Discover the Lexi Blake Crossover Collection Release Date: April 10, 2018
Author: Lexi BlakeSeries: Masters and Mercenaries #16
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: April 10th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source:InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
CLOSE COVER by Lexi Blake Remy Guidry doesn’t do relationships. He tried the marriage thing once, back in Louisiana, and learned the hard way that all he really needs in life is a cold beer, some good friends, and the occasional hookup. His job as a bodyguard with McKay-Taggart gives him purpose and lovely perks, like access to Sanctum. The last thing he needs in his life is a woman with stars in her eyes and babies in her future.
Lisa Daley’s life is finally going in the right direction. She has finally graduated from college after years of putting herself through school. She’s got a new job at an accounting firm and she’s finished her Sanctum training. Finally on her own and having fun, her life seems pretty perfect. Except she’s lonely and the one man she wants won’t give her a second look.
There is one other little glitch. Apparently, her new firm is really a front for the mob and now they want her dead. Assassins can really ruin a fun girls’ night out. Suddenly strapped to the very same six-foot-five-inch hunk of a bodyguard who makes her heart pound, Lisa can’t decide if this situation is a blessing or a curse.
As the mob closes in, Remy takes his tempting new charge back to the safest place he knows—his home in the bayou. Surrounded by his past, he can’t help wondering if Lisa is his future. To answer that question, he just has to keep her alive.
Author: Larissa Ione
Series: Demonica Underworld #6, Demonica #17
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: April 10th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
After a difficult childhood and a turbulent stint in the military, Declan Burke finally got his act together. Now he’s a battle-hardened professional bodyguard who takes his job at McKay-Taggart seriously and his playtime – and his playmates – just as seriously. One thing he never does, however, is mix business with pleasure. But when the mysterious, gorgeous Suzanne D’Angelo needs his protection from a stalker, his desire for her burns out of control, tempting him to break all the rules…even as he’s drawn into a dark, dangerous world he didn’t know existed.
Suzanne is an earthbound angel on her critical first mission: protecting Declan from an emerging supernatural threat at all costs. To keep him close, she hires him as her bodyguard. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she’s in over her head, defenseless against this devastatingly sexy human who makes her crave his forbidden touch.
Together they’ll have to draw on every ounce of their collective training to resist each other as the enemy closes in, but soon it becomes apparent that nothing could have prepared them for the menace to their lives…or their hearts.
Author: J. KennerSeries: Stark Trilogy #4.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: April 10th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
McKay-Taggart operative Riley Blade has no intention of returning to Los Angeles after his brief stint as a consultant on mega-star Lyle Tarpin’s latest action flick. Not even for Natasha Black, Tarpin’s sexy personal assistant who’d gotten under his skin. Why would he, when Tasha made it absolutely clear that—attraction or not—she wasn’t interested in a fling, much less a relationship.
But when Riley learns that someone is stalking her, he races to her side. Determined to not only protect her, but to convince her that—no matter what has hurt her in the past—he’s not only going to fight for her, he’s going to win her heart. Forever.
Author: Corinne Michaels
Series: Return to Me #3.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: April 10th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
I’ve had two goals my entire life:
1. Make it big in country music.
2. Get the hell out of Bell Buckle.
I was doing it. I was on my way, until Cooper Townsend landed backstage at my show in Dallas.
This gorgeous, rugged, man of few words was one cowboy I couldn’t afford to let distract me. But with his slow smile and rough hands, I just couldn’t keep away.
Now, there are outside forces conspiring against us. Maybe we should’ve known better? Maybe not. Even with the protection from Wade Rycroft, bodyguard for McKay-Taggart, I still don’t feel safe. I won’t let him get hurt because of me. All I know is that I want to hold on, but know the right thing to do is to let go…
Author: Carly PhillipsSeries: Bodyguard Bad Boys #2.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: April 10th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Talia Shaw has spent her adult life working as a scientist for a big pharmaceutical company. She’s focused on saving lives, not living life. When her lab is broken into and it's clear someone is after the top secret formula she’s working on, she turns to the one man she can trust. The same irresistible man she turned away years earlier because she was too young and naive to believe a sexy guy like Shane Landon could want her.
Shane Landon’s bodyguard work for McKay-Taggart is the one thing that brings him satisfaction in his life. Relationships come in second to the job. Always. Then little brainiac Talia Shaw shows up in his backyard, frightened and on the run, and his world is turned upside down. And not just because she’s found him naked in his outdoor shower, either.
With Talia's life in danger, Shane has to get her out of town and to her eccentric, hermit mentor who has the final piece of the formula she’s been working on, while keeping her safe from the men who are after her. Guarding Talia's body certainly isn't any hardship, but he never expects to fall hard and fast for his best friend’s little sister and the only woman who’s ever really gotten under his skin.
Author: Susan StokerSeries: Delta Force Heroes #7.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: April 10th 2018
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Sadie Jennings was used to being protected. As the niece of Sean Taggart, and the receptionist at McKay-Taggart Group, she was constantly surrounded by Alpha men more than capable, and willing, to lay down their life for her. But when she visits her friend in San Antonio, and acts on suspicious activity at Milena’s workplace, Sadie puts both of them in the crosshairs of a madman. After several harrowing weeks, her friend is now safe, but for Sadie, the repercussions of her rash act linger on.
Chase Jackson, no stranger to dangerous situations as a captain in the US Army, has volunteered himself as Sadie's bodyguard. He fell head over heels for the beautiful woman the first time he laid eyes on her. With a Delta Force team at his back, he reassures the Taggart's that Sadie will be safe. But when the situation in San Antonio catches up with her, Chase has to use everything he's learned over his career to keep his promise...and to keep Sadie alive long enough to officially make her his.
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*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of these books from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.
**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.
Welcome to part 2 of my Lexi Blake Crossover Collection review. The second part of my review of this collection includes books of two authors I've previously heard of, but that I haven't gotten the chance to read yet. I was familiar with a few of Carly Phillips' work before this crossover, but that's about it. So if there's another good thing that this genius collaboration did was that it introduced me to new authors I'm definitely going to keep reading from now on.
Say You Won't Let Go by Corinne Michaels
Emily is a talented young woman, one who is on the brink of stardom. She is a woman who knows what she wants, and that does not include going back home, to a small town. She had a really rough childhood, one that not a lot of people knew about. She worked hard to support her family, even if her father let her and her mother down. I liked the fact that Cooper had no clue how hard she had it growing up. Not because I think he would have looked differently at her, but because it just showed how strong Emily truly was. At the same time, she's really fragile and she wants to protect the people she loves. I wished she would have trusted Wade a little bit more to protect her, but I understand why she tried to hide certain things from everyone.
Cooper was... He's an interesting hero. He definitely works with Emily, and I can see they work well together, he's just not necessarily my type. He's a bit too jealous for my taste, and even though apparently he has been burned in the past by an ex, I wished he wasn't so ready to assume the worst about everyone. Especially since, apparently, he wasn't such an angel in the past himself. That being said, I loved the fact that he didn't try to force Emily into giving up her career, nor did he try to get her to move back home. I liked that about him.
I didn't expect the bad guy to be who he was. I was kind of starting to point my finger at someone who turned out to be completely innocent. I liked the book, and I definitely will read more books by Corinne Michaels.
His To Protect by Carly Phillips
I loved this story so much! I am a sucker for childhood friends turned lovers trope, even though I also firmly believe that we need more male-female platonic BFFs in fiction. Talia and Shaw had insane chemistry, from the very first scene they had together.
Talia is a very intriguing female. She's not what I expected. From the first time we meet her, she's extremely smart and she knows how to take care of herself. She also keeps her head in stressful, dangerous situations, which I fully admit I wouldn't be able to do. I liked that about her, the fact that she did her best to not only follow Shaw's instructions, but also help out in any way she could. She's also extremely selfless. What she did at the end, after so many years of hard work, impressed me a lot, and I liked her a lot for that.
Shaw was one hot hero, let me tell you. But then, I remember that about Phillips' heroes. He's also very fierce. I liked how he was willing to do anything to protect Talia.
I have probably said this about all books from the series that I haven't read yet, but I do need to read the series this book is a part of. I somehow forgot how much fun Carly Phillips's books are, and I'm glad I had the chance to discover her work yet again.
Rescuing Sadie by Susan Stoker
I fully admit I was confused at first when I started reading the last book in this crossover collection. Mostly because it seemed to me like this story was a continuation of a bigger story arc that I know nothing about. I did some digging and I found out that this book is related to another one by Susan Stoker, so I know what I'm going to read in the future.
That being said, I did enjoy the fact that I didn't know much about the past, because I was able to discover Sadie's story as I read this book. It's fun to not know what will come next, or what happened before, but to be fully in the present. I loved Sadie. She's strong, she's fierce...just like Chase calls her, Sparky. She's a spark. Her strength was amazing and I really enjoyed reading about her.
Chase is also a great hero. I liked the fact that he was able to open up to Sadie about certain things no one knew of. It was kind of the thing that united these two, aside from chemistry and their feelings for each other. They both felt like they weren't good enough, and they both needed someone to show them they were more than good enough, they were perfect. I basically liked them together.
When I first heard of this collection, I was certain I was going to love each and every story involved in the crossover, and I was right. I have always wished some of my favorite worlds would find some way to merge, even if for a short while, so I was extremely happy when this collection became a thing. I am now hoping more and more authors do this, even though I can imagine the kind of hard work goes into creating a crossover this huge.
Thank you, Lexi Blake, and all other authors involved in this, for creating the best experience a nerd like me could ever ask for. And I hope you'll have more of these collections out there.
