Blog Tour, Review, & #Giveaway: ☆Veiled Innocence☆ by @EllaFrank2012

Tick, tick, tock.

Time.

That’s all I have now.

A small room, a photograph, and time.

They want me to trust them and confess my sins.

They told me they wouldn’t judge me—they lied.

I thought we could convince the world that this wasn’t a crime.

We were wrong.

Time doesn’t stand still.

The clock keeps ticking, the world is unconvinced, and now…

Now he is gone.

Veiled Innocence by Ella Frank
Excerpt One – Addison Lancaster’s POV
Copyright © 2014 by Ella Frank

I’d waited until he got out of the truck before approaching. I didn’t want his escape to be as easy as driving away. Standing in the small stone alcove of the gate, I knew it would be best to wait until he stepped away from the lit area. That way, any cars driving by wouldn’t be able to see us.

I wanted no excuses, no reason for him to worry, but I could see my silence had caused just as much concern as my presence would have. He turned to me, and I finally took a moment to really look at him the way I wanted to.

His hair was still pulled back but several pieces had now escaped and been pushed behind his ears. The darker stubble lining his square jaw made my fingers tingle with the need to touch.

“Oh, thank God,” he whispered, sounding relieved.

I thought he would move away from me once he knew I was safe. Instead, he reached out and squeezed my shoulder.

“I thought something had happened to you.”

I don’t think he realized that he was slowly massaging me.

“Jesus, don’t do that again. Okay?”

Taking another step closer, I agreed quietly. “Okay.”

He licked his lips and removed his hands, and I saw in his eyes the minute he decided it was time for some distance.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked. His casual black sports jacket shifted with the breeze, and all of a sudden I couldn’t remember why I was there. All I knew was that I wanted to touch him.

“Addison?”

His voice had the ability to make all of the noise inside my head cease.

Blinking up at him, I finally answered, “Yes?”

“What are you doing out here?”

Moving in so my jacket brushed the front of his, I finally reached to touch him, but he grabbed my wrist, holding it away.

“No,” he told me, and his voice was so stern I probably should have heeded the warning…but I didn’t.

“No?”

His head bent down, and when his face was a hairsbreadth from my own, he repeated, “No. Tell me why you’re here.”

His breath was warm as it ghosted over my lips, and I couldn’t help but part my own, hoping by some miracle I could taste him on my tongue.

“Why are you here? That’s a better question, don’t you think?”

“I know better than this.”

I reached up needing to touch him, but he took that hand too, holding them both prisoner. Being held in place with nowhere to go elicited a hunger in me that I didn’t yet understand. 

“Know better than what?”

“Than to be here.”

“Then go,” I offered.

That was all it took. He spun me around, backed me up against the truck, and had my arms pinned by my head so fast I lost my breath. Leaning in beside me until his mouth was by my ear, he rasped in an unsteady voice, “I can’t.”

I turned my head to face him and saw all of his turmoil, and finally, the full impact of his desire. “Then don’t.”

“You’re going to be the death of me.”

Life is full of ironies, because with him, I’d never felt more alive.

6 Not so innocent Stars
He’d calmed me when no one else could.

He’d saved me from myself.
If only they knew the truth…
But no one is listening, and his time is already up.

Tick, tick, tock.


WOW


If this book isn’t proof that Ella Frank is an incredible writer, I’m not sure what is. This had to be hands down, bar none, one of the best Student/Teacher romances I have ever read. The writing, the story, the characters; I can’t even put into words what this book did to me. But if I really had to try?

Captivating

Nail biting

Erotic

Spellbinding
Emotional
COMPLETELY UNPUTDOWNABLE

If you’re a fan of this author, this book is a must read. And if you’ve never read anything by her, than this book will have you putting her on your auto-buy list.

This will be a spoiler free review. I’m doing you a favor, believe me, because this is a book that simply has to be experienced.

The story captures you from the very beginning. Miss Frank gives you just a little taste of what’s to come that will leave you sitting on pins and needles the entire time you’re reading. You know that something happens, but you don’t know what or when. You know where Addison ends up, but you don’t know how. This book gave me the worst case of anxiety EVAR. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happens next, and at the same time I was completely terrified of it happening.

Addison is a senior in high school, but she’s not the typical young heroine you’d find yourself reading about. She’s not shy, she’s not even remotely meek, she’s no virginal ingenue, and she’s certainly not suffering from a low self esteem.

She has the perfect looks, the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect everything…or does she? Behind the veil of perfection, lost somewhere in the shadows of her darkest dreams, is a broken girl with a painful secret

But then everything changes when she comes to her first day of class and sees
him.

My ending, staring right at me from the very beginning.

When Addison lays eyes on her history teacher, Mr. McKendrick, she knows that she has to have him. And she pursues him relentlessly, without any shame, using her entire arsenal of incredible looks, charisma and sexual temptation.

She was everything I couldn’t have and shouldn’t want, but the more she taunted, the more my resolve crumbled. Temptation had come to visit, and her steely determination would likely destroy us both.

The story is told in dual first person POV. As much as I loved being inside Addison’s head, being able to see inside his head is what ultimately made this book. You feel his struggle to stay away from this girl. You feel how mcuh he fights it, how hard he tries, only to give into what you already know is inevitable.

Trust me, I do see you”, he stressed.
“You’re all I fucking see, Addison. When I close my eyes, when I open them, when I’m teaching. You’re. There. All. The. Fucking. Time.
Sometimes I wish I’d never seen you.”

Reading about their relationship was like watching a car crash about to happen and being powerless to stop it. You know that the odds are stacked against them, you know that the relationship is doomed. But at the same time you have NO FUCKING CLUE how or when. But you know that it will.

The book is told in alternate flashbacks from present to past. Ella Frank took two broken characters and alternating between erotic and emotionally charged, weaved it into an unforgettable, keep you at the edge of your seat story of a forbidden love.

If you’ve read her books in the past, you know that she can write a ‘melt the panties right off of you’ love scene. And this was definitely no exception. The two of them together was pure scorching hotness.

Look at you sitting here with your legs spread and my cock so fucking deep I don’t think I’ll ever leave. Jesus, Addison. I thought you were perfect before. Now I fucking know it.

I was stuck between trying to drag this book out as long as I can because I didn’t want it to end and not being able to put it down because I simply had to know what happens next.

Temptation be damned. I’d given in long ago. She was now my very own personal sin.

It was simply perfect.

You’re going to be the death of me.”
Life is full of ironies, because with him, I’d never felt more alive.

This is a book that I cannot recommend enough. It will steal your breath, capture your heart and break it all at once. It’s just one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. I feel the mother of all book hangovers coming on after this.

Read it. Experience it. Fall in love with it.

Ella, I may be running on 3 hrs of sleep and too much coffee and my nails might be chewed to shit with the amount of anxiety this story gave me, but DAMN, woman! I will now forever worship at the altar of your awesomeness.

A $150 Gift Card to Victoria’s Secret
A Women’s Silver Glitz Fossil watch – Tick, tick, tock…
A $50 Gift Card to Amazon
A $25 Gift Card to Barnes & Noble
2 Signed Copies of Veiled Innocence
5 Ella Frank eBooks  (Winner’s Choice)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour, Review & #Giveaway: ☆Unfixable☆ by @mstessabailey

  He’s the last thing she wants…but the only thing she needs.
  Amazon I B&N I Entangled
Willa Peet isn’t interested in love. She’s been there, done that, and has the shattered heart to prove it. Ready to shake the breakup, she heads to Dublin, Ireland. But there’s a problem. A dark-haired, blue-eyed problem with a bad attitude that rivals her own. And he’s not doling out friendly Irish welcomes.
Shane Claymore just wants to race. The death of his father forced him off the Formula One circuit, but he’s only staying in Dublin long enough to sell the Claymore Inn and get things in order for his mother and younger sister. He never expected the sarcastic American girl staying at the inn to make him question everything.

But even as Willa and Shane’s fiery natures draw them together, their pasts threaten to rip them apart. Can Shane give up racing to be with the woman he loves, or will Willa’s quest to resurrect the tough-talking, no-shit-taking girl she used to be destroy any hope of a future together?
5 I’d let Shane rev my engine Stars

I feel like a battle is being waged inside me, between my attraction to Shane and the scarier, unwanted feelings creeping in. It’s no mystery that I will lose the physical battle, but I’m trying to win the overall war.”

Ladies, be prepared to meet your new book boyfriend. But just in case there’s any question about who Shane already belongs to

Yes, I’m more than prepared to let my inner cougar out, and there is no shame in my game here. Once you meet the brooding Irish race car driver you’ll see exactly what I mean. Just make sure to return him to his proper owner when you’re finished 😉

Did I like this book? No. I fucking loved it. With each new release, Tessa Bailey continues to prove exactly why she’s on my list of auto-buy authors. The queen of dirty talk does not disappoint with this one. This New Adult title is a spin off from Tessa’s Line of Duty series, but there is no shortage of steam and dirty talk. Beyond that, it’s a beautiful love story about 2 broken people finding love in a time and place when they least expect it.

Willa is Ginger’s younger sister from Protecting What’s His. Since I loved the interaction and snarky humor between the sisters in that book, I knew immediately that I would like Willa in her own book.

Yes, I’m difficult. Yes, I’m a god awful smart ass. Yes, the ugliness never goes away, but I’d at least found a way to stabilize it.

Coming off of a difficult break up with her boyfried, Willa is looking for an escape. Winning a trip to Dublin from a photography contest offers the perfect answer to her problem. What she doesn’t expect is the broody, rude, and scowling welcome wagon in the form of sexy as hell Irishman when she arrives. To say that these two get off on the wrong foot is an understatement. The insults start flying right away, but the underlying sexual tension between them is what keeps you riveted to turn the pages.

Slow night. I guess not everyone values abrasiveness in their bartender.”
“I can play nice when I want to.”
“That remains to be seen.”
“Would you like to see for yourself, tough girl.”
“I can’t think of anything less appealing.”
“Liar.”

This is not a case of insta-love, or even insta-lust. Tessa creates a perfect slow build between Willa and Shane until you’re practically screaming for them to finally get together.

“Don’t you dare,” I manage breathily, when his gaze drops to my mouth. “I bite.”
Damn him, he presses closer.
“Maybe tonight I fancy being bitten.”

And when they finally do get together? Sweet mother of melting panties everywhere.

I couldn’t get enough of Shane and the deliciously dirty things that would come out of his mouth.

He drags me back from the car and pushes me back against the hard surface, partially heated by the purring engine.

When I start to pull my dress over my head, he stops me.

Leave it. I’m going to make you come in that dress. Then I’m going to fucking burn it.”

Their journey from trading insults, to stolen kisses, to steamy nights and finally to love was wonderfully portrayed. I thought the pacing of the book was absolutely perfect. I couldn’t get enough of Shane and I really loved Willa’s combination of strong yet endearingly broken. Tessa even managed to give us a little more of Derek and Ginger as the icing on top.

I loved that this was written in first person POV, but I would have liked to get a peek inside Shane’s head. I only hope that Tessa makes this into a series.

If you enjoy steamy NA with fantastic characters and a wonderful story (and scorching hot sex scenes), this book is a must read. If you’ve read and loved Tessa’s other books, then you will definitely love this one. And if you haven’t yet discovered the brilliance that is this author, I’m not sure what you’re doing still reading me review. GO READ THEM!

***ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review***

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.
An Irish-themed/Unfixable themed swag pack and a Kindle Fire. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: ☆The Will☆ by Kristen Ashley

Early in her life, Josephine Malone learned the hard way that there was only one person she could love and trust: her grandmother, Lydia Malone. Out of necessity, unconsciously and very successfully, Josephine donned a disguise to keep all others at bay. She led a globetrotting lifestyle on the fringes of the fashion and music elite, but she kept herself distant. 

While Josephine was trotting the globe, retired boxer Jake Spear was living in the same small town as Lydia. There was nothing disguised about Jake. Including the fact he made a habit of making very bad decisions about who to give his love. 

But for Josephine and Jake, there was one person who adored them. One person who knew how to lead them to happiness. And one person who was intent on doing it. 

Even if she had to do it as her final wish on this earth. 

5 KA has her magic back Stars


It’s never too late to reach for happiness and no matter what life has done to you, it’s never too late to find it.

Oh yes!
God yes!
Fuck yes!

KA got her mojo back with this book. If I needed any further proof that the past releases lost the KA touch because of her publisher, this book was it. It was everything that I’ve been missing in her published books lately. And I do mean every-fucking-thing.

Who else but Kristen Ashley can take a heroine that talks like she’s a Victorian maiden and not only make it so it doesn’t irritate the living crap out of you, but actually endears her to you? No really? I ask you?

Well, yes I can. Because it was fantastic!

Miss Ashley takes a prim and proper heroine that by all intents and purposes conducts herself like she has a stick up her ass the size of a palm tree and makes you love her. Josie was everything I love in a heroine and even some things that I’d normally hate…yet loved here. Here you have a heroine that shows up in a town and it’s like the woman has a catnip pussy…uhem. All she has to do is breathe and she draws men to her like a bitch in heat.

Normally, this would drive me batty. Here, I couldn’t get enough. Such is the magic of KA.

Who else but KA can give you a hero that’s equal parts sweet, slightly assholish, a dash domineering, a whole lot of jealous, with a twist of melt your panties dirty talker?

Oh and make him a sexy as sin former boxer and an amazing single father in his late 40s?

Who else but KA can give you a beautiful love story with the perfect burn of sexual tension all to explode in the most erotic way when they finally give into the inevitable?

Don’t believe me? Just wait till that halfway mark and see for yourself what I mean.

And finally, who else but KA can give you an ending and an epilogue that will leave you an ugly crying, sniveling, kindle hugging in the middle of your room mess?

In case you’re curious, those are rhetorical questions, because the answer to all those is NO ONE. Absolutely, positively NO ONE but Kristen Ashley.

I adored this book. I tried stretching it out as much as possible and yet couldn’t find myself to put it down. I fell in love with Jake, I fell in love with his kids, I fell in love with the quirky Josie, and I completely and utterly fell in love with the story.

I won’t give you a sum up of the book or what it’s about since you can get the main gist of it from the book blurb. Giving you anything else will be an injustice to the KA reading experience. What I will tell you is that if you’re anything like me and found her last few releases to be somewhat shy of lackluster, this will bring you out of that funk.

I know that I will only be sticking to her self-pubs from now on because she has definitely not lost her touch, it’s simply been getting edited out by her publisher. And now I will be on pins and needles in pervy anticipation of Frankie and Benny’s book.

Miss Ashley, I only have one thing to tell you after finishing this

Review: ☆Reasonable Doubt: Volume 1☆ by @WhitGracia

My cock has an appetite. 

huge and very particular appetite: Blonde, curvy, and preferably not a fucking liar…(Although, that’s a story for another day.)

As a high profile lawyer, I don’t have time to waste on relationships, so I fulfill my needs by anonymously chatting and sleeping with women I meet online. 

My rules are simple: One dinner. One night. No repeats. 

This is only casual sex. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

At least it was , until “Alyssa”…

She was supposed to be a 27 year old lawyer, a book hoarder, and completely unattractive. She was supposed to be someone I shared law advice with late at night, someone I could trust with details of my weekly escapades. 

But then she came into my firm for an interview–a college-interninterview, and everything fucking changed…

Book 1 in a three part Erotic Romance Serial.

5 Erotic and refreshingly different Stars

Ladies, invest in lots of spare panties, because you’re about to meet the man that will melt them right off you. May I introduce Mr. Andrew Hamilton?

Now allow me to introduce you to Andrew’s hungry cock

Whoa there, tiger! No need to get feisty. I’m just telling the public something you clearly make no bones about. If I recall you also happened to have a type right?

Blonde, curvy, and preferably not a fucking liar

Shit. Two out of three ain’t bad though, right?

Now of course anyone as hot as you isn’t into anything as silly as commitment right? What is that one rule you have?

One dinner. One night. No repeats.

Well OK then. I’m sure you’re hiding something painful and broody in your past to cause you to be this way right?

*Awkward silence*

Alright then. Guess you won’t be sharing that today. That’s cool. Just

But what would you tell all those scorned women. You know, the ones that may tell you that this may catch up with you one day. What was it one of your conquests recently told you? Karma is on hell of a bitch.

I know. I fucked her two weeks ago…

And yet I find myself strangely turned on.

I’d built the last six years of my life detaching myself from any chance of having feelings for someone else, refusing to build any friendships…

But didn’t you make a friend…your only friend if I recall correctly. The one you met in the lawyer chat room but never met. What was her name? Alyssa? Was that it?

Yes I got all that, thank you. But you also find yourself wishing you were getting that pussy from Alyssa, don’t you?

Well then! No need to get bitchy! I can see you’re a little touchy on this subject since she refuses to meet you or tell you her real name.

But then you DO meet someone. That new college intern…the one that happens to be EXACTLY your type. You just can’t seem to stay away from her, can you? What’s that relationship like? First you fight, and then all of a sudden there’s some angry fuckery?

Yes, yes, I get it.

But she’s also keeping something from you, isn’t she?

Right. You have that thing against someone being a fucking liar.

Oh but you’re keeping something even bigger from here, aren’t you? And what do you do? LEAVE US WITH A FUCKING CLIFFHANGER IS WHAT!!! GAH!!

Now I’ll just be slowly dying inside waiting for book 2 to see how redeemable your assholy-ness really is.

And I thank you

ARC Review: ☆Five Miles☆ by @LiliStGermain1

*Please note this book is dark romance and deals with serious themes including rape, violence and murder.* 

This story unfolds over seven volumes approx. 25 – 30,000 words each. 

My father taught me the importance of an eye for an eye—a cardinal rule, ingrained in every club member. 

A life for a life. 

Seven lives in payment for an unimaginable list of sins. 

People might wonder why I’m doing this. If this vengeance is borne from some noble cause, that I’m trying to prevent others from suffering at the hands of Dornan Ross and his sons. 

But I’m no vigilante. 

I’m doing it for me. I’m doing it because I want to. Because the look on Maxi and Chad’s faces when I killed them was a balm to my soul. 

This is the fate they have earned. The penance for their crimes. 

Two down, five to go. 

Time to send some of these brothers off with a bang. 

Five Miles is the third book in the Gypsy Brothers series. The series should be read in the following order: 

Seven Sons (Gypsy Brothers, #1) 
Six Brothers (Gypsy Brothers, #2) 
Five Miles (Gypsy Brothers, #3) 

Four Score, #4 in the Gypsy Brothers series, releases on May 26th, 2014

Buy Links
 

Holy HOLY hell! Just as I think I know what to expect from this series, Lili goes and throws me a curve ball like this. Wow! This was the best book in the series so far and they only seem to get better and better with each book.

Now I have a confession to make. See I happen to have the attention span of a 3 year old. True story. Serials are typically my kryptonite since I almost always seem to grow bored by book 2 or 3. It’s a sickness really and seems that Lili St. Germain just happens to be my cure because her books have hooked me…line and sinker. If I wasn’t completely addicted to this series before, after this book I am practically salivating for more.

If you had questions about Sammi’s motives or reasons in the past 2 books, most of your questions will be answered here. Anything that left you hanging in book 1 is also brought to light.

Here’s the thing, if you’re at all like me, I bet you were thinking that this may be some of the same old, same old. You have 7 brothers, there’s 7 books, each book you have one die, and Five Miles will follow the same formulaic approach, right? WRONG. It’s like Lili saw into my head, that evil genius, and decided to take everything I thought I knew and blow it all to hell and back.

I will not give you a sum up of this book, I will not regurgitate the blurb back to you or any of those things. But what I will tell you, is prepare yourself for one hell of a ride.

I was on pins and needles the entire time I was reading this. It kept me at the edge of my seat, biting my nails in nervous anxiety, equal parts nervous to keep reading yet unable to put it down. With each book I fall more and more for Jase and understand Sammi just a little bit more.

But the one thing that I love about this series? Lili gives you an ending that has your practically panting for the next book without doing the obligatory cliffy. She gives you just enough yet not enough. It’s that sadistically perfect balance between a sneak peek of what’s to come without all the details to make you sure of it. GAWD but it’s awesome.

And the ending of this book had me raging in bittersweet pain. Everything I’ve been waiting for finally happens…yet not. It was perfect yet not enough. I’m addicted. Completely, totally, utterly hooked.

But don’t take my word for it, read for yourself and find out what I mean. This is one of those serials that I can’t recommend enough. Trust me, if you weren’t sold with the past 2 books, this one will seal the deal.

**ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review**

ARC Review: ☆Hard Time☆ by Cara McKenna

In this all-new novel from the author of Unbound, a woman with a rocky past finds romance in the last place she’d ever expect…

Annie Goodhouse doesn’t need to be warned about bad boys; good sense and an abusive ex have given her plenty of reasons to play it safe. But when she steps into her new role as outreach librarian for Cousins Correctional Facility, no amount of good sense can keep her mind—or eyes—off inmate Eric Collier. 

Eric doesn’t claim to be innocent of the crime that landed him in prison. In fact, he’d do it again if that’s what it took to keep his family safe. Loyalty and force are what he knows. But meeting Annie makes him want to know more. 

When Eric begins courting Annie through letters, they embark on a reckless, secret romance—a forbidden fantasy that neither imagines could ever be real…until early parole for Eric changes everything, and forces them both to face a past they can’t forget, and a desire they can’t deny.

Review-DGR5 stars

And he told me about the things he wanted to do to me, the places he wanted to take me, if he could. The things about me that took his mind off his daily life, and roused his body in idle moments. And I wondered if he wasn’t a bank robber after all, the way he kept making off with my heart.

I fell in love with this book. I fell in love with the writing. I fell completely, head over heels in love with the hero. This book; no review I can write will ever do it justice. Cara McKenna is a genius, her stories will grab you by the heart and never let go. She doesn’t blow sunshine and rainbows up your ass. She gives you real characters, real emotion that is so well written, it’s almost palpable. Did I like this book? No. I fucking LOVED this book. I wish I could give it 6 stars. This is a story that will stay with me for a while with characters that I will never forget.

Annie Goodhouse is a good southern girl that hasn’t had the best of luck with men. She doesn’t have to be warned away from the bad boys, she experienced first hand what the feel of abuse at the hands of a man feels like, and she’s shut herself off. Annie is a librarian, and her new role takes her to work as an outreach librarian in the town’s medium security prison. And then everything changes when she meets him in a place where the worst of the bad boys are…

Eric, or inmate number 802267 as she first knows him, catches her eye right way. But it’s not his attitude, leering, or catcalling that snags her, because he doesn’t do any of those things.

That stare. That unreadable expression, an impossible mix of apathy and fascination, coldness and seduction.

Eric was not at all what I expected from reading the book’s blurb. He’s not some ultimate bad boy, an asshole, or a hard-ass. He’s simply a man that committed a crime, a crime that he would commit all over again if given the chance. But beneath that tough and muscled exterior there exists a soul of a gentle and romantic man. What first begins as a simple lesson in literacy begins to turn into something much deeper when he gives Annie the first letter.

His attention had become some strange, dark, private treat to brighten the toughest day of my week, and I’d come to crave it.

This book has some of the most amazingly written sexual tension I have ever read. The way that Miss McKenna portrays the angst, lust, and emotion that these 2 people share through simple letters was incredible. It almost felt like Eric was talking directly to me. His letters to Annie made me swoon at the same time it made me lust after him uncontrollably.

Annie was such an amazing heroine. She was strong, yet a little bit broken at the same time. She wasn’t mousy, or shy, or some wallflower. I think that’s what ultimately made this book so good for me, the fact that both characters had such an amazing balance of realness to them. You can feel how much Annie struggles with her feelings for Eric. She doesn’t know the full story of why he was put away and that scares her, but at the same time she finds herself falling for him more and more with each letter.

Were bad, violent crimes only done by bad, violent men? Could a man who was fundamentally bad make a woman feel the way Eric Collier had made me feel, all these weeks?

Eric stole my heart. He was so vulnerable and sweet, but without coming off as weak.

I want to be someone who deserves to be with somebody like you.

Cara McKenna give you two incredibly real characters that each struggle with their own incarceration. While Eric has been shut away in a prison cell for 5 years, Annie has shut herself off from feeling anything sexual after the abuse she suffered at the hands of her own ex. As the book progresses, you see them slowly grow closer together and their bond fully form. They’re both scared, they both have their weaknesses, but the connection between them is simply undeniable.

This book gives you everything; incredible characters, erotic love scenes, and an emotional gripping love story between 2 people who couldn’t be more different but yet fit together more.

The author doesn’t give you an ending that’s wrapped up in a perfect little bow, and I think I really loved that in this story. It was fitting. Anything else wouldn’t have been true to the characters or the plot. Is there a HEA? Yes, though it’s more of a HFN. It was extremely satisfying, and I have 0 complaints.

If you’re looking for an beautiful and erotic love story, that’s gorgeously written with characters that will stay in your heart for a long time to come, this book is simply a must read. Do not judge it by the cover or the blurb, it doesn’t do it nearly enough justice. I simply couldn’t recommend this book enough. Read it for yourself and see what all my gushing is about.

 

Review: Rock Bottom (Tristan & Danika # 2) by R. K. Lilley

Their love had the power of a runaway freight train, and the potential to be just as destructive. 

The tempestuous sequel to Bad Things picks up where the first book left off. Reeling from a profound loss, Tristan and Danika struggle to pick up the pieces and build a life together, but the hard habits of a lifetime are not so easy to escape. 
Rock Bottom takes us on a dual point of view journey through addiction and desire, through love and agony, and answers the question we’ve been asking since these characters were introduced in Grounded: “What happened between Tristan and Danika?” 

DANIKA 

Even love couldn’t cushion a fall like ours. My love for Tristan was so big that I felt consumed by it, and even so, it was not enough to overpower our combined demons. 
I struggled. I yelled and screamed. I scratched and kicked. 
I fought like hell, but even the most determined fighters have to stop before they break. 
No one could say I didn’t fight for him. 
“I love you,” I spoke softly into his ear. 
He gripped me harder. “I can’t ever lose you, Danika. I’m not sure I’d survive it.” 
“You’ve got me. And I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.” 
I meant the words when I said them, but life had other plans for us. 
I’d have given my life for that fight. In fact, I very nearly did. 

TRISTAN 
She was the one. 
If I’d ever had a doubt, I didn’t now. She was the one I’d be thinking about, longing for, until I took my last breath. If I lost her tomorrow, I’d pine for her like a lovesick fool. 
This was the kind of love that only hit you once in your life. This book is intended for readers 18 and up.

5 Devastating Stars


There was an anchor, tied around both of his ankles, and it was taking him deep, into black fathomless depths, drowning him slowly but surely.  

I didn’t tell him that he was dragging me down with him.

 

Sweet mother of angst. THIS BOOK. Gah! This fucking book. I knew it was coming. I prepared myself…at least I thought I did. But nothing, I mean nothing could have prepared me for the full emotional roller coaster that was the last 40% of this book. I can tell you one thing; thank FUCK I waited for book 3 to be out to finally read this, because I’m pretty sure I would have gone from batshit straight into crazyville after that ending.

Their love had the power of a runaway freight train, and the potential to be just as destructive.

Rock Bottom starts where Bad Things left off; Tristan and Danika are dealing with the grief after Tristan’s brother died. They both have their own demons that they’re fighting, but they’re fighting them together. You can feel the connection that they have through the pages. You want so bad for them to be happy and be okay, but in the back of your mind you know that there’s a darkness that’s looming over their relationship. You know it’s coming, you know it will be bad, but you have no idea when. I swear, I think I was holding my breath in anticipation through the whole book.


I love you,” I spoke softly into his ear.  
He gripped me harder. “I can’t ever lose you, Danika. I’m not sure I’d survive it.”  
“You’ve got me.  And I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.”  

I meant the words when I said them, but life had other plans for us.

The odds were stacked against them from the beginning and as much as you’re dreading for that moment to come, you know it’s inevitable. I think that’s what made this book so good, in a sadistic sort of way. That anticipation of not if but when.

Slowly you see Tristan spiral out of control more and more. Danika tries to help him, and your heart breaks along with her watching him sink deeper and deeper into darkness.


Even love couldn’t cushion a fall like ours. My love for Tristan was so big that I felt consumed by it, and even so, it was not enough to overpower our combined demons.

I finished this in one sitting. I simply couldn’t put it down. I knew that whatever goes down between them is going to be bad. I just don’t think I was prepared for just how bad it would be. My god! That ending! Everything that happens! Danika! Tristan! Gah!!
(view spoiler)[


Know that I would take it all back if I could, and know that I hold myself responsible for all of the bad things that happened. I am so sorry that my hitting rock bottom the way I did impacted you. Any recompense you can imagine, anything you would ask of me, I would be happy to provide. I’m at your service. Always, Danika.  And it is my most sincere wish that someday, perhaps over time, you might consider being my friend again.

(hide spoiler)]
Damn that ending. Damn it!!!

Now if you’ll excuse me, my sleep deprived ass will diving into book 3, which I’ve been told has some major groveling. And you all know how much I love me a good grovel. And I thank you

ARC Review: Spin (Songs of Corruption, # 1) by @CDReisswriter

***You do NOT need to read Songs of Submission to read Spin***


Mafia capo, Antonio Spinelli blew through my orderly life like a cyclone.


Gorgeous and passionate, with a breathtaking brutality, he put me under his spell the moment he touched me, drawing me into his underworld of risk, violence and betrayal.


And I found, just as this sophisticated savage didn’t trust me, I didn’t trust myself. Something happened to me. Some alchemy from the heat between us.


I discovered I was a savage, too

Amazon US I Amazon UK




5++ Spin can corrupt me all he wants STARS

Come volevi tu, Contessa.

2 days. I’ve been gathering my thoughts for 2 days after finishing this book in practically one sitting, and I still can’t come up with a review that will do it justice. Now I know that the book blurb says that you don’t need to read Songs of Corruption before this book in order to understand it, and you don’t. But I would highly recommend it. Why? Aside from the biggest reason which is it was hands down, one of the best series that I read last year, tt would allow you to see how far CD Reiss has come as an author. I loved the writing style in SoS, but in SoC I absolutely fell in love with it. For those that have read SoS and don’t think that it can better, prepare yourself, because IT IS. The writing had an almost lyrical, poetic feel to it. But enough of my gushing fangirling here. Let’s move on to my SPOILER FREE REVIEW.

Ladies, prepare yourself for the enigmatic whirlwind that is Antonio Spinelli. Let me warn you that once you meet him, the single thing that will flash through your brain every time you hear his name will be

Theresa Drazen is Jonathan’s sister from Songs of Submission. We get a small peek into her in that series, but it’s now time for her to fully step into the light. Coming off of a devastating break up with her fiance after he cheated on her, Theresa is slowly trying to move on. She’s not ready to give her trust to another man yet, and she may still be in love with her ex-fiance, but then her entire world changes the second she lays her eyes on a man in a smoky bar

Antonio Spinelli is not the man that Theresa needs, and he’s certainly not a man that she’s used to…


I liked nice men. Lawful men. Men with a future, a career, who could safely support children. I wasn’t the type to look for the dangerous, exciting guys.

And Antonio “Spin” is anything but safe or nice. But that doesn’t stop the scorching hot connection that burns between them.

Theresa attempts to fight their attraction and sexual chemistry in the beginning. She’s warned off. Spin is dangerous, he has secrets, and his life is not what it seems. Try as she might to stay away from him, he draws her like a fly to a flame. But how close can Theresa get before she gets burned?

Spin knows the man that he is, as well as he knows the type of woman that Theresa is. He’d destroy her life, and he tries like hell to stay away. But the strings of attraction that bind them together are just too strong to break

Can Spin and Theresa survive the scorching hot chemistry between them? Will the be able to trust the other enough to let them inside their world without being burned? Or will the dangerous secrets that Spin hides be their damnation?

Guess you’ll have to read the book to find out. Because I certainly won’t be telling you.

What I can tell you is that this story will suck you in. It will grip you from the first page and keep you riveted until the last. It’s fast paced, suspenseful, and erotic as hell. Then there are the sex scenes. Sweet mother of cock, those sex scenes.

Oh God, Antonio. I’ve wanted you for days.”

“I’m going to fuck you so hard, little princess. I’m going to break you in two.”

“Do it. Take me hard.”

CD Reiss just gets better and better with each new book. I can’t get enough of her writing. The characters that she creates get forever engraved into my brain. I loved Theresa’s combination of strength and endearing vulnerability, the way she grows and develops into the woman she needs to be in order to be with Spin.

Spin. I have no words for the utter perfection that was Spin. The undercurrent of danger combined with extremely potent sexuality, Spin will absolutely capture your heart and not to mention every dirty and pervy fantasy. I could understand the path of corruption that Theresa took. If I had a choice and was told that to be with Spin I’d need to pull the trigger. Hell, I’d smile, raise my glass and say

For those that are concerned about a cliffy, don’t be. It is obvious that the story is unfinished and there is plenty more to resolve where it ends, but it is still a HFN ending. This is coming from the biggest cliffy avoider you’ll meet, so trust me. You’ll want to meet Spin as soon as possible.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to stalk the author for any crumbs about book 2 and maybe re-read some of the more (uhem) memorable scenes in Spim (and there were plenty). And I thank you

***ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

Review: The Do-Over by MK Schiller

Arrogant womanizer Kyle Manchester hates blind dates; however, when best friend, Brad calls in a favor, insisting Kyle take out his girlfriend’s sister, Kyle reluctantly agrees. Attorney Lanie Carmichael’s appearance is no surprise. She is dowdy, awkward, and dressed in so many layers she resembles a wedding cake, but not in an edible way. Her brazen attitude though, astonishes him, especially when she explains she has no interest in gorgeous Kyle. Lanie Carmichael is in love with Brad, and wants Kyle’s assistance in winning his best friend’s heart. 

Kyle gradually accepts, justifying that the mystery of Lanie has sparked his natural, thirsty curiosity. As an ambitious journalist, he also can’t resist the Pulitzer worthy scoop she offers him. However, as Lanie sheds more layers, both emotionally and physically, Kyle begins to examine his life choices, and his true feelings for this enigmatic girl. With Kyle’s support, Lanie begins to unravel the secrets of her past, and the deep pain that has quietly defined her life. As they each learn more about themselves and each other, both question how a relationship built on fraudulent lies between two broken people could ever survive.

5 Forking Laugh Out Loud Stars


I’m not into set ups. You know that.”
“Lanie is very nice. She’s an attorney too and works at my firm. She’s very successful.”
“Yep, and I bet she wears granny panties.”
“You’re disgusting. Do you know how offensive you are?”
“Offensive? To grandmas?”
“She’s not bad looking.”
“Yeah, well, ‘not bad looking’ doesn’t mean good-looking, and even if it did, that’s way below hot.”

That quote there? I was pretty much sold into the story the second I read that. 3% in, and I knew this was going to be a book that I was going to simply love.

If you like romantic comedy type stories with an endearingly quirky heroine, an sexy asshole player hero, lots of laugh out loud moments, and even more steam then this is a must read.

And if you like the whole player finally meets his match trope, then this book is definitely for you. Ladies, meet Kyle

Kyle is not the relationship kind. He’s not even a more than one night kind. He’s cocky, successful, and his looks guarantee him not lacking for women. When his friend asks him to go on a date with his girlfriend’s sister, he’s not exactly thrilled but he reluctantly agrees.

Much to his dismay Lanie is everything he thought she would be…and yet also not. She’s frumpy looking, hides behind shapeless layers of clothing, and brash…


I’m in love with Brad.”
“What?”
“Yes, I love Brad, and you’re Brad’s best friend. Or at least a close friend, and I thought maybe you could help me.”
“Does the loony bin know you’ve escaped or should we call them?”

Lanie is a successful attorney, but she’s completely hopeless in the love department. She would ask her sister, but unfrotunately she hasn’t lucked out in the family department. Talk about your cunty women, her sister was one. A HUGE one.

Oh and she also happens to be dating Brad. But Lanie knows her sister, and knows it won’t be long before her sister cheats. But she’s not vindictive or malicious. She wants Brad to love her for who she is, without forcing his hand, she just needs a little help. This is where Kyle comes in.

Although Kyle is not exactly thrilled with the idea, eventually he agrees since the mystery behind Lanie and who she really is intrigues him too much.


He felt sorry for Lanie, but he had no idea why. She was the kind of girl he did everything to avoid. She was mousy but arrogant about some things, like her work. She didn’t care about her appearance, to the point where she accepted she was unattractive She had low self-esteem but confidence too. An air of sorrow surrounded her, but she had a great sense of humor despite that. She was a total paradox, a puzzle that Kyle wanted to solve or at least understand

What starts out as simple advice somehow turns into something much more where Kyle decides that the perfect plan is to pretend to be Lanie’s boyfriend.

But what happens when fake slowly starts getting real?

I adored this book. The writing, the characters, everything. It was fun, and sexy, and even emotional. As Lanie’s layers are slowly revealed, Kyle can’t help but fall more and more for this quirky girl who is also an incredibly refreshing breath of air from any other woman he’s known. Lanie was such an endearing heroine. You simply can’t help but love her. She may be shy and awkward when it comes to people and relationships, but she also has this layer of strength and has a good head on her shoulders.

Kyle was utterly delicious. And you know what they say? The bigger they are, the harder they fall. And I loved watching Kyle fall more and more. The banter between them was hilarious too.


Guess what else I Googled? she replied, running her lips down his chest.”
“Oh God, I love the Internet,” Kyle whispered.
“I know…so…informative.”

I forking loved it! I could go on with the quotes, but you really must read this book and experience it yourself.

I have found me another auto-buy author to watch out for. A huge huge rec from this girl! Read it, you wont be able to help but fall in love with this book and the characters like I did.

ARC Review: Tempted by the Soldier by Nicolette Day

When one touch isn’t enough, why resist?

Road trips are supposed to be fun. Or, at least, full of hot sex. For photographer Lilly Grayson, the fifteen-hour drive to her friend’s wedding with Nate Jennings will be neither. Not that Nate isn’t sexy—the man is six-foot-three-inches of mouth-watering Marine. But Lilly’s been there, done that…and he walked away. Now it’s time for a little payback. The kind that’ll make a man desperate for a taste of what he can’t have.

And Nate wants a taste—so badly that he can barely keep his hands on the wheel. But the scars and ghosts of his last tour still haunt him. He can’t give into temptation, not this time. Lilly deserves a whole man—one who can love her the way she deserves to be loved, even if she doesn’t believe it can happen. And that can’t be Nate. Not when he’s leaving again in two weeks, and this time, he’s not sure he’ll return…

I first became acquainted with this author when I read and absolutely loved the first book in this series, which was a novella, No Strings Attached. As much as I loved the deliciously tatted Jace, I also remember hoping to get a book for his sexy Marine brother, Nate. Well obviously the book gods have smiled on me, because not only did I get it, but it even managed to blow the first book out of the water. I LOVED this book. I’m talking couldn’t-put-it-down love. Read-it-in-one-sitting love. I-can’t-flippin-wait-for-more-in-this-series-love. And last but certainly not least, multiple-panty-changes-LOVED.
But just in case you’re still wondering if I enjoyed this book…
One year ago, Lilly gave in to the burning attraction between her and Nate, only to be left a wad of cash for a cab the next morning and a lecture on how a girl like her should have known better than to think this was something more than one night. So suffice it to say, she harbors just a tiny bit resentment towards the sexy Marine. It certainly doesn’t help that she’s forced to see him on a regular basis after since he’s the brother of her best friend’s fiance. But now the only thing they share are insults and and glares. No matter how much their friends try to mend the edges of their tattered relationship, she doesn’t see it ever changing.

The only issue to work out was that Nate Jennings suffered from a severe case of assholeitis. Unless they’d found a miracle cure, she didn’t see a future that included playing nice with soldier boy.

But now her best friend is getting married and she’s stranded without a flight due to a tropical storm.  Left with no other option, she agrees to a ride to the wedding from the one man she’s determined to avoid at all costs. Forced into closer proximity, it only solidifies one fact for her, as much as she may hate Nate, she still wants him. She may try to feel an attraction to other men, but it’s just no use.

But neither sparked even a flicker of interest inside her. No one had since her night with Nate. Yet another reason to hate him. The bastard had broken her libido with his wonder penis. Jerk.

Nate isn’t quite the asshole that he seems. Suffering from deep rooted survivor’s guilt and wounds from his last tour, the last thing he feels a woman like Lilly needs is a broken man like him. So he does his best to push her away. There’s just one problem with that; every insult that flies between them only seems to heat his blood more. There’s no denying he still wants the beautiful blonde,  and he’s not going to take the barb flying from her mouth sitting down.

But know that ever time that pretty little mouth pisses me off, I’m going to retaliate.
“I might actually feel threatened if I thought you’d keep your ward. But I think we both know how good you are at that.”
“I think I might be motivated enough to follow through this time.”
“Oh yea? And what exactly do you plan to do? Spank me?”
His smirk curled. “As tempting as that sounds…” He leaned in close enough to share the air touching her lips. “I’ll do the one thing I know terrifies you the most.”
“And what is that?”
“I’ll kiss you.”

Lilly and Nate can only fight the attraction still burning between them for so long before finally giving in. And once they do…well let’s just say that Nate does not disappoint.

I loved this book so hard! It made me laugh, it made me swoon, it even brought a tear or two from my cold and pervy little heart. I read it in one sitting. I almost didn’t want it to end. And then that ending!! Holy mother of swoon.

Perfection! We also got to catch up with Jace and Hayden from book one and get a beautiful continuation to their HEA. So suffice it to say, I devoured this book and now I’m sitting in pervy anticipation of future releases from Nicolette Day because the woman just seems to get better and better with each book.

If you like a slight change up on the enemies to lover trope, wounded and broodingly sexy Marines, sassy heroines, and a whole lot of sexy times, then get to the one-clicking because this book is not to be missed!

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: