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Saturday, February 7, 2015

ARC Review: Just Let Me Love You by S.R. Grey


I have been waiting for this book since I finished Never Doubt Me. I love this series that S.R. Grey has created, and the characters are some of my absolute favorites. If you haven't read the Judge Me Not series yet, you should definitely check it out but make sure that you start at the beginning as these are not standalone stories. Just Let Me Love You was a good ending to this series, and I really liked where things ended up for these characters.

JLMLY picks up where Never Doubt Me left off with Chase and Kay headed to Vegas to rescue Chase's younger brother Will. Will has purchased a gun and is determined to take care of his girlfriend Cassie's creepy stepfather once and for all. While determined to help Will, Chase must also face his past and the very things that nearly destroyed him. Will he be able to face his past and put things right without destroying the progress that he has made, or will it be too much for his relationship with Kay to survive?

I really love Kay and Chase. These two could not be more perfect for one another, and they just work so well. Chase still felt like Kay deserved better and that he wasn't enough for her, but I loved that Kay never let him go. She knew what he needed before he did, and I loved how strong she always was for him. In this book we got to see both of these characters start to really face their past and move forward. It was good to see Kay making progress with her mother, and Chase did the same with his family. I thought that things were really great between Kay and Chase though, and I am so glad that these two didn't have a ton of drama within their relationship. They still had the same amazing connection and chemistry as they have always had.

Overall, this was a really good conclusion to the series. The one thing that I wish was different though is that this book focused more on the drama around Kay and Chase, and largely dealt with Chase's brother Will. I wanted more of Kay and Chase, but I was glad that things were resolved and we got to see how everything played out. It was nice to see Chase and Will continue to rebuild their relationship, I just wanted more of the romance that this one seemed to be slightly missing. The end of this book made up for that though, and I loved Kay's surprise for Chase. I thought it was so cute and a perfect way to celebrate their past and their future. I highly recommend this series if you haven't read it, and I have really loved everything that I have read by S.R. Grey. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next, and I know that whatever it is it will be something that I enjoy!

**ARC Provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |





ARC Review: Red Lines by T.A. Foster


When I first got the chance to review Red Lines by T.A. Foster I couldn't wait. I thought that this book was a standalone as it was never mentioned anywhere that this book was actually a sequel to Finding Haven. Luckily I had already read Finding Haven, or I think I would have been a bit lost when it came to the relationship between Evan and Haven. If you haven't already read Finding Haven, I would definitely recommend starting there before you read Red Lines. While I was excited to see more of Haven and Evan after learning this was a sequel, I was left feeling pretty ho hum about the whole thing and this wasn't what I was expecting at all.

Red Lines picks up after the events of Finding Haven with Evan and Haven back together after their break-up. Though both Evan and Haven are happy to be back together, they quickly realize that leaving Perry Island will change things between them. Evan is headed to Hollywood after landing the lead role in the film version of Red Lines, the famous book series. Haven is staying at Evan's place in Austin, Texas while she pursues a career writing songs for a record label and for Evan's famous singer friend Carly. While Evan and Haven might be back together, they will have to face the distance between them as well as the pressures of the media and the constant speculation on Evan's personal life. Will the love Evan and Haven share be enough to survive their careers?

I was glad that Evan and Haven were back together in this book, but I felt like their relationship just didn't have the same feel as before. I know that they were facing completely different issues this time around, but it just felt like it had lost it's sparkle. Evan was off in Hollywood filming, and I was glad that he was faithful to Haven. He didn't seem to ever be tempted, and I was really glad that he never went there. But he also didn't really seem to think about what his role would put Haven through, and I felt like he never really discussed everything that would entail for her. She didn't know the business like he did, and I felt like that should have been his responsibility. I also thought that it was really soon after their reconciliation, and I wish we had seen more of these two together first. Haven was still the same and I thought she was easy to like. I wanted to see more of her with Evan and them settling into life together. I understood why she didn't want to rush things between them, and I really admired that about her. She could have easily taken everything that Evan was offering, but I was glad that she stayed true to herself. These two still had chemistry, and I felt it when they were around one another. But I really missed the connection between them this time around, and I didn't feel quite the same level of heat as before.

I also thought that there were a lot of things that were brought up only to be dropped, and a lot of other opportunities that were missed. I really expected Emmy to make things difficult on Evan after the way she was in the first book, and she did have her super flirty moments that I thought would lead to ulterior motives. But they never went anywhere, and I just found it unrealistic. I also didn't like that Evan's housekeeper Marta was pretty rude to Haven and that was dropped even after Haven said something to Evan. What was the point or her being bitchy if it was never dealt with? Same thing went for his new manager/agent. He pretty much accused Haven of horrible things and then it just went away with Evan's promise to deal with him. I just felt like the conflicts in this story weren't really dealt with. Drama would happen and then it all just disappeared. It really made this book seem to have been drug out for no reason, and I am honestly not really sure why there was even a second book. While it was nice to see more of these characters, I felt like this could have easily been done in a novella or and extended epilogue to Finding Haven. I just didn't understand the point of this book really when nothing seemed to really happen and there was very little story advancement. I think if you liked Finding Haven that you might give this one a shot, and that readers will enjoy more of Evan and Haven. But this one just missed the mark for me, and it didn't really seem to add much to Evan and Haven's story.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |





Sealed With a Kiss Event with Amanda Forester


Amanda Forester Amanda Forester holds a PhD in psychology and worked for many years in academia before discovering that writing historical romance was decidedly more fun. A Publishers Weekly Top Ten author, her books have been given starred reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Top Pick from Romantic Times Book Reviews. Whether in the rugged Highlands of medieval Scotland or the decadent ballrooms of Regency England her novels offer fast-paced adventures filled with wit, intrigue, and romance. She continues her Highlander series, which includes THE HIGHLANDER'S SWORD, THE HIGHLANDER'S HEART, and TRUE HIGHLAND SPIRIT, with THE HIGHLANDER'S BRIDE to be released fall of 2015. Be sure to also check out her medieval novellas, with THE HIGHLAND BRIDE'S CHOICE now offered free!

Find Amanda at:

Friday, February 6, 2015

Audiobook Review: The Fangirl's Dream by Fierce Dolan, Narrated by Devra Woodward


When I started “The Fangirl’s Dream” by Fierce Dolan I didn’t have too much of an idea what I was getting into. I’ve never heard of this author before nor read her work. First, I have to say that this is a very short story. It’s a novella about 44 pages and an hour and seven minutes on audiobook. When I started the story I was highly confused and it took me a while to understand what was happening but at the end the author really delivered on many different levels.

So when the story starts Siler Dunham is a hard working woman who is too busy to have a real romantic relationship. Her only “interest” is a tv character Farraj Reza. Farraj is a sexy, action personality that fulfills all of Silers dreams. One day she meets Madame Eve who has a very unique ability to fulfill Siler’s dream and give her one night with Farraj. When the story changes Siler is stuck in an action scene with Farraj. So at first this was a little overwhelming and confusing. I had to remind to make sure I did not miss anything. Because Siler is a fan of Farraj’s show she knows all there is to know about Farraj and the scene he is stuck in. At first Farraj is not sure he should trust Siler but as the work together to safe each other’s lives and those of the villagers that are in need of rescuing, he begins to trust her and begins to open up to her. Siler finally confesses to Farraj the real reason that she is in a scene with him, but to him it’s not a scene but real life. As they confess their fantasies to each other they then fulfill each other’s fantasies.

So a couple of things. It’s not easy to get to know characters in novellas or short stories because they are limited. Keeping this in mind we do find out that Farraj had a difficult child hood. Also, even though it’s short there is very steamy fantasies and also a lot of action. Although there are many holes in the storyline and it does take a stretch of the imagination this was still a clever and unique story. I ended up really enjoying it and becoming engrossed in how the author would wrap up the ending. I recommend it for anyone that is looking for something fun and light, yet unique and very diverse. The narrator, Devra Woodward did a great job as Siler but it took some getting used to as Farraj since he apparently has a thick accent. But overall, she did a great job.

**Audiobook provided by Decadent Publishing**

Purchase: | Audiobook | Amazon | B&N |



Sealed With a Kiss Event by Lorraine Heath


Lorraine Heath is the bestselling author of the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series, the Scoundrels of St. James series, and the Lost Lords of Pembrook series, among others.

Find Lorraine at:

ARC Review: Redeem Me by Eliza Freed


Redeem Me is the second book in the Lost Souls series by Eliza Freed. These books are not standalones, and should be read in order. If you haven't read the first book in the series, Forgive Me, I would recommend you stop reading to avoid any spoilers. I really loved the first book in this series, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Redeem Me. But I will admit that this is a hard review for me to write. While I did enjoy parts of this story, I was a bit upset that the author chose to go this route. I am curious to see what will happen in the next book, but I will say that this was not the way I had hoped for this book to go.

After losing both her parents, Charlotte O'Brien found comfort with Jason Leer. They had known each other since childhood, and were able to lean on one another. Their relationship wasn't perfect as they were separated by distance, but they had plans for a future together. But one mistake changed everything for them, and now Charlotte is worse than when she lost her parents. She finds herself unable to forgive or forget, and sinks further each day. But with the help of her childhood friend Nick "Noble" Sinclair, she finds herself experiencing some happiness once again. She knows that she isn't ready to move on completely yet, but she has hope that one day she will be ready. Will Noble be the one to help her leave her painful past behind?

Okay here is where it gets tough for me. I love Noble. He is a fantastic character, and couldn't be a better guy. So the problem comes in where I don't think that he and Charlotte belong together. Is Noble practically perfect? Yes he is. He is sweet and charming, really thoughtful and kind. He is funny and fits perfectly with not only Charlotte, but all of her friends. But I honestly do not feel the romantic connection between these two, and I don't believe that they had even close to the same chemistry as she had with Jason. While I liked that Charlotte was able to lean on Noble when she needed him, I felt it was unfair to both of them. She was still in love with Jason and I just didn't like her with Noble, even knowing that she was honest with Noble. I felt like he deserved better. Charlotte was very different in a lot of ways in this book than the first, and yet she was still similar in a lot of ways as well. We really got to see how torn up she was by what happened in the first book, and how much that affected her. She was dealing with so much grief, and I felt like she really just couldn't catch a break at first. But I will say that part of the problem with what happened in the first book was due to her actions, and I don't think the blame should be only on Jason's shoulders. I also felt like though Jason did wrong and definitely should have handled things differently, that he had been wronged as well. She spent the majority of this book thinking about Jason and knowing that if she actually talked to him that she would most likely give in to him, which is why the growing relationship between her and Noble bothered me. I felt like she really needed to deal with her past and put things to rest once and for all if she really wanted to move on. Her not dealing with Jason directly was a sign to me that she was still in love with him and either wasn't ready to move on or didn't want to move on.

Overall, this was a good book despite the fact that I didn't want the author to take the story where she did. I felt like this book at it's heart was really about Charlotte more than anything. We really got to see her journey through her grief over not only her parents, but the end of her relationship with Jason. While it was nice to see her having to face things, I felt like she was a bit wishy washy throughout this book. I wanted her to stop pining over Jason or to just deal with it already. Even after everything that happened, I find myself solidly on team Jason and I really hope that things work themselves out in the next book. It was clear throughout this story that she is still in love with him, and I believe that they belong together. I also saw that Jason wasn't willing to give up on Charlotte, and that tells me that their relationship is definitely one worth fighting for. I think Noble is fantastic and truly deserves an HEA, I just don't believe that it should be with Charlotte. So while the writing was as fantastic as the first book, I had to give this one a lower rating because of the story itself. I think that some readers will really enjoy where Eliza Freed took these characters, and I am sure that Noble has a ton of supporters. I just happen to want to support him with someone else instead.

**ARC Provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing)**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |





Thursday, February 5, 2015

ARC Review: Cut and Run by Lara Adrian and Tina Folsom



Cut by Lara Adrian

In this intense, suspenseful romance with a bit of supernatural intrigue at its core, I am delighted to say that Lara and Tina both provided us as readers with a superb new series! The first installment novella titled Cut, was very well-written with main characters Ethan and Tori as our hero and heroine. Ethan, of course, is at the center of the story, but we get to enjoy Tori’s POV as well. The story begins with Ethan cutting Tori loose without explanation; completely disappearing from her life. At the heart of the Ethan’s seemingly heartless abandonment of Tori is the Phoenix Program. A program in which psychically gifted men with ESP talents perform acts of prevention to halt terrorism via utilizing said talents (with premonitions).

The only problem is that despite knowing the risks as agents, none expected become completely non-existent or to end up on the run. As we come to find out, all agents were given a direct order to trust no one, and assume that Phoenix has been destroyed; that their director Henry Sheppard is dead. Obviously, danger is immanent for Ethan, and for other members of the Phoenix Program. Unfortunately for Ethan, he knows nothing of the other members due to the director requiring that no one loosed their identities.

I will say that I absolutely loved how Lara and Tina set up the secrecy factor of these books. We have not a clue as to how each member is brought together, how the hell they will save themselves, or how they are going to stop their visions of a future massive terrorist attack from occurring. So, without a doubt, we are constantly wondering how each of these stories weaves together and how they are going to end with our much wanted happily-ever-after. I can say that I loved Ethan for his ability to be honest no matter the circumstances. Furthermore, his gracious acceptance of his love for Tori was enchanting. Despite not experiencing any relationships throughout his childhood, or young adult life, and suffering abuse, he was able to be completely vulnerable and giving.

As for Tori, I loved that she never truly had reservations regarding her feelings for Ethan. Even when she first ran into him years post-disappearance, she never gave up on him. I see many female characters waffle between their feelings for the man they claim to be falling for, or believe they have already fallen in love with. I also see them as unsure of themselves at times, or always on the defensive about whether or not they can truly trust this man with their soul. Tori never did such a thing. Sure, she was wary and suspicious of Ethan, understandably, but she never doubted his moral values or qualities. Not to mention that she was such a brave woman with vinegar in her veins.

These two have great chemistry, and they stood by each other without provocation. After Ethan and Tori are discovered by an assassin, they embark on a journey to stay alive until Ethan is up to the task of killing the perpetrator. In the midst of their journey, Ethan learns to forgive his past, and accept his future while saving his own ass, and the woman he loves from death. Furthermore, he comes to the conclusion that after being on the run for years; he must find the other members of the Phoenix. Not only must he stop those who wish to kill him, but he must put the pieces of his nightmarish vision together to stop the final act of terror from coming to pass. Even better, he will find a way to keep Tori in his life, and by his side through the entire ride (happy dance)! Ultimately, this novella was amazing, and I could not wait to get to the second part Run.

Run by Tina Folsom

Now, if I thought I loved Cut, let me tell you that I was genuinely surprised to love Run even more! With that said, I only enjoyed this novella better simply because I wanted to claim Scott as mine more than Ethan (no joke). So, that can clearly be written off as a personal preference, and others may not feel the same. Of course, I am still going to explain why! Well, he is not the uber intelligent teacher with a naughty side like Ethan; Scott is just simply the bad boy in general! He is the mechanic; the greaser; the dark-haired mystery; and the ridiculously handsome I-know-more-than-you-so-don’t-challenge-me guy. Yes, indeed, I like those guys, and well, I am sure many ladies know what I mean! Okay, seriously though, Scott projects more of the tough guy image, and it appealed to me. With that said, when he becomes enamored by Phoebe and falls for her, he is the perfect man of your dreams.

Then, we throw in the danger, which is more intense in this book than the last. Naturally, the suspense builds further because it’s a continuance of the first novella (should go without explanation). This is why I feel compelled to mention my awe at how Lara and Tina brought both stories together, as well as brought Ethan with Tori into Scott and Phoebe’s dilemma. Initially, Scott is in hiding just as Ethan was. Then, because he is truly a good man with a conscience, he finds it necessary to save several children (and Phoebe) from being killed in a crash as he envisioned. Alas, using his powers brings him into focus to the public, thus causing him to be targeted by whoever is after the members of the Phoenix Program.

Phoebe, as a reporter needs to secure her job, and Scott is an undisclosed hero who disappeared from the scene. In her quest to find him and write her story, she finds herself falling for Scott after becoming a target unwillingly for the enemy. Now, the two are on the run, while Scott puts a plan in motion to decipher the vision that haunts him, and meet his nemesis head on. To turn an intense situation into a more hellish one, Scott finds his other half in Phoebe. So, when he sees her potential loss of life in the future he needs to protect her, while saving himself.

Despite so many questions without answers, Ethan was lucky enough to find Scott. With the two of them teaming up, and their women possibly by their side, how can they not win? I’ll say that the build-ups are absolutely great in this story. More importantly, they aren’t so over-the-top that we won’t be salivating for the grand finale when the final novels reach our outstretched hands. Furthermore, even the men had great chemistry. Maybe it is just me, but I like it when there is a bond formed between the heroes of the book, and you actually enjoy their interactions. So, hell yes for that!

Additionally, Scott and Phoebe are great for each other. After just a short time with Scott, Phoebe was able to completely forget about her story, her job, or the life she left behind because all she wanted was him. Furthermore, she was able to embrace Scott for who he was without hesitation. I can say that I liked Tori better than Phoebe though, mostly because she was more decisive and sure of herself. However, both women were tough, and ultimately gave all of themselves to their men.

Even better, they all worked together competently and efficiently; a real team with trust and friendship. After Ethan and Scott decide to find the other members together, and realize that they each hold a key to stopping the future cataclysmic disaster, we know the story is only going to get better. Best of all, each novella truly focuses only on the main characters and the battles they face. Whether the battles fought were personal, internal, or in connection with the mission at hand, the interactions and outcomes were outstanding. I cannot wait for what happens next!

Overall

Both stories were wonderfully written and executed well. I gave both five stars because I absolutely loved them both. I like Tori better than Phoebe because she seemed like a stronger female character to me. I liked Scott better than Ethan though, because I just enjoyed his personality better. Both plots were suspenseful in their own right, and each novella provided mystery. Furthermore, I enjoyed the conclusion to each. There were different aspects I liked better from each book. I thought there was more emotion between Ethan and his familial experiences growing up, but Scott was more fun to see grow as an individual. Therefore, despite the differences, I loved both equally. This is why I gave both a five star rating, especially since one must understand that each reader may likely have a different view than I, because every individual has their preferences. Thank you to Lara and Tina for these two fabulous stories!

**ARC provided by Author**

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




ARC Review: Hero by Samantha Young


Hero was everything that I've come to love and expect in a Samantha Young novel. I was chained to my Kindle all day reading this one and did not want to put down. So, so good. In the last few years I've had my fill on millionaire/billionaire heroes but I just couldn't get enough of Hero and more importantly Caine and Alexa.

Caine was charming (at times), brash and just so damn sexy. I found myself wanting to know what made him tick and I couldn't help but get all giddy like Alexa did whenever he smiled or laughed. There were at times he was harsh but I couldn't get enough. I just knew that below that tough and gruff exterior lied a man that was charming and just afraid of letting anyone get close.

If I'm honest, there were a few times that Alexa kind of annoyed me. She loves so fiercely but she lets the ones that she loves kind of walk allover her. Don't get me wrong, most of the time she stands up for herself especially when it came to Caine and his treatment towards her but those few times she didn't I just wanted to shake some sense in her. Honestly, there were times that I just wanted to give her a hug because she definitely needed it. She's dealt with a lot in her life and with people not choosing her that you can't help but hurt for her.

The chemistry between Caine and Alexa was sexy and explosive. These two were HOT together. I really enjoyed watching these two together. I liked that their relationship started off kind of rocky and we were able to see these two butt heads more than once. I just loved the sparks that was between them and was evident to everyone around them but themselves.

There were so many aspects to this story that I loved outside of Caine and Alexa and Henry, Caine's best friend was one of them. He was a charming flirt and I couldn't help but smile whenever he would show up. The same goes for Effie. I loved Effie.

Hero was hot, sexy and oh so very good. I highly recommend this book. Believe me, you will want to read this one.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |






Sealed With a Kiss Event with Lily Dalton


Lily lives in Texas where she writes looking out over a garden tended by her handsome, big-hearted Tex-Czech husband. She suffers endless (fun and always welcome!) interruptions by her two children. And like many authors, she writes with a cat—or two—wrapped around her legs.

Places to find Lily:
| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

ARC Review: Pretending with the Playboy by Tracey Livesay


This was my first read by Tracey Livesay and it was fantastic! I absolutely loved “Pretending with the Playboy.” This is the second book in the “In Love with a Tycoon” series. Although I did not read the first book this is can easily be a stand-alone and readers won’t be lost with the series.

When the story begins our playboy Carter Richardson is doing just that, acting like a playboy. He is just waking up with his latest fling with a hangover. This is a common occurrence in Carter’s life. His philosophy seems to be “work hard, play harder.” Lauren Olsen shows up on his door step when all this is happening and throws his world upside down.

First, I loved Lauren so much. She was an incredible heroine. One thing I loathe in romance novels is when a successful, smart, strong woman becomes a moron the minute she is attracted to a guy. Livesay held true to her heroine and I loved that! Lauren has known Carter, practically their entire lives. She is now an assistance to his very wealthy aunt, Dorothy. Dorothy was such a great character as well. The author really took time to develop her character and show the strength in her relationship to Lauren and to Carter. It was heartbreaking to see how much she loved and how easily she gave her love to both Lauren and Carter. In a way Lauren and Carter are both “orphans.” Dorothy plays the mother to both and she is passionately loyal and loving.

Carter is a typical rich, spoiled, no- worries -in –the- world playboy. He is very successful in his career but he is also very selfish and self-absorbed. Laurens sole purpose is to bring him to visit his aunt Dorothy before she passes away. Unbeknownst to Carter she has cancer and doesn’t have much time left. I had a hard time warming up to Carter but it became part of his charm! Livesay held true to her hero also! I loved that he didn’t magically change overnight and I also loved his relationship with his aunt and eventually the real relationship he developed for Lauren.

Aside from these wonderful characters, the author also makes the hero and heroine so enjoyable! They had great chemistry and fun banter. She also adds some villains to the mix as Carter has to re-evaluate his goals and priorities and think of the people he loves first. Livesay has been added to my to-read list! I really enjoyed her writing and can’t wait to read more by her!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |