Tag: romance

Set in Stone (Legend: Book 1) by Kylie C. Stewart

Set in Stone (Legend, #1)

Title: Set in Stone

Author: Kylie C. Stewart

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: April 23rd, 2016 (republished February 19th, 2017)

Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Suspense

Number of pages: 284

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Legend

Set In Stone – Book 1

The Duke’s Curse – Book 2 (expected date of publication: March 20th)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

When Alexandria York fatefully met the Duke of Avalon in the woods she never imagined she’d be working for him. A rising star of the art scene in London, Alexandria agrees to commission a piece for the infamous noble. His intentions quickly become confusing as chemistry grows between the two.
As she dreams of the man she can’t have, the one she can lure her deeper into his lair. Will the man she once loved be her Knight in shining armor and slay the Dragon? Or will the Dragon consume her before it’s too late?

In this life, his heart was the stone and her love was the sword…

The Duke of Avalon has lived a long and lonely life. He has chased his love through the centuries and every time she has jilted him, but not this time. Tormented by inner demons, Avalon seeks to keep his secret safe while vowing to win Alexandria York. When his former charge, Lancer Rivers comes back into both their lives, he finds him more than one challenger for her hand. Can he protect Alexandria not only from the man after her very life but also himself?

Kylie C. Stewart joins the myth of King Arthur and his Knights of the ‘Round to modern-day. Join Avalon and Alexandria on an adventure full of magic, adventure, and romance. For once is in the past, and the future is now.

My review:

Set in Stone is a newer, darker take on King Arthur. Told from Arthur/Avalon’s point of view and Alexandria point of view, you are taken on a dark journey with a man who has nothing to lose and woman who has the ability to bring him to his knees and possibly destroy him if she chooses wrong.

When Kylie approached me to review Set In Stone, I did an internal “Squeee” of delight. I am a sucker for anything about Camelot/King Arthur/Knights of the Round Table. Seriously, if I see a book that even mentions it’s about that, I snatch it right up and devour it. Which was the same with this book. And I have to say, this was a great and different take on the King Arthur myth.

I wasn’t expecting Arthur/Avalon to be a dark as he was. He came across as a man who would do anything to keep his love this time around. Anything and that included making a move on her and claim her as his own. He was so passionate when he was alone, with M or with Alexandria in her dreams. But when he was with Alexandria in real life, he was so cold….so possessive. It actually confused me at times and made me wonder why? But then I remembered the triangle of Guinevere/Lancelot/Arthur and a light bulb went off over my head. He was jealous and afraid of getting hurt.

Alexandria kinda rubbed me the wrong way at first. She gave such mixed signals about Arthur/Avalon that even I was confused. I mean, she created a statue of him (Legend) after first meeting him but they proceeded to try and put him in the friend zone when he told her that he was starting to have feelings for her. She was also hung up on a guy that seemed to move on and it drove me nuts. I did feel for her when Arthur started getting all possessive. I mean, she had no clue.

Mordred and Morgan Le Fey were mentioned a bit in the book. I figure out what her agenda was other than to drive Arthur/Avalon nuts and Mordred was only mentioned a couple of times. I can’t wait to see how they come into play in the next book.

Merlin was mentioned in the book and I wish that there was more of him. He was so wise and had such great council for Arthur/Avalon. Again, I hope he is in Book 2 more.

The end of the book was great. No twists or anything but I did like how certain events came to pan out!!

How many stars will I give Set in Stone: 4

Why: Like I said above, I love the King Arthur myth and I enjoyed this story. The story was fast paced and I was totally engrossed in the story. I couldn’t read it fast enough.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language, some violence, and sex

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

More Than A Slave by Anaelle Gadeyne

More Than A Slave

Title: More Than A Slave

Author: Anaelle Gadeyne

Publisher: Inkitt

Date of publication: March 8th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance

Number of pages: 460

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Alexander Anderson has a reputation that would strike fear into the heart of the devil himself. And now, Aria Starbird is his property.

Aria has spent only a few months as a lowly slave, but already her happy childhood memories were starting to fade under the weight of her brutal existence.
When she is sold to Lord Anderson at an auction, she cannot help but be afraid. Lord Anderson is known for his cruelty. He is fiendish and handsome and as wicked as he is wealthy.

However, as she gets to know her new master, she realizes there is more to him than meets the eye. Over time, she is able to penetrate his tough exterior and begins to understand the struggle of a man who believes love is a weakness, but whose heart is now yearning for something unknown.

As the two let down their walls and discover each other’s truths, will Aria be able to tame Alexander’s inner-beast?

My review:

Inkitt has been good to me over the last few months. I have reviewed many good books for them. Books that I enjoyed reading. So when I was asked to review More Than A Slave, I didn’t hesitate because of my history of getting good books from them. I was actually excited to read it. So, needless to say, I went into this book with high expectations and oh boy, did they get smashed.

This book takes place in America (around Marietta, Georgia if I am not mistaken)….pre-Civil War. Aria’s parents sold her into slavery because they all were starving and they needed the money. They sold her to a family friend with the stipulation that she would be treated well and off they went with their lives. 8 months later, Aria is being brought to auction to be sold because she was very disrespectful to her master.

Aria is dragging into town on a rope by her master and she catches the eye of Lord Alexander Anderson. Alexander is from England and has settled in Georgia with his sister and brothers to make a new life for himself. He quickly built a reputation for being a cruel slave owner. The slaves that go work at his manor are never released and never seen alive again. He is so casual about talking about killing slaves with his brother Oliver, it made me sick.

Aria is bought by Lord Alexander and brought to his manor along with another slave called Harriet. She keeps running into Alexander and he keeps treating her like she isn’t a slave. Except when he wants to make a point and then he gets mad and treats her like a slave if that makes sense. But he always feels bad and apologizes to her. Their relationship quickly escalates to her sharing his bed (not sleeping with him) and her getting very upset whenever he kills someone or threatens to kill someone. At one point in the book, she makes him promise not to kill someone when he gets mad. The book is put down but this time I went “Great, he’s a psychopath (because he enjoys killing)”.

He actually kills one slave after she got into a fight with Aria. That scene was gruesome and so unnecessary. He goes on to imprison her father (in his defense, he didn’t know it was her father at the time) and then tells him to never talk to Aria again, takes part in this hunt called “Little Red Riding Hood” (slave girls were put into red capes and set loose in woods for the lords to hunt down and kill), torture Harriet (Aria’s archnemesis) and Aria’s old master. Plus, when he gets mad, he beats on one of his siblings. But it’s ok that he does it because deep down he’s a good guy, he just had a hard life. Excuse me while I go puke. It sounds like every excuse that people make for an abuser.

The end of the book was a surprise too because of the turn around Aria does on certain subjects. To be honest, I was proud of myself for finishing this book without having a meltdown or DNF’ing.

How many stars will I give More Than A Slave: 1

Why: Awful storyline. Awful characters. I couldn’t wrap my head around the use of slavery during Colonial America as even being OK to use as a romantic plot line.

Will I reread: No

Will I recommend to family and friends: No

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and sex

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

Disenchanted: Not Your Typical Fairy Tale Romance by Susan Carroll

Disenchanted: Not Your Typical Fairy Tale Romance

Title: Disenchanted

Author: Susan Carroll

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: March 7th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 303

POV: 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis: Goodreads:

An alluring love triangle and a daring caper unfold in this imaginative retelling of Cinderella, featuring an indomitable damsel who’s not so easily swept off her glass slippers.

At the tender age of seventeen, Ella Upton lost her innocence to a traveling minstrel, a youth with flaxen hair and a golden voice whose deep blue eyes concealed his true intentions—until it was too late. Seven years later, Ella’s stepsisters chatter about winning the affections of the dreamy Prince Florian at the royal ball, but Ella has no such illusions. Instead, her dashing best friend, Malcolm Hawkridge, persuades her with his reckless charm and wicked smile to use the occasion to steal back a magic orb from the corrupt king.

But before the clock strikes midnight, Ella finds herself pursued by more than one prince—not to mention Commander Horatio Crushington, who captures her with his piercing gaze from across the crowded ballroom. Dancing through the sudden swirl of suitors, Ella feels her cheeks burning—and not solely because of the orb hidden in her gown. Has the strapping Horatio awakened long-dormant desires or is Ella finally coming to grips with her feelings for Malcolm? Only the girl who thought she’d given up on love can decide.

My review:

Disenchanted is a fun twist on Cinderella. Take everything you know about Cinderella and forget it because Disenchanted doesn’t follow the fairy tale. What you get, instead, is a totally original story that incorporates parts of the fairy tale into the plot line.

I will admit, I laughed my butt off while reading this book. Ella was pure snark and I loved it. The way she dealt with her sister’s suitors, her stepsisters, her stepmother, her next-door neighbor, Mal, and even Prince Florian had me giggling. Even the situations she found herself in and her reactions to them made me laugh.

But, at the same time, I did feel bad for her. She had her heart-broken at 17 by a traveling bard named Harper. That same week, her father died and then she became the glue that held her family together. She made sure that they went without anything even if it meant sacrificing things that she might have wanted to do or have. Ella also had a great relationship with her stepmother and her two younger stepsisters…even though they drove her nuts.

Her friendship with Mal did kinda confuse me at times. It confused me because at the beginning, they were strictly friends and he was a shady apothecary. But, after the King announces the ball, he suddenly became interested in her in a romantic way? I actually reread the chapters that had him in to make sure I didn’t miss anything and reconfirmed the out of left field romantic angle. Which I didn’t. It didn’t bother me as much as it confused me.

What I did like about Ella’s friendship with Mal was that it was real and it was lasting. Which is why I think both Ella and myself were surprised when Mal asked her to steal the orb the night of the ball. When he told her that she wasn’t going because she couldn’t afford it, he got tickets for her, her stepmother and two stepsisters to go. Which kinda forced her into going and doing what he wanted.

I loved the romance between Ella and Horatio. There was no Instalove. Horatio and Ella got to know each other from seeing each other around the village. It was when he asked to come calling on her and continued to go after her even when she was rude, that the romance started. It was sweet to watch it unfold. I felt horrible for him when he admitted to Ella that he overheard her stepsister and stepmother commenting on him being a “foundling”. But, I do think that there is something else about his parentage that he doesn’t know about (read the book!!!)

Prince Charming (aka Prince Florian) in this book was not so charming. Well at least to Ella, he wasn’t. She didn’t like him and the more I read about him, I didn’t like him either. He came off as one of those extremely cocky jock types that think they are God’s gift to women. Plus, there is something off about him. How his brother reacted to him was not normal. And what is going on with the King? I thought it was very weird that he knew Ella’s mother and when he found out that she had her father’s eyes, he got all pissy and walked off.

I also loved the references to the original fairytale. Mal as the fairy godfather, the quip about the field mice hurting their paws if they were to sew a dress, the pumpkin carriages that are hazards and the best thing of all…..Ella refusing to wear the glass shoes because they hurt her feet. Loved it!!

The end of the book was perfect but it left me with more questions than anything. What was up with Ella’s father? Who was S? What about the young king, his wife and newborn son (before the present king took over) who were killed? The baby’s body was never found…so where is he? Why does the King create laws and fines about everything (the fainting one did crack me up, though)? Was he in love with Ella’s mother too? and so much more. Oh, so many questions that need to be answered. I do hope that there is a book 2!!

How many stars will I give Disenchanted: 4

Why: This was a very original and imaginative retelling of Cinderella. Normally I don’t like it when fairy tales are retold, something is always left out. Not here. This was a totally engrossing tale with characters that are unbelievably snarky and lovable at the same time. The references to the original fairy tale were woven into the story in such a way that you had to laugh.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: Some mild violence. Some kissing. Other than that, a very clean book.

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

Wait For It (Everything I Left Unsaid: Book 4) by M. O’Keefe

Title: Wait For It

Author: M. O’Keefe

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 272

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Everything I Left Unsaid

Everything I Left Unsaid – Book 1

The Truth About Him – Book 2

Burn Down The Night – Book 3 (review here)

Wait For It – Book 4

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

In a blistering novel of raw emotion and desire, a tormented woman teaches an alpha male that money can’t fix everything . . . but love can.

Tiffany : After fighting for a new life, I don’t want to play the victim anymore. However, with three kids to raise, I’m getting desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. My estranged brother-in-law, Blake, says he just wants to help, but he’s been trouble since I met him. I don’t know if I can believe this kinder, gentler Blake, and there’s a friction between us that has turned into the sweetest chemistry. He could be my salvation . . . or my downfall.

Blake : I haven’t always had Tiffany’s best interests at heart but I’m ready to make up for my sins. Besides, I can’t help admiring her: The girl’s a genuine survivor, tough and lean, with eyes of steel. But the more I get to know Tiffany, the more I want her. Every inch of her. Which means I’m about to make a bad situation a hell of a lot worse.

My review:

Oh. My. Good. Gravy.

I don’t even know where I should begin with this review because this book was that good.

Blake was a jerk. A huge jerk that I wanted to kick between the legs when he was introduced in the first chapter. He had to have some big ones to try to pay off his brother’s wife to disappear with her 3 kids. Huge gigantic ones. But when more of his backstory is revealed and I got to know him, I kinda felt bad for him. It must have sucked to live the way he did….thinking that money could solve everything.

I really liked Tiffany and felt a huge connection with her. She was the only one in the book, well besides Blake’s mother, who stood up to Blake. I absolutely loved it when she talked him up to $20G when he tried to pay her to disappear. She was a mother who was trying her best to let her children have normal lives, even though their father was an abusive jerk who terrorized them.

I wanted to cry when she said that she felt broken during the masturbation scene. It just showed how fragile she was and how low self-esteem she had. I mean, she was married to a man who enjoyed belittling her. That takes a toll on your self-esteem. I don’t care who you are, it does.

Tiffany’s parents were awful. Who turns their back on their daughter when they see that she is in an abusive relationship? At least Bea was there for her but still. A pretty crappy thing to do to your daughter.

The chemistry between Tiffany and Blake was out of this world and that first sex scene, it was out of the world. I got kinda mad when Blake offered Tiffany $500 for one night. How degrading. But what surprised me was that she took it up. WTH????

The end of the book was pretty good and I am glad to see that Phil got what he deserved.

How many stars will I give Wait For It: 4

Why: This was a fast paced romance with enough hot sex to ignite the pages. The underlying theme, domestic violence, was discussed in a way that is realistic. I got really attached to Blake and Tiffany and I can’t wait to see if there will be a book 5 in this series.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language.

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

Catch and Release (Fishing for Trouble: Book 3) by Laura Drewry

Catch and Release (Fishing for Trouble, #3)

Title: Catch and Release

Author: Laura Drewry

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 202

POV: 3rd person

Series: Fishing for Trouble

Off the Hook – Book 1

Lured In – Book 2 (review here)

Catch and Release – Book 3

Can be read out-of-order from series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The irresistible O’Donnell brothers return in a charming novel from the bestselling author of Off the Hook (“The perfect balance of sweet, sexy, and wonderfully romantic.”—Lauren Layne).

Hope Seaver is an up-and-coming TV producer tackling the hardest gig of her career: a reality show set at the Buoys, a scenic fishing destination owned by three handsome, stubborn brothers. Liam and Finn O’Donnell are willing to tolerate her crew for the sake of the business, but Ronan would rather chew off a limb than open up on camera. Somehow Hope has to convince him of her good intentions—and stop herself from swooning every time Ronan walks into the frame.

Ronan knows that he’s the reason his brothers gave up their old lives to run the Buoys, and he needs to make it worth their while. So if this out-of-towner with the kind eyes and dazzling smile wants to give them the free publicity they desperately need, Ronan can’t say no. He just won’t let himself get burned again by a double-dealing woman. But what if Hope’s good-girl routine isn’t an act? When Ronan lets his guard down long enough to catch a glimpse of the real Hope, he likes what he sees—enough to give love another shot.

Look for all of Laura Drewry’s heartwarming Fishing for Trouble romances:
OFF THE HOOK | LURED IN | CATCH AND RELEASE

My review:

After the heavy thinking book that I just finished and reviewed the other day, I needed something that was semi-light and didn’t need me to think a ton of the plot and the characters. Catch and Release are such a book.

I actually really liked Catch and Release. After reading Finn and Jessie’s story in Lured In (and really wishing that I had read Liam and Kate’s story), I was very interested in seeing what type of woman who Ronan would go for. And I wasn’t surprised.

I absolutely loved Hope. She was always ready (but the story about why she was always ready was heartbreaking) and had these odd facts that she spewed when she was nervous. And Ronan made her nervous, so she was always spewing out facts.

I like Ronan too and I got to understand what his role was in the family. Not only was he Finn and Liam’s older brother but he was their protector from an abusive drunk of a father. Even him telling Hope about how he used to stuff Finn in cabinets or send him to their treehouse to get away from their Da was heartbreaking.  I cried when he told Hope that.

The romance between Ronan and Hope was a slow burn. What I liked is that when they finally had sex, near the end of the book, the author chose not to go into it and let you use your imagination.

There is a huge twist in the story that I kinda sensed coming but when it happened, I was still a little shocked. I also didn’t blame Ronan for going off as he did. What did get me a little ticked off was how easily he blamed Hope for what happened and how Jessie, Finn, and Liam fell right in line with him. All Hope wanted to so was to tell Ronan she had no clue and they wouldn’t let her. Which, I guess, in hindsight, was a good thing but still.

The whole reality TV angle, I didn’t like. I am not a fan of reality TV and what happened in the book was a prime example WHY I don’t like it. Talk about a crappy thing that Luka did and I was really surprised that Ronan didn’t pitch her off the dock.

The whole stowaway dog storyline was great and I thought the name Hope gave him was pretty fitting. I kinda giggled at it. See, growing up, I had a dog named J.D. but it was after the whiskey. I liked Hope’s abbreviation better…lol.

The end of the book was pretty standard and there were HEA’s all around for the boys. I do wish that they author had put something up about mental illness, like an afterward with a number or website to call.

How many stars will I give Catch and Release: 4

Why: I thought this was a pretty good romance with a good storyline.

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**

Love Taker (Nashville Nights: Book 3) by Erin McCarthy

Love Taker (Nashville Nights, #3)

Title: Love Taker

Author: Erin McCarthy

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 182

POV: 3rd person

Series: Nashville Nights

Heart Breaker – Book 1

Dream Maker – Book 2 (review here)

Love Taker – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

The Nashville Nights series is burning up backstage in this sensual friends-to-lovers novel featuring a good-guy cop and a woman who’s been looking for Mr. Right in all the wrong places.

Pretty-boy musicians are a fixture of the Nashville country scene—and Elle Hart, a hairdresser to the stars, is beginning to think that they’re all total pricks. Elle’s dating choices have been a disaster, but at least she has Tucker. Though he’s easy on the eyes, no one would ever accuse Jason Michael Tucker of being a pretty boy. The humble and handsome sheriff’s deputy from Elle’s hometown has always been there to comfort her—until the evening their friendship unexpectedly leads to the best sex Elle has ever had.

Tucker has been lusting after Elle since they were an item as teens, but he knows that their wild night of passion is a one-time thing. He’s an old friend, nothing more, and they’re too different to become a couple just because they’ve knocked boots. After all, she hates being back in their hometown, and he’s not so fond of the big city. But when Elle comes to Tucker with the news that changes everything, he must help her come to grips with her traumatic past—or risk losing her forever.

My review:

I had waited anxiously for this book to come out and I haunted Loveswept’s NetGalley page until the ARC came up. I was a huge fan of Dream Maker that I had to read this book. I needed to see if Elle got her happy ending. When she appeared in Shane’s story, Elle had caught my interest and I was curious to see who she was going to end up with.

I was pretty happy with who she ended up with. Tucker was the opposite than her in so many ways and to be honest, with her wild child ways, she needed him. He balanced her out. But until that one night, she kept it solely as friends.

When she does have sex with Tucker, it was off the pages hot and very sweet. Of course, the morning after was kind of awkward and they did stop talking to each other for a month because of that. The only reason that they started talking was that one night of passion had unexpected consequences. Elle got knocked up…even with using a condom.

What I liked the most about this book was how real Elle and Tucker were, well for the most part. The whole Las Vegas and Tucker quitting his job were a tad too much. Only for certain events to happen a little later in the book and then Elle change her mind.

The humor in this book got me too. Elle had a mouth on her and I loved her one-liners. I was literally dying laughing on the couch and BK was just looking at me like I had 3 heads. My favorite line was (and this is not an exact quote) “sweating like a hog eating soup in August.” Oh, the images it conjured up for me.

The end of the book was very sweet and the epilog was perfect. The series was ended beautifully and happily!!! A perfect HEA. Oh, and I loved the name Elle and Tucker gave the baby ;).

How many stars will I give Love Taker: 4

Why: This book was great. Had a great storyline, humor and two unforgettable main characters (as well as secondary ones)

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

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

Spectra by Ebony Olson

Spectra

Title: Spectra

Author: Ebony Olson

Published: Inkitt

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: Alternating 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

One touch of Spectra’s fingers leaves the predator Bay craving more.

Spectra is a Balance; a decadent of angels whose soul has been intertwined with that of sorcerer Alexander, although her heart belongs to Mercury, the son of an archangel.
Bay is a predator de Sang and sorcerer, who runs his own private security company, fighting the purist organization Essence. Seeking out Spectra for her special abilities the last thing he expected to find was a Balance strong enough to withstand his potent energy. With her heart and soul already claimed, could there be room for another in her life?

When Bay’s infatuations bring Spectra to the attention of Essence and put her life at risk, he must learn that sometimes sacrificing the ones you love is the only way to save them.

My review:

When I started reading Spectra, I went into it thinking that it was going to be one of those paranormal romances that focuses more on the sex than the story. Boy, was I wrong. While sex does get mainlined for a while, the real story ends up being the relationships that Spectra has with Bay, Merc and Alexander and, of course, the Essence storyline (which was fascinating).

Spectra was a tough chick. She was dealt a crap hand in life. Her sister was killed by a predator (think vampire/were animal), her mother just couldn’t deal and committed suicide when Spectra was 14. Then she is date raped after her college boyfriend slips her a Rufie and she dies from an allergic reaction to it. She is brought back to life and she makes it her life’s mission to help those who can’t help themselves (victims be it of abuse or other things).

Alexander was so sweet at first and then he morphed into a jerk. I was kinda taken aback when he did the 180 because it went against how he was portrayed. But when it was revealed why he morphed into a jerk, I wanted to reach into the book and smack him. Put it this way: Can’t have your cake and eat it too!!!

Next to Spectra, Merc was my favorite character in the book and he was a perfect fit with Spectra. Their relationship was a little strange (totally open, both were able to see/sleep with other people) but it worked for them because they didn’t get jealous. I mean, the first time we meet Merc, he is nailing a girl in Tommy’s bar……lol.

I wasn’t too sure about Bay at first. But the more I read, the more I started to like him and by the end of the book, I loved him. He also was a good fit with Spectra but, and stress but, because he was a predator (aka vampire) and a sorcerer (which is the first time I think that I have read those two being combined). He was the one the uncovered the wrongs that Alexander was doing to her, thinking that he was protecting her, and he was the one that was there, along with Merc, when Spectra needed him the most.

The whole storyline as to who Spectra’s father was and the storyline about exactly what she is was played out beautifully. I kinda felt bad for her when it was revealed who her father was, and a little shocked, to be honest. Then when Bay finds out exactly what she was, again it was a huge surprise to me. There were hints dropped throughout the book but I didn’t exactly put two and two together until Bay found out.

I would be a fool if I didn’t address the sex scenes. They were all hot. Very hot but what ruined them for me is that Spectra would go from one man’s bed to another in the same day. Also, the whole cumming in her until she was married. It was great (and that she insisted on condoms was awesome) until well, you have to read the book. I wish that it was carried out until the end because it was kinda different.

The ending was good but I couldn’t tell if there was going to be a book 2? I am so torn because there was so much left in the air.

How many stars will I give Spectra: 4

Why: A great paranormal/fantasy with hot sex scenes. The ending I was a little torn on and I wish there was better clarification on if there is going to be a book 2.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

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

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series: Book 1) by Emigh Cannaday

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series Book 1) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

Title: Jerk Bait

Author: Emigh Cannady

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 214

POV: 1st person

Series: The Sloane Spadowski Series

Jerk Bait – Book 1

Slip Sinker – Book 2 (expected publication date March 15th, 2017)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Sloane Spadowski has never kept a job (or a boyfriend) for more than a few months. The last thing this temp worker wants is a long-term commitment to either–until she hooks the ultimate trophy. Not only does her new office have a stunning view of Downtown Chicago, but her sexy new supervisor makes it clear from day one that he’s a boss with benefits. Andy is funny, smart, rich, and has Ken-doll good looks, making him the perfect catch. Just when Sloane is about to reel him in, she finds herself caught on a snag the size of Texas–his best friend Barbie.

* The Sloane Spadowski series is a whimsical, rowdy, dirty blend of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy, with occasional adult language and adults behaving badly. This is the first installment of a complete series.

My review:

This book was just what I needed after reading two books that were not light reading and dealt with some pretty heavy issues. It was refreshing!! It was a salve for my brain and recharged it…..lol.

I really liked Sloane. I liked that she was kinda commitmentphobe about jobs and relationships. She changed men almost as much she changed her underwear (and maybe more). The only serious relationship she had been with Jack, her roommate, best friend, and ex-boyfriend.

Andy came across as a horndog from the minute he was introduced to Sloane in his office. Not that Sloane helped any with her deliberate leaving up the corset page and then having him look at it. Then he buys them for her with a condition that she wears them for him. But I do like that he held off from actually doing the deed with her, a few times. That he opted to get to know her better. Kinda brought down his perviness a little.

The whole Barbie storyline had me going until the end. When it was revealed who Barbie was, I almost died and I can’t wait until the next book to see where that is going to go.  Put it this way, I think Jack would be a great hook up for Barbie….lol!!!!

I also think that I figured out the Andy Jr storyline and if it is what I think it is, well Sloane is going to be proven wrong….haha. The phone conversations alone tipped me off.

The make-out scenes with Andy were pretty hot and I can’t wait to see when they actually have sex. It is going to beyond hot.

Like I said, the end of the book was a cliffhanger with a huge surprise. I was kinda taken aback by the surprise and it did hook me into reading the next book.

How many stars will I give Jerk Bait: 4

Why: This book was a balm on my brain after reading a couple of books that dealt with some pretty heavy issues. The characters were quirky but likable and the romance was off the hook steamy. I cannot wait to read the next book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations and some language

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

An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities: Book 1) by K.J. Charles

An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities, #1)

Title: An Unseen Attraction

Author: K. J. Charles

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 21st 2017

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: 3rd person

Series: Sins of the Cities

An Unseen Attraction – Book 1

An Unnatural Vice – Book 2 (Expected publication date June 6th, 2017)

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, first book in series

Where you can find this book: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A slow-burning romance and a chilling mystery bind two singular men in the suspenseful first book of a new Victorian series from K. J. Charles.

Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He’s happy with his hobbies, his work—and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green was interested in more than friendship. . . .

Rowley just wants to be left alone—at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding . . . it could be perfect. Then the brutally murdered corpse of another lodger is dumped on their doorstep and their peaceful life is shattered.

Now Clem and Rowley find themselves caught up in a mystery, threatened on all sides by violent men, with a deadly London fog closing in on them. If they’re to see their way through, the pair must learn to share their secrets—and their hearts.

My review:

This book took a while for me to get into. I almost DNF’d it about 16% into the book because it just dragged and I was wondering when the romance was going to start. But, right after I made that decision, everything happened. The book went from being boring to being very interesting. I couldn’t read it fast enough!!

The storyline was pretty good. Clem is the bastard younger brother of an Earl. 8 years before, when the former Earl died, he made sure that his legitimate son and heir took care of Clem. And by that, the new Earl bought a lodging house and made Clem the proprietor of it. Clem liked his job and liked most of the people who lodged there. With the exception of Lugtrout, a pastor who has lived there indefinitely and is a drunk. Lugtrout is the otherwise black spot on Clem’s happy life.

If Lugtrout is a black spot on Clem’s life, then Rowley Green is a bright, bright yellow spot. Rowley is a taxidermist who owns the shop next to Clem’s boarding house. In the 8 months that he has lived at the lodging house, Clem and Rowley have become fast friends. They share a nightly tea and have really gotten to know each other. Clem, though, is very attracted to Rowley but is afraid to say or do anything.

This is Victorian England and male/male relationships are not only frowned on but can constitute in 10 years of jail time. So, Clem has to be very careful about who he approaches. Luckily, he found a club called the Jack and Knave that is for men of Clem’s inclination.

Luckily for him, Rowley is also very attracted to Clem and on what I guess you could call their first date, he told Clem that he was attracted to him and shortly afterward, they had their first kiss. It was during that first kiss that Lugtrout started screaming that he had been robbed. After calming him down, Clem sends word to his brother about Mr. Lugtrout’s behavior….only to be told, in not so many words, “Deal with it”.

It is when Mr. Lugtrout is found murdered outside of the lodging house and then Rowley is attacked and his shop burned, is when the book picked up the pace. From then on, it was Clem and Rowley trying to figure out why Lugtrout was killed, who attacked Rowley and who tried to burn down Rowley’s shop. All on top of keeping their relationship super secret.

The sex scenes weren’t anything remarkable and I actually kinda disconnected from them in most scenes. I don’t know why. Maybe because it had to be super secret and the doors had to be shut and locked before anything was done. The oppression of that time was awful.

While I say that the sex scenes weren’t remarkable, I did think that the romance between Clem and Rowley were. Both had overcome a lot in their life and both were willing to make their relationship work….no matter what. What I thought sucked is that they couldn’t let on that they were in love. The only safe place was the club.

Now what I thought was refreshing was the club that Clem belonged to. There was a trans woman who tended the bar and I have never, ever read a historical romance book that is LGBTQIA that had a trans woman featured. And I loved it. I hope that Phyllis (aka Phil) makes more of an appearance in the other books.

The whodunit storyline was pretty predictable but I do like that the author did throw in a couple of curveballs. The main one being at the end of the story which threw things up in the air on Clem’s end.

Speaking of the end of the book, the author did a great job wrapping up the storylines. But, like I said above, the curveball at the end threw me. And it left for a great opener for the next story.

How many stars will I give An Unseen Attraction: 3

Why: While I liked the story, I had an issue getting into it. The characters were really hard for me to connect to at first but once I did, I really enjoyed them. Besides the book getting off to a very slow start, there was also a lull in the middle of the book. The author was able to get back on track but the lull was for a couple of chapters (when Clem and Edmund met) and I was pretty certain that the book wouldn’t recover from it.

Will I reread: On the fence about rereading it.

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and some mild violence

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

Cocoa Butter Skin: Irene| Episode 1 by Lizz Rouge

Cocoa Butter Skin: Episode One // Irene

Title: Cocoa Butter Skin: Episode 1| Irene

Author: Lizz Rogue

Publisher: Geniotic Lab

Date of publication: January 15th, 2017

Genre: Erotica, Lesbian, Romance

Number of pages: 54

POV: 1st person

Series: Cocoa Butter Skin

Cocoa Butter Skin: Episode 1| Irene – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Irene Maria Nolan is one of the best lawyers in New York. She’s charming, intelligent, and won’t let anything stand in her way to get to the top. When her boss decides to send her to London for the International Criminal Law Congress, Irene knows this is her chance to really get ahead. Unfortunately, he’s also sending along his arrogant son, who has set his sights on Irene. She will have to muster up all of her cleverness in order to sidestep his advances and stay centered on her goals.

But when Irene faces temptation from a whole different caliber, the normally eloquent lawyer suddenly becomes tongue-tied. What happens when her infallible wit and charm suddenly fail her? Will Irene find a way to ignore this enchanting temptress and stay on task? Or will she divert from her career-minded goals to explore this new sensation?

My review:

What a steamy, sensual book with a great plot. It is pretty rare that you find an erotica that actually sticks to the plot. Not that sex from page one is a bad thing but sometimes I need a little more and I found it in this book.

Irene was at the top of her game. She had it all: a great job, looks, intelligence but she was missing that special someone. Unfortunately, her boss’s son, a fellow lawyer, has set his sights on her and is determined to get her into bed. Which isn’t going to happen.

Irene is in for a surprise when her boss sends her to London for an International Criminal Law Congress. On the plane ride there, she notices a very attractive woman accompanied by several men. Overhearing their conversation, she figures out that they are a band. What she didn’t count on was the instant attraction that she had for the woman.

After they arrive in London, she starts to run into the woman….a lot. Irene finds out her name (Kayleigh), that she sings with a jazz band, that she is staying in the same hotel as she is and that Kayleigh’s jazz band will be singing at an event that Irene will be going to with the other lawyers.

I loved the build-up that the author did with Irene’s feelings for Kayleigh. The masturbation scene with the scarf was hot and what Kayleigh says when she realizes what Irene did with it was great!!!

Speaking of the sex scenes, holy cow were they intense. The author didn’t hold back on anything. My favorite scene was the one in the shower ;).

The end was a bit of a cliffhanger. Despite my dislike of cliffhangers, I need to read the next book. I need to find out if Kayleigh and Irene will hook up again.

How many stars will I give Cocoa Butter Skin: 5

Why: For a short story (54 pages) this book packs a lot in. I really enjoyed that there was a storyline with this story and the sex was only a small part of it. The build-up to the sex was what got me!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Explicit sex

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