A mistake made long ago . . .


Pain buried so deep . . .


When Bailey Trent returns home to her small Ozark mountain town after being away for nearly six years, she is prepared to face the ghosts of her past. It does not mean she’s prepared to come face to face with the cruelest of those memories.


Darren Cory’s life is a shell of what it once was, and when he’s forced to look at the cause of his agony over and over, hatred rises to further blacken his days. But hating Bailey also destroys him, forcing him to become someone he doesn’t recognize or want to be.


Can Darren find a way to move past the pain and forgive the woman he once cared so much for before his anger consumes them both? Or will he drag them both into the hell of an unforgiven past?

You don’t fall in love with the person responsible for your greatest loss. And God help you if you do.

Emotional. Gripping. Captivating. Heartbreaking. Unforgettable.
This book gutted me. It absolutely devastated me. Broke me into a million pieces only to put them back together in the end. If you’re looking for an emotionally gripping, erotic, and absolutely unforgettable read…THIS. BOOK. READ IT

This is, hands down, bar none, my absolute favorite book by Elizabeth Finn. And considering I’ve pretty much loved all her books, that’s really saying something.

Hatred was a one-way street with them, and it flowed directly from him to her.

It’s not often where I read a book that in just a few short paragraphs manages to enrapture me, twist itself around my heart, and leave me turning the pages all night completely incapable of putting it down. That’s what Darren and Bailey’s story did to me.

Was it an easy, light read? FUCK NO. Prepare for a book that will reach inside and rip your heart out through your throat. Good lord. It will make you rage, it will make you cry, it will make you scream, and it will do all that through a story of forgiveness and second chances unlike you’ve ever read before.

This was her hell. Being trapped in a room with a reminder of who she used to be, a reminder of everything she lost, a reminder of everything she destroyed.

Once decision. One choice. That’s all it takes to change everything. And that’s what happened to Bailey six years ago. A decision with a devastating result that she continues paying for to this day. Now six years later, she’s back in the town that houses her darkest demons and memories to help her mother after the death of her father, and comes face to face with the flesh and blood reminder her of her greatest mistake.

It was as if his need to hurt her was an addiction he couldn’t deny. But his need to see her and be near her in some way was becoming just as compelling as his anger.

Darren. Wow. Talk about your love/hate emotions towards a character.

I wanted to hate him so much for everything that he puts Bailey through…and yet…I was utterly incapable of it. My heart broke for him, I couldn’t help but feel his inner struggle to hate the woman that he once loved. The story is told in four parts with dual POVs. It’s poignantly written with flashbacks from past to present in the first part that allows the reader to really understand the choices and decisions that led to that one fateful night when everything broke.

I never wanted to hate you. Not ever. You did this.

I appreciated that the author did not stretch out the truth of what happened 6 years ago throughout the entire book. Everything gets revealed in the first part, leaving the rest of the book for the reader to really get invested in Darren and Bailey’s struggle for forgiveness and love.

I won’t lie, there will be parts where you’ll want to reach through your kindle and choke the ever loving sanity out of Darren for some of the things that he does and says to Bailey. He really struggles with his feelings for her, this delicate dance he has between love and hate; something he struggles with for the majority of the book.

I want…I want so much to hate you. Do you know what that’s like? Do you have any idea what it’s like to see you, smell you, be near you again, feel your skin? Can you imagine what it is to hate someone so much, and yet…You destroyed everything.”

But he will also give you glimpses inside the broken soul of a man that is still recovering from a devastating loss and WANTS to forgive…he’s just unable to.

He closed his eyes again, settling in beside her warm body, and he imagined it. Loving her.

I also absolutely loved Bailey’s quiet and understated strength. While she had every reason to be an emotional damsel in distress, she never was. She was such an amazing and endearing heroines. Her struggle with the past and present and loving the one man that she can never have was heartbreaking. My favorite heroine of Elizabeth Finn’s. Period.

The wringer of emotion that this book put me through was exhausting. I don’t think I’d be capable of ever reading it again…and yet…it’s also a story that will forever stay with me.

Darren and Bailey’s road to forgiveness was not a smooth or an easy one. Nor was it a quick one.

Forgiveness isn’t an emotion. It’s an action, and it’s a choice. It’s the choice to no let the past affect how you feel.

God but I loved it. It may have left me an ugly crying mess at times, but it was worth it. If you’re worried about a HEA, don’t be. You’ll get one here. An amazingly emotional one.

You don’t love me.’
“I. Love. You.’
“No! You used to love me.’
“I love you still. I love you again. I just love you. I’ve always loved you.”

(hide spoiler)]
But I can also understand how a second book is needed here, so I am so excited that we’ll be getting one next month. I can’t recommend this story enough, but just prepare yourself. This book will grab your heart, run it over with a Mack truck, back up and run it over again. But it will heal it in the end. Just make sure you have tissues and booze on standby for the ride.

There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, reclusive mountain man, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.

This is a full-length novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the fourth book in the ‘Knitting in the City’ series.

Alleskelle’s Review

I must begin this review by apologizing to Penny Reid.
For I received this arc in august and I read it not too long after it landed on my kindle app. Unfortunately, or quite the contrary actually, this book struck me deeply emotionally and I wasn’t expecting it. I was in a fragile space at the time, personally, due to family matters and the subject treated in your book was both linked to this and my personal situation in regard of (highlight to view spoiler)[cancer. (hide spoiler)]cancer(end Spoiler)
So I read the book, I inhaled it, voraciously consumed it in a few hours. I was so enthralled by it all, I felt a vast array of feelings, good, bad, but when it was over I felt dumbstruck by it all. I cried a lot at certain times, but I laughed ten times more.
Now thinking about it, I realize I felt overwhelmed by this story, both the romance and the Winston family. So overpowered that I needed to distance myself from it.

Not to discourage or scare any potential reader, Penny Reid writes quirky romances, and Beauty and The Mustache doesn’t waive to the rule. It was sweet, lively, fun, goofy, entertaining, endearingly so.

“Why are heroines in romantic novels—despite their cleanliness and enviable lifestyles—so unlikeable? It’s like they’ve been hit with a vanilla ninny stick, devoid of personality and blind to the gift before them. They’re doomed to wander in ignorance until the last thirty pages of the book. By then I’m usually actively rooting against a happy ending, because the fantastical fictional men deserve better.”

But it wasn’t just a romantic comedy, no this was even better, I think it was just the perfect romance novel. A story about family, friends, regrets, love, with just the right amount of heartache, grief and pain.

If you are a fan of romances, look no further, you have your next read right here.

Looking for some bossy no nonsense alpha male? Meet Drew Runous, ladies.

An alpha male is not quite what you are looking for? I can’t hear you… A romantic and caring lover you say? Then meet… Drew Runous!

Oh, you’re an historical romance fan? No, I’m sorry I don’t have any Jamie Fraser right now, I heard the lad is spoken for by millions of women anyway. But in the same category, may I interest you in… Drew Runous?

Oh I’m sorry, you were saying you want to swoon over a man every words? Ladies, I present you… Drew Runous!

Yes, Drew Runous is all that an even more. Penny Reid might have created the man of all my dreams here. ( sorry, Swissman if you come to read this, mon ange. Or please take lessons in poetry.) Can you imagine all that in one package? Penny did! And she is just that awesome that she decided to share that with us!

“I finally figured out what kind of handsome he was. He was fiction-handsome. Like, romance novel handsome. But not the clean cut (billionaire) alpha male or even the tattooed (billionaire) bad boy archetype.
He was the bodice ripper, Scottish highlander or Viking conqueror, historical romance kind; an unshaven, lion wrestling, mountain man recluse, toss you over his shoulder and plunder your goodies kind of handsome. He was both scary and swoony. I wanted to braid his beard. I also wanted to run away.”

Once again, she delivered a superb heroine! Ashley Winston, is just everything I wish for a lead female character to be. She was kind, passionate, feisty, caring, strong, independent, assertive, smart, fun. I kid you not, she was all this in that cute little package that is Ashley Winston.

Beauty And The Mustache is undoubtedly my favorite of the Knitting in the City series. I loved all the previous couples, their stories, they were all unique characters and I never felt like I was reading the same story twice. What made Beauty And The Mustache particular is how close to home it hit me. I could relate to some things, to Ashley relationship with her family, and maybe that’s what made this book so much more than just a romance comedy to me. You get to experience a large display of feelings and love of all forms.
I positively think that any reader will find a personal connection to Ashley and Drew’ story.

About the story…

After 8 years of leaving her own life in Chicago where she is working as a pediatric nurse, Ashley is coming back to Tennessee, due to a disturbing phone call. She needs to check on her family.

Although she kept a permanent contact with her Mom over the phone all these years, circumstances made her estranged to her 6 brothers for a long period.
Her decision to leave home in part due to her brothers behavior, she expects to find back 6 obnoxious bearded men.

“I don’t care which of you hillbilly, disease infested, flea bitten, cattywampus-heads are in here making this ruckus, but you will stop right this instant!”

On her first day back in her childhood home, Ashley is woken up by an irritating and loud noise, reckoning one of her brothers to be the origin of the morning racket. But she’s unexpectedly confronted to a wall of a man, the reason of her rude awakening. (Yes, I wouldn’t mind being woken up by this sight either. Come on over my house with your morning racket, Drew Runous. A.N.Y.T.I.M.E.)

“Gray-blue eyes, almost silver, held mine in a vice grip of anger and surprise. I felt an electric bolt, like I’d been tazered in the stomach. Other than a very slight shadow of wonder, he wore an expression that would have made a thunderstorm proud.


As well, he was so ruggedly sexy I’m sure my mouth fell open to protest the unfairness of his existence. Luckily, no sound emerged. I was too busy oscillating between stunned, mortified, and turned on.
This man was definitely not one of my brothers.”

Left flabbergasted by the news about her mom’s condition, she is bewildered to observe her brothers acting like grown, caring and mature adults. They all changed for the best, and the sad purpose of her presence back home is the perfect opportunity to reacquaint with her brothers.

I screamed.
He screamed.
My hands flew to my face.
He cursed.
I heard a thud and I turned away. I was now fully, and mortifyingly, awake.
“Shit, Ash. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Sorry, sorry, sorry—I should have knocked.”
“Nah… I should have locked the door. It’s just that everyone knows Tuesday mornings are my slot.”
I shook my head, my hands over my face, my back to my younger brother. “Your slot? What do you mean, your slot?”
“It’s my private time in the tub, you know, to get my rub on

The dynamic of the Winston’s family was caring a good part of the entertaining factor in BaTM! The banter issued by living in a house full of bearded men was to die for! Hilarious situations, dialogues as well as lovely demonstration of feelings. I wish I had my own Winston brothers.
Their mom was a hoot, too! I wouldn’t expect less from the woman who gave birth to Billy, Cletus, Jethro, Duane and Beauford and Roscoe.

“What I wanted to do was hide in my room with my latest novel and escape into a world without bearded, masturbating hillbillies.”

As it was the case in every Knitting in the series novels, you’ll get to experience the awesome that is Ashley’s support group. Her close friends, her knitting group, they are crazy. The good kind of crazy, occasioning more than one uncontrollable fit of laughter. So if Beauty And The Mustache is your first book in the series, you’ll be introduced with her woman posse, and have enough time to familiarize with Janie, Elizabeth, Sandra and their men, Quinn, Nico and Alex.

“You’re off your rocker and Janie is nuts. You’re both cracked nuts.”
“I would have brought a life-sized cut-out of Charlie Hunnam, but this one,” Sandra indicated to Elizabeth with her head, “thought it would be awkward.”

And then there’s Drew. Drew, quiet, caring, helping, supporting, admiring, giving, longing, staring, writing.

