New Reviews – Page 132 – Read-Love-Blog

Review….One Night With A Hero by Laura Kaye

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Synopsis:

He wants just one night…

After growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott vowed never to marry or have kids. Sent stateside to get his head on straight—and his anger in check—Brady’s looking for a distraction. He finds it in his beautiful new neighbor’s one-night-only offer for hot sex, but her ability to make him forget is addictive. Suddenly, Brady’s not so sure he can stay away.

…what they need is each other.

Orphaned as a child, community center director Joss Daniels swore she’d never put herself in a position to be left behind again, but she can’t deny herself one sizzling night with the sexy soldier who makes her laugh and kisses her senseless. When Joss discovers she’s pregnant, Brady’s rejection leaves her feeling abandoned. Now, they must overcome their fears before they lose the love and security they’ve found in each other, but can they let go of the past to create a future together?

My Review:

This is the second book in The Hero Series by Laura Kaye and focuses on Brady Scott, the older brother of Alyssa Scott from the first in The Hero Series, Her Forbidden Hero. After loving Her Forbidden Hero, I knew I would love this book as well, and let me say…Laura delivered yet again!

Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott is back in the States and is trying to get his life back on track and his head on straight. His current mission is to deal with the mess of emotions when it comes to his father…his abusive, alcoholic and poor-excuse-for-a-parent father. How is he supposed to do that when it’s what he’s been avoiding since as long as he can remember? After going for a run, yet another unsuccessful attempt to release some stress, he finds a welcomed distraction in a beautiful young woman sitting on a blanket in the park. Luckily for Brady, the Memorial Day fireworks happening that night in that very same park seems like the perfect excuse to introduce himself, ask her to share dinner and maybe find that welcomed diversion he needs.

Joss Daniels is trying to enjoy a nice day at the park after seeing her ex and his new fiancé at the store that morning. Unfortunately she can’t shake the sadness that had crept in since realizing the “I’m not ready to commit” excuse he gave her when they broke up wasn’t exactly right…it was more like he couldn’t commit to her. And that hurt. So when a sexy solider in nothing but a pair of running shorts and dog tags asks her to share dinner and her blanket for the fireworks in the park she really doesn’t see why she should refuse…after all, it would be a nice distraction from her current gloomy mood.

But fate has something in store for these two. Joss and Brady turn out to be neighbors, and after a few hot and heavy sessions (and I mean HOT with all capitals and tons of exclamation points), Joss soon finds out she’s pregnant and let’s just say, things kind of get a little rocky from there.

I knew going in to this story that I was going to love Brady. I mean, he is the loving and protective older brother of Alyssa and best friend to Marco…what’s not to love? Well, I will admit, I wanted to kick his ass a few times while reading. I still loved him, but man, he really needed to get his rear in gear! His immediate reaction and behavior to Joss’s pregnancy was, um, well, yeah….not great. The emotional struggles Brady had to go through killed me. It was a journey I know he had to make but it didn’t make it any easier to read. Joss is an amazing character and put up with so much adversity and challenge her whole life and now, has to decide what to do with Brady and the baby. She is one tough cookie. Luckily for both of them, Brady finds his way and eventually, after a LOT of begging and apologizing (and the cutest damn gifts in the history of all baby gift giving) Joss relents and lets him back into her life.

What makes me love Laura’s writing so much is her characters have to earn their happy ending. They always deserve it, but they have to find their own ways, and sometimes it’s not an easy road….but I know it will it end perfectly. That’s the magic of what she does…it’s in how she pulls emotions from the reader and connects them to the words on the pages. This story was no exception. I loved every second of this book. Every laugh, every cry and of course, every hot and steamy moment!

So, thank you once again, Laura, for bringing us characters we adore and I look forward to more stories!

Five Loves

Review….Her Forbidden Hero by Laura Kaye

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Synopsis:

She’s always been off-limits…

Former Army Special Forces Sgt. Marco Vieri has never thought of Alyssa Scott as more than his best friend’s little sister, but her return home changes that…and challenges him to keep his war-borne demons at bay. Marco’s not the same person he was back when he protected Alyssa from her abusive father, and he’s not about to let her see the mess he’s become.

…but now she’s all grown up.

When Alyssa takes a job at the bar where Marco works, her carefree smiles wreak havoc on his resolve to bury his feelings. How can he protect her when he can’t stop thinking about her in his bed? But Alyssa’s not looking for protection—not anymore. Now that she’s back in his life, she’s determined to heal her forbidden hero, one touch at a time…

My Review:

This is the first book in The Hero series by Laura Kaye and having read Hearts in Darkness by Laura, I knew this would be a great story….but great isn’t the right word, really. More like fantastic, amazing, incredible…you get the idea here. I loved it!

Alyssa Scott has little money, a freshly earned degree in restaurant management and event planning, and a whole lot of determination. She is convinced that getting a job at Whiskey’s Music Roadhouse is exactly the start she needs. Throw in the fact that Marco Vieri, her older brother’s best friend, former Army Special Forces Sgt. and object of her desire since as long as she can remember, works there is more than enough for her to prove this is exactly where she needs to be. When she sees Marco at the bar, after not seeing him for two years, she is hell-bent on getting him to think of her as a woman, and not just his best friend’s kid sister. Only she soon realizes Marco may not be the same guy he was when she knew him two years ago. Can she help get back to the Marco she remembers? The Marco she cares for desperately?

Marco can’t believe his eyes. Standing at his bar is Alyssa Scott, the little sister of his best friend; only she’s not so little anymore. Surely it isn’t right for him to be noticing how much she’s *ahem* grown? Besides, even if she wasn’t totally off-limits for being practically family, he’s not any kind of anything she needs. His war-damaged soul isn’t what Alyssa should have to deal with. Sure, he and his family protected her from her from a dreadful, abusive dad, and in those days he would have done anything for her just to see her smile. But now, the best thing he could do for her is to keep his distance. But when he finds out she has nowhere to stay and no money, keeping a distance is going to be quite hard…since he’s invited her to stay with him. None too soon, Marco realizes it’s going to be hard pushing Aly away, when she’s the one that can truly help him regain some kind of peace.

To say Marco broke my heart would be an understatement. He is the epitome of the wounded hero, which, I’m sure, had every reader wanting to scoop up and take home with her and fix him. I fell in love with him after the first chapter. He is honorable and kind but is in such a dark emotional place, it had me crying many, many times. I probably looked like I was in pain when I was reading because I so wanted him to just be ok. He is a book hero I won’t soon forget. Not to mention he is gorgeous and sexy and drives a ’67 Mustang, one of the hottest cars EVA! Alyssa, thankfully, is like a dog with a bone and refuses to let go of the idea that she can help Marco and bring some joy back into his life. The joy and happiness he deserves for just being Marco.

This story had so many highs and lows and I loved every one. There are scenes in this book that will stay with me probably forever. Um, the lake scene is one of the hottest scenes ever and damn if I didn’t cry like a baby when Marco tries to pick up playing the guitar again after being injured in combat. I know I’m not usually a spoiler type of gal, but if reading about those scenes gets you to dive into this book, then I say YAHOO and no spoiler apology needed!

Laura does such a kick-ass job of getting the reader to feel every emotion both Marco and Alyssa experience. I feel like I know them and I could pick up the phone and see how they’re doing! Because of that talent, I have become a huge fan of all of her work and always look forward to new releases. Thank you, Laura, for giving us Marco, a hero that truly deserved a happy ending!

Five Loves

ARC Review….Always On My Mind by Bella Andre

Releases March 5, 2013

Pre-order from Amazon

Synopsis:

Lori “Naughty” Sullivan finally falls in love in ALWAYS ON MY MIND, the new book in Bella Andre’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling series about the Sullivan family.

After a tragic loss three years ago, Grayson Tyler left his life in New York City behind and started over in the rolling hills of the California coast. He’s convinced himself that all he’ll ever need again is the blue sky, a thousand acres of pasture, and the crashing waves of the ocean. Until one day, Lori Sullivan barges into his life and promptly blows his emotionless and solitary world to shreds, driving him crazy as only a woman nicknamed “Naughty” can. But will Lori be able to convince him that it’s safe to love her…and that forever isn’t actually out of reach?

My Review:

Always On My Mind is the 8^th book in The Sullivans, a series by Bella Andre. I have read a few of the others, and really enjoyed them…this book, however is my absolute FAVORITE of all of the Sullivan family books I’ve read.

Lori Sullivan has been dating a total ass for the past two years that her family despises, and were never afraid to tell her just how much they hated him. He was never good enough for her. Now, she finally sees what her family has been harping her about for those two years. After walking in on Victor and her lead dancer getting hot and heavy, she calls it quits, on everything. She leaves Chicago, Victor and her show behind and blindly heads back to California. She knows she can’t go home yet, though. She’s not ready to face her family. She needs time…and a change of scenery. What better chance of her every day norm then deciding to answer an ad she found at a general’s store for a farm hand? Sounds like just the distraction and adventure she needs right now. What Lori wasn’t planning on finding, however, was a kindred spirit with a broken and hurt soul….

Grayson Tyler has been living on his farm for the past year and is doing just fine…if you count being alone with only his animals as “living”. Three years ago, he lost his wife and left his old life behind in New York in exchange for the solitude of this farm. He doesn’t need more than that. But when a saucy spitfire of a woman answers his ad for a farm hand, and refuses to take his immediate “no way” for an answer, he knows this is a recipe for disaster. He recognizes from the minute she steps out of her car, that she is going to make him realize just what kind of dismal existence he’s been leading. The question is, is he ready to face the truth of his miserable, unhappy life?

