Tag: romance

Errant Spark (Elemental Trials: Book 1) by Ronelle Antoinette

Errant Spark (Elemental Trials Book 1) by [Antoinette, Ronelle]

Publisher: Self published

Date of publication: July 1st 2016

Series: Elemental Trials, Book 1

Errant Spark – Book 1

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

How can you afford to risk it all for love when your life is not your own?

They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but In Egalion’s Imperial court, you can’t tell one from the other…especially when they change at the flip of a coin. Behind the luxury and splendor lies a realm of treachery where cloak-and-dagger political maneuvering threatens to destroy the peace of two thousand years. 

Twenty-five-year-old Battlemage Jex Xander has a mouth that frequently gets him into trouble, while in contrast, Enari Namelum speaks not at all. When Jex becomes the target of a faceless curse-slinger, Enari, the girl he has protected since the day they met, must now protect him. A string of ritual human sacrifices coupled with Jex’s growing inability to keep his feelings (and hands) to himself only serve to complicate matters. Amidst the mounting chaos, passion and romance should be the last thing on their minds, but life and the Goddess seem to have other ideas.

In a world as enticing as it is perilous, love, danger, and magic will collide, leaving lives irrevocably changed. The events of a single summer stand to change the course of more than just the kingdom of Egalion and the ones dismissed as pawns may yet prove to be the most important players.

“Errant Spark” is the hush before the storm, the last deep breath before the plunge. The flint has been struck and it’s possible the whole world might go up in flames…because love in the Imperial court is as dangerous a thing as backroom politics and jealousy can be as much a driving force as silver and gold.
***
Fantasy? Action? Romance? Yes! This romantic fantasy novel by Ronelle Antoinette is a broad, epic, sweeping fantasy with more twists and turns and ups and downs than a wild roller-coaster! The first installment of the Elemental Trials series is one of those books that really is so much more than what the blurb can convey. Described as “surprisingly complex and visionary” by one reviewer, “Errant Spark” will leave you mesmerized from the first page to the last. 

Hailed by Amazing Stories Magazine’s Ricky L Brown as “a simple story about interesting characters with just enough romance and magic to make it work. […] Errant Spark is as complex as George RR Martin, with a world that is well-suited for conniving and cavorting. Rest assured, there is plenty of sex and violence, but not as raw and stabby as the aforementioned works. It’s more like a big kid’s version of a fairy tale.

Recommended for:
•Mature teens and up
•Fans of epic fantasy and romance
•Those looking for characters they want to eat…or take home and enjoy
•Readers who can appreciate a gorgeous tapestry of magic, myth, and mayhem
•Connoisseurs of fine love stories that complement the plot and that ‘slow burn’
•Lovers of surprises, twists-and-turns, and well-placed, necessary supernatural elements
•Anyone looking for sex, magic, love, fantasy, and a story that will sweep you away
•Those who don’t mind staying up all night so they can turn that final page

My review:

I am a huge fan of fantasy. About 90% of the books I read (and don’t review) are fantasy. When I was approached by to read Errant Spark, I was very excited and couldn’t wait to read this book.

I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The book starts with meeting Jex Xander, a battlemage, and his mentor, Eryk, the High Mage. Jex has a reputation of being somewhat of taking many ladies and men into his bed. He is a bit of a manwhore, and I loved it. The threesome scene was hot.

He is pursued by Sarene, the middle daughter of the Tor and Torina of Egalion. I didn’t like Sarene at all. She was rude and a spoiled brat.

The book jumps to Enari Namelum, a mute orphan who lives at the Cyrilan Temple. She is training to be a kvinna under the tutelage of Vasi de’Curande, the Master Apothecary of the Temple. She is shunned because of her exotic looks and her aversion to being touched. People say that she looks like a Vintyri (think Fae) and her muteness keeps her isolated from other people.

Vasi and Enari have been summoned to the Imperial Palace to assist Tora Aelani with the birth of her child. While crossing the plains, they are met by Jex, who has come to escort them across the plains. When Jex meets Enari,  there is an instant attraction. Note that I said instant attraction, not instalove, big difference!! Jex falls ill and almost dies on the journey home. The relationship was off while Enari and Vasi nurse him back to health.

Then the book gets good. Mysterious deaths are happening in the palace, around the same time Jex is brought in. Jex and Enari have sex and connect on a deeper level. I loved seeing that. The High Mage is brought into the investigation of the deaths.

There is a heartbreaking death that I didn’t see coming, a birth and a couple of revelations that did surprise me. One I did guess at but the other one, well it took me by surprise.

How many stars will I give Errant Spark? 4

Why? While a great high fantasy novel that kept my attention, I had issues with some of the titles and terms. If there was a guide, it would have been great. Other than that small issue, a great read.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why? sex scenes (including a threesome) and violence

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

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

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

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: September 27 2016

Series: Fishing for Trouble

Off the Hook – Book 1

Lured In – Book 2

Where can you find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

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

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

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

My review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will I recommend? Yes

Will I reread? Yes

Age Range: Adult

Why? Sex and language

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

Clementine and Claudia by Piper Milton

Clementine and Claudia: A gripping historical romance novel of two sisters divided by love and war by [Milton, Piper]

Publisher: Silvertail Books

Date of publication: September 22nd, 2016

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

There are more than two sides to every love story…

The First World War is raging and sisters Clementine and Claudia are coping in very different ways. Clementine is a nurse on the front line, doing her best to save the lives of soldiers wounded while serving their country. Claudia, on the other hand, is living the good life in England, deliberately oblivious to the horrors her sister and so many others are living through. When they both meet their perfect man, their already fractured relationship is tested in ways they could never imagine.

The début novel from Piper Milton, Clementine and Claudia is a powerful and beautifully written story of romance and war for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, and a wonderful addition to the romantic traditions of Penny Vincenzi, Soraya Lane, Brief Encounter and Downton Abbey.

My review:

This book was so slow at the beginning that I almost DNF’d. Stress almost. Once I got past the first couple of chapters, the book started to pick up steam and move along.

I loved the historical aspect of this book. I loved that it took place during World War 1. The author did an excellent job world building. I could picture the bomb and air raid sirens going off. I could hear the battlefield in my ears along with hearing the moans and groans of injured patients.

I did have an issue with the romance part of the book. I want my romance from that period to be sweet and innocent. This one was twardy, and it was almost dirty.

I know people can’t help who they fall in love with. I wished that the author chose a different road for her characters. Cheating on your spouse isn’t cool, and I felt for Charles in that scene. And in the scene where he let his wife go to be with the one she wanted. I was so sad about that.

The ending was what I expected because I knew that the star-crossed lovers would be together.

How many stars will I give Clementine and Claudia: 3

Why: A wonderfully written, vivid historical piece that was written as a historical romance. For me, the romance fell flat and like I said in my review, was twardy and almost dirty.

Will I reread? Maybe

Will I recommend to family and friends? Maybe

Age Range: Teen

Why: Sexual situations (but never gotten into detail) and description of wartime violence (including an amputation of a leg).

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

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

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

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: September 20th 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Return to Briarwood

Once and Again – Book 1

The Best of Me – Book 2

Anywhere You Are – Book 3

Where can you find this book: Amazon 

Book synopsis:

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

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

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

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

My review:

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

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

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

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

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

How many stars will I give Anywhere You Are? 3

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

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

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

Visibly Broken by Chelsea Camaron and MJ Fields

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

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: September 20th 2016

Genre: Romance

Where the book can be found: Amazon 

Book synopsis:

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

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

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

My review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

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

Through Raging Waters (Snowy Range Chronicles: Book 1) by Renee Blare

Through Raging Waters by [Blare, Renee]

Publisher: Prism Book Group

Date of publication: July 8th, 2016

Series: Snowy Range Chronicles.

To Soar on Eagle’s Wings – Book 1

Through Raging Waters – Book 2

Genre: Romance, Christian

Where can you find this book? Amazon

Book synopsis:

If Mother Nature has her way, Timber Springs will never be the same…

A warm spring and early rainstorms melt the snowpack. Spring runoff compounded by the storm of the century sends Timber Springs into a tailspin.
Tossed into the role of rescuer, local pharmacist Paul Fitzgerald must face his past before the whole world falls apart. While he fights to contain the beast around him, he finds his steadfast control slipping through his fingers. And life…everyone’s life…hangs by a thread once again.
She isn’t a hero. Melissa Hampton has her own demons to battle. After she learns of her mysterious beginnings amidst her mother’s keepsakes, she faces more than just the river rushing outside her door. Now, she must discern friend from foe…but as waters rise and tension climbs within Timber Springs, she needs to rise to the challenge or lose the only man she’s ever loved.

Can two people find each other through raging waters?

My review:

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, considering that it started slow. I had trouble getting through the first couple of chapters before it picked up steam.

Through Raging Waters is a Christian romance and I was expecting it to be incredibly preachy. It wasn’t. Melissa and Paul’s relationship interweaved skillfully with each other and other people. Unlike some other Christian novels I have read, their relationship and religion wasn’t preachy.

Through Raging Waters is not a standalone book. I wish that I had read To Soar on Eagle’s Wings (which is Rachel and Steve’s story) to understand some of the back stories in this book. It doesn’t take away from the book at all. It raised some questions on my end about what happened in the first book.

I did like Melissa. She was strong in faith and spirit. I couldn’t have gone on living in a town where my attacker resided and not known who he was. It would have driven me crazy. I felt awful during the scenes where she uncovered her deceased mother’s secrets and then met her father. Talk about hitting you in the feels.

Paul was an enigma to me. I couldn’t figure out what he did. I did figure out that the discussion about his job happened in book 1.  His faith was just as strong as Melissa’s. I believe that his prayers and Melissa’s determination to get to him are what saved him.

I liked that the romance between Paul and Melissa was almost not there. There were sparks at the beginning that got squashed by the flood, Paul’s father having a stroke and Paul leaving on the rescue mission. The whole time he was gone, they both thought of each other regularly and with love. It wasn’t until Ajax forced Melissa to come to terms with her feelings and she let Paul know how she felt that the book took on the romance angle.

The ending of the book was great. There was a big plot twist that I saw coming but didn’t expect and another one that took me by surprise. I liked that while everything was wrapped up for Melissa and Paul, the author left the book open for the other children.

How many stars will I give Through Raging Waters? 4/4.5

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range: Teen

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

Exploits: A Glamorous, Dangerous Romance (Sex &Secrets: Book 1) by Clara Grace Walker

EXPLOITS: A Glamorous, Dangerous Romance (Sex & Secrets Book 1)

Publisher:

Date of publication: July 1st, 2016

Genre: Romance, Mystery

Series: Sex & Secrets

Exploits: A Glamorous, Dangerous Romance – Book 1

Whispers—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

What would you do if someone left a dead body in the backseat of your car?

Publicity-shy author Sunny Drysdale is forced to find out. After bumping into celebrity impersonator Boyd Bradford at a wedding reception the night before, and seeing him leave with rival author Darla Arnold, Sunny knows exactly who to blame for his appearance in her car. She’s suffered countless dirty tricks at Darla’s hands, and Sunny is determined this one will be the last. Her plan to return the body to Darla is thwarted, however, when she is flagged down, corpse still in car, by handsome police Chief Jeremy Jennings.

How can you love someone if you can’t trust them?

Jeremy is torn by his attraction to Sunny. If life has taught him anything, it’s that relationships are a trap. Worse still, he has two main suspects in Boyd Bradford’s disappearance, and Sunny Drysdale is one of them. With counterfeit bills popping up all over town and Boyd rumored to be a mob hit, Sunny is either in way over her head, or a beautiful, but devious criminal. His head says she’s only using their romance to distract him. His heart is determined not to care. Telling himself his interest in Sunny is only about solving his case; Jeremy loses himself to the passion simmering between them.

Will these two ever be honest with one another, and give in to the desire tempting them both? Or is their romance doomed to a catastrophic end?

This book was a hot mess. I didn’t know what to expect from one chapter to the next. Usually, I can’t stand that in a book, but this one worked.

I wasn’t fond of Sunny’s character at first. She was too innocent and too much of a goody two shoes. When the missing man turns up in the back seat of her car, what does she do, she puts the body in a freezer. Seriously??? I put my Kindle down and said: “Why???“. I loved the name she came up for him, the Boydsicle. Every time I saw it, I giggled a little bit.

Sunny has some serious issues going on. Her parents died right after telling her they were disappointed in her and her aunt (who raised her) is pushy. But the main one was that she was hung up on a guy who took her virginity at 17 and told her that she wasn’t good enough for him to have sex with again, 9 years later. I remember thinking, “Girl, you need a therapist.”

Darla was a biatch. She was the one who put the body in Sunny’s car, and she kept leaking “information” about him being missing to a reporter, and she was sleeping with every guy in the book except Leo and Jeremy. Darla hates Sunny. She thinks that Sunny is better than her, and she tries to outdo her in everything. I liked her, and her scenes in the book (especially the ones in the shoe store and the dress shop) were hilarious.

Jeremy was OK. I didn’t have a connection with him as I did with Sunny and Darla. I liked his plan to get Sunny info about Boyd’s whereabouts. He was going to sleep with her. Good police work, Chief (oh yeah, he’s a police chief).

There were sparks between him and Sunny but to begin a relationship on lies is not good. The sex scenes were fantastic!!

There are so many other characters in this book that if I wrote about each of them, this blog would be long and tedious, so I decided to highlight the main three above. This book read exactly like a soap opera. I was expecting to see the words “Yesterday on Exploits” pop up between chapters with a recap.

The ending was somewhat confusing, but the storylines (I think 4??) were brought together and resolved in a way that satisfied me.

I would recommend Exploits to anyone over 21. There is sex, violence, and language. There are also scenes of drug use.

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

Rebellious (True Brothers MC, #2)

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: September 13th, 2016

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

Series: True Brothers MC series

Ruthless – Book 1

Rebellious – Book 2

Resilient—Book 3 (review here)

Rough Ride—Book 4 (review here)

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Her Fiery Viking (Her Elemental Viking: Book 1) by A.J. Tipton

Publisher:

Date of publication: September 12th, 2014

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Erotica, Contemporary

Series: Her Elemental Viking

Her Fiery Viking – Book 1

Her Steamy Viking – Book 2 (review here)

Her Winged Viking – Book 3 (review here)

Her Rock Hard Viking – Book 4 (review here)

Her Christmas Viking: Holiday Magic – Book 5 (review here)

Where you can find Her Fiery Viking: Amazon | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Kobo |

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mikkel just might be too hot to handle. He’s an ancient Viking, cursed with immortality and the compulsion to burst into an uncontrollable ball of fire when enraged. After centuries of tragedy, Mikkel fears the fury within him and the danger he poses to anyone he lets too close.

But when Joanna, a smart, sexy engineer angry at the world, explodes into his life, Mikkel can’t resist her smoldering allure. Has the time finally come to let someone in and embrace the fire? Or will their fiery passion scorch these lovers?

This mature romance includes incendiary bar room shenanigans, harrowing kidnapping, high speed car escapades, and a love strong enough to heal even the most damaged of hearts.

NOTE: Each book in the “Her Elemental Viking” series stands on its own and can be read in any order.

Note to self…..do not read erotica A) in public and B) next to a very nosey older woman. The older woman was reading over my shoulder, during a pretty explicit sex scene; she gasped and said, “You should be ashamed of yourself, reading stuff like that” My reply “You shouldn’t be reading over my shoulder, you old bird” (I reserve the right to make what I said more PC). Seeing that I was at Miss B’s orthodontist appointment, probably not the place to read this type of book, she shouldn’t have been reading over my shoulder. Oh well, lesson learned.

Mikkel is this super hot demolition expert over a thousand years old and has an awful anger management problem. He bursts into a fireball when he gets angry (which is quite often). The book starts with him banging a secretary in his boss’s office.

Joanna (also known as Jo) is a female engineer with a huge anger management problem. She has more of a hair-trigger temper than Mikkel. Put it this way, on the first day of her new job, Joanna tasers someone and manages to alienate her new boss. I think she is my book soul mate.

For a short story, this book did pack a lot into it. The author wasted no time in having Joanna and Mikkel hook up. In the bathroom of their favorite bar after getting spent. After that, it was a fuckfest. But I did learn that Joanna developed anger management issues after her sister was murdered. Mikkel’s, well, I am not going to go too much into that.

The ending was pretty good, too-full of action, no sex, but action where there was fighting, etc.

I would recommend Her Fiery Viking to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and explicit sex scenes.

If you enjoyed reading Her Fiery Viking, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Silver Thread (Annika Brisby: Book 2) by Emigh Cannaday

The Silver Thread (Annika Brisby, #2)

Publisher: Black Feather Publishing

Date of publication: November 3rd, 2012

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Fairies, Fae, Paranormal, Elves, Adult, Magic, Vampires, Urban Fantasy, Fiction

Series: Annika Brisby

The Flame and The Arrow – Book 1 (review here)

The Silver Thread – Book 2

The Scarlet Tanager – Book 3 (review here)

The Darkest of Dreams—Book 4 (review here)

Song of the Samodiva—Book 5 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible

Goodreads Synopsis:

“You know, my parents didn’t give me much advice about relationships, but my mother told me that we should never go to bed upset with one another.” Talvi reached am arm out to invite Annika to curl up against his chest.

“Aww, that’s a sweet thing to say,” she said as she cozied up in the crook of his arm. “What did your dad tell you?”

“He said to make sure the sofa was comfortable, just in case.”

Talvi Marinossian has slain maenads and fought off vampire attacks, but nothing has prepared him for getting involved with one of these forbidden ‘Modern Girls’. When he finally tracks down Annika it’s obvious that she’s changed since her recent adventure in his homeland. It’s also clear that she’s not ready to embrace the next chapter in her life. He tries to persuade her to open up to him, but she finds it difficult since he won’t even explain how he earns a living, why he has a secret cell phone, or the reason he keeps another woman’s handkerchief in his pocket.

Instead of relying on Talvi to help her adjust, Annika delves into her music and her job, and it isn’t long before the new lovers find themselves completely out of sync with one another. Just when they start to find their rhythm, Talvi is called away on business and whisks Annika off to Paris for what is supposed to be a working vacation. But one bad decision leads to another, and the chaos that ensues may cost someone their life.

I can’t even begin to tell you guys how excited I was when Emigh approached me to review The Silver Thread. I was fangirl excited. I squeed like a young girl at a One Direction concert when I saw the email from her. I had reviewed The Flame and The Arrow and enjoyed reading them, so I had high expectations for this book.

I wasn’t disappointed.

The story begins with Talvi and Chivanni at Talvi’s family’s house. They are discussing trying to find Annika after she is pulled through the portal. Talvi is also mourning the loss of his sister, Yuri, well, what he considers a loss. Yuri was turned into a vampire by Konstantin.

After about 3 months of searching, Talvi finds Annika in Portland. She was living with her brother Charlie and his best friend, James. She had been depressed. The only thing she was doing was playing with her band, drinking, and going to bed. That’s it. When Talvi shows up, it’s like a switch has been thrown. She was thrown out of her depression.

This is where the book turned good. Instead of having an adventure, the author chose to examine Talvi and Annika’s relationship. Sure, they were married, but they were strangers. When they started living together, they found out that they were different. I hated that Annika came off as jealous for a few chapters.

Talvi was not good at communicating outside the bedroom. He never talked to Annika unless it was to be a smartass. I didn’t blame Annika when she starts questioning her relationship with Talvi.

I wished that Annika could figure out who she wanted. It drove me nuts when she was seesawing back and forth between Talvi and Finn. Her time with Finn in Paris was, interesting. I am glad the author went the way she did with the storyline.

The sex was as good in the first book. Just as toe-curling and just as hot!!!

I will say that I was a little disappointed that Yuri only made one appearance. Also that she seemed to change from the first book. I got very sad about that.

The ending was great, and I didn’t see the twist coming. It came out of the left field and left it wide open for a 3rd book.

I would recommend The Silver Threat to anyone over 21. There is graphic sex, violence, and language. There are also scenes of drug use.

If you enjoyed reading The Silver Thread, you will enjoy these books: