Review: This Time Tomorrow by Tessa Bailey

June 22, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

THIS TIME TOMORROW
Series: Phenomenal Fate #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 22, 2020

Roksana, heiress to the vampire slayer throne, has performance anxiety.

She’s supposed to kill Elias, but so far she’s only succeeded in maxing out his credit card. Now her failure to stake the brooding vampire has sent her back to Moscow in disgrace to face her mother’s wrath. Expecting punishment by death, she’s given a rare reprieve. She now has three tasks to complete, the last of which is to finally kill Elias. She will not fail this time.

If only the memories of one magical evening—back when Elias was human, would stop holding her back. He claims to have forgotten that night. Why can’t she? Three years ago, Elias was a SWAT team member on a guy’s weekend in Vegas. Playing poker and minding his own business, his life changed forever when a captivating blonde strolled past his table in a light-up bra. He followed Roksana as if compelled, his very bones demanding he do so, his soul resonating with the belief she would be important to him. Always. That turned out to be a vast understatement—and nothing has changed.

Roksana embarks on her mission, determined to win back her mother’s approval, but when an astonishing truth emerges in the eleventh hour, will her stake pierce the very heart that beats in her honor? Or will love triumph over duty?

AMAZON

I love you,” he whispered, shaken by the emotion expanding in his throat, cradling her in his arms and carrying her to bed.
“No matter what happens this time tomorrow, that will never change.”

You guys. YOU GUYS! I’m practically vibrating with glee as I write this review. Because OMG. I mean OH MY GOD. This was EVERYTHING.

I’m going to date myself a little here, but I have to say, that if you’re a die hard fan of Buffy and Angel like I was, this is the holy grail of romances here. I mean; a sassy and smart mouthed vampire slayer falls for the dark, brooding, and uber protective alpha vampire. HELLO?!!! This was my happy place for the few hours it took me to absolutely DEVOUR THIS BOOK.
Now I have a confession to make here, too….
*whispers* I didn’t love the first book in this series. *cringes* I KNOW! I felt awful. I love me some Tessa Bailey, so to not like a book of hers, I felt like I was broken. But everything that I wished the first book was, the second book turned out to be. I’m not even exaggerating when I tell you that I devoured it. It was quick paced, emotional, and full of Bailey’s signature dirty talk that’s a one two punch straight to the ovaries. I LOVED IT.

Roksana is impossible not to love. I loved her as a secondary character, and I absolutely adored her as a main one. She’s so much more than just a smart mouthed slayer threatening to kill the vampires that she’s somehow been working along side with. Though her threats to kill them tomorrow sort of soften the intent. I was immediately gravitated towards the magnetic pull between her and Elias in the first book. But in this one? I was absolutely obsessed with it.

The story takes us back to the beginning of how these two first met and brings us into the now. Though you don’t find everything out right away, and you’re told in delicious bits and pieces until the puzzle begins to click together.

Elias was…GOD. This man was EVERYTHING. He loves Roksana beyond reason, even if she’s non the wiser for it. He’d die for her and would do anything for her, even if it’s sparing her the truth of something that has cost them both everything. His yearning for his woman was a tangible thing that you can practically taste from the pages. I’m not even kidding. It was utterly delicious. Their chemistry was absolutely incendiary. I couldn’t get enough of them and their push and pull. Talk about opposites attracting. Roksana’s mission is to kill him while he’d die to protect her. SWOON.

The world building here just did it for me. I was riveted to the quick paced story and all the side action it brought to the romance. And can we talk about this cover? PERFECTION. You bet your ass I’ll be buying the hell out of this paperback. And not just because I have every intention of re-reading this book countless times. If you’re looking for a sizzling hot PNR with one of the BEST couples that you will love to root for, don’t miss this one. Seriously. DO IT. Thank me for it later.

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Review: Reborn Yesterday by Tessa Bailey

April 23, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

REBORN YESTERDAY
Series: Phenomenal Fate #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: March 17, 2020

A timeless love story with bite.

It was a night like any other for funeral home director Ginny Lynn, until the exceptionally handsome—and unfortunately deceased—young man on her embalming table sat up, opened his emerald eyes and changed the course of her life
forever, making her feel quite fluttery while he was at it.

Humans aren’t supposed to know Jonas Cantrell, or any vampire, exists. It’s kind of a major rule. Despite his instantaneous bond with perfectly peculiar Ginny, he has no choice but to erase her memories of their one and only meeting.

That was the plan. Before a reluctant Jonas can wipe Ginny’s mind clean, she reveals a secret that brings their worlds crashing together. Human and vampire. Past and present. Darkness and light. And while their love is strictly forbidden, it might be the
only thing that can save them…

Reborn Yesterday is a standalone novel.

AMAZON 

I’ve been thinking on my rating for this book for weeks. And now as I’m posting my review, I’m still torn. Did I like it? Kind of.

Here’s the thing, guys. I love and I mean LOVE all things Tessa Bailey. When I see a new Tessa book, I don’t even bother to read the blurb. I know I’ll be reading it. And when I saw that she’s writing in a new genre for her? I was ALL over it. But here’s another thing. PNR is my first love. It was THE genre that got me into romance. So to say that I’m picky when it comes to it would be a mild understatement. Perhaps that’s what played a big role in my feelings for this story? What I’m saying here is take my review with a grain of salt. Many readers really loved this one and clearly I’m the anomaly.

So what worked for me? The characters. They were adorable. I love me a quirky heroine and Ginny was adorkably quirky. She’s a mortician with a goofball personality that enjoys making clothes on the side. It was impossible not to bond with her immediately. As much as I also wanted to love Jonas, I sort of waffled on two sides. A part of me loved his edgy and somewhat tortured side. Another part of me got frustrated by his purple prose-y side. The man is a dirty talking anomaly. He sounded like he belonged in a Victorian novel rather than a modern age PNR. I suppose he was too sweet for me in parts. God, that hurts to say. Don’t judge me. But he was.

The other thing is that the story itself felt campy. The world was difficult to fully wrap my mind around. The characters got a bit confusing. It was all mostly very…underwhelming. It just didn’t grab me. It took me almost a week to finish because I had to push myself to keep reading in the hopes that it would pick up soon, but it never did. The pacing was simply too slow.

I loved the idea of the series and the concept of the story. Unfortunately it just lacked something to truly grab me and connect me to the story. It did grab me enough to want to read the next book in the series. The set-up sounds delicious. Unfortunately no matter how much you love a certain author, you simply can’t love all of their books. This was that one for me. I still adore Tessa and can’t wait for the next one in this series.

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Review: The Darkest King by Gena Showalter

April 19, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

THE DARKEST KING
Series: Lords of the Underworld #15
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: February 25, 2020

A merciless prince feared by all…

Cursed by a vengeful witch, William of the Dark will die if he ever falls in love—murdered by the woman who steals his heart. His lone shot at redemption is a book filled with indecipherable code. Break the code, break the curse. Now, centuries later, he’s condemned to a string of one-night stands…until he finds the only woman in the worlds able to set him free.

A rare creature of myth and power…

One of the last living unicorn shifters, Sunday “Sunny” Lane works from the shadows as a cryptanalyst, on the run from assassins and poachers. Then the darkly seductive William abducts her, holding her captive in Hell. The closer they get, the more she hungers for his touch…and the stronger a mystical desire to kill him becomes…

Both forever doomed?

At war with his brother, Lucifer, and determined to become a king of the underworld at long last, William must resist the irreverent beauty who threatens his future. But every day Sunny tempts him more, his hunger for her unmatched. Will he risk his heart—and his life—or will the curse ensure his end?

AMAZON | NOOK | B-A-M | KOBO 

He wouldn’t be happy until he’d possessed her, body and soul. 

15 books. 15 FREAKING BOOKS! Over ten years I have been waiting for this moment. Never in my life did I practice this much patience. I’m telling you people, I don’t know how I’ve made it. After Paris, William’s book had to be one of my most anticipated Lords. We’re talking about the ultimate manwhore here. And you know what they say about the bigger they are? I couldn’t wait to see the woman that would bring him to his knees.

Now before I get into my review, let me address the pink elephant in the room real quick like. Gillian. I spent years and over 8 books utterly CONVINCED these two would end up together. The build up was there. The chemistry was there. I was THIRSTY for these two. Thirsty I tell you. Then Gillian’s book was announced…and she didn’t end up with William. So color me pissed here. But my love of all things Gena Showalter wouldn’t allow me the doubt. So I dove into The Darkest Warrior with no hopes and ended up absolutely loving it. Was I happy that Willy and Gilly don’t end up together? At the end, I got it. I really did. So I was eager to get to William’s book.

Welcome to Pleasure 101, baby. Class is in session, and Professor Climax has a hands-on assignment prepared. Screamers earn extra credit.”

Enter, stage right, Sunny. One of the last known surviving unicorn shifters. That’s right. A freaking unicorn. Who is also a badass. A badass, unicorn shifter, that goes from sweet and cute to vicious in 5 seconds flat. I kind of loved her.
Sunny may also be the only being alive that can help William break his curse. The problem with that is that she happens to be his mate, who is cursed to kill him once she falls for him. Talk about complicated.

Ah. I understand the switch. You’re a bad shot, so you need a bigger target. No wonder you selected my cock.”
“Good point,” she said, returning the barrel to his face. “There’s nothing bigger than your ego.”

The chemistry between the two of them was downright incendiary. As per Showalter’s usual, the banter was also on point. The woman writes some of the best banter. And Sunny sure knew how to give as hard as she gets. These two didn’t hold back any punches when it came to their complicated relationship. It was a delicious enemies to lovers story with plenty of twists along the way.

The reason I’m taking off a star is this book had some pretty embarrassing grammatical errors. At one point she jokes to William about being “artificially incriminated”. Usually, I’m not a big stickler for grammar, but when an ebook is over $11 and is traditionally published, then yes, I’ll be taking off a star. My expectations for grammar are pretty dang high at that price point. It is what it is.

Did I love this story? Hell to the yes. This marks the end of the Lords saga but there’s a spinoff coming and I cannot flipping wait. I’m sure it will be a hot minute until we get Hades’s book but I NEED it. The other set ups also sounds pretty delicious.

If you’re hesitant to read this one because you were rooting for Gilly and Willy, give it a shot. Gena made a believer out of me with this and trust me, I had concerns. BIG concerns. But I ultimately loved William and Sunny together.

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Review: Kiss of Vengeance by S. Young

March 3, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

KISS OF VENGEANCE
Series: True Immortality #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: S. Young
Release Date: March 3, 2020

A standalone adult paranormal romance from New York Times Bestselling author Samantha Young writing as S. Young.

Fionn Mór was once a high king of Ireland; a fierce warrior who led his tribes against the invading fae. It was a war he couldn’t win and to save his family he turned consort for the Fae Queen. Fionn escaped as the thing he once despised, and the people he loved betrayed him for it. Now, centuries later, it’s time to reopen the gates to Faerie to take his revenge against the Faerie Queen.

At sixteen Rose Kelly discovered family secrets that changed her forever. Years after, she’s still lost, traveling across Europe in search of that elusive missing ‘something’. When she’s attacked by a vampire, not only is she wrenched into a supernatural underworld she never knew existed, a knock on the head releases a spell on her mind and unlocks powers beyond her wildest imaginings. And with them more questions. Questions Fionn Mór claims to have answers to.

Following the powerful and enigmatic Fionn to Ireland, Rose quickly realizes she’s a pawn in his plan for vengeance. What begins as a passionate battle of wills leads to an inexplicable but undeniable connection. One that will force them to face an impossible choice between the deepest love… and the darkest revenge.

AMAZON

No one had ever kissed her like Fionn. Like she was air. Life. Food and water all in one.

I am completely obsessed with this vividly rich world that Young has created and my obsession only grows with each new book. I thought I loved the first book in this series, so I was completely unprepared just how much more this one would suck me in. WOW.

PNR was the genre that made me fall in love with romance. So suffice it to say I’m incredibly picky when it comes to it. There’s something so unique and authentic about this world and these characters, in a way that only Young can create, that I just can’t seem to get enough of.

He wanted to fuck the woman he planned to use in his vengeance. It was inconvenient to say the least.

While this is a standalone with a new couple, I highly recommend reading War of Hearts first as it really paves the foundation of the story. There’s an overarching story arc that continues with each book and I really feel like you’d miss out on the full experience of the story not having read the books in order.

Fionn was a character that grabbed me in the first book and he wasn’t even represented in real life. We just learn about him as the heroine read about him and he was THAT vivid. Now the full experience of Fionn? Holy moly! The man is intense. Fionn is desperate for vengeance against the queen of fae that took away everything from him. He’s been hunting for a way back to their world ever since he’s been awakened, and when he stumbles into Rose, he knows that not even his deep rooted desire for her will stop him from doing what he needs to do.

Rose Kelly doesn’t know who she is. She’s been a nomad for years. Never staying in one place long enough to form any connections. But when she looks into the arresting eyes of Fionn Mór when he walks into the bar she works at, she has a sense of something more. Little does she know her true role in his mission.

I devoured this book. The story is a bit of a slow burn but perfectly paced. There’s so many layers to this book that go beyond the romance. That’s not to say the romance didn’t take center stage, because man did it! I loved Story and Fionn together. What I love the most about this series is how incredibly strong and capable the heroines are. They aren’t damsels in distress waiting for a strong man to ride in and ave the day. They’re fierce. And Rose is certainly no exception. She may be young but she’s not naive. She’s strong and fiery with a sharp tongue and a quick wit.

I’m completely addicted to this series and salivating for the next book. If you’re a fan of PNR, this is an absolute must read. And if you’re not, this series may make a converter out of you.

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Review: War Of Hearts by S. Young

October 4, 2019 by ·

WAR OF HEARTS
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: S. Young
Release Date: October 1, 2019

New York Times Bestselling author Samantha Young writing as S. Young.

Thea Quinn has no idea what she is. All she knows is that her abilities have been a plague upon her life since she was a child. After years of suffering at the hands of a megalomaniac, Thea escaped and has been on the run ever since.

The leadership and protection of his pack are of the utmost importance to Conall MacLennan, Alpha and Chief of Clan MacLennan, the last werewolf pack in Scotland. Which is why watching his sister slowly die of a lycanthropic disease is emotional torture. When Conall is approached by a businessman who offers a cure for his sister in exchange for the use of Conall’s rare tracking ability, Conall forges an unbreakable contract with him. He has to find and retrieve the key to the cure: dangerous murderer, Thea Quinn.

Thea’s attempts to evade the ruthless werewolf are not only thwarted by the Alpha, but by outside dangers. With no choice but to rely on one another for survival, truths are revealed, intensifying a passionate connection they both fight to resist. At war with themselves and each other, Conall and Thea’s journey to Scotland forces them to face a heartrending choice between love and betrayal.

War of Hearts is a standalone paranormal romance.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

 

Stepping back inside the motel room, Thea halted as Conall came out of the bathroom. His height caused a logistical problem for her next move.Although his color hadn’t fully returned to normal, the wolf was looking much stronger. She didn’t know if she could take him in a fight when he was at full strength, which was more than a little concerning. As if he’d read her mind, he cut her an expressionless look. “You should have left me to die, lass.”

