#DGRFave & Review: Reaper by A. Zavarelli

September 10, 2017 by ·

REAPER
Series: Boston Underground #2
Genre: Dark Romance, Mafia
Author: A. Zavarelli
Release Date: May 19, 2016

Sasha.

He’s dark and mysterious. Quiet and lethal.
An Irish mobster.
Pure sin wrapped up in a beautiful package.
But there’s also something off about him.
He doesn’t feel anything. He shows no emotions.
Sometimes I question his humanity.
He hasn’t spoken to me in two years. Not a single word.
But we share a secret, he and I.
And if it ever comes out, I have no doubt in my mind…
He won’t have a problem killing me too.

Ronan.
I’ve slain for her. I’ll do it again.
When it comes to Sasha, there isn’t a line I won’t cross.
I watch her. She doesn’t know it.
She thinks I hate her. Sometimes, I think I might too.
But I’m always there, lurking in the shadows.
Craving her. Trying to keep the beast within at bay.
I’ll keep her safe. I’ll slaughter anyone who tries to hurt her.
The only thing I can’t do… is protect her from myself.

****This is a full-length standalone novel full of hot Irish guys with accents. Dark mafia themes throughout. HEA included.****

AMAZON

I’ve never believed in fairytales. There is no white knight in my story. Only me. And I’m not the girl who gets the prince. I’m the girl he bangs because he can.

Holy.
Hell.

I do believe I just read one of the most tortured anti-heroes ever. And let me tell you, I’ve read A LOT of dark romance. I’ve read the violent, broody, alphahole bad boys, but all of them pale in comparison to Ronan Fitzpatrick

I’ve been called a sociopath. A monster. But I don’t fancy myself one. I’m simply a man doing a job that needs to be done. If it wasn’t me doing it, someone else would be. The men that I kill, they’ve all had it coming. They knew what they were getting themselves into. They’ve either done Niall wrong or threatened the syndicate in some way. And threats have to be eliminated, just like vermin. One of the few moral codes I still abide by. I will protect my brethren at all costs.

Cross the MacKenna syndicate, and you’ll find yourself in front of The Reaper. He’s the man that handles all of the delicate and painful jobs. When someone needs eliminating, they find themselves in Ronan’s basement, their screams forever becoming a part of the cement walls. A brutal upbringing that knew only pain, Ronan doesn’t function like any other man. He’s numb. Unfeeling. He only feels rage and breathes punishment. There’s only one person that ever stirred a different reaction in him, but she’s forever off limits to a man like him.

Damaged souls have their own beauty. A dark, terrifying beauty. The same type of beauty I recognize in Ronan. 

Sasha hasn’t had an easy life herself. Taking care of her ailing mother and protecting her younger sister put her in the crosshairs of a man that changed her life irreparably. Forced into a life she never wanted and doing whatever she can to survive, she’s tired. All she wants is to leave, move to a different place where no one knows her or her past. There’s just one problem with that; Ronan is not about to let her go.

He nudges my legs apart and pushes his palm between my legs like he owns that part of me. Who am I to argue? He does fucking own me. He’s polluted my mind so that I can only ever think of him. Only ever want him.

Their relationship is a turbulent one. Both of these characters are so completely messed up, it’s a wonder how they go through the motions at times. But yet together, they made a messed up sort of sense. They offered each other a calmness that they never found on their own. They were like violent waves on a rocky coast.

I’ve seen him kill. I’ve tasted his rage too. Tasted it so fiercely that some of it spilled over onto me, tainting me with the mark of the animal that lives inside of him. I crave that animal. I crave everything about this man with his perfect suits and his complete lack of human emotions. Maybe, just maybe, I envy him too. What it must be like not to feel anything. Anything at all.

This was such a dark, captivating story. I was glued to the pages, completely enraptured. My heart hurt for everything that Sasha went through and I wanted her to feel just a little of happiness. It made a dark sort of sense that she would find it in the arms of a ruthless killer that’s a borderline psychopath.

Ronan was just…GAH. This man. His training ensured that he feels almost nothing. No empathy. No sympathy. Most human emotions are far beyond his realm of understanding. But you see more and more of his humanity peak out with each minute he spends with Sasha.

Nobody else gets to see you like that,” he declares. “Ye’re claimed.” His words douse me in gasoline. His eyes light the match. And when he grinds himself against me, all that’s left to do is burn for him. 

I loved this gritty and sexy dark mafia romance. The story was completely unputdownable and the characters vivid and unforgettable.

THE SERIES

CROW | REAPER | GHOST | SAINT

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, DGR Favorites · Tagged With: , , , ,

#DGRFave & Review: Crow by A. Zavarelli

September 6, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

CROW
Series: Boston Underground #1
Genre: Dark Romance, Mafia
Author: A. Zavarelli
Release Date: February 8, 2016

An Irish mobster. A missing friend. Two loyalties, ripping me apart.

I had a plan.

Get in, get my information, and get out. Easy, right?

Turns out, infiltrating the Irish mafia isn’t exactly what I thought it would be. I just wanted a soldier. Someone I could flirt with to get me in the door.

That’s when Lachlan Crow noticed me. Problem was, he wasn’t a soldier. No, he was next in line for the throne of the Irish underworld. And he was determined to hate me from the outset. My sob story about needing a job? Yeah, he wasn’t buying that either.

Too bad for him, I won’t let anyone get in the way of my mission.

Who cares if we have some kind of crazy chemistry? He’s the worst kind of wrong- and I would never in a million years be with a guy like him.

Because they took her from me, and I’m going to make them pay.

AMAZON

You live for the syndicate, you die for the syndicate.

FREAKING. LOVED. Where has this series been all my life?! Or rather, where have I been living that I’m only discovering it now?!

This book was EVERYTHING I love. Gritty, dark mafia romance with a seriously kick ass heroine and an anti-hero that’s just as delicious as he is dangerous.

But let’s start with the heroine, shall we?

I’m the daughter of Jack Wilder. A third generation Irish-American with champion’s blood running through my veins. I was raised on the streets of Southie, and I’m not afraid of anyone. I’ll take on every single one of those motherfuckers and I’ll do it with a smile on my face.

Mackenzie “Mack” grew up hard. After losing her underground boxer father to a brutal murder by the Russian mafia, she was left with nothing but her best friend Talia. The girls became everything to each other, sisters in everything but blood. So when Talia goes missing, Mack is determined to find her. She doesn’t buy the story that she simply left with her boyfriend. And when the cops and FBI won’t listed to her, she’s determined to do it herself…by going undercover at the strip club owned by one of the most ruthless mobs in Southie. This is what lands her in the crosshairs of Lachlan Crow.

Jaysus, woman,” he sighs. “Ye clean up your fecking mouth before I do it for you. You want to work for me ye better start acting like a lady.”
“I am a goddamn lady.” I grin.

