Five Loves

Easy For Keeps by Kristen Proby…ARC Review

Synopsis:

Adam Spencer loves women. All women. Every shape and size, regardless of hair or eye color, religion or race, he simply enjoys them all. Meeting more than his fair share as the manager and head bartender of The Odyssey, a hot spot in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Adam’s comfortable with his lifestyle, and sees no reason to change it. A wife and kids, plus the white picket fence are not in the cards for this confirmed bachelor. Until a beautiful woman, and her sweet princess, literally knock him on his ass.

Sarah Cox has just moved to New Orleans, having accepted a position as a social worker specializing in at-risk women and children. It’s a demanding, sometimes dangerous job, but Sarah is no shy wallflower. She can handle just about anything that comes at her, even the attentions of one sexy Adam Spencer. Just because he’s charmed her daughter, making her think of magical kingdoms with happily ever after, doesn’t mean that Sarah believes in fairy tales. But the more time she spends with the enchanting man, the more he begins to sway her into believing in forever.

Even so, when Sarah’s job becomes more dangerous than any of them bargained for, will she be ripped from Adam’s life forever?

My Review:

Easy For Keeps is part of author Kristen Proby’s Boudreaux series as well as the ninth release in the 2016 1,001 Dark Nights line-up. I always look forward to another release from this author and oh, how I just adored this novella! I couldn’t put it down and loved every minute of this super sexy and sweet story!

The thing I love about Ms. Proby’s writing is that it is such a smooth and enjoyable read. Every. Darn. Time. You can sit down with a Kristen Proby book and become immersed immediately, losing track of time and just enjoy the story. Easy For Keeps was exactly that kind of story. I loved Adam and loved his healthy appetite of women. He wasn’t a cocky womanizer though. He’s a good guy with a big heart and a loyalty I loved. When he met Sarah, I loved his response to her. I think I said something like “oh, Adam, you have met your match!” when I read their meeting in the grocery store! She is no-nonsense and is such an amazing and strong woman and mother. I thought it was such a great surprise that Adam fell for a single mother. It’s not often single moms are highlighted and I really appreciated Ms. Proby writing such a kick ass mom character. I can imagine it must be hard to write a woman and be able to show both sides to being a mother…sure Sarah has to deal with all the things parenting brings but at the end of the day, she’s a woman and still wants to feel sexy and loved by a man. Ms. Proby nailed those two sides of Sarah and I freaking loved it. Together these two are seriously BEYOND smoking hot! This may be one of my favorite couples of Ms. Proby’s thus far!

Another aspect of this book I loved was the bit of action and suspense that was added in when it came to Sarah’s career and the dangers she faces. It was done really well and I was gripping my e-reader with white knuckles, waiting to see what happened. Talk about a pulse-pounding few pages! It really added a great layer to an emotional and sexy story.

Whether you’re a long time Kristen Proby reader or this is the first of her work you pick up, I know you will love Adam and Sarah as much as I did!

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Too Hot to Handle by Tessa Bailey…ARC Review

Too Hot to Handle releases tomorrow, 5/17!

Synopsis:

When rescue looks like a whole lot of trouble . . .

The road trip was definitely a bad idea. Having already flambéed her culinary career beyond recognition, Rita Clarkson is now stranded in God-Knows-Where, New Mexico, with a busted-ass car and her three temperamental siblings, who she hasn’t seen in years. When rescue shows up—six-feet-plus of hot, charming sex on a motorcycle—Rita’s pretty certain she’s gone from the frying pan right into the fire . . .

Jasper Ellis has a bad boy reputation in this town, and he loathes it. The moment he sees Rita, though, Jasper knows he’s about to be sorely tempted. There’s something real between them. Something raw. And Jasper has only a few days to show Rita that he isn’t just for tonight—he’s forever.

My Review:

Too Hot to Handle is the first book in a new series by one of my fave authors of all time: Tessa Bailey. You know, I always get a little nervous excitement when an author I love starts a new series. I mean, what if the dynamic between the characters that I’ve grown to love over other series isn’t the same or what if the chemistry between the hero and heroine isn’t as hot an all-consuming? I now know that I should never worry about that when it come to Tessa Bailey. This book was freaking amazing and kicks off a series I am already dying for more of.

Since you can get a synopsis of what this book is all about above, I’ll dive right into what I loved about this story…

First off, I’m the oldest of four and I certainly know my fair share of sibling dysfunction, and we are all considered close by sibling standards. But sometimes time and life and feelings get in the way and you end up not really knowing the people you shared life and a home with for too many years to count. On that level alone I connected deeply with this story. But going beyond that, I loved the two main characters in this book: Rita and Jasper. Two strangers almost destined to meet. Each running away from their pasts and looking for a new start, but not really knowing how to get one, or even if they deserve it. They are both at a crossroads: Jasper looking to shed his reputation as a ladies man and aiming to be a serious business owner and Rita looking to just find direction in her life, whether it be in the kitchen doing what she’s trained to do or finding something entirely different. Both of them just want to be happy and content and at peace for once. Comfortable in their own skin, if you will. Fate really knew what she was doing when she put these two on a collision course and I couldn’t have loved their story any more if I tried. From start to finish their relationship is a journey of self discovery and learning how amazing the connection they’ve found is. Oh, there are stumbles along the way, but it just reinforced how amazing they are together. When one of them stumbles, the other person is there to pick them up, wipe off the dirt, and start again. Truly, they are an amazing couple.

Now, onto the rest of the Clarkson crew. I can’t get enough! They’re all different colors making up the same rainbow and each painted with their own shade of screwed up and I am in love with each one of them. As I said earlier, this is a series I am DYING for more of!

I also have to give mention of how amazing Miriam, the Clarkson sibling’s mother, is. She may not be with them in the physical sense any longer, but her journal and the thoughts she shares with all of them had me sobbing like a complete loon and I loved it. The legacy and gift she is leaving with them is incredible (and yes, I’m crying again just thinking about it).

Just when I think I know Tessa’s writing style like the back of my hand she goes and switches things up a bit and it makes me appreciate her stellar writing skill that much more. Make no mistake, her signature heat and dirty talk is still there but there’s a different feel to this book that I just loved. It’s like with each new series she dreams up, there’s an individual feel and I am blown away anew.

Thank you, Tessa, for this amazing kick-off to another must read series of mine!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the author:

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Visit her website for more info

Big Easy Temptation by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Big Easy Temptation

Perfect Gentlemen Book 3

By Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

Coming May 3, 2016

Print ISBN 978-0425275344

Synopsis:

The New York Times bestselling authors of the Masters of Ménage series present the third scintillating novel featuring the privileged, wealthy, wild men of Creighton Academy—the Perfect Gentlemen.

Years ago, Naval officer Dax Spencer and NCIS agent Holland Kirk indulged in a steamy affair—until she betrayed him in the wake of his father’s death. Dax tried to put her behind him with a payback of his own. But he never forgot Holland…

Now, as Dax and his fellow Perfect Gentlemen unravel a web of lies, he discovers his family’s tragedy is part of a much larger conspiracy. Soon, all clues point him back to New Orleans…where Holland waits, protecting her deadly secret and holding a torch for the only man she’s ever loved.

Once reunited, they can’t fight the passion flaring hot and wild. But something sinister lurks around every corner, from the elegance of the Garden district to the beauty of the bayou. Dax and Holland may find their way back to each other—if they survive…

My Review:

Big Easy Temptation is the third book in the Perfect Gentlemen Series by the amazing writing duo of Shayla Black and Lexi Blake. This series has captivated me from the very beginning, not only because it has one hell of a plot that keeps getting thicker and thicker with each book but also because this group of characters is phenomenal.

This story starts out a few years earlier than the present and follows Dax and Holland as they go from long-time friends to lovers. They end up coming back together after a few years apart to help clear Dax’s father’s name in a horrible sex scandal and prove not only that he was innocent, but that he didn’t take his own life as everyone had believed. They were really making headway with the investigation and things were about to turn serious with their relationship. So serious that they were headed for the next step and possibly hearing wedding bells when everything goes wrong…thanks to a certain group of Russians. Needless to say things ended pretty badly between Dax and Holland and both had been suffering since. Fast forward to today. Three years had passed and while some things had changed, some had stayed very much the same. Close friends had been killed, Dax’s father’s name had never been cleared, and Holland and Dax were both still in love with each other. It’s because of those first two reasons they were facing each other again today. Dax had new info and was more certain than ever there was a conspiracy brewing and his father’s death had only been the beginning. Can they work together to get one step closer to taking down the Russians? Can they find love again? More importantly, will they survive to do either?

Let me first start by saying: if you haven’t read the first two in the series, you really need to. So much has happened that leads to this point and you won’t want to miss one second.

This series. This SERIES! Man, I just can’t get enough! This series, to me, reads like a movie with each book focusing on a different couple, but all following one storyline. It’s like I can picture all of this going on at the same time and going between the couples in scenes in my head. I’m not sure if that even makes any sense but I just can’t even explain how awesome it all is. In this installment we really get to read more of the characters background and how they were before Mad’s death and all hell started breaking loose. I loved getting to know more of who Mad was. I loved seeing the bond all TPG had with each other. Their dynamic is such an amazing one. It makes me even more sad that Mad is gone now (btw I’m still holding out hope he’s still alive and in hiding somewhere!). More pieces of the puzzle are starting to come into place with this latest installment and things are getting really interesting. With more being revealed, like relationships between a few of their parents, I was kept on the edge of my seat right up until the very end. In fact, I’m still on the edge of my seat because things still aren’t fully resolved…which I love. This story shows duplicity at it’s best! I seriously don’t want this series to end!

I was so happy to see more of Lara, Connor, and Freddie, too. They are all such a great group and Lara and Connor may be my fave couple still. I love those two together! Freddie is also amazing and his quirkiness is just the best. I also have to say there were more than a few funny moments that Ms. Black and Ms. Blake deliver through this book that had me laughing when I didn’t think possible. (Mad getting caught up in the curtains and Dax’s mom with the shotgun were two I can still laugh about while I type this!).

Overall, this is a series I recommend with the highest of recommendations! I cannot get enough of this group and the tangled web they are trying to get unweave in search of the truth. I’m a nervous wreck for all of them and will be anxiously waiting for the next installment. Thank you, Ms. Black and Ms. Blake for another kick ass read!

Five Loves

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Excerpt

“I’m going to kiss you now and I won’t stop unless you tell me to.”

“I won’t say a word,” she breathed.

He lifted his free hand to her hair, sliding out the elastic band holding the low ponytail she typically wore. He gripped the strands. “Soft as silk. Just like you.”

“I’m not soft, Dax.” She didn’t want him to think she was like the other women he’d been with. They likely had been sweet, feminine creatures. Holland couldn’t afford to be.

“Yes, you are. You can be strong and soft and silky all at the same time. That’s who you are and one of the reasons I find you interesting. I want to know every single facet of Holland Kirk. I want to be the man you explore with, experiment with, be true with.”

She had the feeling he wasn’t merely talking about sex. This was why she’d always hesitated. Dax wanted all of her, even the parts of herself she’d shut down and hidden and told herself didn’t matter. He wouldn’t accept anything less than the whole of her soul.

But if he gave her back the whole of his, wasn’t that worth it? If they were both vulnerable, they could learn to trust.

She leaned in and his lips finally met hers. Slow and steady. He took her mouth like a man indulging in decadence, as though knowing they would share the pleasure of sex made him willing to stretch this moment out to something rich and sinful.

Gently, he fisted a hand in her hair, lighting up her scalp with sensation as he took her lips more fully, clasping her body against his own. She softened, giving in to the demand of his mouth, his hands. And when his tongue slid over her lower lip, demanding entry, she couldn’t stop herself from flowering open for him.

Dax pulled her up and onto his lap. She clasped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer. She could feel his erection pressing against her, thick and hard. So big. She couldn’t help but wriggle a little, trying to get closer to him.

His arms tightened on her. “Stop it, sweetheart, or we’re going to have a problem. I want this to last. After waiting this long, I want to savor tonight.”

But she was already on the edge, dying for him to be on top of her, inside of her. “We should go to my bedroom.”

“We should set some ground rules first,” he growled against her neck. “Holland, I’m crazy about you, but you’re going to let me control sex. I’m not foolish enough to think I could control anything else in our relationship but I need you to let me handle this.”

“Why does anyone have to be in control?” She’d always been in the power position with the men in her bed. Ceding it to Dax both excited and scared her.

“Because, as you pointed out, I have more experience. And I’m wired to take control. We’re not going to go at it like two teenagers. Not this first time. Maybe later, when I know exactly how to touch you to get you hot.” Heat melted his dark eyes like chocolate. “But right now I have to figure out how to handle you, how to steer you the right way.”

