Wednesday 31 May 2017

Review: Misbehaved by Charleigh Rose


*****5 STARS*****



Teacher/student books are one of my weaknesses and having enjoyed Charleigh Roses's previous books, I was very much looking forward to their take on this theme which also happens to be their first full length story. I was expecting something deliciously filthy and taboo, but Misbehaved turned out to be so much more interesting, complicated and compelling than I was expecting.

Remington hasn't lived the easiest life. Her mom died when she was young, her father means well, but is never around and her stepbrother who she has relied and depended on has taken his obsession with her to unhealthily and slightly alarming measures in recent weeks. Getting the chance to attend a prestigious high school her senior year seems to be her chance to get a One way ticket out of Nevada and she plans to grab onto that chance with both hands.

Mr. James is used to having female attention directed his way, be it women or seniors in his English class. He projects an air of aloofness and nothing seems to phase him. He has no time for relationships or complications, focusing only on his sisters death and his need to avenge the wrongs committed against her. When he needs a woman, he finds an uncomplicated one-night stand. He has no plans to get involved with a student, not even one who seems wise beyond her age, especially when he uncovers a connection to his sister.

Remi shouldn't want Mr. James. She needs to focus on getting good grades and getting a scholarship to a college far away from her current life. Plus, he's a little too perceptive about her stepbrother and she definitely doesn't need anyone, especially a teacher, getting involved in her rocky home life. Plus, he's so fun to tease. She's all about trying to break through his stuffy buttoned down aloof exterior. He's also the only person she can turn to when an evening at home turns scary.

Pierce knows better. Besides the obvious moral ambiguity and the risk to his job, Remi's connection to his sister will make for a complication neither will be able to easily escape. After rescuing her, he finds himself taking risks he shouldn't and soon Pierce and Remi are in the midst of a hot and forbidden affair. There is no way this will end well for either of them, but neither seems able to stop their desires or the emotional attachments developing.

I say I loved this book would be an understatement of epic proportions. Once I begin reading I could not put it down. Teacher/student books always leave you with that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. You know they will be caught somehow and a story will ensue. While they are found out in a way and there is definite angst in the later part of the book, it comes from a direction that is unique and not at all what you would initially expect. I find myself a bit obsessed with Pierce and Remi and their story. There was a lot happening with them and all of the secondary characters and I hung on each word and plot point. This has made its way onto my list of top five teacher/student romances and I highly recommend it!




Remington Stringer has never been like most girls. She’s outspoken, brazen and wants nothing more than to escape the Nevadan hell hole that she calls home. 

On the brink of eighteen, with a deceased mother and a well-meaning, yet absent father, she is forced to fend for herself. The only person she’s ever had to depend on is her borderline obsessive stepbrother, Ryan. But, what used to be her anchor is quickly becoming a loose cannon. 

When Remi gets the opportunity to attend the best private school in the state during her senior year of high school, she jumps at the chance. Then she meets Mr. James. Ornery, aloof, and totally irresistible. 

Most girls would swoon in secrecy. 

Most girls would doodle his name with hearts in their notebook.

But Remi Stringer has never been like most girls.










Review: Loving Jade by Roya Carmen


*****5 STARS*****



Loving Jade is the third and final book in Roya Carmen's Riverstone Estate series. It tells the Jade and Flynn's story and while it can be read as a standalone, I strongly recommend reading the first two books before this one to full appreciate all of the characters and backstory.

On the surface Jade seems to have it all, including a successful husband who spoils her with material possessions. Behind closed doors her husband has a terrible temper and Jade deals with constant abuse. She comes to a point where she knows there is no excusing it anymore. She is scared to leave, but finally asks her aunt for help, which lands her near Riverstone Estate.

Flynn is an equine therapist. He dedicates his life to helping others and is all about his family. He hopes he too can settle down one day if he meets the right woman. When Flynn first meets Jade he has an instant attraction to her. He notices how skittish she is and knows something must have happened to her. He hopes to help her through equine therapy. The last thing Jade is looking for is a relationship, but Flynn is such a wonderful man, she finds it impossible to not develop feelings for him.

Loving Jade was a very emotional read. It deals with heavy themes, but Carmen managed to give it a light and extremely feel. I just adored Jade's courage and she was an extremely relateable character. Flynn was amazing. I have a crush on him myself. He was one of the sweetest, kindest and most wonderful male leads I've read in awhile. I'm sad to see this series end as I have loved each and every book.




Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 





I never thought I’d be able to leave Michael, but I finally worked up the courage. I’m not sure where I’m heading but I feel safe here with the Riverstones. This place is lovely and serene. There is so much beauty and love here. 

Yet, I still don’t feel free – I know Michael will find me. It’s just a matter of time. 

Love is the last thing I’m looking for, but Flynn is such a beautiful man, inside and out. He makes me believe that I can be stronger, that I can be fierce. He believes he can fix me with equine therapy but he has no clue how much damage has been done. 

Yet, somehow, he manages to get through to me. With patience, love and understanding, he slowly peels off the hard layers of self-doubt and fear that have held me captive all these years. 

Just as I finally start to get stronger, Michael tracks me down and sends us all into turmoil, and threatens not only me but the family I’ve come to love. 

Author’s note: 
Loving Jade contains sexual scenes and some coarse language, and is intended for a mature audience. Loving Jade also contains scenes of domestic abuse and violence which could be a trigger for some. The central theme of the story however, is female empowerment and self-love. 

Loving Jade is the last book in The Riverstone Series, and can be enjoyed as a STANDALONE. However, if one intends to read all three books, it is best to read them in chronological order to avoid spoilers. 











Review: Disgraced by Natasha Knight


*****5 STARS*****




I am not a massive mafia romance fan, but at this point, I'm pretty confident in my belief that Natasha Knight is one of my favorite authors in the dark Mafia genre. With Disgraced she gives us another erotic romance involving the mafia that has an almost priest (priests being one of my very favorite forbidden story elements) who I am ridiculously in love with. This can technically be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading Dishonorable first so you get the full impact of Lina and Damon's back story.

Damon is everything I love in a hero. When he first comes to Alina's rescue one fateful night, he's on track to becoming an ordained priest in a few short months. She captivates and tempts him immediately, but she is young and he knows he must resist. When their paths cross again four years later Damon is still not an ordained priest and he is shocked to find Lina in New York when she should be in Chicago studying mush .

Lina has connections to the Russian Mafia and the last four years have not been easy for her. She has some dark secrets about the things she has done that she is ashamed of and doesn't want anyone she loves to find about about them. Damon wants nothing more than to slay her demons, but it isn't easy for Lina to let him in or come to terms with what she ultimately must do to protect her future and those she holds dear.

The journey Damon and Lina are on is one riddled with temptation, forbidden desires, secrets and plenty of action and emotional angst. I loved every second of it! Damon is the perfect mix of forbidden, caring alpha. He knows Lina is hiding things and is determined to get the bottom of her problems and help see her through them. She doesn't want him mixed up in her dark world, but he won't be put off. Also, can I gush over the spanking scenes?! Knight rights really steamy emotionally wrought sex scenes in general, but the spanking scenes just put this over the top. Disgraced is definitely my new favorite Natasha Knight book, thanks in no small part to the swoon worthy Damon. I also loved the spunk, courage and gritty determination of Lina. She and Damon were definitely a well matched couple.




Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 






Disgrace: the condition of one fallen from grace.

She is my forbidden fruit. The one temptation I cannot resist.

The first night…
I rescued her from an attack in the seedy underground of New York City.

The second night…
She told me the first of many lies.

She thinks she can keep me out of her world, but she’s in over her head. Watching her, being near her, it gives breath to something dark inside me. Something primal and forbidden. Forbidden to me.

Because in six months, I’ll be an ordained priest.

And she complicates things.

She thinks she’ll become my disgrace. Truth is, my fall had begun the moment I’d laid eyes on her.










Review: Ruckus (Sinners of Saint #2) by L.J. Shen


****3.5 STARS****



Dean Ruckus Cole is in my opinion the biggest player of all the Hotholes. 11 years ago his girlfriend left him and fell into one of his best friends arms. However there was no love lost and in reality it was her little sister Rosie he had his eyes on. He wanted her even if it took 11 years to start the mission of having her. Rosie has an illness that will kill her before she reaches 40 so she keeps men at a distance because she doesn't want them wasting their life on someone who won't be around for years to come. Secretly she always had her eye on Ruckus before her sister because let's face it she saw him first but can she let her guard down and let him in knowing that she can't give anyone a happy ever after! There are major secrets that both Ruckus and Rosie haven't told each other which creates a mighty twist to the tale and one you won't ever see coming.

The characters are strong for the most part in this instalment and are well established. Dean Ruckus Cole is a dirty talking hot male alpha who could talk the knickers off a Nun and then go on to prove it in the bedroom. Rosie Le Blanc is a strong female character, fiercely independent and determined to prove to her parents that she can look after herself despite her illness, she has her weak moments but don't we all. The part I loved was that it was totally undeniable that these two had magnetic and explosive chemistry when together, the kind that would kick your breathing up a notch into a pant and leave you breathless by the end.

The story itself wasn't without it's flaws though and this is where it fell for me. I am going to admit the first part of the book kind of dragged for me with all the backwards and forwards of all talk and no action from both sides and what felt like a repeat from book one. Don't get me wrong Ruckus had a deliciously dirty mouth that would get any girls panties in a twist but apart from those precious moments it sometimes felt like it was on replay. The twist is what saved it for me because all along I thought I knew what was going on but I was way off course and would never have guessed the conclusion in a million years. Vicious is so far still my number one out of the hotholes but I can't wait to see what Scandalous (#3) is about I really want Trent to get his HEA. 



Reviewed by Claire Lamb 




Rosie 

They say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They're right. 
No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking. 
He is my forbidden, shiny apple. 
The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth. 
He is also my sister's ex-boyfriend. 
One thing you should know before you judge me; 
I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first. 
Eleven years later, he waltzed into my life, demanding a second chance. 
Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn’t too late. 

Dean 

They say the brightest stars burn out the fastest. They’re right. 
She sets my mind on fire. 
All smart mouth, snarky attitude and a huge heart. 
In a world where everything is dull, she shines like fucking Sirius. 
Eleven years ago, fate tore us apart. 
This time, I dare it to try. 
Getting to her is a battlefield, but man, that’s why they call me Ruckus. 
Rosie LeBlanc is about to find out how hard I can fight. 
And conquering her will be the sweetest victory. 










Review: Their Virgin Nanny by S.C. Daiko


*****4.5 STARS*****





Gabe and Luke are in a committed relationship (though they add a woman at times for some no-strings fun to spice things up) with two adorable little boys and are in need of a new Nanny. When they find Eleri she seems perfect, maybe a little too perfect. Luke wants her immediately, but Gabe has more of a stiff upper lip and warns against mixing pleasure with the hired help.

Eleri proves to be charming and wonderful with their children. After she is drugged on a date, Gabe and Luke rush to her rescue and discover she is a virgin who wants them to be her first. Even Gabe finds that prospect too hard to resist. They come to an agreement that they will all have some no-strings fun (they even sign a contract). Soon Gabe and Luke are teaching Eleri things she never imagined and before long, their no-strings arrangement gets complicated by an unexpected turn of events and pesky emotions. Will Gabe, Luke and Eleri give into their feelings, forget about what people may think and make something lasting or will they let the chance of happiness slip through their fingers?

I love a good menage, especially mmf menage stories, so I was VERY excited to jump into Their Virgin Nanny and it was absolutely filthy. This is the very definition of a one-handed read. Draiko managed to include every combination of sex possible between three people and yet somehow, the book managed to still have some adorably sweet moments. Draiko took smut to a new level with this one and I loved every minute!




Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 






Two super-hot daddies for one sweet, sexy girl.

ELERI
Working as a nanny in an exclusive London borough
for two bisexual alphas
is my dream job.
Except Gabe and Luke are so freaking hot they’re making me think dirty thoughts.
I can’t have them, though… it would be totally outta line. 
And they couldn’t possibly be interested in a twenty-two-year-old virgin like me.
I’ll have to find someone else to punch my V card, right? Yeah, right…

GABE AND LUKE
Sweet, innocent Eleri doesn’t realize how cute she is.
Like a breath of fresh air, a ray of sunshine, and every other cliché you can think of.
She’s also sexy as f*ck, tempting as sin, and trouble with a big T.
We wanna pop her cherry and make her ours. 
We know it’s wrong, she’s our kids’ nanny, but it feels so frigging right.
It’s not like we’re gonna fall for her… not like she’s gonna fall for us either.
Just a bit of fun… nothing more, nothing less. 
Until it isn’t…









Review: Caveman by Jo Raven


*****4.5 STARS*****




Matthew is in over his head and he's taking it out on the world. Head lost the love of his life, he's in a new place, starting a new job and he has two small children to raise with zero idea how to go about it. Given all of the above he's rude, abrasive and seemingly devoid of basic civility. The only thing that seems certain is the fact he needs help in the form of a Nanny.

Octavia wants nothing to do with Matthew. He seems more caveman than man, but a good job is a good job and she's desperate. Her initial thoughts are proven right as he acts rude, uncivilized and unwelcoming. Also sexy, he's definitely sexy. Of course, resisting his sexy should be easy when it's wrapped in such an unsavory package, right?

Caveman was quite the surprise for me. Going in I expected an abrasive man turned more palatable thanks to the right woman and lots of sexy time. There was definitely a lot of sexy time, but Raven gave us so much more than a simple brutish changes thanks to a charming new woman. There was suspense I was not expecting and several interesting plot twists. I took a little while to warm up to Matt and Tay at first, but once they started working their magic on me I was completely invested in their story. This was a nicely written more than meets the eye romance.



Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 





Matthew Hansen is the kind of handsome that has grown women whispering behind their hands and giggling like schoolgirls.
Dark, tall and mysterious, he’s a newcomer to our little town. He’s a gritty, grease-covered mechanic, and a single daddy.
Sweet, right?
Plus he’s looking for a nanny – and I am desperately looking for a job.
Sounds like the perfect deal.
Only he’s a jerk. An uncivilized, hulking brute. Zero manners. Zero interest in making me feel welcome in his home. Downright rude.
But oh so sexy.
And I need the job. I can do this.
One thing is for sure: I can’t fall for the Caveman. No matter how sexy he is. How mysterious. How tortured.
That’s the only rule – and one I’m about to break.











Review: Found Underneath (Finding Me #2) by K.L. Kreig



****4 STARS****




I really don't know how to start this review at all. On one hand I loved it and on the other I initially felt the author lost her way a little bit. I'm not going to rehash the story because I think it would just spoil the way for anyone who hasn't read book one. The story obviously continues on from where Shaw was hit with a huge twisted bombshell in book one, which was brilliantly written and paved the plot for book 2. I loved book one it was just everything and more. However for the first 60% of this book I found the build up to be just too slow and some of it went back and forth in a inconsequential way. This was the only negative thing I found wrong but after stewing on it it made sense but not everyone will feel the same as I do.

With all that been said what made this book for me on the positive side was the emotion and compelling feelings that were put in to writing this book. When I first got to the words that said The End I didn't know what to think on a couple of situations but then I read the authors note at the end (make sure you read it so a couple of things make sense.) it made me think more and more about how I portrayed Willow and Shaws characters and it made me think harder on their emotions and circumstances surrounding them and the only intelligible words I could come up with were passionate and sincere. In the end after sleeping on it, I finally realised why the build up was needed and I managed to get my head together enough to try and put my review in to words which I'm not very good at as you can see.

Just FYI, the plot itself touches on a couple of subjects that will hit some readers in an emotional way if they or anyone they know has experienced them. This is where I found myself sympathising and feeling the characters in a whole new light because it's so sympathetically written. K.L. Kreig is an author that will be an automatic one click for me because I know it will have feeling and compassion that will bring out emotions in me and tear down the bricks surrounding my stone cold heart!

Now Ms Kreig can we get a story for Sierra and Noah??? 




Reviewed by Claire Lamb 




It began as a ruse.

Take a girlfriend. Divert the press from the fucked up mess that’s my family until my father is re-elected. Stage a public breakup. Move on. 

Only that brilliant plan went straight south the moment I set eyes on Willow Blackwell.

I found her. 

My center. My future. A soulmate with the will of a mule and the mouth of a harpy.

I now want things I never wanted before. Permanent kinds of things. 

Only Fate—and her ex—have other plans for us. 

In some sort of cosmic impossibility, our lives unknowingly intersected years before when tragedy befell both our families. Once the devastating truth is finally revealed, the future I’d found in her will come crashing down around us and for the first time in my life I’m completely helpless.

I may very well lose the only woman I've ever loved to a past neither of us saw coming.

*warning: 18+ only. Contains foul language, explicit sex and a hot alpha (or two, or three). NOTE: This is NOT a standalone. It’s the conclusion to LOST IN BETWEEN, which MUST be read first.











Review: Lick (Devils Fury #2) by Torrie Robles



****4 STARS****




This is the second book in the Devil's Fury series and naturally you should read book #1 first, which was action packed!

Lick is a great character that you're sure to be drawn to. His no nonsense, say-it-like-it-is attitude is refreshing and honest.

The one thing that stood out for me in this book, was the absolute loyalty. Now I realise that this is not a new theme to MC books but somehow this time it just resonated with me.
There are quite a few ups and downs throughout Lick's story and it's been written so emotionally that you can't help being drawn in.

I really enjoyed these two books and look forward to seeing who we'll find out about next.



Reviewed by Vivienne Kauffer 






Mothers are supposed to love you. Support you. Protect you.
Not mine, mine did none of those things. – Not one.

My mother taught me that her addiction was stronger than her love for me. Her high was all that mattered. That’s all she needed, all she wanted. Grown men and women took payment from me, so she could get her fix. They took everything from me, just a child, her only son.

Motherly love? Fuck that.

I’ve spent my life taking from bitches all too willing to give it up - whores, sluts, The Fallen - you name it, I've had a piece of it, of them. It's how I earned the name Lick. I've licked every part of a bitch's body. Until her -Jenni.

From the moment she sashayed her hips up the dirt path of our clubhouse I knew I was fucked. Curves for days, sweet tits that begged to be sucked. A heart of gold. I know it’s a fucking cliché, but she was different.

She challenged me – Pushed me 

Jenni made me see I’ve spent my life being blind, that I was worth something.

She taught me love doesn’t use.
It’s not twisted, it doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t cost a thing.

I’ll do anything to make her happy. I’ll do whatever the fuck it takes to keep her by my side. She’s far too precious for me, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let her go.













Tuesday 30 May 2017

Review: A Different Blue by Amy Harmon


*****5 STARS*****




Some books are slow and nuanced and they creep up on you as you read. A Different Blue is one of those books. It has a detailed plot and two extremely gripping main characters, but it's subtle in the way it slowly gets under your skin and changes the way you think as you read. Amy Harmon is one of those magically authors that write books you want to savor and roll around in. If you love teacher/student books, this will be a unique addition to your read pile.

Blue has not had an easy life. Her mom abandoned her when she was only two, leaving her to be raised by a drifter, who also leaves mysteriously when she is ten and is later found dead. Then she is raised by his sister who is not very maternal. At nineteen she is used to being abandoned and doesn't think she deserves any better. Blue is not a very likeable character as the book begins. She has a massive chip on her shoulder and is abrasive and hard to take.

Her senior year history teacher is young, attractive, confident and British. This is his first year teaching in America and the minute Blue walks through his classroom door he knows she is going to be trouble. Wilson sees something in Blue as that tells him there is much more to her than meets the surface. When she needs someone in her corner, he becomes her champion and support.

Wilson and Blue develop a lasting friendship (note that their relationship really takes off and evolves after she has graduated) and as Blue slowly works through the pain of not knowing her actual name or anything much about her past she begins to develop a confidence that adds to the strength she already has. She also develops feelings for Wilson that go beyond friendship, but she doesn't think a woman like her deserves an amazing man like him. She also needs his strength to help her get through the trails she faces as she works to become someone she can be proud of and worries about jeopardising that.

This was a beautifully written book that stays with you long after you finish reading. Blue and Wilson were realistic and captivating characters that you cry with and cheer for. Their relationship was slow building and achingly tender and I just ate it up. This was a unique take on the typical teacher/student romance and is a book I cannot recommend highly enough.



Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 





Alternate cover edition of ISBN: 1482658143

Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on with life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and overtly sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up for the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing. 

This is the story of a nobody who becomes somebody. It is the story of an unlikely friendship, where hope fosters healing and redemption becomes love. But falling in love can be hard when you don't know who you are. Falling in love with someone who knows exactly who they are and exactly why they can't love you back might be impossible.












Review: The Watcher by Bella Jewel


*****5 STARS*****



Marlie Jacobson was still trying to get on with her life 7 years after being abducted and tortured by a serial killer and some days are better than others but the nightmares still haunt her day in day out. The killer is dead because Marlie killed him and escaped but it doesn't stop her wariness of others and a huge fear that something terrible will always be lurking. So when Marlie receives a call from her sisters best friend saying that her sister is missing her worst nightmares have become reality it has de ja vu written all over it.

Marlie hires none other than Kenai Michelson, known as the best tracker in the business to find her sister. Kenai is extremely good looking, obnoxious and rude and tells Marlie he isn't interested in the job, but when Marlie stands up to him and gives him a piece of her mind because she knows he is her only hope he changes his mind and decides to help.

They both need to work together to follow the clues but something isn't quite adding up. As the days go on in searching, the two of them go from being argumentative with each other to actually working together and allowing the chemistry radiating from them to do it's magic, but what they don't realise is it's about to become a whole lot more dangerous for them in doing so. Can they work it out before it's too late?

Bella Jewel is one of my go to authors and I just can't seem to get enough of her books, this one was no exception I just didn't want it to end. Kenai is one of those alpha males that we all hate to love. A Broody and obnoxious alpha but seriously sizzling hot and protective. Marlie initially comes across as slightly weak but we quickly get to see her character become brave and strong to reveal a woman that can hold her own. The writing style is flawless and has enough pace to keep the reader invested, leaving a satisfied reader but yearning for more. The story itself reads and feels different to Bella's usual MO which I had also said about her last novel 72 Hours. It seems to be 3 Romance suspense/thrillers that Bella Jewel has signed up for with St Martins publishers and I for one am loving them. Each of the books are standalone and this is the 2nd one. I am eagerly awaiting the third one which I believe is called Blind Date and I really hope more are considered beyond that.



Reviewed by Claire Lamb 








NOW YOU SEE HER . . .
Seven years ago, Marlie Jacobson was kidnapped by a serial killer and lived to tell about it. But it was actually her mother who told the story, in a bestselling book that made Marlie famous. Today, she s known as the girl who slayed a killer. The one who got away. Now, there s just one thing Marlie wants to get away from: her past. But when her little sister disappears, her worst fears comes rushing back with a vengeance

NOW SHE'S GONE.
Kenai Michelson is a world-renowned investigator. Dark, brooding, and dangerously good-looking, he s the kind of man Marlie would normally avoid at all costs. But Kenai is her only hope in finding her missing sister. Together, Kenai and Marlie follow a trail of clues that leads them toward the truth and into each other s arms. As her trust in Kenai grows, so does their fierce connection. But will their desire turn deadly as they close in on a ruthless enemy who s watching their every move?


Don't miss The Watcher by Bella Jewel!