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Saturday, June 25, 2016

ARC Review: Dirty Sexy Cuffed by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde


Dirty Sexy Cuffed is the third book in Dirty Sexy series by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone, but the books are connected. I haven't read the first book in the series, but I really enjoyed the second book and was excited to read more about these sexy Kincaids! This was another great book from these two, and I already can't wait for more from them! 

Levi Kincaid is known for being the quiet younger Kincaid brother and as a cop he prefers control in all aspects of his life. Then he meets Sarah Robins and she changes everything. Though Levi wants Sarah, her past has her not looking for anything more. But after Levi witnesses a hold up at her store, he ends up getting hurt while protecting her. After seeing how far Levi would go for her, Sarah agrees to go on a date with him. When Sarah starts to let her guard down and let Levi in, he becomes more determined than ever to show Sarah that there are good guys out there and that he is worth taking a chance on. But can he get her to see that she can trust him after all that she has been through?

I absolutely loved Levi! He is protective and alpha, but so caring and sweet. He was great with Sarah, and I really loved how he was understanding and so determined to show her what real men are like. Sarah was on the run and doing her best to move forward with her life. She was easy to like and I loved her for Levi. They had a great connection and the chemistry between them was off the charts. I loved that she was on board with Levi's desires and I thought that they were super sexy together! Levi knew when to push and when to back off, and I just couldn't get enough of them and the connection they were building. 

Overall, this was a great story. It had everything that you could want in a great romance story, with plenty of sweetness, heat, and action to keep you turning the pages. If you are a fan of the series already, there were some really great moments with familiar faces. If you are new to the series though, you can easily enjoy this one without feeling lost. I really enjoyed this one from start to finish, and I highly recommend it! I look forward to reading more from these two and I can't wait to read the next in the series as well as go back and read the first one.

**ARC Provided by RockStarLit PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | 





ARC Review: Filthy Foreign Exchange 2 by S.E. Hall and Angela Graham


Filthy Foreign Exchange 2 continues the story of Echo and Kingston. S.E. Hall and Angela Graham had me anxious for more after the cliffhanger of the first book, and I needed more of these characters! If you haven't read the first book in the series, you will need to start there. If you have already read and enjoyed the first book though, this one is a must read! I really enjoyed the conclusion to Kingston and Echo's story and I can't wait to read more from these two authors! 

Echo Kelly is headed to the UK for a backpacking trip after having her heart broken by Kingston. She is determined to forget the past and move on, but when she comes face to face with Kingston she learns that things between them are far from over. Not only are her feelings still there, but Kingston isn't willing to walk away from her again. As her tour guide, Kingston intends to show Echo that not everything was as it seemed and that they belong together.

I really loved the connection and chemistry between these two in the first book and it was stronger than ever here! Kingston and Echo were so perfect for one another, and I love how sweet they could be with one another. I also love their interactions, and how different they are than any other I have read before! Their messages through the steam and showers is something so unique, and I just couldn't get enough of them! I was so glad to see that we got more of that here, even if it wasn't as much as the first book. I just can't say enough about these two, but they are one of my favorite book couples and I would have been happy for their story to have gone on much longer. 

I have to say that as much as I loved Kingston and Echo, I loved Natalie just as much! I was so glad to see Echo get a friend here that was actually a friend to her, and I really loved her! She was so much fun, and I really like the direction her and Echo's brother Sebastian are heading in! I would love to get more of them, and I really hope that they get their own story in the future. It would be great to get to know them better as well as see more of Echo and Kingston. I will say that I felt like with the first book that the title wasn't quite right, and that felt true here as well. When you hear filthy, you think it is going to be really erotic or super dirty and that just wasn't the case with either of these books. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of heat, but I do think that these were a bit misleading with the titles and could have been better named. These books were hot, but they were also really sweet and just genuinely good stories for those that love NA romance. I would recommend this series, and I am looking forward to reading more from S.E. Hall and Angela Graham in the future.

**ARC Provided by Love Affair With Fiction**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | 





Feature and Giveaway: Driftwood Point by Mariah Stewart


New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart returns to her Chesapeake Diaries series and to the cherished Maryland shores of St. Dennis with DRIFTWOOD POINT (Pocket Books; June 21, 2016; $7.99), the romantic tale of a man who takes a second chance on love with the high school crush who broke his heart.

Up-and-coming artist Lisbeth Parker finally has a chance to show the folks back home what it means to leave Cannonball Island and make something of yourself. As a native whose stubborn father forbade her from befriending townies, Lis always felt like an outsider in St. Dennis. While her work is on display in the local art gallery, she records her centenarian great-grandmother’s stories of the island’s rich history and falls in love with its unspoiled beauty.

Lis was Alec Jansen’s secret dream girl growing up, and now that she’s back with plans to turn her family's ramshackle cottage into an art studio, the handsome environmental engineer sees a second chance to win her heart. But when he’s hired by a builder who wants to develop the island, Alec is caught between the change he knows is coming and Lis’s desire to preserve the island and its way of life. Can Alex convince Lis that in the right hands change can be good, or will she see only betrayal?

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

Feature and Giveaway: Devil and The Deep by Julie Ann Walker


Second in NYT & USAT bestselling author Julie Ann Walker’s new romantic suspense series featuring former navy SEALs

The former SEALs of The Deep Six return in a sizzling series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker.

A COVERT MISSION

Maddy Powers’s life revolves around cocktail parties, political fundraisers, and charity events — but she can’t forget the daring former SEAL who appropriated her father’s yacht a few months ago … or the scorching kiss they shared before he disappeared into the deep blue sea.

SPARKS A FLAMING DESIRE

Bran Pallidino carries a dark secret behind his lady-killer eyes — one that keeps him from pursuing a serious relationship with Maddy. But when she’s taken hostage during a trip to the Dry Tortugas, the men of Deep Six Salvage drop their treasure hunt for a sunken galleon and embark on a dangerous mission to save Maddy.

WITH EARTH-SHATTERING REPERCUSSIONS

As they fight her merciless kidnappers, they discover this isn’t a simple hostage situation, but something far more sinister. Passion boils between Bran and Maddy, but what good is putting their hearts on the line if they don’t survive the dawn?

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

Friday, June 24, 2016

ARC Review: Learning Curves by Cathryn Fox


This book is short in terms of pages but long on entertainment. I really enjoyed this story from beginning to end and I only wished it had lasted longer. Learning Curves is about Linc and Lauren. Lauren is cast as the girl who was to boring to keep her the attention of her ridiculous/vain ex (I'm talking dude was checking himself out in the mirror on the sly). Linc is the smoking hot billionaire who has the good sense to see Lauren for the sexually repressed wild woman that she really is. The problem for these two is that Linc is...well, you know, a manhoe and Lauren is not impressed by it. 

At the very beginning of the book Link and Lauren make a bet that Lauren loses (but wins for the greater good). Lauren learns right away how much Linc actually wanted her and the two wind up on a steamy weekend. The book goes by fast but it becomes clear that the couple needs to sort out if they are together because of the bet or because there is something more between them. While that gets worked out we have a sweet romance that develops and some very hot sexy times.

I walked away liking both Linc and Lauren. My favorite thing is how Linc helps Lauren to stand up to her super douche of an ex. This book is just a short good time all around.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |


ARC Review: Up In Flames by Abbi Glines


Up In Flames is the fourteenth story in the Rosemary Beach series by Abbi Glines. I would recommend reading these in order for full enjoyment, but this could be read as a standalone if necessary. Honestly I will admit that I was pretty skeptical going into Up In Flames. It is no secret if you are familiar with this series that Nan is one of the most hated characters from any series ever, but I was intrigued to see if she would ever redeem herself. Unfortunately this book was a mess and I ended up having a lot of issues with the story itself rather than Nan's character. 

Nan is the villain of Rosemary Beach and she is tired of always coming in last. Every guy in her life that she has ever been interested in has always taken what he wanted and given little in return. Just when she thinks she has found someone she might have more with, she realizes that he will never feel the same for her and has no intention of settling down. So she heads to Vegas where she meets a man unlike any she has met before. But soon Nan finds herself caught between two men and in a situation she never expected. 

I found that I didn't hate Nan here like I had in the previous books. With that being said, I also never felt like she redeemed herself or made any progress. She was still pretty much the same self centered high maintenance girl that felt sorry for herself and the situation she was in. I felt like a bit of that was karma, but mostly was due to how she treated others. Yes at times I did feel for her, but honestly I just didn't see any progress or growth here. I wanted more of her story and what made her tick, but we didn't really get that here. For this being Nan's story, it became much more about something else entirely rather than about Nan and that was disappointing. I also felt like while there was some attraction between her and the men in her life, I just wasn't feeling the connection with either of them and it all felt so forced and unrealistic. 

This book felt sloppy and all over the place. Things would change at the drop of a hat that felt unbelievable and characters would think one thing and then all of a sudden think the exact opposite. Their opinions were so back and forth that I just never really felt like we knew who any of them were, and I couldn't relate or feel invested in any of them. There were so many egos and so many secrets and lies, and I never felt like any of them actually cared about anyone but themselves. I don't know that I would really consider this book a romance as there was so much else going on and it didn't really feel like we got a romance here. It's hard to really go into much here so as not to spoil the story, but I will say that there was just so much over the top crazy drama going on and I felt like Nan's love life sort of got lost in all of that. While I thought that things were going one way, Abbi Glines did surprise me by taking this story in a completely different direction. It was one that I wasn't on board with at all, and I was left feeling like this story was just too much and not in a good way. While I have had mixed feelings on some of Abbi's books before, I have never felt like they were as much of a sloppy mess as this one felt like. It just seemed like she was trying to force this crazy story to happen, and it didn't work for me at all. While I have genuinely enjoyed the majority of this series, sadly Up In Flames was not one of them. I felt like I needed to finish this book and see Nan's story through, but honestly this is one that I would have quit reading if it wasn't part of the Rosemary Beach series. There were some cute moments between Nan and her nephew Nate, but those moments were not enough to redeem this one to me.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |





Feature and Giveaway: Only You by Cheryl Holt


CHERYL HOLT does it again with another fast-paced, dramatic tale of seduction, passion, and romance. This time, love blooms on a lazy, decadent trip down the Nile!

Lady Theodosia Postlewaite, known as Theo to her family and friends, has always had the worst luck. On the night her betrothal was to be announced, she was unwittingly caught in a compromising situation. With her engagement ended and her reputation in tatters, her incensed father demands she flee the gossip by accompanying her dour, grumpy aunt on a sightseeing trip to Egypt. Theo reluctantly agrees, and she's determined to spend the months abroad proving she possesses the highest moral character. Most especially, she vows to never so much as speak to a handsome man ever again.

Soloman Grey has lived in Egypt for the past decade. His own scandal chased him out of London, and he's built a new life for himself as an adventurer and explorer. Because of the gossip that ruined him, he doesn't trust anyone, and he constantly vows that he̢۪ll never so much as glance at a pretty woman ever again.

But when Soloman meets Theo, he's dragged into her world in a dozen ways he never intended. She's beautiful, funny, and lonely, and he can't resist. Yet, he's the bastard son of an earl, so he could never be worthy of her. When her relatives would do anything to keep them apart, dare he risk all to have her for his very own?

Purchase: | Amazon | iTunes | Kobo |

Thursday, June 23, 2016

ARC Review: His Wicked Wish by Olivia Drake


His Wicked Wish by Olivia Drake is the 5th in the Cinderella Sisterhood series. Madelyn Swann is an actress who is ready for a change. She decides to auction her services as a mistress to the highest bidder in order to obtain enough funds to follow her dreams. The scandalous auction catches the attention of Nathan Atwood, an earl's second son. Nathan surprises Maddy with a proposal, for marriage!

This is a story riddled with vengeance and pride. There are many secrets in the past that shaped these characters and their actions. I found the book to be extremely predictable. I can't remember being surprised at any point. I loved Maddy. She was funny, spirited, and kind. She was also very independent and strong. I never liked Nathan. He was almost always a jerk and/or jealousy ridden except for maybe two scenes.

There was no specific fairy tale that I found this to be similar to, but I did see a lot of fairy tale influence. A beautiful woman disguised as an old maid to test the hearts of gentleman. Nathan plays a night in shining armor, and Maddy does some pretty remarkable things herself.

I liked the book. But I was wanting something a little more unexpected. I'm not the biggest fan of predictable story lines. The romance wasn't convincing to me from Nathan's end, but it was convincing on Maddy's end. It made my heart hurt for her quite often. I just didn't think Nathan deserved such a wonderful girl. I don't know if this series will continue but I love the fairy tale magic of it all and hope to read more!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |


ARC Review: Smolder by Karen Erickson


I will admit that I went into Smolder by Karen Erickson a bit skeptical. While I enjoyed Ignite, I didn't love it and I wasn't quite sure what to think of Lane and Delilah getting their own story. On the one hand I was intrigued by the forbidden aspect of their relationship. With her having dated Lane's brother, I wasn't sure that I would be able to get on board fully here. The last book felt a bit icky to me with Delilah's ex (Lane's brother) ending up with her best friend and her wanting far too many details about their relationship, but I was interested to see the chemistry between Lane and Delilah explored.

Lane and Delilah had wanted each other for years but because of her being his brother's ex, she was off-limits. But the attraction between them was impossible for them to fight, and they found themselves unable to stay away from each other. But can Lane get over her past and take a chance on a future together?

I had really loved the chemistry between these two that was brewing in the first book. Like I said I was a bit nervous about how things would go here, but I could definitely see the attraction and connection between them. Unfortunately Lane drove me absolutely nuts most of this book. This guy was so frustrating, and I seriously wanted to shake him pretty much the entire way through this story. I felt like his reasons for pushing Delilah away were lame and a bit immature, and could have easily been cleared up with better communication. I had a bit of a tough time with Delilah because of how many chances she gave Lane and how she allowed the constant push and pull. I didn't understand why she would continue to put herself in the situation of being rejected by him despite her feelings for him. 

I also felt like while there was promise here, I just wasn't really connecting with the story itself. There were a lot of other things going on besides just their relationship issues, and I just felt like I didn't feel invested in most of them. This book seemed to almost be on repeat at times, with things being very similar to the first book and much of the dialogue being repeated all the way through. Smolder had potential, but ultimately for me fell a bit flat. We did get to see several familiar faces from the first book, and there were some characters here that I would be interested in getting to know better. But while I have enjoyed parts of the first two books, so far this series is just okay for me. I know that I will read more from Karen Erickson in the future. While I have liked parts of this series I haven't loved either book, but I think that others might. This could just be a case of me personally not connecting or having issues that might not bother others, so I encourage you to give it a chance if you liked the first in the series or if it sounds like something you might like.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes





Interview with Author Sarina Bowen and Giveaway

Meet Sarina Bowen author of Bittersweet.

Sarina Bowen makes her home in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where she lives with her family, eight chickens and a large pile of skis and hockey equipment. She is a graduate of Yale University.

Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Feature and Giveaway: Smolder by Karen Erickson



Lane Gallagher wants Delilah Moore—bad.

He’s imagined the sexy brunette in his bed more times than he can count.

She’s everything he’s ever wanted, but the only problem is . . .

She’s his brother’s ex.

For years, the stoic sheriff’s deputy has fantasized about the sweet, bubbly dance teacher who stirs his deepest desires. But Lane’s too loyal to ever move in on forbidden territory and he knows that while he can look, he definitely can’t touch. Fighting his attraction to Delilah is nearly impossible, but the infuriating—and incredibly sexy—woman seems determined to drive him crazy.

And she’s bringing him to his knees. One smoldering kiss at a time.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes | Google |

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

ARC Review: Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill


Just a Girl is the second book that I have read from Ellie Cahill. It is a standalone story and I did enjoy it for the most part. Just like Call Me, Maybe though, I did have a few things that kept me from loving the story. There was a lot of potential, but I just felt like something was missing here that I couldn't quite put my finger on. 

After Presley Mason gets kicked out of the band that she helped start, she heads home to help her parents run their music store. There she meets guitar teacher Paul Kellerman. Presley soon finds out that Paul has a band, but has been struggling with stage fright. But when his band's lead singer gets called into service, they beg Presley to fill in. Though Presley swore she would never mix music and men again after her ex kicked her out of her own band, she finds herself torn between whether or not to take a chance.

I liked both Presley and Paul. I thought that they were cute together and they fit well together. But I do think that things felt a bit surface deep here. I wanted more depth and I didn't think that I was seeing a strong connection form. Things between them seemed to progress so quickly that I just couldn't fully buy into it as much as I wanted to. I did think that they had good chemistry though, and I think that they were right for each other I just wanted to see more of that.

Overall, this was a good story but not one that was very unique or different. This is one that I enjoyed while reading it, but won't be one that I remember much in the long run. I did like Presley's parents a lot and there were some really fun moments in this book. But while I liked this one, I didn't love it. If you are looking for something quick and easy to read, this one is worth giving a shot. Even with the issues I had, I did enjoy this story and I would read more from Ellie Cahill in the future.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | 





ARC Review: Desiring Red by Kristin Miller


Please note: This is not a book. This is also not a novella which is a short story. This is the first few chapters in what may at some point be a book. This is a thing that some authors are doing that annoys me more than I can describe. If you want to write a short story I have no problem with that. But a short story has a beginning a middle and an end. If you want to write a serial I can also understand that. But even the individual installments in serials have a beginning a middle and an end, that is true even where there is a follow up in the series. When you get books like this one, all you have are a few chapters in what should be a book but isn't. You get to the end of this book and you just feel like you didn't really read a book. And if you get this for free, that might be okay but if you were actually paying for this I can't imagine that being pleasant.

I was actually really intrigued by the beginning to the story. That's really saying something because I am totally not a paranormal romance reader. In fact, besides the Twilight series, this is my first time reading a book with shape shifters and werewolves. Despite my newness to the genre, I found this book to be extremely sexy, entertaining and intriguing.

I am a fan of insta attraction and was instantly drawn in when Reaper and Ivy seem to find a rapid and intense connection. I also really like the beginning of the story Ivy's interaction with the Alpha and the conflict that it caused between her and Reaper. Ivy strikes me as the kind of heroin I would really like yes she was outgoing outspoken and pretty funny. Reaper is certainly a flavor that I enjoy. He is probably two steps above the typical bossy alpha male who makes these books so enjoyable. Even though this was a really really short story there were a lot of nuances woven into the plot that promise to make this a good book, when it's actually finished. And to be clear, it is not presently finished.

I want to read this book and I would recommend it to others but not until it is more complete than this. I don't mind a to be continued but I really don't want to waste my time reading a couple chapters in a book and then waiting 2 months to get a few more chapters. That just isn't my idea of a good time. So YES this is on my 'you should read it list' but you may want to wait for more of it to be finished.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |