Book Review: Denying Ecstasy by Setta Jay

Author: Setta Jay
Series: Guardians Of The Realms #3
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal Romance,
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 28th 2014
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A headstrong sassy mortal, Rain is a Mageia living in Tetartos, the Realm of beasts and Immortals. Her nights have been restless, filled with sensual dreams of a big blonde Guardian whose glares indicate he wants nothing to do with her. She is determined to shake off the odd feelings until she finds out her dream lover is responsible for her rescue from a demented Demi-God. In doing so, his touch ignites something rare and coveted. Something that she’s never anticipated… Something he should have told her about. Rain is set on making him explain and then feel the full force of her ire.

After a devastating betrayal resulting in the loss of a close friend a century ago, Dorian refuses to trust or engage with Immortals other than his Guardian family. His years of brutal fighting in the underground Immortal rings are over. He patrols the Realms and slakes his lust with the humans on Earth. Existing, but not living as he used to. He knows the moment he scents Rain that he has found his mate and after touching her he plans to avoid her as long as he can... Until he learns she is in danger. Raging, his beast demands that he go to her, but taking her from their enemy has repercussions he fully plans to escape at all costs.

For Dorian, finding a way out of mating Rain means he could succumb to madness and harm those that mean so much to him… but giving in to his burning urge for her means losing control in a heated mating frenzy sure to ignite them both and link them forever.

The story of the Guardians of the four realms of the Earth continues in Denying Ecstasy and let me tell you, it was fantastic.

Dorian is a male that's been betrayed in the past, a betrayal that resulted in the death of a really close friend. That betrayal makes him reject the fact that he might have a mate, no matter how badly resisting the frenzy hurts him or Rain. He is a very proud male that doesn't trust easily, and for that reason he tries really hard to resist being with Rain. At the same time, though, he can't help but be drawn to her. He's a very strong, very powerful, very loyal male, and because of his status as one of the twelve Guardians he can't get over the fact that his behavior, his lust, resulted in his best friend dying. He's being really hard on himself, and while his refusal to accept that he's found his mate might seem a bit exaggerated, it kinda makes sense. I saw his refusal as a form of self punishment more than him not trusting Rain, since his best friend will never get the chance to find his fated mate. Sure, there's some mistrust there on his part, since he was betrayed by a female he knew, but I still think it was more him punishing himself than anything else. I really felt sorry for Dorian, because I could tell how truly sorry he was, how much he regretted the past.

At the same time we have Rain, who is the perfect female for Dorian in my opinion. She is Alyssa's best friend, and while Rain is not necessarily jealous of her childhood friend, she's definitely feeling her mortality a little bit. I loved the fact that that she didn't let Dorian walk all over her and that she called him out a few times when she had the chance. At the same time, I also felt sorry for her, because the actions of one hateful woman had so much power over Dorian, and by extent, over Rain herself.

While the focus of the story is mostly on Dorian and Rain, we do get some Brianne and Vane scenes that I love. I kept wishing for them to be mates, because they truly love each other. So I'm really curious to see what will happen with these two.

As already used to from the first two books of the series, this book was HOT. And I do mean steamy, guys! The immortals in this book are sexual creatures and the mortals that are mated to them are just as affected by the mating frenzy as the immortals themselves. So do keep that in mind.

There were a few things going on in this book that made me very, very curious to find out what's next for the Guardians and the world in general. I like the way this story is going and I cannot wait for more.

Book Review: Love And Let Die by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #5
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, BDSM
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment LLC
Release Date: October 1st 2013
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Ian Taggart and the whole McKay-Taggart Security team return in Love and Let Die.

A Tragic Love Story

Charlotte Dennis’s mission was clear: distract and misdirect CIA operative Ian Taggart by any means necessary. If she failed, she would never see her sister again. With her training, it should have been simple, but after one night in Ian’s arms, she knew that saving her sister would mean losing the man of her dreams. Ian was tracking a terrorist when he met the beautiful American daughter of a Russian mobster. His instincts told him Charlotte was trouble, but his body craved her like a drug and his heart would not be denied. She took his ring and his collar. For once he was truly happy. But as he closed in on his target, her betrayal cost him his mission while her sacrifice saved his life. As she died in his arms, Ian vowed he would never love again.

A Dangerous Reunion

For six years, Charlotte has thought of nothing but returning to her husband, her Master. Working in the shadows, she has devoted herself to earning a chance to reclaim her place in Ian’s life. But forgiveness isn’t a part of Ian’s vocabulary. Nothing is more important to Ian Taggart than his new mission. But the information he needs is firmly in the hands of the woman who betrayed him. To catch his most dangerous prey, Ian will have to let Charlotte back into his life. As the hunt takes them to some of the world’s most exotic locations, the danger grows and their passion reignites.

Will Ian forgive his wayward submissive…or lose her again?

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

The big guy of this series is finally getting his story told and let me tell you, I'm a really happy reader.

You already know about my love of Ian and Charlotte Taggart, so it's no surprise that I love their book as much as I do. I may or may not have read this book multiple times too, because that's just what I do with stories I love as much as this one, I obsess over them.

I finally understood why Ian was as dark as he was in the beginning of this series. And as reckless as he was. It all makes sense. I also kinda understood why he did what he did in the first book of the series, Sean's book, when he made a decision that put his relationship with his brother at risk. But I get it. Everything made sense when I read this book. The fact that Ian survived the emotional pain of losing his wife shows just how strong he is. And I say survived, but definitely not recovered from it, because we know he never truly did recover from it. Charlie was the one for him. And I completely understood the way he treated her in the beginning of this book. He basically got his heart broken twice by the same woman, so him being a bit angry, hurtful and mean makes a lot of sense.

At the same time I couldn't help but love Charlie. She had to overcome a lot of tough shit from her past, and while she had to do some really bad stuff along the way, she didn't lose her humanity or her soul in the process. I loved how throughout the book she and her sister Chelsea are shown to be complete opposites. Chelsea, her younger sister, is darker, more lost due to the horrors of her childhood, while Charlie still has some pureness in her.

I really liked how the issue of commitment in a BDSM relationship was approached in this story. Here we have a guy whose wife died and tried everything in his power to survive that pain and did everything he possibly could to cope and to live in the fantasy of being with her one last time, while at the same time we have a woman who knows her husband is alive and well, and she did everything her Dom told her to do, even after she left him. I liked that aspect, as well as Charlotte's reasoning behind doing some of the things she did to honor her contract with Ian.

There were some funny moments too. As already used to from future books when these two appear, I already knew Ian and Charlie are a really funny couple, so I was very glad to see that this was also present in their book.

The plot was really interesting and it shows how cunning the villain was, and how dehumanizing ultimate power can be for some people. It also kind of explains the first arc of this series really well and it shows that sometimes there's a fine line between good and evil. We also understand what ties together certain events and certain characters, because this book adds a piece to the puzzle that shows exactly those details. The ending was really fitting and I liked how in the end Ian chose Charlie above everything else, even when everything seemed to be pointing towards her not being a trustworthy person. So I liked that he took a chance with her. As always, we get a glimpse in the future of the series and Damon is next. I am very excited to see what his story will bring.

Book Review: Master Bits and Mercenary Bites - Girls Night by Lexi Blake and Suzanne M. Johnson

 
Author: Lexi Blake, Suzanne M. Johnson
Series: Masters & Mercenaries
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Cookbook
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: November 28th 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From the creators of Master Bits and Mercenary Bites, New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake and Southern food expert and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Johnson, comes a new look at the Masters and Mercenaries world—Girls Night.

Join us for easy to cook, delicious recipes and stay for the stories of the women of McKay-Taggart. From slow cooker special dinners to cocktails that will elevate your game, Suzanne will show you that easy can be delicious.

Lexi dives into what happens after happily ever after. Charlie and Ian try to have a night out—but their kids prove that anything can happen when Taggarts are involved. Faith and Ten get a gift they never expected. Karina and Derek go on a stakeout. And Serena finds the meaning of Bliss. All these stories and more explore what it means to be a wife, a mother, a woman navigating love and responsibility.

Good meals, good times, good friends.

Bon appétit!

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

The awesome authors Lexi Blake and Suzanne Johnson have done it again! After the amazing short stories/cookbook they released last year, they've once again managed to blow my mind with this new book.

Let's start with the short stories. I LOVED them. First of all, they offer readers a way to catch up with some of their favorite couples. The stories were short, sweet, funny, sexy, and all around amazing. I was giggling like a loon at some of the stories, while fanning myself at others, and okay, wiping my eyes at most of them. I said this in a tweet right after reading the book, that these are my favorite kind of short stories, because they truly warm my heart. And I loved that they focused on the women. It showed powerful, strong women being amazing mothers, amazing partners, sexy and feminine, kickass, happy and sad, and everything in between. I loved it!

Next are the recipes. Now... There are some that use a crock pot, which I have never used in my life, but now I just might if I can find one, and some for regular cooking. There were quite a few that had me drooling and taking mental notes, because I am definitely trying them out. AND, the best part, there were some cocktail recipes in there. If there's anything I love as much as cooking, that would be cocktails. The ones in this book sounded divine. Now I just need to find an excuse to make those cocktails.

I am truly, truly hoping that there will be more of these books coming out in the future, because I'm having an amazing time reading them. All in all, I loved this book and I recommend it to anyone who loves finding out new recipes, combined with some great sneak peeks into the life of already established couples.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ylIJbn 

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Google Play: http://bit.ly/2gGEuPY 

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Print: Print: http://amzn.to/2zjgg5p   

      
Excerpt from Rough Night

“You taste better than any pie, my Charlie,” Ian whispered against her lips. His hands tightened on her and she felt one of those big palms stroke her thigh. “Why don’t you straddle me and let’s see what happens.”
She knew what would happen. She placed the tray of treats on the table beside them and gingerly shifted, twisting so she straddled her Master’s lap. Yes, there it was. His cock was right against her pussy. All she had to do was…
Ian groaned as she rolled her pelvis. “That’s right, baby. Now give me some of that sweet, sweet lemony goodness. Ride me and feed me. That’s what I want. Let me watch you come.”
“And if I can make you come?” It was a fun little game. She would try to see if she could get that big dick of his to go off before she did.
“Then I’ll walk around for the rest of the night a bit on the uncomfortable side,” he replied, his hands finding her hips. He shifted and she found herself with her clitoris in the perfect position. “But that’s not going to happen. I know exactly how to make you moan, Charlie baby.”
She felt her phone vibrate. Charlie winced. “It’s another text.”
He pumped his hips up against hers. “Answer it. If it’s anyone except Malone telling us one of the children is missing, I’m texting them a dick pic and asking them to leave us alone. Let’s see if you can text while I do this.”
His erection slid over the perfect place and Charlie could feel the orgasm starting to build. How could he still do this to her? All he had to do was start touching her, using that deep Dom voice on her, and her whole body was ready to comply to his any and every whim.
Did she have to answer? It probably wasn’t anything important. Was anything in the world as important as the way this man made her feel?
“Give me a taste of that tart, baby. Or better yet, pull those pretty nipples out and let me taste them. Let me lick and suck and bite on those sweet nipples.”
Her vision was going soft as he hauled her close.
And her phone vibrated again.
“Ian,” she started.
“Do what you need to,” he replied as he licked her collarbone. “I’ll do what I have to.”
She was going to kill whoever was texting her. It was probably Malone, trying to figure out where the damn marshmallows were.
She bit back a groan and reached for her phone. It better be so good because she was getting close, and the minute Ian started sucking on her breasts she wouldn’t be able to hold…
Do you have a fire extinguisher?
“What?” Charlie shifted, trying to get a better grip on the phone.
And the chair under Ian kind of exploded.
Charlie hit the floor, her knees knocking on the tile. Ian had gone backward but he’d managed to twist his body so he landed on his shoulder instead of knocking the back of his head against the windowsill.
Panic flooded Charlie’s veins. She scrambled to find her phone. “Ian?”
“I’m fine,” he groaned. “Call him. Damn it. Can’t we have one fucking night out without the world coming to an end? Ah, yeah, this is going to hurt.”
Had he thrown out his back again? She couldn’t stop and find out. Sarah Stevens was here somewhere and she was a nurse. Surely she could help.
Charlie grabbed the phone from the midst of the now fallen lemon tarts. The tray had turned over, but there were still several that had landed on the table. She would have to shove those in her purse if they were about to flee home. With shaking fingers she dialed the number for Michael.
“Hey, Charlotte, I think I got the fire out. Boomer stopped, dropped, and rolled on it. That did the trick. The girls thought it was hilarious, but we’ve got another problem now,” Michael was saying.
“There was a fire?” She practically screamed the question.
“Tell Boomer to sit on it,” Ian said from the floor. “Put him on speaker.”
She didn’t need his sarcasm, but he had the right to listen in. She clicked to go to speaker. “Where was the fire, Michael?”
“Well, you see when I told the girls we could have a campout in the living room, I kind of thought we would build a fort made out of sheets, you know what I’m talking about,” Michael continued, his Texas drawl slow and steady. “Damn, Charlotte. I didn’t think the girls would take it so literally.”
Her girls took everything literally. “The girls tried to start a fire? In my living room?”
“It was minor,” Michael promised. “Mostly because they couldn’t take apart the furniture to burn. That was their plan. Apparently Ian taught them how to use whatever’s around to stay warm in case they find themselves out in the woods at night. I saved the sofa, but they did manage to get that wicker basket of yours to burn. Kala said she had to use it because she couldn’t get to the hatchet.”
Charlie turned to her husband. “Why would our daughters know how to use a hatchet?”
He was a nice shade of pale and his shoulder seemed weird. “You told me to teach them some life skills.”
She was going to kill everyone.
       

About Lexi Blake: NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

About Suzanne Johnson: Suzanne Johnson is family-trained, a south Georgia native who’s been cooking all of her life, creating not only some really unique food, but precious memories that re-occur every time she smells something simmering in the oven.  In all of her books, Suzanne shows that making a delicious meal doesn’t have to be complicated — it just has to be made with love. So go ahead, don’t be bashful, dive right in.  Who knows?  You might just make a few memories of your own.

Book Review: Wolf At The Door by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: Lorimar Pack #2
Audience: +18
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 25th 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Own Copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Prison is no one's idea of a good time, and it's even worse for Dell. Confinement has her inner wolf snarling as she paces their cell, and there's no end in sight. Just as she reaches her breaking point, the pack liaison shows up with an offer she can’t refuse. Dell’s freedom in exchange for going to Faerie and recapturing the fae prince responsible for her current digs.

But this fool's errand won't be a solo mission. Isaac Cahill has lost Dell twice, and he’ll be damned if she slips through his fingers again. This time, he’s not letting her out of his sight. Even if it means earning more than a few love bites from his pissed off she-wolf.

What they discover on their perilous quest is that war is closer than anyone imagined. As trusted allies fall and dangerous new threats emerge, Dell discovers one defining truth. Isaac is hers, and she'll fight to the death for him. And, at the rate this war is coming, she might not have long to wait.

The story of Dell and the Lorimar pack continues in this heart-pounding story and I couldn't help but love it.

Wolf At The Door takes Dell and her friends to Faerie. It was a really fascinating journey, to be honest. The thing I loved most was that it was not as magical as I initially thought. The story has a ton of twists and turns, both on Faerie and on the earth plane, and I loved where the story went. I have to admit that this was my first visit to Faerie, because I'm reading these books out of order *hides in shame*. But I loved seeing the fae world through Dell's eyes. It was an intriguing experience, seeing it through the eyes of a non-fae creature, because she wasn't as enamored by that world as I would imagine an earth fae would be. She was able to question certain things, and not let them compel her to ignore the danger around her, while at the same time not recognize the danger in other details.

Dell still has a lot of growing to do, and a lot of baggage that she needs to deal with, but she's slowly getting there. As with the previous book in the series, I loved seeing the difference between Dell's human and wolf sides. Not only was it a intriguing aspect of the story, it helped understand Dell more. I know I said this before, but the way Edwards created the warg mythology in her books is really unique and I like the fact that the human side and the wolf side are two separate entities in these stories.

The pace was awesome, as expected, and there were a lot of surprises during this book. A few things I did not anticipate happened, and I quite enjoyed that. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, so I'll leave it at that. But just know that I loved this book and that I am very anxious to see what happens next.

Blog Tour Book Review: At Your Service by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #14.5, Topped #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: November 14th 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Juliana O’Neil’s promising future was burned away in the heat of battle. She had been an officer with a bright future in the military, but now she is struggling to survive. Her husband gone and her career in shambles, she finds a job at Top as a hostess and tries to put together the pieces of her life. The last thing she needs is any kind of male attention, but she can’t help but be amused at her neighbor and coworker’s lothario antics. Not that she would have anything to do with him, at least not for more than one night.

Javier Leones doesn’t understand monogamy. No woman could ever be enough for his endless libido, but he has to admit Juliana has his attention. For reasons he doesn’t fully understand, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead with the sad eyes out of his head. After one scorching night together, he realizes he’ll never be able to get her out of his system. But with his reputation, he fears she’ll never see him as more than a one-night stand.

When their passions collide, these new lovers will be forced to confront Juliana’s past and come to terms with Javier’s present. Will they find their way or will this reservation be canceled at the last minute?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.  

The newest story in the world of the Masters and Mercenaries, and the spin-off series, Top, is just as good as expected, if not more.

Juliana is a really brave, awesome heroine. I love how she helps Javier, even though she had nothing to gain from it. There's a great thing that Blake does with Juliana's character, and it's the thing we all do, which is to take advice that we don't follow ourselves. It's interesting to see exactly how Jules is dealing or not dealing with the fact that she's missing a hand, and also how she knows just what to say to Javier when faced with his brother's injuries. I loved seeing that in her. I truly respect her, and the progress she made by the end of the book was phenomenal. I loved seeing that, the growth she had, going from accepting what happened to her, and adapting, to dealing with her past.

