Book Review: Small Town Siren by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake, writing as Sophie Oak
Series: Texas Sirens #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: January 9th 2018 (2nd edition)
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Re-released in a second edition with a prologue and three new chapters.

Two cowboys looking for love…

Jack Barnes and Sam Fleetwood met in foster care. Over the years, they’ve become best friends and partners. They share a business as cattle ranchers and a house. There’s only one thing missing: a woman to share. The men are sure they’ve found that woman when Abigail Moore arrives in their small town, Willow Fork, TX.

A woman trying to find her place in the world…

Abby left her hometown twenty years before under a cloud of scandal. She’s raised a daughter, forged a new life for herself, and is ready for the next phase when she meets the handsome cowboys.

One small town that’s ready to explode…

They’re a dream come true—Jack is the sexy Dom, and Sam the playful lover. It’s everything she’s ever fantasized about. There’s only one problem. She’s still not welcome in Willow Fork, and someone is willing to kill to keep her away.

*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.

Just when I think I can't be surprised by Lexi Blake, she blows my mind. I had no idea she was writing as Sophie Oak as well. Had I known this, I probably would have bumped this series up on my TBR list a long, long time ago.

The story is focused on Abby's journey to reaching that point within herself to fight back, to defend herself from people who want to harm her for one reason or another, and to reach out for what she wants most. I enjoyed reading about her journey of self-discovery, really. She goes from the scared, terrified pregnant teenager, to being a strong, brave woman. I liked that she turned something vile, like being run out of town, into something good, like getting a proper education and raising a daughter. There were a lot of tragic outcomes that were possible in this story, yet Abby fought with everything in her to take advantage of the blessing in disguise that it was, and I was really impressed by that. I respect Abby for her strength and bravery. At the same time, it seems inevitable that old insecurities would completely stay away, so I kind of understood her reluctance to stay with Jack and Sam, once her old enemy threatens to make their lives miserable if she stayed in Willow Fork. I liked Abby a lot, to be honest.

Jack and Sam are two very different men, yet they are such a powerful team in this book, there's really no way for me to think about one without having the other one popping into my head. While Jack is all serious, dark and broody, Sam is all about having fun, making jokes and being just a tiny little bit immature. While Jack is demanding, dominating, Sam is the giver, the one who likes to serve. Jack seems to have perfected the art of patience, while Sam kind of reminded me of an overeager puppy at times. It was fun to see them work together, and to discover a little bit about their pasts. It was also heartbreaking to realize why they are the way they are, why Jack is the serious, scary one, while Sam is the fun, immature one. Maybe immature is a strong word, but Sam definitely doesn't behave like you'd expect a man of his age to act. I love how they really are a team, how they defend and protect Abby from the people who want to harm her. I also liked the fact that Sam understood that Abby needed to fight her own battles and discover her own inner strength to fight back.

Reading about small towns is always an interesting experience. Having grown up in a big city, where you can meet a new person each day and still not know everyone in that town, I find it refreshing to read about the calmness of small towns. I liked that there was also a little bit of drama sprinkled here and there, because while it may seem fun at times that everybody knows just about everybody, I do imagine that at times it can be stifling to know that you don't have any secrets. Blake also did a great job at portraying the way power and money corrupts even the so-called righteous people, and the lengths they would go to in order to defend what they perceive to be right and proper, as well as their fortune.

The book is pretty fast paced and I read it in one sitting. As already expected from a Lexi Blake book, this one is full of hot, steamy sex. I enjoyed seeing Abby getting her happy ending, and I thought this book was a great series starter. I do however want to see Sam get his happy ending. I didn't expect him to acknowledge what he truly wanted, because he's been so good at denying it, that he doesn't even realize there's a need and a want to begin with. It's going to be interesting to see that aspect of Sam being explored in the next book in the series.

All in all, a pretty good story and I can't wait to return to Willow Fork as soon as possible.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords  | Print

      The door to the women’s room slammed open. Abby practically jumped, ready to beg whoever was walking through to give her some privacy. Jack filled the doorway with his presence.

“You can’t come in here, Jack.” She smoothed down her uniform and swept back her hair, trying to retain as much dignity as she could.

“Why not, darlin’? I am going to admit that I’m not a man who tends to let things like social conventions keep me out of a place I really want to be in.” Jack walked right up to her. The man really wasn’t big on personal space.

Sam walked in and closed the door. He leaned with his back against it. One boot rested negligently against the painted pink door.

“Sam, tell him he can’t come into the women’s room.”

“You’re the one who chose the venue for this particular conversation, Abigail.” There was nothing vaguely resembling a joke in Jack’s voice now. Abby looked to Sam for help.

Sam shook his head. He was grinning like an idiot. “Hell no, honey. You’re gonna have to learn that when Jack gets that hard edge to his voice, he means business. Besides, I’m happy with the way things went. Thank you, baby. You made this so much easier. Jack was talking about dating you and treating you like a lady. That was gonna take forever. It’s much simpler this way.”

“What’s simpler?” Abby was unable to keep the trepidation out of her voice.

“Taking you home, taking you to bed, and showing you where you belong,” Sam replied with a wink.

“Where do I belong?” Abby couldn’t take her eyes off Jack. There was a simple smile on his face that held a wealth of arrogance. He’d been serious. He really had been playing the gentleman. Abby got the feeling she was about to get a full dose of Jack Barnes, and damned if she wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Always between me and Sam.” Jack reached out and put his hands on her shoulders, his expression intense. “Tell me you don’t want us, Abby, and I’ll walk away right now. I won’t bother you again.”

“Don’t give her ultimatums.” Sam sounded a bit desperate. “I thought we’d give her a taste before we forced her to make a decision. Baby, why don’t you let us play around a little? I promise you’ll want us.”

She looked up into Jack’s forest-green eyes. They were very serious as he stared at her. His hand came up to cup her face. He forced her to look at him and Abby felt his will. It should scare the crap out of her, but she found it amazingly sexy. This was a man who would always keep his promises, no matter what it cost him.

“She already wants us.” Jack brushed his thumb across her mouth. It was all she could do to not open her mouth and suck his thumb in. “She just needs to admit it. Can you tell me you haven’t spent the last few weeks thinking about this? Thinking about you and me and Sam coming together in bed?”

“No,” she said. Jack’s eyes flared, and she felt compelled to continue. “I have thought about it, but I’m scared.”

The time for honesty was here. She could run, and they would probably accept her decision. She could give in and enjoy the sex and walk away. Or she could ask for what she wanted. She could be brave and tell them what she needed and what she was scared of. If she did that and it all fell apart, then she would have to forgive herself. She’d learned that one of the great joys of maturing was learning how to forgive herself.

“What are you scared of?” A deep crease appeared in Sam’s forehead. He walked up to her and leaned forward. “Honey, we want to take care of you. We don’t want to hurt you.”

She felt tears pricking at the edge of her eyes. Everything in her was screaming for that to be true. She wanted them. She craved them.

“You could be lying to me. You could want to make me look bad.” She could hear her teenaged self in the statement. She felt every bit as vulnerable as she had then. The last month she’d spent with these two disparately different men had been one of the best of her life. Every evening they’d spent together over the last month had made her want them more. More than once, she’d fantasized about them sweeping into the diner and carrying her away. Lately, when things went wrong, her first thought was to call Jack. Now that her fantasy seemed to be coming true, she didn’t trust fate.

Jack’s hands came out and soothingly rubbed the back of her neck. He hadn’t stopped touching her once. “Sweetheart, why would you say something like that? Why would we want to make you look bad?”

“Because the Echols family wants me out of town.” Her heart soared when she saw the complete confusion on their faces. They couldn’t make that up.

“Are you talking about that crazy old biddy who runs the church socials?” Jack seemed to struggle to place a name with a face. “She always looks at me funny.”

“Ruby. That’s her name.” Sam frowned. “She’s real unpleasant to me. Why would we do anything for her? For that matter, why would she care that you’re in town?”

Hope swelled inside her. They really weren’t gay, and they really weren’t working for Ruby Echols. If that was true, then she had to assume they wanted her. It suddenly didn’t matter that they were in a bathroom in a public place. She couldn’t wait to feel their mouths pressed to hers. It wasn’t forever. The universe didn’t work that way, but she could have this moment. She could have a few weeks with them.

“It doesn’t matter. Kiss me.”

“Which one?” Sam asked.

Abby continued to smile, looking from gorgeous man to gorgeous man. “It doesn’t matter, but one of you should kiss me.”

Jack’s eyes never left her face. “Sam, take care of that door. We wouldn’t want anyone walking in.”

Sam cursed and bemoaned his fate, but he walked back and took his previous position.

Jack took Abby’s face in both his hands. “I’m completely crazy about you, Abigail Moore.” He leaned over and finally, after what seemed to Abby like a lifetime of wanting, pressed his mouth to hers.

Abby felt helpless against the onslaught of desire that rocketed through her as Jack took her mouth. He plundered it, his tongue gently forcing its way in and dancing strongly around hers. She held on to his lean waist for dear life as he slanted over her mouth again and again. He poured his will into her and everything inside her responded. She felt that kiss in her pussy and already she was slick and warm. Jack’s hands reached up and pulled at the band that held up her hair. He set it free and pulled back to look at the mane of auburn locks he’d unleashed.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Jack breathed almost reverently as he stroked her hair. In that moment, with Jack’s green eyes looking at her like she was some goddess he was worshipping, Abby felt gorgeous.

“Why don’t we take this home, people?” Sam’s voice was tight. Abby looked back at Sam, and his blue eyes were dark with passion.

He wanted to go home so he could join in. He wanted to have his turn. The thought should have turned her off, but all it did was get her hotter.

Jack’s lips turned up in a lazy smile. “You’ll have to forgive Sam, darlin’. He’s always so impatient. Always has been.” Jack suddenly lifted her up and set her on the counter. He looked back at his friend with great affection. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve told him that anticipation is the best part?”

Jack’s hands pushed up the skirt of her uniform.

“Anticipation is damn frustrating, Jack. And I’ve been anticipating for weeks,” Sam complained.

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

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 

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2glwCGM 

iBooks: http://apple.co/2iWtiiC 

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2gGEuPY 

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ykV026 

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: Sanctum by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #4.5, Shades of Naughty
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: November 14th 2016
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A contract broken…

Ryan Church and Jill Paxon enjoyed their life as Master and submissive until the day Ryan's entire world crumbled. No longer able to fulfill his end of the contract, Ryan did what he thought was best for Jill. He let her go.

An unexpected reunion…

Eighteen months later, Ryan is working for Ian Taggart as the Dom in Residence at the elite BDSM club Sanctum when his former submissive walks through the door looking for a job. Jill has changed, but his desire for her is still insatiable. Jill, shattered by his past rejection, can't trust Ryan, but she needs the job. Back in the community where she once felt safe and secure, she longs for the life she lost and the man she loved.

A last chance for love…

Ryan is presented with an opportunity to restore his wealth and name, but it could cost him his last chance at rebuilding a life with the woman he loves. When the secrets Jill has carefully hidden from Ryan are exposed, a terrible twist of fate might take her out of his life forever.

A Masters and Mercenaries Novella by Lexi Blake

*Dislaimer: 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.

Sanctum is not only a story about second chances, but also a story about how important communication and honesty are in both vanilla and D/s relationships.

Ryan is a guy who has had a bit of bad luck in his life, and he's the type of guy that can't do things half-way. His way of dealing with things falling apart around him is to make sure that, even though it isn't his fault, it ALL falls apart, even the thing he cares about the most. Which doesn't really make sense in the beginning, but then I realized that he has a pretty unique interpretation of what it means to be a Dom and a sub.

Jill gave me the impression of a woman who tried really hard to keep the man she loved next to her, even hide her own personality in order to do that. Which is part of the reason why, ultimately, their relationship would have ended no matter what. And I loved the fact that Ryan addresses that and shares his feelings about her behavior during their first time together.

Ryan and Jill both made mistakes in their relationship, and I like that the story showed that clearly and pretty brutally. Like I said, Ryan is a guy that has a pretty unique view of what being a Dom is, and it certainly is the main reason why ultimately his relationship with Jill ends. At the same time though, Jill also makes some mistakes based on her past and that gives her a strange interpretation of what a sub should be like, and instead of being completely honest she gives Ryan the best version of herself without any of the bad moments. It's basically a painful experience to see being talked about by both characters, but it's also really important and eye-opening. It's rare that I get to read about how the BDSM contract works in relation to the simple human interactions, and I found it fascinating. Blake did a really great job at showing how both Ryan and Jillian broke that contract by doing little things, the things most common in traditional, vanilla relationships - hiding stuff, not being honest, not saying what they truly wanted and so on.

At the same time, maybe also because of my background in psychology, I was fascinated by the way Blake showed how one action can be viewed differently by different people, so much so that they end up being seen as two opposite actions. And it wasn't necessarily due to the difference between the male and the female minds, but more because of the misinterpretation of the roles these two people had in their relationship. And I liked the fact that this was talked about, and Blake did a great job addressing that.

All in all, this was a short, but really complex story, that is a great addition to the series and definitely a nice way to take a break from the usual strong, fast pace full of danger at any turn.

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.

Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble

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: 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!

✦Amazon http://amzn.to/2p0UqOU ✦iBooks http://apple.co/2foEDcy ✦Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2pVfvgV ✦Kobo http://bit.ly/2fD4AnO ✦Google Play http://bit.ly/2pqze65 ✦Amazon Paperback http://amzn.to/2kz640M

 

See the INKED MEMORIES trailer:

 

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.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Instagram | Tumblr | Pinterest

Book Review: 1001 Dark Nights Discovery Bundle Twelve

Author: Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright, Lorelei James, Lara Adrian, Nazarea Andrews, Megan Erickson
Series: 1001 Dark Nights
Audience: +18/
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: October 31st 2017
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
About 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Twelve:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright, Lorelei James, Lara Adrian, and introducing Nazarea Andrews and Megan Erickson. Six Dark Tales. Six Sensual Stories. Six Page Turners.

KAYDEN: A Bayou Heat Novella by Alexandra Ivy
Kayden is obsessed with revenge after his parents disappeared when he was just a cub. Now the gorgeous Hunter has discovered the man responsible for betraying them – Joshua Ford – and it’s time for payback. Beginning with the kidnapping of Joshua’s daughter, Bianca. But last thing he expects is to be confronted with the horrifying realization that Bianca is his mate. Will he put revenge before his chance for eternal happiness?

SIMON: Bayou Heat Novella by Laura Wright
Sexy male model, Simon refuses to give up his exciting life in New York City to return to the slow heat of the Wildlands. For a decade, many pantera have tried to capture the rogue Diplomat and bring him home, but all have failed. Now it’s Tryst’s turn. The hard, brilliant, and gorgeous, Hunter is the ultimate tracker. But can the admitted beast-girl of the Wildlands capture her prey without losing her heart in the process?

STRUNG UP: A Blacktop Cowboys Novella by Lorelei James
Rancher Creston Grant retreats from the world after he loses the love of his life….Can his former flame, rodeo cowboy Breck Christianson prove he’s a changed man who can give Cres a second chance at love?

MIDNIGHT UNTAMED: A Midnight Breed Novella by Lara Adrian
For Breed warrior Ettore Selvaggio, stealth assassinations are only one of his specialties. The last thing Savage expects to find behind enemy lines is a woman he once adored. It’s been years since Savage last saw Arabella Genova. Years he’s strived to banish to his past, along with the fierce desire he once felt toward Bella and the irresistible calling of her blood that stirs in him even now, despite the fact that she belongs to another male.

DIRTY SEXY SECRET by Nazarea Andrews
Even when you know better….
There are a million reasons why Hazel Campton is off limits: she’s a journalist. I’m a cop. Oh, and she’s my foster sister.
My secret is I didn’t care. I haven’t stopped wanting her since I slept with her the night before she left.
She’s trouble. Always has been.

It’s hard to resist the thing you’ve always wanted…
Growing up with Brandon Archer means I know him. Good. Bad. Everything in between.
It’s just never mattered.
My secret? That night. The one I stole, that’s kept me from Archer and Green County, for four years.
Now I’m home, and nothing has changed. Except me. And not in the way that means a damn thing.
Because I still want him.

Everything can change with a knock at the door…
Secrets. Everyone has them. Archer. Me. This town.
Perfection only runs surface deep in Green County. When there’s a knock at me door, it’s a familiar face all covered in danger, and all those secrets we hide? They’re about to come tumbling out.

BITE THE HAND THAT BLEEDS by Megan Erickson
Roxy heads below the streets of Mission City to a vampire club, determined to give up her blood in exchange for much-needed cash. She has no idea that the handsome, brooding vampire she meets there will awaken desires she didn't know she had, and will change her life forever...


Every Dark Nights tale is breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic.

*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.

Every time I see there's a new story being added to this series I get all giddy and excited, because I just know I'll have a great time reading them. I already knew two of the stories in this bundle, but I still enjoyed reading them. The review for those two are shortened versions of the original reviews I wrote for them, but my thoughts haven't changed.

Kayden/Simon by Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright

Kayden is a guy that has suffered a lot, especially since his parents disappeared when he was really young. I liked that even so, he didn't let that anger and that pain rule his judgement. I liked him, and I hope to read more about him in the next books. Bianca is a heroine that I enjoyed reading about. I liked that by the end of the story she finds courage to do certain things that I don't think in the past she would've done them.

Simon's story was my favorite one out of the two. Simon is a hero that hides stuff, and he hides them really well. I loved him, really. He's one of those characters that just need a bear hug, you know? I liked his interaction with Tryst, I liked seeing him trying to keep one step ahead of her. Tryst is a unique character. As the blurb says, she's more her animal than she is human, and I don't think I've ever read about a character like that before. It was interesting, but I would've wanted to read more on that subject. Maybe if the story was longer, we could've explored that side of Tryst more, but even so, I enjoyed reading the way she sees the world.

Rating: 4.5 cups

Strung Up by Lorelei James

As I haven't yet got to read her Blacktop Cowboys series, I was not familiar with Breck from the very beginning of the series, to see how he changed and how he became the man he was in this book. But I can tell that even before this novella he was a strong, confident man. Reading about what he went through after his ex announced it to everyone that Breck was gay, really made me respect him more, and also be incredibly sad for him. I get even sadder when I think that this is real. Even today, there are people who can lose everything just based on their sexuality, and that is infuriating to say the least. But I greatly respect Breck for finding the strength to move on, to try to make a bad situation into a good one.

I met Cres in the 1001 Dark Nights Bundle Six, and since then I've kept my fingers crossed that he would get his own story. I never imagined that his story would be so tragic, but I wanted his story told. I've hoped for an M/M story from Lorelei James since forever, and I was super happy when Cres got his story. As I said, he has a really sad story, but at the same time a very hopeful one. I also loved that his family was so cool with his sexuality, and that it wasn't something they focused on. Even in the previous novella, the one I was referring to earlier, it didn't feel like the Grant family defined Cres as his sexuality, which was honestly such a great thing.

Rating: 5 cups

Midnight Untamed by Lara Adrian

It's been a while since I read a Lara Adrian book and I forgot how much fun they were. This story is part of her Midnight Breed series and it's a pretty interesting one. I love that the story took place in Rome. I also enjoyed how fast paced it was.

Ettore was an interesting character. He's a strong, brave, really honorable guy. You discover his backstory halfway through this story and I really like what I found out. He did the right thing in the past, even though he knew it would hurt him. And he did the right thing in the present, even if it might have turned out to be the worst idea ever. I liked that about him.

Arabella has an interesting gift. It was interesting to see how a few years changed the way her brother treated her. I thought she was a really strong female, given the circumstances. I know I probably would do a shitty job at keeping my wits together, but she defended herself and she was willing to do whatever was necessary to keep her family safe. I respected her for that.

I really enjoyed this story and it made me want to go back to read the Midnight Breed series all over again.

Rating: 4 cups

Dirty Sexy Secret by Nazarea Andrews

This story was based on secrets. It's told from dual perspectives, of Hazel and Archer, and it's interesting to see how their secrets come to life. I enjoyed the story, even if at times I was a bit lost.

Hazel and Archer have a really sad story. It's hard to talk about one without talking about the other one as well, really. It's almost like the story was written, actually. You can't have Hazel without Archer. They're both really damaged people, but also very brave and very loving. They're also really loyal, too loyal at times.

Most of the characters felt damaged in a way, and I am definitely going to keep my eyes out for the next book in the series, because I need to know the rest of the secrets. Like I said, that seemed to be the theme of this story and, as a really curious person, I found that quite fascinating.

Rating: 3.5 cups

Bite The Hand That Bleeds by Megan Erickson

This was such a short story, but it was interesting enough to make me want to learn more about the world that Erickson created.

You get a tiny glimpse into the world of the vampires, and it's quite an interesting take. It almost felt like a cross between old-school vampires, with their scariness, the way they act, how they speak, and kind of new, modernized vampires, with their blatant sexuality. While I couldn't get a real feel of the characters, because the story is so short, I definitely want to read the books in the series to find out more.

Rating: 3.5 cups

As I said, this bundle is full of great stories and, as always, the authors behind 1001 Dark Nights don't disappoint. Now I'll be biting my nails, waiting for the next bundle.

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.

Release Day Book Review & Blitz: Playing With Forever by Amy Andrews

Today is the release day blitz for PLAYING WITH FOREVER by Amy Andrews! Check it out and grab your copy today!

Author: Amy Andrews
Series: Sydney Smoke Rugby #4
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Brazen)
Release Date: September 25th 2017
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Country boy, Ryder Davis has the world at his feet. A stellar rugby career, a winning way with women and a beach view that keeps him in blue sky and bikini babes. He's living the dream. The last thing he needs is a Great Dane called Tiny destroying his feng shui.

Dog whisperer, Juliet Morgan is about to start living her dream and she's counting down the days. In two months she'll finally be moving to Italy and no man's going to stop her this time. Not even a rugby superstar with a badly behaved pooch.

But when Ryder skids into the animal shelter looking for help Juliet agrees to assist him with his canine issues. Pretty soon they're assisting each other out of their clothes and tumbling headlong into a sex thing with an expiry date.

Neither of them expected it to become more. But when for now starts to feel like forever Juliet hits the panic button. Ryder knows he has to play the long game and let her walk away. After all it's not over until the final hooter sounds and all's fair in love and rugby.

Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.

*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.

This series keeps getting better and better with each and every book that comes out and I can't help but fall in love with Sydney Smoke's players.

It was nice to read a book where the roles were flipped, where the woman wanted a no-strings attached fling, while the man is leaning towards a proper relationship, I found that very refreshing. I also loved how Andrews at one point goes to show how comfortable two people can get with each other, that it's only really a matter of perspective, really. Ryder and Juliet have very different perspectives when it comes to how they view their relationship, and it's really interesting to read about that.

I liked Ryder. He was very funny and very sexy, and I liked that he was honest about how he felt about Juliet even though she wanted none of those pesky emotions. I also loved what he did for Tiny. He's such a good man just for taking care of Tiny as if that dog was his. I also liked that he admitted he needed help in managing Tiny, which is not something that most people even think about when getting a dog.

Juliet's story was pretty heartbreaking, really. I do understand why she didn't want a real relationship, although throughout the book it was pretty obvious she was lying to herself the whole time by not giving the proper title to what she and Ryder had. That was the thing I struggled with the most, the fact that ultimately she wasn't being honest with herself and with Ryder. At the same time, I liked that she was open and honest about what she wanted from the start, she didn't lie about her intentions.

Before I finish this review, let me talk a little bit about Tiny. The book starts with Ryder being emotionally conned into taking care of Tiny, and it is incredibly funny to see how he struggled with that dog. On one hand, I laughed like a lunatic, because it is funny, especially when Ryder took Tiny for his first walk and the first morning together. On the other hand, I cringed a little bit, because it was like I was reading about my dog at times (the walking part). I felt super happy to see that Andrews did a fantastic job into working dog training into the situation, which let's be honest, is something that not a lot of people think about when getting a dog. So yay for dog training.

The book was fast paced, it was funny, and it ended almost too fast. I am in love with this series, and I can't wait for book 5, because I am definitely keeping my fingers crossed that there will be a book 5.

Series Order:
Book #1 Playing By Her Rules
Book #2 Playing It Cool
Book #3 Playing the Player
Book #4 Playing With Forever

Buy Now

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

Add to Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the Author

Amy Andrews is a multi-published, award- winning author of 50+ romance novels across both traditional and digital platforms. She writes for Harlequin Mills and Boon, Entangled, Harper Collins Australia, Momentum Publishing, Escape Publishing and Tule. She's sold in excess of a million books worldwide and has been translated into over a dozen languages. In her spare time she is a PICU nurse and mother of two teenagers. She lives on acerage on the outskirts of Brisbane, Australia but secretly wishes it was the hillsides of Tuscany.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram