that she’s bonded with passes away and sends her into a tail spin
…only to come crashing into Dex Blakewell.

Dex is a successful businessman with no interest in women beyond one sweaty night between the sheets. But his word quite literary tilts on it’s axis when he meets Alexa. What begins as an unlikely friendship soon begins to turn into something much more. But both of them are keeping secrets. Secrets that have the potential of breaking the connection that they only just now formed.,,

Keeping Secrets was very different from anything that I would typically read. While the romance is a heavy element, what truly drives the story is Alexa’s “condition”. Lisa spares no detail in her struggle and truly brings the reader inside her mind. I loved that gritty little element to this book. I’m not entirely sure why it’s labeled as a dark romance, as I found nothing truly dark about it. There’s no graphic violence but you do get a graphic view inside Alexa’s issues (view spoiler). But for me that’s not dark. Realistic, absolutely. But not dark.

Alexa is a very broken individual, and while not my usual preference to read in a heroine, there was also something very endearing to her. You can’t help but feel for her and Lisa does a phenomenal job with character development to ensure that all readers will feel the same.

If you’re looking to step a little bit outside the norm of contemporary romance, this is the book you do it with. I absolutely loved that the author didn’t gloss over any issues. Her characters truly dealt with their issues in a realistic matter. The romance wasn’t instantaneous but it wasn’t too slow either. It was a perfect fit for the story and I loved watching these two fall in love. Of course in usual Miss Eugene fashion you get some super sexy scenes in here, but that’s just the icing on the already great story cake.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: ★Reaper’s Fall★ by Joanna Wylde

November 19, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Reaper’s Fall
Series: Reapers MC #5
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Joanna Wylde
Release Date: November 10, 2015

The New York Times bestselling author of Reaper’s Stand is back in her “uber-alpha rough world of MCs”* as one woman’s future is rocked by the man whose hardcore past could destroy her…

He never meant to hurt her.

Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.

Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.

Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.

Amazon /B&N / iBooks

She wanted to play games? Perfect, because I loved to play, and she knew damned well I liked to play rough.

I want to tell you that I have been waiting for Painter’s book for forever, but that’d be a lie. Truth be told, he was pretty much on my shit list after Devil’s Game and everything that went down with Em. But then Picnic’s book happened and I was intrigued. Then I read Silver Bastard and I was practically salivating for his story. What I’m trying to get to here, is that while you can easily enjoy this as a standalone, I think you’d enjoy it best read in order. That way you can truly grasp the full history and backstory of these characters. The author does a fantastic job recapping the main details, but the connection would be better if read in order. At least in my opinion.

This was deep, almost painful in its unholy intensity. It was like she’d sent tendrils burrowing deep inside, binding us together so tightly I’d die if I ever tried to pull them out.
I was truly, deeply, and Utterly fucked, because I fucking LOVED this girl…and she wasn’t for me.

Know what I love better than a redemption story? An asshole redemption story. And Picnic has certainly not been a well behaved boy throughout the series. He thought he once had a connection with Em, Picnic’s daughter, but know he sees it for what it was…and what it wasn’t. This all thanks to Melanie, the woman that tempts him beyond reason while also driving him out of his ever loving mind.

Melanie was taken under the wing by London, Picnic’s old lady, so she’s no newbie to MC life. A product of a violent father and a mother that up and left her, she hasn’t exactly had things easy. Painter has always been a man that drew her, even when she knew he’s nothing that she needs. He infatuated her, but then he got sent away to prison. Writing him letters while he served his sentence, she hoped for a different reunion than the one she received when he came out.

Painter has always been reckless and wild. He’s never had an easy life, and the Reapers are the only family he has. His brothers have his unconditional loyalty, so what’s a two year prison sentence to protect them? Melanie is too innocent for the likes of him. Besides, he’s not exactly relationship material. His interest in women usually spans no longer than a week before he gets bored. But there’s just something different about Mel. Then the woman he thought was a meek kitten begins to show her claws, and temps his self control to hell and back.

What I want is to fuck you,” he said, his voice a hard, intense whisper. “I want to fuck your pussy, I want to fuck your face, and I’ve given some serious thought to fucking your ass, too. I want to lock you up and play with you…Sometimes I think about owning you, and what I’d do if you tried to get away. Christ, you have no idea.”

I love me some good sexual tension in a romance, and Reaper’s Fall certainly had that in spades. I was afraid after first meeting Mel in Reaper’s Stand that she may be too meek for my tastes, but the girl had a backbone to her. She gave just as good as she got. As a matter of fact, sometimes she almost gave too much. But she was exactly the woman to finally bring Painter to his knees. But it wasn’t all sexy banter and fights, there was so much more too! There’s this one particular scene in this book that involved some body painting and holy ovary overload, batman!
The relationship between Mel and Painter is filled with lots of bumps and spans five years in the book. This could be a good thing or a bad thing to some, depending on your tastes. Luckily for me, it mostly worked. Of course it can’t all be smooth sailing, and when Painter does screw up, he does it royally. I have to say that the events after that particular set up were a trial of patience for me. I wanted to throttle both him and Mel at one point for some of their decisions.

Having said that, we are reading an MC romance after all, so it can’t all be smooth sailing. What it is, however, is hot as hell.

This wasn’t sex.
It was a fight for dominance, a fight I knew I couldn’t win but I was dammed if I wouldn’t try.

I love that this series keeps getting grittier with each new book and we’re starting to get a whole lot more of the MC life and action. It’s definitely grown quite a bit from the first book, addictingly so. Reapers MC is probably one of my favorite MC romances to date, and Joanna’s writing only continues to get better. The characters aren’t always perfect, but who would expect them to be. I knew what I was getting into with Painter, and he didn’t let me down. When these men fall, they fall hard.

Now let’s talk about the bonus epilogue for a hot second here, mkay? Because I swear to god, Joanna Wylde is a freaking sadist with these. They’re the worst teases ever and this one had to have been the biggest tease yet I. WANT. THE. NEXT. BOOK. NOW!!! Oh my god! I can’t even with that..

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Bikers, Blog Tours, Giveaways · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

New Release & Review: ★Reap★ by Tillie Cole

November 9, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Reap
Series: Scarred Souls #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Tillie Cole
Release Date: November 10, 2015

Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva’s obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act, or live for himself; he’s his master’s perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six-foot-six, weighing two-hundred-and-fifty pounds, and unrivaled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, who rules the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.

Talia Tolstaia dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life. She dreams of another life–away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father and from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon, her criminal family’s underground death-match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family’s captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers. But sacrifices must be made–blood for blood…life for life…souls for scarred souls…

Amazon / iBooks

Our desperate gazes met.
He took a deep breath.
Then he whispered, “You are…for me?”

God. That one line. Who would have thought that my heart could melt and break at the same time from just 4 little words? But when 221; killing machine, savage with no memories of his previous life and raised to be a cold blooded killer, utters those four words to Talia….I was absolutely done for.

Reap is book 2 in Tillie Cole’s Scarred Souls series, and while you may read it as a standalone since it focuses on a different main couple and their HEA, I highly recommend you start with book 1. Because while Reap tells the story of Zaal and Talia, it also gives the readers a continuation of Luka through his POV. It builds up on what has begun in Raze and it would connect you to the story that much more having previously read that.

And in that moment I knew- I was losing my heart to the object of my family’s deepest hatred.

I have to admit that I was in the minority of not enjoying Raze as much as I’d hoped for so I went into Reap with no expectations and enjoyed it so much more! Most of what bothered me in the first book was not an issue here. The writing was much better; it flowed and the repetitiveness that bothered me in Raze was no where to be found.

I swallowed at the sight of him. I fought for breath at his savageness; his brutal, primitive presence, and I lost all sensibilities.

221 was raised as a prototype for the Georgian mafia’s obedience drug. He’s a stone cold killer with a bloodlust that only death can appease. He fails to thing, act, or live for himself. He lives for his master’s commands and doesn’t remember life before or beyond that.

Luka Tolstoi is continuing to deal with the demons of his past. But the thing that haunts him the most is the death of his only friend, at his own hands. When he figures out the connection between 221 and 362, he knows he will stop at nothing until he frees him from his sadistic captors. Having accomplished his task, he brings him to recover at his family’s estate where Talia is currently taking a break from the Bratva’s stifling leash.

He looked every inch the unpolished savage I’d believed him to be.

When Talia discovers 221’s true identity, she knows that he’s not only forbidden. He’s something else entirely. There’s a history there that he’s not aware of and she knows all too well. But that doesn’t stop her from being intrigued by the savage. During his recovery from the drug that stole his thoughts and memories, she cares for him….but something else begins to develop between them.
Reap is not quite as dark as it’s predecessor was. While still leaning on the side of gritty, it wasn’t as brutal. It was definitely a whole lot more emotional, however. I think this is in part due to the fact that I had a true connection to Talia and Zaal together. Talia isn’t exactly my favorite heroine, but she was much more memorable than Kisa. I loved how she cared for Zaal and the way she fought for him.

Zaal Kostava, you’ve stolen my forbidden heart.”

Reap was absolutely gut wrenching for me. What truly made it as emotional as it was was the connection between Zaal and Luka. There was a particular part at the end between them that actually brought a tear to my cold black heart. It was devastating to read about.

The story flowed smoothly and it was captivating from the very start. My picky self did get stuck on the incorrect translations once again, but luckily the story and the romance was enough for me to turn a (mostly) blind eye to it.

We’d bared our pasts, we’d fought our fates. And at the end, left over was only the purest form of love. Of need. Of US.

There was a tease at the end that has me practically salivating for the next book. So while I got off to a rocky start with Raze, I’m definitely now a fan of the series and can’t wait to see what’s in store next.

Don’t miss book 1 in the Scarred Souls series!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, dark

Review: ★Knockout★ by Cari Quinn

November 8, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever Afters
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance (Anthology)
Release Date: November 3, 2015

An anthology of novellas about hunky blue collar, hammer wielding heroes and the women who tame them. Stories are by USA Today Bestselling Authors Cari Quinn, Cathy Clamp, and Anna J Stewart, and featuring authors Jodi Redford, Amie Stuart, Leah Braemel, and Chudney Thomas.

Get down and dirty with this sexy blue collar bundle featuring seven original contemporary romance novellas that range from sweet to sizzling.

KNOCKOUT – Cari Quinn
All Emerson Knapp wants…is everything he shouldn’t have. When all his secrets come to a head, the only question left is how much he’s willing to lose.

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS – Cathy Clamp
Sophie Green is smart, gorgeous, and good with her hands. Can Gabe convince her to make her stay at the Starlight Motel a permanent one?

MARKED FOR LOVE – Anna J. Stewart
Overworked pub manager Regan Murphy is about to have her hands full with Lantano Valley newcomer and tattoo artist Brodie Crawford: a sexy single father who is far too distracting.
*this version of MARKED FOR LOVE is a spiced up version of the original sweet novella of the same title. Includes a never before published epilogue, available ONLY in this boxed set.

KNOTTY MAGIC – Jodi Redford
Hormones be damned, Tully Eastwood won’t succumb to her attraction for a sexy lumberjack—until she finds herself trapped overnight with him in the woods.

AGAINST THE WALL – Amie Stuart
Construction Supervisor Lexi Kimball is the one person everyone loves to hate. Everyone except a sexy foreman with an adventurous streak, that is.

UNASHAMED — Leah Braemel
Two sexy construction workers double Hayley O’Connell’s fun. But can they convince her the fun should last forever?

LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR – Chudney Thomas
Mica Lawson is a failure and a flake; at least according to her family. Then one stalled elevator, and a sexy repairman, change her life.

ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME! GRAB THESE HOT HUNKS BEFORE THEY’RE GONE (only $.99)

Amazon

Review only for Cari Quinn’s Knockout

I’ve been denying too much for too long.

Ladies and ovaries, allow me to introduce you to your next must read. If you’re looking for some smutty goodness wrapped up in a fantastic story, it simply doesn’t get better than this. Did I mention that it has one of the hottest MMF threesomes I’ve read in a while? Because….damn.

It’s no secret that I’m a shameless hussy when it comes to Cari Quinn’s books. So when she told me she was writing another MMF and it would be set in the Tapped Out world, which is one my favorite series by her, my ovaries were all
The beauty of this dirty little beauty, however, is you don’t have to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy it. While Carly and Geo from On the Ropes make an appearance here that will make fans of the series happy, you won’t be lost if you’re new to it either. The story mainly focuses on the romance between Lily, Emerson, and JC. It’s a friends to lovers story that’s sizzles to the point of scorching!

I felt completely ravaged. Consumed.
Lost.

Lily and Emerson have been best friends for years. Emerson has been in love with Lily for almost as long. But she’s always been hands off. Her father took him in when he was lost, and the last thing he wants to do to repay that is defile his beloved only daughter. So he concentrates on his fighting career and wards off any potential men with intimidating looks. After all, no one else can possibly be good for her.

But his carefully constructed world gets thrown for a loop when JC decides to take matter into his own hands. JC has been in love with Lily, but he’s also been lusting after Em. While JC is open with his sexuality, he’s not quite sure which way Emerson will swing. But he’s willing to take the chance.

Em has never been with another man before, but damn if JC doesn’t do it for him. He lusts after him, but no one will ever know. Until one night where all their carnal desires finally come to one fiery head. Pun most definitely intended.

Hate and love might be on opposite sides of a line most of the time. Right now, I was fucking straddling it with his dick in my mouth. And I adored every second.

This book was all kinds of deliciously dirty. It may not be a full length novel, but boy is it enough to satisfy. And satisfy it certainly did. There’s one particular locker room scene that practically melted even my steel plated ovaries.

GFY, threesome and friends to lovers all in one delicious little story. It’s like the holy trifecta for me. My ovaries were on cloud 9 here! If you’re looking for a steamy little number to spend the afternoon or the evening with, I highly recommend you give this a go. Trust me. Make your your ovaries happy.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Fighters · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

New Release & Review: ★Tough Enough★ by M. Leighton

November 3, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Tough Enough
Series: Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: M. Leighton
Release Date: November 3, 2015

You seriously don’t want to miss MMA-champion-turned-Hollywood-superstar Rogan. Hotness!

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Bad Boys novels comes the second book in a dark, sexy contemporary trilogy.

He’s a fighter who never loses, but is he tough enough to win her heart?

There was a time when I had everything–a wonderful family, a bright future. Love. But all that was taken away in a single night, torn from me like flesh from bone. Since then, I’ve hidden away in my second-choice job as a makeup artist. But I prefer it that way, actually. I’m comfortable in the shadows, where no one can see my scars.

Kiefer Rogan literally took my breath away the moment I met him. MMA champion-turned-actor, notorious playboy, charming to a fault—he’s everything I vowed to avoid.

But he just wouldn’t stop until I opened up and let him in. Maybe I should’ve tried harder to resist him. Maybe I shouldn’t have fallen in love with him. Because I, of all people, know that everyone has secrets. Scars. And that they’re usually ugly and painful and destructive to the people we love most.

I just never guessed that they could be deadly, too.

Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo| Google Play

Get Strong Enough, the first book in the Tall, Dark, and Dangerous series
Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

Add Tough Enough†to your Goodreads TBR
Why me?”
He doesn’t hesitate with his answer. “Something tells me you’re worth the effort.”

Well, this was certainly…different. If you’re expecting Tough Enough to be on the same intensity level as Strong Enough, don’t. This was a complete change of pace from the first book. It’s an emotional journey that’s both beautiful and touching. The suspense element is not the predominant factor here as it was in the predecessor. As a matter of fact, it was barely present up until the very end. Which actually brings me to my minor dilemma. I’ve been waffling with my rating on this book for days now. Do I rate it on it’s own, or do I rate it based on the series it’s in? But I’ll get to that in a bit.

In true M. Leighton fashion, Tough Enough grabs the reader’s attention with just the prologue.

Katie Rydale is a woman with secrets; deep, painful secrets that she’s still learning to live with. It’s been years since the even that changed her life irrevocably, and yet she’s still just a shell of the woman she used to be. A meek kitten that hides behind the shadow of who she used to be. She’s more comfortable behind the lime light as a makeup artist to the stars that bask in it.

Kiefer Rogan is like champagne- undeniably delicious, deceptively light, and too easy to get drunk on. To lose your mind with. To make a mistake with.

Kiefer Rogan is the uber sexy MMA star turned actor and one fourth of the Delta 5 team that we were introduced to in the first book. Katie knows that men like him will only burn her. He’s just too everything; too sexy, too intense, too determined to get to know her.

We both fought to survive. But only one of us fought to live.

If you’re looking for a swoony alpha hero, you’ll certainly get that with Keifer. His slow and determined seduction of Katie was one of my favorite parts about this book. I love a slow burn romance, especially one that’s layered in ripe sexual tension. As protective as Rogan is, he understands Katie’s limits and doesn’t push them. For all his intensity, it’s so refreshing to see a hero that’s respectful of a woman’s boundaries. He was just so incredibly sweet but without ever losing that edge that he has to him.
Katie is not exactly the kind of heroine I prefer to read about. She’s very demure and tends to withdraw into herself at the slightest altercation. I would have loved to see her come into her own a little sooner than she did.

If you’ve read the first book, which I highly recommend you do, then you know there was a particular suspense element that was left in a cliffhanger. Clearly there was a story arc that would continue throughout the series. I was expecting for this book to bring some of that intensity with it as well, but it never quite went there. The main focus was the relationship between Rogan and Katie while the suspense was more of an afterthought. I don’t have a problem with this, and up until the final 10% of the book, this was a solid 4.5 star read for me. This could easily be a case of built up expectations, but I found the ending to be rushed and well…anticlimactic. After all the buildup in book 1 for everything to be resolved the way it was, it just wasn’t as satisfying as I had hoped. I would have loved for that part to be really fleshed out and not just glossed over as it had been. But then again, I don’t know what the third book will bring, so it is tough to judge without having finished the series.

For all the minor issues I may have had, this book had my full attention from beginning to finish. So while I wished it had a bit more of an edge to it like the first one in the series, I still definitely enjoyed it.

New York Times and USA Today†bestselling author M. Leighton is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction.

Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.

Sign up for her newsletter here, and be the first to know about exclusive giveaways, new books, and awesome fan-only perks! And join Michelle in her superfan Facebook group, Laid Back with Leighton, right here!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

Review: ★Friction★ by Sawyer Bennett

October 29, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Friction
Series: Legal Affairs #8
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: October 27, 2015

At the powerhouse law firm of Knight & Payne, winning comes first and ethics a distant second. Leary Michaels uses her female charms to daze opponents, and it’s always worked well—until now. On her most personal case yet, she finds herself going up against a defense attorney just as skilled, shameless, and seductive as she is.

Reeve Holloway has never met a woman as sure of her own sexuality, or as ruthless in wielding it, as Leary is. But he won’t be toyed with. What Leary starts, he’ll finish—in the courtroom, the bedroom, or any-damn-place he wants. The sex is uninhibited, electrifying, and absolutely against the rules. Reeve’s job is to ruin Leary’s case…even if it destroys her in the process and costs him the woman he’s come to love.

Amazon

…you, Leary Michaels, have no idea the beast you’ve awoken with your antics. You’ve invited me to come out and play, and I’m ready to play.”

I have a little secret…*whispers* I have an unhealthy addiction to legal dramas…comedies….romances…whatever. You name it, if legal procedures and trials are involved, odds are I’ve watched it or read it. So when I saw a new Legal Affairs book from Sawyer Bennett, it was a no brainer to read. This is only my third book by this author, and admittedly the other two I’ve read by her left me a bit underwhelmed. But having heard so many amazing things about her Legal Affairs series, I decided to bite the bullet and give it a go. And boy am I glad that I did, because Friction was absolutely fantastic!.

Leary Michaels gets the chance of a lifetime when she’s hired to work at one of the biggest powerhouse firms, Knight & Payne. Coming from trailer park beginnings and sporting a polyester suit from Walmart she feels out of place, until the main partner and her idol gives her the advise that changes everything.

Make men notice you, and when you’ve fogged their senses with lust, slap them with your brains. Make women want to be like you, but be so confident in your abilities that they will inevitably fall flat on their face.”

And so awkward, shy trailer trash Leary becomes sexy powerhouse Leary; using all her feminine wiles to win her cases. But she’s not just sexy and sassy, there’s a brain on her and that just made her that much more fun to read about. Now she’s handling the biggest case of her life; not so much in the form of money, but meaning. It means everything to her to win, and she needs to crush her opponent. Too bad her opponent is the sexy Reeve Holloway, a defense attorney working for the client that hers is suing…and determined to give as good as he gets.

How can one man be so vastly different from the others I’ve had? How can he bring me so quickly to dizzying heights? How can he fully entertain and annoy me at the same time? And how can I actually be starting to have feelings for a man who should be my sworn enemy?

Friction is a hot little legal romp that was entertaining from beginning to finish. Intertwined with humor and with incredibly endearing characters, there wasn’t one page that I didn’t enjoy.

Leary and Reeve burn up the pages together. I loved the enemy lust thing they had going on along with their banter. Reeve is every bit the alpha to Leary’s sassy and together they were this perfect dynamic. They’re stolen kisses along with much more risqué endeavors during the case was utterly delicious. They’re on opposite sides in the courtroom but they sure set off some fireworks outside the courthouse too.

I possessed her and she consumed me.”

While I loved the romance, I think what ultimately made me enjoy this as much as I did was all the legal proceedings. You can clearly tell that Miss Bennett is in her element writing about this and it jumps off from the pages. The last 20% of the book was easily my favorite part. I loved reading about the case proceedings and how it all resolves. And I loved the way that Leary and Reeve handle themselves in the case that changes everything for them.

Tell me you adore me.”
“You know I do,” I say from a place deep within my heart.
“Tell me you’re going to fuck me silly after you finish working tonight,” he says, now grinning big.
“You know I will,” I say as warmth spreads through me.

A highly recommended read!

P.S.

This is a standalone in a series. The previous books were part of an erotic series! Check it out below

Read the rest of the series

Legal Affairs Boxed Set: Volumes 1-6

Confessions of a Litigation God
(Legal Affairs, #7)

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dirty Talkers · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars

Blog Tour, Review, Author Q&A & Giveaway: ★Walk Through Fire★ by Kristen Ashley

October 28, 2015 by Lana · Leave a Comment

Walk Through Fire
Series: Chaos, #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance, MC
Author: Kristen Ashley
Release Date: October 27, 2015

The flame never dies . . .

Millie Cross knows what it’s like to burn for someone. She was young and wild and he was fierce and even wilder-a Chaos biker who made her heart pound. They fell in love at first sight and life was good, until she learned she couldn’t be the woman he needed and made it so he had no choice but to walk away. Twenty years later, Millie’s chance run-in with her old flame sparks a desire she just can’t ignore. And this time, she won’t let him ride off . . .

Bad boy Logan “High” Judd has seen his share of troubles with the law. Yet it was a beautiful woman who broke him. After ending a loveless marriage, High is shocked when his true love walks back into his life. Millie is still gorgeous, but she’s just a ghost of her former self. High’s intrigued at the change, but her betrayal cut him deep-and he doesn’t want to get burned again. As High sinks into meting out vengeance for Millie’s betrayal, he’ll break all over again when he realizes just how Millie walked through fire for her man . . .

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I beeped the locks and had a hand to the handle when I heard, “Lookin’ for me?”When that deep, coarse voice came at me through the dark, my body became paralyzed, my eyes glued to my hand on the handle.

Then it kept coming at me.

“Bitch, followed you the last forty-five minutes. Reb got in touch. Told me you hit Scruff’s.” On the next, the voice was nearer. “You’re lookin’ for me. So tell me what the fuck you want so you can quit lookin’ and I can quit lookin’ at you.” Slowly, I turned, my head going back automatically because I felt him close and I knew what close to Logan meant.

I was five-seven.
He was six-one.

He towered over me, or at least that’s what it always felt like because he wasn’t only tall, he was also a big guy with a big presence.

And right then, it felt like that, especially since his big presence was an angry one.
His face was in shadows, I could barely see it
.

But I could feel him.
And I could smell him.
God, I could smell him.

He didn’t wear cologne or aftershave. His scent was all his. And I remembered lying in our bed holding his pillow to me, my face shoved into the sheets, taking him in after I’d made him walk away.
His scent hadn’t changed. Not even a nuance.

Smelling it without warning felt like walking unsuspecting into the street and having a truck slam into you. And that feeling was so strong it was a wonder my body didn’t go careening through the trucks and bikes, slamming into them, shattering every bone.

He moved forward so he was in my space, the smell strengthened and my body tightened to guard against it.
“Woman, after all this time, whatever shit you gotta hand me, fuckin’ do it,” he ordered irately. “You got two seconds to spit it the fuck out. You don’t, you won’t get another chance, and you know I’ll make it that way. So this is your only shot. Take it or get in your fuckin’ car and get your ass outta my world.”

I stared into the shadows of his face, wishing with everything that I could see it.
Apparently, I did this for two seconds because Logan bit out, “Right. See nothin’s changed. Weak. Now get your ass . . .” he dipped his face to mine, “gone.”

And when he did, I got up on my toes and kissed him.

It was totally crazy.

But I also totally couldn’t help it.

He smelled so fucking good.

And he was Logan.

Close. Right there. His face in mine.

He jerked away, muttering a disgusted, “What the fuck?”

But the words or their tone didn’t penetrate.

I smelled him and I’d had a taste.

I was gone.

I lifted both hands to either side of his head, yanked him down to me, and went back in, going for it, giving it my all. Even when his fingers clenched painfully into my hips pushing them back to set me away,

I held on tighter and shoved my tongue between his lips.

It touched his, just that, just a touch, and then I cried out into his mouth when I found my back slammed into my SUV.

But it wasn’t his way to get me to let him go.

No.

His head slanted and he forced my tongue out of his mouth when his invaded mine.
And that was when I was gone.

I was already gone but right then there was nothing to me.

Nothing at all.

Except my hands on Logan’s head, his body pressing mine into my car, his smell all around us, his tongue plundering my mouth, all this exploding fire everywhere.

He drove a hand into my hair, twisting it, the pain bristling over my scalp and I cried out into his mouth again even as I arched deeper, pressed closer, willing, like it had always been, to give it all because he was Logan, he got it all.

But also because I knew I’d get it back a hundredfold.

He swayed us forward so his other arm could lock across my back and he kept at my mouth as I rolled way up on my toes, pushing deep, wrapping my arms around his neck, consumed by the kiss and not giving that first fuck.

I was ready to ride it out.

No, I needed to ride it out.

No matter where it went.

He broke away and that was when my hand went into his hair, fisting tight in protest.

“That what you want?” he growled, his voice lower, the abrasion physical, and I shivered with delight.

I wasn’t entirely certain of the question but I answered a breathy, “Yes.”

“That’s what you want,” he repeated, a statement this time, seeking confirmation.

“Yes, Logan.”

He let me go but took my hand, his skin rough against my fingers. The feel of it back after all these years washed through me and I fancied I remembered every time, in quick succession, from the first night we met to the night before I broke it off when he’d taken my hand and guided me somewhere.

Lost in it like I’d always been lost in it, I followed blindly.

Attached to Logan, I’d go anywhere.

Even if we were walking through fire.

1. What scene from WALK THROUGH FIRE was the hardest to write?

High yelling at Zadie. I understood his emotion. It hurt for me, how he had to struggle to keep his cool in front of his girls…and how he failed. I felt his panic, his impatience, his frustration.

High’s a pushover daddy. He adores his girls (to a fault). Dealing with the issues of Millie being in their lives, he could control and strategize how he was going to finesse that situation even when something happened earlier in the book to spark his temper.

But must not forget, High is a member of a motorcycle club. They live in a different world. A member’s reaction to what happened to Millie will be primal…and roundly understood by everyone in their circle. Except two little girls. High had to leash that, an almost impossible task for him, thus some came through. I knew it pained him deeply because it pained me writing it.

2. What can you tell us about High and Millie that we won’t find in the book?

High’s fighting a losing battle. Millie might embrace a house where there are coasters in only one room, and the woman can make a mess, but in the end, she’s still tidy (and so is Cleo, Zadie…not so much).

3. Finish this sentence: My hero will always…

Be nearly viciously protective, of his heroine, his children, his friends, his family.

4. What’s next for you?

I actually haven’t quite decided. We’re getting my independently published books in print. There’s a lot of work involved around that and I’ve been traveling quite a bit this summer but home for a good stretch and nesting. It’s been a week since I finished SEBRING, the last in the Unfinished Heroes series (this book coming out in January). And now that week is done and I’m done with nesting! I’m itching to write another book.

I’m really feeling the pull of the mountains so I suspect it’ll be Deke, the next in the Colorado Mountain series. His heroine has hit me strong in the heart. So I’ll be wanting to deal with that!

I gave you up, walking through fire to do it but I did…
I did it in the end. I gave you everything.

It’s been a long while since I’ve read a book that touched me on such a visceral level. I don’t cry in books. Maybe I have a cold black heart, maybe I don’t have a soul, I dunno, it just doesn’t happen mkay. But here? I was a mess. A wreck. Absolutely and utterly pathetic. Sniveling, ugly crying, uncontrollably emotional wreck. In case you’re still not with me, basically I spent the first half of this book in this particular state:
My husband came home from work and caught me reading it, and after taking in my ugly crying state freaked out thinking someone died. True story. Basically, the moral of this story is do NOT read this book in public unless you want people to think there’s something seriously wrong with you. This book will tug at every heart string you have and rip it to smithereens. I’m not even kidding. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I though it was just a fluke at first, so I went back to re-read a few key parts and nope! I was a wreck all over again.

My life had been interrupted and I’d never restarted it.

One of my favorite tropes is a second chance romance and Walk Through Fire delivers on the promise of it beautifully. While I had no recollection of High from the other books in this series, I have to say he’s probably one of the most memorable I’ve read from Chaos. The story of him and Millie was beautifully tragic. But twenty years apart changed them both. While Millie went on to live her life, she never truly lived it, not without High. And High has spent the last 20 years trying to forget she exists and hating her. Something that he reminds her of vividly when he does finally set his eyes on her again.

If you call me a bitch one more time, High, I swear to God, you’re regret it.”
“What you gonna do? Suck my dick clean off?”
“God, you’re an asshole.”
“Bet I get you on your knees and I get my cock in you, one end or the other, you’ll stop thinkin’ that.”

That gif basically sums up my feelings for High and the rest of Chaos for the first half of this book. High is a royal asshole to Millie when he sees her again. She broke his heart all those years ago and he’s not about to let her forget it. She walked out on him and Chaos, and now that she seems to want the chance to explain, he’ll use the opportunity to switch the roles from twenty years ago.

To say that the first half of this book was intense would be a major understatement. It was raw, painful, heart-wrenchingly good. I couldn’t set the book down for even a minute. I wanted to hate High and yet I couldn’t. I was going crazy trying to figure out the secret of why Millie did what she did those years ago. I wanted them to finally talk instead of lashing out at each other even though there was something utterly delicious in their viciousness.

I’m done walking through fire for you, High…
I’m done not because I’m done but because there’s nothing left of me to burn. You have it all. You’ve always had it all! I gave up everything so you can have it all! Please! God! Leave me to my nothing.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t like Millie when I originally read the first chapter of this book as a preview in Ride Steady. She came across as weak and slightly whiny. Boy was I pleasantly surprised by her in Walk Through Fire. This woman is a survivor and she certainly gave as good as she got, and let me tell you, she got plenty.

The first half of this book was easily a 5+ star. There’s a very clear change of pace between the first half and the second half, and for me, that transition was what ultimately brought my rating down slightly. As intense as the first half was, the second half was almost….boring compared to it. That’s not to say that it was boring, but it was just such a sudden change from one to the other, that I found myself wishing for something more. But it still all came together wonderfully.

All my favorite secondary characters make an appearance and there were plenty of great moments to go along with the emotional ones.

There were only a few words in the Vocabulary of Badass but each one had a number of meanings. They included beautiful, Christ, fuck, Jesus, and shit.
But the one used the most was babe.

I’d say this book divides into two halves, the first half finds Millie and High together after 20 years apart and dealing out pain to each other while attempting to deal with a love that clearly never died. The second half focuses on their rebuilding their lives together. While I had some quibbles with the book as a whole, anything that can put me through the emotional ringer like that is worthy of at least 4 stars. Quibbles or not. I haven’t had a reaction like this to a book in….ever. Seriously.

Kristen Ashley books and alphas are an addiction for me. This is probably one of the most emotional books I’ve read by her to date. So if you’re prepared for one hell of an ugly cry, step inside the world of Chaos and enjoy.

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Author Spotlight & interview, Bikers, Blog Tours, Contemporary Romance, Excerpts, Giveaways · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, Chaos series, Kristen Ashley

Review: ★His Fantasy Girl★ by Nina Croft

October 22, 2015 by Lana ·

His Fantasy Girl
Series: Things To Do Before You Die #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Nina Croft
Release Date: October 19, 2015

When fantasy and reality collide…

There’s nothing like a near death experience to make a guy reassess his life. And that’s exactly what nightclub owner Logan McCabe decides to do, starting with looking up the girl he spent one wild night with eleven years ago, right before his life turned to crap. He spent a year fantasizing about her. Now he’s ready to see how reality matches up.

Abigail Parker is a perfectionist. She’s only strayed from the straight and narrow once in her life, on her eighteenth birthday. It was supposed to be one wild night with a totally unsuitable man before she settled into her sensible future. Instead it changed her life forever.

Logan might still be the sexiest man Imogen has ever seen, but a dirty-talking, tattooed, ex-con is the last thing she needs in her perfect life. He claims she’s his fantasy girl, but what he doesn’t know is she’s also the mother of his ten-year old daughter…

Amazon / iBooks

There’s only one thing I want your mouth doing right now, and it isn’t talking.”

Nothing like floating on a life raft with your buddies after escaping a sinking ship and puking off the side to reflect on one’s life. But that’s exactly what Logan McCabe finds himself doing. When the discussion leads to the one thing they’d go back in time to change, there’s only one thing floating in Logan’s mind. The sizzling one night stand he shared with a woman eleven years ago that rocked his world. So what’s a man to do? Look her up, track her down, and proposition her for more, of course.

Abby Parker is sensible, from her actions to her low heeled sandals. She had one night of wild eleven years ago, and got herself a souvenir to cherish the memory on top of it. She’s not looking for a walk on the wild side again, but when the sexy, tatted and dirty talking Logan shows up on her door, he throws her perfectly sensible life for one hell of a loop.

His Fantasy Girl is the first book in Nina’s scorching new Things To Do Before You Die series. If you love dirty talkers with a bit of a kinky side, heroines that are proper but with that right amount of wild to drive the hero even wilder, and a whole lot of hot sexy loving, this book is sure to please.

I like the way you look at my cock. Like you’re hungry for it and you’ll let me do whatever I like with it.”

Logan is an ex-con with an aversion to cops, and the Abby eleven years later just happens to be a detective. A match made in heaven they are not. I absolutely loved these two together. Abby may be a touch prissy, but she sure gives as good as she gets. Logan is everything I’ve come to love in a Brazen hero, totally alpha and a dirty talking god. Add in a secret pregnancy trope, and watch the sparks fly! My only quibble is what I felt was a little too much cheese with the ending. (view spoiler) But that certainly didn’t make this any less good.

If you’re looking for a sizzling romance to spend an evening with, look no further than this one.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dirty Talkers · Tagged With: Book Reviews: 4 stars, brazen, Nina Croft

Blog Tour & Review: ★Wicked For You★ by Shayla Black

October 11, 2015 by Lana ·

Wicked for You
Series: Wicked Lovers #10
Genre: Erotic, Romantic Suspense (BDSM)
Author: Shayla Black
Release Date: October 6, 2015

Ever since he rescued her from a dangerous kidnapper, Mystery Mullins has wanted Axel Dillon. When he returned her to her Hollywood father and tabloid life, she was grateful…and a little in love. Mystery wasn’t ready to let Axel go, even after the soldier gently turned her away because, at nineteen, she was too young.

Now, six years later, Mystery is grown, with a flourishing career and a full life—but she’s still stuck on Axel. Disguised, she propositions him in a bar, and the night they spend together is beyond her wildest dreams. Mystery steels herself to walk away—except the sheets are barely cold when her past comes back to haunt her.

Once he realizes Mystery isn’t the stranger he thought, Axel is incensed and intrigued. But when it’s clear she’s in danger, he doesn’t hesitate to become her protector—and her lover—again. And as the two uncover a secret someone is willing to kill for, Axel is determined to claim Mystery’s heart before a murderer silences her for good.

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At the end of the day, I’m the kind of Dom who prefers to do one thing above all: get in your head and own you.”

Heart-pounding action, nail-biting suspense and sizzling hot BDSM romance, it just doesn’t get any better than that. Shayla Black delivers yet another winner in her 10th book of her Wicked Lovers series. Sinfully sexy and filled with enough action to keep you at the edge of your seat, Wicked For You definitely delivered on the promise of it’s title.

While this is book 10 in the series, each one can easily be read as a standalone. I love that the author does that all while including all my favorite characters from previous books while allowing new readers to experience her books without being confused. Truth be told I was a little hesitant about reading this one after being slightly underwhelmed with the previous book, but this series is like crack to me so I had to dive in….and I enjoyed the hell out of it! I’d say after Belong to Me, this may be my second favorite in the series.

This woman dragged him into a need that sucked him under like quicksand. The more he fought for control, the less he had.

Mystery Mullins is the daughter to one of the most renowned hollywood directors, who’s reputation as a womanizer is just as infamous. She’s used to media attention, but the only attention she truly craves is from a man that turned her down after saving her life six years ago.

Axel Dillon never forgot the beauty that he rescued from a kidnapper six years ago. But she was vulnerable and only 18 then. Now when she comes to him in disguise and tilts his world on it’s axis once he figures out who she really is, it’s fair game and it’s definitely game on.

You want to know what I’m going to do to you?”
“Yes, Axel.”
“Steal your control.

I love that the author takes you back in time to show the reader exactly what happened between these two all those years ago. It only serves to strengthen the connection to both the characters as well as the connection between them. I love me a sexy Dom that can kick some ass and then spank it. What? I’m being honest here. Axel is a hero that you’ll definitely fall for. Mystery was a great heroine in her own right. She may be inexperienced in the brand of kink that Axel likes, but she’s no blushing virgin. If you’re not a fan of hardcore BDSM, rest easy, there’s no whips or chains in this one. Axel is kinky, but it’s light on the BDSM. A little spanking here, a little bondage there. Mix, repeat, end with orgasms.

The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read for me was the ending. It was just a little much for me to suspend disbelief on. Maybe it was because I built it up a little more in my head, but whatever the case may be I just had a tough time believing it. However, it did bring all the details and clues together nicely, so I can’t complain too much. If you’re looking for a sexy romantic suspense with a little kink on the side, you can’t go wrong with this one.

**** WICKED LOVERS SERIES ****