Book Review: Friction by Tracie Delaney

Finally a great story about car racing! I can’t wait for more books in this series!

I grew up in a family of Formula One fans so I was thrilled that this book was about car racing. It’s plenty explained so even if you don’t know anything about that sport you’ll surely be able to follow the story easily. I found it thrilling and was on the edge of my seat a couple of times when Jared was racing. I loved it and could have read a lot more about that actually.

‘Jared Kane wasn’t just a gorgeous specimen – he was a fucking god behind the wheel.’

The story had a great pace and was an emotional up and down for the characters mixed with some of their mistakes and jealousy, as well as some very steamy scenes that will have you hot and bothered. Of course Jared’s career demanded a lot from him and made it even harder for them than any normal job would have done. Added to the hardship of their situation was that her father was his boss, which made any attraction between them a lot more complicated.
But the characters were so cute together and I loved their possessiveness of one another while they didn’t even acknowledge their feelings for themselves.

The Story:
Jared Kane's dream came true, he was offered a contract with Nash Racing and was now a driver in the Formula One racing. He didn't always have it easy in life, but with a lot of work and determination he showed everyone who didn't believe in him that he could make it.

‘I’d proved it to all those motherfuckers who believed it impossible for a guy from the wrong side of the tracks to succeed in a sport chock-full of rich dudes born with a silver spoon dangling from their too-privileged mouths.’

Paisley Nash, daughter of Jack Nash who was head of one of the most successful British racing teams in Formula One, grew up among the drivers, engineers and mechanics. She now had a degree in mechanical engineering in her pocket and wanted to prove that she could become one of the best mechanics in a man's world without the leverage of her surname. She was determined to make them see that she wasn't a little girl anymore but a grown woman who’s fully capable of doing a fantastic job in this field dominated by men.

‘As Jack Nash’s daughter, I’d have to work three times as hard to prove I deserved my spot through merit, not DNA.’

Thoughts:
Paisley was in between the stage of a girl becoming a woman and making a spot for herself in this by men dominated world. I liked her at times but couldn’t warm up to the moments when she acted her young age. It wasn’t really immature but it didn’t feel very mature either. She was still looking for her place in the world and not yet standing firmly planted with both feet in life. Maybe it had to do with how sheltered and protected she was by her father and his team.

Jared Kane was a great character. Although it started out with him as a womanizer, he became a great guy who showed that he was a lot more than only an ambitious racer. He was such a loving, generous, humble and caring guy; topped with some dominance, honesty and fairness that had me all gooey. While he was a loner on the race track, he was quite the family man at home. I really adored him.

I don’t know if the main character of the next book can trump Jared, but the ending of this story made me really excited for his book.

-- I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book given by the author. --

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View review on goodreads

Cover & Blurb Reveal: Edge of Darkness by Lara Adrian

 Edge of Darkness

A Hunter Legacy Novel
by Lara Adrian
Series: Midnight Breed Hunter Legacy #3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: September 30th, 2019

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian is back with Edge of Darkness, the latest sizzling, spellbinding novel in the Hunter Legacy series of vampire romances set in the darkly seductive Midnight Breed paranormal story world.

As a survivor of the horrific Hunter program, Breed vampire and former assassin Knox is a solitary man, closed off to the pain of love—and loss. A loner by choice, Knox deals in death and dark justice, expecting nothing in return. Until one snowy night he drifts into a remote town in northern Maine, where a determined beauty enlists his lethal assistance, tempting not only his hunger, but his wounded heart as well.

Lenora Calhoun has lived in tiny Parrish Falls all her life. Owner of the local diner that’s been in her family for generations, Leni’s as stalwart and stubborn as the tall pines that surround her. That unshakable resolve doesn’t sit well with everyone, least of all the most powerful family in the logging town. Leni’s been the target of their animosity for years, but with their escalating threats now putting an innocent child’s safety at risk, she takes a desperate chance on a dangerous stranger—a man who is something more than human. Knox’s deadly skills and turbulent gaze should be warning enough for Leni to guard her heart, yet she cannot deny the yearning he stirs in her blood. For the merciless Breed male is the only man she can trust in a town full of secrets, and where taking a stand could rip away everything she holds dear.

While this novel is Book 3 in the Hunter Legacy series, each story in this Midnight Breed spin-off series can be read as a complete standalone with HEA and no cliffhangers.
 

Pre-order here:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2GQIGdf
Nook: http://bit.ly/2Ktsak4
Apple: https://apple.co/2KQRd0O
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2KoOVXR

*** EDGE OF DARKNESS will be going into Kindle Unlimited a day or so after release and will be exclusive at Amazon for at least 90 days. If you're a Nook, Apple, or Kobo reader, please be sure to pre-order! ***
 

About the author:

LARA ADRIAN is a New York Times and #1 internationally best-selling author with nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide and translations licensed to more than 20 countries. Her books have been named among Amazon’s Top Ten Romances of the Year, and have also been nominated by readers multiple times as finalists for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance of the Year. Reviewers have called Lara’s books “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “extraordinary” (Fresh Fiction), “strikingly original” (Booklist), and “one of the best vampire series on the market” (Romantic Times).

Writing as TINA ST. JOHN, her historical romances have won numerous awards including the National Readers Choice; Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice; Booksellers Best; and many others. She was twice named a Finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, for Best Historical Romance (White Lion’s Lady) and Best Paranormal Romance (Heart of the Hunter).

With an ancestry stretching back to the Mayflower and the court of King Henry VIII, the author lives with her husband in New England, where she is working on her next novel.

Book Review: The Murder List: A Novel of Suspense by Hank Phillippi Ryan

WOW! Who would have thought?! I was captured from the very start by this thrilling and unpredictable story.

This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more from her! The cover of The Murder List drew me in and I was sold by the last sentence from the blurb about it being a cat and mouse game--the battle for justice becoming a battle for survival.

'I'm wondering if my marriage will survive my summer job.'

A game it was indeed and although I kept guessing who the culprit was, in the end I had accused almost everyone and still not gotten one right because of the countless possibilities. The story took unexpected turns and it's really the best when you go in knowing as little as possible to get the full experience of this edge-gripping-tension.

I got so lost in this book, the writing, the game, the power-hungry people, the obsession of winning, the sore-loser, selfish people who didn't care about right or wrong, collateral damages, the farce to distract. And it all came down to craziness.

'How long does it take to ruin everything? One moment. One wrong decision. One mistake. One unfortunate assumption or ill-chosen word or even a misunderstood gift. The dominoes fall, never to be righted.'

The suspense had its peak when everything fell into place closer to the end and it was killing me how thrilling of a ride it was because although I came up with all kinds of scenarios and questioned every step of the characters, I really did not see it coming. I highly recommend this unputdownable book.

The story switched between Rachel's first POV and other people's third POV but it was still easy enough to follow and gave a lot more insight on what was happening than would have been the case from only Rachel's view.
Also, the story switched between past and present, between the current murder case and an old one when Rachel met Jack.
Now, this might sound like a lot was going on and that it could be confusing but this was not the case at all. I usually get confused with time changes and different POVs but the author did a fantastic job in handling the story and weaving it all together.

Okay, so, there was one tiny thing that did bother me throughout this story, which was the reason why I couldn’t give this a full star rating. It was the sometimes unnecessary detailing of surroundings and things or various irrelevant and drawn out thoughts from the characters. Since the story already had a rather slow pace for most of the time, the detailing just dragged it down too much. Other than that, I pretty much loved this entire book and will put it on my must-re-read list.

-- I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. --

My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

View review on goodreads

Blog Tour: Broken Knight by L.J. Shen

Broken Knight

by L.J. Shen

Series: All Saints High #2

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance / New Adult

Release Date: August 20th, 2019

 

Blurb:

Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending.

Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower.
Sweet.
Caring.
Charitable.
Quiet.
Fake.
Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language.
Who taught her how to laugh.
To live.
To love.

Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero.
Gorgeous.
Athletic.
Rugged.
Popular.
Liar.
This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna.
But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore.

When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes.
Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy. 

 

 

Buy now:
$2.99 for a Limited Time Only
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Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BrokenKnight
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Pre-order the Audio edition now:
(Available 8/25)
Amazon Audible: https://amzn.to/2HdgKQH
Amazon Audible WorldWide: http://mybook.to/BrokenKnightAudio
 

 

 Excerpt:

Right now I wanted to just be here in silence with my best friend. And somehow, I don’t know how, but Luna sensed it. So we sat there for what felt like two hours but was probably a lot less, until I opened my eyes again. Her eyes were closed, too. I watched her for a while.
When she opened her eyes, it felt like she took something away from me.
“Let’s jump,” she said.
“I’m quite fond of my limbs, Moonshine.”
“Stop being such a big baby.”
“Big, quarterback baby who just finished a football season in one piece and would like to keep all his body parts intact.”
She crawled out of the treehouse and settled on the branch. It was thick, but I doubted it could carry my muscular ass for more than a few seconds before snapping. I rolled my eyes and settled next to her. She slipped her hand in mine.
“Three, two, one.”
It was a short, sweet way down.

 About the author:

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 Best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

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Cover Reveal: One Shameless Night by A.M. Hargrove

One Shameless Night

by A.M. Hargrove

Series: West Sisters #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 5th, 2019

Photographer: Eric David Battershell; Model: Parker Ramsay

Blurb:

The first time I saw Alessandro, two things came to mind.
Sexy and naked.
You get the idea.

Thanks to him, my flight from hell became the best one I’d ever been on.
Turned out, the engaging, gorgeous passenger, was my new professor…and the ultimate jerk.

Rude, prick, cocksucker, were a few choice names I’d love to call him.
How was this offensive man the same human I’d met on the plane?

His soul must’ve been invaded by demons after leaving the airport.
To think I’d almost joined the mile high club with him. Almost.
Everywhere I went he was there raining more insults on me.

Until I saw him with his adorable mini look-alike.
That charming little boy melted my heart.
Before I knew it, I’d accepted his son’s invitation to play soccer.

What the hell was I thinking?
I hated that man.

But naked and sexy had gotten me into this mess.
And not even hate could get me out.

About the author:

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So she made a quick decision to quit her job and reinvented herself as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author.

Reader, Writer, #WalterThePuppy Owner, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Vodka Aficionado, Coffee Drinker, she believes coffee and ice cream should be added as part of the USDA food groups.

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Release Blitz: Something Like Hate by Claudia Burgoa

Something Like Hate
by Claudia Burgoa 

Genre: Enemies to Lovers Romance
Release Date: August 15th, 2019

Blurb:

Between a troublesome client and my fake-girlfriend-for-my-sister’s-Cancun-wedding canceling at the last minute.
I’m having the day from hell.
Then I spot Claire. Sexy. Smart. Sassy.
So one of my superstar employees is boarding the same plane.
With her help, I could kill two problems with one tequila shot.
That thing about never mixing business with pleasure?
I should’ve remembered.
Now the hottest one-night stand I’ve ever had is my biggest business rival.
We’re after the same client.
I’m after her heart.
The trick is how to win one without losing the other.
Because when love has you by the balls, it’s time to play dirty.

USA Today bestselling author Claudia Burgoa spins a new romantic comedy. This hot office rivalry romance will have you swooning and laughing your panties off!

Something Like Hate is a full-length novel based on Miller and Claire’s short story, "The Accidental Hookup," which was previously released in Spring Fling: A Romance Anthology.
 

 

 Buy now:

Amazon: https://geni.us/SLHZon
Free with Kindle Unlimited

About the author:

Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado, working for a small IT. She has three children and manages a chaotic household of three confused dogs, and a wonderful husband who shares her love of all things geek. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.

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Book Review: Run to You by Lara Adrian

This was my first non-PR book by Lara Adrian. I obviously expected it to be well written and it was. I definitely loved the story and its characters, and there isn't really a thing to complain about. The storyline was well thought through, though rather standard in the bodyguard genre but I still liked it a lot and highly recommend it to those who love broken characters and a badass military hero saving the girl of his dreams.

'With this woman, I know I won't be content with anything less than all of her.'

I liked that both H and h had strengths and weaknesses and how they complemented each other so well. Eve was a model before her world collapsed and she found herself at her lowest. Now she’s a lot stronger, an independent woman owning her own business.

'Every inch of her is perfection. I'm scar-riddled and disfigured.'

Gabe was in a predicament because he worked not only for his friends Baine and Beck, but one of them was also the brother of Eveline who made it hard for Gabe to think of anything else since he met her. When he recognized the danger Eve was in, her brother hired Gabe to protect her without her knowledge. You can imagine the whirlwind of emotions going on then.

'It's not anything I've been looking for, but I know at least enough to recognize something special when it's right in front of me.'

Everything surrounding Gabe and Eve, with their growing feelings, their work, family problems and demons over their heads, this all had me captured and made it hard for me to put the book down.
I really liked that, although it was a love story about the main characters, there was a lot of depth surrounding their individual characters and their lives as well. This made the story so fantastic in my opinion because it gave it a realistic feel and easier for me to connect with.

'I can see how tightly reined he manages his control, but he is on the verge of losing it.'

Even though this is a genre and topic I've read many stories of, I really enjoyed this book a lot and hope there will be more books about the secondary characters from this story. While I figured out who the stalker was early on, it was still captivatingly written and suspenseful, and not to forget the hot scenes and quite emotional, raw and heartfelt moments. Definitely one of the best in this genre.

'Both of us still trying to claw our way into the light, onto safe and solid ground.'

My rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

View review on goodreads

Cover Reveal: Our Song by Lauren Runow

Our Song

by Lauren Runow

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 10th, 2019

Designed by Lauren Runow

 

Blurb:

After a devastating accident crushed my dreams, I ended up back in my hometown teaching kindergarten. I was trying to make the best of it. That is, until the world I had to leave behind, showed up in my classroom in the form of a five-year-old little girl. Her father living the exact life I almost had.

Adam Jacobson is known as the bad boy of rock. While he and his band tour the world, they leave a trail of mayhem. What no one knows is behind the music is a caring, straightedge man with a secret — a daughter who the world is about to discover.

When they move to my small town, their secret is blown. He needs my help to keep her out of the media, and with each exchange we grow closer. Only problem is I need to stay away from the memories he ignites, and the temptations he brings my way.

Secrets I’ve kept and thoughts of that fatal night come crashing back into my life. I have to wonder if it was more than fate that brought his little girl into my classroom.

 

 

About the author:

Lauren Runow is the author of multiple Adult Contemporary Romance novels, some more dirty than others. When Lauren isn't writing, you'll find her listening to music, at her local CrossFit, reading, or at the baseball field with her boys. Her only vice is coffee, and she swears it makes her a better mom!

Lauren is a graduate from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and is the founder and co-owner of the community magazine she and her husband publish. She is a proud Rotarian, helps run a local non-profit kids science museum, and was awarded Woman of the Year from Congressman Garamendi. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons.

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Release Blitz: All In: Iggy's Story by Sidney Halston

All In: Iggy's Story

by Sidney Halston

Series: A Worth the Fight and Panic Crossover Novel #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 9th, 2019

Cover Model: BT Urruela; Cover Photographer: Cassy Roop; Cover Design: Germancreative

Blurb:

Abby: He was my best friend. My first kiss, my first love, my first everything really. But then he walked out of my life and didn’t look back. It was sudden, and I was devastated. All I knew was that Iggy had enlisted in the Army—and that he was leaving me—likely forever. But that was twenty years ago, now my life is in shambles and I don’t just have myself to worry about…

Iggy: I still think about her. Every time I walk through the doors of my club, Duality, I’m reminded of what I’m missing. Every time I take a man to the mat at the Academy, it hurts, but not as much as the pain of losing her. Every time I suit-up to fly overseas knowing I might not come back, the regret comes raging back. Life has been hell. But it’s a hell I’ve chosen. I’m happy enough, now. But if she’s in trouble, I can’t stay away. I won’t stay away. I’ll protect her and her children with my life, and if she’ll let me stay, I’ll promise to never leave again.

Buy now:

Amazon US: https://tinyurl.com/y6nbnnqp

Amazon UK: https://tinyurl.com/yyz48gag

Amazon CA: https://tinyurl.com/yydbspo3

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2FlR03G

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/y266m46r

Itunes: https://tinyurl.com/y6gowjmz

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2WQus0U

Excerpt:

I’m done. He’s sweet, but I’m over this game, no matter how nice he’s trying to be. If years of speech therapy can’t fix me, this guy is certainly not going to. “Iggy.” That’s as close as it’s going to get at the moment. I’ll go home and practice but for right now, I’m done.

“Iggy?” he repeats, and I shrug defeatedly. “Iggy. Yeah, I can live with that.” He winks at me. “Later, Abby.”

And then he walks away with a smug look on his face.

About the author:

USA Today Bestselling author, Sidney Halston lives her life with one simple rule: “Just Do It”

And that’s exactly what she did. After working hard as an attorney, Sidney picked up a pen for the first time at thirty years old to begin her dream of writing. Having never written anything other than very exciting legal briefs, she found an outlet for her imaginative romantic side and wrote the successful New Adult series, Seeing Red and Seeing Black. That first pen stroke sealed the deal and she fell in love with writing. Currently on sale is the bestselling contemporary romance series, Worth the Fight and Panic Series, as well as Romantic Suspense series, Iron Clad Security.

Sidney lives in South Florida with her husband and children. She loves her family above all else, and reading follows a close second. When she’s not writing you can find her reading and reading and reading… She’s a reader first and foremost.

When she’s not writing or reading her life is complete and utter chaos trying to balance family life with work, and writing (and reading). But she wouldn’t have it any other way., she found an outlet for her imaginative romantic side and wrote Seeing Red, among four other novels currently in the works, including the sequel to Seeing Red. That first pen stroke sealed the deal and she fell in love with writing.

Sidney lives in South Florida with her husband and children. She loves her family above all else, and reading follows a close second. When she’s not writing you can find her reading and reading and reading… She’s a reader first and a writer second.

When she’s not writing or reading her life is complete and utter chaos trying to balance family life with work, and writing (and reading). But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Book Review: One Indecent Night by A.M. Hargrove

I absolutely loved the hilarious prologue which was already at the end of the last West Brothers Book. So, I was really excited to finally read this story but it felt different than I expected, partly because it was not the fun and lighthearted book that I thought it would be. The story had a fast pace with Evan being hell bent on making Sylvie his, and since he was actually a womanizer I was slightly irritated how fast he changed his mind and only wanted her now. But I adored his sweet side and liked that he didn’t show off his wealth at first. Although it was a bit strange how Sylvie talked about it a lot later on but I guess that's normal when you are new to all that wealth. It felt very fairytale-like with all the things they did because of his finances and I'm personally not a fan of millionaires/billionaires in books anymore so this is obviously a question of personal taste.

Sylvie was a fun character. She wasn’t shy and didn’t care what others thought of her. I really envied her for her attitude and I liked that she didn't instantly give in to his advances at the beginning of the book.

Evan had a tough nut to crack with Sylvie, but they both had their hearts broken in past relationships so it was understandable for them to be cautious. His charm though won her over pretty quickly and it didn't take long for them to realize that they had found their other half's in each other. But were they strong enough to withstand the whirlwind of events that followed?

While I did like this story in general and really loved the family cohesion, it all just moved too fast for my liking which is also why I couldn't connect with the characters and their story as much as I would have liked. Let's see what the next book will bring.

-- I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book given by the author. --

My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

View review on goodreads

Book Review: Derision by Trisha Wolfe

I read this book because I was really intrigued by the characters from the With Ties that Bind Series. All in all I enjoyed this book but think that although it was a quick, hot and nice read, it missed detailing and there wasn’t any time for important things to develop and grow. The story rushed through all kinds of important steps especially in the bdsm aspect and I wasn’t a fan of the sudden feelings after only a couple of days that the characters knew each other.

'”I'm going to debase you in the most lovely way.”'

Alexis was a frightened and rather inconspicuous person working in a law firm full of self-assured people who didn’t give her a second glance. That’s what she thought at least until one of her bosses noticed her.

'I no longer want to be the awkward, strange girl that enforces some ridiculous, self-serving belief she doesn't long to be touched.'

Chase Larking was dominant and controlling through and through. He had an eye for beautiful and submissive things and pegged Alexis quite right. He never entertained the thought of taking on a submissive but Alexis was more intriguing and alluring for him to get her out of his mind with only one fuck. But his world was not black and white and the game he was playing was more complex than what meets the eye and Alexis soon found herself in some difficult and precarious situations.

'There's no Prince Charming here. I'm aroused by a woman's humility. I need to debase them, make them just as desperate as I am to feel the relief that comes from granting their control to me.'

My biggest bother in this story was how Chase basically forced her to agree to something he did not explain and she knew nothing about. He threatened her with losing her job when she didn’t do what he demanded and threw her into a foreign world full of kink. He was even telling her off when she spoke without asking for permission first when she didn't even know the rules of that beforehand. I know that she was his first sub in training but he was seemingly inexperienced with how he expected a puppy to know all his commands. He was so demanding without having set boundaries or even developed trust with his sub and she gave in to him without a second thought. It was frustrating and almost horrifying to watch because this wasn’t fair for either of them and actually dangerous for obvious reasons in such a relationship that was supposed to be based on trust and communication. Both were missing here.

'”Let me break you, tear down your ill-conceived notions, so that you can truly experience the pleasures of freedom.”'

Despite the rather forceful and humiliating introduction into The Firm – something he also didn’t explain to her – Alexis and Chase clicked together in an unexpected way. The development was missing because it dove right into the juicy stuff but it's undoubtedly a turn on for people who aren’t squeamish and who don’t need all the love and romance. This story was more about control than freely given submission.

'I am his object of derision. I am his. A belonging.'

I just felt like Alexis got pushed into something without wanting it and was too afraid to put a halt to it. A lot of things in this book were a grey area and I was torn between shouting at her to run away or push herself closer to him and cheer her on. It was a really weird feeling because there was even a time or two when he seemed almost nice and caring. I got whiplash from his constant and sudden mood changes.

'Learning to trust is like trying to breathe under water, conditioning yourself with patience till you can take that first, unobstructed breath.'

While things might still be a turn on for some of us who bloom in the pain and pleasure that comes with it, it's still harsh when you look at it from a neutral view.
So I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it, but although it had a bumpy start for me I can't deny how much I enjoyed this story at the end. Especially when Alexis managed to get under his skin and finally found her voice a time or two. The story definitely had a lot of potential.

'I'm as equally aroused by his brutal touch as I am by his tender caress. I crave his harsh declarations just as I desire to hear his whispered confessions.'

The reason of my rating despite the things that bothered me?!.. Well, I can't lie and can't deny it. Sometimes I prefer the forced and non-con to hearts and flowers. I like me some dominant with a strong hold, he should just know what he does.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

View review on goodreads

Book Review: Seven Shades of You by A.M. Johnson

I absolutely loved Let There Be Light, which was my first book by this author. So I was very excited about Indie's book and had high expectations. While I loved seeing Royal and Camden again, and to finally have Kai and Indie's story here, I didn't feel the same love for this book than for the first one. I guess I expected more emotions and feelings between the characters and less drama about their secret ‘love’ and what Royal would think.

'"Kai is more than his reputation."'

Although it was very well written I struggled for more than half of the story with the slow pace and with how dragging it felt. The story was good but it wasn't so much about romance and love than about the dark shadows of the characters. While the slow burn fit perfectly for Royal and Camden's story, I think it wasn’t beneficial to Indie's story. It was just soooo slow. I know that the characters weren't the usual carefree ones but it took me at least until 43% until I felt the butterflies in my belly from the cuteness of the characters physical pull towards each other. I understand that it couldn't have been rushed due to especially Indie’s innocence as well as her illness and Kai’s very opposite character that fought with his anger control and alcoholism. But I just struggled too much to keep reading for such a long time before it started to get where I needed it to go. I think that if I hadn't read and loved the first book so much, I might even have given up on this read after a few chapters.

'A lot of shit in my life had taken a nosedive, a full-on spiral down, but I kept reminding myself some things had turned out okay.'

I loved the characters as individuals and their story was very emotional in the last quarter of the book but it felt too much like a high school story with more problems than good feelings. I liked how bold and brave Indie was and how Kai wanted to be better for her. But there was also a lot going on with the secondary characters and the romance of the story was almost nonexistent. What a shame. As a love story it fell flat for me. It was mostly a 3 star read but became a 4 star way later on, so that’s why I gave it 3.5 stars but it’s a beautiful story nonetheless.

'She was everything I could never have, everything I didn't deserve.'

The Story:
Kai kept his distance to Indie because she was his best friend's sister and he was not good enough for her. She deserved better than his dark days, drinking and whoring escapades. But he wanted to be better for his mom and worked hard on himself.
Indie had to fight to stay in the light her whole life. Although the voices inside her head weren't always whispering, they always lingered and waited for moments of doubt or insecurity to raise their heads. When things changed at college and Kai and Indie's path kept crossing, their pull towards each other became too much to ignore and although they struggled to keep their feelings hidden they eventually had to give in.

'Kai Carter was the hero, the mystery, the only boy to ever make me look twice. He was a brazen brush of violet against the muted gray canvas of St. Peter's.'

My rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

View review on goodreads

Release Blitz: Forever Wanted - Part One by Dee Palmer

Forever Wanted - Part One
by Dee Palmer
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Release Date: June 25th, 2019

Cover Design : Concierge Literary Promotions

Blurb:

Pink’s Story:

As much as I love Finn, my brothers and our way of life... when things started to change, I found myself with only one option. I had to get away.

I need to clear my head and what better way than to hit the open road. My plan, for what it's worth is to drive, try and work out what I want and to take care of number one for a change.

What is it they say about best laid plans?

My plans might be about to change dramatically when I suddenly have to swerve to avoid hitting a runaway bride. She might be beautiful underneath all that dirt but she's a disaster, with drama written all over her tear stained face.

I have to tell myself, this is not my problem.

I don't care.

I tell myself enough, I might even believe it for a fraction of the second it takes me to stop my truck and haul a u-turn.

Again I tell myself, I don't care...until I do and then it's too damn late.
 

 

Buy now:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2ZKylq9
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2ZHBOpu
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2ZKp5m2
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2ZIeNCS

About the author:

Dee Palmer lives just outside of London with her husband and (slightly embarrassed) children. Her passion is writing sexy steamy romance stories that will scorch the pages right off your kindle and are guaranteed to make your heart pound. She loves an HEA but isn't afraid to put her readers through the ringer before she delivers.

When not at her desk she can be found either fannying around on Facebook or with her nose stuck in her Kindle. Once in a while when the lights are down she might be spotted about town searching for the best French martinis and throwing some dubious shapes on the dance floor.

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Release Blitz & Book Review: Teardrop Shot by Tijan

Teardrop Shot

by Tijan

Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance

Release Date: June 24th, 2019

Blurb:

I asked for his criteria for bed buddies–that's the PG version.

He swore at me and said he didn’t do groupies.
And just like that, our friendship was off to a great start.

Reese Forster was the starting point guard for the Seattle Thunder.

Gorgeous. Cocky. Loved by the nation.

He’s also attending preseason basketball training camp where I used to work.

Correction: where I work again, because I was fired from my last job.
And dumped.
And I might have a tiny bit of baggage, but that’s normal. Right?

Reese and I shouldn’t have become friends.
We shouldn’t have become roommates.

And we really shouldn’t have started sleeping together … (Except we did.)

I’m adorably psychotic. He’s in the NBA.
This is not a disaster waiting to happen, at all.

Teardrop Shot is a 100k standalone sports romance.
 

Buy now:

Amazon US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2Fujng8
Amazon US Paperback: https://amzn.to/2IBLSur
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/2XtBnBE

About the author:
 

Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new YA series along with so many more from north Minnesota where she lives with a man she couldn’t be without and an English Cocker she adores.​
 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram
 

Enter the giveaway for a Teardrop signed paperback and swag giveaway here: https://bit.ly/2X0TxGC

My review: 

I need more stars! Five are not enough! This beautiful and most perfect story deserves more stars!!

Really, my love for this book knows no limit. This was my third book by this author so far and I'm starting to realize that she has a very rare talent because her stories are never as they seem. I absolutely love their uniqueness and how the author surprises me every time with her unexpected ways and fabulous writing.

When you read a lot of books from a certain genre they tend to be very similar at times. This one though, I've never read a story like it even though one might think it could be too mainstream with a classic genre like sports romance. That's a reason why this author is brilliantly talented. She takes something mundane and normal and turns it into something special and new.

Charlie was dumped and fired. One might think it couldn’t get any worse, right?! Well, wrong. But when a job opportunity presented itself to her, she had no other choice but to take it. Little did she know that her favorite basketball team and player were her new clients. Freak outs were expected but never would she have dreamed for Reese Forster to notice her. Not only did he pay attention to her, but he also didn’t look at her like others do, as if she was crazy, because he saw her for who she really was. An odd friendship developed between them but how long could this go on with him being a pro basketball player and her being held down with all that baggage she carried around?!

‘It wasn’t right, or it shouldn’t have been, that just a memory could strip someone of everything. But it worked.’

I devoured this unputdownable book. I loved Charlie and her quirky ways. My heart broke for her already in the beginning when I didn’t even know what she went through or what was going on. There was a sadness to her, behind all her crazy, and it broke my heart. You can imagine how soul shattering it was when her secret was revealed. I cried a lot with this book but it wasn’t an ugly cry story. It was just so emotional and also somewhat personal that it touched me deeply. I don’t have the same story than Charlie but I know what it meant to put on a brave face and hide your true feelings deep inside where they start eating at you. You can let it destroy you or you can open up and let them out. Either way is very hard and not possible to manage alone.

‘Crazy was a nice firm wall that I kept around myself, shielding people from getting too close, or from me connecting as a real human being kinda way. It was a good firm wall locked around me, and the more he was watching me, the more that wall was getting dents in it, and that was the bad part.’

Reese wasn’t one of the typical heroes. He wasn’t the asshole kind or the sweet loving guy. He was a pro basketball player and a loner. He had his own shadows and struggles to deal with and the things that were revealed made him very likeable. I really felt with him. He seemed hurt, closed off and didn’t let people in easily which was not only because of his job. He was a great and caring guy but still somewhat an enigma. Definitely very intriguing.

These characters were like a breath of fresh air and so unique. I loved how Charlie kept Reese on his toes and I laughed so much. But their story also brought tears to my eyes and made my heart ache. They went through some very tough situations in life and it broke me so bad. My heart shattered for them.

‘”You don’t stop loving someone even if they’ve forgotten you.”’

This story was a perfect example of why I became a book-lover. It had all the feels, it had that familiarity of being new but also personal. It made me forget my surroundings and wrapped me up in a blanket of comfort. It made me feel loved but also heartbroken at the same time. It broke me but didn’t destroy me. It got me and caught me. It was my aching best friend.

-- I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book given by the author. --

My rating: 5 of 5 Stars
View review on goodreads

 

Release Blitz: Seven Shades of You by A.M. Johnson

Seven Shades of You

by A.M. Johnson

Series: Twin Hearts #2 

Genre: Standalone / Contemporary College Romance
Release Date: June 13th, 2019 

Cover Design: Amanda Bockman

 

Blurb:

Her world was color. Canvas and paint. Indie O’Connell lived inside her head. Her voices the muse. And as a freshman at St. Peter's College, all she wanted, was to create a name for herself with the brush in her hand.

His world was over. Despite his humble upbringing, Kai Carter seemed to have it all. Captain of the swim team and a full scholarship. His golden boy status a mask he had to wear to keep his dream and his family afloat. All the pieces of his life dangled precariously from his fingertips.

Forced to fight a battle he’d never signed up for, Kai’s loyalty turned out to be his undoing, and like a good captain, no matter what the cost, he’d gone down with the ship.

They never planned for their worlds to collide.
He was her brother's best friend.
She was supposed to be invisible.

Off limits.

Being together, regardless of how much they wanted it, was a line they'd never cross. But when lives get messy, lines get blurred, and in love, nothing is ever black and white. 

 

 

Buy now:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2MzFbNj
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2WpvVLC
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2F208dC
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2K8oiHC
Amazon Universal: https://geni.us/F1Sn35


Read the first book in the Twin Hearts Series here:

 

Let There Be Lights
by A.M. Johnson

Series: Twin Hearts #1

 Buy now:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2udPmuW
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2TPWa1r
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2HDRGU5
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2THtOWO
Amazon Universal: https://geni.us/AMJLTBLBK1

 

 

About the author:

Amanda lives in Utah with her family where she moonlights as a nurse on the weekends.
If she's not busy with her three munchkins, you'll find her buried in a book or behind the keyboard where she explores the human experience through the written word.
She's obsessed with all things Austen and Oreos, and loves to connect with readers!

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