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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Review: The Words by Ashley Jade

January 20, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE WORDS
Author: Ashley Jade
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 20, 2022

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ashley Jade comes an edgy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance about mistakes, forgiveness, and second chances.

He was the talented bad boy everyone wanted.
I was the irrelevant geek everyone hated.

He was the sun…drawing all of us in.
I was a black hole…taking up space.

He was destined to be a star.
I was destined to remain an insignificant no one.

Until he made me believe I was special…

And then he destroyed me.

I never thought I’d see Phoenix Walker again after he broke my heart, but fate had other plans.

One tour. Eight weeks. Forty shows.

Countless opportunities to make him pay.

The world thought he was a God…
But I knew the truth.

AMAZON

Once upon a time, Phoenix Walker made me believe I was special. Then he destroyed me.

Lennon Michael is my biggest craving and my biggest regret.

For the blur of hours it took me to devour this book, it owned every part of me. This is by far, hands down, my favorite Ashley Jade book to date. I am absolutely ruined. RUINED.

When I tell you I binge read this in one sitting, I mean I stayed up until 4 am reading it. And as I write this review bleary eyed and coffee high the next day, I have zero regrets. Because this book was simply EPIC.

As a reader, I love broken, tortured and imperfect characters, and this story delivered this in spades. My heart bled for these characters and their pain.

When Lennon and Phoenix first meet, they’re in high school. Phoenix is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and Lennon is the girl with the seemingly perfect life…but who’s constantly bullied for her weight. Theirs is an unlikely friendship that forms when Lennon agrees to tutor Phoenix, that grows into something so much more as they get to know each other. Until the day when he completely shatters her heart.

Four years later, Phoenix is a famous rockstar who’s quickly spiraling out of control in drugs, women, and partying. Desperate to keep him out of the tabloids and on the straight and narrow, his manager reaches out to the one woman that’s not going to fall for his charm. She’s also the one woman that wants nothing to do with him.

Phoenix took everything, and her heart from her. Now given the chance at a huge pay day to play babysitter and to get revenge, Lennon agrees to go on tour with him and his band for 8 weeks.

When I tell you that both of these characters are damaged, I really mean it. There were times where I wanted to scream to the ceiling and shake both of them. They’re as far from perfect as they come, and their decisions show it. I wanted to hate both of them for some of the stupid things that they did. But they’re also authentic, multilayered, and so well developed, that you simply can’t help but fall further under their spell. Phoenix and his tortured soul, and Lennon and her hidden insecurities and broken heart.

Their road to a HEA is full of pain, heart ache, betrayal, mistakes, and angst. And when I say angst, I mean ANGST. If you want faultless characters who don’t make their share of stupid mistakes, this book isn’t for you. I love how the author wasn’t afraid to go there with this story and her characters. Yes, they’re damaged, but I loved them and their imperfections. I loved the tension with Phoenix and Lennon almost as much as I loved the incendiary chemistry when they finally give into the inevitable. And the grovel and grand gesture at the end? OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD.

I also fell incredibly hard for all of the secondary characters, and already salivating for both Memphis and Storm’s books. This was honestly one of my favorite rockstar romances I’ve read in a long, long while, and I cannot recommend it enough. Just be prepared for a book full of messy emotions, unforgivable betrayals, and a once in a lifetime love. I’m absolutely obsessed!!

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Review: The King of Battle & Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

November 30, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

KING OF BATTLE AND BLOOD
Series: Adrian X Isolde #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Author: Scarlett St Clair
Release Date: November 30, 2021

Their Union Is His Revenge.

 

Isolde de Lara considers her wedding day her death day.

To end a years-long war, she is to marry vampire king, Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, and kill him. ⠀

But her assassination attempt is thwarted and Adrian threatens that if Isolde tries kill him again, he will raise her as the undead.

Faced with the possibility of becoming the thing she hates most, Isolde seeks other ways to defy him and survive the brutal vampire court. ⠀
Except it isn’t the court she fears most—it’s Adrain.

Despite their undeniable chemistry, she wonders why the king——fierce, savage, merciless—chose her as consort. ⠀

The answer will shatter her world.

AMAZON

“Will you take a wife for every house you conquer?” I countered. Adrian seemed amused, his brows lifted, his lips pursed.
“I think you will be challenging enough. Why would I wish for more?”
“Why me?”
He stared at me, and I got the impression he did not know how to answer my question. “You assume I want a wife,” he said. “But I came for a queen.”

