Review: Kingdom of Villains by Ella Fields

July 7, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

KINGDOM OF VILLAINS
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Author: Ella Fields
Release Date: June 29, 2022

USA Today bestselling author, Ella Fields, delivers a treacherously tender love story set in an all-new fantasy world.

I’d known exactly who he was—the Unseelie prince. But I hadn’t known just what he was.
I’d been fooled.

The creature I’d formed a tentative friendship with in my family’s dungeon was not the gentle, intriguing prince I’d thought him to be.
He was a monster. A bloodthirsty beast.

And I’d helped him escape my uncle’s clutches.

Such a betrayal called for severe consequences, and the price of releasing the biggest threat our kingdom had faced in hundreds of years was not one I would survive.

But upon discovering my uncle’s foiled plans for their prince, the Unseelie demanded vengeance, and an agreement was made.

My savior and my doom returned, and this time, he wasn’t leaving without me.

Regardless of how I loathed him, the deceitful and dangerous male was my last hope. Yet when he looked at me, touched me, dared to love me, the beliefs I’d worn as armor began to melt.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Though avoiding fate would prove impossible when the only way to save my life was to surrender it by marrying the monster who’d destroyed it.

–

This enemies to lovers romantasy contains mature content. It’s a complete standalone and not connected to any other Ella Fields novel.

AMAZON 

You’re far too sweet for a male who shifts into a dragon and fucks like a beast.”

The Savage and the Swan is easily my favorite book of Ella’s to date. And I’ve been practically salivating for another fantasy romance from the queen of angst. And what does she do? Give us a dragon shifter and his fae mate. GAH. I die.

Now if you’ve read any of Ella’s books before, you know the woman brings angst. And when I say angst, I mean ANGST. Like rip your hair out, rage at the ceiling, and throw your kindle out the window sort of angst. The delicious sort, basically. But I digress. What I was trying to say is this book is not like her usual. While there’s a gritty undertone to it, and it packs plenty of feels, it’s angst light.
Colvin is not Ella’s usual a-hole brand of heroes. This man may be a morally gray dragon shifter, but he has a heart of gold. I fell so hard and fast for him.

You need to stop this.” Leaning into him, I whispered, “Stop what?” “Ruining me from noticing anything in this world that isn’t you.”

When Fia the Fae Seelie princess discovers the Unseelie prince Colvin in her uncle’s dungeon, it doesn’t take long for the two to strike up an unlikely friendship. When Fia helps the prince escape, it costs her her already precarious position in her kingdom. So when the prince returns for her and she’s to wed him and unite the two kingdoms? Well, she’s not exactly feeling all that forced when it allows her to escape her uncles dungeon herself. Suffice it to say there’s no love lost between her and her family.

What begins is an achingly tender romance between two unlikely creatures. Colvin has spent the majority of his life looking for a cure to his ailment. And his new bride to be may be the answer he’s been searching for. It doesn’t take him long to fall for the feral princess. But as the layers begin to peel back, you soon realize that not quite everything is as it seems.

Now I’ll say this isn’t my usual flavor of romance I gravitate towards. I like the aholes and I live for the angst. But a girl needs a refreshing change of pace every now and then, and boy did this bring it. It was sweet, yes, but it certainly wasn’t tame. It had just enough grit to suck me in with plenty of feels to keep me glued to the pages. I love that it’s not your typical prince rescue the princess story. It’s so much more than that and Fia was such a fierce heroine that I couldn’t get enough of her.

Everything about this story from the stunning world building to the enrapturing secondary characters sucked me right in, and didn’t let me go until the end.

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Review: Black Skies Riviera by Catherine Wiltcher

June 8, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BLACK SKIES RIVIERA
Series: Cristo Sinners #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: Catherine Wiltcher
Release Date: April 19, 2020

An arranged marriage mafia romance where love is a debt no sinner can pay…

Issa Dubova is the queen of cloudy diamonds:
A Bratva princess.
My reluctant new wife.
A pretty bargain in exchange for the names of the men who killed my father.

I’m a black suit of spades:
Determined to bury both her and my demons.
I never asked to see the shape of her heart.
I never asked for her to fill the blank spaces of mine.

But the mafia wants her secrets.
I’m not the first she betrayed.
And Issa? Sweet, not-so-innocent Issa?
She’s now a debt no sinner can pay.

Black Skies Riviera is a heart-stopping, enemies to lovers romance with NO cliff-hanger and a guaranteed HEA. For mature readers only.

AMAZON 

Mine.” He groans it into the kiss, and I swallow down every drop of his possession like it’s my favorite poison.

This book has been on my TBR since release. I’ve been itching to read it but also putting it off. I tend to stay away from books with Russian speaking characters because if I get one more dose of google translate, I may lose it. I’m nitpicky, ok? And it’s a rare occurrence when a foreign language is done correct and not half assed in an indie published book. Le sigh. Let’s just say I have PTSD when it comes to this. But I digress. After a week of struggling through indecisive readerdosis (that’s the medical diagnosis for can’t pick a fucking book to save my life”), I settled on this one. And was immediately hooked!

With his broad shoulders, solid muscularity, and black ink crawling out from underneath the cuff of one wrist, he looks like a fallen angel on a trajectory straight to hell.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my absolute favorite stories. So any book with a nod to it will immediately hold my attention.

Fourteen years of anger and revenge driven planning. An arranged marriage of power and deception. A seemingly innocent Bratva princess and the fixer for the mob who picks no side but the one that brings him money. Yes please and thank you.

This was a story that was full of twists and turns, and while the ending was a touch predictable, it still had me at the edge of my seat.

Aiden is a ruthless business man with ties to everyone and no one. He’s given fourteen years of his life to man who helped solidify him into the brilliant criminal his is today for the promise of revenge. Two names. Two names that have kept him going and are now just one grasp away…but come with a new caveat. A marriage he doesn’t want to a woman he doesn’t know.

Issa has grown up in glass cage and had it shared when she finds out the man her father really is; the brutal head of the Bratva and a cold blooded killer. But she’ll do anything to protect her sister and her secret, even if it means paying the price of her sister’s disappearance with a marriage to a man she never saw coming.

I was immediately sucked into the story, though I did feel in times the pacing was a touch off. It was ether too quick or too slow and descriptive. But the story telling itself was gripping and well written, so it didn’t bother me much. The romance was deliciously wicked and I loved seeing the layers peeled back on both Aiden and Issa. There’s some secondary characters mentioned who I will be immediately grabbing the books for The Santiago Trilogy and A London Villain.

Sadly for the little Russian there was here, it was incorrect, though in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t bother me much because at least it was close enough. I’m just being nitpicky and it won’t even faze most readers.

If you like deliciously layered dark mafia romance, you need to read this one. I for one will be immediately grabbing the majority of this author’s backlist.

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Review: Lovely Bad Things by Trisha Wolfe

June 5, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

LOVELY BAD THINGS
Series: Hollows Rowe #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Trisha Wolfe
Release Date: May 31, 2022

He’s the devil. And she’s his wicked game.

Halen:
They say eyes are the windows to the soul—but when he looks at me through hues of slate-green and flaring blue embers, I’m terrified of what’s watching me from behind his clashing gaze, something primal and feverish that threatens to melt me like fire in ice.

I fear falling into Kallum Locke’s pitch-black soul.

But after I’m called to a crime scene to investigate the most gruesome act of violence to descend on the legendary town of Hollow’s Row, I have no choice but to turn to Kallum, to the man I had locked away in an asylum for the criminally insane.

He’s the leading expert on all things Nietzsche and occult. And now, to get answers, I’m forced to make a deal with the devil himself.

Kallum:
Really, eyes are the windows to the soul? Then I wonder what little Halen St. James thinks of all the cryptic eyes watching her in the killing fields… I wonder if the hairs on her delicate nape lifted away, if a thrilling shiver raced over her soft skin. She’s desperate for the answer, and she’ll do anything to uncover it—even make a deal with me, dangling freedom like bait on a hook.

But she’s far more tempting to sink my teeth into than any lure.

And the pain will taste twice as sweet.

AMAZON 

It’s the lovely bad things that steal into our thoughts in the middle of the night and tempt us across the line between good and evil. Those torturously beautiful sins that provoke our deepest, most deviant desires. It feeds us in the dark, stoking a frail flame into an inferno we can no longer resist. She is my flame. And I am all but pleading for my muse to burn me alive.


Holy. Effing. Mindf*ck. This book! What did I just read?!

The devil is in the details, and the details are inside that devil’s head. And I’m about to throw the doors of hell wide open to let him roam free.

A criminal profiler and a sociopath serial killer? This is the type of psychological thriller dark romance my dreams are made of and no one does it quite like Trisha Wolfe. I mean, if you know, you know. And if you don’t know, read Born, Darkly immediately. But I digress.

The abyss looked at me the day Kallum first laid eyes on me and, if I’m not careful, he’ll pull me right into the pitch-black void of his soul.

This is a story in which you won’t see up from down. It’s so full of twists and turns that it leaves you reeling at the edge of your seat with a head of questions. Holy WOW!

That is his sinful seduction. And my sin is the desire to be seduced. His evil calls to mine.

On the hunt for a dangerous serial killer, Halen is desperate for answers. So desperate, that she’ll request the assistance of an even more dangerous killer who she was responsible for putting behind bars six months ago.

Kallum Locke is a dangerous sort of genius. This is a man whose darkness is a deep abyss full of secrets, but his allure is even deeper. And the further they get into the investigation, the deeper into his void he pulls Halen.

Oh, god…”
“I will make you see god for damn sure.”


What I love about this story is how complex it was. This is not just a hunt for a serial killer, it’s so much more. There’s philosophy and the occult, and it’s as fascinating as it is frustratingly confusing.

I’m okay with being her sickness. I can even be her antidote.

The way it’s written reminded me a little of the movie Memento, and holy sh*t, I was so here for it. With every new detail that gets unearthed, you get deeper and deeper into this f*cked up story. And every single time you feel like you have it figured out, a new twist gets thrown in that has you questioning everything. I’m so desperate for the next book, I don’t even know what to do with myself!!

USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author Trisha Wolfe. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up imaginary worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her imaginary worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

Be the first to hear about new releases and sales by signing up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter below. Want even more special insider sneak peeks? Join Trisha’s Facebook readers group, The Lair, and get access to book teasers, giveaways, and live chats.


Connect with Trisha Wolfe:

linktr.ee/trisha_wolfe

 

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#DGRFave & Review: Brutal Vows by J.T. Geissinger

May 2, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL VOWS
Series: Queens & Monsters #4
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: April 28, 2022

An Irish mobster with a brutal grudge.
An Italian mafia princess with a dark secret.
Two enemy empires joined in sacred marriage vows.
Let the hating games begin.

Reyna

If this arrogant Irish mobster my brother sold my niece to thinks I’m going to play nice over this arranged marriage BS, he should think again.
I don’t care if this match with the Mob will make my brother capo of the Five Families.
I don’t care how much money, territory, or power it will gain us.
I especially don’t care that the Irishman is the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.
I won’t allow my innocent niece to suffer the same way I did.
Even if I have to kill him.

Spider

I’m supposed to marry sweet, beautiful Lili. So why can’t I stop thinking about her swamp witch of an aunt?
Reyna who hates me. Reyna who challenges me. Reyna with the guts of a Viking, the body of a fertility goddess, and the attitude of a feral cat.
Nothing good can come of what I’m feeling for a woman who’s not the one in the wedding contract I signed.
A woman I want so much, I’ll have to burn the whole world down to get.
If she doesn’t kill me first.

AMAZON

He’s a riptide and I’m swimming far out in dangerous waters, getting pulled under fast no matter how hard I fight to stay afloat.

