Obsessed With Myshelf

Romance Books

Month: January 2015 (page 2 of 3)

Review: Lick

Author:   Kylie Scott

Book: Lick (Stage Dive #1)

Series: Stage Dive

Other Books in Series:
Play (Stage Dive #2)
Lead (Stage Dive #3)
Deep (Stage Dive #4) – released 3/31/15!

tl;dr recommendation: well hello there, new favorite series.

Book Summary:

Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this.

Evelyn Thomas’s plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. But she sure as hell never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man, and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened.

One thing is for certain, being married to rock and roll’s favourite son is sure to be a wild ride.

Longer Review:

I don’t do audio books. As my husband would tell you, I have a problem listening.

However, I began reading this book as an audio book because I had to run some ridiculous errands that kept me in the car for 2 1/2 hours and I figured, what the hell, I’ll TRY AGAIN. (side note: Is it still reading if you’re listening?). Anyway, I was so pissed off at the woman reading – not because she was doing a bad job – but because I needed her to READ FASTER. This book hooked me immediately.

Ok, ok, enough about me – you want to know about the book: WELL IT’S AWESOME.

David is sexy as hell. If his bad boy rocker image & hot as fuck tattoos weren’t enough to get me squirming around in my seat, his sexy mouth & the words that come out of it did the trick. When he first says “S’Okay” I may have screamed “IT’S JACOB!” Notwithstanding the similarities between those two [Team Edward forever], David quickly rose among the ranks of my favorite male alphas with his wit, charm, perfect cheekbones & sly smile.

Evelyn was a little frustrating to me in the beginning when she wasn’t entirely sure of herself. But as her confidence grew, so did my admiration. Her down to earth, playful nature was fun – and the intensity between her and David was perfect. Ev struggles a bit in this book with her choice of career – she plans to become an architect, but is really only doing so because that’s what her parents want her to do. As she tries to navigate down the path towards her Future, she battles with what she should do vs. what she wants to do (I swear to Christ, we’re kindred spirits). It was in these parts of the book that I started to love Ev just as much as David.

The romance and sparks that fly between David and Ev are heart warming & blood boiling. David easily fell into the romantic alpha you want him to be as Ev was falling in love with him. These two are perfect together and I couldn’t stop smiling while Ev tried to remember Vegas. LOVED IT.

Lick is the perfect introduction to this rocker series. The easy interaction between the characters made me want to get to know ALL OF THEM. I will be reading this entire series – be sure of it. I am 100% in.

Review: Fading, Freeing & Falling

  

Author:   E.K. Blair

Books:
Fading – Candace’s story
Freeing – Jase’s story
Falling – Ryan’s story

BUY THEM IN A BUNDLE HERE for .99!!!! (trust me, you want the extras in this bundle).

tl;dr recommendation: My heart shook & shattered & burst. It’s AMAZING.

Fading’s Summary:

Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing?

Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered.

The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens.

At what point do secrets become lies?

Longer Review:

I bought EK’s books because a month-ish ago I saw an epic facebook post shared by K. Bromberg in which E.K. basically tells authors who are complaining about bad reviews for their books and complaining about the industry and just complaining to go fuck themselves (I’m paraphrasing, obvi). Instead she threw her support behind readers & bloggers – even those who gave her a bad reviews. I read it and said FUCK YES E.K., I’m buying all of your books. And so I did. I don’t regret it.

E.K. Blair is an indie author who I prefer to now just refer to as: genius. This series is an incredibly thought provoking & deep work of literature that needs to be shared with the world. I’ve read a couple *cough* of erotica / romance novels and sometimes I find myself ranking or rating a book based upon it’s place in the genre. But no. Not this one. This is fantastic piece of fiction. Period.

I am in awe of this series. Not only is the storyline brilliant but the writing is fantastic. The story is emotionally jarring and imperfect in all the ways it should be. Yes, it’s a somewhat dark story but it’s also beautiful. It’s about pulling yourself out of the pit of despair; its about allowing others to help you when you can’t help yourself; its about learning to accept love. What better message is there than that?

Candace is strong enough to break. As we watch her try to pick up the fractured pieces of herself, I found myself wanting to comfort her just as much as Jase & Mark & Ryan. Speaking of Jase…his loyalty is unwavering & absolute. We should all have a friend so fucking awesome. and Ryan. OH MY GOD RYAN. I really can’t talk about this without giving spoilers, but know that when Ryan falls in love, he does it with his whole self. Also, Note: I love his mother immensely. Fuck, I wish my mother was as awesome as Donna.

After finishing Fading (and after picking up the pieces of my heart that had been scattered around the room) I was at a loss for words. Days later, I am still so unbelievably affected by this book. Fading shook me at the depth of my core. There will be Before I read Fading and After. My heart shook and shattered and burst. I cried. I fucking cried. Only Colleen Hoover makes me cry. Well done, E.K.

fadingimage

In Freeing, we learn about Jase’s story….and of course it’s fantastic. HOW COULD IT BE ANYTHING ELSE? Like many other readers, this was my first foray into a male/male love story. In case you were wondering, it made zero difference. What some may call as a risk for E.K., I say is perfection. My body shuddered & then warmed as Jase finally began to accept himself and fell in love with Mark. You get some pieces filled in that you were missing in Fading by viewing it from Jase’s perspective & you really find out just how much Candace is loved. By the way, Jase & Mark are the best. I’d like cookouts and snugglefests with them immediately. kthx.

and then there was Falling. Oh.My.God. Ryan’s story. RyanRyanRyanRyan. I knew he was a bit of a manslut, but I have to admit I was a little surprised at the extent. But it’s ok, because again we see Candace’s story in a new light. The shadows become a little lighter and the pixels a little clearer. You cannot read Fading without reading Falling. YOU CANNOT. I thought my heart was full at the end of Fading but I was so fucking wrong. The end of Falling (& the extra Finding Forever that’s part of the bundle) filled my soul. These pieces are so unbelievably necessary to this story and I loved every bit of this series.

In case you missed it, I fucking love these books. E.K. Blair goes right on my list of favorite authors – a place well earned. There are not enough stars to give.

Review: Fever by Jamie K. Schmidt

Fever

Author:   Jamie K. Schmidt

Book: Fever (Club Inferno #3) – Released March 17, 2015!

Series: Club Inferno

Other Books in Series:
Heat
Longing

tl;dr recommendation: Three stars for lots of sex!!

Book Summary:

Deep in the shadows of her exclusive fashion resort, Couture, Colleen Bryant presides over a much more intimate world: Club Inferno. The successful businesswoman and sex instructor has built an empire that caters to the BDSM elite, but now she finds herself longing for something a bit more ordinary: a man to love. She’s not sure how to find someone who will accept what she does for a living—or the kinks that drive her wild—until her old flame, ex-pro football player Chase Fairwood, comes back in her life.

There’s no woman as hot, sexy, or exciting as Colleen—and Chase knows it. He also knows he’s man enough to play her games, and to give as good as he gets. His return to Club Inferno reignites Colleen’s scorching demands, along with a new determination to test his resolve. Soon he’s competing against a rival Dom to brand Colleen as his own. But Chase has a secret weapon: the burning desire to offer his body—and his heart—in sweet surrender.

Longer Review:

Colleen owns a BDSM sex club/fashion club that is part fashion, part sex instruction, part BDSM craziness. If you’re into books that are basically All About Sex, then you absolutely MUST pick this one up. There is nakedness at almost every single turn, which really isn’t a bad thing on the whole of it. Chase is a former football star – and former lover of Colleen’s – and their familiarity is enticing and hot. The story between Chase and Colleen was sweet but for me it wasn’t entirely believable.

Colleen is a dominatrix and she’s searching for a submissive. Chase is obviously not part of the scene and has no idea what he’s getting into. I felt like Chase was taking her however he could get her, compromising everything he likes in exchange for her likes; whereas Colleen wasn’t compromising much at all. There’s whipping & spanking & TALK OF KNIVE PLAY (nothankyou. That’s a hard limit for me)….and there’s also some semi-public hot scenes that will make you heat right up….

I rated this book with three stars because while the story is an ok read and the sex is mostly hot, I need a bit more substance to really pull me in.

But if that’s your style & you want a pretty quick read with lots of action – read on!

(I received an ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

RELEASE DAY & Review: The Billionaire Bargain

Title: The Billionaire Bargain Part 1
Series: The Billionaire Bargain #1
Author: Lila Monroe
 Release Date: January 22, 2015
Synopsis

Sexy Australian billionaire Grant Devlin is ruining my life. He exercises shirtless in his office, is notorious for his lunchtime nooners, he even yawns sexily. If I didn’t need this job so bad, I’d take his black Amex and tell him where to swipe it.