The chemistry between these two is immediate. And what begins is a delicious game of cat and mouse, though at times you’ll wonder who the true cat is. While Crow is a force to be reckoned with and is as lethal as he is sexy, Mack is a force of her own. This is one tough chick and I loved her sass and balls to the walls attitude.

But it’s not long before lines begin to get blurred and Mack’s game is no longer a game. What happens when the man you believe holds your life is in hands is also a man you begin to crave beyond reason?

The sound of his pleasure and depravity jump starts my heart and explodes into my bloodstream. I’ve never felt anything like it before. Whatever it is, it’s ricocheting through my body, possessing me like a demon. My hands draw him closer, and the next thing I know, I’m kissing him back. Hard.

The story is downright addicting. It’s full of twists and turns and with a depraved sort of grit that kept me glued to the pages. It was violent, unapologetic, and spared no detail. And this girl? SALIVATING.

I’m not sure how this series has flown under my radar for so long, but I’m rectifying that mistake as we speak by binging on the rest of these amazing stories!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dark, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , , ,

Jenn’s 5 Star Review: Drifter by Janine Bosco ‏

September 1, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

DRIFTER
Series: Nomad #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic
Author: Janine Infante Bosco
Release Date: September 20, 2016

“Stryker”
I’m a drifter.
A man born to ride through this world alone.
There used to be a time when I thought I was the rescuing type. I enlisted in the Marines and made it my duty—I was going to save lives.
I was going to be a true American hero.
But God had another plan.
Or maybe Satan did.
For everything I touch finds mortality.
I’m no hero.
I’m nothing.
I’m a veteran biker, a former nomad who survived war only to live in hell.
Now I ride with the Satan’s Knights of Brooklyn and I’m drifting into a different kind of chaos.
The kind that revolves around a pretty girl with intoxicating green eyes.
A girl who has the power to turn me inside out.
A girl who doesn’t need anyone to rescue her because she’s her own savior.
Until she’s not.
But a man plagued by war and the devil inside him can never be her hero.

Gina Spinelli

Strong. Independent. Fierce.
They are the three things I strived to be.
But sometimes being successful can be lonely.
Sometimes a girl just wants to be a girl and have someone take care of her.
Maybe even love her.
Sometimes the strong become vulnerable.
Or worse, the victor becomes the victim.
Sometimes we lose control or in my case it’s stripped from you.
Defeated. Broken. Haunted.
They are the three things I have become.
In my darkest hour I admit defeat.
In my darkest hour I need one person.
I need him.
Stryker.

***NOTE:Contains explicit sexual situations, violence, sensitive subjects, offensive language, and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up. ***

AMAZON

5,000 Stars!!!!!
1. I love this book with everything in me.
2. I love this author with everything in me.
3. I love the people. (These people are REAL. They exist. Leave me alone!)
4. I love the sex. (The dirty talk! Unf!)
5. I love the FEELS. (The ugly cry is waiting for you. But not in the whole book. I don’t like when the entire book is depressing.)

You know when someone tells you they didn’t enjoy one of your favorite books EVER?! Yeah, this is one of those books. I mean, everyone is entitled to their own opinion….Blah, Blah, Blah. But really, if you don’t like this book……
Gina is just a stock broker, and a woman with balls of steel. I love a feisty heroine. The meet-cute between her and Stryker over a pool table is delicious and had me grinning like an idiot the whole time. In fact, I was in the middle of Chick-Fil-A while my kids were playing in the indoor playground, and I bust out laughing. That’s right, Other Moms. I don’t watch my kids while they play. I read. I digress….
à la Mode St. » fashion

She isn’t the girl you nail down, she’s the one you watch fly, and if you’re lucky, you’re the bastard who gets to spread your wings alongside her.

à la Mode St. » fashionStryker. Jesus Christ. Stryke me with lightning right now because I will say the Lord’s name in vain in order to express my feelings about THIS MAN. In fact, I will thank The Lord in my prayers tonight for creating Janine Infante Bosco so she could write THIS MAN. Stryker is a drifter. He is a nomad of the Satan’s Knights MC, never feeling like he belongs anywhere. He suffers from PTSD from his time served as a Marine, and this is a big part of Stryker’s character. He find the Satan’s Knights, and this book also shows his journey of learning to depend on family.

The FIRE…..this book is scorching. And I am a picky bitch when it comes to the dirty talk. And Stryker delivered the dirty talk to my ears and put the tingles in my jingle. I just want Stryker to call me his “pretty girl,” ok? Is that too much to ask?!

The issues! Janine does not sugar coat. She brings up the issues. And I loved the way that she addressed them and delivered them. I was pretty much a SOBBING MESS. You probably have no idea what I’m saying right now because I can’t say too much without spoiling something (and I hate spoiling). Just know that JANINE CAN WRITE A DAMN BOOK.
What I loved most about this book (and what gets me every damn time I love a book), is the writing. Character development = Off the Charts. I felt attached to every single character. I usually don’t mind reading books out of order, but I regret it this time because most of these characters are from a previous series that I am dying to read now.

I am now going to read ALL of Janine’s books every second that I can in between all the life going around me. I’m gonna go all crazy-bitch. I can feel it coming. Don’t botha me.

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

Author Interview & DGRFave Review: Disorderly Conduct by @mstessabailey

August 29, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Series: The Academy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: August 29, 2017

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone…

Police academy cadet Charlie Burns can’t believe his luck when the gorgeous blonde he meets in a bar murmurs those magic words: “Nothing serious, ’kay?” Mind-blowing, no-strings sex with Ever Carmichael—it’s the holy grail of hookups for a guy who’s too busy following in his law enforcement family’s footsteps to think about getting serious. Charlie’s all about casual…that is, until Ever calls it quits and his world tilts on its axis.

Ever knows that when you control the relationship game, you can’t get played. But for the first time, she wants more than short-term satisfaction. Step one: end her fling with commitment-phobic Charlie. Step two: sacrifice herself to the ruthless NYC dating scene. Yet everywhere she turns, there’s Charlie, being his ridiculously charming self. No online match or blind date compares to the criminally hot cop-in-training, but they’re over. Aren’t they?

If love is a four-letter-word, why does the idea of Ever seeing someone else tie Charlie up in knots?  Now he’s desperate to win her back…and a little date sabotage never hurt anyone, right?

AMAZON | iBOOKS

If you follow my blog, you already know what a HUGE Tessa Bailey fan I am. And the fact that I’m salivating for every single one of her releases is pretty damn hard to miss. Well I was downright flailing with excited glee when I saw she’ll have more of her dirty talk hot cops for us with her brand new Academy series and I fell head over ovaries with this series immediately after finishing Disorderly Conduct. I’m so excited to have the queen of dirty talk today with an interview with DGR and I’m even more excited for you all to discover this AMAZING new series!