This book was hands down. MY. TOP. FAVORITE. IN. THIS. SERIES. And quite frankly one of my top reads of the year. OMG. This banter. It was finger licking good! UTTERLY DELICIOUS!

She glares at me. “Your charm could sweep a girl right off her feet, you know that?”
“Wait till you see my cock. Then you’ll really be swooning.”

Did I mention the banter?

Careful. You’re dangerously close to breaking your promise about your temper already.”
“That’s because you could turn Father Christmas into the Grinch, woman.”
“What did I tell you about using the word ‘woman’ as a pejorative?”
“Something I couldn’t hear over how loud your resting bitch face was screaming.”

Because oh my GAWD the banter!

His voice low, he says, “I’ve been thinking.” “Really? Did you borrow someone else’s brain?” “Very funny, viper.”

Who would have thought that a man who was mostly unassuming until Savage Hearts would come in to steel the show like this? And here I thought no one could top Declan for me!

But you know what I love the most about this series? The sassy, spitfire heroines. And Reyna? How could one possibly top the sassy that was Sloane? With the black freaking widow! MY GOD. This woman was everything. A cosa nostra widow, who holds down the family while making her brother think she does. The woman who lived through hell and rose out of the ashes a fierce warrior who has no desire to rely on a man, god forbid ever marry one. So when her beloved niece gets arranged to wed a Irishman, she has some opinions about it. And the immediate chemistry between her and the man her niece is betrothed to? Highly inconvenient.

You bring out the bastard in me. Now let’s see if I can get you to do something with that mouth other than slice me to ribbons.”

I had no idea how the author would bring these two together, but it was the most satisfying thing I’ve ever read. Their chemistry, their banter, their BANTER. MY GOD THEIR BANTER. I lived for it.

THIS is the kind of heroine I love to read about. A woman with a set of brass ones that gives men a run for their money. And a hero who would burn down the world for her. I. AM. OBSESSED.

If you haven’t read this series, you haven’t lived. And if you haven’t read this book, I don’t even want to talk to you. I question your life choices.

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Review: His Rule by Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli

April 26, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

HIS RULE
Series: THE RITE TRILOGY #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli
Release Date: April 26, 2022

I live in a world where secrecy reigns.

A Society rooted in power, wealth, and long-held dynasties.

Where men are Kings, and women are pawns.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of escaping the shackles of my expectations.

But it can only ever be a dream.

I made a fatal mistake, and those shackles became a cage.

Now I’m trapped in a war with a man who controls my every move.

He’s my brother’s best friend.

My enemy, my tormentor, and my solace.

His words have the power to wound me.

His touch just might break me.

But this is his kingdom, and as long as I’m here I only have one choice.

I’ll play by his rules.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY

Her Rebellion #2 releases on May 24 & Their Reign #3 releases on June 21!!! 

 

Stop fighting me,” I tell Mercedes. “I will never stop fighting you.” “Then you will never stop losing.”

I feel like I have waited forever for this story. FOREVER I tells you. And to finally have it in my grabby little hands is the most bittersweet satisfaction ever. Bittersweet because to be left with that cliff dang near killed me. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk His Rule.

The mere second that Judge appeared on the pages of The Society Trilogy, I was intrigued. When we saw the sparks fly between him and Santiago’s sister, Mercedes, I was hooked. Mercedes was a character who was hard to love in the trilogy. She was standoffish, mean, cold, yet fierce. She loves her family and she’ll do everything for them. Until her decisions and choices take a deadly turn and she brings consequences to her brother’s door that he can’t forgive her for. The punishment? Bring her to Judge’s command.

Enough!” he roars, the blistering heat of his anger searing my lips. “You watch your goddamn mouth, Mercedes. I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Is that an order, your honor?” I purr against him. “What will your verdict be if I don’t?”

Judge is the man the society turns to in situations like this. He’s known for his ruthless justice and ability and what better man to put Mercedes under. This book really peeled back the layers on all things Mercedes and showed her human side. We get to see what makes this woman tick and why she is how she is. And with each new revelation, I found myself more endeared to her and understanding her better. She loves her brother beyond reason, but she’s also not the spoiled little debutant either. She won’t bend to Judge’s rule that easy. And I loved watching her give as good as she gets. And trust me, this woman gets a lot.

In true Zavarelli and Knight fashion, they give just enough to hook you while leaving you begging for more. For every answer we get, we have a hundred more questions. This book was just as deliciously dark and twisted as The Society Trilogy and I can’t wait to see what the next installment brings. And if you haven’t read The Society Trilogy yet, I highly recommend you read it before this trilogy to appreciated all the nuances that much more.

About A. Zavarelli:

A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Connect w/A. Zavarelli: 

Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Mailing List | Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub

About Natasha Knight:

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

Connect w/Natasha: 

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

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Review: Devil’s Redemption by Natasha Knight

March 15, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE DEVIL’S REDEMPTION
Series: Devil’s Pawn Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: March 15, 2022

Isabelle

Just when I was beginning to trust my husband, he betrayed me.

Just when I thought I was falling in love he showed me the beast he truly is.

I understand his thirst for revenge. But I don’t want to play this game of pawn and puppet master.

No matter how his hands make my heart race and my body crave his devil’s touch, I won’t give in.

I love his daughter.

But I can’t let myself fall in love with her father.

Jericho

I have exactly what I want. Revenge.

Soon everything the Bishops have will be mine.

But it will cost me more than I bargained.

Isabelle Bishop hates me. As she should.

I know what I am. And now she does too.

But falling in love with my wife was never part of my plan.

AMAZON 

I know the monster I am. I’ve always known it. I’ve just never cared. Until now.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in book one, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. After everything Jericho puts Isabelle through, I needed this man to grovel, even though I knew he’d do so in his own way. I still needed him to work to get back into her good graces.

The second installment also brought all of the steam, and more than made up for the slow burn in book one. We get to learn about Jericho’s family history, and the truth behind the point of contention between him and his brother. I got to say that while I had a feeling about what it was, it was still a revelation. I really hope that we get Ezra’s book next, because he was one of the most memorable secondary characters. I loved the way he protected his brother and tried to protect Isabelle too…even if at times it was from his own brother.

Isabelle was a character I had to constantly remind myself of her age in this book. As much as she grew into her own, her naiveness when it came to her own family was almost jarring to watch unravel. I also got frustrated with how easily she forgave Jericho his numerous continuous screw ups. I wanted her to make him work for it, but at times her easy acceptance of his mistakes was frustrating.

The story itself was entertaining, fast paced and full of twists. Like any Natasha Knight romance it read like the book crack that it was. To be honest, the small quibbles I had barely blipped on my radar because this book completely sucked me in. Knight books just do it for me. What can I say, her brand of alphaholes just hit the mark each and every time and Jericho was no different.

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/natasha-knight
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kg2fRX
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknightromance

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REVIEW: The Kiss List by Maya Hughes

March 11, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE KISS LIST
Series: STFU #1
Author: Maya Hughes
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 3, 2022

If I were on fire, she’d break out the marshmallows.

It’s not that we don’t like each other, more like hate with the fury of a thousand suns. But it wasn’t always that way.

I still remember how her lips tasted. How they felt pressed against mine. How I wanted more.

How I still crave her. Our disastrous night together ended with her storming out, me wondering if I’d ever be able to show my face on campus again and us as bitter enemies.

When a campus competition is announced to find the most in love couple, she’s the last person I thought I’d turn to for help. But the prize could change both our lives. An internship for her and a chance to finally connect with my father. It’s too hard to resist. Just like her heated glares and tempting curves.

To win, we’ve got to prove to everyone we’re a couple. Head over heels, can’t keep our hands off each other in love. Fake the hell out of it for our chance at glory.

Maybe we’re a little too good at selling it to the whole campus because the lines haven’t just been blurred, they’ve gone up in flames.

Can I convince her I want us to be together for real and keep the prize? Or will I lose them both?

A Fulton U rivals standalone. Explore a whole new campus with the rivals in this enemies to lovers, fake relationship romance.

AMAZON

COMING SOON IN STFU SERIES

ADD BOOK 3  – EVERY LITTLE KISS – COMING SOON

GOODREADS https://bit.ly/EveryLittleKissSTFU

I wanted her. I craved her. I needed her.

The second these two appeared on the pages of Kiss and Tell I was itching to get my hands on their book. I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and antagonistic banter laden in sexual tension and these two had it in spades. I was dying to figure out their history, because clearly they had one. I was so excited for this book, so truth be told I wasn’t fully expecting to like it less than book one.

And though it took me a minute to really get into this story, the second we get the full truth of Cole’s secret, I was all in. Cole and Kennedy have history that turned in the matter of one night. Now they hate each other, though we don’t know why. I have to say kudos to the author for writing a subject matter that you won’t often find in romance, and doing so realistically. I really appreciate having a hero with faults like this simply because you don’t often see it. It was refreshingly different.

Kennedy took a bit to warm up to. She clearly has trauma from watching her parents volatile relationship and has let it define who she is when it comes to men. This is why she’s not interested in anything beyond a casual hookup.

The whole premise of the puppy love competition and fake dating to win it wasn’t my favorite, but it was cute. I loved watching these two fall for each other. This was really a solid four star read for me, until the last third of the book. To have these two fall apart for the same reason for the second time was just too much. It was over the top dramatics for me and took me out of the romance entirely. And while I loved Cole’s grand gesture, considering all of their issues, it wrapped up entirely too quick to be believable or satisfying.

The other thing is Coach Mikelson. At this point the man is basically a villainous caricature and I’m entirely over him. Honestly I was over him in book one, but to continue to have him as the main driving force of the drama in each book is tiresome at this point. I hope that we can move past this in book three, because if I have to keep reading about this man, I don’t think I’d be able to continue with the series. I love Maya Hughes books, and I adore her sports romance. I didn’t dislike this book, but I also didn’t love it either. It took me a few days to finish, and that’s telling in itself. Was it cute? Sure. Is it something I’d ever come back to? No.

 

Maya Hughes, that’s me!, can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids! 🙂 I’m a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.

I love writing stories that capture the possibilities of the paths less travelled and enjoy experiencing life through my characters’ eyes.

I’m the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I can’t breathe, traveling with my family and Jeff Goldblum. 

AUTHOR LINKS 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mayahughes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayahugheswrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayahugheswrites

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maya-hughes

 



 

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Review: Devil’s Pawn by Natasha Knight

February 22, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE DEVIL’S PAWN
Series: Devil’s Pawn Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: February 22, 2022

Isabelle

Jericho St. James hates my family.

Powerful, wealthy beyond belief, he’s the most dangerous man I know.

And I belong to him.

He’s taken me from my home.
He’ll make me his wife.
And he’s made it very clear I’ll be sleeping in his bed.

But my beast has a secret.

His one weakness. One that makes hating him impossible.

He has a daughter.

And he’ll do anything to keep her safe.

Jericho

The Bishops stole what money cannot replace.

A life for a life. Now I’ll take one of theirs.

Isabelle is my pawn.

I will make her my wife.
I will bed her.
She will be mine in every way.

And once I take what I need from her, I will erase the Bishop family as if they never existed at all.

AMAZON 

Some things aren’t choices at all. Some are destiny. And my destiny is to ruin hers.

Ever since I binge read The Society Trilogy, I’ve been chomping at the bit to get more in this world. So the second I saw Natasha Knight announce this book, I couldn’t get to it quick enough. This is my trope candy, folks. Pure book crack. A secret society, a revenge years in the making, and the innocent young girl who’s stuck in the middle and used as a pawn with a marriage of…inconvenience.

“Freedom is just a few feet away.” He smiles wide and steps aside. “You’re considering it. I would too.” He extends his arm, gesturing to the door. “You can try, I suppose. You won’t get far, but you can try.”

I love Knight’s brand of anti-heroes. They’re broody, tortured, and deliciously cruel. And Jericho? He was all of those things and more. This is a man with demons, and he’s not above using an innocent girl as a pawn in his plot for revenge. The innocent girl? The half sister of the man who cost him everything. He’ll make him pay, and the first step in his revenge is to take her, force her to marry him, and make her pay for her family’s sins. GAH. The delicious pain and and angst of it all.

I love a good age gap, and this one checked all the boxes for me. Isabelle may be sweet and innocent, but she’s no pushover. She’s a fighter, even when her situation is impossible. She has no idea of the dark and convoluted family history between the St James and the Bishop’s. She’s not a true Bishop. Not really. She’s the half sister, the dirty secret, and there’s no love lost between her and her brother. Jericho’s cruel treatment of her just cranks it up a notch. I’m so obsessed with the IVI world, and this hit the spot so hard for me.

Devil’s Pawn was a page turner full of family secrets, bad blood, archaic society traditions, and revenge. Sweet sweet revenge. Jericho is an anti hero I loved to hate, and hate him I did. You want to jock punch him for some of the things he does. And that cliffhanger? DEAR GOD. I can’t wait for the grovel that has to come to follow that because GAH. This woman’s words are pure book crack. I couldn’t read this book fast enough and will slowly die a slow death in my wait for book two.

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.
 
 
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Review: The Immortal by Gena Showalter

February 8, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE IMMORTAL
Series: Rise of the Warlords #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: February 1, 2022

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter delivers The Immortal, the second dark and sexy book in her Rise of the Warlords series, featuring a cold and merciless assassin and a stubborn harpy warrior…one fated to die by the other’s hand.

Halo Phaninon, assassin of gods, is as cold and merciless as a machine. For victory, he will cross any line. When tasked to kill twelve of mythology’s fiercest monsters in twenty-four hours, Halo eagerly accepts. Except, each morning he awakens to the same day, forced to relive it over and over again. Only one other person retains their memory—the beauty who threatens his iron control.

Ophelia the Flunk Out hates her disaster of a life. She’s the family disappointment, a harpy warrior without a kill and powerless—or is she? Every night she’s doomed to repeat her own murder, but every morning she rises to spar with Halo, a ruthless warlord increasingly determined to save her…and lure her to his bed.

Halo’s insatiable desire for the stubborn Ophelia drives him wild…and he only craves more. If he remains in the time loop, they stay together. But if he escapes, they lose each other forever.

AMAZON  

He glowered at her. “Why can’t you enjoy staying safe?”
“Because I’m a hardcore warrior with titanium ovaries.”

I live for Gena Showalter’s brand of banter. LIVE FOR IT. It Never fails to put a goofy smile on my face and keeps reading well into the night. And this book was definitely no exception. The Rise of The Warlords series has quickly become my new obsession and I eagerly anticipate each new installment. And while I really liked the first book in this series, I loved this one even more.

Every teacher, trainer, and superior has bemoaned your stubbornness.”
“I’m passionate about my belief that I’m right.”

Halo Phaninon is the ultimate tortured hero. This is a man who had his humanity and any and all emotion beat out of him when he was just a young boy. He feels nothing and kills without feeling. His only goal is the success of the Astra’s mission. Women are just a means to an end to him, until Ophelia.

I absolutely love Showalter’s heroines. The sass, fierceness, and banter they’re all chock full of just does it for me. And Ophelia the Flunk Out is all of the things. A harpy nymph, all she’s ever wanted was to prove herself, and she seems to fail at every turn. When she’s thrown into a loop of challenges with the cold and unfeeling Halo, things get seriously interesting. Halo’s goal is to win at all costs while on an unending loop of a repeat of the day. Her goal is slightly different. The chemistry between them? Unspeakably hot.

