#DGRFave & Review: Anathema by Keri Lake

September 18, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

ANATHEMA
Series: The Eating Woods Duology #1
Genre: Gothic Dark Fantasy Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date: September 8, 2024

A new gothic dark fantasy coming in 2024

Only the banished know what lies beyond the woods …

There are whispers about what lurks in Witch Knell—the forest where sinners go to die. The villagers call it The Eating Woods because what’s taken is never given back. Only those who’ve lost their senses would dare to go near it.

Or the banished.

Maevyth Bronwick knows better than to breach the misty labyrinth of trees, but a tragic turn of events compels her beyond the archway of bones, to a boundary no mortal has crossed before. One that cloaks a dark and fantastical world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring.

It’s there that he dwells, the cursed lord of Eidolon. The one tasked to keep her hidden from the magehood that seeks to crucify her in the name of an arcane prophesy. Zevander Rydainn, known to his prey as The Scorpion, is the coldest, most calculated assassin in all of Aethyria and he’d sooner toss his feisty ward to a pack of vicious fyredrakes than keep her safe.

If only he could.

Maevyth’s blood is the key to breaking his despised curse and vanquishing the slumbering evil in Witch Knell. Unfortunately for Lord Rydainn, fate has other plans for the irresistible little enchantress. And his growing obsession with her threatens to destroy everything.
Including himself.

AMAZON 

“You are mine, Lunamiszka. For all eternity and whatever lies beyond it. No soul has ever been more intricately woven into mine than yours.”

I cannot remember the last time I read a book that consumed me in a way that this one did. This was, hands down, my top read of the year. It may have been my favorite book from Keri today. And considering I’ve read the woman’s entire backlist, that’s saying something.

This is a dark, gothic romantasy and it was everything you’d expect from the immensely talented Lake and so SO much more. Think Assassin’s Creed meets Witcher type vibes. And yes, it really is as good as that sounds.

It’s also very much a slow burn, and when I say slow burn, I mean a serious slow burn. And while in any other book I would struggle with this, it kept me riveted in this one. The writing is so vivid and multifaceted, that I swear I could see this like a movie reel behind my eyes as I read. And I tell you, if this isn’t picked up by a producer, I will riot. This needs to be a movie. But I digress.

This is book one in a duet, and there is a lot of world building that takes place in this book and oh my god was it delicious. There’s magic, kingdoms, witches, demons, all of the things. And all of them combined for a simply unputdownable read.

We have the ruthless king’s assassin with a dark secret and an even darker agenda. And then there is a beautiful mortal who may be more than meets the eye. The first 30% of the book really develops both of these characters. And while they don’t meet for a bit, it doesn’t take anything away because the story itself was so gripping. But when they finally do meet? OMG the sparks!

He glanced over his shoulder, and I jerked my head up so fast, I nearly toppled backward. “Perhaps you should walk alongside me, unless you insist on staring at my ass the whole way.”
A scorching heat warmed my cheeks, cooled only by the icy anger of having been humiliated. “Perhaps you shouldn’t walk like you’ve got two snapping turtles attached to your ass.”

Maevyth Bronwick lives in fear of what’s known by her village as the Eating Woods; a place of banishment for those they deem sinners. But when her sister’s life is on the line, she doesn’t spare a moment of thought before running deep into the danger. But then suddenly finds herself in a world she didn’t even know existed.

Zevander Rydainn is a mystery wrapped in darkness. An assassin for the king, he hides a dark secret that can cost him his life. A mission that is meant to kill the mortal suddenly turns to his protecting her and suffice it to say neither of them is thrilled about it. And the chemistry that brews between them? The perfect cherry on top.

Now look, I won’t go into too much detail because you really just need to experience this book for yourself. But when I tell you I was glued to the pages from cover to cover, I mean I lived and breathed this story. I thought about it when I put it down for even a second. Heck, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I still can’t, weeks after finishing.

I’m not sure if I will survive the wait for the conclusion and if this book isn’t on your radar, it NEEDS to be. Simply unforgettable!

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Review: Heart of Frost and Scars by Pam Godwin

August 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HEART OF FROST AND SCARS
Series: Frozen Fate #3
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: August 26, 2024

I’m the silent ache, the shadow that lingers, the present from your past, the knife in your heart.

In the chilling finale of the Frozen Fate trilogy, Frankie enters a world far deadlier than the one she escaped.

A sinister threat lurks in the shadows, hunting her with a dark obsession as her savage protectors battle the rules of society.

Thrust into the civilized world, they spiral into violence and refuse to conform, their wild natures threatening to tear apart their bond.


Amid these struggles, her seductive billionaire husband fights to reclaim her love.


Caught between possessive men, a deadly stalker, and a legacy of pain, she must decide her fate.


Choose wrongly, and she’ll lose everything to a monster with a heart of frost and scars.

Tropes: Adult Romance, Age Gap, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Boy Obsessed, Close Proximity, Fish out of Water, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Heroine in Danger, Menage, MFM, One Bed, Poly (3+ people), Protector, Romantic Suspense, Scars, Stalker, Starting Over, Taboo, Touch Her And Die, Tragic Past, Troubled Marriage, Unrequited Love, Why Choose, Will They or Won’t They

AMAZON 

She was my only source of light in the hills of shivers and shadows.