DGR: For those that haven’t read Disorderly Conduct and seen your acknowledgment, can you tell us about your inspiration for The Academy series?

TB: Yes! I would love to! I’ve never had a story idea come to me in dream format before, but I woke up one morning with a fresh memory that literally made my chest ache. A man on his way to a lover’s apartment, so obviously in love with her (but in complete denial) and no idea she’s about to break it off to go look for something “real.” I was in the middle of another project, but immediately set it aside to write the first chapter of DISORDERLY CONDUCT.

DGR: Disorderly Conduct had equally the cutest and sexiest meet cute ever! Did you picture it before you even wrote the book?

TB: Thank you! I love it, too! Charlie and Ever made magic in that rainy day pub. Originally, the book didn’t include the meet-cute! It started with Charlie walking to Ever’s apartment (like in my dream), but my editor correctly decided people would want to see that first meeting. And thus, the Mistress Test was formed, with a little help of my vast Titanic movie knowledge!

DGR: I LOVED Ever Carmichael. For all her quirks and issues, she’s such a solid person who owns their sexuality and makes no excuses for it. What’s your favorite thing about Ever?

TB: I think I loved her compassion most of all. Even when Charlie was being an absolute idiot, she saw through to his inner turmoil and wanted to be his friend, as well as his lover. But I can’t help but include her snappy sense of humor as a close second. I mean, she did threaten to shoot lasers out of her eyeballs at Charlie.

DGR: Charlie Burns. GAH. The man makes my ovaries burn. Ha! See what I did there? But I digress. I loved his playfulness in the story. He’s also such a lost boy at times, which was so endearing. What’s your favorite thing about Charlie?

TB: Exactly that. I love nothing more than writing a cluelessly endearing hero. There’s just something about a man who is confused and knocked over sideways by his own feelings. “Wait…she loves me? I…love her? Oh, God. I LOVE HER SO MUCH”. What makes us want to excuse Charlie’s lack of clarity is the fact that he’s also super protective and capable. Sigh.

DGR: What was your favorite scene to write for this book?

TB: There is a scene when Charlie arrives to help Ever cater a party. They haven’t really spent any time together as “friends”—and when he shows up and sees her in her element (spinning circles around the kitchen), he realizes how much he doesn’t know about her. How dynamic she is. And the seeds are planted in his mind that he screwed up big time by letting her go.

DGR: Now you know I have to ask this, because you ARE at Dirty Girl Romance after all, but sweet jesus, woman! How do you keep coming up with hotter and hotter sex scenes and the most sizzling dirty talk? Share your dirty secret. It’s tumblr, isn’t it? Oh wait…that’s my dirty secret…

TB: HA! Well, thank you very much! I’m not sure where the inspiration comes from, but I like to give every couple their unique flavor. Whenever Charlie got his hands on Ever, he kind of just became an animal and Ever fed off of it, that male desperation fulfilling something inside her. When you have a good foundation for what turns your characters on, you can make the booty original every time.

DGR: What are you most excited about with this new series?

TB: This series feels like coming full circle. I started my writing career with NYC cops and now I’m back—and it really just felt like coming home. I know this type of man and they’re SO fun for me to write! Law enforcement heroes are my kryptonite and I’m most excited to be back in my happy place. Not to mention getting to share it with everyone who loved my original cops!

DGR: If you had a dream cast for Charlie and Ever, who would they be?

TB: Well. I watch a lot of Disney Channel because I have a six year old. And there’s an actress named Dove Cameron who is in a few shows. She’s funny and sexy and relatable. I totally envision her as Ever. As for Charlie, there’s an actor named Sean Faris that is mega adorable and plays a cop on television. He would be my ideal Charlie.

DGR: What do you want readers to know about the Academy series?

TB: I want readers to know they’ll have a lot of fun and probably sweat beneath their clothes during the sex scenes. The characters are deep, but the angst doesn’t overshadow the fun.

DGR: Can you give us a little taste of what we can expect from Disorderly Contact with a favorite scene from the book?

Ever Carmichael is salvation.I’m not just saying that because she calls me big man when we’re fucking.

I’m already unbuttoning my uniform shirt, even though I haven’t even reached her building’s lobby yet. My cock is so stiff, I think I might black the fuck out before I get it inside her. Here’s the thing, though. Ever will understand. She’ll take one look at the tented fly of my standard issue, police academy pants and let her slinky, bad girl panties drop.

This woman. You just can’t fathom the magic she wields.

I don’t want anything serious, ’kay?

She said those words to me the rainy afternoon we met. At which point angels filled the bar and started singing. I’ve had women tell me before they didn’t want entanglements or relationships, too. My long line of law-enforcement ancestry, however, has honed my ability to differentiate between truth and fiction. And Ever is the first woman who actually meant those words. Nothing. Serious.

I’m right across the street from her building now—a four-story tenement on the Lower East Side. She works nights running her start-up catering company and sleeps late, so at noon on my lunch break, she’ll still be soft from bed. Freshly showered. I’m going to fuck her lights out, I swear to Christ. As soon as I walk in the door.

In the month since we met, the urgency to be inside Ever has only skyrocketed. The need to get my hands on her smooth skin, my tongue inside her bare pussy. You don’t understand—I’m a fiend for this woman.

And guess what? That’s perfectly fine, because I can have Ever any time I need her. Now, hear me out before calling me an arrogant prick—although I admit to being one on occasion. Ever can have me, too, when she needs me. This arrangement works both ways. After a Maroon 5 concert two weeks ago, she showed up at my apartment around midnight, high on Adam Levine—or whatever he’s called—and we didn’t even make it inside. I hiked up her tiny, leather skirt and gave it to her right there in the hallway. We weren’t quiet about it, either, not that I heard the neighbors complaining.

My point being, this arrangement I’ve made with Ever is what most men don’t dare dream about or even deserve at age twenty-three. For my species, it’s usually a choice between empty hookups or committed relationships, complete with updating your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram bios, but only after deleting from all of the above any photographic evidence that you ever used your dick. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about commitment. Right now, though, my entire reserve of commitment juice is being poured into becoming a cop. A lieutenant, specifically, just like my older brother, Greer. And eventually a bureau chief like my father, his father before him . . . and back about four generations.

This thing with Ever? It’s neither empty, nor committed. It’s a fucking unicorn. It has made me a believer in life on other planets, Bigfoot and even the Jets winning the Super Bowl again someday. Apart from the Levine Incident, we haven’t spent any time at my place, because Jack or Danika are usually home. Not to mention, I covet this little slice of heaven I’ve carved out, and I worry my roommates will make some crack to Ever about wedding bells—which is never happening—and blow the whole perfect situation to hell. Plus . . . they don’t need to know a damn thing about Ever. She’s mine. I’m hers. We’re ours.

Unofficially, of course.

The deeper I fall into friendship with Charlie, the deeper I sink into the point of no return.

The queen of dirty talk strikes gold with her newest series! A sexy and humorous romp, Disorderly Conduct was an entertaining read from start to finish. It was the perfect blend of humor and Tessa’s signature steam. It was smart and sassy and oh so cute! I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time. It was utterly delicious with a sexy meet cute and a ridiculously swoony grovel at the end. This book was exactly why I love romance!

…this arrangement I’ve made with Ever is what most men don’t dare dream about or even deserve at age twenty-three.

A sexy meet cute leads to the unicorns of all relationships for Charlie and Ever; a mutually agreed upon and satisfying friends with benefits (heavy on the benefits). Coming from a long line of cops, Charlie has focused everything on getting through the Police Academy. It’s all he’s ever wanted for himself; to make his bureau chief father and lieutenant brother proud. Relationships have never been on his radar. He has no time for them. But when he spots a stunning blonde at a bar giving him the eye, he can’t stay away. And when she murmurs every man’s dream words, “nothing serious,” in his ear? He’s a goner.

If I texted him right now, he would meet me. He would give me the Adam Levine sex and ask me no questions, tell me no lies.

Ever comes from a long line of mistresses. Her mother is a serial dater of married men. A relationship is just as much of a pipe dream to her as a reliable and trustworthy man; they don’t exist in her life. Charlie was only supposed to scratch an itch for one month. Sex and nothing else. But then everything changes for Ever and she realizes that she no longer wants the bare minimum. She wants the pipe dream. She wants love. Only problem? Charlie is determined to make her see the error of her ways, even if he has to sabotage her every attempt at seriously dating after she gives him the boot.

I’m becoming her friend in the hopes of knocking every other dude out of the running and graduating to friend with benefits. So I can slide in there real smooth. Like a snake.

I cannot tell you how much I adored Charlie and Ever. Their “relationship” was romantic comedy gold. Charlie is hopelessly lost. He doesn’t want Ever to date but he doesn’t realize that his yearning for her is something beyond just needing their friends with benefits status back. Ever is determined to move on but her feelings for Charlie are a messy distraction. Watching their back and forth was as entertaining as it was frustrating and I loved every second of it.

And did I mention the dirty talk? Because oh my god the dirty talk!!!

I will get between those legs if I have to kill, steal or sacrifice to get there. And you’ll be a sweating, moaning, crying tangle of sex in the sheets by the time it’s over. I know you don’t doubt me, because I’ve done it. I’ve done it.”

Man but I missed Tessa’s hot cops. I haven’t been this enamored with a series since her Line of Duty boys. And with the secondary characters introduced here, I’m already salivating for more.

But as for Ever and Charlie? Loved. Them. Yes, they both made some frustrating decisions and choices that had me wanting to slap them. But considering their age, I found my anger didn’t last. I just loved watching them mess up too much. It was adorable and endearing and frustrating and GAH. Did I mention I loved it?

I love first person POV and being in both Charlie and Ever’s heads was a true treat. Especially Charlie. He reminded me a little bit of Drew from Tangled. His inner monologue was just so much fun. Even if the poor guy was completely clueless at times.

I’m hooked, line and sinker, on this series and I can’t wait for more. If you were a fan of Tessa’s Line of Duty series, this one is simply not to be missed. It was everything I’ve come to love from her and made me giggle and swoon all at once.

Her hands are still locked together on top of her head, making her look like a prisoner. My prisoner. Except, I’m hers. This whole time I thought our lack of commitment was setting me free, but in truth, she’d thrown away the key to my freedom the minute she opened her mouth. She didn’t mean it, my Ever, but I’m imprisoned forever, just the same.

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

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

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

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: Author Spotlight & interview, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, Dirty Talkers · Tagged With: , , , , ,

#DGRFave Review: Ghosted by @JMDarhower

August 27, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

GHOSTED
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J.M. Darhower
Release Date: August 24, 2017

He’s a troubled young actor, Hollywood’s newest heartthrob, struggling with fame as the star of the latest superhero franchise. Through scandal after scandal, addiction on top of addiction, a flurry of paparazzi hunt him as he fights to conquer his demons.

She’s a single mother, assistant manager at a grocery store, existing in monotony with her five-year-old daughter. Every day when she goes to work, lurid tabloids surround her, the face of a notorious bad boy haunting her from their covers.

A man and a woman, living vastly different lives, but that wasn’t always the case. Once, they were just a boy and a girl who bonded over comic books and fell in love unexpectedly.

When Kennedy Garfield met Jonathan Cunningham back in high school, she knew he had all the makings of a tragic hero. With stars in his eyes, and her heart on her sleeve, the pair ran away together to follow their dreams.

But dreams, sometimes, turn into nightmares.

Now, years later, the only thing they share is a daughter—one who has no idea her father plays her favorite superhero. But Jonathan is desperate to make amends, and at the top of his list is the woman who gave up everything for him and the little girl he hasn’t yet met.

AMAZON

Never make someone else the main character in your own story.”

EVERYTHING. This book was EVERYTHING. All of the things. Of the angsty, second chance romance feels variety.

You know when you see a book on your feed and find yourself wondering if it’s really worth all of the hype? I can tell you with total conviction, that this book is. It’s a huge step away from Darhower’s other books, pure contemporary, and downright magical.

He’s an actor. His talent comes natural. He’s never had to work very hard at it. He can switch moods in a moment, change scenes in an instant, flip the script without anybody even realizing it’s happening. It’s hard to tell if he’s just playing a character or if you can trust that he means things.

So what is it about this story that enraptured me so completely? Aside from the multi-layered characters that are full of depth and you can’t help but fall for immediately, it was the writing. The way that this second chance romance unravels and the way the author gives the reader the POV from the past? Pure literary magic.

You don’t know this, but that girl? As she stands there, staring at you, seeing the light in your eyes and feeling so much love in her heart, she would’ve done anything you asked. Anything. She would’ve climbed any mountain and dug any hole. She would’ve lied, cheated, and stolen. That girl would’ve promised you forever. As long as you love her, for as long as you care, she’s yours.

A troubled young actor, struggling with newfound sobriety and righting the wrongs of his past. A heart-broken, hardworking single mother with a spine of steel that was left in his rearview mirror as he chased his dream and got lost in a haze of alcohol and drugs. An adorable baby girl that brings the two of them a full circle. This was a powerful, incredibly realistic, and emotional story of second chances. Jonathan is not a perfect hero. He’s nowhere close to it. You want to hate him for his mistakes, but as you learn the story through the eyes of the woman that loved him and get his POV in the present, you get to see a man that’s determined to pay for his mistakes and make them right. He’s a man that never stopped loving the girl from his past and the woman that never truly left his present. He’s a man that knows that if she gives him just one more chance, though he doesn’t deserve it, he won’t squander it, and he’ll do anything to convince her that he’s worth the risk.

To me, she was the center of the universe, the sunlight that burned so bright, but she writes herself in the shadows, secondary in her own life. Instead, she made me the hero, the center of this alternate universe she invented around her.

Once burned, twice shy. Kennedy gave up everything once for the man she loved to chase his dreams, and now six years later, she’s still picking up the pieces that he left in his wake. It’s impossible not to immediately love this character. There’s this endearing vulnerability to go along with her spine of steel and determination to make a life for herself and her daughter that you have a tremendous amount of respect for. She struggles with trying to let go of her past and move on from the man that will always hold a piece of her heart.

I’m playing with fire, like I don’t remember how much it hurts to get burned, but from here, where I’m standing, all I can seem to feel is the warmth.

Ghosted is perfectly paced, phenomenally written, and completely enrapturing. It was full of emotion and a beautiful romance that’ll stay with me for a long, long time.

But love is only as strong as the people who fuel it. And you? You’re Superman, thinking Kryptonite makes you invincible. And the woman you love? She… can’t keep pretending any of this is normal. She can’t keep writing this as if somewhere along the way the plotline will fix itself. She can’t keep acting as if this isn’t her story.

 

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

Jenn’s Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

August 23, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Aught: Sarah J Maas
Release Date: August 27, 2013

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena’s world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie… and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

You know those books that are so BEYOND that you can’t even give them stars? THIS. SERIES.

Earth? What is Earth?

I am living in Erilea.

What was I thinking waiting so long to read this series? I am utterly captivated. I would even believe that this series has cast a spell on me. Gasp! Maybe it has!!! These characters. This world. The magic. The mystery. The secrets. The murder. The LOVE. The FEELS. I am escaping into this series every day, and I couldn’t escape it if I tried. I am shackled to it. I can’t stop thinking about it.

My Celaena:

Celaena. The baddest of asses. She could literally kill you with a fingernail. Seriously. I’m scared of her. And I want to be her. She is the epitome of heroines. She is THE ASSASSIN…..of the world! (I’m not even reviewing this book, specifically. I’m just giving my overall point of view of this series so far.) The world, Erilea, is in a bad way, you guys. Like, when I picture the King of Adarlan, I picture the evil King of Men from Lord of the Rings. He is so evil, he oozes it. Celaena is The Assassin, now for the King. She won this role in the first book after a competition. In this book, she has to kill people for the evil man she hates. All while solving a great magical mystery in the castle. What I love most about Celaena is her struggle. She is The Assassin of the World, and yet she still has human doubts and loss and…..Gah!

My Dorian:

Dorian. The Prince of Adarlan. When we meet him in the first book, he seems like kind of a pansy, but with a big heart. But in this book, we see him grow some balls!! I won’t give anything away, but I love where this is going with Dorian. I can only hope for more from him!!

My Chaol:

Chaol. Oh, Captain, My Captain. Back off, Ladies. He’s mine! Chaol is the Captain of the Guard. He holds a lot of power, and I want all of his power on my body. Chaol rescued Celaena from prison in the first book, and he did not trust her for a long time. His character is fiercely loyal, so he is torn between protecting his King and trusting Celaena. This lasts for a while, but they get off their asses and onto each other in this book, and it’s perfection. But because Sarah J. Maas is a sadist….things happen. Tears were shed. This specific book had me crying like a friggin’ baby. (I’m not crying! You’re crying!)

I know what you’re thinking, and NO, this isn’t a love triangle because it is very clear who she is going to be with. But what I love about this series is the relationships. This woman can write a damn book!!! There is SO MUCH in this series that I haven’t even given you the tip of the iceberg.

If you love Harry Potter, read this book.
If you love Hunger Games, read this book.
If you love The Lord of the Rings, read this book.
If you love books, read this book.

Imagination. Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

THIS. This is why I love this series. It literally has dissected my brain and shown me MORE.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews · Tagged With: , ,

Lana, Geri & Jenn swoon over THE DUCHESS DEAL by @TessaDare ‏

August 20, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE DUCHESS DEAL
Review: Girl Meets Duke #1
Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Tessa Dare
Release Date: August 22, 2017

When girl meets Duke, their marriage breaks all the rules…

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:
– They will be husband and wife by night only.
– No lights, no kissing.
– No questions about his battle scars.
– Last, and most importantly… Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:
– They will have dinner together every evening.
– With conversation.
– And unlimited teasing.
– Last, and most importantly… Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love…

AMAZON | iBOOKS

LANA’S REVIEW

Emma Gladstone had learned a few hard lessons by the age of two-and-twenty. Charming princes weren’t always what they seemed. Shining armor went out of fashion with the Crusades. And if fairy godmothers existed, hers was running several years late. Most of the time, a girl needed to rescue herself.

Is it possible for my swoons to have swoons? Because I’m pretty sure they all mated together in a swooning frenzy and had swoon babies. I mean all of the swoons! ALL OF THEM!!!! This book was everything. EVERYTHING. It was romance perfection. I think my goosebumps had swoons, for goodness sake. No really. I’m not exaggerating even a little. This book was a little peace of romantic heaven. It was everything I love about a great romance; great banter, humor, sizzling steam, and two main characters that you can’t but help and fall head over heals for.

Emma Gladstone

Complexion: cream. Lips: rose petals. Lashes: sable. Backbone: steel.

I. Loved. Her. Here’s a woman that didn’t live an easy life. Not even close. And yet she never loses her fire, her sparkle, her incredibly gentle heart. When she faces down a broody duke in order to receive payment for a dress she made for his ex fiancé, the last thing she expects is a proposition of her own. The man is impossibly stubborn, grumpy, with a penchant to blasphemy in the most creative of fashions, and perhaps slightly deranged…

Are you—” There seemed no way to say it but to say it. “Your Grace, are you trying to get me into your bed?”
“Yes. Nightly. I said as much, not a minute ago. Are you listening at all?”
“Listening, yes,” she muttered to herself. “Comprehending, no.”
“I’ll have my solicitor draw up the papers.” He returned to his place behind the desk. “We can do it on Monday.”
“Your Grace, I don’t—”
“Tuesday, then.”
“Your Grace, I cannot—”
“Well, I’m afraid my schedule is quite booked for the rest of the week.” He flipped through the pages of an agenda. “Brooding, drinking, indoor badminton tournament…”

The Duke of Ashbury has returned from the war, a scarred, shell of a man he once was. A monster he no longer recognizes in the mirror. But a duke needs an heir, and to get an heir, he needs a wife, and to get a wife, well…he needs a miracle. When the beautiful Emma comes charging into his house, he believes she holds the answers to everything he desires. But what he doesn’t expect is for the witty beauty to tilt his world on its axis.

she tucked a stray wisp of dark hair behind her ear. Then she licked her fingertip and turned the page. His knees buckled. In his mind, he scrambled to piece that half second into a lasting memory. The crook of her slender finger. The red pout of her lips. That fleeting, erotic glimpse of pink. She did it again. Ash gripped the doorjamb so hard, his knuckles lost sensation.
He wanted her to read the whole cursed book while he watched. He wanted the book to have a thousand pages.

