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ARC Review: Rock Hard by Nalini Singh
Rock Hard
Nalini Singh
Rock Kiss, Series Book 2
Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.
And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.
Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.
If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.
4.5 Stars
Verbal foreplay at its finest.
Sensuality, sexuality and sassy makes Nalini Singh’s Rock Hard a steamy and fun read.
Charlotte is extremely intelligent woman, who is timid as a mouse. She hides behind herself. When forced to take a promotion, a job she was already doing, Charlottes exterior walls starts to crumble. She goes toe to toe with her workaholic and super hot boss rekindling feelings she thought lost to her. Giving herself some of her life back. As the shell breaks, Charlotte reveals a lot of sass, a quick tongue and a naughty side I did not see coming from her.
Gabriel also known as T-Rex is a rock star on the field and in the boardroom. A man who gets the job done, is respected and intimidating. The man is hands down sexy, alpha, demanding, has a dirty mouth and is very protective of what’s his. Upon their first meeting he took this protective possession over Charlotte that quickly changed from just want protect to want her in his bed. T-Rex surprised me with the amount of patients he expresses and the genuine caring nature to him.
T-Rex and Charlotte dance around the sexual tension they have built in Rock Hard with some of the best witty, sassy and sexy bantering. Add some hot office sexual and we have a winner. This is a playful and fun story even with the scars that had to start to heal. Ms Singh has created a story that would be very true to life in my opinion, healing and love both take time.
Readers note: Although I very much enjoyed Rock Hard, I am a bit confused as to why story is about an ex rugby player/CEO and not a rock star. Yes Gabriel is a rockstar in what he does.
I’m just not sure how this is playing into the series.
I received the complimentary copy of this title from Netgalley for an honest review.
Review: Before I Fall by Jessica Scott
Before I Fall
Jessica Scott
Stay focused. Get a job. Save her father’s life.
Beth Lamont knows far too much about the harsh realities of life her gilded classmates have only read about in class. She’ll do whatever it takes to take care of her father, even if that means tutoring a guy like Noah – a guy who represents everything she hates about the war, soldiers and what the Army has done to her family.
Noah Warren doesn’t know how to be a student. All he knows is war. But he’s going to college now to fulfill a promise and he doesn’t break his promises. Except he doesn’t count on his tutor being drop dead gorgeous and distracting as hell. One look at Beth threatens to unravel the careful lies Noah has constructed around him.
A simple arrangement turns into something neither of them can deny. And a war that neither of them can forget could destroy them both.
4 Stars
As I started reading Before I Fall, I thought this was going to be another one of those New Adult books. Boy was I wrong. Before I Fall is one of those too close to real life romance that I have read in a very long time.
Beth is a struggling student. Classes are the easy part for her. It’s make sure she has money for rent, trying to keep the lights on and taking care of a parent who is in pain constantly and an addict. A girl that had to grow up to fast. Beth is saint, survivor and a damn smart woman. I related to her all too well.
Noah carries mental and physical scars from war. Trying to live life as a college student is more than a challenge for him. Somedays it hard to tell if the anxiety is worse than the pain. The thing I loved about Noah is, one he knows his issues. Two, he wants to change himself and not rely on pharmaceutical means to get through a day. And three, he’s sweet, caring and willing. That’s a good man.
Where do I begin. Before I Fall is an emotional ride to say the least. This book is going to make you think. This is not a story where the hero comes in and makes it all better. Many social issues play a big part in this book. Addiction, poverty, health care and PTSD, just to name a few. Just like in real life when everything is in utter chaos there will be these moments and people you meet that make you stop and pause in life. A breath of fresh air. That’s Noah and Beth! They struggle everyday and keep going! The characters will pull you in and their stories will get your heart.
Ms. Scott gave me an unexpected thought provoking read.
A complementary copy of this book was provided for an honest review.
Review: Gray’s Skye by Vanessa Noble
Gray’s Skye
Vanessa Noble
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanessa-Noble-Author/
After a devastating divorce Lucy, a young adult novelist, escapes to Scotland to recover. What she finds instead is a gorgeous neighbor who makes her question her future. Gray is a teacher who has lived on Skye his entire life. The two start a friendship but Gray wants more. How can he make her see it is worth giving him a chance?
4 Stars
Touching and heartfelt romance!
Ms Noble surprised me with her sweet and sexy romance, Gray’s Skye. Although I found the beginning a bit slow, the characters really do pull you into the story.
Lucy is on the mend from an unfaithful ex husband. A sweet and caring woman, a best selling author, a loving daughter, sister and aunt. She in a way allows fate to pick the spot where she is to mend herself, then push fate a way for fear of the past. A simple yet complex woman who will cook her way into your heart.
Gray is a dream man. Kind, caring, thoughtful, a true gentleman. A very different man ol from those whom I been reading. He’s a good man! A teacher who loves his family and thinks of others. He has the patients of a saint. Oh, and he’s Scottish. Very hot! And he will make you one damn good cup of coffee.
The time that Lucy and Gray spend together give the meaning to ” the little things in life”. They not only get to know each other, the learn what love is and is really about. They are the sweet couple that you want to strangle when you see them on the street because they are so damn sweet. A sweet read that made me laugh and drop a tear or two!
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
Cover Reveal: Beginning of Forever by Laramie Briscoe
Series: Heaven Hill
Author: Laramie Briscoe
Release Date: April 9th
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ARC Review: VANDAL by Carian Cole
Vandal
Carian Cole
Ashes and Embers Series, Book 2
e-book
publication: Feb. 26, 2015
She takes my breath away; she is so beautifully damaged.
Yes I had broken her, ravished her life, destroyed her happiness. I brought her to ultimate despair. I was responsible for all the pain and suffering that now brought her to her knees in front of me.
Broken.
Hopeless.
Reckless in her agony.
She is a mirror of my own tortured soul.
But what I took away I can give back.
In ways she cannot even begin to imagine.
She is everything right in all my wrongs.
She loves me. She needs me.
She has no idea I’m the one who wrecked her life.
5 Stars
An emotionally dark and flippin intense read from begin to end.
Vandal is a deep, hot mess, that will command his way into your heart, body and mind. Linger there, tempt you, give to you, take from you. Step back and smile because he know you’ll ask for more. He’s dark, private and at times not the nicest of people. He’s beautiful and talented. He’s scared so deep, there seems to be no hint of light in him. I totally fell for Vandal.
Tabi’s a ball passion, unconditional loving and full of desire. Even if she doesn’t see herself that way in the darkness that has come upon her. Fractured and angry, making quick discussions Tabi steps into a darkness willing. Set on destroying herself, she find something very different than she thought.
Love is never easy. It’s a lot of overwhelming excitement, fluttering feelings, fear and emotions entwined together that consumes ones being. Your biggest fears and most secret wishes combined. Passion and pain. Love is not alway pretty. In fact it can be ugly and raw. A test of everything we are. Its a struggle and a fight at times. Then there are these moments of bliss and joy that make time stand still. Knowing that this is the person that truly changed your life forever. Soul binding love. That’s Carian Cole’s Vandal. This book will not be everyone’s cup of tea! It’s dark and walks a fine line. It’s intense and emotional. Alluring and dangerous all in one. I loved this book.
Ms. Cole beautifully gives her readers an amazing book about a darker side of love that not many people experience and only few understand.
An ARC was provided for an honest review.
Vandal by Carian Cole Releases Early!!
Early Release for Carian Cole’s
VANDAL
She takes my breath away; she is so beautifully damaged.
Yes I had broken her, ravished her life, destroyed her happiness. I brought her to ultimate despair. I was responsible for all the pain and suffering that now brought her to her knees in front of me.
Broken.
Hopeless.
Reckless in her agony.
She is a mirror of my own tortured soul.
But what I took away I can give back.
In ways she cannot even begin to imagine.
She is everything right in all my wrongs.
She loves me. She needs me.
She has no idea I’m the one who wrecked her life.
I was very lucky and got to read Vandal’s book early. Its an amazing dark tale of love. I LOVED IT! Check back tomorrow for my review! I highly recommend taking a dive into Carian’s amazing books. Check out the first book in the Ashes and Embers series, Storm!
The calm before the storm…
I lived in the quiet stillness.
I felt the wind rustle, warning me, telling me to get out of its path.
But I didn’t.
I never stood a chance.
A series of weather and road mishaps leaves me trapped in the middle of a blizzard with a complete stranger. In the back of a pickup truck. For forty-eight freakin’ hours.
A stranger with long hair, tattoos, and rippling with muscle.
A stranger with an insanely sexy voice and a wicked smile that turned my insides to jelly.
A stranger who held me in his arms, calmed me, and then set a fire in me that I couldn’t put out.
Storm lives up to his name. Beautiful. Dangerously inviting. Tumultuous. Dark. A clash of hot and cold.
He’s used to getting everything he wants.
And now he wants me.
Some people chase storms for the beautiful thrill. What happens when the storm chases you?
ARC Review: Alluring Ink by Ranae Rose
Alluring Ink
Ranae Rose
Inked In The Steel City series, book 7
Love is risk. Love is heartbreak. Love is an addiction a single mom like Crystal can’t afford. And accomplished tattoo artist Dylan is a temptation she can’t resist. He’s only in town for a few weeks as a guest artist, but the attraction is instant. With her past shadowing everything she does, it feels good to have someone who doesn’t judge … and doesn’t know.
Love is just the spark before the crash and burn, especially when your demons are something more than standard-issue. Dylan craves Crystal with everything he has, but their days together are supposed to be numbered.
3.5 Stars
Sweet romance with insatiable passion.
Nothing is better than finding that person that you can connect with, when you are least expect it.
Ranae Rose has this wonderful way of writing characters that are just made for each other. Dylan and Crystal are another perfect example.
I loved their natural meeting. The instant connection and chemistry, the fun and playful personalities, the fight in both Crystal and Dylan give Alluring Ink a real life feel. While the list and passion that scorches the pages get the fantasy wheels rolling.
The issues of recovering addiction and mental health add a bit of darkness and depth to Alluring Ink that the other books in the Inked in the Steel City series don’t have. With that said, Alluring Ink is one of my favorites in the series.
A review copy was provided by the author for an honest review.
Review: Accept This Dandelion by Brooke Willians
Accept This Dandelion
Brook Williams
Paperback
Renee Lockhart has her eye on a lofty goal…to fill the open position of morning radio show host on a nearby secular station. When her co-workers sign her up for a local TV version of “the Bachelor,” Renee goes along with it in order to raise her profile. Ben McConnell, one of the most eligible bachelors in town, insists that Renee be placed on the show, despite her bumbling audition. Ben gets much more than he expected in Renee. He gets a girl who doesn’t bow to his every whim…and a girl who opens his eyes to true, unexpected love. Enjoy a local version of the popular “Bachelor” TV show…where nothing can go right for Renee!
3.5 Stars
Although I am not a fan of the Bachelor type shows, I did find Accept This Dandelion an enjoyable and funny romantic read.
The story was a fast read with a fun and humorous plot line. The comical mishap of Renee give the reader many laugh out loud moments within this book. The chemistry between Ben and Renee allows the characters to both feed off of and compliment each other. They made the story fun
Accept The Dandelion is a sweet, flirtatious, romantic and heartwarming story, where love will find you even if you’re not really looking for it.
A copy was provided for an honest review.
Review: Below The Belt by Sidney Halston
Below The Belt
Sidney Halston
Worth The Fight Series, Book 3
4 Stars
Heart and passion, in and out of the ring.
Anyone who knows me, knows I’m not a sports fan. I play pool and watch women’s 9 ball. I was beyond surprised to find the amount heart and feeling in a MMA fighting romance book.
Francesca is a tough as nails, balls to the wall’s, fight you as tough as a man kind of girl. Or that’s what she would like everyone to think. A complex character, that knows her own flaws and weaknesses.
Tony was the true surprise of the book for me. A top name in his sport, who is moving downhill. Fighting is his passion but not the way one would think. Tony’s TV and real life selves are two very different people who we see merge together to allow him to become who he truly is.
Below The Belt is an adrenaline pumping, sexy read. Sexual tension, attraction, and chemistry are blended perfectly! With lots of built hotties to picture as your reading. Tony is the true star of this book. His passion for life, love and family kept me turning the pages. Francesca and Tony keep you guessing! Their passion is as hot as the Miami sun.
Below The Belt is the third book of the Worth The Fight Series, however I had no issue reading it as a stand alone.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley for an honest review.
Freed by Stacey Kennedy- 99 Cent Sale with giveaway!
99 cent sale!!
Title: FREED
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Series title: Club Sin
Publisher: Loveswept
(Random House Publishing Group)
ISBN: 978-0-553-39119-0
Release date: 9/23/2014
Fans who can’t get enough of USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy will love this wicked, wild spinoff novel that explores how sexy life can be outside Club Sin.
Mary Schmidt knows only too well how thrilling a Master’s touch can be. Her husband, Charles, had been her ultimate fantasy, a seducer in the erotic dance of dominance and submission. She misses the sensual lifestyle they shared, but mourns him so deeply she cannot bear to embrace her submissive needs with another Dom—until a man who exudes temptation reawakens desires she can no longer deny.
Elliott Foster is dazzled by Mary. He instantly knows that she’s the woman he’s been waiting for—a woman who turns games into need. As her Master, he dares to unlock the deepest pleasures of her flesh, releasing her from pain and healing her mind. When Mary’s lithe body comes to life under his, he knows their connection goes beyond sex. Now that he has found the perfect woman, the perfect partner, the perfect submissive, he desires only to give her everything she craves.
Freed is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.
Buy links:
Amazon –http://amzn.to/1epP7lg
B&N – http://bit.ly/Ri31fp
More buying options – http://bit.ly/1qxPv3g
Rafflecopter:
About the Author:
STACEY KENNEDY is the USA Today bestselling author of the CLUB SIN series. Growing up, Stacey’s mind wandered the path less traveled and that path most often led to love. She has always broken rules and she continues to feed off emotion – staying true to her heart. Those traits are now the bones of her stories. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who puts any of the heroes in her books to shame, and their two young children. If she’s not on mom duty or plugging away at a new story, you’ll find Stacey camping in the summer, hibernating in the winter and obsessing over Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones and Outlander.
Website – http://www.staceykennedy.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorstaceykennedy
Twitter – https://twitter.com/#!/Stacey_Kennedy
Loveswept website – http://www.readloveswept.com
Praise for the Club Sin series:
“The connection between Mary and Elliott is intense, both emotionally and sexually. . . . Readers with a taste for light BDSM will not be disappointed.”—Library Journal
“Freed is fabulous! Stacey Kennedy’s a master at creating steamy and heartwarming romance, where the BDSM lifestyle is inextricably bound with compelling emotion and unforgettable characters!”—Virna DePaul, New York Times bestselling author of Turned and Awakened
“Freed is a heartwarming tale of sensual surrender and starting over. I loved it!”—Cherise Sinclair, USA Today bestselling author of Club Shadowlands
“Claimed sucked me in! Stacey Kennedy weaves together the intense BDSM lifestyle with the soft touch of a sweeter, more traditional love story in a novel with an engaging heroine at its heart.”—J. Kenner, New York Times bestselling author of Release Me
“Deliciously sexy, Claimed will captivate you at once, leading you on an erotic journey that you won’t want to end. A fabulous talent, Kennedy shines in this fast-paced and exciting novel.”—New York Times bestselling author Cheyenne McCray
“Tender, emotional—and smoking hot!”—Savanna Fox, author of the Dirty Girls Book Club series, on Claimed
“Bared is a seductively haunting tale of control and surrender that will tantalize existing fans of the series while enticing new readers into the passionate world of Club Sin.”—Eliza Gayle, New York Times bestselling author of Submissive Beauty
“Bared is a hot blend of raw sensuality, and Stacey Kennedy is an author to watch!”—Eden Bradley, author of The Dark Garden and Dangerously Bound
Coffee Books Life 