Javier is a truly great guy. In his case, I loved seeing how he goes from playboy to a one-woman-guy, and see how Sean Taggart helped him realize what he needed to do in order to get the girl. I also thought it was really sweet of him to do what he did to help Juliana. Sure, he kind of stuck his foot in his mouth (okay, more like both of his feet), but I understood that. He's a pretty selfless guy, and I truly felt sorry that he had to deal with his brother alone. But as I was saying before, he does something amazing for the woman he loves, and it was simply the greatest thing ever, even though he didn't know how to express it the right way. Anyway, it was a great thing and I loved him for it.

I have to talk a little bit about Javier's brother, Rafe. He's a man who has to deal with what happened to him while he was serving his country, and as much as he knows just how to push everyone away from him, he is also a guy who craves connection to someone, he just doesn't know how to accept it in his current situation. I also liked that, as much as Javier hated him for it, Rafe gave his brother a little dose of honesty. I do hope that in the future Rafe will find the strength he needs to deal with his issues in a healthy manner, and that he'll find himself again.

The pace is, as usual, great, and the story kept me hooked from beginning to end. There were sad scenes, there were hot scenes, and there were insanely funny scenes as well. Also a glimpse of my favorite couple ever, Ian and Charlie.

As already expected from a Lexi Blake story, I adored this book, and I cannot wait for the next one to come out. In the meantime, I feel like a reread is in order.

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All alone with the storm. Maybe she should call Kai. And ask him to get out in the middle of this? That seemed pretty selfish especially since she knew exactly how poorly driving in storms could go.
A hard flash of white light made her jump back.
Nope. She wasn’t going there. She was going to stay in the here and now, and that meant finding a flashlight and trying to get some candles lit. Someone was out there working on getting the power back on, and then she would ride out the storm watching rom coms and falling asleep on the couch. It was going to be okay. Deep breath. It was going to be okay.
A few moments later she’d found her one flashlight and had a nice set of candles out, and she was faced with the problem of lighting the suckers. Oh, she had a big box of matches, but she’d never struck a match without her left hand.
A lighter would be easier. She could figure out a lighter maybe. Jules tried holding the box against the table with her stump while she struck the match with her right hand. She fumbled, the action so unnatural it made her slip up and break the match.
And the second one.
And the third one.
Tears pierced her eyes, but she wasn’t going to shed them. She was going to figure this out or she would make due with the flashlight. It was all about adapting. That was what she had to do. Adapt.
She wasn’t going to let this beat her. Normally she was tough. It had happened and she dealt with it, but between the storm and the conversation with Suzanne the day before about her mother and the sweetness of flirting with a handsome man she couldn’t have, she was feeling awfully vulnerable. She wasn’t going to sit here in the dark and cry.
A knock on the door made her gasp and jump.
Fuck. She wasn’t like this. She hated this…this anxiety she got when it rained. It was weakness and she couldn’t abide it.
If you walk away from this you’ll ruin your life, Juliana. Don’t think I’ll watch you do it. You go through with this and you do it on your own. Am I understood?
Sometimes she felt like she was still seven years old, and if she could just get her mom’s attention everything would be okay.
Jules gripped the flashlight and walked across her apartment to the door. It was likely one of the neighbors coming to check on her. Actually, that was an excellent idea. She could go down and see if Mrs. Gleeson needed some company. There were some elderly residents she could check on and a single mom she’d met at the end of the hall. She could see if she could be of any assistance and that would get her through the night.
She opened the door expecting to see anyone but the man she saw standing there.
Javier Leones. He had a flashlight in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He was wearing jeans and a button down that he’d left undone enough she could see a nice swath of golden brown skin. His hair was deliciously mussed, as though he’d taken a shower and simply rubbed a towel over it to get it dry.
He was big and male and so sexy it hurt to look at him, and Jules realized she could do something else to take her mind off things.
Those plump, sensual lips of his broke into a bright smile. “I thought you might like some company. I know I would. I actually don’t have any candles, so I was sitting in my living room with this sad one flashlight. You look like a woman who likes some candles.”
But she couldn’t light them. She hadn’t figured that part out.
His face fell and he walked into her place, closing and locking the door behind him. “Hey, what’s wrong? It’s okay if you don’t have any candles. It’s cool. Two flashlights are better than one.”
He set the flashlight and wine bottle down and moved into her space, his hands coming up to cup her shoulders. “Jules, what’s wrong?”
She had to be stronger than this. She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
His jaw tightened. “Don’t. Please don’t. I live with a stubborn asshole who won’t let me help him in any way. I get that we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but I thought we were friends. You help me out all the time. You’re kind to me. Fucking let me be kind to you. I spend every day trying to help someone who won’t let me. Please let me feel like I’m worth something.”
If he’d said anything else, joked about the weather or told her to suck it up, she could have, but he’d opened a door. He’d been vulnerable and honest, and she found she couldn’t pay that back with stubbornness.
“I have candles and I can’t figure out how to light them.” Tears rolled down her face. She was vulnerable. All the time. Even when she pretended like she wasn’t.
“You can’t…” he began and then he looked down. Instead of stepping back and giving her space, he drew his hand down her arm, warming her skin where he touched her. It was dark but the moon was full and gave enough light to see the outline of his face. There was no look of horror there. He caressed her arm until he got to the place where she’d been split apart and sewn back together unwhole. He brought it up and wrapped it against his palm, his fingers closing around it until the whole thing was surrounded with his warmth. “You haven’t figured out how to do it yet. Probably hasn’t come up or you would know what to do. How long since you lost your hand?”
“A year and a half,” she said. He was touching her there. No one had touched her there except her doctors and therapists.
Come to think of it, no one had touched her at all since before the accident. Had it really been so long since she’d felt warm flesh against her own? He was so close, close enough that all she would have to do was go up on her toes to brush her lips against his.
Would that be wrong? As long as she remembered who she was dealing with, why couldn’t she take a few moments of respite for herself? If he wanted her.
           

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Blog Tour Book Review: Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #4.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Release Date: November 7th 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

It’s Christmastime again in Heartbreaker Bay!

When Sean O’Riley shows up at the Hartford Bed & Breakfast for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, he’s just hoping to make it through the weekend. What he’s not expecting is to come face to face with the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago—a woman he’s never really forgotten.

The last time Lotti Hartford saw Sean, she told him she loved him while he said nothing. Now, ten years later, she’s just looking for a good time. For once, she wants to be the wild and free one, and Sean – the good time guy – is the perfect candidate.

But as the weekend continues, Sean realizes that after a lifetime of being the hook-up king, he’s ready to find happily-ever-after, and he wants it with Lotti. But will she open her heart to him again? As Christmas sweeps through the little B&B, he can only hope love and magic are in the air.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

My journey into the Heartbreaker Bay continues with this cute holiday story of second-chance love. I really enjoyed this story, and it was the perfect kind of love story for the winter season.

Lotti has been through a lot ever since the last time she saw Sean, so when he comes into her B&B, she's determined to ignore his charms and her attraction to him. But I liked that she eventually took advantage of the opportunity to get some sort of closure for herself and for her young heart who got broken all those years ago. I also loved how brave she was when she agreed to help Sean. It was also really heartbreaking once I realized how exactly she was helping him, and I liked that Sean realized and acknowledged that.

Sean was a really great guy. I loved the fact that we get to explore his reasons for doing the things he was doing, because I was able to understand him a lot more. It was also a little bit funny seeing him struggle with Lotti's indifference in the beginning. I like that he got to redeem himself to Lotti. I feel like he received not only a second chance at the love of his life, but also a chance to make up for a lot of things in the past, as he is so willing to admit. Which I enjoyed reading about, because what better time for a story about giving back and giving thanks than Christmas?

It was also fun seeing the other couples, friends of Sean and his brother, and it kinda made me even more curious to read the other books. The pace was great and I read this book pretty fast.

As I said, this story was awesome, perfect for the holiday season, and it strengthened my desire to read the entire series from the beginning. If you're in the mood for a cozy winter read, this book is for you.

EXCERPT

At the empathetic tone in Sean’s voice, Lotti’s heart and stomach and head all clenched in unison. “What do you mean you can’t give me what I want?” she asked. “All you have to do is walk away.”
“Tried that already,” he said. “And it was the biggest mistake of my life.” He brought her hand up to his mouth and met her gaze over their entwined hands.
He was looking at her like . . . well, she wasn’t sure what was going on in his head, but her thoughts were racing along with her pulse.
“You’re incredible, Lotti. I hope you know that.” Very slowly, clearly giving her time to object, he pulled her into him.
Her breath caught at the connection and his eyes heated in response as he slid a hand up her spine and then back down again, pressing her in tight to him from chest to thighs and everywhere in between. His nose was cold at the crook of her neck, but his breath was warm against her skin. She felt his lips press against the sensitive spot just behind her ear and she shivered. “You’re trembling,” he said, his voice low. “Are you cold?”
“No,” she whispered. Try the opposite of cold . . .
“Nervous?”
“No.” Not even close. The way his mouth moved across her skin was making her warm all over. Not that she could articulate that with his body pressed to hers and his fingers dancing over her skin. She was literally quivering as the memories of what it felt like to be touched by him washed over her, as if no time at all had gone by.
Yes, she’d let him think that their time together had sucked for her. But it hadn’t. Not even close. That long-ago night he’d evoked feelings and a hunger in her that she’d never forgotten. “I’ve just had a long day,” she said.
“I know. I’m going to make it better.” He pressed a kiss at the juncture of her jaw and ear before he made his way to her lips for a slow, hot kiss, his mouth both familiar and yet somehow brand-new. She was so far gone that when he pulled back she protested with a moan, but he held her tight, staring down at her with heated eyes. “Just checking,” he murmured.
“Checking what?”
“That you want this as badly as I do.”

Book Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Author: Stephanie Garber
Series: Caraval #1
Audience: +16
Genre: Ya, Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Release Date: January 31st 2017
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Own Copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.

Scarlett and Tella have never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure.

When the sisters' long-awaited invitations finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is an elaborate performance. But she quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak.

And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

I picked this book when I was on a trip to Prague, because there's no better thing to do when you're a bookworm on a trip than buy more books. I tried resisting, but in the end I couldn't do it and I can't possibly tell you how happy I am that I gave in in the end.

Holy crap you guys!

Books that are similar on carnivals, hidden objects/escape-adventure games have been hit-and-miss for me so far, but Caraval really had me hooked from the beginning to the end. I enjoyed reading it and I especially liked how the book was structured. Garber was a genius in my opinion to structure the chapters into days and nights spent during, before and after Caraval. That, for me, increased the sense of urgency the entire book had. Whenever that "Day/Night..." page came, my excitement grew because I could tell that there was real danger in Caraval. And that's the thing I loved most about the book, the danger, the unknown of it all. I feel like the entire book is based on mind-games. And that more than the actual action is even better to me. It's been a while since I read a book that mentally challenging, to be honest. It wasn't just the game itself, but actually trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't, who was lying and who was telling the truth.

Scarlett is a strong character, that is also quite surprising. She's really reserved and cautious, but at the same time she's naive and reckless. She tends to put her trust in the oddest of places, but then the game doesn't just help uncover the darker side people keep locked away, but also their pasts. In a way, that's what happens with Scarlett, and while the scene with her father before them going to Caraval gives you a hint towards what that man is capable of, this game really made me understand Scarlett more. I also liked that she discovered her inner strength through this game.

Tella, although not that present, is also a really important character. In a way, she's exactly what Scarlett discovers in herself, if it makes sense. Tella has the courage and the recklessness to do what needs to be done in order to save herself and her big sister. She just has a lot more darkness in her that she accepts, and I wonder how that will work for her in the next book.

Throughout the game there are several really important characters that Scarlett encounters and I really hope that they are involved in the sequel. They were surprising and not what I fully expected, to be honest.

As I said, this story was a huge mind-game, and a fast-paced game at that. I enjoyed the twists and turns the story took, and the constant not knowing what was happening made me feel like I was an active part of the game. I also wonder how this story would have looked like had it been told from a viewer's POV.

Oh! I almost forgot to add this. Another cool stuff about the book is that we get to see small parts of Scarlett and Tella's childhood through Scarlett's memories, but this is done in a way to kind of explain her actions within the game, which was also a cool thing.

All in all, this was a really good book, one of the best I've read this year and I am desperately waiting for Legendary, book 2, to come out.

Blog Tour Book Review: Inked Memories by Carrie Ann Ryan

Author: Carrie Ann Ryan
Series: Montgomery Ink #8
Audience: +18
Genre:Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 31st 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The Montgomery Ink series by NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues when the final Denver Montgomery sibling refuses to fall for his brother’s former flame—the company’s new plumber.

Wes Montgomery watched his entire family fall in love, and now finds himself ready to settle down. Except the one person he seems to find chemistry with is not only his twin’s ex, she also works for Montgomery Inc. But when the two find themselves in one compromising situation after another, Wes realizes he’s having second thoughts about the dynamic woman who’s burst her way into his life. Sure she sets off his temper, but she also makes him hot in every other way possible.

Jillian Reid never loved her best friend like everyone thought she should, so she pushed him away so he could have his future. Now, despite fighting it, she finds herself attracted to the one man she shouldn’t. When her father’s health takes a turn for the worse, and a danger no one saw coming show its face, she’s forced to turn to Wes for help. The two of them have fought off their attraction long enough, and each cave to the desire. But this enemies-to-lovers tale might have an ending no one ever dreamed of.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

The newest addition to the Montgomery Ink series is just as good as expected.

Wes is the last Montgomery to find his match and it was a fun experience to see him fall. He's a really great guy and I'm happy he finally got to find his happiness with a very sexy, smart and purely awesome woman. I liked Wes not only as a man, but also as a boss. I'd love to work in a company that has a boss like him. I loved how he defended Jillian, even though at the time he didn't like her all that much, but he knew she was being treated badly and he acted on it. He might have said it was to avoid a lawsuit, which is smart, but I think he also did it because he's a genuinely good boss. He also didn't underestimate Jillian or any of the other women working for him just because they're women. And that made me love him. Sure, he's sexy, smart, funny and a nice, caring brother and human being, but the fact that he's a great boss is the thing that made me love him.

Jillian is one of the most awesome female characters I've read about in a while. She's snarky, has an awesome job, she's funny, caring, sexy and smart. But all of that aside, she's strong, stronger than she gives herself credit. She has to face one of the hardest things imaginable in this book, and while she doesn't heal completely from it, she's strong enough to let herself cry and allow herself to be weak around the people who care about her. And that takes guts.

I said that there's a hard thing that Jillian has to go through, and let me tell you, I cried like a baby. It's been a while since a book made me cry, but this one did the trick. I ugly cried, to be honest. It's because of that that I loved this book so much, because a great book in my opinion makes me feel things, and it's the mark of a great storyteller that their words manage to make the reader feel strongly for what happens in their book.

Sadness and tears aside, this book is also very sexy, as expected from a Carrie Ann Ryan book. You'll need a fan or a bucket of ice. The story is faced paced, and I read it in one sitting. There's also some mystery involved, some really hilarious scenes, all of which made this story a really really good one. I'm glad that there are going to be more Montgomery stories, even if the action moves to another city. I'm not ready yet to say goodbye to this clan. While I'm waiting for the next book to come out, I plan on reading the entire series from the beginning, because there are books that I haven't yet read and I desperately need to read them all.

Get your hands on INKED MEMORIES now!

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About Carrie Ann Ryan

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.

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Blog Tour Book Review: Christmas, Alabama by Susan Sands

Author: Susan Sands
Series: Alabama #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Release Date: October 26th 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: IndieSage PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Photographer Rachel Prudhomme has finally settled in Ministry, Alabama. Sure, the pace is slower, and she's had her heart blessed more times than she can count, but putting down her roots where her family is feels right, if only the town’s new doctor and now neighbor weren’t so hot and constantly igniting her dreams. How can she keep her vow to steer clear of men when he keeps sauntering across her path?

For Dr. Nicholas Sullivan to get his dream job in Atlanta, he must fill in at Ministry General, where they're short staffed for the holidays. He never expects to fall for his beautiful next door neighbor, Rachel. 



Soon, Nick and Rachael make a deal. They'll pretend to date so Rachael can avoid the scrutiny from her family to "find a good man" and Nick can avoid the single lovelies in town who take his short stay as a challenge. Amidst the carolers, Christmas lights, and an unlikely Alabama snowstorm, Nick and Rachel can't help but notice the powerful emotional and physical attraction between them. Will a Christmas miracle be all it takes to make all of their dreams come true?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from IndieSage PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of this review in any way.

Every now and then I'm lucky enough to discover some literary gems, and Christmas, Alabama is one of those gems for me. I loved reading this book. It was such a nice change of scenery and storytelling technique from the spree I've been on recently, and I had fun immersing myself into a story like this one.

I liked the idea of a new guy in a small town. It was interesting to see the culture, habits and little quirks of a small town from Nick's perspective. I liked seeing how he went from barely accepting the idea of having to go to Ministry, to actually considering making this town his home. I liked his dedication to his job. He's a doctor, and a good one at that. It was pretty interesting to see how he dealt with the slower pace the town's hospital provided him with, as opposed to what he was used to from the big city hospital, and you can tell that he loves the job so much, he really didn't care all that much. Sure, he wanted the big career he had his eye on for so long, but he still did a perfect job, and I respect him for that, a lot. I also liked how slick he was with Rachel. I thought at first he was going to be not as smooth as he was, but the man knows how to put on the charm.

I liked Rachel. While you can tell she has a little bit of baggage, I liked her style. I can totally understand wanting to work from the comfort of one's home, with the work outfit being the comfiest pajamas ever. I envied her for that. On a more serious note, I liked how she described people and photography. It was interesting to see a photographer's perspective on people, and their psychology, as they see little details that many might not see or might ignore. She was also funny. And she and Nick had perfect chemistry, so that's a plus.

The book has a pretty fast pace, and while the plot is more laid back, it's more focused on characters and their interactions. This book reminded me, in a way, of the TV show Hart of Dixie, which is an adorable show. I like reading about small towns, and Ministry is a town I'd most definitely want to go back to whenever possible.

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

About Susan Sands

I grew up in Northwest Louisiana, but have strong Cajun roots (Southern Louisiana) on both sides of my family. I live in the Atlanta suburbs with my dentist husband and near-adult children, plus a few furry creatures. I love to cook and I adore food. I play tennis, but don’t exercise nearly enough. I write Southern romantic women’s fiction. It’s a rare day when I run short of words. I’m a member of the Atlanta Writer’s Club, Georgia Romance Writers, and Romance Writers of America. I’m represented by Erin Niumata at Folio Literary Management. I visit book clubs, bookstores, libraries, and literary festivals whenever I’m invited! I love to connect with readers!

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Blog Tour Book Review: The Duke's Temptation by Raven McAllan

Author: Raven McAllan
Series: N/A
Audience: +18
Genre: Historical Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Totally Bound
Release Date: October 31st 2017
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Neverland Blog Tours
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Tortured duke Gibb Alford has vowed never to love again...until a beautiful French knife thrower brings him to his knees.

When Gibb Alford, Duke of Menteith, saves a beautiful French knife thrower from the unwanted attentions of a fellow aristocrat he is ill-prepared for the immediate tug of attraction to the beautiful Evangeline. Widowed, he has sworn off love forever, so he can well do without this temptation.

Evangeline certainly doesn’t want the complication of being in the sights of one smoky-eyed Scottish duke. She’s a lady on a mission, with no time for love or dalliance.

However, fate and life have other plans and gradually Gibb and Evangeline become a couple.

As each struggle with the demons of their pasts, Evangeline finds life in the ton difficult. The spurned aristocrat Gibb saved her from is not prepared to give in and retire gracefully. And while Gibb fights the man, he also declares war on his own emotions. When Evangeline’s past is revealed to her, everything changes. She has a decision to make.

Fight for Gibb—or flee to a safe but unfulfilled future.

As for her duke… All is fair in love and war—right?

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Neverland Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review

It's been a while since I last read a historical romance that I loved as much as I did this one.

I had so much fun reading this book. Gibb is a tortured hero, who has vowed never to love again after his wife died. Fortunately for him, emotions have a funny way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it, and he is saved from his self-imposed solitude when he meets Evangeline. I quite liked Gibb. I loved how forward he was with his thinking, even though it is amazing how few people understood his quite reasonable ideas. I liked how he respected his staff, how he pushed them towards getting an education, and I liked how he defended Evangeline when she needed to be defended. I also liked how, towards the end of the book, he started fighting with his demons and tried to come to terms with how his late wife was like and with what she did.

Evangeline is an interesting heroine. She wasn't interested in anything other than what Gibb was willing to offer, but also nothing less than what she deserved. I liked how she stood up for herself, both when she needed to defend herself from Crowe, but also when she decided she deserved more from Gibb and had that conversation with him. I loved seeing her do that. I also loved how independent she was, how she wanted to earn her living. She's also a woman on a mission, trying to find out who her father is, and I liked that aspect of the story. In some ways, she reminded me of Elizabeth Bennet, which is one of my favorite heroines ever.

While reading this book I felt like reading a classic book. I was so immersed in the storytelling, that it took me a while to remember that this is a brand new book. Which is amazing, because it takes a special kind of author (or magician, however you want to put it) to manage to make the old English sound so new and not difficult to read or understand. I was truly amazed by McAllan's ability to write a story using words I've never heard before, without taking away from the story. It actually made the story more vibrant, more real, easier to get lost in, which I adored.

It's been a while since I last read a historical romance book, but this one reminded me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place. If you love the genre as much as I do, you must read this book. McAllan's writing took me on a wonderful journey and I cannot wait to read more of her stories.

Blog Tour Book Review: Sleeper by Lexi Blake

 Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Hunter #3, Thieves #8
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment LLC
Release Date: October 17th 2017
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When Neil’s past catches up to him, Kelsey must choose between her new family and an old love…

With tensions rising between the Council and demonkind, Kelsey finds herself investigating a series of murders that threaten the fragile truce between them. If she can’t stop these killings soon, they could ignite a fire sure to burn the supernatural world down.

Unfortunately for her, Kelsey’s problems don’t stop with a pile of dead halflings. Her connection with Marcus is frayed at best, and Gray hasn’t been heard from in months. Her only semblance of peace comes from a new man in her life. When Gray storms back into the picture, her love life goes from incredibly complicated to apocalyptic.

Just as Kelsey begins to unravel the mystery, the forces of Heaven decide to take an interest in her actions. Outclassed with these powers in play, Kelsey knows that one misstep could leave the human and supernatural worlds in ashes.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

It's no secret I love Lexi Blake's books with all my heart. Usually when that happens I get insanely high expectations for other projects the author in question might have, but I shouldn't have worried. I've been immersed in the world of the Hunter for the past days and let me tell you, if the fourth installment was here already, I'd be reading it right now with the same excitement.

I love Kelsey so much, and I love to see where the story takes her. She's a badass and I love her for it. She's grown so much from when I first met her in Hunter and I feel like she still has so much to discover about herself. I like that she finds those tiny moments when she fights with her nature. I normally don't like that, but Blake does a wonderful job at writing the struggle Kelsey is going through with accepting who she really is and what she really needs and wants. I also love to see how she can be both lying to herself and honest with herself. I love her sarcasm. She's slowly becoming one of my favorite heroines in the genre, to be honest. She's brave and she's reckless, but she's also smart about it. She's selfless without being conceited about it, and while at times this pushes her to be self-destructive, I understand where she's coming from. I really do.

The story revealed certain aspects of the Hunter and Thieves world that I previously hadn't known about, mostly because I haven't read the original series before. It's not that I was lost, but I would have liked to have that extra knowledge. Then again, at the same time I'm kind of happy I'm missing some details, because this way I can have the same experiences as Kelsey when it comes to discovering the vastness of the world Blake has created. I don't think it's necessary to have read the previous series to understand what's going on in this one, but I feel like I'm missing a piece of the puzzle that I, personally, want to have. So I'll definitely be reading that one in the future.

I love the fact that my favorite werewolf a.k.a Trent finally gets more page time. There's an interesting relationship development that I've been hoping for since Addict, the previous book, but at the same time, this also means another relationship is changing. I don't know how to say this without spoiling things for people who haven't yet read the book, so I'll leave it at that.

I'll be honest. Gray isn't my favorite male in the series, but he is growing on me. Must have something to do with what happened to him previously, but he's slowly getting in my good graces, so to speak.

The thing I love about this book and this series actually, is that it's not solely about Kelsey. I feel like this series is about everyone, we just get the story through Kelsey's eyes. Everyone gets affected by what happens in this book, everyone grows as characters, everyone is important. Which just goes to show the mark of a true storyteller, and only serves to prove why Blake is one of my favorite authors. Blake manages to write a wonderful story about a lot of characters, where everyone gets to say their piece, and I felt like I could really connect with those people, way more than I expected in a 1st person POV story.

There's an interesting development in the book and I wonder how that will play out in the future, how it will affect certain characters. The plot is fast paced and I read the book really fast. Which makes me sad because I need Outcast, the next book in the series, out now. And I need to read the original series, to find out more about the world and get to have more time with my favorite characters.

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“Your Highness, please back away. In fact, it would be best if you left the room altogether.” Felix put himself between me and Roberts. “Kelsey, I need you to push her down. Push her back down for a few moments. Marcus will be back soon and he’s going to take care of you. Being around those angels unsettled you. I don’t know if you noticed, but at the end of the meeting, your ward fell off. You didn’t have it on when Oliver shook your hand. He’s unbalanced and now you are, too. It’s like a contagion for someone like you. Oliver’s illness has called up your inner wolf and she’s angry.”
“Perhaps if I touch her,” Henri began. “I’m an academic. I don’t have the same connection she has with Marcus, but I might be able to help.”
“I’m not unbalanced.” It didn’t matter that my hands were shaking and they had been ever since I’d left the angels behind. “I’m going to talk to the wolf whether you like it or not. He’s been handling silver. It’s the only reason his hands wouldn’t have healed. Even then, a couple of hours would have done it. Unless the freaking silver he held came straight from Heaven. What about it, Roberts? How did you spend last night?”
The wolf was shaking his head. “I don’t know.”
That wasn’t an answer I was willing to accept. I was about to explain that to everyone when Chad stepped up and got in my face.
“I’m taking him out of here now,” Chad explained. “You’ll let me or we’re going to have trouble.”
I was ready for trouble. I was fairly sure I grinned, the idea of fighting a vamp lifting my spirits high. For the first time in what felt like hours, I went still. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Chad turned, his shoulders squaring, and I felt the world begin to bend around me. Chad belongs to one of the rarest classes of vampire—the magicians. As far as I knew, he was the only one walking the night at this time. He could form illusions so real you could taste food, feel imaginary rain on your skin, utterly believe whatever he wanted you to believe. I’d come up against him before. I might be one of the only people in the world who could see through him.
“It won’t work,” I said calmly as reality seemed to go dark and I heard the hissing of snakes all around me. “Do you not remember what happened the last time you pulled this shit on me? It took three tranqs to take me down. I don’t think you have those on you today.”
“I won’t need them.” Chad lifted his hand and the world shifted.
“Holy shit,” Casey said, climbing up on his desk. “What the fuck is happening?”
Snakes were happening. They were crawling from the woodwork, twitching and hissing my way. The fibers of the carpet beneath my feet lengthened and formed more snakes until they were a menacing mass, threatening everyone in the room.
Well, except for Chad, who had lifted his husband into his arms and prepared to take him away.
I let my wolf loose a bit. She knew this was all an illusion. That primitive part of my brain that Chad was accessing, the lizard brain that merely wanted to survive, was taken over by the wolf inside me. The alpha wolf didn’t want mere survival. She wanted to dominate, and that meant seeing past fear, trusting her instincts over what her eyes perceived.
The minute I opened the door, I felt her surge through me.
“I’m not letting you go. I can’t. I’m conducting a murder investigation, and I believe your boy here just became my prime suspect.” My hands twitched, eager for a fight, and I realized how long it had been since Marcus and I had thrown down.
Too long. Remember that whole thing about needing sex or violence to feed my inner wolf? Well, she was hungry and there was a whole lot of violence in Chad’s eyes.
I welcomed it. I could feel the need rise like a wave threatening to engulf me. This was why I had a trainer in the first place.
I gritted my teeth because Chad turned on his power. I could feel those fucking snakes climbing my legs and sinking their fangs into me. I refused to pay any attention to them despite the fact that I ached to rip the fuckers off me and toss them aside. To do that would have given the magician more power. If I bought into it, if I took my eyes off the only thing in the room that was real, I would end up like Casey, who was screaming like a girl.
“Let me pass, Hunter,” Chad said.
I stood my ground like the good Gandalf I was. Except I kind of wanted to shove my nonexistent staff right up old Chad’s ass, and then we would see if he sent snakes my way again.
The anger rose, rapid and quick, a flash fire coursing through me. I didn’t even realize when I had reached for the fireplace poker. All I knew was it was suddenly in my hands and I was going to use it. I could see myself shoving that piece of wrought iron right through his heart. It wouldn’t kill him. I would need wood for that, but then again, I didn’t want the fight over so quickly.
I raised the poker, ready to start.
“Stop it, both of you.” Donovan stepped in between us, but I didn’t care at that moment. I hadn’t felt this way in forever, not since Marcus had taken me in. I hadn’t been so out of control that I didn’t care who I hurt as long as I got to hurt someone. I would fuck up Donovan, too. All that mattered was seeing blood, feeling bones crush.
“You see, I told you she’s far gone and I can’t fix her anymore. I’ve called Gray and he has an idea of what to do,” Marcus was saying.
I wasn’t listening.
I started to bring the poker down Donovan’s way, but I was stopped in mid swing. A hand held my wrist, an arm going around my middle and hauling me back against muscled flesh.
“Stop it,” Trent growled in my ear. “You stand down right this second.”    

     NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

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