by Natasha Knight Genre: Dark Romance Release Date: May 26th, 2017
Blurb:
Disgrace: the condition of one fallen from grace. She is my forbidden fruit. The one temptation I cannot resist. The first night… I rescued her from an attack in the seedy underground of New York City. The second night… She told me the first of many lies. She thinks she can keep me out of her world, but she’s in over her head. Watching her, being near her, it gives breath to something dark inside me. Something primal and forbidden. Forbidden to me. Because in six months, I’ll be an ordained priest. And she complicates things. She thinks she is my disgrace. Truth is, my fall had begun the moment I’d laid eyes on her.
USA Today Bestselling author Natasha Knight writes dark romance as well as spanking romance in a variety of genres including contemporary, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, science-fiction and fantasy. She is a #1 Amazon Bestseller in multiple categories forever searching in every story for that single most important element of love. All of her stories contain at least one kinky Alpha male, lots of dirty talk and a well deserved happily ever after.
Cover Design: Mary Ruth - The Reading Ruth; Cover Model: Steve Gehrke
Synopsis:
Kelly Kavanagh was Liam’s happily ever after, his loyal princess. A lifeline to something better than any high school dropout could ever hope for…until the day she left to pursue a dream that didn’t include him and slowly his kingdom crumbled to the ground.
Liam O’Connell was the sun to Kelly’s everlasting moon, her painted prince. A strong and devoted soul to fight the war she was slowly losing against herself…until his promises had become lies and her dream was the only way she would ever survive.
They have more than just miles and time between them now. The twin fortresses they’ve built around their hearts are next to impossible to scale. But, when two parallel fates collide in life and in death, will the impact be powerful enough to break down their self-imposed walls?
Every love story starts with Once Upon a Time, but in real life there are no fairytale endings, and the prince who rescues you...will never wear a crown.
Amanda Marie Johnson was born and raised in Valrico, Florida. She’s now surrounded by mountains with her husband and three children in Ogden, Utah. She attended Weber State University and graduated with her A.S.N. She is a full-time registered nurse. Reading and writing have always been something she is passionate about. She loves to write about the human experience, love and happily ever afters.
Sweat beads at my brow as the breath whooshes out of me. I’m bent over, arms dangling down. Beneath me, the most delicious, hardest length I’ve ever felt presses into my mound. I want to rock against it.
I can’t move.
He won’t let me.
He keeps me like this, draped over his lap, immobile.
The sound of a strike reverberates throughout the room, but silence remains. No noise. It isn’t allowed.
Moisture drips from my every pore, and yet, I’m focused on this one drop as it gathers at the center of my forehead. Becomes bigger.
Everything’s out of control.
Crazed.
Hyper-awareness consumes my every breath.
I count to ten and it falls to the ground.
A small splat no one will ever hear. And yet, I do. The sound as it hits the floor causes my breathing to stutter and skin to prickle with goose bumps.
“The last ten, love,” Noah whispers, his hand massaging the heated flesh beneath his fingertips. It hurts, but the pain is replaced by a yearning so strong that I whimper in his lap.
Like a bitch in heat I arch and ask for more.
His touch.
His desire.
To make this burning within my veins stop.
With one hand he gathers the hair at my nape and forces my head back. A harsh tug—I’m in his control—forces my eyes to his. Hooded dark blue eyes look at me with concern, but behind their depths I see another emotion burning.
Lust.
His want mirrors my own. This perversion is awakening something darker from within. It grows—chokes us, because behind it all we were meant to end up like this. My body at his hands. In his control.
Those hungry eyes look at me. Silent communication. Are you okay?
I blink back a please and the asshole smirks. Aware of what I need even as my mind fights the sins I have laid bare to his eyes.
My release is so close. A fresh round of arousal drips from my core and onto his boxers.
I’m positioned over his lap, ass up, and the very tip of his cock is against my hip. He’s hard. Jerks against me when I gyrate against his length.
“Please,” I beg aloud this time and his hold on my hair tightens. The hand kneading my ass cheek spreads me open to look at my depravity. At what his own hands have caused.
That thong, that minuscule piece of fabric, can’t hide what this game is doing to me. The evidence, slick and inviting, is on his lap.
I shift against his cock and he hisses. “Be still!”
A crackle follows his command and we both shiver. Each time it appears, things change, become more.
Dangerous.
Frantic.
Wicked.
“Very good my pets, but the audience wants more. Lose the panties, but without her standing up. Be creative, and there will be a reward.”
I exhale shakily. “Do it.”
“Are you sure?” As the word leave his lips, those same fingers that a minute ago exposed me to his eyes, now hold my panties in his grip. He doesn’t wait for a reply. A tug follows his question, the sound of fabric stretching meets my ears, and I nod.
Another pull and I feel every welt that forms on my skin from the rough treatment. The sole sounds in the room are his harsh breathing and mine. Loud exertion, but at the same time desperate for more.
What else could I say? No. Please don’t?
It would’ve been a bullshit lie and we both know it. The voice commands and we follow. It asks and we accept our fate.
There’s a sick part of me that relishes in this madness. Craves him. My Noah.
We have been dealt our cards; there is no escape. We must accept our fate.
Either we fuck each other, or we die.
About the authors:
Elena M. Reyes was born and raised in Miami Florida. She is the epitome of a Floridian and if she could live in her beloved flip-flops, she would.
As a small child, she was always intrigued with all forms of art—whether it was dancing to island rhythms, or painting with any medium she could get her hands on. Her first taste of writing came to her during her fifth grade year when her class was prompted to participate in the D. A. R. E. Program and write an essay on what they’d learned.
Her passion for reading over the years has amassed her with hours of pleasure. It wasn't until she stumbled upon fanfiction that her thirst to write overtook her world. She now resides in Central Florida with her husband and son, spending all her down time letting her creativity flow and letting her characters grow.
N. Isabelle Blanco is the Amazon Bestselling Author of the Allure Series, the Need Series with K.I. Lynn, and many others. At the age of three, due to an odd fascination with studying her mother’s handwriting, she began to read and write. By the time she’d reached kindergarten, she had an extensive vocabulary and her obsession with words began to bleed into every aspect of her life.
That is, until coffee came a long and took over everything else.
Nowadays, N. spends most of her days surviving the crazy New York rush and arguing with her characters every ten minutes or so, all in the hopes of one day getting them under control.
Night after night, Jax pictures her coming to him. In his dreams, Sky appears in the darkness, ready and wanting. But the night that finally happens, he finds out they’re in the middle of a nightmare.
Sky has nowhere to turn. Only one man can keep her safe, but he’s the most dangerous of them all. Her only choice is to put herself in Jax’s hands. Even if it destroys them both.
Note: “All of You” is a standalone hot contemporary romance. It’s one of four “All In” novels, which can be read in any order, with some crossover characters.
Callie Harper writes hot, fun, page-turning romances. She is powered by coffee, wickedly sexy bad boys, and all things funny, intentional or otherwise. Born on the East Coast where she learned the joys of fast-paced sarcastic banter, she and her family are now kickin’ it in the West Coast sunshine. On any given day there’s a good chance you’ll find Callie outdoors enjoying the gorgeous Bay Area, but if she’s indoors she’ll likely be reading, writing or eating, preferably all at once.
Set Us Free by M.R. Leahy Series: Bound Forever #2 Genre: Dark Romance Release Date: May 23rd, 2017
Blurb:
For Emmalyn and Kodah being set free meant living in the real world away from the clutches of her step-father. It meant living a life they always dreamed about together.
But it’s never that easy, is it?
Life is cruel and untamed.
And not everything in their past can be forgotten. Nor is it as settled as they hoped.
With their new-found freedom comes challenges no one should ever face. Separated by memory but together at heart Emmy and Kodah must find their way back to each other so they can finally live their happily ever after.
M.R. Leahy was born in Amarillo, TX, where she was briefly raised before moving to a small Island in the middle of the Puget Sound called Whidbey Island. Growing up she lived with her mom and younger sister and a few cousins scattered close by.
As soon as she could, M.R. Leahy left the small island to get a feel for what the world had in store. After jumping around a few places, she landed in beautiful Wilmington, NC where she not only met the love of her life but became pregnant with her first child. Not long after finding out about the life they created they married and moved to San Diego, CA so they could be closer to family and start the beginning to their forever.
M.R. Leahy now has two beautiful boys and is living life to the fullest, not taking anything for granted. She now spends her time being a stay at home mom. When she's not making lunches and kissing booboos, you can find her nose deep in a book getting lost in the many different worlds authors provide, or writing and creating different stories of her own.
M.R. Leahy writes dark romances but also has her hands in contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her possibilities are endless.
I love this series. There's so much pain and heartache but also lots and lots of love! You just had to look deeper beneath the surface of some characters.
Emma and Kodah weren't the only ones that have stolen my heart. Buck, Drifter and even JB were loveable individuals and I hope that we get to see at least one or two of them again in the future.
This book was a lot different to the first. Emma and Kodah were finally free from that horrible place but their past still haunted them. Both struggled with Emma's memory loss and her panic attacks due to flashbacks. I can't say which had it worse, Emma for not remembering or Kodah for not knowing when or if his love of his life will remember him again and having to live without her until then.
“He was a memory that was meant to be remembered, not forgotten.”
But there was a lot more going on in Set Us Free. It wasn't just about Emma and Kodah anymore. It was about revenge, acceptance and most of all about family.
It was also told from multiple POVs which added more width to it since Emma mostly dealt with her memory loss and getting her life in order while lots more stuff happened around her.
The Story:
Emma and Kodah are finally free but life isn't what they had planned and hoped it would be. Emma doesn't remember most of what happened and struggles with panic attacks due to flashbacks and triggered memories of her past. But the one thing she knows for sure is that the man in the shadows, a stranger, gives her a feeling of familiarity and safety.
Kodah tried to stay away and give her time to remember, but it hurts more and more to not being able to touch her and hold her in his arms. But he's certain that one day he will make good on his promise because Emma has always been his and the world should know that.
When a thread turns their lives upside down, it's just a matter of time to find out if it will destroy them once and for all or finally bring them the yet missing piece of their happily ever after.
Thoughts:
As much as I loved this book, I think it could have been even better or darker at some parts as we didn't get to experience everything first hand (i.e. stuff with Buck). If I had to choose, I'd say that I liked Set Me Free a little bit better, which doesn't mean that this one was not as good, it's just a question of different opinion/taste. I loved the special bond between Emma and Kodah in the first book which wasn't as present in SUF because of her memory loss. But both books were just too different to compare as they played in two very different chapters of the character's lives (during captivity and after).
The book started out rather slow. Emma couldn't remember anything that happened and her recovery was a slow progress which was understandable. Every time when she remembered something, it was like a punch to the gut, pain radiating through her body, overwhelming her. It definitely was an emotional read. Especially seeing Kodah so helpless, when all he wanted was to be with her but couldn't.
“This is why I never wanted to remember. This is why I have fought for so long to keep things hidden. Because of this pain I knew I would feel.”
I absolutely loved Buck and Drifter! Both so different yet so similar with their troubled minds.
There was one thing that I did NOT like, which I can't tell you about because of spoilers. Not that the story was bad because of it, I just wished a different outcome of a particular scene closer to the end.
Last but not least, I am looking forward to JB and Bailey's story. The sneak peek got me all excited and I hope we don't have to wait too long for their book. I loved JB already in SMF and SUF and hope he will find his peace with his past.
And like I mentioned before, I'd be happy to see some characters again.
-- I received an ARC of this book from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review. -- My Rating: 5 of 5 stars View review on goodreads
Falling Hard by Lexi Ryan Series: The Blackhawk Boys #4 Genre: Sports Romance Release Date: May 23th, 2017
Blurb:
An NFL player with a secret past, and the one woman with the power to turn his world inside out… Former actress Emma Rothschild is partying in Vegas in disguise. But I’m not fooled. Five years ago, I knew that body better than my own, and I haven’t forgotten a single detail—not the curve of her hip beneath my hand or the hitch in her breath when I kiss her neck.
When Emma’s unexpectedly left alone in Sin City, I agree to spend the weekend with her. As friends. Why not? If I can knock down the toughest guys in the NFL, I’m strong enough to keep my hands to myself, even if she is the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.
Emma is part of my past—years so shrouded in secrets that not even my best friends know the truth about who I am. I’m a single dad now and not interested in revisiting my old ways or trying to win back the only woman I ever let close enough to break my heart.
But this is Vegas, where all bets are off, and with Emma, nothing ever goes as planned…
***
“A sexy, sweet, oh-so-emotional second chance romance that will make you believe in the power of fate and forgiveness.” - USA Today Bestseller Lili Valente
***
FALLING HARD is a sexy and emotional novel intended for mature readers. It’s the fourth book in the world of the Blackhawk Boys, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Football. Secrets. Lies. Passion. These boys don’t play fair. Which Blackhawk Boy will steal your heart?
Book 1 - SPINNING OUT (Arrow’s story) Book 2 - RUSHING IN (Christopher’s story) Book 3 - GOING UNDER (Sebastian’s story) Book 4 - FALLING HARD (Keegan’s story) Book 5 - IN TOO DEEP (Mason’s story, coming fall 2017)
“You’re too beautiful,” I tell her. I run my thumb along her jaw. “Too fucking beautiful.” “I’ve missed you. You’re the best man I’ve ever met.” My stomach clenches and I shake my head. “Don’t think that. It’s a lie. It’s what I wanted you to believe. Don’t bring that lie into tonight.” “How was it a lie?” She grins up at me, and I know a full confession would erase all the happiness from her face. “When we were together before, I wasn’t the man you thought I was. I wasn’t good.” It’s the closest to the truth I’ve ever given anyone about my past. “So you don’t want me believing you’re good?” I pull her hips tightly against me as I exhale in frustration. She still thinks this is some kind of joke. “I’m different now, but then…” She lifts onto her toes and flicks her tongue against my ear. “Don’t be so different. I like you a little bad.” I groan and stop dancing. I don’t know how much longer I can do this without diving over the line. “Is that permission to stop being your friend?” I’m obsessed with knowing if she tastes as sweet as I remember. And if I swipe my tongue over the sensitive spot beneath her ear, will she gasp like she always did? She shrugs and grins, and the dance floor tilts off balance. It’s crowded, and we’re surrounded by writhing bodies, cocooned in the crowd. I turn her in my arms so her back is to my front and settle my hand against the soft skin of her midriff. She arches her back and rubs against me. I sweep her hair to the side, and when I press my lips to the long, smooth column of her neck, she trembles against me. “Are you okay?” I ask against her ear. “Is this okay?” “I—I’m not sure…” “Tell me what you want. Not five years ago. Not tomorrow. What do you want right now?” She reaches back and threads her fingers through my hair to guide my mouth back to her neck. I don’t hesitate. I kiss and suck on that tender skin while we move to the beat. The rest of the room fades and one song blurs into the next. A waitress comes by selling shots, and I buy two, one for each of us, and we lock eyes as we throw them back. At some point, I’m vaguely aware of Bailey checking on me, but my focus is one hundred percent on Emma, on this night that takes me back to when I was eighteen and so fucking in love it hurt. Tonight, Emma isn’t the woman who once broke my heart. She isn’t the girl who wrote me off with a simple goodbye note and apologies I didn’t want. Tonight, she’s a dream, my fantasy in the flesh, my reward for surviving the hardest year of my whole life. When her face begins to blur, I realize I’m way more drunk than I ever intended. I need to sober up or I’m not going to remember a minute of this night. “Want to get out of here?” She nods, takes my hand, and leads me out of the bar and down the hall to the elevators. My watch reads a quarter past two. “Let’s get some food,” I suggest, but at the same moment, an elevator dings and the doors slide open. Emma grabs my hand and drags me inside. “I don’t want food,” she says, punching a button. I spin her around and press her against the wall. “What do you want, Em?” I drop my hand to her side to skim my knuckles over her skirt, and she widens her stance to part her thighs. “Fuck,” I whisper. I shouldn’t do this. Not here, not when any moment someone could join us on the elevator, not when we’re both so damn drunk it’s a wonder we can stand upright. But shouldn’t is so much weaker than want, and I want to touch her more than I want anything right now. I’m faintly aware of the soft beeping of the passing floors as I slide my hand up her skirt and cup her between her legs. She gasps, and I rub my fingers over the damp lace of her panties, teasing her swollen flesh. When the elevator stops and the doors slide open, she grabs my wrist and holds me still. “Please,” she whispers in my ear. “Please. Don’t stop.” Then she tilts her hips and rocks against my hand. I couldn’t refuse her if every person in the hotel was watching us.
ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE BLACKHAWK BOYS SERIES: Spinning Out by Lexi Ryan Series: The Blackhawk Boys #1
About the author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of emotional romance that sizzles, Lexi enjoys reading, sunshine, a good glass of wine, and rare trips to the beach. Lexi lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and neurotic dog. You can find her at her website: http://www.lexiryan.com/
I loved Keegan since I first read about him in the previous books and I was so excited to finally get to know his story. Although I love all of the Blackhawk boys, I think I always loved Keegan the most. (I’ve read Rushing In and Going Under so far.)
'When he took his shirt off, I almost choked on my tongue. That amount of muscle on one man shouldn't be legal, but there he is, a living speciman of strength and beauty just inches from my finger-tips.'
I was really excited when I started reading this book because hey, it’s Keegan’s story!! Finally!! From the other books, I was used to some drama with lots of fun parts. In this book there were a lot more serious topics and this might’ve been one of the reasons why I liked it so much.
The story jumped back and forth between the present and five years ago where everything started. And although five years passed and both their lives changed a lot, their feelings never faded despite all of their secrets.
The Story:
They haven’t seen each other for five years, now Emma and Keegan meet unexpectedly in Las Vegas. Both haven’t been able to forget each other in all those years but this isn’t a happy reunion because even though they plan to stay on friendly terms, a drunken night in Vegas doesn’t let them go back to their old life as if nothing happened.
Buried feelings come back to the surface and secrets come back haunting them. Can they ever sort out what separated them five years ago?
Thoughts:
My heart belongs to Keegan. He’s a troubled soul with an ugly past overshadowing his pure heart. I loved him so much. He tried to be better and he wanted to learn from his mistakes but he got blinded from bad people trying to manipulate him. At least that’s how I think of this woman, she who must not be named. HaHa
He was always too good to Olivia and I never understood why he just couldn’t let her go. She was a gold-digging and selfish woman. It was heartbreaking to see him sad over Olivia’s rejection in the previous books. You cannot imagine how relieved I was when I knew that she wasn’t going to be the one for him. Thank you!! I hated her so much that I wanted to punch her. Such a b*tch! I always disliked her.
I loved the writing, I loved the story but not everything was perfect. The story felt a bit long somewhere in the middle of the book. I was annoyed at Emma for dragging this out so much and for not talking to Keegan about her secrets. I mean, come on! How can all that happen and you live like that and still keep your secrets? I understand that it’s hard to talk about secrets; why else would they be secrets in the first place; but she could have said something without telling everything to ease his mind and their situation. This was something that really bothered me some bit. I also would have liked to read some more of Keegan with Jasmin. Everything else was really good even though I could have done without the crazy bitch but there had to be something other than just hearts and flowers right?
Well, another great story in this series and another Blackhawk boy taken. I’m looking forward to Mason’s story! Yay!
-- I received an ARC of this book from Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest review. -- My rating:4.5 of 5 Stars View all my Reviews
