Review: Wrath of an Exile by Monty Jay

October 29, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WRATH OF AN EXILE
Series: River Styx Heathens #1
Author: Monty Jay
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 28, 2024

In Ponderosa Springs, this version of Romeo and Juliet isn’t a tragedy. It’s war.

Jude Sinclair is West Trinity Falls’ favorite exiled loner.

Cocky. Insufferably hot. Family foe.

Raised across the tracks in a rival town, he reeks of trouble. Which is the one thing I’ve always had a problem avoiding and now that he’s just down the hall, it’s harder to resist the pull.

My father made one rule when Jude moved in, never trust a Sinclair.

The last thing I need is for my new foster brother to make me question my loyalty with his filthy smirks and poet tongue. But with every forbidden kiss and secret hookup, I quickly find myself faced with two options.

Betray my family? Or betray my heart?

AMAZON

The Capulets and Montagues may have been Shakespeare’s famous foes, but in Ponderosa Springs? It was the Van Dorens and Sinclairs.

I feel like I have been waiting for this book for my entire life. It was pure, dark tinged and grungy poetry and man but I loved every page of it.

Now if you haven’t yet read Monty Jay’s Hollow Boys series, do yourself a favor and read that series first. While you can definitely still enjoy this without having read that series, you would have a much finer appreciation for these characters having met the first generation. This is the next gen spinoff as it is. Plus Hollow Boys is simply a deliciously addictive series that I can’t recommend enough if you need another reason.

Now if you have read Hollow Boys, then you already know the history between Sinclairs and Van Dorens. Rook (The Truths We Burn) was one of my favorite characters and books in that series and I couldn’t wait to meet his daughter, Seraphina, who I just knew would be as lethal as her parents.

You see, I’ve got this thing. This appetite for boys’ hearts. It’s impossible to survive my brand of chaos. I like bad decisions. Fast cars. And sex. Anything that makes me numb.

Now as a self proclaimed enemies to lovers connoisseur, a true enemies to lovers romance is hard to come by. But boy did this one deliver. And if you love the whole star crossed, Romeo and Juliet vibe? Well, it’s extra delicious. Because Jude is not just the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. His last name carries a dark cross that isn’t his to bear but bear it he does. Jude just so happens to be the son of Easton Sinclair, who also happened to be Sage’s horrible ex from The Truths We Burn. But let’s talk about this book, shall we. Because when you highlight this much in a book, you just know you’re reading a five star. And the level of obsession I now have with these characters knows no end.

Phi’s misery tastes like it could sustain me for an eternity.
“I hate you.”
“Right back at ya, sweetheart.”

To say that there’s bad blood between the Van Dorens and the Sinclairs is putting it mildly. But the amplifier to that is the particular history between Phi and Jude personally. This is a mystery that slowly unravels during the course of the book and had me in a complete chokehold.

Seraphina is not known for her soft heart. She’s known for her love them and leave them mentality. But deep down, this is a girl who has some dark scars and even darker secrets. Jude is the quintessential tortured bad boy who I fell for instantly. He lived through hell with his father, and the stain of his family’s last name carriers into his every day. And when his father suddenly dies and suddenly he’s the foster of the Van Doren family, let’s just say things get sticky. And the hate lust between him and Phi certainly doesn’t get better when they’re living under the same roof.

You think you like it rough ’cause a few guys tugged your hair, Van Doren?” I whisper. “You’ll carry my bruises for a goddamn lifetime.”

And did I mention the hate lust? Because oh my god the tension between these two was everything. EVERYTHING.

How long do you think it’ll take before you give in and let me fuck those pretty little lies out of your mouth, sweetheart?”

I loved everything about this book; the characters, the pacing, the mystery, the secrets, the history. All of it was effortlessly and masterfully intwined for an absolutely unputdownable reading experience. And that’s what this book was; an experience.

You’re a goddamn tragedy, Van Doren. But fuck, you’re beautiful.”

I devoured the book in one sitting. I was both rabid for the ending and dreading it because I didn’t want this book to ever end. The story was perfectly paced with a haunting romance full of pain and second chances. And the new generation characters already have me rabid for their books…especially Ezra. If you’re looking for a dark and gritty new adult romance, you simply need to read this one. Full stop.

We’re not made for soft endings. We’re made for catastrophe, for the kind of connection that leaves scars, the kind that haunts you long after the final page is turned.
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Review: Tore Up by Abbi Glines

October 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

TORE UP
Series: Mississippi Smoke #1
Author: Abbi Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 23, 2024

Calculating, cold, often without emotion was how I was described by those closest to me. I had thought perhaps there was truth to their depiction until this endless searing pain took the place in my chest where my heart used to be. Vengeance now ate away at my soul. The wrath I planned to unleash would make the demons in Hell appear mild.

At least, that was until…

The twisted crux came in the form of eyes bluer than the sky on a warm summer day, a slightly upturned nose with a scattering of freckles, a pink cupid bow mouth, and a smile that made a man’s knees weak.

The events that brought us here meant I should loathe her existence for eternity, yet my need for her grows with each passing day. She’s too young, she’s vulnerable and broken, but somehow, she’s not damaged. She was the cause of what had left me with this raging agony, and yet, the balm that eased my soul. Still, I can never forgive the destruction she caused me and those I love.

I had become a mockery of my revenge because holding her at night while she slept was the only thing keeping me sane. She’ll pay the price through my cruelty, never knowing that while she dreams, I find my solace.

My story begins with my worst nightmare.
And she’s the reason behind all of it.

AMAZON

There were only so many things I was willing to do when it came to her. Forgiving her was not one of them.

If you’ve read Abbi’s Smoke and Georgia Smoke series, then you will definitely love the Mississippi branch spinoff.

Abbi’s formula just always hits the spot for me. She writes some of the best toxic, walking red flags of alpha MMCs and I am so here for it. And while the super forgiving and at times overly innocent heroines would grate on me anywhere else, in her books it just works. Don’t ask me why or how. It just does, ok.

Those eyes of hers were a weapon. The damn sky on a clear day couldn’t even compete.

This is the Mississippi branch of the souther mafia so expect some cameos from past favorites as well as the introduction of plenty of new and intriguing characters. If you’re expecting a lot of mafia elements, it’s not really that. They’re more like morally corrupt, Yellowstone kind of ‘mafia’. Ya know? And this girl has no complaints.

Now the premise of this story is a HUGE spoiler, so I won’t tell you much but I will say that my jaw was on the floor on chapter one. And it takes a lot to catch your girl by surprise.

Our MMCs is the type of morally gray fictional man that I love. He’s ruthless, cold, unfeeling, and as homicidal as they come. The man is a walking red flag if there ever was one, so naturally I fell for him. Fictionally speaking of course. Halo is her name personified. This girl is innocent and sweetness all wrapped up into one eager to please FMC. And she was the perfect balance to the MMCs craziness.

She wasn’t mine, and I had no right to do this, but I couldn’t seem to stop it.

This is a forced proximity so it also had a slow burn element to it which I loved. It burned so good, even when there were moments that I wanted to c*ck punch our MMCs. But I digress.

This pull she had on me was owning me.

There is just something about Abbi’s books that are just pure book crack for me. I read them in one sitting and while there’s definitely a formula to them, it just always hits and hits the spot. It’s quick paced, spicy, with just the right amount of grit.

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Review: Brutal Game by Jo Brenner

October 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL GAME
Series: Kings of Reina University #1
Author: Jo Brenner
Genre: Dark, New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 10, 2024

I tried to get revenge against his team, and now he’s making me pay…

In public, Jack Feldman is king on hockey star, golden god, brother to a billionaire, admired and wanted by everyone.
In private, he’s my ruthless tormentor bent on destroying body, mind, and soul.

When he catches me trying to get justice against his team, he threatens to ruin everything I care about unless I give him whatever he wants.

But what Jack wants is me.

He’s obsessive, possessive, and determined to wreck me.
And as he drags me down to the depths of his depravity, he brings out a part of me that wants to be wrecked by him.

He’s made it clear he owns me and will never let me go. When I fight back, he fights harder. He’s playing a dark and twisted game, but I can’t let him win.

Or his dark obsession will destroy us both.

Brutal Game contains several dark themes that some readers may be sensitive to. For more information, please visit the author’s website at jobrenner dot com.

AMAZON

She’d stolen something from me, something I couldn’t entirely describe. My control? My equilibrium? Something worse? Maybe we were even now, since I was stealing her, but it didn’t matter. She’d pay. Forever, if I had a say.

Now if you know me, you know I love me a good bully romance. When that also happens to combine hockey and morally gray MMCs, stick a fork in me. I’m done.

Admittedly, I haven’t read anything by Jo Brenner yet. But when I saw the blurb to this book, I just knew this would be my first book from her. And having read it, I can tell you that it definitely won’t be my last. What a twisty and spicy number this was!

Aviva is a woman on a mission. She’s a recent transfer to Reina university with one goal in mind, revenge for her brother who was once a rising college hockey star. But when Aviva goes searching for answers and evidence, she lands smack dab in the middle of the crosshairs of the hockey team’s golden boy; Jack Feldman.

Jack won’t let anyone stand in his way of making it to the NFL. And a girl after his team and coach just won’t do. So what’s a guy to do? Blackmail her into being you sex slave, obvie. But all kidding aside, this man was all sorts of unhinged and deranged. So obmiouly I fell immediately head over heels. If you like your fictional men obsessed, you’re going to love Jack. The man will stop at nothing to get Aviva, even if he has to manipulate her into him. And manipulate her he does. But she’s also his willing victim.

I loved Aviva’s fiery temper and backbone almost as I loved watching Jack try to bend her to his will. The chemistry between them was incendiary. I was immediately hooked on this story and these characters. I was also so intrigued by Jack’s best friends and teammates. There are some cameos from characters from previous books (related to Jack) that I will also be checking out immediately.

This was such a fun read and going right up there with my S Massery obsession. If you like mean MMCs with a degradation kink and FMCs that give as good as they get and don’t just take anything lying down (pun intended), you’ll definitely want to check this one out! I can’t wait for more in this series!


Meet Jo Brenner:
A lover of dogs, mountain adventures, and HGTV, Jo Brenner writes romances that are little
bit twisted, a lotta bit sexy—and always have an HEA.

Connect with Jo Brenner:
https://authorjobrenner.carrd.co

 




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Review: Brutal Bargain by Laurelin Paige

October 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL BARGAIN
Series: Brutal Billionaires #4
Author: Laurelin Paige
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 9, 2024

She needs a husband. He won’t let anyone else have her.

Ax Morgan has played many roles in my life: My brother’s best friend. The most notorious member of the Sebastian News Corp executive team. My enemy with benefits.

But my husband?

No thanks.

Our after hours scenes are simply a convenient way for me to blow off steam while I plot my exit from my toxic family’s company.

But when I need a groom so I can claim my inheritance, he presents me with a choice that’s more like blackmail—marry him, or he’ll sabotage me. So between the devil and the deep blue sea, I let the devil put a ring on it.

Turns out this is the role he plays best of all.

The worst part of pretending with Ax is how real it’s starting to feel.

Now my future is in his hands. And if he finds out what I’m planning, he’ll be the one with the impossible choice. Who loses everything—his best friend or his fake wife?

AMAZON

Whatever you think you have planned,” he continues, “whatever scheme you’re up to, this doesn’t end until I say it does, so let me make this clear right the fuck now: You’re mine.””

I have loved Laurelin’s Brutal Billinaires series since book on. But this book? Ax and Adly? Hands down my absolute favorite in the series and so deliciously addictive, I cannot recommend it enough.

Now while you may read it as a standalone, you would appreciate the dynamics of this family so much more if you read it in order. Adly is the only female Sebastian sibling and while she has the wealth, she dreams of a career that is her own and not in the shadow of her family and her fairly high handed father who believes women should focus on having a family. Desperately needing to find her path, she sets her eyes on a business with her siblings. The only problem is the cost of the business has gone up and the only way to get to more funds is to access her trust fund that only pays when she gets married. So what’s a girl to do? Shop for a fiancé of course.

Ax has been part of the executive team of Sebastian News Corp for years. He’s also best friends with the black sheep of the Sebastian family, but we’ll get to that later. Ax and Adly grew up together and have had years of a contentious relationship that finally comes to a head one night…and I mean BOOM. Suddenly, they find an escape from reality with each other in the form of role playing and these two play hard. Oh my god I loved their role playing.

…when Ax texts me with the start of a new scenario, I don’t ask questions. I just come. Literally and cliterally.”

And while they’re only hooking up, when Ax learns of Ally’s plans to find a husband on paper, he refuses for it to be anyone but him.

So basically, I should marry my bully so he can continue to bully me under the umbrella of the law.”
“I’m going to bully you either way, so why not make it legal? Though I prefer the term torment.”
“Terrorize is more accurate.”
In one fluid motion, he’s on his feet, his hands propped on the desk, leaning over with his face so close to mine that I can feel his breath on my lips. “Doesn’t matter what you call it, darling, as long as it gets you wet, and we both know that it does.””

When I tell you that I loved these two, I mean I was absolutely obsessed with them. Their chemistry, their banter, their role playing. Did I mention their role playing? I swear, Laurelin just reached into my head to pull out the pure fantasy that was Ax. He’s wholly obsessed, slightly mean but with a heart of gold, and when he falls, he falls so hard. I loved the way he fought for Adly as much as I loved the way that Adly fought him.

Why can’t you take everything I want to give like you take my cock? Is this the only form of attention you can accept?” “I don’t… I don’t know.” It’s truer than I want to admit. “Then I’ll tell you—you were made to be fucked like this. Fucked by me, Adly. And I alone know what you need. No one else. If I tell you you’re the fucking sun in the sky, then you’re the sun in the sky. If I tell you that you deserve more, then you take more. You take what I give. You understand yet?””

Brutal Bargain was pure romance perfection, full of heart, emotion, and enough chemistry to set your kindle on fire. Ax and Adly were incendiary together. I loved them so much! 

With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. 

When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Killing Eve or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. 

She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Connect w/Laurelin:

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Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LaurelinNews




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Review: Play The Game by SJ Sylvis

September 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

PLAY THE GAME
Series: Blue Devils Hockey #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: September 26, 2024

As a little girl, I dreamed of becoming many things. A twenty-five-year-old photographer struggling to make ends meet with a mountain of legal fees wasn’t one of them. Making questionable decisions wasn’t either.

After hanging up my camera, I start a job I loathe that has me questioning my morals on a daily basis.

Until I run into Chicago’s newest bad-boy goalie whose reputation is a trainwreck—???????????????????? ????????????????????.

In a desperate effort to rid my debt, I corner Emory and try to exploit him. When my plan backfires, I not only have a new enemy with steely blue eyes and a talent for the game but a man now on a mission with his own insane plan in mind.

The terms are simple: I marry Emory and act like his doting wife in front of the press to clean up his image, and he’ll pay off my debt when the job is done. But now, instead of my bills keeping me up at night, I find myself fantasizing about my fake husband and his devilish stare.

He tells me to play the game, but when lines start to blur and his touches linger, I’m not sure what’s real or fake anymore. The sizzling attraction and fiery chemistry between us can’t be contained.

Emory Olson says he never loses, and by the end of our marriage game, I’m pretty sure I’m no exception.

AMAZON 

I think my fake wife just became my vice.

This is my favorite book from SJ Sylvis that I have read and if I can’t convince you that it needs to be on your immediate TBR, I’m not yelling at you hard enough!!

She’s undeniably beautiful, and I can’t stand it.

Emory Olson was a secondary character who I loved to hate in Puck Block. He was Ford’s best friend and Taytum’s extremely overprotective older brother. So overprotective in fact, that he was overbearing. And when I heard that he was getting his own book, I couldn’t wait to meet the woman that was sure to bring him to his knees.