“I’m not a boat, Captain.”

“Aren’t you?” He brushed a big hand over one of her breasts, cupping her flesh in his broad palm and making her gasp. “Everything that’s worth doing is worth doing right. Making love to you is definitely worth my best effort. See, this little nipple is begging for attention.” He dragged his thumb across the sensitive bud so slowly she bit her lip to hold in a moan. “Take off your shirt and your bra so I can give it the proper attention.”

His voice had dropped an octave and gone velvety. Holland found herself obeying him. Her fingers shook as she reached for the buttons of her shirt, twisting each and releasing it before moving to the next. She didn’t leave the comfort of his lap, but he sat back like a king watching the show, mentally undressing her with those eyes. There was something a bit forbidden about baring herself while his erection pressed so intimately against her.

Holland unfastened the last button and let her shirt fall away before she unhooked the front clasp of her bra. Her breasts were nothing special. She hit the gym three or four times a week to stay in shape. She considered herself more athletic than sexy, but the way Dax’s breath hitched and he affixed his stare to her bare mounds, as if he’d never seen anything sexier, made her rethink all that.

He dragged his heated palm down the valley between her breasts. “Sweetheart . . . I always knew you would be gorgeous without all those clothes. So beautiful.”

Until him, she hadn’t felt that way. Her body had been a tool to use in service of her job, a way to move about each day. When she’d had sex, she preferred to go to the bedroom, get the deed done, and get to sleep. Her few longer-term boyfriends hadn’t seemed to mind, but she got the feeling Dax would take exception to that routine.

With him, it meant far more to her than a rote activity, too.

He kissed her again, their tongues tangling as he explored her breasts, caressing her nipples, plying them with his touch. Fire licked through her system. She could feel herself getting wet and ready.

“Lean back for me. I’ll hold you and keep you safe.” His words rumbled over the sensitive flesh of her neck as he gently leaned her back, resting her over his arm until she arched and thrust her chest up to him like an offering.

“Yes, these little pearls need affection.” He tongued one, laving and sucking it.

She had to bite her lip to hold in a cry. She’d never thought her nipples were particularly sensitive, but that was because they’d never experienced Dax’s clever mouth.

She heard herself whimper as he sucked one bud deeper between his lips. He didn’t satisfy himself with a little lick, a short few seconds of suckling. Not Captain Dax Spencer. He indulged. He reveled. He caressed her with his tongue, tracing her areola before he sucked the tip back into his mouth and gave her the bare edge of his teeth. A tiny bite of pain flared before he soothed the bud with a soft laving. Her body balled into an ache, her sex throbbed as he shifted his attention to her left breast and gave it the same loving treatment.

“I want to kiss and lick and taste every inch of you, Holland. Do you know how long I’ve waited to be here? Years. Fuck, sweetheart, even before I met you, I dreamed about you. I’ve always known you’re the one woman who could make me feel, make me want forever.” He nuzzled her, the stubble of his hard jaw gently abrading her skin. “Stand up and take off your pants. I don’t want anything to stop me from touching you.”

ABOUT SHAYLA BLACK:

Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels. For over fifteen years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold well over a million copies and been published in a dozen languages.

Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, her heart has always been with her characters. She’s thrilled that she’s been living her dream as a full-time author for the past seven years.

Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her teenage daughter, and a very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Visit Shayla’s website: http://shaylablack.com/

Visit Shayla on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaylaBlackAuthor/?fref=ts

Visit her Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Shayla-Black/e/B001IOFJQM/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1451315186&sr=8-2-ent

ABOUT LEXI BLAKE:

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

Her first novel, Their Virgin Captive: Masters of Ménage, Book 1, was a collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Shayla Black. There are six more books available in the series: Their Virgin’s Secret, Their Virgin Concubine, Their Virgin Princess, Their Virgin Hostage, Their Virgin Secretary, and Their Virgin Mistress.

In addition to the Masters of Ménage series, she is the author of the Masters and Mercenaries series. The first nine novels, The Dom Who Loved Me, The Men with the Golden Cuffs, A Dom is Forever, On Her Master’s Secret Service, Love and Let Die, Dungeon Royale, A View to a Thrill, You Only Love Twice, and Master No are available now, along with the novellas Sanctum, Unconditional, Dungeon Games, Cherished, Luscious, Adored, and Just One Taste. The tenth novel, From Sanctum with Love, is coming February 23, 2016, along with a new novella, Devoted, on April 12, 2016.

In 2013, Lexi also began releasing her urban fantasy series, Thieves. The full series, Steal the Light, Steal the Day, Steal the Moon, Steal the Sun, and Steal the Night, are available now on Amazon. The first two books in a spin-off of the series, Ripper and Addict, were released in 2015. Look for Sleeper, the next book in the spin-off series, to be released in Fall of 2016.

Lexi again collaborated with Shayla Black in a new series The Perfect Gentlemen. The first book, Scandal Never Sleeps, is now available. Book two, Seduction in Session, will release on January 5, 2016, followed by book three, Big Easy Temptation, on May 3, 2016.

For more information about her books, her appearances and her wacky life visit her Facebook page (http://goo.gl/q2IHnJ) or her website (http://www.lexiblake.net) .

Falling Under You by Laurelin Paige…ARC Review

Falling Under You releases tomorrow!

Synopsis:

Norma Anders has always prided herself on her intelligence and determination. She climbed out of poverty, put herself through school and is now a chief financial advisor at Pierce Industries. She’s certainly a woman who won’t be topped. Not in business anyway.

But she’s pretty sure she’d like to be topped in the bedroom.

Unfortunately most men see independence and ambition in a woman and they run. Even her dominant boss, Hudson Pierce has turned down her advances, leaving her to fear that she will never find the lover she’s longing for.

Then the most unlikely candidate steps up. Boyd, her much-too-young and oh-so-hot assistant surprises her one night with bold suggestions and an authoritative demeanor he’s never shown her in the office.

It’s a bad idea…such a deliciously bad idea…but when Boyd takes the reins and leads her to sensual bliss she’s never known, the headstrong Norma can’t help but fall under his command.

My Review:

Falling Under You is part of author Laurelin Paige’s Fixed Trilogy as well as the newest in the 2016 1,001 Dark Nights line-up and let me just say: this book was SO HOT! Not only was it so hot but it was also so beautifully emotional that I was glued to each page from start to finish.

Being in a long-term, respectful, platonic working relationship, Norma knew Boyd pretty well. So she thought. The thing is, how well can you really know someone when they only show you the side fit for cubicles and interoffice memos? But it shouldn’t matter anyway because no matter what Norma thought of Boyd, he was off-limits. Not only because as his superior it would be frowned upon but also because company policy forbade it. But beyond that, Norma thought she had Boyd all figured out. He wasn’t really her type. He’s handsome, a stellar assistant, and a true gentleman…and maybe a little too soft for her. Little did she know, that was only the side he showed her in the workplace. Outside of the office he is still a gentleman, but also a total dominant in the bedroom, and when she sees that side of him? She’s a goner. The situation soon changes from “I could never see myself with Boyd” to “I could never see myself without Boyd”. What will happen when it comes to being able to keep her relationship and her career?

Wow. Just wow. I know Laurelin Paige is a genius when it comes to her couples and their dynamic. I know she weaves so much heart and heat into a story that captivates with each page. I know this, yet every time I pick up another one of her books I am blown away anew. Falling Under You was a prime example of her talent. I loved Norma and Boyd. I loved Norma and her tenacity when it comes to her career. I admire her work ethic and professionalism. She’s a woman who knows what she wants out of life and goes after it. I also loved that she was willing to admit she needed what Boyd wanted to give her and that she was willing to give up control for once in her life. It was so beautiful to see her transition and to see her grow as a person when she lets go for him. Boyd was a perfect match for her both in the boardroom and bedroom. He knows how to handle Norma and has such kindness and patience with her. He’s also damn sexy and when he takes control and it is positively delicious. The intimate scenes in this novella are scorchingly sexy with an underlying layer of emotion that Ms. Paige delivers so damn well.

Whether you’re an established fan of Ms. Paige or this is your introduction to her work, I know you will love Norma and Boyd as much as I did. Thank you, Ms. Paige, for this wonderfully sexy and touching story!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About Laurelin Paige:

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | FALLING UNDER YOU on Goodreads

Mister O by Lauren Blakely…Review

About MISTER O:

From the NYT Bestselling author of BIG ROCK, comes a hot and hilarious new standalone…

Just call me Mister O. Because YOUR pleasure is my super power.

Making a woman feel ‘oh-god-that’s-good’ is the name of the game, and if a man can’t get the job done, he should get the hell out of the bedroom. I’m talking toe-curling, mind-blowing, sheet-grabbing ecstasy. Like I provide every time.

I suppose that makes me a superhero of pleasure, and my mission is to always deliver.

But then I’m thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. The only problem? She’s my best friend’s sister, but she’s far too tempting to resist–especially when I learn that sweet, sexy Harper, has a dirty mind too and wants to put it to good use. What could possibly go wrong as I give the woman I’ve secretly wanted some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction?

No one will know, even if we send a few dirty sexts. Okay, a few hundred. Or if the zipper on her dress gets stuck. Not on that! Or if she gives me those f*&k-me-eyes on the train in front of her whole family.

The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more days I want to spend with her out of bed. And for the first time ever, I’m not only thinking about how to make a woman cry out in pleasure –I’m thinking about how to keep her in my arms for a long time to come.

Looks like the real Adventures of Mister Orgasm have only just begun….

**MISTER O is a standalone romantic comedy and it follows supporting characters first introduced in BIG ROCK**

–

My Review:

Mister O is the newest work from author Lauren Blakely and admittedly the first of her work that I’ve read. Well, I have now gone into full-blown stalker mode and am tweeting all things Mister O like a crazy person and will be shouting my love for this book from all available rooftops. I freaking LOVED this book.

Ok…I will try not to just blabber on and on and I promise I will try to make coherent sentences while writing this review…wish me luck!

I love a good friends to lovers story. I especially love a best-friend’s-little-sister-off-limits friends to lovers story. But even more than that I love a hidden-crush-best-friend’s-little-sister-off-limits friends to lovers story. And that’s exactly what this story was. But I can’t even put this book into a regular hidden-crush-best-friend’s-little-sister-off-limits friends to lovers story category. Why? Because this book was so well written and these two characters were so damn amazing and the sex was so off the charts hot that this book really belongs in a category of its own. I mean it was just SO MANY THINGS! Ok, I’m getting it together here, I swear…

To start, it’s from a female-worshipping-male’s POV, which when done well, I adore. And it’s safe to say, this POV was done brilliantly. Nick Hammer is funny, sexy, quirky, dirty, respectful, and delicious. His inner dialog was incredible. I alternated between laughing and sighing dreamily. He’s a man’s man throughout with a nerdy side that had me swooning. I seriously loved everything about him. And when it comes to his infatuation with Harper, the hidden-crush-best-friend’s-little-sister, she is just as spectacular and a match for Nick in every way. She’s less experienced than Nick when it comes to matters of the opposite sex which leads them onto a “friendly” sexual tutoring mission and holy HELL, it’s starts off insanely hot and heavy and only gets hotter as the lessons progress. I’ll tell you what, I give these two an A+ in both physical and emotional chemistry. Of course, things get way deeper than just the physical level and when feelings start to emerge and life throws a curveball to these two, I was a nervous wreck. But not to worry…Ms. Blakely not only gave a great physical connection to Nick and Harper, but she also gave them common sense and a whole lot of chutzpah so when they were faced with the “what now?” scenario, they did what I know we all wanted them to do. I was crying and laughing and swooning all at the same time when their story reached its end. (and the end’s end…because with two epilogues I was in my book-loving glory!)

So, if you’ve stuck around to this point and have put up with my blathering, bless you, and now I send you off to go pick up your very own copy os Mister O…because if you haven’t guessed, I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Thank you, Ms. Blakely, for Mister O and Princess Awkward!

Five Loves

About the author:

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends.

She lives in California with her family. With nine New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller List more than three dozen times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire. She recently released BIG ROCK, a sexy standalone romantic comedy that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. In the late spring, she’ll release MISTER O, another standalone romantic comedy.

To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, be sure to sign up for her newsletter.

Z by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Z releases tomorrow!

Amazon | Paperback

Synopsis:

Zhubaal, fallen angel assistant to the Grim Reaper, has spent decades searching for the angel he loved and lost nearly a century ago. Not even her death can keep him from trying to find her, not when he knows she’s been given a second chance at life in a new body. But as time passes, he’s losing hope, and he wonders how much longer he can hold to the oath he swore to her so long ago…

As an emim, the wingless offspring of two fallen angels, Vex has always felt like a second-class citizen. But if she manages to secure a deal with the Grim Reaper — by any means necessary — she will have earned her place in the world. The only obstacle in the way of her plan is a sexy hardass called Z, who seems determined to thwart her at every turn. Soon it becomes clear that they have a powerful connection rooted in the past…but can any vow stand the test of time?

My Review:

Z is the newest addition to author Larissa Ione’s Demonica Underworld as well as the latest in the 1,001 Dark Nights 2016 lineup. I am a ridiculously huge fan of Ms. Ione’s writing. I always swoon over a chance to visit with my fave underworlders and I can say that this was another amazing addition!

In Vex’s search for a way to rid herself of her latest batch of evil souls dwelling inside of her, she never expected to find a fallen angel certain she was his long-lost mate…well, holding his long-lost mate to be exact. Inside of her. Yeah, talk about a bit of a hiccup in her plan to meet up with the Grim Reaper himself in her rid-herself-of-the-evil-souls mission. Funny how things work out though because while Vex didn’t really believe she was carrying this fallen angel’s mate, she couldn’t deny this unexplained connection she felt to him. Stranger things have happened when it came to the underworld but could there be some truth to what he was saying? Could they be fated to be together again after all these years apart? If they were, she wouldn’t complain…he was hot, after all.

Here’s the thing with Larissa Ione’s Demonica series: I freaking adore everything about it. She writes complex stories that aren’t hard to follow and aren’t overwhelming. You can pick up one of her books at any point in any of her series and not be lost. To me, that is a talent and a gift. Z was no exception.

There was so much to love about this novella. With Ms. Ione’s signature strong, witty heroines and the heroes capable of meeting them at every turn and loving them for who they are, this story is a total win from start to finish. I loved Vex. Her personality jumped off of the pages and had me admiring her strength and wit. Z is a beautiful match for her. He’s loyal and has a heart bigger than the moon. Their similarities were few but their differences really made their relationship shine. Where Vex is willing to bend the rules, Z is steadfast in sticking to them. Where Vex is unbelieving of her connection to Z, he is unwavering in his faith that she is his lost love. But my favorite thing is when we learn that Z is very inexperienced compared to Vex’s more experienced past when it comes to being intimate…and if that didn’t just make me love him more!

But all of this is yet another gift Ms. Ione gives us…complex, vulnerable, multi-faceted characters that evoke so much feeling while reading you can’t help but experience a wonderful range of emotion.

Whether you’re already a fan of Ms. Ione, or this is the first of her works you pick up, I guarantee you will love this story!

Five Loves

About Larissa Ione:

Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

Website | Facebook |Twitter | 1001 Dark Nights

Stuck-Up Suite by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Graham and Soraya’s highly anticipated romance is finally here in Stuck-Up Suit by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward!

NOW LIVE!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1SHOPEo

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1SXNqw7

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1Sn4DMh

iBooks: http://apple.co/1Qbwy57

B&N: http:// bit.ly/1UC8wDC

Kobo: http:// bit.ly/1RJdUif

Also available on Audible HERE: http://amzn.to/1qeMA4o

Add Stuck-Up Suit to your TBR list on Goodreads!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28477789-untitled

Blurb

It started out like any other morning on the train.

Until I became mesmerized by the guy sitting across the aisle.

He was barking at someone on his phone like he ruled the world.

Who did the stuck-up suit think he was…God?

Actually, he looked like a God. That was about it.

When his stop came, he got up suddenly and left. So suddenly, he dropped his phone on the way out.

I might have picked it up.

I might have gone through all of his photos and called some of the numbers.

I might have held onto the mystery man’s phone for days—until I finally conjured up the courage to return it.

When I traipsed my ass across town to his fancy company, he refused to see me.

So, I left the phone on the empty desk outside the arrogant jerk’s office.

I might have also left behind a dirty picture on it first though.

I didn’t expect him to text back.

I didn’t expect our exchanges to be hot as hell.

I didn’t expect to fall for him—all before we even met.

The two of us couldn’t have been any more different.

Yet, you know what they say about opposites.

When we finally came face to face, we found out opposites sometimes do more than attract—we consumed each other.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn’t prepared for where I’d wind up when the ride was over.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

Excerpt

Outside of the restaurant, Graham’s black car was already curbside. He must have had it waiting and called the driver when I went to the restroom.

“If you’re not going to come home with me, I insist on at least giving you a ride home to your place.”

“The subway is right around the corner. I’m good.”

He shot me an annoyed glance. “Give a little, Soraya. It’s a ride home, not a ride on my cock. And I think you know by now that I’m not a serial killer.”

“You’re so crass.”

He put his hand on the small of my back and steered me to the waiting open car door. I didn’t put up a fight. Graham was right, I was being stubborn while he had pretty much agreed to anything I demanded. Something told me it was a rare occasion when the man was this flexible.

When we arrived at my apartment, Graham walked me to the door.

“When will I see you again?”

“Well, tomorrow is Saturday, so I suppose maybe Monday on the train.”

“Have dinner with me again tomorrow?”

“I have plans.”

His jaw flexed. “With whom?”

We embarked into a lengthy stare off. His gaze was hard. When neither of us gave for a few minutes, he grumbled Christ under his breath, and before I realized what was happening, my back was against the door, and his mouth was on mine.

He kissed me as if he wanted to eat me alive. Before releasing my mouth, he took my lower lip between his teeth and tugged. Hard. With his lips vibrating up against mine, he spoke. “Don’t push me to my limit, Soraya.”

“Why? What will happen?”

“I’ll push back. And I’m trying not to do that with you.”

He was being honest, and I realized I should appreciate that. “To my sister’s house. It’s my niece’s birthday party. That’s where I’m going tomorrow night.

He nodded. “Thank you.”

It took every bit of my willpower to go inside and shut the door behind me. I leaned my back against the door, unable to remember the last time I was so hot and bothered. Maybe not ever. His mouth was sinful; the thought of what he could do with that wicked tongue other places on my body kept me in a state of arousal that bordered on frenzied. But it was more than that. The way he was so dominating and controlling, yet exercised restraint to respect my wishes, was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. The man stimulated something that had been sleeping inside of me. I needed a glass of wine and an orgasm. Not necessarily in that order. If I was going be firm on my stance that we get to know each other and not have sex, then taking things into my own hands was absolutely essential.

In my bedroom, I stripped out of my clothes. I didn’t sleep naked every night, but tonight was definitely a bare evening. As I slipped into bed, my cell rang.

“Is phone sex on the table?” Graham’s voice was a needy rasp. Whatever cooling off my body had done since I left him on the other side of the door was instantly reheated. His voice could definitely speed things up for me. But…

“Sex is off the table. That should probably include all types of sex. Intercourse, oral, phone.”

He groaned. “Oral. God, I want to taste you. And feel that metal tongue ring on my cock. You have no idea how difficult it was to control myself tonight every time I caught a glimpse of that metal when you spoke. It’s like you’re taunting me with every word. What are you wearing, Soraya?”

That voice. I needed to record him saying What are you wearing, Soraya? So I could play it over and over again in a loop when I needed to satisfy my own needs. “I’m actually not wearing anything. I just got undressed and slipped into bed.”

“You sleep naked?”

“Sometimes.”

He actually growled. “Touch yourself.”

“I plan to. But I think I’m going to need both hands tonight. So I’m going to hang up first.”

“How long do you plan on driving me crazy, Soraya?”

“Good night, Graham.” I hung up without waiting for him to respond. Even though my body physically ached for the man, I wasn’t ready to open that door with him just yet. Although as I glided my hand down my body alone in my bed, the only thing I could think of was God, I wish it was his hand.

My Review:

Stuck-Up Suit is the newest work from the writing duo of Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. I love these authors each in their own right and when they team up, it’s just magic. I am going to be so cliché right now and go ahead and use this overused term right now because it really sums it up so well: ALL THE FEELS!

Man, I loved this book.

From start to finish, this book was packed with so many things. Clever humor, interesting characters, playful banter, emotion, scorching heat, and even some “whoa” moment drama. I loved all of it. You may think this is going to be a typical wealthy, handsome, young businessman meets colorful, other side of the tracks girl story but I’m here to tell you that while yes, that is a factor, it is anything but a typical story. The gift these two authors have in coming up with fresh and interesting quirks in their stories is just amazing. Both Graham and Soraya have so much to them. They feel like they could be real people you have the chance of meeting one day. They are so three-dimensional and have many different layers making them who they are which in the end, are both extremely memorable characters. Starting with how they meet and how their relationship began I fell in love with the whole package. I loved Soraya’s quick wit and her feisty spirit. I loved Graham’s hard exterior with a hidden, touching soft side. Both have been through some really crappy things in their past and both have reason to be untrusting and leery when it comes to love and relationships. But in what they find between them, they both learn that for the right person, it’s ok to open up and let that guard down. Man, these two just had me gushing like a school girl with a new crush!

Of course, their road to happy ever after isn’t an easy one and there are more than a few bumps along the way and some HUGE hurdles but if there’s one thing Ms. Keeland and Ms. Ward do it’s write some seriously awesome happy moments after bumps and hurdles have been conquered.

Oh, and one of my fave moments? A cameo from Chance! What a great scene! Thank you for that, ladies 🙂

I’m just going to go ahead and add this book to one of my faves of 2016. Yes, already.

Thank you Ms. Keeland and Ms. Ward for another amazing read!

Five Loves

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card! To enter, sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list. It’s one-click easy and you will automatically be entered! http://eepurl.com/brAPo9

Other books from Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Cocky Bastard

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1DW9XpB

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1WwPzkC

iBooks: http://apple.co/1J7vbN0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UxCSUO

B&N: http://bit.ly/1EjxNpY

Meet Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult/contemporary romance genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 9-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life. Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island. She is the author of RoomHate, which hit #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list and #1 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list. Her novel, Stepbrother Dearest, also spent four consecutive weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list. Other works include the New York Times bestseller Cocky Bastard (co-written with Vi Keeland), Sins of Sevin, My Skylar, Jake Undone, Jake Understood and Gemini.

Other books from Penelope Ward

RoomHate

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1WmdZLK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1PysqdM

iBooks: http://apple.co/1PgsvE7

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1POvSnW

Nook: http://bit.ly/1PLGnSL

Sins of Sevin

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Qryeok

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1YrHjDx

iBooks: http://apple.co/1K8mzGg

B&N: http://bit.ly/1hTKAKE

kobo: http://bit.ly/1OaGY3D

Stepbrother Dearest

Amazon http://amzn.to/1mFNMeg

B&N: http://bit.ly/1taMFjG

iBooks: http://bit.ly/YER0mT

kobo: http://bit.ly/1fJaaBs

Gemini

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vgk1SE

B&N: http://bit.ly/1KfmLHD

iBooks: http://apple.co/1QTaONj

kobo: http://bit.ly/1BGJ2wu

Jake Undone (Jake #1)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1dJrHBC

B&N: http://bit.ly/1obAwJ6

iBooks: http://apple.co/1fJayQ8

kobo: http://bit.ly/1SPKl0M

My Skylar

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1obOG2F

B&N: http://bit.ly/SLO1qi

iBooks: http://bit.ly/SLNOTR

kobo: http://bit.ly/1kNrtAB

Jake Understood (Jake #2)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GFdves

B&N: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0z

iBooks: http://apple.co/1DQQwgC

kobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7Fvk

Meet Vi Keeland

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is an attorney and a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today Bestselling author. Over the last three years, ten of her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller lists and three on the New York Times Bestseller lists.

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)

Beat

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1MWanfu

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1fczMX5

iBooks: http://apple.co/1DnI6f6

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1aqrmbS

B&N: http://bit.ly/1O1Ah0q

Throb

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1BgqIUD

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1CsRg9d

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1zk882K

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1x5c3P8

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1slglLN

MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)

Worth the Fight (MMA Fighter Series, Book One)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xC6epE

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1alpVES

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1dbzZ8R

Smashwords – http://bit.ly/1is0zNX

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1co2ZpF

Worth The Chance (MMA Fighter Series, Book Two)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1xC71aa

B&N: http://bit.ly/1gwTyJw

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1gHMCZg

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1fqQcnj

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/NU2rCR

Worth Forgiving (MMA Fighter Series, Book Three)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1wbsJEK

B & N: http://bit.ly/1ljdVzb

iBooks: http://bit.ly/XBTLFX

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1kWP4ka

The Cole Series (2 book serial)

Belong to You (Cole Series, Book One)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1fr26W2

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1KRsCVy

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/belong-to-you-vi-keeland/1114962845

IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/belong-to-you/id639401754

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/belong-to-you

Made for You (Cole Series, Book Two)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Mi0AzQ

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1KRsdCx

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/made-for-you-vi-keeland/1115883225

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/made-for-you/id84550637

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/belong-to-you

Standalone novels

The Baller

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/23atpbd

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ZwJnI4

iBooks: http://apple.co/1QM9TfP

B&N: http://bit.ly/1Yi2xmp

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1SEiOhC

Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)

Amazon US:http://amzn.to/1G9HdDK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Rmi3xp

First Thing I See

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1fr3dF7

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1RmihEP

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1JWFo21

Thrown Down by Tessa Bailey…Blog Tour Stop & Review

THROWN DOWN BY TESSA BAILEY REVIEW, GUEST POST, AND EXCERPT TOUR

Vaughn and River were the high school sweethearts everyone expected to fail. And they did. But not because of any shortage of love. Oh no. The town bad boy and the bubbly class president had that in spades. What they didn’t have was the truth—or the ability to defeat the forces that kept them apart. Vaughn never left River completely, however, because the night he left town for good, they conceived a child. Now Vaughn has returned to earn back his family—and River’s love—any way he can.

Thrown Down Synopsis:

He has one last chance to deserve the girl of his dreams…

Overachiever River Purcell was never supposed to be a struggling single mom, working double shifts just to make ends meet. Nor was she supposed to be abandoned by her high school sweetheart, breaking her heart into a thousand jagged pieces. Now Vaughn De Matteo is back in town, his sights set on her…and River is in danger of drowning a second time.

No one believed Hook’s resident bad boy was good enough for River. Not even Vaughn himself. But he’ll fight like hell to win back the woman he never stopped loving, to keep the daughter he never expected, and convince himself he’s worth their love in the process––even if he has to rely on their fierce and undeniable sexual chemistry.

But even as River’s body arches under his hungered touch, the demons of the past lurk in the shadows. Waiting for Vaughn to repeat his mistakes one last time…

My Review:

Thrown Down is the second book in author Tessa Bailey’s Made in Jersey series and, being a huge Tessa fan, I am always excited with a new release from her. Once again, this was no exception and from start to finish I loved everything about it.

Since you can read what the story is about in the synopsis, I’m going to skip that and go into my feelings on Vaughn and River’s story. Oh, the feelings…

I know I can count on Tessa for interesting, strong heroines with a soft side for their men and a love for his alpha side. When I pick up a Tessa book I know I can count on dirty talking heroes with an all-consuming need for their women. It’s always highly emotional, raw, sexy, dirty, and oh-so-delicious. What I finally figured out while reading Thrown Down is what, beyond that, makes me love Tessa’s characters so damn much….it’s the moments.

There are may be a handful of moments that stand out in the sea of books I’ve read. When you read as much as I do, things muddle together in your brain but you can always recall certain moments you know you’ll never forget. I’ve added one more to my collection while reading this book: when Vaughn met his daughter. I’m not really sure I can adequately put into words just how touching it was. Written out in such an emotional and raw way with time almost coming to a stop. I could feel what Vaughn was feeling at that very moment and it was something so special I had to take a deep breath after reading it. But that’s what Tessa does. She gives us these incredible moments in each book, that when you pair it with her gritty men, multifaceted women, and off the charts heat, always adds up to a combination not many can match.

Not only the big moments are the special ones, though. There are little things in each story that just kill me (in a good way, of course!). In Thrown Down it was Vaughn and River each counting how long it’s been since he left, changing the symbolism of the motel room they once shared, a picture he kept of her….and so many more I can’t say because I don’t want to ruin anything.

I know I’ve said it before, but truly, this book lands in my top five of Tessa. Possibly second place right behind Exposed by Fate, which will never be able to be knocked out of first place 😉

Whether you’re already a Tess fan or this is the first of her books you pick up, I know you will love Vaughn and River’s story. Thank you, Tessa, for another amazing read and for more indelible moments.

Five Loves

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N

EXCERPT:

Forty-nine months and three days.

That was how long it had been since he’d seen her.

Vaughn swayed to the right, his shoulder slamming up against the wall. Then he kind of just hung there, counting forward and backward from one to ten. Not helping. Not helping. His stomach pitched at the sight of River walking through the drunks, like a nurse walking among the wounded on a battlefield. She could still knock his lights out on sight. Not that he’d doubted it for a second. But God, if it were possible, she’d grown even more beautiful over the last forty-nine months. Her blond hair was tied up in a ponytail, a pencil stuck through the base, in a way he remembered well enough to make his throat go raw. In a short black skirt and fitted white T-shirt, River tried to look the part of indifferent barmaid, but didn’t pull it off.

Not by a stretch.

Eyes Vaughn knew were just a shade darker than cornflower blue flitted to each table, and her fingers tugged on the skirt’s hem self-consciously every time she approached a new one. When she fumbled with the notepad, recovering with a nervous laugh, a choked sound left Vaughn. “Riv,” he whispered.

She looked up so fast, he might as well have shouted. The sudden impact of having River’s focus on him after such an extended period of time without it released a rushing sound between his ears, blocking out the sad lounge act…and apparently someone asking if he needed a table. Because when Vaughn snapped back to reality, a man he towered over by at least a foot was in his face. Snapping his fingers.

“I wouldn’t…” Vaughn shook his head to clear it, experiencing a resurgence of anger, this time for having his attention diverted from where he needed it to be. On River.

“I wouldn’t advise snapping your fingers in my face again.”

“Why’s that, huh?”

A toss of blond hair snagged Vaughn’s gaze as his angelic ex-girlfriend zigzagged through the crowd, drawing more than just his notice. Ah no, quite the opposite. She was putting on an unwitting show for every man in the room, attracting lecherous looks by virtue of being her beautiful self, light in a dark tunnel, same way she’d always been.

Finger snapped in front of his face. Again. “This is my place and I asked you a question.”

“This is your place?” Vaughn asked. God, one hour back in Jersey and already his accent had thickened from water to oil. “You hired River Purcell to clean up tables?”

“That’s right.”

Vaughn plowed a fist into the underside of the man’s jaw, watching him fall backward onto the sticky concrete floor with detachment that slowly morphed into satisfaction. So much for calm, he thought, shaking out his right hand.

About Tessa:

Rising Storm Midseason Episode 2: Distant Thunder by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Distant Thunder releases TOMORROW!

Synopsis:

Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

As Sebastian and Marylee plot to cover up Sebastian’s sexual escapade, Ginny and Dakota continue to reel from the fallout of Dakota’s announcement. But it is the Rush family that’s left to pick up the pieces as Payton, Brittany and Jeffry each cope with Sebastian’s betrayal in their own way…

My Review:

Distant Thunder by Larissa Ione is the second mid-season episode of Rising Storm and holeeeyyyy moley! Talk about duplicity and cunning! This episode is dripping with it.

This episode really showcased how ruthless Marylee Rush is and if I didn’t already have a strong dislike for her before this episode, I sure do now. This lady will stop at nothing to try to downplay her son Rush’s transgressions. I’m worried for Ginny and (if you can believe it) Dakota. I don’t think Marylee is going to stop going after these two gals until she gets what she wants and by the end of this episode she hasn’t gotten it all squared away and I know she’s not going away anytime soon.

I’m also heartbroken for Logan and Ginny and want them to get back together desperately! I’m hoping that Logan will listen to his heart and come around eventually. I know he has Marcus to lean on and I love their friendship.

Speaking of Marcus, Ms. Ione really set us up for what I fear is going to be some hell raining down on his family and I’m going to be a worried mess until I get my hands on the next episode!

Once again, Ms. Ione really knocked my socks off and wrote one heck of an episode! I could almost hear the evil laughter cackling out of the pages from Marylee!

Five Loves

Experience Rising Storm Here…

Rising Storm Midseason Episode 1 (March 29): Lexi Blake’s After the Storm
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Rising Storm Midseason Episode 2 (April 5): Larissa Ione’s Distant Thunder
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About Larissa Ione:

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Need You For Mine by Marina Adair…ARC Review

Need You For Mine is out TODAY!

Synopsis:

Need You For Mine

Every red-blooded male in St. Helena wants Harper Owens…as a friend. Despite her efforts at seduction, Harper seems to be destined to end up alone. The only guy with a knack for unleashing her inner vixen is firefighter and resident rule-breaker Adam Baudouin. Agreeing to a faux-mance could help him secure a promotion—and save her family’s lingerie shop, the Boulder Holder. But playing with fire has consequences. Especially when the flame comes courtesy of St. Helena’s own Five-Alarm Casanova…

None of Adam’s quick-and-easy hookups have prepared him for a connection this extraordinary. There’s more to the milk-and-cookies art teacher that he’d love to explore. But first he has to convince her to trust the town’s most notorious playboy. Even tougher—he’ll have to trust himself to be the real-life hero this warm and sexy woman deserves.

My Review:

Oh man. Every time I pick up a Marina Adair book I am reminded just how much I adore her writing and this, hands down, was one of my favorite ones to date. From start to finish, this sassy, sexy, sweet romance had me hooked!

The last thing sexy firefighter Adam is looking for is an actual girlfriend. A friend that’s a girl? Sure. But a romantic kind of girlfriend? Nope. So imagine his surprise when he starts seeing local children’s art teacher and long time acquaintance Harper in a different light. Harper always knew Adam was a sexy player…but it didn’t stop her from appreciating the view whenever he came into sight. Now fate has stepped in and made things a bit of a mess for both of them. A mess the only way out of is to pretend they are dating. Neither one of them are prepared for the very real feelings that develop over a very fake situation…

Things I love in a book: fake romance turned real romance, the playboy player who never wanted to be tied down finally wanting a relationship, the girl next door finally finding love, stories in small towns, fun banter between siblings and family. Which one of those things does Need You For Mine have? ALL OF THE ABOVE! So I’m sure you can imagine I was tickled pink the entire time I read. I love this town. I love these people. I love Ms. Adair’s writing and how she brings it all to life. Adam is a player through and through but he’s also loyal, kind, and damn sexy. Harper just wants what every gal wants: a good man to love her, the chance of love and a family. So to say these two were opposites is an understatement. But after many times spent together including an underwear modeling session, some seriously sexy body painting, and planning the town’s picnic, they didn’t stand a chance against falling in love. Along the way, Ms. Adair adds her signature elements making these characters so multifaceted and, oh my, I loved it. Harper’s affection for cookies, Adam’s banter with his brothers, the grandmother crew, saving Harper’s family’s lingerie shop, the stolen moments Harper and Adam share…it’s all just so damn good! I tried so hard to not devour this book in one afternoon but alas, I failed. From start to finish, this was another shining example of the talent Ms. Adair is.

I highly recommend this series to any romance fan. I know you’ll love it as much as I do! Thank you, Ms. Adair, for another amazing story. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

About the author:

Marina Adair is a #1 National best-selling author of romance novels and holds a Master of Fine arts in creative writing. Along with the Sugar, Georgia series, she is also the author the St. Helena Vineyard series, the Heroes of St Helena series, and her upcoming Sequoia Lake series. She currently lives with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats in Northern California.

As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive. She also loves to interact with readers and you can catch her on Twitter at @MarinaEAdair or visit her atwww.MarinaAdair.com. Keep up with Marina by signing up for her newsletter atwww.MarinaAdair.com/newsletter.

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Rising Storm mid-season episode 1: After the Storm by Lexi Blake…ARC Review

After the Storm releases TOMORROW!

Synopsis:

In the wake of Dakota’s revelations, the whole town is reeling. Ginny Moreno has lost everything. Logan Murphy is devastated by her lies. Brittany Rush sees her family in a horrifying new light. And nothing will ever be the same…

My Review:

Gah! How to even write this review without ruining things! Ok, let’s give this a shot…

First off, I am SO excited we get to visit with my favorite dysfunctional small town! This group has really become to mean something to me and with so much turmoil going on, I was so anxious for this mid-season episode. I can say it was just as awesome as I wanted it to be. My heart is breaking for Ginny now that she has to pick up the pieces after her sister made the announcement heard round the world (well, just Storm really, but you get the drift.) If there ever was a character deserving of some kind of happy ending, it’s her. Logan is also breaking my heart and the drama within the Rush family is hitting a breaking point. Seriously, if this town were real and I lived there, I would no doubt be hanging out in the town square just waiting for some kind of drama!

But, by far what I loved the most about this episode is what Ms. Blake brings to the table with her writing. That woman could write me her grocery list and I would love it. She’s truly a talent and as always, this story was a testament to that.

Luckily we won’t have to wait long for the second mid-season episode because I am dying for more!

Thank you, Ms. Blake, for another awesome installment of Rising Storm!

Five Loves

Experience Rising Storm Here…

About Lexi Blake:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. She began writing at a young age concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

Visit Lexi Blake’s website and follow her on:

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