Tag: romance

The Secret Bloodline by SE Bloom

3.5 Stars (rounded up to 4 stars)

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 16th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Where you can find The Secret Bloodline: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

What if your destiny was beyond imagining? 
Dolma was happy with her life 
working at the Dexter Corporation from home in a telecommuting position. She didn’t have a boyfriend, and the prospects were not good in that department, but she was used to it. 
The world suddenly changed one day. 
Her boss, Jessica, demanded that she start working from the office. Her roommate started urging her to take the new position. Everybody was suddenly making demands of her that seemed to be coordinated. 
She met a man that she had dreamed of, and he told her that she was in danger. The man was Lucas, and he told her of two great houses, each wanting her to join them, and that they would try to kill her if she did not join them. 
Dolma was suddenly thrust into a world of immortals with strange powers, and she realized that her future was uncertain. Lucas assured her that she could become the most powerful of them all, but before that happened, 
she would have to leave with him. 
Together, they flee from the two bloodlines of the gods, and Lucas begins to train Dolma in how to use her dormant powers. The danger and the protective nature of Lucas, along with some unbelievably wonderful sex tells Dolma that Lucas is the man that she would love. 
Will they have the chance to be happy together, or would death come for them both?

My review:

The Secret Bloodline is about Dolma. Dolma was your ordinary girl. She telecommuted to work for the Dexter Corporation. She didn’t have a boyfriend. She did have an on again/off again sexual relationship with her roommate. She was content with her life. Until the day that her life went sideways. Her boss wants her to start working from the office. Her roommate is urging her to take the position. Then she meets Lucas, who she dreamed about. What he tells her is a story about gods, immortals, and dual bloodlines. He also tells her that she is in great danger and her only hope is to go with him. Fleeing with him, Dolma soon realizes that her power is greater than what Lucas thought. What will happen to Dolma and Lucas? Will they be happy together?

The Secret Bloodline is a short book, at 135 pages. Even though it is short, it does pack a lot of stuff in it. This is also not your typical paranormal romance. There are no vampires or shifters. Instead, the author chose to take the ancient gods of the Sumerians and make them the focal point of the book. The author added her own spin to the Annunaki, which I thought was fascinating.

I was a little disappointed with the lack of character development in the book. I wanted to know more about Lucas. I wanted to know about his background and how he came to be immortal. It was hinted at in the book but nothing else was said about it. I also thought that Dolma could have had more padding added to her backstory.

I will say that the sex scenes were out of this world hot. When you start off a chapter with the main female choking on the head of the shaft of the main male, you know it is going to be good.

The paranormal angle of the book was great. It was refreshing to read a paranormal romance that didn’t have a vamp or a shifter in it. Instead, the author had Dolma have precognitive abilities. They were outlined perfectly in the book.

The end of the book seemed a bit rushed. I was a little skeptical that the two warring bloodlines would do what they did because Lucas called them. But, hey, it worked. The author did wrap up all the storylines and left nothing open.

I would give The Secret Bloodline an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are no triggers. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Secret Bloodline. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Secret Bloodline.

All opinions stated in this review of The Secret Bloodline are mine.

Love, Faith, and a Pair of Pants by Herb Freed

3.5 stars (rounded down to 3 stars)

Publisher: Bellrock Press

Date of publication: October 2nd, 2018

Genre: General Fiction, Romance

Where you can find Love, Faith and a Pair of Pants: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Ben Zelig thinks he has his life all figured out. Graduate from rabbinical school. Get hired by a spiritually enriched community. Meet a nice Jewish girl and start a family. Simple, right? Naturally, nothing goes according to plan, but life can still work out as long as you have Love, Faith and a Pair of Pants. 

Herb Freed, the author of the timeless love story Bashert, is back with a collection of five short stories about the smart, witty, spiritual and, according to his mother, incredibly handsome, Rabbi Ben Zelig. In five stories about a rabbi’s life, Zelig navigates romance, family ties, colorful congregants and the meaning of faith. We follow him through the decades as master storyteller Freed takes us from humor to pathos and back again in an uplifting examination of what it means to be human. 

My review:

I love to read, which is a given since I maintain a blog that is about book reviews. I also like to read books that other people might pass up. I have found a few hidden gems by doing that. I also like not to turn down books. I very rarely turn down a request for review. So when the publisher emailed me about Love, Faith and a Pair of Pants…I accepted the invite. I wasn’t sure if I would like to read the book but was willing to give it a try.

I am not going to say that I didn’t like the book. I thought that it had a great messages in each section. There were fascinating insights into a rabbi’s life. But this book wasn’t for me.

For one, I couldn’t connect with the main character. Ben attracted drama like honey attracts bees. No matter where he went, drama followed. From his first funeral to the end of the book, it didn’t stop. His obsession with finding a nice Jewish girl did make me laugh a little. By the time Eden came around, I was no longer amused. I thought he was desperate.

I will admit that I was fascinated by the inner workings of being a rabbi. I grew up in a city with a huge Jewish population (the city had 6 temples). Some of my best friends were Jewish. I also dated a guy, for a few years, who was Jewish. So I was familiar with most of what was being talked about in the book. Except when it came to Ben’s duties as a rabbi. I was fascinated and I wish that more time had been spent discussing it.

I lost my focus several times during the book. The book was split into sections and I felt that I was missing out on what happened between the stories. Not something that I usually complain about when writing a review. But I felt that there were gaps. The only section that I didn’t feel that was Eden and that was because, well, I can’t say.

Like I mentioned above, the book did have some redeeming qualities. The messages in each section were great. The lessons that the sections taught were good. I also thought that the other characters (besides Ben) were vividly written. They brought an extra depth to the book.

Would this be a book that I would return to read, probably not. But, I tell people to read it. The messages in each section and the lessons that were taught in them are worth reading.

I would give Love, Faith and a Pair of Pants an Adult rating. There is no sex (there are sexual situations and kissing). There is no language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be the loss of faith, the death of a spouse, the death of a sibling, cancer and estrangement from a parent. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread this book. I would recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Love, Faith and a Pair of Pants.

All opinions stated in this review of Love, Faith and a Pair of Pants are mine.

Game On (Aces Hockey: Book 8) by Kelly Jamieson

Game On (Aces Hockey, #8)


4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: January 15th, 2019

Genre: Sports, Romance

Series: Aces Hockey

Major Misconduct—Book 1

Off Limits—Book 1.5

Icing—Book 2

Top Shelf—Book 3

Back Check—Book 4

Slap Shot—Book 5 (review here)

Playing Hurt—Book 6 (review here)

Big Stick—Book 7 (review here)

Game On—Book 8

Where you can find Game On: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Cam Brickley and his pro hockey teammates bet on everything: who can win five faceoffs in a row, who can do forty pushups in less than a minute, who can eat a ghost pepper without puking. But when his buddies bet him he can’t date the same woman—like, say, the hot blonde over at the bar—for two months and not fall in love, he’ll take that bet all day. Then he’ll laugh all the way to the hockey arena, where they’ll be washing his jock straps for the rest of the season because Cam’s never giving up his bachelor lifestyle.

Olivia Lockwood, the heiress to the Lockwood Industries fortune, is used to people using her for her money and family connections. When Cam Brickley hits on her in a club, Olivia’s first instinct is to brush him off. But he couldn’t be using her for her money since he has more than enough of his own. Cam’s gorgeous and built, and it would be no hardship to go out with him . . . besides, he’d be the perfect spokesperson for the children’s charity she works with. Maybe it’s time for her to start using people.

Cam and Olivia are both in it for something. What they don’t know yet is that they’re playing for keeps.

My review:

This was a bittersweet read for me. I had come into the Aces Hockey series late in the series (Slap Shot). But, I enjoyed the series from that point on. I got to see Hallsy, Chaser, and Nick get their HEA’s. I was left wondering who was going to be the next one to fall. When I saw that it was Brick, I went “Yes!!” I liked his character and couldn’t wait to see who he fell in love with.

I thought that the bet that Brick made with his teammates was immature. I didn’t like that he could potentially be playing with someone’s feelings. So, I was a little “eh” when he went on the first couple of dates with her. I figured that everything that happened on those dates was karma for the bet. Then Brick did something that surprised me. He told Olivia about the bet. He did it early on in the book. I thought it was awesome. Olivia did react the way I figured she would (who wouldn’t have). Then, in another move that surprised me, she decided to help Brick win the bet. I was like “no way“.

Let’s talk about the first two dates they had. I thought that the location of the first one was original and made me wonder if there is such a thing. It is a great way of getting to know someone. Take them and play a board game. I did feel bad for Olivia and Brick after the date. I have been on a lot of dates Not lately, though. Been in a relationship for 15 years. I have never had someone get sick at the end of the date. I also have never gotten sick at the end of a date. I am glad that Olivia did the right thing and let Brick stay at her condo. Poor guy would have been puking all over the Uber home. The second date went about as well as the first. A walking tour of Chicago and then dinner. What happens. Brick somehow ends up cracking his head on the floor and then Olivia dumps her drink in his crotch. For the record, I have had the drink dumping happen to me. Poor Brick…lol. The ribbing he took from the guys the next day made me die laughing in bed.

I liked Olivia but she did get kind of annoying after a while. She kept bringing up that she never felt that she measured up to her brother and sister. Which caused issues with her self confidence. While I understood it hurt, it did get old after a while. I did think that her work at her nonprofit was fascinating. I wish that it was featured a bit more than a couple of scenes at her office and the celebrity appearance Brick made.

I liked Brick. I liked that he was honest with Olivia. I liked that he made sure she knew that feelings were out of the question for him. I liked that he was a goofball. But he did annoy me towards the end of the book. He handled the situation with Olivia badly. I do wish that the Ashley substory was explained earlier in the book. Because, until it was, Brick looked like a huge jerk. After that explanation, I went “Well, no wonder he didn’t seriously date anyone.” I wouldn’t have if I had been put through that.

The sexual attraction and chemistry that Olivia and Brick had. It was off the charts hot. I loved that the author kept amping it up. I also liked that Olivia and Brick didn’t have sex right away. So, when they did, that first sex scene was smoking hot.

Speaking of sex scenes, the author kept the heat on with them. I loved it. I loved that Olivia was a bit wilder than the other girls in bed. Plus the lingerie she wore. Fantastic!!

The end of the book was bittersweet. I am not going to get into it but I had tears in my eyes. The author did a great job of bringing each character in the previous books and highlighting them. What got me was what Nick said to his brother Aleks. I was also sad that this was going to be the last book in this series.

I would give Game On an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is mild violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be mental illness.

I would reread Game On. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Game On.

All opinions stated in this review of Game On are mine.

For Baby and Me (Welcome to Otter Tail: Book 4) by Margaret Watson

3 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: September 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Welcome to Otter Tail

An Unlikely Setup—Book 1 (review here)

Can’t Stand the Heat—Book 2 (review here)

Life Rewritten—Book 3 (review here)

For Baby and Me—Book 4

Where you can find For Baby and Me: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Nick Boone is a brilliant architect, focused completely on his job. In his personal life, he’s a serial dater, with no interest in marriage or even a long-term relationship. And fatherhood? Absolutely not. He has no idea what family even means. 

But even a single-minded boss like Nick can’t abandon his employee Sierra Clark on the night her parents are killed. When her deep distress melts his professional distance, long-simmering attraction takes over and he indulges in a night of comfort and connection. 

He has no idea how deep that connection is going to run.

My review:

I didn’t like For Baby and Me as much as I liked the rest of the books in the Welcome to Otter Tail series. Which made me sad because the other books were so good!!

I thought Nick was a grade A jerk in this book. He was condescending towards Sierra. I couldn’t believe that he thought that throwing money at her would take care of everything. I wanted to smack him upside the head during certain points in the book. I couldn’t believe that he didn’t understand why Sierra was so reserved with him. That whole speech in the hospital made me go “Are you effing kidding me. You put her through hell and then expect her to open her arms and let you in.” Yeah, I was kinda mad about that. But, I do understand where he was coming from. What he went through as a child traumatized him.

I felt awful for Sierra. I couldn’t imagine losing my parents that way. I have also been in her shoes when I saw that stick go pink (my oldest was unplanned). I did think that she had high expectations for what Nick’s reaction was. I also think that her expectations kept getting smashed every time she saw him. I would have acted the same way towards him.

I did find their profession fascinating. I didn’t know that there was so much planning into going into building a house. I also didn’t know that contractors would switch out materials for ones that were not as good and pocket the money. I was fooled by who the person was switching out the material. I thought it was the other guy.

I felt awful for Sierra when she fell and hurt herself. I can relate to the stress she was under at the hospital. Not to feel your baby move is frightening.

I didn’t feel much of a connection between Nick and Sierra. The whole “I don’t want to be a father” vibe killed that romance for me. I will say that they had some pretty hot sex.

I did like the end of For Baby and Me. I loved the epilogue. Love, love, loved it!!!!

I would give For Baby and Me an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be the death of a parent. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread For Baby and Me. I am also on the fence if I would recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review For Baby and Me.

All opinions stated in this review of For Baby and Me are mine.

Life Rewritten (Welcome to Otter Creek: Book 3) by Margaret Watson

5 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: September 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Welcome to Otter Tail

An Unlikely Setup—Book 1—review here

Can’t Stand the Heat—Book 2—review here

Life Rewritten—Book 3

For Baby and Me—Book 4 (review here)

Where you can find Life Rewritten—Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Delaney Spencer erased every trace of Chantal – the wildly popular rocker she used to be. She’s a carpenter now. Her only connection to her old life is drumming in a local band. 

Until Sam McCabe shows up in town. The sibling of her late lover and bandmate Diesel, Sam has been searching for her. For the sake of his brother’s children, he needs the unreleased songs she and Diesel created together. 

Delaney wants to do the right thing and help Diesel’s adorable kids. But not if she has to reveal she’s Chantal. She won’t do it — not even for Sam.

My review:

In my experience, books later on in a series tend to kind of fizzle out. I can count on one hand how many times I have given a 5-star rating to the 3rd book in a series. Life Rewritten is among those elite few.

Be warned, have tissues nearby. This book is going to make you cry. I wasn’t expecting it and had to go scrounging for tissues. There are some pretty emotional scenes that will rip your heart out and put it back in.

The author did a fantastic job of showcasing how hard alcohol/drug addiction recovery is. You can never say that you were an addict or an alcoholic. You always are one. The fight to stay clean/sober is often exhausting. It was showcased beautifully here.

I knew that Delaney was hiding something but I wasn’t prepared to find out that she was a rock star in her former life. I was floored. Other than her singing and playing the drums, there were no clues about her past. From what was discussed in the book, Delaney’s alter ego wasn’t a very nice person when she was a rock star. Again, such a difference from the woman that I had grown to like through reading the series.

I felt for Sam. To assume guardianship of two young children when you don’t have any of your own is hard. Even harder is that those kids were damaged. I understood why he wanted those CDs. He was trying to protect the kids.

I felt for Rennie and Leo. Their mother was mentally unstable and an addict. Their father died in from an overdose. They were placed with their uncle, who they barely knew. Then they were uprooted and brought to Wisconsin. It had to of been terrifying for them. I wanted to reach through the book and hug them.

When the press found out where Delaney had been hiding, she was pissed. She had every right to be. She worked hard to keep her identity hidden. I was so mad at Jen and Maddie for their reactions. That almost sent her over the brink. Almost.

The sex scenes in Life Rewritten were emotional. Both Delaney and Sam didn’t want to fall for each other. Their sex scenes reflected that. They were some of the best written scenes that I have read to date. Not explicit but graphic enough to know what was going on.

The end of Life Rewritten was satisfying. I have never said that about the ending of a book before. I am not going to go into what exactly happened but I was thrilled with how it turned out. Let’s say that Delaney deserved it.

I would give Life Rewritten an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be the talk of past drug use and talk of past alcoholism.

I would reread Life Rewritten. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

Can’t Stand the Heat (Welcome to Otter Tail: Book 2) by Margaret Watson

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: September 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Welcome to Otter Tail

An Unlikely Setup—Book 1 (review here)

Can’t Stand the Heat—Book 2

Life Rewritten—Book 3 (review here)

For Baby and Me—Book 4 (review here)

Where to find Can’t Stand the Heat: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

When Walker Barnes walked into Jen Summers’ catering event, all the shame, guilt and regret for what she’d done to him in high school roared back to life. As well as the feelings she’d once had for him. 

But this Walker isn’t the shy, awkward geek from high school — he’s tough, successful, brilliant, confident… and sexy. And he hasn’t forgotten how she used him. Hasn’t forgiven her, either. This Walker is looking for payback. 

How on earth can she be falling for him all over again? 

My review:

Jen is a hardworking divorced mom of 2 who dreams of opening her own restaurant. When she sees Walker at her friend’s wedding, Jen is filled with regret and shame. What she did snowballed into something that affected 3 lives. It has haunted her for years. How can she make it right? Will there be more fallout from her actions all those years ago?

I loved this book. Honestly, I was expecting it to be a fluff book. You know, a book where the plot is forgettable and the sex is hot. Instead, I got a book with an intriguing plotline and hot sex. I was hooked from the first page.

The plotline of Can’t Stand the Heat was interesting. I thought that the author did a great job at creating a situation where paternity could be questioned. But I didn’t like how Walker made assumptions about things. He saw Nick and assumed that was his son from the first glance. All because of a grin. Then he treated Jen horribly when she got defensive when confronted. Heck, any normal woman would have acted the same way. I know I would have if an ex-fling (technically it was) came back into my life and started making claims that one of my kids were his.

I did feel for Jen. She was put in a hard situation. How does she explain to her ex that Walker might be Nick’s father? And how would she explain that to Nick? It would open up a can of worms that could backfire on her. No wonder she didn’t want to do the DNA test. I didn’t blame her one bit.

I am going to admit that I didn’t like Walker until halfway through the book. I thought he should have left well enough alone. But then came the scenes where he was looking through his mother’s album. I got teary-eyed because his regret over the past was palpable. It was at that point where I started to like him. He redeemed himself in my eyes.

I liked Jen. I thought that she was a sweetheart. Yes, she made mistakes and yes, she paid for them. But she was making an effort to try and move past them. She was a good mother. I loved the scenes where she went all mama bear on Walker. I was doing fist pumps and saying “You go, girl”.

Walker and Jen definitely had some serious chemistry going on in the book. The sexual attraction was there and was kept up until they had sex. Now, talking about the sex scenes, I was actually happy that they weren’t graphic. There is a time and a place for graphic sex scenes and I am glad the author went the less graphic route with this book.

The end of the book was emotional. I am not going to get into it. But I will say that I thought everything was handled perfectly. Also, the epilogue made me smile.

I would give Can’t Stand the Heat an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are no triggers. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Can’t Stand the Heat. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Can’t Stand the Heat.

All opinions stated in this review of Can’t Stand the Heat are mine.

Forgiving Keven (The Kennedy Boys: Book 7) by Siobhan Davis

Forgiving Keven (The Kennedy Boys, #7)

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 7th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: The Kennedy Boys

Finding Kyler—Book 1

Losing Kyler—Book 2

Keeping Kyler—Book 3

The Irish Getaway—Book 3.5

Loving Kalvin—Book 4

Saving Brad—Book 5

Seducing Kaden—Book 6

Forgiving Keven—Book 7

Releasing Keanu—Book 8 (expected publication date: May 31st, 2019

Where you can find Forgiving Keven: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

A suspenseful, second-chance, new adult romance from the USA Today bestselling author of When Forever Changes and Inseparable.

She’s the one who got away. He’s the boy she can’t forget… 

Cheryl

They say you never forget your first love, but I’m determined to prove Keven Kennedy is just a random boy from my past. 

It’s not like I still think about him after all this time. Or daydream about how hot his kisses were and what it felt like to have his hands on my skin.

Nope, that’s not me. I’m in a happy place in my life. Engaged to a great man and finishing the last year of my photography degree. 

But since I returned to Massachusetts, everything reminds me of the boy who ripped my heart to shreds. Especially when my fiancé’s constant business trips, and dwindling attention, raises old fears to the surface.

And then the unthinkable happens—Keven saunters back into my life, turning it upside down once more. 

It’s ironic he thinks he’s protecting me when the only one I need protecting from is him.

Keven

They say you never forget your first love. In my case, it’s true. Most everyone in high school thought Cheryl and I were a match made in heaven and that nothing could tear us apart. Until I messed up spectacularly and lost the best thing to ever happen to me. 

Years have passed, girls have come and gone, but no one has laid claim to my heart in the way Cheryl did.

I thought she was lost to me forever when an unexpected encounter with an uptight FBI agent, and an intriguing proposition, brings the beautiful blonde back into my life. 

I didn’t hesitate to sign on the dotted line.

I let Cheryl down once before. I’m not going to fail her this time.

Forgiving Keven is a STANDALONE title in the Kennedy Boys world. No cliffhanger and a guaranteed HEA.

My review:

I love second chance romances. They make me smile. I like seeing two people reconnect after being apart. I like seeing them forge a new relationship. Which is why I liked Forgiving Keven so much.

What also sold me on the book was the location. Boston. I am from MA and I loved seeing cities that I grew up with and in being featured in the book. I actually lived in Chelsea for 4 years in my early to mid-’20s. So, yes, I loved it. I read the entire book with a Boston accent…lol.

The main plotline of Forgiving Keven was the plotline with Keven and Cheryl. It was well written and well researched. I liked that the author chose to highlight human trafficking. The scenes involving those girls were raw and gritty. I came close to tears a few times. Some of those children were around my kids’ ages. I couldn’t even imagine my daughter or my son being put through the hell that those girls were put through.

The secondary plotline was Cheryl and Keven’s relationship. I liked it because it was realistic. Everything that they went through, as teenagers and adults, was something that I could relate to. I loved that the author chose to have them go through some traumatic experiences when they were teenagers. I also loved the explanation that Keven gave Cheryl about what happened. Like I said earlier in the paragraph, the relationship was realistic.

The chemistry between Cheryl and Keven came off the pages. The author did a great job at amping up the chemistry/sexual attraction and keeping it up. Every single sex scene was explosive. Loved it!!

There were things that I didn’t like about Forgiving Keven. There were several scenes where women/girls were sexually abused. They weren’t graphic but it was enough for me to throw up a little in my mouth. I also didn’t like Keven’s triplet brothers. They came across as douche canoes the entire book. I wanted to smack all of them upside their heads. Also didn’t like, and this is a personal complaint, that Cheryl went from having bareback sex with Dan to having bareback sex with Keven. All I could think after the book ended, was “I hope she gets tested“.

The last half of Forgiving Keven was action-packed. Which also took me by surprise. I wasn’t too surprised by what happened to Cheryl’s fiance and his associates. Those guys had it coming to them. I did like that it was a HEA. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it was those two.

I would give Forgiving Keven an Adult rating. There is graphic sex. There is graphic violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They would be sexual assault, human trafficking, and drug use. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Forgiving Keven. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Forgiving Keven.

All opinions stated in this review of Forgiving Keven are mine

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

Dirty Alphas: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Romance by Alexa B. James and Angelina Avery

Dirty Alphas: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy Romance

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 14th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal

Where you can find Dirty Alphas: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Know what’s worse than being forced to marry your depraved, sadistic alpha? 
Hiding his corpse. 

Ten years after storms and seismic disasters ravaged the world, only one major forest remains intact in the United States, and my werewolf pack is responsible for keeping Heartland Forest for the wolves. Jacob Knight may have been a terrible alpha, but he kept the fae, vampires, and man-eating trolls from taking over Heartland. Day by day, they close in on us. 

For two years, I’ve gotten away with murder, and it hasn’t been easy. I live a lie, and it’s eating me up inside. It’s a price I must pay to keep my secrets buried and my pack safe. 

But nothing stays buried for long in Heartland Forest. 

When Jacob’s three alpha brothers ride their motorcycles into town, claiming they want to rent a room in the apartment building I manage, I know they’re here for more than low rent and creaky pipes. 

Do I have what it takes to take on three dirty alphas?

My review:

Its been a while since I have read a good menage book. And I haven’t read a good reverse harem book ever. So when I was approached to read and review Dirty Alphas, I decided to take a chance. I am glad because this book was a good read. Almost a little too bloody for my taste (in romance…other books, I’m fine).

I felt bad for Scarlet. She was forced to marry her Alpha, Jacob Knight. Then she kills him (which I didn’t feel bad for her for doing. He deserved it). What I did feel bad for was that she had to hide that she, herself, was an Alpha. In order for her to do that, she had to give her father power and let him be Alpha. I do wish that more insight was given about how she gave her father power. It was mentioned a couple of times but not much insight was given about it.

What I also liked is that Scarlet had a normal family. Her mother was a freaking hoot. I was cracking up laughing at her scenes. Her father was the opposite. I liked him too. Her sister, I couldn’t stand. What she did to Scarlet was unforgivable in my eyes.

Let’s talk about the Knight triplets. There wasn’t a lot of background given about them. That they were Jacob’s younger triplet brothers. They were given a heads up about his death but decided to leave the pack alone. I understood their decision to go back but thought it was 4 years too late.

I loved how the authors built up sexual tension. The tension between Scarlet and Mack was insane!! It came off the pages. I mean, that dance that they did for the kids set the book on fire….and it was an innocent one. Great sexual tension meant one hell of a sex scene. I had to fan myself. It was that good.

What I also liked is that the authors chose to only have two sex scenes in the book. Like I mentioned above, the first one blew me out of the water. And it was also a typical menage sex scene. I did wince when Aaron joined Mack and Scarlet in bed. For a virgin to allow backdoor access, I was surprised. The second sex scene, with Darrel, was the sweet, heartfelt one.

The main plotline was great. The lengths that Scarlet’s family went through to protect her was amazing. Like I mentioned above, I wish that more information was given about how she shared energy with her father and how that masked her being alpha. I loved how the author resolved that plotline. It was perfect.

The plotline with the brothers coming back was interesting. I wasn’t sure of how their coming back was going to affect Scarlet. I felt that their plotline didn’t move until Scarlet got attacked. Then it got going.

The plotline with the man-eating werewolf was interesting. I was surprised at who it ended up being. And how that werewolf was defeated was fantastic.

Like I mentioned above, there is a lot of violence in Dirty Alphas. The violence could get a little graphic. While I wasn’t turned off by it, some people might be.

I was a little confused by the end of Dirty Alphas. What confused me? Lance. I am not going to say anything more than that. Also, is there going to be another book? Because I got a feeling by how the book ended that there is going to be one by the way this book ended.

I would give Dirty Alphas an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be forced marriage and violence against women. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Dirty Alphas. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher and the authors for allowing me to read and review Dirty Alphas.

All opinions stated in this review of Dirty Alphas are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Perfectly Inappropriate by Stacey Kennedy

Perfectly Inappropriate

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance, BDSM, Erotica

Where you can find Perfectly Inappropriate: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A woman scorned and a politician with a wild side connect online—and explore their hottest fantasies in the flesh.

Olivia Watts knows that her problems are painfully average. She got engaged, and her fiancé cheated. She gave up on her dream job—street photographer—and settled on a more practical one: graphic designer. She scrimped and saved to buy a home, only to realize how empty it was. So when Olivia hears about an exclusive dating app that matches subs with highly trained doms, she does something she never thought she’d do in a million years: She signs up. The last thing she expects to find is a man whose sizzling touch reawakens the woman she used to be. . . .

Noah Grant has no time for relationships. His sole purpose is to win reelection. That’s why he pays a premium to the discreet app that satisfies all his dark desires. But after sweet, innocent Olivia is vetted and arrives for their week together in his penthouse, it’s blatantly clear that she’s running from her demons. Noah’s more than willing to be her escape—until their emotions get tangled up in their games. Now, to become worthy of Olivia’s heart, Noah will have to prove that he’s more than a fantasy.

My review:

Olivia is trying to get her life back on track. A couple of months ago, she had walked in on her ex-fiancee in bed with her former best friend. Ever since then, she has felt like she needed to do something more with her life. So, when an opportunity arises for Olivia to expand herself sexually, she takes it. She figures, what is the worse that could happen. What she never expected was to find the one man who makes her body sing. Noah is a NY senator who uses SiR to find women who have the same sexual likes as he does. He doesn’t want a relationship. All he wants is the week or two that his sub gives him. But, when he meets Olivia, he realizes that he could have more with her. Can he convince Olivia that he wants more? Or will she walk out of his life?

I want to discuss the white elephant in the room. The BDSM element of this book. I know that more than a few people will see the words BDSM, “Dom” and Sub” and not read the book. Here’s the thing, this book is NOT about a dom/sub relationship. The story is about a woman who has lost all sense of self and finding it again. And honestly, the BDSM scenes were not that bad. 50 Shades of Grey had worse, more graphic scenes.

I wanted to gut punch Olivia’s ex. He was such a scumbag. Every time Olivia was starting to feel good about herself, he would either make an appearance. He deserved the beat down that Noah gave him. I actually wanted to jump into the book and take part in the beat down. I also couldn’t believe the excuses he gave about why he cheated. He was scum.

I loved Noah and Olivia together. Even from the first meeting, you could tell that there was more than just sex. I liked how honest Olivia was with Noah. I liked how Noah went from wanting just sex to having a relationship with Olivia. I loved how he went about showing that he wanted a relationship for her. That was a huge OMG moment for me. I did get teary eyed (but didn’t cry).

The sexual attraction between Noah and Olivia was there right from the beginning. Sparks flew from that first meeting on. I loved how that sexual attraction was built up. It was built up and up and up until they had some steamy and explosive sex. Then the author went right back to building it up again. I also liked how the BDSM element of the sex was kept low-key. The storyline included it but didn’t make it the primary focus. Which made the book so much better for me to read.

I did feel bad for Olivia while reading. I also knew what she was going through with trying to rediscover herself. I loved how the author made her photography a part of the storyline. I didn’t know what a street photographer was until I read this book. I also liked that she was able to forgive Lacie and Cameron for what they did. It took a while, but she was able to forgive. She was a better woman that I could be. I am more like Paige, her other bestie. I hold a grudge.

I loved Noah. I thought it was awesome that he was able to acknowledge, to himself, that he had feelings for Olivia. That he wanted something more than one week with her. Usually, it’s the other way around. So, yes, very refreshing. I also liked that he was able to talk about why he didn’t want a relationship. I loved that he was able to talk to his mother and get the truth from her. I thought it was awesome. I do wish that the author got more into him being a Senator.

The end of Perfectly Inappropriate was one of the best endings that I have read to date. That OMG moment that I mentioned above. It’s here. If I had any doubts about how Noah felt about Olivia, yeah they were put to rest there. And the epilogue. I had happy tears when I read that. Olivia got the HEA that she deserved and then some. Loved it!!!

I gave Perfectly Inappropriate a 4-star review. I enjoyed reading this book. I connected to both of the main characters. I loved the storyline. There wasn’t anything that I didn’t like that made a huge impact on my review.

I would give Perfectly Inappropriate an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They would be cheating. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Perfectly Inappropriate. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Loveswept, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Perfectly Inappropriate.

All opinions in this review of Perfectly Inappropriate are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Perfectly Inappropriate?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Rend (Riven: Book 2) by Roan Parrish

Rend (Riven, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 27th, 2018

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA

Series: Riven

Riven—Book 1 (review here)

Rend—Book 2

Raze—Book 3 (expected publication date: July 2nd, 2019)

Where you can find Rend: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

After a whirlwind romance, a man with a painful past learns to trust the musician who makes him believe in happy endings.

Matt Argento knows what it feels like to be alone. After a childhood of abandonment, he never imagined someone might love him—much less someone like Rhys Nyland, who has the voice of an angel, the looks of a god, and the worship of his fans.

Matt and Rhys come from different worlds, but when they meet, their chemistry is incendiary. Their romance is unexpected, intense, and forever—at least, that’s what their vows promise. Suddenly, Matt finds himself living a life he never thought possible: safe and secure in the arms of a man who feels like home. But when Rhys leaves to go on tour for his new album, Matt finds himself haunted by the ghosts of his past.

When Rhys returns, he finds Matt twisted by doubt. But Rhys loves Matt fiercely, and he’ll go to hell and back to triumph over Matt’s fears. After secrets are revealed and desires are confessed, Rhys and Matt must learn to trust each other if they’re going to make it. That means they have to fall in love all over again—and this time, it really will be forever.

Roan Parrish’s pitch-perfect Riven novels can be read together or separately:
RIVEN | REND

My review:

Abandoned as a child, Matt is used to being alone. He has formed no lasting relationships with anyone other than his best friends, Grin and Sid. But that changes when Matt meets Rhys at a bar one night. Looking for a casual hookup, Matt finds himself heads over heels in love with Rhys. Rhys makes him feel safe and secure. Something that was missing when he was a child. But that is soon tested when Rhys, a talented musician, goes on tour. Doubt if Rhys’s will come home takes over Matt’s life. Matt’s life starts to spiral out of control during the last weeks of Rhys’s tour. Which worries friends and Rhys. Matt finally comes clean with his fears and his awful childhood. Can Rhys convince Matt that he is there forever? Can Matt overcome his past? Can Rhys convince Matt that his love is forever?

I was pretty excited to read Rend. I was wondering what the story was behind Matt and Rhys’s relationship. So when I saw that this book was about that, I didn’t even hesitate to request it. I will warn you all. This book gets off to a slow start. It creeps the first couple of chapters. Normally, I would be complaining about slow starts to books. But, in this case, it works. It lays the groundwork for Matt and Rhys’s relationship. It also showed how Matt’s childhood affected him as an adult.

I didn’t exactly like Matt when I started reading the book. Without knowing his background, he came across as needy and insecure. But, as I read the book and as I started to learn more about his background, I realized that he was a damaged person. What clued me in was how he acted when Rhys was on tour. His mental state, which was not great when Rhys was there, disintegrated to the point where he couldn’t even function. When he finally told Rhys about his childhood, my heart broke. It broke for the child he was and the damaged man that he became. What I liked is that the author didn’t have Matt’s issues go away when he told Rhys. Instead, it showed Matt working on getting mentally better with Rhys’s help.

I liked Rhys. He was so devoted to Matt. His confusion over Matt’s breakdown was sad. I do think that he should have pushed for more answers about Matt’s past. Especially since they had known each other for only 2-3 months before getting married. I didn’t agree with his reaction when Matt broke down and told him about his childhood. Leaving was the worst thing that he could have done. I did understand why he left. He needed to get his thoughts in order. I would have done the same thing. The talk that Caleb had with Rhys was blunt but true. Rhys couldn’t save everyone from themselves.

Rhys and Matt had their ups and downs in this book. There were points in the book where I wondered if their relationship was going to make it. It showed that while love is great, it is work. I loved it. It wasn’t showing a happily ever after where everything is fine. Matt had some major issues that needed work. While all was fine at the end of the book, I couldn’t help but wonder if they would stay together.

Of course, the sex was insanely hot in this book. Matt and Rhys didn’t lack sexual attraction or chemistry. Put it this way, I had to fan myself after reading some of those scenes. I will warn that some of the sex scenes are explicit.

I loved that Theo and Caleb were in this book. I was wondering if they were going to be. Theo was just as adorable in Rend as he was in Riven. I loved that he took a liking to Matt and looked out for him. I loved that Caleb was able to talk to Rhys about what was happening with Matt. The advice he gave to Rhys was blunt but true.

The end of the book was a tear-jerker. I won’t say exactly what happened but it was amazing. I felt the love!! Besides making me cry, it did make me smile too.

I gave Rend a 4-star rating. I enjoyed reading this romance. This was a gritty, darker romance that resonated with me. I came to care about the main characters. The plotlines were engaging. I did get irritated with Rhys and Matt during separate parts of the book. But, it was nothing that affected my rating of the book.

I would give Rend an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be an abandonment of a child. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Rend. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would include a warning about triggers.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Rend.

All opinions stated in this review of Rend are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Rend?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!