You ever spend hours being lulled into a false sense of security only to be hit with a mother of all twists that sneaks up on you with the impact of a two by four when ? Yeah, that was me reading this book. And the funny thing is I should have known better. Having read Pam’s entire backlist, I should know how that devious mind of hers works. And yet still, reading, waiting for the other shoe to drop, she still managed to catch me by surprise and leave me with my jaw on the floor. MY GOD.

I’m a monster on the cusp of insanity. A stalker in the night. Her silent ache, haunting her from the darkness.

This trilogy has had me in an absolute chokehold since book one. I would even go as far as to say that Frankie is one of my favorite heroines I have EVER read. This woman is STRENGTH personified. Heck, I want to BE her. Well, minus the trauma, because that was crazy. But I digress.

Frankie has been through hell and survived the devil himself. Now, together with Leo and Kody, she’s back at her home and struggling to get back to the life she once knew. Her husband, who refuses to let her go, on one side and the men she loves at her other. Monty is still madly in love with Frankie and fights for her at every turn, even if everything changed.

I’m not afraid of vulnerability. So if you think I’ll slink off with my tail between my legs rather than face what I’ve done, you’re wrong. I’ll show up for her, one hundred percent, even on my worst days when I’m stripped and gutted with my jealousy and guilt hanging out of the holes in my chest.”

But even though she’s home, there’s a shadow lurking that threatens the safety of everything she loves. And that, my friends, is all I will tell you about this book.

I love her madly, immeasurably, incomprehensibly, beyond the point of pain.

For the two days it took me to read this THICK beast of a book, it owned me. Fully and completely. Each word wrapped around me and sucked me deeper into the dark abyss of this story. And man oh man did I love it.

My love for her is not some petty jealousy.” I lean into the space between us. “It’s primal, clawing, and fucking ruthless. You get me?”

In true Pam Godwin fashion, she keeps you guessing until the very end. Not knowing which end is up, not trusting anything, questioning everything. I was a ball of anxiety by the time I got to the last page and let me just tell you, I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT.

She’s my prey, but more than that, she’s my world. I’ll never let her go.

No one writes a dark romance quite like this woman. And this trilogy just moved up to one of my top favorite dark romances I’ve read and most definitely top read of the year. Holy hell! If you are looking for a truly captivating, gripping and chilling dark romance, this is simply not to be missed. PERIOD.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
 
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
 
Facebook Reader Group: here
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DGRFave & Review: Alone With You by Aly Martinez

August 24, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

ALONE WITH YOU
Author: Aly Martinez
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2024

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of From the Embers comes a new jaw-dropping standalone romance.

Pain trapped me in this house. Can love set me free?

Death had been chasing me my entire life. I survived the horrors of war, but it was the aftermath that truly destroyed me.

People called me a recluse, but the only time I didn’t feel like I was suffocating was inside that house.

For my daughter, I kept some semblance of normalcy by implementing a rigid routine. Once a week, I forced myself to walk to the diner at the end of the block—a ritual I despised but relied on as my last anchor to the real world.

Until the day a “Closed” sign on the door shattered my fragile existence. Worse, the new owner was the most haunting ghost from my past.

It had been years since I’d laid eyes on Gwendolyn Pierce. She hated me—and rightly so. But when a film crew arrived in town to dig into my past, she became my only ally.

With my secrets threatened, I leaned on Gwen, forging a connection neither of us could deny. But with a past as dark as ours, I feared it would eclipse any hope for a future.

I always said that when Death finally came for me, I would be ready, eager, and alone.
Always alone.

But for Gwen, maybe I could face the world again as long as it meant I could be alone—with her.

AMAZON

My life started that day when I slid my ring on her finger. And years later, when she dropped that same ring at my feet, my life ended.

This was, hands down, one of my favorite books of 2024. It was everything I’ve come to expect from the phenomenal talent that is Aly Martinez; poignant, emotional, unputdownable, and completely unforgettable.

Have you ever read a book and thought this NEEDS to be a movie? Because when I tell you that this story unrolled like a movie reel behind my eyes, I mean it. If this isn’t made into a movie, I will downright riot. But I digress.

I will go so far as to say this is one of my favorite second chance romances I’ve read to date. I don’t remember the last time a book wrung this level of emotion out of me, but I SOBBED my way through the last 30% of this story and still can’t stop thinking about it.

I would have loved you for the rest of my life. But, now I will hate you for the rest of yours.”

Gwen is recently divorced from her toxic and narcissistic ex and finds herself starting over. She buys a diner in town with the hopes of renovating it to be her dream. The last thing she expects is to find a blast from her past, playfully coined “the hot gargoyle” sitting in the diner’s booth.

Truett has been a shell of man, living in his past, unable to move on in his present. As the full extent of his past comes to light, you find yourself both completely enraptured, heartbroken and devastated for this man. And when you learn the full extent of his history with Gwen, you find yourself fully invested in their present. I loved everything about them; their chemistry especially so.

This story deals with some very sensitive subject matter and I found myself living it right along with these characters. The book had me in a chokehold from cover to cover. And Aly seriously knows how to give a twist, because let me just tell you, this one had my jaw on the floor with one I never saw coming.

I deserve every bit of hate and anger and resentment you feel for me. But make no mistake, I have never, not ever, not for one fucking second of my entire god-forsaken life, stopped loving you.”

If there is one book that you need to read this year, make it this one. If you want to feel every emotion that the characters experience, read this book. If you want a book that completely enraptures you and keeps you glued to the pages until the end, read this book.

It was, in a word, unforgettable. I will be thinking about these characters and this story for moths to come and this book will be my Roman Empire because WOW. Just WOW.

Notice how I barely tell you anything about this story? Trust me when I tell you that you need to experience it completely blind.

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children. 

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.


Connect with Aly Martinez:

https://linktr.ee/AuthorAlyMartinez 




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#DGRFave & Review: Honey Cut by Sierra Simone

June 21, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HONEY CUT
Series: Lyonesse  #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, MMF
Author: Sierra Simone
Release Date: June 18, 2024

I have one job in this arranged marriage, and that’s to seduce my husband.

It should be easy; I’m the heiress to a transatlantic fortune, bred and raised to make a good match. I’ve spent a lifetime building up my endurance, my discipline, my dedication to my god and my church. The danger lies in falling for the devil who put his ring on my finger—a mistake I made years ago, and can’t afford to make again.

There is one more danger: handsome and green-eyed, emotionally wounded. Tristan Thomas, former soldier and my new husband’s bodyguard. A hero who stole my heart with salt-soaked kisses on the sea.

But Lyonesse is not like other places, and this isn’t like other marriages. Soon Tristan, Mark, and I are tangled in a knot of vicious jealousy and gorgeous wickedness, where suspicion is an aphrodisiac and secrets and vows are one and the same.

And there is something far darker at play than my real purpose, than the machinations of the Church I serve. Darker even than the twisted longings of my own heart. Because my husband has secrets of his own, and the reason he’ll stop at nothing to possess me could slice my soul deeper than the honeysuckle-hilted knife he gave me once upon a time.

Because when it comes to Mark Trevena and his games, the first cut is more than the deepest—it’s the sweetest.

And he always leaves you begging for more…

Honey Cut is the second book in the Lyonesse Trilogy.

AMAZON 

You will be mine until you no longer wish to be so; I will be yours forever.”

Masterful, poignant, erotically sinful, and full of twists and turns. I thought I loved Salt Kiss but this book? Wow. This book completely blew me away. So much so, that I can also say that it has taken the place of Camelot Trilogy as my favorite of this author. And really, this is now easily my favorite MMF romance to date, period. And that’s not spoken lightly.

In this installment, we get a peak into the enigma that is Isolde. She’s a character that only gets introduced in the first book, and in this one we get immersed in her POV and what a POV it was. Even the POV is masterfully written to unwind a tale full of twists and turns. We now add Isolde’s POV in addition to Tristan, while desperately awaiting a deeper peek into the dark abyss that is Mark.

I want him as wild as he was on the sea; I want to see, over and over again, the rupture between his inherent goodness and his surrender to sin.

When we last left Tristan, he was chartering a yacht with Mark’s fiancé, Isolde. What we learn is that during that time at sea, he falls hard for her and she for him. But of course, when she’s engaged to his boss who he is still in love with, let’s just say that things are messy.

On one side of me, I have a hero; on my other side, a devil. One I want to fuck. The other I’ll have to.

Isolde and Mark’s union is not one of love but of business and partnership. Though knowing all that didn’t stop Isolde from loving the untouchable man either. And Isolde is an enigma in her own right. The second her POV is introduce, you’re instantly sucked into her world and it was impossible not to immediately connect with this broken but fierce woman.

because even though they have meant for you to be made of gold, you are made of shadows and glass instead, and I am too.

The feel of the forbidden of being in love with two men; one who is your husband to be but offers nothing of himself beyond surface level, the other with a heart of gold who is forbidden to you. But Isolde is no simple woman and she’s not a prize in the arrangement. She has a plan of her own and the more than unwinds, the more obsessed it made me to learn more details.

His voice is his devil’s voice tonight, seductive and cruel. Oh, how he makes us fall in love with him. We should hate him for it.

What I will tell you is that no one, and I mean absolutely no one can write such erotic filth like Sierra and fill it with so much poetry and gorgeous prose. It’s deliciously sinful and masterfully written. It’s not purple prose by any means, but it’s just perfectly written. I don’t even know how to describe it to you, you simply need to experience it for yourself.

Oh God. Oh my God.” Mark licks my mouth, like he wants to eat the words off my lips. He’s still smiling, evil and tyrannical and amused. “Sir will do for now.”

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time; loving Tristan, loving Isolde, and desperate for more details of Mark. The man is a dark and erotic enigma that I will never get enough of. It’s this amazing balance of the sweet cinnamon roll Tristan and the dark storm that is Mark, with Isolde at the center of it all.

Because it hurts, loving Tristan. And I’ve always craved things that hurt.

And that ending? I’m not even sure how I can survive the wait for book three. Talk about your jaw dropper! 

Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.