If you follow my reviews, you already know how much I love a good fantasy romance/PNR. I’ve had this author on my TBR for what feels like forever. So when I read the blurb to King of Battle and Blood, I knew this would become my first Scarlett St. Clair book. Now generally, I don’t like to read a book knowing the series is not yet finished and it’s not a standalone. But I just couldn’t resist this one and I’m so happy I didn’t.

You’re supposed to say no, at least to my face. Unless you wish to conduct our marriage openly. In which case, shall I start scouting for potential lovers?”
Adrian’s mouth hardened. “Are you demanding fidelity?”
“I will follow as you lead,” I said.

Marriage of convenience.
Enemies to lovers.
Fierce warrior heroine.
High fantasy.
Rich World building.
All of the chemistry.

This book had it all and I was so here for it.

Isolde is a heroine that you love immediately. She’s a beautiful princess, but she’s not sheltered by any means. This is a woman who’s fierce. She’s battle hardened. And she’s also a woman that owns her sexuality and isn’t a shy virgin ingenue. And I absolutely loved that about her.

The Blood King is a monster among men. His name is whispered in fear. His reputation as a ruthless, bloodthirsty monster spans villages. And Isolde isn’t excluded from the list. So when the vampire who is demanding surrender from her kingdom, is willing to trade protection of her people in exchange for her as his bride, she accepts. She would do anything for her people. Even walk willingly into the arms of a monster who she’s been taught to hate and fear all of her life.

I can be anything. Your jailor, your savior, your lover.” His mouth was closer to my ear as he added, “Your monster.”

Adrian was just…gah. I fell so hard for this man. This supposedly ruthless vampire who isn’t at all what he appears to be. I loved discovering every new layer about this man through Isolde’s eyes. The story is told in first POV only from Isolde’s perspective. The pacing was perfection and I simply devoured this story.

The sexual chemistry between Isolde and Adrian was on a whole other level. These two were insidiary. This hate lust that Isolde has for Adrian in combination with his reverence for her was simply delicious. There’s action, rich world building, incredible secondary characters, and sizzling romance. This book was nothing what I expected and everything I had wanted. It ends on a satisfying enough note but still leaving me desperate for the next one. I’m not sure why I haven’t read this author before, but I plan on rectifying this mistake immediately with her backlist. If you love a steamy PNR/Fantasy romance, you don’t want to sleep on this one. Trust me.

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Review: Nightshade by Keri Lake

October 29, 2021 by · 3 Comments

NIGHTSHADE
Genre: Gothic Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date: October 29, 2021

A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens

My father called them messengers.
He once told me they walked among us, and that somewhere in this dark and godless city, there shined a faint sliver of hope. I had only to look for the signs.

Well, I’ve spent my whole life investigating the inexplicable, and all I’ve found are the unsettling vestiges of iniquity – the evidence of another world shrouded by the obscure. Purgatory to some, where depravity hides in shadows, and girls like me are little more than delicious bites of temptation.

Others call it Nightshade.

This peculiar place is where I first met the cold and callous recluse living in a decaying cliffside cathedral. Jericho Van Croix is the epitome of everything I’ve been told to fear. A raven-winged harbinger who wears intrigue like a warm black cloak. An enigma that I’m determined to unravel – even if it means getting closer than I should.

One touch is forbidden. Even so much as a kiss would be my demise. But the sin on his lips burns me up like a wild flame, and his growing infatuation weakens my resolve.

Giving him what he wants, though, will mean no chance for redemption, or escape. What’s worse is, the signs I’ve followed yet failed to see all these years begin to unmask a terrifying reality:

That falling may be my only saving grace.

AMAZON

You are a mystifying enigma, Mister Van Croix.”
His gaze swung back to me, devouring me in one sweep. “And you are a frustrating distraction, Miss Ravenshaw.”

I don’t know how the woman does it, but her books just get thicker with each release. And this book? Well she REALLY THICK. So set aside some time, brace yourself and prepare for one hell of a ride. Literally.

You belong to me, Farryn. Should another man dare to lay so much as a finger on you, I will flay his hand and shine my boots with his skin.”

I’ve seriously missed Keri’s unique brand of world building. I loved her PNR series. But this world? Well it’s just something entirely different.

Nightshade was unlike any book I’ve ever read. It was full of captivating and gritty world building. It had Keri’s signature dark layers, but it was also incredibly unique. And the romance? One that defies everything, including time. My suggestion? Go into this completely blind. I will also say that if you’ve read Master of Salt & Bones, you’ll appreciate this one even more.

Now about this book, what can I tell you? It had a bit of everything; angels, demons, monsters, and sinners. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned about Keri’s writing, she’s not afraid to give you the very depths of human depravity. And this book takes you into the very pits of that darkness, but with a twist.

Van Croix is an enigma that I couldn’t get enough of. He’s captivating, cold, tortured, and something just…other. When each new layer of his gets peeled back, you get sucked in even deeper into this world. And let me tell you, there’s a lot of it. The romance is a slow burn. The pacing was deliciously torturous but also perfect for the story.

Nightshade brought a dark and captivating world that I never wanted to leave. Full of vivid characters, spine tingling setting, and a romance unlike any I’ve ever read. In one word, I’m hooked. TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY HOOKED. SO GOOD

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Review: Dangerous Temptation by Giana Darling

October 26, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

DANGEROUS TEMPTATION
Series: Dark Dream #1
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: Giana Darling
Release Date: October 26, 2021

He arrives all dressed in black.

 

Diamond cufflinks.

A watch on his tanned wrist that cost more than we would ever see in a lifetime of work.

He carries a single red rose for my mother.

Months later, Tiernan Morelli lays red roses on my mother’s grave.

That same day, he tells me that he is my new guardian.

I should have known from the very start that he had more in common with the thorns than the rose.

Now I know the truth: I’m a pawn in his dangerous game of revenge.

I was too young and naive.

Now it’s too late to save myself from his clutches.

 

Now I belong to him.

AMAZON

Poor little thing thought I was her salvation when all I intended to offer her was ruination.

Oh.
My.
GOD.

All of the ways that I loved this book. But I can summarize why in just two words. Ready? Tiernan Morelli. Need more words? OK, I got you.

I’m the kind of man that finds pleasure in pain. I’m the kind of man who makes a woman scream and cry because she doesn’t know how to take the intensity of the things I do to her body. I’m the kind of man that would make a woman crawl and beg for me before I deigned to put her out of her misery by setting her on my dick.”

This book was my trope crack for me. TROPE CRACK. Age gap. Mafia. Guardian/ward. Revenge. Enemies to lovers. ALL OF THE THINGS. And it was simply finger licking good.
Now I will say that any age gap has to have a strong heroine. If she’s too naive or too sheltered, there’s an ick factor in it for me. But Bianca was a heroine that I instantly connected with. She’s a young woman who was forced to grow up too quick because of her flighty mother who’s been hopping from one man to another since the loss of her father. But when her mother’s new man shows up at the door and spares no niceties, she’s not exactly thrilled. Tiernan is rude, crude, and seems to hate the sight of her. He’s also harboring a dark secret and a revenge plot years in the making.

Now at first I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about a hero that dates the mom first. But those concerns were quickly wiped. It just worked here. Don’t ask me how or why. It just did.

When Bianca’s mother passes, they have no one. She has her sick younger brother to think about and she’s months shy of 18. So when Tiernan shows up and says he’s their new guardian, it’s the devil you know. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t defy him and doesn’t fight him at every turn. But Tiernan is not exactly nurturing himself. He has inserted himself into their life with a dark agenda and his secrets can cost Bianca everything. The chemistry between them is also downright incendiary.

This. This was what I wanted. Rough-edged, teeth-bitten love. A body against mine like a weapon, inside me like an invasion. I wanted to be filled up and used because he couldn’t get enough. Couldn’t help himself. Couldn’t be a gentleman. Now, I understood that love wasn’t soft and warm. It was fire and brimstone and if I wasn’t careful, it would burn me alive.

This story was pure book crack. I devoured it in one sitting. I couldn’t bear to put it down for even a second. It was addicting AF and I couldn’t get enough. And the wait for book two? TORTUROUS.

Giana slayed me with this story and I cannot wait for the conclusion.

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Review: Broken Playboy by Laura Lee

October 22, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

BROKEN PLAYBOY
Series: Windsor Academy #4
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Laura Lee
Release Date: October 22, 2021

They call me a player.

A joker.

The guy always down for a good time.

But if they knew the secrets I’ve been keeping, they’d call me something else entirely.

For the last two years, I’ve been buried in shame, numbing the pain with various vices. Drowning in self-hatred and concealing it with a smile.

I had a system in place, a surety that no one would learn the truth. Then Sydney Carrington came waltzing back into my life.