He’s an animal on the ice but resembles a Calvin Klein model off of it.

This book takes place several years after the ending of Puck Block, with Emory now a professional hockey player and the new goalie for the Chicago Blue Devils. And if you haven’t read that other series, not to worry, because while I highly recommend it, this definitely reads as the start of a new series.

Emory is a man with a reputation and his most recent PR problem lands him being traded to Chicago. So he’s not looking for any more trouble, especially of the woman variety.
But nothing, and I mean nothing could have prepared me or Emory for the storm that was Scottie. When I tell you that I immediately loved her character, I mean I couldn’t get enough of this woman and her sassy mouth.

Scottie is a girl with big dreams but struggling to make ends meets working as a stripper. And can I just say that I loved the camaraderie that these girls had without any cattiness. So refreshing. But I digress. Scottie is as sweet as they come, but desperate times cause some drastic decisions. And the one that lands her in the crosshairs of Emory is one she instantly regrets because it’s not who she is. But then Emory sets his sights on her and has an idea that would benefit them both. She gets the money she desperately needs and he gets a fake wife to clean up his image.

I’ve gotta admit, this is probably the most romantic way anyone has ever asked a woman to marry them. A forced lap dance in a strip club, with a prenup, NDA, and a contract waiting to be signed in my car. What can I say? I’m a romantic at heart.

And while that set up sounds pretty cliche, it was anything but. The story and the characters just brought this story to life and oh my god how I loved it. It was a delicious slow burn that was so full of chemistry, I felt my fingers singe every time I turned the page.

Emory and Scottie were incendiary together. Their banter, their connection, their everything just did it for me and I loved them so hard. This story gave me all the feels. It made me laugh, it made me swoon, and boy did it make me sweat. Obsessed is an understatement and I desperately need more in this series!


S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and pets! She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book! 

Connect with S.J. Sylvis

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

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Review: Wicked Dreams by S Massery

September 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

WICKED DREAMS
Series: Fallen Royals #1
Genre: Bully Romance
Author: S. Massery
Release Date: September 19, 2024

He once swore he’d marry me—but now he’s desperate for my ruin.

Caleb Asher has everything he could ever want. He’s rich, hotter than sin, captain of the hockey team and king of the school.

My return to Emery-Rose Elite derails him.
I am the walking reminder of everything that went wrong in his childhood and mine.

While I long to be invisible, to slip through school unnoticed, he forced the opposite.
He wants my fear, my fight, my pain, all out in the open.

The more I resist, the worse his obsession becomes. He won’t stop until even my dreams are filled with him.

But even royalty have their weaknesses, and Caleb? He’s just been reintroduced to his.
Me.


Author note: this book was previously published, and has since undergone major edits and changes while remaining true to the original story.

AMAZON 

How can he destroy me and make me feel better at the same time? We’re fucked up.

Having had read the original version, I was so excited to see S Massery announce that she will be releasing a revamped version of this story. And oh boy, it hit just as well the second time around, if not better.

Now if you don’t like bully romance, this is not for you, my friend. But if you’re a self professed bully romance addict, you will gobble this one right up. And while I prefer college bully romance, if S Massery writes it, I’ll read it. So a high school bully romance it was.

Also, fair warning, if you don’t like deranged MMCs who hate the heroine as much as he wants her and you especially don’t like teenage drama, this is definitely not for you. But me? Finger licking good. But I digress.

This was a wild ride of a story. We have Margo, who finds herself back in the town she grew up in after a new foster family takes her in. But to say that she’s excited about being back is certainly a stretch. The town comes with memories of everything she lost; her family and her reputation being a few. And the boy who was once her best friend wants to make her pay for something that she doesn’t understand or remember.

She really is like a lost lamb, standing waiting for a predator to devour her. Me. I’m her biggest predator.

Caleb is the king of the campus. He and his best friends rule the school. And I love that Massery switched him from Lacrosse to hockey star in this version. Caleb is determined to make Margo pay for everything she cost him. We just have no idea what it is, and seems like Margo doesn’t either. But Margo doesn’t take any of it sitting down, even when no one but her new friend Riley seem to be on her side. I loved her backbone and tenacity.

The story is crazy and I loved every deranged page of it. The more the layers get peeled back, the more questions I had. And thet cliffhanger? Thank goodness the wait for the next book isn’t long because I need it! 

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Review: By Sin To Atone by Natasha Knight

September 17, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BY SIN TO ATONE
Series: Sinners Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: September 16, 2024

A steamy, Forced Proximity Secret Society Romance by Bestselling Author Natasha Knight.

I crossed him. Now he owns me.

When I tried to blackmail Ezekiel St. James, I thought it would be easy.

Turns out I had no idea who I was dealing with.

The moment his steel-grey eyes locked on mine, I knew the game was over.

He knew exactly who I was. What I’d done.

And he wasn’t going to let me walk away.

With his immense wealth and power, he had me kidnapped.

He could make me disappear.

I’m no easy prey, though, and it’s not just my life on the line. I have to protect my sister.

But when I’m hurt, he does the unexpected. He takes care of me.

In some twisted way, he sees his atonement in me.

Desperate and vulnerable, I need protection.

He offers his, but his terms are as grey as his morals. I’ll be his in every way.

I accept knowing full well the risk. Because when he touches me, my skin catches fire.

And there’s something inside me that wants to belong to him.

AMAZON 

You’re mine now, Little Convict. You belong to me.”

What sort of crack does this woman sprinkle into her books that no matter how many times she writes a certain trope, I will gobble it right up and lick every finger clean after? I swear, I will never, and I mean EVER, get enough of her IVI world. If you love dark secret society romance, trust me when I say you need to check this out.

Now if you’ve read Devil’s Pawn, then you’ll remember Jericho’s brother, Ezekiel St. James. But nothing prepares you for the impact of this man as a main character. Because OH MY OVARIES!

There’s a beast inside this man with his elegant, refined façade. And I’ve woken it. “Let me go.”

If you’ve read the other duet, then you will already know one of the dark secrets and demons that Ezekiel has. But if you haven’t, not worries, because you will easily be sucked into this as a standalone and all relevant details are shared. But you will appreciate his story so much more having read Jericho’s duet first. But enough about that.

Ezekiel is a powerful man within the society of IVI, so when he gets blackmailed by a stranger, he’s not about to take it lying down. So he tracks her down to an IVI bar and plays the game right back.

Dangerous games have dangerous consequences, Blue. You’re going to learn that lesson hard.”

Blue is a MFC who intrigued me from the very first page. This woman is clearly running from some dark demons in her past, and the more the onion of her past gets peeled back, the more intrigued you are.

The story was fully addictive with a painful cliffhanger which makes me glad the wait for the conclusion is only a few weeks because OMG I NEED ANSWERS.

 

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Review: Forged by Shadows by Maddison Cole

August 22, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

FORGED BY SHADOWS
Series: Shadowed Souls #1
Author: Maddison Cole
Genre: Dark, Why Choose Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2024

Avery thought her suffering had ended.

She thought wrong.

After a traumatic start to life, being adopted was Avery‘s saving grace. She finally had parents who loved her and an entire mansion to call home. Her days were spent reading in the library and exploring her passion for ballet. Until a fateful accident changed everything, and left her at the mercy of her step-brother.


Transferred to his boarding school, Avery’s solace comes to an abrupt end. Especially as the moment she stepped through the gates, her stepbrother and his gang of tormented souls branded her as fresh meat. He hates her, they want her. Whoever prevails, Avery refuses to surrender her mind or body without a fight.

AMAZON

I swear,” he seethes, leaning over so our foreheads touch. “I’m going to break you.”

This was my first Maddison Cole book and I am well and truly hooked, desperately anticipating the next book in this series because OHMYGAWD.

The second I read the blurb and saw the tropes for this book, I knew I had to read it. Fierce FMC, RH with MM, enemies to lovers, and a dark romance with a delicious mystery? Sign. Me. Up.

Avery is no stranger to the hostility of her adopted brother who avoids her at all cost. Ever since Wyatt’s parents adopted Avery as a child and saved her from a fate worse than hell, Wyatt has resented her and made it known just how much he hates her. But when her adopted mother dies and her adopted father instructs Wyatt to keep her safe, suffice it to say his hate only grows.

Suddenly Avery finds herself thrust into Wyatt’s world and the target of his misplaced hate, along with his friends. I have to say as much as I wanted to jock punch Wyatt in parts of this book (and I wanted to do it a lot), I was so intrigued by his character. There is something so profoundly broken about this man, even though his hate for his adopted sister is seriously misplaced and he takes his “revenge” a step too far more often than not. It doesn’t take long for his best friends to grow intrigued by Avery and I loved watching their chemistry build and build.

The romance is a bit of a slow build and most definitely a very slow burn when it comes to Wyatt and I can’t be mad at it because the tension hurt so good. Admittedly, the story does slow in parts, but it still didn’t take me very long to finish. Avery was a girl that I clicked with right away. She’s a survivor and doesn’t take any punches lying down. She gives as good as she gets and from her flashbacks, I can’t wait to learn more about her dark past.

The guys are all broken in their own way, though no one tugged at my heart strings more than Axel. I especially loved the unique bond he has with Garrett. These two are incendiary together, but when Avery is added to the mix, they’re even more so.

The cliffhanger was painfully torturous and I’m desperately waiting for some answers with the next book.

Maddison is a married mum of two, and a serial daydreamer. As a huge fan of all romance tropes herself, it was time to pen the stories which consume her mind most hours of the day.

As a child, Maddison was a jet setter and has lived all over the world, only to return to the south east of England, where she is now happily settled. With a double award in applied arts and art history, Maddison is a creative with a dark passion for feisty females and spicy stories.

Author Links:

www.facebook.com/Maddison.Cole.314

www.facebook.com/groups/colesreadingmoles

www.instagram.com/authormaddisoncole

www.tiktok.com/authormaddisoncole




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Review: The Hunted Heir by Holly Renee

August 20, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE HUNTED HEIR
Series: The Veiled Kingdom #2
Author: Holly Renee
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: August 20, 2024

From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, comes the second book in the scorching romantasy series with enthralling secrets, impassioned enemies, and luring tension.

Verena was the lost princess of Marmoris, the very thing we had spent our entire lives looking for, and I had let her go.

The lingering taste of her mixed with the deep ache in my chest over her betrayal haunted my days and nights. I knew she was hiding something, but her secrets were far more treacherous than I could have imagined.

Though I wished my own betrayal hadn’t been so bitter on my tongue.

Now my dreams are haunted with the way her deep blue eyes looked up at me in shock when I revealed I knew her truth.

The way I crave for her to look at me now as I hunt for her.

Me, along with half of the rebellion.

If my father finds her before me, there is no telling what he will do to her.

And even though she’s the little traitor I’d always thought she was, I couldn’t allow him to find her.

But his orders were clear. The princess is to be taken by the rebellion or she would be taken by the gods. I don’t know which is worse.

She is the heir to our kingdom, the daughter of the cruel king who was responsible for my mother’s death, and the key to winning our rebellion.

I vowed to my father that I would find her, the one person I wish I didn’t have to.

Verena is the hunted heir. But more than anything, she is mine.

AMAZON

He was the son of the rebellion, and I was the daughter of everything they fought against. We were born and bred to be enemies, to never trust the other.

What sort of crack does Holly Renee sprinkle on these books that make them this addictive? Because when I tell you I binge read this entire book in one sitting, I mean I literally blinked and I was done and cursing Holly to the high heavens for leaving me on that cliffhanger. What sort of evil, sadistic f*ckery is this, Holly? Hmm? HMM?! But I digress.

Now for those of you that wanted Dacre’s d*ck on a spike after the ending of the last book, buckle up for some whiplash because you will be rooting for him and rooting for him HARD in this one. How do I know this? Because I too, wanted his d*ck on a spike at the end of the last book. But I digress once more.

Like salt in the sea, you have become ingrained in every part of me, and I have been drowning in my regrets.”

I love and hate the pacing of this story because it read so quick and I was dreading being done. But where I thought book one was addictive, this one was even more so.

This starts off immediately where book one left of, with Verena on the run with both the rebellion and the kingdom hunting her. And the son of the rebellion who called her ‘little traitor’ is suddenly drowning in the regret of his actions and his evolving feelings for her. GOD but it was delicious.

It was quick paced, action packed, steamy and unputdownable. And when I tell you I am prepared to offer Holly a kidney to get my hands on book 3, I’m only kidding a little…ok not kidding at all. But c’mon! How will I survive the wait until the conclusion being left like this. I feel like I’m slowly dying inside right now but I also have no regrets. It’s a complex feeling, stop judging me.

If you’re looking for a spicy romantasy with all the feels and enemy to lovers vibes, look no further!

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Review: The Prey by JL Beck

August 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE PREY
Author: J.L. Beck
Series: Oakmount Elite #3
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult
Release Date: August 9, 2024

Filthy rich. Monstrous. Vile.

He calls me prey.

I call him a bully.

Sebastian Arturo isn’t just cruel, he’s downright terrifying.

With piercing green eyes, a body made for doing very bad things, and a charming demeanor, it’s no wonder everyone thinks the world of him… everyone except me.

When I wake up with pieces of my memory missing he’s the only one who can give me answers.

But he doesn’t give me answers, instead he tells me to stop asking questions, or else…

I heed his warning and do my best to avoid him but since he’s my boss and I live in his house that’s kinda difficult.

Then one night his hate for me reaches its breaking point… and the lines blur.

Hate twists into lustful obsession.

His cruel words become seductive praises.

One touch sparks a raging inferno of desire, and I find myself burned to ash beneath his fingertips.

Just when I think I’ll finally find happiness my memories return bringing with them a vicious truth.

Turns out the man I’m falling for isn’t who I thought he was… and escape isn”t an option.

He has me right where he wants, caught in a trap, just like prey.

** This is a standalone, however for better reading enjoyment please consider starting with The Wallflower before reading The Prey. Again this is a dark romance novel, but does contain a happily ever after. It also contains triggering material, and adult content. Please do not start reading till you check the trigger warning at the beginning of the book. **

AMAZON

Sebastian isn’t the gentleman the world thinks he is…

Well, Elyse, I definitely already knew that much. Sebastian was a deliciously intriguing secondary character in The Wallflower & The Wildflower. But as an MC, this man is in a league of his own and I worship at his alter.

Now I definitely liked Drew and Bel’s book, but I went absolutely FERAL for Sebastian. When I tell you that the first chapter grabs you by the throat, I mean brace yourself. Because holy moly! But I digress. I loved seeing Sebastian’s protective big brother side in The Wildflower, but seeing his dark and deranged side in his own book wa s an experience unparalleled.

We don’t quite know the full details of how, but Elyse ends up working as a maid for Sebastian to work off her father’s debt. Her past is shrouded in mystery as are the full circumstance of how she came to work for Sebastian. All you know is that he hates her as much as he wants her, and the more he wants her, the harder he pushes her away with his a-hole behavior. And this reader was here for every second of it.

Now Sebastian is one fascinating, multilayered character that I couldn’t get enough of. He may be an entitled a-hole to Elyse, but beneath the suits and the money is the dark soul of a man who went through hell himself. And while we only get snippets of what made him the way he is, you. just know that when the full history is revealed, it will hurt so good.

Sebastian fights his attraction to Elyse at every turn, until it becomes unbearable and her past comes knocking on his door. There is still a lot of unknown and I ended the book with more questions than answers, but I can tell you that I absolutely devoured this story.

Elyse is a perfect dichotomy of silent strength and vulnerability. Her circumstance puts her in an impossible position where she will never come out the victor, but she is no pushover, and I loved that about her. When we finally get more morsels about her past, I was absolutely rabid for more. But in true JL Beck fashion, she leaves on a cliffhanger so painful that I dang near cried when I finish. So off to stalk her for the next book I go and I have no regrets!

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