Connect w/Sierra Simone:

Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter | Amazon  | Goodreads  | Instagram | Website

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#DGRFave & Review: The Love You Fight For by Brit Benson

March 16, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE LOVE YOU FIGHT FOR
Series: Next Life #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Brit Benson
Release Date: March 15, 2024

The mask she wears for the world is flawless.

But I want the mess that she hides underneath.

Samantha Harper is untouchable.



She’s the closest thing we have to royalty in my small town.

Daughter of a senator.

Richer than sin.

Classy, elegant, and

Ice cold.

She’s my polar opposite.

And unfortunately,

She’s exactly my type.

Too bad royalty doesn’t fraternize with peasants.

Until one night,

Samantha Harper finds herself at my mercy,

and the temptation to dirty up her flawless facade is too great.

When her perfect mask slips,

It’s not an ice princess I find beneath,

But a warrior in war-torn armor.

A snake in queen’s clothing.

All it takes is one night, and I’m determined.

She will never have to fight another battle alone.

***

The Love You Fight For is the third book in the Next Life world. 
It has a guaranteed HEA.
While The Love You Fight For can be read as a standalone, it is recommended that you first read the Next Life duet to fully appreciate the story.

AMAZON 

I know you want to fight your own battles. Fine. Then let me be your peace. Let me be your place to rest.”

I never thought another book can top the Next Life duet for me. Macon and Lennon’s story still lives rent free in my head to this day. But this book? This poignant, beautiful, emotional and unforgettable book? This was easily my top book of the year. The love I have for Sam and Chris’s story is beyond words.

I want a resilient, fearless, timeless kind of love. The kind people write books about. The kind people fight battles over. The kind of love that guides and grows and never wavers. I want a true north kind of love.

Now if you’ve read the duet, then you will definitely remember both Chris and especially Sam. Sam, Macon’s ex situationship and now Lennon’s best friend. One of the things that made me fall in love with Sam in This Life and All the Rest was her fierce and unwavering support and love for Lennon. I just knew that still waters definitely run deep with her. She is so much more than she portrayed herself to be; first a party girl and then revealed as the daughter of a powerful senator.

Chris is Macon’s best friend and was this unassuming secondary character in the first two books. He snuck up on me with a vengeance and completely stole the limelight in his own book. This man is absolute perfection. After a breakup that should for all intents and purposes leave him bitter and jaded, he’s still the same Chris. He doesn’t fight his growing feelings for Sam. And oh my god, the way he fought for Sam was EPIC. EPIC.

Why?” she shouts, eyes welling with tears. “Why, Chris? I don’t need you. I don’t need you worrying about me. Stop. Just stop.”
“I can’t,” I shout back. “I can’t. I care too much to just stop. I care about you, Sam. You’re going to have to fucking accept it because I’m not going anywhere, and I know you care about me, too.”

The man was the most perfect cinnamon roll with a heart of gold. And the icing on the cake? His filthy F-ing mouth. OMG this man!!

Are you making omelets?” she asks after a moment, and I flash her a grin. “I like my eggs the way I like my women…” I trail off, and she raises an eyebrow. I can’t help but laugh a little when I finish. “Folded, with their insides scrambled.” “Oh my god.”

Need more convincing. Let me give you exhibit b.

See, princess, you wouldn’t like it how I like it because I like my missionary filthy. I like fucking sloppy sex. Sweaty and sticky and gasping for breath. Hoarse voice and teary eyes. Bite me. Scratch up my back. Leave me bleeding. I like to fuck so hard that your muscles ache for days when I’m done with you. That you’ve been stretched in so many directions that your limbs feel like jelly afterward. I like my missionary fucking messy. And you? Well, I don’t think you like messy very much.”

I rest my case. Or as Lennon would say…

Chris Casper.” She, shakes her head in disbelief. “A filthy fuck with a pierced cock. I never would have guessed it.”

This, much like the duet, deals with some dark topics and I absolutely loved the way the author handled them. She spares the gory details but none of the feeling. You don’t need to see vivid detail to feel the pain of Sam’s past. The range of emotion this invoked in me was nothing short of incredible. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I loved every page of it.

The love I could have with Sam is the kind you fight for. It’s the kind you don’t give up on. I know it. I just need her to realize it, too.

This was one of the most incredible love stories I have ever read and Sam and Chris will stay with me forever. If you love sweet heroes with dirty mouths and fierce heroines who aren’t afraid to slay their own dragons, this is an absolute must read.

And with Claire’s book next? I’m practically giddy with anticipation.

Brit Benson writes real, relatable romance. She likes outspoken, independent heroines, dirty talking, love- struck heroes, and plots that get you right in the feels. Brit would almost always rather be reading or writing. When she’s not dreaming up her next swoony book boyfriend and fierce book bestie, she’s getting lost in someone else’s fictional world. When she’s not doing that, she’s probably marathoning a Netflix series or wandering aimlessly up and down the aisles in Homegoods, sniffing candles and touching things she’ll never buy.

Connect with Brit Benson: https://britbensonbooks.myflodesk.com/stayintheknow

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#DGRFave & Review: Ruby Tears by Pepper Winters

March 14, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

RUBY TEARS
Series: The Jewelry Box #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pepper Winters
Release Date: March 12, 2024

“Ten thousand dollars.
That pitiful sum changed my entire life.
It bought my entire life.
A measly ten thousand dollars, given to my boyfriend by a monster to fuck me.
He took it.
The monster took me.
And I never saw freedom again.”

