One Night With An Earl by Jennifer Haymore

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-House of Trent #2.5
Genre-Historical
Reviewed by Kay
120 pages

This is a short and very sweet novella. It's about an Earl, who never thought he'd be one and a widow who thought she had lost her chance at love before she ever married.

Andrew Sinclair, the Earl of Weston reluctantly agrees to attend a masquerade party held by a member of the Ton. What he finds there is the chance to be with the only woman he has ever loved, Lady Fenwicke. He never thought he'd be the Earl of Weston because the heir before him was sure to have children. Then that heir died but when he tried to claim the woman he loved, she was betrothed to another.

Lady Beatrice Fenwicke, before her marriage, was an innocent seventeen year old girl. During her marriage, she was a victim of domestic abuse. When she was widowed, she became a pariah. Someone to be given the direct cut, ostracized and she became a recluse. She agrees to accompany her best friend to the masquerade ball knowing what her heinous parents would think. She sees the perfect man there. Can she let go one night in her miserable existence? Can she have one night with an Earl?

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of the House of Trent series. But this novella? I'm a huge fan of it! It was precious, well paced and steamy. It had a couple of things that are my favorite tropes. Second chance love, a heroine who becomes strong and a loveable hero. Jennifer Haymore was a favorite author of mine with her first series but I kind of got lost after that but now I may have to re-evaluate. Oh, who am I kidding? You had me at masquerade ball.

Favorite lines:

"You have the sweetest laugh I've ever heard."- Andrew

"i'm going to work to earn your trust. I know that's difficult for you. But if one day you trust me completely, Beatrice, then that will be my greatest reward."

Three Weeks With A Bull Rider by Cat Johnson

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-Oklahoma Nights #3
Genre-Contemporary Western
Reviewed by Kay
320 pages

I love cowboy romances whether they're contemporary or historical. I love the rodeo cowboy storyline and find it very interesting since I don't know the first thing about it. The risks they take with their bodies, their relationships and their families. That being said, I was super excited to read this book.

Jace Mills is a veteran rodeo cowboy on a somewhat of a winning streak. He's fairly successful because of his winnings and his normal job of landscaping. He has been in an on-again off-again relationship with his ex-girlfriend for eight years. She was a former rodeo queen who we find out is bipolar. To say their relationship was tumultuous is an understatement. He wants his best friend, Tuck to go on the circuit with him but Tuck declines because of his newlywed status. So after yet another fight with his ex, Jacqueline, he decides to go alone and ends their relationship, again. He runs into Tuck's little sister, Tara after her recently purchased POS car dies.

Tara is in the last semester of college for sports medicine but has to do an internship with the rodeo. She's nursing a broken heart after her long time crush gets married to someone else. She sees her car breaking down as yet another setback in her life. When Jace offers to travel with her to save on expenses, she reluctantly accepts. They've always had a hate/hate relationship but you gotta do what you gotta do.

As times goes on she gets to see Jace in a different light and gets the medical experience she needs. She then comes up with the idea that she and Jace can have a traveling partners with benefits relationship. After it's over, they can go their seperate ways. She can get the sexual experience she feels she needs so she doesn't lose another man and he gets strings free sex. Jace is at first horrifed. There are lines that just aren't crossed and your best friend's sisters are definately that line. His body's reaction to Tara makes the decision for him ultimately. Seducing and being seduced by your best friend's virginal sister takes it's toll on his conscience. Can these two very unlikely people find happiness for three weeks while trying to move on from their heartbreaks?

Cat Johnson does a great job of writing these two characters. You feel Jace's pain over the failure of his relationship with Jacqueline, the first woman he ever loved. His sense of guilt over the decision to become Tara's lover is felt through the pages. Jace is a good guy. Tara tries to prove she's grown up despite the loss of her childhood crush. This story takes two people, broken in their own way, who find in each other what they need to heal. The author did an excellent job with the balancing of story, humor, sex and love.

My favorite line from the book:

Jace's sex life had been in such a slump, he wouldn't be able to identify a pussy in a line up.

Mine to Crave by Cynthia Eden

                     

Grade-B

Hotness Level-Inferno

Kink Level-No Kink

Series-Mine #4

Genre-Romantic Suspense

Reviewed by Kay

280 pages

 

Romantic Suspense is one of those sub genres in romance literature that can be very, very good or very, very bad. This is an example of very, very good.

You have a former military man who now owns and runs multiple casinos with a tortured past. He has everything that money can buy but happiness. To have happiness you have to trust and Drake Archer trusts a very select few people but never a woman. He learned that lesson the hard way a long time ago.

Jasmine Bennett is a thief, or is she? She's on the run from a so called bounty hunter while she's in pursuit of Drake for information about his business dealings. She herself trusts very few people. She's always had to pretty much rely on herself, even from a young age. Her own past is interwoven with Drake that leaves her vulnerable and in turmoil.

From the moment she crooks her finger at Drake the first time to the second time she does it, it's non-stop action. I couldn't hardly put it down. I even stayed up late to read it. Cynthia Eden, I just want to kiss you and hug you so tight. You had my heart racing with the suspense, fanning myself during the love scenes and my eyes misting at the emotional parts. That's not just good romantic suspense but that's a good novel.

In closing, a couple of my favorite lines:

The memory of being in Drake's bed was too strong. I could still feel him on my skin.

She tasted just like he remembered. Like every dream he'd ever had. Like everything he ever wanted but didn't deserve.

Jenny:Virtuous No More-The Novel by Nora Blackstock

 

Grade-D+

Hotness Level-Inferno

Kink Level-Moderate Kink

Genre-Contemporary

Reviewed by Kate

 

I feel that in order for you to understand my feelings on this book, you need to see what initially attracted me to this book. Here it is...

 

Originally released in five parts, this is the complete edition of theJenny: Virtuous No More series.

Jenny was a good, devoted wife. When her marriage to husband Mark grew distant, she took matters into her own hands to find out if he still loved her. He did, but his confession, and the things he wanted her to do, were shocking. To save her marriage, Jenny embarked on a sexual journey from which there was no turning back. She would no longer be the “good girl” that everyone knew and loved. (From goodreads)

 

Sounds good, right? I know both Anne and I enjoy the husband/wife trope, and I was hoping for some BDSM thrown in too. I quickly realized that the description was deceiving. It was flagged as being Erotic and Romance on Net Galley. And it was definitely erotic. But I don't think the romance went past the first dozen pages or so.

 

From the blurb, we know that Mark has some kink. Turns out he fantasizes about watching Jenny flirt and maybe be fondled by other men. But, what bothered me was that Mark would leave Jenny alone in the bar while she was flirting with others. I wanted him to be a part of it, even from a distance. Get past it, I told myself and kept reading. Well, it kept getting a little worse, and a little worse. But I kept reading because I kept hoping that it would turn into the romance I was hoping for. But it never did.

Turns out Jenny becomes instantly attracted to Nathaniel, a man who approaches her on their first visit to the bar. She becomes infatuated with him and is soon sleeping with him. What starts out with Mark's approval, even though he's not in the room, quickly turns into Jenny keeping secrets from Mark. But then, wait for it...it turns out that Nathaniel is part of a 3 man con team. They go around the world seducing women and then blackmailing their husbands. But the FBI is onto them. So by the end, the bad guys are caught and Mark and Jenny's relationship is left up in the air.

 

And, as if that wasn't bad enough, the sluttier Jenny became, the worse the editing got. There were so many spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. For example at one point, the word "angle" appears while I think the author meant "ankle." The errors really pulled me out of the story. Although I'm not really sure why I'm complaining about that, since it wasn't that great of a story for me anyway.

So yes, the sex was hot (we're talking m/f and m/f/m/m). But the rest of the story was nothing close to what I would call a romance.

Smokin' Hot by Lynn LaFleur

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
288 pages

Smokin' Hot is the latest book by Lynn LaFleur. It has three short stories about volunteer fireman in a small town in Texas. The stories blend together due to the men all being friends.

Singe

Julia Woods has had enough of adventure seeking men to last her a lifetime. She moved away from the last one to a small town in Texas. She enjoys the lifestyle here a lot. While staying with her mom's best friend, she meets Stephen, a volunteer fireman who does roofing as his full time job. He gives her landlord an estimate on hail damage all the while checking out Julia's curves. They start a pretty hot little fling but when she finds out that Stephen is kind of an adrenaline junkie, she bows out of their relationship. Can Stephen get her to take a chance on him despite his adventurous spirit?

Smolder

Marcus Holt still loves his wife. Even after she left and divorced him four years ago. He carries a lot of anger where she is concerned. How could she leave him when he needed her the most? Rayna Holt has never gotten over her anger toward her ex husband. She moved away, got a great job and never looked back. When her grandmother's health brings her back home, she runs into Marcus. After spending some time together,they start talking about all they lost and the emotions that come along with that.

Spark

Talia King has it bad for Dylan. Dylan has it bad for Talia. She's asked him out twice only to be rejected. Dylan wants to give Talia everything she deserves but not him. He can never be assured that he won't hurt her physically. His father looms in his memory big time. Can Talia break through before Dylan ruins their chance at happiness?


This book was okay for me. I really enjoyed the second story the best. It was sweet and a little heart wrenching. The first one was good but I never connected with the two leads totally. The third book I found boring. I know about Dylan's past but he frustrated to no end. All in all, it was just okay. Hot firemen and scorching sex scenes made it more easy to read.

                       

Beyond Jealousy by Kit Rocha

Grade: B

Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink
Genre: Dystopian, Menage
Series: Beyond #4

Published: 3/16/14

Reviewed by Anne

262 ebook pages

Note: These Beyond books really need to be read in order.  I think you'd be pretty lost trying to jump in at this point, but don't worry, they're worth your reading time!

Rachel has had a thing for Ace since she first met him, but when he kept pushing her away, she fell for Cruz.  When she and Cruz broke up, she found herself with feelings for both Ace and Cruz.  To top it off, she watches Ace and Cruz circling their attraction for each other.  So it seems inevitable that they'll see what happens when the three of them come together.

This was a very hot book.  It was also very intense.  It also turned out to be the kind of story that felt one way when I was reading it, and a different way.  When I was reading it I was totally absorbed and enjoyed it.  When I was done and thought back on it, I had some issues.

So here goes.  I loved the heat and intensity between the three of them.  I loved that it's a menage that goes every which way - the guys have a thing for each other as well as for Rachel.  The way their relationship develops and their individual issues all seemed very believable to me.  The O'Kanes just accepted their triad relationship with no qualms, and that was very cool.  I really enjoyed their story!

But then after I finished and thought back on it... there were things that bothered me some.  Probably the biggest one is that their triad relationship is the first one ever mentioned in the series.  They were the first, but no one blinked an eye.  It seemed like there would have been some blowback about it.  I mean, these are the O'Kanes, so obviously they're down with pretty much anything.  It would have made more sense to me to either mention that this had been done before or to have to do a little more groundbreaking work.  I also felt like the ending was a little rushed.  I would have liked a HFN rather than a HEA in this situation, because they all had a lot of issues to work through and not much time together.

However, I think all of this is colored by where the series is going.  It's become a bit more complicated and political.  This absolutely make sense, and it's clearly where the series was headed from the beginning, but I liked the simpler days of the first few books better.  This is definitely a personal issue for me.  I love a good series, but I generally enjoy the first books better because they are simpler.  Because the politics and details are getting more complicated as the series goes on - which they need to do, from a world building perspective - the books now have more of a suspense aspect to them.  There's danger.  The characters' safety is not a for sure thing.  I know that's always been the case, but I saw that more in this book.  In fact, it's getting unrealistic that no one gets killed.  And there's my dilemma.  It's part of why i don't read romantic suspense.  I want things to feel realistic, and when a world is built and I have to worry about everyone's safety, it's not as fun a read for me any more.

All of that is a personal issue for me, and it reflects how I read the book and how I felt about it.  Still, I can say it was a good read and I'll keep reading the series.  There are some teaser chapters building up to future books that leave me wanting to know more!  In fact, I hate cliff hangers, so I'm just pretending like I didn't read the last chapter altogether!  (No worries, the last chapter isn't about Rachel, Cruz, and Ace, it's a cliffie about other characters in the series.)

A final word about what I like.  I will keep reading this series, despite the increased suspense, because I love the strong female characters and the O'Kane society that accepts each person for who they are.  The O'Kanes remind me of an MC (Motorcycle Club) except that their women are valued members of the gang.  I love that!

And now a final, final word... Kit Rocha does self-publishing right!  The book is really well formatted.  The ARC I received was darn near perfect and easily readable on my Bluefire reader app.  They've laid out a pricing plan that benefits the reader who buys in the first month.  So you can buy the book and not worry that next week it will be 99c.  I always know I'm getting a quality product with Kit Rocha!

Joint Review: Bite Me by Shelly Laurenston

       
Grade-C+(Kay) B(Anne)
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Pride #9
Genre-Paranormal
Reviewed by Kay & Anne
384 pages

From Kay:I got approved to read this book from NetGalley and was so excited. I'm a huge fan of Shelly Laurenston's Pride series and have enjoyed most of them. I love the humor she brings into every story. Yes, sometimes it's over the top and ridiculous but that just seems to endear it to me even more. This installment is about Vic, a tiger/bear mix and Livy, a honey badger. I know what those of you that haven't read a Laurenston novel are thinking. Wtf?

In this book you get love, suspense and as I mentioned before, hilarious humor. I belly laughed quite a bit as I always do. Livy's fight to be accepted for who she is and the career she wants was very fun to read about. I mean, she's from a crime syndicate family and could probably lead that family but no, she wants to be an artist.

Vic has a law enforcement past and is an all around nice guy. His reactions to Livy are very sweet. He's very much the calm to her storm.  He dives right into helping her with no prodding. I loved the behavior description of Vic in the story. He's laid back, like a bear, until he can't be anymore. He has feline moments where he's kind of a hot mess.  Now, Livy is a hot mess all the time.

There were a couple of creep factor moments for me in the story though. They both had to do with during or after their lovemaking and his tail would pet her. Eww, I don't like mid-shift love scenes. That was my big complaint with this novel. If I had to pick the main reason for my lower than normal review rating for a Laurenston book, I just didn't warm to the characters as much as I have to other ones in this series.

I don't want to give too much away because this author can really tell a story and fans of this series want to savor every word from her. I am so very sad that she is going to take a break from this series for a while. What will I do without an update on my favorite characters from her other books? Mace, Dez, Smitty, Sissy Mae, Ronnie Lee, those Reed boys, Gwen, Cella, Irene, the Van Holtz family, Blayne, Toni and her siblings? Or my very favorites, the Shaw brothers, DeeAnn Smith and Bo Novikov? I'm already in mourning.

Side note- Anne, I will not get over my mourning by reading this author's Dragon Kin series, so don't even suggest it yet. I'll get there eventually.  (Note from Anne: you read my mind!  But I'll keep my mouth shut!)

In close, I'll leave you with some of my favorite quotes from this series.

"You just carry around piles of condoms?"-Vic"In case I feel like taking on the hockey team one night. You know, when I'm bored."-Livy

"I can see it in your big, dumb cat eyes.""Well, that was unnecessarily mean."

"I don't ask the hyenas to do it.""No. But you associate with the Smith Pack, Demon dogs of the Underworld."

From Anne:I was also really looking forward to reading this book.  Shelly Laurenston is one of my favorite authors, in my top ten for sure.  This was certainly not the best book in the Pride series, but I really liked it.  Usually Kay and I text Laurenston quotes back and forth to each other as we read.  It's taught me to be very careful about texting.  It's a little awkward when you text your 20 year old son a line from a Laurenston book.  So, yeah, my Laurenston reading time is generally punctuated by careful texting.  That didn't happen so much in this story.  It was really funny, but not so many of the one liners we text to each other.

For me the weakest part of the story was the romance between Vic and Livy.  The sex was hot, but their romance wasn't really memorable.  I did have the same issues with Vic's tail as Kay did.  I don't have have half-shifter issues, but a tail with it's own mind... yeah, that didn't work for me.

I did really enjoy Bo having a decent role in this book.  And the panda shifter, Shen was the best new character introduced to the series since Bo.  Well, Livy, too.  Best new character since Livy.  His panda ways really kept me laughing!

Even though we didn't text about it, we did share some emails, so here's our conversation:

Anne: I thought Bite Me read more like a Sci Fi book with a romance sub plot.  I mean, their relationship is clearly the focus of the book, I guess it just wan't really romantic for me.  What did you think, Kay?

Kay: I felt something was missing from the book. I was left wanting more. The humor was there but not in the over the top way it usually is. I have commented before about her heat level declining from earlier books in the series but now the humor is too. I read somewhere that she was taking a break from this series and maybe that's a good thing. Get some fresh ideas. Write about the Reed boys but include the Smith pack. Write about Marisa's Shaw or Mace's sister. Or Irene's kids. 

This is still worth reading but for the level of excitement I had, I couldn't help feeling let down.

Anne: Was there anything you really liked?  For me it was the relationship between Bo and Vic.  It just cracked me up!  I also really liked how she was always hiding in the cupboards.   

Anything you didn't like?  For me it was Vic's tail.  The thought that it had a mind of it's own, even jokingly, pretty much squicked me out!

Kay: 

I did like the relationship between Bo and Vic. Also the cabinet hiding was great and I totally agree about the tail. Ewwww. I liked Toni's part a lot, she made me laugh. The Panda was hilarious too.

In closing, we both enjoyed the story and would recommend you read it.  If what Kay heard about Laurenston taking a break is true, I'm sad!  But I've always got G.A. Aiken books to read, so I'll survive!

No Such Thing by A.M. Arthur

Grade: B+
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Mild Kink
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Small Town
Series: Book #1 (don't know series name, next book July 2014)

Published: 2/17/14

Reviewed by Anne

189 ebook pages

Alessandro grew up in a loving foster family in his small home town.  He didn't have a very good reputation, but he's come a long way since leaving home.  When his foster father passes away, Ale moves back home to help his foster mom with the two kids she's currently fostering.  

Jaime grew up with a heart defect that made him pretty fragile.  Now he's had a heart transplant and he's adjusting to being normal and living a normal life.  When Ale starts working at Jaime's sister's bakery Jaime is attracted to him and decides that maybe it's time for him to have his first relationship.

The only things that stand between them are Alessandro's feeling that Jaime is too good for him,  the town bully they went to high school with, and some secrets Ale knows but doesn't even want to think about.

There was a lot I really enjoyed about this story!  There's the positive foster care experience, the realistic handling of Jaime's heart transplant - especially his self consciousness about his scars.  There's Jaime and his sister's relationship, which I enjoyed.  There's some harassment and vandalism directed toward Jaime and Ale, and while I was disappointed that Jaime didn't want to call the police in on it, his response felt really real.  I really enjoyed Ale taking Jaime out to a club and watching Jaime come into his own, learn about his own sexuality and how that was all done without shame.

My biggest problem with the story was the secret and the villain.  Secrets annoy me, though this one was handled well.  The villain was pretty stupid, and it seemed a little unrealistic that things went on as long as they did.

Overall, though, it was a good read.  I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.  While I'm waiting for July, do you have any m/m romance you'd recommend?

Thrown for a Curve by Sugar Jamison

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Perfect Fit #2

Published: 2/25/14

Reviewed by Anne

335 ebook pages

Cherri is a very tall, curvy, blond young woman.  She's been taking care of her aging grandmother for a long time.  In some ways she's wise beyond her college aged years.  In others she's still really innocent - she's never even been on a date.

Colin is quite a bit older than Cherri - he knows her because of his best friends' relationship with Cherri's boss.  That best friend (Mike) warns Colin off of Cherri, but they keep finding themselves together and realize they really like each other.

This is a hard book to review because part of reading it is going through the journey with the characters, and there's a couple of blind curves that I really didn't see coming.  I don't want to spoil that!  I can say this, though:  I really enjoyed the writing and the characterizations in this story.  The characters have a great sense of humor, but it's not just thrown in there.  During tough times they talk differently to each other than they do when things are going well.  And the things they joke about are true to their character, not just funny things the author thought of.  

In particular, I enjoyed Cherri's Baba.  Sometimes she was a bit too over the top, but most of the time it was hilarious.  My favorite was the opening scene of the book where Baba gave Cherri a make over for her birthday party.  It made me grin from ear to ear and hooked me on the book.

I was pretty annoyed with how the relationship between Colin and his dad was handled.  I just didn't think it was very realistic at all.  Everything from how Cherri dealt with things to how everything ended up bothered me.  Also, Colin and Cherri's issues are almost all caused by a lack of communication between the two of them.  That also really annoys me, and it went on longer in this story than I liked.

I did enjoy the slow pace of Cheri and Colin's relationship.  I thought it was totally believable that they'd have the issues they did and resolve them in the way they did.  

Overall it was an enjoyable book and I look forward to more by this author.  Sugar Jamison's books run right up on the ANGST-LINE for me.  Just a little more angst and I'd have to pass, but as they are it's the just right amount of angst to make me cringe just a bit with the characters and then sigh with relief when they work things off.

How about you?  Do you like a lot of angst in your books, none at all, or somewhere in between?  (I'm pretty close to the none end of the spectrum!)

It's All Geek to Me by JL Merrow

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, novellaPublished: 2/10/14

Reviewed by Anne

55 pages

This is a short story about Jez, who falls for Rhys when he meets him at the comic book store.  Jez wants to impress Rhys even though Jez isn't really into comics and is only in the store on an errand for a friend.

It's really well written and funny.  While Jez isn't a comic book geek, he's got a lot of geek cred in other areas.  There are TARDIS references, Star Wars references, so many, many more.  On top of that, the book is set in London and it doesn't seem to be Americanized, so there's lots of England-slang to enjoy.

It's a cute, sweet story I really enjoyed and I'll be watching for more by JL Merrow!

The Party Girl by Tamara Morgan

Grade: B-
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Getting Physical #3

Published:2/3/14 

Reviewed by Anne

250 ebook pages

Kendra is successful, happy, and self confident.  A one night stand with Lincoln left him wanting more, but instead they've become friends without benefits, and it's through Lincoln that Kendra meets Noah.  Noah and Kendra couldn't be more opposite of each other.  Kendra enjoys luxury and material comforts.  Noah lives off the grid.  No power.  No phone.  No car.  Really, the only thing they have in common is their friendship with Lincoln and his need for their help.  Well, they've got that and a tremendous case of horny pants that Noah says they can't act on because Lincoln called dibs on Kendra.  

Tamara Morgan is awesome at writing strong heroines, and she does a great job with Kendra.  A lot of times when I read a story I like the heroine because I identify with her in some way.  I didn't feel like I had much in common with Kendra, but I really, really liked her.  She's a woman very happy with her body and her looks.  She's had plastic surgery (breast augmentation) and she's proud of it.  I can't imagine ever getting a boob job, but if I did, I hope I would own it like Kendra.  She meets life with a "This is who I am" attitude that's admirable.

On the other hand, not only is Noah different from Kendra in outward appearance and lifestyle, he's an emotional mess inside.  This could be a recipe for disaster, with strong stable Kendra being a martyr for Noah, but it doesn't turn out that way, which is a very good thing.

Unfortunately the first half of this book really dragged for me.  I probably would have stopped reading if I hadn't enjoyed books by the author before.  I'm really glad I stuck with it, though.  The second half of the book was much stronger.  My main issue with the first half of the book was that the main conflict between Kendra and Noah, the thing keeping them from pursuing a relationship they both wanted, was that Lincoln had this crush on Kendra that he was sure would evolve into the great love of his life.  Despite the fact that Kendra told both Lincoln and Noah that she was never going to be romantically involved with Lincoln, it was this bro code that kept Kendra and Noah apart.  This left a bad taste in my mouth, because I felt like they were treating Kendra like an object.  It didn't matter what she wanted, Lincoln's hopes for her determined Noah's actions.  It was like she was a toy and it was still Lincoln's turn to play with her.  That was really frustrating for me.

On top of all that, Lincoln came across as very unstable, and it seemed unrealistic to me that Kendra and Noah would enable him.  Seriously.  The book starts with Lincoln at Kendra's house in the middle of the night with a stab wound.  He won't go to the hospital for it because he's in trouble with the police department *where he works*.  This whole premise is a mess.

On part of the book I really loved is one I predict others may have a problem with.  There is no slut shaming in this book.  The opening pages have Kendra at home with a younger man getting ready to have sex.  They are not in a committed relationship, but are both consenting adults.  They are interrupted by Lincoln, who is a former one night stand.  Kendra is also ok with her college aged younger sister having one night stands.  These are things some readers might not like - this kind of behavior seems reserved for only the men in romance.  I thought it was refreshing in this book to read about women so comfortable with themselves and their sexuality.

While I complained about the first half of the book was really enjoyable, and not just because Noah and Kendra were finally having sex.  It was full of relationship stuff that I love.  They're so different, so how can they work things out?  Their path to happiness isn't smooth, but it's real and I loved it.

This is the third in the series, but I think it stands alone.  I remembered Lincoln and Kendra from previous books, but not very well.  I don't know if they weren't very developed in the first two books or if it was a memory lapse on my part, but I think it would stand on it's own.  This wasn't my favorite Tamara Morgan book, but it was a good one and I enjoyed it.  She's on my short list of must-read authors.  

How about you?  Who is on your must-read list?

Savage Secrets by Cristin Harber

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Titan #4
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
298 pages

Cristin Harber, you crafty author you. I've read all of your books and enjoyed them but this one is my favorite so far. Everything clicked for me with this story. I loved all the characters, old and new alike. Loved the story and the pacing of it. I was never bored or felt like I had to force myself to read. Action packed from beginning to end.

Caterina is a woman with a terrible past. Her family was murdered in front of her at her birthday party by an up and coming mobsterish type. She's dedicated her whole life to vengeance. She doesn't have a home or close ties because she's always on the move, tracking the Dog killer. I know it's kind of an odd name but when you read the story it all makes sense. She finally has a great lead but then the lead dies. She quickly comes up with a plan B. This is where Titan comes in.

In the previous book, Rocco Savage was injured by stabbing. Since then, Titan found out that the knife used to stab him with was laced with a high powered hallucinogenic. Rocco has had spells since then that leave him pretty incapacitated. He's kept this a secret from his teammates in fear for his job. He sees an angel that helps him to his room one night during one of his spells. This angel was Caterina. She asks for Titan's help with this case and picks Rocco as the one to pose as a couple with her.

From that point on, buckle your seat belts, because this is a roller coaster of a story. High suspense, questionable content for some, hot sex, a creepy bad guy with minions, and a very deserved HEA. If you haven't read this series yet, you really, really should. Lovers of military romantic suspense will be singing it's praises for the roof tops.

Desperate Housewives of Olympus by Saranna DeWylde

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary Set Paranormal
Reviewed by Kay
314 pages

Man, I enjoyed reading this book and had waited along time to do so. Oh, it was so worth it.

I've always loved Mythology although I'm no expert on it. I think my love of Mythology is because it's a soap opera and I've always loved soap operas. What's not to love? Love, sex,suspense, backstabbing and of course, it's very own over the topness. I don't know if topness is a word but you know what I mean. This novel is about several people. Hades, Persephone, Demeter, Eros, Zeus, Hera, Thanatos, Abstinence, Nyx (who I'd never heard of before) and Apollo(who I loved even after the book Styxx ruined him for me).

It's kind of like the T.V. show, Wife Swap a little bit. The couples you think you know are together aren't and you root for the new couples this very talented author created. You get so sucked in and invested in these couples' stories so quickly. These couples find out that:

1.) Sometimes you get a second chance to get it right.

2.) Loving someone with the heart of your youth doesn't mean forever but it's still an important love.

3.) Age doesn't really matter when it comes to love.

4.) Sometimes you get what you really need even if you never thought you wanted it.

5.) Trust and respect are the most important things in a marriage.

6.) Everyone answers to someone.

What a great read! This author is fantastic and I will absolutely read more by her. Try it if you love Mythology, hot sex, high emotion and finding love in unexpected places. I'll leave you with my favorite quotes from the book.

"Nyx's mother had been none to pleased and she was the scary bitch kitty deluxe in her family."

"I love you like the sun loves the sky-content to burn in its arms for eternity. My love is more constant than the stars and when they shudder into oblivion, it will still be there-strong in my heart as the day it was born. When the mortal world is nothing but dust and ash and all that makes us sentinent has slipped away in the granules of sand through the great hourglass-yes even then. No matter if you never feel your hurt beat again inside of your chest, no matter if you never feel anything but lust for me, I will love you."

"This is enough for me. I don't need anything else but what's in this space of breath between us. Can you feel it? Can you taste it?"

"I'm embarrassed to tell you." "Persephone, after a god has been ears deep in your nether bits,as you've described them, and you've ridden his face like a pony, nothing should ever be a taboo discussion between you."

Blind Her With Bliss by Nina Pierce

Grade-C

Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
92 pages

Damon is a shock jock trying to forget that persona and find himself. Be happy and comfortable with who he is. Julie is a CPA who came home to help run a family business. She puts others wants and needs above her own. When she sees Damon at a night club the two are drawn to each other. Damon is working there and Julie is trying to find out what really happened after her best friend's apparent suicide. The two share a hot tryst at the club and neither is prepared for their reactions to one another.

This one was okay. It was pretty short and hot. It was predictable but still fun. It took me longer than it should've to read but I think I had some reader's block going on. I would probably read more from her

Up In Knots by Gillian Archer

Grade-B-

Hotness Level-Inferno

Kink Level-Moderate Kink

Series-Pleasure Code #2

Genre-BDSM/ Menage

Reviewed by Kate

216 pages

 

Kyla is finally ready to get back into the BDSM scene after her Dom passed away 2 years ago. She's not looking for a commitment, so she knows just who she wants to top her for her first time. Sawyer is a Dom well known for his rope work. It's at one of his seminars that Kyla first approaches him. Because neither Sawyer nor Kyla is looking for anything long term, Sawyer agrees to top Kyla and help her ease back into things while at the same time introducing her to other Doms. But, being a romance, we all know that Kyla and Sawyer are destined to be together. The chemistry between the pair is a like a supernova and continues to burn brightly throughout the story.

 

I enjoyed this book. A lot. Usually by the time I am done reading a book, it is filled with tons of highlights and notes, but this one kept me turning pages so quickly that I only managed to make 5 notes. I was that engrossed in the story.

 

I have not read the first book in this series and had no trouble understanding this one. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I have added the first book to my TBR pile, as well as adding Gillian Archer to my list of authors to watch. I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

A Convenient Husband by Reece Butler

 

Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-Bride Train #4
Genre-Historical/Menage
Reviewed by Kate
326 pages

Ben was finishing law school out East. Ben had made a promise to his older twin Ranger though. He promised his gruff brother that he would bring a bride home for Ranger to marry. Leaving things to the last minute, Ben purchases a ticket on the bride train heading to Montana, sure he'll be able to find a willing bride for Ranger. What he finds instead is Florence, a well educated, out spoken woman with 2 small children in tow. Everything that Ranger doesn't want in a wife. When one of the children is threatened, Ben marries Florence himself to save the little girl.

So. This book is written by Reece Butler. Right away that's a point in the plus column. I've read every book she's written and continue to wait anxiously for the next release. And it's a marriage of convenience, has children, a menage. Plus, plus, plus. At the same time, this book is screwed up in so many ways, I really shouldn't like it as much as I do (*facepalm* I've reread the thing 4 times already).

 

How is it messed up you ask? Well...Ben is moving to Tanner's Ford Valley, where a menage lifestyle with three men and one woman is quickly becoming the norm. And despite his 3 brothers (book #1) and his sister (book #3) living in menage relationships, Ben knows nothing about it. Next we have the whole thing with Ranger being so grumpy and crotchety and particular that he'd never be able to find his own wife. Then there's Ben, who feels so obligated to his brother that he decides to let Ranger take Florence's virginity rather than doing the deed himself. Yep. You heard me right. Ben and Florence haven't yet consumated their marriage by the time they reach the ranch, so Ben tells Ranger to go ahead and take care of her the first time (he's apparently much more experienced with women than Ben is). Of course, Florence has 2 children with her (who aren't hers by the way). These kids are the perfect soap opera children. Present when they are needed to advance the story.

 

 Conveniently absent (read: away staying with relatives) when they would be in the way otherwise. And let's not forget Patrick. Poor Patrick. Who really seems to be an addition to the story simply to keep the 3:1 ratio of men to women that seems to be required in this series. Patrick is the youngest brother and just feels like an add on throughout the entire read.

 

All that being said, you will notice that I gave the story a B+ rating. Simply because I absolutely am in love with it. Despite all it's WTFery, I have read this book 5 times (the first time, plus 4 rereads). It is one of my favorites in the series, although numbers 1 and 2 are very close.

If you like your historical menages to be filled with strong heroines, hot cowboys, and even hotter sex, (and can forgive the hot mess that sometimes comes with it), give this one a crack.

Flirting with Disaster by Ruthie Knox

Grade: B+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Camelot #3

Published: 6/10/13

Reviewed by Anne

298 ebook pages

Sean stuttered so badly in his childhood that he was essentially not speaking at all in high school.  This is why Katie, who went to high school with him, just always thought he was a quiet guy and never realized he stuttered.  This is why, when Sean comes back to town and ends up working with Katie that he chooses not to speak to her rather than reveal his stutter.  

Katie doesn't really know what to make of Sean.  She hears him talk to other people, but he never speaks to her.  (His stutter is selective, and only shows up in certain situations or around certain people, such as his secret high school crush, Katie.)  She wonders if he's just rude and mean, or if she has done something to offend him.  Then she tells herself not to worry about what HE thinks, because she's done living her life for someone else.  Baggage from a failed marriage left Katie hurting, but she's getting stronger each day and discovering what it's like to live life for herself, not in service to someone else.

I loved these two and this story.  And the more I read, the more I liked them.  In fact, when I got toward the end and the confrontation between the two of them that had been building throughout the story... it blew me away!  I don't think I've ever been so happy about how a situation played out.  I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say Katie and Sean both have issues and they work through them in this book.  The way they do this is so wonderful!  Neither can save the other;  they have to fix themselves!  And it just happens that they're falling in love at the same time.  That really was a wonderful story to watch unfold!

The secondary story line in this book worked less well for me.  Judah is a rock star who has been receiving threats and Katie and Sean are helping figure this whole situation out.  I think I just never really liked Judah, but I felt like I was supposed to.  So for me, this story line just provided a reason for Katie and Sean to road trip together, and I didn't care about it a whole lot more beyond that.

One thing I really appreciated about this story is that there was no magical mystical healing of Sean's stutter.  I think whenever I read a book where a character his some sort of disability, I cringe and worry that the author will use the Voodoo of the Magical Vagina or the Power of the Healing Penis to "fix" that problem.  Not so with Ruthie Knox and I LOVE that.

I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this installment in the Camelot series.  The others have all been favorites of mine.  I'm looking forward to more writing and to finishing up my reading of Knox's backlist.  This is the 3rd story in the Camelot series, but it stands alone well.  I recommend this book and this series!

Playing To Win by Shelley Munro

        

Grade-D
Hotness Level-Blaze?
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
228 pages

This was not at all what I expected from Shelley Munro.

A rugby player finds out he has a son he didn't know about and sets out to confront the boy's mother. When he meets her, he finds out that the mom isn't his biological mother but his aunt. His son' s mother died years earlier and his aunt adopted him. Lane, the hero and Kate, the heroine try to figure out sure paternity and who leaked the story to the tabloids. They are also try to figure out the dynamic of this new family and who is stalking Kate and why.

I really did not care for this book. I found it tedious and boring. Do not even get me started on the love scenes. They were pretty much sleep inducing. It wouldn't recommend this to someone who likes graphic love scenes but maybe to those who like a simple romance.

Throwback Thursday-The Gift by Julie Garwood

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Crown's Spies #3
Genre-Historical
Reviewed by Kay
373 pages

This book was been on my to read list and then off again over and over. I saw it was at the library in Kindle format and thought, what the heck.

It starts when the hero was fourteen and the heroine was four. The King forced these two children into marriage because he was crazy and was sick of the two families fighting. Kind of like a milder Hatfields and McCoys type of feud. Nathan, the hero, is a Scot and the heroine, Sarah, is English. Her father signed the marriage contract for her since at her age she obviously couldn't sign for herself. These two live seperately for years. Like fourteen years.

Nathan has made himself into a shipping magnate. He was an outlaw pirate for a while also but no more. He's ready to get his wife into his life and pregnant with his heir. Over the years he's never even looked in on her. Has no clue what she looks like. To him it doesn't matter, she's a means to an end. Knock her up and he gets the rest of the gift from the King from their marriage contract.

Sarah has always fancied herself in love with Nathan. At least her idea of him. She has grown up in an abusive household full of human vipers. She's polite but semi reserved. When her aunt becomes a victim of family abuse, she becomes a bit more vocal. She breaks her aunt out of house imprisonment and the two try to flee London. When the man who orders her to let him help, she is skeptical to say the least. She totally flips out when she realizes he's her husband.

This book was very cute. Very funny but I felt like they talked in all caps because they shouted at each other all the time.Truly shouted. The setting of the story mostly takes place on his boat and that is not my favorite thing but I pushed through. I liked the characters and the conclusion to the plot. The love scenes were frequent but not swoon worthy. I know the book was originally published in 1991 so I will give the bland love scenes a pass because of that. I enjoyed it but was expecting something more and better from what some call the legendary Julie Garwood. Undecided if I'd read more from her yet.

Withstanding Me by Crystal Spears

       

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series- Breakneck #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
264 pages

I had to read some other reviews to see if people felt the same way I did about this book. I found out several people did feel the same way I did. There's plenty of chaos here, violence, steamy sex scenes and filthy mouths.

ZZ aka Zig Zag aka Mason is another member of the Breakneck MC. He lives that lifestyle to the fullest. He takes care of his family despite his daughter's attempts to constantly test his patience and sanity. He balances this well enough but his focus is distracted because of Storm. Storm is a former sex slave that the MC rescued. She works for the Prez's wife and is enrolled in school for a business degree.

ZZ wants to take her to bed so bad but she rejects him at every turn. You see, she wants more. More than he is willing to offer her right now. She tells him he's gonna fall in love one day and it's gonna be with her. He insists that he has no desire to be a one woman man. She tries to date and he blows a gasket. He even runs her date off. You have all the elements of a Crystal Spears' book but it felt kind of scaled down. It wasn't as emotionally engaging as Seize me. It was emotional but not as much. It wrapped up some ends and opened more story arcs for this continuing series. I'm very invested in what goes on from here on out but I want the same intensity as Seize Me.

I hope that in the next book there is some of that but am scared because of Shadow being a sadist. That is one of my very least favorite story lines but I'm gonna trust her not to disappoint. Spears writes really badass heroines so Tatiana is going to be fun to read about and I await a release date.

Through The Smoke by Brenda Novak

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Historical
Reviewed by Kay
303 pages

This one surprised me quite a bit. This is way more than a romance.

The Earl in this story is trying to clear his name over his wife's death. They were estranged and he headed home to confront her about her pregnancy that wasn't his. There was a fire at his estate and he was the only survivor. He was pulled out of the fire by his cousin, With. He follows up on leads that send him in the direction of a book seller. Her father worked at the earl's coal mine and is a suspect in the fire.

Rachel is the coal miner's daughter. The earl is sure she has information that can help him in clearing up the mystery and his name. They share an almost instant attraction and to make a long story long, they end up lovers. This decision ruins Rachel and makes her neighbors mistrust her. She truly loses almost everything she has.

There was a great mystery in this book. The plot was very well done. Good character development and scene description. My problem was there was little to no heat. Also, I like my historical to take place in Scotland or England. I want the Ton and ball gowns. I got none of that here. It was a good story but I was left wanting more.

How To Handle A Highlander by Mary Wine

       

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-The Sutherlands #3
Genre-Historical
Reviewed by Kay
352 pages

This is the continuing saga of the Sutherlands. They are an overlord family of Scottish Highlanders. This story Is about Gahan and Moira. Gahan is the illegitimate son of the Sutherland chieftain. He was acknowledged by his father so he could be a semi titled man. After his father recovered from the attempt made on his life by the Frasers, they have been obsessed over safety and watching the Frazers closely. Due to this watching, Gahan notices that Bari Frazer is going to marry off his half sister to the Matheson family. This marriage will bring an army with the Frazers against Gahan's family.

Gahan is instantly drawn to Moira, the bride. Moira's husband is impotent at his advanced age and therefore their marriage is never consummated. The two start an affair and it causes quite the situation. The story is about duty to your clan, family loyalty and revenge.

I'm a big fan of Mary Wine and I get giddy when she releases one of her Highlander books. My problem with this one has to due with the infidelity throughout the story. I know that they thought back then that a marriage wasn't a marriage without consummation but the marriage in this book took place in a Church. This left me uneasy. I absolutely do not like adultery in my historical romances. Despite the fact that the story and love scenes were good, my rating was less because of this. I hope this won't be a continued theme in her following books.

Six Brothers by Lili St. Germaine

          

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno?
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Gypsy Brothers #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
100 pages

Oh, man! Why did I devour this so quickly?

Book two starts with the funeral of the eldest son, Chad. Dornan is miserable and devastated over the death of his son. He's ready to go to war with whoever supplied Chad with the drugs that killed him. As Juliette/Sammi consoles him during his grief, she smiles on the inside. She's giddy with happiness. It's still very difficult to put my finger on what draws me to this series. I'm a romance reader and this isn't really as romance. I mean I see one continue to develop between her and Jase but how screwed up will they both be by the end of all this?

My heart breaks with the flashbacks of first loves, horrific loss and this woman's emotional and physical descent into the bowels of Hell. Seeing Dornan become more and more poised on the edge of lunacy is so extremely frightening. This book does some explaining as to the why of his obsession with Juliette/Sammi which was very helpful. As she sets her sights on Maxi, the next son in line she's gonna kill, your heart pounds and your pulse races. Can she pull it off? And what will she have to sacrifice of herself to do it? How far in the quest of revenge will she go?

I was reading a great historical book when I found out this was available and I immediately put the other book on hold and started this one. I figured that since historical romances are a balm to my soul, I'd probably need it after this book. I finished this book with a heavy heart and a small sense of satisfaction for her character. I can't wait for March 10th!

Two down, five to go.

Reaper's Legacy by Joanna Wylde

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Reaper's MC #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
368 pages

When she dug her fingers into his shoulders on the side of the road as she gave birth to his nephew, their connection was set in stone.

Ruger(MC name)is a Reaper. Patched in and dedicated. Sophie is a single mother and broke. Ruger's step-brother is her baby daddy and a total deadbeat. Oh, and an abuser. Ruger has tried to be a part of his nephew's life and a semi positive role model to him. But his treatment of Sophie leaves a lot to be desired. He seems to look right through her.

Sophie loves her son, Noah more than anything. Sacrifices everything for him. Her parents disowned her after she refused to abort him, so she's all alone. After a near tragic occurence, she moves into Ruger's basement. The sparks between them crackle but their differences are huge. He's all club and she doesn't want anything to do with the club lifestyle.

When these two finally act on their attraction, fireworks happen. I loved watching these two come together figuratively and literally. Joanna Wylde has done it again. Totally engrossing storyline. I devoured it quickly. I love reading about this MC and it's members. Good characters and smokin' hot sex. Ready for the next one.

Gambled by Cristin Harber

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Titan #3.1
Genre-Contemporary Roamntic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
98 pages

A second chance love story between a husband and wife? I'm all over it!

Brock Gamble is ostracized, black listed, an outcast from his old life. That's what happens when you are considered a traitor. It's what happens when you betray your best friends. Endanger people you care about or people they care about. Doesn't matter that you had no choice, no other options. And when the people you did it for walk away, it leaves you with nothing.

Sarah Gamble never really knew what her husband did for a living. When she found out firsthand, she couldn't forgive or forget. She understood his motivation but the danger that came with it was too much for her to handle. Too much for their daughters to handle. When she's approached by an unlikely source regarding forgiving Brock, she's forced to decidwe whether she really wants to lose the only man she's ever loved.

I enjoyed this so much. Cristin Harber is a master at character description. You fall in love with them all and yearn for their happily-ever-afters. Watching Brock and Sarah get to truly know each other again was so sweet and sexy. I can't wait to read the next novella in this series that keeps getting better and better.

Live by Mary Anne Rivers

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Burnside #1

Published: 1/21/14

Reviewed by Anne

267pages

Destiny Burnside is out of work, nearly out of money, and still mourning her father's recent death.  Every day she treks to her local library to use their computers for her job search.  The only silver lining to this daily trip is the chance to see the quiet, good-looking wood carver doing restoration work in the library.  

Hefin is the woodcarver, and he's noticed Destiny, too.  They're both pretty quiet and shy, though, so it's not until he sees Destiny crying one day that he approaches her.  He just wants to help her feel better.  This leads quickly to a friendship and an acknowledged attraction between the two of them.  The only problem?  Hefin's time in the US is limited.  He's heading home to Wales after he finishes the library project.  Destiny's ties to her small town are many and strong, and this sets them up for an affair they know can't last, but can't resist either.

This is a kind of cliched setup, but I thought it was a very original story.  In fact, about half way through I realized I didn't really know how they would work things out.  Hefin NEEDS to go back to Wales.  Destiny is very needed by her family in Ohio.  And, yes, I could guess at how they would work it out, but the journey to get there wasn't a sure thing for me, and it was very enjoyable!

Another strength of this story was that Destiny and Hefin aren't traditionally beautiful people.  Well, ok, Destiny kind of is.  I've always envied red heads and all their freckles.  It's clear that Destiny doesn't see herself as beautiful, but even more clear that Hefin DOES.  And Hefin thinks of himself as "quite hairy" which is not exactly a romance-land hero!

These two are both functioning, but functioning broken.  Limping along, living with the losses they've been dealt, and finding the courage to reach for more.  It was heartbreaking in a good way to read, because, yes, you felt their heartbreak, but you also got to go along for the ride through their healing.

I thought the sex scenes were hot and well written.  The characters felt like real people and the conflict was believable.  The pacing of the story was slow, but very enjoyable for me.  I can't wait for more for Mary Ann Rivers!!

Bonds Of Denial by Lynda Aicher

Grade-B-

Hotness Level-Inferno

Kink Level-Mild Kink

Series-Wicked Play #5

Genre-Contemporary/m/m

Reviewed by Kate

281 pages

 

Rock is a co-owner of the Den, an exclusive BDSM club. He's also in the closet. After years of serving during 'don't ask, don't tell,' he's never really even admitted to himself that he's gay. However, he's extremely drawn to Carter, an male escort he first sees on the security screens at the Den.

 

I have read the first 4 books in the Wicked Play series, and loved them all. However, this one was written in such a different direction. And I absolutely loved the new direction. The first 4 centered on the BDSM aspect of the relationships. In this one, BDSM is such a small part of their relationship. A very, teeny, tiny part. Despite the lack of BDSM, this was a steaming hot read.

 

The relationship that develops between Rock and Carter was filled with drama and tons of angst. Carter helped Rock discover things about himself, and Rock did the same for Carter. It was truly a joint partnership. Not a story where one character is near perfect and the other has to make all the changes.

 

I appreciate that the author has populated this series with a diverse group of characters. We have had the standard m/f books (#s 1, 2, and 4). But there has also been a menage book (#3-I loved it!) and now a m/m. They can each be read independently of each other but I would recommend the entire series. I can't wait to see what the next book in the series brings us. Emotionally gripping with steamy scenes, I know this is one that I will be re-reading.

Seize Me by Crystal Spears

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Breankneck #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
256 pages

Winter and Braxxon, wow, what do I say? There was so much I liked about this book but a couple of things I found uncool.

Winter is a runaway Russian Mafia princess turned stripper. By her choice though so don't feel sorry for her. She and her roommate agree to dance at an MC birthday party for their Prez. Little did she know that her life would change or to the extent that it did.

Braxxon is the Prez of the Breakneck MC and at his birthday party he sees an angel, Winter. He is so overwhelmed by her that it's staggering to him. He takes her for a private dance and they end up sleeping together. Not sex, just sleeping.

He knows he has to protect Winter, not only because of who she is but because of who he is. He falls for her and she becomes his obsession. She may be perfect for him because she can handle the ugly in his life even though she claims to want no part of it.

Things I liked:

He fell for her right away.

He truly cared for her.

He took no shit from anyone and protected his family.

Things I didn't like:

He kind of cheats, seriously, you have to read the book to get the situation.

He then does cheat.

He hits women in the book twice. I know this probably happens in this lifestyle but I do not like it.

Favorite quotes:

"My baby is speechless cause I just want to cuddle."

She's the Winter for my hottest summer days. She's the Angel for my Hell.

She will have to do the leaving and even if she did leave, she'd still own every single inch of me.

Overall, I enjoyed this a great deal and will read the rest of this series.