Review: Loving Mister Lockwell by Jerrica Knight-Catania

 

Loving Mister Lockwell

by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Review:
This is a short novella that was originally in the anthology A Summons From the Duke (Regency Christmas Summons Collection #2) from the lovely ladies of The Lady Scribes blog.

In these novellas, they each tell the story of the grandchildren of the Duke of Danby spending Christmas at the Danby Castle. This particular story from Jerrica is of Lady Isobel Whitton whom lives at the castle with her twin sister, parents, and the Duke.

I really loved how Jerrica wrote this story for Lady Isobel Whitton and Damien Lockwell. They're both so very opposite yet so much alike on so many different levels. Their story is told at the same time other stories are being told in the anthology, like for example her twin sister Lady Emma and her own romance.

Isobel is very bookish and especially likes reading about horticulture and animals. She hates parties and can't sing or dance for the life of her, and that includes sewing. So when Damien intrudes on her family gathering, uninvited, but then invited by a close family friend, Lord Heathfield who was invited, she just got even more annoyed for she had to play hostess for strangers.

Damien Lockwell is just a normal lad. A scoundrel if you want to call him or more like a rogue but he's still very much a gentleman in any sense. He's smart and very bookish himself but you wouldn't know it by the looks of him with his rolled out of bed hair and loose cravats. Plus he loves teasing and playing mind games, especially if it unnerves people to the bones like it does to Lady Isobel.

But I thought it was highly hilarious that these two are playing their own kind of game without knowing it. Both are also trying to help their friends work out misunderstandings in the name of love.

I really liked that we got to see different sides of Isobel and had some character development with her, very little though it was but it was nice to see her have some changes. It was nice to see that she had a vulnerable side to her especially when her mother is always insulting her on not being lady-like enough. But I found her relationship with her twin sister strangely awkward.... Yes I felt the love between the two but it was weird. They're supposedly very close but I didn't feel it because they were so different. The ending between the two sisters were also very strange because it just didn't help me understand their closeness. But it was nice to see even though it was hard to understand Isobel's thoughts on her sister. But yes seeing some changes in her was nice but it was also sad that we got very little to not enough about Damien's character. 

Though we got a hint about Damien and his neglectful family background it wasn't much to help understand why he was the way he was. I didn't see him develop much from the man we first saw him as to the final man that he came to be. There were very little changes which was fine with me because I liked him immediately, but I did want something more from him as the story moved on. 

Overall I really enjoyed and came to love this short novella. I should have said that I highly enjoyed it even more when I listened to the Audible version because it made it just so much more magical. Michaela James did a wonderful job at narrating and distinguishing the different kinds of character's voices. And she read very well too.

So yup, I'll definitely be grabbing more books from Jerrica, especially her Wetherby series and the rest of these anthologies from The Lady Scribes.  

Review: In The Stars by Ava Stone

 

In The Stars (Regency Encounter, #2)

by Ava Stone 

Review: 

Have I told you how much I adore Ava Stone and her novels? I have haven’t I?

Well she has done it again for me in this short but really adorable novel. As you may want to know before hand this novel is a standalone but was written in part as an author collection-anthology with other authors. They participation in the Red Door Reads’ “Who’s Ben Skrewd?“ in which they each would have a red door on the cover of their novel and have a Ben Skrewd who’ll make an appearance in each story. Trust me, I was so intrigued by this Ben Skrewd guy and had to ask Ava what it was all about because I absolutely forgot about what was going on there even when I went to the party to celebrate it’s release way back when. *face palm*

But yes, this Ben Skrewd went everywhere. He’ll make an appearance during the Regency time and then travel through time to the paranormal fantasy realm and come back to the past and even make it to the present. Pretty cool that Ben Skrewd, but enough about him, he only made one small entrance in this story so what the heck!

Back to the review…..

Although this was a short story it made me feel like I was reading a longer story. Not just that but I was also listening to it through audible which was fantastic. The narrator did an amazing job telling the story and her way of distinguishing each character with her voice was fabulous. I loved it.
The characters were so loveable! I adored both of them very much. They were both hilarious and were very non-judgmental of each other. They were basically very well behaved and respectful even though they were both in a situation that both didn’t quite want— an engagement of convenience.

Miss Wilhelmina (Mina) was adorable. She is a descendant of a clan that held magical powers and loved nature and everything environmental. She is what you’ll say, a child because she believes in fairies, forest trolls, and spirits of nature and their surroundings. She also has this 6th sense in which she would have visions in her dreams and see auras of energy emitting from people around her, therefore telling her of their character– bad or good. She’s also very wild and full of spirit which makes her different from all the other girls in the ballroom. This makes her fear the presence of her father because she isn’t exactly what he wants in a daughter to act like, a spirited and imaginative childish young lady. And since he’s a captain and commander in the army he doesn’t tolerate childish behavior and wants Mina to be a proper young lady. This causes a rift in their relationship. Mina misses seeing the laid back lovable father she had as a child and her father wants what is best for her by arranging a marriage for her with someone he knows will take great care of her since everyone seems to think she’s insane and child-like. I mean she believes that her true love is a one-eyed respectful army commander…yeah.

But she’s so cute and adamant in what she believes and even though there’s the sexy Viscount Healeyfield, she’s going to pass him up to find her true love. Sure she may even be a bit naive but I think she’s an absolutely perfect strong character, especially for Nathaniel.

Viscount Healeyfield, Nathaniel, was never a Viscount. He was just a regular guy who suddenly came into possession of a Viscountcy for his heroic duty for the Crown. But all before that, he had agreed to marry his Captain’s daughter out of respect, command, and wishes for the dying old fellow, who was like a father to him. But then fortunately the Captain lived through his injuries and now Nathaniel has to do his duty and marry the chit. Of course, from what he was hearing the chit was some what strange, weird, talks to animals and trees….??? No wonder the Captain wanted him to marry her, even before he became a Viscount! And yet he fell for her strangeness and loved everything about her, despite her talking of fairies, auras, brownies, and a one-eyed man….

Nathaniel is just the perfect hero for Mina and he didn’t give a fig if she was talking nonsense or fairy tales, all he knew was that she believed in them and he wasn’t going to change her. She’s inelegant and beautiful, has a great and big heart, and is very passionate in what she wants and believes. And when he talks to Mina he doesn’t reprimand her for her thoughts and silliness. He listens and asks questions. He’s also very open in to Mina about his need of money to repair the shambles of a mansion that came with his Viscountcy. He wanted to be open about it so that she wouldn’t think him as a fortune hunter and only marrying her for her money. And how Mine responded to that was just not what he was expecting and that’s why he fell for her and wants to protect her from all the bad people in the world, despite her persistent in finding that one-eyed man.

And oh how it ended!!!! I was absolutely over the moon smiling like a fool in joy, bliss, happiness~ Eeeeekkkkk!

It was adorable and so sweet, I can’t even explain the feeling. It truly made me believe in love at that moment. Ugh why can;t I find a guy like that!?

But yes, it was beautiful.

Ah, the secondary characters I also liked. Some of them have been featured in other books and a couple got their own story told in a different short story so I’ll be grabbing that book soon to read because that couple really made me smile. Some info on that couple: they’re from Scotland, both are absolutely different from one another, they’ve been engaged since childhood, one of them is in love with the other but isn’t showing it, and one of them has their eye on someone else so it’s going to be cute seeing how they come over that hurdle. Oh how it’s going to be a sweet read for these two!

So all in all, I absolutely recommend this short story. It has a little bit of paranormal, it has silliness and humor, a great hero and a fun heroine, great secondary characters, and is an absolutely cute lovable read. I will definitely be re-reading this book.

Reveiw : Entwined (Life of Anna #2) by Marissa Honeycutt

Entwined (Life of Anna serial  #2)

by Marissa Honeycutt

Genre: Very Dark Paranormal Erotica

Review:

Oh wow, where should I begin. I don’t even know what to say! But first of all, this is BOOK 2 of a series and CAN NOT be read as a stand-alone. Not a Stand-Alone!!! It’s an installment of five books so there will be cliffhangers. So read Book 1, Enslaved: The Life of Anna first. And it’s dark, like super abusively internally gut twistingly dark in which you’ll be cringing, jaw breaking, enraged, slamming doors, eye gorging, and screaming dark.

So from that, you already know where my opinion lies……on installments, cliffhangers, and abuse. But set that aside, the book was just, Damn!

I knew what I was getting myself into when I jumped into reading this and nothing shocked or surprised me, but it sure did get my blood boiling and ears ringing!

This story start off from where it left off from book 1 with the ritual. Anna is still a slave in the hands of her master Devin, which is horrible because he’s an ashhat and pure evil to Anna. But there’s also Alex. We didn’t see him much in book 1 but in here we got a better feel of him and how he felt towards Anna. Alex is just the greatest person ever in this book. He’s protective of Anna and becomes Anna’s second master, a better master in fact. He got Devin to agree to give Anna some freedom and to actually live a little. If you know from book 1, all Anna knows is to be a submissive and a sex slave for her master and to do her duty as it’s told to her, so this freedom that she got from Alex is a huge break from what she has been taught at a young age. And I do love him for denying Anna’s sexual advances. It shows how much he cares for her and that what he wants isn’t just sex, but everything: trust, love, body, soul, respect, everything! But, put his good side aside, there are points in the story where I wished he’ll just stand up and punch whomever in the face for hurting Anna. Every freakin time he just sits there, stand there, listens, mummm about everything that is going on. I would love to slap him and get him straight! Like how long are you going to wait to save Anna? Love her right? Ha! Yeah….  But I’m still holding out for him to break.

And as I said, Devin is just pure evil. He wants control of everything and he uses Anna to do his dirty work for him; by seduction and using her body. She would also get punished painfully if things didn’t go as planned or if she questions his orders which gets me full of rage! He just gets worse and worse and I know for sure it’s going to get even worse by the end of the series. How? Because of all the warnings we were told at the beginning of the book before even opening the book! I’m not going to see a happy ending for this dude right here. I would have poisoned him already for all that he’s done. Gosh he needs to die to make this a great book!

This was also a very Very long book. For book one to have been half the page size as this I’m not sure how the other 3 books will hold out. But I guess all the bits and pieces had to fit for the story to make sense so making this a longer book was understandable and left a lot for the other books to pick up after till the end. But of course there are still going to be lots of horror and gut gorging coming our way for Anna. Oh how will she survive anymore of these horrific torments!? Dang!

Would I recommend this? For those of you who can hold in their vomits till the very end, yeah! But for those of you with a light heart and can’t handle torture scenes and lots lots more, don’t even get started on this series because you might not even make it past the first couple of pages.

This was a truly dark read and something I’ve read before so I thought it was great. The writing was fabulous and wasn’t difficult to follow, if you’ve read book 1, but I’ll see what happens next.

*This book was provided for an honest review*

Review~ A Wedding and a Killing by Lauren Carr

 

A Wedding and a Killing 

(Mac Faraday mysteries # 8)

by Lauren Carr

Review:

I just got to say, the cover really got me. I had to look and look again just to see what it was and after knowing what the story was all about the cover really made sense. The candle and a splatter of blood, plus the church candle holder and the marriage rings….. Yup, it basically told you what the story was about. But I love looking at the cover because it can be interpreted in so many different ways.

Anyways…..this can be read as a standalone.
Finally there’s going to be a wedding!!! If you’ve been following this series you know you couldn’t wait for this moment!

Mac Faraday and Archie Monday are finally going to get hitched! Well, more like elope first then throw the huge party later. These two have been at it for a long time so it is great to see them stepping into the plate for the home run. But then before they even get to saying their vows the beastly dog Gnarly, whom belonged to Mac’s birth mother and Archie’s boss, has to go sniffing up a murder. Not entirely his fault for having such a great nose for but hey, who would want to murder a nice church going dude with nearly no enemy in sight?

And like I said it is great seeing how Mac and Archie’s relationship evolved throughout the series. They’re still learning and growing and getting used to finally becoming a family.

And of course as always, Lauren always has twists and turns in these mysteries, and this is another one of them. But aside from all the mysteries, secrets are uncovered about its church members and there seems to be lots of motives among them. Not so peaceful now is it? It was super interesting finding out and getting these evidence.

And then there’s the humor. Love it! Gnarly is just the highlight of the book. He’s the one that brings all the humor and whacky comments from. Being a dog can be tough it seems so being able to bring in the humor for being a smart dog is fantastic.

Also, did I mention that Mac’s half-brother, David, is back? Yup, he’s back and all grown up! Well, more grown up than maybe the last time you saw him in IT’S MURDER, MY SON. These two brothers are just adorable. They both have their quirks and humor and both are just amazing mates to their lady loves. And since both of them are in the police and detective work they both can also be a bit competitive in proving how well they are at don’t ng their job. It can be a bit difficult at times because they weren’t willing to let the other out best them so the competitive nature of it some what impacted the solving of the case. But don’t worry, it got solved.

And since this murder took place in a church, there were lots of religious mentions and related stuff. It’s was cool but maybe a bit unsuspecting for some. It also had a lot of info and report on counseling and couple counseling so I felt like it was telling me something major. Not just a story but for me to take from and use outside of the book in real life.

All in all, I love Lauren’s Mystery novels. The Mac Faraday mysteries are her most well known series but I love them all. They’re so much fun with its humor and twists. And I still super love how Lauren provides a character list with the names and roles in the story.

This book was provided by the author for an honest review.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: Ruining Mr. Perfect by Marie Harte

Ruining Mr. Perfect

(The McCauley Brothers #3)

by Marie Harte

 

 

Review:

 

Wow, this was a great book! I really enjoyed reading this and will have to see what Marie has next, especially for the eldest McCauley brother~

Though I haven’t read the previous two books in this series, I may have too just to catch up and fill myself in on stuff on their stories. But this can most certainly be read as a standalone.

But in this third story, it’s about the all perfect and responsible youngest brother in the family, Cameron. He’s the supposed emotional and sensitive one of the brothers who’s more in touch with his softer side. A mama’s boy at heart and nothing like their father, he gets teased and poked on by all the guys in the family.

From what we know, he has a huge crush on the girl next door, his eldest brother’s neighbor, Vanessa. Though she has a silver tongue that will slash him at every chance she gets and argue nonstop, he’s turned on by it. Of course he’ll have to convince her to go on a date with him if he can get her to stop tongue slashing him and use it on him in a….physical way. *wink wink* They did have an amazing and unintentional kiss last Christmas…

Vanessa on the other hand is head strong, feisty, bossy, and stubborn. She’s gorgeous and folks doesn’t take her seriously until she tells them like it is. She is known as the biatch. And of course she has a thing for the handsome youngest brother of her neighbor too, but she won’t admit that to him that easily.

Both work as accountants for a finance company and have so many attributes in common: eating healthy, exercise, work-aholics, stubborn, and competitive.

Like I mentioned before, this was a great book. I really enjoyed it from the beginning but as it went on I was really hoping for the story to focus on the relationship between Cameron and Vanessa. Their relationship is the main focus of the story but the other huge focus of the story was the complication between Cameron’s parents.

Some might say it was a disappointment for Cam’s story to not only focus on his love life but to also add in his parents’ problem. But family is a huge part of the McCauley so it made sense to have something to cause a problem in the story, it’s just over powering Cam’s storyline it seems.
But over all I thought it was a great story and a great story for Cam and Vanessa to explore and find love. I also enjoyed seeing the other brothers and their relationships grow and develop from the previous books.

So I’m super excited for the next book with the eldest and last brother to find, or finally admit to his feelings for this one chick.

So if you want a fun and wonderful story, this is a great book to pick up.

This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: Night Storm by Tracey Devlyn

Night Storm (Bones and Gemstones #1)

by Tracey Devlyn

Review:

I can’t say how exciting this was. I’ve been waiting a long time for this day! Sure it has only been a year in the making, maybe even less but you don’t know how it was just wating. And now it’s Here!!!!

Tracey has taken to self-publish and I think that’s pretty awesome since many of the authors I read has or are looking into that now a days. It’s awesome to take hold and make plans for yourself.

But any who, this is a totally different and new series from her spy thriller series the Nexus. Sure the hero is a familiar face and name because he had an itty bitty part in the Nexus novels and the heroine made a short stop in Latymer too, but this is a totally new series. I swear I thought it was going to be apart of the Nexus when she hinted at it way back when, but I suppose things change and for the best right? Yup!

Oh Cameron Adair. How he got sexier in this book of his. Being a thief-taker not just makes him sneaky, mysterious and dangerous because of his work, but now he’s playing detective and solving crimes? Heck yes that just made him even more swoon worthy! Plus we got a better look at him (pun intended LOL) in this story. When we saw him last he was an informant and detective for a “friend”. I had a feeling he was going to be someone special with a great story that needed to be told. He was intriguing and mysterious and maybe even cocky? But he was brave and up to the challenge of whatever that was thrown his way. A hero~ Plus, I felt sparks triggered when Cameron was somewhat mentioned at and around the same time as Charlotte.

Now Charlotte was a great heroine for Cameron. Who knew they had so much history! She’s an apothecary and from what we can find, there’s nothing that said there were any female medicine women. But of course we knew they were around, just not recorded in the records by men. Anyways, Charlotte is a very smart and passionate person. She does her own thing and doesn’t need the lectures and rules of men to tell her what to do. Of course her relationship with people can be distant –Cameron– but it can also be fierce and loyal.

I might be biased because I love this author, but really, I love murder mystery crime thrillers and romance all in one! Yes it’s a romance novel but it doesn’t over power the whole book. The mystery is still all there and just as huge as the romance. The story also really does get you on your heels and on the edge of your seat trying to solve the crime. Plus some fling and steam is thrown in there to keep you happy.

Oh, and all the characters were fabulous. I loved their interactions and how much each of them care for one another when things get dirty. And the relationship between Cameron and Charlotte had its rough edges but as they got reacquainted, their painful past were revealed and they had to plow through. Of course they got passed it but it was not easy. Quite an angst ride I’ll say.

But I loved it. I definitely can’t wait for the next book!!! I’ll have to read this again and definitely her Nexus series again just to have it all as one whole series and not its own series. But it totally works as a standalone story too.

I give this a 4.5 out of 5.

This eARC was provided by the author for an honest review.

Review: Behind You by Carly M. Duncan

Behind You

by Carly M. Duncan

Mystery

Review:

Wow. This was a very good book. I’m not just saying that because I’ve been reading lots of great mystery thrillers and crime novels but I didn’t expect the ending at all. It was a thriller ride to follow this family and kept me on my toes. I really liked how we got different POVs from all the characters involved and it really gave us a different view of how each character viewed and were viewed by eachother.

I also really liked the suspensefulness of the story and how it was written. Each chapter was a different perspective from one of the characters and was written in first person. Plus the story wasn’t told through the eyes of Heather, the main character that this story is about, but it was told through the other characters and I thought that was fabulous. I wasn’t expecting that’s how the story was going to be told but it worked beautifully in finding out what happened to Heather and the secrets everyone held from each other, if I’m making any sense.

This might be a spoiler but I just can’t keep it to myself! But as I read this story I started to feel sad for this family. From all the secrets I learned from them, I saw them all walking in the same path, just a different generation. There’s this whole under belly of family problems going on with this family and I thought, if this family was a lot closer to eachother and didn’t hide some many secrets then maybe many of the paths that were taken wouldn’t have to be repeated in the next-generation.
But anyways, this was a very unpredictable story. I thought I figured it out somewhat at the beginning but then got thrown off from all the other things that I learned as I read on. And my gosh, I saw it coming and suspected all the things that happened but it still shocked me speechless.

As we got to know the characters better each of them had their own problems and insecurities. I liked them all and hated them all at the same time. At first I thogught I liked them from how they were seen front the eyes of Heather before her attack but then as I got to see their POV and how they saw the others it absolutely changed how saw each of them. But I suppose it was also how they acted after Heather’s attack and from finding out their secrets.

But I can tell you I most disliked Heather’s sister, Elizabeth. She was just ignorant and didn’t care for anyone. Heather’s husband Steven was okay. I liked him and he seemed very sincere Dispite his flaws and his huge secret. Her parents were an odd couple. Her mother was very dramatic but that’s how mothers are, but she proved to be very surprising at the end. Her father was just, not there. Like he was always there but he’s more in the background. He let’s their mother do all the talking and ever since a huge accident that took place years ago involving their mother, his wife, he changed and has secrets of his own.

And her aunt, Katharine –her mother’s sister– was the one I liked the most. She was the one that I saw changed throughout the whole situation. Learning of her past and seeing her make life changing decisions at the end was something very, admiring. Though they all had some kind of life changing experience I felt Katharine had the most in-depth personality and realness to her character.

So in all, I highly recommend this book! Yes it was a super quick read and I thought I was going to get a cliffhanger ending because as I came closer to the last pages things still weren’t fully solved. But man was I surprised. I may have also been confused as I read the last pages and reread it more than twice over but man it really got my mind reeling. In a good way, well maybe a bit disappointed too because I have so many questions for the author!

But yes, I do recommend this for you mystery thriller readers!! It will blow your mind. And how it was written was just marvelous! Can’t think of it written any other way.

This book was provided by the author for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review: Real Murder by Lauren Carr

Real Murder

by Lauren Carr

(A Lovers in Crime Mystery Book# 2)

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Cozy, Romance

Review:

Oh man I got to tell you I’m loving every read I’ve been doing from Lauren Carr! So far I haven’t been disappointed by any of her books and this is another one that I’ll want to have on my shelf. Lauren Carr also has another series, The Mac Faraday Mysteries,which I’m also loving every bit and will have too catch up with very soon!
Both Joshua Thornton (hero) and Cameron Gates (heroine) also made appearances in Lauren’s other books, like in the Mac Faraday Mysteries and in his very own the Joshua Thornton Mysteries.

But in this series, it’s its own series all on its own and it’s just as wonderfully written and told just like Lauren’s other stories.

As you can see from the synopsis this is about an 18 year old crime that has been brought back to light when a body of a missing sheriff deputy is found shot in is cruiser at the bottom of a lake. But not just that but he, the sheriff, was on a case when he disappeared and it involved the murder of another case 20 years prior. Joshua being the last person to have seen and talked to the sheriff, his childhood friend, felt guilty for not going with his friend to help him on his case that fateful day and is now determined to solve the case of his friend’s murder and of the case his friend was trying to solve. Not just that but Cameron takes up a case when she is put on two weeks vacation to recover from her latest injury during one of her cases. But this is a case that many claims as an “unreal” case imagined by an elderly lady with a scandalous past. But as they both try to solve their own case, they find that it’s more than what meets the eye when it starts to intertwine.

I love how both Joshua and Cameron worked perfectly as a team in solving both their cases, unbeknownst to them that it’s all one whole part of a crime. As newlyweds their chemistry was sweet and lovable and didn’t overshadow the whole mystery and crime solving, which is the whole part of the story. If you want to see how these two got together I would highly recommend reading Joshua Thornton Mysteries which is Joshua’s own mystery crime solving cases and his life before this book and series; plus it also tells of how he was before his wife passed and when he found love again.

But anyways, Real Murder was sure a heck of a mystery. Bring in the history of the crimes and the different kinds of characters that will either help or break the case made it all more thrilling. It reminded me a lot of the television show “Cold Case” so it was fabulous. It also kept me on my toes once the story got going into delving into clues and sleuthing about town trying to figure out why the murders happened and who was behind them. I had my suspicions but like always it never goes the way you think they will and that always makes for a great mystery crime story. It was also written in a great paced so you have time to think about the crime and come up with your own theory.

So yes, I definitely recommend this for readers who love a good mystery and crime solving novel. Not just that but any readers should read mystery, they;’re just that great! Plus, you don’t even have to read the other books written by Lauren Carr to have a better understanding of backgrounds on these characters. This book can definitely be read as a standalone but do check out the other books too because they’re just as wonderful.

This ebook was provided by the author/publisher for an host review.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review: The Tin Man by Nina Mason

The Tin Man

Author: Nina Mason

Genre: Political Thriller

Review:

This is my first book by Nina Mason and I was highly impressed with this book. This was also my first novel that had a political thriller theme to it which I don’t usually pick up so I was super glad that I got a chance to read this and can now look forward to others like this.

From the very beginning I was hooked to the story. It gave me this suspense thriller feel to it which I’ve been really enjoying thtese past weeks and didn’t even register to me as a political thriller at all.
And if you know me, I’m not super political but I can talk about it and give my opinions on them. Just ask my younger brother, we have debates about anything that touches on politics and the government. I’m more open minded and can see from both sides where he’s in one direction somewhat against the government. But what I’m saying is that this book really hits it. Like it got me thinking and thinking and I just want to give it to my brother and say, ” Here, read this and tell me what you think and we can debate about it.“

Of course he won’t read it because he thinks it’s a “romance” just because I read many of them, but I’ll be talking to him about this don’t you worry!

But yes, I really enjoyed this story. Not just the political aspects of it but also the relationship between Alex and Thea. Can I say I was very surprised that they weren’t the typical late twenties to early thirties characters. Yeah I know. I was surprised and in awwe and everything. But I loved it so much! But yes their relationship, I felt like it was strained at times because of their backgrounds and personal problems but they make for a really great team.

Both being journalists they are very different. Thea is more optimistic to me while Alex was more forward to showcasing the reality of the world. I mean it’s very much understandable for Alex to want to do that because he was a soldier and has seen lots of horror during those days so telling it like it is is best for him than just glossing over it.

I loved that we got deep with these two and saw them in their best and worst. It gave them depth and a realness to their character.

So this was a super amazing story that got me on the edge of my seat with its suspenseful twists and turns and touch of actions and adventure. The politics of it really got me thinking about all the conspiracy theories and all the government and high business corporations got going in the world. It was just mind blowing. So I have a lot to talk about and debate with my brother it seems.

This book was provided by the author for an honest review.

Rating: 4 out 5

Review: Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush by Victoria Pinder

Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush

by Victoria Pinder

Review:

First off I have to say that this review is at all not biased because Victoria is a friend. This is an honest review and of my own opinion.

So we have Penelope Knightheart who has just returned home after five years away at college for a job offer back at home. She’s not happy to be back because her controlling gold-digger of a mother would not leave her alone if she was back in town. Plus, her mother would nag her about not following in her footsteps and hook a rich man to live off from. Penny is looking forward to seeing her best friend Sandra and catching up with things the past 5 years, but she is also not looking forward to seeing Sandra’s cousin, Jay. Penny has had a crush on him since high school and being the poor and nerdy math tutor for Jay and Jay being the rich and wealthy hunky boy whom girls fell head over heels for, she never had a chance. But now that she’s back and tight on money, she needs to find a place of her own away from her mother, buy a car, and look forward to her new job. But what happens when Jay has a plan to help her with all those things and she’s not willing to fall right back into the role of one–sided love?

John Jay Marshall has a problem; he has to play a stable and lifelong entrepreneur to catch an investor’s hand. So when Penny walked right into the very same coffee shop the 5 friends used to meet at, he found his answer. Penny will be play his innocent, kind, and stable girlfriend. One hitch; his mother is a controlling monster who has devastated his father’s business and is now trying to get him under her hands, again. Jay’s playing a dangerous business game and he won’t let his mother get in the way of his plans to destroy her and he’s willing to protect Penny at any cost, but will Penny be on his side or betray him like many other girls has?

I really like both Jay and Penny. Their chemistry is very well written and I love friends to lovers tropes so this story really excited me. They were very comfortable with each other even after years apart at different colleges and different paths. Even though they were also at the every opposite ends of the finical world and status, they were close friends and I really liked that part of their relationship. They didn’t treat each other differently from how they treated each other during their high school years though Penny had her opinion and insecurities about not wanting to turn out like her mother by being with someone wealthy.

I felt like we had a better understanding of penny than we did of Jay because of the perspective we got from them. We also got more feels from Penny than from Jay too.

I liked this short story but I had a tough time grammar wise. There were many grammatical errors and how Victoria wrote the dialogue wasn’t to my liking. Jay seemed like he was supposed to be this alpha male hero type but then he fell short of it because he wasn’t developed correctly for the role (?). I liked him and he was super cute and adorable but he wasn’t tough enough for me. He was a bit heartless which I was okay with but then a bit lost and blind, and maybe confusing too? But I really did like him and he was sexy.

Penny was sassy and smart and can be a bite aloof to me. She was a strong and independent woman and knew what she wanted and how she wanted to do things. Sure she was rusty on how life was thrown her way but she manages to hold up her head and find other alternatives to get passed the hurdles and move right back up the ladder. She was a bit annoying when she just didn’t speak her mind and did what other told her, which was very funny because of the irony of her trying to move away from her manipulative mother but you can never really change right? She was still cool though.

One huge thing was the first kiss scene was horribly written. I know it sounds mean and unfriendly but it was just bad. I was so hoping for a really intense and sexually exploding atmosphere for when it happened but it just wasn’t there. It was just pushed onto us in such an awkward way that it left me feeling cheated. There were no pre-feels to it and though I knew it was coming I wanted more push and pull because of their chemistry and where they stood at that moment. There was no relationship and nothing really going for them when they encountered their first kiss so it was really weird and I felt nothing for it. I was really disappointed because first kiss scenes means everything in making the story and characters. And I guess that was one huge part of the story that made me not care for the characters and the story much. Sure the kiss scenes after were pretty okay but the first is always the most important so when it failed it kind of made the book lacking.

So all in all I liked this short but it could have been edited better. The story was great and I liked that it had this mystery to it and left me wondering what’ll happen next. It wasn’t predictable and had many twists and turns with some major emotional feels for these two to overcome.

I would recommend it for a short read with a really great story base and idea but at the same time I wouldn’t be majorly invested in it. Just read it for fun for the story and not judge it.

This book was provided by the author for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review: Keeping Mr. Right Now by Robin Bielman

Keeping Mr. Right Now 

by Robin Bielman

(Kisses in the Sand #1)

Review:

I absolutely adore Robin and many of her novels are on my keep pile. This is another great release from her and a great start into a new series. I love that it was a fast read and many of her books are super fast reads because of how well they’re written and time jsut flies by when you’re immersed in her books. 

So Zane (what a great name right?) is a super star surfer with a reputation of a bad boy playboy. He’s super hot and with a great body like his, what woman wouldn’t fall for him? So when he plans to become an ambassador for a non-profit organization and his bad boy reputation his holding him back. He has to change his ways so that the sponsors will take him seriously and who better than to team up with the brainy and out-of-towner Sophie? But when he starts to spend time with her and the ocean,  it gets harder to choose between the two. Plus his own insecurities holds him back on doing things he has always wanted and surfing is all he got to his name. So if he doesn’t choose the ocean, what will happen to him?

Sophie is nothing like the others under the hot sun and sexy bikini goers. She’s nerdy and has never step foot in the ocean. So when she ends up taking class on surfing, she thought it’ll be a good way to experience and enjoy the nice sun. But when she meets the sexy Zane things get steamy. She doesn’t think she’s gorgeous like the ladies that strut around him and her insecurities about her looks holds her back on doing things daring. 

This is another great couple. They’re chemistry is just amazing! Even the secondary characters are fabulous and I can’t wait for their turns in their own books and I so hope Robin writes quick, which I think she does because it seems like all her previous books had released in a timely matter so hopefully this will also be the same for this series. 

But yes, I loved that these two got to know each other at a great and seemingly good pace.  Sure it was slow at times but it was all good. The sexual tension was amazing. Robin does a great job at building the sexual tensions and then letting it all out with a Bam! 

As you know these two are absolutely different. Zane being on the high life and out going while Sophie is more calm and home-bodied. They both also share opposite insecurities which I thought was interesting and worked very well for these two to connect on that and see the best in one another. There were many hilarious laugh out loud (or to myself crazily) moments, which are (in my opinion) Robin’s great features in her stories. There were also heart touching moments of openness and connections which always makes a story great. 

But since this is a bit of a short, the wrapping up of the story and romance was a bit quick. I see that as a problem for many shorts and wished that if it doesn’t work out that well they could have extended the story and gave it a better pace to the end but all in all it was good. It also had a good set up for the secondary characters so I’m all on board. 

So I do recommend this loving and enjoyable read from Robin. I’m super excited for this new series and hope you also check out her other books in her other series. 

This book was provided by the author and publisher for an honest review.

Rating: 4 out 5

Review: A Lady Never Lies by Stephanie Burkhart

A Lady Never Lies by Stephanie Burkhart

(The Windsor Diaries Book 3)

Steampunk Romance

Review:

Wow. This is book 3 in the series and I got to tell you this was just as fabulous as Book 2!

I really loved Richard and Jocelyn in book 2 where we first met them and am super happy that I got to know them even better in book three.

So first off, we are back with the time travelers as we reacquaint ourselves with follow past characters like Alice, Grayson, Edmund, and Kiera as we follow Richard and Jocelyn on their own adventure to save their relationship and the world of the future. But new characters are also thrown into the melee like Sophia, cousin of Edmund and Richard, and Jax, a friend and metal smith from the Victorian era. They get their own little story woven into this adventure and all madness is thrown into a loop.

And like before we also get multiple stories interspersedly in this fast paced adventure packed story. We are again thrown into going on an adventure with the the past during the Victorian era of 1855 and in the present of 2011.

In book 3 we start off with a wedding and an explosion. The ring Richard had given Jocelyn blew up burning her father badly, leaving him in no condition to work for he has to rest and heal for days or months to come. This made a rift in Richard and Jocelyn’s relationship because she doesn’t know if he’s to be blamed or if it was just something that couldn’t be prevented, but it did damage their building romance and throw them a curve ball as Richard returned to her side.

But something has also changed in the future too. A nosy reporter has found out their secret and wants in on their adventure and threatens to expose Alice, Grayson, and their traveling gang. But miners of the past is planning a riot that could change the future if Jocelyn doesn’t step into her father’s shoes stop them, but what is she to do when she thinks her father is leaving her penniless as he searches for the last remaining heir to their family?

As I sad before I’m super happy to be following Richard and Jocelyn on their adventure. I Loved them in book 2 and super love them even more in here. We got a better feel of Richard’s character and he’s more open here than in the previous book, in my opinion. He’s a Prince to the British thrown in the future and present day of 2011. He was also the time keeper of the time machine but since it no longer exists, traveling between time and space will get more challenging. Jocelyn was more modern feeling for a lady of the Victorian era. Her father gave her more free rein on her life and decisions because she was motherless. She got to follow in her father’s step and see things no young and unmarried lady would ever see during the Victorian era.

As they fight to keep their feelings above water and from boiling over Richard and Jocelyn works to keep the miners in check and to keep them from doing anything to change the future. At the same time Alice and Grayson tries to stay ahead of reporter Jack Brandon and his investigation into the time traveling as he told them that he had felt a change and rift in the atmosphere since Grayson arrived and to the missing party of Edmund, Richard, and Sophia. But when things couldn’t get any better the reporter ends up triggering a channel that gets him transporting back through time to the past.

And like the previous books before it, Richard and Jocelyn has to make a decision, if they want their relationship to last through time. So who’s it going to be, Jocelyn traveling to the future to make a life with the future King of England or Richard making a life in the past as a gentleman with Jocelyn? And in here we had a sad encounter that will change the game and gang as another story is brewing for the next book in the series as Sophia and Jax tries to prevent the disturbance of the creation of electricity for the future.

I say this was a super fast and adventure filled reading again. The writing was just as spectacular like before and flowed like smooth silk. Again you might want to check out the previous books in the series to fully understand and follow the characters on their adventure to put the future to rights and fall in love at the same time making for a very challenging and difficult situation. If you’re not going to be reading this in order than that is okay too but you might be a little lost because of all the characters and reference to previous adventures, but don’t worry, you can still enjoy this read as a standalone.

As always, this is a Steam Punk Victorian scifi fantasy filled adventure and a fast paced read. Super amazing!!! Can’t wait for what’s coming next for this crew~

Rating: 4 out 4

Review: A Gentleman and a Rogue by Stephanie Burkhart

A Gentleman and a Rogue 

by Stephanie Burkhart

(The Windsor Diaries Book 2)

Steampunk Romance

Review:

This is my first read of Stephanie Burkhart’s work and I thought it was great. Although this book is book two in the series I thought it could be read as a standalone, however there were times where I got lost because I haven’ read book one and didn’t understand what was happening or what did happen and changed from the previous book but it didn’t take me away from the storyline much.

As you know from the synopsis, this is a time-traveling story from the present of 2011 back to the past of the reign of Queen Victoria in 1855. Lady Keira is the creator of the compressor of natural gas that is used in the future as the main energy source and Edmund has returned to help her win the competition so that the future, his future, won’t be altered like how it did when he first ventured to the past in the first and previous book in the series.

But this time they have some help, Edmund’s brother Richard. He has been named the Guardian of the Time Machine and is there to help stop any wrong decisions in the making that will effect the future. But things get kind of off course when Richard becomes an assistant to Jocelyn Dunkirk and starts to fall for the strange girl against his determination to not be enamored in the past.

As Edmund makes his way back to the past, Lady Keira is hesitant to accept his help because the last time that happened she fell in love and got her heart broken when he left. But he’s hopeful this time their love will hold the test of time and he’ll have to make a decision; she’s not willing to leave the past for his future and he’s not sure if he wants to stay in the past. So is it worth staying for or losing her forever?

There was also some great secondary characters in the form of the previous couple that shows up and gives some helping hand.

Edmund and Lady Keira were both very strong characters that were very intelligent. They fitted well with each other and made for a fun and great couple. Because of their past acquaintance, their relationship started off rocky and the banters between them were highly enjoyable and fun. Though the romance between the two were beautifully written and gets you engaged, there could be times where the emotion aspect of the story could get lost in the fast pace action but it really depends on the reader I suppose.

This was a fun fast paced story full of intrigue and action as we follow the couple through time to fix and put the future to right and solve some crimes. I found it fascinating being set during the Victorian era and super loved it more when there were Steam Punk involved. The romance in this story was fabulously executed which I highly enjoyed and made up most of the excitement in the story and may have even been the main point that drove it. Burkhart’s writing can really get your blood pumping with all the descriptive scenes and action and she did a really great job at it. She also did a great job at working with so many different themes and fitting them together to create this compelling story of love and romance through time.

Rating: 3.5

Review: Fantasized by You by Steph Nuss

Fantasized by You

by Steph Nuss

(Love in the City #2)

Review:

This was a very quick read and book two in this series. This is also told in first person but we get both of their perspectives interchangeably throughout the story.

This story can be read as a standalone so you don’t need to read the first book to know what’s going on but I would give book one a go just because both Harper and Maverick were first introduced in that one and it would have been great to see how they both change from then to now in their own book. In here we also got to see how things are going with couple number one, Elly and Carter, so that was nice to see. Plus I ended up purchasing book one because it was free, so go get it while it lasts.

Harper is a fashion designer one of her top dreams to be as a child and the other dream is falling in love. Unfortunately she has only hit one of those dreams and it’s not the falling in love one. She’s also nearing her thirties and finding love and starting a family of her own is nearly impossible with how her life works around the clock. She also has a problem of sorts. With being a designer and a fashionista, she has to keep up her image of slim figure and great body, plus, her stars and clients’ needs to look good and a good looking designer has to keep up with fashion so, she has an ugly history with an eating disorder, bulimic. But that was in the past and now history, but that doesn’t stop it from being brought back up for discussion when she volunteers at a center to mentor eating disorders and encounters the sexy trainer there Maverick.

Maverick is not a fan of fashion and all their hype. He hates them like the devil himself because it was because of their tag lines, skinning models, and trends that caused the death of one of his close friends to anorexia. That’s why he opened up a Fitness and Wellness center at his gym and even has a center for those fighting eating disorders. But then in comes Harper and all his bearings is lost. He’s attracted to this lady but critically judges her for her career choices and fights hard not to fall for her. But behind her shell is something more and he begins to see pass her facade and learn not to be quick to judge.

Both these characters are great together! I can see why they make a perfect match. They actually complement each other in helping the other see and find the best that they can be. Maverick was wonderful! He was a perfect hero for Harper because even though he had a huge grudge against what social media and fashion does to self-esteem and body image he was willing to put aside Harper’s career and help her through her crisis. He was there to help her up when she was down in the hole and falling fast and he was there to hold her up and give her faith to fight through it. And Harper was a strong and passionate woman. When she wants something she goes for it. Sure she had an eating disorder but when she got through it she became an even stronger character. She also showed Maverick that she can be a part of his center because she’s been through it and survived it so she understands the hardships of going through an eating disorder and what it can do to a person. So she became a major benefit in his center in helping and counseling the group there. Both of them are strong, loyal, and passionate about what they do and want, and that includes wanting each other.

There were many characters that were introduced and I believe they’ll get their own story, so I’m quite looking forward to that.

So all in all, this was a very nice and quick read. There’s not really any angst to the story but it can be a tough and bumpy ride, plus throw in a bit of suspense and the story is a well rounded story! This will make you smile like crazy because of the many adorable and sweet scenes and it’ll definitely make you happy when you reach the end.

This was provided by the author for an honest review.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: A Matter of Sin by Jess Michaels

 A Matter Of Sin 

(The Ladies’ Book of Pleasure, Book 1)

Review:

I absolutely can’t say how excited I was when I heard Jess was beginning a new series. Yes it was sad when she ended her Pleasure Wars series but I’m excited for this new one!

So we have Lady Isabel Avenbury, who is considering the idea of taking lover after she’s left widowed by her two or three times her senior husband. She shares this information with her two best friends and they agree, somewhat with her plans and hope for the best. But she has to marry off her youngest sister Serena first before she acts upon anything to damage her sister’s chances at true love and marriage. So off they went to a country house hosted by the Marquise of Lyndham playing chaperone to her sister. But of course she didn’t intend to have an attraction to the marquis, although she has noticed him for years she has never actually been introduced to him or been up this close to him. But when she finds the scandalous Ladies Book of Pleasures in his library, she didn’t know she’ll be so naughty as to take it, read it, use it, and be tempted by the marquis. It wasn’t so bad until the marquis started to play the guilt game on her for taking his book that she began to fall into sin.

As for Seth, he only hosted this house party to search for a wife and a young one at that. With the death of his elder brother he had to come to terms with being the head of the house and holding a title that needed to be full filled. Not just that but to bear an heir for their next generation. But as the doors open and guests pour into his hall, he didn’t intend to be captivated by a chaperone of a young lady, and one that is not of “supposedly” child bearing age. Plus, he has been captivated by her before, way long before she has even gotten married during her coming out ball and he was still just a young lad getting his thrill of life. But then when his scandalous little book goes missing, and Isabel was the only person in his library where the book was last seen, he begins to see a new side of the proper and quiet Isabel. Plus, he wasn’t sure if it really was Isabel who took the book until she thrust it to him one night after he and his friend played a game to guilt trip the perpetrator. And when he took a kiss from her, he wasn’t sure if he could stay away and choose one of the little misses at his house party as his bride. But now she’s a widow but society won’t tolerate her being his wife, so what does he do? Propose a preposition and take her as his lover for the time being.

I really enjoyed this book! Isabel was a very likable heroine and I found her very hilarious when it came down to simple matters of desire. Yes, she’s the proper one and stuff and it was very understanding from where she was coming from but I just thought it funny. She was very passionate and also very open in some instants, mostly to Seth way before they even started their “affair”. She can be naive at times which was okay with me due to her marriage with her older husband. They had a mutual relationship, their was love there but not the deep passionate and desire kind, so she’s still fairly very new to love, romance and sex.

Seth on the other hand I adored! I was surprised to find him very intact to his feelings and found him to be very open to me,  as a reader. His thoughts aren’t hidden like some of the other heroes I’ve rad and I really liked that about this book. Seth’s very family-ish. He cares very much for his family and for his family name and the next generation, which is why he’s in need of a wife.  And I have to say that I love it that he’s close with his mother. The back story of his family and of his mother is very warmhearted and touching.  His mother would actually save a couple of hours a day for “talk” time; like if anyone needed to talk or wanted someone to listen to them his mother was all ears. And I found that bonding between their family very loving.  But moving away from that Seth can also be seen as tortured. Not in the tortured tortured kind of way like others that went through war and has PTSD, but in the form of being born the second son and having no real upbringing of becoming a Marquis because that was held and meant to be for his elder brother but then because of tragedy now befell to him. So, he was at a lost and not in tune with how he felt of hold that title. Plus, he changed himself to take up that role so he wasn’t being truly himself. But can I say he’s very honorable and a gentleman all the way!

And if you’ve read Jess Michaels’ other works, The Pleasure Wars, Mistress Matchmaker…., you know that the sex is going to be super hot. Just so Hot! I’m not going into detail, but you know it is hot. It is hot. Can I call this Erotic Historical??? Not really, it’s not like her previous series but I guess that really depends on the reader.

So yeah, these two just get along perfectly! Right from the start there were already attraction flaring and these two really have some heart to heart conversations. Like they know what they want in life but because of both their desires for one another it made it hard but all in all, they fought through it, worked around some things and made it work to get them to their HEA. It was a really nice journey to follow them through and really made you feel hopeful for people who who is stuck between doing something they should do for a right thing and doing something right for you. But you know,  in here, it worked out.

But anyways, if you want a good start into this series, this is the place to start. Might even be a place to start into Jess Michales’ works if you haven’t grab her up yet, so go for it! Totally recommend it. What can I say, I’m a sucker for adorable heroes, naughty heroines that didn’t know they can be naughty, fabulous secondary characters and just amazing love scenes!

Rating: 4.5 out 5

Review: The Tea Shop On Lavender Lane by Sheila Roberts

The Tea Shop On Lavender Lane

by Sheila Roberts
(Life in Icicle Falls # 5)

Review:

Okay this is my first read from Sheila Roberts and I may have jumped right into the lot of family and friends in this wonderfully small and friendly town of Icicle Falls. This is the fifth book in the series but can most differently be read as a standalone and I loved it because now I want to read the others in the series~

This is written in third person but we get to see the story told in not one, not even two but in four perspectives! Yes, I know, that was something I was really surprised by and highly enjoyed because, you know me, I love being inside the heads of my characters and this was magnificently written and done.

So we start off with the youngest sister, Bailey having a mess of a party when the hostess a “star” client supposedly faked a food poisoning act and got Bailey and her business in the hot spot for collapse. And so, down came her catering business and flying home she went when her eldest sister encouraged her to come home. And when she does get home she’ll be staying with her other sister, Cecily.

Cecily is the matchmaker of the family and town. She has set up multiple friends and got them on their way to the alter but unfortunately, she herself can’t even figure out why she’s still single. Sure she got burned from two previous relationships that almost led to the alter but she just can’t seem to figure it out. But then of course there’s two men in town pinning for her attention. One that sizzles her hormones like crazy and the other one that will definitely be the settling down type. Who to choose!? But things get rough and bumpy when Bailey gets in the picture because well, she ends up renting a property and opening a tea shop and starts working with the one that sizzles, Todd.

Unfortunately Cecily doesn’t let it slip that she’s somewhat “seeing” Todd, and with Bailey working with Todd, confusion, jealousy, problems, and competition heats up! But not just between the sisters but also between the two gents that are trying to get Cecily’s attention. Yes, drama drama drama~ And to add to that, Todd himself is also confused on who he’s attracted to between the two sisters! Sheesh!

I got to say I’m not a fan of triangle romance and that between two sisters fighting over one man, but I have read something of the likes before and did enjoy it, although they didn’t fight for the same man but one having a one-sided love to the man while the other is just attached to him from circumstances… But that’s a different and not at all apart of this story, so moving on.
Yes, I didn’t know how this was going to play out with this plot. It gave me problems! Really, not one for sisters fighting for the same dude.

But moving on, as I read this I found it more of Cecily’s story than Bailey’s since we got more of her perspective than most from the book. I liked her but I felt like she was too indecisive about her feelings for the two men. Like just pick one or the other and get it over with! Take a chance at love for sakes, who cares if you’ve been duped twice before. That’s what taking a chance is all about! Not everything will always go perfectly. Plus, she was so childish when it came to Bailey and Todd. It’s like high school all over again and I hated that part. She’s so insecure and it ruled her perspective on things and got her to jump to conclusions too quickly.

Anyways, Bailey I liked. She went from failing at the one thing she dreamed of becoming huge and great at to picking back up the pieces and starting over. She could be a bit kiddish but she was more of the stronger sister for me, besides the eldest Sam, which had her own story in a previous book in this series. Bailey had her own problems to deal with, like her on and off “boyfriend” whom she learned now has a girlfriend and is living in a different state. And her fear of getting back into the kitchen and fighting her fear of actually poisoning someone with her food. But I liked her because she knew what she wanted. Like she when she was starting to feel something towards Todd, she knew it was wrong and kept away but, you know, he’s her landlord.

And then there’s Todd and Luke. I got to say I disliked Todd at the very beginning. He had that whole “player” attitude written all over him. I mean he was all trying to get into Cecily’s pants! But, of course there’s a but, when we got to his cut of the book he’s really not such a bad person. He has his own problems and really does care and love the folks and the small town. He was all good and his motives were very understanding until bam! Towards the ending I had a huge problem with him calling someone the B word for something they supposedly did and that just totally ruined his image for me. Yes the tension was boiling hot at that point but I thought it wasn’t necessary and absolutely killed it.

Luke on the other hand we didn’t get to see as much. I felt really sad that Sheila didn’t give us more of him and his perspective. Though his parts in the story were an important factor in moving it along I felt like we could have gotten more from him. I mean, he’s really a great guy and truly the type of guy that you can settle down and grow old with. He’s patient and understanding, plus he’s a father to an adorable and too knowing daughter. He’s basically perfect, but of course is always placed in the friend zone because you would rather go for the bad boy player type — Todd. LOL

But don’t worry, things get down and messy but all’s well and good at the end.

So over all, I really enjoyed this. It was cute, sexy, clean, and romantic with lots of intensity but all’s well in creating a wonderful story. Do get ready for some major emotional roller-coaster rides because you won’t know what Sheila will throw at you in her stories! Plus, it really reminded me of works from Candis Terry, Lori Wilde, Emily March, Nancy Naigle, RaeAnne Thyne, Susan Mallory, a whole great of contemporary romance authors! So definitely check out this series and Sheila Roberts’ work because it’s definitely worth reading.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: Torrent by Gemma James

 

Torrent

Author: Gemma James

Genre: New Adult/Dark Erotic Romance

Release Date: July 22, 2014

SYNOPSIS:

I’ve been obsessed with Rafe Mason since I was thirteen. The messed up part about this story is that I still want him, even now.

Now that he’s holding me captive on an island.

Rafe has his reasons for doing what he’s doing, and if I’m honest, I can’t blame him; I’m the girl who sent him to prison for a heinous crime he didn’t commit.

But now he’s free and the tables have turned…now he’s the one driven by obsession.

Review:
 
First off, this is not my first time reading this kind of novel, and I will say that I don’t usually swear or curse in my reviews but, these kind of books are an exception. Plus I will be reviewing this in two forms instead of the usual one: base on my overall reaction and based on how well I thought the author told the story.

So this is my first read of Gemma James aka Christina Jean Michaels work.

This will not be a great read for those of you with the faint of heart. It’s dark and gritty and can really get you messed up in the head as Gemma is hoping for. There are some serious topic and themes that are talked about in this book that can be very taboo and disturbing. i.e. captor/captive, torture, rape, physical and mentally humiliation, etc…

Also, this is book #1 to a series/serial so beware of cliffhangers. This book is also told in first person alternating from Alex to Rafe’s point of view with each chapter.

I won’t get much into it since the synopsis says what this is all about, but it’s basically about Rafe returning after 8 years to give vengeance and revenge on Alex for sending him to prison for something they both knew he didn’t do. Rape

You see, Rafe is 6 years Alex’s senior and was the best friend of her step- brother. He was on his way to making it big in the UFC untill he was accused of that unspoken word and sent to do 8 years when he was just 21, Alex being just 15.

And so during those years he had never forgotten about Alex and what she has taken from him. So he wanted her to pay in the form of taking her as his prisoner. Or as he termed it, “his piece of ash”. Plus, he wasn’t worried “excatly”, because she has always wanted him and now he has his chance to get what he has always wanted but didn’t act upon it then since she was a minor and the sister of his best friend.

So all I got to say is that both of these characters have some major f-ed up lives shall I say. Alex has this huge secret that prevented her from doing anything in her life the way she wanted it, and was the reason why Rafe got sent away, while Rafe has this huge issue of holding in his urge to fight and his dark sexual needs, plus adding the fact Alex did him wrong, he has issue with getting back at Alex for lying.

One thing is apparent though, they really need to be more open with eachother and have better commmunitcaiton skills. I mean Rafe is all in for the truth and wants to know why Alex lied but Alex on the other hand is not complying. She fears the truth and is willing to accept the punishment Rafe is giving her but man can she really get on my nerves!

Alex just asks too much question and isn’t willing to comply to answer Rafe’s questions and that just makes me angry with her. Like girl, he just freakin wants to know the truth. You could at least give him that for sending him to prison for 8 freakin years of his life! I don’t know, she’s like TSTL!!! I would have just killed myself if I was in her position! Like many times ago! But she could have stopped the situation from the beginning of she could have just spoken up. Yes I understand the position she’s in can make it difficult but Rafe did ask for honesty and if she couldn’t tell it to the world he would have been the next best thing. But who am I kidding, there wouldn’t be a story to work on and begin with then right?

Anyways, I liked Rafe. Yes he was an ash and I understood his reason to torture and torment Alex, which she deserved every bit despite her situation, but he still had a heart. He still cared for her and I liked that about him. He still thought about her and regretted some of the things he did to pain her but he did it to teach her, or punish her. I’m not all in to the methods he used and put her through but we still saw a side of him that thought through if he should or shouldn’t and if it was right or not. So he was humane, a little, but just more in a form of humiliating her. Plus he was only evil towards Alex because he wasn’t like that when he met with others of his acquaintance. He was more normal.

But I got to say, these two are f-ed up. Like really. They get turned on doing BDSM stuff! Being paddled, whipped, even choked! I’m not saying I dislike reading about BDSM because I have read many of them and really enjoyed them but this, this was just up a notch from the BDSM I’ve read.
I’m also not sure if I’ll say this had some sexy sex scenes, though Gemma can write some great stuff, it really didn’t turn me on. More like they made me feel uncomfortable and freaked me out and got me yelling, “run for your life! Abusive relationship here!”

I mean their relationship is explosive! It’s a love hate situation and even if the sexual attraction is there, there’s a lot of tension between them. It’s like hardcore stuff. Death can be involved you know. Plus, they get super wet and off with just one look at eachother. *eye brows raising….*

And then getting to the revelation part of the story took some time and I just didn’t care much for it afterwards. I really felt for Rafe though. His was very sad and I felt like he was more of the victim in all this crap. The angst worked okay but I felt like it was rushed and forgiven a bit too quickly on Rafe’s part, although he didn’t actually forgive Alex. He was more sympathetic because he really did care for her, like truely he did, he was just so angry that she lied, that’s all.

Any ways, I thought Rafe had the most potential to grow and change as the story progressed and he did so he was the most liked out of the two for me. I also found myself rooting for him at the end, which was a cliffhanger, and you know how I hate cliffhangers! Hate them!!! But I’ll have to wait and see how much more he’ll grow in the next book.

Yup, I might have to give the next book a try to see how that goes. There will be a lot more angst on that part because of what happened at the end of this book that’s for sure! So I’m not sure how I feel about that but I am hoping the series either finishes in the next book or the third. I’m not a fan of long serials that go over three books or maybe four, so yeah…..

Over all this book was good. It didn’t make me want to throw it against the the wall like others so that’s a good sign. Got me cringing, disturbed, uncomfortable, and not liking what was going on but it was what I was expecting from a captive/captor erotic novel. The author did a great job giving us what she told us she’ll give us. How she did it wasn’t what I expected how it’ll go about but it worked for the most part. I just, I don’t know. I kind of wanted more from the characters but I’ll have to find that out in book 2.

So, if you can handle the kidnapped and captive/captor stories with erotica and bondage, do check it out; not a typical book I’ll recommend but you can give it a go if these are books you enjoy. Even if they aren’t, try it out anyways for its something new.

If your faint at heart and a softie, DO NOT read this book. You can just pass this because you will not make it past maybe even the first chapter. You can give it a go if you want, but Be Warned!

My rating: 3
Storywise: 3
Overall Rating: 3.5 out 5

Review: Flash Bang by Meghan March

Flash Bang

Genre: Erotica

Release Date: June 30th

Synopsis:

Rowan Callahan is a career-climbing slut. At least according to the vicious-and false-rumor that is destroying her professional life. But a little thing like her career as an attorney ceases to matter when a plane crashes in downtown Chicago and the entire city goes dark. Her unconventional upbringing makes her suspect the worst: she’s just witnessed the kick-off to the apocalypse. Armed with a backpack of supplies, she leaves Chicago, intent on resetting her skewed priorities and seeking shelter at the family farm with her father and sister. She’s injured and running for her life when she stumbles directly in the crosshairs of two men who just might be her salvation . . . and her greatest temptation.

Graham Buchanan and Zachariah Sawyer are best friends and brothers-in-arms who have been indulging in ménages since before their Force Recon team served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ve hung up their uniforms to build a new life for themselves and their team at Castle Creek Whitetail Ranch-a rustic deer hunting preserve that covertly doubles as a doomsday prepper’s paradise. They thought they were prepared for anything until Rowan comes crashing into their lives. Graham and Zach are convinced she’s the one woman who can handle them both, but she has no intention of deviating from her carefully laid plans for longer than it takes her to recover from her injuries. So they propose a deal: they’ll provide her an armed escort home, and in exchange, she’s theirs until they part ways.

It was the perfect plan; except once they’ve had her, they can’t let her go . . .

Goodreads

Buy links:

Amazon US: Amazon UK: BN: Kobo: 

Review: (A very long and thorough review) **Spoilers Alert!!!!

Okay, You got to read this. You really got to pick this book up! I’m going to say it right now up front. I recommend this book!

I’ve read many menage novels before and really liked them, and can say that this is another one I really, really, — REALLY loved! If I can I would so make a video review so you can tell how much I enjoyed this book and see all my quirky stupidity over this book.

This is Meghan March’s debut book and I was hooked right from the start — and I mean the start, like when I first read the synopsis when it was up for a Book blast and review tour, I knew I had to read it. And so here I am finished reading it and now reviewing it for y’all.

Oh my gosh I can not tell you how much I love this! I mean I don’t want to reiterate the synopsis but man it’s hard not to do. Teeheehee~ hard.

But anyways, the world is like basically heading into a hectic apocalypse, no zombies, just out of electricity, a blackout of sort, reminds me of the TV show Revolution (which is now cancelled by the way) when a plane crashes down in Chicago. We then have Rowan, or Ro, packing up the instant the madness hit and finding her way back home to join her father and sister. Unfortunately she got herself into a bit of a scramble, literally, and is on the run from some mad rapist hillbillies. Of course she gets herself injured by tripping and then rescued by a hunky and intimidating, Conan the barbarian. She gets brought to the safety of his camp and finds herself surrounded by other hunks. Dream come true right? *wink wink*

So yeah, things got down and banter flies within the moment she’s safe inside the in-caged barrier, she did not want to be there. And even though there’s two hunky men that makes her tingle in excitement, she’s hell bent determined to get the heck out of there and reunite with her family.

Okay, now on to the good stuff. I really liked Ro. She was heck of a heroine and I just couldn’t not like her. She had never placed her family first on her list because she was such a workaholic that once the apocalypse hit, it made her regret not having spent more time with them. But then her father did prepare her for something of this like so she was shocked that his craziness didn’t hit far from the truth. She was determined as heck to reach her family and also hell bent on doing things her way. Even to the point of defying the hottie hunky Conan the barbarian, Graham, again and again.  She was strong-minded, stubborn, independent, infuriating, and a not so small of a girl with a size 8 waist. Yup, I liked her. But man can she be full of surprises!  Not just can she argue and ignore the over protectiveness of these men but she can really pull something over their heads, and dare them to sack her. She’s a heck of a troublemaker for these ex-Marines. Dang! And I like her so much!

And then the two hunks. Graham, Conan the barbarian –from what Ro likes to call him because he likes to man handle her, in a very good and protective way—, and Zach the gorgeous friendly one. But yes these two are my absolute favorites! I mean they are the heroes but I can’t tell you who I liked best, gosh! I just wish they were one whole person! But of course they have to be two separate characters and in personalities which works just fine by me, but they are down right sexy. But I got to warn you, these two are just tortured. They’re both not perfect and had a rough childhood with parents that were just, not there when they need them so they really had a background and trust issues.

Graham is the absolute Alpha male every girl who reads romances super love. He’s the one who likes to take control and is the leader of the pack, so of course he likes control and likes to take control of the situation; which therefore made it difficult for him to handle when Ro was always disobeying his orders. He is the one with the most trust issues because of his childhood and so doesn’t like to be attached  to people, most likely women so he’s never into the relationship thing. He can be very tenacious when he finds something that he wants, in the situation it’s Ro. And he can be very intimidating and can also be very aloof and detached if something emotional gets in the way. Very doubting you know. He’s the bad boy with all the problems but is very broken inside and sweet and you just want to hug and make everything better for his sake.

Zach on the other hand is the total opposite of Graham. He’s what we would call the Beta hero, but then he’s not actually the beta neither. But compared to Graham, he would be the beta. And you know me, I super love my Beta heroes! Just saying. But Zach can be very forthcoming and open about what he likes and can really take control of thing if he felt he needed too. He’s very friendly and flirtatious, I call him the pretty boy type because he knows he oozes everything sex. He’s the more approachable type and he doesn’t judge you right off the top and is more trusting and compassionate. He’s also more in touch with his feelings, which I loved about him because he doesn’t hide it. He too had a hard childhood but he tend to hide that and see only the good things in life. He’s the more rational one between him and Graham, while Graham is more action.

As I read this though, I felt that Graham had, or seem more of the “true” Hero in this book. I felt that he had more parts and we got to understand and see more side of his character, personality, and past than we did Zack. Zach felt like he was just the motivation to bring Graham up to pace with his feelings, although we also saw Zach’s personality and his role in their relationship he was more, to me, the wing-man.

As for the story I really loved how it was written. It wasn’t written in only one person’s point of view but in all three, and wasn’t in first person either which I really liked because I enjoyed reading this kind of story and setting in third person. The interactions between these three were super strong. I was surprised that I wasn’t turned off by this relationship. I know I had trouble with this kind of genre-ish because I would want each of them to find their own HEA. This is why I like separate books for these two different types of heroes because then I won’t have to choose who I liked best out of the book because I would know that the other one might get to have their own book and find their own HEA. Butas for this case, they all found it and I liked it.

Their interactions were very enjoyable to read and see move along as their relationship grew. Although it grew within a short space of time, like not even within 24 hours —of course an apocalypse would do that to you I believe— I was really invested in it. It had me on the edge of my seat and heart racing with every bit of action it gave me. And it had every good bit of action down from man handling to fearing for the lives of peoples and just, fire arms, guns, and lots of action.

Oh yeah, every banter and argument Ro and Graham had either got me laughing or thinking of what would happen next. They most definitely got me thinking of what Ro would do next to vex Graham because I just loved vexing him. I super loved it. I also super love how Zach is always reassuring Ro and asking her permission before he does things with and to her. I thought that was very sweet and caring of him to think of her personally first before himself. And he to likes to reassure himself by asking her those questions and to tell him verbally so that he hears it from her mouth what he can and what she wants him to do to her. Getting permission from her, you know, very gentlemanly of him. Whoa~ is he turning out to be a submissive? That just got me thinking. But anyways the sex.

Can I just say the sex was amazingly heart stoppingly panty wetting. Oh my gosh, that dang first sexual scene! Ugh~ I’m not sure why I’m feeling so vexed but that scene really got me frustrated because I needed some—thing! I had to skim over the the last sex scene because I couldn’t deal it with. It was too dang amazingly written I….errrr…..I wanted to finish reading before I exploded! Yup, that’s what it did to me. I’m giving y’all Too Much Information but I’m sorry, it just….. I can’t even come up with the words. My mind just poofed~ Those scenes just sucked every rational thought out of my head and left me feeling naughty and needy. Tsk tsk tsk~ I can’t believe it you know. I’m still reeling. Even after my shower. *sighs*

Moving on, Loved the secondary characters of brother in arms at the camp along with the wife and little girl of a brother in arms there. How the story ended was great. I wasn’t sure how the author was going to pull it off because it was so complicated! Especally with Ro’s determination to reunite with her family and the dangers that lurked outside the camp walls. But the ending was good, they got a HEA and I was happy. All was good, I didn’t care what happen next because they were good and that was all that mattered. Apocalypse be damned.

Then I read the epilogue. It stared off good because I really wanted an answer to a surprising situation and then, I didn’t get it but I wish I hadn’t read it. It just left me hanging with lots of questions and I wasn’t sure if the author was going to have a sequel or something, but I was already hoping for a sequel for the rest of the other hunky brothers in arms so that they could each find their own HEAs, but no. It just got messed up and Ugh~ So frustrated! I loved it so much and then, Bam! *sighs*
I loved it though. Despite the epilogue which I loved and hated, I still recommend this. Like really highly recommend this.

This lovely ARC was provided by the author for a honest review.

Rating: 5 out of 5