He doesn’t even know I exist, but why would he? He jets off to Paris with supermodels, I spend Friday nights with Netflix and a chunk of Pepperidge Farm frozen cake—waiting for his call. Because every time he crashes his yacht, or blows $500k on a single roulette spin in Monte Carlo, I’m the PR girl who has to clean up his mess.

But this time, it’s going to take more than just a fat charity donation. This time, the whole company is on the line. He needs to show investors that he’s settling down, and Step #1 is pretending to date a nice, stable girl until people forget about what happened with the Playboy Bunnies backstage at the Oscars.

My plan is perfect, except for one thing:

He picks me.

Links to Buy
Review

tl;dr recommendation: A fun, fast read that I really enjoyed!!

Longer Review:

I received an ARC of this book technically before I agreed to review it. But then I read it, and now i’m reviewing it. Either way, I’d truthfully tell you what I thought, but I’m just being honest. ok? ok.

Lacey is an overworked admin assistant who has worked her intelligent ass off to get such a lowly job at Grant’s company. Her supervisor is a bitch on wheels and Grant is the poster child for the Spoiled and Ungrateful Assholes CEOs of America. He crashes boats, frolics around with women and throws money around in a way that Lacey finds gauche and unnecessary. While Lacey’s been working for his company for a year, she’s pretty sure he has never actually seen her until his stock prices start slipping after his latest escapade and Lacey can’t keep her damn mouth shut.

Lila Monroe’s first step into erotica is more like a giant leap. The Billionaire Bargain is the first novella in a serial story a la how Roxy Sloane rolls (who I LOVE, btw). I really like these short & sexy novellas. I can read them quickly after work, feel super accomplished when I finish it, and they never fail to put a smile on my face. Ah, LADIES (& men): there is a definite cliffhanger at the end of this baby, so before you start throwing things, just know that going in.

I really liked this book. A Lot. Like a lot a lot. Lacey is one awesome chick and I love her. I fell in love with her in the first few pages of the book and then fell harder when she said Exactly What Was On Her Mind. I read a review that thought she was petulant and immature, but I didn’t get that at all. Trust me, Lacey is not immature. You want petulant? Go visit Kiera in the Thoughtless series.To me, Lacey gave zero fucks and I adore her for that. I loved that she wasn’t intimated by Grant’s wealth, status or attempts to impress her.  Yes, Lacey gets a little worked up when she’s around Grant, but at least she says most of what she’s thinking. WHICH IS SO REFRESHING.

Grant’s pretty hot himself and I liked that we started to see a different side to him as the book goes on. I’m not swooning irrationally however, because the cliffhanger sort of puts him on my shit list. I am reserving judgment on Grant until the remaining parts of this serial are released. Which I will obviously be reading. because I am obviously hooked.

 
Billionaires’ Party
Come and celebrate the release of
The Billionaire Bargain: Part 2
JANUARY 29
from 7pm PST
Special guests include:
Clare
Contreras, Ella James,
Monica Murphy, Laurelin Paige,Roxy Sloane, Melanie Marchande

Emily Snow and Lila Monroe

Author Bio
Combining her love of writing, sex and well-fitted suits, Lila Monroe
wrote The Billionaire Bargain. Lila enjoys
writing, as it gives her a flexible schedule to spend time with her kids and a
wonderful excuse to avoid them. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, who
strips out of his well-fitted suits nightly.
Author Links
Giveaway

BLOG TOUR & Review: Find Me In Darkness

findme-darknessAbout FIND ME IN DARKNESS

A doomed woman. A dangerous and mysterious man. And an epic passion that cannot be denied…

From the first moment I saw Malcolm, I felt his power shudder through me. Lithe and powerful, dark and controlling, he cast a spell over me that I didn’t understand, but to which I willingly surrendered.

One touch and I melted. One glance into his storm-swept eyes and I was lost. One kiss, and I was bound.

But sometimes passion can burn too hot, and it would take all of our strength for Mal and I to survive the fire that raged between us…

Read the first chapter here – http://bit.ly/FindMeInDarknessCh1

Find Me In Darkness – Part 1
Amazon http://bit.ly/FindMeInDarkness

Find Me In Pleasure – Part 2 – TODAY!!!
Amazon http://bit.ly/FindMeInPleasure

Find Me in Passion – Part 3 – Jan 27th
Amazon http://bit.ly/FinhttpdMeInPassion

***

& don’t miss the other two books related to this series!!!! (these are standalones, not part of this trilogy):
Caress of Darkness
Caress of Pleasure – released April 28, 2015

tl;dr recommendation: Paranormal romance has never been so gripping & mind blowingly hot!

Longer Review:

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn’t gotten into paranormal erotica before this novella, not because I didn’t think I’d like it but because I just hadn’t found a story to pique my interest. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN to just go straight to Julie Kenner!!! *kicks self* She’s a fantastic writer and I love everything she’s ever written – and she doesn’t disappoint here!

Find Me In Darkness is the first of a trilogy, which is part of the Dark Pleasures series. I won’t try to recreate the world that Julie introduces you to (because I won’t be able to do it justice. I just won’t), but the basic gist is that Malcolm is one of the leaders of the Brotherhood, a group of immortals who were thrust into the human world a few millenia ago. Christina was once Malcolm’s mate, but was ripped from his side when some crazy shit went down. He’s been pining for her ever since, but can’t actually be with her because 1) she’s human(ish); and 2) she’s doomed. Like, if shit went down everyonewouldbeindangerandtheworldwouldend doomed.

This novella transports you to a new world where immortality is possible and seeing people with flames for heads is no big thing. And well, let’s be honest, the chemistry between Malcolm and Christina is off the charts. I am dying to know whether he can save her – save THEM – and fix that little issue that causes that whole doom thing I talked about before. I fell easily into the banter between the characters and started cheering for Christina to just figure everything out and fall in love with Malcolm before even I knew what the hell was going on. These characters are likeable, strangely believable and undeniably sexy! If you’ve been looking for a paranormal romance to start, this is the one!

RELEASE DAY: Find Me In Pleasure by Julie Kenner

findmeinpleasure-release
Craving more Malcom? Me too! You can continue Mal and Christina’s story with FIND ME IN PLEASURE by Julie Kenner, available now!


findme-pleasureAbout FIND ME IN PLEASURE

From New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling author J. Kenner writing as Julie Kenner….

After what seems like an eternity, I am finally back in Malcolm’s arms. My lover. My mate.

Our passion is wild. Violent and all-consuming. A heat that binds us through touch and time.

But passion has a price, and our enemies search for us. For me.

Because there is a power inside me that I do not understand. A fire that burns as wild as the pleasure I find in Mal’s arms.

And the evil that chases us will stop at nothing to reclaim that power…

Read the first chapter of FIND ME IN DARKNESS here – http://bit.ly/FindMeInDarknessCh1

Find Me In Darkness – Part 1
Amazon http://bit.ly/FindMeInDarkness

Find Me In Pleasure – Part 2 – TODAY!!
Amazon http://bit.ly/FindMeInPleasure

Find Me in Passion – Part 3 – Jan 27th
Amazon http://bit.ly/FinhttpdMeInPassion

***

And be sure not to miss the first novella in this exciting and sexy series by Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner), Caress of Darkness, a 1001 Dark Nights novella.

***NOTE TO READERS*** Each of the 1001 Dark Nights novellas stands alone. (Caress of Darkness and the 2015 release, Caress of Pleasure.) The Find Me books are a true trilogy spanning Mal and Christina’s romance and are meant to be read in order.

Amazon

10930204_793354640737499_2469157258185884035_o

About Julie Kenner

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

RELEASE DAY & REVIEW: Slash & Burn by Jade C. Jamison

Slash and Burn (Bullet 5)
Jade C. Jamison
Is theirs a match made in heaven…or hell?

Nick Channing, drummer for Fully Automatic, has never taken sex seriously. He’s had fun and met dozens of women—mostly one-night stands—and he prefers it that way. From his parents to his friends, he’s witnessed love and relationships firsthand and believes women are nothing but a headache.

Nick, Brad, and Val team up again to launch her new band Val Hella. There’s one problem, though: they still need a bassist. They audition dozens of women, trying to find the perfect one and settle on Sabrina, known onstage simply as Sinna, a bad ass metal head who’s perfect for the band: pierced, tattooed, dressed in black from head to toe, and she handles her bass with precision. She is a force to be reckoned with and Nick is smitten.

When Nick gets her alone the first time to lay on the charm, he’s met with a coolness he’s never experienced. Sabrina is mysterious and thoroughly unimpressed with Nick and his behavior, and that’s when he decides he has to have her. As he falls headlong for her, he discovers her secrets, one dark shadow at a time. He thinks she loves him back, but he can’t be sure. By the time he’s completely down the rabbit hole, his heart’s so entangled, he fears he might not be able to save himself. Can she save him or will she wreck him for all time.
REVIEW:
Nick is actually a pretty decent guy. Minus the fact that he’s all about being a player – or at least was until he meets Brina. She rocks his world in more ways than one & makes him question what he’s always thought he’s known. But Brina has other plans. She’s one bad ass, bossy bitch. This book isn’t about the dominant man – it’s definitely about the dominant WOMAN. If you’re into threesomes & serious rocker action then you definitely want to pick this one up. It’s not entirely my thing, but I can absolutely appreciate it. Some of those scenes were SERIOUSLY HOT! The story is different and ends in a way that you may not be expecting, which was so refreshing; however, I personally didn’t fall in love with the writing style and I felt like I needed some pieces filled in the storyline. Check out the excerpt below to see for yourself!
 
Pre-order Links
EXCERPT
“What tricks you got, babycakes?”
Brina’s voice was low, almost derisive.  “I don’t need tricks.  My playing speaks for itself.”
He couldn’t let that one go.  “Yeah, and how many personal fans do you have, Sinna?”
She sneered—actually sneered—and, for some strange reason, Nick felt a twitch in his cock at the sight.  He stopped himself from bursting into laughter, because that would have made her angrier.  While he didn’t mind her angry, he hoped to be able to enjoy a real conversation.  She took two steps closer to him and said, “I don’t count how many personal fans I have, if I even have any.  It’s not about me, Nick, any more than it’s about you.”  Her voice wrapped around his name like honey, but it oozed disgust.  He still wasn’t sure if he found it hot or not.  She continued, not giving him a chance to evaluate his emotions.  “It’s about us as a group, as a band, and until we gel, there will be division, and if we’re not cohesive, what the hell kind of music are we gonna make?”
“I see your point, but I have a counterpoint.  If you are all about the band and don’t give a shit about yourself, then where’s your pride?  Your personal responsibility?”  He stood up.  He’d been joking before, but now he was dead serious.  Some small part of himself felt like she might be questioning his integrity, and that pissed him off.  “When you fuck up onstage—and you will—will you blame all of us?  We’re a band, after all.”  He couldn’t help the tone in his voice.  There would be no way for her to mistake how irritated he was becoming.  It had been cute before, but now she was pushing some button that set him off.  He wasn’t sure if he was angrier with her for pissing him off or himself for getting mad at her in the first place.
She rolled her eyes.  “Oh, come on, Nick.  You know that’s not what I meant.”  She got closer to him.
He closed the gap, so close that their noses almost touched.  “How the fuck should I know that?”  His eyes searched hers, trying to decide if she was wanting to start a war.  But then, as he continued looking back and forth between those blue orbs, he saw them soften ever so slightly.  He let his jaw relax a little then, but he still couldn’t quite read her.
Her words, however, were still acerbic.  “Because you’re a smart fucking guy.”  She cocked an eyebrow again.  He couldn’t decide if he fucking loved the way she did that or if it was just another irritant.  “Or so I thought.”
Nick tried once more to assess her and fell short.  He could feel some kind of weird electricity sparking between them.  At first, he’d thought it was the anger, but then he realized that maybe there was something more.  He moved his head a few centimeters closer and she didn’t budge.  His voice was barely a whisper when he said, “I am a smart fucking guy.  I’m so goddamned smart that I figured out what this is all about.”
She furrowed her previously cocked brow, but he barely saw it as he brought his mouth down on hers.  He knew that had to be the issue at hand—the sexual attraction between them both was interfering with their ability to communicate.  It was making them angry, accusatory, and they weren’t acting like bandmates or even acquaintances.  They were spitting at each other like they were mortal enemies.  That might have been okay, but Nick definitely had other ideas about which way their relationship was heading.
He heard her mumble, “What the—?”  Then he expected her to fight, based on her initial stance, but she let go and gave in, kissing him back.
It was an incredible explosion in his head, the sparks he felt because of the way their tongues danced together and the warmth of her body close to his.  Feeling more in control then, he slid his hands around her waist and pulled her close…
 
Join The Party!!
Author Bio
For years, Jade C. Jamison tried really hard to write what she thought was more “literary” fiction, but she found herself compelled to write what you read by her today—sometimes gritty, raw, realistic stories and other times humorous, light tales—but most of the stories she writes revolve around relationships and characters finding their way through life.  While she doesn’t confine herself to just one genre, nor is there a nice neat label for what she writes, most of her work could be called erotic romance.
She lives in Colorado with her husband and four children.
 
Links
 

Review: The Phoenix Candidate

Phoenix Candidate

Author:   Heidi Joy Tretheway

Book: The Phoenix Candidate

Series: Grace Colton

Other Books in Series:
The Phoenix Campaign – released April 2015

tl;dr recommendation: This book has my vote!

Book Summary:

U.S. Congresswoman Grace Colton is the most famous woman in politics—and the loneliest—until a drawling, sexy stranger offers her one night: no strings and no regrets. And it rocks her world.

Grace wakes to an empty hotel room and a phone call. The dark horse for the 2016 presidential election, Senator Shep Conover, is considering her as his vice presidential running mate.

Before she can be selected, Grace must be vetted and coached by Shep’s political consultant, Jared Rankin, who already knows too many intimate details about her. He’s Mr. One-Night Stand.

Grace is torn: play nice with Jared to join the senator’s ticket, or play hardball and back the slick frontrunner? As the Democratic National Convention approaches, Grace must decide where her loyalties lie and if she can trust Jared with her future—and her heart.

Longer Review:

I don’t know if it’s because I went to a Very Political University and have had a lot of exposure to campaigns, but from the first chapter I was hooked. Sexy, intelligent & oh so hot, Heidi sure knows how to grab a girl off her seat from the very beginning & I loved it! At 39 ,Grace Colton is a little bit older than your average erotica main character, but 1) she needs to be….she’s running for Veep for fucks sake; and 2) with age comes wisdom, sass, and feistiness and Grace has them all!

Grace is a very strong female lead who will not be pushed around – even by Jared (unless, of course, she wants him to push her around…) – and I loved that about her. I was so proud of her when she stood up for what she believes in no matter what the consequences. Jared, on the other hand, is a bit of an engima…is he into Grace? Does he have women in every city he visits? What’s going on with him?! Why won’t he let himself get close to Grace? Keep calm….you find out & you’ll be satisfied at the end of this book. Promise.

Did I mention that this book is fucking hot? WELL, IT IS. I love it when Grace let’s go & stops thinking. I love it when Jared takes control. The sex scenes are utter perfection. Give. Me. More.

I was a little concerned about whether or not I would enjoy a political erotica book. NO NEED TO WORRY. Politics aren’t shoved down your throat & the political views are the characters’ alone, just like if you were watching The West Wing. It’s a story, not a campaign speech.

Also, MAJOR POINTS to Heidi for creating such an awesome villain. I think Lauren’s my new favorite bitch. Super fake, yet sharply intelligent and manipulative. These types of people really are the most dangerous & Lauren was crafted so perfectly!

I so enjoyed this one – really looking forward to The Phoenix Campaign!!

(I received a Netgalley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

Review: The List

Author:   Anne Calhoun

Book: The List – coming soon on 3/3/15!

Series: Irresistible

tl;dr recommendation: I know people will love this book, but it’s just not for me.

Book Summary:

Matchmaker and stationer Matilda Davies is in the business of connecting people. For those on her list, Tilda will find the man or woman of their dreams—whether it’s for an hour or a lifetime. Haunted by a traumatic past, the British ex-pat is driven to create lasting connections, but she’s never put her name on her list. Instead, she limits herself to emotionless hookups. Then she meets Daniel, who wants not just her body, but also her heart…

Daniel Logan hides the soul of a poet under the suit and tie of an FBI Agent. He specializes in financial crimes, piecing together stories of greed and devastation, then ensures justice is done. He plays by the rules—until he meets Tilda. The combination of passion and mystery draws Daniel deep into the dark, desperate past of the woman he fiercely loves.  Daniel knows that no matter her secrets, he’s the perfect match for Tilda, but even pleasure doesn’t come with a guarantee…

Longer Review:

I’m having a difficult time finding the right words to review this book. I’m not sure if I liked it, hated it, or am indifferent. I think I’m leaning towards the latter. Let’s go through my incredibly intelligent and complex analytical process (*coughs*) – I’m pulling from my sorority days here – known as PRO/CON/PRO:

Pro: Daniel. All things Daniel. He really saves this book for me. Really and completely. He’s an FBI Agent, dedicated to his job, dedicated to Tilda, dedicated to living. He’s attractive and direct and funny and possessive. He’s also incredibly talented with his hands and his mouth. This clearly helps skyrocket him into pro-category. More than that though, he’s in love with Tilda and ready to fight for this. Whatever this is.

Con: Tilda. I think I found my problem. I didn’t connect with her at all. The mask that she carried wasn’t for a good enough reason for me. Maybe it was? I just expected something more or different. I wasn’t super shocked and awed when she revealed her secret. Instead I was like “REALLY? That’s it? That’s why you’re a cold, frigid bitch most of the time?” And she was. I don’t hate her. I don’t love her. I, like Daniel’s sister, couldn’t figure out what Daniel saw in her for most of the book.

Pro: The ending. I really liked the ending before the last chapter. It’s a HEA, which was very necessary for me at the end of this book and it softened my feelings towards Tilda immensely. I was just really sad that it felt like forever to get there for me. Oops. We’re on pro. *stick with pro things, heather* (Note: the actual last chapter goes back to the beginning, thus, not really the ending, but sort of the ending, See Con below; however, I really liked that part too).

Pro: Tilda’s final chat with her mom. That was so necessary and I loved it. I could feel Tilda’s wall start to crumble and I finally felt something other than pissed at her.

Con: The time jumping. This was another major problem for me. We start out in present time, then after we get shocking news that makes me hate Tilda, we jump back to the beginning of their relationship until it walks us back up to present day. This could be why I didn’t connect with Tilda. Maybe I wouldn’t let myself because I was already super pissed at her? Perhaps. I felt like I was trying to race through the back story to get to the part that I cared about – like, WHAT HAPPENS NOW. I don’t think I do well with these type of time jumping story lines. So, this one may be on me.

Pro: In true former sorority girl form, we need to end on a pro. Thus, the sex scenes are a DEFINITE PRO. They are fantastically written and mmm….the heat and fire between Daniel and Tilda was never the issue for me – or for them. It’s hot and oh so good. Not lacking here at all.

Alright, I feel better now. As far as stars go, I think it’s a solid three from me. I can see how people can and will love this book, but it just wasn’t for me and that’s ok. Go read on release day and then tell me why I’m wrong!

*I received an ARC copy of this book from the Author via a Twitter contest of sorts. The above thoughts are my own*

Review: Wanted

Wanted

Author:   J. Kenner

Book: Wanted

Series: Most Wanted

Other Books in Series:
Heated
Ignited

Heated Ignited

tl;dr recommendation: The titles of these books don’t lie. SO FREAKING HOT.

Book Summary:

He is everything I crave, all I desperately want—and he is everything I can’t have.

Evan Black embodies my every fantasy. He is brilliant, fierce, and devastatingly handsome. But he is also headstrong, dangerous, and burdened with secrets.

My family warned me to stay away, that I could never handle Evan’s dark dealings or scarred past. Maybe I should have listened. Maybe I should have run. But our desire is undeniable, and some temptations you just can’t fight.

And from the moment we touch—the passion between us consuming us both—I know that I will never be the same.

Longer Review:

Now this is a fun and steamy read! Evan heats up the pages and makes you soar 😉 Angie has a little sass in her step and both feet firmly planted on the ground – except for when they’re linked around Evan’s back. As Angie (who also goes by Lina – there’s a method to the madness, I promise) tries to figure out if she can give less fucks and be true to herself, Evan pushes her away to protect her from himself…and everything that surrounds him. Yet how can he deny her when they’re bound to each other by both the past and the present?

I loved that Angie wouldn’t take no for an answer and that she refused to be intimidated when Evan tried to push her away. This girl knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid to take it. Her feelings of guilt & sacrifice surrounding her sister are totally legitimate and give this book more substance than I initially expected. I loved reading the scenes where she’s seeking a thrill – because don’t we all just feel like jumping out of our skin sometimes?! This book has real emotions & some really hot sex. YUM. If you’re looking for something to tune out the world & enjoy, then pick this baby up.

This book is a crazy fun ride – I definitely enjoyed this story! J. Kenner knows how to make a girl feel Wanted.

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