Tuesday, 4 October 2016

Review: Bang Gang by Jade West

*****5 Stars*****


Anytime I pick up a Jade West book I know I'm in for some especially dirty fun. The brilliance of West is that in addition to all of the naughty sex there is always an interesting plot and characters we end up caring for. In Bang Gang the characters stealing our heart are Jodi and Darren.
Jodi is a single mother to two sweet and adorable little girls. She has sacrificed her happiness and much of her life to be a good other. She lives in a small town and as such, very few things remain secret. When she begins hearing rumors about her ex and her daughters' father, Darren she isn't sure how to feel. Apparently in addition to his successful mechanic business, he is selling sexual fantasies on the side. The kind of fantasies that involve one woman and a group of five sexy mechanics. For the right price, you can have the gang bang of your dreams. Jodi is mortified when she first hears and then embarrassed and upset. The more she thinks about what her ex is selling though, the more a desire starts taking shape. Maybe she should cut loose for once and spend some of her hard earned money living out a sexy fantasy herself.
Darren is definitely the kind of man fantasies are made of. In addition to his overt sexuality, he is a true family man at heart. The way he is with his daughters will definitely melt your heart. I did wonder though why he would engage in the activities he was taking part in, in such a small town. Surely at least part of him must have known it would get back to his ex and one day his daughters. With the way he cared about them, I can't imagine he would ever do anything to harm them. Though, I'm not sure he and Jodi would have ever gotten back together if not for his side business so perhaps it was the product of a sexy evil genius.
This book is very dirty, and if you have read any previous Jade West book, that should come as no surprise to you. It also really was heartwarming. The latter half of the book got quite emotional and I loved watching Jodi loosen up and find the woman she has been pushing aside for her daughters. I also loved Darren reclaiming his woman and daughters and seeing a family rediscover each other. Bang Gang was another entertaining, naughty and ultimately fulfilling read from Jade West that I enjoyed tremendously.

Reviewed by Rosemary Feil


It’s one thing knowing your ex-boyfriend is a bit of a player, but it’s another thing altogether to find out he’s pimping himself out to anyone who’ll pay good money for it.

Not just himself, either. That would be far too regular for Darren Trent. 

Darren Trent – my teenage sweetheart and father to my two young girls – is not just whoring himself out. Oh no. Darren Trent pimps himself out alongside four of his mechanic friends – all of them at the same time. 

Five hot, sweaty mechanics at your service.

They call themselves the Bang Gang… you can imagine. 


In a village our size I should keep my head down and hope the scandal blows over before the girls or my poor old Nanna catch wind of it. 

Only it’s not blowing over. Far from it. It seems every woman in the village wants themselves a five-mechanic sandwich.

They make no qualms about it, either. Just rock on up to my café counter and ask how they can book themselves in for a Bang Gang special. Like I would know. 

I definitely wouldn’t know. I hardly even know Darren Trent anymore. We split up a lifetime ago.

I definitely don’t think about him late at night. Don’t think about five mechanics and me as much as every other woman in this village. 

And even if I did, I wouldn’t act on it. I wouldn’t draw the money from my savings account and have a go for myself.

And even if I did that, I definitely, definitely wouldn’t fall for him. Not again. Not after everything we went through. Not after splitting up the first time nearly brought me to my knees.

Not after settling into a decent routine, the girls and me, with no drama, no heartbreak, no crazy passions to rock the calm little boat we’re sailing on. 

I mean, who would be stupid enough to risk all that over a hot, sweaty, oily bit of rough like Darren Trent?





Review: Bedmates (American Royalty #1) by Nichole Chase

****4 Stars****


By the name of this book I had expected to be reading about a sex filled non stop roll in the hay type of book but that was not the case at all. What I did get was a good story about a boy and a girl that went from childhood hatred to growing up lusting after each other. However because it's the presidents daughter and the Vice Presidents son would the relationship be frowned upon because the VP told her son it was a no go area? 

Jake is a lovable character, back from the hells of Afghanistan with a leg amputation after his helicopter was shot down and most of his crew killed, he tries to get on in life with a brave face but deep down its killing him inside and causing him to react to unexpected noise etc. Jake however doesn't think it's fair to love anyone or get involved in relationships due to his moods and feelings on his situation. Maddie is different though, she doesn't treat him like an invalid and tells him how it is, she is a strong willed female lead and takes no nonsense from anyone.
Both Maddie and Jake are forced to work together on a veterans home project after Maddie gets arrested for breaking and entering. Can the two of them make it work and get along for the sake of keeping the media at bay? 
The story is well written and we get a bit of everything in this book. There's some witty parts and angsty parts but then there's some really heartfelt sad parts. The writing flows well and the book has just enough build up before things move along at a quicker pace leaving a sense of reader satisfaction. I've no idea where the author is going next with this series but I'd like to see something on Tony whom was Maddies bodyguard.


Reviewed by Claire Lamb


From the bestselling author of Suddenly Royal comes the first in a sparkling new series about America’s favorite royal—the First Daughter.


Everyone makes mistakes, especially in college. But when you’re the daughter of the President of the United States, any little slip up is a huge embarrassment. Maddie McGuire’s latest error in judgment lands her in police custody, giving the press a field day. Agreeing to do community service as penance and to restore her tattered reputation, Maddie never dreams incredibly good looking but extremely annoying vice president’s son, Jake Simmon, will be along for the ride.

Recently returning from Afghanistan with a life-altering injury, Jake is wrestling with his own demons. He doesn’t have the time or patience to deal with the likes of Maddie. They’re like oil and water and every time they’re together, it’s combustible. But there’s a thin line between love and hate, and it’s not long before their fiery arguments give way to infinitely sexier encounters.

When Jake receives devastating news about the last remaining member of his unit, the darkness he’s resisted for so long begins to overwhelm him. Scared to let anyone close, he pushes Maddie away. But she isn’t about to give up on Jake that easily. Maddie’s fallen for him, and she’ll do anything to keep him from the edge as they both discover that love is a battlefield and there are some fights you just can’t lose.





Monday, 3 October 2016

Review: The Bachelor Auction (The Bachelors of Arizona #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

*****5 Stars*****


I never ever ever get tired of the great stories Rachel Van Dyken produces. I think she will forever be my number one and go to author. This book has delivered and more and it really wasn't what I was expecting. We follow the story of Brock and Jane, 2 people lost in their family life due to tragedy and sorrow. Both wrapped up in pleasing others and not enjoying happiness for themselves. Brock has twin brothers Brant and Bentley who are constantly hitting headlines and up to no good and he is constantly bailing them out as well as bowing to his Grandfathers demands because he won't say no. Jane has 2 sisters who are cruel and bitchy towards her, whilst treating her like a slave and expecting her to bail them out of financial difficulties. Brock and Jane have a brief chance meeting at one of his Grandfathers extravagant parties when Jane has a slight accident at the expense of her evil sisters. Thinking that he is never going to see her again he is surprised when his Grandfather sends Brock off to his deceased parents country house for a 3 week vacation, this is after telling Brock he will be auctioned off to a the highest bidding woman at a charity event. However when he arrives he unexpectedly finds Jane has been hired as the maid to clean the house from top to bottom. Can either Brock or Jane give into temptation and finally say no to their families knowing that the auction is looming?
RVD has a knack for writing witty love stories that make you laugh out loud and entice you to keep on reading until the end. The characters are lovable and the chemistry between them is fizzling which makes you want to shout at your kindle "kiss her already you fool"! The title of the story made me think this was going to be solely some sort of bachelor on love island story and would totally focus around that but sometimes what you expect and what you get is 2 different things and this was way better than what I expected. I also love when RVD puts some witty animals in the story and I especially loved the cock in this one. So if your looking for a romantic story with lots of witty moments then go one click this book. I can't wait to find out what Brant and Bentley's story is.

Reviewed by Claire Lamb


Cinderella never had to deal with this crap.


Jane isn't entirely sure that Cinderella got such a raw deal. Sure, she had a rough start, but didn't she eventually land a prince and a happily-ever-after? Meanwhile, Jane is busy waiting on her demanding, entitled sisters, running her cleaning business, and . . . yep, not a prince in sight. Until a party and a broken shoe incident leave Jane wondering if princes---or at least, a certain deliciously hunky billionaire---maybe do exist.

Except Brock Wellington isn't anyone's dream guy. Hell, a prince would never agree to be auctioned off in marriage to the highest bidder. Or act like an arrogant jerk---even if it was just a façade. Now, as Brock is waiting for the auction chopping block, he figures it's karmic retribution that he's tempted by a sexy, sassy woman he can't have. But while they can't have a fairy-tale ending, maybe they can indulge in a little bit of fantasy . .






