Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she’s willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.
Brandon’s fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn’t seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he’s inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him–until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he’d gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.
EHV is taking the lives of the farm’s best and brightest. Alex, Brooke, and Dejado must team together to save Promenade and Morning Glory, or be devastated by the virus. Already rocked by Carol’s absence over the summer, Alex’s time with Dejado kindles first romance. But when Carol returns at summer’s end, she’s grown up and Alex is forced to question her own feelings for her. Furthermore, Brad Hopkins is still up to no good, and after a close friend of the girls’ commits suicide from his bullying, it’s up to Alex to bring him down once and for all. Or will Brad uncover her own secret and send Alex into a dark, downward spiral where Carol and Dejado cannot follow?
Find out in Far Turn
My review:
Far Turn is one of those books that left me going “Wow” at the end of it. I was warned, by Ann, that this book was a bit darker than her other ones but I wasn’t expecting what I read. When I finished the book, last night, I turned to BK and went “This book just blew my mind“. I actually couldn’t get this book out of my head for the rest of the night, it affected me that much.
Alex had kind of a rough start to the book. Promenade was brought home from his last race and almost immediately fell ill with a deadly virus called EHV (click for definition). EHV spreads through North Oak like wildfire, taking horses out left and right. Alex lived at the stables, leaning on Hilary and Dejado for support when he was struck with a different strain of the virus that was brought back by Morning Glory (aka Mags). Horses are dying from this virus and both Alex and Brooke are willing to do anything to help their horses survive. I was so upset when Chauncey was put down and when Venus Galaxies foal died.
Alex’s friendships with Katie, Carol, Brooke, Laura, and Dejado were put to the test also. Her friendship with Katie because of Katie’s confession that she liked Alex in a romantic way and there was another confession that honestly made me very mad…considering the events later in the book. Alex’s friendship with Carol because of Carol visiting her grandmother over the summer and again, another confession that actually took me by surprise because I didn’t see it coming. Her friendship with Brooke because of Prom getting better and Mags was doing bad but that righted itself. Her friendship with Laura because well, Laura was being emotional and there was other stuff going on that I can’t get into without revealing stuff (read the book). And lastly, her relationship with Dejado because of his feelings for her.
The whole bullying situation with Brad, which goes back to book 2, gets worse in Far Turn. I do admire that Alex was secure enough with herself to not let Brad’s bullying affect her. I also thought that the school’s handling of Brad was very realistic. I have 2 kids, one which was relentlessly bullied from 1st grade to 3rd grade and I can tell you, the school did jack and actually made excuses for my daughter’s bullies (it was a group thing)….like the principal did for Brad. Her bullying ended when we moved but in Alex’s (and Carol and Katie’s) case, moving wasn’t an option. And unfortunately, his bullying and harassment of Katie took a very tragic turn. I will include a link to an anti-bullying site at the end of the blog (if you are reading this on Amazon….sorry it won’t show and just google).
I also liked how Alex’s sexuality was handled. For the last couple of books, I did have questions if she was a lesbian or if she liked guys. Her summertime romance with Dejado and her feelings for Carol now point at maybe her being bisexual. And like I said with the other books, her sexuality is not the focus of the book. The focus is on the horses, Alex, and her friendships. That she has strong feelings for Carol and Dejado is just another aspect of the story that actually flushes Alex out as a character.
Alex’s jockeying journey was never its end. I can’t wait to see if/when she’ll get her license and I can’t wait to read about her riding. The training sounded very painful (this is coming from an overweight, middle-aged woman….lol) but it was worth it for her. She lived and breathed horses and jockeying was a natural next step.
The ending of the book was very unexpected and to be honest, I cried. Now, I was warned by the author that something was going to happen but I wasn’t expecting that. While it was very dark, it actually fit with this book and I can’t wait to see where the books go from then on. The only small complaint that I had was that the book ended on a cliffhanger. Like I said above, I closed my Kindle and said “Wow” because the ending just blew me away.
I never do this but the author’s note at the end of the book took my breath away. Again, to reiterate what she said, no one deserves to be bullied. Please, if you are being bullied, tell someone. A friend, a parent, a teacher or a trusted adult. You are not alone and you do not deserve to be treated that way. No one does. If you witness bullying, do not stay silent. Tell a trusted adult what is going on or report it. You can make a difference!!
An innocent young woman flirts with scandal and becomes the mistress of her own forbidden desires in this stimulating Regency romance from the author of Mastering the Marquess.
Lady Cynthia Westhope can’t believe the shocking rumor is true. Her childhood friend, the daughter of a duke no less, has become the madam of London’s most exclusive and notorious brothel. Though she’s known as “Sin,” Cynthia is scandalized—and surprisingly curious. Just picturing the whips, the chains, the uncontrollable urges men gratify behind closed doors sends a jolt of electricity through her body. Still, Sin can’t imagine taking part in such games—until she’s snatched off the street during a raging storm and swept away to a remote cottage.
When James Winters encounters the comely virgin, he assumes she’s one of Madame Blanche’s fresh new beauties, especially after Sin pulses in ecstasy as he ravishes her. Then he discovers that she’s Lord Westhope’s virgin daughter . . . or was. Now they will both becompromised unless James devises a plan to save Sin from disgrace. Before long, they’re entangled in a web of tempting propositions, family secrets, and sensual intrigue—and bound together so tightly that James never wants to let go.
Don’t miss any of Lavinia Kent’s Bound and Determined series MASTERING THE MARQUESS | BOUND BY BLISS | REVEALING RUBY | SARAH’S SURRENDER | RAVISHING RUBY | ANGEL IN SCARLET | A VERY RUBY CHRISTMAS | TANGLED IN SIN
My review:
When I read the blurb for Tangled in Sin on NetGalley, my interest was piqued. Seeing that erotica and BDSM are usually not what you associate a Regency romance with, I actually couldn’t wait to read the book.
While this is the 5th book in a series, you can definitely read this as a standalone book. I am not a big fan of picking up a book mid-series because usually I am left confused about past relationships. Not with this book, though. There were references to Ruby but nothing was really gotten into. Just that she turned the brothel over to Jazz after training her. I really enjoyed that, to be honest. It let me focus on Sin and James’s romance without fearing that Ruby would return. Also, the other characters from the other books were not mentioned at all. Again something I liked. They stayed in their own books….lol.
I thought Sin was great and very forward thinking for her time. She didn’t freak out when she was kidnapped, kinda freaked out when James took her virginity and then grasped her sexuality by the horns. It was so refreshing to read a Regency-era character who didn’t freak out when seeing a penis for the first time and who took the first step to start what would be the world’s hottest sponge bath in the history of any book that I read. But she was also super stubborn. There were some scenes where I kinda wanted to shake her and say “Just accept that you are going to marry him. Stop fighting it” because you know that is how the book is going to end.
James was kinda a tool at the beginning of the book. Who demands that their sister leaves her newborn daughter and then tries to kidnap her but instead gets her best friend (that he knows), thinks that it is one of her “girls” and then proceeds to have sex with until he realizes that she was a virgin. He is. But he does more than makeup for it and turns into a pretty good guy. I did think that maybe he wanted to marry Sin so he could have intercourse with her (actually intercourse) but he proved to me that he did love her. Read the book to find out how!!
Let’s talk about the sex in this book. It was sizzling, page-burning hot. I couldn’t get enough of those two and their sexual shenanigans. I mean, they did everything but intercourse after the first time (even talked about anal, which surprised me). When they finally had intercourse again, I gobbled up those scenes not because they were hot but because you knew that Sin and James were going to be together and were in love. Which made that scene oh so much sweeter.
The end of the book was great but I was left wondering about Jazz and hoping that book 6 if there is a book 6, would feature her and let her have her own happy ending.
How many stars will I give Tangled in Sin: 4
Why: Ok, I am going to say it here. This is not a book for prudes or those who get easily offended over things (like it being an erotica set in Regency England). This is one hot, hot, hot book with explosive sex scenes and two people who were made for each other. I devoured this book, literally reading it within a day. Couldn’t get enough of it and I am going to read that other books in the series.
Will I reread: Yes
Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the sex scenes
Age range: Adult
Why: Explicit sex scenes, language, and some mild violence
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
Hailed by Christie Craig as “a witty new voice in contemporary romance,” Maggie McGinnis takes readers back to Montana’s sexiest dude ranch, where anyone can start over, and falling in love is just a beautiful twist of fate.
At twenty-eight, Shelby Quinn’s already a has-been. Scooped off a country stage at sixteen and remolded into glittery pop princess Tara Gibson, she toured the country for a decade, playing to sold-out stadiums while slowly losing her soul. Now her sales are waning, and when her beloved father dies in a fiery plane crash, she finally comes apart at the seams. Alone and brokenhearted, she hides away at Whisper Creek Ranch, never expecting to meet a man who understands her in a way no one else ever has.
Cooper Davis was one of Boston’s top detectives—until a bogus investigation cost him his badge, his family, and almost his life. Now he’s wrangling horses and guests at Whisper Creek Ranch while keeping one eye firmly on a super-secret VIP holed up in a private cabin—a beautiful, soulful singer who knows what it’s like to lose everything. Cooper and Shelby both have ample reason to guard their hearts. But if they can learn to trust each other, something magical awaits them under the big skies and bright stars.
My review:
Meant to Be starts off on such a sad note. Shelby is attending the funeral of her father, a country singer legend who died in a horrific plane crash. She is beyond devastated but is not allowed to show it. When she complains about it, her handler (aka her PA) basically tells her to suck it up for another hour. Which she does and then, in the privacy of her father’s house, she decides to break dishes. Unfortunately, her PA witnesses it, reports it to Shelby’s record label and they make the decision to ship her off to a dude ranch for some rest and relaxation.
I did a holdup, wait a minute after those chapters. This poor girl loses her father in a horrific plane crash, is told that she can’t grieve in public AND when she has a totally normal reaction, she is told that she needs rest and relaxation before going off on a tour (oh yeah, forget to mention that Shelby has an alter ego called Tara Gibson who is a pop star) that is supposed to bolster her career. I kinda wanted to smack the PA upside the head and say “Why???”. But it’s a book so the best I could do was shake my head, say to myself “idiot” and read on.
The ranch was probably the best place for her, looking back. She was able to come to terms with her father’s death and find herself. Of course, she meets the best-looking cowboy on the ranch. Cooper.
Cooper has his own issues and I got a little frustrated at how long it took for the author to show exactly why he left Boston and why he only talks to his younger sister. All we knew, for a little while, was that he was an ex-cop who left Boston and the police force because of an investigation turned bad. Exactly what the investigation was about, who was involved in the investigation and where the investigation led was revealed, slowly, throughout the book. To be honest, I would have loved to know everything up front and then have things happen from then on.
I had to laugh at so many people seeing through Shelby’s disguises and how many people she told the truth to….after being told keep it on the down low. I mean, the people that she told did keep her secret but still. It wasn’t the point, she wasn’t supposed to let anyone know who she was. And that failed….in a big way.
Cooper and Shelby’s romance was sweet and slow. I loved that while they had sex, the author didn’t feel the need to spell it out and just left it as they went to bed. I got to use my imagination, gasp, during those scenes and I loved it!!!
Both storylines were wrapped up in a very satisfactory way, even if Cooper’s did give me some concern before it ended. I also liked how a certain person was forced to apologize for his behavior to him.
The end of the book was pretty good too and everyone got what they wanted. It was a HEA :). I do want to know what happened to the pig, though…..lol. What pig? Read the book!!!
How many stars will I give Meant to Be: 4
Why: I really enjoyed reading this book, even though it started off on a sad note. The Cooper’s plotline alone was enough to keep me reading but throw in Shelby trying to rediscover herself and I couldn’t put it down. Add that the romance was a slow burn and it made for a pretty good read.
Will I reread: Yes
Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes
Age range: Adult
Why: Sex, language
I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
He’s no angel. Erik is a two-thousand-year-old Viking cursed with broken wings; he works as a carnival mascot to cover his shame. Con artist, playboy, and liar, Erik only cares about one thing in the world apart from himself: his best friend, Siobhan.
She’s no demon. Siobhan is an intense seven hundred-year-old leprechaun whose horns she must hide from the world to blend in at her job as the carnival’s CFO. Sarcastic, efficient, and beautiful, Siobhan would rather be forced to grant a hundred wishes than risk losing her oldest friend, Erik.
But when scandal endangers these two and their carnival, will Siobhan and Erik be able to admit their feelings before they both go down for this crime?
This mature romance involves horny immortals, a matchmaking supernatural bartender, the creative use of carnival rides, and a love powerful enough to soar.
My review:
I am doing this review a bit different from reviews in the past. The 3 books that I reviewed are part of a series of novellas and are under 100 pages each. To save myself time and patience (which I am running out of today…another post and a long story), I decided to consolidate them into one review. So, this might seem to be the world’s longest review but it isn’t. It’s just me being lazy.
So, having said that, here is my review of Her Winged Viking.
Loved, loved, loved that Siobhan was a leprechaun and loved the different direction that the author took with it. Instead of a pot of gold, she is fascinated with numbers and she grants wishes. Which is pretty awesome and actually makes me want to go find a leprechaun….lol.
Erik did come off as somewhat of a playboy at the beginning of the book. I mean, his wish really wasn’t fair to Siobhan (not that I think she complained and she totally gave back). But, in the course of the book, I did love seeing how his character changed and, in a way, matured.
The sex scenes, of course, were hot, hot, hot and also very funny at the same time (can it be that???). I will never look at pinball games, whack a mole or those funhouse mirrors the same. There was some non-traditional sex involving feathers and horns that were totally different from what I have read. Still very hot!!
I loved the ending and how everyone got what they deserved/wanted!!
How many stars will I give Her Winged Viking:4
I would give Her Winged Viking an Adult rating. There are sexual situations. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Her Winged Viking. I would recommend it to family and friends.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Book Synopsis:
Her Rock Hard Viking
Rock hard was never so literal. Carr, once a proud Viking warrior, was cursed to be the very island he invaded. But when a gorgeous woman parachutes into his life, everything changes. Will her sexual healing finally bring him release? Or will he give up his last chance at humanity to save her?
Becca never thought to pack sexy lingerie for this trip. She’s a botanist on the hunt for a miracle cure to save her family. What’s a woman to do when she discovers her remote island is actually an extremely passionate Viking? Go with it.
This steamy tale for mature readers contains sexy vine and waterfall action, an omniscient bartender, and a love passionate enough to make the earth move.
My review:
I was very excited to read Carr’s story and I wasn’t disappointed!!!
Becca is a botanist on a desperate mission. She is trying to locate a rare flower that will help cure her nephew an incurable disease that he was dying of. This flower is located on an island in the middle of nowhere, and unbeknownst to her, is alive.
Carr is the last of the Viking brothers cursed by a witch. He is cursed to stay on the island….to be the island until the curse is broken. Which he thought would never happen until Becca parachutes onto his island.
I have never read a book that used plants for sexual uses but because Carr was the island, it made sense and was totally hot. And when he became human, the sex was even better.
I also thought the whole sub-story of her nephew and his illness for heartbreaking and I loved that storyline was brought to a very nice end too.
How many stars will I give Her Rock Hard Viking:4
I would give Her Rock Hard Viking an Adult rating. There are sexual situations. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Her Rock Hard Viking. I would recommend it to family and friends.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Book synopsis:
Her Christmas Viking:
Christmas is hotter than ever: the Elemental Viking brothers are back!
Over a thousand years ago, four Viking brothers led by their tyrannical father invaded lands under the protection of a powerful witch. Cursed for their crimes, the brothers suffered for their wrongdoing for over a thousand years. With the help of the women they loved, they became worthy of redemption and broke their curses.
Now it’s Christmas, and–with the help of a little magic–the entire family is reunited to celebrate. But when the yuletide spell bringing them together also summons their bloodthirsty father back from the veil, the boys and their lovers must band together to save the holidays.
This festive novella for adults features holiday spell work, naughty gifts, and a winter wonderland you’ll never see coming.
This STANDALONE novella is part of the “Her Elemental Viking” series and features characters from throughout the series. There are no cliffhangers and each short ends as it should: happily ever after.
My review:
This had to have been my favorite book of all the Elemental Viking books put together. Why? Simple. It brought all of the brothers together and we got to see what happened to them after their stories ended.
Bram did a spell without Audrey knowing and somehow summoned all of his brothers and their girlfriends/wives to the bar that they run. I got to see again:
Mikkel/Jo
Erik/Siobhan
Carr/Becca
But, unfortunately, it also summoned their father, Havarr, who was cursed along with them. To be PC about it, he is a big, huge jerk. When he found out that Audrey was a witch, he tried to run her through with his sword. In her haste to protect herself and Bram (who stepped in front of the sword), she magics everyone out of the room. Erik and Siobhan end up falling down the chimney, Mikkel and Jo end up in the freezer and Carr/Becca end up wrapped in Carr’s Christmas present to Becca. Audrey and Bram end up in the back storage room.
Each couple has to work to get out of their predicament and hot sex is used once. Not going to say which couple got busy but I will say that the other ones were jealous that they had it so easy….lol.
Of course, Havarr got what was coming to him and oh boy, did I laugh. Do I see a story coming with him or is he going to remain what he was turned into forever….lol?
The end of the book was very sweet and perfect for the series.
How many stars will I give Her Christmas Viking:4
I would give Her Christmas Viking an Adult rating. There are sexual situations. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Her Christmas Viking. I would recommend it to family and friends.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Chicago cop Brendan Donovan loves the adrenaline rush of his role on a tactical team. So when he’s assigned to an undercover job to ferret out the supplier of a new and deadly sex drug, he’s thrilled. His partner is Cilla Marini, a detective he’d met recently during a traffic stop. He’s intrigued by Cilla, but his sister told him that Cilla doesn’t date cops. Which is exactly what they have to pretend to do. Brendan loves a challenge.
Cilla is shocked to find out that Brendan is her mystery partner. After an incident that forced her to transfer from her district and isolated her from her fellow cops, Cilla knows relationships with cops are off the table. But she’s spent far too much time thinking about Brendan since he pulled her over for speeding. Now, not only are they working together, they have to pose as a couple to find the source of the sex drug that’s already killed several men.
As the action heats up, Cilla and Brendan don’t have to pretend they want each other. But when secrets put them both in danger, will they have each other’s back? Or will their quarry divide and conquer them before they can find their way to happily ever after?
I was surprised by this book. As you all know from previous book reviews, I wouldn’t say I like reading books out of order in a series. They are hard to read because there are references to the other books that have come before in the series.
But not this book. You can read Cover Me as a standalone book. There are references to the other books, but (and stress but) they are for the story only. Which is another reason why I liked this book.
I first met Brendan Donovan as he was sitting outside a drug house, doing surveillance. When a vintage Mustang speeds past him, he assumes it was stolen. So he gives chase and pulls the car over. Imagine his surprise when not only does he pull over a woman, but she is a cop and a hostage negotiator on her way to a scene. Her name is Priscilla (aka Cilla) Martini.
Brendan and Cilla do meet again. This time they are partners and are looking for the dealer(s) of a deadly street drug that has killed 5 people. This drug is used as a sexual stimulant like Viagra. Cilla is going undercover at the pub where the drug seems to be dealt. Brendan is going as a pub regular who starts to have a relationship with Cilla after meeting her there. Cilla got a heads up about a serial rapist that is striking the local clubs/pubs in the area and to keep her eyes open.
The sexual attraction and the heat between Brendan and Cilla were unfreakinbelievable. Cilla could get aroused by a look from Brendan, and Brendan from Cilla was awesome. When they finally do have sex, it rocketed off the page.
What I loved about this book was that the sexual tension was the second fiddle to the story. The author used the sex scenes as delicious interludes to Brendan and Cilla’s police work. This is how a romance is supposed to be. The storyline and then sex. Not sex and then storyline!!!
I did get frustrated with Cilla and her not wanting to have a relationship with a cop. Which was based on her aunt’s experiences. Her aunt’s experience was bad. But it is something that shouldn’t have been reiterated to a child over and over and over again. I didn’t like that Cilla was the fixer for her family. Every time someone had a problem, they called her. Her mother acted like a small child when Cilla kept telling her to see her Uncle Donny get her brakes fixed. I wanted to reach through the book and smack Cilla and her mother.
I did figure out who the serial rapist was early on in the book. No fault of the author, but the fake name (and Cilla’s reaction to it) was a dead giveaway. I liked that it led to another storyline and that one was left open-ended at the end of the book.
I didn’t understand why ratting out a fellow cop for doing something bad was so bad. Cilla handled herself when meeting Ward was very classy and NOT how I would have handled myself. Also, Brendan and Connor’s defense of her was great too.
The ending was great, and I was surprised at who the dealer was. I didn’t think it was who I thought it was.
Oh, and I want to say I love Australian shepherds. Hehe.
I would recommend Cover Me to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence. There is also drug use and one scene of attempted rape.
If you enjoyed reading Cover Me, you will enjoy reading these books:
![Her Winged Viking: A Paranormal Romance (Her Viking's Desire Book 3) by [Tipton, AJ]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/515ypWO5LbL.jpg)
![Her Rock Hard Viking: A Paranormal Romance (Her Viking's Desire Book 4) by [Tipton, AJ]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JnFRWatEL.jpg)
![Cover Me (The Donovan Family Book 5) by [Watson, Margaret]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51kiPm8cMeL.jpg)
Escape Into Reading 