Monthly Archives: May 2019
Review: Shouldn’t Have You by Carrie Ann Ryan
Shouldn’t Have You
Carrie Ann Ryan
Fractured Connections Series, Book 2
I’ve been many things in my life: daughter, friend, student, lover, wife…and now, widow. Getting past those labels and finding who I could be without them was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Then I became friends with Brendon Connolly.
Every time I look at him, I see a past, I see a present, and I’m afraid if I look too hard, I’ll see a future.
~~~
I’ve known Harmony Wynham since before she got married. Before she lost everything. I didn’t know that one day she wouldn’t be just my friend but the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
Only I don’t think that can happen.
Not when every time she looks at me, she sees what she lost, and I can only see what I can’t overcome.
I love her, even though I shouldn’t. Somehow, we need to find a balance.
Because if we don’t, walking away will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done—even if it’s the only thing I should do.
4 Stars
Carrie Ann Ryan continues to pull on the heartstrings and emotions with the second book of the Fractured Connections Series, Shouldn’t Have You.
Harmony’s life is not what she thought it would be. Her psyche and soul are damaged after the loss of not only her best friend, also her partner in live. She’s trying, even when it epically fails her. Harmony brushes it off and gets back up. She looking to fill something she’s missing in life, but Harmony is maybe not looking at all the options.
Brendon, too, is picking up the pieces of his past and trying to get on track. He has also felt the loss of losing a friend. Brendon is amazing. Sweet and caring, knows how to be a true friend and is loyal. As his feelings develop, he gentle and respectful. Brendon is what I call one of the good ones.
Shouldn’t Have You is about healing and moving on with and within love. Learning to love again and finding oneself. It’s a fantastic friends to lovers story but so much more. Harmony and Brendon are going to take you on a emotional ride. Intense, raw and real. Ms. Ryan captures the essence of the emotions and transcribes this tale into a journey of healing and love. Mending what’s broken, nurturing what hurt and embracing something or someone new. That’s what Shouldn’t Have You was for me.
Warring: Tissues may be needed.
Review: Slow Ride by Jayne Rylon
Slow Ride
Jayne Rylon
Powertools: Hot Rides Series, Book 2
Happy Ending Publishing
Published: May 14, 2019
When tragedy struck, the loss of Jordan and Wren’s shared lover ripped them apart.
Guilt and shame made it impossible for Agent Jordan Mikalski to look the love of his life in the eye. If he couldn’t face her, he sure as hell couldn’t live with her or make love to her or even be the man to comfort her in the depths of her grief.
Wren Asbery’s mourning threw her into a deep depression she wasn’t sure she’d ever climb out of, made worse by Jordan’s abandonment in the time of her greatest need. For that she’ll never forgive that bastard.
After years of slow healing they realize they’re both attracted to the same man, which means they have some things to figure out fast. Will Kason Cox be doomed to lust after two people who can’t stand each other or will he be able to become the glue that sticks them back together?
This is a standalone book in the Hot Rides series and includes an HEA with no cheating. The series is part of the greater universe where both the Powertools and Hot Rods books are also set, so you can visit with many of your previous favorite characters and see what they’re up to now!
4 Stars
Emotional and Hot. Ms. Rylon gets deep.
Slow Ride is a roller coaster ride of emotional. Learning to love in unconventional ways and finding happiness to have it stripped away in the blink of an eye. Wren and Jordan both suffered the same loss. Losing a loved one, a lover, had rocked the foundation of their world. The pain remained to great and Jordan and he chose to walk away. Jordan is strong and dominant, yet doesn’t believe he had the softness needed to nurture Wren the way he believes she should be.
Fives years later paths cross, with all the old feeling and desires still burning strong. A new player to the game has changed the board so to speak. Kason just maybe an angel set from a past lover or just happened to walk in to the right place at the right time. There’s something about him that makes Jordan and Wren wake from the fog of their past and start looking towards the future again.
Ms. Rylon completely surprised me with the unexpected emotional depth of Slow Ride. Ladies you might want to pull out the tissues as well as grab the fan. Slow Ride is deep on an emotional and sexual level. Mason, Wren and Jordan story wraps around the reader like a blanket. You can’t help but to get emotionally involved and invested with them. There is a touch of darkness to the story but one that gets to see the light at the end. If you have read Ms. Rylon’s book Middle Man, which is my favorite of her works, you will complete fall for Slow Ride.
Excerpt: Eli’s Triumph by JoAnna Wylde
From New York Times Bestselling author Joanna Wylde comes ELI’S TRIUMPH, a new novella in her Reapers MC series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today!
