Maybe Baby (The Baby Series #1) Review

Blurb

When college student Tylar Preston goes to work for the wealthy Sinclair family stables in Bristol, Virginia in the summer of 2011, she quickly meets with unexpected events and the disturbing unraveling of her past. Is her past destined to taint her future?

Rescuing Tylar from unspeakable danger, Trey Sinclair, a handsome but arrogant high-powered attorney from Atlanta makes it his mission to protect the innocent and unworldly young woman from the dreams that hunt and haunt her. Spirited and independent, Tylar proves to be a challenge to the stubborn and relentless young lawyer. Together their often bumpy journey weaves itself mysteriously, comically, passionately and erotically down a path that promises to engage and move the reader in this emotionally stirring story.

For anyone who has ever been in love or in lust, MAYBE BABY will stir those forgotten feelings of passion and yearning within you; making you ageless as you travel the romantic and erotic journey with Tylar and Trey as they unravel the secrets of each other.

My Review

4 stars! 

Guilty pleasure.

Those are the two words I would use to describe this book. It's like devouring a whole layer of decadent chocolate cake all by yourself. You know you shouldn't do it but you just can't help yourself. 

My general feeling was I shouldn't have liked this book but I TOTALLY DID, and I still have no idea what hit me. Or maybe I did but I was just having so much fun I hardly noticed it. I broke all my rules here. FYI, I hate having too much drama in my books. I'm a straightforward gal. I generally gravitate towards happy and feel-good books. Too much drama offends my sensibilities. Surprisingly this book didn't. GO FIGURE. 

This book has it all--evil mom, ex-fiancee, bad people, jealous co-workers, baby drama, crazy but lovable best friend--it has it all. It's one drama right after another and let me tell you, I got sucked in big time. OMG! I couldn't stop reading. My kids had to endure wearing dirty socks for one day because I failed to do the laundry because I just couldn't stop reading this book. 

Tylar is a tad too immature for me and DQ (drama queen) extraordinaire. I should have hated her with all that is in me but what they hey! The girl grew on me. I ended up liking her craziness. Again, GO FIGURE. In spite of her immaturity, sometimes...well, most of the time, I actually find Tylar really likable. Yes, I want to throttle her most of the time but this girl was entertaining to read. The words that come out of her mouth??!! Priceless! I had to pick my jaw from the floor many times at some of the things she said and did but yeah, I was totally entertained. 

Loved Trey as well. Trey has the usual blend of alpha, assholeness and adorableness that I like in my hero, so no mystery there. Although, he's had his moments where I just want to slap him silly for being an ass but thankfully, the moments where he made me, 'ohhed' and 'ahhed' outnumber the slap-inducing ones. Of course, he has that possessive alpha male thing down pat but he was really sweet and so patient with Tylar that you can't help but fall in love with him, too. 

Oh, and I did mention that this book had bad people, right. Well, it had several actually but one person in particular stood out, Tylar's mom. And didn't even have any speaking part but the reader will get acquainted with her evil glory through Tylar's memories. She made Snow White's and Cinderella's step-mom look like Girl Scouts. The things that she did, ugh, no wonder Tylar was messed up. 

This book is far from perfect, the length for one. This book clocked at 700-plus more or less. Many people would be intimated by the length but I was generally okay with it but I felt that some of the things that were happening in the second half of the book were just fillers. 

I mean, the drama was still there but my god, they were doing the nasty all over the place, like every other page. I don't mind my books having lots of sex in them but this book took it to another level. LoL! And Tylar was horny ALL.THE.TIME. She blames pregnancy hormones, I just blame her g-spot. I mean, if squirting is an Olympic sport, this girl would win the gold medal! Hands down. I'll spare the gory but nevertheless entertaining details. Go read this book. I dare you. 

Seriously though, I really liked this book. Andrea Smith sure knows how to weave a very interesting story. I'm looking forward to reading more from Ms. Smith. 

The Good Life Review

Blurb

 Twenty-two year old Roxie Golightly is a fun and carefree spirit...until she marries a wealthy man and her role as a trophy wife leaves her isolated in a condo with an ironing board and an obsessive desire to impress people.

When her marriage ends after seven years, Roxie's identity is buried under layers of furniture polish and piles of designer shoes. She doubts she can ever be the person she once was.

But when Roxie's charmed life is turned upside down, her best-friend creates The Good Life List to help turn it back around. The instructions are simple: Complete each task on the Good Life List by the end of the summer.

With list in hand and the help of a sexy and charismatic guy from her past, Roxie is only a few check marks away from living the good life, even if it means getting thrown out of a bar or skinny-dipping in the neighbor's pool at 3am.

 My Review

4.5 stars!

Once in a while, you find a little under-the-radar book or in this case, recommended by a GR friend, and read it and ended up loving it. This is one of those books.

Roxie Golightly had a bomb dropped into her lap when her husband of seven years asked her for a divorce. The fallout of her marriage led Roxie to reevaluate her life. With a help of a friend, she set out to complete the Good Life List.

This book is funny and I mean FUNNY. Roxie is a wonderful heroine. She's not perfect, far from it. She tend to whine a little and yes, she can be flaky, as she herself admitted. But I still love her, maybe because I can relate to her. In the end, she grew as a character and I love her for it.

This book also has Jake. Gorgeous, dreamy Jake. He's Roxie's safety guy. He's sweet, funny, and very loyal. Well, turns out, this safety guy isn't so safe after all, at least when it comes to Roxie's heart. I love them together.

I will definitely recommend this book to any contemporary romance reader out there.

Armed & Dangerous

Blurb

Left alone in Baltimore after his unpredictable lover bails, Special Agent Zane Garrett takes his frustration out on everything in his path until he is ordered to Chicago to back up an undercover operative. When he gets there, though, he finds himself face to face with his wayward partner, Special Agent Ty Grady.

They have to deal with the uncertainty lingering between them while they work to retrieve their intended mark, a retired hit man and CIA wet-works operative named Julian Cross.

Ty, once a Marine and now an FBI hotshot, has a penchant for being unpredictable, a trait Zane can vouch for. Zane is a man who once lived for his job but has come to realize his heartbreaking past doesn't have to overshadow his future. They're partners, friends, lovers, and the go-to team for unusual cases. With Cross and his innocuous boyfriend, Cameron Jacobs, in tow, Ty and Zane must navigate the obstacles of a cross-country trek, including TSA pat-downs, blizzards, their uncooperative prisoners, CIA kill teams, a desperate lack of sleep and caffeine, and each other.

Ty and Zane are determined to get Julian Cross to DC in one piece, but it's starting to look like it might be the last thing they do.

 My Review

The fifth installment of the Cut & Run Series certainly lived up to its name, and then some. That "some" would be Julian Cross, Cameron Jacobs, Preston (forgot his last name), Blake Nichols and yes, even Smith and Wesson made an appearance here.

This book picked up where Divide & Conquer left off, where Zane woke up finding a note and Ty gone. Well, I'm happy to say that all is well in paradise once again for these two. Ty got his head on straight and is in deep cover for another case and Zane was sent to back him up. Thank you, Dick!

Anyway, Zane wants Ty to grovel. Ha! So cute really. I was smiling the whole the time during their reunion at the airport, all the way to their hotel room where the proper reunion took place. And boy, what a reunion it was! I was thinking maybe they should be apart more in the future just so I can witness another reunion between them. It was that hot!

Turns out that our boys are tasked to transport a very important witness and bring that witness back to D.C. The witness is, of course, Julian Cross. Julian was a hostile witness. He wasn't up to cooperating with Ty & Zane. With Cameron in tow, he made Ty & Zane's job hilariously difficult. Yeah, the four of them inside one car and even sharing hotel rooms in between was funny. I found myself laughing out loud many times. Julian stoic and deadpan humor was a match for Ty's snarky one-liner. Haha! I won't list them all here but you can check out my statuses to see what I mean.

The whole mystery with who wants Julian killed was a little obvious to me but it was still fun reading about it especially the ending. LoL! But I was a little sad too when Ty & Zane realized that they could never be as free to express their feelings especially since they work together. And when Zane thought that Ty could never introduce him to his family the way Deuce can with his girlfriend, I felt really bad for them. 

This series just keeps getting better and better, and I can't wait to read more of Ty and Zane! Five down, two more books to go!

The Unwanted Wife Review

 

4.5 stars

WARNING: This is going to be a long-winded review with a few rants thrown here and there, and will certainly contain some spoilers.

I call this my "angst done right" book. Very angsty and very emotionally charged read, which could have been a disaster if it wasn't for the fact that the author did a good job with the characterization and the pacing of the story. I read it in one sitting and I was captivated with both Theresa and Sandro's story from start to finish.

First off, the story. Sandro was basically blackmailed into marrying  Theresa by Theresa's father in exchange for something that Sandro wants very badly. Thinking that Theresa was in on the scheme, Sandro proceeded to make Theresa pay for her father's sins by making her life a living hell. He was downright cruel and hateful to her during this time. This went on for 18 months until Theresa decided she had enough and asks for a divorce. In other words she grew a backbone.

Let me tell you, the first half of this book was difficult to read. I couldn't believe how much Theresa had to endure during those 18 months when all she really did was to fall in love her husband who didn't want her. I felt for her but at the same time I was also angry at her for being so gullible and for being a victim. Not fair to do to a book character but there I was, fuming silently and cursing my cousin for bullying me into reading this book. 

Well, it turns out that this victim mentality started way back during her childhood where she was constantly being rejected by her father. And let me tell you, though I hated Sandro for what he did, I hated her father more. He was downright cruel and not once did he show remorse. He was the one who instigated the deal and led Sandro to believe that Theresa was in on it.

Her ass for a father gave an out to the deal. If Theresa can produce a son, then the deal is off and Sandro can have his freedom and the thing he wanted the most. So on and on it goes. For 18 months, Sandro doesn't kiss Theresa even during sex, he doesn't touch her outside the bedroom, goes on to ignore her until he wants sex of course--and get this, every time they finish doing the business, he says the same thing over and over, 'Give me a son, Theresa.' For 18 months every time they have sex, he says those words afterwards.

Ugh, I hated Sandro at first but I was happy when he finally manned up and realized how wrong he was about his wife. Don't worry, us, readers don't actually get to see those whole 18 months play out. It was all part of Theresa's inner monologue and it comes up during her conversations with Sandro as well. So the reader gets the whole picture of those 18 months without actually reading the whole thing, if you get my drift.

Anyway, as I've said, I was happy with this book and I've grown to love Sandro. You really get to understand his motivation and you will know why he did those things. Not that it was an excuse or anything but the author was able to paint a flawed, believable and most importantly, a redeemable character in Sandro.

Theresa, I also loved because she did grow a backbone. I wasn't annoyed at her for keeping Sandro at arms length and disbelieving her husband when he finally tried to win her back. I mean, if I was in her place, going through what she did with her father and Sandro, I would be very suspicious too. I was actually glad she made him suffer a bit.

So overall, a very satisfying read. I have long since forgiven my cousin for forcing me to read this, like, four hours ago. And oh, there is a short but sweet epilogue, which was absolutely wonderful. I cried during the epilogue but it was happy tears. 

Divide & Conquer Review

Blurb

Baltimore, Maryland, is a city in alarming distress. Rising violence is fanning the flames of public outrage, and all law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are catching blame. Thus the FBI’s latest ideas to improve public relations: a municipal softball league and workshops for community leaders. But the new commitments just mean more time Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett have to spend apart when they’re happily exploring how to be more than by-the-book partners.

Then the latest spate of crime explodes in their faces—literally—throwing the city, the Bureau, and Ty and Zane’s volatile partnership both in and out of the office into chaos. They’re hip-deep in trouble, trying to track down bombers and bank robbers in the dark with very few clues, and the only way to reach the light at the end of the tunnel together requires Ty and Zane to close their eyes and trust each other to the fiery end.

My Review

Let me just say that I didn't think it was possible for me to fall more in love with Ty and Zane or this series until I read this book. No joke. I'm pretty sure, I'm going to say that again in the upcoming books but for now, that's where I stand.

Emotions, emotions, emotions. I do love it when a book pulls out a myriad of emotions out of me. This book did it for me. One minute I was happily squeeing, the next minute, I felt like crying and wanting threw my Kindle across the room (yes, I'm talking about you, cliffhanger, you!!) Okay, that was a bit melodramatic but you know what I mean.

I was really happy with Ty and Zane's relationship in this book until that...oh, never mind! I felt for Ty more so than with Zane at first. Zane frustrated me a bit since the last book and he had to go through that momentary blindness just so he could realize his feelings for Ty. But I really did feel his vulnerability especially during that awful blindness thing. *shudder* It was ironic but fitting that he had to lose his sight just he could see how much he loved Ty. That sounded really corny but what the heck, I'm just going with the flow here. LoL!

The moment Ty told his recon buddies about him and Zane, I was so nervous for him and felt relieved when they took it really well. I was a little pissed at Owen but he was like a non-entity to me so I got over that really quickly. But Nick, hmm, Nick was a different matter entirely. I mean, dude, what the hell! He had the nerve to tell Ty he wished Ty had told him sooner? And what was that, "if you got tired of waiting for him, you know where to find me," crap? And the things he said about Zane when he didn't know him well enough? Not cool.

Another thing that wasn't cool? Those bombers. Yeah, I know some people think that was a weak plot device, but considering the things that happened recently, it's entirely plausible for bored teenagers with money and time to those things. I loved the action sequences in this book especially when with Zane getting caught in that blast. Of course, let's not forget what happened to Bronco! Poor Bronco! Poor Ty!

Hallmark card moments...hmm...It's safe to say that this book had them in spades. I squeed, and I oohhed, and I ahhed each time when there was winking, holding, spooning involved. I'm not just talking about the sex, although those were freakin' hot, I'm talking about the tender moments when they were being open and vulnerable to each other.

And that dance? Gosh, that was my favorite moment I think. I mean, I know the song that they danced to wasn't mentioned but I thought this song, All I Want Is You from U2 was the perfect for them. That song had been playing in my head since yesterday and I just had to share it. That moment was a definite highlight for me.

But the ending...I know they're going to be together but I still wasn't happy with that ending. I do not appreciate the rug being pulled under me. :(

Anyway, still a 5-star read for me despite the cliffhanger, and yes, I'm going to start book 5 ASAP, like tomorrow. Reading list be damned!
 

Lover Undercover Review!!

 4 1/2 stars!

Folks, we have another winner from Samanthe Beck! Seriously, this girl has some serious writing chops.

To her credit, she didn't write another rehash of Private Practice, which I appreciate. Although, her trademark humor is still there,  Lover Undercover has a more serious tone to it than PP and of course, there was a bit of mystery added to the story as well, which we'll get into later.

Kylie and Stacey Roberts are twins. Kind of like the Wakefield twins but from the wrong side of town, who came to Los Angeles to find fame and fortune. Kylie is the "good" twin, aptly, nicknamed as Saint Kylie, who works as a yoga instructor and self-appointed rescuer of Stacey, the "bad" twin. Stacey works as a stripper at a club. So when Stacey broke her ankle during an altercation with a customer, she asked Kylie to step in as Stacey so she could keep her job.

Ever the "good" twin, Kylie relented but after finding a dead body in the parking lot of the club, their simple charade just got complicated. Now, Kylie as Stacey just became a person of interest in a murder investigation and one very hot, very perceptive detective is intent to finding out why two Stacey's customers ended up dead.

Turns out, the dead bodies were only part of Kylie's problem because aside from keeping up the charade of pretending to be her twin, Kylie is seriously attracted to hottie detective, Trevor McCade. Can't say I blame her. Trevor is one hot and oh, so swoon-worthy hero. He's alpha without being over the top, and he is also very sweet and protective of Kylie. And being the observant guy that he is, he knows that something didn't quite add up about Kylie.

Oh, what fun they both have while trying to find out who the killer is. I mean, with all those private lap dances, the frisking going on, I seriously wondered how in the heck are they going to find the killer? But then I really didn't mind whether or not they would solve the case at all. LoL! All I wanted to do was read about Trevor getting a lap dance from Kylie (very hot and very well written) and Kylie getting frisked by Trevor (very naughty) than finding out who the killer is, you know what I mean? 

So that's basically how I feel about the mystery aspect of the story. It was there but it wasn't really the center of the story. It was more like an afterthought or a set-up to Trevor and Kylie's HEA. I really didn't mind. I went into reading this book wanting to read about a hot romance between a detective and his witness and that's what I got. In spades. So I was very happy with how it turned out.

And the epilogue? Well, let's just say, I certainly wouldn't mind getting my own hot guy to do a private strip --- er, dance for me, if you know what I mean.

You don't have to be beautiful
To turn me on
I just need your body baby
From dusk till dawn
You don't need experience
To turn me out
You just leave it all up to me
I'm gonna show you what it's all about

You don't have to be rich
To be my girl
You don't have to be cool
To rule my world
Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with
I just want your extra time and your

Kiss


ARC provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The Davina Code

 Blurb

It's always annoying when romance gets in the way of your life goals. And falling in lust with Jack Miller is definitely getting in the way of Davina's plans. Davina has a movie to make and an acting career to resurrect - okay, so it was never alive in the first place, but that's not the point. The point is: she's hitting thirty and she wants to be famous. And if that means making an indie movie with "borrowed" film equipment and shooting the movie in Jack's house without permission - then so be it.

She's a woman on a mission and nothing is going to stop her from achieving her dream. Not even her sexy, ex-cop, landlord who is pretty focused himself. Unfortunately his goals revolve around evicting her from his house, putting her in jail and getting her into bed - and he doesn't seem to mind what happens first.
 

 My Review

This turned out to be a surprising read for me. This book is actually a cross between chick-lit and romance with a healthy dose of humor thrown in. It actually read more like a romantic comedy, which I really liked.

I loved both Jack Miller and Davina Davenport. Jack Miller was an ex-cop who inherited his Aunt Millie's house. Unfortunately for Jack, he also inherited a tenant, Davina Davenport.

Jack Miller is hot, rude, obnoxious, a little bit chauvinistic but totally funny. Haha! Some of the things that came out of his mouth were so appalling sometimes but still so funny. Seriously, this guy was a hoot. I wasn't sure about him at first but he grew on me and I found him to be a really endearing character. 

Now his tenant, Davina is struggling, out-of-work actress (emphasis on struggling and out of work), who is trying to resurrect her acting career. Her "brilliant" plan of course was to shoot her own movie by "borrowing" some equipment from her work -- she works in a television show, by the way.

Of course, none goes according to plan especially when Mr. Ex-cop got it in his head that Davina might be doing something illegal, which she was. But the things that Jack did in order to catch his crazy tenant red-handed was downright hilarious. Add to the mix, Davina's straitlaced, accountant best friend, her under-aged crew, her creepy camera man with a penchant for bleach and tight pants, then you will get one heck of crazy fun story.

This is by no means a perfect book in terms of editing and all that stuff, but I can forgive most of it because in the end I did have fun and I did enjoy the story. :D

Sticks & Stones (Cut & Run #2)

Blurb

Six months after nearly losing their lives to a serial killer in New York City, FBI Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett are suffering through something almost as frightening: the monotony of desk duty. When they're ordered to take a vacation for the good of everyone's sanity, Ty bites the bullet and takes Zane home with him to West Virginia, hoping the peace and quiet of the mountains will give them the chance to explore the explosive attraction they've so far been unable to reconcile with their professional partnership. Ty and Zane, along with Ty's father and brother, head up into the Appalachian mountains for a nice, relaxing hike deep into the woods... where no one will hear them scream. They find themselves facing danger from all directions: unpredictable weather, the unrelenting mountains, wild animals, fellow hikers with nothing to lose, and the most terrifying challenge of all. Each other.

My Review

The old adage, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," isn't quite accurate, isn't it? Because while words might not hurt us physically, it can hurt us emotionally. This is pretty much what this book showed us. 

Six months after the Tri-State debacle, Ty and Zane were still relegated to desk study and drove each other and those around them through the wall. The solution? Well, a vacation of course. Sounds like a plan except that Ty doesn't want to go home to West Virginia but seeing his partner floundering, Ty had the bright idea of bringing Zane along.  As always, nothing goes according to plan and Ty and Zane not only have to survive Ty's family, they have to survive the wilderness, deranged treasure hunters, and most importantly, they have to survive each other. 

This book was quite emotional for me. That surprised me because I was actually a little bored during the first half of the book. Although, I did enjoy Ty's crazy family, I felt like something was missing. I wasn't quite connecting to the story, but then Earl put his foot in his mouth. That was when my hackles rose in indignation! How dare he say those appalling words to Ty! Those words were so hurtful and so completely untrue, I wanted to throttle the man! Grr! He regretted his words later on but it was already too late. The damage was done! 

I felt really, really bad for Ty. My heart broke for him. Not only did he suffer physically but emotionally as well. He deserved none of it. I just wanted to reach out to him and give him a hug, ya know. Thank God, Zane was there for him. I enjoyed those tender moments between them. They were few and far between but they were there and it made me went, 'Aww, that's so sweet!' Yes, I've been doing that a lot while reading this series. I imagine I'm going to do that a lot more in the future, too, so expect to see that every time I write a review for this series. 

Anyway, I can't wait to read more about Ty and Zane. Two books down, five more to go! Bring it on!

4 Stars!!

Cut and Run

Blurb 

A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit 

is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the 

investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case.

Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's 

cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent 

Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, 

which makes their partnership a classic cliche: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They 

both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left 

by the murderer.

Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again this time at them. Now on 

the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have 

to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.

My Review

4 stars

This is my first foray into the romance world of M/M and let me tell you, I am so thrilled I started this 

genre with this book. Cut & Run has wonderful characters, great pacing, non-stop action and a sweet 

realistic romance between two strong but very different men. 

Cut & Run is the first book off the series with the same title Cut & Run. There are currently 7 books in 

the series, with the eighth set to be released next year. 

It follows the story of two FBI agents, Ty Grady and Zane Garrett who were forced to worked together 

to solve a series of murders in the tri-state area. One was brash and undisciplined while the other was 

rigid and always in control. Ty and Zane hated each other on sight. Hated each other. 

During their first meeting, you get to see how different they were just by the way they looked. Zane was 

in a snazzy suit, while Ty looked like he just rolled out of bed and threw in the first clothing item he sees. 

That almost exact same scene was replayed in the middle of the book but this time, Ty was in suit. and 

Zane looked unkempt. I thought that was hilarious.  They were different, yes, but they also have a lot of 

things in common and this became apparent throughout the book.

The pacing was great throughout the book. Never a dull moment between those two. I admit, I wasn't 

taken with the mystery that much but that's only because I was really more interested in whether Ty and 

Zane would finally admit their deepening feelings for each other. And when they did, I was like, 'Yay!' 

Although, they had to suffer so much physically as well as emotionally first before that happened. But 

when they did, it was really sweet. 

Overall, I love this story. It has all the right elements I was looking for. I can't get enough of Ty and 

Zane. I will definitely be reading the whole series. Hopefully, by the time the 8th book comes out, I'll be 

finish reading book 2 to 7. 

Real (Real, Raw & Ripped #1)

Blurb

A fallen boxer.

A woman with a broken dream.

A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents . . .

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

My Review

It happened again. You know that book where everyone loved it but you. This is one those books for me. :((

I so wanted to love this one. I really do. I has gotten a lot 5 star ratings on GR and most of my friends loved it. *Sigh*

Sadly, it didn't work for me. Not all of it are bad. Don't get me wrong. The chemistry and sexual tension is off the charts, through the roof hot. I mean, really HOT! And Remington Tate? He is IT!

But there things that just bugged the heck out of me, which eventually killed my enjoyment for this book.

Number one. The present tense, first-person POV. This could work if you have a really likable, relatable and a really strong heroine. Someone who's head you'd like to be in. Someone interesting. Well, aside from giving us some very helpful anatomy lessons, there's really nothing interesting going on in Brooke's head.

Number two. The jarring prose. This bugged me the most. There were times when I was really getting into the story and BAM! I read things like this...

"His energy is so powerful tonight, it actually pulls at every cell and atom in my body, bathing me in pure female awareness of his hot masculinity."

...and this...

"The energy in his muscles explodes like dynamite with every move he makes, and I can almost see his ATP source—the adenosine triphosphate in charge of transporting chemical energy throughout our cells—recycling so fast in his body, it’s like it doesn’t even take him usual eight seconds for turnover."

...and this...

"The unexpectedness of his raw petting drives me crazy with lust and love, and I’m getting addicted to this moment after the orgasm where I will be so relaxed and he will still have the energy to position me in a way where he can spoon me or hold me, and do all his manly, possessive lion-like OCD things with me."

"Tonight we’re both naked and deliciously entangled, and my sexy blue-eyed lion now seems content to have petted me for a long while, until I feel groomed down to my bones."

And then there is this...

"My brain goes blank, my lungs close up, my ears shut off. I look at him. And he looks at me.And as we stare, my eyes on his, his eyes on mine, my heart resumes with one burst of emotion. It leaps and runs to him, slams into him, explodes in him, and although it hurts like an open wound to look at this man, all my senses have sizzled to life and I can’t take my eyes off him, even if my life depends on it. A private Fourth of July is happening in my stomach as I feel Melanie’s nudge at my back, and we begin walking toward them at a slower pace."

It was dizzying. I get that the author is trying to convey the character's emotions but I just feel that some of the words used or the images used were awkward and off-putting. It was awkward to read. 

Maybe I'm just nitpicking but I seriously, seriously couldn't get past the images those words produced inside my head or didn't produce in my head. And I'm not going to even mention all the clenching and all the gushing going on with Brooke's anatomy. It was okay at first. It helped with the visuals but after reading it 10 times, I was just over it. :(

I would read the sequel though. I heard it's going to be Remy's POV. That could work for me.

2.5 to 3 stars.

Exquisite (Exquisite #1)

Blurb

Her heart was guarded…

Tormented by self-imposed guilt, Dr. Lena O’Donnell has spent the last nine years in survival mode. Struggling through days that seem to blend together and battling her way through each horrifying night, she’s determined that this is what she deserves…

Until he tore down the walls…

Mason Langley’s life is going exactly the way he planned it, until her. A confirmed bachelor and the successful owner of the hottest restaurant to hit Chicago, he never expects to be blindsided by an angry woman in a pair of scrubs. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to shake the doctor, and he finds himself liking the way she makes him feel.

Almost over night Lena finds her world turned upside down by Mason and the sexual desire they discover together. Slowly, she lowers her guard and invites him inside but when tragedy strikes she begins to believe that sometimes it’s better to be alone and safe than to love and lose.

My Review

 5 Delicious stars!!

So glad I finally got around to reading this one. And let me tell you, this book a sizzling hot.

Dr. Lena O'Donnell has spent the last 9 years of her life on survival mode. After losing her sister in a horrific car accident, she has since built a wall around her heart and not letting anyone in. That is until she meets Mason Langley.

*sigh*

Yup, that's an audible sigh right there. Mason Langley is the owner and head chef of Exquisite. Yes, he's hot and he can cook. Dangerous combination. Dark-hair, blue eyes, 6 foot 3 inches of pure deliciousness Mason Langley wouldn't take no for answer especially from someone like Lena. Thank God! He literally blackmailed his way into a first date and then proceeded to thaw the good doctor's heart.

I was grinning from ear to ear while reading this book. Mason and Lena had such great, sizzling chemistry, I thought they were going to melt the screen on my Kindle. One minute they had me fanning myself, the next minute, I'd be laughing my ass off.

At first, I thought I'd hate Lena because let's admit it, she was kind of bitchy there at the beginning. But she really won me over. I was totally totally rooting for her to get her man She had me in stitches many times and her interactions with her Shelley were hilarious.

Of course, there were tear inducing moments too but fortunately, there wasn't that many, which was great. There was enough angst without it taking over the whole book and leaving you depressed.

This was such a fantastic read for me. I loved the humor, the family dynamics, the circle of friends that surrounded Lena and Mason, and that whole we-are-meant-to-be thing was done really well. It could have ended up contrived and cheesy but it didn't. It was fantastic.

Blind Obsession

Blurb

Obsession, defined as the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image or desire....

Chantel Rosenberg's passion for music and life had never shone brighter than the time she spent in Bordeaux France. It's a time when feelings arose and desires ran deep, a time that fundamentally changed her life.

A man living in seclusion, Phillipe Tibideau is haunted and plagued by memories he cannot disregard. Choosing to live a quiet life in his Chateau surrounded by the vineyards of France, he's left his passion for art behind.

However, the time has arrived to tell his side of a tale. A tale that has depicted him as a 'beautiful monster' and he's finally allowing someone close.

Close enough to ask questions. Questions he's not sure he wants to answer. Questions about her.

For up and coming journalist Gemma Harris, the pursuit of truth is what drives her and when a job of a lifetime presents itself there is nothing in the world that will stop her from taking it. Even if it does mean leaving her home for several months to stay at Chateau Tibideau, with him.

This is a story of what happens when three passionate lovers collide and the desire for truth, art and music merge.

Chateau Tibideau is a place full of unanswered questions, dark sinful desire and a beauty so hauntingly sad it will have you wondering how you will ever leave the same....

My Review

I really don't think I can add anything more to what has already been said about this book. It was quite simply phenomenal. A GR friend of mine wrote in her review that this is not just a book or a novel but experience. I agree.

First off, I must admit that while I was intensely curious and intrigued about this book, I was hesitant to read it. I knew this wasn't your "ride-off-into-the-sunset-and-live-happily-ever-after" kind of romance. So I put on my big-girl-panties and just dived right into it, and all I can say is I am so glad I did. It was indeed an experience like no other.

That said, I will try to at least write a decent, non-spoilery, and more importantly coherent review for this book.

"Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind, and, therefore, is winged cupid painted blind."

Phillipe, Chantal, Gemma. Three people bound together by love, desire and intense obsession.

Phillipe was intensely passionate, darkly erotic, tortured and tormented by his own guilt and demons has shut himself off from the world after tragically losing his everything. The world painted him as a beautiful monster, a man whose obsession destroyed the life an innocent woman.

You can literally feel his anguish and pain. It just jumps off the page and grabs you and as a reader, you can't help but get pulled in. Sometimes, you know, you read a book with a tortured hero and you feel is ambivalence? Well, not on this book. You will certainly feel something and not all of those feelings are pleasant. I have intense feelings for Phillipe. I loved him, hated him and pitied him at the same time.

His feelings for Chantel was beautiful and intense but in the end, it was just tragic. Oh, it was tragic. The author really did a great job portraying Phillipe and Chantel's love for each other. Each word and each description, not to mention the music and the art that was woven throughout the story makes you feel like you are there yourself, witnessing these two people lose themselves in each other.

Chantel was captivating. She wasn't there, yet she was. Sometimes you can't help but love her and you can really understand why Phillipe and eventually, Gemma were so captivated by her. Yet at the same time, I resented her. Why can't you just let him go?

And then there is Gemma. Oh, how my heart breaks for that woman. She was simply quite divine. I can say that she's the one character that I could relate to. She was brave, really brave and her journey throughout this story was just heartbreaking. I wanted to give her a hug all the freakin' time! You feel her pain and intense longing for a love that can never be. *sniff*

There is one more character that I felt just needs to be acknowledged, and no it's not Diva or Penelope, but the Chateau Tibideau. The silent and ever-present witness to the love between Phillipe, Chantal and Gemma. I loved the first part when Gemma first arrived and she sees this run-down chateau and it was also the last thing she saw when she left. I felt that the chateau typifies Phillipe himself. The chateau definitely mirrored his transformation throughout the whole story.

The story is over but at the same it's not or maybe I just don't want it to be over.

Thank you, Ms. Ella Frank for writing this wonderful story. You have really hit it out of the park on this one.

Love Irresistibly (FBI/US Attorney #4)

HE’S USED TO GETTING WHAT HE WANTS…

A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate—and he’s not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that.

AND WHAT HE WANTS IS HER.

A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney’s office—even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there’s a sizzling attraction beneath all their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees—until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil, and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love . . .

My Review

I have always loved Julie James' FBI/US Attorney series and the fourth installment, Love Irresistibly did not disappoint.

I like how Ms. James writes her heroines. They are not Mary Sues (thank God!). They are smart, funny and driven woman with just enough vulnerability to make them relatable. Not all of us are as beautiful or as successful as Brooke Parker but her struggle to balance her work and personal life is something that most women relate to. I really think Ms. James struck a chord with me on that one.

Cade Morgan, the hero for this installment was a revelation to me. He was introduced in the previous books but I never really warmed up to him until now. I loved his back story and his interaction with his half-brother Zach.

Of course, there were moments in the book where I wanted to smack Cade and Brooke for being so deaf and blind about their feelings for each other but I reckon that's what made this book work interesting. And I got to admit that their "non-relationship" was really hot. Steamy hot.

There are also plenty of interesting secondary characters in this book, namely Vaughn, Ford and Huxley, which I'm hoping to see more of in the future preferably as main characters. You got that, Ms. James? I want a Vaughn, a Ford and a Huxley book in the near future -- very near future, say in the next six months. Say yes, Ms. James, please?

Anyway, whatever Ms. James decides to write in the future, I'm pretty sure it's going to be good.

Amazon

Neanderthal Seeks Human: A Smart Romance

There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit.

After loosing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store for her next. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tenancies-to make her an offer she can't refuse.

My Review

I really liked this one. No angst, which I really liked but plenty of humor. The main character, Janie Morris is funny as hell. She sprouts this random facts when she's nervous and her knitting group just cracks me up so much I wanted my own knitting group too.

The one other great thing about this book too is, of course, Mr. Quinn "McHotpants" Sullivan. He is, of course, the object of Janie's fevered fantasies. I loved the banter between them and those moments are really funny in my opinion.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Neanderthal Seeks Human and I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for some fun, lighthearted romance.

Lover Undercover

Yay! Excerpt from Samanthe Beck's new book, Lover Undercover is here.Check out the link below to view the cover and a two-chapter teaser. Can't wait for this one.

Lover Undercover

Trying to Score by Toni Aleo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Look, I love the idea of a flawed book character. I understand it. No one is perfect, not even book characters. Having a flawed heroine is one thing but Fallon, the heroine for this book, is just downright UNLIKABLE. There I said it. Feelings of hate should be reserved for the antagonists not for protagonists! But this book, and this sorry excuse of a female protagonist just proved me wrong because I hated the heroine. She was really mean, bitter and sooooo immature, it's not even funny. She flipped flopped so many times that I lost count.

The only reason I gave this two additional star making it three was because of Lucas and Aiden. Lucas was the epitome of a flawed character. He lost his father, started drinking and popping pills and cheated on his girlfriend. He lost everything after he lost Fallon and after hitting rock bottom, he finally sobered up and was making changes in his life. He was traded to the Assassins and it was there where he and Fallon met once again. Only this time he found out he actually had a son, who for 7 long years was kept from him. I'm not going to go into the inane reasons Fallon has for keeping Aiden but my heart truly broke for him.

What I loved about his character was that he actually learned from his mistakes. He did everything he can to win the stupid girl back but the said stupid girl keeps throwing it back in his face. The scenes between Aiden and Lucas were tender and beautiful especially that time when (view spoiler)[Aiden offered to teach Lucas how to read. Lucas is dyslexic, FYI. (hide spoiler)] My heart just broke for them.

Overall, this book could have been great but the heroine just killed any enjoyment I had for this one. I still have that bitter taste in my mouth from when she called Lucas (view spoiler)[stupid, knowing full well Lucas hated that word because of his dyslexia (hide spoiler)]. If you can stomach an unlikable heroine then you might enjoy this book.

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $199 US.

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Rules of Entanglement by Gina L. Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 stars!

I'm really loving Entangled's new Brazen line. This one is another hot and steamy read from Brazen.

Rules of Entanglement follows the story of Lucie's big brother Jackson "Jax" Maris and Vanessa "Nessie" McGregor. Nessie is a stickler for the rules. In fact, she has her own "Lucky 7" rules to live by, which she had followed to the letter until Jax that is.

Jax is an MMA fighter. Laid-back, charming and not a rules kind of guy. And being the kind of guy that he is, all he wanted to do the moment he met Vanessa was to make her break every rule that she has. The result was a fun, steamy and engaging ride with two very likebale characters, add in some witty banter that had me in stitches or just fanning my myself is what made Rules of Engagement a 4 star read for me.




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Own the Wind review is up!!

Own the Wind by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 fantastic stars!!

There is something to be said about reading a Kristen Ashley book and that is, it is truly an experience. That unique voice that you recognize anywhere is just amazing. Having professional editors certainly didn't detract anything from that voice, in fact, it enhanced it.

Now, on to my review...

I've been waiting for this book a long time, like most KA fans out there. Ever since Motorcycle Man, I've often wondered what Shy and Tabby's journey to happy every after is going to be like, and boy, what an amazing ride it was.

I loved Tabby in Motorcycle Man. She's all grown up now and let me tell you, she is awesome! She's gorgeous and she owns it. I got to be honest, I have little patience with heroines who are actually gorgeous that scores of men are after them but still think they're ugly or plain. Confidence is hot, and Tabby has it but she doesn't always flaunt it. Nor is she conceited. She just knows herself. I loved that. That to me was refreshing.

Parker "Shy" Cage...hmm, considering my limited vocabulary, it is safe to say that I've run out of adjectives to describe how wonderful this guy is. And again, I don't think he's the usual KA hero either. Sure, he is a biker, he's alpha, he's a baddass, he's bossy and he can be really blunt. But, he's also sweet, loyal, caring and a real, all around good guy. And the way he was with Tabby...*sigh* it was just sweet.

The time jump issue -- I didn't really have a problem with it since I've always felt like I knew them already, thanks to that great epilogue from Motorcycle Man, and I was okay with not having every minute detail written down or something. It helped hurry things along, which I would say didn't subtract anything from the overall story.

It had enough drama without it being over the top. It was mostly about Tabby and Shy's relationship and what that meant to the club and their families. There were no car chases, explosions, kidnapping, crazy exes or the Russian mob. Thank God! That probably won't happen until the next book. LoL! There were some actions going on but it wasn't really front and center. It was mentioned but we really didn't get to witness any of it. It was just about Shy and Tabby and how they're dealing with being finally together, which I really liked.

Of course, this wouldn't be a KA novel without the cameos of the characters from her other series. This one had plenty of cameos. It was just like seeing old friends. And this book was also used to set up the next story with Hop and Lanie, which I wasn't too crazy about. I felt it was too much but that's just my personal feelings about it anyway.

This was really a wonderful read for me. I can't wait for the next books from this series. There are a lot of characters that could potentially star in their own HEA in the next books. Rush is one. I can't wait for his story.

Thank you, Kristen Ashley for giving us another wonderful story. This one is a keeper. Hope it will be for others too.





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