Mini Reviews Monday

THIRTY DAYS
That’s all Adam Steinbeck demands of his wife.
Thirty days in a remote cottage, doing everything he demands. After that, he’ll sign her divorce papers and give her complete ownership of their company.

THIRTY DAYS
That’s how long he has to rediscover the man he once was. The Dominant Master he hid when he fell in love with her five years ago. 

THIRTY DAYS
She wants the business they built badly enough to go to the cottage for a month. Cut off ties to the world and do his bidding. She can submit to him with her body, but her heart will never yield.

She thinks this is his pathetic attempt to repair their marriage.

She’s wrong.

5 stars!

Oh. My. God. This was, by far, the best BDSM book I've ever read. It had effortless flow, engaging writing, great character development, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Incredibly sexy and it really capture both the sub's and Dom's mindset. Fantastic narration (Sebastian York...just sayin' ;)), too!

I'm naturally gifted on the field and between the sheets. With flashy cars and enough media attention to put the Royal Family to shame, I’m the definition of Most Eligible Bachelor. 

I've never met a man who doesn't want to be me or a woman who doesn't want to tame me. Until I meet Camila. 

From the moment I lay eyes on her, I know I have to have her.

She wants to keep me at arm's length.
I want her naked in my bed.

She thinks our worlds are too different.
All I want her to think about is screaming my name.

She says I’m bad news.

I have three weeks to prove her wrong.

3 stars!

It was...okay, I guess. The narration was good, hero was okay, heroine was a pain in the behind and a complete child. Narration was good, though!

Don't be fooled.

Don't make excuses for me.

I am not a good man.

I've seen things no one should, done things no one should talk about. Honor and conscience have no place in my life. But I've fought and I've survived. I've had to.

The first time I saw her dancing on that seedy stage in that second rate club, I felt my heart pulse for the first time. Keelyn Foster was too young, too vibrant for this place, and I knew in an instant that I would make her mine. But first I had to climb my way to the top. I had to have something more to offer her.

I'm here now, money is no object and I have no equal. Except for her. She's disappeared. But don't worry, I will find her and claim her. She will be mine.

Like I said, don't be fooled. I am not the devil in disguise… I'm the one front and center.

5 stars!

This was such an amazing book! The protagonists were amazing, it was additive and fast paced, and it didn't tick one of my biggest pet peeves. Loved it. 

It starts with a stolen kiss under an English sky, and it ends with a walk down the aisle. It starts with the President sending his best friend to woo me on his behalf, and it ends with my heart split in two. It starts with buried secrets and dangerous desires…and ends with the three of us bound together with a hateful love sharper than any barbed wire.

My name is Greer Galloway, and I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.

This is the story of an American Queen. 

4 stars!

Sierra Simone has quickly gained my respect as an erotic romance author. Not only are her books beyond sexy, they're well written and easy to get lost in. This was no exception. It is definitely not for everyone (I felt like I needed a shower, it was so filthy), but it was a great book.

War veteran Kennedy O’Brien is in the business of sticking it to the man—or at least any man who tries to cross a woman. After she returned home from Afghanistan and caught her husband in bed with the nanny, Kennedy lost her faith in men and started Fool Me Once Investigations with her two best friends. After all, there’s no better bounty hunter than a woman scorned.

When Kennedy takes a case to slap cuffs on a bail jumper turned dog-napper, she figures it’ll be an easy paycheck. But trouble has a way of finding Kennedy. Enter the last man on the planet she’d willingly choose as a partner: her cheating ex-husband’s best friend, Griffin Crawford.

As gorgeous as he is unwelcome, Griffin has always had a thing for Kennedy, and after keeping quiet about her ex’s cheating, he’ll do anything to earn back her trust. Whether or not she wants to admit it, Kennedy will need help as the case of the Chihuahua thief spirals out of control. Griffin may be just her man—in more ways than one.

4 stars!

