Five Loves

Z by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Z releases tomorrow!

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!

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:

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.

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
Amazon ** Kobo ** iTunes ** Barnes & Noble ** GooglePlay ** All Romance EBooks

Rising Storm Midseason Episode 2 (April 5): Larissa Ione’s Distant Thunder
Amazon ** Kobo ** iTunes ** Barnes & Noble ** GooglePlay ** All Romance EBooks

About Larissa Ione:

Website | Facebook |Twitter | 1001 Dark Nights | Rising Storm on Goodreads

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.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

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:

Rising Storm Website | Facebook | Twitter | 1001 Dark Nights | Rising Storm on Goodreads

Rough Rhythm by Tessa Bailey…ARC Review

Rough Rhythm releases tomorrow!

Synopsis:

God help the woman I take home tonight.
Band manager James Brandon never expected to find the elusive satisfaction he’d been chasing, let alone stumble upon it in some sleezy Hollywood meat market. Yet the girl’s quiet pride spoke to him from across the bar, louder than a shout. Troubled, hungry and homeless, she’d placed her trust in him. But after losing the grip on his dark desires that one fateful night, James has spent the last four years atoning for letting her down.
This time I’ll finally crack him.
Rock band drummer Lita Regina has had enough of James’s guilt. She wants the explosive man she met that night in Hollywood. The man who held nothing back and took no prisoners—save Lita. And she’ll stop at nothing to revive him. Even if it means throwing herself into peril at every turn, just to get a reaction from her stoic manager. But when Lita takes her quest one step too far, James disappears from her life, thinking his absence will keep her safe.
Now it’s up to Lita to bring James back…and ignite an inferno of passion in the process.

Reader Advisory: ROUGH RHYTHM contains fantasies of nonconsensual sex, acted upon by consenting characters. Readers with sensitivity to portrayals of nonconsensual sex should be advised.

My review:

Rough Rhythm is the 5th novella in the 1,001 Dark Nights 2016 lineup and is also part of Tessa Bailey’s Made in Jersey series, a series I already adore. I am a huge fan of Ms. Bailey’s and am always excited when she has a new release. After reading this story, I’m once again reminded just how much I love her writing…it was incredible.

Drummer Lita Regina and her band’s manager James Brandon have had quite the interesting and precarious relationship. They have been in each other’s lives after meeting years earlier in a unique and somewhat desperate situation. Ever since that night, things have been a push and pull between them and, at times, reaches a fevered pitch…mainly because neither one of them can forget what happened that first night. Of course, it was for very different reasons. James was trying to ignore what happened and keep Lita at arm’s length while Lita doesn’t want to forget it but, in fact, repeat it. Their emotions run high and are beyond intense. They will only be able to keep up this dance for so long before their feelings consume them both and history repeats itself…only this time it’ll be for keeps.

I don’t even know where to start in telling you all what I loved most about this novella. With each book Ms. Bailey writes she pushes herself farther as an author and I appreciate it beyond measure. James and Lita’s story was highly intense and beyond sexy, hot, and passionate. I loved the push and pull between them and how emotional things have become. Where this story picks up is pretty much at the breaking point in their relationship. James has dark desires he doesn’t want to admit to and he broke my heart when it came to his denying himself the comfort he once found in Lita. On the other hand we have Lita, who is equally confused when it comes to her yearning for what James once gave her. Her determination in getting James back into her life and into a romantic relationship had me wanting to stand up and cheer while I was reading. I love when a heroine goes after what she wants even if it scares her and there’s uncertainty lurking beneath the surface. She knew deep down the risk was worth it and not taking the chance with James would be a choice she would forever regret. Together they are so damn hot and I couldn’t stop reading once I began. This was certainly a roller coaster ride of emotion and had one of the best endings! Loved it all from start to finish.

Whether you’re already a fan of Tessa Bailey and her alpha males and spectacular heroines or this is your first taste, I know this will be a book you won’t soon forget. Thank you, Ms. Bailey, for another fan-freaking-smoking-tastic read!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

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 Tessa Bailey’s website

Roommate by Penelope Ward…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Swoon-worthy Justin Banks is FINALLY HERE in

RoomHate by Penelope Ward!

