Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Pilots Hockey: Book 4) by Sophia Henry

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: A Pilots Hockey Novel by [Henry, Sophia]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 18th, 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Pilots Hockey

Delayed Penalty – Book 1

Power Play – Book 2

Interference – Book 3

Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Book 4

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The author of Delayed Penalty returns with the story of a free spirit who believes she’s found forever with a playboy on a singles cruise. Discover why Kelly Jamieson calls the Pilots Hockey series “fun and flirty, warm and sweet.”

Kristen Katsaros wants a life full of adventure and laughter. After a difficult childhood, her motto is to live each day like it’s her last—because it just might be. So when Kristen’s parents send her on a post-grad singles cruise in the Caribbean to meet a Greek husband, she promptly hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met. Pasha’s decidedly not Greek, but Kristen gives him a pass because he’s got fun written all over his rock-hard abs.

Pavel Gribov, the cocky playboy of the Detroit Pilots hockey team, can score any girl he wants. But when a teammate drags him on a singles cruise, he can’t resist the chance to help out a drop-dead gorgeous damsel in distress by pretending to be her boyfriend. Before long, the fake fling turns intimate, fueled by something much deeper than lust.

Kristen and Pasha both agree to walk away once the cruise is over, but reality hits like a slap shot when Kristen finds out Pasha lied about everything. Just when she’s ready to start living again, the two stubborn survivors must decide if they can bear to lose the best thing that ever happened to either of them

My review:

Do not judge this book by the blurb or the cover. Please don’t because they are misleading (even though the guy is uber hot on the cover).

I went into this book, thinking that it was going to be about a cruise ship romance that continued after the cruise. And it does but (and stress but) the story is so much more. There is an actual story in this book. It isn’t all about sex after Kristin and Pasha do the dirty, and that is what I loved about this book.

I am not one to give spoilers, at all, but to provide an honest review, I am going to have to let one slip here. So, stop reading here and skip to the end if you don’t want spoilers.

I loved Kristin’s attitude towards life and in general. She was the most upbeat, positive person that I have ever read in a book. She has Cystic Fibrosis. Her outlook on Cystic Fibrosis is positive. While she will die from it, she manages it through medications, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. She also believes that she will not find a man who will stick by her after her HS boyfriend dumped her and told her that.

The only reason she was on that cruise was to please her parents. It was a singles cruise, and the man who her parents want her to marry went on it too, which didn’t please Kristin too much. To get him off her back, she starts flirting with the first guy she crashes into which happens to be Pavel Gribov.

Oh my, let’s talk about Pavel (aka Pasha) for a minute. He is a hot mess. I mean, someone who tries to screw up his best friend’s relationship has issues, which he has. He blames himself for the deaths of his mother and abusive father. He drinks too much, has casual sex with too many ladies (manwhore alert!!) and throws himself into hockey. He was only on the ship to accompany his friend, not to meet anyone. But he meets Kristin, and his world (and hers) gets turned upside down.

He isn’t honest with her at all, which is a pretty sucky way to start any relationship. She knows this but is still surprised when she finds out WHO he is and WHAT he does for a living. Remember the best friend, well, his best friend is getting married to Kristin’s best friend. So, yeah, I can see why he wouldn’t mention it to Kristin. And when she finds out, she is beyond upset.

The sex was hot, but as I said above, the focus of this book was more on the relationship between Pasha and Kristin. While it started as instalust, it evolved into love (and not within the week…over 3-4 or so months). It was sweet, it was sad, and it was perfect.

The ending was what I thought it would be, and the epilogue made me happy for both of them. I might have to buy the next book to see if there is any mention of them.

How many stars will I give Unsportsmanlike? 4

Why? It was more than a boy meets girl/has sex/falls in love/finds her outside of the cruise. So much more and I loved it!!!

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Dream Maker (Nashville Nights: Book 2) by Erin McCarthy

Dream Maker: A Nashville Nights Novel (Nashville Nights Series Book 2) by [McCarthy, Erin]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 18th, 2016

Series: Nashville Nights

Heart Breaker – Book 1

Dream Maker – Book 2

Love Taker – Book 3 (review here)

Genre: Romance

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The bestselling author of Heart Breaker returns with another sultry Nashville Nights novel of country hits and stolen kisses, as a one-night stand turns into the beginning of an irresistible partnership.

Shane Hart loves the ladies. Like hit records, he can never have too many. Shane swore long ago never to treat a woman the way his abusive father treated his mother, but his traumatic past has kept him from making any solid commitments—even to a fiery redhead like Avery O’Leery. Shane’s happy enough to rescue her from a tight spot, but that’s as far as their connection goes—until their unforgettable liaison has him rethinking his impulse to love ’em and leave ’em.

Avery has big plans: first, shake the dust of small-town Kentucky from her boots; second, become a bona fide songwriter; and third, keep the truth hidden about her birth father from everyone in Nashville. Nowhere on that list is she supposed to land in bed with a sexy stranger who rescues her off the street at midnight, especially if that stranger is Shane Hart. Avery’s trying not to fall for the dreamy music producer who could make or break her career. But her best-laid plans seem to be no match for a love that feels like destiny.

My review:

Before I write the review, I suggest you guys look at the titles of the author’s book and tell me what song/artist she got the title’s from. I had a clue (the lyrics kept going through my head, but I was drawing a blank on the name of the artist). It wasn’t until I decided to google the lyrics in my head that I got a hit and I was impressed.

Now, let’s get on topic with this review.

I didn’t think I would like this book. It did start on a funny note. The first two sentences went like this:

Shane Hart never went out of the house with the sole intention of hooking up with women. Getting laid just happened to him.

I giggled when I read that because it set the tone of the first few chapters perfectly. I know I will have people reading what I wrote and go, “What is so funny about a guy who sleeps around. A manwhore?” I have a skewed sense of humor about stuff like that because when the manwhores do fall in love, they fall hard.

Shane is the brother/producer to country star Jolene Hart and her fiance/husband. The night he meets Avery O’Leery, who had been left on the side of the road by her cheating boyfriend, Ben. Shane decides to wait with her while she gets her purse back. The chemistry between them was electric, and I wasn’t surprised when they ended up together. I was surprised that Avery was a virgin when she slept with Shane and Shane was too. I also was surprised that she walked away from her encounter and left him a note that said, “Thanks for being decent.” Of course, he takes it the wrong way.

Fast forward three months later and Avery is doing pretty well for herself. She got her life together within weeks of breaking up with Ben. She landed her dream job as a junior songwriter for a publisher called Rusted Truck. She has fantastic roommates and is pretty happy with herself. But she keeps on thinking about her night with Shane.

She happens to meet Shane again when he stops by Rusted Truck, shopping. They (her boss and Shane) happen to hear her playing a song that she had written and wanted to run it by his sister. While there, he also fuels the rumor mill when he asks her out to dinner. He also asks her if she was pregnant in front of her friend and coworker. I was mentally shaking my head at this point. Avery could get fired because she isn’t supposed to be involved with clients in any way outside of the office.

Avery also has a huge secret that she is keeping. Not going to tell.

Shane has a secret too. His mother was beaten on an almost daily basis by his father, and if Shane got between them, he would get beaten also. He has been affected by what happened (I mean who wouldn’t be) to the point where he doesn’t ever celebrate his birthday. I felt awful for him because he was almost held hostage by what his father did, years ago, and it nearly cost him his relationship with Avery.

The end of the book was pretty explosive. A whole lot of stuff happened and was revealed. But it ended in what I consider a HEA.

How many stars will I give Dream Maker? 3.5/4

Why? A sensual romance that keeps you reading. There was a small lag in the middle of the book but the author did a great job of getting momentum up in the book.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why? Lots of hot steamy sex, some violence (which includes a fist fight in a music studio) and language.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

A Raven’s Heart (Secrets and Spies: Book 2) by K.C. Bateman

A Raven's Heart (Secrets and Spies Book 2) by [Bateman, K. C.]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 18th, 2016

Series: Secrets and Spies

To Steal a Heart – Book 1

A Raven’s Heart – Book 2

Genre: Romance

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

When a bookish codebreaker and a dashing spy are reunited in this steamy historical romance from the author of To Steal a Heart, their lives depend on their ability to resist temptation. But fate is a mistress who cannot be denied. . . .

In the war against France, Heloise Hampden is a high-value asset to the Crown. She’s cracked the enemy’s most recent communication, and for that, someone is trying to kill her. However, it’s the agent assigned to protect Heloise who poses the greatest threat to her heart: William de l’Isle, Viscount Ravenwood. Heloise has quarreled with the man they call Raven since childhood, yet always maintained a chaste distance. She’s sure nothing will change, thanks to the disfiguring scar on her face. So why is she so enchanted by the sight of Raven’s jet-black hair, rakish smile, and wicked green eyes?

Nothing has changed. Raven still wonders how Hell-cat Hampden’s lithe body would feel pressed against his, but for the mission he must remind himself that the woman takes more pleasure in ancient languages than she does in seduction. His imprisonment six years ago broke him in a way that makes the prospect of love impossible. Still, his heart beats like mad whenever he’s within ten paces of Heloise, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even if that means taking her to Spain as an unwilling hostage. Protecting her from danger will be a challenge; protecting her from desire will be pure agony.

My review:

I love to read historical romance and have been reading them since I was 14. Something about them sparked my interest and fueled my obsession with historical romances.

So saying that, when I got the email that I was accepted (through NetGalley) to read this book, I was excited. It sounded perfect. Regency Era romance plus spies, the ideal read!!

It was, for the most part.

I liked the book and am interested in reading not only the 1st book but any afterward. But, Heloise got on my nerves. Raven is trying to protect her and she is going out of her way not to follow his orders.The Altamira Caves was a huge one. Raven tells her to stay put, and she goes, with an armed escort, anyways. At that point in the book, I was sick of her headstrongness and wanted to smack her and say ,”Listen to him, you idiot.”

I did like her, though. She had a fantastic bucket list. I loved it when Raven took her diary, was reading them out loud and then rewriting them. I cracked up laughing. I also cracked up laughing at all the mentions of her fancy undergarments. Heloise surprised Raven but having such decadent things.

Raven drove me nuts too. All his inner dialogue was about Heloise. How she was perfect and how he wasn’t. How he didn’t deserve her because of what he went through when he was kidnapped. When he was abducted, thoughts of her kept him sane. How he wrote her name, her name with his last name. Put his crest of arms, her crest of arms and what he thought a combined crest of arms would be. There are more examples, but I won’t bore you guys with them. After a while, it got tedious and at one point I said out loud, “Tell her how you feel, ding-dong.”

Other than that, the book was great. Heloise and Raven had a rocky relationship at the beginning of the book that turned into a great relationship by the end. They had fantastic chemistry together. The pages sizzled with looks and Heloise’s tongue wetting her lips (that drove Raven crazy). When they ended up having sex, it was off the page hot.

The end of the book was a little bit of a surprise, and there was a lot of action. People die, people makeup, and people do things that even they didn’t think they were going to do. The epilogue was perfect!!!

How many stars will I give A Raven’s Heart? 3.5/4

Why? Great romance with steamy sex scenes but Heloise was too headstrong and Raven was stuck in the past. Once he moved past his self-doubts, the book became fantastic.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and violence

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Unlucky in Love (Whisper Creek: Book 4) by Maggie McGinnis

Unlucky in Love: A Whisper Creek Novel by [McGinnis, Maggie]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 11th, 2016

Series: Whisper Creek

Accidental Cowgirl – Book 1

A Cowboy’s Christmas Promise – Book 2

Once Upon A Cowboy – Book 3

Unlucky in Love – Book 4

Meant to Be – Book 5 (Expected publication date: January 10th, 2017)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

From the author of Once Upon a Cowboy (“Sexy, charming, and perfectly heartwarming.”—Lauren Layne) comes another sweet novel of the Whisper Creek Ranch, where sizzling Montana men melt the most stubborn hearts.

After Alexis Maguire’s wedding day comes and goes without a groom, she decides that it’s time for a change. Tired of being the dependable, steady—and apparently boring—one, Alexis hopes that a cross-country road trip will help her loosen up and find her inner sparkle. Her first stop is the Whisper Creek Ranch, where the hot wranglers are sure to bring out her inner party girl. The trouble is, she can’t stand pretending to be someone she’s not—especially around the cowboy who tempts her to stay put.

Gunnar Peterson has spent six months working at Whisper Creek, and he’s never been happier. Having grown up an army brat, he’s ready to put down roots, and the only thing missing is a woman to share his life with. When Alexis blows into town, Gunnar thinks he may have met his match, despite the wild-child facade he sees right through. But Alexis swears she won’t settle down anytime soon—so it’s up to Gunnar to convince her that what she’s looking for . . . is right here.

My review:

I know I begin a lot of my book reviews this way, but I loved this book. For me to say this about a book that is the 4th book in a series, AND I haven’t read the other three before it, it’s enormous. Like super huge because I am very picky about books in series. I am that person that has to read a series from the beginning, so I know about the other people in the book first. Usually, if I read the books out of whack, then I get out of whack. So I was happy that I could read this as a standalone.

The romance between Alexis and Gunnar was so sweet. It started as a friendship of sorts. The romance grew from there.

Alexis was a sweetheart in my eyes. She was a dependable person who was somewhat afraid to step out of her comfort zone. Her summer job at the Whisper Creek Ranch is supposed to let her explore her adventurous side. With her sister’s help, she makes up a list of what to do. That goes out the window when she meets Gunnar.

Gunnar was a cowboy with a past. Not an awful past. Up until he was 16, he traveled the country with his mother, who was following his father and his wife. Yeah, that’s screwed up. So he craves stability, which is no shocker. He is also Mr. July in the Whisper Creek Ranch calendar and website. He is also working with rescued horses and is very, very talented with that. Finding his love was the last thing on his mind, but when he saw Alexis, it was over.

For some reason, I related to Alexis. I could see us being great friends. Heck, she even had a dysfunctional family (waves hand over here, I do too).

The ending and the epilogue got me right in the feels. Let’s just say that Gunnar is incredible and is perfect for Alexis.

How many stars will I give Unlucky in Love? 5

Why? A great clean (aka no sex) romance that makes you laugh and cry at various points in the book. Put it this way, I want a Gunnar in my life!!!

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range: Teen

Why: The cleanest romance that isn’t a Christian romance that I have read in a while. No sex, a couple of kissing scenes and that’s it. Some language, a drunken night at karaoke bar complete with bad singing and some poor lobsters getting cooked….lol.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

My Seductive Highlander (Highland Hearts: Book 4) by Maeve Greyson

My Seductive Highlander: A Highland Hearts Novel by [Greyson, Maeve]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 11th, 2016

Series: Highland Hearts

My Highland Lover – Book 1

My Highland Bride – Book 2

My Tempting Highlander – Book 3

My Seductive Highlander – Book 4

Genre: Romance

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

In this scintillating novel from the author of My Tempting Highlander (“Another exciting and heartwarming time-travel romance.”—Vonnie Davis), the ladies’ man of Loch Ness meets a hot-tempered lass who sets his heart aflame.

Though part of a legacy of time-traveling sisters, Lilia Sinclair is planted firmly in twenty-first-century Edinburgh. Her granny’s matchmaking with thirteenth-century Highlanders isn’t about to lure her into the past, especially as ancient Scotland enters troubled times. After all, Lilia is blessed—or cursed—with dire prophetic visions. To protect herself, she’s put up an icy emotional wall no man could cross—until a pair of gorgeous, rippling arms breaks right through.

Graham MacTavish is pure trouble. Once the dragon bound to Loch Ness, he’s transformed into a philanderer of the first order. In fact, because of his dalliances with other men’s wives, a rival clan wants his head on a pike. Before he provokes an all-out war, Graham is banished to the twenty-first century, where he must win Lilia’s hand—or return to die. But after meeting a lass as fierce as any Highland warrior, Graham knows one thing: life with Lilia, in any century, is a fate to embrace.

Praise for Maeve Greyson’s Highland Hearts novels

“Maeve Greyson surprises and enchants. The imaginative storytelling is hard to resist in this time-traveling tale of love, betrayal, and sacrifice.”—Victoria Roberts, bestselling author of My Highland Spy, on My Highland Lover

“What a roller coaster of emotions throughout! I love, love, love the Sinclair sisters and can’t wait to read more about the twins.”—Cassidy Cayman, author of the Lost Highlander series, on My Highland Bride

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

My review:

From the first sentence, I knew I would like this book. It goes:

“Dammint, man! Did ye no’ think to learn her name afore ye decided to bed her?”

Right from that sentence, I knew this was going to be a fun book and oh boy, was it. I got so involved in reading this book that I finished it in one night.

But on a serious note, I loved that the author chose to address depression. This had to of been the most realistic portrayal of depression that I have read to date. It was refreshing to read this. Most books that I have read that portrayed a person with depression described them as emo or loony. I loved that her support system could see when she was falling into a depressive state and be there for her.

Lilia is an empath, can read auras and has a prophetic vision, which contributed to her depression. And also the fact that she was almost screwed over by her business partner. So it’s not any surprise that Vivienne and Alberti are so protective of her. She is fragile.

It didn’t surprise me that they went into overdrive when Graham and Angus showed up.

Oh Graham, such a bad boy. He got caught having relations with a rival clan chieftain’s wife and mistress in a stable. According to him, he was making up for lost time. He spent 300 years as a dragon protecting Loch Ness due to an evil witch’s curse. He was, well for lack of a better term, screwing everyone that had a skirt because he got none as a dragon. His punishment was to be put into the 21st century, find Lilia, make her fall in love with him and bond. So he isn’t teleported back. He only has a month to do this, or he goes back and gets killed by the rival chieftain. Angus had to go along because, well, he was guilty by association and Granny Sinclair had a vision, and he was in it. Poor Angus.

When Angus and Graham hit the 21st century, it there was culture shock. From the toilets to riding in the cars to going in an elevator, it was hilarious. I had tears streaming down my face during those scenes.

The relationship between Lilia and Graham was a little fast. But considering that he only had a month to bond with her, it wasn’t. He was under a deadline. And the sex was out of this world. The scene with the toy (not saying which one) was out of this world.

The end was what I expected, but the epilogue broke my heart. It was a great way to end the series, but still sad. I would love to know if there is going to be books with the kids? Because I enjoyed this book this much

How many stars will I give My Seductive Highlander? 4

Why? A fun filled romance that takes you on a wild ride between the 13th century and modern day.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, mild violence, and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Always Be True: Tino (A Sergeant Joe’s Boys Novel: Book 2) by Alexis Morgan

Always Be True: Tino: A Sergeant Joe's Boys Novel by [Morgan, Alexis]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group- Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 4th 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Sergeant Joe’s Boys

Always For You: Jack – Book 1

Always Be True: Tino – Book 2

Love, Always and Forever: Mikhail – Book 3 (expected publication date March 14th 2017)

Where to find this book: Amazon

Book Synopsis:

When Sergeant Joe and his wife, Marlene, adopted Tino Gianelli as a teenager, the foster kid began to heal from his deep insecurities. Now, with a successful military career behind him and a good job as a contractor in the family construction business, Tino shouldn’t have any reason to doubt himself. He’s fallen hard for a beautiful heiress, and she seems to be crazy about him too. So why does he keep trying to hide his working-class roots?

Natalie Kennigan’s ideal guy is someone who will consider her an equal and his best friend, not merely a box to check on the road to success. Tino—with his down-to-earth personality, generous heart, and passionate embrace—might just be the one, at least until he finds out about Natalie’s family money and starts treating her like the typical rich girl who needs to be wined and dined. Natalie will have none of it. She won’t be happy until he accepts her for who she truly is—just as she wants to love the real Tino.

My review:

I liked this book. It is refreshing to read a book where the characters don’t sleep together after first meeting each other. The author chose to take it sweet and slow with them. There was Instalust but not Instalove. Instead, the author had them do a slow burn until the end. Like I said, refreshing.

I loved Tino. He was sweet and full of insecurities about his relationship with Natalie. Instead of being himself, he tried to be something he wasn’t, which drove me bonkers.

Natalie, I liked too. She was wealthy, and her parents/grandfather were super wealthy. She didn’t flaunt it though. She was down to earth and funny. I thought she was cute when she first met Tino.

There were some storylines that were dropped. The storyline about her obsessive ex, Benton was a main one. A big deal was made out of people wanting her and Benton getting back together. Nothing was mentioned after the ball. The storyline was dropped. I was waiting for him to do something stalkerish until the end of the book.

Natalie’s bad luck with power tools were mentioned once or twice and then dropped. I thought that the author would have made it a running joke.

Natalie and Tino made a great couple. The author had them go on 3-4 dates before they had sex. I felt that they had more of a connection. I did love the pom-pom reference before the first sex scene. It made me giggle.

This is book 2 in a series. I would suggest that you read book one if you want info on Jack and his family. This is not a standalone book.

The ending was cute, and I loved the epilogue.

How many stars will I give Always Be True: Tino? 2.5/3

Why? This would be great as a beach/pool book. The plot was solid, to a point, and the characters engaging. There was a problem with one of the sub-storylines just being let go in the middle of the book, which really threw me off for the rest of the book. Also, the plot lagged and almost lost my attention.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

Why? Language, sex scenes and a pretty descriptive mugging scene

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Lured In (Fishing For Trouble: Book 2) by Laura Drewry

Lured In: A Fishing for Trouble Novel by [Drewry, Laura]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: September 27 2016

Series: Fishing for Trouble

Off the Hook – Book 1

Lured In – Book 2

Where can you find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

The O’Donnell brothers continue to cast their lines and find love in this alluring romance from the bestselling author of Off the Hook (“A must-read for fans of second-chance love stories.”—Lauren Layne).

Seasick. That’s how Jessie Todd feels when her best friend and boss, Finn O’Donnell, tells her that the Buoys will be featured on a popular fishing program—which just so happens to be hosted by a guy she used to date. She’s still friendly with her ex, but her new feelings for Finn are making things . . . complicated. His life is out on the sea, and though Jessie works at the resort, her paralyzing phobia of water keeps her on land, where she’s safe. To take a shot with Finn, she’ll need to face her fears—and her innermost desires—head-on.

Finn has been nursing a crush on Jess for a long time, so when she suddenly asks for swimming lessons, he dives right in. Holding her shaking hand as she steps into the ocean makes his heart swell—despite the sinking feeling that she’s just doing it to impress that smarmy TV host. Finn doesn’t trust anyone with his bruised and battered heart, but he’ll be forced to lay it all on the line to keep Jess from being the one that got away.

My review:

This book is more profound than what the synopsis says. The backstories (Finn and Jessie’s) were complicated and heartbreaking. Finn was the last one to see his mother before she took off. He overheard her soul breaking words “Finn was a mistake.” He was seven at the time. He took years of physical abuse from his alcoholic father. That did a number on his self-confidence and self-esteem. Jessie holds herself responsible for the drowning death of her older sister. She had to deal with parents who stopped being there for her. My heart hurt for both of them.

Jessie was awesome. She was a wonderful character to read. She faced her fear of water on top of running the Buoys. She had such positivity to her that it radiated off the page. I loved it!!

Finn was such a down to earth guy and such a great friend to Jessie. He would do anything for her. When they did make that leap into having a relationship, he waited almost a month before having sex with her. He was her friend first, lover second.

The romance between the two of them was believable. Finn and Jessie were friends who fell into love and did it in such a gradual way that it grew on me. The sex was hot but not too descriptive. The author did not feel the need to describe everything that they were doing. Which was great because I got to use my imagination.

This book is the 2nd book in the series, though, and it did read like one. There were certain sections where I was left scratching my head and going “Huh.” I believe that if I read the first book, I would understand the nuances in this book better. So not a standalone novel.

The ending was what I expected. The twist I could see coming from the middle of the book. It was an excellent lead-in for the 3rd (Ronan’s) book.

How many stars will I give Lured In? 3.5/4

Why? I would call this a beach book. The plot was good, the characters great (even though Olivia annoyed me…btw, I would love to see an LGBT romance with her) and the romance was satisfying.

Will I recommend? Yes

Will I reread? Yes

Age Range: Adult

Why? Sex and language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Anywhere You Are (Return to Briarwood: Book 3) by Elisabeth Barrett

Anywhere You Are: A Return to Briarwood Novel by [Barrett, Elisabeth]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: September 20th 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Return to Briarwood

Once and Again – Book 1

The Best of Me – Book 2

Anywhere You Are – Book 3

Where can you find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

The author of Once and Again (“Engaging, sexy, and immensely touching.”—Marina Adair) invites readers back to the Briarwood with a novel about a single-minded businessman and the rock princess who melts his heart.

As the daughter of a music legend, Grace Davingham knows all too well what it’s like to be burned by the media’s glare. Now all she wants is to be left to do her painting and conservation work in peace, with no intention of returning to the spotlight. But after she sprains her ankle hiking and a handsome real-estate mogul comes to her rescue, Grace once again finds herself in the public eye.

Sexy, successful, and averse to any attachments, Marcus Colby thrives on rigid discipline in order to manage both his real-estate investment company and his personal life. Marc has no time for fun, and no patience for crazy. Which is why meeting Grace—and inheriting an enormous Great Dane who won’t listen to a word he says—has turned Marc’s carefully constructed world upside down.

Only when Grace and Marc square off over a local controversy do they realize how different they really are. But if opposites attract, their love is destined to bind them together—forever.

My review:

I was “Meh” about this book. It wasn’t because it was a 3rd book in the series. Anywhere You Are can be read as a standalone book. It wasn’t because of Great Dane named Mr. Pipplepotts. It was because Marc and Grace weren’t believable as a couple. Something about their relationship struck me as forced. I don’t like it when a romance novel comes across that way.

Marc was rigid in his dealing with life and with Grace. I understood some of his rigidity but the way he acted with Grace was a little over the top sometimes. He blew hot and cold, and it drove me nuts.

Grace grew as a character in the book. She was a person who hid out all the time and let people take advantage of her. She became someone who stood up to her family, Marc and people who took advantage of her. I loved it. Plus her interactions with Mr. Pipplepotts was great.

Marc and Grace’s relationship seemed forced. I couldn’t put the finger on it, but his past issues were part of the relationship being the way it was. They also didn’t seem to connect with me as being a couple until the very end.

The ending was what I thought it was going to be and all issues throughout the book were resolved. What got me was that Marc, who is private, was OK with Grace doing guest spots on her family’s reality TV show. A total 180 from where he stood that the beginning of the book and that bugged me.

How many stars will I give Anywhere You Are? 3

Why? Like I said above, I was “meh” about the book. But, the plot was solid and the author did do a great job of making you like the main characters (yes, Marc grew on me after a while)

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Visibly Broken by Chelsea Camaron and MJ Fields

Visibly Broken by [Camaron, Chelsea, Fields, MJ]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: September 20th 2016

Genre: Romance

Where the book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis:

In a powerful, smoldering novel from the bestselling authors of the Caldwell Brothers series (“Bad boy heroes to die for!”—Tracy Wolff), two tortured souls team up to overcome the past, finding the courage to heal . . . and to love.

Jason “Cobra” Stanley was born to fight. With a father like his, he had to toughen up just to survive. Now Cobra tries to take out all of his frustration, all of his anger, and all of his pain in the MMA cage. But after he receives one too many hits to the head during a match, the cycle of violence comes to a screeching halt. Cobra wakes up in the hospital, under the care of a nurse whose blond hair shines like a halo—and whose pure heart touches him on the deepest level.

Lorraine Bosch is a fighter too. The lone survivor of a chilling family tragedy, she prides herself on remaining professional, despite the chaos of the ER. But Cobra is the ultimate distraction. Lorraine knows she should run away screaming from his rippling muscles and shattered psyche. And yet how can she deny this broken man a second chance—especially since she knows exactly what he’s been through? Lorraine’s used to playing guardian angel. Now it’s her turn to find heaven in Cobra’s arms.

My review:

Do not let first impressions ruin this book for you. The first couple of chapters of this book are tough to read. Jason and his girlfriend are abusive to each other. To stop from hitting her, he starts doing MMA style underground cage matches. During one of those matches, he gets hit on the head hard and gets dumped at the ER. That is where he meets Lorraine, a nurse who is damaged by her past.

Like I said above, you need to get past the first couple of chapters to feel the book. I couldn’t understand why the authors would start the book like that. But the more I learned about Jason and his childhood, the more I understood and it is heartbreaking.

It took a while for Jason to grow on me. It took a while to realize that through helping Lorraine, he was helping himself get over his past trauma. He found someone he could protect in Lorraine. Someone who accepted him and his past with no questions asked. Someone who stilled the rage and violence in him. Someone who made him think that he wasn’t the monster that he believed he was.

Lorraine was as damaged as Jason. It took me a while to realize how damaged she was because of the way the book described her. It was brilliant of the authors to do it the way they did. I thought that there were two people instead of one. The more interactions she has with Dr. Bennett and his family, I came to understand why and it is sick.

The sex scenes were out of control hot. I didn’t like was that Jason was going bareback with Lorraine within days of breaking up with Missy. It bothered me.. The fact that he moved her into his condo without even asking her. That bothered me too. But, in his way, he was protecting her.

The ending wasn’t what I thought it was. The twist fit in with the plot, and I was a little surprised by it. The epilogue was what got me. I was crying at the end.

How many stars will I give Visibly broken? 4/4.5 stars

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Rebellious (True Brothers MC: Book 2) by Gillian Archer

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: September 13th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction, Erotica, Sociology, Abuse, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Crime, Catergory Romance, Action

Series: True Brothers MC series

Ruthless – Book 1

Rebellious – Book 2

Resilient—Book 3 (review here)

Rough Ride—Book 4 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Every rebel needs a cause—and a woman to believe in. Discover why Heidi McLaughlin raves that “the sexy, alluring bad boys of the True Brothers MC will make your mouth water” in this smoldering novel from the author of Ruthless.

The black-leather-clad biker who just roared up on his Harley doesn’t resemble any single father Emily Clark has ever known. But as she watches “Reb” bonding with his son, Emily realizes there’s a lot more to this bad boy than his alpha-male attitude or his sinful good looks. And when Reb takes an interest in her, there’s no way she can resist his surprisingly tender touch. The one thing Emily won’t give up is her hard-won independence.

As president of the True Brothers MC, Reb owes a sacred debt of loyalty to the club, but his first priority is making sure that his son grows up right. Pursuing an unexpected affair with Emily is a close second. Then a violent stalker threatens her life, and this unconventional guardian angel really turns up the heat. Nobody messes with Reb, or anyone under his protection. Trouble is, how’s he supposed to defend Emily when she insists on going it alone? He’s willing to put his life on the line for her. Now, maybe, he needs to open his heart.

I devoured this book!!! I went to bed early last night and decided to read Rebellious. I finished it in under 2 hours. I was that engrossed by it.

I was “eh” about Emily’s character. It was her obsession with Reb’s penis and its piercing. Now having a piercing at the top of the penis is awesome, and I am glad that the author highlighted it. But to have Emily obsess over it got on my nerves. Then she spills it to all the MC ladies at Jessica’s bridal shower. WTH.

On the subject of Emily, the storyline of her stalker sucked. I don’t even know why it was there except to show how vulnerable/innocent/unworldly she was and how protective/crazy Reb is. I figured out who was damaging her car and who vandalized Reb’s house halfway through the book. It didn’t take away from the book, but it could have been left out.

I liked Reb. He was hot, tattooed, a devoted father, and extremely protective of his family. He happens to dabble in criminal activity on the side. The author didn’t attempt to make it like they were just a bunch of guys getting together and riding motorcycles. Plus, as Emily pointed out on many occasions, he was hung and fantastic in bed.

I do like that there is zero instalove in this book. Zero. Zilch. Nada. There was lust but no Instalove. I mean, about a month into their relationship (another thing I liked, is the book had months/dates at the beginning of each chapter), “I love you” was said, but there were no immediate plans for marriage or kids. Just two people enjoying each other’s company and bodies.

The ending was what I expected but it still was good. Everyone got what was coming to them.

I would recommend Rebellious to anyone over 21. There is explicit sex, graphic violence, and language.

If you enjoyed reading Rebellious, you will enjoy reading these books:

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