Mini Reviews Monday

Lily O’Connell, a succubus, owns Lily Bound, an elite sex salon in the Blood Night District of Seattle. When a client is murdered in her house, a patch of skin missing from his chest, she knows there’s something evil afoot. Then comes the news that the Souljacker—a tattoo-artist-turned-vampire—has escaped from an institution for criminally deranged Supernaturals. And he’s hunting and killing everyone he has ever inked.

With one of the Souljacker’s tattoos on her thigh and nowhere else to turn, Lily hires Archer Desmond, a chaos demon and PI, to help her track down the vampire before he finds her and her friends. But Lily didn’t plan to fall for Archer. And as the old tales say—a succubus who falls in love will destroy the heart of the one she seeks to claim. 

3 stars!

This had a lot of potential as far as plot and characters go, but something about it just fell a little flat. Whether or not that was due to the slightly dry narration in the audiobook or if it was a fault of the book, I can't say. Regardless, I didn't connect with the heroine.

While the premise was really interesting in the beginning, it took a safe and boring turn and didn't live up to all it could be.

I am curious about what will happen in the second book though, and will likely continue and give it a second chance.

We fell in love on a beach, got married in paradise, and I carried her off into the sunset. It should have been perfect, but saying “I do” doesn’t guarantee a happily-ever-after.

Two years later, I barely recognize either of us behind the walls we’ve built.

It’s time to bring it full circle. Back to a tropical paradise. Back to find out if we can still make this work.

I’m not willing to give her up, but to save us, I have to risk everything. 

Two damaged people. 

Countless secrets. 

The fight of our lives.

We might be broken, but we’re not done.

4.5 stars!

Sexy, fun, gripping at times and highly emotional at others. This left me with some serious desire for seafood, islands and boats. ;)

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this story, and blew through the audiobook in a day. Fantastic narration, too!

A new standalone from New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. 

I met Bianca in an elevator.
She was on her way to interview me when we got stuck.
The beautiful, raven-haired reporter assumed I was a delivery guy because of the way I was dressed.
She had no clue I was really Dex Truitt, the wealthy, successful businessman she’d dubbed “Mister Moneybags”—her afternoon appointment.
Bianca told me how much she hated Dex’s type—snobby, over educated, silver- spooned men who didn't appreciate the simple things in life.
So, after the elevator finally started moving again, I cancelled the interview and let her believe I was someone I wasn’t—a bike messenger named Jay. I loved the way she looked at the fake me and didn't want it to end.
I began dating her as “Jay”—all the while letting her interview the real me over email.
I didn’t expect that our chemistry online would be just as hot. 
I didn’t expect the mess I’d gotten myself into.
I didn’t expect that Jay and Dex would fall in love with her.
And she was falling for two men. 
Only, both men were me. 
And when she found out, we were both going to lose her.
Nothing could have prepared me for that day. And I certainly wasn't prepared for what came after.
All good things must come to an end, right?
Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.

4 stars!

Ah, there's nothing quite like the sexy times and drama that comes from a Keeland/Ward mashup. This writing duo is such a guilty pleasure of mine, and this didn't disappoint. 

Despite the hero's antics during the first part of the book, I really felt for him and enjoyed his character throughout the story. Couldn't really connect with the heroine, but I didn't have any major problems with her either way. 

And oh, that drama....it was so good in an insane kind of way. ;)

When his younger brother loses interest in online dating, hot, bearded, bartender extraordinaire, Joe Collins, only intends to log into his account and shut it down. Until he reads about her.

Alex Parks is funny, friendly, and pretty much everything he's been looking for in a woman. And in no time at all they're emailing up a storm, telling each other their deepest darkest secrets... apart from the one that really matters.

And when it comes to love, serving it straight up works better than with a twist.

4 stars!

First, I absolutely loved this heroine! She was strong, smart, funny and her voice was easy and enjoyable to follow. The hero got on my nerves a lot towards the end and I could never really reconcile his behavior, but for the first half I was absolutely swooning.

Fantastic side characters, especially Val!

I blew through this very well done audiobook and really enjoyed it overall. 

First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…
What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.
No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

5 stars!

I loved every single thing about this book. It was the perfect contemporary romance for me. Friends to lovers, sweetest man ever, strong heroine, roommates (!!!), believable angst that wasn't over the top, and the whole relationship progression felt very natural and genuine. I loved it. 

Mini Reviews Monday

Zeke Daniels isn't just a douchebag; he's an a**hole. 

A total and complete jerk, Zeke keeps people at a distance. He has no interest in relationships—most a**holes don’t. 

Dating?  
Being part of a couple? Nope. Not for him.

He's never given any thought to what he wants in a girlfriend, because he's never had any intention of having one. Shit, he barely has a relationship with his family, and they're related; his own friends don’t even like him. 

So why does he keep thinking about Violet DeLuca? 
Sweet, quiet Violet—his opposite in every sense of the word.
The light to his dark, even her damn name sounds like rays of sunshine and happiness and shit.

And that pisses him off, too.

3 stars!

This was a bit of a let down, though I'm not sure if that's the fault of the book or if it's because the first book in the series was just so amazing that this one pales in comparison. There was a little too much drama and angst for me, and the hero was a major douche.

"Well duh, that's in the title!" 

Yeah, but the last hero wasn't a malicious douche like this guy was. He just had no filter.

The Instant New York Times Bestseller!

Bustle - 2017 YA Must Reads
Paste Magazine - Most Anticipated YA Books of 2017

Dark, romantic, and unforgettable, Wintersong is an enchanting coming-of-age story for fans of Labyrinth and The Beauty and the Beast.

The last night of the year. Now the days of winter begin and the Goblin King rides abroad, searching for his bride…

All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.

But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds—and the mysterious man who rules it—she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.

Rich with music and magic, S. Jae-Jones's Wintersong will sweep you away into a world you won’t soon forget.

4.5 stars!

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this story! It was so far out of my comfort zone, from the plot to the ending, but I'm so glad I took a chance on it.

It was a captivating story, with a wonderfully complex and relatable heroine. She was one of the most real and honest characters I've read in a while.

The plot kept by at a steady pace, taking me on a strange but wonderful experience. It was a bit trippy at times, but it worked for the story.

The narration was absolutely spectacular, too!

In New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s gripping new novel, a young woman comes home to reclaim her life—even as a murderer plots to end it. . . 

It’s been ten years since Sasha Keaton left her West Virginia hometown . . . since she escaped the twisted serial killer known as the Groom. Returning to help run her family inn means being whole again, except for one missing piece. The piece that falls into place when Sasha’s threatened—and FBI agent Cole Landis vows to protect her the way he couldn’t a decade ago.

First one woman disappears; then another, and all the while, disturbing calling cards are left for the sole survivor of the Groom’s reign of terror. Cole’s never forgiven himself for not being there when Sasha was taken, but he intends to make up for it now . . . because under the quirky sexiness Cole first fell for is a steely strength that only makes him love Sasha more.

But someone is watching. Waiting. And Sasha’s first mistake could be her last. 

4 stars!

This should be what JLA writes! I was sucked in right off the bat, enjoyed pretty much every character, and was so entertained from start to finish. I didn't experience any of my normal irritation while reading JLA. ;)

I did guess the culprit as soon as they were introduced, but I think that was more my fault than the author's - I tend to guess early on in these suspense type stories, which is why I don't usually read them.

The narration was good, too!

In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy's bond with the pack and her mate is broken, she'll learn what it truly means to be alone...

Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise... 

3.5 stars?

I don't know how I feel about this one, but it's definitely my lowest rated Mercy book since the first one. I don't know why, but this never really clicked for me. I didn't like Adam's POV, and I found it a little choppy in several places.

Great female narration, so-so male narration!

Single Dad. Second Chances. Meet Mack in the newest STANDALONE novel from New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward. 

They called him Mack Daddy. No, seriously, his name was Mack. Short for Mackenzie. Thus, the nickname. Perfect, right? 

So was he: perfect. The perfect physical male specimen.

At the private school where I taught, Mack Morrison was the only man around in a sea of women.

Everyone wanted a piece of the hot, single father of the sweet little boy. 

I became a woman I didn’t recognize, someone riddled with jealousy, because they didn’t know that—to me—he was much more. 

They didn’t know about our past. 

He’d chosen my school for his son on purpose, because Mack and I, we had unfinished business. 

As my friend, Lorelai, so eloquently put it: “Unfinished business between two people who are clearly attracted to each other is like an eternal case of blue balls.” And I was suffering in pain from my case.

I was still intensely attracted to Mack. I tried to resist him, immersing myself further into a relationship with someone else just to protect my heart. 

Not to mention, getting involved with a parent was strictly against school rules. But seeing Mack day in and day out was breaking me down.

And soon I might be breaking all the rules.

Author's note – Told in alternating points of view, Mack Daddy is a full-length standalone novel.

3 stars!

First off, I hate this title with a burning passion.

Penelope Ward is a hit or miss guilty pleasure author for me, and I'm happy to see her writing improve with each book she puts out. I'm excited to see what's next!

This was a good read overall, if a little predictable and heavy one some rushed drama at the end. The hero was decent, the heroine was okay, but I did struggle with their relationship. I didn't feel the usual sizzling chemistry I feel while reading a Penelope Ward book. 

There were a couple of sex scenes that were just...icky to me, and I'm a free spirt when it comes to sex scenes so it takes a lot to make me feel gross!

That said though, it was a very quick and easy read, with a good narration. 

Mini Reviews Monday

A typical day in the life of Charley Davidson involves cheating husbands, missing people, errant wives, philandering business owners, and oh yeah...demons, hell hounds, evil gods, and dead people. Lots and lots of dead people. As a part time Private Investigator and full-time Grim Reaper, Charley has to balance the good, the bad, the undead, and those who want her dead. In this eleventh installment, Charley is learning to make peace with the fact that she is a goddess with all kinds of power and that her own daughter has been born to save the world from total destruction. But the forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension. With the son of Satan himself as her husband and world-rocking lover, maybe Charley can find a way to have her happily ever after after all. 

4.5 stars!

I just adore this series, and Lorelei King adds a whole new layer to the awesomeness with her impeccable narration. It's one of those series that's a genuine joy to read, and I'm always eager to get back to it when I'm forced to put it down.

While this book didn't add too much to the overall storyline or do much to push the points of the previous books into the spotlight, it was still incredibly enjoyable, and I flew through it. I was endlessly entertained and amused by Charley and her merry band of misfits, swooned over Reyes, and even teared up a time or two over Charley's cases. 

It leaves with a bit of a cliffhanger, though! Book 12 releases on Halloween of this year!

Vanessa Mazur knows she's doing the right thing. She shouldn't feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn't find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He's asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

5 stars!

This was quite possibly the slowest burn romance I've ever read. Ever. 

That said, I really loved it! The characters were well developed and quite likable, the plot had good pacing, there was a good bit of humor and steam when the heat finally hit. It was a pleasure to watch the friendship and romance between Vanessa and Aiden unfold, and once the intensity between them finally  picked up, they felt very solid and well deserved. 

It's not a short book by any means, at around 670 pages, but I was surprisingly not bothered by that. Most contemporaries just can't handle that many pages, but Mariana Zapata has quietly proved to me that she can pull these lengths off. 

She was my nightmare. Every time I closed my eyes, I watched her fall into that inferno. Over and over, I failed to save her.

I hadn’t been able to reach her, and the guilt only burned hotter over time. Four years later, I was the unreachable one.

Heroes aren’t always saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more than jaded sinners driven by sleepless nights and hearts full of darkness.

And then I met her. She was a dreamer who managed to soothe my scars and heal my wounds.

But, as the flames closed in around us, I feared I wasn’t the right man to save her. That is until I realized she was the one woman I’d burn the world down to protect. 

3 stars!

Aly Martinez is one of my auto-buy authors, and she's written three of my all time favorite books (Fighting Silence, The Fall Up and Retrieval). She's an insanely talented writer and her stories are riveting and intensely emotional. 

Unfortunately, this one just didn't jibe with me, and it's entirely a case of "it's not you, it's me" here. 

While the writing was great and the plot pretty solid, I just wasn't invested in either hero or heroine, and couldn't connect to either one. 

I love a good alpha, but more often than not Jude was too alpha, giving me the unfortunate feel of reading a Kristen Ashely novel...if KA's heroes could speak in complete sentences and use proper grammar. And if the books had a viable plot.... And the heroine at least had some personality.... And the side characters were enjoyable... But I digress.

That said, I couldn't put it down and finished in just over a day. I definitely wouldn't take my word on this one, since nearly everyone else is loving it!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning returns with the epic conclusion to her pulse-pounding Fever series, where a world thrown into chaos grows more treacherous at every turn. As Mac, Barrons, Ryodan, and Jada struggle to restore control, enemies become allies, right and wrong cease to exist, and the lines between life and death, lust and love, disappear completely.

Black holes loom menacingly over Dublin, threatening to destroy the Earth. Yet the greatest danger is the one MacKayla Lane has unleashed from within: the Sinsar Dubh—a sentient book of unthinkable evil—has possessed her body and will stop at nothing in its insatiable quest for power.

The fate of Man and Fae rests on destroying the book and recovering the long-lost Song of Making, the sole magic that can repair the fragile fabric of the Earth. But to achieve these aims, sidhe-seers, the Nine, Seelie, and Unseelie must form unlikely alliances and make heart-wrenching choices. For Barrons and Jada, this means finding the Seelie Queen who alone can wield the mysterious song, negotiating with a lethal Unseelie prince hell-bent on ruling the Fae courts, and figuring out how to destroy the Sinsar Dubh while keeping Mac alive.

This time, there’s no gain without sacrifice, no pursuit without risk, no victory without irrevocable loss. In the battle for Mac’s soul, every decision exacts a tremendous price.

4 stars...I think?

I don't think I've ever been more conflicted on how to rate a book. Parts of Feversong were amazing, stunning, freaking spellbinding 5 stars. Annnnnd other parts were purple prose, sketchy plot issues (not sure if I can call them plot holes, per say, but it's something along those lines!),unnecessary POVs and outlandish developments 2 stars. As you can imagine, I'm quite conflicted!

Not gonna lie, I skimmed a good portion of the POVs that weren't Mac's. I've never been a Dani fan - but I will give props to Moning for taking me from despising her to finding her okay over the course of this story -, and the other view points I found a bit irrelevant, especially once I hit the end.

But back to Mac, and more importantly, Barrons! 

Ahh...Barrons. That man is fine, and will forever rein as one of the kings in my book boyfriends society. There was quite a bit of relationship development between Barrons and Mac in this story, and I freaking reveled in it. A lot of the issues I had with how they were handling themselves and each other post-Shadowfever, and I'm happy to report that they were all resolved. The development that happens in this story left me teary eyed and swooning something fierce. Seriously, I can't put into words how much I adored where they went in this book.

I do wish there were some more sex scenes, though. ;) Especially considering there were paragraphs of moderately graphic sex in the other books!

Despite the sometimes ridiculous turns this book took, I was completely addicted and wrapped up in what was happening. I barely put the book down, and finished the near-600 page novel in about 6 hours. This series is definitely one that grabs your attention and refuses to let go. 

I feel a bit sad that it's over, even though I'm happy overall with how things wrapped up. This is one of my all time favorite series, and it's a bittersweet feeling to have it finished. Huge thank you to KMM for brining this series to such vivid, glorious life! 

Well, that review definitely wasn't mini, haha. Let me know your thoughts on that one if you've read it! 

Mini Reviews Monday

I hired her to fix my company, to bring Marks Lingerie back to life. I didn’t expect her to become my friend. I didn’t expect to fall in love with her.

The first rule of business is to never touch your employees. I think there is another rule about not falling for your best friend—a rule against imagining the curves of her body, or the way her breathing would change if I pulled down her panties and unzipped my pants.

Now, I can’t wait any longer. I’m tossing out the rules.

Damn the company.
Damn our friendship.
Damn my fears.

4.5 stars!

I've had this author on my TBR for well over a year, and I finally got around to trying her out with this recent release. I was very pleasantly surprised!

It's a slow burn (emphasis on slow!) romance, and spans a good chunk of time. We get to see the characters' relationship evolve right from the start, and it gave a lovely and deep emotional connection.

I enjoyed both hero and heroine, and liked how everything was pretty much solely focused on the couple. It gave it an introspective feel and put me in the characters' shoes.

The first in the new SAINTS OF DENVER series from NYT bestselling author of the MARKED MEN series, Jay Crownover

Sometimes you have to tear everything down to build something new…

Sayer Cole is frozen inside. At least, that’s what it’s felt like for as long as she can remember. She’s yet to let anyone past her icy exterior – and the one guy she thinks might melt her heart couldn’t possibly be interested in someone so uptight.

Rough, hard and hot-as-hell, Zeb Fuller has rebuilt his life and his construction business since protecting his family sent him to jail all those years ago. His elegant client, Sayer, makes him feel like a Neanderthal in denim, but despite the many hints that he’s been dropping to get to know her better, she seems oblivious to his charms.

Just as things finally start to heat up, Zeb’s past comes back to haunt him and he needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. As these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, fire and ice collide in an unstoppable explosion of steam…

4 stars!

I'm a big Crownover fan, and overall enjoyed this book. The hero was to die for, the relationship with his surprise son tugged at my heart strings, and I really enjoyed the side characters. Since this book is interconnected with with her other books, I enjoyed checking up on old characters, and was intrigued by the ones I hadn't yet read.

Two things took away from this story for me. One was that it was a little too wordy; I wanted more dialogue and interaction.

The second was the heroine. She got on my nerves and made me tired of her when she had too much page time. It wasn't because she didn't jump right into a relationship (good for her!), but she just..I dunno, didn't work for me. She had some issues, but I felt like she was too wrapped up in them and too intent on making those issues known. The other characters had issues too, especially the hero, but it didn't consume them the way they did her.

If anyone ever said being an adult was easy, they hadn't been one long enough.

Diana Casillas can admit it: she doesn't know what the hell she's doing half the time. How she's made it through the last two years of her life without killing anyone is nothing short of a miracle. Being a grown-up wasn’t supposed to be so hard.

With a new house, two little boys she inherited the most painful possible way, a giant dog, a job she usually loves, more than enough family, and friends, she has almost everything she could ever ask for.

Except for a boyfriend.

Or a husband.

But who needs either one of those? 

5 stars!

I absolutely loved everything about this book. The heroine was spectacular, and has become one of my most favorite contemporary heroines to date. Her voice was honest, kind, genuine and really relatable.

I love romances with kids in them, and this one was so well done. Finally, a book where the kids have personalities and also act age appropriately! Both the boys in Wait For It brought so much for the story, made me laugh, and pulled at my feels.

Don't even get me started on the hero. *swoon*

It's very long, at almost 700 pages, but it really didn't feel like it. Everything flowed smoothly and easily, and it just...worked. So well. Loved it!

The new series is set in Vermont. True North is populated by the tough, outdoorsy mountain men that populate the Green Mountain State. They raise cows and they grow apples. They chop a lot of wood, especially when they need to blow off steam. (Beards are optional but encouraged.)

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the orchard.

The last person Griffin Shipley expects to find stuck in a ditch on his Vermont country road is his ex-hookup. Five years ago they’d shared a couple of steamy nights together. But that was a lifetime ago.

At twenty-seven, Griff is now the accidental patriarch of his family farm. Even his enormous shoulders feel the strain of supporting his mother, three siblings and a dotty grandfather. He doesn’t have time for the sorority girl who’s shown up expecting to buy his harvest at half price.

Vermont was never in Audrey Kidder’s travel plans. Neither was Griff Shipley. But she needs a second chance with the restaurant conglomerate employing her. Okay—a fifth chance. And no self-righteous lumbersexual farmer will stand in her way.

They’re adversaries. They want entirely different things from life. Too bad their sexual chemistry is as hot as Audrey’s top secret enchilada sauce, and then some. 

4 stars!

This book made me hungry. And gave me a strong desire to move to Vermont and find a cider making farmer. 

Loved the family dynamic, loved the gorgeous setting, loved the farm to table ideas, adored the hero, and the heroine was okay, but not great. Overall a solid start to this series!

From USA Today Bestselling Author, Renée Carlino, comes a totally unique love story that is sure to make you question what’s out there . . . or who. 

“My guardian angel is a drunk.”

Evelyn Casey's life is at a standstill. She's in her mid-twenties, struggling with the dating scene in San Francisco. Nothing seems to be working out, and she’s starting to think that she’ll live out her days in her crummy apartment with her overbearing roommate, Brooklyn. It's absurd, but sometimes Evey longs for a guardian angel to show up and save the day.

And then he does. Seriously. His name is Lucian and he's a guardian angel, been on the job for two thousand years. His sudden presence in her life is both good—he's brilliant, witty, and warm—and bad—he's brilliant, witty, warm, and hot as ----. But as perfect as Lucian seems, he’s got problems of his own. He’s taken up drinking and he’s brazenly inserted himself into Evey’s life, going against the greatest cosmic law ever created.

For Evey, the rules are simple: You are not allowed to hook up with your guardian angel. But sometimes fulfilling your destiny requires a leap of faith, a confrontation with God. 

Yes, God as in God.

1.5 stars!

This...oy. Where do I even start here?

I'm not a big Renee Carlino fan. I've read a few of her books and didn't care for them past 3.5 stars, but I always respected her writing and found her to be a solid author, just one that wasn't for me. 

This book didn't even feel like she wrote it. It truly read like bad fan fiction; it was full of plot holes, had no character development, the pacing was so choppy, and overall it was a massive disappointment. 

Mini Reviews Monday

Time for another of these!

She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have.

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.

For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen.

She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes.

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.

5 stars!

That...that is how you do well thought out, legitimate angst. It was intense and heartbreaking, beautiful and hopeful and I just felt SO much for both hero and heroine. Both their stories were so emotional and tugged at my heart. The flow was perfect, the side characters well developed, the romance intense and so genuine. It was well written, tackled a difficult subject and was completely addictive.

Ex-model Paige McCarty is fed up with being just a pretty face. After her ex-husband’s gambling problem left her royally screwed and tragically shoeless, she started Fool Me Once Investigations with her best friends, Lorelei and Kennedy, to prevent other women from being similarly played and dismayed.

The job: act as bait for a cheating husband. The target: Matt Russo. The case should be as easy as getting a man’s attention—and Paige has never had trouble with that. The problem is Matt—in all his nerdy-hot glory—turns out to be not such a scumbag after all.

And when the case hits closer to home than Paige could ever have imagined—landing her in a face-off with the mob—she wonders if taking the job just to prove that she has a brain maybe wasn’t her best idea.

This second outing for the Fool Me Once team follows in the same fun, feisty footsteps as bestselling author Tara Sivec’s Shame on You. 

3 stars!

This was very quick, funny and overall enjoyable. The romance moved a little too fast for me, even though it was only a 3-4 hour audio and it wasn't like there was that much time for it to progress, haha. The heroine was a little flakey for my taste, but overall it was a fun read. Pretty good narration, too!

When her mother’s incessant matchmaking hits an all-time high, Georgie Archibald does what any sensible woman would do: she flees the country.

Seeking refuge in the picturesque seaside village of Vernazza, Italy, Georgie’s only plan is to lie low, gorge herself on gelato, and let the wine and waves wash her troubles away... that is until she wakes up in a bed that belongs to the most romantic-looking man she’s ever seen.

Gianluca.

After going out of his way to rescue her, the former London financier turned mysterious recluse makes it clear that despite acting as her white knight, he has no plans to co-star in her fairytale.

But Georgie isn’t asking for his heart—she’s merely intrigued.
 
After all, Gianluca isn’t just gorgeous—tall and tan from days spent in the sun—his touch sets her world on fire. With him, Georgie experiences the most intoxicating passion she’s ever known, and it only takes a few steamy nights for her to realize that sometimes running away from trouble is the best way to find it.

3 stars!

Positive firsts: the setting was stunning. Absolutely gorgeous, rich and vivid. I could perfectly picture everything and all I want now is to jet off to Italy. The idea of renovating an old bed and breakfast was interesting, too! I liked Luca for the majority of the book.

I absolutely despised the heroine. She was a 27 year old and acted like a jealous, moronic, insensitive idiot.

There was also a bit at the end where it went exceedingly out of character, and that "twist" felt cheap and lazy to me.

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all... No falling in love

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he's committed to making her break every rule...

Football has been good to Drew. It's given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there's one problem: she's shut him down. Completely.
That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it's up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she's truly hooked. It's a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

4.5 stars!

This was a very pleasant New Adult novel, with a realistic and believable plot, developed side characters, and great chemistry. There was just enough emotion to give it some depth, with plenty of humor and sexy times to balance it out. A very solid read!

CRUDE. ARROGANT. A**HOLE. 
No doubt about it, Sebastian ‘Oz’ Osborne is the university’s most celebrated student athlete—and possibly the biggest douchebag. A walking, talking cliché, he has a filthy mouth, a fantastic body, and doesn’t give a sh*t about what you or anyone else thinks. 

SMART. CLASSY. CONSERVATIVE. 
Make no mistake, Jameson Clarke may be the university’s most diligent student—but she is no prude. Spending most of her time in the hallowed halls of the library, James is wary of pervs, jocks, and douchebags—and Oz Osborne is all three. 

She’s smart, sarcastic—and not what he expected. 

…EVERY DOUCHBAG HAS HIS WEAKNESS. 

He wants to be friends. 
He wants to spend time with her. 
He wants to drive her crazy. 

He wants… 

Her.

5 stars!

I honestly wasn't expecting much from this one based on the cover and description, but after seeing some of my trusted reviewers giving 4 and 5 star ratings, I decided to check it out. I'm so glad I did!

It's a friends to lovers, and you all know I can't resist that. The hero was kind of a douche at time (hello, title), but not in a malicious way (if that makes sense). The heroine was relatable and well grounded, and their chemistry was off the charts. It was sweet, realistic, and had no angst. Highly recommend!

(Mini Review) Rising Phoenix by Alice Floyd

“And when did you first know?”
His eyes glittered darkly, darker than the deepest pit of the hell I was currently in. “When did you know that your life would begin and end with her?”

How far would you go for a second chance at love? If the choices you made would cost you your soul, would you still make them?

Lucian Caine spends everyday at his best friend's side and every night in her arms. HIs life is pure bliss, until tragedy strikes, flipping his world upside down.
Late one night, an encounter with the darkest of strangers leads him to an impossible decision. He can have his happy life once again, but he must agree to the stranger's conditions.

Now Lucian must decide just how far he's will go to have his life back. 

This new indie release immediately caught my attention with the synopsis. After lots of junk food reads (don't judge me!), I was in the mood with something a little more intense and suspenseful. Rising Phoenix more than delivered!

The story has a fast, minimally descriptive writing style that worked quite well for the plot. Instead of getting sucked into details, the more barebones take let me really fall into the story and the protagonist's emotions.

With a fresh take on the paranormal and several scenes that were delightfully twisted, it kept me on the edge of my seat and eager for each new page.

The romance is the driving force behind everything, and I truly believed in it.

It's a fairly quick read, but packed such a punch. I highly recommend!

Goodreads 

Amazon