Review: Down Shift (Driven #8) by K. Bromberg

*****5 Stars*****


I'm not going to lie, the Driven series for me has been a bit of mixed bag. I've absolutely loved every book dedicated to Colton and Rylee, to the point that I would class them as some of my favourite reads and Colton as one of my all time favourite book boyfriends, but I felt that a certain something was missing from the other books in the series. Even Becks and Haddie's, which as much as I loved it and cried bucket loads, I just never felt it made me feel like I did in those early days. Some of that was perhaps 'right book, wrong time', but still I have always been hoping that subsequent books would spark that feeling in me that I got in those earlier reads. So as much as I was looking forward to reading Zander and Getty's story, I most definitely wasn't expecting the fantastic book that I've just read.
This is more of a surprise to me because I will always remember Zander as that scared little boy, so I had doubt's whether I would be able to picture him as a twenty something hot guy and certainly had reservations whether I would be able to handle any hot sex scenes that I know K Bromberg writes amazingly. Well I can honestly say I had no problems in making the switch from young Zander to very much an adult Zander. He was most definitely hot and just like Colton, he had one hell of a personality, if maybe not a bit moodier than the original racing playboy himself.
Getty for me, struck a chord early on. And even though Zander was working through some emotional baggage, it was her who really pulled at my heart strings. She had enough vulnerability about her that didn't make her come across as a whiney damsel in distress and because of this, her strength shone through in bucket loads and made me love her so much more than I thought possible.
For me this book was a superbly written, emotional read and certainly by the end there were tears of sadness, joy and frustration, which to me can only mean one thing........that this was an incredible story.
I'm so glad K Bromberg told Zanders story as it has also restored my faith in this series as a whole and I for one really hope there are many more books to come.

Reviewed by Louise Dale


The New York Times bestselling Driven series continues with a standalone story about finding love where you least expect it…
 
Behind the wheel, racing champion Zander Donavan is at the top of his game. But after too much excess in his personal life, he’s forced to step away. He needs to accomplish something all on his own—outside of his famous father’s shadow. 

Getty Caster is running away from the abuse that clouds her past. She thinks she’s found the perfect escape—until she discovers a stranger in the beachside cottage she’d been promised. He’s undeniably sexy, but she’s there to heal. Alone.

Before long though, fighting with each other turns into fighting their attraction. And giving into desire sets off a chain reaction that has their pasts colliding. With an unexpected love on the line, can they overcome the fallout to build a future?





Review: Race the Darkness (Fatal Dreams #1) by Abbie Roads

*****5 Stars*****


Wow! This book was just what I needed right now, so different to anything else I've ever read. It's gritty, intense, intriguing and thrilling. The combination of the story being something totally new to me and the author's writing style, which I just connected with instantly, meant I literally couldn't stop reading this. 

I went into this with the idea that it was a paranormal romance, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that's it's more of a psychological thriller, maybe with a tad bit of a sci-fi bent. 
I don't want to give much of the story away as I went into it totally blind and enjoyed it all the more for it, but I will say that Xander captured my attention from the get-go. Xander is our hero in this tale, not only is he scarred from forehead to calf, he also has a special ability. An extra-sensory ability I suppose you could call it. You find this information out in the first chapter so it's not a spoiler, but straight away from that first chapter he had me intrigued. 
I also anticipated a bit of a 'beauty and the beast' type tale when I read of his scarring, and I'm a sucker for those. I love a man with an "imperfection", I'm a firm believer that it's our imperfections that make us perfect in our own ways. 
The pace of the story was great, fast enough to keep me engaged but not too fast that it didn't keep me in some suspense. I just absolutely loved this book and I'm so excited for the next one! So if you see me banging on about this book for the next few weeks, which I probably will since I'm an unapologetic book-pusher, then don't be surprised!


Reviewed by Steph Lewis


First in a gripping paranormal romantic suspense duo by a Golden Heart finalist debut author whose clinical work gives her chilling insights...


Cursed with a terrible gift...

Criminal investigator Xander Stone doesn't have to question you—he can hear your thoughts. Scarred by lightning, burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice that haunts him day and night—the voice of a woman begging him to save her.