The chemistry between these two was instant and fiery. I couldn’t get enough of it. Their banter, their daily push and pull of Emma attempting to break through his walls and Ash retreating further behind them. I loved it so hard. I loved Emma’s backbone and take charge attitude. She was no wilting wallflower but there was also this endearing softness to her. It wasn’t long before everything about her began to tear down the walls that Ash has built around himself and questions everything he once thought. I loved watching that wall of his break down slowly. I loved the way that Emma slowly but surely healed his heart even though she couldn’t heal his scars. I love that he was the most perfectly imperfect hero. There was something so completely endearing about the man. GAH.

You are wet, and you are cold. You don’t like being cold. Therefore, I despise you being cold. I would go about murdering raindrops and setting fire to the clouds, but that would take slightly more than an hour. Perhaps even two. So we’re here, and you will cease complaining about it.”

This book is why I read romance. I can’t believe this is my first Tessa Dare book and I plan on rectifying this immediately. I loved every chapter, every page, every word. If you’re a fan of swoony and steamy historical romance with incredibly vivid and multi-layered characters, this is simply not to be missed!

GERI’S REVIEW

This was one of swooooooooooniest book I’ve read this year. The only other books that can compare in terms of the swoon factor was the Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas and The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean. All three are historicals and all three worked like a charm.

War had taught him two things. First, life was fleeting. Second, duty wasn’t.

The hero, the Duke of Ashbury became a recluse and withdrew from society due to the injuries he sustained in the war. His face and his body was so scarred that people turned away from him, and even started calling himself a monster because of the way he looks. Because he a duke, one of his duties was to provide an heir. Something that he was adamant of doing or else his whole estate would be inherited by a cousin who is an irresponsible bloke. He didn’t want the people depending on him to have the misfortune of getting a spendthrift for a lord so he had the motivation to really find a wife and have an heir.

Emma Gladstone is the seamstress tasked to create the wedding gown for the Duke of Ashbury’s mistress until the wedding was called off. Unfortunately, she wasn’t paid. Desperate to get money to pay for her rent, Emma went to the Duke to ask for payment.

I have an unfortunate habit of looking for the best in people, and it makes me blind to their flaws.”

This is where their story begins, and man, what a story it is. What started off as a marriage of convenience turned into one of the most romantic and life-affirming stories I’ve read this year. Their meet-cute was one of the most hilarious I’ve read in a long time. t’s full of lighthearted and funny moments, and the romance is just, ah-mah-zing. I was swooning from beginning to end. Tessa Dare is known for her clever, witty banter and this book is brimming with it.

If you say so, my treasure.”
“I daresay I do, you little baggage.”

Emma is fantastic heroine. Her backstory was really sad and it made her into a person she is. I love how she’s not cowed at all by Ashbury’s appearance and temper. In fact, she revels in it. I enjoyed how she was able to coax her scarred husband out of his shell and made him a better person.

At first, I thought the Duke of Ashbury was going to be just this brooding temperamental one-dimensional character at first. I mean, I love me some grumpy, brooding hero but Ash is so much more than that. His sarcasm, his wit and deadpan humor added so much to what could have been a dreary and bitter character. He does have a chip on his shoulder, something that his character had to deal with throughout the book. But this hero was seriously funny.

And you claim to be feeling this way. Floatish. Singsong-ish. About me.”
She sighed. “Yes.”
“That’s absurd.”
“I know, but I can’t seem to stop it.”

There were some subplots in this book that might feel unnecessary but I thought that they were perfect because they add so much not only to the characters, especially the Duke, but also to the place where the story is set. And these subplots did a great job at setting up future storylines in the series, which is always a win for me.

The Duchess Deal is a book that you read in one sitting. Once you open it, good luck to your chores or doing anything else because all you’d want to do is read straight through. I had a biggest smile on my face reading this book. It’s romantic and full of characters that you can embrace and root for. So well done!

If you leave, I will follow. Do you hear me? I will follow and find you and cart you home.”

JENN’S REVIEW

I begged for this ARC. Literally. And I’m not even sorry. Was I surprised by how much I loved this book? Absolutely not. I will always love Tessa Dare….always. I always giggle in her books. I always swoon in her books. There is almost always a hate-to-love relationship, which is perfection for me. The Quirk! The Dry Humor! The Witty Dialogue! ALWAYS!

always GIF

SWOONS!

All the swoons!

Did I say swoons? Oh yeah, I did!

à la Mode St. » fashion

“You are wet, and you are cold. You don’t like being cold. Therefore, I despise you being cold. I would go about murdering raindrops and setting fire to the clouds, but that would take slightly more than an hour. Perhaps even two. So we’re here, and you will cease complaining about it.”

à la Mode St. » fashionEmma. Complexion: cream. Lips: rose petals. Lashes: sable. Backbone: steel. A seamstress, not only in deed, but also in heart. This is what she loves to do. In seeking out payment for a discarded fiance’s dress, Emma goes to the formerly intended groom for payment of the dress she made, which happens to be Ashbury. He needs a wife, so he proposes a marriage of convenience. These two are so different that at first, she doesn’t even believe him. Even after getting married, these two find it very difficult to get along (Ugh. I love it.).

Ashbury. What a brooding, scarred, perfect character. He is VERY scarred from a war injury. And jaded. And ill-tempered. And I love him. What can I say? He’s an asshole, and this dirty girl loves her assholes. He needs a wife to make an heir….and that’s pretty much it. He doesn’t believe anyone will truly desire him because of his disfigurement. I love scarred heroes so much. They are always assholes. yes yeah nod cowboy clint eastwood GIFThis book definitely had a slow burn. Ash promises to visit her bedroom every night (in the dark so she cannot see his scars) in order to conceive as quickly as possible. Of course, things take an unexpected turn into awkwardness and it doesn’t go as planned. Both Emma and Ash have their own insecurities (but still being awesome and not whiny bitches), so they vow to themselves and each other to not get attached and to take precautions so that emotions don’t get involved in their marriage. (Psh! Please. Who are they kidding? Am I right?)

yes yes gif yes gifs GIFà la Mode St. » fashion

As he stood in the doorway watching, she tucked a stray wisp of dark hair behind her ear. Then she licked her fingertip and turned the page.

His knees buckled. In his mind, he scrambled to piece that half second into a lasting memory. The crook of her slender finger. The red pout of her lips. That fleeting, erotic glimpse of pink.

She did it again.

Ash gripped the doorjamb so hard, his knuckles lost sensation.

He wanted her to read the whole cursed book while he watched.

He wanted the book to have a thousand pages.

à la Mode St. » fashionWhat I love the most about Tessa Dare’s books?

EVERYTHING.

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Historical Romance · Tagged With: ,

Geri & Lana’s Review: Royally Endowed by @EmmaChse

August 17, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

ROYALLY ENDOWED
Series: The Royally Series Book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Emma Chase
Release Date: August 14, 2017

Logan St. James is a smoldering, sexy beast. Sure, he can be a little broody at times—but Ellie Hammond’s willing to overlook that. Because, have you seen him??

Sexy. As. Hell.

And Ellie’s perky enough for both of them.

For years, she’s had a crush on the intense, protective royal security guard—but she doesn’t think he ever saw her, not really.

To Logan, Ellie was just part of the job—a relative of the royal family he’d sworn to protect. Now, at 22 years old and fresh out of college, she’s determined to put aside her X-rated dreams of pat-downs and pillow talk, and find a real life happily ever after.

The Queen of Wessco encourages Ellie to follow in her sister’s footsteps and settle down with a prince of her own. Or a duke, a marquis…a viscount would also do nicely.

But in the pursuit of a fairy tale ending, Ellie learns that the sweetest crushes can be the hardest to let go.

***

Logan St. James grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, in a family on the wrong side of the law. But these days, he covers his tattoos and scars with a respectable suit. He’s handsome, loyal, brave, skilled with his hands and…other body parts.

Any woman would be proud to bring him home to her family.

But there’s only one woman he wants.

For years he’s watched over her, protected her, held her hair back when she was sick, taught her how to throw a punch, and spot a liar.

He dreams of her. Would lay down his life for her.

But beautiful Ellie Hammond’s off-limits.

Everybody knows the bodyguard rules: Never lose focus, never let them out of your sight, and never, ever fall in love.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N 

Ellie

But then the mood shifts, as if the air becomes thicker, weighted, more . . . sultry.

Because slowly, Logan sinks down to one knee in front of me—looking in my eyes the whole time. In this position, I could touch his shoulders, comb my fingers through his thick, dark hair. He’s the perfect height for me to bend down and kiss his mouth—the perfect height for him to kiss me back . . . in a lot of places.

My breath hitches. And I wonder he feels it too.

There’s a sound of tearing Velcro, and Logan takes something off his ankle—a holster, with a small silver knife, about three inches long.

“Keep this on you all the time,” he says seriously. “Just in case. If you wear a skirt, the strap will fit around your thigh.”

And I almost laugh. Most girls get a ring from a guy on his knees. I get a murder weapon. But still, it makes me feel safe . . . watched over. Like I’m something precious that deserves to be protected.

I take the knife from him, testing the surprisingly solid, heavy weight of it in my hand. I press my index finger to the tip.

Logan grabs my wrist tightly. “Careful. It’s sharp.”

There’s a small, painless nick, a tiny bead of blood, so I put my finger in my mouth, sucking.

And Logan’s watching me again.

Watching my mouth.

His chest seems to rise just a little faster, and his throat ripples when he swallows. He bends his head, curves his strong back, and then I feel his hands on my ankle, securing the strap. His touch is warm and self-assured. It’s the way he always moves—confident and experienced. Logan knows his body and he knows how to use it, in every way possible.

I almost moan. The sound is in the back of my throat, but I keep it trapped. I never knew the ankle was an erogenous zone, but it sure as hell is now. A hot pulse of pleasure streaks from Logan’s fingers on my bare skin, up my thigh, between my legs.

And I throb there, growing swollen and heavy as he keeps his hands on me.

Can he tell? Does he know? He’s so aware of everything, always so attuned, I wonder if he can sense my arousal . . . feel it in the air that clings between us.

LANA’S REVIEW

Hey Logan?”
“Yeah?”
“One of these days . . . I’m going to save you back.”

Oh.
My.
Swoons.

I can barely form a coherent thought right now. I’m a melty pile of swoony goo at the hands of Emma Chase. The woman is incapable of writing a book that I devour in one sitting with a goofy grin on my face for the entire time. As much as I adored Royally Matched, I think this book totally topped it. I don’t have the words to describe all the ways I loved it. And oh my god, you guys, how I loved it!!!

Somebody once told me a slow-burning fire is the hottest—and it must be true. Because Logan and I are a fucking inferno.

If you love an incredibly written slow burn romance with a hero that’s simply to die for and a heroine you’ll want for your best friend, this book will be going straight to your top favorites shelf. GUARANTEED. It wasn’t just swoony, it was EPICALLY swoony. Logan owns my heart AND my ovaries. I don’t ever want them back. EVER.

I don’t know if I’ll be any fucking good at love. I’m not quite sure how it’s done. But, for her, I’ll learn. And I’ll do my damnedest to get it right.

You may remember Ellie Hammond as Olivia Hammond’s baby sister in Royally Screwed. Ellie has always been a bit of a free spirit. Sassy, a little quirky, optimistic and a bit naive in her youth, her brother in law feels like she needs someone to protect her when they’re not around. And the only man he trusts for the job is royal guard, Logan St. James.

They first meet when Ellie is a senior in high school. The chemistry is there, but it’s on a low simmer. Then over the years as Logan sees Ellie grow into a beautiful woman, that low simmer begins to turn into a sizzling inferno that proves almost impossible to resist.

I love a good slow burn romance, and this was easily one of my favorites. I love the playful nature that first forms between Ellie and Logan. I love the way he tries to deny his feelings for her while still falling in love with her. I love the way that Ellie goes after what she wants and I loved the way that Logan finally gives in. These two were some of the most endearing characters I’ve read in a while and I just couldn’t get enough of them.

This book had everything you’d expect from the incredible talent that is Emma Chase; humor, witty dialogue, fantastic characters, and a romance that’s so swoony, it may leave you in a pile of melty goo! This series is just perfection. It’s my indulgence when I need a light and easy romance that will give me the warm and fuzzies and leave me with a smile on my face. Suffice it to say that I. LOVED. IT.

GERI’S REVIEW

Life changes us, with its twists and turns, in ways we don’t always see coming. It changes what we want, what we dream, lays blessings in our hands better than anything we could’ve imagined.”

Emma Chase did it again. Royally Endowed is wickedly sexy, funny with loads of heartfelt moments and characters that you can’t help but root for.

Logan St. James is the dutiful royal bodyguard tasked to guard Princess Olivia Hammond’s baby sister, Ellie. Since her sister married into the royal family, Ellie’s life changed. Part of that change is the stable of bodyguards following her every move and keeping her safe. And provide Ellie with some eye candy along the way.

Logan is the hot, heroic, silent type and unsurprisingly, Ellie developed a crush on him from the get go. As Ellie grew older, that crush developed into something more. But Logan has always been a loyal and dutiful bodyguard. He wouldn’t jeopardize his job or his relationship with the royal family. So even though he started to see Ellie as someone other than the princess’ younger sister, he can’t be with her the way Ellie wanted to. Or so he thought.

Royally Endowed is probably the most romantic of all the books in this series. And that’s because Logan is just something else. He might not be a prince but man oh man, he gave Nicholas and Henry a run for their money. And for me, he’s my favorite hero in this series. Don’t get me wrong. I love Nicholas and Henry but there’s just something about Logan that puts him above the rest.

His loyalty and dedication to his job, not to mention the way he handled Ellie’s crush on him was endearing. I never felt like he took advantage of her especially since she’s way younger than him and basically still in high school when the story started.

Ellie is just as endearing. She’s a free-spirit and even though people see her as nothing but an airhead, she’s more than that. She displays a maturity that’s unexpected considering how young she is. She’s loves her family and is loyal to a fault. I love how she loves Logan in her own way, at a distance at first and then up close.

For the first time since I met him, my hero looks lost, my guardian angel has a broken wing. And I want to mend him, save him the way he’s always saved me. I want to love him until he feels found.

Their relationship was never easy because of the difference of their status. Ellie is the sister of the princess of Wessco, while Logan is just the lowly bodyguard. But their differences is superficial. At the heart of it, Logan and Ellie have more in common than anyone else. I really enjoyed the way their relationship unfolded.

And Logan…*swoon He made this book for me. He had so much too lose with pursuing Ellie but once he decided that she’s it for him, he’s there 100%. And I loved him for it.

You see the good in people, Ellie. You trust. That’s a good way to be, a brave way. I’ll watch more closely from now on; I’ll make sure this never happens again. You just be who you are. Leave the rest to me.”

Emma Chase has another winner in her hands. If you’re a fan of her writing, then this book is a must read. And if you’re looking to be swept away by romance, yes, this book is for you.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER | GOODREADS | READER FAN GROUP

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

#DGRFave & Review: The Brightest Sunset by Aly Martinez

July 24, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE BRIGHTEST SUNSET
Series: The Darkest Sunrise Duet
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Aly Martinez
Release Date: July 27, 2017

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Bullshit.
Words destroyed me.
“I’m sorry. She didn’t make it.”
“Daddy, he can’t breathe!”
“There’s nothing more we can do for your son.”
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Lies.
Those syllables and letters became my executioner. I told myself that, if I didn’t acknowledge the pain and the fear, they would have no power over me. But, as the years passed, the hate and the anger left behind began to control me.
Two words—that was all it took to plunge my life into darkness.
“He’s gone.”
In the end, it was four soft, silky words that gave me hope of another sunrise.
“Hi. I’m Charlotte Mills.”

AMAZON

he’s shown me that there doesn’t have to be light for something to be beautiful. Love can grow in the darkness

How do you even begin to review a book that touched you on such a visceral level that you don’t think you’ll ever forget it? How do you put those feelings into words that can even begin to do a book the justice it so deserves? How do you attempt to relay everything that this book was without giving anything away? You don’t. Because it’s impossible.

The sun still hung bright in the sky, but midnight fell all the same. And, in that moment, I feared I’d never escape it again. The darkness was going to be my executioner. It was going to crush me, suffocate me, and then devour me.

The Brightest Sunset concludes The Darkest Sunrise duet and man did it go out with a bang. Prepare for a story that will keep you up well into the night and I hope you have plenty of tissues handy because Aly Martinez will not just tug at your heart strings, she’ll rip them to shreds like the sadist that she surely is.

I won’t tell you what happens, because if you haven’t read the first book, my review will be one giant spoiler. But what I can tell you is that Porter Reese stole my heart and I never want it back. Here was a hero that had none of the typical frills. He wasn’t an overbearing alpha. He wasn’t intense or demanding. He was just an amazing man. A man that loves fiercely. A man that will make any sacrifice for the ones he loves. A man that isn’t afraid to feel and show those feelings. A man that’s an alpha but not in the obvious way.

If you were on the fence with Charlotte in book one, you won’t be in this one. You really get to see the soft beneath the cold front exterior. You get to see a woman that finally finds her voice and the way to use it. A woman that finally discovers what love means and how to fight for it. A woman that’s every bit deserving of an incredible man like Porter.

Aly puts this couple through hell and back. I was in hell right along with them. I have never had so much anxiety reading a book. I bit my nails to shreds. I sobbed my way through the entire last third. I was a sobbing, sniveling pile of goo and I loved every devastating second of it.

The Brightest Sunset was a stunning, emotional, unforgettable story of second chances and love beyond all odds. It was phenomenal. It was beautiful. It was everything.

He’d made the darkness a beautiful place filled with understanding and acceptance.

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

Jenn’s Review: Pound of Flesh by Jessa Kane

July 20, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

POUND OF FLESH
Genre: Erotic Romance
Author: Jessa Kane
Release Date: December 8, 2016

Beast saw Beauty. And the hunt was on.

A beast has just kicked down my front door.

He’s massive, scarred, just out of prison and refuses to budge.

Unless I go with him.

He’s made it clear what he wants—my untouched body beneath his giant, damaged one.

If I run, he’ll hunt me down and take it.

But when he slips and shows me his desperation…

I’m no longer sure whether I want to run to him or away from him.

 

AMAZON

Two words….JESSA…..KANE. I want this entire book. Give me 400 pages I loved it so much because 59 pages wasn’t enough! It’s like Jessa Kane asked me what all my of fantasies are and then wrote this book just for me!

Why did I love this book? ALL THE REASONS.

1. Big, Burly, Man.

What else could I ever ask for? He’s big, and mean, and he wants what he wants. He’s been in prison for years, thinking about getting out and getting to HER.
2. Ex-Con.

Yes, please. There is something about a criminal that gets my blood flowing. Two examples come to mind: Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley (Duh!) and Prisoner by Skye Warren & Annika Martin.
He is just so RAW. And unleashed. And he likes it dirty.

3. Dirty Talk.

It’s my #1, y’all! And oh man. This book has the best dirty talk.

4. “Daddy.”

I openly and unashamedly admit that I am a fan of the “Daddy” talk. Disclaimer: If you’re not a fan, then this book isn’t for you. From the readers I’ve talked to, it’s either you love it or hate it….AND I LOVE IT!!! It isn’t the central theme of this book, but it is said several times.

Will I read this book a million times?! You bet I will!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: