ARC Review: His Alone by Alexa Riley

I don't know what happened here but I was really really bored with this book and somewhat confused by it. This is part 2 in a series and it's supposed to be a standalone but maybe it's not because I just could not pick up the thread on the plot. I felt like maybe if I had read part 1 I would have been able to get into this one but after reading this there is zero chance I would go back and read part 1.

Paige is on some mission to get back at her Father for killing her Mother at some point in the past. She's been plotting this grand revenge for years only she has no actual plan. When she's confronted with her Father, the whole thing turns into a big nothing burger. Paige is upset at herself but she doesn't do anything about it but keep her "plotting." As for Ryan, he comes into Paige's life as a result of being hired to befriend her brother. It's not entirely clear, in the beginning, what Ryan is hiding but he constantly refers to some dark secret that keeps him from acting on his attraction to Paige.

Paige knows Ryan wants her and she wants him too. Paige also knows that Ryan won't act on his feelings but she thinks its because he is her boss. And I don't know blah blah blah. Honestly, the book wasn't that long and it took me forever to finish it because I just kept losing focus. The drama in this book felt completely ridiculous and manufactured. I resented being made to wait forever for my freaky fill up and then when it got there I was deflated because I just didn't care anymore. I thought Ryan's reasons for staying away from Paige were way over hyped as was Paige's "darkness." Alexa Riley is usually good for some quick fun dirty but this time around it just didn't work.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Everything for Her by Alexa Riley

Everything for Her is the first full length novel from the writing duo of Alexa Riley. I was excited to see what they would do with this one since it was so much longer than what they typically write. It has everything that fans have come to love and expect when picking up an Alexa Riley story, yet it also had more depth than what their stories usually allow for. While I had mixed feelings about this one overall, there was a lot to like here and I did enjoy it like everything I have read from Alexa Riley. 

Mallory Sullivan has worked hard to put her life on the right track, and she is about ready to take the next step. Having just graduated at the top of her class, she has landed one of the most coveted internships in the country. But little does she know that there has been someone behind the scenes pulling the strings to make sure she ended up on the path he wanted her to...the path though would put her right where he wanted her. But what will happen when Mallory finds out that Oz has been behind everything and that her life wasn't fate after all, but his carefully constructed plan?

I liked these two. Fans of Alexa Riley know that they are experts at writing super sexy insta-love stories with over the top alphas, and this book had all that and more. Oz was definitely an alpha, but I will admit that at times he was a bit controlling and obsessive (bordering on creepy at times if I am honest!) even for an Alexa Riley hero. But I did like him and felt like the chemistry was really strong here, with these two being super hot together. 

I did feel like there was more depth here than a typical Alexa Riley story, but I found the plot a bit lacking. There were some things that didn't work for me, and seemed to be out there even for Alexa Riley. I still love their stories though, and when I am looking for something with a ton of steam that I can just lose myself in, I always pick up one of their stories. This definitely won't be the last I read from them, but it wasn't my favorite either.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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

ARC Review: Paid For by Alexa Riley

I have read several of these short Alexa Riley books. The one thing I can tell you is that you get what the author promises. The books are quick, dirty and full of bossy alpha men. The books, including this one, also tend to follow popular romance tropes. This book is from the timeless Cinderella tradition.

Kennedy plays the role of the heroine who has run into desperate financial times. She has a sick relative who she is trying to take care of and she is just about out of cash. Mason is a difficult rich CEO who can't find a good administrative assistant. Mason's business partner decides to help Mason find an assistant but also to help him get laid. I'm all for inappropriate office romance but I was sort of confused by what happens next. Kennedy applies to be an administrative assistant but Mason thinks she is paid to do...other stuff too. Mason makes it clear that's what he thinks and Kennedy goes with it.  Kennedy immediately moves into Mason's house and becomes his full-time toy, for lack of a better term.

I understood why Mason was confused about Kennedy's role but I did not understand Kennedy just agreeing to be a prostitute when she signed up to be a secretary. Also, and some other people may not have even noticed this, Mason still needed an assistant. While he was playing around with Kennedy who was keeping his schedule and typing stuff? This may seem like a minor issue but the cast the entire storyline in a really ridiculous light. I think I could have gotten over all of the things about this book that don't don't really make sense, which by the way, is everything. These books are good for me because sometimes I'm not in the mood for all the extra story stuff. I just want the quick dirty bossy alpha man and hot sex. But what I couldn't get past in this book was the sort of creepy undertone. Kennedy and Mason have some weird daddy daughter vibe going on. At a certain point, I felt like I was reading one of those taboo stories on the literotica website. I found the epilogue to be particularly disturbing given the fact that Kennedy is like 20 years old in this book and only five years elapsed between the beginning and the epilogue. If you read what happens in that 5 years it's just really flipping weird.

By the time I finished this book, I was more skeeved out than anything. I think maybe the promised over-the-top nature of the writing did too much to live up to its description. This just wasn't the short story for me.

**ARC provided by Ardent PRose**

Purchase: | Amazon |

ARC Review: Holding His Forever by Alexa Riley

Ok, I'm on a bad, overly intense, too quickly attached, alpha male romance kick and it continued in Holding His Forever. This is another installment in Rileys quick and dirty series exploring all of our favorite romance tropes with a side of steam.

This book is of the damsel in distress variety. Fia plays the part of the damsel. Fia is a great person but she has a rough background. Fia is finacially strapped and working 2 jobs. It's clear from the beginning that the owner of the dive where she is a waitress has an unhealthy obsession with Fia but she needs the cash so she puts up with his harassment. Derek is a fire fighter who has endured some serious trauma and lives a pretty solitary life.

Derek and Fia meet when Fias apartment building catches on fire and Derek's squad rescues her. From the second Derek sees Fia, the romance is a done deal. And ok, this is where we have to pause for a word from our sponsor, me. I understand and am ok with insta-attraction. When two people know they want each other in a sexual way right away, I can file that. Where I have an issue is with the kind of thing that happens in this book. It is hard for me to understand instant soulmate. Derek didn't just want to bang Fia's brains out the minute he saw her, he was in super intense, absolutely can't live without you obsessed love with Fia.

It's kind of awkward when you are reading the thoughts of a bossy alpha male and they are all about how he will absolutely die without a chick he met 2 min ago. It's just weird. And Fia's response is weird too. She goes home with a total stranger and sleeps butt naked in his house while he's in another room. I know it's fiction but COME ON. At the same time, when Fia decides to leave Derek's house with no money or...clothes, that also made no sense. To help you get a clue how instant the intensity in this book is, Derek didn't even want to work after he met Fia. He just wanted to be with her. It was A LOT.

These books are meant to be kind of exaggerated and fast, that's what you're signing up for. So, maybe everything in this review is what you want. For me, it was ok, but I need a little more rational build up.

**ARC provided by Ardent PRose**

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ARC Review: Blackmailing the Virgin by Alexa Riley

This book is labeled as a really quick taste of one of our favorite romance tropes. There's a virgin, a super bossy/jealous alpha billionaire and a forced marriage. Those are three things that will get my attention anytime they are in one book. I have to say, I don't know if it's possible to write a 4 or 5 star romance that takes place in less than a hundred pages but I still think this short story was plenty of fun.

There isn't much to tell. If you know what the themes are, you pretty much know what this book is about. Calder meets Felicity and he wants her right away. Felicity is shy but wants Calder right back and welcomes him into her bed despite her total lack of sexual experience. From there things move pretty quickly. And frankly, for a reader like me, it was just too quick. I like to feel things actually develop between the main character and you just couldn't do that in this book. One minute the couple is meeting, the next they are married and not a lot really happens in between. You don't get a good sense of who either character is or why they are so drawn to each other. Also, because things develop so fast, the characters seem kind of emotionally unstable. The intensity of Calder's feelings after seeing Felicity twice was just a lot to comprehend.

My suggestion for readers is to read a book like this on a short road trip to kill time. It's not a bad book but it's also not one that you are going to remember for long or that will keep your attention if you are facing anything other than open road. If you like the themes in the book like I do, I think you will find this book worthwhile. If you are not a instalove, instaromance, instaeverything type reader, I would skip this one.

**ARC provided by Ardent PRose**

Purchase: | Amazon |

ARC Review: Mr. and Mrs. by Alexa Riley

This is my first Alexa Riley book. It's more romance than the erotic stuff that I really like but it's honestly fun and super easy to read. This is a new AR series that focuses on the romance themes that I love and based on this book, I will definitely be back for more.

Mr and Mrs is the first installment in the new series. This is the Phillip and Molly Tanner story. I'm not normally a fan of already married couple books but this one had an interesting twist with the whole amnesia thing so I gave it a try. Phillip and Molly love each other but based on some questionable feeling hiding start to feel distance after one year. Things get interesting when Molly has an accident that leaves her with amnesia and Phillip starts woeing (I like that word...is that a word??) his wife back.

I like this book for some very basic reasons that you probably see in a lot of my reviews: insta-love, steamy sex and a bossy alpha male. My less than 4 or 5 star rating is because I had a difficult time getting into the actual relationship between the characters. I felt more like a story was being told to me than like I was experiencing a story. That might be because this book is super short, I'm not sure. I just know I wanted to be more invested in the main characters.

This wasn't a long book so this is not a long review. All in all, I think this quick hot read is worth a try.

**ARC provided by Ardent PRose**

Purchase: | Amazon |

ARC Review: Taking the Fall Bundle by Alexa Riley

Taking the Fall was released as a serial by Alexa Riley. The first three parts center around Layla and Carter with part four featuring their friends Jeanette and Saint. The Taking the Fall bundle contains the entire series as well as a bonus of letters that Carter wrote Cherry while in prison. 

Taking the Fall: Vol 1 

Taking the Fall is a four part serial by Alexa Riley. Though each part does end with a cliffhanger, the reader knows that Carter and Layla are going to be together going in. I have to say that is what convinced me to read this one. While I have really liked everything I have read by Alexa Riley, I am over serials. They frustrate me and I tend to lose track of release dates and then completely forget the story by the time that the next part comes out. But with this one, I knew that I was going to feel better going in and that is what made me want to read it.  

Layla O'Leary has tried for years to remember what happened one night. When she goes to the one man that could answer everything, he turns her away. She vows to never return and that everyone from her past life will never hear from her again. Four years later, she lives somewhere else and has a new identity. But Carter has waited eight years to finally claim her, and he will do whatever it takes to show her that she is his.  

I really liked Carter. I felt bad for him seeing how much he wanted Layla and yet there were so many obstacles standing in his way. He was sexy and alpha, and I loved how possessive he was of Layla. She was his, and he would make sure that everyone knew it. But he also had a lot that he wasn't telling her, and I felt like things would have been so much easier if he would have just filled her in on some and talked to her. Layla was strong and determined, yet she could never fully move on and forget Carter. I felt bad for her as well, and I don't know what I would have done had I been in her situation. It was clear that they both had feelings for one another, but I really just wanted them to talk to one another and have better communication between them. I didn't see why Carter didn't talk to her about what he had to do, even if he couldn't give her any details. He should have been able to at least let her know what was ahead of them. The one thing that was never a problem though was how hot these two were together! They were perfect for one another when it came to their desires and they just clicked on that level. 

Overall, this was a good first installment. I like these two together and they were definitely on the same page when it came to the steamy stuff. I will be interested to see what happens next after where we left off in this part. Alexa Riley always brings the heat with her stories, and she writes some of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read. Though I love her stories, I always feel like I want more. Luckily this time, it feels like we are definitely going to get that since there are four parts instead of just one. If you are looking for something short and sexy, I definitely recommend giving any of her stories a try. Carter and Layla's story is one that I enjoyed so far, and I cannot wait to get more of.

Purchase Vol 1: | Amazon | 

Taking the Fall: Vol 2 

Taking the Fall Vol. 2 picks up where the first installment left off. These need to be read in order, so make sure you have read Vol 1 before starting this part. Carter has claimed Layla, but he left her behind in order to finish his business. As he goes about setting things up so that he can protect and keep her, old demons begin to resurface. Carter returns to Layla to keep her safe and finds things more complicated than ever. Can he keep her safe while also taking care of making sure that they never have to look over their shoulders again?  

In this installment we get more of Carter's background and find out what put him in the position he was in to have been sent to prison. It was good to get more of him, and I think it helped the reader and Layla to understand more about what makes Carter the way he is. He would do absolutely anything for his Cherry, but he was so worried that once she knew everything that she would run from him. I liked that Layla was so supportive though, and she showed him that what they had was worth fighting for. She wasn't afraid of what she found out, but was afraid for Carter. She loved him just as fiercely as he loved her, and she was ready to fight right along side him. Carter and Cherry have so much chemistry, but I really liked seeing their connection continue to strengthen in this part of their story. They really opened up to one another, and it was good to see them being honest and laying everything out on the table.  

Overall, another great one from Alexa Riley. I am really enjoying this story, and I can't wait to find out what happens next. With the way things were left in this part, I need to know how things will play out. Alexa Riley continued to bring the heat, and I am convinced that she writes some of the hottest scenes ever. If you are looking for something straight up sexy, you have to give her books a shot! I am looking forward to the next installment to see the conclusion of Carter and Layla's story, but I also can't wait to get more of Saint and Jeanette.

Purchase Vol 2: | Amazon | 

Taking the Fall: Vol 3 

Volume 3 is the final installment of Carter and Layla's story, picking up right where volume 2's cliffhanger left off. Things are more at risk than ever for these two as Carter tries to protect Layla and finally get his vengeance. But will Carter be able to keep Layla out of danger and protect the family he is building, or will he wind up losing everything?

I really enjoyed seeing these two in this installment. They have come so far since the beginning of this series, and I really liked them together. They love one another and aren't afraid to admit or how much they need each other. It was great to see a softer side to Carter here, along with his normal sexy alpha personality. I was glad that he was so protective of Layla, and I really loved how much he took care of her. Layla had come a long way as well, and I was glad that she was able to really embrace the family that she was building and chose and leave her past behind. 

Overall, this was a great ending for Carter and Layla. These two were hotter than ever, but they also had an undeniable love that was surprisingly sweet. I love that they never lost their edge though, and they really had it all with each other. I also loved that Alexa Riley gave us more of Saint and Jeanette as we head into volume 4 which centers around them. I am interested to see more of them as the focus shifts to their story. 

Purchase Vol 3: | Amazon | 

Falling In: Vol 4 

In Volume 4, Falling In, Alexa Riley gives us more of Saint and Jeanette. Jeanette thought that they had randomly met, but then found out that it was all a lie. Saint had been working to keep eyes on Layla for Carter. But Saint wasn't willing to give up on Jeanette, and he would do whatever it took to make sure that she was his forever. 

I had really liked these two throughout the previous three installments, so I couldn't wait to get more of them. While I did like seeing Jeanette and Saint as the focus for a change, I felt like it was so brief they didn't really get all that they deserved. Saint and Jeanette were super hot, and they might have even been sexier than Layla and Carter. But I really wanted to see more of these two together and I felt like this was kind of like a highlights reel for them. I wanted to dig a bit more into their pasts to see what made them the people they were. I also felt like though we saw them together physically, we really missed the build up when it came to their emotional connection. 

It was good to see them together and happy though, and it was easy to see that these two belonged together. Saint was so great for Jeanette, and I loved how devoted he was to her. He would do absolutely anything for her and that made me love him so much more. I wanted more of these two and I think that there was so much more that Alexa Riley could have done with their story. It was nice to see them over the course of the previous three installments, but I really did think that we could have been given more here. There were some huge jumps in time at the end of this one that could have been expanded upon, but it was good to see how things worked out for these two. I would have loved to have seen more of them with their kids though, and how they settled into life after everything that happened.

Purchase Vol 4: | Amazon | 

Overall 

Overall this serial was good, and I liked all the characters. They were all put in tough positions, but what made them strong was by leaning on those around them. Carter and Layla were a great couple, but so were Jeanette and Saint. I have to say I am very intrigued by the relationship between their children Tony and Mary, and I would love to read their story! I also really loved seeing the letters from Carter to Cherry, and I would have loved to see her read them as well. Carter really poured his heart out in a way that wasn't typical for him, and it was good to see a bit of him beneath the surface. Alexa Riley is great for giving short and sexy stories that will leave you hot and bothered, and the Taking the Fall Bundle does just that. I look forward to more steamy stories from Alexa Riley in the future.

**ARC Provided by Flirty Subs PR**

Purchase Bundle: | Amazon |