Quick, easy read! It was funny, sexy, silly and really enjoyable. Good narration, too. 

Mini Reviews Monday

Hey, guys!

Still working on those piled up reviews! The mini sessions last week seemed to be a hit, so here's a few more. :D

Eli Boudreaux’s family has built ships and boats in Louisiana for generations. He comes from a hard working, wealthy family and his empire is growing by leaps and bounds. At thirty, he is the youngest CEO to ever head Bayou Enterprises, co-chairing with his eldest brother. His head for business and his no-nonsense work ethic is also quickly making him the best the company has seen in generations. His staff admires him, women adore him and Eli’s family is solid. But he’s recently discovered that someone on the inside of his business is stealing from him and he’s determined to find out who. 

Kate O’Shaughnessy is hired by companies all over the world to slip inside and investigate every member of the organization from the CEO down to the custodial staff to find the person or persons responsible for embezzling. She’s excellent at blending, becoming part of the team, and finding the weakest link. She’s smart, quick-witted, and she’s now been hired by Bayou Enterprises, specifically Eli Boudreaux. The attraction is immediate and the chemistry is off the charts, but Kate has heard all about Eli’s playboy past and she has a job to do. Sleeping with the boss isn’t a part of that job, even if just the sound of her name rolling off that Cajun tongue and the way he fills out a designer suit does make her sweat. 

Eli’s southern charms surprise Kate. The man whose reputation labels him as a ruthless, callous womanizer is not the man she’s coming to know intimately. He’s generous, protective and makes her smile. Cracking through Kate’s cool, reserved demeanor and discovering her love of sexy, expensive lingerie is a challenge Eli can’t resist, but her sweet nature, love of family and sense of humor pull at him in ways no one else ever has. 

But when the person responsible for trying to single-handedly dismantle Eli’s empire comes to light, and it’s time for Kate to move on, to what lengths will Eli go to keep the woman he’s fallen in love with by his side?

3.5 stars

This was a cute, easy little love story. The characters were enjoyable, and the supporting cast was fun and interacted well with our protagonists. I'm more than a little over the whole "I'm incapable of love" hero trope, and there was nothing groundbreaking about the story, but it was still a fun and quick read.

Great narration, too!

DISCOVER WHAT'S HIDDEN--a powerful, mythic race, an ancient Egyptian prophecy, and a love strong enough to shatter the boundaries of time.

Alexandra Larson isn't quite human, but she doesn't know that. Lex simply considers herself an ambitious archaeology grad student with a knack for deciphering ancient languages. When she's recruited to work on her dream excavation, Lex's translating skills uncover the location of the secret entrance to an undiscovered underground temple in Egypt. She is beyond thrilled with what she's found...as is the enigmatic and alluring excavation director, Marcus Bahur.

As the relationship between Lex and Marcus heats up, a series of shocking revelations leaves the young archaeologist reeling. Together, the couple is all that is standing between an ancient, evil god and the power to alter the very fabric of time. Events set in motion by a dying god over four millennia ago pull Lex and Marcus away from Seattle and into the heart of Egypt, where they learn that the fate of the world is in the hands of a single person: Lex. 

2 stars

The premise of this one sounded so amazing. I mean seriously, an Egyptian excavation and a sexy, forbiddingly alluring director? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, it fell flat. Really flat. Lex was such an immature, woe-is-me character. The pacing dragged until 70% in, and if it weren't for that last bit of the story, it would have been a one star read. It picked up a little and became more interesting, but the rest fell too flat. They didn't even get to Egypt until page 250-ish!

Still, I did finish it and downloaded book two via Kindle Unlimited. We'll see!

Her life changed in an instant. 
And he's the only one who could have prevented it. 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Pact and The Lie comes a new standalone contemporary romance about those McGregor men. 

Jessica Charles shouldn't have even been in London when the unthinkable happened. 
She should have been back at home in Edinburgh, perhaps hanging with her boyfriend, having drinks with her sister or doing yoga with her group of friends. She should have been going on in her normal, dependable life as always. 
But on that fateful day in August, when a mentally-ill ex-soldier opened fire in public, Jessica's world changed forever. 
Now single and crippled from the gunshot wounds, Jessica finds herself scared and alone, losing faith in herself and humanity with each agonizing moment that passes. 
That is until a stranger enters her life. A stranger who makes her live again. 
Keir McGregor has always been the strong, silent type. Throw in tall, dark, and handsome and you've got pretty much the perfect Scotsman. 
Except Keir is anything but perfect. He's got a past he's running away from and a guilty conscience he can't seem to shed. But the more time he spends with Jessica, the more he falls in love with her. 
And the more his secret threatens to tear them apart. 
He may have been a stranger to her. 
But she’s never been a stranger to him. 

5 stars

I'm normally not a fan of information withholding in relationships, but it worked for this story. Honestly, I would've done the same thing in Keir's shoes.

The storyline is fairly straightforward, since you know the issue is going to cause problems between them. However, not having to put too much effort into thinking what was going to happen allowed me to really think about all the things that happened to the characters, how I would react in their shoes, ect. It was a very emotional read!

He was someone who belonged in my wildest fantasies instead of a rest stop in the middle of Nebraska.

A sexy, cocky, Australian named Chance was the last person I expected to run into on my cross-country drive.

When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours.

My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense.

I wanted him, but Chance wouldn’t make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back.

I wasn’t supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.


Author's note - Cocky Bastard is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. 

5 stars

I. Loved. This. Book. The pacing was perfect, I adored both protagonists, it was sexy and funny, emotional and heartfelt, and was such a pleasant surprise. It's told half in Aubrey's voice, and half in Chances (not alternating chapters - half was hers and half was his), and this was one of my favorite parts of the story. I'm not normally a fan of dual perspective, but this was really well done and put me 100% on the narrator-at-the-time's side. It was really fresh and enjoyable!

Great female narration, so-so male narration. 

Juked: verb. 
/jook-t/
A slang soccer term meaning: faked out, deceived, confused your opponent
See examples Daniel Zavaro and Quincy Watson:

As the rising star in Houston, Daniel has found fame as Captain of his Pro soccer team and the city’s most eligible bachelor. Daniel has everything – except someone special – and that suits him just fine. He doesn’t want, or need, complications.

Quincy has baggage, and lots of it. After a tragic accident spins her world on its axis, she finds herself as a single mother, raising a newborn nephew she never knew she had. Between parenthood, her full-time job, and dealing with the suffocating grief of losing her sister, every day is a struggle. 

When they begin to cross paths unexpectedly and often, an unlikely friendship starts to evolve. Feelings change. Lines get crossed. What happens next surprises them both...

Before they know it-- they’ve been Juked.

4 stars

This was a really enjoyable, sweet romance. I laughed, I cried, and I swooned. The hero was enjoyable, and the heroine was so relatable. The pacing went at a good clip, and I devoured the book in less than a day. 

SaveSaveSaveSave

Mini Reviews

Hi, everyone! Today I'm doing a few mini reviews, since I had a massive backup of books I've read but haven't spoken about it. Let's get to it!

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again… 

2 stars

I was incredibly disappointed with this one. Caine was the biggest douchecanoe I've read in a very long time, and Alexa...well, she was a doormat of epic proportions. The twists and drama was a bit dubious for me, but the pacing was decent. 

The narration was pretty good, too!

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

3.5 stars

This was a fun read! A little predictable and the hero got on my nerves a few times, but I enjoyed it overall. In typical JLA fashion, it was easy to fall into and was a very quick read. I always love a New Orleans setting, too! 

The narration of this one was enjoyable, as well.

Callie Franklin doesn’t do one night stands. 

Ever. 

She’s far too responsible and focused on her career to ever let herself give in to temptation. But, on the eve of her best friend’s wedding, she meets that temptation . . . 
And his name is Devin McAllister. 

Devin, on the other hand, has no problem with meaningless hookups. The very last thing he needs—or wants—is a relationship. 

Relationships come with strings. 

Relationships come with heartbreak. 

A late-night encounter in the hotel’s piano bar finds the two unable to resist each other. With her angelic voice and bright blue eyes, Devin’s sure he’s never met anyone as beautiful as his Songbird. 

Six weeks later, when two pink lines confirm Callie’s worst fears, she and Devin have to face the consequences of their wild weekend. 

And they have to deal with each other—whether they like it or not. 

With a love story that’s far from traditional, Callie and Devin begin to wonder if their one-night stand could turn into something neither of them anticipated. 

A happily ever after.

5 stars

Surprise pregnancies are my guilty pleasure. I don't know why, but I gobble them up like my dogs gobble the cat's food (aka, with a massive, sucking force any prostitute would be jealous of). This one was delightful!

I was a sobbing mess of "it's just so beautiful", and swooning like made. Very quick read!

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances. 

5 stars

I'll be honest with you on this one: I didn't understand the obsession with this book until around 55-60% into it. It was a good book up until that point, but I wasn't wowed like everyone else was. Once the 60% mark hit, I was blown away! What a gorgeous, intense young adult story!

A great narration, too!

It's rule breaker Emily Foster's birthday, and like everyone at The Jungle Room, she just wants to get some action. Unfortunately, she stumbles on the wrong kind, witnessing a mob hit. To protect her, she's entered into the Witness Protection Program with by-the-book Special Agent Jake Ward as her chaperone.

When the location of their safe house is compromised, Jake stashes Emily deep in the Texas backwoods. The city-girl might be safe from the Mafia, but she has to contend with a psychotic rooster, a narcoleptic dog, crazy cowboys, and the danger of losing her heart to the one man she can't have.

Jake's as hot as he is infuriating, and she can't help but push all his buttons to loosen him up. Their mutual, sizzling sexual attraction poses a dilemma: Jake's determined to keep her safe and out of the wrong hands; she's determined to get into the right ones—his.

Each book in the Tangled in Texas series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Rules of Protection
Book #2 Playing With Fire 

2 stars

This heroine drove me up the freakin' wall. What an idiot! It's not cute to fuck around with your safety and be a brazen dumbass in the midst of a crisis. It's not cute to play stupid. 

And the hero...! He was almost even worse than she was, though I have to admit I would probably be an ass if I had to deal with her, too.

Passable narration. 

{Book Review} Disruption by Jessica Shirvington

From Goodreads

What if a microchip could identify your perfect match?
What if it could be used against you and the ones you love?

Eight years ago, Mercer Corporation’s M-Bands became mandatory. An evolution of the smartphone, the bracelets promised an easier life. Instead, they have come to control it.

Two years ago, Maggie Stevens watched helplessly as one of the people she loves most was taken from her, shattering her world as she knew it.

Now, Maggie is ready. And Quentin Mercer – heir to the M-Corp empire – has become key to Maggie’s plan. But as the pieces of her dangerous design fall into place, could Quentin’s involvement destroy everything she’s fought for?

In a world full of broken promises, the ones Maggie must keep could be the most heartbreaking. 

My Thoughts

4 "Freaky and Enjoyable" Stars

Jessica Shirvington is one of the only Young Adult authors I'll willingly read and will almost always enjoy. That is saying a lot coming from me, because I do not like YA at all! 

Disruption is a dystopian, one that's quite different from any I've read before (and I've read a lot of it!). I'm usually a bit removed from dystopians, not getting the full effect of "holy shit, this could actually happen", but with Disruption...well, I could actually see the events play out in the not-so-distant future. It was freaky, intriguing, and thought provoking, to say the least! I had chills on more than one occasion.

Disruption follows Maggie, a girl in her late teens with far too much on her plate. Despite all the challenges that face her, she remained steadfastly driven and ruthless in her pursuits. This lead her to make some morally questionable decisions, but that only made me like her more - it was so, so refreshing to see a protagonist that wasn't all sunshine and roses, someone that had real depth and wasn't always perfect. 

The Disruption world revolves around M-Bands, a mandatory device that tracks everything from  vital signs and medical history, to pheromone responses to every individual encountered. It uses a percentage rating system to judge the wearer's compatibility with others, and is generally taken as law. Friends, lovers, and life partners are chosen via the M-Band, and most see this as an amazing thing. Life revolves around the ratings.

However, there are some people that do not have any rating around others. These unlucky few, called Negs, are removed from society to be "rehabilitated" in high security facilities.

Eight years ago, Maggie's father registered as a Neg. He was snatched from their family, and Maggie has been searching every Neg center she can in order to try and find them. With a prickly partner in crime, a handsome boy just now opening his eyes to the horror of their world, and her father's secrets, she has a fighting chance...if only she can find him.

(Note: no love triangle!)

This story was action packed from start to finish, and twisty in parts. You're slammed right into the world, kept on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last, and there's never a dull moment. The world is richly done, and like I said, very intriguing and thought provoking. While I love the vast knowledge of science we're constantly acquiring, it's scary to think of the ways it could be applied to every day life, as it is here.

My only complaint is I wasn't really feeling the love interest here. I didn't especially care for the hero at all, actually! Nothing horribly wrong with him, he was just...flat. This was especially true when compared to the heroine, or to Jessica Shirvington's other love interests. 

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job. Lots of emotion expressed!

Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable book with a wicked cliffhanger (but book two is out, so no worries), and I can't wait to start the next.

{Mini Review} Stuck Up Suit by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

From the New York Times Bestselling authors of Cocky Bastard, comes a sexy new standalone novel. 

It started out like any other morning on the train.

Until I became mesmerized by the guy sitting across the aisle.

He was barking at someone on his phone like he ruled the world.

Who did the stuck-up suit think he was…God?

Actually, he looked like a God. That was about it.

When his stop came, he got up suddenly and left. So suddenly, he dropped his phone on the way out.

I might have picked it up.

I might have gone through all of his photos and called some of the numbers.

I might have held onto the mystery man’s phone for days—until I finally conjured up the courage to return it.

When I traipsed my ass across town to his fancy company, he refused to see me.

So, I left the phone on the empty desk outside the arrogant jerk’s office.

I might have also left behind a dirty picture on it first though. 

I didn’t expect him to text back.

I didn’t expect our exchanges to be hot as hell.

I didn’t expect to fall for him—all before we even met.

The two of us couldn’t have been any more different. 

Yet, you know what they say about opposites.

When we finally came face to face, we found out opposites sometimes do more than attract—we consumed each other.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on.  And I certainly wasn’t prepared for where I’d wind up when the ride was over.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.

3 "The First 30% Was Great" Stars

 With the intriguing plot and some early reviews, I was eager to get my hands on this one. I really enjoyed the first 30% or so, and then it started to go down hill for me.

As a matter of fact, this seems to be the thing when I read this author duo: it starts pretty strong, and then by the end, I'm rolling my eyes. 

The hero and heroine are polar opposites: he's a stiff, asshole-ish businessman and she's a quirky editor for an advice column. What starts with a lost phone and a flurry of texts soon turns into a sizzling romance, with plenty of drama and some good humor.

My life was far from Sex and the City. It was more like Sex and the Pity. Or Sex and the Shitty. 

There was suppose to be a big twist, but it was quite obvious to me right off the bat. The drama progressed to nearly ridiculous heights after that, venturing into soap opera-esque drama. It really turned me off and left me quite exasperated with everyone involved.

However, I still devoured it. It was hilarious in places, and kept me entertained. It was a bit of a train wreck, yet I couldn't look away. ;P

{Book Review} 44 Chapters About 4 Men by B.B. Easton

From Goodreads

School psychologists aren’t supposed to write books about sex. Doing so would be considered “unethical” and “a fireable offense.” Lucky for you, ethics was never my strong suit. 

After spending years trying to spice up my sex life, I gave up and took to my journal. Perhaps my gorgeous, cold, number crunching husband simply wasn’t capable of the kind of passion I’d come to expect. After all, my ex-boyfriends—a skinhead turned US Marine turned motorcycle club outlaw, a baby-faced punk rocker out on parole, and a heavy-metal bass player—were every bit as tattooed and testosterone-fueled as the leading men in my favorite romance novels. If I couldn’t have that kind of passion again in real life, at least I could write about it. Right? Nobody had to know. It would be my little secret. 

Well, guess what? My husband read that shit. 

And guess what else? He upped his fucking game. 

Drunk with power and under the dubious advisement of my best friend and colleague, I began testing the limits—crafting journal entries specifically designed to manipulate Ken’s behavior. For the most part, he responded beautifully…except when he didn’t. 

Told through actual journal entries, steamy short stories, personal emails, a few haikus, and at least one dirty limerick, 44 Chapters About 4 Men chronicles the year I spent toying with my husband’s mind and ignoring all ethical standards of psychology. I decided to publish it in the hopes that someone out there might benefit from my discovery—or at least laugh at it—but in doing so I’m risking more than just my career. If word of this book gets back to Ken, I could lose the very man I’ve worked so hard to perfect. 

My Thoughts

4.5 "Be My BFF!" Stars

I usually don't read memoirs, but this book received a lot of buzz in several of the author Facebook groups I'm on when it released in February, and combined with the hilarious summary, I decided to try it out. I can't believe I waited two months to dive into this wildly amusing and sinfully sexy story!

44 Chapters About 4 Men is about one woman, and the four men (at different times! I see you snickering, my little pervs) that left the biggest impression on her sexuality identity, from her mid teens to her late twenties/early thirties. The story is told in different ways (journal entries, dirty stories, poems, texts, emails) that really fleshes it out and gives you a deeper insight on our heroine, Brooke. 

Frustrated by her lackadaisical sex life with her husband, Brooke begins writing her woes and fantasies in a journal. When her husband finds and reads it, Brooke decides that, instead of panicking and denying, she's going to...well, fuck with his head a bit. She wonders whether she can modify her husband's bedroom habits via this journal, and decides to dive right in. She recollects her sexual journey in vivid detail, and shares incredibly provocative fantasies about her husband. He takes it hook, line and sinker, and Brooke is thrilled to see her little experiment working.

I have three degrees in psychology, and I still don't know what's wrong with me, other than the fact that I'm a bad psychologist, obviously.

Meanwhile, Brooke crafts another journal in the form of a well hidden word document on her laptop, and here is where she shares what really happened with those ex-lovers. While her journal for her husband is steamy and salacious, this personal journal is hilarious and awkward, filled with all the confusion and mess of growing into your own person.


This is also where she shares progress reports on her husband's behavior, and summaries of their sexapades and dates. 

Thrown in with both of those is a mix of texts and emails between Brooke and her best friend and fellow phycologist, random dirty poems, photos, and emails between Brooke and her husband.

This was a wonderfully refreshing and entertaining read. I've never read a book that was so open and frank about a woman's sexual history, and I loved it. It was great to not have a woman be crucified for not being this virginal girl. It was fresh, honest, and incredibly relatable.

For a sex act to be new to me, it would require a stolen college  mascot uniform, twelve yards of rappelling cable, a handful of gerbils, and thirty CCs of vampire blood. 

Brooke was delightful, and I feel as though I've found my bookish spirit animal. Her hilariously inappropriate thoughts, random musings, and curiosity for kink endeared her to me in every way. Her voice was easy to slip into, and I was rooting for her the entire time.

Unless the number on the caller ID belongs to someone I would ask to bail me out of jail, I do not answer.

The four men...well, they were something else! In the best way, but what a motley crew. From a weird but strangely endearing skinhead to a lovably dumb stoner, to a sensitive, guy-liner loving rocker to a straight-laced businessman with a small affinity for pain, these men were all over. They each brought something entirely different to the table, and each relationship had a huge impact on Brooke's life.

I want to take him with me everywhere. I want us to live a hundred years and die at the same time. I want them to mix our cremated remains together, dump us into a river, and watch our mingled ashes swirl like coffee creamer all the way to the ocean. I want our souls (okay, my soul and his, whatever he has, operating system?) to find each other on the other side as soon as possible, just so we can fall in love and make more babies and do it all over again.

I just also want him to fuck my brains out. 

The writing was engaging, and I couldn't put the book down. I finished in less than a day, and was left satisfied, but wanting more. The hallmark of a good book, in my opinion!

I was suppose to be taking a walk with this adorable little shit, but I wound up finishing 44 Chapters instead. Sorry, love-bug!

I highly recommend this one, and am looking forward to seeing what else this author comes up with!

I was going to fuck him. I was going to break him. I was going to have him safe-wording on me by the end of the night. 

{Audiobook Review} The Dirt on Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones

From Goodreads

In a small village in New York lives Jane Doe, a girl with no memory of who she is or where she came from. So when she is working at a diner and slowly begins to realize she can see dead people, she's more than a little taken aback. Stranger still are the people entering her life. They seem to know things about her. Things they hide with lies and half-truths. Soon, she senses something far darker. A force that wants to cause her harm, she is sure of it. Her saving grace comes in the form of a new friend she feels she can confide in and the fry cook, a devastatingly handsome man whose smile is breathtaking and touch is scalding. He stays close, and she almost feels safe with him around.

But no one can outrun their past, and the more lies that swirl around her—even from her new and trusted friends—the more disoriented she becomes, until she is confronted by a man who claims to have been sent to kill her. Sent by the darkest force in the universe. A force that absolutely will not stop until she is dead. Thankfully, she has a Rottweiler. But that doesn't help in her quest to find her identity and recover what she's lost. That will take all her courage and a touch of the power she feels flowing like electricity through her veins. She almost feels sorry for him. The devil in blue jeans. The disarming fry cook who lies with every breath he takes. She will get to the bottom of what he knows if it kills her. Or him. Either way. 

My Thoughts

5 "I've loved you for a thousand and one" Stars

I started the Charley Davidson series last year while I was in an awful reading slump. I read the first four books, and then couldn't bring my slumpish self to finish it. The rest of the series sat on my TBR for months and months, and after finishing another popular paranormal series (Mercy Thompson), I was looking for something to fill the paranormal romance gap in my life. I decided to give Charley Davidson another try, and bought book 5 on audio.

Holy. Fucking. Hell. 

I can't believe I ever put this series down! It's hilarious, sexy, fast paced, engaging, and it has Reyes Farrow. That man...mmm. 

The audiobooks are amazing, too! I've been breezing through them all month, and I just finished The Dirt on Ninth Grave. It's one of my favorite books in the series, for too many reasons to list. 

While this book doesn't do too terribly much for the series' overall story arc, we did get some much needed character development, especially for Charley. With everything else out of the way, Charley really gets to see exactly who she is, rather than who circumstances have made her. I think it was a much needed wake up call to her; she's still reckless and incredibly caring for others, but she was much more aware of how things would affect her life while she did them. It was refreshing!

"Damn it." I wilted beside her, all my hopes and dreams of being a pimp dashed against the cruel rocks of reality. And an unwilling ho.

I loved getting to see the amazing cast of characters incognito, loved seeing Charley interact with them in a new way. Cookie still continues to be one of my all time favorite sidekicks.

"You could ask for the world, and then where would civilization be when I conquered it and laid it at your feet?"

I have to say that my favorite part was the Charley and Reyes interaction. The hurt sadness, the confusion, the love, the heat and the hope between them gave me all the feels. I loved getting to see them fall for each other all over again. 

Lorelei King did a fantastic job narrating, as usual. Her voice is fun and engaging, in a way that brings the characters to life, rather than just reading the story. She has a distinctive voice for each character, and is great at conveying emotions. 

While I didn't care for her narrating Mercy Thompson's story, I can't imagine anyone else as Charley, and look forward to listening to more from her! Funny how you can love a narrator, just not for a specific character.

Overall, this was another great installment in a favorite series. I can't wait for The Curse of Tenth Grave in June!

- The Bibliophile Babe 

{Book Review} The Baller: A Down and Dirty Football Novel by Vi Keeland

From Goodreads

From New York Times and USA Today Bestseller, Vi Keeland, comes a sexy new novel.

The first time I met Brody Easton was in the men’s locker room.
It was my first interview as a professional sportscaster.
The famed quarterback decided to bare all.
And by all, I don’t mean he told me any of his secrets.
No. The arrogant ass decided to drop his towel, just as I asked the first question. On camera.
The Super Bowl MVP quickly adopted a new hobby—screwing with me.
When I pushed back, he shifted from wanting to screw with me, to wanting to screw me.
But I don’t date players.
And it’s not because I’m one of the few women working in the world of professional football.
I’d date an athlete.
It’s the other kind of player I don’t date.
You know the type. Good looking, strong, cocky, always looking to get laid.

Brody Easton was the ultimate player.
Every woman wanted to be the one to change him.
But the truth was, all he needed was a girl worth changing for.
Turned out, I was that girl.
Simple right?
Let’s face it. It never is.
There’s a story between once upon a time and happily ever after…
And this one is ours. 

My Thoughts

3 "It's BYE-Week!" Stars

I'll be honest and say I bought this book mostly for it's ab-tastic (and pec-tastic, and arm-tastic, and cock-tastic) cover, but I did take into account the glowing reviews. I've been in the mood for these lighter, sexy contemporary romances lately, and this seemed to fit the bill.

Sadly, I was disappointed. 

I felt almost no chemistry between Delilah and Brody. She was definitely infatuated and I even wound up believing her love for him, but whenever Brody's POV was on, I read nothing but sexual attraction on his part, and only when he was around Delilah. When he wasn't with her, she hardly ever crossed his mind. He's a bit of a dick, and not even in a good way. He's just a dick.

This lead to the romance feeling forced, the drama and angst boring and over the top, and the sex, while objectively hot, didn't have enough to flesh it out. 

I'm usually completely clueless on the lingo when it comes to sport romances and don't pay much attention to it, but I live in the south. Even though I'm not much of a fan, football - college vs. professional, but still - is the way of life down here, and it's hard not to absorb some of it. The author lacked in her research of the sport, enough that even I could pick up on it. 

For example, there's a week during the season where a team doesn't have a game. This is called a bye week, not a bi week, as it's called in the story.

There's the introduction of a third and completely unneeded point of view about half way into the story, and there's more than a slight love triangle (for the hero instead of the norm of the heroine having multi love interests), though it winds up not going anywhere. Love triangles are the bane of my existence in and of themselves, but when the character is awful and it's handled poorly, it infuriates me even more.

So why three stars instead of 1? For some reason, I couldn't put the story down. I blew through it in less than a day, and stayed up way too late to finish it. It was addictive, and some parts were laugh out loud hilarious. I really liked Delilah as a character, despite her questionable taste in men, and the banter between her and her best friend was great. 

I did wind up somewhat enjoying the story, but I'm definitely the minority for not loving it. Check it out yourself if you're brave!

- The Bibliophile Babe