Feature: Three to Ride by Lexi Blake

Re-released in a second edition with two new chapters and additional new content.

Rachel Swift is a woman on the run.

A stalker sent Rachel's world reeling. Now she's running for her life, and Bliss, CO, seems like the perfect place to hide. Bliss is a strange little town, filled with artists, nudists, and the occasional conspiracy nut. It's a good place to start over.

Max and Rye are just the men to catch her.

Horse trainer Max and Sheriff Rye gave up on their dream of finding one perfect woman to share long ago. Rachel walks in, and they're both in love and fighting their true natures.

A town like no other….

When Rachel's past catches up with her, all of Bliss is in danger. Rachel knows she should run, but how can she leave behind the love she’s found with Max and Rye and the home she’s built in Bliss? With her whole town behind her, Rachel is ready to make her stand. It's time for her to get back in the saddle and ride.

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Feature: Sleeper by Lexi Blake

When Neil’s past catches up to him, Kelsey must choose between her new family and an old love…

With tensions rising between the Council and demonkind, Kelsey finds herself investigating a series of murders that threaten the fragile truce between them. If she can’t stop these killings soon, they could ignite a fire sure to burn the supernatural world down.

Unfortunately for her, Kelsey’s problems don’t stop with a pile of dead halflings. Her connection with Marcus is frayed at best, and Gray hasn’t been heard from in months. Her only semblance of peace comes from a new man in her life. When Gray storms back into the picture, her love life goes from incredibly complicated to apocalyptic.

Just as Kelsey begins to unravel the mystery, the forces of Heaven decide to take an interest in her actions. Outclassed with these powers in play, Kelsey knows that one misstep could leave the human and supernatural worlds in ashes.

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Feature: Love Another Day by Lexi Blake

A man born to protect

After a major loss, Brody Carter found a home with the London office of McKay-Taggart. A former soldier, he believes his job is to take the bullets and follow orders. He’s happy to take on the job of protecting Dr. Stephanie Gibson while the team uses her clinic in Sierra Leone to bring down an international criminal. What he never expected was that the young doctor would prove to be the woman of his dreams. She’s beautiful, smart, and reckless. Over and over he watches her risk her life to save others. One night of pure passion leads him to realize that he can’t risk his heart again. When the mission ends, Brody walks away, unwilling to lose another person he loves.

A woman driven to heal

Stephanie’s tragic past taught her to live for today. Everything she’s done in the last fifteen years has been to make up for her mistakes. Offering medical care in war-torn regions gives her the purpose she needs to carry on. When she meets her gorgeous Aussie protector, she knows she’s in too deep, but nothing can stop her from falling head over heels in love. But after one amazing night together, Brody walks away and never looks back. Stephanie is left behind…but not alone.

A secret that will change both their lives

A year later, Stephanie runs afoul of an evil mercenary who vows to kill her for failing to save his son. She runs to the only people she trusts, Liam and Avery O’Donnell. She hasn’t come alone and her secret will bring her former lover across the world to protect her. From Liberia to Dallas to Australia’s outback, Brody will do whatever it takes to protect Stephanie from the man who wants to kill her, but it might be her own personal demons that could destroy them both.

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ARC Review: Arranged by Lexi Blake

This is, I think, my third book from Blake's Master's and Mercenaries series. It's a novella focused on Kash and Day. Kash has appeared in some of the other M&M books and is most well known for being a total manwhore. In fact, early on in this book he wakes up with 3 women in his bed and honestly, it's a bit much. In any event, Kash and Day have history together. And let me tell you, if you start this book out and you think you know what the story with Day is, you  don't, keep reading. Day may seem like the innocent good girl and she is kind of but she is also much more.

By way of history, Kash and Day were friends in the past. There was a hint that the friendship might turn into something different but things didn't work out. The affection between the two main characters, however, is evident from the first mention of them. Life takes another turn in which Kash is going to be King and his Mother selects a wife for him. The wife she chooses is, you guessed it, Day. Day is an excellent candidate to be the first lady of Kash's kingdom, she's spent her life devoted to the people of the island. But Day isn't just someone who is going to go along with the program. She has a mind of her own and a plan of her own.

This book is short but it's a complete novella with a pretty well executed plot. The sex scenes are what you would expect if you know anything about this author- So super hot! There is always a mystery subplot in Blake books and this one is no exception. The mystery was a little half hearted but that might just be because there aren't enough pages to fully develop that kind of thing. What kept this book on my good but not great list was that I didn't necessarily love the twist about Day and Kash was just too much of an over the top whore. Even with that being said, this book represents another high quality entry in the 1001 Dark night series. I haven't gone wrong with one of these books yet.

**ARC provided by InkSlinger PR**

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ARC Review: Satisfaction by Lexi Blake

This is the second book in the "Lawless" series.  I read the first book and I think I gave it either 4 or 5 stars.  It was action packed and fast moving and I was really looking forward to getting the story on the next Lawless brother. Lexi Blake is a really good author but I have to admit, I didn't enjoy this installment in the series quite as much as the first one. 

Bran is very different from the Lawless brother who stars in the first novel in this series. Instead of being as heartless as his brother, Bran is a bit more concerned about the havoc the Lawless brothers might visit on innocent bystanders as they seek to avenge the deaths of their parents. Bran is trying to protect Carly from getting trampled by the Lawless revenge plot in the way his Sister in Law once did.  At the same time, if you read the first book, you know that Bran struggles with some issues of his own that he tries to lock down in this book.

Big brother Drew is working on part 2 of the Lawless revenge plan and it involves Carly.  Carly is a divorcee who is trying to protect her little sister from a mess caused by her ex husband.  Drew's plan involves some dating website shenanigans that Bran decides to undercut by approaching Carly directly.  And that is the beginning of a cute but sexy romance.  

I liked Carly's character because she seemed real to me.  She wasn't super confident and that made sense given her life circumstances. She was in minor shock that someone like Bran wanted her but she turns out to be his perfect match. We find out that Bran has been traumatized by something that happened in the past.  As a result, he thinks that he doesn't deserve to be loved.  So if you have read any of my reviews, you know I love a story about redeeming love. That was this book.  Carly basically drags Bran away from all his inner turmoil and shows him that he deserves love and even if he doesn't deserve it, he can't live without Carly.

This was a good book but the issue for me was the comparison between this one and the first one.  The connection between the characters in the book was so intense and the characters were so strong that I kind of expected that in this book.  It didn't happen that way.  There was some hot sex scenes but I definitely didn't feel the compelling connection between Carly and Bran that I was expecting.  Also, in general neither Carly or Bran were the dynamic characters that I was looking forward to seeing in this series.  I was satisfied that the mystery moves forward in this book and there are some new plot twists.  All in all, this was pretty good and I am definitely going to be back for Drew's story in the next book.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Ruthless by Lexi Blake

Ruthless is a really fun ride for all you readers who love contemporary romance that crosses over into suspense. There are layers upon layers of secrets, lots of action, some drama and some smoking hot sex. After reading this book, I am positive I will return to this series for more! Don't freak out that this is part of a series, it is a standalone read.

The series and this book is about the Lawless siblings. All of the brothers are sexy, dominating alpha males....with issues, of course. There is one sister who is married to yet another bossy alpha male. The whole family has been through some really rough times. The siblings' parents were murdered when they were younger and they were in the house when it happened. Their father got blamed for murdering their mother and trying to kill them but the siblings know that's not what really happened. They have made their life's mission to find out who really murdered their parents and destroy that person.

Enter Ellie. Ellie, by virtue of her birth, finds herself (unknowingly) in the Lawless revenge cross hairs. The Lawless' and Riley Lawless in particular believe that Ellie's father was involved in the murder of their parents. Unfortunately, Ellie's father is dead so Riley decides to exact his revenge plan on Ellie. Now, clearly this posed problems for me right away. I thought it was stupid to take out the sins of the Father on the daughter. I also thought it was short sighted considering the complexities surrounding the murder and the fact that Ellie was a kid who couldn't have been involved.

Don't worry though. When Riley meets Ellie it is instant attraction. Riley is drawn to Ellie in a way he has not been drawn to any other woman. Ellie is strong and smart but still has a soft tender side that appeals to Riley. As Riley gets to know Ellie, he finds out that she was as much her father's victim as he and his siblings were. Of course that shifts Riley's perspective and makes him want to protect Ellie instead of destroying her life. Sadly, sometimes once you set certain things in motion, it's impossible to just press the pause button.So Riley kind of does wind up causing Ellie some major problems. I won't spoil it for you but the journey back from the mess the Lawless siblings make of Riley's life is thrilling and entertaining.

I love the connection that develops between Riley and Ellie. I also appreciated that not everything could be wrapped up in a neat bow. There is a HEA but it cost both characters somewhere to get there. Riley is hot. The sex is steamy and the romance is great. I love Lexi Blake and I suggest you get into this series by her.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature: Dominance Never Dies by Lexi Blake

A loss he can’t forget

Since losing his twin brother, Theo, in the line of duty, Case Taggart has felt dead inside. The former Navy SEAL has dedicated himself to his family and their business but he can’t help but feel stuck as he watches everyone else move on with their lives. Only meeting the beautiful Mia brings Case out of his misery, until he discovered she was just a reporter looking for a story. Betrayed, he turned his back on her and never looked back.

An attraction she can’t deny

Mia Danvers can’t get Case Taggart out of her head. Though they hadn’t been lovers, she’d felt more for him than for any man she’d ever met. Growing up in the shadow of her over-protective, older brothers, she felt free when she was with Case and she longs to feel that way again. She knows that if she can find any trace of Theo Taggart, Case will be forced to let her back into his life. Months of searching have finally paid off and she knows this is her second chance.

A desperate search

Case and Mia follow the clues they hope will lead them to Theo and the villainous Hope McDonald, but the search becomes increasingly dangerous. From Dallas to South America and beyond, dark forces work against them and threaten their lives. With each step forward, Case and Mia are pulled closer together and forced to confront their mutual attraction. But when the truth about Theo is revealed, Case may have to make a choice between his brother and the only woman he’s ever loved.

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ARC Review: Big Easy Temptation by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

This is the third book in the series but it's the second one I read. I read the last installment but missed the first one. I keep meaning to rectify that situation but have not quite gotten around to it. Even without reading the first book, I love this series and this contribution did not disappoint. Shayla Black and Lexi Blake are individually great authors but together they weave suspense, intrigue and erotic romance together in ways that are not easily duplicated. This is a great series overall and I highly recommend it. Ok, now let me get to this actual book.

Big Easy Temptation is the story of Dax Spencer and Holland Kirk. Let me just tell you, I love me some Dax and if you've read any of the books in this series, you probably feel the same way. I wasn't sure if I was going to love Holland. Holland is a detective and she's got the kind of unyielding moral code that I find irritating. I was particularly wary of how Holland handled the events surrounding Dax's Dad but by the end of the book I was team Holland. Holland is basically fearless and does not hesitate to familiarize the people around her with the facts of life. I ended up really liking those qualities.

The chemistry between Holland and Dax is smoking hot from the prologue to the epilogue. One of the things that I really like about these two is that they spend quite a bit of time in the book hating each other. But there is something about the hate chemistry that is just as compelling as the warm fuzzy feelings they had for each other. Overall, no matter if these two were in love or hate, it was HOT and the passion leaps off the page at you. The clashes the couple had (and there were more than a few) just made their relationship more interesting and their reunions even sexier.

This is really a story of how true love will persevere. There is a lot going on in the book. There is an underlying mystery, there is the issue of how things ended between the couple in the past and there are the supporting characters. But nothing is lost in terms of the romance. Front and center in the plot is always the issue of how the passion and love between Dax and Holland survived over time and a whole slew of crazy events.

This book has plenty of twists and turns. People are betrayed, others are killed and Dax and Holland are facing a common enemy that can destroy them and the people around them. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out the "kill list" and distinguish the good guys from the bad guys. And of course, there is the sex. When these two authors get together, you can expect some hot hot hooking up and you will not be let down because it is here!

This book is a great way to kick off your summer reading list. I suggest you read the whole series in order though. So if you haven't read the first two books, read those first and then finish with this one. I can't wait to see what these authors have in store for us next.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Seduction in Session by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

This book gave me EVERYTHING that a reader like me needs, just everything. You'll have to excuse me because I'm in the middle of a serious book hangover. I'm a romance, bossy alpha male, mystery, suspense and action girl. I got ALL of that from this book with several sides of heaping hot sex and it gave me life.

If you want to know what to expect in this book, think the TV show Scandal meets, Patriot games and is the cousin of that movie The Skulls. It was all of that. The underlying story is that Lara writes a political tabloid of sorts. Lara is a crusader, she uses certain salacious details to get readers to pay attention to stories written for the greater good of society. Lara stumbles on some serious ish involving the President and the entire country. As a result of her discovery, Lara is intercepted by Connor who poses as a bodyguard assigned by a "friend" to protect Lara. Connor and Lara have an instant attraction, explosive chemistry and diametrically opposed world views. It's a lot of fun.

I don't even know where to start about what I loved about this book. I loved the romance between Lara and Connor. Lara is maybe not the strongest heroine but she was sincere and believed in the greater good. Connor is a complete cynic because he has seen and done the very worst things in life. Lara brings Connor into the light. With Lara, Connor learns that there is actually good in the world and Lara learns that she doesn't need to be an absolutist about her principals. It is fun to watch the couple grow as individuals and then to grow together. I love that Connor is so bossy and so brooding and so protective, he's just sooo everything. Nothing is half way with Connor, he is intense and I loved him for that.

The other thing about this book that I believe any reader like me would enjoy is the whodunnit aspect. There are layers of mystery in this book and untangling everything, or trying to, is extremely entertaining. The pace of the book doesn't lag for a minute, there is action and intrigue lurking around every corner. When you think you know what's going on, you don't. I really appreciate how the author wove detail after detail into a giant mystery that is going to continue in the next book. Even though the big mystery continues, I didn't at all feel like this book ends on a cliffhanger. All the issues between Connor and Lara are wrapped up and the next book picks up with Dax investigating the big mystery. I can't wait for that!

Did I mention that Connor has a dirty dirty mouth and loves to use it on Lara? Oh yes, the sex was HAWT and totally worth the read. This was a great book and I highly recommend you read it.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Scandal Never Sleeps by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

Scandal Never Sleeps is the first book in the Perfect Gentleman series by authors Shayla Black and Lexi Blake. Though this book is considered by some to be erotica, I would actually classify this more as a contemporary or romantic suspense novel with a higher level of heat. Gabe and Everly definitely had some really sexy times, but to me this wasn't straight up erotica. I will say that I enjoyed this story a lot, and I thought that it was really well written. With a co-authored book, you can sometimes get a book where it definitely feels like more than one person wrote it. But I didn't get that feeling here, and both Black and Blake's styles came together perfectly and felt very cohesive. 

When Gabriel Bond's best friend Maddox dies suddenly he finds himself not only grieving the loss of his friend, but also cleaning up his messes yet again. Looking to escape, Gabe hooks up with the sexy redhead Eve and what starts out as a night together turns into a weekend neither of them want to be over. Gabe knows that he has no time for dating with everything going on in his life, so they both go their separate ways. But when Gabe is announced as the new CEO for his best friend's company, he never expects his sexy fling to be his new employee. Things become more complicated than ever when they discover that Mad was murdered. Soon they are setting out to find the truth behind what got Mad killed and the secrets he had been keeping from them. But will Gabe and Everly be able to figure things out and explore the connection between them without becoming the next targets? 

I really liked Everly and Gabe. I thought that they had great chemistry and a clear connection right from the start. I thought that they were great together, and I didn't feel as though their connection was any less real even though it happened pretty quickly. I do think that there were times that each of them acted less than ideally, but I do understand that they were both in a really tough situation. They were both struggling with losing a close friend that they found out had many secrets they hadn't been aware of, and they were also trying to figure out what had happened to him. Not knowing all the details would make it very hard to instantly trust each other, but I was glad to see that they at least were on the same page when it came to discovering the truth. Gabe had so many reasons to have abandoned his friendship with Mad, yet despite it all it was so easy to see how much he cared for him. He never gave up on him, and I loved the loyalty and friendship he showed those he cared about. Everly was smart and unique, and it was refreshing to see a heroine that was able to hold her own. She wasn't like anyone I had read before, and I was glad to see that Gabe realized how special and different she was even when he was wary of her intentions. 

Overall, this was a great story. Scandal Never Sleeps kept me guessing the entire way through, and I couldn't put it down until I had read every last word. I never knew what exactly was happening, yet I couldn't wait to find out was going on with each new clue revealed. I was really happy to see that the suspense didn't take over the romance here, and I felt like there was a great balance between the two. Gabe and Everly were great together and their banter was so interesting to me. I loved the sexy and steamy stuff with them, but I also really enjoyed seeing their connection grow as the book progressed. I loved all of Gabe's friends here and I honestly can't wait to get each of their books as well. I am fascinated by these guys and I love their life long friendships and the camaraderie between them. I highly recommend this one if you are looking for something hot and filled with suspense that will keep you guessing. Shayla Black and Lexi Blake delivered a captivating read with Scandal Never Sleeps and I can't wait to read the next installment in this series.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Scandal Never Sleeps by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

They are the Perfect Gentlemen of Creighton Academy: privileged, wealthy, powerful friends with a wild side. But a deadly scandal is about to tear down their seemingly ideal lives...

Maddox Crawford’s sudden death sends Gabriel Bond reeling. Not only is he burying his best friend, he’s cleaning up Mad’s messes, including his troubled company. Grieving and restless, Gabe escapes his worries in the arms of a beautiful stranger. But his mind-blowing one-night stand is about to come back to haunt him...

Mad groomed Everly Parker to be a rising star in the executive world. Now that he’s gone, she’s sure her job will be the next thing she mourns, especially after she ends up accidentally sleeping with her new boss. If only their night together hadn’t been so incendiary—or Gabe like a fantasy come true...

As Gabe and Everly struggle to control the heated tension between them, they discover evidence that Mad’s death was no accident. Now they must bank their smoldering passions to hunt down a murderer—because Mad had secrets that someone was willing to kill for, and Gabe or Everly could be the next target...

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