TITLE: Temptation in Shadow
CHARACTERS: Sean Walker & Gabby Nuit
AUTHOR: Gena Showalter
PUBLICATION DATE: June 17, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Originally released as part of THE BODYGUARD anthology, fall under the spell of Gena Showalter’s paranormal romantic suspense novella “Temptation in Shadows.” Every day he puts his life on the line, what will happen when it’s his heart in jeopardy?
Tall, lean, muscular—and definitely rough around the edges—Sean Walker is not your typical nightclub bodyguard. He’s a controller of shadows, able to wield darkness at will. But when a mysterious woman at the club turns out to have powers greater than his own, he has no choice but seduction…
Now exclusive as a standalone e-title, read the sexy story that captivate readers from New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter.
REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This was a quick read yet good read. I found myself drawn into this world from the get go. I mean waking up not knowing where you are or why you are chained to the wall? Who wouldn’t want to know the answers. But as the story went on I kept wondering who was behind everything.
So while this was a short read I did enjoy it. If you are a fan of Ms. Showalter and did not read this story when it was included in the anthology The Bodyguard. I would suggest picking up a copy Temptation in Shadow.
I would like to know if Rowan is going to be getting a story. He is such a charmer : D
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
TITLE: Hunger For You
SERIES #: Damaged Hearts #3
CHARACTERS: Zoe & Caleb
AUTHOR: A.C. Arthur
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/10/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Taken in by a shifter family after his parents’ tragic deaths, Caleb Ramsey was thrust into a world of training and loyalty, when his half-breed status should have sentenced him to death. Desperate to escape a family that he can never truly belong to, Caleb leaves at nineteen to find his place outside the Shifter warrior world. The beautiful girl in the bar was not a part of his plan. Neither was finding out more about the boyfriend she claims to have. He should have walked away, should have continued on his own path. But when Caleb realizes the danger Zoe is in, all of his warrior urges come roaring to life…Zoe Fallon has always been a romantic idealist. Losing herself in romance novels as a way to escape an abusive past, she is now finally free to go out and find her own Prince Charming. So when a gorgeous man literally sweeps her off her feet, she wonders if she may have found the guy of her dreams. But things aren’t always what they seem. The brooding customer who seems to show up each time she’s in need is an enigma, and yet she’s drawn to him in a way she’s never experienced before. But he has his own secrets, and Zoe has to ask herself—if Caleb is truly her happily ever after, in Hunger for You by A.C. Arthur.
REVIEW:
Something keeps bringing me back to this series even though I have no idea why. The characters are ok and the story sort of interesting but somehow I see the story available and I want to read it. While the books all seem to have a YA feel they are still interesting.
Caleb is such a broken soul and really Zoe is too so they have a familiarity as well as a connection. There is a similar theme through all the book just with different brothers so it is pretty obvious what will happen but still I find myself reading it.
Is it the best shifter series out there? No (especially since we never really see any of them shift). Is it the worst? Of course not. But what the heck you will probably enjoy it like I do.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TITLE: Cop A Feel
SERIES #: Handcuffs and Happily Ever Afters #3
CHARACTERS:
AUTHOR: Robyn Peterman
PUBLICATION DATE: June 19, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“Outrageous, profane, hilarious, sexy and all kinds of wacky!” –Michelle Rowen, national bestselling author
When you get time off for bad behavior, romance is the last thing on your mind–but good old-fashioned lust is a whole different story. . .
Life undercover isn’t exactly one big party–not when you’re a DEA agent–but it sure beats a desk job. Except when you screw up big and someone has to go in and clean up after you. In that case, even paper-pushing sounds better than babysitting an erotic romance writer with as many enemies as there are euphemisms for “throbbing manhood.”
I’ve been taking down drug dealers for so long, playing bodyguard to a woman named Shoshanna Lehump sounds like nothing more than a giant pain in my ass– and being partnered with the gorgeous egotistical jerk I never should have slept with in the first place just makes a bad situation even harder–especially when he pursues me as diligently as we’re supposed to be chasing the bad guys…What’s a girl have to do to get a happy ending anyway?
“For a good time, read Robyn Peterman!” –Michelle Rowen, national bestselling author
“A zany over-the-top rompfest.” –Lexi George, author of Demon Hunting in a Dive Bar
REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Cop a Feel brings us back into the fun world of Handcuffs & Happily Ever Afters. We get a closer look at Mitch’s sister and what makes her tick. Candy is a hard nose DEA agent with a weee-bit of bad luck when it comes to her job. Oh she gets the job done, but at great peril to herself. When her final mission almost kills her, her boss takes action and puts her on body guard duty. Only problem this is not your normal body guard duty. And to make matters worse Candy’s ummmm, new partner will be tagging along.
Luke has been a out of touch for a very long time. The only thing that makes him feel grounded are his night with a certain pretty girl. But when that certain pretty girl tells him to go fly a kite and that they are done something in Luke snaps. A plan snaps into place to make a certain pretty girl his forever.
I truly loved Luke & Candy’s story. I just loved everything about these two and their adventure. And once again Ms. Peterman had me laughing, crying and begging for more. Robyn’s mind is a scary place to live with the crazy cast of characters that rule her brain. But I don’t think that I would have it any other way. I am truly amazed at the level that some of her characters go to. They are so very OUT there. 🙂 But they are so much fun and that you will need some tissues for the tears and possible a set of depends to save you from laughing so hard.
I did hear a disturbing rumor that this may be the last Handcuffs & Happily Ever Afters book. I am hoping that this not true and Kensington will force, I mean ask Ms. Peterman to continue this series 🙂
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Kensington in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
TITLE: The Glass Kitchen
CHARACTERS: Portia & Gabriel
AUTHOR: Linda Francis Lee
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/17/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
With the glass kitchen, Linda Francis Lee has served up a novel that is about the courage it takes to follow your heart and be yourself. A true recipe for life.
Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan . . . and never cook again. But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream. The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family.
REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts I really enjoyed this story. There is something that pulls you in from page one. While contemporary the special talent Portia has adds a delightful spin. Portia is such a fascinating character. She is someone you want to be friends will. The feelings of guilt, love and longing is palpable. Gabriel is so hard-edged but yet something is so sweet about him. They are so perfectly matched.
The character of Ariel is such a complement to this story. I really enjoyed how the story was told from the viewpoints of Portia and Ariel and not Gabriel. It really added something to the story this way. Ariel is such a smart little girl who is trying so hard not to be invisible to everyone that she sometimes becomes lost to herself.
I honestly can’t imagine someone not enjoying this story. The writing is so well done and it is so relatable to women. It is just a feel good story perfect for a summer read.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TITLE: Too Much
SERIES #: All or Nothing #1
CHARACTERS: Daly & Jeremiah
AUTHOR: Lea Griffith
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/10/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Jeremiah Copeland and Daly Edwards have a history. Even though he grew up a criminal struggling to care for two younger siblings, and she’s the pampered daughter of a power-hungry senator, they formed a bond that nothing could break. Only a lack of trust ripped them apart.
Seven years later, Daly has reason to believe that Jeremiah’s brother is in trouble. She reaches out to Jeremiah the only way she knows how: at his BDSM club, The Underground. But one look ignites a heat she thought had cooled forever. As Jeremiah takes control of her body once again, Daly quickly loses control of her carefully rebuilt world. Too much has never been enough between them, and as danger swirls in the shadows, Jeremiah forces Daly to recognize what has never changed: She still loves him. His command is that she return her heart—and he will make her obey.
REVIEW:
So I have a bunch to say about this book. Some good. Most not so good. First the good. The story is engrossing. I seemed to want to read page after page. The characters were well formed and seemed to deserve to be together. The background story was interesting and while I had it figured out it did take a while. The sex was fine if you enjoy erotica. If not this is not for you. There is not much in the BDSM way of sex but there is a bunch of D/s sex where Jeremiah takes complete control. It is fine for erotica.
Now the not so good. First Jeremiah is mean and dominating but not in a good way. He just seems to be heartless I guess is the best word. While he says his whole life is Daly he rarely has a soft time with her. Yes as the book went on there were a couple of times here or there where he would love her and not, umm, you know. His calling Daly “little sub” all the time was so condescending that it drove me nuts. Everything is about him. She walked away, she broke his heart, she did this and she did that. he might be a Dom but he is no alpha.
Now, Daly is a bit of a pushover. She is the bad person by walking away when Jeremiah was doing illegal things? How did he become the victim? Ok we find out things later but most of the book is how he was a criminal. She knows the lifestyle so this isn’t a story where he introduces her to the D/s way of life so that was a bit refreshing but the love/hate relationship between the two of them is “Too Much” sometimes (see the word play there?). And I was so tired of the same things being written over and over. Ok we know she walked away and that they belong to each other, blah blah blah. The book could have been cut by 50+ pages if the same sentences hadn’t been used “Too Much” (yeah I did it again).
The not so good out numbers the good but then again if you enjoy erotica and a domineering man (not just a dominate man) then you will probably enjoy this one. As for me it was just ok. Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TITLE: Vanished
SERIES #:the beginning of a new series
CHARACTERS: Mason Callahan & Ava McLane
AUTHOR: Kendra Elliot
PUBLICATION DATE: June 17, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When eleven-year-old Henley Fairbanks is abducted on her way to school, the FBI doesn’t waste a moment, sending agents to scour the area and embedding Special Agent Ava McLane with the distraught family. In the eye of the storm is local detective Mason Callahan, who also happens to be related to Henley. To make matters worse for Mason, the kidnapping comes on the heels of the murder of his longtime confidential informant, and he’s been sidelined from the investigation. Now both he and Agent McLane are holed up in the Fairbanks’ home, along with Callahan’s ex-wife, Robin. Every second counts in a kidnapping case, and the stakes keep rising the longer Henley stays missing. As Ava and Mason struggle to hold the Fairbanks family together in their darkest hour, the two investigators find themselves more and more drawn to each other.
REVIEW:
Wow this story was pretty heartbreakingly good story. Ms. Elliott does an amazing job of bring her characters to life. If you are from Oregon there are a few references in this book that will make you cry just because you know the reality of Vanished storyline. But Vanished has so many different levels to this story and not all is as it seems.
I tried to think of a way to summarize this book, but I could not think of a good way to do it without giving something away so you get nothing :-). This just means that you need to read this book for yourself.
If you are a fan of Kendra’s you will enjoy Vanished. If you are new to The Bone Secret series never fear each book can be read as a stand alone with no problems. Make sure to add this one to your buy list.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Kendra Elliott in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
TITLE: A Vampire’s Promise
SERIES #: Part 1
CHARACTERS: Rowan & Gabriel
AUTHOR: Carla Susan Smith
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/05/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Trust Your Instincts
Rowan Harper is nothing but a smart-mouthed bookstore clerk with a crappy love life on the night she walks into Rosie’s Bar. Most of the drama in her life is borrowed from her best friend’s adventures. But when she meets Gabriel–tall and movie star gorgeous–everything changes. Never mind that she turns down the drink he offers, or that he brims with secrets she can’t begin to guess at. He ignites a desire in her she never suspected–and shows a fascination with her she can’t explain.
He has no family, no job, no bank account;he knows where she lives and her favorite flower. An aura of mystery cloaks him, even as Rowan grasps for facts, even as she fears an answer that could destroy her happiness. Gabriel can guide her through a wonderland of new sensations. But only if Rowan trusts him enough to follow. . .
REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts I had a hard time with this story. First the writing is off. Not sure exactly how but it is written in first person which is odd for this kind of book but the conversations are not the way anyone would really talk and there is so much commentary that the story is over done.
Also there is no connection between Gabriel and Rowan. Gabriel seems set in old times even though he is so many years old wouldn’t he have kept current? And Rowan is clueless in almost everything she does. She seems like a push over to me and I really didn’t connect with her at all. And while obvious to the reader, I mean heck it is in the name of the book, Rowan doesn’t know Gabriel is a vampire until the last few paragraphs.
The story is continuing in the next part but not sure that I can enough about either character to want to read it.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TITLE: Aces Wild
SERIES #: A Sin City Collectors Novella
CHARACTERS: Nevada Hamilton, Jake Troubadour
AUTHOR: Amanda Carlson
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/29/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS: Welcome to Vegas. Home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don’t ask any questions.
Nevada Hamilton has learned a few things since becoming a Sin City Collector, and staying away from vampires is one of them. After botching her first Collection, the vamp getting away after causing as much damage as possible, she hasn’t been assigned to another one since.
But when she receives her next playing card, she’s in for a surprise. Not only is a vampire her next target, but they’ve paired her up to make sure she gets the job done right. Refusing a Collection is not an option, but when she discovers who she’s working with, making the mission as difficult as possible for her new partner becomes top priority…
Being a hellhound isn’t enough to protect Jake Troubadour from Nevada Hamilton, no matter how thick his skin is. Finding out he has to work with the beautiful dhampir, after not seeing her for three years, is a low blow–but Jake is a professional. He takes his Collections as seriously as he does running his bar. He’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done, but after that, he’s out. No more chances for the girl who wrecked his bike and scarred his soul so long ago. But even with his heart dead set against it, this hellhound quickly finds he’s not immune to love after all.
REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts I’ve been a big fan of Ms. Carlson’s Jessica McClain series and I jumped at the chance to read her new Sin City Collectors series. Right off the bat, we are introduced to Nevada “Neve” Hamilton who works for the Collectors, bringing in supernatural beings like a paranormal bounty hunter. Neve usually works on her own because she hasn’t needed anyone to help her because she has supernatural skills, she’s a dhampir. Her next assignment is to bring in a vampire and they have paired her with the worst person possible, Jake Troubadour. Jake runs a bar in Las Vegas, is one of the few hellhounds in existence and the one man that Neve has a complicated romantic history with. The only thing is that this assignment will challenge them like never before and have them facing romantic feelings about each other that they have been trying to deny.
I think that this is going to be one of my new favorites because I loved Neve and Jake together in this story. Neve and Jake have been trying to deny what happened between them three years ago and every time that they are together sparks fly. Neve is very independent and has spent most of her life doing things on her own. She doesn’t know much about her past and there hasn’t been anyone in her life to teach her about her dhampir side. She has always been drawn to Jake in the past and can’t understand why she has a hard time resisting him. For Jake, Neve is the one that got away. He has always had feelings for her and thought that she had felt the same toward him even though she turned her back on him after that night. This is the one chance to make things right and he will do whatever he has to do to protect her on this assignment.
Aces Wild is an action-packed thrill ride with enough sexual chemistry to make your heart race. I loved seeing Neve and Jake as a couple and this story provided some answers regarding Neve’s mysterious past. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella about the Sin City Collectors and this series shows a lot of promise. The next book in the series is Ante Up and I’m looking forward to learning more about these characters and their adventures as supernatural collectors.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
TITLE: Lay Me Down
SERIES #: Reveler #2
CHARACTERS: Steve Coll & Maisie Lane
AUTHOR: Erin Kellison
PUBLICATION DATE: May 12, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Able to navigate sleep’s vast dreamwaters, wild child Maisie Lane makes easy money as a courier delivering packages from one dream to another. So what if her employers are on the shadier side of the law? Her sister thinks she’s living for the pleasure of the moment. Pleasure is involved—why shouldn’t it be?—but every step Maisie takes is part of a careful plan. That is, until she crosses into a dream so evil, she has no choice but to run.
Special Agent Steve Coll is tasked to recruit Maisie for Chimera, the organization that polices shared dreams. At first he’s taken with her funny and carefree spirit, then brought to his knees by her tough and passionate soul. Touching her is forbidden ecstasy, but Steve can’t resist breaking the rules with Maisie. A darkness is gathering, evil preparing to strike, and only Maisie stands between it and innocent lives. No matter what happens, Steve won’t let her stand alone—he’ll die before he leaves her side
REVIEW:
Lay Me Down was the 2nd novella in Erin Kellison’s new Reveler series was pretty good. I think that I enjoyed this one a little better than the first novella. I am still struggling a little with the world. There seems to be a lot going on in such a short period of time and everything was a little rushed.
But again I believe I will give book 3 a try and see if it is working for me.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Fire Flower Publishing, LLC in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
TITLE: Temptation in Shadow
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