This was another fantastic addition to what’s become an incredibly addictive series. The banter, the chemistry, the twists and turns, all of it made for one page turner of a read. I loved seeing Halo slowly thaw for the sassy harpynymph. I loved seeing Ophelia slowly come into her own and become the fierce warrior that she was always meant to be. And the chemistry between them was just everything. I can’t wait for more in this world!

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Review: Munro by Kresley Cole

January 25, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

MUNRO
Series: Immortals After Dark #18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Kresley Cole
Release Date: January 25, 2022

A human monster huntress. An immortal werewolf. Could any passion be more forbidden?

The next stand-alone installment in the electrifying Immortals After Dark series by #1 New York Times best-selling author Kresley Cole. Venture deeper into the Lore, fierce realm of the immortals—if you dare. . . .

TORMENTED IN UNIMAGINABLE WAYS

Coming off torture at the hands of his warlock captors, Munro MacRieve never expected to find his mate, or to lose her just as abruptly. Driven to desperation, the ruthless warrior uses his enemies’ own powers to reunite with her—in the distant past.

STOLEN FROM HER TIME

When a crazed werewolf crashes her wedding, Kereny “Ren” Codrina does what any cunning huntress would do: she captures him. Yet she finds herself softening toward the wounded beast—until he turns the tables and forces her into an incomprehensible future.

CAN A HUMAN AND AN IMMORTAL UNITE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE?

As danger mounts, Munro will do anything to make her undying, even sell his soul to an evil sorceress. But first he must convince his fiery mate that she belongs with him. If seduction means her survival, Munro will use every weapon in his arsenal to possess her—forever.

AMAZON  | PAPERBACK | NOOK | iBOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE

 

 

 

Do I make you nervous, wolf?”
“Bit.”
“How can that be? I’m merely a mortal.”
“Because I want you dearly, and I have a feeling you’re about to use your wiles on me.”

The Lykae and his harridan are finally here and they were worth every agonizing minute of the wait!

The minute I finished MacRieve I was desperate for his twin’s book. That sneak peek at the end? PAINFUL. And considering I finished MacRieve when it released in 2013, suffice it to say I’ve been just a touch rabid in my wait. *sheepish grin* This is hands down one of my favorite PNR series, so I’ll happily wait forever for each finger licking taste of the world. And while Kresley gave us a wait between releases, she’s back with a vengeance in this latest installment.

If you’ve read this series, you know the Hot and Hotter twins. And you also know of the seer who foretold that Munro’s mate to be a harridan. And if you’re like me, you’ve been desperate to see just how this prophecy comes to life. But oh the twist! Not only is Munro’s mate a mortal from another time (read-century), but she’s a monster hunter who hates immortals. *pause for dramatic effect*

We saw their first meeting at the end of MacRieve and let’s just say things don’t go well.

I cannot describe to you all just how happy I was to find myself in this magical world again. Munro and Kereny’s story was EVERYTHING. It was a delicious slow burn full of chemistry and unbearable yearning. When a Lykae finds their mate, that’s it. And Munro is prepared to do anything to have Kereny. Even if he has to make her immortal against her wishes. Ren puts my beloved wolf through hell, and at times I wanted to shake her for her stubbornness. Admittedly, she did take me a bit to warm up to. But much like all Kresley heroines, she’s fierce, sharp tongued, and full of sass, so it didn’t take too long for her to grow on me.

All of my favorites are back, especially my crazy vampire Lothaire, Nix, and a peek into Kristoff. The story is fast paced, full of action, chemistry, and amazing characters new and old. We get a bit of Dorada along with a crazy twist at the end, and all of this makes for one unputdownable read! The queen of PNR is back y’all!

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Game Maker series, and five award-winning historical romances. Her books have been published in 23 countries and consistently appear on the bestseller lists in the U.S. and abroad.

A master’s grad and former athlete, Kresley has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. 

She lives in Florida with her family and too many pets. 

Subscribe to Kresley’s newsletter: https://bit.ly/KresleyNews

Kresley’s website: https://kresleycole.com

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