Five Loves

Ravaged by Elisabeth Naughton….ARC Review

Synopsis:

Ari—Once an Eternal Guardian, now he’s nothing but a rogue mercenary with one singular focus: revenge.

His guardian brothers all think he’s dead, but Ari is very much alive in the human realm, chipping away at Zeus’s Sirens every chance he can, reveling in his brutality and anonymity. Until, that is, he abducts the wrong female and his identity is finally exposed. It will take more than the Eternal Guardians, more even than the gods to rein Ari in after everything he’s done. It may just take the courage of one woman willing to stand up to a warrior who’s become a savage.

My Review:

Ravaged is story number 7.5 in author Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardians series as well as novella number 8 in the 2015 1,001 Dark Nights lineup and, sadly, the first in this series by Ms. Naughton that I’ve read. Well, after reading Ravaged, I’m totally hooked and immediately went and bought the entire backlist. It was that good.

The very last thing Ari ever wanted to do right now was rescue a nymph…but yet he had, and now she was in his home, resting and healing. But he swore as soon as she was well enough, he would cast her out. He had been hurt enough in his life and now his mission was to hunt Siren’s and remain in hiding. He wanted revenge on the God who had cursed him to this awful existence and he would be sure to get it…as soon as she left. He knew he couldn’t have left her to die out there in the cold snow when he found her injured and bleeding. He soon realized that choice would turn his world upside down and that Nymph would end up saving his life in more ways than one. But at what price, he didn’t know…

I finished this book about a week ago and I am still in book hangover mode. I loved this story so much and it made me get the same warm and fuzzy feelings I felt when I discovered The Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Ari’s story and his past broke my heart. I wanted to reach through the pages and just hug him. He’s had his heart-broken and was just living day by day trying to make it through. It was a sad existence and he knew it but he gave up on his happiness and I wanted to cry for him. Daphne is an amazing heroine with a great resolve and I loved her ability to see people for who they are and not just follow the things she’s been taught on Olympus. I loved that about her so much. Without that amazing quality, she never could have helped Ari and she would have ended up killing him, as she’d be tasked with originally. Together they make an amazing team and the chemistry and heat they share is off the charts delicious! As I said earlier, this novella alone turned me into a fan and I cannot WAIT to start this entire series. I have a feeling I will love each book as much as I did reading Ravaged.

Thank you, Ms. Naughton, for turning this blogger into an Eternal Guardians fan and for giving me so many books to look forward to reading!

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

I was never one of those people who knew they wanted to be an author at the age of six. I didn’t have imaginary friends. I didn’t write stories in my journal or entertain my relatives by firelight after Thanksgiving dinner. For the most part, I was just a normal, everyday kid. I liked to read, but I wasn’t exceptional at it. And when my teachers complimented me on my writing abilities, I brushed them off. I did, however, always have a penchant for the unique and absurd. And as my mother told me all throughout my childhood, I should have been an actress—I was a drama queen before my time.

Years ago, my husband bought me Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With The Wind. If you ever saw the book, you know it’s a long one. I sat and read that thing from cover to cover, and dreamed of one day being a writer. But I didn’t actually try my hand at writing until years later when I quit my teaching job to stay home with my kids. And my husband? After that week of reading where I neglected him and everything else until I finished Scarlett, he vowed never to buy me another book again. Little did he know I’d one day end up sitting at a keyboard all day drafting my own stories.

My writing journey has not been easy. I didn’t just sit down one day, decide I was going to write a book and voila! sell my very first attempt. As most authors will probably agree, the path to publication is filled with hours of work, pulling all-nighters I thought I’d given up in college, sacrifices, rejections, but a love I discovered along the way I just can’t live without. Instead of a big, thick book to read by lamplight (I do read much smaller ones when I get the chance), I’ve traded in my reading obsession for a laptop. And I’ve never been happier.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I have a wonderful family and fabulous husband who put up with my writing—and obsessive personality—even when life is chaotic. More than once my kids have been late to swimming or baseball because I needed just five more minutes to finish a scene. Their support and encouragement mean the world to me. I also have amazing friends and a support network I couldn’t survive without. So to all of you out there who have encouraged me along the way, sent me emails and fan letters, phone calls and congratulations, I just want to say, thank you. You make this whole writing gig that much more enjoyable. I truly wouldn’t be here without you.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Review….Just One Taste by Kimberly Kincaid

Synopsis:

A little home improvement can go a long way…

Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan, but back home in Pine Mountain he’s happy to switch gears as the Double Shot bar’s new sous chef. When his apartment floods and his old Army buddy offers the family’s dilapidated lake house as temporary quarters, Jesse thinks a little remodeling on the creaky duplex sounds like a fair return favor. That’s before he sets eyes on the gorgeous woman moving into the other side of the cabin—and discovers she’s his buddy’s kid sister, a.k.a totally off limits.

Kat McMarrin has fought hard for her space, and she’s not too interested in sharing it. Of course, her job as a physical therapist means she won’t see much of Jesse, even if he’s a few thin floorboards away—unless she seeks him out. And with his sculpted body and slow-burn gaze, she might be tempted. Maybe the fixer-upper projects she has planned for the cabin will keep her mind off him. Or maybe her instincts to strip the place down will get out of hand…

My Review:

Just One Taste is story number 4.5 in author Kimberly Kincaid’s Pine Mountain Series, a series I have loved reading since the very first installment. This novella just added to my enjoyment and I loved getting to read Jesse and Kat’s story!

When catastrophe strikes and their apartment building must be vacated for a month, Jesse and Kat had no way of knowing that fate would step in and put them in very close living quarters. Jesse’s good Army buddy happens to be Kat’s big brother and when he offers Jesse a place to stay, in his family’s lake house, no one realized Kat would be staying there, too. As I said, fate sure had a plan for these two! What happens next is just pure magic, like Kimberly Kincaid is excellent at delivering.

Jesse is a bit broken since leaving the Army as a combat medic and Kat, as a physical therapist, has that innate need to heal. Is there a better match? I don’t think so. There chemistry and attraction is undeniable from the word “go” and their personalities complement one another so well. Sure Jesse needs a bit of help coming to grips with his new life roles, and already having a step in the right direction after finding his love of culinary arts, he just needs to realize he is worthy of happiness. Happiness he finds in Kat’s arms. Kat is no-nonsense and calls Jesse out on almost all of his issues and I loved that about her. She is definitely my kind of gal. There are also more than a few laughs along the way and that’s just another thing that author Kincaid does so well. Her stories are always balanced beautifully.

Overall, this is a fun, steamy, and feel good read and a perfect way to spend a summertime afternoon! Thank you, Ms. Kincaid, for yet another great visit with my favorite Pine Mountain gang!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the author:

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 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.

Review…Salvation by Robin Covington

Synopsis:

Letting go never felt so good.

Carlisle Queen is dying and no one knows it.

Burying the pain of losing her friends and her professional swimming career in a terrorist attack, America’s former sweetheart dulls her pain with drugs, pills and parties. The bomb left her with more than nightmares; shrapnel is lodged in her back and inching closer to her spinal cord. When the doctors tell her paralysis is inevitable, she decides to take her own life rather than face a lifetime in a wheelchair.

Mateo Butler isn’t anyone’s hero.

Reeling from the death of his little sister and his own cowardice, he spends his nights partying and his days ignoring the medical school acceptance letters and his parents’ concerned phone calls. Just a couple of months from graduation, he’s facing a future filled with shame and regret. The last thing he needs is to meet the woman who compels him to be a better man.

Can they save each other?

When Carlisle and Mateo meet, the chemistry between them is combustible. They play, party and hide their true selves until one night turns their lust into something more…something real. As secrets are revealed and walls collapse, what they were and what they might become doesn’t matter as much as who they are together. When the choice comes down to life or death, can love be their salvation?

My Review:

Salvation is the second book in author Robin Covington’s Nashville Nights series and after loving the first book, I was so excited to read Carlisle and Mateo’s story and let me just say, Robin has done it again. This story was beyond smoking hot, filled with emotion, and just down right amazing all around. I loved it!

Carlisle Queen is used to one thing these days: coping. Pain, loss, death…coping with all of it. Of course, her chosen methods weren’t exactly legal at times, but it got her through, and right now, that’s what mattered. But as far as the long-term? She didn’t exactly have one…a long term, that is. She was dying and just biding her time until it was over, which she had made peace with…until Mateo. Now she was a jumble of confusion and emotion because he had given her hope that maybe, just maybe, her injuries could be fixed and she could have a future…with him. Would fate give her a chance at the happy ever after that was stolen away years earlier?

You could say that Mateo was floundering. He was just kind of going through the motions of school and life and all was sort of bland. Especially after the death of his little sister. The little sister he had so many plans with. Plans that now seemed worthless. But the minute Mateo starts something with Carlisle, his world goes from bland to full of life in an instant. The sexy, smart, feisty red-head was everything he could have dreamed of and more. She quickly turned from a quick roll in the hay into something so much more. Dare he hoped she felt the same way? That they could turn this temporary fun into something permanent? He should have known fate wouldn’t be kind enough to give him a shot at happiness and a sense of purpose…

With so much loss and pain tainting the love they’ve found, will Carlisle and Mateo be able to weather this storm and come out of it? Together?

I can always count on an amazing read from Robin. Always. This book was no exception. Carlisle and Mateo are two broken pieces apart, but together make one imperfectly perfect whole. Where they both have a weakness, they also have a strength that has the beautiful ability to help shore up the weakness until it no longer matters. Mateo is quietly dealing with the guilt over the death of his sister and it broke my heart. He has such a desire to make things right for Carlisle and help her in any way that I couldn’t help but fall in love with him the very first time he picked her up when she needed him. Carlisle is wonderful at putting on a brave face for the world but is privately a disaster. I don’t blame her and honestly, I felt she had every right to feel the way she did. To self medicate and push away the pain. But I also wanted her to be ok. I wanted so desperately for these two to get a second chance at life. And love. Of course, because Robin is amazing, she always delivers.

Now, because it deserves a separate paragraph, I have got to touch on the amount of scorching heat in this story. Good. Lord. Also, another thing I can count on from Robin is the deliciously sexy scenes that happen between Mateo and Carlisle. Sexy and emotional, these scenes melted my e-reader and had me fanning myself more than a few times. Total yum!

If you’re looking for a great book with beautiful emotion, well-developed characters, and plenty of heat, Salvation needs to be on your list. Thank you, Robin for once again writing one hell of a book!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her bestselling books. A Night of Southern Comfort, her debut novel was nominated for the RT Book Reviewers Choice Awards for Small Press and was touted by RT Book Reviews as bringing a “fresh, modern feel to the genre while still sticking to the things that get our adrenaline pumping — sex and danger”

When she’s not writing sexy, sizzling romance she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Dean winchester. You can find Robin at her website (robincovingtonromance.com), Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Don’t send chocolate . . . send eye candy!

Robin lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, brilliant children (they get it from her, of course!) and her beloved furbabies.

Hades by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Hades releases 5/26

Synopsis:

A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It’s easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice — or bestowing mercy — on the beautiful female who could be his salvation…or his undoing.

Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel’s plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades’s boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades’s prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected…

My review:

Hades is story number 11.5 in author Larissa Ione’s Demonica Series, story number 6.5 in her Lords of Deliverance Series as well as novella number 7 in 1,001 Dark Nights 2015 line-up. I have been a HUGE fan of Ms. Ione for years now and have been anxiously awaiting Hades story. This broody, mischievous, mohawked fallen angel has truly met his match when he met Cataclysm and this story was everything I had hoped and more…

You could say that jailing the souls of the evilest of the evil had hardened Hades of the last few thousands of years. How could it not have? He had to be a tough ass in order to keep all of these wretched souls and creatures afraid of him. Of course it could have been made a bit more comfortable, but he had earned a punishment from Azagoth many years ago and was still paying for his transgression. He had been used to all of that, though, and really hadn’t thought of things getting better or changing for quite some time. He had resigned himself to the fact this was as good as it was ever going to get…until he met Cat. Then things changed…but he was forbidden to go anywhere near her. Ever. And that’s what he hated most…