About ELI’S TRIUMPH:
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joanna Wylde comes a new story in her Reapers MC series…
Peaches Taylor spent the last seven years slinging drinks and dodging drunks at the Starkwood Saloon. Some might call it a dead end job, but to her it was an investment—another six months, and she’d have enough money to buy the place.
Life would’ve been perfect if Eli hadn’t come home.
Eli King is ready to settle down. He stood by his brothers when they needed him, paying the price for their freedom with his own. Now it’s time to claim his reward—the Starkwood Saloon. He’s got the cash to buy the bar, the skills to run it, and just one person standing between him and his dream: Peaches Taylor.
She’s been driving him crazy since they were kids, and not in the good way. When she was six, she shoved a spider down his pants. When he was ten, he locked her in a closet overnight. Then she hot-wired his car at seventeen, and things got ugly…
They’re adults now, and the Starkwood isn’t a toy to fight over—it’s the hill they’ll die on. No prisoners. No compromises. No mercy.
Peaches Taylor and Eli King are going to war.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
Grab your copy of ELI’S TRIUMPH today!
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Joanna Wylde’s ELI’S TRIUMPH – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
May 8th
Book Addict Reviews – Review
Book Loving Pixies – Review & Excerpt
Cup of Tea Book Blog – Excerpt
Ga Books LoverX – Review
Reading Is My Bliss – Review
Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt
Shelleen’s Musings – Review & Excerpt
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The bookworms obsession – Review
May 9th
Bingeworthy Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Books & Spoons – Excerpt
Deluged with Books Cafe – Review & Excerpt
Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt
Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt
MrsLeif’s Two Fangs About It – Review
Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Rachel and Jay) – Review & Excerpt
Somewhere Lost in Books – Review
Wicked Babes Blog Reviews – Review & Excerpt
May 10th
Always a happy ever after – Review
An Asian Chick & Her Cat Walk into a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Bad boys and bedtime stories book blog – Review
BBKA – Review & Excerpt
Cinta’s Corner – Excerpt
Dog-Eared Daydreams –Review
Edgy Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe – Review & Excerpt
Sip Read Love – Review
Stephanie’s Book Reports – Review & Excerpt
May 11th
Angela’s Opinion – Review & Excerpt
Another Book Hangover – Excerpt
Books 2 Blog – Review
Brittany’s Book Blog – Excerpt
Cat’s Guilty Pleasure – Review
Coffee Books Life – Review & Excerpt
Dreamer’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Review & Excerpt
The Staircase Reader – Review
May 12th
A crazy vermonters book reviews – Review
Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt
Book Babes Unite – Review
Book Lovers Reviews and Recommendations – Review & Excerpt
CoensK Reviews – Excerpt
Jax’s Book Magic – Excerpt
Kari’s Book Reviews and Revelations – Review & Excerpt
Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm – Review & Excerpt
Marie Stuck In A Book – Review & Excerpt
May 13th
A Book Nerd, a Bookseller and a Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt
Blushing Babes Are Up All Night – Review
Garden of REden – Review
Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review
Nadine’s Obsessed with Books – Review & Excerpt
Panty dropping Book Blog – Review
Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt
Ripe For Reader – Excerpt
The Haute Bookworm – Review & Excerpt
May 14th
A Lucky Grace – Review & Excerpt
Busy Bumble Bee Book Reviews – Review
Canadian Book Addict – Review & Excerpt
PBC – Excerpt
Reading in Pajamas – Review & Excerpt
Romancing the Dispatcher – Review
The Book Reading Gals – Review & Excerpt
The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt
Two Girls with Books – Review
May 15th
A Hopeless Romantic’s Booklandia – Review & Excerpt
Between the Screens – Review & Excerpt
Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt
I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore – Review
MI Bookshelf – Review & Excerpt
OMGReads – Review & Excerpt
Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt
Reese’s Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt
May 16th
All Things Dark & Dirty – Excerpt
Alphas Do It Better Book Blog – Excerpt
Bobos Book Bank – Review & Excerpt
Cupcakesandbookshelves – Excerpt
Jen’s Reading Obsession – Excerpt
Queenzany & Audio Loves – Review & Excerpt
Real Tasty Pages – Review
Renee Entress’s Blog – Review & Excerpt
The Escapist Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Zili in the Sky – Review
May 17th
Abibliophobia anonymous book reviews – Review
Angels With Attitude Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Books & Beauty Are My Bag – Review & Excerpt
Family, Books and Food – Excerpt
Les chroniques aléatoires – Review
MJ’s Book Blog and Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Read-Love-Blog – Excerpt
Spoons, Hooks, and Books – Review & Excerpt
Three chicks and their books – Review
Wrapped Up In Reading – Review & Excerpt
Excerpt
I’d earned this bar, paid for it with five long years in prison, holding my tongue and taking the punishment for a crime that wasn’t mine. Gus owed me for that alone. The fact that he’d get a cash payout was just a bonus at this point.
No reason for me to feel guilty. And that was the truth.
Still, I could see how much this sucked for Peaches. She’d put in time, too. Time and good faith. Riling her up was a blast, but I’d never wanted her hurt. Not for real. I cared about the girl. Cared about her a lot.
Too much.
Gus had been weak. I loved my uncle, but he’d f*cked this one up big time. She deserved better from him—and from me. I should be in there with them. Decision made, I reached for the door.
“Get out! Get the f*ck out of here, you lying bastard!”
The door burst open, and Gus stumbled out, walking backward. I caught his arm and steadied him as the slabslammed shut again. I heard the heavy bolt sliding shut, locking us out. My uncle looked at me, then sighed.
“Actually went better than I expected.”
“Glad I don’t have to deal with hiding a body.”
“Not yet,” he replied, then sighed again. “She’s not a happy camper. Probably should’ve warned her that our plans might change once you got out.”
“Why didn’t you? Would’ve been a lot easier on her.”
“Guess I didn’t want her turning on me,”my uncle admitted, surprising me with his honesty. “I knew she’d hate me for it. God, but I miss her mom. Saw her in town a couple weeks ago. It’s been twenty years, and Glory still won’t even look at me.”
Raw pain filled his eyes. I cleared my throat, uncomfortable. F*ck. I didn’t like this. Didn’t like my girl hurting, and didn’t like having to see my uncle like this.
Didn’t like knowing I was part of it.
A loud thump came from behind the door, breaking the moment. There was a crash, and then some kind of tearing noise. Shit.
Some women pouted when they got upset.
Others cried.
Peaches had always skipped that part, moving straight to revenge. Another crash. This one so hard that the door rattled. I pictured her all pissed off in there, those glorious t*ts of hers straining against the front of her low-cut black StarkwoodSaloon shirt. My c*ck twitched. Christ, she was hot when she got angry.
Her cheeks would be flushed, and she’d run her fingers through that wild, dark hair of hers in frustration.
Total sex hair.
About Joanna Wylde:
Joanna Wylde started her writing career in journalism, working in two daily newspapers as both a reporter and editor. Her career has included many different jobs, from managing a homeless shelter to running her own freelance writing business, where she took on projects ranging from fundraising to ghostwriting for academics. During 2012 she got her first Kindle reader as a gift and discovered the indie writing revolution taking place online. Not long afterward she started cutting back her client list to work on Reaper’s Property, her breakout book. It was published in January 2013, marking the beginning of a new career writing fiction.
Joanna lives in the mountains of northern Idaho with her family.
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Review: Eli’s Triumph by JoAnna Wylde
Eli’s Triumph
JoAnna Wylde
Reaper’s MC Series
1001 Dark Nights
Evil Eye Productions
Published: May 8, 2019
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joanna Wylde comes a new story in her Reapers MC series…
Peaches Taylor spent the last seven years slinging drinks and dodging drunks at the Starkwood Saloon. Some might call it a dead end job, but to her it was an investment—another six months, and she’d have enough money to buy the place.
Life would’ve been perfect if Eli hadn’t come home.
Eli King is ready to settle down. He stood by his brothers when they needed him, paying the price for their freedom with his own. Now it’s time to claim his reward—the Starkwood Saloon. He’s got the cash to buy the bar, the skills to run it, and just one person standing between him and his dream: Peaches Taylor.
She’s been driving him crazy since they were kids, and not in the good way. When she was six, she shoved a spider down his pants. When he was ten, he locked her in a closet overnight. Then she hot-wired his car at seventeen, and things got ugly…
They’re adults now, and the Starkwood isn’t a toy to fight over—it’s the hill they’ll die on. No prisoners. No compromises. No mercy.
Peaches Taylor and Eli King are going to war.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
4 Stars
There is nothing like a visit with The Reapers to shake up your reading world. Eli’s Triumph is like Shade’s Lady, it’s such a Reapers story. (I said that to Ms. Wylde once and she replied- yes you get it!). Fun, entertaining and the sexual tension is off the charts.
If there were to ever be a true female Reaper member, Peaches would be that woman. Talk about a woman able to stand her ground, not take crap from anyone and what a mouth on that woman. Peaches is a force. There is no other description I can give her. Peaches is dedicated, hard working and can hold a grudge like no other. I will put my money on her every time.
Eli’s is more than what meets the eye. MC life is all he’s know and he embraced it head on. Learning family is more than blood at a very age. Eli’s dedication to the club is unwavering however he’s looking for a little more stability. Coming off a five year jail stint, Eli’s future just shattered the dream of the one woman that gets to him like no other. Eli’s a Reaper and Reaper’s get what Reaper wants.
There are so many thing that I love about Eli’s Triumph. Eli and Peaches have known each other practically their entire lives. Picking on each other from childhood. Dancing around the sexual tension as soon as they realized what it was. The banter and the revenge tactics amongst the two of them is absolutely outstanding. The sexual tension surrounded between Peaches and Eli is so intense it’s ready to ignite. For two people that try to get under each other skin the way they do they’ve always been there for each other. Even when they’d rather be slapping the other one upside the head because they can’t seem to admit, together, they are so intense they both are ready to ignite. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Peaches and Eli torment each other in the best ways. In true Reaper style, Eli and Peaches figure out their way.
Excellent, one sit read.
Review: More Than Tempt You by Shayla Black
More Than Tempt You
Shayla Black
More Than Words Series, Book 5
I romanced her for revenge…but what if she’s not the enemy after all?
I’m Clint Holmes. I was an ambitious guy with a busy life and a growing business. Sure North Dakota wasn’t a tropical paradise, but I was happy enough—until tragedy struck. Now the only thing that matters is finding the person responsible and making her pay. But Bethany Banks is a Harvard-educated shark used to swallowing her enemies whole while playing dangerous corporate games. How can a blue-collar oil man like me possibly beat her?
The moment I lay eyes on my beautiful nemesis, the answer is obvious. I seduce her.
On Maui, where she’s fled, I get to know the man-eater who caused my family so much pain…only to find she’s not the brazen ballbuster I assumed. She’s skittish, secretive, vulnerable. For some reason, my instinct is to protect her. I can’t abandon my plan…but I can’t stop wanting her. Night after night, I pry her open with my touch until I’m drowning in our passion. Soon, I’m questioning everything, especially the fine line between love and hate. But when the past comes back to wreak vengeance and the truth explodes, can I prove that I’m more than tempted to love her forever?
4.5 Stars
Clint is set on revenge. After the sudden loss of his father, Clint sets his target on the one he deems responsible for his loss. For a man that has himself pretty well together, his world has been thrown off balance. He’s hard worker, loyal to his family and caring man. Clint is truly one of the good ones. However his plot for revenge may not be what his thought it is. Clint learns that you can’t judge the book by its cover, you have to get both sides of the story to truly know what’s going on. His plan is in play but when his plan turns on him, Clint opens his eyes wide for and sees something much better than revenge.
Bethany never believed the stories about her father. But then first hand she saw the absolute ruthlessness that the man who gave her life was truly capable of. One minute life is grand and the next Bethany’s professional career is going down the drain while her personal life has just felt like an earthquake exploded from within her. With the help of her brothers and sister Bethany tries to move on and generally lay low while the mess her father created and put her through works itself out. I honestly think Bethany was not even sure who she was anymore. With the help of her wonderful siblings, a tropical paradise and a man who’s got his head twisted help Bethany saves the day and herself.
More Than Tempt You, the latest book from Shayla Black’s More Than Words Series is an emotional whirlwind that will have you holding your breath while keeping you on the edge. Clint and Bethany truly surprised me. If you have read prior books in the series, Bethany has not been painted as the most beautiful character. I would’ve never guessed that she goes as deep as what she does. Bethany is a kind soul and she more than showed it. Clint is a family man at heart and I love that about him. As hard as he tried to be cold hearted, once he saw things may not be what they appeared, his heart wanted to embrace and his mind just had to catch up. People so wrapped in their emotions learn so much more once they let the guard down a bit. Getting that guard to come down was the fun or the hard part depending on how you look at it. Clint and Bethany found their way into my heart and I’m sure, given the chance, they will for you as well.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again there is something about the More Than Words Series that just gets to me. I feel so inside of our main character head with each book. It’s so personal and intimate. In a way they are bearing their souls. Music plays a huge part of the stories. For me music is a big part of my life so it allows me to connect with the story on another level. Music and emotions go hand and hand and Ms. Black shows readers just how deep with each story of the series.
More Than Tempt You is a beautiful edition to the More Than Words Series.
Coffee Books Life 