She’s the new headmaster’s daughter.
The most beautiful girl I’ve ever met.
The one person on Earth who can expose what I’ve worked so tirelessly to hide:

That I’m the fucking villain in this story.

BROKEN PLAYBOY is the fourth book in the Windsor Academy world. While it may be read as a standalone, as it focuses on a new couple, your reading experience may be enhanced if you read the entire series in order.
Wicked Liars
Ruthless Kings
Fallen Heirs

AMAZON

Enter the release giveaway for Broken Playboy!
​​https://bit.ly/BROKENPLAYBOYRELEASEGIVEAWAY

There’s madness in our kiss. Complete chaos swirled with desperation.

Who read a series backasswards again and started with book 4?
Do I have regrets? Not. A. One.

Well, actually I do have one. And that’s the fact that I haven’t read this author sooner. Clearly I’ve been sleeping on Laura Lee, but I plan on changing this immediately.

But let’s talk about this book. What do we a have? Well, there’s a broody, tortured, and I mean SERIOUSLY tortured bad boy who drowns his demons in drugs, alcohol, and sex. Me? GIDDY. Give me more.

What else we have? A spitfire heroine who is sassy and tough, but not impeccable to our hero’s raw sexuality, no matter how much of an ass he’s being. Me? Slightly annoyed but really intrigued.

But in all seriousness, I actually really liked the dynamic. Bentley is a king of his high school. He’s the bad boy every guy wants to be, and every girl wants to be with. He’s also hiding secrets that are slowly eating away at him that not even his best friends know. I really loved the growth his character goes through. There’s so many layers to this guy. So many, that I didn’t even care that he used words like “dawg”. Sydney is the new girl on campus. She’s not the cliche poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks, but she’s not exactly stupid rich like the rest of the school. When she runs into Bentley, he looks familiar and she doesn’t know why. And Bentley? Well he hates her on the spot for reasons unknown to her.

There’s definitely some delicious tension and the enemies to lovers vibes are strong here and I gobbled them right up. I liked how Sydney takes no sh*t, even if she does give in too easily when Bentley turns the charm on and lets him get away too easy for his crap. But did I care? Not even a little. I was to invested.

The story has quite a bit of depth, and I loved how the author peels back the layers there as well. She doesn’t graze over the addiction element, which I appreciated. There’s plenty of background given that I didn’t feel lost having read this without the first three books. There’s definitely some story arc cross over and I greedily grabbed the first three books to learn more.

If you’re looking for a steamy enemies to lovers romance set in high school, this one was a clear winner for me. No cap. Did I use that right? I had to ask my daughter about that phrase. God I’m old.

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Review: Give Me A Reason by A.L. Jackson

August 30, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

GIVE ME A REASON
Series: Redemption Hills #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: August 30, 2021

From NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a single-dad, enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance about a jaded club owner and his son’s teacher…

Eden Murphy came into my club looking to make some extra cash.

A girl like her didn’t belong in a place like this.

She’d get ripped to shreds.

Most likely by me.

There’s nothing but sweetness dripping from her sexy little body, and I’m the monster who’s salivating to get a taste.

Trent Lawson is the last man I should want.

Dark.

Dangerous.

So wickedly gorgeous he makes my knees weak.

He’s also an arrogant jerk who happens to be my new boss.

When I discover his adorable son is also in my kindergarten class, I know I have to keep my distance.

But neither of us can ignore the attraction that flames.

One glance, and our hearts race.

One touch, and we’re aching for what we can’t have.

One night, and we’re falling fast.

Dragging her into my sordid world is wrong.

It doesn’t matter.

Eden Murphy is mine.

AMAZON

You are everything I didn’t know I needed.” Her words were panted into the thick air. That connection a glimmer in the room. Throbbing. Consuming. Binding us whole. I burrowed my face under her chin. My confession was pressed to her skin. “And you are everything I will never deserve.”

If you’ve read this author before, then you already know her lyrical writing style. I’m not a reader that enjoys prose, yet somehow when A.L. Jackson writes it, I can’t seem to get enough of it.

I’ve been salivating for this book ever since she announced it. The premise for the series sounded amazing, and now that I’ve been introduced to the Lawson brothers, I’m completely hooked. I’m so here for this gritty and emotional series.

Now as for this book, well it had me at enemies to lovers. And then sealed the deal with single daddy and son’s teacher. Trent is a MC that’s impossible not to fall for. Trent first meets Eden when she comes to his club for an interview. But he can smell her innocence a mile away and refuses to give her the chance, even when there’s an underlying attraction that simmers beneath the surface. Eden may look sweet as sunshine, but this is also a woman with a backbone. She’s not afraid to stand up for herself, even if it’s with the tatted and jaded club owner who refuses to give her the time of day. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and she needs the money to help her father.

I loved the dynamic between these two. Eden is sweet and wholesome, but she’s also a woman with a past. I loved the relationship she develops with Trent’s sweet son. And his son! Oh man. He may have been my favorite secondary character with his burst of sunshine, chatty demeanor, and sweet nature and open heart.

Trent is the definition of tortured. This is a man who is still running from his past and feels that it continues to taint him. He’s the son of a ruthless MC president and a man with blood on his hands who had to do what he needed to ensure his brothers’ safety and his own. Right now, all he cares about his protecting his son, and he can’t let any woman distract him. He doesn’t have anything left to give. Especially to a woman like Eden.

The enemies element of this book didn’t last long, though I wish it was a bit longer. It went from one to the other fairly quick, though I didn’t mind too much. I loved their chemistry and connection. I suppose I just wanted a bit more burn. Having said that, their relationship development was so organic and felt so right. I loved the way that Trent couldn’t stay away from her and the way that Eden sees past his dark and broody exterior to the tortured soul beneath.

There’s also a suspense element that I lived for and a twist at the end that I never saw coming. I’m completely hooked and desperate for more. I cannot wait till the next book!!

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Review: The Brazen by Willa Nash

July 15, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE BRAZEN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Calamity, Montana #3
Author: Willa Nash
Release Date: July 15, 2021

From USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry, writing as Willa Nash, comes a stranded together, small town romance.

Kerrigan Hale’s personal life is about as exciting as a bucket of tar. With hard work and hustle as her steadfast companions, who needs romance or adventure? Her empire in Calamity, Montana, isn’t going to build itself.

For years, her mentor—and investor—helped make her dreams come true. Until his unexpected death put her fate in his grandson’s hands. A brazen billionaire, he seems intent on ruining Kerrigan’s life.

But if Pierce Sullivan thinks she’ll go down without a fight, he’s sorely mistaken. Pushed to the extreme, she drives to his ritzy mountain lodge to force the arrogant You Can Call Me Mr. Sullivan to hear her out.

No sooner does she arrive than a snowstorm traps her with Pierce. Stranded together for days, she’s in for the battle of her life. Pierce is nearly irresistible by candlelight. Without his suits and fancy cars, he’s almost human.

Except only a fool would let down her guard. And Kerrigan can’t risk her future. Not when she doesn’t know if he’s out to pilfer her dreams . . . or to steal her heart.

AMAZON

Never in my life had I seen an angry woman I wanted to kiss so much.

The second I read about Kerrigan yelling at the sleek business man in The Bluff, I was immediately desperate for their story. I mean, can the set up sound more delicious? Small town romance, enemies to lovers, with a splash of force proximity. Yes, please, and thank you!

Kerrigan is exactly the type of heroine I love to read about. She’s intelligent, fiercely undefended though slightly down on her luck. She took a loan from a mentor to follow her dreams, but then the investor died in a tragic accident and his entirely too handsome for his own good grandson is in town to collect on the debt. Suffice it to say they clash at first sight.

I love this series and I simply adore this author, and while I enjoyed this installment, it wasn’t entirely my favorite. The romance was cute, but just a bit too insta love for my taste. Now, that’s not to say that they get all gooey eyes the second they meet, because let’s be clear, they hate each other, mostly. It takes months for them to get on the same page, but that happens off the pages, and so when they finally do get together, it feels quick. It was still highly satisfying, but I suppose I would have loved more of a burn.

That aside, I really enjoyed this one. Though I’d be lying that Pierce’s sassy assistant Nellie didn’t steal the thunder each time she appeared on the pages. And when we get more insight into her and Pierce’s best friend? GAH. ALL OF THE NEED. But I digress.

While I didn’t love every element of this story, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was swoony, emotional, with multi layered characters and plenty of heart. If you love small town romance, this series is simply not to be missed.


Willa Nash is USA Today Bestselling Author Devney Perry’s alter ego, writing contemporary romance stories for Kindle Unlimited. Lover of Swedish Fish, hater of laundry, she lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons. She was born and raised in Montana and has a passion for writing books in the state she calls home.

Devney loves hearing from her readers. Connect with her on social media!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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