Cat knew her current cleaning crew situation could be much worse, so she wasn’t going to complain. Besides, getting brief glimpses of Hades during her daily cleaning of Azagoth’s home made things marginally better. He was beyond a sexy bad boy. He was also totally off-limits because she was here to be working off her indiscretion in unknowingly helping almost starting Armageddon, not oogling Hades. Just when she thinks things can’t get worse, she had to go and accidentally get herself stuck in Hades realm with no way back. She knew he was going to be mad. She knew he would hate having her here. She didn’t know that he had been as attracted to her as she had been to him…

Now this close, forced proximity was pushing them both into the shared desire to take their attraction to the next level. A level that involved emotions that Hades knew he wouldn’t be allowed to act on no matter how much Cat had begged him. Not to mention there was a bit of a situation with a possible overthrow of power happening down here. Was there ever a chance for them? Or was it as dismal as Hades feared…

I mean, really. Does anyone write fallen angel bad boys like Larissa Ione? From the very first page, I was completely hooked on Hades and Cat. He has been a bit of a mystery since we first met him in the series and now we really got a taste of who he is and why he’s in the position he’s in….and it broke my heart. Honestly, Ms. Ione has a way to turn the biggest, baddest, bad boys into these fragile broken guys and I just adore that so much. (Side note: I will never take peanut butter and chocolate for granted again.) All the feels! Cat is just so perfect for him and I adored her as much as I loved him. She is strong-willed with a big heart and I loved how she was going to try her hardest to break down Hades’ defenses, no matter how tough it was. I love a take charge gal! The heat between them is smoking hot and burns up the pages. There are two scenes that had me fanning myself and practically drooling on my e-reader. Yet another thing Ms. Ione kick ass at….heated sexy scenes with a ton of emotion. Mmmmhmmm! Oh, and speaking of emotion, the end scene with Hades, Cat, and Azagoth had me crying big, fat tears….not in a bad way, but the emotions were so high and I wanted desperately for Hades and Cat to have their chance at a happiness! (No spoilers but you know I won’t recommend a book that ends badly)

Thank you, Ms. Ione, for another fantastic trip into the Underworld! (and for the whole pee-stick thing lol!!)

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

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.

Can’t Resist A Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto….Blog Tour Stop & Review

CAN’T RESIST A COWBOY

By Elizabeth Otto

A Paint River Ranch Novel

He’s always been her weakness…

Injured and discharged, Marine Levi Haywood has returned to his family’s ranch to heal and start a new life. After all, once a cowboy, always a cowboy. The only problem? Life at the ranch has moved on since he joined the service, and suddenly his role in the family business is much less clear. And things get a lot more confusing when the woman he left behind returns home.

Carrie Lynn Waite has never known a time when she didn’t love Levi. They were childhood sweethearts, but because of her health, she was forced to move to the city, away from the ranching life. Now Carrie’s come home only to learn her family’s ranch is in trouble and Levi is back, along with an undeniable attraction she can’t resist. But some things never change, forcing Carrie to choose the future laid out before her…or the cowboy she could never resist.

Buy Links: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * ARe * Kobo

My review:

Can’t Resist A Cowboy is the third book in author Elizabeth Otto’s Paint River Ranch series, a series I have loved from the beginning. This book is Levi’s story and, hands down, is my fave of the series thus far.

Being back in her hometown, Carrie Lynn was only dreading one thing: seeing Levi Haywood. Of course that would be easier said than done seeing as though their famiy properties were neighboring lands and he was back working on that land after being injured in the war. Her injuries, in the form of a broken heart thanks to Levi, still hadn’t healed. Hopefully she would be able to visit with her father, tell him the devastating news about her failing health due to her diabetes, and go back without seeing too much of the devastatingly sexy Marine she had said goodbye to all those years ago…

Levi Haywood had never forgotten his sunshine: Carrie Lynn. He left her when he joined the Marines, and had never really gotten over it. He knew she would be coming to visit her father and he wanted nothing more than to have a second chance. He had already been given a second chance at life after almost dying overseas, and he was probably being greedy asking for one with her, but he would be damned if he didn’t at least try. The memories they had made when they were young and in love had gotten him through some of the roughest parts when he was a Marine and he would do anything to show her how much she still meant to him. If only she would give him the chance.

Can love be rekindled between two injured souls? If fate had anything do to with it, it will…

Oh my, how I loved this story so damn much! Author Otto has had me hooked on these Haywood boys from the very beginning and I look forward to each new book but this one, THIS one, was just amazing. Levi is just too much. He is sweet, battered, caring, loyal, and so strong both emotionally and physically. I loved him so much. He was equal parts vulnerable and resilient and the balance was amazing. Carrie Lynn was the same balance of vulnerability and resiliency with her issues with diabetes. Where they may have been a great match before Levi left for the Marines, they are an even better pair now, leaning on one another when things get rough and learning to embrace their individual shortcomings in order to grow stronger together as a couple.

But above and beyond, Ms. Otto wrote so many touching scenes into this story that I couldn’t help but laugh and cry along with these amazing characters. From private talks between Levi and his niece, to the tender moments shared between Carrie Lynn and Levi and the lengths he will go to in order to get her to stay with him were just so emotional and special.

Packed with raw and tender emotion and a ton of heat, Can’t Resist A Cowboy is a total win. Thank you, Ms. Otto, for another amazing read and for giving us Levi and Carrie Lynn! I sure hope we will see more of the Paint River Ranch gang in the future!

Five Loves

About the Author: Elizabeth Otto grew up in a Wisconsin town the size of a postage stamp, where riding your horse to the grocery store, and skinny dipping after school were perfectly acceptable. No surprise that she writes about small communities and country boys. She’s the author of paranormal romance, and hot, emotional, contemporary romance, and has no guilt over frequently making her readers cry. When not writing, she works full-time as an Emergency Medical Technician for a rural ambulance service. Elizabeth lives with her very own country boy and their three children in, shockingly, a small Midwestern town.

FIND THE AUTHOR HERE: @EAOtto Facebook Website Good Reads

Synopsis:

Injured and discharged, Marine Levi Haywood has returned to his family’s ranch in order to heal and start a new life. After all, once a cowboy, always a cowboy. The only problem? Life at the ranch has moved on since he joined the service, and suddenly his role is much less clear. And things get a lot more confusing when his childhood sweetheart shows up.

Carrie Lynn Waite has never known a time when she didn’t love Levi. They were childhood sweethearts, but because of her illness, she was forced to move to the city, away from the ranching life. Now Carrie’s come home only to learn her family’s ranch is in trouble and Levi is back, along with an undeniable attraction she can’t resist. But some things never change. Now Carrie must decide between her future…and the cowboy she could never resist.

Adored by Lexi Blake…ARC Review

Adored releases May 12

Synopsis:

A man who gave up on love

Mitch Bradford is an intimidating man. In his professional life, he has a reputation for demolishing his opponents in the courtroom. At the exclusive BDSM club Sanctum, he prefers disciplining pretty submissives with no strings attached. In his line of work, there’s no time for a healthy relationship. After a few failed attempts, he knows he’s not good for any woman—especially not his best friend’s sister.

A woman who always gets what she wants

Laurel Daley knows what she wants, and her sights are set on Mitch. He’s smart and sexy, and it doesn’t matter that he’s a few years older and has a couple of bitter ex-wives. Watching him in action at work and at play, she knows he just needs a little polish to make some woman the perfect lover. She intends to be that woman, but first she has to show him how good it could be.

A killer lurking in the shadows

When an unexpected turn of events throws the two together, Mitch and Laurel are confronted with the perfect opportunity to explore their mutual desire. Night after night of being close breaks down Mitch’s defenses. The more he sees of Laurel, the more he knows he wants her. Unfortunately, someone else has their eyes on Laurel and they have murder in mind.

My review:

Adored is story number 8.5 in author Lexi Blake’s Masters and Mercenaries series as well as novella number 6 in the 1,001 Dark Nights 2015 line-up and from the synopsis alone, I was dying to read this latest installment.

Now, I’ve heard numerous times in the years I’ve been a reader that there are people who don’t really like novellas because it’s hard to build a relationship with the characters. That you can’t develop an emotional connection. Well, I am here to tell you that Lexi Blake and this novella will dispel all of those notions.

This story was packed with emotion, suspense and scorching heat but also had some mystery and more than a few chuckles along the way and I loved it!

Mitch is all alpha Dom and needs the lifestyle to maintain order and control in his life. It soothes him. Calms him. He’s had his share of failed relationships, his childhood was less than stellar and all of that pain and heartache has made him the man he is today. He truly has damaged hero written all over him. And when it came to Laurel, and all the feelings she brought about in him, he was a jumble of emotion. He wanted her but knew he had to stay away from her. This was all something he wasn’t used to. It broke into his calm routine and it scared the hell out of him. He knew she wanted more from him above their working relationship and he was trying his best to keep her at bay…but Laurel was good at calling him on his crap and she pushed his buttons like no other. (My kinda gal!)

I loved that about her. She was one tough cookie and went after what she wanted but also knew Mitch and knew what he needed. She was willing to bend to him and try her best to be the woman he needed and wanted and I admired her for that. She also knew when enough was enough and made no bones about staying true to what she saw for herself and her future…even in if meant not being with Mitch.

They are a special kind of amazing when they are together. Despite being hard-headed, Mitch is patient with Laurel. When he introduces her into the BDSM world, he truly puts aside his own needs to make sure she is comfortable and at ease with the lifestyle. I absolutely loved that about him. They have many stumbles along the way and I went through moments of wanting to shake Mitch but like with any lovable damaged hero, in the end, they are worth all the heartache they caused and Mitch was no exception.

Now, as for the suspense aspect, author Blake did one hell of a job. She introduced quite a mystery in the beginning and left breadcrumbs along the way leading us on a path to one hell of an ending I never saw coming! It was certainly a “whoa” moment!

There’s also a bit of a surprise that happens early on but I can’t mention it without spoiling things…so my lips are sealed!

Adored is the whole package. Sexy, emotional, suspenseful, it’s a page turner from start to finish. Thank you, Ms. Blake, for giving us Mitch and Laurel’s story!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

New York 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 that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Sugar On Top by Marina Adair….Review

“Marina Adair writes with heart and sizzling heat.”
–Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author on Sugar’s Twice as Sweet

Synopsis:

She’s sassy and sweet

The last thing Glory Mann wants is to become chairman of the Miss Peach Pageant in Sugar, Georgia. Spending months hearing nothing but the clinking of pearls and judgment? No thank you! But when Glory is forced to take the rap for a scandal she didn’t commit, the judge sentences her to head the committee. Even worse, her co-chairman is rugged, ripped . . . and barely knows she’s alive.

He’s ready and willing

Single dad Cal McGraw can’t take any more drama in his life. After a difficult divorce, his little girl became a boy-crazy teenager and his hands are full. The last thing he needs is to spend his down time with the town bad girl. Glory is pure trouble-tempting and tantalizing trouble. But he can’t deny the strong chemistry between them-or how her touch turns him inside out. Now as squabbles threaten to blow up the contest and the town of Sugar itself, Cal must risk everything on the sexy wild card to get a second chance at love . . .

My review:

Sugar On Top is the second book in author Marina Adair’s Sugar, Georgia series, and after falling in love with the series I was so excited to read this newest installment. Well, Marina has done it again. This book was just fantastic.

Poor Glory. Being stuck in a small town after having made a mistake when she was younger was proving to be hell. She would never be able to live it down and would always be reminded of that one slip up. But she was always willing to hold her head high and keep on moving forward. She was close to realizing her dream becoming a nurse and was beyond excited to start this new chapter. Of course just when she thinks all is well, she ends up in a bit of trouble and once again having to fight to get back to a good place. Only this time she had some help on her side and in her corner…Cal.

Deliciously handsome, loyal, steadfast and strong, Cal. He was also single dad and off-limits, Cal. But if there’s one thing Cal has excelled at his whole life os taking care of people and situations. He was doing a favor for his brother by rescuing Glory from this newest pickle she was in but almost immediately he realizes she could use more. More help. More support. From just one person, she could use more. She had never had that from the people in this town and it was about time he changed that. She was beautiful, smart, and one hell of a strong woman. She deserved more and he wanted to give that to her.

Small town talk, family, school, work, emotional walls a mile high. With so many complications in their way it had seemed Glory and Cal wouldn’t have their chance to explore the attraction between them. The attraction that had been going strong for too many years to count. Until fate steps in and works her magic…

This book. This series. This author. I have so much love for all! I was crying within the first ten pages of this book. Glory tugged at all of my heartstrings and I wanted nothing more than for her to prove all these busy body small town gossips wrong and to succeed in realizing her dreams with her career and her love life. I was cheering for her every step of the way. She’s one tough cookie and really deserved her happy ending. Which brings me to Cal…oh, Cal. He is the whole package. He’s a great dad, brother, and grandson. Loyal and loving with a huge heart all wrapped up in one sexy and buff package. The slow build between them was just delicious. Because of her past she’s not willing to just dive in. Because of his past, he isn’t either. But don’t worry…Cal and Glory are well aware of what’s happening between the and aren’t wiling to throw it away.

Of course, the entire cast of characters in this series is just as fantastic and play a huge part in every book. There are quirky grandmothers, interesting pets, and more than a few chuckle worthy situations. I love that so much. It adds so much to a story and I always love how Ms. Adair combines it all into one entertaining package.

Ok, now that I’ve taken up way too much of your time (I can’t help it! I love this book so much!) let me just say that if you love to root for the underdog and enjoy a wonderful romance, this is a book for you!

Thank you, Ms. Adair, for once again giving us a wonderful and heartwarming story!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

Marina Adair is a #1 National best-selling author of romance novels. Along with the St. Helena Vineyard series, she is also the author of the upcoming Sugar, Georgia series and Tucker’s Crossing, part of the Sweet Plains 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 or visit her on Facebook.

Nice Girls Don’t Ride by Roni Loren….Blog Tour Stop: Review & Excerpt

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Book Blurb:

Natalie Bourne thinks she has the perfect night planned for her twenty-first birthday. But when her car breaks down and her boyfriend bails on her, she’s left stranded in an auto shop dealing with a way too cocky, way too hot mechanic, who seems to be intent on pushing every button she has.

Monroe Hawkins knows he shouldn’t be messing with a girl from the uppity private college. Especially when he can tell she sees him as the help. But he’s having trouble resisting the redhead with the smart mouth and the killer legs. So when Natalie’s night goes from bad to worse, there’s no way he’s letting her spend her birthday alone. He makes her a deal—he’ll take her home but not until the sun comes up.

Ten hours, one motorcycle, and the city of Austin at their fingertips…things are about to take a major detour. And soon, there may be no U-turn in sight.

Purchase links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ag79Fe

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

iTunes: http://apple.co/1D5r1Fo

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

My Review:

Nice Girls Don’t Ride is the newest work from author Roni Loren and admittedly the first of her work that I’ve read. Well, after reading this sweet, sexy, and sassy novella this blogger is a fan. I loved this story so damn much!

Fate had a plan when Natalie became stranded and ended up being rescued by Monroe. These two have an instant connection and share a playful banter with a clear underlying flirtatious vibe. Both Monroe and Natalie excel at witty comebacks and when they realize Natalie’s jerk of a boyfriend has ditched her on her birthday, those comebacks and banter turn from innocent to heated in record speed. Oh, how I loved it. Monroe is a tattooed knight on a iron horse and Natalie ends up being a damsel in need of a love-life rescue. I loved how their story played out and really loved how they both took a chance on exploring the pull and attraction they felt for each other. My only complaint? It wasn’t long enough…although I probably could have read 400 pages of these two and still want more!

If you’re looking for a read filled with sexy fun, this is a book that needs to be on your list! Thank you, Roni, for giving us Natalie and Monore and for giving this blogger a new go-to author!

Five Loves

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, dear . . .

I groan and lean back against the guardrail, shielding my eyes from the piercing sunlight. How exactly should I finish that?

Girl who currently smells like sweat and roadkill?

Girl about to go broke paying for this mess?

Girl whose boyfriend will not answer his goddamned phone?

My fingers move over the screen as I text Caleb again. Where r u???

I stare at my phone, willing a response out of it, but the screen goes black before there’s any answering ding. Caleb had warned me that he was going to be cutting it close for our date tonight. And I know his internship at the local campaign office sometimes runs late when they’re prepping for a rally, but he should be out by now.

My fingers move over the screen again. R U secretly Superman in ur off hours? Come on, u can tell me. If ur saving the world, I’ll understand.

Of course, there’s still no response. And now my neck is prickling with not just sweat but anxiety. What if something happened to him? What if he was in an accident? What if—?

I stop myself before the thoughts spiral, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. Cool it, Nat. But that little exercise only gets me a lungful of the dead skunk that’s roasting in the heat a few yards away from me on the side of the highway. Blech. I press my fingers over my mouth, fighting a wave of nausea.

I check the clock on my phone for what seems like the hundredth time. The roadside-assistance lady said they would contact a local garage and get me a tow right away. But it’s been over an hour, and the only cars that have passed by have either ignored me or sent catcalls flying my way. Because, of course, my piece-of-crap car had to break down when I’m all dressed up in a low-cut dress and heels for my birthday dinner. Yay for timing.

One guy had at least offered to help and had seemed nice enough, but I’ve seen how those horror movies end. Girl on the side of the road accepts help from a seemingly harmless stranger, only to have her organs carved out later that night. No, thanks.

A grinding of tires on gravel draws my attention upward. A black tow truck rolls past me on the road and pulls to the side, sending a cloud of dust in its wake. I keep my phone clutched in my hand, quickly check the can of Mace in my purse, and then push off the guardrail. The side of the truck says Billy’s Custom Cycles and Auto Repair. There’s a tattoo-style logo of a motorcycle on fire, and I know that it’s definitely not the name of the repair shop the roadside assistance service gave me. It had been some big chain—AutoPlus or something like that. A little shimmer of nerves goes through me and I stop where I am, my heels sinking into the gravel.

The front door of the tow truck opens and a tattooed arm appears before anything else. For some reason, my eyes lock onto pieces of the man instead of the whole—like I can’t handle the entire view quite yet, only snapshots. That muscular arm as the driver slides out of the truck. The worn black motorcycle boots that hit the ground. I force myself to look up, tracking along the faded jeans and fitted black T-shirt, until I collide with a dark blue gaze.

“Looks like you need a ride.”

The deep voice startles me for a second and snaps me back into the moment like a slingshot. Ping! Pay attention, Nat. Now is not the time to let my guard down. “No, thank you, I don’t. I already have another shop on the way.”

His gaze tracks over my dusty dress, slow and lazy like, before he lifts a dark brow. “How long have you been waiting? It’s pretty hot out here.”

