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Saturday, July 9, 2016

ARC Review: Wicked Ride by Sawyer Bennett


I'm sort of at a loss about how I want to rate this book. This is my third of the four books in the series. Just so you know, you don't have to read the books in order and you don't have to read any of the previous books to read this one. In general, I have really enjoyed this super erotic series and the characters we've been introduced to.

We first meet the main characters in this book, Logan and Auralie, in the last book. Auralie is a virgin who is being auctioned off at the sex club where Logan is a fantasy maker. If you have not read any of the other books in the series, a fantasy maker is a borderline prostitute but then not really? It's a little complicated. The memberships to the silo are extremely expensive and exclusive. Logan chooses his work as a fantasy maker because it allows him to be a member of the club and also to do all the super freaky things that he feels a constant need to do. The memberships to the silo are extremely expensive and exclusive. Logan chooses his work as a fantasy maker because it allows him to be a member of the club and also to do all the super freaky things that he feels a constant need to do. Because of issues and his past that keep Logan awake at night, he basically uses sex as a drug to numb the pain.

Auralie's backstory is even more complicated. Without spoiling anything, I can tell you that there are some questions about whether she wants to be in a position to auction off her virginity. We find out pretty early on, that she hates the situation that she is in but is doing it voluntarily because of something going on with her family. Her sponsor at the club, the man who is auctioning her off, parades her around and makes her perform sexual acts, short of sex, with men at the club as a way to increase her value. It is a little strange. It is even stranger that Logan's initial fascination with Auralie develops as a result of watching her in the club with other men.

Ok, so while I do this review, I'm starting to understand some of my own ambivalence about this book. I think the issue for me is that I had a really hard time understanding the connection between the main characters. It is difficult for a reader like me to get into a story about characters who spend a lot of time banging other people. Or in Auralie's case, doing everything but banging them. Even though there is a lot of instant chemistry between these two, I just wasn't really into them as a couple.

As with all the books in this series, the erotic content is 5 enthusiastic stars and the story is pretty good. For me this is going to be 3 stars but it might be 4 or higher for you readers who like to spread the love.

**ARC provided by Author**

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ARC Review: Addicted by Elle Kennedy


Addicted is the second book in the Outlaws series by Elle Kennedy. I hadn't read Claimed (the first book in the series) before starting Addicted and I didn't have any problems understanding this one. This book intrigued me right from the start with this unique world and interesting characters. There was a lot to like here and I didn't want to put it down. Yet there were also some things that I had mixed feelings on, and some of them didn't work for me at all. 

In the Outlaws series, the characters live in a post-apocalyptic world where the US has been divided into territories and different factions fight for control. Several groups of the outlaws band together to keep each other as safe as possible and share supplies as well as fight the enforcers and bandits. Jamie and her best friend Lennox were forced to leave their home behind after an attack, and have joined together with Connor Mackenzie's group of outlaws. When he asks them to go on a trip to another outlaw camp to help train soldiers for an upcoming war, Jamie and Lennox head out with Rylan, Pike and Kade. Though Connor doubts the outlaw leader Reese's intentions, he knows that they need to go to try and get answers about what is really happening. But while gone, Jamie and Lennox find themselves unable to fight the feelings that they have always felt for one another yet never explored. 

I liked Lennox and Jamie a lot. Lennox was super hot and a really great guy. He was everything you could want in a hero and more. Jamie was great as well and I loved them together. They had so much history and friendship and they had always been super close. Though they had each felt more for one another, they had never acted on it and I found that really interesting. You could tell that things were building and it was bound to explode. 

The one thing I will say though is that readers should be aware that there is a lot of sex in this book. Everyone sleeps with everyone, and no one has any problems with that. You will find just about every combination here, including M/F, M/M, and M/F/M. If any of that bothers you, you might want to steer clear of this series. Also if you have issues with the hero and heroine being with other people, you also might want to steer clear of this series as I am not exaggerating when I say that these people sleep around more than I have ever seen in a series before and it is no big deal to any of them. At times that attitude and practice bothered me, as I just didn't understand why they were all so okay with it. Later on they mention being jealous of them with other people, but at the time they had no issue with it and watched each other with other people often.

Overall, I found this world to be complex and interesting and I truly loved how different and unique this series is. But there were times that things did get a but slow and boring and I think that was in part due to how big this cast of characters is. Don't get me wrong I am interested in continuing and seeing where things go, but I wish that at times there wasn't quite so much going on. I also felt like at times there was just too much sex. Elle Kennedy is fantastic at writing scorching hot stories and I love a good sex scene as much as the next girl. But there were times it just felt like that was all that was going on. I will definitely read the next in the series and I can't wait to go back and read the first book as well. But readers should be aware of some of the things I mentioned before reading to decide if this series is right for them. If you are not bothered by multiple partners, tons of sex and combinations of sex and like a good post apocalyptic world, then I would definitely recommend giving this series a shot.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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





Feature and Giveaway: No One But You by Leigh Greenwood


First Comes Marriage…

Alone in the world and struggling to make ends meet, Texas war widow Sarah Winborne will do anything to keep her two small children safe and her hard-won ranch from going under. She hasn’t fought for so long to lose everything… and if that means marrying a stranger to protect her family’s future, then so be it.

She never expected anything but a business arrangement, but something about Benton Wheeler’s broad shoulders and kind eyes awakens emotions she’d long since buried. He makes her feel beautiful. He makes her feel desired. He makes her feel like a woman again. And even though their marriage was never intended to be more than a matter of convenience, as Benton stands between her small family and the wild and dangerous West, Sarah may just realize that the cowboy she married is the love she never dreamed she would find…

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

Friday, July 8, 2016

ARC Review: Reason to Believe by Gina Gordon


This book was a completely unexpected treat for me. I don't know how this book came to be in my collection. I don't think that if I had seen a synopsis of a book that included a former escort and a former pornstar it would have been one that I would have jumped to pick. However I got it, I am so happy that I did and I will definitely be back for more from this author and hopefully more and this series.

Grace and Ben are the main characters in this book and they have the most sordid sexual history of any characters I have recently read about. Grace was an escort to pay her way through college and to help her parents out a financial crisis. She has slept with only the Lord knows how many men. Ben was a porn star whose body count included more bodies than you might find in a cemetery. Grace and Ben get to know each other because their best friends hook up with one another in a previous book which I totally plan to read. When this book starts Grace and Ben have already had one smoking hot night together that neither of them can forget but both are trying to forget.

Grace and Ben each individually decide that they are not for each other and that the other is not for them. Grace wants a prince charming to sweep her off her feet and not a guy who has had his you know what in more holes then you can find at a Dunkin Donuts. Ben thinks that Grace is an expert at telling men what they want to hear and therefore she can never be trusted. The really compelling thing about this book was the amount of personal agony that both Grace and Ben put themselves through because of their inability to just let go of the past and accept what was happening in the present. Both Grace and Ben are simultaneously running away from what they think of as their prior bad acts but also running away from each other. I loved reading about how these two characters came to terms with the fact that the things that we do don't make us who we are. I also love how as the characters begin to see each other in a different way they start to see themselves in a different way. This is a book in which you actually get to see love grow and heal and it really is a delightful experience.

Of course, it does not hurt that the chemistry between Grace and Ben was absolutely off the charts. We are talking smoking hot lust / attraction. No matter how much Grace and Ben denied their emotions, there is no denying their physical response to one another. One thing that I really loved about their chemistry was that Grace was willing to lay it all out on the line to get what she wanted. Grace knew that Ben had issues connected to his past and she realized how those issues would affect his perception of her. Despite her realization of those issues, Grace was still able to open herself up physically and emotionally to what was possible with Ben. I wound up really loving Grace as a character. Totally not something I ever thought I'd say about an escort character. Ben also is so sweet in his insecurities and uncertainties about himself. Ben is convinced that because he doesn't have traditional knowledge and education, he is somehow less than the people around him. I love seeing Grace build him up and seeing him come into his own and appreciate how significant his real-life experience was in the industry that he worked in.

There are some pretty heartbreaking things that happen in this book and there are some times when the characters may frustrate you. However all in all this is a really great contemporary romance with some smoking hot erotic sex and two characters that you will not soon forget. I am putting this book on my list of highly recommended reads.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Hard to Serve by Laura Kaye



To protect and serve is all Detective Kyler Vance ever wanted to do, so when Internal Affairs investigates him as part of the new police commissioner’s bid to oust corruption, everything is on the line. Which makes meeting a smart, gorgeous submissive at an exclusive play club the perfect distraction…

The director of the city’s hottest art gallery, Mia Breslin’s career is golden. Now if only she could find a man to dominate her nights and set her body—and her heart—on fire. When a scorching scene with a hard-bodied, brooding Dom at Blasphemy promises just that, Mia is lured to serve Kyler again and again.

As their relationship burns hotter, Kyler runs into Mia at work and learns that he’s been dominating the daughter of the hard-ass boss who has it in for him. Now Kyler must choose between life-long duty and forbidden desire before Mia finds another who’s not so hard to serve.

Purchase: | Amazon |

ARC Review: Hitched: Volume 1 by Kendall Ryan


I couldn't wait to dive into this one! The blurb sounded amazing and I really enjoy Kendall Ryan's books. This is the first installment in the Imperfect Love series, and it does end with a cliffhanger. After reading this first volume of Hitched, I can't wait for more! 

Noah and Olivia grew up together and their parents have practically been planning their life together since they were born. But after Noah's father dies and Olivia's father announces his retirement, they realize that in order to take over the company their fathers built they will need to marry one another. But Olivia hates Noah, and he knows that it will take everything he has to convince her to give them a chance and save the company. If that wasn't bad enough, they soon discover that they will have to produce an heir as well.  

 really enjoyed this first installment. It was sexy and sweet, and I am loving the chemistry between Noah and Olivia! These two have so much attraction between them, and it is clear that they are definitely starting to build something together. They have more in common than they first realized, and I loved seeing Noah pursue Olivia. There were some really great moments between them, and I was so glad that these two were able to start connecting on an emotional level as well here.

Overall, a great first installment and after that ending I need to know what happens next! I am really looking forward to seeing the next installment in Olivia and Noah's story and I enjoyed Hitched: Volume 1 a lot. This is shaping up to be one of my favorites from Kendall Ryan, and I am anxious to get my hands on Hitched: Volume 2. Even though cliffhangers aren't my favorite thing in the world, this one was definitely worth the read and I think that it is worth checking out! If you are a fan of Kendall Ryan's, this is everything that I have come to love from her and I think you will really enjoy it. If you are new to Kendall Ryan, this is a great story to start with and it really highlights what a talented writer she is. I highly recommend this sexy story and will be on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens next.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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





Thursday, July 7, 2016

ARC Review: The Summer Bride by Anne Gracie


A heart-stopping conclusion to the Chance Sisters series! I read The Spring Bride and fell in love with Anne Gracie's writing. I then quickly read The Autumn Bride and The Winter Bride and found myself impatiently awaiting this gem, The Summer Bride. I'm so very glad it did not disappoint!

Born a foundling with no knowledge of her parents, Daisy Chance had a hard childhood. She worked in a brothel as a cleaning girl, and she was instrumental to the escape of not only herself but two other girls there. They met up with another older sister and through amazing circumstances found themselves the adopted nieces of Lady Beatrice. With her prospects looking upwards, Daisy has allowed herself to try for her dreams and ambitions of becoming the most sought after modiste in London.

Patrick Flynn is a recent acquaintance of Daisy in that he is partnered with her brother-in-law at his trading company. He is a hardworking Irishman who built his business up from the ground and is now very wealthy. He seeks a marriage into the aristocracy. Daisy has made many clothing items for him, but Flynn starts noticing she is overworking herself. So he seeks to give her a little business advice.

Of course this bristles up dear Daisy hitting her pride. However, this couple is the perfect match, and they both have a lot of soul searching to find out not just what they really want but what they really need. Daisy is every bit the strong and independent woman that today's readers will love, and Flynn is so very charming and genuine. We don't see a whole lot of cameos from the previous books' protagonists which was a little disappointing, but of course that doesn't take away from this story.

I absolutely adored this entire quartet and I highly recommend to all lovers of historical romance! I suggest starting with The Autumn Bride to fully appreciate the trials these girls went through but it isn't completely necessary. As I said before I read them a bit out of order myself. Anne Gracie does such a lovely job. I'm excited to see what she may have in store for us in the future, and until then I will be catching up on her earlier works.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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


ARC Review: Moonshot by Alessandra Torre


I am a huge fan of Alessandra Torre's! I have really enjoyed everything that I have read from her, and Moonshot was no different. One of the things that I love most about her books is that I never know what to expect except that I will enjoy the story, but she always keeps me on my toes and has me guessing the whole way through. Moonshot is honestly hard to describe without giving anything away, so let me just say that this is one that definitely just needs to be experienced. Don't go out looking for spoilers, trust me when I tell you to just dive in and enjoy!

Tyler Rollins grew up around baseball with her father being a legend with the Yankees. Her focus was always on the game, with her future fully set to join the organization that she loved. But then Chase arrived and he became a distraction. Not only did he love to play on the field, but off the field as well and Tyler knew that she needed to stay away from him. But the pull between them was too strong, and Chase and Tyler found themselves unable to fight what was between them. Then everything changed in an instant and soon the team was losing and girls started dying. 

I liked Tyler a lot. I loved that she was a strong heroine that wasn't afraid to be herself and go after what she wanted. She was a truly unique heroine, and as a huge sports fan myself, it is always great to see a girl that genuinely loves sports and doesn't just put up that appearance to win over a guy. Tyler truly loved baseball and the Yankees, and she was so passionate about them. Chase was sexy and impossible not to fall for, and he definitely had some of that bad boy appeal. But it was also great to see him change and evolve over the course of this book, and there was so much more to him than first appearances. Tyler and Chase both really grew and changed as this story progressed, and I found it so interesting to see where they had been and where they were headed. The chemistry between them was off the charts, and they had a great connection. But they also had a lot of obstacles thrown their way and they didn't always make the best decisions. 

While I really liked these characters and the story overall, I will say that there was one thing that I wasn't 100% okay with. I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil anything, but I wasn't entirely on board with some of the things that happened, but I did like how things played out. One thing I can say about Alessandra Torre's books is that she will keep you on the edge of your seat, and you will never know exactly what is going to happen next. Things are far from easy, and yet her stories always feel so real and genuine. While they are sometimes tough and emotional, I have learned that Alessandra Torre always does the characters justice and that I just need to have faith in her to get the characters where they need to go. That was definitely the case here, so while I did struggle a bit with part of the story and some things that were happening, in the end it was all worth it. I definitely recommend Moonshot, it was sexy and suspenseful, and at it's heart a story about love. I couldn't put it down and was absolutely captivated from the very first page. I really can't wait to see what she writes next, and I know that whatever it is, I will definitely be reading it. If you are new to Alessandra Torre, you are definitely missing out and need to check out her books. If you are already a fan, Moonshot is a must read and you definitely won't be disappointed!

**ARC Provided by The Next Step PR**

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





Guest Post with Author Christina Saunders


Meet Christina Saunders author of Bad Bitch.

Christina Saunders is an Alabama girl who loves to tell stories that are always hot and sometimes dark. In addition to being an unrepentant book hoarder, she has a particular affinity for dirty jokes and foul mouths. She lives with her husband and two sassy daughters, who put up with her antics and outlandish writing habits. She's also indie-pubbed under the pseudonym Celia Aaron.

Feature and Giveaway: A Gentleman Never Tells by Eloisa James


Eighteen months ago, Lizzie Troutt’s husband died in his mistress’s bed, leaving her determined to never marry again….and unfortunately virginal.

Eighteen years ago (give or take a few) the Honorable Oliver Berwick blackened his own soul, leaving him hardened and resolutely single.

When the chance for redemption in the form of a country house party invitation comes his way, Oliver is determined to prove himself a gentleman.

Until he breaks all the codes of gentlemanly behavior…once again.

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

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

ARC Review: Chaos Bound by Sarah Castille


Chaos Bound is my first book by Castille and my first book in the Sinners Tribe MC series. This is book number four and I'm fixin to gobble up books 1-3 because I already love this series after one book. I'm an MC (motorcycle club) romance fan but there are A LOT of books in this genre and many of them just aren't right. This book, however, was everything I love about MC romance and gave me the things I love about romance books in general.

This book starts out with a bang and keeps a fast, interesting pace from that point forward. Both Naiya and Holt find themselves at the mercy of the evil Black Jacks MC facing a miserable existence with limited options. Both need to get back to the Sinners for very different reasons. Holt has a vendetta and Naiya has the hope that the Sinners can help her. Naiya and Holt are able to help each other and basically become inseparable after that. I absolutely love Naiya and Holt as characters. Naiya is smart, resilliant and a little bit snarky. Holt is an intense alpha male who dominates every situation and believes in protecting his woman.

The thing that was really interesting about this book to me is the way that Holt has changed and is adjusting to his new role in life. I was really into Holt's journey and his feelings about his brothers who he thought betrayed him. I loved that Naiya wanted the best for him and was able to see the situation with clear eyes and help him to reconnect with his family. Naiya kept telling herself that MC men were exactly what she did not need in her life and based on her history, that was a pretty logical position to take. But Naiya couldn't resist Holt and I love a story about irresistible attraction.

There is a lot going on in this book in terms of action. Naiya and Holt are being chased. Holt is doing some chasing of his own. The DEA gets in on the action. There is a very questionable news reporter tangled up in the mix and then there is an entire MC struggling to reclaim their lost brother. There was absolutely no shortage of entertainment and romance. My only one criticism of this book is that at the end too many things happen too fast and I was having a hard time putting it all together. I just felt like the author got to a certain page, remembered she had somewhere she needed to be and decided to just wrap it up. This did not take away from my overall rating because I still felt like I got a lot of book for my buck. So for all you MC and action romance fans, this book is for you. I think you will really enjoy it.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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


ARC Review: 26 Kisses by Anna Michels


I am going to be really honest here and say that this book just didn't work for me. When I first read the blurb for 26 Kisses by Anna Michels, I was expecting something cute, light-hearted and funny. It sounded like an adorable summer read, and I was really looking forward to it. But honestly this book just drove me nuts, and I am beginning to wonder if maybe I am just getting old enough that these YA stories aren't working for me anymore. 

26 Kisses starts off with Veda's boyfriend dumping her. She is left heartbroken and humiliated, when her best friend comes up with a challenge for her to kiss 26 different guys, one for each letter of the alphabet. But just as Veda starts making her way through the list and thinking she has things figured out, she meets a guy who changes everything. She knows that after just breaking up with Mark that she isn't ready for a relationship, but can she allow herself to open up to the possibility that she can take a chance again at love? 

Part of my problem here was Veda. She was such a doormat, letting pretty much everyone in her life bulldoze right over her. She was weak, and I couldn't connect with her at all. She wasn't that into the challenge and seemed to have to force herself through it half the time. Then she meets Killian and continues to go along with the challenge, even when she knows it doesn't feel right. I know they weren't together officially, but it just left me with an icky feeling how they were developing feelings for one another and yet she went out and kissed someone else. The characters felt very immature, often acting childish and petty. I just grew more annoyed as the story continued and honestly I was just over it by the time I finished.

If I wasn't already having enough problems with the characters and their actions, the ending of this one pretty much ruined it for me. There was a ton of drama and it got to be over the top and ridiculous. Once that was all resolved, things were barely wrapped up and it just felt like it was rushed and someone thrown together. I wanted a couple more chapters or an epilogue or something, because there really wasn't a satisfying ending here and I ended up feeling like I wasted a bunch of time for no reason. Overall, this isn't a book that I would recommend but if you think it might be one you would like it might be worth giving a shot. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean you wont, but honestly I think that there are far better YA reads out there that are more worth of your time and money than this one was.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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