I could try to describe how wonderful, fascinating and appealing Drew Runous was, but I would fail, miserably.
My words would fail to do his character justice. The only and appropriate way to appreciate Drew’s qualities would be to read HIM. Penny Reid did here what very few authors can do, she created a man, not a dream man really, but someone tangible, someone who can be just for you to reach, a man whom even in a book commands the atmosphere in a room just by his presence. A man whose stare is as compelling as his words. A man whose words I can guarantee you, will be your undoing. Be very scared of Drew Runous, for he might become your absolute fantasy.

Ash,
Your sheets, still a white pile on the table, know that envy keeps me from washing them. You left an impression, deep creases where you lay your head, where they cradled your body. It was only three days, but they memorized your scent, they carry it even in their stillness.
Were they too gentle? Was their touch too light? Do you remember how it felt when they held you? Or did you never commit it to memory?
Was I too gentle? Was my touch too light? Do you remember how it felt when I held you? Or did you never commit it to memory?
– Drew

I’m not going to say much more about the story, as usual I don’t want to spoil all the fun, but I would HIGHLY recommend you to check Penny’s bright and wonderful world, she is a singular being, Miss Reid.

Wonder Woman, over.

`*•. ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. .•*

From the New Adult sensation and New York Times bestselling author of Until You

Madoc and Fallon. Two estranged teenagers playing games that push the boundaries between love and war…

She’s back.

For the three years she’s been away at boarding school, there was no word from her. Back when we lived in the same house, she used to cut me down during the day and then leave her door open for me at night.

I was stupid then, but now I’m ready to beat her at her own game…

I’m back.

Three years and I can tell he still wants me, even if he acts like he’s better than me.

But I won’t be scared away. Or pushed down. I’ll call his bluff and fight back. That’s what he wants, right? As long as I keep my guard up, he’ll never know how much he affects me….

Reaching over, I turned my alarm clock to see it was only six in the morning. Tate threw her backpack on her bed and started yanking stuff out of drawers. She was still in the same clothes from last night. Usually when she spent the night at Jared’s, she came home freshly showered and dressed, ready for class. Right now, she looked rushed.

“What classes do you have today?” she asked, not looking at me as she darted around our room.

I swallowed the dryness from my mouth. “Um…Calc III and Sex and Scandal in Early Modern England.”

“Nice,” she teased in a deep voice.

“The last one is a gen. ed.,” I explained, embarrassed. “Why? What’s up?”

“Do you feel like skipping?” She stuffed clothes into her backpack and then turned to look at me. “Jax showed up at Jared’s dorm this morning. No one’s heard from Madoc. He’s not returning calls, texts, IMs….” She trailed off, hands on her hips.

“You haven’t talked to him at all lately?” I looked away, not wanting her to see the worry I was sure was on my face.

“Yeah, Jared and I let it go at first, because we thought Madoc needed his space, and we’ve all been so busy, but if Jax is worried, and Lucas probably hadn’t had contact, either, then it’s definitely past time to check it out.” She stopped, finally taking a breath.

She came over, tapping my leg and smiling. “So let’s go

FIVE STAR CROSSED STARS

“You reached me. When no one else ever has.”

It was love at first chapter when I first read the work of Penelope Douglas. Intrigued by it’s title and a newfound author I found myself falling for this authors debut writing style and since reading ‘Bully’ I’ve not once wanted to look back. This author brings something fresh to the ‘new adult’ genre of writing and it seems I’m not able to stop my admiration for her work. ‘Rival’ has been a long anticipated release and i can now admit that I was a little dubious with how this story would play out, but my doubts were unfounded, this novel was spectacular it had the right amount of grit and taboo without making it too dark or difficult to read and if there is one thing I can now be sure of is that Penelope Douglas has a wickedly sensual talent of making me fall straight into love with her story telling. With a hero to die for and a heroine with plenty of bite I could not have enjoyed my time spent with these characters any more than I did. My expectations have been blown away, ‘Rival’ is a novel not to be forgotten about and a book that I’m happy to say I loved.

What’s it all about?
Madoc and Fallon are two star crossed lovers fighting against the pain and secrets of the past. Their connection was one that has stayed with them both and their obsession with each other doesn’t seem to want to end. One wants revenge, the other wants to beat its partner at it’s own game. They both need each other. But will games, hate, family connections and a dark past stop a love that was destined to be or will they both be able to fight beyond themselves. Follow this fall away novel and fall in love with rivals that can’t help but love to hate each other.

What did I love?
What was not to love? Gorgeous story telling, fantastic writing talent, characters that blew me away and a plot that stole my heart. Everything about this novel dramatically appealed to my reading tastes. I loved that this book was deliciously tempting and swayed on the side of taboo but never crossed over into the uncomfortable territory, instead it made my heart pound and the anticipation of what was to come was well played out by the author. I’ll always have a soft spot for a dual point of view in a novel especially one that provides the reader with an opportunity to get involved with the characters thoughts and feelings. I had a honest to goodness soft spot for both hero and heroine in this story and nothing appeals more than characters who profess to hate each other when in truth their love is just as evident. Madoc and Fallon were fantastic lead characters and in addition to falling for their love story I also fell for them as individuals and I adored them both equally as much. Sibling rivalry, falling unashamedly in lust, chemistry that can’t be rivalled (see what I did there?) and a story that will stay with me for some time to come ‘Rival’ is one of my favourites of 2014 and a book that deserves to be celebrated for all it’s deliciously dark romantic talent. Penelope Douglas has created a love to hate you story that has blown me away. For those readers that can’t help but be attracted to angry sex, broken characters and epic love stories that break you up and by the end fix you all up again then this book will be just what you need.

Final thoughts …
If you are a reader that has not yet read a Penelope Douglas novel and you enjoy all the drama of a new adult novel then I can only urge you to get yourself aquatinted with this authors work. As for those readers who are anxiously waiting to read ‘Rival’ I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. Mrs Douglas has outdone herself and provided a novel that had me glued to every chapter and has more than filled my need for an angst filled, love story fix. With plenty of story telling to keep you interested and characters that are as bold as this authors shining talent the only complaint I now have is that I’m now back in the queue waiting for the next release by this author. Predictably so, five star books are what I crave and from start to finish ‘Rival’ had that unforgettable quality stamped all over it, I have no regrets with my time spent here and I’m sure this book will find itself being re read over and over again. Until then I’ll be satisfying my addiction with reading my most favourite quotes and I’m looking forward to seeing other readers fall in love as much as I did. Enjoy … Kisses.

♦ Grab the rest of the series ♦ 

Bully (Fall Away, #1) 

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Until You (Fall Away, #1.5)

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Penelope Douglas is a writer in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to “just get the degree!” She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, The Originals, and she shops at Target almost daily.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Penelope is offering up the following prizes. The giveaways are international and ends at 11:59 PM CST 09/15/2014.

·         (2) $100 gift cards for either Amazon or B&N winners choice

·         (2) Signed paperbacks of Rival

·         (1) Signed set paperbacks of Bully, Until You and Rival

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments.

A modern day Dark Erotic Romance

Amazon / Amazon UK / Kobo / iTunes

5 The world was a dangerous place, but I was worse Stars

You live in a fairytale, princess, and I’m about to destroy it.

Holy mother of WOW. I have recently sworn off serials after one too many cliffys left me a ragey mess, but it’s Pepper Winters and there’s no way I was going to pass this one by and DAMN am I glad I didn’t. You know the thing that I’ve come to truly love about this author? The unpredictability of her writing. What I mean is, no one character is alike. If I didn’t know I was reading a Pepper Winters book, I don’t think I would have guessed it. Jethro Hawk is no Fox and he’s no Q. This is the ultimate anti-hero. He’s cold, he’s brutal, and there is no question after finishing this mind fuck of a book that I am truly and utterly hooked. Will I be waiting until all the books release to read the rest? Fuck no. I will be waiting and begging for any and all scraps that Pepper throws my way and reading these books THE DAY they come out. I don’t even care about the cliffys. It’s THAT good.

This had to be one of the best anti-heroes I’ve read to date. If you think that Jethro is cold and ruthless until he meets Nila and all of a sudden his uncontrollable lust for her makes him question everything he does to her…think again.

There was no compassion in his light-brown eyes. No sympathy or even guilt. How did he have the power to be so close to me- to grow hard wanting me- and know all along my fate?

Only a special person could do that. A person who wasn’t born of this world but brimstone and fire. From hell.

I spent the entire book waiting for a chink in his armor…good thing I didn’t hold my breath because there was none. Not in this book anyway. Don’t go into this expecting a romance. Eroticism? Hell yes. But you’ll find no romance here, not yet.

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. What for? That will be the biggest question you have and keep you turning the pages with bated breath…only to find more questions. Nila is a famous designer that’s been sheltered her whole life growing up in a loving and affluent family. But all that changes the day a mysterious man with golden eyes comes for her.

Nila may be sheltered and inexperienced, but this is a heroine that has a hidden core of strength that only grows stronger and more pronounced as the story progresses.

I devoured this book. Although this is a serial, it’s a book length of 255 pages. And you know what? Not a sentence was wasted. The character development was phenomenal. Jethro Hawke is a hero you will love to hate. He equal parts terrified me and turned me on, which is no small feat to accomplish.

Coldness etched his gaze.

Aloofness whispered from his posture.

Calculation radiated from his every pore.

I’d never been so intimidated or so intimately challenged.

Unpredictable. Gritty. Erotic. Unputdownable. Filled with enough twists and turns this book will leave you questioning everything, never knowing up from down and right from wrong. Just as I thought I knew where the story was headed, I’d be thrown for another loop. Pepper Winters is truly an evil genius. Even the damn cliffy was fitting. I couldn’t imagine this book ending a different way. It was perfect (even if it did leave me an anxious mess for the next one). Now to wait 8-10 weeks for the next one just may kill me.

I would enjoy ruining Nila, because I liked breaking things. But not in a gruesome barbaric way. I liked to break them smoothly, gently, ruthlessly. I liked to think I transformed creatures from their present to their potential.

**ARC gifted to Dirty Girl Romance blog in exchange for an honest review**

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:

Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)

Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Her Grey Romance books include:

Destroyed

STALK Pepper: 
Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads 

 Signed Swag Pack (2 Winners)

ebook of Debt Inheritance (5 Winners)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As the lead singer of Stage Dive, Jimmy is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants it, whether it’s booze, drugs, or women. However, when a PR disaster serves as a wake-up call about his life and lands him in rehab, he finds himself with Lena, a new assistant to keep him out of trouble.

Lena’s not willing to take any crap from the sexy rocker and is determined to keep their relationship completely professional, despite their sizzling chemistry. But when Jimmy pushes her too far and Lena leaves, he realizes that he may just have lost the best thing that ever happened to him.

Amazon / B&N / iTunes

                        

He always seemed so polished, so perfect, you could almost ignore the chaos and pain living inside of him.

I kid you not, this series only gets better with each new book. I had some high hopes for Jimmy’s story, and Kylie Scott not only managed to meet them but blow them out of the water.

See, here’s the thing. I have this thing for almost nonredeemable bad boy assholes. If they just happen to be almost nonredeemable rock star bad boy assholes? All the better. It’s a condition that I have recently diagnosed as AssholeLustitis. True story.

Enter Jimmy Ferris, the lead singer of Stage Dive, recovering addict, and all around giant dick (pun most definitely intended)

This was Jimmy is all his glory, rude as fuck and not a single social nicety to him.

Having scared off most of his assistants and outright refusing a sobriety companion, Jimmy needs someone. And his band mates think they have just the ticket to what he needs when they meet Lena. So they make her an offer she can’t refuse. Be Jimmy’s 24hr companion, live in his house, oh and earn pretty much double what she’s currently earning as an assistant to the band’s manager.

Lena is used to dealing with assholes. She’s sassy, quit witted, sharp-tongued and in 2 words? Fucking awesome. Her internal monologue had me laughing throughout the entire book.

I’m so tempted to just punch you in the junk right now and be done with it. I mean, it has to happen sooner or later, right?”

Whoops…sorry. Got carried away there. See the thing is, Lena was such a great heroine it was impossible not to root for her. The banter between the two was some of the best I’ve read. I’m talking laugh out loud funny. I’m talking wanting to reach through your kindle to fist bump her funny.

Do you actually expect me to jump around like an idiot?”
“It would amuse me.”
“Don’t make me kill you at this hour of the morning, Jimmy. It’s not civilized.”

Lena has no issues dealing with Jimmy’s broody, moody, and general assholness. Yes, assholness is not really a word, but work with me here. The problem begins when she starts to develop feelings for the asshole. And given her history with men? Well, let’s just say the cards are not exactly stacked in her favor.

I have in my time dated a cheater, a thief, a repressed homosexual, a foot fetishist, and various men who just wanted a chance to meet my sister.”
“Why’s the foot fetishist so bad?”
“Always with the strappy high heels. My toes were killing me.”

Jimmy knows he’s no good for anyone and certainly not worthy of anyone’s love. So he sets out to dissuade Lena of her crush and prove to her just how bad he is for her. Too bad he can’t stop the sizzling chemistry that brews between them.

Lena may be incredibly attracted to Jimmy, but that doesn’t mean she turns a blind eye to his more…let’s go with faults.

His smile, oh god his smile, I wanted to wipe it off his face with a pickaxe. I’d be gentle, you could trust me.

Ummmm…alrighty then

Let’s not forget about the rest of the band mates, because I loved catching up with all the guys. I actually think this is how I prefer Mal…in small doses…in someone else’s book. He was just full of great advise here.

Interesting. I’m going to tell you what I told Killer at puppy training today when he tried to mount a teacup poodle he’d only just met. If she means something to you, you gotta do the woo, son. You can’t just be trying to stick it in.

Or not. Maybe? Whatever. For Mal this was practically genius.

Kylie Scott did a phenomenal job in building an almost unbearable sexual tension. I’m talking the burn of all burns here. But it was perfect for the story. I really don’t think it would have been as good had they been thrown into bed together too soon. And when Jimmy finally gives in to the scorching hot chemistry between them? Let’s just say he REALLY doesn’t disappoint.

He ate me like a man deprived, starved.
He ate me like I was his favorite meal.
Vaguely related, apparently singers had excellent tongue control and strength. Bless them for that, many, many times over.

Right…I think I heard this in a song once too

So let’s sum it up here; gorgeous lead singer of a popular band, asshole with redeemable qualities, and then there are his OTHER qualities…

I stared at his cock, mesmerized. Even encased in rubber it remained a thing of true beauty. Had I any talent with a pen, I’d have written it poems. A haiku perhaps.
“Lena?”
I was hypnotized, helpless. Cock-struck.

It was a thing of beauty. Didn’t hurt that he happened to be packing quite the love sword, huh?

You lucky bitch.

Jimmy may be on the road to recovery and he does his best to get Lena to stay as his assistant, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t fuck up. And when he does it? He certainly does it thoroughly.

Stupid Jimmy Ferris and his amazing mouth and penis. Who needed him? Not me, I could look after myself.
That’s why god invented vibrators, thank you very much. Masturbation was so much safer. My fingers never gave me this sort of trouble.

So why even put up with his shit?

Oh shut it, Jimmy. No one asked you. It’s true, but still.

Throw in Jimmy and David’s crazy mother, Jimmy’s issues, and Lena’s luck with men and you got yourself an addicting, unputdownable, laugh out loud, entertaining and sexy read. Kylie Scott truly has outdone herself with this book. It had everything and in just the right amount. The banter, the sexual chemistry, the sex, the story. EVERYTHING. And that little teaser at the end for Ben? Gah! I just may die a little waiting for his book to come out.

So if you’re looking for a sexy and funny rock star romance, you really need to look no further than this. Seriously. Read it. You’ll thank me for it. And I thank you