The once-over makes me more than a little self-conscious. He can’t be all that much older than me, early twenties for sure, but something about him is intimidating as hell. “I don’t know. Not long. I’m sure they’ll be here any second.”

He crosses his arms over his chest and eyes my car, which has chosen this moment to start smoking from under the hood—as if it senses help in its midst and is crying out for it. “What shop is coming?”

I brush at the skirt of my dress, trying to give my nervous hands something to do. I don’t want to look worried or scared or show him that I’m melting in this brutal Texas heat. “AutoPlus, AutoMart . . .”

He scowls. “Autoland.”

“That’s it.”

“You might as well set up a tent then. They take forever to get to calls, and they’ll charge you twice as much as we would. Plus, they close at six. They’re just going to tow you in and then lock up for the night.”

“Says the guy who wants to make a buck on a girl stranded on the side of the road.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “Hey, princess, I’m just trying to be a nice guy and get you to your”—he looks me up and down again—“sorority party on time. I get paid the same either way.”

Princess? Sorority party? My eyes narrow and I give him my own head-to-toe look, taking in the messy dark hair, the tattoos, the heavy boots, the finely shaped . . . I snatch the thought back before I can go there. “Look, Son of Anarchy, I appreciate the nice guy offer, but how do I even know you’re legit?”

He snorts. “You think I drive a tow truck around for fun? Call the number on the side of the truck if you want. But otherwise, I’ve got better stuff to do than stand here in the heat, smelling roadkill. Two minutes, princess. I’ll be in the truck. You want a tow and a ride? You get in. If not, good luck with Autoland.”

He turns to go, and I feel a little dart of panic at being left alone again—even if he’s not exactly the company I want. This isn’t the best part of Austin, and the sun is on its way down. “Wait, what’s your name? You know, so I can verify.”

He doesn’t turn around but calls back. “Monroe.”

I dial the number to the shop and, of course, they verify that Monroe works for them and is driving the truck today. The guy on the phone sounds amused by my questions. And his reaction makes me realize that I’m being paranoid, that my nerves are officially frayed, and it’s making me act like a bitch. I thank the guy on the phone, hang up, and take a steadying breath. This is going to be okay. Not everyone is out to take advantage. Some people actually do things to be helpful without ulterior motives.

My mother would laugh her ass off at that logic. Everybody’s got an agenda, Nattie.

I straighten the neckline of my dress, hike my purse up my shoulder, and walk over to the tow truck with as much dignity as I can muster for a sweaty girl in a dusty dress. Monroe hasn’t climbed back into the cab, but is instead leaning against the front bumper and watching the cars zoom by on the overpass up ahead. He doesn’t look my way. “Verified that I’m not a serial killer?”

“Verified that you work for Billy’s. The serial-killer part is yet to be determined.”

He smiles out at the horizon. “Want to check the backseat for weapons or body parts?”

“I have a feeling you’d be too sneaky to leave such obvious evidence lying around. And if you aren’t that clever, I’m going to be seriously disappointed in myself if I fall victim to a dumb serial killer.”

He chuckles and it changes his whole face, warming it. When he turns his head, his blue eyes meet mine and my stomach tightens a little. I do my best not to let my reaction show on my face. Last thing I need is him thinking that I’m interested in him. Because, of course, I’m not. I’m totally not. If there’s an opposite of my type, it’s this guy. And plus, I have Caleb. Cute, smart, on-his-way-to-big-things Caleb.

Caleb, who won’t answer his goddamned phone.

Monroe pushes himself off the bumper. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an insult, princess, but I’ll take it you’re going to ride with me.”

“Yes. But only because I can’t handle the dead-skunk smell for another minute.”

“I’m preferable to skunk guts? The flattery just rolls off you, doesn’t it?”

The jab lands squarely. I press my fingers to the space between my eyes and rub. “Sorry. I’m really not trying to be a bitch.”

“It just comes natural, then?”

My eyes snap open and I’m ready to hurl an insult back, but I find him wearing a playful grin and clamp my lips shut.

He angles a thumb toward the truck. “Get in . . .”

“Natalie,” I supply.

“Natalie. And kick the A/C on. Getting your car hooked up is gonna take a few minutes. You may want to call someone for a ride, too, because there’s no guarantee we can get this fixed tonight. I’m assuming you have plans.”

I glance down at my outfit, suddenly self-conscious about the sexy getup. It’s not my typical style, but tonight was supposed to be special, and I had wanted to knock Caleb on his butt. He’s been so wrapped up in work and school lately that I’ve felt a little like furniture. So I borrowed my roommate’s dress with its plunging neckline and treated myself to the new risqué lingerie I’m wearing beneath. I’m not exactly Ms. Vixen normally, so Caleb would’ve never seen it coming. Now it’s all a waste.

“I have a date with my boyfriend,” I say to Monroe.

“Right. So, he can pick you up?”

“He’s not answering his phone. But I’m sure I’ll get him soon.”

Monroe makes some noncommittal noise and nods. “I’m going to get to work. You go and cool off. There’s bottled water in the ice chest in the backseat.”

“Thanks.”

Before getting in the truck, I find myself watching Monroe walk back toward my car. He’s easily over six feet tall but doesn’t move in that awkward, hunched way that most of the taller guys on campus move. There’s an easy confidence to him, like he’s fully grown into his body and taken ownership—a man’s walk. My eyes follow him as he pops the hood of my car and leans over. The hem of his shirt lifts as he bends, exposing a strip of tanned, muscular lower back. I find myself wondering what it would feel like beneath my fingers and if he has any more ink hidden under there . . . I force my eyes away.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t have random illicit thoughts about complete strangers. Especially not strangers who have tattoos and call me princess.

I shake my head and pull open the door on the passenger side. Maybe I have heatstroke or something.

I lay my head back against the seat and close my eyes. But all I can see is the image of my new mechanic pulling his shirt all the way off, sweat dripping off him, me putting my hands . . .

I sit straight up.

Yep, definitely heatstroke. Has to be.
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Author Bio:

RoniLorenAuthorHeadshot2 Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son.

If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that’s it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Places to find Roni Loren:

Site: www.roniloren.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoniLoren

Twitter: https://twitter.com/roniloren

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4877863.Roni_Loren

Caress Of Pleasure by Julie Kenner…ARC Review

Caress Of Pleasure releases tomorrow, 4/28

Synopsis:

I’d thought that he was mine, the dark, arresting man who commanded not only my body but my heart. Dante had swept into my life, and I’d succumbed to the burn of passion in his arms.

I’d believed we had a love that would last forever, but he’d shattered my dreams and broken me into pieces when he’d walked away, taking a piece of my soul with him.

Now he has come back seeking my help, and though I try to keep my distance and protect my heart, I cannot deny that the fire between us burns hotter than ever. And I cannot help but fear that this time our passion will reduce us both to ashes.

My Review:

Caress of Pleasure is book number 3.5 in author Julie Kenner’s Dark Pleasures series as well as the 5^th novella in the 2015 1,001 Dark Nights line-up. I have loved the Dark Pleasures series from the beginning and filled with heat, action, and mystery, this novella was a wonderful addition.

I always enjoy a story where former lovers who experienced a nasty breakup are reunited and put into a situation which forces them to be in one another’s company again. This was the case with Brenna and Dante and oh my, the emotions run high from the very first time they lay eyes on each other.

When he calls on her for her expertise in her field and to help procure a rare jeweled brooch, she wanted to tell him no. It would prove to be easier said than done when she sees him and immediately all the feelings she had thought lay dormant awaken. She also realized he hadn’t aged a bit. Not one wrinkle. Now she wasn’t just on a mission to get a brooch, she was determined to know why he had crushed her dreams all those years earlier and what was going on with him and his eternal youthful appearance.

Those missions will throw her headfirst into a world she never knew existed. A world that not only held immortal beings but an enormous amount of danger. Those missions would also bring about another chance for the love she and Dante once shared.

When I first started this series I had been in a paranormal romance funk. With each release in this series and Ms. Kenner’s unique take on the supernatural beings within these stories, I am reminded of just what makes PNR so amazing. It’s a series I will continue to look forward to and one I enjoy more and more with each installment.

Thank you, Ms. Kenner, for another amazing read and for bringing us Dante and Brenna!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

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

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

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

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

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Need Me by Tessa Bailey…ARC Review

Need Me releases 4/21

Synopsis:

When Honey Perribow traded in her cowboy boots for stilettos and left her small Kentucky town to attend Columbia University, she never expected to find a dirt-cheap apartment or two new best friends. No stranger to hard work, Honey is completely focused on her medical degree … until she sees newly minted professor Ben Dawson, and her concentration is hijacked. Honey is fascinated by her gorgeous young English professor and vows to find a crack in his tweed-wearing, glasses-clad exterior.

At an off-campus party, an accident lands Ben in a dark, locked closet with a sexy-sounding Southern belle … and their chemistry is explosive. But when he discovers that the girl in his arms is the same beautiful student he can’t stop thinking about, he is stunned. Student-teacher relationships are strictly forbidden … yet no matter how hard he tries, Ben can’t stay away from Honey.

And when his attempt to fight their attraction nearly ruins the best thing that ever happened to him, Ben will do anything to prove how much he needs her.

My Review:

Need Me is the second book in author Tessa Bailey’s Broke and Beautiful Series, a series I am totally in love with, and follows Honey and Ben in her attempt to seduce the sexy, young professor. I. Loved. This. Book. Sexy as hell with a heaping spoonful of emotion lands his book as one of my favorites of Tessa’s to date.

Pre-Med student Honey Perribow is on a mission. A mission unlike anything she’s ever embarked on before. A mission to seduce her hot a sin English Lit professor. Now, before you think poorly of Honey, know that he’s the youngest professor at Columbia. Not too far off from her own age, to be exact. Now, back to Ben…Professor Ben Dawson. Her first attempt seemed to gain a bit of interest from him, and by a bit of interest that means he actually noticed her in class. Score one for Honey! She is happy with the progression of her seduction and can’t even believe her luck when she ends up locked in a dark closet with him. Talk about progress! Fate is on her side when it turns out Ben is best friends with her roommate Roxy’s boyfriend Louis. In all the time they’e been friends she never realized ‘her” Ben and ‘their” Ben was one in the same. Now, at a party they were throwing, and quite by accident, she’s stuck in this closet with him and knows it’s the chance she’s been waiting for. She never suspected her professor would turn out to be as naughty as he is smart and sexy. She had sure chosen the right guy to go after…but what would he say when the door opened and he realized the girl he was currently making out with was his student?

Always used to keeping himself in check, Professor Ben Dawson was sure as hell going to take advantage of this dark closet and the woman in it. Yes, it was so unlike him and no, he didn’t give a crap. He had been hard up after reading a student’s latest assignment and he needed a releases so god help him, he was going to take this chance thrown into his lap…which is where this mystery girl currently was. He shouldn’t be having any kind of thoughts like he’d been having after reading the amazing work from his student, a Ms. Perribow, but she stirred his senses in every way with her writing. He didn’t even know what she looked like, as he kept a healthy distance form his students. He was too close in age and didn’t want to cross the line from professor to friend. Little did he know that he was crossing that line in this closet…imagine his surprise when the door opens and he realizes who the mystery closet woman was.

Yes, their story starts out with a bit of a hiccup. Yes, it seems like it would never work. No, it doesn’t matter even a little bit. Their attraction that starts out on one level turns into so much more and it’s truly undeniable. But is it worth possibly risking careers over? Was there a way to make this work or were Honey and Ben doomed from the start…

Good. Lord. I thought I loved this series already. Ha! This book is just so much. SO damn much. Ok, I’m babbling. As I said earlier, Ben and Honey’s story wins out as one of my favorites of Tessa’s yet. This book also has a first line I will be able to quote at the drop of a hat, like Chase Me. There was just so much to this story and it was done so beautifully. Ben is a complex guy with a screwed up childhood that has had a hand in the way he views relationships now. It’s not good, to put it nicely. So he isn’t exactly thrilled when Honey starts things up in that closet. He never would have started anything with a student. But the problem now is that he’s totally hooked on her. She’s smart, sexy, and unlike any girl he’s ever known. He will try to push her away and all those times will fail leading them into some of the hottest scenes I’ve ever read. Bless all things hot and heavy! And Honey is amazing, She’s real and true and goes after what she wants. Whether it be starting her own little league as a kid (which had me crying my eyes out and loving her even more) to going after Ben. But Ben, being torn in all sorts of directions, screws up with Honey. Good thing he knows how to redeem himself and also had my crying more than once. He is such a dichotomy with his butted up and careful exterior and the sexy dirty talker lying under that exterior, Damn, he is insanely delicious. The ups and downs they go through and pretty damn intense but in the end, it was all totally worth it….because the ending goes down as movie worthy genius.

We also get to see more of the cast I’ve grown to love and I have a feeling we will be seeing Abby and Russell get together soon! (Please, PLEASE, let us see that!)

Tessa, thank you for Ben and Honey. Thank you for their amazing story. Thank you for being an author I continue to love and look forward to reading more of!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N

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 Brooklyn, New York with her husband of seven years and three-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.

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Hard To Be Good by Laura Kaye….Review and Excerpt Blog Tour Stop

Synopsis:

Hard Ink Tattoo owner Jeremy Rixey has taken on his brother’s stateside fight against the forces that nearly killed Nick and his Special Forces team a year before. Now, Jeremy’s whole world has been turned upside down—not the least of which by a brilliant, quiet blond man who tempts Jeremy to settle down for the first time ever.

Recent kidnapping victim Charlie Merritt has always been better with computers than people, so when he’s drawn into the SF team’s investigation of his army colonel father’s corruption, he’s surprised to find acceptance and friendship—especially since his father never accepted who Charlie was. Even more surprising is the heated tension Charlie feels with sexy, tattooed Jeremy, Charlie’s opposite in almost every way.

With tragedy and chaos all around them, temptation flashes hot, and Jeremy and Charlie can’t help but wonder why they’re trying so hard to be good…

My Review:

Hard To Be Good is book number 3.5 in author Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink series, a series I have loved reading since the very beginning, and follows the growing attraction between our fave tattoo artist, Jeremy Rixey, and our fave computer guru, Charlie Merritt. I’ve got two words for this book: freaking delicious.

While things had been getting more and more intense for the Hard Ink crew in their search for the truth, the situation has reached a fever pitch. In this story we catch up with the series right after a huge explosion leveled part of the rag-tag crew’s operation and ended up killing a couple important members of the group. It had rocked everyone. Including Charlie and Jeremy. Both of whom had different reasons for being completely unsettled. Charlie felt terrible that all of these people had been dragged into things because of his rescue. Jeremy felt like his efforts weren’t enough and he had an inability to help more than what he was already doing. The two of them almost felt like outsiders in a way. Luckily they had each other. To understand the shared troubles. To lend a shoulder to lean on. To share comfort in each other’s company. There had been a slow building attraction between them and although neither one was 100% certain, there was no denying something heating was simmering between them. This tragedy, as awful s it may be, could end up being the push they need to take their relationship to the next level…

I have loved both Jeremy and Charlie since this series began. Charlie for his silent courage and his genius tech brain. Jeremy for his loyalty and his amazing sense of humor. As each of the characters in this book were finding their mates, their partners, I was waiting for the day Jeremy and Charlie would both find theirs. Finding that mate in each other? A-freaking-mazing. Laura Kaye delivered. Not only on the heat and delicious tension building between these two. Not only on the physical magic that happens between them. Because, yes, she gave us those fantastic things, delivered on a sexy plate. But what I really and truly appreciated most were the emotions Jeremy and Charlie shared. The tender and special moments that we saw in the way Jeremy touched Charlie. The way Charlie looked at Jeremy. The things their body language showed what, at times, they didn’t know how to express in words. Those moments made me so very happy for these two incredible men. These men who deserve their happy ending and who Laura gave it to so beautifully and reverently.

What Laura gave Jeremy and Charlie was a beautiful gift and I will forever be grateful to her for taking the chance. For writing their story. I realize that even though it’s 2015, same-sex couples, in real life as well as in books, still don’t have the simple joy of being accepted as they are. The beings they were born as. It’s hard for me to understand the disapproval and the hatred over two people finding love. It’s hard for love not to be accepted because of something as unimportant as gender. I admire the people and the voices who take the chance…the bravery for putting themselves out there and risking scrutiny for simply embracing the love between two humans. I admire those people, and I stand with you and support you. I admire and appreciate Laura for writing this story. I thank her for loving love.

Thank you, Laura, for Hard To Be Good. Thank you for once again giving me a story that will stay with me and one I will recommend time and time again.

Five Loves

Excerpt:

Standing between Charlie’s knees, Jeremy held the man’s hands and gave him a million little kisses. For a long moment, they were just together quietly, their foreheads resting against each other.

Family.

Being with Charlie felt so damn natural. Like they’d always known each other. Like they belonged together. Like they were the best of friends—only so much more.

Family.

The realization that Jeremy was having these kinds of feelings about a man was surprising only because all his other encounters had been casual, just for fun.

But this was Charlie. And that made everything different. That made everything … more.

Jeremy stroked his knuckles down Charlie’s handsome face. “Thank you for that.”

Charlie gave a small smile. “You, too. I’ve never … done that before with someone who was pierced.”

“No? Was it different?” Jeremy asked.

His cheeks turned pink, just the littlest bit, and it made Jeremy smile. Charlie was adorable and cute and sexy as hell by turns. “It was like another sensation. Cool when your skin was hot. And harder against the back of my throat than I’m used to.” Charlie peered up at him from behind longish lengths of his hair. “I really liked it,” he said quietly.

Smiling, Jeremy pressed a kiss to Charlie’s temple. “I really liked it, too.” They both chuckled.

“I want you to know something,” Jeremy said, taking a deep breath as he gathered his thoughts … and his courage. But he didn’t want Charlie having any more doubts. Not about him anyway.

“Okay.”

“I’ve loved the things we shared today, Charlie. For real. But what I’m feeling for you isn’t just physical. It’s something more. I’m not sure what yet, I …” Jeremy shrugged. “… don’t want you to think this is just about sex for me.”

HARD TO BE GOOD on Goodreads

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

Praise for the Hard Ink Series:

 ”TOP PICK! If you’re looking for danger, gritty action, and sizzling passion, then Kaye has just the book and the series for you.” ~RT Book Reviews Magazine

Giveaway:

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About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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