I’m the bastard son of a monster.
My other half-blooded siblings have their own demons…but me?
I truly have the devil inside.
I try to be good.
To do my best to ignore the deep, dark, despicable urges.
But every day it gets harder.
I thought family could help.
I reached out to my infamous half-brother, Q begging for his secrets to stay tamed.
Instead, he gave me an ultimatum to prove I’m not like our father.
Infiltrate The Jewelry Box: a trafficking ring of poor unfortunate souls, kill the Master Jeweler, free the Jewels, and don’t lose my rotten soul while trying.
Only problem is…my initiation into this exclusive club is earning a Jewel all of my own.
She sparkles like diamonds, bleeds like rubies, and bruises as deep as emeralds.
She’s mine to break.
I can’t refuse.
If I want to prove to my half-brother that I’m not like our sire, I have to sink into urges I’ve always fought, plunge into madness, and lose myself so deeply into sin that the only one who will be breaking is me.

AMAZON 

Her fight. Her exquisite, delicious fight. It fucking destroyed me.

Monsters in the Dark is one of my favorite dark romances and also Pepper Winters books. Then again, I don’t think Pepper has written a book that I haven’t obsessed over. But her dark romance? It’s on a whole other level. The woman writes the most captivating, lyrical prose as she writes stories rooted in the darkest of worlds. And this girl will never get enough.

Now Q Mercer is one of my favorite antiheroes so when I saw that Pepper is writing a book for his long lost half brother? Well, I did what any normal person would do. Stalk the sh*t of her social media for any morsel of information, obviously. But nothing and I mean nothing could have prepared me for the effect this book had on me.

You’re holding me.”
“And you feel so damn breakable. So fucking good.”
“I can still hit you. Hurt you.”
“Do it and I won’t be able to stop what I do in return, Ily.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Stop using my name. It’s not yours to use.”
“Mine’s Henri. Now you know what to scream.”

Henri is a dark enigma. This man is not morally gray, he’s hiding a pitch black darkness that he fights with every ounce of his being. He has been fighting his dark cravings all his life. He knows that giving in will turn him into the worst of monsters. After all, what he wants doesn’t exist in the light of day. It is far from normal and it’s dripping in depravity. But when a promise to his brother lands him in an impossible situation, he can’t fight his demons. He has to give into them in order to blend in with the monsters he’s surrounded by. But what he didn’t want is for the innocent beauty he catches the eye of in a bar to get caught in the spider web.

I didn’t even have time to breathe. He kissed me. Savagely. Inhumanly. He kissed me as if he could stop my heart with a single lick.

Ily is in France with her boyfriend. But when their public breakup in a bar catches the eye of the wrong people, she finds herself caught, stolen, and carted to a place she has no hope of escaping. Her only salvation may be the same man who holds her ruination in his hands.

You’re mine now. Your every breath, every drop of blood, every bone, every thought and prayer and scream belong to me. Nod.” She nodded.

Now you know you’re reading a dark romance from Pepper Winters when you’re at the edge of your seat, pit in your stomach, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And you know, you just know, that when it does, you’ll never be the same. This, this is why I love dark romance. This feeling. The dread, the anxiety, the suspense of each turn of the page.

His stare tore into mine like his tongue had plunged into my mouth, and we both stopped breathing. “You taste like the worst kind of nightmare.”

This book is not for the faint of heart. Heck, it’ll be hard for the most seasoned dark reader. But it’s beautifully written, with complex, multilayered characters who will evoke so many emotions from the reader; hate, loathing, fear, and heartache being just a few.

Ily is such a fierce heroine and she doesn’t stop fighting even when her situation is impossible. And Henri? Henri is a monster in the dark that you’ll fall for in spite of yourself. This man is so irrevocably broken but his jagged pieces are so captivating.

I did take a few days to finish but it wasn’t because it dragged. I wanted to savor it but I also needed a small break in between because the story is so intense. And that ending? I don’t know if I will even survive the next book. But I desperately need it anyway.

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#DGRFave & Review: Hills of Shivers and Shadows by Pam Godwin

March 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HILLS OF SHIVERS & SHADOWS
Series: Frozen Fate #1
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: March 12, 2024

Abducted and taken to a remote cabin in Alaska, Frankie finds herself at the mercy of four feral men, each with his own dark secrets and twisted desires.

With nowhere to run, she must rely on her wits to survive the harsh winter, trapped with them.

As she delves into their mysterious pasts, she uncovers an insidious evil that feeds on loyalty and uses love as a weapon.

Nothing is as it seems.

In this desolate world where the monsters are as beautiful as they are cruel, trust is elusive. They torment her, protect her, and keep her in the dark.

But to have any chance of escape, they must stand together.

Or fall prey to the evil in the hills of shivers and shadows.

Tropes: Abduction, Adult Romance, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Anti-Hero, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Bully, Captivity, Dark Romance, Enemies-to-lovers, Escaping a Killer, First Love, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Poly (3+ people), Protector, Romantic Suspense, Scars, Slow Burn, Stalker, Survival, Taboo, Tortured Past, Touch Her And Die, Tragic, Vengeance, Virgin Hero, Why Choose

AMAZON 

Beware of the monsters with beautiful eyes.

I…am not OK. I’m totally and completely shooketh. And I doubt anything will be OK until I can get my hands on the next installment of this series.

This is it. Only two options left. I escape. Or I die.

Having read everything Pam has ever written, this is unlike anything I’ve read from her to date. One of my favorite things about her writing is just how versatile she is as an author and the genres she writes it. The woman has a Midas touch, I swear. She can write a grocery list and make you cling to every word. But this new series of hers is something else entirely. Is it dark? Absolutely! It wouldn’t be a Godwin book without her signature grit and dark undertones. But this story was a total and complete mind f*ck.

They were raised by the devil, and the devil doesn’t breed innocence. He breeds raw, seductive masculinity, apparently.

The first installment in the Frozen Fate trilogy read more like a dark, psychological thriller with romance undertones and the way I was riveted to each page is beyond words. I’ll try to review this book without giving too many details (read=any details) away. Trust me when I tell you that you need to go into this story absolutely blind.

Apologize.” She walks right up to him like he’s not about to go full Hulk on her ass.
“Excuse me?” His head jerks back.
“Apologize for the threats you’ve made against my life and the way you’ve treated me since day one.”
He laughs, hollow and vibrating with evil. “Go fuck yourself.”
“You will.” She smiles. “One day, you’ll crawl to me on your fucking knees, begging me to forgive you. But it’ll be too late. You will be the one fucking yourself.”
Extending her middle finger, she walks out the door and slams it behind her.
“Goddamn.” I’m in love.

Frankie is an absolute bad*ss of an FMC. She’s fiercely independent and madly in love with her husband. But then her world tilts on its axis after a devastating fight leaves her alone, vulnerable, and kidnapped. Taken to a remote location in Alaska that can only be escaped by a plane, she’s left at the mercy of a devil and his sons. Nothing is as it seems and the only thing clear is she’s not safe. She doesn’t know who to trust and where to turn. Mourning her marriage and what could have been, she finds herself being drawn to the 3 intense men occupying the house and the devil who seems to keep them on a tight tether. When I tell you I was greedily turning the pages desperate for just one morsel of information. The chemistry is fiery but it’s very much a slow burn. The sexual magnetism of the men is on a whole other level. And no, I won’t name them. Trust me on this.

Frankie is fierce and savage and I couldn’t get enough of her. And the men? My heart hurt for them, I hated them, I was at the edge of my seat just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I need you to hate me, Frankie. Hate me the most. But we’re not staying away from this.” I gesture between us. “When I grovel and beg and crawl on my knees, I expect our hate-fucking to be the best fucking either of us will ever experience.”

And then that ending hits you with the intensity of a Mac truck and you’re trying to make sense of what just happened and you can’t. I have no idea the direction that Pam will take their journey but I know I will eagerly brace myself for what’s sure to be one wild ride.

This was a dark romance with psychological thriller vibes that will grab you by the throat from page one and not let up until the end. It will leave you desperate for the next book and wondering what side is up. UTTERLY DELICIOUS.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
 
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
 
Facebook Reader Group: here
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#DGRFave & Review: The Lovely Return by Carian Cole

December 6, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

THE LOVELY RETURN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Carian Cole
Release Date: November 29, 2023

What if death doesn’t do you part?

They say be careful what you wish for. But on December 5, Alex Fox makes a wish in the midst of a devastating tragedy. Little does he know that his wish will come true.

Six years after that fateful day, a little girl wanders into Alex’s studio. With her quirky personality, endless questions, and adorable smile, Penny Rose becomes an enchanting yet bittersweet distraction.

Penny Rose is an odd girl—at least, that’s what her parents say. Penny herself doesn’t feel particularly odd; she simply feels misplaced. As if somehow, in some way, she is living in the wrong place… in the wrong life.

As the years pass, Alex and Penny develop a friendship. But it becomes harder and harder for them to ignore their undeniable chemistry, no matter how off limits it is. Alex believes he’ll never find love again, let alone fall for a girl half his age. But Penny is everything he could ever want or need. Not only is she caring, witty, and beautiful, but she accepts the past that haunts him.

Penny couldn’t be happier. She’s been head over heels for sexy, brooding artist Alex Fox for as far back as she can remember. But when her childhood dreams and visions start resurfacing again—dreams of a life with Alex way before they ever met—she starts to think they’re not dreams at all.

They’re memories.

Penny’s revelation to Alex threatens to tear them apart, making them question the impossible and unbelievable. Can love truly transcend time and death, giving them a second chance at their happily ever after? Or is Penny battling a broken mind that has led her down a path of heartbreaking delusion?

AMAZON

 

The heart is a compass, and for some reason, mine keeps leading me here.

I just finished and I’m in a haze. Loss for words. And I don’t think any words can do this book justice because this was one of the most beautiful, captivating, heart wrenchingly poignant, deeply romantic books I have ever read. It’s so different from what I usually gravitate to but being a huge Carian Cole fan, I added this to my TBR long before it had a blurb. And truth be told, I never did bother reading the blurb because I didn’t care, knowing I’d read her grocery list if Carian wrote it.

I never thought I’d want another woman again. I never thought I’d be falling in love with another woman again.

As much as I love an age gap romance, I was skeptical. Can I really buy into a romance when Alex first meets Penny when she’s six? But oh wow did I. The beautiful emotional pull these words had on me. This is a book for the true romantic because this book is the perfect story of undying love. A love that survives everything, even death.

It’s over 500 pages and yet I read it in a day, desperately grasping to the pages, with my heart in a vice, and tears in my eyes. It was just so beautiful. I’ve read reincarnation books before, and I sort of expected similar vibes here, but it was so much more. It was an emotional, captivating slow burn full of heart wrenching moments and moments of pure bliss. Penny and Alex’s love story is unlike anything I have ever read, and that’s saying something.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say this. This is a story of a one of a kind love that doesn’t die. Alex is a man who is impossible not to fall hard for. You love with him, you grieve with him, you heal with him. And Penny is the one who breathes life back into him. The story spans years and the pacing is impeccably crafted. Cole masterfully takes you through each milestone in the life of Penny and Alex. You experience everything right along with them; the pain, the confusion, the stolen glances, the forbidden love. It was beautiful. The development of their relationship is also impeccably written. It’s organic and raw and real and I fell so hard for them both.

I’m not usually a crier, but I cried tears of joy and pain as I finished. This is a story that will be rooted in my heart for years to come and simply unforgettable. These characters will be staying with me, their love will be staying with me, and this book is going straight to my top favorites list. It was worth every second of the wait and I cannot recommend it enough.

Carian Cole has a passion for the bad boys, those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles, and of course, the sweet girls who try to tame them and win their hearts.

Born and raised a Jersey girl, Carian now resides in beautiful New Hampshire with her husband and their multitude of furry pets. She spends most of her time writing, reading, and vacuuming.

WEBSITE | GOODREADS | AMAZON | FACEBOOK | Facebook GROUP | IG | X | BOOKBUB | PINTEREST | VERVE ROMANCE | NEWSLETTER

Text COLE to 31996

 

 

 

Text COLE to 31996

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#DGRFave & Review: Back Into It by Eve Dangerfield

December 5, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

BACK INTO IT
Series: Playing For Love #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eve Dangerfield
Release Date: December 5, 2023

A scorching hot, age gap, friends-to-lovers, boy obsessed, unrequited love story by critically acclaimed romance author, Eve Dangerfield.

Cheryl Karalis-Walker doesn’t have time to fall in love. After twelve-hour days marketing pineapple-print leggings and caring for her terminally ill mother, all she wants to do is relax, get white wine tipsy, and flirt with someone else’s dad.

Patrick Normal isn’t a dad. He isn’t even close to being someone’s dad. He’s a funny, kind-hearted football player with the body of a Greek god. He knows he isn’t the older, sophisticated man that Cheryl usually dates, but he’s loved her since he first laid eyes on her. How could he not? She’s the hottest girl in the world and gets him like no other. They’re perfect for each other. Everyone knows it – that is everyone but Cheryl. 

But being her best friend means years of unrequited lust and friendzone jokes. Somewhere Patrick would willingly stay, rather than risk losing her. After all, men come and go, but friends are forever. Right…?

Just as he’s losing hope of ever moving from ‘best friend’ to ‘love interest’, a wild party leaves Cheryl naked in his bed, confessing she’s scared to ruin their friendship… but she loves it when he takes charge. 

So, it’s on. No more games, no more tiptoeing around the tension between them. Cheryl wants him in control and loves that side of him? These two best friends are done f***ing around. It’s time to find out. What will it take for Cheryl to realize that the man who has always been her constant is the one she has been waiting her whole life for? 

Back Into It is a standalone, contemporary romance novel, and book four in the interconnected Playing for Love series. 

AMAZON

We’re done fucking around, KitKat. It’s time to find out.”
“I… What do you mean?”
He smiled, and that was different too. “I mean I’m into you, KitKat. And since you got pissed and tried to fuck me last night, I’m gonna call it and say you’re into me too. So, let’s get together.”

OH.
MY.
GOD.

I think I may have just met one of my favorite fictional men ever. Like I thought I had an obsession with Ty from Act Your Age but nothing and I mean NOTHING compares to the level of obsession I now have with Patrick Normal. I will be running a petition to change his last name because there is nothing normal about him. NOTHING. The man was a perfect dichotomy. He’s a total golden retriever who is a simp for his best friend that he has been crushing on for as long as they’ve been friends. But when this man is all in? He’s a dirty talking, controlling, bossy BEAST in between the sheets. But in between that, he’s completely obsessed with his woman. I cannot. I just cannot deal. My ovaries will never be the same. EVER.

It’s ironic because I rarely gravitate toward third person POV or cinnamon roll heroes who give off golden retriever vibes. But I swear to god, I think I just found my new religion with this man.

I’m obsessed with you,” he said, loud enough to shock her. “I don’t want to go to the fucking movies. I want to fuck you and be your boyfriend and fucking marry you one day.”

Now let’s talk about the book, shall we?

First of all, I loved the way it’s written with small flashbacks to the day Cheryl and Patrick first meet and the small snippets into their actual feelings with every flash back. I also love the spin on the usual playboy hero with a woman who’s sex positive and is a relationship phobe. Cheryl is 32 and has had a tough lot in life. She’s got daddy issues for days, and she owns this with her taste for the older men. Her new best friend is a pro AFL player, 23, and completely obsessed with her. I love me a reverse age gap and I was absolutely rabid for this one.

The chemistry between these two was incendiary.

If he sounded sweet and awed that would be one thing, but he sounded so… presumptuous. She pulled back. “Who are you?” “Your fucking boyfriend,” he snarled. “You gonna admit you’re feeling it? Or are you humping up against me for some best friend reason?”

Cheryl runs and Patrick chases and I loved their push and pull. I loved the way they love each other as friends. And I love how they each fill in a gap for the other. These were such multi faceted, multi layered characters and I couldn’t get enough of them. I loved both their growth as the story progresses. I love their friend squad. I loved absolutely everything about this book. EVERYTHING. I simply cannot recommend it enough.

If you’re looking for a friends to lovers romance where the guy is secretly pining for his best friend, that’s full of just the right amount of incendiary spice, and a perfect punch of feels, look no further. Do yourself a favor and read this!!!!

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#DGRFave & Review: Because of Her by Jewel E Ann

November 2, 2023 by · Leave a Comment

BECAUSE OF HER
Series: Jack & Jill #6
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary
Author: Jewel E. Ann
Release Date: November 2, 2023

“If sin weren’t pretty, it wouldn’t be so tempting.”

I was an accomplished music professor.
Happily single.
Perfectly content.

Now, I’m unemployed.
Pining for a dark, brooding guy named Jack who lives in a garage with a piano.
And I’m plotting to seduce a married man because his daughter is responsible for my nephew committing suicide.

I don’t know why teenage girls are so mean.
I don’t know why rich men cheat on their wives.
And I don’t know why Jack has serial killer vibes, even though he leaves me speechless every time he speaks.

All I know for sure is that I feel safe in a stranger’s arms and understood by someone I don’t understand.

“You should be a little scared of everyone because humans are unpredictable.”

How far will I go for revenge? More than that …
How far will he go to save me?

*This book contains material involving sexual assault and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

 AMAZON 

Revenge won’t fill the holes. But a new chapter can begin because the previous one has ended. And he will do it all … because of her.

First of all, if you haven’t read this series yet, what are you even doing? And second of all, if you have read this series, this book is the most perfect conclusion you can ever imagine or dare hope for.

I’ll scream,” she whispers. Jackson’s lips twitch while his fingertips skate up her bare arms. “I don’t doubt that.”

Frankie is easily one of my most favorite FMCs I’ve read to date. But I’ll get to that in a second. What I will say is you want to go into this book blind. Trust me. If you’ve read this series, do yourself this favor. Do not read the reviews. Do no look for spoilers. Just read it knowing that it will fix every hurt and pain that Out of Love may have caused. If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend you read it in order. Or at the very least, you start with Out of Love. You simply need to appreciate the full circle moment of perfection that is this story, and you can’t do that if you don’t understand the backstory of Jackson.

I have a Ph.D. I don’t get on my knees for anyone. I’ll sit on the bed.” He ducks his head and kisses me. It’s good. Really good. But a woman needs standards and limits. I undressed and played his piano yesterday. That’s my limit…
Again, he kisses me. “A goddamn queen,” he murmurs along my jaw to my ear.
I lower to my knees, but I don’t look at him. “I’m only doing this because someone has to guard the door.”
My feminism is still intact. Sort of.

Frankie is in town to settle the affairs of her brother and his family. A terrible tragedy to lose your brother to suicide. But the debilitating pain to lose your nephew and sister in law to the same is something more. To learn that your nephew’s girlfriend may have driven him to his fate? Well that’s something else entirely. Frankie is dead set on revenge and making the girlfriend and her family pay. What she doesn’t know is just how dark and deep the roots of this family and their influence really go.

Frankie is in her early forties and is a career driven woman who never wanted marriage and a family. But when she meets the mysterious man living in the garage with his piano, the connection between them is instantaneous. The unspoken connection driven from a shared pain of loss is even more so. Jack has dark secrets and everything about him is a mystery. Frankie is undeniably drawn to his dangerous allure. But she’s no naive ingenue, this is a woman who knows what she wants and goes after it.

When I tell you I loved this book, I mean I lived and breathed this story as I read it. I mean, it will become my entire personality for the foreseeable future now as I finished it. I mean it was one of the most unforgettable stories of suspense, second chances, loss and love that I have ever read. It was beautiful. It was emotional. It was unforgettable. It was everything I didn’t know I needed and MY GOD did I need this conclusion. The intricate details woven in to the story were everything. I also found myself falling in love with some previous characters all over again. If you know, you know.

But I digress. I’m pretty sure I didn’t get a wink of sleep because I couldn’t put this book down for even a second. The beginning to end was a complete blur of tears, happiness, pain, and nail biting, edge of my seat suspense. I loved every page, every chapter, and I simply cannot recommend the series enough.

Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author a with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.

Connect with Jewel 

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter  |Bookbub | Pinterest

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