ARC Review: Illegal Contact by Santino Hassell

I love Santino Hassell's writing style and have yet to be disappointed by anything I have read for him. But I absolutely love sports romance stories, so this was one that I couldn't wait to get my hands on! Illegal Contact was everything I had hoped it wold be and more. Definitely one of my favorites from Santino to date, and a fantastic start to this series!

Gavin Brawley is the tight end for the New York Barons, but he finds himself suspended and under house arrest after an incident goes viral. Noah Monroe is a recent college grad needing money, so when the opportunity to be Gavin's PA comes up he jumps at the chance for what should be an easy job. What neither of them are prepared for is the instant attraction between them. But what happens when Gavin is back on the team and no longer in timeout? 

I loved these guys. The chemistry between them was so strong and I couldn't get enough. They each had issues, and they were different in a lot of ways. There were also so many things that they were similar in though, and I really loved getting to know them as their layers were revealed. Things between Gavin and Noah were antagonistic at first, but when things heated up between them, they were lava hot! I loved the tension and passion between Noah and Gavin, and I never wanted to leave this world that Santino has created. 

Overall, this was a great start to the series and I am already anxious for the next book. Illegal Contact was sexy and emotional, and I thought it was so well written. The pacing was perfect and once I picked this one up I devoured every last page of Gavin and Noah's story, not wanting to stop for anything. Santino is a great writer and this book is one of my favorites from him. I highly recommend checking this one out, but really if it has Santino's name on it you can't go wrong.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Dirty Money by Jessica Clare

I like Jessica Clare. She is good at giving us non-traditional characters who are the sort of underdogs that you root for. So, I'm used to seeing offbeat characters from her and I was expecting it. Boone is that character in this book but Boone is also what goes really wrong for me in this one.

Boone is a billionaire oil guy in the tradition of the Beverly Hillbillies. He basically unexpectedly hit oil on his land and became richer than rich overnight. The problem is that Boone has not adopted any of the ways of wealth so despite the fact that he has access to all the rich people stuff, the rich people still treat him like something they stepped in. Boone comes up with a "solution" to his problem being accepted by "classy" people. All Boone needs is a classy woman by his side and he'll be totally in with the rich people. To that end, Boone chooses a woman who looks real upscale from her photo in a real estate advertisement, that woman is Ivy. What Boone does not know is that Ivy grew up in and still lives in a trailer park just like him (because despite being a billionaire, Boone still lives in a friggin trailer).

And things keep going downhill. When Boone meets Ivy, he approaches her about being his real estate agent because he wants to purchase a house that will make him look rich and classy. He's ready to get out of the trailer, apparently. Ivy is a great agent but she works for these jerks who steal any good listings from her so she basically can't make a living at all. Enter my problem with Ivy. Ivy is working her butt off but accepting living in poverty because she doesn't either stand up for herself or just find another flipping job. Ivy is a good person, I liked her but her being a doormat just worked on my nerves.

When Boone meets Ivy, yeah, it takes instalove to a whole new level. I think he asked her to marry him the first time he met her. He also tells her that he wants to be classy and that's why he wants a real big expensive house (although he doesn't shave or like wash the dirt off his hands before going in public). He also tells Ivy that he wants her because he needs a classy lady. Of course Ivy likes Boone and doesn't want to tell him that she's from the trailer park like he is trying to get away from. She means to tell him but keeps putting it off and blah blah until he finds out and blah blah blah, drama followed by HEA.

Boone's quest to be classy in the stupidest possible imaginable ways was a total turn off. I absolutely hated the way he wanted to be accepted and then did dumb stuff to get that acceptance. To make matters worse, when Boone wasn't accepted, he did even dumber stuff. Hint, he buys a golf course to get back at the people from the country club who treat him bad.  And what happens next is even worse. But wait, here is the absolute stupidest part, he doesn't buy the golf course from IVY who desperately needs the commission. Like WTF just happened? I was so fixated on these issues that I honestly couldn't enjoy the book. I read the whole thing but both Ivy and Boone stand out in my mind as being sort of immature. This is not my favorite Jessica Clare book but I know I will read more by her and maybe even more in this series.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Life of the Party by Kris Fletcher

In this all-new contemporary romance series, the five Elias sisters of Calypso Falls, New York, discover that love sometimes arrives in surprising ways...

Jenna Elias was always the life of the party, coasting on her charm and beauty, hiding the shame of the scandal surrounding her absentee father, a corrupt politician. But the party ended all too soon with an injury that left her partially paralyzed and a husband who simply left her. Now, at age thirty, she’s back in Calypso Falls. She leads a simple existence working in her sister’s coffee shop, but Jenna misses the joy she once had in her life. Then Cole Dekker walks into the coffee shop.

As idealistic as he is sexy, the local lawyer is running for mayor of Calypso Falls. Drawn to Jenna’s quick wit and radiance, he asks her to volunteer for his campaign. As the two start working together, there’s no denying the powerful attraction they feel for each other. A desktop makeout session leads to much more. But when Jenna’s dad returns to Calypso Falls and wants to be a part of her life again, the association could spell political suicide for Cole—and the end of a once-in-a-lifetime chance at true love.

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Naughty New Year Event with Lilah Pace

Lilah Pace is a pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling author, so she can’t give away too much about herself here, but she has lived everywhere from Italy to the United Kingdom before putting down roots in the American South.

She’s addicted to Diet Coke, loves her dog, and daydreams about several British movie stars (though usually no more than two at a time).And while it took her a long while to get up the courage to write books, now she hopes she’ll never stop.

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ARC Review: Forsaken by Sierra Kincade

Forsaken is my first book by this author.  I really had a hard time figuring out how to rate it. It is an action packed novel with a pretty hot romance and interesting characters.  I was always going to land somewhere between 3 and 4 stars.  I ended up on 4 stars because I felt like the book was kind of a 3.7 so I rounded up.

As you might know from reading the synopsis, Marsella is the heroine and her life gets turned all upside down when her Dad hands her this ledger and tells her to run.  This happened at an ordinary family dinner, by the way. Marsella later learns that her Father was some high level drug dealer and that the ledger is both evidence of his crimes and blackmail material that can be used against some very unsavory characters. Marsella goes on the run with the ledger for years before being found by a mysterious stranger, our Hero. Marsella thinks she is protecting herself and her Father by keeping the ledger hidden but the story is much more complicated than that.

Jake is the mysterious stranger who finds Marsella, who has become Cassie.  Jake is looking for the ledger like a lot of other people but he does not understand Cassie's role in hiding it.  When Jake first encounters Cassie, he feels like she is the enemy. Things quickly change and he comes to view Cassie as someone he wants to protect.  The problem is that Cassie's past catches up with her and she doesn't know who to trust. Shenanigans ensues.

Cassie is a complicated character which I sort of like and sort of did not like. Cassie needs control. She needs it so badly that she is turned off in sexual situations where she does not have control. That is something we normally see in male characters so seeing a Heroine with that issue was an interesting twist.  The only issue is that I kind of like seeing that trait in the men and don't enjoy it as much in the women in romance novels.  The other thing about this book is that there is a lot of action but I would have preferred an equal amount or more romance and steam.  As for Jake, he's a really compelling character with an interesting back story.  I spent most of the book trying to guess who Jake really was, who he worked for and what his motives were.  What I loved about Jake is how intensely he wanted to protect Cassie.  it annoyed me that Cassie didn't get when she should be able to trust Jake.

For all you suspense/romance lovers, I think this is a great read for you.  Grab it and hang on to your hat or whatever. FYI, the cover of this book makes no sense.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Embrace Me by Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers

Hudson Chase and Alessandra Sinclair's heartracing romance continues in this hot, new novella in the Chasing Fire series.

Return to the dangerous and seductive romance that got pulses racing in the Chasing Fire trilogy...

It took ten years for Hudson Chase and Alessandra Sinclair to find their happily ever after, and they’re not about to let anything get in their way...

Nothing could stop the passion between Allie and Hudson—not time or distance. Not even tragedy, betrayal, and blackmail. But now they’re facing a new challenge: wedding planning. And while Allie’s social status demands she put on the event of the century, her well-intentioned family and friends have her doubting her walk down the aisle...

Hudson knows tensions are pushing Allie to the brink, but he’s not letting her throw everything away over some flowers and cake. He has plans for his new bride, and unlike their last adventure, he's determined that this time there will be no unwelcome surprises. But for all his determination and control, there’s one element Hudson Chase has never been able to predict—and she has some adventurous ideas of her own...

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ARC Review: Protege by Lydia Michaels

It took me a long time to decide on my rating for this book. I was going between a 4 and a 5 but finally went with a 4 because of some of the reasons discussed in this review.

Collette need a new start in life. She signs up to interview at an agency that matches couples, Fernweh. Collette was living a fairly mundane life and she just wanted more. I respected her for being willing to take a chance even if her methods were somewhat unconventional. Jude is a part owner of Fernweh. The company has developed a mathematical formula that has an almost 100% couple match rate. From what I gather, the couples who are a part of Fernweh have unique sexual desires and enlist with the company to ensure that their pool of candidates includes people who can satisfy those desires.

Collette does not seem to realize exactly what she is getting herself into in terms of the sexual elements of Fernweh but Jude educates her pretty quickly. Collette decides she has nothing to lose and that she is game for whatever kink is available. Jude understands that Collette is a novice and decides to sponsor her in the club and take her in as his personal protege.

You can probably guess, that the line between mentor and mentee quickly blurs. This is due in large part to the utter mind blowing sex Collette and Jude begin having. Jude discovers that Collette is submissive which is a match for him and more and more he wants to keep Collette beyond their agreed training period. Collette admits pretty quickly that she wants more from Jude than training. The problem is that Jude had some terrible experience with his ex-wife who eventually left him. There were things his ex wife wanted that were too far for Jude and he would not give her. He is worried about the same thing happening with Collette since she has indicated she is up for any and every experience.

What I like about this book is the chemistry between the main couple. I'm also a fan of sex club BDSM(ish) books. The erotic content of this book is absolute A-1. Under all the freaky going ons, I thought a really sweet romance developed between Collette and Jude. What ticked me off is that it took Jude way too damn long to see past his past. And while Jude is being blind, he hurts Collette and makes a decision that hurts both of them. This is all because he won't just admit that he wants Collette for more than training. Basically, the only reason this book lost a star for me is that it took Jude too long to pull his head from his posterior and by the end of the book he had pissed me off. Other than that, great book.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: His Royal Favorite by Lilah Pace

His Royal Favorite is the second book in the His Royal Secret series by Lilah Pace. This book is not a standalone, and picks up after the events of His Royal Secret. If you haven't read that book yet, you will want to start there before proceeding. His Royal Secret ended with a HFN ending, though there was a cliffhanger. I was really looking forward to getting more of James and Ben and couldn't wait to see how things would play out for these two. 

James, the Prince of Wales, has decided to let the world know about his relationship with Ben and come clean about being gay. Though Ben and James are in love and ready for the future, James and Ben both worry about how that will change both of their lives. But after the world finds out, things begin to implode as Ben's past is put on spotlight and James' sister's health begins to decline. Can Ben and James prove that love conquers all, or will there be too many things standing in their way despite the love they have found in each other? 

I was so happy to see that James was going to come out and that Ben was there to stand beside him. Their love felt strong in the first book and yet neither of them had ever expected to be with each other in the long run. I knew they would have many difficulties ahead of them, and that was definitely true here. Part of that was both of them struggling with their new circumstances, with Ben's whole life altered drastically. I felt for him and all that he was going through, but I will admit that it was frustrating at times to see both of them questioning each other and their future. While their connection and chemistry were still very real, it felt like something was missing and that these two were going through the motions at times. I wanted to see them on solid ground and finding their footing together, but their relationship just felt off kilter through much of this book.

I also felt like this book suffered a bit like the first one did in that the pacing was a bit slow and had a tendency to drag at times. I think that again we got more of the mundane details than were needed, and after reading this book I really feel that this one would have been better off as a single novel rather than a duet. The overall story was good and I liked the characters, but I do think that this could have been a lot shorter and condensed for a much more solid story. I still think that these books are worth the read, especially if you are a fan of contemporary M/M romance. This series didn't have quite the same spark that Lilah's first series did though, so while I enjoyed it I didn't love it. James and Ben were great together though, and I was happy about how things turned out here.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: His Royal Secret by Lilah Pace

I loved Lilah Pace's debut series, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on His Royal Secret when I first heard about it. I was really excited to get a M/M story from Lilah, and I think that this book was a good start to the series. I am looking forward to reading the next one and seeing what Lilah has in store for us next. 

James, the Prince of Wales, has long accepted his fate and what it means for the life he must lead. But as a gay man, he fears constantly that the world will find out who he really is. For 10 years his best friend Cassandra has been his beard, though they constantly find themselves the subject of tabloid fodder. But when James meets Ben while on holiday, his world begins to change. Especially after Ben ends up moving to London, and the two find themselves unable to fight the attraction between them. But when their casual fling becomes more, both Ben and James will have to look at their lives and decide what they want for the future.

I really liked Ben and James here. They had great chemistry together, and I loved that they also were building a great connection. These two were able to talk about so much with one another, and you could see that they were really getting to know one another more than anyone else knew them. James was loyal to his family and his duty as a royal, yet he also wanted more and was tired of hiding who he really was from the world. Caught up in years of pretending, my heart broke for him and all that he had been through. Ben had his moments where he aggravated me here, yet I also really liked him with James. I thought that these two were a great match for each other, and my favorite parts of this book were when it was just the two of them and they were able to be themselves. 

I will say that a lot of this book was very slow going for me though, and there were several parts that seemed to really drag. Part of that was the fact that while we did get scenes of Ben and James together, we also got a lot of other stuff that didn't always seem to matter. There wasn't a lot happening, and I think that some of the mundane daily details could have been done without here. This one just overall didn't seem to have the same spark as Lilah's first series. For the forbidden storyline that should have been exciting from start to finish, this one felt a bit flat at times. I am hoping that the next book gives us a bit more of that spark that this one was missing after where we left off here. While this book does end on a happy note, there is a cliffhanger and James and Ben's story is far from over. I am really looking forward to seeing what lies ahead for them, and I trust that Lilah Pace will give these guys the ending they deserve. I do like a lot of the secondary characters here and would love to see more of them as well. While I did have some issues here, overall this book was good and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Wanderlust by Roni Loren

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Loving on the Edge series and Off the Clock, a story of sex, love, rock & roll, and a reporter who’s about to learn a new meaning for staying on top of her assignment...

Restaurant critic Aubrey Bordelon is never at a loss for words to describe her meals in the fancy restaurants of New Orleans. But after her magazine’s high-profile music reporter falls ill, she finds herself out of her element and in a sea of screaming fans awaiting Wanderlust’s lead singer, Lex Logan. The sound of his voice gives her goosebumps, and the stage presence of the hard-bodied rock star takes her breath away. So when he pulls her onstage for a sexy stunt, she knows she’s in real trouble.

Lex doesn’t want to pretend that the sparks on stage between him and Aubrey never happened, but it certainly makes the fact that she’s writing a story on his band all the more dangerous. The last thing he needs is some nosy reporter revealing their problems to the world. But the sexy Southern belle doesn’t give up easily, and soon, he’s wondering if the best way to chase her off the story is to coax her into his bed…

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ARC Review: Ruined by Shiloh Walker

If you have read any of my reviews for Shiloh Walker books you know I love her, if you haven’t you know now. I was almost hesitant with this one because when first reading a description for it I assumed the age gap between Marin and Seb was going to be a much larger gab, like cougar kind of thing. It’s not my thing I was worried about it, thankfully the age gab is only seven years and that just fine to me. (My issue has more to do with a maturity level thing not as much of an age difference thing). As always Ms. Walker has created a story with the right amount of strife, a male protagonist who is his own antagonist and is aggravatingly broody but sexy as hell. A strong female faced with issues out of her control and refusing to face the other issues that arise that should have been easy to handle but other people making it difficult. It was amusing some of the things that happened, it makes you laugh or roll your eyes at the idiocy of the characters at points.

The book starts off with Sebastian being rejected by Marin. She is past the point of parties and having a good time just because she can. She’s ready to settle down, and even though she really likes Seb he’s still a young hot thing that likes to go out and party. Seb after getting rejected by the one woman he has always loved is wallowing in his own misery when his life violently changes. His ex-fiancé’s husband attacks them both in a vicious and bloody fight. Ultimately Seb is the only survivor. A year later Sebastian has successfully isolated himself and alienated everyone in the family. The only one that keeps coming back, the only one he will actually talk to is Marin.

In the passing year Marin has seen Seb change from the playboy, happy go lucky, Sexiest Man Alive, beloved actor to the depressed, brooding, scarred drunk that he is now. But Marin promised the Barnes family she would get him there for Zane’s wedding and for Trey’s wedding. And she did, and because of it Seb started to realize life goes on, he stopped drinking, and he’s even talking to other people now. But one badly times internet search and he falls back into the bottle and things change again this time with Marin. At the same time Seb gets offered the part he’s always wanted but he was never right for the part now he his and his leading lady is Marin. Communication is a funny thing it only works when you let people talk and when you are willing to listen. Seb and Marin have a tough road but it is emotional and funny and a wonderful story.

Overall, it went too quickly, I wish I had savored it when I was reading it I didn’t want it to end. BUT I am really, really looking forward to Travis’ book.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Wanderlust by Roni Loren

I am a huge fan of Roni Loren's, so any time that I see she has a new book coming out I can't wait to get my hands on it. Wanderlust was just as great as I had been expecting, and I really enjoyed reading it. It was nice to see something a bit new and different from Roni, yet also get a solid story filled with everything that I have come to know and love about her stories. 

After her magazine's music reporter falls ill, restaurant critic Aubrey Bordelon finds herself covering. She must follow the popular band Wanderlust around, providing fans with a behind the scenes look. But Wanderlust's lead singer Lex Logan wants anything but a nosy reporter ready to spill their secrets and problems to the world following their every move. When he pulls Aubrey onstage for a stunt, the sparks between them begin to fly. Soon Lex begins to wonder if the best way to keep Aubrey distracted, is to keep her busy in his bed.

I loved these two so much and they had such great chemistry. They were so different, a true example of opposites attract. While Lex is the wild and sexy often cocky rockstar, Aubrey was the straight-laced good-girl reporter. Aubrey was used to wanting control and never stepping outside the lines, so it was good to see her loosen up a bit. Lex was exactly what she needed to help her live a little. I really felt for her, and I was so glad that she had Lex after all she had been through. Lex was irresistible and easy to fall for, and I found myself swooning right along with Aubrey. I loved that they were real and genuine, flaws and all. They had no problems admitting when they did wrong or messed up, and that was really refreshing.

Overall, another great story from Roni Loren. She knows how to deliver a solid story with a great balance of steam and emotion. I really felt drawn in from the start with this book and I didn't want to put it down! Aubrey and Lex were great, and I think that readers will love their story! Roni Loren is a talented writer, and I have never been disappointed by her books yet! This is one I would definitely recommend, and I already can't wait for more from her. I really enjoyed this world, and I hope that this turns into a series and we get more of the band!

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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