I literally just finished reading this book and am so sad……so sad that it’s over! This story had me from the very first minute I realized Lori Sullivan, the dancer/choreographer, dressed in glitter and high heels, would be working on a freaking farm. I mean, you just KNOW this is going to be good! Add to the mix a rugged and handsome farmer, and I was hooked!

Lori is one of my favorite Sullivan’s. She has a personality that pirouettes off of the pages with such a love of life that you can’t help but adore her. I was so happy she left that ass, Victor, behind and wanted her to find happiness. Boy, did she finally hit the happiness jackpot at that farm, but not without a whole lot of anguish before finding it.

Grayson broke my freaking heart, and at the same time, pissed me off to no end. He is so emotionally broken and miserable but isn’t ready to admit it. He was such a jerk to Lori in the beginning that I thought there was no way she’d get through to him. I wasn’t even sure he deserved her efforts. Damn, I am so glad Lori is stubborn and kept at him because he is a hero who deserved a rescue. Once he opens up, I fell in love with him. I can’t even tell you how many tissues I went through reading the parts Grayson shows us his emotions and how amazing he really is.

Together, Lori and Grayson are the ultimate example of opposites attracting. Their personalities play so well off of one another. She pushes every one of his buttons and he secretly loves it, even if he gets cranky about it. The ending of this story goes down as one of my favorite book endings ever. It was so blissfully romantic, well written and just so damn perfect I was crying big fat happy tears. The icing on the cake was we got to see all of the Sullivan crew and got to spend a little time with the matriarch, Mary. That was such a special touch and I truly enjoyed it.

Ultimately, this is a delicious, romantic, emotional read that has reminded me just how much I love this genre and how great it is to find authors like Ms. Andre. Thank you, Bella, for Lori and Grayson and for giving us a book I will be enjoying many more times….most likely I’ll have my first re-read after I finish typing this!

Oh, and good news for Sullivan fans….this is NOT the last of the series! *HAPPY DANCE and a YAHOO* Bella is giving us the first of the Seattle Sullivan’s this summer with Rafe Sullivan’s story in The Way You Look Tonight! Rafe is the super sexy private investigator cousin of our original Sullivan family! How exciting is that!? Bella also has some other special things planned so be sure to keep an eye out!

Five Loves

Review….The Education of Caroline by Jane Harvey-Berrick

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Synopsis:

Ten years after their broken affair, Sebastian and Caroline meet again: this time in very different circumstances, against the background of the war in Afghanistan

Now a successful journalist, Caroline meets Chief Sebastian Hunter, US Marine. Will this chance encounter rekindle the erotic madness of her passionate affair with a younger man?

My Review:

This is the second book in the “Education of…” duet by Jane Harvey-Berrick. The first book, The Education of Sebastian, was really damn good….but, The Education of Caroline will go on the list as one of my favorite books of all time.

We met up with Caroline ten years after she left San Diego, and the love of her life, Sebastian, behind. She has made a life for herself in New York City as a freelance reporter with a successful following and a knack for her reporting on military life overseas. It’s that knack that lands her on her current assignment…and running into a certain blue-green eyed, tanned San Diego surfer boy. Only now, that surfer boy is a Chief in the Marines and is assigned to help train the journalists going overseas, the journalists she is a part of.

Sebastian can’t believe his eyes. Sitting in the hotel conference room in Switzerland is the woman he has loved since as long as he can remember. She is also the woman who left him…and took his heart with her. Now he was supposed to brief her on the dangers of reporting in hostile circumstances in dangerous countries. How the hell was he supposed to concentrate on anything other than the anger, pain, frustration, desire and long-buried feelings of love and lust toward her? Now way was he going to let her get away this time….

Dear God. This book was freaking INCREDIBLE! I loved the first in the series but damn; this book was that much better. The emotional turmoil starts from the very beginning and doesn’t let up until the very last page. Caroline and Sebastian have mastered the art of push and pull and just can’t seem to catch a break. They’ve lived a long ten years apart and have given up on ever ending up together, and now, they almost don’t have a choice. Fate was surely on their side this time…of so we think. They go through some amazingly loving high points and crushingly devastating low points. I bawled my freaking eyes out the last 25% of the book! But don’t worry, the ending is totally “dreamy sigh” worthy and I was delighted with it. Sebastian is one of my all time fave book men. Totally swoon worthy…the whole sexy, bad-assed, romantic, occasional-bumbling-idiot, delicious package. Caroline is finally happy within her own skin at forty and is a great match for Sebastian, level-headed when he is fanciful but playful when he is lost in his head and needs distracting. She also realizes Sebastian is just amazing now as he was when he was seventeen. Better even. Amazing book couple…even if I want to hate Caroline for having Sebastian to call her own and I’m seething with jealousy!

I read this book in a day. I could NOT put it down. I loved every word on every page…laughed and cried and thought it was blissfully perfect! I already recommended The Education of Sebastian and I HIGHLY recommend The Education of Caroline. Thank you, Ms. Harvey-Berrick, for writing the newest member of my favorite books.

Five Loves

Review….Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

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Synopsis:

He had held a secret that destroyed her world. Everything she had known was no longer true. Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him. Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again.

What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately? You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

My Review:

This is the second book in the Too Far Series by Abbi Glines and picks up where the first book, Fallen Too Far, leaves off. After loving the first book, I was DYING for this book to release. I read it in a day…..and I already miss Rush.

I’m going to do my best to give this review without spoilers, and damn, it’s going to be tough!

Blaire is back in her hometown in Alabama, and trying to get on with her life after leaving Rush. Is there such a thing though? Life after Rush? She also comes to realize that the small town she grew up in no longer feels like home. She had grown to like Rosemary. Had friends there, and misses them. She needs to find her own place and find where she truly belongs in the world. Now, circumstances will arise and lead her back to Rosemary….and she will have no choice but to see Rush again.

Rush is a miserable bastard. He realizes he can’t live without his sweet Blaire, but also realizes he totally screwed up and chances are she will never take him back. Now, after three long weeks without her, she’s coming back to Rosemary. He had no idea why she was coming back, and had no clue what to do to make things better, but one thing he did know….he was going to do his damnedest to get her back. He wasn’t going to live without his sweet Blaire for another minute.

Together, Blaire and Rush have more obstacles to hurdle than I can even begin to tell you (trying to keep this spoiler free ARGHHH!) and damn, if it didn’t make me love the two of them even more than I already did.

This book was freaking amazing. I got a text from a good friend letting me know it was released a day early, which happened to be the day we left on our family ski vacation. I downloaded it on my phone and started reading immediately…and finished it that day. The intensity of what is going on between Rush and Blaire was something I could NOT stay away from and was glued to the story from the very first page. Rush is even more amazing than he was in Fallen Too Far. He turns into the book boyfriend we knew he was capable of being. Damn, I do love me some Rush! Blaire is just as amazing as she was when we met her. Strong and determined and always willing to do what she needs to do to survive on her own. Together, their chemistry is delicious. The emotions in this book go from each end of the scale in the most incredible way. I went from laughing, to crying, to wanting to throw my eReader across the room. I’m sure people think I’m insane after the amount of gasping I did while reading this in public. There were quite a few twists in this story I didn’t see coming….and they kicked ass! Again, without getting into spoilers, which is REALLY TOUGH, just know that it ends how you would want it to end!!

Abbi, thank you, thank you, thank you for another taste of Rush and for an emotionally charged, beautifully written, insanely devourable read! I will be not-so-patiently waiting for Wood’s book and know it will be yet another kick-ass story!

Four-and-a-Half Loves

Review….The Education of Sebastian by Jane Harvey-Berrick

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Dude Cover

Synopsis:

A friendship between the lost and lonely Caroline, and the unhappy Sebastian, leads to an illicit love that threatens them both.

Caroline Wilson is trapped in a cold and loveless marriage with an older man. When her husband finally wins a long sought-after promotion, Caroline feels she has little choice but to follow him to a new home in San Diego. There she meets Sebastian, a young man of 17.

For an all too brief summer, their happiness blooms.

But external pressures begin to bear down, not least from the overbearing David, and Sebastian’s parents begin to suspect that their son has a secret. Even Caroline’s new friend, Donna, realizes that dark passions exist below the serene surface.

My Review:

The Education of Sebastian is the first in the “Education of…” duo by Jane Harvey-Berrick and at this moment in time I am thanking all things holy that there is, in fact, another book because the ending of Sebastian’s book is a gut-wrenching, sob-inducing shocker….but, I loved every freaking page leading up to it!

Caroline has been stuck for eleven years in a marriage she thought she wanted when she met her husband at the age of 19. Now, after the eleven long years have gone by, she is starting to realize she isn’t in the kind of marriage she dreamed it would be. Her husband, a Navy doctor, is stuck in the my-wife-is-my-caretaker era and expects her to have dinner on the table promptly at 6, his uniform pressed and laid out for the next day and be ready to “service” him when he chooses. Now, back in San Diego after another transfer, she runs into the boy next door from when they had lived there almost 10 years before. Only now, the boy next door is a handsome 17-year-old and he hasn’t forgotten her.

Sebastian can hardly believe his eyes. Could it really be Caroline he sees on the beach? The same Caroline he has been missing since she moved away from the neighborhood when he was a young boy? The Caroline who has haunted his dreams, and fantasies, for as long as he can remember? Now, at 17, he’s decided he has to have her….and show her the impact she has had on him for all of these years.

The affair that Caroline and Sebastian carry on is intense…and illegal. They both know the consequences if they were to get caught, but when you’re in love, you feel like you can conquer the world and consequences be damned. They only have to wait 3 months before Sebastian turns 18 and the legal issues disappear. Then they can be together. Forever. Only fate isn’t on their side this time….

Holy hell. This book is INTENSE! I had mixed emotions while reading it and the fact that Sebastian was 17. Then I would stop and think…I knew how I was at 17. I had graduated high school, finished a semester of college and had met my future husband and knew we would be married. So, I couldn’t find fault with Caroline falling for a teenager…because Sebastian wasn’t a typical teenager. His parents are WRETCHED a**holes who have treated Sebastian like an inconvenience since he was a kid, so he’s really had to grow up a whole lot faster than most. In many occurrences, being their caretaker after they come stumbling home drunk. I felt badly for Caroline, being stuck in an impossible marriage, and could understand falling for Sebastian. He is so different from her husband. He is kind, affectionate and open…in other words, everything a woman loves. I was so nervous while reading this book. Each interlude Caroline and Sebastian shared, I was sure they were going to be caught. As the end of the book got closer and closer I was hoping it would end well for them….well, since there is a second book, I’m sure you can get an idea of how it did end. I won’t ruin it for you, but I will say that I was a sobbing mess. I will be diving into the Education of Caroline, the next book, as soon as I finish typing this review!

If you’re looking for an intense, passionate, emotional story then put this book on your list! Thank you Ms. Harvey-Berrick, for an incredible read!

Four Loves

Review…Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

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Synopsis:

An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling. Discover the story that garnered more than two million reads online.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He’s exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family’s massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who’d been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he’s never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe’s so tempting he’s willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they’re willing to lose in order to win each other. Originally only available online as The Office by tby789—and garnering over two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.

My Review:

A few months ago, I had seen this title pop up here and there and was dying to read it but realized it hadn’t released yet. The other day, I get a text from my husband asking if I had heard of Beautiful Bastard and said he had read an article on it and thought I should read it….it just so happens he sent me that text on release day. I ran right out and bought it. Gotta say, I owe this review to him because I LOVED this book!

Chloe Mills is working at Ryan Media for her MBA internship. Her boss, Bennett Ryan, is a total condescending, obnoxious jackass. So much so, that her and her two best friends have dubbed him “beautiful bastard”. Unfortunately, the “beautiful” part had to be added because the man is delicious. He never fails at finding something to criticize Chloe on. Her handwriting, the volume of her voice….anything. Sad part is, even with all of the jackassery, she can’t help but being attracted to him. So when Bennett shocks the hell out of her with a somewhat shocking advance, she will have to decide if she will allow it…

Bennett Ryan prides himself on being successful and in control. Always in control. At the age of thirty, he’s accomplished more in his professional life than most men even dare to dream about. He is not one to act on irrational impulses, which is exactly what this attraction to Miss Mills is. SO many things are wrong with wanting her. She is his intern, in his family’s company. In other words, wrong on so many levels. If only she could stop this push and pull with him and stop giving his attitude back when he deserves it, it would make it so much easier to remind himself of the wrongness of the attraction. It’s a shame that one night in an empty conference room will lead to the ultimate downfall in his decision to keep Chloe at a distance.

As you may already know, this was originally published as a Twilight FanFic story. In my opinion, it went far past FanFic and blew me away. When I first started it, I kept thinking it was going to be like Fifty Shades of Grey, since both stories share the young, attractive CEO, BUT, that’s really where the similarities end. I have to say; I enjoyed this story more than Fifty. The sex was HOT and the characters were amazing.

Chloe is a fantastic heroine. She is smart, educated, sassy and doesn’t take sh@t. Yes, she has to deal with Bennett’s prick moods, but she doesn’t let him walk all over her. She gives his snark right back to him and I freaking love that! She’s not going to let anyone push her around or jeopardize her career. I admire her tenacity, especially when it came to dealing with Bennett.

Bennett is the perfect hero that keeps us guessing. He starts out as the guy-we-love-to-hate and turns into the guy-we-want-to-win-the-girl. Yes, he’s douchey. Yes, he’s used to getting everything he wants without having to ask twice. He’s also genuinely unaware of how he comes off at times, which made him more real as a character. He wasn’t so set in his ways that he wasn’t willing to try and change…especially when it came to Chloe’s opinion of him.

This book starts off hot and heavy…and by saying hot and heavy, I mean sex within the first 20 pages. The emotion between Chloe and Bennett ran high and intense. They loved to hate one another, and couldn’t stay away. What starts out as angry sex, turns into much more than they were anticipating. One of the things I liked most about this book was that it really was entirely about Chloe and Bennett. Sure, there were some business and family things thrown in but it wasn’t overwhelming and didn’t take away from the developing relationship between them. My favorite thing about this book, however, is that the chapters switched back and forth from Chloe and Bennett’s point of views. BRILLIANT! It really made me value both characters and their run of emotions that much more.

As I enter my book hangover from having finished Beautiful Bastard today, I will tell you that I highly recommend this book and have to thank my hubs again for the text on release day! Thank you to Christina and Lauren for teaming up to bring us a kick-ass read! (Oh, and for giving me another reason to love my Je Ne Regrette Rien tattoo!)