AVAILABLE ON ALL RETAILERS:

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

Blurb

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.

Sharing a summer house with a hot-as-hell roommate should be a dream come true, right?

Not when it’s Justin…the only person I’d ever loved…who now hates me.

When my grandmother died and left me half of the house on Aquidneck Island, there was a catch: the other half would go to the boy she helped raise.

The same boy who turned into the teenager whose heart I broke years ago.

The same teenager who’s now a man with a hard body and a hardass personality to match.

I hadn’t seen him in years, and now we’re living together because neither one of us is willing to give up the house.

The worst part? He didn’t come alone.

I’d soon realize there’s a thin line between love and hate. I could see through that smug smile. Beneath it all…the boy is still there. So is our connection.

The problem is…now that I can’t have Justin, I’ve never wanted him more.

Author’s note – RoomHate is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

My review:

Roomhate is the newest work from author Penelope Ward and oh my goodness, how I loved loved loved this book. I loved this book so much that I had no intention of reading it in one sitting but I did. I loved this book so much that, after stalking poor Penelope on Twitter, I went onto her website and bought a signed copy. Have I mentioned I loved this book?

Ok, so you can totally get the main idea of the story from reading the synopsis so I will skip right to telling you what I loved about this book: I loved the mess.

Now, don’t think I mean that in a bad way. In fact, it’s a great complement from me. When it comes to love and life and friends and relationships, sometimes it gets messy. But when you realize the mess is something that is worth cleaning up, just in time to get ready for the next mess, which inevitably happens in any important relationship, that’s where a story really catches me and makes it great.

That mess is what makes a story real and believable and relatable. Roomhate is a beautiful mess that I couldn’t get enough of. Justin and Amelia’s relationship is beyond complicated and intense but damn if it isn’t one of the most incredible things ever. I loved their complicated mess and the feelings they share but won’t admit to. I love the road they travel on and where it leads them. I love the ups and downs they experience. And of course, I love where they end up. It’s all so well done and just freaking amazing. I mean when you look back in your life at a love or a friendship or a combination of the two, and it was something you had to fight for, you know what I mean when I say it gets messy. But you also know that mess can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.

Thank you, Penelope, for giving me one of my favorite bookish messes. Thank you for giving us Justin and Amelia’s story.

Five Loves

RoomHate Excerpt

Copyright © 2016 by Penelope Ward

His eyes darted to the side, and he noticed me standing there. We just stared at each other. It was ironic, but the only times I could ever feel the remnants of our old connection were in fleeting moments of silent eye contact. Sometimes moments of silence spoke the loudest.

I left him alone again, making my way back down the hall and into the restaurant to tend to the customers I’d been ignoring.

Things really started to get busy. Without Jade working tonight, we were short-staffed, and I was having a hard time keeping up with the orders. Sandy’s had indoor and outdoor seating. Normally, I would only be working one section, but tonight I was going back and forth between the two.

It was nice out, so I knew they would have Justin performing outside. I kept glancing over to the small stage to see if he was there. It was past eight, and he hadn’t made an appearance yet.

Sometime close to eight-thirty, I was in the middle of serving a large party of ten when I first heard it: the chilling sound of a soulful voice that was not familiar in the least. He gave no introduction. No warning. He just started to sing out the first few words, followed by the strum of his guitar. The song that Justin had chosen to start with was a cover of Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers.

The entire room soon quieted down, and all eyes were on the stunning blond male specimen with the spotlight shining down on him. Despite the fact that I was carrying a large round tray of dirty dishes, I couldn’t move. The vibration of his thick, smoky singing voice had completely paralyzed me, penetrating my body and soul.

Aside from the lone teardrop that fell the night he lost it on me during steak dinner, I hadn’t shed any more tears—until now. It was all too much. Hearing how different his voice sounded, how he’d trained it over the years, was a wake-up call as to how much I had missed. All of the hours of practice that must have gone into honing that beautiful voice, and I wasn’t there for any of it. The guilt, the emotions, the reality of a decade gone…everything started to pummel me at once. Not to mention the song—about a girl leaving. It probably had nothing to do with me, but in my mind, it sure as hell felt like it did.

About the Author:

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

Other books from Penelope Ward

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY

$100 Gift Card (Winner’s choice of Retailer)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjc5OA==/?

Dance of Desire by Christopher Rice…ARC Review

Dance of Desire releases tomorrow, 2/23!

Synopsis:

When Amber Watson walks in on her husband in the throes of extramarital passion with one of his employees, her comfortable, passion-free life is shattered in an instant. Worse, the fate of the successful country music bar that bears her family’s name suddenly hangs in the balance. Her soon to be ex-husband is one of the bar’s official owners; his mistress, one of its employees. Will her divorce destroy her late father’s legacy?

Not if Amber’s adopted brother Caleb has anything to do with it. The wandering cowboy has picked the perfect time for a homecoming. Better yet, he’s determined to use his brains and his fists to put Amber’s ex in his place and keep the family business intact. But Caleb’s long absence has done nothing to dim the forbidden desire between him and the woman the State of Texas considers to be his sister.

Years ago, when they were just teenagers, Caleb and Amber shared a passionate first kiss beside a moonlit lake. But that same night, tragedy claimed the life of Caleb’s parents and the handsome young man went from being a family friend to Amber’s adopted brother. Has enough time passed for the two of them to throw off the roles Amber’s father picked for them all those years ago? Will their desire for each other save the family business or put it in greater danger?

DANCE OF DESIRE is the first contemporary romance from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice, told with the author’s trademark humor and heart. It also introduces readers to a quirky and beautiful town in the Texas Hill Country called Chapel Springs.

My Review:

Dance of Desire is the newest work from author Christopher Rice and is also novella number four in the 2016 1,001 Dark Nights line-up. Each time I finish a story by this author, I swear it’s my favorite…until I read the next one and, yes, it’s happened again. I loved this story something fierce!

Years ago, Caleb and Amber were on the road to experiencing all the joys young first love has to offer. But it wasn’t meant to be. Tragedy stuck young Caleb’s life and it changed the road both Caleb’s and Amber’s families were travelling on. Years passed and they both went in different directions. Making a life, careers, falling in love with other people, getting married, divorced…but neither ever able to douse the flame they each held for one another and the young love they once shared. Now, in a twist of fate, Caleb and Amber find themselves reunited in a precarious and sad situation. But together, nonetheless. This is exactly the second chance they had wanted for too many years to count. Would they be able to make the most of it and take the chance stolen from them?

From start to finish there was just so much to love about this novella. Christopher Rice writes some of the most memorable characters and hottest moments ever. Caleb and Amber fit into both of those categories. I loved this story of doomed young love and second chances. My heart broke for Amber and Caleb and I wanted nothing more than for them to get another shot at love. Their past is very involved and packed with so much emotion. It’s impossible not to shed more than a few tears when reading what they went through as young adults. Of course it was the past, which led them to where they are now…good, bad, and sometimes ugly. They have both been through a whole lot while Caleb had been away from town and now it’s those situations that have taught them both what they want and deserve out of life. It also leads to some ridiculously sexy and smoking hot scenes. Good lord, I thought I was burst into flames reading this couple! Totally delicious!

I know I have mentioned in the past that Mr. Rice has written some of the most touching lines I have ever read and also delivered more than a few between Amber and Caleb. There’s one particular scene where they kiss in the rain that will stay with me for quite some time. So amazingly good!

If you haven’t read a Christopher Rice romance, you need to pick this book up. If you’re already a Christopher Rice romance fan, buckle up for another stellar read!

Five Loves

Book Links:

1,001 Dark Nights | Amazon

About the author:

After publishing four New York Timesbestselling thrillers by the age of 30 and being declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive, award-winning writer Christopher Rice became the first author to make his erotic romance debut part of the 1,001 DARK NIGHTS series. THE FLAME: A Desire Exchange Novella kicked off a steamy new series set in New Orleans, featuring magical candles and a sexy new breed of supernatural beings, The Radiants, who are devoted to helping heroes and heroines realize their heart’s desire. THE FLAME earned accolades from some of the biggest names in erotic romance and was quickly followed up by THE SURRENDER GATE: A Desire Exchange Novel, available from Evil Eye Concepts as a Blue Box Special. Aside from authoring eight works of dark suspense, Christopher is also the co-host and executive producer of THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN, all the episodes of which can be downloaded at TheDinnerPartyShow.comand from iTunes. Look for their new You Tube channel in Spring 2016.

