Review: The Catch (The Player #2) by K. Bromberg

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

This book was one I was dying to read, especially because of the way book one left us.

Now whilst it didn't quite give me the feels that book one did, it was still an amazing conclusion to Scout & Eastons story and believe me there are some amazing scenes.

It was Easton who had to try and come to terms with a few things in this book and it was in fact Scout who was the stronger of the two. I really liked seeing Eastons vulnerable side and certainly didn't deter from his insane sex appeal. As couples go, these two were perfect.

Now as with all K Brombergs books expect a few surprises thrown in, expect some damn hot sex scenes and an out and out really enjoyable read. Because her books are so easy to fall in to and once again Ms Bromberg has shown us her talent for writing a great story.

Reviewed by Louise Dale 

After an unexpected twist of fate, All-Star catcher Easton Wylder is left questioning the loyalty of everyone around him.

Even the woman who shares his bed, Scout Dalton.

But if Easton thought being uprooted to the last place he expected was the only challenge life had to throw at him, he was dead wrong.

With an ailing shoulder and his career in limbo, his decision to make an unexpected change leads him to question everything – Scout’s love, family loyalties, and whether he can conquer the one obstacle he’s never been able to overcome. The secret he’s never shared with anyone.

He may be a man pushed to his limits, but he’s hell-bent on proving his worth no matter the cost.

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2tpn9SQ

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2tolgq0

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Review: All There Is by Violet Duke

****4 STARS****

This is a wonderful start to a new series from an author that is fast becoming a favourite of mine!! Duke writes a wonderful story that pulls you through a mix of emotions all perfectly reflected and timed.

Did you ever recall an event from your childhood yet when you discuss your recollection with a witness to the event that things aren't what they seem? This is the premise of this lovely story set against a background of heartache for both the characters stemming from a tragic childhood event that had a life changing effect on them and it seems inevitable that their lives cross paths again affording them the chance to find closure on a dark past.

This is a wonderful second chance story that covers some difficult subjects yet it is a joy to read and perfectly balanced with injections of humour.

I loved Emma and Jake from the offset and loved that their story started way before they meet as adults. Their story has a slow build as they sort through the mess of their shared history but you will be rooting for them all the way through.

I'm really looking forward to more from this series.

Reviewed by Vikki Ryan 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Violet Duke debuts an emotional series about letting go, starting over, and trusting in the redemptive power of love.

Emma Stevens is ready for a fresh start in Juniper Hills, but she still lives with the impossible guilt of her past: having failed to rescue her little stepbrother from a fire that decimated her childhood home and her family. Her next-door neighbor may have been the one to drag her out of the burning building that night, but it doesn’t exonerate him since he caused the fire. Not even when he shows up fourteen years later to help salvage her bakery.

Jake Rowan may not have been able to save Emma’s brother from the fire, but at least he was able to save his own brother. By taking the fall and the punishment for him, Jake managed to protect his older brother’s future…but it cost him the girl of his dreams.

Now Jake finds himself on Emma’s doorstep once again. Not to save her life this time, but to repair it. And more importantly, her heart, if she’ll let him.

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2tgTTho

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2sigB4k

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Review: Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker

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

I haven't read a K.A. Tucker book for a good couple of years and it seems I had forgotten just how good her writing was. I have now blew my book budget for the whole month and had a K.A. Tucker spree on amazon so I can catch up.

Until It Fades was a sweet romantic tale with very little drama thrown in but involved a couple of twists and I loved it. The story itself reminds me of a classic fairy tale where the female lead lives in poverty and is very shy and her only goal in life is to give her 5 year old daughter a half decent upbringing. Then in swoops the Hero with a whole lot of charm, good looks and money. However in this story Catherine and Brett meet in the most tragic of circumstances but it's a week after the sad event and it's took a lot for Catherine to agree to let him say Thank You for saving his life. Both are from very different backgrounds. Catherine has been publicly shamed and shunned and Brent lives in the limelight being a top NFL Hockey player. Their attraction was never expected and the media attention is never wanted which leaves people to work out if it could ever work for the pair?

I really loved this book and glad I took a chance on it. It's not often I venture into NA and YA books but when I do it has to have something within that keeps me turning those pages and this book did just that. It flashes back a bit from present to past in parts of the book which initially can be confusing for some but as long as you are paying attention you won't get lost. The characters are really well written and I became attached to them fairly easily. The side characters play their parts equally as good although I did want to slap Catherine's friend Misty a few times. I really urge you to give this book a chance because sometimes fate even in the most harrowing way has a habit of finding you.

Reviewed by Claire Lamb 

A sexy new romance about a small-town woman who saves the life of a mysterious man, and finds herself unexpectedly thrown into a whirlwind love affair, featuring bestselling author K. A. Tucker’s signature “well-constructed, pulse-pounding suspense” (USA TODAY).

Twenty-four-year-old truck stop waitress and single mother Catherine Wright has simple goals: to give her five-year-old daughter a happy life and to never again be the talk of the town in Balsam, Pennsylvania: population two thousand outside of tourist season.

And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed attempt at a relationship, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has saved: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling.

Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. It works.

For a time.

But when she finds the man she saved standing on her doorstep, desperate to thank her, all that changes. What begins as an immediate friendship quickly turns into something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something that Catherine is afraid to trust.

Because how long can an extraordinary man like Brett be interested in an ordinary woman like Catherine…before the spark fades?

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2sg7dlq

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2rjx38I

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Review: Gone To Dust (Gravediggers #2) by Liliana Hart

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

This is the second book in Liliana Harts Gravedigger series although so far each book is about a different character. 

I loved this book it was so much better than the first and that was pretty good too. This is Miller and Elias's story and is told in dual pov.

Miller Darling is a successful author in the sleepy town of Last Stop. Wearing her heart on her sleeve for all to see is her downfall but maybe that's the romance writer in her. Family is everything to her but with both her parents dead her brother is the only thing she has left aside from her friends, so when she receives a not so nice package along with a letter stating her brother is in trouble, however she very soon finds out her own life is also now in danger!

In Sweeps Elias Cole, ex Seal now a Gravedigger raised from the dead and is in life debt to the secret organisation who contracted and saved him. Elias has tried to stay away from Miller and had already found the will power to reject her mid passion leaving her feeling humiliated. So why is he now sweeping in to take charge and help Miller find her brother? Can these two resist the chemistry that is radiating from both of them towards each other?

I loved loved loved this book! I feel the author stepped it up a huge notch from book one. It flowed better, it was less wordy and only descriptive where really needed, but who's to say that isn't the way it was intended? Let's face it book one is always the hardest as it's where we are introduced to the majority of the characters in the series as well as follow the main characters story. This book though had everything to draw you to the characters personalities and adventures. Again as I said in book one's review the plot is a breath of fresh air because it's so original to anything else I have ever read in this genre. Miller was sassy as well as hilarious at times and Elias was just as witty in his return words but he was strong, generous and fiercely loyal to the core. I wanted and needed more of an epilogue for these two, I felt they had so much more to give to the reader. I can't wait for the next book in the series, not sure who it's about but I would love to see what makes evil boss woman Eve tick! 

Reviewed by Claire Lamb 

The Gravediggers aren’t exactly what they seem. They’re the most elite of the world’s fighting forces—and all they have in common is that they’ve been betrayed by the countries they’ve died for. Because they are dead. To their country, their military, and their families.

Sometimes the dead do rise....

Miller Darling is one of the most popular romance novelists of her time. Not bad for a woman who doesn’t believe in romance. She’s as logical as they come, and she doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters. What she does believe in is family, so when her brother disappears, she doesn’t think twice about packing her bag and her laptop and heading out to find him.

Elias Cole lived and breathed the life of a Navy SEAL. Now he’s “dead” and his hero’s honor tarnished. The only thing keeping him sane are the men who are like him—The Gravediggers—and the woman who makes his head spin. He’s never met anyone like Miller Darling. Her smart mouth and quick wit keep him on his toes, and damned if he doesn’t find that appealing.

When Miller receives a package from the brother who abandoned her asking for help, it’s clear she’s in over her head with the mess he’s gotten himself into. She needs a professional, and Elias is just the man for the job. Only her brother is a former SEAL—the man who left his team to die—and Elias is more interested in vengeance than saving his life.

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2rN1gf9

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2rYbfMX

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Review: Hard Proof (Notus Motorcycle Club #1) by Debra Kayn

****4 STARS****

I've read a few of Debra Kayn's books and on the whole I've really enjoyed them. 

She sets the scene and draws you into the story and before you know it, you're hooked.

Notus MC is an MC with a slight difference. No prospects, no gun running. They're a small group and they set their own standards....moral standards.

Wayne is a great character and just what you've come to expect from one of Debra's books. He's strong, straight forward and loyal.

Clara is playing her cards close to her chest but will that inevitably be her downfall, when trust is being offered so freely?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are great. I've already imagined where a couple characters could go from here. However, Glen's story is next and I didn't get much of a feel for him. None the less, I'm looking forward to finding out where this group of men take us next.

Reviewed by Vivienne Kauffer 

Identical twin sisters move to St. John's, Oregon, buy Vavoom's Bar, and purposely put themselves into the path of Notus Motorcycle Club. 

Burdened by a deep, dark secret, Clara has to be careful because one wrong step, one wrong word, could land her and Gracie in prison. Her need to stay close to the motorcycle club members backfire when Wayne Shaw throws her heart into a tailspin. There is more to the possessive biker than she originally thought. Cornered and out of options, she can only go forward and hope Wayne protects her.

Wayne Shaw splits his time between working at Port Loaders, searching for missing persons in partnership with the local police department, and keeping Notus Motorcycle Club together in hopes a brother will come home. Skilled at finding clues normal people miss, he has no trouble telling the new owners of Vavoom's apart. He only wants Clara. 

When a little girl goes missing, followed by a teenager disappearing, Wayne's need to keep Clara safe while searching for a serial killer gets tested…until he's no longer sure who is the hunted and who is the hunter. 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2sj0sik

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2sL7rSr

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Review: All I Am: Drew's Story (This Man #3.5) by Jodi Ellen Malpas

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

I have to start by saying that the This Man trilogy still remains my favourite series EVER and Jesse Ward is still my number one book boyfriend. The way This Man Confessed ended was perfect for me and I have to be brutally honest and say I was a little worried when I heard Drew was getting his own story. I wasn't sure it would ever live up to my expectations. What actually happened was not only a perfect way to revisit Jesse and Ava, but also a chance to get to know Drew.

I didn't know a great deal about Drew, prior to reading this book. I always got the impression that he was the least likely of the 'This Man' guys to settle down, but a chance encounter with Raya pretty much makes him rethink everything he ever thought.

I loved Drew... I really love that he has a 'piercing'. I loved Raya, althoughI would have loved it even more if there had been at least one chapter from her perspective, as I think I would have got to know her a lot better. Ilove the fact that this book is set in London and despite it being such a short story, I felt that the pace of the book was perfect. I'm just sad that the book had to end because once again I have had to say goodbye to some of my favourite characters ever, but what a perfect HEA once again.

Reviewed by Louise Dale 

A new novella featuring Drew from the #1 New York Times bestselling This Man trilogy!

Jodi:

I’ve been revisiting a few old friends. You remember Drew? The dark, mysterious pal of Jesse’s? The cool guy, who kept himself to himself? Yes, him! It’s time for Drew to shine in a brand-spanking-new THIS MAN Novella coming June 18th! I can’t tell you how much fun I've had going back to my roots, and I just know you're gonna LOVE Mr Davies. I hope a little something while you're waiting for THE FORBIDDEN (Aug 8th) will put a smile on your face as wide as mine ☺

I thought I had control. I was so, so wrong . . .

I don’t need a relationship. 

I have Hux, a decadent club where I quench whatever raw desire I choose. I take pleasure and I give it—no strings attached. So when Raya Rivers comes in asking for someone cold, emotionless, and filthy . . . well, no man ever takes his wicked pleasure quite the way I do. 

Only Raya is different. Vulnerable. And carrying some deep sorrow that gets past all my carefully constructed walls and inexplicably makes me care. Now craving controls me. Ice has given way to red-hot need. 

But Raya has no idea about my other life—my real life. That I’m a daddy to an adorable little girl. 

My two worlds are about to collide with the force of a supernova. And once Raya knows the truth, will she be able to accept all I am? 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2sORuHB

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2sfwrB3

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Review: Torrid by Nikki Sloane

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

I have a bit of a love affair with every Nikki Sloane book I read and I am especially fond of her forays into the dark. After reading Sordid, I was really anxious for Vasilije's story. In Torrid we get to spend an entire book learning more about this complicated and interesting character.

Vasilije Markovic is the second in line in the Serbian Mafia. He is the exact kind of anti-hero I love. He can be cold and cruel and can make you uncomfortable, but he has a charisma to him that draws you right in. I was half-way in love with him from meeting him in Sordid so I was right on board with him in Torrid.

Oksana was the perfect female lead for him. She is strong, knows how to play the game and has a darkness to her that is a perfect match for someone like Vasilije. She has a well thought out plan and is prepared to do what is needed and make sacrifices to ensure its success. At first she thinks nothing of manipulating Vasilije for her needs, but as time goes on, she finds herself drawn to him in ways she never imagines she would be.

At first, Vasilije see Oksana as a simple plaything. He is used to getting what he wants, people included. Once he has Oksana, her darkness beneath the surface calls to her. Both characters find themselves in a bit over their head. Vasilije is the one always in charge and controlling the game, but for the first time, he may be the one to be played with. Oksana is not afraid to do what is necessary to meet her goals, but she may finally have something she is not willing to risk sacrificing.

I enjoyed this story tremendously! Vasilije and Oksana were compelling and complicated characters that both had a dark side to their personalities that called to each other. The sex scenes were extremely hot and the suspense of the game Oksana was playing behind the scenes really added to the story and had me anxious to see what the fallout would ultimately be. I feel like every time Sloane writes a new tale she lays on the magic that launches that story right to the top of my favorites list and Torrid is no exception! 

Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 

Vasilije Markovic is the prince of the Serbian mafia and one of the most powerful men in Chicago. His smile may be razor sharp, but he’s crueler than the devil.

I’m playing a dangerous game and betting my life I’m going to win. I pretend to be his pawn. I do as he says and move where he tells me, letting him think he’s in control as I position myself for revenge. 

Every turn brings us closer. His grin doesn’t seem as evil when we’re alone. Behind closed doors, I welcome his unrelenting and vicious personality. He’s confessed all his secrets, but I’m holding one back and it’s a game changer.

If I survive the board, this pawn turns into a queen. I become the most powerful player and send all the other pieces running. To get what I want, I must make sacrifices, but am I willing to draw the line at him?

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ssbVfP

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2rzo7r8

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Review: Bad Penny by Staci Hart

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

I loved this book! Bad Penny is easily hands down my favorite Staci Hart book to date, it also happens to be one of the funniest and hottest books she has written. This one is going right to the top of my summer must reads recommendation list!

Penny is my new favorite female lead. She is brash, free spirited, opinionated and lives by her own set of rules. The most important one being she doesn't date anyone past the third date when things start to venture into more serious territory. It keeps things uncomplicated and protects everyone from getting hurt.

Enter Bodie. He's sexy, amazing in bed, smart, funny and really hard to walk away from after only three nights. Bodie is the stuff of book boyfriend dreams and I totally understood why he made Penny break her rule. Anyone would in her position. Only problem is, once rules get broken it gets hard for her to be as unaffected as she outwardly appears. For all Penny's brashness and larger than life personality, she's sweet and afraid to be hurt or rejected. Can Bodie be the man to help her realize, some people are worth the risk?

This was such a fun read! I enjoyed it more than I can explain. I adored Penny and Bodie and there was the perfect amount of emotion, sexiness and humor. Highly, highly recommended. This is a perfect beach or vacation read!

Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 

Nothing good comes after the third date.

Date three is the crucial point when things get real, which is exactly why I bounce out the door, twiddling my fingers at whatever poor boy I’ve left behind. Because if I stick around, one of three things will happen: he’ll profess his undying love, he’ll get weird and stalky, or I’ll go crazy. Like, Sid and Nancy crazy. Like, chase-him-through-the-streets-begging-him-to-love-me crazy. 

Seriously, it’s better for everyone this way.

So when I meet Bodie, I figure it’ll be the same as it ever was. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t put a single string on me. Doesn’t matter that he’s funny and smart and jacked or that he can play my body like a grand piano. Because even though I’m built for love, love has only carved me up like a Christmas ham.

Resistance is something I can only hang on to for so long, and he has persistence in spades. But my heart isn’t as safe as I want to believe, and neither is his. And the second I ignore my cardinal rule is the second I stand to lose him forever.

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2t5ibIk

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2suYWed

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Review: Wicked Things (Chaos & Ruin #3) by Callie Hart

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

Ladies & Gentleman, Zeth Mayfair just reclaimed his number one spot as my most favourite of Callie Hart's fictional fellas.

In this third instalment of the Chaos & Ruin series, he was everything I wanted him to be and more, whether that be ruthless, insanely sexy, absolutely devoted to Sloane and the way he has grown progressively as a character from way back to when we first encountered him in the Blood & Roses series. 

This series as a whole just got better and better for me, but I'm now left with a melancholic feeling that this book may have been the last in the series. I really hope that isn't the case. I could revisit Zeth and Sloane over and over again and never ever tire of them. 

I do feel however, that there's more to come for Masons character. Maybe he'll take his own path away from Zeth. And then there's the Barbieri's. Those two are just too good not to get their own books, whether it be in the Hells Kitchen series or something completely new. 

All in all a first class read from Callie Hart once again.

Reviewed by Louise Dale 

"This is the reason I called her my angry girl in the first place. I was teasing her back then, but the truth of the matter is that she impressed me. She blew me away with her strength of character and her fire. She’s not just angry. She’s fierce. She’s determined. She’s strong. She’s brave as f#*$. She is everything she needs to be in order to withstand being in love with a man like me, and I am eternally grateful for that fact."

Zeth Mayfair is on a mission to take care of business in New York. The only problem? The Babieri family seem intent on taking care of him. Permanently.

Sloane Romera's just beginning to wrap her head around the idea of being a mother. When she's shoved into the back of a black panel van without so much as the chance to scream, she finally realizes she'll do whatever it takes to protect the growing child inside her. 

And when Zeth finds out what's happened to his Angry Girl...

...Seattle had better prepare for fireworks.

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2rXUcwf

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2sYYL7Q

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Review: Too Close To Call (Romancing The Clarksons #3.5) by Tessa Bailey

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

Tessa Bailey gives us another addition to her Romancing the Clarkson series in the form of a second chance romance novella.

We first meet Kyler in Too Hard to Forget. He was one of Elliott's star players. He has shot to success and is headed for even more thanks to being a first round NFL draft pick, but success, fame and money mean nothing to him without his high school sweetheart. Bree left Kyler because she wanted a quiet life and was afraid of the notoriety that would come with his eventual career. Now he's back in his hometown and making a stand. He is going to convince Bree to give their life together a chance and has no plans to leave for LA without her. Bree is determined to stay the course despite the feelings she still has and the crazy attraction that seemed even stronger after a four year absence. Good thing Kyler isn't afraid of a little hard work and won't take no for an answer.

I have loved this series since book one and was so excited to have this new addition. This was such a sweet abs heartfelt second chance romance with the perfect amount of Tessa Bailey steam thrown in.

Reviewed by Rosemary Feil 

All-American wide receiver Kyler Tate’s life is about to change. A fairytale college career skyrocketed him to the NFL draft. Adoration and opportunity are thrown in his direction wherever he goes, thanks to being chosen in the first round by the Los Angeles Rage. 

None of the accolades mean anything, though, without his high school sweetheart, Bree Sutton, by his side. Four years ago, she walked away from Kyler, choosing a quiet life over the flash and notoriety his career would someday bring. 

Now he’s back in their Indiana hometown, refusing to leave for Los Angeles without her. Demanding she give their life together a shot. Her heart never stopped bleeding for the love of her life, but Bree’s decision was final. Too bad their wild attraction has only been amplified by their separation, and Kyler won’t quit until Bree is wearing his ring. 

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2sff2s8

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/2s9BLFr

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