“Probably. I guess I’m just going to have to take the chance you were bluffing.”

He frowned and opened his mouth to question her, but Thea had already made her move.

Before he could comprehend it, she was on the bed behind him and reaching for his head before his weakened reflexes could catch up.

The crack of his neck echoed around the room, causing a sick lurch in Thea’s stomach.

For some reason, stupid tears stung her eyes as she watched his body hit the ground with an almighty thud. Why should she care? It wasn’t like he was dead. She’d knocked him out. For … however long he took to heal.

And he had stuck her with that goddamn injection.

Speaking of …

Thea jumped off the mattress, avoiding Conall’s body. Earlier when she’d been treating his wounds, she’d spied the syringes in the first aid kit. Grabbing them, Thea hurried out of the motel room and toward the fields beyond. Quickly she dug a hole with her bare hands and buried the syringes. Hurrying back, she avoided staring at Conall because he looked very much dead.

She grabbed his wallet and as she took his money, leaving him his credit cards, a folded-up photograph caught her attention. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled it out. Smoothing her fingers across the picture, she spotted who she thought was Conall only to realize it wasn’t. The man who looked like him was standing next to a much younger Conall, and Thea deduced it was his father. The younger Conall had his arm around the waist of a small, redheaded girl buried into his side. And beside the man she’d mistaken for Conall was a beautiful redheaded woman.

Was this Conall and his family?

They were standing on a rocky beach, a beautiful lake and mountains behind them.

Thea wondered which one of them was sick. Which of these people was he willing to sacrifice her for?

Memories of her own parents swelled in her throat, burning and screaming to get out. But Thea shoved them back down as she shoved the photograph into his wallet.

There were times she pulled those memories out and let herself swim in the pain because it was worth it to remember the happy moments.

But now was not the time.

With a ruthless supernatural sure to wake up from a broken neck wanting to kill her, and some unknown entity out there hunting her too, now was very much the time to go.


Holy…WOW. I am HOOKED. Line and sinker on all of the words. On this amazing world. On what I’m desperately now hoping will be a series. Because this book seriously blew me away.

I’m a HUGE PNR fan, and so it goes without saying I’m also ridiculously picky when it comes to the genre. But considering how much I adore Samantha Young’s contemporaries, I knew without even reading the blurb to this book that I had to have it. And when I finally read the blurb? I was frothing at the mouth to get my hands on it.

If there’s one thing that is especially hard for PNR books to do, is the world building. All too often I’ll read a PNR story that ends up being a data dump of epic proportions or there’s just not enough world building to truly grasp or understand. This was none of those things. This felt like a movie reel unraveling behind my eyes as I was turning the pages. A magic, fantastical world that I couldn’t get enough of.

Thea Quinn is on the run but she’s no weakling. As a matter of fact, she’s frightfully strong. But the most frightening thing is she has no idea what she is or where her strength comes from. She’s been on the run for years from something that threatens everything for her.

Conall MacLennan, is the Alpha and Chief of Clan MacLennan, and one of the most fearsome and strong werewolves there is. When a man comes to him and offers him a deal to save his terminally ill sister in exchange for him hunting down a dangerous fugitive, it doesn’t take him long to make up his mind. Being one of the best trackers, it doesn’t take him long to track down Thea. Unfortunately it also doesn’t take him long to figure out that neither Thea or everything else surrounding their situation is what it seems.

The story was an action packed page turner. There’s nothing I love more than a strong heroine, and boy did Thea check that box for me. The woman is fierce. At times, her power overshadows even that of Conall. But what I loved the most is that it never diminished Conall’s intensity. If anything, watching the way he handles it just added to his appeal.

The romance is a slow burn, and while it’s a little tamer that what I’m used to from this author, it was no less satisfying. I loved these two together, but I especially loved the unraveling of their unique world and learning more about many of the mysterious secondary characters. There’s enough of a hook at the end to make me think that there will be more to come in this world and I can’t wait! If you’re looking for an addicting and unique PNR, look no further. This will check all of your boxes!

Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha’s first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Fight or Flight. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.

Connect with S. Young:

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Review: Frost and Flame by Gena Showalter

September 18, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

FROST AND FLAME
Series: Gods of War #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: September 17, 2019

From Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author of the Lords of the Underworld saga, comes Frost and Flame , the second book in the scorching paranormal romance series Gods of War.

Bane of Adwaeweth is the most feared immortal warrior in All War history. Possessed by a bloodthirsty beast, he will stop at nothing to win. Then he meets irresistible Nola Lee. He hates the power she wields over him, but she alone can rain vengeance upon his wife’s killer.

Unaware of her destiny to rule as queen of beasts, Nola battles illness, addiction and vulnerability. With Bane, however, she experiences pleasure for the first time, and only wants more. But being with him comes with a terrible price.

With enemies lurking around every corner, Bane and Nola must fight to survive. But time is running out, and neither can resist the sizzling attraction blazing between them. Will their romance save the beast and his beauty, or destroy everything they’ve come to love?

AMAZON 

You are my salvation and my damnation, rolled into one beautiful package.”


Well hot diggity damn, this was great! I’m so happy I gave this series another shot after not quite connecting with the first book, because this one officially hooked me. The connection and chemistry that I found lacking in the first one was absolutely incendiary in this one. Pun intended.

I was so curious about Bane and Nola’s book from the second they appeared in Shadow and Ice. The story here runs parallel to the one in the first book. But I will say that if you haven’t read the first, you may struggle in parts. This story doesn’t go as much into depth into some of the background given in the first, so I’d definitely recommend giving that a read before diving into this one.

Bane was a hero that was impossible not to love even if his hot and cold behavior did make me want to jock punch him more often than not. A dragon shifter, he’s a fierce warrior that is bound to the command of an evil queen that he’s sworn vengeance on. Determined to win the third All War in order to achieve his goal, he knows immediately that Nola plays an intricate part in his revenge.

Nola and Vale are foster sisters and tight as thieves. And while I liked Vale’s character, I absolutely loved Nola. There’s just something so endearing about a woman that’s dealing with an opioid addiction due to her fibro and lupus yet is still fierce as hell. This is not a woman that takes her situation lying down. Her body may be weak, but not her spirit. And I absolutely loved watching her fierceness grow with each chapter. She’s definitely much more than a simple mortal.

The connection between Nola and Bane is instant, even though Bane fights it tooth an nail. Knowing what Nola’s destiny is doesn’t help this matter. Bane already loved and lost, and he’s not looking to let another soon to be evil loyal get her hooks in him. But the more time they spend together, the more he sees just how different Nola is.

As per usual Showalter fashion, the quips and zingers are on point. With a splash of her signature humor and banter, the romance was everything I needed! I loved the internal monologue and I absolutely loved the two of them together. There’s a secondary character introduced that I can’t wait to learn more about, especially with the twist you learn in the end. I’m happy to report that while I felt overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information and too many characters in the first book, this was nothing like it. There was just enough story and plenty of romance to make this an absolute page turner. I did wish we got a little more in the end there because it did feel like it wrapped up much too quick for all of the build up, but it was still satisfying. I’m thinking we’ll be getting a little more on these two in the next book, but even if we don’t, there’s still a satisfying enough conclusion.

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Review: Untamed Delights by Suzanne Wright

August 7, 2019 by ·

UNTAMED DELIGHTS
Series: The Phoenix Pack #8
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Suzanne Wright
Release Date: July 16, 2019

Return to the sensual and feral stirrings of the Phoenix Pack as a woman who’s already bound to one man is tempted by a wolf who’s bound only to his nightly desires.

Cat shifter Mila Devereaux can’t help but see it as a betrayal. That her one true mate imprinted himself on another female was hard enough to accept. Struggling to be at peace with her loveless fate, she doesn’t fight the suggestion of entering an arranged mating. Then she meets Dominic, a pack enforcer with a notorious reputation. It’s in his very scent. This irresistible playboy—and delicious badass wolf—is making Mila’s fantasies come alive again.

Alarming, compelling, and heady with sensual energy, Dominic is an expert at making women shed their inhibitions. Now everything about him—his killer smile, his perfectly sculpted body, and his smooth-as-honey voice—is drawing in a captivating new catch. But for the first time in his life, Dominic is feeling more than a fling. He finds himself tantalized by a female who makes him think of forever. He wants all of Mila and won’t be satisfied until he has it.

As the passion grows wild, so does the risk. They’re falling in love in the shadows and secrets of their pasts. And it’s threatening to destroy everything Mila and Dominic are fighting for. And are destined for.

AMAZON


I’ll bet you’re one of those guys who gives his cock a name.”
“I call mine ‘the truth.’”
“The truth?”
“Because women can’t handle it.”

Finally, my favorite goofball of the Phoenix Pack gets a book and he did NOT disappoint. Dom has been one of my absolute favorite secondary characters in this series. The man can deliver a cheesy pick up line like no other.

As it happens, my Alpha is considering having me committed. Especially since I keep claiming my watch is magic. But it really is.”
She gave him a droll look. “Is that so?”
“Oh yeah.” He glimpsed at his watch. “According to this, you’re not wearing underwear.”
Her brows drew together. “Actually, I am.”
“Really? Hmm.” Frowning, he tapped the watch. “Must be an hour fast.”

But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was a little afraid to read his book because of this. While Dom was great in small doses, I wasn’t sure how the author would pull off an entire book that may be full of his goofball tactics. So color me surprised when I learned that Dom is easily one of the most multi-layered characters I’ve read in this series. Seriously, y’all, the man’s layers have layers, and they’re DEEP. You think you know him, but there’s a wealth of pain that he keeps hidden under the goofball facade. And if you think you know what that pain is, you couldn’t be more wrong.

If there’s one thing that I love about Suzanne Wright, it’s her ability to deliver some of the sassiest and feistiest heroines ever. And when it comes Mila, she was no exception. I love the cute and fluffy yet vicious dynamic of the pallas cats, and Mila was awesome! This woman can kick some serious a$$ and look adorable doing it.