Visit Christopher Rice’s website

Trouble Maker & The MacKenzie Family Series…ARC Review

Trouble Maker and The MacKenzie Family Series releases tomorrow, 2/16

Trouble Maker Synopsis:

Marnie Whitlock has never known what it’s like to be normal. She and her family moved from place to place, hiding from reporters and psychologists, all because of her gift. A curse was more like it. Seeing a victim, feeling his pain as the last of his life ebbed away, and being helpless to save him. It was torture. And then one day it disappeared and she was free. Until those who hunted her for her gift tried to kill her. And then the gift came back with a vengeance.

Beckett Hamilton leads a simple life. His ranch is profitable and a legacy he’ll be proud to pass onto his children one day, work fills his time from sunup to sundown, and his romances are short and sweet. He wouldn’t have it any other way. And then he runs into quiet and reserved Marnie Whitlock just after she moves to town. She intrigues him like no woman ever has. And she’s hiding something. His hope is that she begins to trust him before it’s too late.

My Review:

Trouble Maker is part of author Liliana Hart’s MacKenzie family and is also part of the amazing MacKenzie Family Collection project. I was so excited to not only have a new MacKenzie novel but also to have Marnie and Beckett’s story. Man, Liliana has done it again. Gut wrenching, sexy, and so damn emotional, this book was beyond incredible.

The history between Beckett Hamilton and Marnie Whitlock is long and complicated. Back in their younger years they had a mutual and unknown attraction to one another and for one brief and beautiful moment, had acted on it. And then, disaster had struck. Marnie had a complicated life, to put it mildly. She had a gift where she was able to see flashes of the future. Moments to come, if you will. It was a blessing and a curse. Not only because sometimes she just didn’t want to know what possible hard times could potentially befall her friends and family, but because her abusive monster of a father hated her for it. A simple minded man and a drunk, he thought the only way to deal with her gift was to beat the snot out of her. And he did it often. So one can imagine this would hamper her love life and her social life. It was this mess that had Marnie running away from her old life after her parents were killed in an accident. She never forgot Beckett, though. She never stopped thinking of the “what could have been”. But neither had Beckett. Now, years later, she was back in her hometown and looking to make a new life. Would fate give her and Beckett another chance at love?

Liliana Hart is one of my favorite authors for so many reasons and to me, this story really showcases her talent. She is able to make the reader feel so many emotions throughout a story and Trouble Maker gave me so many feels and had me ranging through so many different emotions and I just loved it all. Marnie’s story broke my heart. My chest physically ached the entire beginning of this book for all that she was going through. If I could have reached through the pages to rescue her, I would have. She was the underdog I was cheering for like I never had before. I loved her and she deserved her chance at happiness and love. Enter Beckett. Swoon-worthy, loyal, sexy, Beckett. He is one of the most amazing book men I’ve ever read and he had me melting too many times to count. His patience with Marnie when she came back to town was just beautiful. I loved these two together and their history and current rekindling of what they once had was magical to read. It was also burn up the pages sexy as sin. Truly, Marnie and Beckett are amazing together!

Of course, we get to see more of the MacKenzie family here and there and I always love that!

Whether you’re already a Liliana fan, or this is the first of her books you pick up, I know you will love it from start to finish. Thank you, Liliana, for another stellar book!

I also have to say that the rest of the MacKenzie Family series was equally amazing! Avery Flynn, Robin Covington, Cristin Harber, Kimberly Kincaid, and Christopher Rice wrote some seriously sexy and action packed stories! I am a fan of all of these authors and always look forward to more from them so you can imagine how exciting this was! This is a different and exciting project that I enjoyed immensely and think it was inventive and unique. I sure hope we get another dose of these authors together in the future!