Four and a Half Loves

ARC Review & Giveaway…Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian

Only a few more days until the newest in the Midnight Breed Series releases and because I’m a huge fan of Lara Adrian and her writing, I’m giving away an ECOPY PRE-ORDER for Edge of Dawn!

Enter in the RaffleCopter below for a chance to win!

Buy from Barnes & Noble ~ Buy from Amazon

Synopsis:

In this pulse-pounding and thrillingly sensual novel, New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian returns to the mesmerizing world of the Midnight Breed, following new characters into a dark future where an uneasy peace can unravel into war—and a great betrayal can mask an all-consuming love.

Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn—when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them—the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.

Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift—and even lethal—justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.

Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again—or have to confront the truth of why he left. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides—between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.

Review:

Although I have been a fan of Lara Adrian for some years now, I had taken a break a little while back and had sadly lost touch with the Midnight Breed world. I had recently gotten back into the series and was extremely lucky to get my hands on an advance copy of the latest installment, Edge of Dawn. Let me say this…I have been reacquainted with my Midnight Breed obsession and boy, it’s good to be back!

This story takes us into the future of the Order and gives us a glimpse into what is in store for our beloved otherworldly warriors. The shaky truce that the humans and vampire races have been keeping is threatened to be broken beyond repair. It is now in the Order’s hands to keep what little trust there is intact. Dealing with the rebels’ usual antics and the typical human contempt toward the vampire race, the last thing the Order needs is another threat. I’m not one to put spoilers in my reviews, so I can’t go into detail but I will tell you…this is one hell of mess.

On top of having to worry about normal Order patrols, Mira, the female warrior raised in the Order by Renata and Niko, is still nursing the broken heart she received eight years ago when her love, Kellan Archer, was killed. She has vowed to dispatch retribution to the rebel scum responsible for his death. It’s that desire for revenge that puts her on a security mission that will lead her down a path that will change her life forever.

Kellan Archer has been living a lie for the past eight years. He’s currently the leader of a small rag-tag group of human rebels fighting for the side of good. The problem is….a rebel is a rebel no matter what side you’re fighting for. The newest mission is to put a stop to technology that could wipe out the entire breed race. Imagine his surprise when a certain female warrior member of the Order gets mixed up in his plan and ends up a hostage in his camp.

I friggin loved this story. Lara has such a remarkable style about her writing. She switches gears from achingly tender love scenes to kick ass fighting scenes with such smooth transition that it is truly a gift to read. The characters have such depth…I laughed, cried, got utterly pissed and ultimately ended thoroughly satisfied. The twists and turns in the plot were stellar and the direction Lara has the future of the Order headed in is sure to keep longtime Midnight Breed readers on board and certainly will pull new readers in for years to come. Thank you, Lara, for another amazing read!

Five Loves

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Valentine’s Day in Dog Tags Event: Review…The Officer Breaks the Rules by Jeanette Murray

Today continues the Valentine’s Day in Dog Tags Event!

Jeanette Murray’s Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful Series is one of my favorites and in honor of the series, I’m having some Valentine’s fun!

Today’s post is my review of The Officer Breaks the Rules, Madison and Jeremy’s story. For the big finish on Valentine’s Day, tomorrow, I’ll have an EXCLUSIVE interview with Tim, Skye, Madison, Jeremy and the amazing author herself, Jeanette Murray!

I’ll also be giving away an eCopy of both books with the interview!

So, enjoy the reviews and interviews and be sure to enter to win on February 14th!

Buy on Amazon ~ Buy on Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Captain Jeremy Phillips believes in doing his duty…both as a son and as a friend. This means that he should obey the “friend code” and stay away from his best friend’s little sister. Too bad Madison O’Shay doesn’t believe in his code and is ready to break all of the rules

As a Navy nurse, Madison is finally stationed next to the man she’s been dreaming about for years. And she’s ready to launch a full-scale attack to show this thoughtful, handsome Marine that they belong together.

My Review:

This is the second book in Jeanette Murray’s Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful Series and I was so excited to read it after LOVING the first in the series, The Officer Says I Do. I was not disappointed! In fact, I loved it even more than the first!

Madison has been in love with Jeremy for quite some time now….years in fact. She has a sneaking suspicion that he may have feelings for her, too. Now, after a delicious but disastrous first kiss, she has concocted a plan to ensure she wins the man she knows she’s meant to be with. Poor Jeremy doesn’t stand a chance….

Jeremy has it bad…he’s head over heels for Madison. Who wouldn’t be? She’s smart, beautiful, spunky, a real spitfire…and his best friend’s little sister. In other words: off-limits. After kissing her, he knows he’s gotta walk away. Only that proves to be a losing battle when Madison sets her sights on showing him exactly why they are meant to be together. Add trying to please his father in continuing with a career as a Marine, a career he isn’t sure is for him anymore, and Jeremy is just plain tired. Tired of fighting the losing battle with Madison and tired of being someone he’s not to his father. Now the question is….what the hell’s a guy to do?

Good Lord…I loved every minute of this book. The push and pull between Madison and Jeremy was delectable! Madison is an amazing heroine. She’s strong willed and went for the prize, consequences be damned! She is exactly my kind of gal. Jeremy broke my heart and was a hero so worth fighting for. He’s the kind of guy that puts those he loves ahead of himself and always thinks of himself second. He’s loyal and kind-hearted but doesn’t like to show his soft side to many. He is a Marine, after all! Together they complete each other in the most perfect way. I laughed while reading this book, cried while reading this book, got über frustrated with both Jeremy and Madison while reading this book and ultimately finished feeling utterly contented and so very happy.

Plus, we also got to see our fave characters from the first book, Tim and Skye, and found out a teensy bit more about the mysterious Veronica, Skye’s cousin. I’m also guessing that the next on the series will be featuring Veronica and Dwayne *squeeeeee*

Thank you Jeanette for reminding me how amazing it feels to fall in love with a book. I’ve SO missed having that “I need to drop all responsibilities and READ” feeling! I’m eagerly awaiting the next book…can’t wait!

Five Loves

Valentine’s Day in Dog Tags Event: Review…The Officer Says I Do by Jeanette Murray

I’m so excited to announce that this review kicks off the “Valentine’s Day in Dog Tags” event!

Jeanette Murray’s Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful Series is one of my favorites and in honor of the series, I’m having some Valentine’s fun!

Today’s post is my review of The Officer Says I Do, Tim and Skye’s story. Tomorrow’s post is my review of The Officer Breaks the Rules, Madison and Jeremy’s story. For the big finish on Valentine’s Day, I’ll have an EXCLUSIVE interview with Tim, Skye, Madison, Jeremy and the amazing author herself, Jeanette Murray!

I’ll also be giving away an eCopy of both books with the interview!

So, enjoy the reviews and interviews and be sure to enter to win on February 14th!

Buy at Amazon ~ Buy at Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

He’s a Marine…she grew up on a commune.

He always puts duty first…she’s a free spirit with an unshakable belief in Fate.

He loves routine and order…she brings chaos and creativity wherever she goes

Captain Timothy O’Shay is on pre-deployment leave in Las Vegas when he meets Skye McDermott. For once, Tim lets loose and the two hook up. But in the morning, Tim wakes up to discover he’s married to a woman who’s the polar opposite of what he always envisioned in a wife.

But Skye is sure that this is fate, and that they are destined to be together. Can she convince him to stay with her before he’s deployed?

My Review:

The beginning of this story starts out with three best friends, and Marines, having one last night before deploying on their latest mission. A night filled with gambling, girls and a few drinks…well, for one of the trio, more than just a few drinks….

Tim is always the one in control. Always the one making sure his buddies keep things somewhat level. And damn, sometimes that just sucks. So tonight, he’s gonna give up the babysitting duties and live a little…what’s the worst that can happen?

Skye is out with her two besties for a typical night of Vegas fun. Since they live and work in Vegas, this will just end up being a normal night out with some drinks and girlie fun….how much different than all other nights out can it really be?

Imagine the surprise when Skye and Tim wake up the next day……married.

The thing that I loved most about this story was it’s backwards way to a happy ending. It was so refreshing! Skye believes that everything happens for a reason so when she wakes up to find her new husband gone, she is determined to find him and figure out a way to make it work. Since Tim is a total straight-laced rule follower you can imagine how he takes to something as free spirited as the idea of fate. However, the one thing they can both agree on is that maybe this relationship deserves a go of it. And so the journey begins…

Skye and Tim are so endearing, both as a couple and on their own. The completely opposite personalities end up complimenting each other in the most amazing ways. I was pulling for them from the very first chapter. The internal turmoil each of them experienced was so valid and honest…never once was I in my common eye roll mode over a heroine’s shallow complaint about something trivial. Both Skye and Tim are so eager to please each other and try so hard that their efforts were truly heartwarming. That doesn’t mean they don’t stumble along the way.

I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed it from start to finish. It’s happy-ending-in-reverse made for a fabulously interesting read! Thank you, Ms. Murray, for a fantastic story! I cannot WAIT for the other two books in this trilogy!

Five Loves

Blog Tour, Reviews & GIVEAWAY….The Shadowguard Series by Michelle Zink

I am honored to be a part of The Shadowguard Series by Michelle Zink Blog Tour!

Below are my reviews for the first two books in the series, Temptation’s Heat and Temptation’s Kiss. They can be found exclusively at Amazon. The newest book, Temptation’s Fire, releases February 15….and has a positively lickable cover. Yum. Also, you can enter to win an eCopy of Temptation’s Heat in the RaffleCopter below.

Oh, and I will be having more fun with the Shadowguard today in an EXCLUSIVE interview with our favorite characters from the series!

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Temptation’s Heat by Michelle Zink

Synopsis:

When Rowen Black is assigned to the elite unit of angelic assassins known as the Shadowguard, he thinks his biggest challenge will be overcoming his less-than-stellar reputation. But that’s before he meets his match in Scarlet Montgomery.

Beautiful, strong, and with a temper to match Rowen’s own, Scarlet is focused on the Shadowguard and her possible future as its leader. She’s become an expert at keeping her personal life separate from the Guard, all too aware that as the boss’s daughter, fellow warriors see her not as someone to be respected, but as someone to be protected.

Avoiding entanglements gets a lot harder when Rowen saunters into the room. Rowen puts the bad in “bad boy.” Their connection is hot, visceral, and instantaneous.

When the pair are assigned to a joint investigation, they come face-to-face with their undeniable attraction, forcing Scarlet to consider that the connection is not only physical, but a destiny written in the halls of time.

My Review:

This is the first novella in the Shadowguard Series by Michelle Zink. The thing about novellas, to me, is that sometimes they fall flat. This novella, however, hit the target dead on!

Rowen, a tall and delicious dark-haired warrior, is newly assigned to the Shadowguard….a unit of assigns charged with keeping the treaty between the angelic and demonic worlds intact. He is looking forward to his new assignment and leaving his old life, and troubles, behind. He isn’t planning on meeting Scarlet, a fellow Shadowguard warrior who also happens to be the boss’s daughter. Talk about a really bad combo when your reputation screams bad-boy! He knows he should stay away but she is just too damn alluring and he knows his resistance is shot. Lucky for Rowen, Scarlet is fighting the same attraction to him and she knows this is a battle she won’t be winning.

Meanwhile, the Shadowguard is looking at the possibility of a mole within the organization. They are being framed for a murder that will destroy the treaty, along with the peace it has kept for all of these years.

This was a fantastic story and regardless of the amount of pages, the heat between Rowen and Scarlet leaps off of the pages. Rowen and Scarlet are SCORCHING together! I cannot wait to continue on with this series and learn more about the entire Shadowguard unit and what the future holds for all of them! Thank you, Michelle, for an amazing story!

Four Loves

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Temptation’s Kiss by Michelle Zink

Synopsis:

Lily Montgomery is perfectly happy taking care of everyone else. That is, until her friendship with Shadowguard warrior, Kane Dawson, begins to blossom into something more.

But Lily has a secret. One that will keep her from ever making her feelings known to Kane.

One of the Shadowguard’s fiercest warriors, Kane has a soft spot for Lily. A long-standing member of the Shadowguard, he can’t figure out when his feelings for Ambrose Montgomery’s youngest daughter morphed from brotherly affection into desire and an unfamiliar longing that feels a lot like love.

Kane holds himself in check knowing that Lily deserves better. A man in a suit, dinner at six every night, rosy-cheeked children who won’t have to worry that their father might be killed by one of the Legion’s wraiths.

But when the pair are thrown together by a set of circumstances beyond their control, they are forced to confront their growing passion and decide if love is worth the risk of baring it all.

My Review:

This is the second novella in the Shadowguard Series by Michelle Zink and focuses on the relationship between Kane Dawson, a Shadowguard warrior and Lily Montgomery, the boss’s daughter. As much as I enjoyed the first in the series, Temptation’s Heat, I absolutely LOVED this story! To say it was hot would be an understatement.

Kane and Lily have known each other for quite some time now. They know a lot about one another and are very close friends….but they are each holding a secret. The secret is the mutual attraction that has been simmering over time and is now a full-on rolling boil…the question is, will they let it boil over?

Lily is a fantastically written character. She is pure and proper but isn’t a snob. She enjoys her role within the headquarters of taking care of the Shadowguard warriors and her family. She loves the simple things in life…baking, cooking and tending to the needs of others. One thing she also loves is decadent lingerie…which she has secret hopes of wrapping herself in for Kane to enjoy opening.

Kane is equally well developed. He is a fierce warrior with a soft spot for his Lily. The gentle way he behaves toward her is so at odds with the fierceness that he fights with, but gives his personality such a balance that we truly enjoy each side of him.

Together, they are a perfect yin and yang….not to mention SIZZLING! Good Lord, the sexual tension between these two is tangible and is written perfectly! My only complaint is that I want MORE! I would so love to see where these two end up in a few years time.

This novella was a fantastic addition to the Shadowguard Series and I vote this one my fave so far. Cannot WAIT for more from Ms. Zink! Thanks again, Michelle, for an awesomely written story!

Four Loves

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And……a look at the delicious cover for Temptation’s Fire:

Don’t forget to look for an additional post today for an exclusive character interview with Rowen, Scarlet, Lily and Kane from The Shadowguard Series!

Find out additional information about Michelle Zink here.

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