Review – Mama’s Boy by Avery Flynn

Mama’s Boy; Last Man Standing #1
(An interconnecting standalone within a series)

Publication Date: September 27, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Romantic Comedy

Author: Avery Flynn

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:
So many adorable moments and crossover references. I loved the meddling family’s, fun dates, and just so many LOL moments to be had.

Even though Fiona and Dixon may have grown up in opposite worlds, they are more alike than they realize and it’s only when they spend time together, peeling back the lies and layers, that they truly discover their true selves and really enjoy each other to their fullest.

The outstanding moments came in with the blend of the large Hartigan family and the Beckett’s. While the Beckett’s is smaller, they are no less meddling in family affairs. Dixon and his cousins come up with a dare, while highly intoxicated of course, to be the last man standing in love, before the end of the year. The dare is, somewhat childish, but the Beckett’s never back down from a challenge and Dixon is by far one of the worst when it comes to never losing. He has to win at all costs, but he also sees no problem with this particular challenge. Love is something he never plans to do again so winning will be easy.

Dixon has been married and is currently a widow. He’s vowed never, ever to fall in love again. Been there, done that, never wants to feel that kind of pain again, but he also never loses. He has to win at all costs. He plans to take on this dare, six dates, no falling in love, no problem. That is until he meets Fiona Hartigan.

Why would Fiona ever date Dixon, especially knowing it’s all for a bet? She wants revenge. Dixon is the CEO of a cosmetics company and he’s dismissed her three times for a meeting. Three…stood up, dissing her, ignoring her times.This is her chance for an in to present her Nana’s products. She just needs to play it cool, help him win his bet and then she can ask him for any favor. It’s a win-win for both of them. That is until she starts falling for the man vs. the CEO tycoon.

With lots of steam, adorable meddling family moments, and the best reason of all…a hot mama’s boy…this book is a win-win-win.

Synopsis:

Top three lies about mama’s boys:

1. That we don’t know what we want. That one is straight up BS. I know exactly what I want—to win this bet with my cousins by any means necessary even if it means finding the worst possible date in all of Harbor City and agreeing to whatever she asks in exchange for her pretending to fall for me.

2. That we are soft, little wimps. Yeah, you don’t get to be CEO of a multibillion dollar company by letting other people take advantage of you. So as soon as I realize my date Fiona Hartigan isn’t exactly who she appears to be, there’s nothing that will stop me from figuring out the truth—no matter how many dates it takes to unravel that mystery.

3. That we don’t know how to kiss. Oh yes we do. The only problem is that once I start kissing Fiona, I don’t want to stop and I have to because we’ve already agreed that all of this is temporary.

Now I’m the guy that every woman wants to bring home to mom—except for the woman I’m fake dating and falling in love with for real.

Each book in the Last Man Standing series is STANDALONE:
* Mama’s Boy
* Neanderthal
* Mansplainer

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Review – Last Round by Charity Ferrell

Last Round; Twisted Fox #5 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: September 21, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Small Town Romance/Friends-to-Lovers/Contemporary Romance

Author: Charity Ferrell

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

The beginning of Charity’s books always make me laugh, smile, and basically spit out whatever beverage I happen to be drinking at the time (okay, it’s usually wine). Aside from knowing better to drink while reading her books, Charity’s fantastically witted writing is one of the fabulous reasons I fell in love with her books and will continue to read them for years to come.

Silas and Lola are quick witted and unfortunatly friend-zoned one another almost upon meeting. However, it makes for tons of sassy banter and quirky comebacks I absolutely adore, plus it allowed for years of pent of chemistry that made this book angsty while we waited for them to practically all but combust in flames of passion.

Last Round is sadly the final book in this series, but overall it was a huge win for Charity Ferrell. The story was beautifully woven together with a great timeline that was not only a tribute to the series, but allowed each couple from Twisted Fox their own unique and special time to shine. If you’ve been here from the beginning it’s no secret that Silas and Lola have been friends, but this book takes us on the journey of how that all takes place, right alongside how each one of their friends also fell in love.

For all the fun Charity puts in her books, and I’ll circle back to why I fell in love with her writing to begin with, there is a lot of fun…she also never forgets to include all the feels and hard times that truly bring her couples together. Last Round wraps up a great series and I look forward to the next journey.

Synopsis:

What’s the best way to get back at your cheating ex?
Give every guy who hits on you his number.

That’s what I did when I met Silas.
Little did I know, we’d see each other again.

One run-in leads to another.
One fake date leads to a friendship.
That friendship leads to feelings.
But everyone knows feelings and friendship doesn’t mix.

We’re too much the same.
It’d never work out.
That changes when one of us asks for more.

Everything falls apart.
There’s no going back.
Can our friendship survive … or will love destroy us?

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Review – Callous Boys by Laura Lee

Callous Boys; Callous Boys of Crystal Cove #0.5 
(A prequel to a new series)

Publication Date: October 1, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Reverse Harem/New Adult/Friends-to-Lovers/Dark Romance

Author: Laura Lee

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

What a fantastic beginning! High emotions with thought out plot and drama. I’m already hooked on the Callous Boys!

Andi, Vaughn, Nico and Cruz have been best friends for their entire lives. As they grew and hormones became involved, noticing their hot friend was growing boobs, and boys being well….boys. They had a friendship that they didn’t want broken by Andi’s boobs, but that they also were hoping would evolve into something more given time and maturity.

Vaughn, Nico, and Cruze made a pact between the three of them, that none of them would make a move on Andi until she was ready and showed an interest in one of them, since all three of them were interested in her. Unbeknownst to them, as they kept their feelings hidden for her, she also did the same. Andi’s feelings for each boy never distinguished between each one, but only grew stronger for all of them over the years as she wanted each one equally. In her world she didn’t know how that would work, so she kept quiet about her feelings, since it was all or none. That is until a new boy, Hunter, came into town.

Everything changed with Hunter began flirting with Andi. Finally fearing they may lose what they never had, it was time to make a move, but how do Vaughn, Nico and Cruze decide when none of them have ever let Andi know how they feel about her? How do  they threaten their friendship without losing everything between them?

I loved that this poly relationship worked slowly into what they might want. Just because they had all been friends for years didn’t mean they knew how to work a romantic relationship. Guys in general can be super territorial and Nico, Cruz and Vaughn were no different. Cruz is by far the most laid back of the three, but he also understands the value of losing time and doesn’t want to lose Andi at any cost so he’s all in no matter what it takes. While Nico has a tougher home life, at least in the thought of living a poly lifestyle, he is closer in wanting to share like Cruz is. However, he’s also all guy when it comes to sharing his toys, like Andi…sharing is hard, just ask Vaughn who hates sharing anything. He’s a total caveman. While he’s never truly had a problem when it came to their friendship, they all know within a romantic relationship Vaughn would be the most possessive, but Andi also knows deep in her heart she can’t love one boy without loving all three.

This relationship grows slowly while they talk about the logistics, reality, and emotional ramifications of really diving into it. There are some very cute and funny moments that come out of those talks because let’s face it…how does it all work and do the swords cross? LOL

There is also a mysterious, mafia element that I’m dying to know more about. There is some shady business going down within the families, so what is exactly happening?…It’s all clouded in secret with a big cliffhanger to boot! I’m so there to find out what happens as the story continues because I need to know!!

Synopsis:

From USA Today Bestselling Author, Laura Lee, comes the prequel to this new dark reverse harem romance series, available exclusively in the Brutal Boys on Devil’s Night anthology. 

I grew up with three boys who vowed to always protect me.
Vaughn, Nico, and Cruz started as my neighbors.
Then, they became my best friends.
And in the end, they were my entire world.

We thought we were invincible. That nothing and no one could ever tear us apart.

It’s funny how murder has a way of changing that, isn’t it?

This is the story of our beginning.
This is the story of our destruction.

*CALLOUS BOYS is a 45k word prequel to the Callous Boys of Crystal Cove series. This is a dark (#whychoose) reverse harem story, meaning the heroine winds up with three or more love interests by the final installment. This book may contain triggers for sensitive readers.  Due to mature subject matter, it is recommended for readers 17+ only.

CALLOUS BOYS is available in the Brutal Boys on Devil’s Night Anthology on October 1, 2021.

Grab your copy here: https://amzn.to/3tjBgpW

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Review – Apathy by L.K. Reid

Apathy; Secrets of Winworth #1 
(#1 within a series)

Publication Date: September 20, 2021

Genre/Tropes: New Adult/Occult/Dark Romance

Author: L.K. Reid

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

I had to sit and really let this book soak in once I was finished. It’s been running through my mind over the last few days, and not that other books don’t, but this particular book was like the blurb warns…once you enter Winworth you don’t leave.

Apathy is a dark mystery, that is seeped in twisted thoughts and drowning in wicked madness. Everyone at one point or another is a suspect in the crimes happening throughout the town.

Every.

One.

No one is safe from the suspicion that is running rampant. The plot twists and winds in a way that I never could pinpoint or nail down anyone in particular and I was completely thrown off by the shocking cliffhanger. That almost never happens when I’m thrown off base, so perhaps that is why this book is still reeling in my head. Excellent job L.K. Reid!!

Skyler, for most of the story, is drowning in pain, emotional turmoil, grief, and deep, deep sadness. She is beyond what I would call depression. She is swirling in darkness for how deeply she is struggling, but why she’s suffering, we don’t know the depth of her pain for a large chuck of the book. As the pieces come together her mental state begins to make sense, but coming out of that deep pool…is it really for the best? GAH!! Go back Skyler!! She is going to need so much therapy.

Ash is a new student in their school and quickly works his way into their group. He came to town with his own nefarious plans, but is he the one causing things to implode, or could he be Skylar’s salvation? There is a lot of shadow surrounding him, but his character slowly comes to light the more we get into the book. Is he good, is he bad…there is so much to uncover!?!

There is a lot at work that I will not give away, because I loved being shocked and finding out the secrets myself. However, know this book is dark and covers some topics that may offend some readers, so heed author warnings incase that happens to be you.

This is only book one and with a big cliffy, there is a lot more to dive into back in Winworth. Welcome to the darkness.

Synopsis:

There were sicknesses in this world even holy water couldn’t wash away.

In vicious nights, beautiful monsters lay.
Some with faces known, some ready to play.
Unsure of a friend, unsure of a foe,
Be certain of nothing you think you know,

Because what once enters Winworth,
never leaves again.

Skylar Blackwood thought she knew what monsters looked like.
But in Winworth, nothing is what it seems.

Not the arrival of a stranger with eyes that see too much, and lips that taste like danger.
Not the young women who begin disappearing in the night.
And certainly not the people in the sleepy town she grew up in that begin to turn on one another.

One truth is undeniable, something wicked is loose in Winworth.
No one is safe, and trusting the wrong person could cost Skylar everything.

Trapped between the two worlds as secrets start to unravel, what little sanity Skylar has left threatens to shatter, leaving her with more questions than answers.

Turns out, real monsters are never what they seem.

APATHY is the first book in the Secrets of Winworth series with dark themes that might be triggering to some readers.

APATHY is coming September 20!

#PreOrderNow: mybook.to/APATHY

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Review – Greek by Kandi Steiner

Greek; Palm South University #7 
(#7 within a series)

Publication Date: September 16, 2021

Genre/Tropes: New Adult/College Romance

Author: Kandi Steiner

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

The final book in this fun loving, dramatic series that wrapped around my heart and I’m going to miss. The characters became my friends and I’m going to miss them. All the drama, all the passion and all the relationships. It’s all been so, so good.

At the beginning of this series; Jess, Erin, Cassie, Ashlei, and Skyler all became greek sisters at PSU and began the journey into a deep friendship and a bond of sisterhood that would lead them into heartbreak, self discovery, relationships that would work, relationships that wouldn’t work, ups and downs, fights, job paths, etc… It all comes down to this final semester when you know real life is right around the corner, will everyone survive?

Jess was left with a choice when the last book ended. She was happily in love with Kade when Jarrett came back into her life. Jarrett was her first love, but her shattered her heart. Kade was the boy who was there when she was at her lowest and made her believe in love again. She has a decision to make over two men, because she does love them both, but she can’t keep them both. I love how this story played out and that Jess took her time to really think about the over all ramifications of her decision. This particular story always pulled at my heart and really tore me up, so I couldn’t be happier.

Bear and Erin had the biggest hurdles to overcome throughout this entire series and I adore them as a couple. I love how they both have grown as individuals and in their relationship together. They make each other stronger and through their support of one another they have blossomed into one of my favorite couples.

Adam and Cassie was one of my favorite couples from the beginning of this series, but this last semester proved to be once again one of their hardest. As Adam was working in another state the long distance was putting a strain on their relationship, would it survive Cassie’s final semester at PSU?

Ashlei suffers a huge setback in her pole class, but the rest of her life is actually pretty amazing. Of all the girls Ashlei kind of has her life together. She has a great job and a great guy…could things get better? They just might for the girl who had a rough start at the beginning of this series.

Skyler who was riding the top of the world with a great guy, won second place in a poker tournament, and was now the president in the greek house her world was falling apart. She didn’t know how to forgive Kip when he didn’t know how to apologize. Her life was in shambles, but she also didn’t know how to move on without the most important person in her life.

With this series coming to a close I’m really going to miss them and all the drama. I’m going to wonder what has happened as they’ve aged five or ten years from now. Perhaps there will be a reunion special. One can only hope.

Synopsis:

The epic conclusion to the Palm South University Series…

Sisterhood is forever, but can it survive life’s biggest curveballs?

Erin fights for justice while Bear continues to fight his demons in order to be the man he wants to be for the woman he loves. Skyler considers what will come after graduation — and whether or not Kip will be a part of the plan. Cassie and Adam navigate their newfound long distance relationship, and find the path to be bumpier than expected.

Meanwhile, a shocking accident has Ashlei facing the biggest challenges of her life — while Jess has to decide which brother she wants in hers forever.

School is almost over for this university crew, but the drama has just begun.

Palm South University

This series should be read in order for the most enjoyment

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Review – Incubastard by Charity B.

Incubastard 
(Standalone)

Publication Date: October 7, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Dark/Paranormal Romance

Author: Charity B

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Funny, entertaining, and disturbing, but all in the best way possible! I LOVED IT!!

Loch is pretentious d**k, but he’s also thousands of years old and a princely demon, so his attitude makes sense. I loved everything about Loch, but I’m also glad I’m not a soul that has been sent down below for him to torture. His job is to literally punish evil and wicked souls and he thrives off of it, maybe not as much as likes to slake his lust, but a lot of times they go hand in hand, so that is a bonus of his job.

Loch’s attitude and lack of human morals really make sense when he is summoned to earth, but the more I got to know Loch those human morals we sometimes hold so high, well, honestly they start to grey. He may not be prince charming or even a white knight, but I would definitely put him in the anti-hero or dark knight category. Loch is protective of those who fall within his orbit, and while he certainly has zero filter and doesn’t understand a lot of human ways, he has a ton of character growth. Loch is like a bumbling toddler in manners with a crazy high libedo in the bedroom and serial killer tendencies with those he cares about who get hurt. He’s perfect!

Mishka didn’t mean to literally summon a demon into her life, she was both trying to move on from her cheating ex and help out her best friend with her witching spells (Leena is a ton of fun as a secondary character). Mishka honestly didn’t think anything would happen, but when a gorgeous man appears in her home and he told her he wasn’t leaving her life until they supposedly consummated the summoning. Yeah, she might feel like she was going crazy when he first appeared, but she also wasn’t crazy enough to sleep with a demon.

No matter what Mishka does Loch won’t leave and she refuses to stoop into sleeping with him. He’s crass, bold, (he’s sexy, but she won’t tell him that) and he continually says the wrong thing. However, when he stops long enough to actually not act like the demon he truly is, she actually starts liking him. What the h.e.double l hockey sticks could she be thinking? She should really start to question her sanity because they could never work. Even when it’s safe to say…she might actually be falling him. A demon and a human has that ever worked in history?

I loved everything about this story, but I especially loved how Charity twisted an old tale (yes, the oldest tale ever) into her own story. I also loved the inclusivity of love and how souls played into who we are vs. the human views we place on people. Everything was absolutely brilliant!

There was a lot of suspension of disbelief that went into reading this story, but I feel that is true with any paranormal book. The gore is high, but weirdly enough because this is a completely fictional world, the disbelief made the gore easier to swallow. However, Charity put the warnings in there if graphic violence is not your thing.

Synopsis:

Mishka
Angels, demons… the afterlife.
I’d always thought they were bullshit.
Until all my misguided beliefs were proven wrong by an infuriating, flippant asshole with horns who has no concept of boundaries.
Summoning him was never the plan, especially since I’m not willing to do what it takes to send him back.
If I’ve learned anything from Loch, it’s that preconceived ideas are usually false, and the truth is much messier than fables.
The theory of good and evil is flawed.
Nothing is that simple.

Loch
The only side of human nature I’ve ever encountered is vile and perverse, depraved and cruel.
However, Mishka’s none of those things.
She’s an insufferable, snarky creature who makes me question everything I know about myself.
The longer I’m with her in this world, the less desperate I am to return to mine, which is absurd.
I am son of Asmodeus.
A prince spawned from lust to torment the damned.
The mortal realm is not where I belong.

Incubastard deals with Christian lore that does not align with the Bible. It is completely fictional. If this will make you uncomfortable, please do not read this book.

Content Warning: This novel contains graphic scenes depicting blood and gore along with sexually explicit content and violence. For mature audiences only.

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Review – Romance by the Book by Sarah Ready

Romance by the Book; Soul Mates in Romeo #3 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: September 14, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Romantic Comedy/Enemies-to-Lovers/Contemporary Romance

Author: Sarah Ready

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

I completely lose myself in Sarah Ready’s books and I never want to return to reality. I lose all track of time and space once I begin reading and I hate leaving her worlds every single time.

Romance by the Book is another fantastic Ready hit! The push-pull, love-hate chemistry of William and Jessie is pure soul mate gold! From the time this couple first met at the young age of eight until they finally admit their undying love their story is full of all the wonderful  romcom classics that unfortunately go horribly wrong.

Romance by the Book is fun, flirty, and full of chemistry, but it also has wonderful moments of heart. Sarah writes about love – real lasting love from the perspective of the residents of Romeo. This is a beautiful reminder about why people fall in love and then continue to stay in love. It’s a story that takes a stroll down those butterfly feelings in the very beginning of a relationship, but then continues through the ups and down, through sickness and health, etc… and what it means to still be together after fifty years together as a couple. What is the secret formula to love or is being a soul mate enough? I love how each couple that William and Jessie meet impart a bit of wisdom or advice to what the secret is.

William and Jessie have known each other for twenty years by the time they both venture down this path and a lot of the fun in this story revolves around Jessie getting Gavin, William’s twin brother, to actually fall into her classic romcom traps, while William does everything in his power to keep that from happening.  Oh, there is a lot of backstory into why she wants Gavin and why William is cast as the villian, but the backstory is what gives this book all the extra feels. They both have their preconceived notions about one another, or even a fantasy, but what may be going wrong could actually be going right.

I continually love returning to this small town that is all about love. This book was a brilliant story about redemption, forgiveness and following your heart. I can’t wait to return once again and see who the next soul mate match will be.

Synopsis:

Welcome to Romeo, NY where it’s not a matter of if you find your soul mate, only when.

Book-loving librarian Jessie has loved Gavin Williams for practically her whole life. So when a psychic predicts that Gavin is Jessie’s one fated soul mate, she’s ecstatic.
There’s just one itty bitty little problem.
Gavin’s engaged to marry another woman.

What’s a book lover to do? Easy. Check out dozens of romance books, study the (totally realistic) way characters fall in love, and make a foolproof plan on how to win her soul mate (in one week).
Meet cute? Check.
Dance under the stars? Check.
Kiss in the rain? Check.
Romance books don’t lie – it’ll all go perfectly.
Except, there’s another problem. Gavin’s twin brother: William Williams IV.

Jessie has hated William for as long as she’s loved his brother. William is grump to Jessie’s sunshine, stand-offish to her extrovert, cold to her warm. And when William learns of Jessie’s plan to derail his brother’s engagement he swears that he’ll do anything to stop her.
But after William and Jessie (unwillingly) share a dance…a romantic dinner…a kiss…Jessie starts to wonder, is William actually her soul mate? Or is this just another one of his games?
She can’t tell, because this romance definitely isn’t going by the book.

Romance by the Book is Book 3 in Sarah Ready’s Soul Mates in Romeo Romance Series.

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Review – Rapture and Ruin by Julia Sykes

Rapture and Ruin; Rapture and Ruin #1 
(#1 within a series)

Publication Date: September 14, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Book Duet/Suspense/Mafia/Dark Romance

Author: Julia Sykes

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

I  loved how this book began. Max, was looking for justice by kidnapping the mayor’s daughter, Allie, but when that ran south he actually let her go. Max believed the mayor was behind sending his family to jail. While he believes his family is guilty of the crimes, he also believes the mayor isn’t the saint he portrays to the world either. I wasn’t quite sure what Max wanted, but I still liked the concept that he wanted to take some form of justice out on Allie, but one thing leads to another and soon these two become more entangled and feelings get involved.

Allie wants to prove that her father is innocent so when she tracks down Max she only seems to dive deeper into his world and as these two spend more time together she sees the man behind his beastly mask. His gentleness with her is so different to what he wants to portray, it draws her in, but how could it ever work between them?

If there was one thing that bothered me, it was Allie, Max pointed it out plain as day to her over and over again that she is horribly naive. I understand that her father sheltered her, but in this day and age she lives in a world with social media and she clearly has a phone and her best friend is an influencer, so coming off as clueless as she does is a hard pill to swallow, at least as often as she does.

Aside from that, there is a lot of chemistry between Max and Allie, which helps move the book right along. Also, perhaps it’s in Allie’s naivety that helps keep blinders on to Max and the mafia world he comes from which keeps that chemistry brewing.  Although it doesn’t help their budding romance for the big cliffhanger and now we all wait…what’s going to happen?? Will Allie find the truth or will Max become the monster he claims to be?

Synopsis:

“I am a monster out of your worst nightmares.”

Max Ferrara is a madman and a monster, but it’s not his scarred face that makes him a beast. He kidnapped me and tied me to a chair in his basement. He asked me crazy questions about my father, the mayor—insane ramblings about how my dad worked with the Russian Bratva to destroy his Italian Mafia family over a decade ago. Max thinks I know something about this conspiracy, but he’s wrong; my dad is a good person.

Once he lets me go, I’m determined to prove to him that my father is innocent. I have to put a stop to his misguided vendetta. But the deeper I dig for evidence, the more dangerous my life becomes.

Max tells me there are other monsters lurking in the dark, and he intends to protect me from them. Whether I want him to or not.

The scariest thing? I’m starting to think that Max Ferrara might not be so monstrous, after all…

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Review – The Dom Identity by Lexi Blake

The Dom Identity; Masters and Mercenaries #23, Reloaded #2 
(#2 within a series)

Publication Date: September 14, 2021

Genre/Tropes: BDSM/Suspense Romance

Author: Lexi Blake

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Family, intimacy, spies, and all the loveable sarcasm I adore while reading my favorite series. Everything right and perfect was in The Dom Identity, including talk about body positivity….YESZZZZ…and finding joy before life passes you by.

Lexi Blake has never shied away from strong women or the leading men who bring out confidence in their partner or partners. In this newest addition to one of my all time favorite series, Michael Malone and Vanessa Jones crack open body image, self esteem and how it all ties in to how a person projects what they feel and what others actually see whether they are in person, on stage, in the tabloids, etc…

It’s hard enough for an everyday person to navigate the world and enjoy the body we live in, but for people like Michael and Vanessa, who live more in the world’s eye, criticism is an everyday occurance. These two also circle what is involved being a couple in the eye of the public. Love is work for a normal couple, but elevate it with paparazzi and constant social injustice and a relationship seems almost impossible.

Michael Malone comes from a world of money, he’s no stranger to what the media can get wrong, but he’s also tried to live apart from it. Having a career outside of the oil business where the Malone name is tied too Michael sometimes feels disconnected from his blood relatives and the family he’s tried to create. Some days he’s so alone in the fact that he walks the line between two worlds he often wonders if he made the right decision, that is until he meets Vanessa Jones and sees that same loneliness in her.

Social media has given the world a way to project a very one dimensional view of any subject. People see what they want to see and let’s face it, a lot of people are extremely harsh. Vanessa Jones, also known as Vanessa Hale on screen, hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to her career. Well, she has and she also hasn’t. While she became famous with her looks, those looks also brought her criticism when it came to having a brain in her head as she sought out different roles. For her beauty, she must have used it to get ahead, probaby on her knees. If she asserts herself, then she’s a cold, calculated b**ch and has emotional issues and her career suffered. Some days being a woman is not easy. It’s lonely and becomes hard to trust those around you and Vanessa gives an excellent view into this life that many crave, but perhaps isn’t all it’s cracked up to be once you reach a high level of fame. Everyone thinks they know you, but do they really? Vanessa meets her other half and being with Michael is like coming home, until she learns the truth about why he’s with her.

Michael is hired to investigate Vanessa, initially for Julian Lodge because Vanessa is working for his wife Dani. Michael should be honest and tell Vanessa why he’s there, but once he gets to know her, the real her, he doesn’t want to chance losing her. Where is Ian’s inner monologue when he needs it, aside from the one telling him to wear a condom.

I loved returning to Julian’s world and revisiting a lot of the members there while Michael and Vanessa are visiting The Club. Plus the younger generation, like Kyle, attend The Club because they don’t want to see their parents parading around naked at Sanctum. It’s too funny to hear them talk about it and fake gag, I giggle every single time. AND, the ongoing feud and frenemy status between Ian and Julian is always hilarious.I can’t get enough of the sarcastic ribbing, so many good things in this reloaded series.

While the Malone family has been present in the last few novels and novellas, we get to know them even more along with the rambunctious grandchildren. The growing families is super exciting on every level and I wish I was better at keeping track of all the children, since I know there will be match ups within the McKay-Taggart agency or interconnected worlds. I can hardly wait to see each dad freak out when that happens.

Lasty, since I know I’ve already gone off tangent, while I still love Ian and his outlandish, yet honest, remarks “Michael did what all of my idiot employees do and fell for the client. Trust me. I’ve seen it a thousand times.” As a secondary character, it was truly Kyle who stole the show in this book. Kyle reminds me of a young Tag, so I can’t say Ian isn’t far from my mind or still my favorite, but Kyle is sneaking up on Ian. Kyle is full of the Taggart sarcasm (most likely because he is the stepson of Sean Taggart and spent time with the entire Taggart clan as a child), but Kyle also has a very similar background to those he now works with. He’s carrying a dark secret, which makes him hold back on friendship, love, deep connections of any kind, but he has these moments of honesty that are leading up to what will be a fantastic book. I can hardly wait!

Synopsis:

A man with everything

Michael Malone seems to have it all. A wealthy, loving family. A job that fulfills him. Friends he can count on. But something is missing. He’s spent years watching his brother and close friends get married and start families, but it hasn’t happened for him. When an assignment comes up to investigate fallen Hollywood star Vanessa Hale, he jumps at the chance. She’s gorgeous and potentially deadly. Playing the spy game with her might be just the thing to take his mind off his troubles.

A woman with nothing left to lose

Vanessa Hale had big dreams that ended in scandal. She returned home with nothing but heartache and the desire to find her mother’s killer. The trail points to someone at Lodge Corp, so taking a job with Julian Lodge’s mysterious company is her best option for finding the truth. While she hunts for a killer during the day, she hopes to find some solace at night in The Club. Meeting the gorgeous, sexy and seemingly kind Michael Malone, their chemistry sparks in a way she’s never felt before, and Vanessa thinks maybe her luck has finally changed.

A love that might save them both

When Michael’s true motives are revealed, she will have to find a way to forgive his betrayal. The killer has made Vanessa their next target. Working together and stopping this monster is the only chance for them to have the real love they both deserve.

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Review – Poisoned Paradise by Lucy Smoke

Poisoned Paradise; Black Heart Romance presents Heaven and Hell 
(A standalone within a series; Black Heart Romance, 6 books)

Publication Date: September 3, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Taboo/Forbidden/Bully/New Adult/Dark Romance

Author: Lucy Smoke

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A new taboo twist with smexy, dark themes.

Lucy Smoke leads this book with a content warning. Normally, I love jumping into a book wide-eyed and fresh, but for some reason, this particular warning caught my attention and I’m glad it did, and here’s why…

This book is labeled taboo and forbidden and while I would definitely give it a dark label and bully label, and if I had jumped into reading Poisoned Paradise without any prior notice, then I could see the first two labels sticking, but, and this is a big but, Lucy is excellent at writing this story with a lot of gray undertones that allows readers to not only want these two characters to work out in the end, but also to work out for the right reasons.

As a reader if, like me, you decide to read the content warning, understand that those reasons are important and I won’t give away what those are just in case you are normally are like me and like to dive in head first. However, since I did actually read the warning and it basically gave away THE huge reveal, I had mixed feelings throughout reading the book. On one hand I was glad I did know because otherwise those gray undertones I was talking about, weeeellllllll, they could have been a bit darker than I might have been willing to handle. On the other, since I did know…as a reader we love getting to those twists. I suppose I’ll never know because I did know, but aside from that, I REALLY enjoyed the story and I REALLY enjoyed Lucy’s writing. This will not be my last book by her, because I forgot to mention, this is the very first book by Lucy Smoke. WOW, what a story to jump into plot wise, but I am hugely impressed with how she writes and I want to return.

Willow and Ryan grow up in foster care together, but end up split up for six years not connecting again until college. Ryan is a huge bully, dark and mean. He wants nothing to do with Willow and makes it known that she needs to stay away. As much as she’d love to reconnect, she also knows better, as he never once responded over the six years he was gone from her life, however, some force seems to keep pushing them together and no matter how much Ryan keeps tormenting her, she can’t find it in herself to hate him.

There is certainly more than what meets the eye between these two, but will they destroy everything around them for love?

There are some great twists and the secondary characters help drive the plot as well. I really enjoyed the book overall and no matter what the taboo theme was, I was happy to take the ride.

Synopsis:

Willow

Six years ago, I made a mistake. The worst mistake I could have ever possibly made. I fell in love with the wrong person and … I told him.

Ryan’s always been with me ever since I can remember. It’s been the two of us—side by side. Through every new beginning, every new ‘family’, and every failure. Is it any wonder that the love I had for him turned into something different—something deeper? Something utterly rotten?

And is it any wonder that he hates me for it now?

Ryan

I’m a damaged soul, and she’s the only thing that’s ever held me together. But the one woman I want is the one woman I can never have.

She thinks I hate her for her confession, and maybe a part of me does. What I hate more, though, is that I have to push her away to keep her safe. That I have to pretend like I don’t fucking want her when she’s all I’ve been able to think about for the last six years.

We’re no fucking Romeo and Juliet. We’re much worse than that.

A love like ours was doomed from the start.

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Alright guys, I’m gonna need your trust on this one. This might seem like a crazy idea and I assure you, it is. But I’m here, on my knees now, for you―asking you to trust me. TRUST. IN. ME. It’s gonna be fine. Just get to the end and you’ll understand why I had to do this. This is a STANDALONE book.**

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Review – At First Hate by K.A. Linde

At First Hate; Coastal Chronicles #2 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Small Town/New Adult/Enemies-to-Lovers/Second Chance/Contemporary Romance

Author: K.A. Linde

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Beautiful, tearful, angsty, ALL THE FEELS!!

At First Hate is a second chance love story that bruised my heart with all the angst…(sobbing)…it was a hard won love that had me in its grips from the very first page until the very end. So good!!

Told only from the POV of Marley Nelson, we weave back in forth from the past to the present and how one man, Derek Ballentine, has affected her life over and over again. This K.A. Linde type of book is what I absolutely love from her. It’s page turning, gut-twisting, and a one of a kind story that I can’t put down once I start. If you read Hold The Forevers, a few characters might seem familiar, along with the writing style that this book is written in.

Derek Ballentine and Marley Nelson first meet in high school and it was certainly a meeting of – she resented him and he just wanted in her skirt. Total teenage hormones. They continue to have a back and forth kind of frenemy zone where Derek doesn’t really know how to take Marley or how to subdue those hormones for years and unfortunately it creates bad decision making, dumb choices, and just plain old youth mistakes that work against them.

Weaving back and forth, through past and present, we get to witness how their relationship changes through time. The mistakes, the love, the loss, everything, but in the end will it be enough to finally push them past all the hate.

How do you ever get over your first love, because at the end of day, this is truly what Derek and Marley are, they just don’t know it for years…..oh, my bruised heart!!

I loved reading this angsty book and I can’t wait to return for more.

Synopsis:

A new stand alone enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde…

Derek Ballentine and I have always been on opposite sides of everything.

I went to a public Savannah high school. He went to a private Catholic school. I went to Duke on scholarship. He went to UNC as a legacy. When we both end up at Harvard for graduate school and we’re finally on a level playing field, I think it’s all going to change.

I was wrong.

The only thing that changed was ending up in his bed.

Now my grandma has passed away, and Derek is the attorney helping the people trying to steal her legacy. I’ll do anything to stop that from happening. Even take on my lifetime enemy.

I hate him at first sight…but I also want him at first hate.

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Review – Chasing Serenity by Kristen Ashley

Chasing Serenity; River Rain #1 
(#1 within a series)

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Romance

Author: Kristen Ashley

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

An intertwining love story that took me through twists and turns, bumps and dips and eventually a HEA.

The beginning of Chasing Serenity is written like an epic fiction novel. Lots of description, fabulous secondary characters, and lots of drama. It isn’t until Judge and Chloe meet and their spicy back and forth banter really takes off that you remember this is a romance novel and the all of the classic drama falls to the background and the steamy chemistry rolls to the forefront.

Chloe Pierce is the pillar of her famous family. She’s used to being there for everyone, but when tragedy strikes her and her foundation begins to crack for the first time in her life she doesn’t have anyone holding her up, that is until she meets Judge Oakley. However, she isn’t sure how she likes meeting someone who could actually be strong enough to hold her up, she isn’t used to having a partner. Pushing people away who get so close is her speciality, but Judge isn’t detoured, he finds Chloe fascinating and wants her more every day.

Judge is fascinating. He runs a non-profit hiking program, but comes from his own famous family. It’s probably why he’s attracted to a woman like Chloe, but also why he’s tried to live a live very different than what his father wants. Judge is a total sweetheart, loyal, and smart. But he also isn’t looking for a woman who isn’t what he is. He’s been with liers, cheats, and complete opposites. The more time he spends with Chloe she is exactly what he’s looking for, but is he what she needs?

These two have more in common than they ever thought and the more time they spend together it becomes more obvious, they just need to open up to one another to allow it to happen.

Synopsis:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley brings a new novel in her River Rain series…

From a very young age, Chloe Pierce was trained to look after the ones she loved.

And she was trained by the best.

But when the man who looked after her was no longer there, Chloe is cast adrift—just as the very foundation of her life crumbled to pieces.

Then she runs into tall, lanky, unpretentious Judge Oakley, her exact opposite. She shops. He hikes. She drinks pink ladies. He drinks beer. She’s a city girl. He’s a mountain guy.

Obviously, this means they have a blowout fight upon meeting. Their second encounter doesn’t go a lot better.

Judge is loving the challenge. Chloe is everything he doesn’t want in a woman, but he can’t stop finding ways to spend time with her. He knows she’s dealing with loss and change.

He just doesn’t know how deep that goes. Or how ingrained it is for Chloe to care for those who have a place in her heart, how hard it will be to trust anyone to look after her…

And how much harder it is when it’s his turn.

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Review – The Retaliation You Deliver by Tracy Lorraine

The Retaliation You Deliver; Maddison Kings University #7 
(#7 within a series)

Publication Date: September 2, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Book Duet/New Adult/Dark/Bully Romance

Author: Tracy Lorraine

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Lorraine delivered the perfect broken hero in this final MKU duet.

Remember how I gave a warning for Luca Dunn…Luca now seems like fuzzy bunny slippers…I’m stamping Leon with the extra deep, dark warning!!

Leon Dunn needs a hug, snuggles, and he needs Macie, but it’s a journey to get there and have him admit it, but what a ride! A deep, dark, delicious ride.

There is a darkness inside Leon Dunn that came from a childhood trauma that no one should suffer. It’s a darkness that Leon has lived with in silence for a decade and it has slowly poisoned him little by little, blotting out the good that lives inside. It’s why Letty has always sensed he was holding a secret and why he slowly lost the brotherly bond to his twin, Luca.

Bit by bit Leon was losing himself and it wasn’t until he found Macie, the girl he’d been searching for for the past ten years, that he finally felt alive. The girl he wanted to punish for what happened, the girl who would lead him to retaliation so he would finally be free. Unfortunately, being with Macie only seemed to confuse Leon and that vengeance he wanted became mutteled.

Macie understood Leon better than anyone. While she didn’t suffer exactly what Leon did, she suffered differently everyday living with her uncle.  Even though she knew better than to trust him, Leon knew exactly how to pick her apart and sneak through her defences falling for the broken boy never realizing just how much they had in common.

Even though Leon had nefarious purposes, Macie had a soft spot for him and what he went through, but can she really trust the boy who only set out to destroy her heart?

The Retaliation You Deliver is a duet and needs to be read in order after The Devastation you Reap. However, to really get the best enjoyment I would also suggest reading the entire MKU series and begin with Letty and Kane’s books. Letty is Leon and Luca’s childhood friend and she is an integral part and has an ear to bend (meaning she has advice and talks some sense into both of her friends), but a lot of Letty’s advice makes sense due to her time spent with Kane. On top of that, Kane’s world, the roommates he lived with, become important to the overall story too. The overall story arc comes together by the end of this book and yet also shows where the future can go with different plot lines.

Synopsis:

When something seems too good to be true. It’s usually because it is.

A lesson I learned the hard way.

Every single fear I had about falling for Leon, has just come true in the most brutal way.

The sweet guy act he’s been putting on the past few weeks is over.

The cold, hard truth is… he never wanted me. He only wanted retaliation.

And like a fool, I played right into his wicked scheme.

But I’m not the monster he thinks I am.

Ten years ago, I might have discovered the horrifying truth, but I did the only thing I could. I pushed it down and tried to forget. Tried to survive. Afraid of what might happen at the hands of the monster who ruined both our lives.

But now the truth is out, and the secret Leon has been keeping for a decade is about to poison those he loves, sending him into a darker place than he’s ever been.

Healing isn’t always easy, it’s messy and painful.

The question is, beneath all the hate, will I rediscover the man I fell for, or was he always a fantasy?

Dear Reader,

The Retaliation You Deliver is the conclusion to Macie and Leon’s duet and the final book in the Maddison Kings University. It’s a dark bully romance that contains mature content and demanding alphaholes that some readers may find disturbing. You have been warned.

Must be read in order, start with The Devastation You Reap

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Review – Sacred by Caitlyn Dare

Sacred; Savage Falls Sinners MC #3 
(#3 within a series)

Publication Date: September 2, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/Suspense/Reverse Harem/Dark/MC Romance

Author: Caitlyn Dare

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Each book is getting steamier and more intense and I’m loving how everything is twisting together for this explosive series.

First of all, can I stop and celebrate Rhett Savage for a moment!?! YES!!! I’ve been waiting for this gruff, tough man to show even a small glimmer of a soft, gooey center and finally I was melting over this tattooed, bad boy. Rhett really pulled through for everybody in this third book. He was supportive, attentive, and yet still the caveman Sadie craves. Totally melt worthy moments. Give me a moment to wipe the drool from my mouth…..

Dane Stray, the sweet, funny Dane is a wreck this time. Dane needs his friends and his girl more than ever as he tries to make sense of his life. All of his brokenness comes pouring out and each person works to help him pick up the pieces. It’s emotional and because Dane is Dane, his story contains all the feels.

Wes Nobel knows where he wants to fit within Sadie’s world and with each day that passes the Sinners come to accept Wes in theirs. While he tries hard to shed the skin of his old world and protect his mother from his abusive father Wes is falling harder for the MC princess. Wes has been consistent from the beginning and I love him for that. He knows what he wants and he doesn’t stray from his goals which is going to be even more important as his friends and Sadie are going to need him more than ever going forward.

Sadie may be the glue that keeps her boys all together and make the intimate moments super, super steamy, but she’s also wicked independent and strong. She doesn’t need three men in her life because she’s weak, no, she has three men in her life because she can handle three strong, fierce guys and give each one what they need in return. Sadie continues to grow with each book and I like how she shines brighter as she discovers how much she cares for each of her guys.

Sacred really turned the story up a notch. It was full of plot, super steamy moments, and all the feels.

Synopsis:

Welcome to Savage Falls…

A brand new dark reverse harem bully romance trilogy from bestselling author Caitlyn Dare, coming this summer!

Two dirty-talking tattooed bikers, a pretty boy football player with secrets, and the MC princess who will bring them to their knees…

Are you ready for a SAVAGE summer?

The Savage Falls Sinners MC must be read in order:

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Review – The Damaged by Tijan

The Damaged; Insiders #2 
(#2 within a series)

Publication Date: February 8, 2022

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/New Adult Romance

Author: Tijan

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Welcome back to the world of Bailey and Kash. The world of the elite, but the stakes are different now that Kash’s secret is out and everyone knows that Bailey is Peter Francis’ daughter. The conditions under which Bailey is able to attend school are completely different than when she planned to attend last spring. Now she is surrounded by bodyguards and chauffeured to school like the privileged woman she is, even if she dislikes everything about it.

It doesn’t really hit Bailey why she needs these extreme measures, why she needs the protection, why she needs to actually be different. Her entire life has been thrown into a tailspin. Aside from her extraordinary brain, Bailey was basically ordinary and lead an ordinary life, but now everything is different and it’s not just because she’s Peter’s daughter, it’s also because Kash’s grandfather has a target on her back and will stop at nothing to destroy his own grandson, which means hurting those closest to Kash.

Speaking of Kash, we get a lot more of him in this book. The man is intense and he’s very intense about Bailey and how deep his feelings run for her…it’s super hot. I have no idea when the man sleeps, although it is hinted that he really doesn’t, because he’s on top of everything. His business, Bailey, Bailey’s siblings, Peter, his grandfather, Kash seems to be everywhere, but will it be enough to stop his grandfather from his nefarious plans?

If I had one complaint, I would have loved more from Bailey’s siblings in this book, although we did get introduced to new characters, her college friends/classmates. I was missing the connections Bailey made in the first book, however, Matt does comes around more than anyone and he is at least a good relief to some of the intense situations, when he wasn’t creating them himself. Of all the secondary characters, Matt definitely intrigues me the most, and I’d like to see more of his inner thoughts (perhaps Tijan will reveal those to us someday).

The ending is not only a big cliffy, but WOW! Mindblowing in a way of how Tijan could leave us readers hanging like that!?! It’s going to be a long winter until we all have answers.

Synopsis:

The world knows about Kash.

Both Bailey and Kash were used to living in the shadows, but now they must live in the public eye.
Kash is figuring out his new found role against his grandfather, and Bailey is starting her graduate program late. At university, everyone is watching Bailey, and some are wondering if her legendary father, Peter Francis, bought her way into the elite program.

Meanwhile, Bailey’s former stepmother is in jail and at home, a mysterious aunt is living with them while Bailey’s mother and Peter are sleeping together. Again?!
But then, a new treasure trove of secrets is revealed and Bailey and Kash must decide if they will trust each other or take on the world alone.

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Review – Love, Comment, Subscribe by Cathy Yardley

Love, Comment, Subscribe 
(A standalone)

Publication Date: October 1, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Romance/Romcom

Author: Cathy Yardley

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

I connected to this book on a lot of levels.  I loved both characters and empathized with them, but more than anything I loved how they brought their unique brands together to collaborate and create something that both of their audiences could enjoy. Uniquely brilliant!

Lily and Tobin are both influencers on YouTube. While what they vlog about are completely different things, Tobin is more of a gamer and unique commentator on random events and Lily is into beauty and fashion, how in the world could these two worlds ever combine to form a partnership in a collaboration? Especially when they can hardly stand to be in the same room together for a few minutes. It’s actually that premise that pulls their viewers in and makes the clicks and comments roll out. Fiery chemistry that began long ago when they used to banter back in high school. Would they kill each other or make out like mad?

The entire concept pulled me because honestly, I had to know that answer just like their viewers. I seriously wanted to know what these two were going to do to entertain two entirely different vlogging audiences and also if Lily and Tobin were going to take things further. There was no creativity left behind because what these two came up with was pure brilliance!! Every moment between Lily and Tobin was fantastic.

Not only were these two vloggers a unique collaboration, but it also ended up changing the trajectory of both of their lives. Is there love involved…it wouldn’t be a romance if somebody didn’t fall, right? But, more than that, these two completed the other more than they ever thought possible.

When they should have ended up killing each other, they end up…well not. It’s sweet and funny and all things fun that I love in a great book. I’ll definitely be picking up another Cathy Yardley book again.

Synopsis:

From award-winning author Cathy Yardley comes Love, Comment, Subscribe, a fun, feisty romance about high school frenemies turned unlikely collaborators.

Back in high school, Lily Wang wanted to be popular, but she considered herself lucky to be part of a tight group of oddballs and honors students called the Nerd Herd. Now, at twenty-eight, she feels like she’s finally on the cusp of succeeding as a beauty influencer—if she can hit five million subscribers, brands will take notice and she could get her own makeup line.

Fellow Nerd Herd alum Tobin Bui has had a lot of success as a YouTube gamer. But the road to online stardom has been rocky. First, he disappointed his parents by dropping out of college, and now, after years of pranks, skits, and playthroughs, he’s struggling to come up with new content to satisfy his ever-growing fan base. His agents say he needs cross-audience appeal, a new twist.

When Nerd Herd frenemy Lily approaches Tobin about teaming up to do a video to bolster her brand and reinvigorate his, he agrees. But when their first collab video goes viral, their relationship heats up too. With the whole internet watching, will these two former misfits finally realize they’re perfect together?

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Review – Fearless by Ivy Fox

Fearless; The Privileged of Pembroke #5 
(#2 within a duet, #5 within a series)

Publication Date: August 27, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Ménage/New Adult/Friends-to-Lovers/Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

Author: Ivy Fox

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Staying up late to read Fearless was sooooo worth it!! The angst, the emotion, the steamy love triangle…this book has all the feels.

Fearless is exactly what a love triangle/ménage should tackle when it comes to the deep soulful emotions, twisted up feelings, and gut wrenching angst. So often a throuple jumps into a relationship and it’s happy from the get go. I understand throwing out reality and it’s a fiction world, but there is no relationship, no matter the amount of people that are in it that is super easy, so I love that Ivy tackled the heart of every relationship, especially one that involves multiple personalities.

Elle, Chad, and Saint all revolve around each other and have for years. Elle and Chad have been friends since kindergarten, while Chad and Saint developed a relationship later on. While it was originally Chad that was the glue between the three of them, not only being attracted to both, but also forcing the three of them to hang out, things changed and evolved, like teenage hormones do. Elle and Saint couldn’t stand one another sensing the other as competition for Chad’s affection, but as we come into Fearless that all comes to a head as they make Chad decide, choose one of them because they no longer want to share. When Chad can’t and won’t, Saint and Elle turn towards each other both in heartbreak and comfort and their once rivalry turns into something a lot more like love, but did they really make the right choice in cutting out part of their threesome?

It’s crazy how close hate and love walk that fine line, but Saint and Elle find out just how much they have in common while Chad slowly falls apart. Even while this couple grows together, which I LOVED how much Saint grew as a character, having a part of their original throuple gone gnaws at both of them and neither of them know how to get back what they had before everything fell apart.

Chad delves into some deep, dark places inside himself. He’s never been without Elle as his best friend. The growth he goes through, learning who Chad is without his sidekick, without someone to take care of, even without Saint to feel like he needs to correct all the time. Chad pulls out the version of himself that actually was buried deep and it’s one that the three of them needed more than they ever realized.

Elle goes through more ups and downs than anyone in this book, however, she’s probably the strongest person out of them to handle it and survive it, but she loves that she has support to lean on when the going gets tough. No matter what age she is, one of her guys was by her side to hold her hand or hold her tight, right when she needed it, but Elle was always strong enough to set things right and that is why this ménage works so well.

Lastly, Saint. Although, I would never put Saint last. He was pretty much everything in this book. His character growth was through the roof. He was sweet when needed, yet domineering when he had to be. He was caring and thoughtful, but his outside shell still screamed thug to those who didn’t know him. He was becoming the glue, that connecting middle piece, and Saint was everything Elle and Chad needed to complete their lives.

The intimate moments are crazy hot, no matter who is involved, but while they are also steamy, they also crack open emotional moments too. Nothing happens without purpose.

Since the Pembroke world is all interconnected the Grayson brothers are also dealing with their own chaos during this book, but Elle’s story is written in a way that it’s a complete standalone from her brothers. I will also say the same thing about Maya’s story. Everyone connects at some point in time, but don’t worry if you aren’t caught up yet, it will all make sense when you eventually read those books.

Synopsis:

Whoever said when life hands you lemons to make lemonade can suck it!
Everything is falling apart.
Rome is in jail for murdering our father.
Holland is in the hospital fighting for her life.
And I haven’t spoken to my best friend in God knows how long.
Oh, but it gets worse.
I’ve fallen in love with my nemesis, too.
It might not seem like a big deal to most, but it sure is to me.
Especially since my heart still longs for the green-eyed boy, I vowed to love for eternity.
But I’m not the only one suffering.
Saint is too.
I feel his misery in every kiss he gives me, in every caress and embrace.
We’re not whole.
Not as long as we don’t have him.
If I want to heal all three broken hearts, there is only one way to go about it.
And that is to be fearless enough to fight for our happy ending.
They’re both mine, and I won’t let either of them go without a fight.

*Fearless is the last book in the duet focusing on Elle Grayson’s love triangle in The Privileged of Pembroke High series.
*This is a bully/enemy-to-lovers, friends to lovers, contemporary romance, full-length novel.
*Recommended 18+ due to mature language, sensitive content and adult situations featuring m/f, m/m, m/f/m.

**𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙢é𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙙𝙪𝙚𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙃𝙀𝘼 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.**

Must be read in order

Ruthless #1 

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon Universal:  books2read.com/The-Privileged-Duet-Fearless

Holland’s Trilogy –  A stepbrother reverse harem romance

Heartless : books2read.com/The-Privileged-Heartless

Soulless: books2read.com/The-Privileged-Soulless

Faithless: books2read.com/The-Privileged-Faithless

Elle’s Duet – Enemies to Lovers menage duet

Ruthless: books2read.com/The-Privileged-Duet-Ruthless

Fearless: books2read.com/The-Privileged-Duet-Fearless

Maya’s standalone – secret-lovers contemporary romance

Restless: books2read.com/The-Privileged-Restless

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Review – Taken Bride by Alta Hensley

Taken Bride; Secret Bride #3 
(#3 within a trilogy)

Publication Date: September 3, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/Suspense/Dark Romance

Author: Alta Hensley

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Wrapping up a forever ending to this secret bride series and their forever after was absolutely perfect.

When we last left Ember and Christopher it was tumultuous and frankly I wanted to push Christopher’s mother down a flight of stairs. At the beginning of Taken Bride I still felt the same about his mom and that will never change, but the story really takes off as it centers around how Christopher will get Ember back and how the couple will survive once they reunite. Truly exciting, on the edge of your seat stuff.

Papa Rich and Scarecrow have returned for Ember and emotions are high as the poor girl returns to their brainwashed clutches. This time however, it’s not just Ember’s life on the line, but Scarecrow has other incentives waiting in his home to keep her from running. Twists that I did not see coming.

Christopher is furious with his mother when he discovers Ember is missing, but he does everything to track her down and will stop at nothing to get his wife back. If their intense time together has taught him anything it’s that Ember is the most important thing in his life and he’ll do anything to keep her by his side.

The deeply, intense love that these two feel for one another is truly what drives this overall trilogy and I love how passionate and expressive Ember and Christopher are for each other. The experiences they’ve been through always at the forefront, never letting them forget how precious life and their love is for each other.

This is the last book in the secret bride trilogy and the books need to be read in order in order to make sense and be enjoyed. It’s been an intense and twisted ride, but definitely worth the read.

Synopsis:

Secrets must be kept.
Vows never broken.
Till death do us part…

Unless everything changes.
Captive in one life…
Kept in another…
Taken to now be the wife I am forced to be.

I’m hidden away to face a dark reality only a few can survive.
But I have a purpose now. I can be the good wife I strive to be.
But he still wants me.
He will hunt me down.
He will find me and take back what was stolen.
I will be his wife if he has to fight until the death to make it happen.

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Review – Saint by Sierra Simone

Saint; Priest #3 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Second Chance/MM Romance/Taboo Romance

Author: Sierra Simone

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Once again, Sierra Simone has blown me away with a deeply touching story. Saint is spiritual, it’s emotional, it’s loving, it’s family, it’s moving, it’s so many feels the goosebumps just kept coming over and over.

Elijah and Aiden were boyfriends until Aiden walked away and joined an Abbey to become a monk. What makes it hard for Elijah to understand, there wasn’t closure, there wasn’t discussion about Aiden’s decision, and there wasn’t a goodbye before Aiden left. There was nothing, just one fateful night that changed Aiden forever…that night brought tears to my eyes and still brings goosebumps running through my entire body right down to my soul everytime I think about it.

If Aiden hadn’t left and broken Elijah’s heart, Aiden might not have survived to even be there five years later for Elijah to be angry at. Yes, five years, but it was necessary and this is one story not to miss.

Aiden is no longer Aiden, he is now Brother Patrick and structure, prayers and the simple life is how he now lives his life. No more jet setting all over the world, making millions, partying, and especially no more loving Elijah. Well, he may still be working on the last one, but that is one sin he can’t seem to let go of. Aiden is lost when he arrives at the Abbey and the only way he feels he can help himself is with a strong hand in faith. He’s stepped so far off the path of his life, he needs guidance. He’s in the dark and the Abbey is his light. He didn’t leave with the intention to hurt anyone, he didn’t leave his past behind in spite. Aiden is at his lowest. Aiden is lost.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Sierra and I already know I can’t get enough. Her books make me think, they make me feel, and they touch on topics that are relevant, but also a tad taboo. Sierra is able to combine faith, hope, and love in a way that isn’t casting a shadow on any one road or path to what is right or wrong in religion. What works for someone doesn’t necessarily work for someone else, but that doesn’t make it wrong, it just doesn’t fit for that particular person. For example, there is a beautiful part where Aiden is praying while out in the field, the sun beating down on his skin, it’s just him, nature, his prayers and God. There is nothing more pure in that moment than what is between you and the god you pray to and it was a revelation to even Aiden after almost five years in the Abbey that no matter where he was that was the relationship he was seeking. That was a true awakening for him. He released he didn’t need a building, people surrounding him, etc…God was everywhere.

Through the journey, Aiden may have been working on his relationship with the man upstairs and with Elijah, but he struggled with combining the two. How could he still have feelings for Elijah and still keep his vows as a monk?

I will come back and pick up a Sierra Simone book again, for sure, as I adore and appreciate the time and research she puts into her books.  I get goosebumps over and over again with her divine like writing.

Synopsis:

I can’t have Elijah Iverson.

I can’t have him because he’s my older brother’s best friend. I can’t have him because I broke his heart five years ago; because he’s now engaged to someone else—someone kind and dependable who deserves his whiskey eyes, his soft mouth, his fierce intellect.

I can’t have Elijah because I’ve chosen God instead.

The Bell brothers, though . . . well, we don’t exactly have the greatest track record with vows. But I’m determined to do this monk thing right—to pledge myself to a cloistered life and spend the rest of my years in chastity and prayer. But now Elijah’s here. He’s here and he’s coming with me on my European monastery road trip, and between the whispered confessions and the stolen kisses and the moments bent over an ancient altar, my vows are feeling flimsier by the day.

And vows or not, I know in my heart that it would take more than a good and holy monk to resist Elijah Iverson right now. It would take a saint.

And we all know that I’m no saint.

**This is the third full-length standalone in the Priest Collection, featuring Father Bell’s brother, Aiden Bell. You do not have to read Priest or Sinner to read Saint.)This is Aiden Bell’s story**

An m/m romance by bestselling author Sierra Simone. Coming September 7th, 2021.

Aiden is coming…

About the book:

✓ M/M
✓ Second chance romance
✓ Brothers best friend
✓ Daddy monk
✓ Kink, lots of kink
✓ Forbidden
✓ Angsty angst angst!
_____

***Saint is a standalone companion to Priest about Father Bell’s brother Aiden. You do not have to read Priest or Midnight Mass to read Saint***

Part of the standalone-series in the Priest Collection:
   

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Review – Dare Me by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine

Dare Me; Dare to Try #2 
(#2 within a trilogy)

Publication Date: August 30, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/Hero Contemporary/MM Romance

Author: Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Sweet, emotional, funny, and full of steam, the Dare to Try trilogy is turning out to be my favorite co-written series by Ella and Brooke.

Kieran Bailey may be a firefighter, which is hot all by itself, but aside from his hot profession (I love puns) he’s also endearing, has his moments of adorableness, and is my favorite of the Bailey brothers, especially when Sean, his older brother is razzing him. Did I mention Kieran is adorable? While he came to grips about his attraction to Bash, it’s Bash who ran when he began to feel something for the lieutenant.

Kieran didn’t sit idly by when Bash returned to Georgia. Walking into Bash’s world, he meets his friends, takes his first vacation in, well Kieran doesn’t really remember, but getting to know the man who had enamored him back in Chicago while on Bash’s home turf only solidifies the feelings he’d been feeling even more, but could it work in the long term? Vacations have to end some time, but could they make a relationship work long distance?

Bash is beautiful and fun, a perfect match to Kieran’s more straightlaced ways (more puns, LOL). Bash brings out a playful side to Kieran, a normal workaholic, and Kieran protects Bash, even from himself, a man who looks out for everyone else, but himself. I love how these two wouldn’t seem like a good fit on paper, but they fill in each others spaces so perfectly, if only they could find out how to make their relationship work long term.

I’m very excited to see how the puzzle will all fit together in the final book of this trilogy. I’ve fallen in love with Bash and Kieran and cannot wait to see how it all plays out in the end.

Synopsis:

Dare Me is part two of the Dare to Try trilogy and should only be read after Dare You.

The moment Bash “Miss Razzle Dazzle” Vogel sashayed into Lieutenant Kieran Bailey’s life, both their worlds were turned upside down. What started as an easy friendship quickly morphed into sizzling chemistry that neither one could deny.

But what Kieran knows better than anyone is that when a fire burns this hot and heavy, someone’s bound to get burned. Do they dare to risk being together? Or will the flame of this hot match consume them both?

This series must be read in the following order:
Dare You (book one)
Dare Me (book two)
Truth or Dare (book three)

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Review – Ruined Sinner by Becker Gray

Ruined Sinner; Hellfire Club #4 
(#4 within a series)

Publication Date: August 24, 2021

Genre/Tropes: New Adult/Second Chance Romance

Author: Becker Gray

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Their story has been building and building and building. Can Phineas redeem himself from the wicked playboy? I’ve been on pins and needles to know why Aurora and Phineas are filled with so much rage and self-loathing towards one another…It’s finally here and I was thrilled with how the entire story turned out!!

Honestly, I never thought in a million years after reading the other Hellfire books that Phineas would be able to redeem himself. He was a total cad, a rake of the worst order, constantly putting himself in horrible situations that not only upset Aurora, but also upset his friends. How could he come back from all that? I truly don’t want to give away spoilers, but I will say that knowing how he was cast as manwhore with no conscience, I fell completely in love with Phineas Yates. IKR!!

Don’t fret, Aurora is bold and her take charge self, so what makes her give in to the playboy of Pembroke? Her family is demanding she wed to help the family name, but finding a solution is simple; find a fake-boyfriend to appease her grandmother and mother until she can find a permanent solution. Who is lingering outside the room to this conversation-ready and willing to offer up his services? I’ll give you one guess…

Ruined Sinner has brilliant twists and I honestly have come to love this series more and more with each book. The plot is wonderfully steamy, but it’s also filled with heart.

Synopsis:

It’s no secret that I hate Phineas Yates, but what most people don’t know is that I have a very good reason why. One hot summer, he broke my heart in the worst way, and I promised myself then and there that I would never fall prey to the sinner of Pembroke Prep again. Even if it meant re-inventing myself into a girl I barely recognized.

There is a fine line between duty and desire.

I’m not just any girl, I’m a princess. When my family begs me to get engaged to save the family name, I’m trapped with no way out. In a panic, I blurt out the ultimate lie and create myself a fake boyfriend. Which means I need someone to foot the bill immediately.

The problem? The only person willing to help me is the one person I never want to see again: the careless, heartless, hot-as-Hellfire playboy himself.

Phineas Yates.

The even bigger problem? His help doesn’t come for free. And this sinner won’t be satisfied with anything less than my absolute ruin.

But now sin is in the air, and the Hellfire Club’s number one sinner has his sights set on her…

Part of the Hellfire Club Series and is best enjoyed when read in order:

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Review – The Taste of an Enemy by Holly Renee

The Taste of an Enemy; The Boys of Clermont Bay #3 
(#1 within a duet, #3 within a series)

Publication Date: September 2, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Book Duet/Enemies to Lovers/New Adult Romance

Author: Holly Renee

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

The Taste of an Enemy delivered pure energy that leapt off the page in smoldering flames. Holly Renee consistently writes characters that I feel deep in my soul every single time.

Everyone in Clermont Bay knew that Carson and Allie were atomic bombs just waiting to explode, everyone but the two of them. Deny, deny, deny is the motto they both lived by…for years.

Carson’s pent up rage and Allie’s dismissive attitude made this couple’s chemistry light up and too good to miss. Grab the popcorn and buckle up for the showdown. Enemies to lovers, especially when wrongdoing and past history is involved….YES, I was so there for that!

I will tell you that Holly gave these this couple the perfect recipe for their story. Whether you are familiar with Clermont Bay or not if enemies to lovers is your jam than The Taste of an Enemy was perfect.

Allie and Carson were friends, actually best friends once upon a time. Now Carson pretty much makes Allie’s life miserable. However, when a dare goes too far and Carson and Allie end up spending time together, old feelings resurface, their friendship and memories shining through. Could it lead to more or will it end up hurting the bridge they’ve seem to built, burning everything to the ground?

The Taste of an Enemy is juicy with the perfect amount of angst and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next part of the duet!!

Synopsis:

Rich. Vicious. Vengeful. Forbidden. The Boys of Clermont Bay had always been untouchable.

And Carson Hale was the worst of them all.

He was pretentious and a player, and he had hated me for so long I forgot that we were ever anything more than enemies.

Brutally beautiful and savagely heartless, his only plan was to ruin everything I loved.

But dares were made, and even though I had no business saying yes, I found myself in trouble and forced to work with my rival to get us out of it.

He had always been cruel, but something changed.

The lure of him was too much. The way I craved his touch unbearable.

Just as I fell for him, he proved himself to be exactly who he had been all along.

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Review – Doctor Daddy by Misty Walker

Doctor Daddy; Brigs Ferry Bay Novella 
(A standalone novella within a series)

Publication Date: September 1, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Novella/Single Dad/Small Town/MM Romance

Author: Misty Walker

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A quick read with the perfect blend of sweet and steam.

Lance and Boez just sync together. They are compatible on every level and I love how easily they complete each other. While Lance is perfectly clueless as a new father, he’s gentle and caring with his daughter and protective of Boez. As a nurse, Boez has his nurturing side down so when he meets Lance’s daughter, Lane, it’s easy to fall in love with her, but it’s also easy to fall with the doctor himself. Boez steps easily into Lance’s life, helping out the sleep deprived man, but also completing his half filled heart.

I adore Boez and his easy going style. The way he supports Lance and helps him, not only with his daughter, but helping him in taking those final steps in discovering his true self.

Another great addition to the Brigs Ferry Bay collection, but is a complete standalone.

Synopsis:

At forty-one years old, I shouldn’t just be figuring out I’m gay.
Especially since I’m married, have my dream job, and a cushy apartment in New York City.
But here I am.

Determined to not hide anymore, I walk away from my carefully constructed life.
I accept a hospitalist position at a small facility in Brigs Ferry Bay, Maine and
start my life over again.

Ten months later, I get a phone call that changes everything.
My ex-wife died giving birth a little girl named Lane.
And I’m the father.

Suddenly, I’m drowning in diapers and bottles.
I’m overwhelmed and have no idea what I’m doing.

Until Boaz Dixon, a nurse at my new hospital, drops by to check on me.
He recognizes a man out of his element and takes pity on me.

Somewhere between feedings and naps, I fall in love.
Both with a little girl who has my eyes, and a sexy nurse who has my heart.
Boaz and Lane are my perfect forever.

That is, until my world is once again turned upside down after another phone call threatens our future together.
In order to have them both, I have to risk everything.
But they’re worth the fight.

**Doctor Daddy was originally published in the Knocked Up Anthology. The story is the same but includes a never been seen before epilogue.

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Review – When We Were Reckless by Emery Rose

When We Were Reckless; Lost Stars #3 
(An interconnected standalone within a series)

Publication Date: August 27, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Age Gap/Unrequited Love/Best Friend’s Sister/Contemporary Romance

Author: Emery Rose

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A heartbreakingly beautiful story of how love can repair a broken soul and make you stronger than you ever thought possible.

I wish I could share all of the beautiful moments that happened in this story, but I’d basically be documenting most of the book verbatim, so, I’ll stick to a review 🙂

Considering Jesse is a broken man and Quinn is suffering from unrequited love, these two have the most beautiful souls that continually lift each other up and truly want nothing but the best for each other out of life. They have known each other all their lives, given the age difference, Jesse is the best friend of one of Quinn’s older brothers (she has three of them, who are all overly protective), so Jesse has known Quinn since the day she was born. When We Were Reckless highlights another great family, the Cavanaugh’s, which I hope we see more of in the future.

Of the McCallister brothers, I’d call Jesse the charmer. It’s no surprise that when Quinn was just five years old she declared her undying love for him and told him that she was going to marry him. Thirteen years later her affection has only grown for him, but when Jesse comes home after retiring from motocross, (a mystery in itself, since he’s lived and breathed the sport for years) Quinn wants to help the man she knows, but she also wants to explore the feelings that have blossomed into something deeper now that she is officially an adult.

I’ve always loved Jesse, a guy so bright, full of life, full of everything – competitive spirit, integrity, hard work, he is just a likeable guy, but in this book he is a fallen man, his spirit is broken, and he is afraid to try, afraid to fail, afraid to love again. It was fascinating to watch someone who was the king of his own world, a shiny light to everyone around him become so dim. His mood now affected those around him and because he saw what his mood did, it kicked him in the pants and made him want to get better. That is the spirit I love about Jesse. He’s that guy you root for because he is simply amazing and he doesn’t stay down for long, not just for himself, but because he wants the best for everyone around him.

Quinn may be young, but she is wise beyond her years. She’s also a lot like Jesse, full of optimism and passion (or at least the old Jesse). She may have a bit of hero worship from when she was younger, but they are also family friends and she wants to believe that their long time friendship will help now that he’s home and hiding out from the world. She wants to bring the light back to Jesse’s life and perhaps open his eyes to the possibilities of the two of them now that he’s single.   Could she finally have her fairy tale ending or will Jesse break her heart?

The McCallisters and Cavanagh’s are both great families and I hope there are more stories to come from both of them. There are interconnections to past books, but When We Were Reckless can be read as a complete standalone.

Synopsis:

What happens when the love of your life refuses to love you back?

Jesse McCallister.
Motocross legend. Reckless heartbreaker. And the love of my life.
Too bad he only thought of me as his best friend’s little sister.
Naïve and innocent. Only eighteen. Completely off-limits.

Unrequited love… was there anything more painful?
Turns out there was—when he kisses you but has no memory of it.
When he tells you his heart was broken, and he doesn’t believe in love.
When he doesn’t want you kissing anyone else, but you’re stuck in the friend zone.

Despite the odds stacked against us, my foolish heart refused to stop loving him.
Now I’m falling under his spell. Drowning in his perfect lies. Addicted to his stolen glances and forbidden kisses.
I’m on a collision course with disaster and only one thing is certain… Jesse McCallister is going to ruin me.

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Review – Wilder by Anna Brooks

Wilder; Ryder Ranch #2 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: August 26, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Contemporary/Second Chance Romance

Author: Anna Brooks

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A steamy, multiple chance love story, that began as young love and blossomed into a forever kind of love.

Wilder Ryder and Frankie Young met multiple times throughout their youth and those times had a lasting impact on who they became and who they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with into their adulthood.

These two crossed paths over and over and seemed destined to be together, but obstacles keep getting in their way. They have HUGE chemistry together and Wilder is hawt…dang…he’s super hot, but is attraction enough to keep them together?

I felt like this second Ryder book is deeper in the feels, but that could be the artist nature of Frankie and the sensitive nature of Wilder. As the second child he’s very in tune to his siblings and losing his mother affected them all, but that loss made him dialed in to his feelings and then up front to what he wasn’t willing to lose in the future. However, when he let go, which there was only one spot he actually let go…watch out because Wilder is Wild.

Frankie also took on a lot of responsibility at a very young age. Her sister got pregnant very young and Frankie stepped up and helped out raising her niece, but she never lost her shine and started a business, all at the suggestion of a young boy she met long ago.

These two are magical everytime they are together and I love returning to Ryder Ranch to see old friends and meet new ones.

Synopsis:

I was too young to understand the beauty of what I held in my arms when she crashed into my world.

Frankie Young was never far from my mind, so when she came back into my life after nearly a decade, it was as if no time had passed.

After we reconnected in more ways than one, there was no denying what we had was extraordinary and, I thought, forever. But when she discovered something I’d been hiding, she gave up on us without giving me a chance to explain.

My lies broke her heart, but her walking away shattered what was left of mine. I thought that was the end for us… until Frankie and I found ourselves bound together for life. While we navigated our new found destiny, not only did we have to fight for each other, but we had to protect our future from someone who didn’t want us to have one together.

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Review – Cross by Shantel Tessier

Cross; Dark Kings #3 
(An interconnected standalone within a series)

Publication Date: August 20, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Mafia/Dark Romance

Author: Shantel Tessier

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

An adrenaline filled ride filled with Kings and Queens. It’s written by the Queen of smexy darkness so of course Cross lights up the pages with all of his smolder and grit, but not to be outdone, his gorgeous woman is right by his side tossing the match on anything the Kings can’t bury in the Vegas sand.

Alexa and Cross are a perfect match for one another. From the very beginning of the story Cross is a character that is full of raw emotion. His honesty, his pure hunger for basically everything, including Alexa, burns through him. He doesn’t do anything halfway, so when he decides he wants her, that primal desire ignites into a carnal hunger that even he can’t explain…except that it could be love. However, will Alexa love him, the true him, once all the smoke clears? The monster that lives inside and craves the fire and wants to watch the world burn.

Alexa, aside from Jasmine (and yes, I know she’s still just a secondary character), has turned into one of my favorite heroines in this series. I love that she doesn’t play games, gets offended easily, or run screaming from things that go bump in the night…things that the Kings are notorious for. Alexa is bold and she isn’t shy about what she wants from Cross, which initially is just time spent in his bed, or over a table, or in a chair, or…well you understand. She isn’t looking for anything long term with him and she has no qualms about women who just want a good time and pretty much throughout her time spent with Cross, he’s the one who has to approach her, or more times than not-tell her, because he is a caveman, and every single time he draws a line in the sand and wants more she likes to argue about it. Their relationship, per say, is all kinds of adorable, in the most non-adorable way possible because they are not pursuing a relationship AT all, but sort of stumble into one. Like I said, they are perfect together because they are both a little clueless when it comes to relationships and yet they are both surrounded by lots of couples.

Never forget that this is a dark, mafia book. There is a lot of plot going on around them, but all of that is just frosting on an already delicious cake. Shantel interconnected all of the Kings and other secondary characters extremely well throughout the book to really keep things going while Cross and Alexa try to figure each other out.

Cross has become my favorite King, so far. However, Bones is stacking up some promising factors, but this book is not about him, so back to Cross who I’m completely in love with. Cross is damaged, there is no doubt about it, but I’d also say of the four Kings, he’s the softest. That is like comparing him to a porcupine I know, but I’m sticking to my comparison. Porcupine’s afterall still have a soft underbelly and Cross has a totally soft center when it comes to Alexa. These two truly are a perfect match.

This book has a lot of interconnections to the rest of the series and while Cross can be read as a standalone, it would be better enjoyed if the entire series is read in order.

Synopsis:

CROSS
Have you ever stood next to a fire and felt the heat of it on your skin? Stared into the flames and thought how amazing it would be to be that free? It changes direction with the wind, destroying everything in its wake.

That’s what she felt like.

Alexa was a wildfire that torched everything she touched, and I couldn’t wait to be consumed by her.

She was off-limits. Even though I promised to stay away, I couldn’t resist. She was the spark I had been missing in my life. The fire I craved. I knew from an early age I was destined to burn in hell, but she was born to walk through fire.

ALEXA
I was single-minded, focused, and independent. Just how my mother raised me. I didn’t have time for anything other than myself and work.

Funny how everything can change in an instant when you least expect it.

A King entered my life.

What was supposed to be one night ended up being too many to count. He was afraid that I’d see his darkness, but I couldn’t get enough of him.

After all, a fire burns the brightest in the dark of night. And it only takes one match to cause total devastation.

CROSS is the third book in the Dark Kings Series and can be read as a standalone. Due to mature content and themes this book is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over. This novel may contain triggers.

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Review – Savior of Regrets by L.A. Cotton

Savior of Regrets; Verona Legacy #4 
(#4 within a series)

Publication Date: August 20, 2021

Genre/Tropes: New Adult/Mafia Romance

Author: L.A.Cotton

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A hard won love story where monsters are slain, secrets are uncovered, and a story that reminds us how important family can be.

Matteo is a family man, raised to respect women, protect his sister, and wants a true love like his parents have sustained and like his cousins have recently found. Matteo wears his heart upon his sleeve and his bleeding heart gives him high marks as a great book boyfriend. I absolutely adore his sweetness mixed with his protective nature, loyal and true, he is the perfect fit for a woman like Caitlyn. I wanted to wrap Matteo in huge hugs throughout the entire book as this story is emotional. From start to finish Savior of Regrets is a brilliant love story filled with secrets, lots of character cameos (which I loved), and so many emotional moments.

There were lots of times I wanted to kick Caitlyn in the pants. She is a character that I felt for, her situation is horrible and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but she is stubborn to a fault. She holds that stubbornness instead of opening up and it isn’t until her monster comes to play that things makes sense…so needless to say, Caitlyn has secrets. Dark secrets that she’d rather leave in the past, but unfortunately the past comes calling.

Matteo met Caitlyn about eight months ago and they shared an unforgettable night together. When fate landed Cait in Matt’s path once again he wasn’t about to let her slip through his fingers again and promised that he would do anything to gain her trust and make her stay, but more than anything he wanted her to stay of her own choosing and choose him because she felt the same about him.

To Matteo there is nothing more important than family, but the group dynamic is beginning to change between the cousins. Nicco is taking on more as a leader with his father’s health failing. Enzo’s darkness is still there, but his edges have smoothed out thanks to Nora and where does that leave Matt with his best friends, his cousins, his blood brothers moving forward and he always feels like a fifth wheel among them? Gah…I wanted to reach through the book and hug him so hard.

While you could read this book as a standalone, it would be better enjoyed reading the series in order, if nothing else I would at least recommend reading the prequel, Angel of Tears, (which is currently free) to understand the strong connection between Matt and Cait and the one night they share together.

Synopsis:

Savior of Regrets: A Mafia Romance

Caitlin O’Connell hides the scars of her past.

Lost. Alone. Afraid.

When she wakes up in the hospital, broken and bruised, Caitlin has no choice but to accept help from the Marchetti crime family… and the one guy she never thought she’d see again.

Matteo Bellatoni wears his heart on his sleeve.

Loyal. Determined. Devoted.

Watching his best friends find love has left him wondering if he’ll ever have that… especially, since he’s pretty sure he already let his soulmate slip through his fingers.

When Matteo and Caitlin’s paths cross unexpectedly, all those feelings come rushing back, and he’s determined to prove to her that some guys are worth the risk.

All is not what it seems though.

Caitlin isn’t the woman he thinks she is, and her secrets might be too big for Matteo to overcome. But he won’t give up without a fight. Even when the past catches up with her and threatens the family he loves so much, Matteo refuses to let her go.

Because he lost her once…

He won’t lose her again.

* Savior of Regrets is a 80,000 word story set in the Verona Legacy world. Due to mature content that some readers may find distressing, this book is recommended for readers 18+

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FREE on all platforms!

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Review – The Society #StalkerProblems by Ivy Smoak

The Society #StalkerProblems; The Society #1 
(#1 in a new series, interconnected to other worlds)

Publication Date: August 12, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Romantic Contemporary Romance

Author: Ivy Smoak

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A quirky, interconnected, new series by Ivy Smoak. Crazy, awkward, and just plain relatable, Ash/Raven Black, is my #spiritanimal.

The Society is insanely funny and outlandishly full of quirky “did I just read that” moments.  Ash’s friendships and path to love, especially after an awful divorce, pave the way through this wonderful book.

Ash embodies so much awkwardness that lives in everyone. Meaning, we’ve all had a moment where something flies out of your mouth that we wish we could take back, or that moment where we bend down to pick something up and then hit our head on the desk on our way back up. Pure mortification, right? Ash finds herself in these moments on a daily basis and lives in constant panic of finding herself in these situations which seems to make them even worse. Her anxiety over the possibility of landing in a dumpster, or a centipede crawling on her or any number of other anxious driven moments is quite humorous in her adorable awareness of these fears.

Ash spends the majority of the book going back and forth between stalking and calling the man she’s stalking her stalker. Didn’t I mention she’s quirky? Well, the man she’s stalking or being stalked by is Tanner/Ryder Storm. He is quite the odd duck himself if you read Matchmaker. These two certainly seem like a match made in heaven. Their oddities fitting into each others grooves in the best way possible. However, there is still so much about Tanner that we don’t discover as his secrets and mysterious ways continue to pile up.

Ash may be a hotmess, but she appreciates Tanner’s eccentricities. These two are so much fun together, but there is always a feeling of- is he telling her the truth? While it’s super important to find the person who matches your weirdness, is he her forever person? With a potential second suitor in the mix (he’s super hot too and packing some heat), is Ash too distracted by Tanner’s stalker ways or is she stalking him…anyway…who is Ash’s forever person, and what really happens at this mysterious club behind all those closed doors? I can’t wait for more Ash and her quirkiness to continue in the next book.

The Society is an interconnected story to Ivy’s other worlds, but I wouldn’t say you need to read those books first to completely understand them, but reading Matchmaker would certainly enhance your experience as you get a look at Tanner’s uniqueness and a first hand look at the incident Ash frets over throughout the entire book. However, The Society can be read as a complete standalone as it focuses on Ash and the people she associates with; her friends, co-workers, Tanner, and eventually the members of The Society and Ivy does a great job at going over the incident so you won’t miss a thing.

The only warning I would give; don’t drink anything while reading this book because you will most likely spit it out while laughing. There is hardly a moment or chapter where I wasn’t laughing. Sit back and enjoy!

Synopsis:

I got an invitation to an illicit club.

They say they’ll grant me three wishes.

They say they’ll make all my wildest dreams come true.

All I have to do is sign the contract.

Is it too good to be true? I’m about to find out.

Warning: This is my steamiest book yet. Like…super steamy. You’ve been warned. Welcome to the Society…

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Review – The Devastation You Reap by Tracy Lorraine

The Devastation You Reap; Maddison Kings University #6 
(#6 within a series)

Publication Date: August 19, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Dark/Bully/New Adult Romance

Author: Tracy Lorraine

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Leon Dunn is like a sour patch kid; sweet and sour, but worth the tart pain to get to the chewy-gooey center (and eventually flip that bag inside out to lick it clean, but I’m getting ahead myself). The Devastation You Reap was soooooo worth the wait Tracy has put us through! Leon Dunn is broken in the best of ways.

I’ve been wanting Leon’s mysterious story for several books and I was NOT disappointed!! Leon is definitely a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s been the sweet, unassuming boy; Letty and Peyton’s friend, Luca’s brother living in the shadows. Leon is so much more than he lets everyone see. He is like a sleeping volcano lying in wait and ready to erupt.

Macie is a sweet, innocent girl feeding everyone lies about the life she left behind her. It isn’t because she wants to be duplicitous, there is a mystery about her past that she wants to leave there. Leon wants to uncover those secrets and while he pretends to be perfect while he’s with her, there is a malicious reason why he is.

Leon and Macie both hold secrets of their own and in this first part of the duet it’s so easy to watch them fall for each other during the sweet moments, but…..what are they both hiding? GAH!!! Leon may just break me yet!

Watch out, this story takes wicked twists and turns, but it’s fantastic.

Synopsis:

He never wanted me. He only wanted retaliation.

But I’m not the monster he thinks I am.

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Review – Love at First Hate by Denise Grover Swank and A.R. Casella

Love at First Hate; Bad Luck Club #1 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: August 12, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers/Contemporary Romance

Author: Denise Grover Swank and AR Casella 

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Charming and adorable, sprinkled with humor and steam, the perfect summer romance.

Cal Reynolds lost his wife three years ago and has never really moved on. When reporter, Molly O’Shea begins delving into his personal life and the reasons behind the Bad Luck Club, a club he and his dad began after his wife passed and his father’s second wife left him, well Molly intrigues him in more ways than just as a way to meddle in his life. He wants her to move past her nosey investigating and just be with him for the sake of being with him, but is that possible when he hasn’t moved past the events that happened three years ago either.

Molly came to Asheville simply to dogsit while her sister was on vacation, but she discovered a lead on a story that was just too juicy to pass up. Even better the man behind the story is a true dish and she enjoys spending time with him probably more than she should considering she’s only in town for a few weeks and he’s the center of the story she’s working on. While tracking down leads she makes a circle of friends she never thought possible and making and a life that she never dreamed. Could she stay and have something more beyond just a great story?

The Bad Luck Club is a really sweet concept started by two men who were down on their luck and having a really hard time at life. Commiserating with others who are also down on their luck and finding ways to change your outlook on life is a great way to change your life around. Cal and his father, Bear, are extremely likeable and it’s an easy book to fall in love with.

Every secondary character is fun and made the story roll right along. With this as the first book in a new series there is a lot of potential for more stories as each person is full of personality.

Synopsis:

The first book in a new series by Denise Grover Swank and A.R. Casella, authors of the USA Today bestselling Asheville Brewing series.

She wants his story. He wants his secrecy. Too bad he can’t stay away from her.

Molly

Blogging about bad dates used to be fun, but a girl can only take so much foolishness. So I broke up with my job.

Okay, full disclosure, I was fired. It’s a long, sordid tale, involving my sourdough starter—RIP, Fred!—and my ex-boss’s serious lack of humor.

Newly funemployed and in need of a break, I go to Asheville to dogsit for my sister…and stumble onto a scoop big enough to put my fake-dating days behind me forever.

Augusta Glower, local success story, wrote a bestseller about the self-help group she started. People think her system works, and copycat Bad Luck Clubs have sprung up nationwide. Something feels off, though, and a little poking around by yours truly suggests she stole the idea.

There’s one problem. I have to prove it, and the guy she ripped off—super-hot house flipper Caleb Reynolds—seems to…well, hate me. Which is too bad since his secrets aren’t the only thing I’d like to peel away.

* * *

Cal

Molly O’Shea is my worst nightmare.

Is she sexy as sin? Well…yeah. Does she smell like honeysuckle and trouble? No doubt. Is she determined to dig up my secrets with a backhoe? I’m pretty sure she got a two-week rental. But I’ll never talk. If the reason I started the club gets out, my whole life will implode.

So why is she so damn irresistible?

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