#DGRFave & Review: Bad For You by @JDanielsbooks

January 27, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

BAD FOR YOU
Series: Dirty Deeds #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J. Daniels
Release Date: January 23, 2017

He didn’t want to be bad. He just didn’t have a choice…

Shayla Perkins isn’t the kind of girl who makes the same mistake twice, especially when it comes to Sean “Stitch” Molina. So when he gives her the world’s biggest rejection, that’s it–she’s done. Until the sexy, silent, unavailable Sean makes Shay a very personal offer. Of course, it still doesn’t mean he’s interested in her. Or does it?

Sean has done things in life. Bad things. And he’s paid the price. All he wants now is to make up for his past by doing good in the present. And no one deserves more good than Shay. Beautiful on the inside and out, Shay is the kind of woman who should be cared for and protected–especially from a man like Sean. He’s tried to keep his feelings for her in check, but a single, reckless impulse pulls them closer than ever before.

Soon the two are sharing their biggest dreams and satisfying their deepest desires. But what will happen if the only way to truly give each other what they want most…is to let each other go?

AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS

I don’t remember the time between meeting you and loving you. I just know I love you and I can’t stop. That’s it.”

When J. Daniels gives you a hero so devastatingly broken, sweet, and endearing, that you sob your way through half the book and then sit there clutching your kindle to your chest once you finished, making moon eyes at the ceiling. I seriously can’t even right now. Stitch owns my heart and I never want it back

You put food in front of a starving man, he’s going to eat it. No matter if he thinks he deserves it or not. It was about survival. And Shayla was keeping me alive.

You know what I love more than a damaged hero? A damaged hero with an incredible amount of depth. And it just doesn’t get better that Sean. The previous two books hint at a dark pain that this man hides beneath his stoic and silent exterior, but it doesn’t even come close to the true demons he keeps hidden. I was torn between wanting to hug him and wanting to cry for him. He was just so incredibly broken that it made my poor little heart hurt.

I wanna be yours,” I panted, watching her eyes dilate and blink wider as she took in what I was saying. “You at my back, stickin’ up for me, and there when I’m fuckin’ terrified…I wanna go to you and I want you tellin’ me I can. I wanna be yours, Shayla.”

I couldn’t think of a better match for this broody and silent man than Shayla. She’s fun and quirky, sassy and opinionated. She also wasn’t afraid to fight for her man, even when what she had to fight was his own stubbornness. I loved her spine of steel and sweet core. This is a woman that cares and cares deeply, and that’s exactly what a guy like Sean needs. Even if he doesn’t realize it immediately.

This was madness. This was sex without thought, without pause, without question. Letting desire drive and leaving reason and all sense behind. Fuck stopping to think. Fuck wondering, Should we? Could we? What if we did? We were just feeling. Feeling and letting it all happen. It was the most beautiful, chaotic thing I’d ever experienced. 

This was very much a slow burn, and I loved it. I loved everything about it. I loved the emotion and the angst, I loved the romance and the sizzle. I loved the characters and the story. Absolutely everything!

I thought I loved Four Letter Word, but Bad For You is now my absolute favorite in the series.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to eat all of my feelings with chocolate. Because I have a lot of feelings.


J.Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Addiction series, the Alabama Summer series, and the Dirty Deeds series.

She would rather bake than cook, she listens to music entirely too loud, and loves writing stories her children will never read. Her husband and children are her greatest loves, with cupcakes coming in at a close second.

J grew up in Baltimore and resides in Maryland with her family.

Sign up to receive her newsletter and get special offers and exclusive release info: http://authorjdaniels.com/newsletter/

Twitter | Instagram | Website | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Reader’s Group

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#DGRFave & Review: : Midnight Blue by @lj_shen

January 22, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

MIDNIGHT BLUE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: January 16, 2018

From bestselling author L.J. Shen, comes a new, standalone, contemporary romance.

It should have been easy.

I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.

I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.

The worst part is that I should have known better.

Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.

“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”

Guess what? I didn’t listen.

I signed the contract.

World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.

My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.

Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.

Then he took my heart.

Then he took my all.

AMAZON

Nat’s words came back and haunted me like a bad haircut from the eighties. An irrational need to check the goods took over me. It wasn’t like he minded. According to the rumors, his dick had seen more cameras than Kendall Jenner. Slowly—so painfully slowly—my eyes drifted down his sinewy body. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Whatever I had in mind, though, didn’t come close to the real thing. Thick, long but not atrocious. With thin veins running through its length.

“Nice view?” he groaned, tucking his junk back into his briefs. His profile was glorious. Strong jaw, pouty lips, eyes like sex…

My eyes snapped up when I realized he was talking to me. “I wasn’t…”

“Looking? Yes, you were. Next time take a picture. It lasts longer.” He rolled his zipper upward and flushed the toilet with the toe of his boot. He turned around and squirted soap into his palm, washing his hands almost violently—rubbing between each finger and scratching his knuckles like he wanted to shed his own skin. When he was done, he looked around for a towel.

I cleared my throat, scrambling to regain my wits. “Longer than the glimpse or longer than your performance?”

Casually—so unbearably casually—he wiped his wet hands over my purple dress. I gasped, moving sideways. It looked like he was about to open the door and get out, but before I had the chance to yell at him for using me as a human towel, he slammed me against the wall, bracing both his arms above my head and pinning me to my spot. I let out a shriek of surprise at the sudden proximity.

Alex Winslow is touching me. Willingly, my surprisingly pitiful brain squealed.

Heat rolled off his body, making my back arch and my breath catch in my throat.

“Let’s make one thing clear—I could fuck you to a point of numbness without even breaking a sweat if I wanted to. Now, careful, New Girl. If you don’t keep your distance from me, I think I just might.”

He was larger than life. A one-man show, even when he was off the stage.

Hands down my top favorite rockstar romance ever. Full of angst, beautifully broken characters, sizzling romance and a plot that keeps you glued to the pages from beginning to finish, it’s no wonder Midnight Blue is one of my first top reads of 2018. I loved it SO HARD.

Alex Winslow was beautiful in a way storms were—only from afar. Just like them, he had the power to sweep and ruin you, two things I was too busy surviving to entertain.

A British bad-boy rockstar? Sign me up, I say! Make that rockstar tortured, beautifully broken, and damaged almost beyond repair? I’m putty in your hands. I’m no stranger to Shen’s work, but this hero that she’s created with Alex Winslow, is easily my favorite of hers to date. This man was just so perfectly imperfect. A recovering addict, cynical and broken, and determined to throw pain at others to suffocate the pain he’s suffering deep down. The man was just so broken, I didn’t know whether I wanted to hug him or slap him half the time. Though, admittedly, I wanted to bang him ALL of the time.

You annoy me so much, sometimes I want to cry,” she gritted through clenched teeth.
“When I finally lay my hands on you—and make no mistakes, Stardust, I will—you will be crying, all right. My name. Over. And. Over. Again.”

Le sigh.

When his self destructive behavior threatens to destroy his career unless he gets back on track, his team hires him a babysitter in the form of the young, beautiful, and desperate to save her family from poverty Indigo Bellamy. Indie isn’t exactly thrilled to babysit a spoiled and tantrum spoiled rockstar by following him on tour for three months, but her family is in desperate need of money and Winslow’s team is offering her a ridiculous amount of money. The Brit is determined to seduce her, and she’s determined to resist his charm.

Slow down, heart.
Relax, heart.
Take a deep breath, heart.

The sexual tension and chemistry between these two is instant. The feisty barbs, the antagonistic arguments, the undeniable attraction, all of them blend together into a connection that practically burns through the pages.

I apologize in advance.” He cocked his head to the side. “For?” “Ruining you for any other man on this planet. I’m going to fuck you, Indie. So hard you’ll think about me years from now, when you lie under your boring, missionary-loving husband. I will own every orgasm

Though Indie is young and mostly inexperienced, she’s no blushing ingenue. This is a girl that gives just as hard as she gets, and Alex definitely gives it hard. This is a man that doesn’t mince words or shy away from being rude, crude, and offensive. I loved the way Indie stood up for herself and put him in his place.

When I look at you, I see something broken that isn’t worth fixing. And you look at me like I’m a cheap thing to replace the expensive one that’s been stolen from you. See, we’re all vases. And you’re the one scattered on the floor, shattered beyond repair. So I’ll let someone else pick you up. It’s really that simple. Have fun with your temporary glue.”

This was a delicious slow burn full of angst and plenty of twists. I was glued to the pages from beginning to finish.

I’ve read a lot of rockstar romances, but this one felt like it was custom written for me. I loved absolutely everything about it; the characters, the romance, the writing. I swear, I had highlighted half the book with quotes. I couldn’t get enough of LJ Shen’s words.

I need to be inside you the way you’re inside me. So deep I want to peel my skin off just to get rid of you. I need to get rid of you,”

She’s written some amazing books in the past, but this is definitely my top favorite of hers. If you’re a fan of this author, Midnight Blue is simply not to be missed.

She was my muse. She was my life. She was my all.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Connect with LJ Shen:

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Website

Stay up to date with LJ Shen by signing up for her mailing list:

http://bit.ly/2umcYPg

 

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Review & Lana’s Binge Read: Victorian Rebels series by Kerrigan Byrne

January 20, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

THE HIGHWAY MAN, THE HUNTER, & THE HIGHLANDER
Series: Victorian Rebels
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Kerrigan Byrne

OMG, you guys! Did I have a binge of my dreams when I discovered this sizzling historical romance series! Anti-heroes, sexy romance, addicting stories and top notch writing, this series had EVERYTHING I love!

THE HIGHWAYMAN (Victorian Rebels #2)

The Highwayman (Victorian Rebels, #1)

 

They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster…

STEALING BEAUTY
Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of London’s wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who’ve wronged him…and will fight to the death to seize what he wants. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception—and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands…

COURTING DESIRE
But Farah is no one’s puppet. She possesses a powerful secret—one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe from those who would see her dead, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what the Blackheart of Ben More never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both. Could it be that the woman he captured is the only one who can touch the black heart he’d long thought dead?

AMAZON

In this quiet, unfettered moment, she knew him, truly saw him for what he was. Hard, ruthless tyrant. Abused, wounded boy. An empty heart full of promise, and a soul of shadows in need of sunlight.”

Ermahgerd.
My heart. MY HEART!!!!
ERMAHGERD.

First of all, I am seriously kicking myself for taking this long to start this series. Like SERIOUSLY kicking my ass. What the heck was I thinking? I was crazy! Nuts. Loony bins, I tells ya! Because this book? It was everything. All of the things! ALL OF THEM.

It combines my obsession with anti-heroes and sexy historical romance, and weaves it all together into a story that’s truly spellbinding. I couldn’t bring myself to set it down for even a second. I was immediately hooked from the prologue, and as I kept reading, I grew more and more addicted to the words of Kerrigan Byrne.

Dorian Blackwell. The Blackheart of Ben More. The deadliest, coldest, and most lethal king of the London underground. His name is whispered in the shadows and renowned in fear. He’s scarred, both in body and soul, and knows only revenge.
Be.
Still.
My.
Ovaries.

Alright. So maybe I sound slightly deranged, but work with me here. There’s a lot more depth to the man, and when you get to the heart of him, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Farah Leigh Mackenzie. Beautiful, sweet, and a woman with a spine of steel. My god but I loved her. The things she’s survived and the secrets she’s kept would have made a lower woman than her wither away. But she persevered and lost none of her steel core. This is a woman that gives as hard as she gets and she’s not about to back down to a man that’s kidnapped her and essentially propositioned her into a marriage of…convenience?

Enter my other favorite trope.

But I digress yet again.

What you need to take away from my incessant rambling is this; I LOVED THIS BOOK. LOVED it. The romance was swoon worthy, the story was deliciously addicting, the characters full of depth, mystery and secrets. I devoured it like a starving lunatic and couldn’t get enough.
I immediately jumped right into book two. I can’t recommend this book enough for any lovers of steamy historical romance. Period.

READ THIS BOOK.

THE HUNTER (Victorian Rebels #2)

 

They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the proper Victorian-era ladies who love them, a hint of danger only makes their hearts beat faster…

A scandalous proposal.

As one of London’t most elite hunters, Christopher Argent never misses his mark and always gets his man. But when his latest target turns out to be a woman—the popular, and stunningly beautiful, actress Millie LeCour—it turns his whole world upside-down. Overwhelmed by the heat that simmers between them, Christopher can’t complete his mission. On the contrary, he’ll do anything to save Millie’s life—even if it means risking his own…

A dangerous passion…

When she learns what Christopher was hired to do, Millie is torn between the fear in her heart and the fire in her soul. Putting herself in this dangerous man’s arms may be her only path to safety—but giving in to her desire may be the deadliest mistake she’s ever made. With both of their lives in jeopardy, Millie and Christopher must learn to trust the real feelings they’re hiding—to find the true love they’re looking for…

AMAZON

He didn’t fear death. Didn’t appreciate life. He was fond of nothing and therefore didn’t fear pain or loss.

Holy WOW! I’m obsessed with this series. I loved this book even more than the first and I freaking LURVED the first. If tortured anti-heroes are your thing, it just doesn’t get much better than Christopher Argent. A ruthless and cold blooded killer; his reputation is one of legend. But what happens when a killer for hire falls for his mark?

This must be what religious men felt as they fell to their knees at an altar. This unworthy rapture. This unholy desire. This need for redemption. Christopher became a pilgrim of her pleasure.

Millie LeCour is a talented London theatre actress. When she see Argent in the audience of her performance, she’s drawn to him like a magnet. Little does she know why he’s really there.

This story was utterly delicious. I loved watching the ice that is Argent’s heart slowly melt for the sweet and sassy Millie. Millie was such a wonderful heroine; full of spunk and courage. She was able to bring one of London’s most feared men to his knees.

He shut her door behind him, wondering to himself just what hour of the day she became less dangerous than him. He’d probably wake her then.

I read The Hunter in one gritty, action packed and delicious sitting. If you’re a fan of sizzling Historical Romance, this series is simply a must read.

THE HIGHLANDER (Victorian Rebels #3)

Can the fiercest master of battle conquer a woman’s heart?

They call him the Demon Highlander. The fearsome Lieutenant Colonel Liam MacKenzie is known for his superhuman strength, towering presence, and fiery passion in the heat of battle. As Laird to the MacKenzie clan, the undefeated Marquess has vanquished his foes with all rage and wrath of his barbaric Highland ancestors. But when an English governess arrives to care for his children, the master of war finds himself up against his greatest opponent… in the game of love.

Defying all expectations, Miss Philomena is no plain-faced spinster but a ravishing beauty with voluptuous curves and haughty full lips that rattle the Laird to his core. Unintimidated by her master’s raw masculinity and savage ways, the headstrong lass manages to tame not only his wild children but the beast in his soul. With each passing day, Liam grows fonder of Miss Mena—and more suspicious. What secret is she hiding behind those emerald eyes? What darkness brought her to his keep? And how can he conquer this magnificent woman’s heart… without surrendering his own?

AMAZON

He wanted all of it. All of her. He wanted to uncover her, body and soul. To lay her bare and wide and make a conquest of her. He wanted to own her. To claim her. To brand her skin with his mark.

Another amazing installment in what’s become my recent addiction of a series! Ever since Mena was first introduced in The Hunter, I’ve been eager for her story. After all the abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her vicious husband and cruel family, I was yearning for her to know love. Who knew she’d find it at the hands of the one they call The Demon Highlander? Yum!

Laird Hamish Mackenzie had wanted to craft a monster out of his son and heir. Someone like him. But monsters were mythical, the figments of superstitious imaginations and farcical stories of centuries past. Liam decided he’d be no monster. Nay, he’d do one better. He’d become a demon.

This was a delicious slow burn of a romance. I loved watching the battle-scarred war hero fall harder and harder for Mena, as she tried harder and harder to stay away from him due to her secrets.

There was plenty of action to be had, with fantastic secondary characters, and a romance that will make you swoon. Another winner from my new favorite historical romance series!

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DGRFave & Review: Defiant Queen by Meghan March

November 17, 2017 by ·

DEFIANT QUEEN
Series: Mount Trilogy #2
Genre: Erotic, Contemporary Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: November 14, 2017

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt.

I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment?

They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body.

But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy.

I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules.

I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact.

But he has other plans . . .

 

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira’s story concludes in Sinful Empire.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO 

Every time I think I have her figured out, I realize none of my normal barometers apply when it comes to Keira Kilgore. She’s the exception to everything I thought I knew.

Dear mother of GAWD. I’m obsessed! OBSESSED with this trilogy. It’s like it was custom written for me. I want to slap someone with my kindle right now, it was so good. Yes, this is perfectly normal. Quit side-eyeing me.

I have the worst book ADD when it comes to trilogies. Never has one kept me as completely riveted as The Mount Trilogy. Never. I thought I was hooked after Ruthless King but that was nothing compared to what I was feeling after finishing Defiant Queen. I devour and I mean devour these books in one sitting. I cling onto every morsel of information about the mysterious and deadly Lachlan Mount. And I fall even more for the hard-headed, independent, and sassy Keira.

Defiant Queen was just as perfectly paced and action packed as the first book, if not more. We get more details of Mount’s past that helps paint the picture of why he’s the man he is today.

If there were a scale to determine the purity of a person, I would send one side crashing to the ground with the weight of my sins, and laugh while I watched.

Meghan March has written an anti-hero to beat all anti-heroes with this man and I will NEVER get enough of his domineering and sexy ways. Secrets are revealed, twists and turns come out of nowhere, and what started off as a debt, soon turns into something much more complicated for both Keira and Mount.

I finally understand the reason it’s called power exchange, but with Mount and me, it’s more accurately termed a power struggle.
He takes. I fight.
He threatens. I rebel.
He taunts. I argue.

The heat is downright incendiary with this installment. And I mean INCENDIARY. The story was downright addicting. And the ending? ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING.

So if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to rock myself in a corner somewhere until the release of Sinful Empire.

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | PINTEREST

 

DON’T MISS THE REST OF THE MOUNT TRILOGY 

RUTHLESS KING

Mount Trilogy Book 1

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

Goodreads | AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | iBOOKS

Sinful Empire

Release Day December 19, 2017

Mount Trilogy Book 3

The Mount Trilogy concludes with Sinful Empire!

What’s mine, I keep, and that includes Keira Kilgore.

It’s no longer enough to have her in my debt. No longer enough to own her body.

I want something more.

She can try to resist, but I’ll never give her up.

Nothing will keep us apart.

Not her. Not my enemies. No one.

Her debt will only be paid one way—with her heart.

Sinful Empire is the third and final book in the Mount Trilogy.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

 

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, Dirty Talkers, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,

Audio Blitz & Review: The Learning Hours by Sara Ney

November 3, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE LEARNING HOURS 
Series: HOW TO DATE A DOUCHEBAG #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: September 26, 2017

He’s not a douchebag; but that doesn’t stop his friends from turning him into one.

MY FRIENDS WANT ME TO GET LAID.

So much so that they plastered my ugly mug all over campus, in bold printed letters:

Are you the lucky lady who’s going to break our roommate’s cherry?
Him: socially awkward man with average-sized penis looking for willing sexual partner. You: must have a pulse. He will reciprakate with oral. Text him at: 555-254-5551

The morons can’t even spell. And the texts I’ve been receiving are what wet dreams are made of. But I’m not like these douchebags, no matter how hard they try to turn me into one.

THIS ISN’T THE KIND OF ATTENTION I WANT.

One text stands out from hundreds. One number I can’t bring myself to block. She seems different. Hotter, even in black and white.

However, after seeing her in person, I know she’s not the girl for me. But my friends won’t let up–they just don’t get it. Douchebags or not, there’s one thing they’ll never understand: GIRLS DON’T WANT ME.

Especially her.

 AMAZON | AUDIO | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO


He’s seated at a table in the far corner when I spot him from the door. He’s not hard to miss—not with his purple t-shirt in a sea of black and yellow, and wavy mussed hair.

He’s slouching, hunched over his table.

Defeated. Tired.

My stomach rolls with nerves, nerves that have me rooted to the spot in the doorway, watching him.
Just watching.

For the entire four minutes I stand here, he sits immobile, studying his laptop, eyes moving along the screen, completely transfixed by whatever he’s reading.

Learning.

“Just go over there,” I whisper to myself, blowing out a puff of pent-up air.

I put one foot in front of the other and begin toward him, spine ramrod straight, steeling myself, prepared for another argument.

Twenty feet.

Fifteen.

Eight.

Two.

“Hi.”

No reply.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” I lay my hand on the back of the wooden chair across from him, intending to pull it out.

He stiffens but doesn’t lift his head. “Yes I mind.”

“Would you mind if I sat at the table next to you?” I’m pushing his buttons, looking for a reaction, but he only spares me a brief glance.

Shrugs. “Free country.”

I bite my lip to hide a smile, glad he didn’t tell me to take a hike…

I’m quickly learning that Rhett Rabideaux isn’t most guys”

This is quite possibly the happiest my ears have ever been. Because this audio? This audio book was EVERYTHING.

Now this particular picky reader doesn’t typically like audio books. Either the pacing annoys me or the narrators do. There’s too much monotone, too much overacting, and all the more nitpicking on my end. But this book? This was the icing on the already perfect cake. As much as I adored reading this book, listening to it made me fall in love with it even more.

Rhett Rabideaux may not be prince charming but he’s something else entirely: he’s real. He is who he is, and makes no apologies. He’s polite and sincere.”

Josh Goodman’s delicious voice in my ear narrating the part of Rhett was pure perfection. And here I thought it will never get better than Rhett.

I’m a huge fan of NA romance, but the good kind are getting harder and harder to find. This is the book that tops all NA books I’ve ever read to date. This story was incredible. It was sweet, and touching, and so different that I simply couldn’t help but swoon super hard over it.

Muffy Newtown is now easily one of my favorite female narrators. She did this heroine so much justice. It was like listening to a movie while having the scene roll through your mind’s eye. I simply don’t have enough good things to say about it. This was, hands down, my favorite audio book to date.

And this book was, hands down, my favorite NA romance to date. I love a book that mixes things up and isn’t afraid to go out of the typical cookie cutter formula, and that’s exactly what Sara Ney did here.

This was the happiest 10 hours of my giddy ears’ life. Truly.

Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

She lives with her husband, children, and her ridiculously large dog.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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

New Release, 5 STAR Review & Giveaway: Juniper Unraveling by @KeriLake

October 31, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

JUNIPER UNRAVELING
Genre: Dark Dystopian Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date: October 31, 2017

 

Papa says everyone has a story that deserves to be told.

Most begin years ago, after the second bomb hit, unearthing a deadly contagion that divided the population into the pure, the infected, and the Ragers.

Many recount the moment we rose up from the ashes and started anew.

Others tell of the day we built a wall to keep them out.
For some, they’re nothing more than the vestiges left behind—a simple name carved into the knotty bark of a Juniper tree.

My story begins with a boy. A mute, from the other side of the wall, known only as Six, who touched my heart in ways that words never could, and gave me the courage to face my darkest truth.

ONLY 99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME

AMAZON

This is our fragile dance of understanding and confusion. Pain and lust. Roughness and reverence. This is who we are—two damaged souls trying to figure each other out. 

A dystopian romance with Keri’s signature grit and dark undercurrents? Sign me up!
I didn’t even need a blurb to know that I’m going to love this book. And you know what? I was NOT wrong. This is what would happen if you took Resident Evil, added a dash of Walking Dead, and then mixed it all up with incredible romance. It was, in a word, unforgettable.

Keri just wrote her most tortured anti-hero to date and if you don’t fall for him head over ovaries, I’ll eat my shoe. Seriously.

Six stares into my eyes, and I drown in that sea of blue, consuming me in his sadness. He’s baring his soul to me. Peeling back his skin to the blackness within.

I feel as if I’ve given away my darkest secrets while taking in Six’s at the same time. There are shades of darkness though, and his is pitch black.

Told in two parts, don’t expect an easy read here. Juniper Unraveling is full of grit, violence, and heartache. It’s full of depth and emotion. But most of all, it’s full of pain.

What happens when the world you grow up in is filled with evil the likes of which you’ve never known. An evil so dark, that it taints everything it touches. An evil that comes from the heart and mind of human beings. An evil that manifested into something they can no longer contain. What if you had the choice to make a difference for one life? Would you risk yours to save his?

He wears his words across his skin like braille. A story of pain that I wish I could rewrite for him, and take away the chapters that mark his suffering.

I want to tell you more of the plot, but I simply can’t. What I will tell you, is put those big girl panties on because this is no walk in the park.

While the first half is slower paced, it builds the backstory that paints the entire picture. It connects you with a character that has so much presence in mere silence, that it was simply magnetic. It paints the story of young love, unbearable choices and heart ache.

I want to lose control with him, to feel the sweat and the power of him, the electricity moving inside of me the way it does when he merely touches me.

Then the second half comes in and pulls you away in a riptide of violence, angst, and grit.

Juniper Unraveling was a dark and suspenseful page turner. Set in a time where survival is everything, the author spares no detail throwing her readers straight into her dark and dangerous vortex of violence, survival, and a love beyond all odds. I was enraptured, captivated, and completely hooked. If you’re looking for a read that’s just the right amount of different from the norm and will keep you up all night, this is a book that needs to be on your TBRs.

Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees. When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing). She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.

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Jenn & Lana’s Review: Follow by @mstessabailey

October 30, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

FOLLOW
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: October 30, 2017

He wants her soul. Too bad she already sold it.

Family is everything to gambling den darling, Teresa Valentini. Blood comes first, especially before men. So when her brother lands himself in hot water, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to save him. And showing up topless in her unwitting savior’s motel room is turning out to be the furthest thing from a hardship…

Will Caruso is the bad boy of New York’s financial scene…and he just found out the very thing that drives his success is a damn lie. Now, he’s exchanged his high-stress life for the open road, no one but his Great Dane…and half a million Instagram followers to keep him company. When a mysterious beauty arrives, her secrecy prods his suspicions, even while she tempts his lust to the breaking point.

Teresa met Will under false pretenses, but the bond consuming them is real. They’re strong enough to overcome a little betrayal…aren’t they?

AMAZON
JENN’S REVIEW

Will is going down in the books as one of my favorites!!!! Definitely Top favorites of Tessa’s and Top favorites….EVAH!!! Checks all of my boxes and clenches all of my inner muscles (wink)!!!


Tessa has never written a book like this. Almost all of her books are written in the third person, except Unfixable. In Follow, we have both pov’s and both are written in the first person, and Gah! Tessa needs to write first person more often!! This is also her first independent book, and I am so glad Will and Teresa wouldn’t leave Tessa alone until she wrote their story.

Teresa is trying to save her brother from working for the mob for the rest of his life. She is taking names, walking right up to the boss and demanding he let her brother go. Who does that?! Teresa does that! I absolutely loved this chick with tits of steel. She does what she has to do to save her brother and that includes doing a favor for the mob boss. That favor is to bring his son to New York, using whatever means she can.


Will. Will. Will. (Is what I said over and over in my dreams last night!) Rugged. Intelligent. Sexy. Businessman. Perfect. Alpha. Dirty Talker. I could survive on nothing but Will. He’s the bastard son of the mob boss, and he doesn’t want to be. He doesn’t want anything to do with his father. He is taking an extended leave of absence, taking a cross country trip with his dying dog. Will is Teresa’s mark. They are immediately suspicious of each other, trying to keep their guards up against each other, but they aren’t able to keep away the sexual chemistry. The meet cute…is more like a meet sexy, and omg perfection. Teresa doesn’t want to give in and have sex with Will because that would be drawing a line that she doesn’t want to cross. But Will is a very determined man, and he wants This book is HOT. This book is FIRE. I continue to be scorched by every single Tessa book.


Of course, we all know that Tessa is the Queen of Dirty Talk. She owns the Dirty Talking Universe, and if you don’t know that….I’m totally judging you right now. Because reading a Tessa Bailey book should go down as One of the Top Things to do Before You Die. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating….but I don’t think I am.

LANA’S REVIEW

You make me crazy, too. Crazy in a way that makes me want to rearrange the earth so it’s laid out exactly the way you want it.”

Oh. My. GAWD.
*pats self down*
Can you feel if both of your ovaries exploded? I swear to god, I felt it. There is no way that both of those suckers survived Will Caruso. No freaking way. So, Tessa Bailey, you now owe me a new set of ovaries. You better hope that Prime carries that shit, because I still can’t even. Give me a dang second here.
*dunks into ice bath*
And I’m back!

Tessa Bailey brings the sass and the steam with this read-in-one-sitting standalone. It had EVERYTHING; memorable characters, suspense and a bit of action, an adorable giant (and I mean GIANT) dog, and a dirty talking GOD that is Will Caruso.

Oh my God. Have I ever been spoken to like this? I mean, there’s dirty chatter. And then there’s Will’s Fantasyland of Fuck Talk.

Mmm hmm. *fans self*
Dang. Now I need a another minute.
….
And I’m back!

Teresa Valentini will do anything for family, especially when her little brother Nicky is all she has left. So when he finds himself neck deep in the worst sort of trouble, she doesn’t think twice before making a bargain with the devil himself to get him out of it. The deal? Follow a crime bosses errant son as he takes a cross country trip for his dying dog and bring him back to the multi million dollar empire he left behind in New York. But Will is nothing like the man Teresa was prepared for. Sure, he’s handsome as a devil and has a mouth on him that will drive a saint to sin, but there’s also something about him that calls to her. Something that can prove dangerous to her mission and her heart.

When she realizes I’m watching her, she meets my gaze head on, her expression half bemused, half serious…and I can feel a barrier forming that wasn’t there a moment ago. I’ve known this woman less than a day. But I’m going to knock that barrier down.

Now you’ve already guessed that I’m salivating for Will. I’m not exactly subtle about it. But beyond this sexy man and his dirty, dirty mouth, this book had a story that wrapped me up in the pages. I was hooked. Completely and totally hooked. I think I fell just as hard for his adorable dog as I did for Will. I adore the personality that Tessa instilled in all secondary characters, even those of the four legged variety.

The romance was a low burn and crackled with every page. And my sweet baby Jesus, when these two finally give into the undeniable chemistry between them? LAWWWWWWWD.

No matter what comes out of my mouth, I know you’re Teresa. I respect you,” I whisper against her panting lips. “You’re going to work this little kink out on my lap so we know its flavor, woman. Understand?
Then I’m going to hold the door open for you on the way into that restaurant. Going to pull out your chair and dare anyone with a dick to look below your neck. I’m going to be the same man after you take off that dress for me.”

Teresa was an awesome heroine, full of spunk and sass. She’s in a bit of a predicament between loyalty to her brother and the man she’s slowly but surely falling for.

The chemistry between these two was unbelievably hot. The story was unputdownably addicting. I’m crossing my fingers and toes that Tessa takes pity on this poor reader and writes a book for Nick as well, because I need more. This book was ridiculously satisfying, yet like the addict to her words as I am, I’m already salivating for even more.

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Review: Ruthless King by Meghan March

October 19, 2017 by · 3 Comments

RUTHLESS KING
Series: Mount Trilogy #1
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: Meghan March
Release Date: October 17, 2017

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.

You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.

My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.

I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.

To have her in my debt.

She doesn’t know she caught my attention.

She should’ve been more careful.

I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.

It’s time to collect what I’m owed.

Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

AMAZON | PAPERBACK | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

When was the last time you were fucked by a real man? Someone who knows what you need. Someone who’ll take control from you and give you what you’ve been dying for.

Um, may we just have a moment of silence for my ovaries? Because they fought the good fight, but those suckers completely combusted in the mere presence of Lachlan Mount. I’m talking total ovary obliteration here, people, and mine were steel plated for goodness sake!
HOLY. FREAKING. SHIT.
I LOVED this! This brought back all the originals feels that I had with the beginning of the Beneath series but EVEN BETTER.

Meghan’s Beneath series was easily my favorite of hers. It was a bittersweet moment reading the last book in that series. But then she went and introduced an anti-hero to beat all anti-heroes set in the same world and I. Was. Hooked.

Mount is the king of the New Orleans underground. Equally feared and respected, nothing happens without his knowledge or order. When Mount wants something, he gets it, and no one stands in his way.

Keira is still reeling from the unexpected death of her cheating husband and barely keeping her head afloat running her beloved family whiskey business. When the boogeyman shows up at her door and tells her that she owes him a five hundred thousand dollar debt, she’s shocked. When he tells her that he’ll take her in exchange for the money her husband apparently loaned from Mount, she’s livid. But a debt is a debt, and you don’t say no to the most feared man in NOLA. And the fact that the fan enrages her as much as he brings out all her primal urges? Definitely inconvenient.

I own your orgasms. I decide when you come. Not you. Learn it. Live it. Because you’re going to fucking love it by the time I’m done with you.”

I devoured this book. Absolutely devoured it. Hanging on every word and erotic interlude. Mount has such an enigmatic and utterly sexual presence to him, that you don’t just read about him, you feel it. March knows how to write one delicious alpha, but she seriously outdid herself with this one. He’s cold, ruthless, dominant, and the sexiest anti-hero I’ve read.

I loved that Keira is the only one that has the balls to stand up to him. This is no cowering wallflower. This is a woman that gives as good as she gets. And let me tell you, she gets it HARD. Uhem. She’s smart, head strong, and not afraid to tell the domineering man where to stuff it. OK, seriously, I need to stop handing myself sexual innuendos here. I’m dying. But seriously though, I am HOOKED. Line and sinker. I’m desperately salivating for the next book in this series. If you’re a fan of sizzling romance with an anti-hero that’s to die for and a story that’s as captivating as the romance, this is a trilogy you need in your life!

She may have marked me tonight, but I marked her first. Keira Kilgore needs another lesson in what it means to be owned by Lachlan Mount.


Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | PINTEREST

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New Release & Review: Game On by Victoria Denault

October 10, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

GAME ON
Series: Hometown Players #6
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Victoria Denault
Release Date: October 9, 2017

“I don’t break hearts. I break headboards . . . “

When it comes to scoring in the pro hockey league, Alex Larue is crushing it-with the hot puck bunnies. He’s the life of the party, the guy with all the jokes . . . and the one whose Party Guy mask keeps the real him well hidden. The last thing he needs is anyone finding out about his troubled past, or the nightmares that haunt him still.

Brie Bennett is less than impressed by Alex from the moment she meets him. And even though he insists on volunteering at the charity she runs, she doesn’t trust him. He’s hiding something…but so is she. She’s not just the rich, privileged New York princess he thinks she is. The animosity between them is undeniably addictive and as their worlds keep colliding it becomes supercharged with something else – attraction.

But if they stop playing games and let each other in, they both might lose.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

…tell me you want this. Take the shot.”
He nuzzles my hand and but then turns his face and kisses my palm. When he turns back to me he looks so serious it’s startling. “I want this.”
I feel my smile from my toes to the roots of my hair. “Game on?”
He smiles back, raw but darkly playful. “Game on.”

This book was not at all what I signed up for, in the best possible of ways. See, this totally one track reader saw the quote on the blurb and thought, “eeee!!! Another manwhore! GIMME!” And then what I got was an engrossing, unforgettable, and beautiful story that was full of depth and meaning.

You’re this amazing, stubborn, gorgeous woman who wants more than the one thing I know I can give. And as much as I suddenly, for the first time in my life, want to try and give more, I’m also so fucking clueless as to how.”

Alex Larue is the darling of the hockey league. He’s always got a woman on his arm and a quick smile on his lips. Traded numerous times in his career, his one constant is his love for the game and the love the fans have for him. He’s talented, hard-working, and completely shut off emotionally.

I want things from you I shouldn’t want.”

When Alex first notices the gorgeous Brie, she shoots him down in a way that’s hard to forget. The sparks of attraction that ignite between them are almost as hot as their opposites attract interactions. When Alex realizes who Brie is, the animosity between them rises. After all, Brie is the complete antithesis to the life he’s lived and the demons he hides. Being the darling daughter of two wealthy parents, she hasn’t known a struggle in her life. But not is as it seems.

His fingers grip my hips so tight I’ll probably have marks, and I like that idea. That his fingers will leave their imprint on my body the way his soul seems to be leaving an imprint on my heart.

I really don’t want to give much more than that away because it makes the story that much better to discover the small details as you read. What I can tell you is this book has so much more depth than the blurb implies. Both of the main characters are incredibly multi-layered and impossible not to love. Alex and his easy smile and hidden vulnerability will pull at your heart strings. Brie with her quiet and understated strength and the way she doesn’t give up on Alex will make you smile.

Alex makes it clear to Brie that he can’t offer her what she deserves. But after seeing peeks of the man beneath the tenacious flirt, Brie knows what she wants and she knows that she can’t give up on him. There’s something about Alex that pulls her in, and impossible to forget.

You’re going to wreck me,” he whispers into the crook of my neck. “And I’m going to let you.”

With a wonderful cast of secondary characters, Game On was an unputdownable read from beginning to finish. It was full of meaning, emotion, and so much depth, it was impossible not to love. This just may be my favorite Victoria Denault book yet and I can’t recommend it enough.

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

ONE MORE SHOT | MAKING A PLAY | THE FINAL PLAY | WINNING IT ALL | ON THE LINE | GAME ON

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Jennifer’s Review: Sledgehammer by P. Dangelico

October 8, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

SLEDGEHAMMER
Series: Hard To Love #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: P. Dangelico
Release Date: September 11, 2017

Amber Jones is in a pickle. And when I say pickle, I mean deep do-do. She knew she shouldn’t have gone to her ex’s New Year’s Eve party. And she reeeaally didn’t mean to almost burn down his house. It was the chafing dish’s fault, dang it! Now she needs a good lawyer, stat. But where to find one?

All work and no play make Ethan Vaughn a very sad and lonely lawyer. Not to mention horny. He really shouldn’t have agreed to help his best friend’s wife’s bestie with her imbroglio. Now she’s remanded on bail––and living in his house. The woman is a walking, talking category five hurricane. And considering his track record with women, he needs to stay as far away from this one as possible. Problem is, he just can’t seem to make himself.

Heads up folks, this little heroine has a propensity for prolific profanity. Our girl’s got a potty mouth and strong opinions. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you. If you have delicate nerves, this book is not for you. If you are under 18, this book is definitely not for you. Consider yourself warned.

AMAZON


Confession: I have a THING for lawyers. And when I say a THING, I mean an OBSESSION. Maybe it’s the suit. Maybe it’s the ego. Maybe it’s the brain. I don’t know, but I cannot resist a lawyer.

Vaughn. (Aka Fancy McButterpants) Oh, the brood. Be still….my heart…and my ovaries….Ok, let’s be honest, my ovaries weren’t very still during this book. He is the perfect hot lawyer that gets my juices flowing. What’s crazy is that he isn’t your everyday, neighborhood asshole. In the beginning, he seems like he is, but he slowly reveals his softer, almost introverted side. Definitely a “Mr. Darcy” feel where he seems harsh at first but only because he doesn’t know how to express himself. With all of the humor and hotness, I did not expect THE FEELS.
Triple sigh with a back flip.


Amber. She is so funny! She reminded me of one of my favorite bloggers/comedians/writers Jenny Lawson!! This type of humor is RARE and I ate it up!! Pretty sure I’m in love with her. Serious girl crush happening. If only I could think and say words out of my mouth like her. Amber has found herself in a pickle, and guess what? She needs a lawyer. Vaughn and Amber do not like each other, but they have to tolerate each other. I loooooved everything about these two. Witty dialogue is my kryptonite, and this book destroyed me with wit.


This book is Opposites Attract in all its glory. Hilarious. Feel-good. Snarky, swearing heroine. Swoony. And did I mention hilarious? He is broody & sweet & the slow burn. THE SLOW BURN!!! Oh, ad the
effing smorgasbord of feelings!!

A new-author-to-me that I FLOVE!! Aaaaand…..I’m reading the first book next because I HAVE to. My body refuses to not read it next. What can I say? I listen to my body. A herd of snarfling (snarfling? Yeah, I said it.) wildebeasts couldn’t stop me from reading the first book.

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