Another year gone in the blink of an eye and the turn of many book pages. And did we have a lot of book pages between us. We had one hell of a 5 star year between the three of us and we can’t wait to share our favorites with you all. Oh wait…we’re not waiting. Well, can’t say suspense was ever a forte of ours.
It’s awesome to see that even with our varying tastes in books, there are some shared faves (*cough* The Duchess Deal *cough*)
But without further ado, I present to you Jenn’s favorite picks for 2017!! *in no certain order*
JENN’S FAVORITES OF 2017
NOWHERE BUT HERE by Katie McGarry
If anyone could write a Young Adult MC Romance, it’s Katie Mc-fucking-Garry. She is the perfect author for this, and I am so glad that she chose to do it. Because it is flawless.
With all of the violence and sex and just downright MC-ness, you would think that a YA MC Romance just wouldn’t be possible, but Katie gave us the middle finger and wrote this series that blew my mind.
She is the queen of YA in so many ways.
I mean, every YA comes with some angst, which isn’t always my favorite. But Katie includes just the right about the angst that it isn’t too soft…it isn’t too hard…it’s juuuuust right.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
WICKED INTENTIONS by J.T. Geissinger
I read Wicked Sexy last year and was blown away.
After reading Wicked Intentions, my brain and heart and body are bursting!!
These books are the whole package (pun intended).
What I love about this book? EVERYTHING. It seriously has everything you ever want in a perfect book. The feels. The humor. The sex. The dirty talk. The amazing story. The words. The dark. The light. All wrapped up in one perfectly packaged book.
If I could give only ONE BOOK RECOMMENDATION this whole year, it would be THIS BOOK.
AMAZON | GOODREADS | MY REVIEW
THE QUEEN by Skye Warren
I couldn’t gush enough about Skye Warren.
If you know me at all, you know I am a HUGE fan.
This series is one of my favorites of hers, after the Stripped and Endgame series. Lol. Ok. I love all her books. Leave me alone!! Her writing is able to capture beauty in the darkness. And there is A LOT of darkness in her books. Just gimme all the darkness.
Gabriel or Damon. Damon or Gabriel. I can’t choose!!! They are equally assholely, but the reasons for their actions are soooo different that it’s so hard to compare them.
I can’t love one more or less than the other, so I will place them on the same level on my ultimate book boyfriend list.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
THE CASTLE by Skye Warren
GABRIEL.
Can I have him?
Seriously Skye, I want you to write a Gabriel story EVERY…..DAY and send me the story.
No one else.
Just me.
Especially not Lana. BECAUSE HE’S MINE!!
Gabriel has me like….Unf. THANK YOU, Skye Warren, for creating Gabriel Miller….for my pleasure! Just when I think Skye Warren can’t get any better, she goes and drops Gabriel into my lap (yes, please!).
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
EMBER by Rachel Van Dyken
I love when an author makes me hate a character so much, then she turns around and makes me love that same character.
Very few authors can make me do anything, let alone change my mind. I never would have thought I could love Phoenix. I cannot resist a tortured hero. I knew he was tortured, and so I was naturally drawn to him, but I had no idea how the author was going to redeem him for what he did.
I didn’t think there was any way he could be forgiven. I didn’t know if I could forgive him, and I wasn’t even the person wronged. Lol.
I LOVE that Rachel Van Dyken continues to make me LAUGH and FEEL so much in this series. This mafia family has me wrapped around their crooked fingers.
CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas
You know those books that are so BEYOND that you can’t even give them stars?
THIS. SERIES.
Earth? What is Earth? I am living in Erilea.
What was I thinking waiting so long to read this series? I am utterly captivated. I would even believe that this series has cast a spell on me. Gasp! Maybe it has!!!
These characters. This world. The magic. The mystery. The secrets. The murder. The LOVE. The FEELS.
I am escaping into this series every day, and I couldn’t escape it if I tried. I am shackled to it. I can’t stop thinking about it. If you love Harry Potter, read this book. If you love Hunger Games, read this book. If you love The Lord of the Rings, read this book. If you love books, read this book.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
VICIOUS by LJ Shen
I could not put this book down.
It is brilliant. Genius.
This book blew my mind.
The writing. The character development is ON…POINT!
LJ Shen can write like a motherfucker! This is the most perfect asshole in all the books I’ve read. I have never met a more perfect asshole. I mean, this guy is actually mean. Like……really really really narcistic mean. And he doesn’t get better….ok, maybe marginally better. And I LOVE HIM. Like I have deep, down love for this man.
I loved how LJ Shen MADE ME LOVE HIM. She did. She took my heart in her hands, and said, “JENNIFER, YOU WILL HATE VICIOUS SO MUCH, YOU WILL LOVE HIM.” And I did.
So thank you, LJ Shen, for making me hate…I mean, love him. ALL THE HATE/LOVE FOR VICIOUS.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
THE DUCHESS DEAL by Tessa Dare
I begged for this ARC.
Literally.
And I’m not even sorry.
Was I surprised by how much I loved this book? Absolutely not.
I will always love Tessa Dare….always.
I always giggle in her books.
I always swoon in her books.
There is almost always a hate-to-love relationship, which is perfection for me.
The Quirk! The Dry Humor! The Witty Dialogue! ALWAYS!
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
UNCONTROLLABLE TEMPTATIONS by Janine Infante Bosco
Janine doesn’t mess around. She jumps right into the center of the Satan’s Knights and writes the President’s book first, and Gawd, it’s beyond.
Jack and Reina find SOLACE in each other. Isn’t that what we all want? Just a little bit of PEACE.
She does it again with the issues. (There was a lot of cursing at Janine for writing a book such as this. For example, “Damn you, Janine!”)
I’ve never read an author like this, especially an MC series like this. This is definitely in my top 3 favorite MC series (with Kristen Ashley and Lauren Gilley). Janine makes it REAL. I came out of this book with HEALED SCARS and NEW SCARS. How did this book changed me? It helped me see that the thing that I viewed as the cause for my struggle can actually be my HOPE.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
THE FAILING HOURS by Sara Ney
This book has ALL MY LOVE!
Oh my…….Zeke and Violet have ruined me!
I was giggling so much throughout this entire book. Zeke is absolutely hilarious, and Sara Ney writes the male POV PERFECTLY! This book is the epitome of why I love assholes so much.
Zeke is a pissy, giant bear. Ugh. I loved him. He’s so broody and angry all the time.
This book is all kinds of my favorite.
I love broody Zeke. I love mousey Violet. I love the writing.
I love the FEELS. I didn’t expect the feels and the swooning. Zeke falls HARD for Violet, and I fell HARD for Zeke and Violet.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
SLEDGEHAMMER by P. Dangelico
Confession: I have a THING for lawyers. And when I say a THING, I mean an OBSESSION.
Maybe it’s the suit.
Maybe it’s the ego.
Maybe it’s the brain.
I don’t know, but I cannot resist a lawyer.
This book is Opposites Attract in all its glory. Hilarious. Feel-good. Snarky, swearing heroine. Swoony.
And did I mention hilarious? He is broody & sweet & the slow burn.
THE SLOW BURN!!! Oh, and the “effing smorgasbord of feelings!!”
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
WOUND TIGHT BY Tessa Bailey
Spontaneous combustion does exist.
Because that’s exactly what happened while reading this book.
Oh man oh man oh man.
The business man and the security guard GET…IT….AWWN!!!!
It’s impossible for Tessa to NOT write dirty words.
The manly banter between these two.
I could just listen to Renner and Milo talk to each other and “fight-flirt” …. all…. day.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
SUTPHIN BOULEVARD by Santino Hassell
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Jennifer who was a idiot because she had never read Santino Hassell.
This will probably go down as one of the biggest regrets of her life.
But once she reads Santino Hassell, it becomes one of the best choices she has ever made in her life.
Santino, Can I slap your ass, I mean hand, for being so dirty?!
I mean, anyone this dirty needs to be handcuffs….damn it, I can’t even talk right now without dirty words spewing out of my mouth because Santino has ruined me.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
FIELD-TRIPPED by Nicole Archer
I love that neither Eli or Charlie take themselves too seriously.
What could have been a tear-jerker of angsty proportions (*gag) instead turns out to be one of my perfect reads.
At the same time, Archer weaves those words that evoke just enough feels to make the book mean something.
They are genuine, and their actions are unpredictable, much like real life.
Eli and Charlie have such a rich history that only the few can dream of, growing up together and knowing all the dirty little secrets from those intimate young moments.
GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY REVIEW
Check out Lana’s list HERE
Check out Geri’s list HERE
And yet another book that had us (Lana, Jen and I) swooning for days! The Duchess Deal is wonderful romantic take on the beauty-and-the-beast trope. And it has one of the funniest meet-cute I’ve read this year.
Six de los Reyes came to my attention after Courtney Milan raved about her book Beginner’s Guide on Twitter. I hastily grabbed a copy and hasn’t looked back since. I love her quirky characters and her humor, all of which are in full display in this book.
Sometimes I feel like the book goods are smiling down at me and they send me a book that ticks all of my “how I want my romance book to be” boxes. Reading Pretty Face by Lucy Parker is definitely one of those times. And oh my gosh, I don’t have enough words to express how much I love this book! Lucy Parker delivered a stunning follow up to Act Like It. I was in book heaven!
If someone were to ask me why they should read this book, I would say read it because of the wedding planner hero. That might sound too simplistic but that’s totally what made me one-click this book.
Ah, the series that launched my Ilona Andrews obsession. This series is phenomenal!! I don’t even know where to begin! I’m not a huge fan of Urban Fantasy. Don’t ask me coz I’ve already forgotten my reasons why. I mean, what was I thinking really? UF is great. And Ilona Andrews writes some of best! And this series? Yeah, one of the best. No doubt about it.
This book. This was quite possibly one of the most unique, memorable, and captivating romances I’ve read in a long while.
EVERYTHING. This book was EVERYTHING. All of the things. Of the angsty, second chance romance feels variety.
Don’t tell me you’re that type of bloke, all old-fashioned and shit.”
Confession time: I was equally ready to part with an ovary to get my grabby little hands on this book and dreading it. I know! I know! Quit looking at me like I’m crazy, I’ll splain everything. I was excited as hell for this book because I live for LJ’s words. LIVE for them. But a part of me was dreading it because Dean happened to date Rosie’s older sister in the previous book, 
Where has this book been all my life?!! Where?!! I don’t have the words to describe all the love I had for this story! It was addictingly delicious and wickedly funny! Walk Of Shame is a book that will leave you with a full heart and a goofy smile on your face. It will make you swoon and make you laugh. It’s a book that you’d be incapable of reading without smiling the entire time. It was, in a word, PERFECTION.
This. Book. GAH! It was worth every single second of the wait. Mendez was everything. EVERYTHING.
Shivers. I have honest to god shivers. This author is simply incomparable. She writes such raw, emotional, sensual stories that are unlike any I’ve ever read. What makes them so memorable is that they’re just so…real. They’re immeasurably satisfying but without having to be wrapped up in a perfect little bow at the end. I truly believe that Behind The Curtain is Kery’s best book to date and easily my favorite by her. It was such a beautiful and poignant second chance romance that was packed with as much heat as it had feeling. I love every page of it.
Oh.
It doesn’t matter what this woman writes, she manages to hook me with just the first page alone. Her words are riveting, crackling with so much intensity, you feel like her characters are going to jump right out of the pages. They’re living, breathing things that are so real, it’s hard to believe you’re reading fiction. Her stories are live wires full of so much chemistry, it crackles and burns. And this book? It was all of those things and more. So much more!
Brooke Blaine, or as I loving refer to as a dirty hooker (She loves it. Swears! She even wrote a book titled 
Holy.
Ripple Effect was one twisty, dark and erotic mind f*ck.
How do you even begin to talk about a book that touched you on such a visceral level that you don’t think you’ll ever forget it? How do you put those feelings into words that can even begin to do a book the justice it so deserves? How do you attempt to relay everything that this book was without giving anything away? You don’t. Because it’s impossible.
Alright, confession time.
DEFIANT QUEEN
Dear mother of GAWD. I’m obsessed! OBSESSED with this trilogy. It’s like it was custom written for me. I want to slap someone with my kindle right now, it was so good. Yes, this is perfectly normal. Quit side-eyeing me.
The heat is downright incendiary with this installment. And I mean INCENDIARY. The story was downright addicting. And the ending? ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING.
Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at 
JUNIPER UNRAVELING
A dystopian romance with Keri’s signature grit and dark undercurrents? Sign me up!
Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees. When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing). She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
UNCONTROLLABLE TEMPTATIONS
This is the most vulnerable review I’ve ever written.
ACT YOUR AGE
Confession time: I hate the daddy thing in books. HATE IT. It’s ruined way too many books for me. I avoid it like a bad case of the clap. As in, I don’t touch it with a ten foot pole or a stranger’s vagina. No go. No way. No how…. Unless Eve Dangerfield writes it. Know why? Because this author has a knack for giving me some of the most unique, quirky, unconventional characters and making me fall head over ovaries!
Kate is endearingly quirky, with daddy issues of a different order and a bad case of ADHD. Now I ask you, how often do you read that? But don’t think this 25 year old is some bubbly ball of fluff. She’s all woman, even if she’s lusting after a man twice her age. She’s a woman that knows what she wants and goes after it. She also has some of the best internal dialogue ever.
REAPER
Holy.
Cross the MacKenna syndicate, and you’ll find yourself in front of The Reaper. He’s the man that handles all of the delicate and painful jobs. When someone needs eliminating, they find themselves in Ronan’s basement, their screams forever becoming a part of the cement walls. A brutal upbringing that knew only pain, Ronan doesn’t function like any other man. He’s numb. Unfeeling. He only feels rage and breathes punishment. There’s only one person that ever stirred a different reaction in him, but she’s forever off limits to a man like him.
Sasha hasn’t had an easy life herself. Taking care of her ailing mother and protecting her younger sister put her in the crosshairs of a man that changed her life irreparably. Forced into a life she never wanted and doing whatever she can to survive, she’s tired. All she wants is to leave, move to a different place where no one knows her or her past. There’s just one problem with that; Ronan is not about to let her go.
I loved this gritty and sexy dark mafia romance. The story was completely unputdownable and the characters vivid and unforgettable.
CROW
FREAKING. LOVED. Where has this series been all my life?! Or rather, where have I been living that I’m only discovering it now?!
Mackenzie “Mack” grew up hard. After losing her underground boxer father to a brutal murder by the Russian mafia, she was left with nothing but her best friend Talia. The girls became everything to each other, sisters in everything but blood. So when Talia goes missing, Mack is determined to find her. She doesn’t buy the story that she simply left with her boyfriend. And when the cops and FBI won’t listed to her, she’s determined to do it herself…by going undercover at the strip club owned by one of the most ruthless mobs in Southie. This is what lands her in the crosshairs of Lachlan Crow.
The story is downright addicting. It’s full of twists and turns and with a depraved sort of grit that kept me glued to the pages. It was violent, unapologetic, and spared no detail. And this girl? SALIVATING.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
The queen of dirty talk strikes gold with her newest series! A sexy and humorous romp, Disorderly Conduct was an entertaining read from start to finish. It was the perfect blend of humor and Tessa’s signature steam. It was smart and sassy and oh so cute! I had a goofy smile on my face the entire time. It was utterly delicious with a sexy meet cute and a ridiculously swoony grovel at the end. This book was exactly why I love romance!
Man but I missed Tessa’s hot cops. I haven’t been this enamored with a series since her Line of Duty boys. And with the secondary characters introduced here, I’m already salivating for more.
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.