Five Loves

Book links:

The MacKenzie Family Collection

The MacKenzie Family Collection:

Robin Covington’s Rush (A Mackenzie Family Novella)

Atticus Rush doesn’t really like people. Years in Special Ops and law enforcement showed him the worst of humanity, making his mountain hideaway the ideal place to live. But when his colleagues at MacKenzie Security need him to save the kidnapped young daughter of a U.S. Senator, he’ll do it, even if it means working with the woman who broke his heart his ex-wife.

Lady Olivia Rutledge-Cairn likes to steal things. Raised with a silver spoon and the glass slipper she spent years cultivating a cadre of acquaintances in the highest places. She parlayed her natural gift for theft into a career of locating and illegally retrieving hard-to-find items of value for the ridiculously wealthy. Rush was the one man who tempted her to change her ways until he caught her and threatened to turn her in.

MacKenzie Security has vowed to save the girl. Olivia can find anything or anyone. Rush can get anyone out. As the clock winds down on the girl’s life, can they fight the past, a ruthless madman and their explosive passion to get the job done?

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** Kobo ** All Romance eBooks ** iBooks ** GooglePlay

Avery Flynn’s Bullet Proof (A Mackenzie Family Novella)

“Being one of the good guys is not my thing.”

Bianca Sutherland isn’t at an exclusive Eyes-Wide-Shut style orgy for the orgasms. She’s there because the only clue to her friend’s disappearance is a photo of a painting hanging somewhere in Bisu Manor. Determined to find her missing friend when no one else will, she expects trouble when she cons her way into the party—but not in the form of a so-hot-he-turns-your-panties-to-ash former boxer.

Taz Hazard’s only concern is looking out for himself and he has no intention of changing his ways until he finds sexy-as-sin Bianca at the most notorious mansion in Ft. Worth. Now, he’s tangled up in a missing person case tied into a powerful new drug about to flood the streets, if they can’t find a way to stop it before its too late. Taking on a drug cartel isn’t safe, but when passion ignites between them Taz and Bianca discover their hearts aren’t bulletproof either.

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** Kobo ** All Romance eBooks ** iBooks ** GooglePlay

Cristin Harber’s Delta: Rescue (A Mackenzie Family Novella)

When Luke Brenner takes an off-the-books job on the MacKenzie-Delta joint task force, he has one goal: shut down sex traffickers on his personal hunt for retribution. This operation brings him closer than he’s ever been to avenge his first love, who was taken, sold, and likely dead.

Madeleine Mercier is the daughter of an infamous cartel conglomerate. Their family bleeds money, they sell pleasure, they sell people. She knows no other life, sees no escape, except for one. Maddy is the only person who can take down Papa, when every branch of law enforcement in every country, is on her father’s payroll.

It’s evil. To want to ruin, to murder, her family. But that’s what she is. Ruined for a life outside of destroying her father. She can’t feel arousal. Has never been kissed. Never felt anything other than disgust for the world that she perpetuates. Until she clashes with a possible mercenary who gives her hope.

The hunter versus the virgin. The predator and his prey. When forced together, can enemies resist the urge to run away or destroy one another?

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** Kobo ** All Romance eBooks ** iBooks ** GooglePlay

Kimberly Kincaid’s Deep Trouble (A Mackenzie Family Novella)

Bartender Kylie Walker went into the basement of The Corner Tavern for a box of cocktail napkins, but what she got was an eyeful of murder. Now she’s on the run from a killer with connections, and one wrong step could be her last. Desperate to stay safe, Kylie calls the only person she trusts—her ex-Army Ranger brother. The only problem? He’s two thousand miles away, and trouble is right outside her door.

Security specialist Devon Randolph might be rough and gruff, but he’ll never turn down a friend in need, especially when that friend is the fellow Ranger who once saved his life. Devon may have secrets, but he’s nearby, and he’s got the skills to keep his buddy’s sister safe…even if one look at brash, beautiful, Kylie makes him want to break all the rules.

Forced on the run, Kylie and Devon dodge bullets and bad guys, but they cannot fight the attraction burning between them. Yet the closer they grow, the higher the stakes become. Will they be able to outrun a brutal killer? Or will Devon’s secrets tear them apart first?

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Christopher Rice’s Desire & Ice (A Mackenzie Family Novella)

Danny Patterson isn’t a teenager anymore. He’s the newest and youngest sheriff’s deputy in Surrender, Montana. A chance encounter with his former schoolteacher on the eve of the biggest snowstorm to hit Surrender in years shows him that some schoolboy crushes never fade. Sometimes they mature into grown-up desire.

It’s been years since Eliza Brightwell set foot in Surrender. So why is she back now? And why does she seem like she’s running from something? To solve this mystery, Danny disobeys a direct order from Sheriff Cooper MacKenzie and sets out into a fierce blizzard, where his courage and his desire might be the only things capable of saving Eliza from a dark force out of her own past.

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About the author:

Liliana Hart is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author in both the mystery and romance genres. After starting her first novel her freshman year of college, she immediately became addicted to writing and knew she’d found what she was meant to do with her life. She has no idea why she majored in music.

Liliana is an avid reader and a believer in all things romance. Her books are filled with witty dialogue, steamy sex, and the all-important happily-ever-afters her romantic soul craves. Since self-publishing in June of 2011, she’s sold more than 1.2 million ebooks all over the world.

Visit Liliana Hart’s website

The MacKenzie Family Collection authors:

Robin Covington:

A USA Today bestseller, Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her books. Her stories burn up the sheets. . .one page at a time. When she’s not writing she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Chris Evans. Don’t send chocolate . . . send eye candy! Robin’s books have won the Golden Leaf Award and finaled in the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, the Book Seller’s Best and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. She lives in Maryland with her handsome husband, her two brilliant children (they get it from her, of course!), and her beloved furbabies.

Visit Robin Covington’s website.

Avery Flynn:

Award-winning romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.

Visit Avery Flynn’s website.

Cristin Harber:

Cristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes steamy romantic suspense, military romance, and new adult. Readers voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense and military romance bestseller.

Visit Cristin Harber’s website.

Kimberly Kincaid:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Visit Kimberly Kincaid’s website.

Christopher Rice:

After publishing four New York Times bestselling thrillers by the age of 30 and being declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive, award-winning writer Christopher Rice became the first author to make his erotic romance debut part of the 1,001 DARK NIGHTS series. THE FLAME: A Desire Exchange Novella kicked off a steamy new series set in New Orleans, featuring magical candles and a sexy new breed of supernatural beings, The Radiants, who are devoted to helping heroes and heroines realize their heart’s desire. THE FLAME earned accolades from some of the biggest names in erotic romance and was quickly followed up by THE SURRENDER GATE: A Desire Exchange Novel, available from Evil Eye Concepts as a Blue Box Special. Aside from authoring eight works of dark suspense, Christopher is also the co-host and executive producer of THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN, all the episodes of which can be downloaded at TheDinnerPartyShow.com and from iTunes. Make sure you’re subscribed to The Dinner Party Show’s You Tube channel to receive their newest content in 2016.

Visit Christopher Rice’s website.

Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren…Review

Synopsis:

When three college besties meet three hot guys in Vegas, anything can—and does—happen. Book Four in the New York Times Wild Seasons series that began with Sweet Filthy Boy (the Romantic Times book of the year that Sylvia Day called “a sexy, sweet treasure of a story”), Dirty Rowdy Thing, and Dark Wild Night.

For two people ambivalent about dating and love, they sure get naked around each other an awful lot . . .

London Hughes is very content to surf daily, tend bar, hang out with her group of friends, and slowly orient herself in the years after college. Everything’s going great and according to the non-plan.

But when a wave knocks her for a loop one morning, then Luke Sutter’s flirtatious smile knocks her for another that evening, she veers slightly off course…and into his path. Sure, he’s a total player, but the Why not—it’s only one night is a persistent voice in her ear.

For his part, Luke’s been on hookup autopilot for so long that he rarely ever pauses to consider what he’s doing. But after an amazing time with London, he realizes that he hasn’t been moving on from a devastating heartbreak so much as he’s been drifting to wherever—and whomever—the current takes him. With London he wants more.

Every relationship involves two people…plus their pasts. And as much as she enjoys her fling with Luke, when London learns about his past—more specifically, who’s in it—everything becomes the brand of complicated she strives to avoid. It’s up to Luke then to change some things in order to try and ensure he’s not something she’ll outright avoid as well.

My Review:

Wicked Sexy Liar is the fourth book in the Wild Seasons series by the dynamic duo of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, two writers I am a HUGE fan of. Luke and London’s story was another testament to how amazing I find their characters and their writing. I loved everything about this book from start to finish and was, as always, so sad to have finished it.

Luke and London travel in the same friend circle. London is new to the crew while Luke, on the other hand, has quite a bit of history with them…and by that I mean he had pretty much spent his entire youth in love with one of the gals in their group. Not a big deal, per se, since time has gone by and he has somewhat moved on. The normal progression of life and growing up and all that jazz. All was going well until things get a bit hot and heavy between Luke and London. What started out as a deal for a one night sort of thing starts to get serious which wouldn’t be so terrible if London had known Luke’s love life history and who it was with. Suddenly Luke goes from being a potential friends-with-benefits-turned-more into way off-limits. The problem was, both Luke and London had started to develop some pretty intense feelings for each other and it wasn’t going to be an easy task to stay away from each other. Now Luke just had to convince London to give him, and what they’ve found, a chance…

Now comes the challenge I run into when I review any Christina Lauren book…not just repeating “buy this book” a hundred times! There is just so much to love about Luke and London. I think the thing I loved most about both of them is how vulnerable they are under their exteriors. Luke is used to keeping things pretty light after his heart was broken. He uses woman for pleasure and has been ok with it up until now. Enter London. She’s also had her heart-broken but instead of going the route Luke did, she’s been avoiding men at the risk of another round of hurt. I couldn’t fault either of them for the way they dealt with that kind of heartache. I wanted them to get a happy ever after so terribly! I loved them together and I loved Luke’s fight for London. He was so kind and gentle with her. He saw right to the heart of her and he had me swooning more times than I can count! He is, hands down, one of my favorite book guys for how damn sweet he is. It only added to his sexiness.

Christina and Lauren have such a gift in how they write their characters. Truly. From Luke’s stories of his childhood with his sister, London’s guarded emotions, the nicknames Luke calls London, the quirky dinner with Luke and his family, Luke and London’s babysitting evening to his aversion to eating two pop tarts at a time…few people can give so much depth to the people in the pages as they do. I am always in awe when I dive into one of their books.

Thank you Christina and Lauren for once again writing an amazing story…and for once again giving me a book hangover. (Oh, and I’m totally skipping right over the fact that this in the last book in the series. It’s ok though because I will always look forward to what’s next from these authors.)

Oh! And I have to note that I’ve been listening to Ra Ra Riot’s song “Water” on freaking repeat because it reminds me so much of Luke and London and their story and I can’t get enough!!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

About the authors:

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced eleven New York Times bestselling novels. They are published in over 28 languages, have received starred reviews from Kirkus, been selected as one of NPR’s Top 100 Swoon-Worthy Romances, and won both the Seal of Excellence award and Book of the Year from RT Magazine.

Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and before she made writing her full-time job, would spend her days doing nerdy research-type things wearing a lab coat and goggles. She is silly Mommy to two littles, wife to one mountain biking homebrewing scientist, bestie to a shoe-stealer, and an unabashed lover of YA and romance.

Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. These days you’ll probably find her on tumblr. She is married and absolutely not old enough to be the mom of a 15 year old (right??), thinks she’s the luckiest person in the world to write books with her best friend, and is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter. She also likes to steal Lo’s shoes.

You can follow their shenanigans at:

@lolashoes (Lauren) & @seeCwrite (Christina) on Twitter. On Tumblr! where we post kissing gifs and writerly stuff and Wattpad for short stories and sneak peeks!

For official information about their books, events, interviews, movie news and more, follow @christinalauren.