A gift that threatens to engulf them...

Isleen Walker has long since given up hope of escape from the nightmare of captivity and torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul. Except...there is the man in her feverish dreams, the strangely beautiful man who beckons her to freedom and wholeness. And when he comes, if he comes, it will take all their combined fury and faith to overcome a madman bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy.






Review: The Exposure (Submissive #9) by Tara Sue Me

****4 Stars****


The newest addition to Tara Sue Me's Submissive series is a suspenseful second chance romance. Meagan may have thought she moved on, but she is still not over Luke and the way he left her life and heart in shambles years earlier. When he approaches her to take part in a BDSM photo shoot she says no as quickly and as firmly as possible. She wants nothing to do with Luke. That quickly changes when she is blackmailed by someone unknown person who threatens to expose pictures he took of her years ago. Now she has no choice but to agree to be his model. She figures she can also use this opportunity to get back at him for what he did fifteen years ago and get some revenge.
Luke, messed up years ago. He has never stopped thinking of Meagan. She is the perfect muse for his newest book project and he is determined to prove to her that he is changed and to make up for past wrongs. He agrees to just take her pictures and keep his hands off. They're both adults and after all this time, how hard can it be to keep things professional? Soon, all the old feelings and passion between Luke and Meagan come bubbling back up to the surface. Her plans to get revenge quickly fade and she is left with secrets she is not sure she'll be forgiven for keeping. Can they see their way through past mistakes and new secrets?
I really loved Tara Sue Me's Submissive series. In this newest volume we revisit our favorite characters and get to spend time with Meagan and Luke. I was rooting for them. I'm always a softy for second chance romances and these two definitely were deserving of a steamy happily ever after. As with all the books in this series the BDSM scenes are hot and well written. While not one of my favorites in the series, it was still very enjoyable and as always left me wanting more by the end. This can certainly be read as a standalone, but I'm pretty sure you'll have the urge to read the rest of the series when you finish so you can learn more about all of these great, engaging characters.

Reviewed by Rosemary Feil


New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me’s Submissive series is back with a scorching new romance that proves the difference between excitement and pain is just point of view...

She’s ready for her close-up. . . .
Meagan Bishop gave up modeling after an ill-fated tryst with a sexy photographer left her career and heart in shambles. When that same sexy shutterbug makes a titillating offer to do a BDSM spread for his new photography book, she’s determined to refuse—until an anonymous blackmailer entices her to accept. Now her body is again at the whim of the man who broke her heart, and she’s finding his strong direction undeniably intriguing. . . .
Meagan is the muse Luke needs to make his shoot something special, even if it means keeping his hands off. But each new erotic scene they capture makes it harder  to ignore his need to command her in the bedroom as well as the studio.
As their sexual tension explodes, Meagan’s arrangement with her extortionist becomes more perilous, putting in danger her darkest secrets and the fragile passion between Luke and her. . . .






Sunday, 2 October 2016

Review: The One Real Thing (Hart's Boardwalk #1) by Samantha Young

****4 Stars****


Having loved On Dublin Street for so long and I have to say Joss and Braden are still one of my all time favourite couples, I was so excited by this brand new series set in the small seaside town of Hartwell, Delaware.
This is Jessica and Coopers book and whilst I absolutely adored Cooper from the start, I just didn't immediately feel a connection with Jessica.
Jessica's chapters were told in the first person, yet Cooper's were told in the third person, which for me did affect the flow slightly. I'm not sure why the book was written in this way, but eventually I did become used to it.
The book was incredibly slow to grab my attention and for a series that I suspected was going to be so character driven, I worried that the characters for me just weren't memorable enough.
Well that is until I hit the half way mark and my word did the book get going. Characters suddenly came to life, the book for me did a complete 180°. The sex scenes were hot, the chemistry between Jessica and Cooper went from luke warm to 'Oh My God!'.
I am putting such a slow start down to the fact that because this is a brand new series, with characters we've never met before, that we had to get to know them all before things really started to get going.
For me I love that each book will focus on a different couple, however as this is set in a small close knit community, some ongoing issues are going to continue throughout.
By the end I really did love this book and whilst it didn't hit me like On Dublin Street first did, it definitely gave me a good feeling and I cannot wait to see what's in store for the rest of the series.

Reviewed by Louise Dale


Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts…

While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.

Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her. Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for….