The story definitely didn’t disappoint either. Both Mila and Dom had a super intriguing story line. First with Dom’s love em and leave em past coming back to really bite him on the butt. And Mila dealing with the fallout of meeting her true mate but after he falls in love and imprints on her cousin.

In true Wright fashion there’s plenty of sizzle in this quick paced and action packed romance. Dom and Mila together were incendiary. I loved watching him really have to work for a female for once. And Mila sure mad him work. This is a woman that doesn’t give in easily, but when she does? FIREWORKS!!!

If you’ve been eagerly anticipating Dom’s book like I have been, you definitely won’t be disappointed with this one!

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Excerpt: Shadow & Ice by Gena Showalter

October 30, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

 

SHADOW AND ICE
Series: Gods of War #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: October 23, 2018

Gena Showalter, the New York Times bestselling author who brought you the Lords of the Underworld, introduces a scorching new paranormal romance series… Gods of War.

Knox of Iviland has spent his life competing in the All Wars, where vicious warriors with supernatural powers fight to the death to claim new realms. One winner takes everything—and all losers die. Enslaved as a child for his ability to control shadows, the most ruthless champion in history will stop at nothing to kill his king. But first he must win the battle for Earth. When a fearsome weapon imprisons every combatant in ice, centuries pass without progress…until she walks in.

Vale London craves a fun arctic getaway with her foster sister before settling down to open a bakery. Street-tough but vulnerable, she is unprepared to find ancient gods escaping a frozen cave—merciless beings who target her when she inadvertently enters their war.

Though Vale is now his enemy, Knox is consumed with lust and a fierce need to protect her. But only one combatant can prove victorious, and he will have to choose: live for freedom, or die for love.

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Present DaySomewhere in the Arctic Circle

“Heads are going to roll.”

Sore, tired and chilled to the bone, Vale London dropped a ten thousand pound backpack, leaned against a wall of ice and scanned her surroundings—a sea of snow broken up by mountains and seracs that made her fancy that ocean waves had flash-froze just before they’d come crashing down.

Frigid wind howled, the sound of it somehow more glacial than the below zero temp, screams of pain and helplessness seeming to echo within.

“Are we talking literally or figuratively?” Her be­loved foster sister Magnolia “Nola” Lee dropped her pack as well, sat atop it and drew a thick flannel blan­ket around her shoulders. “With you I never know.”

Vale savored the flavor of sweetened brown butter that coated her tongue. At some point in her childhood development, wires had gotten crossed in her brain, leaving her with a severe case of synesthesia. She heard sounds, just like everyone else, but she tasted them, too. Letters also registered as colors, and numbers appeared as a three-dimensional map inside her head.

The more nuanced the sound, the richer the flavor.

“Figuratively…maybe,” she replied. “The next time I see our absentee guide, he’ll be lucky to walk away. Or even crawl.” She wasn’t known as a street-tough scrap­per for nothing! And the POS had ruined what was sup­posed to be the vacation of a lifetime, so he had to pay.

Dang it, Nola hadn’t needed this kind of stress, or danger. She’d needed a break. The girl worked two full time jobs. If she wasn’t baking and selling the goods at local office buildings, she was writing How To copy for her dating column in Oklahoma Love Match magazine. And Vale… Vale had needed a break from everything. Had hoped to enjoy one last hoorah—or maybe a first hoorah—before she and Nola settled down and opened a fancy-schmancy gourmet donut shop slash catering center slash speed dating and bachelorette party hub, with Vale on paperwork duty and Nola behind the oven and the counter.

Vale’s biggest mistake? Booking each extracurric­ular activity with the cheapest company possible, in order to do more stuff on a limited budget. Quality beat quantity; she understood that now. So how about a break, world?


Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

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Excerpt & Review: The Darkest Warrior by Gena Showalter @HarlequinBooks @InkSlingerPR

July 7, 2018 by · 1 Comment

 

The Queen of Paranormal Romance, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gena Showalter, returns with THE DARKEST WARRIOR, a searing Lords of the Underworld tale featuring a beastly prince and the wife he will wage war to keep.

THE DARKEST WARRIOR
Series: Lords of the Underworld #14
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: June 26, 2018

He is ice…

Puck the Undefeated, host of the demon of Indifference, cannot experience emotion without punishment, so he allows himself to feel nothing. Until her. According to ancient prophecy, she is the key to avenging his past, saving his realm and ruling as king. All he must do? Steal her from the man she loves—and marry her.

She is fire…

Gillian Shaw has suffered many tragedies in her too-short life, but nothing could have prepared the fragile human for her transition into immortality. To survive, she must wed a horned monster who both intrigues and frightens her…and become the warrior queen she was born to be.

Together they burn.

As a rising sense of possession and obsession overtake Puck, so does insatiable lust. The more he learns about his clever, resourceful wife, the more he craves her. And the more time Gillian spends with her protective husband, the more she aches for him. But the prophecy also predicts an unhappily-ever-after. Can Puck defeat fate itself to keep the woman who brought his deadened heart back to life? Or will they succumb to destiny, losing each other…and everything they’ve been fighting for?

Grab your copy of THE DARKEST WARRIOR here!

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Puck eased into the room, silent, and padded forward. Wait. Had he remembered to dress today? A quick glance down revealed his sheepskin pants had been torn so much they resembled a loincloth. No matter. Barbarian chic really made his horns pop and fit the whole romance-novel-hero mystique he’d hoped to convey. He might even pass for Prince Charming—well, a prince in need of true love’s kiss.

Puck’s pulse points spun into a wild rhythm when he reached the side of the bed and spied his future bride. He wasn’t the only fairy-tale character in the room. Sleeping beauty lies before me.

Dark ribbons of hair spilled over the pale pink of the pillow. Her eyes were closed, long black lashes throwing shadows over her cheeks. A rosy flush spread over her delicate features as she parted her lips.

Practically begging for my kiss.

Focus! Keep this short and sweet. No telling when William would return.

“Gillian,” he rasped, surprised by the husky tone of his voice.

A sweet fragrance wafted from her. Breathing in, he detected a note of poppiberries, and his head fogged. His blood heated. The butterfly tattoo sizzled on his torso, surely melting his skin.

Indifference snarled with more force and slashed at his mind. Trouble brewed.

Fortify ice. Regain control.

Gillian turned her head toward him and blinked rapidly before focusing on him. Panic filled her whiskey-colored eyes before she looked away—anywhere but Puck. Her mouth opened wide, as if she was trying to scream. Only a squeak escaped.

“There’ll be none of that now.” To prove himself harmless, he tucked the covers around her, as he’d seen William do. “I’m not here to hurt you.” Truth.

The movement caused the razors woven into his hair to clink together, drawing her attention. Her gaze darted to him and darkened with shock and dismay. He swallowed a curse. Romance novel heroes didn’t usually smuggle weapons in their hair.

Must proceed anyway. Puck wouldn’t part with his razors; they were his saving grace. Anytime he was challenged, and had no sword or dagger, he plucked a razor free and started slashing.

Tears rained down Gillian’s cheeks, and her chin trembled. So vulnerable. So broken. A pang of…something lanced his chest.

As gently as possible, he wiped her tears away. Skin as soft as silk and hotter than the sun.

The action helped relax her, even as it hardened muscle after muscle inside him. Her panic began to fade—until her gaze snagged on the loincloth. Or rather, the erection underneath the loincloth. With a whimper, she began to thrash atop the bed in a desperate bid to escape.

Thought he would take what she had not offered? Never. “Eyes up here, lass.”

Her gaze lifted up, up…she gasped, as if she’d noticed his face for the very first time. Confusion contorted her features before a deeper shade of rose spilled over her cheeks.

Did she like what she saw?

He hadn’t known it at the time, but he’d waited for her, had craved her. Only her. A woman strong enough to feel when he could not. A woman unwilling to let him shut down his own emotions, who knew the rarity of joy, who would settle for nothing less.

Before I get into my review, let’s address the pink elephant in the room, shall we? The pairing for Gillian in this book has been a polarizing one, to say the least. Many readers, myself included, were waiting for a Gillian and William book…finally…after so many books in this series that has been hinting at it. When I read the blurb for Darkest Warrior, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I mean, Gillian and Puck? What about all the relationship development that happened throughout the series that led us to believe it will be Gillian and William’s HEA. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but I decided to put my trust into Gena and reserve my ultimate judgement until I read the book. And after finishing? I’m one hundred percent #TeamPuck. Because when I thought about it, throughout the series that are hints of why William wasn’t the perfect match for her and after seeing her with Puck, I totally get why he’s a much better match for her.

Three things happened for me in this book:
1. I ended up loving Gillian even more
2. I’m completely re-hooked on this series
3. I fell head over hooves for Puck

Deep down, he had a secret, shameful desire to keep a woman all to himself, to learn every little detail about her past, all her hopes and dreams. He dreamed of spending weeks, months, years pampering her and her alone, branding himself in and on her. Being branded by her. He yearned to have a “mine.” Maybe one day he could.

I’ll admit, I struggled with the first 15% of the story. There’s a lot of inner monologue that happens and I found my interest waning in and out. Some of it may have been my own bias against anyone other than William taking up Gillian’s attention. But then somewhere around the 20% mark, something happened. Something just clicked for me and I began to fall more and more for Puck. The lethal warrior set on a quest to take back his kingdom and the host of the demon of Indifference. Let me tell you, it’s no small feat to pull off a connection like the one between Gilly and Puck with Indifference as your demon. But not only did that happen, but the chemistry between them was through the roof hot.

He kissed her as if his survival depended on it, demanding total surrender. Surrender she happily ceded.

Gillian has always been the wounded bird of the group. With her tender age and scars from her childhood, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about her as a heroine, especially compared to the typical Showalter sassy heroines. I’m happy to report that the development that happened with Gilly in this story turned her into one heck of a badass. And it felt so right. I loved and I mean loved the direction that the author took with her and I couldn’t get enough of it.

The chemistry between Gillian and Puck is instant and potent. As you read the development of their relationship, something clicks, and you just get it. You understand why Gilly couldn’t have ended up with William and why Puck is such a better match for her. Was it disappointing? Maybe in the beginning. But by the time I was finished, I totally got it, and I was wholeheartedly behind it.

He had an entire solar system in those irises, and she felt like she was the sun.

There’s a lot of story that happens here. Plenty of loose ends that get tied up and plenty of development that leave you with even more questions. A lot of the things that happened in the previous books all led to the events in this one. There’s plenty of Hades, Keely, and William developments that take place here that only serve to whet your appetite for more. And this reader couldn’t get enough of it.

The Darkest Warrior was a deliciously addicting read full of action, plot twits, and a sizzling romance. I loved every page of it. Fourteen books into this series and I’m still hooked and can’t wait for more. If you’re wondering about what happens to William, there’s a heck of a hook that we get in the development of his story by the end of this one. And I for one cannot wait to see how it all unfolds. As for this book, I’m completely satisfied with how everything resolved. While I wasn’t 100% behind this pairing at first, I simply can’t imagine Gillian with anyone other than Puck after I was done. So if you’re anything like me and find yourself unsure how you feel, I say take a chance and you just may end up loving it as much as I did!

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she’s appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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New Release & Review: Leap Of The Lion by Cherise Sinclair

November 14, 2017 by ·

LEAP OF THE LION 
Series: The Wild Hunt Legacy #4
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Release Date: November 14, 2017

She shifts for the first time on the day of her escape.

After a decade of captivity, Darcy MacCormac escapes the corrupt, clandestine organization called the Scythe, leaving family and friends behind. She must find a way to rescue them. Discovered by other shifters, the brand-new cougar gets two mentors. Blademage Gawain is an easy-going blacksmith with a steel-hard core. His brother Owen is a deadly warrior. Grumpy. Rude. And he doesn’t like her.

They aren’t the mates she’d dreamed of—they’re more.

Powerful, dominating Owen protects the clan—especially the weak—and the only remnant of an abused childhood is his avoidance of females. Now he has to mentor one? Although Gawain soon falls for the dauntless little cat, Owen knows better than to lose his head. But Darcy has a gift for repairing everything…including damaged hearts.

Love isn’t in her destiny.

In the brothers’ arms, Darcy finds safety. Comfort. And love. But however much she longs for a future with Owen and Gawain, her people need her. Somehow, she must find the courage and skills to save them, even if the attempt demands her life.

AMAZON

This was why a male lived. Why he fought. To win a female’s love and keep her safe. For this female—for Darcy—he would willingly fight the entire world.

Two things happened almost simultaneously after I finished this book. One, I was kicking myself for a good two hours for not discovering this series before now. And two, I immediately went and one clicked the rest of these books.

There’s just something so magical about Cherise Sinclair’s writing, that no matter what she writes, it never fails to grab you and suck you right into its world. And even though I started this series with book 4, I had no problem at all getting imbedded in the deeply descriptive and rich world of Sinclair’s shifters. Their language, their customs, their enemies, and their love life immediately caught my interest and kept me riveted to the pages until the end.

Darcy MacCormac is an incredible heroine. Here is a female that has seen and lived through atrocities at the hands of the evil Scythe organization during her ten years as their captive. She’s seen her friends suffer at the hands of their experiments, she’s seen friends die, and she’s left with scars both internal and external. Yet, none of that diminished her strength and will to live. So when she has the chance to escape, she grabs it, for the chance to ultimately come back and rescue the rest of the shifter females still imprisoned by the Scythe.

Her escape brings her straight into a world that she was born into but due to her imprisonment knows very little about. Owen and Gawain, two brothers that helped rescue her from being recaptured and whose only thing in common is their blood, are assigned to be her trainers. They’re to teach her to shift and control her abilities while keeping her safe and finding the Scythe compound.

Here are two men that couldn’t be more different. Suffering their own individual scars of their past and a selfish and abusive mother has left them scattered. Owen is a gruff, grumpy protector who believes all women to be inherent liars. Gawain is a sweetheart that even though has every reason to avoid love, deep down yearns for it. And in the middle of it all is a female that makes them realize that perhaps a future full of love and passion is not so foreign.

Leap of The Lion is full of so much emotion, it was almost painful at times. Everything that Owen suffered in his past and everything that Darcy has gone through give them a bond unlike any other. Darcy makes Owen see beyond his past and realize that not all women are the same. I loved the slow built passion between the two. And then with Gawain in the mix as well? FORGET ABOUT IT.

I mean, a female with not one but TWO life mates? Sign me up for that. But don’t think this is some gratuitous MFM non stop orgy. While the passion is definitely there, it’s a slow burn. There’s a lot of story that takes place, that admittedly I found slow at times. I understood the set up and the backstories needed to be told, but they did slow down the pace of the book considerably.

I loved the rest of the secondary characters and The Wild Hunt World. I really loved the romance, and I especially loved the story. There’s so much that happened here besides the romance, but the romance was definitely center stage. If you’re a fan of PNR, this is a series that simply must be read. I know I plan on going back and binging on it immediately.

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

HOUR OF THE LION (FREE) | WINTER OF THE WOLF | EVENTIDE OF THE BEAR | LEAP OF THE LION

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