Kelly’s review of In Her Sights by Charley Colins

TITLE: In Her Sights – A Lexie Olympia Novel #1
AUTHOR: Charley Colins (aka Keri Ford)
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/16/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Some call her a killer.
Others call her a hero.

Lexie Olympia calls herself neither. She’s getting the job done because she can. A beloved philanthropist by day who’s nicknamed Melville’s Sweetheart, Lexie has the city wrapped around her little finger. Having been a victim in the past, left behind with the killer still on the loose, Lexie knows what it’s like to live with that fear. Instead of biting her nails over it, she takes action. Drug lords, gang leaders, con artists, kidnappers, serial killers, anyone who leaves behind innocent victims are marked on Lexie’s list.

When a neighbor leaves a stolen ancient dagger on her doorstep and skips town, Lexie’s left picking up the pieces. The police, a local private investigator, and a gang are all after this artifact and Lexie uses her nighttime persona, Artemis, to get to the bottom of things. Everything is going smoothly until she gets caught.

REVIEW:
I love that Keri stepped out of her comfort zone of the Apple Trail series and try her hand at Mystery Romance. I loved her new book “In Her Sights” book 1 in the Lexie Olympia Series. Written under the pen name Charley Colins.

I love that Lexie Olympia is not what she seems. She is not the spoiled princess most people think she is. What she really is, well a secret that if it gets out could get her killed and those who know what she does

But Lexie’s perfectly planned life is about to flipped upside down by the man who just broke into her house. Lexie is going to quickly learn that this stranger is going to become a very important person to her and her cause.

If you enjoy a good mystery romance I would suggest picking up a copy of IN HER SIGHTS and learn a little about Lexie Olympia and her secrets.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Jennifer’s review of Close Enough To Touch by Victoria Dahl

TITLE: Close Enough To Touch
AUTHOR: Victoria Dahl
PUBLICATION DATE:   8/28/12

ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: For makeup artist Grace Barrett, Hollywood isn’t the land of golden opportunity.  It’s the land of difficult divas, cheating boyfriends and unemployment.  So when her great-aunt offers her a free place to stay in Jackson Hole, Grace thinks she’ll spend a little time in the sticks to figure out her life, and then move somewhere exciting to live out her dreams.  But it turns out that there are a few more thrills in this small town than Grace was expecting….

Cole Rawlins is a rugged Wyoming cowboy born and bred. Yet he can’t help but be drawn to the fascinating big-city girl who moves in across from him. He wants to get close enough to Grace to see past her tough facade, but if he does, she might get to see the real Cole.  The one with a Hollywood history gone bad.  As they discover a sizzling attraction, it becomes harder for him to keep his demons at bay–and those fires from long ago may burn them both.

They’ll need more than scorching-hot passion to make this opposites-attract affair work. But if they can learn to trust one another enough to reveal their secrets, they just might have a chance at forever.

REVIEW: I adore Victoria Dahl’s books because she always seem to write these great romances in small towns with interesting characters.  I thought this book was good, but for me, it wasn’t as light-hearted as her previous novels.  Grace is a character that has a lot of emotional baggage to deal with when she first arrives at Jackson Hole.  She has no money, no job and no direction but is trying to find her place in life without depending on a man like her mother.  She acted very tough by not letting anyone get close to her and found it easier to lash out at people instead of letting her guards down because she was afraid of being hurt.  I liked her but I wanted her to open up more to people than just pretending to be this tough city chick.

Cole was dealing with emotional issues as well during the course of this novel.  He was slowly recovering from an injury that shattered his pelvis and he was scared that he wouldn’t be able to ride a horse again.  If he couldn’t ride a horse then he would be unable to run the ranch that he was hoping to buy from his boss when he retired.  To him, that was everything and he was guilty of lashing out at others as well. Grace and Cole were so much alike even though from the outside they looked like exact opposites.  The chemistry and sexual tension was extremely hot but that isn’t all there is to a relationship and it took some time for these characters to get past their own issues to try to build that relationship.

I liked this novel but I want others to be aware that this isn’t a light-hearted romance.  These characters have some real emotional issues from mistakes of their past and the romance between the two doesn’t start off easy.  I’m looking forward to reading Victoria’s next novel in the series “Too Hot to Handle” which stars Grace’s best friend, Merry.  Hopefully, her love story will go smoother than Grace’s did.

Disclaimer:
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly’s review of My Kind Of Christmas by Robyn Carr

TITLE: My Kind Of Christmas
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/23/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
PATRICK RIORDAN ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT NOTHING COULD MATCH THE ADRENALINE RUSH HE GETS FROM HIS JOB. BUT THIS CHRISTMAS, PATRICK’S PULSE IS REALLY RACING…

The Riordan brothers may have a reputation for being rough-and tumble, but Patrick has always been the gentle, sweet-natured one. These days, his easygoing manner is being tested by his high-octane career as a navy pilot. But for the Riordan brothers, when the going gets tough…the tough find the love of a good woman. Except the woman who has caught Patrick’s attention is Jack Sheridan’s very attractive niece. Angie LeCroix comes to Virgin River to spend Christmas relaxing, away from her well-intentioned but hovering mother. Yet instead of freedom, she gets Jack Sheridan. If her uncle had his way, she’d never go out again. And certainly not with rugged, handsome Patrick Riordan. But Angie has her own idea of the kind of Christmas she wants—and the kind of man! Patrick and Angie thought they wanted to be left alone this Christmas—until they meet each other. Then they want to be left alone together. But the Sheridan and Riordan families have different plans for Patrick and Angie—and for Christmas, Virgin River–style!

REVIEW:
4 1/2 Stars This is part of the Virgin River series however since I have not read any others and yet I loved this book I feel comfortable saying you can read this as a stand alone as well… but it will make you want to go back and read the others.

There is not much about Christmas in this story. In fact Christmas doesn’t even come in the story by the time it finishes so if you are looking for a book to get you in the holiday mood this is really not it but it is such an enjoyable read that you will forget you wanted to read a holiday story.

The characters of Patrick and Angie are just so wonderful. You can feel the connection between them from the first scene they have together. The background characters (which have had their own books) are great too. I really did love everything about this book. I have never read a Robyn Carr book before so I was not sure what to expect but her writing is very smooth and flows really well. She is able to bring you into the moment with each scene she writes. The ending of the book had me tearing up a little bit which is not something that happens very often so when it happens I know the book has brought me to a place that many others have not.

I would highly recommend you meeting Patrick and Angie and spending the holidays with them. It is a story you won’t want to miss.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kelly’s review of Angel Of Darkness by Cynthia Eden

TITLE: Angel of Darkness – The Fallen #1
AUTHOR: Cythina Eden
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/29/11
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.

Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose

REVIEW:
Keenan is an angel of death.  All Keenan has ever knew is to follow his orders.  But all that changed when Keenan saves Nicole from the vampire that was just trying to kill her.   But with that one choice Keenan changed both his life and Nicole’s life forever. You see because he disobeys his orders Keenan is forced to become a Fallen Angel.  Nicole well, she may have survived the attack but she has been changed too.

I enjoyed this book.  Keenan is a pretty bad-ass hero.  He know what he wants and doesn’t stop until he gets it.  Nicole is a tough cookie, who wants nothing more than to be left alone.   These two make a really good team.  They need to be a good team because they don’t know who around them is a true friend or foe.

If you have not started Cynthia’s The Fallen Series yet and you love angels you should go pick up a copy.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly’s review of Eva’s Last Dance by Tracy Cooper-Posey

TITLE: Eva’s Last Dance
AUTHOR: Tracy Cooper-Posey
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/18/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Nearly one hundred years after their last dance together Eva’s long lost love, Edward, makes contact again. Eva—lonely and a vampire now—can’t resist falling into his arm and under his erotic spell. She’ll do anything he asks of her now.

Then the spell is rudely interrupted by human demon hunter Ryan Jefferson, who is on the trail of an incubus. He sets out to seduce Eva properly in a searing night of dance and passion.

This dance counts in more ways than one…

REVIEW:
This is a short story of vampire erotica. It is a very short with only about 40 reading pages but a very interesting story. The characters are well defined and even though we are only given a few pages to get to know them enough is written to give us insight into why they are together. The ending has a twist which was unexpected but enjoyable. If you enjoy the genre of vampires or erotica you will enjoy this book. It is a short enough that you can read it in an hour and enjoy yourself.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Ursula’s review of Inside Bet by Katie Porter

TITLE: Inside Bet
AUTHOR: Katie Porter
PUBLICATION DATE:   01/01/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
As assistant director in an accounting firm, Heather Morris is at the top of her game. Her straight-laced colleagues wouldn’t believe the secrets she hides: her wild teenage past, work-of-art tattoo and nipple ring.

Her orderly life veers off course when she’s approached at a wine tasting by an arrogant pretty boy with a dirty mind and a hardcore dangerous profession. She finds herself tempted to step outside her respectable façade for some well-deserved excitement.

Captain Jon “Tin Tin” Carlisle knows women. Loves women. One glimpse of the nipple ring under Heather’s conservative blazer lights up all his instincts. He’s stumbled upon a rare treasure: an exotic beauty with a sexy laugh and a taste for dares.

After a red-hot hour of roulette, their simmering attraction bursts into an exploration of mutual passion that tests even Jon’s erotic limits. Soon he craves something he’s never desired before. More. But for Heather, more means trusting, and trusting leads to trouble.

Now Jon must decide if the best sex of his life is worth chancing his heart on a woman who shields hers so well.

Warning: Contains hot power play featuring a fighter pilot who comes from old money but knows all about bringing the dirty. Also: a nipple ring, sex on the hood of a hella sweet sportscar, and one teensy, tiny, wickedly naughty fluid exchange.

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this book. It is part of a series, however I hadn’t read the book before this one.  I didn’t feel like I was missing out and the author really did a good job of kind of filling us in on what had gone before.  This was a sexy, hot book that had a good conflict and resolution.  I really just wanted to kick the hero in the head so many times. The heroine too. They were both stubborn and stuck in their way. This book showed how sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind and trust someone once in awhile. It isn’t always an easy road and the rocky moments made for some good reading.
There were also many secondary characters that we were introduced to. It really added to the depth of the book and now I find myself wanting to go back and read the first one and the one that will come after this one. Ms. Dimon did a wonderful job of sucking me into her world and I will be happy to revisit it again in the future.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly’s review of That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen

TITLE: That Thing Called Love
AUTHOR: Susan Andersen
PUBLICATION DATE:   07/31/12
ORDER LINKS:Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He’s the last man on earth she should want…

For a guy she’s fantasized about throttling, Jake Bradshaw sure is easy on the eyes. In fact, he seriously tempts inn manager Jenny Salazar to put her hands to better use. Except this is the guy who left Razor Bay—and his young son, Austin, who Jenny adores like her own—to become a globetrotting photojournalist. He can’t just waltz back and claim Austin now.

Jake was little more than a kid himself when he became a dad. Sure, he’d dreamed of escaping the resort town, but he’d also truly believed that Austin was better off with his grandparents. Now he wants—no, needs—to make up for his mistake. He intends to stay in Razor Bay only until he can convince Austin to return with him to New York. Trouble is, with sexy, protective, utterly irresistible Jenny in his life, and his bed, he may never want to leave…

REVIEW:
I have been enjoying the works of Susan Andersen for a while now and this one ranks right up there as one of my favorites from her. Something about this book seems different than her past writing and it really stands out as one of her best. The characters of this book are simple and everyday people. I loved the fact that Jenny was not some supermodel or something. She is on the petite side and while they can joke with her about her size she will not accept being called cute or sweet. Jake has that diamond in the rough persona. He does things because he thinks they are for the best but he is never really sure if it is the best for him or for the other person but he really does have the best of intentions. I enjoyed Austin as well. He is written as a typical teenager who is just an everyday kid (though I could have done without him cursing – even though most 13 year olds do). And I enjoyed the blooming relationship of Jake and Max as well and hope to see Max get his own story in the future.

This is a great romance novel. It is a chick-lit book that no woman who enjoys the genre will want to put down. My suggestion is to send the kids to bed (or even better to a sleepover), pick up the book, pour a glass of wine and start enjoying.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kelly’s review of The Last Girl by Kitty Thomas

TITLE: The Last Girl
AUTHOR: Kitty Thomas
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/04/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Six years ago strangers broke into Juliette’s house; she was home alone and only thirteen. She kept her eyes closed, praying that if she didn’t see anything, she wouldn’t be killed. No one harmed her. In fact, one of the thieves protected her. Now Juliette’s dreams are haunted by him.

Christian has waited to take her, resisting the urge each night. It always ends badly with human pets. They’re too fragile. The longer he can wait, the better, because the moment he takes her, the clock on her life starts ticking down.

Then she’ll be gone forever.

Warning: This book is dark erotica meant for a mature audience only.

REVIEW:
Kitty warns you at the beginning of this book of the things you will find in this book.  This is not a book for everyone. Bondage ~ Knife Play ~ Girl on Girl ~ Anal Play and many other taboo topics.
This is not your typical love story.  So be warned it you choose to read.  I really hate it when people read the warning, read the book then complain about the content of the book.

Christian is a very old, very cruel vampire (no nice vamps in this story) who takes what he wants and doesn’t care who gets hurt.  Christian has waited 6 long years for Juliette to come of age and that he has her he will own her until her last breath.  Because the only way she is ever going to leave him is with death and death will only come by Christian’s hand.

If you have any triggers from any of these taboo topics I would not recommend Kitty’s book for you.  But if you don’t mind pushing the boundaries you should pick up a copy of The Last Girl.

But I enjoyed this book.  It was a pretty quick read and I really had high hopes for both Christian and Juliette.  But like I said there are no nice vampires in this book and this is not your typical love story.  But there is love even if it is a little twisted.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly’s review of White Swan Affair by Elyse Mady

TITLE: White Swan Affair
AUTHOR: Elyse Mady
PUBLICATION DATE:   05/21/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
After the tragic death of her beloved, Hester Aspinall vowed never to be ruled by her passions again. Still, she is drawn to her landlord, handsome adventurer Thomas Ramsay—but she doesn’t fool herself that a man of his station would look twice at a poor tailor’s sister.

With the sea for a mistress, Thomas has no intention of entering into matrimony. And yet, he can’t get the plain-spoken and desirable Hester out of his mind, even though she’s never tried to secure his attentions as other women do.

Everything changes the night Hester’s brother is arrested during a raid on a gay brothel, the infamous White Swan. With no one else to turn to, and terrified Robert will hang for his crime, Hester accepts Thomas’s offer to bear the cost of the defense. A true gentleman, Thomas expects nothing in return—but Hester can no longer deny her own desires…
She may offer her body eagerly, but can she protect her heart?

REVIEW:
I was not sure what I would think of this book when I first picked it but it sounded so different than most books that I read that I decided to try it and I must say it surprised me. This story is more than a romance. The relationship between Robert and his sister Hester really makes the book. It is set in a time when being gay was punishable and Robert is having a hard time with his homosexuality. But Hester will do whatever she needs to do to help her brother. And while the relationship between Thomas and Hester is the romance in this book it is the sibling relationship that keeps the readers attention.

It is interesting to note that the White Swan and Robert are real characters that the author has written a story around. And even more interesting is the fact that some of the situations the book deals with are the same situations that are happening even in these modern times.

This book has everything a romance should be. I think if the reader can handle the topic then they will enjoy the book immensely and will agree this book is one of a kind.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly’s review of Hostile Takeover by Joey W. Hill

TITLE: Hostile Takeover
AUTHOR: Joey W. Hill
PUBLICATION DATE:   01/27/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ben is the last unattached member of the five-man executive team of K&A Associates. The other four, all Masters, have found the submissive of their dreams. That’s fine. The sharp-edged lawyer knows he’s the most hardcore of all of them, with extreme tastes as a Master he satisfies physically through experienced club submissives. He doesn’t really need anything more than that.

Marcie has loved Ben since she was sixteen. He’s never behaved as anything more than a protective big brother, a family friend. But now she’s twenty three and starting her career as a corporate investigator. She may be a blood-and-bone deep submissive, but she won’t hesitate to use her aggressive talents to prove she’s meant to be his. With a Master as tough as Ben, she’ll have to take whatever measures are needed—even if her deepest desire isn’t a hostile takeover of his heart, but an unconditional surrender to it.

REVIEW:
**This book is hardcore BDSM if you are not into that than this book is not for you.**
This is the fifth in the Knights of the Boardroom series. This series has been released originally in anthologies with three other authors but it looks like the stories are being released under the author name alone. This story can stand alone but if you enjoy this genre then you will want to read the others.

I believe “Hostile Takeover” is what everyone imagines “50 Shades of Grey” to be before they read it and realize it is not so hardcore.  And while I might understand the comparisons to “”Shades” you must realize that this series was begun in 2005 before the other was released.

I am going to assume that if you are reading my review and read the first line above than reading hardcore BDSM is something you enjoy and if that is true then I think you will enjoy this book. The characters of Marcie and Ben are very intriguing. Marcie has been in love with Ben for as long as she can remember and while everyone thought it was a crush she knew it was love. She is now an adult and has learned that she enjoys being a submissive and a masochist. She knows Ben is a Dom and a sadist so she wants to prove to him that they are a perfect match. Ben finds himself obsessing over Marcie and it is the last thing he wants but is it what he needs?

This story is written very well and while it can be harsh at some points if you enjoy the genre than there is nothing that will surprise you. The only complaint I had was it seemed like so many of the erotic scenes took place together. I kept thinking “save something for another page” but there did seem to always be something for the next page. And while the story was very fluid I believe that if some of the scenes had been spread apart it might have added to the story. There was a lot of Marcie thinking about how much she loved him and wanted to prove herself to him as his sub/slave and Ben wallowed in self pity a bit too much but I really enjoyed the storyline. I enjoyed the characters very much and while the scenes are very extreme I did not find them over the top for this type of book. The story may not make the splash that “Shades” did but I would bet that if someone mentions that the book was tamer than they expected you will turn to them and say “you need to pick up Hostile Takeover.”

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kelly’s review of Hunter’s Season by Thea Harrison

TITLE: Hunter’s Season
AUTHOR: Thea Harrison
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/18/12
ORDER LINKS:Amazon |B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A Novella of the Elder Races

Duty. Devotion. Desire. When fate brings two isolated people together, love is in the cards.

As a palace guard and assassin for the Dark Fae, Xanthe always wore a mask, hiding her emotions to do her duty. But when her identity is compromised, she trades undercover work for guarding Queen Niniane—a position that often brings her in contact with Chancellor Aubrey Riordan.

Aubrey’s trust is shattered. A year ago his wife tried to assassinate their new queen in his name, a betrayal of everything he believes in. And now an attack on his life is proof the dark conspiracy is not yet over. Although injured and weak, Aubrey can’t help but be drawn to this shy assassin and loyal protector. Xanthe is everything Naida wasn’t, and the passion she stirs in him is something he thought had long passed him by.

Warning: Take a man recovering from an assassination attempt, the assassin sworn to protect him, add in a magical Tarot card deck and an isolated cabin, and watch the sparks fly!

REVIEW:
Another great novella from Thea.  And just like any good novella I don’t want to give too much away.  But it is so great to see Aubrey finally get a little bit of happiness after all the sadness that he suffered in Storm’s Heart.  It was great to see Niniane & Tiago. But I really enjoyed Xanthe she is a tough warrior, yet she longs for something that she never thinks she deserves.  That makes Aubrey the perfect person to show her that loves heals all.

If you are a fan of Thea Harrison you will enjoy this novella.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kelly’s review of Enforcer’s Redemption by Carrie Ann Ryan

TITLE: Enforcer’s Redemption – Redwood Pack #4
AUTHOR: Carrie Ann Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/06/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Adam Jamenson has suffered through the worst loss known to man. The only reason he lives day-to-day is to ensure the safety of his Pack. As the Enforcer of the Redwood Pack, it is his job to protect all in his path, though he was unable to protect the ones he held dear. The war with the Centrals is heating up and Adam must try and grit through it in order to survive. Though the broken man inside of him may not want to…
Bay Milton is a werewolf with a past. And a secret. She’s met the Redwood’s Enforcer only once, but it left a lasting effect. Now she needs to find him or everything he had thought he lost, may be lost again.
Together, they must struggle and find a way to fight their pasts and present in order to protect their future. But the Centrals have a plan that might make their path one of loss and destruction.

REVIEW:
Enforcer’s Redemption is Carrie Ann’s fourth book in the Redwood Pack series and we get a closer look at Adam and what makes him tick.

*Tissue Warning*  Yes, you may want to have a tissue or two close by because Adam’s book is guaranteed to pull on your heart strings.

Adam is the head enforcer of the Redwood Pack.  Which by itself would be hard enough, but because of his position he lost the two most important things in his life.  His mate and his unborn child.  Since then Adam has retreated into himself and has refused to get close to anyone.  But all of that is about to change when Bay Milton, Adam’s one night stand from a very drunken night eight months ago,  shows up asking for protection.  But there is a problem or two.  Bay is Adam’s mate and she is very pregnant.

Adam and Bay’s journey is full of many heart aches, misunderstandings, lies, learning to let the past go, and learning to love & trust again.  I really loved Adam & Bay’s story.  These two most definitely need a little happiness in their lives.  And after a very hard fought battle I believe that they will get it.

If you are a fan of Carrie Ann’s or the Redwood Pack series you will love Adam’s book.  If you are new to the pack, while I think you could read Enforce’s Redemption as a stand alone I believe you will get more out of the story if you read the series in order.

#1 An Alpha’s Path
#2 A Taste for A Mate
#3 Trinity Bound
#3.5 A Night Away (novella)
#4 Enforcer’s Redemption

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts