Audiobook Review: Conquered by the Highlander by Eliza Knight, Narrated by Antony Ferguson

“Conquered by the Highlander” by Eliza Knight was a great adventure! I really liked the first story in her series “Conquered Bride.” Although I have read Eliza Knight before and this is not my first audiobook by her, I was still delighted by the different station in life that the characters in the story experienced. 

In her “Conquered Bride” series the heroines are not young and inexperienced heroines. They are older heroines who have either experienced heartache or are widows. A Lowlander, Laird Gabriel MacKinnon is an older hero, also. He had his heart broken when the woman he loved married another. Ironically, this unrequited love leads him to his next love. 

Lady Brenna was in a very long and awful marriage. Her husband abused her physically and sexually. Because of the terrible experience she had with her husband she could not image ever wanting to be with another man. When Gabriel is asked to help rescue Brenna and her children, Brenna is his ex-love interests’ cousin, he does the honorable thing and helps her out. When he arrives at the Scorrybreac Castle the clan is not only in a tumultuous state but Brenna is terrified for her life and that of her children. Her husband, Ronald MacLeod is dead, murdered, by what everyone thinks were her hands. Brenna is in a very desperate situation since her murdered husband’s brother is ready to take over control and fill in. Brenna is worried that her son will not inherit the castle as is his due. When Gabriel comes to rescue her and her family, she thinks he is there only to take advantage of the situation. 

Gabriel doesn’t expect the rescue to be easy but he is a skilled warrior and knows the perils involved. What he doesn’t expect is to find Lady Brenna so attractive or to learn to care for her children. The more he learns about the horrors that she lived with the more compassionate he becomes. But the road to happily-ever-after is not as easy as Gabriel would hope. Brenna is not open to letting someone take care of her and she is ready to fight anyone that tries to get in the way of her and her children. The sweetest and intensity of Brenna and Gabriel was so sweet and lovely. 

I really enjoyed “Conquered by the Highlander.” The story was so easy to listen to and so endearing. I really like Brenna and Gabriel and was rooting for them when one obstacle after another presented itself in their way. I’m more than excited to start listening to the next book in the series, Seduced by the Laird (Conquered Bride, #2) . I’m convinced Anthony Ferguson can read the yellow pages and he could make is sound interesting!

**Audiobook Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Enforcer by Samantha Whiskey

Enforcer is the second book in Samantha Whiskey's Seattle Sharks series, with each book being a standalone novel. I absolutely love sports romance stories, and this one sounded so good that I couldn't wait to read it. It was a really fun read and I was entertained from start to finish. I liked this one more than the first in the series, and I am really looking forward to reading more from Samantha Whiskey. 

Rory Jackson, Enforcer for the Seattle Sharks, lives and breathes hockey. So when he finds himself in trouble yet again after his short temper leads to another brawl, he knows that he needs to do whatever it takes for Coach not to bench him. Future CEO Paige Turner has just the solution, they will enter into a relationship for a few months to turn his image around while she gets to fulfill some naughty items on her dirty bucket list before signing the morality clause that comes with being CEO. But if Rory screws up it could damage her image and with a set time for the end of their agreement, what happens if they find themselves wanting more? 

I liked these two a lot. They were so different, yet their chemistry was off the charts. Rory had a tough childhood that made his temper and role as Enforcer completely understandable, yet he was a lot more than that. He felt that he wasn't worthy and treated Paige differently than he had with anyone before her. I loved seeing how special she was and the fact that he knew it, while my heart broke for him at times with what he had come from and how that really affected him. Paige was sweet and caring, and I really liked her. She was a kind and giving, yet she wasn't afraid to stand up to others when they needed it. I loved seeing these two get to really know one another and I couldn't get enough of their connection. They fit together perfectly and brought out the best in one another. 

Overall, this was a really great story and I enjoyed it a lot. These two were fun to read about, and this story had a little bit of everything for readers. It was sweet yet also sexy, fun while also being emotional. It was one that I definitely would recommend if you are a fan of hockey romance or sports romance stories, and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

**ARC Provided by Author**

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My Favorite Things Event with Gina L. Maxwell

Gina L. Maxwell is a full-time writer, wife, and mother living in the upper Midwest, despite her scathing hatred of snow and cold weather. An avid romance novel addict, she began writing as an alternate way of enjoying the romance stories she loves to read. Her debut novel, Seducing Cinderella, hit both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists in less than four weeks, and she’s been living her newfound dream ever since.

When she’s not reading or writing steamy romance novels, she spends her time losing at Scrabble (and every other game) to her high school sweetheart, doing her best to hang out with their teenagers before they fly the coop, and dreaming about her move to sunny Florida once they do.

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Audiobook Review: The Danger of Desire by Sabrina Jeffries, Narrated by Beverley A. Crick

The Danger of Desire is Sabrina Jeffries third book in the Sinful Suitors series. Jeffries is one of my favorite historical romance writers but I have to confess that I have not really fallen in love with the series. I did love the books before the series “The Duke’s Men.” In this story Delia Trevor is the friend of Clarissa from the previous book, “The Study of Seduction.” Clarissa is very worried about Delia because she fears that her friend is deliberately trying to fend off suitors. Delia had a nice dowry left to her and she is not interested in gold-diggers. To help Delia find a suitor Clarissa asks her cousin Warren Corry to help Delia and guide her. 

Clarissa is right Delia is not looking for a suitor. She is however looking for a man with a tattoo that she things is responsible for cheating her brother and therefore his wife, now widow, and son out of their fortune. Delia is a very skilled card player, so at night she travels to St. George to play cards and find out some information on this tattooed card player. Delia disguises herself as a boy and no one is the wiser-no one but Warren. Warren immediately recognizes Delia and wants to know why she is playing a very dangerous game. If she is discovered she will be ruined and if she finds the tattooed card player she could find herself in danger. Warren immediately finds himself intertwined with Delia and her determination to find this man and the big secret that her sister-in-law is hiding from her. Now a widow, Brilliana is widowed and penniless. 

There were some parts that I liked about this story such as Delia. I loved her as a heroine and found her to be very strong and clever. Bravo! I liked Warren too but here is my little grievance… it seems that almost every historical romance I read the hero is a rogue/ womanizer etc… for maybe about ten minutes and then he meets the heroine and he is anything but. I’m not sure if it’s the vintage Anne Stuart hero’s that I miss, but I miss those hero’s. Warren was a sweet guy who suffered a very dramatic experience and has lived with it all his life. He was endearing but, like I said I miss those alpha males in historical romance. I did like the mystery of Delia trying to find the tattooed card dealer and I thought that Jeffries really connected him very well to the next book which is “The Pleasures of Passion.” This is Brilliana’s story and we will be able to uncover her big secrets and all the things she has been hiding. Beverley A. Crick was a good narrator, this story is pretty long and I thought she was able to keep the momentum going. There were times when it seemed to me that she made Warren sound a little too whiny but overall I enjoyed her narration. Personally, I’m so grateful for audiobooks especially during times when I’m too busy to read, now I’m counting down to the next story.

**Audiobook Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Ripple Effect: Episode 4 by Keri Lake

Bravo, bravo, bravo!!! This series had absolutely everything and I loved it. As you may recall from my previous reviews, I was not a huge fan of episode 1 in this series because I just wasn't sure where things were going. But from episode 2 going forward, this series was just a stunning victory of writing, storytelling, character building, romance, erotic content...just everything.

Episode 4 starts just where episode 3 ended. Dylan sees Rip with the person she fears the most and she flees in a blind panic. I won't give away the details of what happens after that but the book is pretty much non-stop action. The intensity of Dylan and Rip's feelings for one another is so real in this book you can feel it. If you've been reading this series you know that it's not a sugary sweet romance, the characters are dark and the romance is raw. You know how people say they love you to death? Well, in this book, the characters actually may love each other to death. They just love so hard it's almost violent which definitely comes out in the sex scenes.

In this episode you will get answers to questions about where Dylan came from and how she wound up with the butterfly tattoo. You will also get answers about Rip's past. I do have to lodge one minor criticism here though. I didn't completely understand Rip's past or his present for that matter. I'm still not completely sure who Rip worked for or whether he still worked for them when the book ended. I do know that the agency made Rip choose between keeping Dylan and keeping Dylan safe. Rip chose keeping Dylan safe. What that means is complicated but in the telling of that part of the story you get to see just how much Dylan and Rip have become a part of one another.

The fascinating thing about this book is how you find out how many similarties these two characters have. It seems like Dylan has been the victim of so many things and like Rip has been a victimizer most of his life. Neither of those things is completely true. Instead, what you learn is that both Dylan and Rip are survivors of the fiercest variety. You don't just root for characters like these, you say little prayers that everything works out for them and hope they don't get too damaged in the process.

There is some brutal violence in this book that will have you trying to look in the other direction. Nothing is resolved without a lot of pain but in the end, it's so worth it. I really enjoyed this series and if the author decided to give us a Episode 5 or an extended epilogue, I would love to see more of Dylan and Rip.

**ARC provided by Ardent PRose**

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My Favorite Things Event with A.J. Pine

A teen librarian by day and a romance writer by night, A.J. Pine can’t seem to escape the world of fiction, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s the author of the If Only series (Entangled Embrace), the Only You series (Berkley/Intermix), the Kingston Ale House series (Entangled Select), and the upcoming Crossroads Vineyard series (Forever Romance). When she finds that 25th hour in the day, she might indulge in a tiny bit of TV where she nourishes her undying love of vampires, superheroes, and a certain high-functioning sociopath detective. She hails from the far off galaxy of the Chicago suburbs.

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ARC Review: Twist by Kylie Scott

Twist is the second book in the Dive Bar series by Kylie Scott, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book after reading Dirty. This book is a standalone story, so you don't need to have read Dirty to enjoy Twist. I was new to Kylie Scott with Dirty, but I am definitely becoming a huge fan of hers. I enjoyed Twist a lot, and I think fans of Dirty are going to enjoy this one as well. 

After his younger brother loses interest in his online dating profile, Joe Collins logs in intending to shut the account down. But then he reads about Alex Parks, and soon his best intentions have gone out the window. As the two being emailing back and forth, they start sharing everything with one another, including secrets that they have never told anyone else. But Alex doesn't know that Joe is himself and thinks that he is actually his younger brother, and when the truth comes out it could ruin everything that they have been building. 

I really liked both Joe and Alex. Despite the lie that brought them together, I felt like they had such a strong and genuine connection. The chemistry was there right away and these two seemed meant to be. I loved how things built from friends to more. Their banter was so much fun to read about and kept me interested from the first page to the last. 

The thing I really love about this series so far is that as great as the main characters are, the secondary characters are just as likable and fun to read about. They all add something to the story and I love this world that Kylie Scott has created. I am really looking forward to reading more from her in the future, and I think that readers are going to really enjoy this story.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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Review: Kingpin by Lili St. Germain

I am super dense and picked up this series and started reading it without realizing that I already know the end of this story because this series is a prequel to the gypsy brothers series which I read. If you've read the Gypsy Brothers series then you know that none of this shit ends well. Ain't no HEA for ANYBODY. I feel like you have to brace yourself for that before you start reading this series. If you just really want to see how Mariana, Dornan and Julz story starts and especially how Dornan winds up the guy you see in the Gypsy Brothers series, this is a must read. Lili St. Germain is brilliant, there are simply no two ways about it. The writing of this entire series is brilliant and completely transformational. When you are reading these books, you are sucked in to the very sick and twisted world where Dornan lives and Mariana is trying to survive. I don't know that I can say you'll be better off after this experience but damn, this writer is awesome. 

Here's a weird thing, even though I know how the story of Mariana and Dornan ends, I couldn't stop myself from rooting for them and hoping that there could be some kind of alternate reality. There isn't. I always wondered how the situation with Mariana developed to where we find it in the follow up series and truthfully I was surprised at how it all happened. There is no indication in the Gypsy Brothers series that Mariana was so trapped by her circumstances. I was surprised to find that she was willing to choose Dornan even though she was his prisoner. Had it not been for her son, this story would've ended totally different. 

As this book went on, I couldn't figure out what I wanted to happen. I wanted Mariana to wake the hell up and stop just existing as a prisoner. I wanted Dornan to get off the path to utter depravity. I knew for sure I wanted Murphy to die. I wanted John to find a way for Mariana to get her HEA and I also just wanted him to take Julz and flea the scene of the whole shit show. I just wanted so many things reading this book that it drove me almost insane. 

But in the end, Dornan is just gobbled up by the filth into which he was born and works. It becomes a part of him and by the time Kingpin is over, I'm sad to report, all hope for Dornan is lost. The interesting thing is that the same way that we hope for Dornan as the reader, Mariana hopes for him to. The same way we watch Dornan fade away, Mariana is forced to accept that her Dornan is gone. 

This is a great book but either read it when you are already depressed or when you are so happy nothing can bring you down. It's really doom and gloom but totally brilliant.

**Review Copy Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Mister Moneybags by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

I absolutely love both Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland. As individual authors they are amazing, but put them together and the books you get are truly special! Both of these authors are auto-buys for me, and ones I recommend to everyone that reads romance. You really can't go wrong with their books, and Mister Moneybags was everything I had hoped it would be and more!

Bianca has just landed an important interview but on the way she gets stranded in an elevator with a hot guy. They hit it off, but she needs to focus on her work and not Jay. But when she gets to her interview and finds out that the CEO she is supposed to be interviewing has blown her off she ends up spending time with Jay instead. Dex knows that he needs to come clean about not being Jay but really being the CEO she was set to interview, but soon one lie turns into more as he sets out to show her that he isn't at all like she had him pegged. But when the truth comes out and things get more complicated than either of them ever expected, can they possibly find a way to get through it together without everything ripping them apart?

I loved these two so much. These two were so sexy together and the chemistry was off the charts hot! They were also so sweet and supportive of one another. I loved that while they might have started out with so much hidden between them, that they vowed to always be honest with each other from the moment that everything was revealed. It wasn't always easy, but the fact that they were able to hold to that was refreshing and I loved it! My heart broke for these two at times and yet it soared at others. This was definitely emotional, but I was filled with hope and love for these characters and their undeniable connection. 

Overall, I loved this book and couldn't put it down. This is definitely one of my favorites from these two amazing authors, though if you ask which ones are my favorite I will probably tell you all of them. I know that sounds cliché, but it is honestly true. No one is able to write and deliver such a captivating and emotional romance while keeping it sexy, sweet and funny like Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland. Their stories are ones I always look forward to and devour as soon as I get my hands on them. I can't recommend their books, or Mister Moneybags enough! This book is a must read for romance fans, especially if you love the contemporary genre.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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My Favorite Things Event with Tessa Bailey

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

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ARC Review: Ain't He Precious by Juliette Poe

This is Sawyer Bennett's debut writing as her alter ego Juliette Poe. This is a novellla that is much more ooey gooey romance and much less big bad bossy alpha male than you are used to seeing from Sawyer Bennett.  I guess Juliette is more of stars and heart kind of girl.

This is a second chance romance. Trixie and Rylan went to a prestigous law school together. They had big plans to live the glamorous urban life after graduation when they both expected to get big firm jobs. They got the jobs but Trixie suddenly decided to return home. Home for Trixie is a place called Whynot. And after spending this novella in Whynot, I can tell you why, because there's like 10 people there and the southern drawls and slow living drive this city girl nuts. Ok, wait, I'm off topic. Anyway, Trixie decided to return home to help her family out while Rylan stayed in Boston and lived out the urban fantasy without his love.

Eventually Trixie needs help on a case and calls in her big city lawyer ex to help her and her client. I just had to hold my nose and get through this part because there was definitely some creative license taken with law firm dynamics. For example, Rylan couldn't just pop into some small town and start representing someone unless his partners approved. But whatever, it brought these two back together and that was the whole point.

From the minute Trixie and Rylan are reunited, they remember all the things that made them so great together. But the two also discovery lots of things about one another that they didn't realize were there before. Rylan finally sees Trixie for the family girl she is. He gets that she wasn't running away from the glitzy life but that she acted out of love and that makes him love her in a new and different way. 

Trixie is wild and quirky. There is great banter in this book and lots of southern charm.  The chemistry between Trixie and Rylan is sweet and compelling. The length of this book is perfect. This is a good novella. It's long enough to connect you to the story and the characters but quick enough that you don't have to wait forever for the HEA. This is not like any of Sawyer Bennett's other work but if you like contemporary romance and second chance love, this is a book for you.

**ARC provided by InkSlinger PR**

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My Favorite Things Event with A.M. Hargrove

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, USA Today bestselling author, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So she made a quick decision to quit her job and reinvented herself as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author.   

She fancies herself all of the following: Reader, Writer, Dark Chocolate Lover, Ice Cream Worshipper, Coffee Drinker, Grey Goose Aficionado, and #WalterThePuppy Lover. If you’re around her for more than five minutes, you’ll soon notice she has a tendency to talk your ear off.

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